Camera

Pentax K-3 Mark III initial review

Published

4 years ago

March 31, 2021

sarosh

The Pentax K-3 Mark III is Ricoh’s latest high-end APS-C DSLR. It’s built around a 26MP BSI-CMOS sensor and has been redesigned from the ground up to become, on paper, the most capable, most usable K-mount camera ever made.

Although it shares much of its styling with the K-3 II, launched in 2015, the third iteration has been significantly redesigned and re-thought to offer improvements across the board. From the viewfinder and the sensor right down to the shutter button, it’s essentially an all-new DSLR.

Key specifications

25.7MP BSI-CMOS sensor
SAFOX 13 AF module with 101 AF points (25 cross-type)
5-axis in-body stabilization rated to 5.5EV
Weather-sealed magnesium alloy construction
Viewfinder with 1.05x magnification
Revised three-dial control system
8-direction AF joystick and touchscreen for AF positioning
UHD 4K movie capture at up to 30p

In addition, the K-3 III has all the usual modes making clever use of the image stabilization system, including Anti-Aliasing Filter Simulation and the multi-shot Pixel Shift Resolution mode that shoots and combines four offset images to cancel out the Bayer pattern and remove the need for sharpness-sapping demosaicing.

The K-3 III will be available from late April in a choice of black or silver with a recommended price of $2000. A weather-sealed D-BG8 battery grip with matched controls will also be available. A kit combining the body and grip (along with a strap and additional battery) is priced at $2300.

What’s new…

Sensor

At the heart of the K-3 III is a new BSI CMOS APS-C sensor. Ricoh describes it as a 25MP chip, but the cameras resolution is actually 25.7MP, raising the possibility that it’s related to the one using in Fujifilm’s X-T4 (albeit with a more conventional color filter array and no pixels masked for phase detection).

Either way, the sensor has no anti-aliasing filter and is capable of 14-bit readout at up to 12 fps. Ricoh says the new sensor has better high ISO noise characteristics than the 24MP chip in the KP and that this combines with improved processing power from its PRIME V processor and ‘Accelerators Unit II’ pre-processor to give better detail retention and noise reduction in low-light conditions. Though this could well mean noise reduction applied in to Raw data, as it did with the K-1 Mark II.

The camera can shoot at up to ISO 1,600,000.

Viewfinder

One of the most significant revisions in the K-3 III is an all-new viewfinder. Building on a Pentax tradition of large, prism-type viewfinders, the K-3 III’s viewfinder is a pentaprism offering an impressive 1.05x magnification

Viewfinder magnification figures are usually calculated with 50mm lenses, regardless of sensor size, so some of that high figure comes from the apparent magnification of the camera’s APS-C sensor. But, even taking this into account, it would be equivalent to a 0.68x magnification finder on full-frame, making it only a fraction smaller than the 0.70x finder in the Pentax K-1 models. That’s small by the standards of many mirrorless cameras, in which viewfinder size isn’t dependent on the viewing angle of the sensor, but is the largest ever fitted to an APS-C DSLR.

More than just the size, the new finder has been designed using a transparent display panel in the viewing path, rather than having the display of a separate panel projected into the finder, as was the case in previous K-3s. Ricoh says this change provides a 10% improvement in brightness over the Mark II. It also allows more flexibility in display customization.

New Autofocus module

Ricoh has developed a completely new AF module for the K-3 III. The Safox 13 has 101 AF points, 25 of which are cross-type. 41 of the AF points can be manually selected and the centermost nine points can focus at down to -4EV when paired with lenses that are F2.8 or brighter.

The optics in front of the lens module expand the coverage of AF points to be 20% wider in the frame than the Safox 11 module in the K-3 II.

On top of this, the camera’s continuous AF system has been completely reworked. The K-3 II uses a 307k-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor that provides the AF system with a higher-resolution view of the subject for subject recognition and tracking. A review of the predictive AF algorithms and the deep-learning-trained ability to recognize faces or subjects such as birds promises improved AF-C performance in a range of situations.

