In today's episode a new Medium Format film camera that can shoot various aspect ratios on a single roll of film, new Adobe Premiere Color Mode to compete with DaVinci Resolve and Canon's new Cine-Servo lens.
Show Notes
Welcome back to the show, Liam here and this is Episode 502 of the Liam Photography Podcast for the week of April 16th, 2026. In today’s episode, a new Medium Format film camera, new Adobe Premiere Color Mode, Canon’s new Cine-Servo and more.
“One of the best things about medium-format photography is the variety of frame sizes available,” says a new Kickstarter campaign for the VZ-6617 variable frame medium-format film camera. The camera aims to take full advantage of this aspect of medium format, enabling photographers to swap between different framing and aspect ratios at any time, even within the same roll of film.
The VZ-6617 has a stepless “Variable Zone Film Gate” mechanism that lets photographers switch between formats ranging from 6×6 all the way up to 6×17 on the same roll of 120-format film. This eliminates the need to carry multiple medium-format camera systems and lets photographers adhere each shot to their desired format, the creator, Francis Garing of Exposing Engineering.
“Most medium-format film cameras lock photographers into a single aspect ratio for an entire roll of film,” Exposing Engineering explains. “If a photographer loads a 6×6 camera, every frame must be square. If they choose a panoramic camera, every frame must be panoramic. If they want both, they must carry multiple camera bodies with them.”
The VZ-6617’s 3D-printed, articulating Variable Zone Film Gate promises symmetric masking of the exposure area with a simple knob. Capturing frames up to 6×17 requires a lens with a very large image circle, so the VZ-6617 uses “widely available large-format lenses” and works with interchangeable lens cones that feature an integrated dark slide to support mid-roll lens swaps.
Exposing Engineering says that the VZ-6617 works with large-format lenses that have integrated shutter and aperture mechanisms, like those typically used alongside large-format view cameras. Each VZ-6617 ships with a lens cone that promises the correct spacing between the lens and the film plane.
Lenses mount using their standard thread and retaining ring, and users attach them to the integrated focusing helicoid. Focus is achieved through zone focusing or by estimating the distance to the subject and setting a matching distance mark on the helicoid. A comprehensive list of compatible lenses is available on the Kickstarter campaign page, including models from Schneider Kreuznach, Nikon, Rodenstock, and Fujifilm.
The creators explain that they went through five generations of pre-production prototypes, each with dozens of iterations. The VZ-6617 has been rigorously tested in a wide range of environments, including European streets, Bay Area beaches, desert trails in the American Southwest, and the snowy Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Although the camera withstood these tests, the team has carefully designed the new camera to be user-repairable and serviceable.
“After the Kickstarter campaign, select components and instructional videos will be made available for repair and servicing on your own,” Exposing Engineering explains. “Everything was designed with this in mind, so much so that only a single type and size of screwdriver is necessary to take the entire camera body apart. While we haven’t experienced a component or mechanism failure with our pre-production prototypes yet, we want to make sure the camera is well designed for repairability to keep performing as it should.”
The VZ-6617 starts at $549 for a starter bundle that includes the camera body and a 90mm focal length lens cone with M65 focusing helicoid. A lens is not included.
There is also an early release bundle for $649 that includes the camera, a 90mm focal length lens cone with helicoid, a magnetically attached cable release, and an optical viewfinder.
The $799 System Bundle includes the same items as the $649 bundle, plus a second lens cone of the buyer’s choice and a ground glass back.
In all cases, the buyer will need to supply their own lens.
Exposing Engineering says early release bundles are slated to ship in June, about a month after the Kickstarter campaign concludes. The project has already met its modest $7,500 funding goal and has 26 backers with nearly a month left to go.
Adobe Premiere, which torpedoed the “Pro” in its name earlier this year, has a new “first-of-its-kind” color grading system, dubbed Color Mode.
