Editors’ Photo Challenge: Your best photos of 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, we invited our readers to share their best photos from the past year. The response was fantastic, with submissions ranging from stunning macro shots of insects to breathtaking images of the night sky and everything in between. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed! The quality of the entries was exceptional, and unfortunately, we can only showcase a selection here.

To view all the submissions and discover which photos resonated most with your fellow readers, please visit the challenge page.

Did you miss this challenge? Stay tuned for our January challenge announcement. In the meantime, consider participating in these current and upcoming challenges hosted by other members of the DPReview community:

Open challenges

• Shoes (closes Dec. 30)
• The Bus (closes Jan. 3)
• Home on the Range (closes Jan. 3)
• Locomotives (closes Jan. 3)
• Wild Peaks: Wildlife backed by the heights (closes Jan. 3)

Upcoming challenges

• A Big Year 2024 (starts Dec. 30)
• Face or faces in a crowd (starts Dec. 31)
• Stadiums/Arenas – wide angle (starts Jan. 2)
• Fire Engines (starts Jan. 4)
• Trees (starts Jan. 4)

And now, here are our top picks from the Best of 2024 Editors’ Photo Challenge.

Kingfisher

Photographer: FujiJon

Description: I took this image from a hide at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve in Hampshire, UK. Kingfishers aren’t commonly seen, and certainly not as close as this. Having said that, this reserve is one place where you can (almost) guarantee a sighting. It sat on the branch for a short while, looking around, and I took a series of short bursts. I chose this one for the competition as the bird seemed to be balanced by the leaf. The bird was strongly backlit, which is why the background is blown out.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-H2S + Fujifilm XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London

Photographer: A Clark2

Description: Photographed from the nearby reflection garden. By holding the camera just above the surface of the water, I was able to make the pool look bigger than it is. The main problem was unaware people who spoiled the view by sitting on the far side of the pool.

Equipment: Sony a7R + Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G

Eagle hunter crossing stream

Photographer: JeffryzPhoto

Description: Western Mongolia: rider crossing a stream with his golden eagle. I loved the dynamic pose with a diagonal line from the bird through the rider and the horse’s leg, along with the action.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-T4 + Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR

Blossoms in the rain

Photographer: nt35

Description: Walking near home on a rainy day, I found these blossoms of trimezia coerulea. The color and the water drops seem amazing to me. I went home and took my camera and a piece of black cotton. This photo, I think, is the best of four I have taken.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

Kestrel with prey

Photographer: GJvV

Description: This Kestrel flew to a pole with his prey. The conditions were good, with sunlight from behind me, and wind direction also from behind. When the bird would take off, it would fly towards me to get the proper lift. This shot was the best of the burst. I’m very happy with the result.

Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

Cuban ballerina

Photographer: GeffBourke

Description: We lead a photo tour to Cuba early in the year. This was taken on a shoot in Havana. This was in the morning, and she managed to get her hand in the sun as I shot at F18.

Equipment: Sony a1 + Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD

Chinese New Year with Mumu

Photographer: Mumupower123

Description: Mumu, a 1-year-old, is celebrating Chinese New Year. He is not interested in traditional “Red Packets.” He is rather fond of red strawberries!

Equipment: Canon EOS R6 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Winter storm

Photographer: Gloomy1

Description: My focus for 2024 and 2025 is seascape photography, and a wild and windy day on Scotland’s North coast seemed like the perfect opportunity, especially as high tide coincided with sunset. The sun had already disappeared behind the cliffs surrounding this sea arch. Lots of fun trying to determine the best shutter speed and then capture the best wave. In the end, I am happy that I have produced the best image possible from this location at this time, and that is how I judge success.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS

Moonrise over Black Mesa Coffee II

Photographer: Blind Bill

Description: I captured the moon as it rose over this small church in Northern New Mexico. It is easily one of my top 10 favorite pictures of all time. It took a bit of planning to get there and time the rising moon and setting sun.

