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If you feel stuck in a creative rut, one of the best ways to improve your skills and expand your photography is by picking up a classic used lens (or three). If you've got a modern mirrorless camera, or even an older DSLR, there are countless options to try. Not sure where to start? We teamed up with MPB, the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video gear, to point you in the right direction.

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MPB is known for its attention to detail – its product specialists inspect and photograph every single lens so you can see what you're getting and purchase with confidence thanks to the brand’s six-month warranty. The best part? If you need to make room in the gear closet before pulling the trigger on a new-to-you lens, you can sell and trade in used gear, too. With that in mind, let's take a trip into the past to find some lenses that are truly timeless.

Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM Photo: MPB

Who says something timeless needs to cost a fortune? Canon's fast fifty from the 90s has a softer character wide open, but gets nicely sharp when stopped down — and it can be had for a song. It's still excellent on Canon's DSLRs, but with an adapter, it's also usable on a modern RF-mount mirrorless body, too.

Buy Now at MPB Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 T* APO Planar Photo: MPB

While this lens is from the 21st century, you won't find any autofocus motors, OLED screens, or other fancy modern accouterments adorning its simple, curvy form. Instead, Zeiss put all its engineering prowess into the Otus 85mm's apochromatic optics, and trusts you can do your own focusing. Sure, it’s not sealed against the elements, and it is big and heavy, but the sharpness is hard to beat.

Buy Now at MPB SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited
Photo: MPB

Somewhere between 28mm and 35mm is this Pentax SLR lens, one of the famous FA Limited lenses. It's all-metal, has a handsome built-in hood, and is touted for its rendering of subjects on digital and film camera bodies. This lens is useful for street photography, architecture, and landscapes alike.

Buy Now at MPB Nikon Micro Nikkor 105mm F2.8 AI-S Photo: MPB

If you need to get close to your subjects – like 314mm away – this widely-praised macro is a solid buy. While it’s not super fast, the 105mm is known for being consistently sharp when wide open or stopped down, making it a versatile pick for insects, plants, and product photography.

Buy Now at MPB Leica 35mm F2 ASPH Summicron-M Photo: MPB

Leica lenses are known for high performance and premium build quality. The F2 Summicron-M, as its name suggests, is for Leica's rangefinders but can also be used with adapters on just about any mirrorless camera. With its single aspherical element and compact size, it's one of the great lenses for street photography.

Buy Now at MPB Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Zeiss Sonnar T* Photo: MPB

One of the earliest lenses made for Sony's full-frame mirrorless system, the FE 55mm is a real peach. With all-metal construction on the outside, this is a sharp and fast prime that will earn its place in the camera bag of anyone who owns a Sony mirrorless camera.

Buy Now at MPB Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art (DG HSM for DSLR, DG DN for mirrorless) Photo: MPB

An instant classic since its introduction in 2012, Sigma's fast and sharp 35mm Art is available for just about every mount you could want, both mirrorless and DSLR. It won DPReview's Gold Award back then, and optically it's everything you'd want from a standard prime, staying wicked sharp even at F1.4.

Buy Now at MPB Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R APD Photo: MPB

If you're a Fujifilm fan, you need to try this 84mm-equivalant portrait beast. With a special apodizing filter and Fujifilm's pixie dust all over it, the XF 56mm F1.2 R APD almost guarantees incredible portraits with sharp subjects and creamy, dreamy bokeh.

Buy Now at MPB Canon EF 200mm F1.8L Photo: MPB

If you have the money and the upper body strength, the legendary "Eye of Sauron" 200mm F1.8L from Canon is as hefty as it is impressive. Whether you're shooting action or using it to obliterate the backgrounds from full-body portraits, this is a lens that has no equal.

Buy Now at MPB

Introduction

Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021. With the 2024 release of the Fujifilm X100VI, we have updated the story to include the new camera.

With the arrival of the X100VI, there is a new camera gunning for the top spot for large-sensor fixed-lens cameras sold at anything approaching a mainstream price.

We often see Ricoh's GR cameras discussed alongside Fujifilm's X100 series models. Both have a similar design approach, emphasize photography and have legions of loyal users who sing their praises as the compact of choice.

However, whereas the choice between the 28mm-equiv Ricoh GR and the 35mm-equiv X100 models can be made solely on focal length, the fractionally wide-of-normal 40mm-equiv lens of the GR IIIx makes the distinctions rather more nuanced.

One which lets us take a closer look at the fundamental differences between two of the camera series most beloved by their users.

Buy Fujifilm X100VI now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama $1,599 at Amazon

Buy GR IIIx now:

$1047 at Amazon X100VI

The X100VI doesn't deviate too far from the X100V in terms of body, lens and ergonomics. Unless you pick them up one after the other, you probably won't notice the VI is 43g heavier and 2mm deeper. As such, most of the points we made about the X100V also apply to the X100VI.

The most significant changes in the X100VI come on the inside with the addition of in-body stabilization and a new 40MP BSI CMOS sensor (borrowed from Fujifilm's X-H2 and X-T5). The VI also features Fujifilm's X Processor V, which brings with it the machine-learning trained subject recognition algorithms for animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles and bikes, airplanes and trains.

Other changes new film simulation modes, video improvements, camera-to-cloud upload, and a redesigned tilt screen mechanism that better accommodates both waist-level and overhead shoots.

Remember these key differences as we compare the GR IIIX to the Fujifilm X100 series. There are very few differences between the X100V and X100VI beyond what we've outlined here. The only other killer feature to keep in mind is that you may actually find an X100VI on a store shelf.

Buy now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama $1,599 at Amazon Body

Both the GR and X100 designs are 'classic' in their own ways: the Fujifilm knowingly harks back to the appearance of 1960s rangefinders while the latest GR is styled in keeping with a lineage that stretches back 25 years to the GR1 film camera.

The conceptual distinction between the two cameras is clear the moment you put them alongside one another: the GR is small and discreet while the X100 is larger and much more ostentatious in its appearance. One of these cameras is designed not to draw attention to itself, whereas the X100 is more likely to be on display, hung around your neck and, even in its all-black form, almost begs to be a talking point.

Size

When we say the GR IIIx is small, we mean it. The GR IIIx may be 2mm (0.079") deeper than its 28mm equiv sibling, but it's still pretty much the only APS-C camera that can genuinely be described as pocketable. Despite this, Ricoh has found room to incorporate an image stabilization system, shifting the sensor to correct for pitch, yaw and roll.

The X100 series is relatively compact but is much more difficult to stash away. Unlike the Ricoh, its lens doesn't retract into the body (though it can extend a little as it focuses). Notably, its 35mm equivalent lens opens up as far as F2, giving it a one stop advantage over the Ricoh. By some strange coincidence, adding IS to the X100VI also added 2mm (0.079") to the camera's depth.

Both have leaf shutters, allowing high flash sync speeds and both have built-in ND filters to allow the use of wide apertures in bright light. The Fujifilm finds room for a small built-in flash; it's not a lot but, thanks to the fast sync speed of the leaf shutter, can provide a bit of 'fill' for nearby subjects on bright days.

Viewfinders and displays

The other difference is that the X100 is built around a complex (and expensive) electronic/optical hybrid viewfinder. The 'V' model also introduced a tilt-out LCD for waist-level shooting, but the viewfinder remains the X100 series' signature feature and is likely the most common way the camera is used.

By comparison, the GR has a fixed LCD, which represents its primary view on the world. A clip-in optical viewfinder is available but its 85% coverage figure and lack of settings display or connection to the camera means it's no substitute for the Fujifilm approach.

Both cameras offer touch-sensitive screens for placing the AF point or navigating menus and playback. The X100V and X100VI also have dedicated AF joysticks, whereas on the Ricoh you'll need to reconfigure the camera if you want to use its four-way controller to move AF.

Ergonomics

The conceptual differences between the cameras highlight themselves again when you go to use either of them. The Fujifilms are covered with marked dials and customizable buttons, encouraging you to take control over the camera's exposure settings and setup options. If anything, we feel the X100V and VI might now have too many dials: having the choice of using command dials or dedicated dials for each function gives flexibility but also means that most people will find some of the controls redundant.

The Ricoh is distinctly minimalist, by comparison. It has a command dial on the front, a clickable jog lever on the rear and not a lot else. There's a fiddly ring around the four-way controller, but the camera can be set up so that everything can be controlled without moving out of the one-handed holding/shooting stance. That demands a degree of setup (it's well worth putting your most-used functions in a sensible order in the 'ADJ' menu that appears when you press the rear toggle switch inwards), but it's a way of shooting that a great many GR owners have come to love.

Image Quality

There's very little to call regarding image quality between the 24MP FSI CMOS sensor in the Ricoh and the 26MP BSI one in the Fujifilm X100V.

The 40MP BSI CMOS in the X100VI however represents a significant difference; we're still testing to make a final assessment, but our early impressions have been positive and the camera seems to be making the most of the move to a 40MP sensor.

In terms of lenses, there's not a huge amount to choose between them, optically, though our initial impression is that the Ricoh remains a little sharper at the corners. The Fujifilm can focus a little closer (10cm, rather than the GR IIIx's 12cm), but it still gets a little soft at close distances and wide apertures, even though it's improved over its predecessors in this regard. Then, of course, there's the Fujifilm's brighter lens, which offers slightly shallower depth-of-field and more scope for working in low light.

In terms of JPEGs, both offer a range of interesting processing modes, both color and black and white, but we'd give the edge to the Fujifilm for offering a wide range of relatively subtle, attractive options.

Autofocus

The Fujifilms are a touch faster to autofocus than the GR IIIx but none of the three is super speedy. They'll all perform well for most of the types of photography they're likely to be used for, but none is quite as rapid as the very quickest mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. And, while they all offer subject tracking and face detection modes, none of them is especially good in this regard, either. They're all quick enough that you needn't demand your subject hold their pose and expression for the camera, but they're not as immediately, unerringly in-focus as the best mirrorless models.

Where the Ricoh makes up for its lack of pace is in its signature Snap Focus mode, where the camera shifts focus to a predetermined distance (specified in the menus), when you hit the shutter button. It's a feature much appreciated by street shooters who can simply dial-in the distance they anticipate the action happening at and hit the shutter knowing where the camera will then focus. There's also a 'Full Press Snap' option that activates Snap Focus if you fully press the shutter button without half-pressing to AF.

Battery life

Both the Ricoh and Fujifilms are relatively small cameras, once you've taken into account how much space the hybrid viewfinder and lens take up in the X100V's (and VI's) case.

Fujifilm gives numbers of 350 and 420 shots per charge using the EVF and OVF modes, respectively, for the X100V and 310 and 450 for the newer camera. These are very respectable numbers, helped by the move to using the larger, 8.7Wh NP-W126S battery. The Ricoh only has room for a 4.9Wh DB-110 battery, and its battery life rating only reaches 200 shots per charge, as a result.

We find these ratings, derived from a testing protocol laid down by industry body CIPA, are distinctly under-representative of the number of shots we'll typically get, when shooting. However, a rating as low as 200 usually means constant low-level anxiety about keeping the camera charged, because it will be prone to running out if you use the camera intensively. Thankfully, both cameras can be charged or powered over their USB-C connectors, so it's easy enough to keep them topped-up, especially if you have a small power bank battery to hand.

Price and value

Neither camera is especially inexpensive but, considering you're getting a very good APS-C sensor and a sharp F2.8 prime for your money, the Ricoh GR IIIx's list price of $1000 doesn't seem unreasonable. Its solid-feeling magnesium alloy construction is unlikely to leave you feeling short-changed.

The Fujifilm doesn't feel quite as well built as the Ricoh, with it seemingly using thinner-gauge metal to prevent things getting too hefty and the multitudinous controls not always feeling especially firm. You'll need slightly deeper pockets (the X100VI list price is $1600), but for that extra money you gain the complex hybrid viewfinder and a lens that's a whole stop brighter. In the end, both cameras feel special enough that the price tags don't feel undeserved.

Conclusion

The more we look at the GR IIIx and the X100V (and VI) the more we feel – almost paradoxically for cameras aimed at dedicated photographers – that image quality is one of the least important factors to consider. This apparent tension is resolved because the image quality is very high in both cases.

Similarly, whereas the (non x) GR III vs X100V (or VI) decision is simply a question of focal length, here the difference between the slightly wider angle Fujifilm and the nearer normal Ricoh gives us much less to choose between.

And both cameras, in their own ways, could fairly be described as modern classics: progressive iterations on designs that have built up groups of devoted users.

