Fixed 35mm lenses, especially those with a fast aperture, are incredibly popular with visual storytellers. They're able to shoot clean images in high contrast and low light, provide decent close-focusing skills, and offer a moderately wide perspective that allows you to include your subject's surroundings as part of the story. These are true documentary lenses.
In fact, when I lived in East Africa working for a non-profit as a photographer and writer, there was an 18-month period during which about 90% of the photos I took were with the excellent Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art lens for DSLR cameras, a lens I still use today with my Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera through the F-mount to Z-mount adapter.
So I was really excited when Nikon finally announced a Z-mount 35mm lens, a lens that I expect to be one of the best-selling lenses for Nikon mirrorless cameras. Sadly, however, that doesn't mean the Z 35mm f/1.4 is one of Nikon's best lenses.
Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4 specs
Type: Prime
Sensor: Full-frame
Focal length: 35mm
Max aperture: f/1.4
Minimum focus: 0.89ft/ 0.27m
Filter size: 62mm
Dimensions: 3 x 3.5in / 74.5 x 88.5mm
Weight: 14.7oz / 415g
Sure, image quality is sharp across the entire image area, while autofocus is fast, quiet and reliable. However, I'm not seeing the sort of optical progress I'm used to when a manufacturer produces an mirrorless version of a DSLR lens.
We're getting the same sort of lens distortions as before, and I even prefer the bokeh in my stalwart Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art lens, which is smoother compared to the Z 35mm f/1.4's fussy bokeh.
Still, Nikon's moderately wide fast-aperture prime does a lot of things well. It focuses much faster than my DSLR lens adapted to the Z6 II, and it's an entirely different offering to Canon's recent RF 35mm F1.4 which is bigger and much pricier.
Canon has opted for the pro route with its 35mm fast aperture lens, while Nikon has opted for the more attainable and affordable enthusiast route: this is not one of Nikon's pro 'S' lenses, meaning official weather sealing is off the table.
Balance-wise, the Z 35mm f/1.4 is a perfect match with the new Nikon Z6 III, Nikon Z8, or even Nikon's entry-level full-frame camera, the Z5, and it's an all-round lens that I could see getting a heck of a lot of use if it lived in my gear bag; I just wish its build quality and bokeh characteristics were a little better.
There's not too much to run through with regards to the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4's design because it's such a simple lens. The only exterior controls are a focus ring and a neat customizable control ring. What I like the most about the latter is that you can set it to be a click-less aperture ring, which is particularly handy for filmmaking.
Otherwise, we don't even get a manual / autofocus switch. That's a shame for people like me who regularly switch between the two focusing methods, who must instead dig through an in-camera menus to make the change – an unnecessary time sink.
What I do like is the form factor of the lens. It's impressively compact and lightweight at just 14.7oz / 415g, and an ideal pairing for extended periods out in the field with Nikon's mid-range mirrorless models like the Z6 II.
The size, if not the weight, is very similar to the heavier Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens, although for DSLR lenses you also need Nikon's DSLR to mirrorless adaptor – you can see how the lenses compare in the product photos below.
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From left to right: the Nikon F-mount to Z-mount adaptor, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art, the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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The Sigma lens for DSLRs need the adaptor to work with a mirrorless camera. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Sadly, the Z 35mm f/1.4 isn't officially weather sealed, which is probably a deal-breaker for pros working in demanding conditions. I felt the build quality was fine during testing, and had no qualms exposing the lens to light rain, but I'd think twice about packing it in the bag for a couple of weeks in the desert. At one point I found myself taking my super soaker-touting child to task when she got me, and the lens, wet in the garden – I'm otherwise a good sport.
These moderate-wide-angle lenses historically focus impressively closely, meaning you can capture the finer details as well as your subject and their surroundings; after all, there are stories to be found in the micro and macro. We get a minimum focus distance of 0.89ft / 0.27m, which delivers a maximum magnification ratio of 0.18x. For reference, a 'true-macro' lens has a magnification ratio of 1x or more.
What impressed me most about the design of the Z 35mm f/1.4, when compared to my 10-year-old Sigma equivalent, is the speed and accuracy of its autofocus performance.
Where the Sigma lens through an adaptor was hunting, the new Nikon lens quickly and quietly latched onto my subject. Where the Sigma had front-focusing issues, even with the Z6 II's eye-detection autofocus in play, the Nikon Z 35mm was getting focus bang on the eye every time.
It's the direct compatibility with a Nikon mirrorless camera and the autofocus performance that would most tempt me to trade in my old Sigma DSLR lens, and one of the key reasons I'm so glad that I upgraded from DSLR to mirrorless years ago.
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With the aperture wide open at f/1.4, you don't see the aperture blades. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Here's the aperture stopped down to around f/8. The lens has nine aperture blades. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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And finally fully closed to its minimum f/16 aperture. Note the lens has a 62mm thread for filters. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Performance
Optically sharp edge-to-edge
Wide aperture is handy for shooting in low light and for shallow depth of field
Bokeh could be better
I'll start this performance section by re-emphasizing that autofocus speed and reliability are excellent, delivering accurate focusing on the eyes in portraits. The same couldn't be said in my tests when using an adapted Sigma lens for DSLRs; and I'll take accurate focusing over outright optical quality.
That said, the optical quality from the Z 35mm f/1.4 is very good. Looking closely at an image of pebbles at f/5.6, I can see that detail is very sharp across the entire frame – there's virtually no drop-off in the corners, which is impressive.
There's the usual vignetting that I would expect from a wide-aperture lens like this. Light fall-off in the corners is very evident at f/1.4, those corners brighten up a lot at f/2, and somewhere between f/4 and f/5.6 vignetting is all but gone. Check out the series of sample images below, taken at full aperture stops.
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f/1.4 (Image credit: Future)
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f/1.8 (Image credit: Future)
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f/2 (Image credit: Future)
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f/2.8 (Image credit: Future)
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f/4 (Image credit: Future)
Bokeh, however, is a mixed bag. If you're particularly close to your subject and shooting wide open at f/1.4, you can get circular bokeh 'balls' in out-of-focus light sources, such as dappled light through tree leaves. There are only moderate signs of cat's-eye bokeh in the corners – I've found the effect much more severe in pricier lenses. (I don't mind the cat's-eye shape, but some people get very picky about it.)
The big strike for me regarding bokeh is the fringing you get around those bokeh balls. Instead of the buttery-smooth edges like I was getting with my 10-year-old Sigma, edges are harsher, with green and magenta fringing. It's only obvious when you're looking really closely, but it is there (see the close-ups of a portrait, below).
That being said, I did turn off all in-camera lens corrections for this test (something I always do), and there are aforementioned distortions that would be somewhat improved by activating those corrections.
Also, I don't use a 35mm f/1.4 lens primarily for its bokeh quality. I use it for telling stories in scenarios with both good light and bad, for which the maximum f/1.4 aperture is a godsend. I regularly make use of the maximum aperture, and would absolutely pay the premium over cheaper f/1.8, f/2, f/2.8 alternatives to get a f/1.4 lens.
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Portrait at f/1.4. Focus is on the money, whereas the same photo with the Sigma was front-focused on the mouth. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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In this closeup the bokeh balls have harsh edges and show moderate fringing (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Here's the same photo but with the 10-year-old Sigma lens. Bokeh has a buttery finish and no real fringing (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: sample images
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I don't think a 35mm lens is great for landscape photography. In this situation, I'd rather a wider lens and to be closer to the point of interest. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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While it's not a great landscape photography lens, it's great at picking out details. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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You can get shallow depth of field if your subject is close. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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The pebbles in this photo at f/5. are sharp, even in the corners. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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I switched the aperture to f/1.4 to get your attention the pebbles. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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The 35mm is a perfect storytelling lens. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Again, not my personal choice for landcapes. I'd actually prefer a telephoto lens for this scene, and have the same photo with an 85mm lens that's better. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Portraits of people among their surrounding as part of the story – that's where a 35mm lens shines. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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And then here's the details of the same story of the fisherman in the previous photo. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Should you buy the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4
Regular use over the course of several weeks
Paired with the Nikon Z6 II
Like-for-like tests with the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG Art
Nikon loaned me the Z 35mm f/1.4 for a few weeks, during which time I documented everyday life and took it on an extended summer vacation. I used it in both fair and inclement weather (though I felt I needed to protect it somewhat during downpours given it's not officially weather sealed), and both in bright light and during the 'blue hour'.
The Z 35mm f/1.4 was been attached to my Nikon Z6 II, which is a 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera. I've not used the lens with a higher-resolution camera like the 45MP Nikon Z8, and I therefore can't comment on whether it's able to resolve detail from such cameras.
I've made several series of the same images, working down the aperture range at full stops to compare how image quality stacks up at the various settings. I also took the chance to compare the lens with my 10-year-old Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art, taking like-for-like shots.
All in-camera lens corrections were turned off throughout my testing.
Sony’s G Master lenses are its flagship products, and it looks like the company is steadily working through its G Master range, replacing original lenses with G Master II versions.
The 85mm F1.4 is the first of four f/1.4 prime lenses to get this treatment, and the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is far more than a simple update. With a new and more sophisticated optical formula promising improved resolution and aberration control, a new dual linear motor autofocus system for a big step up in speed and responsiveness, and a 20% weight saving, Sony has really pulled out all the stops for its new premium ‘portrait’ lens.
For all the improvements, though, there must be a few Sony owners who are a little disappointed that Sony hasn’t stretched to an f/1.2 lens rather than another f/1.4. Still, a best-ever f/1.4 is pretty good compensation, and the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is a truly spectacular performer.
The edge-to-edge resolution is extraordinary – you have to look closely to see any difference in edge detail at f/1.4 compared to f/8. This is a lens you could happily use wide-open all the time without giving a second thought to any impact on image quality.
It’s also completely free of bokeh fringing, or at least it was in all of our sample images, and this is an aberration that wide-aperture primes can be particularly prone to. It’s also extremely difficult to remove in software.
The new lens is not quite perfect for bokeh rendering and focus breathing. It’s still extremely good, with no visible onion-skin effect in bokeh balls (one of the many improvements Sony is touting) though there is a noticeable cats-eye bokeh effect near the frame edges at wide apertures (but then maybe next year cats-eye bokeh will be in fashion and everyone will love it…).
Focus breathing is still visible too, even though Sony says it’s ‘optically’ suppressed. Most modern Sony bodies support in-camera focus breathing compensation, though, so this may not prove an issue.
The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is equally impressive physically. It’s a little slimmer and 20% lighter than its predecessor, despite having more complex optics and more powerful linear AF actuators. You get a de-clickable aperture ring for both stills photography and video, with an iris lock (surprisingly useful) and two programmable function buttons. It handles superbly.
There will be a price difference compared to the original version, however. That’s probably to be expected, but it does make Sony’s premium portrait lens even more expensive to buy. You have to figure out how many more bucks you want to spend for all this excellence.
The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 will be available in September 2024 at a UK price of £1,850 (pricing for the US and Australia is TBC), which is almost the same price as the outgoing first generation 85mm F1.4. We don’t yet know if the older lens will stay on sale, but if it does we would expect it to get heavily discounted, given the significant optical and technical advances in the new lens. The new lens does seem pretty good value then, though the third-party Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is little more than half the price.
Quick specs
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II: Design
• Physical aperture ring with de-click switch
• Two customizable function buttons
• 20% lighter than the original 85mm F1.4
The original Sony FE 85mm F1.4 G Master was a big old boy. The new lens is the same length but a few millimetres slimmer and a whole 20% lighter. That’s a significant difference – though this still feels a pretty big lens on an A7-series body, especially if you clip on the lens hood.
There’s little to distinguish the new lens from the old one, except that the aperture ring is now on a slightly slimmer section of barrel. This might make it easier to find with your fingertips without looking, but the location hasn’t changed.
The aperture ring has firm and satisfying click-stops at 1/3-stop intervals, and if you slide the Click switch to Off on the lower part of the lens barrel, it turns into a silky smooth iris control for video.
Are you the sort of person who likes function buttons on lenses? If you are, you’ll love this lens, because there are two of them. There’s also an Iris Lock switch, which does seem like a pretty smart addition – it’s all too easy to accidentally shift the aperture ring on a lens in stills photography, and easier still to change the iris setting while filming.
There’s really nothing to fault in the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II’s design. You might wish for a slightly smaller, lighter optic, but if you want an 85mm f/1.4 then the size goes with the territory. It’s also worth spelling out what’s inside this lens, as it includes 14 elements in 11 groups, with two ultra-high-precision Sony XA elements, two ED elements, internal focusing, and Sony’s Nano AR II coating.
