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The Minolta TC-1 Is Really Special but You’ve Probably Never Heard of It

A person with facial hair holds a gold Minolta TC-1 film camera up to their face, preparing to take a photo. The background is blurred, making the camera and face the focal points.

KEH is one of the largest pre-owned camera sales operations in the world, and the headquarters can be found in the Peach State. KEH is also the biggest and longest-standing supporter of the PetaPixel YouTube show, so we were excited to finally had an opportunity to visit the warehouse and see the operation for ourselves.

Nature in Miniature: Advanced Techniques for Macro Compositions

A triptych image: close-up of a green leaf with dew drops, a top view of assorted purple and white flowers, and a camera on a tripod in a wildflower field at sunset.

Transform tiny subjects into striking works of art using advanced macro techniques that go far beyond simply getting close. In this guide, we’ll explore how experienced photographers build depth, control light, and craft intentional compositions that turn the smallest details in nature into powerful, visually compelling images.

Close-up view from a low angle of tall, green grass and plants with soft, fuzzy seed heads against a bright, sunlit sky. The image has a light, airy feel with soft focus and natural details.

Flowerscapes: Photographing Flowers From a Bug’s Eye Perspective

I have wondered for many years what you would see if you were a tiny ant looking up when walking through a flower field, or a ladybug that has just landed on a flower stem.

6 hours ago

31 Otherworldly New Deep-Sea Species Photographed with Cutting-Edge Camera Technology

Split image: On the left, a pale octopus with long, thin arms floats in dark water. On the right, a glowing, blue and yellow siphonophore trails in a spiral shape against a deep black background.

Scientists discovered and photographed 31 new deep-sea species -- typically too delicate to document -- in a matter of days using cutting-edge camera technology.

A person wearing dark clothing stands on an escalator, holding a blue suitcase with one hand and resting the other hand on the escalator railing. The scene is dimly lit with blue-toned lighting.

The Atlas ONE Is a Three-Pack System That’s a Camera Bag Only When You Need It

Atlas Packs has launched the Atlas ONE, a system of three ultralight backpacks that work as a low-profile everyday pack and turn into a camera bag only when the day calls for one.

21 hours ago

A black tripod, an open blue photography backpack with beige interior, and a small gray crossbody camera bag are arranged side by side on a blurred brown gradient background.

Save Up to 50% On Peak Design Bags, Cases, and Accessories

Looking to upgrade your camera carry setup? This week’s Peak Design deals offer deep discounts on backpacks, slings, totes, messengers, travel systems, and accessories, with savings spanning both everyday carry and professional travel kits.

22 hours ago

Nikon’s Classic Lenses Are Revered: A ‘Heritage Series’ Makes Too Much Sense

Four vintage Nikon camera lenses are displayed in a row against a blurred pink and green floral background. Each lens has distinct markings and colored rings indicating different models and specifications.

Earlier this week, I published a "review" of sorts of the Nikon S3 rangefinder, which I believe to be one of the most beautiful cameras ever made. Through that experience, though, I was reminded of Nikon's vintage glass, and once again baffled by how the company hasn't remade them.

A camera lens in shadow is centered against a gradient blue background, with only the top and textured grip clearly visible.

LK Samyang and Schneider-Kreuznach Tease the AF 60-180mm’s Full Reveal

Samyang has teased a new Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang lens on its Instagram, and it looks like the new AF 60-180mm f/2.8 zoom lens the companies debuted at CP+ in Japan in late February is getting its full reveal.

24 hours ago

Film Friday: Kodak Portra 800 Is High-Speed, Color Perfection

A split image: on the left, a young person with shoulder-length hair looks thoughtfully into the distance; on the right, a bride and groom walk hand in hand down a wooded path, the groom in brown and the bride in white.

If you were to ask us what the perfect color film is, we’d tell you it is Kodak Portra. Exactly which speed of Portra matters only a little as the whole family of films is pretty amazing.

Side-by-side underwater images of a great white shark; the left shows a close-up of its face, while the right shows a profile view with striped fish swimming above its head. The scene is bathed in blue light.

Divers Capture First Footage of a Great White Shark in the Mediterranean

Divers working to dismantle and remove discarded fishing nets in the Mediterranean Sea had an incredible and historic close encounter with a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). It is believed to be the first time a great white shark has been caught on film underwater in the Mediterranean.

