Test 2

I captured this photo in the Shinjuku neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan, a couple of years ago while […]

Photo: Abby Ferguson It’s been less than a week since I returned from Japan and my first time at […]

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF […]

Photos: Harman Photo / Miles Marie Harman Photo is keeping the ball rolling on new film, releasing […]

Image: SilverBridges Sometimes you just need some joy in your life, and, at least for me, watching […]

I captured this photo in the Shinjuku neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan, a couple of years ago while […]

Photo: Abby Ferguson It’s been less than a week since I returned from Japan and my first time at […]

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF […]

Photos: Harman Photo / Miles Marie Harman Photo is keeping the ball rolling on new film, releasing […]

Image: SilverBridges Sometimes you just need some joy in your life, and, at least for me, watching […]

I captured this photo in the Shinjuku neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan, a couple of years ago while visiting used camera stores in the area. In addition to the used camera stores, however, Shinjuku lights up at night, becoming a bright, colorful playground for photographers. Photo: Dale Baskin Our March Editor’s photo challenge theme is “Night Lights.” This month, we want to see your most brilliant photos of artificial light sources that light up the night. There’s a myriad of possibilities, ranging from city lights and fireworks to carnivals and neon signs. The creative possibilities are endless. Our favorites will be featured in an article on the DPReview homepage. Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 15, and Saturday, March 21 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time. Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story! Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens. Visit the challenge page to see the full rules