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II: Performance
• Exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness even wide open
• No visible bokeh fringing in any of our test shots
• Some cats-eye bokeh and focus breathing
• Silent, super-fast autofocus
This lens’s edge-to-edge sharpness and aberration control is simply exceptional. Sony says the center sharpness has been improved over the original lens, but it’s the edge sharpness that left me most impressed. Even at f/1.4 the edges are clean and crisp, and show a level of detail that’s really rather impressive. There’s little to be gained from stopping down, so this is a lens on which you can use the aperture setting solely for its creative effect without worrying at all about its effect on image quality.
It was also great to see no sign of longitudinal color fringing, or ‘bokeh fringing’ in any of the test shots. Bokeh is obviously going to be one of the key selling points of this lens, and it does indeed render beautifully soft background blur and very subtle fall-off. The only chinks in the armor are noticeable cats-eye bokeh wide open and some focus breathing, even though Sony says this is suppressed.
The other aspect of performance to talk about is this lens’s AF. The dual linear motors in this new lens are a substantial upgrade over the Ring SSM system in the original lens, and this really comes to the fore with portrait subjects and face/eye tracking – especially if your subjects are a pair of flighty canines, as used in our tests.
It’s a real challenge keeping the eyes sharp when dogs make sudden and unpredictable movements, and even with a lens like this you’re going to get failures, but when the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II gets even an instant of stillness to achieve focus, it can nail the shot and deliver images with stunning clarity.
It’s one thing having one of the latest Alpha bodies with advanced AI AF and subject tracking, but you still need a lens like this one that can keep up. Indeed, Sony says the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II can keep up with the mighty Sony A9 III flat out at 120fps.
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II: Sample images
Here's a further selection of shots taken with the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II showing its rendering style, focus breathing and bokeh rendering from f/1.4-f/16.
This pair of shots shows the effects of focus breathing. In this first image the lens is focused on the front camera. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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When focus is switched to the back camera, you can see the out-of-focus background changes scale slightly. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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This sequence of images shows the bokeh effect at different apertures. This is at f/1.4. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/2 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/2.8 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/4 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/5.6 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/8 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/11 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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F/16 (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Should I buy the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II?
Buy it if...
You want the best Sony 85mm lens there is
The original FE 85mm F1.4 G Master was good, but the version II lens raises the bar to another level. With superb resolution, both in the center and right to the edges, nice bokeh and responsive AF, if you miss the perfect shot it’s down to you, not this lens.
You’re trying to keep the weight down too
Usually, when you opt for a lighter lens you can expect some small compromise in optical quality. Not here. The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is 20% smaller than the original lens, but even better optically. It weighs in at a manageable 642g, which is impressive given all that exotic glassware.
You’re slowly upgrading to GM II lenses
Sony has already updated its ‘trinity’ f/2.8 professional zooms to the latest G Master II standards, and it looks as if it’s now turning its attention to its f/1.4 primes. These are pretty expensive lenses, especially if you already have the first-generation versions, but for many pro shooters it will be worth it.
Don't buy it if...
You already have the original FE 85mm F1.4 GM
At least not without taking a long, hard look. This new lens is pretty exceptional, but the ‘old’ one is extremely good too. Unless you can identify one or more areas where the original lens is deficient in ways that definitely impact your work, we’d suggest you might want to save your money.
Your budget is feeling the squeeze
The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art may not equal the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II in every area, but it’s an extremely good lens in its own right and just half the price. If your main concern is getting the best at all costs, the Sony is fine, but the Sigma arguably delivers almost as much for a lot less money.
You need to travel light
The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is 20% lighter than the first generation version, but at 642g and 107.3mm in length, it’s still a big lens. Sony has yet to extend its range of compact primes to the 90mm focal length, but there is always the 297g Sigma 90mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary – which is not just smaller and lighter but vastly cheaper too.
• I checked for edge-to-edge resolution across the aperture range
• I tested bokeh quality wide-open and stopped down
• I tested for bokeh fringing
• I tested the focus breathing suppression
Sony makes some pretty bold claims for the performance of the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II, so I was keen to try these out. In particular, Sony highlights the new lens’s resolution, so I checked its center and edge performance across the aperture range from f/1.4 to f/16, using a highly detailed subject at infinity.
Sony also says the new lens creates excellent bokeh, which I tested with a controlled lighting setup with bright lights in the background across the aperture range. The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is also claimed to have no bokeh fringing – also known as longitudinal chromatic aberration – where out-of-focus outlines can show clear color fringing. This is a problem for lenses designed for blurred backgrounds, so I found a subject which would test this tendency properly.
One of the biggest steps forward in the new lens is its autofocus performance, which Sony claims is three times faster for photography and seven times better at tracking AF for movies, thanks to twin linear actuators. The first version of this lens used a Ring SSM system. I tried this out using a pair of extremely tricky canine subjects – humans can be told to stay still, but dogs generally do what they like!
Lastly, I wanted to try out this lens’s focus breathing. Changes in apparent scale during focus pulls can be extremely annoying for videographers, and while Sony says the new lens optically suppresses focus breathing, it’s also compatible with cameras that can apply focus breathing compensation – so if Sony is still hedging its bets here it sounded like something that needed testing.
The Aflie Cameras TYCH is a new and exciting half-frame analogue camera from Alfie Cameras. It’s amazingly compact, beautifully designed, and packs an incredible range of optics and creative options onto a rotating lens board, from an f/156 pinhole to a 33.3mm (50mm equivalent) f/8 rapid rectilinear lens. This presents many cool, creative options in a camera so cleverly conceived, designed, and engineered, that it’s small enough to more or less fit into a pocket.
Being “half-frame” means you’ll get twice as many shots of a roll of film: a 36-exposure 35mm film will effectively double the number of images you can take, giving you 70 plus shots. With the ever-increasing cost of film, this is an attractive consideration for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the analogue sea.
Like all things analogue, there are other factors to consider, too, and you’ll need to work a bit harder to see the results. In fact, you’ll have to develop the film or have a lab do it for you. Either way, this will add time; you won’t get the instant gratification of an LCD screen or even an instant print. However, that’s kind of the point – slowing down is one of the delights of analogue photography, and something Alfie Cameras intended to achieve. So kudos to the company for doing it so well.
(Image credit: Future | Ben Brain)
Alfie Cameras Tych+: price and availability
There are two versions of Tych: the Tych+ 'premium' and the Tych. Our review is of the premium version which costs £499 (roughly $600 / AU$1,000) on the Alfie Cameras website, while the regular Tych costs £299 (around $390 / AU$590). At the time of writing, Alfie Cameras products, which are made in the UK, are only available in the UK but is ships globally, with a few exceptions.
Like all half-frame cameras, both of Alfie Cameras' Tych cameras accept readily available 35mm film and you get twice the number of (half-size) photos per film roll compared to a 35mm film camera.
(Image credit: Future | Ben Brain)
Alfie Cameras Tych+: design
Unique and compact design
Four lenses for four different looks
Double the number of shots per film roll compared to 35mm cameras
Alfie Cameras has a mission to reinvent film photography for both old and new photographers. The Alfie TYCH does just that; its cool, contemporary design is unique, and its ultra-compact size is impressive. This camera will likely appeal to old-time film photographers wanting to reconnect with their analogue past; new photographs seduced by the magical allure of film photography; plus anyone seeking some creative reprieve from a digital overload of screens, screens, and more screens.
The Alfie TYCH is a half-frame film camera, designed to hold a roll of 35mm film. Most cameras that take 35mm film are full-frame, allowing you to take 36 photographs. Being half-frame means that, while half the size, the Alfie TYCH will allow you to shoot around twice as many pictures. Today, with the massively rising costs of film and processing, this is a major win for anyone wanting to dip their toes in analogue waters.
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It isn’t just the Alfie TYCH’s half-frame design that makes it an attractive option; it also manages to pack in four lenses on a rotary lens board, comprising a 33.3mm (50mm equivalent) f/8 rapid rectilinear lens; a 30mm f/8 single-element meniscus lens; a 25mm f/56 zone plate; and a 25mm f/125 pinhole lens. These offer various focal lengths and, more crucially, four very different aesthetic vibes. All are fixed focus, with the pinhole and 25mm being from 0m to infinity, and the 33.3mm and 30mm from 2m to infinity and 1.5m to infinity, respectively, so not too much to consider with focusing.
Most surprising is that all of this is squeezed effortlessly into an ultra-compact, well-made camera body that weighs just 120g and is 90mm x 79mm x 45mm, in a unit that fits comfortably into a single hand.
Alfie Cameras Tych+: performance
The correct mode for each lens is selected independently
Reliable exposure metering
Manual film wind
33.3mm f/8 lens performs best of the four lenses on offer
Loading a roll of 35mm film into the Alfie TYCH was easy; but if you haven’t done this before, you may want to watch a video; there are some useful videos available on the Alfie Camera YouTube channel.
Once loaded with film, it’s simply a case of turning the TYCH on, selecting the lens and taking a shot. Well, almost; each of the four lenses has its own pre-programmed auto (aperture priority) mode that uses information from the little light meter that sits above the lens board. You must select the right mode for the lens you're using. This was a bit of a faff to begin; sometimes, getting the right mode, setting the ISO and so on felt a little glitchy. Forgetting to change the mode after rotating to another lens option cost me a few duff exposures, too, but I soon got into the swing of it.
The little meter above the lens reads the light and kicks out an appropriate shutter speed for the configured lens and aperture. In my tests, this proved pretty accurate. But note that this is also what the USB-C charger is for – it isn’t for transferring images to a computer!
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The Alfie TYCH, in one of the auto modes, will give exposures ranging from 30 seconds to 1/500 sec, although you can switch to manual mode and use the Bulb setting for exposures longer than 30 seconds. For additional exposure control, there’s exposure compensation with +/-2 stops in ½ stop increments and ISO settings from 12 to 6400, an electronic shutter count, and even a shutter delay. If you’re using the pinhole, which has an aperture of f/156, you’ll likely need to use a tripod, since exposures are likely to be slower. I used a pocket Manfrotto tripod to keep the Alfie steady – it will easily fit into a small bag, for example.
The premium optics viewfinder made framing marginally easier. Naturally, it isn’t as accurate as an electronic viewfinder (EVF), but it roughly translated well into my final images.
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The film advance is a small wheel positioned on the top right of the back of the Tych. Initially, my instinct was to go to the Select button at the top, where film advance cranks have more traditionally been found on film cameras.
In fact, it took me a while to remember to advance the film at all; unlike standard 35mm cameras, there’s no shutter to recock, so it’s easy to take one picture on top of another inadvertently. This created one or two happy accidents; but on the whole, it just produced bad exposures. That said, multiple exposure is a fun creative technique, one the Alfie lends itself well to. A little Frame Indicator window at the rear of the camera tells you when the film has been advanced enough to take the next shot. I enjoyed experimenting with this and creating images where one slightly overlapped. Given more time and film, I’d be inclined to experiment with this more.
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Not surprisingly, the premium 33.3mm (50mm equivalent) f/8 rapid rectilinear lens with four elements in two groups produced the best images. While the others had some delightful characteristics, I sense that sticking with the Alfie TYCH in the long term, I probably wouldn’t deviate from this lens frequently.
I was thrilled with the images taken with my first roll of the film through an Alfie TYCH. Of course, there were plenty of mistakes; but the small selection of images you can see here both excited and inspired me to want to return to my analogue roots, to ditch the screens for a bit, and delight in the magic of photography.
Should I buy the Alfie Cameras Tych+?
(Image credit: Future | Ben Brain)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Alfie Cameras Tych+
(Image credit: Future | Ben Brain)
I used one roll of 35mm film (approx 70 to 80 images)
I tried all four lenses in a bunch of different lighting situations and locations
I experimented with techniques such as multiple exposure
Packing the ultra-compact Alfie TYCH on my travels was easy, since it’s so small and lightweight. I loaded one roll of Ilford FP4 35mm film, which would allow me to shoot approximately 70 frames (half-frames). Once home, I processed the film in the kitchen sink using Fotospeed FD10 developer, standard stop bath, and fixer. A selection of frames were photographed using a copy stand and lightbox, a Sigma FPL mirrorless camera with a 70mm macro lens. The files were edited in Adobe Camera Raw to invert tonality (make a positive image) and tweak the tones.
I grew up being photographed with, and taking photographs with, Polaroid cameras, which were pretty much standard fare for family photography in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The Polaroid Go 2 is based on the Polaroid 1000 Land Camera in terms of aesthetics, but with a modernized and miniaturized design. Due to its small size, basic-but-fun features and ease of use, it's a contender for one of the best film cameras you can buy.
The last Polaroid camera I used and reviewed before the Go 2 was the Polaroid z340, which was released back in 2011. This was a digital camera that used a Zink printing system to produce prints with a printed rebate alongside digital image files, and while it was innovative, it lacked the charm and the quality of traditional analog Polaroid prints. The Go 2 rectifies this, taking us back to what makes Polaroid cameras so appealing: true instant analog photography.
