Tag Archives: Cameras & Photography

Nikon ZR review: A highly capable cinema camera at a reasonable price

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Video used to be an afterthought for Nikon, but since the company purchased RED last year, content creators are now high on its priority list. A perfect example of that is Nikon’s new $2,200 ZR: a full-frame mirrorless model that stands up against dedicated cinema cameras for a fraction of the price.

It’s the first consumer camera to capture video using RED’s 12-bit RAW format, but unlike RED’s Hollywood cameras, it has a fast and accurate autofocus system. It also comes with a huge display, pro video monitoring tools, in-body stabilization and 32-bit float internal audio recording. After shooting a short film that tested its capabilities, I can confirm that the Nikon ZR offers incredible video quality at this price.

Body and handling

While a bit lighter than Nikon’s Z6 III, the 1.19-pound (540-gram) ZR feels solid. It has a boxy design like Sony’s FX2 but a much smaller grip because it’s designed to be rigged up for cinema shooting with cages and handles. However, unlike the FX2 which has multiple 1/4-inch mounting threads to do such rigging, the ZR unfortunately has only one of those on the bottom.

The ZR also lacks an electronic viewfinder like the FX2, but it more than makes up for that with its huge 4-inch display — the largest I’ve ever seen on a mirrorless camera. At 1,000 nits, it’s bright enough to shoot on sunny days, extremely sharp (3.07 million dots) and flips out for vloggers. All of that makes it a perfect primary display for checking the image and controlling the camera.

Nikon has nailed the ZR’s handling, too. While it’s not covered with buttons and dials like some models, it does have two shooting dials to control exposure and a joystick for autofocus. There’s also a camera/video switch, two record buttons, a power switch and five customizable buttons. Many of Nikon’s lenses come with control rings as well, so extra manual control is available.

The menu button is unusual: you press once for the quick menu and hold to see the full menu. Given the large number of settings, I would advise anyone buying this camera to learn all the important adjustments, then customize the controls to avoid wading through dense menus while shooting.

Another unique feature is in the battery compartment. There’s a single fast CFexpress slot to handle RAW video, plus a microSD slot for proxies. The lack of a second CFexpress slot or fast SD card slot for backup isn’t ideal for a professional camera, though.

Finally, the ZR runs on the same N‑EL15c batteries as other Nikon mirrorless cameras. They allow 90 minutes of HD shooting on a charge, or 390 photos per CIPA standards. That’s mediocre, so if you’re planning long shoots, stock up on batteries.

Nikon ZR review: A highly capable cinema camera at a bargain price
Steve Dent for Engadget

The Nikon ZR has the largest selection of RAW video settings I’ve seen. The centerpiece is RED’s RAW R3D NE light codec (designed by RED for Nikon) with RED’s Log3G10 log format. It also supports Nikon’s N-RAW, ProRes/ProRes RAW and H.265 with resolution that ranges from 6K at up to 60 fps to 4K 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps. Despite the smallish body, it can capture 6K RAW video continuously for 125 minutes without overheating.

The 24MP sensor uses a dual ISO system with native 800 and 6,400 ISOs, providing a nice range for indoor and outdoor shooting. The company claims 15+ stops of dynamic range, which is more than just about any other mirrorless camera. Other key video features include five-axis in-body stabilization with seven stops of shake reduction, waveform and vectorscope monitoring and a false color display for manual focus.

To test the camera’s features and video quality, I shot a short film in a mix of indoor low light, outdoor daytime and a mix between the two. I also shot handheld (including running with it) to test the stabilization. I primarily captured in R3D RAW, as well as Nikon’s N-RAW at the native 800 and 6,400 ISOs to maximize dynamic range. (You can take 24MP photos with this camera, but I’m focusing on video as it’s mainly designed for that.)

In order to not see a flat log profile when shooting, you’ll need to apply a look-up table (LUT) designed for RED cameras, like "Achromic," "Bleach" or "Caustic." Those are only for in-camera previews and not baked into the video, but you can apply those LUTs later in Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve to get the same look.

Nikon ZR review: A highly capable cinema camera at a bargain price
Steve Dent for Engadget

With such a high native ISO, I was able to shoot inside with a single studio light. Video quality was outstanding with little noise in shadow regions, even after boosting black levels in post. Meanwhile, the RED R3D codec and Log3G10 gave me extra latitude to reveal shadow detail and dial down highlights when I shot the subject against a bright window.

When you use the R3D codec, exposure is strictly manual with no ability to set auto shutter speed (shutter angle) or f-stop. So, for a scene with varying light, I used Nikon’s N-RAW to see if it would give me the correct exposure at the beginning and end of the scene. It did a good job, with no noticeable jumps during the shot.

Video in sunlight at ISO 800 was also sharp with accurate colors after downscaling to 4K from 6K in DaVinci Resolve. ISO 800 is a relatively high native setting, though, and the ZR doesn’t have a built-in ND filter to reduce exposure. That means you’ll need to buy ND filters for outside shooting or the high shutter speeds will result in choppy video.

Cinema cameras from Blackmagic Design, Arri or RED are manual-focus only. But the ZR is a Nikon camera, and it has the best AF system I’ve seen on any of the company’s models, consistently nailing focus even with moving subjects. You can also automatically track vehicles, birds and other animals. At the same time, the ZR handles manual focus well. That’s thanks to a built-in display that’s big enough to check focus accurately and Nikon’s focus peaking setting with three levels of sensitivity.

