Photography News

The Panasonic Lumix S9 has been out long enough to see past the launch noise and judge it on real use. If image quality and price both matter, this camera deserves a closer look. 

[Read More]

Starting in photography feels harder than it should. You’re told to buy more gear, follow trends, chase presets, and somehow build a style at the same time. Here's how to make it easier. 

[Read More]

 

Meike has shared a preview of its upcoming lineup for CP+ 2026 in Yokohama, Japan, which will run from February 26 to March 1, 2026. The company will introduce its new lightweight Air series lenses along with the updated AF 85mm F1.4 Mark II.

 

New Air Series (APS-C)

The Air series debuts with three compact F1.7 prime lenses designed for mirrorless cameras:

• AF 25mm F1.7 
• AF 35mm F1.7
• AF 56mm F1.7

All three will be available in Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X mounts, with both black and white finishes to match modern camera designs.

 

 

AF 85mm F1.4 Mark II (Full-Frame)

Part of Meike’s MIX series, the AF 85mm F1.4 Mark II is a lighter, second-generation version of the original lens. It features a newly upgraded autofocus motor for faster and quieter performance, along with professional refinements:

• Physical Controls: Aperture ring with click/de-click switch, focus ring, and aperture lock.
• Pro Build: Customizable Fn button and a dust- and splash-resistant sealing ring.
• Mounts: Available for Sony E, Nikon Z, and LUMIX L.

Attendees can see the new lenses at Meike booth No.70 in the Pacifico Yokohama.

For more information, please visit the Meike 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.

 

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

Photography forums, YouTube comment sections, and gear review threads would have you believe that the path to better images runs through spec sheets and brand allegiances. Spend enough time in these spaces and you might start to think that your sensor size is holding you back, or that real photographers only shoot in manual mode, or that your follower count reflects the quality of your work. None of this is true, but it takes time and experience to see through it. 

[Read More]

Vary your landscape photography perspectives. Learn how adjusting your tripod's height can completely transform your wide angle compositions. 

In landscape photography, we often obsess over the technical trinity of exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. We also concentrate on techniques such as filters and exposure bracketing. When working with wide angle lenses, there is another variable that is frequently overlooked, mostly by beginners, yet equally critical to the final composition: perspective.

[Read More]

Every photographer has a collection of images that almost worked. The composition was there, the moment was right, but something about the light fell flat, or the exposure didn't quite capture what your eyes saw in person. We also tend to accumulate old family photographs in shoeboxes and drawers, images yellowed by time and marked by creases from decades of handling. These are the kinds of problems that used to require either significant manual work in Photoshop or simply acceptance that some photos couldn't be saved.

[Read More]

Carrying a small camera to a place like Malibu sounds casual, but it exposes how you shoot when nothing else gets in the way. The choices you make in the field usually echo later when deciding what images deserve space on your website. 

[Read More]

Travel photography can leave you frustrated even when the images are sharp and well exposed. You come home with full hard drives and a quiet sense that none of it really landed. 

[Read More]

Shooting a landscape with only a 14mm lens can leave you stuck with too much foreground and not enough subject. When the light is right but the lens is wrong, the choices you make in editing decide whether the photo survives at all. 

[Read More]

OM Digital Solutions has announced the OM SYSTEM OM-3 ASTRO, a dedicated astrophotography version of the OM SYSTEM OM-3 built to better capture red emission nebulae. The company says the camera is compliant with the Micro Four Thirds System standard and will be sold on a made-to-order basis, with availability planned for March 2026. 

[Read More]

 

The well known saying: 'Keep it simple stupid' is well known for a reason – it works. Yes, there are times when lots of compositional elements do work but by creating an almost 'empty' space, you can actually create a stronger image.

[HOOK]position_1[/HOOK]

1. Why Does It Work?

By cutting out clutter, other people etc. you remove potential distractions and it'll be easier for the viewer of your image to understand what / who your main focus is in the shot and what you're trying to say.
 

2. Subject Choice

 

Just because you're keeping things simple it doesn't mean it has to be boring. Actually, with this technique, you have to work hard to do the opposite and find a strong subject that can stand up on its own. This becomes even more relevant when you're using a large amount of space so your subject only takes up a small amount of the frame.

Also, rather than thinking about what to include in your frame, think the opposite and look for items you can remove.
 

Here are a few ways you can achieve a minimalist look to your shots:

  3. Blurry Backgrounds

 

An obvious way to make your subject stand out is to adjust your aperture so everything in the background is thrown out of focus. You can find more tips on how to do this here: Creative Aperture / Depth Of Field

  4. Plain Backgrounds

Studio backgrounds and other material can be used to hide distracting objects inside and while you're out, use plain walls, fences or if you're shooting small subjects such as flowers, try taking your own backgrounds with you. On the subject of flowers, you can lower your angle so you're shooting up at the flower with the sky as your background which can give you a minimalist-style shot. White backgrounds are an obvious choice but don't think you can't use some bold, strong colour too (as we'll explain further down the page).

