But the Lola Miffy struggles from slight shutter lag which often results in missed shots, and given its tiny sensor, it struggles in dimly lit environments. And while you get a 20x digital zoom, image quality drops significantly as you zoom in.

Is this still the best cheap camera for you? Read my full Lola Miffy Digital Camera review to find out.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Specs

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Price & availability

Launched in July 2026, the Lola Miffy Digital Camera is a special edition of the base Lola Digital Camera, and it retails for $109 at Lola U.S. / £79 at Urban Outfitters U.K. It’s priced similarly to the Kodak PIXPRO C1 ($99) and the Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 ($99).

The Lola Miffy is a little pricier than other compact cameras we’ve tested, like the Camp Snap 2 ($69) and the Camp Snap CS-Pro ($99), but these are screen-free cameras that don’t let you see your shots until you’re at your computer. In its essence, the Lola Miffy is similar to the Kodak Charmera ($30) — it’s a hobby camera and a fashion accessory. The Miffy edition is Lola’s second-ever collaboration, the first being with Betty Boop. While the Lola Miffy won’t capture award-winning photos, I still think it’s worth the money because of how darn cute it is.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Design

The Lola Miffy Digital Camera is extremely portable and pocketable, making it perfect for your travels and everyday photography. The camera measures 3.75 x 2.25 x 0.75 inches and weighs about 8oz (including battery and card), and I had no problem carrying it around in my trousers’ pocket. I even took it to a musical festival and again, didn’t feel weighed down by it. It’s easy to use with one or both hands, too. It’s heavier than the 3.8oz Camp Snap 2 but the tradeoff is better build quality (more on that shortly).

One of the Lola Miffy’s biggest selling points is its adorable design — it’s the cutest camera or gadget I’ve ever used, really. As its name suggests, Miffy, the adorable cartoon bunny I grew up watching, adorns the front, along with four gold stars. The camera is wrapped in a lovely shade of blue. A Miffy-themed friendship charm bracelet is attached to the camera and it functions as a strap for wrapping the camera around your wrist. You can also buy a Miffy-themed pouch at checkout. Overall, the design is 10/10, no notes. One of my friends took one look at it and said, “I’m buying it. Right now.” So there’s that.

Build quality is decent, too. The camera is made entirely of plastic and surprisingly, it doesn’t feel extremely plasticky or cheap, unlike the Kodak PIXPRO C1 and the Camp Snap 2.

Monitor

Similar to other cheap compact cameras I’ve tested, the Lola Miffy doesn’t feature a viewfinder so you’ll be relying on the 2.8-inch IPS Color screen for framing your shots. Lola doesn’t specify the screen’s resolution, but I found it easy to read in most lighting conditions. It got a little tricky under direct sunlight, though.

The Lola Miffy’s screen doesn’t flip out or up, like on the Kodak PIXPRO C1, making it difficult to take selfies, if that’s your jam. The camera does feature a small mirror on the front, though, which you can use to frame your selfies. It takes some trial and error, but it’s handy to have. The selfie above was taken using the mirror for framing, and it’s turned out great.

Ports

You don’t get a lot in terms of ports. This is a very stripped-back camera, and there’s just one USB-C port on the Lola Miffy. This can be used to charge the camera or to transfer photos to your laptop. If you want to transfer photos directly to your phone while you’re on the move, you can add the Lola Mobile SD Card Adapter at checkout.

On the camera’s right-hand edge, you’ll find the slot for the SD card as well as the battery pack. Unlike on the Kodak PIXPRO C1, the Lola Miffy’s battery and SD card are protected by a sliding plastic cover.

Weather-sealing

The Lola Miffy isn’t weather-sealed, just like the Camp Snap 2, so I wouldn’t recommend using it in very rainy or dusty conditions. I captured a few snaps when it started drizzling at a music festival and the camera survived, but again, exercise caution and do so at your own risk. If you want a rugged camera that’s weather-proof and can even survive a few tumbles, I’d recommend spending extra on the Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2 ($179).

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Controls

The Lola Miffy Digital Camera is extremely easy to use, thanks to its straightforward controls. The shutter button is located next to the power button on the top plate, and half-pressing the former makes the camera focus on your subject. You’ll find your standard navigation buttons next to the monitor on the back, as well as “W” and “T” buttons for zooming in and out.

The buttons give good tactile feedback, and the camera’s menu system is straightforward and easy to understand. Pressing the left navigation button while shooting lets you cycle through 20 filters and Miffy-themed frames, too, which is fun and lets you get creative with your shots.

One thing to note, though, is that there’s a one-second lag between pressing the shutter button and capturing the image. Given that the shutter takes a second to engage, it resulted in me missing a few shots — or telling my friends to hold their pose for longer. This is similar to what we’ve seen on the Camp Snap 2 and the Camp Snap CS-Pro. While not a dealbreaker, it can be quite annoying.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Lens

The Lola Miffy Digital Camera is fitted with an 8MP CMOS sensor with a focal length of 26mm — just like the Kodak PIXPRO C1. This focal length is wide enough for landscape shots, arm-length selfies, group photos, and casual travel photography. Lola doesn’t specify the camera’s focal range, and there’s no dedicated macro mode like on the Kodak PIXPRO C1. I found it enough to take photos of my friends and landscapes, though.

One of the Lola Miffy’s headline features is its 20x digital zoom which, in theory, lets you take close-up shots of subjects without physically getting close to them. But because you only have 8MP at your disposal, you quickly lose pixels as you zoom in, and there’s a noticeable downgrade in image quality, too (more on this shortly).

The Lola Miffy’s lens has a fixed f/2.4 aperture. On paper, that’s wide enough to let a lot of light into the sensor, and capture good images in low-light conditions. However, because the camera’s sensor is quite small, images taken in dimly lit environments generally come out noisy and low-quality. This is similar to the Kodak PIXPRO C1’s f/2 aperture and the camera’s low-light performance.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Image quality

The Lola Miffy Digital Camera is designed for anyone who wants to capture memories — which is exactly what I did. I photographed a music festival and my daily life in Bath, U.K., and I’m pleased with the photos. Because the resolution is limited to 8MP, the photos aren’t the best quality, but they have a nice retro touch to them, as you can see above.

I love the colors the camera has captured. While the greens look slightly washed out in a few shots, that’s what I was expecting from a cheap compact camera anyway, so I don’t mind. The edges of the buildings and bridge look sharp, as does the photo of my partner. The camera’s autofocus performs surprisingly well, too, and I found it quick enough to focus on humans and birds.

As I mentioned before, you get access to 20 Miffy-themed frames and filters, examples of which you can see above. These can be applied when you’re taking the shot by pressing the left navigation button — they can’t be applied retrospectively. I’m sure this will please fans of the Dutch fictional bunny, especially millennials (like myself) who grew up watching her. There are color filters, too, like red, cyan, black and white, and more, and these can help you get creative shots.

So, how about that 20x digital zoom? On paper, it sounds very handy as it can help you get close-up shots of distant subjects without moving physically yourself. While it’s useful, the image quality deteriorates rapidly. In the gallery above, the first shot was taken at 20x zoom and the second is the same photo but zoomed all the way out — and it’s the same for the second series of the church.

The drummer in the first shot and the church clock in the third are blurry, pixelated and the edges aren’t well-defined. They aren’t usable at all, if I’m being honest. So while the zoom is nice to have, it doesn’t add much.

The Lola Miffy’s low-light performance is nothing to write home about either. On a mirrorless camera, f/2.4 aperture is generally fantastic as it lets more light into the sensor, and enables you to get better shots in dimly lit environments — not on the Lola Miffy, though, as the sensor is just too small.

The image above was taken in a dark room, with just a small light source to the right of the shelving unit. As you can see, it’s extremely noisy and grainy. It appears washed out and not at all what it looked like to my naked eye. This is similar to the Kodak PIXPRO C1’s and the Kodak Charmera’s low-light performance.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Video quality

Alongside capturing stills, the Lola Miffy Digital Camera can record HD 720P, 4K, and 2.7K video — although Lola doesn’t specify frame rates. You can watch a compilation of 4K clips above. While the colors have come out nicely, with a retro tinge akin to the images, the clips are quite choppy, which I’m guessing is because of a low frame rate.

The quality reminds me of the home videos my parents made of me when I was a child — or like these videos were recorded on the Camp Snap CS-8 ($139). The camera is sufficient enough when it comes to recording videos for fun, but not for serious vlogging.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Battery life

I’ve tested many, many cameras as a reviews writer, from the expensive Leica Q3 43 ($7,380) to the super cheap Lomography Simple Use ($27), but I’ve never seen a brand describe a camera’s battery life quite like Lola. The Lola Miffy Digital Camera is rated for two to three days of use. Lola doesn’t specify the number of shots a single charge can yield, or the optimal shooting conditions for extending battery life. Just two to three days of vibes.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing as the Lola Miffy is designed for casual photographers, and people who want a camera just for fun. “Two to three days,” then, makes a lot of sense, as that’s what the camera’s target audience will most care about. In my testing, the camera lasted me just under three days of use, having used it extensively at a two-day music festival. I found the battery indicator reliable, too, as it steadily went from green to yellow to red.

Lola Miffy Digital Camera review: Verdict

If you want a fun, no-frills digicam to capture everyday life, take to music festivals or on your travels, the Lola Miffy Digital Camera easily warrants a recommendation. It’s 10/10, Miffy-themed design is one of its biggest selling points, and it captures good images with a retro aesthetic, too. You also get 4K video capabilities, and an array of Miffy-themed frames and filters for creative shots. Battery life is strong, and the camera itself is extremely easy to use.

But as a cheap compact camera, the Lola Miffy isn’t without its faults. There’s slight shutter lag which can result in missed shots, and low-light performance isn’t great. But if neither of those sound like dealbreakers to you, and all you want is a portable camera that doubles as a fashion accessory, the Lola Miffy should be your port of call. It’s become a permanent part of my day bag now.

A couple of days ago, I went hands-on with it to capture portraits and action shots of falcons, eagles and owls. Though the weather was far from ideal, with the skies pouring down on us as soon as the lovely ladies from U.K.-based Walks with Hawks brought out birds of prey, it was an enjoyable day out.

I was given the 400mm lens and a Fujifilm X-H2S and I had a lot of fun with it. Here's everything I photographed with the kit.

A long-reaching, lightweight tele lens

Before we get to the photos, let's talk about the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR. It's a super-telephoto APS-C lens with a 400mm focal length — that's equivalent to 609mm on a full frame sensor — and it's compatible with Fuji's X series of mirrorless cameras. With a maximum aperture of f/4.5, Fujifilm claims that it "delivers the highest optical performance in the XF lens lineup." That essentially means that it captures sharp photos.

As the many letters in its name suggest, the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR features up to 5.5 stops of optical image stabilization, and it's fully protected against dust, rain and can be used in temperatures as low as 14°F / -10°C. The lens' OIS enables you to shoot at slow shutter speeds, and I can confirm that it's weather-proof as I used it in the pouring rain.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how lightweight the lens felt when attached to the X-H2S. On its own, the XF 400mm F4.5 weighs 2.74lbs. With the X-H2S, the kit weighs 4.19lbs. I found the weight distribution to be fantastic, and I didn't find the kit unwieldy to use or hold up for long periods when tracking birds in flight. It certainly felt more comfortable to use than the OM System OM-1 Mark II with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-600mm F5.0-6.3 IS (4.55lbs without camera)!

Another thing that took me by surprise? The price. The XF 400mm F4.5 has a retail price of $3,199 / £2,499 which is not bad for a lens of its caliber. While I wish the lens had a narrower f/2.8 aperture, it doesn't feel poor value for money. For context, the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM costs a whopping $14,000, while the Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S retails for around $3,500, so similar to the Fujifilm.

As a wildlife photographer who's had her eye on the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR for a while, I'm quite tempted by the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR. Of course, one of the XF 100-400mm's draws is that it has the versatility of a zoom lens, yet at 3.1lbs it's only ever-so-slightly heavier than the fixed-length XF 400mm.

What the XF 100-400mm doesn't have, though, is a Focus Preset memory button on its barrel, which the XF 400mm does. There's an AF-L / Preset / AF switch on XF 400mm's barrel. If you set it to Preset, aim at your target in the distance (using either the camera's autofocus or manual focusing), and press the Set button under the Preset switch, the lens memorizes the exact focus position. If you then focus on a different area and press either of the black buttons close to the front of the lens, you'll snap back to your saved distance.

I'm sure this will come in handy for wildlife and sports photographers who don't want to waste time hunting for focus when their subject enters a pre-measured zone. This also sounds useful for event photography where critical spots, like a stage, remain the same distance from the photographer.

Portraits, action shots, it does it all

As part of the pre-launch event for the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR lens, I got the chance to capture portrait and action shots of Henry the barn owl, Reggie the Harris's hawk, Hope the black-chested buzzard-eagle, Perry the peregrine falcon, and Rogue the kestrel. Very well behaved birds, I must say, as they sat still and posed for the cameras.

Have a look at the photos in the gallery above. The edges of the birds, as well as their feathers and patterns, have turned out sharp, and the background has blurred into a soft bokeh as well. Though f/4.5 isn't usually ideal for creating strong bokeh on shorter lenses, it works just fine on long telephoto lenses, like the XF 400mm. This is because the 400mm focal length naturally narrows the angle of view while heavily magnifying background elements, making distant backgrounds melt away even at a moderate f/4.5 aperture.

Capturing action shots of birds in flight is a walk in the park with the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR, too. 400mm — and just over 600mm full frame equivalent — is plenty of reach, so you can maintain a safe distance when observing birds and other wildlife. If you want even more reach, it's worth investing in a tele-converter. The photos in the gallery below were shot without one, and I took them from afar.

Naturally, the quality of your action shots of birds in flight will depend on the camera body you're using. Your camera will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting with its high-speed drive, like 40fps sequential shooting on the Fuji X-H2S. For the shots above, I set the drive to 30fps (which is more than sufficient for most situations) and I chose bird subject detection, continuous tracking, and I set the shutter speed to around 1/8,000s.

As you can see, the photos have turned out sharp, thanks to the XF 400mm's optics. The glass — along with the camera — has done the beautiful birds justice. I especially love how detailed and textured the black-chested buzzard-eagle's and barn owl's wings and feathers appear.

I love how quiet the XF 400mm's focusing motors are as well. When photographing wildlife, you don't want a lens that grinds and makes loud noises that disturb your subjects (especially skittish birds). Thankfully, the XF 400mm is very quiet, and I found it quick to focus, too. Again, your camera body's autofocus system plays an important role here. The X-H2S, in conjunction with the XF 400mm, didn't let me down.

Looking ahead...

I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR and, of course, the Fujifilm X-H2S. I love how lightweight the lens is, making it a great choice for traveling, and its 600mm full frame equivalent focal length is more than plenty for getting close to wildlife from a distance.

You need a long telephoto lens designed for wildlife and action photography to be quiet when it's focusing and fully weather-sealed — and thankfully, the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR is both of those things. Trust me, I tested it in the pouring rain!

For wildlife and birding photographers needing a lightweight lens, strong and pleasing bokeh, and hardcore weather resistance, the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR sounds like a solid choice. Personally, my heart isn't that set on the XF 100-400mm anymore...

The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR is compatible with X series cameras, and is available to pre-order for $3,199 / £2,499 (stock expected end of September).

More from Tom's Guide

• I didn’t realize how much I loved the Fujifilm X-T50 until I photographed my trip to Iceland — and it blew me away
• I just bought this 5-year-old Fujifilm camera and it proves newer isn’t always better
• Fujifilm X-H2S review: Still worth it?

Trail cameras come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, and often in packs of two so you can monitor a wider area. Some just capture stills, while others also shoot video.

For this article I've included a range of options from top brands like Bushnell and Spypoint, covering price points that start at well under $100 and up to some more high-end models. Enjoy National Wildlife Day and get acquainted with your neighborhood critters!

Handling the RX10 V is a joy, and its long-reaching 24-600mm (full frame equivalent) lens lets you get up, close and personal with your subjects. Thanks to 30fps blackout-free drive and excellent autofocus, this is a solid camera for amateur wildlife and sports photographers. The 20.1MP images boast beautiful color reproduction, too.