Photo: Abby Ferguson It’s been less than a week since I returned from Japan and my first time at the CP+ Expo, and I’m still processing all that I experienced there. We’ve already shared our team discussion from Yokohama, but after a bit of time (and while still fighting some serious jet lag), I wanted to jot down a few thoughts about what stood out the most from my first time at CP+. The show isn’t just about gear OM System had two gallery spaces, one with black walls and one with white. Photo: Abby Ferguson One of the biggest surprises for me, as a CP+ newbie, was how many non-gear-related activities and displays there were. Prior to attending, I was under the impression that the show was strictly about lenses, cameras, lights, tripods and so on. I assumed the focus was entirely on the technical side of photography, not necessarily the creative. While I certainly appreciate the gear side of things (I do work at DPReview, after all), the creative side is where my foundation in photography began and is what continues to fuel me. So I was pleasantly surprised and very excited to see so many things dedicated to the craft of photography outside of gear. Every major booth had a stage where they hosted photographers to give presentations on their work. Unfortunately, I don’t speak Japanese, so I couldn’t understand any of them, but it was still exciting to see. Each major manufacturer also had at least a small gallery (some had more than one) with prints from photographers. Those images were, of course, meant to showcase how good the company’s gear is, but I still appreciated that they were highlighting interesting pictures. Fujifilm had very attractive books dedicated to each of its different film simulations. Photo: Abby Ferguson My favorite creative parts of CP+, though, were the book-related ones. Sigma’s booth featured a long bookshelf full of photo books. Some were iconic photo books by artists like Robert Mapplethorpe, Vivian Maier and Ed Ruscha. There were also two books that marked the kick-off of the Sigma Foundation, a funding mechanism to support and promote photographic artists. As a side note, the Sigma booth featured a beautifully minimalist design with flowing white curtains, which reminded me of some of my all-time favorite works by Carrie Mae Weems. I couldn’t resist this photo book by Daisuke Yamamoto at the zine fair. Photo: Abby Ferguson We also stumbled on the zine fair at CP+, which was a delightful surprise. This was the first year for the zine section at CP+. It replaced the used camera market that used to be at the show, and perhaps signals a move by organizers to include more art moving forward. The zine festival was separate from the main floor and consisted of a large room filled with tables featuring individual creatives showcasing their photo-related books and zines. It was wonderful to walk around, talk to the artists about their work and see the creativity and diversity of the work on display. I even bought a photo book, since I couldn’t resist leaving with something. Yes, the gear is impressive It’s really neat seeing a wall of cameras and lenses. Photo: Abby Ferguson I know I just wrote about how much I loved that the show isn’t only about equipment, but gear is still the main focus of CP+. And it is indeed cool to see brands put all their lenses, cameras, and accessories on full display in one small area. Regardless of your brand loyalty, it’s flat-out neat (and very satisfying) seeing a wall of pristine lenses. Walking through the show floor was a good reminder of the sheer number of options we have these days as photographers. It is almost overwhelming seeing it all in one place, in fact. No matter your style, needs, or preferences, there will be gear that fits, and seeing everything on display made that abundantly clear. Like-minded individuals Photo: Abby Ferguson Photography can be an isolating activity. After all, so much of the medium happens behind a camera or a screen. As an introvert, it’s easy for me to stay in that bubble, focused on my own projects. But every time I put myself in situations to join other photographers in some manner, it’s refreshing. While I wasn’t necessarily talking with lots of people on the CP+ show floor outside of brand interviews, it was fun to simply be surrounded by so many (so very many) people interested in photography in some capacity. It was a refreshing change of pace to be among others who understand that same pull toward creating pictures (or videos), and a good reminder that there are so many who can relate to what you enjoy doing. If you haven’t ever attended a photography-specific expo, conference or event, I’d highly suggest doing so at least once, to remind yourself of the importance of community.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab | F5.6 | 1/800 sec | ISO 64Photo: Mitchell Clark Late last year, Viltrox announced that it was bringing its 35mm F1.2 Lab lens to Nikon’s Z mount. Given that the company pitches its Lab lenses as including “flagship optical design,” we’re happy we got the opportunity to test one out in a variety of conditions. Image quality Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab | F1.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 64 Wide-open, we found that the 35mm F1.2 Lab has good levels of sharpness in the center, and does a decent job at maintaining that to the edges. It’s not quite as sharp as the best F1.2 optics we’ve seen, but for the price, it’s hard to complain about the performance of our copy. Vignetting is also around what we’d expect for an F1.2 lens, almost entirely clearing up around F4. I find the lens’ out-of-focus rendering to be quite pleasing, but at F1.2, the cat’s eye effect on the specular highlights outside the center of the frame can be a bit lopsided and uneven in a way that can be distracting if your background only has a few bright lights in it (the effect is less noticable if the bokeh is made up of several light sources blending together). By F2 the bokeh is closer to circular, but past that it becomes a bit more geometric. F1.2 F1.4 F2 F2.8 F4 F5.6 We found that the lens maintained contrast well, even when shooting with bright backlight, and that it resisted flare in all but the most intense conditions. If you go looking for chromatic aberration, you’ll definitely find some, but it’s typically not distracting in all but the most challenging scenarios. Usability To start with the elephant on the camera, this is a large, heavy lens. However, that comes with the F1.2 territory, and it’s not unduly so; it’s actaully lighter than Nikon’s own 35mm F1.2 S (though around 23% heavier than Sigma’s second-gen 35mm F1.2). While it wouldn’t be my first choice as a travel lens, I never felt particularly burdened by it as I carried it around Japan while I was there for CP+. The Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab Z isn’t big and heavy for a F1.2 lens, but it is still big and heavy. I also don’t find the top display to be especially useful or aesthetically pleasing, but your mileage may vary on that.Photo: Becky O’Bryan While we don’t make it a point to test gear’s weather sealing, I did end up shooting in light rain for an hour or two with this lens, and it didn’t miss a beat, and has continued to work afterwards with no issues. I’m not saying that you’ll definitely get the same results, or that this lens is capable of withstanding any weather, but it did at least hold up well when I got caught in a drizzle. The control ring is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s nice that it can be clicked or declicked, especially for controlling aperture, but the control is inconsistent. Sometimes I would turn the ring one click, and the aperture wouldn’t change at all, and I’d have to turn it a few more clicks to get it to go up or down 1/3 of a stop. Sometimes, though, one click was enough. This inconsistency basically put me off using it entirely, though I’d be interested to see if it performs the same way on a Sony body. It can take several clicks of the control ring to get the aperture to change at all. The lens’s autofocus motors are relatively quick and responsive, though it doesn’t quite seem capable of immediately snapping from minimum focus to infinity like other lenses with linear motors we’ve tested. It’s hard to say how much of this is on the camera, though. I also found that my Z8 was hunting for focus or slightly missing it more frequently than I’d expect, based on my experience using it with other first-party or officially licensed lenses. While the lens was still very usable, this issue was prevalent enough that I checked to make sure there wasn’t a firmware update available that might improve it; at the time of writing, there is not, though the company did just release one for the E-mount version of the lens. Summary Pictured: my friend ogling the Leica Noctilux M 35mm F1.2 Asph., a lens that costs around $8500 more than the Viltrox. While I’d certainly rather carry the Leica around, I’m not sure I actually liked the images it produced that much more (though the Lab’s slightly odd bokeh is highlighted in this picture). Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab | F1.2 | 1/30 sec | ISO 3200 While you can certainly find things to complain about with the images it produces, it’s worth remembering that the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab for Z mount costs $1000. That’s substantially less than F1.2 lenses typically cost, especially the ones from first-party companies like Nikon. The Nikkor 35mm F1.2 S may have nicer bokeh, sure, but it also costs three times as much, so it had darn well better. With that said, we’d typically urge anyone thinking about picking up this lens to at least consider how much benefit they really expect to get from the extra 1/3 or 1EV it provides compared to its F1.4 and F1.8 rivals. If you’re willing to give up the extra speed, you can get a lens with fewer compromises, and that will be significantly smaller and lighter, a proposition that I personally find very tempting. Many will also be cheaper, too. If you absolutely need F1.2, this is one of the most affordable ways to get it However, if you absolutely need F1.2, this is one of the most affordable ways to get it (at least, if you want modern amenities like autofocusing, which, believe me, is very nice to have if you’re shooting such a fast lens). And while I’ve gone over some of my complaints with it, it’s still a very competent lens capable of producing great images. It does a lot of things reasonably well, especially given its price. The final wrinkle is, of course, that Nikon is currently taking legal action against Viltrox, so the future of the company’s lenses on Z mount is a bit up in the air at this point. That may be something worth keeping in mind if you’re looking at spending what is still a fair chunk of change on this lens. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

