PixelMeter
A triptych showing a woman sleeping in a bed, a film crew setting up a studio scene, and a man lying on a blue surface with headphones and a controller. From Spreadsheet to Studio: Inside a Commercial Production for Tempur-Pedic
A split image showing a skateboarder jumping through a ring of fire on the left and four dachshunds dressed as British royal guards standing on a road lined with Union Jack flags on the right. 18 Splendid Winners From the British Photography Awards
A side-by-side comparison showing the lens mounts and sensors of two different digital cameras, with the left side featuring a smaller sensor and the right side featuring a larger sensor. OM Exec Says Company Considered Expanding Into Larger Formats
A black Nikon Z series digital camera with a large NIKKOR lens is displayed against a dark red, swirling background. The Nikon ZR’s First Major Firmware Update Improves Video Quality and Adds More Control
The Adobe logo is centered above the Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group logos on a red and purple gradient background. Adobe Is Bringing Licensed Music to Premiere Mobile
A satellite with extended solar panels orbits above the blue, cloud-covered surface of Earth. A 3,200-Pound NASA Observatory Is Crashing Down to Earth
A split-screen image showing a green red-eyed tree frog on a leaf next to a cluster of small brown mushrooms growing on dark bark. Where to Find the Small Worlds Most Photographers Walk Past
The Latest
Features
Clay Cook
1

From Spreadsheet to Studio: Inside a Commercial Production for Tempur-Pedic

A triptych showing a woman sleeping in a bed, a film crew setting up a studio scene, and a man lying on a blue surface with headphones and a controller.

I ’ve photographed campaigns in some pretty unusual places over the years, from the highlands of Ethiopia to the plains of Iraq, and I've been fortunate to be part of projects that were both challenging and incredibly rewarding. Somewhere along the way, I got used to the idea that the complicated jobs would probably involve an airplane, a passport, unpredictable weather or some combination of all four. So when an 12-day studio project for Tempur-Pedic and Tempur-Sealy came across my desk, I …

PixelMeter
Sponsored
Michael Bonocore
4

Where to Find the Small Worlds Most Photographers Walk Past

A split-screen image showing a green red-eyed tree frog on a leaf next to a cluster of small brown mushrooms growing on dark bark.

Peter Baumgarten was looking for centimeter-tall mushrooms when he spotted a cluster of orange caps on a rotting log. A few warm, rainy days had encouraged mushrooms to emerge in Canada’s McLean’s Park, a forest on Ontario’s Manitoulin Island where he regularly walks his dog. At six feet two inches tall, Baumgarten could easily walk past mushrooms that small if he weren’t specifically looking for them.

The Reel Snaps on The Reel are up-to-the-minute updates and quick hits from the PetaPixel news desk.
Jeremy Gray

Canon Celebrates 15 Years of the Cinema EOS System

A promotional graphic for the Canon Cinema EOS System 15th Anniversary featuring an array of camera lenses stacked at the top and various cinema cameras arranged below on a black background.

The Canon EOS system fully entered the video production market in November 2008 when it released the EOS 5D Mark II DSLR, equipped with groundbreaking Full HD video recording capabilities. Since then, Canon has released 17 Cinema EOS cameras, 53 Cinema EOS lenses, and a bunch of hybrid cameras.

Cinema EOS products are heavily used across the professional video space, including to create Academy Award-winning films, award-winning television series, and so much more.

Congratulations, Canon. Here's to many more years of Cinema EOS cameras and lenses.

Jaron Schneider

GoPro Teases Integrated Helmet Camera in Collaboration with AGV

GoPro is teasing the development of a helmet-integrated camera system in conjunction with AGV, a motorcycle helmet brand. The company isn't sharing any more information right now but says to expect it sometime in 2027.

Jaron Schneider

That Previously Unknown Rare Leica Lens at Goodwill Sold for $20,000

A close-up, front-facing view of a camera lens with text around the rim reading "LENS MADE IN CANADA BY HUGHES LEITZ FOR ELECTROSONIC" and "163° / 17mm".

