Although I feel much more comfortable behind the viewfinder of a camera than in front of the lens, I recently made an exception. It was while shooting one of the episodes of our upcoming Online Workshop with photographer Vladimír Čech Junior. In the photo below, I’m playing the role of a European Lynx (Lynx lynx) and technically serving as a live aid to set up the flashes, motion sensor, and lens focus. I admit that the flexibility and elegance of the cat’s body, as well as the predator’s expression, is something I’ll have to work on. Come to think of it, maybe this should be my resolution for 2025.
Recent Announcements
- Yongnuo 23mm f/1.4 Pro: An AF lens available for Fuji X, Nikon Z, and Sony E mount APS-C cameras. This lens bridges the gap between the existing 11mm f/1.8 and 33mm f/1.4 (the upcoming 56mm lens will complete the lineup soon). The optical construction consists of 11 elements in 9 groups. The minimum focusing distance is 0.3m. The lens has a built-in 2.4GHz wireless module, which can be paired with the Yongnuo BR-L1 remote control to focus the lens remotely. Among the controls, the lens is equipped with an aperture ring and a function button. The price is $269.
- Godox RS60Bi and RS60R: A pair of relatively compact (303 gram / 10.7 oz) constant lights designed for photography and video. The RS60Bi offers a color temperature of 2800-6500K (CRI 97) with an output of 17,400 lux. Its sibling, the RS60R, offers greater variability in color temperature settings in the range of 1800-10,000K (CRI 95) with a slightly less powerful output of 11,000 lux. The Godox Light App allows you to adjust lighting settings and install firmware updates. The lights can be powered by their own battery or an external power supply, and come supplied with a reflector and a mount. You can purchase a variety of different light modifiers as accessories. The lights themselves cost $199 (RS60Bi) and $259 (RS60R).
- Godox iM20/iM22, iM30 and iA32: These flashes are of a completely different nature than the constant lights above. They provide a cheap, compact flashes for cameras equipped with a hot shoe. The smallest, the iM20/iM22 pair, has five adjustable power levels and a rechargeable battery capable of up to 440 full-power flashes. The slightly larger iM30 offers more power (a guide number of 15), finer power scaling (1/64 to 1/1), and power from two AAA batteries that can deliver up to 230 flashes on a single charge. The largest of the trio differs primarily in the ability to tilt the flash head from -7° to 90° and the addition of automatic (non-TTL) mode. Two AA batteries provide up to 490 flashes at full power. Prices are $34 (iM20/iM22), $35 (iM30) and $50 (iA32).
- CineMon App: This app turns your iPad or Mac into a professional cinema monitor. Highlights include Image-Based Spot Metering, which can show actual scene luminance values relative to middle gray. Version v1.0 supports log profiles from Blackmagic Design, ARRI, Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, and RED. Other features include focus assist, zebras, composition guides, scopes, LUTs, image adjustments, color key preview, image transforms, customizable false color and image overlay. The app is currently in beta testing, and you can sign up for that as well.
The Rumor Mill
New portrait and street lenses likely to be announced
Two rumored lenses out of China should be released soon by the companies Brightin Star and Viltrox. Brightin Star is expected to announce a full-frame 85mm f/1.8 lens as early as this week. Rumors say it will be an AF lens with an STM motor, aperture ring, and high quality optical glass from Hoya with coatings from Optorun. The upcoming Viltrox 25mm f/1.7 (37mm full-frame equivalent) should be the next APS-C lens in their Air series. It will be compatible with Fuji X, Nikon Z and Sony E mounts, is expected to offer autofocus, and will likely cost around $100.
Via Photo Rumors and Pergear
Canon RF 100-500mm with internal zoom?
Vague discussions about this long-awaited telephoto zoom from Canon are turning into more concrete rumors. In the beginning, there were discussions about the possible use of a built-in teleconverter. Later, rumors surfaced that the new lens would not have a maximum aperture of f/4, but only f/5.6 throughout the entire range. Well, now it looks like the maximum aperture at the long end will be “faster than f/7.1” and that the length of the lens will be constant when zooming. Perhaps at the upcoming CP+ at the end of February, we will know more.