Improved in-body stabilization

In-body stabilization is no longer the rarity it was when Pentax first introduced its Shake Reduction system, and the K-3 III’s system has been re-worked to keep up with the competition.

The five-axis ‘SR II’ IS system is rated at 5.5EV, using CIPA standard testing, which is a 1.0EV improvement over the rated performance of the K-3 II, and 0.5EV more than the K-1 Mark II. A dedicated ‘SR’ button lets you switch the camera between the default Auto mode, off, or ‘Panning’ mode, which lets you adjust the response, if the Auto mode isn’t correctly detecting slow, intentional panning movements.

Shutter mechanism

As with all the other major components of the camera, the K-3 III’s shutter mechanism has been completely reworked. It uses a coreless motor to drive both its shutter and mirror mechanisms, improving response times. The mirror mechanism has been made lighter, to reduce inertia.

The redesign means the mirror settles quicker, giving shorter viewfinder blackout times and giving the AF and metering systems more time to assess the scene between shots. This helps support the camera’s ability to shoot at up to 12 fps (11 fps with continuous autofocus).

The shutter unit is rated to withstand 300,000 releases, and the adoption of a leaf switch mechanism under the shutter button helps give a smoother response as well as increased durability to match.

4K capture

The K-3 III becomes the first K-mount camera to offer 4K video capture. It can shoot UHD 4K at up to 30p and includes touchscreen control to avoid adding noise during recording.

Ricoh says the new IS system is quiet enough to be used during video capture, meaning the K-3 III is able to offer 3-axis (Roll, pitch and yaw) correction using mechanical stabilization, rather than the digital IS used in previous models.

How it compares…

It’s fair to say that the APS-C DSLR market is not what it once was. So we’ve tried to include meaningful reference points, however you choose to look at the K-3 III.

If you’re in the market for an enthusiast-level APS-C camera, Fujifilm’s X-T4 is the one to beat. If you’re not set on an APS-C sensor then you can get the very capable Nikon Z6 II for a similar amount of money. If it has to be a DSLR, then Nikon’s D500 remains an impressive contender, but if you have K-mount lenses you need to use, the K-1 Mark II is also worth a look.

	Pentax K-3 III	Fujifilm X-T4	Nikon Z6 II	Nikon D500	Pentax K-1 II
MSRP (body)	$1999	$1699	$1995	$2000	$1999
Sensor res.	26MP	26MP	24MP	21MP	36MP
Sensor size	APS-C	APS-C	Full-frame	APS-C	Full-frame
In-body image stabilization	5.5 stops	6.5 stops	5.0 stops	Lens only	5.0 stops
Autofocus system	Secondary PDAF (101 pts)	On-sensor	On-sensor	Secondary PDAF (151 pts)	Secondary PDAF (33 pts)
LCD type	Fixed	Fully articulating	Tilting	Tilting	Flexible-tilt
LCD size/res	3.2″ 1.6M-dot	3.2″ 2.1M-dot	3.2″ 2.1M-dot	3.2″ 2.1M-dot	3.2″ 1.0M dots
Viewfinder res / mag (equiv.)	Optical, 0.68x (equiv.)	3.69M-dot 0.77x	3.69M-dot 0.8x	Optical, 0.67x (equiv.)	Optical 0.70x
Burst speed	11 fps (12 fps with AF locked)	15 fps / 20 fps mech/ e-shutter	14 fps	10 fps	4.4 fps
Storage	1 UHS-II SD; 1 UHS-I SD	2 UHS-II SD	1 UHS-II SD; 1 CFexpress Type B / XQD	1 UHS-II SD; 1 XQD	2 UHS-I SD
Video (internal)	4K/30p 8-bit	4K/30p (4K/60p w/ 1.18x crop) 10-bit	4K/30p 8-bit	4K/30p (1.5x crop) 8-bit	Full HD / 30p 8-bit
Mic / headphone socket	Yes / Yes	Yes / Yes (with included adapter)	Yes / Yes	Yes / Yes	Yes / Yes
Battery life	800 shots	500 shots	410 shots	1240 shots	670 shots
Weight	820g (28.9oz)	607g (21.4oz)	705g (24.9oz)	860g (30.3oz)	1010g (35.6oz)

