Photo: Abby Ferguson

Embedding social media posts has become a widespread practice and a critical tool for all sorts of websites. It allows sites to share content without hosting it themselves, opening the doors to showcase more dynamic content and user-generated or brand materials. Now, though, a photographer is asking the US Supreme Court to consider if embedding social media content is a violation of copyright.

As initially reported by Digital Camera World, photographer Elliot McGucken filed a petition for certiorari (a request to review) on March 28. This petition is part of his lawsuit against media company Valnet, Inc., which runs thetravel.com. The lawsuit results from The Travel embedding 36 photographs in McGucken's Instagram posts across multiple articles without his permission. The case argues that embedding a copyrighted work without the artist's permission is copyright infringement.

This debate, which centers around the "server test," is far from new. The server test was a guideline initially established in a 2007 Ninth Circuit Court decision. It essentially says that if a website hosts a copyrighted image on its own systems, it is a copyright violation. But if the website uses third-party hosting, such as by embedding a social media post or an image from an artist's website, it does not violate copyright.

There have been multiple challenges since the initial guideline was established. However, the most recent (outside of this new case) was in 2023, when photographers Alexis Hunley and Matthew Brauer filed a class action lawsuit against Instagram. They claimed that Instagram violated their copyright by allowing Time and Buzzfeed to embed photos they shared on their Instagram profiles. A three-judge panel at the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Instagram was not liable for copyright infringement, though, explaining that when a photo or video is embedded, no copy is made.

The district courts and Ninth Circuit court have already dismissed the complaints, but the photographer has now asked the Supreme Court to weigh in. The petition gives multiple reasons for why it should be granted, one of which is that it "presents a clear legal question that has divided the federal courts." However, as VitalLaw reports, district courts in the Second, Fifth and Tenth Circuits, including a federal court in Manhattan, have all rejected it.

Instagram, like many other social media platforms, allows users to turn off embedding, which prevents websites from sharing content in this way. Instagram rolled this out in 2021, and users can change the setting under the "How others can interact with you" option inside the Settings menu.

The Supreme Court has until May 1 to issue a response.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Embedding social media posts has become a widespread practice and a critical tool for all sorts of websites. It allows sites to share content without hosting it themselves, opening the doors to showcase more dynamic content and user-generated or brand materials. Now, though, a photographer is asking the US Supreme Court to consider if embedding social media content is a violation of copyright.

As initially reported by Digital Camera World, photographer Elliot McGucken filed a petition for certiorari (a request to review) on March 28. This petition is part of his lawsuit against media company Valnet, Inc., which runs thetravel.com. The lawsuit results from The Travel embedding 36 photographs in McGucken's Instagram posts across multiple articles without his permission. The case argues that embedding a copyrighted work without the artist's permission is copyright infringement.

This debate, which centers around the "server test," is far from new. The server test was a guideline initially established in a 2007 Ninth Circuit Court decision. It essentially says that if a website hosts a copyrighted image on its own systems, it is a copyright violation. But if the website uses third-party hosting, such as by embedding a social media post or an image from an artist's website, it does not violate copyright.

There have been multiple challenges since the initial guideline was established. However, the most recent (outside of this new case) was in 2023, when photographers Alexis Hunley and Matthew Brauer filed a class action lawsuit against Instagram. They claimed that Instagram violated their copyright by allowing Time and Buzzfeed to embed photos they shared on their Instagram profiles. A three-judge panel at the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Instagram was not liable for copyright infringement, though, explaining that when a photo or video is embedded, no copy is made.

The district courts and Ninth Circuit court have already dismissed the complaints, but the photographer has now asked the Supreme Court to weigh in. The petition gives multiple reasons for why it should be granted, one of which is that it "presents a clear legal question that has divided the federal courts." However, as VitalLaw reports, district courts in the Second, Fifth and Tenth Circuits, including a federal court in Manhattan, have all rejected it.

Instagram, like many other social media platforms, allows users to turn off embedding, which prevents websites from sharing content in this way. Instagram rolled this out in 2021, and users can change the setting under the "How others can interact with you" option inside the Settings menu.

The Supreme Court has until May 1 to issue a response.

Did you know you emit a variety of gases through your skin all day long? These vapors, which include carbon dioxide, water vapor, and volatile organic compounds such as ammonia, can reveal vital information about your metabolic status, disease states, and overall health. Now, there's a wearable that can detect and analyze these for you.

