Zooming in on weird cameras

The Vergecast

Vox Media Podcast Network

News, Tech News, Technology

4.4 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2025

⏱️ 94 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week on The Vergecast, Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake of PetaPixel’s YouTube channel join The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Vjeran Pavic to geek out about the last half-decade of camera advancements — the good, the bad, and the Sigma BF of it all. Then, Allison is joined by Verge News Editor and fellow phone nerd Dominic Preston to help answer a boatload of listener questions from people contemplating which smartphone to buy next. They help navigate the intricacies of living in a mixed iOS/Android household to the best options for someone who wants a headphone jack (spoiler alert: there aren’t many). It’s a mega-hotline-turned-therapy session for iPhone Mini owners reluctant to let go of their tiny phones in a world where phones come in two sizes: big and bigger. Further reading: Sigma BF review: Beautiful Foolishness — PetaPixel The Fujifilm X half is Just Plain FUN! — PetaPixel Fujifilm X Half hands-on: whimsical, refreshing, and simply fun Sigma BF review: the perfect camera for a minimalist In pursuit of a viral, five-year-old compact camera Samsung Galaxy S25 review: incredibly iterative Nothing Phone 3 review: flagship-ish If you really want a smaller phone, try the tiny Jelly 2 Oppo Find N5 review: the final evolution of foldables Honor launches the ‘world’s thinnest’ foldable Motorola spoiled a good budget phone with bloatware The Xperia 1 VII is a greatest hits of Sony R&D The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra isn’t so ‘ultra’ anymore The Fairphone 6 no longer feels like a compromise (except in the US) My first DIY phone fix made me a self-repair believer Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: in great shape Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: stunning, bendy, and spendy Ditching my phone for an LTE smartwatch was a humbling experience I took my own advice and bought a last-gen iPhone — I regret nothing How Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip failed me without actually breaking Email us at [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Vergecast, the flagship podcast of small phones that are very tired and just want to take a little rest.
0:10.9	I'm your host, Alison Johnson, and on today's show, I'm talking about two of my very favorite things, small phones and weird cameras.
0:18.5	First, I'll be joined by some old friends at Petapixel
0:21.8	who are going to talk to me about what's been happening
0:24.6	in the camera industry over the last five years.
0:27.3	Then Dominic Preston's going to jump on
0:29.4	and we are going to tackle a huge pile of listener questions
0:32.8	in a mega hotline segment.
0:35.5	All that is coming up right after the break, so stay tuned.
0:40.1	You're a multitasker.
0:41.6	Your phone, your tablet, your laptop, maybe even your camera or your drone.
0:46.2	They're all humming along at once.
0:48.2	Until they're not.
0:50.3	You've run out of battery.
0:51.6	And because this is a very unlucky day, they've all run out of battery at once.
0:56.0	Enter the new Rapid Pro series from Ecoflow.
0:58.8	With the ability to charge up to four devices simultaneously, it's the ultimate multitasking
1:03.6	power bank.
1:04.6	Whether you're traveling for business, working remotely, or gaming the night away, it can
1:09.2	charge all your devices in one compact flight safe design.
1:13.7	Available starting August 18.
1:15.4	Go to US.ecoflow.com to learn more.
	...

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