When It Comes to Viewfinders... Are We Out of Touch?

This week on the PetaPixel Podast, the team discusses the return of the a7S IV rumor reappearing, but spends the majority of the episode creating the first-ever PetaPixel Power Rankings for full frame cameras.When it comes to ultralight tripods, every ounce counts. ProMaster’s iota series fully embraces this philosophy by prioritizing speed, simplicity, and minimal weight. If your priority is carrying the least amount of weight possible while still having a capable and thoughtfully designed tripod, both the ProMaster iota 422 Ultralightweight Tripod Kit and the ProMaster iota 219 Tabletop Tripod Kit make a compelling case. Whether hiking, traveling, shooting landscapes close to the ground, or setting up a quick tabletop or macro shot, these tripods strip away complexity in favor of speed, simplicity, and a remarkably lightweight design. The iota series delivers a lightweight, fast, and genuinely enjoyable experience that encourages you to carry it more often and photograph more freely.Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankCheck out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro09:41 - The a7S rumor mill has spun up again...17:26 - The FX5 is delayed again20:55 - Have you heard of Mandler?28:03 - Final Cut Camera gets a major update33:03 - You can add a zoom lens to the Luna Ultra34:44 - Yashica has another new compact camera37:15 - The Polaroid Mod38:34 - Viltrox is bringing its full Air series to Leica L mount42:07 - Full Frame Camera Power Rankings 1:17:19 - What have you been up to?1:23:50 - Tech support1:33:10 - Feel good story of the week

This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, the team stands firm in their belief that camera brands are misunderstanding the "smartphone generation" as they call it. Wish you could spend less time managing your photos and videos? Excire’s award-winning software helps you instantly find any file, get organized, intuitively browse your catalog, and stay on top of culling! To get your Excire lifetime license or to download a 14-day free trial, visit https://www.excire.com/en/excire-foto/ PetaPixel viewers can receive 15% off their purchase with the special discount code PETAPIXEL.Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankCheck out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro11:26 - A quick follow-up from last episode, all Pentax DSLRs are now discontinued, but a future is coming17:40 - Sigma turns 6519:29 - Fujifilm's Pal 2 camera is nothing like the original23:44 - Affinity's RAW photo processing just got way more robust25:46 - 54 lens caps had to be removed from Yellowstone's thermal vents this year28:35 - Lumix has a new 20mm f/2.530:32 - Ilford is releasing limited-edition film, for some reason36:02 - GoPro officially joined Micro Four Thirds38:05 - Camp Snap has entered its Minox era41:30 - Glass Imaging appears to have been acquired by OpenAI44:51 - Review round-up58:24 - Are we out of touch, or are the camera brands wrong? 1:08:18 - What have you been up to?1:11:45 - Tech support1:28:33 - Feel good story of the week

This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, the team discusses OM System's new PEN camera and then transitions to Apple Park where they are joined by Jason Vong and The Verge's Allison Johnson to talk Pros and Duo.Thanks to our friends at DxO for sponsoring today’s podcast! PhotoLab 10 adds smarter AI masks for people and subjects, new color grading tools, and automatic sensor dust removal. Its new depth masks let you select areas by their distance from the camera, so you can brighten distant mountains without changing the foreground. Its AI tools work offline, and there’s no subscription required.PetaPixel’s Michael Bonocore walks through the new features using his photographs from Morocco, with before-and-after examples and practical editing tips.Save 15% on any DxO software, including PhotoLab 10, with code PetaPixel at https://dxo.com. Valid for new customers only; excludes upgrades.Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankCheck out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro07:55 - The Nikon ZR is getting open gate12:09 - Nikon is making nine T1.9 cinema lenses15:57 - Sigma's new lenses look very nice24:48 - Also, new Sigma filters29:28 - Dang, it's been 20 years since Sony made one of these32:17 - SmallRig's new batteries are designed to be used on set34:23 - GoPro's founder promises the company isn't done making consumer cameras36:16 - Pentax doesn't actively make any DSLRs anymore38:49 - Leica made a very limited edition 66mm f/241:29 - OM finally gave us a new Pen... but the monkey's paw curled. 54:57 - Jason Vong and The Verge's Allison Johnson from Apple Park1:37:16 - Tech Support1:48:21 - Feel good story of the week