And yet, despite all these fundamental similarities, they remain easy to choose between. The Fujifilm is no match for the genuine pocketability of the Ricoh, while the Ricoh can't compete with the Fujifilm's dashing good looks and viewfinder experience. The (duplicative) knobs and dials for everything approach of the X100s will appeal to some people every bit as much as the 'everything you want at your fingertips' ethos of the GR IIIx.

We suspect that however you shoot, the winner will be obvious to you. Let us know which one it is in the comments.

Buy Fujifilm X100VI now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama $1,599 at Amazon

Buy GR IIIx now:

$1047 at Amazon

Introduction

Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021. With the 2024 release of the Fujifilm X100VI, we have updated the story to include the new camera.

With the arrival of the X100VI, there is a new camera gunning for the top spot for large-sensor fixed-lens cameras sold at anything approaching a mainstream price.

We often see Ricoh's GR cameras discussed alongside Fujifilm's X100 series models. Both have a similar design approach, emphasize photography and have legions of loyal users who sing their praises as the compact of choice.

However, whereas the choice between the 28mm-equiv Ricoh GR and the 35mm-equiv X100 models can be made solely on focal length, the fractionally wide-of-normal 40mm-equiv lens of the GR IIIx makes the distinctions rather more nuanced.

One which lets us take a closer look at the fundamental differences between two of the camera series most beloved by their users.

Buy Fujifilm X100VI now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama

Buy GR IIIx now:

$1047 at Amazon X100VI

The X100VI doesn't deviate too far from the X100V in terms of body, lens and ergonomics. Unless you pick them up one after the other, you probably won't notice the VI is 43g heavier and 2mm deeper. As such, most of the points we made about the X100V also apply to the X100VI.

The most significant changes in the X100VI come on the inside with the addition of in-body stabilization and a new 40MP BSI CMOS sensor (borrowed from Fujifilm's X-H2 and X-T5). The VI also features Fujifilm's X Processor V, which brings with it the machine-learning trained subject recognition algorithms for animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles and bikes, airplanes and trains.

Other changes new film simulation modes, video improvements, camera-to-cloud upload, and a redesigned tilt screen mechanism that better accommodates both waist-level and overhead shoots.

Remember these key differences as we compare the GR IIIX to the Fujifilm X100 series. There are very few differences between the X100V and X100VI beyond what we've outlined here. The only other killer feature to keep in mind is that you may actually find an X100VI on a store shelf.

Buy now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama Body

Both the GR and X100 designs are 'classic' in their own ways: the Fujifilm knowingly harks back to the appearance of 1960s rangefinders while the latest GR is styled in keeping with a lineage that stretches back 25 years to the GR1 film camera.

The conceptual distinction between the two cameras is clear the moment you put them alongside one another: the GR is small and discreet while the X100 is larger and much more ostentatious in its appearance. One of these cameras is designed not to draw attention to itself, whereas the X100 is more likely to be on display, hung around your neck and, even in its all-black form, almost begs to be a talking point.

Size

When we say the GR IIIx is small, we mean it. The GR IIIx may be 2mm (0.079") deeper than its 28mm equiv sibling, but it's still pretty much the only APS-C camera that can genuinely be described as pocketable. Despite this, Ricoh has found room to incorporate an image stabilization system, shifting the sensor to correct for pitch, yaw and roll.

The X100 series is relatively compact but is much more difficult to stash away. Unlike the Ricoh, its lens doesn't retract into the body (though it can extend a little as it focuses). Notably, its 35mm equivalent lens opens up as far as F2, giving it a one stop advantage over the Ricoh. By some strange coincidence, adding IS to the X100VI also added 2mm (0.079") to the camera's depth.

Both have leaf shutters, allowing high flash sync speeds and both have built-in ND filters to allow the use of wide apertures in bright light. The Fujifilm finds room for a small built-in flash; it's not a lot but, thanks to the fast sync speed of the leaf shutter, can provide a bit of 'fill' for nearby subjects on bright days.

Viewfinders and displays

The other difference is that the X100 is built around a complex (and expensive) electronic/optical hybrid viewfinder. The 'V' model also introduced a tilt-out LCD for waist-level shooting, but the viewfinder remains the X100 series' signature feature and is likely the most common way the camera is used.

By comparison, the GR has a fixed LCD, which represents its primary view on the world. A clip-in optical viewfinder is available but its 85% coverage figure and lack of settings display or connection to the camera means it's no substitute for the Fujifilm approach.

Both cameras offer touch-sensitive screens for placing the AF point or navigating menus and playback. The X100V and X100VI also have dedicated AF joysticks, whereas on the Ricoh you'll need to reconfigure the camera if you want to use its four-way controller to move AF.

Ergonomics

The conceptual differences between the cameras highlight themselves again when you go to use either of them. The Fujifilms are covered with marked dials and customizable buttons, encouraging you to take control over the camera's exposure settings and setup options. If anything, we feel the X100V and VI might now have too many dials: having the choice of using command dials or dedicated dials for each function gives flexibility but also means that most people will find some of the controls redundant.

The Ricoh is distinctly minimalist, by comparison. It has a command dial on the front, a clickable jog lever on the rear and not a lot else. There's a fiddly ring around the four-way controller, but the camera can be set up so that everything can be controlled without moving out of the one-handed holding/shooting stance. That demands a degree of setup (it's well worth putting your most-used functions in a sensible order in the 'ADJ' menu that appears when you press the rear toggle switch inwards), but it's a way of shooting that a great many GR owners have come to love.

Image Quality

There's very little to call regarding image quality between the 24MP FSI CMOS sensor in the Ricoh and the 26MP BSI one in the Fujifilm X100V.

The 40MP BSI CMOS in the X100VI however represents a significant difference; we're still testing to make a final assessment, but our early impressions have been positive and the camera seems to be making the most of the move to a 40MP sensor.

In terms of lenses, there's not a huge amount to choose between them, optically, though our initial impression is that the Ricoh remains a little sharper at the corners. The Fujifilm can focus a little closer (10cm, rather than the GR IIIx's 12cm), but it still gets a little soft at close distances and wide apertures, even though it's improved over its predecessors in this regard. Then, of course, there's the Fujifilm's brighter lens, which offers slightly shallower depth-of-field and more scope for working in low light.

In terms of JPEGs, both offer a range of interesting processing modes, both color and black and white, but we'd give the edge to the Fujifilm for offering a wide range of relatively subtle, attractive options.

Autofocus

The Fujifilm is a touch faster to autofocus than the GR IIIx but neither is super speedy. They'll both perform well for most of the types of photography they're likely to be used for, but neither is quite as rapid as the very quickest mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. And, while both offer subject tracking and face detection modes, neither camera is especially good in this regard, either. They're both quick enough that you needn't demand your subject hold their pose and expression for the camera, but they're not as immediately, unerringly in-focus as the best mirrorless models.

Where the Ricoh makes up for its lack of pace is in its signature Snap Focus mode, where the camera shifts focus to a predetermined distance (specified in the menus), when you hit the shutter button. It's a feature much appreciated by street shooters who can simply dial-in the distance they anticipate the action happening at and hit the shutter knowing where the camera will then focus. There's also a 'Full Press Snap' option that activates Snap Focus if you fully press the shutter button without half-pressing to AF.

Battery life

Both the Ricoh and Fujifilms are relatively small cameras, once you've taken into account how much space the hybrid viewfinder and lens take up in the X100V's (and VI's) case.

Fujifilm gives numbers of 350 and 420 shots per charge using the EVF and OVF modes, respectively, for the X100V and 310 and 450 for the newer camera. These are very respectable numbers, helped by the move to using the larger, 8.7Wh NP-W126S battery. The Ricoh only has room for a 4.9Wh DB-110 battery, and its battery life rating only reaches 200 shots per charge, as a result.

We find these ratings, derived from a testing protocol laid down by industry body CIPA, are distinctly under-representative of the number of shots we'll typically get, when shooting. However, a rating as low as 200 usually means constant low-level anxiety about keeping the camera charged, because it will be prone to running out if you use the camera intensively. Thankfully, both cameras can be charged or powered over their USB-C connectors, so it's easy enough to keep them topped-up, especially if you have a small power bank battery to hand.

Price and value

Neither camera is especially inexpensive but, considering you're getting a very good APS-C sensor and a sharp F2.8 prime for your money, the Ricoh GR IIIx's list price of $1000 doesn't seem unreasonable. Its solid-feeling magnesium alloy construction is unlikely to leave you feeling short-changed.

The Fujifilm doesn't feel quite as well built as the Ricoh, with it seemingly using thinner-gauge metal to prevent things getting too hefty and the multitudinous controls not always feeling especially firm. You'll need slightly deeper pockets (the X100VI list price is $1600), but for that extra money you gain the complex hybrid viewfinder and a lens that's a whole stop brighter. In the end, both cameras feel special enough that the price tags don't feel undeserved.

Conclusion

The more we look at the GR IIIx and the X100V (and VI) the more we feel – almost paradoxically for cameras aimed at dedicated photographers – that image quality is one of the least important factors to consider. This apparent tension is resolved because the image quality is very high in both cases.

Similarly, whereas the (non x) GR III vs X100V (or VI) decision is simply a question of focal length, here the difference between the slightly wider angle Fujifilm and the nearer normal Ricoh gives us much less to choose between.

And both cameras, in their own ways, could fairly be described as modern classics: progressive iterations on designs that have built up groups of devoted users.

And yet, despite all these fundamental similarities, they remain easy to choose between. The Fujifilm is no match for the genuine pocketability of the Ricoh, while the Ricoh can't compete with the Fujifilm's dashing good looks and viewfinder experience. The (duplicative) knobs and dials for everything approach of the X100s will appeal to some people every bit as much as the 'everything you want at your fingertips' ethos of the GR IIIx.

We suspect that however you shoot, the winner will be obvious to you. Let us know which one it is in the comments.

Buy Fujifilm X100VI now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama

Buy GR IIIx now:

$1047 at Amazon

The 2024 CP+ Expo is officially over. While our coverage will continue with interviews rolling out over the coming weeks (and some of our staff are still in Japan), the avalanche of product announcements is finished.

Here are the biggest, cannot-miss-them announcements from (or at the very least proximate to) the show this year. Most of it is not shipping right this second, but plenty is still available for preorder now.

Fujifilm X100VI

Launched days before CP+ technically kicked off, the long-awaited Fujifilm X100VI was arguably the star of the show. An update to the always-out-of-stock TikTok darling X100V, the X100VI comes with a new 40MP sensor and in-body image stabilization paired with the same 35mm equiv. F2 lens and a refined but visually indistinguishable body.

Read our X100VI initial review

Buy now:

$1,599 at Amazon $1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama Fujifilm X100VI: Limited Edition

For diehard fans who find the new X100VI just a little too easy to get their hands on, Fujifilm also has a limited edition X100VI that comes with a special box, collector cards with historical information, a special strap, and a throwback logo that harks back to Fujifilm's founding 90 years ago. You'll have to inquire at your local Fujifilm dealer to try and get your hands on one.

Learn more

Sigma 15mm F1.4 DG DN "Art" diagonal fisheye

With a 180-degree field-of-view, manual focus lock button, lens heater support and a weather-sealed body, Sigma's 15mm F1.4 DG DN "Art" diagonal fisheye aims to be an astrophotography workhorse. It's available for preorder for E and L-mount bodies today, shipping next month.

Learn more

Buy now:

$1999 at B&H Photo $1999 at Adorama Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS Sports

Along with its 15mm fisheye, Sigma also announced a 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS "Sports" lens, which is remarkably light and compact at 235mm (9.2") long and 1.4kg (3 lbs). This makes it lighter and a fraction shorter than the similar Nikkor lens for DSLR, despite not using the phase-fresnel technology employed by Nikon. It's available for preorder now in E-mount and L-mount favors, with a ship date in March 2024.

Learn more

Buy now:

$2,999 at Amazon $2,999 at B&H $2,999 at Adorama Sony 24-50mm F2.8 G

Sony's 24-50mm F2.8 G aims to be a fast, compact walk-around lens, weighing in at just under half a kilo (440g / 15.6oz) and covering the most popular focal lengths for everyday shooting. It's available for preorder now and shipping in May.

Learn more

Buy now:

$1,098 at Amazon $1,098 at B&H Photo $1,098 at Adorama Fujifilm 16-50mm F2.8-4.8 kit lens

At the end of its X Summit Tokyo event where it announced the X100VI, Fujifilm also teased an update to its beloved but decade-old kit lens. We don't know much about it other than its 16-50mm focal length, F2.8-4.8 aperture, and the fact that it's in the pipeline.