The Polaroid Go 2 is available in multiple kits alongside accessories, with the standalone camera costing $80 / £80 / AU$90. You ultimately need some film to get started, so the Starter Set that includes the camera and a Film Double Pack (16 exposures) is potentially a better starting point, and costs $100 / £95 / AU$110. A Film Double Pack X2 (32 exposures) will set you back $40 / £20 / AU$50, and this is available with traditional white or stylish black rebates.
Polaroid Go 2: design
The Go 2 is much smaller than the Polaroid 100 Land Camera it takes its design cues from, being palm-sized but with a much more rounded finish. It's also available in black, white, blue, and red, so you can select the color you prefer. For me, the black finish looks best, contrasting nicely with the red shutter button and the Polaroid rainbow.
The camera is made using 30% recycled polycarbonate and ABS plastics, and the build quality feels good. There is some movement of the film door against its lock on the bottom of the camera when you're holding it, but this doesn’t cause any issues. Loading the camera is incredibly easy, especially if you've used instant cameras in the past; if you haven't, labelled film packs and the quick-start guide will guide you through the process.
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(Image credit: James Abbott)
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(Image credit: James Abbott)
The viewfinder is surprisingly reliable despite parallax error, which is the difference between what you see through the viewfinder and what the adjacent lens captures. One useful feature of the viewfinder is that the front is mirrored, so you can use it to help compose selfies, which can be taken using either the shutter button or the self-timer.
The camera uses an internal rechargeable battery that's charged via USB-C. Battery life is good, and the remaining charge is indicated by green, orange and red on the LED that shows the camera is switched on. The only downside here is that the battery is built-in, so you can't change or replace it, although this is only likely to be an issue after years of use.
Polaroid Go 2: performance
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The Go 2 couldn’t be easier to use; it's a point-and-shoot camera with automatic exposure and a fixed-focus lens. The lens is made of polycarbonate resin, and produces an equivalent focal length of 51.1mm, which is perfect for this type of camera. The minimum focusing distance is 1.5ft / 45cm, so the Go 2 isn’t at all suited to close-up photography, unfortunately.
The shutter speed is automatically set between 1/300 sec and 1 sec, while the aperture is adjusted between f/9 and f/42. Exposure overall isn’t bad, but I found that images erred slightly towards underexposure, and the camera performs much better in brighter conditions than in low light. There is a flash that helps in low light, but it's not powerful, so its effectiveness is limited. Still, it's better to have than not.
Image quality isn’t quite what I remember of Polaroid cameras, lacking the clarity and color balance I can recall. Sure, it was never perfect from point-and-shoot Polaroid cameras, but it was better. Development time is also advertised as 10-15 minutes, which does appear correct, and this is much longer than Polaroid film of old, which only took a few minutes to develop. I suspect that the chemicals have been changed since then, potentially using a more environmentally friendly and/or less costly formula.
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Double exposures captured with the Polaroid Go 2 (Image credit: James Abbott)
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Double exposures captured with the Polaroid Go 2 (Image credit: James Abbott)
This wait time takes away some of the magical immediacy of using an instant camera, but at the same time it's ultimately not a problem. Prints are 2.62 x 2.12 inches / 66.6 x 53.9mm with a 1.85 x 1.81-inch / 47 x 46mm image area; the small print size is comparable to that of Fujifilm's Instax Mini prints, albeit with Polaroid's square format rather than Fujifilm's rectangular image area.
Prints also typically exhibit more color casts and haziness than I remember, producing a more retro look and feel than Polaroid film from even as late as the early noughties. This isn’t a bad thing though; it certainly taps into the popularity of retro photography effects these days, and I like it.
Two features of the camera that stand out are the self-timer and the ability to capture double exposures. These are activated using specific presses of the flash button, and for double exposures, you're shown a 1 and 2 on the shot remaining screen so you know which shot you're taking. The flash is also activated by default, so if you don’t want or need flash you have to switch it off each time you switch the camera on.
Should I buy the Polaroid Go 2?
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Polaroid Go 2 instant camera
(Image credit: James Abbott)
I tested the Polaroid Go 2 Instant Camera over several days, using it to capture a range of subjects in different lighting conditions. I also tested the few features that the camera has to offer, which are basic, but fun and useful nonetheless.
Since exposure is fully automatic, except for being able to switch the flash on or off, all testing was a point-and-shoot affair, but that's exactly what basic Polaroid cameras are used for – instantaneous simplicity. Having somewhere to safely store exposed prints was a necessity, however.
Having used both Polaroid and Fujifilm Instax cameras in the past, using the Go 2 was as intuitive as I'd hoped, and the small size and light weight of the camera made it much easier to carry around than full-size instant cameras.
The Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D (Confusingly, Panasonic seems to call it the latter, but it most retailers call it the former) is an updated variant on the Lumix FZ80 bridge camera launched back in 2017. The new version has been refreshed with USB-C charging and improved resolution for the EVF and rear screen. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same camera, so it’s more of a relaunch than a new camera.
The specifications look pretty spectacular on paper, including a huge 60x zoom, a very useful 20mm equivalent wide-angle capability, 4K video, and Panasonic’s clever 4K Photo modes, which can grab an 8MP still from a continuous 4K video sequence, or focus on a subject after you’ve shot it by capturing a short video sequence with multiple focus points.
They key drawback with cameras of this type, though, is the sensor size. The FZ80D / FZ82D uses a tiny 1/2.3-inch sensor no bigger than those in a smartphone, as it’s the only way to get this incredible zoom range in an affordable, portable camera.
This impacts heavily on the image quality, and it’s compounded by a drop-off in lens performance at long zoom settings. At short-to-medium zoom settings images are about as good as those from a smartphone, but by the time you reach the longest zoom setting – which is probably one of the reasons why you bought the FZ80D / FZ82D – the definition has fallen through the floor, and is not really adequate.
The FZ80D / FZ82D delivers a huge list of features for the money, but its plasticky build quality, and especially its variable performance, could leave you disappointed. It does an awful lot, but it does none of it very well.
The Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D is priced at $478 / £429 / AU$699, and is available now. That puts it at a similar price to some of the cheaper best beginner mirrorless cameras, but none of these will come with zoom lenses that match the Panasonic’s zoom range – such lenses don't exist for mirrorless cameras, although of course you can swap lenses on a mirrorless camera, and there are telephotos available that give you something like the same reach. The difference is the image quality – images from the FZ80D / FZ82D do not approach the quality of those from the best mirrorless cameras, and you don’t need to be an expert to see the difference.
The Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D definitely looks the real deal. It’s the same size and shape as an old-school beginner DSLR like a Canon EOS Rebel, for example, with the same rounded corners and big viewfinder housing on the top. The difference is apparent when you turn it on and use the zoom lever to extend that huge 60x zoom – you could never do that on a DSLR.
The body does have a plasticky feel, though the dials and buttons work pretty well. There’s only one control dial rather than two, which is often the case with beginner-oriented cameras, and there’s no spinning dial around the four-way pad on the back, which is actually a bit of a relief since these seldom work well.
While the FZ80D / FZ82D does have improved EVF and rear screen resolution compared to the original FZ80, it’s not all good news. For a start, there’s no eye sensor to detect when you’ve taken the camera from your eye – if you want to compose a shot on the rear screen instead you have to press a button next to the viewfinder.
Worse, the rear screen is fixed – it doesn’t even have a tilt mechanism. That’s a real surprise in an era when just about every camera has some kind of rear screen articulation, and it’s going to make the FZ80D awkward for low-angle shots or video. Cheaply made but not cheap – that’s not a good combination.
Happily there’s not too much else to complain about. The menus are big, clear, and easily navigated, and the main mode dial has custom settings for those who like to shoot with specific setups. The memory card slot is next to the battery in the base of the camera, which is always a bit of a nuisance, but pretty normal in a lower-end camera.
Design-wise, the FZ80D / FZ82D is a mixed bag. It’s a good size and fits your hand well, but the finish and controls have a budget feel, and the viewing system is primitive.
The major disappointment with the Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D is its performance at longer zoom settings, which is especially annoying because the huge zoom range is probably what convinced you to buy this camera. It does indeed zoom to an amazing 1200mm-equivalent (in full-frame terms) focal length, but by this point the image detail is very soft and there’s visible color fringing around object outlines. In fact, judging by the processed look of fine details and textures, it looks as if there’s some heavy image processing going on at the long zoom settings to try to compensate for the lens’s limitations.
This doesn’t just affect the maximum zoom setting. You can see the fine detail rendition starting to fall away even at 400mm-equivalent, and it just gets worse from there. I wouldn’t use the FZ80D / FZ82D past its 400mm setting for this reason, which means a lot of the focal range would be wasted for me.
There’s another issue with shooting at the 1200mm-equivalent maximum zoom: camera shake. The FZ80D / FZ82D does have image stabilization, and this works well at shorter focal lengths. But at 1200mm, it just can’t cope – if you try to shoot handheld the viewfinder image leaps all over the place, and even if you brace the camera against a wall or railing, getting a sharp-ish shot at this focal length is a lottery.
At shorter focal lengths and for everyday subjects, the FZ80D / FZ82D performs pretty well. Images look sharp, crisp, and clear, though highlight detail in bright skies is often lost, and the camera does not have the HDR modes that smartphones have. You might think it’ll be a step up if you switch from a smartphone to a bridge camera like this, but in some respects it’s a step down.
The autofocus is nice and snappy, and there’s a macro mode for close-up shots, which makes this camera even more versatile. The 4K Photo mode is good for extracting single frames from extended bursts, and the Post Focus mode is almost uncanny in the way it lets you choose the focus point after you’ve taken the shot. In fact, here the camera is capturing a short video with a focus that shifts from near to far, so it’s not magic after all – it just feels like it.
The issue with the 4K Photo and Post Focus modes is that they're based around 4K video capture, which means the images you extract are just 8 megapixels. If you want to capture a full-resolution sequence you’ll need to switch to the high-speed shooting mode, which tops out at 10fps, and that’s with the focus fixed on the first frame. 4K Photo mode aside, the FZ80D / FZ82D is okay for action sequences, but not great.
It did okay in my ISO tests, though. You can see fine details and textures start to slip away by ISO 400, but even at ISO 3200 images look reasonable as long as you don’t blow them up too much. This is where the FZ80D’s small sensor really holds it back; on a DSLR or mirrorless camera you'd be able to go way beyond these ISO settings before starting to lose quality.
Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D: Sample images
Here’s a gallery showing our penguin at different focal length settings: 1200mm, 800mm, 400mm, 200mm, 100mm, 50mm and 20mm, moving the tripod nearer each time to keep the penguin more or less the same size in the frame to check for image quality at different zoom settings.
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Panasonic FZ80D at 1200mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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Panasonic FZ80D at 800mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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Panasonic FZ80D at 400mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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Panasonic FZ80D at 200mm
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Panasonic FZ80D at 100mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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Panasonic FZ80D at 50mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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Panasonic FZ80D at 20mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Here are some more sample images shot at a range of focal lengths, and which are more representative of casual day-to-day photography.
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The 20mm wide-angle setting is wider than most lenses go and undeniably useful. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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Here's an overall shot of a scene at 20mm. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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And here's a zoomed-in shot of a water lily in the foreground – it's not very sharp. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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It is useful to be able to pick out interesting details at a distance. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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The colors and exposures are good, but the FZ80D is prone to blowing out highlights in bright skies. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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You don't really need the FZ80D's zoom range for shots like this, and it's not exactly inconspicuous. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
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The FZ80D is certainly versatile, as you can get up close for short-range subjects too. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
The FZ80D / FZ82D covers a zoom range wider and longer than most people will ever need, with a macro mode for close-ups, 4K video and more.
You’re on a tight budget and still experimenting
The FZ80D / FZ82D is cheaper than all but a few low-end mirrorless cameras, and none of them can match its zoom range. It might help you decide which direction to take in your photography.
You’re not that bothered by outright image quality
Lots of people aren’t. It’s only at longer zoom settings that the FZ80D / FZ82D starts to fall apart, and in regular shooting it can hold its own against a smartphone.
Don't buy it if...
You’re looking for a ‘second’ camera
If your main camera is a DSLR or mirrorless system, you’re unlikely to be happy with the results from the FZ80D / FZ82D, despite its do-it all convenience.
You don’t really need that huge zoom range
Look instead at bridge cameras with larger 1-inch sensors. They cost more and the zoom ranges may be shorter, but the image quality will be a whole lot better.
You’re looking for a handy ‘travel’ camera
The FZ80D / FZ82D is too big for a coat pocket and the image quality is not good enough for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It’s not small enough and, to be honest, not good enough.
