credits: Zeniko Zeniko has announced the ZA12, a small retro-style flash built to work with essentially any camera that uses a standard hot shoe, including Fujifilm, Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and others. Since it relies on a single-contact trigger rather than system-specific TTL pins, it operates purely in manual or classic auto modes. Inside is a 300mAh Li-ion battery charged over USB-C, and the unit is rated for roughly 400 full-power flashes per charge. Full-power recycle time is about 2.5 seconds, and output spans seven steps from 1/64 to 1/1. The ZA12 is pretty compact, measuring about 55×47×36 mm and weighing 60 g (2.12 oz). The flash uses a dual-dial layout, one dial for ISO and power, the other for aperture. In manual use, you align the dials to your camera settings to get a calculated output, auto mode handles exposure for you. The approach is intentionally simple and relies on the built-in metering rather than any brand-specific communication. Zeniko lists an operating range of –10°C to 40°C and standard hot-shoe syncing. Given its size, the ZA12 seems to be best suited for close-range lighting, small portraits, or travel situations where a full-sized strobe isn’t really practical. Pricing has not yet been announced. You can see full details on Zeniko’s website here

credits: Adobe What is duotone photography? Duotone is just what it sounds like, a photo that uses two tones/colours, typically one for the highlights and one for the shadows. It strips away the full-colour spectrum and replaces it with a simplified, stylised colour combo. In general you can use duotone photography with any scene and subject, however the most popular use cases are portraits, posters, album covers etc. How to create a duotone image Technically, you can just shoot a regular image and apply the duotone effect afterwards in editing. It doesn’t require a specific lens, camera settings, or lighting setup, you just need a good photo with strong contrast and structure (that is pretty important). Step 1: Start with a strong black & white base Pick a photo with interesting contrast, shapes, textures. Portraits as mentioned work great (architectural shots and silhouettes work nicely as well). Convert it to black and white before doing anything else. Step 2: Pick your two colours You usually want one darker tone for shadows and one brighter tone for highlights. Again you can technically choose any two colours, but here are some classic combos, that are proven to work: Navy & cyan Purple & orange Teal & red Black & neon green → You can do subtle or high-contrast depending on the vibe/look you want. Step 3: Apply the duotone effect

credits: Ulanzi Ulanzi has announced a new FALCAM “Native Guardian” camera cage designed specifically for the Hasselblad X2D and X2D II. The cage is built from 6061 aluminium with a hard-anodised finish, and Ulanzi says the oxide layer is about three times thicker than what is typically used on camera cages, which should give it noticeably better scratch resistance. The frame includes screen-protection strips to keep the rear display from touching surfaces when the camera is placed face down, and the low-profile shape is stable even when using lenses like the XCD 28, 38, or 55mm. One of the cage’s standout additions is a hidden AirTag-compatible compartment secured with a Y-shaped anti-theft screw that requires a special tool. With an AirTag installed, you can take advantage of features like departure alerts, laud alarms, and precise location tracking. Despite the added protection, the cage keeps all buttons, ports, and the battery fully accessible. A sliding cover plate gives quick access to the shutter-release cable and memory card slot, and the L-plate is adjustable without tools thanks to a large knurled screw. The included modular L-plate offers flexibility depending on the shooting setup. The full configuration includes an integrated Arca-type quick-release plate for horizontal and vertical shooting. The cage also incorporates a multi-point mounting system with five 13 mm strap loops, plus CMOS alignment and plane marks for precise composition or use with shift and adapter lenses. Ulanzi lists the overall dimensions at 151.3 × 69.1 × 116 mm, with a weight of 174 g (without the L-plate) or 201 g (with the L-plate). Pricing is at $359. You can see full details on Ulanzi’s website here