Photos: Harman Photo / Miles Marie Harman Photo is keeping the ball rolling on new film, releasing a creative color film called Switch Azure. As the name suggests, the company’s latest offering “switches” the colors for a more experimental look. Switch Azure’s color swap results in rendering blues as orange, bright yellows as azure and reds as hues of purple or blue. Harman says that greens are less affected, but even those will shift depending on the original hue. It promises to provide similar results to Lomography’s Turquoise film. Sunsets effectively become inverted, skin tones are a bit alien-like and common objects become a bit strange. Those who like realistic, natural colors from their film won’t be fans, but for creatives who like to play around with unexpected results, it’s an interesting option. Don’t expect normal colors from this film. Photo: Vitor Lopes Leite / Harman Photo Adding another layer of complexity is that Harman specifies that the type of scanner used will significantly affect the colors. An example image on the Switch Azure product page shows a scanned sunset photo: the Fuji scan renders a very blue image, while a Noritsu scan produces warmer colors. Harman’s new film is rated at ISO 125, and the company says the film is best used outside while metering for the mid-tones. It’s available in 120 format and in a 35mm DX-coded cassette with 36 frames. The film can be processed with standard C41 processing. Harman Switch Azure film is starting to trickle into stores, and you can use the Harman Photo website to find a location near you. Pricing varies by location, though most are around $13 for 35mm and $12 for 120.

Image: SilverBridges Sometimes you just need some joy in your life, and, at least for me, watching other people experience joy can be a way to fulfill that need. A recent video of Jeff and Susan Bridges unboxing the first two models of their Widelux-X camera does just that, with Jeff absolutely giddy about what he’s seeing. You’ll have to head to the Widelux-X website to watch the video, as it is only hosted there, but it’s worth a watch if you need some wholesome excitement. For those unfamiliar, Jeff Bridges is a very big fan of the Widelux, a panoramic, panning-lens film camera that was originally developed in Japan in 1958. A factory fire and other factors ended production roughly 20 years ago, and they are now highly sought-after collector items. Bridges has said that most of the images he creates are with the Widelux, and he’s taken some incredible behind-the-scenes shots on movie sets with it. Image: SilverBridges Bridges is such a fan of the camera that he decided to recreate it through his SilverBridges company. The team revealed a handmade working prototype in November of last year. Recently, two models were mailed to the Bridges in LA, and the pair unboxed them for a video that is hosted on the Widelux-X website. It’s very evident that Bridges is absolutely ecstatic about the camera, and the pair immediately took some portraits of each other and a selfie. It’s fun to see how excited he is, and it’s also neat to see additional shots of – and from – the camera. The team hasn’t unveiled any new details, but it appears the project is at least moving forward, which is good to see, even if it will be well out of my budget.

I captured this photo in the Shinjuku neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan, a couple of years ago while visiting used camera stores in the area. In addition to the used camera stores, however, Shinjuku lights up at night, becoming a bright, colorful playground for photographers. Photo: Dale Baskin Our March Editor’s photo challenge theme is “Night Lights.” This month, we want to see your most brilliant photos of artificial light sources that light up the night. There’s a myriad of possibilities, ranging from city lights and fireworks to carnivals and neon signs. The creative possibilities are endless. Our favorites will be featured in an article on the DPReview homepage. Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 15, and Saturday, March 21 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time. Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story! Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens. Visit the challenge page to see the full rules

