The Reel

We are continuing to build PixelMeter in direct response to your requests, which last week led to the addition of a comparison tool and now, today, we've opened up user reviews. Consider this a first pass, so only PetaPixel Members will be able to leave reviews. We hope this cuts down on review bombing and we'll look at possibly opening this up to non-Members in the future.

You can find the option to add a User Review on any product page under critic reviews. Let us know what you think!

RØDE Capture, the compay's all-in-one mobile content production app, is now available on Android. It is designed to simplify mobile production by bringing microphone configuration and video recording controls together within one interface. Depending on the connected microphone, available audio controls include gain adjustment, Gain Assist, Noise Reduction, split or merged recording modes and high-pass filtering. The app supports a broad selection of RØDE microphones, including products across its Wireless range, compact on-camera microphones and USB desktop microphones.

"A key feature for Android users is Direct Connect, which enables compatible RØDE wireless transmitters to connect directly to a smartphone without requiring a separate receiver," RØDE says. The app is available to download now from Google Play.

Tamron has announced the return of its annual Photo and Video contest. Entries are accepted across seven categories (Landscape, Wildlife, Portrait, Macro, Video, Legacy, and Fast Action) and winners will receive $1,000 cash as well as a choice of a Tamron lens worth up to $1,299.

"Entries must be captured using current Di and Di III Tamron lenses, as listed on the company’s website for qualifying categories, apart from submissions entered in the Legacy category. The Legacy category is open exclusively to work created with discontinued Di, Di II, and Di III lenses," Tamron says.

Each category winner is eligible for the first-place prize along with seven more each second and third place prizes worth $500 and $300. Full contest rules can be seen on Tamron's website. Submissions will be accepted until November 30.

Last month, CineStill partnered with NBC to photograph the Emmy's red carpet event entirely on film, but didn't stop there: it also processed and scanned the film on location.

"For the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, we partnered with ‪NBC‬ to celebrate their 100th year by photographing the entire event — from the red carpet, to the awards show, to backstage BTS — all on film. But we even took it a step further by processing and scanning the film live on-site during the awards. Select photos on film were then published the next day by ‪VanityFair‬ as an exclusive behind the scenes look at the Emmy’s on film," Cinestill explains.

"All of the images were photographed by Ashley Osborn and Brian Wright, entirely on 800T, both in 35mm and 120 Medium Format film."

In addition to the short video above, CineStill just published a blog detailing the whole experience.

The writers behind Saturday Night Live have turned their wicked pens toward wedding photographers, mocking them for being overly enthusiastic.

It's true that the pressure of nailing all of the shots on a bride and groom's big day can make a photographer frantic, but drones inside the church is definitely OTT.

Fujifilm has announced the return of its Create With Us tour that originally started with a Seattle event in 2023. The event continued in Austin for 2024, followed by Minneapolis the following year. Now the event is going nationwide and kicking off first in Dallas on December 5, 2026 and Miami on January 16, 2027.

"Each stop on the tour will offer something a little different, shaped by the local creative community. Planned activations include Hands-On Demo stations, where attendees can explore Fujifilm cameras and lenses, guided photowalks, sponsor-led product demos, workshops led by experienced industry professionals, and a networking meetup to finish out the day," Fujifilm says.

Admission to these events is free. Fujifilm says these two events mark the beginning of a wider schedule, with more destinations to be announced in the future. To see what each event is offering and to register to attend, visit Fujifilm's website.

Images 2.6 has arrived in ChatGPT. Beyond expected improvements like faster image generation, Images 2.6 can also turn a prompt or photo into an editable animated GIF. The memes will go wild.

"People now generate more than four billion images per week across ChatGPT and the API, up from more than three billion per week that we shared eight weeks ago during the launch of Images 2.5," ChatGPT says. "On average, that's more than 500 million images per day."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Affinity's iPad app is finally arriving next month. If plans hold, the company is expected to release the app on the Apple App Store on November 3. The new app will offer the full desktop experience for sketching, creating and working with vectors, layout, and photo editing.

"Creative work on iPad has always been split across apps, with a trip to desktop required to finish the job. Affinity for iPad brings it all together in one file, without losing any power. Sketch ideas, develop RAW files, edit vectors node by node, take full control of type and layouts, then send it straight to print. You can feel every change take shape under your fingertip and every curve snap into place where you touch your Apple Pencil," Affinity says.

The app is already on the App Store today ahead of its official release in November.