Unveiled ahead of NAB 2026, the new Color Mode, which is launching first in Adobe Premiere (beta), has been designed from the ground up for video editors. Although Adobe doesn’t say as much, the new Color Mode seems like a direct response to DaVinci Resolve’s color editing solutions, which have rightly earned Resolve many supporters and converts over the years.
“With all-new tools that work the way you think, you can finally craft brilliant color with confidence and control — right next to your edit,” Adobe promises, noting that Color Mode exists right inside of Premiere, no more “app switch required.”
The company insists that each control, layout, and interaction inside Color Mode was built with video editors in mind and designed to address their primary concerns and desires surrounding color.
“It works the way you think,” Adobe says. “The gap between how you wish your video looked and your finished result just got a lot smaller.”
These are ambitious claims, and Adobe’s attempt to achieve them relies upon the new Color Mode tab inside Premiere. When using Color Mode, a new user interface with a big preview window appears. Inside this workspace are an array of new user-adjustable Style Presets. Editors can adjust saturation shift, hue shift, and luminance shift for all of these presets, essentially crafting their own color grades. It is designed to be very easy to use.
However, for those who want even more control, there are many options in Color Mode. Video editors can tweak basic things like exposure, contrast, temperature, balance, and saturation. But specific colors can be tuned across the exposure or color range, meaning it’s straightforward to make shadows bluer, highlights more orange, and independently fine-tune each color in a video, no matter how bright or dark it is.
Friend of PetaPixel and YouTube creator Matt Johnson test drove Color Mode ahead of today’s reveal, calling it “the largest update [Premiere] has ever received.”
“Color grading has only grown in importance over the years. Having an editor-first color grading system that reimagines how to easily achieve professional color is truly a game changer,” Johnson says.
Johnson is clearly a fan, and it will be interesting to see how other Premiere users respond to the new Color Mode. It is a significant response by Adobe to competing applications in the space, namely DaVinci Resolve. Whether it keeps people invested in the Premiere ecosystem or attracts new users under Adobe’s umbrella remains to be seen.
Adobe Premiere (beta) with Color Mode is available now to Premiere and Creative Cloud Pro subscribers.
Canon has unveiled the Cine-Servo 40-1200mm T5.0-10.8 lens, a new version of the company’s extremely popular Cine-Servo 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 lens.
The new Cine-Servo 40-1200mm lens offers an expanded zoom range, being both wider and longer than before, while retaining the same size and weight of its predecessor. Like the 50-1000mm, the new Cine-Servo 40-1200mm also includes a built-in 1.5x extender, which not only increases its range to 1800mm in its native Super35 format but enlarges the image circle to cover full-frame image sensors.
It is difficult to overstate just how widely used the Canon Cine-Servo 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 lens is among broadcast and documentary applications. Numerous wildlife filmmakers have described the lens as a staple in their kit to PetaPixel over the years, and there is every reason to believe the new 40-1200mm will occupy a similar role. The video below discusses the origins of the 50-1000mm, and the lessons included apply equally to the new 40-1200mm.
The expanded zoom range, from 50-1000mm to 40-1200mm, comes at the cost of a slower maximum aperture. However, in most cases, this will likely be a worthwhile tradeoff. The lens remains at T5 until 560mm, then slows to its slowest maximum aperture of T10.8 at the extreme telephoto end.
Another big change is the move to a native RF-mount version, which was a much-requested feature. This enables Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus performance on compatible Canon EOS RF-mount cameras, including the EOS C400, EOS C80, EOS C70, EOS C50, and EOS R5 C. For the EOS C400, the new lens also supports Auto Exposure Ramping Compensation with a firmware update. This feature has been available on other EOS Cinema cameras and helps compensate for light loss during zooming, since the Cine-Servo 40-1200mm is a variable-aperture zoom.
The new Cine-Servo lens works alongside a next-generation USB-C Drive Unit. When using the new USB-C terminal with a compatible USB-PD device, the lens can zoom 50 percent faster, racking from 40mm to 1200mm in just one second, rather than the standard 1.5 seconds. The USB-C port can also be used to import/export settings, adjust servo drive preferences, perform firmware updates, and more.