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Category: Medical Innovations, Body & Mind

Tags: Skin, Wearable, Northwestern University, Gas, Monitoring, Health, Healing

Four tiny 3D organs connected themselves in a lab dish, forming a replica of the human pain pathway, in a new study. The discovery allows scientists to better understand chronic pain and how pain perception is affected by conditions like autism and offers an animal-free method of testing pain treatments.

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Category: Chronic Pain, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind

Tags: Chronic pain, Autism spectrum disorder, Pain hypersensitivity, organoid, Assembloid, Stanford University

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. PowerShot V1 | 25.6mm (50mm equiv.) | F4.5 | 1/640 sec. | ISO 125
Photo: Mitchell Clark

Canon recently made its PowerShot V1 compact available globally, after it was initially launched for the Asian market. While the company's marketing it as a vlogging camera, photographers also seem to have taken an interest in it, with its reasonably large Type 1.4 (18.4 x 12.3mm) sensor paired with a 16-50mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 lens.

We've gotten the opportunity to shoot with it a bit and have put together a sample gallery, which should give you some idea of how the sensor and lens perform. We'll dig deeper into image quality in our full review.

See the sample gallery

Given that it's a vlogging camera, we've also put together some sample footage taken with it. It's embedded below, though do note that you may need to click through to watch the video on YouTube if you want to see it at its maximum quality.

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

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How small can you realistically go before a tiny house becomes impractical? We're not sure, but Sweden's Vagabond Haven must be nearing that point with its Honey 216, which combines a well-designed but tiny interior with a price tag to match.

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Category: Tiny Houses, Lifestyle

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home

French scientists have uncovered an odd superpower triggered by tapping your finger to a rhythm – it can help you hear and understand someone talking to you in a noisy environment, such as a party or a busy cafe. While it may sound a little woo-woo, there is a reason for it.

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Category: Learning & Memory, Brain Health, Body & Mind

Tags: Aix-Marseille Universite, Hearing Impaired, Hearing, Language, ADHD, Developmental conditions, Neurological, Neuroscience, Motor Skills, Brain stimulation

I've loved being a cat parent to our little Neko over the last couple of years, but I don't envy folks with several cats who have to repeatedly clean out their litter boxes.

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Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Pets, Cats, Kickstarter

A decade-long study of around 35 million Americans in 10 states has found that group A streptococcus infections have more than doubled by 2022. What's more, "strep" – which also causes a bizarre flesh-eating disease – had become shockingly resistant to common antibiotics.

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Category: Infectious Diseases, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind

Tags: CDC, Infections, Transmission, Coronavirus (COVID-19), Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Bacteria, Hygiene

If you've been wondering how long the day on Uranus is, you probably need to get out more. But if you have, you'll be interested to know that observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have shown that it's 28 seconds longer than previously thought.

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Category: Space, Science

Tags: Hubble, Uranus, Astronomy, ESA, Planet

A screenshot of the Google Learning Light Experiment.

Understanding how to control light is one of the more complex parts of learning photography. That's why introductory photography classes typically focus exclusively on ambient light and why there are entire semester-long classes dedicated to lighting. Learning how to manipulate light could get easier now, though, with Google's new Learning Light tool.

Learning Light is part of Google's newly released series of AI "experiments" focused on arts and culture. It combines an AI chatbot with a virtual stage, allowing users to learn about different lighting setups and see them in action. The chatbot, with its delightfully retro LuxeBot3000 name, walks you through eight mini-lessons covering different aspects of lighting, including intensity, color, shape, position, mood and more. There are also four different lessons on the lighting in specific artworks, such as Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

The chatbot walks you through various aspects of lighting.

The lessons are very quick and straightforward. Instead of allowing open-ended chats, the chatbot provides preset answers for users to select from. In fact, the chat bar is fully disabled during the lessons, so there's not even an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. You can, however, choose to exit the guide at any time and play around, which is where I think the tool could be most useful.

Outside of the guide, you can manually adjust multiple settings for six different lights. Users can control power, angle, penumbra, hue and saturation for each individual light or adjust those settings for groupings of lights. The set starts with a mannequin and plant, but you can also add additional props like a couch, plants, and an old-school TV. You can also change the backdrop from a basic studio setting to real-world options like a restaurant, ski resort, train station and more.

There's a rather odd selection of props available.

