Photography is like farming. You can’t just enjoy the sweet fruits – if you want to harvest, you have to sow. For a wildlife photographer, this means getting to know the habits of nearby animals. One way to learn about them is to use a photo trap to study their behavior. This is one of the topics I am currently working on for you. And since I took my most recent photo this way, I’ll open this week’s photography news with a trail camera photo of a doe.
Recent Announcements
- Pixii Max: French camera company Pixii has introduced a new full-frame rangefinder camera with a 24.5 MP BSI-CMOS sensor. The camera is compatible with interchangeable Leica M-mount lenses. The viewfinder features LED-backlit frame lines for standard prime lenses: 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm. Images can be recorded in JPEG, DNG, or Mono DNG (native monochrome mode). The electronic shutter operates in the range of 2s to 1/32000. The camera offers only internal memory from 32GB to 128GB (though backup to USB stick can be done directly from the camera). Weight 480g. Price starts at 1499 Euros if you upgrade from the current Pixii+, or 3999 Euros otherwise.
- Panasonic Lumix FZ80D: Panasonic has announced a partial update to its 2017 superzoom point-and-shoot camera. No changes have been made in terms of image capture. There’s still a 60x zoom with an equivalent range of 20-1200mm, and an 18MP 1/2.3-type sensor. Improvements have been made to the rear monitor (1.84 million dots rather than 1.04) and especially to the viewfinder. The new EVF has improved resolution (2.36 million dots rather than 1.17) and magnification (0.74x instead of 0.46x). Apparently, this is the same viewfinder as on the Leica D-Lux 8. The ports have also received an update, allowing the camera to be connected and charged via USB-C. Price $478.
- Mitakon Speedmaster 80mm f/1.6: A medium format lens compatible with Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad XCD systems. On these cameras, it provides a field of view equivalent to about 63mm focal length in full frame. The main selling point, besides the attractive price ($599), is the f/1.6 aperture, which allows for a very shallow depth of field (akin to a 63mm f/1.26 on full frame). By comparison, the Fuji GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR AF lens currently sells for $1,799.
The Rumor Mill
Canon EOS R6 Mark III coming in 2024?
The frog race seems to be gaining momentum. In the rather crowded prosumer camera segment, the Nikon Z6 III recently leapfrogged its competitor, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II (compare the specs here). This is especially true in video, where the snout and perhaps even the eyes of the yellow Nikon frog appeared ahead of the red Canon one. However, it looks like we may not have to wait too long for Canon’s response. According to some sources on Canon Rumors, it looks like the third generation R6 could appear as early as this year. The EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II are already rumored. Does this mean we’ll see three new Canon full-frame cameras in one year? That would be sensational.
Tamron patented a 50-200mm f/2.8 lens
Traditionally, the longest of the “holy trinity” lenses has been a 70-200mm f/2.8. But more recently, especially with the pressure of third-party lenses, more unconventional zoom ranges have begun to appear, like a 24-105mm f/2.8 or 20-70mm f/4. It probably won’t shock anyone anymore if an established manufacturer like Tamron introduces a 50-200mm f/2.8. After the Tamron 50-400mm and the 50-300mm, a 50-200mm seems like a logical step. This patent shows that Tamron thinks so, too.
Via Sony Addict
Sony’s next camera: the ZV-E10 Mark II
This week, on July 10, Sony is expected to officially announce a new camera. Like its predecessor, the ZV-E10 Mark II will be a fairly simple APS-C camera without a viewfinder, aimed primarily at vloggers. It will probably use the sensor of the more expensive Sony a6700. Like that model, the ZV-E10 Mark II should be able to shoot video up to 4K 4:2:2 10-bit, compared to the current 8-bit. One compromise is expected to be the lack of IBIS (though it should offer digital stabilization with a 1.5x crop). More rumored specs can be found at Sony Alpha Rumors.
Good Deals and New Sales
GoPro is one of the pioneers in the action camera segment. Their twelfth generation GoPro HERO12 Black is currently significantly discounted (was $400, now $300). But their competitor DJI also makes great action cameras these days. Specifically, I’m talking about DJI Osmo Action 4. Like the GoPro, you can now get it for $100 off, with a price of $300. If you want to save a little more, go with one generation older, like the GoPro HERO11 Black (was $350, now $250) or the DJI Osmo Action 3 (was $329, now $199).
Panasonic also offers interesting prices this week. Not only for their cameras, but also for some of their lenses. Here’s a selection of the most interesting ones:
Cameras
- Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX (was $2,198, now $1,998)
- Panasonic Lumix S5 II (was $1,998, now $1,698)
- Panasonic Lumix GH5 II (was $1,498, now $1,198)
- Panasonic Lumix GH6 (was $2,198, now $2,098)
Lenses
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 70-200mm f/4 O.I.S. (was $1,498, now $998)
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 16-35mm f/4 (was $1,498, now $998)
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 70-200mm f/2.8 O.I.S. (was $2,298, now $1,798)
- Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. (was $1,598, now $1,198)
- Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro O.I.S. (was $1,298, now $998)
- Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 25-50mm f/1.7 ASPH. (was $1,798, now $1,498)
- Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm f/1.7 ASPH. (was $1,798, now $1,498)
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 24-70mm f/2.8 (was $1,998, now $1,698)
Other Pages of Interest
There is an interesting comparison of camera sensor readout speeds on the Horshack website. Already, there are results for the new Nikon Z6 III. How does its partially stacked CMOS sensor translate into readout speeds? According to Horshack, although it does not reach the level of the Z8/9, the results are very promising. I’m looking forward to testing the Z6 III in silent mode on some super-fast subjects like hummingbirds in flight. Compared to the Z6 and Z7 (II), the Z6 III should be much less prone to the rolling shutter effect.
Every coin has two sides. So the question remains, what was sacrificed to get the higher readout speed of the new Nikon Z6 III? It seems that the speed has invited a modest compromise in dynamic range. On the Photons to Photos website, you can see the results for individual cameras or combinations of cameras. Comparing the Z6 II and Z6 III, you’ll see that the older camera offers 0.82EV more dynamic range at base ISO 100. At ISO 800, however, the performance of the two cameras converge, and beyond that, the differences are negligible. Interestingly, at ISO 100, the Z6 III has almost the same dynamic range as the Nikon Z9. The latter only beats it thanks to its ability to reach ISO 64.
Last week, I published an article on how to photograph nesting birds responsibly. Around the same time, Farmers Guide published an article about how a certain Welsh wildlife photographer was fined for disturbing a honey buzzard nest without a license. This is exactly the kind of example where the pursuit of a photo can do great harm. Honey buzzards are actually very rare in the UK, and the nest photographed was the only one known in the whole of Wales. Don’t be like that photographer – read my guide if you have the intent to photograph nesting birds, or if you’re unsure, don’t do it at all.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #57
Last week’s theme was the night sky, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is trees, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, July 13, 2024!
Week #56 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “the night sky” theme, starting with rjbfoto’s photo of the comet Neowise:
I like that this photo shows the endless activity that happens in the night sky, even though it sometimes appear static when looking up.
Now let’s take a look at florin’s shot:
Compared to the previous environmental style, here we have a very interesting “portrait” of the moon. The dark orange color gives me a sombre vibe.
Finally, we’ve got Bhoward’s photo:
First we saw deep space, and then a close up of the moon. Now we pull back a little more and get a glimpse of auroras from our own planet’s atmosphere.
There are so many cool things about the night sky, and these photos did a great job showing the endless variety you can find. Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge! We hope to see more great work next week in the trees theme.