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Image: Tamron

If you've ever taken a look at Tamron lenses, you've likely noticed a surprisingly long string of numbers and letters in the product name. Reading "Tamron 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD" can feel a bit like trying to decipher a secret code. Plus, when you go to read about the lens, you may discover even more acronyms and terms to figure out. In this article, we'll break down that code and clarify what each of the abbreviations refers to. That way, you can more easily decide what's important to you when shopping for a Tamron lens.

Lens type and compatibility

Outside of the focal length and maximum aperture, the first abbreviations on Tamron lenses refer to the lens type and its compatibility. If you don't see one (or more) of these abbreviations, the lens doesn't offer that feature or specification.

Di, Di II, Di III and Di III-A

After the focal length and maximum aperture, you'll find a variation of Di, which is an abbreviation for Digitally Integrated Design. Tamron designed its Di lenses for DSLRs (both APS-C and full-frame), and the Di indicates that the lens is not for a film camera.

These days, you'll most often see the Di followed by II, III or III-A, which gives a little more clarity on the specific type of digital lens.

• Di II lenses are also built for DSLRs, but only those with sensors smaller than full-frame (up to 16 x 24mm).
• Di III is the company's mirrorless identifier, referring to lenses made for mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (ILCs).
• Di III-A are mirrorless lenses for APS-C cameras.

SP The Tamron SP 24-70mm F2.8 Di VC USD G2 is part of the company's SP, or Super Performance, lineup.
Image: Tamron

On some DSLR lenses, the very first part of the lens name (even before the focal length) is SP. Tamron hasn't used that designation in its mirrorless lineup, but it stands for Super Performance. It signifies the lens is part of Tamron's high-end professional lens lineup. As a result, it promises better performance and higher optical quality than lenses without that designation, but it also comes at a higher price than the rest.

Stabilization, focusing system and macro

Next in the lens name is a string of letters referring to the type of autofocus motors and, when present, stabilization or macro capabilities.

VC As you can see on these switches, some Tamron lenses offer multiple settings for Vibration Correction (VC).
Image: Tamron

When you see VC in a Tamron lens name, it means the lens offers Tamron's Vibration Compensation, its version of optical stabilization. VC is mostly found on the company's telephoto zoom lenses and aims to reduce blur from camera vibrations while using longer shutter speeds.

VXD, RXD, OSD and USD

Tamron lenses use several different autofocus motors, with an acronym for each. You won't see multiple of these on a single lens, as a lens can only have a single type of autofocus motor.

VXD is one of the more common abbreviations on recent lenses. It stands for Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive. The VXD motor is a linear motor focus mechanism, and it is, at the time of writing, the fastest motor in Tamron's lineup. It allows the lens to quickly, quietly and accurately adjust focus. The VXD is ideal for sports, wildlife or video capture where smooth and quiet autofocus is important.

RXD is another frequent term on Tamron lenses. It stands for Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive, a type of stepping motor. Though not as fast as the VXD autofocus motor, the RXD motor is relatively fast and quiet. It is suitable for photography and video applications that depend on quiet operation but not utmost speed.

The Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD is made for mirrorless APS-C cameras (as the Di III-A tells us) and features a Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive (RXD) autofocus motor.
Image: Tamron

OSD stands for Optimized Silent Drive, which is also a type of stepping motor. It's less common on new Tamron lenses, and sits below VXD and RXD lenses in terms of autofocus speed and noise.

Older lenses may also feature HLD or PZD acronyms. HLD stands for High/Low Torque-Modulated Drive; it allows users to use manual focus even when in autofocus mode. PZD, which stands for Piezo Electric Drive, is another type of Tamron autofocus motor typically found in its mid-range and travel zoom lenses.

Macro, M1:2 or M1:1 The Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III Macro VXD is a mirrorless lens (Di III) meant for macro applications and features a VXD autofocus motor.
Image: Tamron

Finally, some Tamron lenses, such as the Tamron 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2, feature an "M1:2" or "M1:1" at the end of the lens name. That means the lens offers a 1:2 or 1:1 maximum magnification ratio for macro photography. Other Tamron lenses, such as the one above, only say Macro in the name.

G2 lens generation The Tamron 16-30mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 is the second generation of this lens.
Image: Tamron

The last bit of text you'll see on some Tamron lens names refers to the lens generation. If you see G2 at the end of a Tamron lens, that means it is the second generation of that lens. As a result, it likely offers improvements over the original version, including better optical performance, faster and more precise autofocus or improved coatings.

Optical design, build quality and features ZL refers to Zoom Lock, a switch that locks the lens into a specific position.
Image: Tamron

Although not in the lens names, Tamron also uses abbreviations for some of its proprietary technology related to other features on its lenses.

ZL, which stands for Zoom Lock, is a Tamron feature that allows you to lock a zoom lens to prevent unwanted extension of the lens barrel (called zoom creep). It locks the zoom ring at a specific position (typically the shortest focal length), so that when you are wearing the camera on a camera strap or otherwise carrying it pointed down, the lens doesn't extend.

BBAR and BBAR G2 are Tamron's Broad Band Anti Reflection coatings. These coatings aim to reduce ghosting and improve color balance. Tamron also uses an E-BAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) coating to reduce ghosting and flare even more.

FEC is a feature on some older Tamron lenses. It is a dedicated ring positioned at the front of the lens that allows you to easily rotate a filter, such as a circular polarizer, even when a lens hood is attached.

Terms not specific to Tamron

In addition to the above abbreviations, there are also plenty of terms associated with lenses that aren't specific to Tamron. Most of these come into play with specific lens elements, such as XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion), but that's for another post.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Image: Tamron

Tamron has announced that it's bringing its 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 zoom lens to Nikon's Z mount, after releasing it for Sony E mount in late 2023. We loved it on that system thanks to its great performance and much smaller and lighter form-factor compared to a traditional 70-200mm F2.8, so it's great to see it coming to this system. It's also a big deal for Nikon users, who haven't always had the greatest access to third-party lenses.

Like the E-mount version, the lens uses a 20-element, 15-group design with one extra low dispersion lens, three low dispersion elements, two glass molded aspherical elements and a hybrid aspherical element. It has a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m (11.8"), and can take 67mm filters, the same as its 16-30mm F/2.8 G2 and 28-75mm F/2.8.

It weighs 865g (30.5oz), which makes it substantially lighter than Nikon's 70-200mm F2.8 VR S, which weighs 1360g (48oz). Giving up the extra 20mm also nets you a substantially smaller lens; the Tamron is 83mm wide and 158.7mm (6.2") long, versus the 88.5mm diameter and 220mm (8.7") Nikon.

It's also substantially cheaper than the Nikon, at an MSRP of $1149 (around $50 more than the Sony version currently retails for). Given that Nikon still seems to keep relatively tight control over what lenses third parties can release for Z-mount, it's nice to see that Tamron is getting to make such a compelling option for the system.

Buy at B&H

Press release:

TAMRON Announces the Class-Leading Compact and Lightweight Telephoto Zoom 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 with Vibration Compensation for the “Nikon Z mount system”

October 7, 2025, Commack, NY – TAMRON announces the launch of the 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 (Model A065), a fast-aperture telephoto zoom lens for “Nikon Z mount system” full-frame mirrorless cameras on October 23, 2025. The lens will retail for $1,149 USD / $1,549 CAD.

With this announcement of the Nikon Z mount, TAMRON expands the availability of the highly acclaimed 70-180mm F2.8 VC G2, previously announced in 2023 for Sony E-mount. Additionally, the TAMRON Trinity is now complete for Nikon Z camera users:

• 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A064)• 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A064)
• 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A063)
• 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 (Model A065)

The 70-180mm F2.8 VC G2 is a fast-aperture telephoto zoom lens that combines TAMRON’s proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization mechanism with a class-leading compact size and weight design offering both outstanding portability and greater stability across a wide variety of scenes. It delivers uncompromising image quality throughout the entire zoom range. At the wide end, the lens achieves an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of just 11.8” (0.3m), allowing for close-up compositions that allow expressive imagery unique to this lens. For autofocus, the lens features TAMRON’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism that delivers excellent quietness and responsiveness for high-speed, high-precision auto-focusing whether shooting stills or video. Additionally, the lens supports the TAMRON Lens Utility™, software that can be used to customize functions based on various shooting styles for still photography and video. The lens is designed with a focus on operability and scratch resistance. This well-balanced lens combines portability, high imaging quality, and excellent usability.

Product features

1. World’s smallest and lightest f2.8 tele-zoom lens is designed to fit comfortably in your hand
2. Fast f2.8 aperture performance captures the world in vivid detail from portraits to landscapes
3. Tamron’s proprietary VC image stabilization mechanism empowers mobility
4. Decisive moments are never missed with improved fast and precise AF tracking performance powered by TAMRON’s VXD linear autofocus mechanism
5. MOD of 11.8” (0.3m) opens new possibilities such as tabletop photography
6. Compatible with TAMRON Lens Utility™ software (desktop and mobile app)
7. Comfortable ergonomic design for ease of use
8. Unified Ø67mm filter size
9. Complete G2 trinity, “daisangen”, covers 16mm to 180mm focal length range
10. Supports key camera functions
11. Protective features (moisture-resistant construction and fluorine coating)

1. Among full-frame compatible fast-aperture F2.8 telephoto zoom lenses equipped with Vibration Compensation (As of October 2025: TAMRON)

Specifications, appearance, functionality, etc. are subject to change without prior notice.

This product is developed, manufactured, and sold under the license agreement with Nikon Corporation.

Logo: Affinity

Affinity, a platform of creative apps developed by UK-based Serif, is mixing things up ahead of "big changes" coming on October 30. The website no longer offers a way to purchase its software, and the company's iPad apps are now free.

A message on the Affinity homepage says "Creative Freedom Is Coming" and invites users to sign up to "be the first to know" about changes coming on October 30. After entering an email address, an automated email says, "This isn’t just another update. It’s the beginning of something new. A shift in how creative freedom is defined."

A screenshot of the Affinity website.

The company also posted a similar message to X, formerly Twitter, which has drawn more than 200 replies at the time of writing. In its responses to users, Affinity shared that there will be a keynote with more details. Additionally, it added some important information for current users: "We’re making space for what’s next. This short pause lets us transition cleanly without confusion between versions. Existing customers keep full access to their apps. This only affects new purchases and trials."

We’re making space for what’s next. This short pause lets us transition cleanly without confusion between versions. Existing customers keep full access to their apps. This only affects new purchases and trials.

— Affinity (@Affinity) October 1, 2025

The website no longer offers a way to purchase the desktop versions of Affinity Photo, Designer or Publisher, and the programs have also been pulled from third-party marketplaces, such as the Apple Mac App Store. That's a very unusual move for a company even before a major update. Even more confusing, the iPad apps are still available in the App Store and are listed for free. They used to be $18.49 apiece.

Another layer of concern is that, as of October 6, the website's forums were moved to read-only mode. A post explains that the forum will remain searchable, but a support form is the best way to reach the team now, and Discord is the new community space.

Canva purchased Affinity in March of 2024, and this shift suggests that we may finally be figuring out what Canva's plans for the company's products are. Affinity Photo and its other apps have been the go-to perpetual license option for photographers who want to avoid Adobe's subscription fees. That is not true of Canva, though, which operates on a subscription model.

At the time of writing, no additional information was available. Affinity said on X that it will be teasing information on its social media accounts as October 30 gets closer, so for now, we wait and watch to see what these changes entail.

Dialing in your aperture, shutter speed and ISO doesn't have to be a game of guesswork when using manual mode. If you're consistently getting overly dark or light photos, you may just need to learn how to use your light meter. Luckily, almost every digital camera features a built-in meter that measures the light in a scene, making it easier to get your settings right. It's an integral tool for consistently achieving well-exposed images without lots of trial and error.

What is the light meter?

Your camera's light meter simply measures the available light in a scene. Then, when in manual mode (M), the camera displays the impact on exposure (which you can read about here) on a scale or with positive or negative numbers that you can see through the viewfinder and on the rear screen. The scale tells you whether the camera thinks you need more or less light to have a well-exposed photo.

If you're using P, A or S modes, the camera sets the exposure and ISO based on this light reading and keeps the light meter scale at zero. As a result, you don't need to worry about the light meter in those modes.

How to use the light meter On this camera, the light meter is a vertical scale on the right side of the display, highlighted with a red box for the purpose of clarity. The positive numbers (overexposure) on top, and negative numbers (underexposure) on the bottom.

It's important to note that each camera manufacturer formats the light meter slightly differently, and many offer different views based on how you have your display set up. As a result, it's important to look carefully or even check your manual. On some cameras, the scale is vertical; on others, it is horizontal. Some don't show a scale at all in certain display modes and instead only use numerical values.

