The Panasonic Lumix S 40mm F2, pictured on an S1II body

Photo: Richard Butler

Panasonic has announced the Lumix S 40mm F2, a small, fast lens for L-mount that recalls its much-loved 20mm F1.7 prime for Micro Four Thirds.

The lens gives a fractionally-wider-than-normal field of view on full frame sensors and has been designed to match the dimensions of the 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 kit zoom for the S9, in its retracted, carry-around state.

Panasonic described it to us as "more of a muffin lens than a pancake."

The $400 lens features seven elements in six groups, with three of those elements being aspherics. Its relatively modest price results in a 7-blade aperture design, but despite this, sees seals deployed at all the key points around the lens to provide dust, splash and freeze resistance down to -10°C (14°F).

Likewise, while Panasonic has avoided the cost of including a lens hood (and the costs of designing one to match it), it's made sure to include a lens function button on the side of the barrel. The focus ring has the usual options to control focus throw and focus direction, or act as a control ring.

The S 40mm F2.0 weighs just 144g (5.1oz). It accepts the same 62mm filters as the 18-40mm and its front element has a fluorine coating.

The 40mm F2 will be available from Early June at a recommended price of $399, exc sales tax.

We've been shooting with the 40mm for a while and, even paired with an S1RII, found it plays a big part in making the camera/lens combination more carryable.

While a distortion correction profile is embedded in the lens, and we've applied it to the images in the gallery, its effects are extremely subtle. The lens is not utilizing high levels of correction.

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News Release

Newark, N.J. (April. 21, 2026) – Panasonic is pleased to introduce the new LUMIX S 40mm F2 (S-S40), an interchangeable lens based on the L-Mount system standard.

A compact, lightweight prime designed for everyday versatility, the LUMIX S 40mm F2 delivers natural-looking images with beautiful bokeh — ideal for street photography, portraits, and landscapes.

Featuring a 40mm focal length, often regarded as close to the field of view of the human eye, this single focal length lens delivers a natural perspective suited to a wide range of scenes. Its bright F2 maximum aperture creates soft and beautiful bokeh for strong subject separation in portraits and helps maintain faster shutter speeds in low-light to keep clear images without pushing ISO unnecessarily.

With an overall length of approximately 40.9mm and a weight of approximately 144g, it pairs perfectly with the compact body of the LUMIX S9, creating a lightweight, portable setup that’s easy to carry. The lens shares a similar profile with the LUMIX S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 when collapsed and maintains the same 62mm filter diameter.

While remaining compact and lightweight, the lens features a dust- and splash-resistant design for reliability in changing weather conditions. The front lens element is coated with fluorine, making it easy to remove dirt and oil from the surface.

To meet the growing demand for video production, the lens also incorporates features such as focus breathing suppression and micro-step aperture control, enabling smooth exposure transitions and high-quality video expression.

Alongside this announcement, Panasonic is also sharing its lens development roadmap, featuring a wide-angle prime lens designed to complement the compact LUMIX S9 body, and a large-aperture telephoto zoom lens to further expand the L-Mount lens lineup.

With the introduction of the new 40mm lens and its continued commitment to future lens development, Panasonic continues to expand creative possibilities for both camera enthusiasts and professionals by delivering a strong balance of image quality and mobility, contributing to the growth of the interchangeable-lens camera market.

1. Natural 40mm View with large F2 Aperture
   • 40mm focal length provides a natural perspective similar to human field of view
   • Large F2 aperture produces soft and beautiful bokeh
   • Suitable for a wide range of shooting styles including street photo, portraits, and landscapes
2. Compact, Easy-to-Carry Design
   • Compact and lightweight design measuring approx. 40.9mm in length and approx. 144g in weight
   • Sized to match the compact LUMIX S9 body for easy portability
   • Shares the same compact size and 62mm filter thread as the LUMIX S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3
3. Enhanced control and reliability
   • Features a control ring and focus button for intuitive operation and enhanced creative control
   • Dust- and splash-resistant design for reliable shooting in various conditions
   • Focus breathing suppression and micro-step aperture control support smooth video recording

The LUMIX S 40mm F2 (S-S40) will go on sale for $399.99 USD and is expected to begin shipping to customers in early June 2026.

Software company DxO has announced the ninth iteration of Nik Collection, its suite of seven creative editing plugins. Nik Collection 9 introduces updated masking tools and new filters for photographers looking to add creative finishing touches to their images.