Jun 12, 2026

Insta360 Countersues DJI, Asserting Five Patent Violations

Two handheld 3D cameras, one white and one black, each with a touchscreen displaying selfies, stand side by side against a gradient black-to-white background. Both have dual lenses and control buttons.

Insta360 has countersued DJI for what it asserts are violations of five utility patents covering technology used in gimbal and 360-degree cameras. Insta360 claims these technologies are incorporated into several major DJI products, including the Osmo Pocket, Ronin/RS, Osmo Mobile, and Osmo 360.

A Lumix digital camera with a large lens is centered against a dark, glitchy green and red digital background. The camera body is textured and appears in dark green and black tones.

Panasonic Suspends Extremely Buggy Lumix S9 Wireless Firmware Update

Another firmware update has arrived with issues and warnings. This time, it's the Panasonic Lumix S9 with problems.

Jun 12, 2026

A hand holds a smartphone displaying the white Instagram logo on a screen with a vibrant pink, orange, and yellow gradient background.

Facebook and Instagram Were Down for Nearly Three Hours Today

Meta's social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, are experiencing widespread issues today, with users reporting login failures, unexpected account logouts, and problems accessing both websites and mobile apps. The Meta Business Suite is also down as of the time of writing.

Jun 12, 2026

A man in a cap and shorts sits on a stone ledge in a forest, holding a butterfly on one hand and photographing it up close with a camera in the other hand. Lush green plants surround him.

Macro Photographer’s $10K Specialist Camera Gear is Stolen from Locked Car

Police have launched an investigation after a popular macro photographer had over $10,000 worth of his specialist camera gear stolen from his locked car.

Jun 12, 2026

A person wearing an orange shirt and a backpack stands among large green banana leaves, photographing a scenic valley with rice fields. The scene is lush and tropical.

Bali is Cracking Down on Photographers Traveling with Tourist Visas

Authorities are cracking down on photographers and videographers traveling in Bali on tourist visas -- even if they are not getting paid for their images.

Jun 12, 2026

Two law enforcement officers, one in a helmet and one in a cap with "ERO" on a vest, confront a person in a red hoodie and black backpack while photographers capture the scene outdoors.

ACLU Sues ICE for Failing to Turn Over Records on Threats to Photographers Who Film Federal Agents

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), accusing it of failing to turn over records of its practice of threatening and surveilling photographers who film federal agents.

Jun 12, 2026

A studio light stands on a tripod next to a black camera flash on a wooden stump, with a large green plant and a brown leather chair in the background. The text "PetaPixel Showcase" appears in the top right corner.

Neewer Q120 and Z3R: Compact Power Meets Modern TTL Control

Neewer’s latest lighting release introduces two very different flashes aimed at modern photographers working across both studio and location environments. The Q120 outdoor strobe focuses on compact, battery-powered portability for off-camera work, while the Z3R TTL round-head speedlite brings a more refined on-camera experience with a touchscreen-driven interface. This hands-on review looks at how each unit translates its design into real-world shooting situations.

Jun 11, 2026

Honor Magic V6 Review: A Foldable Phone That Takes Photos Like a Slab

A gold-colored smartphone with a large circular camera module is propped up on a wooden surface. The “PetaPixel Reviews” logo appears in the bottom left corner of the image.

Not everyone needs or wants a foldable phone but if it’s thin and light enough to feel more like a standard smartphone, then is it worth taking the plunge? In many ways, this forms the basis of Honor’s pitch for its foldable lineup, the latest being the Magic V6. Rather than reinvent the category, it simply aims to build off the solid foundation it comes from.

A black camera lens with a wide glass front element, visible focus markings, and a smooth, metallic finish, photographed against a plain white background.

After reporting that Zeiss has discontinued its legendary Otus lenses for DSLR cameras, Zeiss alerted PetaPixel that while, yes, it has adapted its product portfolio, some of the company's DSLR lenses are so popular that the company will keep making them.

Jun 11, 2026

How a Photographer Handmade His Dream 8×10 Camera for Everyone

A man wearing a yellow hat and plaid shirt stands by the sea, smiling next to a vintage large-format camera mounted on a tripod. Rocky shore and calm blue water are in the background.

Slovenian photographer and founder of Ondu, Elvis Halilović, has unveiled the Ondu Eikan 8x10", a new lightweight, handmade large-format field camera.

