Photography News

You’ve heard it before: the best camera is the one you have with you, and premium compact cameras are what you should be carrying.

 

Sometimes you want the power of a mirrorless camera or your DSLR, but they're too big to carry regularly. You don’t need to sacrifice by leaving a camera at home. A premium compact camera solves your problem. Well, one other thing. For many, these cameras are usually out of budget, but as always, there is a solution. Buying a new camera these days is a challenge in itself. They are either out of stock or overpriced, but MPB has them.

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The Fujifilm X100VI is the kind of camera people buy to carry everywhere, and that only works if it keeps delivering once the light fades and the rain starts. A fixed 23mm lens and a body small enough for a coat pocket come with real limits compared with a larger interchangeable lens kit.

 

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When you teach yourself photography in a city where you don't speak the language, you make every pricing call, portfolio choice, and client pitch without a second opinion. Mistakes made that way can go unnoticed until a client points them out.

 

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You can drive half a day to reach peak autumn color and find the hillside carved up by a clear-cut, a power line, and a thicket of saplings. Pulling a clean, deliberate frame out of a compromised scene is a skill you'll use far more often than you'll stumble onto a perfect location.

 

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You can learn the settings that keep a photograph sharp in a single afternoon, yet nobody has a reliable formula for the quality that makes someone stop and look at it. That gap between technique and taste is the hardest part of photography to teach.

 

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Top sports and wildlife photography shooters, this one is for you. Today, Nikon announced a new telephoto lens that focuses on getting you close to the action: the NIKKOR Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S. 

There are cool tools, and then there are professional precision tools that don’t cut any corners in giving you the highest level of optical performance a brand can offer. The NIKKOR Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S promises to be this lens for professional sports and wildlife photographers.

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1. Be Early

Arrive at your chosen spot about half an hour before the sun's due to set as you'll need time to set your equipment up and to find your angle. You'll need your tripod as shutter speeds will be slow and working hand-held will only result in shake. If you have one, attach your remote release up, too, to stop your movement rocking the camera when you go to press the shutter button. Many cameras allow you to fire the shutter via a Smart Phone, eliminating the need for a remote release. You might want to fire off a few test shots to see if your composition works but do remember the light will change.
 

2. Get Ready

Make sure your focus is correct then turn off autofocus as it tends to struggle in darker conditions. Check your white balance and set your ISO to 100, although, if you want to quicken the shutter speed slightly, you can knock it up a couple of notches. Then, you just have to stand and wait for the sun to begin setting. You might want to pack a flask of something warm and make sure you have your coat with you for this bit!
 

3. The Sun's Setting

Once the sun has gone below the horizon don't think it's time to put your equipment away so you can head home, you need to keep taking photos, adjusting the exposure length as you do to capture as many different results as possible.

 

 

4. Watch Out For Bright Light Sources

If you have the moon in shot or other bright lights such as street lamps, and you use a longer shutter speed it can result in flare but this isn't always a bad thing as an overexposed street lamp, particularly on a damp evening, can look quite good.
 

5. Where Works?

Getting out above the city so you can shoot down on it. Capturing the city lights against the dark blue sky as they switch on works well but do get in among the city buildings too. At busy junctions, you'll be able to capture light trails as traffic flows by while a bridge will give you a nice leading line with lights dotted along either side of it. Have a look for shop signs that are lit up or if you're visiting one of our well known seaside towns, you'll have a long street of illuminations to capture.

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A favourite photograph deserves more than a quick upload. Here is how to choose a size, protect your composition and prepare a file that will work on the wall.

You have a photograph you keep returning to: a coastline after rain, a family moment, the view that made you stop walking. On a screen, choosing a favourite is easy. Ordering it at half a metre wide brings a different question: will it still look good?

The answer starts with the pixels in your file, but it also depends on sharpness, cropping and where the print will hang. Working through those choices gives you a more useful answer than the megapixel number on your camera.

 

Fine detail and the shape of a composition both matter when preparing a large print

 

Find the best version of your photograph

Begin with the original full-resolution file. A screenshot or a copy saved from a social feed may look perfectly respectable on a phone while containing far fewer pixels than the original. If the image lives in a cloud library, download the original rather than its preview.

Check its dimensions in your photo app or file information. A 6000 × 4000-pixel image contains 24 million pixels, or 24 megapixels. That tells you how much image data you have; it does not tell you whether the focus landed on the subject. Open the photograph and inspect the details you actually care about before deciding how large to go.

Save a working copy before editing. That gives you room to try a square crop or a different treatment without losing the version you started with. If someone else supplied the photograph, ask for their print-ready export.