Equipment: Sony a7R III + Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The lioness

Photographer: Mdj180

Description: I took my first trip to Africa in 2024, and it was incredible (of course). In Lower Zambezi NP, Zambia, we spent a good amount of time with the local lion pride. This is a portrait shot of the alpha female walking towards me after feasting on the Impala they killed around dawn. The complex detail in her eyes still takes my breath away.

Equipment: Canon EOS R7 + Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Photographer: Howie1223

Description: This was taken on a sleigh ride through the Bavarian forest blanketed with a newly fallen snow, which allowed me to capture a magical fairytale-like image.

Equipment: Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

Blue heron ballet

Photographer: Kilmer

Description: A lone Blue Heron suddenly attracts another bird. He starts a respectful distance away but soon begins to trash-talk the other Heron. He moves closer, and they charge into each other. One rises up in the air and drives the other one under the water. When they pop up, they assume this beak in the air, a graceful circling pose. It was taken in the Fall, so I didn’t figure it was mating behavior. I have no idea what they were doing but it sure did make my birding trip.

Equipment: Nikon D500 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR

Robberfly’s breakfast

Photographer: Lajos Hajdu

Description: I was about to leave for home, disappointed that I hadn’t found the sought-after, rare dragonfly species at a creek in Hungary. Just then, I noticed this robber fly eating a freshly captured cicada on the railing of a wooden bridge.

Equipment: Canon EOS 80D + Sigma 105mm macro lens and Raynox 250 clip-on lens

Aurora 05.2024

Photographer: Vitalijs K

Description: Aurora polar lights in May 2024. The solar wind in 2024 often caused magnetic storms. One of the most memorable magnetic storms of the 2024 year occurred in May. The photo was taken in a national park – Gauja in Latvia.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-S10 + Sigma 10-18mm/2.8

Longines equestrian

Photographer: Jswcat

Description: After managing to wrangle a press pass from the Longines press manager (after supplying a print of what I took the day before), my eyes were opened to the competitiveness and the zeal behind competitive equestrians. This event took place on Miami Beach, with the ocean just 50 feet away.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV

Angolan lady smoking

Photographer: Maclean

Description: The lady was looking for a light to smoke her tobacco. We asked her to do this in the doorway of her house for a dark background.

Equipment: Nikon D850 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Capturing Orion’s hidden treasures

Photographer: GreenFirePhotography

Description: One of the most recognizable constellations in the sky holds some of the most beautiful and plentiful deep sky objects. This photo showcases some of the best. Starting at the bottom right, we see the Boogeyman Nebula (LDN 1620), the right edge of Barnard’s Loop (Sh2-276), M78 (the small, blue reflection nebula), the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024), the Horsehead Nebula (B-33), the Running Man Nebula (S279), and the Great Orion Nebula (M-42). This region corresponds to the area around Orion’s sword in the night sky. After nearly a decade of work, the stars finally aligned for this stunning image.

Equipment: ZWO ASI2600MC + Red Cat 51 Refracting Telescope

Coco

Photographer: Gaspar17

Description: I chose this photo because it cheers me up. Since I can barely walk, Coco accompanies me on an electric bike. It was hard for him at first, but he ended up becoming a cycling enthusiast. We are touring the Vía Verde del Pas. a beautiful cycling path in Cantabria, Spain. In the background, you can see Monte Castillo, an area of ​​interesting prehistoric caves.

Equipment: Canon EOS M5 + Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Hide and seek

Photographer: Timour Claquin Chambugong

Description: An Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) in Tura, India. I wanted to see what kind of image I could get with the minimum focusing distance of this lens. I tried to get as close as possible to the lizard without scaring it away. This photo has been published in The Guardian but was cropped by the editorial team. I prefer the original (uncropped) photo because that is the way I took it and composed the shot. I arranged the different visual elements within the frame in a certain way, and shooting in the 4:3 aspect ratio was a deliberate choice. There is always room for improvement, though.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 +Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS

Wild and amazing mini world

Photographer: Minas_Eye

Description: With a lot of patience, I got very close to this small drill fly with incredible green eyes (body around 10mm). It was then that I noticed its poor, tiny prey, invisible to a common observer.

