Feed aggregator

OM System's CEO has announced that the company is working on a new camera and lenses. In a post titled "New Year Greeting and Prospects for 2025" that went up on Monday morning, Shigemi Sugimoto wrote: "Shortly, we plan to add a new camera to our lineup and bright, compact single-focal-length lenses with splash & dust-proof performance."

The post says the upcoming gear will be built to "meet the challenges of harsh outdoor environments," in keeping with the company's focus on outdoor landscape photography. However, Sugimoto also says it'll be useful for "authentic photos of life every day" as well. There aren't any further details about the upcoming camera and lenses, though Sugimoto reiterates the company's focus on computational photography features and says that it will "provide more options for compact, lightweight, splash & dust-proof products to expand photographic horizons."

Sugimoto also provided an update on the telephoto zoom lens that's been on the company's roadmap for a while.

Image: OM System

The post also says the company is continuing to work on the "long-awaited mid-range telephoto zoom lens" that's been on its lens roadmap for a while now. The roadmap seems to indicate that it'll be something like a 40-150mm, though, again, the company hasn't released any concrete details. Sugimoto's post implies that the company is working to bring it to the market by "the end of this year."

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.Product of the Year 2024: the results

The final round of voting has closed, and it's time to reveal the winner of our annual Reader's Choice Awards! Beginning in December, DPReview readers picked their favorite cameras, zoom lenses and prime lenses released in 2024. The winners of the first round of voting were then pitted against each other for the title of Product of the Year. Take a look and see which products came out on top.

Third Place: Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM

The Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM was the People's Choice award winner for Best Zoom lens of 2024, so we weren't surprised to see it land one of the top three positions in the Product of the Year competition, pulling in 16.1% of the vote, and making it the highest ranking lens in this year's People's Choice awards.

While it doesn't go as wide as the popular 24-70mm zoom range, the FE 28-70mm proves it's possible to maintain a relatively compact size while sporting a fast, F2 aperture, all with an internal focusing design. Its four linear motors even allow the FE 28-70mm F2 to focus when shooting at 120fps on Sony's fastest camera. Sony has managed to hit a good formula with this lens, and photographers are clearly impressed with the result.

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama$2898 at B&H Photo Runner-up: Canon EOS R5 Mark II

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II grabbed the runner-up position for the People's Choice Camera of the Year, and it looks like it also took the runner-up position in our Product of the Year voting, earning 27.8%, or almost one-third of the votes.

It's easy to see why it did so well. Its stacked sensor results in performance improvements for both stills and video, while Eye Control AF, Action Priority AF, and improved subject recognition AF are standout features that we hope to see percolate down to other Canon models. The R5 II also shows clear signs of Canon's efforts to unify its mirrorless cameras with its Cinema EOS line, including codecs, gamma profiles, HDR video technology, and video tools. It's hard to imagine many things this camera can't do, which we suspect is why it did so well in this year's voting.

Buy now:

$4299 at Amazon.com$4299 at Adorama$4299 at B&H Photo Winner: Nikon Z6III

The winner of our 2024 Reader's Choice Product of the Year award goes to the Nikon Z6III, giving Nikon the win for the second year in a row. With six products in the final round of voting, the Z6III managed to hoover up 44.8%, or almost half of the entire vote. That's a strong show of support and a clear indication that Nikon is doing something right.

In this third generation of the Z6 series, Nikon kicks things up a level. It features what Nikon calls a "Partially Stacked" sensor to deliver some of the benefits of a Stacked CMOS sensor but at a lower cost, providing improved performance and autofocus while retaining the Z6's reputation for excellent ergonomics. It also features significant video upgrades with higher quality output and a helpful video tool set, reinforcing Nikon's intent to be a player in the video market.

This year, the Nikon Z6III made a clean sweep across all our award categories. A few weeks ago, in our 2024 Annual Awards, it walked away with two trophies: Best Enthusiast Camera and our 2024 Product of the Year. In our Reader's Choice voting, it won Best Camera of 2024 and, with this final vote, also takes the title for Reader's Choice Product of the Year. That's one hell of a showing. Nice work, Nikon!

Buy now:

$2496 at Amazon.com$2497 at Adorama$2497 at B&H Photo

Introduction

Today, we're continuing to go down the list of manufacturers to talk about what we actually expect them to make in 2025, and what we'd like to see them make – sometimes with little to no regard for the probability of our wishes being fulfilled. If you missed the first part of this series, be sure to check it out here. With no further ado, let's start with...

Sony: What we expect

There's probably room for a step-down a1 II, with a high-resolution sensor and high-end video capabilities.

Photo: Mitchell Clark

Sony's camera lineup is currently in a decent place, especially considering that some of the cameras in it are a few years old at this point. However, comparing it to Canon and Nikon's, there is one glaring hole: a do-it-all high-resolution, high-performance camera at a price that's attainable outside of the realm of high-end professional photography.

Sony's a7R V has the resolution, and the a7s III is great at video, but only the a1 II marries the two – and that camera costs $6,500 and is aimed at professionals. If Sony can lop off some of the professional workflow features and bring the price tag down, it'd have a camera that could truly compete with the Canon EOS R5 II or Nikon Z8, which have similar technical capabilities to the a1 II but cost thousands of dollars less since they're aimed at a more price-sensitive market.

The a6100 could use an update

On the other end of the lineup, Sony's also probably due to refresh its entry-level APS-C camera. The a6100 was launched in 2019; since then, Sony has made big improvements to its menu and autofocus systems, and it'd be great to see them available in a camera that costs less than the excellent a6700.

We also wouldn't be surprised to see an update to its entry-level full-frame body either, though it's hard to predict what that would look like. The current-gen a7 IV has a 33MP sensor, which is higher-resolution than the ones found on competitors like the Nikon Z6III and Canon EOS R6 II. However, that comes at the cost of relatively high rolling shutter in standard 4K modes.

If Sony wants to fix that, it could potentially use a lower-resolution sensor, though that could be a tough sell. Another option would be bringing the 'partial stacking' technology that we saw with the Z6III's 24MP sensor to the a7 IV's current sensor, though that also comes with a trade-off to dynamic range. Whatever it ends up doing, we wouldn't be surprised to see an a7 V this year.

Sony: What we'd like to see Will we get an RX1R III? Probably not. But imagine how nice it'd be.

Compact cameras have had a resurgence in popularity recently, but manufacturers haven't really responded to the trend. Despite having not released a new compact in years, Sony still has the most options available for potential buyers, but that doesn't mean it should rest on its laurels. We'd love to see a new entry in the RX100 lineup, either a cheaper model using a non-stacked sensor or an enthusiast model with all of Sony's latest tech and the fast 24-70mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens from the RX100V.

Speaking of compacts, we'd also like to see a new RX1. While you can technically still buy the RX1R II, a new model could include a more modern full-frame sensor – perhaps the one from the a7CR – and Sony's latest AI-derived autofocus tech. And while we're wishing on stars, it'd be great if its battery life could be measured in hours instead of minutes. While it almost certainly won't happen, Leica's Q-series has shown that there's at least some consumer appetite for a full-frame fixed lens camera; the Q2 and Q3 were both popular enough to get a secondary model.

Finally, we have one lens wish: a 50-150mm F2.8 lens that would be the APS-C equivalent of the venerable full-frame 70-200mm, but smaller, lighter and cheaper. Realistically, we'd want this available on every APS-C system, but we feel like Sony is the only major camera maker that may actually do it*, given its overall commitment to making weirder lenses.

* Apart from Fujifilm, of course. This lens already exists for X-mount.

Panasonic: What we expect Panasonic's high-resolution full-frame camera is getting a little long in the tooth; it doesn't have phase-detect autofocus.

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Panasonic has been busy over the past two years, updating large swathes of its lineup. The S1 series, however, has remained untouched. While the S5II handily slots into the S1's role as the all-rounder full-frame camera, it lacks the more substantial heft that Panasonic said high-end users prefer, but we're not sure that's enough to continue the line.

It definitely feels like there's still room for an upgrade to the video-focused S1H. That would essentially be a full-frame GH7, something with tons of video features that can output 4K video with minimal rolling shutter while including the phase-detect autofocus the current S1H lacks. A new sensor would really be key: the widely-used 24MP sensor not being especially quick to read out.

Updated autofocus would also be welcome in a new high-resolution camera to replace the S1R and compete with cameras like the Sony a7RV and perhaps even the rapid Nikon Z8 and Canon EOS R5 II.

Speaking of autofocus, though, that's probably the area we'd most like to see some improvement from Panasonic in. While its subject detection tracking has a wide variety of modes, it's substantially less sticky than the best systems available, and the company's recently developed phase detection system can still struggle to determine where to drive the lens when a subject is moving at variable speeds.

Panasonic: What we'd like to see An LX100 with a fixed lens could make for a mighty fine camera.

This may be a long shot, but we'd like to see Panasonic return to producing an enthusiast compact or two. Like Sony, it still sells a few point-and-shoots, and it updated one (a tiny bit) recently, but it doesn't have any recent models that feel like the true enthusiast compact we're so desperately hoping for.

If we could pick anything, we think something in the LX100 series with a fixed lens instead of a zoom could do well, especially given the recent popularity of Fujifilm's X100 series. Or with a more responsive (maybe manually operated?) zoom, for that matter.

Fujifilm: What we expect We'd like to see the XF 50-140mm F2.8 get the same treatment as the 16-55mm F2.8.

Image: Fujifilm

An X-E5 seems like a safe bet at this point, given the company's senior management have all-but confirmed it. And whereas we'd like to see a real enthusiast photographer's ILC with twin command dials, exposure comp and maybe even a four-way controller, we suspect it'll actually be a stripped-down camera like the X-E4, trying to be as small as possible. Though sitting above the X-M5, we can still hope for a little more (eg the stabilization mechanism from the X100VI, ideally).

There's a lot of talk about a fixed-lens GFX camera, which doesn't seem impossible, given the popularity of the X100 series. The question is what lens it should come with. A 45mm lens would give a similar 35mm-equivalent field of view, letting them re-use the complex hybrid OVF/EVF from the X100s. But perhaps a 36mm lens (giving a 28mm equiv FoV) might make more sense for an camera that will inevitably be slower to focus. Though if Fujifilm wants to lean on the legacy of the GZ690 and GS645 film cameras, a 48mm lens, giving a 38mm-equiv image would be more consistent.

Having seen a refresh of the 16-55mm F2.8, we think a refreshed 50-140mm F2.8 with faster focus and, ideally a smaller, lighter body is possible. The original 18mm F2 would definitely benefit from a refresh, too.

Fujifilm: What we'd like to see Used X-Pro3s currently sell for almost as much as the camera did new, so there's clearly demand.

Obviously the thing we'd most like to see is continued work on continuous AF algorithms. The past few years have seen such dramatic improvement from Canon and Nikon that Fujifilm's cameras are looking awkwardly off-the-pace for shooting dynamic situations. We're not sure what more can be wrung out of the current hardware (with both processing power and AF motor speed potentially holding things back), but further improvement would certainly be on our wish list.

We also wouldn't rule-out the beginning of the next generation of X-series camera. In an ideal world that would include an X-Pro4, hinting at what the next generation will be capable of, but given the GFX models have only just been updated and we're still waiting for an X-E5 to round-out the last generation, maybe we're jumping the gun a little. If it does come, we hope it'll regain a switchable wide/tele optical viewfinder, rather than using the X100's.

At the more realistic end of our wishlist would be a refresh of the F2 primes, particularly the 23mm F2, which could be a bit soft on 24MP and really doesn't make the most of the newer 40MP sensors.

On the topic of 23mm lenses, the final point on our wishlist would be for X100VIs, so that people can actually find them.

Leica: What we expect The M11 could be due for a refresh.

Leica is a company that thrives in such unexpected niches that it's difficult to predict what it might do next. It's been three years since the main M camera was refreshed, so we're approaching a sensible timescale to start thinking about a replacement for the M11. That said, most of the developments in sensors we've seen have been in terms of speed, which isn't especially valuable in a camera with no autofocus or video capabilities.

We wouldn't rule out some more video-focused products, given how much effort had clearly gone into the ability to swipe between stills and video interfaces on the SL3. Beyond that, it's hard to guess what a company that's introduced both a film camera and an enthusiast compact in the past couple of years might do next.

Except special editions. We definitely expect to see some of those. But, having previously established tie-ups with brands as Paul Smith and Zagato, it's almost impossible to guess what they'll be. How about a Leica x Morgan special edition?

Leica: What we'd like to see There may be more room in the Q3 series.

Photo: Richard Butler

We wouldn't say no to a Q3 85, as a specialist portrait camera, given how much we've enjoyed the 28 and 43mm versions. Perhaps it would have to be a 75mm or 90mm lens just to coincide with traditional M-mount focal lengths, but given the 43mm was a departure from that scheme, maybe that's not essential. An expensive, portrait-only camera might be too niche even for Leica, but perhaps enough users would want to complete the set, to make it worthwhile.

Beyond that, who can say? Other than that it'll be priced to ensure exclusivity.

Sigma: What we expect We need a version of the APO 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM for mirrorless APS-C cameras.

Image: Sigma

There's been so much chatter about a 50-150mm F2.8 APS-C zoom that we'd be disappointed if one didn't now appear. The original model was a terrific lens: roughly 2/3 the size, price and weight of a 70-200 F2.8, making it a much more accessible and usable lens. We're not sure the sales lived up to the promise, and the stabilized second-gen lens gave up many of the promised benefits.

