The December Editors' photo challenge

The theme for our December Editor's photo challenge was "Shades of Gray."

For this challenge, we asked you to share your best black and white photography. We received entries ranging from fine art to candid portraits and everything in between. As usual, DPReview readers didn't disappoint, submitting stunning images that demonstrate the raw power of monochrome.

As always, we received many more great photos than we can feature here. Our favorites, showcasing a diverse range of vision and talent, are presented in random order.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this photo challenge. If you'd like to participate in other photo challenges, you can visit our Challenges page to see currently open or upcoming challenges, or to vote in a recently closed challenge.

Dwarf dogwood

Photographer: Krummj

Photographer's statement: I took this photograph on Lena Point, in Juneau, Alaska, back in 2012. This is in the panhandle, a rainforest, on a bluff overlooking the channel. I used a tripod and pointed the camera straight down, and used manual focus. I was quite happy that all three blossoms were in focus. We have a great print of this hanging in our bedroom.

Equipment: Olympus E-5 + Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm 1:2.8-4.0 SWD

Sunset buffalo

Photographer: MRK83

Photographer's statement: Three cape buffalo at the Night Hide at Zimanga private game reserve in South Africa. There is subtle flood lighting, and the last light from the sun is visible through the clouds. Guests usually have one session in the Night Hide. For that session, they are taken to the hide in the late afternoon and picked up the next morning. There are four bunk beds, and guests take turns to nap. On this night, we saw all the big five (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo), but the rhino and leopard seemed to know we were there and did not come to the waterhole. This was the best image that I got.

Equipment: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

The lecture

Photographer: Birddogman

Photographer's statement: We took my beloved Joy to one of the family farms for her first upland bird hunt as an 11-week-old puppy. She spotted a bunch of birds about 300 yards away in the cut corn. Rather than carefully stalk them in an effort to get them to hold for a point, she charged them at full tilt.

When they all flushed, she then proceeded to chase them and bark them into the next county. She came prancing back to me and Chase, my older, experienced Brittany, proud as puppy punch and ready for great praise for her "achievement." Instead, poor Joy got a lecture from both Chase and me to the effect that "You are supposed to be a pointing dog, not a chasing dog!" Joy's chagrined expression, looking at Chase, says it all.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-T1 + Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS

Lucky tern

Photographer: vbuhay

Photographer's statement: I was hoping to catch one of those Terns diving for minnows at the foot bridge in Bolsa Chica Wetlands when this bird with a catch in its beak flew right in front of me, no more than 10 feet away. I was lucky to have pre-set up my camera, and I instinctively just pointed and squeezed the shutter release, and four frames later, it was gone.

Equipment: Nikon D750 + Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD

Framed!

Photographer: JacquesC

Photographer's statement: While walking in Dublin to do some street photography, I spotted this guy and immediately decided to photograph him. It took only seconds when the right opportunity appeared, and I was able to capture him in a split second while he was perfectly framed by other pedestrians. This shot inspired me to shoot street for many years afterwards.

Equipment: Nikon D700 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR

Oregon coast sunset

Photographer: High Desert Hiker

Photographer's statement: On a trip to the Oregon Coast, we found this rock channel at sunset. Timing the wave motion, matching the shutter speed to the water speed and maintaining an awareness for an abnormally high wave was a good challenge. While I concentrated on capturing the image, my wife let me know when a large incoming wave indicated that a retreat would be advisable. Out of roughly 40 images captured, this was the best.

Equipment: Nikon Z7 II + Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S

Down the waterfall

Photographer: TorsteinH

Photographer's statement: I was walking around a local lake. At the end of the lake, there is a dam to regulate the water level. There I found the boat that had taken a trip down the waterfall. I made several photos I was pleased with, and this one was the best in black and white.

Equipment: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

One step at a time

Photographer: pybcan45

Photographer's statement: Killing time at Musée des Beaux Arts de Québec, I was impressed by the architecture of those stairs, so I spent more time taking pictures around the stairs than inside the expo halls.

Equipment: Olympus OM-D E-M10 III + Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS

Flight 93 memorial

Photographer: Drogo B

Photographer's statement: On a clear January day in 2020, I was stunned and humbled by the stark lines of the Flight 93 Memorial. I cannot remember a federal structure ever having such an effect on me.

Equipment: Fujifilm GFX 50R + Fujifilm GF 32-64mm F4 R LM WR

Tides of silence

Photographer: MJG7328

Photographer's statement: I call this photo "Tides of Silence." It explores the desert not as landscape, but as rhythm and breath. I'm drawn to dunes as sculptural forms shaped by wind and time, where light glides across curves and settles into deep, quiet shadow. My approach to the dunes is restrained, emphasizing soft, luminous crests balanced against rich, matte darkness, allowing shadow to carry as much meaning as light. I find the dunes move like waves held in suspension, inviting contemplation rather than spectacle.

