The 2023 DA Awards: The Best Camera, Zoom Lens, Prime Lens, and more

Why not Nikon ?

I have a Sony A7Cii camera and thinking about a portrait lens. The Viltrox 75/1.2 looks very good but it's a crop, so resolution will suffer. Another similar candidate is Samyang 135/1.8, which I'm not sure about, especially AF. Would you say Samyang is still a better option for FF camera than Viltrox?

Is Nikon not worthy?

Thank you for the wonderful reviews, as always. I have a question though, is viltrox 16mm compatible with a GFX system? The reason is there aren't many choices of wide angle lenses with large apertures. I tried the Tamron 15-30mm on a GFX 100s and the vignetting is unusable under 20mm. The aperture of GFX 20-35mm is seems not sufficient for astrophotography. Thank you again and wish you have a wonderful new year in 2024.

Yeehah. I better not get carried away, but happy new year and l look forward to what 2024 brings in photography!

Dustin, thanks for the nice reviews. I wish you start adding Nikon cameras and lenses in 2024.

Great video. Always watch your video, unbias and really enjoyed this.

Nice overview for the Sony and Fuji system. In 2024 may be you could dedicate some of your precious time towards gear from the Leica Panasonic Sigma L mount and Nikon Z mount system?

Happy new year, thank you for all the things you have done in 2023, it really helped people to make good choices.

Thank you and happy & successful 🎉new year 🎉 ✝️

I hope that Viltrox will become a lens manufacturer comparable to Sigma and Tamron.

Thanks!

To be fair, then the Fuji GFX 100 II is the winner, because the Sony A7RV came in 2022 !

"Kudox to Viltrox!"

It is a bit sad that if Canon Canada doesn't work for you or does it? What is going on there? Thanks for the review anyways and happy new year!

Great presentation as always.

Thx for another great year of reviews Dustin.

I'm going to buy the Villtrox 16mm to replace my Nikon Z 14-30 F4 once it's released for the Z mount.

Too bad Canon didnt open its RF mount to thrd party lenses...

Sony and Viltrox had a great year. Sony basically dominates with both camera bodies and lens designs and I say that as a mixed Canon and Fujifilm shooter. But ever company has had big hits. LUMIX finally got PDAF and released a solid S5ii camera. Big things coming from them in the future, I'm sure. Fujifilm had a breakthrough with the X-H2S and is starting to put a great recipe of AF performance, excellent industrial body design, performance specs, and film emulations together in future cameras. Fujifilm GF continues to carve out a digital MF market that doesn't require a substantially deep wallet to afford and use.

Canon didn't have a good year. No 3rd party lenses, painfully slow lens releases, expensive and heavy lens designs (with a few exceptions), delayed flagship cameras, widening gaps in performance in their camera bodies compared to the competition.

Without considering any Nikon products and few Canon, your awards are biased, a joke and irrelevant.

You are right. This is a golden era because prices are expensive for hobbyists.

Thank you, Dusitn!

Some say the RV ist the most boring body because of its perfection. Happy new year 🎆

I loved your look !!! I wish you all the best for you you and your family , from distant Uruguay. Great video today! Santa got me the XH2 as new aquisition ! (I already have the xt4) I am glad that you considered that camera as a good one! I wish you a wondeful new Year!!! :)

I have a7rv and also the nikon Z8, to be honest the Z8 is the better camera by some distance.
Faster in all regards,better white balance,better balance in the hands.
The sony wins in megapixel and has more buttons.

