Opinion

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.

During internal voting and discussions concerning the Camera of the Year, the Canon EOS R1 quickly established itself as a non-contender. This highly anticipated flagship camera has been coming for a long time, but once it finally landed, it felt undercooked, and worse, boring.

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.

Despite being ahead of its time, the Pentax K-1 (and its Mark II upgrade) was a camera system that promised so much yet appears to have run out of road. Born seemingly from an R&D department whose chains had been freed, the engineers went wild, strayed off-script, and produced a camera full of innovation. Fast forward to 2024, and a lack of lens support paired with no upgraded models in over six years leaves Pentax owners in an unwanted state of limbo where even the most loyal customers are now compelled to look elsewhere.

Like many photographers, I'm entrenched in a specific editing workflow. I use Adobe Lightroom Classic for the basics -- and even some of the more advanced edits -- and Photoshop for the rest. It works for me, and I'm not keen to jump through any hoops to change my process. However, Pixelmator Pro features a tool that made me pivot last week when I tried to make a print at home over the Thanksgiving holiday: Smart Deband.

For its fourth year in a row, PetaPixel has gathered its team together to guess the things they just know are going to take place over the next calendar year. All of us are, as usual, ready to be very, very wrong.

Foldable smartphones aren’t a total novelty anymore now that various brands make them, but they’re still far from being ubiquitous in people’s hands. There are various reasons to consider one, but how they can affect mobile photography helps make them more interesting.

With the debut of the Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM lens this week, Sony now has 56 full-frame lenses and 77 total E-mount lenses. That is a lot of lenses -- by far the most among all full-frame camera systems and as the 28-70mm f/2 shows, Sony is finally free to experiment more.

The Sony a1 II has arrived, and it is a fantastic flagship camera. However, while its predecessor was leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, the mirrorless flagship camera race is much closer in 2024 than it was in 2021, and it has left the a1 II in a somewhat awkward position -- it feels like the middle child in a camera series that only actually has two models.

Chinese lens maker Yongnuo recently teased a new 35mm f/1.8 prime lens in its native market. Details on the specifics of the lens are scarce, but Yongnuo has unveiled the prime's complete name: YN35mm f/1.8 DA Art. Yes, that's right, "Art" -- a term strongly associated with Sigma's Art lens series.

In just the last year and a half, Apple launched Final Cut on iPad and Final Cut Camera, updated Final Cut Pro to a new version for the first time in 13 years, and moved to purchase Pixelmator. As Adobe's public perception continues to struggle, Apple is making moves to take advantage.

Apple Final Cut Pro 11 has arrived, not only ushering in the next generation of professional video editing for Apple but signaling the company's revitalized and reinvigorated approach to creative professional software at large.

Super Mario Party Jamboree for Nintendo Switch features a fun yet challenging minigame about capturing precise street photography moments.

In 2018, I was happily flying my DJI Mavic 2 Pro above a waterfall in Maui. Next to me, struggling to even get his GoPro Karma off the ground, another photographer eventually gave up. The Karma failed because it just couldn't get the basics right. Sony's Airpeak suffered the same fate.

Early this week, I pulled a colleague into a video chat and shared my screen with him, asking if he was familiar with Apple Photos. He said yes, and proceeded to let me continue. That was when I told him what he was looking at wasn't Apple Photos.

Not long ago, camcorders ruled as the go-to device for capturing life’s moments. Now, they’re relics. Smartphones have stomped out almost every practical use for camcorders, replacing them with better features and internet connectivity. Yet, some manufacturers cling to the past, hoping to squeeze a few bucks from a dying market.

The Sony a7S series is the oft-forgotten member of the Alpha lineup, languishing in the shadows of its siblings and never quite finding a place to shine. However, while some think the series should -- or at least will -- be left in the past, perhaps the Sony a9 III shows that there's instead a path to a bright future for a hypothetical a7S IV.

Namibia is planning to kill more than 700 wild animals, including elephants, zebras, and hippos, and distribute the meat to the people struggling with food insecurity as the country grapples with its worst drought in 100 years.

The Canon EOS R5 II can use older Canon batteries, but there are significant limitations for video shooters beyond what Canon outlines in the R5 II user manual.