Making a pick from such a diverse list is, of course, challenging. The K-1 II will offer better image quality if you mount full-frame lenses (and what are likely to be pretty competitive, albeit ~15MP, images when cropped to APS-C), but it uses an older AF system, can’t shoot as fast, is heavier and can’t shoot 4K video. The Nikon will again offer better image quality and has a very capable AF system. The Fujifilm can shoot faster and has a much better video spec, but like the Nikon can’t offer the longer battery life or optical viewfinder of a DSLR.

Essentially, it’s impossible to say whether the K-3 III makes sense for you without knowing why you’re considering it. However, what should be clear is that it’s a well-specced machine even compared with the latest mirrorless rivals, which means it’s a fair step forward from older APS-C Pentaxes.

Body and handling

The K-3 III iterates on the ergonomics of the exiting K-3 models, which we’ve frequently praised. We’re pleased to be able to say that the K-3 III doesn’t diverge too much from this pattern: the magnesium alloy construction maintains the impressively dense and solid feeling that its predecessors conveyed. And, of course, it offers the extensive weather-sealing Pentax cameras have become known for.

The handgrip and dial position will be immediately familiar to Pentax shooters: it’s a camera that feels immediately comfortable in the hand.

Smart function button

The K-3 III iterates on the ‘Function Dial’ concept of the K-1 II. This adds an extra dial to the camera’s top plate, just forward of its rear command dial, which can be used to quickly access camera functions beyond the basic exposure controls of the two main command dials.

Rather than having a forth dial to dictate the action of the Function Dial, the K-3 III has a button that cycles the dial’s function between the options custom assigned to it. You can select up to five options from a list of 22, to give you quick access to settings such as ISO, exposure comp, AA Filter Simulation, white balance or crop mode.

It’s even possible to customize which of the sub-options of particular settings are assigned to the dial, giving quick access only to the functions you want to use.

Instead of a function dial, the K-3 III has a small control to the right of the viewfinder hump for switching between viewfinder photography, live view shooting and video mode.

Joystick

The K-3 III gains an 8-direction joystick, which allows rapid AF point selection by allowing diagonal movement. Pressing the joystick inwards resets the AF point to its central position.

Touchscreen

The K-3 III’s rear panel is a large, 3.2″ 1.62M-dot LCD. It’s a fixed panel, offering no articulation or movement, but it’s touch-sensitive in all the ways that make sense in a DSLR. In live view mode it can be used to position the AF point, position the AF point and focus, or position, acquire focus and fire the shutter. It can do similar things in movie mode and these settings can be defined separately.

The camera’s menus have been redesigned to make them touch operable and you can make all the expected pinch-to-zoom and swipe-to-scroll movements that you might expect in image playback mode.

The K-3 III’s viewfinder has an eye sensor that switching off the screen when you put your eye to the camera. The finder also protrudes further from the back of the camera than on its predecessor, reducing the risk of accidentally touching the rear screen with your nose.

Battery

The K-3 III uses the same D-LI90P battery as the K-1 Mark II. This is rated to deliver 800 shots per charge, per the CIPA standard test methods. As usual, these figures don’t necessarily reflect how many shots you’ll get (it’s not uncommon to achieve double the rated figure, depending on how you shoot), but the ability to shoot without any display panels active gives the DSLR design a major advantage over mirrorless rivals.

The battery can be charged over the camera’s USB-C socket. Sadly the K-3 III doesn’t come with an external charger for its battery, it relies on a supplied USB wall adapter and cable.

Initial impressions

The K-3 III gains an SR button. The exact function of all these buttons can be fine-tuned.

For transparency it should be made clear that, despite press releases, teasers and mockups dating back to at least September 2019, we’ve not had too much time with the K-3 Mark III, hence the lack of image samples.

