DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

Before heading out for a shoot or even while on one, make sure you don't overlook some of the most important but basic things. To stop you doing this, we've put together a quick checklist which may seem obvious but the things on it can often be overlooked and can cause a day out shooting to descend into chaos!
 

1. Charge Your Camera's Batteries

 

The most important thing to remember is to make sure that your batteries are charged. If not, your day out will be rendered useless when you discover that your battery has died. If your battery is low the night before but you don't want to charge it before it's fully dead, consider wearing the battery down on purpose so it can be fully charged overnight. You could also consider taking a spare battery if you have one, or a spare camera if you don't, so at least you can still shoot if your primary equipment fails.
 

2. Memory Card Check

You should ensure your memory card is not full or going to be quickly filled when you're out shooting. Always carry a spare card or two just in case one goes missing or shows a fault.

 
3. What Am I Trying To Say?

 

How you frame, light and compose your shot will provoke a different feeling, thought or emotion so think about what message you're trying to convey before hitting the shutter button.

4. Watch The Horizon

 

One of the main things to remember is to keep your horizon straight. If not, the shot will look wonky. If you're on flat ground, an easy way to ensure this is to use a tripod which has a spirit level built-in. However, do remember that if you're working with a hot shoe spirit level on terrain that's uneven the spirit level on your tripod may tell you the shot's wonky when actually it's not. 

 

5. Don't Make It Too Busy

 

Although you will want to portray a lot through your photos, try not to overcrowd the image. If you do, the eye will not know where to settle on the photo and ruin the feel of the image. Do a quick check of the foreground and background before you take your shot to check there's not unsightly elements and take the time to consider if your shot will work better with the background out of focus.

 

6. Fill The Frame Or Leave Some Space?

 

 

You should also consider how close you are to your subject/how much space you want in your shot. If it is too far away, the image can lose impact, however, if you're trying to create a sense of scale in your shot, moving a person further away, for example, moving a person further into an area of sand dunes, will make the landscape appear as if it stretches on for miles. If you do want to fill the frame, use the zoom on your camera or move your feet.

 

7. Have A Focal Point

 

Identify your main focal point so you can then decide if you're going to use secondary points of focus or just place your subject in the frame so all attention falls on them.

 

8. Look At The Lighting

 

The light's angle and how strong it is will, of course, change the look of your photograph but so will the type of light source you're using. For example, if the light is tungsten or fluorescent, your camera may have a specific white balance setting to make the scene look natural. If you're shooting in darker conditions and don't want to use flash, consider using a higher ISO instead.

9. Consider Creating A Path

 

Having a path within the photo for the eye to follow can help guide your viewer through your shot. The picture above is a good example as the metal railing guides the eye down the beach to the person in the distance. 

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Photo Month Forum Competition

 

Comfy integrates the HitPaw FotorPea API that allows for image enhancement for Comfy users. Users can now benefit from the technology that will help automate and enhance the quality of images. These tools will help restore, enhance, and denoise images, all operating directly inside Comfy.

This integration shows how photography is changing with the help of AI tools to add detail to older, lower-quality, and compressed images. Rather than replacing creative editing, these tools are focusing more on streamlining multiple edits and ensuring overall consistency and clarity. 

For photographers, content creators, and platforms that manage lots of visuals, processing large amounts of visuals with less post-production work can be really helpful.

 

What HitPaw FotorPea Brings to the Comfy Platform

 

HitPaw FotorPea focuses on enhancing photos without changing their overall natural look. Instead of using filters that change the photo more aggressively, the system leans on AI models that have been trained to understand the structures, textures, and minutiae of photos.

Due to Comfy integration, photo enhancement features can now be used within a single workflow. This also means no more exporting images or using other tools to improve the quality of images because improving images has been included in the workflow.

While this functionality aids individual creators, it is particularly useful for teams and services dealing with high volumes of images, especially when the prospect of manual editing is impractical.

 

AI Image Enhancement Integrated into the Core Workflow

 

 

With the integration of AI image enhancer, Comfy now has the ability to auto-enhance different types of images. It uses AI to analyze the images and adjust clarity, noise, and resolution while keeping the textures and features of the people in the images faces as natural as possible.

Most traditional upscaling tools enhance the whole image and result in a generalized view, often causing the person in the portrait to look artificial. HitPaw FotorPea, on the other hand, uses AI realism-based portrait enhancements, meaning they look natural.

 

Key image enhancement capabilities include:

• One-click enhancement for portraits and scenes
• Separate AI processing for faces and backgrounds
• 2x and 4x super-resolution options
• Noise reduction without heavy softening
• Batch processing for large image sets
• API access for automated workflows

The system's features are ideal for mobile phone photography, low-res web images, scanned images, older digital photos, and also for slight improvements to already high-quality images.

 

Model-Based Enhancement for Different Photographic Scenarios

 

The integration does not consist of simply applying a singular enhancement method across all images. Instead, it uses various AI models tailored for particular subjects as well as certain quality levels. This gives the end user more options to choose from when dealing with more challenging photographic materials.

 

Available image enhancement models include:

• Face Clear Model (2x / 4x): Upscales portraits and softens the skin to give a clearer picture and accentuates the surrounding details.
• Face Natural Model (2x / 4x): Maintains the skin texture and facial features to make them look more natural.
• General Enhance Model (2x / 4x): This model is used to enhance general and everyday images, like landscapes, architecture, animals, and many more.
• High Fidelity Model (2x / 4x): This tool is specifically designed for subtle enhancement of DSLR photos, posters, and AI images.
• Sharp Denoise & Detail Denoise Models (1x): Reduce noise in photos taken on mobile devices and cameras, while retaining the original flexible image size.
• Generative Portrait & Generative Enhance Models (1x–4x): Diffusion models that focus on rebuilding some of the details that may be missing because of heavy compression or destruction of the image.

This model selection structure enables photographers and content teams to select the specialized image enhancer AI technique that fits the source material the best instead of using a one-size-fits-all solution.

 

Built for Automation and Platform-Level Workflows

 

A key element in this integration is the API-based design. Rather than putting the tools just as creative editors, Comfy enables automated enhancement as part of broader content pipelines. This gives the value not just to individual photographers but to any platforms, publishers, and services that handle extensive image libraries. With the goal of quality improvement while maintaining smooth, automated workflows, Comfy integrates AI enhancement directly into the platforms.

 

Who Benefits Most from This Integration

 

The Comfy and HitPaw FotorPea integration streamlines work for various users, but some users enjoy better integration benefits, such as:

• Photographers wanting to recover detail of challenging light or old files
• Content creators seeking cleaned-up images without tedious edits
• Media platforms dealing with large quantities of user-generated or old images
• Creative teams desire consistent image quality across all their projects

In all these cases, the advantage lies in achieving improved image quality with minimal effort.

 

A Tool Designed for Modern Image Workflows

 

Today’s image workflows are speedy, multi-source, and often automated. Images come from phones, cameras, scans, and archives and have varying quality levels. Users do not need another complex editor; they need a reliable way to enhance the baseline quality.

HitPaw FotorPea seamlessly integrates with this environment because its AI models focus on realism, detail retention, and efficiency. The Comfy integration removes friction and allows image enhancement in the place where the work already exists.

 

Conclusion

 

The integration of HitPaw FotorPea's API with Comfy exemplifies the increased importance of automation in the contemporary photography world. Focusing on natural results, adaptable models, and the ability to handle larger projects shows how AI tools are becoming more flexible and are now more about improving technical quality than being used for creative purposes. HitPaw FotorPea is at the center of this integration. Its image enhancement models now work with Comfy to provide consistent and workflow-friendly visual improvement.

 

A humpback whale rising from the cold ocean is our latest 'Photo of the Week' (POTW) winner.

Captured by ColinEJ and titled ‘Humpback Whale Breaching,’ we love the excellent timing and energy shown in this action shot. The snowy mountains and clear sky in the background frame the scene, showing the whale’s size against the landscape. This wide view makes the photo clear and well-timed. What a brilliant photo!

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2027, we’ll crown our 2026 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards!

 

Most of the time, particularly in architectural photography, we are told that converging verticals and lines are something which should be avoided. But there are occasions when they don't have to be avoided by architectural or any other type of photographer.

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1. Use Converging Verticles To Exaggerate Height

When shooting close to a building with a wide-angle lens, you can exaggerate the height of the structure with the help of converging verticals however, it can look like the building is about to fall over backwards so it isn't a style everyone appreciates. To exaggerate the sloping walls further, get lower to the ground with your wide-angle lens.
 