The Canon Cine-Servo 40-1200mm T5.0-10.8 lens is very advanced and thus comes with a price tag to match. The lens will be available in September for an estimated retail price of $79,999, a modest increase over the $75,840 price tag of its predecessor.
There’s little doubt that the Artemis II astronauts took some astounding photos on their historic trip to the Moon, but even their photography instructors back on Earth were taken aback by just how well they did.
NASA photography and video trainers, Paul Reichert and Katrina Willoughby, tell Reuters that all astronauts undergo “four to six hours” of camera training upon joining the programme, but once they have a space assignment, they will complete 10 photography classes, which amounts to about 20 hours training.
“Most people can use a camera and get a photo that is good enough, but good enough isn’t what we’re after scientifically. We’re really teaching the astronauts how to go beyond the basics,” Willoughby tells the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). “Being able to understand how to use the equipment and what the options are gives us a lot more capability.”
Reichert and Willoughby both trained the Artemis II crew, which included building a mock-up of the Orion capsule and a giant inflatable Moon suspended in the dark.
“For training, we’ll give them a problem or request for a certain kind of photo, and then we let them work through how they’re going to accomplish the task,” Reichert tells RIT. “In the end, when they’re on their space mission, we can’t be there with them, so they need to feel confident that they can figure some of this stuff out on their own.”
Reichert notes that most astronauts have very little experience in photography, so the training before they fly is crucial. It’s not just about getting stunning photos either — the cameras are crucial to the overall operation.
“If something breaks, for example, we need a picture or video to show us on the ground what’s going on. Sometimes, the imagery is what is needed to move forward, so it is important that the crew can get it right the first time,” says Willoughby.
Much was made about the choice of camera for the mission: a 10-year-old Nikon D5 DSLR. Reichert tells Reuters that the workhorse camera is spaceflight-proven.
“We had a lot of flight experience with it,” Reichert says. “We knew it could handle radiation, at least several years of radiation dosage on the ISS, and it didn’t have any problems with it.”
As PetaPixel explains, the Nikon D5 also has incredible low-light performance and remains the best high ISO performer in all Nikon digital cameras, including mirrorless. This makes it ideal for capturing photos of the Earth — even the side that’s in shadow.
The other notable camera onboard was the iPhone 17 Pro Max, a late addition. But both the Nikon and the iPhone shared a similar challenge: transmitting the data.
“One thing we do have to think about on board is, ‘What does it take to get files down?'” Willoughby tells Reuters. “And unfortunately, we don’t have bandwidth. And that’s something a lot of people down here [on Earth] are really used to instantly having.”
Nevertheless, the crew did manage to send the photos back to Earth before their successful splashdown.
Sony’s full-frame Alpha cameras rightly get a lot of attention, especially among enthusiast and professional photographers and hybrid creators. However, the company tells PetaPixel it remains very committed to APS-C, and that demand for APS-C products has steadily increased over the years.
Among full-frame mirrorless camera manufacturers, Sony has a relatively healthy assortment of APS-C products. In Sony’s current lineup, it sells five interchangeable lens Alpha cameras with APS-C image sensors: the ZV-E10 II and ZV-E10 vlogging cameras, and the more traditional, generally photo-oriented Alpha 6100 (a6100), a6400, and a6700 models. Sony currently sells 15 APS-C E-mount lenses, including two converters. While Canon and Nikon both make APS-C mirrorless cameras and lenses, neither has the quantity or, arguably, the quality of Sony’s APS-C lineup.
