• Canon could release several 'world-first' RF lenses this year
• Among them, an RF 24-70mm F2L and several 'big white' telephoto primes
• We'd love to get your votes on which ones you'd most like to see

The folks at Canon Rumors have recently been writing about a string of promising Canon RF lenses, each tipped for a 2026 release, according to its sources. There's one pro zoom that sounds dreamy, plus several primes billed as first of their kind.

For me, the RF 24-70mm F2L could be a game-changer, covering multiple professional needs with a maximum aperture that's a whole stop brighter than the f/2.8 aperture in the equivalent traditional 24-70mm f/2.8 pro zoom.

What's even more exciting is that the rumored lens could be much smaller and lighter than the RF 28-70mm F2L USM, according to Canon Rumors, even with that wider zoom.

That original 28-70mm zoom with constant f/2 aperture was launched around the time Canon debuted its EOS R mirrorless camera system and RF-mount in 2018, marking a new, post-DSLR age, and was an optic that we couldn't have imagined for Canon's EF-mount DSLRs.

It's a gargantuan lens, mind you, and I'm sure Canon fans will be excited by the possibility of a lightweight alternative with an even wider zoom range and equally bright constant f/2 aperture. And the 24-70mm F2 isn't the only lens being talked about.

Primed for action

Canon Rumors says that an RF 24-70mm F2L could be one of several new RF lenses ready for a 2026 launch — that's one way to keep Canon fans happy especially since Sony has been busy launching it's own lighter f/2 zooms, such as the 28-70mm F2 GM and 50-150mm F2 GM — both five star rated lenses.

Other Canon lenses potentially in the pipeline, according to Canon Rumors, are a new 500mm F5.6L and updates to the current 400mm and 600mm telephoto primes, all 'big-white' pro primes with 'new and unseen technology', the details of which we don't know yet. The 400mm and 600mm primes could feature a built-in 1.4x teleconverter, and eye-watering price tag.

There is also a suggestion that Canon won't stop at a single f/2 zoom lens, and Canon Rumors readers have been speculating about a 70-180mm F2L and 12-24mm F2L in the comments of the Canon Rumors article. There's also mention of a showpiece RF 85mm prime with maximum F1 aperture!

That's a serious collection of pro primes and zooms, though these are all rumored products and by no means guaranteed. I know which lens from the above excites me the most, but I'm keen to hear what you think. Have your say in the poll below — you can vote for multiple lenses, including all seven if you can't decide between them.

• Viltrox unveils 75mm f/1.8 and 90mm f/2.2 autofocus primes for APS-C
• They're available in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions
• We still don't know the outcome of the Nikon / Viltrox lawsuit

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Viltrox lenses — and why not? The Chinese lens manufacturer makes some of the best-quality and affordable third-party lenses, and we now have two more to choose from: the AF 75mm F1.8 EVO and AF 90mm F2.2 EVO.

Both lenses are available from today in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions, for $329 / £319 at Amazon and $369 / £359 at Amazon respectively (Australia pricing TBC). There are often deals at the Viltrox site — in fact, there's already around 5% off those prices at launch.

They're designed for APS-C cameras, meaning both lenses work directly with the likes of the Sony A6700, Nikon Z50 II, Fujifilm X-T5 (look out for my review of the X-mount version of the 90mm, coming soon), and have 113mm and 135mm effective focal lengths respectively.

These focal lengths are particularly popular for portrait photography — I especially love the 135mm focal length — and the bright maximum aperture for each able to render blurry backgrounds.

Being 'EVO' lenses, the pair are affordable, especially lightweight, and will be impressively sharp considering those factors. And I should know — we've already tested other EVO lenses, including the 85mm F2 EVO for full-frame, and expect the same high quality from the latest additions to the series.

Each lens features a clicked / de-clicked aperture ring, customizable function button and AF/MF switch, plus autofocus powered by an STM motor. They're pretty much the same size and take 58mm lens filters, while the 75mm lens weighs 11.8oz / 335g and the 90mm lens weighs 11.3oz / 320g.

With a 0.74m minimum focus distance, neither lens is particularly strong for close-up photography.

The 90mm F2.2 is a different proposition to Viltrox's 135mm F1.8 LAB lens for full-frame cameras, which has the same effective focal length — that flagship lens is thrice the price and weight. No, Viltrox's EVO lenses are designed to deliver dreamy bokeh and sharp detail for enthusiast-level cameras, but in a lightweight and tidy package. I'm excited to share my review of the 90mm lens soon.

So what's up with the Nikon lawsuit?

It's no surprise to see more new prime lenses by Viltrox — it has been prolific in the last two years especially. What did cause my raised eyebrow, however, is that these two new lenses are available for Nikon cameras.

At the turn of the year, we reported that Nikon was suing Viltrox for alleged patent infringements, and that the case would be in courts at some point in March. That situation has since been awfully quiet, and we don't know the status of this case.

So if you're a Nikon user, say of the Z50 II or Z30, should you buy either of these new lenses? I don't see much of a risk — it would be a highly aggressive move for Nikon to push future firmware updates for its mirrorless cameras that breaks existing compatibility with Viltrox lenses.

There could be a point at which Viltrox lenses go up in price, however, should Viltrox start paying Nikon royalties as a result. Until then, it remains arguably the best-value lens manufacturer of all, even if Sigma overall has a wider choice.

When Sony invited me to try the new Sony A7R VI, naturally, I leaped at the chance to handle a camera that we just rated five out of five stars in our recent review. The camera wasn't the only thing I wanted to try, however, as the brand was also debuting the rather eye-catching FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS — a lens that looks to offer serious reach for birders or sports photographers alike.

Such reach, alongside the A7R VI's impressive 66MP resolution, should be a birders' dream considering the camera's rather ridiculous cropping potential. Couple that with the brand's latest autofocus? Even a street photographer like me has no excuse for not nailing the shot anymore.

The Sony 100-400mm f/4.5 GM currently retails for €5,000 / £4,400 (AU$ TBC), so it's not a cheap lens by any stretch. According to Sony, it's aimed at the Professional/enthusiast crowd, straddling the middle-ground between 'amateur' and the brand's highest-end professional glass.

When I saw this lens, I immediately thought it was a like-for-like upgrade to the prior FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS, released back in 2017. That's not the case, however, as this new lens features not just a constant aperture, but also improved autofocusing capabilities according to Sony.

In the hand, the 100-400mm f/4.5 is a hefty specimen, but it's surprisingly lightweight for a telephoto of this size. Sony stated that they were deliberating between making this one either an f/4 or an f/4.5 constant aperture, but they chose the latter because of its substantial weight savings.

At 1,840g, I think they made the right choice here. Considering just how good the brand's BSI full-frame sensors are, you're not losing much light-gathering capacity with a half-stop of aperture. The lighter weight, however, should pay dividends when lugging this lens out and about in the field.

A few other things I really liked about this lens are the well-thought-out FN buttons scattered around the barrel of the lens, which offer plenty of customization options. The support for 45mm drop-in filters at the base of the lens is also a nice touch, meaning you don't have to fork out for massive 95mm front filters.

A great pairing with the Sony A7R VI

There is an old adage that gear doesn't make the photographer. Certainly, that's true, but if there's anything that can help you nail that telephoto shot, it's got to be this lens in combination with the Sony A7R VI.

I have to admit, I'm a relative beginner when it comes to bird photography. I could not even tell you the difference between a coal tit and a great tit. I can tell between a duck and a goose, but only just.

Even I was able to get some good shots with the 100-400mm f/4.5. In the hands of a pro, the possibilities here are surely expansive.

At 400mm, the lens features impressive reach, but it's in combination with the A7R VI's 66MP sensor where it truly shines. With such cropping potential, you can reach far beyond an APS-C crop here - upwards of 100% zoom, in fact.

This is where the lens's constant f/4.5 aperture also comes in handy, in that you still get a decent level of background separation at the most extreme end. While the bokeh can still get a little busy, it will be smoother than the f/5.6 featured on the older 2017 lens.

I didn't have much time to test this lens in the field, but from my short experience, it was a very potent combination. I still missed a few shots (mostly due to my own failings), but I was definitely surprised at how sharp the images were at such extreme crops upon inspection in post. Again, there's serious potential here for experienced birders.

Excellent autofocus, too

Everyone knows the Sony A7R VI is a beast when it comes to autofocus, but this lens is arguably just as impressive. Throughout my session, I tried quite a few lenses, including higher-end GM primes, and I was surprised that the hefty 100-400mm f/4.5 didn't lag behind any of its siblings.

Sure, when compared to something like the stunning FE 50mm F1.2 GM, the 100-400mm f/4.5 is not quite as rapid, but it is surprisingly close. In my brief testing, focus acquisition was extremely impressive when paired with the new A7R VI. Even on a busy basketball court, the lens had no trouble tracking faces and action with the camera's admittedly excellent human-priority focus mode.

Again, I'm reminded of the previous gear adage, but really, with equipment this good, it really is so effortless to nail a shot - this is action and bird photography on easy mode. From my few hundred-or-so test shots, I had an impressive hit rate, and the images from the basketball scene in particular rendered with impressive sharpness thanks to the lovely light conditions.

For a full assessment, I'd need to properly judge low-light performance as well as distortion, aberration, and so on, but this lens definitely impressed me from my initial hands-on.

There's an open nature reserve with a wetland, encircled by woodland, about a 10-minute drive from my house, and it’s one of my favorite places to go running. Sunrise on a cold morning here can be magical for photography too — the sun-kissed mist hovering over the water makes for dreamy conditions.

Throughout the year, the nature reserve attracts a range of migratory and rare species of birds, making it a popular spot for birding — people will drive a good hour or more to visit with their long lenses, spotting scopes and binoculars.

I've never tried serious bird photography myself, chiefly because I'm way too young for that (joking), but also because the longest lens I've ever owned is a 70-200mm, which doesn't get me nearly close enough.

Recently, however, I had the chance to test Sony's longest lens, the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS, and the idea of trying bird photography suddenly became very appealing.

I paired the super-telephoto zoom lens with the new Sony A7R VI. My logic was that the camera’s stellar bird-detection autofocus skills, blazing-fast shooting speeds of up to 30fps, and 66.8MP stacked sensor were perfect for bird photography when armed with the 400-800mm focal length.

One visit led to another, and before I knew it, I was out the door at 5am every morning, gear in hand.

I had just found my new hobby. It happened a few years earlier than I care to admit, but why resist the inevitable? Yes, I'm now into birding, and I have this incredible Sony camera gear to blame.

The super-supertelephoto lens

When I first saw Sony’s 400-800mm lens in 2024, I thought it was a peculiar focal length. But after my bird photography testing, it feels like the perfect range for this genre.

For most bird photography — in the wild at least — you’ll want a focal length of at least 600mm to get close enough, but I found that even longer, at 800mm, was my most-used setting.

I wouldn’t want an 800mm prime lens, mind you, even if that meant benefitting from a slightly faster aperture. When you're locked in on a bird at 800mm, and it moves, which it will, it can be tricky to locate them again. That’s why quickly zooming out to 400mm is handy.

With a wider perspective at 400mm, you can locate the subject more easily, and then zoom back in again. In any case, about 10% of the time, the 400mm focal length was actually the better pick when I was lucky enough to get physically close.

Optical image stabilization is handy, smoothing out camera shake and consequently making this lens totally usable handheld. The focus range limiter is neat too, but I tended to keep the focus range set to 'full' given the birds could be located any distance from me at any point — in one spot, there are gauze bushes next to a boardwalk.

The one thing against the lens is its maximum aperture, which is f/6.3 at 400mm and reduced to f/8 at 800mm. I usually opted for a 1/1000sec shutter speed at 800mm to freeze action, and at f/8 in anything but good light, you’ll find ISO needs to be bumped up, which impacts image quality.

Depth of field is not an issue, though. At 800mm and f/8, backgrounds are delightfully blurred, just about all of the bird is in sharp focus, and the photos looks great.

An upshot of the limited maximum aperture is that the lens is much lighter than Sony’s professional fast-aperture telephoto primes, such as the 600mm F4, and it’s much, much cheaper, too. For amateur bird photography, I think the 400-800mm F6.3-8 is the practically perfect lens.

The speedy, highly detailed camera

If the 400-800mm F6.3-8 is the ideal lens for bird photography, the A7R VI proved to be its perfect partner. Like its predecessor, the camera features subject-detection autofocus with a dedicated option for birds, but it adds an auto option, which is handy when you’re regularly switching between subjects.

For bird photography, however, I selected the dedicated AF mode on the assumption that this could help improve the camera’s scan rate, with less in the scene for it to be looking for — after trying both options, I would advise you to do the same.

I also tried bird photography with the 400-800mm lens and the older Sony A7R V, and it felt like autofocus was slightly slower compared to the new camera. I don’t have numbers to back this up or give a measurable difference, just my experience.

I was impressed by how the camera could latch onto birds even when they filled just a small portion of the frame. Check out the example below — the A7R VI easily located the distant male stonechat.

With continuous burst shooting set to 10fps using the mechanical shutter, bird-detection autofocus in play, camera and lens image stabilization active, I had a dream setup, on the foundation of a high-resolution stacked sensor and extreme dynamic range.

Sony says the A7R VI has a 16-stop dynamic range, which is 1-stop more than the A7R V and most other professional cameras. It also has the most pixels in a full-frame sensor — all 66.8MP of them.

What I appreciated about the high-resolution sensor was the ability to crop into images where the subject filled a small portion of the frame, even when shooting at 800mm.

Just how much can you crop? Well, the camera's APS-C crop mode (1.5x) is still 28MP, and in that mode the 800mm setting of the lens effectively looks like a 1200mm lens (see the sequence above at 400mm, 800mm, and 800mm with the 1.5x crop mode). It's possible to crop in much more than that and still get a detail-rich image, especially for images displayed on mobile devices. You might not need such big files in terms of output, but for bird photography, being able to crop is supremely helpful.

The birdlife

That’s the gear covered — but how was my experience itself? I had an absolute blast — in the space of a week, I went from a complete novice to confidently identifying a range of bird species for inquisitive passersby impressed by the camera gear in my hand. Yep, I had become one of those guys.

The nature reserve is home to a wide range of birdlife. My very first snaps were of Canada geese on the water, mainly because the light and mist were magical. But venturing further along the boardwalk, I saw ground-nesting birds and more.

There were Chats, Finches, Woodlarks, and I even saw a family of Dartford Warblers. I tuned in my ear for birds; the car alarm-like shrill of a Lapwing and the peculiar call of a Curlew — I was told that I was looking at the only nesting pair in this county. Common Cuckoos were present too, though I never got the camera tracked onto one of those.

I photographed European Stonechats who had caught dragonflies and grubs, and watched a Reed Bunting go back and forth gathering nest-building material. The delightful contrast of a (European) Goldfinch amidst the pale green leaves of a birch was spectacular.

Seemingly, it was my time — I was becoming a bird enthusiast. I had given in to the inevitable. I was hunting for birds, enjoying the thrill of getting the shot, but with a camera and not a rifle.

And honestly, it was the most fun I'd had with the camera in ages. This didn't feel like work, but something that fed me. And, yes, I did ask Sony to extend the loan of the lens, because I wasn’t ready to give it back. Once I bid farewell, I’ll be looking into buying a super telephoto zoom lens of my own (but I'm not quite ready for a bird spotting journal...yet).

Interested in trying bird photography out for yourself? Check out our selection of the best wildlife photography cameras.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: One-minute review

Hot on the heels of the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, Nikon has delivered its second mark II lens for its Z-mount mirrorless cameras — and the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II is another 5-star success.

The pro telephoto zoom builds on the original Z 70-200mm by being much lighter (and a fraction smaller), featuring a totally removable Arca-Swiss compatible tripod collar, and offering better close-focusing skills and a new optical design which improves image quality in various ways, especially bokeh.

I found the pricier Sony 50-150mm F2 GM a more exciting telephoto zoom to test, but there's no such lens for Nikon cameras yet; and, overall, it's hard to find fault with Nikon's latest stellar 70-200mm f/2.8. While it easily joins the ranks of essential Nikon lenses there is a big jump in price — it costs $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399, where its predecessor cost around $2,600 / £2,600 / AU$5,100 at launch, and that lens is now available for less.

Is the new lens worth the extra? For me, yes. My own 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II for Nikon DSLRs was my most-used lens for weddings and portraiture work, and it has paid for itself time and again over its years of heavy use.

When I made the switch from DSLR to mirrorless, I continued using that lens via an adapter, such is its quality and versatility for paid work, until the day I could consider upgrading to its Z-mount successor.

The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S was enticing, but I didn't see enough of an upgrade over my DSLR lens to make it worth splashing out. The mark II version, with its new optical design and lightweight body, is the upgrade I've been wanting all along, especially for long shoot days.

Nikon has squeezed every bit of quality in can into a lightweight successor to what was already a stellar telephoto zoom, and I expect many pro Nikon photographers to buy, and rely on it for years to come.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: Price and availability

• Costs $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399
• Two tripod collars and a lens hood included

At $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399, the mark II version costs a lot more than the current price of the original, which is now available for around $2,397 / £2,379 at leading retailers, or closer to $2,100 / £2,100 / AU$4,000 secondhand.

I think the weight savings and improved optical design with better close-focusing are worth the extra outlay, and Nikon lenses often receive healthy price cuts soon after launch, too — for example, the 24-70mm f/2.8 mark II briefly saw a 10% saving, so the 70-200mm's pricing might become a moot point soon enough.

In the box, Nikon includes the (removable) tripod collar, a foot-less collar, plus a lens hood which features a sliding door for easy access to attached filters and adjustments a breeze; the lens accepts 77mm threaded filters.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: specs

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: design

• The lightest 70-200mm f/2.8 lens available, weighing just 2.2lbs / 998g
• Tripod collar is fully removable, and you'll save 182g of weight when you don't need it
• Multiple function buttons and a customizable control ring, but no display

Size-wise, the 70-200mm mark II measures up similarly to Nikon's previous offerings. It's slightly smaller than the mark I for Z-mount, but slightly bigger than the version for DSLRs (see my photo comparison above). However, there is a big weight saving.

The Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II weighs 2.2lbs / 998g, or 2.6lbs / 1,180g with the tripod collar attached — the latter for me is more often how I would set a lens like this up even without using a tripod, because the collar provides an easy hold of the lens between shots. Even factoring in the tripod collar, that's over 25% lighter than other Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses (the mark I weighs 1,360g without collar and 1,440g with it, while the DLSR version is a fraction heavier again), and the lightest lens of its kind for any lens mount.

The tripod foot is now Arca-Swiss compatible, which is probably the most popular tripod-plate type. Don't need the tripod collar? There's a 182g weight saving to be gained by removing it, and Nikon also supplies a lighter foot-less collar that can go in its place. For shoots when you know you won't be using a tripod, that's a decent weight reduction that will be appreciated over long hours lugging around gear (although, as I said, I prefer keeping the tripod collar attached).

One chief reason for the weight saving is the new optical design. Nikon has done away with three lens elements: the mark II has 18 elements in 16 groups, while the mark I has 21 elements in 18 groups.

With a simpler optical design, you might expect a compromise in terms of image quality, but the opposite is true — I'll talk more about image quality in the performance section below. There are also 11 aperture blades, versus nine blades in the other two 70-200mm lenses, and inevitably, the additional blades will form a more rounded diaphragm for pleasant and smoother bokeh — again more on this below.

Close focusing has been improved too — it's 0.38m at 70mm and 0.8m at 200mm, delivering a 0.3x maximum magnification at 70mm, compared to 0.2x in the mark I. For a telephoto zoom such as this, those are impressive close-focusing skills — not quite in the realm of macro photography, but easily versatile enough to capture little details sharply, such as wedding rings.

As for build quality, the lens is exactly what you would hope for from a pro optic: it's rugged and weather-resistant, equipped with lightning fast autofocus motors, and packed with a suite of external controls, including clicked aperture control and a customizable control ring.

The supplied lens hood now features a door which slides open for easy access to threaded filters — that's a handy addition for circular polarizer and variable ND filter users, because these (often essential) filters require rotating to adjust strength and you would otherwise have to remove the lens hood to access them.

The only thing that's arguably missing is a digital display for the lens settings, nor are there focus-distance markings, meaning you'll need to check the camera's displays if you need such information. The former could be helpful, but it would add weight to the lens.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: Performance

• Practically no lens distortions at any focal length or aperture setting
• Dreamy circular bokeh, especially at 200mm
• Speedy and practically silent autofocus

I've tried the lens at every key focal length and aperture setting, and I've struggled to find a single optical weakness; it's pin sharp even at f/2.8, and lens distortions are extremely well controlled.

Take the scene below, with dappled background light. It's a testing scenario for any lens, but chromatic aberration, flare, ghosting and vignetting are all well controlled, even with the aperture set to f/2.8 — the widest aperture, which is typically where lens distortions are most obvious.

Bokeh is dreamy too, especially with the lens set to 200mm. It's more defined (read: smaller) at 70mm — that's to be expected at a wider focal length. Only an even wider maximum aperture at 70mm, say f/2, would make bokeh a similar size to what we get at 200mm. Ultimately, the more you zoom in, the bigger bokeh gets. You can see below how bokeh changes at the wide and telephoto settings as I reduce aperture from f/2.8 to f/4, f/5.6, f/8 and f/11.

I've really appreciated the improved maximum magnification which now goes up to 0.3x, if you make the most of the lens' 0.38m minimum focus distance at 70mm, or up to 0.25x at 200mm. I'm often wanting to photograph little details, and the mark II lens is more versatile than the previous-generation lens for such tasks.

It's also a supremely fast lens for autofocusing — the exotically named Silky Swift VCM (voice coil motors) make light work of the moving 18 lens elements precisely for accurate, lightning quick and practically silent autofocus. Nikon says it's up to 3.5x faster than the previous 70-200mm lens and 50% quieter, plus focus tracking while zooming is 40% more effective.

The lens provides 6-stop vibration reduction image stabilization, which pairs effectively with sensor-based stabilization in pro mirrorless cameras such as the Nikon Z8 (which I paired with the lens for this test). For example, I've been able to get sharp handheld shots at 200mm using shutter speeds as slow as 1/4 sec (though not every time).

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II sample images

Should you buy the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

• Nikon loaned me a sample unit for four weeks, and I used it with the Nikon Z8
• I've taken identical photos at 70mm and 200mm, adjusting only aperture throughout the sequence to compare image quality
• I've shot street photography, portraits, landscapes, closeups and more

I was fortunate to get a long review period with the 70-200mm lens, and to be able to use it with Nikon's pro Z8 mirrorless camera. During this time, I had a week-long trip to China where I was able to use the gear in wide-ranging scenarios; at night for street photography, taking portraits and so on.

When I test lenses, I make sure all in-camera lens corrections are turned off. I shoot in RAW & JPEG format and compare files between uncorrected raws and processed JPEGs, which allows me to check for lens distortions, such as vignetting and chromatic aberration.

By taking a sequence of identically composed images at the wide and telephoto settings of the lens, beginning at f/2.8 and cycling through the aperture range in full stops, I can see which settings are best for quality, plus how bokeh looks and changes at various apertures.

First reviewed April 2026

When Panasonic launched its full-frame Lumix S9 mirrorless camera, I remember thinking that we needed more tiny lenses to complement its compact form factor, besides the collapsible 18-40mm kit lens and the oddball 26mm f/8 pancake. A full two years later, and the dinky S 40mm F2 has arrived.

I had a few days testing the fast prime ahead of its announcement, fitting it to the shiny new 'Black Titanium' special edition of the Lumix S9 — which is a sharp-looking colorway, I must say (it's pictured below) — and the lens is a perfect match, with the fast-aperture versatility that many Lumix photographers have been crying out for from such a small lens.

The Lumix S 40mm F2 lens costs $399 / £349 / AU$699 and is available in black and silver versions, while the new 'Black Titanium' special- edition Lumix S9 costs $1,899 / £1,299 (it won't be available in Australia), adding to what I count are at least 10 other color variants, including another special-edition 'Titanium Gold' version. There really is a color for every taste, and the latest is particularly classy.

Panasonic also revealed its latest lens road map alongside the 40mm F2, and two future lenses have been added: a wide-angle prime that sits somewhere between the 18mm and 24mm focal lengths, plus a large-aperture telephoto zoom, spanning somewhere 50-200mm, which could potentially go wider than Panasonic's two existing 70-200mm lenses.

My short review period has given me enough time to get a feel for the 40mm F2 lens when paired with the Lumix S9, and for its image-quality potential — here are my first impressions.

Finally… a tiny and high-quality L-mount Lumix prime

This is one tiny lens. Yes, the Lumix S 26mm f/8 pancake is an even smaller lens, but it's little more than a glorified body cap. What the new S 40mm F2 possesses that the pancake lens lacks is proper optics and the versatility of a fast f/2 aperture — in a size that I'd typically expect for a f/2.8 of f/4 prime lens.

And it's not that much bigger than the pancake lens – being similar in size to the 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 zoom (when that lens is collapsed), measuring just 1.6 inches / 40.9mm in length, and tipping the scales at 5.1oz / 144g. For full-frame, that's miniscule.

There are alternative optics, mind you — full-frame Lumix cameras are part of the L-mount alliance, which has 11 members and counting, including Sigma, other third-party lens makers and, most recently, Freefly, an American company specializing in drones, gimbals and cameras for commercial use.

Perhaps the closest lens in size and specification is the TT Artisans 40mm f/2, which costs around half the price, measures 1.7 inches / 43mm in length and weighs 5.9oz / 166g — those are negligible differences. I prefer the look of the TT Artisans lens, though I can't speak of it's optical quality.

Sigma's pricier Contemporary 45mm F2.8 DG DN is a high-quality alternative that's heavier at 7.6oz / 215g and a fraction longer at 1.8 inches / 46mm. Again, I prefer the look of the Sigma lens — and looks matter when we're talking lenses for the Lumix S9.

I think the rather conventional design of the Lumix S 40mm F2, which is consistent with other Lumix L-mount lenses, is its biggest drawback, especially if you're pairing it with attractive cameras such as the Lumix S9.

As you can see from the pictures above, however, the 40mm F2 is truly an ideal match with the Lumix S9 for size, and it would be equally at home on larger bodies too, such as the Lumix S5 II.

Build quality is solid — the lens is dust- and splash-resistant and features a proper metal lens mount, while autofocus speed is rapid.

The control ring operates smoothly, and its function can be customized — deep within a Lumix camera's menu is the Custom > Lens/Others > Focus Ring Setting During AF option. I started off with it controlling aperture, and the adjustments are precise, being ideal for smooth exposure control during video recording. There are nine other options to choose from, such as shutter speed, exposure compensation, and Photo Style.

Naturally, the same control ring operates focus when the lens is set to manual focus — there's an AF/MF control for switching between manual and autofocus — with helpful assist tools available for precise manual focusing, such as magnification.

Focus breathing is suppressed, making the lens a valid option for video as well as photography. Overall, I have no complaints with how the lens handles, and really enjoyed its compact size and lightweight design.

Image quality is impressive, too

Considering its size and weight, the 40mm F2 lens shoots sharp images, paired with that versatile f/2 aperture which is ideal for low light and blurring backgrounds.

It close focuses down to 11.8 inches / 30cm, which delivers a magnification of around 0.15x. That's fairly flexible for photographing small details, but this is no macro lens. The aforementioned TT Artisans lens can only focus down to 15.7 inches / 40cm, making the Lumix option the more versatile of the two.

I was able to give the lens a proper test during sunset in an idyllic setting surrounded by bluebells (it's that time of year in the UK). Taking portraits and close-up pictures of bluebells in bright light allowed me to test optical clarity, potential lens flare and distortions, and bokeh characteristics — I tested the latter by taking the same picture in a sequence, stopping the aperture down in full stops from f/2 to f/8.

For reference, I turn off in-camera lens corrections and shoot in RAW and JPEG format, which allows me to see the extent of lens distortion in uncorrected raw files versus processed JPEGs.

When shooting at f/2 away from sunlight, bokeh is gorgeous, being round and smooth. You can really see the difference in bokeh size between f/2.8 and f/4, which highlights how useful the f/2 aperture is, especially for portraiture. I took self portraits remotely using the free Lumix Lab app on my phone (which easily paired with the camera and worked flawlessly, by the way — this is one of the better camera apps I've used).

I then turned the lens to shoot towards the sun, backlighting the bluebells, and to shoot more portraits. This approach provided the most difficult of tests for this (and any) lens, and as you can see in the images above, there are instances of lens flare, a little fringing in bluebell silhouettes at f/2 (chromatic aberration), and bokeh fringing (LoCA).

I'd hardly call these lens distortions problematic, though, and with lens corrections applied in JPEGs most of the fringing is gone, though nothing can be done about lens flare.

There's only minor vignetting at f/2, which is basically gone by f/4, which is also the aperture at which you first get the sharpest detail the lens is capable of — and it really does look sharp. Overall, optical quality is impressive, especially for such a small lens with such a big f/2 aperture, and I wouldn't hesitate to call upon this lens for everyday photography.