No matter how the light meter is formatted, it will have negative and positive values. Negative numbers represent an image that is too dark (underexposed), and positive numbers represent a too-light (overexposed) photograph. The middle of the scale is zero, which signifies what the camera thinks is a properly exposed photo.

The numbers refer to stops, which are applicable for aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

The numbers refer to stops, which are applicable for aperture, shutter speed and ISO. A full stop is a way of saying half or twice the amount of light, but your camera also lets you change by one-third (or sometimes half) stop steps. That's why you'll see smaller marks in between big ones on the scale (or, for example, -1.7 instead of just -1.0). If you want to change a setting by a full stop, it takes three clicks of your dial.

When your camera measures the amount of light, it displays the exposure level based on your current settings. Some cameras use a white rectangle or triangle under the light meter to display where your exposure falls on the scale. Others will show a line of boxes extending from the center to the current exposure level.

This image is two full stops underexposed, as you can see by the small white box next to the second large tick mark on the light meter.

If you see the marking at a negative number, it means your photograph is darker than the camera calculates as correct. Changing to a slower shutter speed, a wider aperture or, when necessary, a higher ISO will lighten the image. If the marking is all the way at the edge of the scale, you'll need to make a larger adjustment of one (or a combination) of those settings until you get the light meter to reflect zero (or near it). If it's already close to zero, a click or two on your dial should get you in the right spot. For example, if the light meter says -1.0, you can change your shutter speed or aperture by one full stop (three clicks of the dial) to balance exposure.

This image is three stops overexposed, as you can see by the small white square at the top of the scale.

If you see the marking at a positive number, it means your photograph is lighter than the camera thinks is correct. Lowering the ISO or reducing exposure with a fast shutter speed or smaller aperture will darken the image. Again, keep changing one (or a combination) of those settings until the light meter is at zero. For example, if your light meter says +2.0, it means you are two stops overexposed and reducing your ISO by two full stops (so six clicks of a dial) will get the light meter to zero.

Why does the light meter matter? Sony cameras can also display the full light meter scale, which you can see highlighted in this screenshot with the red box.

Digital photography certainly makes it easy (and affordable) to use trial and error to dial in exposure. However, that process takes time, and many types of photography don't give you a second chance to take the photo. Knowing how to read your light meter can help you get your ideal exposure faster so you don't miss the critical moment.

Additionally, while modern cameras offer quite impressive dynamic range (the difference between the darkest areas of a photo and the lightest), giving you a degree of processing leeway, there is still a limit. If you overexpose a photo too much, you may end up with blown-out highlights, meaning a solid white area with no texture or detail. On the other hand, if your photo is too underexposed, you may notice noise when trying to brighten the image while editing, provided you're even able to bring the detail back.

Getting your exposure closer to correct in-camera will help you preserve critical details.

Getting your exposure closer to correct in-camera will help you preserve critical details and can maximise image quality. It will also make your photographs easier to share as-is if you don't edit them, and faster to edit if you do.

It's also worth mentioning that most mirrorless cameras provide an exposure preview in the electronic viewfinder or on the rear display. That preview will show you a live view of what your photograph will look like as you change aperture, shutter speed or ISO. Screens can help give you an idea of your photograph's exposure, but they aren't very reliable for precise information. They can be hard to see in bright sun, and changing the display's brightness can drastically change your photo's appearance. That's why the light meter (and the histogram) is so important.

Don't forget to use your judgment (and histogram) A histogram (the chart in the top right of this screenshot) used in combination with the light meter can help prevent overly under- or overexposed images.

While your light meter is a useful tool, it's not the end-all, be-all. After all, your camera doesn't know what you are taking photos of or what type of look you are after, so you still need to use your judgment and other tools at your disposal. That includes using different metering modes and the histogram.

Ultimately, as the photographer, you need to decide what level of exposure is best for what you're trying to convey.

Even with different metering modes, there are times when you need to use the light meter as a rough guide but not a silver bullet. Tricky lighting conditions, such as high-contrast scenes, can throw off your meter, and you will need to decide whether to prioritize highlights or shadows in your exposure. Additionally, there may be times you want to purposefully keep the image darker or lighter to reflect an experience, such as photographing in low light. Ultimately, as the photographer, you need to decide what level of exposure is best for a given scene, what you're trying to convey and your style.

Fall colors are on full display in Canada's Northwest Territories. I captured this photo along the Ingraham Trail several km outside Yellowknife, NTW. Although the primary purpose of my trip was to photograph the aurora borealis, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to capture the colors of the taiga forest in autumn.

Nikon D750 + Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 VR | F8 | 1/40 sec. | ISO 200
Photo: Dale Baskin

Our October Editors' photo challenge theme is "Fall Follies."

Autumn has arrived in the northern hemisphere! The days are getting shorter, the air a little cooler, and the world around us is changing fast. For our October photo challenge, we’re celebrating everything that makes fall special, from vibrant leaves and fall harvests to annual traditions and seasonal celebrations. Show us what "Fall Follies" looks like through your lens.

Photos can be submitted between Sunday, October 12, and Saturday, October 18 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time.

Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!

Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.

Visit the challenge page to see all the rules

Go Tokura, Executive Vice President, Head of Imaging Group, Chief Executive of Imaging Business Operations

Photo: Richard Butler

Full disclosure: I've just returned from a trip to Japan paid for by Canon. Our usual policy is that we only attend these trips if a product is being launched, and being present is the only way to get access to those new products.

And, when we accepted this invitation, we hoped that would be the case. But as the trip got closer, we were told the intention of the trip was that the small group of US camera writers and YouTube presenters present would "get to know" Canon, its culture and philosophy. By the time this became clear, the tickets had been booked.

I can see why they felt this was necessary. From the outside, Canon can seem quite staid and corporate, even by comparison with the other large corporations that make up much of the rest of the camera market. I suspect most people see them make sensible, pragmatic products - frequently criticized for their seemingly ruthless market segmentation, and omitting features from one model to 'protect' another - they're not in the habit of issuing community enthusing, feature-adding firmware, and their dominant market position makes them easy to look at them as the 'obvious' option, rather than the cognoscente's considered choice.

But getting to know some of the people behind the name, and hearing the enthusiasm with which they talk about cameras, lenses and photography did change the way I thought about the brand.

I walked away with the impression of a company that operates in a constant tension between conservatism and innovation. A large, formal corporation made up of people fascinated by photography, constantly trying to innovate and improve things. The seed of this impression was planted right from the opening speech by Go Tokura, Executive Vice President at Canon and head of its Imaging Group.

Legacy, T90, Ergonomics

Tokura spoke fondly of the many cameras developed during his time at the company, but drew particular attention to the T90, one of the company's last FD-mount manual focus SLRs. It was the first camera designed using CAD, rather than hand-drawn plans, he said. But, while it was not a success (the autofocus era had arrived and Canon's EOS system would be announced a year later), it set the template for EOS ergonomics, introducing features such as the Main dial, LCD panel, and Quick control dial, and is still used as a reference point today.

The Canon T90, launched in 1986, is still a touchstone for the company

Photo: Richard Butler

The same camera was highlighted again during a presentation about handling and ergonomic design. Amazingly, while details have changed, the idea that the shutter button should be right at the front, with a dial mounted behind it, persists in most of Canon's ILCs, some 39 years later.

But this doesn't mean everything stays the same. Haruki Ota, in charge of imaging product design, also highlighted the differing role the camera grip plays for different users, and how the way a user will hold an EOS R1 is very different from the way someone will hold and operate the vlogging-friendly EOS R50C: both a far cry from the solely through-the-viewfinder handling of the T90, even if the echoes are still there.

Even with a formula to work from, he says a lot of work goes into each new model. We were shown mockup bodies, to which material is added and removed and button positions are adjusted, to find the most comfortable, operable shape.

"It's a process of trial and error. It's a very analog process, but it's essential," he says. "We believe this traditional method provides superb tactile quality."

Three early mockups of the EOS 50C, used to test ergonomics, showing different dial configurations.

Photo: Richard Butler

The process starts within the team but is expanded to include hands of all sizes, across all ages and genders. "Even our professional cameras are used by a broad audience, so we have to consider that."

Always forward

This reverence for the past doesn't mean the company is always looking backwards, though. In an interview with senior executives, I asked whether they could imagine Canon ever making a stills-only camera. They made it very clear they feel that the future has to include video.

"In the professional market, there's a clear trend toward downsizing and efficiency. Meanwhile, amateur users increasingly seek higher image quality and creative expression," says Noriyuki Honda, Deputy Unit Executive of the Imaging Business Unit.

"But in both cases, they want both still and video capabilities, because even smartphones can do both. So we expect this pattern of demand to keep going. It makes sense for Canon to keep launching camera products that can do both, as well."

"Even if we made a stills-only camera it wouldn’t address all customers’ requirements. We think there's a bigger market for cameras that have both capabilities."

Left-to-right: Noriyuki Honda, Deputy Unit Executive of the Imaging Business Unit, Tetsushi Hibi, Unit Executive of the Imaging Optical Business Unit, and Yoishi Sato, Senior General Manager of Imaging Products Development Center 1

Photo: Richard Butler

This aggressive focus on what the market wants perhaps explains another common criticism of Canon: that it can seem pretty aggressive in its product segmentation: omitting features from one model to prevent it from competing with another in its lineup. But there's a counter-argument about making products that fit well with their audience.

Tokura highlights the original Digital Rebel (EOS 300D) as the model that helped Canon achieve the number one spot in terms of ILC market share: a position it hasn't relinquished in the intervening 22 years.

From one perspective, it was a stripped-down version of the EOS 10D and 20D series, but it was also the first experience of a large-sensor, interchangeable lens digital camera for a lot of people.

As the EOS 300D was raised, it crossed my mind that several of my friends, when I first got into digital photography, had one. And, for that matter, still do. This hasn't happened by chance. Reliability was another word raised repeatedly throughout the trip.

This was illustrated by the shock, shake and drop testing we were shown being conducted both on cameras and the boxes they're shipped in, but also through something Tokura said at the start of the event: "We're always striving for zero defects, not just minimal defects." He explained, "We might build millions of units, but the customer only buys one. So, for them, any error would represent a defect."

Despite the juggernaut that Canon can seem to be from the outside, the development staff is aware that not everything they do will automatically succeed.

"I say to new staff: you can make new things," says Tokura, but he knows not everything they make will be a success. "You can't control what the market will embrace. But development is fun: you get to make new things. Sometimes we're successful, sometimes we fail."

Although he was talking about a different camera, Tokura's words immediately reminded me of what I've always thought of as Canon's most radical camera of the digital era: the EOS R.

Canon's first RF-mount mirrorless camera diverged significantly from the ergonomics of its DSLRs. More recent models have moved back to something more like the older designs.

"The move to the EOS R was seen as a new approach; we added things like the Multi-function bar." Ota told us. But this wasn't particularly well received, he says. “We paid attention to market research [when developing subsequent modes]. But while it may look like we've reverted to our old approach, the touch control on the R3 and R1 sort of got evolved from this idea."

So how do you balance a drive for modernity with the demands of an audience that's become familiar with your existing designs? Tokura, a keen car enthusiast, draws a parallel with the automotive industry: "cars are a combination of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and software and, like cameras, they're a very emotional product."

The cites another example of a company balancing innovation with heritage, saying he wants Canon's cameras to be analogous to Porsche's 911 model. “You know it's still a 911,” he suggests: "but the newest one is always the best."

"We're not afraid to leave behind what we have done [before]." says Ota "But we also have an audience with expectations. Their response is not always positive. We're aware of this feedback, and we do listen."

"Conversely, though, some people say we're too traditional."

2025 Analog Sparks International Film Photography Awards

This Film Friday, we are highlighting the Analog Sparks 2025 International Film Photography Awards, showcasing diverse analog work from around the globe. This marks the third edition of the contest, which saw record-breaking participation with more than 1800 submissions from 61 countries.

Réka Kóti, creator of the @analog_sparks Instagram community, founded the competition and its corresponding exhibition series. Hossein Farmani, head of the Lucie Foundation and founder of the international House of Lucie gallery network, supported the project.

The contest is dedicated entirely to analog photography and is open to professional, amateur and student photographers working with traditional techniques. This year, there were eight categories: Architecture, Fine Art, Human, Lifestyle, Nature, Photojournalism, Technique and Zines & Photobooks.

Submissions were judged by an independent international jury. The winners receive cash prizes, and their works will be featured in three exhibitions at House of Luxie galleries in Athens, Greece, Ostuni, Italy and Budapest, Hungary.

