DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

 

1. The Kit For For Frost Photography 

With a cool, clear night comes morning frost and it's a subject that works well for both close-up work and wider landscape shots. For your close-ups of the patterns frost creates, you'll need a macro lens or a 70-200mm zoom lens with extension rings will work just as well if you don't own a macro lens.

A tripod's handy for the times you'll be working in shaded areas and a lens hood attached to your lens will help prevent flare when shooting in the direction of the sun. Take a reflector out with you (a piece of card covered in foil will do fine) as they're useful for bouncing light into shaded spots and remember to slip a few spare batteries into your pockets if you're planning on venturing out for a while. It's also worth remembering to wrap up warm as you'll soon feel the cold when you're stood waiting for those long exposure times to complete. 

 

2. Be An Early Riser & Head For Space 

If the weatherman tells you it's going to be a cloudless night set the alarm clock to go off early, before the sun rises is a good time, as the lack of cloud cover means there's nothing to keep heat in so there's more chance of frost appearing. Head for open spaces (fields) rather than places that are sheltered (forests) as the canopy, or whatever is creating the shelter, can prevent frost from forming.
 

3. Metering Problems 

Like snow, frost, particularly when it's a thick covering, can fool your camera's meter to think the scene's much lighter than it actually is and it will underexpose the shot. If this happens, use exposure compensation and shoot half to one and a half stops over what your camera thinks is correct. You should always check your histogram to ensure the exposure's correct.

 

4. Lighting Tips  

Side and direct light will help emphasise the way the frost glistens and sidelight, in particular, can help add depth to your scene. Try shooting directly into the sun so the frost glistens, you just need to use a lens hood to minimise the chances of flare spoiling your shot.

 

 

5. Look For Shade 

Frost will last longer in shaded areas, but you'll need to use a reflector to bounce much-needed light into the shot. This will add the sparkle you expect to see when you look at frost and help remove the blue cast that's common with shade.

For shots that capture the patterns and textures frost creates, get in close and avoid using flash.

  6. White Balance Tips 

Adjusting your white balance to create a cooler colour temperature can further enhance the feeling of cold in your shot. You can also adjust the contrast of the image during post-production to give more definition to the patterns the frost has created.
 

7. Care For Your Kit 

Once home, don't take your camera out of your bag as soon as you get through the door as condensation can form on your camera/lens. Instead, leave it in your bag while it acclimatises.

 

 

8. You Can Stay Close To Home

If you don't want to venture too far have look for frost on your windows as the patterns it produces are great for macro work. Out in the garden, icy blades of grass are worth capturing early in the morning and look for fallen leaves that are covered with frost while you're out there too. Use a small aperture to make sure more of your image is sharp but if you're working with a leaf that's still on a tree, try using a wider aperture to throw the background out of focus, isolating the leaf in the process. While you're looking at branches look for frost covered berries as the reds contrast well with the white coloured frost.
 

9. Landscapes With Water 

Around ponds, reservoirs, rivers and lakes, look for frosted up reeds and branches above and around the water. They make interesting close-up studies but do take your wider lens with you too to capture a frosted landscape.
 

10. Frosted Webs 

Finally, don't forget about capturing the popular frosted spiders web. Look for webs on or facing hedges, fences and other plain, dark backgrounds as this will help the web stand out. Use a large aperture too so the darker backgrounds also thrown out of focus. If you find using autofocus doesn't give you sharp enough images, switch to manual as if the focus isn't right, your shot will lose impact and can be spoilt.

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© Leica

 

Leica expanded its legendary Noctilux line with the launch of the Noctilux‑M 35 f/1.2 ASPH, the first in the series to feature a 35mm focal length. Built in Wetzlar for M-Cameras with high-resolution sensors, the lens delivered the signature subject isolation, smooth background rendering and film-like quality that photographers love, while offering the ability to focus as close as 50cm. Compact at just 5cm in length and weighing 416g, it combined speed, precision and portability, making it a versatile choice for portraits, reportage and street photography. The Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH is available worldwide through Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorised dealers, priced at £7,700 / €8,950 / $9,650.

 

From Leica

Since first being introduced in 1966, the name ‘Noctilux’ has represented the pinnacle of optical craftsmanship at Leica. The name is made up of the Latin words ‘noctu’ and ‘lux’, meaning ‘night’ and ‘light’, and refers to the exceptional speed of this lens series. With a maximum aperture of up to f/0.95, Noctilux lenses are considered to be the epitome of optical development, allowing creative possibilities beyond the ordinary and delivering images with an unrivalled visual aesthetic. With the new Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH., Leica Camera AG is presenting the first Noctilux M-Lens in the company’s history to feature a 35 mm focal length.

Like all Noctilux lenses, the latest addition to the family impresses with its exceptional speed and superior imaging performance. The new, compact Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH. produces clear, high-contrast images characterised by a distinctive look. The shallow depth of field at a wide aperture precisely separates subject and space, creating a velvety soft bokeh and lending images tangible depth as well as a cinematic atmosphere. Stopping down the aperture allows you to selectively increase the depth of field. A floating element within the complex optical construction ensures consistent performance across the entire focusing range, from the close focus distance to infinity.

 

© Leica

 

Up until now, the strength of Noctilux glass has been leveraged exclusively for 50 mm and 75 mm focal lengths, but the new Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH. now makes this strength available for the versatile 35 mm focal length for the very first time. The perfect combination of a wide aperture and natural perspective makes it ideal for outstanding portrait, reportage, available-light and street photography. Subjects are clearly in focus thanks to precise separation, while retaining their context thanks to harmonious transitions to the background.

This new lens is the first Noctilux to feature an extended close focus distance down to 50 cm. When used with the new Leica M EV1 and its high-resolution integrated electronic viewfinder, focusing is particularly convenient across the entire focusing range. M-Cameras with a rangefinder can focus to a distance of 70 cm via the optical viewfinder. In the close-up range of 70–50 cm, focusing is carried out via Live View on the rear LCD panel or the Visoflex 2 clip-on viewfinder. The large focusing angle of the Noctilux-M 35 supports this, thereby enabling precise and sensitive work.

 

© Leica

 

The new Leica Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH. has been optimised for M-Cameras with high-resolution image sensors, in addition to having been completely redesigned and handcrafted in Wetzlar. Decades of experience and state-of-the-art production technologies have gone into its development. This includes processing special glass materials and aspherical lens elements manufactured in Wetzlar using innovative Precision Glass Moulding (PGM) technology, which shapes lenses in a highly precise process, achieving exceptional quality standards. The optical design comprises ten lenses in five groups, including three aspherical lenses, and a floating element which ensures consistent imaging performance over the entire focusing range. The integrated lens hood reduces glare and reflections, ensuring high contrast and brilliant colour rendering, even with backlighting. Measuring just 5 cm in length, with a diameter of 6.5 cm, and weighing only 416 g, the new lens also impresses with its remarkably compact size.

The Leica Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH. will be available worldwide as of the 29th of January 2026 from Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorised dealers. The recommended retail price is £7,700.00 (incl. VAT.) / €8,950 (incl. VAT.) / $9,650.00.

A lens cap will also be available separately for an RRP of £70.00 / $95.00.

For more information, please visit the Leica website.

 

At this time of year, across the UK, snow can start appearing in our landscape. But, it's not the easiest of subjects to photograph, so we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you out when snow's filling your landscape shots. 

