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Today marks the beginning of Amazon Prime Day (or really Prime Week), which means discounts on just about anything you could imagine. Instead of bombarding you with many long lists of Prime Day deals, we'll be sharing some of the things we would actually recommend buying, and some we may even be adding to our own carts.

First up are accessories that are worth picking up when they are on sale. We've looked at the pricing history for each item to ensure it's actually a deal, so you can trust you'll be saving money. We'll update this throughout the week, so be sure to check back, and if you see anything worth sharing, let us know so we can spread the word.

Memory cards

I try to buy memory cards exclusively during shopping holidays like Prime Day or Black Friday. They aren't fun or exciting, so I like to avoid paying full price for them. Luckily, there are almost always fantastic deals on these during Prime Day, and this year is no exception. Some of these are even the lowest prices they've been on Amazon in the last three months.

SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V60 Memory Card $60 (was $80)

SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V90 Memory Card $180 (was $263)

SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Memory Card $30 (was $45)

Lexar 128GB (2-PK) Professional Silver Pro SDXC, UHS-II, V60 Memory Card $52 (was $80)

PNY 128GB Elite-X Class 10 U3 V30 SDXC (2 Pack) Memory Card $20 (was $26)

SanDisk 2TB Extreme microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card $165 (was $200)

Hard drives and SSDs

Hard drives are another item I avoid buying unless they are on sale. So, come Prime Day, I look out for any deals on portable SSDs or desktop drives to help me keep my work backed up while saving some money. Since they are higher-priced items, there are generally steep discounts during Prime Day.

Samsung T9 Portable SSD 4TB $266 (was $550)

Samsung T7 Portable SSD, 2TB $120 (was $200)

Western Digital 2TB My Passport SSD $130 (was $200)

Western Digital 14TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive $170 at B&H (was $380)

Cleaning and protection

While cleaning tools aren't expensive at full price, saving a little something is always nice. Rugged cases, on the other hand, are rather expensive. Pelican cases rarely go on sale, but there are some discounts on ones with padded dividers this Prime Day, making it a great time to pick one up.

Pelican Vault V600 Hard Case With Padded Dividers $160 (was $200)

Pelican Vault V550 Hard Case With Padded Dividers $128 (was $160)

K&F Concept 4-in-1 Camera Cleaning Kit $17 (was $22)

K&F Concept Professional Lens Cleaning Pen $12 (was $18)

Mobile accessories

Whether you're a content creator or simply looking to up your smartphone photography and videography game, there are some excellent deals on mobile accessories right now.

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro Smartphone Gimbal $136 (was $160)

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P Smartphone Gimbal $126 (was $149)

Belkin Portable Charger $75 (was $100)

Anker Portable Charger $30 (was $55)

Miscellaneous

Finally, there are plenty of other accessories worth picking up that don't fit neatly in the categories above. Here are more items worth considering this Prime Day, including my favorite way to easily display photos in my home (the Aura Carver).

Aura Carver Mat 10" Digital Picture Frame $141 (was $179)

K&F Concept 5-in-1 Light Reflector 32"(80cm) Photography Diffuser $18 (was $23)

500+ SmallRig products Up to 30% off

takasuu / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

US President Donald Trump has signaled his intent to move forward with new tariffs that will go into effect on August 1st, impacting imports from several countries. As reported by the Associated Press, Trump announced the tariffs by posting copies of letters addressed to leaders of several countries, including Japan and Thailand – where many camera and lens manufacturers build products – on social media.

According to the letters, imports from Japan to the US will face tariffs of 25% and imports from Thailand will face tariffs of 36%.

The new tariffs aren't entirely unexpected. The Trump administration initially announced tariffs aimed at numerous countries back on April 2nd, including 24% on Japanese goods and 36% on imports from Thailand. However, it subsequently placed a 90-day pause on full tariff amounts on April 9th, setting a universal baseline tariff of 10%.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump posted copies of letters to leaders of several countries to Truth Social announcing new tariffs to go into effect on August 1st, including this letter to Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru.

As a result, US consumers have experienced increased prices on some camera products, with companies like Sigma, Canon, Nikon and Sony raising prices accordingly over the past few months.

The new August 1st deadline effectively adds three additional weeks to the 90-day pause announced in April, though given the unpredictability we've seen until now, it's possible that things could change again before the new tariffs go into effect. If not, US consumers could experience additional price hikes on many photography products due to the additional tariffs.

It's important to note that not all cameras and lenses are produced in these countries. Many companies have moved a significant portion of manufacturing to other Asian countries in recent years, including China, which is experiencing its own trade conflict with the US. Notably, Tamron began operating a new factory in Vietnam in February. Last week, the Trump administration announced a new trade deal to charge 20% tariffs on imports from that country, less than the 46% tariffs originally announced in April.

Amazon Prime Day is officially underway through July 11, and with it comes discounts of all sorts. Those sales include a selection of cameras and lenses, so if you're looking to upgrade your kit, pick up a new camera or expand your lens selection, now is a good time to do so.

Unfortunately, most camera brands recently increased prices in the US because of tariffs, and, as a result, many of the Prime Day deals are just a dip back to pre-tariff pricing. But that's still better than nothing, and it would be smart to buy now before prices go back up. Additionally, if there were better deals on other websites, we've linked to those instead. We'll also be updating this throughout the week, so be sure to check back to see what's new.

Sony cameras and lenses

Sony has the most gear on sale this Prime Day. This isn't an exhaustive list, with many additional models on sale. All of the camera and lens deals are also live on Sony's website, so you can check them out there, too. Some of the items below are older generation models, but they are still worth picking up in our opinion.

Sony a1 $5398 (was $5900)

Sony a7R V $3798 (was $4200)

Sony a7R IV $2998 (was $3400)

Sony a7S III $3498 (was $3800)

Sony a7 IV $2198 (was $2700)

Sony a7C II $2198 (was $2400)

Sony a6700 $1398 (was $1500)

Sony ZV-E10 II $1000 at Sony (was $1100)

Sony 24-50mm F2.8 G $1098 (was $1200)

Sony 20-70mm F4 G $1098 (was $1200)

Sony 24-70 mm F2.8 GM $1598 (was $1698)

Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS $1048 (was $2150)

Canon cameras and lenses

Canon's deals aren't specifically labeled as Prime Day ones, but there are still some deals worth checking out. Unfortunately, it's a very short list.

Canon EOS R5 II $3999 (was $4299)

Canon EOS R6 Mark II $1899 (was $1999)

Canon EOS R7 $1499 (was $1599)

Canon EOS R10 $949 (was $1049)

Canon EOS RP + RF24-105mm Lens F4-7.1 is STM Lens $999 (was $1399)

Canon RF135mm F1.8 L is USM $1799 at B&H (Was $2299)

Nikon cameras and lenses

Nikon also has very limited items on sale right now, unfortunately. But we've done some digging to find out what deals there are. Like the other brands, most of these prices are simply back to pre-tariff prices, though.

Nikon Z8 $3697 (was $4000)

Nikon Z6 III $2197 (was $2500)

Nikon Z7 II $1947 at B&H (was $2297)

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S $2047 at B&H (was $2497)

Instant cameras

Instant cameras can be a fun change of pace. Polaroid currently has its offerings on sale, including some bundles with film.

Polaroid Now 2nd Generation I-Type Instant Camera + Film Bundle $115 (was $150)

Polaroid Now+ Generation 2 - Camera + Film Bundle $145 (was $175)

Polaroid Now+ 3rd Generation I-Type Instant Film Camera $120 (was $140)

Polaroid Now 3rd Generation I-Type Instant Film Camera $102 (was $120)

Action cameras

If you're looking to document your adventures this summer, an action camera may be the way to go. Luckily, some of the best out there are on sale during Prime Day.

DJI Osmo Action 4 Essential Combo $199 (was $289)

GoPro HERO13 Black Action Bundle $329 (was $500)

Insta360 X4 Standard Bundle $349 (was $500)

A Minolta? But didn't they leave the camera business years ago? The re-emergence of the Minolta brand in the US highlights some interesting quirks of the laws around trademarks.

Image: Minolta

In the wake of our look at the way Eastman Kodak allows its brand to be used on everything from solar panels to T-shirts, we've been looking at the way other historic camera brands are now being used.

In the case of Kodak, the company licensing the name has a continuous link back to the one that built the brand in the first place. Eastman Kodak may have sold its photo film business as part of its bankruptcy restructuring, but today's corporate entity is still based in Rochester, New York, and still focused on the way products sold in its name reflect on the rest of its business.

Use it or lose it

This isn't always the case, though. In most countries, trademarks only remain valid if they're being used and actively protected. If you aren't using a trademark or it can be shown that you aren't making efforts to defend it, then someone else can come along and challenge its use.

This is currently happening in Europe and the UK, where a Dubai-based property developer is arguing that the trademark James Bond hasn't been used by its owners for more than five years and hence should be cancelled. There's a comparable process in the US: an episode of NPR's Planet Money looked at the story of a man who's made a business out of challenging abandoned trademarks and re-launching previously defunct confectionery brands.

One of the last Konica Minolta products was the Dynax / Maxxum 7D, the world's first DSLR to feature in-body image stabilization. The company using the Minolta name today is not connected to the original Konica Minolta, which still operates in an array of industries.

Photo: DPReview.com

It's through this process that Minolta-branded cameras have started to appear recently in US stores such Costco, BestBuy and B&H Photo. The original owner, Konica-Minolta, sold its camera business to Sony in 2006, which initially used its technologies in a series of A-mount DSLRs before moving to its own E-mount mirrorless system, developed internally.

