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Image: Canon

"We will raise prices and are in the process of estimating the timing and amount of the increase," said Canon, when asked about the impact of tariffs in the US. The response came to questions from analysts at the company’s Q1 financials announcement, with it becoming the first major manufacturer to publically discuss the impact with its investors. The company has an entire document separate from its earnings report dedicated to answering questions about tariffs.

The company reduced its sales forecast for its camera business by ¥25.2BN ($177.4M) to ¥1,011BN ($7.1BN, a reduction of 2.4%), for the year, with the bulk of this reduction coming from changes in expected exchange rates. However, it also said it had accounted for some of the expected impacts of tariffs at a whole-company level, rather than on a per business group basis.

Overall, it said it expected to sell 3M ILCs in 2025, up 6% on last year, with the ¥1,011BN sales estimate still representing a 7.9% increase over 2024.

It says these forecasts are based on the assumption of a 10% tariff being imposed and the reduction of demand that would come from the necessary increase in US prices. The initial announcement called for a 24% tariff on Japanese imports, though the US government then announced a 90-day period at 10%, with negotiations ongoing.

"We produce more products in Japan than other companies"

“We will have an advantage in the field of cameras,” compared with its rivals, it said: “as we produce more products in Japan than other companies.”

The US makes up around 25% of its camera business’s sales, but the company said that should be safe from the worst of the threatened tariffs, as all of its products made in China (which the US administration has said will be subject to 145% tariffs) are primarily sold to the Chinese domestic market.

It says it has “about one or two months’ worth” of inventory already in the US, meaning prices are not expected to increase immediately – tariffs are charged when the good is imported. “We estimate that the impact of tariffs will mainly occur from the latter half of the year,” it says. The company also says it's monitoring ongoing negotiations to determine how they might affect its supply chain and that it will adjust production if necessary. The company has a US-based production site in Virginia, but it says that "no decision has been made at this point regarding the restructuring of the supply chain due to the impact of tariffs."

For now, Canon has assumed the impact will be localized to the US. “We assumed that there will be no impact on other regions,” is said. But: “if the tariff issue were to trigger a global recession, our assumptions will change.”

However, while the tariffs are likely to hit US consumers, they could have an unexpected benefit for customers in other markets. “There are products such as cameras that are on backorder,” it said: “and even if we cannot ship them to the U.S., we believe that we can ship those products to other regions.”

GDT reveals its Nature Photographer of the Year winners

The German Society of Nature Photographers (GDT) revealed the winners and finalists of its annual Nature Photographer of the Year competition. Unlike its European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, open to all European residents, this competition is a members-only affair.

This year, 507 GDT members from 11 countries submitted over 8,000 images for consideration. Following a pre-selection process from a jury, members were allowed to vote for 10 images, each, across categories including Birds, Mammals, Landscapes and Other Animals.

Patience and persistence paid off for Konrad Wothe. He was declared the Overall Winner for his image "Dipper flying through waterfall." A vision spanning over two decades, Wothe credits advances in camera technology for finally making the shot a reality. He initially attempted to capture his vision on film. It took thousands of exposures and countless trips to the dipper's nesting site to get the desired result.

To learn more about Wothe's background, the jury and to view all of the selected images, from the present and past, make sure to visit the GDT's website.

Overall Winner: "Dipper flying through waterfall" by Konrad Wothe Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Konrad Wothe

Image description: White-throated dipper flying through waterfall.

Runner-up, Birds: "Common redstarts in meadow orchard" by Christian Höfs Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Christian Höfs

Image description: Territorial fight between two male redstarts in the orchard in front of my house.

Finalist, Birds: "Courtship display" by Karsten Mosebach Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Karsten Mosebach

Image description: Puffin courtship display during the mating season in Newfoundland.

Category Winner, Mammals: "Chamois" by Radomir Jakubowski Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Radomir Jakubowski

Image description: Chamois photographed through blades of dew-covered grass in the Vosges.

Runner-up, Mammals: "King of the Alps" by Karsten Mosebach Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Karsten Mosebach

Image description: An ibex silhouetted against a lake and the blue evening sky in the Alps.

Winner, Other Animals: "West coast dragon" by Dr. Gerald Haas Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Dr. Gerald Haas

Image description: Wind and waves create striking patterns in the sand along the west coast of Fuerteventura. This dragonfly was a perfect eye-catcher.

Runner-up, Other Animals: "Weevil" by Torsten Christ Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Torsten Christ

Image description: Unidentified weevil (Curculionidae) on the stem of a mushroom.

Finalist, Other Animals: "Spider disco" by Thomas Kirchen Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Thomas Kirchen

Image description: A beautiful rainbow of colours caused by the diffraction of sunlight on the fine, silken threads of a spider's web.

Winner, Plants and Fungi: "Stars above" by Paul Kornacker Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Paul Kornacker

Image description: Quiver trees (Aloe dichotoma) are native to southern Africa. This photo was taken in Namibia near Keetmanshoop.

Runner-up, Plants and Fungi: 'Carnivore' by Klaus Tamm Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Klaus Tamm

Image description: I discovered this spoonleaf sundew in a bog in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Winner, Landscapes: "Deforestation" by Hanneke Van Camp Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Hanneke Van Camp

Image description: Even today, old-growth forests in Sweden are regularly cut down and replaced with commercial plantations. Undisturbed forests can harbour over 2000 species (many of which are endangered) and must be preserved at all costs.

Runner-up, Landscapes: "Radiance" by Thomas Froesch Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Thomas Froesch

Image description: For just a brief moment, the sun broke through the dark clouds and illuminated a waterfall on the Faroe Islands.

Finalist, Landscapes: "Full-circle rainbow" by Peter Schwager Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Peter Schwager

Image description: Photographed during a doors off helicopter flight over Iceland's highlands at an altitude of approx. 300 metres - a rare spectacle.

Winner, Nature's Studio: "Abstraction" by Katja Manski Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Katja Manski

Image description: Long-exposure photography unifies the movements of the waves, reeds and camera into an abstract image (Bornholm).

Winner, Special Category, Both eerie and beautiful - Germany's mires: "Misty morning" by Andreas Volz Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Andreas Volz

Image description: Spider webs in Kochelmoos.

Image: Nothing

British tech brand Nothing only recently announced the Phone 3a and 3a Pro, but it is already back again. This time, it's releasing the CMF Phone 2 Pro. Nothing launched its CMF sub-brand less than a year ago, so this offering marks the start of year two for the new brand. The Phone 2 Pro packs some impressive specs for its affordable price, making it stand out from other phones in this price range.

The camera array on the CMF Phone 2 Pro is very similar to the more expensive Nothing Phone 3a.

Image: Nothing

The CMF Phone 2 Pro's camera array looks very similar to the Nothing Phone 3a, which was already very excellent for its price. The new CMF phone is even more affordable, and seeing these specs on a sub $300 phone is exciting. Most impressive is that the CMF Phone 2 Pro features a dedicated telephoto camera. That's essentially unheard of at this price range, and it's a 50MP telephoto camera to boot.

The 50MP main camera with its Type 1/1.57 (8.16 x 6.12mm) sensor is the exact same as the one used in the Nothing Phone 3a. However, wide-angle fans may be a little disappointed, as that seems to be far less considered here. The Phone 2 Pro features a dedicated ultra-wide with a 15mm equivalent focal length, though it's only 8MP. There's also a 16MP selfie camera.

There are two detachable lenses for the CMF Phone 2 Pro, along with other accessories.

Image: Nothing

Another unique photo-related feature of the CMF Phone 2 Pro is the option to use detachable lenses. The company announced two options: a fisheye and a macro lens. While there are accessory companies making detachable smartphone lenses, we don't often see those provided by the phone maker itself. These are a separate purchase, with each lens priced at €35/£35 (it isn't clear if the lenses will be available in the US, as no US pricing was provided).

The CMF Phone 2 Pro uses Nothing's TrueLens Engine 3 for imaging processing. Nothing said that this algorithm has been optimized over 1000 scenarios to provide enhanced image quality and true-to-life results, no matter the situation. The phone also offers camera presets, so you can quickly switch settings without navigating deep menus.

Beyond the camera, there are some additional standout features with the CMF Phone 2 Pro. The team behind Nothing launched CMF because they felt things had grown boring, lazy and predictable in the mid-range market and wanted to shake things up. The CMF Phone 1 was a highly customizable phone that encouraged people to make it their own, which was unique. The CMF Phone 2 Pro continues that tradition.

Image: Nothing

The CMF Phone 2 Pro retains the modular design of the Phone 1. It allows you to screw on accessories or use the magnetic universal cover for attaching accessories like a phone stand or wallet. It also released the CAD file of the universal cover last week, so the community can create their own 3D-printed designs for the device. The keynote presentation for the Phone 2 Pro showed off a range of creative Phone 1 cases, including some with Lego backs, so there are many opportunities to customize the case.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro comes in four colors.

Image: Nothing

The CMF Phone 2 Pro is available for pre-order now and will be available for purchase on May 6 in two configurations: 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. It is priced at €259/£219 and €289/£249, respectively. In the US, only the larger storage version is available under the company's Beta program for $249.

