The Best Fixed Prime Lens Cameras in 2025

Plus more camera news you missed.

View in Browser July 27, 2025 This week's highlights include an update to our best fixed prime lens camera buying guide, as well as the release of our early impressions on what might be the surprise camera release of the year - the Sony RX1R — Ben Highlights Best fixed prime lens cameras in 2025 The fixed lens camera market may be niche, but it's home to some of the best cameras you can buy. Why the Fujifilm X-E5 turned me into a film recipes fan The X-E5 augments the film simulation dial with custom recipes, making the feature better and more enticing than ever. Sony RX1R III: how does it perform in our studio? We put the RX1R III through our usual studio tests and also used it as a chance to take a closer look at how its lens performs. Un-interchangeable: Fixed-lens cameras are no substitute for mirrorless There are several fixed lens cameras that have developed cult followings. That should be a clue that they're not an inherently inferior option, just different. Sony RX1R III: Hands-on video review We've been out and shot with Sony's latest photographer's compact. Here's what we've found. News Updates How to protect your camera on hot summer road trips Summer road trips are a fun way to expand your photographic horizons, but they can bring unique challenges for keeping your gear safe. 6 ways to keep your camera safe at the beach Taking your camera to the beach can be risky, but there are ways to protect your gear so you can still take photos. Stunning wildlife and dramatic portraits impress judges in the 2025 Flow Photo Contest The winners of the 2025 Flow Photo Contest presented by Kodak have been announced and featured in the Flow Trip magazine Photo Issue. The contest highlights diverse work from photographers across five different categories. Sony's new camcorder is breaking ground for content authenticity The PXW-Z300 is the "world's first camcorder" to support C2PA signatures. VSCO acquires freelance mentorship platform to expand community support VSCO has acquired The Freelance Photographer, an education and mentorship program that aims to support photographers building their businesses.   Further Reading   • Seeing is no longer believing: Artificial Intelligence's impact on photojournalism - Stanford University JSK Journalism Fellowships   • Arles photography review: have photographs lost their power? - FT   • Michael Ochs, Pop Culture's Preeminent Photo Archivist, Dies at 82 - The Hollywood Reporter   • How a haunting photo of a deadly fire led to changes in Boston's fire escape regulations - CBS News    What would experienced photographers tell beginners? These 5 things, over and over What wisdom would experienced photographers pass along to beginners? We crowdsourced answers from over 100 experienced photographers – here's what they told us. National Dog Photography Day: here are our tips to take doggone good photos To celebrate National Dog Photography Day, we're giving tips on taking better photos of your pup. Firmware Friday: Canon re-introduces the latest firmware for the R1 and R5 II Last week, Canon pulled the firmware updates for the EOS R1 and R5 II because of an error. A fix is now available for both models, along with some new features. Plus, Fujifilm has some smaller updates for seven cameras in its lineup. Camera industry avoids the worst, but prices are unlikely to budge in the US after 15% Japan tariff The US and Japan have agreed to a new trade deal with 15% tariffs, but that doesn't necessarily mean camera and lens prices will come back down. Godox's latest flash units are adorable and affordable The Godox iT20 and iT22 are mini TTL flash units that make adding extra light to your photos easy. DPReview 276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 - 3126 New York, NY 10001 You received this email because you subscribed to the Digital Photography Review weekly newsletter. To update your preferences, click here. To unsubscribe, click here. Alternatively, log into dpreview and visit your user profile settings, uncheck the Newsletter Subscription checkbox, then click on Save changes. Click here to forward to a friend. If you're new to this newsletter, you can subscribe here.  Preferences |  Advertise | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information 2025 DPReview. All Rights Reserved.