Learn more

Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 macro travel zoom

With the Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 Macro OIS for L-mount, Panasonic is putting out what it claims is the smallest and lightest long zoom lens (which it defines as 7x or greater zoom range) for mirrorless systems. It's available for preorder now, and set to ship at the end of April.

Learn more

Buy now:

$900 at Amazon $898 at B&H Photo $898 at Adorama Venus Optics Laowa 10mm F2.8 Zero-D FF

The first autofocus lens from Venus Optics' Laowa line, the Zero-D FF is, according to its makers, the world's widest F2.8 full-frame rectilinear lens. Available for preorder now, it will ship next month for $799.

Learn more

Buy now:

$799 at B&H Photo $799 at Adorama Sony PDT-FP1 5G transmitter

Not itself a lens or camera, Sony's PDT-FP1 5G transmitter accessory, which had already been announced for Japan, is now coming to the United States and other markets. The smartphone-shaped unit (which cannot make calls by itself) can connect to compatible Sony cameras by wire and then beam stills, video, or a livestream back to base over 5G for hours on a charge. It's fan-cooled to provide greater reliability than a smartphone would.

Learn more

Buy now:

$1,100 at Sony

The 2024 CP+ Expo is officially over. While our coverage will continue with interviews rolling out over the coming weeks (and some of our staff are still in Japan), the avalanche of product announcements is finished.

Here are the biggest, cannot-miss-them announcements from (or at the very least proximate to) the show this year. Most of it is not shipping right this second, but plenty is still available for preorder now.

Fujifilm X100VI

Launched days before CP+ technically kicked off, the long-awaited Fujifilm X100VI was arguably the star of the show. An update to the always-out-of-stock TikTok darling X100V, the X100VI comes with a new 40MP sensor, in-body image stabilization paired with the same 35mm equiv. F2 lens and a refined but visually indistinguishable body.

Read our X100VI initial review

Buy now:

$1,599 at Amazon $1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama Fujifilm X100VI: Limited Edition

For diehard fans who find the new X100VI just a little too easy to get their hands on, Fujifilm also has a limited edition X100VI that comes with a special box, collector cards with historical information, a special strap, and a throwback logo that takes back to Fujifilm's founding 90 years ago. You'll have to inquire at your local Fujifilm dealer to try and get your hands on one.

Learn more

Sigma 15mm F1.4 DG DN "Art" diagonal fisheye

With a 180-degree field-of-view, manual focus lock button, lens heater support and a weather-sealed body, Sigma's 15mm F1.4 DG DN "Art" diagonal fisheye aims to be an astrophotography workhorse. It's available for preorder for E and L-mount bodies today, shipping next month.

Learn more

Buy now:

$1999 at B&H Photo $1999 at Adorama Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS Sports

Along with its 15mm fisheye, Sigma also announced a 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS "Sports" lens, which is remarkably light and compact at 235mm (9.2") long and 1.4kg (3 lbs). This makes it lighter and a fraction shorter than the similar Nikkor lens for DSLR, despite not using the phase-fresnel technology employed by Nikon. It's available for preorder now in E-mount and L-mount favors, with a ship date in March 2024.

Learn more

Buy now:

$2,999 at Amazon $2,999 at B&H $2,999 at Adorama Sony 24-50mm F2.8 G

Sony's 24-50mm F2.8 G aims to be a fast, compact walk-around lens, weighing in at just under half a kilo (440g / 15.6oz) and covering the most popular focal lengths for everyday shooting. It's available for preorder now and shipping in May.

Learn more

Buy now:

$1,098 at Amazon $1,100 at Amazon $1,098 at B&H Photo $1,098 at Adorama Fujifilm 16-50mm F2.8-4.8 kit lens

At the end of its X Summit Tokyo event where it announced the X100VI, Fujifilm also teased an update to its beloved but decade-old kit lens. We don't know much about it other than its 16-50mm focal length, F2.8-4.8 aperture, and the fact that it's in the pipeline.

Learn more

Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 macro travel zoom

With the Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 Macro OIS, Panasonic is putting out what it claims is the smallest and lightest long zoom lens (which it defines as 7x or greater zoom range) for mirrorless systems. It's available for preorder now, and set to ship at the end of April.

Learn more

Buy now:

$900 at Amazon $898 at B&H Photo $898 at Adorama Venus Optics Laowa 10mm F2.8 Zero-D FF

The first autofocus lens from Venus Optics' Laowa line, the Zero-D FF is, according to its makers, the world's widest F2.8 full-frame rectilinear lens. Available for preorder now, it will ship next month for $799.

Learn more

Buy now:

$799 at B&H Photo $799 at Adorama Sony PDT-FP1 5G transmitter

Not itself a lens or camera, Sony's PDT-FP1 5G transmitter accessory, which had already been announced for Japan, is now coming to the United States and other markets. Smartphone-shaped unit (which cannot make calls by itself) can connect to compatible Sony cameras by wire and then beam stills, video, or a livestream back to base over 5G for hours on a charge. It's fan-cooled to provide greater reliability than a smartphone would.

Learn more

Buy now:

$1,100 at Sony

We're in Yokohama, Japan, for the CP+ Expo, the annual camera industry trade show for the latest products from Japanese manufacturers. There's booth after booth of camera bodies, lenses, software updates and more to pursue, along with the occasional surprises and headscratchers.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

For our team, this is a special time, not just to run from one company to the next to see what they have cooking but also to meet with industry insiders to learn more about where the industry is going and what they think about the future of photography. CP+ is also a time of new product launches. So far this week, we've seen six lens announcements, various firmware and product releases and the long-awaited release of the Fujifilm X100VI.

We wanted to give you a glimpse of what we're seeing at the Expo in the video below. Can you spot some of the latest and greatest from the various camera, lens and accessory manufacturers?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Digital Photography Review (@dpreview)

That's just 30 seconds of the experience of CP+; imagine spending a few days here. What should we keep an eye out for? What do you want to see from the show? Let us know in the comments below.

We're in Yokohama, Japan, for the CP+ Expo, the annual camera industry trade show for the latest products from Japanese manufacturers. There's booth after booth of camera bodies, lenses, software updates and more to pursue, along with the occasional surprises and headscratchers.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

For our team, this is a special time, not just to run from one company to the next to see what they have cooking but also to meet with industry insiders to learn more about where the industry is going and what they think about the future of photography. CP+ is also a time of new product launches. So far this week, we've seen six lens announcements, various firmware and product releases and the long-awaited release of the Fujifilm X100VI.

We wanted to give you a glimpse of what we're seeing at the Expo in the video below. Can you spot some of the latest and greatest from the various camera, lens and accessory manufacturers?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Digital Photography Review (@dpreview)

That's just 30 seconds of the experience of CP+; imagine spending a few days here. What should we keep an eye out for? What do you want to see from the show? Let us know in the comments below.

Defining a brand

The Fujifilm Finepix X100 was the company's first large-sensor compact, and helped define the X series that sprang from it. As a result, understanding the X100 VI's history helps us understand the brand.

In the noughties, Fujifilm had become known for its long-zoom 'bridge' compacts. But in the face of a price war, it wanted to remind people that it was also a world leader in broadcast lenses and a brand that understood photography.

Sigma and then Leica had already introduced large sensor fixed lens cameras, but neither of them mimicked the look or style of the fixed lens rangefinders that had been popular in the '60s and '70s. As befits its role in helping Fujifilm pivot from mass-market compacts to aspirational products for photographers, the original X100 still wore the outgoing 'Finepix' name. But it would soon become clear that the X series had arrived.

Finepix X100 - Dec 2010

It's fair to say Fujifilm got a lot right with the original X100, in that its core concepts: an APS-C sensor, fixed 35mm equiv F2 lens, hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder and classic rangefinder styling have remained central to the series ever since.

The first model was built around a 12MP APS-C sensor that had been appearing in cameras for three years already. Its viewinder used a 1.44M dot LCD and the rear screen was a fairly modest 2.8".

There's also a lot the company got wrong. At launch the X100 was slow, laggy and exhibited such a list of quirks and inconsistent behaviours that our intrepid reviewer tried to detail them all. If you look back at the review, some of those early foibles were noted to have been addressed through a series of firmware updates.

Read our X100 review

X100S - Jan 2013

The X100S ('S' for 'second' ) included a combination both of significant upgrades and subtle refinements: a trend that will continue throughout the series.

The biggest change was the move to a 16MP sensor, which had a significance far beyond the change of resolution. The most obvious was that it adopted the X-Trans color filter array Fujifilm had introduced in the X-Pro1, the year earlier. It was also the first to include on-sensor phase detection elements in a square array in the middle of the chip. And perhaps least obviously, it was one of the first chips to employ a column-parallel ADC design, slashing the read noise and dramatically boosting the dynamic range.

Ironically, along with the move to this higher DR sensor, Fujifilm adjusted the tone curves of its film simulations with its second-generation cameras, clipping the shadows earlier, and with a more aggressive transition into the blacks.

Alongside the big changes, Fujifilm also tweaked details such as button behavior: the MF/AF switch was rearranged to put AF-C in the hardest-to-set central position. A more precise rotation sensor was added to the manual focus ring, and the button that had to be pressed to move the AF switch was moved from the left of the camera to the top of the four-way controller.

The LCD panel in the viewfinder also got a resolution bump, up to 2.36M dots (1024 x 768 pixels). And, if you look closely, the little self-timer style lever on the front of the camera was refined to reflect the fact it only flicked in one direction.

Between the launch of the original camera and the arrival of the X100S, Fujifilm launched the X-T1 and, along with it, a pair of additional film simulation modes: Pro Neg Hi and Pro Neg Std.

Read our X100S review

Fujfilm X100 Firmware 2.01 - October 2013

A noteworthy update to the series occurred in October 2013 with the release of firmware v2.00 and 2.01 for the original X100. These updates improved the camera's focus performance to a degree that's rare, and perhaps even unprecedented.

The other aspect that was so unusual was not just that this radically better firmware arrived nearly three years into the X100's life, but that it came around nine months after the camera had been discontinued and superseded. Of course, the very nature of a move being unprecedented is that it can appear to then set a new precedent: the previously unheard of risking becoming the expected. Future models would frequently receive updates, but none would have such a profound impact.

X100T - September 2014

The X100T arrived just twenty months after the launch of the second camera. The resolution stayed at 16MP but there were plenty of other changes. The hybrid viewfinder gained a pop-up tab that allows an electronic preview to be projected into the corner of the optical view. The small self-timer style switch on the front of the camera was made into a two-way switch to accommodate this change, and its design changed again.

The press toggle on the back of the camera was replaced with a pressable dial and the combined four-way controller/dial was replaced with four large, directional buttons. This presented the third means of setting the AF point in as many cameras, but also give the camera up to seven customizable buttons. The X100T also saw the arrival of Wi-Fi to the series.

The rear screen grew from 2.8 and 3.0 diagonal inches and the resolution jumped from 460k dots to 1.04M dots: a 50% resolution increase in each dimension, taking it up to 720 x 480px. The exposure comp dial was extended, allowing a correction of up to 3 stops in each direction. All relatively minor adjustments in themselves, but contributing to a much more polished, usable camera.

The X100T added the ‘Classic Chrome’ film simulation, another instance of a mode that didn’t necessarily try to mimic one of the company’s own filmstocks.

Read our X100T review

X100F -Jan 2017

The fourth iteration of the camera saw the sensor resolution increased to 24MP, giving an appreciable improvement in the output quality. The higher resolution meant there was less likely to be a need to zoom in to 100% but improved processing, particularly on the part of third-party software makers, reduced the likelihood of ‘worm’-like patterns appearing in the X-Trans images.

The camera also adopted a new battery, with the voltage increasing to 7.2V and the capacity to 8.7Wh, up from 6.2Wh. This not only increased battery life but also helped boost the camera's focus speed.

In terms of ergonomics, the fourth camera gained an AF joystick (yet another change in terms of AF point selection method), which alleviated any tension between the need to position the AF point and the available custom buttons. Further direct control was added by finally giving a dedicated control for ISO.

We found the dial-within-a-dial implementation as fiddly as it was pretty, and felt its film-era design wasn’t perhaps best suited to a camera on which you might change ISO shot-to-shot, less still one with three Auto ISO presets you might wish to switch between. But it was an undoubtedly attractive implementation, and on a camera as style-forward as the X100, that’s likely to have been just as significant for at least some of the buyers.

The X100F saw the arrival of Acros, a finely detailed black-and-white mode (with three color-filter simulating variations).