2. Use Converging Verticles To Focus Attention 

We've talked previously on how vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines can be used to add interest to shots and act as guides. If you take this further so you have multiple lines stretching towards the horizon, they can appear to be moving closer together, which, in turn, will help the viewer to focus on one specific area of the shot.
 

3. Use Converging Verticles To Guide The Eye

Where you set your camera up and how the lines move through your frame will change the feel of the shot. The most common way to use converging lines is to position your camera in the centre of the frame so you have symmetry as well as the converging guides working for you. But as the eye often looks at the bottom left of an image first before working across the shot to the top right corner, you can also position the lines so they flow from corner to corner. By having a line which follows this path, you will unknowingly guide the viewer through your shot. Try using multiple diagonals to guide the eye to one spot in the image by intersecting them where you want the attention to fall.

Do watch where the lines are going as if they lead out of the frame it can create a sense of wonder but equally, it could lead to frustration as your viewer doesn't know what's beyond the frame and as they've followed the direction of the line, they'll end up not looking at your shot. However, if you take the time to position yourself so the lines give the impression they meet/end where you want your main point of focus to be, you shouldn't have a problem.
 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

 

A field of Bog Cotton caught in a strong wind, with its white fluffy heads swept to one side against a dark, overcast sky, is a wonderful nature shot.

Shot from ground level through the stems and grasses, the movement captured in each head brings real energy and life to the image. The heavy clouds above add wonderful depth to the composition, and the bright white cotton heads stand out beautifully against the moody sky. Getting down low to capture this shot clearly came at a price, but the soggy knees were well worth it. Congratulations on winning POTW, YorkshireSam.

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2027, we’ll crown our 2026 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards!

 

Spring officially begins this month so we want to fuel you with spring ideas and suggestions so when it does arrive, you'll be ready to head out with your camera. So, here's a list of all the best photographic opportunities this spring you won't want to miss.

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1. Lambs

 

One of the most notable and iconic features of spring is the abundance of baby animals. The easiest of these to go out and photograph freely are lambs. They are spritely creatures, and so to capture them sharply, use a higher shutter speed as they are liable to move just as you have set up your shot. There is more information on lamb photography in our lamb photography tutorial.

  2. Flowers

 

At the beginning of spring, snowdrops and daffodils will begin to shoot and bloom, providing ample opportunity for some macro and flower cluster shots. Head out to your nearest wooded area to find some wild spring flowers as well as waiting for the flowers in your garden to show.

More tips on photographing spring flowers can be found here: Spring Flower Photography Tips

 

3. The Last Frosts

 

At this time of year, the weather is getting milder, but you'll still be able to capture some frost if you're up and about early enough. Frost looks great when it forms on newly sprouting plants, as the vibrant colour contrasts nicely with the white of the frost.  You can find out more in our frost photography tutorial.

  4. Fresh Vegetation

 

Spring is not just about close-up shots. Take advantage of the blooming colours and fresh greens to create wider landscape shots, or even panoramas, that look more vibrant and alive. ePHOTOzine has plenty of landscape tutorials over in our technique section. 

  5. Sunrise / Sunset

 

You can still capture the sunrise at a reasonable time now and the sun is still going down just after most finish work giving you the chance to capture a cracking sunset too. 

  6. Showers/ Shooting In The Rain

 

Showers are a key part of spring, and they shouldn't put you off getting out with your camera. Some great shots can be achieved in the rain, and more information on how to capture them can be found in our tutorial on shooting daffodils in the rain and in our tutorial on coping with bad weather. 

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to CarltonR (Day 8 - Shots With Movement).

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 9

Abstract Photography

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Day 10

Action Photography

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Day 11

Minimalist Photography

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  Day 12

Fruit & Veg Shots

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Day 13

Creative Blur

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Day 14

Flash Photography

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to CathTay (Day 24 - 'Balance').

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 22

Twilight Photography

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Day 23

Grey Weather Days

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Day 25

Creative Lighting

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  Day 26

Family Photos

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Day 27

Building Detail

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Day 28

Snowdrops

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

 

1. Something New

If you're usually someone who only shoots one style of photography, having a go at a new genre can not only be fun but educational. It can also fuel you with inspiration, giving you new ideas to have a go at. As you're photographing yourself there's no pressure to get it right first time either as there's no one else to please but yourself.

2. Something For A Rainy Day

Walking around in the rain, shooting landscapes isn't fun so instead of getting wet, set up your gear at home and have a go at shooting self-portraits. You never know, you may find you enjoy it enough to take your gear outside, once the rain has stopped, to shoot some self-portraiture outdoors.
 

3. In Your Own Time

As you're not working with anyone else, you can shoot your photos when and where you want. It also means you can play around with the set-up as much as you like without having to worry about your model getting bored. You don't have to worry about time ticking away either which is something you have to consider when working with a model as they could have another shoot to get to.

 

 

4. Experiment

As you don't have a model to direct you can experiment with different poses and expressions much more easily as you won't have to spend time trying to explain the idea you have in your head to someone else. Don't' forget you can experiment with props, too.

 

5. The Challenge

Working behind as well as in front of the camera comes with its own set of challenges, however learning how to overcome problems and perfecting set-ups to help improve your technique can be fun, plus you're learning and expanding your knowledge in the process. 

Some of the questions you may ask include the following: do you want to use a tripod? How are you going to fire the shutter if using a DSLR? Will you need a remote release or do you can have a camera which can be controlled remotely via a smartphone or tablet (although, if you're capturing your images with a smartphone, this won't be so much of an issue)? Are you going to shoot one shot at a time or make the most of a continuous shooting mode? 

Take a look at our technique section for answers to these questions and more. 
 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

 

The national flower of Wales is the Daffodil and as it's St David's day today, where the flower is traditionally worn, we thought it was quite appropriate to kick-off March with a few tips on photographing this Welsh emblem. 

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1. Focus On One Flower 

Have a look at a clump of daffodils and single out the most interesting heads that can be photographed without too much clutter.

 

2. Plain Backgrounds 

In situations where there are no options to shoot the daffodil without a distracting background, place a piece of card behind the head to remove all the clutter. If you do have a clutter-free dark background in your garden, such as a conifer, you may need to underexpose by one stop using the camera's exposure compensation feature to ensure detail is picked up in the flower's petals. You could also use manual mode if your camera has that option.

 

3. Side-On Shots 

The most obvious way to shoot a single head is from overhead but if you position your camera so you can still see the front of the flower but you're positioned slightly to the side, almost as if you were shooting a portrait, you'll produce a more interesting result.

 

4. Blue Sky Backgrounds 

Try shooting upwards so you can position the head with blue sky behind it for dramatic contrast. Using a polariser will deepen the blue. Alternatively, as a member has previously suggested, use a mirror and photograph the reflection so you can include the sky without having to get low to the ground. 

 

 

5. Get Close-Up

Don't just shoot the whole head, go really close and offset the stamen, placing it in on the left or right third intersection of the photo for a more pleasing balance. Your camera's macro function will help you get closer to the flowerhead or fit a macro lens if your camera uses interchangeable lenses.

 

6. All The Flowers 

If you have a large patch in your garden that's a blanket of yellow get out your wide-angle lens which will still let you get in close but with the added bonus of excellent depth-of-field. The flowers will appear smaller but the convergence will make them look like they're reaching out towards the edge of the frame.

 

7. Remove Shadows 

If it's sunny, consider shading the flower with your hand to reduce the contrast. The overall tone will be more even and longer shadows which can appear on the flower's head will be removed.

 

 

8. Small Apertures 

Focus can be a little tricky so use the smallest aperture you can to stop blur creeping into your image.

 

9. Arty Blur 

Alternatively, use a wider aperture so the back petals fall gradually out of focus, focusing on the tip of the petal nearest to your lens. 

 

10. Giant Softbox

Don't see cloud cover as a bad thing as a light covering of cloud will act as a giant softbox. 

 

 

 

11. Wind Is Not Your Friend

As well as creating backgrounds, a card can be used to shield your subject from the wind. If you have one, you can use a plamp to steady a flower. 

 

12. Water Droplets 

Spray the petals with water so that droplets appear making the petals look fresh and glowing. It'll also add another level of interest to your shot. 

 

13. Use A Reflector

Take a reflector out with you, particularly on dull days, so you can bounce extra light into your shot without having to use your flash. You can make your own reflector from silver foil if you don't own one.

 

14. Cuttings Inside

Take a cutting and place it on a different background for a more graphic result. 

 

 

15. Shoot From Under The Flower Head

Capture your shots from under the flower head, turning it into a strong silhouetted shape against a bright sky.  If you don't want it to appear as a silhouette use exposure compensation and expose one stopover what your camera considers to be correct to give your shots a creative twist without removing detail. 