Beyond this, it's hard to say. Both the Art range and i-series of primes in the Contemporary range are looking pretty complete, so there aren't any obvious gaps in the lens ranges. The company has talked about a sports and wildlife telephoto lens that has never been seen before, so it'll be interesting to see what that entails.

The big question mark is around cameras. Is it time to update or expand on the fp concept? Or could the creators of the original large-sensor prime lens compact do something special by going back to the roots of the DP series? We just don't know, but just can't bring ourselves to count Sigma out, when it comes to something interesting.

Sigma: What we'd like to see We've gotten APS-H Foveon, so full-frame Foveon seems within reach.

Photo: Richard Butler

Oh, so many things. Sigma's willingness to do things a little differently, but accessibly makes it easy to project lots of hopes and dreams onto the company.

Trying to keep within the bounds of the possible, we'd love to see a refresh of the DC DN range, even if it just meant re-bodying the existing optics in i-series style metal casings with functioning aperture rings. It'd primarily be Fujifilm and Nikon Zfc owners who's benefit, but we still think it'd be worthwhile. Having previously suggested the idea to owner and CEO Kazuto Yamaki, we don't have very high hopes of this.

And, while there's plenty of skepticism around the idea, is there still an appetite for the long-promised full-frame Foveon camera? Given that a great many modern cameras do perfectly well with 24MP Bayer, how would a full-frame Foveon camera with the 25.5MP resolution but without the blurring effect of demosaicing fair? This assumes the nominal resolution of the SD quattro H, but with the larger sensor allowing large pixels and the same sampling resolution in all three layers. Would the larger pixels and marketing that pitched it as a 'Velvia 50' camera (only for use in good light but with excellent detail) help address the things that worked against Foveon in the past?

The role of AI

The EOS R5 II has several "AI"-powered features, but we think there's still room to go further without overriding the creative photographic process.

Photo: Richard Butler

We've generally restricted our predictions and hopes to hardware, rather than new features as it's hard to predict what more could be added until it appears.

We've already seen most manufacturers begin to offer 10-bit internal video and we'll assume that resolutions and frame rates will rise as sensor readout rates allow. A few other brands might try to adopt Raw internal video, but it doesn't seem like an essential feature for most users of most cameras, frankly.

AI – specifically algorithms developed by machine learning – has been a buzzword both within and beyond the camera industry for a while now, and we'd expect to continue to see novel ways in which it can be applied.

Most camera companies have recognized that, unlike in smartphones, most photographers don't want features that mess with the image being captured. After all, what's the point in taking control over the image-making process if your camera then starts adding details of its own? But it's hard to predict which other challenges, beyond subject or situational recognition, AI could be brought to bear on.

Some kind of AI-enhanced user guide could perhaps be added to manufacturers' smartphone apps, providing an interactive, natural language guide to how the camera works or how specific features can be used. Or maybe an 'intelligent' tone mode trained to brighten the shadows on JPEGs when you're exposing to protect the highlights?

As always at the turn of a new year, there's a possibility that something exciting is on the horizon, or that we'll have to wade through more of the same, or maybe something worse than before. However it unfolds, it'll be an interesting journey.

Image: TTArtisan

TTArtisan has announced the AF 35mm F1.8 Ⅱ, a second-generation version of its normal focal length lens for APS-C cameras. In addition to being smaller and lighter than its predecessor with a shorter minimum focusing distance, it's also now available for Nikon Z mount as well as Sony E mount and Fujifilm X mount.

The lens is 49mm (1.9") long, 16mm shorter than its predecessor, though its diameter is the same at 65mm. At 176g, it's also a touch lighter than the first-gen, which was 199g. It accepts 52mm filters.

The Nikon version appears to have an extra design flourish that the others don't, according to TTArtisan's product photography. Near the lens mount, there's a notched ring that looks a lot like an aperture control ring, though there aren't any aperture markings. The company's website doesn't mention whether the ring has any functional purpose.

The Z-mount version looks a little different than the E and X-mount ones.

Image: TTArtisan

The lens' optical formula comprises 10 elements in seven groups, with two high index elements and two extra low dispersion elements. It has a minimum focusing distance of 40cm (~16"), down from 60cm (~24") on the first-gen model.

The lens is a budget model despite having an all-metal housing. It costs $125 and is available now.

Buy Now:

X-mount E-mount Z-mount

Introduction

It's that time of the year when the prospect of having to write a different number at the end of dates prompts thoughts about what the next twelve months will hold.

We've put together a list of what we think we might see from each brand and what we don't honestly expect but would like to see.

We should be clear that these aren't rumors; they're primarily composed of guesswork and hopeful enthusiasm. The office crystal ball isn't working at the moment. Nothing is based on manufacturer briefings or informed by what rumor sites think is coming.

Canon: What we expect Expect to see more 'hybrid '-branded lenses, like the recently released 24mm F1.4.

Image: Canon

One of Canon's best releases in 2024 was its Action Priority AF mode, which aims to make its autofocus even more reliable when you're shooting certain types of sports. The feature was introduced with the EOS R1, but rather than keeping it exclusive to its flagship sports camera, Canon simultaneously included it on the EOS R5 II as well. We expect that trend will continue and that it'll make an appearance on most of the new cameras the company releases this year.

Speaking of trends continuing, we'll also likely see more 'hybrid' lenses from Canon with video-focused features like similar sizes, internal focusing and manual aperture rings. In 2024 it released a family of F1.4 'hybrid' lenses in 24, 35, and 50mm focal lengths. Panasonic's similar line of lenses includes 85mm and 100mm options, so we wouldn't be surprised to see something like that from Canon.

We also wouldn't be surprised to see the company release a tilt-shift lens for its RF cameras, as this is a niche Canon has long dominated. Some patents floating around imply autofocus versions are in the works, and if any company is going to be the first to crack that nut, Canon seems like a good bet. Such an advance could help make the move from the EF versions compelling.

Canon: What we'd like to see A follow-up to the EOS R7 with Action Priority AF would be quite an exciting camera – especially now that there are lenses available for it.

Photo: Dale Baskin

Like Nikon, we'd love it if Canon were less restrictive when it came to licensing its RF mount to third-party manufacturers. While it made significant progress on that front in 2024 – Sigma, Tamron and Samyang collectively released eight RF APS-C lenses last year – there are still no fully-featured full-frame RF lenses from the likes of Sigma and Tamron.

Speaking of APS-C, we think there's room for an EOS R7 II. We're certainly not desperate for it, but it'd be cool to get the Action Priority AF modes from the EOS R1 and EOS R5 II, and maybe even a slight bump to the e-shutter shooting speeds to further differentiate it from the EOS R8 – though it's mechanical shutter speeds already do that for anyone paying close attention.

We also wouldn't mind Canon borrowing a clever trick that Sony introduced with the a1 II: the ability to narrow down what subjects its 'Auto' subject detection mode is looking for to increase performance. If you're only taking pictures of people and animals, your camera doesn't need to burn cycles trying to find vehicles to focus on.

Finally, we'd love to see the company's lower-end prime lenses get updated to use the faster nano ultrasonic motors rather than the older stepping motors currently found in lenses like the RF 85mm F2 and 35mm F1.8. We feel it'd make the lenses nicer to use overall, even if it came at the cost of their macro abilities.

Ricoh: What we expect Is it time for a GR IV?

Photo: DPReview.com

2024 was a relatively quiet year for Ricoh, with some special editions of the GR, an update of its industry-toughened G series models and a refresh of the Pentax WG line. We're hoping this means there are more significant updates in the pipeline, rather than there being a reduction in commitment to the business (cameras are part of a division that contributes around 1.5% of Ricoh's sales by value).

We think an updated GR is the most likely product we'll see in 2025. Moving to using the 40MP BSI sensor from Sony Semiconductor would represent a significant step forward, and the adoption of either image stabilization or full weather sealing might be enough to convince existing users to upgrade. If there's room for a larger battery without bulking up the camera too much, we'd love to see that, too.

Ricoh: What we'd like to see

The most obvious thing we'd like to see is a K-1 III, partly to provide signs of a commitment to Pentax users but also because we'd love to see the DSLR continue as a class of camera. It's hard to know what areas Ricoh could have worked on since 2018, but we would promise both the company and you, the readers, to conduct a full review if it were to appear.

Another possibility, given the amount of R&D the company had to put in to create the Pentax 17, would be another film camera. We think it's very unlikely that we'd see, say, a modern take on the Pentax K1000, but maybe enough 17 and K-3 III components could be combined to do so.

Sadly, we think it's unlikely that we'll see an updated 645Z after all this time.

Nikon: What we expect The Z5 is starting to look a little out-of-date, especially when compared with Canon's EOS R8. Could it be time for a refresh?

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Having updated much of its range in the past two years, there are still a few models that seem due for replacement.

The Z fc is the most likely candidate, with the improvements from the Z50II making their way across to the smaller, prettier model. We'd be surprised not to see a ZfcII with improved AF and fewer randomly-placed spaces in its name, in 2025.

Likewise, the Z5 is looking distinctly long in the tooth. An updated version with the newer sensor from the Z6 II and the latest AF capabilities would have plenty of separation from the much faster Z6III. This might risk treading on the Zf's toes, but it would put up a better fight against Canon's very capable EOS R8.

There may well be a few more firmware updates to the Z9, perhaps including the provision of C2PA Content Credentials, as the company looks to continue to support it in the face of fresher rivals.

Nikon: What we'd like to see There was such a long wait between the D300S and D500, and it's hard to imagine Nikon wanting to invest in enthusiast-grade APS-C lenses, so we don't hold out much hope of a mirrorless D500 successor.

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

The thing we'd most like to see is Nikon relaxing its approach to licensing the Z mount to third-party lens makers. We're not holding our breath, but letting more companies introduce lenses and giving the existing licensees more freedom in terms of which lenses they can produce would only make the system more attractive.

We'd also like to see a more advanced APS-C model to sit above the Z50II. We know IBIS can fit into a relatively small Z-mount body and we know that Nikon's latest AF could underpin a spiritual successor to the D500. We've seen no real signs of any commitment to APS-C as anything other than an entry-point to the Z-mount from Nikon, so this is probably wishful thinking.

Finally, there's the question of whether there's room in Nikon's lineup for a Z7 II successor. Sony's a7R V suggests that a slow, high-res body with top-notch focus could stand on its own merits, but it's hard to see how you'd position it without it eating into either Z6III or Z8 sales.

Nikon x Red: What we expect: Red's products target a very different market from those of Nikon. But are there technologies and ideas that could make their way across?

Image: Red

It's probably too soon to expect to see any products wholly designed with input or expertise from Nikon's buyout of cinema camera maker Red. Cameras tend to take several years to develop, so it's unlikely that we'll see a fully-fledged product in 2025, but we think there's every chance we'll see the first fruits of the tie-up.

With Nikon announcing the development of a cine-focused zoom it's not impossible that we'll see a Red body with the Z-mount on the front. It may even have a Nikon badge on the front, depending on their marketing strategy, but we doubt it'll be a fully integrated Nikon/Red camera just yet.

Less likely but still distinctly possible would be a new N-Log2 encoding based on input from Red. Current N-Log footage seems less flexible than other brands' implementations, so this seems like a logical next-step, following the provision of Red-developed LUTs for N-Log footage.

Another possibility would be the ability to set exposure time in terms of shutter angle rather than shutter speed making it to more cameras in Nikon's lineup. This is especially useful when shooting video of different frame rates, and the company recently added it to the Z9, but it'd be great to see it in smaller bodies, such as the Z8 and Z6III.

Nikon x Red: What we'd like to see: Red's 'traffic' light warnings at the lower left of the display light up as increasing proportions of the red, green or blue channel clip, which would be invaluable for stills shooters hoping to expose-to-the-right.

Image: Red

We'd love to see Red's Raw clipping warnings start to appear in Nikon products. In the absence of Raw-based zebras or histograms (which are difficult to visualize without making some assumptions about rendering intent), Red-style indicators of when X% of each Raw channel has clipped could be hugely valuable to photographers looking to optimize their exposure. Landscape shooters, in particular, could benefit.

Finally, we wonder whether Red's exposure to high-end production will spur Nikon to adopt 32-bit float audio capabilities.

Also on the video side, but less directly connected to Red, we'd love to see Nikon working more closely with software makers to provide support for the N-Raw codec. Limited choice of editors significantly reduces the value of in-camera Raw capture.

OM System: What we expect The very subtle updates to the 1 and 5-series cameras make it hard to discern OM System's strategy or intent for the brand.

Photo: Richard Butler

There's no easy way to say this, but we're just not sure if we can expect to see any major camera releases from OM System this year. Its two principle cameras, the OM-5 and the OM-1 II, were relatively minor updates to the Olympus cameras that came before, and both are still relatively recent – the former came out at the end of 2022, and the latter at the beginning of 2024.

OM System did release a roadmap last January, saying it plans to make a telephoto lens that may be somewhere around 40-150mm, but since then, we haven't heard any additional details. It's not clear to us the extent of OM System's ambitions for the system, so we'll have to wait and see.

OM System: What we'd like to see A sequel to the PEN-F would look right at home in 2025.