Even still, Sony is consistently busier with full-frame releases. Since the company released the ZV-E10 II in July 2024, four new full-frame Alpha cameras have been released. Lenses are even more tilted toward full-frame FE models. Sony has launched seven FE lenses since the E-mount 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ OSS II arrived in 2024, and even that was just a slight refresh of an earlier model. Of Sony’s newest 15 lenses, the 16-50mm Mark II is the only APS-C model. Admittedly, Sony had something of an APS-C blowout back in June 2022 when it unveiled three new APS-C lenses, the 10-20mm f/4 PZ G, 15mm f/1.4 G, and 11mm f/1.8, all at once.
The point is that, from the outside looking in, it can seem like Sony is really only focused on full-frame cameras, but the company told PetaPixel at CP+ 2026 that this is not the case.
“APS-C is important. Looking at the market, we believe it’s growing,” said Yasufumi Machitani, General Manager, Camera Business Department, Sony Imaging Entertainment Business Unit.
“APS-C demand has been steadily growing, so we see it as important as well. We want to see the market trend and discuss future development.”
APS-C cameras are routinely popular with photographers. Although only one Sony camera made Japanese retailer Map Camera’s 10 best-selling digital cameras of 2025, the full-frame a7C II, five of the cameras on the list are APS-C models, while just three feature full-frame image sensors.
Japanese retail analyst BCN+R, which covers approximately 40 percent of Japan’s retail market, including general-purpose electronics stores, published a list of the 10 most popular cameras in Japan in 2025. The Sony ZV-E10 II was number two, while the ZV-E10 and a6400 landed in fourth and fifth place. The full-frame a7C II was eighth.
Clearly, while many hardcore photographers tend to focus relatively more on full-frame cameras and lenses, the broader market appreciates APS-C’s blend of more compact designs, lower prices, and strong photo and video features. As Fujifilm has shown with the success of its X System, APS-C cameras appeal to a wide range of photographers, from beginners to pros.
Sony told PetaPixel it does not see any difficulty marketing its APS-C products while also boasting the image quality and performance advantages of its full-frame products.
“Even if customers start with APS-C, some will upgrade to full-frame once they enjoy our products, ” Machitani explained. “We don’t limit the APS-C business.”
Looking at where Sony’s APS-C system seems to find the most success, the company’s vlogging-focused models are particularly popular. Although the a6400 and a6700 are good cameras, Sony’s emphasis on hybrid performance and video features in its APS-C product lineup has proved to be an area of relative success.
Canon has tried to grab a share of the same market with cameras like the PowerShot V1 and the EOS R50 V, but Sony was the first major manufacturer to seriously commit to the space, and it has paid dividends.
What remains to be seen is what’s next for Sony’s APS-C product lineup. Things have been pretty quiet there lately, and although the entry-level and mid-range market is not necessarily one that demands constant upgrades, it would be very interesting to see Sony give APS-C cameras higher-end photo features.
Sony, of course, won’t discuss future products, but there are plenty of photographers out there who might appreciate Sony’s take on an enthusiast-level APS-C camera with a compact but rugged a7-series body design and the company’s latest processor.
There’s always a delicate balance to strike with APS-C cameras and lenses in a predominantly full-frame product lineup. APS-C cameras and lenses are ideally smaller and lighter than their full-frame counterparts, so there is a built-in limit to how rugged and performant cameras can be and how fast lenses can be.
Another important factor in the appeal of APS-C for many customers is that cameras and lenses are relatively more affordable. It’s not feasible for any company, Sony included, to put all its latest and greatest technology in an APS-C camera targeting an aggressive price point.
However, there may be more room above the a6700’s $1,599 price point in the market. There is also a lot of space below the a7 V in Sony’s current lineup. An APS-C a7 “lite” would arguably deliver a more compelling blend of features and value than an older full-frame model, like the a7 III from 2018, which has an MSRP of $1,998.
