Every year around Thanksgiving here in America, the Phoblographer rounds up their highly rated and best gear that we’ve reviewed. More importantly, we’ve reviewed nearly every camera, lens and accessory that came out this year. We know that you’re curious about what the best ones are. Below, you’ll find our Editor’s Choice Awards list of 2023. It rounds up the bet photography gear that came out and that we’ve reviewed during this time. Keep in mind, there’s probably more, but we haven’t published those reviews yet.

The Phoblographer’s Ethics and Practices

Before you read this Editor’s Choice selection of the best photography gear of 2023, know a few things:

• This article, and none of the reviews that we do, are sponsored. We’ve got a full ethical practices page that talks about this, and you can read about it here. As the Editor in Chief of the Phoblographer, I have no problems saying this. Several YouTubers often only talk about something if they’re paid to. This doesn’t condone good journalism practices.
• The Phoblographer also has no problems if brands cut ties with us because they don’t like what we say. Sigma has done this with us and other brands have tried to put stipulations in their product loaner agreements with us. We decline those.
• In our reviews, we talk about the gear that we’ve used for that review. We’re transparent about whether a product was loaned to us or if it’s something that we own.
• Because we review so much gear and we’ve now been around for 14 years, we’re very particular. We know when something is truly good and stands out. Because of this, our Editor’s Choice awards aren’t given out so freely.
• This year, we’ve been the most stringent that we’ve ever been about the Editor’s Choice awards. There are lots of good products — and that’s the problem.
• The Phoblographer may recieve affiliate compensation from the links in this article.

More importantly, the Phoblographer is a very small team. Only around three of us review cameras; so we have a great familiarity with things overall.

Good is the New Mediocre in a World of Mediocre Cameras

For the first time since we’ve done these awards, we’ve not given the Editor’s Choice award to a single camera. Indeed, everything that the manufacturers put out just weren’t all that star-studded. And we’re going to break this down per brand:

• Canon focused mostly on the entry-level consumer that they’re positive still exists and that might want to buy their cameras vs the plethora of good used Sony cameras on the market. What’s more, Canon’s firmware updates and feature sets basically made it feel like a repeat of Canon all over again from the early 2010s.
• Nikon’s only real camera worthy of note this year is the Nikon Zf. And we’re currently reviewing it. It’s a fantastic cmaera, but it has some very valid flaws worth discussing. Of the big three though, they should be given the most praise — especially for making the Nikon z9 autofocus so well on people of color with lots of melanin in their skin in low light.
• Sony’s a9 III was announced this year, but not released. And the pre-production variant we played with had lots of problems that we discussed in our coverage. In the APS-C camera world, Sony has always been, transparently, pathetic, in comparison to Fujifilm. With that said, the Sony a6700 still missed the mark for us in some ways.
• Fujifilm, well, didn’t do anything all that amazing. The GFX 100 II is good, but has some problems that don’t really make it worth getting in our minds.
• Panasonic did a pretty good job with their cameras, for sure. But there are some issues we have with them that continue to persist such as autofocus.
• Sigma will hopefully bow out of making cameras.
• Ricoh’s variants of the GR are nice cameras, and the celebrities are all about them. But soon enough, you’ll all realize that the lenses have issues where the sensors get dirty. And then you’ll realize that all we talk about with weather-resistance and dust-proofing are very valid when you’re investing money into a camera in this economy.
• Tamron’s lenses are forever good. But nothing really of note came from them.
• The Chinese brands are doing a pretty good job and should be closely watched.
• Leica released variants of their M11 — and those are very good for what they are. They also released the Q3, which really just didn’t do it for us at certain times.

Just a quick reminder: for lots of these brands, the camera and imaging divisions are the equivalent of a hobby project. That’s to say that they don’t bring in a lot of revenue compared to so much more. In turn, they kind of don’t seem to care.

All of this is a bigger problem when you consider that more than ever, we’re in a camera space where all the brands are sharing information, parts, and manufactuering more than ever. Tamron, Sigma, Cosina, and Hoya make lots of lenses for various camera brands. All the Chinese brands work together to the point where they have reps from one company introducing those from their competitors to us.

When everyone starts sharing the same things, the consumer suffers. And we’re likely to continue to see this unless corporate greed suddenly wakes up and starts putting longevity first. If you’re defending the camera and lens manufacturers here, consider the fact that you’re defending billion dollar companies in most cases. No one defends Walmart or Nestle — and in some cases, some brands don’t even support the slowing of global warming.

