PixelMeter

The Reel

Year
Month
Day
An older woman with short gray hair and glasses wears a navy blue vest over a dark shirt, holding a bouquet of red and yellow flowers in front of a blue wall with a yellow sunburst pattern.
12
Matt Growcoot
3

Sad Photo of Walmart Employee ‘Celebrating’ 44 Years Goes Viral

It was supposed to be a happy post celebrating Gayle's 44 years working at Walmart. But it hasn't gone according to plan.

The Walmart Owensboro Facebook page shared a photo of Gayle looking extremely sad while holding a bouquet of flowers. The caption on the post, which has since disappeared, read: "Congratulations Gayle on 44 years with the company!! What a huge accomplishment! We appreciate everything you do!"

The post has since been reshared on multiple platforms, with viewers drawing their own conclusions.

A person's hand holds a digital camera displaying the video game Doom on its rear screen, with a virtual keyboard overlay at the bottom.
Image credit: Radium Wang
Jeremy Gray

You Can Play Doom on a Hasselblad X2D if, for Some Reason, You Want To

GitHub contributor Radium Wang is working on various open-source Hasselblad X2D 100C and X2D II 100C firmware projects, including for some reason, running pioneering 1993 first-person shooter, Doom on the camera. We've seen this same idea before, and it's always equal parts absurd and fun. This time is no different. Radium Wang says they'll release the necessary files on their GitHub soon.

The word "Google" is centered over a vibrant, deep-space nebula featuring bright stars with prominent diffraction spikes.
Matt Growcoot

Far-Out Google Doodle Marks World Space Week

Google is celebrating World Space Week with Doodles that were taken by the James Webb Space Telescope.

World Space Week runs from October 4 to October 10, and today's Google Doodle (October 9) is of Herbig-Haro 46/47.

Webb used its infrared vision to cut through the dense cosmic dust to captured the Herbig-Haro, a rare cosmic structure created when newborn stars shoot out high-speed gas. This gas runs into nearby dust clouds, causing them to light up and glow.

Three vintage-style video cameras in white, pink, and black sit on a textured, mustard-yellow velvet chair.
Jaron Schneider
2

Camp Snap’s CS-8 Camcorder Now Comes in Three New Colors

Camp Snap is adding three new color options for its CS-8 Camcorder: Espresso, Champagne and Rose. The company is debuting these colors along with the news that it generated $20 million in sales in the past 11 months. That explains why it keeps releasing new models and colors: people keep buying them.

A subway wall poster features a split-screen display: a whale swimming underwater on the left and a couple embracing on the right, with text promoting the Fujifilm Fujikina photography festival.
17
Jaron Schneider
1

Fujifilm Has Taken Over a NYC Subway Station

Fujikina is returning to New York City this month and is warming up with a gallery of photography on the walls of the Delancey/Essex subway station. There is some stunning work featured here, including a spectacular photo from PetaPixel's Sarah Teng. If you're in the city, you can take a look at the free exhibition until October 18.

A desktop docking station with a built-in touchscreen display showing system status, connected to various cables and memory cards on a desk.
13
Jaron Schneider

The Pexar Bolt Thunderbolt 5 Dock is Closing-In on $500K Raised

The Pexar Bolt Thunderbolt 5 dock that hit Kickstarter a month ago is closing-in on half a million dollars raised and it still has a month left to go. Pexar, which is an offshoot of Lexar, says it is celebrating the achievement with two additions that will now ship with finished docks: 60W AVS charging (which supports the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max fast charging) as well as what it calls Vibe Plugins, which allow users to create touchscreen tools without coding. In short, users describe a tool in the desktop app, such as a Pomodoro timer, and a connected AI agent builds its interface and interaction logic.

The full update on the Pexar's $400K+ milestone can be read on Kickstarter.

Several police officers in riot gear run toward a person in a black shirt on a paved street near trees.
Pesala Bandara
1

Photographer Takes Down French Riot Police During Student Protests

A photographer was filmed tripping over French riot police during student protests, sending an officer flying to the ground. Hundreds of thousands of high school and university students have taken to the streets across France to campaign for better school conditions and what they called less police repression. Rights groups have accused police of using heavy-handed tactics, including batons and tear gas.

View on Threads
Jaron Schneider

After a Summer of Being Sold Out, Kodak Ektachrome Is Finally Back

Kodak Ektachrome had been very difficult to find this past summer with stock running out in the United States as early as last June in either 35mm or 120. Luckily, the drought appears to have ended and stock is once again flowing across the country. Birgit Buchart, an excellent photographer who also works for Roberts Camera, said the store got notified late last week that stock was coming in and Blue Moon Camera and Machine just filled its inventory today. Rejoice!

We still aren't sure exactly why production of Ektachrome was so hung up, but at least the wait is now over.

Four Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras arranged in a grid against a light gray background, each labeled with its respective model name.
Jaron Schneider

Sony Discounted the a1, a7 IV, a7R V, and a7S III This Week

Sony is discounting four of its cameras for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days this week, but that's not the only place you get nab the discounts. If you're not a big fan of Amazon, both B&H Photo and Sony's own web store are offering the same discounts. The a1 and a7 IV are both $500 off while the a7R V and the a7S III are $300 off.

Two red-brick buildings with red roofs sit on a grassy lawn with the Golden Gate Bridge visible in the background.
13
Jaron Schneider

Travelers to San Francisco Really Like the Inn at the Presidio

During our iPhone 18 Pro review last month, PetaPixel decided to stay at the Inn at the Presidio in San Francisco for the first leg of our grand travel adventure across California due to its excellent proximity to multiple destinations. It turns out we're not the only ones who like it: it was just voted #1 in the Conde Nast Readers' Choice Awards 2026. I thought it was great, and I'm happy to see the public agrees with me. Vindication!

