Photography News

Since its launch in 2021, the Nikon Z9 has received a steady stream of firmware updates that added a number of genuinely excellent features. Lately, however, it felt as if the update wind had died down—or perhaps more accurately, as if Nikon’s flagship had been sailing with partially reefed sails. Indeed, some really useful features such as the in-body focus limiter, pixel shift, or maximum aperture live view were available only on lower-tier models like the Z8 or even the Z6 III. However, firmware update 5.30—released in December of 2025—not only closes some of these gaps, but also introduces several entirely new features. In my opinion, it puts the Z9 back at the very front of the fleet.

It’s only been a few hours since I returned from a Sunday walk through the heart of Prague, where I passed dozens of photographers aiming their lenses at centuries-old architecture and the picturesque medieval panorama crowned by the largest castle complex in the world. I tried to see my city through their fresh eyes—and indeed, bathed in winter sunlight, it was beautiful. Especially now, with everything covered in fresh snow and ice skaters gliding along the frozen river.

Some animals don't mind when people photograph them up close, but often, wildlife photography requires a different approach. To capture meaningful images without disturbing wildlife, it can be desirable to remain unseen. This article explains a simple, effective technique to achieve that.

Nikon APS-C cameras do not receive much attention from their own brand when it comes to fast prime lenses. Eight years after the introduction of the Z mount, Nikon still offers just two bright DX primes, roughly equivalent to 35mm and 50mm, both with an aperture of f/1.7. Fortunately, third-party manufacturers have clearly sensed an opportunity, resulting in a growing lineup of interesting fast lenses. One of them is the portrait-oriented Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro, which has just been announced in a Z-mount version.

Nikon just announced a new full-frame mirrorless lens, the Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. This midrange zoom is lightweight and inexpensive, weighing just 350 grams (0.77 lbs) and costing $550. Moreover, it will sell as a kit with the Nikon Z5 II for $2200, representing a $200 discount from their usual retail prices.

I’ve always loved flashes, especially for portrait photography and flower photography. I have two manual ones, but they’re fairly large so I was interested in trying out something more compact that also offered a TTL mode. In this article, I’ll be reviewing one such option: the Viltrox Z3 Spark, a TTL flash available for Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fuji X systems.

Here we are in 2026, and with it comes this year’s first roundup of Photography News. It seems the photography industry is still sleeping off its New Year’s celebrations, because it was a quiet week. I hesitated a bit when choosing the opening image today: whether to use the very last photograph of the old year, or the very first one of the new. In the end, I’ve made an exception and used both. Before you dive into this edition of the News, allow me—on behalf of myself and our entire team—to wish you good light in the new year, not only in front of your lens, but also within you.

When I'm composing photos, I'm always searching for natural frames - elements in the scene that act as a border around the photo's edges. Natural frames can provide structure to a photo's composition and, critically, make it feel more deliberate. Today, I'll explain what natural frames are and how to find suitable natural frames for your photos.