 

16. Backlit Fun With Old Flowers

Don't throw out old flowers once they wilt. Wait until the head has gone crisp and photograph that against the sun to create backlit effects.

 

17. Creative Effects 

Play around with your shots to achieve various creative effects. This can be done in-camera via Art Filters or during post-production. 

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

- Partner Content - 

Lighten your load and go for a smaller format camera for travel. The Fujifilm X-T4 and OM System OM-5 Mark II are two very capable cameras and are available used for under £1000 from MPB.

 

Travel manifests itself in so many different forms, from a city break a few hours drive from home to safaris, adventure holidays and photo tours of exotic far flung lands. Such destination diversity means there’s no such thing as the perfect travel camera outfit because every trip and the photo opportunities they offer will be different. 

You have a good camera phone, but a decent camera gives a better, all-round user experience. So, our first stop is to consider compacts. If you want a truly pocketable, high-class machine, you could do worse than check out the APS-C format Ricoh GR series. The very latest model is the 25.7-megapixel GR IV which has an equivalent 28mm f/2.8 lens, five-axis image stabilisation and 5GB of internal storage. MPB has a stock of used models in excellent condition at £1039.

Skip back a generation to the Ricoh GR III and MPB has like new samples at £979. Its specs might be marginally less impressive than the GR IV, but it’s still a fine camera.

Slightly bigger and one for the shortlist is the Fujifilm X100V, another APS-C format camera. A like new model from MPB costs £1399 and for that you get 26 megapixels, 20fps burst rate shooting and a tilting monitor.

Travel light and invest in a quality compact camera such as the Ricoh GR IV (left) and Sony RX100 VII. These pocket-sized marvels are easy to use and capable of excellent images.

 

While fixed lens cameras are worth considering, you might prefer the flexibility of a zoom compact so check out models from Canon and Sony. MPB has the Canon PowerShot G9X II at £569. With 20.1 megapixels and a 3x optical 28-84mm equivalent zoom, this is a capable and pocket-sized camera. Add to your shortlist the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII, priced at £934 from MPB in like new condition and features include impressive AF skills and an equivalent 24-200mm zoom in full-frame.

Speaking of full frame, if you have the budget and want to make a statement, check out the classy Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX1R Mark II, available in excellent condition from MPB at £1709 but you can save money by opting for a good condition sample at £1439. With a fixed 35mm f/2. lens and 42.4 megapixels, this is a seriously good premier compact.

There’s no doubting the appeal of a good compact but for ultimate flexibility it doesn’t get any better than an interchangeable lens camera. 

DSLR type models remain popular and with the domination of mirrorless cameras, there’s great value to be had in this sector. That said, we’ll follow the market and look at mirrorless options allowing £1000 for the camera body and the same for a lens or two. 

 

A superzoom is ideal for walkaround photography and having less kit makes life easier on busy public transport too. Exposure was 1/125s at f/8 and ISO 400. Image Credit: Will Cheung.

 

For travel, looking at portable options makes sense and there are three formats to consider, Micro Four Thirds, APS-C and full-frame, so let’s explore the possibilities of picking a model to represent each format.

In Micro Four Thirds, we’ve gone for the OM-5 Mark II which sells for £979 body only from MPB in like new condition. It’s a very likeable camera rich in features including 30fps ProCapture, 7.5 stops of image stabilisation and 20 megapixels. Plus, there’s focus stacking, a Live ND filter and high-res shot mode, and all this in a petite weather-sealed body.

Next, we have the APS-C format and we have gone for the Fujifilm X-T4 at £969 from MPB in like new condition. This model boasts the 4th generation CMOS 4 X-Trans sensor with 26.1 megapixels, very good high ISO performance and the brand’s popular Film Simulation settings. 

 

If shooting nature is part of your travel trip, a macro lens or close focusing zoom needs to be part of your outfit but that means extra weight and space. Shot with a 100-500mm lens with an exposure of 1/500s at f/9 and ISO 400. Image Credit: Will Cheung.

 

For our sub-£1000 full-frame body, we chose the Canon EOS R6 which is priced at £999 from MPB. It’s a 20.1-megapixel camera with 8 stops of image stabilisation and Canon’s renowned Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system that delivers fast, pinpoint autofocusing.

Lens choice will be influenced by your travel plans. If nature is on the agenda, a long telephoto and possibly a macro lens will be on the shopping list. However, if you have a more general itinerary, keeping your lens outfit to manageable proportions makes perfect sense.

So, on one hand, you could go for three zooms, covering from ultra wide-angle to telephoto. In full-frame, this could mean a 14-35mm, 24-120mm and a 70-200mm, but the downsides are cost, a heavier bag and the need to switch lenses.

Squeezing in loads of focal lengths into a single lens is a great idea and in practice you get a decent level of optical performance. Shown here are the 24-240mm full-frame superzooms from Canon (left) and Sony.

 

Opting for a superzoom removes the jeopardy of lens swapping, saves time and is a more portable option. In the past, superzooms haven’t always had the best reputation and that’s simply because cramming so many focal lengths into a single entity means optical performance can be compromised. However, while superzooms still can’t match less wide-ranging zooms, the latest models are decent performers.

All three of our chosen bodies have the option of a superzoom. For the OM5 Mark II, the M.Zuiko Digital 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II is £303 from MPB so it comes well within our budget. In 35mm terms, this lens equates to 28-300mm so there’s plenty of range available. With some unused budget the option of a fast wide-angle prime appeals and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2 at £274 from MPB is worth considering.

 

Superzooms give plenty of shooting flexibility without the inconvenience of swapping lenses. This was taken at the long end of a 24-240mm lens. Exposure was 1/60s at f/6.3 and ISO 400. Image Credit: Will Cheung.

 

In Fujifilm’s extensive range of X-lenses, the superzoom offering is the XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR which is 27-206mm equivalent in full-frame and is £444 from MPB. If you want more pull, the Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS gives a full-frame equivalent of 24-450mm. MPB did not have stock at the time of writing, but what you can do is create an alert on the MPB website and you will be notified as soon as stock is available.

Finally, let’s look at a superzoom for the Canon EOS R6. Full-frame AF lenses for the EOS RF are not available from independent brands so we have to stick with Canon but there is a good option here, the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM at £784 from MPB. It’s a sizable lens but is still more portable then two or three zooms making up the same range.

 

  News from MPB

Recent MPB news includes its announcement of its results for the financial year ending 31 March 2025. The headlines are positive with a 19% increase in Group Net Revenue with international markets up by 29%. 

To put some numbers on MPB’s 2025 performance, the business recirculated more than 564,000 items in used kit and hit one million unique customers globally which is double that of three years ago. Learn more about MPB’s results by clicking here.

MPB also brought news of the state of the camera market. Basically, the imaging kit market is growing, with camera shipments including DSLRs and mirrorless up by 6.6% year-on-year and lens volume up by about 3%. 

There’s really positive news in the compact camera market in 2025. About 26% of all new cameras shipped were compacts which represents a 49% year-on-year growth in terms of market value. Read more about this story here.

  MPB Explained

You need kit to take photographs and produce videos, and taking the used route is a cost-effective way of making the most of your budget and keeping up with the latest developments in imaging technology.

MPB is one of the biggest used retailers with bases in the UK, Germany and the USA.

Trading with MPB the process is fair, safe, painless and incredibly easy.

Whether you have kit to sell, want to make a purchase or part exchange, start by going to the MPB website which is intuitive and straightforward to use.

If you have kit to trade, just start typing the name in and a list of suggestions from MPB’s huge database will appear. If a name on that list matches your product click on it and add its condition; if not, continue typing in the whole name and condition.

It’s worth bearing in mind that MPB’s database covers much more than cameras and lenses so if you have, for example, a photo backpack, tripod or filters to sell these can be shown as you type in their name too.

With all your kit listed, add contact details and a quote will appear in your inbox soon afterwards, although manually entered items will take one working day.

If you are happy with the quote, accept it and follow the instructions to get the kit ready for courier collection on a day to suit you. For higher-value deals, an MPB account manager will also be in touch, so you have a personal point of contact if you have any queries.

Once received by MPB, you will get a notification and after checking by its product specialists you will receive a final quote. This can vary from the original quote if there is a missing item —like a battery not being supplied—or your assessed condition differs from the actual condition.

A quote can go down, but it can also increase if the kit’s condition is better than your assessment.

The whole process doesn’t take long and MPB are in touch by e-mail at every step so you’re never in the dark, and only when you are totally happy with the deal, pass on your payment details or pay the balance in the case of part-exchange. Either way, the money or your new kit will be with you soon after.