Nikon ZR review: A highly capable cinema camera at a bargain price
Steve Dent for Engadget

In-body stabilization on the ZR wasn’t up to par with Panasonic’s S1 II, however. Video was smooth for handheld shooting if I panned the camera gently, but all my running and walking shots showed noticeable camera shake. That said, the ZR at least has in-body stabilization, unlike most cinema cameras, and most filmmakers will use a gimbal for running shots, regardless of which camera they use. (Note that the rattling you hear when the ZR is turned off is the sensor, which floats by design.)

Finally, I was able to capture good audio quality via an external microphone without any clipping worries thanks to the Nikon ZR’s 32-bit float internal audio capture. The company also touts directional capture using its built-in mics, but as with any such system, audio quality isn’t high enough for production use.

With the ZR, Nikon has shown that it’s finally catching up to and even surpassing its rivals for content creation. Whether you’re doing social media, YouTube, documentaries or even film production, this camera is versatile and powerful with few compromises. Video quality and ease of use even beats models that are double or triple the price.

The ZR’s primary competition is in the low-end cinema cameras, particularly Sony’s $2,998 FX2 and the $3,899 Canon R5C. While more expensive, both come with an electronic viewfinder that the ZR lacks, and the R5C can shoot up to 8K video. Another option is Blackmagic Design’s Pyxis 6K camera, but it only offers basic autofocus capabilities and lacks in-body stabilization.

Compared to those options, Nikon’s ZR delivers better dynamic range thanks to the inclusion of RED’s R3D RAW codec. It also comes with an excellent autofocus system and decent in-body stabilization. If you’re a creator looking to get the best video quality for the money without losing those niceties, I’d highly recommend the ZR.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikon-zr-review-a-highly-capable-cinema-camera-at-a-reasonable-price-152634311.html?src=rss

Sony’s much-anticipated A7 V is here with a faster 33MP sensor and 4K 120p video

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Sony has launched its mid-range flagship mirrorless camera, the A7 V, with a strong emphasis on speed but a bit less on video than some may have hoped. The new model sports a 33MP partially stacked full-frame Exmor RS sensor and an all-new Bionz XR2 processor with built-in AI, powering what the company calls its fastest, most accurate subject-detect autofocus ever. At the same time, it can shoot 14-bit photos at up to 30 fps with 16 stops of dynamic range, the highest ever on a Sony (or nearly any other) camera. 

On the video side, the A7 V now supports 4K 10-bit S-Log3 video at 60 fps using the full sensor width with supersampling from 7K. Note that to get full-width video in 4K 60 fps mode, you must turn on a feature called Angle of View Priority that turns off in-camera noise reduction but doesn't affect quality, according to Sony. 4K at 120 fps is also possible with an APS-C crop. The graphite heatsink disperses heat well, so you can record 90 minutes continuously at 4K 60 fps. 

However, the A7 V doesn't offer any resolutions beyond that, unlike its primary rivals in this price range: the Canon R6 III (7K 60 fps), Nikon Z6 III (6K at 60 fps) and Panasonic S1 II (6K at 60 fps). Also surprisingly, there's no internal or external RAW capture, unlike all three rival cameras, with recording limited to Sony's XAVC (H.265 and H.264) formats.

Sony's much-anticipated A7 V is here with a faster 33MP sensor and 4K 120p video
Sony

Sony told Engadget that rather than RAW or 7K, it preferred to focus on features that it believes creators really want, namely sharp, high-quality 4K 60 fps that won't fill up your hard drive (along with fast and precise autofocus, of course). It also prioritized speed with the partially stacked shutter in order to reduce rolling shutter for full-frame video. 

The company has a point that while RAW video provides extra quality, a single minute can take up gigabytes of space and requires a powerful PC for processing. That said, I'd personally like to have a 6K or 7K capture option in case I need to reframe a shot or output high-resolution vertical video. However, the A7 V can kind of do that itself with its Auto Framing mode that keeps a human in the scene and crops in on them automatically, like robotic cameraperson. 

With all the extra speed, the A7 V can shoot 30 fps blackout-free RAW bursts with accurate AF and auto exposure in electronic shutter mode (with 14-bit RAW quality rather than 12-bit as before), or 10 fps with the mechanical shutter. There's no fully uncompressed RAW option, but it does support lossless compressed RAW and a new lightweight RAW format. It also supports extended RAW processing on PC with high-resolution output, along with 12 creative look presets with custom parameters. 

With the new sensor and image processor, Sony is promising precise AF down to EV-4.0 in low light conditions, with 759 phase-detection points that cover about 94 percent of the image area. It also supports pre-capture and speed boost so you won't miss important moments in wildlife or sports photography. In terms of AI recognition, it now supports Human, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car/Train and Airplane detection, along with Auto Recognition of the target. 

Sony's much-anticipated A7 V is here with a faster 33MP sensor and 4K 120p video
Sony

The A7 V's five-axis in-body stabilization delivers up to 7.5 stops of shake reduction, compared to 8.5 for Canon and Panasonic's latest models. It offers both Active and Dynamic Active modes depending on how energetically you're handling the camera, with the latter introducing some cropping. 

The 2.1-million-dot rear display flips out for vloggers as before, but also tilts up and down for easier hip-level photography. The OLED electronic viewfinder has the same 3.69-million dot resolution as the A7 IV. Battery life via Sony's NP-FZ100 battery stretches out to 750 shots (CIPA), the best of any camera in this category. Rather than the dual-dual card slot configuration of the A1 II, the A7 V offers a hybrid CFexpress Type A (that only Sony uses) and SD UHS II slot, along with single SD UHS II slot. Other features include 3.5mm mic and headphone ports, a full-sized HDMI port, Wi-Fi 6 and two USB-C ports.