With Konica-Minolta out of the industry, Californian brand licensing company JMM Lee Properties challenged the trademark in 2015 and was awarded the right to use it for a range of photographic goods. JMM Lee's business model appears to be finding and claiming abandoned brand names, which it then licenses to other companies. For instance, if you want to get into the power tool business, JMM Lee can license you the Renault brand name for the US market.

'Minolta,' by Shenzen Soda Digital for Elite Brands

The Minolta brand is currently being licensed to New York-headquartered Elite Brands Inc, the US importer of Samyang lenses. So the cameras currently appearing in Costco are made for Elite Brands, which also licenses the Bell + Howell brand for some products.

Some of the Minolta-branded cameras share their specs with models offered by Asia Optical, a Taiwanese OEM manufacturer that has been making Kodak-branded cameras for JK Imaging for over a decade.

Other models include the $99 Minolta MND23, a camera described as a 48MP point and shoot with 16X digital zoom and the ability to capture 4K UHD video. A closer look at the specs shows it to have a 13MP sensor from Sony Semiconductor (very probably a Type 1/3, 17mm² chip) that can shoot 4K resolution at up to 10fps.

The Minolta MND70 shares its specs with the Songdian DC203S, made by Shenzhen Soda Digital Technology.

Image: Minolta

The 3.37mm F2.2 lens and the presence of a second, 'selfie' sensor on the back of the camera matches the specs of a lens that appears in a variety of products from Chinese maker Shenzhen Soda Digital Technology Co.

And, similarly, the camera sold for $179 as the Minolta MND70 shares all its key specs, though with the same company's DC203. Just to give an idea of what that means for the well regarded Minolta name, Amateur Photographer's (and formerly DPReview's) Technical Editor bought a DC202, which lacks the 203's Wi-Fi and selfie camera, for around £40 (∼$54). He described it as 'the worst camera I've ever used."

With thanks to forum user ishwanu for background on the trademark cases.

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Updated: July 8th, 2025

Whether you're just sharing clips with friends or you're launching an online on-camera career, vlogging matters. And there's a point at which your smartphone may not give you the look, control, or flexibility you're after. With 180-degree selfie screens, wide-angle lenses, microphone inputs and great video quality, more and more dedicated cameras are catering to people who want to take video of themselves and post it online.

The meaning of vlogging has changed over the years, so our picks cover a variety of styles – we'll explain what makes each camera good for vlogging, and what key features each has that make taking video of yourself easier. We've also included videos shot on the cameras in question when we have them to give you an idea of what kind of performance to expect.

Our recommendations:

• Best camera for vlogging on the move: DJI Osmo Pocket 3
• A self-contained vlogging kit: Canon PowerShot V1
• For ambitious vloggers and videographers: Sony ZV-E10 II
• Best high-end vlogging pick: Sony ZV-E1

Best camera for vlogging on the move: DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Photo: Richard Butler $519 at B&H $519 at Amazon $519 at Adorama

DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 is a stabilized handheld vlogging camera, designed for on-the-move vlogging. It’s built around a type 1 (13.2 x 8.8mm) sensor mounted on a tiny gimbal, meaning it can deliver stabilized footage with smoother motion than any conventional camera or phone.

The small sensor means the Pocket 3 works better in well-lit situations, though a reasonably bright F2.0 lens means it’s usable indoors, too.

It can shoot 4K 16:9 video or, by rotating the screen into the upright position, 3K vertical 9:16 footage. A small joystick lets you control the camera’s movement, and tapping the joystick button flips between the camera pointing toward you or away from you.

Its reliance on contrast-detection autofocus means its focus can be prone to hunting, though its face-detection mode works well enough that this is rarely a problem when talking to the camera.

In addition to the smooth stability of its gimbal and its genuine pocketability, one of the Osmo’s main benefits is that it’s compatible with a series of Bluetooth microphones, meaning you can capture good-quality audio without the need for additional transmitters or receivers.

The video quality isn’t always the highest, and the autofocus can occasionally lead to frustration, but overall the quality and convenience of the Pocket 3 as a package is really hard to beat.

Read our hands-on impressions of the Osmo Pocket 3

A self-contained vlogging kit: Canon PowerShot V1

16-50mm F2.8-4.5 zoom | 22MP 18x12mm Dual Pixel CMOS sensor | 4K/60 with crop

Buy now:

$979 at Amazon.comBuy at B&H PhotoBuy at Canon What we like:

• Attractive output in stills and video
• Versatile wide-angle zoom
• Fan for extended video recording

What we don't:

• Relatively large body
• Full width video has appreciable rolling shutter
• Optimized for vlogging vs stills

The Canon PowerShot V1 is a mid-sized vlogging compact with a relatively large sensor and wide zoom lens.

It offers a competitive suite of vlogging features, a built-in ND filter and good stabilization options. It's also comfortable to hold pointing towards you, and lets you access key settings from the touchscreen. It includes microphone and headphone jacks and a fan for extended recording sessions.

AF performance is good, with reliable tracking AF and effective subject recognition. The camera is generally pretty responsive, with the zoom reacting quickly to input. The V1's wide lens means you can crop-in for its 4K/60p mode and still maintain a wide-angle view. The full-sensor footage exhibits quite high levels of rolling shutter, so you may have to use the cropped 50/60p mode for capturing shots with lots of movement.

The V1 is a capable option with a useful zoom range, and there's a lot to be said for an all-in-one option. You do give up some flexibility for other types of filmmaking, but it should cover most of your bases when it comes to vlogging.

Read our full PowerShot V1 review

We also considered Sony's range of entry-level vlogging cameras with Type 1 sensors, the ZV-1, ZV-1F, and ZV-1 II. The latter is the best pick of the bunch, given its wideangle zoom lens and built-in ND, but it's hard to recommend. Its quality will be slightly better than that of a flagship phone, but if you're going to be carrying an extra gadget around anyway, it's probably best to spend a bit more for a more flexible or capable camera.

For ambitious vloggers and videographers: Sony ZV-E10 II

26MP APS-C sensor | Full-width 4K/24p, 1.1x crop 4K/60p video | Fully articulating screen

Buy now:

$1098 w/ 16-50 at Amazon.com$1098 w/ 16-50 at B&H PhotoBuy at MPB What we like:

• Reliable, accurate autofocus
• Good rolling shutter performance
• Plenty of video options, including 10-bit

What we don't:

• No in-body stabilization
• Doesn't includes Sony's latest and greatest AF
• Not fun for photography

The Sony ZV-E10 II is focused on vlogging, with solid 4K/24p and 4K/60p shooting capabilities, and a suite of features for taking footage of yourself. The ZV-E10 II has an excellent grip, easy-to-hit buttons and a touchscreen that lets you control the most important settings without turning the camera around. The zoom rocker is great for power zoom lenses. Subject tracking autofocus is fast, sticky, and accurate, though it doesn't have all the modes available on other Sony cameras. Product showcase prioritizes items held up in front of your face and has lots of options. Menus are easy to learn and responsive, and battery life is good. The ZV-E10 II pairs useful, video-focused features with excellent hardware, making it an excellent vlogging camera depending on your style. The rolling shutter performance is good, bordering on excellent. The lack of IBIS can make handheld footage look shakey, and electronic stabilization is only useful for stable shots. The built-in microphone is good, and the camera has headphone and mic jacks. The ZV-E10 II brings many – but not all – of the a6700's vlogging features to a more compact and less expensive body. If you can live without IBIS and built-in ND, it's a solid interchangeable lens vlogging camera.

Read our full review of the Sony ZV-E10 II

Potential alternatives?

We also considered Canon's (noticeably cheaper) EOS R50V, but chose the Sony because of its much faster sensor that provides better rolling shutter performance and requires less cropping to shoot at 4K/60. We also looked at Nikon's Z30, but its lack of headphone socket and 10-bit video means we lean towards the Sony. The Nikon Z50II has strong video specs and some of the features the Z30 lacks, such as a headphone jack, but its form factor and heavy crop in its 4K/60 mode make it not particularly well-suited to vlogging.

Best high-end vlogging camera: Sony ZV-E1

Full-width 4K/60p, 120p with minor crop | Auto cropping/framing modes | Subject recognition AF

Buy now:

$2199 at Amazon.com$2198 at Adorama$2198 at B&H Photo What we like:

• 4K footage up to 120p
• Auto-cropped modes aid one-person operation
• Effective autofocus

What we don't:

• Recording times can be short in warm conditions
• 12MP resolution not optimal for stills
• Cropped footage is upscaled to 4K

The Sony ZV-E1 is a full-frame E-mount mirrorless camera aimed at vloggers and ambitious content creators.

It has pretty much everything a vlogger would need: Sony's class-leading autofocus, a front tally light, a stabilized sensor, 4K/60 with no crop and excellent rolling shutter performance. It also has features that make shooting alone easier, such as its auto framing mode that dynamically zooms in on the subject in a frame, much like a cameraperson would, and the product showcase mode that overrides the face detection AF when you're clearly trying to show the camera something.

The ZV-E1 has two command dials, both on the back of the camera, which makes manual video control a little fiddly, there's a touchscreen-led interface to encourage more automated presenter/operator working, though. The ZV-E1's subject recognition system is highly reliable. The lack of a fan means it's much more susceptible to overheating than the otherwise similar FX3. It adds automated modes that crop and follow a recognized subject around the frame, adding dynamism to single-operator footage. "The ZV-E1 has some clever automated modes but can be a bit fiddly to operate. It's hard to match the power for the price, though" The camera's 4K footage (up to 120p) is detailed with relatively little rolling shutter, but you'll want to use the strongest level of image stabilization (with crop) for hand-held shooting as it's a little juddery in less intensive modes. The ZV-E1 tries to marry the capability of the FX3 cinema camera with automated ease-of-use, but can end up being quite confusing in the auto modes and quite fiddly if you try to take a more hands-on approach. It's hard to match the power for the price, though.