Photo: DPReview.com

That isn't to say that we don't want any new OM System products. To start, we think an updated or revived PEN-F digital could be a hit. There's a bit of a hole in the market for truly compact ILC focused on photographers. That means a mechanical shutter, EVF and interface designed around photography. It seems like the right moment for it – the original had features that have now become en vogue, such as a physical dial for controlling color mode and a retro-inspired design.

There's also room in our hearts for a fixed lens rangefinder – perhaps OM System could lean into the Olympus heritage and brand it as a revival of the 35RC from the 1970s. It could have the 25MP Four Thirds sensor found in the Lumix DC-G9 II, married to an F2 or brighter 17mm lens. We wouldn't complain about 14mm either, though, and it could also have the aforementioned color dial from the PEN-F. Essentially, we're asking for a smaller Fujifilm X100 that's not permanently out of stock.

Finally, we wouldn't mind seeing an update to some of OM System's older primes, which are getting into their teenage years. The 17mm F1.8 could be a good place to start; the company could use a modern optical formula to make it sharper and lighter, and potentially even add weather resistance if it's feeling generous... though perhaps that wouldn't be worth it if it meant doing away with the focus clutch.

Tamron: What we expect Photo: Mitchell Clark

Late last year, Tamron shipped its first RF-mount APS-C lens after announcing it back in April 2024, the 11-20mm F2.8. We suspect it won't be the last; the company's 17-70mm F2.8 seems like a natural next step, given that it'd provide substantially more reach than the already-existing Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 for RF. Its 18-300mm F3.6-6.3 could also become the de-facto sports lens, given that Canon's 55-210mm F5-7.1 is currently the farthest-reaching autofocus lens you can get for the system.

Tamron: What we'd like to see Tamron's 70-180mm F2.8 zoom offers a smaller, lighter and more affordable alternative to the classic 70-200mm F2.8. We'd love to see it available for more mounts.

Image: Tamron

While this seems a little less likely, we'd also love to see Tamron expand its lineup for Nikon's Z-mount or Canon RF. It currently has 17 lenses available for full-frame E-mount cameras, compared to just 6 available for Z-mount. We're not champing at the bit for all of those options, but how about the 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 or the ultra-versatile 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD?

It'd also be thrilling if Tamron was allowed to produce autofocus zoom lenses for APS-C Z-mount, which no other third-party is currently licensed to do... but perhaps that's too far-fetched even for this section.

Stay tuned...

That's more than enough prediction and speculation for today, but obviously, there are still quite a few more manufacturers to cover. We'll be back tomorrow to cover companies like Sony, Sigma, Leica and more.

In the meantime, are there any obviously likely launches you're expecting to see, or any wished-for features and products you're still hoping for?

The new year is an entirely arbitrary thing to celebrate, but there's something about adding one more number to the year that imbues it with an apparent significance. So it's not surprising that the transition prompts plenty of people to think about what they might do differently in the coming twelve months.

We've all had a think about the sorts of things we could do differently in the hope that writing them down will act as a spur and a reminder as the year goes on. So here's our Photographic New Year's Resolutions.

Mitchell I recognize Mitchell's idea of wanting to spend more time shooting with flash, but I know it's unlikely I'll have access to each brand's TTL systems while I'm reviewing their cameras, and don't feel it's appropriate to have manual flash (that's reflective of my decisions, not the camera's) in just some of my galleries. Figure out flash

Flashes have never been a particularly big part of my photography. I'm somewhat familiar with the basics, enough that I can generally get the results that I'm looking for, but I've never owned an external flash unit or spent any time specifically playing around with a flash setup to see what works, what doesn't, and why. I'd love to do that this year, to get a deeper understanding of when and where to use a flash.

Shoot less with my phone

In 2024, I took around 2,400 pictures and videos using my iPhone. Some of those are purely functional: pictures of receipts, parts I need to buy from the hardware store, business cards, etc. Most of them, however, are the snapshots that I use to remember my life by; I have an atrocious memory and scrolling back through the pictures I took is the best way for me to remember what I did in a year.

"In 2024, I took around 2,400 pictures and videos using my iPhone."

My goal next year, though, is to be kinder to my future self and to make sure that I almost always have a dedicated camera with me to take these sorts of pictures, be it a point-and-shoot or whatever camera I'm currently working on reviewing.

Take more portraits

This may be more of a therapy resolution than a photography one, but I currently feel incapable of walking up to random people and asking to take their portraits the way I've seen my colleagues do so many times. It's obviously a skill that's built over time, but it's one that I absolutely have not learned. My last goal this year is to at least work towards that, likely starting with asking the people I know if I can take their portraits and slowly moving further and further out in my social circle. It'll be uncomfortable – my social skills are bad enough that I've let multiple people call me the wrong name for hours because I was too embarrassed to correct them – but I think it'll be a worthwhile pursuit.

Richard It's possible to put together a very credible video kit without it taking up too much space. I just need to get back into the habit of doing the necessary planning.

I'd love to be able to make a simple promise such as "I plan to shoot more wide-angle in 2025," but the gear I shoot with is almost wholly dictated by what gets launched during the year. So, instead, I'm going to be a little more vague and state that it's my ambition to put myself in photogenic situations, more often.

A combination of complacency about Seattle and a period of the site being short-staffed has meant I've often opted to stay at my keyboard, to generate another article or chip away at a review, rather than get out with a camera, the past couple of years.

"A combination of complacency about Seattle and a period of the site being short-staffed has meant I've often opted to stay at my keyboard."

Beyond the bounds of the working week, I've tended to carry a camera with me, but haven't always found myself doing things that have inspired me photographically. So my resolution is to go out when the light looks good and to say 'yes' to the things that I don't usually do, so that I encounter things I don't usually see. Or, at least, to try.

Beyond this, I'd really like to get back into the habit of shooting some short videos. Again, it's something that's had to take a lower priority while we've all been stretched a bit thin, but using the video features of a camera as they're intended to be used is just as important as going out to explore the photo features. I enjoy the creative challenge of working out how to shoot and edit something to convey a story, so my ambition for the year is to create more opportunities to shoot videos as well as stills.

Dale

In 2024, I began giving away some of my older cameras and lenses to aspiring young photographers. Will my Canon Powershot G3 (above, left) be next?

Photo: Dale Baskin

Give away camera gear

I've collected a lot of camera gear over the years but haven't been very good at letting it go. Now, I have shelves full of cameras, lenses, and accessories that I've acquired, usually for good reasons, that I no longer use. I could sell it, but I want to give it away instead.

This year, I gave my old Canon EOS 7D, Panasonic GH3, and Panasonic GH1 cameras to some nieces and nephews, complete with lenses. As a result, all three have become interested in photography. I've decided that enabling and inspiring others to discover photography is more valuable than making a few dollars on eBay, so I'll be looking for opportunities to give away more gear in 2025.

Shoot more with my phone

When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When you're a photographer with a lot of camera gear, everything looks like an opportunity to use all that gear. I used to carry around too much gear for fear of missing the photo of the century because I didn't have the perfect camera or lens. Over time, I've become ruthless about how much I bring. Now, I rarely carry more than one or two lenses unless a project specifically requires it.

"I used to carry around too much gear for fear of missing the photo of the century because I didn't have the perfect camera or lens."

In 2025, I'm challenging myself to use only my smartphone for more of my casual photography, like family and travel. The image quality may not be as high, but I'm hoping it will be a freeing experience. The challenge? My job as an editor at DPReview requires a lifestyle of constantly testing new gear, so we'll see how this one pans out.

Print more photos

I suspect this is a scenario a lot of you can relate to. Over the years, I've shot thousands of photos. Whether they're from personal projects, work I've done at DPReview, or just friends and family, I have untold thousands of photos sitting on hard drives and servers in my office.

Many of those photos have been published online or in print, displayed at public venues, or donated to organizations I've supported. However, I have surprisingly few pictures on display in my own home. What good are they if I can't enjoy them myself? In 2025, one of my goals is to do more printing. I just need to find a way to keep my cat from trying to kill the printer whenever he hears it start a print job.

And you?

How about you? If you're honest with yourself or feeling ambitious, what things do you intend to do in 2025 to spur on and improve your photography?

2024: By the numbers

We're closing in on 2025 fast, but we've got time for one last retrospective on the year that we'll soon be saying goodbye to. This time, we're going to take a look at some statistics – that may sound nerdy, but we promise it paints an interesting picture of where the photo industry is at large and gives a fun look at how the year has gone here at DPReview.

27: The number of cameras released this year

2024 saw the release of 27 stills cameras, from major flagships like the Sony a9 III to minor refreshes like the Panasonic Lumix DC-G97 and models from plucky brands like Pixii. While we counted some largely video-focused cameras, like the Sony ZV-E10 II, that figure doesn't include cinema cameras like the Canon EOS C80 or action cameras like the GoPro Hero 13.

That's around six more than last year, depending on how you count them. While there are a few caveats – the 27 figure has some cameras that could be considered duplicates, like the Ricoh GR III HDF / GR IIIx HDF and G900 II / G900SE II – it still seems like the camera industry has been a bit more productive this year.

That's definitely nice to see – while 27 isn't quite as many cameras as were released in 2019 and 2020, 2021 through 2023 were largely stagnant in terms of the number of new releases. It's too early to say whether the upward trend will continue, but we can definitely say that we hope it does.

25 - Zoom lenses released

It's been a diverse year for zoom lenses, which is reflected in the sheer number of them that have hit the market. Panasonic released what it says is the smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom with autofocus for full-frame mirrorless cameras, but we also saw some massive pieces of glass, such as the Sony 28-70mm F2 and Sigma's envelope-pushing 28-45mm F1.8 zoom.

Not all the great zoom lenses were for full-frame, though. We picked the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II as our best zoom lens of the year because it makes good on the promise of APS-C: it gives you slightly more range than the typical full-frame 24-70mm F2.8, while being around 1/3 lighter and smaller.

Whether you like bright zooms that are still compact or lenses that cover a massive range, 2024 had something for you.

43 - New prime lenses we tracked the release of

Let's make this clear right off the bat: that number almost certainly leaves out some prime lenses that came out this year, as the number of releases has exploded as it gets easier and easier to create a manual-focus lens with minimal or no electrical contact to the camera body.

However, we must draw the line somewhere unless we want to spend days trying to create an inevitably incomplete list, so we've settled on counting the lenses that we here at DPReview wrote about or added to our database.

That still leaves us with, frankly, a hefty number of lenses! The vast majority are also modern designs; they include autofocus motors and report information back to the camera. Another interesting statistic: 21 out of the 43 were released by brands other than the big manufacturers, by companies such as Laowa, Viltrox, and TTArtisan. We're truly spoiled for choice when it comes to prime lenses in 2024, a trend that will hopefully continue next year.

9 - Interviews with major manufacturers

Throughout the year, we interviewed people and teams at several of the major camera and lens companies. We got to cover a wide range of topics – the state of the camera market, new technologies, and what photographers and consumers expect from their products. You won't be surprised to hear that AI came up a lot.

Below, we've listed the links to all of our 2024 interviews. You can also check out our articles where we asked manufacturers what they thought the most significant gear from the past 25 years is and gathered their thoughts on the state of the camera market as a whole.

1. "We wouldn’t be here without the X100”: Yuji Igarashi on where Fujifilm goes next
2. Full-frame Foveon sensor "still at design stage" says Sigma CEO, "but I'm still passionate"
3. Ricoh’s big bet on a film renaissance: We interview the team behind the upcoming Pentax film camera
4. Sigma CEO talks market trends, the challenge of innovation and the future for APS-C
5. Nikon interview: "State-of-the-art technology needs to be embedded in our products"
6. Panasonic interview: "We place emphasis on expanding customer value by expanding our circle of partners"
7. Tamron interview: "We're already using AI technology to improve performance"
8. "We have to meet all of their expectations" Sony talks diverse markets, AI and global shutters
9. "We want to make greater use of deep learning technologies": Canon talks AI, 3D imaging, and third-party lens support

26 - 25th anniversary articles published

Since December 25th, 2023, we've been celebrating our 25th anniversary here at DPReview. 25 years covers a lot of camera history, so we've highlighted some major milestones throughout the 26 articles we put out this year to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

You can find the entire list of those articles here. Many of them are retrospectives on cameras that had a major impact in one way or another; looks back at the cameras that made 4K video accessible, started the mirrorless revolution, or that happened to be the first model we ever reviewed. There are also breakdowns of trends that have come and gone, as well as a few looks behind the scenes of what it takes to test cameras the way we do.

While this wasn't on purpose, 26 also happens to be a serendipitous number in relation to anniversaries; as of last week, DPReview is now 26 years old. We couldn't have made it this far without your support, and we look forward to another year bringing you news, reviews, sample galleries, and all the rest that comes with covering this industry.

Also, if you've read this far, you'll probably appreciate the 'DPR By The Numbers' widgets on our 25 years page.

46 - Issues of our newsletter

This year, we sent out 46 issues of our newsletter to our audience's inboxes, filled with news, sneak peeks, and more.

If this is the first you've heard of our newsletter, consider signing up! We use it to highlight our best stories throughout the week, articles from across the web that caught our attention and, of course, the latest photography news. We've got big plans for 2025, and you won't want to miss them.

Sign up for the DPReview Newsletter

2024: By the numbers

We're closing in on 2025 fast, but we've got time for one last retrospective on the year that we'll soon be saying goodbye to. This time, we're going to take a look at some statistics – that may sound nerdy, but we promise it paints an interesting picture of where the photo industry is at large and gives a fun look at how the year has gone here at DPReview.