 

Choose the crop before you calculate

A camera's rectangular image will not necessarily fit the frame shape you have chosen. Filling a square with a 6000 × 4000-pixel landscape, for example, leaves at most 4000 × 4000 pixels. You have 16 megapixels left, even though the camera captured 24.

 

A full-height square crop of a hypothetical 6000 × 4000-pixel image retains 4000 × 4000 pixels, or two-thirds of the original pixel count.

 

Set the intended aspect ratio first, then move the crop deliberately. Look for a clipped headland, a hand close to the edge or a horizon that needs straightening. Straightening can remove a little more of the image, too. Recheck the remaining dimensions once you are happy with the composition.

If the crop spoils the picture, choose a different print shape or explore a border. The photograph should still feel like the one you wanted to print.

 

Turn pixels into a print size

Pixels per inch, or PPI, describes how densely the image's pixels are distributed across the finished print. Divide the pixel width by the print width in inches, then check the height in the same way. Convert centimetres to inches by dividing by 2.54.

Using the uncropped 6000 × 4000-pixel file, a 20 × 13.3-inch print is approximately 300 PPI. At 30 × 20 inches, the same file is 200 PPI. Increasing the print size spreads the available detail over a larger surface.

 

The same hypothetical 6000 × 4000-pixel file produces about 300 PPI at 20 × 13.3 inches, or 200 PPI at 30 × 20 inches. This diagram compares dimensions, not simulated print quality.

 

For a calculation using your own dimensions, Framely's image resolution and print size guide includes a calculator and reference chart. Use the dimensions of the printed photograph itself, excluding any mat border or surrounding frame.

 

Think about where people will stand

Around 300 PPI is a useful starting point for detailed photographs examined closely. It is not a universal pass-or-fail threshold. A large print seen across a room may look pleasing at a lower density, while a small print held in the hand invites closer scrutiny.

Stand where you expect to enjoy the picture. A print above a sofa is usually seen differently from one in a narrow hallway. If you are unsure, ask the lab about a small test section printed at the same enlargement as the final piece. A miniature of the whole photograph will not reveal the same level of detail.

 

Check sharpness as well as the numbers

Changing a file's resolution label from 72 to 300 PPI, without resampling, adds no pixels. DPI refers to the printer's dots of ink and is a different measurement.

Inspect the file at 100% to spot blur, compression damage or heavy sharpening, then consider those flaws at the intended viewing distance. Upscaling can improve an enlargement's appearance, but extra pixels do not prove that fine detail is authentic. Compare the result with the original, especially around faces and lettering.

 

Choose a surface that suits the picture

Smooth photographic paper can suit images whose appeal lies in fine detail, such as architecture or a sharply focused portrait. Canvas adds a visible woven texture, which becomes part of how the image looks. Think about whether that texture complements your photograph and how closely it will be viewed.

 

Smooth paper and woven canvas give a print different surface characteristics.

 

Canvas cannot restore missing detail. Check the edge treatment as well: wrapping an image around a stretcher, mirroring its edges or using a plain edge can produce different results. Keep important subjects clear of any area that will leave the front face.

For readers in Australia, Framely’s canvas photo prints offer stretched canvas and optional floating frames. Compare the finish and edge options against your composition before settling on the size.

If colour is critical, ask whether your lab provides a suitable printer-and-paper profile for soft proofing. This previews how colours may translate to the chosen output. It is an estimate, so a physical proof remains useful for an important print. Avoid converting to an unfamiliar colour space simply because it sounds more professional.

 

Give the file one last check

• Keep the original and export a separate print copy.
• Follow the lab's instructions for file format and colour profile.
• Check the final crop, orientation and dimensions in the order preview.
• Inspect faces, lettering and edges for unwanted edits or sharpening.
• Ask for a file review or test print if the enlargement is uncertain.

The most satisfying print often comes from a modest adjustment: a little more room around the subject, a size that suits the file, or a surface that carries the mood of the photograph. Make those choices while the image is still on screen, and you can enjoy it on the wall with fewer surprises.

© GoPro

 

GoPro has rolled out a free firmware update for the MISSION 1, MISSION 1 PRO and MISSION 1 PRO ILS that rebuilds how the cameras shoot stills. The shutter now responds the instant the button is pressed, and holding it down shoots continuous photos, with more than 100 at 12MP or more than 20 RAW files at 50MP. The MISSION Monitor app for iPhone and iPad also gains a histogram, waveform, RGB parade and false colour, along with wireless camera connectivity. GoPro Labs firmware adds anamorphic lens support for the MISSION 1 PRO ILS, covering squeeze ratios from 1.33x to 2.0x.