With the extra speed, high resolution compared to rivals and gain in picture quality, Sony's A7 V should appeal to hybrid shooters who focus on photography and so some video. It's now on pre-order starting at $2,899 ($3,099 with a kit lens) or $3,699/$3,899 CAD. It's due to start shipping on December 18, 2025, but only in limited numbers to start with. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sonys-much-anticipated-a7-v-is-here-with-a-faster-33mp-sensor-and-4k-120p-video-140403371.html?src=rss

Our favorite Aura digital photo frame is $40 off for Black Friday

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Putting together a photo album is a sweet way to share memories with loved ones, and a digital frame lets you package those feelings in a device that can be constantly updated with new pictures. Aura makes some of the best frames we've tested, and for Black Friday you can get our favorite digital picture frame the company makes for $139. That's $40 off the normal $179 price of the Aura 10.1" Carver Mat Frame, and one of the lowest prices we've seen the frame hit this year.

The Aura Carver Mat has a 10.1-inch display that's bright and high-resolution enough to show off a rotating collection of photos and videos without worrying about glare. The display is designed to be used in landscape orientation, and Aura's software can intelligently pair portrait photos together so the screen isn't left with awkward negative space.

Better yet, actually getting photos on the frame is a breeze. You can add whatever photos or videos you choose through a handy smartphone app, and even organize photos in albums if you want them to be displayed together. By default, the Aura Carver will shuffle through what you've uploaded, but you can also manually swipe through photos via a touch panel at the top of the frame if there's something particular you want to display.

In terms of quality and ease-of-use, the Aura 10.1-inch Carver Mat Frame is the top pick in our list of the best digital picture frames for a reason. Parents and grandparents find it kind of magical to have a frame that you can randomly update with new photos, and of the Black Friday deals we've spotted this year, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/our-favorite-aura-digital-photo-frame-is-40-off-for-black-friday-202715971.html?src=rss

The best Cyber Monday camera and drone deals: Get up to 52 percent off from Sony, DJI and others

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Cyber Monday is a good time to consider picking up tech you may have had your eye on for a bit. That means big ticket items like cameras, drones and the like. Major camera and drone makers including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon and GoPro are still offering substantial discounts across a wide range of products ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Those include options from our guide to the best cameras, so you'll get great value for tried and tested gear. These are the best Cyber Monday camera deals you can get for 2025.

Sony A7 IV for $1,998 (26 percent off): Sony's A7 IV is still one of the best hybrid cameras you can get thanks to the high resolution, fast shooting speeds and 4K 60p video. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and it comes with in-body stabilization to help smooth your shots. And for photographers, image quality has never been better thanks to the high dynamic range and enhanced resolution compared to the A7 III.

GoPro Hero 13 Black for $319 (26 percent off): GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is now available with a new family of modular lenses called the HB series (ultra-wide, anamorphic and macro), making it far more versatile for action creators. It also has a slightly bigger battery that allows longer capture times, up to 90 minutes for 4K 30fps video. Other specs remain the same, including up to 5.3K at 60fps in 10-bit color, along with the excellent Hypersmooth stabilization. And if you want an even wider field of view, grab the Hero 13 Black Wide Edition for $329.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for $529 (34 percent off): When DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 came out I said was "maybe the only vlogging camera you need." It has a big one-inch sensor that boosts image quality considerably, particularly in low light. You also get a large swiveling touchscreen that makes it easier to switch between horizontal and vertical video. What really makes it great for vlogging, though, are the follow modes combined with face tracking. When working solo, you can simply set it up and it’ll rotate and tilt to follow you around — so you don’t have to worry about focus or even pointing the camera at yourself. There’s very little not to like about the Osmo Pocket 3, but it’s not ideal for photos and is also quite expensive. But with the Black Friday deal and Pocket 4 on the horizon, it's a great time to get one.

Canon EOS R100 with 18-45mm kit lens for $499 (27 percent off): Canon's EOS R100 is the best deal on a mirrorless camera with a kit lens, and this is the lowest price we've seen to date. It comes with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that delivers great picture quality with Canon's pleasing skin tones, offers rapid and accurate autofocus and lets you shoot 4K (cropped) video at up to 24 fps.

DJI Osmo 360 for $357 (35 percent off): DJI’s Osmo 360 is a worthy rival to Insta360’s X5, thanks to the innovative sensor and 8K 50 fps video. It also matches or beats its rival in other areas, with similar battery life and superior low-light capability. Other positives include seamless 360 stitching, compatibility with DJI's mics and accessories, and excellent ease of use. The one negative is the editing app, which lacks some features found on Insta360's app. 

OM SYSTEM Olympus E-M10 IV with 14-42mm kit lens for $700 (22 percent off): OM Systems' Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV offers a great mix of photography and video features and is on sale with a solid kit lens. You get up to 15 fps shooting speeds, 4K 30p or HD 120p video, and it’s one of the few cameras in this price category with built-in five-axis stabilization. It’s portable and lightweight for travel, and the lenses are compact and affordable. The drawbacks are an autofocus system that’s not as fast or accurate as the competition, and a small sensor size.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro for $259 (24 percent off): The Action 5 Pro features a large 1/1.3-inch sensor that makes it better than the Hero 13 in low light. It also tops the action cam battery life charts at two hours-plus while shooting 4K 60fps. Another nice feature is 47GB of internal storage, a big help if you forget your microSD memory card. And the Osmo Action 5 Pro works directly with DJI’s noise-cancelling Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones, providing an easy way to record high-quality sound. You can also grab the Action 4 Pro with the same sensor for just $199, or 31 percent off the regular price. 

DJI Mini 4K drone Fly More Combo for $359 (20 percent off): The Mini 4K is a beginner-friendly drone, but it's still got plenty of nifty features. As the name suggests, it can capture 4K video at up to 30 FPS. It can also record 2.7K footage at 60 FPS. There's 2x digital zoom, a 3-axis gimbal and electrical image stabilization. The drone can transmit 1080p video from up to 10km away.