We've included a small selection of images here, but you can see the full gallery of winning images on the Analog Sparks website. Additionally, many of the photos below are part of series. You can see the full sets at the link in each.

Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Varsics Péter, Hungary

Prize: Architecture Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Architecture/Other

Title: Ghosts of Pannenhuis

Caption: Ghosts of Pannenhuis is a photography series capturing fleeting human presence in the retro-futuristic Pannenhuis metro station in Brussels. Beneath its alienesque, cold concrete geometry, the station becomes a liminal space where everyday commuters appear ghostlike—momentary figures haunting a stark architectural dream. The project explores the eerie beauty of transit and the tension between permanence and passage. All shot on Cinestill 800T.

Discovery of the Year

Photographer: Rachel Jump, United States

Prize: Human Best New Talent / Gold Winner in Human/Generations

Title: Everyone Is Icarus

Caption: This body of work focuses on the aftermath of my father’s genetic test results, which unveiled a hereditary disorder that heightens his, his children’s, susceptibility to cancer. This revelation offered a possible glimpse into our future— a rare, yet ambivalent gift. This project is an exploration of my family and our efforts to provide comfort and resilience for one another during times of hardship. Through this collaboration, we guide each other through the weight of newfound clarity, supporting one another as we confront how our lineage and shared experiences shape our sense of identity.

Non-Professional - Architecture - Buildings

Photographer: Carlos Ruiz Galindo, Mexico

Prize: 2nd Place in Architecture / Gold Winner in Architecture/Buildings

Title: Rammed

Caption: This photographic series captures the contrast between architecture and its environment. Portraid in medium format film, the roughness of a house in Valle de Bravo is highlighted, built with rammed earth walls that stand in the ground. The brutalist geometry, with its heavy and imposing presence, is softened by its integration with nature, achieving a balance between the monumental and the inviting. The images reflect a timeless atmosphere, where the structure seems to emerge organically from the earth.

Lifestyle Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Matteo Gallucci, Italy

Prize: Lifestyle Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Lifestyle/Street

Title: If These Streets Could Have Talk

Caption: I’ve been walking these streets of Rome and New York for 3 years with my Rolleiflex around my neck. While I was shooting I was barley know what I was doing, after a year I’ve discovered that I was taking notice of film passing through my lens. My eyes have stumbled upon the homeless, the poor the rich, the crazy. All with sharing and caring for their feeling and emotions.

Lifestyle - Culture

Photographer: Seunggu Kim, Korea, Republic of

Prize: 2nd Place in Lifestyle / Gold Winner in Lifestyle/Culture

Title: Better Days

Caption: Korea has developed rapidly over 40 years, which caused a lot of social consequences. One of which is long working hours with a very short period of break. During holidays, Koreans try their best to enjoy it, but due to lack of time to travel, they spend time mostly around the city. I take a step back and observe various leisure spaces and people, slowly frame them, and wait for complex situations to balance. Koreans “fast pace lifestyle", and "community-based trust", revealed in this work show Koreans adapting to any situation, enjoying themselves together, and striving for “coexistence”.

Life Style Best New Talent

Photographer: Patrick Betthaus, Germany

Prize: Lifestyle Best New Talent / Gold Winner in Lifestyle/Travel

Title: Croatia

Caption: This series was shot in Croatia, in the area around Šibenik, with an Olympus Superzoom 70G on Fomapan 400.

Technique Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Bill Hao, Canada

Prize: Technique Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Technique/Wet Collodion

Title: Rocky Mountains On Wetplate Collodion

Caption: Bill Hao made an Extra Large Format Camera(32X48inch) and using Wetplate Collodion Process to captures the breathtaking landscapes. He converted a 50 seats tour bus into an off grid mobile darkroom because this process requires immediate development after exposure. These beautiful natural landscapes are disappearing, The Canadian Rocky Mountains are devastated by wildfires every year, In July 2024, the largest wildfire in a century destroyed half of the town of Jasper and 32,000 hectares of forest, there were 57 wildfires burning in National Parks so far in 2025.

Technique Best New Talent

Photographer: Dmytro Trush, Ukraine

Prize: Technique Best New Talent / Gold Winner in Technique/Wet Collodion

Title: Echoes of Nature: Flora In Ambrotype

Caption: The 'Flora in Ambrotype' project offers a unique perspective on nature. The antique ambrotype technique, known for its depth and texture, captures botanical forms with striking clarity, giving them an almost tangible volume. Each image is a living portrait of a plant, frozen on glass. Flora transforms into sculpture, where details gain significance. Contrasts of light and shadow, silvery tones turn photos into poetic works. The project not only introduces plants in a vintage style but also highlights the fragility of natural beauty, as if suspended in time.

Non-Professional - Technique - Double Exposure

Photographer: Marta Berzina, Latvia

Prize: 2nd Place in Technique / Gold Winner in Technique/Double Exposure

Title: Inside, Out (From The Series)

Caption: This image is part of an ongoing series and film project titled Inside, Out, which explores the dualities embedded in human experience: the visible and the concealed, the internal and the external, stillness and movement, presence and absence. The work moves from introspective fragments to collective echoes, revealing moments where form and feeling blur. Each piece invites the viewer to question what is hidden beneath what is seen, and what truths emerge when opposites meet. Rather than offering clarity, Inside, Out opens a space for ambiguity — where emotion, perception, and transformation.

Nature Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Hengki Koentjoro, Indonesia

Prize: Nature Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Nature/Other

Title: Gibbon Falls

Caption: This is my early works using large format camera of 4x5 inches. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. Sinar 4x5 large format camera + Fujinon 210mm f/5.6 lens. T-Max 400 film f/64 at 15 seconds.

Non-Professional - Nature - Landscape

Photographer: Pascal Kueng, Switzerland

Prize: 2nd Place in Nature / Gold Winner in Nature/Sunset

Title: Less Is More

Caption: Drawn to warm, soft and washed-out tones, I embrace an aesthetic that enhances the nostalgic feel of film. I prefer cameras like the Contax RTS and Fuji GS645 Wide, often pairing them with Kodak Color Plus, Gold or Portra for their versatility. Whether capturing vast landscapes or intimate, fleeting moments, my approach follows a Less is More philosophy—each image should stand on its own, evoking an entire world of emotion. I also try to explore themes of memory, stillness, and subtle emotion, often focusing on vast landscapes or quiet, intimate scenes.

Photojournalism Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Daria Troitskaia, Italy

Prize: Photojournalism Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Photojournalism/Other

Title: Crazy Horse Paris

Caption: This series documents the behind-the-scenes environment of Crazy Horse Paris. Captured in 2024 using a Leica M7 and Ilford HP5 film, the images provide a detailed examination of the preparation and dedication involved in each performance. The photographs focus on the interactions and processes among the performers and production team, highlighting the discipline and creativity that contribute to the overall artistry of the show. This work aims to offer a professional insight into the operational aspects of Crazy Horse Paris.

Photojournalism Best New Talent

Photographer: Kostis Karampinas, Greece

Prize: Photojournalism Best New Talent / Gold Winner in Photojournalism/Photo Essay

Title: Granules

Caption: Embark on a visual odyssey through rural Greece with my collection of 11 photographs. These evocative landscapes and portraits convey “granules’ of solitude, abandonment and curiosity, where time stands still. The haunting beauty of neglected corners unfolds in each image, inviting viewers to reflect on untold narratives of loneliness.

Photojournalism - Environmental

Photographer: Giulia Degasperi, Germany

Prize: Gold Winner in Photojournalism/Environmental / 2nd Place in Photojournalism

Title: The Last Milk

Caption: Set in the mountains above the Blenio Valley in Switzerland, The Last Milk captures the final days of the alpine pasture season, a time steeped in transition. The farmers, weary from months of labor, guide their thinning cows through pastures that have lost their lush summer green. As the cold begins to bite, the feeling of an ending, of a season, a cycle, a rhythm, hangs heavy in the air. These images reflect the quiet resolve of life in the high pastures, shaped by the inevitability of change and the approach of winter.

Non-Professional - Photojournalism - Environmental

Photographer: Benito Drebing, Germany

Prize: 2nd Place in Photojournalism / Gold Winner in Photojournalism/Environmental

Title: There Should Be A Forest Here

Caption: Forests in Germany are increasingly vulnerable. Climate change impacts are becoming more visable every year and could become more severe. Periods of heat and drought weaken trees, aiding pests and making them vulnerable to storms, especially in monocultures. This project documents Taunus forests decline, raising questions about the future of our forests. Natural, diverse forests are best suited to resist climate change, yet economic interests favor profitable monocultures.

Fine Art Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Kyle Hoffman, Australia

Prize: Fine Art Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Fine Art/Still life

Title: Waratah

Caption: This image of a Waratah is part of a larger series I have been working on called Fossil, A series of images that explores the human mind's struggle to grasp the vastness of time and our fragility within it. The collection features prehistoric plants that evolved before the existence of bees, serving as tangible reminders of our temporal limitations. They highlight the dual nature of life - its persistent drive to survive alongside its inherent fragility. Waratahs are fascinating in their shape and form and part of a family that is over 300 million years old.

Fine Art Best New Talent

Photographer: Sebastian Siadecki, United States

Prize: Fine Art Best New Talent / Gold Winner in Fine Art/Other

Title: Oasis

Caption: Oasis is a series of photographs based around encounters with strangers at gas stations, truck stops, and highway rest areas in the United States – spaces that are simultaneously on the margins of our built environment, yet central to American society and culture. The project embraces the fleeting connection that often occurs between people passing through these non-places. The work also explores the societal tensions that they represent, as well as the broader themes of the human relationship with motor vehicles and the illusion of freedom on the road.

Fine Art - Conceptual

Photographer: Nuno Serrão, Portugal

Prize: 2nd Place in Fine Art / Gold Winner in Fine Art/Conceptual

Title: Icebergs

Caption: Icebergs are large freshwater bodies that have broken off a glacier and have gone floating in the open sea. Some people are like Icebergs. This is an ongoing photographic series that looks into a parallel world, one that contrasts with the our dopamine-driven society we encounter every day. One that resists the value of novelty, excitement and interaction. One that is not overwhelmed with stimuli, information, and expectations, urging us to engage, speak up, and network. Its inhabitants want to belong without joining in, and explore the world, by travelling inward.

Human Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Toby Binder, Germany

Prize: Human Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Human/Youth

Title: Youth of Belfast

Caption: There is hardly any other country in Europe where a past conflict is still as present in daily life as Northern Ireland, especially affecting young people. Not only by physical barriers as walls and fences but also through a ideologically divided society. »If I had been born at the top of my street, behind the corrugated-iron border, I would have been British. Incredible to think. My whole idea of myself, the attachments made to a culture, heritage, religion, nationalism and politics are all an accident of birth. I was one street away from being born my ‘enemy’«. Paul McVeigh

Human - Portrait

Photographer: Jose Girl, United States

Prize: 2nd Place in Human / Gold Winner in Human/Portrait

Title: Them

Caption: Portrait shot in medium format analog camera

Non-Professional - Human - Culture

Photographer: Fabio Bonatti, Italy

Prize: 2nd Place in Human / Gold Winner in Human/Culture

Title: The Beauty of Simple Moments

Caption: My love for photography is tied up with my passion for travels. It all started with landscapes, and the more I grow the more is shifting towards people and little details. I just love photographing people in their environment, the beauty of simple moments in the everyday life.

Zines and Photo Book Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Yu Hsuan Chang, Taiwan

Prize: Zines and Photo Book Photographer of the Year / Gold Winner in Zines And Photo Book/Culture

Title: G-Book 女子冊 — Not Only One Way Beauty

Caption: G-Book is a meaningful photography project launched by photographer Chang Yu Hsuan in 2016. The project aims to capture the daily lives and inner stories of diverse women in Taiwan. By focusing on moments when women are immersed in their own pursuits, it reveals the authentic beauty and diversity of womanhood, giving women from all walks of life the opportunity to take center stage. The images are unedited, highlighting natural beauty and inviting viewers to rethink the definition and value of beauty. www.changyuhsuan.com/g-book

Non-Professional - Zines & Photo Book - Travel

Photographer: Mickael Pouliquen, France

Prize: 2nd Place in Zines and Photo Book / Gold Winner in Zines And Photo Book/Travel

Title: Death Valley

Caption: In Death Valley, Mickael Pouliquen offers an intimate journey through the Valley of Death — a scorching land where time seems suspended and every element — rock, dust, light — becomes a language of its own. Born from three photographic journeys into one of the most hostile yet sublime environments in the United States, this project explores the human trace against the vastness of the desert, questioning what remains when everything fades away. The entire series was shot on film with a Mamiya 6.