Via Canon Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
So, did you find what you wanted most under the Christmas tree? Maybe some things like inspiration, time for your hobby, health, and energy must be found elsewhere (although we at Photography Life try to be of a little help). But back to things that can be paid for with money. Below, I’ve picked out a few little things that won’t put too much strain on a holiday-tested budget, but might still come in handy.
Memory card cases (cheap and critical for protecting your photos when you travel):
- Ruggard 6 XQD or CFexpress Type B Cards (was $30, now $20)
- Ruggard 3 XQD or CFexpress Type B, 4 SD & 4 microSD Cards (was $30, now $20)
- Ruggard 12 CFexpress Type-A & 12 SD Cards (was $30, now $20)
- Ruggard 12 SD & 12 microSD Cards (was $20, now $15)
Leveling bases (essential when using a gimbal head on unlevel ground, or else the horizon is tilted):
- Leofoto LB-75 Leveling Base (was $100, now $79)
- Leofoto LB-65 Leveling Base (was $90, now $71)
- Leofoto YB-75MK Leveling Base with Standard Handle and Arca-Type QR Clamp (was $109, now $69)
Also, I noticed a sale on my favorite BlackRapid Curve Breathe camera strap (was $130, now $100). Carrying a camera with a heavy telephoto lens on a traditional strap is a pain. Especially on a sweaty body, the strap sometimes actively prevents you from bringing the camera to your eye. The advantage of the BlackRapid straps is that the strap can be glued firmly to the body and still allow the camera to slide freely to the eye. I’ve tried it and it works.
Other Pages of Interest
Outside the tourist attractions of Iceland, this country, with a population density of 4 people per square kilometer, can feel like you have the whole place to yourself. Even more if you visit the tiny, deserted island of Elliðaey south of the mainland. The only cozy lodge on the island was built by puffin hunters in the mid-20th century (more history here). Today, it is puffin photographers who may find it a paradise. See what it looks like in this video showing inside this beautifully lonely house.
This year, we have the opportunity to celebrate an important anniversary. Exactly one hundred years ago, a camera was born that would influence the photographic industry for many years to come. The Leica I, introduced in 1925, was the first mass-produced 35mm film camera. The dimensions of the full-frame standard have remained virtually unchanged since then, and are likely to remain so for decades or even centuries to come. Even if your camera has a different size sensor (or film), the iconic 24mm x 36mm size is something worthy of celebration. You can read more about this at Leica Rumors.
One of the reasons why people like to watch sports is that when the competition is over, we can rank the best athletes and applaud them. In photography, where there are no absolute and clearly objective measures of ranking, it is much more difficult to determine the winners. However, it is possible to judge which equipment has sold best in a given year. The popular Japanese website Map Camera provides such data from their store. And what were the three best-selling cameras of the year 2024 at Map Camera? They were the Fujifilm X100VI, the Fujifilm X-T50, and the Sony a7C II. Among the lenses, the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 S, the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III and the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II were the fastest to fly off the shelves. If you’re wondering which cameras and lenses took the other spots, check out the previous links.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #83
Last week’s theme was fruit, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is metallic, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, January 11, 2024!
Week #82 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “fruit” theme, starting with rjbfoto’s photo:
That’s an amazing bunch of bananas and shows what many of us see far too rarely: the origins of our food.
Next, we have Steve D’s photo:
The mangosteens here form an interesting pattern that accentuate the contrast between green and purple. Nice work!
Finally, we have Mauro70’s photo:
I wondered if someone would submit a still life on a table! And this one is done very nicely with moody lighting that gives emphasis to the well-arranged fruit.
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the metallic theme.
Maybe a three toed sloth would be easier……
Definitely for me :-D In the end, just turn the photo upside down and the sloth illusion is almost perfect.
I don’t know, Libor. I thought I saw a predatory gleam in your eye in that photo. Or was it a gleam of amusement? Hmmm, hard to tell. Perhaps the photographer caught you channeling your inner lynx. That would make it a bona fide wildlife photo. :)
I’m not sure if there’s an actual predatory gleam in my eyes, Elaine. It’s probably just plain human hunger and a craving for a hot coffee. Luckily, it’s only a photo, because the video reveals that I committed a major ethological faux pas and marked the territory in a very un-catlike manner.