Panasonix Lumix S9 in green for $1,398 with 18-45mm kit lens (22 percent off): The S9 may be Panasonic's smallest full-frame camera but it comes with the same 24MP sensor and similar video features to the popular S5 II. To that end, it offers up to 6.2K video, in-body stabilization and reliable autofocus. The key feature though is a special LUT button that lets you easily choose a custom cinematic look designed by professional creators.

Fujifilm X-T50 with XC 15-45mm lens for $1,599 (6 percent off): Fujifilm’s X-T50 is a big improvement over the X-T30 II, thanks to its higher resolution sensor, in-body stabilization and upgraded video capabilities. It's relatively small and lightweight and has solid autofocus and decent shooting speeds of up to 13 fps. Fujifilm cameras rarely go on sale, so if you're in the market for this model, now's the time to act. 

Canon EOS R50 for $679 (13 percent off): Canon's 24-megapixel APS-C EOS R50 is great for travel, parties, street photography and more thanks to the portable size and built-in flash. It offers nice image quality with warm, human friendly photos and is capable for creators as well with 4K 30fps supersampled video, with 10-bit and HDR capability. It comes with a kit lens that's solid for vlogging or photography with a 24-70mm full-frame equivalent zoom range.

Panasonic Lumix S5 II for $1,498 (25 percent off): The Lumix S5 II is an ideal vlogging camera, thanks to its excellent 6K 10-bit video, powerful stabilization system and phase-detect autofocus. It also offers features that creators need like excellent monitoring tools and advanced audio features, along with the 3.68-million dot EVF and flip-out display. 

Nikon Z6 III for $2,097 (22 percent off): The Nikon Z6 III is one of the best hybrid creator cameras you can buy, thanks to the incredible performance of its partially stacked sensor. You can shoot RAW bursts at up to 20 fps in electronic shutter mode while nailing sharp shots thanks to the much-improved autofocus. On the video side, it supports 6K RAW at up to 60 fps, or 4K 120p. The only thing holding it back from dethroning Sony is image quality that’s compromised a bit by the relatively low resolution and reduced dynamic range.

Sony A7R V for $3,298 (21 percent off): With a 61-megapixel sensor, Sony’s A7R V shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap, albeit with significant rolling shutter. 

Canon EOS R5 Mark II for $3,899 (11 percent off): The EOS R5 II comes with a high-resolution 45-megapixel stacked sensor, but still lets you shoot blackout-free bursts at up to 30 fps (and it can pre-capture up to 15 photos when you half press the shutter button). The updated autofocus with AI tracking is as good as anything offered by Sony and it's also highly capable for video, with up to 8K 60p RAW and 4K 120p shooting. 

Nikon Z8 for $3,496 (18 percent off): Nikon's Z8 offers the same specs as the company’s Z9 flagship in a smaller body but costs a lot less. It’s one of the highest resolution full-frame cameras with 45 megapixels, but also one of the fastest with burst speeds up to 30 fps. At the same time, it has powerful video capabilities with 8K RAW video at up to 60 fps. Autofocus isn’t on par with Sony’s A1, but the Z8 is a better camera for the price.

Osmo Mobile 7P for $103 (20 percent off): This three-axis gimbal keeps your smartphone video as smooth as can be with DJI's ActiveTrack 7.0, and includes a magnetic snapping mechanism so you can install your mobile device in seconds. The latest feature is native tracking that follows you around, thanks to the included Multifunctional Module.

K&F Concept 20L camera backpack for $66 (20 percent off): This multifunction backpack can store not only cameras, lenses and even drones in the bottom section, but a couple of changes of clothes up top. It has a laptop compartment, ventilated elastic back, auxiliary straps and more.

SmallRig Camera Tripod for $49 (30 percent off): This 2-in-1 tripod easily transforms into a monopod depending on your needs. It comes with a 360-degree detachable ball head, supports up to 33 pounds and lets you adjust the working height from 16- to 71-inches in seconds.

Rode Wireless Micro for $83 (10 percent off): Another great wireless mic option is Rode's Wireless Micro designed for smartphone users. The receiver connects to the bottom of your smartphone via USB-C and the microphones attach to the subject via integrated clips or magnets. They capture pristine sound well above what your smartphone can do, with a 20-20 kHz frequency range and 73 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

DJI Mic 2 for $199 (26 percent off): DJI's Mic 2 can not only be connected to a mirrorless camera like other mics, but also supports Bluetooth audio so can easily be connected to a smartphone as well. It picks up audio from your subject at a range of up to 820 feet (less with a Bluetooth connection) and automatically reduces background noise like wind, city sounds and even drone noise. And unlike the Mic 3, it lets you plug in an external microphone. This deal includes two mic transmitters, a receiver for your camera, a charging case and wind muffs.

DJI RS 4 Mini $289 (22 percent off): The RS 4 Mini is one of the best handheld camera stabilizers on the market thanks to features like its 4.4 pound payload and automatic axis lock. On top of that, the company introduced automatic tracking via its RS Intelligent Tracking Module to keep human subjects in frame no matter where they go. It also offers smoother gimbal tracking, longer battery life and faster charging.

SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II Memory Card for $280 (15 percent off): High speed SD memory cards rarely go on sale, but you can grab one of the best ones for a cool 15 percent off the regular price. It'll let you capture longer photo bursts and high-bandwidth MP4 video with no issues. 

Lexar 64GB Professional 2000x SD Card $48 (31 percent off): If you need very fast SD UHS II memory, Lexar currently has an excellent deal on its 64GB 2000x memory card. It offers 300MB/s read and 260Mb/s write speeds, quick enough to capture high data rate video or bursts of high-resolution photos. Amazon is also offering a solid discount on 256GB memory in the same lineup at $165 or 23 percent off.

