credits: OM System We are now just one day away from the official OM PEN announcement, and one of the last big pieces of information may have just leaked, the price. According to numerous sources, the new Micro Four Thirds camera will cost around $1,265 for the body, which is a noticeable step up from the Olympus E-P7, which can currently be found for around $900, but the OM PEN is expected to add two pretty important things the E-P7 did not have, a built-in electronic viewfinder and weather sealing against dust and splashes. It will also have a fully articulating screen and Creative Dial, while keeping the compact, rangefinder-style PEN design. The big question is still the 20MP sensor. Earlier rumours suggested OM System might use the same stacked BSI sensor found in the OM-3 and OM-1 Mark II, which would be pretty surprising in a camera costing around $1,200. Stacked sensors bring much faster readout speeds and can have a big impact on things like burst shooting, autofocus and electronic-shutter performance, but OM System has so far reserved this sensor for considerably more expensive cameras. That is why there is still plenty of skepticism around the rumour. Another possibility is that the OM PEN will instead use the non-stacked 20MP sensor from the OM-5 Mark II. A new 14-42mm III kit lens is apparently also arriving alongside the camera, although it is still unclear whether this will be a revised version of the existing compact pancake zoom or a completely new optical design. OM System will officially unveil the OM PEN on September 9, with pre-orders expected to begin immediately afterward.

credits: Adobe Adobe Camera Raw 18.6 is here, and the headline addition this time is a new Glow tool that brings three analog-inspired effects directly into ACR, Diffusion, Bloom, and Halation. You will find it in the Effects panel alongside Grain and Vignette. Diffusion gives your photo a softer, hazier look similar to shooting through a Black Mist or Pro-Mist filter, while Bloom concentrates that softer glow more around highlights. Halation ,on the other hand, adds the warm red-orange halos around bright edges and light sources that you sometimes see with film. Glow also works with Camera Raw’s masking system, so you can control how strongly it appears on a subject, luminance range, or selected part of the photo. The Style, Range, Spread, and Warmth settings remain global, though. For now, Glow is exclusive to Camera Raw and is not available in Lightroom. Another useful addition is the new Metadata Info Panel, which means you no longer have to leave the main editing workspace just to check basic information about a photo. Clicking the small “i” on the right side brings up details including the camera, lens, photo dimensions, file size, capture date, copyright information, filename, caption, and any embedded Content Credentials. Adobe has also added a new Trim tool inside the Crop & Expand panel. Unlike ACR’s normal non-destructive crop, which simply hides everything outside the crop area, Trim actually makes those outside pixels transparent. That should make things a little quicker when preparing photos for composites or working with transparent backgrounds. Trim can also be combined with Generative Expand, so you can trim down to the area you want and then extend the canvas again using Firefly content. Camera Raw 18.6 also adds more camera and lens profiles, including support for the Tamron 12-20mm f/2.8 and Reeflex anamorphic and fisheye lenses for iPhone, although Adobe’s full camera-support list has not yet been updated at the time of the release. Adobe Camera Raw 18.6 is available now through the Creative Cloud desktop app.

credits: Canon With just over a week to go before the expected announcement, we are getting a much clearer idea of what to expect from the Canon EOS R8 Mark II. A new list of rumoured specifications largely backs up what we have heard over the past few weeks, but there are a few surprises mixed in. Canon is reportedly sticking with the familiar 24MP full-frame sensor from the EOS R6 Mark II, paired with a fully electronic shutter capable of 40 fps and a maximum shutter speed of 1/16,000s. There apparently won’t be a mechanical shutter at all. One of the biggest upgrades is 5-axis IBIS rated for up to 7.5 stops, something the original R8 was completely missing. 20 fps pre-shooting is also expected, allowing the camera to start recording photos before the shutter button is fully pressed. There is one particularly strange new feature in the rumoured spec sheet, the R8 Mark II will apparently be able to create 3D video from 2D photos. Exactly how Canon plans to do this, and what the finished result will actually look like, is not clear yet. The camera itself is no longer expected to have the proper retro design that earlier rumours suggested either. Instead, Canon is apparently introducing a new design language with higher-quality materials, while keeping the overall size and weight very close to the original R8. A rear joystick is finally expected as well, along with an optional ergonomic grip. The camera should continue using the LP-E17 battery, while the SD card slot moves to its own dedicated side compartment. Video is reportedly getting a decent update too, with oversampled 4K from 6K, 4K/60p and 1080/180p, alongside Canon Log 3, downloadable colour filters and new LUTs. Autofocus is expected to use Dual Pixel AF II with Deep Learning AI, including updated animal tracking, and a sensor shield that closes over the sensor when changing lenses. The EOS R8 Mark II is still expected to be announced on September 15, followed by availability in October 2026. Pricing is rumoured to be $2,200.

