The PetaPixel Photography Podcast

Jared Raab, a Canadian cinematographer, filmmaker, and editor known for BlackBerry, joins the conversation. He shares his scrappy path into filmmaking, collaborative production methods, and why camcorders, snap zooms, and imperfect choices suit comedy. The discussion also covers nostalgic 16mm imagery, vintage cameras, practical lighting, and major Nikon and Canon cinema firmware upgrades.

PetaPixel is proud to partner with WhiteWall for the launch of the PetaPixel Print Shop, a series of 10 limited-edition print drops featuring photos from the PetaPixel team and partner artists. This first edition of the PetaPixel Print Shop drop will be open from November 2, 2026 through January 31, 2027. Once this limited-edition drop is completed, these photos in these exact formats, papers, colors, and frames will never be offered again. Browse the drop today and collect your print!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankDigital camera sales are slumping, OM System execs reveal they did once consider expanding out of Micro Four Thirds, and Nikon announced a new $14,000 lens. All that and more!Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro04:55 - The PetaPixel Print Shop by WhiteWall10:42 - Digital camera sales are slumping again13:41 - Canon is preparing to raise prices due to the memory crisis16:23 - OM System exec says the company did consider expanding into larger formats: https://petapixel.com/2026/11/02/om-exec-says-company-considered-expanding-into-larger-formats/32:44 - Nikon announced a new 120-300mm f/2.838:19 - Apple announced a touch MacBook Pro... so, macOS on iPad when?42:29 - Ricoh is opening a GR Space in NYC46:16 - Sony has a new 50-megapixel smartphone sensor51:07 - Sirui has a new $150 full-frame prime series52:21 - Goodwill seemingly had no idea it was selling a previously unknown Leica lens54:20 - Should toy cameras exist?1:08:50 - What have you been up to?1:15:43 - Tech Support1:32:43 - Feel good story of the week

This episode is brought to you by Epson Professional Imaging and their SureColor P-Series photographic printers. For decades, Epson has had the honor of being the choice of the world’s leading photographers - empowering artists with industry leading technology so they can bring their stories and vision to the photographic print. Discover why the print matters at http://epson.com/petapixel Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval. Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital Bank This week on the PetaPixel Podcast, the team is joined by photography legend Stephen Wilkes and his 25th anniversary exhibition of his series "America in Detail." Check out PetaPixel Merch: http://store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio: https://creators.riverside.fm/Petapixel We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/petapixel In This Episode:00:00 - Intro08:20 - We're excited to launch the PixelMeter, the first reviews aggregator for photo gear17:07 - Sigma's new 50mm f/1.4 CL DG has vintage looks but futuristic design22:51- Fujifilm launches the Instax Mini Evo 224:22 - Instagram is going to try long form again32:59 - GoPro teams up with PolarPro to solve the Mission 1's biggest weakness34:11 - Sirui's neat new tripod 35:53 - Huge Final Cut Pro updates39:09 - Review Round-Up, Sigma FP243:14 - Review Round-Up, Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 A44:11 - Review Round-Up, Sigma 50-120mm f/2.8 DC OS Contemporary45:40 - Review Round-Up, Oppo Find X10 Pro Max48:29 - Interview with photographer Stephen Wilkes1:37:05 - What have you been up to?1:46:12 - Tech support1:55:34 - Feel Good Story of the Week

Run your entire photography business in one place with Pixieset! From building your website and delivering client galleries to managing bookings, payments, and now AI-assisted photo editing, Pixieset brings your entire workflow together in one platform. With Pixieset Photo Editor, you can cull and edit your photos faster, stay true to your signature style, and deliver finished images directly to your client galleries — all without switching between tools.Whether you're new to Pixieset or already using some of its tools, there's more to explore. Every Pixieset product has a free plan, so you can try them out and see what works for you.Explore Pixieset and get started for free!Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on the PetaPixel Podcast, the team is joined by PetaPixel's Tech Editor Jeremy Gray to build their own parts bin Frankencameras. They have to build a complete camera from a limited selection of parts, showcasing what the most important features of a camera are to each of them. Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro08:28 - Changes Chris made to avoid issues with his video feed12:03 - Apple just announced an event on October 2816:12 - The FX5 delay saga appears to be at its end18:16 - Instagram CEO says it's "not practical" to ban AI content23:14 - AI can never make a lens as good as Sigma lenses, CEO says29:58 - Photographer cuts down trees for a better train photo, gets arrested34:32 - Building Our Own Frankencameras1:17:12 - Tech Support1:25:58 - Feel Good Story of the Week

