With yesterday’s announcement of the new X-H2 mirrorless camera, Fujifilm is trying to fill a hole in its lineup between its APS-C offerings and its medium format GFX line by putting a 40.2-megapixel sensor in its latest X-series body. This may seem like a bit of a compromise since Fujifilm doesn’t have a full-frame system, but one benefit of sticking with its smaller sensors and just adding resolution is having a camera that’s still fairly compact. I got to briefly try out a preproduction version of the new X-H2 and the recently released X-H2S at Fujifilm’s X-Summit NYC event, and there may be a lot to like here if you’re a loyal Fujifilm user. Here are some initial thoughts and finer details learned from the short time with these cameras.

Good grips

For $1,999.95, the X-H2 seems like a fair value for a semi-pro camera with a high-resolution sensor. The all-metal build of the X-H2 and X-H2S is very rugged and feels well equipped for being thrust into a situation where your camera may take a small beating. The buttons and dials feel clicky and solid, almost leaning a tad on the stiff side. The tilting rear LCD is sturdy, with some nice weight and resistance as you turn it. It’s not the overengineered multitilt rear screen of the Nikon Z9, but it doesn’t feel like a glaring structural weak point.

While the rubberized grips on the X-H2 and X-H2S feel as rigid as small tanks, the height of the grips may leave the tip of your pinky finger hanging in the air. I’m used to this ergonomic flaw with my own full-frame Sony mirrorless cameras, and if it’s a deal-breaker for you on bodies like those, it may be a deal-breaker here. Yes, you can always attach a vertical grip, but those add-ons are cumbersome and make mirrorless cameras feel more like old DSLR clunkers.

A top LCD and EVF that are easy on the eyes

Above the grip is the top LCD, which is a large negative display that brightly illuminates (switching to a positive contrast display) with a press of the button on the side of the electronic viewfinder. It really pops in low light and remains visible even in bright light, though it drains the battery faster, so it automatically times out after 30 minutes or once the camera is turned off.

Speaking of the EVF, the 5.76 million-dot viewfinder is crisp and has a comfortable eye relief. When using the eye sensor auto-switching live view mode, you do see momentary blackness before the EVF turns on, though it’s in line with how other cameras in this price zone work. Just like the tilt screen, I’ve experienced other cameras that do it better (Sony A1, Nikon Z9, Canon R3), but they cost much more than the X-H2 and X-H2S.

Fujifilm also builds in myriad power optimization modes that change the behavior of the EVF. I counted six performance modes: normal; economy; low light priority; resolution priority; EVF frame rate priority (120p); and EVF frame rate priority (240p). You can pick according to your preference and shooting scenarios, and I did notice some changes in the EVF’s behavior when I swapped modes — like buttery smoothness for bright light situations or more jittery responsiveness with better visibility in the dark, all at the potential expense of battery life. Fujifilm loves giving users a borderline excessive amount of control with little things like these, and the truth may be that most people will leave it on normal, never change it, and be totally fine.

The need for speed (and slightly clunky AF controls)

While the X-H2S is the speed demon variant, the high-resolution X-H2 is no slouch. They both support the same eye, face, and object detection autofocus smarts. Both cameras easily grabbed focus on the eye of a static or moving subject when I briefly used them. You have all kinds of autofocus options to choose from — even telling the camera to prefer the right or left eye — but these settings may require a lot of familiarity before you’re just as fast as the camera.

For example, eye, face, and object tracking are isolated from each other in the settings. So while these focusing systems are advanced, if you’re switching among them, it requires more dialing in and futzing than I initially expected. I know most modern cameras are a small nightmare of menu systems to learn and adapt to, but I hope for the sake of you Fujifilm fans that you can adjust to this without auditing a class on camera menu logic.

Maybe just don’t use the electronic shutter on the X-H2?

One of the things I did my best to torture test in my short time with the new Fujifilm cameras was the electronic shutters of the X-H2 and X-H2S. As someone who uses a camera with a stacked sensor, I’m spoiled by the ability to shoot at high speeds without viewfinder blackout. Unsurprisingly, the X-H2S and its faster stacked sensor seemed to handle quick, jarring pans just fine with its e-shutter. The straight lines in the frame still looked straight and did not succumb to much rolling shutter jello effect.

It was a different story with the X-H2 and its more traditional BSI (non-stacked) sensor. I could easily take a picture with movement in it where vertical lines looked crooked and a little bendy. This is the downside of the higher resolution X-H2 sensor and its slower readout speeds. While on paper it sounds good that the X-H2 can shoot 20fps blackout-free with its electronic shutter, it will most likely be limited to situations with little to no subject or camera movement — a limitation you don’t have to worry about on the X-H2S.