 

5. Play With Colour

 

If your subject and background contrast your subject will stand out from the shot. You can do this with colour (bright, strong colours work well) or light, using a brighter subject against a darker background and vice versa. Just make sure there are no 'hot spots' which will pull the viewer's eye away.

Also, having a strong colour filling your background that's the same as your subject can work in some situations or try producing black & white shots which rely on strong subjects and textures to make them interesting. You could even use shapes and colour as your subject, creating a strong composition that fills your frame in the process. 

6. Space To Breath

When used right, adding space to a shot can work just as well as cropping in close. To find out why sometimes it's what you leave out of your images that makes them great, read our tutorial: How To Use Negative Space In Your Photos

 

7. Crop Out Objects

An easy way to remove objects that are at the edge of your frame is to use your zoom to crop them out. You can also use editing software such as Photoshop to crop your images and we have a detailed tutorial on how to use this tool here: Introduction To Photoshop's Crop Tool

If you find the distracting objects are too close to your subject to crop out, you could use the Clone Stamp Tool to remove them. You can also remove distracting backgrounds and replace them with plain ones in Photoshop, too.

 

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

Every photographer makes decisions about file formats constantly, yet most of us operate on habit, hearsay, or whatever our camera defaulted to when we first pulled it out of the box. The problem is that choosing the wrong format at the wrong stage of your workflow can quietly destroy your editing flexibility, balloon your storage needs, break compatibility with clients and labs, or degrade your images in ways you won't notice until it's too late.

[Read More]

Today, the new Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro Z Mount lens comes to Nikon cameras. 

You know, sometimes a lens will just scratch you right where you itch. It can be hard to explain. Sometimes you’ll shoot with two lenses, both sharing the same focal range. In practical terms, you are expecting essentially the same result. But maybe one is slightly warmer than the other, maybe one is slightly lighter than the other, and next thing you know, you’ve discovered a valuable tool that becomes a permanent part of your rotation.

[Read More]

Photoshop’s generative credits determine how freely you can use newer AI tools, and most people don’t know where to see their balance. That uncertainty turns routine edits into guesswork, especially when premium models are involved. 

[Read More]

I like to carry minimal gear and travel light when on vacation or a travel photography adventure, and my favorite camera hasn’t changed after 7 years of ownership—it’s the Nikon Z50. Finding the right lens has always been a struggle, though, until I got my hands on Viltrox’s AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro. 

[Read More]

The instax mini Link+ is a small shift in how you move from a screen to a physical print, and it’s aimed at the moments when a phone image feels too disposable. If you care about handing someone a real Instax Mini print at an event, or building a wall of tiny proof prints from a shoot, the tradeoffs in this printer are worth knowing before you buy. 

[Read More]

Choosing between 25mm and 35mm on APS-C sounds simple until you see how differently they shape a scene, especially with fast apertures. These two focal lengths control how much environment you show, how close you feel to the subject, and how hard the background falls away. 

[Read More]

AI in photo editing went from thrilling to unsettling to flat in a short window. If editing speed, legal risk, and long-term control over your work matter, this shift affects how much you can trust the tools you use every day. 

[Read More]

 

Canon's latest RF lens continues the introduction of the high-quality VCM primes, joining the 24mm, 35mm and 50mm, all taking 67mm filters and all a very similar size. These are Hybrid lenses, intended for both stills and video and the features offered reflect this. 85mm is, of course, the classic portrait focal length, and the staple lens diet for wedding and social photographers across the decades. There is a vast choice of 85mm lenses, some general in use and some of a more specialist nature, but the choice is there. So let's set forth on our journey of discovery, matching up the new lens with the equally new 32.5MP Canon R6 Mark III.

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Handling and Features

The lens is of moderate size, measuring just 76.5mm x 99.8mm and weighing in at 636g. A generously sized round lens hood is provided and this bayonets securely onto the lens. The fit is slick and positive and the retaining catch makes sure it stays firmly in place. Within the bayonet fit for the hood is a standard 67mm filter thread, a size that is shared with the other VCM lenses in the range.

 

 

First up is the control ring, which can be programmed to exposure compensation (when the shutter release is half depressed), ISO, aperture or shutter speed, via the camera menu, depending on the mode chosen and the preferences of the photographer. If desired, the wider focus ring can be programmed to be the control ring, and in this case, the original control ring becomes inactive.

Closest focus is 0.75m for a maximum magnification of 0.12x. AF is driven by a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) for fast, accurate and virtually silent AF. Focus snaps in every time with no hint of hunting.

Optical construction is 14 elements in 10 groups, including 1 UD (Ultra Low Dispersion) and 1 GMo (Glass moulded aspherical). The rounded diaphragm comprises 11 blades for the best possible bokeh. ASC and SSC coatings complete the picture, along with a Fluorine coating on the front element to help repel moisture, dust and grease. The whole lens is sealed and is moisture and dust resistant.