Now, we can finally talk about the best photography gear of 2023.

The Best Photography Gear of 2023

Here are our selections for the best photography gear of 2023.

Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master

In our review, we state:

In terms of image quality, the Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master is sharper than the 55mm f1.8 up until f4 and beyond, where the two lenses are indistinguishable when looking at the images at 100%. We don’t encourage pixel-peeping here, and that’s where this gets even more fascinating. When you’re looking at the photos as a whole, the Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master and the Sony 55mm f1.8 look pretty much exactly the same. And so, photographers that want to walk the line between the classic 55mm and the 50mm f1.2 might want to reach for this.

Sony 70-200mm f4 G Master II

In our review, we state:

First off, it’s a very small lens. Couple this with the fact that it’s lightweight, and you’ll be very pleased about using it. I could easily walk around the streets of NY with this lens looking like a tourist, and my back wouldn’t hurt all that much. Perhaps the most deceiving thing about the new Sony 70-200mm f4 II is the fact that it’s also a semi-macro lens. Though at macro distances, the image stabilization isn’t all that effective. This lens also displays weather resistance and fast focusing.

Viltrox 27mm f1.2

In our review, we state:

Realistically speaking, there isn’t much to say about the Viltrox 27mm f1.2 PRO lens that’s short of incredible. It delivers stellar image quality that is made even better if you use something like Tiffen Glimmer Glass. It also autofocuses almost just as well as Fujifilm’s own later and newer lenses. That’s to say that it’s more akin to focusing like many of Fujifilm’s older lenses these days. The lens is also incredibly weather-resistant and dust-resistant. Truly, putting it on your camera will feel just like you’re using a Fujifilm lens.

Viltrox 75mm f1.2

In our review, we state:

Viltrox has done what I truly didn’t think was possible — and more for the reasons that Chinese lens manufacturers have led me to believe for years. The Viltron 75mm f1.2 lens is weather-resistant to the same degrees as most Japanese-made lenses with the same claim. It’s also made with a similar feeling to that of a Fujifilm lens. Most Chinese lens manufacturers haven’t bothered with weather resistance. In fact, even the Korean ones haven’t even done anything to this degree. With the Viltrox 75mm f1.2, I truly end up asking myself why this is the case.

Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux M

In our review, we state:

The new Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux M takes what we loved about the previous generation and makes it better. It now features a built-in lens hood, which is more in line with the recent lenses. Most notably, photographers can now get even closer to their subject. But don’t worry, it’s still quintessential for street photography and an excellent all-around lens. It’s a joy to use.

Black Rapid Backpack Strap

In our review, we state:

I’ve often traveled with Blackrapid shoulder straps on my trips abroad. All those times, my left shoulder had always felt constantly irritated when my heavy backpack was on me because of the extra thickness and chafing. I’m not one to keep the camera inside when I walk around foreign cities. It’s often attached to the strap on my shoulder, with the rest of my gear inside the backpack, safely locked up. As someone who walks for hours each day when traveling, in pursuit of various kinds of pictures, my left shoulder often gets sore.

Maven Magnetic Filters

In our review, we state:

After having used so many filter brands over the years, I think I’ve found the perfect match for my lenses. The Maven Magnetic Filters are well constructed and color coded for easy selection. Most importantly, they come with strong magnets that facilitate easy attachment to your lens. Their ND filters also didn’t demonstrate any visible color casts during my tests. If you take advantage of their Indiegogo campaign offers, you can get a sizeable discount on future retail pricing. Various size step-up rings are also currently available. And Michael is also working on a compact hard case as a campaign stretch goal.

A herd of buffaloes wander parched land amidst a drought, a farmer and his cows wade knee-deep through floodwater, and people walk across a bridge over a multicolored river of trash. All three scenes were among the winning images of the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2023 competition, and all three were taken in Bangladesh.

The country is one of the most vulnerable to climate change in the world, ranking seventh on the latest Global Climate Risk Index, based on data from 2000 to 2019. It’s prone to cyclones, tornadoes and floods, and it is estimated that by 2050, one in every seven people in Bangladesh will be displaced by climate change.

Bangladeshi photographers like Shafiul Islam believe they have a responsibility to highlight these threats. His captivating image of buffalo depicts the droughts that have struck the north of the country in recent decades. Rivers, canals and reservoirs in the area have dried up, crop production is decreasing and local communities are suffering as a result, he says.

