Brands
Nikon’s nocturnal marvel: Z5II raises the bar for low-light photography
MUMBAI: Nikon has unleashed its latest weapon in the camera wars—the Z5II, a full-frame mirrorless marvel that promises to turn night into day. Unveiled yesterday in Mumbai, this 24.5-megapixel powerhouse boasts what the company rather immodestly calls “unparalleled performance” in challenging conditions, particularly when the lights go down.
The Z5II’s party trick is its astonishing -10EV autofocus detection range—the lowest in Nikon’s stable—allowing photographers to capture sharp images in environments so dim that rivals would be fumbling for a torch. Paired with a hefty 5-axis in-body stabilisation system offering up to 7.5 stops of shake compensation, the camera practically laughs in the face of tripods.
Speed demons will appreciate autofocus that’s three times nippier than its predecessor, with a 14fps burst rate to freeze even the flightiest subjects. “Whether to capture a bird taking flight or a split-second moment in sports,” Nikon boasts, “the Z5II is the perfect camera to capture fleeting instances with precision.” One might say it puts the “snap” back in snapshot.
Filmmakers haven’t been forgotten, with 4K 60p recording in crop mode and 4K 30p in full-frame—using 6K oversampling for extra detail—plus 12-bit N-Raw for those who enjoy torturing their computers during editing. Slow-motion aficionados can revel in Full HD at 120fps, perfect for capturing dramatic hair flicks or champagne corks in exquisite detail.
The Z5II flexes its artificial intelligence muscles with nine types of subject detection—tracking everything from dogs to trains—and introduces a dedicated picture control button for quickly cycling through “Imaging Recipes,” Nikon’s rather culinary term for its filters and presets.
For those shooting in harsh sunlight, the electronic viewfinder pumps out a retina-searing 3,000 cd/metre square of brightness, while a 3.2-inch vari-angle screen handles awkward angles with aplomb.
Nikon remains mum on pricing and availability, directing eager shutterbugs to its website for more information. With its impressive specs and focus on low-light performance, the Z5II appears poised to light up the mirrorless market—even in the darkest corners
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
