Articles from Zhen Siang Yang

SIRUI has officially announced the launch of the Saturn V2 Full Frame Anamorphic Lens Series, representing a significant update to its popular Saturn anamorphic system.

DJI has officially introduced the Osmo 360 II at IFA 2026, marking a significant advancement in panoramic imaging technology.

Traditionally, shooting with an anamorphic lens has always come with its set of hurdles. While having the cinematic squeeze is nice, battling with the size and weight can be rather unpleasant. Not to mention the need for diopters just to reach a decent close-focus distance.

The Vision Prime 1 (VP-1) series full frame cine lenses were originally launched by Sirui back in February 2025, with the first batch of lenses covering all the mid-range focal lengths: the 24mm T1.4, 35mm T1.4, and 50mm T1.4.

In my previous review of the Rogeti T32MAX With C32GK + RG-1, I highlighted its strengths as a well-designed, precision tripod that solved conventional issues I had long accepted as unavoidable compromises.

Huawei's smartphone imaging innovation has come a long way since the introduction of XMage color science four years ago. The Pura series, previously known as the P series, has held its title as a photography flagship for even longer, consistently packing in all the greatest imaging technology. This year is no different with the introduction of the Pura 90s Pro Max.

For years, telephoto performance on smartphones has felt like a compromise, often forcing photographers to choose between reach and image quality. With the global launch of the Huawei Pura 90s Pro Max, Huawei is looking to shift that narrative and establish a new standard for mobile photography by bringing some of the latest imaging tech to the smartphone.  

Thypoch has been slowly making a name for itself in the industry and is no stranger today to creating modern manual lenses that pay homage to classic lenses—starting with the Simera, Eureka, and now the Ksana. The 21mm f/3.5 Asph is Thypoch's first entry in the new "Ksana" series, designed to be an ultra-light and compact everyday lens with vintage rendering.

Following my recent speculation about M-mount lenses being the next big thing, the M-mount ecosystem has seen some truly exciting developments lately. Even in such a niche and crowded market, we are still getting frequent releases from companies like Thypoch.

Behind every lens decision is a balancing act between autofocus, portability, and excellent optical quality. It usually feels like you can only pick two. But with the introduction of Viltrox's second L-mount lens, the AF 28mm f/4.5 L, we might have just found a recipe that genuinely delivers on all three fronts by making the compromise elsewhere: a fixed, slower aperture.

Let's be honest, buying a memory card is probably the most boring part of picking up new gear. It's not a shiny new lens or a camera with a red badge. But if we're being real, it is arguably the most critical piece of the puzzle. Without a memory card, cameras without built-in memory will not be able to save any data, essentially becoming an overpriced paperweight. 

There are probably as many portable flash options on the market now as there are roads that lead to Rome, and just as many reasons to use one. But if we are talking about one that has a classically inspired design, is portable, and delivers professional functionality with studio-grade lighting, we might just have a reason to get one.

As with every fast-paced, tech-driven industry, the cycle time for each incremental update in photography equipment seems to get shorter and shorter. Though it has become better for the past few years, each product launch is still not given sufficient time to mature before the next iteration is shoved down our throats.

Since the debut of the first Osmo Pocket series, launched seven years ago, it has quickly grown its user base with its one-of-a-kind design, tapping into a niche market segment by offering quality stabilized video at a pocketable size.

It has been a long time since I felt genuinely excited about a tripod and gear head, mainly because this segment of the industry has felt largely stagnant. 

From the naming convention, the Mate series flagship smartphone has always been Huawei's way of showing off what they can really do, and it has been three years since Huawei launched the Mate series globally. This time around with the Huawei Mate 80 Pro, everything revolves around a rather bold slogan: "See It True."  

The word "investment" often gets thrown around among photographers whenever new gear is discussed, as if this buzzword gave them some bragging rights that they are somehow financially savvy. It's a comforting word that makes spending large sums of money sound responsible and even borderline strategic.

Compromises, as I would describe them, are simply the consequences of decision-making. And it is something we don't talk about enough, especially in the photography industry.

Hohem, a global leader in intelligent imaging and stabilization technology, has long focused on empowering creators through precision engineering and smart design. They are also among the first to pioneer AI tracking in gimbal technology.

For as far as I can recall, I have always been somewhat skeptical about using flashes for my personal work, specifically the casual, street-documentary style shooting that I tend to do whenever I simply feel like bringing a camera out.

The narrative of smartphones launched every year has honestly been quite dull, mainly focusing on still photography — better cameras, more resolution, sharper images, and better low-light image quality. Being dull is not necessarily a bad thing; if anything, it means that we might have successfully reached the point of sufficiency for smartphone photography imaging systems.