When it does rain, it pours – as shown in 18-year-old Solayman Hossain’s photo of a farmer navigating floodwaters during monsoon season in the Kushtia district, in the west of the country. Brought up in a nearby village, Hossain recounts how he has witnessed devastating changes to the environment in his lifetime. “My village has been hit with frequent flooding and cyclones which damage crops and destroy livelihoods,” he tells CNN.

As extreme weather events become more and more frequent so does the damage, displacements, and anxiety around when the next disaster will hit. “Many of us are forced to keep rebuilding our lives, often in the aftermath of each calamity,” he says.

Photography on the frontlines

Now in its 16th year, the photo competition – organized by streaming platform WaterBear and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and in partnership with Nikon – attracted thousands of submissions from over 159 countries. So it may seem surprising that three of the six category winners hailed from one country.

Sam Sutaria, CEO of WaterBear, believes it’s down to the country’s relationship with climate issues. “Bangladesh is a place where the climate crisis isn’t an abstract concept but a harsh and immediate reality. With frequent flooding, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, it’s no wonder they’re so engaged in documenting these challenges,” he says.

He adds that this year’s competition saw entries from other regions also severely threatened by climate change, such as India, West Bengal, Antarctica and Argentina. “(It proves) that photographers on the front lines of these crises are using their lenses as a force for change. They’re inspiring awareness and action by showcasing the pressing issues they face daily.”

Jahid Apu, a professional photographer from Bangladesh, took the drone shot of a bridge in the capital Dhaka surrounded by plastic waste that won the “MPB vision of the future” category. With the image, he wants to communicate the impact of plastic pollution and hopes that when people see it, they might realize the consequence of throwing away plastic and change their behavior.

“I do not take pride in a photo that someone looks at and says, ‘Wow, pretty picture…’ and moves on. For me, success is achieved when I catch the person off guard, drawing consciousness about causes, or when someone comes to me to tell me what the photograph brings to mind,” Apu tells CNN.

Sutaria believes that the winning images from this year’s prize represent a wider shift in environmental photography, away from simply portraying nature as an untouched paradise to images that carry a conservation message.

“They’re showing it in all its raw, vulnerable glory, challenging us to step up and protect it,” he says. “These photographs represent a dynamic new wave in climate storytelling.”

The Environmental Photography of the Year competition showcases photography to inspire change and climate action. In 2023, three of the six category winners were from Bangladesh, a country severely threatened by climate change. Here, in a photo by Shafiul Islam, buffaloes scour parched grasslands for food during a drought in the north of the country.

NEW DELHI: The use of forensic-aided, angle-wise photography techniques has gone up in crime investigations. Angle-wise photography involves capturing the suspects in the postures that they were seen in during the commission of a crime as captured by CCTV or videos. The technique helps match apprehended suspects with the actual perpetrators.

Data accessed by TOI shows that experts of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have employed the technique in more than 200 cases this year, compared with just over 80 last year, after a separate division was formed at the laboratory.
Deepa Verma, director, FSL, said forensics was a dynamic field. “There was a need for subject-wise photography, so we developed a division to handle it.” According to officials, the division named Suspect Identification Photo Division comprises three units with two experts in each. “We receive orders from courts, while police also often seek our assistance with photographs,” an official said.
Explaining how the process works, the official said that police officers bring CCTV footage that has captured the suspects. “Experts evaluate and analyse the footage to determine the appropriate angle for photographing the suspect. Then the cops bring the apprehended suspects to FSL, where the experts photograph and videotape them from the same angle as shown in the crime footage. The experts then compare and assess the results and submit their reports within a week for further examination,” the official said.
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, head, photo division, FSL, said, “Photographing evidence is a crucial aspect of crime scene documentation and must be done to illustrate the location of any scientific evidence. This establishes the relationships of the evidence with the victim and the victim with the place of occurrence.” Assistant director Sarvesh Kumar Singh added, “Photography, especially crime scene photography, is an important tool of forensics and it assists significantly in solving complex cases.”
On what crime scene photography entailed, Dr. Rajnish Kumar Singh, assistant PRO, said, “At any crime spot, the first thing that should be done is to document the scene with detailed photographs and videos. This includes recording all the elements present in the environment and the relative position/location of the pieces of scientific evidence. The second thing is that we have to photograph the scene quickly because environmental factors in the form of rain, onlookers or traffic can make the conditions difficult for photography or they can disturb and wipe out scientific evidence at the scene of crime. The photo experts perform their work quickly and capture as many visuals as possible from the place of occurrence.”