However, the time we have spent, along with the details Ricoh has released make clear how much effort has gone into this camera. We also know that the Pentax system has a dedicated following who want to know about it, so we’ve tried to provide as much detail as is currently possible

Alongside this announcement, there’ll no doubt be plenty of YouTube videos ridiculing the idea of spending so much time and effort developing an enthusiast DSLR in what could be seen as the post-DSLR era. But that’s not the way I see things. I’m no Shakespearean scholar: I come not to bury the K-3 III, but to praise it. In concept at least.

When we reviewed the Nikon D850, it struck me that it might be the pinnacle of DSLR design. In part because it was so good in so many ways but also because, with the exception of a few models for the pro-sport/photojournalism niche, it seemed unlikely that there’d be many contenders for its crown.

I can’t yet say how well Ricoh has done in this regard, but it’s clear that its engineers have looked at every detail of the K-3 II and asked ‘what could be done to make this better?’

Ricoh has also developed a matching battery grip, the D-BG8. It features the same controls as the camera body. The second battery it adds can also be charged using the camera’s USB port.

There’s an argument that this is proof of Ricoh trying to produce the perfect buggy whip* when most other companies are looking at how to replace the internal combustion engine, but perhaps this only matters if you assume that every camera is trying to be the best camera for everyone. It may make sense for Ricoh to try to be the last company offering an up-to-date DSLR for those photographers who love the optical viewfinder experience.

The K-3 III’s price can also look somewhat anachronistic. The Nikon D500 was launched for $2000 and Canon’s EOS 7D Mark II for $1800, but a long time has passed since those cameras were released. It’s no longer uncommon for full-frame cameras to be released at or below $2000 (including Ricoh’s own very impressive Pentax K-1 models).

But that still assumes that these other cameras would make appropriate substitutes for the K-3 III. If you’ve spent a decent chunk of your life and your income building up a set of good Pentax lenses, that may not be the case. For some people it’ll be better to have an improved DSLR for their K-mount lenses than to have yet another mirrorless option that would still require a whole new set of lenses or risk a sub-optimal experience with adaptors.

Perhaps the only question that matters for the K-3 Mark III is: does it offer enough of an improvement to prompt existing Pentax owners to upgrade? We can’t know for certain until we’ve tested it, but it’s clear that Ricoh has done all it can to make it a ‘yes’, with promised improvements to just about every aspect of the camera. Maybe we’ve not yet seen the last great DSLR, after all.

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Slideshow: Remembering Wildlife reveals winning images for its 10th Anniversary book

Published

8 hours ago

April 26, 2025

sarosh

Remembering Wildlife reveals winning images for its 10th Anniversary book

Remembering Wildlife, a book series focused on conservation, has revealed the 20 winning photos that will be featured in its forthcoming 10th anniversary edition, 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife. The new book, set for release on October 6th, will be the series’ most ambitious project yet. It’ll bring together images spanning a decade of photographers’ work to raise awareness for endangered species.

For the first time, the project will spotlight multiple species rather than focusing on one. This book will showcase not only the winning competition entries but also standout images from the previous nine titles. It will also feature a dedicated section highlighting the plight of the world’s most trafficked mammal, the pangolin. The cover image of a pangolin was captured by Tristan Dicks.

All profits from the sale of the book will fund pangolin conservation efforts. Since launching in 2016 with Remembering Elephants, the entire series has sold over 55,000 copies and donated over $1.5 million to 79 conservation projects across 34 countries. This competition drew over 4,500 entries from photographers worldwide, with winners representing Australia, Brazil, the United States, Kenya and Namibia, to name a few.

Founded by British wildlife photographer Margot Raggett MBE, Remembering Wildlife was founded in response to a personal encounter with a poached elephant in North Kenya. For more information and to browse books and prints, check out the Remembering Wildlife website.

“Clash of the Titans” by Alessandro Marena (Italy)

Copyright: © Alessandro Marena/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Rhino, Solio Game Reserve, Laikipia, Kenya

About the image: Illegal poaching of rhinos for their horns means they remain
under huge threat. Remembering Wildlife has donated funds to several rhino
protection units and conservation projects, helping to provide smartphones fitted with
cameras and GPS systems, fuel for patrol vehicles and clothing for rangers.