Two handheld 3D cameras, one white and one black, each with a touchscreen displaying selfies, stand side by side against a gradient black-to-white background. Both have dual lenses and control buttons.

Insta360 Intends to Prove the Luna Is Original, Not Based on DJI’s Patents

This morning, DJI filed two lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Insta360, asserting it violated both design and utility patents. Insta360 is preparing its defense.

Jun 11, 2026

A small, pink camera with a Hello Kitty design and a large lens is mounted on a white railing. The camera has a blue indicator light and a built-in microphone.

This Hello Kitty Camera Collab is Ready for Action

Insta360 has announced a limited-edition Hello Kitty-themed Go Ultra bundle, which includes not only a pink camera emblazoned with the iconic Sanrio character but also a set of themed physical accessories and digital extras.

Jun 11, 2026

A man with short hair and a beard is holding a black camera up to his face, looking through the viewfinder as he takes a photo outdoors in bright daylight.

Photographers Are Tired of Big Cameras

We were sitting on a train between neighborhoods in Osaka, Japan, when Chris Niccolls turned to me. "I'm thinking of buying a new camera," he said. I was shocked. Chris, who has a different camera in hand every week because of his job as a reviewer, actually wanted to own one. "I want something small."

Jun 11, 2026

A person with long hair sits on a green couch, hugging their knees and resting their head on their arms. They are holding a smartphone and appear distressed. A gray blanket is draped on the couch beside them.

UK Threatens to Jail Tech CEOs If They Don’t Add CSAM Safeguards

The United Kingdom wants to punish and potentially even jail tech company CEOs who refuse to develop and implement software solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images of children.

Jun 11, 2026

DJI Is Suing Insta360 for Violating Multiple Osmo Pocket Patents

A white handheld Insta360 camera with dual lenses and a display screen showing a woman, set against a dramatic dark, cloudy background.

DJI has filed two patent lawsuits against Arashi Vision Inc., which does business as Insta360, regarding its new Luna gimbal camera. One lawsuit alleges two violations of design patents while the other alleges four utility patent violations.

A person’s hand holds a circular metallic object with a yellow and black radiation warning symbol on top, indicating it contains radioactive material. A piece of paper is visible in the background.

This is What Radiation Looks Like to an Old Phone Camera

Want to see what radiation can look like on camera? This short 1-minute video reveals what happens when an old cell phone with a CCD camera is pointed at a source of beta radiation.

Jun 11, 2026

Parliament buildings in Ottawa, Canada, with a large, semi-transparent red maple leaf and parts of the Canadian flag overlaying the image, under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Canada Latest Country to Try to Ban Social Media Accounts for Children

Canadian lawmakers have introduced the Safe Social Media Act, which proposes to ban children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts.

Jun 11, 2026

Four different compact cameras are displayed against a yellow background with red dynamic streaks radiating outward, creating a vibrant, energetic effect.

Compact Camera Sales Are Still Booming Amid Growing Photo Industry

CIPA recently released its global digital camera and lens shipment data for April, presenting a ripe opportunity to gauge the health of the photo industry after one-third of the year has passed. There is a lot of interesting data to consider, including evidence that the compact camera surge is far from a flash in the pan.

Jun 11, 2026

A bald person wearing glasses reads a small book with the words "THINK ABOUT SOMETHING" written on the open page, standing near a window with light streaming in.

Duane Michals, One of the Most Innovative Photographers of the 20th Century, Dies at 94

Provocative, influential, and prolific American photographer Duane Michals has passed away at 94.

Jun 11, 2026

Logo for Mixbook featuring a purple heart outline above the word "mixbook" in bold, lowercase purple letters, all on a white background.

Mixbook ‘Story Mode’ Lets You Describe How You Want a Photo Book to Look

Mixbook has announced what it calls Story Mode, a new prompt-based photo book creation tool that is built on "patent-pending AI technology" designed to allow users to describe what they want in a photo book. The company says it speeds up creation by 3.5x and cuts time to order in half.

Jun 11, 2026

A pink vintage camera sits on a yellow surface with a pink background. Behind it, a mirror reflects the camera, but the reflection appears as a yellow camera instead of pink.

Lomo’s Sprocket Rocket Pano Film Camera Comes In an Ugly New Color

Lomography's latest release, a pair of new colorways for its popular Sprocket Rocket 35mm panoramic film camera, is a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation. One of the new colorways is beautiful and understated, while the other is super ugly. The fun part is that some readers may not know which of the two colorways is the ugly one.