credits: Leica With 2025 winding down, the photography rumour mill is starting to settle into a clearer picture of what is still coming this year. One of the most likely announcements is the Leica Q3 Monochrom, expected to debut on November 20, 2025, according to multiple reports. As the name suggests, it will be a monochrome-only sibling to the existing Q3, using a true black-and-white sensor but sticking with the Q3’s familiar 28mm lens rather than the 43mm glass found on the Q3 43. Canon, on the other hand, already had a big release this month with the EOS R6 Mark III and the RF 45mm f/1.2 STM. Even so, there were a bunch of rumours last September hinting at a second Canon event in late November focused entirely on lenses. The list of possibilities is pretty long, an RF 300–600mm f/4–5.6L USM, an RF 20–50mm f/4 PZ, and a refreshed RF 24–70mm f/2.8L that may show up with IS and a new autofocus system. It is hard to say which of these might actually appear, but none of them would be surprising given Canon’s current pace. Nikon fans were hoping for at least a teaser of the Z9 II before the end of the year, but that now seems off the table. New reports suggest the camera won’t show up until sometime in 2026, which makes any major Nikon announcements in 2025 pretty unlikely. If Nikon does make a move, it will probably be lenses rather than bodies. The ones getting the most chatter right now include a 70–200mm f/2.8 II, an 85mm f/1.4, a new ultra-wide option, updated standard zooms like a 24–105mm or 24–50mm, a fast 100–300mm or 120–300mm f/2.8, and even some possible Z-mount cinema lenses in the works.

credits: Nexstorage Nextorage just announced a new and exciting CFexpress card, the B2 Pro+. It is the first ever memory card that is officially certified for both VPG400 and VPG1600 at the same time. VPG (Video Performance Guarantee) is a way of confirming that a card can maintain a specific sustained write speed under strict testing. Cameras rely on these certifications to avoid dropped frames or recording shutdowns during heavy video modes like high-frame-rate 4K or 8K. The catch is that the newer VPG800 and VPG1600 classes aren’t backward compatible, so until now you basically had to choose between older supported modes or newer, faster ones. That is what makes the new NX-B2PRO+ Series interesting. According to the CFA’s certification list, these cards are the first to merge both VPG400 and VPG1600 into one device, meaning they can keep up with next-gen recording speeds while still working with cameras that expect older VPG profiles. That is a real advantage when you consider that only Exascend has VPG1600 cards incoming, and theirs don’t support the older standards. Nextorage is effectively the only company offering a card that covers both current and future workflows without compromise. And because VPG certification is coded at the firmware level, the dual-compliance isn’t just marketing, cameras can actually verify and use both modes. The NX-B2PRO+ will ship in 660 GB and 1,330 GB capacities and uses the CFexpress Type B format. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but Nextorage says the cards are planned to roll out in 2026.

credits: Cosina Cosina Voigtländer is bringing its APO-Lanthar 28mm f/2 Aspherical lens to Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount, following the earlier Leica M-mount release. The new versions keep the same optical setup, 12 elements in eight groups, including six anomalous partial-dispersion elements and two double-sided asphericals. There is also a floating focus system to keep things sharp across the frame, and the lens is still designed to keep axial chromatic aberration as low as possible. It focuses down to 0.28 meters (0.92 feet), giving a 1:6.9 magnification, a lot closer than the M-mount version. Both the E and Z versions are manual-focus only, which won’t surprise anyone familiar with Voigtländer’s mirrorless lineup. Cosina uses a metal helicoid focusing unit that is meant to offer very fine control and smooth operation. These versions are a bit heavier than the M-mount model, 350 grams for Nikon Z and 325 grams for Sony E, compared to the VM’s 265 grams. All accept 49mm filters, though the styling differs slightly, Sony’s version uses a more modern diamond-pattern knurling with red markings, while the Z-mount version sticks closer to the vintage-inspired VM look with yellow text. Even the included hoods differ a bit between mounts. The Sony E-mount version is set to arrive in December, with the Nikon Z-mount following in January 2026. U.S./Europe pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet, but early numbers from Japan suggest it will land somewhere around €730/$850, with the final U.S. price likely a bit higher once tariffs are factored in. You can see full details and sample shots on Cosina’s website here

credits: SanDisk SanDisk’s latest release is the Extreme Fit 1TB USB-C Flash Drive, a storage device that stands out mostly because of how small it is. It is being marketed as a “plug and stay” drive, essentially something you plug into a laptop and then forget about, and its size makes that a realistic use case. Before getting into what the drive offers, it is worth remembering that SanDisk is still dealing with the reputation damage from its portable SSD failures over the last couple of years. Many users had no issues at all, while others lost data, so reactions to any new SanDisk product naturally vary. With that context out of the way, the Extreme Fit is genuinely small. The 1TB version weighs 3 grams and measures 18.5 x 13.7 x 16 mm, small enough that the USB-C connector looks like it could almost swallow the rest of the device. It works with both macOS and Windows machines, though its glossy design feels a bit loud next to a MacBook’s more understated look. The whole idea here again is leave it plugged in and treat it like a semi-permanent extension of your laptop’s storage rather than a drive you constantly remove and reinsert. Of course, shrinking a flash drive down this far comes with limitations. The Extreme Fit runs on USB 3.2 Gen 1, which tops out around 400 MB/s on all but the smallest capacity. That’s fast enough for offloading photos, moving project folders, or keeping backups handy, but it is nowhere near what you would want for video editing or anything that requires sustained high-speed access. SanDisk’s Extreme Fit USB-C Flash Drive is already available. The 64GB version starts at $14.99, while the 1TB model, the one that showcases the drive’s main selling point, comes in at $109.99.