I'd say the rather conventional styling better suits Panasonic's DSLR-style mirrorless cameras such as the Lumix S5 II. Nonetheless, and certainly with regards to its size, this is the lens that Panasonic's small full-frame cameras like the Lumix S9, and future compact Panasonic mirrorless cameras, have been crying out for, and I can easily recommend it.

There's no shortage of lens manufacturers from China – several come to mind, including Laowa, Viltrox, 7Artisans, Meike, Sirui and Thypoch. Google lists 14 known Chinese lens brands in all, between them making lenses for Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic and Leica cameras, and more.

Laowa makes unique tilt-shift optics and high-magnification macro optics, while Thypoch engineers beautiful manual-focus primes for Leica M cameras, at a fraction of the cost of Leica's own.

What's striking about Viltrox is the speed at which it's growing — by making high-quality and affordable autofocus primes, it's gone from obscurity to a serious player in double-quick time.

I'm not alone in appreciating these brands — the big appeal of various Chinese-made lenses, now that the quality is there, is the price. Photographers can buy a Viltrox prime that costs just a fraction of equivalent proprietary lenses, saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars or pounds; plus, it's undercutting other leading third-party brands, such as Sigma.

Viltrox's practices have potentially landed it in hot water, however, with Nikon suing the company for alleged patent infringements. We're yet to hear the outcome of this lawsuit, and whether Viltrox will be able to keep making Nikon Z-mount lenses. I'm hoping it can, but I would expect the prices of future Viltrox Z-mount lenses to go up a little.

Each Chinese lens manufacturer is relatively young, certainly when compared to Sony, Canon, Nikon, Leica and others, plus established Japanese third-party lens makers Sigma and Tamron.

As such, one thing holding Chinese lens manufacturers back right now is product range. Sigma has a much wider choice of lenses than Viltrox, for example. Crucially, we're yet to really see a variety of autofocus zoom lenses, but that could be about to change.

One big step

Tipster @camerainsider on X recently posted that a "Chinese lens manufacturer that has never released an AF lens will launch a full-frame autofocus zoom lens in Q2, 2026." So, any day now, possibly.

Fresh news has emerged suggesting that the mysterious post could be referring to Thypoch. Previously known for stunning Leica M-mount manual focus primes, Thypoch displayed a new lens at The Photography Show in Birmingham, UK, last week, which was clocked by our sister site, Digital Camera World.

On display was a Thypoch 24-50mm AF F2.8 lens for Sony E-mount. Now I could be wrong, but this could be the very first autofocus zoom lens from China seen in the wild.

It's just one zoom lens, from one brand, for one lens mount (and we don't know the price); but it's a big step, and one that I expect other lens manufacturers from China to follow shortly.

I can't believe Viltrox isn't already working on an autofocus zoom lens. If I were a betting man, I would gamble my house on Viltrox launching an autofocus zoom lens this year, sparking a new era of affordable zoom lenses.

We spoke with Sigma's CEO Kazuto Yamaki at CP+ 2026 in Japan last month and asked him about the threat of low-cost Chinese rivals.

Yamaki said, “I’ve honestly been amazed by the progress that these manufacturers from China have made. I have a lot of respect for them. Overall, however, we believe there is a significant difference in quality, while we also offer a huge range of lenses."

There's no doubt that Sigma has a huge head-start over the likes of Viltrox – it was founded in the 1960s, and was making world-first zoom lenses as long ago as 1979.

For me, Sigma is the first name that comes to mind when I think of third-party lenses – I've owned several for my various cameras down the years, starting with a 35mm f/1.4 Art lens for my Nikon DSLR.

More recently, I've been drawn to Viltrox and its impressive primes, such as the 35mm f/1.2 LAB. However, the limitations in Viltrox's lineup are plain to see — it comprises prime lenses between 14mm and 135mm full-frame focal lengths only. Sigma has a much bigger choice, with wider and longer primes, and zooms of all types. It's also pushing the boat out with completely new optics, such as the 5-star 135mm F1.4 DG.

If China is to overtake Japan as the new lens-making superpower, we need more choice, most notably autofocus zooms. Given the sighting of the Thypoch lens, and the rate at which Viltrox and others are developing new products, that day could come soon.

I will add though, that there's plenty to like about Sigma specifically beyond the lenses it makes. Sigma has been operating as a private family-owned business for over 60 years. It's regularly developing entirely new products, made in Japan, that cost less than proprietary lenses, and it adheres to sustainable and eco-manufacturing practices.

• Fujifilm hosted a live event two weeks ago, presenting 14 lens concepts
• The company ran a poll, asking viewers to vote for their three favorites
• More than 70,000 votes later, the XF 16-80mm F2.8 concept came out on top

Fujifilm recently hosted a 'Focus on Glass – Untold Stories' live event, during which its product planning team walked viewers through 14 different lens concepts, saying, "we'd love to make lenses like these". If you love camera gear, the event is well worth a watch.

Something totally refreshing happened as the event closed — Fujifilm opened voting for you, the fans, to have your say. Two weeks and 70,000 votes later, we now know which of these lenses resonated the most.

Each participant could vote for three of the concepts — the 'character rich' XF 90mm F2 APD lens caught my eye as a specialist portrait lens, but it was two wide-aperture zooms that predictably topped the votes (and they were my other two choices).

In top spot was the XF 16-80mm F2.8 with 16.4% of the votes, followed closely by the XF 18-50mm F1.4 with 15.85%. You can see the full results below, and see more details about each option at the Fujifilm website.

What's not clear right now is exactly how Fujifilm is going to use this information. There's no guarantee that any of these lenses will actually be produced, but many will no doubt hope that their voice matters, and that the XF 16-80mm F2.8 in particular becomes a reality.

Here's how you voted

Fujifilm XF lenses are APS-C format, and so the effective focal length (1.5x) of the winning XF 16-60mm F2.8 lens is 24-120mm. For me, it would fill a big hole in Fujifilm's lineup, and it looks like it could be my dream travel lens, especially given that it's estimated to weigh just 400-500g and measure somewhere between 80-100mm in length, despite its versatile zoom range and constant wide aperture.

And the XF 18-50mm F1.4 will no doubt have photographers excited — an effective 27-75mm lens with a constant f/1.4 aperture would be incredible, even if it topped the expected 700-800g weight and 110-130mm length. I would expect both of those lenses to be extremely popular, along with the lens in third place, an XF 18mm and 30mm inspired by the 'Travel Mini' compact. Marginally bigger than a pancake lens, the XF 18mm and 30mm lens would have a mechanism that allows users to switch between two focal lengths (but not zoom, hence being called 18mm and 30mm, not 18-30mm), which in this case is an effective 27mm and 45mm.

This tiny lens would weigh between 100-200g and measure between 40-50mm in length. There's no word on what aperture the lens would have, only that the focal-length switch mechanism (as opposed to a zoom) would help to keep the size and weight down. It could be a superb option with one of Fujifilm's smaller mirrorless cameras, such as the X-E5.

Let's take a look at how the rest of the voting unfolded:

What do you make of these lens concepts and the poll results? Are there any particular Fujifilm XF lenses that you're excited about? Let me know in the comments below!

If you're anything like me, musing on dream camera gear can be a bit of a habit. That lens you wish you owned, or the one missing from your camera system's line up. Fujifilm just democratized the process... of sorts.

During a 'Focus on Glass – Untold Stories' live event, the retro digital camera maker proposed 14 lens concepts, and it wants you to have your say on your favorite(s).

Fujifilm's Yukitaka Takeshita and Yumi Miyauchi, leads in the X-mount product planning team, unpacked each option throughout the 38 minute presentation (see the YouTube video below), covering Character Rich, Wide Aperture, Reviving Legendary and High-Magnification Zoom categories.

Three options included mark II variations of the original 35mm f/1.4 prime, but I expect various new 'wide aperture' options will get Fujifilm fans especially pumped.

The front runners

There's scope for picking your three favorites, and I've cast my vote. Fujifilm has set the vote results to live, meaning that once you've voted you can see the front runners, with the voting updated every 5 minutes.

I'm hardly surprised which two options are pulling away from the pack in the opening 24 hours; the XF 16-80mm f/2.8 and XF 18-50mm f/1.4 – two versatile, fast aperture zooms, taking 32% of the entire vote at the time of writing.

Remember, X-mount lenses are APS-C format, meaning the above lenses have equivalent 24-120mm and 27-75mm focal lengths in full-frame terms respectively. The f/2.8 zoom is expected to weigh between 400-500g, the f/1.4 zoom less than 800g, so both are moderately lightweight and compact considering the optical construction.

The XF 16-80mm f/2.8 is likely to top the votes overall – it feels like the perfect travel lens. For me, however, I'd be really keen to see one of the 'character rich' options – an XF 90mm f/2 APD. If you're unfamiliar with what APD means, it refers to an apodization element – a rarity in today's lenses and which is designed to add extra dreamy bokeh effects for portraiture.

Fujifilm's option is the equivalent of a 135mm focal length in full-frame terms, and harks to a Nikon F-mount lens I owned for many years before cashing in for more than I paid for it, the legendary 135mm f/2 DC. Sony has such as lens in its lineup too, a 135mm STF (smooth transition focus).

I'm sure you'll have your own ideas too. So if you're keen to have your say, head over to the Fujifilm site to see all the options, which also includes an XF 33mm F1.0, and cast your vote. You can pick up to three of the 14 options.

Of course, there are no guarantees that any of these lenses will be made. However, I'm a big fan of Fujifilm involving the public in such processes, and I'm sure if either or both of those two frontrunners are produced, they would be super popular.

• Patent application reveals multiple exciting Canon optical designs
• There are several f/1.4 zooms in the application, for full-frame and APS-C
• Rumors suggest an RF 24-45mm f/1.4L as one possible product

f/2.8 zoom lenses have long been the trusted armory of working photographers, but then Canon and Sony levelled up with f/2 zooms, namely the RF 28-70mm F2L USM, FE 28-70mm F2 GM, and FE 50-150mm F2 GM.

For me, the formidable trio is the pinnacle of lens design, especially for wedding and event photography. I might soon have to think again, however, if anything comes from a recent patent application, uncovered by the folks at Canon Rumors.

The Canon patent application filed in Japan highlights several zoom lenses, many of which boast a constant f/1.4 aperture across the zoom range, and cover a range of sensor sizes, including full-frame.

Why's this a big deal? If any of these lenses were to be realized, whether for Canon full-frame or APS-C mirrorless cameras, or PowerShot compacts, we would be looking at world-first optics.

The f/1.4 aperture is typically seen in pricey prime lenses and not versatile zooms, meaning we could get the best of both worlds in one lens.

There's a fair bit of technical language in a previous post by Canon Rumors, but the long and short of it is that we might see a game-changing full-frame f/1.4 zoom, the most likely of which could be something like a RF 24-45mm F1.4L. There could be new PowerShot compacts with cutting-edge lenses on the horizon, too.

Is there a catch?

A full-frame zoom lens with a constant f/1.4 maximum aperture would be a world-first. Naturally, there will be design compromises.

Based on the patent, Canon Rumors suggests that a would-be RF 24-45mm f/1.4L lens would measure around 220mm — that's around twice the length of Canon's RF 85mm F1.2L, which is a chunky lens already — and would presumably also be a heavyweight.

We've seen that weight / performance compromise before in the Canon RF 28-70mm F2L lens, which is a full stop brighter but much bigger than the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM (even if Sony has consequently been able to make a much smaller and lighter 28-70mm f/2 than Canon's).

Put simply, if you want the versatility of a (constant) fast aperture and zoom capabilities in a single lens, it'll cost you in size and weight versus simply picking up a lighter prime lens with the same maximum aperture. An f/1.4 zoom would literally cost you extra, too.

If the above lens materializes, it represents the equivalent of three or four f/1.4 primes in one optic, in a much larger and presumably pricier zoom — a compromise some could be willing to make, even if the zoom range on the likely candidate is hardly expansive.

Canon Rumors predicts that we'll see such a zoom lens in 2026, but we should remember that such patent applications only reveal optical designs that are being explored, not confirming those that will come to market — Canon is prolific with patent applications.

I've personally reviewed the Sony 50-150mm F2 GM lens, and it consequently took TechRadar's Lens of the Year 2025 award, and needless to say, a five-star rating. An f/1.4 zoom would no doubt be in the running for such high praise, so we can only hope that one of these patents becomes a reality.

Sigma in recent years has been majorly expanding not just its lineup of lenses, but its cameras. The company has released a number of lenses that it hasn’t typically produced before, such as the 300-600mm f/4 for wildlife and sports photographers, as well as surprising us with the Sigma BF, a sleek all-metal camera with a unique, striking design that caused waves last year.

At CP+ 2026, Sigma unveiled a further two new lenses: the 15mm f/1.4 (APS-C) and 35mm f/1.4 (full-frame) lenses in the Contemporary and Art series respectively, alongside the development of the 85mm f/1.2 in its Art range. They are a mix of all-new lenses in the company’s expansive lineup and upgrades of existing lenses.

While this made the company’s lineup at this year’s CP+ quieter compared to the expansive showcase in 2025, it leaves Sigma with the most extensive collection of lenses across all formats and focal lengths in its history, with a growing reputation for quality that makes it one of the most notable third-party lens manufacturers today.

I sat down with Sigma’s CEO Kazuto Yamaki to discuss the company’s new lenses and broader ambitions for the future, especially with increased competition from both proprietary camera manufacturers and up-and-coming new lens makers in China and across East Asia. Our conversation suggested this is just the start of an ambitious new era for Sigma.

On the threat of low-cost Chinese rivals

“ Our current plan is to have a full lineup of lenses for various cameras,” explains Yamaki. “Within that, the prime lens is one of the most important segments for us because we have a reputation for building high-quality prime lenses. With that, we think that the 15mm f/1.4 lens is a strong addition to the APS-C camera lineup, and we see the 50mm f/1.4 as a replacement for our previous 60mm lens because, although the focal length is a bit different, we see it as being an improvement in quality over a lens that we have had in the market for a long time.”

Sigma is well known now as a Japanese lens manufacturer that produces lenses using mostly domestic materials and labor, with decades of in-house experience that allows the company to engineer first-of-the-kind lenses, such as the five star 135mm f/1.4 lens. Its value present certain challenges such keeping costs low, but it manages to do so compared to proprietary lenses.

Recent years, however, have seen the rise of Chinese manufacturers like Viltrox, who have begun to make a name for not just producing well-reviewed glass, but for keeping prices even lower. According to Yamaki, this isn’t as much of a concern for Sigma who feels its experience and quality allows it to withstand the challenge of these newcomers.

“We make all our lenses in Japan, and 'Made in Japan' costs more due to the cost of labor and materials. That creates a challenge for us, as compared to the East Asia manufacturers; because we buy materials here and make it here, we are not able to be the cheapest on the market. However, where we make our lenses in Aizu [Japan], we’ve operated our factory for 50 years and it’s common for people to have joined the company in high school or university and stay here until they retire at the age of 60 or 65. These accumulated decades of experience give us an edge and are important for making a high-quality product.

“I’ve honestly been amazed by the progress that these manufacturers from China have made. I have a lot of respect for them. Overall, however, we believe there is a significant difference in quality while we also offer a huge range of lenses.

"For example, even if a lens uses digital components within them, the analog manufacturing and basic technology is a very different challenge. It’s still necessary to tightly pack the lenses together, to manually adjust each element, to polish the glass, and that takes experience.  When it comes to digital, it's easy to copy and make a similar product, but when it comes to analog manufacturing processes, the gap exists."

Sigma has invested significantly in filling out the gaps in its lineup through various lens releases in recent years, from the monster 300-600mm to new and upgraded primes and tiny ‘Contemporary’ lenses. This has inevitably led to Sigma competing in markets for wildlife and sports where the company has not typically existed prior. This is not a concern for Yamaki, and builds towards a long-term strategy.

“ Our goal is to become the best optics company. For example, there is an air conditioning company in Japan called Daikin. They’re a massive company, but everyone both inside and outside of the industry knows that they are the best at what they do. I like that kind of company. We want Sigma to hold that title in camera and lens manufacturing, which means we must satisfy all photography enthusiasts, not just studio photographers but wildlife photographers and anyone who cares about the quality of their lenses. That also requires us to innovate, too.”

And what about Sigma cameras?

On the camera side, Yamaki was keen to emphasize that the Sigma BF is core to the company’s advances to these goals. “ I’m very happy to get quite positive feedback from users for the BF. When we released the product we expected a mixed response with some positive and negative, but we actually got more positive feedback on that front.”

When I asked about other cameras that could join the lineup that currently includes the Sigma BF and the Sigma FP, such as a future compact camera, Yamaki was coy on specifics but insisted that there would be more cameras to come.

“ I'm very happy to see younger people and teenagers using old compact cameras, and we need to satisfy this new audience" said Yamaki. "But to maintain the production of such a camera in Japan is challenging, and I don’t think it would be good for Sigma to just chase a trend we don’t know could end in 6-12 months. As a family-owned company, I think about the company or business long-term for 10, 20, 30 years from now.

“We need to ease people into becoming long-term camera users, but there’s no right answer for that. Some people use the most high-spec cameras, but Moriyama Daido used disposable cameras for a long time. Then you also have generative AI, which is able to produce some very powerful images, but I also believe that photography is just about the final image.  We enjoy the process, we carefully choose the camera lenses and go out to take pictures, we choose the contrast between light and shadow. In the future, the essence of photography will remain the same even in an AI age, and we need to support that.

“Today, it’s not just photographers who care about cameras, but musicians, creators, architects. They won’t check information about new cameras and lenses every week or month, but they care about photography, and we want to support that. Not just in being the best for optics, but we want to be one of the best camera manufacturers, too. We make cameras now, and in 10 years, we may not be the major camera supplier, but we want people to think of us for that, as well. We have loyal camera users now, but we want to grow that audience and eventually make a full range of cameras.”

That takes time. Even if Sigma can’t become the leading camera manufacturer, Yamaki would be happy to be seen as the indie musician of the camera world. “I fear that if we made a major full-frame camera like major manufacturers now, some may not care for it. For the time being, we will keep making unique cameras [like the Sigma BF]. In the 1980s and 1990s I really liked a lot of the indie pop and rock bands from the UK, and I want Sigma to be like that.”

Welcome to my live coverage of CP+, the world’s largest show dedicated to camera gear, which takes place at roughly the same time every year in Yokohama, a suburb of Tokyo in Japan, since its 2010 debut.

The show opened to the public on Thursday, February 26, and the doors will close on March 1. We're here on opening day and Friday, and will bring you the latest camera news throughout that time.

CP+ plays host to leading brands such as Canon, Sony and Sigma, as well as lesser-known gems, who showcase their latest camera gear.

If the build up and camera gear rumors are anything to go by, we can expect plenty of new lenses but few if any camera announcements, but we're hoping for a surprising new products too. We'll share what we find, our reactions and analysis... so buckle in!

All-new products at the CP+ 2026 show

• Nikon's Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II - a major update to a pro's workhorse zoom lens
• Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 Di III VXD - a totally new f/2.8 zoom
• Zeiss Otus 35mm f/1.4 – a third manual focus f/1.4 prime
• Canon's Analog Concept Camera – gauging audience interest
• Canon democratizing 3D imaging – dual pixel tech finds a new purpose
• A trio of Sigma lenses, including the 35mm F1.4 Art II and 85mm F1.2 Art
• New colorways for Polaroid cameras
• Samyang's lightweight 60-180mm f/2.8

Well, hello CP+, we meet again!

It's great to be back at CP+ for the 2026 instalment this year to see the latest in camera gear, and hopefully a few surprises along the way. Not much is expected in terms of all-new hardware, but a few intriguing lenses from SIGMA and more are expected to make an appearance and will likely be major draws for anyone attending the show over the next few days.

First stop... the Nikon stand

No surprise here — just a few days before CP+, Nikon revealed an updated version of one of its trusty workhorse zoom lenses, the NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II. Clearly Nikon is expecting it to be the biggest draw for the booth, given it has enlisted a digital ticketing system that already has a few people in line in just the few minutes since the event opened.

Beyond improving the speed of its autofocus (which is noticeable when used around the booth in good lighting), the most impressive aspect of the lens is how light it is to the hand. Somehow Nikon managed to slice the weight to under 1kg (998g, a 26% comparison to the mark I), and having the chance to hold both of them in each hand at the show makes that difference immediately noticeable.

There’s a detachable tripod mount for this new model, unlike the first model, with an Arca Swiss mount no less, which is certainly helpful as you might not need the collar all the time, especially given how much lighter the new lens is. An impressive improvement over an already-strong base!

Tamron takes us back, back to the...

If Nikon wins the award for the most popular in the early rush, TAMRON arguably takes the crown for the most exciting booth. Following its Godzilla-themed booth last year, the company has seemingly decided to collaborate with Universal for a fun Back to the Future booth this year, complete with a replica DeLorean and a model dressed as Dr Emmett Brown as its centerpiece!

The company’s demo lenses are positioned in a semicircle around the panorama, with the best spots reserved for the newest lens the company had to show off, a versatile 35-100mm f/2.8. The lens has come out surprisingly sharp in my demo photos of the Back to the Future set. The full-frame zoom lens will be available in Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount, and is worth a try just to get a front-row view of the classic car, if nothing else!

And here's a closer look of the new Tamron lens

Tamron has Z mount version of the lens on display, and attached to a Nikon camera, for visitors to try out

Color, everywhere!

If you like cameras in bold colorways, Japan should top your travel list! There's a huge range of Polaroid cameras on display...

Zeiss, off limits...

The Cosina booth is the home of ZEISS this year. And the German lens specialist had one new lens to show, and an impressive one at that: the Otus ML 1.4/35

Unfortunately the new optic was strictly behind glass (boo!) and not something we can get our hands on yet. The manual focus lens builds on the 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 stablemates released last year, as the company’s first new lenses in over a decade and which welcomed the company to the mirrorless age at long last, and will also seemingly be available in RF-mount, Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount versions.

Not for everyone (especially at their price), these lenses supposedly offer sharp images with characterful bokeh, for those willing to sacrifice the comfort of autofocus.

The 35mm version will still be pricy mind you, at 364,000yen (around $1800), but it could be ideal for portraits provided it can deliver the same quality as its bigger brothers. If only we could break the glass and have a peek for ourselves!

It's Canon time!

Right, onto one of the big booths, and of course it's Canon!

Canon has never been shy for experimental, in-production ideas and concept pieces for show audiences to give feedback, and it looks like there's some interesting 3D image-making tech on display.

The company has long been a major player in VR lenses, but the problem with shooting photo or video for the format is accessibility: to shoot for VR you needed a special lens, of which the company produces several options, but proprietary hardware has so far made it a tough sell for masses. That could change...

...now, the company is currently in development of systems that allow for 3D images to be shot using traditional lenses, before being converted into 3D data using AI. A few animal specimen shots actually did allow for impressive depth from a flat image, though it’s hard to judge it based on such a small sample. This also, currently, only supports photos and not video. Hmm, one to watch I reckon...

The surprise of the show?

Now here's something super interesting – and possibly the surprise of the show – Canon has a new Analog Concept Camera on display.

The design is reminiscent of a retro waist-level viewfinder box camera, with a fixed lens and an analog-style shooting process; light comes through the lens, which is reflected by a mirror to the viewfinder, and when you take a picture a second mirror flips out to reflect that light onto the camera's digital sensor – mechanics which are kind of like a DSLR.

Canon is displaying a retro prototype alongside a modern, simplistic prototype for the camera, and both are surprisingly small, without feeling uncomfortable to hold.

First impressions of Canon's concept camera

My first Canon Analog Concept Camera impressions?

The demo model only has a limited focus range and is far from finished in this initial concept form. However, this is what Canon does at shows like CP+ – gauge public response on design and the idea, in order to decide whether to put it into a production.

And honestly? Why not! It’s certainly the most unique and interesting product I've seen at the show today so far, and based on crowds it's drawing a lot of interest even without a full production model ready.

The rocker switch and waist viewfinder approach capture the retro camera revival while creating something fresh, and the size makes it far more portable than its older brethren and freed from the cost of purchasing new film. I'll be keeping my eye out for any developments on this curious concept!

Sigma is at it again!

SIGMA impressed with its minimalist booth last year – instilling a sense of calm among the bustle elsewhere – and the lens maker has gone in a similarly bold direction with perhaps the cleanest showcase of the year.

Entering their white monolith, however, reveals an entire cavalcade of all of its lenses in a look-don’t-touch exhibition, including three new members to the lineup: 15mm f/1.4 (APS-C) and 35mm f/1.4 (full-frame) lenses in the Contemporary and Art series respectively, both of which were announced earlier this week, alongside a totally new model debuting today – an 85mm with f/1.2 aperture in its Art range.

The ultimate portrait lens?

Sigma's latest optic is the most notable at the show today: it’s a large lens as one would expect for such specs, but it’s also not dramatically larger than its f/1.4 brothers alongside it. What remains unknown is the price, though the lens apparently still has over half a year until release. We do know, however, that it’ll be available in L-Mount and Sony E-mount versions.

Sony's booth bustles, but where's the new gear?

Despite rumors to the contrary, Sony attends CP+ 2026 without any new products to showcase. However, it has the largest booth on the show floor, which gives it space for some of the most fun camera demos of the event; dynamic dancers, traditional posing models, a replica cafe all feature for visitors to truly try out Sony's camera gear.

The company’s also making up for he lack of new gear with special seminars featuring celebrities like Japanese idol Miku Kanemura, though as a Sony shooter in my own time, it is a shame to not see any new first-party lenses on display, as cool as it is to see the mechanics on display and toy cars racing around a track.

7th heaven?

While some of the major companies might be lacking in the new, certain up-and-coming Chinese and Asian manufacturers are at least trying to plug the gap. 7artisans are the most ambitious, promising a 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens for just 50,000yen (roughly $240), while showcasing an all-new 24mm lens that promises autofocus and, if you can handle a slightly slower f/3.8 aperture, promises a pancake-size prime lens for 20,000yen (under 100). It looks seriously small on a camera, not even reaching the end of the handle on my trusty a6700!

On the other side of the coin is the company’s most ambitious (and expensive) autofocus full-frame lens yet, a 135mm f/1.8 lens for E-mount and Z-mount. Getting its first showcase at this year’s event the device is planned for a summer release if all goes to plan for 120,000yen (roughly 600). Initial sample photos are impressive, though only real-world testing and any form of hands-on not possible here will give an indication of how that works in practice. Still, it’s exciting to see these newer manufacturers growing more ambitious in their output, especially when these are far more affordable than their first-party counterparts.

Whether shooting on vintage or modern cameras, Voigtlander have something new for photographers at this year’s CP+. More familiar to many will be the news that the Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 full-frame lens (not to be confused with the 35mm f.1.4 D for APS-C cameras which I saw the latter at the show two years ago), previously available on E-mount, will be made available and Z-mount and RF-mount in the near future. The lens has been a popular evergreen part of the company’s lineup since 2019, making it a long time coming, though certainly no less welcome.

The company’s APO-SKOPAR 75mm f/2.8 lens, in the meantime, is a sleek retro-style VM-mount lens – it's more compact than other similar lenses in the company’s lineup, albeit with a slower aperture. While the lens was display-only and behind glass, it's supposedly under 200g, so it certainly hits that assignment.

Despite the growing buzz surrounding the digicam and point-and-shoot camera resurgence, surprisingly little at the event has been shown to capitalize on that trend. What has been shown does reflect the desire to move away from convenience to something more simple and with character, even if the visual quality won’t match the sort of images possible on modern phones.

Kenko, known more for the camera filters, had two products fitting this bill. Similar to Kodak’s wildly-popular Charmera are their own line of toy cameras that even include Sanrio collaborations, and their newest product is a Retro-Digi 90.

Releasing next month, the camera is designed to look like a classic disposable camera, but is actually a digital camera. There’s only a viewfinder and no screen to maintain the retro illusion, and you must wind the film to the next shot in an attempt to maintain the illusion. On the flip side, you have filters and even video recording functionality, though the sample images provided in a picture folder alongside the display suggest not to expect stellar image quality.

It will be cheap though! Just 7,700 yen puts it at just over 30, which could be good for casual or younger audiences. It is surprising that this appears to be the limit on how company’s are capitalizing on this trend at the show.

Welcome, Polaroid!

Polaroid is at CP+ for the first time, as part of a recent Japanese expansion project that has brought its cameras to more stores here, and initiated pop-up exhibitions at major locations across Tokyo.

Though there aren’t all-new Polaroid cameras on display, there is some news: three new colors for some of their more popular cameras. The Polaroid Now+ is now available in a bold orange, while the Now Gen 3 will be available in coral and pink colors (see below).

Instant photography, alongside point-and-shoot cameras, have grown more popular in recent years, with Instax leading the market particularly in Japan, but Polaroid is looking to muscle in and change the narrative!

Yet more new lenses – now Samyang's turn...

SAMYANG have an interesting proposition for people: a 60-180mm versatile f/2.8 zoom lens for Sony E-mount and L-mount. Contrary to appearances, the lens is shockingly-light, and pretty compact for such a f/2.8 zoom – I tried it with the small the Sony a7C that the company had for demo purposes.

