Editorial

A brown owl with prominent ear tufts perches on a tree branch at night, surrounded by greenery, with a colorful sky of stars and aurora borealis in the background.

AI or a Composite? An Award-Winning Owl ‘Photo’ Ruffled a Lot of Feathers

Yet another photo contest has attracted significant attention in the online photography community for all the wrong reasons. The winning photo in the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) recent Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest was disqualified following public outcry. However, the NWF and photographers disagree on why the winning photo violated competition rules.

A smiling man kneels on a porch, holding a large framed photograph of a tree with vibrant red and orange autumn leaves. The house behind him has green steps, white railings, and purple accents.

Print Your Photos: It’s So Worth It

After my dad passed away a couple of years ago, I inherited his Nikon F and FTn cameras which jump started a resurgence for the love of photography in me. Now with a binder full of negatives (and positives) and an SSD of scans, it felt weird just leaving them there. That's not where photos belong.

A person in business attire stands on a rocky outcrop surrounded by rough ocean waves under a cloudy sky. The person’s head is replaced by a yellow sign with a white upward arrow.

Adobe Has Run Out of Allies

Thirteen years ago, I sat in an amphitheater in Los Angeles as Adobe announced that it would be shifting from Creative Suite to Creative Cloud. I remember being skeptical, but I was also willing to give Adobe the benefit of the doubt. After all, it created a beloved line of tools.

Six people stand behind a table covered with a white cloth featuring the blue ZEISS logo, displaying cameras and gear, in a modern indoor event space with exhibition panels in the background.

I Flew to Atlanta for a Zeiss Lens Event but Found Something More

I flew to Atlanta expecting to cover a lens launch and came away with something far more meaningful. The debut of the Zeiss Otus ML 35mm f/1.4 was framed as a first look, but what Zeiss created was not a traditional showcase. Instead, it became an evening centered on artists, storytelling, and a sense of community that rarely takes the spotlight in this industry.

Four people in black suits hold up Oscar statuettes in front of a red and white patterned background, with only their hands and arms visible.

What Hollywood is Hiding Heading into the Oscars

Think back to this time last year when The Brutalist was being pilloried for using AI to improve Adrian Brody's Hungarian accent. Two other Oscar-nominated movies in 2025 had also confessed to using AI to improve speech.

A man in a blue jacket holds up a large camera lens outdoors, examining it thoughtfully. Next to him, the text "f/1.2" is shown with a large red X crossing it out.

You (Probably) Don’t Need an f/1.2 Lens: The Law of Diminishing Returns

Photography is an art form of trade-offs. When the shutter speed goes up, the aperture must come down. Higher ISO raises the exposure but hurts the image quality. A brighter maximum aperture means more cost and more weight. Everything is based on a give-and-take relationship, and balancing these factors is key to success.

A Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 camera lens stands upright on a grid-patterned surface with a black background. “PetaPixel Reviews” appears in blue and white at the bottom left corner.

Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Review: Every Street Photo Focal Length

Tamron consistently creates zoom lenses that break the norm when it comes to focal length, offering alternatives to the classic patterns that most other manufacturers pursue. Even the more conventional Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and 70-180mm f/2.8 refuse to match the more common 24-70mm and 70-200mm formulae. However, the standout lens from Tamron in recent memory is the oddly effective 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens, which proves to be an ideal event lens for almost any situation. If it could be faulted in any way, it would be due to its rather heavy weight and bulky size.

Close-up view of a Canon camera lens with a red ring on a white background, featuring the "PetaPixel Reviews" logo at the bottom left corner.

Canon 14mm f/1.4L VCM Review: Compact and Fast

Canon has created, in a very short time, a complete line of L-series prime lenses that cater to the hybrid photo and video shooter. It is quite an achievement to build a whole line of professional prime lenses that are all similar in size, weight, and form factor, while still maintaining the quality expected of an L-series optic. The latest addition to the family is the 14mm f/1.4L VMC, a first for Canon in its RF-mount. I took this $2,600 lens for a spin, appreciating its compact nature, but with serious trepidation that Canon may have pushed the envelope a little too far this time.

Silhouette of a mirrorless camera with a visible image sensor where the lens would attach, and four question marks above, suggesting mystery or an unknown camera model.

L-Mount Desperately Needs a Great, Everyday, Photo Camera

Earlier this week on The PetaPixel Podcast, we discussed Nikon's lawsuit against Viltrox and both the best and worst-case scenarios for that outcome. As part of it, we found ourselves talking about L-mount and how it was the only option outside of Sony E-mount that has shown itself willing to be "open." Unfortunately, it doesn't offer a compelling solution for the average photographer.

Open cardboard box with a square paper inside displaying the "flickr" logo in blue and pink letters, viewed from above against a white background.

Empty Promises: A Deep Dive into Flickr Pro for 2026

Flickr is one of those platforms that refuses to die, like a beloved old truck that leaks oil but still starts every morning. Flickr is one of the original photo-sharing communities, and if you’ve been around long enough, you probably remember when it was the internet for photographers. I've been on Flickr since the early days, and at one point, it genuinely felt essential. In fact, I had a pro account for over a decade.