Read our initial review of the Sony ZV-E1

A cheaper competitor

If your budget doesn't quite stretch as far as the ZV-E1 requires, the Panasonic S9 may be a decent option that costs around $1000 less. It, too, has a stabilized, full-frame sensor, though it lacks a headphone jack and some of the vlogging-specific features Sony includes. While its sensor can shoot at higher-than-4K resolutions for more flexibility in post, its slower readout means you'll have to deal with a crop when shooting 4K/60, and will have to be aware of rolling shutter.

Buy now:

$1799 w/ 18-40mm at Amazon.com$1498 at Adorama$1798 w/ 18-40mm at B&H Photo Why you should trust us

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.

Photo: Jaromir / Moment via Getty Images

Summertime is ripe with photographic opportunities thanks to longer days and warmer weather. Many of us flock to the outdoors this time of year, whether to capture landscapes, document weddings or photograph animals. But with this extra time outside with our cameras comes added risk to our gear due to chemicals found in bug spray and sunscreen. While those products may be essential for protecting your body, they can damage your expensive gear. If you'll be lathering up with sunscreen or bug spray this summer, here are some things to remember.

Impacts of DEET bug spray Photo: Lokibaho / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

Many bug sprays use DEET to keep pesky (and potentially dangerous) pests away. While that's sometimes necessary to stay safe, DEET is a plasticizer. That means it can soften, deform or even dissolve certain plastics and rubber, especially if you're using a high-concentration version of it.

Of course, cameras and lenses are largely made up of plastics and rubber, so exposing your gear to DEET-based bug spray can result in deterioration of your gear. Damage from DEET could simply take the form of dissolved labels on buttons and markings on your lenses. But it could be far more substantial, potentially melting parts of your camera or lens body.

Even a small amount of DEET on your hands could be enough to have an impact. To keep your gear safe, don't spray bug spray anywhere near cameras or lenses. It's best to keep the camera in your bag or the car until you're done applying. If you get DEET bug spray on your hands, wash them off as well as you can before handling your camera. Also, if you use the viewfinder, make sure you don't get any DEET on your face.

Even a small amount of DEET on your hands could be enough to have an impact.

If DEET bug repellent gets on your camera, make sure to act quickly. The sooner you clean it off, the less damage there will be. Don't use a dry cloth to wipe it off, either, as that could spread the chemical and potentially push it into seams or textured surfaces, causing more damage. Instead, lightly dampen a clean cloth and gently blot to remove the DEET. Use a fresh corner of the fabric for different parts of the camera to avoid spreading it.

If you want to be extra cautious, you can avoid DEET altogether by using a Picaridin-based bug spray – research has found that it doesn't damage plastics – or by wearing clothing treated with Permethrin. While both chemicals (and DEET) have been proven to be safe for use on humans, we couldn't find any conclusive studies about their safety for pets, so it's worth exercising some caution when using these products around cats or dogs. Always read the safety label for whatever insect repellent you're using.

Take care with sunscreen, too Photo: Oscar Wong / Moment via Getty Images

While sunscreen isn't as harmful as DEET, it isn't very kind to cameras, either. Some chemicals found in certain sunscreens may potentially interact with plastics, causing them to degrade faster, though there is limited research on the subject. However, all sunscreens can cause discoloration and leave residue. Plus, it can make things downright slippery, which isn't ideal when working with expensive gear. And that greasy residue on your lens won't be great for image quality if it's on your lens.

As with bug repellent, it's best to apply sunscreen well away from your camera. That's especially true of aerosol sunscreens, which go everywhere. Once you're done applying, be sure to wash your hands, ideally with soapy water or hand sanitizer, to break down the oils.

If you get sunscreen on your camera, you'll want to clean it off as soon as possible. When you're still out and about, you can use hand wipes or a cloth with some hand sanitizer to clean it off. You could also use a cloth with a small amount of dishwashing liquid and water.

If there's sunscreen on your lens, make sure you use a cleaning solution made for optics, as you don't want to remove the special coatings. Disposable lens wipes are always ideal to have on hand in such situations, as then you don't have to worry about spreading it around more the next time you use your lens cloth.

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Don't let the similarities fool you: there is essentially no overlap between what the X100 and X half cameras offer.

Photo: Richard Butler

The Fujifilm X half isn't a camera where absolute image quality is fundamental to its appeal. And if that idea seems anathema to you - 'a camera? where image quality isn't neccessarily paramount?' - I'd suggest you don't read any further.

To some extent, it doesn't really make sense to subject the X half to our standard testing: it's like analyzing the nutritional value figures of cotton candy / candyfloss / fairy floss.

However, given the X half uses a sensor that's many times larger than those used in the likes of the Yashica Y35 – and other cameras designed for fun, as much as photographic competency – we thought it was worth seeing how it performs. Especially as it also costs a fair bit more than most other 'fun' cameras on the market.

It's like analyzing the nutritional value figures of candyfloss

Also, given its stylistic similarities with the larger, much more serious X100 cameras, we wanted to be able to make clear just how big the difference is.

So, despite being aware of the foolishness of the task, we committed outselves to trying to align and shoot a camera whose small, low-res screen and lack of custom white balance setting meant it was likely to be something of a handful. And whose images come out the wrong way 'round.

In practice we were pleasantly surprised: quickly discovering a Kelvin white balance setting that gave a near-perfectly neutral result, and finding its contrast-detection AF gave very consistent results, shot-to-shot. A quick look at the EXIF data allowed us to over-write the orientation metadata tag and present the images in the landscape format without having to re-save or re-encode the image and risk changing the image quality.

Studio test scene Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

At the center of the chart, the X half's images look broadly comparable to those of the RX100 series, with its similarly sized sensor and pixel count (the X half uses a 4:3 crop from a 3:2 sensor), appreciably behind the much larger X100VI sensor but ahead of a traditional Type 1/2.3 compact.

The performance drops away as you get further from the center of the image, with the Fujifilm not showing the level of fine detail that the RX100 does.

The difference becomes less pronounced as the light levels fall and ISO has to rise, and the gap between the Type 1 sensor Fujifilm and Sony and the small sensor compact grows.

The X half's sensor is around 4x larger than the one in the Panasonic FZ80 (and around 6x the size of the Type 1/3 sensors in the likes of the Yashica FX-D 100, Kodak C10 and Minolta MND 23), and consequently it gives a result around two stops better than the smaller sensor camera (and in the region of two stops behind the X100VI).

Summary

The results are broadly what we'd expect, in terms of noise and image quality. Despite the use of a prime lens, the X half isn't pulling out nearly as much detail from its captures as the RX100 is. But it's fair to say that pixel-peeping with a camera like the X half isn't a rational way to spend one's time. After all, it's a camera that doesn't even pretend to take itself seriously (we almost wonder whether its lack of Raw recording it to avoid giving off mixed messages about its intent, rather than anything so prosaic as a lack of processing power).

A more pertinent line of enquiry might be how the X half's images look, compared to an RX100's, once resized and recompressed for the social media platforms they're designed to be shared through. Because if you're planning on printing its images on anything other than Instax (or, at most, a 6 x 4), then you're making even stranger choices with your life than we are.

Steam rises over the rim of the Kilauea Volcano crater on the Big Island of Hawaii at sunrise. I rose early to catch the morning light, but hadn't anticipated the steam rising from the volcano below. Lucky me.

Samsung NX1 | NX 16-50mm F2-2.8 S | F8 | 1/640 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Dale Baskin

The theme for our July Editors' photo challenge is "Landscape Photography."

This is your chance to show us your favorite landscape photos featuring the beauty of the natural world. From sweeping vistas to creative compositions, we want to see your most stunning shots where the natural world is the main focus.

This challenge is also open to stitched panoramas.

Photos can be submitted between Sunday, July 6, and Saturday, July 12 (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 submit your photo to the challenge. Winners will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.

Submit your photo to the Landscape challenge

International Aerial Photographer of the Year winners

With affordable drones making aerial photography accessible to virtually anyone, the number of photographers shooting from above has skyrocketed.

This boom didn't go unnoticed by Peter Eastway and David Evans, organizers of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards. Inspired by this growth in aerial photography, they established a dedicated competition: The International Aerial Photography of the Year Awards.

The 2025 competition drew over 1500 entries from around the globe, with American photographer Joanna Steidle winning top honors for her captivating images of marine life near her Southampton, New York, home.

We're excited to share some of the winning images from this year's competition. The complete collection of 101 winning images is available as an e-book on the competition's website.

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 1st place

The judges selected photographer Joanna Steidle of the United States as the overall winner of the International Aerial Photographer of the Year Awards. Steidle, based in the Hamptons on Long Island, New York, submitted a portfolio of images featuring marine life photographed just 7-13km (4-6 miles) from her own home.

"Growing up, I never saw whales or dolphins from the shore," explains Steidle. "But due to conservation efforts, our coastline has rebounded with a plethora of sea creatures in the past few years."

Photographer: Joanna Steidle, United States

Title: Another World

Description: A fever of cownose rays approaching a school of menhaden bait fish, taken just a few hundred feet from the coast of Southampton, NY. USA.

Copyright Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 1st place

Photographer: Joanna Steidle, United States

Title: Concerto

Description: A small fever of cownose rays stirring up sand along their travels. Taken in Southampton, NY, USA, just a few hundred feet from the coast.

Copyright Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 1st place

Photographer: Joanna Steidle, United States

Title: The Gateway

Description: A spinner shark hunting in a school of menhaden bait fish in the Atlantic Ocean, Southampton, NY, USA.