Though the Samyang promises affordability, it wouldn’t confirm a price with me, but it is scheduled to come out in the summer, with the staff suggesting June or July is the aim, though nothing is finalized at this time.

This is a company with intent to expand what it offers and where, which can be seen by its other new lens: the AF 14-24mm F2.8 FE. The lens was actually released last year for Sony E-mount, though this event is a chance for the company to showcase it will also release on L-mount later this year around May.

End of day 1!

I think that's enough action for one day.

Truth be told, minus a couple of super interesting Canon concepts and a couple of stellar new lenses from Nikon and Sigma, it has been a much quieter year, certainly compared to the exciting announcements at CP+ 2025 – last year's instalment debuted the Sigma BF, Canon PowerShot V1 and more.

I'll be back tomorrow, catching up with a few of the brands, and will report back with any further news and reflections. Until then, oyasumi!

Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro: one-minute review

I've had a busy time reviewing Viltrox lenses this year – including a range of primes such as the cheap and characterful 'body cap' 28mm f/4.5 lens, my dream reportage photography 35mm f/1.2 lens, the buttery bokeh-delivering 135mm f/1.8 LAB and the lightweight 50mm f/2 Air. Now, it's the turn of the AF 85mm F1.4 Pro.

It's designed for full-frame and is currently available for Sony and Nikon cameras only, with no word yet on an L-mount version (Fujifilm's X-mount is APS-C, and there's already an equivalent 56mm F1.2 Pro lens available). It's the first 'Pro' autofocus lens I've tested in Viltrox's range, which also includes the AF 50mm F1.4 and various APS-C lenses, including the 27mm F1.2 and 75mm F1.2 (for Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z).

In short, it's the classic portrait lens for pro photographers, with upper-body portraits and dreamy animal portraits (think cats and dogs) being its speciality. I also like the focal length for street photography.

In the hand, the Viltrox 85mm F1.4 Pro's rugged build quality is immediately evident – this is a weather-sealed metal lens, with a range of external controls for photo and video work, even if it lacks the digital display found in Viltrox's flagship 'LAB' lenses.

Image quality is top drawer in every regard, too, demonstrating everything you'd hope for in a portrait lens; detail is sharp, bokeh is smooth, lens distortions are minimal. And then comes the mic drop: this lens costs just $589 / £569 / AU$919 – that's a third of the price of Sony's 85mm F1.4 GM II, and almost half the price of Sigma's 85mm f1.4 Art DG DN. It's regularly on sale for less, too.

Surely we can forget these rival lenses then, and save a packet with the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro instead? Not quite. At 800g and measuring 108.5mm in length, this is a hefty lens that's a fair bit heavier than rivals. If an 85mm f/1.4 lens is your workhorse optic, it could be well worth forking out extra for a lighter alternative.

Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro: price and availability

• Available in Sony E and Nikon Z-mount versions
• It costs $598 / £569 / AU$919
• Viltrox regularly discounts its lenses – there's 15% off the AF 85mm F1.4 Pro at the time of writing

Viltrox's 'Pro' series, which includes the 85mm F1.4 lens, sits between its flagship 'LAB' series, and above its lightweight 'EVO' in terms of both price and quality. At $598 / £569 / AU$919, it's not a cheap lens by any means, and is the priciest of a trio of Viltrox 85mm lenses, with an f/1.8 and f/2 EVO also available. That said, the f/1.4 aperture is a better option, especially for pros who work in challenging situations, including indoors and low light.

The lens is currently available in Sony E and Nikon Z versions, but not L-mount or Canon RF (don't expect the latter – Canon has locked Viltrox out. But for reference, Canon's own 85mm F1.4L VCM costs 3x the price of Viltrox's, and for me is very similar).

A fairer comparison for value, then, is against Nikon and Sony's own 85mm lenses, plus lenses from other third parties such as Sigma. Nikon doesn't have a f/1.4 version in its range yet.

Here's how the Sony and Nikon-mount 85mm lenses stack up (spoiler alert – the Viltrox wins on value):

Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro: specs

Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro: design

• Durable, weather-sealed design, but prone to scratches
• Around 25% heavier than alternatives
• External controls suit photo and video work

The Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro's build quality and design are clearly excellent, and remind me of Sony's current standard-focal-length GM lenses – and even more so of Canon's new range of hybrid 'VCM' lenses, which includes a triple-the-price 85mm F1.4L VCM. As mentioned, Viltrox isn't permitted to make Canon RF lenses, but I've used both the Canon RF 85mm F1.4L VCM and Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro, and I'm having a hard time spotting any meaningful differences, besides the Canon lens being 25% lighter.

There's a ridged aperture ring that can be set to clicked or smooth adjustments between aperture values, and which could host a follow-focus mechanism for cinematic manual focusing, equipping the Viltrox 85mm lens well for photo and video work. Elsewhere, there's an AF/MF switch, a custom button, plus a large focus ring – every control is beautifully dampened / smooth in operation.

A rear rubber seal confirms the weather-sealing, and you'll find a USB-C port within the metal rear mount, through which future firmware upgrades can be installed.

Viltrox supplies a chunky lens hood which easily screws on and off, while the lens accepts the common 77mm size of threaded filters.

There's a reassuring weight to the metal lens, although it's perhaps a little too weighty for its own good; at 800g it's around 25% heavier than the aforementioned Sony, Sigma and Canon equivalents. Measuring 108mm in length, it's similar in size to the Sony lens but bigger than Sigma's.

Despite its weight, I thought the balance between the Viltrox lens and mid-range Nikon camera, with which I was testing the lens, felt pretty good. I wouldn't want it any heavier or longer, but it just about sits within comfortable limits – and it would be an even better match with chunkier a Nikon Z8.

Over the course of two months with the lens I've managed to look after it, and it still looks pristine. However, I've tested other Viltrox lenses in other scenarios with less care, including the AF 35mm F1.2 LAB which has a similar finish, and they've proved to be prone to scratches. I'm not going to test that theory for the sake of it, but that's my word of warning.

Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro: Performance

• 11-blade rounded aperture with f/1.4 to f/16 range, capable of smooth bokeh
• Speedy and reliable VCM autofocus
• Extremely sharp between f/2 and f/8

That big f/1.4 aperture is for sure a major selling point of the lens, especially when you consider that Viltrox already has two 85mm lenses for full-frame cameras in its range: the original 85mm f/1.8 and an 85mm f/2 EVO – the latter is the lightweight and affordable choice.

You can see how chunky the diameter of the lens is in the product gallery above, plus how big the lens aperture is through the range, with a generous 11-blades creating a circular aperture for attractive bokeh.

Like Canon's range of hybrid lenses, the Viltrox 85mm lens employs a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) which drives autofocus, and the result is snappy autofocus – it's quicker in my experience than Viltrox's pricier 135mm f/1.8 LAB.

Focusing is internal, meaning the lens size remains unchanged as it focuses, and that there are 'floating' lens elements inside. That means there's an unsettling rattling noise when moving the lens when it's not on the camera, or when the camera is not turned on. There's nothing to worry about here – that's totally normal, and it's the same with all such lenses. Those elements 'lock', and are ready to go for focusing when paired with a camera that's turned on.

Image quality impresses, truly. Detail is incredibly sharp, especially between f/2 and f/8, where lens distortion is also pretty much non-existent. Open the lens to f/1.4 and there's vignetting (darkening in the corners), but that's gone by somewhere between f/2 and f/2.8.

Only in the most extreme scenarios, and with all lens corrections turned off, have I seen chromatic aberrations in my photos. One example was an image that included dew drops on a backlit cobweb.

Bokeh is super-smooth. Provided you're relatively close to your subject and shooting between f/1.4 and f/2.8, you'll typically get smooth and big bokeh that's rounded in shape – no ugly onion-ring effect in sight.

Increase focus distance and, as bokeh consequently gets smaller, it can go a little cats-eye in shape. Overall, however, bokeh looks lovely, and is a real reason to opt for this 85mm lens over Viltrox's other offerings.

As is the case with other 85mm f/1.4 full-frame lenses, macro photography is not the Viltrox lens's forte. Minimum focus distance is 0.79m, making for a modest 0.13x maximum magnification. To be clear, the Sony and Sigma alternatives are no better.

Close focusing beyond the lens's capabilities is hardly the regular concern of a portrait photographer, but for me I like mixing up what I photograph, and would appreciate more versatile close focusing – it would make for a more complete lens.

Should you buy the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro

• Viltrox loaned me a Z-mount version of the lens
• I paired it with my full-frame Nikon Z6 II
• My review period spanned two months, and I used the lens in a range of scenarios

Viltrox sent me a Z-mount version of the lens at the back end of 2025, which has given me plenty of opportunity to test it out in various scenarios with my Nikon Z6 II full-frame mirrorless camera (but not with an APS-C body).

I set up my Z6 II for the lens, including the various subject-detection autofocus modes (Auto area, with specific subject detection based on what I was shooting).

I used it indoors and outdoors, in good light and bad, and I shot sequences of the same photos through the aperture range in order to check for lens distortion, sharpness, bokeh and so on.

First reviewed February 2026

Viltrox has rapidly become a popular and affordable alternative to brand-own lenses and the likes of Sigma, and I should know given that I now have six Viltrox primes in my collection.

I currently shoot with a Nikon mirrorless camera, and there’s one Viltrox lens I’ve been patiently waiting for since I first saw it announced for Sony cameras last year – the flagship Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB.

We’ve already reviewed the Sony version of the fast aperture, moderate wide-angle autofocus lens, and awarded it a maximum five-star rating. We praised its superlative optical quality, concluding that you’re getting the same pro-quality as proprietary versions, for a fraction of the cost, even if it is Viltrox's priciest mirrorless lens to date.

Months later, as the curtain closed for 2025, the good news came – a Nikon version was released.

A wide aperture 35mm prime like this is a lens that I've been wanting to get for my Nikon Z camera since switching from DSLR to mirrorless years ago.

You see, I have a history with this versatile type of prime lens, making most of my documentary photos over years living in East Africa a decade ago with a trusty 35mm f/1.4 Sigma Art lens, paired with my Nikon D800 DSLR camera.

However, Nikon Z lenses are generally much pricier than DSLR equivalents, and that's why this Viltrox optic is welcome news.

I can get an optically superior 35mm prime to my old Sigma, with an even wider f/1.2 aperture, for a triple digit price of $999 / £959. That’s 30% cheaper than the recent superb Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art and just one third of the cost of Nikon's Z 35mm f/1.2 S, which is way out of my price range.

So, now that I have my hands on my dream Z-mount lens, has it lived up to my expectations?

Notes on the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB for Nikon Z

I won't dig into the details of the lens – we've already done that in our in-depth review of the Sony version. But what has my experience been like with my Nikon camera?

The first thing to note is that build quality and handling are top drawer; it’s weather sealed, and there’s a handy digital display for precise data such as focus distance.

The glossy exterior is prone to scratches, however, and I haven't even pushed the lens in extreme conditions yet. If you're someone who likes keeping gear looking shiny and new, you'll have your work cut out here. Me? I don't mind surface-level scratches – I buy gear this kind of gear to use it, not admire it!

The only strike against the Viltrox 35mm lens is that it’s bulky and heavy – comparable to my Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens (which has been updated with a fabulous, lighter mark II version).

It's quite a lot larger than my old Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens for Nikon F, and I paired that lens with a much bulkier DSLR. I use a mid-range Nikon Z6-series camera, and the balance between camera and lens feels a little front heavy.

Autofocus is snappy, though – more so than the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB which is another prime I've used a lot.

And optically, the 35mm f/1.2 is outstanding and everything I hoped for; pin sharp detail, smooth bokeh and versatile low light capabilities. It's the precise combo I want for documentary photography and environmental portraits.

Two months in, I’m super happy with the Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 LAB lens, and I can't wait to take it to the extreme environments where it would truly shine. Until then, I grabbed a range of shots, some of which are in the galleries below.

A word of caution for Nikon photographers

It's easy to recommend the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB lens. However, it seems as though all is not well between Nikon and Viltrox. There are reports that Nikon is suing the cheap Chinese lens maker for alleged Z-mount patent infringements, with a court date supposedly set for a day in March.

If this goes ahead, the worst case scenario for Viltrox (and potentially those in turn who use Viltrox lenses) could be a cease and desist, which is what happened between Canon and Viltrox in 2022 regarding Canon's RF-mount.

A potential middle ground would be Viltrox becoming a licensee and paying Nikon royalties. It would continue launch new Z-mount lenses, albeit with an inevitable price increase.

If the case presses ahead, I doubt things will stay exactly how they are.

As a fan of Nikon and Viltrox who regularly uses Nikon's mirrorless cameras and Viltrox's Z-mount lenses, I hope that I continue having the wide lens choice that I currently have from both brands, and that more lenses are in the pipeline.

For now, I can happily use this Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 LAB lens with my Nikon camera, and believe me I am. And as things stand, other Nikon photographers can still use Viltrox lenses.

All I need now is a proper assignment to really push the lens. That, I can’t wait for…

Canon continues to lock out third parties from its RF-mount for full-frame cameras (but not APS-C), but that decision feels somewhat justified given how active it's been in filling out its range of lenses.

Take the latest pair of lenses for mirrorless – the Canon RF 14mm F1.4L VCM and Canon RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5 Fisheye STM. They're two niche, ultra-wide lenses that nicely fill gaps in Canon's range, in particular for astrophotographers and extreme sports respectively.

I got to try both lenses at Canon's HQ in the UK ahead of their announcement, albeit not in the kind of scenarios where they would truly shine. But my short hands-on experience with the 14mm f/1.4 left me super-impressed – here's how I got on.

Canon RF 14mm F1.4L VCM – first impressions

The new 14mm F1.4L VCM is the sixth prime in a range of hybrid lenses, which also includes two zooms. It's easily the widest of the lot, and its 14mm full-frame coverage is popular, especially among astrophotographers, and it's also great for landscape and interior architecture photography, plus weddings and video work.

What immediately impressed me is the size and weight of the 14mm f/1.4 lens – it's just 20.4oz / 578g, which is pretty much half the weight of the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DG Art and around 10% lighter than the Canon EF 14mm F2.8L II USM for DSLR cameras, which has a smaller f/2.8 maximum aperture.

It's a fraction larger than other VCM lenses (you can see the six primes together in the image below), but it's a similar weight, and is the only one to feature a built-in petal lens hood – that's because of its bulbous front lens element (which also means there's no filter thread to attach screw-on lens filters, you'll need an optional adapter).

These lenses are built for photo and video work, with a supremely effective Voice Coil Motor (VCM) for autofocus, which is both fast and near-silent. An aperture ring features, with an iris control which be set to clicked or smooth. Photographers will want the clicked feedback for aperture changes, while the smooth option is ideal for subtle transitions during video recording.

The ring closest to the front of the lens can be customized, as can the control button on the side of the barrel. And, this being a professional 'L' series lens, build quality is top drawer, and it's weather-sealed.

I paired the RF 14mm F1/.4L VCM with a Canon EOS R5 Mark II (some of the product photos below are with the EOS R6 Mark III), and the combination was a perfectly balanced match.

Optically, there are 18 elements 13 groups, and these include Canon's 'BR', 'UD' and Fluorite elements. Eagle-eyed Canon fans will note the inclusion of pricey Fluorite elements, which are usually reserved for Canon's professional super-telephoto optics.

There are also 'GMo' aspheric lenses, which Canon says suppress sagittal coma flare – a distortion that is the bane of astrophotographers. Given all of the above – the super-wide focal length, extremely bright maximum aperture, sagittal coma flare suppression and lightweight weather-resistant build – the RF 14mm F1.4L VCM sounds perfect for astrophotography.

Sadly, my short hands-on time with the lens was limited to a stroll outside of Canon's HQ during daylight hours, so I haven't pushed the lens to anywhere near its limits yet. Still, my sample images (see the galleries above and below, with notes in the captions) demonstrates that it has an impressive handle on lens flare with sun in the shot, and corner distortion with the lens aperture wide open at f/1.4, plus impressive sharpness.

Canon's in-camera lens corrections are working hard to correct the ultra-wide-angle image, and for the most part the impact is hardly visible. I see a little corner softness, but not much. One unavoidable drawback, however, is the 0.24m close-focusing distance, which limits the maximum magnification to 0.11x – this is no macro lens.

As optically excellent and lightweight as it might be, the RF 14mm F1.4L VCM costs £2,399.99 (US and Australia pricing TBC), which means bragging rights go to the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 for value* – which costs around 35% less. Canon's lens is set to go on sale on Feb 26.

*The Sigma lens isn't currently available in the Canon RF mount.

Canon RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5L Fisheye STM – what you need to know

During my visit to Canon, my focus was on the 14mm F1.4L VCM lens, but Canon also unveiled its first fisheye zoom lens for mirrorless, the RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5L Fisheye STM. It's wider than the RF 10-20mm F4L USM (which we awarded five stars in our review), and a different type of fisheye lens to the RF 5.2mm F2.8L Dual Fisheye Lens which is designed for 3D VR imaging.

Canon says its new fisheye lens is wider, faster and better optically than its EF 8-15mm F/4 L Fisheye USM for DSLR cameras, from 2012. At 16.8oz / 476g, it's also lighter (the 8-15mm weighs 190z/540g), plus there's a drop-in filter slot near the rear of the barrel (a feature I would love to have seen on the 14mm F1.4L VCM). The lens comes with a clear filter, while Canon will sell a circular polarizer and variable ND separately).

At its wide end, the 190-degree angle of view is true fisheye (with circular image inside a visible black frame), but zoom in to 14mm and you have a 'regular' ultra-wide-angle lens, with the image filling the frame. The fisheye image can be converted to 2D VR 180-degree, but not 3D like the 5.2mm alternative optic.

As a 'L' series professional lens, the 7-14mm fisheye is weather sealed. Its close focusing distance is just 15cm, which delivers a decent 0.35x max magnification. Canon says focus breathing is suppressed.

The RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5L Fisheye STM is due to hit stores on February 26, and will cost £1719.99 / AU$3,899 (US pricing TBC).

What do you make of Canon's two new ultra-wide-angle lenses? Let me know in the comments below.

Over the past few weeks, I've been testing out the new Viltrox 85mm f/2 EVO, and I have to say, it's a fantastic lens that once again proves the Chinese brand can make stellar optics for a fraction of the price of some first-party options.

We've been fans of Viltrox for a while now at TechRadar, but it's safe to say this EVO is already a firm favorite of mine. It's a short-telephoto prime that's lightweight, razor-sharp, and budget-friendly. Honestly, what's not to like?

Well, it's a lens that's awkwardly debuting at a time when there's seemingly a Nikon vs Viltrox lawsuit looming. That's a potentially serious situation that could take the wind out of this lens' sails - or, at the very least, make it a pricier buy than the $275 / £265 it's currently listed for.

And, that's a shame because I've been loving this lens and would otherwise heartily recommend it. It's available for Nikon Z, Sony E, and Fuji X mounts, but I've been testing the potentially ill-fated Nikon version exclusively, so that news feels particularly acute right now.

It's also a potential kicker because the lens is really well-positioned on the Z mount currently. Sony has a few great compact options like the Sigma 90mm f/2.8 DG DN, but the pickings are slimmer on Nikon's more sparsely populated full-frame mount.

But for now, at least, here's why this remains a fantastic option for Nikon Z users - and by extension Sony and Fuji users too, who have the distinct luxury of not having to worry about whether this lens will be available in the future or not.

Improving on an already-great formula

This isn't my first experience with Viltrox's offerings - in fact, I've been very partial to the brand's first 85mm f/1.8 Z. I've had that lens for a few years now, and it's been a staple in my bag - particularly when I, like many photographers, took it on my obligatory trip to Japan.

That lens was (and still is) very, very good; It's just kind of heavy at 19.3oz/548g. At the time, I specifically stated that I'd be happy to lose a few stops of aperture for a less dense lens, so on paper, the EVO is pretty much exactly what I was asking for from the brand.

And, I have to say, I think the EVO might actually be sharper than its f/1.8 cousin. I don't have any fangled MFT charts or studio scenes to compare specifics, but I have shot thousands of images with the older lens and almost a thousand with the EVO.

My impression is that the EVO is a little sharper and a little less contrasty. Scientific, I know, but the images are particularly sharp out of this new 85mm. I think the images have slightly less character, but the rendering is more modern. It reminds me a lot of the various Sigma primes that I've tried over the past few years, which always have a nice, crisp look to them.

The older f/1.8, by comparison, has a kind of flattering softness that I think really lends itself to portraits. It's definitely not a soft lens by any stretch, but it just renders in a very lovely, natural-looking manner. In terms of character, it's definitely my favorite of the two lenses overall and still a great pick if you're looking for a traditional portrait lens.

I do think the EVO is the better package overall right now, however. It's objectively still a very good lens optically, and Viltrox has really taken the design to another level with this iteration.

Not only are the weight savings hard to ignore (340 vs 550g), but you now get a fully weather-sealed lens for a very respectable price. On the outside? An FN button, AF/MF switch, and a lovely aperture ring that pairs beautifully with Nikon's Z cameras.

Both lenses are built very nicely, out of metal, but the EVO now also thankfully includes a lens hood and cap that aren't complete garbage. I never understood why Viltrox included such bad plastic fittings on these nicely built premium-feeling lenses before, but now the brand has fully corrected that issue with plastics that won't annoyingly rattle or come loose in your bag.

This 85mm is perfect for street photography

I generally carry an 85mm in my kit bag at all times because I think it's one of the most versatile primes. If you're used to wider lenses, then an 85mm can feel a little restrictive at first. Once you get used to it, however, it's a fantastic focal length that can let you isolate subjects, create abstraction, and play with depth of field.

I particularly love an 85mm for street photography - and that's a use case that the EVO is almost tailor-made for. Its size naturally makes it a little less conspicuous than most 85mm primes, while the weather sealing is absolutely fantastic for adverse conditions while out on the street - or travelling, for that matter.

Because it's so small, it's also a lens that you can throw in your bag just in case. Even if you're not someone who naturally gravitates towards a closer lens, the EVO is a really compelling package that's not just light in the bag, but light on the pocket, too.

I think I'll still pack the other Viltrox 85mm for portrait sessions, but otherwise, the EVO feels like the natural choice. I usually judge a lens on whether it inspires me to shoot, and the EVO has been glued to my Nikon Z6 for over a month now, so there must be something in it.

Get it while you can?

It's been pretty interesting to read about the murmurs of an impending legal battle between Nikon and Viltrox while testing this lens. Praise aside, it's definitely made me wonder whether recommending this lens is the right thing to do as details on the actual case are still emerging.

I suspect that the two brands will come to some kind of agreement; likely with Viltrox paying some form of licensing fee. Will that affect the prices of its Z Mount lenses? That seems likely, so you could be looking at paying a little more than the $275 / £265 this lens currently fetches.

In the worst-case scenario, Viltrox could even suspend its full-frame Z Mount offerings. I obviously hope that's not the case because the brand makes really fantastic gear for at a price that's accessible for most photographers. That's a very valuable thing in such an expensive hobby, so I sincerely hope Viltrox and Nikon can resolve any disputes amicably.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: one-minute review

I mean, the pictures don't do justice as to how impossibly small the Viltrox AF 28mm f4.5 lens is. It's a true body cap lens – meaning that you can have it on your Sony, Nikon or Fujifilm mirrorless camera at all times with no real footprint, ready to go for quick wide-angle snaps.

On several occasions throughout my couple of months with what is the tiniest lens I've ever tested, I thought I had lost it, quite literally mistaking it for a body cap in my gear bag (I was testing multiple lenses at the time).

Yet despite the Viltrox AF 28mm f4.5's minuscule proportions – it measures just 15.3mm in length and is a featherweight 60g – it features autofocus and has a respectable f/4.5 fixed aperture. That's way faster than other body cap / pancake-style lenses I've tried, such as the Panasonic 26mm f/8.

Oh, and did I mention that center detail is surprisingly sharp? That'll be the 6 lens elements in 6 groups crammed inside, two of which are ED and another two being aspherical optics.

Quality falls off somewhat at the corners and lens flare is notable. So if you're looking for technical perfection and supreme versatility, then the fixed focal length, fixed aperture Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is not for you. What it is, though, is a memorable lens that I'm confident you will grow fond of, and by heck is it cheap.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: price and availability

• Available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mounts
• It costs $99 / £90 / AU$169, but Viltrox regular discounts its lenses by 15%
• There's currently no indication of Canon RF or L-mount versions

The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 first hit the scene for Sony E-mount in September 2024, and has since been launched in Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mount versions. I wouldn't expect a Canon version since the camera giant sued Viltrox and those bridges feel burned (Nikon is next). Viltrox has joined the L-mount alliance, however, so there could be an L-mount version for Panasonic, Leica, and Sigma cameras – this could be a great pairing with the Lumix S9, for example.

The list price at the Viltrox store and trusted retailers is $99 / £90 / AU$169 (see links to the best prices, below). The 28mm f/4.5 is great value at full price, although I regularly see Viltrox doing site-wide discounts of its lenses, typically around 15% off. I've seen the lens for even less at cheap Chinese import online stores.

I usually include an Also Consider section in my reviews, but being available in three mounts there are too many alternatives to sensibly feature individually. For Nikon cameras, the Z 26mm f/2.8 is one possible, but it's 5x the price, while the 24mm f/1.7 DX (for APS-C) is around 2.5x the price – both are bigger than the Viltrox lens.

Fujifilm has its own XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR, which again costs much more than the Viltrox, plus the wider XF 23mm f/2.8 which was announced alongside the X-E5.

Sony makes a wider-angle 20mm f/2.8, while other third parties include TT Artisans with its AF 27mm f/2.8, which is much like Fujifilm's aforementioned 27mm lens for a much lower price.

For more options, check out my best Sony lenses and best Nikon lenses guides. Let me know in the comments below if a best Fujifilm lenses guide would interest you.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: specs

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: design

This is a playful lens, with plenty of quirks that won me over - one being the slide lens cap, which protects the otherwise non weather-sealed lens from damage. It's just as well the lens cap is built-in, really, because a removable lens cap would be the tiniest of them all, no bigger than a dime. I would give myself less than a week before losing such a thing.

And there's nowhere to click a lens cap on in any case – there's no thread for lens filters, which is normally where a clip-on lens cap sits. Nope, it's the neat slide lens cap only, which I heart.

I was honestly surprised that Viltrox was able to fit such a small, but more so, low-cost lens with autofocus. Sat alongside those electronic contacts (which provide full communication between camera and lens for autofocus, plus metadata) is a USB-C port, which makes future firmware updates possible.

On the note of focusing, there's another surprise on the flip side – there's no manual focus option whatsoever. No, this is an autofocus lens only – so you're reliant on your camera's autofocus skills.

Thankfully, I found autofocus performance with my mid-range Nikon full-frame camera to be snappy with the lens – but that's hardly a surprise given how lightweight the 6 tiny lens elements are.

I suppose adding a focus ring for manual focus would increase the bulk of the lens and water down its charm, but it was the feature I missed the most as autofocus can miss the mark occasionally. It's helpful to take control at such times.

Minimum focus is 1.05ft/0.32m, which makes for a 0.11x maximum magnification. In short, the lens's close focusing skills are fairly limiting for such a wide-angle lens. The ability to focus closer is a close second on my wishlist for this lens.

I don't mind the fixed f/4.5 aperture, though – that's right, you can't stop down to increase depth of field. For me, f/4.5 is a decent all-purpose aperture with a full-frame camera – it's shallow enough to blur backgrounds (when your subject / focus distance is close), and deep enough for sharp detail when your focus distance is further. What it's less ideal for, however, is low-light photography.

As you can see in the product photo above, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens tucks in neatly on a full-frame camera. In fact, the grip on the Z6 II camera I was using for this test is deeper than the lens.

For me, Viltrox's body cap-style lens makes more sense being paired with a smaller camera than the mid-range model, above, and even more sense with an APS-C model rather than full-frame. I'll explain why in a moment.

It's currently made for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X-mount versions, so the kinds of slimline cameras that would suit the lens include the Sony ZV-E10 II / A6700, Fujifilm X-E series / X-M5 and the Nikon Z30 / Zf series. Lumix users will surely hope that an L-mount version is forthcoming, especially since Viltrox joined the L-mount alliance last year.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: Performance

As for image quality, I have been pleasantly surprised. Detail is nice and sharp in the center. You'll find plenty other even sharper premium primes, but with a little additional sharpness applied in Adobe Camera Raw, I'm not complaining here at all. On the contrary, I'm impressed.

Sharpness falls off at the corners somewhat, and there's heavy vignetting in the corners, which again benefit from corrections in post. That said, those two notable lens distortions direct the gaze in the center of images and can add character, and as such I've avoided heavy-handed lens corrections and leaned into that style with my sample pictures.

It's these corner lens distortions that also make a strong case for using the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens with an APS-C camera, as most of its image quality foibles (technically-speaking) fall outside the 42mm effective frame.

I've not used the lens with an APS-C camera, but if that were all I had done, I'd be even more impressed by the optical quality as those heavier distortions would be outside the frame. And, that tighter perspective with APS-C makes it a compelling everyday lens – you'd never need to take it off the camera.