Photo: Mitchell Clark

No matter what type(s) of photography you like to pursue, mastering exposure is key to creating successful images. While it can be tempting to use your camera's screen to judge exposure, that display can be quite unreliable for such a task. Instead, one of the most useful tools for evaluating exposure in digital photography is the histogram, a graph that reveals the distribution of brightness levels across the image. Understanding how (and why) to use the histogram can help prevent accidentally losing details in the highlights or shadows, allowing you to get consistent, quality exposures.

What is the histogram? Histograms help visualize exposure, but can also show the distribution of red, green and blue.
Image: Mitchell Clark

Histograms are not specific to photography and are simply graphs that show the distribution of continuous numerical data. They help visualize data by revealing a shape, spread and central tendency in a dataset.

In digital photography, the histogram is an exposure-assessment tool. It graphs how many pixels fall at each brightness value. Pure black (0% brightness) is on the left side, and pure white (100% brightness) is on the right side. The height of each bar tells you how many pixels have that particular brightness value in the image.

Histograms are based on the camera’s JPEG output, even if you are shooting in Raw.

There are also histograms that show the distribution of tones for each color channel (red, green and blue). These help you identify color casts and understand if certain colors are completely overexposed, often called 'clipped,' resulting in a loss of color information.

It's important to note that histograms are based on the camera’s JPEG output (which includes the camera's picture style settings), even if you are shooting in Raw. So while a histogram may show clipping in a specific color or for shadows or highlights, you may still be able to bring that detail back when editing the Raw file, since it has greater dynamic range than the JPEG.

Why does the histogram matter?

Histograms provide an objective assessment of image lightness, which differs from your camera's display, which can be very misleading. For example, looking at the back of your camera in full sun will give you a very different experience than looking at it in a dark room. Likewise, adjusting your display's brightness will impact how your image looks, even though the image’s lightness level hasn’t changed at all.

The histogram doesn't rely on how things look but is based on brightness values. That means that no matter how or where you view your image, the histogram will be the same, making it possible to ensure your photographs are not misexposed.

If you're shooting Raw, you may have slightly more leeway than what the histogram shows, but there's still a limit.

One of the most important things to gather from the histogram is whether you are losing details in the highlights or shadows. You can change the general distribution of tones in editing, but if you are missing detail at either end (called clipping), you won't be able to bring that back. For example, if you're taking a photo of a sky with bright white clouds and you overexpose enough to have clipped highlights, those clouds will be pure white blobs in the photo with no texture. As mentioned above, if you're shooting Raw, you may have slightly more leeway than what the histogram shows, but there's still a limit.

Histograms make it easy to accurately assess exposure at a glance, helping to prevent clipping. Once you understand the common shapes of different types of exposure levels, you can quickly glance at the graph to determine whether your image is over- or underexposed and adjust from there.

How to use a histogram

When looking at the histogram, you want to assess the distribution of pixels by looking at the general shape of the graph. Certain shapes will typically indicate underexposure, while others suggest overexposure. You also want to pay particular attention to the edges. After all, the edges are where you will see if there is clipping. Data bunched up or spiking on either edge means you are losing detail that won't be recoverable.

It's important to know that there is no such thing as a perfectly shaped histogram for all photos, as every photo will have its own ideal histogram based on the tones within that particular scene. Instead, you want to check for abnormalities and dramatic shifts that don't fit a given scene. For example, it's normal for a histogram to be skewed to the left when shooting the night sky, but not when photographing a sunny beach.

If your histogram is skewed to the left This image is very underexposed, with a histogram that's very shifted to the left, indicating that the JPEG risks having clipped shadows.
Photo: Mitchell Clark

If your histogram has most of the data bunched on the left side of the graph, it typically means your image is underexposed. Again, some situations will naturally have a left-skewed histogram, so it might be okay. However, if you see data spiking and touching the left edge of the graph, that means that you have shadow clipping and are losing detail in your shadows.

While you can bring a substantial amount of shadow detail back in Raw files, brightening shadows in editing can emphasize noise that's present from a lack of exposure. Additionally, though it generally isn't recommended to edit JPEG files, if your shadows are too heavy in those, you simply won't get detail back, and it will be a black mass in the photo.

To fix a histogram skewed to the left, you need to lighten your image by, ideally, using a wider aperture or a slower shutter speed. If that's not possible, you can lighten the image by using a higher ISO.

If your histogram is skewed to the right This image is very overexposed, and the resulting histogram has a large spike on the right side, indicating clipped highlights.
Photo: Mitchell Clark

If your histogram is skewed to the right, that typically means your image is overexposed. The important thing to check for is, once again, if you have a spike of data on the right edge of the graph. When that's the case, it means your highlights are clipped (often referred to as 'blown out') and you won't be able to get tonal information back in those areas.

You need to darken your image to correct an image with a histogram skewed to the right. To do so, start by lowering your ISO, if you can, or by reducing exposure with a smaller aperture or faster shutter speed.

Using the histogram when editing Adobe Photoshop and other editing programs make it easy to keep an eye on the histogram while editing.
Image: Abby Ferguson

The histogram isn't just an in-camera feature. Most editing programs also feature a histogram, allowing you to balance the distribution of tones and color to maintain detail while editing. Just like your camera's display, computer screens can all look different, making it hard to judge if your exposure or colors are properly balanced. The histogram takes some of the guesswork out of the editing process, helping you fine-tune your edits and preserve critical image detail.

Check your histogram often

The histogram is an often misunderstood and underutilized tool. However, it can prevent you from realizing only too late that your shadows or highlights are completely clipped and lack detail. Checking often – both when photographing and when editing – can save you from some headaches later on and help you improve your photographs.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Sony a7R V | Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM | F4| 1/100 sec | ISO 1600
Processed with Capture One

Earlier this week, Sony announced the FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM, a macro lens capable of 1.5x reproduction, and that's compatible with teleconverters for even higher levels of magnification. We got the chance to take some pictures with the lens, using it for both macro and as a standard 100mm lens, and you can take a look through the sample gallery below to see how it performed.

We've also updated the gallery to include some shots taken with Sony's 2x teleconverter, to show how it affects the performance and to include examples of the 2.8x reproduction provided by that setup.

With thanks to Lensrentals for the camera body.

Buy now:

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Image: OM-System

The OM System OM-3 gave users quick and easy control over its deeply customizable picture profiles with its control knob on the front of the camera. Now, the company has made it easier to find and download custom recipes made by others with its newly launched OM-3 Recipes hub.

When OM System launched the OM-3 in February, it iterated on the "Creative Dial" feature from the PEN-F, providing quick access to various color profiles for JPEG files. The camera came with several preset options, but also allowed users to customize various parameters, including sharpness, contrast, vignetting, virtual color filter, simulated grain, individual saturation control of 12 hues and more. Customizing those parameters to create a recipe can be time-consuming, though, especially if you're trying to match a specific aesthetic.

Each recipe offers a brief description with the photographer's name.

The OM-3 Recipes hub, however, lets you download recipes uploaded by other users, allowing for creative looks without fiddling with individual settings. The new hub currently features six recipes, each developed by a different photographer and providing a distinct look. For example, Jerred Z's recipe is a monochrome profile with soft midtones, deep shadows and some grain. Kyler Steele's profile is described as a "vintage inspired recipe that focuses on vibrant greens and golden yellows while stripping away blues." The hub also features a section to check out images taken with OM-3 Recipes to find inspiration and see what others are creating.

Installing still requires quite a few steps, but it is at least easier than inputting specific parameters (something you have to do with, say, Fujifilm's recipe system). To install a recipe, photographers need to download the image associated with the recipe, plug the camera into a computer via USB-C and open the OM Workspace app. You aren't able to install recipes using the OI.Share mobile app. Renaming the recipes is also not entirely ideal, as it can only be done on the camera itself after they've been installed. You can see the full installation instructions on the OM Recipes hub website.

You can submit your own recipes as well.

Users can also submit their own recipes using a form on the hub. The form asks for basic information like name, email address and Instagram account, along with the recipe name and description. It also asks for a JPEG file straight from the OM-3 that used the recipe.

Using recipes is currently a big trend in the photography world. Panasonic's take is the Lumix Lab, Ricoh says it's trying to do something similar for the GR IV and Nikon is slowly rolling out something similar for its cameras. Additionally, while Fujifilm doesn't have a hub for easily sharing recipes (one of DPReview staffer Mitchell Clark's complaints with the X-E5), it's giving you more control over them than it has in the past.

You can learn more about the OM-3 Recipes hub and download the available recipes at the OM System website.

By every measure, Jasmine Quiñones is extremely creative. Her images have perspective; her short films make you feel something. But she's not immune to getting stuck in a creative rut.

She was in one such rut when we first got in touch about contributing to our new video series with MPB about upgrading gear on a budget. In an attempt to extricate herself, Quiñones pitched an idea back to us: What if I downgrade instead?

In search of said downgrade — and, hopefully, a creative upgrade — she dove headlong into our Camera Comparison tool. She had her mind set on a simple point-and-shoot camera and quickly narrowed her selection down to the Fujifilm XQ2.

Then, Quiñones popped over to MPB, the leading platform for buying, selling, and trading camera equipment, and found one in stock, in excellent condition and, importantly, at an affordable price. While she was there, Quiñones also grabbed a Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, because, why not? She was under budget after all.

If you're in a creative rut or just looking to break out of your photographic comfort zone, we hope Quiñones' experience can serve as a reminder. That is, that sometimes the best way forward is back. And that old things can bring new perspectives.
Buy, Sell, or Trade with MPB

We've just finished up with a busy month of smartphone news, but we're not quite done with our coverage yet. Recently, the DPReview team sat down to discuss some of the finer points of smartphone photography, including how the phones achieve their digital crops, the sensor sizes currently being used by Apple and others, and the balance of hardware and software in mobile photography.

If you've finished the video and are still looking for more on mobile photograhpy, you can check out our opinion piece below, where we talk about the marketing phone companies do around their center crop modes.

Image: Meike

Meike, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer specializing in budget cinema and photography equipment, has removed L-mount lenses from its website. The move, spotted by a DPReview reader, has sparked questions about the company's intentions to continue supporting the mount.

Users have taken to forums to report having issues finding L-mount Meike lenses on the Meike website and through sellers on AliExpress and Amazon. One DPReview member said he purchased an L-mount lens via a seller on AliExpress on September 21, but when he went to check the price out of curiosity on September 22, the L-mount version was no longer available. He couldn't find it through other sellers, either, and a visit to the Meike website revealed that the L-mount section is no longer there.

Indeed, as of September 30, there is no L-mount option under the Camera Lens tab. A look back using the Internet Archive Way Back Machine reveals an L-mount category as of the last recorded snapshot on September 18.

The screenshot of the Meike website on the left, which shows an L-mount category, was taken using the Way Back Machine and its snapshot on September 18. The screenshot on the right was taken on September 30.

At the time of writing, Meike has not released a statement about the situation with L-mount lenses. However, some users have reported that Meike responded to them via email, clarifying that L-mount lenses are currently out of stock and that they will be relisted after an upgrade and calibration.

Naturally, there are plenty of rumors and speculation about what the removal of Meike L-mount lenses means. Many wonder if this means that Meike is joining the L-mount alliance and that it removed its existing L-mount lenses to get them up to snuff with the new requirements. Others wonder if this is a quiet recall because of supposed focusing issues with certain models.

Meike responded to our request for comment by simply stating, "Our website is being updated." The reply suggests the L-mount models haven't been entirely discontinued, as it seems likely the company would've mentioned it if they had. Still, Meike hasn't provided any additional context about why they were removed in the first place.

Photo: Richard Butler

Many cameras, especially entry-level models, most often come as a kit with a lens. Appropriately referred to as 'kit' lenses, they are typically 'standard zooms' offering a range from fairly wide angle to moderate telephoto (such as 18-55mm on APS-C cameras). The focal length range is versatile and works well for many subjects, which helps you test the waters right away without spending money on additional lenses. They are also affordable, helping keep the cost of your kit down, and are typically compact, making them easier to take with you.

However, there are downsides to the kit lens. If you are interested in growing your skills as a photographer, you will likely reach the point where you've outgrown the kit lens and need to upgrade to something else. Knowing when you've reached that level can be tricky, though.

Signs you've outgrown your kit lens

Everyone's experience and situation are different, so there isn't one exact timeframe or answer for when to upgrade. However, below are some common signs that could suggest it might be the right move.

You're struggling in low light

Most kit lenses offer rather small maximum apertures. That means you have to compensate with a slower shutter speed or higher ISO when working in low-light situations, which isn't always ideal. Making matters even worse, most have variable maximum apertures, meaning you lose light as you zoom in.