Samsung Evo Select 512GB microSD memory card for $33 (30 percent off): This card offers a lot of storage for the money at this price, but it's fast enough to handle 4K video for drone and action camera storage. 

Samsung P9 512GB microSD Express memory card for $75 (25 percent off): If you want a fast card for your drone or action cam that can also be used on a Switch 2, Samsung has the answer. It's P9 512GB microSD express card is on sale for just $75, or 25 percent off the regular price. It can run at speeds up to 800MB/s on the Switch 2, and transfer files in compatibility mode at up to 160Mbps. 

Lexar 512GB Professional Silver CFexpress Type B memory card for $110 (24 percent off): If you just bought a new camera with a CFexpress slot and are wincing at the card prices, this is a great deal. You get 512GB of storage with sustained write speeds up to 1,150 MB/s, fast enough for RAW capture in most formats. 

Lexar 160GB Professional CFexpress Type A Card GOLD Series for $90 (52 percent off): If you have a recent Sony camera CFexpress Type A slots and are waiting for a deal, this is a great one. Save $100 from Lexar's regular price for this card and a cool $140 off what Sony charges for its own cards. 

Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light for $72 (20 percent off): This is a popular video light that can provide primary illumination or be used as a background light for interviews and more. I can attest that this product rarely goes on sale, so now's the time to snap one up. 

Manfrotto Befree GT PRO 4-section travel tripod $299 (36 percent off): Belying its miniscule 4.23 pound weight, this model offers ultra-stable performance for timelapse and other shots, even in bad weather. It's also great for video thanks to the integrated 3-way pan/tilt head, featuring fluid cartridges for precise control and seamless movements.

Lexar 2TB Professional CFexpress Type A memory card for $509 (15 percent off): For those looking for fast and copious storage for modern mirrorless cameras, Lexar's 2TB Professional CFexpress Type A Silver 4.0 memory card is a good solution. It offers 1,750 MB/s read and 1,650 MB/s write speeds fast enough to handle RAW video from most cameras.

Canon Mount Adapter EF - EOS R for $149 (38 percent off): If you recently bought a new Canon mirrorless EOS RF camera and have a bunch of older EF lenses, you'll need this. It not only adapts EF lenses perfectly to the RF mount, it gives you full electronic autofocus and exposure control. 

Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 lens $197 (34 percent off): Panasonic and Micro Four Thirds users on a budget in need of a fast 50mm equivalent prime should check this one out. It offers beautiful bokeh and fast speeds in low light, but costs nearly half the price of f/1.4 models.

Sony FE50mm f/1.8 lens for $228 (19 percent off): With a fast f/1.8 aperture, this lens produces great bokeh to help you separate your subject from the foreground. With this sale, it's Sony's cheapest prime portrait lens that still offers excellent sharpness. 

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 Lens $497 (17 percent off): If you want a fast 50mm portrait lens but don't have a ton to spend, Nikon's Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 lens is on sale for just $497, making it one of the cheapest full-frame options available. At the same time, it offers exceptional sharpness and excellent color rendition, with beautiful bokeh that will flatter your subjects.

Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 lens $448 (31 percent off): I own this lens and it's fast, sharp and versatile for portraits while offering considerable savings compared to an f/1.4 portrait. It's also great for working pros due to the dust-, splash- and freeze-resistant design and very light weight next to other brands.

Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 Lens $577 (15 percent off): If you're looking for a fast full-frame Nikon Z prime in the 35-50mm category for portraits, architecture or street photos, Nikon has a stellar deal. The Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 lens is fast and sharp with painterly bokeh thanks to the 9-blade iris design. It's great for video as well, with the silent STM mechanism offering silent autofocus and suppressed focus breathing.

Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L lens $2,299 (12 percent off): If you've been eyeballing a fast Canon RF mount zoom, now's the time to act. The RF24-70mm f/2.8 L lens rarely goes on sale, but is now available with a $200 (8 percent) discount. It offers an f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range so you get awesome bokeh for portraits and high versatility in low light situations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-cyber-monday-camera-and-drone-deals-get-up-to-52-percent-off-from-sony-dji-and-others-082305849.html?src=rss

Sony teases the A7 V, its next flagship midrange camera

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Sony appears to be ready to announce another addition to its Alpha camera lineup. The company shared an image on the Sony Alpha Instagram account with the text "Chase your dream" and the date December 2 at 9AM EST, which could be a teaser for its next mirrorless camera.

It's possible the company has something else in mind, but the giant "V" or Roman numeral five in the background of the image seems like a clear reference to an unannounced Sony A7 V, a follow-up to the Sony Alpha 7 IV. Considering there was around a four year gap between the release of the A7 III and A7 IV, releasing the new camera in 2026 would make the timing lineup, too. 

Rumors suggest the A7 V could feature a new 33MP "partially stacked sensor" designed by Sony, along with the ability to capture 4K / 60 fps video. The company is also rumored to be announcing at least two new lenses to go with the new camera. Since the Alpha 7 IV started at $2,500, it seems safe to expect that these upgrades could cost even more when the camera is officially announced in December.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sony-teases-the-a7-v-its-next-flagship-midrange-camera-224000370.html?src=rss

Sony’s A7 IV and A7R V cameras are on sale for all-time-low prices for Black Friday

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Ready to move up from your smartphone camera? Sony's A7 IV and A7R V cameras are top picks in Engadget's camera buying guide and now they're both now on sale at all-time lows for the holidays. Sony's A7 IV, which I said has "the best combination of image quality, performance and video powers" is on sale for $1,998, or 26 percent off the regular price. And the A7R V, which shoots beautiful 61MP images and offers fast and accurate autofocus, has hit at an all-time low of $3,298 or 21 percent ($898) off. Note that these are both "body only" models — you'll need to seek out lenses for these models, too. (Welcome to the world of real photography.)