The same sentiment for corner quality can be said for lens flare. Viltrox itself bills the starburst effect as a draw to this lens – it's a pronounced and a little over the top at times, but again, I'm filing this under characterful rather than ugly.

I've been able to get a couple of light leak affects to when shooting towards the sun, too. These are the kind of effects that could do well in 2026 and beyond, where authentic and lo-fi images are trending over technically perfect ones.

The 'flaws' I've drawn out in this review are worth noting, but take them within context; this is a tiny, sub $100 lens. Design drawbacks and optical quirks only add to the charm of a lens that I'm very fond of.

Should I buy the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5

• Viltrox sent me the Z-mount version of the lens
• I paired it with a full-frame Nikon Z6 II
• I've tested the lens over a couple of months, in a wide range of scenarios

I had plenty of time to use the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens – at least two months. I paired it with a full-frame Nikon camera, but haven't used it with an APS-C model.

Being a fixed focal length, fixed aperture lens, my testing didn't get bogged down in aperture comparisons and distortion at various focal lengths – I was freed up to use this lens in a very real way.

I've shot everything from portraits to landscapes and everyday observations. I've used the lens in good light and bad, and shot towards and around the sun / strong light sources to check for lens flare characteristics.

First reviewed February 2026

• Leica has unveiled its first M-series 35mm Noctilux lens, with a maximum f/1.2 aperture
• It joins the 50mm f/0.95 and 75mm f/1.25 to make up a trio of supreme low-light lenses
• It's globally available at launch, costing $9,650 / £7,700 (Australia pricing TBC)

Noctilux lenses are legendary, ever since Leica unveiled its first a full 60 years ago – a 50mm f/1.2 lens in 1966 – a lens which will set you back around $50,000 / £30,000, if you can find one today, or you can pick up Light Lens Lab's homage for much less.

They are supreme performers, especially in low light, and the clue to those skills is in the name; Noctliux is derived from the Latin words 'noctu' and 'lux', which simply mean 'night' and light'.

What makes Noctilux lenses so special? Their big apertures and light-gathering capabilities. And for those with the cash to splash, a longstanding gap in the range has just been filled – that of the 35mm focal length.

The new Leica Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH lens follows the modern 50mm f/0.95 and 75mm f/1.25 optics, delivering the widest aperture of any Leica lens at this moderate wide-angle focal length.

It's packaged in a particularly compact body that's just 50.2mm in length – smaller than its 50mm and 75mm stablemates – and tips the scales at 14.7oz / 416g.

It's a premium pick for low-light photography, with a price tag to match – a whopping $9,650 / £7,700. But judging by the clamor I've seen on Leica forums, it's a lens that many Leica fans have been wanting for some time, and have their wallets ready for.

A dreamy combination for night photography

There's an increasing number of 35mm f/1.2 prime lenses for various camera systems, such as Nikon's and the recently announced Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB which I'm currently using for my Nikon camera, but none as compact as Leica's new Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH.

Fitted to an M-series body, such as the Leica M11-P or the recent M-EV1 (with which I expect critical focusing to be easier), you have a discreet pairing that is set to be a hit with Leica street photographers, at least those who can afford the premium price tag.

Not only will the Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH be a supreme performer in low light thanks to its light gathering capabilities, but it has the ability to create a very shallow depth of field, for dreamy scenes – I can already visualize the kind of night street photos that will be made with this lens. At the same time it will also enable faster shutter speeds, so movement in low light can be frozen with greater clarity.

Close focusing is as little as 50cm via live view, or 70cm with an optical rangefinder. Making the most of this improved close focusing (versus the other Noctilux lenses) will further harness shallow depth of field.

Given Leica cameras are so popular for documentary and street photography, as is the 35mm focal length, I really do see a place for the Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH, and I expect it to be one of Leica's most popular lenses.

• First video interview with Light Lens Lab founder Mr Zhou
• The 20-minute discussion unpacks the stories of popular LLL lenses
• LLL's lens roadmap and other upcoming projects are covered, too

Since being founded in 2018, Light Lens Lab has built a stellar reputation among Leica fans for its M-mount lenses for Leica cameras.

Some LLL lenses are a love letter to rare Leica lenses that very few people get to see, let alone touch or use, painstakingly recreated down to the minute details, including the choice of metal and characterful signature optical quality.

Others are reimagined vintage Leica lenses with reworked optical constructions for improved image quality.

But what all LLL lenses have in common is that they are way more affordable than the real thing, while still giving users the closest possible experience of these desirable Leica M lenses.

Take the Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 ('11873') – a rare double aspherical lens produced in the early 1990s, limited to a sub-2,000 production run. It'd set you back around $25,000 / £20,000 / AU$40,000, yet LLL has recreated the lens to a 98% match, and sells its creation for a fraction of the price, around $1,500 / £1,043 at its online store.

YouTuber Bobby Tonelli describes the original as a 'Holy Grail' of Leica lenses, and compares it with the LLL homage on his YouTube channel – let's just say he's seriously impressed with the affordable LLL alternative.

Recently, Tonelli was able to do something no one else has before: arrange a video interview with the founder of Light Lens Lab, Mr Zhou.

Their 20-minute discussion (linked below) unpacks the story behind Light Lens Lab, digs deeper into some of the high-profile LLL lenses available for purchase, its lens roadmap, and other upcoming projects, including reworking a classic Chinese TLR camera and making its own film. The chat is well worth a watch.

‘We want to reach that level'

The story behind Light Lens Lab is actually rather heart-warming. This is no soulless business, but one born out of fandom. In his own words, Mr Zhou is a huge Leica fan and once owned more than 200 Leica bodies and Leica M-mount lenses. He was a regular member of Leica groups in China, where the idea was born to tear down and recreate Leica lenses.

His first project was another 35mm lens, an 8-element from 1953. He didn't have the design ability to remake the lens, but its patent had fully expired, the patent documents were publicly available, and he was able to follow Leica's prototype to create a complete replica with fine attention to detail.

The more he used Leica lenses, the more he was impressed with the performance and quality of such a small optics, the type he chooses to recreate. Zhou says, "In such a small package, to reach the highest possible quality – Leica did it very well and it's hard to surpass."

"So I've always tried to walk the path Leica walked, and that's why, in terms of workmanship and quality, we've earned broad recognition."

Other projects include a rare $50,000 Elcan lens – again, Leica had published the Elcan optical patent – plus a 1966 Noctilux, which took four years to make. One hurdle was that two of the glass types in the original are long discontinued, but with the help of the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Zhou was able to match the original 70-year-old formula by re-melting/remaking this special glass.

The results? Equally small and light lenses of similar optical quality, if not better, exhibiting what are essentially the same characterful looks, including bokeh.

• 2025 was a good year for cameras, but it was even better for lenses – these are my 5 innovative new favorites

Certain Leica lenses can be both pricey and hard to find, so it's little wonder that so many Leica fans appreciate the dedication of Light Lens Lab in remaking rare Leica optics. I'm yet to try a LLL lens, but I've read enough online reviews from discerning Leica fans to believe the hype.

And Zhou isn't stopping with vintage Leica lenses. He's remaking modern Leica lenses, again selling his creations for a fraction of the cost, and has earmarked an 'ACDK' series (Angineux, Cooke, Dallmeyer, and Kintoptic) – lens types with a signature look; if you're a cinema lover, you will be familiar with the legendary Cooke look.

Zhou also revealed another long-term project: reworking a traditional Chinese TLR film camera with modern design to achieve better mechanics and optics, as well as manufacturing his own film, much like Leica recently did, and of course, in the footsteps of Fujifilm.

Manufacturing lenses, cameras, and film. "We want to reach that level", says Zhou, and honestly, I'm rooting for him.

• Yodobashi Camera has shared its best-selling cameras and lenses for 2025
• The shortlists are dominated by compact cameras and zoom lenses
• Fujifilm's X100VI still tops the cameras list, two years after its release

I've had the opportunity to take a peek inside Yodobashi Camera, Japan's – and indeed the world's – largest camera store, and it was a memorable experience for someone like me, packed as it is with isle after isle of camera gear new and old.

I visited Yodobashi Camera while in Tokyo for the launch of the Fujifilm X100VI, which was the most pre-ordered camera in history on its announcement, and tops our list of the best compact cameras. Two years later it's still a fan favorite according to Yodobashi, which recently revealed its best-selling cameras for 2025, with the X100VI topping the list.

The retailer's best-selling cameras list reveals a surprising trend: compact cameras are in. Eighteen of the 20 cameras on the list are compacts, and the other two entries were two different bundles of the same Sony vlogging camera, the Sony ZV-1 II (this E-mount mirrorless camera is actually smaller than some of the compacts in the list).

In one sense the list is hardly surprising – cheap cameras will shift in larger volume than pricey mirrorless models. But here's the thing: a number of the premium compact cameras in the list cost several thousands of dollars / pounds, including the Fujifilm GFX100RF, Sony RX1R III and Leica Q3, so price is clearly not the only factor here.

Yes, despite the advance of smartphone camera tech, compact cameras are still popular among photography fans.

I found the best-selling lenses list equally surprising – of the 20 optics featured, there's not a single prime lens. All 20 are zoom lenses, with Sony's FE 24-70m F2.8GM II taking top spot (and it's 70-200mm F2.8 GM II in third), while Canon boasted a brand-high of seven entries.

A breakdown of the best-selling lists for 2025

Here are the best selling cameras at Yodobashi Camera for 2025:

1. Fujifilm X100VI – it's also our favorite compact camera overall
2. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS – a six-year-old point-and-shoot travel zoom
3. Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 – re-release of a point-and-shoot travel zoom
4. Ricoh GR IV – the recent update of Ricoh's small fixed-lens APS-C camera
5. Fujifilm X half – the quirky half-frame film photography-inspired model
6. Sony ZV-1 II – the only mirrorless camera in the list, a small vlogging E-mount
7. Ricoh GR IIIx – the previous-generation GR with a tighter 40mm f/2.8 lens
8. OM System Tough TG-7 – the undisputed best waterproof camera
9. Sony ZV-1 II Shooting Grip Kit – vlogging mirrorless camera with accessories
10. Kodak PixPro C1 – a super cheap, lo-fi point-and-shoot
11. Fujifilm GFX100RF – a medium-format monster with class-leading photo quality
12. Canon IXY 650 – Canon re-released a similar model last year with USB-C charging
13. Sony RX1R III – a full-frame 61MP model, coming 10 years after its predecessor
14. Leica D-Lux 8 – Leica's premium compact with Micro Four Thirds sensor
15. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III – a vlogging compact that trended on TikTok
16. Canon PowerShot V1 – new, improved from the G7 X Mark III with bigger sensor
17. Nikon Coolpix P950 – a bridge camera with mega 83x zoom
18. Leica Q3 – Leica's full-frame 61MP premium compact with fixed 28mm f/1.7 lens
19. Nikon Coolpix P1100 – a record-breaking bridge camera with 125x optical zoom
20. Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII – long-in-the-tooth, versatile compact with zoom

And Yodobashi Camera's best-selling lenses for 2025 were:

1. Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
2. Nikon Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S
3. Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
4. Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
5. Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM
6. Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (E-mount)
7. Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Z
8. Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
9. Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM
10. Nikon Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
11. Hasselblad XCD 2.8-4/35-100E
12. Nikon Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
13. Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
14. Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary (E-mount)
15. Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II
16. Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM
17. Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary (RF-mount)
18. Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM
19. Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (E-mount)
20. Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II | Art (E-mount)

So what are we to make of these lists?

Photography enthusiasts are seemingly keen on small, money-no-object premium compact cameras, while equipping their mirrorless cameras with high-end pro zoom lenses.

The latter point speaks volume of the quality of today's zoom lenses for mirrorless cameras – users clearly don't feel that they need a prime lens for outright quality, and that zooms win out for versatility.

What do you make of the two lists? Which of the above products do you own, or have your eye on? Let me know in the comments below!

• Nikon is rumored to be suing cheap Chinese lens maker Viltrox
• The legal action relates to alleged Z-mount patent infringements
• A hearing is seemingly set for March 2

I'm a big fan of Nikon cameras and Viltrox lenses, but it seems that all is not well between the pair according to The New Camera, who reports that Nikon is suing the cheap Chinese lens maker for alleged Z-mount patent infringements.

Reports on Chinese social media suggest the infringements relate to a “dispute regarding royalties during the temporary protection period of an invention patent”. It's not clear which Viltrox lens(es) are in question, although there is speculation around the 135mm f/1.8 LAB, which costs just a fraction of the pricy Nikon 135mm f/1.8 S Plena – two incredible prime lenses that I have tested.

The timing of Nikon's action is hardly surprising – Viltrox is one of the fastest growing third-party lens makers and is likely now in a position to settle any royalty fees it may or may not be required to pay.

Nikon Rumors further unpacks the case, suggesting several potential outcomes, the most drastic of which could be a cease and desist, as per the Canon vs Viltrox case in 2022 regarding Canon's RF-mount.

Nikon fans will surely be hoping for a different outcome and that Viltrox is able to continue launching new and affordable Z-mount lenses. After all, Viltrox's recent autofocus lenses are superb quality, being affordable alternatives for Nikon users looking for high-quality primes, even if Viltrox is yet to make zoom lenses.

The counter argument is that because Viltrox is known to reverse engineer lenses (allegedly with no license), while other third-party lens makers such as Sigma and Tamron license their own lenses for different mounts, that it's only fair for Viltrox to pay Nikon some kind of royalties.

A potential middle ground would be that Viltrox continues to launch new Z-mount lenses, while paying Nikon royalties, which would inevitably increase the prices of Viltrox lenses. Sony's E-mount, on the other hand, is seemingly completely open to third parties such as Viltrox. But how could the case affect current and future Viltrox Z-mount lenses?

'Will my [Viltrox] lens become a brick?' – potential outcomes of the case

Understandably, users of Nikon cameras and Viltrox Z-mount lenses are concerned about the impact on their existing lenses. 'Will my [Viltrox] lens become a brick?' is a question cropping up on Chinese social media.

There's a fear that Nikon could release a camera firmware update for its current cameras, such as the Z6 III, Z8, Zf and others, that breaks compatibility with Viltrox lenses. Such a concern, which there's currently no evidence for, is leading users to suggest avoiding camera firmware updates until they know more.

Of course, we're getting ahead of ourselves here, given that the case is still rumored and not even underway. We don't know if Viltrox had or did not have a license for the alleged infringement.

But as a user of Nikon's Z-mount cameras and lenses and Viltrox Z-mount lenses, I hope that I continue having the wide lens choice that I currently have, and that more lenses from both are in the pipeline.

• Nikon unveils the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 zoom for full-frame cameras
• It costs $549 / £529 / AU$899 and is available in a Nikon Z5 II or Z6 III kit
• It weighs just 12.3oz / 350g and can shoot half-size (0.5x) macro images

Nikon has expanded its range of lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras with the new Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1, which looks like a versatile and portable travel zoom, well suited to mid-range models such as the award-winning Nikon Z5 II.

In fact, the 24-105mm can be purchased as part of a kit with the Nikon Z6 III or Z5 II, or separately for just $549 / £529 / AU$899. And at just 12.3oz / 350g (about the weight of a soda can), it is perfectly matched to those cameras, tipping the scales just over 1,000g when paired with the Z5 II.

Serious photographers will likely be better served by the long standing Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S for travel, which has a constant f/4 aperture throughout the zoom range – whereas the 24-105mm's reduces to f/7.1 at 105mm – but that older lens weighs and costs about 40% more.

Instead, the 24-105mm f/4-7.1 is a properly lightweight and versatile travel zoom ideal for those who don't demand a bright aperture at all focal lengths, especially since it has close focusing down to 0.20m (or 0.28m at 105mm), which unleashes half-size (0.5x) macro photography skills.

Its technical specifications might not excite, or make for one of the best Nikon Z lenses, but the 24-105mm does make a lot of sense in Nikon's full-frame system.

Is there a better kit for first time full-frame buyers?

I wouldn't class the 24-105mm f/4-7.1 as an exciting new lens, but it certainly is an impressively compact and affordable creation.

And that's the point, really. With the Nikon Z5 II redefining what entry-level full-frame cameras can do (and currently on sale), scooping our top best camera of 2025 award, it now has a versatile zoom with a focal length range that covers most scenarios to complete the package for first time full-frame buyers.

Nikon knows how to make excellent quality kit lenses, and I expect the Nikkor Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 to be more of the same, even with that modest f/7.1 aperture at the telephoto end.

What do you make of the new Nikon lens? Let me know in the comments.

Things move quickly in the tech industry, but the speed with which the photography world has developed over the last 18 months or so has shocked and delighted even the most experienced journalists and observers. From the Global Shutter of the Sony A9 III, to the long-awaited launch of the flagship Canon EOS R1, to the unexpected announcement that Affinity Photo will now be completely free of charge, a lot has happened in a short space of time.

Then, of course, there’s the stratospheric rise of AI and the polarizing views of how this is going to shape the future of virtually every corner of the creative sphere. If I could sum up this topic in as few words as possible, I’d just use the now ubiquitous “well, that escalated quickly” meme of Anchorman’s Ron Burgundy.

Predicting what gear, features and industry trends we might see for the year ahead used to be a fairly straightforward affair, but today, anything is possible. We can take some educated guesses about which camera models might be announced, which lenses might be added, and how AI might look this time next year, but rather than speculate on exact products, here I’ve outlined the direction I’d like to see the industry move. This includes the types of camera I want, design trends in camera development, lens mount growth, and new features.

Consider this my camera tech Christmas wishlist for the year ahead.

My dream camera for 2026

For a while, retro-designed cameras were largely the reserve of Fujifilm, with fan favorite models like the X-T5, X-T30III, and X100VI providing a feeling of yesteryear charm but with all of the modern bells and whistles demanded by a digital content creator. It seemed like a relatively niche market at first, but with Fujifilm’s move into retro-aesthetic Medium Format cameras like the GFX 50R and, more recently, the fixed-lens GFX 100RF, it became clear there was a real appetite for cameras inspired by the designs of decades past.

Then, Nikon went all-in with the Nikon Z fc and full-frame Nikon Z f models, and the concept suddenly felt mainstream. So, how long is it until Canon jumps on the bandwagon? I hope it’s not too long.

A retro-inspired design based around a film camera like the Canon F-1 or AE-1, but fitted with the contemporary RF Mount would be my ideal camera on several metrics. Bringing one of those classics into the 21st Century, by arming it with features seen in some of the Best Canon Cameras in 2025, would create a sturdy, tactile but compact camera which looks as good as the pictures it could take.

Imagine a Canon EOS R-A1 or R-F1 fitted with the advanced autofocus of the Canon EOS R3, the superior low-light performance of the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, or the high-resolution stills and video capabilities of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Or, if we let our imaginations venture into the more obscure, a digital version of the now highly sought-after Canon VI L would make a refreshing substitute for the now defunct Canon M system.

It would be a compact-form model with a thin profile and minimal handgrip, but with either a full-frame or APS-C sensor and access to the growing family of top-quality RF lenses.

Such a camera would be glued to my hip and fitted with a Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS Macro STM, or Canon RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM lens. To add a cherry on top of this hypothetical cake, which has already been discussed, I’d love a retro-inspired lens range to go with the body. Nikon did this with the NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 SE and Nikon Z 40mm f/2 SE to pair well with the Z fc and Zf, so it’s not too much of a stretch to suggest Canon might follow suit.

Lenses galore: give me more third-party mirrorless optics

We’ve finally started to see more third-party lenses in the big two mirrorless mounts; Canon RF and Nikon Z. Despite there being a seemingly endless supply of lenses for Sony E Mount, some of them rated as highly as the Best Sony Lenses in 2025, such as the Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 or Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art, up until recently there have been limited options for Canon and Nikon users.

Sigma is making waves with a range of bargain f/1.4 primes for Canon cameras, but I’d really like to see two of my favorite lens brands get in on the RF action. Irix and Tokina have long impressed me with their build quality, sharp optics, and affordable pricing. They also look good. If Irix in particular could bring their Dragonfly series to the RF mount, it would give Canon users an additional range of wide-aperture, manual focus lenses at a competitive price point.

This isn’t too much of a step into wishful thinking territory since the DSLR-centric Irix lenses were aimed mainly at Canon EF and Nikon F users. With DSLRs fading into history, it wouldn’t be a big jump to re-engineer the lens family for mirrorless use. This would involve down-sizing and making the construction more lightweight, but the result would be an excellent evolution of an established lineup.

Tokina might be more of a wildcard, but the FíRIN range is already available for Sony E Mount and other models can be bought for Fujifilm X. Having models like the atx-m 23mm F1.4 X PLUS for APS-C format Canon cameras could also come in useful if, as discussed earlier, Canon were to introduce a more retro-styled camera, thanks to the manual aperture ring and compact form. Of course, Canon will need to allow third parties to make lenses for its full-frame cameras first – they are currently locked out. All current third party lenses for Canon mirrorless cameras are for APS-C cameras (RF-S).

Let’s rethink camera and lens design

Cameras have looked fairly similar for the majority of the history of photography. Yes, it’s a tried and tested design based largely on practical and technical requirements, but in the digital age, manufacturers have far more latitude to get creative with control layouts than they’ve so far demonstrated.

Take a look at the Sigma BF, or the Sigma FP lines. They aren’t to everyone’s tastes, but there’s no denying that they are different. They represent a new direction in camera design thinking that starts to give us a glimpse of what a digital camera could look like. Sigma is no stranger to pushing boundaries like this, with a history of camera oddities like the SD Quattro H, which served a similar purpose. I don’t think all cameras should be like this, but I’d like to see further development, with a follow-up to the BF and the concept of a modular camera system, allowing photographers to build the camera that’s right for their style of shooting.

There is an argument that cameras can only get so clever before they stop being cameras. Autofocus is now powered by AI and takes much of the work out of the hands of the photographer; before we know it you’ll simply have to point the camera in the general direction of your subject and it will find them, follow them and pick the areas to focus on. We’re virtually there now, and before long re-focusing in post-production will be commonplace. Equally, it’s possible to shoot at up to ISO25,600 and above without much of a noise penalty.

In other words, camera tech is already near-perfect, so how much better can it get? I’d like to see more cameras and lenses with unique character, and less of a focus on absolute quality. People buy Leica cameras and lenses, such as the Leica M EV1, for their signature style, and I want more of that.

In 2026, my hope is that Typoch expands its unique Simera lens range for multiple mounts, and brands like Voigtlander develop lenses like their Nokton 50mm f/1.0 Aspherical. These optics aren’t always the absolute sharpest on the market, but they are still exceptional and bring a style of contrast and color reproduction that is unique to them.

Do we really need as many features?

In 2026, I don’t personally have much need to get excited by yet another generation of AI-driven subject tracking, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like some features already found in some camera families rolled out to others. Let’s start with the humble memory card. I know that CFexpress cards are the future, but I have more high-performance SD cards than I can count, which irritates me slightly.

If I have a camera with dual card slots, I want both to accept the same format. That’s why I like the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and Fujifilm X-T5 – they are high-end cameras but don’t substitute one card slot with a CFexpress or XQD port like the Nikon Z6 III or Nikon Z8. I get the rationale: it allows photographers to slowly build up their stock of the newer format, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a pain in the backside.

Sony cameras like the A7 VI and the recent A7 V, along with the A7R V, have dual slots that accommodate both types of memory card, allowing the use of a two-card setup even if you only have a single format. It’s a relatively simple solution to an otherwise significant inconvenience, and I’d love to see more brands implement it. Should a Canon EOS R5 Mark III make an appearance or a Nikon Z7 III, those would be the ideal opportunities.

Internal memory is another handy feature seen in the likes of the Leica M11, but is noticeably missing from other brands. This seems like another oversight and it’s something that should definitely be normalized in camera design.

What I don’t want to see from cameras and lenses in 2026

There are some directions that camera brands could take their products that I don’t feel would benefit the photography world in a meaningful way. I’d like to see a Leica M12 show up in 2026, potentially with a new processor and improved LCD screen, but what I don’t want is a departure from the established M-system design.

I don’t want the M12 to feature an electronic viewfinder, as seen on the M EV1, as I think this defeats the purpose of owning a rangefinder in this family. I doubt this would happen, as Leica generally knows their audience, but the allure of something shiny and new, especially if the M EV1 sells well, might be enough to dazzle the development team into heading down the wrong path.

I would also prefer that AI stays out of consumer-level cameras. While I’m not anti-AI, I think we need to make the distinction between traditional photography as an art form and AI-driven commercial appeal and convenience. I actually think that marrying cameras and AI could be a ticket towards prolonging the perceived relevance of the high street photographer – take the new Nano Banana-equipped Caira Camera – so long as it’s made clear that proper photographic understanding is required to create authentic moments.

For example, in-camera auto retouching, like the removal of obvious blemishes, might be a huge time-saver for wedding and portrait photographers. You’d shoot a reference image and highlight the bits that weren’t desirable, then the camera would filter these out for you. It would probably have to be done in RAW+Jpeg mode, so you had the unedited files to work on if needed, but it would be a genuinely practical use of AI to increase a photographer’s turnover.

You know what they say; if you can’t beat ‘em…

My 2026 Christmas camera wishlist

• A retro Canon camera
• Irix and Tokina to go mirrorless
• A follow-up to the Sigma BF and/or FP
• More Thypoch Simera lenses (specifically a Thypoch Simera 85mm f/1.4)
• A Leica M12 (with rangefinder)
• Universal memory card slots on more cameras
• More cameras with internal memory
• In-camera AI editing features
• Less industry consolidation: more products with unique design and aesthetic qualities

As I look back over the past 12 months of camera gear and accessory launches, what strikes me is how strong a year this has been for new lenses.

It's not like there's been a shortage of new cameras in 2025, but it's in the lens market that design innovation has impressed me the most, with multiple first-of-a-kind optics, and new players emerging as impressive alternatives to leading camera brands.

I'm here to give some of the best new lenses for 2025 the recognition they deserve. After all, it's cameras that typically get most of the attention and fanfare, but as a photographer I know the importance of great glass.

I've had the pleasure of testing many of the latest lenses from Sony, Canon, Nikon, OM System, Viltrox and more, and below I've listed my top five.

Before we dive in, I must give honorable mentions to a few lenses from this year that I'm yet to try, and which didn't make the selection below. They are the Sigma 17-40mm F1.8, Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC Contemporary, Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR (for APS-C), Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art, Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM and Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM (for full-frame).

Now, let's unpack my five personal favorites, and why they stood out.

Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM

• Release date: April 22
• Verdict: 5 / 5

I wasn't initially convinced by the specs of Sony's 50-150mm F2 GM, nor its premium price tag, but once it was in my hand I was so impressed that I awarded it five stars out of five in my in-depth review. It also took the title of the Best Camera Lens in the 2025 TechRadar Choice Awards 2025, scoring the most votes from our readers and expert TechRadar team alike.

I even described the 50-150mm F2 GM as a lens "worth switching systems for" – high praise indeed. So what makes Sony's unique pro zoom stand out?

Users will appreciate the constant f/2 max aperture whatever the focal length, which makes the 50-150mm a dream lens for events, weddings and portraiture. Focus is fast and silent, optical quality is top drawer whatever the lens settings, and bokeh is dreamy. Besides missing out on optical stabilization (and the matter of that heavy price tag), the Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM is essentially flawless. I've never been more jealous of Sony shooters.

Read my Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM review

Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM sample photos

Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II

• Release date: August 22
• Verdict: 5 / 5

I didn't think Nikon's original Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens needed a successor, but when the mark II version landed in August it improved on the superb original in multiple ways, and is arguably the finest standard professional zoom lens available from any brand.

I own the original model and I'm more than happy with it, so it's all the more impressive that Nikon has been able to improve on the 24-70mm f/2.8 S in several ways. The new mark II version features an internal zoom which means the lens barrel doesn't extend as you zoom, and in my book that improved robustness is welcome, especially for the demanding shoots for which that I would typically use this lens, like events. The new version is also now the lightest 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for any full-frame camera, so more points to Nikon there.

As for image quality, it's fractionally better than the original, and pin-sharp from edge to edge at any setting. Bokeh is smooth, sunstars are crisp, and distortions are non-existent. Autofocus is snappier too. I'm still not about to sell my original 24-70mm f2.8 to upgrade, but that's no reflection on a lens that scores top marks in every metric (and which has already dropped in price).

Read my Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II review

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II sample gallery

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro

• Release date: September 10
• Verdict: 5 / 5

The world's first 100-400mm (equivalent) lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture across its zoom range is truly special. I first got to try the 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro out at a wetland center in the UK which is home to an abundance of birdlife, and was immediately impressed by the lens' versatility and quality. Even better, its reach can be further extended with a 1.4x teleconverter to create a 560mm f/4, or a 2x teleconverter for a 800mm f/5.6.

OM System doubled down on its outdoor photography credentials, ensuring the 50-200mm is properly weather sealed, something that's helped by an internal zoom. Pair it with a camera like the OM-1 II and you have a super-lightweight setup considering what the combo is capable of, including smart subject-detection autofocus, rapid burst shooting, and phenomenal image stabilization performance.