Jun 10, 2026

The image features the PetaPixel logo. The word "Peta" is in black, and "Pixel" is in blue. Below "Pixel," the word "MEMBERSHIPS" appears in light brown. The background is a soft, light beige.

PetaPixel Members Now Get Three New Discounts

In our never-ending efforts to make PetaPixel Memberships more valuable, we've added three new perks to our already stacked list of benefits. And the best part? The price isn't changing.

Jun 10, 2026

Black-and-white photo showing an older man holding a camera to his eye on the left, and on the right, a camera in front of a photo of a person in a checkered shirt with a photo tucked into their waistband.

You Can Win Acclaimed Photographer Ralph Gibson’s Personal Leica Camera

Blind Magazine, MPB, and legendary American photographer Ralph Gibson have teamed up for a very interesting giveaway. Photographers can enter to win Gibson's personal Leica M Typ 246 digital rangefinder camera, which he has used for the past 15 years.

Jun 10, 2026

A man with long brown hair and a beard is shown in two photos: on the left, he holds a large fish in a river; on the right, he stands on a sports field holding a camera, wearing a brown shirt and gear.

Photographer Hit By NFL Player Back in the Spotlight, This Time for Fishing

The world was introduced to Cleveland Browns photographer Matt Starkey in 2021 when Denver Broncos defensive player Justin Simmons plowed into Starkey on the sidelines on national television.

Jun 10, 2026

The Nikon S3 Rangefinder Was Incredible: Nikon Should Do It Again

A hand holding a vintage Nikon film camera in front of a window with tall, blurry buildings in the background. The person is wearing a black wristband.

I like rangefinders. When I got back into photography, it was through the experience I had with the Fujifilm X100VI. While not a true rangefinder, it scratched that itch. Later that year, at the urging of Chris Niccolls, I picked up a Voigtlander Bessa R2a, and my fate was sealed.

A split image: left side shows a hand clipping a compact tripod to a pocket; right side shows an action camera mounted on the tripod, set up on a bench outdoors.

Joby’s New $40 Tripod Clips to Your Bag or Belt

Joby has announced the new HandyPod Clip Extend, a compact tripod designed to serve multiple roles for content creators, vloggers, and photographers.

Jun 10, 2026

A rocket launches vertically from a launch pad, emitting bright flames and smoke, with metal support structures framing the view and a vast desert landscape in the background under a clear blue sky.

Filmmakers Captured a Rocket Launch With a Blackmagic Immersive Camera

Chengdu Qiongjie Yingchuang Culture and Entertainment is a Chinese immersive imaging company. It recently captured a rocket launch on the Gobi Desert using Blackmagic Design's extremely impressive Ursa Cine Immersive camera, capable of capturing greater than 8K resolution video across two lenses, one for each eye in an Apple Vision Pro headset.

Jun 10, 2026

Apple’s RAW Processing is Finally Evolving After a Decade and It’s a Big Deal

Close-up of colorful crayons arranged in rows, split vertically; the left side appears grainy and blurry, while the right side is clearer and sharper, showing the crayon details more distinctly.

Although Apple's WWDC Keynote gets by far the most attention, the event is a treasure trove of new info for developers across the entire Apple ecosystem. Buried among literally over 100 new videos Apple posted to its Apple Developer YouTube channel this week is one about a significant upgrade to the company's Core Image RAW processing APIs that power RAW and ProRAW capture on iPhone and RAW image processing across all of Apple's platforms.

Two digital cameras are displayed on a white background: a larger black Phase One medium format camera on the left and a more compact black Sony Alpha mirrorless camera on the right, both with attached lenses.

Sony Is (Probably) Never Making a Medium Format Camera

There has been chatter about Sony making its own medium format camera system for about as long as Sony has made image sensors for other brands' medium format cameras. Sony's recent reveal of the 65mm-format Rialto 65 image sensor block for Venice 2 cinema cameras has only strengthened these rumors. However, the speculation is pipe dreaming, at best.

Jun 10, 2026

A black-and-white photo of a person holding a finger to their lips is shown on the left, next to a realistic tattoo of the same image on someone's skin.

On June 9, Chief Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Mary H. Murguia issued an Order in the case of Jeffery B. Sedlik v. Katherine von Drachenberg, aka Kat Von D, et. al. granting an en banc rehearing by the full court.

