Although the plan had been for NASA Artemis II astronauts to bring just Nikon D5 DSLR cameras with them to space, last-minute requests by the crew helped get a Nikon Z9 aboard Artemis II before it launched into space yesterday.
Tokina was a significant name in lenses during the DSLR era, but photographers could be forgiven for thinking the company had given up on photography due to its lack of new lenses in recent years. However, Tokina is not gone. In fact, the company is working on its next lens right now, promising that it will be "one lens like no other."
In all my time reviewing cameras, I've come across some hidden gems, but also some real dogs. Today we are going to be talking about the latter. I want to give some dishonorable mentions to some of the worst-designed cameras throughout history.
As expected, there have been a lot of April Fools' Day pranks in the photo industry today. Mixed in with the standard goofy and funny joke products, like ISO 0 film, a helium-filled camera backpack that weighs nothing, and a film roll with a different film emulsion for every frame, is Thypoch's camera idea that seems like it might not be a joke at all.
Photographer James Warner, known for his excellent YouTube channel, snappiness, loves weird digital cameras. His latest acquisition is a bizarre but fun relic, the Sony C200X digital passport system camera. This chunky silver digicam from 2003 has a vertically oriented sensor, a huge on-camera flash, and is designed to permanently live in an administrative office. It exists solely to shoot passport or ID photos and works alongside an accompanying Sony thermal printer.
Godox continues to expand its accessible lighting ecosystem with the release of the Litemons LE200D Daylight LED Monolight, a compact yet powerful fixture designed for creators who prioritize output, simplicity, and value. Positioned as a daylight-only alternative within the growing Litemons lineup, the LE200D delivers impressive brightness and modern control features at a notably aggressive $190 price point.
Happy World Backup Day! Yes, it’s a real holiday, and your reminder to finally back up your work. Most of these deals are today only, so it’s a good time to act fast and save while getting your files properly backed up.
Photography is among the best and most fun ways to enjoy nature. However, for many, the physical demands of outdoor adventures can be too much, forcing people to stay home or stick to only the most accessible, often overcrowded, photo spots. That's where Vastnaut comes in with the Vastnaut One, the world's first AI-powered 4x4 wearable exoskeleton. It works with your body to reduce stress and enable you to go farther and explore places that you otherwise couldn't.
A new accessory aimed at streamlining studio organization brings a modular approach to lens storage. The OPC Lens Dock-E is a wall-mounted system designed specifically for Sony E-mount lenses, offering a structured way to keep optics visible, protected, and within easy reach.
Tamron is focused on making lenses that no other manufacturer does. A consequence of this is that Tamron makes a lot of zoom lenses, although the company reiterated to PetaPixel at CP+ 2026 that it is not opposed to making new prime lenses, but it needs to be the right prime, a unique offering.
Thypoch, known for its classically-inspired manual focus prime lenses like the Simera 28mm f/1.4, Eureka 50mm f/2, and most recently, the Ksana 21mm f/3.5, has unveiled its next project: an autofocus-equipped 24-50mm f/2.8 zoom lens. This is a very bold new chapter for the upstart Chinese lens company.
Earlier this week, Panasonic unveiled the Lumix ZS300, also known as the TZ300 in some markets. The new compact camera is nearly identical to its predecessor, released in early 2018, except for one big thing: the ZS200's electronic viewfinder has been removed, replaced with nothing but more plastic. There are logical explanations for this, but they do little to stop me from disliking the change.
An ultra-wide lens is not something I often reach for. They can be useful as interior architecture lenses, for capturing dramatic vistas, and even for the occasional shot on the street, however, I usually find the propensity of the lenses to capture so much in the frame a tricky proposition.
Mint Camera has announced the Sharpa Lens, a newly-designed replacement optic for the Polaroid SX-70 that it says is "the sharpest lens ever made" for the instant camera.
Nikon's original Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S and Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lenses were already superb when they were released in 2019 and 2020, delivering great optical performance and dependable autofocus inside a well-designed chassis. However, much has changed in lens design in the years since, and Nikon's even better, significantly lighter 24-70mm f/2.8 S II and 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II zooms reflect multifaceted technological advancements.