Fussy bokeh in certain scenarios, such as backlit macro photography shots, was a slight letdown, but otherwise the pin-sharp optical quality seriously impresses. There's a severe leap in price from the 40-150mm F2.8, but I think this new zoom is worth every penny. It's an incredible lens, especially for wildlife photography, with decent close-focusing skills adding extra shine. I'd go so far to say as this lens tops my wishlist, being the one that would make the biggest difference to my own setup.

Read my OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro review

OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery

Viltrox 135mm F1.8 LAB

• Release date: March 19 (Z-mount, late 2024 for Sony E-mount)
• Verdict: 4.5 / 5

Viltrox is rightly gaining a solid reputation as a high-quality, affordable alternative to pricey proprietary lenses, and fully deserves to be featured in this article. We've reviewed several of the Chinese lens maker's optics, including the five star 35mm F1.2 LAB, but it was the 135mm F1.8 LAB for full-frame cameras that impressed me the most.

Perhaps it was because I had previously tested the Nikon 135mm f/1.8 S Plena and declared it my dream portrait lens, only for Viltrox to pull it's own version out the bag for just 30% of the asking price.

Yes, the Viltrox version is weightier, but beyond that there's really not all that much to choose between to the two, except for the huge gap in price. Viltrox currently makes lenses first for Sony E-mount, and a number of those also are made for Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mount further down the line.

Viltrox also joined the L-mount alliance in September, and so we should expect further options for its most popular lenses, one of which is 2025's impossibly small 28mm F4.5 pancake. My hope for 2026 is that Viltrox branches out from primes and into high-quality zoom lenses.

Read my Viltrox 135mm F1.8 LAB review

Viltrox 135mm F1.8 LAB sample gallery

Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM

• Release date: November 6
• Verdict: Not yet rated

The one lens in this roundup that I'm yet to get my hands on is the Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM, which is a never-before-seen f/1.2 prime lens without Canon's pro 'L' moniker or premium price tag. This is Canon sticking one back to cheap Chinese alternatives.

I know it won't be up to the same standard as a pricey pro prime equivalent like the RF 35mm F1.4L VCM – even the sample images provided by Canon demonstrate pronounced lens distortion (see below) – but it doesn't need to. What the 45mm F1.2 STM does is bring a super-bright-aperture prime, with its shallow depth of field potential, to beginners who would otherwise be priced out of owning such a lens.

Canon deserves kudos here – of all the leading camera brands, it's the one that's giving the widest camera and lens choice for users of all experience levels and budgets, from the award-winning pro EOS R5 Mark II to the EOS R100 (which is the cheapest mirrorless camera available) and now this cheap f/1.2 prime.

Canon is full of surprises, and while it continues to keep its full-frame RF lens mount closed to third parties, a lens like this finally makes that strategy feel justified.

Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM sample gallery

Other outstanding lenses for 2025

• Viltrox's second professional 'LAB' series lens lands for Nikon Z cameras
• The AF 35mm F1.2 LAB prime was already available for Sony E-mount
• It costs $999 / £959 (around AU$1,900)

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Viltrox lenses – the Chinese lens maker has in my mind established itself as a serious alternative to pricey proprietary lenses (and Sigma), following a string of sharp and affordable optics, spearheaded by its 'LAB' series of pro primes. And as a Nikon user, I've just seen the excellent news – Viltrox's AF 35mm F1.2 LAB is, finally, available for Nikon Z mount.

We've already reviewed the Sony E-mount version of the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB and given it a maximum 5 out of 5 rating – it's an exceptionally high-quality prime, available for 50% less than the superb Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art and Sony's dated Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM.

The price difference is even greater compared to Nikon's version, the Z 35mm f/1.2 S, which is out of my price range at almost three times the cost. However, now I can get a similar pro-quality wide aperture prime for a fraction of the cost.

No longer simply a dream, this is the affordable pro prime I've always wanted

A wide aperture 35mm prime is a lens that I've been wanting to get for my Nikon Z camera since switching from DSLR to mirrorless years ago. I have a history with this type of lens – I took most of my documentary photos over years living in East Africa with a trusty 35mm f/1.4 Sigma Art lens paired with my Nikon DSLR camera.

Mirrorless lenses such as Nikon Z lenses are generally much pricier than DSLR equivalents, and that's why Viltrox is such a breath of fresh air. Now I can get an optically superior 35mm prime, with an even wider f/1.2 aperture than before, for a triple digit price – $999 / £959 (around AU$1,900). Meanwhile, Sigma runs Viltrox close for value, at around half the price of the Nikon lens.

As our review highlights, the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB boasts an excellent build quality with weather sealing, handy digital display, outstanding sharpness and low light capabilities with its maximum f/1.2 aperture.

I've personally reviewed Viltrox's other LAB lens, the AF 135mm F1.8, and its only drawbacks are that it feels overly heavy and autofocus is slightly sluggish. I expect the same issues with the Viltrox's pro wide-angle prime regarding weight again, but have less of a concern with autofocus performance which is seemingly snappier.

I can't wait to put the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB on my Nikon camera and start shooting!

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II: one-minute review

Nikon's Z-mount mirrorless cameras system has come of age – seven years since its first Z-mount cameras, we now have its first second-generation lens, the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, which is designed to replace the original Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S.

I have a particular interest in this new lens, because I've relied on the original for personal and professional work for several years, and I'm still completely happy with it today.

So the question I had going into this review was not whether this lens would be any good – I knew it was going to be a five-star performer. Rather, it's whether it gives users of the original like me enough of a reason to upgrade, and whether it's worth the extra outlay.

I'll cut to the chase and say I don't think it is... depending on the price difference. I've reviewed enough second-generation Sony lenses where I've seen genuine improvement – new lenses that are optically sharper, plus much smaller and lighter. Nikon's new 24-70mm boasts similar improvements, but for me Nikon hasn't quite gone far enough with the upgrades, given the big difference in price at launch but moreso the already excellent quality of the original.

Still, the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is a five-star lens by every metric. Its optical and build quality are top drawer, with edge-to-edge pin sharpness at any focal length, impressive control over lens distortion, and smooth rendering of bokeh.

Build quality impresses, too. Its weather-resistant design betters the original in one key way – zoom is internal, which is one less potential weak spot for dust and water to enter the lens internals.

The original lens is in fact slightly smaller in length, but it extends past the new lens as you zoom up to 70mm. For me, the internal zoom, snappier autofocus, lighter weight and moderately sharper detail are the biggest upgrades, but not enough of a reason to spend so much extra now, rather than waiting for potential price cuts or until the original is phased out.

Price considerations aside, you'll struggle to find a better-quality professional lens, with a versatile 24-70mm zoom and consistent f/2.8 aperture across that range – this is a five-star performer all the way, and key new addition to the Nikon Z lens range.

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II: price and availability

• Priced at $2,799 / £2,599 / AU$4,599
• Lens hood included
• Announced in August 2025

Nikon's Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens was announced in August 2025, costing $2,799 / £2,599 / AU$4,599, lens hood included. At the time of writing the lens has already got its first price cuts in the US and UK where it's now $2,599 / £2,299.

At the time of the mark II's launch, the original 24-70mm lens was already on sale for $2,099 / £1,999, while you can also buy that lens secondhand from trustworthy retailers for much, much less, with prices depending on the condition.

Personally, I'd buy the original secondhand in excellent condition for around 30% less than the mark II new at its current sale price. However, if money is no object for you, then the new lens is of course the better choice of the two.

Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II specs

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II: Design

• Lightest lens of its kind, just 675g
• Weather-resistant design, internal zoom
• Multiple control rings, including a clicked / de-clicked

The 24-70mm f/2.8 is a classic standard zoom and essential offering in a professional mirrorless camera system, historically sitting in the middle of a trio of professional f/2.8 zooms – the other two usually being a 14-24mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8.

When I bought my first mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z6 II, I chose the original Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S as my first lens. Such is its quality and versatility that it ended up being the only lens I owned for years, until I splurged on a fast-aperture telephoto prime.

I didn't think the original 24-70mm needed updating – it's such a good lens already. However, the mark II is the first second-generation Z-mount lens, and it does indeed upgrade the original in several ways.

In terms of design, the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is the lightest of its kind, just 675g – that's approximately 16% lighter than the 805g original. I used both lenses together and I can't say I noticed the difference particularly, even over a long day of event photography. However, that is a decent drop in weight.

The new lens's diameter is slimmer than before, too, with a 77mm filter thread to the original's 82mm. However, the new lens is longer than the original – that is when both lenses are set to the 24mm focal length.

Zoom each lens to 70mm, and that's where the difference kicks in – the new lens has an internal zoom, meaning its dimensions are unchanged as you move through the zoom range (see above), whereas the original lens extends past its successor as you zoom in.

For me, the internal zoom is the single biggest upgrade in the new lens, not only for better balance, but improved ruggedness – it's one less potential point of weakness in terms of dust and dirt ingress. Also, being shorter at 70mm, it's less likely to knock against your surroundings, which is helpful for hectic environments like weddings and events. You can see how the two lenses differ in length below.

We lose the basic top LED, which on the original could display key lens settings, including focus distance. In practice, it's not a feature that I particularly missed. Instead, we gain a control ring which can be set to clicked or de-clicked – I suspect most users will set this ring to control aperture. There's three rings in all; zoom, focus and that custom ring.

There's a reassuring quality to the lens, despite its lightweight design – each ring, button and switch handles well. And it balances perfectly with the Nikon Z6 III, which is the camera I was testing the lens with. By extension, it'll be a decent fit with the Z8 and Z9 cameras, too.

A lens hood is supplied with the lens, and it features a hatch. The idea is that when the hatch is open, it's much easier to make on the go adjustments to a filter, say a variable ND for video recording.

On that note, there is a general sense that the mark II version of the lens is better designed for video work. Autofocus is speedier – more on that shortly – focus breathing is suppressed, and there's that de-clicked aperture control ring for smooth adjustments while recording.

Close focusing is also improved – the minimum focus distance depends on the focal length, but the maximum magnification is 0.32x – that's an improvement from the original's 0.22x, and suitable for close up details such as wedding rings, without being a proper macro lens.

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II: Performance

• Incredibly sharp edge to edge
• Smooth bokeh and impressive control of all lens distortions
• Versatile maximum f/2.8 aperture and snappy autofocus

I've taken a wide range of photos in various scenarios with the lens attached to a Nikon Z6 III (with all in-camera lens corrections turned off), using the various aperture settings and focal lengths. Put simply, the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is optically flawless, save for a light fall-off at f/2.8 (vignetting, which I rather like).

Detail is pin-sharp from center to edges. For reference, I compared like-for-like images shot with the original, and the new lens has the edge (I'm also working on a versus piece between the two lenses where I will share comparison images, coming soon). You'll need to zoom in to 100% to appreciate the difference, but it is there. I wouldn't feel the need to apply any sharpness corrections when editing the images, whereas with the original I tend to apply a little.

Bokeh quality is similar between both lenses. Sure, you'll want a f/1.4 prime or faster for bigger bokeh, but bokeh rendering at f/2.8 is pleasantly smooth and free of any distortion.

What's all the more impressive is that optical quality is better despite what is a simpler optical design – the new lens has 14 elements in 10 groups, compared to the original's 17 elements in 15 groups (this also partly explains the lighter weight of the new lens).

Photos I took in woodland with strong backlighting at f/2.8 are free from chromatic aberration – a distortion I'd expect to see in such a scenario with lesser-quality lenses. In the same scenario with the lens aperture stopped down to f/16, the lens rendered a crisp sunstar (you can see those two photos in the gallery, above).

Only when I pointed the camera straight towards the sun for a backlit selfie could I get any kind of lens flare – that's not a lens drawback, just an impossible situation I presented the lens with, and better lighting required!

Focus breathing is really well controlled, while autofocus performance is superb too. There's no sense of laboring – the lens snappily latches onto subjects, especially when paired with the Z6 III and making use of that camera's subject-detection tracking autofocus skills.

Combine that optical quality, decent close-focusing skills and speedy autofocus, and the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is an impressive performer on all fronts.

Should you buy the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II

• I tested it for one month
• I paired it with the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon ZR cameras
• I used it for photography and video, both indoors and out

Nikon loaned me the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens for a month, and during this time I've used it for event, portraiture and landscape photography, and as an everyday lens. I've also shot video with it.

I've made direct comparisons with my own 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens to see to what degree Nikon has improved on the original.

I've made sure to take images using various aperture settings and focal lengths, with all in-camera lens corrections switched off, and compared those images to check for any lens distortions and assess bokeh quality.

• First reviewed November 2025

• Canon unveils the affordable and lightweight RF 45mm F1.2 STM lens
• It's Canon's first-ever 'non-professional' f/1.2 prime lens
• It costs $469 / £479.99 / AU$699.95, but the lens hood is an optional extra

An affordable, lightweight f/1.2 prime lens from Canon wasn't on my 2025 bingo card, but here we are looking at the new Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM, announced today.

Designed for full-frame cameras, the RF 45mm F1.2 STM is Canon's first 'non-professional' f/1.2 autofocus lens and an ideal pairing with Canon's enthusiast full-frame cameras, such as the EOS R8 and the new EOS R6 Mark III – the latter was announced alongside the lens.

Usually, an f/1.2 prime is a pricey, weighty lens for pros, but Canon's surprising 45mm F1.2 STM is an altogether different creation: it's a lightweight every day carry at just 0.76lb / 346g, and it costs just $469 / £479.99 / AU$699.95.

The 45mm focal length is much like the human perspective, and with its fast f/1.2 aperture and background-blurring potential, the 45mm F1.2 looks ideal for portraiture enthusiasts.

Surely there's a catch, I hear you say. Well, aside from the lens hood being an optional extra (£35.99, about $41 / AU$70), the optical quality clearly won't match the likes of the Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM lens, which is over 5x the price.

Alongside the press release, Canon supplied me with some sample images taken with the lens, which give some indication of the kind of quality we can expect.

Where are the compromises, if any?

I haven't had my hands on the RF 45mm F1.2 STM lens yet, but Canon's range of sample images shot with the lens are quite revealing in terms of the kind of quality we can expect. I've included a variety below.

The flat lay of the food platter is taken at f/8, and the detail is impressively sharp across the frame, with only a slight softening in the corners. Detail is also pretty sharp in some images shot at f/1.2, such as the sliced lemon.

Background bokeh is smooth in that lemon photo, too. However, look closely at the shine of the lemon where it's out of focus, and you can see longitudinal chromatic aberration (bokeh fringing).

It's chromatic aberration that's the most obvious lens distortion I can see across the range of images supplied. For example, magenta fringing is plainly seen in the hair of the redheaded model, while there's green fringing in the out-of-focus trees in the photo of the lady crouched by a waterfront.

I'm hoping these sample images were taken with in-camera lens corrections turned off and no corrections applied in post, and that such distortions are easily corrected with a little editing.

Close focusing looks really limited, too – the specs say that the minimum 0.45m close focusing distance yields a maximum 0.13x magnification. This is no macro lens.

Even still, we shouldn't have unrealistic hopes for optical quality in what is a lightweight f/1.2 autofocus lens with an unmatched low price tag. Big respect to Canon – it has made this once-exclusive fast aperture with its desirable shallow depth-of-field effect available to more people, and I can't wait to try it out for myself to really see how good it is.

Usually, I would expect a lens with these specifications and price tag to come from a third-party Chinese brand, but this is a Canon lens, which, for me as TechRadar's Cameras Editor, is one of 2025's biggest surprises.

• Nikon announces two new Z-mount lenses for its APS-C cameras
• These are both firsts for the 'DX' range – an f/2.8 zoom and a macro lens
• Both optics are designed for video and still photography

Nikon just announced its two latest Z-mount lenses, the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR wide-angle zoom and the Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 macro lens, which is great news if you’re an avid user of Nikon’s entry-level models featuring an APS-C sensor, such as the recent Z50 II.

It's about time, really – the lion share of Nikon's lens announcements over the past couple of years have been for full-frame, largely leaving APS-C users out in the cold.

Back in the DSLR days, there was a significant number of 'DX' optics for the F-Mount, but mirrorless equivalents have proven slow to make an appearance. It’s a shame too, because DX doesn’t necessarily mean second best. Thankfully, Nikon has delivered two superb-looking mirrorless lenses for the format.

The smaller image circle enables diminutive lens designs and lower weight, but it doesn’t result in lower image quality. In fact, the Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 even made it into our list of the Best Nikon Z lenses 2025.

The great aspect of the DX format is that wider maximum aperture settings and more complex optical designs can be incorporated at a fraction of the weight of a comparable full-frame lens ('FX' in Nikon terminology).

Thanks to the crop factor of the smaller APS-C sensors in DX cameras like the Nikon Z50 II, it’s possible to achieve a longer effective focal length (EFL) with a much shorter physical focal length design, as is the case with the new macro and f/2.8 zoom lenses.

Two new DX players enter the scene

It’s for all of the above reasons that Nikon users will be welcoming the news that two lenses have been added to the line-up. The Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR is a first in being the inaugural f/2.8 zoom lens in the DX range. This range offers an equivalent 24-75mm focal range in full-frame terms, placing it firmly in the territory of a professional standard zoom. After all, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is considered an essential pro lens that finds a place in the camera bags of many working photographers, from landscape shooters to travel specialists and portrait experts.

One concern of using an APS-C camera for portraits is that depth-of-field is automatically extended at any given focal length, compared to the same setting on a larger sensor model. It’s an inescapable matter of physics rather than something that the manufacturer can control. However, the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR has a trick up its sleeve in the shape of a very close minimum focus distance of just 0.15 m at 16mm and a mere 0.25 m at the 50mm end. This means the user can move in really close to their subject to help push the background out of focus, for a more high-end look.

The lens also features a useful optical Vibration Reduction (VR) system, which Nikon says can reduce camera shake by up to five stops. Combined with the bright constant f/2.8 aperture, this should make the new 16-50mm ideal for low-light photography, such as in the dim light of a church wedding, for example.

Meanwhile, the Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 macro is the Z-system’s debut DX-format macro optic. Unlike some other lenses, which claim to offer a ‘macro mode’, this lens is a true close-up performer, providing life-size magnification. Well, technically, the lens itself only reproduces the subject at 0.67x, but once you take that 1.5x crop factor into account, you get an equivalent view of a 1:1 life-size lens on a full-frame camera like the Nikon Z f or Nikon Z 5II.

The 35mm f/1.7 (equivalent 53mm) can focus all the way down to 0.16 m, which might actually prove to be impractical when shooting skittish subjects like insects, but once again, it will make for super-shallow depth-of-field when shooting wide open at f/1.7. Sharpness and distortion should hopefully be taken care of with the aspherical ED glass element.

Both lenses are ultra-lightweight. The 16-50mm weighs in at only 330g, and the 35mm macro is a feather-like 220g, approximately. They are also designed to be video-friendly, according to Nikon, with fast and quiet autofocus and controlled focus breathing. I’ll be interested to test how effective this is once I get my hands on review samples.

With both models likely useful for everyday shooting, as well as more specialist functions, they should appeal to beginners and enthusiasts, who should be more reassured that Nikon intends to invest in developing this end of their product range.

“Our customers have been asking for more DX Z lenses, and we’ve been listening,” says Dirk Jasper, Product Manager at Nikon Europe. “With the introduction of a high-performance f/2.8 zoom lens and a fast macro lens, DX camera owners get two great opportunities to take the next step in their creative journey.”

Both lenses will be available from 30th October 2025. The Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR will cost $899.95 / £779 / AU$1,299, and the Nikkor Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 will set you back $449.95 / £399 / AU$699.

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• Sony's first pro G Master macro lens comes 10 years after the 90mm F2.8 G
• It boasts a 1.4x max magnification and is compatible with teleconverters
• It will cost $1,500 / £1,400 / AU$2,599, and sales start in November

Sony just upped its macro photography game with its first professional G Master macro lens, the new Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS.

The full-frame 100mm F2.8 Macro is a first for Sony, and should excite macro photography fans – it delivers a 1.4x maximum magnification, which can be doubled with a 2x teleconverter to a 2.8x magnification.

True macro lenses should deliver at least a 1x magnification – that's true life size – which is something that Sony's 10-year-old 90mm F2.8 macro does, but the new 100mm F2.8 focuses even closer on the little details.

And being a G Master lens, the 100mm F2.8 Macro promises top drawer optical quality from corner to edges with minimal distortion, while its 11-blade aperture seemingly creates dreamy circular bokeh, if the spectacular sample images are anything to go by.

The lens is equipped with with optimized optical image stabilization specifically for macro photography, plus a raft of external controls and a rugged weather-resistant design.

Beyond the headlines, it's the autofocus and manual focus features that grabbed my attention as a seasoned macro photographer. There are no fewer than three external controls on the lens for focusing, which make switching between modes and acquiring sharp focus as easy as possible.

Firstly, autofocus is responsive – up to 1.9x faster than Sony's 90mm F2.8 Macro lens and fast enough to support 120fps stills shooting and slow motion video recording.

Then there's the focus range limiter for near focus, far focus, or the full range, which should avoid unnecessary focus hunting, plus Sony's Full-time DMF switch for seamlessly switching between auto and manual focus.

Slide the focus ring forward, and you get full manual focus control and focus distance markings, complete with mechanical stops for minimum and infinity focus positions. Put simply, this is a properly-designed macro photography lens.

The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS costs $1,500 / £1,400 / AU$2,599, and sales start in November.

Impressive as Sony's new macro lens sounds, it's not the only option for macro fans shooting with Sony, nor is it a first of its kind. For example, Canon launched a macro lens with 1.4x magnification in 2021, which we awarded 4.5 stars in our Canon 100mm F2.8 in-depth review.

OM System goes one step closer with the five-star 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro, which has an equivalent 180mm focal length and 4x magnification. Still, those are other systems, so let's consider your other options for Sony.

Macro magic

The headline feature is undoubtedly the beyond-life-size 1.4x magnification. For context, an object as small as 24mm will fill the entire width of your frame when you are maximizing the 0.26m close focusing distance. Whack a 2x teleconverter on, and objects as small as 12mm fill the frame from a distance of 0.29m.

Let's be clear, however – there are other Sony E-mount macro lenses with even higher magnification from third party brands, namely Laowa. There's the Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO with 2x magnification and it costs just $499 / £569, plus a 90mm F2.8 alternative, but focus and aperture is fully manual when paired with Sony cameras, so handling will be trickier in the field.

What you get with Sony's latest E-mount lens, however, is the promise of G Master quality and superb handling.

This year I've been blown away by some of Sony's pro lenses, such as the FE 50-150mm F2 GM. I'd expect things to be no different with the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS, and I can't wait to get my hands on one and get lost in the micro world around me.

Macro is a genre of photography where camera phones still can't compete with proper camera and lenses, and one in which Sony has just levelled up.

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• Panasonic's longest-reaching telephoto zoom, up to 500mm
• Works with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, extending reach up to 1000mm
• Industry-leading 7EV optical image stabilization performance

Panasonic finally has a super telephoto lens in its L-mount lineup following the introduction of the Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S.

Designed to work with full-frame cameras such as the Lumix S1 II, the 100-500mm is the first lens by Panasonic that zooms up to 500mm, plus it works with Panasonic's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, increasing that zoom range up to 1000mm.

I've used numerous telephoto zooms with this sort of focal length range before – including the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S – and they are a versatile choice for enthusiast wildlife photography and grassroots sports.

The 100-500mm has multiple features that grabbed my attention when Panasonic presented the lens to me. For one, it is particularly compact and lightweight for this type of lens, measuring just 7.72inches / 196.1mm in length and tipping the scales at 2.83lb / 1,285g.

It also looks like it will handle really well, with a rugged weather-resistant design, an array of useful external controls for zoom and focusing, plus what Panasonic says is industry-leading optical stabilization (OIS) performance.

Thanks to a new dual-ball support, OIS is rated up to 7EV. Paired with a Lumix camera and sensor-based stabilization, I would expect unmatched image stabilization performance (in the full-frame sensor format), ideal for handheld use.

An all-new Tight-Smooth ring adjusts the zoom tension, providing the response you need based on the scenario, from delicate smooth zooms for filming to fast changes. The lens can also switch between a linear and non-linear response, meaning it's possible to manually focus while zooming.

Minimum focus is 2.62ft / 0.8m at the wide end or 4.92ft / 1.5m when zoomed in, delivering a 0.36x maximum magnification – that's some decent close focusing skills. Autofocus is supposedly quick, accurate, and silent, while focus breathing is suppressed, too.

Overall, the lens looks like it will handle beautifully for stills and video and for a range of scenarios. However, there's one major drawback for me – the maximum aperture.

At 100mm, the maximum aperture is f/5, while at 500mm it's reduced to f/7.1. I have no problem with the aperture regarding depth of field – it'll be shallow enough to isolate subjects and make for lovely background blur at those focal lengths.

The problem I have is the shutter speeds available at those focal lengths. If I'm photographing wildlife, I want the biggest possible aperture for the fastest possible shutter speeds to freeze the action, and the 100-500mm is limited in this regard.

That maximum aperture also limits the usefulness of the teleconverters, which only further reduce the maximum aperture available by 1 and 2 stops, respectively.

I've not had my hands on the lens yet, so I cannot comment on the optical quality either, but let's review its price and where it sits among the other telephoto lens options now available for L-mount cameras.

A compelling telephoto?

The Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S lens costs $2,099 / £1,799 / AU$3,699 and sales start in October (November in Australia). That pricing, when considering the limited maximum aperture, indicates the kind of super-sharp optical quality I'd expect.

It fills a big gap in Panasonic's full-frame lens range, becoming the top super telephoto L-mount Panasonic lens, with the longest reach. However, the L-mount alliance comprises 10 members, most of which make lenses that are directly compatible with Panasonic cameras. These included Sigma, Leica, and, most recently, Viltrox.

Sigma alone offers a number of alternatives: the 500mm F5.6 prime, which is just a little heavier and longer than Panasonic's, but way pricier by 50%.

Then there's the versatile 150-600mm F5-6.3, which is much heavier and much larger, but around 50% cheaper – don't expect optical quality to match Panasonic's either.

Probably the most obvious alternative is the Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3, which costs just 10% more and has a wider zoom range. However, it is 100% heavier and 50% longer.

When you consider those alternatives, it's clear that Panasonic has prioritized a compact and rugged design and excellent handling, at the cost of a bright aperture. If that major drawback doesn't put you off, then Panasonic's 100-500mm could well be worth looking into.

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In my recent OM System 50-200mm F2.8 review, I gave the pro telephoto zoom a best-in-class five-star rating. I loved my week with the lens, and I hope that one day I'll buy my own. So what's so special about it?

For one, it has incredible features. It's OM System's second pro 'white' lens, with an equivalent 100-400mm focal length and a maximum f/2.8 aperture across that versatile range, which is a world-first.

It can also pair with teleconverters: add a 1.4x teleconverter and you get a lens with a maximum 560mm reach and f/4 maximum aperture, or add a 2x teleconverter for 800mm f/5.6. Wow.

This impressive reach and bright aperture are complemented by superb optical quality, decent macro skills, and delivered in a (relatively) lightweight and rugged IP53-rated design.

It's clearly an excellent lens in its own right, but the picture is way bigger than that – it shows just how the Micro Four Thirds system is a top choice for wildlife and sports over other popular formats, such as full-frame.

Furthermore, the OM System 50-200mm doubles down on a photography frontier that smartphones haven't properly touched yet – it's a lens that you'll actually use. Let me explain.

A full-frame beating combo

I tested the 50-200mm F2.8 – full name OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro – with the OM System OM-1 II – and the first thing to note is the excellent balance between the rugged IP53-rated weather resistance pairing.

The lens weighs 38oz / 1,075g – which is much lighter and smaller than full-frame alternatives – and with the OM1-II, the combination weighs 59oz / 1,674g. I easily carried the combo over long wildlife photography outings.

For context, Nikon's Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S almost weighs that much by itself, and a 400mm f/2.8 full-frame prime is a whole other level at around 3 times the weight.

OM System has fine-tuned its subject detection autofocus for excellent wildlife tracking skills, especially for bird photography. I'd say autofocus performance for such purposes equals that of the best full-frame rivals.

The lens can also support the camera's maximum 50fps burst shooting speeds with continuous autofocus – handy for capturing the moment during fast action.

Macro photography is another big win here. With a close-focusing distance of as little as 0.78m at any focal length, you get a 0.5x (full-frame equivalent) maximum reproduction ratio. In other words, half life size.

The lens's optical stabilization combines with the camera's in-body image stabilization for incredible performance – quoted up to 7.5EV and the real deal – helping you get sharp macro and telephoto wildlife shots.

Detail is pin-sharp even at f/2.8, although I found bokeh a little fussy in some scenarios, such as backlit macro photos of a spider and its web. For the most part, though, bokeh is smooth.

Above all, it's that maximum aperture and focal length combo that shines. True, being Micro Four Thirds, it has an equivalent depth of field to an f/5.6 full-frame lens, like the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S.

However, when shooting at any of those focal lengths, depth of field is shallow enough for pro-looking blurry backgrounds. It's the additional light intake that truly wins. The f/2.8 aperture unleashes fast shutter speeds to freeze action, be it bright daylight or as the light fades, which is a crucial component for a lot of wildlife photography and sports.