Photo: Abby Ferguson It’s been less than a week since I returned from Japan and my first time at the CP+ Expo, and I’m still processing all that I experienced there. We’ve already shared our team discussion from Yokohama, but after a bit of time (and while still fighting some serious jet lag), I wanted to jot down a few thoughts about what stood out the most from my first time at CP+. The show isn’t just about gear OM System had two gallery spaces, one with black walls and one with white. Photo: Abby Ferguson One of the biggest surprises for me, as a CP+ newbie, was how many non-gear-related activities and displays there were. Prior to attending, I was under the impression that the show was strictly about lenses, cameras, lights, tripods and so on. I assumed the focus was entirely on the technical side of photography, not necessarily the creative. While I certainly appreciate the gear side of things (I do work at DPReview, after all), the creative side is where my foundation in photography began and is what continues to fuel me. So I was pleasantly surprised and very excited to see so many things dedicated to the craft of photography outside of gear. Every major booth had a stage where they hosted photographers to give presentations on their work. Unfortunately, I don’t speak Japanese, so I couldn’t understand any of them, but it was still exciting to see. Each major manufacturer also had at least a small gallery (some had more than one) with prints from photographers. Those images were, of course, meant to showcase how good the company’s gear is, but I still appreciated that they were highlighting interesting pictures. Fujifilm had very attractive books dedicated to each of its different film simulations. Photo: Abby Ferguson My favorite creative parts of CP+, though, were the book-related ones. Sigma’s booth featured a long bookshelf full of photo books. Some were iconic photo books by artists like Robert Mapplethorpe, Vivian Maier and Ed Ruscha. There were also two books that marked the kick-off of the Sigma Foundation, a funding mechanism to support and promote photographic artists. As a side note, the Sigma booth featured a beautifully minimalist design with flowing white curtains, which reminded me of some of my all-time favorite works by Carrie Mae Weems. I couldn’t resist this photo book by Daisuke Yamamoto at the zine fair. Photo: Abby Ferguson We also stumbled on the zine fair at CP+, which was a delightful surprise. This was the first year for the zine section at CP+. It replaced the used camera market that used to be at the show, and perhaps signals a move by organizers to include more art moving forward. The zine festival was separate from the main floor and consisted of a large room filled with tables featuring individual creatives showcasing their photo-related books and zines. It was wonderful to walk around, talk to the artists about their work and see the creativity and diversity of the work on display. I even bought a photo book, since I couldn’t resist leaving with something. Yes, the gear is impressive It’s really neat seeing a wall of cameras and lenses. Photo: Abby Ferguson I know I just wrote about how much I loved that the show isn’t only about equipment, but gear is still the main focus of CP+. And it is indeed cool to see brands put all their lenses, cameras, and accessories on full display in one small area. Regardless of your brand loyalty, it’s flat-out neat (and very satisfying) seeing a wall of pristine lenses. Walking through the show floor was a good reminder of the sheer number of options we have these days as photographers. It is almost overwhelming seeing it all in one place, in fact. No matter your style, needs, or preferences, there will be gear that fits, and seeing everything on display made that abundantly clear. Like-minded individuals Photo: Abby Ferguson Photography can be an isolating activity. After all, so much of the medium happens behind a camera or a screen. As an introvert, it’s easy for me to stay in that bubble, focused on my own projects. But every time I put myself in situations to join other photographers in some manner, it’s refreshing. While I wasn’t necessarily talking with lots of people on the CP+ show floor outside of brand interviews, it was fun to simply be surrounded by so many (so very many) people interested in photography in some capacity. It was a refreshing change of pace to be among others who understand that same pull toward creating pictures (or videos), and a good reminder that there are so many who can relate to what you enjoy doing. If you haven’t ever attended a photography-specific expo, conference or event, I’d highly suggest doing so at least once, to remind yourself of the importance of community.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab | F5.6 | 1/800 sec | ISO 64Photo: Mitchell Clark Late last year, Viltrox announced that it was bringing its 35mm F1.2 Lab lens to Nikon’s Z mount. Given that the company pitches its Lab lenses as including “flagship optical design,” we’re happy we got the opportunity to test one out in a variety of conditions. Image quality Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab | F1.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 64 Wide-open, we found that the 35mm F1.2 Lab has good levels of sharpness in the center, and does a decent job at maintaining that to the edges. It’s not quite as sharp as the best F1.2 optics we’ve seen, but for the price, it’s hard to complain about the performance of our copy. Vignetting is also around what we’d expect for an F1.2 lens, almost entirely clearing up around F4. I find the lens’ out-of-focus rendering to be quite pleasing, but at F1.2, the cat’s eye effect on the specular highlights outside the center of the frame can be a bit lopsided and uneven in a way that can be distracting if your background only has a few bright lights in it (the effect is less noticable if the bokeh is made up of several light sources blending together). By F2 the bokeh is closer to circular, but past that it becomes a bit more geometric. F1.2 F1.4 F2 F2.8 F4 F5.6 We found that the lens maintained contrast well, even when shooting with bright backlight, and that it resisted flare in all but the most intense conditions. If you go looking for chromatic aberration, you’ll definitely find some, but it’s typically not distracting in all but the most challenging scenarios. Usability To start with the elephant on the camera, this is a large, heavy lens. However, that comes with the F1.2 territory, and it’s not unduly so; it’s actaully lighter than Nikon’s own 35mm F1.2 S (though around 23% heavier than Sigma’s second-gen 35mm F1.2). While it wouldn’t be my first choice as a travel lens, I never felt particularly burdened by it as I carried it around Japan while I was there for CP+. The Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab Z isn’t big and heavy for a F1.2 lens, but it is still big and heavy. I also don’t find the top display to be especially useful or aesthetically pleasing, but your mileage may vary on that.Photo: Becky O’Bryan While we don’t make it a point to test gear’s weather sealing, I did end up shooting in light rain for an hour or two with this lens, and it didn’t miss a beat, and has continued to work afterwards with no issues. I’m not saying that you’ll definitely get the same results, or that this lens is capable of withstanding any weather, but it did at least hold up well when I got caught in a drizzle. The control ring is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s nice that it can be clicked or declicked, especially for controlling aperture, but the control is inconsistent. Sometimes I would turn the ring one click, and the aperture wouldn’t change at all, and I’d have to turn it a few more clicks to get it to go up or down 1/3 of a stop. Sometimes, though, one click was enough. This inconsistency basically put me off using it entirely, though I’d be interested to see if it performs the same way on a Sony body. It can take several clicks of the control ring to get the aperture to change at all. The lens’s autofocus motors are relatively quick and responsive, though it doesn’t quite seem capable of immediately snapping from minimum focus to infinity like other lenses with linear motors we’ve tested. It’s hard to say how much of this is on the camera, though. I also found that my Z8 was hunting for focus or slightly missing it more frequently than I’d expect, based on my experience using it with other first-party or officially licensed lenses. While the lens was still very usable, this issue was prevalent enough that I checked to make sure there wasn’t a firmware update available that might improve it; at the time of writing, there is not, though the company did just release one for the E-mount version of the lens. Summary Pictured: my friend ogling the Leica Noctilux M 35mm F1.2 Asph., a lens that costs around $8500 more than the Viltrox. While I’d certainly rather carry the Leica around, I’m not sure I actually liked the images it produced that much more (though the Lab’s slightly odd bokeh is highlighted in this picture). Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab | F1.2 | 1/30 sec | ISO 3200 While you can certainly find things to complain about with the images it produces, it’s worth remembering that the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab for Z mount costs $1000. That’s substantially less than F1.2 lenses typically cost, especially the ones from first-party companies like Nikon. The Nikkor 35mm F1.2 S may have nicer bokeh, sure, but it also costs three times as much, so it had darn well better. With that said, we’d typically urge anyone thinking about picking up this lens to at least consider how much benefit they really expect to get from the extra 1/3 or 1EV it provides compared to its F1.4 and F1.8 rivals. If you’re willing to give up the extra speed, you can get a lens with fewer compromises, and that will be significantly smaller and lighter, a proposition that I personally find very tempting. Many will also be cheaper, too. If you absolutely need F1.2, this is one of the most affordable ways to get it However, if you absolutely need F1.2, this is one of the most affordable ways to get it (at least, if you want modern amenities like autofocusing, which, believe me, is very nice to have if you’re shooting such a fast lens). And while I’ve gone over some of my complaints with it, it’s still a very competent lens capable of producing great images. It does a lot of things reasonably well, especially given its price. The final wrinkle is, of course, that Nikon is currently taking legal action against Viltrox, so the future of the company’s lenses on Z mount is a bit up in the air at this point. That may be something worth keeping in mind if you’re looking at spending what is still a fair chunk of change on this lens. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