Equipment: OM System OM-1 + OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro

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The year is coming to a close, so we thought it would be a good time to go back through the archives and pick out some of the most important stories we covered and reviews we published throughout 2024. This list will be far from exhaustive – we have one of those if you’re interested – as we’re just looking at the highlights.

January

Canon EOS R100 Review

On January 22nd, we published our in-depth review of Canon’s EOS R100, the company’s entry-level mirrorless camera. We found that it compromises perhaps a bit too much to reach its $479 body-only price point but can produce some lovely-looking pictures nonetheless.

Read the review

Sony ZV-1 Mark II Review

Hot on the heels of the EOS R100 review was our deep-dive on the Sony ZV-1 Mark II, a compact vlogging camera based around a Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor. It has its strengths – though it’s absolutely not the enthusiast stills compact we’ve all been hoping for – but we found that it doesn’t quite do enough to earn a recommendation compared to a modern-day smartphone.

Read the review

Also in January, we published our initial review of the Sony a9 III, the first full-frame photography camera from a major manufacturer to feature a ‘global’ shutter. We’ll talk about it more in a bit when we get to the full review. We also published our initial review of the OM System OM 1 Mark II, a mild update to the company’s Micro Four Thirds flagship. And who can forget CES?

February

February is usually a busy month here at DPReview thanks to the CP+ industry expo that takes place in Japan. That means we have to cover a lot of news, but we were also able to release our initial review of the Fujifilm X100VI, a camera that would go on to become one of the most difficult pieces of tech to get in 2024. We also published a sample gallery for the OM 1 Mk. II, and added the Panasonic S5 II to our studio scene.

Finishing the Nikon Zf review

While we published the bulk of our Nikon Zf review in early January, in February, we added a sample video and video experience section, rounding out the review. The Zf may look like a vintage film camera, but we found it was surprisingly capable of filming as well.

Read the review

March

Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 II Review

In March we published our full review of the Panasonic G9 II, a high-end Micro Four Thirds camera aimed at stills photographers. We found that it accomplished that task well, and was a worthy successor to its predecessor… while also packing a surprisingly capable suite of video features as well.

Read the review

Leica SL3 Initial Review

We also took a look at the Leica SL3, a camera that takes the sensor used in the company’s flagship M11 rangefinder and put it into a more traditional mirrorless body with an L-mount and autofocus capabilities.

Read the initial review

March was also a busy month for sample galleries; we published pictures shot with four different lenses and a selection of images from our trip to Japan in February, shot with the Panasonic S5 IIX. We also covered Nikon’s acquisition of cinema camera maker Red, and interviewed the Divisional Manager of Fujifilm’s Professional Imaging Group about the company’s future.

April

Panasonic S5 II Review

Our review of the S5 II was definitely late to the game, as the camera was unfortunately announced right as we were learning that DPReview’s parent company intended to shut it down. This year, however, we were finally able to put some time in with it, using the new v3 firmware that added several features and enhancements.

Read the review

We also looked at pixel-shift high-resolution modes and explained why we’ve had such bad luck with them in the past. Spoiler: some of it comes down to patents and the real world’s inability to hold still for too long. Also in April: we asked manufacturers what they thought some of the most influential camera gear from the past 25 years was, checked in on Ricoh’s development of a new film camera, and Sigma’s CEO gave us an update on full-frame Foveon.

May

Fujifilm X100VI Review

In May, we published our full review of the Fujifilm X100VI, a fixed-lens camera that paired AI-derived autofocus and a stabilized sensor with an already-popular hybrid rangefinder / EVF. We found using it to be an extremely compelling experience, which is what makes it such a shame that it’s still only available on backorder or at extremely inflated prices all these months later.

Read the review

Sony a9 III Review

We also finished our in-depth look at the Sony a9 III, and found that it was an incredibly capable sports camera. Its ‘global’ shutter makes different types of photography possible, especially when it comes to shooting with high-powered flashes. The tech does come with a small downside in image quality, but if you need to shoot some of the fastest subjects on earth, it’s likely worth the tradeoff.