Read our X100F review

X100V - Feb 2020

The X100V (pronounced as 'five' according to Fujifilm) was perhaps the most significant single step forward for the X100 series, in that it saw the arrival of a new lens. The original was notorious for its softness at close distances, particularly at wide apertures. The new design improved things in this regard, while continuing to keep the camera small. Noticeably, it also appeared to favor size and sharpness over speed. Elsewhere in the X series, Fujifilm was moving to using small internal focus elements or powerful linear motors to boost the speed of its newer lenses, but the X100V stayed true to the original design priorities.

The ‘V’ also saw a redesign of the optical/electronic viewfinder. There was a higher resolution panel (1280 x 960 pixels) and a shift across to the brighter OLED display technology that had come to dominate the rest of the market. There was a concurrent reworking of the way the bright lines and focus points were displayed in the finder’s optical mode. Thankfully Fujifilm listened to the concerns of existing X100 users and provided the option to mimic the original behavior with its v2.0 firmware update more closely.

But the changes went deeper than this. The X100V was the first in the series to offer a touchscreen, and the first whose screen could tilt out away from the body. The company has subsequently told us it received equal amounts of feedback calling for and against this feature, and appears to have waited until it could be implemented without undue impact on the size or handling of the camera. The most significant knock-on effect was the removal of the camera’s four-way controller, with a slightly clunky series of directional swipes of the touchscreen attempting to make up for the loss of customizable buttons.

With all this going on, the move to the 26MP BSI CMOS sensor was a relatively minor change. It brought with it the excellent video capabilities of the X-T3, but it’s hard to say how many users will have noticed. Arguably the addition of the muted, video-friendly Eterna film simulation was a more significant advance for most users. Classic Neg was added in the same iteration.

Read our X100V review

The X100 goes viral

Interestingly, despite the series having by this stage established a decade-long reputation amongst photographers from keen amateurs all the way up to the starry likes of Annie Leibovitz, the X100V became the unexpected focus of attention when a younger generation of users discovered the camera through TikTok. Well into its lifecycle, and with Fujifilm presumably winding down its production, the camera became a sell-out success, meaning the company suddenly found itself with another cohort it had to listen to and appease with its future developments.

X100VI - Feb 2024

Which brings us up to the present. Despite the longest gap yet between updates, the X100VI isn’t as radical an update as its predecessor. But the addition of in-body stabilization is a big step forward, nonetheless. Our early impressions are that it, along with the revised lens from the previous version, help make the most of the move to a 40MP sensor.

Some of the updates: subject recognition autofocus for instance, may prove significant while others, such as 6.2K video capture and tap-to-track in video feel more like the incidental byproduct of developments that will have more impact elsewhere in the X series. This may well also be true of the camera-to-cloud system for uploading the Adobe’s Frame.io collaboration platform, but we’ll reserve judgment on that until we see how it’s received by the TIkTok creators and influencers that Fujifilm is no doubt hoping to court.

As has been the case throughout this story, the X100VI also includes some small tweaks that make the camera better: a redesigned tilt screen mechanism better accommodates both waist-level and overhead shooting, for example.

And, as before, the latest X100 gains all the film simulations that Fujifilm had developed since the last release. In this instance,, Reala ACE, Nostalgic Neg and Eterna Bleach Bypass. How many of these updates are made available to other X series cameras will be taken as a test of Fujifilm’s commitment to supporting its existing users. But looking back at the X100 series, there’s a story of cameras that have been improved and refined in their lifetimes but within a series where each camera represents an improvement on what the prior model could deliver.

Read our X100VI initial review

Buy now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama $1,599 at Amazon

Defining a brand

The Fujifilm Finepix X100 was the company's first large-sensor camera, and helped define the X series that sprang from it. As a result, understanding the X100 VI's history helps us understand the brand.

In the noughties, Fujifilm had become known for its long-zoom 'bridge' compacts. But in the face of a price war, it wanted to remind people that it was also a world leader in broadcast lenses and a brand that understood photography.

Sigma and then Leica had already introduced large sensor fixed lens cameras, but neither of them mimicked the look or style of the fixed lens rangefinders that had been popular in the 60's and 70's. As befits its role in helping Fujifilm pivot from mass-market compacts to aspirational products for photographers, the original X100 still wore the outgoing 'Finepix' name. But it would soon become clear that the X series had arrived.

Finepix X100 - Dec 2010

It's fair to say Fujifilm got a lot right with the original X100, in that its core concepts: an APS-C sensor, fixed 35mm equiv F2 lens, hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder and classic rangefinder styling have remained central to the series ever since.

The first model was built around a 12MP APS-C sensor that had been appearing in cameras for three years already. Its viewinder used a 1.44M dot LCD and the rear screen was a fairly modest 2.8".

There's also a lot the company got wrong. At launch the X100 was slow, laggy and exhibited such a list of quirks and inconsistent behaviours that our intrepid reviewer tried to detail them all. If you look back at the review, some of those early foibles were noted to have been addressed through a series of firmware updates.

Read our X100 review

X100S - Jan 2013

The X100S ('S' for 'second' ) included a combination both of significant upgrades and subtle refinements: a trend that will continue throughout the series.

The biggest change was the move to a 16MP sensor, which had a significance far beyond the change of resolution. The most obvious was that it adopted the X-Trans color filter array Fujifilm had introduced in the X-Pro1, the year earlier. It was also the first to include on-sensor phase detection elements in a square array in the middle of the chip. And perhaps least obviously, it was one of the first chips to employ a column-parallel ADC design, slashing the read noise and dramatically boosting the dynamic range.

Ironically, along with the move to this higher DR sensor, Fujifilm adjusted the tone curves of its film simulations with its second-generation cameras, clipping the shadows earlier, and with a more aggressive transition into the blacks.

Alongside the big changes, Fujifilm also tweaked details such as button behavior: the MF/AF switch was rearranged to put AF-C in the hardest-to-set central position. A more precise rotation sensor was added to the manual focus ring, and the button that had to be pressed to move the AF switch was moved from the left of the camera to the top of the four-way controller.

The LCD panel in the viewfinder also got a resolution bump, up to 2.36M dots (1024 x 768 pixels). And, if you look closely, the little self-timer style lever on the front of the camera was refined to reflect the fact it only flicked in one direction.

Between the launch of the original camera and the arrival of the X100S, Fujifilm launched the X-T1 and, along with it, a pair of additional film simulation modes: Pro Neg Hi and Pro Neg Std.

Read our X100S review

Fujfilm X100 Firmware 2.01 - October 2013

A noteworthy update to the series occurred in October 2013 with the release of firmware v2.00 and 2.01 for the original X100. These updates improved the camera's focus performance to a degree that's rare, and perhaps even unprecedented.

The other aspect that was so unusual was not just that this radically better firmware arrived nearly three years into the X100's life, but that it came around nine months after the camera had been discontinued and superseded. Of course, the very nature of a move being unprecedented is that it can appear to then set a new precedent: the previously unheard of risking becoming the expected. Future models would frequently receive updates, but none would have such a profound impact.

X100T - September 2014

The X100T arrived just twenty months after the launch of the second camera. The resolution stayed at 16MP but there were plenty of other changes. The hybrid viewfinder gained a pop-up tab that allows an electronic preview to be projected into the corner of the optical view. The small self-timer style switch on the front of the camera was made into a two-way switch to accommodate this change, and its design changed again.

The press toggle on the back of the camera was replaced with a pressable dial and the combined four-way controller/dial was replaced with four large, directional buttons. This presented the third means of setting the AF point in as many cameras, but also give the camera up to seven customizable buttons. The X100T also saw the arrival of Wi-Fi to the series.

The rear screen grew from 2.8 and 3.0 diagonal inches and the resolution jumped from 460k dots to 1.04M dots: a 50% resolution increase in each dimension, taking it up to 720 x 480px. The exposure comp dial was extended, allowing a correction of up to 3 stops in each direction. All relatively minor adjustments in themselves, but contributing to a much more polished, usable camera.

The X100T added the ‘Classic Chrome’ film simulation, another instance of a mode that didn’t necessarily try to mimic one of the company’s own filmstocks.

Read our X100T review

X100F -Jan 2017

The fourth iteration of the camera saw the sensor resolution increased to 24MP, giving an appreciable improvement in the output quality. The higher resolution meant there was less likely to be a need to zoom in to 100% but improved processing, particularly on the part of third-party software makers, reduced the likelihood of ‘worm’-like patterns appearing in the X-Trans images.

The camera also adopted a new battery, with the voltage increasing to 7.2V and the capacity to 8.7Wh, up from 6.2Wh. This not only increased battery life but also helped boost the camera's focus speed.

In terms of ergonomics, the fourth camera gained an AF joystick (yet another change in terms of AF point selection method), which alleviated any tension between the need to position the AF point and the available custom buttons. Further direct control was added by finally giving a dedicated control for ISO.

We found the dial-within-a-dial implementation as fiddly as it was pretty, and felt its film-era design wasn’t perhaps best suited to a camera on which you might change ISO shot-to-shot, less still one with three Auto ISO presets you might wish to switch between. But it was an undoubtedly attractive implementation, and on a camera as style-forward as the X100, that’s likely to have been just as significant for at least some of the buyers.

The X100F saw the arrival of Acros, a finely detailed black-and-white mode (with three color-filter simulating variations).

Read our X100F review

X100V - Feb 2020

The X100V (pronounced as 'five' according to Fujifilm) was perhaps the most significant single step forward for the X100 series, in that it saw the arrival of a new lens. The original was notorious for its softness at close distances, particularly at wide apertures. The new design improved things in this regard, while continuing to keep the camera small. Noticeably, it also appeared to favor size and sharpness over speed. Elsewhere in the X series, Fujifilm was moving to using small internal focus elements or powerful linear motors to boost the speed of its newer lenses, but the X100V stayed true to the original design priorities.

The ‘V’ also saw a redesign of the optical/electronic viewfinder. There was a higher resolution panel (1280 x 960 pixels) and a shift across to the brighter OLED display technology that had come to dominate the rest of the market. There was a concurrent reworking of the way the bright lines and focus points were displayed in the finder’s optical mode. Thankfully Fujifilm listened to the concerns of existing X100 users and provided the option to mimic the original behavior with its v2.0 firmware update more closely.

But the changes went deeper than this. The X100V was the first in the series to offer a touchscreen, and the first whose screen could tilt out away from the body. The company has subsequently told us it received equal amounts of feedback calling for and against this feature, and appears to have waited until it could be implemented without undue impact on the size or handling of the camera. The most significant knock-on effect was the removal of the camera’s four-way controller, with a slightly clunky series of directional swipes of the touchscreen attempting to make up for the loss of customizable buttons.

With all this going on, the move to the 26MP BSI CMOS sensor was a relatively minor change. It brought with it the excellent video capabilities of the X-T3, but it’s hard to say how many users will have noticed. Arguably the addition of the muted, video-friendly Eterna film simulation was a more significant advance for most users. Classic Neg was added in the same iteration.

Read our X100V review

The X100 goes viral

Interestingly, despite the series having by this stage established a decade-long reputation amongst photographers from keen amateurs all the way up to the starry likes of Annie Leibovitz, the X100V became the unexpected focus of attention when a younger generation of users discovered the camera through TikTok. Well into its lifecycle, and with Fujifilm presumably winding down its production, the camera became a sell-out success, meaning the company suddenly found itself with another cohort it had to listen to and appease with its future developments.

X100VI - Feb 2024

Which brings us up to the present. Despite the longest gap yet between updates, the X100VI isn’t as radical an update as its predecessor. But the addition of in-body stabilization is a big step forward, nonetheless. Our early impressions are that it, along with the revised lens from the previous version, help make the most of the move to a 40MP sensor.

Some of the updates: subject recognition autofocus for instance, may prove significant while others, such as 6.2K video capture and tap-to-track in video feel more like the incidental byproduct of developments that will have more impact elsewhere in the X series. This may well also be true of the camera-to-cloud system for uploading the Adobe’s Frame.io collaboration platform, but we’ll reserve judgment on that until we see how it’s received by the TIkTok creators and influencers that Fujifilm is no doubt hoping to court.

As has been the case throughout this story, the X100VI also includes some small tweaks that make the camera better: a redesigned tilt screen mechanism better accommodates both waist-level and overhead shooting, for example.

And, as before, the latest X100 gains all the film simulations that Fujifilm had developed since the last release. In this instance,, Reala ACE, Nostalgic Neg and Eterna Bleach Bypass. How many of these updates are made available to other X series cameras will be taken as a test of Fujifilm’s commitment to supporting its existing users. But looking back at the X100 series, there’s a story of cameras that have been improved and refined in their lifetimes but within a series where each camera represents an improvement on what the prior model could deliver.

