Equipment

Photographers use all kinds of equipment to craft their art, from cameras and lenses to lights and accessories. We cover the latest news and information on the tools of the trade in the photography industry.
Two OM System OM-5 cameras, one gold and one silver, are displayed on either side of a large white telephoto lens labeled 150-600mm, all set against a blue geometric background.

OM System in 2025: A Great Camera, an Awesome Lens, and Little Else

While Panasonic ignored Micro Four Thirds in 2025, OM System thankfully didn't. And that's a good thing, too, because it's OM's entire business. OM System didn't entirely allay my fears about Micro Four Thirds's ultimate fate, but at least the company did release some nice products this year.

A person in a car uses a tablet showing a photo of bison in a field. The tablet connects wirelessly to a camera outside, with a device nearby enabling the connection. Distant animals and open grasslands are visible.

This Repeater Turns Your Camera Into a Remote Wildlife Camera Trap

For wildlife photographers, distance has always been both a necessity and a limitation. Get too close, and the subject disappears. Stay too far away, and the image loses intimacy. SmallRig is attempting to rethink that balance with the launch of the Remote Wildlife Pro Wireless Repeater, a long-range Wi-Fi hub designed to give photographers control over cameras placed deep in the field while they remain hundreds of meters away.

A festive holiday background with pine branches, baubles, and berries displaying camera accessories: memory card case, camera, lens adapter, filters, camera strap, remote controls, and a backpack.

Top Holiday Deals on Essential Photography Accessories

Accessories may not get the same attention as cameras and lenses, but they are often the tools that keep photographers shooting smoothly. From memory card protection to power solutions and lens accessories, small upgrades can make a meaningful difference in daily workflow. Right now, holiday and last-minute savings are bringing substantial discounts to many of these essentials.

A man with gray hair and a beard stands in front of a wall lined with rows of camera lenses, some of which are reflected in the mirrored surface behind him.

Made in Japan: How (and Why) Sigma Does Things Differently

When Sigma announced its new cinema lens series earlier this year, that may have been the first time that some heard the word "Aizu." Aizu, the shortened form of Aizuwakamatsu, refers to a region in Fukushima, in northern Honshu, Japan, where Sigma is based. This region and its people are so important to the core of what makes Sigma special that it only makes sense to name a lens series after it.

Three compact cameras with textured grips are displayed against a green, diagonally split background. The top camera is black, the lower left is black, and the lower right has a silver and black body.

Fujifilm in 2025: High Highs and Low Lows

Fujifilm is going to be very difficult to grade this year, not because the company didn't do anything, but because it delivered such an eclectic mix of products, ranging from fun but bad to good but boring. Fujifilm always does things a bit differently, but this year was especially odd.

A collage of three images: a gloved hand examining a photo with a ruler, a close-up of a vintage camera viewfinder and lens, and a black Leica 110 camera showing its lens and viewfinder.

The Most Special Cameras, Lenses, and Photos in Leica’s Archives

Leica counted down the days to Christmas in style, delivering daily videos that showcase "the most special things" in the company's archives. As is tradition, the photographic advent calendar of sorts concluded yesterday, Christmas Eve, and we thought a nice little Christmas present to our passionate readers was a recap of Leica's Christmas countdown.

Close-up of a person holding a camera with a large lens among orange leaves (left), and a person in a brown sweater and beanie using a camera in a snowy mountain landscape (right).

7 OM SYSTEM Deals Worth Grabbing This Holiday Season

OM SYSTEM's Holiday Savings Event runs through January 11, 2025, and the deals are compelling. The Micro Four Thirds system has always offered a distinct advantage: professional-grade performance in a package that weighs half as much as full-frame equivalents. With savings up to $500 on flagship cameras and lenses, this is an ideal time to build or expand a travel-ready kit without compromising image quality.

Four Nikon Z series camera bodies and lenses are displayed on a yellow and black abstract background. Two camera bodies and two interchangeable lenses are arranged diagonally and viewed from different angles.

Nikon in 2025: Another Excellent Year for a Resurgent Nikon

Nikon's 2024 acquisition of RED bore its first major fruit this year, but the RED-infused Nikon ZR is far from the only great product the legendary Japanese company released in 2025. Nikon launched three cameras and five lenses, nearly all of which proved impressive.

A triptych: left, a man with dramatic red and blue lighting; center, two purple camera lenses on a reflective surface with a purple background; right, two people close together, surrounded by warm, golden light.

7Artisans’ New Floral Bloom 57mm T2.9 Lens Promises Same Eye-Catching Style

7Artisans has announced the Floral Bloom 57mm T2.9, a full frame cinema lens designed for PL mount cameras and built around a deliberately unconventional optical signature. Rather than aiming for neutral rendering, the lens embraces a strong stylistic identity, producing a pronounced radial bokeh effect intended for highly expressive, story-driven filmmaking.