Read the review

We also took our first look at the Fujifilm X-T50 and its new kit lens, the XF16-50mm F2.8-4.8 R LM WR. May was apparently Fujifilm month here at DPReview, though we also published an interview with Sigma’s CEO, and a celebration of physical controls on cameras. Be sure not to miss our stunning sample gallery from the Sigma 15mm F1.4 either, or the first episode of our Stories Behind the Photo podcast.

June

Pentax 17 Review

It’s not often that we review film cameras. For one, our expertise is largely in digital photography – go figure – but more importantly, there just aren’t that many that come out. This year, though, Pentax released its first camera in 20 years that shoots to celluloid instead of a sensor. It’s definitely not cheap, despite the fact that it keeps film costs down by shooting half frames instead of full ones, but using it is a unique experience in this day and age.

Read the review

We also took our first look at Panasonic’s video-focused Micro Four Thirds GH7 in June. It’s not the biggest upgrade ever, but it includes some very interesting technologies, such as 32-bit float audio.

Two more summer successes: we published an interview with Nikon, and a sample gallery for Sigma’s cutting-edge F1.8 zoom lens.

July

Leica D-Lux 8 Preview

The D-Lux 8 is a bit of an odd camera, as it’s essentially a refresh of a years-old camera with a substantial price tag. Still, we find it compelling – not only is it one of the only enthusiast compacts to be released in years, but its interface focuses purely on the basics of photography.

Read the initial review

Canon EOS R1 Preview

We also got to look at Canon’s first true mirrorless sports flagship, the EOS R1. It brings a lot to the table, especially with its Action Priority AF system, which ended up being crowned with our Innovation of the Year award.

Read the initial review

Another accomplishment in July was writing up interviews with several manufacturers, including Panasonic, Tamron, Sony and Canon, and published the final chapter in a series about a nature photography tour of Madagascar.

August

Fujifilm X-T50 Review

In August, we published an in-depth review of Fujifilm’s then-entry-level camera – the X-M5 hadn’t been announced yet. We found that, if you can put the price aside, it’s a nice entry point into the X-mount system for someone looking to get into photography and who wants to play around with the company’s famous Film Simulation modes.

Read the review

August is typically a glacial month for camera news, but we were able to spend some of it shooting sample galleries; we tested the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL and Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II and published our gallery from the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 II. We also told the oft-overlooked story of how Kodak’s film business ended up in the hands of the UK Government’s Pension Protection Fund, begged manufacturers for an enthusiast compact, and got to hear about the state of the camera industry from the people who actually make those cameras.

September

Canon EOS R5 II

In September, things kicked back into gear, starting with our review of Canon’s EOS R5 II, a wildly impressive camera that we found was up to almost any task. For those that occasionally shoot sports, it also includes the Action Priority AF system that impressed us so much with the larger, more expensive EOS R1.

Read the review

Leica Q3 43

We also got to fully review Leica’s latest fixed-lens camera, a variant of its Q3 with a 43mm F2 lens instead of a 28mm lens. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience of shooting with it, and getting to use Leica’s photo-focused controls… though, obviously, it’s tough to ignore the hefty price tag, especially when you’re out and about on the streets.

Read the review

September was also a big month for phones. As is tradition, Apple announced the iPhone 16 which included a dedicated camera button – we broke down exactly what changes it made to the cameras compared to previous versions here – and we got to shoot a sample gallery with Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

October

Sony ZV-E10 II Review

We started October with our review of the Sony ZV-E10 II. Appropriately for a vlogging camera, the bulk of our review was published as a video, which you can see above. Of course, there is still plenty to dig into in the written review.

Read the review

Nikon Z6III Review

Just a day after publishing the ZV-E10 II review, we were back with our in-depth look at the Nikon Z6III, a camera that impressed us with its all-around capabilities. Its ‘partially-stacked’ sensor comes with a minor hit to dynamic range, but in most circumstances, the speed improvements it brings will more than make up for that.