It’s easy to think this dichotomy between the siblings could have been remedied if Fujifilm opted for one camera that had both a high megapixel count and a stacked sensor, but according to Yuji Igarashi of Fujifilm, that one-camera solution would have just cost too much. However, the good news is that these cameras have excellently dampened mechanical shutters that are quiet and don’t cause too much vibration (shutter shock) within the body.

New Fujinon lenses

As for the new XF 56mm f/1.2 lens and GF 20–35mm f/4 lenses announced alongside the X-H2, both felt nicely built with fast autofocusing. The new 56mm remains fairly small and compact like its predecessor, though Fujifilm is claiming it’s better than the old design it replaces in every way (more technical sharpness and quality bokeh, less “character” and flaws like chromatic aberrations and coma). The GF 20–35mm and its rubberized focus and zoom rings felt very robust when mounted to the GFX100S. Even though Fujifilm’s medium format offerings are on the budget end of the spectrum in that world, every time I pick one up, I get that “this thing means business” feeling.

Last on the lens front, Fujifilm announced two tilt-shift lenses at the tail end of its X-Summit keynote — as a tongue-in-cheek “two more things” moment. They are a 30mm f/5.6 and a 110mm f/5.6. The presenters gave no further details about these lenses other than a very brief onstage tease to expect more at a later time.

Overall, I left the demo area of the X-H2 and X-H2S feeling moderately impressed by what Fujifilm has put together. I think X-series holdouts who have long awaited a high-resolution camera will have a lot to like. Though if your heart is with bigger sensors, Fujifilm’s only answer remains the large jump up to medium format.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

After years of APS-C mirrorless cameras with resolutions in the 20-something megapixel range, Fujifilm is finally pushing things forward with the latest camera in its X-series line. At its X-Summit event in New York City today, Fujifilm is announcing a new high-res X-H2 camera with a 40.2-megapixel X-Trans sensor with 8K video. This pro-oriented camera looks just like the recent X-H2S it’s based on, matching it with the same processor, in-body image stabilization system, dual card slots, electronic viewfinder, and more. It’s nearly the same camera with a different sensor for those who value megapixels most. Though the higher resolution counterpart will cost about $500 less than the X-H2S when it ships in late September for $1,999.95 (body only).

Accompanying this announcement are two new Fujinon lenses: the $999.95 XF 56mm f/1.2 fast-aperture portrait lens and the $2,499.95 medium format GF 20–35mm f/4 ultrawide-angle zoom. The 56mm will be available in late September alongside the X-H2, while Fujifilm GFX owners will have to wait until October for the new zoom.

The Fujifilm X-H2 looks to be pretty much exactly what was teased back in May. It’s the same X-H2S body with a different flavor of sensor for those who prioritize resolution. The 40.2-megapixel sensor of the X-H2 is not a stacked design like the X-H2S, meaning it doesn’t achieve the same burst shooting and readout speeds. For example, the X-H2 maxes out at 20fps with its blackout-free electronic shutter, yielding images that are slightly cropped at 1.29x. That’s half the speed of the X-H2S, which is not cropped, and the slower sensor of the X-H2 will mean a more pronounced rolling shutter effect in stills (when using the electronic shutter) and video. Though, since these cameras share the same mechanical shutter, the X-H2 still achieves up to 15fps at full resolution. Oddly, one area of speed that the X-H2 has an edge over the X-H2S is a faster electronic shutter speed of 1/180,000th of a second — though, rolling shutter effects may potentially limit the uses of that speed as well as its ability to shoot blackout-free without distorting moving subjects.

The X-H2 can go further than its native 40.2 megapixels by way of a multishot mode. It takes a burst of 20 pixel-shifted images using the in-body image stabilization to create a 160-megapixel behemoth of a picture with Fujifilm’s Pixel Shift Combiner software. And if that’s not enough to make your storage drives wince in pain, the X-H2 also supports 8K video at 29.97fps. But once again, while it reaches higher heights of resolution, it’s also rated for slightly lower dynamic range, lacks open gate recording, and misses out on 120fps video in 4K when compared to its X-H2S sibling.