Get A Quote From MPB Today

 

About MPB

• MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit.
• MPB is the simple, safe and circular way to trade, upgrade and get paid.
• MPB is not a marketplace, instead buying directly from visual storytellers and evaluating all items before reselling MPB-approved kit.
• MPB's dynamic pricing engine provides the right price upfront for all items.
• Circularity is at the centre of MPB, promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.
• MPB prioritises inclusive recruitment and supports employees with extensive training and development. They promote inclusive visual storytelling and an inclusive circular economy.
• MPB's business model is 100% circular. All packaging is 100% plastic-free. Their cloud-based platform uses 100% renewable electricity.
• MPB recirculates more than 570,000 products annually
• MPB provides first-class customer service. Customers can receive support through their Help Centre or by speaking directly with a kit expert.
• MPB's product specialists are trusted by thousands of visual storytellers in the UK.
• MPB is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot with over 37,000 reviews.

Visit The MPB Website

 

What Is Slow Sync Flash?

Slow sync flash combines a burst of flash with a slow shutter speed. On compact cameras, slow sync flash is often known as night mode and you can't control the speed of the shutter or the strength of the flash but you can with a DSLR. If you're working with a DSLR you'll probably find you have rear curtain sync and front curtain sync options among the various flash modes available, although some camera models don't have this option so do check your manual. 

 

Why Do I Need It?

Slow Sync Flash can be used to capture subjects in low light as well as action shots. 

 

Do I Need A Tripod?

When working with slow shutter speeds a tripod is recommended, however, rear or front curtain sync can create some interesting backgrounds when you work hand-held, particularly when taking your photos in an area with various light sources as the flash will freeze your subject in place while the long exposure will blur the lights into an interesting mix of colour.

  What's The Difference Between Rear And Front?

Rear-curtain sync tells your camera to fire the flash just before the photograph is finished exposing. As you pan, this creates a long trail but a nice, crisp shot of your subject. Front curtain fires the flash at the beginning of the exposure then the shutter remains open, continuing to record the ambient light. As a result, your images will appear differently depending on which method you choose.
 

How Does It Help With Action Shots?

 

Your camera's flash can provide a burst of light in a split second that will highlight your subject. However, if you're trying to capture a moving subject, the flash will freeze them in their tracks and all sense of movement will be lost. However, by combining a slow shutter speed with a pop of flash, you can create a sense of action through blur but still have your subject sharp too.

It's ideal for capturing action shots of bikes or cars moving, although it can be used to capture creative shots of any scene which has a moving subject in the foreground. Try using it next time you're photographing your child playing on a swing, for example. If you find there's blur in front of your subject rather than behind, you need to select rear curtain sync so that the ambient blur exposure is captured before the flash fires. This results in a more natural-looking shot where the blurred streak follows your subject who will be sharp thanks to the flash firing just before the exposure ends. 

You need to give your subject time to move through the frame to give the slower shutter speed time to blur their movement before the pop of flash at the end of the exposure will leave them sharp. It's also worth perfecting your panning technique before you start experimenting with this technique so your pan stays smooth and straight. You also need to ensure your panning speed is correct. For example, shoot too slow and you'll see the trail but it'll merge/blur into the background. Too fast and everything freezes.
 

How Can It Help In Low Light?

 

When photographing people in low light you can try and use flash or you can turn your flash off and use slower shutter speeds to capture enough light to create a well-exposed image.

If you're using your camera's built-in flash your subject can often take on the 'rabbit in the headlights' look thanks to the bright flash illuminating them but leaving the background dark. If you go for the slow shutter speed option you're fine if you're working with a street performer whose occupation is to be a human statue but for anyone else who tends to move around a lot, you'll just end up with motion blur spoiling your shot.

As a result, you're better off using slow sync flash so you get a relatively sharp shot of your subject but also capture enough light throughout the image to create a shot that's better exposed throughout. In other words, the camera records the background and then illuminates the subject with flash to balance the exposure between the two areas. This makes it a good mode to use when shooting portraits at night although a tripod may be necessary to keep the background sharp.
 

What Shutter Speeds Are Needed?

This will change depending on the amount of blur you want to capture in your shot. It's also worth noting that the speed your subject is moving at and how intense the light around them is can affect the final look if the image so it's worth experimenting. As you're not controlling when the flash will fire you may need to take a few shots to get to grasps with your timing too. 
 

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    1. Lenses For Flower Photography When it comes to kit, a macro lens or telephoto zoom lens with an extension tube won't be out of place and as you'll most likely be working close to the ground try to preview your shots with the help of LiveView if you find that getting your eye close to the viewfinder is difficult. A tripod is always useful when shooting macro work and a waterproof sheet, mat or gardener's kneeling pad will make the experience of working on the damp ground slightly more comfortable.  [HOOK]position_1[/HOOK]  2. Get Down Low 

Ideally, you need to be working at the same height as the snowdrops so be prepared for sitting or kneeling on the damp ground. To get you even closer to the flower heads you'll need to splay the legs on your tripod and, if you can, move the centre column from vertical to horizontal as this will get you closer to the ground. As well as making use of LiveView, switch on the camera's self-timer or use your cable /remote release to help keep your shots shake-free.
 

3. Shot Type One: Plenty Of Depth-Of-Field

Once you're set-up, you'll find you need a small f/stop to get good depth-of-field, which means you need a long exposure and when you look through the viewfinder or use your LiveView, you'll notice how the smallest of breezes will blow the flower which when mixed with slower shutter speeds, will create blur. Try using a simple piece of wire to keep the flower still or you could just wait patiently for the wind to settle down.
 

4. Shot Type Two: Bokeh Backgrounds 

If you find a particularly good specimen that doesn't have anything distracting in the background or foreground, throw the background out of focus, keeping the flower sharp. Take this one step further and completely cut out the steam, leaving the viewer's focus completely on the head of the flower. If the background looks a little too empty try positioning yourself so another Snowdrop sits in the background which you can blur out of focus. For group shots, try to pick out two or three for the centre of your image then create an out of focus frame with the surrounding snowdrops.

 

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Every photographer is taught that sharpness is important and we won't argue that it's not, however learning how to control depth of field so you can make the most of out of focus areas of a photo will give you a portfolio that's full of much more interesting and creative shots.

We'll begin by covering the basics of this technique before moving on to shooting suggestions. If you want to take a more in-depth look at this technique, there are several tutorials on ePHOTOzine that cover this subject.

[HOOK]position_1[/HOOK] 

1. The Basics

 

Switch to manual or Aperture Priority as you need to be able to control your aperture. Larger apertures (smaller f numbers) give you a shallower depth of field and help create the blurry, out of focus backgrounds we are after.

Although the main way to control depth of field is with the aperture the positioning of yourself and your subject can also enhance the blur. You want to, ideally, close the distance between the camera and subject but have as much distance as possible between your subject and the background.

Use longer focal lengths rather than wide-angles and use a tripod where possible as the smallest of movements can change the focus and potentially spoil your shot. Using manual focus can help although switching to single-point mode when using autofocus should be fine for most subjects.

If your camera has it, use the depth-of-field preview button as it's a really useful tool to allow you to visualise the amount of sharp focus in a scene.

 

2. Shoot Wider Views

 

When you think of landscapes, using a shallow depth of field isn't probably something that fist springs to mind. The traditional landscape has front-to-back sharpness, however, having something in your foreground that's perfectly sharp while the scene in the background is thrown out of focus gives the more common landscape shot a creative twist.

 

3. Make The Mundane Interesting

 

With a shallow depth of field, a simple blade of grass can look amazing! A blade of grass? We hear you cry. Yes, if you use a shallow enough depth-of-field a blade of grass can look pin-sharp and picture-perfect against a very blurry background.

You need to use a wide f stop to get the right effect. The aim is to get as much of the subject in focus as possible without losing the nice blurry feel but don't over blur the shot as this will distract from the subject. Try f/5.6 or f/8 and use the camera's depth-of-field preview button to check the aperture's effect on the background. It works great on blades of grass, insects and small flowers. During the summer, if you live near a rapeseed field try isolating a specific flower or part of the field out to draw attention to it. You could try blurring part of the foreground as well as the background to create a frame for the subject

 

4. Go Long

 

The Bokeh effect of shooting on a long lens with a wide aperture will turn background lights on city streets into circles of glowing colour, making them a perfect background for portraits. You'll need to stand a few feet away from your subject and do check your white balance to help ensure the lights in the background are glowing the colour they're meant to be.
 