27: The number of cameras released this year

2024 saw the release of 27 stills cameras, from major flagships like the Sony a9 III to minor refreshes like the Panasonic Lumix DC-G97 and models from plucky brands like Pixii. While we counted some largely video-focused cameras, like the Sony ZV-E10 II, that figure doesn't include cinema cameras like the Canon EOS C80 or action cameras like the GoPro Hero 13.

That's around six more than last year, depending on how you count them. While there are a few caveats – the 27 figure has some cameras that could be considered duplicates, like the Ricoh GR III HDF / GR IIIx HDF and G900 II / G900SE II – it still seems like the camera industry has been a bit more productive this year.

That's definitely nice to see – while 27 isn't quite as many cameras as were released in 2019 and 2020, 2021 through 2023 were largely stagnant in terms of the number of new releases. It's too early to say whether the upward trend will continue, but we can definitely say that we hope it does.

25 - Zoom lenses released

It's been a diverse year for zoom lenses, which is reflected in the sheer number of them that have hit the market. Panasonic released what it says is the smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom with autofocus for full-frame mirrorless cameras, but we also saw some massive pieces of glass, such as the Sony 28-70mm F2 and Sigma's envelope-pushing 28-45mm F1.8 zoom.

Not all the great zoom lenses were for full-frame, though. We picked the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II as our best zoom lens of the year because it makes good on the promise of APS-C: it gives you slightly more range than the typical full-frame 24-70mm F2.8, while being around 1/3 lighter and smaller.

Whether you like bright zooms that are still compact or lenses that cover a massive range, 2024 had something for you.

43 - New prime lenses we tracked the release of

Let's make this clear right off the bat: that number almost certainly leaves out some prime lenses that came out this year, as the number of releases has exploded as it gets easier and easier to create a manual-focus lens with minimal or no electrical contact to the camera body.

However, we must draw the line somewhere unless we want to spend days trying to create an inevitably incomplete list, so we've settled on counting the lenses that we here at DPReview wrote about or added to our database.

That still leaves us with, frankly, a hefty number of lenses! The vast majority are also modern designs; they include autofocus motors and report information back to the camera. Another interesting statistic: 21 out of the 43 were released by brands other than the big manufacturers, by companies such as Laowa, Viltrox, and TTArtisan. We're truly spoiled for choice when it comes to prime lenses in 2024, a trend that will hopefully continue next year.

9 - Interviews with major manufacturers

Throughout the year, we interviewed people and teams at several of the major camera and lens companies. We got to cover a wide range of topics – the state of the camera market, new technologies, and what photographers and consumers expect from their products. You won't be surprised to hear that AI came up a lot.

Below, we've listed the links to all of our 2024 interviews. You can also check out our articles where we asked manufacturers what they thought the most significant gear from the past 25 years is and gathered their thoughts on the state of the camera market as a whole.

1. "We wouldn’t be here without the X100”: Yuji Igarashi on where Fujifilm goes next
2. Full-frame Foveon sensor "still at design stage" says Sigma CEO, "but I'm still passionate"
3. Ricoh’s big bet on a film renaissance: We interview the team behind the upcoming Pentax film camera
4. Sigma CEO talks market trends, the challenge of innovation and the future for APS-C
5. Nikon interview: "State-of-the-art technology needs to be embedded in our products"
6. Panasonic interview: "We place emphasis on expanding customer value by expanding our circle of partners"
7. Tamron interview: "We're already using AI technology to improve performance"
8. "We have to meet all of their expectations" Sony talks diverse markets, AI and global shutters
9. "We want to make greater use of deep learning technologies": Canon talks AI, 3D imaging, and third-party lens support

26 - 25th anniversary articles published

Since December 25th, 2023, we've been celebrating our 25th anniversary here at DPReview. 25 years covers a lot of camera history, so we've highlighted some major milestones throughout the 26 articles we put out this year to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

You can find the entire list of those articles here. Many of them are retrospectives on cameras that had a major impact in one way or another; looks back at the cameras that made 4K video accessible, started the mirrorless revolution, or that happened to be the first model we ever reviewed. There are also breakdowns of trends that have come and gone, as well as a few looks behind the scenes of what it takes to test cameras the way we do.

While this wasn't on purpose, 26 also happens to be a serendipitous number in relation to anniversaries; as of last week, DPReview is now 26 years old. We couldn't have made it this far without your support, and we look forward to another year bringing you news, reviews, sample galleries, and all the rest that comes with covering this industry.

Also, if you've read this far, you'll probably appreciate the 'DPR By The Numbers' widgets on our 25 years page.

46 - Issues of our newsletter

This year, we sent out 46 issues of our newsletter to our audience's inboxes, filled with news, sneak peeks, and more.

If this is the first you've heard of our newsletter, consider signing up! We use it to highlight our best stories throughout the week, articles from across the web that caught our attention and, of course, the latest photography news. We've got big plans for 2025, and you won't want to miss them.

Sign up for the DPReview Newsletter

Editors' Photo Challenge: Your best photos of 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, we invited our readers to share their best photos from the past year. The response was fantastic, with submissions ranging from stunning macro shots of insects to breathtaking images of the night sky and everything in between. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed! The quality of the entries was exceptional, and unfortunately, we can only showcase a selection here.

To view all the submissions and discover which photos resonated most with your fellow readers, please visit the challenge page.

Did you miss this challenge? Stay tuned for our January challenge announcement. In the meantime, consider participating in these current and upcoming challenges hosted by other members of the DPReview community:

Open challenges

• Shoes (closes Dec. 30)
• The Bus (closes Jan. 3)
• Home on the Range (closes Jan. 3)
• Locomotives (closes Jan. 3)
• Wild Peaks: Wildlife backed by the heights (closes Jan. 3)

Upcoming challenges

• A Big Year 2024 (starts Dec. 30)
• Face or faces in a crowd (starts Dec. 31)
• Stadiums/Arenas - wide angle (starts Jan. 2)
• Fire Engines (starts Jan. 4)
• Trees (starts Jan. 4)

And now, here are our top picks from the Best of 2024 Editors' Photo Challenge.

Kingfisher

Photographer: FujiJon

Description: I took this image from a hide at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve in Hampshire, UK. Kingfishers aren't commonly seen, and certainly not as close as this. Having said that, this reserve is one place where you can (almost) guarantee a sighting. It sat on the branch for a short while, looking around, and I took a series of short bursts. I chose this one for the competition as the bird seemed to be balanced by the leaf. The bird was strongly backlit, which is why the background is blown out.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-H2S + Fujifilm XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

Saint Paul's Cathedral, London

Photographer: A Clark2

Description: Photographed from the nearby reflection garden. By holding the camera just above the surface of the water, I was able to make the pool look bigger than it is. The main problem was unaware people who spoiled the view by sitting on the far side of the pool.

Equipment: Sony a7R + Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G

Eagle hunter crossing stream

Photographer: JeffryzPhoto

Description: Western Mongolia: rider crossing a stream with his golden eagle. I loved the dynamic pose with a diagonal line from the bird through the rider and the horse's leg, along with the action.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-T4 + Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR

Blossoms in the rain

Photographer: nt35

Description: Walking near home on a rainy day, I found these blossoms of trimezia coerulea. The color and the water drops seem amazing to me. I went home and took my camera and a piece of black cotton. This photo, I think, is the best of four I have taken.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

Kestrel with prey

Photographer: GJvV

Description: This Kestrel flew to a pole with his prey. The conditions were good, with sunlight from behind me, and wind direction also from behind. When the bird would take off, it would fly towards me to get the proper lift. This shot was the best of the burst. I'm very happy with the result.

Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

Cuban ballerina

Photographer: GeffBourke

Description: We lead a photo tour to Cuba early in the year. This was taken on a shoot in Havana. This was in the morning, and she managed to get her hand in the sun as I shot at F18.

Equipment: Sony a1 + Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD

Chinese New Year with Mumu

Photographer: Mumupower123

Description: Mumu, a 1-year-old, is celebrating Chinese New Year. He is not interested in traditional "Red Packets." He is rather fond of red strawberries!

Equipment: Canon EOS R6 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Winter storm

Photographer: Gloomy1

Description: My focus for 2024 and 2025 is seascape photography, and a wild and windy day on Scotland's North coast seemed like the perfect opportunity, especially as high tide coincided with sunset. The sun had already disappeared behind the cliffs surrounding this sea arch. Lots of fun trying to determine the best shutter speed and then capture the best wave. In the end, I am happy that I have produced the best image possible from this location at this time, and that is how I judge success.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS

Moonrise over Black Mesa Coffee II

Photographer: Blind Bill

Description: I captured the moon as it rose over this small church in Northern New Mexico. It is easily one of my top 10 favorite pictures of all time. It took a bit of planning to get there and time the rising moon and setting sun.

Equipment: Sony a7R III + Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The lioness

Photographer: Mdj180

Description: I took my first trip to Africa in 2024, and it was incredible (of course). In Lower Zambezi NP, Zambia, we spent a good amount of time with the local lion pride. This is a portrait shot of the alpha female walking towards me after feasting on the Impala they killed around dawn. The complex detail in her eyes still takes my breath away.

Equipment: Canon EOS R7 + Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Photographer: Howie1223

Description: This was taken on a sleigh ride through the Bavarian forest blanketed with a newly fallen snow, which allowed me to capture a magical fairytale-like image.

Equipment: Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

Blue heron ballet

Photographer: Kilmer

Description: A lone Blue Heron suddenly attracts another bird. He starts a respectful distance away but soon begins to trash-talk the other Heron. He moves closer, and they charge into each other. One rises up in the air and drives the other one under the water. When they pop up, they assume this beak in the air, a graceful circling pose. It was taken in the Fall, so I didn't figure it was mating behavior. I have no idea what they were doing but it sure did make my birding trip.

Equipment: Nikon D500 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR

Robberfly's breakfast

Photographer: Lajos Hajdu

Description: I was about to leave for home, disappointed that I hadn't found the sought-after, rare dragonfly species at a creek in Hungary. Just then, I noticed this robber fly eating a freshly captured cicada on the railing of a wooden bridge.

Equipment: Canon EOS 80D + Sigma 105mm macro lens and Raynox 250 clip-on lens

Aurora 05.2024

Photographer: Vitalijs K

Description: Aurora polar lights in May 2024. The solar wind in 2024 often caused magnetic storms. One of the most memorable magnetic storms of the 2024 year occurred in May. The photo was taken in a national park - Gauja in Latvia.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-S10 + Sigma 10-18mm/2.8

Longines equestrian

Photographer: Jswcat

Description: After managing to wrangle a press pass from the Longines press manager (after supplying a print of what I took the day before), my eyes were opened to the competitiveness and the zeal behind competitive equestrians. This event took place on Miami Beach, with the ocean just 50 feet away.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV

Angolan lady smoking

Photographer: Maclean

Description: The lady was looking for a light to smoke her tobacco. We asked her to do this in the doorway of her house for a dark background.

Equipment: Nikon D850 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Capturing Orion's hidden treasures

Photographer: GreenFirePhotography

Description: One of the most recognizable constellations in the sky holds some of the most beautiful and plentiful deep sky objects. This photo showcases some of the best. Starting at the bottom right, we see the Boogeyman Nebula (LDN 1620), the right edge of Barnard's Loop (Sh2-276), M78 (the small, blue reflection nebula), the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024), the Horsehead Nebula (B-33), the Running Man Nebula (S279), and the Great Orion Nebula (M-42). This region corresponds to the area around Orion's sword in the night sky. After nearly a decade of work, the stars finally aligned for this stunning image.

Equipment: ZWO ASI2600MC + Red Cat 51 Refracting Telescope

Coco

Photographer: Gaspar17

Description: I chose this photo because it cheers me up. Since I can barely walk, Coco accompanies me on an electric bike. It was hard for him at first, but he ended up becoming a cycling enthusiast. We are touring the Vía Verde del Pas. a beautiful cycling path in Cantabria, Spain. In the background, you can see Monte Castillo, an area of ​​interesting prehistoric caves.

Equipment: Canon EOS M5 + Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Hide and seek

Photographer: Timour Claquin Chambugong

Description: An Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) in Tura, India. I wanted to see what kind of image I could get with the minimum focusing distance of this lens. I tried to get as close as possible to the lizard without scaring it away. This photo has been published in The Guardian but was cropped by the editorial team. I prefer the original (uncropped) photo because that is the way I took it and composed the shot. I arranged the different visual elements within the frame in a certain way, and shooting in the 4:3 aspect ratio was a deliberate choice. There is always room for improvement, though.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 +Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS

Wild and amazing mini world

Photographer: Minas_Eye

Description: With a lot of patience, I got very close to this small drill fly with incredible green eyes (body around 10mm). It was then that I noticed its poor, tiny prey, invisible to a common observer.

Equipment: OM System OM-1 + OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro

Editors' Photo Challenge: Your best photos of 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, we invited our readers to share their best photos from the past year. The response was fantastic, with submissions ranging from stunning macro shots of insects to breathtaking images of the night sky and everything in between. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed! The quality of the entries was exceptional, and unfortunately, we can only showcase a selection here.

To view all the submissions and discover which photos resonated most with your fellow readers, please visit the challenge page.

