Now that it’s summer, I’ll try to show you a photo that will refresh and cool you down. Imagine, for example, a creek filled with perfectly cold beer. Unfortunately, even in the Czech Republic – which is one of the leading countries in the consumption of this golden drink – there are no such creeks. Instead, enjoy the Beer Creek from the Jizera Mountains as I photographed it a few days ago, while testing the Nikon Z6 III. And also enjoy the 32nd Photography News of this year.
Recent Announcements
- Ricoh G900 II and G900SE II: A heavy-duty point and shoot camera. It’s water proof (depth of 20 meters), dust proof, shock proof (drop from 2.1 meters), crush proof (100 kilogram force) and chemical resistant (ethanol, sodium hypochlorite and liquid chlorine dioxide solutions). Mainly meant for use in demanding worksites and environments. It sports a 20MP back-illuminated CMOS image sensor and a 28-140mm full-frame equivalent zoom lens. The differences between the two cameras are in connectivity (the G900SE II supports Bluetooth, LAN and NFC). The G900 II will be available in late August for $799.95 and the G900SE II in September for $899.95.
- TTArtisan Mini LED Light: A compact light source reminiscent of the shape and design of a classic 135mm film canister. 15 LED bulbs (power 0.5W) cover an angle of about 100° and provide three color temperatures of 6000K/4500K/3000K. The manufacturer claims a color rendering index of 95+ (measured on a scale of 0 to 100; at the highest value, colors appear as if illuminated by a natural light source). The light can be attached to a (cold) accessory shoe using a built-in magnet. A 45-minute charge provides battery life of approximately 80-160 minutes. Price is $7.
- Godox AD600 Pro II: The upgraded 600W wireless outdoor strobe offers a one-tap sync function for easy pairing with the X3 flash trigger. The power of the modeling light has been slightly increased and its color temperature can now be adjusted from 2800 to 6000K and can be used as a stand-alone light source for video applications. The output can now be controlled in 10 steps (1/1 to 1/512). The flash duration range has also been extended, now from 1/220 to 1/11,760, in freeze mode even up to 1/20,400 sec. The number of groups and channels has also been increased, with the selected group displayed in color on the strobe from a distance. The price is $899.
- Meike 33mm f/1.4: An inexpensive APS-C lens ($230) with autofocus for Nikon Z, Fuji X, and now for Sony E on August 15th! The bright maximum aperture and useful 33mm focal length (50mm equivalent) make this lens a great budget option if you need autofocus. Has a 55mm filter size and weighs 314 grams (0.69 pounds).
The Rumor Mill
Rumored fast and longer standard zoom from Sigma
Soon, perhaps as early as September, Sigma is rumored to announce an interesting zoom. Its maximum aperture should remain constant at f/2.8 throughout its entire unconventional range – expected to be 28-105mm. For years, the classic midrange zoom was a 24-70mm f/2.8, but now with Canon’s RF 24-105mm f/2.8 and this upcoming lens, the market may be changing. Unfortunately, this lens will not compete with the aforementioned Canon, as it will only be available for Sony E and Leica L mounts.
Via L-Rumors
Retro Canon camera? Maybe.
There is no need to write about the commercial success of digital cameras that refer to their film-era roots. Just look at the sales of the Nikon Zf or the hysteria surrounding the Fujifilm X100VI. James Artaius from Digital Camera World had the opportunity to speak with Manabu Kato, Group Executive of Canon’s Imaging Business Operations, and asked him how Canon will respond to this trend. He wasn’t very specific, of course, but he admitted the possibility of Canon releasing a similar camera in the future. And what camera from Canon’s rich history might inspire the design of a future retro Canon? Manabu Kato would raise his hand for the AE-1. What about you?
