Welcome to Bokeh Face! In this episode:

In Focus we look at virtual photography. Is it really photography to take photographs in a videogame? If you can change aperture, shutter speed, lens and exposure, is it technically the same? Does the argument change if you're a disabled photographer who can't use a physical camera any more? Can videogames simulate real photography? Mike and James have two very different views!

Next we Gear Up with the Nikon ZR, the first camera to be co-developed by Nikon and Red. Was everyone was wrong about this camera, from quirky decisions like the choice of a microSD memory card to the omission of open gate video? Does this actually offer a much better alternative to the Sony FX3 and Canon EOS C50? What does this mean for Z Cinema cameras going forward?

And in Trouble Shooting we navigate the minefield of photo editing software. Is Adobe really the best option? We discuss the alternatives, whether someone is completely new to editing or a seasoned pro looking to get out of the Adobe ecosystem. Mike also argues why Adobe's pricing actually isn't that bad, and explores the pros and cons of the "free" Affinity as well as the other options on the market.

⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰

0:00 Mike hates AI

1:45 Virtual Photographer of the Year

2:39 What is virtual photography / videogame photography

3:18 This game is a fantastic photography simulator

4:43 Mike’s take: this ISN'T photography

6:18 James' take: in all technical respects, just like physical photography

7:28 In some circumstances, real photos are produced

10:41 Pokémon Snap is the closest thing to wildlife photography

11:35 Virtual photography as an outlet for disabled photographers

15:29 Some would say composites, chroma key also not "real" photography

17:24 Question is photography art? Is virtual photography art?

20:41 Videogames are the only way to shoot historical street photography

22:11 Meet the Nikon ZR

22:24 Who is Red, and what is the "sunglasses Illuminati" controlling Nikon

25:35 The first official Z Cinema camera, distinct from Red cameras

26:28 Similarities to Z6 III, cheapest way to join Red ecosystem

30:35 Nikon ZR specs

32:53 Mike’s Misgivings

35:20 No open gate video – but no overheating

36:29 CFexpress and a… microSD card?

38:51 Offers an actual alternative to the Sony FX3 and Canon EOS C50

43:13 Which is the best photo editing software?

44:30 Luminar Neo

45:45 The world’s most useful editing slider?

49:05 If price and learning curve aren't a consideration

50:07 DxO

51:00 People will hate Mike for this: Adobe isn’t badly priced!

56:32 Affinity is now free – is it as good?

1:00:20 Recommendation for a total newcomer to editing

1:02:40 If you're sick of Adobe, can you really move away?

Get in touch with us at:

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Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

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Welcome to Bokeh Face! In this episode:

We go In Focus on Kodak in 2026. How is it beating all the other camera companies, does it have better brand recognition than Canon and Nikon, will we get another mirrorless Kodak system and how come there are five companies making "Kodak" cameras?

Then we Gear Up with perhaps the nuttiest camera Fujifilm has ever made, the Instax Mini Evo Cinema. Are Eras the new Film Simulations for video, will we see them come to X and GFX cameras, how does Taylor Swift fit in, does a camcorder need to print photos / does an instant camera need to shoot video, and how does this camera compare to the Camp Snap CS-8?

And closing the show with Trouble Shooting, we discuss superzooms and travel lenses. Are these all-in-one optics really worth it, or does the convenience merit the compromise in terms of optical quality? How good can an 18-400mm lens really be? 

⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰

0:00 Kodak has made some terrible formats!

1:33 Kodak is back in a big way

2:05 In America, Kodak WAS photography – but then it disappeared

3:33 Not a Kodak history lesson, but… here's a Kodak history lesson

6:28 Kodak had 2025's best selling compact camera

9:33 Transition film to digital, cameras to phones, back to cheap cameras

11:54 Will Kodak make another mirrorless interchangeable lens system?

12:43 How much equity is in the name? Better recognition than Canon and Nikon?

14:26 Will the compact camera bubble burst?

17:24 Meet the Instax Mini Evo Cinema

18:35 This camera is a time machine

21:15 This is how the Eras Dial works – like a video version of Film Simulations

22:10 Forget image quality – this is the industry's smallest sensor

23:40 The perfect "pub camera"?

26:26 Instax Mini Evo Cinema Specs

29:05 X-Half didn’t find an audience, but this is already trending

34:24 All-in-one travel lenses; is convenience worth compromise?

35:09 What is a superzoom?

37:17 Focal length choice as a creative control

38:01 Seeing some great mirrorless options

39:41 Different compromises at the wide and telephoto end

40:45 Upside of third-party manufacturers (downside for Canon and Nikon mirrorless)

41:36 Size and weight benefits

42:43 Slower apertures are a disadvantage… but you don't want bokeh!