• I shot the same subject at different zoom settings with the camera on a tripod and the ISO set to 80 for absolute best quality
• I also tested the camera’s ISO performance using a tripod
• I checked the image stabilization across the zoom range
• I shot a range of subjects at different zoom settings handheld to get a feel for the kind of results average users can expect
The key feature of the Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D is its massive 60x zoom range, but this is of limited use if it can’t maintain a good level of image quality at longer zoom settings. This is a regular failing of long-range bridge cameras, and likely to be a major disappointment for users who bought the camera specifically for that range.
It was also important to check the overall image quality and ISO performance. The FZ80D / FZ82D has a 1/2.3-inch sensor that's far smaller than the sensors in even cheap mirrorless cameras, and this can be a serious limiting factor.
The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 is one of the best instant cameras for casual photographers who like the appeal of wider prints. It's ideal for landscape photographers and camping trips especially, with the wider format able to capture much more in the frame than other popular Instax Mini cameras, although be prepared to compromise when it comes to portraits.
Unlike other Instax cameras the Wide 400 doesn't have a built-in selfie mirror, and instead comes with a fiddly mirror attachment that doubles up as a macro lens. This can be clipped onto the Wide 400's lens when you want to take a selfie or portrait of a subject, or anything that's roughly 40-50cm away from the end of the lens.
(Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
During testing, I found the focusing process takes a bit of getting used to, but once you grasp it, and with the help of the enhanced viewfinder and target marker, it can capture pretty sharp shots. The biggest pain points with the Instax Wide 400 are the design and lack of features. Not much has been tweaked from the Wide 300 model other than the addition of the self-timer (which is admittedly very handy) and enhanced viewfinder, but otherwise, it has no modern digital elements like the Instax EVO or Mini 99.
As for the design, the Wide 400 can withstand a lot thanks to its rugged and textured build, and it's very grippy too. With that said, it does feel larger and heavier than necessary, and what was Instax thinking with that color? I think it's one of the worst-looking instant cameras on the market (sorry Instax), and frankly I felt a little embarrassed to shoot with it in public. However, if you can get past the basic features and 'army-green' finish, it could be a worthwhile addition to your analog camera collection, and the print quality is good.
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: Price and availability
The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 is available for $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$229.99, which I think is a fair price compared with other Instax models. The Instax Square SQ40 retails at the same price, and other models are only marginally more affordable with similar features – you can check out more options in our best Instax Mini prices round-up .
However, a wide-format competitor such as the Lomography Lomo'Instant Wide (priced at $169 /£149) might offer more for your money in terms of creative control, with options for multiple exposure and optional flash – and it takes Instax Wide film too. There's also the retro Instax 500AF to consider if you can find one, which Redditers seem to be raving about lately.
What's in the box? (Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: design
Better looking than the Wide 300
Very rugged and sturdy build
What's with the green?
The Instax Wide 400 might not be the prettiest Instax on the market, but the design has certainly improved since the Wide 300 model, with the sticky-out viewfinder ditched in favor of a more appealing and clean-cut build. The body is still made from a smooth plastic, which doesn't help it fit in very well among its more premium-looking Instax cousins, and while the textures around the lens barrel and battery compartment are great for grip, I think it makes the camera look a little juvenile.
As for the general design, the Instax Wide 400 is rugged, heavy, and bulky. It's not until you get this camera in your hands and lay eyes on it that you realize just how big and wide it is. I would say that my hands are medium-sized, so I'm not sure if the hands-on images in this review are doing it justice. Or maybe it's because I'm used to handling my Instax Mini 40 and Mini 99 models that this camera feels so abnormally large to me.
(Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
There's no built-in selfie mirror but, like the Instax Wide 300, the Instax Wide 400 comes with a clip-on macro lens attachment that has a mirror poking out of the side. With this camera being so large I don't think it would have taken much to include a built-in selfie mirror on the lens itself, but it's better to have one as an accessory than not at all.
Speaking of accessories, there's also a new angle-adjustment accessory that comes with the Wide 400. This comprises two black plastic wedges of different sizes on a separate strap (i.e., not the main camera strap) which you can place under the camera to tilt it upwards when it’s placed on a surface for selfies or group shots.. This worked quite well when I tested it, and it's a clever method that saves you having to look for handy objects on which to prop the camera.
(Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
Possibly my biggest gripe with the design of the Instax Wide 400 is that it's only available in a single color option, at least for now – and what was Instax thinking with that awful green shade? It's worth mentioning that a lot of the promotional images make this camera appear more teal, but in reality it's green, and a slightly dull 'army green' at that. Yet, despite the green finish, the Instax Wide 400 could also pass as a kid's camera from a distance.
I've never been self-conscious walking around with a camera before, but the Wide 400 is so large and unappealing that it draws a lot of attention to itself, and to whoever's holding it, and I felt a little embarrassed taking it out to my local seaside town during testing. I guess if you think of the Wide 400 as a camera that's intended for outdoorsy types, landscape photographers, and camping trips, then the green color choice makes a bit more sense than say, bright pink.
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: Performance
Can capture very sharp shots when used correctly
Selfies are tricky (unless you have long arms)
The self-timer is the perfect feature for group photos
Lacks other modern features
I thoroughly enjoyed my time testing the new Instax Wide 400 camera, and I certainly get the appeal of wider-format film (which is double the width of two Instax Mini prints) when it comes to landscape photography and capturing group selfies. The camera takes really nice-looking photos in normal mode, as well as in landscape mode, and you can expect the usual Instax quality in the prints produced.
However, I found that using this camera for self-portraits and with close-up subjects is where its performance faltered. The included clip-on lens attachment shortens the focus range of the camera to 40-50cm, and is intended for taking photos of closer subjects as well as self-portraits at arm’s length. With this in mind, I used my dog Tilly as my test subject for a few shots, and found that it was very hit-and-miss with the focus (see the sample images below).
I tried to capture the same shot a few times by switching up the distance between me and Tilly, while using the upgraded viewfinder and target spot to keep her center frame. It was difficult to estimate the distance between myself and Tilly, and I took a photo in normal mode without the lens attachment for comparison, but all that was in focus was the background behind her. In short: when used correctly, the camera plus lens attachment can produce very sharp results, but it will take some experimentation, and a fair few failed prints, before you get the hang of it.
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As for selfies, these was again very tricky to master using the selfie mirror and close-up lens attachment. I also found during testing that my arms just weren't long enough to hold the camera in front of me and press the shutter while keeping my face in frame, which in hindsight, is probably why Instax chose to add the self-timer feature, and has heavily pitched the Wide 400 as a camera for group selfie shots using some kind of stable surface or tripod.
The self-timer is definitely the most useful feature on the camera, and the only 'modern' upgrade. The one-button camera design with automatic exposure is great for beginners and very user-friendly, although it doesn't offer any real benefit for photographers who like to take control of the shot and make adjustments to manual exposure. This is a little disappointing, given that most new products from Instax allow for some creative control and experimentation.
(Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
For example, the latest Instax mini 99 camera is the most advanced Instax to date, with fancy new exposure control dials, a double exposure feature, and unique light leak filters. The Instax mini EVO, meanwhile, is an excellent hybrid instant camera, blurring the lines between digital and analogue.
I was hoping Instax might bring these new tools to formats other than the Instax Mini series, but that's not the case here. Even adding a bulb mode, or the option to toggle the flash without having to cover it with your finger, would have been useful.
I also found that this camera didn't perform as well in darker conditions, even when subjects were well-lit and when using the flash. I shot a photo of some sunflowers in a vase in my conservatory when the room was still very light, and the print came out dark. I took the same image the following morning and it was much brighter. I didn't realize this would have such a big impact, as shown in the images below.
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: Sample images
It's important to recognize that this is not a camera for serious photographers, so if you're looking for high-res studio-quality images then look elsewhere. But if you're just after a bit of fun, and an affordable way to share physical memories and keepsakes with others, then the Instax Wide ticks a lot of boxes.
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Should I buy the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400?
Buy it if...
(Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400:
(Image credit: Beth Nicholls)
I used two packs of Instax Wide film (20 shots) and one pack of the black edition wide film (10 shots)
I used the camera in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations, and in cloudy, overcast, and sunny conditions
I experimented with self-portraits, group portraits, and closer subjects
I used the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 for a few weeks, and I felt that I really put this camera through its paces. I aimed to test out the quality of the prints produced in a variety of conditions, including different lighting setups, alternating weather conditions, varied subject matter, with and without flash by covering it with my finger, and for both selfies and group photos.
I mainly tested the performance of this camera by venturing around my local high street and seaside resort in the south-west of England, capturing a mix of landscape and portrait images. It wasn't all about the print quality though, as I also wanted to test the camera's handling and user-friendliness.
Sitting at the more affordable end of Nikon’s range of full-frame models, the Z6 III is designed to be an all-rounder, which can tackle a variety of subjects, whether that’s for photo or video.
What makes it more affordable is its 24.5MP sensor, which is just shy of half that of other pricier models in the line-up, including the Z7 II, the Z8 and the Z9. However, it's an exciting new “partially stacked” sensor, which unleashes ultra fast shooting speeds available, making this a real powerhouse when it comes to sports and action - and marking a major improvement on its predecessor, the Z6 II.
There’s up to an incredible 120fps shooting available - with some big caveats - but up to 20fps at full resolution in raw with full AF/AE. In practice, this turns out to be more than you’ll need for most types of action and returns a fantastic hit rate where almost every shot is in focus thanks to the superb autofocusing system which has been brought over from the Z8 and Z9 cameras.
With the 24-120mm f/4 lens, a great all-rounder lens that suits the Z6 III incredibly well (Image credit: Amy Davies)
For video, there’s now 6K up to 60fps available, as well as 4K at a range of frame rates up to 120fps. Being able to create oversampled video at 4K thanks to its 6K shooting ability will be appealing to lots of content creators, and gives you scope to get more shooting angles from whatever lenses you have.
In terms of body design and layout, much has stayed the same or similar since the Z6 II, however the III is now toting a fully articulating screen, making it far more suited to video work than ever before.
We’ve also got a brand new viewfinder and it's Nikon's best yet, with a 5,760k-dot resolution and an ultra-wide color gamut, plus a 60fps refresh rate. These specs all combine to make the Z6 III’s viewfinder one of the best experiences on the market.
The Nikon Z6 III has a new fully articulated screen (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Image quality doesn’t show a revolutionary improvement from the Z6 II, which is pretty much as we’d expect. However, it's easier to get the shots you want thanks to improved autofocus and burst shooting performance, so while individual shots might not be an improvement in terms of things like dynamic range, color and detail, the fact that you can get more shots in focus is what makes the big difference. Video quality is also great.
When it comes to pricing, the Z6 III is more affordable than the Z8 and Z9, but you will be paying a premium for how much better it is than the Z6 II, especially considering that camera is now on sale since the Z6 III was announced. In fact, you’ll also be paying a premium right now over the high-resolution Z7 II. Between those two cameras, it’s up to you to decide whether you want high resolution at the expense of speed, or the other way around.
If you mainly shoot landscapes and other still subjects, the Z7 II might be the better choice, but if you ever shoot anything moving - or at least think you might - then the Z6 III is a much better choice.
Nikon Z6 III: release date and price
Body only price is $2,496 / £2,699 / AU$4499
Available now
The Z6 series has always been on the more affordable end of Nikon’s pro-spec line-up. Although it’s higher in value than the Z5 series, it’s generally cheaper than the Z7, Z8 or Z9 cameras. That said, the feature-packed Z6 III will set you back more than its predecessor did at launch by around 25%, and with the Z6 II on sale, the Z6 III is £1000/$1000 more expensive for the body only version at the time of this review. Right now, the Z6 II feels like a comparative bargain, especially if you can live without some of the Z6 III's improved autofocusing and burst rates.
The Z6 III is also currently more expensive than the Z7 II, so if you need higher resolution, you might opt for that model instead - again though, you’ll be missing out on things like fast shooting. If Nikon hasn't given up on the Z7 series, we could see a speedier Z7 III, but that would be treading a little too close to the Z8 and we think a new Z7 model is unlikely.
Perhaps the best thing to compare the Z6 III within Nikon’s own line-up is the Z8, with which it shares similar focusing capabilities. Here you’ll need to fork out an additional £600, and use a larger and heavier camera - but you do get higher resolution.
In the end, it likely comes down to speed vs resolution. If you need speed, go for the Z6 III, if you need resolution, the Z7 II or the Z8 if you can stretch to that is the best choice.
What about compared to other brands? Well, the Z6 III is significantly more expensive than its current main competitors, the Canon EOS R6 II, or the Sony A7 IV - both models which are also ripe for an upgrade. Although more expensive, you will get more for your money from the Z6 III, so if you’re particularly after some of its impressive features, then it’s likely to be worth the extra expense.
