Features

PetaPixel's Features are in-depth, heavily researched stories designed to answer the most important questions on a topic. Where we flex our journalistic muscle, expect to find the best storytelling and original reporting the photo industry offers.
Two Canon cameras are shown side by side on a glittery background. An arrow with a rainbow trail points from the older Canon EOS 5D camera on the left to the newer Canon EOS R5 camera on the right.

From 5D to R5 II: Canon’s EOS 5 Series Turns 20

The Canon EOS 5 Series celebrates its 20th birthday this year. The series, which launched with the original EOS 5D DSLR in 2005, continues to this day, with the most recent member being the excellent EOS R5 Mark II full-frame mirrorless camera. The 20th anniversary provides a great time to reflect and take a fresh look at all the Canon EOS 5 Series cameras released to date.

A scuba diver swims underwater near a massive swirling school of fish, with light filtering through the dense formation and illuminating the scene.

Photographing the Sardine Run in South Africa Changed My Life

For as long as I can remember, I’ve chased moments that remind me how small I am; the moments that make the world feel big again. The sardine run is one of those moments -- a crazy spectacle of survival, chaos, and connection all at once. I went all the way to South Africa to see it with my own eyes and to feel what it means to be a part of something this wild.

Side-by-side images compare a real translucent insect (left) with prominent black eyes and fine details, to a similar but AI-generated insect (right) with a smoother face and labeled “REAL” and “AI-GENERATED” at the top.

AI is Ruining Nature Photography on Facebook

Nature photographers have raised the alarm that AI slop pages on Facebook are stealing their work, editing their pictures with AI, and then reuploading them without credit while passing them off as real creatures.

A close-up photo of multiple red circular badges on a black surface, with the frontmost badge displaying the white cursive "Leica" logo. The background badges are out of focus.

One Hundred Years of Leica: How a Tiny German Camera Changed Photography Forever

This year, the world celebrates the 100th anniversary of a camera that revolutionized photography: the Leica I. Often called the Leica Standard, this compact 35mm rangefinder was introduced at the 1925 Leipzig Spring Fair and marked the beginning of modern handheld photography. It didn’t just represent a technological leap -- it sparked a cultural and artistic movement.

A man and woman in vintage swimsuits sit back to back on a sandy beach, facing the ocean. The woman leans back with her face tilted upward, eyes closed, enjoying the sun. The photo is in black and white.

The Hungarian-American Photography Connection

Hungary has a rich photographic history. The Central European country has produced some of the greatest photographers of the early 20th century during the golden age of photojournalism -- chiefly Robert Capa, Brassaï, and André Kertész.

A split image: on the left, a device illuminates a glowing red sphere in a dark room; on the right, a computer workstation with specialized equipment and a monitor displaying a photo of a hallway.

New Multispectral Film Scanner Is a Breakthrough for Analog Photography


Saskatchewan-based Film Rescue International (FRI) develops and digitizes old film, whether it's rolls of precious family memories or vital historical archives in museum collections. To deliver the best possible results in an increasingly challenging, stagnant film scanning industry, FRI built a cutting-edge multispectral film scanner.

A black Sony RX1R II digital camera with a prominent Zeiss lens, shown from the front against a solid black background.

The Sony RX1R III Is Finally Here: What’s New, What’s Not, and Why Now?

Sony's surprise reveal of the RX1R III premium compact camera this morning has sent shockwaves through the photo industry. The new camera, arriving nearly a decade after the RX1R II, introduces some key improvements, some interesting changes, and perhaps even misses a few opportunities. Let's take a closer look at the RX1R III.

A Sony camera hovers above an open Amazon shipping box on a blue background with text that reads, “amazon prime day THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY DEALS.”.

The Best Prime Day Photography Deals in 2025

Amazon's annual Prime Day event has kicked off, offering a range of deep discounts on a diverse selection of products, including many exciting deals for photographers.