A front-facing view of a quadcopter drone, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, with glowing lights highlighting its camera and rotors, set against a dark background.

US Government Bans New DJI and Other Foreign-Made Drones

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced late Monday that it would add DJI to its "Covered List," effectively banning all future DJI drones from the United States. A disappointed DJI says it remains committed to the U.S. market despite the ban.

A Canon EOS R6 camera body is displayed between two Canon RF camera lenses, all set against a textured red and black background.

Canon in 2025: Fantastic R6 III Headlines a Strong Year for Canon

This was a busy year for Canon, highlighted by a very good video camera in the Canon EOS C50 and an even better hybrid camera in the EOS R6 Mark III, PetaPixel's Camera of the Year. But Canon's 2025 included much more than just these two cameras, so let's take a deeper dive into Canon's year, how it transformed the EOS R landscape, and how it sets the stage for more excellence from Canon in 2026 and beyond.

A holiday-themed background with five different camera bags displayed: two backpacks, two messenger bags, and one rolling bag, all arranged among pinecones and branches with a bokeh light effect.

25 Great Deals on Every Kind of Bag for Photographers

A camera bag isn’t just about carrying gear; it shapes how photographers move, work, and protect their equipment. Whether you’re commuting with a mirrorless kit, flying with a full production setup, or safeguarding gear between shoots, the right bag matters. Right now, B&H Photo is offering significant holiday discounts across nearly every camera bag category, making this an ideal moment to upgrade or expand your kit.

Two Canon EOS cinema cameras without lenses are displayed side by side against a black background with red diagonal lines. The camera on the left is more compact, while the one on the right is larger and boxier.

Canon’s Big Cinema Camera Firmware Updates Have Arrived

Canon's promised slate of massive firmware updates for its EOS Cinema cameras arrived this week, bringing things like open-gate recording to the Canon EOS C400 and improved operability to the C80. The Canon EOS R5 C, C400, C80, and C70 all received firmware updates this week.

Four camera-related products are displayed on a blue background: a Canon EOS R6 Mark II body, a Canon RF lens, a Sony telephoto lens, and a Sony mirrorless camera body.

Canon and Sony Dominate Lensrentals’ Top Rentals of 2025

Lensrentals has shared its top photography and videography rentals of 2025, continuing the company's annual tradition of recapping the cameras, lenses, and accessories customers want the most. Yet again, the list is dominated by Canon and Sony equipment across the board.

A sleek black camera lens with yellow and white markings is displayed upright on the edge of a black geometric surface, against a blue gradient background.

7Artisans Introduces MF 50mm f/1.2 Prime for Just $99

7Artisans has expanded its lineup of budget-friendly manual focus primes with the launch of the MF 50mm f/1.2 for Sony E, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, and Micro Four Thirds. The ultra-affordable $99 APS-C lens is aimed at photographers and filmmakers looking for fast glass without a premium price tag.

A large underwater camera housing with a dome port and attached small action camera rests on a wooden bench, with a blue and yellow boat structure in the background. A person is reflected in the dome port.

DJI’s Osmo Action 5 Pro Is the Best Underwater BTS Camera of 2025

BTS -- or "behind the scenes" -- footage has become an essential part of how I tell stories; not just for social media, but for documenting the reality of underwater work. When it comes to shooting underwater, there are a ton of factors to think about — from managing your buoyancy and checking the settings on your camera housing, to being aware of your surroundings and controlling your breathing. The last thing I want to spend time worrying about, then, is how I’m going to capture behind-the-scenes content at the same time.

A Canon EOS R6 Mark III mirrorless camera body is shown without a lens, revealing its image sensor, on a dark, grid-patterned surface.

The Canon EOS R6 III Is Off to a Spectacular Start in Japan

Map Camera, one of Japan's largest photography retailers, has released its monthly sales charts for brand-new and used camera models. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III, PetaPixel's Camera of the Year, delivered an outstanding debut, topping the November sales charts "far ahead" of second-place.

A black camera lens lies on a light gray surface with the word "VILTROX" in large, bold white letters displayed across the image.

Sony Didn’t Intentionally Brick Third Party Lenses on the a7 V, Viltrox Confirms

Viltrox, one of the most popular third-party lens manufacturers for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount cameras, says it is working on a firmware update that will stabilize performance of its lenses on the new Sony a7 V. Additionally, despite rumors and speculation swirling online, the lens company doesn't believe Sony made any changes to intentionally degrade the performance of third party lenses on E-mount.

A Canon EOS R6 Mark II camera and a Sony Alpha 7 camera are shown side by side with a bold "VS" in the center, set against a red and purple gradient background.

Canon R6 III vs Sony a7 V Dynamic Range: Which Mid-Range Camera Reigns Supreme?

