The Reel

Yesterday, we shared that Casey Cavanaugh, better known as GxAce, had made significant progress on the development of a brand-new digital panoramic camera he was calling the GX-P1. Today, Cavanaugh published a video on Instagram that showcases the new camera's design at length, giving us a more complete look at what to expect.

"We’re working through the software, electronics, optics, controls and finding manufacturing partners now, with the goal of crowdfunding GX-P1 by the end of the year. It’s an incredibly ambitious project for us but we are building something from our hearts, and we know that the dream of a camera like this isn’t just in our hearts alone."

The camera uses an anamorphic lens to create the panoramic perspective, which is a smart way to keep sensor costs down. On that note, there are no details on the sensor quite yet. Expect those when the camera is fully revealed as part of a crowdfunding campaign by the end of 2026. As a panoramic enthusiast, I am very excited.

As the dust settles on last week's total solar eclipse, which delivered some incredible photos, popular YouTube channel Veritasium has shared its video from the eclipse, during which the team sent a camera 92,000 feet into the air above Spain to capture the eclipse from the very edge of space itself.

After it seemed like every mainstream consumer brick-and-mortar store couldn't get out of the photo printing business fast enough, Michaels appears to be doubling down. It introduced same-day fine art printing and 10-minute custom framing back in June and now it is bolstering that with 200 new frame designs, a new augmented reality tool on its website, and canvas prints have been added to its same-day printing options.

Quality might be a question, especially when employees are expected to crank out a frame in 10 minutes, but it's nice to see a nationwide brand emphasizing photo prints again.

Last week, PetaPixel reported that the FX5 had been delayed. The report was based on multiple retailers confirming that Sony had never shipped them units, but Sony itself had never confirmed the delay.

Today, Sony finally confirmed PetaPixel's report: the FX5 isn't coming in August.

"The release date of the release date of the professional camcorder 'FX5' which was set as August 21st (Friday) at the time of press announcement on July 22nd (Wednesday), will be postponed due to production reasons. In addition, the release of the related accessories 'DVF-EL1', 'XLR-H2' and 'VMC-BNCU1' will also be postponed."

What is most worrying is that Sony did not provide a new expected release date. Even though some retailers have put dates in September as expected timelines, these are guesses. Right now, no one knows when the FX5 will actually arrive.

British electronic music group Jungle has released a behind-the-scenes video showing how they shot 11 music videos in four days. In partnership with Apple Creator Studio, the video features music from the band’s latest album, Sunshine.

Jungle, comprised of J Lloyd, Tom McFarland, and Lydia Kitto, is also known for its one-shot take music videos, a style that leaves little room for error and demands precision from everyone involved. To pull off 11 of them in four days, the band relied on Apple Creator Studio's full collection of apps throughout the process. In Logic Pro, the band wrote and produced Sunshine in its entirety, using it as their primary digital audio workstation, and used Varispeed to shift tempo in real time throughout the shoot. With Final Cut Pro, Magnetic Mask gave them the tools to composite footage under a tight deadline. And, with Pixelmator Pro on iPad with Apple Pencil, the paint tool let the team create the background artwork and posters featured throughout the music videos.

Sure, it's marketing for Apple, but credit where credit is due: doing all this in four days is impressive.

Funleader is now making what it calls a Lens Display Case as a dedicated accessory designed for its Contax G Conversion Series. These types of plastic cases, sometimes called bubble cases, probably started with Leica before World War II and used Bakelite before shifting to clear plastic in the 1950s (which are still available). They were never "common" however, although Fujifilm produced them for its TX-1 and for the Hasselblad XPan optics and you can still get new ones today from brands like Artra Lab.

The Lens Display Case from Funleader is shipping with either the G35 or G45 conversion lenses for a limited time. Just keep an eye on humidity, as we're not sure sealing a lens inside of a plastic dome is a great idea long-term in humid environments (unless you toss a desiccant pack in there, too).

KEH's Overstock Sale is now ending on Saturday, August 15, instead of the original end date of August 14. This gives photographers one more day to save an extra five or 10 percent off a wide range of cameras, lenses, lights, and accessories. The complete Overstock Sale is located here and requires that customers use the code "OS80" at checkout. The rest of the year, PetaPixel Members can save five percent off all preowned purchases at KEH, but this is a good chance for everyone else to save a bit more money.