Of course, the tool is far from perfect. The selection of props is quite small and rather strange (I don't know too many photographers who use a busted-up cardboard box, rusted barrel, or two fire hydrants as props). The lights can't change position, either, so you're stuck with the existing positioning. Additionally, since it is focused on stage lighting, it lacks accessories photographers would use to modify the light, like softboxes or beauty dishes.

The chatbot is also rather limited and not extremely helpful. It is only able to make changes to the properties of the available lights or answer very basic questions about lighting. In fact, it seems a bit odd that this is based on Google's 'Gemini' generative AI tech. Given the long list of limitations, it's a bit like watering houseplants with a fire hose. Perhaps that means that more advanced tools and features could come later, but for now, a lot of technology is backing a fairly simple platform.

Learning Light can walk you through creating a lighting scenario inspired by Nobility in the Evening Cool (Koki nōryō no zu) by Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu.

Despite its flaws, the Learning Light Experiment has benefits. The simple controls make it very approachable no matter someone's experience level, providing a good introduction to what's possible with lighting. It could also be useful for planning basic lighting scenarios for shoots. Perhaps most important, though, is that it's free. More capable programs for playing around with lighting setups can cost substantially more, such as set.a.light 3D, which costs a minimum of $119 when full-price. That could be a hard sell for beginner photographers, so it is nice to see a free platform, even if it is more limited.

A screenshot of the Google Learning Light Experiment.

Understanding how to control light is one of the more complex parts of learning photography. That's why introductory photography classes typically focus exclusively on ambient light and why there are entire semester-long classes dedicated to lighting. Learning how to manipulate light could get easier now, though, with Google's new Learning Light tool.

Learning Light is part of Google's newly released series of AI "experiments" focused on arts and culture. It combines an AI chatbot with a virtual stage, allowing users to learn about different lighting setups and see them in action. The chatbot, with its delightfully retro LuxeBot3000 name, walks you through eight mini-lessons covering different aspects of lighting, including intensity, color, shape, position, mood and more. There are also four different lessons on the lighting in specific artworks, such as Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

The chatbot walks you through various aspects of lighting.

The lessons are very quick and straightforward. Instead of allowing open-ended chats, the chatbot provides preset answers for users to select from. In fact, the chat bar is fully disabled during the lessons, so there's not even an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. You can, however, choose to exit the guide at any time and play around, which is where I think the tool could be most useful.

Outside of the guide, you can manually adjust multiple settings for six different lights. Users can control power, angle, penumbra, hue and saturation for each individual light or adjust those settings for groupings of lights. The set starts with a mannequin and plant, but you can also add additional props like a couch, plants, and an old-school TV. You can also change the backdrop from a basic studio setting to real-world options like a restaurant, ski resort, train station and more.

There's a rather odd selection of props available.

Of course, the tool is far from perfect. The selection of props is quite small and rather strange (I don't know too many photographers who use a busted-up cardboard box, rusted barrel, or two fire hydrants as props). The lights can't change position, either, so you're stuck with the existing positioning. Additionally, since it is focused on stage lighting, it lacks accessories photographers would use to modify the light, like softboxes or beauty dishes.

The chatbot is also rather limited and not extremely helpful. It is only able to make changes to the properties of the available lights or answer very basic questions about lighting. In fact, it seems a bit odd that this is based on Google's 'Gemini' generative AI tech. Given the long list of limitations, it's a bit like watering houseplants with a fire hose. Perhaps that means that more advanced tools and features could come later, but for now, a lot of technology is backing a fairly simple platform.

Learning Light can walk you through creating a lighting scenario inspired by Nobility in the Evening Cool (Koki nōryō no zu) by Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu.

Despite its flaws, the Learning Light Experiment has benefits. The simple controls make it very approachable no matter someone's experience level, providing a good introduction to what's possible with lighting. It could also be useful for planning basic lighting scenarios for shoots. Perhaps most important, though, is that it's free. More capable programs for playing around with lighting setups can cost substantially more, such as set.a.light 3D, which costs a minimum of $119 when full-price. That could be a hard sell for beginner photographers, so it is nice to see a free platform, even if it is more limited.

Photo: Fujifilm

Fujifilm has announced its latest Instax Mini camera, the retro-looking Instax Mini 41. The company says that the new instant camera features a "stylish new look and improved functionality" compared to its predecessor. The Instax Mini 40 came out four years ago, so it is nice to see a refresh. Unfortunately, for anyone hoping for a massive revamp, it's only a subtle update.