The image features the SEGA logo in blue and white above the word "PENTAX" in bold red letters on a dark, abstract background with red and blue light patterns.

The Path to Pentax’s Survival Is to Mirror Sega

Ricoh Imaging recently revealed to PetaPixel that it was having a difficult time figuring out how to make the DSLR popular among a wider group of people, admitting that the current fan base of the brand wouldn't be enough to keep it afloat. I argue the best route forward is to pull a Sega.

Four mirrorless camera bodies from Nikon, Lumix, Canon, and Sony are arranged in a grid on a marble background, each showing their lens mounts and sensors.

Mid-Range Cameras Have Never Been This Good

We got not one, not two, but three fantastic mid-range full-frame cameras in 2025: the Panasonic Lumix S1 II, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, and the Sony a7 V. These join the Nikon Z6 III, which launched just 18 months ago. The mid-range mirrorless camera segment has never been this competitive, fresh, and fantastic, which is outstanding news for photographers.

Two digital cameras are shown side by side on a dark green background: the left camera has no lens and exposes its sensor, while the right camera has a classic design with a mounted lens.

2025 Was the Year of the Photographic Experience

There are so many fantastic, capable digital cameras available these days. Nearly every new camera from all the major manufacturers can take great photos, has reliable autofocus, and offers a competitive feature set. Ultimately, the biggest differentiator between most cameras is the experience of using them. 2025 delivered many new cameras that not only provide a great experience, but a different one that celebrates the act of photography itself and what it means to capture photos.

Side-by-side images: on the left, a blurry black-and-white night photo of a leopard cub; on the right, a clear color photo of an adult leopard standing on a forest floor with green foliage in the background.

The Best Trail Camera Photos of 2025

From a rare big cat once thought extinct, to breathtaking images captured by remote cameras deep in the Congo rainforest, and footage from a trail camera left inside a grizzly bear den for ten years, trail cameras recorded some truly remarkable images in 2025.

A man with gray hair and a beard points upward with a surprised expression, standing in front of large, colorful text that reads "BOLD PREDICTIONS" on a blue background.

PetaPixel’s Bold Camera Predictions for 2026

Now for the fifth year in a row, PetaPixel has gathered its team together to gaze into the future and see the facts, the truths, that will come to pass in the camera industry in 2026. As always, we are prepared to be very wrong.

A green and white sign reading "Lovers Point, Pacific Grove, CA" stands near the ocean; next to it is a nautical mast with colorful signal flags at a seaside pier under a clear blue sky.

Kodak Kodacolor 35mm Film Is an Absolute Vibe

When Kodak re-released Kodacolor in 100 and 200 ISO variations a few months ago (which is probably just Kodak Color Plus in a new box), the film community got very excited. Now that dust has settled and I am not hearing a lot about the film much these days, but that should change. This film rocks.

Two men smiling and clinking glasses in a cozy, festive cabin setting. Large text reads “BEST & WORST” above them, with “2025 Edition” at the bottom. There’s a lit fireplace and holiday decorations around them.

The Best and Worst Cameras and Lenses of 2025

Your favorite holiday tradition is back! Yes, it is time for our annual Best and Worst camera gear roundup. Jordan and I get together to battle it out with some not-so-friendly challenges, drink more than we probably should, and reminisce about the last year’s gear releases.

A person adjusts the purple focus ring on a LUMIX camera with an external microphone attached, outdoors on a sunny day.

We Applaud the Effort but the 7Artisans Floral Bloom Lens Is Awful

Earlier this year, 7Artisans announced the Floral Bloom Art Cine Lens series, with the first being a 37mm T2.9 for PL mount only. It sounded interesting, so we agreed to check it out. We appreciate the effort and applaud the company for trying something new, but unfortunately, this lens is terrible.

A gold emblem with "PP" in the center and laurel branches around it, above the text "2025 Nominees," set against a sparkling, bokeh light background.

The PetaPixel Awards Nominees: The Top Photo Gear of 2025

Every year, PetaPixel recognizes the top cameras, lenses, and photography accessories in The PetaPixel Awards. Selections are voted on by the PetaPixel staff and while final awards will be announced next week, we are happy to share our nominees in each of the categories today.

A pair of hands holding a purple iPhone horizontally. The phone has dual rear cameras and an Apple logo on the back. The background is white, emphasizing the phone's color and design.

My iPhone Is Unexpectedly Making My Photos 3D

I recently installed iOS 26 on my iPhone. I'm slow, I know, but as I was swiping past my Photos widget, I noticed that one of my photos was in 3D. The image wiggled around as I moved my phone in my hand. "What the hell," I thought.

Two side-by-side photos show a woman holding a camera. On the left, she sits while getting her hair styled. On the right, she smiles at the camera while sitting on a couch, holding the same camera.

The Enduring Desirability of the Fujifilm X-Pro

Last week, Vogue France published a short snippet from an interview where Jisoo -- an incredibly popular member of the K-pop group Blackpink -- talks about her love of the Fujifilm X-Pro3. Describing the photos it takes as "cinematic" and "atmospheric," she also touches on another angle of why she and her friends like it: how it looks.