With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get 20% off Capture One, $15 off the Moment Store, 5% off certified pre-owned gear from KEH, 10% off lighting gear from FJ Westcott, 10% off Viltrox products, can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses, and MORE! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year. Join today!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on The PetaPixel Podcast, the team goes through the decades starting in the mid 1900s and examines which camera company was the most influential during that time. That doesn't mean who sold the most, it means who drove the industry in a particular direction. Plus, GoPro drama abounds, Ricoh announced the GR IVx, and Chris, Jordan, and Jaron say goodbye to one of their dear friends. All that and more!Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro and what camera brand do you want to be a primary investor in?14:52 - Our friend Rishi Sanyal has passed away23:36 - The GR IVx is coming27:54 - Should you buy the GoPro Mission 1 ILS?33:56 - Miller Tripods is done37:35 - OM System now makes ragu39:12 - Sigma changed the order system for the 14mm f/1.4 again41:25 - How did you like the short editorial-style video?43:01 - The most influential camera brand of every decade1:18:07 - GoPro has a new owner1:20:09 - What have you been up to?1:24:46 - Tech support1:37:11 - Feel good story of the week

Photographers today are stitching together 4–6 tools across editing, gallery delivery, websites, client management — often spending $2–3K/year, plus constant app-switching.VSCO has built one connected system: editing, client galleries, portfolio sites, booking/business tools, all designed to work together. The point isn't "more features" — it's removing the exporting, re-uploading, and switching that eats a photographer's time.Try VSCO for free today!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankCheck out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.This week on the PetaPixel Podcast, we're at Sony Kando to discuss Hover Air's last-minute change, new Macs, and Ricoh's very disappointing AI choice. Top creators share the issues plaguing them the most and what camera brands can do to better address them. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro from Sony Kando06:51 - Photographer Jay Maisel has passed away09:09 - Apple has a new Mac Studio and Mac Mini19:33 - Sony's sensor fab is back to full operation21:20 - Nikon continues to only release cool things in Japan23:03 - HoverAir's flying gimbal camera already got banned in the U.S.25:05 - You can definitely buy the banned DJI Osmo Pocket 4 in the U.S.26:29 - Photo contest chose to selectively enforce its rules, and people are mad31:12 - Xtra and Ricoh used AI to try and sell cameras38:24 - Feel good story of the week42:38 - The challenges creators are facing and how they and camera brands can solve them.

The new CleanMyMac interface is beautiful, intuitive, and responsive, allowing you to quickly see any potential concerns keeping your computer from running its best. Get Tidy Today! Try CleanMyMac 7 days FREE and use code PETAPIXEL for 20% off!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on The PetaPixel Podcast, the Sony FX5 is officially delayed, Kodak has been profitable for a year straight, and a former Sony executive shares that back before it took over mirrorless with the E-mount, another company suggested they team up rather than Sony strike out on its own. Plus, Jordan Drake chats with special guest Becca Farsace and the two decide who "won" this generation of gimbal cameras: the Luna Ultra from Insta360 or the Osmo Pocket 4P from DJI. And, is back button autofocus stupid? All this and more!Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro10:30 - The FX5 is delayed.17:14 - Kodak has been profitable for a solid year 22:13 - Insta360 is making a camera with a shape "you've never even considered."26:17 - NYC Fujikina finally has details28:08 - Sony declined to work with an established mirrorless camera brand back before it made its first mirrorless camera32:33 - Jared Polin says back button focus "is stupid"43:25 - How much would it take for you to sell your soul?52:08 - So, who won? DJI or Insta360? w/ Becca Farsace (watch her comparison here)1:19:24 - What have you been up to? (The Odyssey discussion)1:28:44 - Tech support1:38:00 - Feel good story of the week

With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get 20% off Capture One, $15 off the Moment Store, 5% off certified pre-owned gear from KEH, 10% off lighting gear from FJ Westcott, 10% off Viltrox products, can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses, and MORE! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year. Join today!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on the PetaPixel Podcast, Nikon's future plans may have been leaked by the most unlikely of sources: Apple. Plus, Fujifilm shares that the camera industry is finally feeling the pinch from the memory crisis, and it will likely result in both significant price increases as well as manufacturing delays. Then, the team sits down with Isaac Reynolds from the Google Pixel team and asks the hard questions about what exactly photographers can expect from the Pixel 11 series phones. Make sure to Read David Imel's coverage of Google's HDR technology at The Verge.We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro11:38 - Did Apple spoil an upcoming Nikon announcement? 16:01 - Fujifilm raised its cost estimations because of the memory shortage17:56 - China's weakening economy really hurt camera sales20:52 - Tamron's OEM lens sales took a nose dive26:45 - LLL announced a new high-performance series of lenses29:47 - Blackmagic delivers PDAF to its 3-year-old Cinema Camera 6K33:26 - Insta360 has a new 360-degree camera36:13 - Asking tough questions of Google Pixel's Isaac Reynolds1:14:13 - What have you been up to?1:18:54 - Tech support1:36:56 - Feel good story of the week1:39:57 - Lens draft results

