Behind-the-Scenes of this Year's DPReview Awards

Plus, all the other camera news you missed.

View in Browser December, 14th 2024, With the end of the year quickly approaching, Richard, Dale, Abby, and Mitchell hopped on YouTube to discuss and share behind-the-scenes insights about their picks for our annual awards. On that same theme, every team member also published essays this week covering other personal highlights from the year.  We also asked you in the community to share your thoughts on the most impactful gear and techniques you learned about this year, wrapping up what has been an insight-filled week. Special thanks to everyone who contributed to our photo challenges and question of the week series this year. We've learned a ton from all of you this year and are looking forward to sharing more of the community's expertise and insights in 2026 —Ben Highlights The DPReview team discusses our picks for our 2025 awards Want an inside look at what our discussions picking the gear of the year look like? This is the video for you. Gear of the Year - Dale's choice: Adobe Project Indigo Not all Gear of the Year needs to be hardware. Gear of the Year - Mitchell's Choice: the optically audacious Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM This fast zoom was a joy to use and comes from a company that's been consistently putting out great lenses. Our "Shades of Gray" photo challenge is now open for submissions Our December Editors' photo challenge celebrates the art of black and white photography and is open for submissions until December 20. Richard's Photo of the year: Pink, exclamation mark Means, motive, opportunity. Or, in this instance, a compliment, some nice light and a moment of serendipity. For Richard, this year, there was only one choice for his favorite photo of the year. Your most impactful gear and technique choices revealed Our latest Question of the week asked readers which new piece of gear, technique, or habit made the most significant positive difference to their photography in 2025. Here are their answers! The best of the best: Our Editors' top 24 photo challenge winners of 2025 We looked back over an entire year of Editors' photo challenges. These are the photos that stood out. Partially stacked sensors quietly deliver the IQ breakthrough we've been hoping for DR data for the Sony a7 V and Panasonic S1 II show that latest sensors let you have your cake and eat it. News Updates Abby's Photo of the year: fall on film In keeping with the annual DPReview tradition, here is Abby's favorite photo from 2025. A free upgrade from Sony unlocks 4K120 recording on the ZV-E10 II Sony has released an upgrade license for its ZV-E10 II camera that adds a 4K120 recording mode. Between art and work: reflections on purpose and identity as a photographer Even though I've been more involved in photography than ever before, it's been a year of wrestling with lots of questions related to my connection with the medium. Adobe's flagship software is now available in ChatGPT's conversational interface Adobe announced that Photoshop, Acrobat and Adobe Express are now available for use directly in ChatGPT, for free. Viltrox is adding versatility to the viral fixed-lens camera Viltrox has released conversion lenses that expand the capabilities of the Fujifilm X100 series cameras. From Iceland to Australia, 25 breathtaking Aurora photos win top honors in 2025 contest The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year contest has announced the top 25 Aurora images of 2025. Martin Parr, acclaimed documentary photographer and mentor, dies at 73 Acclaimed British photographer Martin Parr has passed away. What's in a name? Licensing, famous names and zombie brands The reappearance of the Minolta name sent Richard down a rabbithole, looking at how so many famous names of the 20th-century are appearing on so many products, long after the original companies went bust. 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.