Press release:

CMF by Nothing Launches CMF Phone 2 Pro, Buds 2, Buds 2 Plus and Buds 2a

Nothing’s sub-brand unveils its second-generation smartphone alongside a trio of earbuds

London, UK - April 28, 2025 – CMF, the sub-brand of London-based technology company Nothing, has today announced four new products - CMF Phone 2 Pro, Buds 2, Buds 2 Plus and Buds 2a.

CMF Phone 2 Pro

With segment-leading performance, a pro-level four-camera system, a wonderfully bright display, and a premium design, CMF Phone 2 Pro is the ultimate daily smartphone. Unique, powerful and fun, CMF Phone 2 Pro is primed for capturing life's moments with a joyful, forward-looking beat and refined design.

The slimmest and lightest smartphone Nothing has ever designed. At 7.8 mm, weighing just 185 g, CMF Phone 2 Pro is nearly weightless - 5% thinner than CMF Phone 1. It comes in an elegant body with an aluminum camera surround – evolved from the first-generation design – and features stainless steel screws for an authentic Nothing feel that unveils the craft behind it. Plus, increased water durability with IP54 - CMF Phone 1 was IP52.

CMF Phone 2 Pro comes in four colours: White, Black, Orange and Light Green. Black and Light Green are crafted with a glass-like back that mimics a frosted glass texture and is bordered with a metallic frame. Refined and minimalist, White is worked with a panelled sandstone finish at the back with an authentic feel and haptics. Orange has a metallic sheen and is the boldest option of all. When designing, we’ve taken care to lend the different iterations a more sophisticated quality, in a considered step up from
CMF Phone 1.

CMF Phone 2 Pro features an advanced four-camera system, complete with a 50 MP main camera with the largest sensor size in its class and capturing 64% more light than CMF Phone 1. For faraway scenes, the powerful telephoto lens uses 6 stacked lenses to digitally zoom onto your subject 20x - the only smartphone with telephoto sensor in this segment. To wrap it up, the 8 MP ultra-wide camera provides an expansive field of view, perfect for everything from landscapes to skylines, while the 16 MP front camera is ready to snap your sharpest selfies.

Now in its 6th generation, the newly upgraded MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G processor packs an 8-core CPU that clocks in speeds of up to 2.5 GHz – ready to live up to the demands of heavy multi-taskers. For cutting-edge performance, with 10% quicker processing and a 5% improvement in graphics when compared to CMF Phone 1. Co-engineered with the state-of-the-art TSMC 4 nm process technology for game-changing power efficiency.

With a 5000 mAh battery that lasts nearly one hour longer than Phone 1, CMF Phone 2 Pro effortlessly powers through two days of use on a single full charge.

Wonderfully bright, highly responsive and the largest display to date in the CMF range and best-in-class in its category. Featuring a 6.77" FHD+ flexible AMOLED display that delivers a stunning 1.07 billion hues – nearly 1 billion more colours than CMF Phone 1. HDR photography takes colouration and vibrancy up a level, while Ultra HDR captures enhance the brightness of highlights by 6 to 8 times, increasing peak brightness to 3000 nits – a 50% higher peak brightness than that of CMF Phone 1.

Switch seamlessly between to-do’s and fun with a 1000 Hz touch sampling rate – a 316% uptake compared CMF Phone 1 – and a 120 Hz Adaptive refresh rate CMF Phone 2 Pro retains modularity with three new accessories including Universal Cover, Interchangeable Lenses (Fisheye and Macro), and Wallet/Stand. A key upgrade from CMF Phone 1, is that the second-generation smartphone supports contactless payments with NFC.

CMF Audio

The CMF Buds 2025 lineup ranges across multiple price points making it accessible to all. From everyday audio needs to immersive sessions and personalised sound, there is a pair of CMF Buds for every need and music profile. Each model balances performance, design, and gives users more control over their listening experience.

CMF Buds 2

Buds 2 is a versatile companion for the everyday, balancing sound, comfort and smart features. Complete with Dirac OpteoTM tuning, 48dB hybrid ANC and Spatial Audio Effect, it refines the listening experience, bringing clearer, more dynamic sound.
CMF Buds 2 Plus Buds 2 Plus is built for those who demand more, delivering a next-level audio experience. It’s equipped with Hi-Res LDAC, hearing compensation and full EQ customisation for a rich, balanced sound tailored to your unique hearing profile.

CMF Buds 2a

Buds 2a is the go-to entry-level option, here to deliver clear sound to all. Encased in a lightweight design, it provides essential, high-quality audio with 42dB ANC, a 12.4 mm bio-fibre driver and deep bass for all-day listening.

All products will be available to purchase from nothing.tech and retail partners. Pre-orders open today, April 28, with open sales commencing on May 6.

Pricing and Availability

CMF Phone 2 Pro is available in two models:

• 8 + 128GB - £219 / ₹18,999 / €249
• 8 + 256GB - £249 / ₹20,999 / €279 / $279 (only available in the US via the Beta Program)

CMF Phone 2 Pro accessories:

• Universal Cover - £25 / €25 / ₹999
• Interchangeable Lenses (Fisheye and Macro) - £35 / €35 / ₹999
• Wallet/Stand - £35 / €35 / ₹999
• Bundle 1 - Cover + Wallet/Stand or Lenses - £45 / €45
• Bundle 2 - Cover + Wallet/Stand + Lenses - £65 / €65

CMF Buds 2 - £39 / ₹2,699 / €49 / $59

CMF Buds 2 Plus - £49 / ₹3,299 / €59 / $69

CMF Buds 2a - £29 / ₹2,199 / €39 / $49

All products will be available to purchase from nothing.tech and retail partners. Pre-orders open today, April 28, with open sales commencing on May 6.

Image: Adobe

Last week, Adobe announced that it's opening up the beta for its Content Authenticity app, which launched in private beta last year. This means more people will be able to access the tool's features, which let you add secure metadata to an image claiming that you own it and add a flag asking AI companies not to use it to train their models.

That should be a good thing. But the current implementation could threaten to muddy the waters about what images are authentic and what aren't even further, which is the exact problem the tool was made to solve.

If you're not familiar with the Adobe Content Authenticity app (and don't want to read the in-depth piece we wrote about it when it was launched), here's a quick summary: it's built around the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) Content Credentials system. It lets you add a cryptographically signed piece of metadata that says you made the image. It can also link to social profiles on sites like Instagram, Behance, and, now, LinkedIn. A link to that metadata is also added as an invisible watermark into the image, so it should be retrievable even if someone screenshots it or strips its metadata.

Let's do a quick compare and contrast, though. On the left is what those self-signed credentials look like when viewed in Adobe's inspector, and on the right is what they look like when they come from a camera that bakes Content Credentials into the images it captures. You can interact with the inspector using the source links.

Self-signed credentials (source) Credentials baked into an image at time of capture (source)

If you're paying attention, it's easy to spot the differences. But if you've only seen the first one, the UI doesn't make it clear at all that there's no information on how the image was made. Was it generated with an AI that doesn't apply a watermark or add credentials of its own? Did a human artist spend painstaking hours putting it together? The tool has no idea, but the badge would look the same either way.

Now imagine it wasn't an illustration but a photorealistic image. While the UI doesn't show all the details that it does for a photo that's had credentials since the shutter was taken, it's also not really clear that those are missing. Visually, the tool gives as much credence to a picture that's as verifiably real as it can be as it does to an image that could've come from anywhere.

There's nothing that says the only thing someone's done is upload a JPG or PNG to the tool

It's also a problem of language. If you're inspecting a self-signed image, there's nothing that tells you that the only thing someone's done is upload a JPG or PNG to the tool and check a box to promise that they're the one who owns it. It uses squishy language like "information shared by people involved in making this content" because it has to; there's no way to verify that, not that you'd get that impression if you weren't reading it with a cynical eye.

The inspection part of the tool can show what changes were made to an image, provided that information is included in the Content Credentials.
Screenshot: Mitchell Clark

The worst part is that there are good bones here. While only a handful of cameras generate Content Credentials at time of capture*, tools like Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw can add metadata of their own, building something akin to a chain of custody. The inspector can show what edits you've applied to an image if you've used Adobe's AI tools at any point and even show if you've composited multiple images together. It should be crystal clear at a glance that images with those credentials are more trustworthy than self-signed ones.

* - And of those, the majority lock the feature behind a license only given out to news agencies and other commercial operations

It is worth noting that Adobe is only one piece of the puzzle – other software developers can implement support for inspecting Content Credentials and make the difference between the types of credentials clearer. Maybe there could be a color-coding system to differentiate credentials that came from a camera versus ones from editing software and tools like Adobe Content Authenticity.

Also, none of this is to say that the self-signing process shouldn't exist because there are good reasons to use it. For example, suppose you have an image with that chain of credentials we talked about. You could use the Adobe Content Authenticity app to watermark it and link it to your socials so you get credit for it; the tool is smart enough to add things on top of existing Content Credentials. Illustrators could also use it to slightly raise the chances that their work will get credited.