Upgrading to a higher-end lens will provide you with a wider maximum aperture, making it easier to work in low light. Plus, that maximum aperture will stay constant when you zoom in and out, meaning the lens's low-light performance doesn't degrade when you zoom in to longer focal lengths.

You can't blur the background as much as you'd like The Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II is essentially an upgraded version of a kit lens. The F2.8 aperture makes it easier to blur the background than the similar Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS lens.
Photo: Richard Butler

Another issue with the small maximum aperture is depth of field. Wider apertures allow you to get a shallower depth of field, creating a blurry background that helps keep the focus on your subject. Aperture isn't the only thing that controls depth of field, but due to its smaller aperture, it can be difficult to achieve a small area in focus with a nicely blurred background when using a kit lens.

If you like the look of slim areas in focus with bokeh in the background (or foreground) and are struggling to create that with the kit lens, then upgrading to a lens with a wider maximum aperture will be smart.

You're having difficulty capturing sharp images

While new kit lenses have shown substantial improvements in image quality, most still lag behind higher-end lenses simply because they are built to be budget-friendly. Kit lenses often suffer from a few image quality issues that can be frustrating.

The primary image quality issue with kit lenses is that they may not be very sharp on the edges of the frame or at both ends of the zoom. You may notice that the center is nice and sharp, but the corners look out of focus. Stopping down your aperture can help, but you don't always want to resort to that.

Kit lenses can have other issues that affect apparent image sharpness, such as color fringing – especially on high-contrast edges, where cyan or magenta lines commonly appear. They can also suffer from more pronounced lens flare and ghosting (bright spots, streaks or duplicate shapes), which may take away from overall sharpness and clarity.

If you're frustrated by the image quality you're getting because of a lack of sharpness or strong color fringing, then it's probably time to upgrade.

Build quality is a concern

When producing lenses that are designed to be budget-friendly, manufacturers inevitably have to make some sacrifices to keep the cost down. Build quality is often one of those sacrifices. Kit lenses are typically made of lightweight plastics and lack weather sealing, which can make them more prone to breaking.

Higher-end alternatives generally use sturdier materials and feature weather sealing to protect against dust and water. As a result, they are more durable and better able to withstand adverse conditions. If you know you want to take your camera in wet or dusty environments, or simply want to have a durable lens for daily use, you may want to upgrade.

The autofocus can't keep up

Finally, kit lenses may have slower autofocus, which could prevent sharp images when working with fast-moving subjects. The sluggish autofocus means you may end up with more out-of-focus images than you would get with a faster-focusing lens. If you like photographing action of any variety and feel like the lens isn't able to keep up, it's time to upgrade.

What to consider before upgrading For most people, it makes sense to upgrade the standard zoom lens instead of opting for a different focal length range. That way, you get a nice range of versatile focal lengths in one lens and don't need to continue to rely on the lens that's holding you back.
Photo: Richard Butler

If any of the above issues resonate with you, it's probably time to consider a new lens. However, you should think carefully about what that new lens should be, as they can be quite expensive. Having a good understanding of what's prompting the upgrade will make it easier to work out which new lens will actually address your needs, saving you from buying something that isn't quite right.

When considering what you should upgrade to, start with focal length. The kit lens focal length is one you'll likely still use (there's a reason it's the common choice for kits), so for most people, it's smart to upgrade that instead of opting for a completely different focal length. However, if you've noticed that you consistently wish you could zoom in more, or, alternatively, get a wider view, a different zoom range may be best.

Aperture is the other main factor to pay attention to. If your main complaint with your kit lens is poor low-light capabilities or the inability to blur your background, then you may want to spend the extra money to get a wider maximum aperture on your next lens. At the very least, look for a zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture, so that you aren't frustrated when zooming in. Alternatively, while some zoom lenses offer very wide apertures, prime lenses are usually the best way to maximize low-light capabilities and dramatic depth of field.

No matter what you're looking for, it's important to spend time researching to learn what the promised image quality will be. After all, you want to ensure that you actually get an upgraded option, not just something slightly different. Many zoom lenses are good, but some don't strive for much above average clarity and image quality, rather than delivering truly sharp, vibrant or impressive results. Our lens comparison tool can be a useful way to check if what you're considering is truly going to be better optically.

Elevate your photography

For most, upgrading from the kit lens sooner rather than later is wise. Kit lenses have improved over the years, but they can still hold you back. If you are even a little bit serious about photography, don't wait too long to invest in a lens that will allow you to grow and reach your creative goals.

2025 Bird Photographer of the Year Winners

The winners of the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year contest have been announced, showcasing remarkable photographs of the avian species from around the world. This year, more than 33,000 images were submitted, with entries created by seasoned pros and those younger than 11 years old.

The adult competition features eight categories, including Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Urban Birds, Conservation (Single Image) and Creative Perspectives. Additionally, there are youth categories for 15-17 year olds, 12-14 year olds and 11 and under.

This year's grand prize winner was a photograph of a bird flying in front of a solar eclipse, taken by Liron Gertsman of Canada. "I spent well over a year of planning to capture my dream of a bird in front of the total solar eclipse," says Gertsman. "I enlisted the help of
a boat to position myself near some islets off Mazatlán that were frequented by seabirds. As the moon uncovered the sun’s edge at the end of totality, I captured this image during the eclipse phase known as the 'diamond ring' – a moment that lasts mere seconds."

"Exceptional bird photography takes technical excellence, artistic vision, and dedication. When everything comes together, you get a spectacular image like this one," says Will Nicholls, Director of Bird Photographer of the Year. "This photograph is a striking reminder of what human creativity can achieve. In a world increasingly filled with AI imagery, it’s refreshing to celebrate a picture that is both awe-inspiring and rooted in the natural world."

The contest also crowned Tomasz Michalski the Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 for his silhouette of a black vulture.

This year, the Bird Photographer of the Year contest donated more than £5,000 to its partner charity, Birds on the Brink, which provides funding to grass-roots bird conservation projects around the world.

You can see more of the winning images and learn more about the contest at birdpoty.com. Additionally, the 2026 contest is now open for entries and invites photographers of all experience levels from anywhere in the world.

Bird Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Liron Gertsman / Bird Photographer of the Year

Awards: Overall Winner and Gold Award for Birds in Flight

Image title: The Frigatebird and the Diamond Ring

Location: Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico

Bird: Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregatta magnificens.

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 100–500mm F4.5–7.1 lens. 400mm | 1/4000 sec| F7.1 | ISO 10,000

Caption: After well over a year of planning and about a week of in-person scouting on the coast of Sinaloa in Mexico, my dream of capturing a bird in front of a total solar eclipse finally came true on April 8, 2024. Totality was due to last almost 4.5 minutes, and I had enlisted the help of a boat to position myself near some islets off Mazatlán that were frequented by seabirds. As the moon uncovered the sun’s edge at the end of totality, I captured this Magnificent Frigatebird in front of the spectacular eclipse phase known as the ‘diamond ring’, a moment that lasts just seconds.

Young Bird Photographer of the Year

Photographer: Tomasz Michalski / Bird Photographer of the Year

Awards: Young Bird Photographer of the Year and Gold Award for 15-17 Years

Image title: Minimalist Wings

Location: Popoyo, Nicaragua

Bird: Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus.

Technical details: Olympus E-M1 Mark II with Leica 100–400mm F4–6.3 lens. 400mm | 1/320 sec | F22| ISO 125

Caption: I took this photo during the biggest trip of my life, which was to Central
America in July 2024, in the first country we visited, Nicaragua. I saw this
big vulture drying its wings on a pole close to our hotel. I was being
watched by the bird but it was very calm so I had a long time to
photograph it. The scenery wasn’t beautiful so I decided to frame it with
only part of the bird being in the photo. I tried various combinations and
this one is my favourite.

Best Portrait - Gold Award

Photographer: Steffen Foerster / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Bloody Petrel

Location: Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

Bird: Southern Giant Petrel, Macronectes giganteus

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 400mm F2.8 lens. 400mm | 1/3200 sec | F2.8 | ISO 1000

Caption: Giant petrels are the scavengers of the Southern Ocean, often seen feeding
on carrion. This individual has its head stained red with blood from a recent meal. Although their feeding habits may seem gruesome, these birds play a vital role in the ecosystem by preventing the spread of disease. Despite their appearance, giant petrels are surprisingly devoted parents, with both males and females taking turns incubating their single egg and guarding their chick for weeks. Once heavily persecuted for their oil, their populations have rebounded thanks to conservation efforts, although they still face threats from fishing practices and climate change.

Best Portrait - Silver Award

Photographer: Maxime Legare-Vezina / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Voice of the Ash Forest

Location: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Bird: Common Raven, Corvus corax

Equipment: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 600mm F4 III lens. 600mm | 1/400 sec | F4 | ISO 1250

Caption: After the devastating wildfires of summer 2024, I visited Jasper to witness the desolation. In the scorched landscape, where ash covered everything, only a few animals had returned. Among them, Common Ravens were some of the first to reclaim the land. This one, perched on a charred tree, was calling out, as if mourning the loss of its kingdom.

Bird Behavior - Gold Award

Photographer: Francesco Guffanti / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Angel or Demon

Location: Aosta Valley, Italy

Bird: Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos

Technical details: Nikon Z 6 with Nikon Z 24–70mm F4 lens. 35mm | 1/250 sec | F5 | ISO 4000

Caption: A Red Deer killed by a car in the pine forest near to where I live provided a fantastic opportunity to document the activity of carnivores and scavengers visiting the carcass. With the help of a friend I positioned and camouflaged a motion sensor and two mirrorless cameras nearby. To avoid any disturbance I avoided the use of flashes or any other type of artificial light. After foxes, crows and some small birds had paid a visit, most unexpectedly, and despite the thick blanket of branches, a Golden Eagle appeared and descended to feed on the carcass. It was an unforgettable experience.

Bird Behavior - Silver Award

Photographer: Mateusz Piesiak / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: King of the Forest

Location: Jura, Switzerland

Bird: Western Capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 400mm F2.8 II lens. 400mm | 1/1600 sec | F2.8 | ISO 800

Caption: This male capercaillie, illuminated by the first rays of the rising sun, had perched in the ideal spot. The emotions I felt are hard to put into words. Overwhelmed by the scene, I forgot to adjust my camera settings, resulting in most of the photos being blurry. Thankfully, though, a few turned out sharp!

Birds in Flight - Silver Award

Photographer: Baiju Patil / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Through the Marigolds

Location: Hiware Bazar, Maharashtra, India

Bird: Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica

Technical details: Nikon D4 with Nikon 14–24mm F2.8 lens. 14mm | 1/250 sec | F10 | ISO 200

Caption: The fields of marigolds around the village of Hiware Bazar are a sight to behold, and seeing the flocks of swallows skimming over them gave me the idea for this photo. I noticed that some of the birds kept feeding over the same area and set up my camera so that I could fire it with a remote. This is one of the many thousands of photos I took and is the one I am most pleased with.

Birds in the Environment - Gold Award

Photographer: Franco Banfi / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Feasting at Sunset

Location: Espíritu Santos, Mexico

Bird: Brandt’s Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus

Technical details: Sony A7R III with Sony 18–15mm F4 lens. 15mm | 1/200 sec | F8 | ISO 400

Caption: I was in the Sea of Cortez, near Los Islotes, a fistful of rocks that is part of the Espíritu Santo archipelago, to document the unbelievable recovery of this marine protected area. Los Islotes is the southernmost breeding site of the Californian Sea Lion in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is a wonderfully wild place for many other reasons. I was fascinated by the extraordinary skills and elegance of Brandt’s Cormorants as they fed on an almost endless school of small pilchards. Most of the hunting activities took place at sunset, when the low natural light conditions were challenging. But on one occasion the conditions were favourable and I was able to take this particular image that gives a three- dimensional perspective.

Birds in the Environment - Silver Award

Photographer: Levi Fitze / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Structures

Location: Alpstein, Switzerland

Bird: Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta

Technical details: Sony a7 IV with Sony 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 lens. 512mm | 1/2000 sec | F6.3 | ISO 800

Caption: I spotted this Rock Ptarmigan walking slowly up a snowy hillside in the Swiss mountains on a frozen winter’s day. Ptarmigans are masters of camouflage, their white winter plumage blending in so well with the snow. I noticed that the footprints this bird was leaving in the snow, emphasised by the low, flat light, were perhaps more noticeable than the bird itself. I framed the image so that the bird was part of the picture to highlight its expansive environment and show the wonderful textures in the snow.