With a superb score of 90 in my review, Sony's A7 IV is still one of the best hybrid cameras you can get thanks to the high resolution, fast shooting speeds and 4K 60p video. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and it comes with in-body stabilization to help smooth your shots. And for photographers, image quality has never been better thanks to the high dynamic range and enhanced resolution compared to the previous model. Although it does see occasional discounts, I've never seen it drop below $2,000, so if you've been looking, now is a perfect time to buy.

Sony's A7R V garnered a similarly superb Engadget review. With a 61-megapixel sensor, it shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap. Again, there's never been a better time to buy one, as Sony told me this is the lowest price it has ever been sold at. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-a7r-iv-and-a7r-v-cameras-are-on-sale-for-all-time-low-prices-for-black-friday-132107036.html?src=rss

DJI Osmo Action 6 review: An action camera that excels in low light

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DJI may be the big dog in drones, but it plays third fiddle to GoPro and Insta360 in the action cam market. To better stand out, the company has launched the Osmo Action 6 with a pair of innovative features. The first is a big, square sensor that boosts video quality in low light, while making it easy to output both horizontal and vertical video. The second is a variable aperture for flexible shooting in both bright and dark conditions.

As DJI’s new flagship non-360 action cam, the Action 6 goes up against GoPro’s Hero 13 and the Insta360 Ace Pro 2. Both of those can capture higher resolution footage, so they’re better for most users in daylight conditions. However, if you shoot a lot in dim or contrasty light, DJI’s Action 6 may be your best option.

I’ve already gone through the Osmo Action 6’s specs in my earlier news post, so check that to see the full details. As for what’s new, the first key feature is the variable f/2.0-f/4.0 aperture — the first ever in an action cam. This allows for brighter video and improved stabilization when shooting at night compared to the fixed f/2.8 aperture on the Action 5 Pro. It also offers shallower depth of field and more flexibility on sunny days.

The first thing I noticed with this feature was the lack of full manual control. You can only set it to fixed f/2.6, f/2.8 and f/4.0 “starburst” modes, or automatic settings ranging from f/2.0-f/4.0 up to f/2.8-f/4.0. That means f/2.0 isn’t available as a fixed aperture, which is too bad as that would be ideal for portraits.

Still, variable aperture is a highly useful feature. In auto mode, it ramps from one setting to another in fine steps (f/2.1 to f/2.2, for example), so I never saw any exposure jumps. In low light, I could dial the ISO range down to avoid excessive noise, giving me higher video quality. However, I’d love to see full manual control in a future update.

Another key feature is the new 1/1.1-inch (0.56 inch diagonal) square sensor that allows a wide range of resolutions and aspect ratios. The Action 6 supports vertical and horizontal resolutions up to 4K, in either 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios for the latter orientation. The best new setting, though, is Custom, which lets you shoot 3,840 x 3,840 square video.

At 60 fps (a standard frame rate for action videos), GoPro’s Hero 13 maxes out at 5,312 x 2,988 pixels, while the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 can hit 3,840 x 2,880 pixels. That makes the Osmo Action 6 the only current action cam with 4K vertical resolution at 60 fps.

The benefit is that you can film for both horizontal and vertical video platforms like YouTube and TikTok, respectively, with no need to rotate the camera and no loss in resolution. If that sounds familiar, it’s the same reason Apple adopted a square sensor on the iPhone 17’s front camera.

I tested the Custom aspect ratio in DaVinci Resolve Studio and it made exports a breeze. First, I created and exported a standard 4K horizontal timeline, then simply copied the contents to a vertical timeline. After reframing a few shots to keep the action centered, I was able to immediately export a 4K TikTok video. That’s a big time saver for busy editors.

Sample image from the DJI Osmo Action 6 in
Sample image from the DJI Osmo Action 6 in "Custom" mode
Steve Dent for Engadget

With a 30 percent larger sensor, the Action 6 is better for night or interior shooting using 6,400 ISO and up. Compared to the Action 5 Pro, I found nighttime video from the Action 6 to be considerably cleaner. DJI also improved the Night setting itself: video is cleaner, noise reduction is applied less aggressively and everything looks more natural.

The new sensor and variable aperture also help DJI’s Rocksteady 3.0 digital stabilization in low light. If you’re filming from a bicycle at night, for instance, the Action 6 will use a higher shutter speed than the Action 5, so video will be sharper. That helps the stabilization algorithm produce a better result with less pixelation and tearing.

In daylight conditions, the Action 6 delivers sharp, color-accurate video that can be used straight out of the camera — just like the Action 5. However, in contrasty scenarios like a sun-dappled forest trail, the Action 6 has a slight advantage. When I engaged the 10-bit D-LogM setting to boost dynamic range, I noticed that dark shadow areas had more detail and less noise than they did in footage from the Action 5 Pro or GoPro Hero 13.

However, the GoPro Hero 13’s extra resolution is an advantage if you mostly use YouTube and other horizontal formats. With up to 5,312 x 2,988 pixels at 60 fps, it offers sharper 4K video after supersampling and more room to reframe shots in post production without any loss in quality.

DJI Osmo Action 6's
DJI Osmo Action 6's "Custom" square format shown with gridlines enabled
Steve Dent for Engadget

If you like shooting wide but hate the distortion, DJI’s Natural Wide field of view is a nice addition. The regular Wide setting tends to distort vertical lines, but Natural Wide keeps everything nice and straight while providing a greater field of view.