The most significant change to the Instax Mini 41 is a fresh look. Unlike the faux leather finish on the Mini 40, the updated camera features a "textured, tactile body" to provide a "secure, ergonomic grip." It also offers a metallic-looking (though not actual metal) finish and orange color accents for a more polished look.

Fujifilm promises better close-ups thanks to the added parallax correction.

Image: Fujifilm

Beyond its new look, the camera also promises improved close-up images. Given that the viewfinder and close-up lens on Instax cameras aren't perfectly lined up, what you see through the viewfinder isn't exactly what the final composition will be. To address this, Fujifilm added parallax correction, which makes it easier to center subjects. The closeup mode is meant for subjects from 30-50cm (11.8-19.7") and doubles as a selfie mode.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 will be available for purchase by the end of April. Interestingly, Fujifilm did not provide any US pricing for the camera, which is unusual for the company. The camera is currently listed on B&H with the option to sign up for notifications, but no price is listed. Likewise, the listing on the Fujifilm website lacks a price as well. While it didn't say specifically that the lack of a price is a result of uncertainty related to the US tariffs, that could be the cause.

Press release:

A Stylish Update in Instant Photography: Fujifilm Introduces instax mini 41™ Instant Camera

VALHALLA, N.Y., April 7, 2025 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Imaging Division, today announced the introduction of its new instax mini 41™ Instant Camera (“mini 41”). Updated with a stylish new look and improved functionality over its predecessor, instax mini 40™, including advancements in parallax correction and automatic flash control.

“Mini 41 is made for image makers who care about both form and function,” said Bing Liem, division president, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “Mini 41 takes everything our consumers loved about mini 40 and levels up with enhanced performance and a modern design update – it’s easy to carry, easy to use, and matches the stylish aesthetic so many of our users bring to their photography.”

Key mini 41 features include:

Automatic Exposure functionality

The Automatic Exposure function automatically senses the level of ambient light when the shutter button is pressed, optimizing the shutter speed and flash output according to the scene. It allows users to produce high-quality photo prints on-the-spot in a variety of interior or exterior environments.

Close-up Mode with Parallax Correction

Mini 41’s close-up mode features Parallax Correction, which helps center close-up images (including selfies) by adjusting the position of the ‘focus’ mark to the lower left of the frame.

Updated, easily portable design

Building off the classic design elements of its predecessor, the textured, tactile body of mini 41 provides secure, ergonomic grip, and the subtle metallic-like finish and orange color accents add unique design elements to the camera body.

Availability:

Mini 41 joins a fun and versatile lineup of instax™ instant cameras and Smartphone printers. Fujifilm’s instax mini 41™ instant camera will be available for purchase by the end of April 2025.

For more information about instax mini 41™ instant camera, visit https://www.instaxus.com/cameras/instax-mini-41.

Photo: Fujifilm

Fujifilm has announced its latest Instax Mini camera, the retro-looking Instax Mini 41. The company says that the new instant camera features a "stylish new look and improved functionality" compared to its predecessor. The Instax Mini 40 came out four years ago, so it is nice to see a refresh. Unfortunately, for anyone hoping for a massive revamp, it's only a subtle update.

The most significant change to the Instax Mini 41 is a fresh look. Unlike the faux leather finish on the Mini 40, the updated camera features a "textured, tactile body" to provide a "secure, ergonomic grip." It also offers a metallic-looking (though not actual metal) finish and orange color accents for a more polished look.

Fujifilm promises better close-ups thanks to the added parallax correction.

Image: Fujifilm

Beyond its new look, the camera also promises improved close-up images. Given that the viewfinder and close-up lens on Instax cameras aren't perfectly lined up, what you see through the viewfinder isn't exactly what the final composition will be. To address this, Fujifilm added parallax correction, which makes it easier to center subjects. The closeup mode is meant for subjects from 30-50cm (11.8-19.7") and doubles as a selfie mode.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 will be available for purchase by the end of April. Interestingly, Fujifilm did not provide any US pricing for the camera, which is unusual for the company. The camera is currently listed on B&H with the option to sign up for notifications, but no price is listed. Likewise, the listing on the Fujifilm website lacks a price as well. While it didn't say specifically that the lack of a price is a result of uncertainty related to the US tariffs, that could be the cause.