1. Why does the snow look blue/grey in my shot?

This is because your camera's metering system is fooled by the highly reflective tones of the white snow, which makes the image appear darker than it should be. Blue snow in pictures occurs where the snow is receiving no direct sunlight but is simply being lit by the sun reflecting off the blue sky (hence the cast). 

All cameras have built-in metering systems that are designed to deliver a perfect picture assuming the contrast range is normal. They do this by scrambling the tones and then adjust so the scrambled colour brightness is mid-grey or average. This is fine when the subject has a wide tonal range with everything from black to white being present, but when the subject is predominantly white, such as snow, the camera underexposes so that the white becomes grey.

If you are using a compact camera it most likely has a snow scene mode and by switching to this, your once grey snow should appear white. For those using more advanced cameras, you can get around this by adjusting the exposure compensation setting to either plus 1 or two stops depending on the amount of snow in the picture. If your camera has the exposure lock feature, which is usually set by half-pressing the shutter button, point it at a mid-tone in your scene, lock the exposure then recompose your shot.

To fix a blue cast in-camera you'll need to switch your white balance settings to either shade or custom if you want to create a custom white balance from the snow. If working in sunny conditions the snow shouldn't appear blue but your shadows may but if you try and correct the image in-camera to remove the cast from the shadows you'll alter the colour of the snow so generally, it's best to leave the blue in the shadows so your snow is crisp and white. Plus, there's always the option to adjust the image in your image editing software once home. 

 

 

2. Why does my snow shot look boring? 

When snow covers most of your shot it can make the scene look a little bland, especially with a snow-filled sky as there won't be that much definition between the sky and the ground. Try stopping down a little to add more depth to your shot, or if this doesn't work, try adjusting your position to include a stone wall perhaps, or a lone tree, to add a little more to the shot. To darken light skies so your shots are a little more moody fit a graduated filter to the front of your lens. 

 

3. Falling snow is ruining my shot. How can I minimise the appearance of the flakes? 

The simple answer to this is to wait until it stops snowing. If this is not an option, make sure you're not using your flash, as this can cause the light to reflect off snowflakes nearer to the lens, causing the rest of your shot to look really dull and grey. A better way to capture snow falling is to put your camera on a tripod and use slower shutter speeds. 

 

4. Why has my lens steamed up?

This is because you've moved from a warm house to the freezing cold outside, resulting in condensation. To avoid this, let your camera acclimatise in its case or bag for a while. Don't be tempted to wipe the lens with a cloth as this will cause smudges and marks which will spoil your image. 

   

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The UK’s most exciting photography Convention is back — bigger, bolder and packed with more inspiration, education and industry powerhouses than ever before.

 

The 2026 London Photo Convention & Trade Show brings thousands of photographers together under one roof for four days of hands-on learning, live demos, exclusive deals, and world-class speakers. If you’re serious about your photography — this is where you need to be.

London Photo Trade Show: 15–17 January — Meet the Biggest Brands in Photography

Get ready for three electric days on the Trade Show floor, with leading camera and lighting brands showcasing their latest kit. Expect:

• Hands-on access to the newest cameras & lenses
• Live demonstrations from top pros
• Expert advice from manufacturers
• Show-only offers and exclusive discounts
• Retailers showcasing must-have accessories

Whether you shoot weddings, portraits, landscapes, content for social, or you’re just passionate about photography – the Trade Show has something for you.

Entry: £10 on the day (free if you pre registered before Tuesday)

Get Your Tickets Now!

 

 

Over 200 Hours of Training with Masterclasses & Superclasses

If you're hungry to learn, the Convention’s education programme is unmatched.

Masterclasses

Dive into a huge lineup of practical, inspiring and business-boosting sessions covering:

• Portraits
• Weddings
• Lighting
• Wildlife
• Macro
• Post-production
• Creative storytelling
• Branding
• Business growth for photographers

Top photographers, award-winning educators and industry leaders share the techniques and insights that elevate your photography fast.

Superclasses

Want hands-on training with the best in the business?

The Superclasses deliver small-group, practical workshops with some of the most respected names in the industry. Limited spaces — these sell out fast every single year.

 

 

Exclusive Offer

Save 10% with code epz10 on all class tickets!

  The Photography Event You Simply Can’t Afford to Miss

If you want to improve your skills, grow your business, network with other creatives and immerse yourself in the world of photography — this is your event.

 

Save the Dates

Full Convention: 14–17 January 2026

Photo Trade Show: 15–17 January 2026

Venue: Novotel London West, Hammersmith, W6 8DR

 

Join thousands of photographers for the ultimate start to 2026.

Masterclass Passes and Superclasses available now.

Book your tickets now!

 

 

When it comes to action and sports photography, one of the main problems you face is your subject moves quick and they don't tend to stay in the same place for very long. As a result it can be a bit of a challenge to try and get a sharp photo where your subject is in focus, however there are a few things you can do to capture your moving subject perfectly.
 

Switch To AF

Most cameras feature quick and accurate AF (Auto Focus) systems, making them great for capturing fleeting moments or action shots. Of course, how fast your subject is moving, how much light is around and how quickly your lens can focus will come into play but at least your chances of capturing a sharp shot will be increased with the help of Auto Focus.
 

Manual Focus

You can try and focus manually but this isn't particularly easy to do with fast moving subjects but it can be useful if you plan on pre-focusing.
 

Pre-Focus

This is a little more tricky but once you get the hang of it, it can be a useful trick to know. It's not a very useful technique for subjects whose movement is unpredictable but get at the side of a track or a road where you know a car will have to pass through a certain point and it's extremely helpful.

Written down the technique sounds simple: Switch to manual, focus on a spot you know your subject will pass through, lock your focus and then just before you know your subject's about to pass through the point you focused on, hit the shutter. You need to hit the shutter just before as shutter lag can cause you to miss the shot if you hit it at the point they pass through your focus point.
 

Continuous Shooting

To further increase your chances of capturing your subject as they pass through your point of focus, switch to continuous shooting mode to capture a series of shots, increasing your chances of capturing the shot you're looking for. Again, start shooting just before your subject goes through your focus point and you should get at least one shot that's spot on.

Correct Shutter Speed

You don't want to use a shutter speed that's too high as this will just freeze everything and the shot will look static but you don't want to go too low either as you'll just end up with a shot that's full of blur. Sometimes lots of blur can give you something that's a little more artistic but most of the time it's worth firing off a few test shots to get your shutter speed spot on before the main action starts.

 

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With black & white camera modes, apps that can turn your phone shots mono and various black & white editing techniques available, black & white photography is more accessible than ever but if you've never produced a black & white shot, why should you? Well, we've put together a quick list of reasons that may just persuade you to give black & white photography a go, plus we've linked to various black & white tutorials as well as mentioned a few tips further down in the article.

 

1. It Makes You Think About Composition More

 

As Robin Whalley said in a previous article: "To achieve a good black and white image you need to have separation between the elements in the frame. If you can’t distinguish or find it difficult to distinguish between the elements the image will lack impact and the viewer will struggle to understand it."

With this in mind, it makes you search harder for an interesting composition that includes strong foreground interest. Strong shapes and lead-in lines work well as do other strong, distinctive shapes further back in the composition that the eye can easily identify even when everything has a similar tone.
 