Black and White - Gold Award

Photographer: Jannik Jansons / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: The Giant

Location: Hornøya, Varanger, Norway

Birds: European Shag and Common Guillemot, Gulosus aristotelis and Uria aalge

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 16–35mm F2.8 III lens. 34mm | 1/640 sec | F22 | ISO 800

Caption: Using a wide-angle lens, I photographed a shag taking off on the Norwegian island of Hornøya. In the image it looks like a gigantic bird flying over all the others, but in reality the bird is flying very close to the lens and therefore appears much larger. Because of the very small aperture, the sun is captured as a star through the blades of the lens. The conversion to black and white reinforces the confusing perspective, as the details are hard to see and it is more difficult to determine the birds’ relative size.

Black and White - Silver Award

Photographer: Raoul Slater / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Black and White Swan

Location: Gympie, Queensland, Australia

Bird: Black Swan, Cygnus atratus

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 100–400mm F4.5–5.6 II lens. 263mm | 1/8000 sec | F5 | ISO 800

Caption: At thirteen, I switched my Canon AE-1 from programme mode to aperture priority – and I’ve worked that way ever since. I prefer controlling depth of field first, shutter speed second. It usually works – except in moments like this, when photographing in low, pre-dawn light when the sun suddenly rises. I forget to adjust, the shutter speed maxes out, and the image blows out. This photo, taken on a misty morning, appeared three stops brighter than I’d visualised – and it took my breath away. Sometimes, a divine accident redeems a thousand mistakes.

Creative Perspectives - Gold Award

Photographer: Philipp Egger / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Photo Art

Location: Alps, Italy

Bird: Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

Technical details: Nikon Z 7 II with Nikon Z 24–70mm F4 lens. 36mm | 1/200 sec |
F11 | ISO 125

Caption: My idea behind this photograph was to capture a kingfisher flying over a piece of artwork so that the two became merged. To achieve this, I mounted my camera on a dead fallen tree across a small stream and pointed it vertically downwards at the artwork positioned just above the water’s surface. I then waited for days in my camouflaged tent not far away triggering the camera with a radio remote release when the bird flew over the picture.

Creative Perspectives - Silver Award

Photographer: Andreas Hemb / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Landing in a Sea of Swans

Location: Tysslingen, Örebro, Sweden

Bird: Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus

Technical details: Sony a1 with Sony 400mm F2.8 lens. 400mm | 1/4 sec | F5.6 | ISO 500

Caption: Nothing heralds the arrival of spring more evocatively than the sight and sound of migrant birds in Sweden, with the appearance of Whooper Swans being a particular highlight. I took this image at dusk as the swans were gathering in a field next to a lake. Using a slow shutter speed to emphasise motion, I tracked one of the swans as it came in to land, aiming to capture its grace against an abstract sea of swans on the ground.

Urban Birds - Gold Award

Photographer: Alex Pansier / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Feathered on Panels

Location: Near a highway, Netherlands

Bird: Carrion Crow, Corvus corone

Technical details: Sony a1 with Sony 100–400mm F4.5-5.6 lens. 348mm | 1/500 sec | F13 | ISO 6400

Caption: A lone bird rests on a vast field of solar panels alongside a highway in the Netherlands – a striking symbol of the tension between green energy and nature. As we transition to sustainable power, the infrastructure often claims scarce space that could have been left for wildlife. This spontaneous moment captures that paradox: progress requires space, but at what cost to nature? No bait was used – just a fleeting encounter between a bird and a modern-day monoculture.

Urban Birds - Silver Award

Photographer: Tomáš Grim / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Urban Incubator

Location: Brno, Czech Republic

Bird: Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius

Technical details: Nikon Z 8 with Nikon Z 180–600mm F5.6–6.3 lens. 250mm| 1/20 sec | F7.1 | ISO 1000

Caption: Eurasian Jays are not generally thought of as urban birds but can sometimes be found in parks and gardens. They almost always build their nests in trees, avoiding artificial structures – so when a friend reported finding a jay’s nest inside (!) a streetlamp I considered it a joke; the Eurasian Jay is not a hole nester. Yet I could not resist checking it out and to my amazement the nest was real. I waited for the ‘blue hour’ to combine the warm light from the lamp with the cold colours of this unique nest’s surroundings before taking this photo.

Conservation (Single Image) - Gold Award

Photographer: Sarthak Agrawal / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Radiographing

Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India

Bird: Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx varius

Technical details: Nikon D5600 with Nikon 18–55mm F3.5-5.6 lens. 18mm | 1/60 sec | F5.6 | ISO 320

Caption: This pictured is of an injured juvenile Common Hawk-Cuckoo that had been rescued after being hit by a vehicle in the city. The bird had taken shelter under a parked car before being rescued by the ManwithIndies Foundation and sent for treatment under the forest department’s guidance. To assess the damage to its wings, a radiograph was
obtained after anesthetising the bird. Common Hawk-Cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of smaller urban birds like sunbirds, prinias, and tailorbirds. While these smaller birds have adapted well to urban environments, the much larger hawk-cuckoo struggles to navigate and survive. Every year, several cuckoo chicks are found under similar circumstances, and foundations like ManwithIndies rescue many of them.

Conservation (Single Image) - Silver Award

Photographer: Charlotte Keast / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Trapped

Location: Entebbe, Uganda

Bird: Shoebill, Baleniceps rex

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 14-35mm F4 lens. 14mm | 1/2500 | F4 | ISO 160

Caption: In heartbreaking contrast to its wild peers, this Shoebill stork is confined in a small dirty cage in a zoo in Entebbe, Uganda. Known for their solitary and elusive nature, Shoebills thrive in vast wetlands, hunting in silence and flying gracefully over open landscapes. Here, trapped behind glass for the entire day and on full display to the public, this majestic bird is deprived of space to fly, hunt or retreat from the constant gaze of visitors. Just a few miles away its wild counterparts enjoy the freedom of Uganda’s marshes – a stark reminder of the unnatural conditions that captivity imposes on such extraordinary creatures.

12-14 Years - Gold Award

Photographer: Harry Sedin / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Jewel of the Forest

Location: Haleakalā National Park, Hawai'i, United States

Bird: ‘I‘iwi, Drepanis coccinea

Technical details: Canon EOS R7 with Canon EF 100–400mm F5.6–8 lens. 400mm | 1/320 sec | F8 | ISO 1000

Caption: Haleakalā National Park is infamous for altitude sickness, but visiting it led me to an unforgettable moment. Feeling lightheaded at nine thousand feet, we turned back and stopped at Hosmer Grove Campground. The moment I stepped out, flashes of red flickered through the trees, three to four ‘I‘iwi landing on a sunlit bush. With harsh light and no clouds above us, I underexposed the shot, creating a black background that made the
bird’s scarlet feathers glow. The altitude may have made me miss out on a Short-eared Owl, but it gave me the perfect opportunity to capture Hawaii’s iconic honeycreeper in stunning contrast.

11 and Under - Gold Award

Photographer: Sasha Jumanca / Bird Photographer of the Year

Image title: Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom

Location: Mahmudia, Romania

Bird: European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster

Technical details: Nikon Z 9 with Nikon Z 600mm F4 lens. 600mm | 1/4000 sec | F4 | ISO 1250

Caption: While exploring the Danube Delta in Romania this summer, I discovered a European Bee-eater colony in a nesting cliff where the birds were tirelessly chasing prey for their chicks nestled in the burrows. The birds were flying over a field of wildflowers, whose colours beautifully mirrored the bee-eaters’ plumage. I was captivated by their agility as they swiftly changed speed and direction, tracking insects through the air. After many attempts, I finally captured this bird in flight, its wings fully spread, showing the beautiful colours of its feathers in great harmony with the flowers.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Updated: September 30, 2025

$2000 or the equivalent in your local currency is a lot to spend on a camera, especially when you're just starting out. However, if you can spare the funds, it's the price bracket where cameras start to get really good. You can expect powerful but easy-to-use autofocus systems, cameras that make it easier than ever to learn the craft of photography, and even some more advanced and capable options.

While this article used to only consider cameras up to $1500, because of inflation (and, in the US, tariffs), this class of camera has risen in price; if a camera cost $1500 when it was introduced in 2019, its successor may now cost around $1800.

The biggest decision will likely be whether to go with a full-frame camera – a name that comes from their sensors being the same size as a frame of 35mm film – or a camera with a smaller APS-C or Micro Four Thirds sensor.

Essentially, choosing a sensor size comes with trade-offs between size, price, and image quality, as well as features. You can get some pretty advanced cameras in all three sensor sizes for under $2000, so that focus on system price and portability vs. peak image quality is the biggest distinction.

After extensive use, the following cameras would be our picks in this price range:

Our picks:

• Best camera for under $2000: Nikon Z5II
• Enjoyable to shoot with: Fujifilm X-T5
• Most versatile option: Sony a6700
• A fixed prime-lens compact: Fujifilm X100VI
• The affordable kit: OM System OM-5 II

Best camera for under $2000: Nikon Z5II

24MP BSI full-frame sensor | In-body image stabilization | Dual UHS-II card slots

The Nikon Z5 II is the first full-frame camera to launch for under $2000 that doesn't feel like it's asking you to make big compromises. Lens availability is still a concern, but it's a capable and enjoyable camera to use.
Photo: Mitchell Clark

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo What we like:

• Excellent image quality
• Very good autofocus, for a range of subjects
• Excellent handling, ergonomics and feature set

What we don't:

• Reasonable, but not great, battery life
• Needs to crop to deliver 4K/60
• Lens choice limited by Nikon

The Nikon Z5II is a full-frame mirrorless camera built around a 24MP BSI CMOS sensor.

It earns its place on this list by being one of the most capable and fully featured full-frame options we've seen at this price point. More expensive options may offer better video, faster burst rates and more bells and whistles, but the Z5II will be more than enough camera for a vast number and variety of photographers. You'll have a hard time outgrowing it.

The Z5II is a solid camera with a deep grip and plenty of customizable buttons. It's comfortable to use, even for long sessions using a relatively large lens. The autofocus is very good, especially in subject recognition modes. It's not quite as dependable at recognizing people in low light, but it's very competitive and light-years better than even higher-end cameras from just a few years ago. The Nikon Z5II is almost unimaginably good for a camera priced under $2000. Video quality is good, though with a decent amount of rolling shutter, and it offers advanced options like Log, HLG HDR and N-Raw capture. Autofocus isn't as dependable as it is in stills. Image quality is excellent, and the Z5II can capture HLG HDR images using HEIF files for a more life-like viewing experience. The Z5II is an impressive all-rounder that delivers excellent image quality and good video, underpinned by very good autofocus in a body that's well-designed and comfortable to use. It's hard to see what more an enthusiast photographer could want from a camera.

Read our full review of the Nikon Z5II

See the Nikon Z5II studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. The other full-frame options

Canon's entry-level full-frame camera, the EOS R8, used to top this list thanks to its great autofocus and detailed, full-width video. With the Z5II, Nikon has caught up in autofocus performance, and we feel its inclusion of IBIS, better viewfinder, autofocus joystick and larger battery make it a significantly nicer full-frame pick.

We also considered the Sony a7c, which is still available at seemingly tempting prices. However, it's a little hard to recommend in 2025; it's essentially a smaller and less-expensive a7 III, which means it also has less sophisticated autofocus, video and image stabilization, as well as clunky, dated menu design. The a7c also has no front control dial – a feature Sony added to the a7c II – and, most significantly, a very small, low-resolution viewfinder.

A single control dial and lack of EVF also keep the Panasonic S9 from a more prominent position on this list, and it doesn't help that its autofocus isn't quite on pace with Canon, Nikon or Sony's greatest.

Enjoyable to shoot with: Fujifilm X-T5

The X-T5 puts control over all your exposure parameters right on the top plate.
Photo: Richard Butler

Buy now:

$1999 at Amazon.comBuy at B&H PhotoBuy at MPB What we like:

• Dedicated dial interface shows your settings
• Detailed 40MP images
• Photo-centric design and feature set

What we don't:

• Autofocus prone to false-positives
• Significant rolling shutter in e-shutter mode
• Smaller buffer, lower-spec video than X-H2

The Fujifilm X-T5 is a classically-styled, photo-focused 40MP enthusiast mirrorless camera, based around an image-stabilized BSI sensor.

While the X-T5 doesn't have the absolutely best autofocus or highest-end video, we find its user interface, honed over several generations and complete with every dial you could ever ask for, makes it one of the most enjoyable and engaging APS-C cameras to shoot with.