Photo by: @capital.shutter Let’s Analyse this Image: Composition & Framing What works well: Our subject is nicely centred and framed by all the buses, they all form a natural tunnel that squeezes your eye right to the silhouette. The glowing light path on the wet ground acts like a visual funnel, guiding your eye straight into the centre of the image where the subject is standing/walking. The layering is great as well, foreground bus, mid-ground bus, deeper bus, then the person. That stacked structure gives it depth and a the 3D look. The iconic red London buses also instantly communicate place, you basically don’t even need to see anything else to know where this is. What could be better: The left side is a little heavy, the one giant bus is visually massive and takes up a lot of space, making the frame feel slightly lopsided. A tiny step to the right would have balanced the it better while still keeping the silhouette perfectly framed/if not even framing it better. Some small objects in the lower-left foreground (like that box/bin thing) or maybe the couple signs on the right feel a bit distracting and don’t add much, but there is not a lot you can do about that. The ceiling is interesting structurally but so dark that it becomes almost dead space instead of usable compositional weight. Light & Atmosphere What works well: The light peaking through is probably one of the biggest reasons that make this photo work. It instantly adds mood and pulls your eye straight toward the silhouette. As touched on before, the wet pavement is perfect as well, it reflects the sunlight in a very golden and shimmery way that softens all the hard edges of the scene and it also brings out a lot of texture which is always a plus. The overall vibe is pretty cinematic. Dark, urban and gritty shadows mixed with the warm, glowing highlights gives it this film-like, timeless quality. Very atmospheric overall. What could be better: The shadows are very heavy in some areas, especially up top around the ceiling and the edges, so some nice detail just disappears completely. Lifting them slightly wouldn’t ruin the mood. The sun flare is nice, don’t get me wrong, but slightly borders on “too much,” like it is about to blow out the whole centre. A slightly softer flare might have looked even cleaner. Some of the buses fall into darkness very quickly, losing readability. A little mid-tone lift could have helped. Emotion & Story What works well: The small silhouette against all the big buses creates a classic ‘small human vs. big city’ moment. The warm sunlight behind gives the moment this hopeful or transitional feeling, maybe the person is a bus driver starting their shift or judging by the light, finishing it. What could be better: Since we only get a silhouette, we can’t read anything about who the person really is, no clothing details, no gesture clarity, nothing to really tell us more, we don’t know are they really a bus driver, or just a person that is walking through here etc. (obviously given the setting it is most likely a bus driver but we cant know for sure). Colour & Tone

credits: Meike Meike has rolled out an updated version of its budget portrait prime, the 85mm f/1.8 SE II, a full-frame autofocus lens now available for Sony E, L-Mount, and Nikon Z. It replaces the original AF 85mm f/1.8 from 2022 and continues a line that actually goes back to Meike’s first autofocus lens in 2018, which was an 85mm for Canon DSLRs. This new version keeps the same general idea as earlier models but brings a handful of practical upgrades that should make it a bit nicer to use day-to-day. Meike says the SE II has better control over chromatic aberration, cleaner overall image quality, faster autofocus, and a noticeably shorter minimum focusing distance. The lens can now focus down to 0.65 meters (2.1 feet), shaving about 20 centimeters off the previous version. That may not sound dramatic, but it gives a bit more flexibility for portraits and close details where the older one felt slightly limiting. The internal design has been reworked too. The SE II moves from nine elements in six groups to 11 elements in seven groups, and the aperture now uses 11 blades instead of nine, which should help with smoother out-of-focus areas. Even with the added glass, the lens ends up a little lighter than before (369 grams instead of 386 grams) and the filter thread shifts to 62mm. Meike’s own description of the rendering leans into the usual language about sharp details and soft backgrounds, though the real appeal here is that it offers the classic 85mm f/1.8 look without requiring a big investment. The shorter focusing distance, new aperture design, and faster AF all help round out a lens that aims to be accessible without feeling like a bare-bones compromise. In the broader landscape, the SE II sits up against first-party 85mm lenses from Sony, Nikon, and Panasonic, all of which cost several times more. Those models are known for their consistency and image quality, but they are also priced in a different bracket entirely. The Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II is available now for $229.99.