Press release:

A Stylish Update in Instant Photography: Fujifilm Introduces instax mini 41™ Instant Camera

VALHALLA, N.Y., April 7, 2025 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Imaging Division, today announced the introduction of its new instax mini 41™ Instant Camera (“mini 41”). Updated with a stylish new look and improved functionality over its predecessor, instax mini 40™, including advancements in parallax correction and automatic flash control.

“Mini 41 is made for image makers who care about both form and function,” said Bing Liem, division president, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “Mini 41 takes everything our consumers loved about mini 40 and levels up with enhanced performance and a modern design update – it’s easy to carry, easy to use, and matches the stylish aesthetic so many of our users bring to their photography.”

Key mini 41 features include:

Automatic Exposure functionality

The Automatic Exposure function automatically senses the level of ambient light when the shutter button is pressed, optimizing the shutter speed and flash output according to the scene. It allows users to produce high-quality photo prints on-the-spot in a variety of interior or exterior environments.

Close-up Mode with Parallax Correction

Mini 41’s close-up mode features Parallax Correction, which helps center close-up images (including selfies) by adjusting the position of the ‘focus’ mark to the lower left of the frame.

Updated, easily portable design

Building off the classic design elements of its predecessor, the textured, tactile body of mini 41 provides secure, ergonomic grip, and the subtle metallic-like finish and orange color accents add unique design elements to the camera body.

Availability:

Mini 41 joins a fun and versatile lineup of instax™ instant cameras and Smartphone printers. Fujifilm’s instax mini 41™ instant camera will be available for purchase by the end of April 2025.

For more information about instax mini 41™ instant camera, visit https://www.instaxus.com/cameras/instax-mini-41.

If you're gonna be inserting an object into one of your bodily orifices anyways, why not have it check up on you while it's in there? That's exactly what the OpenEarable 2.0 earphones do, using integrated sensors to measure over 30 physiological parameters.

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Category: Wearables, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Earbuds, Earphones, Diagnostic devices

Image: Content Authenticity Initiative

Panasonic has become the latest camera company to become a member of the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), joining Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Leica. The organization aims to coordinate the industry's efforts to create transparency around how images were created, using tools like C2PA Content Credentials that certify details about how an image was made and edited – especially useful as generative AI becomes increasingly accessible.

In a blog post on its website, the CAI says Panasonic is "joining more than 4,500 media and technology companies, non-profits, creators, educators" to help "build trust and transparency in our digital ecosystem." The post quotes Toshiyuki Tsumura, Business Division Executive of the Imaging Solution Business Division at Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., who says: "By joining the CAI, we are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content, and fostering an environment of trust and transparency online."

"We are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content"

The post doesn't mention any concrete details, like whether this means we'll see content authenticity tools in current or upcoming Lumix cameras. Historically, the matter has been complicated – Fujifilm joined the CAI in early 2024, but in an interview last month, it told us that it was "still developing and investigating how to implement the CAI and the C2PA."

Even brands that have implemented it don't necessarily make the tech available to everyone – some Leica models come with support for Content Credentials unlocked out of the box, but companies like Nikon and Sony have said their authenticity features will mainly be for news agencies. Many of Panasonic's stills cameras are more consumer-oriented, though models like the S1RII are explicitly aimed at professionals and come with features that would mainly be worthwhile for those users. The company is also a big player in the professional video market and makes several cameras specifically aimed at news companies.

However Panasonic chooses to work with the CAI and implement its technologies, this seems like another step forward for content authenticity initiatives. Rebuilding the public's trust in the images they see online will only become more important in the future, and it would be an extremely large task for companies to accomplish alone. Organizations like the CAI help streamline the process and make sure that everyone in the chain has a say, including camera companies, photo editing software companies and technology companies whose platforms will be used to share images.

Image: Content Authenticity Initiative

Panasonic has become the latest camera company to become a member of the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), joining Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Leica. The organization aims to coordinate the industry's efforts to create transparency around how images were created, using tools like C2PA Content Credentials that certify details about how an image was made and edited – especially useful as generative AI becomes increasingly accessible.

In a blog post on its website, the CAI says Panasonic is "joining more than 4,500 media and technology companies, non-profits, creators, educators" to help "build trust and transparency in our digital ecosystem." The post quotes Toshiyuki Tsumura, Business Division Executive of the Imaging Solution Business Division at Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., who says: "By joining the CAI, we are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content, and fostering an environment of trust and transparency online."