Though not without its flaws, there aren’t many reasons to not buy this camera. To find out if this is the best camera for you, read my full Sony RX10 V review.

Sony RX10 V review: Specs

Sony RX10 V review: Price & availability

The Sony RX10 V has been nearly a decade in the making, and it succeeds the RX10 IV which first came out in 2017. The RX10 V is a bridge camera that literally bridges the gap between basic point-and-shoot compacts and full frame cameras, and it borrows features from Sony’s Alpha lineup (more on that shortly). It retails for $2,298 at Adorama U.S. / £2,199 at London Camera Exchange U.K.

It’s pricier than the Nikon Coolpix P1100 ($1,146) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000/FZ2500 ($1,049) but it’s worth the extra spend if you want 30fps blackout-free burst shooting, fantastic autofocus, 4K/60fps video, and long battery life.

Spending nearly $3,000 on a camera may sound like a lot. But given that the camera features a built-in 24-600mm (full frame equivalent) lens, it negates the need to drop nearly a grand or more on a lens. This softens the blows a bit — especially because a telephoto lens on its own can set you back serious money. For context, a Sony 400-800mm lens costs over $3,000, while Canon’s RF1200mm lens costs well over $22,000.

Sony RX10 V review: Design

Bridge cameras offer the convenience of point-and-shoot compacts and stuff it into DSLR-esque bodies. It’s no surprise, then, that the Sony RX10 V is slightly bulky, measuring 5.37 x 3.72 x 5.96 inches and weighing 2.7lbs (with battery and cards). It’s certainly bigger than my trusty mirrorless Fujifilm X-T50 ($1,399) but even so, it’s more compact and lighter than the Nikon Coolpix P1100.

Unlike the Nikon Coolpix P1100, the RX10 V doesn’t feel as unwieldy to handle, thanks to its spacious protruding grip, which is deep and provides plenty of space for your fingers to wrap around it. Compared to the RX10 IV, the fifth-gen model offers better ergonomics, from its deeper grip to its more prominent command dials. The RX10 V feels like a modern Alpha camera, like the Sony A7 V ($2,899). Build quality feels solid, too, and I’d expect nothing less from Sony.

Viewfinder

The RX10 V’s viewfinder has been upgraded. While its predecessor featured a 0.39-inch XGA OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 0.7x magnification, the RX10 V packs a 0.5-inch Quad-VGA OLED EVF with 0.78x magnification — similar to the one on the flagship Sony A1 II ($6,499).

The resolution has received a bump, too, from 2.35 million dots on the RX10 IV to 3.68 million dots on the RX10 V. You now get a sharp, detailed, life-like representation of the scene you’re capturing. This helps you accurately frame and capture your subject. The RX10 V’s EVF resolution is similar to the Sony A7 V’s (3.69M dots), the Canon EOS R6 Mark III’s (3.69M dots, $2,799) and the Panasonic Lumix G9II’s (3.68M dots, $1,899), though it’s slightly less than the Nikon Coolpix P1100’s (2.36M dots).

I’ve found the RX10 V’s viewfinder extremely comfortable to look through, even through my prescription glasses. I also love that its refresh rate can be set to either 60Hz or 120Hz — the same as on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III and the much pricier Canon EOS R5 Mark II ($4,299). 120Hz refresh rate ensures that the subjects you’re tracking remain free of motion blur, and the RX10 V delivers smooth and realistic motion, making it great for fast-paced sports and wildlife photography.

The RX10 V borrows another feature from the Sony A7 V, and that’s 30fps blackout-free burst shooting. This means that there are no black screens between shots, enabling you to keep a constant view of your subject as you shoot. This is something we’ve also seen on other wildlife-oriented cameras, like the OM System OM-1 Mark II ($2,399), and the RX10 V wins brownie points over the Canon EOS R6 Mark III here which doesn’t feature blackout-free sequential shooting.

Monitor

The RX10 V’s rear monitor has received a modest upgrade, too. While the screen size remains the same — 3-inch on both the RX10 IV and the RX10 V — the touchscreen now has a resolution of 1.6 million dots. The 3:2 aspect ratio also matches the camera’s sensor now, as opposed to the 4:3 aspect ratio on the RX10 V’s predecessor.

I’ve found the RX10 V’s monitor highly responsive in my testing, and I’ve had no trouble viewing it in different lighting conditions, including direct sunlight. It’s also much brighter than the Nikon Coolpix P1100’s 921K-dot monitor. The RX10 V’s screen can tilt up and down but it can’t hinge or tilt sideways, like the Nikon Coolpix P1100’s can, though, which limits the extent of shooting at awkward, low-to-the-ground or overhead angles.

Ports

All the ports are located on the RX10 V’s left edge and are protected by plastic flaps. You get a USB-C port for charging and data transfer; a legacy USB Micro-B port for accessories; a micro HDMI port; and dual 3.5mm ports for mic in and headphones out. The memory card slot is located next to the battery pack on the bottom plate.The RX10 V is compatible with a single SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I/II card.

Weather-sealing

Unlike the Nikon Coolpix P1100, the RX10 V is fully weather-sealed and protected against moisture and dust. This gives you more confidence when shooting outdoors and in changeable weather conditions.

The RX10 V’s weather-sealing comes at a cost, though — but not a huge one. There’s no built-in flash, like on previous iterations of the line, but a small pop-up flash is rarely powerful enough to light up distant subjects (perhaps macro subjects, yes), so it’s not something you’ll necessarily miss.

Sony RX10 V review: Controls

The Sony RX10 V is a delight to use, thanks to its well-placed and large buttons and dials. On the RX10 IV, an LCD screen took up a fair bit of space on the top plate, but this has been replaced by a prominent command dial that lets you swap between shooting modes as well as stills, video, and slow-and-quick (S&Q) video. You now get additional dials for shutter speed and ISO, too.

I like that the dual custom (C1 and C2) buttons have been moved up and are now located next to the shutter button. This makes accessing them much easier, and it makes shooting feel more intuitive. Sony has also added a physical focus joystick, similar to the one on its latest Alpha models, on the rear panel — something that was absent on the RX10 IV. The navigation wheel is bigger, too, and again, feels like it’s been borrowed from the A7 V or the A1 II.

These quality of life improvements result not only in better ergonomics, but also in a more well-rounded user experience. My only complaint is that the RX10 V’s three dials are only accessible by your right thumb, and I would have much preferred having a front dial for adjusting, say, shutter speed. Maybe sixth time’s the charm, eh, Sony?

A decade is a long time, and it isn’t surprising that the RX10 IV’s menu system has been overhauled to deliver a more user-friendly experience on the RX 10 V. Instead of being text-heavy, the RX10 V’s menu system is color-coded, feels more logical and less cluttered, and it’s clearly been modeled after recent Alpha cameras.

Sony RX10 V review: Autofocus

The Sony RX10 V features an advanced hybrid autofocus system which uses a combination of phase- and contrast-detection AF, driven by the BIONZ XR processor. It inherits the Sony A7 V’s AI chip with real-time subject detection autofocus, and the Sony A1 II’s Auto Subject Detection which automatically swaps between human, bird/animal, insect, and vehicle detection modes.

Regardless of the subject I was photographing, the RX10 V didn’t let me down. As you can see in the gallery above, the camera was quick to find and lock on to birds, humans, and insects. When I was photographing birds and insects at a lake, I appreciated the camera’s Auto Subject Detection, and I found it very reliable. I was able to get the shots I needed as I didn’t have to waste time swapping between subjects manually.

The photos above aren’t my finest work, but I wanted to use these two photos to demonstrate how well the RX10 V’s autofocus works. Both the squirrel and bird were obscured by leaves, and because of very bright sunlight, I couldn’t focus on them with my own eyes — so I pointed my camera right overhead and the RX10 V immediately locked on to them. That’s how smart the camera’s AF system is.

I also appreciated the RX10 V locking on to and tracking the black-headed gull as I fired off a burst. The autofocus didn’t break at all, even as the gull landed on the water, surrounded by other birds. As you can see in the gallery above, it’s still in focus in the last two shots.

Sony RX10 V review: Stabilization

The RX10 V utilizes Sony’s SteadyShot optical image stabilization which is also found in the Sony ZV-E10 II ($999) and the Sony RX1R III ($5,099), and it incurs a crop. The lack of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) means you can’t shoot at super slow shutter speeds, but it should just about suffice when shooting handheld.

In my testing, I was able to shoot handheld at shutter speeds as slow as 1/3s (first image above) but any slower than that, like 1/2s (second image above), and the resulting image was blurry, impacted by camera shake. This is still good, though!

Sony RX10 V review: Image quality

The Sony RX10 V packs a small 1-inch Stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with a 20.1MP resolution. Though small, its sensor is still bigger than the Nikon Coolpix P1100’s 1/2.3-inch 16MP one. You can’t make extreme crops as you can on, say, the 33MP full frame Sony A7 V, but given that you get a 24-600mm effective focal length, you can still capture detailed images of distant subjects.

Before we dive into image quality, let’s talk about the RX10 V’s reach. The RX10 V is fitted with a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T 24-600mm lens, and this full frame equivalent focal length is achieved through its 25x optical zoom. In the gallery above, the first shot was taken at 600mm while the second at 24mm, and both images pack a lot of detail.

In addition to the optical zoom, you also get a 4x digital zoom. Once the camera has reached 600mm, it applies a 4x digital zoom and starts cropping to achieve 1200mm. Naturally, this detrimentally impacts image quality as you're cropping into an already modest 20.1MP and losing resolution. The first image of the cormorants above was taken with the 4x digital zoom, while the second was taken with the 25x optical zoom, and the third is the fully zoomed out original. As you can see in the first slide, there is a drop in resolution and detail. I’d recommend sticking with the 25x optical zoom to get the best images.

Cropping after the fact in post-production yields similar results. The first shot in the gallery above is an extreme crop of the second photo, and once again, there's a drop in the quality. If you want a camera that allows for extreme cropping, you’ll have to splurge on the likes of the Sony A7 V or the Canon EOS R6 Mark III.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s finally talk about image quality — you can see sample shots in the gallery above. Color reproduction is stunning and accurate. The different shades and hues look beautiful, and I like that none of them look oversaturated or high on contrast. Even the neon-green algae looks vibrant but not overly bright.

The RX10 V also packs 12 of Sony’s Creative Looks, which are in-camera filters or presets, similar to those you’ll find on Canon or Fujifilm cameras. These include but aren’t limited to Portrait, Film, Soft Highkey, and others. The images of the swans above were shot using the Black & White Creative Look, and I think they look gorgeous. I love how dramatic it makes the swans look, and the camera has also done a good job of capturing the fine details, such as the water droplets on the first swan’s head, and the tiny feathers on the last bird’s beak.

For the above photos of the kingfisher, I opted for the Vivid Creative Look which boosts contrast, saturation and vibrancy. The resulting images appear punchy, fitting for such a colorful bird. You can also customize each Creative Look’s parameters, like the contrast, highlights, and shadows, giving you more flexibility.

High-speed drive

30fps blackout-free sequential shooting via its electronic shutter is one of the RX10 V’s headline specs, and it’s seriously impressive. It can capture 546 JPEGs, 141 RAW and JPEGs, or 162 lossless RAW files when using the 10fps mechanical shutter. Having 30fps drive at your disposal means you can capture every single moment of action, making the RX10 V a solid choice for wildlife and sports. In comparison, the Nikon Coolpix P1100 has a measly 7fps drive.

The electronic shutter has a speed of 30s to 1/16,000s, and I bumped the speed up to 1/8,000s to capture the sequence of the coot flying towards the other. The mechanical shutter, on the other hand, tops out at 1/2,000s, so I’d recommend using the electronic shutter when you can to get blur-free images.

Thanks to 30fps blackout-free burst and incredible autofocus that didn’t lose track of the tiny bird even once, I was able to capture the images (above) of the kingfisher taking off. The only downside to the RX10 V’s high-speed drive is that the camera doesn’t feature pre-burst capture, so it doesn’t start recording the frames when the shutter button is half-pressed. Again, you’ll need to get the Sony A7 V, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III or the OM System OM-1 Mark II if you want that.

ISO performance

The RX10 V doesn’t have as massive an ISO range as the one offered by the Sony A7 V — but it’s double the Nikon Coolpix P1100’s. The RX10 V has a base ISO of 64 and it tops out at 12,800. Given the camera’s small 1-inch sensor, high ISO performance isn’t anything to write home about.

The results were as expected at ISO6,400, so I bumped the ISO up to 8,000. The first image in the gallery above is a JPEG export of the ARW file, while the second is the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEG. While the in-camera noise reduction algorithms have done well to reduce the grain in the SOOC JPEG, the image has lost some sharpness around the 8BitDo Retro Cube 2’s corners and edges, and the blue photobook looks too soft.

I then shot at ISO12,800. The first image (JPEG export of ARW file) has been ruined by noise, and the second shot (SOOC JPEG) isn’t that much better. You can see a lot of grain in the photobook as well as the speaker. The detail in the speaker’s grille has been lost, and the image appears flat. I wouldn’t recommend shooting at such high ISO unless and until it’s your last resort.

This is part and parcel of having a small sensor, but the RX10 V still performs better than the Nikon Coolpix P1100, whose 1/2.3-inch sensor produces extremely noisy images at just ISO6,400.

Dynamic range

The RX10 V offers up to 9+ stops of dynamic range, and it features a D-Range Optimizer (DRO) mode which offers eight varying levels of balancing bright highlights and dark shadows.

The two images in the gallery above are the same shot, taken at DRO-6. The first image is the unedited RAW file. I boosted the shadows and reduced the highlights, which resulted in the second shot. Boosting the shadows has revealed a surprising amount of detail in the dark areas, such as the bushes in the distance. The shadows are fairly noise-free too, which is impressive.

The backlit photo of the kingfisher above, on the other hand, was shot with DRO disabled. I edited the shot in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and as you can see in the second slide, the camera has done a decent job of maintaining highlight detail while exposing for the bird’s comparatively dim unlit body. There’s some noticeable noise in the image, though, especially in the background (have a look at the bottom-left corner).

Sony RX10 V review: Video

The Sony RX10 V is a competent hybrid camera, capable of recording 4K or FHD video at 60fps, and slow-mo 4K video at 120fps — the Nikon Coolpix P1100 can shoot 4K video at 30fps only. You can see a compilation of clips filmed at 4K/60fps above. I think the video looks great. Movement is fluid and smooth, while all the subjects remain in focus. The clips are fairly stable and not too shaky given that I was shooting handheld.

Similar to Sony’s vlogging cameras, you also get S-Log3 which captures a wide dynamic range, making it easier to color grade in post-production. If you want straight-out-of-camera slow-mo video, the camera’s slow-and-quick (S&Q) mode captures already slowed video (without any audio) which can be shared instantly without any need for editing in post.

Sony RX10 V review: Battery life

Unlike the NP-FW50 battery pack used by the Sony RX10 IV, the Sony RX10 V utilizes the NP-FZ100 battery pack. It’s the same battery used by the likes of the Sony A1 II and the Sony A7 V. Thanks to the NP-FZ100 battery, the RX10 V now lasts longer than the RX10 IV. It’s CIPA-rated for 630 shots (versus 400) when using the monitor or 570 shots (versus 370) with the EVF.

CIPA testing is conducted under strict conditions and the ratings are usually conservative. More often than not, your camera will last you longer in the field. In my testing, I was able to get over 3,000 shots, which included a mix of burst sequences and RAW images, and I walked away with just under 50% battery. Take this with a pinch of salt, though, as your mileage will vary depending on your settings and shooting conditions.

The RX10 V lasts much longer than the Nikon Coolpix P1100 which is CIPA-rated for just 260 shots, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000/FZ2500 which yields 270 shots on a single charge. The RX10 V also upstages mirrorless beasts, like the Sony A1 II (520 shots) and the Canon EOS R6 Mark III (620 shots).

Sony RX10 V review: Verdict

If you want a powerful bridge camera that feels like a mirrorless camera, I can’t recommend the Sony RX10 V enough. It packs a long-reaching lens with a 25x optical zoom, letting you get close-up shots of far-away birds. The RX10 V feels sublime to use and handle, thanks to improved ergonomics and controls. It’s got long battery life to boot, too.

