The PetaPixel Photography Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Photographers Are SPOILED by Modern Camera Tech! May 07, 2025

Show notes

Keep your Mac tidy with CleanMyMac! It's time to take control of your digital life! With a single button of CleanMyMac, you can maximize the performance, declutter and protect your Mac. Get tidy your way!

<a href="https://www.insta360.com/sal/x5?utm_term=PetaPixel&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=PetaPixel&utm_content=date20250416X5Launch">Get the X5 now</a>, the smartest and toughest 360° Camera ever made here and use code “PetaPixel” to get a free 114cm invisible selfie stick with your purchase.</em>

The Nikon Z6 III absolutely demolishes the D6 while the Canon R6 II puts the 1DX Mark III to shame -- and those flagship DSLRs are just five years old! Seriously, photographers don't sit and reflect just how spoiled they are with modern camera tech.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.

In This Episode:

00:00 - Intro
12:14 - Pulitzer Prize announcement
15:05 - Tamron plans to announce six lenses this year, 10 next year
18:39 - The DJI Phantom is dead
21:14 - Sony reportedly considering spinning off its sensor business
25:49 - Canon announced a "new" 75-300mm that just looks like a remount of a lens from 1999
29:47 - So, we have to talk about tariffs again...
30:52 - Leica raises prices in Canada because of the US
34:04 - The DJI Osmo Pocket costs $800 now, if you can find one
36:12 - Clever Supply's take on the tariffs: https://petapixel.com/2025/05/05/how-trumps-tariff-chaos-impacts-small-american-photo-companies/
39:29 - Photographer's often forget how good they've got it.
1:10:51 - What have you been up to?
1:15:37 - Your crazy lens ideas (and if they're viable)
1:20:00 - Never read the comments
1:23:40 - Tech support
1:28:52 - Feel good story of the week

Are There Any Limits to What We Can Do With Lenses Now? Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

The X5 is the latest flagship camera from Insta360. With full 360° 8K30fps capture, enhanced low-light performance, and a 185-minute battery life, X5 is designed for all-day, all-night, all-angle shooting.
Get the X5 now, the smartest and toughest 360° Camera ever made here and use code “PetaPixel” to get a free 114cm invisible selfie stick with your purchase.
We've seen some incredible lens designs in recent years, but last week's announcement of a Sony 50-150mm f/2 GM got us wondering what the limits of reasonable lens development are now. We've seen you all suggest lenses that sounded crazy, but now... maybe we aren't so sure.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.
In This Episode:

00:00 - Are we too hard on dentists?
11:15 - TTArtisan's new 35mm T2.1 has two different bokeh options
15:40 - Viltrox has a new compact flash
19:15 - Adobe opens the gates for any AI models to work in Creative Cloud
22:15 - Logitech MX Creative Console now supports Final Cut and Resolve
24:33 - Our friend Hugh made a grip for the Sigma BF
28:05 - Canon confirms tariffs are going to increase prices
32:26 - Are there limits to what a lens can be anymore?
1:03:49 - What have you been up to?
1:08:17 - Tech support
1:26:02- Feel good story of the week

Severance's Jessica Lee Gagné on Cinematography, Directing, and More! Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

The X5 is the latest flagship camera from Insta360. With full 360° 8K30fps capture, enhanced low-light performance, and a 185-minute battery life, X5 is designed for all-day, all-night, all-angle shooting.
Get the X5 now, the smartest and toughest 360° Camera ever made here and use code “PetaPixel” to get a free 114cm invisible selfie stick with your purchase.
--
This week on the PetaPixel Podcast, the team is joined by Cinematographer and Director Jessica Lee Gagné from the hit TV show Severance! She talks at length about how she approached lighting, framing, camera work, and more!
--
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.
--

In This Episode:

00:00 - Intro
07:25 - Insta360 announced the X5 360-degree camera
13:02- Synology wants you to buy its official drives and restricts many features to them
15:41 - Light Lens Lab is remaking the rare P. Angenieux Type S21 50mm f/1.5
19:48 - Fujifilm finally priced the new Instax mini 41
21:31 - Fujifilm teases a "half" camera
22:57 - Viltrox announced a new 35mm f/1.2
13:35 - Sorry, but we have to talk about tariffs again...
25:48 - Blackmagic was going to build a US factory, but tariffs made it untenable
26:51 - Harman is raising film prices in the US
30:26 - Japan has no idea what the US wants
33:21 - Fujifilm confirms it has paused shipments of some cameras amid trade disarray
35:28 - Nikon's vending machine mini cameras have arrived in the US
39:01 - Severance's Jessica Lee Gagné on Cinematography, Directing, and More!
1:13:22 - What have you been up to?
1:18:16 - Tech support
1:31:38 - Feel good story of the week

