Now that Canon has released the R1 and Sony has updated its a1 II platform, the Nikon Z9 has stiff competition. The title of "flagship camera" represents the pinnacle of each company's technological abilities and becomes the outward face of that company for all to judge. Should a flagship camera be able to handle anything that is thrown at it? And is there such a thing as a "best" right now?
I wanted to love this camera so desperately. When I first looked at the X-M5, I was won over by its handsome design and compact nature. And the world needs more stylish little cameras like this, which are within the reach of most people’s budgets. However, we might lose too much to make this lower $799 price possible. Most of the technical specs and features were covered in a previous video and subsequent article, but I want to focus on the make-or-break features today.
I’m an outlier in the photo world, especially regarding glass. I dislike the 35mm focal length, and as much as I love a good 24mm lens, a 28mm lens is even better. Maybe this is why I immediately gravitated to the quirky Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 zoom when it first came out. Despite its massive form factor, this bulbous gem of a lens quickly became a favorite of mine.
The original Sony a1 is one of the most capable, advanced, and expensive flagship cameras ever. When it first came out, it wowed potential buyers with a fast-scanning 50-megapixel sensor without major rolling shutter issues while offering fast burst rates. It has been almost four years since then, and now we have a version II from Sony in our hands. Does the apple fall far enough from the tree to make it worth the $6,500 cost?
My first experience with the Canon EOS R1 was in the sweltering heat of Phoenix, Arizona with a pre-production unit. There is of course, only so much that you can test with a pre-production unit under predefined conditions.
Tamron has been in the lens-making business for decades and was initially known for making affordable optics if not always professional-grade optics. Many enthusiasts flocked to Tamron super-zooms for the inherent convenience and low cost that they represented. However, there is a focal length that gained legendary status amongst amateurs and professionals alike and the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro found its way into even the most discerning camera bags.
Nikon's Z50 II is a long time coming. Although the Nikon Z50 II is -- by Nikon's own admission -- aimed at beginner photographers moving up from smartphones, the first thing you notice is just how capable this basic camera design is for serious photography.
Fujifilm has one of the most expansive stable of lenses you could desire for its illustrious X-mount cameras and it just got two more. This time, it chose to expand its lineup on opposite sides of the focal length spectrum.
Fujifilm's new entry-level X-M5 is very affordable and that is a good thing because mirrorless cameras are expensive. At a cursory glance, it feels like every smartphone and mirrorless camera nowadays is further and further beyond the reach of most people who are nonetheless enthusiastic about the art form.
Pentax's popular Pentax 17 showed the market that there is demand for a new-production analog film camera. It wasn't clear if this risky venture would float, but the Pentax 17 has found a loyal following and now we have another player ready to make waves: Mint's Rollei 35AF.
When I first tested the Panasonic Lumix S9, it took a while to truly understand the intention behind it. Although compact and adorable, the it lacked an EVF and had a very basic control structure. Clearly, the S9 was intended for beginner photographers or creators who desired a simple and approachable camera.
In the past, we did a versus battle between the Sony a7R V and the Nikon Z8 but recently Canon updated its R5 II and we thought it to be the right time for a three-way fight.
There is a recurring theme that sneaks its way into the comments section of the YouTube channel. We’ve heard this same statement on The PetaPixel Podcast many times as well and it goes a little something like this: "Why do I have to pay for the video features on a camera when I just take photos?"
Photographers love fixed-focal-length cameras since a single lens forces you to think carefully about the composition and move within the scene to capture the shot. There is a simplicity and a meditative experience to be had, wandering the streets with a compact camera on your shoulder. Make no mistake though, the Leica Q3 43 is a pricey piece of bling at $6,895.
When the Nikon Zf was announced, it felt like an early look at what the Z6 III would eventually be. But a little less than a year later and the Z6 III came with some important differences compared to the retro-inspired Zf. So, which one should you buy?