2. Interesting Take On Snow Photography

 

As most of us have seen snowfall over the last week, now's a good time to talk about photographing snow in a black & white format. Black & white snow-filled landscapes will not only give you something a little different to what the majority of people photograph but it can also stop shots with pale, snow-laden skies from looking boring and lacking in contrast. As mentioned above, contrast is important so look for strong recognisable shapes that can be easily isolated from the white background. For more tips on black & white snow photography, take a look at John Gravett's article.

 

3. Not As Distracting

 

As colour's stripped away and shots become reliant on tones, texture and contrast, everything seems simpler and there are not as many distractions to contend with. Focus falls on your main subject more easily and when shot right, can have a lot of impact.

 

4. Helps Create Mood

 

Mood essentially relates to the lighting in a shot and when you shoot on a cloudy, unsettled day, working in black & white will give you a shot that's far more foreboding than a shot in colour. It's far easier to create a sense of a dark and brooding landscape with black & white than it is colour.
 

5. Soft Or Strong? 

 

During post-production you can Darken certain areas of your shot while lightening other areas, creating contrast as you do. You can create a soft black & white effect or go all out and apply one that's strong. There are various methods for doing this including applying an S-Curve or using the dodge and burn tools. Take a look at these tutorials for more tips:

• How To Turn A Coloured Landscape Mono
• Make A Moody Black & White In Photoshop Elements
• Turning A Coloured Image Black & White
• Create Black And White Images In Paint Shop Pro
• Convert Your Images To Mono With Gradient Maps

   

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A pet is just like any other subject in terms of photography technique - composition, focusing and exposure being the three main areas to perfect, the fourth, and most problematic, is getting subject participation. If you position your cat/dog then get your camera out their inquisitive nature will drive them to come right up to the camera and sniff the lens. You move away and they'll follow. Sit them in a convenient spot and they'll bounce back. Frustrated? You will be! 

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You can, of course, spend time training them to obey, but the fact of life is most of us have a pet as a companion and training is the last thing on the agenda. So, what can you do? Here are a few basic tips to get you started: 

  1. Give The Dog A Bone

Give your pet something to take their mind of the camera. The only problem now is they will be chewing or playing around and are highly unlikely to look at you, let alone the camera.

 

2. Use A Squeaky Toy

Use a squeaky toy to attract their attention. Place it behind the camera so they look in the right direction. The bone they're chewing will be more interesting, but at least they will look up long enough for you to fire the shutter. Act quickly and make sure you get the shot in the first or second take as they'll soon get wise or bored of your attention-seeking activity.

 

 

3. Wait Until The Right Moment 

Cats and dogs are easy to catch out when they are sleepy. Time for the squeaky toy again. Just as they're nodding off squeak the toy and you'll get a moment of alertness. Which means you can get two shots: one where they're alert and the other relaxed. 

 

4. Ask A Friend

You could ask someone else to entertain the pet while you walk around taking the photos. Try to keep the person out of the frame and the shots will be more natural.

 

5. Exposure Issues?

Take care when photographing an animal with dark or light fur as their coats can fool your camera's meter. A pet with a white coat can end up looking dull as the camera thinks the scene is too bright while a pet with a black coat can end up looking grey due to your camera thinking the scene is darker than it is. If you find this to be a problem just use exposure compensation to use a + or - exposure depending on your circumstances.

 

6. Focusing Tips 

As with people photography, focus on the eyes for the attention-grabbing shots but don't forget a dog with a long snout will need more depth of field when shooting close up to prevent the tip of the nose is out of focus. Take your shots using a small aperture to avoid this or shoot when their head is turned to one side.

 

 

7. Keep An Eye On Your Backgrounds

Watch out for bright backgrounds that could affect the meter reading. Try to take the shot with a neutral background that isn't distracting and, like people photography, avoid trees and telegraph poles growing out of heads.

 

8. Capture Action Shots

Try using a slow shutter speed with flash and panning with the animal as it moves to create abstract slow sync flash shots that create a sense of action. You can also use flash to freeze the animal as it moves through your frame. For a shot of a dog jumping into the air, for example, follow the dog through its tracks and fire the shutter when its feet are off the ground. Again, it helps if you have a friend with you to help encourage the dog to do tricks while you move around and capture the action.

 

9. Using Flash

Humans are not the only ones who suffer from devilish looking eyes when the flash is used. Pets eyes appear bright green when flash has reflected. Just as you do with people, you can remove the unwanted colour from the eyes in Photoshop.

 

 

10. Photographing Fish

If you have fish in a tank you need to move up close to the glass to avoid reflections and use the natural light to take the photo. In daylight, the shots will come out okay but shoot under the light used to illuminate the tank and you'll get a colour cast.

If you have to step back from the tank to photograph the fish from a distance you will get reflections from the glass. In such cases, a polarising filter will help prevent reflections. Attach it to the camera and rotate until the reflections are minimised and then take the photo. You may find shooting from an angle to the glass will work best.

Fish in outdoor ponds can benefit from the use of a polariser too. Take them when they are near to the surface - feeding time is ideal, and use the polariser to kill the reflections. Shoot from an angle to allow some depth to the fish.

Even in summer, the darkness of the water will make the shutter speed quite slow so shoot when the fish are still and hold the camera very steady to prevent camera shake when working hand-held. 

 

11. Capturing Shots Of Smaller Pets

Let's not forget our small friends such as hamsters guinea pigs and mice who are all cage based and eager to bury themselves in straw. 

The main problem with these pets is one, getting close enough and two, avoiding a picture framed with bars. A good option is to photograph the creature in someone's hand, which gets over the cage problem. Then you need a lens that will go close enough so you can fill the frame with the animal. 

If you don't trust the hand approach move really close to the cage and use a wider aperture to throw the bars out of focus. Or shoot through the cage with the door open. 

Try experimenting with slow speeds on a hamster running on a wheel as you may be able to get the legs blurred and the head sharp, giving a great sense of movement. A shutter speed of around 1/8th sec should be about right for this.

 

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Most photographers are now "hybrid creators. Besides taking still photos, they also need to create high-quality videos. However, shooting great video is often harder than it looks. Technical issues like low resolution, shaky shots, or digital noise can easily ruin a perfect moment. These common problems often make professional-looking results feel out of reach for many photographers.

Are you also troubled by these issues? This post explores how AI video enhancement can help photographers fix common video problems and streamline their workflow. Let’s get started.

 

 

What are Video Quality Problems Photographers Face

 

Even experienced professionals regularly encounter footage that is technically usable but visually disappointing. In fast-paced commercial, wedding, or travel shoots, there is rarely time for multiple retakes, and lighting conditions are often beyond full control.

Some of the most common video quality problems photographers face include:

• Heavy Digital Noise: When shooting in low-light environments like weddings or indoor events, increasing the ISO often leads to "grainy" video. Unlike film grain, this digital noise looks messy and reduces the professional feel of your work.
• Low Resolution from Older Gear: You might have a great new camera, but your older "B-roll" cameras or drones might only shoot in 1080p. When mixed with 4K footage, these lower-resolution clips look blurry and out of place.
• Soft Focus and Blurry Details: It’s easy to slightly miss the focus on a moving subject. In the past, a soft-focus video clip was a "throwaway," as traditional sharpening tools only made the video look "plastic" and artificial.
• Shaky and Unstable Footage: Handheld shooting adds a nice vibe, but too much camera shake can make viewers feel dizzy. Built-in stabilization often crops the image too much, losing important parts of your frame.

While these problems used to be permanent, the rise of AI technology has started changing the game. Instead of deleting imperfect footage, photographers can now "rescue" it during the editing process.