"We are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content"

The post doesn't mention any concrete details, like whether this means we'll see content authenticity tools in current or upcoming Lumix cameras. Historically, the matter has been complicated – Fujifilm joined the CAI in early 2024, but in an interview last month, it told us that it was "still developing and investigating how to implement the CAI and the C2PA."

Even brands that have implemented it don't necessarily make the tech available to everyone – some Leica models come with support for Content Credentials unlocked out of the box, but companies like Nikon and Sony have said their authenticity features will mainly be for news agencies. Many of Panasonic's stills cameras are more consumer-oriented, though models like the S1RII are explicitly aimed at professionals and come with features that would mainly be worthwhile for those users. The company is also a big player in the professional video market and makes several cameras specifically aimed at news companies.

However Panasonic chooses to work with the CAI and implement its technologies, this seems like another step forward for content authenticity initiatives. Rebuilding the public's trust in the images they see online will only become more important in the future, and it would be an extremely large task for companies to accomplish alone. Organizations like the CAI help streamline the process and make sure that everyone in the chain has a say, including camera companies, photo editing software companies and technology companies whose platforms will be used to share images.

An ambitious new timber tower in Toronto, Canada, is due to begin construction soon. Thanks to its innovative prefabricated wooden design, the residential building named 230 Royal York is expected to rise in a mere 90 days.

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Category: Architecture, Lifestyle

Tags: Building and Construction, Timber, sustainable design, Residential towers, Canada, Prefabricated

Photo: Natnan Srisuwan / Moment via Getty Images

There's no ignoring that the latest US tariffs are a hot-button topic right now for Americans who are looking at paying more for products made outside the country. Since the tariffs are so far-reaching, questions are swirling about the impact on the pricing and availability of goods for each industry. That includes the photography and videography industries, since most equipment is made outside of the United States. Unfortunately, things aren't looking great. There's a lot of speculation, but we spoke with experts whose job is to analyze the potential impact.

Product pricing, in general, is a complicated endeavor, even with standard tariffs. It involves many calculations, ranging from tariffs to forecasting future changes in relative currency values. While new tariffs are broadly applied, the rates vary depending on the country. Given that many goods could have individual parts from multiple countries, the situation becomes complex quickly. Additionally, some companies might manufacture certain products in one country while other items in their lineup are made in another, resulting in inconsistent pricing changes across their catalog.

When we look at the three big brands – Canon, Sony and Nikon – all three are based in Japan, but Nikon and Sony have shifted much of their production to Thailand and China. Canon makes some of its more budget-focused equipment in Taiwan, Thailand and China, but it also manufactures some in Japan. Anjali V. Bhatt, the Communications Manager and Research Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) explained that products from Japan have a tariff rate of 24%, while products manufactured in Thailand face a 36% tariff. "So Canon products made in Japan might actually become more affordable than Nikon or Sony for comparable/substitute products, depending on where the gear is shipped from," she said.

Bhatt went so far as to suggest opting for a lens adapter that allows you to use Canon lenses on Nikon or Sony gear. That way, you could save money on new lenses since Canon lenses may become more affordable compared to Nikon and Sony as a result of where they are produced. Of course, that will only save you money if the Canon version of what you want is made in Japan and the alternatives are made elsewhere. Additionally, given that even Japan is subject to tariffs, Canon won't be immune to pricing changes, either.

"All photography equipment not made in the US...will be more expensive."

The tariffs could also push companies to adjust where they manufacture cameras and lenses. That doesn't necessarily mean coming to the US, though. Since many of these companies have existing ties to Japan, it could simply mean moving production to Japan because of the lower tariffs. "Since Nikon and Sony have extensive production capabilities in Japan as well, it’s possible they reshore production back to Japan, away from Thailand," Bhatt said. "But the bottom line is that all photography equipment not made in the US, which is a significant majority of it, will be more expensive," she explained.

Outside of cameras and lenses, auxiliary equipment like tripods will likely also become more expensive. That's because much of it is produced in countries like China or Vietnam, which "will see even higher tariffs (the estimate for the tariff rate on Chinese products is around 75%; Vietnam has been assigned a 46% tariff)," Bhatt said.

Because of the complexity of import tariffs and wholesale pricing, we likely won't see a 1:1 correlation between tariff rates and price increases. In other words, Chinese products likely won't cost 75% more, Japanese products won't cost 24% more and Thai products won't have a 36% increase. The system is a lot more complicated than that. However, economists agree that there will be price hikes of some amount across the board.