credits: OWC OWC has introduced the StudioStack, an expansion unit that sits on top of the Mac Studio and adds a boost in storage and ports without taking up any extra desk space. Inside, it can hold both an NVMe M.2 2280 SSD (up to 8TB for now) and a 3.5-inch SATA hard drive up to 24TB, giving you as much as 32TB of extra room to work with. The NVMe slot is also ready for larger drives once 16TB models eventually hit the market. This setup makes it easier to split fast project storage from long-term media or backups, which of course is handy if your workflow jumps between heavy editing and big Lightroom libraries or archived footage. Around the back, the StudioStack offers one USB-A 3.2 port and four Thunderbolt ports, three of which use the newer Thunderbolt 5 standard. One port is for a display, and one connects back to the Mac Studio, leaving you two Thunderbolt 5 ports for anything else you want to plug in. Two more USB-A ports live on the side for quick access. OWC also says the unit runs “near silent,” which is always a bonus. The StudioStack ships pre-formatted for macOS (APFS/HFS+), but you can reformat it for Windows without any trouble. It does need its own power brick, though, so that is something to keep in mind if your desk is already a little cluttered. The Studio Stack is priced at $329.99 and is expected to ship in mid-December. You can see full details on OWC’s website here

credits: 7Artisans 7Artisans’ previously rumoured AF 10mm f/2.8 lens for APS-C cameras is here, launching first for Sony E and Fujifilm X mounts. As an ultra-wide 10mm prime (105.3° field of view), the lens is built around an 11-element, 10-group optical design that includes specialised elements to keep distortion and edge softness under control. It offers an aperture range from f/2.8 to f/16 and uses a 7-blade diaphragm that can create a 14-point sunstar when you stop it down. The minimum focus distance is 0.3 meters, and it takes standard 62mm filters. Autofocus is handled by an internal AF motor, and the lens fully supports EXIF data transmission so the camera records aperture, focal length, and focus info correctly. There is a simple AF/MF switch on the side for quick changes, plus a USB-C port for firmware updates, something that tends to matter with third-party AF lenses since body updates can break compatibility. At about 232 grams in E-mount, it stays relatively lightweight for an autofocus ultra-wide, and the metal body gives it bit of a more sturdy feel. Other small but useful touches include a weather-sealed mount ring for basic dust and splash protection, making it suitable for outdoor use, though it is not a fully sealed system. Real-world performance (especially corner sharpness, flare handling, and AF accuracy with fast bursts) will be the interesting part to watch once people start testing it. The 7artisans AF 10mm f/2.8 is priced at $199 USD. You can see full details and sample shots on 7Artisans’ website here

credits: Llano Llano has introduced the CS2 Pro 4-in-1 Camera Battery Charger, a compact charging and storage hub for photographers that travel a lot and want to keep their gear simple and organised. It is designed to handle a few different jobs at once, namely charging batteries, working as a power bank, reading memory cards, and storing small accessories. The kit includes two 2600mAh Aurora batteries, a 10,400mAh built-in power bank, a 20W USB-C fast charger, and a USB 3.0 SD card reader, all packed into a small protective case. The charger itself is relatively lightweight and portable, measuring five inches (about 12 cm) long and weighing about 12 ounces (around 350 grams). Llano says it can charge compatible camera batteries in around 90 minutes, about three times faster than a typical charger. The built-in power bank can also recharge cameras like Sony’s FX30 or A7 series roughly one and a half times, and it can top up smaller devices like phones or tablets. There is also a USB 3.0 SD 4.0 card reader built into the case, supporting transfer speeds up to 312 MB/s. That means you can offload files straight to a laptop without carrying extra cables or adapters. The CS2 Pro also includes protection against overheating, overcharging, and short circuits. Llano offers versions for Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm systems. Pricing is at $100 for the charger on its own or $160 for the full kit with two Aurora batteries.