Photos: Harman Photo / Miles Marie Harman Photo is keeping the ball rolling on new film, releasing a creative color film called Switch Azure. As the name suggests, the company’s latest offering “switches” the colors for a more experimental look. Switch Azure’s color swap results in rendering blues as orange, bright yellows as azure and reds as hues of purple or blue. Harman says that greens are less affected, but even those will shift depending on the original hue. It promises to provide similar results to Lomography’s Turquoise film. Sunsets effectively become inverted, skin tones are a bit alien-like and common objects become a bit strange. Those who like realistic, natural colors from their film won’t be fans, but for creatives who like to play around with unexpected results, it’s an interesting option. Don’t expect normal colors from this film. Photo: Vitor Lopes Leite / Harman Photo Adding another layer of complexity is that Harman specifies that the type of scanner used will significantly affect the colors. An example image on the Switch Azure product page shows a scanned sunset photo: the Fuji scan renders a very blue image, while a Noritsu scan produces warmer colors. Harman’s new film is rated at ISO 125, and the company says the film is best used outside while metering for the mid-tones. It’s available in 120 format and in a 35mm DX-coded cassette with 36 frames. The film can be processed with standard C41 processing. Harman Switch Azure film is starting to trickle into stores, and you can use the Harman Photo website to find a location near you. Pricing varies by location, though most are around $13 for 35mm and $12 for 120.