44:00 Actually don’t want subject separation! Prove you’ve been on holiday

44:27 One superzoom vs a bagful of primes

45:26 Not changing lenses = lower risk of mugging and sensor dust

48:30 Don’t be THAT guy spoiling everyone's vacation

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's Bokeh Face podcast!

We take an In Focus look at the fact that DSLRs are apparently dead – so why are DSLR lens sales increasing? There are many reasons – one of them being the ways that Canon and Nikon are locking down their mirrorless mounts…

We Gear Up with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, a pro-caliber camera that detonates the old definition of 6-series bodies. We compare it to the Sony A7 V and Nikon Z6 III, and ask whether the market for midrange cameras actually exists any more.

And in Trouble Shooting, we help the would-be hybrid shooters who ask us where to start with video. It's arguably harder to learn videography when you come from a photo background, so we give you a crash course in the basics!

⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰

0:00 What the heck is a partially stacked sensor?

1:09 DSLRs are dead… so why are DSLR lens sales on the rise?

3:09 (Actually, DSLRs are NOT dead)

4:27 Price check: trinity mirrorless glass vs trinity DSLR glass

6:39 Canon and Nikon's closed mirrorless mounts

7:58 By restricting mirrorless, Canon has prolonged the life of DSLR lenses

8:55 There are still significant lenses you can't buy for mirrorless

10:27 Sigma says (some) DSLR lens sales going up

15:15 Using DSLR lenses on mirrorless "upscales" their performance

18:48 Meet the Canon EOS R6 Mark III

19:30 Has flagship tech squeezed out midrange cameras? 

25:43 Canon won't like us saying this…

26:38 Canon EOS R6 Mark III vs Nikon Z6 III

31:01 Who has the best autofocus? 

34:16 Canon EOS R6 Mark III vs Sony A7 V

38:48 Where should you start with video

41:09 Just shoot in 1080p?

43:48 Framerates, PAL vs NTSC, 25p vs 30p

46:43 TLDR

48:46 Don’t shoot RAW (unlike photography)

50:07 Log and LUTs

54:30 Sound is more important than video

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the latest Bokeh Face podcast!

In Focus this episode, James and Chris debate whether anyone truly needs an 8K camera. You don't need it today and it has a knock-on effect for your lenses, memory card, computer, storage, workflow… but is future-proofing your footage worth it?

Then in our Gear Up segment, we play with Leica's Q3 Monochrom – a $7,800 camera that only shoots in black-and-white and can't change lenses. And yet, it might just be the best camera that anyone has ever made for street photography…

And wrapping things up in our Trouble Shooting section, we discuss whether your memory card really matters. Can you just buy the cheap $10 one off Amazon, or should you invest in an expensive $200 card? Here's why there's more to memory cards than just the format.

⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰

0:00 Will people be rewatching this podcast in 30 years?

1:43 Do 8K cameras actually matter, or is it the megapixel race all over again?

2:33 Canon brought 8K to the masses

3:55 Like 100MP stills, 8K video might be most useful for cropping

4:40 Your camera might resolve 8K, but what about your lens?

5:27 8K future-proofs your footage…

8:15 … but there's consequences to your lens, memory card, SSD, cloud and computer

10:08 Panasonic was staunchly anti-8K until 2025

11:34 Heat dissipation is a problem

14:45 Investing in a camera today? Think 5, 10 years down the line

17:49 Meet the Leica Q3 Monochrom

18:46 Why would you buy a camera with a fixed lens that only shoots black-and-white?

20:18 Some unsurprising cons

22:40 Advantages of a black-and-white sensor

24:45 Shooting at high sensitivities (with ISO200,000 sample images)

26:36 Leica Q3 Monochrom specifications

29:11 Content Credentials

32:29 The growing trend for cameras that only shoot black-and-white

34:28 Does your memory card matter?

35:55 Should you buy that cheap card on Black Friday?

37:58 Pros and cons of high-capacity cards

39:19 SD cards just won’t go away – and for good reason

40:47 SD vs CFexpress demonstration

43:30 My camera’s got two different cards – does it matter which I use?

44:39 Overheating also applies to memory cards

50:53 Older cameras may not even support new card tech!

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Focus this episode, James and Mike ask whether retro cameras are style over substance. When did the retro trend start (clue: it's over a decade old!), which cameras (and brands) were ironically ahead of their time and what's the future of retro cameras?

We Gear Up by checking out Canon's Sony FX3 killer, the EOS C50 cinema camera. From open gate to 7K RAW, the C50 outclasses the FX3 in every way – but does it have what it takes to loosen Sony's stranglehold on content creation?

Lastly, in our Trouble Shooting section, we share our tips, tricks and horror stories of using a new camera – whether it's the first camera you've ever used, you're upgrading from DSLR to mirrorless or you're switching systems. Here's everything you need to know!

⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰

0:00 – Having a gut might cost you your award-winning shot!