Copyright Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 1st place

Photographer: Joanna Steidle, United States

Title: Diving

Description: A humpback whale diving back under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean after taking a breath of air. This was taken within 500ft of the coast in Southampton, NY, USA.

Copyright Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 2nd place

Photographer: Daniel Viñé Garcia, Spain

Title: Smoking Skull

Description: Iceland's Fagradalsfjall volcano as it cooled. The cracking pattern of the lava formed a skull, creating an eerie natural illusion for a few moments.

Copyright Daniel Viñé Garcia / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 2nd place

Photographer: Daniel Viñé Garcia, Spain

Title: The Nipple of the Earth

Description: A dormant volcano in the high-altitude Puna of Argentina reveals intricate erosion patterns sculpted by wind and time.

Copyright Daniel Viñé Garcia / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 3rd place

Photographer: David Swindler, United States

Title: Flamingos and Pelicans

Description: Dark skies provide a dramatic background as sunlight highlights a desert butte.

Copyright David Swindler / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photographer of the Year: 3rd place

Photographer: David Swindler, United States

Title: Flamingos Over a Lake

Description: Seven flamingos fly over the dark waters and patterns of a lake.

Copyright David Swindler / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photograph of the Year: 1st place

Photographer: Ignacio Palacios, Australia

Title: Cono de Arita

Description: Anti-crepuscular rays at Cono de Arita, La Puna, Argentina.

Copyright Ignacio Palacios / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photograph of the Year: 2nd place

Photographer: Talor Stone, United States

Title: Tree of Ice

Description: An aerial perspective of glacial calving reveals an unexpected organic pattern in the water. Northeast Greenland National Park.

Copyright Talor Stone / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Aerial Photograph of the Year: 3rd place

Photographer: Thomsa Vijayan, Canada

Title: Austfonna Ice Cap

Description: The Bråsvellbreen glacier, part of the Austfonna Ice Cap in Svalbard. Early melting and powerful waterfalls reveal the urgent reality of climate change – reminding us what’s at stake if we fail to act.

Copyright Thomas Vijayan / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

The Black and White Award

Photographer: Barbara Brown, Australia

Title: The Tempest

Description: Salt lake, Goldfields region of Western Australia

Copyright Barbara Brown / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

The Drone Award

Photographer: Pål Hermansen, Norway

Title: Relax after the Meal

Description: Polar bear on Svalbard after eating on a walrus carcass. Thanks to the drone with a telephoto lens, this rare scene could be captured without any disturbance. Svalbard, Norway.

Copyright Pål Hermansen / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

The Abstract Award

Photographer: Colin Leonhardt, Australia

Title: Twisted Owl

Description: Alumina mine tailings dam near Collie, Western Australia.

Copyright Colin Leonhardt / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

The Chairman's Award

Photographer: Fabien Guittard, France

Title: Above the Ice

Description: Two seals lounging peacefully on a drifting slab of ice in the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, southern Iceland.

Copyright Colin Leonhardt / The International Landscape Photographer of the Year

The Yashica FX-D 100 appears to be modelled on the FX-7 Super SLR sold by the original Yashica company (and reportedly manufactured by Cosina) in the early 1980s.

Image: Yashica

In all the buzz and chatter around the launch of Fujifilm's X half, we missed the quieter announcement of another digital camera with a film advance lever: the Yashica FX-D 100. This has now been joined by two sister models, the FX-D 300 and FX-D S300. All three cameras are being funded via Kickstarter.

The FX-D 100 and FX-D 300 have a blanking plate where you'd expect a viewfinder.

Image: Yashica

All three cameras are designed to approximately resemble the original Yashica FX-7 Super film SLR, but a fair bit smaller. All three are built around very small sensors. The least-expensive FX-D 100 model has an optical zoom lens, while the more expensive FX-D 300 and S300 have a fixed lens with a ring around the lens controlling digital zoom / cropping. Only the most expensive of the three models has an electronic viewfinder, the other two have a blanking plate over the back of the finder hump.

FX-D 100 FX-D 300 FX-D S300 MSRP
('Early bird' price)

$359
($239)*

$549
($339)* $679
($459) Pixel count 13MP 50MP 50MP Sensor size Type 1/3
(17mm²) Type 1/1.56
() Type 1/1.56
() Lens 3.45-10.5mm F1.6-2.8
(25-mm equiv) 5.68mm F1.8
(24mm equiv) 5.68mm F1.8
(24mm-equiv) Stabilization No Yes, 3-axis Yes, 3 axis EVF No No Yes, unknown spec Focus options MF / AF AF / Full-timeAF AF / Full-time AF

*Campaign ended

The FX-Ds are the second generation of digital cameras to be sold via Kickstarter, following the revival of the Yashica name on the Y35 camera in 2017, which raised over $1M on the platform. That camera, which also married a small sensor and film simulation concept to a design that visually mimicked a film-era Yashica camera, was met with reviews that ranged from critical to scathing.

The FX-D 300 and S300 have a fixed 24mm equivalent lens that can crop to deliver the 60mm equiv field of view listed on the front of the camera. All three FX-D models have flip-forward LCDs.

Image: Yashica

Somewhat concerningly, the FX-D 100's lens specs are a match for the company's City 100 model, which again, hasn't been well received. Both '300' models use the same 50MP sensor and 24mm equiv prime lens used by the upcoming City 300, which promises a 24-60mm equiv range, by cropping into an 8MP region to give the 60mm equivalent view.

Unlike the Y35, all three FX-D cameras have a (fold-forward) rear screen and let you choose between film simulation modes without having to slot a 'film' module into the back of the camera. All three cameras include six virtual filmstocks:

• Ruby 60s
• Sapphire 70s
• Yashica 400
• Golden 80s
• Mono 400
• Black and White 400

The company says it's working on building Raw capability into the FX-D 300 models.

The FX-D S300 has an electronic viewfinder, though we haven't found any details of its specifications.

Image: Yashica

The Yashica name appears to currently be owned by a Hong Kong company called JNC Datum Tech, which is owned by the MF Jebsen Group. It has been used for a wide range of products, including being licensed to Kickstarter film module company, I'm Back.

This is a slightly different situation to Kodak, where the post-bankruptcy remains of the original Eastman Kodak company still controls who gets to license and use its brand name.

Camera image: Nikon

Happy Friday, folks. Outside of the significant firmware update for the Nikon Z8 (which has had some drama since being available for download), it's been relatively quiet on the firmware front. That said, there are some minor updates for Nikon, OM System, Fujifilm and Sigma cameras and lenses. Read on to see what's new.

Nikon

First and foremost, a PSA. The firmware update for the Nikon Z8 was officially made available for download at the beginning of July, but with it came some trouble. First, updating to the Z8 Ver 3.00 could result in functionality issues with Tamron lenses. Tamron says it's working on a solution, but there hasn't been an update at the time of writing. You may want to hold off on updating your Z8 if you use Tamron lenses as a result.

Perhaps more significant is that Nikon (and Viltrox) issued a warning not to update your camera's firmware with third-party lenses or mount adapters. This warning was initially only on the Z8 firmware download page, but is now also on other recent firmware pages.

Nikon hasn't specified what could happen if you don't listen to that advice other than saying it "could result in camera malfunction." If you are updating to any of the firmware options below, please make sure to remove any third-party lenses and mount adapters.

With that out of the way, here's what's new for Nikon cameras.

Image: Nikon Nikon Z8 Ver 3.00

Still Photography

• Extended the dimensions of focus areas available with [Wide-area AF (C1)] and [Wide-area AF (C2)] AF-area modes.
• The subject detection function became available during manual focus.
• The subject detection area selection is now available for manual focus.
• Added support for “Flexible Color” Picture Controls.
• Added a [C15] high-speed frame capture + release mode option.The image quality for high-speed frame capture + can now be set separately from other release modes.
• Added [High ISO NR mode] in [PHOTO SHOOTING MENU] that allows to select a noise reduction processing mode.
• Added frequency setting mode to [High-frequency flicker reduction] in [PHOTO SHOOTING MENU] that allows frequency presets to be configured.
• [Options] has been added under [Focus shift shooting] in the [PHOTO SHOOTING MENU] to allow [Pixel shift shooting] to be used together with focus shift shooting.
• [Options] has been added under [Pixel shift shooting] in the [PHOTO SHOOTING MENU] to allow [AE bracketing] to be used together with pixel shift shooting. [Starting storage folder] has also been added.
• [Pixel shift shooting] options can now be set when the self-timer mode is selected.
• Added and changed the following functions to [Auto capture] in [PHOTO SHOOTING MENU].
  • Date and time to start auto capture can now be configured in advance
  • Auto capture is now available with camera’s manual focus settings
  • The appearance and some item names in the settings display have been changed
  • The detection range available for [Advanced: Distance] has been extended
  • Auto capture is now compatible with the new [C15] release mode option
  • A yellow frame is now displayed during auto capture
• The Profoto A10’s continuous LED light can now be used as an AF-assist illuminator. Note: The firmware update is needed for Profoto A10. See Profoto’s corporate website for details.

Video Recording

• Extended the dimensions of focus areas available with [Wide-area AF (C1)] and [Wide-area AF (C2)] AF-area modes.
• The subject detection function became available during manual focus.
• The subject detection area selection is now available for manual focus.
• Added support for “Flexible Color” Picture Controls.
• Added and changed the following functions to [Auto capture] in [VIDEO RECORDING MENU].
  • Date and time to start auto capture can now be configured in advance
  • Auto capture is now available with camera’s manual focus settings
  • The appearance and some item names in the settings display have been changed
  • The detection range available for [Advanced: Distance] has been extended
  • A yellow frame is now displayed during auto capture
• Selecting [ON] for [Hi-Res Zoom] in the [VIDEO RECORDING MENU] now displays a focus point on the detected subject in the shooting display.
• Added a function to include file names used in the camera when recording videos to an external recorder that supports file name transmission via HDMI. The following Atomos external recorders support this function (as of May 2025).
  • Ninja V *
  • Ninja V+ *
  • Ninja (2023 models)
  • Ninja Ultra
  • Shogun (2023 models)
  • Shogun Ultra
  • Shogun Connect *
    * Some recorders may require an ATOMOS OS upgrade or paid activation of the recorder. Contact ATOMOS for details.