Did you miss this challenge? Stay tuned for our January challenge announcement. In the meantime, consider participating in these current and upcoming challenges hosted by other members of the DPReview community:

Open challenges

• Shoes (closes Dec. 30)
• The Bus (closes Jan. 3)
• Home on the Range (closes Jan. 3)
• Locomotives (closes Jan. 3)
• Wild Peaks: Wildlife backed by the heights (closes Jan. 3)

Upcoming challenges

• A Big Year 2024 (starts Dec. 30)
• Face or faces in a crowd (starts Dec. 31)
• Stadiums/Arenas - wide angle (starts Jan. 2)
• Fire Engines (starts Jan. 4)
• Trees (starts Jan. 4)

And now, here are our top picks from the Best of 2024 Editors' Photo Challenge.

Kingfisher

Photographer: FujiJon

Description: I took this image from a hide at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve in Hampshire, UK. Kingfishers aren't commonly seen, and certainly not as close as this. Having said that, this reserve is one place where you can (almost) guarantee a sighting. It sat on the branch for a short while, looking around, and I took a series of short bursts. I chose this one for the competition as the bird seemed to be balanced by the leaf. The bird was strongly backlit, which is why the background is blown out.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-H2S + Fujifilm XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

Saint Paul's Cathedral, London

Photographer: A Clark2

Description: Photographed from the nearby reflection garden. By holding the camera just above the surface of the water, I was able to make the pool look bigger than it is. The main problem was unaware people who spoiled the view by sitting on the far side of the pool.

Equipment: Sony a7R + Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G

Eagle hunter crossing stream

Photographer: JeffryzPhoto

Description: Western Mongolia: rider crossing a stream with his golden eagle. I loved the dynamic pose with a diagonal line from the bird through the rider and the horse's leg, along with the action.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-T4 + Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR

Blossoms in the rain

Photographer: nt35

Description: Walking near home on a rainy day, I found these blossoms of trimezia coerulea. The color and the water drops seem amazing to me. I went home and took my camera and a piece of black cotton. This photo, I think, is the best of four I have taken.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

Kestrel with prey

Photographer: GJvV

Description: This Kestrel flew to a pole with his prey. The conditions were good, with sunlight from behind me, and wind direction also from behind. When the bird would take off, it would fly towards me to get the proper lift. This shot was the best of the burst. I'm very happy with the result.

Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

Cuban ballerina

Photographer: GeffBourke

Description: We lead a photo tour to Cuba early in the year. This was taken on a shoot in Havana. This was in the morning, and she managed to get her hand in the sun as I shot at F18.

Equipment: Sony a1 + Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD

Chinese New Year with Mumu

Photographer: Mumupower123

Description: Mumu, a 1-year-old, is celebrating Chinese New Year. He is not interested in traditional "Red Packets." He is rather fond of red strawberries!

Equipment: Canon EOS R6 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Winter storm

Photographer: Gloomy1

Description: My focus for 2024 and 2025 is seascape photography, and a wild and windy day on Scotland's North coast seemed like the perfect opportunity, especially as high tide coincided with sunset. The sun had already disappeared behind the cliffs surrounding this sea arch. Lots of fun trying to determine the best shutter speed and then capture the best wave. In the end, I am happy that I have produced the best image possible from this location at this time, and that is how I judge success.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS

Moonrise over Black Mesa Coffee II

Photographer: Blind Bill

Description: I captured the moon as it rose over this small church in Northern New Mexico. It is easily one of my top 10 favorite pictures of all time. It took a bit of planning to get there and time the rising moon and setting sun.

Equipment: Sony a7R III + Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The lioness

Photographer: Mdj180

Description: I took my first trip to Africa in 2024, and it was incredible (of course). In Lower Zambezi NP, Zambia, we spent a good amount of time with the local lion pride. This is a portrait shot of the alpha female walking towards me after feasting on the Impala they killed around dawn. The complex detail in her eyes still takes my breath away.

Equipment: Canon EOS R7 + Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Photographer: Howie1223

Description: This was taken on a sleigh ride through the Bavarian forest blanketed with a newly fallen snow, which allowed me to capture a magical fairytale-like image.

Equipment: Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

Blue heron ballet

Photographer: Kilmer

Description: A lone Blue Heron suddenly attracts another bird. He starts a respectful distance away but soon begins to trash-talk the other Heron. He moves closer, and they charge into each other. One rises up in the air and drives the other one under the water. When they pop up, they assume this beak in the air, a graceful circling pose. It was taken in the Fall, so I didn't figure it was mating behavior. I have no idea what they were doing but it sure did make my birding trip.

Equipment: Nikon D500 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR

Robberfly's breakfast

Photographer: Lajos Hajdu

Description: I was about to leave for home, disappointed that I hadn't found the sought-after, rare dragonfly species at a creek in Hungary. Just then, I noticed this robber fly eating a freshly captured cicada on the railing of a wooden bridge.

Equipment: Canon EOS 80D + Sigma 105mm macro lens and Raynox 250 clip-on lens

Aurora 05.2024

Photographer: Vitalijs K

Description: Aurora polar lights in May 2024. The solar wind in 2024 often caused magnetic storms. One of the most memorable magnetic storms of the 2024 year occurred in May. The photo was taken in a national park - Gauja in Latvia.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-S10 + Sigma 10-18mm/2.8

Longines equestrian

Photographer: Jswcat

Description: After managing to wrangle a press pass from the Longines press manager (after supplying a print of what I took the day before), my eyes were opened to the competitiveness and the zeal behind competitive equestrians. This event took place on Miami Beach, with the ocean just 50 feet away.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV

Angolan lady smoking

Photographer: Maclean

Description: The lady was looking for a light to smoke her tobacco. We asked her to do this in the doorway of her house for a dark background.

Equipment: Nikon D850 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Capturing Orion's hidden treasures

Photographer: GreenFirePhotography

Description: One of the most recognizable constellations in the sky holds some of the most beautiful and plentiful deep sky objects. This photo showcases some of the best. Starting at the bottom right, we see the Boogeyman Nebula (LDN 1620), the right edge of Barnard's Loop (Sh2-276), M78 (the small, blue reflection nebula), the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024), the Horsehead Nebula (B-33), the Running Man Nebula (S279), and the Great Orion Nebula (M-42). This region corresponds to the area around Orion's sword in the night sky. After nearly a decade of work, the stars finally aligned for this stunning image.

Equipment: ZWO ASI2600MC + Red Cat 51 Refracting Telescope

Coco

Photographer: Gaspar17

Description: I chose this photo because it cheers me up. Since I can barely walk, Coco accompanies me on an electric bike. It was hard for him at first, but he ended up becoming a cycling enthusiast. We are touring the Vía Verde del Pas. a beautiful cycling path in Cantabria, Spain. In the background, you can see Monte Castillo, an area of ​​interesting prehistoric caves.

Equipment: Canon EOS M5 + Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Hide and seek

Photographer: Timour Claquin Chambugong

Description: An Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) in Tura, India. I wanted to see what kind of image I could get with the minimum focusing distance of this lens. I tried to get as close as possible to the lizard without scaring it away. This photo has been published in The Guardian but was cropped by the editorial team. I prefer the original (uncropped) photo because that is the way I took it and composed the shot. I arranged the different visual elements within the frame in a certain way, and shooting in the 4:3 aspect ratio was a deliberate choice. There is always room for improvement, though.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 +Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS

Wild and amazing mini world

Photographer: Minas_Eye

Description: With a lot of patience, I got very close to this small drill fly with incredible green eyes (body around 10mm). It was then that I noticed its poor, tiny prey, invisible to a common observer.

Equipment: OM System OM-1 + OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro

The year is coming to a close, so we thought it would be a good time to go back through the archives and pick out some of the most important stories we covered and reviews we published throughout 2024. This list will be far from exhaustive – we have one of those if you're interested – as we're just looking at the highlights.

January Canon EOS R100 Review

On January 22nd, we published our in-depth review of Canon's EOS R100, the company's entry-level mirrorless camera. We found that it compromises perhaps a bit too much to reach its $479 body-only price point but can produce some lovely-looking pictures nonetheless.

Read the review

Sony ZV-1 Mark II Review

Hot on the heels of the EOS R100 review was our deep-dive on the Sony ZV-1 Mark II, a compact vlogging camera based around a Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor. It has its strengths – though it's absolutely not the enthusiast stills compact we've all been hoping for – but we found that it doesn't quite do enough to earn a recommendation compared to a modern-day smartphone.

Read the review

Also in January, we published our initial review of the Sony a9 III, the first full-frame photography camera from a major manufacturer to feature a 'global' shutter. We'll talk about it more in a bit when we get to the full review. We also published our initial review of the OM System OM 1 Mark II, a mild update to the company's Micro Four Thirds flagship. And who can forget CES?

February

February is usually a busy month here at DPReview thanks to the CP+ industry expo that takes place in Japan. That means we have to cover a lot of news, but we were also able to release our initial review of the Fujifilm X100VI, a camera that would go on to become one of the most difficult pieces of tech to get in 2024. We also published a sample gallery for the OM 1 Mk. II, and added the Panasonic S5 II to our studio scene.

Finishing the Nikon Zf review

While we published the bulk of our Nikon Zf review in early January, in February, we added a sample video and video experience section, rounding out the review. The Zf may look like a vintage film camera, but we found it was surprisingly capable of filming as well.

Read the review

March Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 II Review

In March we published our full review of the Panasonic G9 II, a high-end Micro Four Thirds camera aimed at stills photographers. We found that it accomplished that task well, and was a worthy successor to its predecessor... while also packing a surprisingly capable suite of video features as well.

Read the review

Leica SL3 Initial Review

We also took a look at the Leica SL3, a camera that takes the sensor used in the company's flagship M11 rangefinder and put it into a more traditional mirrorless body with an L-mount and autofocus capabilities.

Read the initial review

March was also a busy month for sample galleries; we published pictures shot with four different lenses and a selection of images from our trip to Japan in February, shot with the Panasonic S5 IIX. We also covered Nikon's acquisition of cinema camera maker Red, and interviewed the Divisional Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group about the company's future.

April Panasonic S5 II Review

Our review of the S5 II was definitely late to the game, as the camera was unfortunately announced right as we were learning that DPReview's parent company intended to shut it down. This year, however, we were finally able to put some time in with it, using the new v3 firmware that added several features and enhancements.

Read the review

We also looked at pixel-shift high-resolution modes and explained why we've had such bad luck with them in the past. Spoiler: some of it comes down to patents and the real world's inability to hold still for too long. Also in April: we asked manufacturers what they thought some of the most influential camera gear from the past 25 years was, checked in on Ricoh's development of a new film camera, and Sigma's CEO gave us an update on full-frame Foveon.

May Fujifilm X100VI Review

In May, we published our full review of the Fujifilm X100VI, a fixed-lens camera that paired AI-derived autofocus and a stabilized sensor with an already-popular hybrid rangefinder / EVF. We found using it to be an extremely compelling experience, which is what makes it such a shame that it's still only available on backorder or at extremely inflated prices all these months later.

Read the review

Sony a9 III Review

We also finished our in-depth look at the Sony a9 III, and found that it was an incredibly capable sports camera. Its 'global' shutter makes different types of photography possible, especially when it comes to shooting with high-powered flashes. The tech does come with a small downside in image quality, but if you need to shoot some of the fastest subjects on earth, it's likely worth the tradeoff.

Read the review

We also took our first look at the Fujifilm X-T50 and its new kit lens, the XF16-50mm F2.8-4.8 R LM WR. May was apparently Fujifilm month here at DPReview, though we also published an interview with Sigma's CEO, and a celebration of physical controls on cameras. Be sure not to miss our stunning sample gallery from the Sigma 15mm F1.4 either, or the first episode of our Stories Behind the Photo podcast.

June Pentax 17 Review

It's not often that we review film cameras. For one, our expertise is largely in digital photography – go figure – but more importantly, there just aren't that many that come out. This year, though, Pentax released its first camera in 20 years that shoots to celluloid instead of a sensor. It's definitely not cheap, despite the fact that it keeps film costs down by shooting half frames instead of full ones, but using it is a unique experience in this day and age.

Read the review

We also took our first look at Panasonic's video-focused Micro Four Thirds GH7 in June. It's not the biggest upgrade ever, but it includes some very interesting technologies, such as 32-bit float audio.

Two more summer successes: we published an interview with Nikon, and a sample gallery for Sigma's cutting-edge F1.8 zoom lens.

July Leica D-Lux 8 Preview

The D-Lux 8 is a bit of an odd camera, as it's essentially a refresh of a years-old camera with a substantial price tag. Still, we find it compelling – not only is it one of the only enthusiast compacts to be released in years, but its interface focuses purely on the basics of photography.

Read the initial review

Canon EOS R1 Preview

We also got to look at Canon's first true mirrorless sports flagship, the EOS R1. It brings a lot to the table, especially with its Action Priority AF system, which ended up being crowned with our Innovation of the Year award.

Read the initial review

Another accomplishment in July was writing up interviews with several manufacturers, including Panasonic, Tamron, Sony and Canon, and published the final chapter in a series about a nature photography tour of Madagascar.

August Fujifilm X-T50 Review

In August, we published an in-depth review of Fujifilm's then-entry-level camera – the X-M5 hadn't been announced yet. We found that, if you can put the price aside, it's a nice entry point into the X-mount system for someone looking to get into photography and who wants to play around with the company's famous Film Simulation modes.