 

How AI Video Enhancer Improves a Photographer’s Workflow

 

AI video enhancer isn't just about adding a filter; it’s about using smart technology to "rebuild" the missing parts of your video. Let’s look at some real-life ways this helps photographers:

Case 1: The "High-ISO" Rescue. Imagine you shot a beautiful evening ceremony, but the shadows are full of noise. An AI enhancer can analyze the frames to separate noise from real detail, giving you a clean, crisp look that looks like it was shot with a much more expensive lens.

Case 2: Matching Different Cameras. A photographer might use a high-end mirrorless camera for the main interview and a small action camera for a different angle. AI can upscale the action camera’s footage to match the sharpness and 4K resolution of the main camera, making the whole project look consistent.

Case 3: Reviving Family History. Many photographers are asked to help with legacy projects. By taking a grainy, 20-year-old family video and running it through an AI model, you can restore facial details and remove old "tape noise," creating a 4K version that looks like it was filmed yesterday.

To help photographers handle these tasks with ease, many AI video enhancement tools have emerged. A prime example is EaseMate AI‘s video enhancer. It allows creators to instantly convert low-quality videos to 4K clarity. It can sharpen fine details, correct colors, and reduce digital noise automatically, making your footage look more appealing, credible, and professional.

You just need to upload the video you want to optimize into the enhancer, determine the video quality, and hit “Generate”. Then you can preview the video and download it with no watermark.

 

 

Best Practices for Photographers to Use AI Video Enhancers

 

Using AI tools is exciting, but the goal is to enhance your work, not make it look artificial. To get the best results, you need to treat AI as a partner in your digital darkroom. Here are several practical tips to help you maintain a professional, high-quality look while saving time in post-production:

• Enhance before color grading: Run your footage through the AI before adding heavy filters or LUTs. AI works best when it can "see" the original pixels clearly.
• Don't over-sharpen: It’s tempting to dial everything to 100%, but "less is more." Keep some natural texture so your video doesn't look like a video game.
• Preview moving parts: Always check a few seconds of action, like a person walking or water moving. Make sure the AI is keeping the motion smooth and consistent.
• Save your originals: Technology moves fast. Keep your original clips so you can re-process them in the future as AI models get even better.

 

To Sum Up

 

AI video enhancement tools are becoming an important part of how photographers manage increasing video demands. They help photographers rescue flawed footage, accelerate editing workflows, and enable higher-quality video delivery. With thoughtful use and the right software, AI can transform video from a post-production headache into a creative advantage.

 

Previously we've talked about setting yourself a colour challenge but if you want a challenge that's slightly shorter or fancy taking on a few throughout the year, have a go at our one lens challenge. 
 

Basically, we want you to select one lens, yes just one, go for a walk, take a series of shots then share them with ePz. Try to make it a lens you've not used for a while, or one that takes you out of your comfort zone.

A lens with a fixed focal length would be our choice for this but if you only have a zoom take that along and pick just one focal length to use. If you don't, it won't be much of a challenge! If you're not a DSLR owner or you are but don't fancy carrying it around with you, don't worry as a compact will be just as useful for this task.

Above: Will you choose a wide-angle or more telephoto focal length to work with? 

Working hand-held shouldn't be a problem but if it's a particularly dull day or you just like having a little extra support take a tripod along. As you're only using one lens there's no real reason to take a bag along but do pocket some spare batteries and a polarising, UV and ND filter as you never know when they'll come in handy. Polarising filters are great for reducing glare and an ND filter can help slow shutter speeds, too.

Wildlife or going more specific, birds and ducks could be a theme you choose for your project. 

Before you start snapping away you really need to think about what you're going to photograph because without a zoom your focal length is limited so rather than relying on the lens to do the work you have to get those grey cells warmed up and your feet moving to find a position/shot that works.

Try shooting a variety of subjects or why not set yourself a theme? Photograph a series of portraits – your neighbours, butcher, postman or combine two challenges together and only photograph items of a certain colour with a fixed focal length. Try making it even more challenging by only taking a single shot for each of the items/people/animals you pick to photograph.
 

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Now that the trees are bare, they can make better subjects for line-based shots of them as there are no leaves to distract from the trunk.
 

1. A Walk In The Woods

Densely wooded areas can make interesting patterns when shot straight on. Just watch your exposure as it can be a little dark. As a result, you may need slightly longer shutter speeds and for this, you will need to carry your tripod.
 

2. Visit The Park 

Venture to your park and take a walk around the paths and you're sure to find trees at either side of you. If you have a particularly long row of trees where the canopy stretches over the path, try standing at one end and use your telephoto lens to exaggerate the length of the lines. If the canopy is rather thick you may need longer exposure times. Just watch out for blurred leaves if you do opt to use them as anything that moves will be blurred in the final shot.

 

 

3. Guide The Eye

An empty path dusted with autumn leaves surrounded by two lines of trees looks great but make the most of the long lines and use them to guide the eye through the image to an object at the other side. In a park, this could be a museum, bench, a statue or even someone walking their dog. 

A telephoto lens is perfect for this type of photography, as it can make the tree lines look like they last forever, adding a further sense of mystery to the shot.

 

4. Fog & Mist

If you have a misty/foggy day use the weather conditions to bring a bit of mystery to the shot, hiding what's at the end of the path of trees. Try experimenting with slow shutter speeds too as you can turn the fog into a smooth river that circles the trees. This effect will work really well when the trees have shredded all of their leaves leaving the skeleton of branches behind.

 

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Spring may be a long way off but this doesn't mean you have to wait until flowers start raising their heads out of the ground to start photographing them. Your local florist or supermarket will have a selection of flowers you can take home and turn into a photographic subject all year round and the best bit is that you get to stay warm and dry as you can shoot your images from the comfort of your home.

 

1. Gear Choices 

When it comes to gear, a compact with macro capabilities can work just as well as a more advanced camera that uses interchangeable lenses so don't be put off if you don't have a macro lens and DSLR in your camera bag. A tripod's always handy but as you're working indoors you don't have to worry about using anything too robust and you can use a variety of light sources (something we discuss further into the piece).
 

2. Backgrounds

A sheet of white Colormatt makes a good background but you can also use a white sheet of paper, material or anything else you think will work well! A white nylon shower curtain or even unbleached baking paper can work well when using natural light as they can easily be taped to windows. A Wimberley Plamp is useful for holding backgrounds in place as long as you have somewhere sturdy for the other end to clip on to. A Spare tripod or even a light stand will work well as your support for the clamp but if you don't have a clamp, taping your background to the stand can work just as well. Clothes rails also make good stands as backgrounds can be clipped to the horizontal bar you'd usually hang clothes from or you could use a still-life table if you have one. 

 

 

3. Props & Vases

Having a selection of vases and other containers to choose from will be useful as you'll not be stuck with just one option if you find it to be particularly difficult to work with and clothes pegs, masking tape and florist wire are all useful items to add to your collection of tools so you can persuade stems to go in a particular direction or move an unsightly leaf out of view. To add more height, try using plant stands or any other sturdy object that'll give you the boost in height. 
 

4. Natural Light

Working with natural light is often the easiest and cheapest option but if you do have studio lights to hand, do consider using them. If you want to get a little more creative why not try using a desk lamp or similar which has a bendy neck to make the positioning easier? Do check your white balance, though, as depending on the bulb you have in the light it may need adjusting. Reflectors will always be useful and as DIY versions are easy to make, it means you can create a tool that's great for bouncing a bit of light back into your shot rather inexpensively. All you need is a piece of card covered in foil or you could simply try using a white piece of card. 
 