The most notable update is the addition of more advanced masking tools via the Local Adjustments toolbar. In Nik Collection 8, DxO added the ability to import Photoshop's AI-powered selections (such as Select Subject), but otherwise, selection tools remained rather simple and required direct user input. Now, the company has added AI-powered masking to Nik Collection apps, no Photoshop or manual selections required.

One of the newly added masking tools promises to select parts of a scene based on how far they were from the camera.

Image: DxO

The updated AI masks come in two different forms. First, users can select subjects and objects, just like they can in Photoshop. There's also the new Depth Mask option, which uses AI to create a depth map, allowing users to make adjustments to specific areas based on the distance from the camera. Because it's AI-powered, it works without embedded distance data from the camera.

Both types of masking rely on local processing, so images stay on the user's computer. They can be fully adjusted and fine-tuned as needed. To aid with that, DxO added new Mask Overlays that make it easier to see where a mask is. Masks can also be copied and pasted from one filter to another, saving time from having to reselect that same area for a different adjustment.

Nik Collection 9 also features three new filters. The Chromatic Shift option recreates the look of ink misalignment from magazine days, with full control over the direction and level of shift and the colors shifted. The Glass Effect filter makes it look like your subject is behind a sheet of textured glass, and the Halation filter aims to replicate the look of the glowing highlights characteristic of certain film stocks.

DxO is also giving users more control over how those filters interact with the image. It has added 18 different blending modes to Color Efex and Analog Efex, which will be a familiar option to Photoshop users. There's also a new Preset Hover Preview option, providing instant, real-time previews of presets without clicking back and forth between the options.

A new Color Grading menu aims to make it easier to adjust the colors in a photo.

Image DxO

Lastly, there is now a color grading menu, which keeps all color controls in a single color wheel. Users can select three points for highlights, shadows and midtones, adjusting the color of each area. Additionally, a slider below the color wheel shows the color grade from shadows to highlights and allows users to shift all tones at once.

DxO's Nik Collection 9 is available for download now. It costs $180 for a new perpetual license, or $100 for those upgrading from Nik Collection 7 or 8.

An ambitious new supertall skyscraper is planned for New York City – and this one's a real head-turner. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the building will be defined by an external steel lattice that forms part of its structural system.

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Bridging the gap between portability and precision, the Spesyn Tool 3 is a smart cordless drill that's more like a workshop on-the-go. However, you only have a day left to grab it at US$179, 36% off its expected retail price, before its hugely successful launch campaign ends.

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Bigme’s HiBreak Dual pairs a 6.13-inch E Ink display with a secondary LCD screen, aiming to create a distraction-free reading device which also offers the functionality of an everyday smartphone.

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For over a decade, Saildrone has been building extreme long-endurance sail/hybrid autonomous sea vessels for ocean data collection and mapping. Now, the company is adapting the tech to create a super-quiet, long-range sub-hunter craft.

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It’s been 12 years since KTM first introduced the Freeride E as a proper off-road electric. Come to think of it, KTM can actually be considered one of the pioneers in the electric revolution.

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For decades, scientists believed that associative learning – understanding that two events are linked to each other, like a stimulus and a response – required at least some form of neural machinery. But now, a tiny unicellular creature without a trace of gray matter and living at the bottom of ponds may upend this long-held assumption.

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A flat single ounce is about as light as electric inflators for camping, backpacking and all-around outdoor fun get at this point in 2026. But that's for a model built to hold its own battery. If you're willing to forego onboard battery capability for an external power source, you can dip well below an ounce into double- or even single-digit gram territory. With its all-new AP01 Nitecore bests itself with a weight of just 0.77-oz (22-g) for a micro-inflator that can fill up a sleeping pad in just over a minute.

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After months of swirling rumors, Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that he'll be stepping down from the position later this year. He's been in the role since 2011, after being named as successor to co-founder Steve Jobs.

Replacing him will be John Ternus, who is currently senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, responsible for leading the teams that make the hardware for the iPhone, iPad, Mac and more. In his letter, Cook describes Ternus as "a brilliant engineer and thinker who has spent the past 25 years building the Apple products our users love so much, obsessed with every detail, focused on every possible way we can make something better, bolder, more beautiful, and more meaningful."

Of course, a transition this big isn't happening in a day; Cook will remain as head of the company until September 1st, 2026, and will continue on as executive chairman. (That does mean there's a chance Ternus is the one to announce the next iPhone, as those typically debut in September; a monumental task in your first few weeks as CEO.)