Read the review

During October, we also published sample galleries for the Fujifilm XF16-55mm F2.8 II and Panasonic 18-40mm F4.5-6.3, as well as a review of a Lowepro backpack over a decade in the making. It was also the month we went to Adobe’s Max conference to get a sneak peak at some of what the future holds for products like Photoshop, Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, and Content Credentials.

A few more can’t-miss pieces: we looked back at the Fujifilm X-E series to get an idea of what a potential X-E5 might be like, saw a DIY camera, and covered why so many cameras seem to be aimed at people other than photographers these days.

November

Panasonic S9 Review

In November, we published our review of Panasonic’s S9, an entry-level full-frame camera focused on making it fast and easy for creators to shoot and share videos and photos. We appreciated its size and Real-Time LUT system, but found that it gave up quite a lot, such as ergonomics, a mechanical shutter, a viewfinder and hot shoe, to achieve that size and price point.

Read the review

We also published initial reviews of the entry-level Nikon Z50II and professional flagship Sony a1 II. While writing the latter, we also got to film our experience of using it to shoot part of a US football game, which ended up making for a great video.

We also, as part of our 25th anniversary content, wrote about the first camera DPReivew ever reviewed: the Canon PowerShot Pro70, and got the opportunity to interview a photographer who took over 100,000 portraits in a single year.

December

Fujifilm X-M5 review

Hopefully, you’re not tired of creator-focused cameras because our last review rounding out 2024 was of the Fujifilm X-M5. We found that it packs a lot of photo and video features into a compact body that’s priced within reach of beginners, but comes with a few tradeoffs that are worth noting.

Read the review

We also published an article comparing Nikon’s modern 50mm F1.4 lens, which is a budget model that trades clinical sharpness for character, and its DSLR-era 50mm F1.4 lens, which was its professional offering for a few years. It’s an interesting look at how far lenses have come over the past decade.

Of course, December was also when we put out our annual DPReview Awards, recognizing the best gear released throughout the year.

That brings us to today. The X-M5 review was our last one for the year, but we’ll be back with more in January. Be sure to check out the rest of our end-of-year articles, and let us know in the comments: what were your favorite moments of 2024?

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Season’s greetings! We’ve almost reached the end of 2024, and as is our custom, the DPReview team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Boxing Day, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Festivus, and Happy Holiday to all. We’re incredibly grateful you’ve stuck with us for yet another orbit around the sun.

2024 was an important year for DPReview symbolically. One year ago today, on December 25, 2023, we celebrated the site’s 25th anniversary. For the past 12 months, we’ve been looking back at some of the moments and milestones from that past quarter century. We couldn’t have reached this point without your support.

2024 has also been an important chapter for DPReview as a business. Many of you know we’ve been going through a period of rebuilding. Every person at DPReview, including many folks behind the scenes, has poured their heart and soul into this effort. Why? Because at a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it.

The hard work is paying off. You might recall that a couple of months ago, we advertised some new editorial roles on the site, and I’m thrilled to report that we’ll have a couple of new faces joining the team early next year.

“At a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it.”

A huge factor in that success has been our community. Whether you’re a regular in the forums or just pop in to comment under the occasional article, we’re grateful for your contributions. Our forums are a goldmine of information, crowd-sourced from knowledgeable people for over 25 years. Our homepage may get a lot of attention, but the forums are where the magic happens: exchanging ideas, forming communities, and forging personal connections.

In fact, we’re planning to ramp up support for our online community in 2025. Remember those new staff members I mentioned? One of them will be focused on supporting our forums, including our team of volunteer moderators. This will be the first time we’ve had a person on our team dedicated to this task, and to be candid, it’s overdue.

Before you leave today, we’d love it if you’d take a moment to leave a comment and let us know what made 2024 at DPReview memorable for you. Or, if you’re feeling prophetic, please tell us what you’d like to see in the coming year.

From all of us at DPReview – the editors who craft the stories, the tech wizards who keep the lights on, and the business team who keep us on solid footing – we wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season. We’re genuinely excited about what the future holds and look forward to having you by our side as we embark on the next 25 years.

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