Adobe Content Authenticity also lets you add a tag requesting that companies not use your image when building their Generative AI models. While many people would like a way to keep their work from contributing to AI tools, it's worth noting this isn't a silver bullet. Adobe's support documentation explicitly calls the flag a "request," and the legal framework around AI training is still in flux, so few enforcement mechanisms around opt-out requests like this exist.

Screenshot: Adobe

In a blog post, Adobe says it's "working closely with policymakers and industry partners to establish effective, creator-friendly opt-out mechanisms powered by Content Credentials." However, it appears to be early days. The company's documentation says the preference is currently respected by its in-house AI image generator, FireFly, and that a company called Spawning is working on supporting it. Spawning runs what it calls a "Do Not Train registry," which – in theory – lets you submit your work to a single place, which will let several companies know that you don't want it used for their training. Spawning's site currently says that Hugging Face and Stability AI (creators of Stable Diffusion) have "agreed to honor the Do Not Train registry."

It's unclear whether other companies like Google or MidJourney have or are building mechanisms to respect preferences like the ones embedded in Content Credentials. When we asked OpenAI, we were told nothing to share at this time. We've also reached out to Google and MidJourney and will update this article if we hear back.

While it's clear that I think there's work to be done on this app, it does seem like Adobe is willing to improve it. The public beta comes with new features, such as the ability to bulk-add credentials and preferences to up to 50 JPGs or PNGs at a time. Adobe says it'll soon support larger files and more file types and that it's working on integrating the app into programs like Photoshop and Lightroom. Again, though, that's arguably only useful if the inspection tool makes it clear how much stock you should put in those generated credentials or if AI companies writ large start respecting your do-not-train preferences.

You can join the waitlist for the Adobe Content Authenticity beta for free on the company's website. It requires an Adobe account but not a Creative Cloud subscription and works with any JPGs and PNGs, not just ones produced by Adobe apps.

Read our interview with Adobe's senior Content Authenticity Initiative director

Getty Images staff photographer Elsa Garrison is a legend in the sports world, so much so that she's generally known simply by her first name. We previously shared a conversation with Elsa, who provided some insight into her background, career and what it was like being the only female on the sidelines for many events. This video, however, shares a different, more gear- and process-focused perspective.

The video is three years old, so some of Elsa's gear may have changed since then. But it still provides interesting insight into a pro sports photographer's kit and mindset. In the video, Elsa chats about her range of lenses and which ones she uses for different situations. She uses two to three bodies per event, or more if using a remote setup. At the time, her bodies of choice were the Canon EOS R3 and 1D X Mark III, and she touches on the benefits and downfalls of both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Seeing someone of her level using a lens adapter is also a good reminder that you don't need the newest gear to create amazing work.

Elsa also talks through some of her favorite photos, giving more insight into how she created them. It's always fun to see experts in their respective fields talk about their process, and this video is no different.

April Editor's photo challenge: RGB

In this month's Editor's photo challenge, we asked you to share your photos featuring a red, green and blue color palette. At this point, it's no surprise that the DPReview community delivered – far from leaving us blue or red with anger, the images we've featured here made us green with envy.

Our top picks on the following pages are presented in random order. You can see all the photos submitted here.

Girl With Llama

Photographer: JeffryzPhoto

Photographer's description: High up in the Andes Mountains of Peru near the Sacred Valley a girl walks with her pet llama. Even the llama is wearing red, green, blue, and white.

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

Athens in full spring

Photographer: xenofon

Photographer's description: At the heart of Athens, a metropolis of 3.5 million people, nature can still be present with all its beauty and grandeur. Provided you have the will and the patience to look closely enough.

Equipment: Canon EOS R10 + Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM

Cadillac #40

Photographer: Sergio Image

Photographer's description: Going to see a race at the Sebring Raceway had been in my bucket list for many years. So to celebrate my retirement, my wife and I got the tickets and drove to this legendary track. For the first time, I experienced photographing what is now my favorite subject: race cars.

Equipment: Nikon Z9 + Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR

RGB - Ryan, Gurcharan and Bhangra Smash Up

Photographer: Peter Freeth

Photographer's description: The band Bhangra Smash Up performing at a charity event, Ryan, one of the band members, captured from the side of the stage with the colourful lighting emphasising the high energy performance that always has everyone on their feet. Band leader Gurcharan looks on, a little too out of focus.

Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2

Busy Bazaar

Photographer: LokeshS

Photographer's description: During the Ramadan festival, the streets around the Shivaji Nagar locality of Bangalore turn into a virtual street fest. Food is the most popular item on sale and street vendors flourish. This picture was taken from behind one such vendor as wraps some kebab for a customer.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR

After The Harvest

Photographer: OCDavo

Photographer's description: A retired International A-160, quietly resting in the tallgrass, its weathered wooden bed and rust-warmed steel telling the story of a bygone era in the soft glow of early morning light.

Equipment: Olympus OM-D E-M5 + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

Cap Fréhel

Photographer: Brecht_BE

Photographer's description: The first summer things opened up again. We stood at the edge of Brittany, wind in our faces, the sea loud and endless. Everything felt sharply, undeniably alive.

Equipment: Olympus PEN-F + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

Chlorophyll fluorescence

Photographer: iso rivolta

Photographer's description: Chlorophyll fluorescence shown in a test tube. When excited with UV light, chlorophyll emits red light. The shadow of the tube is both green and blue, the latter from paper's fluorescence.

Equipment: Pentax KP + SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro

Velvet dresses

Photographer: lei945ca

Photographer's description: In the Swiss Canton of Appenzell, they celebrate an old end-of-year tradition, called «Sylvesterchläuse». Participants wear red, blue, green and yellow velvet dresses, they shake cowbells and jodel during hours going from farmhouse to farmhouse. This is exhausting, so they need a break every now and then to rest and drink. In such a moment I took the picture.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII

Yorkshire phone booth

Photographer: rkny

Photographer's description: Taken in Elsack, Skipton, Yorkshire UK. 2012. My first extended time with the Cannon 50 mm 1.2 L. I was blown away by the Canon 5D with this lens at the time. But looking back at the files, they haven’t aged quite so well when compared with current camera.

Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + Canon EF 50mm F1.2 L USM

Colors, canal, cloud

Photographer: Anders A

Photographer's description: Mum spoke enthusiastically about the vivid colors of the tulip fields in Holland. I started to wonder what they might look like from above, from a drone. This was in 2015 and drone tech was still very new and far from something everyone had. So, me and my tulip loving friend Ulf drove the 1000 km down to Holland a chilly day in April 2015 and started criss crossing the landscape. And my god, it looked fantastic! This is probably the best shot from the trip, from outside Sassenheim. The canals are used to flood the fields after harvest, to kill off germs and parasites.

Equipment: Sony a7 + Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* + HAB Paparazzo heavy lift drone

Woman In Red

Photographer: dasting

Photographer's description: Sunday morning on the bluffs of El Matador State Beach in Malibu, CA, while traveling for work. Taken with my Leica M9 and Canon 50mm f1.8 LTM lens circa 1960 or so.

Equipment: Leica M9 + Canon 50mm f1.8 LTM

Hội An Night Market

Photographer: skitraveler

Photographer's description: On a trip to Vietnam, I spent afternoon and evening in Hội An. I started with a cooking class and then moved onto the night market where the colors are as vibrant as the flavors in Vietnamese cooking. Really liked this row of stalls selling lanterns of all colors.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM

Old scary red brick bridge

Photographer: Valery Seregin

Photographer's description: This old bridge was probably useful for pedestrians at one time, but today it is a real challenge. The thing is that its covering is made of oval-shaped stone, so it is easy to stumble and fall. There is nothing to grab onto, there are no railings. Just imagine what it is like to use it in winter when the stones are covered with ice. Climbing onto it is not a problem, the problem is getting down. Dozens of people use it every day. Yes, it is old and beautiful, but it is scary and dangerous at the same time.

Equipment: Fujifilm X20

Kiberg Kitywakes

Photographer: Jon-Sverre

Photographer's description: Kitywakes (3-toed sea gulls) on the harbor of Kiberg (70 degrees north x 30 degrees east - east of Istanbul!), Varanger, Norway this winter. Occupying fishing nets and smelling of Guano.

Equipment: Nikon Z8 + Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR

Rainbow Lorikeet

Photographer: SigmaChrome

Photographer's description: These beautiful native parakeets are quite common where I live and they are approachable if you are careful and don't make any sudden moves. This one was feeding on my front lawn.

Equipment: Fujifilm GFX 50R + TTArtisan 90mm F1.25

Candy Factory

Photographer: GrantsImages

Photographer's description: I'm not certain what they make at this factory, but I always imagine that it is fruit flavored life savors. Like the rolls we used to get at the 5 & 10 store when we were children.

Equipment: Nikon D800 + Nikkor AF-S 300mm F4E PF ED VR

Good afternoon Mr. Station Master.

Photographer: Cambrian Coast

Photographer's description: Carrog Station is located on the Llangollen to Corwen heritage railway. Here we see the Station Master Platt saying good afternoon to the resident of the station house.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS

Moonlight Star Trail Over a Wild Tulips Field - Blufi - Sicily

Photographer: astrodariogiannobile

Photographer's description: What is happening in Holland on this “day”? Nothing except that...we are not in the daytime and we are not in Holland!!! Strange? absolutely yes. We are in Sicily of course and what you see is a real field of wild tulips growing near the village of Blufi.