Read our X100VI initial review

Buy now:

$1,599 at B&H Photo $1,599 at Adorama

Image: Sony

Previously announced in Japan, Sony is bringing its PDT-FP1 5G transmitter to the United States. The smartphone-shaped transmitter is pointedly not a phone (it cannot make calls) but instead uses its 5G connection to transfer files from compatible Sony cameras to an FTP location. It can also use Sony Creators’ Cloud for enterprise app.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

The PDT-FP1's software can monitor network communications or use the device as an external display while transmitting data. As far as connectivity goes, you can use the device's built-in eSIM, as well as a nano SIM slot for a physical card. The PDT-FP1 supports both main flavors of 5G (superfast, short-range mmWave and broader-range Sub6) as well as LTE.

Image: Sony

Sony rates the device for about four hours of photo upload time with an LTE connection or two hours of video live streaming, with a charge time of under two hours with the optional 30W quick charger. Regarding transfer speeds, it's rated for 1.1 Gbps up and 8.1 Gbps down, though real-world performance and use-time may vary.

It has a built-in fan to ensure reliability during long periods of video streaming.

What cameras are compatible? Sony says it will provide a list "in due course," presumably before its launch date of early summer 2024 in the US. The PDT-FP1 will be available for $1,100.

Sony Electronics Launches a High-Speed 5G Portable Data Transmitter for Still Image and Video Transmission On-Location Shoots

The PDT-FP1 utilizes the power of 5G to enhance professional workflow at live events

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22, 2024 – Sony Electronics is launching a portable data transmitter, the PDT-FP1, with a unique antenna structure that allows high-speed still image and video data transport over 5G networks¹. With the PDT-FP1, Sony is leveraging 5G mobile technology to enhance professional workflow for broadcasting and news coverage. This wireless communication device allows for real-time transfer of photos and videos and seamless livestreaming via 5G, representing a significant boost in process efficiency for news agencies, photojournalists, corporate or event photographers, broadcast video production and more.

“The PDT-FP1 is a beneficial solution for many uses including live events and productions, newsgathering, sports, faith, weddings, and more. With the PDT-FP1, photographers and videographers can increase their efficiency and productivity on-the-go, without worrying about battery life or demanding environmental conditions,” says Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “In an industry where speed and timeliness are critical, this device is a game changer to allow for an easier and quicker upload and transfer from the field or frontlines to an editor.”

Benefits of the PDT-FP1 include:

• Capture and transmit from virtually anywhere: View and upload media directly from compatible Sony cameras² using the PDT-FP1 as a 5G modem to transfer still and video media and deliver it to any file transfer protocol (FTP) destination. Additionally, using Sony Creators’ Cloud for enterprise app³ brings secure and reliable media transfer through the PDT-FP1 to Sony Cloud services⁴ such as Ci Media Cloud and C3 Portal’s cloud gateway. This allows for ease of use for any photographer/videographer – no longer is there a need to be bound by wired networks or required to pass physical memory cards.
• Use in challenging environments: With optimized battery efficiency and a high threshold for temperatures⁵, the PDT-FP1 can be used, at length, in some of the most demanding conditions.
• Livestream wirelessly: Using 5G, wirelessly livestream video from a wide range of compatible cameras⁶, when paired via HDMI or through Sony still and video cameras when using USB. Real-time messaging protocol (RTMP) streams can be broadcast to social media platforms, freeing operators of traditional constraints when in the field. Additionally, the External Monitor App⁷ can be used as an external monitor while streaming with many pro features.
• Broadcast high-quality, low-latency video: The PDT-FP1’s 5G transmission can be used with Sony’s CBK-RPU7 new remote production unit, to transmit high-quality, low-latency (4k 60p/50p) HEVC video in Sports, Cinematic, Virtual Production, and News environments.
• Monitor on-the-go: Visually monitor the network and communication conditions while shooting, using the dedicated Network Visualizer app. This ensures that the content is being delivered to those who need to see it.

Main Features

1. High-speed, low-latency communication, even overseas⁸
   With an optimized antenna structure, the PDT-FP1 supports a wide range of bands⁶ such as domestic and international 5G sub6/mmWaveix, 5G standalone networks, and local 5G networks, realizing high-speed, low-latency communication¹. In addition to the plug-in nano SIM card, the PDT-FP1 supports dual SIM with an eSIM that does not need to be inserted or removed. It is also possible to automatically select¹⁰ and prioritize a linexi depending on the network conditions, and switch SIMs to transfer data.

2. Cooling fan and duct structure for stable continuous communication
   A newly developed cooling fan reduces heat buildup even in environments of up to 104 degrees F¹². Despite its slim body design, the PDT-FP1 has a duct-based structure that efficiently dissipates internal heat, further backing stable and continuous communication. Different operational modes – auto, cooling priority, and silent priority – can be selected to accommodate as best to each location environment.
   

3. A simple data transfer workflow by linking with select Sony cameras²
   The PDT-FP1's “Camera wired connection” setting feature simplifies and shortens setup time. The 6.1-inch OLED display can simultaneously display communication quality and file transmission status¹³. The transfer status can be monitored during shooting, so the user does not miss a decisive shooting opportunity. The PDT-FP1 provides operational flexibility. A LAN port connects to a Sony camera to transfer data. A USB Type-C® terminal further supports enhanced Sony camera compatibility, enabling a seamless transfer and tagging workflow. Additionally, the PDT-FP1 has the potential to support HDMI-enabled cameras. In addition, by using the USB Type-C charging terminal and an external power source, the PDT-FP1 can be used to stream and transfer data simultaneously without worrying about battery drain. The device is designed as a camera companion, featuring a screw hole for securing the camera and tripod and a strap hole for attaching cable fixing accessories. Built-in memory of 8GB (RAM)/256GB (ROM) and microSDXC support of up to 1TB enables high-speed processing and storage of large amounts of data¹⁴.

Pricing and Availability


PDT-FP1 is expected to be available in the United States in early-Summer of 2024 for approximately $1099.99 USD.

Notes:

1. 5G network and availability may vary depending on country, carrier and user environment.

2. A list of compatible cameras will be released in due course. Please see the product page for details. https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/wireless-tx-rx-accessories/pdt-fp1

3. For regional app/service availability, check here.

4. Compatible services will be announced sequentially. Please see the product page for details. https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/wireless-tx-rx-accessories/pdt-fp1

5. According to Sony measurement.

6. UDSB with compatible cameras that have UVC/UAC capabilities

7. For more information about the capabilities of External Monitor app, please see the product page for details. Xperia 1 V XQ-DQ54/XQ-DQ62/XQ-DQ72 | Help Guide | Using the External monitor app (sony.net)

8. Please check the product page for compatible bands. https://pro.sony/products/wireless-tx-rx-accessories/

9. The PDT-FP1 supports n257, and the mmWave band support in Japan and the United States (also planned for Europe).

10. As for Auto data SIM switching, settings are required.

11. Requires a contract with a different carrier. Additionally, Sony does not guarantee connection or communication speed in all environments.

12 According to Sony research.

13. In addition to Transfer & Tagging, the target applications include Creators' Cloud's mobile application Creators' App and cloud video production solution Creators' App for Enterprise.

14. 1 GB = one billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity will be less.

Image: Sony

Previously announced in Japan, Sony is bringing its PDT-FP1 5G transmitter to the United States. The smartphone-shaped transmitter is pointedly not a phone (it cannot make calls) but instead uses its 5G connection to transfer files from compatible Sony cameras to an FTP location. It can also use Sony Creators’ Cloud for enterprise app.

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The PDT-FP1's software can monitor network communications or use the device as an external display while transmitting data. As far as connectivity goes, you can use the device's built-in eSIM, as well as a nano SIM slot for a physical card. The PDT-FP1 supports both main flavors of 5G (superfast, short-range mmWave and broader-range Sub6) as well as LTE.

Image: Sony

Sony rates the device for about four hours of photo upload time with an LTE connection or two hours of video live streaming, with a charge time of under two hours with the optional 30W quick charger. Regarding transfer speeds, it's rated for 1.1 Gbps up and 8.1 Gbps down, though real-world performance and use-time may vary.

What cameras are compatible? Sony says it will provide a list "in due course," presumably before its launch date of early summer 2024 in the US. The PDT-FP1 will be available for $1,100.

Sony Electronics Launches a High-Speed 5G Portable Data Transmitter for Still Image and Video Transmission On-Location Shoots

The PDT-FP1 utilizes the power of 5G to enhance professional workflow at live events

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22, 2024 – Sony Electronics is launching a portable data transmitter, the PDT-FP1, with a unique antenna structure that allows high-speed still image and video data transport over 5G networks¹. With the PDT-FP1, Sony is leveraging 5G mobile technology to enhance professional workflow for broadcasting and news coverage. This wireless communication device allows for real-time transfer of photos and videos and seamless livestreaming via 5G, representing a significant boost in process efficiency for news agencies, photojournalists, corporate or event photographers, broadcast video production and more.

“The PDT-FP1 is a beneficial solution for many uses including live events and productions, newsgathering, sports, faith, weddings, and more. With the PDT-FP1, photographers and videographers can increase their efficiency and productivity on-the-go, without worrying about battery life or demanding environmental conditions,” says Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “In an industry where speed and timeliness are critical, this device is a game changer to allow for an easier and quicker upload and transfer from the field or frontlines to an editor.”

Benefits of the PDT-FP1 include:

• Capture and transmit from virtually anywhere: View and upload media directly from compatible Sony cameras² using the PDT-FP1 as a 5G modem to transfer still and video media and deliver it to any file transfer protocol (FTP) destination. Additionally, using Sony Creators’ Cloud for enterprise app³ brings secure and reliable media transfer through the PDT-FP1 to Sony Cloud services⁴ such as Ci Media Cloud and C3 Portal’s cloud gateway. This allows for ease of use for any photographer/videographer – no longer is there a need to be bound by wired networks or required to pass physical memory cards.
• Use in challenging environments: With optimized battery efficiency and a high threshold for temperatures⁵, the PDT-FP1 can be used, at length, in some of the most demanding conditions.
• Livestream wirelessly: Using 5G, wirelessly livestream video from a wide range of compatible cameras⁶, when paired via HDMI or through Sony still and video cameras when using USB. Real-time messaging protocol (RTMP) streams can be broadcast to social media platforms, freeing operators of traditional constraints when in the field. Additionally, the External Monitor App⁷ can be used as an external monitor while streaming with many pro features.
• Broadcast high-quality, low-latency video: The PDT-FP1’s 5G transmission can be used with Sony’s CBK-RPU7 new remote production unit, to transmit high-quality, low-latency (4k 60p/50p) HEVC video in Sports, Cinematic, Virtual Production, and News environments.
• Monitor on-the-go: Visually monitor the network and communication conditions while shooting, using the dedicated Network Visualizer app. This ensures that the content is being delivered to those who need to see it.

Main Features

1. High-speed, low-latency communication, even overseas⁸
   With an optimized antenna structure, the PDT-FP1 supports a wide range of bands⁶ such as domestic and international 5G sub6/mmWaveix, 5G standalone networks, and local 5G networks, realizing high-speed, low-latency communication¹. In addition to the plug-in nano SIM card, the PDT-FP1 supports dual SIM with an eSIM that does not need to be inserted or removed. It is also possible to automatically select¹⁰ and prioritize a linexi depending on the network conditions, and switch SIMs to transfer data.

2. Cooling fan and duct structure for stable continuous communication
   A newly developed cooling fan reduces heat buildup even in environments of up to 104 degrees F¹². Despite its slim body design, the PDT-FP1 has a duct-based structure that efficiently dissipates internal heat, further backing stable and continuous communication. Different operational modes – auto, cooling priority, and silent priority – can be selected to accommodate as best to each location environment.
   

3. A simple data transfer workflow by linking with select Sony cameras²
   The PDT-FP1's “Camera wired connection” setting feature simplifies and shortens setup time. The 6.1-inch OLED display can simultaneously display communication quality and file transmission status¹³. The transfer status can be monitored during shooting, so the user does not miss a decisive shooting opportunity. The PDT-FP1 provides operational flexibility. A LAN port connects to a Sony camera to transfer data. A USB Type-C® terminal further supports enhanced Sony camera compatibility, enabling a seamless transfer and tagging workflow. Additionally, the PDT-FP1 has the potential to support HDMI-enabled cameras. In addition, by using the USB Type-C charging terminal and an external power source, the PDT-FP1 can be used to stream and transfer data simultaneously without worrying about battery drain. The device is designed as a camera companion, featuring a screw hole for securing the camera and tripod and a strap hole for attaching cable fixing accessories. Built-in memory of 8GB (RAM)/256GB (ROM) and microSDXC support of up to 1TB enables high-speed processing and storage of large amounts of data¹⁴.