5. Change The Shape

 

You don't just have to settle for circular out of focus highlights as you can use black card and a pair of scissors to change the shapes that appear. You need to decide on a shape, cut it out of the card then fast the card around your lens like you would a lens hood. Try to not make your shapes too small or complicated as they won't stand out very well in your final shot but ensure they are not bigger than your aperture either.

  6. Landmarks

The problem with landmarks is they are popular photographic subjects but by introducing blur, you can create a shot that not many other people will have taken. Make your chosen landmark completely blur out of focus and find some foreground detail that will stay in-focus and provide enough information to explain to the viewer what the background object is. 

 

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[SECTION]INTRODUCTION[/SECTION]

 

 

Quick Verdict

Compact, light, but fast and tough, the OM-1 Mark II is an excellent all-rounder. Given its tough exterior, weather resistance and svelte form factor, it could be the ideal outdoors camera, from wildlife to landscape to hiking and beyond.

 

The Olympus OM-1, the last camera to bear that iconic name, has now morphed into the OM System OM-1 Mark II. The external differences are muted and subtle, just a small II badge discreetly placed on the front panel. Incremental upgrading may well be the order of the day, but the new camera, like its first incarnation, is small, well-made, and absolutely made for action and the Great Outdoors. To run it through its paces, we have a small selection of OM lenses to choose from, and for this review, that is mainly the 12-45mm f/4 PRO and the 100-400mm f/5-6.3. Let's see how we get on, out in the field for some real-life photography and in the studio for the technical tests.

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Features

The Magnesium alloy body weighs in at just 511g. Dimensions are a modest 134.8mm x 91.6mm x 72.7mm. The body is rated as IP53 and described as splashproof, freezeproof and dustproof. Operating range is -10C to 40C, so most circumstances are well covered, the low temperature performance being better than many much more expensive cameras.

The impressive qualities of the 5.76M dot EVF will be covered later, but equally impressive is the crisp, sharp 3” monitor, despite it having just 1.62M dots.

 

 

There are practical features that impact the photographic experience. The superb Image Stabilisation, either on its own or as part of Sync IS with the lens, offers up to 8.5 stops advantage. This means some very long lenses can be viewed through the viewfinder and they are rock steady. This does not mean we don't need some higher shutter speeds for some subjects, as rapidly moving subjects still need to be stopped. Wildlife and sports are the most obvious examples.

When tripod-mounted precision is required, maybe because the framing needs to be kept exactly the same for multiple shots, then we have a sturdy-looking tripod mount. All sorts of electronic wizardry lie within the magnesium alloy body. Focus stacking, HDR, 50MP (handheld) or 80MP (tripod mounted) high resolution modes, and a multitude of interesting picture controls and art filters that offer endless creative possibilities. Many photographers enjoy playing with all sorts of effects using their smartphones and they might well be excited by the options available within the OM-1 Mark II.

The sensor is a 4/3” stacked BSI Live MOS measuring 17.3mm x 13.0mm. As we will see later, the low noise performance of this sensor along with its Trupic X processor, is quite remarkable. At 20.4MP, the pixel count may not seem very high, but many very expensive professional cameras have lasted very well using 20MP sensors and here the results are lovely, sharp and well-detailed images that look superb. If truly huge enlargements should ever be needed, then the high resolution modes can produce 50MP or 80MP files.

 

 

The small format has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage lies in the 2x crop factor, meaning very long lenses can be compact and handheld, the excellent SyncIS also helping with this. So, a 100mm lens will give the same field of view as a 200mm lens on a 35mm-format full frame camera. Any given aperture will also result in greater depth of field, usually also an advantage. This same point is also the potential disadvantage, as those photographers wanting less DOF will find this more difficult to achieve unless using very fast, perhaps f/1.4, lenses.

The incredible array of subjects recognised by the AF subject recognition system needs mentioning. This locks on and stays locked on an impressive amount of the time. Hugely valuable for wildlife shooting, but even closer up keeping the eyes sharp in a portrait shoot is also made delightfully easy.

Here is a summary of the main features of the OM-1 Mark II:

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Key Features

• MFT Format 
• IS (inbuilt) up to 8.5 stops
• Sync IS up to 8.5 stops
• 20.4MP Stacked BSI Live MOS Quad Pixel sensor, 17.3 x 13.0mm
• Truepic X Processor
• Mechanical shutter 60s – 1/8000s
• Shutter rated 400,000 shots
• Electronic shutter 60s – 1/32,000s
• AF range -8EV to +19EV
• AF Cross Type phase detection 1053 points
• AF contrast detection 1053 points
• Subject detection: Aircraft, Birds, Bullet trains, Cats, Dogs, Formula cars, Helicopters, Humans, Motorcycles, Rally cars, Standard trains, Steam Locomotives.
• Blackout-free EVF
• Pro Capture
• Metering range -2EV to +20EV
• ISO range 80-102,400
• In-camera focus stacking
• In-camera HDR
• OLED EVF 5.76M dots, 1.48x – 1.65x, 100% FOV
• 3” Vari-angle touch-sensitive LCD monitor 1.62M dots, swivel type
• Magnesium alloy body
• Video 4K 60p, C4K, FHD, High Speed Movie FHD
• Tripod Hi Res Shot JPEG 80MP
• Hand Held High Res Shot 50MP
• Operation -10C to +40C
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• HDMI
• Moisture and dust resistance to IP53 standard
• 511g with battery and card
• 134.8mm x 91.6mm x 72.7mm
• Battery BLX-1, 500 shots
• 2 SD card slots
• Extensive digital filters
• OI Share App

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Handling

One of the most useful features that really enhances handling is the superb 5.76M dot EVF. Especially for those used to viewing via high-quality pentaprism finders, here we have a really excellent electronic alternative. It still uses battery power to look through the camera, but is probably the best EVF currently available, offering a sharp, accurate and relaxing view of the world beyond.

MTF format is smaller than APS-C, and this can carry forward into smaller cameras and lenses, a huge advantage for those preferring to travel light. This can free the joy of photography, without being weighed down and burdened by onerously heavy or bulky kit. Combine the svelte form factor of the OM-1 Mark II with its rugged IP53 sealed construction, and we have a winner for travel in even the most inhospitable conditions. 

The MFT format also has a very useful 2x crop factor. Useful, that is, for the pulling power that can tackle wildlife and sports subjects at range, with lenses that can still be handheld. It is remarkable to use a 400mm lens on the OM-1 Mark II and see the 800mm-equivalent image lock in, rock steady in the viewfinder. Yes, we have more depth of field as well, and this too can be an advantage for many types of photography. Those wanting less DOF closer up may find they need very fast OM lenses, or alternatively might fare better with larger formats where DOF is reduced.

Despite the small dimensions of the camera body, the buttons provided do not tend to be placed where they could be accidentally pressed. This is the bane of some designs, but OM System has side-stepped this by careful design and high-quality buttons and dials that need just the right amount of pressure to activate.

The actual grip design is also well thought out, and the camera can be gripped securely without the strap. This does make carrying tidier, and straps can get caught on things, so this reviewer ditches straps. This also makes using tripods and shooting product shots much easier.

There is quite an armamentarium of features within the OM-1 Mark II and these could take a while to fully explore, but spending some time doing so will reap rewards. As well as operating the camera through its own controls, there is also the OI Share App.

The OI Share App works really well, and there is no difficulty in registering a camera virtually instantly. Connection is also very reliable, with none of the failed attempts that can plague such systems. There are circumstances where operating the camera remotely can be advantageous, so it is good to see a straightforward App that operates well and does exactly what it needs to without being overly complex. Up to 10 cameras can be registered to the App, but obviously, only one can be used at a time.

 

[SECTION]PERFORMANCE[/SECTION]

OM System OM-1 Mark II Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Lens Performance – The M. Zuiko 12-45mm f/4 PRO has been previously reviewed, along with the OM-5 in February 2023. It is a very capable and consistent performer, an excellent introduction to the OM System lenses. It delivers bright, sharp images, resists flare well, has low CA throughout the range and attractive bokeh. Very severe lighting conditions can result in some flare artefacts, but these tend to be rather pleasant in themselves and many photographers are happy to utilise such effects in their photography. In general, current OM System lenses are really looking great, and at very attractive prices. Compact, light and with high performance, they are beautiful optics to use.

