Up here in the mountains of the northern Czech Republic, the snow slowly concedes defeat. The last patches are clinging to the shadows of the forest with their remaining strength before the spring sun chases them away for good. But in their place, another white carpet has spread across the landscape – the blooms of Spring Snowflakes (Leucojum vernum). These snowflakes love the spring sun as much as I do!
But what might interest you more is the lens I used to capture them – the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S. Indeed, an entire flock of 35mm primes has landed at my doorstep. Soon you’ll be able to compare all three, but for now, as a little appetizer, here’s one of the results from the fastest of the bunch.
Recent Announcements
- Elinchrom LED 100 C RGB LED Monolight: A portable (0.91kg / 2.01lb) yet powerful light designed for videographers. It delivers a maximum output of 3250 lux at 1m (3.3′) with a colour temperature of 6500K. The colour temperature is adjustable from 2700K to 6500K. The light allows full RGB control (0 to 360° in 1° increments) via a touchscreen LCD or mobile app. Dimming is adjustable from 0 to 100%. The package includes a diffusion dome with front adapter, while additional light modifiers are available as optional accessories. The built-in 72Wh Li-ion battery provides up to 40 minutes of run time at full power and can be recharged via USB-C (100% in 85 minutes). The light can also be powered directly via USB-C. Available for pre-order at $600.
- Nextorage NX-A2PRO CFexpress Type-A: The first CFexpress Type-A card with VPG800 certification. This means that the card has been independently tested by the CompactFlash Association to ensure that its write speed will sustain at least 800MB/s. At first glance, this may not seem groundbreaking, especially when you consider that most cards boast read and write speeds at least twice as high (in fact, the NX-A2PRO advertises maximum read/write speeds of 1,950MB/s and 1,900MB/s). However, real-world performance often tells a different story. It even applies to this card – no current camera can fully utilize these speeds. The card will be available in 160GB, 320GB and 640GB capacities.
- WD Red Pro NAS Hard Drive – 26TB: An ultra-high-capacity HDD designed for heavy 24/7 workloads in NAS enclosures, rated for 550TB/year. Its reliability is enhanced by a multi-axis shock sensor, which helps compensate for subtle shock events. With a transfer rate of up to 272MB/s and a long projected lifespan (backed by a 5-year warranty), this 3.5-inch drive is an optimal solution for backups. Priced at $570.
The Rumor Mill
Upcoming Fujifilm X Summit: What’s on the horizon?
This Thursday, March 20, Fujifilm is set to announce something exciting. And since the event is happening practically in my neighborhood – Prague, Czech Republic – I’ll likely be there in person to get firsthand information. If Prague is a bit far for you, there’s another opportunity to catch it the same day at 10:30 AM Pacific Time in Las Vegas.
So, what intriguing new gear is Fuji about to unveil? Rumors suggest a fixed-lens GFX camera. Expected specs include a 100MP sensor without IBIS, a built-in GF 35mm f/4 lens, a form factor similar to the Fuji X-Pro3, and a crop zoom lever under the shutter button. We’ll have more details next week!
Via Fuji X Weekly
Hasselblad prepares the second generation of the X2D
The specs of the upcoming model remain shrouded in a dense Swedish fog. So far, the only leak from Scandinavia is that Hasselblad has registered the new camera under the name HB722. Additionally, the first photo of the X2D II’s top plate has surfaced. Apart from the Roman numeral “II,” it appears identical to the current version.
Via Photo Rumors
Nikon Z5II? Possibly Coming in May
It’s been nearly five years since the launch of the Nikon Z5. At the time, it provided an affordable alternative to the Z6, and even today, it remains a solid camera – especially now that its price has dropped to $997. However, if the Z5II improves autofocus, buffer, frame rate, and video specs while maintaining a competitive price, it could once again be an excellent entry into the Nikon full-frame world.
Via Nikon Rumors
F-mount MonsterAdapter: There’s Still a Long Way to Go
MonsterAdapter previously announced an F-mount adapter that would enable autofocus with older screwdriver AF lenses. However, it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer before it’s ready. According to additional information posted by MonsterAdapter:
“Unfortunately, the prototype firmware behaves less consistently and uniformly, sometimes it performs great, sometimes it went crazy. There’s still a long way to go.”
“The autofocus sometimes doesn’t move, and sometimes it pulls like crazy.”
“AF-C doesn’t seem to act as consistently as AF-S.”
Not the most reassuring news, but there is a glimmer of hope: “We already know what the problem is, and it will take a week or two to fix.”
Until then, I wish you smooth and speedy manual focusing!
Via Nikon Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
I just went to check my camera trap, only to be disappointed – looks like the foxes have moved elsewhere. Oh well, what can you do? That said, just a few hundred meters away from my house, it captured two species of woodpeckers and a herd of roe deer. And as I was taking down the camera trap, the smallest bird in Europe, the Firecrest, was singing persistently right above my head.
With spring arriving soon, the prime season for wildlife photographers is about to begin. In case you’re missing anything, I’ve put together a little shopping list for you. Feel free to stick it on your fridge. Bread, butter, telephoto lens…
- Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S was $15,497, now $13,997
- Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S was $13,997, now $12,997
- Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S was $6,497, now $5,497
- Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S was $4,797, now $3,797
- Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S was $3,247, now $2,797
- Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S was $2,697, now $2,297
- Nikon AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR was $16,297, now $11,497
- Nikon AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR was $12,297, now $8,697
- Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR was $11,197, now $7,897
- Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR was $12,397, now $8,677
- Nikon AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR was $3,597, now $3,297
- Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM was $2,900, now $2,700
- OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-600mm f/5-6.3 IS was $2,700, now $2,000
- Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4 IS PRO was $3,000, now $2,700
- Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports was $3,000, now $2,800
- Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary was $950, now $830
- Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS was $1,998, now $1,898
- Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS was $2,498, now $2,398
Other Pages of Interest
The news hasn’t exactly been a source of smiles lately – but a tried and tested recipe to lift our spirits is to watch some animals doing silly things. That’s what the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are all about. And the best part? You can enter your own photos for free until 30 June. Who knows, this could be your chance to win a brand new Nikon Z6 III or Z50 II, both of which are among the competition’s top prizes.
Unity through diversity. No, this isn’t the slogan of a global biodiversity campaign – it’s the theme of this year’s Leica Women Photo Project Award, now in its sixth edition. Photographers were invited to submit a photo essay that explores the importance of connection in times of division, expressed through a feminine perspective. Want to see the winning images? You can find them on the competition’s official website.
And finally, I’d like to check in on one of biggest contests of the year – the Sony World Photography Awards. Now that the winners in the professional category have been announced, it’s time to take a look at the best images from amateur photographers, which you can find at that link.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #93
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 spring, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, March 22, 2024!
Week #92 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “landscape” theme, starting with AndrewGusew’s photo:
It’s very interesting how the curvy lines of the landscape blend in harmony with the trails in the snow.
vanaf141414’s photo:
I love the look of the peaceful water against the snow in the background on distant mountains… which is where snow should be!
And finally, florin’s photo:
The soft and beautiful tones of the mountains and sky form an elegant complementary color scheme. Nice!
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the spring theme.