Playback

• Added [Date] to [Filtered playback criteria] in playback menu and playback “i” menu.
• Added [Customize retouch options] to [Retouch] in the playback “i” menu.
• Added [Auto-rotate during playback] to the playback menu.
  Controls
• Added a [Maximum aperture Lv] item to the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] in position of a14.
• Added a [Focus limiter setting] item to the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] in position of a16.
• Added a [Minimum] option to Custom Setting c2 [Self-timer] > [Interval between shots] in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].
• Added [Auto capture] to the roles assignable to the “i” menu via [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] > f1 and g1 [Customize <i> menu].
• Added assignable custom controls and roles to the following items in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU]. Also, the options for [Zoom on/off] have changed.
  • f2 [Custom controls (shooting)]
  • g2 [Custom controls]
• Added assignable custom controls and roles (for example, [Jump to the source image] and [Trim]) to [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] > f3 [Custom controls (playback)].

Network

• Added [Wi-Fi connection (STA mode)] which allows you to connect the camera to the smart device via a wireless LAN access point.
• Port numbers can now be specified using [Connect to FTP server] in [NETWORK MENU].
• Added [Upload in HEIF format] to [Connect to FTP server] > [Options] in [NETWORK MENU]. Note: Converted HEIF images are not stored on the memory card.

Other Changes

• Voice memo recording is now available with external microphones.
• The speed at which the camera cycles through focus points using the multi selector or sub-selector no longer slows down when changing direction.
• The tonal characteristics have been changed when [ON] is selected for Custom Setting g14 [View assist] in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].
• The camera now records company and model names in the video metadata recorded with [ProRes 422 HQ 10-bit (MOV)] selected for [Video file type] in the [VIDEO RECORDING MENU].
• Added support for “NX Field*”, a remote shooting system for corporate users.
  • * Visit the “NPS” website for overview and user’s manual of NX Field.
  • Nikon Professional Services (NPS) (English)
  • Note: “NX Field” app for smart devices may not be available in some countries and regions.
• Automatically obtained IP address will be maintained after automatic IP addressing disabled.
• Automatically obtained gateway/DNS server addresses are now displayed in the TCP/IP edit display.
• File names of the image and audio now match if the file name of the image is renamed during transfer.

Image: Nikon Nikon Z50 II Ver 1.02, Nikon Z6 III Ver 1.11 and Nikon Zf Ver 2.02

• Updated some guidance texts displayed on the camera when connecting to the Nikon Imaging Cloud service (the connection procedure itself remains unchanged).

Nikon Z5 II Ver 1.01

• Updated some guidance texts displayed on the camera when connecting to the Nikon Imaging Cloud service (the connection procedure itself remains unchanged).
• Changed the camera name displayed when pairing with SnapBridge.
• Changed the camera name displayed on USB-connected devices when [iPhone] was selected for [USB] in the [NETWORK MENU].
• Renamed d13 [Display on during burst] in [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].

Sigma Image: Sigma Sigma BF Ver 1.01

• The specification has been changed so that file numbers are not reset when “Initialize Internal Storage” is performed.
• An issue that prevented shooting with some third-party L-mount interchangeable lenses has been fixed.
• Other minor bugs have been fixed and operational stability has been improved.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary Ver 1.1 for L-Mount

• The exposure stability has been improved.

Additional Sigma lenses

• Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary Ver 1.3 for L-Mount
• Sigma 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary Ver 1.1 for L-Mount
• Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary Ver 1.3 for L-Mount
• Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary Ver 1.2 for L-Mount
• Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary Ver 1.3 for L-Mount
• Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN | Art Ver 1.5 for L-Mount

Benefit of the updates:

• The operational stability has been improved.

Fujifilm Image: Fujifilm Fujifilm X half Ver 1.01

• “FILM CAMERA MODE” is unintentionally deactivated when the shutter release button is held down fully for about 1 second after “AUTO POWER OFF” is activated with “FILM CAMERA MODE”.
• The thumbnail image of the recorded image may become abnormal in rare cases if the “Frame Advance Lever” is operated so quickly after shooting with the “GRAIN EFFECT” setting ON in “FILM CAMERA MODE”.

OM System Image: OM System OM-1 Mark II Version 1.3 and OM-3 Version 1.1

• Stability of touch panel operation during playback was improved.

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When we reviewed the Panasonic S1RII, we chose to mainly focus on its stills performance, as Panasonic had already announced it was working on a software update to add several additional video modes. That update recently arrived, so we took the S1RII back to our studio scene to evaluate its performance across its wide variety of framerates and resolutions, including the newly added 8.1K open-gate mode.

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Let's start by looking at that mode, which records a 3:2, 8064 x  5376 image using (almost) the entire sensor. Unsurprisingly, it offers a noticeable increase in detail captured compared to the downsampled ~∼6K open-gate capture that Panasonic originally shipped with the camera, and the 6K open-gate modes found in its other models like the S5II/X and S9. Most people shooting in this mode will be doing so because they want flexibility to reframe their shots in post, and the higher resolution offers even more of that; you can crop in even further while still retaining a native 4K resolution.

The camera's UHD 8K and 1.89:1 "8.1K"* capture are derived from this open-gate region, and have the same level of detail, though are less flexible in post thanks to their more delivery-ready aspect ratios. Still, if you plan on outputting in 4K, they'll offer at least some room to move the frame around.

Standard 4K 24p output is on par with the oversampled modes from other high-res cameras like Canon's EOS R5 II and the Nikon Z8, though the S1RII's rolling shutter rate will be considerably higher; see the chart below for its readout speeds. Compared to those cameras' subsampled 4K modes, which are mainly useful for avoiding overheating or accessing higher framerates, the S1RII's footage provides finer detail.

UHD DCI Crop Rolling shutter Crop Rolling shutter 8K, 5.xK*, 4K
30/25/24 1.00 24.9ms 1.00 22.4ms 5.xK*, 4K
50/60 1.11 15.4ms 1.04 15.3ms 4K
100/120 1.17 7.3ms 1.10 7.3ms 4K/30 DRExp* 1.00 31.7ms 1.00 29.8ms *8.1K and 5.9K modes give the same results as DCI 4K, 8.0K and 5.8K matches UHD

The story is much the same at 60p, where the S1RII's 4K footage retains a similar level of detail found in the 24p mode, which is good news for anyone hoping to slow their footage down a mild amount, or who prefer the hyper-real look. It does, however, come with a slight crop, and the lower rolling shutter rates strongly imply that it's derived from a 12-bit readout rather than a 13-bit one.

While 60p isn't available in the open-gate modes, you can shoot it at greater-than-4K resolutions; it's available in the 16:9 5.9K mode and the 1.89:1 5.8K mode, which offer slightly more detail than their 4K counterparts.

120p is only available in 4K resolutions, and the capture has a noticeable loss in detail compared to lower framerates; the S1RII is obviously skipping lines to achieve these readout speeds. (Spoiler: Panasonic makes cameras with faster sensors much better suited to shooting at 120p if that's vital to you; stay tuned.)

Raw video

The S1RII has several options for Raw video recording, including the ability to output 8.1K open-gate Raw to a supported BlackMagic or Atomos recorder via HDMI as of the latest firmware update. It can also record ProRes and ProRes Raw to a CFexpress card using an up-to 5760 x 4030 native-pixel crop (though there are currently no 16:9 options).

Raw video doesn't offer the dramatic benefits that stills shooters may be used to

We'd only recommend a Raw workflow to those working on professional productions that have a compelling reason to use it. While Raw recording can offer more flexibility to adjust parameters like white balance and brightness ('ISO') in post, as we've detailed before, it doesn't offer the dramatic benefits that stills shooters may be used to from comparing Raw and JPEG files.

Shooting Raw also requires substantial post-processing to add back in noise reduction and sharpening. And while ProRes Raw gained support for lens correction data in 2023, Panasonic's implementation currently doesn't support it, unlike Canon or Nikon's cameras. This adds further work if you're shooting with modern lenses designed with geometric distortion correction as part of their optical formulas instead of older or cinema glass (which, realistically, is what most people shooting Raw will be using).

Despite all the modes we've covered, this article is far from comprehensive. The S1RII has an overwhelming number of resolution and framerate combinations; more than any single filmmaker or videographer is ever likely to use, but enough that it's flexible enough that pretty much anyone could use it to accomplish their goals.

It provides exceptional image quality at its higher resolutions, and its standard 4K options are also on par with the best hybrid cameras around, even when bumping up to higher framerates. While it can't match Stacked sensor cameras in every spec, it's also considerably cheaper and provides a suite of video assistance and workflow tools that's unmatched by other companies' hybrid mirrorless cameras.

* The S1RII's sensor doesn't quite have enough pixels to capture the 8192 x 4320 DCI 8K standard

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Photo: Mitchell Clark

This week, Tamron announced the 16-30mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2, a wide-angle zoom lens for Sony E mount and Nikon Z mount. We've gotten the chance to shoot with it in a variety of scenarios, and have put together a sample gallery to give you some idea of how it performs. We've also added a few new photos since we originally published the gallery alongside the announcement of the lens.