What makes the RX10 V worth the premium is its fantastic and accurate autofocus, as well as 30fps blackout-free high-speed drive. Combined, both of these features make the RX10 V a formidable camera for sports and wildlife photography — or videography, as the camera is capable of recording 4K/60fps video.

While the camera doesn’t feature the best high ISO performance, given its small 1-inch sensor that can’t take on full frame beasts, this small complaint is overshadowed by everything else on offer. The RX10 V blurs the line between bridge and Sony’s Alpha lineup to deliver one of the best cameras of 2026.

There are two main Polaroid Go Generation 3 cameras to choose from here, each themed around Pikachu and Sylveon. There are also film packs and sets that include the camera, film, and a strap. If you're a fan then these are must-buys and they also make ideal gifts. Shop the collection below.

But with developments in AI and the unprecedented rise of AI-generated images, it's becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between photorealistic images created by AI versus those created by humans. The issue goes even beyond being able to distinguish between the two, and as a wildlife photographer, it worries me that AI-altered images of wildlife is are putting research and conservation at risk.

Despite how I personally feel about the use of AI in photography, I asked myself, "How do professional photographers feel about it?"

So I reached out to three wildlife and landscape photographers and videographers — Aleksander Nordahl, Christine Sonvilla, and Marc Graf — who provided great insight into the use of AI in photography. Alongside that, they also shared what photography means to them, and advice they have for future generations.

Meet the photographers

Before we dive into the meat of this article, let's meet the three professional photographers I spoke to. Aleksander Nordahl is a visual journalist and the Managing Editor and Creative Director of Sunstone Institute, a global data science institute that conducts "data-driven studies on humanity's greatest threats and find compelling ways to tell the stories."

And that's exactly what Aleksander does, using underwater photography, videography and audio to show the impact of human activity on Norway's waters and coastline. His latest work, A Journey Past the Tipping Point, explores the effects of nutrient pollution from fish farming, and I consider it to be essential watching for anyone — not just those who consider themselves nature lovers.

I also spoke with Christine Sonvilla and Marc Graf, filmmakers, photographers and conservationists, the geniuses behind Bear Me in Mind Productions studio. Their studio aims to promote our relationship with nature and wildlife through TV documentaries, scientific shorts, and photographic assignments. They've documented Eurasian griffon vulture,, the Slovenian coast, and brown bears in Central Europe, to name a few projects.

Christine and Marc's work has earned them several accolades, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year. From human-wildlife interactions and specific ecological issues, to the return of large carnivores in Central Europe, their work has taken them all over the world.

As a wildlife photographer myself, Aleksander, Christine and Marc are great inspirations for me, as they tell stories that matter the most to the human race in an accessible and visually pleasing format.

'It serves as a personal retreat from the human world'

Photography can mean a lot of different things to different people. For me, it's about capturing the wildlife and people around me, to keep as memories I can look back on when I'm older. It's also about highlighting specific birds that are often overlooked or hated by society, like pigeons — that's why my Pigeons of the South West series on Instagram exists.

Visual storytelling can be a way to escape into another world, too, and Marc concurs. "It might sound egotistic, but what I appreciate most about photography is being exposed to wildlife, nature and the outdoors," he tells me.

"It serves as a personal retreat from the human world. Apart from this rather very personal meaning, I also consider a strong piece of photography the most powerful tool in communication since a photo allows to be consumed more than once and does not lose its power over time."

His partner, Christine, agrees. "There are two main reasons why I take photos: to communicate a message and to remember moments," she adds. "When viewing a photograph, I immediately dive back into the moment, not just visually but also with all other senses. Pictures are like a memory book to me. Initially, however, I started photography mainly to communicate messages I consider important. A powerful image sticks with people’s minds better than words alone."

While Christine and Marc mostly work with animals on land and birds in the sky, Aleksander dives deep underwater to capture a world not many of us have the pleasure of seeing — and he's been photographing for a long time.

"Photography is a really important part of my life, and it has been since I was 14 years old," he says. "It is my most important professional tool as a storyteller, journalist, artist, editor, investigator, and even freediver. But it also shapes how I see the world around me."

'To capture a real photo today is to show the world like it really is'

As I mentioned earlier, generative AI seems to have taken over most online spaces today — and it's having a detrimental impact on conservation. According to The Guardian, experts say that the increasing presence of these on birding platforms threaten credibility of tools used by scientists.

Since Christine, Marc and Aleksander's work focuses on conservation in one way or another, I had to ask them about what it means to capture a real photo in 2026. "I think the crucial point each photographer should question him- or herself is the following: Why am I photographing and what do I intend to achieve?" Christine muses. "In my case, it’s easy: If there is a gripping nature and wildlife topic, then I’d like to convey gripping imagery, which should be as authentic as possible.

"That means, I just do basic editing. The photo itself really happens out there. I don’t see a point in massively altering an image with the use of AI. I want to go out there and capture authentic moments. I personally consider it a hazardous development to overly alter or completely change nature and wildlife images with the use of AI. It distorts our understanding of nature, creates unattainable expectations and alienates us further and further from nature."

Marc agrees with that sentiment. "To me, it means the world! I consider photography the most individual, personal and intimate approach to a subject. And 'photography' to me means working with a camera in hand, with your brain developing ideas and finding ways to literally capture the right moment while at the same time your heart has to be convinced that this moment is the perfect one as well."

When I posed the same question to Aleksander, he shared a story. "The other day I saw a young photography influencer making an advertisement on social media showing how you could use his AI tool to make your concert photos even better. The example was removing some of the gear on stage, allowing the artist to stand out more. If you do that, can you still call it a real concert photo? Of course not."

Aleksander also said something that's going to stick with me for a long time: "To capture a real photo today is to show the world like it really is, in all its perfect and imperfect ways."

'What I see and document is what you get: nothing more, nothing less'

It's difficult to ignore the negative impact of generative AI and the increasing population of data centers around the globe continues to receive backlash. All human needs and human activity, according to Aleksander, negatively impact the environment. "In Norway, where a vast amount of our electricity comes from hydropower, the demand for this and clean energy is increasing," he shares. "This will, of course, materialize in the increasing loss of nature. All my investigations into human activities in nature have been about the negative impacts of 'human needs.'"

But can AI actually be beneficial to workflows and post-production processes for photographers? "I work at an AI-native workplace," Aleksander answers when I pose the question to him. "Still, here we practice human input and human output. We let AI do the time-consuming, boring work, for instance, renaming and archiving visuals like photos and videos. But I never let AI make creative decisions on visuals for me. I will do that.

"We still need to make our own decisions. We must always control the parameters and set restrictions based on our human ethics and logic. Our visual storytelling is about real humans and the impact we have on real problems. We show them how it really is, and let our visual evidence speak for itself."

For Aleksander, his "line in the sand" is sticking to what he has always practiced since he was shooting on film. "What I see and document is what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. AI-generated/enhanced visuals have no place in my work as a documentarian. It can't. I am a witness. I am present when and where life unfolds. I record what is in front of me. That is what I show."

Christine and Marc have found some use for AI in post-production — but they never overuse it either. "I personally use very little AI in my photography editing workflow," Christine tells me. "One thing I find very helpful is AI-generated noise reduction. This works very well, however, each AI-generated step, like the noise-reduction, is very time-consuming, especially if these steps are being conducted for a multitude of images."

As someone who has tried using AI-powered noise reduction in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, I can confirm that it takes a very long time — and for Christine, her prime credo is "spending the least amount of time necessary in front of the computer and working focused and diligently in the field, in order to reduce the necessity of more intensive editing."

Recently, the European Union has started enforcing transparency obligations for tech companies, requiring them to clearly label any photos, videos or audio created using AI systems, designed to look authentic. I welcome this, and so does Marc, and he hopes that this extends to photography communities too.

"I don't use AI in post as I believe that any AI-enhancement should be labelled — the pure craft of photography lies in all our very own hands and not in the machines’ abilities to enhance or optimize our vision.

"And to be honest, I personally get bored very quickly by all those super perfect images out there — no matter if they are fully AI generated or over-optimized. Being imperfect is the most human thing, so why shouldn't we allow our images to mirror our imperfection?"

'Don’t just aim for likes and attention; aim for meaning, respect and lasting impact'

In an age of AI-saturated images, how do new photographers future-proof their work and their art? It's a question I keep asking myself, struggling to answer it, but thankfully, I had three pros share some great advice with me — and with you! Christine says one should ask themselves why they take photos. "Why do I take pictures, what’s my purpose and what audience do I want to reach?" she adds.

"For nature and wildlife photography, there should be a clear ethos, which is putting nature first. Massively altering images and conveying a distorted image of nature, which is either over-romanticized, over-glorified or falsified in terms of species integrity, is not doing nature a favor. Don’t just aim for likes and attention; aim for meaning, respect and lasting impact.

"AI can be helpful for one’s workflow and one certainly needs to acquaint oneself with it, but it must not be used to distort nature’s integrity. Less AI is more when it comes to nature and wildlife photography."

Marc reflects on his 15-year-long career upon being asked this question, and as someone who has waited hours to get the perfect shot, I can't help but smile at his anecdote. "During my 15 plus years in the wildlife photo/film business, I have learned that most of the time and effort that drives my photography has to be invested in preparation, research, waiting and doing nothing but just crossing fingers that an image will be produced during a session.

"So, my advice is this: if you love what you are working on, carry a heavy backpack, and have invested in an expensive camera, then why not stay true to yourself and focus on capturing the moment. And if you do so, it's the most natural thing to be proud of your work. And it should be in all our photographers' interest to label our products as '100% human made.' A label that is still missing in the greater picture of woman/man-made photography but needed so much."

Aleksander is doing all that he can to protect his work's authenticity too. "I use the new equipment and formats that safeguard the authenticity of my work, so you can backtrack what is done with my pictures," he says. "Maybe new photographers should do this too. Sell authenticity and don't rely on AI-driven shortcuts. Be the producer and documentarian of real life, in a market where you can make and get whatever you want. Maybe this is the future."

He also quotes his late colleague and war photographer Harald Henden: "The individual photographer's most important asset is credibility. When I put my name under a photograph, readers should be able to trust that the content is accurate. No further verification is needed."

More from Tom's Guide

• ‘It’s more of a lifestyle, a fashionable device, not just tech’: We Are Rewind’s CEO on how the Pink Floyd collab is turning cassette players into ‘collector’s items’
• My 13-year-old Nikon DSLR has been battered, bruised, beaten and survived it all — it’s what made me fall in love with photography
• The best cameras in 2026

This year, rather than interviewing professional photographers creating across the world, I looked to my friend and colleague Nikita Achanta, whose photos never fail to delight me. Here I've selected my favorite shot of hers, an ethereal-looking sea bird soaring above golden-tinted waters, and have turned it into a virtual jigsaw puzzle that you can play for free, below.

I'm a sucker for nature photography, and particularly love this photo because of the way the light transforms the subject. The sunlight gently kissing the gull's head and wing tip show the softness of its feathers and the graceful arc of its wings. That same sunlight turns the ripples of the river to liquid gold.

Nikita's composition makes the most of this magical light. The positioning of the gull over the point where the river changes from blue to gold almost makes us imagine that the gull is painting the water with its feathers.

The light and composition –– which Nikita captured on the Sony A1 II, one of the best cameras –– create an image with a magical, ethereal quality. The humble black-headed gull is shown as an elegant creature, not the pest that they're sometimes regarded as.

Nikita says that's one of the things she loves about her photo, too. "Seagulls, black-headed gulls, and essentially all gulls, get a bad reputation, especially here in the U.K. where I'm based. While I've had my fair share of food stolen by city gulls, I also think they're very pretty and are often overlooked in society (kind of like pigeons)," she says. "This photo of the black-headed gull is one of my favorite shots I've taken, as it shows off the different patterns and shades in the feathers, and draws attention to the bright orange beak."

In addition to being a beautiful photo, the expanse of water surrounding the gull makes this a fantastic jigsaw puzzle image. When I tested it out, even the Easy level gave me pause for thought, as I lost myself in the textural details of the water when trying to match up the edges.

How to play our online jigsaw puzzles

As you'll see above, before you hit 'Play', you can choose between Easy (12 pieces), Medium (20 pieces) and Hard (35 pieces) difficulty levels.

You can also make use of the helpful buttons along the bottom to help you complete the puzzle. ‘Edge Pieces Only’ clears the clutter so you can get those corners and the outer frame perfected first, which is always my preferred system for completing jigsaw puzzles in real life, too.

‘Reveal Puzzle Image’ gives you a sheer version of the final image that you can lay the pieces directly onto. ‘Place Next Piece’ does exactly that, acting as a friend or puzzle partner.

Whether you use those help buttons or not, you’ll see when you’ve placed a piece in the correct position as the number at the top will increase, taking you closer to full marks and a place on the leaderboard.

We have plenty of other virtual jigsaws available and more to come, so if you enjoy puzzles then do bookmark the Jigsaws section of our Puzzles & Quizzes page for more as they arrive.

How did you do? Let us know what you think in the comments below –– including any other jigsaw puzzles you'd love to see.

Don't forget to register on our quizzes, games and polls platform, Kwizly, to save your score, reveal hints, and secure your spot on the competitive Tom's Guide leaderboard, and see the results of all our polls in real-time.

And if you love jigsaw puzzles, you may be interested in splashing out on some analog jigsaw puzzles to play at home.

Shop jigsaw puzzles

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• The best cameras in 2026

If we're being technical — the day actually celebrates the invention of the daguerreotype, which was the first practical and commercially successful photographic process developed in 1837. Since then, the world of photography has exploded, with photos (and videos) being a widely used medium of personal expression.

While everyone now has a decent camera in their hands, courtesy of their smartphone, opting for a dedicated device will give your shots better quality, depth, low-light performance, and hands-on controls for creative adjustments. Even flagship handsets with the best smartphone cameras still pale in comparison to images taken by some of the best cameras.

Even so, point-and-shoots and mini action cameras are consistently garnering popularity, with content creators and photography professionals using physical cameras and sharing their results on social media — rather than relying on the convenience of their smartphones.

Now, that's not to say you need to be a professional photographer or content creator to enjoy the day. As someone who loves a fun camera (or two), I'll be out and about on Wednesday, snapping all the best shots I can with my Kodak Charmera, and I'll even be partaking in Fujifilm's Colour Hunt this weekend in Sydney.

To get you in a snap-happy mood, I've gathered 18 beginner-friendly affordable cameras. These cams exist in the fun-but-not-serious photography category and come from brands like Kodak, Fujifilm, Insta360 and Polaroid. Combining a mix of instant prints, disposable film and digital snaps, the picks below come with Tom's Guide's tick of approval — and are all available on Amazon. Happy World Photography Day! 📸

Indeed, for a long time, Insta360’s cameras (the 360 ones anyway) have been miles ahead of any rivals. For a while, they were the only 360 cameras capable of shooting 8K. Recently, though, rivals have closed the gap, with 8K cameras like the DJI Osmo 360 and GoPro MAX2.

To answer, Insta360 has made some fundamental updates to the X-line formula. The X6 gets larger sensors than the X5, a revamped processor, a boost in 8K frame rate, an OLED display, and built-in storage. All in a more compact, usable package than its predecessor, too.

So, is this the new champ? Find out in my full Insta360 X6 review.

Insta360 X6 review: Specs

Insta360 X6 review: Price & availability

The Insta360 X6 comes in black or white and starts at $699 / £619 for the standard bundle, which includes very basic accessories. I’d recommend the Essentials bundle, which costs $799 / £709. Insta360 always prices high, and the global memory crisis is probably partly to blame, but that’s still an astronomical price.

The X5 and DJI Osmo 360 launched $150 cheaper at $549, while the GoPro MAX2 undercut everyone when it launched at $499. GoPro and DJI regularly discount their stuff, though, while the X5 hasn’t had noteworthy reductions to date.

Insta360 will keep selling the X5 at or near its original price (probably discounted more frequently), with the X6 positioned as the aspirational flagship upgrade. The thing is, the X5 is still better than anything else on the market save the X6. And given the X6’s crazy price, I’ll continue recommending the X5 to most people — while still pricey, it’s the best balance of price and performance.

Insta360 X6 review: Design & controls

Insta360 has made major improvements to the X6’s design. At 3.9 x 2 x 1.6 inches and 6.9 ounces, the X6 is shorter and a fraction lighter than the X5. This makes it easier to mount in smaller places and less drag-inducing at speed when helmet-mounted.