“A touching moment” by Jagdeep Rajput (India)

Copyright: © Jagdeep Rajput/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Elephant, Corbett National Park, India

About the image: “A young Asian Elephant calf asking for a drink, as mother
drinks water from Ramganga river, during hot summer afternoon.”

“Age of Innocence” by Julie Oldroyd (UK)

Copyright: © Julie Oldroyd/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Polar bears, Baffin Island, Canada

About the image: “Baffin Island is one of the most majestic and pristine environments
in the world to see polar bears, especially in March and April when the sea ice has
frozen. However, with temperatures between -30 to -40 it is also one of the most
challenging to ensure you keep your hands warm to press the shutter. We had spent
most of the morning and part of the afternoon with this mother and her COYS (Cubs of
the year) which were likely a week or so out of their den.

However, just as they were settled the mother got spooked and she and the cubs ran off towards a nearby iceberg. We set off to see if we could spot them and when we got to this iceberg I couldn’t believe my eyes. The mother and cubs were huddled together on top of the iceberg. To witness such intimate moments, such as this one, between the cubs whilst their mother sleeps is something that is a once in a lifetime sighting.”

“Monkey business” by Pedro Amaral (Portugal)

Copyright: © Pedro Amaral/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

About the Image: “High in the canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, two young
mountain gorillas dangle from the branches, locked in a playful game of chase. Their
world is one of curiosity and mischief—tugging, teasing, and tumbling through the
treetops as they learn the skills they’ll need to navigate life in the wild. But this
lighthearted moment is also a testament to a serious conservation success.

Once critically endangered, mountain gorillas are now the only great ape species whose
population is increasing, thanks to anti-poaching efforts, habitat protection, and
responsible eco-tourism in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a world where every life counts, these two remind us that the future of their
species isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving, playing, and living wild and free.”

“Bengal Tiger reflection” by Bircan Harper (UK)

Copyright: © Bircan Harper/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tiger, Bandhavgarh National Park, India

About the image: Weighing up to 260kg and measuring up to 3 metres in
length, the tiger is the largest of the big cats. It is found in Asia, from India – where
two-thirds of all wild tigers live – through to the Russian Far East and into China.

“African Black Bellied Pangolin” by Alessandra Sikand (USA)

Copyright: © Alessandra Sikand/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Black bellied pangolin, Sangha Lodge, Dzanga-Sangha

About the image: National Park, Central African Republic. The landmark book 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife has a special focus on pangolins – also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet.

“5 at blue hour” by Johann du Toit (Kenya)

Copyright: © Johann du Toit/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Shompole Hide, Kenya

About the image: “Five cheetahs at the Shompole Hide at blue hour.”

“Carried away” by Vicki Jauron (USA)

Copyright: © Vicki Jauron/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Lioness and her cub, Maasai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “A lioness carries one of her two little ones to a new hiding spot in
early morning. Taken in 2021 when vehicle traffic was light and we were able to
follow without impacting her movements.”

“Leopard enjoying morning sun break” by Ifham Raji (Sri Lanka)

Copyright: © Ifham Raji/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Leopard, Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

About the image: “After three days of heavy downpour this leopard took the opportunity to enjoy the first morning sun break.”

“Puppy love” by Marcus Westberg (Portugal)

Copyright: © Marcus Westberg/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: African Wild Dog puppies, Tswalu Kalahari Nature Reserve, South Africa

About the image: Projects that Remembering Wildlife supports include vaccinating
domestic dogs to help prevent the spread of rabies to African wild dogs; GPS collars
to track their movements and even helped facilitate the translocation of 14 African
wild dogs from South Africa and Mozambique to Liwonde National Park and Majete
Wildlife Reserve, in a historic project to reintroduce this endangered species to
Malawi. Since the successful translocation, pups have been born.