This image was taken with a medium-format digital camera and processed in black and white with a focus on tonal control, selective dodging and burning, and careful management of midtones and shadow depth. The final image emphasizes a matte black point, soft highlight rolloff, and restrained micro-contrast to preserve texture and achieve a quiet, sculptural quality.

Equipment: Fujifilm GFX 100S + Fujifilm GF 100-200mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR

Posing and opposing

Photographer: Bert959

Photographer's statement: Panganales, Madagascar. When I engaged the two girls with my camera, one of them immediately posed as a seasoned photo model. The other girl played the maybe game, rolling eyes sidewise, and unveiling a banknote in her hand. I convinced her with a smile. The black-and-white rendition much enhances the expressivity of the initial color frame.

Equipment: Leica SL2 + Leica Summilux-SL 50mm F1.4 ASPH

Manhattan Bridge

Photographer: TJ Olympus

Photographer's statement: Iconic view of one of the towers of the Manhattan Bridge framed by surrounding buildings, as seen from Washington Street in Brooklyn. The bridge, one of three classic bridges connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan, which opened in 1909, has attracted onlookers and photographers for over 100 years. The Empire State Building, built in the early 1930s, ended up being framed on the east side of the Manhattan Bridge's arched footings, as only seen from Washington Street.

Equipment: Leica M8 + Canon 50mm f/1.8 LTM

Winter tree snow fog

Photographer: James A Rinner

Photographer's statement: The day after a heavy snowstorm last year was very warm, creating fog in our backyard. This lone tree on the other side of the creek stood out of the fog. I grabbed my camera and walked through the deep snow to frame this shot.

Equipment: Leica M-Monochrom + 28mm Minolta M-Rokkor

Winter tree snow fog

Photographer: YaserDelbaz

Photographer's statement: I took this photo in a classroom. When I was teaching low-key photography. A single ray of light and a spiritual feeling emerged from this scene in the camera. I loved it myself.

Equipment: Canon EOS 6D + Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Death Valley dune

Photographer: mesaguy

Photographer's statement: A sand Dune in Death Valley, California, taken with a custom-made panoramic view camera. Shot using 120mm color transparency film and converted in Photoshop to a black and white image.

Equipment: VPan custom view camera

Distant mourning

Photographer: Occams Razor

Photographer's statement: This photo was taken in Fez, Morocco. We arrived in the late afternoon, and while most of our group headed towards the market, my wife and I walked in the opposite direction and stumbled upon this gathering at a distance. With the sun coming from a somewhat backlit angle and the atmospheric haze, a memorable scene was created, especially with the graduated tones in the background.

Equipment: Canon EOS R5 + Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM

Some shade

Photographer: coolpeeks

Photographer's statement: Saying that Tokyo gets warm in the summer is an understatement. Even large buildings get torn down and rebuilt quite frequently, so that coming back to the same place a few years apart often results in very different sights. This one was taken last summer, at the Harajuku Junction, across from the Tokyu Omotesando mall, at what would shortly be the Dior Tokyo Jingumae store.

Equipment: Nikon Z8 + Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2

Time

Photographer: Dais

Photographer's statement: Musee d'Orsay was formerly a railway station, and its large clock here allowed light to flood in. The contrasting silhouettes and the clear passing of time motif made for a fun composition.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-T2 + Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR

Iguazu Falls

Photographer: Roberto Peradotto

Photographer's statement: On a cold July morning, the waters of the Iguazu River were fast-flowing and strong. I set up my tripod as close as I could to the falls, having to dry the lens frequently.

Equipment: Nikon D60 + Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM

Milkweed seedspill

Photographer: eloquenteye

Photographer's statement: The surging regenerative power of biology! Seed pod collected in autumn, brought indoors, allowed to dry out, and ready to burst by January. Photographed in a studio with one light.

Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

By now, you may have seen our articles calling 2025 one of the most interesting years in recent history when it comes to camera releases and new lenses. We got the DPReview editorial team together to discuss why that might be, and to go a bit more in-depth on what made some of last year's most out-there releases so interesting.

Part 2 Image: Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images

Heads up: this article is the second part of our wish list and predictions article for 2026. If you missed the first part, you can read it here (preferably before continuing this one; the outro will seem completely out of the blue if you haven't read the intro).