credits: Leica Leica has announced the Summicron-M 66mm f/2, a modern reinterpretation of the Elcan 66mm f/2, a lens designed by Dr. Walter Mandler at Ernst Leitz Canada in the late 1960s for the U.S. Navy. Only around 200 originals were produced, and they were built for covert reconnaissance work where getting as much fine detail as possible from a relatively small lens was the priority. For the new version, Leica has kept the basic optics and mechanics of the original but updated it for modern production. The Summicron-M 66mm f/2 uses six elements in five groups, with a nine-blade diaphragm and an aperture range from f/2 to f/16. It measures roughly 60.1mm long and 60mm wide and weighs 456g. There are also a couple of deliberately unusual details carried over from the military lens, the aperture ring turns in the opposite direction to normal Leica M lenses, and the distance scale follows the original military-style arrangement. Leica says the lens combines relatively soft bokeh with high contrast at f/2, while stopping down brings out its highest sharpness and finest detail. This is not going to be a normal production Summicron either. Leica is making just 660 individually numbered copies, with each lens engraved on the front ring with its serial number, the B1047 optical calculation number, and Leica’s 12-digit internal material number. There is also a slightly odd-looking “60” engraving on the side. This does not refer to a 60mm focal length, it follows the old precision-lens convention and indicates that the individual lens measures exactly 66.0mm. The original Elcan used similar markings, including its calculation and U.S. Navy order numbers. The Leica Summicron-M 66mm f/2 is priced at a pretty hefty $10,900.

credits: Canon Canon’s PowerShot comeback is continuing to take shape, and the company’s upcoming high-end compact apparently won’t be the G7 X Mark IV many people were expecting. According to the latest information, the new PowerShot will be a fairly significant departure from the G7 X Mark III and not a straightforward successor. That lines up with an earlier source who described the camera as “nothing like previous G series cameras.” There have been some conflicting rumours over the past few months, including suggestions that it could simply be an evolution of the G7 X, but the latest information once again points toward something considerably different. One of the biggest changes could be the sensor. The G7 X Mark III uses a 1-inch stacked CMOS sensor from Sony, while the upcoming PowerShot is now said to use a larger sensor, potentially developed by Canon itself. Whether that sensor will be stacked is still unclear. Earlier rumours actually pointed toward another new 1-inch sensor, so this part of the specification clearly is not settled yet. The lens is also expected to be a fast zoom with a variable maximum aperture. We do not have the exact focal length or aperture range yet, but for comparison, the G7 X Mark III uses a 24-100mm-equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens, so it will be interesting to see how Canon balances sensor size, zoom range and lens speed on the new model. Despite supposedly moving further upmarket, Canon is reportedly trying to keep the camera below $1,000, with earlier information pointing toward somewhere between $700 and $1,000. An announcement is currently expected in late 2026 or early 2027, potentially around CES in January or CP+ in February. This is not the only PowerShot Canon has in development either. A much cheaper entry-level model is also expected, while earlier rumours mentioned as many as three new compacts, including a long-zoom model and a premium flagship. Canon is reportedly developing a new smartphone app for these upcoming cameras as well, with features including LUT application and RAW processing.

credits: Nikon Nikon has released the first firmware update for the Coolpix P1100, bringing the camera from version 1.0 to firmware 1.1. It is a pretty small update, with no new features this time around, but it fixes two bugs that could actually show up during normal shooting. The more important one involves continuous shooting. In some situations, the P1100 could stop responding when the zoom was adjusted while shooting a burst. That is a particularly relevant fix for this camera, considering its 24-3,000mm-equivalent zoom range makes it a popular for shooting subjects like wildlife and birds, where zooming and burst shooting often happen together. The second fix is for video. Nikon says some recorded clips could have timestamps that did not match the actual recording time, potentially making footage more annoying to organise or sort later on. Firmware 1.1 corrects that problem as well. And that is pretty much the entire update, there are no autofocus improvements, new shooting modes, performance changes, or other additions listed by Nikon. To install it, you will need to download the firmware, copy it onto an SD card, insert the card into the camera, and run the update from there. The Coolpix P1100 itself is very closely related to the P1000 from 2018. The newer model mainly brought connectivity and compatibility updates, including USB-C, WPA3-compatible Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.1. Nikon introduced the P1100 after changes to EU regulations meant the older P1000, which lacked USB-C, could no longer continue being sold there in the same way.