“Enjoying the sunrise” by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK)

Copyright: © Mark Meth-Cohn/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tigers, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Two sub-adult tiger brothers enjoying the early morning
sunrise” Margot Raggett MBE, founder and producer of Remembering Wildlife, said: “It’s an
oft-quoted fact that there are more tigers in captivity in the U.S. than there are left in
the world, a stark reminder of how the future of tigers might end if conservationists do
not continue their focus and their fight. Tigers are a bellwether for the health of an
ecosystem. For every tiger protected in the forest, there are plants, trees, insects,
birds and other mammals who thrive.”

“In the arms of eternity” by Kim Paffen (Netherlands)

Copyright: © Kim Paffen/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Mountain Gorilla and her baby, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

About the image: “A mountain gorilla mother cradles her infant – a portrait of
tenderness etched in shadows and light. Here, where Dian Fossey’s legacy still
whispers through the bamboo, every touch is a lesson, every gaze a vow. Her quiet
strength shields not just her child, but the fragile future of species reborn from the
brink.”

“Cold callers welcome” by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK)

Copyright: © Mark Meth-Cohn/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Sloth bear, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Sloth Bear making use of an abandoned building.”

“Sunset scales” by Armand Grobler (South Africa)

Copyright: © Armand Grobler/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Pangolin, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Greater Kruger, South Africa

About the image: “The vibrant colours of a winter dusk highlight the gentle spark of life
in our planet’s most trafficked mammal.”

“Mbili bora in the rain’ by Xavier Ortega (Spain)

Copyright: © Xavier Ortega/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Masai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “The famous coalition of 5 cheetahs that ruled the Masai Mara,
during a storm.”

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Camera

Remembering Wildlife reveals winning images for its 10th Anniversary book

Published

8 hours ago

April 26, 2025

sarosh

Remembering Wildlife reveals winning images for its 10th Anniversary book

“Clash of the Titans” by Alessandro Marena (Italy)

Copyright: © Alessandro Marena/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Rhino, Solio Game Reserve, Laikipia, Kenya

About the image: Illegal poaching of rhinos for their horns means they remain under huge threat. Remembering Wildlife has donated funds to several rhino protection units and conservation projects, helping to provide smartphones fitted with cameras and GPS systems, fuel for patrol vehicles and clothing for rangers.

“A touching moment” by Jagdeep Rajput (India)

Copyright: © Jagdeep Rajput/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Elephant, Corbett National Park, India

About the image: “A young Asian Elephant calf asking for a drink, as mother drinks water from Ramganga river, during hot summer afternoon.”

“Age of Innocence” by Julie Oldroyd (UK)

Copyright: © Julie Oldroyd/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Polar bears, Baffin Island, Canada

About the image: “Baffin Island is one of the most majestic and pristine environments in the world to see polar bears, especially in March and April when the sea ice has frozen. However, with temperatures between -30 to -40 it is also one of the most challenging to ensure you keep your hands warm to press the shutter. We had spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon with this mother and her COYS (Cubs of the year) which were likely a week or so out of their den.

“Monkey business” by Pedro Amaral (Portugal)

Copyright: © Pedro Amaral/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

About the Image: “High in the canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, two young mountain gorillas dangle from the branches, locked in a playful game of chase. Their world is one of curiosity and mischief—tugging, teasing, and tumbling through the treetops as they learn the skills they’ll need to navigate life in the wild. But this lighthearted moment is also a testament to a serious conservation success.

Once critically endangered, mountain gorillas are now the only great ape species whose population is increasing, thanks to anti-poaching efforts, habitat protection, and responsible eco-tourism in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a world where every life counts, these two remind us that the future of their species isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving, playing, and living wild and free.”

“Bengal Tiger reflection” by Bircan Harper (UK)

Copyright: © Bircan Harper/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tiger, Bandhavgarh National Park, India

About the image: Weighing up to 260kg and measuring up to 3 metres in length, the tiger is the largest of the big cats. It is found in Asia, from India – where two-thirds of all wild tigers live – through to the Russian Far East and into China.