There’s now an OLED display, which is nicer-looking than the X5’s LED, more responsive and brighter. I did most of my testing in bright summer sunlight, but never had issues seeing the display.

Obviously, as an Insta360 product, the X6 feels extremely high quality and built-to-last. The same is also true of the X5, MAX2 and Osmo 360.

Controls

Insta360 has tweaked the controls for the X6’s glove-wearing primary audience (motorcyclists, mountaineers, skiers, etc). The X5’s ‘Record’ button was very fiddly to press in gloves and while concentrating elsewhere — a potential safety issue. Insta360 has fixed this on the X6, moving it up from the lower rear to the side, and making it lighter to press. In the heat of the moment, it’s way easier to hit.

There’s still a touch-screen ‘Record’ button where the X5’s physical button was, plus a ‘Full Screen Press’ setting (long-tapping anywhere on the screen will start recording). I found both even more frustrating than the old button. Full Screen Press constantly wanted more or less force and required way too much concentration to get right — again, dangerous at speed.

In-depth control happens in the menu. With all the new features added, Insta360’s menu is getting a little busy, so it might take a little getting used to. You can also control the camera via your smartphone, which is easier given the larger screen real estate, but not applicable to risky situations like motoring, skiing or flying.

Mounting

The X6 mounts via a 1/4-inch thread — the default for action-footage accessories — giving you plenty of mounting options. There’s also a proprietary quick-release mounting system (adapter sold separately), which is useful for specific mounts requiring extra stability and quick, easy latching (like on a helmet).

Lenses

Just like the X5, the X6 has interchangeable lenses. Insta360 has redesigned them to be more scratch-resistant, easier to replace and cheaper. Win, win, win!

Interchangeable lenses are fantastic. I’ve had more than one 360 lens damaged by flying stones from trucks. A few years ago, the only solution was lens covers, which affected sharpness. Now you needn’t choose between safety and image quality.

Waterproofing

Insta360 has boosted the X6’s waterproofing to 60 feet (20m) from the X5’s 49 feet (15m). That’s good news for underwater 360 shooters, giving an extra five meter buffer. The Osmo 360 is safe down to 33 feet (10m), while the MAX2 only manages 16 feet (5m).

Connectivity

The X6 features a USB-C port for charging, file transfer and wired accessories hookup — all standard on 360 cams. You can also hook up microphones wirelessly, like the Insta360 Mic Air ($69), and pair wirelessly to the Insta360 app for camera control and file transfer. And for motorcyclists, the X6 pairs wirelessly with Sena, Cardo and other comms systems.

Insta360 has given the X6 internal storage (finally!!!), so you can still shoot if you fill or forget a MicroSD card. Transferring files from internal storage is also faster than using cards — important for large 8K files. DJI has done this for ages, so I appreciate Insta360 catching up, but the X6’s 47GB is under half the Osmo 360’s 105GB.

Insta360 X6 review: Stabilization

There’s little difference between Insta360’s, DJI’s and GoPro’s 360 stabilization. They’re all solid, and the X6 is no exception. 360 footage looks effortlessly smooth, as you can see in the 360 reframed video (in the video section).

I noticed some juddering in the X6’s single lens mode, as you can see above, but not always, as the footage directly below is nice and smooth with exactly the same settings. You can enable a Jitter Blur Reduction mode which I’d advise keeping on to avoid issues.

Aside from the Jitter Blur mode, you can’t control stabilization on the X6 (unlike previous models and rivals). In single-lens mode, there’s a Horizon Lock setting, but that’s it. This isn’t really an issue for me, as I can’t think of a situation where I’d want anything less than maximum stabilization when using a 360 camera.

Insta360 X6 review: Video

Insta360 has given the X6 some major core upgrades versus the X5. Most importantly, there are two new, larger 1/1.1-inch square Sony sensors. Combined with a revised 4nm processor plus two dedicated video chips, the X6 is good for 13 stops of dynamic range, with cleaner images (i.e. less noisy) in low light.

The maximum frame rate at 8K has been boosted to 50fps (from 30fps on the X5), matching the Osmo 360. While not as smooth as 60fps, it’s nice to have something higher than 30fps for fast-paced content. YouTube supports 50fps uploads, although watching 50fps on a 60Hz display risks juddering issues as the two rates won’t always align perfectly.

8K/60fps would be a huge improvement, but is too technically difficult right now (hence no manufacturer managing it). At 8K, a 60fps frame rate is simply too much for today’s 360-cam processors to handle, given the unique demands they already have — processing two sensors, real-time stitching, encoding, managing memory bandwidth and thermal throttling etc. This is “not currently supported due to hardware limitations,” Insta360 told me, but you can bet it’s probably working on it.

Anyway, footage from the X6 looks lovely. In the default profile, colors (especially blues and greens) pop in the sunlit footage above, looking vibrant and saturated but still natural. There are the usual range of in-camera color profiles, with more available in the app later on. The sensor and auto-metering handled the challenging light too, effortlessly adjusting exposure as the footage transitions from bright sunlight to shadowy woodland. The wide dynamic range was also on display here, with lots of detail in the shadows under trees, yet very little visible noise in darker areas.

I noticed some minor lens artefacting, with very slight color fringing in high contrast areas (known as chromatic aberration). This was only visible when pixel peeping on still photos, though, and wasn’t noticeable in motion video. You can also see blurring in image corners, but this is down to the barrel distortion of those ultra-wide lenses, and to be expected.

360 video

The most important benefit of any 360 camera is the ability to shoot first, frame later. With a little practice in the app, you can edit the X6’s 360 footage so the frame is anywhere you want within the entire spherical capture. You choose precisely which camera angle you want at all times. In the footage below, the field of view (FoV) switches to the side to show off the beautiful landscape, then back to the road — you couldn’t do this with a fixed single-lens action camera.

360 capture also gives you the flexibility to get creative with crazy effects, like the Tiny Planet view, as you can see in the video below. In that video, you can also see the invisible selfie stick benefit (my hand appears empty, even though the camera was on a stick). This makes it look like the camera is floating.

As always with Insta360, the X6’s stitching is really good. 360 cameras work by taking the images from two sensors and lenses with +180-degree fields of view, then stitching together to form a 360-degree video. On the X6, stitching lines are barely noticeable in 4K output. I had to zoom in extremely closely to see the fuzzy-ish stitch, but there weren’t any jarring overlaps or jagged edges.

Single-lens

You can also use the X6 in single-lens mode (now called “Flat mode”) at up to 60fps in 5K or up to 100fps in 4K. If you only need a single-lens camera, I would instead advise the DJI Osmo Action 6 ($426) — it’s designed specifically for that job and just better at it all round.

Still, it’s great to have both options on a 360 camera, which is why I love them. The X6’s single-lens mode is good enough for most uses, but you get the enormous versatility of 360 recording too.

Pro features

The X6 is primarily intended for content creators. You don’t get the same level of professionally-geared features as the GoPro MAX2. However, Insta360 has added a few handy bits, including I-Log for wide dynamic range capture, plus Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos surround sound audio — the Dolby features could make the X6 a viable secondary camera for pros shooting in those spaces.

Low light

I’m thoroughly impressed by the low light performance of the two new sensors, in addition to the noise processing of the revised 4nm chip. As you can see in the footage below, low light video looks absolutely great.

This was shot in the camera’s PureVideo low light mode at 8K/30fps. The X6 has boosted the exposure to brighten the scene (it was very dark in real life), revealing details in the sky and brightening up areas lit by the dim street light. There’s a little loss of sharpness, especially noticeable at the corners, from the smoothing effects of noise processing, but it’s nothing serious, and well worth the sacrifice given the minimal amount of visible noise in frame — especially in those super dark shadows.

Insta360 X6 review: Audio

The X6 features a similar mic array as the X5, including the built-in wind guard on the front. Insta360 has added lots of new features in the audio department. There’s now an “Auto Wind Reduction” mode which detects wind buffeting and automatically adjusts noise reduction. As always with Insta360’s wind reduction algos, it works really, really well. Performance in motorcycling footage (very windy) is on par with the high level of reduction on the X5. Check out the comparison video below to see the difference between Wind Reduction and Stereo (i.e. no reduction).

While I appreciate not having to flick between levels manually, I liked having the X5’s ‘low’ option there to manually select as a happy go-between. Wind Reduction thins out sound, so it’s nice to have a level of control over it, if circumstances demand. The X6's auto reduction seems to effectively always be on 'strong'.

The X6 now has an “Engine Sound Enhancement” mode, to keep focus on engine noise in motoring footage. Again, I think it works really well. The sound is a little muted, with much more of a focus on lower tones than footage shot only using Wind Reduction. Depending on the engine/exhaust you have, that may not deliver the sound you’re actually looking to capture. But hey, it works.

The “Intelligent Audio Mode” adapts all audio settings based on the detected environmental sound. This is a super neat feature, as it’ll let you seamlessly switch between different styles of footage without needing manual changes to audio settings. It’ll turn on Engine Sound Enhancement by default, though, unless you ensure that mode is unticked.

For less noisy environments, the X6 has a “Vocal Priority” mode, and can hook up wirelessly to Insta360 and other Bluetooth mics, making this an all-in-one vlogging solution.

Insta360 X6 review: App

The Insta360 app has long been the best smartphone app for 360 editing, packing the most features and the easiest straight-to-smartphone/social workflow. And at its core, it’s still just that — it’s the same app, with a strong roster of features, plenty of polish and the easiest 360-degree editor around.

But I’m a little confused by changes to the app. Insta360 has overcomplicated things a little — it’s like the manufacturer doesn’t know when to stop tinkering. Before you get into the main 360 timeline editor, there’s a new clip editor to edit individual clips before loading them into a main timeline. This is clunky and lacks most basic editing features. Moving into the full timeline editor afterwards, you can do everything that was in the preliminary editor, and all to individual clips on the timeline. So what’s the point in passing everything through a hamstrung editing layer beforehand?

Anyway, the app is still great, although if you're going to be doing lots of editing for YouTube, I'd advise you use the Insta360 Studio desktop app, which provides much greater control. You can also use the ReFrame plug-in available for Premiere. There's still no DaVinci Resolve plug-in confirmed though.

Insta360 X6 review: Battery & overheating

I stress test all cameras for battery life and overheating indoors at 4K/60fps. The X6’s new 2,600mAh battery lasted for just under 117 minutes. That’s 30 minutes longer than the X5 (87 minutes) and 27 minutes longer than the MAX2 (90 minutes). It’s also five minutes longer than the Insta360 X4 ($424) and Osmo 360 (both 112 minutes). Great performance.

The Insta360 X6 gets very hot to the touch at 4K/60fps and overheated after 33 minutes in warm ambient conditions (we had a heatwave here in Britain). In cooler conditions which aligned to my usual tests, it lasted 56 minutes. Better, but still worse than the X5, X4, Osmo 360 and MAX2, none of which overheated in the same test. That said, this is a stress test performed in fixed conditions for comparison purposes. On the move with the benefits of windchill, the X6 didn’t overheat once.

In 360 mode, at 8K/30fps, the X6 managed just under 155 minutes and didn’t overheat once, which is especially impressive, unmatched in fact. Recording at higher frame rates is where the true strain lies, though. At 50fps, it overheated after 25 minutes (and again every 20-25 minutes) but managed to record another impressive total of 90 minutes. Once again, outside of my stress test environment, windchill will dramatically reduce those overheating issues.

At their maximum 8K/30fps settings, the X5 managed 72 minutes while the MAX2 lasted 73 minutes — neither overheated. The Osmo 360, meanwhile, managed 112 minutes at 8K/30fps but only 30 minutes at 8K/50fps, both without overheating.

Insta360 X6 review: Verdict

Insta360 threw the kitchen sink at the X6, and I appreciate that. The manufacturer has pushed itself (as it always does) to better the technical performance of the X5, and succeeded at a core level. Imaging is better on the X6 than the X5, as is handling, battery life and waterproofing.

I’m not a fan of certain modes now being automated, as I feel this sacrifices creative control, but that’s not a huge issue. And while the X6 suffered more overheating than other 360 cameras in our lab tests, in reality that shouldn’t be a problem on the move.

I scored the Insta360 X5 our full five stars, and I stand by scoring it higher than the X6 today. The main problem is the X6’s price: a $699 start price is frankly crazy. Simply put, if you want the best balance of performance for money, the five-star X5 is still the better all-rounder. But if you want the best-of-the-best 360 camera from a technical standpoint, it has to be the X6. You’ll just need deep pockets.

360 cameras compared

Now, whether I’m out on a casual walk or shooting astrophotography at night with any of the best camera phones I'm testing, it’s become an essential addition to my setup. Best of all, this thermal camera isn’t just suited for nighttime use because it’s just as helpful during the day for spotting wildlife.

Here’s why a pocket thermal camera might just be the most effective scouting tool you can carry in your kit.

Camcorder-style ergonomics

What I love most about the Thermal Master DV2 is how it’s designed like the handheld camcorders I used to carry in the early 2000s. It balances nostalgic ergonomics with modern portability, letting me slip it effortlessly into my shoulder bag or pocket.

Unlike all the other attachable thermal cameras for phones I’ve tested, like the P1, P2, and P3, the DV2 acts as a standalone unit. That means it works entirely on its own with a 5-inch adjustable display and a grip-style design — no phone connection required. There’s also a standard ¼-inch mount on the bottom that gives it added stability when fastened to my monopod.

If I have one complaint about the design, it’s that the two buttons on the grip can’t be customized for other functions. By default, the top button activates the built-in laser pointer, while the bottom one cycles through the different infrared palettes. I just wish I could remap them to actions like snapping a photo or starting a video recording.

Cuts through dense foliage

Smartphone thermal attachments are fine for close-range tasks like finding drafty windows or plumbing leaks, but in my experience, they fall short when trying to identify distant targets in the wild. They simply look like blobs from far away. That’s precisely why the Thermal Master DV2 earns a spot on my late-night runs.

Its high-sensitivity thermal camera cuts right through dense branches and thick underbrush. Animals hidden deep within cover immediately stand out once I dial into the right AI profile, glowing bright against the cooler foliage on the 5-inch screen.

Thanks to its telephoto lens and manual focus ring, I can pull in crisp footage even at full 8x digital zoom — delivering detail that easily outperforms the smartphone dongles I’ve used. By pairing manual focus precision with intelligent target algorithms, the DV2 removes all the guesswork from nighttime scouting, making it easy to locate subjects before bringing up my phone camera for the final shot.

High price, higher value

At $499, the Thermal Master DV2 is a serious investment that might give casual buyers pause, especially with so many cheap smartphone dongles on the market. But the cost is easily justified by what you get: a dedicated telephoto core, a zero-lag 50Hz refresh rate, and the convenience of a standalone hardware design.

That power makes it far more versatile than a simple wildlife scouting tool. Whether I’m diagnosing thermal leaks around the house or stepping in for unexpected neighborhood emergencies, it continually proves its value. Recently, I even used it to help a neighbor rescue ducklings trapped in a storm drain — shining the DV2 down the pitch-black tunnel to confirm every last duckling was safe and accounted for.

More from Tom’s Guide

• I used a thermal camera to see how hot the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra gets compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra — here's what happened
• I tested the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs Galaxy S26 Ultra for 2 weeks — here’s the one I’d buy
• I just tried the new Samsung DeX on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 — and it has one huge upgrade

Earlier this year, Insta360 introduced a special edition of its thumb-sized Go 3S camera that blends modern 4K tech with nostalgic style. Dubbed the Insta360 Go 3S Retro Bundle, this new bundle arrives two years after the original Go 3S. In our review, we gave the Go 3S a tidy 4.5 stars and found it packed with outstanding features — namely 4K video recording, superb battery life, and cool new functions accessible via its smartphone app.

The main difference between the Go 3S and the Go 3S Retro lies in the included accessories. The most obvious is the Retro viewfinder, which pairs with the standalone camera to create a handheld shooting experience.

As a fan of vintage-inspired cameras, the Go 3S Retro immediately caught my eye. Now, I'm no camera expert — I consider myself a total newbie in most cases — but I was beyond keen to get my hands on this tiny cam, for several reasons. Aside from primarily wanting to take some fun panoramic shots, I also wanted to capture some important POVs — a.k.a. what my dogs see — and take the cam for a spin when creating content. And it didn't disappoint.