credits: OM System OM System’s upcoming camera will reportedly be called simply the “OM PEN,” and thanks to a huge stream of leaks, we now have a very good idea of what to expect. OM System has already confirmed that a new camera will be unveiled on September 9, 2026, and according to the latest information, the company is dropping the familiar PEN-F, E-P and E-PL naming altogether. Whether that means OM System plans to have just one PEN line going forward isn’t clear yet. Anyone hoping for a straightforward PEN-F successor might also be disappointed, as the new camera is apparently much closer to the Olympus E-P7, with the front said to look roughly 90% the same. The familiar rangefinder-style design is staying, but this time there is an electronic viewfinder positioned in the top-left corner. Unlike the round eyepiece on the PEN-F, the OM PEN reportedly uses a rectangular one with a diopter adjustment dial on the right. Resolution is expected to remain at 20 megapixels, although the exact sensor is still uncertain. One possibility is the stacked BSI sensor from the OM-3 and OM-1 Mark II, while the non-stacked 20MP sensor from the OM-5 Mark II could also be used. That is a pretty important unknown, since the stacked sensor would make a noticeable difference to shooting speed, performance and probably the price as well. Beyond that, sources are not expecting any major technical surprises. There are still a few useful upgrades over previous PEN cameras. The OM PEN is reportedly dust- and splash-resistant and will have a fully articulated rear display rather than a simpler tilting screen. On the front, there also appears to be a Creative Dial similar to the OM-3, including a Colour/Mono setting, although it apparently will not have the CRT/ART options found on the older PEN-F. The official announcement is scheduled for September 9, with pre-orders expected to open immediately afterward. Pricing has not leaked yet.

credits: Samyang Samyang has been part of the L-Mount Alliance since 2023, but so far the company has not exactly flooded the system with lenses. That is slowly starting to change, though, and the latest addition is the Samyang AF 60-180mm f/2.8 L, a full-frame telephoto zoom developed together with Schneider-Kreuznach. It keeps a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the entire 60-180mm range, while weighing 727.8g without the caps and hood. That is considerably lighter than the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports at 1,345g and Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 OIS at 1,570g, although both of those lenses have internal zooming and optical stabilisation. Inside, Samyang uses 17 elements in 14 groups, including seven ED, two aspherical and one HR element, along with its UMC coating. There is also a floating focus system that is meant to keep optical performance consistent as the focusing distance changes. Minimum focusing distance is 0.35m at 60mm and 0.79m at 180mm, giving maximum magnification ratios of 0.26x and 0.21x, respectively. The aperture runs from f/2.8 to f/22 with nine diaphragm blades, while autofocus is handled by a Linear STM motor. One thing that is missing, as mentioned, is optical stabilisation, so you will be relying on the camera body’s IBIS instead. The L-Mount version measures 86.7mm in diameter and 147mm long at 60mm, extending to 172.4mm at 180mm, and takes 77mm filters. On the barrel, you get separate focus and zoom rings, an AF/MF switch, focus-hold button and zoom lock, while weather sealing is used around several parts of the lens. There is also a USB port for firmware updates. This is only Samyang’s third L-Mount lens, following the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 and 14-24mm f/2.8, although the previously announced 24-60mm f/2.8 is also on the way. The AF 60-180mm f/2.8 L is priced at $1,079.

credits: Godox Godox has announced a pretty wacky new accessory called the LT1 Creative Pixel Light, a small customisable light that can sit right on top of a camera. Rather than working like a normal LED light, the LT1 is made up of a grid of individually controllable pixels, with each pixel able to display different colours and brightness levels. That means you can create little pixel-art designs, logos, words, numbers, smiley faces, hearts and other graphics, including animated designs and scrolling text. It is, of course, mostly meant as a fun way to add some personality or branding to your camera and not something to be used as an actual light for illuminating your subject. The LT1 itself is very small, weighing 37g and measuring 48 x 37 x 27mm. It can be attached using either a cold shoe or magnets, while power comes from a built-in lithium-ion battery. Since there is no hot-shoe connection for communication, everything is controlled wirelessly through the Godox Light smartphone app. The app includes a library of ready-made graphics and text options, but you can also make your own pixel designs and animations. Even the slightly strange-looking little horns and ears on the LT1 have a reason for being there, they are based on Godox’s white bull mascot. There is at least one more practical feature hiding behind all the pixel art. The LT1 can also act as a wireless controller for compatible Godox lights, letting you switch them on and off with a tap. So while it is mainly a decorative accessory, it does not have to sit on the camera doing absolutely nothing beyond displaying graphics. The Godox LT1 Creative Pixel Light is priced at $33.90.