Image: Fujifilm

It’s not all bad news, though, as low-light stills shooters may feel some comfort knowing the X-H2 maintains the same high-ISO speeds as the X-H2S (12,800 ISO, expandable to 51,200) while offering a slightly lower base ISO of 125. There are generally always going to be sacrifices made for the sake of megapixels, and for a camera clocking in at just under $2,000, the X-H2’s tradeoffs seem at least understandable.

This two-pronged camera formula of one model for speed and one model for resolution is not a new concept, as photo brands like Canon, Nikon, and others have followed this playbook for years. It is new for Fujifilm, however, which has, up to this point, only kept its medium format horses in the megapixel race. Since Fujifilm is one of the few brands without a full-frame system in its lineup, its APS-C line now has to try to meet the needs of demanding users who want high-resolution stills, video, speed, and versatility in one system.

Image: Fujifilm

Logitech makes some of the most popular webcams in the world, but using them on some of the most popular computers, like the M2 MacBook Air or M1 Pro MacBook Pro, is a less than stellar experience. Plugging one into any M1 or M2 Mac for a video call isn’t an issue, but if you want to tweak in-depth settings or use some of these webcams’ highlight features, doing that right now ranges from clumsy to impossible. That’s because its most capable webcam software, Logitech Capture, isn’t available on computers with Apple silicon.

Logitech switched up its software plan for people who use newer Mac laptops and desktops without making much effort to tell anyone. Instead of offering Logitech Capture, its de facto software focused squarely on webcam settings and content creation features, it has two distinct and lesser Mac applications to choose from: Logi Tune and Logitech G Hub. Tune is a confusing app that lets you toggle settings for Logitech gadgets, with calendar integration added in, for some reason. G Hub was built for gamers who want to tweak RGB lighting and sensitivity settings for gaming-focused products and, now, webcams.

Each app’s interface looks different and lets you switch different settings, so you’ve got a choice with which app you use — too much choice, if you ask me, given how limited the functionality is within each one. But neither offers as many options as Logitech Capture. You can access basic settings, like the ability to zoom in for a tighter crop or make a host of adjustments to the picture settings (or set them to auto settings), but you can’t adjust the frame rate or the resolution. What that means is people who own an M1 or M2 Mac cannot utilize its face-tracking feature or switch between horizontal or vertical orientations on a nice, relatively high-end webcam like the $160 Logi StreamCam.

And this stuff isn’t super apparent unless you’re using an affected computer. I’ve tested webcams on a laptop without Apple silicon, so I only noticed after a reader reached out to note some of the Logitech picks in our best webcam buying guide have limited functionality on M1 and M2 Macs. There are plenty of posts on Reddit about this, too, and plenty of people working on solutions that Logitech hasn’t itself presented. Someone even succeeded with a workaround to get a previous version of Logitech Capture software working on an M1-equipped machine. It crashed on launch for me, though.

I asked Logitech if it planned to port Capture to computers with M1 and M2 chips. Spokesperson Christian Cooper told The Verge that “There are currently no plans for Logi Capture to support M1 or M2 chips. However, camera and video settings are supported in our Logitech G HUB software and on Logi Tune for macOS.”

After some follow-up questions on whether these apps deliver feature parity with Logitech Capture (they don’t) and if its new software strategy was born from a technical hurdle with M1 / M2 Macs (or if this sloppiness was the plan all along), Logitech spokesperson Ciara Dixon provided this boilerplate response that didn’t provide useful answers.

“Logitech provides multiple software options for diverse customers across multiple operating systems including Windows and Mac. For video conferencing (including webcam, headset, and Logi Dock), we recommend using Logi Tune. For gaming and streaming, G HUB offers convenience and control over multiple devices from Logitech G, Blue Microphones, and Litra Glow. Streamlabs is the all-in-one livestreaming and recording software across multiple platforms including Twitch, YouTube and Facebook.”

This software problem is an issue for newer Macs right now, but it’s about to be an issue for a lot more users very soon. As of the latest update, Logitech has sunset the Capture app entirely for Windows computers and older Intel-based Macs. In its latest patch notes for the software for both Windows 10 and several macOS versions, it says, “This is the final version of Logitech Capture and no new software updates will be available. Logitech recommends that you download and install Logitech G HUB if you want to adjust compatible webcam settings.” It has a support page that instructs all users to download Logitech G Hub, and it instructs users to uninstall Logi Capture.

Right now, this means if you own an M1 or M2 Mac, you can’t get the most out of your Logitech webcam. This problem will spread — by Logitech’s choice — to Windows and other Intel-based Macs later in 2022. We’ve, naturally, reached out to Logitech again for more answers.