Click here to read Part 1

Canon - What we expect

The original EOS R7 was released in mid-2022, so it's probably about due for a refresh, possibly with a faster sensor and improved ergonomics. Whether we actually get one or not will likely be a bellwether for how much faith Canon has in the future of APS-C; at the moment, it has a very complete lineup of cameras, but seems to have left pretty much all the work on lenses to third parties like Sigma and Tamron (a tale as old as time). If the EOS R7 II comes out as a strong offering, it'll be a good sign for the future of Canon's mirrorless APS-C cameras.

We also wouldn't be surprised if Canon made a run at mirrorless tilt-shift lenses this year, given that they championed them in the DSLR era, and that the rest of their lens lineup is looking relatively complete. We also expect to see at least a few refreshes of the earlier lenses for RF mount if Canon feels like they could do them better, like Nikon and Sony have done with their second-gen 24-70 F2.8s.

Finally, Nikon's very good Z5 II has made Canon's entry-level EOS R8 seem a little off the pace, so we wouldn't mind seeing a refreshed version. If Canon really wanted to go for gold, it could use the sensor from the EOS R6 III, but realistically, updating the body to have a better battery, better controls and stabilization would probably be enough to get back in the race.

Canon - What we'd like to see

Most of the major manufacturers have told us they've seen demand for compact cameras, but so far, no one has actually released a new, photo-focused option. We'd love to see the sensor from the PowerShot V1 make its way into a body with controls better-suited to photography, but given that Canon somewhat recently told us that it's working on ramping up PowerShot G7X III production, we're not sure how likely that is. Maybe enthusiasts just aren't the audience companies are aiming for with their compacts.

If Canon is going to continue the EOS R3 line, this would be the year we'd expect to see a follow-up, but we doubt that'll happen. The original came out when Canon wanted to give pros a mirrorless option without undercutting its recently-released EOS 1DX III, but now that the EOS R1 is out, it's hard to imagine what an EOS R3 II could do to differentiate itself from the full-fat pro body.

We mentioned Canon's lens lineup looking relatively complete, but the one offering it's missing is a fast, ultra-wide prime for astrophotography, which we (and by "we," we mean Dale Baskin) wouldn't mind seeing.

We'd like to see Canon copy Nikon, Panasonic, and Fujifilm's homework for firmware updates

And if we're really stretching, we'd like to see Canon copy Nikon, Panasonic, and Fujifilm's homework by bringing improvements made in newer cameras to its older models via firmware updates. We strongly suspect the EOS R5 II could handle running the EOS R6 III's live white balance picker, and that it's possible to let you map pre-burst capture to a button on the EOS R1.

Ricoh / Pentax - What we expect to see

Given that they've already been announced, it's not a bold prediction to say that we expect to see the Monochrome and HDF versions of the Ricoh GR IV this year, but we are looking forward to them.

As for Pentax, we feel that if we don't see a new film camera or DSLR from them this year, it'll be a pretty clear signal – intentional or otherwise – that they're no longer participating in the camera market. When we interviewed them in early 2025, the company said it would "carefully research the market and then listen to [its] users and DSLR fans," and then draw a business roadmap. That would imply there wasn't one before, making it hard to believe that we'll see a new camera with a Pentax badge on it this year.

Ricoh / Pentax - What we'd like to see

We'd love to see a Ricoh GR IVx with a 40mm equiv. lens, but it may be a bit too soon after the release of the IV for that, yet.

If our dreams came true, we'd also get a new film camera from Pentax, perhaps a full frame follow-up to the Pentax 17. It's hard to tell how likely that is – it's our understanding that camera's development was driven by an engineer who's now left the company – so unless the Pentax 17 sold really well, there may not be much motivation left to continue that work.

OM System - What we expect to see

The camera that stands out most in OM System's lineup is the budget-friendly OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, as it still has Olympus' nameplate and branding. While the company could theoretically give it the OM-5 treatment, updating the branding and adding USB-C and the new menus, we don't necessarily think it's likely. OM System has made it clear that it's doubling down on the adventure and nature crowd, rather than mass market consumers, and it's hard to tell whether it could make a theoretical OM-10 live up to that reputation while still keeping it at a reasonable price.

With that said, OM System has shown it's capable of surprising us. Shortly after we released our article last year, saying that we didn't expect much from them, the OM-3 arrived at our desks, clearly signaling that there's still something left in the tank there... or that they have great products that they keep waiting in the wings just to prove us wrong. If that's what it takes to get another good Micro Four Thirds camera, though, we'll take it.

OM System - What we'd like to see

When we interviewed OM System executives at CP+ in 2025, there was a lot of talk about a new Pen, continuing the line of cameras focused on "ultimate beauty and the ultimate craftsmanship." While so many manufacturers have told us that most people simply don't buy rangefinder-shaped cameras, we think OM System's ethos of travel and compactness would really work well with the concept. We're imagining an X100 rival with the OM-1/3's sensor, and while it almost certainly wouldn't come cheap, it could be a very interesting option in a market starved for truly tiny cameras.