Equipment: Canon EOS 6D + Canon EF 8-15mm F4L Fisheye USM

Looking for more?

We're already gearing up for our next monthly challenge, but in the meantime, why not check out some of our community challenges? User REHS is hosting a challenge called "Through a door, window or gate," which is now open for submissions, and DrLex is looking for the best non-bird photo you've taken since April 14th. Voting is open for REHS' Sunrise or Sunset challenge and for DrLex's bird photos of 2025 challenge.

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Shooting with the Sigma BF in London

Photo: Al Power

Editor Richard Butler took the Sigma BF as a travel companion on his recent vacation to the UK. He wrote about the experience of using the camera, but we also wanted to highlight the sample images he shot.

Click here to read Richard's real-world shooting experience with the Sigma BF

The gallery includes a mixture of out-of-camera JPEGs, shot primarily in the Mono and Rich color modes, along with a handful of images reprocessed from Raw in the camera, with adjustments made to highlight or shadow response.

One photo per day with the Sigma BF Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

In addition to his attempts to shoot one 'good' photo per day, Richard also spent a day on a photo walk around London with a friend from his earliest days of digital photography. These shots include more extensive use of the camera's black-and-white mode, again with some examples re-processed in-camera.

A photo walk in London Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

Buy now:

$1635 at Amazon.com

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

Photos: Sissi Lu, PortKeys, Peak Design, Viltrox

Welcome to the accessory roundup! This week, we have a lot to go over, including a graphic novel about a famous photographer, a phone case that'll survive whatever conditions you find yourself in and a stylish on-camera flash. First, though, let's look at the deals

Deals of the week Photo: Canon

The Canon EOS R6 II is one of our favorite cameras at its price point, and this week it's on sale for $200 off its MSRP putting it right at $2000.

Buy now:

$1999 at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo Image: Sony

If you find yourself wanting a bit – okay, a lot – more resolution, Sony's a7R V is also on sale to the tune of $400 off.

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo A flash with retro style Image:Viltrox

Viltrox's latest on-camera flash, the Vintage Z1, is designed to fit in with retro-style cameras like the Nikon Zf or Fujifilm X-T series. It has a silver and leatherete finish and its power knob offers a pop of brass-color. Its manual control knob, which gives you access to its seven power levles, also has a bit of retro flaire. It has a single-contact hotshoe interface, giving it wide compatability.

The light comes with a defuser, has a recycle time of 0.2 to 3.5 seconds and can get "up to 10,000 flashes on a full charge," though that number is based on its minimum power output. However, recharging it shouldn't take long: plug in a USB-C lead, and it'll be fully powered within an hour.

Buy at Amazon Buy at B&H A graphic novel for photography nerds Image: Drawn and Quarterly

Even if you don't know the name Eadweard Muybridge, you're almost certainly familiar with his work. He spent the 1800s photographing some of the grandest places in the American West, before casually helping invent the motion picture with his work The Horse In Motion. Now, his story is enshrined in a graphic novel by Guy Delisle called Muybridge, which the publisher says "brings this historical figure and those around him to life through an uncompromising lens."

According to an article in The Guardian about Muybridge, the book doesn't try to turn a complicated, real-life person into a comic book hero. We don't want to spoil too much if you're not familiar with his life – or his criminal trial – but this book probably isn't one to share with younger kids. But if you're interested in the history of photography, it seems like it'll be well worth a read.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Barnes and Noble Buy at IndieBound A tougher case Image: Peak Design

I've long been a fan of Peak Design's Mobile cases, because the SlimLink system lets you securely mount your phone to various camera mounts and tripods, as well as onto bike handles and car dashboards. However, I'm also really tough on phone cases, and the (frankly, beautiful) textile-backed cases haven't lasted long under my "care."

Peak Design's new GNAR case promises an alternative. The company says it has "all the protection, ruggedness, and connect-ability that you could ever want," and it features a TPU bumper and a bezel to keep your cameras safe. The edge is also knurled to make it easier to grip your phone in less than ideal conditions. Despite its extra thickness and the SlimLink connector, the company says it should still work with Apple's MagSafe wireless chargers.

The one downside is its limited compatability: it's currently only available for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, which is a bummer if you're not rocking the latest from Apple. However, if you are, the case is already on sale – you can snag it for $35.97, instead of its eventual $59.95 MSRP.

Buy at Peak Design Keep your film safe Image: Sissi Lu

While common wisdom says that 800 ISO film and below can safely go through X-ray machines at the airport, it seems like the new CT scanners that have been popping up may be – to borrow a phrase – unsafe for any speed. Photographer and TikToker Sissi Lu is putting out a new bag that you can put your film in that warns security personel not to send it through the machine in seven different languages. It also comes with a card with a message about the sensitive contents of the bag in 21 additional languages, as well as some cute film-themed stickers.

The bag won't keep your film safe if a security guard puts it through the machine anyways, either because they refused to do a hand-check or if you forgot to dig it out of your luggage, but it should at least help a bit with language barriers that pop up – assuming you're lucky enough to get an agent that still knows what film.

Buy at Sissi Lu Monitor on a budget Image: PortKeys

External monitors that can mount to your camera have always been a great tool for filmmakers and videographers, and over the past few years they've been becoming more and more affordable. The Portkeys PT5 III, though, takes it to a new level – it's only $169, but still includes a 5.4" screen that with an 800 nit max brightness as well as assistance tools like waveforms, a histogram, focus peaking and False Color. You can also use it to preview what your Log footage will look like once it has a LUT applied.

The PT5 III can take a 4K30P signal via HDMI, though the display only runs at 1080p at 60fps. At that size, though, that'll be enough for most users. You can run it off a Sony NP-F-style battery, or USB-C, and while it doesn't include a battery, it does come with a sunshade, full-size HDMI cable, micro-to-full-size HDMI cable and a mount.

Buy at Amazon In case you missed it

There have been some accessory news this week that warranted dedicated articles here on DPReview, but we'd be remiss not to tell you about them here:

• Profoto Spot Small offers precision lighting in a compact package
• This new accessory keeps the unique aesthetic of the Sigma BF intact
• Logitech's MX Creative console now supports even more essential editing apps

Read last week's roundup

Remembering Wildlife reveals winning images for its 10th Anniversary book Copyright: © Tristan Dicks/Remembering Wildlife

Remembering Wildlife, a book series focused on conservation, has revealed the 20 winning photos that will be featured in its forthcoming 10th anniversary edition, 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife. The new book, set for release on October 6th, will be the series' most ambitious project yet. It'll bring together images spanning a decade of photographers' work to raise awareness for endangered species.

For the first time, the project will spotlight multiple species rather than focusing on one. This book will showcase not only the winning competition entries but also standout images from the previous nine titles. It will also feature a dedicated section highlighting the plight of the world's most trafficked mammal, the pangolin. The cover image of a pangolin was captured by Tristan Dicks.

All profits from the sale of the book will fund pangolin conservation efforts. Since launching in 2016 with Remembering Elephants, the entire series has sold over 55,000 copies and donated over $1.5 million to 79 conservation projects across 34 countries. This competition drew over 4,500 entries from photographers worldwide, with winners representing Australia, Brazil, the United States, Kenya and Namibia, to name a few.

Founded by British wildlife photographer Margot Raggett MBE, Remembering Wildlife was founded in response to a personal encounter with a poached elephant in North Kenya. For more information and to browse books and prints, check out the organization's website.

"Clash of the Titans" by Alessandro Marena (Italy) Copyright: © Alessandro Marena/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Rhino, Solio Game Reserve, Laikipia, Kenya

About the image: Illegal poaching of rhinos for their horns means they remain under huge threat. Remembering Wildlife has donated funds to several rhino protection units and conservation projects, helping to provide smartphones fitted with cameras and GPS systems, fuel for patrol vehicles and clothing for rangers.

"A touching moment" by Jagdeep Rajput (India) Copyright: © Jagdeep Rajput/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Elephant, Corbett National Park, India

About the image: “A young Asian Elephant calf asking for a drink, as mother drinks water from Ramganga river, during hot summer afternoon.”

"Age of Innocence" by Julie Oldroyd (UK) Copyright: © Julie Oldroyd/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Polar bears, Baffin Island, Canada

About the image: “Baffin Island is one of the most majestic and pristine environments in the world to see polar bears, especially in March and April when the sea ice has frozen. However, with temperatures between -30 to -40 it is also one of the most challenging to ensure you keep your hands warm to press the shutter. We had spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon with this mother and her COYS (Cubs of the year) which were likely a week or so out of their den.

However, just as they were settled the mother got spooked and she and the cubs ran off towards a nearby iceberg. We set off to see if we could spot them and when we got to this iceberg I couldn’t believe my eyes. The mother and cubs were huddled together on top of the iceberg. To witness such intimate moments, such as this one, between the cubs whilst their mother sleeps is something that is a once in a lifetime sighting.”