 

From GoPro:

 

GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO) released a free update that enhances MISSION 1 Series cameras' photography capabilities. Photo shutter response has been dramatically improved to provide hair-trigger sensitivity for improved photo capture accuracy, and holding the shutter button down will capture continuous photos in rapid succession.

GoPro also updated its recently debuted MISSION Monitor app with four new professional exposure tools and wireless camera connectivity, and released a new version of GoPro Labs firmware that adds anamorphic lens support to MISSION 1 PRO ILS for film and television professionals.

Since launching earlier this year, the MISSION 1 Series has earned 12 top industry awards from 10 leading consumer technology, photography, and outdoor publications, including Best Overall Action Camera from WIRED, Best Action Camera in the Tom's Guide Awards, and editor's choice awards from PCMag, Tom's Guide, Gizmodo, and The Shortcut.

 

MISSION 1 Series Photography Update: High-Performance Shutter Response + Continuous Photo Capture

 

MISSION 1 Series cameras have received a ground-up rebuild of how they capture photos, transforming them into rapid-fire photography solutions:

• Rapid Photo: With the free firmware update, all MISSION 1 Series cameras will now feature zero-lag, ultra-responsive shutter button response that results in photos being captured the instant the shutter button is pressed.1
• Continuous Shutter: Press and hold the shutter button to capture photos continuously—more than 100 photos at 12MP or more than 20 RAW photos at 50MP.1
• Buffer Indicator: A new on-screen indicator signals when the camera is approaching its buffer limit.
• Updated Shutter Sound: A modernized shutter sound delivers clear, distinguishable audio confirmation for each photo as it's captured.

This new photography experience makes MISSION 1, MISSION 1 PRO, and MISSION 1 PRO ILS a natural match for the Point-and-Shoot Grip. The grip's lightweight, rubberized metal frame turns the camera into a high-performance handheld point-and-shoot camera that's ideal for run-and-gun, on-the-go street and travel photography. Two cold shoe mounts accept accessories like Light Mod 2, making it a complete handheld setup for hikes, concerts, and road trips. The grip is available as a stand-alone accessory or as part of MISSION 1 PRO Grip Edition.

"For photographers, by photographers. That's how we approached updating the MISSION 1 Series photo experience," said Jensen Granger, GoPro's Creative Director of Photography. "This update opens an exciting new chapter for photography on GoPro. Put a MISSION 1 Series camera in the Point-and-Shoot Grip and you have a seriously capable travel camera that's durable, mountable and can even shoot 8K video. It's the camera everyone from first-time buyers to seasoned photographers will want in their bag."

 

MISSION Monitor: New Exposure Tools + Wireless Connectivity

 

MISSION Monitor, the free iPhone® and iPad® live-preview app for MISSION 1 Series cameras,2 is being updated with four new professional monitoring tools that enhance exposure and color control, plus wireless connectivity and support for the aforementioned enhanced photography experience:

• Histogram: A real-time graph of every brightness level in the frame to confirm a balanced image, protect highlights, and avoid crushed shadows at a glance.
• Waveform: Maps brightness across the frame, showing exactly which parts of a shot are clipping or underexposed, not just whether something is off.
• RGB Parade: Displays the red, green, and blue channels side by side to confirm neutral tones are truly neutral and catch color casts before they become a problem in post-production. It's especially useful when shooting in GP-Log2, where a color cast is nearly invisible to the naked eye.
• False Color: Replaces the live image with a standardized color map that instantly shows which parts of the frame are clipping, which are underexposed, and whether skin tones are landing where they should.
• Wireless Connectivity: Connects to the camera wirelessly for cable-free live preview and image monitoring.
• New Photography Experience: Supports the all-new Rapid Photo and Continuous Shutter capture updates.

 

GoPro Labs: Anamorphic Lens Support for MISSION 1 PRO ILS

 

GoPro Labs, a public beta firmware program that enables GoPro camera capabilities beyond stock features and controls, now adds anamorphic lens support to MISSION 1 PRO ILS with the latest GoPro Labs firmware update. Paired with the camera's Micro Four Thirds™ mount, it brings anamorphic filmmaking to the world's smallest, most rugged compact cinema camera with interchangeable lenses.

Anamorphic lens support includes compatibility with GoPro's Emmy® Award-winning HyperSmooth video stabilization. GoPro Labs firmware also writes pixel aspect ratio metadata to the video file so desktop playback and editing tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve recognize the true shape of the image and correct it automatically.