Read the review

August is typically a glacial month for camera news, but we were able to spend some of it shooting sample galleries; we tested the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL and Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II and published our gallery from the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 II. We also told the oft-overlooked story of how Kodak's film business ended up in the hands of the UK Government's Pension Protection Fund, begged manufacturers for an enthusiast compact, and got to hear about the state of the camera industry from the people who actually make those cameras.

September Canon EOS R5 II

In September, things kicked back into gear, starting with our review of Canon's EOS R5 II, a wildly impressive camera that we found was up to almost any task. For those that occasionally shoot sports, it also includes the Action Priority AF system that impressed us so much with the larger, more expensive EOS R1.

Read the review

Leica Q3 43

We also got to fully review Leica's latest fixed-lens camera, a variant of its Q3 with a 43mm F2 lens instead of a 28mm lens. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience of shooting with it, and getting to use Leica's photo-focused controls... though, obviously, it's tough to ignore the hefty price tag, especially when you're out and about on the streets.

Read the review

September was also a big month for phones. As is tradition, Apple announced the iPhone 16 which included a dedicated camera button – we broke down exactly what changes it made to the cameras compared to previous versions here – and we got to shoot a sample gallery with Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

October Sony ZV-E10 II Review

We started October with our review of the Sony ZV-E10 II. Appropriately for a vlogging camera, the bulk of our review was published as a video, which you can see above. Of course, there is still plenty to dig into in the written review.

Read the review

Nikon Z6III Review

Just a day after publishing the ZV-E10 II review, we were back with our in-depth look at the Nikon Z6III, a camera that impressed us with its all-around capabilities. Its 'partially-stacked' sensor comes with a minor hit to dynamic range, but in most circumstances, the speed improvements it brings will more than make up for that.

Read the review

During October, we also published sample galleries for the Fujifilm XF16-55mm F2.8 II and Panasonic 18-40mm F4.5-6.3, as well as a review of a Lowepro backpack over a decade in the making. It was also the month we went to Adobe's Max conference to get a sneak peak at some of what the future holds for products like Photoshop, Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, and Content Credentials.

A few more can't-miss pieces: we looked back at the Fujifilm X-E series to get an idea of what a potential X-E5 might be like, saw a DIY camera, and covered why so many cameras seem to be aimed at people other than photographers these days.

November Panasonic S9 Review

In November, we published our review of Panasonic's S9, an entry-level full-frame camera focused on making it fast and easy for creators to shoot and share videos and photos. We appreciated its size and Real-Time LUT system, but found that it gave up quite a lot, such as ergonomics, a mechanical shutter, a viewfinder and hot shoe, to achieve that size and price point.

Read the review

We also published initial reviews of the entry-level Nikon Z50II and professional flagship Sony a1 II. While writing the latter, we also got to film our experience of using it to shoot part of a US football game, which ended up making for a great video.

We also, as part of our 25th anniversary content, wrote about the first camera DPReivew ever reviewed: the Canon PowerShot Pro70, and got the opportunity to interview a photographer who took over 100,000 portraits in a single year.

December Fujifilm X-M5 review

Hopefully, you're not tired of creator-focused cameras because our last review rounding out 2024 was of the Fujifilm X-M5. We found that it packs a lot of photo and video features into a compact body that's priced within reach of beginners, but comes with a few tradeoffs that are worth noting.

Read the review

We also published an article comparing Nikon's modern 50mm F1.4 lens, which is a budget model that trades clinical sharpness for character, and its DSLR-era 50mm F1.4 lens, which was its professional offering for a few years. It's an interesting look at how far lenses have come over the past decade.

Of course, December was also when we put out our annual DPReview Awards, recognizing the best gear released throughout the year.

That brings us to today. The X-M5 review was our last one for the year, but we'll be back with more in January. Be sure to check out the rest of our end-of-year articles, and let us know in the comments: what were your favorite moments of 2024?

The year is coming to a close, so we thought it would be a good time to go back through the archives and pick out some of the most important stories we covered and reviews we published throughout 2024. This list will be far from exhaustive – we have one of those if you're interested – as we're just looking at the highlights.

January Canon EOS R100 Review

On January 22nd, we published our in-depth review of Canon's EOS R100, the company's entry-level mirrorless camera. We found that it compromises perhaps a bit too much to reach its $479 body-only price point but can produce some lovely-looking pictures nonetheless.

Read the review

Sony ZV-1 Mark II Review

Hot on the heels of the EOS R100 review was our deep-dive on the Sony ZV-1 Mark II, a compact vlogging camera based around a Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor. It has its strengths – though it's absolutely not the enthusiast stills compact we've all been hoping for – but we found that it doesn't quite do enough to earn a recommendation compared to a modern-day smartphone.

Read the review

Also in January, we published our initial review of the Sony a9 III, the first full-frame photography camera from a major manufacturer to feature a 'global' shutter. We'll talk about it more in a bit when we get to the full review. We also published our initial review of the OM System OM 1 Mark II, a mild update to the company's Micro Four Thirds flagship. And who can forget CES?

February

February is usually a busy month here at DPReview thanks to the CP+ industry expo that takes place in Japan. That means we have to cover a lot of news, but we were also able to release our initial review of the Fujifilm X100VI, a camera that would go on to become one of the most difficult pieces of tech to get in 2024. We also published a sample gallery for the OM 1 Mk. II, and added the Panasonic S5 II to our studio scene.

Finishing the Nikon Zf review

While we published the bulk of our Nikon Zf review in early January, in February, we added a sample video and video experience section, rounding out the review. The Zf may look like a vintage film camera, but we found it was surprisingly capable of filming as well.

Read the review

March Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 II Review

In March we published our full review of the Panasonic G9 II, a high-end Micro Four Thirds camera aimed at stills photographers. We found that it accomplished that task well, and was a worthy successor to its predecessor... while also packing a surprisingly capable suite of video features as well.

Read the review

Leica SL3 Initial Review

We also took a look at the Leica SL3, a camera that takes the sensor used in the company's flagship M11 rangefinder and put it into a more traditional mirrorless body with an L-mount and autofocus capabilities.

Read the initial review

March was also a busy month for sample galleries; we published pictures shot with four different lenses and a selection of images from our trip to Japan in February, shot with the Panasonic S5 IIX. We also covered Nikon's acquisition of cinema camera maker Red, and interviewed the Divisional Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group about the company's future.

April Panasonic S5 II Review

Our review of the S5 II was definitely late to the game, as the camera was unfortunately announced right as we were learning that DPReview's parent company intended to shut it down. This year, however, we were finally able to put some time in with it, using the new v3 firmware that added several features and enhancements.

Read the review

We also looked at pixel-shift high-resolution modes and explained why we've had such bad luck with them in the past. Spoiler: some of it comes down to patents and the real world's inability to hold still for too long. Also in April: we asked manufacturers what they thought some of the most influential camera gear from the past 25 years was, checked in on Ricoh's development of a new film camera, and Sigma's CEO gave us an update on full-frame Foveon.

May Fujifilm X100VI Review

In May, we published our full review of the Fujifilm X100VI, a fixed-lens camera that paired AI-derived autofocus and a stabilized sensor with an already-popular hybrid rangefinder / EVF. We found using it to be an extremely compelling experience, which is what makes it such a shame that it's still only available on backorder or at extremely inflated prices all these months later.

Read the review

Sony a9 III Review

We also finished our in-depth look at the Sony a9 III, and found that it was an incredibly capable sports camera. Its 'global' shutter makes different types of photography possible, especially when it comes to shooting with high-powered flashes. The tech does come with a small downside in image quality, but if you need to shoot some of the fastest subjects on earth, it's likely worth the tradeoff.

Read the review

We also took our first look at the Fujifilm X-T50 and its new kit lens, the XF16-50mm F2.8-4.8 R LM WR. May was apparently Fujifilm month here at DPReview, though we also published an interview with Sigma's CEO, and a celebration of physical controls on cameras. Be sure not to miss our stunning sample gallery from the Sigma 15mm F1.4 either, or the first episode of our Stories Behind the Photo podcast.

June Pentax 17 Review

It's not often that we review film cameras. For one, our expertise is largely in digital photography – go figure – but more importantly, there just aren't that many that come out. This year, though, Pentax released its first camera in 20 years that shoots to celluloid instead of a sensor. It's definitely not cheap, despite the fact that it keeps film costs down by shooting half frames instead of full ones, but using it is a unique experience in this day and age.

Read the review

We also took our first look at Panasonic's video-focused Micro Four Thirds GH7 in June. It's not the biggest upgrade ever, but it includes some very interesting technologies, such as 32-bit float audio.

Two more summer successes: we published an interview with Nikon, and a sample gallery for Sigma's cutting-edge F1.8 zoom lens.

July Leica D-Lux 8 Preview

The D-Lux 8 is a bit of an odd camera, as it's essentially a refresh of a years-old camera with a substantial price tag. Still, we find it compelling – not only is it one of the only enthusiast compacts to be released in years, but its interface focuses purely on the basics of photography.

Read the initial review

Canon EOS R1 Preview

We also got to look at Canon's first true mirrorless sports flagship, the EOS R1. It brings a lot to the table, especially with its Action Priority AF system, which ended up being crowned with our Innovation of the Year award.

Read the initial review

Another accomplishment in July was writing up interviews with several manufacturers, including Panasonic, Tamron, Sony and Canon, and published the final chapter in a series about a nature photography tour of Madagascar.

August Fujifilm X-T50 Review

In August, we published an in-depth review of Fujifilm's then-entry-level camera – the X-M5 hadn't been announced yet. We found that, if you can put the price aside, it's a nice entry point into the X-mount system for someone looking to get into photography and who wants to play around with the company's famous Film Simulation modes.

Read the review

August is typically a glacial month for camera news, but we were able to spend some of it shooting sample galleries; we tested the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL and Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II and published our gallery from the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 II. We also told the oft-overlooked story of how Kodak's film business ended up in the hands of the UK Government's Pension Protection Fund, begged manufacturers for an enthusiast compact, and got to hear about the state of the camera industry from the people who actually make those cameras.

September Canon EOS R5 II

In September, things kicked back into gear, starting with our review of Canon's EOS R5 II, a wildly impressive camera that we found was up to almost any task. For those that occasionally shoot sports, it also includes the Action Priority AF system that impressed us so much with the larger, more expensive EOS R1.

Read the review

Leica Q3 43

We also got to fully review Leica's latest fixed-lens camera, a variant of its Q3 with a 43mm F2 lens instead of a 28mm lens. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience of shooting with it, and getting to use Leica's photo-focused controls... though, obviously, it's tough to ignore the hefty price tag, especially when you're out and about on the streets.

Read the review

September was also a big month for phones. As is tradition, Apple announced the iPhone 16 which included a dedicated camera button – we broke down exactly what changes it made to the cameras compared to previous versions here – and we got to shoot a sample gallery with Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

October Sony ZV-E10 II Review

We started October with our review of the Sony ZV-E10 II. Appropriately for a vlogging camera, the bulk of our review was published as a video, which you can see above. Of course, there is still plenty to dig into in the written review.

Read the review

Nikon Z6III Review

Just a day after publishing the ZV-E10 II review, we were back with our in-depth look at the Nikon Z6III, a camera that impressed us with its all-around capabilities. Its 'partially-stacked' sensor comes with a minor hit to dynamic range, but in most circumstances, the speed improvements it brings will more than make up for that.

Read the review

During October, we also published sample galleries for the Fujifilm XF16-55mm F2.8 II and Panasonic 18-40mm F4.5-6.3, as well as a review of a Lowepro backpack over a decade in the making. It was also the month we went to Adobe's Max conference to get a sneak peak at some of what the future holds for products like Photoshop, Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, and Content Credentials.

A few more can't-miss pieces: we looked back at the Fujifilm X-E series to get an idea of what a potential X-E5 might be like, saw a DIY camera, and covered why so many cameras seem to be aimed at people other than photographers these days.

November Panasonic S9 Review

In November, we published our review of Panasonic's S9, an entry-level full-frame camera focused on making it fast and easy for creators to shoot and share videos and photos. We appreciated its size and Real-Time LUT system, but found that it gave up quite a lot, such as ergonomics, a mechanical shutter, a viewfinder and hot shoe, to achieve that size and price point.

Read the review

We also published initial reviews of the entry-level Nikon Z50II and professional flagship Sony a1 II. While writing the latter, we also got to film our experience of using it to shoot part of a US football game, which ended up making for a great video.

We also, as part of our 25th anniversary content, wrote about the first camera DPReivew ever reviewed: the Canon PowerShot Pro70, and got the opportunity to interview a photographer who took over 100,000 portraits in a single year.

December Fujifilm X-M5 review

Hopefully, you're not tired of creator-focused cameras because our last review rounding out 2024 was of the Fujifilm X-M5. We found that it packs a lot of photo and video features into a compact body that's priced within reach of beginners, but comes with a few tradeoffs that are worth noting.

Read the review

We also published an article comparing Nikon's modern 50mm F1.4 lens, which is a budget model that trades clinical sharpness for character, and its DSLR-era 50mm F1.4 lens, which was its professional offering for a few years. It's an interesting look at how far lenses have come over the past decade.

Of course, December was also when we put out our annual DPReview Awards, recognizing the best gear released throughout the year.

That brings us to today. The X-M5 review was our last one for the year, but we'll be back with more in January. Be sure to check out the rest of our end-of-year articles, and let us know in the comments: what were your favorite moments of 2024?