Image: SilverBridges Sometimes you just need some joy in your life, and, at least for me, watching other people experience joy can be a way to fulfill that need. A recent video of Jeff and Susan Bridges unboxing the first two models of their Widelux-X camera does just that, with Jeff absolutely giddy about what he’s seeing. You’ll have to head to the Widelux-X website to watch the video, as it is only hosted there, but it’s worth a watch if you need some wholesome excitement. For those unfamiliar, Jeff Bridges is a very big fan of the Widelux, a panoramic, panning-lens film camera that was originally developed in Japan in 1958. A factory fire and other factors ended production roughly 20 years ago, and they are now highly sought-after collector items. Bridges has said that most of the images he creates are with the Widelux, and he’s taken some incredible behind-the-scenes shots on movie sets with it. Image: SilverBridges Bridges is such a fan of the camera that he decided to recreate it through his SilverBridges company. The team revealed a handmade working prototype in November of last year. Recently, two models were mailed to the Bridges in LA, and the pair unboxed them for a video that is hosted on the Widelux-X website. It’s very evident that Bridges is absolutely ecstatic about the camera, and the pair immediately took some portraits of each other and a selfie. It’s fun to see how excited he is, and it’s also neat to see additional shots of – and from – the camera. The team hasn’t unveiled any new details, but it appears the project is at least moving forward, which is good to see, even if it will be well out of my budget.

I captured this photo in the Shinjuku neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan, a couple of years ago while visiting used camera stores in the area. In addition to the used camera stores, however, Shinjuku lights up at night, becoming a bright, colorful playground for photographers. Photo: Dale Baskin Our March Editor’s photo challenge theme is “Night Lights.” This month, we want to see your most brilliant photos of artificial light sources that light up the night. There’s a myriad of possibilities, ranging from city lights and fireworks to carnivals and neon signs. The creative possibilities are endless. Our favorites will be featured in an article on the DPReview homepage. Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 15, and Saturday, March 21 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time. Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story! Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens. Visit the challenge page to see the full rules