The ongoing battle of the latest superb mid-range cameras has a new chapter. Photons to Photos has published Canon EOS R6 Mark III dynamic range test results, enabling pixel-peeping photographers to see how the Canon R6 III stacks up against the Sony a7 V. Both cameras employ 33-megapixel full-frame sensors and target similar audiences at nearly identical prices, but they do many things differently, including image sensor technology.

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 black camera lens with "24" marked on it stands upright on a reflective, curved surface against a gradient blue and black background. The lens has focus and zoom rings, a switch, and engraved text.

Brightin Star’s 24mm f/1.8 Lens for Full-Frame Cameras Costs About $300

Brightin Star has introduced a new full-frame wide-angle option for Sony E and Nikon Z shooters with the launch of the Brightin Star AF 24mm f/1.8, a fast-aperture autofocus lens aimed at photographers who want a lightweight, affordable, and sharp everyday companion. The lens brings modern optical engineering, quiet autofocus, and a bright f/1.8 aperture together in a compact form factor that targets street, portrait, architectural, and low-light creators.

A small black camera, a leather camera bag, and a lens cap sit on books; on the right, a person in a brown jacket holds a similar camera with a brown grip against a white background.

SmallRig’s New Ricoh GR IV Accessories Are Practical and Stylish

SmallRig has unveiled a full accessory ecosystem designed specifically for the Ricoh GR IV, expanding the compact camera’s portability, protection, and day-to-day usability by offering a leather half case, straps, a thumb grip, a lens hood with UV filter, and a crossbody-style storage bag. The coordinated system is meant to elevate the GR IV’s handling and field-readiness.

A Sony Alpha 7 mirrorless digital camera body is shown facing forward, displaying its large sensor and lens mount, against a blue gradient background.

The Sony a7 V’s Sensor Is Even More Impressive Than it Seemed

Another day, another Sony a7 V dynamic range update. Our initial speculation has proven correct, and the new a7 V is employing Dual Gain Output (DGO) to achieve outstanding dynamic range when using its mechanical shutter at base and low ISO settings. Further, building upon research by Adam Horshack, William "Bill" Claff of the excellent Photons to Photos has revised his a7 V testing to indicate that the camera is not using baked-in noise reduction with its RAW files. What initially appeared to be evidence of noise reduction is, in fact, DGO.

A Sony Alpha camera with a large lens is displayed on a brown, motion-blurred background, with a large green checkmark icon overlaid on the left side of the image.

There’s No Reason to Believe the Sony a7 V Has a Third-Party Lens Problem

After popular YouTuber Kai Wong reviewed the a7 V last week and mentioned potential issues with third-party lenses, concerns about whether the a7 V is taking a different approach to E-mount's famous openness spread like wildfire. However, while there is always the chance that certain lenses, particularly third-party ones, may have compatibility issues with new cameras, there is no reason to believe that the Sony a7 V represents any departure from Sony's longstanding view toward third-party optics.

A Sony Alpha 7 mirrorless digital camera body with no lens attached, showing the large E-mount and image sensor on the front against a plain light background.

This Is How Much Dynamic Range the Sony a7 V Loses When Using Electronic Shutter

Just one day after publishing his dynamic range tests for the Sony a7 V using its mechanical shutter, show exceptional dynamic range performance that rivals medium-format cameras -- William "Bill" Claff of Photons to Photos is back with a7 V electronic shutter testing. The story the results show is an interesting, albeit predictable one.

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 Canon EOS R10 camera with a lens is shown against a background of red circular bokeh lights.

Entry-Level Cameras Dominate Among Japanese Consumers

As exciting as the latest and greatest cameras are, the best-selling models are, by and large, entry-level cameras with older, worse technology. Photographers love to talk about cutting-edge flagship cameras, but when it comes to consumer spending habits, entry-level interchangeable-lens cameras rule the day, as BCN+R's latest data from Japan shows.

Close-up of a silver and black camera labeled "Camp Snap Pro," with a logo in the corner reading "PetaPixel Reviews." The focus is on the camera's branding and textured surface.

Camp Snap CS-Pro Review: Slightly More Tolerable

Everyone wants a point-and-shoot digital camera. There is something to be said for having a compact, simple, fun, pocket camera that you can take photos with, just for the pure joy of it. Memories to be made, without having to know the exposure triangle, or shoot RAW photo formats and edit later. But not everyone wants a used hand-me-down that may or may not function properly, and Camp Snap is hedging its bets that some consumers out there want a fresh start.

Gold laurel wreath around geometric design with the letters "PP" in the center, above the text "2025 WINNERS," on a sparkling, festive background.

The PetaPixel Awards: The Best of Photography in 2025

We are proud to announce the results of the fifth-annual PetaPixel Awards where we are able to honor the best new photography products released in the last year. We were really impressed with how big of a year 2024 was but, somehow, 2025 managed to be an even more impressive showing.