Thanks to ProGrade Digital for sponsoring this episode! Go behind the scenes with Chicago Cubs team photographer Matt Dirksen to see how he photographs a season. From capturing the action to importing thousands of photos after a game, discover how ProGrade’s memory cards, readers, hubs, and docks help keep his workflow moving.Read the full story and see Matt’s photos on PetaPixel: https://petapixel.com/2026/10/14/inside-a-season-with-the-chicago-cubs-photographer/Explore ProGrade’s memory cards, readers, SSDs, hubs, and docks: https://progradedigital.com/Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval.Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital BankThis week on the PetaPixel Podcast, Chris, Jordan, Sarah, and I discuss a big heaping pile of news, including the biggest story of the week: Adobe Creative Cloud getting ripped off and rebuilt with AI. Beyond that, Getty filed for bankruptcy, Sony announced two new microphones, APS-C got a ton of love in the past week, and the OM System PEN is shaping up to be outrageously popular. Check out PetaPixel Merch: store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.In This Episode:00:00 - Intro08:06 - Photographing baseball15:25 - Adobe Creative Cloud was remade using AI24:25 - Getty is filing for bankruptcy28:01 - Godox is trying what Profoto failed to make popular34:30 - Sony has two new mics48:34 - APS-C got a lot of love this week (Sigma and Tamron)52:19 - Fujifilm's latest Instax is a new Square55:47 - The OM Pen is beyond popular1:01:50 - Japan seems to have misunderstood creator cameras1:20:43 - What have you been up to? 1:29:50 - Feel good story of the week

Sarah Teng, a photographer and imaging-industry contributor, joins Gordon Laing, a camera journalist and vintage compact expert. They explore the digicam revival, from nostalgia, flash, portability, and imperfect image quality to the tactile appeal of shooting beyond a smartphone. The discussion also covers overlooked vintage bargains, Kodak’s modern compromises, and why Fujifilm’s Pal 2 makes photography fun.

The team builds its first full-frame camera power rankings, weighing value, design, features, and real-world appeal. They debate the future of Sony’s a7S line, FX5 shipping delays, affordable Leica lens alternatives, and Final Cut Camera’s latest updates. Other topics include compact camera skepticism, creative Polaroid controls, magnetic filters, 8K video, and a clever XPan tripod bracket.

Pentax’s DSLR era comes to an end, while Fujifilm leans into toy-camera culture and GoPro joins Micro Four Thirds. The discussion explores Affinity’s powerful new RAW tools, Yellowstone’s pile of discarded lens caps, OpenAI’s reported acquisition of Glass Imaging, and acclaimed new telephoto lenses. The big debate: are camera brands misunderstanding what smartphone users actually want?

Jason Vong, a photographer, filmmaker, educator, and tech creator, joins Allison Johnson, a Verge technology journalist, for a lively camera and smartphone discussion. They weigh the stylish but divisive OM System PEN, Apple’s foldable Duo, variable aperture, subject tracking, and camera compromises. Fujifilm’s film recipes, Nikon’s cinema ambitions, Sigma’s lenses, and GoPro’s uncertain future also enter the conversation.

Which camera brands truly changed photography decade by decade? The discussion travels from Kodak’s postwar dominance and Leica’s rangefinders to Nikon’s professional SLRs, Minolta’s autofocus, Canon’s digital revolution, Sony’s mirrorless push, and Fujifilm’s retro revival. Also covered: Ricoh’s GR IVx, GoPro’s merger, Miller tripods closing, and a heartfelt remembrance of Rishi Sanyal.