A meeting with a legend—what else would you call an encounter with Lonesome George, the last known individual of his kind? On the remote Galápagos island of Pinta, the last male of the island’s unique subspecies of giant tortoise was discovered in 1971. Sadly, George passed away in 2012, and with him, the Pinta Island tortoise went extinct. “A symbol of hope,” reads the sign in the room that now holds his taxidermied body at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. I don’t know… I might have chosen a more fitting phrase, though it probably wouldn’t flatter us humans. It is why I believe it is so important to photograph, film, and protect the world around you.
While endangered species vanish, cameras, lenses, and other gear keeps arriving every week. Here’s what’s new in the past seven days.
Recent Announcements
- Sony RX1R III: Just when few still believed it would happen, nearly ten years later, the third generation of the RX1R has arrived — and with it, a serious contender to the Leica Q3. A compact (498g) camera with a magnesium body and a fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 lens, it’s built around Sony’s newest Bionz XR processor and a 61MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor. The massive resolution can be cropped to simulate longer focal lengths, with 35mm, 50mm, and 70mm offered via the Step Crop Shooting function (similar to the one found in the Leica Q3). Autofocus includes 693 points, covering 78% of the frame, and offers today’s standard subject recognition features. Available for preorder at $5,098.
- Wireless Micro Camera Receiver: A device that dramatically expands the usability of Rode’s ultra-compact Wireless Micro microphones. Until now, they were designed exclusively for smartphones (Android and iOS), but with this new receiver, users can connect up to two microphones to virtually any camera. The transmission range is 100 meters, and the built-in battery provides up to 18 hours of operation. The best part? For existing Wireless Micro users, the receiver is free upon registration. The same goes for new customers who purchase the microphones through Rode’s website in Australia, the United Kingdom, or Europe.
- Mr.Ding Noxlux DG 50mm f/1.2: Under the name “Mr.Ding” hides a classically styled, fast-aperture manual focus lens designed for the Nikon Z mount. At first glance, it closely resembles Nikon’s manual lenses from the 1980s. However, unlike those, its aperture ring is positioned at the front. What it does share with them is the aluminum barrel construction and the 52mm filter thread. Electronic contacts transmit lens data to the camera. The optical design consists of 8 elements in 6 groups (including 4 lanthanide glass elements and 1 high-refractive-index element). Thanks to the lack of autofocus, the lens remains relatively compact and light for something that reaches f/1.2 (at 470g). Price is $439.
The Rumor Mill
Hasselblad X2DII could arrive as soon as next month
Rumors about the successor to Hasselblad’s high-end medium format camera have been swirling for quite some time. But this week, a fresh report surfaced suggesting that the long-awaited X2DII might finally be unveiled this August.
So what can we expect from the second generation of the X2D? In many ways, it will build on the solid foundation of its predecessor: a 100MP CMOS sensor, 16-bit color depth, 15 stops of dynamic range, a single CFexpress Type B card slot, and a built-in 1TB internal memory are all expected to carry over unchanged.
It seems it’s not the image quality that Hasselblad has focused on this time. Instead, it appears that the major upgrades revolve around autofocus and image stabilization. The new autofocus system is rumored to incorporate LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, which uses laser pulses to measure distance — similar to obstacle-avoidance systems found in some DJI drones.
In addition, the X2DII is said to feature face detection, a long-requested function that would bring it in line with competitors like Fujifilm GFX100 II. As for stabilization, an incremental improvement of up to one stop is expected over the original model, up to eight stops.
Via Photo Rumors
Sigma to launch two fast prime lenses
Rumors strongly suggest a pair of lenses from Sigma on the way. The first is an ultra-wide 12mm f/1.4 lens designed for APS-C cameras, with support for X, E, L, and even RF mounts — though, unfortunately, Nikon Z users are left out for now. The second lens is the long-anticipated successor to the full-frame Sigma ART 35mm f/1.2. Based on leaked images and rumors, the new version appears to slim down in weight and size while increasing in price. Compatibility for this one will be limited to only the Sony E and Leica L cameras.
Via Photo Rumors
DJI Osmo 360 expected to be announced by late July
It seems the two major players in the action camera world are keeping a close eye on each other. Just last week, we covered the rumors surrounding GoPro’s long-awaited 360 camera — this week, it’s DJI’s turn. With the Osmo 360, DJI is poised to enter the 360° camera waters, a space long dominated by Insta360. According to leaked specs from European retailers, the Osmo 360 will feature:
- A 1-inch type CMOS sensor with 8K 360° video and up to 120MP still images
- A wide f/1.9 aperture
- 10-bit D-Log M support for both 360° and standard video
- 4K at 120fps (170° FOV), 5K at 60fps (155° FOV), or 6K at 60fps (360° FOV)
- Native support for dual mic transmitters (like the DJI Mic 2)
Via 360 Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
From time to time, I use this space to feature the best deals on memory cards that offer the best value. Today, I’ll break them down not only by type but also by speed because not everyone needs top-tier performance. After all, why pay for something you’ll never use?