I would love to see Sony push its APS-C cameras further in terms of features, design, and performance. Sony has so many great lenses for wildlife and sports, two genres that benefit greatly from the 1.5 times crop factor of APS-C image sensors. Although it hasn’t been updated in a while, it’s hard not to look at the Canon EOS R7 and wonder if Sony could take some inspiration. The R7, especially at launch, embraced many of Canon’s highest-end features in a slightly smaller, reasonably affordable enthusiast-oriented body design. Sony has nearly all the pieces it needs to create something with a similar spirit, but Sony Alpha technology and soul, and I think it would be a great addition to the Alpha family.
Alongside the exciting new Cine-Servo 40-1200mm T5.0-10.8 video lens, Canon also unveiled the MS-510 Multi-Purpose Camera at NAB 2026. This highly specialized new camera is not built for typical consumer use, but it’s still worth checking out thanks to its impressive technology.
At the heart of the Canon MS-510 is a newly designed Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) image sensor. This 3.2-megapixel Type 1 image sensor works fundamentally differently from the typical CMOS image sensor found in nearly every other digital camera.
A CMOS image sensor measures the amount of light that strikes each pixel and then converts the analog signal into digital data. However, a SPAD sensor instead measures each particle of light that strikes each pixel of the image sensor. That might not sound like much of a difference, but in extreme situations, it’s dramatic.
At a very simple level, with a CMOS sensor, light accumulates and charges the photodiode over a designated exposure time, and then the amount of total charge is converted into a digital signal. There are some potential issues with this type of image sensor. Beyond the risk of photodiode oversaturation, which results in blown highlights, there is also inherent noise that is amplified as the sensor’s ISO increases. Increasing the ISO essentially amplifies the sensor’s signal, including both the actual light information and the signal noise.
A SPAD sensor, on the other hand, doesn’t accumulate charge of total light, but measures each light particle (photon) that reaches a pixel. It then immediately converts the photon into an electrical charge, which is then multiplied “as an avalanche,” enabling the sensor to extract even one single photon of light as a relatively clean electrical signal.
“Both SPAD and CMOS sensors take advantage of the fact that light possesses the property of particles. While in CMOS sensors, each pixel measures the amount of light that reaches to the pixel within a given time, SPAD sensors on the other hand measure each individual light particle (i.e, photon) that reaches to the pixel. Each photon that enters the pixel immediately get converted into an electric charge, and the generated electrons are eventually multiplied as an avalanche, allowing one photon to be extracted as one electrical signal,” Canon explained in 2023.
“CMOS sensors read light as electric signals by measuring the volume of light that accumulates in a pixel within a certain time frame. This also counts the noise that enter the pixel along with the light particles (photons), hence contaminating the information received. Meanwhile, SPAD sensors digitally count individual photon particles, preventing from any analog noise to enter. This makes it possible to obtain a clear image even in dark places when there is little light, and vividly capture subjects in the darkness.”
The benefits of the SPAD sensor are especially important in extremely low-light situations. The MS-500 from 2023 could already detect subjects in light as dim as 0.001 lux, but Canon has taken things up a notch with the MS-510’s new SPAD sensor. The Canon MS-510 “achieves a minimum subject illumination of 0.0006 lux,” Canon boasts.
To illustrate just how absurd that is, a starlit night is about 0.02 lux, while a cloudy night sky, which is very dark, is 0.007 lux. The Canon MS-510 can “see” in darker conditions than even that.
The MS-510 also offers improved near-infrared sensitivity compared to its predecessor, further enhancing night-mode performance and long-range detection.
So what does one do with a camera like the MS-510? Well, it’s really for low-light security and observation, think security and infrastructure monitoring. However, Canon notes that it can also be used for wildlife observation and research, particularly of nocturnal species that would otherwise be harmed by artificial lighting.
The Canon MS-510, like the MS-500 before it, accepts broadcast lenses with the industry standard B4 mount. It works with Canon’s lineup of 2/3-inch ultra-telephoto broadcast zoom lenses, meaning the MS-510 can clearly observe objects from very far away.
It’s a very specialized camera with an equally interesting image sensor. It has a price to match. It will begin shipping later this year for $22,800.
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