Pricing and Availability


PDT-FP1 is expected to be available in the United States in early-Summer of 2024 for approximately $1099.99 USD.

Notes:

1. 5G network and availability may vary depending on country, carrier and user environment.

2. A list of compatible cameras will be released in due course. Please see the product page for details. https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/wireless-tx-rx-accessories/pdt-fp1

3. For regional app/service availability, check here.

4. Compatible services will be announced sequentially. Please see the product page for details. https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/wireless-tx-rx-accessories/pdt-fp1

5. According to Sony measurement.

6. UDSB with compatible cameras that have UVC/UAC capabilities

7. For more information about the capabilities of External Monitor app, please see the product page for details. Xperia 1 V XQ-DQ54/XQ-DQ62/XQ-DQ72 | Help Guide | Using the External monitor app (sony.net)

8. Please check the product page for compatible bands. https://pro.sony/products/wireless-tx-rx-accessories/

9. The PDT-FP1 supports n257, and the mmWave band support in Japan and the United States (also planned for Europe).

10. As for Auto data SIM switching, settings are required.

11. Requires a contract with a different carrier. Additionally, Sony does not guarantee connection or communication speed in all environments.

12 According to Sony research.

13. In addition to Transfer & Tagging, the target applications include Creators' Cloud's mobile application Creators' App and cloud video production solution Creators' App for Enterprise.

14. 1 GB = one billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity will be less.

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Venus Optics has released the Laowa 10mm F2.8 'Zero-D' FF lens, the company's first lens with autofocus, as long as you're using a Sony E-mount or Nikon Z-mount body. Those with Canon RF or Leica L-mount cameras will be manual focus only.

The 10mm F2.8 has a 130° angle-of-view, which the company claims makes it the world's widest rectilinear (i.e., non-fisheye) lens. The lens has a total of 15 elements, including 3 ED and 2 aspherical elements. Venus will offer the lens with either 5 or 14-blade apertures. (The 14-blade version is manual focus.)

The minimum focus distance of the lens is 12cm (4.7") from the sensor, and the maximum magnification is 0.24x. It accepts standard 77mm threaded filters.

The Venus Optics Laowa 10mm F2.8 Zero-D FF will be available next month for $799. You can find a plethora of sample photos on the company's website.

Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly used fisheye and rectilinear interchangeably to describe this lens. We regret the error and have corrected the story.

Buy now:

$799 at B&H Photo $799 at Adorama

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Venus Optics has released the Laowa 10mm F2.8 'Zero-D' FF lens, the company's first lens with autofocus, as long as you're using a Sony E-mount or Nikon Z-mount body. Those with Canon RF or Leica L-mount cameras will be manual focus only.

The 10mm F2.8 has a 130° angle-of-view, which the company claims makes it the world's widest rectinliner (ie: non-fisheye) lens. The lens has a total of 15 elements, including 3 ED and 2 aspherical elements. Venus will offer the lens with either 5 or 14-blade apertures. (The 14-blade version is manual focus.)

The minimum focus distance of the lens is 12cm (4.7") from the sensor, and the maximum magnification is 0.24x. It accepts standard 77mm threaded filters.

The Venus Optics Laowa 10mm F2.8 Zero-D FF will be available next month for $799. You can find a plethora of sample photos on the company's website.

Buy now:

$799 at B&H Photo $799 at Adorama

$(document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({"containerId":"embeddedSampleGallery_5283972537","galleryId":"5283972537","isEmbeddedWidget":true,"selectedImageIndex":0,"isMobile":false}) });Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

Venus Optics has released the Laowa 10mm F2.8 'Zero-D' FF rectilinear fisheye lens, the company's first lens with autofocus, as long as you're using a Sony E-mount or Nikon Z-mount body. Those with Canon RF or Leica L-mount cameras will be manual focus only.

The 10mm F2.8 has a 130° angle-of-view, and Venus claims that its 'Zero-D' architecture minimizes distortion. The lens has a total of 15 elements, including 3 ED and 2 aspherical elements. Venus will offer the lens with either 5 or 14-blade apertures. (The 14-blade version is manual focus.)

The minimum focus distance of the lens is 12cm (4.7") from the sensor, and the maximum magnification is 0.24x.

The Venus Optics Laowa 10mm F2.8 fisheye will be available next month for $799. You can find a plethora of sample photos on the company's website.

Buy now:

$799 at B&H Photo $799 at Adorama

A frame grab from an AI-generated video OpenAI created by entering the following prompt into Sora: "A stylish woman walks down a Tokyo street filled with warm glowing neon and animated city signage. She wears a black leather jacket, a long red dress, and black boots, and carries a black purse. She wears sunglasses and red lipstick. She walks confidently and casually. The street is damp and reflective, creating a mirror effect of the colorful lights. Many pedestrians walk about."

AI video credit: OpenAI

In the AI-generation gold rush, OpenAI sent a decisive salvo across the bow of existing video-generation tools like Google's Imagen, Runway Gen-2 or Meta's Make-A-Video.

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These competing efforts were blurry, low-resolution, plastic in appearance and altogether rudimentary – more sneak peeks into a future of synthetic images than viable products. OpenAI's Sora is an entirely different beast, taking text prompts to produce photorealistic humans, animals and landscapes. It uses treatments that mimic film grain or cell phone footage and employs professional tracking, dolly and jib movements.

It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn close to being indistinguishable from reality.

The results are rather impressive. A woman's earrings sway naturally with her gait as light realistically reflects off her glasses and rain-soaked Tokyo streets. In another video, several giant wooly mammoths approach, treading through a snowy meadow, their shadows wrapping around them and the environment as expected. Several videos have no sign of the uncanny valley that made synthetic videos of the past scream that something was artificial.

These impressive results are also alarming.

"This is now the worst AI-generated video will ever look. Let that sink in."

Beyond fears of what this means for creative jobs (as highlighted by 2023's Hollywood writer and actor strikes) or what it means for our understanding of photos and video, the biggest alarm bell is for what it means for the future of objective truth, disinformation and power.

If you can't tell what is real (AI-generated videos that look real as well as real videos others claim are fake), nothing is real except what you choose to believe. The last decade has shown us globally the dangers of social media-fueled echo chambers; with selective facts come a selective reality and ultimately, further division and harm to society.

What is real?

Prompt: "Several giant wooly mammoths approach treading through a snowy meadow, their long wooly fur lightly blows in the wind as they walk, snow covered trees and dramatic snow capped mountains in the distance, mid afternoon light with wispy clouds and a sun high in the distance creates a warm glow, the low camera view is stunning capturing the large furry mammal with beautiful photography, depth of field."

AI video credit: OpenAI

When looking at the example above with the wooly mammoths, it's easy to say that it's not real. As a viewer, you may recall that wooly mammoths went extinct about 4000 years ago, so you reason this must be an illustration of some sort, AI-generated or not.

(At least until we start cloning wooly mammoths.)

But consider for a moment that such a video was to be packaged and presented as accurate to people unaware that they've gone extinct. That's not as far-fetched as you may think. As the BBC reported last year, AI-generated science YouTube videos targeting children were remarkably effective at convincing kindergarteners that Egypt's pyramids were electric generators, aliens were real and that NASA was hiding that human activity has played no role in climate change. All of these are false, but that didn't stop 5-year-olds from believing it and viewing the videos as proof for these claims.

A tool like Sora, which promises to easily and quickly deliver photorealistic humans and real-world environments to anyone, with little to no learning curve, does present a challenge from bad actors seeking to dupe children (and adults), and that should give you pause. It certainly gives me pause.

Deepfakes of the past took some level of skill and computing power to pull off realistically (at least two weeks and $552 in 2019 for a rudimentary one), but with tools like Sora, the threshold has been lowered to anyone with a keyboard and some time and intention.

OpenAI didn't disclose how long each sample video it created took to make. I've seen several claims they can be made in minutes, but based on my experience with static AI image creation, I suspect it'll be hours or days of fine-tuning and editing to get the ideal results. In posts on X following the announcement of Sora, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman asked for reader prompts and delivered two (a grandma cooking and a fantasy of ocean creatures in a bike parade) within about 90 minutes.

OpenAI has also not shared what video and image sources were used to train Sora or, more pointedly, if copyrighted works were used. The company, which also makes the chatbot ChatGPT and still image creator DALL-E, has been sued with allegations of using copyrighted works to train these previous products.

Regardless, the writing is on the wall. Soon, every Tom, Dick and Harriet will be able to make convincing fake videos. OpenAI seems to have recognized the dangers of AI tools on some level.

A large portion of the announcement was devoted to a safety section with a prominent menu header to acknowledge the risks of misinformation and societal harm. The platform has no public release date yet; it is currently only accessible to a select group of testers who have also been tasked with helping identify and assess risks and potential harms. I hope this level of care is genuine and not lip service.

Prompt: "A movie trailer featuring the adventures of the 30 year old space man wearing a red wool knitted motorcycle helmet, blue sky, salt desert, cinematic style, shot on 35mm film, vivid colors."

AI video credit: OpenAI

Wild wild west

At present, there are no regulations on AI-generative tools. The EU's AI Act may become the first, if passed, and would regulate the industry by limiting corporate and law enforcement use of AI along with a means for the public to file complaints. There are also several efforts in the US and China to regulate the use of AI, but at present, they are patchwork at best.

The only safeguards in place as I write this are self-imposed by the companies working on AI.

OpenAI uses language filters to check and reject text prompts that include items it deems violent, sexual, hateful, or attempts to use copyrighted material or the likeness of celebrities. There are plans to implement C2PA metadata into any public release version of the tool.

C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) is an authentication standards effort backed by Adobe, Sony, BBC and others. It brings together the efforts of CAI (Content Authenticity Initiative) and Project Origin to address image provenance and authenticity by setting authoring and metadata standards alongside open-source tools for public education about content authenticity.

"New technology is cool, and acknowledging the risk is great, but taking responsibility for the genie in the bottle before you let it out is the right thing to do."

By joining this group and adopting the standard, OpenAI seems to acknowledge the need for a paper trail to determine what is authentic and what is synthetic. Until Sora goes public, we won't know how it'll be implemented, how the public will be trained to use authentication tools, or, more importantly, the value of using such tools.

However, there is one key thing missing from this acknowledgment. C2PA's efforts have predominantly targeted journalists, who may be most concerned about media authentication. What do image provenance and authenticity mean to the average Sora user?

Case in point: rage bait. A critical success metric on social media is engagement – how many people interact with your content: a rubric of likes, comments, time spent consuming, shares, saves and follows. In this model, all that matters is these metrics that define engagement, so it doesn't matter if things are true. The ends justify the means.

New technology is cool, and acknowledging the risk is great, but taking responsibility for the genie in the bottle before you let it out is the right thing to do. We've been entrenched in a years-long debate about AI images and whether they are photos, art, copyrightable or useful. We've snickered that AI can't make hands look human or text look legible. But if Sora reminds us of one thing, it's that technology advances faster than we humans do, and we have a limited window to be proactive before we become reactive to any harm.

This is now the worst AI-generated video will ever look. A year ago we giggled at how AI tools struggled with human bodies and couldn't render a realistic Will Smith eating spaghetti, and 11 months later we have videos like the one below of a man reading a book.

In its presentation, OpenAI shared examples of the tool still struggling with hands, physics and overlapping animals. If we look closely at details, it's possible to tell that something isn't real, but that requires more than a passing glance. Or, in the case of social media and people resharing screengrabs where visual compression reduces image quality, it requires us to be skeptical and seek out the source to verify for ourselves. C2PA tools may help if implemented correctly from a technical side, but they'll also need a robust media literacy education effort.

Looking at how far AI-generated video has come in 11 months, it feels inevitable that the quirks of AI-generated images and videos will resolve themselves in due time. This is now the worst AI-generated video will ever look. Let that sink in.

Prompt: "A young man at his 20s is sitting on a piece of cloud in the sky, reading a book."

AI video credit: OpenAI

Weaponized disinformation

Maybe it's because I come from working for newspapers, magazines and TV journalism, but a world in which truth can be buried under fiction with such ease strikes me as hurtling dangerously close to dystopian.

I'm reminded of my family stories from India's colonial period and the riots around the country's 1947 partition. For generations, colonial leaders had pitted different religious and regional groups against each other to keep power isolated at the top. Misinformation was a pivotal tactic to support an effort to place Hindus and Muslims at odds in order to maintain control.