Over the course of a month, I took my Go 3S Retro on every dog walk, each mosey around the shops, the occasional bike ride or drive, and everything in between. During each occasion, I noticed two major factors that made me gravitate towards using the Retro Go 3S even more — its portability and, of course, its perspective.

Perfect to pack and go

Now, the biggest, most significant factor for me when taking photos for work or play is accessibility. I want to use the camera easily, and I want it to work now. I typically resort to using my phone in almost every instance, as I can easily rely on it to take a decent photo without much fuss.

While the Insta360 Go 3S captures visually appealing 9MP photos in 16:9, they aren't necessarily superior to standard smartphone shots. That's because the tiny cam was made for shooting 4K videos.

That said, what I really appreciated during my test period with the Go 3S Retro was its portability. When paired with the viewfinder lanyard, it was easy enough to carry crossbody while walking my pups in our local park, and when filming content at an event, I could whip it out of my bag and clip it to my shirt with the magnetic strap for a direct POV shot. At just 39g, it felt light as a feather compared to my iPhone.

Better yet, I found myself editing my images and videos less. This was perhaps due to the respectable resolution, or simply because the Go 3S Retro captured the perfect shot. I didn't have to fuss over framing, angles, or distance — the Go 3S Retro handled it all.

It captured more angles and depth than I could with my phone, making it easier to edit (again, only if needed), and I found myself taking fewer photos and videos because of it. The Insta360 app also features quick transfers and previews, along with solid editing tools that eliminate the guesswork of cleaning up my shots. Overall, I definitely leaned more towards the Go 3S Retro when capturing content, and I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon.

Changing my perspective

Sometimes a new perspective is all you need — and the Go 3S Retro has an ultrawide view of everything. Despite being small in stature, as I've mentioned, it can capture a lot — especially things that are overlooked or missed completely.

I really enjoyed reviewing my footage after the fact, and admiring what I didn't necessarily intend to capture. From peaceful moments with family and friends to gorgeous views of Sydney, there were so many memories I got to capture — and I really loved it.

Better still, there were several modes I enjoyed using and a few that are still on my to-do list (namely a starlapse). My most-used settings so far are SlowMo and Timelapse, which have been particularly fun when unboxing review units and watching my dog's hair cinematically blow in the wind.

Overall, using the tiny cam also allowed me to be fully present in some regards too. I could easily connect it to a magnetic surface and sit back, all without using my phone (or hands in some cases) to capture the moment.

So, after spending a month with the Insta360 Go 3S Retro, it became crystal clear to me that this thumb-sized camera offers a refreshing shift in how we capture memories. By prioritising portability and unique, hands-free perspectives over the fuss of traditional smartphone photography, the camera allows you to stay present while effortlessly recording life's moments.

With features like convenient magnetic mounting, high-quality 4K video, and intuitive app-based editing, the Go 3S Retro simplifies content creation, proving that a smaller camera can indeed capture a much bigger picture.

Alongside the flash, the Simple Use also packs a set of colored gel filters to help you get creative shots. It’s extremely easy to use (as you’ve probably guessed from the name), and the photos it takes have a retro, vintage look to them. However, film removal is slightly fiddly; build quality isn’t the best; and there’s some chromatic aberration in the photos.

Should you still buy it? Read my full Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Specs

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Price & availability

The Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor (I’ll just use ‘Simple Use’ from now on) is a very cheap and very cheerful film camera. If you buy it directly from Lomography, the Simple Use costs $27 / £19. In the U.K. where I’m based, you can also buy the Simple Use from Amazon, but this drives the cost up to £52.

You can get either an ISO 400 or an ISO 200 (tested) model, and both come pre-loaded with a 27-exposure roll of film, so you get your first shots for free. ISO 400 film is twice as sensitive to light as ISO 200 film, allowing faster shutter speeds and better low-light performance. If you want to photograph moving subjects, shade and cloudy days better, ISO 400 is right for you. If you want a camera that works best in bright, sunny outdoor conditions, ISO 200 should suffice.

The Simple Use is much cheaper than other reusable film cameras, like the Kodak Ultra F9 35mm ($49), the Kodak Ektar H35 ($49) and the AgfaPhoto Analogue 35mm ($81). It’s priced similarly to the Fujifilm QuickSnap Flash 400 ($21) and the Kodak FunSaver 35mm ($29) but they’re single-use cameras, so you can only use them for one roll of film. The Simple Use is, then, excellent value for money.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Design & build quality

If you want a compact film camera that doesn’t take up much space in your handbag, the Lomography Simple Use is the one. The camera measures just 4.5 x 2.4 x 1.3 inches and weighs 4.23oz (including film and battery), so it’s similar to other film cameras, like the Kodak Ultra F9 and the Kodak Ektar H35. I’ve had no trouble carrying the Simple Use in my trousers’ pocket.

The Simple Use comes in a few different colors, such as yellow, red, purple, orange, and turquoise. Each model is wrapped in stickers around the front and the back, with usage instructions — handy if this is your first time using a film camera. I tested the yellow model which looks fine. The aesthetics aren’t anything to write home about, and neither is the build quality.

Annoyingly, the Simple Use is made entirely of ABS plastic which feels cheap and flimsy. I feel like if I exerted even a bit of pressure on the film door’s hinges, it would fall apart. But you have to remind yourself that this camera costs just under $30. If build quality is a priority for you, I’d recommend the Kodak Ultra F9 instead — but you’ll need to spend an extra $20 for it.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Lens & viewfinder

The Lomography Simple Use is fitted with a 31mm fixed-focus lens. This provides a wild field of view which means you can capture a lot of the scene, making the Simple Use great for street, landscapes, travel and everyday photography. The camera has a focusing range of 1m to ∞, so any subject closer than 1 meter will be blurry and out of focus.

As a no-frills film camera, you don’t get any manual control over focus settings, so the Simple Use is excellent for beginners who just want to capture memories without thinking too much.

The Simple Use features a small viewfinder that I found easy to look through, even as someone who wears prescription glasses.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Controls

Lomography hit the nail on the head when it called this camera Simple Use, because it is extremely simple to use. It comes pre-loaded with film, so is ready to use as soon as you unbox it.

All the shooting settings are adjusted automatically so all you need to do is look through the viewfinder, frame your subject, and press the shutter button to take a photo. I bet my family’s Golden Retriever, Odie, could use the Simple Use too… if he had opposable thumbs.

The film advance dial is located right below the shutter button, so it’s easy to advance the film to the next frame. Unloading the film is extremely straightforward, too. You’ll know the roll has finished when the film advance dial keeps spinning. After that, press the film door button to open the door, and take your roll out. Frustratingly, though, the film door button is quite stiff and takes a couple of tries before you can push it to open the door.

Since this is a reusable camera, you can pop in a new roll of film, close the door, and you’re ready to start shooting again.

The Simple Use features a built-in flash too. To use it, you need to hold down the flash button located on the front of the camera, and take a photo while keeping it pressed.

There’s a set of yellow, cyan and magenta colored gel filters attached next to the viewfinder, so you can move one (or all of them!) over the flash to create different color effects.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Image quality

The Lomography Simple Use captures quintessentially retro-style images which are lo-fi and grainy — something that’s right up Gen Z’s street as retro tech has made a huge comeback these last few years. The images aren’t the most hi-res and are fit for sharing on social media. Not being able to see the photos until you get your film developed lets you stay in the moment and enjoy yourself, too.

And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using the Simple Use to photograph Bristol Pride, the city of Bath in the U.K., and my travels. Results can be hit-or-miss but that’s the charm of film cameras. I’ve been happy with most of the photos I’ve taken with the Simple Use, and you can see a few examples above. I love how fluffy and well-defined the clouds look in the first and second shots, and the plane’s red jet engine really pops.

Most of the images are quite sharp, too. In the third, fourth and fifth shots, the edges of the plaque and the buildings are well-defined. In terms of colors, the blues in the Union Jack flags and the West Country Ales plaque appear deep, while the buildings’ beige stone looks as textured as in real life.

In the first two shots, taken on a sunny day, the colors look great. Each individual shade in the ‘Love Wins’ fan is discernible, as are the colors in the rainbow face paint. The third photo was taken on an overcast day but the image still looks pleasing to the eye.

There is some yellow and purple color fringing, also known as chromatic aberration, around the edges of the tent in the first shot, the trees in the fourth image and the chimneys and roof in the last photo. This is usually a sign of poor optics, but in a camera this cheap it’s not surprising, nor a huge issue. This also occurred with similarly-priced cameras like the Kodak F9.

The Simple Use’s shutter speed is limited to 1/120s and it’s got a fixed f/9 aperture, just like on the Kodak Ultra F9. The fixed f/9 aperture lets less light in than a wide aperture lens, like f/2.8 on the much pricier Lomography Lomo MC-A 35mm ($549). This means that images shot in dimly lit environments turn out darker and potentially noisier, as you can see in the second shot above.

But you can salvage some of the shots with the built-in flash. The Simple Use’s built-in flash is fairly powerful, too, and it worked well to illuminate all the shots in the gallery above. The last two photos were taken with the color filters covering the flash, and they do what they’re designed to.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Film cost & yield

The Lomography Simple Use comes pre-loaded with a 27-exposure roll of film, and subsequent rolls of 35mm film aren’t very expensive either. Film costs naturally vary depending on the type you get and where you live. For example, I live in the U.K. and used a 36-exposure roll of Fujifilm 200, which generally costs $31 / £39 for a pack of three.

Film development costs will vary too. My film development cost me £18 for one roll of film (digital scans only). But I asked an American colleague about film developing costs in the U.S., and he said that it can cost as little as $10.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Battery life

Similar to most other film cameras I’ve tested, like the Kodak Ultra F9, the Lomography Simple Use utilizes a single AA battery (included in the box). These are easily sourced and you probably have a couple spares lying around your house, too.

Lomography doesn’t specify how long an AA battery lasts as it’s primarily there to power the flash, but I was able to get through two rolls of film comfortably while occasionally using the flash.

Lomography Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera Classicolor review: Verdict

If you want a cheap and very cheerful film camera, you can’t go wrong with the Lomography Simple Use. As the name suggests, this is an extremely easy camera to use. It’s perfect for beginners, casual users, and anyone who wants to capture retro-style photos — albeit with slight chromatic aberration (which doesn’t necessarily ruin the images).

The Simple Use is great value for money as it costs just $27 and comes pre-loaded with a 27-exposure film roll as well as an AA battery to power the flash. It’s fitted with a set of colored filters too to help you get creative shots, too.

Though build quality isn’t anything to write home about and removing film can be slightly frustrating, those are minor issues at this price point. At the end of the day, the Simple Use is fun and it makes capturing memories easy while allowing you to stay in the moment.

After reviewing the Fujifilm X-T50 all the way back in June 2024, I'm now the proud owner of one, and I've taken many amazing photos on it. But like they say: you never forget your first, and my first "proper" camera was the Nikon D5100 that my parents bought me when I was 16.

The D5100's specs aren't much to write home about by today's standards. A 16.2MP CMOS sensor, no stabilization, an 11-point autofocus system, 1080P/30fps video, an optical viewfinder, and a 921,000-dot non-touch LCD monitor. Not the greatest specs, but frankly, I don't care. The D5100 is the camera that made me fall in love with photography, and to this day, 13 years later, I still find use in it.

Let me take you back to 2013

2013. It feels like such a long time ago and yet, I vividly remember when I first held the Nikon D5100 in my hands. I was in an all-girls' boarding school, and we were about to go on our annual school trip to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. I remember my classmates showing off their Canon EOS 5D Mark IIIs, and I won't lie, I felt a pang of jealousy. I wanted a "proper" camera too, so I floated the idea to my parents.

My parents rarely said no to things I desperately wanted, within reason, and the kind people they still are, they agreed to take me to a camera shop to pick up my first camera. The salesman tried selling us on the most expensive cameras, but we (and by that I mean my parents) naturally had a budget in mind, and we settled on the D5100, which back in the day must have cost around $800 for the body only — and in Indian Rupees, it was a lot. My parents still bought it for me, along with an 18-55mm lens.

I must admit, my photography knowledge back in the day was nowhere near as polished as it is today, so "18-55mm" meant nothing to me. All I knew was that I now had a camera that could take good photos of my friends, and the beautiful Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. I thought I was a magician capturing what I considered were award-winning images — they were not, but in that moment, it didn't matter, because I was having fun. Photography is meant to be fun, and that's the most important lesson the D5100 has taught me.

Back to the present

Years went by and the Nikon D5100 remained a constant in my life. I took it with me to my undergraduate university in India, and brought it with me when I first moved to the U.K. for postgrad in 2018. The D5100 has been tossed around in luggage, thrown around on beaches, and it has been heavily used in all kinds of weather — including the rain.

And it has survived. Battered, bruised, beaten, my 13-year-old D5100 still works, and up until I bought the Fujifilm X-T50, I used it on vacations, at work for product photography, and my partner used it as her primary camera for her art and video work. I remember pulling out my D5100 at my first-ever press event in 2024 (for a Fujifilm instant camera), and one of the other journalists there remarked, "Oh, you're proper old school." Every time I saw him at press events after, he'd go, "Still rocking the DSLR, eh?" with a smile on his face.

I think there's a lot to love about DSLRs, which is why I'm here, talking about my love for the D5100. When we think of DSLRs, we think they're bulky, slow, and a pain to use, especially when compared to fast mirrorless cameras that, like the Fujifilm X-T50, enable you to burst-shoot at 30fps. I'd argue that a DSLR can make you a better, more considerate photographer, and it's not always about having the latest tech in your hand.

Why I still use (and love) my D5100

Would you like to know why I still use and love my Nikon D5100? The photos in the gallery above were taken by my partner in Iceland. That's why. The D5100 is a capable and competent camera that takes beautiful photos — yes, even though it packs a 16.2MP CMOS sensor only. When my partner and I decided to take a trip to Iceland, I packed the Fujifilm X-T50 and she packed the D5100 — and the photos she took on the D5100 are nothing short of gorgeous (it, of course, helps that we were in a country best described as heaven on earth).

When I asked my partner why she enjoys using the D5100, her answer was simple: "It's a camera that takes good photos, and I like taking my time with it." I smiled when she said that, because it further proves that the best camera is the one in your hands, and that it's important to take your time with framing your shots. Sure, she had her 50MP Google Pixel 9 on the trip too, but she still opted for the D5100. Though the D5100 can't compete with the stupidly good autofocus systems on today's mirrorless cameras, it still proved quick enough on our Iceland trip.

What I love most about the D5100 is the colors it captures. Though I prefer Canon's and Fujifilm's color science now, the D5100 hasn't given me much to complain about. In the gallery earlier, I love that the bright highlights, seen in the waves crashing in the first slide, don't appear blown out, and the dark areas, such as the black sand on Reynisfjara beach, aren't grainy or noisy.

Similarly, in the gallery above, the colors have come out lovely and true to life. The deep blues in the sky, the vivid greens, the popping shades of pink and purple — they all look refined and pleasing. The photos are fairly sharp too, with each individual feather on the duck and pigeon (mostly) discernible.

The photographer that I am today

Fast forward to today. I'm a senior reviews writer testing the best tech day in and out. I've tested super speedy Canons, Sonys, Fujis, and even Leicas. But a Nikon started it all. I don't think I'm an extraordinary photographer — but I take photos of things that look pleasing to me, to immortalize memories, and I learn as I go.

They say clothes maketh the man, and by that logic, the camera maketh the photographer. I don't believe that's true. Your desire to take good photos, and your ability to learn and adapt are what make you a good photographer. I think it's great that mirrorless cameras are accessible, and it makes me happy that people younger than me are taking up photography. But I'd recommend everyone to try shooting on a DSLR at least once.

With the Nikon D5100 and other DSLRs which feature optical viewfinders (OVFs) instead of electronic ones (EVFs) on modern cameras, I've learned that relying on your gut instinct is very important. The only information you get in your viewfinder is basic shooting settings, like shutter speed and ISO in the margins.