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II ISO test images Previous Next

 

ISO Performance – In theory, we might expect that the smaller MFT format would find it difficult to deal with noise levels.  In practice, the OM System cameras compete very favourably with APS-C and even full frame alternatives. This OM-1 Mark II is even stronger than the first version. From ISO 80 right through to ISO 3200, there is virtually no noise evident. ISO 6400 sees some noise creeping in, but the integrity of the test target boxes is maintained. At ISO 12800 noise is more obvious, but it is at ISO 25600 that things start to fall apart and the noise goes up and the definition dramatically falls away. ISO 51200 sees masses of noise, and also falling off of detail and contrast. ISO 102400 is beyond all hope and would be pushing it even for emergency use.

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II White-balance test images Previous Next

 

White Balance – The camera delivers a strong set of white balance presets, from the excellent AWB through Sunny 5300K, Shadow 7500K, Cloudy 6000K, Incandescent 3000K, Fluorescent 4000K, Underwater, Flash 5500K, various user settings and a custom K setting. Actually quoting colour temperatures is a nice touch.

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Digital filters Previous Next

 

Digital Filters – A cornucopia of dazzling digital filters is in the picture control section of the OM-1 Mark II. Some might seem a bit mysterious, but somebody, somewhere, might find just the effect that suits their style, ready-made. Further tweaks can be made, so from simple filters for black and white renditions to cross-processing, pretty much everything is here. Sample shots have been made of as many of these effects as possible, although it should be remembered that these are just the starting point and they can be adjusted further to taste.

 

Video –  The basic video specs are as follows:

• Video recording: C4K 60p, 4K 60p, High Speed Movie FHD 240fps
• Video Quality: 4K, C4K, FHD, High Speed Movie FHD
• Codec: H.264, H.265

Although this is not a video review, some impromptu footage was shot to see how the camera handles. Quality is excellent, the basic default setup gives very smooth, judder-free results and would be very acceptable on a widescreen TV. The image is sharp, the colour is good and the picture is very stable. The positioning of the start/stop button is also good, avoiding jerky starts or ends to the video.

 

[SECTION]VERDICT[/SECTION]

 

 

Value For Money

The OM System overall is priced as follows:

• [AMUK]OM-1 II|OM-1+II[/AMUK] body only, £2049
• OM-1 II with 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II, £2599
• [AMUK]OM-3|OM-3[/AMUK] body only, £1699
• OM-3 with 12-45mm f/4 PRO, £1999
• [AMUK]OM-3 ASTRO|OM-3+ASTRO[/AMUK] body only, £1899
• [AMUK]OM-5 II|OM-5+II[/AMUK] body only, £1099
• OM-5 II with 12-45mm f/4 PRO, £1499

 

Some body only has alternatives from other marques:

• [AMUK]Canon R7|Canon+R7[/AMUK], £1349
• [AMUK]Canon F10|Canon+F10[/AMUK], £1249
• [AMUK]Fujifilm X-S20|Fujifilm+X-S20[/AMUK], £1149
• [AMUK]Fujifilm X-T5|Fujifilm+X-T5[/AMUK], £1549
• [AMUK]Fujifilm X-H2|Fujifilm+X-H2[/AMUK], £1849
• [AMUK]Fujifilm X-H2S|Fujifilm+X-H2S[/AMUK], £2299
• [AMUK]Fujifilm X-H2 IR|Fujifilm+X-H2+IR[/AMUK], £2199
• [AMUK]Nikon Zfc|Nikon+Zfc[/AMUK], £849
• [AMUK]Nikon Z50 II|Nikon+Z50+II[/AMUK], £849
• [AMUK]Panasonic Lumix G9 II|Panasonic+Lumix+G9+II[/AMUK], £1689
• [AMUK]Sony A6700|Sony+A6700[/AMUK], £1449

Considering its specification and quality, the OM-1 Mark II pitches at a very reasonable point.

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Verdict

There is still a strong case for handling a camera before buying it, and the OM-1 Mark II is one of those that instantly fits the hands and instantly impresses. The impact of this is best experienced by actually holding and using a fine piece of kit. With impeccable handling, a vast array of technology built in and superb results, there is so much to like about the camera and really nothing significant to mark as a drawback.

The OM-1 Mark II is a great camera, and there is no hesitation in awarding it the kudos of Editor's Choice.

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Pros

• IP53 weather sealing
• IS and SyncIS 8.5 stops advantage
• Rugged construction
• Compact and light
• Excellent ergonomic design
• Excellent subject recognition
• Extensive menu of digital filters
• Wide and excellent range of Zuiko lenses
• Fair price

 

OM System OM-1 Mark II Cons

• None

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=5|R_handling=5|R_performance=5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=5|A_level=5|A_text=Editor's Choice – Quality in fine design, construction and performance, a superb camera at a very fair price.|E_id=8016[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

 

View the OM System OM-1 Mark II camera specs in the equipment database.

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Instead of focusing on a building as a whole, you can pick out detail such as clock faces, windows, gargoyles and other interesting aspects. However, doing so can be a bit tricky as unless you have an incredibly tall set of ladders, a lot can be out of reach but there are quite a few ways you can get around this. 

[HOOK]position_1[/HOOK]  

1. What's In Your Kit Bag?

To get close to detail that's high-up on buildings, you're going to need a zoom lens that has a slightly longer reach. If you're a compact user you'll still be able to capture frame-filling shots if your camera features a longer zoom (20x or above would be good). Having a camera with a vari-angle LCD screen can make it easier to frame your shot when working with a tripod at its maximum height or when you're working hand-held with your arms up above you but it's not an essential feature. 
 

2. Look For Detail 

Most pictures you see of churches, cathedrals and other tall structures show the whole, impressive structure but by cropping in tightly you can highlight the fantastic repetitive detail, make an interesting pattern and shoot detail you don't always notice in the wider shots.

Once you begin to search you'll be surprised at the amount of detail you'll be able to fill your frame with. Of course, there's gargoyles, clocks, windows, spires, sundials and weather vanes, but a little closer to the ground you'll find stone carvings present and sometimes intricate detailed wood carvings on the exterior walls around doorways and above windows.

Filling the frame with repeating patterns such as brickwork or tiles on a roof can create interesting abstract shots. Just fill your frame, watch your shutter speeds if you're working hand-held and make sure you're focusing accurately as blur really doesn't work in this type of shot.

 

3. Roof Access? 

If you can get on the roof or balcony, as well as gaining you a great viewpoint of the city you can often find interesting statues/gargoyles projecting out from the walls. As they don't move they're an easy target and most are so beautifully sculptured that several varied photographs can be taken. However, as not all buildings give you access to their roof, you'll probably end up shooting from the ground where you'll need to use the long reach of your telephoto or zoom lens to bring the detail to you.

 

 

 

4. Magnification 

The problem you have with using lenses with a longer reach is that they magnify objects, which is of course what you want, but this does mean that even the tiniest of movements can create a large amount of blur in your photograph so make sure you have a tripod and stick to quicker shutter speeds when possible. Using a lens which features Vibration Reduction (VR) will further minimise shake. If you're shooting detail such as weather vanes where the sky will be your background fit a polarizer to darken a blue sky and give more contrast to the shot.

 

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Creators are constantly searching for tools that can keep up with the demand for engaging visuals without the steep learning curve of professional editing software. Enter Pollo AI, a rapidly rising star in the global AI landscape that has cracked the code: delivering viral-ready videos in one click—with no editing required.

This article explores why Pollo AI has become an indispensable tool for millions, breaking down its key features and how it simplifies professional AI creation into one seamless experience.

 

What Is Pollo AI?

 

 

Pollo AI is an all-in-one AI visual creation powerhouse designed to democratize high-quality video production. It empowers users to generate viral-worthy videos instantly, eliminating the need for timeline editing, color grading, or complex transitions. 

It brings together AI video generators, image generators, advanced utility tools, cutting-edge models, and trending effects under one roof.

Unlike other platforms that feel cluttered with confusing interfaces and steep learning curves, Pollo AI offers a smooth, streamlined workflow that anyone can master in minutes.

This relentless focus on user experience has fueled explosive growth. Within just 7 months of its launch, Pollo AI has attracted over 4 million monthly active users, successfully raised $14 million in funding, and secured its place as a top-five AI video creation platform worldwide.

This trajectory signals strong investor confidence and proves that the market is hungry for a tool that balances power with simplicity.

 

The Key Features That Make Pollo AI Indispensable

 

Pollo AI isn't just a single tool; it's a comprehensive suite designed to handle every aspect of modern visual creation. Here is a look at the capabilities of Pollo AI video generator that set it apart.

 

Multiple Video Generation Capabilities

Pollo AI covers the entire spectrum of video creation needs, from simple text prompts to complex musical synchronization.