Micro Four Thirds has image-quality drawbacks compared to full-frame. However, OM System's 50-200mm F2.8 lens wipes those away, and it's a much lighter package.

For me, high-performing telephoto lenses for the likes of wildlife and sports photography are one of the last remaining frontiers for 'proper' camera gear over the best cameraphones, and the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 is one of the best examples available.

I'm much more likely to head out with a telephoto lens like this over, say, a wide-angle prime, when I've got such a good smartphone camera.

It's such a shame, then, that the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 costs $3,699 / £2,999 / AU$4,999. That's much pricier than the OM System 40-150mm F2.8, and pricier than the Nikon 100-400mm, even if it's much cheaper than a 400mm f/2.8 pro prime.

Still, it's a lens I know I'd use regularly, for genres of photography that bring me so much happiness. I'd better get saving.

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OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: two-minute review

Having shot with the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 zoom, I'm now an even bigger fan of the Micro Four Thirds format for wildlife photography than I was previously. It's a fabulous lens in every regard, with superb build quality, excellent handling and top-drawer image quality.

Above all, its bright maximum f/2.8 aperture – which is a first for a 100-400mm equivalent lens – delivers super-fast shutter speeds and better light intake than cheaper alternatives, which levels up the kind of telephoto wildlife action it's possible to capture.

I tested the telephoto zoom with an OM System OM-1 II; together the IP53-rated weather-resistant pairing are impressively lightweight at just 59oz / 1,674g, and deliver incredible image stabilization and subject-detection autofocus performance, especially for birds – the lens's autofocus can continuously keep up with the camera's blazing 50fps burst shooting speeds.

I love how the lens balances with the camera, and I happily carried the pairing all day, rain or shine. Its internal zoom further protects against potential dust ingress over the long run, and I've no doubt it'll last for many years of heavy use.

Detail is impressively sharp, even at f/2.8, which is the aperture I used the most. This setting also enables the use of the fast shutter speeds that are crucial for high-speed wildlife photography.

Bokeh at f/2.8 is smooth for the most part, though in some scenarios it appeared a little fussy. Close the aperture down and you lose the circular shaping, and get harder edges instead. Bokeh is fine overall, but this is probably the only real negative to mention regarding optical quality.

Close focusing impresses – just 0.78m at any focal length, for up to half-life-size macro capture.

I do have to get the small matter of the price out of the way at this point. At £3,000 (US and Australia pricing is TBC), the 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro is less than half the price of OM System's other pro 'white' lens, the 150-400mm F4.5, but almost three times the price of the 40-150mm F2.8.

In fact, it's pricier than similar full-frame lenses – Nikon's 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S comes to mind. However, considering the features on board, the build and optical quality, and that maximum f2.8 aperture, it's still decent value, even if many will be priced out.

I can't fault the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 as an overall package. It's a superb telephoto zoom, and one that I can only dream will one day live in my gear bag. If you're a serious wildlife shooter, OM System has produced one of the best camera and lens pairing you can find.

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro specs

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: Design

• IP53-rated weather-resistant design, internal zoom
• Relatively lightweight at 38oz / 1,075g
• 0.78m close focusing for 0.5x (equivalent) magnification

I can't find any fault in the 50-200mm F2.8's design. It's IP53-rated, and is weather-resistant and freeze-proof to -10C; its internal zoom – a feature you'll generally only find in high-end optics – is further evidence of its rugged credentials, as it's one less place for potential dust ingress.

Check out the images below, which show how the lens barrel remains unchanged as you zoom through the focal range.

Considering its features – particularly that focal length and maximum aperture combo – it's lightweight too, at 38oz / 1,075g (without the removable collar). Paired with an OM System camera like the OM-1 II, the total weight is only 59oz / 1,674g, making for a comfortable all-day carry.

All the external controls you'd want in a telephoto zoom are here: optical stabilization, manual / autofocus switch, custom buttons, and a focus range limiter.

Focus range can be limited to 0.78-3m, which is handy for macro photography (for which the lens has that impressive minimum close-focusing distance 0.78m), or to 3m to infinity, which is the option I'd pick when shooting telephoto wildlife. A third option is the full focus distance range, which could increase the risk of focus hunting.

The lens is supplied with a tripod collar, and I tend to keep this attached even when shooting handheld, as it provides another point of contact or place to hold when shooting.

There's no built-in teleconverter, which is a feature you'll sometimes find in high-end telephoto lenses, including OM System's own monster 150-400mm F4.5. However, I'd happily use OM System's 1.4x teleconverter with this lens – I've used it before, and I wouldn't expect to see any significant drop off in image quality.

Adding the 1.4x teleconverter extends the maximum reach of the lens at the cost of 1EV of light, effectively turning this into a 560mm f/4 lens. That's still seriously impressive, and a better reach for bird photography, where subjects tend to be small and tricky to get close to.

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: Performance

• 100-400mm effective focal length with maximum f/2.8 aperture
• Optical and camera stabilization combine for up to 7.5EV stabilization
• Sharp detail and, for the best part, smooth bokeh
• Supports 50fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus

The OM System 50-200mm F2.8 is an impressive performer in every respect. Its autofocus speed and precision are top drawer; when paired with the OM-1 II, it quickly latched onto subjects such as birds, and was able to support 50fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus.

The lens's optical stabilization can also combine with the OM-1 II's in-body image stabilization to deliver up to 7.5EV of stabilization.

In real terms, OM System says you can shoot handheld at the maximum focal length, which is 400mm (effective), using shutter speeds as slow as 1/3 sec, and still get sharp results.

Of course, if the action is moving then 1/3 sec won't be of much use, unless you want to intentionally blur your subject, but static objects will indeed appear sharp based on my testing.

For me, what's even better to have than the superb stabilization performance is the bright maximum f/2.8 aperture. This enables fast shutter speeds to freeze action, which is personally what I'm looking for a lens like this to do – for wildlife, you can do so much more with a f/2.8 telephoto than, say, an f/5.6 one.

The 100-400mm effective focal length range easily covers a range of scenarios – it's my go-to range for grassroots sports like soccer, and for large wildlife. To give you an idea of the difference between 100mm and 400mm, I've taken pictures of the same scene at those extremes, and you can see some examples in the gallery below.

I also explored macro photography with the 50-200mm F2.8, and you can see some of those pictures below. The 0.25x maximum magnification (which is 0.5x full-frame effective) is half-life size and super-versatile – there's no such full-frame lens with such a feature set.

It was while using the lens to shoot macro, including a dew-covered backlit spider's web at first light, that I started paying particular attention to the bokeh – the quality of the out-of-focus orbs of light.

At f/2.8 it's smooth and rounded, but there are scenarios, such as the cobweb shots, where it becomes a little fussy rather than smooth – stopping the aperture down to f/7.1 to increase depth of field revealed polygonal-shaped bokeh. For less extreme scenarios, bokeh quality is pleasant, but I wouldn't buy this lens solely for that attribute.

Where this lens shines is in its wonderfully sharp detail, no matter the focal length or aperture (f/2.8 to f/11, at least). I've been really impressed by the quality of detail in my subjects, and I've been able to shoot images that simply wouldn't be possible with cheaper gear, or even with full-frame lenses with darker maximum apertures, like the Nikon 100-400mm.

If anything is holding this lens back, it's the limitations of the Micro Four Third's sensor format, which is half the size of full-frame. It's less clean in low light, and dynamic range is a little limited in high-contrast scenes, like the sunrise shot in the gallery below (scroll past those adorable guinea pigs).

The maximum f/2.8 aperture mostly makes up for any sensor format limitations, though, and in its own right the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 is a top-quality telephoto zoom, with no real drawbacks.

Should you buy the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro

• Following an initial testing session with OM System, I used the 50-200mm extensively for an entire week
• I paired it with the OM System OM-1 II
• I took telephoto shots of wildlife, macro photos of spiders, and more

I first used the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro at an event hosted by OM System at a wildlife trust in the UK, where I had some hands-on experience photographing exotic birds. I subsequently used the camera over a week-long loan period, paired with the OM System OM-1 II camera.

During my own time with the lens I've taken it out for sunrise shoots of birdlife on a common, been captivated by the macro world of insects including backlit spider's webs, and snapped my family's pet guinea pigs at last light.

I've made sure that all lens corrections are switched off in-camera, shot in both raw and JPEG format, used every key focal length and various apertures, then assessed image quality using Adobe Camera Raw, which has OM System profiles.

• First reviewed September 2025

Canon is keeping up its hybrid mirrorless camera gear push with the launch of its fifth f/1.4 prime lens designed for photo and video, the RF 85mm F1.4L VCM.

I've already had some hands-on time with the portrait lens, pairing it with the superb EOS R5 Mark II, and I came away with pin-sharp portraits with buttery smooth bokeh.

The 85mm F1.4L VCM follows Canon's 20mm, 24mm, 35mm and 50mm f/1.4 optics, all of which are identical in length and diameter, although they differ slightly in weight – the 85mm is the heaviest in the series, tipping the scales at 22.4oz / 636g.

That said, the 85mm F1.4L VCM a whole lot lighter, and cheaper, than Canon's pro RF 85mm F1.2L prime (which is almost twice the price), and for most portrait photographers it's the obvious pick, especially for those that shoot both photo and video.

The RF 85mm F1.4L VCM is far from cheap, mind – it costs £1,679.99 / AU$2,699 (US pricing TBC), with sales due to start on September 30.

Here's how I got on during my brief hands-on session with Canon's new lens ahead of its launch…

The portrait prime that hybrid creators will love

Unlike most other Canon RF lenses, the company's line of VCM optics, which now comprises five primes and two zooms, are designed for photo and video use.

Each lens features a click-less aperture ring for smooth adjustments while filming, Canon's Voice Coil Motor, which drives the practically silent and rapid autofocus (hence the name VCM), and suppressed focus breathing.

With unified dimensions (you can see all five lenses side by side, above) and negligible weight differences, the idea is that video creators using a gimbal can easily swap between any of the five primes without needing to recalibrate.

The new 85mm lens is the most telephoto of the lot, with a go-to focal length for portrait photography – during my brief time with the lens, it excelled for portraiture.

I grabbed a few outdoor portraits, seeking out dappled background light in order to pour over bokeh quality (those out-of-focus light orbs), taking like-for-like shots at f/1.4 and with the aperture closed down a little.

Check out the three portraits, above: in the first you can see that the bokeh is a little cats-eye shaped in the corner, but in the last its rounded throughout. In all the portraits I took, bokeh is buttery smooth.

There's more contrast in the (second) portrait shot at f/2.8 over the f/1.4 version. However, I love the high-key dreamy feel at f/1.4. Also, detail in the subject's eyes in pin-sharp in every photo.

That's the beauty of Canon's mirrorless camera gear, especially the EOS R5 Mark II which we awarded Camera of the year 2024 – autofocus performance is so reliable that you can relax into portrait shoots. Subject detection works a treat for animals too – check out the series of photos of a goose, below, taken at f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8 and f/4.

Specs-wise, the lens has an 11-blade aperture, which for the majority of the frame makes for rounded and smooth bokeh. Minimum focus distance is 29.5 inches / 75cm, which renders a modest 0.12x maximum magnification – this is no macro lens.

This isn't the first 85mm lens for Canon's RF mount – there's the aforementioned f/1.2 monster, and also a f/2 macro. But for portrait photographers, especially armed with a camera like the EOS R5 Mark II, or one of Canon's cinema cameras like the new EOS C50 (see below), it's a superb option. It's not cheap, but it's optically excellent.

Despite it being the fifth lens in the series of f/1.4 VCM primes, I can see the 85mm finding its way into the top two in terms of popularity, given the focal length, and those who buy it won't be disappointed – it's a fabulous lens.

What do you think of Canon's new RF 85mm F1.4L VCM, and the company's growing emphasis on hybrid camera gear? Let me know in the comments below.

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• Viltrox becomes the tenth member of the L-mount alliance
• Some of its current lenses and future ones could get the L-mount treatment
• Leica, Panasonic, Sigma, Blackmagic Design and DJI all make L-mount cameras

In my book, Viltrox is the changing the lens making game – because it's latest Pro and LAB lenses deliver incredible build and optical quality, at a snip compared to proprietary equivalents.

Take its 135mm F1.8 Lab, a superb portrait lens, as I found out when I paired it with a full-frame Nikon camera. This lens is the real deal, for just a third of the price of Nikon's Plena.

Until now, Viltrox has focused its attention on lenses for Sony E-mount cameras, followed by Fujifilm X-mount and Nikon Z-mount. But today marks an exciting chapter for the Chinese lens making upstart: it has joined the L-mount alliance.

Set up by Leica, the L-mount is utilized by a number of brands, including Panasonic, Sigma, Blackmagic Design, DJI and, of course, Leica itself.

Viltrox becomes the tenth member of the L-mount alliance, and the promise of its high-quality optics being made in L-mount versions is great news for anyone shooting with an L-mount camera too, such as the Pansonic Lumix S1R II or Blackmagic Pyxis 6K.

A win-win situation

Viltrox follows Sirui as another low-cost lens maker in the L-mount alliance, but this latest news is arguably even more exciting given Viltrox's upward curve and growing reputation.

We billed its new Sony 35mm F1.2 LAB for Sony cameras as "a stunning lens with an irresistible price tag", awarding five stars out of five in our in-depth review. Likewise, its AF 16mm F1.8 is a "go-to ultra-wide prime for landscape and astrophotography".

Only this week did Viltrox also announce a new 56mm F1.2 lens for APS-C crop sensor cameras, available for Sony E and Fujifilm X-mount, which looks like a superb portrait optic.

The L-mount portfolio comprises 20 cameras and more than 120 lenses, and it's set to grow with the addition of Viltrox. As a Nikon Z-mount user, I'm already on my third Viltrox Z-mount lens, and couldn't be happier.

We don't yet know which lenses will get the L-mount treatment, but if you shoot with an L-mount camera, trust me you should watch this space to see which Viltrox lenses are released – you won't be disappointed.

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• Nikon's 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens is the lightest of its kind
• The second-gen model costs $2,799.95 / £2,599 / AU$4,599.95
• It's available from mid-September

Years back, when I upgraded from a Nikon DSLR camera to a mirrorless model, the Z6 II, I also forked out for the 24-70mm f/2.8 S pro lens. I had it in mind to buy additional lenses when I could afford to, like an 85mm prime, but the versatile zoom is so good that it ended up being my only Z-mount lens for years.

During that time, I completed countless paid gigs with the 24-70mm. It beggars belief, therefore, that Nikon's new mark II version of the lens – its first second-gen Z-mount lens – betters the original model in virtually every regard.

The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II features a redesigned lens construction, 11-blade aperture and new autofocus motor, all of which combine for a lighter, faster and supposedly optically sharper package, complete with unique features in this class.

Naturally, the latest lens is pricier than the original model – it costs $2,799.95 / £2,599 / AU$4,599.95 and will be available from mid-September. The mark I version on sale can be had for around 30% less, and I expect its current price to drop further.

However, the improvements in the new model have me convinced that I need to upgrade. Let's take a look at how it betters my current 24-70mm f/2.8.

• 🇺🇸 Buy the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II at B&H Photo for $2,796.95
• 🇬🇧 In the UK, it's £2,599 at WEX
• 🇦🇺Meanwhile in Australia, Ted Cameras is selling the lens for AU$4,599.95

Why I'm going to upgrade to the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II

Nikon says the new Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is the lightest in its class, weighing just 23.8oz / 675g (compared to 28.4oz / 805g for the original model). I haven't held it yet, but I'm sure it'll feel better balanced with my Z6 II, especially over long shoot days.

It's also the only such lens to feature an internal zoom – meaning that the lens barrel is fixed as you zoom in and out (the lens barrel of the original model and other 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms extends and retracts as you move through the zoom range).

An internal zoom means the balance of the lens remains unchanged as you zoom, plus it reduces exposure to moving parts. Together with weather sealing, I expect dust and dirt to stay out – this looks like a particularly robust lens.

The mark II version is also said to have 50% quieter and 5x faster autofocus compared to the original, thanks to a new and exotically named Silky Swift Voice Coil Motor. Not that my 24-70mm is slow – far from it – but any improvement in autofocus speed is welcome.

Suppressed focus breathing and a de-clickable control ring – which can be used for aperture – also feature, making the 24-70mm f/2.8 S II a more suitable optic for video.

And Nikon says the new lens is optically sharper than the original version. Again, my lens is super sharp, but the new version sounds like prime lens quality at any setting of its zoom and aperture range.

A neat addition is the supplied lens hood with its filter window – you can slide the window open for easy access to lens filters without needing to remove the hood. That's a handy feature when using variable ND filters, which I often use for video.

All in all, the upgrades are comprehensive. And given the original 24-70mm works so well for me already, I'm looking at upgrading to the new version rather than buying a new, different one.

I hope to get my hands on the new 24-70mm f/2.8 soon to see just how good it is for real.

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• Sigma unveils an ultra-wide 12mm f/1.4 lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras
• It's available for Sony, Canon and Fujifilm cameras for £519 (US / AU pricing TBC)
• 200mm F2 telephoto prime also revealed, part of Sigma's pro Sports line

Good Lord, Sigma's lens making department is on a roll. Following its versatile 18-40mm F1.8 zoom and award-winning 300-600mm F4 telephoto monster, it has unveiled two high-quality primes; a 12mm F1.4 for APS-C cameras, plus a full-frame 200mm F2.

The 12mm lens is the fifth and widest in a line of f/1.4 primes for APS-C cameras, following 16mm, 23mm, 30mm and 56mm options. I've tested all of four of those existing f/1.4 primes with a Canon mirrorless camera, and they pack superb optical performance into a lightweight and super-compact form factor.

There's still a clear need for the new 12mm lens, though, with its equivalent 18mm focal length in full-frame terms filling a niche for astrophotography, especially with its super-bright f/1.4 aperture. The previous widest f/1.4 lens in the range has an equivalent 24mm focal length, which won't be wide enough for many keen astrophotographers.

Sigma has made the ultra-wide prime for Sony E, Canon RF and Fujifilm X-mount cameras and its list price is £519 (US and Australia pricing TBC). We don't yet know if it will be made for other lens mounts such as Nikon Z or L-mount, but judging from previous launches I would hedge my bets that it will.

The new ultra-wide prime isn't the only news from Sigma today. It has also unveiled the world's first 200mm lens with bright f/2 aperture, available for Sony E and L-mount cameras.

As part of Sigma's Sports line for pros, the 200mm F2 shares much of the same DNA as the 300-600mm super telephoto zoom; it features superb optics, a high-speed autofocus response, 6.5EV optical image stabilization using Sigma's OS2 algorithm, and a dust- and splash-resistant build. It costs £2,999 (again, US and Australia pricing TBC).

The sales start date for both lenses is set for September 4.

Shoot for the stars

Sigma's new 12mm F/1.4 lens will no doubt appeal to astrophotographers that shoot with an APS-C mirrorless camera, such as the Sony A6700, Canon EOS R7 or Fujifilm X-T5. However, with its compact build, wide perspective, responsive autofocus and minimal focus breathing, it also fits the bill for a different kind of star – vlogging.

It weighs just 7.9oz / 225g and measures 2.7in / 68mm in length, making it a compact pairing with any compatible APS-C, plus it's dust- and splash-resistant, so there's no problem getting out in challenging terrain or cold nights.

For optical engineering, the 200mm F2 pro prime is arguably all the more impressive, being the brightest 200mm lens on the market. It's billed for telephoto portraits and indoor sports, especially given its bright f/2 aperture and the compression effect achieved by the telephoto focal length.

It's a weightier affair than the 12mm F/1.4, tipping the scales at 64.2oz / 1,820g and measuring 7.9in / 201mm in length. That's the price you pay for the bright f/2 aperture at such a telephoto focal length, versus a 70-200mm zoom lens with a maximum f/2.8 aperture.

Judging from my experience with previous Sigma lenses, I expect both of these latest unique optics to deliver high-quality images, which are otherwise not possible given the world-first features on offer, while many APS-C shooters could finally have the astrophotography lens they have been asking for. For further information, do check out the Sigma website.

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Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary: one-minute review

Most beginner mirrorless cameras are available as a kit with a standard zoom lens – a pairing that many users settle with long-term. However, if you want notably better-quality photos from such a setup, my first bit of advice would be to invest in an additional lens.

That's where the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DC Contemporary prime comes in. Offering pin-sharp detail, dreamy bokeh and an 85mm effective focal length, it's ideal for portraiture, and a level up from your kit zoom.

It's one of a quartet of dinky f/1.4 primes by Sigma. But of those four, and indeed of the many lenses I've tested for crop-sensor cameras, it's Sigma's 56mm F1.4 that has impressed me the most.

What's more – it's tiny, lightweight, and well-built too, meaning it'll pair nicely with mirrorless cameras from the likes of Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, and more.

In fact, Sigma should be commended for making this lens available for such a wide range of lens mounts. It was originally released for Sony E and Micro Four Thirds back all the way back in 2018, then for other mounts such as Fujifilm X, and only this year did it debut for Canon RF – a third-party lens for Canon RF is rare.

Put simply, the Sigma 56mm F1.4 is the best second lens you can buy in this format, especially for portraiture. Being a Sigma, it's made in-house in Japan to high standards, and the cherry on the cake is that it's reasonably priced too.

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary specs

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary: Price and availability

• Available for most mirrorless camera lens mounts
• Priced at around $450 / £420 / AU$650, depending on mount

Sigma offers the 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary in L mount, Sony E mount, Fujifilm X mount, Micro Four Thirds mount, Nikon Z mount, Canon EF-M mount and Canon RF mount versions. Put simply, you can find a version of the lens for your crop-sensor mirrorless camera, without needing an adaptor.

How much the lens costs depends on the version you need. The Canon RF version, for example, costs $449 / £419 / AU$649, while the Sony E-mount version is a little cheaper.

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary: Design

• Weighs around 10oz / 285g
• Plastic barrel, no external buttons
• Available for most mirrorless camera lens mounts

Lenses for APS-C cameras tend to be smaller than equivalent full-frame optics, and that's certainly true of the Sigma 56mm F1.4. It weighs just 10oz / 285g (the Canon RF version is a few grams heavier), and measures 57.5mm in length, whereas an 85mm f/1.4 lens for full-frame cameras would typically be double the weight and size.

Its diminutive dimensions and light weight make the Sigma lens a suitable match for the best beginner mirrorless cameras, and it's the dinkiest in the series of f/1.4 primes. I was testing it with the Canon EOS R100, which is Canon's smallest mirrorless camera with RF mount, and there was a really nice balance to the pair.

There's a nice feel to the lens too, thanks to its large rubberized focus ring that's easy to locate and smooth in action. The barrel is plastic rather than metal, but it feels solid enough. I didn't exactly thrash the lens around during testing and portrait shoots, but I can still appreciate its durability.

The mount, on the other hand, is metal, and most versions feature a rubber seal for dust and moisture resistance (the exception is the Canon EF-M version). It's worth pointing out that Sigma makes the lens at its HQ in Aizu, Japan, with tight control over build and optical quality.

There are zero external buttons and switches on the lens; the sole manual control to hand is the focus ring. I was testing the lens with a beginner-level camera, which also lacks the kind of external controls found on pricier cameras. As such, I missed having quick access to a basic adjustment such as a manual / autofocus switch.

The lens comes with a generously-sized lens hood, and should you want to attach threaded filters you'll need 55mm ones. Such small filters are usually pretty low-cost.

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary: Performance

• Smooth, rapid and precise autofocus
• Maximum f/1.4 aperture for defocusing backgrounds
• Minimum 19.7 inches / 50cm focus distance delivers 1:7.4 maximum magnification

Autofocus in the 56mm F1.4 lens is powered by a stepping motor, which drives the lightweight lens elements with ease for quiet, rapid and accurate focus. Focusing is internal too – which means the lens's exterior maintains its size.

The minimum focus distance is 19.7 inches / 50cm, which is pretty decent for an 85mm-equivalent lens, realizing a 1:74 maximum magnification. This is no macro lens, however; the closest you'll get to sharp focus is on details such as flower heads.

The aperture range is f/1.4 to f/16, with a nine-blade rounded aperture. Naturally, I gravitated to the maximum aperture for portraiture, and I suspect that the majority of the photos I would take with the lens, should I own it myself (and I want to), would be at f/1.4.

At this aperture, backgrounds defocus nicely for head-and-shoulders portraits, as in the images below, in which you can also see what bokeh looks like – note the quality of the dappled light in the background. Bokeh is smooth and round in the center of the frame, although a little cats-eye-shaped in the corners.

On the same day that I shot those portraits, I also used Canon's own RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM lens for portraits and the difference in quality was clear – bokeh in the lower-end Canon lens has an ugly onion-ring effect, whereas the Sigma's is, as I've said, buttery smooth.

The lens construction comprises 10 elements in six groups, two of which are aspherical elements, plus one 'SLD' element. The result is ridiculously sharp detail, even at f/1.4, although for absolute peak sharpness any setting between f/2.8 to f/5.6 is on the money.

Like many Sigma lenses, the 56mm F1.4 utilizes in-camera digital correction to fine-tune images. I shot photos both in raw & JPEG, and checked the uncorrected images in Adobe Camera Raw, which supports the 56mm lens's profile for corrections. Switching lens corrections on and off allowed me to see how extreme any corrections are.

Lens distortions such as chromatic aberration and flare are all well controlled off the bat, and certainly nothing to worry about. There's notable pincushion distortion, and modest amounts of vignetting at f/1.4, but nothing that automatic lens corrections can't handle easily enough.

Image quality is excellent across the board, and the outstanding sharpness is even more impressive given the tiny dimensions of the lens.

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary sample gallery

Should you buy the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary

• Sigma loaned me the 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary for a few weeks
• I tested the lens at the same time as three of Sigma's other F1.4 primes
• I had the Canon RF-mount version, and paired the lens with a Canon EOS R100

I had several weeks to put the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens through its paces, together with the three other lenses that make up Sigma's quartet of Contemporary primes for crop-sensor cameras: the 16mm F1.4, 23mm F1.4 and 30mm F1.4.

They are some of the few third-party lenses made for the Canon RF-mount, which is the version that I had, and I paired the lens with the entry-level Canon EOS R100.

Throughout my time testing the lens, I've set the camera to shoot in raw & JPEG simultaneously, with in-camera lens corrections turned off. Adobe Camera Raw's profile for the lens allowed me to directly check the extent of corrections that are applied.

I've mostly used the lens for portraiture, making use of its maximum f/1.4 aperture. I've also taken images in various scenarios and using various apertures, in order to check for lens distortions and check detail.

• First reviewed June 2025

There's no two ways about it – camera gear is expensive in 2025. The best mirrorless cameras can cost in the thousands, and you'll want a top lens in addition to that, which could set you back even more.

Case in point: when I first picked up a full-frame Nikon, the Z6 II, I also splashed out on Nikon's own Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S zoom too. The lens costs more than the camera body, and the same principal applies to entry-level cameras and suitably matched lenses.

I couldn't be happier with the performance, versatility and quality of that pro lens, which is still one of the best Nikon Z lenses today. However, the initial outlay was huge, and I knew those would be the only additions to my camera bag for the foreseeable.

Fast forward a couple of years and I was really getting impatient for another bit of glass. As much as I liked my zoom lens, I really needed a fast prime, especially given how often I photograph events and portraits.

It was another Nikon lens that topped my wish list – the stunning Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena. It's a five–star-quality lens made in Japan, with a hefty price tag beyond my own justifiable means.

So what could I do? The same as any other Sony, Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm shooter with limited means – consider a low-cost third-party lens from China instead.

Coming of age

I think many camera owners count out Chinese lenses for quality reasons. After all, you get what you pay for, right? So how could anything so cheap be any good?

That used to be the case. Third-party lenses from Japanese brands such as Sigma, Tamron and Tokina have long been good alternatives to first-party glass, but the best of them have been pretty pricey in their own right.

The South Korean company Rokinon (known as Samyang outside the US) shook things up a bit, offering lenses at a far cheaper price point, and some were pretty good. I remember a certain 20mm prime for DSLRs being particularly popular with astrophotographers, thanks to its impressive optical quality and bright maximum aperture.

Back then, though, they couldn't properly rival proprietary lenses, at least for most people. For example, they were all manual focus-only lenses, including that 20mm, and rarely weather-sealed. Personally, I owned Nikon's F-mount 20mm f/1.8 G and it featured autofocus – it cost me three to four times the price.

As the years have passed, several Chinese third-party lens makers, including Laowa and Viltrox, have joined the party. What were drawbacks previously in opting for a Chinese lens instead of one from Japan are seemingly no more; autofocus, optical quality, handling and build quality are all there.

It was the Viltrox 135mm F1.8 Lab that felt like a watershed moment, at least for me. The first in a new series of pro 'Lab' lenses, Viltrox's 135mm lens is strikingly similar to my dream Nikon Plena lens, but it's much, much cheaper – only 30% of the cost, while it's half the price of Sony's equivalent lens.

Yes, this was a lens that I could afford, with the quality and performance that I hoped for.