A camera operator stands on a football field as a large camera drone crashes to the ground nearby, breaking into pieces. The operator is holding a camera and wearing athletic gear.

Cameraman Narrowly Escapes as Burning Overhead Camera Crashes onto Pitch During Soccer Match

A cameraman narrowly avoided serious injury after a cable-suspended camera system caught fire and fell onto the field during a pre-World Cup friendly soccer match.

Jun 10, 2026

A handheld camera with a screen and dual lenses stands on a rock in a field of yellow flowers, with snow-covered mountains blurred in the background.

Luna Ultra: Insta360 Finally Reveals Full Details of the Leica-Branded Gimbal Camera

After trickling out information slowly since it initially revealed the camera back in February, Insta360 has finally pulled the curtain fully off the Leica-branded gimbal camera it calls the Luna Ultra.

Jun 10, 2026

Two people crouch while holding cameras, aiming their lenses forward to take photographs. Other blurred figures are visible in the background, suggesting a group setting or event.

Study Reveals Gender Pay Gaps Among Freelance Photographers

A new global study has revealed gender pay gaps among freelance photographers and videographers working across different creative roles.

Jun 10, 2026

A pair of Ray-Ban and Meta AI glasses is displayed on a white stand with the price tag €329.00. The background features branding for Ray-Ban and Meta with the text "AI GLASSES.

Smart Glasses in Pennsylvania May Soon Legally Require a Visible Recording Light

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing for legislation that would require devices like smart glasses to visually indicate when they’re recording.

Jun 10, 2026

A split image shows a humpback whale breaching in the ocean on the left, and a jellyfish drifting near the surface of clear blue water by rocky cliffs on the right.

‘Ocean’ Doc Captures the Horrors of Seabed Trawling for the First Time

Sir David Attenborough turned 100 last month, and much of his incredible life's mission has been celebrating and showcasing the natural world. Billions of people on Earth have heard Attenborough's voice, heard his words, and seen his work. Arguably, nothing on Earth impacts life as much as the oceans, and that's the focus of "Ocean with David Attenborough," streaming now online and on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu.

Jun 09, 2026

A silver camera lens labeled "35mm F1.7" sits on a textured black surface beside a round badge with a bull logo and the text "35MM F1.7 No.001/500".

7Artisans Is Only Making 500 Copies of its New Seagull 35mm Lens

7Artisans has partnered with the historic Seagull brand to introduce the limited-edition Seagull × 7Artisans M 35mm f/1.7, a new full-frame manual-focus lens designed for Leica M-mount rangefinder cameras.

Jun 09, 2026

Collector Scours Flea Markets for Vintage Photos of Women in Trees

Two black-and-white photos: on the left, a woman in a striped skirt playfully hangs from a tree branch in an orchard; on the right, two women sit smiling together on a tree branch.

Wandering through a market in Frankfurt years ago, photo collector Jochen Raiss stumbled across a photo of a woman halfway up a tree.

Three sets of color swatches in neat grids are displayed side by side, each showing two rows of grayscale tones and several rows of various colored squares used for color calibration or comparison.

One of the Most Comprehensive Looks at Film Color Science

Japan-based analog photographer D.Daniel has delivered arguably the most comprehensive, efficient, and useful comparisons of color and black-and-white photographic film stocks ever.

Jun 09, 2026

Sony MDR-7506 Headphones: The Standard to Which All Others Are Measured

A pair of Sony headphones rests on a wooden surface. The image features "PetaPixel Reviews" text in the bottom left corner, partially overlapping the headphones.

PetaPixel is expanding its coverage into headphones, but specifically their use through the lens of how a videographer would use them. In the field, at their desk, and while traveling, every videographer and editor has them, and the standard by which they all should be judged is the Sony MDR-7506.

A glowing, cloud-like planetary nebula with a bright center surrounded by soft blue and white halos, set against a star-filled black background.

Gaze Into a Cosmic Crystal Ball Unlike Anything Else In the Universe

NOIRLab and the National Science Foundation's Gemini North telescope, located on Maunakea in Hawai'i, captured a mesmerizing photo of NGC 1514, nicknamed the Crystal Ball Nebula. It looks a lot different than the photo the James Webb Space Telescope captured last year, and frankly, unlike nearly any other space photo.

Jun 09, 2026