"Monkey business" by Pedro Amaral (Portugal) Copyright: © Pedro Amaral/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

About the Image: “High in the canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, two young mountain gorillas dangle from the branches, locked in a playful game of chase. Their world is one of curiosity and mischief—tugging, teasing, and tumbling through the treetops as they learn the skills they'll need to navigate life in the wild. But this lighthearted moment is also a testament to a serious conservation success.

Once critically endangered, mountain gorillas are now the only great ape species whose population is increasing, thanks to anti-poaching efforts, habitat protection, and responsible eco-tourism in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a world where every life counts, these two remind us that the future of their species isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving, playing, and living wild and free.”

"Bengal Tiger reflection" by Bircan Harper (UK) Copyright: © Bircan Harper/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tiger, Bandhavgarh National Park, India

About the image: Weighing up to 260kg and measuring up to 3 metres in length, the tiger is the largest of the big cats. It is found in Asia, from India – where two-thirds of all wild tigers live – through to the Russian Far East and into China.

"African Black Bellied Pangolin" by Alessandra Sikand (USA) Copyright: © Alessandra Sikand/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Black bellied pangolin, Sangha Lodge, Dzanga-Sangha

About the image: National Park, Central African Republic. The landmark book 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife has a special focus on pangolins – also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet.

"5 at blue hour" by Johann du Toit (Kenya) Copyright: © Johann du Toit/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Shompole Hide, Kenya

About the image: “Five cheetahs at the Shompole Hide at blue hour.”

"Carried away" by Vicki Jauron (USA) Copyright: © Vicki Jauron/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Lioness and her cub, Maasai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “A lioness carries one of her two little ones to a new hiding spot in early morning. Taken in 2021 when vehicle traffic was light and we were able to follow without impacting her movements.”

"Leopard enjoying morning sun break" by Ifham Raji (Sri Lanka) Copyright: © Ifham Raji/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Leopard, Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

About the image: “After three days of heavy downpour this leopard took the opportunity to enjoy the first morning sun break.”

"Puppy love" by Marcus Westberg (Portugal) Copyright: © Marcus Westberg/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: African Wild Dog puppies, Tswalu Kalahari Nature Reserve, South Africa

About the image: Projects that Remembering Wildlife supports include vaccinating domestic dogs to help prevent the spread of rabies to African wild dogs; GPS collars to track their movements and even helped facilitate the translocation of 14 African wild dogs from South Africa and Mozambique to Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve, in a historic project to reintroduce this endangered species to Malawi. Since the successful translocation, pups have been born.

"Enjoying the sunrise" by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK) Copyright: © Mark Meth-Cohn/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tigers, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Two sub-adult tiger brothers enjoying the early morning sunrise” Margot Raggett MBE, founder and producer of Remembering Wildlife, said: “It’s an oft-quoted fact that there are more tigers in captivity in the U.S. than there are left in the world, a stark reminder of how the future of tigers might end if conservationists do not continue their focus and their fight. Tigers are a bellwether for the health of an ecosystem. For every tiger protected in the forest, there are plants, trees, insects, birds and other mammals who thrive.”

"In the arms of eternity" by Kim Paffen (Netherlands) Copyright: © Kim Paffen/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Mountain Gorilla and her baby, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

About the image: “A mountain gorilla mother cradles her infant – a portrait of tenderness etched in shadows and light. Here, where Dian Fossey’s legacy still whispers through the bamboo, every touch is a lesson, every gaze a vow. Her quiet strength shields not just her child, but the fragile future of species reborn from the brink.”

"Cold callers welcome" by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK) Copyright: © Mark Meth-Cohn/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Sloth bear, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Sloth Bear making use of an abandoned building.”

"Sunset scales" by Armand Grobler (South Africa) Copyright: © Armand Grobler/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Pangolin, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Greater Kruger, South Africa

About the image: “The vibrant colours of a winter dusk highlight the gentle spark of life in our planet’s most trafficked mammal.”

"Mbili bora in the rain' by Xavier Ortega (Spain) Copyright: © Xavier Ortega/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Masai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “The famous coalition of 5 cheetahs that ruled the Masai Mara, during a storm.”

There's always an epic amount of work that goes on behind the scenes with any movie, far beyond just the filming portion. In a recent video shared on Kodak's YouTube, director Ryan Coogler (Creed, Black Panther) provides unique insight into some of that process, breaking down the different film formats and aspect ratios in conjunction with the release of his new movie, Sinners.

It's been an incredibly popular video on social media, with people saying it's like "a masterclass" in filmmaking and even making them want to go to film school. One Instagram user, redbikebluebike, even said, "Straight up film school for the public. Free tuition." On YouTube, TheUltimateKawai1 said, "I love this. This didn't feel like a throwaway thing where he was forced to do anything he wasn't comfortable with, this is a guy nerding out over film, educating people about the different formats and then explaining how they apply to his movie."

Indeed, Coogler covers a lot of ground in the video, offering information that goes well beyond this movie in particular. He shows off film strips representing each of the different film formats, from the tiny Super8 film used for home movies all the way up to large format (65mm) film. He even touches on the importance of perforations, explaining that they filmed with two different camera systems for the movie and that this is the first time a movie combines 2.76:1 "Ultra Panavision 70" and 1.43:1 "IMAX" aspect ratios.

Impressively, he also details the different ways the movie will be exhibited, with some theaters showing it in different aspect ratios, different projection methods, and even with different experiences, like 4DX. You can tell that Coogler is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about what he's talking about, and it's both fascinating and inspirational to watch him explain all of this information.

It's firmware Friday. Once again, Sony and Nikon lead the charge with firmware updates. Nikon even surprised us with an update to a discontinued model. The Coolpix P1000, which has become a meme in photography circles for its insane zooming capabilities, may have been discontinued in March 2024, but that doesn't mean it's been forgotten.

We've rounded up the latest firmware changes for Sony's a7CR, a7S III and a7C II, along with updates for Nikon's Z50 and Zfc cameras. Lenses from Chinese manufacturers TTArtisan and 7Artisans also received improvements. Here's what came out this week.

Sony

a7CR Ver. 2.00 and a7S III Ver. 4.00 firmware updates are identical

You can download the software update using the Creators' App, which is available for iOS and Google Play.

Benefits and improvements

Shooting & Playback functions:

• Allows you to set Recognition Target to Auto, enabling the camera to automatically select subjects such as humans and animals.
• Introduces support for the Framing Stabilizer feature, which automatically adjusts the composition to keep the tracked subject in the same frame position during movie recording mode.
• Adds Dynamic Active mode to SteadyShot for movie recording.
• Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording.
• Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings.
• You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
• Improves image quality when applying user LUTs.
• Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature.
• Adds a function that allows you to narrow down played-back images using multiple filters (e.g. Rating).
• Adds the Golden Ratio Grid option to the Grid Line Type setting menu.
• Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature.
• The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
• Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999.
• Adds support for importing/switching multiple IPTC Presets.

FTP Transfer & Network functions:

• Allows scheduling of FTP transfers while writing data to the camera's storage media.
• You can now automatically schedule FTP transfer of protected movies and still images.
• Movies/still images transferred via FTP transfer can now be automatically protected.
• You can now continue shooting while transferring captured photos and videos to a smartphone or tablet.
• Transfer to smartphones and tablets can now be resumed even if interrupted in the middle of a transfer.
• You can now transfer only the differences that have not yet been transferred to your smartphone or tablet, or add videos to be transferred during the transfer process.
• Adds support for the Network Streaming function.
• Allows you to upload camera images directly to the Creators' Cloud.
• Displays the Wi-Fi signal strength when the Wi-Fi function is On.

Please note that Ver. 2.9.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary for some of the above FTP Transfer & Network functions. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.

Others:

• Allows notifications to be displayed when the latest software is available for your camera.
• WPA and WEP functionalities are no longer supported.
• You will no longer be able to select WPA or WEP when connecting to Wi-Fi.
• Please use the more secure WPA2 or WPA3 moving forward.
• Fixes an issue where the camera operation may become unstable when Pixel Mapping is performed.
• Improves the operational stability of the camera.

The a7C II also got a Ver 2.00 update, with a difference in the benefits and improvements.

Shooting & Playback functions:

• Allows you to set Recognition Target to Auto, enabling the camera to automatically select subjects such as humans and animals.
• Introduces support for the Framing Stabilizer feature, which automatically adjusts the composition to keep the tracked subject in the same frame position during movie recording mode.
• Adds Dynamic Active mode to SteadyShot for movie recording.
• Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording.
• Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings.
• You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
• Improves image quality when applying user LUTs.
• Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature.
• Adds a function that allows you to narrow down played-back images using multiple filters (e.g. Rating).
• Adds the Golden Ratio Grid option to the Grid Line Type setting menu.
• Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature.
• The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
• Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999.
• Adds support for importing/switching multiple IPTC Presets.

Nikon Image: Nikon

Z 50 updates for Version 2.60 (Mac) and (Windows)

• Fixed an issue where browsing other pictures would not function as expected after using a stretch gesture to zoom in on a picture taken in portrait orientation.