Price score: 4/5
The Nikon Z6 III's side on profile - it's pretty similar to the previous Nikon Z6 II (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Nikon Z6 III: design and handling
New vari-angle touchscreen
Super high-res EVF
Chunkier grip
New additional battery grip
If you’re looking for a fast Nikon, then you might have had your head turned by the Nikon Z8 or even the Nikon Z9, but then been quickly put off by the size of either of those models. The Z6 III is a a much more easy-to-manage size than either the Z8 or the Z9, although it's little heavier than its predecessor (760g vs 705g body only) – that's mostly down to the chunkier hand grip which I'm all for because it gives a secure hold.
Layout and button placement remains largely unchanged from the Z6 II, with a mode dial to the left of the viewfinder, plus all of your regularly used buttons and dials on the right hand side. A relatively minor tweak, but one which makes a decent bit of difference, is the drive mode and playback buttons have been swapped over. This means you can hit playback with your right thumb, rather than having to bring in your left hand to quickly scroll through the images you’ve just taken. I find this particularly handy when I’m shooting and want to have a quick check in the viewfinder that whatever I’ve just photographed is in focus - then I can have another go if something hasn’t come out quite right.
The Nikon Z6 III's new articulating screen is handy for a variety of reasons (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Overall, the Z6 III is a fairly intuitive camera to use with everything pretty much where you’d like it to be. A useful joystick can be employed to move the AF point around, an "i" button houses a host of quick settings, and the rear and front dials work in tandem to control shutter speed and aperture.
Elsewhere, a pretty big difference compared with the old Z6 II is the new screen, which is now a fully articulated device designed to appeal to the video crowd. It’s also useful for shooting things like selfies, or anything awkwardly positioned that you want to frame vertically. Previously, we had a tilting display, which personally I prefer for stills, but I can see why articulating made more sense in this all-rounder model. The size and resolution of the screen, at 3.2”/2100k-dots remains the same as in the Z6 II.
Nikon Z6 III key specs
Sensor: 24.5MP AF System: Hybrid phase-detection / contrast AF EVF: 0.5in, 5760k-dot UXGA OLED electronic viewfinder, 0.8x magnification ISO range: 100-64000 (50-204800 extended) Video: 6K 60p / 4K 120p / Full HD 240p LCD: Vari-angle TFT touch-sensitive, 2100k-dot Max burst: 120fps (crop mode) Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 Weight: 670g (body only), 760g (with battery and memory card)
The EVF has also had a bit of a glow-up. While the previous 3,690k-dot resolution EVF of the Z6 II was by no means bad to use, once you look through the 5,670k-dot device found on the Z6 III, you might find the Z6 II's viewfinder has been well and truly ruined for you. Not only is the Z6 III's high in resolution, it has also got an ultra-wide color gamut (DCI-P3, the first time this has been used in a mirrorless camera), and a fast 60fps refresh rate for a smooth display even shooting at high frame rates.
As with the Z6 II, we’ve got dual memory card slots. One is for CFExpress B, and is also compatible with the older XQD format. Another is the more widely used SD format with support for the faster UHS-II version, which is good news for anyone who doesn’t necessarily want to fork out on expensive memory cards to use this camera.
The screen can also be folded away when not in use (Image credit: Amy Davies)
If you want extra battery power, or better handling when shooting vertically, there’s an optional MB-N14 battery grip you can also buy. If you’ve already got an older battery grip, it’s a bit annoying that the old MB-N11 or MB-N12 battery grips from previous Z series models aren’t compatible here, though. On the plus side, the MB-N14 is compatible with both the newer and older models, so if you’re toting a multi-device setup, you can at least swap between the two.
The top of the Nikon Z6 III - its a sensible and intuitive layout on the whole (Image credit: Amy Davies)
The playback button used to be here where the delete button is now found - a sensible swap (Image credit: Amy Davies)
The Z6 III has two memory card slots available (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Design score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z6 III: features and performance
Up to 120fps shooting with Pre-Release Capture
World’s first partially-stacked 24.5MP sensor
8-stops in-camera image stabilization
3D tracking and subject detection focus, plus focusing down to -10EV
6K video up to 60fps
New Nikon Imaging Cloud service
The Z6 series has always been Nikon’s “all-rounder”, with a lower resolution sensor than the likes of the Z7 and the Z8/Z9, at a more attractive price and more-rounded feature set.
With the Z6 III, you really do get an incredibly versatile piece of kit that's markedly more powerful for landscapes to sports and action, as well as meeting video and content creators needs too.
Although resolution has stayed on the “low” side at 24.5MP (only by comparison with the super high-resolutions we’ve become a little bit spoiled by), we now have what’s known as a “partially-stacked” sensor which has been designed to be fast, without quite such a high-cost as we’d expect from a fully-stacked sensor found in the Z8 or Z9 camera. It’s also got the same EXPEED 7 processor as found in the Z8 and Z9.
So, while the Z6 III's sensor is still not quite as speedy as the Z8/Z9, it’s still 3.5x quicker than that found in the Z6 II, and what’s more, it’s better equipped to deal with rolling shutter distortion that you might expect to see when recording moving subjects.
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You can shoot at 20fps in raw with full AF/AE (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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Alternatively, up to 120fps is available in crop mode - as shown here (Image credit: Amy Davies)
As a result, we get up to a ludicrously fast 120fps shooting available - though you will have to shoot DX (APS-C) format JPEGs which end up at only 10MP. You do get full AF/AE while recording though.
For full-frame shooting, up to 60fps is available (JPEG only), which should still be more than you really need for most types of moving subject. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also pre-release capture which will start recording frames before you’ve even fully engaged the shutter button - super handy if you’re not sure exactly when a piece of action is about to begin. If you want RAWs to go along with JPEGs, you can shoot at 20fps with the electronic shutter.
Having super-fast frame rates is no good without a great AF system to go with it and there's good news there too. You get the latest autofocusing system available from Nikon, as seen in the Z8 and Z9, to give you 3D tracking and subject-detection options including humans, animals and a range of vehicles.
It’s got to the point now where I’ve stopped using single-point AF, and leave it on automatic subject recognition and let the camera decide for me at least half of the time. If I’m photographing anything that is likely to move around the frame, such as my baby or my dog, then it just makes sense to let the tracking do what it does best and keep up with them.
Also new is the ability to focus down to -10EV, making it superb at locking onto the subject in low-light too. There’s no messing about here.
Image stabilization has also been given a boost, with the Z6 III benefiting from the same 8-stop system as seen in the Nikon Zf. This 8-stops is measured using the 24-120mm f/4S that I’ve been using myself during this review. I’ve found that I can happily shoot with the telephoto end of this lens, at a fairly narrow aperture, in less than perfect lighting conditions and still get sharp shots almost all of the time, and the same is true of using longer lenses too.
Content creators who crave decent video specs should find a lot to like about the Z6 III too, with this being a real hybrid shooter. There’s 6K recording and a variety of different frame rates, plus the ability to shoot at different bit rates and codecs including Nikon’s N-raw, Pro Res Raw HQ, ProRes 422HQ / H.265, H.264 codecs in 12-bit raw, and 10-bit log recording.
OK, so there’s no 8K available, but 6K gives you lots of flexibility to crop in and produce oversampled 4K video, which is the quality most people require right now. Other functions here include 240p slow-motion, up to 120 minutes of record time, and the ability to use an external mic as a line-level input for recording sound directly in camera as you go. Having the screen now articulating means that those who want to record pieces to camera can do so easily, too.
It’s worth mentioning Nikon’s new Imaging Cloud service here. This is an instant backup and transfer service that will store your images for free for up to 30 days after they’re first transferred. It’s a neat way to back up your images on the fly, and only requires setting up the service once. Then, so long as you can connect freely to a WiFi network you can use it easily - although it's worth noting that if you need to login via a web browser it won’t work, which could be a problem in public locations such as cafes and hotels.
As part of Nikon's new cloud service, you also get color-profile image recipes which can be transferred to the camera, as well as firmware updates that can be transmitted and either installed automatically or manually. For now, this is only available for the Z6 III, but it is due to come to other Nikon models at a later date.
Features and performance score: 5/5
Nikon Z6 III: image and video quality
Similar performance to Nikon Zf
Great detail and and sharpness
Good colors and dynamic range
Excellent video results
Although there will always be those who are drawn to very high resolution cameras, models such as the Z6 III show that you don’t necessarily need all those megapixels to still get excellent shots - and there’s actually plenty of benefits to sticking on the low side too.
Pair the Z6 III with excellent Nikon Z glass and you'll find that you’ve got some incredibly sharp images, and while you don’t have the kind of fine-grain detail you’d expect from the likes of the Z7 II, the Z8 or the Z9, for most ordinary all-rounders, you’ve got plenty to be getting on with here.
That said, with the lower pixel count, shooting in DX (APS-C) crop mode leaves you with only 10MP, which is a bit less usable than you would get from the same setup with Nikon's 45MP cameras. If this is something you think you’ll find yourself doing frequently, you might want to consider whether it’s worth paying the extra cash for the Z8.
That said, it really does depend on what you intend to do with your images. I’ve taken some impressively sharp images of my dog using the 120fps DX-crop mode, which are - as you might imagine - more than fine to share on social media, or print at what you might call “normal” sizes (A3 or below).
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Eye-detection works on different species, including birds (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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You can still achieve finely detailed shots even with a lower resolution sensor (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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Shot at a high ISO (64000), the JPEG has come out pretty cleanly (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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Eye-detect tracking AF is useful for portraits - especially of erratic subjects (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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There have been some reports that the new partially stacked sensor found inside the Z6 III performs worse for dynamic range than the predecessor, the Z6 II, in lab tests. While that may be true, it’s not something I can say I’ve noticed in my real-world shots, and I’ve actually found the colors and dynamic range to be excellent.
Most of the time the “Auto” Picture Style results in colors which are a decent blend of vibrant and realistic - if you're shooting in raw you’ve got plenty of scope to adjust colors exactly how you want after the fact, too. Nikon’s Active D-Lighting does a great job of producing well-balanced exposures that require minimal post-production tweaking too, with good detail in the shadows and keeping blown-out highlights under control. Similarly, automatic white balance generally produces accurate results in a variety of situations.
It’s often the case that lower resolution sensors perform better in low light situations, so if that’s something you do quite a bit of, the Z6 III could be a good choice. I’ve found it to produce very clean images in low light situations, with even very high ISO shots (such as ISO 64000) resulting in a high-detail, low noise JPEG. There’s more noise in the corresponding raw file, which gives you the option to tweak noise-reduction settings as you see fit.
Overall, image quality here is pretty similar to the Nikon Zf, which also has a 24.5MP sensor, as well as the Z6 II. There was never really an issue with the quality of the final image from the Z6 II, but it was undeniably more difficult to get what you desired if you were shooting fast-moving subjects - in short the new sensor and focusing system makes the journey to a great picture far more achievable.
4K video sample
6K video sample
Video quality is just as great as picture quality, with plenty of detail and very little in the way of rolling shutter effect, thanks to the new sensor. You don’t have 8K video here, but the 6K option is excellent, as is the oversampled 4K. The internal mic is fine for clips on the fly, coping relatively well with some background noise. Of course, serious content creators will likely invest in external audio kit. Either way, there’s really a lot for hybrid content creators to get their teeth into here.
Image quality score: 5/5
Nikon Z6 III: testing scorecard
Should I buy the Nikon Z6 III?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Nikon Z6 III: also consider
How I tested the Nikon Z6 III
Three week-review period
Paired with 24-120mm f/4, 50mm f/1.8, 14-28mm f/2.8 and 70-180mm f/2.8 lenses
I’ve had three weeks with the Nikon Z6 III, having previously used all of Nikon’s Z series since the format was first introduced in 2018.
During my two weeks with the Z6 III, I have tried it in a number of different shooting situations. I’ve photographed landscapes and interiors to get a feel for general image quality. I photographed my dog in action to give fast shooting and AF capability a good test run, as well as photographing birds to check that the Eye AF works across different species. I also photographed my daughter in a number of different situations to get a feel for how portraiture feels with the Z6 III.
I have been using the Z6 III with four different lenses. The 24-120mm f/4 lens was chosen for its versatility and used most frequently. It was joined by the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens for action and (fairly close) wildlife, as well as portraits, the 14-28mm f/2.8 for interiors and landscapes and the 50mm f/1.8 for portraits, street and candid shots.
At first glance, the Panasonic Lumix GH7 is identical to its predecessor, the Lumix GH6. The two cameras’ bodies and control layouts may be the same, but Panasonic has spent the two years since the GH6’s arrival working out any kinks and building on its strong showing. The result is the GH7, a multi-talented mirrorless camera with no great weaknesses.