Season's greetings! We've almost reached the end of 2024, and as is our custom, the DPReview team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Boxing Day, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Festivus, and Happy Holiday to all. We're incredibly grateful you've stuck with us for yet another orbit around the sun.

2024 was an important year for DPReview symbolically. One year ago today, on December 25, 2023, we celebrated the site's 25th anniversary. For the past 12 months, we've been looking back at some of the moments and milestones from that past quarter century. We couldn't have reached this point without your support.

2024 has also been an important chapter for DPReview as a business. Many of you know we've been going through a period of rebuilding. Every person at DPReview, including many folks behind the scenes, has poured their heart and soul into this effort. Why? Because at a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it.

The hard work is paying off. You might recall that a couple of months ago, we advertised some new editorial roles on the site, and I'm thrilled to report that we'll have a couple of new faces joining the team early next year.

"At a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it."

A huge factor in that success has been our community. Whether you're a regular in the forums or just pop in to comment under the occasional article, we're grateful for your contributions. Our forums are a goldmine of information, crowd-sourced from knowledgeable people for over 25 years. Our homepage may get a lot of attention, but the forums are where the magic happens: exchanging ideas, forming communities, and forging personal connections.

In fact, we're planning to ramp up support for our online community in 2025. Remember those new staff members I mentioned? One of them will be focused on supporting our forums, including our team of volunteer moderators. This will be the first time we've had a person on our team dedicated to this task, and to be candid, it's overdue.

Before you leave today, we'd love it if you'd take a moment to leave a comment and let us know what made 2024 at DPReview memorable for you. Or, if you're feeling prophetic, please tell us what you'd like to see in the coming year.

From all of us at DPReview – the editors who craft the stories, the tech wizards who keep the lights on, and the business team who keep us on solid footing – we wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season. We're genuinely excited about what the future holds and look forward to having you by our side as we embark on the next 25 years.

Season's greetings! We've almost reached the end of 2024, and as is our custom, the DPReview team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Boxing Day, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Festivus, and Happy Holiday to all. We're incredibly grateful you've stuck with us for yet another orbit around the sun.

2024 was an important year for DPReview symbolically. One year ago today, on December 25, 2023, we celebrated the site's 25th anniversary. For the past 12 months, we've been looking back at some of the moments and milestones from that past quarter century. We couldn't have reached this point without your support.

2024 has also been an important chapter for DPReview as a business. Many of you know we've been going through a period of rebuilding. Every person at DPReview, including many folks behind the scenes, has poured their heart and soul into this effort. Why? Because at a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it.

The hard work is paying off. You might recall that a couple of months ago, we advertised some new editorial roles on the site, and I'm thrilled to report that we'll have a couple of new faces joining the team early next year.

"At a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it."

A huge factor in that success has been our community. Whether you're a regular in the forums or just pop in to comment under the occasional article, we're grateful for your contributions. Our forums are a goldmine of information, crowd-sourced from knowledgeable people for over 25 years. Our homepage may get a lot of attention, but the forums are where the magic happens: exchanging ideas, forming communities, and forging personal connections.

In fact, we're planning to ramp up support for our online community in 2025. Remember those new staff members I mentioned? One of them will be focused on supporting our forums, including our team of volunteer moderators. This will be the first time we've had a person on our team dedicated to this task, and to be candid, it's overdue.

Before you leave today, we'd love it if you'd take a moment to leave a comment and let us know what made 2024 at DPReview memorable for you. Or, if you're feeling prophetic, please tell us what you'd like to see in the coming year.

From all of us at DPReview – the editors who craft the stories, the tech wizards who keep the lights on, and the business team who keep us on solid footing – we wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season. We're genuinely excited about what the future holds and look forward to having you by our side as we embark on the next 25 years.

2024 In Review Photos: DPReview staff

2024 is just about over, so we thought it'd be a good time to look back and identify some trends that started emerging or kept going strong throughout the year. This isn't a recap of all the news that happened – we'll be releasing one of those soon enough – but rather a broad look at the direction the industry is going, which may give us an idea of what to expect throughout 2025.

Global Shutter Sony's a9 III simultaneously ends the exposure for all its pixels, eliminating rolling shutter.

Photo: Richard Butler

It's hard to say that global shutter was a trend in 2024; in terms of consumer mirrorless cameras, there was only one with the tech, the Sony a9 III. Given the benefits it brings, though – the ability to sync with full-power flash at almost any speed, the ability to shoot stills at 120fps, and to use shutter speeds up to 1/80,000 sec to capture the fastest subjects without any blur – we fully expect to see it come to more high-end sports / action cameras.

That's not to say that the a9 III's sensor is perfect. Compared to its rolling shutter counterparts, it takes a hit to absolute image quality with its 250 base ISO, which means it has about a stop more noise than most of its competitors.

However, if you need the performance a global shutter offers, it's likely none of those caveats will be deal breakers. We just mention them to say that we don't expect to see global shutters in cameras that are focused on image quality above all else, such as the Sony a7R series or a follow-up to the Nikon Z8 – at least not in 2025 or even 2026.

Physical color mode controls The Film Simulation dial joined Panasonic's LUT button and Nikon's Picture Control button as the forerunners of the physical color mode control trend.

Photo: Mitchell Clark

This year, it felt like every other camera had a physical control for color modes. Fujifilm's Film Simulation dial, included on the X-T50 and X-M5, feels like the obvious example, but it was far from the only one: Panasonic put a LUT button on the creator-focused S9 – and then gave its users the option to backport one onto other cameras – and Nikon included a button to bring up its Picture Control menu on the Z50II.

Physical color mode controls aren't a brand-new thing. We saw one on the Olympus Pen-F in 2016. But this is the year they definitively became a trend.

Only time will tell if they stick around. Camera manufacturers will likely be paying very close attention to whether consumers actually value being able to easily change the look of their photos and videos using a physical button or dial. If it turns out they do, this year's crop of cameras likely won't be the last we see with a color mode control.

APS-C shooters have more options than ever Canon and Nikon's higher-end APS-C bodies make a lot more sense now that there's a wider array of good lenses to pair with them.

Image: Sigma

2024 was the year that Canon and Nikon started allowing more and more third-party APS-C lenses onto their systems. At the beginning of the year, you only had a handful of options if you wanted a third-party autofocus lens for RF or Z-mount. Now, you have significantly more.

The change came from some of the usual suspects, as well as some smaller companies. Sigma and Tamron were the first to announce they'd be bringing their lenses to RF mount, but Samyang slid in under the wire with an announcement that it, too, would start producing lenses for the system.

Most of Sigma's DC DN primes have been available on Z-mount since early 2023, but this year, we've seen a slew of autofocus primes become available for the system from brands like Siuri and Viltrox.

There are still holes in the lineup for each brand, though – neither has a great telephoto option, and there aren't any fast zoom Z-mount lenses – which is why we'd like to see this trend continue into 2025. If we're really dreaming, maybe Canon and Nikon will allow more third-party full-frame glass, but we'll save our fantasies for a different article.

The rise of smaller full-frame lenses Looking quite compact for a constant F2.8 full-frame zoom

Image: Sony

Speaking of full-frame glass, this year we've also seen a trend of smaller, lighter full-frame lenses. Panasonic's 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 for L-mount is the most obvious example – the company says it's the "smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom with autofocus for full-frame mirrorless cameras" – but Sony's FE 24-50mm F2.8 is also a great, compact new lens that makes a ton of sense on smaller bodies like the a7CR.

Even the big lenses have been getting smaller – Sigma's second-gen 24-70 F2.8 is 10% lighter than its predecessor, a difference that'll definitely be noticeable in hour eight of shooting a wedding. Sony's 85mm F1.4 GM II also boasts a 20% weight reduction compared to the original.

Again, this trend isn't exactly new. We've seen a few lenses that have been largely defined by their size; Canon's original RF 70-200mm F2.8 from 2019 and Sony's 70-200mm F2.8 GM II from 2022 come to mind. But with further advances in optics and manufacturing techniques, we hope to see even more full-frame lenses come out that are smaller and lighter than the ones that came before... even if they still won't be able to out-compact Fujifilm's XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II.

The AI age DALL-E, Midjourney, Meta AI, StableDiffusion and Gemini are just a few of the several AI image generators that became increasingly popular in 2024.

Logos: Open AI, Midjourney, Meta, Stability.ai, Google

Pretty much every industry has had its own deluge of AI-related news in 2024, and photography is no exception. The continued proliferation of AI-generated images and text has sparked near-endless debates about what place, if any, the technology has in photography, with some people even taking the extreme position that the ubiquitous ability to generate images will destroy the art form altogether (assuming those comments too, aren't AI-generated).

It's not all existential doom and gloom, though, as some companies have used AI to try and improve the experience of photography rather than replace it. For instance, the new Canon EOS R1 and R5 II have Action Priority AF modes, which use machine learning-based algorithms to determine which subject to focus on during key moments in certain sports. It could be thought of as context recognition, rather than the subject recognition that's become table stakes for most cameras. The EOS R1 and R5 II also have built-in AI-derived noise-reduction and upscaling functions, should you choose to use them.

AI-powered denoising and upscaling are also making their way into photo editing software, such as Lightroom or the apps from companies like Topaz Labs. And while Adobe has added plenty of generative AI features to Photoshop, we've also seen other AI-powered improvements, such as its distraction removal mode and Adobe Camera Raw's new Adaptive profile and reflection removal feature.

However you feel about the technology, it's almost certainly here to stay. The good news is that another facet of the AI trend this year has been companies working on improving transparency around AI, creating tools to prove a photo's authenticity or show exactly how it's been manipulated, either by AI or through more conventional means. The tech is far from ubiquitous, but it seems likely that we'll see it spread to more and more platforms as AI becomes even more prevalent.

2024 In Review Photos: DPReview staff

2024 is just about over, so we thought it'd be a good time to look back and identify some trends that started emerging or kept going strong throughout the year. This isn't a recap of all the news that happened – we'll be releasing one of those soon enough – but rather a broad look at the direction the industry is going, which may give us an idea of what to expect throughout 2025.

Global Shutter Sony's a9 III simultaneously ends the exposure for all its pixels, eliminating rolling shutter.

Photo: Richard Butler

It's hard to say that global shutter was a trend in 2024; in terms of consumer mirrorless cameras, there was only one with the tech, the Sony a9 III. Given the benefits it brings, though – the ability to sync with full-power flash at almost any speed, the ability to shoot stills at 120fps, and to use shutter speeds up to 1/80,000 sec to capture the fastest subjects without any blur – we fully expect to see it come to more high-end sports / action cameras.

That's not to say that the a9 III's sensor is perfect. Compared to its rolling shutter counterparts, it takes a hit to absolute image quality with its 250 base ISO, which means it has about a stop more noise than most of its competitors.

However, if you need the performance a global shutter offers, it's likely none of those caveats will be deal breakers. We just mention them to say that we don't expect to see global shutters in cameras that are focused on image quality above all else, such as the Sony a7R series or a follow-up to the Nikon Z8 – at least not in 2025 or even 2026.

Physical color mode controls The Film Simulation dial joined Panasonic's LUT button and Nikon's Picture Control button as the forerunners of the physical color mode control trend.

Photo: Mitchell Clark

This year, it felt like every other camera had a physical control for color modes. Fujifilm's Film Simulation dial, included on the X-T50 and X-M5, feels like the obvious example, but it was far from the only one: Panasonic put a LUT button on the creator-focused S9 – and then gave its users the option to backport one onto other cameras – and Nikon included a button to bring up its Picture Control menu on the Z50II.

Physical color mode controls aren't a brand-new thing. We saw one on the Olympus Pen-F in 2016. But this is the year they definitively became a trend.

Only time will tell if they stick around. Camera manufacturers will likely be paying very close attention to whether consumers actually value being able to easily change the look of their photos and videos using a physical button or dial. If it turns out they do, this year's crop of cameras likely won't be the last we see with a color mode control.

APS-C shooters have more options than ever Canon and Nikon's higher-end APS-C bodies make a lot more sense now that there's a wider array of good lenses to pair with them.

Image: Sigma

2024 was the year that Canon and Nikon started allowing more and more third-party APS-C lenses onto their systems. At the beginning of the year, you only had a handful of options if you wanted a third-party autofocus lens for RF or Z-mount. Now, you have significantly more.

The change came from some of the usual suspects, as well as some smaller companies. Sigma and Tamron were the first to announce they'd be bringing their lenses to RF mount, but Samyang slid in under the wire with an announcement that it, too, would start producing lenses for the system.

Most of Sigma's DC DN primes have been available on Z-mount since early 2023, but this year, we've seen a slew of autofocus primes become available for the system from brands like Siuri and Viltrox.

There are still holes in the lineup for each brand, though – neither has a great telephoto option, and there aren't any fast zoom Z-mount lenses – which is why we'd like to see this trend continue into 2025. If we're really dreaming, maybe Canon and Nikon will allow more third-party full-frame glass, but we'll save our fantasies for a different article.

The rise of smaller full-frame lenses Looking quite compact for a constant F2.8 full-frame zoom

Image: Sony

Speaking of full-frame glass, this year we've also seen a trend of smaller, lighter full-frame lenses. Panasonic's 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 for L-mount is the most obvious example – the company says it's the "smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom with autofocus for full-frame mirrorless cameras" – but Sony's FE 24-50mm F2.8 is also a great, compact new lens that makes a ton of sense on smaller bodies like the a7CR.