Nikon - What we expect

Nikon is one of the few brands where I think you can make some confident predictions about what might arrive this coming year. The Z9 is a little over four years old, which is a typical lifespan for one of its flagship cameras. In addition, we've seen Nikon move towards introducing the Content Credentials image authentication system, and the current Z9 lacks the hardware to deliver it. It's impossible to know whether a replacement would use the same sensor (perhaps as a Z9S) or if there's some excellent next-gen sensor waiting in the wings to form a more substantial upgrade. We'll have to wait and see.

The other model that seems likely is a ZfcII, bringing the Z50II's improved AF and processor into the company's Instagram-friendly retro body. Of course, it could turn out that most of the demand for a classically-styled camera was from the established, enthusiast audience, rather than the younger, more social media-focused crowd that the original Zfc was aimed at, in which case perhaps the bigger Zf already plugs the gap, but we think there's room for both.

Nikon - What we'd like to see

The other model that looks due for replacement, if the sales figures justify it, is the Z30. To us, it seems like an opportunity to brand it as the ZRc and borrow some of the buzz the ZR has created. We'd expect it to still be a little more vlogging-centric than the ZR and, if we had to choose, we'd probably prefer to see a newer sensor (in both this and the hypothetical ZfcII) rather than 32-bit float audio and Raw capture, but let's see what happens.

Finally, in light of the release of the DX Nikkor 16-50mm F2.8, we'd still love to see a spiritual successor to the D500. Modern AF, a fast sensor and a decent buffer, perhaps in a recycled Z6 body, would be a lovely thing. A big battery and image stabilization would be the cherry on the cake. We're not holding our breath, though.

We'd also like to signal to the Universe (and Nikon's product planning department) that a Z-mount version of the 300mm F4 PF would be excellent, so long as there are no awkward interactions with on-sensor PDAF. And, even though it looks really unlikely, at this point, we feel we should hold out a little hope for an updated Z7 model, even if it's not clear how it'd fit in the lineup.

Tamron - What we expect to see Image: Tamron

Given that Tamron's bread and butter is lenses that are slightly off the beaten path, it's not particularly easy to guess what its next move will be. This year, we saw it complete its "trinity" of G2 F2.8 zooms, which leaves us thinking that it will revisit some of its more obscure existing lenses to improve their optics and potentially tweak their focal ranges.

Tamron - What we'd like to see Image: Tamron

While the market for primes is tipping towards saturation, it's hard not to wish that Tamron would play a more significant role in it. The company has a few offerings, like its 90mm macro, but perhaps it could take the same "find a niche and fill it" approach that it does with its zooms.

Tech - What we might see

We have a longer article going into the tech that shaped 2025, and we suspect the trends we discussed in it will continue to have an impact in 2026. If we had to bet which one will make the biggest splash, it'd be partially stacked sensors that increase readout speeds without the negative impact on dynamic range in stills that we initially thought they might come with.

While we're interested in seeing whether a higher resolution full frame option that uses the tech will appear, we're perhaps more excited about its application to other sensor sizes. If OM System and Panasonic had access to a Micro Four Thirds sensor that was fast, but not as expensive as the stacked model from the OM-1 and OM-3, or if Fujifilm had a 100MP medium format sensor that read out as quickly as previous-gen full frame ones, it could open the gates for some very interesting cameras.

We'll also be keeping a close eye on whether any manufacturers follow Sigma and Hasselblad's lead in adopting UltraHDR JPEGs. Unlike the HDR output options available in most cameras today, the format allows for more dazzling images straight out of camera, without giving up standard JPEG's broad software compatibility or harming the viewing experience on a standard DR display.

Summary

So those are our best guesses and biggest hopes on what's in store for the coming year. If our exercise in grading our 2025 predictions is anything to go by, we wouldn't recommend taking any of it to the bank. As always, the point has mostly been a bit of fun... and if we can inspire any product managers to subtly bend upcoming releases to our whims, so much the better.

Of course, we're just humans and aren't attuned to every data point and hidden trend that may be out there, lurking in plain sight. Maybe we should check in on the AI to see if it's churned out any bright ideas...

Oh. It's just told us that Canon is going to make a retro-styled model with a wind-on lever that shoots Ultra HDR JPEG in the vertical format and will only capture video in open gate. We're pretty sure it's just as thoroughly confused by recent trends in the industry as we are and is hallucinating, but after last year...