Z fc updates for Version 1.80 (Mac) and (Windows)

Fixed the following issues:

• The values on the control panel would remain on even after the camera was turned off and the lens was removed if [On] was selected for [Connect to smart device] > [Upload while off] in the [SETUP MENU] while the camera was connected to SnapBridge via Wi-Fi.
• The viewfinder display would sometimes be disrupted if the shutter-release button was pressed halfway right before entering playback mode by pressing the playback button while looking through the viewfinder with the monitor closed.
• The viewfinder display would sometimes be disrupted when Picture Control settings were displayed in the i menu.

Coolpix P1000 updates for Version 1.8 (Mac) and (Windows)

• Fixed an issue where the camera would in rare circumstances stop responding after burst shooting.

Lens firmware updates

TTArtisan FUJI-X AF 35mm F1.8 Mark II V1.0.2 update

Image: TTArtisan

• Improved corner vignetting performance.
• Fixed firmware version display errors and focus reset issues on some cameras.
• Improved slow or abnormal autofocus performance on some cameras.
• Must be upgraded with Windows system.
• Do not update this firmware on the AF 35mm F1.8 Mark I.

7Artisans AF50mm f1.8 Z V1.01 update

• Added a feature where switching to full-time AF (AF-F) allows direct transition to manual focus (MF) by rotating the focus ring.
• Reduced power consumption and minimized heat generation.
• Enhanced system stability.

That's all for this week. Make sure you check in every Friday for the latest news on firmware updates for cameras and lenses. Happy updating!

Read last week's firmware roundup

It's not a secret that many people are frustrated with the direction of Instagram. Its list of infractions is long: its default algorithmic feed isn't chronological and pushes content from people you don't follow, the content is over-commercialized, it can't accommodate certain crops, there are too many ads, too many videos and so on. But for so long, Instagram has been the primary platform for photographers and creatives to share their work and build a community. So, where does that leave us?

For those interested in staying involved with social media, Instagram's shifted focus has resulted in anything but a vacuum of options for photographers. Plenty of apps have popped up, and there's even been something of a resurgence of some old-school platforms.

Foto app Images: Foto

The Foto app is one of the newest kids on the block that has popped up as an alternative to Instagram. It doesn't crop your photos or support videos, it's completely ad-free and the feed is chronological. Photos have the option for captions, and you can add and respond to comments on each post. Unlike other alternatives, you can publicly see the like count on each image, though some may consider that a negative. There are no public-facing follower counts, however.

Foto partly stands out from other Instagram alternatives because you can use it for free. In fact, at the time of writing, it is entirely free. There will be a paid "Pro" subscriber plan in the future with features like a portfolio, shop and more. However, the website says that there will always be "a high-quality free tier so anyone can freely use Foto." The app is available on Android and iOS devices, but there is no web-based version at the time of writing.

I've been using Foto a little bit, and I have been impressed by the clean user interface. There isn't a long list of things to check when posting, so it's much simpler and straightforward compared to Instagram. You're also limited to three preset tags on posts, which helps reduce the noise when looking for certain types of content. It's a simple, easy-to-navigate platform that feels refreshing compared to Instagram.

Of course, Foto is quite new, so there will be growing pains as they continue developing the app. That also means lots of opportunities for exciting new features as it improves; you just need to be patient for those. Additionally, while Foto makes it clear that the app is for everyone, even non-photographers, it is inherently going to attract those interested in photography, thereby limiting your audience.

VSCO Images: VSCO

VSCO is perhaps best known as an editing platform with its expansive list of presets and editing tools. However, it also functions as a social media platform that fosters creativity and expression over social metrics. It doesn't display likes, follows or repost metrics publicly, aiming to keep competition and comparison out of the experience. In fact, unless you manually count each like or repost, you can't even see a total on your own images.

There are no ads of any sort and no promoted posts getting pushed to your feed. Put simply, VSCO pared things down to keep the focus on the photos. There aren't even comments on VSCO, so the only text that exists is in the caption field. One of the platform's unique features is the ability to reshare work from others to your profile, allowing you to create your own curated gallery of sorts.

There is a completely free version of VSCO, which allows users to access basic editing tools and share on the platform. However, memberships, at either $30 per year or $60 per year, unlock more features and tools. It's available on Android and iOS devices and there's also a web version.

I've been a VSCO user for years, and one of the things I appreciate is the way the company works to foster creativity and community. Monthly photo prompts and various open calls get you to try new things or share your work. These prompts are an opportunity to gain visibility or even get paid for your work, with VSCO selecting some to promote and license for upcoming campaigns. There's also lots of educational and inspirational content available through the app, making it a place to learn and grow. Plus, the web version of VSCO serves as a platform for people to hire photographers, so it could be a way to connect with clients.

Glass Images: Glass

Glass officially launched in August 2021, shortly after Instagram lead Adam Mosseri said the platform was "no longer just a square photo-sharing app". It initially launched exclusively for iPhones, but is now available for any iOS device, Android, Windows and web. Glass is unique because it is focused on features that appeal to serious photographers, including full EXIF data, camera and lens insights, minimal image compression and support for P3 wide color. Whereas Foto is meant as an app for anyone, Glass is geared toward dedicated photographers.

Like Foto, Glass is ad-free and algorithm-free. Instead, it shows your feed in chronological order. As with VSCO, there are no public likes, shares or follower counts, helping photographers keep comparison and competition out of the equation. It also highlights the work of its members and hosts monthly challenges based around categories.

The downside to Glass is that you can't use it without a subscription. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial, but will need to input credit card information right out of the gate, even if you just want to test it out. Then, the basic membership costs $40 per year. You can also opt for the Patron level, which provides additional support to the team in return for exclusive perks for $131 per year. The founders of Glass explain that because they charge for the platform, they can keep it free of ads and data tracking.

Flickr Image: Flickr

Flickr is one of the original social media platforms for photographers. It was popular when I was just starting out in photography back in the early 2000s. Of course, at the time, it was exclusively a website (the only app I had on my phone was the Snake game). Times have changed, though, and a Flickr app is now available for just about any device.

The feed of work you follow on Flickr is chronological, with no algorithm dictating what you see. You can see stats on images, including views, favorites and comments, so Flickr won't be the place for you if you're trying to avoid those things.

When you favorite an image, it shows up in a gallery on your profile, much like VSCO's Republish feature. You can also create galleries of more specific categories from work you like. In terms of your photographs, they all show up on your Photostream, which is like your Instagram grid. You can break it into Albums as well to categorize things if you like. Flickr can also serve as a backup for storing your work, and it even offers a plugin for Lightroom.

You can use Flickr for free, but it will be somewhat limited. The free version also features ads. FlickrPro lets you see more stats on your work, removes the ads and gives you unlimited storage space. The Pro membership also gives you the option to change the privacy settings of your photos, unlocks 6K display options and unlocks discounts for various companies.

What made Flickr stand out in its heyday was the ability to build community and connections.

What made Flickr stand out in its heyday was the ability to build community and connections. I met two of my good friends through the site as a result of regularly interacting with their work. Those two friends also met through Flickr, coming together from different parts of the country and eventually getting married.

While today's Flickr isn't quite the same as it was back then (what is?), it has seen a resurgence lately, thanks to the frustration with Instagram. That community aspect is still there, and, thanks to the endless groups based on any photographic interest you may have, it is easy to find like-minded people. A quick glance at the groups I am still part of shows that they are very much still active in terms of photos being shared and comments being made.

What are you using social media for?

Earlier this year, a photographer I follow on Instagram shared some posts to their Stories about why they aren't moving to an app dedicated to photographers. They explained that they want their work to be seen by a broader audience and not only exist within a bubble of people who are highly invested in photography. Unfortunately, I can't recall who this was or what type of work they make, but it made me pause and reflect. Their posts raised a valuable question: Why do we share our work on social media?

Of course, the answer to that question will be different for everyone. But it's worth considering, no matter who you are. That's especially true if you're debating moving to a different social media platform since each may cater to a slightly different audience or provide unique tools. Reflecting on why you share your work and what you hope to get out of doing so can help you better understand which type of platform(s) may make the most sense for you.

If your goal is to join a community of (relatively speaking) like-minded photographers, then something like the Glass app, Flickr or VSCO may be the right answer. But if you, like the person on Instagram mentioned above, want to reach a broader audience of non-photographers, apps that cater specifically to photographers likely aren't the best place for you. After all, something like the Glass app could be intimidating for non-photographers, while the subscription adds an extra hurdle, so it likely isn't going to attract those without at least some interest in the medium.

Sharing on a platform designed for photographers is a bit like preaching to the choir or sharing your work only with close friends. There can certainly be benefits to getting validation and speaking the same language as others. After all, sometimes it's just nice to have your work appreciated by those who understand photography. But it will inevitably be a bit limiting in terms of broadening your audience.

Image: Skylum Software

Today, Skylum Software released version 1.24.0 of Luminar Neo, its AI-powered photo editing application. Dubbed its "Spring Upgrade," four new features have been added to streamline editing and improve photographers' workflows. This upgrade includes Auto Adjust tools, a Catalog Cache Cleaning option, an update to Atmosphere AI and a cleaner Export Menu that now supports DNG file formats.