Reacting to Sony's Surprise Announcement

Plus, final thoughts on the X-Half and more

View in Browser July 20, 2025 This week, Richard shared his final thoughts on one of the most difficult cameras he's ever reviewed - the Fujifilm X Half.  The team also rallied to cover and react to Sony's surprise announcement of the new Sony RX1R III. If you'd like to brush up on your understanding of some of the fundamentals of photography, we also published two new entries in our Intro to Photography series on exposure and shutter speed.  As always, thanks for supporting our work and being part of our community.  — Ben Highlights Fujifilm X half review: frivolous fun with definite drawbacks The X half is a JPEG-only compact camera that commits hard to mimicking a half-frame film camera. Does this make it charming and fun or completely ridiculous? Why the X half was the most difficult camera I've ever reviewed We really enjoyed using the X half, but explaining what it is, what it isn't and making sure to judge it on its own terms has been a considerable challenge. Fujifilm X-E5 studio scene: a premium body with familiar internals We put the Fujifilm X-E5 to see if the company's latest rangefinder-style camera lives up to the rest of the company's offerings. Sony RX1R III: the DPReview team discusses the surprise announcement We talk about Sony's new photographer's compact, its price and why the company decided to launch it now, 10 years after its predecessor. Sony RX1R III: everything you need to know We dig into the specs, the pricing and the rivals to Sony's latest full-frame photographers' compact. Sony DSC-RX1R III: a 61MP full-frame photographers' compact Sony has announced the RX1R III, the third generation of its full-frame compact, with a 60.2MP sensor sitting behind its 35mm F2 lens. DPReview Intro to photography: What is Exposure? We break down exposure and the three factors that define it. They may not be what you think. Top shots: Our Editor's 20 favorite landscape images from the July photo challenge For our July photo challenge, we set our sights on "Landscape Photography." As always, DPReview readers delivered, crossing the globe to capture stunning scenes with land, sky and water. News Updates Is it safe to use a camera in rainy conditions? You don't have to let rain stop you from getting out to create photographs. DPReview Intro to photography: What is shutter speed? We break down what shutter speed is and how it affects exposure and your image. How do I keep my camera sensor clean when changing lenses outside? Dirty sensors can make for frustrating editing sessions. Here's how to keep your sensor as clean as possible, even when swapping lenses outside. The Canon Speedlite EL-1 V2 doesn't fix what wasn't broken Canon has introduced the Speedlite EL-1 V2, though it shares an awful lot in common with the original model. GR World app brings enhanced connectivity to Ricoh GR cameras Ricoh Imaging has announced a new app for its GR cameras, offering image transfer, location tagging and remote control features.   Further Reading   • A new Agnes Varda exhibition is an extension of her life's work - The New Yorker   • OPPO and Hasselblad extend strategic partnership to co-develop next-gen imaging system - Economic Times   • See 100 years of New York City—through the lens of Nat Geo photographers - National Geographic    • Sick of AI Slop? DuckDuckGo Now Lets You Block AI-Generated Images - PC Mag   Here are some cool photography videos we saw this week We're sharing some of the best videos our algorithms served us this week. Sony DSC-RX1R III vs Sony a7CR: is it worth an extra $2000? One of the Sony RX1R III's biggest challenges comes from another Sony: the compact, high-res a7CR. Is there any reason to choose the compact over the mirrorless option? Firmware Friday: Nikon fixes its last update and Canon adds a bunch of features This week brings updates from Nikon to address some of the third-party lens woes with its Z8, a list of updates for Canon cameras and minor fixes for a handful of Panasonic cameras. Harman's new Phoenix 200 II film promises improvements across the board Harman announced a new film stock that builds on its first color film, Phoenix 200, though with a list of improvements that promise a better experience for photographers. DPReview 276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 - 3126 New York, NY 10001 You received this email because you subscribed to the Digital Photography Review weekly newsletter. To update your preferences, click here. To unsubscribe, click here. Alternatively, log into dpreview and visit your user profile settings, uncheck the Newsletter Subscription checkbox, then click on Save changes. Click here to forward to a friend. If you're new to this newsletter, you can subscribe here.  Preferences |  Advertise | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information 2025 DPReview. All Rights Reserved.