5. Adjust The Flowers 

Once set up, it's important that you spend some time turning the flower(s) and adjust the positioning while looking through the viewfinder or at your camera's screen. Look from above, from underneath, the front, the back, the edge – there’s usually one angle that suddenly stands out and is 'the one' that you should shoot. 
 

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Light is an ingredient that photographers can not be without and if you learn to understand the basics of it right from the start, you'll improve your images drastically. So, to help you understand this topic a little further, we'll take a look at how daylight can vary, what subjects different times of the day/year suit best and how you can further enhance the light that's there to improve your shots. 

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1. Sunny Days

A sunny day presents many advantages when it comes to photography including faster shutter speeds, smaller apertures and good colour saturation. However, really strong sunlight at certain times of the day will actually spoil your shots rather than enhance them. The strong sunlight around noon can be very harsh and as a result produces bleached out colours, excessive contrast and deep, downward shadows which aren't flattering for any subject (particularly portraits where dark shadows under the nose, mouth and chin will appear). A rule of thumb many go by is to head out with your camera before 10 am or after 4 pm when the sun produces longer shadows. If you do have to capture your portraits when the light's at its strongest, use fill-in flash or bounce light back onto your subject with a reflector (position it close to your subject and you'll see an immediate softening). 

 

2. The Sun's Position

As a general rule, you don't want the sun behind you when photographing people, because your subject will be staring straight into the sun and squinting unpleasantly when it's too bright. Side-lighting, with the sun hitting your subject from just one side, creates much better results, especially if you use your reflector to bounce light back into the shaded side of the face. For even more dramatic results, try shooting into-the-sun to create a silhouette or use your reflector or flashgun to capture an image with a halo of light around your subject. 

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

 

3. Overcast Days 

A better type of light for portraits is the type you get on a sunny but light cloudy day as the clouds soften and diffuse the light - very much like that produced by a studio softbox. This type of soft, directional light isn't only great for portraits either as a wide range of subjects, including landscapes and many types of nature photography, also benefit from this type of light. 

On days where cloud cover is slightly thicker and as a result, there are very few shadows, you'll probably want to stay away from landscapes and architecture. Instead, focus your attention on macro photography such as capturing images of flowers in your garden. 

 

  4. Winter Light

During the winter months, the sun sits low in the sky all through the day making it an ideal time for expanding your texture and pattern collections. Although, you don't want the wintry day to be heavily overcast as there will be no shadows and light levels are very low. However, this doesn't mean you can't take images on grey days, you just need to have a slightly different approach. Landscape photographer John Gravett got it spot on when he said:

"There is no such thing as bad weather - only different types of lighting."

When working with very overcast conditions, especially when it's raining, much of the colour of the landscape is taken away so take advantage of this and capture some photos in monochrome. By doing so, you'll be able to focus on textures and tone rather than colour which will emphasise the mood of the day and other elements in your shots.  

 

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Nikon has introduced the NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 zoom lens to its full-frame Z series, a lightweight and versatile option for photographers and creators in everyday use. With a wide focal range that covers landscapes, portraits, and close-up shots, this lens is designed to be easy to carry while still delivering sharp detail and smooth autofocus. Its compact build makes it a practical travel companion, and its budget-friendly price point opens up full-frame creativity to more users.

Sales start on 22 January 2026 with a recommended retail price of £529 in the UK and €619 in ROI.

 

From Nikon:

Nikon adds the highly versatile NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 zoom lens to its range of Nikon Z full-frame lenses. With its lightweight build, flexible wide-angle to mid-telephoto reach, and superb close-up performance, this travel-friendly full-frame zoom lens inspires discovery. Easy to carry and to handle, it's perfect for photographers and content creators who want to explore their creative potential.

The NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 makes a brilliant travel companion and a great everyday muse. Photos or video, the 24-105mm focal-length range allows plenty of space for experimenting with framing and composition, while the smooth, fast autofocus helps to get the best out of every shot. Sharp close-up performance encourages new subjects and perspectives: users can capture beautifully balanced detail shots thanks to a short minimum focus distance at both ends of the zoom range and a 0.5x reproduction ratio.

Lightweight and sealed for comfortable portability, the NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 is a great walkaround lens: perfect whether capturing the vibe of a destination on a trip away or getting in valuable daily practice. It balances beautifully with smaller full-frame Z cameras like the Z5II, creating a compact kit that's ready to go whenever the creative urge calls.

Dirk Jasper, Product Manager at Nikon Europe, comments: "With the NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 we're taking another step towards making dynamic full-frame photography attainable for even more people. If you're just starting out on your full-frame journey, this versatile, budget-friendly zoom lens delivers the flexibility and the image quality you need to try new ideas and expand your creativity with confidence."

 

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Summary of key features

Versatile 24-105mm focal-length range: the broad wide-angle to medium-telephoto focal-length range is great for everything from landscapes and cityscapes to interiors, portraits, detail shots, and video.

Lightweight and easy to carry: this full-frame zoom lens weighs just 350 g (approx.). When paired with the Z5II full-frame camera, the complete kit totals only 1050 g (approx.).

Superb close-up performance: a 0.5x reproduction ratio enables close-up shots with nicely balanced background elements. The minimum focus distance is just 0.2 m at 24mm, and 0.28 m at 105mm.

Fast, quiet autofocus: a high-speed stepping motor (STM) powers smooth, whisper-quiet AF. It performs brilliantly with a Z camera's subject detection, and focusing sounds won't ruin video footage.

Customisable control ring: for the smooth, silent adjustment of key settings. Easily switch to manual focus, adjust ISO, or make precise aperture adjustments to create a natural shift in brightness when shooting video.

Travel partner: sealing helps keep out dust and drips, for worry-free portability.

New HB-93B bayonet lens hood: Available as an optional accessory. Minimises stray light and reduces flare.

Budget-friendly: the NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 zoom lens will be available solo and in kits with selected camera bodies (details to be found with your local Nikon authorised dealer or on local Nikon pages).

For more information, please visit the Nikon website.

 

 

Nikon has rolled out firmware version 1.10 for the ZR, marking a major step forward for filmmakers. The main change is a significant increase in recording time, now up to six hours, which makes the ZR more useful for long shoots such as interviews or documentaries. The update also introduces timecode input for easier syncing, RED‑style file naming for smoother multi‑camera work, and several practical improvements, including more LUT options and better exposure tools.

 

From Nikon

Nikon is pleased to announce the release of firmware version 1.10 for its full-frame sensor camera in the Z CINEMA series, the Nikon ZR.

Firmware version 1.10 for the ZR significantly extends the maximum length of recording time from 125 min. to 360 min. (6hrs)1, making it possible to shoot at events that require extended recording such as interviews, documentaries and more. The new update also supports timecode input over a wired connection via the external microphone/line input connector, making it easier to synchronise with audio recording devices and other cameras. In addition, a file-naming convention similar to that of RED cameras has been adopted, enabling more efficient data management, especially when shooting with multiple cameras.

A number of features that enhance usability have also been added, including a function that displays a warning line indicating the maximum brightness level in the brightness information display (histogram, wave-form monitor) when recording R3D NE videos in Log3G10, making exposure easier to control. The number of LUTs that can be imported from a memory card using Custom Setting [3D LUT] > [Import CUBE file] has been increased from 10 to a maximum of 50. This allows users to choose the LUT that will best match the final intent from a broader range of options while on location.

