From a perfectly timed wildlife encounter to a fog-draped city landmark and a thought-provoking carnival scene, this month's entries made choosing a winner anything but easy. See which images rose to the top and why they captivated our judges.

Drawn by the need for a more travel-friendly setup, Andrew Smith sought a tool that would keep him rooted in his surroundings without hauling around a camera that “needed its own carry-on”. As he later discovered, the AC7 II’s stronger low-light capability became the new benchmark he now counts on.