What to buy (and what you can't, yet)

You can still opt for a Japanese-made lens and save money – Sigma has long been a superb brand-alternative, for around half the price. I love its quartet of f/1.4 primes for APS-C, which are part of a 'Contemporary' series that also includes excellent value f/2.8 zooms.

But the Chinese lens maker Viltrox is even cheaper. I've not personally reviewed all of Viltrox's lenses, but the 85mm f/1.8 is a lovely half-the-price prime, the new 50mm f/2 Air is a lightweight and budget lens ideal for as a first prime, while Viltrox's 135mm F1.8 Lab is a pro beast, even if it is a little heavy and its autofocus a tad sluggish.

Those three primes serve different needs for me, plus there are plenty more Chinese lenses to consider. We're currently reviewing the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab lens and the early signs are super positive.

That said, it's not a clean sweep for cheap, and there are reasons to pay big for a proprietary lens from Japan – a key one of those is choice.

To date, Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and more, still make a wider range of high-quality lenses for their own cameras. The next step for the likes of Rokinon (Samyang) and Viltrox is to make decent zoom lenses – currently the best I'm seeing are all primes.

However, I expect zoom lenses to be the next frontier for Chinese lens makers to conquer. For now, Chinese lenses like the above primes can match pricier proprietary equivalents, all for a fraction of the price. You really can get more than what you pay for.

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Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air: one-minute review

This isn’t my first Viltrox lens review, and nor it will it be my last, because the Chinese lens maker is on a roll, producing a string of excellent optics for users of all skill levels and budgets. Coming in at the opposite end of a recent cinema lens that could cost up to $200,000, the 50mm f/2 Air costs less than $200 / £200 / AU$320, and offers excellent value for money.

It’s a tiny and lightweight prime that's available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts – I had the latter for this review – with a decent maximum f/2 aperture for defocusing backgrounds. You don’t get the sharpest detail or creamiest bokeh I’ve ever seen – for those you'll want to check out the excellent Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB – but the Viltrox 50mm f/2 is an excellent casual lens for enthusiasts, especially for portrait photography, and an ideal foil to a standard zoom.

I’d have preferred the lens’s minimum focus distance to be a little closer, which would bolster its everyday photography credentials, while a couple of external controls to speed up changing settings, such as an AF / MF switch, would be welcome. However, the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air delivers performance and image quality that belie its price – and the fact it squeezes proprietary camera-brand alternatives with its aggressive pricing is the cherry on the cake.

Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air specs

Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air: Price and availability

• Available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts
• $199 / £229 / AU$319 list price, but it usually can be found for less

Hovering around the $200 / £200 / AU$320 mark and often available for a little less, the Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air is an excellent value prime lens, especially when you considering its build quality and optical performance.

Price-wise, it reminds me of the old Canon EF and Nikon F-mount cheap nifty fifties for DSLRs, being an affordable first prime for enthusiasts. There's bad news for some though – Viltrox's lens is only available for Sony E and Nikon Z lens mounts.

Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air: Design

• Weighs just 7.8oz / 220g
• No external buttons or controls
• Available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts

The 50mm f/2 Air lens is, as the name suggests, designed with an emphasis on light weight over absolute performance – it’s positively featherweight, especially compared to alternatives such as Nikon’s own Z 50mm f/1.4.

It’s a small lens, too. I paired the 50mm f/2 Air with a Nikon Z6 II, and I could barely feel the lens. It's not often that I'd describe a camera / lens pairing as rear-heavy, but that's the case here.

This is also excellent value, with a sale price often dipping under $200 / £200 /AU$319, and the list price only a little more. For context, the Nikon-own f/1.4 lens is double the price (and double the weight), while Nikon's Z 50mm f/1.8 is four times the price.

Viltrox’s lens well made too – a rugged metal barrel and rear mount instil confidence, even though there’s no proper weather-sealing to speak of (such are the compromises with such a low-cost lens).

There's a generously sized focus ring with smooth and easy rotation, and that’s it for controls. No AF / MF switch, no optical stabilization, no focus distance limiter – this is a simple bit of gear.

The lack of controls could, depending on which camera you pair the lens with, make changes to camera settings a little fussy. My camera doesn’t have an AF / MF switch, and because the lens doesn’t either I need to dive into a menu to switch between the two focusing methods, which can be frustrating.

Otherwise, there's little to talk about regarding design – this is a simple and lightweight optic that accepts 58mm threaded filters and comes supplied with a decent lens hood.

Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air: Performance

• Bright maximum f/2 aperture ideal for portraiture
• Fairly limited close-focusing capabilities
• Snappy autofocus speed

This is no pro-quality lens, but for beginners and enthusiasts the optical quality and performance of the Viltrox 50mm f/2 Air are perfectly sufficient.

The bright, zoom lens-beating maximum f/2 aperture ensures plenty of light intake and makes this lens great for low-light photography, as well as for defocusing backgrounds for dreamy portraits. Bokeh is smooth enough – I didn’t really spot the ugly ‘onion ring’ effect that can be evident in cheap optics.

Optical clarity is perfectly acceptable, even if this isn't the sharpest 50mm lens I’ve used. With a little extra sharpening in post, most users should be perfectly happy with the results.

I shot all images in JPEG and uncompressed raw, and with lens corrections switched off there are slight signs of chromatic aberration, but the Viltrox has a reasonable handle on such distortions.

I found the 1.67ft / 0.51m minimum focus distance a little limiting for close-up shots – the maximum magnification is a modest 0.11x. This isn't really a macro lens in any way, and perhaps even less of an everyday lens, with portraiture being its strongest suit.

With such a small and lightweight collection of ashperical (ASPH), ED and IF lens elements, the 50mm f/2’s STM autofocus motor has an easy job – those lens elements are moved with ease for quick and precise autofocus. Not once did I perceive sluggish autofocus on account of the lens rather than the camera.

Overall, the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air is a capable performer, especially when you consider its compact size, low price and bright maximum aperture. For users on a budget who are looking to step up from a standard-zoom kit lens, this is an ideal choice.

Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air sample gallery

Should you buy the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air

• I've used it over a loan period of several months
• I paired the lens with a Nikon Z6 II
• I've used it in a range of scenarios, generally in fair weather, and checked image quality at the various aperture settings

I paired a Z-mount version of the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air with a Nikon Z6 II for several months, during which time it has seen moderate use, generally in fair weather. Size-wise, the camera and lens are perfectly balanced, with no hint of wrist strain due to front-heaviness.

To test optical quality I’ve snapped portraits with the aperture wide open at f/2, and also taken series of images at each aperture setting to compare sharpness and check for lens distortions.

• First reviewed June 2025

• Designed for APS-C (Super 35) mirrorless cameras
• Available for Sony E, Canon RF, Fujifilm X and L-mount systems
• It costs $919 / £779 (Australia price TBC) and will be on sale from July 10

I remember first casting my eyes on the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 zoom lens. It was the go-to lens for creatives cutting their teeth in the filmmaking world, and it seemed to be on every low-budget set.

It was a cutting-edge lens, in that it offered a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture across its versatile wide-angle zoom range, and it was relatively cheap.

Despite it being designed for DSLR cameras, such was its appeal that many users adapted it for other systems, such as mirrorless. Put simply, there was no other lens like it.

So it's particularly exciting for me that Sigma has just reinvented the lens for mirrorless cameras, with the new 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art, complete with some tasty upgrades.

The new 17-40mm F1.8 costs $919 / £779 (Australia price TBC) and comes in Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon RF and L-mount versions, with no word on a Nikon Z version yet. Sales are due to start on July 10, although the Canon version will come later in August.

The next go-to lens for aspiring filmmakers?

Sigma's 18-35mm was the world's first f/1.8 zoom lens when it launched in 2013. Its bright maximum aperture and zoom range versatility was key to its success – it could be the only lens you needed on set, plus it was a handy lens for stills, too.

That's not to say the 18-35mm was the perfect lens. It was heavy, plus its autofocus was a tad sluggish. Now, more than 12 years later, in steps the new 17-40mm F1.8 for mirrorless cameras with big upgrades across the board.

Firstly, the latest version is much lighter. In fact, at just 18.9oz / 535g, it's over 30% lighter than the 18-35mm.

It's also dust- and splash-resistant, and equipped with a customizable aperture ring offering both clicked or smooth adjustments.

Its complex lens construction comprises 17 elements in 11 groups, for what Sigma says is superior optical performance – that's a given for a mirrorless lens versus one designed for DSLRs.

You'll have already noted that the 17-40mm zoom range is wider and longer, too (it's a 25.5-60mm full-frame equivalent), making for an even more versatile optic.

In fact, the 17-40mm employs an inner zoom, meaning the length of the lens is unchanged as you change focal length. Focus breathing is suppressed too, which is also a boon for filmmakers, as is the 'High-response Linear Actuator' which supposedly delivers quiet, fast and precise autofocus.

The Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art sounds like a phenomenal zoom lens for APS-C (Super 35) cameras, and I expect it to make itself at home on low-budget film sets for many years to come.

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It's 2025, and the latest innovation from the photography industry is a lens designed to resemble a famed cookie, built from repurposed parts.

‘Add the authentic look of disposable film cameras to your mirrorless [camera] with genuine film optics’, says retro-pia.com, a website selling the lens.

The claim that this is a genuine film optic is indeed accurate, as the lens element is taken straight from a disposable camera, which is then worked into the cookie lens available in today's most popular mirrorless camera lens mounts, including Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and more.

I only wish this were satire.

Of course, I bought one to see it for myself, but not at the incredible $39 / £30 that one Instagram advert was selling it at (and that's 30% off the original price).

Instead, I went straight to the source - AliExpress and parted with just £12 (about $15) - the same price as 168 Oreo cookies. It wasn't lost on me that the price is actually cheaper than you would pay for a disposable camera these days. Two weeks later, arguably the worst lens that I have ever used arrived ahead of a family trip to Paris, France.

Can something so bad, be good?

The lens has an approximate 32mm focal length, a fixed f/11 aperture and fixed infinity focus – everything beyond 5ft / 1.5m should be in focus. At least that is the theory.

The entire thing is made from plastic, including the lens mount. Rather than a lens, it would be more apt to describe this tool as an elaborate lens cap.

By any objective measure, the lens is an abomination; it can't be classified as sharp, so don’t expect any fine details; there is significant vignetting, which, of course, adds to its retro character; everything is soft, and there are pronounced lens aberrations going on.

To be clear, I love characterful vintage lenses, featuring the likes of chrome bezels, metal barrels, minimal coatings, and lens flares. My favourite lens is a Nikkor 50mm F/1.4 E lens from the 1960s.

Still, the cookie lens exhibits vintage character and multiplies it to a level of awfulness that optical engineers have spent decades and millions of Yen trying to escape from.

So why has this work of creative Instagram marketing been a fairly consistent presence on my Sony camera?

First up is the practicality; the Oreo-style lens has quite literally replaced my lens cap. It is so thin that it makes no difference to keep it on my camera at all times. My Sony Alpha is ready to go, pull out, and take a shot at any moment. I don’t even bother with camera settings – what will be, will be.

I’ve used the lens just like I would a disposable camera, taking snapshots of family and moments, and quite honestly, image quality doesn’t matter.

Let’s be real for a minute – 99% of our images are viewed on screens that are smaller than 10 inches, with a resolution less than 4k (around 8 megapixels). You are most likely looking at the images now thinking 'they don't look too bad'.

This goes against everything I, as a pixel-peeping camera reviewer and photographer, stand for. Still, there are occasions when it is the moment that matters rather than the optical excellence.

The fact that this very 1980s / 90s aesthetic is now considered retro horrifies me, a 40-something-year-old man. I have actual prints from disposable cameras that have the same vignette, lack of definition and contrast as the images that this lens produces.

With a tweak in Adobe Lightroom (on my phone, of course), the photos of my children resemble the 6x4-inch prints I have of myself as a child. There is something very nostalgic about it.

There is also a freedom that comes with this poor quality lens. Taking a proper mirrorless camera that costs around $2,500 / £2,000, setting it to Aperture Priority and Auto ISO, and turning it into a point-and-shoot camera, with no worries about depth of field or focusing, is liberating; stop worrying about settings and pixels, and capture the moment instead!

An awful gimmick?

Suppose you do want to take your chances with a drop shipper, such as Temu, AliExpress or resellers on Amazon, this is likely the cheapest ‘new’ lens you will ever buy for your camera.

Continuing with the positives, the practicalities of the lens are great; it is extremely small and light, and can live on your camera.

It's also widely available – the pricier Retropia site lists the Repurposed Disposable Camera Lens for Sony E, Canon RF, Canon EF-M, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, MFT, L-mount, Leica M and more.

However, this lens is not your only option. The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 lens is approximately the same size, features autofocus, and produces significantly better images, albeit at a more reassuring, price of around $100 / £90 (or 1,260 actual Oreos). You can leave this lens on your camera and enjoy it much the same point-and-shoot way as the ‘Oreo’ lens.

You can probably tell I have a like/hate relationship with the Oreo lens – it's optical quality should be consigned to the past, and it's an awful gimmick.

What I will say, though, it has retaught me a valuable lesson – that sometimes working with constraints and stepping outside our comfort zones can trigger our creativity; we can see the world differently.

Perhaps the next time I am shooting portraits I’ll start using on-camera flash, editing the images to have a chronic vignette, adding a slight Gaussian blur to the highlights and go fully in on the disposable camera aesthetic, whilst fighting back the tears that the saying 'everything old is new again' has finally caught up with me.

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I love having a pro lens to hand, both for paid work and personal. That said, there's also a time and a place for tools with character over quality, especially if you're in a creative rut or simply want a little fun with your gear.

To that extent, I've recently been shooting with a set of what I'd describe as intentionally flawed lenses, and they are the Light Leak series of lenses by PolarPro.

PolarPro is more widely known for its high-quality lens filters, but it branched out with three characterful Light Leak lenses, and sent me the complete set to have a play with.

These lenses, while optically 'poor', have given me welcome relief from striving for what sometimes feels like sterile optical perfection, and it's thanks to a unique design trick.

The clue to the Light Leak lenses' unique style is in the name – they can leak light onto a mirrorless camera's image sensor for analog-style flare.

You get complete control of the light leak effect – there's a sleeve on the lens barrel that can be pulled out to leak light onto the camera's sensor (see below), and the sleeve can be rotated for a variety of flare effects. Don't want light leak? Close the sleeve.

The inspiration for the Light Leak lenses traces back to analog photography days, and the surprising and unpredictable effect caused by a faulty film camera as light leaks onto the film roll inside from outside the lens, and over-exposes it.

From unwanted to mimicked in digital cameras, including the recent Fujifilm X half, the light leak effect is here in the PolarPro lenses simply for creative purposes.

And unlike with analog, there's less guesswork or surprise with the light leak effect with PolarPro's lenses, because the effect is visible in real time on your mirrorless camera's display.

Angle your camera slightly differently, tweak how much the sleeve is pulled out, rotate the sleeve – the resulting effects, which are strongly impacted by the ambient light, range from subtle light bleeds to pronounced halos. Trust me, it's addictively fun.

There are three PolarPro Light Leak primes to choose from: 16mm f/11, 28mm f/11 and 50mm f/11 (full-frame equivalent). They are available for most of the popular mirrorless camera lens mounts – that's Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X – while the 28mm lens is also available for L mount. MFT users miss out.

In the US, each lens costs $129.99 from the PolarPro website, while they can be purchased together in a 3-pack for $349.99. Global shipping is available from PolarPro, but the lenses can also be picked up individually outside the US from regional suppliers, for about £129 / AU$200. I've also seen deals – for example £110 at Amazon.

More than just its party trick

PolarPro sent me the three-pack of Light Leak lenses for testing, for the Nikon Z-mount.

In addition to the light leak effect, the 28mm lens I used most extensively of the three, and which PolarPro touts as 'The One', also has a sharp fall-off in sharpness from the center to the edges, giving a dream-like effect.

Combine varied light leak effects and the dreamy soft corners, which serve to emphasize your central subject, and you get technically flawed photos and wild results.

Light leak and blur are effects that can easily be added to regular images using editing software – an approach that will likely sit better with creatives who want a high-quality original image.

However, there's something creatively freeing knowing that the light leak effects are in the original and therefore permanent, and that they are authentic in response to ambient light rather than faked.

Camera gear such as the PolarPro Light Leak lenses usually feel like a cheap and short-lived bit of fun. Yet somehow I've found myself playing with the lenses over a longer period of time.

Optically they are (intentionally) flawed, but I can't speak highly enough of the build quality of each fixed-focus, fixed-aperture lens.

Each one is fully metal, though they lack electronic contacts, which means no metadata, and your camera will need to be set to an option that allows for shooting with no lens attached.

I encountered a couple of practical hindrances when using the lenses with my Nikon camera, the Z6 II. Like many serious mirrorless cameras, it features a pronounced grip, which limits how much of a light leak effect you can get when opening the sleeve on the camera grip side of the lens barrel.

With the 28mm lens, its limited minimum focus distance rules out closeups too – check the photos of the coffee cup, further above. The lens caps often proved fiddly to remove as well.

Aside from those niggles, PolarPro's Light Leak lenses have proved a lot of fun, and for a little over $100 / £100, could be categorized as an impulse buy. Are they optically any good? Technically, no. But I think you're going to enjoy them.

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Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM: two-minute review

Wisdom dictates there’s no such thing as an all-purpose lens. Yet in the FE 28-70mm F2 GM, Sony’s had a stellar go at making one. Pitched as a do-it-all solution for photographers who demand versatility without compromise, this is flagship glass that could replace a trio of primes in your kit bag.

Thanks to a constant f/2 maximum aperture, the FE 28-70mm F2 GM delivers the kind of results you’d expect from a prime lens, paired with the versatility of a standard zoom. The sweetener is that it’s packaged with dimensions that are easy enough to work with on a daily basis, more so than Canon's ungainly equivalent.

This isn’t a lightweight lens by consumer standards, but for G Master glass with fast optics, Sony’s done an impressive job of keeping measurements in check. The solid build and weather seals reflect its premium status, as does the way it handles, with tactile control rings and buttons.

In performance terms, the FE 28-70mm F2 GM hits the mark at every focal length. That maximum aperture gives it excellent low-light credentials, allowing you to shoot fast even in dim conditions. F/2 also unlocks beautifully smooth bokeh and striking subject isolation with a shallow depth of field. The lens is as effective for night-time street scenes as it is for 70mm portraits.

It’s optically excellent too, with no discernible sacrifice in quality for the sake of flexibility. Central detail is consistently sharp across the zoom range, with only the tiniest hint of corner softness when shooting wide open. There’s no shortage of contrast either, with minimal evidence of vignetting or chromatic aberrations.

In-camera correction does address some barrel distortion at 28mm, but this is less impactful than if the lens went to 24mm like most standard zooms. That slight restriction on wide-angle coverage will give some users pause for thought. In practise, the f/2 aperture more than makes up for the slightly tighter focal length.

The only major omission is lens-based stabilization, even this isn’t felt in real-world conditions; with the ability to shoot at fast shutter speeds, paired with rapid, accurate autofocus, you won’t encounter issues with blurring.

In truth, there’s only one drawback to the Sony FE 28-70mm f/2 GM and that’s the price. There’s no escaping that this lens is a serious investment. But when you consider that this is professional glass which delivers prime performance at several focal lengths, its value is self-evident.

If you want a new go-to lens that’s manageable on a full-frame mirrorless body and can handle everything from landscapes to weddings, this might just be the most complete standard zoom Sony has ever made.

Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM specs

Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM: Design

• Tidily packaged for such a fast zoom lens
• Robust G Master build with weather seals
• Tactile controls with zoom ring switches

Sony has managed to keep the FE 28-70mm F2 GM surprisingly compact for such a fast standard zoom. It’s by no means a lightweight lens at 32.4oz / 918g, but it’s only a fraction larger and heavier than the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. That’s quite a feat, given the optics required to achieve its f/2 maximum aperture. It’s also significantly more portable than the comparable Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM.

Paired with a full-frame body like the Sony A7S III, the FE 28-70mm f/2 GM balances well without feeling too front-heavy. It helps that the lens is fantastic to handle. You get a full complement of controls, including rings for zoom, focus and aperture. A pair of customizable focus hold buttons offer useful flexibility, together with the familiar AF/MF and aperture lock switches. Two additional switches let you further influence the shooting experience.

We’ve seen the aperture click switch on other Sony lenses. It’s a welcome one, letting you choose whether you’d like tactile feedback while moving through f-stops. More unusual is the torque switch, which gives you the option of tight or smooth zoom ring rotation. The former is helpful for preventing zoom creep, while the latter lets you change focal lengths with a light touch – something that videographers are likely to appreciate.

Given the price and the G Master badge, it’s no surprise that the FE 28-70mm F2 GM feels solid. This is a professional lens that’s built for the elements, with weather seals throughout. It’s all sturdy and purposeful, with a lovely weighting to the controls and no sense of compromise anywhere on the barrel.

It’s worth noting that the large front element requires equally large 86mm filters, which are more expensive than smaller standard thread sizes. That shouldn’t be a revelation: with a lens of this calibre, there’s an expectation that budget won’t be an issue.

Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM: Performance

• Fast f/2 maximum aperture at every focal length
• Strong center sharpness across the zoom range
• Four XD linear motors for rapid, accurate autofocus

When it comes to performance, the FE 28-70mm F2 GM is nothing less than superlative. Autofocus is rapid and reliable, as you’d expect with a quartet of XD linear motors at work. While its size might conjure expectations of a sluggish response, there’s not even a hint of hesitation as the lens hunts for a subject. It’s remarkably quiet, too.

That speed puts another string in the bow of the FE 28-70mm f/2. While a standard zoom wouldn’t be the traditional choice for capturing action, its autofocus capabilities, paired with the ability to use fast shutter speeds at its widest aperture setting, make it a real sporting performer. It had no trouble tracking subjects in motion, locking with laser accuracy.

That constant f/2 maximum aperture is what sets the FE 28-70mm apart from other standard zooms. It unlocks prime performance at every focal length. Whether you’re shooting a night-time street scene at 35mm or a portrait at 70mm, you get the full light-gathering, background-defocusing power of a wide aperture.

F/2 is one stop faster than f/2.8. That means you need half as much light to shoot at the same shutter speed with the FE 28-70mm f/2 GM as you would with the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. That makes a big difference in the real world, allowing you to shoot sharp and fast even in tricky conditions. Only with an f/1.4 prime would you get a meaningfully faster shooting experience.

The net result is a standard zoom that can replace several primes in your kit bag. And it can do so without optical compromise: bokeh and background blur at f/2 is exceptionally smooth, with beautiful subject isolation.

Taken all together, that recipe makes the FE 28-70mm F2 GM a uniquely versatile option. For wedding and event photographers who don’t want the hassle of switching lenses throughout the day, it’s a compelling proposition – as it is for any well-heeled photographer who covers a wide range of genres.

Arguably its only limitation besides the price is the slight loss of wide-angle coverage: its 28mm starting point is tighter than on a typical 24-70mm zoom. Whether that extra 4mm makes a difference will come down to how you shoot, but the constant f/2 maximum aperture is your pay-off. For most people, that number is probably the more useful of the two.

Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM: sample images

A close look at images shot with the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM reveals that it really is a master of all trades. Central sharpness is consistently superb across the zoom range and the lens is able to render magnificent detail. Paired with a high-resolution full-frame sensor, you’ll have no trouble cropping in on stills.

Edge sharpness is also excellent. Only at the wide end does a touch of corner softness become visible. There’s some in-camera correction at play here, addressing minor barrel distortion at 28mm. You’ll need a keen eye to spot it, though. Sony has certainly made its life easier by not extending the zoom range to 24mm, where distortion would have been a more significant issue.

In fact, there’s little evidence of any major imperfections. Both vignetting and chromatic aberrations are kept under tight control, with no color fringing to speak of. Contrast is strong as well, with just a trace of ghosting and a few flare artifacts visible when shooting wide open into direct sunlight. Optically, it’s very hard to find fault with this G Master glass.

In short, the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM gives an almost flawless demonstration at every focal length. Even the absence of lens-based stabilization doesn’t hold it back: at f/2, shutter speeds are more than fast enough to eliminate the risk of blur. If you’re willing to dig into your pockets, Sony will reward you with a standard zoom that excels in every respect.

Should you buy the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM

• Tested in-depth for seven days
• Paired with a Sony A7S III body
• Shot a range of test scenes

The FE 28-70mm F2 GM was only available on a short loan from Sony. That gave me a week to run the zoom through a series of in-depth tests. Given that it’s pitched as the kind of lens you’ll keep on your camera by default, that’s exactly how I lived with it. Paired with a Sony A7S III body, I picked it up every time I left the house.

That gave me a good impression of how easy the FE 28-70mm F2 GM would be to live and shoot with as a long-term standard zoom. Walking around with it allowed me to get a feel for its weight and handling, while shooting a range of scenes in different light conditions yielded a diverse catalog of stills. Covering everything from floral close-ups to abstract street scenes, the results gave me a good basis on which to assess its optical performance.

I’ve shot with several Sony lenses recently, including wide-angle primes and super telephotos, so I had a good benchmark for comparing the build quality. I also regularly shoot with both prime optics and standard zooms on my own Nikon camera, which means I know what to look for when it comes to both image quality and the physical shooting experience.

• First reviewed May 2025

• The mystery ultra-wide prime could have a f/1.4 aperture
• It could be Canon's widest prime lens for mirrorless yet
• There are no details of an expected launch date yet

Canon is tipped to fill a long-time gap in its lens lineup, with a completely new ultra-wide angle prime that could be perfect for astrophotography.

Leaks about the lens are seemingly few, but that hasn't stopped Canon Rumors from speculating what the mystery full-frame lens for Canon's mirrorless camera might be – and it could be a world-first.

Judging by the response to the post, such a lens could be a big hit with Canon and astrophotography fans. Here's what has been rumored so far.

An all-new, world-first prime

Canon has launched plenty of superb lenses for its mirrorless cameras, however, ultra-wide angle fans are short of options.

There's the five-star RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM zoom and a hybrid RF 20mm F1.4 VCM, but no wider fast prime like Sigma's 14mm f/1.4 (for Sony E and L-mount only). That could be about to change.

Arguably the most significant detail about this lens is absent in Canon Rumors' post: focal length. There's speculation is could be a 14mm lens, or even be as wide as 12mm.

The leaker seems more certain that the maximum aperture is going to be f/1.4. If it's going to be a true world-first lens then, it couldn't be a 14mm f/1.4, given Sigma's lens. However, it could still be, with various qualifiers.

Whatever the case, if this lens materializes, it sounds like something totally new for Canon, combining an ultra-wide perspective with a bright maximum aperture that's ideal for low light work, such as astrophotography.

Naturally, a professional L-series lens like a 14mm f/1.4 will be a chunky thing. However, I'd expect it to be smaller than a DSLR equivalent; Canon has previously been able to reduce the size and weight of certain DSLR lenses when making them afresh for mirrorless, such as the 10-20mm F4L IS STM, which was half the weight of the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM.

And while Canon has recently focused its efforts into hybrid VCM lenses designed for photo and video work, the feeling is that this rumored ultra-fast prime will be an STM lens, better equipped for photography.

Such a lens is one of the most requested from Canon photographers, who hopefully won't have long to wait.

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• First telephoto zoom lens with constant f/2 maximum aperture
• It follows Sony's FE 28-70mm F2 GM lens, with a focal length overlap
• Sales start early June, with a list price of $3,900 / £3,800 / AU$6,799

Sony has unveiled its latest lens for pros, boasting a unique focal length and maximum aperture combination. The FE 50-150mm F2 GM is the world's first telephoto zoom with a constant f/2 aperture.

It follows Sony's FE 28-70mm F2 GM lens, a wider zoom lens with f/2 aperture, both of which are designed to do the job of several prime lenses.

I had a quick hands-on with the latest lens ahead of its announcement, and the FE 50-150mm F2 GM is majorly impressive. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's the ultimate lens for event and wedding photography and one of the best Sony lenses available.

Naturally, such a premium lens is a pricey package – yours for $3,900 / £3,800 / AU$6,799, and it's a heavy thing too, tipping the scales at 47.3oz / 1,340g (excluding the tripod mount).

Still, the benefit of such a lens is that it could be the only one you need for event photography – no swapping lenses or cameras during crucial moments. Here's why I rate the lens so much.

The versatility of a zoom, with the quality and speed of a prime

My go-to lens for event photography is a 135mm f/1.8. The combination of the telephoto focal length and bright aperture allows me to get a tight crop of distant subjects, with shallow depth of field and optimum performance in low light, which is a dream.

However, there are plenty of situations where I need to go a little wider than the tight 135mm focal length – I can't exactly keep walking further back. It's at those moments that I need a second camera with a wider lens, or fiddle with swapping lenses on my main camera.

That's why Sony's new FE 50-150mm F2 GM impressed me so much. It gives me the bright f/2 aperture, in a telephoto lens with zoom versatility.

Sony also bills this lens as one with prime lens performance, and from my brief portrait studio shoot with it, I can see why. At either focal length extreme, detail is pin-sharp, while bokeh is clean and smooth.