The GH6 had a dizzying range of video options, plus a built-in cooling system that allows for unlimited video recording; great connectivity, fast continuous stills shooting and incredibly effective in-body image stabilization. All of these things remain the case with the GH7, but its new sensor improves image quality, and its new phase-detection autofocus system fixes the one area where the GH6 felt noticeably behind the times.
It’s not the perfect camera, of course. The cooling setup makes it fairly bulky by Micro Four Thirds standards, with its body weighing more than the full-frame Panasonic Lumix S5 II, and its battery life still feels a bit stingy by modern standards. But it’s tough to find any truly significant faults, and given that the price is the same as the GH6’s was at launch in 2022, it feels like great value for money too. Bang for buck, the GH7 is one of the best video cameras available.
Big body, small sensor: the Lumix GH7 feels like a full-frame camera. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Panasonic Lumix GH7: release date and price
Available now
$2,199 / £1,999 / AU$3,899 body only
Also sold in a kit with 12-60mm lens
The Panasonic Lumix GH7 is available now, with a list price of $2,199 / £1,999 / AU$3,899 body-only. It can also be purchased in a kit with a Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4 zoom lens for $2,799 / £2,499 / AU$4,899. That’s the same list price at which the GH6 was launched a couple of years ago, so I have no complaints about Panasonic’s pricing decisions here.
Price score: 4.5/5
The Panasonic Lumix GH7 camera with 12-60mm Leica lens attached. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Panasonic Lumix GH7: design and handling
Body and control layout virtually identical to GH6
Fairly bulky for Micro Four-Thirds camera
Articulated swivel-and-tilt touchscreen
Built-in fan cooling system
If you’ve used the GH6 you’ll find the GH7 pleasingly familiar. In fact, the two camera bodies are essentially the same – put them side by side and the name tag on the front is the only way to tell the difference. That’s not a bad thing by any means, although I will say that the GH7, like its predecessor, is bulky by Micro Four Thirds standards. At 25.4oz / 721g, the body is heavier than the full-frame Lumix S5 (26.1oz / 714g); it’s a chunky 138.4 x 100.3 x 99.6mm in size too. So, if you’re expecting its small sensor to result in a lightweight and easily portable camera, you’re going to be disappointed.
Still, I found it manageable, and it’s also important to note that MFT lenses are generally much lighter and smaller than full-frame L-mount lenses, so you’ll likely be reducing the overall weight by opting for the GH7 over a full-frame model. I also like the fact that it remains dust- and splash-proof, if not officially IP-rated or guaranteed to remain undamaged if it does get wet or sandy.
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
The built-in cooling system is the main culprit for the bulky build. As with the GH6, it sits at the rear of the camera, behind the screen, and uses a fan to suck in cool air and blow out warm air. This system is essential for one of the GH7’s key selling points, though: its ability to record unlimited 4K 60fps video clips. With many cameras limiting 4K clip duration due to overheating (and some requiring a lengthy cooldown period after the forced shutdown), I think the advantage of that cooling setup is a fair trade-off for the extra weight and size.
Panasonic Lumix GH7 key specs
Sensor: 25.2MP BSI CMOS MFT sensor AF system: Phase-detection autofocus EVF: 3.68m-dot OLED ISO range: 100-25600 (100 to 12800 video range) Video: 5.8K/30p 4:2:0, C4K/60p 4:2:2 LCD: 3-inch TFT free-angle touchscreen Max burst: 14fps (continuous AF), 75fps (electronic shutter) Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy Dimensions: 138.4 x 100.3 x 99.6mm Weight: 721g
As with the GH6, the 3-inch screen is excellent: not only does it flip out and swivel, it also features a two-stage tilting mechanism that enables you to move it away from any cables that might be plugged into the camera. Even if it didn’t originate on the GH7, it’s still probably the most flexible screen design I’ve seen on a mirrorless camera.
The control setup is great too, with plenty of easily accessible buttons. The highlight for me is the fact that there’s an extra record button on the front of the camera, which is something content creators who spend a lot of time filming themselves will appreciate. There are also front and rear tally lamps, making it immediately clear if you’re recording or not.
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Connectivity remains as impressive as on the GH6. There’s a full-size HDMI output (capable of carrying 5.8K RAW video to an external recorder), USB-C (capable of recording directing to an SSD right out of the box), 3.5mm mic in and 3.5mm headphone out. There’s also a hot shoe for flashguns and accessories, while the dual-card storage setup has one CFexpress Type B slot (required when recording videos with 800Mbps or higher bit rates) and one SD slot.
There’s no USB-C webcam function here, which seems to be a Panasonic quirk, but you can live-stream directly from the camera to YouTube Live or other RTMP-based services if you wish. Both the USB-C and Wi-Fi connections support this.
Design score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Panasonic Lumix GH7: features and performance
New phase-detection autofocus system
Excellent in-body image stabilization
14fps continuous shooting
Short-ish battery life
32-bit float audio recording (with XLR2 mic adapter)
Perhaps the biggest feature improvement in the Lumix GH7 is the addition of a hybrid autofocus system that includes phase-detection autofocus, replacing the pure contrast-based autofocus setup of the GH6. Where the GH6 could still hunt somewhat when attempting to lock on to a subject, the GH7 is deadly accurate; it locks on quickly and stays locked on, making life for vloggers and YouTubers who self-shoot significantly easier. It’s a major improvement over the GH6, bringing the GH7 in line with its competitors on the autofocus front.
The autofocus system can be set to recognise and stay locked onto humans faces and eyes, humans in general (which includes body shapes), animals, cars, motorcycles, trains, and airplanes. The menu gives additional control over how it behaves too, and overall it feels like a great system for content creators.
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The GH6’s in-body image stabilization system was excellent, and the GH7’s is just as good; and if you don’t mind a slight crop to your video, the additional electronic stabilization improves things further. Mount a lens with built-in OIS and things gets even better, with the systems combining to deliver an almost gimbal-like experience when shooting handheld. Again, it’s something vloggers and content creators will adore, as they can self-shoot beautifully stable walk-and-talk videos with little more than a GorillaPod or similar handle.
Another strong area of performance is shooting speed. When you’re shooting stills using its mechanical shutter, the GH7 can capture continuously at a brisk 14fps – and that’s with autofocus enabled. Switch to the electronic shutter and the speed goes up to 75fps with manual focus and 60fps with autofocus. That’s very fast indeed.
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Battery life, on the other hand, is one of the GH7’s weaker aspects. In my experience, a fully charged battery was only good for around an hour of video recording, so you’ll want to pack extras if you’re planning a long day of shooting, although it’s worth noting that the USB-C port allows for easy on-the-go recharging and constant power supply too.
There’s another feature which I think deserves mention, even if it’s only available for users who buy the optional XLR2 microphone adapter: the ability to record in 32-bit float audio, which is a world-first on a mirrorless camera. 32-bit float is an audio format with much wider dynamic range, making it less prone to clipping and much more flexible when it comes to post-production adjustment. What shooting in raw is for images, 32-bit float is for audio.
Features and performance score: 4.5/5
Panasonic Lumix GH7: image and video quality
Same 25.2MP CMOS image sensor as G9 II
5.7K 30p ProRes RAW HQ internal recording
4K 120p and FHD 240p slow-motion video
Supports real-time LUTs
It wasn’t long ago that journalists and influencers in certain quarters were declaring Micro Four Thirds dead, but the GH7’s image performance is definitive proof of life. Like the triumphant Lumix G9 II launched earlier this year, the GH7 uses Panasonic’s new 25.2MP CMOS sensor, and its imaging performance appears to be largely identical.
In spite of its relatively small size, this sensor delivers excellent quality for both video and stills. While I’d still opt for a full-frame camera like the Lumix S5 II over the GH7 if I was primarily shooting in low light, the GH7’s Micro Four Thirds sensor feels like it can go toe-to-toe with the best APS-C cameras in any lighting condition, mostly thanks to a Dynamic Range Boost setup that captures and merges two outputs in parallel.
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The GH6’s sensor had the same Dynamic Range Boost setup, and while I personally encountered no great issue with it during my own review of that camera, many users complained of major problems in very high-contrast conditions. This seemed due to the fact that the base ISO started too high, and the result was the appearance of unsightly horizontal streaks. That’s been fixed now, thankfully, and you can pretty much shoot in any situation without experiencing anything except a mild bit of noise at higher ISOs.
Whether you’re recording video or snapping photos, there’s a huge dynamic range here considering the sensor size. Images are bursting with detail in both bright and darker areas, and the general color science and look of Panasonic’s standard shooting modes is as good as ever. For users who want to wring every bit of dynamic range from their videos, shooting in V-log gives you a whole extra stop according to Panasonic, taking the full range to over 13 stops (it’s over 12 in standard modes).
I don’t have the space here to detail every one of the plethora of video shooting modes available on the GH7. What I will say is that it’s a truly impressive lineup that caters to all levels of video creator (as was the GH6’s before it), including 5.7K 30p Apple ProRes RAW (with a staggering 4.2Gbps bitrate), 5.8K 30p/5.7K 60p 10-bit 4:2:0 MOV and C4K 120p 4:2:0 MP4. Like many Panasonic cameras it also offers ‘open gate’ recording, which captures video using the entire surface of the sensor – all the better for cropping to your desired aspect ratio in post-production.
The camera can also record 4K at 120fps and Full HD at 240fps for smooth slow-motion playback, both with audio included – although users should note that the Dynamic Range Boost is disabled for any recordings over 60fps, which does detract slightly from the image quality of high-speed recordings.
Panasonic has made it easy to apply LUTs in-camera too, allowing you to ‘bake-in’ LUTs to your photos and video as you shoot them. You can use the preset LUTs that come on the GH7 or add your own. The easiest way to do this is with a smartphone and the Lumix Lab app – the app lets you download LUTs made by Panasonic or other users and transfer them to the GH7, where they can then be accessed via the menu system.
Image quality score: 4.5/5
Panasonic Lumix GH7: testing scorecard
Should I buy the Panasonic Lumix GH7?
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Panasonic Lumix GH7: also consider
How I tested the Panasonic Lumix GH7
One week review period
Vlogging plus run-and-gun videos
Used with two lenses: Leica 12-60mm F2.8-4 and the Leica 9mm F1.7
I tested the Panasonic GH7 for a week, using it in a wide range of scenarios: vlogging at home with a tripod and while walking around town with the help of a Joby GorillaPod; taking snapshots and landscape photos; and capturing b-roll footage in a range of different formats and frame rates. I used two Panasonic lenses during the review process: the Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4 zoom and the Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 wide-angle prime.
How do you improve on one of the outright best cameras, the EOS R5? By making its successor quicker in just about every regard, which is what Canon has managed to do with the new Canon EOS R5 II.
It's a versatile professional camera that captures high-resolution 45MP stills and 8K video like the EOS R5, but with a few new features under the hood that improve overall performance, and an impressive array of video features and high-speed modes.
The sensor resolution stays at 45MP, but it's now a stacked sensor with faster readout that should eliminate rolling shutter distortion, as on the Nikon Z8. Canon says the EOS R5 II (and new flagship EOS R1) boast the fastest sensor readout speed on the market.
We also get what Canon calls a 'DIGIC Accelerator' – which is effectively a new second processor to bolster the DIGIC X and deliver faster processing speeds, resulting in faster burst-shooting speeds, now up to 30fps, that can be sustained for longer, with pre-recording up to 15 frames.
Another major new feature for the line is Eye Control AF (as used in the EOS R3) and the latest version of Canon's Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system, now equipped with what Canon calls deep learning and specific Action Priority modes including basketball, football, and volleyball. The autofocus system is able to recognize and store specific faces and body postures, and predict movement to focus sharply on what's important in the frame.
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You could be forgiven for thinking that these new features sound like they should be in a pro sports camera, like the pricier EOS R1 announced on the same day; and indeed they are, so it's majorly impressive that Canon has also added them to a cheaper, all-purpose professional camera like the EOS R5 II.
Canon needed to add in these improvements really, because how else could it improve on the four-year-old EOS R5, a camera which has stood the test of time and remains one of the best cameras for photography?
For a certain type of photographer, though, the EOS R5 II is overkill, and the EOS R5 will do just fine: landscape and portrait photographers, stand down. But if you ever shoot action, or would like a better-equipped video camera, then the EOS R5 II steps in.
It's a faster camera in every way, impressively tracking subjects in high-speed action scenarios. However, I didn't have the older model to compare just how much faster and reliable the EOS R5 II is for action, impressive as the new AF modes appear to be. Image stabilization performance has, at least on paper, been improved too, while there are some intriguing new in-camera AI-powered image-editing tools, of which more later.