• Text to Video AI: Transform abstract ideas into compelling visual narratives. Simply type a description of what you want to see, and Pollo AI’s advanced models will generate high-fidelity video content with appropriate motion, timing, and visual coherence.
• Image to Video AI: Breathe life into static imagery. This tool is perfect for transforming product photos, digital art, or personal portraits into engaging cinematic videos. It adds dynamic motion to stills without requiring any animation skills.
• Reference to Video: Solves the "consistency problem" in AI video. By uploading a reference image, creators can ensure that specific characters, objects, or faces remain identical across different clips—a critical feature for brand storytelling and narrative continuity.
• AI Avatar Generator: Create realistic digital humans that can "speak" any script in multiple languages. This is widely used for educational tutorials, corporate training, and sales presentations, enabling the production of professional talking-head videos without cameras, studios, or actors.
• AI Music Video Generator: Turn any audio track into a stunning visual journey. Upload your song, and Pollo AI automatically syncs dynamic visuals, effects, and transitions to the rhythm and mood of the music. It empowers artists and creators to produce music videos effortlessly.

 

Continuously Updated Multimodel Platform

One of Pollo AI's strongest advantages is its architecture. It functions as a high-performance aggregator engine that integrates the world's most advanced AI models.

 

 

Instead of being locked into a single technology, users gain access to a powerhouse selection, including:

• Video Models: Seedance 2.0, Google Veo 3, Sora 2, Kling AI, Pixverse AI, and more.
• Image Models: Seedream, Flux Kontext, Nano Banana, and other top-tier generators.

This flexibility allows users to choose the specific model that best fits their project's aesthetic—whether it's photorealism, anime style, or surrealist art—all within a single subscription.

 

100+ AI Video & Photo Effects That Go Viral

In the world of social media, trends move fast. Pollo AI ensures you never miss a beat by providing a massive library of over 100 fun and trending video and photo effects.

This includes massive internet trends like the AI kissing video effect (also known as the "hug" or "squish" effect), which has taken social media by storm. These one-click effects allow creators to add professional-grade visual flair and humor to their content instantly, significantly increasing the likelihood of their videos going viral.

 

Conclusion

 

Pollo AI stands out not just as a tool, but as a creative home for millions. Its mission is simple yet ambitious: to build a platform that enables anyone to generate viral videos in one click, with zero editing skills required. It exists to democratize creativity, giving everyone the chance to produce trending content and fully unleash their imagination through AI.

Whether you are a professional marketer needing volume, an artist needing expression, or a casual creator looking for fun, Pollo AI provides everything you need to lead the next wave of digital content.

Stop jumping between tabs and struggling with complex software. Start creating with Pollo AI today.

[SECTION]INTRODUCTION[/SECTION]

 

 

Quick Verdict

Canon has delivered what could be the ideal Hybrid Mirrorless Full-Frame camera, capable of the highest standards for both stills and video. With solid, sturdy construction, well-thought-out control layout and an extensive feature set, what's not to like?

 

Hybrid full-frame cameras have until now hovered around the 24MP mark, a point at which speed of operation and resolution meet to find a sensible compromise. This stretches now up to the 32.5MP of the Canon R6 Mark III, offering a new standard of performance. Is this a compromise that merely meets all the conflicting requirements in a no-man's-land or is it a bold new standard of performance that stretches the technical capabilities to new heights? Armed with the superb Canon RF 85mm f/1.4 VCM lens, we set forth on our voyage of discovery.

 

Canon R6 Mark III Features

First impressions are of a solid, chunky but not overly large camera body, thankfully weather resistant as we face the February rain, and weighing in at a manageable 699g with card and battery according to Canon, but actually measuring at 690g as we are using an SD card as opposed to the CFExpress Type B. If this was a video review, then the latter option would no doubt have been an advantageous choice.

The main features are detailed below, but there are some nice touches that deserve a mention. Even before the lens is attached, the protective cover for the sensor can be seen, and this is a really good idea. So many cameras leave the sensor naked and exposed when lenses are changed, so the added security offered by Canon is very welcome.

 

 

Stills/Video is selected by a small switch on the left of the top plate. On the right, we have the mode dial plus two control dials, the on/off switch and the stills and video shutter releases. The latter is separate but placed well, so that shaky starts can be better avoided.

The vari-angle screen is crisp and sharp, as is the OLED EVF. The magnification of the EVF image is only 0.76x, but it serves well enough. The image does not cause eye fatigue and gives an accurate representation of the scene.

 

 

Canon R6 Mark III Key Features

• Full frame
• IBIS up to 8.5 stops centre
• IBIS up to 7.5 stops peripheral
• 32.5MP CMOS sensor
• DIGIC X Processor
• Mechanical shutter 30s – 1/8000s
• Electronic shutter 30s – 1/16,000s
• Mechanical shutter up to 12fps
• Electronic shutter up to 40fps
• Dual pixel CMOS AF II -6.5EV to +20EV
• Metering range -3EV to +20EV
• ISO range 50-102,400
• 0.5cm OLED EVF 3.69M dots, up to 120fps refresh rate
• EVF 100% view, 0.76x
• 3” Vari-angle touch-sensitive TFT LCD monitor 1.62M dots
• Operation 0C to +40C
• WiFi, 5GHz/2.4GHz
• Bluetooth 5.1
• HDMI Type A
• E-3 remote terminal
• USB-C 3.2
• 3.5mm Mic and headphone sockets 
• Moisture and dust resistance
• 699g with battery and card
• Battery LP-E6P, approx 620 shots
• 1 SD UHS-II card slot
• 1 CFExpress Type B card slot
• 138.4 x 98.4 x 88.4mm

 

Canon R6 Mark III Handling

Although handling can be a very personal thing, Canon has impressively given us a myriad of options and possibilities to use and control the camera. There is a considerable amount of duplication, where more than one control alters a parameter. This is especially true within the extensive menus, where the top control wheel, the secondary control wheel and the rotary dial around the set button may all be utilised as we prefer. This is all fine as we simply choose the one we want to use. Dials and wheels can be reprogrammed as required and the camera can be set up to the individual photographer with ease. Spending time to set up things optimally will reap rewards in faster and more intuitive operation.

For this review, the lens control ring is set to alter ISO, the rear rotary dial is set to alter exposure compensation and the mode dial stays on Av. Aperture is controlled by the upper front dial. All the buttons do something useful. It's just a matter of learning what does what to get quick access to any features that might want regular adjustment. There is even a Colour button that gives direct access to the digital filters. 

The joystick moves the focus point, and when this is set to one point focus it can be easily relocated around the image field as required. To reset to centre, just push the joystick and it locks into centre, identified by a small dot appearing in the centre of the AF box. The joystick is well placed to avoid the point of focus being accidentally moved when the camera is being carried in one hand. There is something here that is rarely mentioned, and that is, if it is so convenient to carry the camera without a strap in the right hand, ready for instant use, then how does this work for a left-handed user? This applies to all marques, and is not singling out Canon. The only left-handed cameras I know of need us to look back at the 1950s and 1960s and makers such as Ihagee (Exakta).

In terms of what we have though, the R6 Mark III handles in a totally exemplary fashion, balancing well, operating slickly and delivering some fantastic shots. Within the Canon range, this reviewer would gravitate towards the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in the DSLR range and this R6 Mark III in the R series mirrorless cameras, both around 30MP and offering a sensible balance between image size and speed of operation. The new camera is a pleasure to use.

 

[SECTION]PERFORMANCE[/SECTION]

Canon R6 Mark III Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
 

Canon R6 Mark III Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Lens Performance – The Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM lens provided with the camera for this review has been covered and is a truly excellent and impressive lens. There are plenty of outstanding Canon lenses that can be coupled with the R6 Mark III and will yield beautiful results. True, the L series lenses are expensive, but the camera deserves the best to take full advantage of its performance.

 

Canon R6 Mark III ISO test images Previous Next

 

ISO Performance – This is possibly the best ISO performance ever seen in any Canon body. Images are clean up to and including ISO 1600. Noise just creeps in at ISO 3200 and 6400, but even here, the structure is very tight and the integrity of the test chart boxes is maintained. ISO 12800 is still a tight grain structure, although noise is now clearly visible. ISO 25600 sees considerable noise, but again, the structure of the image is tight. Noise at ISO 51200 and 102400 is very obvious, but the box edges can still be discerned even in the darkest areas. An excellent result.

 

Canon R6 Mark III White-balance test images Previous Next

 

White Balance – There are a number of preset options for white balance, and various adjustments can be made to these. AWB has the usual options between white and ambience priority. To this we can add Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light, Flash, Custom and four slots for specific colour temperatures. AWB is useful for mixed lighting and general use, but to keep the colours of a scene, the other presets do a great job. Cloudy is very close to the Cloudy or 81A filters we used on film, and this setting warms portraits very attractively. Shade is perfect for those purple-hued woodland shadows and is especially effective for fungus hunting.