The Coolest Camera Gear from the Year's Biggest Video Show! Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Need incredible music and sound effects? Use what PetaPixel uses: Audiio! You can get 70% off your first year of Audiio Pro (just $59 for unlimited music & SFX downloads) when using our exclusive partner deal. Go to audiio.com/petapixel and use code "petapixel" at checkout!
The NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters) is the largest video-centric exhibition of the year and Chris Niccolls, Jordan Drake, and Jaron Schneider walked the show, saw it all, and have thoughts!
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.
In This Episode:

00:00 - Intro, from the floor of NAB!
06:11 - So we have to talk about tariffs
07:29 - Sony a1 II shortage is getting worse
12:54 - DxO quietly pulls back on X-Trans 5, apologizes for "misleading" messaging
14:15 - Don't hold out hope for native leaf shutters on GFX
17:26 - DJI is begging the US government to do its job
18:39 - Fujifilm film prices in Japan are going way up
22:54 - DaVinci Resolve adds more than 100 new features
26:54 - We got more details on the GFX Eterna cinema camera
32:54 - The stuff at NAB that caught our eye
51:39 - Curtis Judd drops by
52:25 - Never read the comments
55:37 - Tech Support

Does Any Competitor Beat the Nikon Z5 II Right Now? Apr 03, 2025

Show notes

With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get $15 off the Moment Store, 25% off the PetaPixel Merch Store, and now can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses. Join today! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year.
Nikon announced a new entry-level full-frame camera in the Z5 II. Based on initial impressions, not only does it carry on the legacy of "good value" from its predecessor, but it expands on it to the degree it might be the best camera in its segment right now.
em>Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.

In This Episode:

00:00 - Intro
09:40 - Why no Canon V1 or R50V launch video?
13:45 - Canon's PowerShot V1 is $900 and coming next month
16:19 - The Canon EOS R50V is a compact cinema-focused camera
19:54 - The RF 20mm f/1.4 L is Canon's widest-ever f/1.4 prime
23:48 - Sony's announcement is a very expensive add-on for the Venice
26:03 - The Nodus Obscura watch has an analog exposure gauge in the bezel
29:50 - The GR III successor will definitely come... at some point
32:48 - Apple should have actually sold this computer
35:22 - Would you take the Z5 II or ANY equivalent from each competitor?
1:03:10 - What have you been up to? (Looking at some B&W film shots Chris took)
1:10:04 - Never read the comments
1:14:50 - Tech support

The Very Good Smartphone Cameras We Didn't Talk About (Feat. Ted Kritsonis) Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, Chris Niccolls, Jordan Drake, and I are joined by PetaPixel's mobile and computing contributing writer Ted Kritsonis to talk about the very good smartphone camera systems that North Americans might not know about or have outright disregarded.
With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get $15 off the Moment Store, 25% off the PetaPixel Merch Store, and now can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses. Join today! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.

In This Episode:

00:00 - Intro
08:50 - GoPro's Anamorphic lens mod is finally available
12:15 - Tamron will make more prime lenses if that's what photographers want
15:18 - Canon is developing 3D dual photo tech powered by Dual Pixel
20:15 - Sirui is the ninth member of the L Mount Alliance
23:06 - Sony and Canon tease new video cameras
27:54 - The very good smartphone cameras you aren't considering
1:05:20 - What have you been up to?
1:14:59 - We are going to Las Vegas
1:15:41 - Never read the comments
1:20:29 - Tech support
1:31:51 - Feel good story of the week

GFX100RF Design Philosophy with Fujifilm's Justin Stailey Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get $15 off the Moment Store, 25% off the PetaPixel Merch Store, and now can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses. Join today! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year.
This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, Chris Niccolls and Jaron Schneider sit down with Fujifilm's Justin Stailey to talk about the design philosophy of the new GFX100RF and why the company made some of the decisions it did. Curious why the camera has no IBIS and is only f/4? Stailey provides some answers.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.
In This Episode:

00:00 - Intro... from Prague!
08:34 - Fujifilm is finally getting closer to fulfilling X100VI orders
11:28 - Insta360 and Leica extend their strategic partnership and promise new co-engineered products
14:05 - Historic auction of Leica cameras in China was manipulated
16:41 - The LSST camera has been assembled in Chile and is ready to take its first photos of the universe.
20:32 - Canon commits to continuing in-house sensor development
24:10 - Magnum, Fujifilm, and MPP teamed up for a massive digitization effort
25:18 - The GF100RF Design Philosophy with Fujifilm's Justin Stailey
58:23 - Our GF100RF thoughts that didn't make it into the hands-on video
1:13:54 - What have you been up to?
1:16:34 - Tech support
1:29:30 - Feel good story of the week