Screenshot: Kara Murphy

Auto Adjust is a new addition to the Developer and Developer Raw tools. Powered by AI, it analyzes your image and automatically adjusts the Exposure, Highlights and Shadows sliders. It may also change the tone curve if necessary. These are minor tweaks, but they're meant to provide a stronger starting point for editing an image.

Catalog Cache Cleaning has been added to the Preferences menu. It offers a simple way to manually clear out cached data stored by the Luminar Neo catalog. Over time, cached files can build up and slow down an operating system's performance, especially if you're working with an extensive library of images. Clearing it should help speed things up.

Image: Skylum Software

The Atmosphere AI tool, designed to add fog, mist or haze to an image, has gotten a revamp to one of its components. Users were dissatisfied with the fog slider, so the company tweaked the depth map handling to give it a more realistic look when applied to images.

The Export Menu has been redesigned with a cleaner layout. Most importantly, it now includes support for exporting DNG files, making it possible to transfer Raw files edited in Neo to other editing software tools for further adjustments.

Screenshot: Kara Murphy

Luminar Neo is available on MacOS and Windows and as a plug-in for Adobe's Photoshop and Lightroom Classic software. Updates rolled out today and can be accessed by annual and lifetime subscribers.

Image: Adobe

Adobe Max London is underway, and with it comes announcements from Adobe for its editing platforms. Some of the changes were previously revealed in a blog post from the company. The rest are mostly subtle, but, as usual, aim to streamline and simplify the editing process.

First, a new Select Landscape feature is coming to Adobe Lightroom. This tool will automatically detect and create masks for common landscape elements like plants, sky, water and more. Such automatic masking tools in Lightroom (and Photoshop) were previously limited to obvious subjects like people, so selective edits on landscapes still required more time-consuming manual edits. This should speed up the editing process for landscape photographers.

The Select Details actions can save you some tedious manual work.

Image: Adobe

For Photoshop users, Select Details will make it easier to select finer details like hair, facial features and clothes. Masking out hair is a tedious task that can be difficult to get right. Portrait photographers will appreciate anything that eases that process, so if this works as well as Adobe promises, it will be a welcome update.

Adobe says the Select Background tool will provide even more precise results, even with complex images.

Image: Adobe

Adobe says it updated the Remove Background tool in Photoshop, promising much more precise results and sharing an impressive demo of it cutting out a fish in a net. It should allow for much more accurate selections when dealing with complex images or colors that blend into each other, like a subject wearing a black shirt against a dark background.

You can now control colors from the Contextual Taskbar.

Image: Adobe

Adobe also updated the Contextual Taskbar with an Adjust Colors option. When clicked, it automatically samples the colors for you and creates an adjustment layer. That way, you don't need to create multiple adjustment layers or manipulate individual color changes when adjusting colors in your images or designs.

Image: Profoto

Swedish lighting company Profoto has announced the release of the Spot Small. This compact light shaping tool is built for photographers looking for precise control over their lighting and is aimed at professionals in the fashion, portrait, product and fine art industries. Profoto says the Spot Small delivers a crisp, artifact-free beam with its 115mm focus lens.

Features

• Projects a clean beam of light.
• Focusable high-quality 115 mm optical lens.
• Four integrated adjustable metal leaves.
• It has an optional Iris and Gobo Holder (no Gobos included).
• Compatible with Clic light shaping tools.
• Compatible with both protruded and flat fronted 100mm lights.

Integrated adjustable leaves allow photographers to fine-tune the shape of the light, while optional add-ons like the Iris and Gobo Holder allow for the production of custom shapes and dramatic effects. A magnetic front ring ensures compatibility with Profoto's Clic light-shaping accessories, something users looking for more ways to experiment might be interested in.

Profoto says the Spot Small is built for longevity. It features fully vented 360-degree housing to withstand the demands of professional work. The device is compatible with both flat and protruded flash heads. Images of the product and its accessories can be viewed on the brand's official Instagram page.

The Spot Small is positioned as a tool for pro photographers who wish to work with intentionality and creativity, confidently shaping light with precision. Currently, there is no listed price.

Profoto Spot Small speficiations Focal length 115 mm Lens dimensions 12-18.5 cm (4.6-7.3") length x Ø7.3 cm (2.9") Width 19.5 cm (7.7") Height 23 cm (14") Length 35.5 cm (14") Weight 2.5 kg (5.5 lb)

Image: Helium Design Lab

There's no denying the bold, unique look of the Sigma BF mirrorless camera. It's unlike any camera currently available, with a body milled from a single block of aluminum. The minimalistic design lacks a grip, though, which some may take issue with. Helium Design Lab, a company started by photographers Ed Palisoc and Hugh Brownstone, has stepped up to the plate, with a grip worthy of the BF, as PetaPixel reports.

It takes a special design for any grip to look even somewhat right on such a distinctive-looking camera. The Helium Design Lab HeBF handgrip keeps the aesthetics of the camera intact, resulting in what Helium Design Lab says is a "more perfect union between camera and passionate photographers like ourselves." Like the camera, the grip is made of precisely machined aluminum, and each is hand assembled and inspected. It is designed, manufactured and packaged in the US.

Image: Helium Design Lab

The HeBF grip provides access to the battery without removing the grip and features a hidden, anti-tamper AirTag slot so you can keep track of your camera. It also offers built-in Arca-Swiss compatibility, and it's compatible with the Peak Design Capture Clip and Travel Tripod. There are bottom anchor lugs on the left and right, providing multiple options for wrist and camera strap configurations. It's available in natural silver aluminum and anodized black finishes.

The kicker: this is a very limited production run. Helium Design Lab says it is only making 100 units and will not offer it again. The limited nature of the grip, along with the close attention to detail of each one, naturally demands a steep price: $390.

The grip comes in silver and black.

Image: Helium Design Lab

As Brownstone admits in the YouTube video discussing the grip, "390 bucks is anything but chump change." But it isn't the company's most expensive offering. In fact, it's actually cheaper than all of the company's other options by $150.

Brownstone explains that they've engineered significant costs out of the grip compared to their other products to keep the price down as much as possible. Still, the grip's nature means it is expensive to produce. "This is not primarily a rational business decision. We're bad. It's an emotional one," says cofounder Hugh Brownstone. "Our ambition is to break even."

You can pre-order the grip from the Helium Design Lab website, provided you get there soon enough.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Photo: Mitchell Clark

This week, Sony announced the FE 50-150mm F2 GM, a fast telephoto lens aimed at sports and wedding photographers. The company has made some big promises about its performance, saying that its theoretical sharpness at either end is comparable to that of modern primes.

We got to spend some time with the lens pre-launch, and took some sample images. We've processed them using Capture One, which lets us use the manufacturer-provided distortion correction profile.

See the sample gallery

Buy now:

Buy at B&H Photo

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

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Image: Logitech

Logitech has announced new plugins for its MX Creative Console accessory, which acts as a control panel for various photo and video editing apps. It now supports Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Photo, Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve, as well as Figma, letting you trigger actions with its multi-function button and control edits using its dial and scroll wheel.

While you could use the console with these apps before, it was in a more limited fashion: you'd have to map keyboard shortcuts to the buttons rather than using pre-made actions that communicate directly with the app. And while a plugin for Lightroom Classic has been available since the Creative Console's launch, this is the first time an official one has been available for the newer version of the app.

Image: Logitech

The built-in actions let you do a variety of things based on which app you're working in. For example, when working in Lightroom, you can use the console to rate photos, filter photos by star rating or flags, open the color mixer and more. You can use the dial to change a variety of parameters and to crop and rotate your image. Meanwhile, in Final Cut Pro, you can use the console to trim your clips, zoom in and out on your timeline and access color correction tools. You can configure the wheel to scrub through your timeline by a single frame at a time or by several frames at once.

You can set up several pages of actions and scroll through them; the screens under the buttons will update depending on which page you're on and which app you're using. You currently can't create folders of actions, but the company says it's working on that ability and to expect support for more applications in the coming months.

The update that supports the new plugins and the plugins themselves are free if you already own an MX Creative Console. The accessory itself is $199 and comes in white or black.

Buy at Amazon Buy at B&H Adobe Lightroom, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Figma: Now Available for the MX Creative Console

Attention photographers, videographers, and designers! We are pleased to announce the latest software update for the MX Creative Console in the Logi Marketplace. This update brings powerful new integrations and expanded functionality for Final Cut Pro and the highly requested Adobe Lightroom, as well as new plugins for DaVinci Resolve, Figma and Affinity Photo.

“We have heard from the community that the MX Creative Console not only speeds up their workflow, but has increased their productivity and made work easier. Adding these highly requested plugins will unlock the MX Creative Console’s potential for a broader range of creative professionals,” said Anatoliy Polyanker, general manager of the MX Business Unit at Logitech.

Designed with creative professionals in mind, the MX Creative Console offers a personalized workflow experience. With dynamic display keys for instant access to essential actions and a customizable dialpad for intuitive navigation, it empowers creators to work smarter and faster. Additionally, every console includes a complimentary three-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps membership, providing exceptional value with access to industry-leading creative tools.

Effortless Setup with Pre-Built Profiles

These new plugins include default profiles with pre-assigned actions and tools, making setup quick and seamless. Built-in shortcuts and actions enable users to easily adapt and customize their console to fit their unique workflow needs.