For a lighter example, consider 1975's "Rollerball" (yes, really). In true '70s fashion, the film imagines a future world where corporations and the technology they control shape our world. In one scene, the main character visits a library only to learn that global corporations have digitized and rewritten all books and bent historical knowledge to their liking. An alternative history, complete with "proof," is used to control the public and maintain power.

The scary thing in both examples is that they're both based on a truth: knowledge is power, a power that if used maliciously, can be used to distract or direct others toward an outcome they desire.

History is littered with examples of image manipulation and attempts to pass off inauthentic images as authentic; following Abraham Lincoln's death, a famous image of the former US president was faked. However, unlike in the past, the prevalence of cheaper and easier-to-use image manipulation and fabrication tools, such as AI, has made it possible for anyone to create fake images, and soon videos, and quickly circulate misinformation as truth, either for fun or more nefarious goals.

"Without knowing what is accurate and true, everything becomes suspect and facts become subjective."

Recently, social media has been flooded with visual misinformation on the Hamas-Israel conflict. Images from other parts of the world have been paired with new misleading headlines, AI images are passed as proof of war crimes, fake BBC-style videos share fictitious accounts from the ground, and videos of world leaders with inaccurate English captions sow dissent and confusion. The problem is so significant on X that the platform reminded users about its disinformation policy and how it has ramped up the use of Community Notes, its fact-checking feature, which some insiders say is a bandaid that isn't working.

Today's deluge of visual misinformation challenges society and those producing authentic images. Without knowing what is accurate and true, everything becomes suspect and facts become subjective. Suddenly, bad actors can flood social media and muddy the waters, making it difficult to sort fact from fiction.

When I look at Sora and the samples shared, this fear creeps in of a media landscape in which one cannot confidently know what is real and what is someone trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

Among the AI-generated videos Sora made of animated creatures and paper planes over a jungle are a few concerning videos. Photorealistic humans in real-world environments conjure scenarios of weaponized misinformation. A video created from the prompt "historical footage of California during the gold rush" is anything but historical documentation. Videos from global locals open the door to alternative histories of a place.

Among all the videos shared by OpenAI, there is one that alarms me most. A ten-second Chinese Lunar New Year celebration clip shows a large crowd gathered for a parade, flanking both sides of the street as two dragon puppets participate in a dragon dance down the center.

Prompt: "A Chinese Lunar New Year celebration video with Chinese Dragon."

AI video credit: OpenAI

The video is pretty innocuous; not thinking too hard about the angle, you might assume it's smartphone video. With its realistic lighting, lower image quality, lack of depth-of-field, slightly out-of-focus people masking lack of detail and motion blur, nothing triggers a reason to think someone would go to the trouble of making an AI video of such a scene. Coming across this video on social media, you may think it's real and move on convinced.

This is the danger. It's ordinary enough that one might wonder, "Why would anyone fake this?"

Now, consider a scenario where a bad actor wanted to place someone in this scene and have them doing something nefarious in the background; perhaps the target is meant to be seen cavorting with someone they shouldn't be. At a later date, accusations are made against the targeted person, and soon, this fake video is presented as the smoking gun. Now, consider this targeted person as a country's president and planting the seed that they are untrustworthy and harmful for the nation is suitable for the opposing party. That scenario shouldn't seem too far-fetched. In the last year, we've seen this happen with AI-generated still images in the US presidential race.

I won't pose the could/should cliche, but I will say there needs to be considerations of ethics, societal harm, media literacy and corporate responsibility. Now that the genie is out, humanity has a greater responsibility to place guardrails in place with the means to course correct in real-time, not pick up the pieces in the aftermath of harm.

Prompt: "Reflections in the window of a train traveling through the Tokyo suburbs."

AI video credit: OpenAI

A value proposition

Every time I revisit AI-generative technology, I am also left with the same thoughts. It is undoubtedly impressive, but what exact problem does it solve? To borrow Silicon Valley's favorite mantra, does this make the world a better place?

I understand that there is a gold rush. I see the surges in stock prices for Nvidia and Microsoft and understand how money motivates AI development. I also see people making inventive things that inspire creativity. I've used AI-generative images for storyboards and mood boards. But I also see the dangers.

"To borrow Silicon Valley's favorite mantra, does this make the world a better place?"

In the example videos shared by OpenAI, none really struck me as having a compelling use case. At its core, Sora is trying to produce a photorealistic video that could pass for real, and I have to wonder, to what end? Fake videos can pass for real with a passing glance. Real videos can be alleged to be fake by anyone. "Truth" becomes fractured and in its place, a million echo chambers rise and are free to enshrine their own version of what is real for them and their followers.

I suppose hindsight will have to be our arbiter. Perhaps one day an AI-Chris Nolan will team up with an AI-Charlie Kaufman to make a meta-commentary AI-Oppenheimer on the moment the AI genie is fully out of the bottle to finally make clear what it meant and what we learned.

A frame grab from an AI-generated video OpenAI created by entering the following prompt into Sora: "A stylish woman walks down a Tokyo street filled with warm glowing neon and animated city signage. She wears a black leather jacket, a long red dress, and black boots, and carries a black purse. She wears sunglasses and red lipstick. She walks confidently and casually. The street is damp and reflective, creating a mirror effect of the colorful lights. Many pedestrians walk about."

AI video credit: OpenAI

In the AI-generation gold rush, OpenAI sent a decisive salvo across the bow of existing video-generation tools like Google's Imagen, Runway Gen-2 or Meta's Make-A-Video.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

These competing efforts were blurry, low-resolution, plastic in appearance and altogether rudimentary – more sneak peeks into a future of synthetic images than viable products. OpenAI's Sora is an entirely different beast, taking text prompts to produce photorealistic humans, animals and landscapes. It uses treatments that mimic film grain or cell phone footage and employs professional tracking, dolly and jib movements.

It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn close to being indistinguishable from reality.

The results are rather impressive. A woman's earrings sway naturally with her gait as light realistically reflects off her glasses and rain-soaked Tokyo streets. In another video, several giant wooly mammoths approach, treading through a snowy meadow, their shadows wrapping around them and the environment as expected. Several videos have no sign of the uncanny valley that made synthetic videos of the past scream that something was artificial.

These impressive results are also alarming.

"This is now the worst AI-generated video will ever look. Let that sink in."

Beyond fears of what this means for creative jobs (as highlighted by 2023's Hollywood writer and actor strikes) or what it means for our understanding of photos and video, the biggest alarm bell is for what it means for the future of objective truth, disinformation and power.

If you can't tell what is real (AI-generated videos that look real as well as real videos others claim are fake), nothing is real except what you choose to believe. The last decade has shown us globally the dangers of social media-fueled echo chambers; with selective facts come a selective reality and ultimately, further division and harm to society.

What is real?

Prompt: "Several giant wooly mammoths approach treading through a snowy meadow, their long wooly fur lightly blows in the wind as they walk, snow covered trees and dramatic snow capped mountains in the distance, mid afternoon light with wispy clouds and a sun high in the distance creates a warm glow, the low camera view is stunning capturing the large furry mammal with beautiful photography, depth of field."

AI video credit: OpenAI

When looking at the example above with the wooly mammoths, it's easy to say that it's not real. As a viewer, you may recall that wooly mammoths went extinct about 4000 years ago, so you reason this must be an illustration of some sort, AI-generated or not.

(At least until we start cloning wooly mammoths.)

But consider for a moment that such a video was to be packaged and presented as accurate to people unaware that they've gone extinct. That's not as far-fetched as you may think. As the BCC reported last year, AI-generated science YouTube videos targeting children were remarkably effective at convincing kindergarteners that Egypt's pyramids were electric generators, aliens were real and that NASA was hiding that human activity has played no role in climate change. All of these are false, but that didn't stop 5-year-olds from believing it and viewing the videos as proof for these claims.

A tool like Sora, which promises to easily and quickly deliver photorealistic humans and real-world environments to anyone, with little to no learning curve, does present a challenge from bad actors seeing to dupe children (and adults), and that should give you pause. It certainly gives me pause.

Deepfakes of the past took some level of skill and computing power to pull off realistically (at least two weeks and $552 in 2019 for a rudimentary one), but with tools like Sora, the threshold has been lowered to anyone with a keyboard and some time and intention.

OpenAI didn't disclose how long each sample video it created took to make. I've seen several claims they can be made in minutes, but based on my experience with static AI image creation, I suspect it'll be hours or days of fine-tuning and editing to get the ideal results. In posts on X following the announcement of Sora, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman asked for reader prompts and delivered two (a grandma cooking and a fantasy of ocean creatures in a bike parade) within about 90 minutes.

OpenAI has also not shared what video and image sources were used to train Sora or, more pointedly, if copyrighted works were used. The company, which also makes the chatbot ChatGPT and still image creator DALL-E, has been sued with allegations of using copyrighted works to train these previous products.

Regardless, the writing is on the wall. Soon, every Tom, Dick and Harriet will be able to make convincing fake videos. OpenAI seems to have recognized the dangers of AI tools on some level.

A large portion of the announcement was devoted to a safety section with a prominent menu header to acknowledge the risks of misinformation and societal harm. The platform has no public release date yet; it is currently only accessible to a select group of testers who have also been tasked with helping identify and assess risks and potential harms. I hope this level of care is genuine and not lip service.

Prompt: "A movie trailer featuring the adventures of the 30 year old space man wearing a red wool knitted motorcycle helmet, blue sky, salt desert, cinematic style, shot on 35mm film, vivid colors."

AI video credit: OpenAI

Wild wild west

At present, there are no regulations on AI-generative tools. The EU's AI Act may become the first, if passed, and would regulate the industry by limiting corporate and law enforcement use of AI along with a means for the public to file complaints. There are also several efforts in the US and China to regulate the use of AI, but at present, they are patchwork at best.

The only safeguards in place as I write this are self-imposed by the companies working on AI.

OpenAI uses language filters to check and reject text prompts that include items it deems violent, sexual, hateful, or attempt to use copyrighted material or the likeness of celebrities. There are plans to implement C2PA metadata into any public release version of the tool.

C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) is an authentication standards effort backed by Adobe, Sony, BBC and others. It brings together the efforts of CAI (Content Authenticity Initiative) and Project Origin to address image provenance and authenticity by setting authoring and metadata standards alongside open-source tools for public education about content authenticity.

"New technology is cool, and acknowledging the risk is great, but taking responsibility for the genie in the bottle before you let it out is the right thing to do."

By joining this group and adopting the standard, OpenAI seems to acknowledge the need for a paper trail to determine what is authentic and what is synthetic. Until Sora goes public, we won't know how it'll be implemented, how the public will be trained to use authentication tools, or, more importantly, the value of using such tools.

However, there is one key thing missing from this acknowledgment. C2PA's efforts have predominantly targeted journalists, who may be most concerned about media authentication. What do image provenance and authenticity mean to the average Sora user?

Case in point: rage bait. A critical success metric on social media is engagement – how many people interact with your content: a rubric of likes, comments, time spent consuming, shares, saves and follows. In this model, all that matters is these metrics that define engagement, so it doesn't matter if things are true. The ends justify the means.

New technology is cool, and acknowledging the risk is great, but taking responsibility for the genie in the bottle before you let it out is the right thing to do. We've been entrenched in a years-long debate about AI images and whether they are photos, art, copyrightable or useful. We've snickered that AI can't make hands look human or text look legible. But if Sora reminds us of one thing, it's that technology advances faster than we humans do, and we have a limited window to be proactive before we become reactive to any harm.

This is now the worst AI-generated video will ever look. A year ago we giggled at how AI tools struggled with human bodies and couldn't render a realistic Will Smith eating spaghetti, and 11 months later we have videos like the one below of a man reading a book.

In its presentation, OpenAI shared examples of the tool still struggling with hands, physics and overlapping animals. If we look closely at details, it's possible to tell that something isn't real, but that requires more than a passing glance. Or, in the case of social media and people resharing screengrabs where visual compression reduces image quality, it requires us to be skeptical and seek out the source to verify for ourselves. C2PA tools may help if implemented correctly from a technical side, but they'll also need a robust media literacy education effort.

Looking at how far AI-generated video has come in 11 months, it feels inevitable that the quirks of AI-generated images and videos will resolve themselves in due time. This is now the worst AI-generated video will ever look. Let that sink in.

Prompt: "A young man at his 20s is sitting on a piece of cloud in the sky, reading a book."

AI video credit: OpenAI

Weaponized disinformation

Maybe it's because I come from working for newspapers, magazines and TV journalism, but a world in which truth can be buried under fiction with such ease strikes me as hurtling dangerously close to dystopian.