Dressed in a style to match your excellent reviews, I viewed your very interesting 2023 finale, in shorts and a short sleeved shirt- it was 38c at my time of viewing.
Clearly, this will stand as the first global review signalling the clear arrival of Viltrox as a top tier lens manufacturer and, most importantly, at reasonable prices.
Have ordered a 27 1.2 for my Fujifilm X series.
Best Wishes to you and your Family for 2024
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

A very interesting insightful summary analysis award presentation & underlying optical & digital sensibility. I too concur with the camera award. I upgraded from the sony 7r4 to the 7r5 and found it to be one of the best hybrids along with AF + ibis etc. I found both the Fuji xh2 & Gf cameras evolving the sensor-camera line up but the lens eco system for sony has become so huge that I prefer to keep investments in one system. For me the sony a7r5 is the sweet spot. The plethora of zoom lenses and ranges is just so huge now. The sony 70-200f4 macro really impressed me & I will get it in the near future. However, for long range versatility I got the tamron 50-400. It pairs very well with the a7r5 and one can do a lot of handheld work - given the better ibis. Viltrox is coming into its own now - just like Samyang did some time ago. Just like many decades ago when the SLR transformation happened, and lens design evolved - now with the shift to the digital mirrorless the lens development has come into its own. We are certainly in a golden period! Meanwhile in gratitude for the continual sharing of this golden period & best wishes.

Thanks for everything you shared with us this year Dustin. Happy New Year and looking forward to what have for us in 2024

Nice outfit, Sir! Happy New Year!

God bless you happy new year 🎊

You left out the Nikon 85mm 1:2 and the Nikon 135 mm 1.8 these are amazing lens too

Well I have the Viltorx 27 1.2 glued on my Fuji

Great review of year, and I couldn't agree more. Great videos, as always! Love the tux¡😅 Great work. Happy new year to you and yours and the greatest of success

Nice tux

I bought the Sony A7v after your review

Love stuff like this good good

So you review canon, sony, fuji, panasonic,viltrox, pergear, sigma, tamron, samyang (pretty much everything) but you dont have time and money to do nikon :)).

Great video as always! Two points though:

1) I feel like Sigma 14mm f1.4 should at least get an honorable mention.
2) Please tell me you were wearing shorts under the table :D

I want to insert some applause at your winner announcements. Great to watch a genuine, trustworthy 2023 awards. Happy New Year!

So much Viltrox love. Much deserved

Excellent video and observations Dustin, thank you! I am certainly eying the 16mm Viltrox. I almost jumped ship to an X-H2 purely for the Viltrox lenses coming out. After buying the Tamron 50-400 though, I’m thinking the A7RV will be the next flagship. I’m loving Sony’s colors now and the only drawback is the poor resolution of the A7iv back screen… and the lack of TC support for 3rd party E mount. I would love to see an X-H2 to Sony FF (A7iv) comparison. I think there are many that are comparing both systems with Fuji’s 40mp sensor. I still think Fuji is probably the best system for my family at large due to overall cost to performance and 3rd party glass now but I think I’d miss Sony’s low light performance. Thanks again, I don’t always comment but look forward to every video. Have a blessed New Year, and let His light in! :D.

Nice one DA; Happy new year!

Thank you for all of your great reviews during the year. They are my go to when looking for a camera or lens.
Thanks for dressing up for the occasion!
Best wishes for 2024

Thank you for all your detailed reviews in 2023. I look forward to more in 2024, with perhaps more Canon RF lenses, and we hope some third party lenses for Canon RF if the rumours prove true.

2023 winner is Nikon I think. I say this having switched to Sony from Nikon 1 month ago :). Z8 is industry disrupting body for its price performance. Nikon prooves they are not dead. The only issue is so many people have switched from Nikon to Sony or maybe Canon already. Some have gone the medium format route etc. In my country Sony is dominating but the industry needs a strong Nikon to push competition :)

It was grear year for gear and I hope we could see more Nikon stuff in 2024. But in 2023 we got some great stuff and I am very happy for Viltrox (for their 16mm) and TTArtisan 500mm for example as they filled a void in that area. Happy new year, Dustin.

Thanks for dressing up for us and for all the time you take to do your thorough reviews. Having played with, rented, or owning many of the Sony e-Mount lenses you named and awarded, I’d have to agree with your awards. Particularly when it comes to the Sony 70-200 F4 G2 Macro. When I look back at all my photos taken in 2023, the best ones came from that lens. I have not tried a Viltrox lens yet, but it sounds like it’s worth giving them a shot. Thanks again for all you do. All the best to you and your family in 2024.