Photo: Abby Ferguson It’s been less than a week since I returned from Japan and my first time at the CP+ Expo, and I’m still processing all that I experienced there. We’ve already shared our team discussion from Yokohama, but after a bit of time (and while still fighting some serious jet lag), I wanted to jot down a few thoughts about what stood out the most from my first time at CP+. The show isn’t just about gear OM System had two gallery spaces, one with black walls and one with white. Photo: Abby Ferguson One of the biggest surprises for me, as a CP+ newbie, was how many non-gear-related activities and displays there were. Prior to attending, I was under the impression that the show was strictly about lenses, cameras, lights, tripods and so on. I assumed the focus was entirely on the technical side of photography, not necessarily the creative. While I certainly appreciate the gear side of things (I do work at DPReview, after all), the creative side is where my foundation in photography began and is what continues to fuel me. So I was pleasantly surprised and very excited to see so many things dedicated to the craft of photography outside of gear. Every major booth had a stage where they hosted photographers to give presentations on their work. Unfortunately, I don’t speak Japanese, so I couldn’t understand any of them, but it was still exciting to see. Each major manufacturer also had at least a small gallery (some had more than one) with prints from photographers. Those images were, of course, meant to showcase how good the company’s gear is, but I still appreciated that they were highlighting interesting pictures. Fujifilm had very attractive books dedicated to each of its different film simulations. Photo: Abby Ferguson My favorite creative parts of CP+, though, were the book-related ones. Sigma’s booth featured a long bookshelf full of photo books. Some were iconic photo books by artists like Robert Mapplethorpe, Vivian Maier and Ed Ruscha. There were also two books that marked the kick-off of the Sigma Foundation, a funding mechanism to support and promote photographic artists. As a side note, the Sigma booth featured a beautifully minimalist design with flowing white curtains, which reminded me of some of my all-time favorite works by Carrie Mae Weems. I couldn’t resist this photo book by Daisuke Yamamoto at the zine fair. Photo: Abby Ferguson We also stumbled on the zine fair at CP+, which was a delightful surprise. This was the first year for the zine section at CP+. It replaced the used camera market that used to be at the show, and perhaps signals a move by organizers to include more art moving forward. The zine festival was separate from the main floor and consisted of a large room filled with tables featuring individual creatives showcasing their photo-related books and zines. It was wonderful to walk around, talk to the artists about their work and see the creativity and diversity of the work on display. I even bought a photo book, since I couldn’t resist leaving with something. Yes, the gear is impressive It’s really neat seeing a wall of cameras and lenses. Photo: Abby Ferguson I know I just wrote about how much I loved that the show isn’t only about equipment, but gear is still the main focus of CP+. And it is indeed cool to see brands put all their lenses, cameras, and accessories on full display in one small area. Regardless of your brand loyalty, it’s flat-out neat (and very satisfying) seeing a wall of pristine lenses. Walking through the show floor was a good reminder of the sheer number of options we have these days as photographers. It is almost overwhelming seeing it all in one place, in fact. No matter your style, needs, or preferences, there will be gear that fits, and seeing everything on display made that abundantly clear. Like-minded individuals Photo: Abby Ferguson Photography can be an isolating activity. After all, so much of the medium happens behind a camera or a screen. As an introvert, it’s easy for me to stay in that bubble, focused on my own projects. But every time I put myself in situations to join other photographers in some manner, it’s refreshing. While I wasn’t necessarily talking with lots of people on the CP+ show floor outside of brand interviews, it was fun to simply be surrounded by so many (so very many) people interested in photography in some capacity. It was a refreshing change of pace to be among others who understand that same pull toward creating pictures (or videos), and a good reminder that there are so many who can relate to what you enjoy doing. If you haven’t ever attended a photography-specific expo, conference or event, I’d highly suggest doing so at least once, to remind yourself of the importance of community.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab | F5.6 | 1/800 sec | ISO 64Photo: Mitchell Clark Late last year, Viltrox announced that it was bringing its 35mm F1.2 Lab lens to Nikon’s Z mount. Given that the company pitches its Lab lenses as including “flagship optical design,” we’re happy we got the opportunity to test one out in a variety of conditions. Image quality Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab | F1.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 64 Wide-open, we found that the 35mm F1.2 Lab has good levels of sharpness in the center, and does a decent job at maintaining that to the edges. It’s not quite as sharp as the best F1.2 optics we’ve seen, but for the price, it’s hard to complain about the performance of our copy. Vignetting is also around what we’d expect for an F1.2 lens, almost entirely clearing up around F4. I find the lens’ out-of-focus rendering to be quite pleasing, but at F1.2, the cat’s eye effect on the specular highlights outside the center of the frame can be a bit lopsided and uneven in a way that can be distracting if your background only has a few bright lights in it (the effect is less noticable if the bokeh is made up of several light sources blending together). By F2 the bokeh is closer to circular, but past that it becomes a bit more geometric. F1.2 F1.4 F2 F2.8 F4 F5.6 We found that the lens maintained contrast well, even when shooting with bright backlight, and that it resisted flare in all but the most intense conditions. If you go looking for chromatic aberration, you’ll definitely find some, but it’s typically not distracting in all but the most challenging scenarios. Usability To start with the elephant on the camera, this is a large, heavy lens. However, that comes with the F1.2 territory, and it’s not unduly so; it’s actaully lighter than Nikon’s own 35mm F1.2 S (though around 23% heavier than Sigma’s second-gen 35mm F1.2). While it wouldn’t be my first choice as a travel lens, I never felt particularly burdened by it as I carried it around Japan while I was there for CP+. The Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 Lab Z isn’t big and heavy for a F1.2 lens, but it is still big and heavy. I also don’t find the top display to be especially useful or aesthetically pleasing, but your mileage may vary on that.Photo: Becky O’Bryan While we don’t make it a point to test gear’s weather sealing, I did end up shooting in light rain for an hour or two with this lens, and it didn’t miss a beat, and has continued to work afterwards with no issues. I’m not saying that you’ll definitely get the same results, or that this lens is capable of withstanding any weather, but it did at least hold up well when I got caught in a drizzle. The control ring is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s nice that it can be clicked or declicked, especially for controlling aperture, but the control is inconsistent. Sometimes I would turn the ring one click, and the aperture wouldn’t change at all, and I’d have to turn it a few more clicks to get it to go up or down 1/3 of a stop. Sometimes, though, one click was enough. This inconsistency basically put me off using it entirely, though I’d be interested to see if it performs the same way on a Sony body. It can take several clicks of the control ring to get the aperture to change at all. The lens’s autofocus motors are relatively quick and responsive, though it doesn’t quite seem capable of immediately snapping from minimum focus to infinity like other lenses with linear motors we’ve tested. It’s hard to say how much of this is on the camera, though. I also found that my Z8 was hunting for focus or slightly missing it more frequently than I’d expect, based on my experience using it with other first-party or officially licensed lenses. While the lens was still very usable, this issue was prevalent enough that I checked to make sure there wasn’t a firmware update available that might improve it; at the time of writing, there is not, though the company did just release one for the E-mount version of the lens. Summary Pictured: my friend ogling the Leica Noctilux M 35mm F1.2 Asph., a lens that costs around $8500 more than the Viltrox. While I’d certainly rather carry the Leica around, I’m not sure I actually liked the images it produced that much more (though the Lab’s slightly odd bokeh is highlighted in this picture). Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab | F1.2 | 1/30 sec | ISO 3200 While you can certainly find things to complain about with the images it produces, it’s worth remembering that the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab for Z mount costs $1000. That’s substantially less than F1.2 lenses typically cost, especially the ones from first-party companies like Nikon. The Nikkor 35mm F1.2 S may have nicer bokeh, sure, but it also costs three times as much, so it had darn well better. With that said, we’d typically urge anyone thinking about picking up this lens to at least consider how much benefit they really expect to get from the extra 1/3 or 1EV it provides compared to its F1.4 and F1.8 rivals. If you’re willing to give up the extra speed, you can get a lens with fewer compromises, and that will be significantly smaller and lighter, a proposition that I personally find very tempting. Many will also be cheaper, too. If you absolutely need F1.2, this is one of the most affordable ways to get it However, if you absolutely need F1.2, this is one of the most affordable ways to get it (at least, if you want modern amenities like autofocusing, which, believe me, is very nice to have if you’re shooting such a fast lens). And while I’ve gone over some of my complaints with it, it’s still a very competent lens capable of producing great images. It does a lot of things reasonably well, especially given its price. The final wrinkle is, of course, that Nikon is currently taking legal action against Viltrox, so the future of the company’s lenses on Z mount is a bit up in the air at this point. That may be something worth keeping in mind if you’re looking at spending what is still a fair chunk of change on this lens. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