Until Logitech is clearer about its software plans for its webcams, we’ll add a note in our webcam buying guide that your experience with its webcams will vary wildly depending on the computer that you use.

Insta360 has announced the X3, an all-in-one 360 camera that is a successor to the One X2 released in late 2020. Looking at the two cameras side-by-side, the X3’s biggest upgrade is obvious — the company dropped the mildly confusing “One” from the camera’s name. Oh, and instead of a small, circular touchscreen, the X3 now sports a 2.29-inch rectangular display, which you can use to preview and review footage and control the device. (Ironically, the X2’s biggest upgrade was also in the display department.)

At $449.99, the X3 is slightly more expensive than its predecessor and still has the same 5.7K max resolution as the X2 did. However, the company says the camera’s 1/2-inch sensors have gotten an upgrade for “big resolution and image quality improvements.” The actual lenses have also gotten a few tweaks — they’re now f1.9 compared to f2.0 and will capture a wider scene with a focal length of 6.7mm, whereas the X2’s lenses were 7.2mm. The camera also supports Insta360’s Active HDR mode that tries to capture as much dynamic range as possible, even in fast-moving shots.

Photo: Becca Farsace / The Verge

Even though the X3 hasn’t gotten a resolution bump for 360 videos, there have been improvements for other modes. When shooting with a single lens (essentially action cam-mode), the X3 can do 4K — the X2 topped out at 1440p. The X3 is also able to take super-detailed 360 stills at 72 megapixels — a massive step up from the 18-ish MP stills from the X2. Time lapses and “bullet time” mode (where you swing the camera around in a circle to get an effect similar to that one from The Matrix) have also gotten resolution bumps to 8K and 4K, respectively.

There are a few new features as well. In addition to the bigger screen, the camera has a bigger 1800mAh battery and four buttons for better control if you’re wearing gloves. (Given that the X2’s batteries were 1630mAh, they won’t work in the X3.) There’s also a new shooting mode called “Me mode,” where the camera creates a 180-degree video with you in the center of the frame while hiding the selfie stick you’re holding. The Verge’s video whizz Becca Farsace loved it when trying out the camera; “it’s incredibly smart given that most videos I shoot I reframe to face myself. And given the boom in social 9:16 video, this is a very good feature,” she said.

Photo: Becca Farsace / The Verge

The leaked pre-record feature that will automatically save a few seconds of footage from before you press the record button won’t be available at launch, according to Caroline Zhang, a spokesperson for the company, but it will be included in a future update. The X3 will have a “Loop Recording mode” that lets it act a bit like a dash cam, recording continuously but only saving footage permanently when you say so.

Given that Insta360’s X-cameras have often been used to capture action (the company says the X3 is waterproof down to 33 feet), we did ask how durable that new screen was. Zhang said that “the X3 screen is made of tempered glass,” which unfortunately doesn’t tell us much.

Its all-in-one design makes it feel a little more rugged than the company’s One RS camera, which also features a 5.7K 360 lens but is only waterproof to 16 feet. However, the One RS is modular — if you were a quality fiend, you could add on the 1 inch-type 360 module, which can shoot in 6K and, of course, has a larger sensor. You can also pop off the 360 module and attach a 4K action cam lens.

Both of those cameras, however, are more expensive than the X3 — the base model that comes with the 5.7K 360 lens and action cam lens costs $550, and the Insta360 One RS 1-Inch 360 package is an eye-watering $800. Still, I’d highly recommend checking out Becca’s One RS review if you’re considering an X3, if only to hear her warnings about Insta360’s less-than-stellar replacement policy and protection plans.

Photo: Becca Farsace / The Verge

Overall, the X3 feels like a solid step forward for one of Insta360’s most popular products. It’s probably not a must-buy for anyone who has an X2, but for those who have an Insta360 One or One X, it could be a nice upgrade. And given just how much bigger the screen is, it seems like an obvious choice over the X2 for anyone looking to get into 360 recording.

GoPro’s rumored Hero 11 Black may not be the only camera the company releases this year. Leaked images shared by WinFuture indicate that GoPro’s preparing a smaller surprise that seems like a modern iteration of the now-discontinued Session action cams.

The device, supposedly called the Hero 11 Black Mini, tracks with GoPro’s goals of expanding its camera lineup. It features a large camera sensor on the front alongside a single button for Bluetooth connectivity as well as folding “fingers” on the bottom for mounting. As its name implies, the Mini looks like a shrunken-down version of the upcoming Hero 11 Black, only it doesn’t come with any displays on the front or back of the device.