The X-T5 features dedicated control dials for ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation, along with a film-era SLR-style low-profile front grip. Its rear screen tilts up and down but also hinges outward for portrait-orientation shooting. The X-T5 can detect a variety of subjects from animals to vehicles, and tracking performance is quite good with these. Tracking for unrecognized subjects is less dependable and eye detection is prone to false positives. Buffer depth while shooting at 15fps is reasonable. The X-T5 foregoes some of the X-H2's video features to offer a more photo-centric experience with classic styling The X-T5 produces highly detailed Raw and JPEG files, with the latter benefiting from Fujifilm's array of attractive 'Film Simulation' color modes. A 40MP APS-C sensor means relatively high pixel-level noise but results that are competitive when viewed at a common output size. Video performance can be either full width but less detailed, or oversampled from a crop of the sensor. The use of SD cards means it doesn't share the X-H2's high-data-rate ProRes options. There's no headphone jack but audio can be monitored through the USB port with an included adapter. Having the X-H2 and X-H2S available to meet the needs of videographers allows the X-T5 to fulfill photographers' desires for stills-centric handling and features. For photographers who enjoy Fujifilm's traditional dial-based controls, there's no more capable body than the X-T5.

Read our full Fujifilm X-T5 review

See the Fujifilm X-T5 studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Most versatile option: Sony a6700

26MP BSI CMOS sensor | 4K/60p video capture | Fully articulating screen

The Sony a6700 combines all-round stills and video capabilities with class-leading autofocus. The standard 16-50mm kit zoom's not great, though.
Photo: Richard Butler

Buy now:

$1398 at Amazon.com$1398 at B&H PhotoBuy at MPB What we like:

• Front and rear command dials
• Excellent AF in stills and video
• 4K/120p capture (with crop)

What we don't:

• No AF joystick
• JPEG sharpening can be aggressive

The Sony a6700 is an enthusiast-level APS-C mirrorless camera built around an image-stabilized, 26MP BSI CMOS sensor. It includes an impressive collection of features for both photo and video shooters, and is included on this list because it provides some of the best autofocus you can get in an APS-C camera.

The a6700 has a thumb-and-forefinger dial interface missing from Sony's less expensive models. It’s just slightly larger than previous models in the line, but in exchange, you also get a fully articulating display. However, it lacks the AF joystick found on many cameras in its class. Autofocus on the a6700 offers class-leading subject detection and tracking capabilities. Combined with a dedicated ‘AI’ processor, it effectively tracks subjects around the frame even when shooting at the maximum 11 fps burst shooting rate. "Excellent photo and video quality with best-in-class AF in stills and video make it an excellent choice for enthusiasts." Image quality is very good in JPEG or Raw. JPEG colors are pleasing to the eye, though sharpening can be a bit aggressive. Base ISO noise levels are consistent with other modern APS-C models but in low light it exhibits a little more noise. The camera produces very detailed 4K video up to 60p with 10-bit color, with good rolling shutter performance. There’s also a 4K/120p mode, albeit with a 1.58x crop. Autofocus performance is top-notch, with a well-designed touch interface. It's a strong option both for videographers and vloggers. Excellent photo and video quality, best-in-class AF in stills and video, and a deep set of features to support both make it an excellent choice for enthusiasts. Sony's E-mount also includes a good range of available lenses.

Read our full Sony a6700 review

See the Sony a6700 studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Other APS-C cameras worth considering

The Canon EOS R7 is also an excellent option, providing a high-resolution sensor, great autofocus, and the ability to shoot at up to 15fps. Sigma has also recently started making APS-C lenses for RF mount, giving those who want to go beyond the kit lens more options, though there's still no particularly great telephoto option for sports and wildlife photographers.

A fixed-lens option: Fujifilm X100VI

40MP BSI CMOS APS-C X-Trans sensor | 35mm equiv F2 lens | Hybrid viewfinder

The Fujifilm X100VI is a refinement of everything that made the X100V great, but it's still difficult to buy.
Photo: Richard Butler

Buy now:

$2299 at Amazon.com$1599 at Adorama$1599 at B&H Photo What we like:

• Excellent build quality
• Subject-detection autofocus
• Now with in-body image stabilization

What we don't:

• Lens not especially fast to focus
• Hard to find in stock

While the rest of our selections from this guide have interchangeable lenses, a feature you might demand at this price point, the incredibly hyped-up Fujifilm X100VI also sits just under the $2,000 price range at a new, higher price than its predecessor and is worth considering.

A fixed-lens camera with a 35mm equivalent F2 lens, the X100VI is in active production following its 2024 launch, and so should be somewhat easier to buy than its constantly out-of-stock forebear. The reality, at the moment, is that it too can still quite hard to find.

Updated with in-body image stabilization and a 40MP BSI CMOS APS-C X-Trans sensor, the X100VI is a significant upgrade over its predecessor despite looking virtually identical.

The addition of subject-detection autofocus has given the X100VI the ability to recognize animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles and bikes, airplanes, and trains though human (face/eye) detection is a separate mode. However, the lens the X100VI shares with the X100V is not the fastest to autofocus, prioritizing sharpness over speed.

If you're looking to make an investment in a camera with a ton of versatility, the X100VI doesn't compete with cameras that support dozens or hundreds of lenses. But for the price point, it's the best at what it does.

Read our Fujifilm X100VI review

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. The affordable kit: OM System OM-5 II

20MP Four Thirds sensor | Up to 7.5EV stabilization | IP53-rated dust and water resistance

The OM-5 II offers a smaller, more rugged alternative to APS-C or full-frame cameras.
Photo: Mitchell Clark

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo

Even smaller than APS-C are Four Thirds sensors. The Micro Four Thirds system uses a sensor one-quarter the size of that in 'full-frame,' which means there'll be an appreciable image quality hit in many situations, and it'll be harder to achieve the blurry backgrounds that full-frame can give. The flipside, though, is a significantly smaller system for which some of the lenses are much less expensive.

The OM System OM-5 II is a compact 20MP image-stabilized Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera. And while most cameras in this list are around $1500-2000 on their own, you can easily get the OM-5 II and a lens while still staying within that budget. We're still working on our full review of it, but its hardware is very similar to that of the original OM-5, so it should perform identically when it comes to image quality and autofocus.

Read our OM System OM-5 review

See the OM System OM-5 studio scene

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This buying guide is based on cameras used and tested by DPReview's editorial team. We don't select a camera until we've used it enough to be confident in recommending it, usually after our extensive review process. The selections are purely a reflection of which cameras we believe to be best: there are no financial incentives for us to select one model or brand over another.

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Sony has announced the FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM, a high-end full-frame macro lens that can achieve up to 1.4x reproduction on its own, and 2.8x reproduction when paired with a teleconverter.

The lens is made of 17 elements in 13 groups, with two of Sony's XA and ED elements, which the company says will help reduce chromatic aberrations. It also uses a Nano AR II coating to reduce flare and ghosting when you're shooting a backlit subject. It can focus on subjects as close as 0.26m (10.2") away in both manual and autofocus mode.

If you're getting that close to something that's liable to splash water on you, the good news is that the front element also has a fluorine coating to repel water and oils. The lens is also sealed to keep out dust and moisture. It weighs 646g (22.8oz) and is 148mm (5.8") long.

Image: Sony

Focusing is handled by a pair of linear "XD" motors. Sony says these are faster, more accurate and quieter than the stepping motor in its previous 90mm F2.8 macro lens; the company says it supports focus tracking at up to 120fps. The lens features a focus clutch mechanism that lets you quickly switch to manual focus, and the ring has both distance and magnification markings on it. It also has a focus limiter switch, letting you set it to search its full range, from 0.5m to infinity or 0.26m to 0.7m.

That's far from the only switch on it. It also has a control for clicking and declicking the aperture ring, an iris lock switch and a switch for controlling the optical stabilization. The latter system can work with the camera's IBIS system, letting you get sharp photos even at relatively low shutter speeds (provided your subject is also very still). The lens also has twin customizable function buttons.

Sony's latest macro lens is also compatible with teleconverters, which will increase its focal range and magnification capabilities, at the cost of reducing the effective aperture setting. It also lets you get the same level of magnification from further away. For example, Sony says that, with the lens alone, you'll need around 90mm (3.5") of working distance to your subject to get the full 1.4x magnification. With the 2x teleconverter, you can be up to 145mm (4.3") away and still get that 1.4x reproduction, reducing the likelihood of casting shadows on your subject or otherwise disturbing it.

The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM will retail for $1499, and will release on November 13th.

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Press release:

Sony Electronics Expands the G Master Series with the Versatile FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS

Delivers Stunning Detail with up to 1.4x Magnification, Advanced Stabilization, and Optimized Macro Controls

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 30, 2025 – Sony Electronics releases the FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS (SEL100M28GM), the new medium telephoto macro lens in the G Master™ series, compatible with α™ (Alpha™) E-mount cameras, featuring 1.4x magnification, advanced stabilization, and intuitive handling.

“We’re on a constant mission to expand creative possibilities for visual storytellers, and the FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS fulfills that by going beyond traditional macro photography,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President of Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “With its world-class optical quality, it enables not only macro photographers, but also portrait and wedding photographers, to take their craft to a new level. We’re thrilled to offer the FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS as part of our acclaimed G Master series, maintaining a standard of peak performance Sony creators have become accustomed to.”

Beyond Life Size

The FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS achieves a maximum magnification of up to 1.4x, making it easy to capture flowers, small objects, and other close-up subjects in vivid detail, revealing subtle textures and features that are difficult to see by the naked eye.

Compatible with an optional teleconverteri (sold separately), the lens offers up to 2.8x magnificationii. This enables impressive close-up shots while keeping a comfortable working distance. It is ideal for subjects that are hard to approach or for avoiding unwanted reflections.

State-of-the-art Hardware Design

The optical design effectively positions elements including two XA (extreme aspherical) lenses and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements to achieve high-resolution performance from the center to the periphery of the image, reducing chromatic and other aberrations.

To allow precise and intuitive focus adjustments for a variety of macro photography scenes, the lens offers three focus-dedicated features: a "Full-time DMF switch" enables instant MF (manual focus) by rotating the focus ring, even in AF (autofocus) mode; the "Focus Mode switch" allows instant switching between AF and MF; the "Sliding Focus Ring" enables FULL MF mode, linked to the distance and magnification scales.

The four unique XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors that enable high-speed, high-precision, and quiet lens drive, make autofocus (AF) performance up to 1.9 times fasteriii than previous models.

A dedicated aperture ring offers quick, direct control over aperture settings.

Exquisite Image Quality

The 11-blade circular aperture produces beautiful, ball bokeh, while carefully controlled spherical aberration ensures an ideal balance of resolution and background blur — creating the signature creamy bokeh of the G Master line.

The unique "Nano AR Coating II" applies a uniform thin film to the entire lens surface, resulting in clear image quality that suppresses flare and ghosting even in backlit conditions.

An integrated optical image stabilization system, designed for macro photography, accurately compensates for shift shake (up/down/left/right), angular shake, and front/back shake, ensuring steady handheld shots.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS will be available in November 2025 for approximately $1,499.99 USD and $1,799.99 CAD. It will be sold directly through Sony and at a variety of Sony's authorized dealers throughout North America.

For more information, visit: https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/lenses/all-e-mount/p/sel100m28gm
For a product video visit: https://youtu.be/TC7v6L6i0zw

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS and Sony's other imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to inform, educate, and inspire content creators.

i Compatible with the 1.4X Teleconverter SEL14TC and 2X Teleconverter SEL20TC.
ii When the 2X Teleconverter "SEL20TC" is attached
iii Sony measurement conditions. Compared to the FE 90mm F2.8 MACRO G OSS SEL90M28G lens for the α E-mount digital single-lens camera.

Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM specifications Principal specificationsLens typePrime lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length100 mmImage stabilizationYesLens mountSony E, Sony FEApertureMaximum apertureF2.8Minimum apertureF22Aperture ringYesNumber of diaphragm blades11OpticsElements17Groups13Special elements / coatings2 XA, 2 ED, Nano AR Coating IIFocusMinimum focus0.28 m (11.02″)Maximum magnification1.4×AutofocusYesMotor typeLinear MotorFull time manualYesFocus methodInternalDistance scaleYesDoF scaleNoFocus distance limiterInfinity - 0.5m, 0.7m - 0.26mPhysicalWeight646 g (1.42 lb)Diameter81 mm (3.19″)Length148 mm (5.83″)SealingYesColourBlackFilter thread67 mmHood suppliedYesHood product codeALC-SH173Tripod collarNo

The Premiere on iPhone app allows for multi-track editing and a long list of additional features.
Image: Adobe

At the beginning of the month, Adobe announced that it was bringing its popular video editor to iPhones. Now, Premiere on iPhone is officially available for download – for free – giving content creators and editors a new option for editing on the go.