Another piece of fallout from the high tariffs could be availability. "If there's equipment from highly-tariffed nations – like China – the tariffs may make them so uncompetitive that retailers drop the brand altogether rather than importing cameras they won't sell," explained Justin Wolfers, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He went on to say that prices may not seem higher immediately. Initially, "it'll just be that buyers find it harder to find a good deal," he said.

"All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly."

Blackmagic Design was the first camera company to specifically announce pricing increases as a result of tariffs. Its prices have changed multiple times over the past two days, with the company explaining that "it’s a bit in flux as developments are happening with the tariffs." Indeed, as we are already seeing, "All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly," Dr. Wolfers said.

Photo: Natnan Srisuwan / Moment via Getty Images

There's no ignoring that the latest US tariffs are a hot-button topic right now for Americans who are looking at paying more for products made outside the country. Since the tariffs are so far-reaching, questions are swirling about the impact on the pricing and availability of goods for each industry. That includes the photography and videography industries, since most equipment is made outside of the United States. Unfortunately, things aren't looking great. There's a lot of speculation, but we spoke with experts whose job is to analyze the potential impact.

Product pricing, in general, is a complicated endeavor, even with standard tariffs. It involves many calculations, ranging from tariffs to forecasting future changes in relative currency values. While new tariffs are broadly applied, the rates vary depending on the country. Given that many goods could have individual parts from multiple countries, the situation becomes complex quickly. Additionally, some companies might manufacture certain products in one country while other items in their lineup are made in another, resulting in inconsistent pricing changes across their catalog.

When we look at the three big brands – Canon, Sony and Nikon – all three are based in Japan, but Nikon and Sony have shifted much of their production to Thailand and China. Canon makes some of its more budget-focused equipment in Taiwan, Thailand and China, but it also manufactures some in Japan. Anjali V. Bhatt, the Communications Manager and Research Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) explained that products from Japan have a tariff rate of 24%, while products manufactured in Thailand face a 36% tariff. "So Canon products made in Japan might actually become more affordable than Nikon or Sony for comparable/substitute products, depending on where the gear is shipped from," she said.

Bhatt went so far as to suggest opting for a lens adapter that allows you to use Canon lenses on Nikon or Sony gear. That way, you could save money on new lenses since Canon lenses may become more affordable compared to Nikon and Sony as a result of where they are produced. Of course, that will only save you money if the Canon version of what you want is made in Japan and the alternatives are made elsewhere. Additionally, given that even Japan is subject to tariffs, Canon won't be immune to pricing changes, either.

"All photography equipment not made in the US...will be more expensive."

The tariffs could also push companies to adjust where they manufacture cameras and lenses. That doesn't necessarily mean coming to the US, though. Since many of these companies have existing ties to Japan, it could simply mean moving production to Japan because of the lower tariffs. "Since Nikon and Sony have extensive production capabilities in Japan as well, it’s possible they reshore production back to Japan, away from Thailand," Bhatt said. "But the bottom line is that all photography equipment not made in the US, which is a significant majority of it, will be more expensive," she explained.

Outside of cameras and lenses, auxiliary equipment like tripods will likely also become more expensive. That's because much of it is produced in countries like China or Vietnam, which "will see even higher tariffs (the estimate for the tariff rate on Chinese products is around 75%; Vietnam has been assigned a 46% tariff)," Bhatt said.

Because of the complexity of import tariffs and wholesale pricing, we likely won't see a 1:1 correlation between tariff rates and price increases. In other words, Chinese products likely won't cost 75% more, Japanese products won't cost 24% more and Thai products won't have a 36% increase. The system is a lot more complicated than that. However, economists agree that there will be price hikes of some amount across the board.

Another piece of fallout from the high tariffs could be availability. "If there's equipment from highly-tariffed nations – like China – the tariffs may make them so uncompetitive that retailers drop the brand altogether rather than importing cameras they won't sell," explained Justin Wolfers, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He went on to say that prices may not seem higher immediately. Initially, "it'll just be that buyers find it harder to find a good deal," he said.

"All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly."

Blackmagic Design was the first camera company to specifically announce pricing increases as a result of tariffs. Its prices have changed multiple times over the past two days, with the company explaining that "it’s a bit in flux as developments are happening with the tariffs." Indeed, as we are already seeing, "All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly," Dr. Wolfers said.