With the 24-70mm F2.8L lens attached. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Outwardly the EOS R5 II has changed little compared to its predecessor, although I was pleased to see new cooling vents on the underside of the EOS R5 II to minimize overheating, which was a well-publicized criticism of the EOS R5. There are also not one, nor two, but three optional vertical grip accessories to choose from, one of which includes a cooling fan to extend video record times.
There's lots to talk about in the new model, but I've only had a day with a beta version of the EOS R5 II, and I'm still working on a more in-depth full review. For now, my first impressions are highly positive, and the Canon EOS R5 II could be the new full-frame mirrorless camera to beat.
Canon EOS R5 II: release date and price
Body-only price is $4,499 / £4,499 / AU$6,699
Available from August 2024
Three optional grips: Standard BG-R20, battery BG-R20EP and cooling fan CF-R20EP
The Canon EOS R5 II launches with a body-only price of $4,499 / £4,499 / AU$6,699, which is around 10% more than the launch price of the EOS R5. The price difference feels about right allowing for inflation and the new features on offer, although it would have been nice to see it priced a little closer to the EOS R5's launch price to better compete with the Nikon Z8. You can also pick up the EOS R5 II with the 24-105mm F4L lens for $5,699 / £5,799.99 / AU$8,549.
The EOS R5 II is set to be available from August 2024, and there will be no fewer than three optional grips to choose from (prices TBC), which is a first. The Cooling Fan grip improves video record times, but lacks the vertical grip control layout which you can find in the Battery Grip that can extend battery life.
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Canon EOS R5 II: design and handling
New blackout-free 5.76m-dot OLED EVF with Eye Control AF
Cooling vents on the underside to minimize overheating
Dual card slots: CFexpress Type B and SD
Canon hasn't tinkered too much with the EOS R5 II design compared to its predecessor, and that's a wise move. It weighs just 26.3oz / 746g, and is a smaller camera than the Nikon Z8 – it's more in line with a Sony A7R V – though you can beef it up with an optional grip to improve the balance with larger lenses. Nonetheless, the EOS R5 II is comfortable in the hand over long sessions shooting with pro lenses, like the 24-70mm F2.8L that I used for most of this hands-on review.
Canon EOS R5 II key specs
Sensor: 45MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS sensor AF system: Hybrid with phase-detect Dual Pixel Intelligent EVF: 5.76m-dot OLED ISO range: 100 to 51,200 (ISO 50-102,400 extended range) Video: 8K/60fps raw, 4K 120fps, Full HD 240fps LCD: 3.2-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 2.1m-dots Max burst: 30fps (electronic shutter, continuous autofocus) Connectivity: USB-C 3.2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 Weight: 656g (body-only), 746g including battery and card
Familiar it may be, the EOS R5 II actually has a few refinements over the EOS R5. The 5.76m-dot viewfinder is new: Canon says it's twice as bright, and it's blackout-free and equipped with Eye Control autofocus that's twice as responsive as on the EOS R3.
If you haven't tried Eye Control AF before, let me tell you: it's brilliant. It tracks your eye as you scan the scene through the viewfinder, and moves the focus point accordingly, pinpointed to where you're looking in the frame.
I initiated the autofocus function with two presets: one for horizontal shooting and the other for vertical, and the EOS R5 II had no problem recognizing my eye. In use, it performed really well, especially in tandem with subject-tracking autofocus.
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Build quality is excellent, with a magnesium alloy chassis, weather-sealed exterior, and robust controls. However, I was also testing the new EOS R1 at the same time as the EOS R5 II, and to me the pro sports model had a better feel overall. For example, the control wheel on the EOS R1's rear is nicely dampened and rotates smoothly, making the wheel on the EOS R5 II feel cheaper by comparison.
Filmmakers will appreciate the fact that the EOS R5 II has a full-size HMDI port (the EOS R5 doesn't) and a tally lamp to indicate when you're recording, and key info, such as waveform monitor, can be displayed on-screen.
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There are also cooling vents on the camera's underside. We don't have official information as to how much these vents alone improve the EOS R5II's ability to stay cool under heavy use. However, they do work with the optional Cooling Fan grip, and with this installed Canon says you'll get over 120 minutes of continuous video record time without overheating; and Canon will certainly want to avoid any of the overheating dramas that dogged the EOS R5.
Otherwise the EOS R5 II is standard fare for a camera at this price range. You get a typical array of controls that are well laid out, a back-illuminated top-LCD, an AF joystick on the rear, control dials for quick exposure changes, and twin card slots; there's one CFexpress Type B and one SD, and you'll need the former, which is the faster (and pricier) card type, to make the most of the EOS R5 II's high-speed features.
Naturally, there are both mic and headphone ports, plus USB-C for charging. The battery is the existing LP-E6P unit, which delivers up to 640 shots on a full charge, although that number will be a lot higher if you're capturing lots of high-speed bursts.
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Canon EOS R5 II: features and performance
Improved in-body image stabilization up to 8.5EV
Refined 'intelligent' dual-pixel AF
Up to 30fps with pre-recording
Proxy recording can speed up video workflow
I had the opportunity to put the EOS R5 II through its paces in various high-speed scenarios, including basketball and breakdancing, rattling off thousands of frames over a relatively short period.
If you're going to be using the EOS R5 II for action you'll want to utilize the faster CFexpress Type B memory card. I was getting fairly short 30fps sequences when using an SD card, and the camera was getting a little warm to touch under heavy use (though that didn't affect performance). CFexpress Type B, on the other hand, lets you shoot for much longer – I'll confirm the numbers in my full review.
Pre-recording is new for the R5 line, and by half-pressing the shutter you can have up to 15 frames prepped before you fully press the shutter – that's up to half a second of additional time to react to the action and start shooting.
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Freezing the perfect moment using the 30fps burst shooting mode. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Following the hands-on sessions, I put Canon's Product Marketing Manager, John Maurice, on the spot by asking him what Canon thinks is the single most notable improvement in the EOS R5 II over the EOS R5, and he said it was autofocus performance.
Put simply, Canon says the EOS R5 II's autofocus is more intelligent than the EOS R5. The 'intelligent' part of Canon's refined Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system refers to deep-learning technology, colloquially called 'AI autofocus'. There's plenty to get to grips with here: for one thing, the EOS R5 II can register people, and once that person's face is recognized they take priority, plus you have the option to quickly select from multiple registered faces for autofocus tracking using the AF joystick.
The EOS R5 II can store up to 10 faces, ideal for prioritizing the players of one football team, while if you're a wedding photographer, being able to prioritize the bride and groom among many people would be super-handy.
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images in this gallery were shot on pre-production Canon beta sample model and final image quality may vary. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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There are also three Action Priority sports modes covering football, basketball and volleyball. Canon says the EOS R5 II recognizes which player has the ball and can prioritize that person, plus it knows various key sporting moves to prioritize, such as a volleyball player spiking.
Intelligent autofocus all sounds highly impressive, but is it any good? I shot basketball as a test scenario and, once I started getting to grips with the settings, was getting virtually every photo in sharp focus where I wanted it, although I can't be sure yet if that success is specifically down to choosing the 'correct' autofocus mode. Was it better with Eye Control AF? Would I get the same results using the 'incorrect' setting? I'll need to do more testing with a full production model to find out for sure. But the bottom line is that my hit ratio of sharp action photos has been staggeringly high.
Canon EOS R5 II: image and video quality
Same 45MP resolution as the EOS R5, but the sensor is quicker
New AI-powered in-camera edits, including upscaling and noise reduction
8K 60p RAW video capture and slow-motion 4K
With speed being the name of the EOS R5 II upgrade game, and the new camera having the same 45MP resolution as the EOS R5, you could be forgiven for thinking that image quality would be essentially the same, despite there being four years between the two models. That might be true for single-shot photography in good light, but the quicker processor and sensor make a difference to image quality in high-speed scenarios. For example, Canon says the stacked sensor minimizes the rolling shutter distortion that can distort movement in photos and videos by up to 40%.
I tried the new in-camera upscaling and Neural Network noise-reduction functions, too. Upscaling works on an existing image, quadrupling its resolution, and when you're shooting 45MP stills already that means a huge 180MP image, or 16,384 x 10,928 pixels. Canon says upscaling is better than the 'high-res shot' modes found in other cameras, which effectively does the same thing but by another means, using pixel shift and rapidly shooting multiple images that are then combined into one larger image.
The problem with high-res shot modes is that images are taken sequentially, and so if there's any movement between those shots you get a ghosting effect. There are no such problems with upscaling, as you're increasing the size of a photo that you've already taken.
I used upscaling on a portrait, and for an image in which the subject only took up a small portion of the frame, with the idea of enlarging it to then crop in for a better composition. The AI upscaling does a decent job, but it's not perfect: there's a sort of processed look to upscaled photos when you're pixel peeping. The same can be said for the new Neural Network noise reduction, which can be applied to JPEG images in-camera. However, these images were shot and processed on a pre-production Canon beta sample model, so final image quality may vary; the upscaling. feature in particular has huge potential, if it can be applied effectively.
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I chose this photo to upscale from the original 45MP resolution. All images were shot on pre-production Canon beta sample model, so final image quality may vary (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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A close up crop of the original 45MP file (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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The same crop on the upscaled 180MP, demonstrating how much bigger the file is (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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The closeup of the original 45MP image again (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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And the upscaled 180MP version at the same size which should appear sharper (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
There's a good range of video codecs and frame rates, which makes the EOS R5 II a more versatile tool for filmmakers than the EOS R5. You get 8K 60fps raw video (onto CFexpress Type B card, not SD), 4K up to 120fps in 10-bit, and even 240fps in 2K.
What's missing here is open gate recording, which for now remains a trump card for Panasonic and Blackmagic video cameras. With a generous 8K video resolution to play with, it seems like a missed opportunity to go up one on Sony and Nikon by offering open gate – which means recording from the full height and width of the sensor. We're instead limited to 16:9 and cropping into that frame for other aspect ratios used for social.
We'll be sure to run further image and video quality tests in a full review.
How I tested the Canon EOS R5 II
A single day with the Canon EOS R5 II and Canon EOS R1 at the pre-launch event for press in Munich, Germany
Pre production beta sample
Paired with the RF 24-70mm F2.8L and RF 85mm F1.2L lenses
Outdoor portraits, indoor sports, photo and video using the various shooting modes
My time with the Canon EOS R5 II was brief: just a day's session, when I also had the Canon EOS R1. It was also a pre production beta sample and so final image quality and performance may vary in finalized samples. However, I was given decent scenarios and lenses to use with both cameras to put them through their paces.
There were two sports scenarios: basketball and breakdancing, both indoors. Another indoor setup involved a skilled cocktail maker, plus an outdoor session with models and classic German automobiles. I was armed with the RF 24-70mm F2.8L and RF 85mm F1.2L lenses.
I had time after the shoot day to further familiarize myself with the camera and run some speed tests. Tests involved using the various burst modes and video capture to see how the EOS R5 II fared in heavy use, plus checking out the new in-camera AI-editing tools.
The ZV-E10 II is a highly recommendable compact vlogging camera. Its diminutive size is deceptive, as it houses a number of key components and features that are shared with Sony’s pricier and more advanced APS-C cameras.
This camera is built around the proven 26MP Exmor R sensor and BIONZ XR imaging engine combo, which is capable of producing crisp 4K video from an oversampled 6K readout. One of the biggest upgrades over its predecessor is that the ZV-E10 II is capable of recording videos in XAVC HS/XAVC S 10-bit 4:2:2 color up to 4K/60p with a data rate of up to 200Mbps. To take advantage of its dynamic range and color upgrade, it also comes with S-Cinetone and Log recording, along with the ability for users to upload a maximum of 16 LUTs via the Creators’ App, which can be baked into footage for quick delivery. It’s a much less elegant approach to deploying custom looks compared to Fujifilm’s famous film simulations or Panasonic’s seamless Real Time LUT and LUMIX Lab solution, but it’s a welcome addition to Sony’s entry-level offering all the same. It can also record proxy files in XAVC HS HD or XAVC S HD with a max data rate of 16Mbps, despite only having a single UHS-II card slot. The ZV-E10 II offers a strong set of features for what is ostensibly a beginner/vlogging camera.
However, considering that it’s built around the same sensor, processor and power platform as the A6700 and FX30, it’s a shame that Sony wasn’t able to include the 4K/120p video recording that’s available in those cameras, even if it came with a time limitation and the same 1.58x crop. It’s also disappointing to see that the mechanical shutter in the ZV-E10 has been ditched, meaning the ZV-E10 II is electronic shutter only. But with that said, the readout speed is fast, which will significantly negate the impact of rolling shutter in both video and stills. In terms of stabilization, the camera body has no sensor-shift IS, so you’re restricted to Optical Steady Shot (Standard) with compatible lenses or Active SteadyShot, which comes with a hefty crop. Alternatively, you can take advantage of Sony’s free Catalyst Browse desktop software, which uses gyroscopic metadata for the camera to stabilize your footage and reduce rolling shutter effects even further. The software works incredibly well, but it’s an extra step that some may find tedious, especially some people in the target audience for this camera.