One of Abby's resolutions is to revive an old series focused on photographing artists while they work. This image was from one of those sessions.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

Happy New Year, DPReview community! For many, the start of a new year is a time to set goals (or refresh old ones), from big, bold resolutions to smaller incremental changes. So, as we kick off 2026, the DPReview team is taking time to reflect on how we did with last year's resolutions, along with what we want to accomplish this coming year.

Dale The video clip above is some b-roll for a documentary film I started shooting several years ago in and around Iquitos, Peru. One of my resolutions for 2026 is to finish the film, despite missing some key assets. (I originally shared this clip in an article about a DJI gimbal, which explains the lower thirds title.)
Video: Dale Baskin

I'm pleasantly surprised by my 2025 results. I pledged to give away gear to beginners, use my phone more as a camera, and print more photos. As the great philosopher Meat Loaf opined, "Two out of three ain't bad." (I didn't quite get to the printing)

For 2026, I simply want to take more photos. After a year focused on behind-the-scenes infrastructure projects, I'm chomping at the bit to get back into the field. Beyond that, I have three resolutions:

First, I need to return some sanity to my digital assets. I'm currently failing my own "digital shoebox" challenge, and the clutter is catching up with me. Second, I plan to use a wider variety of photo processing software. Adobe products do a great job for me, but I want to broaden my horizons. I recently started using DxO Photolab for a couple of projects, and I'm really enjoying the change of pace.

Finally, I plan to finish a documentary film project I started years ago in the Peruvian Amazon. I'm still missing some key assets I wanted to include, but like all filmmakers, I've reached the point where I just need to make it work and get it out there!

Mitchell

I'm happy I got this portrait, but it would've been nice to use a flash (and ND) to make the lighting a little more dramatic.

Fujifilm X-E5 | Fujifilm XF 33mm F1.4 | F1.4 | 1/1000 sec | ISO 160
Photo: Mitchell Clark

As is often the case with resolutions, my report card for this year is a bit shaky. I absolutely took more portraits, and think my sample galleries have been more well-rounded for it. However, I took about as many pictures with my phone this year as I did last year, and I'm not sure if I picked up a flash even once.

So, as is tradition, my resolution this year is to actually do what I said I would last year, and start practicing flash photography. But as CGP Grey once said, wishing on a star that you were better than you are is a bad strategy for improvement. Thankfully, I have some help in the form of Godox's new iT32 flash, which can easily and, more importantly, cheaply, be adapted to any camera system, which eliminates the main barrier that I had to actually using flashes. (Look, it's hard when you're a camera reviewer who's constantly changing which brand you're shooting with.) Once I get my hands on one, I'll have a great excuse to actually start using flash.

And because I'd feel bad just re-using one of my resolutions from last year, I'll also say that I spent far less time outside than I wanted to in 2025, with or without a camera. So my goal for 2026 is to get out more often to climb, hike, camp and, yes, shoot some landscapes.

Mathew Photo: Mathew Anderson

I joined DPReview in mid-2025 with the directive to revitalize the community by first helping to update the forum system. We accomplished a key forum migration milestone just a few weeks ago (although style and other improvements are still to be made), but it took up so much of my time that I didn't have a chance to share many of my actual photo-taking experiences.

2026 is going to be the year when I am much more involved in sharing my digital photography experiences with you all! I hope you will ask many questions, show curiosity about the scenes, and hopefully teach me a thing or two about what it takes to become a veteran digital photographer. I am looking forward to it!

Abby I'd like to take more portraits in general in 2025, but especially ones of artists in their element.
Photo: Abby Ferguson

Last year was a bit of an oddity for me, as I didn't set any resolutions for myself as I normally do. I started working here at DPReview right after the new year, so getting my feet under me at the new job was my primary focus at the time. Leading up to 2026, though, I've been thinking about resolutions a fair amount. The past handful of years, but especially 2025, were challenging photography-wise. I'm not going to be so bold as to say I will magically solve my photography dilemma, but there are still some things I'd like to work towards in 2026 that I've been missing lately.

One of my resolutions is to apply to more shows this year. I'd love to get my photography in front of more people beyond just social media and DPReview, and the only way that will happen is if I put in the effort. So, I'll be keeping an eye open for calls for work and putting my photographs out there to the applicable ones.

I am also setting the goal of reviving a project I worked on when I lived in Hawai'i, but put on hold when I moved a few years ago. That series was dedicated to photographing artists in their studios, documenting the details of their workspaces and also the process behind their art. Starting that project back up would allow me to take more candid portraits again, something I've been missing lately. Plus, it was a fun project that introduced me to some wonderful people, and I'd love to make time for it once again.