The launch of the new Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S II made me think. At $3,197/£2,999 at the time of launch, this is a seriously expensive lens that is surely out of reach for anyone other than a full-time pro who can treat this lens as a logical business decision.
Opinion
This is where I offer thoughts on developments in photography and video, some of the context behind news stories and industry events, and how these might impact photographers.
Don’t buy the camera you think you might need tomorrow, get the camera you need today
You can’t future-proof your camera purchases, and if you try to anticipate what you might need in the future, you risk guessing wrong and spending money on things you don’t need.
Don’t write off the Fujifilm X-T30 III as just a warmed up version of an old camera
It seems like the Fujifilm X-T30 has been around for YEARS, but actually it was first launched as recently as 2019. But then it was updated to the X-T30 II with some very minor alterations in 2021 in a move that suggested a camera being kept going for just that little bit longer. Then… nothing. It looked like the X-T30 II was just slowly winding down into obsolescence. But no. Now we have the X-T30 III, and this is a very interesting little camera for several reasons.
The Leica M EV1 is a Leica M with an EVF – SACRILEGE!
For those who don’t know, Leica M rangefinders are breed apart, a throwback to a camera design abandoned years ago by every other maker and about as far as you can get from a modern mirrorless camera. And yet, at a stroke, the Leica M EV1 has closed that gap and brought the Leica M design right up to date. So that’s got to be good, right? Well, not if you are Leica diehard.
What’s the single most important innovation in the new Nikon ZR?
The Nikon ZR is interesting for all sorts of reasons. For a start, it’s the first time Nikon and RED tech has been combined in a camera after Nikon acquired the RED cinema camera brand in 2024. That’s significant in many ways, not least because the ZR now incorporates RED’s own colour science and raw codecs. But that’s not it.
I have just one question about the new OM System 50-200mm f/2.8 IS PRO. Why is it so big?
I get it. Professional, constant-aperture telephoto zooms are always going to be big. I also get that this lens is in its own way unique, offering a constant f/2.8 100-400mm equivalent zoom range. But why is it bigger and heavier (and more expensive) than, let’s say, the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II, a FULL FRAME LENS?
This is why manual controls on cameras matter, and it’s not about clinging to the past
Cameras are tools, right? They are there to do our bidding. But while a modern digital camera will do just that, just as old-school analog cameras did, something has changed. A new layer of context-dependent electronic interfacing has inserted itself between the physical controls at our fingertips and what the camera actually does. There is no longer an obvious, direct, mechanical connection between the camera and us.
The Sony RX1R III is like a stuck record… sorry, Sony
When the original 24MP Sony RX1 came out in 2012 it was amazing – a full frame compact camera with a fixed 35mm Zeiss lens. It was extraordinary, dazzling. The RX1R II arrived in 2015 with almost double the resolution, hybrid phase detect AF and a pop-up EVF – even better! These cameras were expensive but exceptional for the time. And now, at last, in 2025 we have a long awaited Mark III.
The Panasonic Lumix S1R II is amazing, so why are people complaining about its readout speed?
Slow sensor readout speed can lead to ‘rolling shutter’ or ‘jello’ effects, which can affect both stills photography and video. But how bad is the Lumix S1R II’s readout speed, has Panasonic really dropped the ball here and will it really affect your results – or is it the Internet just going crazy with yet another thing to start yelling about?
How does this keep happening – manufacturers launching cameras they can’t supply?
The culprit this time is the Fujifilm X-M5. Launched back in October 2024, the X-M5 looks a solid little vlogging camera at a very affordable price. It doesn’t have an electronic viewfinder or in-body stabilization, but it does offer open gate 6K video and 4K 60p with only a modest 1.18x crop. It’s also a very nicely made little camera. But, in April 2025, SIX MONTHS after its launch, where can you actually buy one?