Last week, we shared the news that a Goodwill in Sioux Falls, South Dakota somehow had come into the possession of a previously unknown Leica prototype lens. When we shared the story, it was bidding for around $3,000. At the auction's conclusion, it had ballooned to much higher, eventually selling for $20,001. That might sound like a lot, but it's still probably a steal. The only other version of this lens sold in 2021 for $47,200.

Jaron Schneider

Viltrox’s 35mm f/1.4 Pro Is Well-Reviewed But Falls Short of the Mark Set by the 85mm f/1.4 Pro

Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.4 Pro 83

Viltrox's new 35mm f/1.4 Pro has debuted with a Strong 83 on PixelMeter which is very good, but given the success of the 85mm f/1.4 Pro which landed at an Exceptional 90, it probably isn't the result photographers, or Viltrox for that matter, were hoping for.

Jaron Schneider
4

Nikon’s $14,000 Tele Zoom Appears to Earn Its Price

Certified Keeper Nikon Nikkor Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S 89

Nikon today announced the Nikkor Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens with a built-in teleconverter, making it not only extremely expensive but also unique.

Luckily, early impressions are good and the lens is sitting at an Exceptional 90 on PixelMeter, earning Certified Keeper status. PetaPixel is waiting for final production samples to arrive before coming to any conclusions, since we aren’t allowed to asses image quality on pre-production models. Given Nikon’s recent history with its pro-level lenses, we expect to come to a similar conclusion.

Matt Growcoot

Drone Pilot Captures Incredible Footage of Great White Shark

ABC News has published remarkable footage taken by a drone pilot of an enormous great white shark swimming close to two surfers.

The apex predator splashed one of the surfers off the coast of California before swimming away.

Jaron Schneider

Going Literally Hands-On With the New Touch MacBook Pro

View this post on Instagram

I got some hands-on time (literally) with Apple’s new touch-equipped MacBook Pro. While the ability to touch the screen is nice, it isn’t the biggest selling point of the new computer to me. What is the bigger story is how good this display looks. The OLED is not only bright, but the contrast ratio is dynamite. Right now, that would be the biggest reason I would consider this laptop, especially for color-critical work.

Jeremy Gray

The Sony FX5 Really Is (Probably) Coming in November

A Sony Alpha camera with a lens is centered against a vibrant, colorful background of radiating light streaks in blue, pink, orange, and purple.

Okay, okay, we've heard this one before. But no, really, Sony Japan has now chimed in with a new update about the release date of the highly anticipated Sony FX5 cinema camera. As RedShark reports, Sony Japan says that following a postponement due to "production reasons," the Sony FX5's release date is now November 20. This aligns with what other retailers, including Adorama, began sharing last week. B&H now says the FX5 will ship in "mid-November."

However, as RedShark notes, there's a new wrinkle for Europeans.

"Sites including those in the UK, France, and Germany now list January 8 as the first ship date for pre-orders, nearly two months later than their previous listing," RedShark writes. That doesn't sound good. Hopefully earlier preorders in Europe will still ship next month. There's no question the FX5 launch hasn't gone the way Sony hoped. But at least the camera is really good.

Jaron Schneider

Aulumu’s iPhone Duo Cases Are Sick as Hell

Two foldable smartphones, one black and one blue, are floating against a dark gradient background, both featuring textured cases with small, colorful dot patterns.
12

Aulumu has announced its ADuo Particle Aramid Fiber case for the iPhone Duo and, just like the rest of its product catalog, these ooze style. And yeah, given the style Aulumu chose, these probably use adhesives.

"Drawing inspiration from the countless particles that shape the cosmos, the ADuo Particle Series transforms the subtle woven texture of aramid fibre into a more dynamic visual statement. Its carefully arranged particle pattern adds depth, structure and a sense of movement to the surface, creating a distinctive finish that complements the case's clean, technical aesthetic," Aulumu says.

The ADuo case is available to order starting today for $90 and is expected to be stocked and start shipping by mid-November.

News
Jeremy Gray
1
A satellite with extended solar panels orbits above the blue, cloud-covered surface of Earth.

A 3,200-Pound NASA Observatory Is Crashing Down to Earth

NASA's longtime Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere tomorrow, November 4. While most of the telescope will burn up as it careens through the atmosphere, NASA says it expects some components to survive and potentially even cause harm, although that outcome is exceedingly unlikely.