See the sample gallery

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

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Images: Viltrox and Tamron

Nikon users looking to update their camera's firmware should first remove any third-party lenses, according to warnings from Viltrox and Nikon. Failing to do so could cause issues with lens functionality. Tamron also warns that its lenses don't work properly with the Z8 Ver 3.00 firmware.

A warning on the newly released Nikon Z8 firmware download page says, "Do not update the camera firmware with lenses other than Z-mount NIKKOR lenses or mount adapters other than FTZ II/FTZ attached." It goes on to say that not following that warning could cause "camera malfunction."

Viltrox also has a statement on its website saying essentially the same thing as Nikon. "We’ve recently become aware of a new notice issued by Nikon, advising users not to update their Nikon camera firmware while a third-party lens is attached, as this may cause potential issues or malfunctions," the statement reads, in part. Viltrox instructs users to reach out via info@viltrox.com if they experience issues after a firmware update.

While the companies don't specify what the potential malfunction is, it appears that the Z8 update could impact communication between the camera and lens, causing issues with autofocus or potentially rendering the lens inoperable.

Tamron has also issued a statement about the new firmware, but it appears to be about issues occurring after the upgrade, not during it. "After updating the Nikon Z8 to firmware version 3.00, some TAMRON lenses may experience limitations in functionality," the company says, adding that its team is "working hard to analyze the cause and find an appropriate solution."

DPReview readers have been sharing what they've encountered since updating their Z8's firmware on our forums. One DPReview reader shared that all of their Tamron lenses stopped working after updating the Z8 firmware. Another said their Tamron 70-300mm only works when the Focus Limiter setting is off after updating the Z8 firmware.

The issue seems to be exclusive to the Z8 firmware and not smaller firmware updates that recently came out for Nikon's other cameras. However, to be safe, it's best to remove any third-party lenses or third-party adapters before updating any Nikon firmware. If you've already updated your Z8 firmware to Ver 3.00 and are having issues, you could try downgrading to Ver 2.10.

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We tried to make vlogging the main focus of our Canon PowerShot V1 review, but we know that its combination of a large sensor and unusually wide lens caught the attention of a lot of photographers.

We also thought about how it stacked up in that regard, and found it's a little closer to RX100 territory than G1 X levels of usability. Unfortunately it's not RX100-like in terms of size.

Of course if you really want a relatively small camera with an ultrawide lens, the V1 is one of your only choices. In which case, it's still worth considering, but we thought we should make clear what the experience is like, before you commit your money to it.

For more detail of our reasoning, check out:

The 'For Photographers' section of our Canon PowerShot V1 review

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We tried to make vlogging the main focus of our Canon PowerShot V1 review, but we know that its combination of a large sensor and unusually wide lens caught the attention of a lot of photographers.

We also thought about how it stacked up in that regard, and found it's a little closer to RX100 territory than G1 X levels of usability. Unfortunately it's not RX100-like in terms of size.

Of course if you really want a relatively small camera with an ultrawide lens, the V1 is one of your only choices. In which case, it's still worth considering, but we thought we should make clear what the experience is like, before you commit your money to it.

For more detail of our reasoning, check out:

The 'For Photographers' section of our Canon PowerShot V1 review

The New York Times article focuses primarily on Kodak Apparel, a licensee of the Kodak name in South Korea

Photo: Kodak Apparel

An article in the New York Times draws attention to the way the Kodak brand is being used, now that the company itself has left the consumer photo market. It gives an interesting insight into the value of legacy photo brand names in a time when online retail is flooded with near-infinite choice and seemingly ephemeral branding.

Eastman Kodak, these days primarily an industrial printing business, licenses the classic Kodak name and branding to 44 different companies. Its name is now used on everything from clothing to eyeglass lenses (via RayBan maker, EssilorLuxottica), solar panels to camera straps, TVs and paint.

In the camera space alone, its name is used by JK Imaging, which makes Kodak-branded PixPro digital cameras (having previously used 'GE' branding). Prinics and C + A Global, which make Kodak-branded instant cameras for different markets, Meta Imaging, which makes 35mm film compacts and Reto Production, which makes the Kodak Ektar-branded half-frame film cameras.

The risks of licensing

And while this may sound like the company is just lending its name to anyone with a checkbook, there's a risk to picking the wrong partners. As it identified in the 'risks' section of its annual report, any harm to its brand or reputation can damage the company's bottom line. As it points out: "Consumers and the public may view the products and activities of brand licensees as the products and activities of Kodak."

The Kodak Thrust UAV Riot sport drone, launched in conjunction with an education company, wasn't even Kodak's most ill-judged licensing exercise of 2018.

Photo: Kodak

This is a far cry from when the company arguably let the name be used too broadly, including a Kodak-branded photography-IP blockchain and associated cryptocoin, and a separate bitcoin mining scheme, that the company rapidly distanced itself from. By contrast, some of the Kodak Apparel looks pretty interesting and in keeping with the brand's heritage.

How licensing contributes

Look at the company's figures and it starts to make sense why Eastman Kodak casts its net so wide. In terms of revenue, Eastman Kodak's 'Brand' division, responsible for licensing, seems small. It generated $20M in 2024, making up just 1.9% of sales for a company with revenues of around $1BN. However, since there are very few costs associated with this income, Brands contributed $17M to the company's earnings, before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization: 65% of the annual earnings associated with its different divisions.

The recently released Kodak PixPro C1, a $99 compact with a Type 1/3 (4.8 x 3.6mm) sensor and a fixed 26mm equiv lens. Licensing the name to companies such as JK Imaging, which makes the PixPro range, generates more income for Eastman Kodak than manufacturing photo film does.

Image: Kodak / JK Imaging

And, although it's not possible to pull out exact figures, it's worth noting that Kodak Alaris, the company that owns the former Eastman Kodak photo film business, tends to make up around 34% of the revenues of the 'Advanced Materials and Chemicals' division, which contributed a similar $17M to EBITDA. In other words, allowing the brand name to be used on all those clothes, USB drives and digital cameras generates somewhere around three times more income for Eastman Kodak than manufacturing photo film does.

Heritage, misfires and zombie brands

To us, Kodak Apparel looks like a thoughtful way to use the brand without undermining its heritage, which isn't always the case. So we're planning to look at a few other grand (and not-so-grand) names from photo history that are still being used today. Let us know if you've seen any especially ill-judged bits of branding, or examples of zombie brand names that are inexplicably still being reanimated.

Camera image: Sony

Sony has increased US pricing for most of its imaging products, seemingly in response to tariffs levied by the country. While the company raised prices for some of its lenses and cameras back in May, it wasn't an across-the-board increase, as some gear, such as the a7R V, was untouched. However, that's no longer the case – very few products are left at the prices they were at the beginning of the year.

To see the changes, we looked at pricing at B&H, Sony's US website and Amazon, and compared those to launch prices and historical pricing at those sites. Of the items we looked at, the increases ranged from 7% to 34%, though the average fell right at 13%. Even gear that was initially unscathed by tariff pricing has now been impacted. The aforementioned Sony a7R V was still at its original MSRP of $3,900 in May, but it is now up to $4,200.

Sigma, Nikon and Canon have all increased prices by around 10%, which is in line with the 10% baseline tariff placed on imports from almost all countries. Sony's 13% isn't well beyond that, so it's possible there are multiple factors at play, or it could entirely be tariff-based. Sony has yet to comment on tariff-related prices publicly, so there's no official word on how various products have been impacted.

Either way, these higher prices raise questions about what happens come July 9, when the 90-day pause on the full tariff rates is set to expire. After that date, tariffs could jump to 24% Japanese goods, 37% on imports from Thailand and 46% on Vietnamese products, depending on how negotiations play out. The pause on full tariffs on goods from China runs through August 12. It appears that a deal with China is in the works, but there's still a chance that prices on Chinese-made goods could rise substantially for US customers. Sony could absorb some of the higher costs, but given how high some of the rates are, it seems possible that prices could rise even further if trade deals aren't worked out soon.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. 84%Overall scoreJump to conclusion

Product images by Mitchell Clark / Richard Butler

The Canon PowerShot V1 is a vlogging compact built around a large sensor and a 16-50mm equivalent zoom lens. Despite its focus on video, which extends to a cooling fan for extended capture periods, its similarity to the PowerShot G1 series of large-sensor enthusiast compacts has caught the attention of photographers.

Key features:

• 22MP Type 1.4 (18.4 x 12.3mm) Dual Pixel AF CMOS sensor
• 16-50mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 zoom lens with 3EV ND filter
• Full-width 4K up to 30p from 5.7K capture
• 4K/60p from a 1.4x crop
• Up to 30 fps stills capture in e-shutter mode
• Cooling fan for extended video recording
• Wired or wireless video streaming
• Multi-function hotshoe for flash or audio accessories
• Fully-articulated rear touchscreen
• Headphone and mic sockets

The Canon PowerShot V1 was originally announced as costing $899 in the US. Elsewhere, pricing was set at €999 and £959, including VAT. However, the US price has subsequently risen to $979.

Index:

• What's new
• Body and handling
• In use: for vlogging
• In use: for photography
• Image quality
• Conclusion
• Sample gallery
• Specifications

Buy now:

$979 at Amazon.comBuy at B&H PhotoBuy at Canon What's new

The V1 is Canon's first high-end vlogging compact, with a multi-module mic on top and a cooling fan to extend its recording duration. But, while its wide-angle lens points at its ambitions to help self-filming social mediaists, its use of a roughly-four-thirds-sized sensor and a zoom lens can't help but evoke the more stills-focused PowerShot G1 X cameras.

The sensor's specs are a match for using a similarly sized chunk of the EOS R7's chip. Both need to crop into the same size of their sensor to deliver 4K/60, but the smaller 'full image' region on the V1 means there different between the full-width and cropped areas are much less dramatic than was the case with the R7.