There are no live histograms, digital levelling gauges, zebra lines for overexposure, or focus peaking. It's just you and your subject. When you adjust shutter speed or ISO, the change isn't reflected in the viewfinder; the OVF shows a real-life reflection rather than a digital preview, so I've had to learn how to read light and manually calculate exposure.

And therein lies the magic. I love shooting with my Fujifilm X-T50 and it's one of the best things I've ever bought, but I also enjoy the simplicity of my D5100. With the latter, it's just me and the camera, and I feel like if my parents hadn't bought the D5100 for me, I wouldn't be where or who I am today. It changed the trajectory of my life.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve tested a ton of cameras and drones in 2026 — and these are my 5 favorites (so far) from DJI, Canon, Leica and more
• The best cameras in 2026
• I’ve taken over 6,000 photos on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — here are my favorite portraits, wildlife, and landscape shots

If you don't know me, my name is Nikita and I'm a Senior Reviews Writer, testing the best drones and the best cameras. This year, I've tested 12 of these nifty gadgets so far — from keychain cameras like the Kodak Charmera and black-and-white snappers like the Leica Q3 Monochrom, to speedy mirrorless beasts like the Canon EOS R6 Mark III and aerial wonders like the DJI Avata 360.

After a somewhat slow start to the year, we've been spoiled thanks to new launches from the likes of Leica, and DJI coming out with a range of drones and gimbal cameras. Now that we're well into July, I thought I'd round up my top five cameras and drones of 2026 so far. Has there been a camera or drone that's been a standout for you? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

5. Kodak Charmera

Just a no-frills, fun keychain camera
My rating: ★★★★☆

When I was putting this list together, I knew the Kodak Charmera was going to be included. If there's one thing 2026 has shown us already it's that cameras can be whimsical and just pure fun — and the Charmera proves it. You may have seen this nifty little keychain camera on TikTok or Instagram. It went viral earlier this year for its compact form factor and oh-so little asking price, and if you need a no-frills camera for a night out, this is the one to get.

Though the camera is fitted with a 1.6MP 1/4-inch CMOS sensor that doesn't take award-winning images, the Charmera is all about fun. The charm lies in its lo-fi images that remind me of the photos in my family's photo albums. What makes the Charmera unique is its extremely portable body — clip it on to your keys or your bag and you're good to go.

What I love most about the Charmera is its ease of use. Your 5-year-old niece who's just getting to grips with using her hands will be able to use it, as will your 60-year-old uncle who just wants to immortalize memories without caring much about image quality. Pass it around a table at a pub, or add it to the camera gear that's going to be at your wedding — the Charmera is for everyone.

Read my full Kodak Charmera review.

4. DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

DJI's best gimbal camera just got better
My rating: Not scored yet

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is perhaps one of the industry's worst kept secrets. Rumors have been circulating for months, so when the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 dropped, people wondered why it didn't have two dual lenses — and then the Osmo Pocket 4P dropped. Well, you can't buy it yet, but it's out there. I've held it; I've recorded footage on it in Malta; and I can tell you that it's very real. I can also tell you that this gimbal camera might give the Insta360 Luna Ultra a run for its money.

But my lips are sealed due to embargoes and restrictions, and all I can really tell you about the Osmo Pocket 4P is this: it features D-Log2 support and a whopping 17 stops of dynamic range, and it comes in black and white. It's also got two lenses, one of which is a 60mm medium-telephoto.

I've spent a fair amount of time using the Osmo Pocket 4P, and it didn't take long for it to become one of my favorite cameras of 2026 so far. And why wouldn't it be? It builds on the success of the base Osmo Pocket 4 (which received a 5/5 rating from Senior Reviews Editor, Peter Wolinski). If you haven't bought the base model, I think it's worth waiting for the Osmo Pocket 4P. Trust me, I've been gobsmacked by it, and I'm sure you will be too.

Read my first impressions of the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P.

3. Canon EOS R6 Mark III

Good becomes great
My rating: ★★★★½

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III succeeded the second-gen model in November 2025, but I tested the camera in 2026, so it counts! Good became great as Canon introduced substantial upgrades to its predecessor to deliver one of the best mid-range cameras. Having taken over 6,000 photos on the EOS R6 Mark III, I've been extremely impressed with its capabilities. The camera packs a 32.5MP full frame sensor that captures plenty of detail and gives you some room for making crops in post-production, too.

Combine that beautiful sensor with 40fps burst shooting and best-in-class autofocus, and you've got yourself a powerful camera for sports, wildlife, portraits, landscapes, you name it. As someone who loves photographing birds and animals, I appreciated the EOS R6 Mark III's ability to quickly lock on to subjects and capture stunning images. Canon's vaunted color science is the cherry on top of the cake.

And it's a delicious cake topped with many, many cherries. 7K Open Gate video and 4K/120fps video capabilities make the EOS R6 Mark III a competent hybrid camera. The addition of CFExpress support means the camera can accommodate 7K RAW files and sustain its rapid 40fps drive.

Read my full Canon EOS R6 Mark III review.

2. Leica SL3-P

Finally taking the fight to Canon and Sony
My rating: ★★★★½

Leica’s a legacy brand and though it has always made excellent (albeit very expensive) cameras, it’s always struggled to compete with heavy hitters like Sony and Canon, in my opinion — until now. The Leica SL3-P is one of the finest mirrorless cameras I’ve ever tested, and certainly the best of 2026 so far. What makes the SL3-P a standout is its sublime handling, superb build quality (you'd expect nothing less at this price), and imaging prowess.

I was seriously impressed with its 40fps high-speed drive and best-in-class autofocus that ensures you never miss an action shot — and as a wildlife photographer, I love it. Throw in a 44MP sensor, 8K Open Gate video, strong dynamic range performance, and sublime handling, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Well done, Leica.

The SL3-P makes Leica a serious alternative to Canon and Sony, and if you think, "Nope, Leicas are way too expensive," you'd be wrong. Sony's flagship A1 II and Canon's EOS R5 Mark II bodies cost almost the same. I don't think Leica's price tag should scare you any longer — especially when you're getting a ridiculously sharp sensor.

Read my full Leica SL3-P review.

1. DJI Avata 360

DJI claims its stake as the king of the skies
My rating: ★★★★½

When the Antigravity A1, the world's first 360° drone came out last year, I thought to myself, "This is an excellent drone; I wonder what DJI's answer is going to be." And DJI's answer was simple: the Avata 360 did everything the Antigravity A1 does but better, and at a much lower price. It undercut its primary rival, and DJI delivered a 360° drone that doesn't give you much to complain about.

I absolutely adore the Avata 360, and as someone who has spent nearly a thousand hours flying, testing, writing and reading about drones, it's one of the best today, period. Fitted with twin lenses that capture every angle in 8K at 60fps without any stitching lines, and 120MP hi-res stills, the Avata 360 is a formidable content creation tool.

Exceptional build quality, dual ways to fly (FPV and with a standard controller), user-friendly software for editing, you name it: the Avata 360 does it all. Out of all the cameras and drones I've tested this year so far, this is the one I come back to time and again. DJI, despite facing a ban on its drones and enhanced scrutiny in the U.S., shows no signs of stopping with its Avata 360, Lito X1 and Lito 1 quadcopters, and I can't wait to see what else the Chinese giant has up its sleeve going forward.

Read my full DJI Avata 360 review.

There's more where that came from...

There are, of course, other cameras I've tested that haven't made the list, but they still deserve a shoutout. The first honorable mention that springs to my mind is the Fujifilm Instax mini Evo Cinema, a hybrid instant camera that redefines everything we know about instant cameras.

It's one of a kind: it lets you shoot photos and print directly from your smartphone, and you can record video clips up to 15 seconds long, choose a frame, and print on Instax film with a QR code that plays said video on a smartphone. It's fun and it's different, and it earned a 4.5-star rating from me.

Then there's the Fujifilm Instax mini 13, which takes things back to basics. It's an analog instant cameras that simply shoots and prints photos within 90 seconds. Image and print quality is great, with retro colors that remind us all why we fell in love with instant photography in the first place.

I also tested the Potensic Atom 3, a powerful DJI alternative that, for the first time on a Potensic drone, introduces 4K/60fps video and RAW images. At an affordable price tag, the Atom 3 packs up to 50 minutes of flight time and accurate AI subject tracking.

But that's all from me (for now). I hope you've enjoyed reading about my favorite cameras and drones of 2026 so far just as much as I've enjoyed writing about them. And like I said, do let me know in the comments what's been your favorite release this year!

More from Tom's Guide

• The best tech of 2026 (so far): 26 products we've actually tested, rated and loved
• I’ve spent over 900 hours testing all the best drones: here are my top picks
• The best cameras in 2026

It's possible to see the Perseids with your own eyes, of course, but to really make the most out of the occasion, or if you want to take some good quality photographs, then you'll want to invest in some specialist equipment.

For this article I've picked out 12 great items that will get you a better view of this spectacular event, from cameras to telescopes, tripods and other essential astrophotography kit. Best of all, some of them have big savings right now at Amazon. Happy skywatching!

But with that said, if you can drop $300 on a light, the conveniently portable build is ideal for anyone who needs to swiftly move locations, and the highly adjustable brightness, temperature and height can suit most eventualities. It’s great to have remote control over the settings, and having the choice between battery-powered or wired operation opens up a lot of doors.

To find out more about my experience using the light, you can keep reading this full Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro review.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Specs

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Price & availability

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro is available to purchase directly from the Lume Cube online store or from Amazon for $299. The ring light only comes in black or white, and while both colors look good, I think black has the more professional appearance.

While there’s a lot to love about the Lume Cube ring light, the price is not one of those things. At $300, it’s an investment, but not one you need to make if you’re looking for a light for content creation — other options are just as good for a fraction of the price.

For example, the Godox LR120 18-inch ring light is just $59 and still offers plenty of temperature and brightness adjustments. There’s also a built-in phone holder with this light, but the tripod feels a little unstable compared to the Lume Cube. My top choice for a larger ring light is the Neewer RP19H, a 19-inch ring light for $149. The Neewer light is far brighter than the Lume Cube and has much better color replication.

If you are looking for something for content creation but don’t need anything as big as the Godox or the Lume Cube, consider the Neewer Basics R06 7-inch Round Light for $35. The light is evenly diffused and has excellent color replication.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Design

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro has a convenient design. The light looks very professional when set up, and doesn’t take much time to assemble. You simply have to set up the tripod, which extends from 18 to 70 inches, and connect the ring light to the top. With the light attached, the tripod feels well-balanced and sturdy once it has been sufficiently tightened. The ring light head alone weighs 2.4 pounds, so it can flop around if it’s too loose.

The ring light houses 256 LEDs covered with a diffuser for soft lighting with even coverage. Having a cover on the light makes it look a lot sleeker than the Godox LR120. The head of the light can tilt vertically 180º, which is useful depending on what you’re using it for.

At the center of the light, there’s a thread to attach the included phone holder. It could hold my iPhone 17, but it was a little tight. Luckily, you can attach any phone holder with a thread attachment. The holder rotates to switch easily between portrait and landscape shooting without any fuss. The thread mount is also compatible with most mirrorless cameras.

The light comes with a power cord and remote control. The 18-inch light comes with a travel case to store all of the components. This is padded and feels very protective. A handle also makes it easy to transport between locations if you’re on the move a lot.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Controls

You can control the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro with either the onboard switches and dials or the included remote control.

There are two dials on the back of the light for brightness and color temperature, and the changes are displayed on the digital screen. However, I found it easier to make changes using the remote control, so I didn’t have to go back and forth to the light.

The remote can connect to multiple ring lights using different channel frequencies to control a studio setup if needed. This is useful if you’re shooting complex portraiture and you want to pair with some of the Lume Cube panel lights. While Lume Cube has an app for controlling some of its ring lights, it’s not compatible with the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro.

You can adjust the color temperature of the ring light between 2700K and 7500K, which is a very wide range, giving you an option for most situations. It’s a wider range than the Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0, which has a range of 2700K to 7200K. The adjustment on the Cordless Ring Light Pro is stepless, so I feel like I had more control when compared to the Edge Light 2.0.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Performance

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro provided me with consistent lighting for filming video content and taking pictures. However, it’s not the best light I’ve used, and for the price, I want something that I can rely on to make me shine.

The 256 LEDs provide a maximum illumination of 1700 lux/0.5m, which is less than options by more affordable brands such as Neewer and Godox that provide illumination up to 3000Lux/0.5m. And while the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro lit me (the subject) very well, the background looked incredibly dull and lackluster.

With that said, the light has a CRI rating of 96+, which means it can excellently replicate real-world color on camera, and I would have to agree. The yellow on my t-shirt looked bright, and my complexion looked even. But the Neewer Basics BR60 does a better job of replicating color, even though it is on a much smaller scale at just 5 inches.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Battery life

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro can be used anywhere since it has a rechargeable lithium ion battery battery. For a more reliable wireless battery option, you can look to the Westcott 18-inch ring light, which uses NP-F batteries — but this is a lot more expensive. The screen on the back of the light displays how much charge is remaining so you know when it’s time to juice up. At full brightness, you get about an hour and a half of battery life, but when using dimmer settings, you can get up to two hours.

And if you need a fixed setup for all-day use, you’re in luck, because the light also comes with an AC power adaptor. This provides more reliable lighting, and you won’t need to rush for fear of running out of battery life.

The light also has a fast-charging USB-C port at the back so you can plug your phone in and keep it charged whilst using it with the ring light. This is especially useful if you plan on using the light for live streaming.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Verdict

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro would be a decent ring light option if it were a little cheaper. While it has some great qualities, I can’t justify the price tag when there are better options available, such as the Godox LR120 and the Neewer RP19H for a fraction of the price that provide more intense illumination.

But with that said, if you’re willing to spend $300 on a middle-of-the-road ring light, there’s a lot to like. The convenient and portable build makes it easy to transport and assemble, and it’s highly adjustable to suit most eventualities.

The color accuracy with the light is great, and you can easily make adjustments with the included remote control. I also appreciate that you can use the light wirelessly or plugged into a power outlet depending on your needs.

Overall, it’s a decent light; I just can’t get on board with that price tag.

In 2023, Ukraine launched a state-backed defense cluster designed to sync up the needs of frontline soldiers with the country's tech industry. Part of that cluster involves an e-commerce platform called the Brave1 Market. Or, more commonly, "Amazon for drones".

Ukrainian soldiers can order equipment from tech manufacturers directly to their units by logging into a dashboard and spending their allocated military funding based on what they actually need. But here's where it gets interesting: units can earn digital currency (called e-points) for completing missions — whether that's reconnaissance, evacuation or neutralizing an enemy target. Different targets have different values attached and e-points can be redeemed in the marketplace for new kit.

The Ukrainian government changes these values as its priorities in the war shift. This point-scoring in turn incentivises soldiers to buy only the right equipment they need for the mission, which, in turn, creates competition and innovation among the manufacturers. Real-time intel, like telemetry or strike verification data, is also fed back to the manufacturers by the soldiers so they can patch software or refine their products to improve them.

According to Defense Daily, the Ukrainian model has been so successful that the U.S. Army wants to roll out its own version of Brave1 later this year.

Browsing the marketplace

Despite not being enlisted in the Ukrainian military myself, there is still a huge amount of the Brave1 marketplace open to the public. I spent a morning browsing the site and, while I can't buy myself a new reconnaissance drone, I can look at specs, features and prices.

There's a huge amount of equipment available to look at, from land-based transportation drones to tiny interceptors designed to take down much larger (and more expensive) Russian drones before they can hit their target.

You can even filter down by things like which type of camera you need (nighttime or thermal imaging), payload weight as well as range and engine type.

As well as drones, soldiers can order munitions, encrypted radios, targeting tools specialized payloads and combat robots from Brave1.

While regular folks like me can't buy from the marketplace, civilian engineers, garages, and tech startups can all register their hardware or software on Brave1. If Ukraine approves it, then they can sell directly to the military.

In a January article for the U.S. Naval Institute, Marine Corps Second Lieutenant Rob Rucki noted: "Today, innovation is not just a feature of a combat system; it is a principle of warfare to be exploited for advantage. To succeed requires developing processes that enable iteration and deployment of new technologies faster than adversaries. Nowhere has this been more apparent than on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, where the pace of innovation is driving the outcome of the fight.