I'm reminded of my family stories from India's colonial period and the riots around the country's 1947 partition. For generations, colonial leaders had pitted different religious and regional groups against each other to keep power isolated at the top. Misinformation was a pivotal tactic to support an effort to place Hindus and Muslims at odds in order to maintain control.

For a lighter example, 1975's "Rollerball" (yes, really). In true 70s fashion, the film imagines a future world where corporations and the technology they control shape our world. In one scene, the main character visits a library only to learn that global corporations have digitized and rewritten all books and bent historical knowledge to their liking. An alternative history, complete with "proof," is used to control the public and maintain power.

The scary thing in both examples is that they're both based on a truth: knowledge is power, a power that if used maliciously, can be used to distract or direct others toward an outcome they desire.

History is littered with examples of image manipulation and attempts to pass off inauthentic images as authentic; following Abraham Lincoln's death, a famous image of the former US president was faked. However, unlike in the past, the prevalence of cheaper and easier-to-use image manipulation and fabrication tools, such as AI, has made it possible for anyone to create fake images, and soon videos, and quickly circulate misinformation as truth, either for fun or more nefarious goals.

"Without knowing what is accurate and true, everything becomes suspect and facts become subjective."

Recently, social media has been flooded with visual misinformation on the Hamas-Israel conflict. Images from other parts of the world have been paired with new misleading headlines, AI images are passed as proof of war crimes, fake BBC-style videos share fictitious accounts from the ground, and videos of world leaders with inaccurate English captions sow dissent and confusion. The problem is so significant on X that the platform reminded users about its disinformation policy and how it has ramped up the use of Community Notes, its fact-checking feature, which some insiders say is a bandaid that isn't working.

Today's deluge of visual misinformation challenges society and those producing authentic images. Without knowing what is accurate and true, everything becomes suspect and facts become subjective. Suddenly, bad actors can flood social media and muddy the waters, making it difficult to sort fact from fiction.

When I look at Sora and the samples shared, this fear creeps in of a media landscape in which one cannot confidently know what is real and what is someone trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

Among the AI-generated videos Sora made of animated creatures and paper planes over a jungle are a few concerning videos. Photorealistic humans in real-world environments conjure scenarios of weaponized misinformation. A video created from the prompt "historical footage of California during the gold rush" is anything but historical documentation. Videos from global locals open the door to alternative histories of a place.

Among all the videos shared by OpenAI, there is one that alarms me most. A ten-second Chinese Lunar New Year celebration clip shows a large crowd gathered for a parade, flanking both sides of the street as two dragon puppets participate in a dragon dance down the center.

Prompt: "A Chinese Lunar New Year celebration video with Chinese Dragon."

AI video credit: OpenAI

The video is pretty innocuous; not thinking too hard about the angle, you might assume it's smartphone video. With its realistic lighting, lower image quality, lack of depth-of-field, slightly out-of-focus people masking lack of detail and motion blur, nothing triggers a reason to think someone would go to the trouble of making an AI video of such a scene. Coming across this video on social media, you may think it's real and move on convinced.

This is the danger. It's ordinary enough that one might wonder, "Why would anyone fake this?"

Now, consider a scenario where a bad actor wanted to place someone in this scene and have them doing something nefarious in the background; perhaps the target is meant to be seen cavorting with someone they shouldn't be. At a later date, accusations are made against the targeted person, and soon, this fake video is presented as the smoking gun. Now, consider this targeted person as a country's president and planting the seed that they are untrustworthy and harmful for the nation is suitable for the opposing party. That scenario shouldn't seem too far-fetched. In the last year, we've seen this happen with AI-generated still images in the US presidential race.

I won't pose the could/should cliche, but I will say there needs to be considerations of ethics, societal harm, media literacy and corporate responsibility. Now that the genie is out, humanity has a greater responsibility to place guardrails in place with the means to course correct in real-time, not pick up the pieces in the aftermath of harm.

Prompt: "Reflections in the window of a train traveling through the Tokyo suburbs."

AI video credit: OpenAI

A value proposition

Every time I revisit AI-generative technology, I am also left with the same thoughts. It is undoubtedly impressive, but what exact problem does it solve? To borrow Silicon Valley's favorite mantra, does this make the world a better place?

I understand that there is a gold rush. I see the surges in stock prices for Nvidia and Microsoft and understand how money motivates AI development. I also see people making inventive things that inspire creativity. I've used AI-generative images for storyboards and mood boards. But I also see the dangers.

"To borrow Silicon Valley's favorite mantra, does this make the world a better place?"

In the example videos shared by OpenAI, none really struck me as having a compelling use case. At its core, Sora is trying to produce a photorealistic video that could pass for real, and I have to wonder, to what end? Fake videos can pass for real with a passing glance. Real videos can be alleged to be fake by anyone. "Truth" becomes fractured and in its place, a million echo chambers rise and are free to enshrine their own version of what is real for them and their followers.

I suppose hindsight will have to be our arbiter. Perhaps one day an AI-Chris Nolan will team up with an AI-Charlie Kaufman to make a meta-commentary AI-Oppenheimer on the moment the AI genie is fully out of the bottle to finally make clear what it meant and what we learned.

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Panasonic has introduced what it claims is the smallest and lightest zoom lens for mirrorless systems: the Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 Macro OIS. This L-mount lens is just 9.3cm (3.7") long and weighs in at 413 grams (14.6 ounces).

The 28-200's Dual IS 2 stabilizer can compensate for up to 6.5 stops of camera shake. It's capable of taking half-size (0.5x) close-ups with a minimum distance of 14cm (5.5"). Panasonic says that the lens has been designed to reduce focus breathing, and users can choose between linear or non-linear focus ring settings.

The Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 will be available at the end of April for $899.

Buy now:

$898 at Amazon $898 at B&H Photo $898 at Adorama

Press Release:

Panasonic introduces the World’s Smallest and Lightest1 Long Zoom Lens:
LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R28200)

A wide and long zoom range of 28-200mm, that fits all in the palm of your hand

Newark, NJ (February 21, 2024) – Panasonic is pleased to introduce the LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R28200) lens based on the L-Mount system standard. Designed with meticulous attention to detail in optics and mechanics, the new LUMIX S 28-200mm is the world's smallest and lightest1 long zoom lens, with total length of 93.4mm2 (3.67 inches) and mass of approximately 413 g. (14.57 oz). The first wide-to-tele zoom for the LUMIX S Series lineup, the lens is compact and lightweight to match the camera body.

In addition to delivering outstanding imaging performance with stunning bokeh, the lens is also capable of half life-size macro shooting and close-up photography from just 3cm between the end of the lens and the subject. With a wide range of focal lengths from 28mm wide angle to 200mm telephoto, a variety of scenarios from landscapes to portraits can be captured in high resolution with this single lens.

The new 28-200mm boasts high-speed, high-precision, and silent autofocus, while its 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (Image Stabilizer) compatibility compensates for up to 6.5 stops4 of correction to enable the creator to concentrate on capturing the subject. It also offers micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure changes, as well as the ability to choose between linear or nonlinear focus ring settings. These features have become hallmark characteristics of LUMIX S Series lenses.

Main Features

1. Excellent Mobility with the World’s Smallest and Lightest1 Long Zoom Lens

- The optical system and mechanism with attention to detail are designed to realize smaller size and lighter weight.

- A total length of approx. 93.4 mm2 (3.67 inches) and a mass of approx. 413 g (14.6 ounces).

2. Ideally Suited to Capture Any Scenario

- With the minimum shooting distance of 0.14 m3 (5.5 inches) and the maximum shooting magnification of 0.5x, half life-size macro shooting is possible).2

- Achieves high resolution, outstanding photographic performance, and stunning bokeh in entire zoom area, from the center of the image to the edges.

- The long zoom lens covers a wide range of focal lengths from a 28mm wide-angle to a 200mm telephoto zoom.

3. Optimal Operability for Video Production

- Effectively suppresses focus breathing, in which the angle of view changes caused by movements in the focus position.

The LUMIX S 28-200 lens will be available at valued channel partners at the end of April 2024 for $899.99.

1. As of February 22, 2024. Among interchangeable lenses for AF compatible full-frame mirrorless cameras, and lenses with an optical zoom of 7x or more. Based on a Panasonic survey.

2. When focal length is 28mm.

3. 14cm from focal plane.

4. Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=200mm. When LUMIX S1 is used.]

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Panasonic has introduced what it claims is the smallest and lightest zoom lens for mirrorless systems: the Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 Macro OIS. This L-mount lens is just 9.3cm (3.7") long and weighs in at 413 grams (14.6 ounces).

The 28-200's Dual IS 2 stabilizer can compensate for up to 6.5 stops of camera shake. It's capable of taking half-size (0.5x) close-ups with a minimum distance of 14cm (5.5"). Panasonic says that the lens has been designed to reduce focus breathing, and users can choose between linear or non-linear focus ring settings.

The Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 will be available at the end of April for $899.

Press Release:

Panasonic introduces the World’s Smallest and Lightest1 Long Zoom Lens:
LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R28200)

A wide and long zoom range of 28-200mm, that fits all in the palm of your hand

Newark, NJ (February 21, 2024) – Panasonic is pleased to introduce the LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R28200) lens based on the L-Mount system standard. Designed with meticulous attention to detail in optics and mechanics, the new LUMIX S 28-200mm is the world's smallest and lightest1 long zoom lens, with total length of 93.4mm2 (3.67 inches) and mass of approximately 413 g. (14.57 oz). The first wide-to-tele zoom for the LUMIX S Series lineup, the lens is compact and lightweight to match the camera body.

In addition to delivering outstanding imaging performance with stunning bokeh, the lens is also capable of half life-size macro shooting and close-up photography from just 3cm between the end of the lens and the subject. With a wide range of focal lengths from 28mm wide angle to 200mm telephoto, a variety of scenarios from landscapes to portraits can be captured in high resolution with this single lens.

The new 28-200mm boasts high-speed, high-precision, and silent autofocus, while its 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (Image Stabilizer) compatibility compensates for up to 6.5 stops4 of correction to enable the creator to concentrate on capturing the subject. It also offers micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure changes, as well as the ability to choose between linear or nonlinear focus ring settings. These features have become hallmark characteristics of LUMIX S Series lenses.

Main Features

1. Excellent Mobility with the World’s Smallest and Lightest1 Long Zoom Lens

- The optical system and mechanism with attention to detail are designed to realize smaller size and lighter weight.

- A total length of approx. 93.4 mm2 (3.67 inches) and a mass of approx. 413 g (14.6 ounces).

2. Ideally Suited to Capture Any Scenario

- With the minimum shooting distance of 0.14 m3 (5.5 inches) and the maximum shooting magnification of 0.5x, half life-size macro shooting is possible).2

- Achieves high resolution, outstanding photographic performance, and stunning bokeh in entire zoom area, from the center of the image to the edges.

- The long zoom lens covers a wide range of focal lengths from a 28mm wide-angle to a 200mm telephoto zoom.

3. Optimal Operability for Video Production

- Effectively suppresses focus breathing, in which the angle of view changes caused by movements in the focus position.

The LUMIX S 28-200 lens will be available at valued channel partners at the end of April 2024 for $899.99.

1. As of February 22, 2024. Among interchangeable lenses for AF compatible full-frame mirrorless cameras, and lenses with an optical zoom of 7x or more. Based on a Panasonic survey.

2. When focal length is 28mm.

3. 14cm from focal plane.

4. Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=200mm. When LUMIX S1 is used.]

Image: Fujifilm

The X100VI was undoubtedly the star of Fujifilm's X Summit event in Tokyo earlier this week, but Fujifilm also tucked some additional news into the end of its press conference, including a tease for a new version of its long-standing X-mount kit lens.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

Fujifilm's current X-mount kit lens, the XF 18-55mm F2.8-4, is over a decade old. Little is known about what the new XF 16-50mm F2.8-4.8 will include. Fujifilm has promised improvements to compactness, versatility, and sharpness but shared no details yet.

You can watch the relevant section of the press conference below and place your bets on when it will arrive.

Image: Fujifilm

The X100VI was undoubtedly the star of Fujifilm's X Summit event in Tokyo earlier this week, but Fujifilm also tucked some additional news into the end of its press conference, including a tease for a new version of its long-standing X-mount kit lens.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2"); });

Fujifilm's current X-mount kit lens, the XF 18-55mm F2.8-4, is over a decade old. Little is known about what the new XF 16-50mm F2.8-4.8 will include. Fujifilm has promises improvements to compactness, versatility, and sharpness but shared no details yet.

You can watch the relevant section of the press conference below and place your bets on when it will arrive.