Right now, B&H is selling a 12-month download subscription for Adobe Creative Cloud Pro for $428.99, a $350.89 discount over the typical $779.88 price. While a lot of photographers opt for Adobe's Photography Plan with Lightroom and Photoshop for $20 a month, many other users need access to more of Adobe's Creative Cloud apps and go for the company's all-encompassing Creative Cloud Pro plan, which is regularly $69.99 per month when billed monthly for a year, or $104.99 per month when bought one month at a time. B&H notes that there is a "limited supply" at the current promotional pricing.

Instagram has a new wordmark for the first time in a decade, replacing its iconic curvy script with something more minimal but somehow less legible. "That totally says 'Instagzam,' right?" asks The Verge.

"The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh. Cleaner and more modern, with references to the original and the simplicity and craft that’s always made it Instagram," writes Instagram head Adam Mosseri.

Xtra, which is under investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for allegedly bringing DJI technology into the U.S., still seems confident it can release the Muse 2 Pro (its version of the Osmo Pocket 4P) in North America.

"We are currently in active, close communication with relevant authoritis regarding U.S. regulatory updates," the company says on Threads. Xtra says it intends to launch the Muse 2 and Muse 2 Pro at the same time, although it still can't say for sure when that will be.

SmallRig has announced a new protective cage with a silicone cover for the Insta360 X6. It's core to a whole set of new accessories that are designed to give creators greater flexibility across travel, cycling, vehicle shooting, POV capture, and other creative scenarios. It's not too expensive either, at $35.

Today, a total solar eclipse will sweep across Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain, and a part of Portugal. For those who live elsewhere and cannot see the total solar eclipse with their own eyes, NASA is livestreaming the spectacle today, starting at 1:15 PM EDT. It should be a spectacular sight!

Right on cue, just as Google revealed the full details of the Google Pixel 11 series, Spigen announced a set of cases and MagFit accessories, including those for the Pixel 11 Fold, bands for the new Pixel Watch, and a wallet and O-Ring for the Pixel 11 phones.

Insta360 doesn't officially reveal the new X6 360-degree camera until tomorrow morning, but Best Buy didn't seem to get that memo. It has listed the new camera on its website, including a bunch of the specifications that are still under embargo. We can't publish them here, but we can't stop you from heading over to that listing to see for yourself.

Camp Snap is going even further into its retro vibes with a new translucent purple color for the Camp Snap 2 called Cosmic Grape. If you yearn for the days when all personal tech looked like the optional translucent colors of the Game Boy Color or the special edition Xbox that shipped with Halo CE, then this one is for you. It is priced the same as all the other Camp Snap 2 options: $75.

Insta360 is gearing up to announce the X6 tomorrow morning, August 12, at 9AM ET. The company has shared a series of teasers on its Instagram, including videos shot on X6 of motorsports, diving, and action sports. It has also teased major AI advancements to let users edit and share video without any manual work. An "AI Director" inside the X6 can "cut footage into a finished video at the end of the day while it charges," Insta360 says. "No subscription, no timeline, no skills needed."

The Insta360 X6 will be fully revealed at 9AM ET (6AM PT) on August 12.

YouTube has increased the requirements for new accounts that want to monetize their channels. Presently, it asks for 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours in a year or 10 million Shorts views. Starting February 1, 2027, channels will need at least 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 watch hours in a year or 20 million Shorts views.

YouTube says there are some benefits coming in addition to these changes, though, including better opportunities to earn through Premium Lite subscribers. Still, those baseline requirements are pretty high.

Pelican has partnered with Chris Burkard to create the brand’s first major TV campaign called "The Detour."

Shot on location at Great Sand Dunes National Park, The Detour captures what happens when travel plans fall apart. The film follows Burkard through an unexpected backcountry saga as he navigates truck breakdowns, sandstorms, horseback rides across dunes, and ultralight aircraft flights – all with Pelican’s Aegis Series positioned as the ultimate companion when travel plans go awry.