Photos: Harman Photo / Miles Marie Harman Photo is keeping the ball rolling on new film, releasing a creative color film called Switch Azure. As the name suggests, the company’s latest offering “switches” the colors for a more experimental look. Switch Azure’s color swap results in rendering blues as orange, bright yellows as azure and reds as hues of purple or blue. Harman says that greens are less affected, but even those will shift depending on the original hue. It promises to provide similar results to Lomography’s Turquoise film. Sunsets effectively become inverted, skin tones are a bit alien-like and common objects become a bit strange. Those who like realistic, natural colors from their film won’t be fans, but for creatives who like to play around with unexpected results, it’s an interesting option. Don’t expect normal colors from this film. Photo: Vitor Lopes Leite / Harman Photo Adding another layer of complexity is that Harman specifies that the type of scanner used will significantly affect the colors. An example image on the Switch Azure product page shows a scanned sunset photo: the Fuji scan renders a very blue image, while a Noritsu scan produces warmer colors. Harman’s new film is rated at ISO 125, and the company says the film is best used outside while metering for the mid-tones. It’s available in 120 format and in a 35mm DX-coded cassette with 36 frames. The film can be processed with standard C41 processing. Harman Switch Azure film is starting to trickle into stores, and you can use the Harman Photo website to find a location near you. Pricing varies by location, though most are around $13 for 35mm and $12 for 120.

Image: SilverBridges Sometimes you just need some joy in your life, and, at least for me, watching other people experience joy can be a way to fulfill that need. A recent video of Jeff and Susan Bridges unboxing the first two models of their Widelux-X camera does just that, with Jeff absolutely giddy about what he’s seeing. You’ll have to head to the Widelux-X website to watch the video, as it is only hosted there, but it’s worth a watch if you need some wholesome excitement. For those unfamiliar, Jeff Bridges is a very big fan of the Widelux, a panoramic, panning-lens film camera that was originally developed in Japan in 1958. A factory fire and other factors ended production roughly 20 years ago, and they are now highly sought-after collector items. Bridges has said that most of the images he creates are with the Widelux, and he’s taken some incredible behind-the-scenes shots on movie sets with it. Image: SilverBridges Bridges is such a fan of the camera that he decided to recreate it through his SilverBridges company. The team revealed a handmade working prototype in November of last year. Recently, two models were mailed to the Bridges in LA, and the pair unboxed them for a video that is hosted on the Widelux-X website. It’s very evident that Bridges is absolutely ecstatic about the camera, and the pair immediately took some portraits of each other and a selfie. It’s fun to see how excited he is, and it’s also neat to see additional shots of – and from – the camera. The team hasn’t unveiled any new details, but it appears the project is at least moving forward, which is good to see, even if it will be well out of my budget.