In addition, a [Power-on lamp energy saver] option has been added to the setup menu, allowing users to choose an option that keeps the power-on lamp lit at all times. This allows the user to check whether the camera is on or off at a glance, even when the monitor is closed, preventing unintentional drain on the battery while carrying or transporting the camera. Moreover, [Video file type] can now be set to [R3D NE 12-bit (R3D)] in the video recording menu even if the shooting mode is AUTO, making it possible for users to easily enjoy cinematic video recording with simple operation.

For the full list of updates visit the Nikon download centre: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/index.html

Nikon continuously strives to meet users' needs through regular firmware updates, providing useful functions.

 

 

Tip 1: Reach For A Long Lens You'll need a telephoto zoom (300-400mm) for capturing frame-filling shots and a tripod is essential. If you have one, fasten on your ball-head but it's not essential. 

 

Tip 2: Know Where All Your Buttons & Functions Are 

Know your equipment well before heading outside as you don't want to be searching for buttons and messing around with settings when you only have seconds to take a shot.
 

Tip 3: Get Closer To Your Subject 

You will need to be quite close to the birds even if you are using a lens with plenty of reach as they are really tiny things and can be easily lost in your background.
 

Tip 4: Keep Hidden When Possible 

Make sure you hide out of sight in either a purpose-built hide or try shooting from your house or from an outbuilding such as a shed.
 

Tip 5: Feed The Birds 

Make sure you have feeders out, particularly at this time of year when food's a little scarce. This will encourage birds to regularly visit your garden for food. 
 

 

Tip 6: Think About Feeder Position 

Place feeders in areas where branches or even ready-made perches you want them to land on are positioned. That way they'll, hopefully, land on the branch in front of your chosen background before going for the food.

  Tip 7: Change Your Props 

Change the style of perch you're using to bring a bit of variety to your shots after a while.
 

Tip 8: Think About Backgrounds 

Hedges make great natural looking backgrounds but don't let the scenery overshadow your subject. For those with fences and walls rather than hedgerows try collecting a few sheets of material that can help disguise it. 
 

Tip 9: Focus Is Key 

Pay attention to the tips of tail feathers as these can become out of focus.
 

Tip 10: Be Patient 

Don't be too eager to hit the shutter button the second a bird lands as they're nervous creatures and it may take them a while to become comfortable with their surroundings.

 

 

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Winter is another perfect season for outdoor photography as, even though it's cold, clear overnight skies bring early morning frost and when you combine it with beautiful landscapes, something magical can appear. To ensure you succeed in your frost photography quest, we've put together 5 quick but essential frost photography tips.  

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1. Lenses For Frost Photography 

With a cool, clear night comes morning frost and it's a subject that works well for both close-up work and wider landscape shots. For your close-ups of the patterns, frost creates you'll need a macro lens or a 70-200mm zoom lens with extension rings will work just as well if you don't own a macro lens.

 

2. Early Starts 

Frosts are typically better early in the day, often before the sun hits the frost and starts to thaw it; which means a prompt start, but one of the benefits of the winter months, is that at least sunrise is at a more sociable time than in the summer! Head for areas of open space and rolling landscapes, rather than woodland, where the shelter of the trees can prevent frost.

On a really cold day, when even the sun isn't going to thaw the frost too quickly, a touch of sunlight helps to emphasise the sparkle of frost, and especially try shooting into the light to accentuate the glint of the sun on the frost still further, but remember to use a lens hood to minimise the chance of flare on your pictures.

 

3. Bounce Some Light 

Take a reflector out with you (a piece of card covered in foil will do fine) as they're useful for bouncing light into shaded spots and remember to slip a few spare batteries into your pockets if you're planning on venturing out for a while. It's also worth remembering to wrap up warm as you'll soon feel the cold when you're stood waiting for those long exposure times to complete.

 

 

4. Don't Let Frost Fool Your Camera 

Like snow, frost, particularly when it's a thick covering, can fool your camera's meter to think the scene's much lighter than it actually is and it will underexpose the shot. If this happens, use exposure compensation and shoot half to one and a half stops over what your camera thinks is correct. You should always check your histogram, too, to ensure the exposure's correct.

 

5. Frost Photography At Home

If you don't want to venture too far, have a look for frost on your windows as the patterns it produces are great for macro work. Out in the garden, icy blades of grass are worth capturing early in the morning and look for fallen leaves that are covered with frost while you're out there too. Use a small aperture to make sure more of your image is sharp but if you're working with a leaf that's still on a tree, try using a wider aperture to throw the background out of focus, isolating the leaf in the process. While you're looking at branches look for frost covered berries as the reds contrast well with the white coloured frost.

 

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MPB has announced its yearly results, showing strong performance and reaching profitability for the first time. As a leading platform for photographers and creators to buy, sell and trade used photo and video gear, the company continues to grow across international markets. With more customers, expanding margins, and steady investment in technology, MPB is building momentum as demand for second-hand equipment rises worldwide, while also supporting more sustainable choices for creators.

 

From MPB:

MPB Group (“MPB” or the “Group”), the leading global platform for photographers, content creators and visual storytellers to buy, sell and trade used kit, announces its results for the financial year ended 31 March 2025.

 

• Group Net Revenue increased 19%, with international markets up 28%  
• Margin expansion across all geographies, reflecting strong execution and balanced investment 
• Strong platform for growth, with Gross Merchandise Value to increase more than 50% by FY27 
• Growth has accelerated further in FY26, with Group Net Revenue up 27% in the first half

 

Matt Barker, Founder and CEO of MPB, said: “MPB continues to deliver strong growth, extending a track record of consistent execution that spans more than a decade. Our performance reflects the success of our international expansion, high levels of customer loyalty and the strength of our market-leading platform. Reaching profitability in FY25 marked an important milestone, as we continue to expand margins across geographies and further strengthen the foundations for growth.

“Momentum has accelerated in the current financial year, with net revenue up 27% in the six months to September 2025. Demand for high-quality, second-hand equipment continues to grow, supported by the rise of digital content creation and increasing global adoption of circular models. With an expanding international footprint and the benefit of sustained investment in our platform, data and AI capabilities, MPB is well positioned to deliver significant, profitable growth. 

“I would like to thank my colleagues for their hard work and commitment. Our people remain central to our success as we scale the business and shape the future of this market.” 

 

Market-leading platform delivering strong growth

The Group - spanning the US, Europe and UK - delivered a strong performance in FY25 across all key metrics, reflecting the attractions of its market leading platform, disciplined investment in its data and technology capabilities and accelerating international growth, including market share gains in the US and the successful opening of additional local-language platforms in Europe.  

Net Merchandise Value grew 17% and Net Revenue was up 19%, while margin expansion across all geographies ensured Gross Profit grew 24% to £45.3m (2024: £36.4m). MPB recorded an EBITDA of £0.8 million for the year (2024: £2.9 million loss), establishing a strong platform for continued and significant profitable growth.

