Editorial

Late last night, OM System announced the OM-3. It costs $2,000... for now. I expect that will change very soon because I've been conditioned by the company to believe so.

2025 has so far proved to be the year of comebacks. Point-and-shoot compacts are flying off shelves faster than camera stores can restock them. But there could be another resurgence set to occur, and this one has flown well under the radar: camcorders.

Computational photography features raise the hackles of many photographers, but many examples of these tools help photographers bring their creative visions to life and make their lives easier. That sounds good to me, not scary.

You could be forgiven for looking at Samsung’s latest crop of flagship devices in the S25 series and wonder what the silver lining is. It’s all about AI -- Galaxy AI, that is -- and in doubling down on these features, the company is betting that it has a leg up on what could be the next big thing for mobile devices.

Canon had a strong 2024, launching a new flagship camera, a highly anticipated (and excellent) sequel to the popular EOS R5, and a bunch of diverse new lenses.

After a torrid pace in 2023, during which time Nikon launched a pair of cameras and nine all-new lenses, the company slowed a bit this year, releasing just two new cameras and three lenses. Nonetheless, it was a strong year for the Japanese company and one that helped Nikon continue to claw back market share in the mirrorless era. Plus, Nikon bought RED, so there's that.

Sony had a very solid year. Releasing two cameras and five lenses, Sony wasn't quite as busy as in 2023 but busy enough to maintain its firm grip on the mirrorless camera segment.

Fujifilm was prolific this year, launching four new digital cameras, including the hyper-popular X100VI, a pair of new Instax instant cameras, and four new lenses (although it's more like three).

While Sigma absolutely earned its title of PetaPixel's Photo Company of the Year in 2024, legendary German photo company Leica was not far behind. Leica was not only prolific across multiple camera system segments, but the company posted the highest revenue in its 110-year history.

With three new lens releases, 2024 was a relatively typical year for Tamron. Last year, Tamron announced two lenses, …

What a fittingly unusual year for Ricoh Pentax, a photo company that itself is quite strange. Always one to march to the beat of its own drum, Ricoh Pentax did things unlike everyone else in 2024, and that's, by and large, a good thing.

Hasselblad was uncharacteristically busy this year, releasing a "new" camera and three new XCD lenses. The premium Swedish camera manufacturer continues to focus heavily on celebrating still photography and the experience of taking photos, and we're here for it.

Two companies are actively developing products for two distinct camera systems: Fujifilm and Panasonic. In Fujifilm's case, it's the APS-C X Series and the medium-format GFX System. For Panasonic, it's the Micro Four Thirds platform and the L-Mount system, which includes full-frame mirrorless cameras and lenses. We'll look at Fujifilm next week, but for now, the attention is on Panasonic and its rather interesting (and diverse) year of product launches.

Buying a camera is like entering into an agreement with the brand. You’re handing over your hard-earned cash, and they are giving you the best product they can, or at least that’s how it used to be.

We're big believers not only in Micro Four Thirds as a platform but OM System as a company. But 2024 was, to put it mildly, a challenging year for OM System.

This week, Adobe said that it would be making changes to its Photography plan pricing and eliminating the most affordable option entirely. Beyond that, as more camera and lens companies are pushing to support the "hybrid" creator (for good reason), Adobe continues to ignore them.

Think "action camera," and visions of snowboarders recording their high-adrenaline run down a slope spring to mind, and with good reason. Action cameras have unlocked new creative options for those wanting to capture their active pursuits on film. The results can be jaw-dropping, thanks to 4K or even 5.7K resolution options, enhanced slow motion, and mind-blowing stability. In short, an action camera can capture footage that looks like it was shot by a film crew rather than a tiny camera mounted to your ski helmet.

A decade ago, in the hallowed halls of the now defunct Photokina show in Cologne, Germany, photographers, journalists, editors, and all sorts of other industry movers and shakers were elbowing each other out of the way to get closer to a trade booth where a brand’s newly launched flagship models were being admired. But the most popular booth of 2014 didn’t belong to Sony, Nikon, or even Canon... it belonged to Samsung.