“African Black Bellied Pangolin” by Alessandra Sikand (USA)

Copyright: © Alessandra Sikand/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Black bellied pangolin, Sangha Lodge, Dzanga-Sangha

“5 at blue hour” by Johann du Toit (Kenya)

Copyright: © Johann du Toit/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Shompole Hide, Kenya

About the image: “Five cheetahs at the Shompole Hide at blue hour.”

“Carried away” by Vicki Jauron (USA)

Copyright: © Vicki Jauron/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Lioness and her cub, Maasai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “A lioness carries one of her two little ones to a new hiding spot in early morning. Taken in 2021 when vehicle traffic was light and we were able to follow without impacting her movements.”

“Leopard enjoying morning sun break” by Ifham Raji (Sri Lanka)

Copyright: © Ifham Raji/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Leopard, Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

About the image: “After three days of heavy downpour this leopard took the opportunity to enjoy the first morning sun break.”

“Puppy love” by Marcus Westberg (Portugal)

Copyright: © Marcus Westberg/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: African Wild Dog puppies, Tswalu Kalahari Nature Reserve, South Africa

About the image: Projects that Remembering Wildlife supports include vaccinating domestic dogs to help prevent the spread of rabies to African wild dogs; GPS collars to track their movements and even helped facilitate the translocation of 14 African wild dogs from South Africa and Mozambique to Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve, in a historic project to reintroduce this endangered species to Malawi. Since the successful translocation, pups have been born.

“Enjoying the sunrise” by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK)

Subject: Tigers, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Two sub-adult tiger brothers enjoying the early morning sunrise” Margot Raggett MBE, founder and producer of Remembering Wildlife, said: “It’s an oft-quoted fact that there are more tigers in captivity in the U.S. than there are left in the world, a stark reminder of how the future of tigers might end if conservationists do not continue their focus and their fight. Tigers are a bellwether for the health of an ecosystem. For every tiger protected in the forest, there are plants, trees, insects, birds and other mammals who thrive.”

“In the arms of eternity” by Kim Paffen (Netherlands)

Subject: Mountain Gorilla and her baby, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

About the image: “A mountain gorilla mother cradles her infant – a portrait of tenderness etched in shadows and light. Here, where Dian Fossey’s legacy still whispers through the bamboo, every touch is a lesson, every gaze a vow. Her quiet strength shields not just her child, but the fragile future of species reborn from the brink.”

“Cold callers welcome” by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK)

Subject: Sloth bear, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Sloth Bear making use of an abandoned building.”

“Sunset scales” by Armand Grobler (South Africa)

Subject: Pangolin, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Greater Kruger, South Africa

About the image: “The vibrant colours of a winter dusk highlight the gentle spark of life in our planet’s most trafficked mammal.”

“Mbili bora in the rain’ by Xavier Ortega (Spain)

Subject: Cheetahs, Masai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “The famous coalition of 5 cheetahs that ruled the Masai Mara, during a storm.”

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Firmware Friday: Nikon gets a 'cool' update, Sony and the Artisans get refreshed

Published

11 hours ago

April 25, 2025

sarosh

Firmware Friday: Nikon gets a 'cool' update, Sony and the Artisans get refreshed

It’s firmware Friday. Once again, Sony and Nikon lead the charge with firmware updates. Nikon even surprised us with an update to a discontinued model. The Coolpix P1000, which has become a meme in photography circles for its insane zooming capabilities, may have been discontinued in March 2024, but that doesn’t mean it’s been forgotten.

We’ve rounded up the latest firmware changes for Sony’s a7CR, a7S III and a7C II, along with updates for Nikon’s Z50 and Zfc cameras. Lenses from Chinese manufacturers TTArtisan and 7Artisans also received improvements. Here’s what came out this week.

Sony

a7CR Ver. 2.00 and a7S III Ver. 4.00 firmware updates are identical

You can download the software update using the Creators’ App, which is available for iOS and Google Play.