After Apple concluded its keynote featuring the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, I dove into my review of this new smartphone as a photographic and videographic tool in the sunshine of California. Jordan Drake shot our entire video review on the iPhone 16 Pro and I scoured the area around Monterey and Santa Cruz to take pictures with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Most photographers probably don't think Hasselblad makes zoom lenses. In a sea of primes, the company makes the general-purpose 35-75mm lens and even the older H-mount system only has a couple. But Hasselblad has finally branched out into the wide-angle realm with a new 20-35mm f/3.2-4.5 zoom lens. It is very good -- and it better be with this asking price.
Nikon makes some incredible prime lenses, from the illustrious 58mm f/.95 Noct to the 50mm f/1.2 S -- the latter of which is the more practical, yet is very expensive even though it is very good. Nikon also makes a full spread of f/1.8 and f/2 prime lenses across a wide range of focal lengths. What Nikon have curiously ignored are any f/1.4 primes, at least until recently.
The PetaPixel team flew down to Cupertino to witness the 2024 Apple Keynote event and get our first glimpse at the new iPhone 16 Pro. With all the recent push lately to add AI features to the photography aspects of the phone it's nice to see Apple working on updated camera hardware instead.
Versatility is always desirable when it comes to optics. Having a lens that can cover a wide range of focal lengths while collecting a decent amount of light is a supremely useful tool, but it is a challenging game for lens designers to play.
Light Lens Lab recreates classic optics with a passion for sharing the experience of vintage glass with the masses. There is a previous review of the 50mm f/1.2 "1966" on PetaPixel I encourage you to read, but I wanted to speak about my own experience using it.
Fujifilm Instax instant film brings in a huge amount of income to its imaging division and is a cornerstone of Fujifilm's dominance in the analog arena. With that much popularity, it's odd that we've had to wait so long for a new entry in the Wide series.
Every manufacturer should have a good, fast 85mm lens, and the fact is, Sony already makes one. Sony has been on a real kick lately to update some of its earlier -- and questionable -- lenses that were released near the beginning of the E-mount system. I liked the original G-Master 85mm f/1.4 but it had some flaws and is showing its age.
When Canon released its latest flagship camera, the EOS R1, it was fair to say that it was overshadowed by the humble R5 Mark II. Like a thief in the night, the mantle for the most exciting Canon camera of 2024 was stolen by the R5 Mark II, and for very good reason. I got my hands on a full-production model and decided that a road trip was in order.
As I write this, there is a Pixel 9 Pro XL in my hand with a beautiful, newly designed camera bump -- but what's inside is largely the same as what we've seen before. Sure, Google says they're more durable, have a longer battery life, and feature a redesigned imaging pipeline from the sensor to the photo, but what is the real improvement from last year's model? Well, some would say that the improvement isn't real at all, because the Pixel 9 is all about the powerful new generative AI tools added to the Magic Editor.
For many decades, Tamron has been known for making affordable and convenient super-zoom lenses. Well, they are back to true form with a new 28-300mm ultra-versatile lens for Sony E-mount and I got to try it out at the Calgary Folk Festival to see how it handles.
Nikon is on a roll and the Z6 III is the latest feather in its cap. The Z6 III promises to be the versatile and affordable workhorse in the Nikon lineup but it could lack refinement upon closer inspection. We tested the Z6 III as a final production unit and the findings were enlightening. The Z6 III might have a few cracks in its otherwise sterling armor.
With the worldwide craze for analog photography in full swing, we have seen another blast from the past rise again. Everybody wants compact digital point-and-shoot cameras again, to the point where some models are going for prices similar to when they were released.
It has been a long time coming, but the EOS R1 is finally here. For years, the Canon R1 has been teased and hinted at before getting an official announcement two months ago. Now, finally, we at PetaPixel got our hands on an early test with the R1 body. That said, I cannot stress enough that it was a very early look.
The Canon EOS R1 has been hogging all the attention with announcement dates, sneak peeks, and speculation. It had been a long time since we saw a new flagship camera from Canon and now we had one in our hands. But with all the fanfare going on about a new "1" series camera, another Canon release quietly slipped under the radar -- until now.