Finally, I tested the Action 6’s new Film Tone feature that borrows a trick from Fujifilm’s simulations. It’s a way to get some fun looks straight out of the camera, like “pristine and cool tones” or “classic negative film type.”. The results are great for anyone who doesn’t want to fiddle with color in post-production, though DJI needs to add a few more options like black and white or sepia.

With its bigger sensor the Osmo Action 6 is slightly larger than the Action 5 Pro in all dimensions, but around the same weight at 5.26 ounces. As before, it can connect to up to two DJI wireless microphones at once, including the Mic 2, Mic 3 and Mic Mini. And it comes with DJI’s new dual-latch Quick-Release Adapter Mount that can be attached in either direction, but supports all of DJI’s past accessories.

Unlike its competition, the Osmo Action 6 comes with 50GB of internal memory (up from 47GB before) along with a microSD card slot. That means you won’t be screwed if you forget a memory card, as most of us have done at one point or another. DJI also doubled the Wi-Fi transfer speeds to 80MB/s and boosted USB-C transfer rates to 800MB/s.

The Osmo Action 6 has a new dual-latch Quick-Release Adapter Mount but works with all of DJI's previous accessories
Steve Dent for Engadget

As before, the Action 6 is waterproof to 20 meters (66 feet) by itself, or nearly 200 feet with DJI's waterproof case. And on top of voice control, the Action 6 supports gestures as well, so you can now wave at the camera to start and stop video (like you can with the new Neo 2 drone). With the same 1,950mAh Extreme Battery Plus as before, shooting time between charges is four hours at 1080p and two hours at 4K.

Finally, DJI has introduced two removable lenses for the Action 6, given DJI some competition in that regard. The first is a macro lens with a minimum focal distance of just 4.3 inches, making it ideal for closeup work and portraits. The other is an FOV expansion lens that boosts the field of view from 155 to 182 degrees.

With a bigger sensor and larger aperture than the competition, DJI’s Action 6 is now the best action cam on the market for night shooting, delivering clean, sharp video with better stabilization than rivals. It’s also ideal for users who output to both YouTube and TikTok.

For regular daytime shooting, though, the extra resolution offered on GoPro’s Hero 13 might be preferable for some users. All that aside, it may come down simply to the price. DJI’s Action 6 starts at $369 ($439 with extra batteries and a charger), compared to $309 for the Hero 13 Black and $420 for Insta360’s Ace Pro 2. These are all great choices, but if low-light capability is more important than resolution, choose the Osmo Action 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-osmo-action-6-review-an-action-camera-that-excels-in-low-light-143027343.html?src=rss

Our favorite action camera is up to 30 percent off with these Black Friday deals

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Action cams make great gifts, or if you're a photographer, a solid addition to your kit. Black Friday deals usually mean you can pick up new cameras and accessories for less, and this year is no different. One of the best deals we've found is on the GoPro Hero 13 Black action cam, which is down to $310 for Black Friday. That's a discount of 23 percent or $90.

This model topped our list of the best action cameras, and for good reason. It's a fantastic device with all kinds of bells and whistles. It's the most versatile Hero camera that GoPro has ever made. There's a new family of modular lenses and it can shoot up to 5.3K and handle 2X optical zoom.

The battery is bigger than ever before and offers around 90 minutes of continuous shooting in 4K/30FPS. The camera is waterproof up to 10 millimeters, so don't worry about puddles. The full-color front screen is vivid and makes it easy to review footage without getting a computer involved.

There's no internal storage here, but it accepts microSD cards. There's a camera bundle on sale right now that includes a 64GB microSD, three batteries, a dual charger and a case. That pack costs $349, which is a discount of 30 percent.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-action-camera-is-up-to-30-percent-off-with-these-black-friday-deals-160154682.html?src=rss

Canon’s EOS R6 III arrives with 7K RAW video and 40 fps burst speeds

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Canon just barged into the mid-range full-frame hybrid camera arena with a new entry. The 32.5MP EOS R6 III is a dramatic improvement over the EOS R6 II thanks to the higher resolution, faster shooting speeds and better video specs. However, it comes at a relatively high price and lacks a stacked or partially stacked sensor, unlike other cameras in this category. 

The new 32.5MP sensor provides a big boost in resolution compared to the R6 II's 24MP chip. At the same time, the R6 III offers higher shooting speeds of 40 fps in burst mode with the electronic shutter, or 12 fps with the mechanical or first-curtain shutter. It also supports 20 frames (a half second) of pre-shooting so you won't miss key moments for wildlife or sports shooting. 

Canon's EOS R6 III arrives with 40 fps burst speeds and 7K RAW video
Canon

The R6 III uses Canon's fast and dependable Dual Pixel AF system and comes with the company's latest AI tracking algorithms. It can operate in fairly dim conditions down to -6 EV and should be more responsive with Canon's latest Digic X processor, pending our review. It offers subject tracking for people, animals and vehicles, along with an Auto mode that will pick one of those automatically. It also borrowed the "Register People Priority" feature from the R5 II, which lets you keep focus locked on specific subjects that you've previously memorized. 

The biggest update for the R6 III, though, is with video. Thanks to the higher resolution sensor, it can now capture up to 7K 60 fps RAW light video, 7K 30 fps "open gate" video and 4K at up to 120 fps, all with Canon's C-Log2 and C-Log3 on tap. There's a dizzying array of other video formats available (12 pages worth in the specs), with HEVC S, AVC-S, RAW, RAW Light and others, at resolutions up to 7K. All the AF subject detection features are available (vehicles, animals and people), and Canon is typically among the best for video AF in terms of speed and accuracy. 