 

Consolidated Marketplace financial highlights:

table { width: 500px; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; } th, td { border: 1px solid #000; /* ensures all cells have borders */ padding: 8px; } th { background-color: #f2f2f2; }   FY25 FY24 Change Gross Merchandise Value £224.8m £191.7m +17% Net Merchandise Value £200.3m £170.6m +17% Net Revenue £63.6m £53.3m +19% Gross Profit £45.3m £36.4m +24% Gross Profit as % of Net Revenue 71.2% 68.3% +290bps EBITDA £0.8m £(2.9)m -

 

International expansion the engine driving MPB’s growth

International Net Revenue grew 28%, with international markets now accounting for over 75% of Group revenue, reflecting the success of MPB’s overseas expansion strategy.

MPB’s US business continued its strong performance, taking further market share, with Net Revenue up 26% to £26.6m and Gross Profit increasing 36% to £17.9m. The US accounted for 42% of Group Net Revenue at the end of March 2025, having expanded its Circular Commerce Centre in Brooklyn to provide capacity to support growth for the next five years. 

European Net Revenue increased 31% year-on-year, following the ambitious roll-out of four additional local market platforms. MPB now serves customers via local language platforms in Germany, France, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Ireland and Italy. Gross Profit increased 36% to £15.5m.

 

Customer base doubles in three years, with strong satisfaction and loyalty

MPB hit the milestone of one million unique customers globally in FY25, doubling its unique customer count over three years. 384,000 people transacted with the Group during the period.

MPB recirculated more than 564,000 items of used kit in the year, extending the life and creative potential of photo and video equipment for creators. This approach reduces the need for new production and supports more sustainable consumption, while delivering affordability and choice for customers.  

Customer satisfaction remains central to MPB’s success and customer feedback continues to demonstrate high satisfaction across all markets. This is reflected in MPB’s Global NPS remaining at 74, an excellent score for a consumer business.  

 

Continued technology investment to cement market leading position

MPB is continuing to invest in its proprietary recommerce technology, data and AI capabilities, driving accelerated revenue growth and margin expansion. The Group has a strong financial position from which to continue to invest, supported by an expansion of HSBC’s credit facilities during the year. 

Group headcount increased from 455 to nearly 500 during FY25 as the Group has continued to invest in the wealth of people-talent surrounding its headquarters in Brighton - where MPB is one of the largest employers in the area - Berlin and Brooklyn. 

 

Successfully capturing a global growth opportunity, with GMV to exceed £300m by FY27

Demand for high-quality second-hand equipment continues to grow, with customers looking for affordability and choice. The ongoing rise of content creation is adding further momentum, reinforced by global support for circular business models. Against this backdrop, MPB is well placed to deliver significant, profitable growth, offering a seamless, high quality experience for its customers.

Looking ahead, the Group will expand into new markets, deepen customer engagement and scale efficiently. MPB is introducing new customer loyalty tools, enhancing personalisation and evolving its data-driven pricing model, while continuing to strengthen its presence in the US and attractive European markets. An engaged international workforce is central to MPB’s success and the Group is investing in its people, with a particular focus on AI and digital transformation. 

MPB remains highly confident in its strategy and its ability to capture the opportunities ahead. Gross Merchandise Value is on track comfortably to exceed £300m by FY27, illustrating the Group’s growth potential.  

For more information, please visit the MPB website.

After you leave the basic compact camera market you can group the other models into four main groups of camera which are: DSLR, Mirrorless / Compact System camera, Bridge Cameras and the Advanced Compact.

It can be difficult to know what type of camera that it is you want or need, so we've created this article to outline the main differences, and the pros and cons of each camera, to help you make a more informed decision about what camera is best for you.

 
What Is An Advanced / Serious Compact Camera?

An advanced compact camera is generally quite small, and these days is packed with loads of features. They usually have more fun features than their larger counterparts, such as lots of inbuilt image filters and effects.

Advanced compacts are quickly becoming bigger competitors with mirrorless cameras in terms of image quality and settings every year. As technology advances, compacts get more megapixels, more zoom and loads more settings in a small body that is easily carried everywhere.

Smaller compact cameras will most likely use a CCD or CMOS sensor. These sensors are small and vary in image quality. A CCD sensor will provide better quality and clearer, less distorted images, but they use a lot more power than CMOS sensors and are more expensive to make. CMOS sensors can be more susceptible to noise but are much more energy-efficient and easy to produce. Although the recent introduction of "Backlit" or Back Side Illumination (BSI) CMOS sensors has helped improve noise performance. The smaller the sensor, the smaller the pixels will be on that sensor, resulting in more image noise as the pixels can't take in as much light.

Compact cameras as a whole these days will include features like a program and manual mode, to give the user more control over the settings. However, compact cameras often don't have the necessary control over features like focusing and exposure. Because of the small size of the system, compact cameras will not have the aperture or ISO range of a larger camera. 

Take a look at our Top 10 Best Serious Compact Digital Cameras guide to see which serious compacts top our list. 

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Advanced Compacts?

Pros:

• Small size
• Nowadays they have 16MP plus, making them more than adequate for most photography
• Many effects and filters
• They have many of the programs and manual features that were previously only found on DSLRs a few years ago

Cons:

• Less zoom capability than cameras with interchangeable lenses and bridge cameras
• Lesser image quality than cameras with bigger sensors
• Sometimes can be difficult to get a good grip on due to their small size and slim designs
• Less control over exposure settings

 

 

Bridge / Ultra Zoom Cameras

Bridge cameras are generally larger and more chunky than compact cameras. They don't have interchangeable lenses, but often offer more zoom and larger megapixel numbers because of their larger size. A bridge camera is a great purchase if you are looking for something with a little more to give than a compact. They are often easier to hold and feel a little more robust than compacts, and some mirrorless cameras too. This style of camera lets you get wide-angle shots and then zoom into distant subjects.

You can find more information on Bridge cameras in our Top 10 Best Ultra Zoom Digital Cameras Article which you can find here.

 

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Bridge / Ultra Zoom Cameras?

Pros:

• Manual controls are often available 
• Plenty of zoom for your money!
• Good handling
• Choice of battery type
• Good or excellent macro performance, as well as increased depth of field, so more of the picture is in focus

Cons:

• Lesser image quality than cameras with bigger sensors
• Can be bulky in size
• Generally, not too great in low light
• Difficult to obtain blurred backgrounds/subject separation

 

 

What Is A Mirrorless Or Compact System Camera?

Mirrorless or compact system cameras are the latest edition to the camera family. They were designed as a hybrid between a DSLR and a compact, keeping the high image quality but lessening the size of the camera body drastically to create something small yet powerful.

Mirrorless cameras have no TTL viewfinder which means body size is reduced. Most mirrorless cameras use a large back screen to display the image and some have electronic viewfinders, or the ability to attach an electronic viewfinder to them.

Mirrorless and interchangeable cameras have evolved a lot since they were first introduced and have now formed two subgroups; cameras that look like DSLRs but are smaller in size and those that look like compacts with interchangeable lenses. Today's technology means that mirrorless cameras can use very flat pancake lenses that still provide a very high image quality.

Different brands of mirrorless cameras use different systems for attaching the lenses, meaning that only certain lenses can be brought for certain cameras. For example, Panasonic and Olympus use the Micro Four Thirds system, while Samsung uses the NX mount and Sony uses the E-mount. Some cameras have adapters allowing you to fit different lenses and even DSLR lenses.

The mirrorless camera will generally have more manual settings and more of the advanced features of a DSLR. Their interchangeable lenses mean that they are more versatile as a camera, as you can fit specific lenses for your preferred area of photography, for example, macro or wide-angle lenses.

Mirrorless cameras can have the same size sensors as DSLR cameras, but they vary a lot from make-to-make. Mirrorless cameras are still a fairly new and emerging style of camera, but often feature some of the latest innovation and technologies.