Squeeze ratios of 1.33x, 1.5x, 1.6x, 1.8x, and 2.0x are supported, with presets for fast switching between anamorphic and spherical lenses. An on-camera desqueeze preview for the rear screen is coming soon.

 

Availability

 

The all-new photography experience for MISSION 1 Series cameras is available now as a free firmware update via the GoPro Quik app or on GoPro.com.

The MISSION Monitor app update is free and available today on the Apple App Store® for devices running iOS 18 or later.

The updated GoPro Labs firmware supporting anamorphic lenses is available to download for free from GoPro Labs.

I'm at Apple's launch event at Columbia Square in Hollywood, and I just spent time hands-on with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. I'm a huge display snob, and its tandem OLED screen is just stunning in person.

 

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At 19,262 places around the world where people walked outside and counted stars, the satellite that maps Earth at night recorded the ground below getting slightly darker. Across North America, upward radiance measured at those exact sites by the VIIRS Day/Night Band fell 0.80 percent a year. Over those same locations, artificial sky brightness was rising 10.4 percent a year.

 

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Apple's new MacBook Pro has a tandem OLED display that reaches 2,000 nits, holds a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and covers Adobe RGB as well as P3. For the first time on a Mac, you can also touch the screen. Apple calls it the PROLED XDR display, and it comes in 14-inch and 16-inch models with M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, with preorders open today, October 28, and availability starting Friday, November 6.

 

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Here are several easy tips so you can use your tripod like a pro. You'll get the most from your tripod this way, with lessons drawn from professional night photographers who use tripods in genuinely challenging conditions.

 

First… Get a Quality Tripod

Pros use quality tripods. They know better.

If you are bothering to set your camera up on a tripod, you clearly want sharp photos. You also want your tripod to not vibrate. You want stability. You want it to set up smoothly and easily.

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A four-ink EcoTank with dye-based color and a single matte black is about the last printer most people would pick for fine art prints. Its refillable tanks make ink cheap, though, so if the prints hold up, it becomes an inexpensive way to experiment with papers and profiles at home.

 

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If you've wanted to try infrared, you have two choices: screw a filter onto the camera you already own, or send a body off to be permanently converted. The two routes differ a lot in cost, commitment, and how much patience each shot demands.

 

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After summer ends and the chips, candy floss and plastic buckets have long left the seafront, the British seaside resort morphs into a place that's desolated and full of photographic potential. 

 

1. Gear Suggestions

A zoom lens will give you the flexibility of both wide and telephoto options in one lens which is good news for the photographer who doesn't want to be carrying too much kit on their seaside walk. Plus, you don't really want to be changing lenses when there's a strong breeze blowing sand and salt which could damage your equipment. A tripod will help you steady your camera while the strong coastal breeze blows around you.

  2. Be Prepared

A bonus with this time of year is that parking's a doddle and accommodation should be cheaper if you're planning a full weekend of photography. 

Don't forget to check the all-important weather forecast and make sure you note down what time the tide will be on its way back in. If you don't,  you could find yourself paddling through saltwater with your camera gear if you do head for the beach. 

 

3. Light And Feel

Low-angled light will give colourful beach huts more punch while a bright blue sky dotted with white clouds will add a bit of life to what can be drab looking shops and piers. 

If you find that Mother Nature has realised you're at the coast and as a result predictably turns the sky grey don't be too down-hearted as a storm brewing over the sea will always look good. To give the sky more detail fit an ND filter to your lens but if it's still too dull and flat, shoot the scene anyway and try converting it to mono when you're back in front of your computer. If all else fails, there's always the option to shoot some macro detail of nets, ropes and wet pebbles on the beach. Just remember to fill the frame to give your shots more impact. 

 

  4. Photograph People

The ice-cream seller may be long gone but you will get the odd resident, brave surfer and fishermen still walking around the empty seaside towns. Even though it's always polite to ask before you take your shot, sometimes candids, where you snap a couple of shots without them knowing you're doing so, do work better. Many people won't mind you taking their photograph if you ask politely enough though so don't be afraid to approach someone with your camera and a pleasant smile. Try getting in close if they have a strong face that will make a good character portrait then stand back to give the shot more context. This can work well with a lonely surfer stood on a damp, deserted beach or with a café owner clearing tables in an empty shop. 

5. Life's A Beach

The pier is a photographic opportunity not to be missed at this time of year as you won't have tourists walking into your shot and morning fog can be found circling the supports, making them an eerie photographic opportunity. Go wide, shooting from the beach if possible or shoot from the top, using the pier as a leading line into your image.