There is a pronounced cat's-eye shaping to the bokeh with the lens set to 150mm and f/2, which may disappoint those hoping for a circular shape, but I personally don't mind it.

And then there's the build quality and performance of the lens – it's top drawer. Autofocus is silent and rapid – four XD linear motors drive the hefty lens elements, with no apparent compromise in speed.

Aside from its hefty price, a kicker is the weight of the lens – 47.3oz / 1,340g, not including tripod mount. A prime lens like Sony's own 135mm f/1.8 GM is 33.6oz / 950g, and it's less than half the cost, as is the rival Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8.

That said, I thought the balance of the 50-150mm F2 lens was decent with the Sony A9 III, which was the camera I was testing it with. It also has the same form factor as the Sony A1 II.

All told, I'm convinced Sony's new FE 50-150mm F2 GM is a no-compromise lens for pro wedding and events photographers, even sports photographers if the maximum focal length is tight enough. It's certainly on my wish list.

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• Versatile 20mm wide-angle perspective and fast aperture
• List price is £1,919.99 / AU$2,999 (US pricing plus sales start date TBC)

Canon continues to grow its range of 'hybrid' RF lenses designed for photo and video with its latest addition, the Canon RF 20mm F1.4L VCM.

It's virtually identical in size, weight and design to three other f/1.4 hybrid primes, the 24mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses (see them all side by side, above), but offers the widest perspective of the quartet.

The 20mm focal length is widely used by astro, landscape, architecture and interior photographers, plus it's also handy for video work in tight spaces and, again, for sweeping vistas.

Canon's fastest-ever 20mm lens packs an 11-blade f/1.4 aperture that should prove particularly handy for low light work, while its close focusing skills of just 0.2m could also deliver decent shallow depth of field shots with dynamic perspectives.

It's a pricey optic, mind you – £1,919.99 / AU$2,999 (US pricing to follow) makes it the costliest of the four primes by around 15%. Still, it's the only 20mm fast aperture prime for Canon's full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Canon still doesn't allow third-party brands to make lenses for its full-frame cameras, which means it might remain the only choice for wide-angle prime lovers for sometime yet.

Canon's most versatile hybrid prime yet?

I had a brief hands-on with the RF 20mm F1.4L VCM at Canon UK's headquarters ahead of launch and the lens is a familiar sight. Its design is practically identical to the 24mm, 35mm and 50mm options in Canon's hybrid lens line up.

The weather-proof lens measures 76.5 x 99.3mm and weighs 18.3oz / 519g, which makes it an excellent fit with a camera like the EOS R5 Mark II (see below) – a logical camera / lens pairing – and like the other primes it features a 67mm thread for lens filters and a rear gel filter holder.

There's an iris (aperture) ring with smooth click-free adjustments ideal for video, plus a customizable lens control ring and buttons too.

VCM stands for Voice Coil Motor – it's the motor that drives autofocus, which Canon says is rapid, accurate and near silent. I can attest to the autofocus efficiency from my brief time with it and other lenses in the range.

As an L-series lens, the 20mm F1.4 is built for pros, with a complex lens element arrangement that should deliver supreme sharpness and clarity. The lens comprises, and I take a breath...two aspheric lenses, one Super UD lens, two UD lenses and one BR lens, plus ASC, SWC and Super Spectra coatings.

In many respects, the RF 20mm F1.4L VCM is the most compelling lens of the hybrid bunch, because there's simply no other lens like it. The RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM is a 5-star rated ultra-wide-angle zoom, but its maximum aperture is f/4.

I can see the 20mm option being one of the more popular options in Canon's hybrid lens range. It provides a versatile wide perspective for video work, particularly those that work in multiple aspect ratios, and looks like the ultimate money-no-object astro photography lens.

What do you think of Canon's range of hybrid lenses so far? Let us know in the comments below.

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Viltrox 135mm F1.8 LAB: two-minute review

Ever since I saw the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB lens for Sony full-frame cameras I've been counting down the days until Viltrox made it made available for Nikon Z-mount cameras. That day has now come.

Viltrox's first professional LAB lens gets the Z-mount treatment, and I've already had the chance to test the lens for several weeks, pairing it with my Nikon Z6 II for supreme shallow-depth-of-field portraits and more.

It's the affordable alternative to my dream Z-mount lens, the pricey Nikon 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, as well as to Sony's own 135mm F1.8 GM.

At $899 / £829 / around AU$1,500 (discounts are available on the Viltrox website too), it's half the price of the Sony lens, and just a third of the price of Nikon's Plena, which originally cost around $2,600 / £2,700 / AU$4,600. For Nikon Z users like me, that's clearly a huge difference.

135mm is an ideal focal length for portraits, but I also love the perspective for landscape photography, together with the excellent light-gathering capabilities of a fast f/1.8 aperture prime lens like this.

So what do I think of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB now that I've tested it? It's a truly stunning lens, although it does have one significant drawback that has me thinking twice.

Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB specs

Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB: Design

• Premium design and build quality
• Very heavy
• Unique customizable LCD screen is a fun touch

It's clear that the Viltrox 135mm is built for pros. The build quality is top-drawer, from the weather-resistant metal barrel, front lens element and rear mount to the reassuringly secure connection to the camera – you'll need some muscle to click the lens into place – and the premium controls dotted around the exterior.

There's a smooth focus ring, a second ring that can be set to smooth or clicked and which by default is set to control aperture, plus custom buttons and a customizable top LCD.

It's possible to customize the welcome screen of the top LCD (seriously), which is a nice touch, even if I can't see myself creating my own welcome screen... yet. It's also possible to apply firmware updates easily through the USB-C port built into the rear mount.

Focus distances are marked precisely on the LCD, down to the centimeter, which is something you don't get with other lenses. There's also a AF / MF switch plus a focus-range limiter. These exterior controls cover all the bases for the scenarios in which I see myself using the lens.

Autofocus is smooth and essentially silent. Viltrox says focus speeds are "150% faster", although I'm not sure what that's in comparison to, and I wouldn't say this is the fastest-focusing lens I've used, even if it is smooth. I'll touch on why I think so in a bit.

In the box is a decent-sized lens hood and a soft lens pouch for packing the lens away safely. So, all in all, the Viltrox 135mm F1.8 sounds great, right? And it is, but for one thing.

As I mentioned in my verdict at the start of this review, this lens is heavy – very heavy. It's the first thing you notice as you take it out of the box. How heavy? 43.6oz / 1,235g, without the lens hood. Ouch.

To be clear, quality 135mm f/1.8 lenses like this are heavy, but the Viltrox is another level; it's about 25% heavier than the Sony and Nikon lenses I've mentioned.

I wish the Viltrox was lighter, at least for using it with my Z6 II. The balance is so front-heavy that this is a lens that's best used in short bursts, which is a shame because I could see myself using a lens like this for event photography, and those jobs are long hours.

If you shoot with a larger camera such as the Nikon Z8, or more so the Nikon Z9, the balance of the Viltrox lens will be much better.

Still, there's also a very good reason why this lens is so heavy – its supreme optical quality.

Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB: Performance

• 135mm focal length ideal for isolating subjects
• Virtually flawless optical quality
• Precise and smooth autofocus, but not the fastest

The optical quality of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is virtually flawless, much like the Nikon Plena lens, and the MTF charts shared by Viltrox back this up.

Detail is sharp from center to edges, even when using the maximum f/1.8 aperture. There's not a huge amount of vignetting either – it's hardly noticeable if you stop the aperture down to f/2.8, while at f/1.8 it's easily corrected if you don't want those darker corners that help your subject stand out all the more.

I purposefully pushed the lens in tricky scenarios, such as backlit portraits at golden hour, and it handled flare admirably. It also focused precisely, no mean feat when its VCM motors are working hard to shift those weighty lens elements, of which there are 14 in nine groups, although focusing is slightly snappier with Sony's and Nikon's lenses in my experience.

Most photographers splashing the cash on a lens like this do so for its ability to produce attractive bokeh, and the Viltrox lens impresses on this front, especially for the price.

The 11-blade circular aperture delivers buttery smooth and circular bokeh in out-of-focus areas of dappled light, as you can see in the sample images. This kind of bokeh quality is the holy grail for pro portrait photographers, and it's now available in a lens that costs a fraction of the price of Nikon and Sony's own lenses.

The top-drawer optical quality, especially for the competitive price, cannot be overstated, and Viltrox has really given me something to think about. Would I buy this lens? Absolutely. I'll just hit the gym first, or upgrade my gear with the chunkier Z8 for better balance, or – more cost-effectively – the Z6 II battery grip.

Its weight and slightly sluggish autofocus are the only drawbacks to an otherwise flawless lens.

Should you buy the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB

• Tested intermittently for a few weeks
• Paired with a Nikon Z6 II
• Used in a range of scenarios and at different times of day

I received the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens for Nikon Z-mount a few weeks ahead of its official unveiling on March 19, 2025. It's already available for Sony E-mount.

I've paired the lens with a Nikon Z6 II body, and used it in a range of challenging scenarios to test its optical quality. These situations included backlit portraits during golden hours, with the light dancing around the sun included in some photos.

I haven't yet had the opportunity to test the lens during inclement weather yet, so I can't comment on its weather-resistance credentials.

• First reviewed March 2025

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: two-minute review

Every lens comes with some kind of compromise, but Sony’s done well to disguise it on the FE 16mm F1.8 G. Yes, it lacks the versatility of a wide-angle zoom like the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II. But if you’re in the market for a super wide-angle prime with plenty of creative potential, it’s a real box-ticker.

You’ve got the 16mm focal length favored by architecture and landscape fans, plus a fast f/1.8 aperture to satisfy night-sky enthusiasts. You’ve got speedy autofocus and a good set of manual controls. Then you’ve got the dimensions: Sony has cleverly packaged the FE 16mm F1.8 G to make it a lens that’s easy to travel with. All at a price that’s firmly in the reasonable bracket.

Sony might be marketing its 16mm prime at your traditional wide-angle users, but that list makes it a compelling proposition for anyone keen to experiment with a wider field of view. So where’s the catch?

In the minor category, there are a couple of marks against the FE 16mm F1.8 G. To achieve its low weight and matching price, Sony has used a fair amount of plastic in the build. And while it’s a moisture-resistant lens, it doesn’t have full weather seals. But this isn’t a G Master lens. For the money, neither one of those factors should be a dealbreaker.

What could be is the barrel distortion. While prime optics mean the FE 16mm F1.8 G can shoot sharp in the center at its widest aperture, detail drops off to softness in the corners. This is because of how much correction is taking place at the very edges of the frame. Shoot in RAW and you’ll need to compensate quite heavily, costing you sharpness in the stretched pixels.

While this reliance on lens corrections might not sit well with purists, Sony is not alone in leaving software to address optical imperfections. Nor is it an issue which only affects prime glass. It’s a growing trend among wide-angle lenses as a whole, as we found in our review of the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM. Sony’s own FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is guilty of it, too.

In reality, if you’re willing to live with some corner softness, the FE 16mm F1.8 G is an excellent super wide-angle prime for the price. Shooting at f/1.8 not only lets you make the most of the available light, but also allows you to play with defocused backgrounds when your subject is close to the lens.

It’s true that videographers and travel photographers will probably be better served by a 16-35mm zoom, even if that means accepting a slower maximum aperture. The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II has the versatility to cover both wide angles and tighter 35mm street shots with edge-to-edge detail. For those who want get creative at 16mm, though, the FE 16mm F1.8 G isn’t far off the sweet spot.

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G specs

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: Design

• Compact and lightweight for a wide-angle prime
• Protected against dust and moisture
• Tactile focus and aperture control rings

It’s not a pancake prime, but Sony’s done some very clever packaging to keep the FE 16mm F1.8 G compact. By super wide-angle standards, this is about as small as they come with an f/1.8 aperture. It weighs in at a very manageable 10.7oz / 304g and measures just 73.8 x 75 mm (or roughly 3 inches on each axis). That makes it almost 10mm shorter than the Sony FE 20mm F1.8G.

Its lean build is achieved in part by use of plastic in the construction. The result is a barrel that doesn’t feel especially premium, but Sony hasn’t done a cheap job either. There’s no sense that corners have been cut here: the body is creak-free and the controls are nicely tactile. While you don’t get the weather seals of the G Master series, resistance against dust and moisture also adds to the sense of robustness.

The overall impression is one of functionality. That extends to the controls, most of which are thoughtfully placed within a finger’s reach. This is an easy lens to feel your way around one-handed. A few touches help to elevate the user experience above that of a basic prime, too: you’ve got a switch which gives you the option of clicked or smooth aperture ring rotation, for example, plus a programmable function button.

Some users might like a little more weight to the manual focus ring, but the resistance of the aperture ring feels perfectly judged. Together with switches for focus mode and Iris Lock, the FE 16mm F1.8 G is a lovely lens to use. It paired neatly with a Sony A7C II body in testing for a convenient wide-angle shooting setup.

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: Performance

• Fixed ultra-wide 16mm focal length
• Fast f/1.8 maximum aperture
• Rapid autofocus with two linear motors

Frame up with the FE 16mm F1.8 G and you’ll instantly see just how wide a 16mm focal length really is. Whether you’re shooting buildings, interiors or landscapes, this is a lens designed to give you dramatic perspectives. And thanks to its wide maximum aperture, you can shoot those perspectives in a range of scenarios.

At f/1.8, this is pretty fast glass. Fast enough to capture sharp results in low lighting, whether that’s an evening street scene or a starry sky. Sony reckons the FE 16mm F1.8 G is a good option for astrophotography. Paired with a full-frame Sony E-mount camera, the 16mm’s light-gathering abilities certainly mean you can make the most of any available lumens.

The wide aperture also means you can play with a very shallow depth of field. The effect is strongest when shooting close-ups: with the right composition, you can draw a near subject into clear focus against a striking defocused background. This impression is enhanced by the fact that the wide field of view includes more of the backdrop than a standard macro lens.

Bokeh could be smoother and we did encounter some false color in blurred backgrounds. All the same, its close-focusing abilities add an additional string to the bow of Sony’s super wide-angle prime. It’s not a macro lens, but with a minimum focus distance of just 0.15m, the FE 16mm F1.8 G lets you get very close.

It helps that the autofocus system is rapid in all conditions. Driven by dual linear motors, focusing response is pretty much instant. That’s just as true up close and in low light as it is when shooting big subjects in broad daylight. Paired with a Sony A7C II, the lens demonstrated a commendable hit rate, giving no reason to doubt that it would find its target.

All of that translates to video, too. It’s easy to see why Sony touts the FE 16mm F1.8 G as a lens with vlogging potential. Its ultra-wide focal length and close-focusing abilities are both well-suited to self-shot videography, allowing users to comfortably record themselves at arm’s length. The proportions of the lens itself also make it easy to wield when paired with a vlogging-first camera like the Sony ZV-E1.

Focus breathing is kept to a minimum: shift focus while recording and the field of view stays consistent enough for most eyes. If you have a compatible Sony body, you can use the breathing compensation function to eradicate it entirely by applying a slight crop. Shooting video with a 16:9 aspect ratio also crops out any softness in the corners from the application of distortion correction (see below).

Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G: sample images

Images shot with the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G are broadly superb. As with most prime lenses, there’s a sweet spot in the aperture range that nets you edge-to-edge sharpness with no vignetting. That’s exactly what you’ll find at f/4.

Wide open at f/1.8, the story is a little bit different. There’s some minor vignetting evident in RAW stills, which can be addressed in post or reduced significantly by stopping down to f/2.8. That’s unless you want the effect to complement the wide-angle look, leading the eye to the center of the frame.

More problematic is barrel distortion. This isn’t a surprise for such a wide-angle prime, but the result is a loss of detail where correction stretches pixels in the corners. Whether this is applied in-camera to JPEG stills or in the edit for RAW files, the result is the same: softness at the far reaches of the frame.

How much this loss of corner clarity is an issue will often come down to the composition. Naturally, the results of distortion correction are less noticeable when the area is defocused. In any case, you still get excellent center sharpness at f/1.8 and resolution remains decent across the frame up to f/11. Venture beyond that and you’ll find that sharpness drops off significantly, particularly as you approach f/22.

In stills captured facing into the sun, the FE 16mm F1.8 G displays a strong ability to deal with backlighting. There can be some washout at the widest apertures, but contrast is retained at f/4. The lens also keeps flaring under tight control and renders soft but attractive sunstars at narrower apertures.

Should you buy the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 G

• Tested comprehensively for a week
• Paired with a Sony A7C II body
• Used in a range of conditions

Sony was only able to loan the FE 16mm F1.8 G to me for a seven-day period, during which time I shot with it extensively. Thankfully the weather was good during my time with it, so I was able to fully assess how it handles different lighting conditions, from bright backlighting to dimmer evening scenes.

As a 16mm would traditionally be considered a lens for shooting landscapes and architecture, I did both of those. But because Sony’s super wide-angle prime also boasts the defocusing potential of a fast maximum aperture, I also made sure to shoot up close with a range of subjects.

I used the lens with a Sony A7C II body. By shooting with it heavily over the course of a week, I was able to get a good understanding of the build quality and usability of the lens, particularly the feel of its focus and aperture rings.

• First reviewed March 2025

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: two-minute review

Closer is better when it comes to wildlife photography, and that’s where Sony’s super-telephoto zoom delivers in spades: with a reach of 400-800mm, it’s the longest lens of its kind in Sony’s E-mount lens lineup. Trumping the 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS by a full 200mm at the telephoto end, it sacrifices wide-angle flexibility to give you a significantly tighter shot of distant subjects.

Comparable in many respects to Canon’s RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM, Sony’s super-telephoto is a win for capturing wild and winged creatures. It's less effective in the sports arena though: a slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture makes it harder to work at the kinds of shutter speeds needed to freeze fast-moving subjects, especially in low-light scenarios, and also limits your scope for blurring busy backgrounds.

Still, in bright conditions, the 400-800mm excels. You don’t get the absolute pin-sharp detail of a telephoto prime, but it’s still sharp both throughout the zoom range and across the frame. Effective image stabilization also helps to keep things crisp when shooting handheld, with motion blur only becoming noticeable at the long end. Chromatic aberrations are kept under tight control, too.

Tipping the scales at the best part of 2.5kg, this is not a lightweight lens. Nor is it small by anyone’s standards, especially with the lens hood attached. Yet Sony has made it a surprisingly manageable telephoto zoom to shoot with. For starters, internal zoom keeps the weight balance relatively centered over the tripod foot, which usefully doubles up as a handle.

Then you’ve got the tactile, accessible controls. With well-judged resistance, the focus ring makes manual adjustments a joy. Similarly, the short throw and smooth action of the zoom ring mean it’s swift and easy to shift through the full spectrum of focal lengths. Add a trio of programmable focus hold buttons, and the 400-800mm becomes a super-telephoto that’s easy to handle.

It’s also a lens with superb focusing skills. This isn’t G Master glass, but you wouldn’t know it from the responsiveness of the autofocus: driven by two precision linear motors, it moves fast and very rarely misses, and only when shooting busy scenes at a serious distance will you need to consider manual fine-tuning. At the wide end of the range, it also has the versatility to focus on subjects just 1.7m away.

This isn’t a perfect lens. Professional wildlife photographers will get better fine detail from a premium telephoto prime, while serious sports coverage requires the faster maximum aperture of something like the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports. But compromise is inevitable with a lens that's designed to cover several bases, and if you want a super-telephoto zoom that gets you closer than any other Sony E-mount glass, the trade-offs here are more than palatable.

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS specs

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: Design

• Heavy but well-balanced lens
• Robust build with weather seals
• Internal zoom with smooth ring rotation

There’s no escaping the fact that the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS is a hefty lens. At the best part of 2.5kg, you’ll feel its weight when wielding it. That said, it’s not too much bigger than the 200-600mm: it's 358g heavier, 29mm longer and just 8.3mm wider. Those don’t feel like huge trade-offs for the extra reach at the long end, although you will need to invest in costly 105mm front filters.

It helps that Sony has done a good job of balancing the lens. Rather than telescoping out in front, the zoom mechanism is all packaged internally. That keeps the weight distribution fairly consistent, whether you’re shooting handheld or on a tripod. It also means that the zoom control ring only requires a light touch, which contributes to the sense that this is a manageable lens.

So does the tripod foot, which sits pretty squarely beneath the lens and body’s center of gravity. Its collar isn’t removable, but you’ll likely find the foot useful to have more often than not. The design isn’t exactly ergonomic, but the foot makes for a natural handle, both when carrying and framing. The collar can be easily rotated, with markers for landscape and vertical orientation.

While this isn’t a pro-grade lens, it’s more than robust enough to survive a lifetime of shoots in the wild. Besides its general weightiness, everything feels well-assembled: the barrel is solid, the control rings turn smoothly, and the switches have a nice, affirmative action. Weather seals are there to keep dust and moisture out, too.

Despite its size, Sony has tried to make the 400-800mm an accessible lens. The hood, for example, attaches with a simple button release, and features a sliding window, so you can make filter adjustments without removing it. Around the barrel, three focus-hold buttons sit at 90-degree intervals, and each can be programmed with custom functions. Then you have its stack of five focus and stabilization switches. As heavyweight telephoto zoom lenses go, this is one of the most user-friendly.

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: Performance

• Fast autofocus with two linear motors
• Relatively slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture
• 1.7m minimum focus distance at 400mm

When it comes to focusing performance, the 400-800mm impresses. Driven by a pair of high-speed linear motors, autofocus is both rapid and reliable, with zero delay between button press and motor response. According to Sony, the telephoto zoom can handle the 120fps maximum burst speeds of the A9 III. We didn’t have Sony’s sports star to hand during testing, but our chosen body – the A1 II – is no slouch, and the 400-800mm had no trouble keeping up.

It’s not immune from the odd miss, particularly when shooting over significant distances, but two features help here. The first is the focus limiter switch, which lets you give the 400-800mm a helping hand. By switching from the full range to one of two restricted modes, based on your distance from the subject, the lens has to hunt around less to find focus.

The second is full-time direct manual focus, which allows you to manually fine-tune focus in any mode by twisting the control ring. There aren’t many occasions where you’ll need to do this, but if the autofocus is having trouble with branches, for example, you’ll find the focus ring has just the right amount of resistance to let you make careful adjustments.

Close focusing is another key selling point of the 400-800mm, with a minimum distance of 1.7m at the wide end. In practice, that lets you get the shot even when your subject is relatively close. 400mm is probably too tight to practically shoot from the sidelines of a sports event, but that distance does mean you can capture small creatures that are near the end of the lens.

Of course, it’s the super-telephoto number that grabs the headlines – and for good reason: 800mm is a long way in. Compared to a barrel that maxes out at 600mm the extra reach gets you significantly tighter in on your subject, and whether you’re shooting a kingfisher or a kickabout the difference is dramatic.

Almost as important as the range itself is the short throw of the zoom ring, which is optimized for quick shifts in focal length, and has a wonderfully smooth action; the internal zoom mechanism helps here, because the control ring isn’t responsible for telescoping elements. The net result is that it's pretty effortless to move through the full 400-800mm range, and together with the swift autofocus it enables you to readily switch between subjects near and far.

What does hold the 400-800mm back in some scenarios is the slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture. This isn’t an issue in good light, where the lens performs well (see the sample images below). Under darker skies, though, it can struggle to keep up with rapid action, and at the shutter speeds required to freeze movement you’ll need to crank up the ISO setting or risk underexposed stills.

As a result, this isn’t a lens for shooting sports, especially not indoors. Even in the dimmer conditions of undergrowth, it can be a challenge to capture blur-free animal motion.

That slower maximum aperture also makes the lens less effective at blurring backgrounds. It’s not a major issue with leafy scenes or distant backdrops, but it does demand more care when composing against busy settings. At f/5.6-6.3, the 200-600mm has better light-gathering abilities and enables a tighter depth of field.

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: sample images

Optically, there’s a lot going on inside the 400-800mm. There are 27 elements in 19 groups, six of which are extra-low dispersion, which translates into sharp stills which are pretty much free from chromatic aberrations.

At a pixel level, you’ll get finer results from a telephoto prime, but for a super-telephoto zoom, the 400-800mm exhibits decent sharpness. Detail is crisp at both the center and the edge of the frame, across the full zoom range. Again, the lens delivers its best results in good lighting, where you can work at shutter speeds fast enough to eliminate motion blur.

SteadyShot stabilization helps to keep things sharp. Sony hasn’t published the official rating of its OIS system, but with a trio of modes covering static and panning shots, as well as active subjects shot using the viewfinder, we found it pretty effective at counteracting hand shake. Blur did become noticeable at the extreme end, but panning handheld at 800mm is never going to bag you the sharpest stills.

Chromatic aberrations are tightly controlled, with just a hint of purple fringing creeping in at super-telephoto focal lengths. Pincushion distortion is minimal, too, leaving you with very little to fix in raw images. The 11-blade aperture diaphragm also produces bokeh smooth enough to satisfy most enthusiasts.

Should you buy the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS

• I used the lens extensively for a week
• I paired it with the Sony A1 II
• I tested it in a range of scenarios

Sony only made the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS available for a short loan period, so I made the most of my week with it. I was blessed with a several days of clear skies and winter sun, allowing me to test the telephoto zoom in ideal conditions.

Given the lens's wildlife credentials, animals were obviously a focus of my test shots. That said, I also made sure to assess its capabilities as a sports lens, shooting on-track action at the Goodwood motorsports circuit near my home in the UK. To be thorough, I also shot architectural details, flowers, and a handful of portraits.

Paired with a Sony A1 II, I took the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS on several walks to get a good understanding of how easy it was to move and shoot with the lens handheld, taking into account not just its weight, but also its full complement of controls, as well as the collar.

• First reviewed March 2025

• Sony unveils FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS and FE 16mm F1.8 G lenses
• The 400-800mm lens is Sony's first-ever with 800mm reach
• The full-frame lenses cost $2,900 / £2,550 and $800 / £850 respectively (AU pricing to follow)

Sony has unveiled two lenses for its full-frame cameras, covering wide-angle and telephoto extremes between them. The headline-grabbing lens is the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS, because it's Sony's first-ever telephoto lens to reach the 800mm focal length.

Costing $2,900 / £2,550 (AU pricing to follow) and available from early March 2025, the 400-800mm joins Sony's other telephoto zooms – a 100-400mm and a 200-600mm – as the one with the longest reach, making it particularly ideal for wildlife and action photography where you can't get close, such as birding and motorsports.

What's more, it works with Sony 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. The latter can extend the maximum reach up 1600mm, even if the reduced f/16 maximum aperture is impractical for most scenarios, besides sunny weather.

Alongside the 400-800mm lens, Sony is also introducing the FE 16mm F1.8 G, which costs $800 / £850 (again, AU pricing to follow) and should be available from early April 2025. The ultra-wide prime joins a crowded section of Sony's expansive lens line up, with plenty of alternatives to consider.

Where it hopes to stand out against the likes of the FE 14mm F1.8 GM, FE 20mm F1.8, FE 16-25mm F2.8, FE 16-35mm and F2.8 GM II is its competitive price, compact build, ultra-wide perspective and fast f/1.8 aperture. For users of either of those zooms who generally stick to the widest angle, then the new 16mm prime could make way more sense.

The ultimate super-telephoto zoom?

Sony isn't the first to launch a super-telephoto zoom with maximum 800mm focal length. No, that accolade went to Canon with its RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM in 2023.

There's plenty going for the 400-800mm lens, mind. Sony says it is dust-resistant and moisture-resistant, plus its focusing and zoom are internal – the latter being a welcome surprise.

An internal zoom means the lens doesn't extend as you zoom in and out, with the center of gravity essentially unchanged. Most enthusiast zoom lenses extend as you zoom, including Canon's, and there's potential for dust and moisture to enter the lens through its extending barrel. Not so with Sony's 400-800mm.

This is an optically complex lens too, comprising 27 elements in 19 groups, 6 of which are ED elements, plus an 11-blade circular aperture for what should be pleasant bokeh. Sony says there's minimal flare, ghosting and chromatic aberration – our incoming in-depth review will reveal all.

The lens' minimum focus distance is 1.7m, delivering a maximum 0.23x magnification – this is no macro lens. It's equipped with two linear motors and supports autofocus tracking up to 120fps, meaning the autofocus performance of Sony's best cameras can realize its full potential with this lens in play.

The lens is stabilized, which is an essential feature for a super-telephoto zoom, but unfortunately Sony couldn't tell us what the lens's OIS is rated up to. We should have that info by the time our in-depth review is published.

At 2,475g, Sony's 400-800mm lens is weightier than Canon's super-telephoto, plus it's slightly pricier while Canon's lens has a 4x optical zoom which can zoom out wider to 200mm.

For people with a Sony camera, however, the new FE 400-800mm offers the longest reach possible at a competitive price. It's not a pro-grade Sony lens, but I can see it being particularly popular with enthusiast wildlife and action photographers, for whom the maximum F6.3-8 aperture is acceptable.

You might also like

• Best Sony lenses 2025: top lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras
• Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G review: small and mighty?
• Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM review: mega reach, decent price