It isn’t always easy to come up with a topic for the opening paragraph of this weekly news. Most of the time, though, I find that life itself provides the inspiration I need. Like right now, for example, as I sit under our garden pergola writing these words and witnessing a little scene unfolding before my eyes: Perched on a low branch of a nearby pine tree are two fledgling Common Redstarts. They’ve already mastered flying, and hanging around the nest is no longer their idea of fun. Still, they eagerly demand parental attention in the form of tasty insect deliveries. Freedom and independence are great, but a full belly always wins. It looks like this brood will have a happy ending.
That wasn’t the case a few years ago, when a nesting attempt ended tragically after a neighbor’s cat found and raided the nest. So, if you have a cat, please don’t let it roam freely during nesting season. I realize this advice would have been more timely a couple of months ago, so let me offer a more season-appropriate piece of advice: Don’t be fooled by the cute, helpless appearance of seemingly abandoned fledglings. The best thing you can do is wish them luck and leave them alone. “Rescuing” them often dramatically lowers their chances of survival.
The young robins are announcing their arrivals effortlessly. The rest of this week’s news, however, will need a little help, so here’s the latest roundup.
Recent Announcements
- Nikon Z8 Firmware Version 3.00: We covered the upcoming features of this firmware update in quite a bit of detail in the June 22nd edition of Photography News. The update is now available for download on Nikon’s website or directly through the Nikon SnapBridge mobile app. However, note that the update can cause some issues related to third-party lenses. Nikon warns that you should not update to this firmware while a third-party lens is attached to the camera! Also, third-party autofocus lenses may have some bugs after the update. For example, Tamron has issued a statement warning that “after updating the Nikon Z8 to firmware version 3.00, some TAMRON lenses may experience limitations in functionality.” For now, you may want to leave your camera at the previous firmware if you have any third-party autofocus lenses.
- Tamron 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2: The second generation of this fast wide-angle lens offers a broader zoom range while keeping a similarly compact (101.8mm) and lightweight (440g) build. With the expanded zoom range (up from 17-28mm), the optical formula has grown by three elements and now consists of 16 elements in 13 groups. However, the 67mm filter thread remains unchanged from its predecessor. The lens is scheduled to ship on July 31 for Sony E-mount and August 22 for Nikon Z mount, priced at $929.
- 7Artisans 10mm f/3.5: A fully manual APS-C ultra wide-angle lens for Sony E, Fuji X, Nikon Z, Panasonic and Olympus M43 mounts. This very compact lens comes with an equally compact price tag of $99, offering a 108° field of view while maintaining “straight edges without distortion.” Its five-blade aperture produces ten-point sun stars when stopped down. The lens body is mostly made of aluminum, while the optical formula packs 9 elements in 7 groups. It weighs just 125.5g and measures a mere 34mm in length, including the mount. The diameter of the filter thread is a miniature 37mm.
- DJI Power 2000: No, this isn’t a power bank for backpackers or something you’ll casually toss in your carry-on. This beast weighs 22kg and measures 448×225×324 mm. But wherever you manage to haul it – or, more likely, drive it – you’ll have access to a 2048Wh capacity and a 3000W stable high-power output. That should be enough for about 118 camera recharges. And if you’re planning to permanently settle in the wilderness or set up a remote research station, you can expand the capacity with DJI Power Expansion Batteries 2000 to a staggering 22,528 Wh. Price: $1,299.
- Leica 100 Leica Stories: Celebrating the centennial of the Leica I, 100 Leica Stories is a curated hardcover collection of 100 stories and over 170 photographs from the history of Leica cameras. The book includes an overview of all serial production models, as well as anecdotes, iconic images, and other curios from a century of photographic excellence. Available at B&H Photo for $70.
The Rumor Mill
Samyang expected to announce a new line of “Prima Series” lenses
The Korean lens maker Samyang is preparing to launch a brand-new line of full-frame autofocus lenses called the Prima. The first expected models are an 85mm f/1.8 portrait telephoto lens, a 35mm f/1.4 reportage classic, and a 16mm f/2.8 wide angle. Leaked photos have already revealed the design of the lenses, but we will have to wait a little longer for the full technical specifications.
Via Photo Rumors
Leica M with electronic viewfinder possibly coming this October
Though it might sound like heresy to traditional Leica fans, rumors have been circulating for a while about a classic M rangefinder camera equipped with an electronic viewfinder. According to the latest whispers, Leica is expected to make it official this October. The new camera will reportedly be based on the M11-P, but with a clean top plate and no ISO dial. As for the name, it’s likely to be either M11-V or simply M-V. Of course, this doesn’t mean the end of optical viewfinders – it’s just Leica offering a practical alternative for those who value the benefits of an EVF over a love for tradition.