 

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Mirrorless / Compact System?

Pros:

• Small and with technology are now very much as good as DSLRs in some respects
• Manual setting and more control than compacts but still in a small body
• Modern and still evolving
• Shallow depth of field possible/blurred backgrounds
• Less complicated mechanically than a DSLR, therefore often cheaper to buy

Cons:

• Can sometimes be top-heavy due to large lenses on small compact style body
• Potentially limited lenses available for each camera due to different systems of attaching
• Still have less telephoto zoom capability than DSLRs
• Macro performance of standard lenses can be poor, requiring dedicated lenses for macro work
• Battery life often not as good as DSLRs

   
What Is A DSLR Camera?

DSLR cameras are the direct digital descendants of the SLR film cameras. Standing for Digital Single Lens Reflex, DSLRs are chunky but are still unrivalled in terms of possible image quality. New DSLRs can pack a lot of megapixels into an APS-C or full-frame sensors, making them the best in terms of quality and manual preference settings.

DSLRs generally have black bodies that can be quite hefty, especially when they have a long zoom lens attached. What makes the DSLR a good choice is that you are not tied to only one or two brands of lens for your camera. Most DSLRs fit third party lenses such as Sigma or Tamron, giving you variety in terms of price and features, depending on what you want.

DSLRs can be quite difficult to get your head around at first, with all the different settings and possibilities, but over time, a DSLR can become a great tool for producing stunning photos. They have a lot more breadth in terms of settings than other cameras. Because of their size, they have larger aperture brackets and higher ISO settings, meaning that they provide better opportunities for a much wider range of photographic genres and subjects. Have a look at some of the best APS-C DSLRs or best Full-Frame DSLRs.

  What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of DSLR Cameras?

Pros:

• Great image quality
• Manual settings
• Loads more exposure breadth
• Generally longer battery life than the other cameras
• Optical viewfinder so can see directly through the lens
• Good handling

Cons

• Big and hefty
• Can be complicated to get your head around
• Expensive for the camera and lenses

    So, What Camera Is Best For Me?

At the end of the day, it depends on what your budget is, what you want from a camera and how professional you are looking to go. It will surely depend person-to-person, but as a rough guide, ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I want photographs of professional quality?
• Do I want a camera that has to be carried around in a separate bag because of its size?
• Do I have the money to buy lenses and other equipment to improve my kit?

If the answer to two or more of these is yes, then you may want to consider investing in a DSLR for that image quality edge. If the answer to two or more of these is no, then perhaps something smaller like a mirrorless or advanced compact is the camera for you. While still having good image quality and a host of different settings, these cameras provide a more portable option.
 

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A stunning capture of a tawny owl in flight has earned our latest 'Photo of the Week' (POTW) accolade.

'Tawny Owl Coming In To Land' by Debmercury captures the owl as it approaches a footpath sign with talons ready to grip the wooden post. The detail is extraordinary, with every feather standing out against the black background. You can see the soft plumage texture and the sharp detail in the owl's dark eye as it prepares to land. The composition is brilliant too, with the rustic wooden sign adding a charming touch of countryside character. It's the kind of shot that requires skill, timing, and more than a little luck to pull off.

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 2026, we’ll crown our 2025 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!

 

When capturing waterfalls you can make water appear as if it's frozen in time so every splash and droplet is captured in the frame or you can go to the opposite end of the scale and smooth the flow of water out into almost a dry-ice, cloud-like texture. At this time of year, there's the added option of capturing frozen shapes that water's created when it's splashed up over rocks and grass found at the edges of the falls, too

So, which effect should you go for and what shutter speed will you need to create it? Well, generally speaking, fast shutter speeds freeze motion while slower shutter speeds exaggerate and blur it. Which you want to use will depend on the type of image you are trying to create and even though using slower shutter speeds is popular with many photographers, it doesn't mean you have to use them.

Here, we'll look at both forms of photography and offer tips on using each technique to create a specific style of shot.

For those who haven't used Shutter Priority Mode before you can usually switch to it by turning your mode dial to the 'S' setting. How you alter the shutter speed can change from camera-to-camera so it's best to look in your camera's manual before heading out with all of your gear. Switching to shutter-priority will allow you to control the length of the time the shutter is open for.

 

1. Freezing Motion

If you're capturing a fall where the flow of water is quite rapid and you don't want to lose the sense of motion, try using fast shutter speeds. If you're working in aperture priority you can set a wide aperture (f/2.8 - 4) to get the quicker shutter speeds you need. You can also bump up your ISO to gain a faster shutter speed.

To freeze movement you have to set a fast enough shutter speed to prevent the subject’s movement blurring as it moves across the sensor. What shutter speed you need will change depending on how fast the water is moving so experimentation is key. However, if you find the results aren't all that spectacular you'll probably prefer to use the popular slow shutter speed technique.

 

2. Slowing Motion

 

Blurred water cascades falling over rocks are a popular photographic subject. Why? Well, love it or loathe it, it can look great in the right situation and even small cascades can look like raging torrents when captured this way.

This technique will work particularly well when really cold temperatures arrive as water that hits grasses and rocks found at the side of moving water will freeze and as John Gravett has said in a previous article: "a long shutter speed will contrast the moving water with the icy margins, and a small aperture will give you a wide depth of field, ensuring front to back sharpness."
 

Time Of Day/Year

Remember though, if it's cold enough for ice, you'll need good winter clothing on to keep you warm and do be extra careful when working at the sides of rivers and waterfalls when icy patches can form on the sides you'll be standing on.

You will find that early morning or late afternoon on an overcast day is the perfect time to photograph waterfalls using this particular technique. Ice and frost are more likely to still be around during the earlier part of the day, too. If you try and shoot later in the day, particularly during sunny, summer months, the bright sun stops you using slow shutter speeds and the contrast can be horrendous. Although a polariser, as well as a neutral density filter, are handy for cutting down the amount of light reaching the camera sensor.

 

 

Experimentation Is Key 

As mentioned above, experimentation is key when it comes to shutter speeds as the speed of the water, its volume, where you are stood and how much blur you want to create will all play a part in altering your shutter speed. However, 1/8sec to 1/15sec should be a good starting point (you should be able to create motion without losing too much texture) but if this doesn't work, change the shutter speed and take the shot again. For really milky shots, speeds as long as ten seconds could be needed.

Take care when metering water as the large areas of light tones can fool the meter into underexposing, making the picture look dark. You'll probably find that it's worth bracketing your shot, perhaps shooting at plus and minus one stop.

 

Filters & Tripods

If areas of the water begin to overexpose (appear too bright) you'll need to fit an ND filter to use the slower speeds you want without 'blown out' areas spoiling your shot. You need to use a tripod, self-timer or a remote cable release as shots taken with longer shutter speeds are more prone to shake. Using the camera's mirror lock-up can also help with this.

 

 

3. Ice And Frozen Falls

Unless we have a week or more of very cold weather it's unlikely an entire lake will freeze. However, do look out for icicles that have formed on or overhanging grasses and ledges. If you can, position yourself so they are set against a dark background so the icicles stand out. As mentioned above, create contrast with slow shutter speeds and set flowing, smooth water against frozen edges. Also, as John Gravett suggests, 'lookout for crystal-like caps over rocks, icy stalagmites on grass, or chandelier-like structures on large waterfalls'.
 

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