Jeremy Gray

Sigma Takes Over Peak Design’s LA Shop for a Month of Workshops

Sigma has "taken over" Peak Design's Los Angeles store this month, hosting a series of photography, cinematography, and community-based events. While the first event happened on Saturday, there are still three left to go, including a cinematography workshop on October 10, a workshop about the Sigma BF on October 17, and a Halloween-themed photo walk on October 24. There's also a Sigma Lens Lab available every Saturday of the month until 6PM, where photographers can try out various Sigma lenses. Complete details are available on Sigma's website.

A woman and a man sit on a mattress on the floor in a room, with a trumpet case, a stack of papers, and scattered items on the carpet.
Matt Growcoot

Bristol Photo Festival Starts Next Week

If you find yourself in the southwest of England in the coming weeks, then it's worth checking out Bristol Photo Festival.

Entitled "Time Machine," the opening week for the third edition of the international biennial of contemporary photography runs from October 14 to 18.

Exhibitions will run across Bristol’s major visual arts institutions as well as independent and unconventional spaces until November 15 and beyond in some cases.

A computer monitor displays the WhiteWall website, showcasing a selection of framed photo prints with filtering options and product details.
14
Jaron Schneider

WhiteWall’s New Tool Makes Suggestions for Different Frame Options

WhiteWall has announced a new suite of tools that it says makes choosing, customizing, and visualizing framed artwork easier.

At the center is FrameFinder, an AI-powered tool within WhiteWall’s configurator that analyzes an uploaded image and recommends three frame options based on its visual characteristics, explaining why each works. WhiteWall has also introduced a new 3D view that allows users to configure and visualize multiple pieces of wall art together, making it possible to see how different frames, formats, and finishes work within a space before ordering, such as a home gallery wall or a public exhibition.

The launch is joined by a new online frame overview that has over 100 frame profiles. WhiteWall does spectacular work and this is going to make visualizing printing even better. As a reminder, PetaPixel Members get 15% off print orders through WhiteWall.

Three metallic, circular, bowl-like objects are arranged in a row against a bright, white background.
Jeremy Gray

Thypoch To Announce Three New Lenses Next Week

Thypoch has taken to social media to tease not one, not two, but three new lenses. The upstart lens company says it will unveil its new glass at Salon de la Photo et de la Vidéo next week in Paris, France. As for what the company will showcase, one lens will definitely be the company's first autofocus lens for Fujifilm X mount.

A digital graphic titled Petapixel's Fall 2026 Full-Frame Power Rankings lists ten camera models ranked from one to ten.
Jaron Schneider
6

PetaPixel’s Fall 2026 Full-Frame Power Rankings

This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, Chris, Jordan, and I ranked our top picks for full-frame cameras currently available based not just on specs, but also how well they serve their target market and how well they earn their price. So, what do you think? Where did we go wrong?

A web-based speed booster and effective aperture calculator showing a 50mm f/1.8 lens with a 0.71x booster on a 1.5 crop sensor.
Jaron Schneider

Skip the Speed Booster Math with This Calculator

There is a surprising amount of math in photography and that's not a subject everyone excels at (I'm looking in the mirror as I type this). Luckily, smart people have made calculating much easier. Enter the the LensMath Speed Booster Effective Aperture Calculator. This handy and free tool gives you the effective aperture (f-number × booster ratio) and full-frame equivalent focal length (focal length × ratio × crop factor) for any lens on a focal reducer. Neat!

A black Fujinon rangefinder camera with a textured grip sits on a wooden surface, with green leaves blurred in the background.
Jeremy Gray
4

Fujifilm X half Gets Great Quality of Life Improvements

Fujifilm just released firmware 2.00 for the X half compact camera, bringing some nice improvements to its unusual, analog-inspired digicam. There's a new "Soft Glow" filter function, a quicker startup time, and faster autofocus in low-light conditions. Arguably the best new feature is the option to set the camera's celebrated "Film Camera" mode to 12- or 24-frame options. Until now, photographers had to capture at least 36 frames in this mode.

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Jaron Schneider

This is What the GoPro Mission 1 ILS Was Made For

When we first saw the GoPro Mission 1 ILS, we weren't really sure what to make of it. Even in our full review, we saw a lot of limitations. But there are definitely use cases, and aviation photograpehr Simone Marulli is doing a spectacular job showcasing one of them: catching an F-22 Raptor at 960 frames per second. Yes, the whole system he's using is only about 10% GoPro, but combining the camera's ability to capture extreme slow motion pairs really well with the ability to rig it out.

A person wearing a black jacket and a black crossbody bag with a magnetic phone mount attached to the front.
14
Aulumu
Jaron Schneider

This Sling Bag That Holds Your Phone on the Outside Is Cool as Hell

Aulumu, which is not exactly a household name, announced a new quick-access sling bag with an exterior metal cage that gives you easy access to your smartphone. I'm not usually a fan of small bags like this, but something about this tactical streetwear, techy design is really grabbing my attention. That metal phone compartment is fully detachable and is designed to allow fast, smooth, one-handed access to your phone while on the go.

Even the largest size is not big enough for more than a compact camera, but that's totally fine (and fits the target demographic) and I could see this being useful while exploring the streets of any of the world's major cities. And for $89 for the smallest size and $145 for the larger one, it's not a huge investment. It is available from Aulumu's website now and will be on Amazon by the end of October.