Spring is a busy time for photographers, and with World Backup Day coming up on March 31, there’s no better moment to stock up on memory cards. Prices have risen recently, but today’s deals give you a chance to grab top-quality SD, microSD, and CFexpress cards at meaningful discounts.
The global shortage of solid state memory has claimed its first photographic victim, as Sony has announced that it is suspending fulfillment of all orders for nearly its entire SD and CFexpress memory card product lines.
A YouTube video from a relatively new channel has lampooned the state of modern photography that many will find relatable.
When Ricoh announced the GR IV Monochrome, many fans of the format first cheered because it was a long time coming, then cried in dismay at the cost. Many voiced opinions that it was a "cash grab," but Ricoh explains that matching optics to the specialized sensor was just very costly.
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.
A well-known Pentax leaker with a strong history of being right has said a new Pentax DSLR is coming this year. That's certainly possible, but based on very recent conversations with company leadership, you should probably temper your expectations.
Drones have become part of the photographer's toolkit, but they can be daunting. This is where the Micro Drone 3.0 Neo by Extreme Fliers comes in.
Is there room for a new full-frame 35mm film camera? When the Pentax 17 half-frame camera came out, it represented a serious risk to see if beginner photographers would be willing to buy a new camera. When you consider the saturated used camera market with all of the options that are still available, it’s hard to imagine much demand for a camera that will cost substantially more.
Tamron has announced a significant price hike for three of its lenses in Japan, but Tamron Americas tells PetaPixel there is no accompanying price increase to announce in other markets.
LK Samyang kicked off its "Prima" series of lightweight, affordable prime lenses in late 2024 with the AF 35mm f/1.4 P. After launching the Prima AF 16mm f/2.8 and AF 85mm f/1.8 lenses last year, LK Samyang is revisiting the 35mm focal length with a smaller, lighter, and more affordable AF 35mm f/1.8 Prima prime for full-frame Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras.
DJI has announced the Avata 360, an 8K immersive drone that is equipped with dual Type 1 sensors and all of DJI's top-end sensors and transmission technology. With the promise of "exquisite clarity" in video and up to 120 megapixel photos, DJI is clearly aiming to take down Insta360's Antigravity.
Photographers would be forgiven for thinking that Panasonic is no longer committed or interested in developing new Micro Four Thirds products, but as the company told PetaPixel at CP+ 2026 in Japan, it is still very much interested in developing new MFT products that capitalize on the format's core strengths.
Harlowe has introduced an expanded lineup of Max Bi-Color LED monolight kits, built around a 120W fixture with Bluetooth-based wireless control, an included Fresnel zoom lens, and a magnetic accessory mounting system. The range includes Creator and Master kits with both AC-powered and battery-powered options, addressing different production needs from studio setups to on-location production.
Photographers often feel like certain camera technology has plateaued. Sure, sensors get a little better, autofocus improves with each generation, and cameras are faster than ever. However, camera tech rarely improves by leaps and bounds like it once did. Canon believes AI may fuel many of the biggest camera tech breakthroughs in the coming years.
For the last couple of years, PetaPixel has asked OM System executives about the company's plan for the beloved Pen series. Previously, the response has been tepid, so it didn't ask again this year. Surprisingly, OM System executives brought it up instead.
Saramonic has introduced the Air SE, a dual-channel wireless microphone system designed for smartphones, tablets, and computers. The system emphasizes compact size, simplified operation, and a feature set that aligns with current expectations for mobile-first audio workflows.
UGreen has announced the Maxidok 17-in-1 and 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 docks, a significant expansion to the company's Thunderbolt 5 product portfolio. The pair of new docks promises to give professional creators the ports, performance, and multi-display support they require in demanding workflows.
Panasonic Lumix makes fantastic hybrid cameras that perform well in a variety of situations. However, many argue that most aren't particularly good-looking cameras.
Panasonic has unveiled the Lumix ZS300, a successor to the Lumix ZS200 announced back in early 2018. Like its predecessor, the ZS300, also known as the TZ300, combines a 15x optical zoom lens and a 20.1-megapixel Type 1 CMOS image sensor inside a compact, pocket-sized body. However, it also features a major downgrade in user experience.