CFexpress B
When you need speed
- Lexar 256GB Professional DIAMOND Series 2-Pack (was $750, now $350)
- Lexar 1TB Professional DIAMOND Series (was $1,000, now $760)
- Lexar 512GB Professional DIAMOND Series (was $530, now $380)
- Lexar 256GB Professional DIAMOND Series (was $379, now $245)
- Lexar 128GB Professional DIAMOND Series (was $200, now $150)
- Sony 1920GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $1,998, now $1,398)
- Sony 960GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $998, now $798)
- Sony 480GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $318, now $238)
- Sony 240GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $198, now $156)
- Delkin Devices 128GB POWER (was $100, now $90)
When you need good value for money
- Lexar 4TB Professional GOLD CFexpress 4.0 (was $1,250, now $750)
- Lexar 2TB Professional GOLD CFexpress 4.0 (was $700, now $470)
- Lexar 512GB Professional GOLD CFexpress 4.0 (was $250, now $165)
- Wise Advanced 1TB CFexpress 4.0 (was $400, now $300)
- Wise Advanced 512GB CFexpress 4.0 (was $220, now $165)
- SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO (was $180, now $160)
- SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO (was $150, now $130)
SD
When you need speed
- Kingston 128GB Canvas React Plus UHS-II (was $100, now $80)
- Kingston 256GB Canvas React Plus UHS-II (was $228, now $180)
- SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO UHS-II (was $480, now $400)
- SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO UHS-II (was $230, now $180)
- SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-II (was $120, now $100)
- SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO UHS-II (was $80, now $60)
- Sony 256GB SF-G TOUGH Series UHS-II (was $398, now $268)
- Sony 128GB SF-G TOUGH Series UHS-II (was $208, now $148)
- Sony 64GB SF-G TOUGH Series UHS-II (was $108, now $78)
- Lexar 256GB Professional 2000x UHS-II (was $220, now $160)
- Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x UHS-II (was $130, now $85)
- Lexar 64GB Professional 2000x UHS-II (was $70, now $45)
When you need good value for money
- Sony 512GB SF-M Tough Series UHS-II (was $228, now $168)
- Sony 256GB SF-M Tough Series UHS-II (was $128, now $88)
- Lexar 1TB Professional 1800x UHS-II GOLD Series (was $275, now $195)
- Lexar 512GB Professional 1800x UHS-II GOLD Series (was $150, now $105)
- Lexar 256GB Professional 1800x UHS-II GOLD Series (was $90, now $59)
- Lexar 512GB Professional SILVER PLUS UHS-I (was $95, now $54)
- Lexar 256GB Professional SILVER PLUS UHS-I (was $50, now $28)
- Lexar 128GB Professional SILVER PLUS UHS-I (was $27, now $18)
Other Pages of Interest
You probably know the feeling. You live in a place — perhaps even a stunning one, brimming with photographic potential. Yet, that beauty you’ve seen a thousand times eventually fades into the background of your everyday life. You live in beauty but stop noticing it. Then, a photographer arrives from elsewhere with fresh, searching eyes and captures photos that reveal the place in all its beauty. I had one of those eye-opening moments this week when I stumbled upon the work of Valeria Semenova, a Ukrainian photographer living in the Czech capital. Enjoy her images of Prague.
Canon rolled out several firmware updates this week, with the most noteworthy ones aimed at the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II. Both cameras now support C2PA Content Authenticity. Another upgrade to these cameras brings the improved Panning Assist feature — already familiar from the EOS R3 — which helps when tracking fast-moving subjects. Servo AF has also been enhanced, promising better performance in sports photography situations, especially when players are partially obscured by nets. Additional tweaks include Pre Capture improvements, support for CFexpress cards up to 8TB, and more. For a full list of changes, visit Canon’s website.
Let’s wrap things up with a dose of inspiration from the world of photo contests. Since Spielberg recorded Jaws 50 years ago, sharks have taken a beating — so much so that in some areas of the ocean where they were once abundant, they’ve vanished (more on this at National Geographic). One way to improve their image, besides education, is through photography competitions like Shark Photographer of the Year. This year, photographers from 34 countries submitted images of 76 species of sharks and rays. What a stunning display of diversity!
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #112
Last week’s theme was white, 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 26, 2025!
Week #111 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “white” theme, starting with AndrewGusew’s photo:
The white background gives a strong sense of minimalism with this beautiful pattern.
PRG Lagarde’s photo:
This abstract shot of graffiti shows that white can have a strong texture.
And finally, rjbfoto’s photo:
A great minimal composition with both the color white and pattern that really brings out the two people. Nice!
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the trees theme.