It's built around a 16-50mm equivalent F2.8-5.6 stabilized lens with a leaf shutter that appears to operate using an electronic first curtain shutter, limiting its maximum flash sync speed to (a still very respectable) 1/400 sec. There's a built-in 3EV ND filter to help you keep to video-friendly shutter speeds in bright light. It can be set to activate automatically in video mode and can be manually engaged when shooting stills.

It has a built-in fan and fully articulating touchscreen but there's no built-in flash or electronic viewfinder, nor the option to fit one.

Body and handling

The degree to which the V1 has prioritized vlogging becomes apparent when you pick it up: the body is surprisingly deep, as a result of the fan-cooled chamber at the back of the camera, and the grip is unexpectedly shallow.

Just as we saw with the EOS R50V, the grip is designed so that it's easy to hold the camera facing towards you, but with less to hold onto if you're behind it. The body feels pleasantly dense and solid, with the grippy rubber coating making it feel secure in the hand. But while it works pretty well from both sides of the lens, it's not as well optimized for conventional hand holding as a dedicated photo camera.

All the camera's control points are quite small, though, with the shutter button, its surrounding zoom lever and the exposure mode dial all looking as if they've shrunk in the wash. The little power button gets partially obscured if you fit the included mic wind screen into place.

One of the principal control points is the free-rotating dial around the lens. Its default function varies, depending on your mode (controlling aperture value in Av mode, for instance). The direction of its operation can be reversed, if you find that easier, when facing the camera.

There's also a small, rather fiddly dial around the four-way controller on the back of the camera. Its function can't be changed directly, but if you assign the front dial to a specific function, such as Exposure Comp or ISO, it takes on the function that the front dial would otherwise do.

The PowerShot V1 has both Mic and Headphone sockets, placed on the right flank, meaning they can't clash with the articulated screen mounted on the other side of the camera.

Below these are an USB-C and Micro HDMI port.

There are two small camera strap points on either side of the body: a protruding lug on one side, a recessed bar on the other. Both are quite small, which will limit your choice of neck or wrist straps to those with very thin cords.

Battery

The V1 uses the relatively small LP-E17 battery, from which it achieves a rating of 340 shots per charge (400 in power saving mode). These numbers shouldn't be taken literally, as it's common to get twice the rated number, depending on your shooting style. But the numbers are broadly comparable between cameras and a rating of around 350 shots per charge will usually allow you to shoot for a good amount of time without having to worry about it.

The V1 can be charged over USB and, with a powerful enough USB PD power source, can record or stream video and charge, simultaneously (you'll need a battery in the camera to do this, though).

Memory cards

We found the V1 could be a little temperamental with SD cards. In principle, its highest video rate is the cropped 4K/60 mode, which uses a 230 Mbps average bit rate. This is just under 30MB/s so should be safely accommodated by a memory card with U3 or V30 speed rating (the fastest class of UHS I cards). In practice, we found we also needed to use the low-level format option in the camera if we wanted it to work reliably. We'd strongly recommend doing this if you notice that the V1 is taking a long time to write video or Raw files to the card.

In use: for vlogging

The PowerShot V1 essentially uses a cropped version of the sensor from the EOS R7. This means it can deliver oversampled 4K video from its full width at up to 30p but has to crop-in to a roughly native 4K region of the sensor to deliver 60p.

Lens IS On / Off Digital IS On Digital IS Enhanced Subj. track IS 4K up to 30p 1.00 1.11x 1.43x 1.43x 4K 50/60 1.43x – – –

It also means its rolling shutter numbers are proportionate to those of the EOS R7: a fraction faster because it's using a smaller region of the sensor, but not dramatically different.

Interestingly, the rolling shutter rate in the standard 4K modes is slower than the mode used for whole-image electronic shutter in stills (23.4ms), we're not sure why this is.

Stabilization Off Digital IS On Enhanced / Subj. track IS 4K up to 30p 26.3ms 23.7ms 18.4ms 4K 50/60 15.9ms – –

All the 4K/24 and 30 modes are taken from the same readout mode: the decreased rolling shutter is accounted for entirely by the degree to which they're cropped. The 60p mode, meanwhile, is actually being read faster.

We generally consider rolling shutter rates below 25ms to be acceptable, those below 20ms to be good and those below 15ms to be good. With the Powershot V1, if you're moving the camera it's well worth applying at least some degree of digital IS to make your footage smoother and reduce the rolling shutter rate a little. There's a noise and detail penalty to be paid as you crop in, but it's probably a worthwhile compromise.

The 4K/60 options disappear from the menu if you have any form of Digital IS engaged, which is worth being conscious of.

In terms of their intended effect, we found both IS modes to be very effective, with the basic digital IS letting you maintain a fairly steady handheld shot and 'Enhanced' doing a good job of handling more significant motion. There's also a subject recognition IS mode that applies a large crop so that it has freedom to move the capture area around to maintain your chosen composition, relative to a recognized subject.

We were also pleasantly surprised by the internal mics. The sound isn't as good as using an external mic but it's better than we've become used to, with these vlogging cameras.

In general, the V1 makes video capture fairly simple but there are a few quirks. 'Close-up Demo' mode, which over-rides face detection AF when you hold something in front of the camera is only available as a 'Scene' mode, so you suddenly lose control over things like mic volume and exposure. The same is true if you want to use the camera's skin-smoothing effect.

While we understand Canon wanting to make these functions easy to access, the fact you can only use them in a very limiting, highly automated manner means you lose any control over audio and white balance. To be truly useful, it should be available as an AF option for experienced users as well as a Scene mode for beginners.

In use, for photography

Although conceptually the V1 looks a lot like a wide-angle successor to the PowerShot G1 X series, its increased focus on vlogging seriously undermines its usability as an enthusiast compact.

The lack of a clicking front dial and the awkwardness of operating the small rear dial means it's not a camera that gives effortless access to, say, aperture and exposure comp. This is the same thing that stopped Sony's RX100 series from shining as enthusiast compacts, and meant instead they worked better as (superlative) point-and-shoots. The V1's added bulk means it doesn't rate so highly in that regard, either.

Add to this the insubstantial hand grip and slightly bulky body and you end up with a camera that, on paper, appears to have the capabilities of a high-quality wide-angle compact for photographers but that never delivers on the experience. The small buttons and awkward dials (of which only the front one can be customized), mean taking direct control is more fiddly than would be ideal.

Also worth noting is that you'll need to assign one of the camera's buttons if you want to position the AF point with anything other than the touchscreen.

The large sensor and ultrawide lens can deliver the goods.

Canon PowerShot V1 @ 16mm | F2.8 | 1/250 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Richard Butler

On the plus side, the V1 has a hot shoe, compatible with newer flashes or with older ones if you buy an adapter. Despite having a leaf shutter, the V1 has the same 1/400 sec flash sync speed limit as the G1 X III with external flashes: still good but not as flexible as being able to sync all the way up to 1/2000 sec.

Even those photographers who can live without a viewfinder or the capacity to add one are likely to find themselves fighting against the V1 to get the most out of it, despite all the promise. For some people, that wide range and large sensor, unmatched by any other compact, will make it worthwhile. But if you've used a previous G-X model, you'll be constantly reminded of what's been taken away.

This isn't the camera's intent, of course, but it's disappointing that a camera that sounds like it should double as a pretty adept photographers' compact isn't more engaging to use as one.

Image quality

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

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As we suspected, the pixel-level noise performance of the V1 is very similar to that of the EOS R7, whose sensor is very similar, but with a consequent disadvantage of around half a stop, when compared at the whole-image level, because of its smaller active sensor area.

This puts the V1 comfortably ahead of Sony's ZV-1 Mark II vlogging compact, but behind its ZV-E10 II mirrorless vlogging camera.

Detail levels in the JPEG are good, but the Raw results suggest it's having to apply a fair amount of sharpening and contrast to get the results it's delivering.

Wide-angle performance:

Our studio scene isn't intended as a lens test chart but we thought it'd be interesting to see how it performs at its widest setting, too.

Canon PowerShot V1 @ 16mm equiv | F5.6 | 1/40 | ISO 100

Click here to download the accompanying Raw file.

As we'd expect of such a small lens delivering an ultrawide field of view in front of a relatively large sensor, its design includes a significant amount of digital correction of geometric distortion.

However, despite producing an alarming-looking projection if you hack away that element of the lens design, the final results (derived from around 80% of the sensor area) are surprisingly good.

It's quite difficult to precisely align such a wide lens with our chart, which can undermine consistency between the four corners, yet despite this potential source of error, all four corners look pretty detailed. The far extremes get distinctly blurry but we were quite impressed by the performance for a retractable zoom that goes this wide.

And, of course, it's less of a concern for vloggers, where those extreme corners won't be used for the 16:9 output footage.

Conclusion Pros Cons

• Very good image quality
• Ultra-wide lens performs well
• Lens still wide even with 4K 50 or 60p crop
• Effective IS options
• Grip comparatively effective, both sides of the camera
• Strong feature set including ND filter, headphone socket, subject tracking stabilization and C-Log3 options
• Built-in mics aren't bad, wind-screen comes in the box
• Fan adds reassurance when recording video for longer periods

• Relatively high rolling shutter figures
• 'Close-up' Demo mode offers very little control
• Grip not optimized for photography
• Fewer photo controls than G1 X cameras
• Clickless control dial not ideal for discrete parameters
• Fan adds bulk to camera
• Small strap lugs limit wrist/neck strap options
• Can be somewhat picky about memory cards
• Smartphone App requires login

The Canon PowerShot V1 is an interesting addition to the vlogging market, with a larger sensor and wider lens than any of the currently available models. And, for now at least, it's also the closest we have to an ultra-wide-angle compact for photography. It's significantly better at one than the other.