 

 

There is an AF/MF switch, an AF cancel button and a release for the aperture ring. With support for videography in mind, the aperture ring can be set to "A" in which case the camera controls the aperture, or it can be set manually on the aperture scale. In the latter case, there are no click stops, nor is there any option to switch them in. There is no inbuilt IS and this is covered by the camera IBIS. This offers up to 8 stops advantage at the centre and 7 stops at the edge. The lens is not compatible with extenders.

The lens is actually a gem to handle and like any 85mm lens, snaps beautifully into focus. The depth of field of an 85mm also makes for some gorgeous out-of-focus backgrounds. Having said that, it is a short telephoto and not as versatile for general use as a short standard zoom would be, but then that is not its purpose. The fast f/1.4 aperture also helps, and the lens is not so bulky as an f/1.2 version would inevitably be. A delightful lens to use.

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Performance

There need be no fears regarding sharpness with this lens, as it has sharpness in abundance right from the start.

Central sharpness is excellent at f/1.4 and f/2, outstanding at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent from f/5.6 to f/11 and very good at f/16. The edges are excellent from f/1.4 right through to f/8, and very good at f/11 and f/16.

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Canon R6 Mark III body using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA is highly corrected, approaching zero and is unlikely to be an issue.

Distortion measures +0.05%, which is as close to being rectilinear as makes no difference. Architectural shots will be rendered with a high degree of accuracy.

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Canon R6 Mark III body using Imatest.

 

Bokeh, gorgeous and delicious, is the forte of the 85mm, and will delight brides and grooms as well as anyone who is the subject of a fine portrait lens.

Flare is not generally an issue, but artefacts can be generated when severe lighting is allowed to shine directly into the field of view.

Vignetting is well under control, with just a hint of corner darkening being as much an advantage as a disadvantage with portraiture, concentrating our eyes on the main subject.

 

Aperture Vignetting f/1.4 -0.9 f/2 -0.8 f/2.8 -0.8 f/4 -0.8 f/5.6 -0.7 f/8 -0.7 f/11 -0.7 f/16 -0.7

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

[HOOK]position_1[/HOOK]

Value For Money

The [AMUK]Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM|Canon+RF+85mm+f/1.4L+VCM[/AMUK] lens is priced at £1679.00

There is quite a choice of 85mm lenses for Canon RF, including:

• [AMUK]Canon RF 85mm f/2 IS Macro STM|Canon+RF+85mm+f/2+IS+Macro+STM[/AMUK], £619
• [AMUK]Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM|Canon+RF+85mm+f/1.2L+USM[/AMUK], £2999
• [AMUK]Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS|Canon+RF+85mm+f/1.2L+USM+DS[/AMUK], £3499
• [AMUK]Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2x Ultra Macro APO|Laowa+85mm+f/5.6+2x+Ultra+Macro+APO[/AMUK], £499
• [AMUK]Lensbaby Velvet 85mm f/1.8|Lensbaby+Velvet+85mm+f/1.8[/AMUK], £499
• [AMUK]NiSi Athena 85mm T1.9 Cine|NiSi+Athena+85mm+T1.9+Cine[/AMUK] Lens, £1139
• [AMUK]Samyang MF 85mm f/1.4|Samyang+MF+85mm+f/1.4[/AMUK], £299
• [AMUK]Samyang VD SLR 85mm T1.9 Mk II|Samyang+VD+SLR+85mm+T1.9+Mk+II[/AMUK], £412
• [AMUK]Zeiss Otus ML 85mm f/1.4|Zeiss+Otus+ML+85mm+f/1.4[/AMUK], £2350

Top-of-the-line 85mm lenses do not come cheap, but the new Canon lens does look like it is pitched at a realistic level.

 

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Verdict

For stills, a superbly sharp 85mm lens perfect for portraits, weddings and social events plus of course all the usual applications for a short telephoto. For video, virtually silent VCM focusing plus a silent click-free aperture ring. Wedding photographers may well be delighted with this new offering from Canon, although if soft-focus effects are required, then filters will need to be used. As part of the VCM range, it also matches almost exactly in size and weight with the rest of the range, making a very attractive set of high-quality prime lenses.

There is much to like about this lens, and it duly receives a 5-star rating and the accolade of Editor's Choice.

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Pros

• Excellent to outstanding sharpness
• Virtually no CA
• Modest vignetting
• Very well made
• Virtually rectilinear
• Moisture and Dust resistant
• Smooth bokeh
• Superb handling
• Fair pricing

 

Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM Cons

• Some flare in extreme conditions

 

[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 superb Hybrid 85mm lens perfect for both stills and video shooting.|E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

.borders { border: 1px solid #ccc !important; border-collapse: collapse; } .borders td,.borders tr { border: 1px solid #ccc !important; } .borders { border: 1px solid #ccc !important; border-collapse: collapse; } .borders td,.borders tr { border: 1px solid #ccc !important; }