Even the big lenses have been getting smaller – Sigma's second-gen 24-70 F2.8 is 10% lighter than its predecessor, a difference that'll definitely be noticeable in hour eight of shooting a wedding. Sony's 85mm F1.4 GM II also boasts a 20% weight reduction compared to the original.

Again, this trend isn't exactly new. We've seen a few lenses that have been largely defined by their size; Canon's original RF 70-200mm F2.8 from 2019 and Sony's 70-200mm F2.8 GM II from 2022 come to mind. But with further advances in optics and manufacturing techniques, we hope to see even more full-frame lenses come out that are smaller and lighter than the ones that came before... even if they still won't be able to out-compact Fujifilm's XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II.

The AI age DALL-E, Midjourney, Meta AI, StableDiffusion and Gemini are just a few of the several AI image generators that became increasingly popular in 2024.

Logos: Open AI, Midjourney, Meta, Stability.ai, Google

Pretty much every industry has had its own deluge of AI-related news in 2024, and photography is no exception. The continued proliferation of AI-generated images and text has sparked near-endless debates about what place, if any, the technology has in photography, with some people even taking the extreme position that the ubiquitous ability to generate images will destroy the art form altogether (assuming those comments too, aren't AI-generated).

It's not all existential doom and gloom, though, as some companies have used AI to try and improve the experience of photography rather than replace it. For instance, the new Canon EOS R1 and R5 II have Action Priority AF modes, which use machine learning-based algorithms to determine which subject to focus on during key moments in certain sports. It could be thought of as context recognition, rather than the subject recognition that's become table stakes for most cameras. The EOS R1 and R5 II also have built-in AI-derived noise-reduction and upscaling functions, should you choose to use them.

AI-powered denoising and upscaling are also making their way into photo editing software, such as Lightroom or the apps from companies like Topaz Labs. And while Adobe has added plenty of generative AI features to Photoshop, we've also seen other AI-powered improvements, such as its distraction removal mode and Adobe Camera Raw's new Adaptive profile and reflection removal feature.

However you feel about the technology, it's almost certainly here to stay. The good news is that another facet of the AI trend this year has been companies working on improving transparency around AI, creating tools to prove a photo's authenticity or show exactly how it's been manipulated, either by AI or through more conventional means. The tech is far from ubiquitous, but it seems likely that we'll see it spread to more and more platforms as AI becomes even more prevalent.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.Have your say: Best gear of 2024

For the past few weeks, readers have been voting on their favorite cameras and lenses released in 2024. Now that the first round of voting is over, it's time to reveal the winners.

Remember, though, it isn't over just yet! Now it's time to pick an overall winner. Make sure to cast your ballot for the 2024 Reader's Choice Product of the Year – this one's for all the bragging rights.

Best prime lens runner-up: Nikon Z 50mm F1.4

First up is the 2024 runner-up for best prime lens, the Nikon Z 50mm F1.4, a fast prime that retails for less than Nikon's own 50mm F1.8 S model. The tradeoff? Although it's faster than the 50mm F1.8 S, it trades some of the clinical sharpness of that lens for more 'character', and you'll likely see more vignetting and longitudinal chromatic aberration at some apertures. However, it gets you a fast prime at a popular focal length for under $500.

In our poll, the Z 50mm F1.4 barely edged out its sibling, the Nikon Z 35mm F1.4, effectively splitting the vote, suggesting that Nikon's new F1.4 optics have struck a chord with enthusiast photographers.

Buy now:

Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo Best prime lens winner: Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II

The 2024 Reader's Choice Award for the best prime lens goes to the Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II, the same lens we named as the best prime lens of the year in our 2024 DPReview Annual Awards. It's not a fancy, exotic lens, but it's a solid workhorse that gets the job done and delivers great image quality. It's also lighter, sharper, and has faster and smoother focus than its predecessor. As we said in our Annual Awards announcement, the Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II delivers "consistent excellence you simply take for granted."

Buy now:

$1798 at Adorama$1798 at B&H Photo Best zoom lens runner-up: Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR

Placing in the runner-up position for best zoom lens is the Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR, which covers a huge range of focal lengths in a single lens. This lens remains relatively compact in its retracted state, making it an option for travel or a one-lens setup for general use. It's even dust- and drip-resistant if you get caught in the rain on vacation.

Although the lens' maximum aperture of F8 at the long end might seem a little restrictive, you can't beat physics; however, Nikon's Vibration Reduction technology – along with in-body image stabilization in many camera models – can assist at slower shutter speeds. It may not be as flashy as some of the faster zooms that were on the list, but the Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR provides a lot of versatility in a single lens, which is probably why it did so well in our poll.

Buy now:

$1296 at Amazon.com$1297 at Adorama$1297 at B&H Photo Best zoom lens winner: Sony 28-70mm F2 GM

The 2024 Reader's Choice Award for best zoom lens goes to the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM. While it doesn't go as wide as the popular 24-70mm zoom range, the FE 28-70mm proves it's possible to maintain a relatively compact size while sporting a fast, F2 aperture, all with an internal focusing design. Its four linear motors even allow the FE 28-70mm F2 to focus when shooting at 120fps on Sony's fastest camera.

We had a blast shooting this lens in 2024, so we appreciate why you collectively chose it as the top zoom lens of the year. If you'd like to see this lens in action, check out our video of Richard Butler using it to shoot portraits in New York City, along with a sample gallery that includes many of the portraits featured in the video. Congrats, Sony!

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama$2898 at B&H Photo Best camera runner-up: Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Grabbing the runner-up position for best camera is the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. It may deliver the same 45MP resolution as its predecessor, but just about everything else has changed.

The camera's stacked sensor brings performance improvements to both stills and video, while Eye Control AF, Action Priority AF, and improved subject recognition AF are standout features that we hope to see percolate down to other Canon models. The R5 II also highlights Canon's efforts to unify its mirrorless cameras with its Cinema EOS line, including codecs, gamma profiles, HDR video technology, and video tools. It's hard to imagine many things this camera can't do.

Buy now:

$4011 at Amazon.com$4299 at Adorama$4299 at B&H Photo Best camera winner: Nikon Z6III

The 2024 Reader's Choice Award for best camera goes to the Nikon Z6III, making Nikon the People's Choice winner in this category for the second year in a row.

The third generation of the Z6 series kicks things up a level. It features what Nikon calls a "Partially Stacked" sensor to deliver some of the benefits of a Stacked CMOS sensor but at a lower cost, delivering improved performance and autofocus while retaining the Z6's reputation for excellent ergonomics. It also features significant video upgrades with higher quality output and a useful video tool set, reinforcing Nikon's intent to be a player in the video market.

In our 2024 Annual Awards, the Z6III walked away with two trophies: Best Enthusiast Camera and our 2024 Product of the Year. It looks like it may be trying to make a clean sweep of the Reader's Choice Awards as well.

Buy now:

$2196 at Amazon.com$2497 at Adorama$2497 at B&H Photo Have your say - vote for Product of the Year!

You helped determine the winners in the individual categories, so now's the time to cast your vote in one last poll! Choose your favorite product from this list of winners and runners-up between now and Thursday, January 2nd. Watch for an announcement of the winning products shortly after the poll closes.

As always, thanks for casting your votes and being a part of our community throughout the year.

Poll widgetThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content.

Please note that for the best experience, we recommend voting on our desktop site.

Poll Rules:

This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It's not sponsored, promoted, or paid for in any way, and DPReview doesn't care how you vote. Our Reader's polls are run on the basis of trust. As such, we ask that you only vote once from a single account.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.Have your say: Best gear of 2024

For the past few weeks, readers have been voting on their favorite cameras and lenses released in 2024. Now that the first round of voting is over, it's time to reveal the winners.

Remember, though, it isn't over just yet! Now it's time to pick an overall winner. Make sure to cast your ballot for the 2024 Reader's Choice Product of the Year – this one's for all the bragging rights.

Best prime lens runner-up: Nikon Z 50mm F1.4

First up is the 2024 runner-up for best prime lens, the Nikon Z 50mm F1.4, a fast prime that retails for less than Nikon's own 50mm F1.8 S model. The tradeoff? Although it's faster than the 50mm F1.8 S, it trades some of the clinical sharpness of that lens for more 'character', and you'll likely see more vignetting and longitudinal chromatic aberration at some apertures. However, it gets you a fast prime at a popular focal length for under $500.

In our poll, the Z 50mm F1.4 barely edged out its sibling, the Nikon Z 35mm F1.4, effectively splitting the vote, suggesting that Nikon's new F1.4 optics have struck a chord with enthusiast photographers.

Buy now:

Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo Best prime lens winner: Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II

The 2024 Reader's Choice Award for the best prime lens goes to the Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II, the same lens we named as the best prime lens of the year in our 2024 DPReview Annual Awards. It's not a fancy, exotic lens, but it's a solid workhorse that gets the job done and delivers great image quality. It's also lighter, sharper, and has faster and smoother focus than its predecessor. As we said in our Annual Awards announcement, the Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II delivers "consistent excellence you simply take for granted."

Buy now:

$1798 at Adorama$1798 at B&H Photo Best zoom lens runner-up: Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR

Placing in the runner-up position for best zoom lens is the Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR, which covers a huge range of focal lengths in a single lens. This lens remains relatively compact in its retracted state, making it an option for travel or a one-lens setup for general use. It's even dust- and drip-resistant if you get caught in the rain on vacation.

Although the lens' maximum aperture of F8 at the long end might seem a little restrictive, you can't beat physics; however, Nikon's Vibration Reduction technology – along with in-body image stabilization in many camera models – can assist at slower shutter speeds. It may not be as flashy as some of the faster zooms that were on the list, but the Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR provides a lot of versatility in a single lens, which is probably why it did so well in our poll.

Buy now:

$1296 at Amazon.com$1297 at Adorama$1297 at B&H Photo Best zoom lens winner: Sony 28-70mm F2 GM

The 2024 Reader's Choice Award for best zoom lens goes to the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM. While it doesn't go as wide as the popular 24-70mm zoom range, the FE 28-70mm proves it's possible to maintain a relatively compact size while sporting a fast, F2 aperture, all with an internal focusing design. Its four linear motors even allow the FE 28-70mm F2 to focus when shooting at 120fps on Sony's fastest camera.

We had a blast shooting this lens in 2024, so we appreciate why you collectively chose it as the top zoom lens of the year. If you'd like to see this lens in action, check out our video of Richard Butler using it to shoot portraits in New York City, along with a sample gallery that includes many of the portraits featured in the video. Congrats, Sony!

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama$2898 at B&H Photo Best camera runner-up: Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Grabbing the runner-up position for best camera is the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. It may deliver the same 45MP resolution as its predecessor, but just about everything else has changed.

The camera's stacked sensor brings performance improvements to both stills and video, while Eye Control AF, Action Priority AF, and improved subject recognition AF are standout features that we hope to see percolate down to other Canon models. The R5 II also highlights Canon's efforts to unify its mirrorless cameras with its Cinema EOS line, including codecs, gamma profiles, HDR video technology, and video tools. It's hard to imagine many things this camera can't do.

Buy now:

$4299 at Amazon.com$4299 at Adorama$4299 at B&H Photo Best camera winner: Nikon Z6III

The 2024 Reader's Choice Award for best camera goes to the Nikon Z6III, making Nikon the People's Choice winner in this category for the second year in a row.

The third generation of the Z6 series kicks things up a level. It features what Nikon calls a "Partially Stacked" sensor to deliver some of the benefits of a Stacked CMOS sensor but at a lower cost, delivering improved performance and autofocus while retaining the Z6's reputation for excellent ergonomics. It also features significant video upgrades with higher quality output and a useful video tool set, reinforcing Nikon's intent to be a player in the video market.

In our 2024 Annual Awards, the Z6III walked away with two trophies: Best Enthusiast Camera and our 2024 Product of the Year. It looks like it may be trying to make a clean sweep of the Reader's Choice Awards as well.

Buy now:

$2196 at Amazon.com$2497 at Adorama$2497 at B&H Photo Have your say - vote for Product of the Year!

You helped determine the winners in the individual categories, so now's the time to cast your vote in one last poll! Choose your favorite product from this list of winners and runners-up between now and Thursday, January 2nd. Watch for an announcement of the winning products shortly after the poll closes.

As always, thanks for casting your votes and being a part of our community throughout the year.

Poll widgetThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content.

Please note that for the best experience, we recommend voting on our desktop site.

Poll Rules:

This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It's not sponsored, promoted, or paid for in any way, and DPReview doesn't care how you vote. Our Reader's polls are run on the basis of trust. As such, we ask that you only vote once from a single account.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

We recently published our review of the Fujifilm X-M5, and a sample gallery taken with a production unit alongside it. In case you missed it, we're giving the sample gallery its own article, as we've added a few more examples to it to help show some of the differences between Fujifilm's Film Simulation color modes.

We were able to shoot this gallery with a wider array of lenses than our pre-production one, which should help illustrate the camera's capabilities when paired with a lens that has better optics than the XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.

Click here to see the gallery

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

We recently published our review of the Fujifilm X-M5, and a sample gallery taken with a production unit alongside it. In case you missed it, we're giving the sample gallery its own article, as we've added a few more examples to it to help show some of the differences between Fujifilm's Film Simulation color modes.

We were able to shoot this gallery with a wider array of lenses than our pre-production one, which should help illustrate the camera's capabilities when paired with a lens that has better optics than the XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.

Click here to see the gallery