A new company, Increment Labs, is gearing up to launch its debut product, the world's first light meter-equipped watch designed from the ground up for photographers.
For over a decade, Panasonic Lumix has been at the forefront of video production in an affordable and compact package. But in speaking to PetaPixel at CP+ earlier this year, the company also expresses a desire to be recognized for photography -- just not for high-end sports.
Summit Creative's newest backpack is built for photographers with humongous super-telephoto lenses. The new Tenzing Roll Top Camera Backpack has a whopping 70-liter capacity and enough space inside its expandable design to comfortably fit a Canon 1200mm f/8L IS USM lens.
Earlier this month, Fujifilm hosted a special "Focus on Glass" event, where the company highlighted some of its optical achievements in its APS-C X System, while also proposing 14 Fujifilm X lens concepts. The company asked its customers to vote for their three favorite ideas, and voting closed late last week. The results are fascinating and highlight just how much photographers value the versatility of zoom lenses.
When Canon unveiled its first mirrorless full-frame camera, the EOS R, in 2018, the company touted its new EOS RF lens mount. While it has the same 54-millimeter diameter as the DSLR EF mount, the RF mount's flange distance is significantly shorter, shrinking from 44 millimeters to just 20. Canon promised that this would enable bold new lens designs, and the company's latest lenses show that as well as any of Canon's 60-plus RF lenses.
Tamron lenses have some very cool capabilities you may not be aware of -- like the ability to pull focus during a time lapse -- and it’s all thanks to its Lens Utility App. I want to talk about what of these abilities are, but I also want to take this opportunity to shame other lens manufacturers for not offering these same features.
Nearly every photographer is familiar with Micro Four Thirds, but what about Four Thirds? Developed by Olympus and Eastman Kodak five years before Micro Four Thirds, this DSLR format was short-lived, supplanted by the mirrorless Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses. Gordon Laing of Cameralabs has taken a look at a pioneering Four Thirds DSLR, the Olympus E-1, 23 years after its debut.
At CP+ 2025, TTArtisan, best known for its lenses, unveiled that it was developing its first-ever camera, a retro-inspired folding Instax instant camera. The TTArtisan 203T is finally nearing release, but TTArtisan's approach to the launch is strange.
XPPen has announced its new flagship drawing display, the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2). The company is promising some very high-level performance, including extreme color accuracy that's Calman verified, high resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate, all for under $2,000.
The compact camera market is white-hot right now. Compact camera sales more than doubled in Japan in 2025, and many of the best-selling cameras last year at Map Camera, a major Japanese photo retailer, were compact models. Canon is no stranger to compact camera success and is committed to giving people what they want.
Audio-Technica has announced the ATV-SG1 and ATV-SG1LE, two new on-camera microphones designed for professional videographers and content creators -- its first in this segment in a decade.
Looking at Fujifilm's releases in 2025, the company did a little bit of everything, and released some very surprising, strange cameras. It is easy to think that Fujifilm is just a company keen to experiment and take risks, but the company tells PetaPixel that hard research data drives its product decisions. That said, fun matters, too.
The passage of time has not been kind to the Nikon F4. At the time of its release, it was a modern superstar, highly sought after, and bristling with modern advancements. It truly bridged the gap between classic manual-focus SLRs and modern autofocusing and advanced metering, flagship cameras.
Alfie Cameras is getting ready to launch a new analog camera designed to teach people the entire process of photography. From shooting to printing, the new Boxx camera does it all.
Fujifilm's Instax Wide 400 instant camera is coming soon in a stylish "jet black" colorway, offering photographers a more grown-up option compared to the sage green the Instax Wide 400 launched way back in June 2024.
Harlowe, formerly known as Hobolite, has announced the Omni 360° 2W, a compact video fill light designed for creators working across vlogging, action cameras, and immersive 360° content. With a focus on portability and adaptability, the light aims to provide consistent, wraparound illumination in fast-moving shooting environments.