Image: WinFuture

GoPro’s line of Session cameras — the last of which was released in 2016 — notably had no displays and a more compact design, but that’s where the similarities between the Session and the so-called Hero Mini seem to end. While the Mini adopts the design of the Hero 11 Black camera it’s named after, the Session is a tiny cube with a camera that takes up the entire front of the device, and it bared no resemblance to the other Hero devices at the time. GoPro eventually cut the Session from its lineup when it introduced its Hero 7 cameras in 2018.

There aren’t any details about how powerful GoPro plans on making the camera sensor and the other internals on the Mini. While the appearance of the standard GoPro Hero 11 Black will reportedly remain unchanged, it could come with an upgraded sensor that’s capable of shooting 27-megapixel still images and 24.7-megapixel stills taken from videos. It’s also rumored to retain the same 5.3K video shooting capabilities at 60fps (or 4K at 120fps). WinFuture’s expecting a nearly as powerful device in a smaller package for the Mini, but nothing is confirmed as of yet.

GoPro is reportedly getting ready to launch its next camera, but don’t hold your breath for a big redesign. Instead, according to images and specs first spotted by WinFuture, it appears the GoPro Hero11 Black will look virtually identical to the Hero10, and all the important tweaks will be on the inside.

The biggest upgrade sounds like a new sensor offering the “widest ever field of view on any GoPro,” which WinFuture says will be capable of 27-megapixel still images and 24.7-megapixel stills grabbed from videos. (The current Hero10 Black, for comparison, shoots 23-megapixel photos.) Video resolution doesn’t sound like it’s changing, though: the new model will reportedly still cap out at 5.3K at 60 frames per second, or 4K at 120 fps. Details about the new sensor are otherwise pretty scarce at the moment, but even a slightly larger sensor with the same resolution could be a win for low-light shooting.

Image: WinFuture

Beyond that, it looks like GoPro’s not messing with its hardware. Which makes sense, really: GoPro’s mount and accessory ecosystem is a big part of the company’s appeal, and the Hero9 was a pretty big change just two years ago, so GoPro is smart to stick with its basic shape. And with last year’s big change being the processor, a new sensor this year would fit the upgrade path. The leaked Hero11 images so far look identical to the Hero 10, except for a blue “11” on the side where there was once a “10.” (Because, you know, upgrades!) It still has a 2.27-inch screen on the back and a 1.4-inch screen on the front, big rubbery buttons, and that overall GoPro feel.

A small improvement would match what GoPro CEO Nick Woodman told investors in February. He said the company planned to launch new Hero and Max cameras this year, getting to a total of four cameras from the two lines. “And we expect to expand that further by the end of 2023,” Woodman said. Much of the company’s attention is focused on software, both inside the cameras and in the Quik app. GoPro is trying hard to diversify its offerings, and find ways to get its cameras into the hands of more than just your typical adventuring GoPro customer.

Based on what we know so far, though, the Hero11 Black will remain a GoPro through and through. WinFuture reports the device could come as soon as the middle of this month. No word yet on price, either, which is one of the things GoPro will most need to change if it wants its tiny camera to appeal to the masses.

Update September 6th, 1:50AM ET: Added new information about field of view from WinFuture.

Insta360 is currently teasing the announcement of its “next camera” on September 8th, but WinFuture seems to have the details early. The German-language site has images and specs for the company’s new X3 360-degree action camera, which drops the “One” name from its branding and sports a larger display than its predecessor, the Insta360 One X2.

WinFuture suggests that the Insta360 X3 will be rocking the same 5.7k resolution found on both previous generations of the camera, though updated image sensors should achieve 4K resolution in single-lens mode, up from the 1440p resolution featured on the One X2. Timelapse videos can be made in 8K and still photos can be taken at resolutions up to 72 megapixels.

Full specifications are a little sparse so there’s no word yet on framerates or water resistance, but the product images show that the circular touchscreen display featured on the One X2 has been scrapped in favor of a much larger 2.29-inch rectangular one. Our own Senior Video Producer Becca Farsace described the One X2’s quirky circular touchscreen as “one of the most responsive screens I have used on an action camera.” Here’s hoping this larger offering is just as impressive.

Image: Insta360 / WinFuture

Additional buttons and improved voice control are also reportedly coming to improve camera operation, as well as a 50 percent speed boost to data transfers via WLAN. A new ‘pre-recorder’ feature is also mentioned that seems similar to GoPro’s own HindSight feature, which continuously records audio and video allowing you to save 15 or 30 seconds of footage to an SD card after the shutter button is pressed. That way you don’t miss any shots.