Canon's EOS R6 III arrives with 40 fps burst speeds and 7K RAW video
Canon

Nobody expects any radical design changes in a Canon camera (the company tried that with the EOS R and it really didn't work), so the R6 III kept the last model's tried and true form factor. That includes two adjustment dials on the top and one on the rear, along with a joystick, photo/video selector, mode dial and a good assortment of programmable buttons. 

The rear display flips out as you'd expect for vlogging, but it doesn't tilt like Panasonic's S1 II — so it may obstruct the mic or headphone jacks, and isn't as useful for low-angle photo shooting. The viewfinder has 3.69 million dots of resolution as before, the same as Sony's A7 IV but less than Panasonic's slightly more expensive Lumix S1 II. One big change is the addition of a CFexpress card slot that allows RAW video capture and faster burst speeds, along with an SD UHS II slot. The battery is the same as the one for EOS R5 II and allows up to 390 shots (CIPA rating) with the viewfinder enabled. 

Canon's EOS R6 III arrives with 40 fps burst speeds and 7K RAW video
Canon

Other features include waveform monitoring that will be much appreciated by pros, plus new focus speed algorithms borrowed from Canon's cinema cameras that offer "natural, professional" behavior, the company wrote. Inputs include 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks, along with high-speed USB-C and a full-sized HDMI port. In-body stabilization has been boosted slight from 8 to 8.5 stops, matching the latest Panasonic models. 

Along with the EOS R6 III, Canon introduced some interesting new glass. The RF45mm F1.2 STM lens brings very high speeds and shallow depth of field to a much smaller and lighter .76 pound (346 gram) form factor — less than half the weight of Canon's RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens. It's also shockingly cheap for an f/1.2 lens at $470. 

The Canon EOS R6 III arrives later this month for $2,799 (body only) or $4,049 with the RF24-105 F4 L IS USM lens. That's a bit more than the Nikon's $2,500 Z6 III, which has a partially stacked but lower-resolution 24MP sensor. Panasonic's S1 II also has a partially stacked 24MP but can shoot at up to 70 fps and costs $3,200. Finally, Sony's A7 IV has a similar 33MP sensor but lacks the RAW video features of the R6 III. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canons-eos-r6-iii-arrives-with-7k-raw-video-and-40-fps-burst-speeds-060035923.html?src=rss

Sony’s A1 II features a dedicated AI processor and refined ergonomics

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When the A1 arrived in 2021, it put the camera world on notice. In more than a few categories, Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera outperformed rivals like the Canon R5 and came with a lofty $6,500 price to match. However, after nearly four years, the A1 finds itself in an awkward position. Despite its position as Sony’s flagship, the A1 is not the most complete camera in the company’s lineup, with the more recently released A7R V and A9 III each offering features not found on their sibling. That’s changing today with the introduction of A1 II, which retains the performance capabilities of its predecessor while borrowing quality-of-life improvements from the A7R V and A9 III.

To start, the A1 II features the same fully stacked 50.1-megapixel CMOS sensor found inside the A1. As before, Sony says photographers can expect 15 stops of dynamic range for stills. The company has once again paired that sensor with its Bionz XR image processing engine but added a dedicated AI processor to handle subject recognition and autofocus. As a result, the A1 II can still shoot at up to 30 frames per second using its electronic shutter, and the autofocus system once again offers 759 points, good enough for 92 percent coverage of the sensor.

The a1 II features a new four-axis tilting LCD screen.
Sony

However, Sony is promising substantial improvements in autofocus accuracy due to that dedicated AI processing unit. Specifically, the camera is 50 percent better at locking eye focus on birds and 30 percent better at eye autofocus when it comes to other animals and humans. Additionally, you won’t need to toggle between different subject-detection modes. Instead, the camera will automatically handle that for you. Sony’s pre-capture feature also offers a one-second buffer that can capture up to 30 frames before fully depressing the shutter button.

That said, the most notable addition is the inclusion of Sony’s most powerful in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to date, with the A1 II offering an impressive 8.5 stops of stabilization. For context, that’s three additional stops of stabilization over the original A1.

When it comes to video, the A1 II is no slouch. It can capture 8K footage at up to 30 fps using the full readout of its sensor. It can also record 4K video at 120 fps and FHD footage at 240 fps for slow motion, with support for 10-bit 4:2:2 recording. If Super 35 is your thing, there you have the option for 5.8K oversampling. In addition to Sony’s color profiles, the A1 II can store up to 16 user-generated LUTs, and the camera offers the company’s breathing compensation and auto stabilization features. Of the latter, Sony says you can get “gimbal-like” footage with only a slight crop.

Sony's new 27-70mm G Master lens features a constant f/2 aperture.
Sony

On the useability front, the A1 II borrows the deeper grip and control layout of the A9 III. Also carried over from the A9 III is the camera’s 3.2-inch four-axis LCD screen and 9.44-million dot OLED viewfinder with 240Hz refresh rate. Moreover, the new camera includes Sony’s latest menu layout design. Oh, and the company plans to include two separate eyecups in the box. Nice. When it comes to connectivity, there’s a full-sized HDMI connection, USB-C and an upgraded Ethernet port that supports transfer speeds up to 2.5Gbps. For storage, the camera comes with two CFexpress Type A card slots that are also capable of reading and saving to UHS-II SD cards.

Alongside the A1 II, Sony also announced a new 28-70mm G Master Lens with a constant f/2 aperture (pictured above). While not the lightest lens in Sony’s stable, it still weighs under a kilogram. Both the A1 II and the 28-70mm F2 G Master will arrive in December. They will cost $6,500 and $2,900, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sonys-a1-ii-features-a-dedicated-ai-processor-and-refined-ergonomics-164840579.html?src=rss