"A similar innovation combat marketplace for the joint force would close the gap between frontline, company-level warfighters and private-sector producers."

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve spent over 900 hours testing all the best drones: here are my top picks
• The Potensic Atom 3 is a great beginner drone — but here’s why I think you should buy these DJI alternatives instead
• DJI announces new Lito drone, possibly the last one coming to the US

Camp Snap has now released the eponymous Camp Snap 2, which aims to improve on the original. But does it manage it? Well, yes and no. The camera is a little slimmer, still totally easy to use, and has zero distractions thanks to the screen-free design. It even has built-in filter options, an upgrade from the original camera.

But the Camp Snap 2 houses the same 8MP as the original, and features the same occasionally annoying shutter lag. To find out more about the camera, you can keep reading this full Camp Snap 2 review.

Camp Snap 2 review: Specs

Camp Snap 2 review: Price & availability

The Camp Snap 2 is available directly from the Camp Snap website for $69/£54. This is listed as an introductory price for the product’s launch, so if you’re planning to purchase it, the sooner the better. The original Camp Snap camera — which is now discontinued — sold for $65, so the 2 is already (only slightly) more expensive.

Camp Snap also offers the Camp Snap CS-Pro, a "premium" version of the screen-free camera. This version introduced built-in filters to the cameras but came with a higher price tag of $99. The upgraded Camp Snap 2 has built-in filters, so the only real difference between it and the CS-Pro is the sensor resolution.

The Camp Snap CS-Pro comes only in a silver-and-black design that looks more like a traditional compact camera, whereas the Camp Snap 2 is a lot more whimsical. You can choose from nine different colors, including Sunbeam Yellow, Stealth Black, Forest Green, Arctic White, Chestnut Brown, Blue Rush, Strawberry Splash, Twisted Lime and Tangerine Drift. I got my hands on both Sunbeam Yellow and Strawberry Splash, and I much prefer the transparent design of the Strawberry Splash.

The Camp Snap 2 is a fun camera, just like the Instax Pal ($99) or the Kodak Charmera ($29), and I think $69 is a totally reasonable ask. But watch this space for the pricing post-introductory offer.

Camp Snap 2 review: Design

Upon first glance, it’s pretty hard to see any differences between the original Camp Snap and the Camp Snap 2 — they’re so darn similar. The original had such a simple design that there wasn’t much to change, but the color options I mentioned above are a big win for the Camp Snap 2.

So what are the actual differences? Well, the new camera is 15% slimmer and measures 1.3 x 2.5 x 4.5 inches. Honestly, the original camera was already compact enough to slip into your purse or tuck into your pocket, so while this is a neat upgrade, it was hardly necessary.

There are strap lugs on the sides of the camera if you want added security, but the camera is so lightweight at 3.8 ounces that it’s easy enough to just hold in one hand with a nifty ridge for your thumb to sit in. There’s also a ¼”-20 thread to attach the camera to a tripod, but I can’t imagine an instance where you’d need to utilise this, especially since the camera doesn’t have a timer option — although it’s a nice touch.

The viewfinder window now sits more centrally on the camera, in line with the lens, making it far more reliable when framing my images, and the LED flash is to the right. On the back of the camera, there’s a small screen that displays how many pictures the camera has taken, the filter being used, and the remaining battery life. This digital screen is the same as on previous models, but it works well.

There’s a silicone cover on the USB-C port on the underside of the camera for charging and image transfer. In the hatch next to the port, there’s a pre-installed 4GB microSD card which can store up to 2000 photos. You can remove this card and replace it if needed.

Most importantly, this camera has no screen. This avoids anyone thinking they don’t look good in a picture and reshooting it a billion times, which is what I love so much about the camera. If you’re used to using disposable cameras like the Fujifilm Quicksnap or the Kodak Fun Flash, you’ll be well-versed in the screenless experience and how fun it can be. But with the Camp Snap 2, there’s no waiting around for your film to be developed, and you can transfer the images to your phone at your convenience with a USB-C wire.

Camp Snap 2 review: Controls

Since this is such a simple camera, the Camp Snap 2 controls couldn’t be easier to use. There’s a switch on the back of the camera to turn it on and activate the flash. Then, to the right of the screen, there’s a small button to change the filters. This is an upgrade from the original Camp Snap, but the Camp Snap CS-Pro has a filter dial.

The filter button on the Camp Snap 2 is locked when you get the camera to avoid unwanted filter switches. To turn this off, hold the button down for 10 seconds. After this, you can cycle through the six filters with the buttons. These filters include Standard, Vintage 1 - 3, Black & White and Analog.

To make adjustments to the metadata of the camera, you can use the buttons in the hatch that stores the SD card. It’s useful to do this right away; otherwise you’ll find your images jumbled in your camera roll according to date.

The shutter button sits at the top of the camera and is easy to push even when using the camera one-handed. An issue I faced with both the original Camp Snap and the CS-Pro is a lag between pressing the shutter button and capturing the image. This has improved for the most part, but there were instances where the shutter was taking a while to engage after I pressed the button.

Camp Snap 2 review: Lens & viewfinder

As I briefly touched on in the design section of this article, the viewfinder is finally positioned above the lens on the Camp Snap 2. I feel as though I’ve been shouting into the void about this since using the original Camp Snap and subsequently the CS-Pro (which was worse!), as it didn’t match the framing of the final image at all. It’s great to at last be able to line up my pictures without a hitch. Of course, this viewfinder is just a bit of plastic, so it’s still not a perfect representation of how the final image will look, but at least now I have an accurate idea of framing.

The Camp Snap 2 is fitted with a 4.2mm fixed-focus f/2.0 lens. It offers a decently wide range of view, and I’ve found it to be great for taking group pictures as well as landscape shots. It also has a 30.5mm filter thread to attach compatible filters.

Given how simple the camera is, you don’t get any control over shutter speed or ISO, and the aperture is fixed. This can sometimes mean some images appear washed out, as you’ll see later on.

Camp Snap 2 review: Image quality

The Camp Snap 2 has an 8MP 1/3.2-inch CMOS sensor, which is the same resolution as the original Camp Snap. I was disappointed not to see an upgrade here since the CS-Pro houses a 16MP sensor. If image quality is your main concern, consider picking up the CS-Pro for an extra $30 instead.

As you can see in this image of flowers, the edges of the petals and leaves aren’t very crisp, and there’s not much detail across the petals. If you want something that will accurately depict what you’re seeing, 8MP just isn’t enough.

Although the images you capture aren’t going to be winning any awards, the Camp Snap 2 has been ideal for throwing in my bag and taking fun, candid pictures with my friends. During the World Cup, I took the camera to the pub with my friends to watch the football. Sadly for me, England won, as you can see from my colleague Harry’s reaction in these pictures.

The Camp Snap 2, as the name suggests, is also suited to outdoor adventures. However, because of the lack of onboard manual adjustments available for aperture, shutter speed and ISO, it’s hard to get a good balance of shadow and highlight when capturing an image. You're relying on the camera's auto exposure, which usually gets it wrong (although this adds to the nostalgic look).

The dynamic range of the Camp Sanp 2 is poor. The highlights where the sunlight was breaking through the trees looked blown out in the images, and darker shadows don’t hold a great deal of detail either when you bump up the brightness in post.

The camera is good for selfies. But be mindful since there is no screen or mirror to see yourself, you may get the framing wrong. So take a few different snaps, and definitely give the camera to the person with the longest arms. In my case, at a Pitbull gig, that was Mr. Worldwide.

The filters add a layer of experimentation to the camera, which I appreciate. Although the filter settings aren’t drastically different from each other, they add more personality to the pictures and mean I don’t have to edit in post.

As you can see in the images above, there’s a filter for most eventualities. However, I would have liked to see more cool-toned filters, since these all pull a little warm. I like the Black & White setting, but my favorite was the Analog option, as it added a vintage look to the pictures that I didn’t need to improve with edits.

Camp Snap 2 review: Battery life

The Camp Snap 2 has a rated battery life of 500 shots. You can see how much charge is left in the camera when you turn it on via the small digital screen.

The battery drains faster when using the flash. It’s rechargeable via USB-C and takes around an hour to charge from empty. The camera automatically falls asleep if inactive, so you don’t have to waste any juice.

Camp Snap 2 review: Verdict

The Camp Snap 2 improves on the original Camp Snap camera, even if only modestly. The compact size means it’s ideal for throwing in my bag and heading out to social gatherings or just taking quick snaps of nature when I’m out and about. The camera is easy to use with very minimal controls, and the screenless device means there are truly no distractions. It’s great to see the integration of filters with this camera, similar to those we saw on the pricier Camp Snap CS-Pro.

But if, like me, you were hoping for an image quality upgrade akin to what we get in the CS-Pro, the Camp Snap 2 becomes a bit of a let-down. The 8MP sensor is the same as in the original Camp Snap, and the same slight shutter lag lingers.

So, do you need to upgrade if you have the original Camp Snap? Absolutely not. If changing the filter is essential for you, you can edit your pictures in post. But you’re not getting improved image quality or that big a difference in size.

That's the question I had with Beni, a cute two wheeled camera robot from Mondo Robotics. I've put this little guy through hell challenging it to follow me as I offroaded my E-bike, explored abandoned structures and crashed it more times than I care to admit.

It's two adorable eyes and little chirps made me feel bad for how bad I've banged him up, but Beni has proven to me he's not just a "toy".

Who is Beni?

Beni looks like something out of a Pixar short more than a piece of camera gear. It's small, roughly the size of a shoebox, with two big expressive eyes on its "head" that nods and shakes, and it's hard not to project a personality onto him.

But under that cute exterior is a surprisingly capable machine.

Beni moves on two motorized wheeled legs that bend and extend, accelerate up to 17.9 mph, lean into turns, crouch down, and spring upward, allowing him to hop curbs, perform flips or pick itself upright after it falls (which I sadly subjected him to many, many times).

Combine that with its built-in 4K camera that can record up to 4k 30fps or 1080p 100fps, 32GB of onboard storage (expandable with a microSD card), as well as obstacle avoidance sensors, and Beni can automatically follow me as I move around.

Manual controls are also available through a wrist-worn motion controller or the companion app which also provides a live first-person view from Beni's camera.

Beni is being pitched broadly for families, pet owners, kids or anyone who wants a fun way to capture everyday moments without holding a camera. However, I was interested in finding out how far I could push him and whether or not it was a serious hands-free video tool that could help me capture the fast-paced shots I'd normally want to use my drone for.

What is Beni good for?

The biggest win, by far, is speed and stability. Beni easily kept up as I rode my E-Bike, even when I picked up the pace on a longer stretch.

In its app, I can select between Beni tracking me from behind, alongside, orbiting, or following from a fixed point. A few quick clicks, and Beni was framing the shot on his own, and truly was my second camera operator.

Even for more casual walking or establishing shots, where I'd normally be limited to a tripod if I wanted to capture myself in frame, Beni can now follow me a few feet back and get the job done.

I thought Beni would only be able to traverse smooth roads or low cut grass, but he effectively said "hold my beer" and handled dirt, gravel, weeds and nasty bumps surprisingly well.

Yes, there were several times where this caused Beni to "trip" and lose tracking of me, but to my shock, he picked himself back up every time and was able to ride away. It got to the point where I was intentionally trying to find mounds or patches of grass that Beni would fail to get out of, but it was I who failed. I severely scrapped Beni up in the process, but he's a trooper to say the least.

And then of course, there's the fun factor. The entire time I was thinking to myself, this is like a supped-up RC car with a camera attached.

Besides his very acrobatic flipping skills, I was using Beni's agility and small size to explore some "off limit" places let's say. I sent Beni into a few abandoned structures like an obedient scout. He hopped a curb, snuck under a broken fence and revealed this massive open warehouse graffitied from floor to ceiling, and it proved to be one of the most interesting shots I captured during my test.

What isn't Beni for?

As you can probably already tell, I've been using Beni for more than his original intended purpose, and honestly, that's half the fun. That said, if I had my way or a version 2 ever came out, this is what I'd like to see.

At its most basic, I think tracking and obstacle avoidance has room for improvement. Even without my torturous testing, Beni lost me a handful of times mid-shot, or collided head-on with stationary stuff like pillars and fences. Since he then had no idea where I was, I would have to take over by using manual controls or pull out my phone to reengage tracking.

Speaking of tracking, Beni currently can only recognize people and pets. Similar to my drone, I would like to use Beni to automatically follow or orbit objects like vehicles or bikes as those are the kind of B-Roll clips I plan on using him for in the future.

Understandably, Beni's camera angle (while adjustable) is always going to be from down low. That's fine for plenty of the shots I captured, but for when I want something more eye level — it'd be interesting to see if some kind of extendable selfie stick mechanism could unlock even more.

For bonus points, I'd also love the ability to pair Beni with a wireless mic setup, similar to how my DJI mics or Insta360 mics connect directly to their respective camera systems, for the moments I want to lean on Beni as more of a primary camera instead of just for b-roll.

Am I asking for a lot? Probably. But I see Beni as a very capable tool already and know it can be used for so much more.

How much does Beni cost?

Beni is currently funding on Kickstarter, with Super Early Bird pricing starting around $549, a solid discount off its planned $799 retail price. Like any crowdfunded product, that comes with the usual caveats, this is Mondo Robotics' first hardware campaign, so there's inherent risk around delays or features shifting before units actually ship.

Shipping is expected to begin around October 2026, initially limited to a handful of countries at launch. If you're considering backing it, treat it like a Kickstarter, not a guaranteed shelf product, and go in with that expectation.

Beni has earned his place in my camera kit

Beni isn't replacing my drone or other camera gear, but he's helping me capture exciting tracking shots and leveling up my videos all while looking like it wants to be my friend.

I've crashed him more than I'd like to admit, but every time, he got back up and kept going. That's more than I can say for most of the gear I've tested.

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I had to improve quickly, so I did, and I now have a wide array of cameras and mics I use regularly, but until I tested the new Insta360 Luna Ultra I’d never used a pocket camera with a built-in gimbal. Now I wonder how I’d ever do without one.

The Insta360 Luna Ultra aims to beat the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 and DJI Osmo Pocket 4P to the title of best camera for content creators, with a dual-lens design and the ability to record up to 8K resolution video.

Having not tested the DJI cameras myself I can’t comment on the comparison, but after using the Insta360 Luna Ultra as my main camera for a month of creating videos, I’ve picked out my main likes and dislikes below.

First, some specs.

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Price and specs

The Insta360 Luna Ultra comes in black or white and costs $769 / £649 for the standard bundle, which includes the camera, a windguard for the built-in mic, a wrist strap and a thread handle you can use to mount it to a tripod.

I tested the Creator Bundle which adds in a battery handle, a Insta360 Mic Pro transmitter and a wide-angle lens, and costs $969 / £829.

Like #1: Perfect for a variety of piece-to-camera videos

The stabilization, image quality and subject tracking on the Luna Ultra have all been excellent for me when filming pieces to camera (PTC) for my videos, in a variety of scenarios.

I shot to camera while running, walking or when sitting at a table, and the Luna Ultra worked perfectly in all scenarios. Its auto-exposure also handled changes in light well, which is useful when recording while running in a forest, for example.

The Luna Ultra stands out most when you’re on the move, but even when recording at a desk the dynamic tracking makes videos more lively and engaging than using a phone or static camera. The smart tracking is notably smoother than manually adjusting the gimbal, I’ve found.

For the most part I’ve shot in landscape at 4K/30fps but I’ve tested out the 8K recording, slow-motion, and portrait modes on the camera and they’ve all looked great, even in portrait mode where you’re limited to 3K resolution (though you can turn the camera on its side to get up to 8K portrait video manually). 8K obviously gives you more flexibility in the edit, with cropping and oversampling — the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 maxes out at 4K.

Like #2: The detachable screen remote is very useful

As someone who is almost always filming by myself, the detachable remote and its touchscreen are a genuine gamechanger for making shots easier to set up and capture.

Whether it’s a simple shot of some running shoes I’m testing, or using the gimbal to track and film myself running past the camera, it’s very handy for getting b-roll footage without having any trial and error in framing shots correctly.

Like #3: It’s easy to use and has a fast user interface

I’m no tech whizz, and in the past I’ve found many cameras frustrating to use, either because the settings menus felt unintuitive or the user interface was very slow compared to using a smartphone.