With Premiere for iPhone, Adobe aims to bring the robust functionality of the desktop-based Premiere Pro to phones. "We’re excited to bring the power of Premiere to creators’ fingertips, delivering pro-level creative control, without the pro-level complexity," said Mike Polner, vice president, product marketing, creators at Adobe." Premiere on iPhone makes it easy for creators to craft and share stories on mobile with studio-quality audio, precise editing tools and stunning visuals, to turn everyday content into polished stories anytime, anywhere."

You can generate sound effects in-app; however, generative AI requires the purchase of Firefly generative credits.
Image: Adobe

Premiere for iPhone provides a long list of features. These include unlimited multi-track timeline, 4K HDR editing, frame-accurate adjustments, animated captions, speed and motion effects and instant background removal. It also offers AI audio tools such as Enhance Speech for clear voiceovers and Generative Sound Effects. Users can also generate assets with Adobe's generative AI in-app or access the company's expansive library of creative assets, including stickers, images, fonts and royalty-free music.

Adobe says the new app is designed with features ideal for a new generation of creators creating shorts for YouTube or TikTok, along with seasoned pros editing client work or personal projects. Unlike some of the other mobile video editing apps, Adobe says the Premiere app is a "distraction-free, watermark-free experience."

If you have a Premiere Pro subscription, you can send edits from your phone to your computer.
Image: Adobe

The Premiere on iPhone app is completely free, and anyone who downloads it can start creating right away. No Adobe account or login is required to edit and save projects locally or export video. Some features will require sign-in to an Adobe account, such as access to creative assets or if users want to send projects from mobile to desktop Premiere Pro (which requires a subscription to use). Additionally, generative AI features require a login and the purchase of Firefly generative credits.

Premiere on iPhone is now available for download in the App Store. Adobe says Premiere on Android is in development, so hopefully Android users don't have long to wait.

Image: MirageC / Moment via Getty Images

Last week, we wanted to spark some potentially unexpected or controversial responses with our 'Question of the week.' We were curious about the cameras you hate on paper but love in real life. Alternatively, you could share about cameras you love on paper, but the hands-on experience didn't live up to the hype. We wanted to discover cameras that surprised either for good or for bad. Here's what you all had to say.

Cameras that exceeded expectations

You all brought up a very diverse range of cameras, from older DSLR models to brand new mirrorless and medium format options and everything in between. Tony Hall even surprised us with a mention of the Instax Mini. However, there were some common themes across responses.

Nikon Zf

The Nikon Zf was mentioned more than anything else when considering cameras that don't look great in terms of specs or expectations, but are nonetheless loved.

"I bought it on a lark last February just to try out a mirrorless I thought I could not grow too attached to. Just a 'play around' camera. I since have come to enjoy mirrorless cameras as my regular shooting tools," said AWG_Pics. "The Zf is still my most fun camera to shoot. It was definitely my gateway drug into mirrorless." While many complain about the lack of a grip on the Nikon Zf, Pierre Legarde has a different perspective: "The lack of grip makes me hold this camera in a way I'm more involved in shooting. It's something to get used to, but in the end, it's rewarding."

Older models

Another common theme was older models that were pleasant surprises. For example, a few of you highlighted the Sigma SD Quattro. "On paper: grumpy, if usable, autofocus. Uses DSLR lenses from a dead, yet still expensive, mount. Shooting past base ISO in color is a bad idea. Limited dynamic range; both highlights and shadows clip in an ugly way. Overheats even in moderate heat, said Earl Goodson. "In real life: and yet....Those foveon COLORS. Crisp, realistic details. Subtle non-Bayer tonality that makes you want to just study the hues."

Similarly, a few of you mentioned the Nikon Df. "Everything on paper told me that the Df was "wrong" (...and not just for me but for everyone... the hybris!)," said remrebus. "Now I own one and it's the only Nikon that I have and I'll never sell it (...for a numerous reasons that I don't explain here 'cos it would be a long list)."

Multiple people also mentioned the Nikon 1 cameras, including the V1, V2 and J5. "The specs don't look that great and the small sensor was a turn off before I received one as a gift," said lecoupdejarnac. "The system is just plain fun to shoot with and I've gotten lots of good wildlife shots with the killer 70-300mm lens (810mm equivalent!)."

Brian Chichester added that the initial reviews pointed out the Nikon 1 V1's many faults. However, "Much later I got my hands on one, used it, and realised that for me, it worked. I use it mainly as a monochrome camera and I would say that is its strength," he explained. "But it shows that, above and beyond spec sheets, a camera is a tool that either suits your hands and your purposes or it doesn't."

Bridge cameras and compacts

There were also quite a few responses that mentioned bridge cameras or compacts. For example, Smaug01 mentioned that the OM System TG-7 was a camera that doesn't look great on specs but that he has been enjoying. "On paper, it has a tiny sensor, which should kill it for me right there. However, I'm finding that I'm out of my "any visible noise is bad" phase and becoming more open-minded as I ease into middle age," he said. "The ability to actually drop this directly in a pocket without worry about dust being ingested, and the fact that the useful zoom lens is pretty fast made me open my mind enough to open my wallet and buy one."

IEBA1 didn't mention a specific model, but did highlight compact travel zoom cameras as ones to hate on paper but love in use. "In general, I hate tiny, fiddly cameras with minimal buttons and control," they said. "But my favorite travel camera is a too-small, tiny battery, tiny sensor camera. Because I can put it my jacket pocket and I have everything from macro, wide angle, and a 30x zoom."

Cameras that disappointed despite their specs

There were also mentions of cameras with specs that should have resulted in an excellent device, but things didn't play out quite that way. The Sony RX series was one that popped up a few times.

"A few years ago I had a Sony RX100 VII. Great on paper and truly pocket sized," said GeoffNZ. "In reality the menus were too busy and fussy and the controls too fiddly, even for me with average sized hands. The built in flash was a nice idea but was not very powerful - it just about did some fill in flash if the subject was very close. Start up time very sluggish. It also got sensor dust from the moving lens."

Yardcoyote also expressed their dislike for the RX100 series. "I went to buy the first version when the second version came out-- the camera was perfect for me on paper and I had the money in my pocket in cash," they said. "Went into the store, picked it up and couldn't put it down fast enough. Nasty slippery fiddly little thing. Being 'pocket sized' has never been enough to sell me any camera and certainly not that one.)"

You can still share

If you haven't had a chance to throw in your two cents, it's not too late. The post is still open so you can get in there and discuss cameras that surprise or disappoint. Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer, and we look forward to hearing your responses next time!

Click here to answer the Question of the week

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Have you ever noticed that sometimes your photographs turn out oddly blue or orange? This common situation has made countless beginner and enthusiast photographers scratch their heads in frustration. Luckily, it has an easily addressable cause: white balance issues related to the color of light in your scene. In this article, we'll cover why your photos might be drastically shifted to one color or another and how to fix it.

Why can colors go awry? Light at sunset can be intensely golden in color, but that may not be something you want to get rid of.
Photo: Mitchell Clark

All light sources have different colors, which appear as color casts. That's even true of natural light, with the color of light shifting throughout the day. For example, late evening light (i.e., golden hour) looks quite orange and warm, while midday sun looks much more neutral and just before sunrise or just after sunset can be quite blue (aptly named blue hour). We often refer to the color of light as warm (golden hour) or cool (blue hour), and it can also have a tint that can lean either green or magenta.

A lot of artificial lights have even more extreme color casts. Incandescent bulbs, for example, are very warm with a strong orange color cast. Fluorescent lights can result in an unattractive green tint. More commonly these days, you've likely noticed that LED light bulbs come in various types of white, such as daylight, soft white, bright white and more.

Our brains instinctively adjust to diverse types of lighting (usually), but cameras can struggle to do the same. When that's the case, you may end up with images with strong color casts. Sometimes that's useful (such as showing the warm glow of golden hour), but other times, it can be quite unpleasant and distracting. When you see extremely orange or blue tints in your photos, it's a sign that your camera's white balance setting is struggling to determine the correct color of the scene.

What is white balance? White balance can also be used to refer to the colors in an image. In this case, the white balance is a little on the warm side, but it's within a reasonable level.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

Put simply, white balance is a camera setting that corrects the colors in photographs by adjusting for the color of light in a scene. To do this, the camera aims to interpret the scene, trying to work out what the color(s) of the objects are and how the light may be influencing them. It will then attempt to compensate for color casts to produce more natural colors in the final image.

This process works best if your photograph contains something neutral (such as white or gray, which is why it's called white balance), as otherwise your camera may have difficulty working out what the colors should look like.

How to manage white balance in-camera Image: coolvectormaker / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Your camera is, by default, set to an automatic white balance setting. The automatic setting typically works quite well; however, as you've noticed, that isn't always the case. Sometimes, more manual adjustment is necessary.

Beyond the auto white balance, cameras also provide presets for specific types of light. For example, most cameras offer settings for tungsten, incandescent light, fluorescent light and flash. You'll also notice natural light-related presets, including daylight, shade and cloudy. These presets won't be foolproof, but can at least get you closer to a correct white balance in tricky situations or when your camera isn't quite getting things right on auto.

Camera manufacturers are also increasingly adding Auto White, Auto Warm or Auto Cool settings. These are ideal for situations where you want to preserve some of the color cast to keep the original mood, such as at golden hour or around a campfire.

There are more advanced techniques for situations that call for highly precise white balance, but that's a topic for another day. For now, don't be afraid to try out the different presets to determine which one best fits a given situation. Below, you'll see some specific examples for managing orange and blue photos.

Fixing blue photos

On the left: This lamp produces a very warm light (though not as warm as the example below), but on auto white balance, it looks a bit too neutral for my liking.

On the right: Setting the white balance to Tungsten produces a much too blue image.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

If your photograph has a strong blue tint, it's likely because you are working in the shade or under overcast skies, and your camera isn't appropriately adjusting to the cooler light color. Changing your camera to the cloudy or shade settings should warm the photo up to provide a more accurate (and generally more attractive) white balance.

Alternatively, a strong blue tint could be the result of your camera overadjusting for warm light. You may need to take manual control in such instances, choosing a preset that keeps some of the warmth. Or, just as with orange photos, it could be that your white balance was accidentally set to something wrong. In that case, your camera is compensating for warmer light that doesn't actually exist in the scene, turning things blue. In that case, switching your white balance back to auto or another appropriate setting will help you achieve a better white balance.

Fixing yellow or orange photos For this photo, my camera's white balance was set to Cloudy, which isn't appropriate for the scene and produced an excessively orange photo.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

Photos that are too yellow or orange usually happen when you're taking photographs inside. If that's what you're experiencing, it's likely that the room you are in has incandescent bulbs or warm LEDs, which emit an orangish color. Switching your camera to the incandescent setting should get you closer to a correct color.

Overly orange or yellow photos could also be the result of accidentally or unknowingly changing your white balance to a setting meant for bluer lighting conditions. If you aren't shooting in incandescent light or with warm LEDs and are still getting overly warm photos, double-check what your white balance settings are and change to auto or an appropriate setting if it's not there.

How to manage white balance with editing On the left is a corrected version of the orange photo above. It was corrected from the jpeg file and, as a result, has some odd colors, especially in the highlights. On the right is the correction on the Raw file, left slightly warm to retain some of the color of the light.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

If you've already taken the photos and aren't in a situation to retake them, you may not be out of luck. There are ways to adjust white balance in editing programs as well. Most editing apps will feature temperature and tint sliders, allowing you to change how warm or cool (temperature) and pink or green (tint) your photos are. Some will, like your camera, have an auto white balance setting that attempts to even out the color temperature and tint as best it can. However, that won't always work very well.

Some editing programs also feature an eyedropper tool that allows you to point to something that should be white or neutral gray in the photograph, and the software will adjust the white balance based on that. If the presets aren't cutting it, but you can't figure out what it should be with the sliders, the white balance dropper can be a very useful tool, provided you have something neutral. Sometimes, you just have to move the sliders to get something that looks right to your eye.

When fixing white balance in editing, there is one caveat: JPEG files will have a somewhat limited ability to fully correct white balance. You can correct white balance within reason, but if it is substantially wrong, you may run into color issues that can't be fixed all the way. Raw files, on the other hand, contain file information before white balance has been applied, giving you more flexibility to adjust when editing.

Learn to notice the color of light I took this photo almost entirely because of the warm light and shadows. Starting to notice the color and quality of light will help you use it to your advantage.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

Photography is all about light, and recognizing the role that light's color plays in your images is an important factor that you'll learn to manage. At first, you may simply be trying to fix unwanted color casts. But learning to think about light (and its color) from a creative perspective is also critical to developing your photography. After all, it can be a very useful tool in conveying moods and vibes. Once you understand why white balance can go wrong and how to adjust it, you can then use it intentionally to craft powerful images and even develop your own style.