Is Chris Wrong About the Sigma BF? Feat. David Imel Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

With a PetaPixel Membership, not only can you support original PetaPixel reporting and in-depth reviews, but you can also remove ads from the website and gain access to some seriously great perks, too. Members get $15 off the Moment Store, 25% off the PetaPixel Merch Store, and now can download full-resolution RAW files and JPEGs from the latest cameras and lenses. Join today! It costs just $3 per month or $30 per year.
This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, the team is joined by Waveform Podcast co-host David Imel to talk about the Sigma BF and why Chris Niccolls -- who laments the many things cut out to make it "radically simple" -- might be wrong.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.
In This Episode

00:00 - Intro
07:30 - Apple's new computers are really good, but the M4 Max is all photographers need right now
13:40 - Canon won't do the alternate versions of the 1 series, won't do a high resolution version of the R1
16:54 - Canon is cautiously ramping compact camera production back up
20:03 - Viltrox made six pro-level AF lenses for the DJI Ronin 4DThypoch is moving away from its infinity lock switches: https://petapixel.com/2025/03/06/thypoch-is-moving-away-from-its-polarizing-focus-lock-switch/
29:11 - Is Chris wrong about the Sigma BF?
1:04:02 - What have you been up to?
1:09:38 - Never read the comments
1:18:12 - Tech support
1:27:30 - Using anamorphic lenses for still photography
1:29:43 - Feel good story of the week

Did Panasonic Finally Support Photographers? Feat. Micro Four Nerds Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

Do you ever get tired of manually organizing, searching for, tagging, and culling your images? We do, too - and that’s where Excire can help!
Excire’s photo-management software harnesses AI to make tedious tasks 10x faster, easier, and more fun. Thanks to Excire, you can easily get your images organized, stay on top of culling, and instantly find any photo in your catalog—so you can spend less time managing your images and more time doing what you love! Best of all, Excire can be integrated seamlessly into your current workflow, either using the standalone image organizer, Excire Foto 2025, or the Lightroom Classic plugin, Excire Search 2024.
To purchase an Excire lifetime license or to download a 14-day free trial, visit www.excire.com/en/shop! (PetaPixel viewers can receive 15% off their purchase with the special discount code PETAPIXEL.)
This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, the team is joined by Emily Lowry, the face and brains behind the YouTube channel Micro Four Nerds. Given that Panasonic hasn't supported photographers specifically in many years, there is a lot to discuss about the new camera specifically for taking photos.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.

In This Episode

00:00 - Intro: Say hello to Emily, from Micro Four Nerds!
10:01 - Rejoice: Nikon fixes the Z6 III N-log flickering issue
12:02 - TTArtisan's debut camera is a retro folding Instax
16:20 - Technicolor shuts down abruptly, leaving 10,000 workers in the lurch
18:50 - Xiaomi wants to make modular magnetic smartphone lenses
23:26 - Chris reviews the Peak Design Carry-On Roller
27:23 - Sigma wants to make a "serious" camera
34:24 - A new 35mm f/1.2 Art is coming?
37:54 - Sigma can make just nine BF cameras per day
43:35 - Did Panasonic Finally Give Photographers a Camera?
1:01:46 - What have you been up to? (Join Emily's mailing list)
1:18:28 - Never read the comments
1:24:46 - Tech support
1:33:50 - Feel good story of the week

Sigma's CEO Talks BF, Foveon, and More Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

The innovative Haukland Parka Pro 7-in-1 jacket consists of three jacket layers that can be worn in seven different ways, offering great versatility and comfort in changing and harsh weather conditions. It's warm, durable, and the PetaPixel team relies on them to keep them warm -- and that comes in especially useful during the harsh, brutal winters of Calgary, Alberta.
To see the Haukland 7-in-1 Parka Pro Jacket, 3-in-1 Photography gloves, and Haukland photography bags and backpacks, visit https://haukland.us. Thanks to Haukland for sponsoring this episode of the PetaPixel Podcast!
This week on the PetaPixel Podcast, Sigma's CEO Kazuto Yamaki sits down with Chris Niccolls to talk about the newly-announced lenses, the Sigma BF camera, and -- of course -- the state of the full-frame Foveon sensor.
Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/
We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.
We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.