2:07 – Why are retro cameras so popular

4:07 – Polaroids were the OG "retro cameras"

7:14 – Retro camera timeline

8:44 – Nikon Df: the "Fallout camera"

12:00 – Are Film Simulations as important as the cameras themselves?

13:00 – "Digital disposable cameras" like the Camp Snap

14:58– What's the future of retro cameras?

16:28 – Canon AE-1-inspired retro camera this year (Canon RE-1)?

18:42 – Meet the Canon EOS C50

20:30 – C50 specifications

22:18 – In-body image stabilization – a deal breaker?

27:09 – Split memory cards: pros and cons

27:35 – What is open gate video

32:37 – Canon EOS C50 vs Sony FX3

38:17 – Using a new camera

39:14 – JPEG or RAW?

42:59 – Learn to handle your camera in the dark

47:01 – Don’t do important shoots on a new camera!

47:49 – Should you Start in manual? Aperture? Program?

50:43 – Going from DSLR to mirrorless

54:25 – Camera straps: yay or nay?

56:29 – Use the viewfinder!

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Focus, James and Chris debate whether high-resolution cameras with 60MP or 100MP sensors are really necessary. What's required for prints, what's practical for pro use, can your lenses even keep up with your sensor's resolution, and do we really need Canon's 400MP sensor?

For our Gear Up section we get hands on with Fujifilm's latest instant compact camera, the Instax Mini LiPlay+. This has the biggest and most obvious addition we've ever seen in an instant camera – along with a divisive feature that Chris hates!

Finally, in our Trouble Shooting segment, we get into the weeds of crop factor. Why is 35mm "full frame" the standard? Why don't APS-C lenses have the equivalent APS-C focal lengths on them? Why do all the manufacturers have different names for crop formats?!?!?

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Focus on this week, James and Mike argue the merits and demerits of fast lenses. Does anyone really need f/1.2 and f/0.95 glass? Should anyone really be shooting wide open? What counts as a fast lens in telephoto terms? We also discuss how Canon has returned fire against the onslaught of cheap superfast glass made by Chinese brands.

Then, in our Gear Up segment, we get up close and personal with the Fujifilm X-T30 III. On the surface it's a beginner camera, but it's also loaded with high-end features like 6K open gate – so who is this camera for, and can it tempt Mike away from Nikon?

Closing the show, in Trouble Shooting, Mike shares his pro tips as a motorsports photographer as we break down how to shoot fast action, from tech to technique, to help you shoot everything from sports to wildlife.

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Focus on this show, James and Chris discuss one of the hottest trends: retro, sub-$100 "toy" cameras. Kodak's Charmera is ultra-popular, the TLR-style Chuzhao is hotter than hot cakes, the Camp Snap CS-8 brings Stranger Things vibes… these cameras are so viral that social media forgot about the Fujifilm X100 But are they any good?

For our Gear Up section, we look at the Sigma vs Laowa battle of 200mm f/2 lenses. We've gone 40-something years since the last ones from Canon and Nikon, and all of a sudden two arrive within weeks of one another. But are these sports lenses, portrait lenses or something else?

Finally, in Trouble Shooting, we wax lyrical about focus peaking – which is far from just a tool for macro! From video and portraiture to unlocking a world of bargain lenses and vintage glass, this enormously useful tool can save you money and even inject fun and tactility back into our increasingly automated world of photography. 

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Focus this episode, James and Mike argue the pros and cons of firmware. Is it worth updating your camera, when the rewards are new features and better performance but the risks include bricking your body? We discuss horror stories and best practices.

For our Gear Up section, we get to grips with the "dream lens" of Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki: the 300-600mm f/4 Sports lens, which is remarkable not just for its image quality but also its incredible price. But how do James and Mike, as Canon and Nikon shooters respectively, feel about missing out on such a great lens?

And in Trouble Shooting, we go over the tips, tricks and techniques to cure camera shake and ensure sharp shots, whether you're shooting with a 600mm monster like the Sigma or you're trying to get blur-free pictures from your everyday photography.

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join James and Chris as we celebrate Leica's 100th anniversary… well, 100 years since the iconic Leica I. Where did the company start, how did Leica become the camera of the masters and pros, what missteps did it make along the way, and what does the future hold?

Then in our Gear Up segment, it's another premium brand that's over 100 years old: we give you a rundown of the Hasselblad X2D II, a 100MP medium format monster with industry-best image stabilization and dynamic range. But does it matter that it doesn't shoot video, or have a huge lens selection?

Finally, in Trouble Shooting, we're here with some helpful tips for macro photography. But it's more than just dry technique; we discuss everything from cheat code camera features, helpful hardware you can pick up, and even how changing your camera system can improve (or betray!) your macro photography altogether.

Get in touch with us at:

[email protected]

Watch the show in full at:

youtube.com/digitalcameraworld

Get all your camera news, how-tos, reviews and buying advice at:

digitalcameraworld.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.