 

Canon R6 Mark III Digital filters Previous Next

 

Digital Filters – Interestingly, Canon has provided Scene modes on this body, despite it clearly being aimed at the advanced amateur and professional users. There is a wide selection, and these have not been shot with this review, as each setting clearly needs the specific situation to be meaningful. The settings available are Portrait, Smooth skin, Group Photo, Landscape, Panoramic shot, Sports, Kids, Panning, Close-up, Food, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control and Silent Shutter. It might be arguable that using such shortcuts doesn't end up teaching much about photography, but then it also is true that the beginner could end up with better images and this would be encouraging in itself.

More general digital filters are found in the Colour mode section of the menus. There are two groups of these and samples have been shot of all of them.

Picture Style settings are Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome and three User Defined selections.

Colour Filters are a bit more exotic and sometimes somewhat mysterious, but we have StoryTeal&Orange, StoryMagenta, StoryBlue, PaleTeal&Orange, RetroGreen, Sepiatone, AccentRed, TastyWarm, TastyCool, BrightAmber, BrightWhite, ClearLightBlue, ClearPurple and ClearAmber.

 

Video –  We might expect a Canon Hybrid body to have a good set of video options:

• Open gate recording up to 30fps
• DCI 7K RAW up to 60fps
• 4K UHD up to 120fps
• 2K up to 180fps
• FHD up to 180fps
• Canon log 2, 3, HDR PQ and Canon 709
• Time lapse up to 4K 30fps

Quality of impromptu filming is excellent and focus tracks well. Stability is also excellent, and although a close look at the video aspects of the camera is outside the main focus of this review, it's clear that there is great potential for some convincing quality footage.

 

[SECTION]VERDICT[/SECTION]

 

 

Value For Money

The [AMUK]Canon R6 Mark III|Canon+R6+Mark+III[/AMUK] is priced at £2799.

To put this in perspective, let's look at a range of marques and prices:

Canon 

• [AMUK]R6 II|Canon+R6+II[/AMUK], £2199
• [AMUK]R5 II|Canon+R5+II[/AMUK], £4399
• [AMUK]R5|Canon+R5[/AMUK], £3149

Nikon

• [AMUK]Z6 III|Nikon+Z6+III[/AMUK], £2499
• [AMUK]Z7 II|Nikon+Z7+II[/AMUK], £2499
• [AMUK]Zf|Nikon+Zf[/AMUK], £2299

Panasonic Lumix

• [AMUK]S1R II|Panasonic+Lumix+S1R+II[/AMUK], £2999
• [AMUK]S1 IIE|Panasonic+Lumix+S1+IIE[/AMUK], £2199

Sony

• [AMUK]A7 IV|Sony+A7+IV[/AMUK], £2099
• [AMUK]A7 V|Sony+A7+V[/AMUK], £2799
• [AMUK]A7R V|Sony+A7R+V[/AMUK], £2999

These are all full frame, admittedly some rather more or less than the 32.5MP of the R6 Mark III. On that basis and its intended market place, probably the Sony A7 V is the closest competitor. Both are equally priced, so looking at lens costs, features, and handling are the factors that will separate the options out.

 

Canon R6 Mark III Verdict

This could end up being a battle of Giants as the Canon R6 Mark III pushes strongly into the full-frame hybrid camera market. There are so many great cameras, so looking at the cameras themselves is only the beginning. The lens range, the ability to use adapters to explore other ranges, and the availability or not of third-party options are all part of the bigger overall picture. The lens costs are likely to be high, as it would seem a waste to add a low-cost kit lens to a camera as fine as the R6 Mark III.

Of course, the cameras listed as possible alternatives are all very different beasts and in the end, it's down to handling and any specific requirements that the photographer may have. The R6 Mark III is certainly a terrific option, sturdy, efficient in handling and capable of the highest quality, both for stills and video. The noise control is also quite possibly the best seen so far from Canon.

Such a meeting of fine qualities leaves us with a very powerful option that is, inevitably, an Editor's Choice.

 

Canon R6 Mark III Pros

• Great images and video
• Well-thought-out control layout
• ISO performance is excellent
• Very fast and responsive AF
• Customisation options
• High-quality construction
• Moisture and dust resistance
• High-quality EVF

 

Canon R6 Mark III Cons

• Expensive
• No third-party lenses

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=5|R_performance=5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=5|A_level=5|A_text=Editor's Choice – A powerhouse of features and performance from this versatile hybrid camera|E_id=8016[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

 

View the Canon R6 Mark III camera specs in the equipment database.

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The German image editing provider Neurapix has expanded its AI technology with a fundamental enhancement: effective immediately, the AI edits even more like a human by taking the context of the entire Lightroom collection being processed into account. The result: even more consistently edited photos.

The goal of many photographers is a cohesive look that runs throughout an entire shoot. Until now, however, editing AIs have analyzed each image individually and applied the desired style to each one separately. Neurapix's new approach also considers the other images within the project, ensuring, for example, even more consistent white balance and more uniform exposure across the entire set.

For users, almost nothing changes in terms of operation: in the Neurapix editing dialog, they can simply check the box labeled "Optimize Consistency" to activate the new AI. The feature is included in the "Neurapix Unlimited" plan. In the “Pay-per-Picture” model, as with all optional features, a maximum surcharge of 1 cent per image applies.

 

"The Best Editing Results Currently Possible"

 

"We asked ourselves: Why doesn't AI work like a human? After all, a human would look at the entire shoot and compare the images with one another," says Nils Sauder, co-founder and CEO of Neurapix. "Accordingly, we developed a completely new AI approach in order to deliver the best editing results currently possible to our customers."

The new feature becomes available automatically after updating the Neurapix plugin. The update is offered via a pop-up the next time Lightroom Classic is launched, or it can be installed manually via the Plug-in Manager.

 

About: Neurapix is a German AI start-up based in Goettingen that was founded in 2021. The company has developed an artificial intelligence that is able to learn a photographer's image editing style and apply it within Adobe Lightroom Classic. This allows photographers to have large numbers of photos edited in their own style, resulting in significant time savings of around 90%. For more information, please visit the Neurapix website.

 

We thought we'd put together a quick and easy to follow tutorial on photographing fruit and veg slices with a light source behind them which you can do indoors when it's raining outside. Why do this? Well, the bright light combined with a single or even a few slices of fruit or vegetable can produce an interesting 'arty' style photograph that's really easy to capture at home. 
 

1. Gear You'll Need 

As well as a camera and a macro lens with a short focal length you'll need a lightbox. If you don't own one, you can create one with a clear surface, a light source that can sit under it and something to diffuse the light such as muslin or tracing paper.

You'll also need a tripod, ideally one that has a centre column that can be twisted upside down or horizontally. By using a tripod that can do this you'll be able to work with the centre column rotated so your camera faces down onto the lightbox. This means your hands are kept free for chopping and adjusting fruit/veg slices, plus you can get closer to your subject. 

Don't forget your fruit and veg! Obvious choices are kiwi as the seeds produce interesting patterns but half-circles of onion, oranges, cucumbers and limes work well too. Have a think about how a particular fruit or vegetable may look when sliced up and placed on a lightbox. You shouldn't need to spend much money, plus you can eat any left-over specimens at the end!

  2. Preparation Is Key

 

Get your chopping board out and cut thin slices from your fruit/vegetable. Make sure you cut even slices so when the light passes through, you won't have one part that's darker than the other. Use a clean, sharp knife to slice your fruit/vegetable then place the slice on the lightbox.

Where possible, work away from windows, turn off your house lights and you may want to close the curtains/blinds to limit the amount of light coming in if it's bright outside. 

  3. Placement & Design 

If you're using multiple slices or various fruits/vegetables think about your composition. Repetition and patterns always work well and for some reason, working with odd items gives you a shot that's more pleasing to the eye. This doesn't mean you can't work with even numbers as they can work but the rule of odds is something you should just keep in mind.

  4. Setting Up The Shot

1. As with most close-up work, it's best to switch from auto focus to manual to stop your lens 'searching'. 
2. Take a test shot and check the exposure as the bright light may fool your camera into underexposing. If this happens, switching to a + exposure compensation should fix the problem or you can work in manual if you prefer.
3. You want the background to be bright but not so bright that you can't see the shapes and patterns in the segment of fruit or vegetable you're working with.
4. Good depth of field is needed and if you find problems with camera shake, switch your self-timer on so you have time to move away from the camera before the exposure's captured.

 

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