Shutter Happens – Issue #005

Hey guys. Welcome along to the latest edition of Shutter Happens, my newsletter covering everything that’s happening in the world of photography or at least everything I think is interesting in the world of photography.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro Lands

The new flagship from DJI has just dropped, with early reviews calling it another hit for the drone world’s dominant player. Coverage has been a little more subdued than usual, largely because the usual roster of tech influencers didn’t get early access to churn out their launch-day praise pieces. You know, because of the DJI ban in the US.

Puff-pieces on YouTube notwithstanding, the 4 Pro is a highly evolved and extremely capable drone with a trio of gorgeous Hasselblad cameras on the front of the new rounded fuselage design. That floating multi-camera housing is also the new drone’s grandest feature – it’s called the Infinity Gimbal – on the grounds that it fully rotates 360º. It means you can easily shoot vertical videos, but also completely inverted should you need to simulate an Australian location.

Pretty much every feature on the drone’s had a bump from the Mavic 3 Pro including 6K/60fps video, 100Megapixel stills and a claimed 51 minutes of flight time. Price is starting at €2,099 in Europe, £1,879 in the UK and $2699 in the US – if you can find a retailer that’s managed to import one.

ON1 Effects 2025 Released

ON1 has lobbed another grenade into the (apparently) popular presets/effects niche with ON1 Effects 2025, out now for standalone use or as a bolt-on for Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, et al.

There’s : a new Depth Mask that lets you dodge, burn and colour-grade based on scene depth, and it would be a software release without a heap of AI goodies – in this Generative Eraser to remove distractions, an auto dust-spot removal that I really need to compare to Photo AI, match colour for instant grade-matching, and a generative crop so you can reframe without amputating the subject.

Under the bonnet you still get the usual buffet of one-click presets, 30-plus stackable filters (Dynamic Contrast, HDR Looks, B&W, textures, borders—the works), and Super Select AI for rapid masking. It’s a free download if you’re on an ON1 Everything sub; everyone else can grab the standalone or plug-in today and decide if Photoshop’s complexity tax is finally worth dodging.

Tenba Launch the new Axis V2 Tactical Packs

Tenba has quietly refreshed its Axis line with V2 ‘Tactical’ backpacks in 16 L, 24 L and 32 L capacities, offered in stealth-black or MultiCam camo. The New York based company produces some of the most thoughtfully engineered camera bags you can buy, and these updated Tactical offerings look like they might hit the ideal balance of function and style.

Highlights are a 500D water-repellent nylon fabric with full-body MOLLE webbing with a reflective yarn for night visibility, clip on lens pouches, battery wallets, a hidden AirTag/Tile pocket, top, side and rear openings, height-adjustable shoulder straps and device slots that can accomodate up to 17” laptop on the 32litre model.

Are DJI Going After Insta360?

DJI has finally twitched in the 360-camera arena: regulatory photos dug up by YouTuber Joseph Blake show a squat, square “Osmo 360” prototype that echoes the GoPro MAX and Kandao QooCam rather than Insta360’s dildo-shaped shooters. No specs, no launch date, and the form factor suggests a mainstream APS-C-ish sensor, not the pricier 1-inch class.

If they’re hoping to compete then it’ll need at least 8 K video, oversampled stills and a sub-headline price. But DJI aren’t afraid to innovate and it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with to entice folks away from Insta 360.