credits: DxO DxO’s new PhotoLab 10 is here, and this time the update is focused on AI masking, local adjustments, and a tighter editing workflow. One of the biggest additions is the new Depth Mask, which creates a depth map and lets you isolate different distances within a photo using a slider. You can keep the selected depth range very narrow or extend it across a much larger part, with feathering available to soften the transition. AI handles the initial depth detection, but everything after that can still be adjusted manually. AI masking for people has also been improved. PhotoLab can now recognise individual people, and faces can be broken down into eyes, teeth, facial hair, skin, and lips. Animal faces are not treated with the same level of detail yet, though, and some selections can still get confused by things like longer beards or similar foreground and background colours. There are quite a few smaller editing changes as well. AI processing now happens only when you actually activate an AI mask, and once PhotoLab has analysed the photo, that data is kept for any additional masks. Colour grading now uses a single hue wheel for shadows, midtones, highlights, and global adjustments, with real-time previews, custom presets, and a Move All option that changes the three tonal controls together. DxO has also brought its U Point technology into brush-based editing with the new Control Brush, while control points can now be stretched into ellipses, rotated, resized, combined, and subtracted from other masks. There is also Crop as Shot, which respects the aspect ratio selected in-camera for RAW files, plus AI Sensor Dust Removal, which automatically looks for sensor spots and fills them using surrounding detail. Noise reduction, meanwhile, has not changed and remains the same technology used in PureRAW 6. Another thing is better integration with Affinity, allowing photos to be sent out for pixel-level retouching, compositing, and other detailed work before being saved back alongside the original in PhotoLab. Lightroom integration has not really changed yet, although DxO says work is underway on converting Lightroom presets into PhotoLab presets, with custom keyboard shortcuts and Lightroom-style mappings also planned. There are still a few limitations with PhotoLab 10, Mac users cannot move folders within PhotoLab because of macOS permissions, and there is no confirmed timing yet for native Sony compressed RAW support or Ricoh GR IV RAW and lens-profile support. PhotoLab 10 is available for $249.99 as a lifetime license, while owners of versions 8 or 9 can upgrade for $129.99.

credits: Canon Retro, yet not quite retro, or perhaps a “retro sibling” instead? The story around the Canon EOS R8 Mark II is getting a little more complicated. For months, rumours suggested Canon could finally launch a proper retro-style mirrorless camera in 2026, potentially inspired by the Canon AE-1, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Early reports even referred to a possible EOS RE-1, but by April, sources were instead pointing toward the upcoming R8 Mark II. That camera is currently rumoured to be announced on September 15, 2026, with one of its biggest expected upgrades being 5-axis in-body image stabilisation. More recent information, however, has moved away from the idea that the R8 Mark II itself will be a full-on retro camera. Instead, the body has been described as slightly boxier and more angular than the original R8, giving it a bit of a retro influence without completely changing the familiar EOS R design. Now there is another possibility. According to new information from multiple, trusted sources, Canon may actually be working on a second model based on the R8 Mark II with a more obviously retro design. This second camera apparently will not be announced alongside the regular R8 Mark II on September 15. Exactly how this would work is still unclear, and the different rumours we have heard over the past few months do not completely line up yet. Canon could theoretically use the same internal hardware as the R8 Mark II and put it inside a substantially different body, similar to how other manufacturers have built several cameras around the same underlying technology. For now, the most likely scenario still seems to be a relatively conventional R8 Mark II in September, and maybe a proper retro camera later.

credits: 7Artisans In addition to the new AF 10mm f/2.5 MAX full-frame fisheye, which we looked at in last week’s Sunday magazine issue, 7Artisans has also announced an upcoming AF 18mm f/2 wide-angle lens for APS-C cameras. For now, the lens has been shown for Sony E-mount, where its 18mm focal length gives a roughly 27mm full-frame equivalent field of view. It is part of 7Artisans’ lightweight “LITE” series, so the lens weighs only around 109g and measures approximately 64mm in diameter and 32mm long. Despite the pretty low weight, it still uses an all-metal lens body. Optically, the 18mm f/2 uses six elements arranged in five groups, including one ED element and three high-refractive-index elements. The relatively bright f/2 maximum aperture should make it useful for low-light street photography, interiors and nighttime shooting, while the aperture can be stopped down to f/16. There is also a physical aperture ring on the barrel and 7Artisans has given the lens a square metal hood. Autofocus is handled by an STM stepping motor, which should make the lens suitable for both stills and video. Minimum focusing distance comes in at 0.2m. As noted, the lens has only been announced at this point and is not available yet, and 7Artisans has not confirmed exactly when it will go on sale. Pricing is also still unknown, as is whether additional APS-C mounts will follow the Sony E-mount version.