Pricing for the European market is said to be set at a tax-inclusive price of €539.99, which works out at around $540. The Insta360 One X and Insta360 One X2 retailed for $399.99 and $429.99, respectively. Guess we’ll have to wait until September 8th to know for sure.

Don’t you just hate it when you pick up your trusty Canon EOS R5, only to discover it’s actually a sneaky Transformer? Well bad news, because this nightmarish future spotted by TFormers is actually becoming a reality next year thanks to a collaboration between Takara Tomy (the Japanese company behind the Transformers toys) and Canon (the Japanese company behind… well you get the idea).

The collaboration has resulted in a pair of Transformers figurines that are able to fold away into surprisingly realistic looking Canon mirrorless cameras. I say “surprisingly realistic” because at first glance I somehow mistook these for functioning cameras. But in case it wasn’t obvious from their ¥ 19,800 (around $147) pricing, they’re non-functional replicas that are only 80-percent of the size of the real thing. (The idea that this could be a functioning camera isn’t so wild considering Takara Tomy has previously produced working MP3-player Transformer toys).

Probably my favorite detail is the lens cap, which in both cases transform into shields for the Transformers to wield. But a close second is the miniature cameras both figurines appear to be holding in some of the promotional images, which is a delightfully silly addition. One figurine is based on Optimus Prime, while the other is Decepticon Refraktor.

Both Transformers are scheduled to release in Japan next year on February 25th, and TFW2005 reports that preorders are open from now until September 28th. It’s unclear if they’ll see a global release.

Instagram’s leader wants you to know that the company is going to keep leaning into video. In a short video this morning that seems like it’s aimed at No. 2 Instagram user Kylie Jenner, Instagram head Adam Mosseri lays out bluntly that the app is going to keep shifting away from its photo roots.

“I need to be honest. I do believe that more and more of Instagram is gonna become video over time,” Mosseri said.

The app will continue to support photos, but Mosseri says the move away from them is driven by user behavior. Sharing and viewing of videos is growing, and “we’re gonna have to lean into that shift.”

Mosseri’s comments come a day after Jenner and her sister Kim Kardashian shared an image complaining about all of the app’s changes. “Make Instagram Instagram again,” the post says. “(Stop trying to be tiktok i just want to see cute photos of my friends). Sincerely, everyone.” An associated online petition has more than 100,000 signatures.

Instagram has transformed rapidly in recent months as the company tries to bolster its TikTok competitor, Reels, and get users to spend more time in the app. The main feed has been filled with algorithmic recommendations that mix in with your friends’ posts, and nearly all videos will now direct you over to Reels.

Of course, Instagram doesn’t have to reshape itself around video, but its parent company — Facebook owner Meta — is looking for changes that’ll increase users and retention. The Facebook app’s main feed is now being replaced with something akin to these Instagram changes, where it’ll mix more recommendations in with your friends’ stuff.

Instagram will soon let anyone on the platform remix your new photos, as long as your account is public. There’ll be a way to turn remixing off, but you’ll have to actively opt out once the option is live — it’ll be enabled by default.

In “the coming weeks,” Instagram says it’ll add the ability to “remix” public photos for use inside of Reels, its TikTok-like video service. The change is meant to provide more content for Reels creators to work with as the company goes all in on short-form video in the hopes of keeping up with its explosively popular competitor.

Remixing will be enabled by default, but Instagram will provide ways to turn it off, according to Devi Narasimhan, a Meta spokesperson. Users will be able to turn off remixing on individual photos or at an account level through the settings menu. Any photos posted prior to the feature going live will have remixing turned off by default, but you’ll be able to turn on remixing for individual posts if you want to.

This is similar to the system Instagram used when it opened up all public videos for remixing in January, only making videos published after the change was made be available for remixing.

Photographers have often been skeptical of Instagram’s handling of their photos, and today’s change — and the lack of options or clarifications around it — likely won’t do the company any favors. Back in 2012, a change to the app’s terms of service sent off a wave of panic that the company would be able to sell users’ photos (it couldn’t), but similar concerns have persisted almost any time its terms of service are changed. More recently, Instagram leader Adam Mosseri declared that Instagram is “no longer a photo sharing app.”

Remixing could help photographers’ work reach more people — but it could also put their work in contexts they’d rather not see it, so I’d expect a lot of people to flip the remix switch off.