While Apple is, at its core, a computer and phone company, it's also a massive player in the camera industry thanks to the iPhone. When Tim Cook became CEO, the company's flagship product was the iPhone 4, a phone with a single camera taking single-shot exposures that was nevertheless just beginning to have an impact on the sales of compact cameras. Since then, smartphones have largely taken over that market, now sporting much larger sensors, advanced multi-shot stacking and several camera modules to provide a selection of focal lengths.

We'll have to wait and see if Ternus' background in hardware leads him to make different decisions than Cook, who came from the operations and logistics side of the company. And any high-level changes in the iPhone as a camera, or the Mac as an editing platform, won't be immediately obvious starting with their next versions. But over a few years, we'll start to see the impact of having a new person in charge of what is one of the world's largest camera companies.

Fully-enclosed velomobiles may offer weather protection and an aerodynamic advantage over bicycles, but their three wheels do add weight and rolling resistance. The outrigger-equipped Manta ebike, however, takes a unique alternative approach.

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For more than 140 years, the bicycle chain has barely changed. Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE), a UK-based recumbent trike maker founded in 1999, thinks it's finally time. ICE has launched PERS Chainless, a fully electric drivetrain that eliminates the chain, the gear shifter, and essentially every component that can stretch, snap, or get caked in grease. It's a world first for the industry, the company says.

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Viltrox has announced two new full-frame lenses, a 35mm F1.8 and a 55mm F1.8. The lenses are part of its Evo lineup, which it pitches as providing essential focal lengths that are sharp edge-to-edge.

The company says the lenses have apochromatic optical designs to control the color fringing that comes from chromatic aberration. The 35mm has 13 elements in 10 groups with 2 ED elements, 3 HR lenses and 1 UA element and can focus as close as 0.34m (13.4"). The 55mm, meanwhile, is made up of 13 elements in 9 groups with a similar mix of special glass as the 35mm, minus one HR lens. It can focus as close as 0.43m (16.9"). The company says the UA element used in the lenses is the same one that's found in its flagship Lab series of lenses. Both lenses have 9-bladed apertures.

Both lenses use an STM motor for autofocus. They also share a similar list of physical features: a customizable FN button, a switch to change the aperture ring from clicked to declicked, and an AF/MF switch. They also have a rubber seal on the lens mount for weather resistance, and a coating on the front lens to repel water and smudges.

The 35mm lens weighs 355g (12.5oz) for E-mount – around 20g more for Z mount – and the Sony version of the 55mm lens weighs 370g (13oz), with the same delta for Nikon. Both are relatively compact at around 76mm long and have 58mm filters.

While Viltrox has long offered both F1.8 35mm and 50mm options that were similarly lightweight and compact, it's nice to see the company build out its Evo line, especially given that it's aiming to offer quite impressive optical designs. The one somewhat disappointing aspect of the launch is mount availability: both modes will be available for Sony E and, somewhat surprisingly, given recent patent litigation, Nikon Z. It would've been nice to see it also launch for L-mount, or to at least get some hint on whether it'll be available on it in the future.

The AF 35mm F1.8 Evo (also known as the AF 35mm F1.8 II) retails for $395, and the AF 55m F1.8 Evo costs $370.

Press release:

Embracing the “Photo to Cinema” Vision in an Expanding Imaging Ecosystem at NAB Show 2026

Las Vegas, NV — April 20, 2026 — Viltrox today announced two new additions to its EVO lens lineup: the AF 35mm F1.8 EVO and AF 55mm F1.8 EVO, available in both Sony FE and Nikon Z mount systems.

The new lenses will be showcased at NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas, where Viltrox will present its theme, “Expanding the Viltrox Imaging System — From Photo to Cinema,” highlighting its growing portfolio of lenses, cinema tools, and production accessories that support creators from photography through to filmmaking.

AF 35mm F1.8 EVO Lens

The AF 35mm F1.8 EVO is designed for creators seeking a versatile, storytelling perspective. With a 63° field of view, the 35mm focal length excels in street photography, travel, and environmental portraits. A minimum object distance of 0.34m allows for detailed close-up shots, while its compact and light weight all-metal body ensures portability and longevity for everyday shooting. Fast and precise autofocus, powered by an STM stepping motor, supports both still and video applications.

Featuring a 13-element optical construction, the lens delivers sharp, high-resolution imagery from center to edge, even at its wide F1.8 aperture. Its APO-grade design minimizes chromatic aberration, ensuring accurate color and clean edges in challenging lighting conditions.