Benefits and improvements

Shooting & Playback functions:

Allows you to set Recognition Target to Auto, enabling the camera to automatically select subjects such as humans and animals.
Introduces support for the Framing Stabilizer feature, which automatically adjusts the composition to keep the tracked subject in the same frame position during movie recording mode.
Adds Dynamic Active mode to SteadyShot for movie recording.
Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording.
Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings.
You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
Improves image quality when applying user LUTs.
Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature.
Adds a function that allows you to narrow down played-back images using multiple filters (e.g. Rating).
Adds the Golden Ratio Grid option to the Grid Line Type setting menu.
Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature.
The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999.
Adds support for importing/switching multiple IPTC Presets.

FTP Transfer & Network functions:

Allows scheduling of FTP transfers while writing data to the camera’s storage media.
You can now automatically schedule FTP transfer of protected movies and still images.
Movies/still images transferred via FTP transfer can now be automatically protected.
You can now continue shooting while transferring captured photos and videos to a smartphone or tablet.
Transfer to smartphones and tablets can now be resumed even if interrupted in the middle of a transfer.
You can now transfer only the differences that have not yet been transferred to your smartphone or tablet, or add videos to be transferred during the transfer process.
Adds support for the Network Streaming function.
Allows you to upload camera images directly to the Creators’ Cloud.
Displays the Wi-Fi signal strength when the Wi-Fi function is On.

Please note that Ver. 2.9.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary for some of the above FTP Transfer & Network functions. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.

Others:

Allows notifications to be displayed when the latest software is available for your camera.
WPA and WEP functionalities are no longer supported.
You will no longer be able to select WPA or WEP when connecting to Wi-Fi.
Please use the more secure WPA2 or WPA3 moving forward.
Fixes an issue where the camera operation may become unstable when Pixel Mapping is performed.
Improves the operational stability of the camera.

The a7C II also got a Ver 2.00 update, with a difference in the benefits and improvements.

Shooting & Playback functions:

Allows you to set Recognition Target to Auto, enabling the camera to automatically select subjects such as humans and animals.
Introduces support for the Framing Stabilizer feature, which automatically adjusts the composition to keep the tracked subject in the same frame position during movie recording mode.
Adds Dynamic Active mode to SteadyShot for movie recording.
Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording.
Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings.
You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
Improves image quality when applying user LUTs.
Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature.
Adds a function that allows you to narrow down played-back images using multiple filters (e.g. Rating).
Adds the Golden Ratio Grid option to the Grid Line Type setting menu.
Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature.
The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999.
Adds support for importing/switching multiple IPTC Presets.

Nikon

Image: Nikon

Z 50 updates for Version 2.60 (Mac) and (Windows)

Fixed an issue where browsing other pictures would not function as expected after using a stretch gesture to zoom in on a picture taken in portrait orientation.

Z fc updates for Version 1.80 (Mac) and (Windows)

Fixed the following issues:

The values on the control panel would remain on even after the camera was turned off and the lens was removed if [On] was selected for [Connect to smart device] > [Upload while off] in the [SETUP MENU] while the camera was connected to SnapBridge via Wi-Fi.
The viewfinder display would sometimes be disrupted if the shutter-release button was pressed halfway right before entering playback mode by pressing the playback button while looking through the viewfinder with the monitor closed.
The viewfinder display would sometimes be disrupted when Picture Control settings were displayed in the i menu.

Coolpix P1000 updates for Version 1.8 (Mac) and (Windows)

Fixed an issue where the camera would in rare circumstances stop responding after burst shooting.

Lens firmware updates

TTArtisan FUJI-X AF 35mm F1.8 Mark II V1.0.2 update

Image: TTArtisan

Improved corner vignetting performance.
Fixed firmware version display errors and focus reset issues on some cameras.
Improved slow or abnormal autofocus performance on some cameras.
Must be upgraded with Windows system.
Do not update this firmware on the AF 35mm F1.8 Mark I.

7Artisans AF50mm f1.8 Z V1.01 update

Added a feature where switching to full-time AF (AF-F) allows direct transition to manual focus (MF) by rotating the focus ring.
Reduced power consumption and minimized heat generation.
Enhanced system stability.

That’s all for this week. Make sure you check in every Friday for the latest news on firmware updates for cameras and lenses. Happy updating!

Read last week’s firmware roundup

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