A concept that looks great in your head can fall apart the minute your subject steps onto the set, and the clock doesn't stop while you work out why. Knowing when to drop an idea and how to build a new one under pressure is one of the hardest parts of client work, especially when the client needs one specific thing from the images.

 

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Stanley Kubrick shot entire rooms in "Barry Lyndon" by candlelight in 1975, something that had never been done before in color. The way he did it comes down to a chain of decisions, most of them driven by hard numbers about how much light a film camera actually needs.

 

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As well as having practical uses, fisheye lenses can be a lot of fun. The distortion produced by this type of lens allows the user to take interesting, quirky shots of everyday objects, turning what can be quite simple shots into top creative captures. Plus, you don't have to own a fisheye lens for your DSLR to have a go at this technique as there are plenty of gadgets out there that will turn your Smart Phone images into fish-eye masterpieces. Here are 8 top examples of fisheye photography that you can take some inspiration from next time you're out with a really wide-angle lens. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© FUJIFILM

 

Fujifilm has revealed the Instax Mini Evo 2, a hybrid instant camera featuring a 4.5-inch LCD touchscreen, new Expanded View and Immersive Movie features, and 100 possible combinations of 10 lens effects and 10 film effects. It also supports smartphone image printing and remote shooting through the updated Instax Mini Evo app. The camera is expected to be available in the UK at the end of November 2026.

 

From Fujifilm:

 

FUJIFILM Europe GmbH, Imaging Solutions Division, today announced the launch of its instax mini Evo 2™ (hereafter Evo 2) hybrid instant camera, along with its enhanced instax mini Evo™ smartphone app.

“The instax mini Evo™ is one of our most-loved cameras. With Evo 2, we’ve built on what people love about the original – refining the design and adding new features that bring even more creative freedom to photo and video. It’s a fresh way to experiment, express yourself and turn everyday moments into something uniquely yours.” said Karina Thomsen, Marketing Director, European Consumer Imaging, FUJIFILM Europe.

Evo 2 includes new capabilities to enhance the image and content-making process. The new 4.5-inch LCD Touchscreen makes it simple for users to compose, adjust settings and preview their content. The new instax Expanded ViewTM feature gives users a wider field of view than the shooting area with an on-screen framing guide, showing more of the scene so users can compose with greater intention. The new instax Immersive MovieTM feature records the four seconds leading up to each photo, preserving the movement, atmosphere and emotion that unfolds before hitting record.

 

© FUJIFILM

 

Key Features Recap:

• New 4.5-inch LCD Touchscreen 
• New instax Expanded ViewTM camera feature gives users a wider field of view than the shooting area    
• New instax Immersive MovieTM   camera feature allows users to capture the four seconds leading up to each photo taken (microSD card, sold separately, is required to use this feature).   
• 10x lens effects and 10x film effects, for 100 ways for users to customise their content
• Analogue-inspired controls 
• Adjustable exposure, white balance and flash 
• Macro mode for close-ups 
• Crisp 600 dpi resolution, with the option of selecting instax-Rich ModeTM for vivid colour or instax-Natural ModeTM for a more classic aesthetic
• Built-in Selfie Mirror
• Smartphone image printing using the free, downloadable instax mini Evo™ app (app is required; smartphone not included) 
• Remote shooting capabilities – Control the instax mini Evo 2™ hybrid instant camera with the smartphone connected to the app 
• MicroSD Card slot (microSD card sold separately) 
• Prints 2” x 3” instax™ mini instant photos (instax™ mini instant film sold separately) 
• USB Type-C charging 
• Includes Shoulder Strap, USB Type-C Cable, Quick Start Guide and 1 Year Limited Warranty 

 

© FUJIFILM

 

Pricing and Availability

FUJIFILM instax mini Evo 2™ hybrid instant camera is expected to be available at the end of November 2026 at a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of £229.99. The instax mini Evo™ smartphone app will be available for download on 24th November 2026.

 

The instax mini Evo 2™ hybrid instant camera will be available for pre-order from the following retailers:

• FUJIFILM House of Photography
• London Camera Exchange
• Jessops
• Amazon
• John Lewis

 

The instax mini Evo 2™ hybrid instant camera will be available for purchase from the following retailers:

• FUJIFILM House of Photography
• Argos
• Very
• Grattan
• JD Williams
• Maplin
• Boots
• London Camera Exchange
• Jessops
• Tekzone

 

For more information, please visit the official Fujifilm Instax website.