Via Leica Rumors
Sony is testing a new macro lens
This rumored GM lens is expected to feature image stabilization, a focal length of 100mm, and a maximum aperture of f/2.8. Sony already has a lens with these specs in its lineup, but after more than eight years of service, it’s gradually approaching time for an upgrade. And according to the latest reports, that refresh should arrive “in the not-too-distant future.”
Via Sony Addict
Good Deals and New Sales
B&H Photo is currently running their July 4th Deals for a few more days, offering a good opportunity to pick up some new gear at a discount. Here are a few things that caught my eye.
- Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card 2-Pack (was $225, now $165)
- Lexar 128GB Professional 1667x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card 2-Pack (was $75, now $49)
- Pelican Memory Card Case for 12 SD, 6 miniSD, and 6 microSD Cards (was $36, now $19)
- OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II (was $2,400, now $2,000)
- Insta360 X5 360° 8K Camera (was $550, now $520)
- Venus Optics Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO (was $400, now $360)
- Peak Design Slide Camera Strap (was $80, now $72)
- MindShift Gear BackLight 36L Backpack (was $300, now $220)
- Peak Design Tech Pouch 2L (was $60, now $48)
- RODE Wireless GO II 2-Person Compact Digital Wireless Microphone System/Recorder (was $300, now $220)
Other Pages of Interest
If there’s one thing I truly envy about birds, it is their ability to see the world from above. Judging by the popularity of drones and the sheer number of photos and videos captured from this perspective, I’m clearly not alone. You can enjoy some inspiring sky-based photos in the online gallery of the International Aerial Photographer of the Year 2025 competition, featuring 101 of the best aerial photographs from around the world.
For €7,200,000, you could buy 1452 Nikon Z9 cameras, 417 Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S lenses, or simply enjoy a very carefree life. Or… as someone recently did, you could purchase a single well-worn, century-old camera with a truly fascinating history. You probably know where I’m going with this, right? At the recent Leitz Auction No. 46, two cameras made it into the top five most expensive ever sold, with hammer prices soaring into the millions of euros: the Leica 0-Series No. 112 and the Leica M3 No. 700000 Kruckenhauser.
Wildlife photography often involves a lot of waiting – sometimes hours, sometimes days, and occasionally even years. For photographer Randy Robbins, years of patience in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains finally paid off when he managed to capture footage of the extremely rare Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator). It is estimated that no more than 39 of these foxes inhabit the park’s vast wilderness. In an interview with KCRA 3, Robbins shares the story behind the video and explains what it took to film this elusive animal.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #110
Last week’s theme was dramatic shadows, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is your city, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, July 12, 2025!
Week #109 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “dramatic shadows” theme, starting with AndrewGusew’s photo:
The dramatic shadows here give an air of mystery to the garage and leave me wondering about the nature of the lone Volkswagen.
rjbfoto’s photo:
The shadows here effectively bring attention to the subject of the caravan and also accentuate the repeating pattern of people standing in the sand. Very cool!
Finally, PRG Lagarde’s photo:
In this very nice street photo, the activity of the city has been reduced to its essence of just figures in motion with the dramatic shadows.
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the your city theme.
Sad news about the cat attack, Libor. Cats do an incredible amount of damage to birds killing billions per year. Another downside of domesticated pets. Rather infuriating.
In our gardens, cats are not always guilty. Last week, some magpies killed an Eurasian Jay under my window. That was quite harsh. On the other hand Jays are reputed to steal eggs in others birds nest, so perhaps magpies were only defending them.
The difference is of course one of magnitude and naturality. Larger birds such as corvids naturally prey on smaller birds, and smaller birds have existed and coevolved with that so there is no problem – which is far from the case with cats. It’s not the individual kill that is the problem, but rather the imbalance of new and very efficient predators that take exceptionally large numbers and that have only existed for a time that is very short on an evolutionary scale. When predation comes from natural selection, it generally does not have a relatively high probability of causing extinction, and even when extinction does happen, it’s usually restricted to a few species; when predation comes from our interference, it does have such a probability and is indiscriminate across a large range of species.
Agreed. And in the case of European Jays vs Magpies, they’ve always been kind of enemies, and they’re both corvidea, Magpies being a bit bigger, so yes, it’s specific. It was just that it happens recently so I thought of it.
Cats are clearly a problem for diversity in human areas.
About Z8 firmware, downgrade is also possible, so no worries for third party gears owners.
And thanks for the feature Libor :). Love the caravan picture a lot.
Exactly ! I did the downgrade (the 50-400 was not compatible, when the 35-150 is) Ps: do not forget to save your settings before downgrading ;-)
Yes, it’s great that Nikon provides a way to downgrade to previous firmware version. Backing up your settings on a disk is definitely a smart move, not just before a firmware update.