Adobe Lightroom – Faster, Easier Photo Editing

• Built in collaboration with Adobe, this is the first time the native plugin for cloud-based Lightroom for Desktop is offered
• Quickly rate and flag images for faster processing of your images.
• Use Crop to straighten your image easily
• Adjust brightness, white balance, clarity, and more with speed and precision

Final Cut Pro – More Intuitive and Faster Editing

• Navigate and work in the timeline with quick, easy access to your most-used actions
• Instantly access all the tools you need to edit videos efficiently
• Get precise Color Grading via Color Wheels
• Clip Transport & Manipulation: Nudge, Trim, Select Next/Previous, Delete

Figma for Desktop – Optimize Your Design Workflow

• Quickly access essential tools and actions for Figma and FigJam
• Easily manage assets, text alignments, spacing, and layout adjustments
• Adjust text size, weight, height and more with the dial

DaVinci Resolve – Powerful Video Editing Controls

• Navigate the timeline with precision
• Cut, trim, and retime clips instantly
• Add, remove, edit and navigate your nodes efficiently

In addition to our existing lineup—including Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Illustrator, Audition, and Capture One for Mac—we're introducing new plugins to enhance your creative workflow. Our tools are constantly evolving as we actively develop and refine features, ensuring there is always access to cutting-edge capabilities.

Visit the Logi Marketplace via the Logi Options+ app, which is available to download for free at logi.com/optionsplus, to explore these new features and elevate your editing experience to the next level. MX Creative Console, available in pale grey and graphite, is available for $199.99 on www.logitech.com and at other global retailers. Learn more at http://logitech.com/mx-creative-console

Earth Day in Pictures

Photographers posted images of what Earth Day means to them on their favorite platforms.

Copyright: © Brandon Dela Cruz

Today, Earth Day was celebrated around the world. What began in 1970 as a grassroots environmental movement has become a global effort to raise awareness about our planet. It encourages people to act on climate change, pollution, deforestation, and other pressing issues.

Photographers took to their favorite online platforms and shared their favorite related images to express what Earth Day means. My feeds were flooded with the loveliest tributes to what makes our planet worth fighting for. Enjoy this slideshow and check out the work these artists produce elsewhere.

'When badlands are good lands' by Larry Ginyard Copyright: © Larry Ginyard

Description: An aerial photo snapped in the badlands of southern Utah.

Artist statement about Earth Day: Capturing photos of the Earth grounds me. It’s where I go to escape the monotony of day-to-day life. The more isolated the destination, the better. With nothing but the sound of the wind, I can be introspective and contemplative.

I can also just be. Never underestimate the importance of just existing when surrounded by the beautiful sights and sounds of nature. We need to conserve places like this so that generations after us are afforded the same experiences.

'Twilight Reverence: Honoring the Earth Through Story and Light' by Criz Quinn Copyright: © Criz Quinn

Description: Every journey, every image, every breath… This planet has given me light, wonder, and awe. As a travel photographer, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to witness so much of our world, even its most remote and untouched corners. Every photograph I take is my way of saying thank you for the privilege to explore and share the Earth’s beauty.

This image, captured beneath the twilight sky among the ancient quiver trees of Namibia, is more than a memory. It’s a reminder that even in the quietest, farthest reaches of the Earth, there is magic waiting to be seen, felt, and honored.

The fading light, the silhouette of a friend dwarfed by ancient trees and scattered stone… this is scale, this is perspective. This is Earth reminding us of our place within something far greater than ourselves.

Artist statement about Earth Day: For me, Earth Day is about more than awareness. It is about reverence. A chance to pause and reflect on the extraordinary gift that we’ve been given: a planet that creates scenes like this without asking for anything in return but for us to respect it.

On this day, and every day, I choose to honor her through stewardship, and by continuing to tell her story through my photography with gratitude and awe.

'Atcama desert' by David Neuman Copyright: © David Neuman

Description: The Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth. In the middle of this arid desert is a laguna home to hundreds of flamingos, grazing about gracefully. The sheer randomness and juxtaposition of the bone-dry climate surrounding something so tropical is as breathtaking as the flamingos themselves.

Artist statement about Earth Day: As a photographer who loves traveling, exploring all of the diverse textures and colors of the earth’s surface is one of my favorite things to do. When I picked up photography in 2017, it offered me a whole new way to discover and seek out those perspectives. Earth Day serves as a reminder of how fortunate we are to have access to all of this. It also reminds us how precious our planet is, and that there is no planet B.

'Monument to the sun' by Justin Wood Copyright: © Justin Wood

Description: Video Projection.Photograph. Black Hills, SD (South Dakota)

Artist statement about Earth Day: Earth Day invites us to acknowledge our evolving relationship with the planet and the challenge of balancing emerging technology with ecological constraints. Drawing on the earthwork tradition, my projection installations seek to harmonize light and time, revealing fresh perspectives on ancient places.

'Aurora over high falls' by Nathan Klok Copyright: © Nathan Klok

Description: Vibrant Aurora lights up the night sky over High Falls on the Pigeon River along the Minnesota-Ontario border on August 11th, 2024. This night I chased and photographed the aurora from sundown to sunup during an intense storm of Northern Lights, where they were able to be seen throughout the entire United States.

Artist statement about Earth Day: Earth Day is a celebration of the beautiful planet we all get to call home and a call to protect it for future generations to come.

'Arizona sandstone' by Bayley Jordan Copyright: © Bayley Jordan

Description: A sunrise flight features the beautiful swirling color and texture of this Arizona sandstone landscape.

Artist statement about Earth Day: Earth Day, to me, is about appreciating and documenting the beautiful world we are so lucky to be surrounded by. If I am not out on a photo session, you will often find me spending time outdoors, whether it be biking amidst the beautiful alpine lakes and forests, camping with loved ones, or exploring a new hiking trail to capture stunning images with my camera or drone. I am outside daily in search of the gorgeous, golden-hour glow as it lights up each of the lovely landscapes we are so lucky to explore.

Multiple images (including header) by Brandon Dela Cruz Copyright: © Brandon Dela Cruz

Artist statement about Earth Day: As a photographer, Earth Day is a reminder to slow down and truly see. It’s easy to chase the next shoot or scroll past a sunset but this day reminds me to pause and appreciate how breathtakingly beautiful our planet really is.

To me, it’s not just about a single moment of recognition - it’s about honoring what has been here long before us the rugged coastlines, the towering redwoods, the untouched deserts, and all the wild iconic places that have stood the test of time. I think of national parks, not just in the US, but all around the world, as living museums of Earth’s raw beauty. Earth Day is a call to protect that to preserve the wild for the next generation.

I feel a deep responsibility with my camera to capture, not just the views, but the value of these places because if people can see how incredible this planet is, maybe they’ll feel more inclined to protect it. That’s what drives me.

'African Surf and Stone' by Adam Ledoux Copyright: © Adam Ledoux

Description: I took while in South Africa last year, of waves crashing onto rocks near the shoreline outside of Cape Town.

Artist statement about Earth Day: Earth Day serves as an annual reminder to love, appreciate, and care for the planet that we've been blessed to live on. We only have this one that we can live on (for now), and it comes with the task of keeping it healthy for future generations.

'Blue Earth. Pink sky.' by Sheen Watkins Copyright: © Sheen Watkins

Artist statement about Earth Day: Earth is a day of celebrating the natural wonders of our earth. It is also a reminder that she needs our protection and care.

'Avalanche Lake' by Karen Walter Copyright: © Karen Walter

Description: This image was captured at Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park, located in Montana.

Artist Statement about Earth Day: Earth Day to me means preserving our planet for generations to come by doing little things every day. Picking up trash in public places, recycling, planting a tree. Respecting nature by taking only pictures and memories, and leaving only footprints.

Today, Instagram released its new standalone free video editing app, Edits. It was introduced earlier this year when TikTok and its companion video editing app, CapCut, were briefly removed from iOS and Android app stores for US customers. The message was clear: Instagram is ready to compete.

Edits is Meta's response to CapCut, the video platform developed by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. Unlike Instagram's native tools, which have long lagged in flexibility and depth, Edits is designed to give users more control over their editing process. The company acknowledged that "making videos can be challenging, often requiring multiple apps and complicated workflows." Edits aims to give creators a centralized space to produce, edit, and manage content.

Within the app, you can create videos using multi-channel timelines, organize projects through a dedicated tab, and jot down future ideas with built-in note-taking tools. The app supports video capture up to 10 minutes long, an upgrade from the 3-minute recording limit inside the main Instagram app. It also offers advanced effects like green screen replacement, AI-based animation of still objects, and subject cutouts.

Instagram aims to make video editing more streamlined with Edits.

Image: Instagram

Users can add captions and royalty-free music to videos and review performance metrics in the app. Unusual for a free app, Edits allows for exporting without a watermark, allowing creators to share the video footage across multiple platforms.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri noted the app will remain free, though paid features could arrive in the future to support more compute-heavy AI functions. "[Edits] will be free. I think over time, we might have some paid features where we’re going to need to cover costs of things," he explained on a recent Instagram post.

Edits is free to download on iOS and Android.