I had no such problems with the Luna Ultra, which responds snappily to touch controls and is easy to adjust and switch between camera modes.

The 47GB of internal storage, three to four hour battery life, built-in mic and detachable remote all also contribute to making it a very easy camera to use out of the box, and save you time when you are using it. The Osmo Pocket 4 features a huge 107GB internal storage, which means you can record for longer without needing a card.

You get a tripod attachment and a case in the standard bundle with the Insta360 Luna Ultra, which is also useful, and the Creator Bundle also includes a battery handle and the Mic Pro, both of which are worthy additions if you’re a solo creator.

Like #4: The built-in mic is surprisingly good, and the Mic Pro is great

I wanted to use the Luna Ultra to film videos where I talk to the camera during runs and initially did this with the Insta360 Mic Pro attached to my shirt, but the mic is a bit heavy for this and bounced around.

This prompted me to just use the built-in mic on the Luna Ultra, and I was very impressed with the sound quality. My voice is a lot clearer than when filming the same kind of videos using my phone. This isn't a surprise, as Insta360's internal camera audio has been fantastic on other cameras, like the Insta360 X5.

That said, when you are walking or stationary, the Mic Pro is an upgrade for sound quality, and I love the e-ink display that allows you to put any kind of logo or image on the camera.

It also links with the Luna Ultra automatically and you get a prompt saying sound is now recording through the mic, which I’m always a fan of as someone who has had to redo videos in the past because my mic wasn’t actually connected to whatever camera I was using.

Dislike #1: You need pretty big pockets

The Luna Ultra is not a tiny camera, especially when you put it into its clip-on case, which I think is wise to protect the lenses and gimbal. It’s still easily portable, but tucking it into a running belt or a backpack pocket was a bit bulkier than I expected. The Osmo Pocket 4, while not exactly tiny, is a lot more pocketable.

Your pockets also need to be deep, because at $769 for the standard combo or $969 for the creator bundle, it’s far from cheap. DJI’s latest Osmo Pocket 4 is not available in the U.S. at the time of writing due to tariffs and the brand's continued fued with the U.S. government, but you can still get the older (and fantastic) DJI Pocket 3 for $479 on Amazon.

Dislike #2: You have to be careful with overheating

When shooting at higher resolutions and in warm environments, I found that the Luna Ultra heated up quickly, though I never pushed it to the point it shut down to protect itself.

If I’m filming a review it can be 15 to 20 minutes long, and that was fine with the Luna Ultra in 4K mode, but you do have to be a bit wary of pushing it too hard for fear of overheating.

Dislike #3: The autofocus isn’t always perfect

On a couple of occasions when shooting using the deep tracking to follow my head, the Luna Ultra switched its focus to something behind me if I moved around a lot. I also found it didn’t correct its focus that quickly when zooming in on something at times.

These didn’t prove to be major problems over extended testing — in particular the deep tracking has almost always been infallible — but it was something I had to monitor carefully to ensure the focus was in the right place.

Verdict: ideal for solo content creators

I have some minor quibbles with the Luna Ultra, but ultimately, I love it. It expands what I’m able to do when making videos solo, but it’s also a product I’m excited to use and that I enjoy using, rather than a tool for simply getting the job done.

I’m sure I’d get similar benefits from other pocket cameras, but there are some standout features to the Luna Ultra, like the detachable remote and impressive built-in mic, that make it the perfect option for solo creators.

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So, yes, it’s one of the best options… as long as you don’t need to move it around. That’s because of the C-clamp fixture, which essentially means that once you’ve locked it in, it’s a pain to move again. However, you can also buy a version of the light with a movable base for an extra $20.

There’s also no remote for many brightness and temperature adjustments, so you have to reach wherever the base of the light is positioned, and there are no phone holders included. Depending on your needs, these could all be deal breakers, but not for me. To find out more about the light, keep reading this full Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review.

Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review: Specs

Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review: Price & availability

The Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 is available at Amazon U.S. for $149 and at Amazon U.K. for £147. The light comes in black or white, and while both colors look sleek, I think the black works best with my desk setup.

You can also purchase the light as a set of two at a discounted rate for $269 at Amazon U.S. if you’re looking for a two-point lighting solution. The version of the light I tested has a clamp that secures to the edge of your desk; however, you can also purchase the light with a base for $169 from the Lume Cube online store. If you have desk space available, I’d recommend opting for this option for added versatility (I'll cover this more below).

For around the same price, you can pick up the Neewer RP19H ($149), a 19-inch ring light, but this is better for content creation and obviously takes up a lot more space. The Neewer Basics R06 7-inch Round Light, on the other hand, is about the same size as the Lume Cube and a lot more affordable at just $35. However, the R06 doesn’t offer the same level of color temperature adjustments and has a lower maximum illumination.

The Godox LR120 ($59) is another worthy desk lighting option. Again, it doesn’t have the same level of adjustment as the Lume Cube, but it’s lighter and comes with built-in phone holders.

Though the Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 is more expensive than similar-sized options from the budget brand Neewer, I think it’s worth the extra spend. The reliability of the color replication and responsive controls makes using the Lume Cube a breeze.

Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review: Design

The Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 has given me a convenient fixed lighting solution at my desk. Although it can be moved, I’d call it a fixed lighting solution as it’s inconvenient to do so. The light attaches to the edge of the desk with a C-clamp, so to move it around, you need to get under the desk and unscrew it. I found it best to take some time to find the best position and just stick with it. Thankfully, you can purchase the same light with a base from the Lume Cube online store so it can be moved around more easily. I would definitely recommend that instead, as it'll perform the same, with added convenience and easier controls.

Since the arm can be moved around at the five pivot points, you still have some wiggle room for adjustment. The 6-inch panel light at the top rotates 360º with an arm that bends laterally at three joints, with more rotation at the base. However, I wish there were some rotation at the bend points on the arm to make micro-adjustments easier. When fully extended, the arm reaches a height of 31 inches (too tall for a desk lamp, if you ask me). It meant that if I wanted to adjust the angle of the panel light, I had to stand and reach above me, but hey, maybe I’m just short.

There are no phone holders on this light, so it’s not the best choice for mobile content creators. For that, you should look at the Godox LR120 or the Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit ($109), which offer much more flexibility for camera fixtures.

At the back of the light stand, you’ll find the DC power input for the included 73-inch power cord. There’s also a USB-A output and a USB-C output that can be used simultaneously, so you don’t need to sacrifice charging points when you plug the light into an outlet. I charged my phone using these, but they’re very low-power, so it was much slower than using a power outlet with my fast charger — something worth bearing in mind.

Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review: Controls

There are three buttons on the arm of the Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0. Unlike the Neewer RP19H, there’s no controller included with the Edge Light, so I had to lean over my desk to make any adjustments. Although not the end of the world, it made things a little tricky.

The power button is at the bottom, and the color temperature button is in the middle. You can adjust the color temperature to 2700K, 3900K, 5100K, 6300K and 7200K. This is a wider temperature range than other lights I’ve tested, like the Neewer RP19H or the Neewer Basics R06 7-inch ring light. For smoother transitions, you can hold the button for stepless adjustment. Brightness adjustments are at the top and can be changed in increments of 20%. Again, you can have stepless adjustment by holding down the buttons. The controls were very responsive, so any changes I made were immediately reflected.

If you purchase the version of the light with the base, you’ll find touch-sensitive controls on the bottom instead of buttons on the arm. This would be much easier, so if you frequently make lighting adjustments, I’d recommend the base model.

Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review: Performance

The Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 provided me with solid, consistent lighting throughout my testing. I think this light is a solid choice for anyone who wants fixed lighting at their desk for at-home conferencing or streaming.

It doesn’t suffer from any bright spots as the lighting from the 112 LEDs is evenly diffused throughout the panel. This also eliminated the harshness I’ve experienced when using cooler color temperature settings on ring lights such as the Godox LR120.

With a CRI (color rendering index) of 95+, the Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 does an excellent job of making sure the lighting and colors on screen are representative of the real world. Everything from my hair color to the wall behind me looked true to life on camera. However, if you want an even higher CRI, the Neewer Basics 5-inch Ring Light’s is 97+.

When using natural lighting, there’s more grain, which in turn makes the image appear flatter and of lower quality. You get more detail in your image with the Lume Cube, which I find ideal for conference calls, as it makes you more personable and professional-looking.

It’s great to have the option of warmer lighting settings as well if, like me, you tend to get a headache when using bright white lighting for extended periods. While it doesn’t look as professional on camera, color lighting has a smoothing effect on the skin.

Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 review: Verdict

The Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 has provided me with even lighting while sitting at my desk, as the panel does a great job of diffusing the 112 LEDs to avoid harsh lighting. This has meant I easily achieve accurate color replication. There is a wider range of temperature adjustment than in other lights I’ve tested, which is great to see, as it gives a whole lot of flexibility. The built-in charging ports also meant I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing a power outlet when plugging in the light.

But I have a couple of minor annoyances with the light. There’s no remote to adjust the lighting settings, meaning I was constantly leaning across my desk when I needed to make changes. There are no phone holders included with the light, so it’s not the best choice for short-form mobile content creation. My biggest qualm with the light is the C-clamp fixture because the light can’t be moved around easily. But it's still a great light, and you can simply buy the model with the base (rather than clamp) for much easier control and more placement freedom.

Overall, this light is a brilliant choice if you’re looking for a desk light suited to conference calls and streaming.

Image and print quality are sublime as always, as is the handling. Straightforward controls, an easy-to-use app for scanning prints, and cute styling make the Instax mini 13 a fantastic instant camera. However, it still can’t shoot double exposures, and shots can sometimes come out overexposed in bright sunlight.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Specs

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Price & availability

Announced in March 2026, the Fujifilm Instax mini 13 is the latest addition to the brand’s lineup of beginner-friendly instant cameras. It succeeds the Fujifilm Instax mini 12 after a three-year wait. The Instax mini 13 costs the same as its predecessor did at launch: $93 / £79 at Amazon.

The Instax mini 13 is an analog instant camera, which means that all you need to do is point and shoot. There are no fancy video recording features, like on the Fujifilm Instax mini Evo Cinema ($409) or audio recording ones on the Fujifilm Instax mini LiPlay+ ($234). The Instax mini 13, then, competes with the likes of the Polaroid Go Gen 3 ($79) and the Fujifilm Instax mini 41 ($99).

The Go Gen 3 is smaller and cheaper and so are its prints. The Instax mini 41 is similar to the Instax mini 13 in terms of internal hardware, but it doesn’t come in whimsical colors, and it’s a little bulkier too. If you want a cute instant camera and credit-card sized photos, the Instax mini 13 is the way to go.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Design & build

When I first saw the Fujifilm Instax mini 13, I thought it was an Instax mini 12 wearing a puffer jacket. Still curvy around the edges, the Instax mini 13 sports a more rounded shape compared to its predecessor. It still looks cute, and comes in a few fun colors: Candy Pink, Dreamy Purple, Frost Blue, and Lagoon Green. I tested the Candy Pink model and it looks adorable.

The only other visual difference between the two cameras is a timer lever fitted around the power button on the Instax mini 13 — and I’ll discuss it in detail shortly. Fujifilm has also included an Instax-shaped camera angle adjustment accessory attached to the camera’s wrist strap. You can put this under the Instax mini 13 to prop it up at an angle, and it’s similar to the one that was introduced with the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 ($149) back in 2024.

Handling is sublime as always — whether you’re looking through the viewfinder and photographing your friends, or holding it up with one hand to take a selfie. The Instax mini 13 is ever-so slightly heavier and bigger than the Instax mini 12. It weighs 11.53oz (versus 10.79oz) and measures 4.91 x 4.15 x 2.66 inches (versus 4.8 x 4.09 x 2.62 inches). The difference is negligible, though, and the Instax mini 13 doesn’t take up much space in handbags and backpacks.

For those who like snapping selfies, a small selfie mirror is located on the lens. It’s the same size as the one on the Instax mini 12, and I found it accurate for framing, regardless of whether I was taking a selfie on my own or with my partner.

Build quality has never been an issue with Fujifilm cameras, in my experience, and the Instax mini 13 isn’t an exception. The camera is built extremely well, and you can tell the plastic used in its construction is of high quality.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Lens & viewfinder

Optics on both the Fujifilm Instax mini 13 and the Instax mini 12 are fairly similar, if not identical. The instant camera is fitted with a retractable lens with a focal length of 60mm and a fixed f/1.27 aperture. The 60mm lens is neither too wide nor too telephoto, and it’s suited to landscape, portraits, street shots, as well as selfies.

In Normal mode, the Instax mini 13 has a focus range of 0.3m-∞, and 0.3-0.5m in Close-Up mode. The shutter speed, between 1/2s and 1/250s, is adjusted automatically and you can’t change it manually — you’ll need to spend extra on the Fujifilm Instax mini 99 ($199) for that.

But given that you don’t need to make any adjustments to the Instax mini 13’s settings, you can simply look through the 0.37x viewfinder and shoot. The viewfinder is the same size as the one on the Instax mini 12 so it’s a little small, but I didn’t have any problem looking through it and framing my shots — even as someone who wears prescription glasses.

The Instax mini 13 also features a built-in flash, located above the lens barrel. Similar to the one on its predecessor, the flash has a range of 0.3-2.2m and it can aid in low-light environments. But like on the previous gen and the Instax mini 41, the Instax mini 13’s flash can’t be turned off, so it fires every time you press the shutter button.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Controls

Fujifilm’s lineup of Instax cameras has always felt accessible and easy to use. You don’t need much prior knowledge of photography to use Instax instant cameras — and the same applies to the Instax mini 13. Controls are extremely straightforward. To turn on the camera and switch between Normal and Close-Up mode, you need to twist the ring around the lens, and you’ll know that the camera is ready to use when the orange LED lamp lights up.

Located next to the lens is the round shutter button which is comfortable to reach with your index or middle finger, and it gives good tactile feedback when pressed. I found it to be highly responsive in my testing, with no noticeable shutter lag. There’s a timer lever fitted around said shutter button, and this lets you set the timer to 2s or 10s. It’s easy to use, and the LED lamp flashes to indicate the countdown.

That’s about it in terms of controls, really. I reckon even a 10-year-old could use the Instax mini 13. It’s that simple.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Image quality

The Fujifilm Instax mini 13 is a great little camera for photographing your friends and family, travels, and everyday life. There aren’t any technical differences between the Instax mini 13 and the Instax mini 12 — so if you already own the latter, there aren’t enough compelling reasons to upgrade.

Most of the photos I captured turned out lovely, with retro aesthetics and colors. The Instax mini 13 has a tendency to overexpose shots taken in bright sunlight, though, just like the Instax mini 12 and Instax mini 41 — but for the most part, it’s just a fun camera.

You can see a few sample images in the gallery above. Shades of green look vivid and lush, while blues appear rich. The shadows look inky. I like how the purple flowers pop against the green leaves too.

The selfie mirror works as intended, enabling you to frame yourself and another person, if you wish to capture a group photo. The photo came out exactly the same as it looked in the Instax mini 13’s selfie mirror, so both my partner and I were pleased. In both selfies, our faces are in focus and they appear detailed with well-defined edges. While the exposure is well-balanced in darker lighting, images can come out overexposed with blown highlights in brighter scenes, like in the first selfie above.

Though the Instax mini 13 has a Close-Up mode, taking those shots involves a fair bit of trial and error, as you can see above. I struggled to get the hang of distancing, but with practice, I bet I could do it right. Overall, though, the Instax mini 13 is great, and though the shots may not look very hi-res as they’ve been scanned and blown up, the credit card-sized prints themselves look plenty detailed at typical viewing distances.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: App

The Fujifilm Instax mini 13 is accompanied by the Instax Up! app, available for free on iOS and Android. The app sports a clean interface and is straightforward to use, and it enables you to scan all your Instax prints, regardless of the size. You can then save them to your phone or create wallpapers out of them, and you can edit the brightness, contrast, saturation, and color temperature. There’s a handy Remove Reflections feature too, which works well.

I don’t own a scanner and if you don’t either, or you don’t want to spend ages scanning your prints, Instax Up! is a fantastic solution. That way, you can quickly share the prints on your social media, too.

Fujifilm Instax mini 13 review: Film cost