A list of rumored lenses
If you’re a bit lost as to which lenses will be announced soon, or at least which lenses are being whispered about, Photorumors has compiled a comprehensive list of them. Out of these nearly twenty lenses, I personally was most interested in the Tamron 28-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD. If a few paragraphs above I described Sigma’s expected 28-105mm zoom as unconventional, a 28-180mm would be downright shocking! Also, do you shoot with the Nikon Zf? Then you might be interested in the rumored ArtraLab Nikonkor Nocty 50mm f/1.2 lens. Its original model, the Nikon 50mm f/1.2 Ai-S from 1981, is a very interesting lens – it has a romantic soul at f/1.2 and the soul of an exact scientist at f/4 and f/5.6.
Via Photo Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
Last week, I posted in the Photography News about the ongoing Sony Summer Deals at B&H Photo. There’s a new addition to it where you can save more if you decide to trade in your current camera (must be a working interchangeable lens camera). Add up the cost of your camera, a trade-in bonus up to $800, and a discount of up to $400 on the Sony camera equipment to get your total savings. What cameras and lenses are included in the offer? Check out the B&H Photo Sony Summer Trade-in website for full details.
Choosing a good photo backpack is almost as important as choosing the camera itself. After all, it is the backpack that is closest to you for many hours a day. Unfortunately, good quality packs do not come cheap, so every dollar you can save on your purchase is appreciated. Here are discounted models from three brands I like:
- f-stop Mountain Series Ajna Backpack 40L (was $300, now $190)
- Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 550 AW II 40L (was $550, now $399)
- Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 350 AW II 24L (was $340, now $229)
- Lowepro Whistler 450 BP AW II (was $560, now $445)
- Lowepro Whistler 350 BP AW II (was $530, now $425)
- Shimoda Designs Explore 60 Backpack Starter Kit (was $420, now $320)
Other Pages of Interest
From the news I’ve been reading over the past few years, it seems that taking selfies is more dangerous than anything else photographers do. Recognizing this trend, Jackson Hole officials have developed a simple app that lets you know when you’re getting dangerously close to wildlife. If you follow the app, you won’t get frame-filling pictures, but you and the animals will be safe. Even without the app, I’d recommend using a telephoto lens and common sense.
Speed has a price. A few weeks ago, the first information emerged that the partially stacked sensor of the Nikon Z6 III does not reach quite the dynamic range of its predecessor. The measured difference was very small, and only at base ISO 100, but still present. Judging by the test images on the DPReview website, it looks like the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II has also sacrificed a pinch of dynamic range for its higher speed. You can compare how much of a pinch it is in the image comparison tool.
You don’t have to tell me what you’re looking at – I’ll read it from your brain and generate the image. This isn’t science fiction, it’s reality. Scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands were able to reconstruct the image seen by macaque monkeys with incredible accuracy. Using electrodes, the scientists measured brain activity in specific parts of the monkey’s brain, and AI then transformed this data into an image. Compare how closely the AI-reconstructed images match reality on the New Scientist website.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #61
Last week’s theme was landscape, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is contrasting shapes, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, August 17, 2024!
Week #61 Results
Last week’s theme of “landscape” was very popular! Let’s check out some of the photos we received, starting with vidmarko’s shot:
Here we have just a silhouette of a beautiful mountain range, hinting unknown possibilities!
Next, we have Myotis’s photo:
I love this peaceful scene, and if you look closely, you’ll see a person on the left – giving an amazing sense of scale.
Bhoward sent us this:
I love the contrast of the warm sky with the greens and the gradients formed by the mountains!
We’ve got a glacier in Gusbatero’s shot:
There is such an interesting variety of blue and green here, made more prominent by the towering of the brown mountain.
I loved the pattern in rjbfoto’s photo:
I wasn’t sure what this was at first, but rjbfoto says it is “one small river with salty water is distributed to about 3000 ponds in the Maras mines in Peru. Over time, the intense sun will slowly evaporate the water leaving behind the salt that is later extracted through ancestral techniques by local family members. This leads to that very impressive landscape.”
Finally, let’s take a look at florin’s photo:
The tones here are great, and the emptiness is accentuated by the calm, white sky.
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the contrasting shapes theme!