As a vlogging camera the V1 is pretty capable, offering a good selection of features with good video quality and a relatively easy-to-use interface. The internal mics are no substitute for a good external mic but they're not terrible and the wind screen helps for outdoor work. More advanced users can attach their own and take advantage of options like C-Log3 capture, without beginners finding themselves too overwhelmed.

This balance isn't always perfectly struck: the 'close-up demos' scene mode works well for beginners but limits control to the point that users worried about matching footage or controlling the volume of an external mic can't really use it reliably.

As a photo camera, the V1 works less well. It can produce excellent images and its uniquely wide-angle lens will make it worth perservering with, for some photographers. But the small and rather limited controls mean it's not as fun or engaging a camera as the company's previous G-series compacts were.

This isn't the camera's main intent, and if you've been waiting for a compact with an ultrawide lens, that may be worth working 'round. But it's worth being aware that you may feel that you're having to coax something out of the camera it wasn't particularly designed to do.

As a vlogging camera its range of capabilities and ability to accommodate a range of users and vlogging styles earns it our silver award. It's a powerful piece of kit for getting your message out to the world.

Scoring

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Canon PowerShot V1Category: Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact CameraBuild qualityErgonomics & handlingFeaturesMetering & focus accuracyImage quality (raw)Image quality (jpeg)Low light / high ISO performanceViewfinder / screen ratingOpticsPerformanceMovie / video modeConnectivityValuePoorExcellentConclusionThe PowerShot V1 is a capable vlogging tool that will support a wide range of vloggers and a wide range of vlogging styles. It's less compelling just for photos, but if you plan primarily to shoot video, it's pretty powerful.Good forVlogging of all typesNot so good forPhoto-only shooters84%Overall scoreRegularScoreCompareWidget({"mainElementId":"scoringWidget","mainProduct":"canon_v1","scoringSchema":{"id":"SLRs","variables":[{"id":"BuildQuality"},{"id":"ErgonomicsAndHandling"},{"id":"Features"},{"id":"MeteringAndFocusAccuracy"},{"id":"QualityRaw"},{"id":"QualityJpeg"},{"id":"LowLightHighISO"},{"id":"ViewfinderScreenRating"},{"id":"Optics"},{"id":"Performance"},{"id":"Movie"},{"id":"Connectivity"},{"id":"Value"}],"categories":[{"id":"EntryLevel","label":"Entry Level Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Entry Level"},{"id":"MidRange","label":"Mid Range Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Mid Level"},{"id":"EntryLevelFullFrame","label":"Entry Level Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Full Frame"},{"id":"MidRangeFullFrame","label":"Mid Range Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Mid Range Full Frame"},{"id":"SemiProfessional","label":"Semi-professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Semi-professional"},{"id":"SemiProfessionalFullFrame","label":"Semi-professional Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Semi-professional Full Frame"},{"id":"Professional","label":" Professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Professional"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEntry","label":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEnthusiast","label":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"VideoCamera","label":"Video Camera","shortLabel":"Video Camera"}]},"helpText":"Choose one or more cameras from the drop-down menu, then roll your mouse over the names to see how their scores compare to the camera on review."}) Compared to its peers

The PowerShot V1's most obvious peers are two of Sony's ZV series of vlogging cameras.

The Sony ZV-1 Mark II is the most direct competitor, with is 18-50mm equivalent lens. That lens has an F1.8-4.0 maximum aperture, which sounds impressive next to the V1's F2.8-5.6 zoom, but if you factor-in sensor size, the difference is much less pronounced. The V1 is likely to perform around a third of a stop less well in low light and in terms of depth-of-field at the wide end, and around two thirds of a stop better at the long end. Its larger sensor should give it the edge in good light.

The Sony is a lot smaller than the Canon, its autofocus that bit more reliable and its 'product showcase' mode is more readily accessible and controlable. Conversely, we found the Canon's stabilization to be more effective than the Sony's, giving smoother output and being less prone to the distracting grab-and-release effect if you intentionally pan. The Canon also has a 4K/60 option, that the Sony lacks, making it our choice overall.

And, despite our reservations about the V1 as a photographers' compact, its larger sensor and wider lens make it a more appealing option, despite its significantly greater size.

The other real rival is Sony's ZV-E10 Mark II, a mirrorless camera built around an APS-C sensor. It's an appreciably larger sensor that's much faster to read out, and it has the same advantages in terms of autofocus. Its interchangeable lens design gives you more flexibility overall but means you end up with a larger camera/lens combination and a larger bill, as soon as you add something like the Sony 10-20mm F4 PZ G power zoom to approximately match the V1's range. Again, the V1 looks like a better-judged package, unless you specifically need an unusual lens, the attractive S-Cinetone mode or will benefit from its less-cropped, higher quality 4K/60 capability.

As a stills camera the V1 also out-points the ZV-E10 II, as Sony has omitted to include a mechanical shutter or physical stabilization: features you need to move up to the a6700 to gain.

Much as we were left cold by the V1 as an enthusiast compact, it is essentially your only option if you're looking for something plausibly pocketable with decent image quality and an ultrawide lens, it's essentially the best option purely as a consequence of being your only option.

Buy now:

$979 at Amazon.comBuy at B&H PhotoBuy at Canon Sample gallery

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

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

Tamron has announced the 16-30mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2, a wide-angle full-frame zoom lens for Sony E mount and Nikon Z mount. It slots into the company's fast zoom lineup alongside its 28-75mm and 70-180mm F2.8 G2 lenses.

Tamron says the lens is a sequel to its 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD from 2019. Compared to that lens, the G2 obviously has a slightly wider zoom range and includes updates to the autofocus system. The older model used a stepper motor, while the new one uses the company's "VXD" linear motors. There's a single customizable function button.

The body is also moisture-resistant and includes a USB-C port that you can use to connect it to Tamron's lens customization software. The lens has a 67mm filter, the same as Tamron's 28-75mm and 70-180mm F2.8 lenses.

Optically, the 16-30mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 has 16 elements in 12 groups and a 9-blade aperture that Tamron says is "almost perfectly circular up to two stops down from" its max setting. At the wide end, it has a minimum focusing distance of 0.19m (7.5"), and at the long end, it can focus on objects as close as 0.3m (11.8"), giving a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:5.4.

The lens will retail for $929; that's $30 more than the previous model, though given the extra range and faster autofocus system, that's hard to complain about. It will be available for E mount on July 31 and for Z mount on August 22nd.

Buy now:

Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo Sample Gallery

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

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Press release:

TAMRON Completes the G2 Trinity, Announces Ultra Wide-Angle 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Zoom Lens for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z mount Full-frame Mirrorless

July 1, 2025, Commack NY – TAMRON Americas announces the launch of the 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A064), an ultra wide-angle lens in two full-frame mirrorless camera mount: the Sony E-mount will be available on July 31 and the Nikon Z mount on August 22. Both mounts will retail for $929 USD.

Expanding upon the success of the highly acclaimed TAMRON 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A046), the 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A064) emerges as an advanced G2 (second-generation) model. While broadening the zoom range, the lens maintains a compact, lightweight design and delivers exceptional image quality. In addition, it features improved autofocus performance and has been updated to the latest lens design, enhancing overall operability. The lens is also compatible with the TAMRON Lens Utility™ that lets you customize practical functions for both photography and videography. Retaining the mobility and versatility of its predecessor, the 16-30mm F2.8 G2 unlocks new creative possibilities.

With the release of the 16-30mm F2.8 G2 ultra wide-angle zoom, the fast G2 trinity, "Daisangen1" is now complete2, alongside the standard zoom 28-75mm F2.8 G2 (Model A063) and 70-180mm F2.8 G2 (Model A065) telephoto zoom. Together, these lenses cover the extremely versatile 16mm to 180mm range, making them ideal for virtually any scene. Experience the perfect blend of performance and functionality, making professional-level photography more accessible than ever.

Product Features

1. Expanded Field-of-View unlocks new possibilities in landscape, astro, and everyday photography
2. Lightweight, compact, and built-for-mobility design makes it perfect for travel and video content creation
3. Exceptional optical performance with high resolution captures the finest details of landscapes and architecture, and renders beautiful bokeh
4. High-speed, high-precision VXD AF quietly captures the action
5. Versatile close-up feature is ideal for tabletop and indoor shots
6. Compatible with TAMRON Lens Utility™ Software
7. Comfortable ergonomic design for ease of use
8. Enhanced Exterior Surface
9. Zoom ring, Focus ring: Improved grip texture and smoother overall operation
10. Unified 67mm filter size
11. Protective features (Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating)

1 The term "Daisangen" originates from the game of mahjong, where it refers to a winning hand made by collecting three sets of dragon tiles. Drawing from this concept, the photography industry uses the term "Daisangen lenses" in Japan to describe a set of three zoom lenses—a wide-angle, a standard, and a telephoto—all featuring a constant F2.8 aperture throughout their zoom range.

2 For Nikon Z mount, available only with 16-30mm F2.8 G2 and 28-75mm F2.8 G2 as of June 2025.

Tamron 16-30mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 specifications: Principal specificationsLens typeZoom lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length16–30 mmImage stabilizationNoLens mountNikon Z, Sony E, Sony FEApertureMaximum apertureF2.8Minimum apertureF16Aperture ringNoNumber of diaphragm blades9OpticsElements16Groups12FocusMinimum focus0.19 m (7.48″)Maximum magnification0.19×AutofocusYesMotor typeLinear MotorFocus methodInternalDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight440 g (0.97 lb)Diameter75 mm (2.95″)Length102 mm (4.02″)SealingYesZoom methodRotary (internal)Power zoomNoZoom lockNoFilter thread67 mmHood suppliedYesTripod collarNo