An interesting software program (a review of which you will soon be able to read) prompted me this week to dive into the greatest depths of my archives. Our fascination with modern technology sometimes makes us forget that how often great photos were taken with – by today’s standards – prehistoric equipment. The image that I share in this Photography News is special for another reason: the lens that I used. If you can guess what it is, I invite you for a glass of wine in Prague! But now, onto this week’s news.
Recent Announcements
- Cosina Voigtländer NOKTON 50mm F1 Aspherical: This super-fast, manual-focus, full-frame lens was first introduced by its manufacturer Cosina in 2022 for Leica M. A year later, it arrived for the Nikon Z mount. Its Sony E-mount equivalent will be available from March 2024. The optical design of all three lenses is the same. However, the filter size is 62mm for the Z and M-mount versions and 67mm for the Sony E-mount. This is related to the lens hood, which is reversible on the Nikon and Leica versions, while it is screw-in on the Sony. The estimated price is around $1,600.
- Lexar Professional SL600 Portable SSD: Announced in January at CES 2024, the line of portable SSDs is just now available in 1TB and 2TB capacities (with a 4TB version to come later). Write and read speeds are said to be up to 2000MB/s, but only if your computer has a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface. If you have any other interface, expect about half that speed. The durable aluminum enclosure protects the drive against shock (up to 50G) and vibration. Water resistance, however, is not noted by the manufacturer. The prices are $130 (1TB) and $175 (2TB).
The Rumor Mill
The widest full-frame AF rectilinear lens from Laowa
In a few days, Venus Optics will officially announce the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 ultra-wide angle rectilinear lens. And since Venus Optics will be celebrating its tenth birthday with this lens, it will be a very special one in several ways. First, it will be their debut in making autofocus lenses, and second, it will be the widest f/2.8 full-frame rectilinear lens on the market with autofocus. Happy 10th birthday and 10mm lens, Venus Optics! I can’t wait to see what you come up with when you blow out the 600th candle on your cake.
Via Nikon Rumors
What do the Nikon Z90 and the unicorn have in common?
No one has seen one in the wild, yet people are talking about them! There is no doubt that a high-end APS-C body, a worthy successor to the legendary D500, is sorely missing from Nikon’s mirrorless lineup. All the more so as competitors Canon and Fujifilm have such cameras already. This is where the rumors of a Nikon Z90 come in. It’s rumored that the Z90 will have a 33MP APS-C (stacked?) sensor, 4K 60p (oversampled) / FullHD 120p or 180p video, 15 FPS burst shooting, 6-stops in-body image stabilization, a 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen, and a dual CFexpress type B and SD card slot. I’d buy a camera like this, would you?
What to expect from Viltrox in 2024?
Viltrox is a Chinese manufacturer that has found its niche in producing relatively cheap but reasonably good lenses, many of which have autofocus. We’ve reviewed a couple of them already, namely the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 and the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8. Last week, Viltrox announced their roadmap for 2024, so you can see if any of the lenses catch your eye. There is a 40mm f/2.5, 56mm f/1.7 and 16mm f/1.8 – plus Viltrox’s version of a 135mm f/1.8 to compete with the Nikon Z Plena. I look forward to a head-to-head comparison of the two.
Via Photo Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
B&H Photo Video is currently running some interesting discounts on Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic cameras that can save you up to $700. I’ll take it in order.
Canon
Cameras
- Canon EOS R3 (was $4,999, now $4,499)
- Canon EOS R5 (was $3,399, now $2,999)
- Canon EOS R6 (was $2,299, now $1,799)
Lenses
- Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM (was $2,399, now $2,099)
- Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM (was $2,399, now $2,099)
- Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM (was $3,099, now $2,799)
- Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM (was $2,799, now $2,499)
- Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM (was $2,899, now $2,599)
Nikon
Three Nikon cameras are on sale body-only, with up to $400 off. There are additional savings if you add a lens as a camera + lens bundle. (To see the supported lenses, click “build bundle” and then “mirrorless lenses” at any of the B&H links below).
- Nikon Z8 (was $3,997, now $3,797)
- Nikon Z7II (was $2,997, now $2,597)
- Nikon Z6II (was $1,997, now $1,597)
Panasonic
If you’re interested in the Micro Four Thirds concept and have been considering buying the Panasonic Lumix G9 II, now is probably the best time to do so. Until March 2, Panasonic is running a trade-in event where you’ll get money for your old working camera, plus a $500 trade-in bonus for the purchase of a new Lumix G9 II (body-only, or set with 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens).
Other Pages of Interest
What do a newly discovered species of lizard from the Peruvian jungle and the frontman of British heavy metal band Iron Maiden have in common? Apart from their bright coloring, it is their name – Enyalioides dickinsoni. An international team of scientists recently discovered two species of reptile east and north of the Marañón and Utcubamba rivers, one of which was named after Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson. If there are any physical similarities between the two (very) distantly related organisms, you can judge from the photo in the Latin American Post article.
My friend Igor Mikula, an avid herpetological photographer and overall winner of the Czech Nature Photo, fell for the charm of the beautiful but secretive tree frogs of the genus Hyloscirtus. So much so that he decided to make a movie about them. This might not be so special if it didn’t involve hard work in the remote and inaccessible mountain jungles of Ecuador and Colombia. You can watch the trailer for his film on his YouTube channel.
Breathtaking photographs appear in a selection of the best works of the 2023 International Landscape Photographer of the Year. On the contest website you can view or even download (pdf) a flip book of the top 101 entries with captions for each photo.
As one of my favorite songs goes, “there’s no song so long that it doesn’t have an end.” And, indeed, as you can read in the article in The Guardian, the career of one of the most influential photographers of the last decades, Sebastião Salgado, is slowly approaching its final notes.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #37
Last week’s theme was vast, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is vehicle, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, February 24!
Week #36 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “vast” theme, starting with JohnK’s photo:
The two people on the beach do indeed give a sense of vastness!
Next is Tom Pazol’s shot:
The colors and composition are looking really nice here, and that second tower in the distance adds the pinch of “vast”!
Finally, let’s take a look at bourdett’s shot:
There’s a very interesting contrast here, with the smooth grass leading away to the fragmented forests. The use of negative space accentuates the vastness of this landscape.
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the “vehicle” theme!