Walking past booth after booth at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York, I often heard camera company presenters explaining to their uncomfortably-seated, yet nonetheless-enraptured, audiences how they shot the “perfect” photo. This was typically further explained as having achieved the perfect lighting, the perfect exposure, clear focus from edge-to-edge, etc. — typical technical rules we all know and try to follow, well, until we don’t. I wondered: Where does this obsession with perfection come from, and what is the cost to our creative output?...

The world was introduced to the Moza Slypod in grand fashion at NAB 2019 earlier this year. We went to the Gudsen stand to check it out while we were there, too. It’s an interesting device, with a whole new take on the camera slider form factor. It essentially looks like a motorised monopod, but how good is it really? In this video, Caleb Pike walks us around the features of the Slypod, and what he thinks about it....

I’ve always loved the concept of instant film like Polaroids or Fuji Instax, but never it’s really interested me enough to buy into it. But then I discovered the NONS SL42, which might finally win me over. It’s an M42 mount SLR that uses Fuji Instax Mini instant film to let you create instant prints with real lenses. It’s currently funding through Kickstarter, and it’s an intriguing looking bit of kit....

New start up, Staaker, has just released their auto-follow action drone for preorder. Most of today’s drones are designed to be flown manually with remotes. Staaker, though, see things differently. Gone is the traditional remote control and the FPV headset. No longer do you need a dedicated drone operator to record your extreme antics. This one just follows you around wherever you go. Follow mode isn’t exactly new. The Phantom 4, Yuneec Typhoon and plenty of others have had it for a while....

It’s been an interesting one, this, ever since the first rumours started popping up. Could Canon actually be working on an APS-C RF mount camera? After they’ve specifically said that they’re going to continue working on the EOS M system alongside the new RF mount cameras? Well, as unlikely as that might’ve sounded in the past, it turns out that yes, they might actually be. After recent rumours of an APS-C RF mount camera coming next year, a new report on Canon Rumors cites a source that has “confirmed” to them that an APS-C RF mount is definitely coming and it’s planned to be launched at some point during the second half of 2021....