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As you might expect, the autofocusing capabilities of this camera are second to none in its price range, and much better than those of rival APS-C cameras from competitors; the upgraded 759-point PDAF system finds subjects with ease and tracks them stubbornly. Like the ZV-E10, the newer model has a maximum continuous firing rate of 11fps, but with a more advanced AF system your ‘keeper’ ratio from mode shooting is going to be higher. Product focus mode was one of the standout features in this camera’s predecessor, and it works better than ever with this new model. When activated by pressing the trash icon, the camera will intelligently detect and seamlessly pull focus to a product when it's held up, then return to the person’s face when the product is lowered. It’s a unique feature that makes this an ideal camera for social media content creators who do tutorials, product reviews or promotions.
In terms of design, the ZV-E10 II is almost identical to its predecessor – the button layout is unchanged and the form factor will be familiar to owners of the older model, and while this camera being slightly larger and heavier, you couldn’t describe it as large or heavy relative to the competition. I like that it has a decent-sized grip, despite being super compact, and it feels great to hold and shoot with. Due to its size there’s no EVF, which may turn off some beginners who are more inclined towards photography – they might want to spend a little more and pick up the A6700.
Having only the articulated screen to compose shots on isn’t a problem, but it did become a bit of a struggle on sunny days, as I didn’t find it bright enough, even on its maximum setting. I also found the default Shooting Screen UI cluttered, but you can (and really should) make adjustments to the look and feel of it in the menu. To Sony’s credit, I love the fact that the whole UI rotates when you shoot vertically, making it a little bit easier to see your settings, whatever orientation the camera is in; it’s a small touch, but a nice one. Speaking of touch, the ZV-E10 II also adds direct touch as a means for changing settings and selecting subjects for the AF to track, touch functions not available on the ZV-E10. Again, it’s not a huge feature, but it significantly improves the functionality of the camera over its predecessor.
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One of the ZV-E10 II’s USPs is its built-in three-way capsule microphone, which sits along the top of the camera. The unique design helps to isolate audio when the user is speaking to camera without external audio capture, whether holding the camera up vlogger-style or speaking from behind the camera. Sony says the latest version is “intelligent”, and should do an even better job of delivering clear audio. I didn’t have the previous model at the same time that I was testing the ZV-E10 II to compare the two, but I can confirm that the audio quality that’s recorded by the ZV-E10 II’s built-in mic system is good – it will be adequate for most quick shooting scenarios in public, and should certainly suffice for more controlled situations, such as shooting in a studio, although for the best results you’ll want to stay close to the camera, as it's not designed to pick up your voice from a distance. For higher-quality sound recording you have the option of inputting third-party audio sources through the 3.5mm socket. Alternatively, the camera’s digital multi-function hot shoe supports audio data transfer, allowing you to connect a Sony hot shoe mic like the ECM-G1 or a more advanced audio solution such as the Sony ECM-W2BT wireless microphone.
Live online content creators will enjoy the fact that the ZV-E10 II makes it easy to get connected and stream via a wireless network connection or USB-C, at up to 4K/25p with a max bitrate of 38 Mbps. Full HD streaming goes up to 60fps, and it’s also possible to record to the camera while streaming, which is handy for redundancy.
The ZV-E10 II is a camera that covers a lot of bases for content creators who have begun to experience the limitations of a smartphone and need reliability and quality in equal measure, but in a package that keeps things simple. If you can go without a viewfinder and can tolerate overheating limitations when shooting 4K video, the ZV-E10 II is well worth your consideration.
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Sony ZV-E10 II: release date and price
$1100 / £950 body only
Available from July 10 2024
Can be bought as a kit with the new Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 II $1200 / £1050
The ZV-E10 II is available to pre-order from July 10th, 2024, with sales starting at the end of July 2024. It can be picked up for an RRP of $1100 / £950 body only or for $1200 / £1050 with the new Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 II as part of a kit. That’s a pretty big price hike from the Sony ZV-E10.
Price score: 3.5/5
You can take off the lens to easily pack the Lumix S9 away in a small bag. (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
Sony ZV-E10 II: design and handling
Body is almost identical to previous model
Features higher-capacity NP-FZ100 battery
Vari-angle touchscreen
Digital multi-function hot shoe
The Sony ZV-E10 II is a very compact camera, measuring 4.5 x 2.65 x 2.1 inches / 114.8 x 67.5 x 54.2mm and weighing 13oz / 375g. It’s almost 10mm thicker, a couple of mm wider and 32g heavier than its predecessor.
Sony ZV-E10 II key specs
Sensor: 26MP Exmor R sensor APS-C sensor AF system: 759-point phase-detect EVF: None ISO range: 50 to 102,400 (ISO 100-32,000 video range) Video: 4K/60p 4:2:2 10-bit internal LCD: 3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen Max burst: 11fps (continuous autofocus), 30fps burst Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 Dimensions: 114.8 x 67.5 x 54.2mm Weight: 375g (Body only with battery and card)
The increase in size is in order to accommodate the NP-FZ100 battery, the same battery used by Sony’s APS-C flagship model, the A6700, as well as most of its recent full-frame E-mount cameras. This also means the memory card slot has been shifted over to the left of the camera body, sandwiched between the microphone and USB-C port at the top and the headphone and micro-HDMI socket at the bottom. The door cover of the UHS-II card slot locks into place and is easy enough to unhinge, even if you’re wearing gloves.
Its 3-inch flip-out articulated screen swings out smoothly and slaps back into place with a reassuring clasp. However, I didn’t like the fact that when the display is flipped all the way out it doesn’t sit flat – it’s at a slight angle. This means the screen doesn’t directly face you when flipped forwards, and it makes composing straight images at extreme perspectives frustratingly inconsistent. Another slight annoyance for me is that I found that some of the buttons and the zoom toggle are too easy to activate by accident, which occasionally led to missed shooting opportunities when trying to capture unanticipated fleeting moments. I do really like the dedicated photo / video / S&Q mode switch at the top of the camera though.
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A lot of useful and commonly used settings are buried within the menus, but fortunately Sony makes it relatively easy to curate a custom page under ‘My Menu’. Another positive is the fact that many of the camera’s buttons can also be customized for both photo and video modes, which gives you a lot of flexibility, and some time spent configuring your buttons and creating your own menu should pay dividends in improving your experience of using the ZV-E10 II. A final design touch that I’m a fan of is the inclusion of a red tally lamp on the front of the camera, just above the alpha logo, which turns on automatically when you press record. There’s also a red frame indicator that can be turned on and off to reassure you that you’re recording.
Design score: 3.5/5
Sony ZV-E10 II: features and performance
Best-in-class phase-detection autofocus
Solid battery life
No sensor-shift stabilization
Overheats when recording 4K/60p
Unique 3-capsule microphone array
The Sony ZV-E10 II stands on the shoulders of one of Sony’s most popular Alpha models ever, in the original ZV-E10 – and given that its predecessor doesn’t have a lot of competition, Sony arguably didn’t have to release an update this year. However, while there are a good few meaningful improvements overall, the ZV-E10 II isn’t perfect. Let’s start with the challenges.
As a compact camera with no fan, I wouldn’t expect the ZV-E10 II to deliver unlimited recording at maximum resolution and frame rates, and it turns out that it doesn’t. I found that the camera consistently overheated and shut down while recording 4K/60p video after 24 minutes, even with the screen flipped out which can help to disperse heat. I was able to get it to start recording again by rebooting the camera, and it rolled for another five minutes before stopping for a second time, then it would cut out repeatedly after a minute or two until it was left to cool down. When the overheating issues began the camera became very hot to the touch, and it wouldn’t function normally until it had cooled down; for reference the ambient room temperature was 70F / 21C. I experienced no overheating issues when filming in Full HD resolution.
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Now that we’ve got the drawbacks out of the way, let me say that the ZV-E10 II shines when it comes to autofocus, although that’s a given when it comes to Sony cameras. The AF is quick and reliable, which means you can focus on capturing the content you want, whether it’s stills or video, and the camera will take care of the rest. It’s also much easier to shoot remotely and share your content, thanks to improvements Sony has made to the Sony Creators’ App experience. When paired, the ZV-E10 II has the ability to transfer content between the camera and your mobile device via 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi. The process is quick, and far less frustrating than previous iterations of Sony camera/app file transfer that I’ve used.
When shooting Raw+JPEG you can get 30 frames at 11fps with AF-C in continuous burst mode, before buffering begins to kill your joy while you wait for the camera’s single UHS-II card to write – this is a camera that will be suitable for capturing brief bursts of action, but not extended sequences. If you want an easy way to slow down longer action sequences, shifting the camera into its dedicated S & Q (slow and quick) function is as simple as flicking a switch. The S&Q mode allows you to capture and view slow-motion video in camera, without sound. However, I’m disappointed that the ZV-E10 II maxes out 4K at 60fps, while its higher-end stablemates, with the same sensor and processor, offer up to 4K/120p.
I was impressed by the staying power of the ZV-E10 II. I could comfortably get through a day's photo and video capture thanks to the inclusion of the larger FZ-NP100 battery. It’s a cell that’s rated for roughly 550 shots, which is a lot for a camera in this class. The previous ZV-E10 was already a standout performer when it came to battery life, and the new model raises the bar further still.
Features and performance score: 4/5
Sony ZV-E10 II: image and video quality
Same 26MP sensor as pricier FX30 and A6700 models
Much improved video codecs
No in-body image stabilization means shakier video footage
The ZV-E10 II’s 26MP sensor delivers beautiful JPEGs in good light, and usable images in low light, while its raw files provide a good amount of dynamic range for pushing shadows and recovering highlights when needed.
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ISO 1600 (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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ISO 6400 (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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ISO 16000 (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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ISO 32000 (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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ISO 51200 (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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ISO 102400 (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
In terms of its movie mode results, the introduction of 10-bit video, something that most of the competition offers, is a great benefit for people who have the time to grade their footage. Having greater color flexibility, including the addition of the S-Cinetone picture profile and log recording, opens up this camera for more professional uses, and I would happily use it as a B-roll camera, mixing in clips with footage from a higher-end Sony camera. At its best, 10-bit 4:2:2 4K/60p footage out of the ZV-E10 II, oversampled from its 6K readout, is reasonably gradable and looks clean when the ISO is kept below 6400. In video mode the ZV-E10 II has a maximum sensitivity range of ISO100 to 32,000, but beyond ISO6400 color shifting and noise starts to get distracting.
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Highlights can be blown in scenes like this, which also force the camera's meter to slightly under expose (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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This backlit portrait shows that the ZV-E10 II still focuses on faces well in challenging high contrast situations (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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The ZV-E10 II paired with the 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 II is a great everyday combination for subjects big and small (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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The ZV-E10 II offers a range of picture profiles that will allow you to capture your shots in whatever look you're interested in portraying (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
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The ZV-E10 II shines in good light, delivering punchy colors and vibrant tones (Image credit: Future | Jon Devo)
The lack of sensor-shift image stabilization is a miss here. However, when the camera is paired with an OSS Sony lens, footage is respectably stable, even if it can’t match the steadiness of a Lumix or Olympus alternative. Sony does have an ace in its hand with its Catalyst Browse desktop software though, and if you have the time and inclination you can achieve footage that’s stable enough to rival video captured with a dedicated gimbal.
Image quality score: 4/5
Sony ZV-E10 II: testing scorecard
Should I buy the Sony ZV-E10 II?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Sony ZV-E10 II: also consider
How I tested the Sony ZV-E10 II
I attended a pre-brief presentation, followed by one-week review period
I paired the camera with the new Sony 16-50mm PZ OSS F3.5-5.6
I connected the camera to the Sony Creators’ App
I had a short week with the ZV-E10 II, so my testing opportunities were slightly limited. However, I have experience with its predecessor, as well as the Sony A6700 and FX30, which share the same sensor, processor and battery as the ZV-E10 II, so I’m familiar with the capabilities and limitations of its core components.
The first thing I did when receiving the camera was conduct my endurance tests, which include battery run-downs and heat management. I set the camera up on a tripod in an ambient temperature environment of 70F / 21C, and left it filming continuously while connected to mains power and on battery power alone.
I took the camera out with me on a couple of walks and to a couple of daytime and evening events, using the Creators’ App to transfer and share images on the go. I performed sound-quality tests in a small studio environment, as well as in the street.