AF 55mm F1.8 EVO Lens

The AF 55mm F1.8 EVO offers a natural perspective close to the human eye, making it ideal for portraits, still life, and detail-focused imagery. A fast F1.8 aperture enables smooth, cinematic bokeh, complemented by a minimum object distance of 0.43m for close-up versatility. Its light weight balances performance with portability, and its durable metal construction is designed for reliable use and longevity in a variety of shooting conditions.

Its 13-element optical design ensures consistent sharpness across the frame, while the APO configuration effectively suppresses color fringing and preserves image clarity. Like the 35mm, it features responsive STM-driven autofocus and intuitive physical controls for seamless operation.

Brand Vision

“NAB Show 2026 marks an important step forward for Viltrox as we continue expanding our imaging system across both photography and cinema,” said Frank Fang. “With the introduction of new EVO lenses and continued development across our ecosystem, we’re excited to share a broader vision for supporting today’s image makers.”

Guided by its philosophy, “Vision to Explore,” Viltrox continues to develop tools that empower creators to push their visual ideas further, bridging the gap between photography and cinema through a connected and evolving imaging system.

Expanding the Viltrox Imaging System

At NAB 2026 Viltrox will also present a broader range of products across its ecosystem, including an expanding EVO lineup, L-mount lenses, LAB and Pro flagship optics, and cinema solutions such as the EPIC series, Raze lenses for the DJI Ronin 4D, and the NexusFocus adapter.

Attendees are invited to experience the latest Viltrox innovations at Booth 5735, which will feature live shooting environments demonstrating real-world creative applications.

Where to buy

For more information, please visit:

55mm F1.8 EVO Z

https://viltrox.com/products/af-55mm-f1-8-z

35mm F1.8 EVO Z

https://viltrox.com/products/af-35mm-f1-8-z

55mm F1.8 EVO FE

https://viltrox.com/products/af-55mm-f1-8-fe

35mm F1.8 EVO FE

https://viltrox.com/products/af-35mm-f1-8-fe

MSRP:

AF 35mm F1.8 EVO: 395 USD / 459 EUR / 385 GBP

AF 55mm F1.8 EVO: 370 USD / 429 EUR / 359 GBP

Finland's just inaugurated its longest bridge, and not a single a car or motorcycle will ever be allowed on it.

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A one-button self-adjusting pillow that gently shifts your sleep position throughout the night – without waking you – aims to eliminate the health and well-being issues we face as we become increasingly sedentary in bed as we age.

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Last week, GoPro announced the Mission 1 series, a lineup of what the company says are "compact cinema cameras" with Type 1 sensors, the ability to shoot 4K/120 open gate and, on one of them, a Micro Four Thirds mount. But a key part of the story was missing: the price.

Thankfully, GoPro has just announced it, earlier than expected. The standard Mission 1 will retail for $599, while the Mission 1 Pro and Mission 1 Pro ILS will both sell for $699 (though, of course, it's bring your own lens with the latter). If you pay for the company's subscription service, which includes the ability to automatically upload footage from your camera to the cloud, you can get $100 off the MSRP of one of the cameras, or up to $150 off one of the accessory bundles.

If you want to get the full story on the cameras, you can read our coverage here. The prices, added to the fact that the cameras were announced at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, and that the camera's maximum bitrate was designed to meet Netflix's requirements, suggest that the Mission 1 series is less consumer-oriented than the Hero series; the Hero 13 Black retails for around $430. They also put the Mission 1 Pro ILS in competition with some other video-focused, APS-C interchangeable lens cameras, such as the Canon EOS R50V and Nikon Z30.

The company has started accepting preorders on its site for the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro, which will be available starting May 28th. The version with the lens mount is still set to arrive in "Q3 2026."

The era of us laughing at humanoids playing sport may now be behind us – for the most part – as a field of robots competing in a half marathon in Beijing demonstrated how frighteningly fast the technology has developed in just 12 months. Even if one model had a day to forget, smashing into pieces after tripping at the starting line, the record-setting winner is a sign of things to come.

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If it feels like AI is developing too fast to keep up with, a group of Chinese researchers have some bad news – because they've developed a model that "evolves" on its own, creating better versions of itself with each self-analytical loop.

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While there are already bike helmets that provide vital wearer info in the event of a crash, they typically use electronics that must be built into the helmet. A new high-tech buckle, however, can simply be added to any existing helmet.

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