With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get 20% off Capture One, $15 off the Moment Store, 5% off certified pre-owned gear from KEH, 10% off lighting gear from FJ Westcott, 10% off Viltrox products, can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses, and MORE! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year. Join today!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on The PetaPixel Podcast, Chris and Jordan phone in from the beach to talk about the ramifications of Nikon's loss to Viltrox in Chinese court as well as Sony's bid to buy Tamron. Plus, the two name what they think are every camera brand's greatest accomplishment... and their deepest shame!Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro from the beach06:53 - PetaPixel Members now get 20% off Capture One13:40 - Nikon has lost its patent lawsuit against Viltrox18:25 - Sony has made an official offer to buy Tamron23:57 - Tamron somehow improved close-focusing distance of a lens with a firmware update28:12 - Sony suddenly publishes official list of E-mount partners34:20 - Xtra had to pull reservations for its Muse 2 Pro35:48 - Should Nikon bring back the DL camera it canceled in 2016?39:12 - Viltrox now makes Micro Four Thirds lenses40:30 - Every major camera maker's greatest accomplishment and deepest shame1:31:32 - Feel good story of the week

Excire Foto 2027 is HERE! The latest version of Excire’s award-winning image-management software uses AI to help you find any photo, stay on top of culling, and easily organize your entire image catalog. To get your Excire lifetime license or to download a 14-day free trial, visit https://www.excire.com/en/excire-foto/ PetaPixel viewers can receive an additional 15% off their purchase with the special discount code PETAPIXEL.Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on the PetaPixel Podcast, the team is joined by Chelsea Mercado Northrup⁩ to discuss the RX10 V (and why no one seems to agree with our less-than-sparkling review) and Tamron's new design shift, as well as take part in the highly-requested Lens Draft! PetaPixel's Jeremy Gray also joins in for this extra-long episode!Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro with Chelsea Northrup Mercado!14:39 - What do we think of Tamron's new design? 22:38 - GoPro's founder lends the company $20M to try and stay alive25:27 - Beni is a cute little camera robot that follows you around29:50 - If you squint, you can see what makes this 30th anniversary GR IV special33:53 - Fujifilms 19-35mm T3.5 is a very wide medium format cine lens36:55 - Xtra might be in trouble: https://petapixel.com/2026/07/10/fcc-fines-multiple-companies-it-says-are-bringing-dji-tech-into-the-u-s/39:17 - No one agrees with our RX10 V take52:51 - The Lens Draft w/ Chelsea Mercado and Jeremy Gray1:46:45 - Feel good story of the week1:49:09 - Join Chelsea on her new channel

Excire Foto 2027 is HERE! The latest version of Excire’s award-winning image-management software uses AI to help you find any photo, stay on top of culling, and easily organize your entire image catalog. To get your Excire lifetime license or to download a 14-day free trial, visit https://www.excire.com/en/excire-foto/ PetaPixel viewers can receive an additional 15% off their purchase with the special discount code PETAPIXEL.Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on the PetaPixel Podcast, Hasselblad and Capture One finally resolve their differences (but Phocus isn't going anywhere), DJI's LOFIC sensor has really impressive dynamic range, and Insta360's CEO describes a future where there are no camera operators. Plus, wildlife photographer Kristi Odom stops by to explain how photographers can learn so much just by watching animals. Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro04:41 - New PetaPixel Membership Perk!05:39 - Chris puts his digital TLR idea into words09:44 - DJI Pocket 4P's LOFIC sensor is extremely impressive16:22 - Mitakon's new full-frame primes are ludicrously fast19:01 - Insta360's founder wants a future where you never think about your camera25:21 - Hasselblad is finally supported by Capture One (Phocus isn't going anywhere, though)27:58 - Fujifilm doubles down on its QuickSnap film cameras31:49 - Kristi Odom on biomimicry, fishing, and what animals can teach us about being better photographers 1:23:50 - What have you been up to?1:30:52 - Tech support1:38:26 - Feel Good story of the week