Featured Reviews
A close-up of a black camera lens with text on the front element reading "MANDLER," "2594/19999," "E46," and "PRE-ASPH. 1:1.4/50," with a PetaPixel Reviews logo in the bottom right corner.

Mandler 50mm f/1.4 Pre-A Review: Looks and Feels Like a Leica for a Fraction of the Price

A silver Oppo-branded camera lens attachment mounted to a smartphone on a tripod, with a beach and ocean in the background.

Oppo Find X10 Pro Max Review: The Incredible Triple 200MP Cameras Are Only Half the Story

A black digital camera body with a prominent lens mount and sensor is positioned against a textured gray background, with a PetaPixel Reviews logo in the bottom right corner.

Sigma FP2 Review: The Brick with a Heart of Gold

Sponsored
ProMaster
A man in a plaid shirt stands on a large rock, adjusting a camera mounted on a tripod overlooking a turquoise glacial lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

All Bundled Up: Winter Picks for Photographers

When it comes to creating content during the winter, the last thing you want to worry about is your gear. You want to focus on capturing your images and videos. To accomplish that, you need gear that becomes an extension of your own artistic process. Before you set out on that cold weather shoot, stock up on these ProMaster products and you’ll be able to stay warm, protect your equipment, and keep creating all season long.

Featured Editorials
A hand holds a smartphone displaying a camera interface, showing a man smiling in front of a house engulfed in flames.

Apple, Content Authenticity, and the War to Prove What’s Real

A hand holds a Canon EOS R5 camera body with a large red arrow pointing toward the lens mount.

Thanks to Nikon, Canon’s Closed RF Mount Could Be Forced Open

A composite image featuring the "Roll Safe" meme man on the left, a close-up of a Jack Russell Terrier in the center, and the "distracted boyfriend" meme on the right.

What Happens When Your Photograph Becomes a Viral Meme?

Featured Spotlights
A large, powerful ocean wave crashes against dark, jagged sea stacks under a moody, overcast sky.

Photographer Captures Ghostly Face in the Waves on Deadly Beach

A blurred yellow vehicle passes a brick wall with graffiti, while a group of people sits near a fence overlooking a city.

And It Was All Yellow: Photographers Capture Golden Moments Around the World

A triptych showing a cluster of glowing fungi beneath roosting bats, a marine iguana underwater, and a wild cat at night.

20 Winners of European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026

Educational
Dmitry Koshutin
2

Experimenting with Infrared Photography

A man with blonde hair and glasses smiles while holding a camera and pointing toward the text "INFRARED EXPERIMENTATION" set against a background of trees with white foliage.

Some of you who saw my star timelapse video might’ve clocked me using a GFX 100 II IR, specifically modified to pick up infrared light frequencies, and since I had it for a few more days, I decided to take it on the road. I happened to be passing through Denver, so I drove over to Golden Gate Park to capture some beautiful fall colors on the aspens, plus a neighborhood photo walk in my hometown of Portland.

Reviews
Chris Niccolls
7

Viltrox 35mm f/1.4 Pro Review: A Beautiful Behemoth

A black camera lens sits on a white marble surface, with the text "AF 35mm 1:1.4 VCM ASPH ED IF" and "Φ77mm 0.3m/0.98ft" visible on the front element.

Viltrox has made huge waves in the world of optics, with many saying that it is the Sigma of China. Of course, this is a huge compliment given that Sigma is now famous for making affordable optics that easily compete with OEM lenses. I've reviewed many Viltrox lenses now, and I always enjoy the process. They are solid lenses, with ambitious optical goals, and they usually meet these lofty expectations.

News
Jeremy Gray
9
A Canon DiG!C X image processor chip mounted on a black circuit board with various small electronic components.

Canon May Raise Camera Prices Due To Increased Memory Costs

In August, Fujifilm mentioned the impact of rising raw materials prices in its routine financial reporting, and PetaPixel speculated that Fujifilm would be far from the only camera maker affected. It was the first domino to fall. Sure enough, Canon mentioned it during a Q&A on its FY2026 Q3 financial results, and the company will not be the only one to cite rising costs over the next few weeks.