Just a few weeks ago, I found myself in what can only be described as true photographic nirvana. I was standing on the edge of a high cliff, completely surrounded by a breathtaking natural spectacle. In the glow of the setting sun, majestic Andean Condors soared above and below me, while Carunculated Caracaras darted through the sky. I didn’t know what to photograph first. I was overwhelmed. There are moments when photography is “just” fun. But this… this was pure photographic ecstasy. The kind of experience I might not encounter even once a year. And what about you? What photographic moments make your pulse race? I’d love to hear about them in the comments on this issue of Photography News.
Recent Announcements
- Peak Design Pro Tripods: So far, the brand’s only tripod (the Travel Tripod) is getting three bigger siblings – the Pro Lite, Pro, and Pro Tall. Compared to the original, they feature 4 leg sections (instead of 5), significantly higher load capacities ranging from 15.9kg to 18.1kg (up from 9.1kg), taller maximum heights from 162.5cm to 197.4cm (versus 152.4cm), and heavier weights from 1.7kg to 2kg (compared to 1.29kg). The tripod head has been completely redesigned, now offering fluid panning and 15 degrees of head adjustment even with the central column retracted. Video shooters will be able to add an optional Tilt Mod, which brings a telescopic handle and fluid tilt with counterbalance. Another optional accessory, the Pro Leveling Base, will let you mount a third-party head. Prices are set at $800 (Pro Lite), $900 (Pro), and $1000 (Pro Tall), with availability expected from October 2025.
- OM System OM-5 Mark II: Compared to its predecessor, the new model gains the now-essential USB-C port, allowing both power delivery and high-speed file transfer. The camera also improves its weather sealing and is now IP53-rated. Near the shutter button, a new Computational Photography button provides quick access to five useful modes: High-Res Shot, Live ND (4 stops), Focus Stacking, HDR, and Multiple Exposure modes. Low-light shooters will appreciate that the autofocus system has gained a Starry Sky mode, while a Night Vision and Hand Held Assist mode have also been added. Full HD video now reaches up to 120fps, and there’s now a front-facing red recording tally light. Available in black, silver and sand beige (new color) for $1,200 (with the first-generation model currently available for $900).
- Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC Art: In 2013, Sigma introduced an APS-C lens with very similar specs – the 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art (reviewed here). At the time, it offered an intriguing alternative to the typically slow kit lenses, which often started at f/3.5. The new version adds 1mm on the wide end, 5mm on the long end, and 13 years of technological progress. It features an internal zoom mechanism, and Sigma promises minimal focus breathing for videographers. The optical design consists of 17 elements in 11 groups, including 4 SLD and 4 aspherical elements. Minimum focusing distance is 28cm, with a maximum magnification of 1:4.8 achieved at 40mm. The lens weighs in at 535g – a full 275g lighter than its DSLR predecessor – and uses 67mm filters. It’ll be available starting July 10 for L, E, and X mounts, with RF mount following in August. Pre-orders are open at $919.
- Leica Monopan 50: The very first black-and-white film from Leica (or, at least, with the Leica brand name) has been released to mark the 100th anniversary of the camera that started it all – the Leica I. This 35mm film stands out with its high resolving power (up to 280 lp/mm), extended spectral sensitivity (reaching up to 780 nm, a few dozen nanometers beyond the sensitivity of the human eye), and, thanks to its sensitivity, very fine grain. Available from August 21 for $10 per roll. The similarly-specced Adox HR-50 film is no longer readily available, but it sells for a few dollars less if you can find a roll.
The Rumor Mill
The Nikon Z8 is about to receive a major firmware update: version 3.0
Most likely available on July 1, this update should significantly expand the capabilities of your camera. What new tricks will your Z8 be able to pull off after installation?
From my perspective, the most exciting addition is the in-camera focus limiter. This will let you precisely define the range within which autofocus can operate. We actually mentioned this feature in an article titled 5 New Features I’d Like to See from Nikon, and here it is! You’ll be able to set the focus range in two ways – either by typing in the values (if you have a good sense of distance) or by focusing on the nearest point (using AF-ON) and the farthest point (with the shutter button).
Another highlight is the Maximum Aperture Live View feature. With this, you can force your lens to stay wide open (say, at f/1.2) right up until you press the shutter. Only then will it stop down to your working aperture (like f/8). The benefits are clear: Your sensor gets the maximum amount of light for a brighter viewfinder image in low light, faster and more accurate autofocus, and easier manual focusing with focus peaking.
Speaking of focusing – subject detection is now supported when using manual focus lenses. Custom Wide Area AF is also getting an upgrade, offering expanded coverage right up to the edges of the viewfinder. And here’s a small but useful touch: you’ll now be able to assign a 400% magnification (zoom on/off) to a custom button for super-precise focus checking.
Focus shift capabilities are also getting a major boost. You’ll now be able to combine it with both Pixel Shift and Auto Exposure Bracketing. For landscape, product, and macro shooters, the combination of focus shift and pixel shift could be especially interesting.
There are also new Flexible Color Picture Controls. Nikon already offers a wide range of Picture Control presets, but soon you’ll be able to create your own in NX Studio and load them directly into your camera via memory card. This will work for both photos and video, letting hybrid creators maintain a unique, consistent look across all their files.
There are a few more improvements coming to the Z8 with this update, but these are easily among the most exciting. Hopefully, some of them will make their way up to the Z9 soon, too.
Via the Nikon Europe YouTube channel
Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 is likely to be announced next week
The company made its autofocus debut with the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D, which was introduced over a year ago. Admittedly, autofocus isn’t exactly a critical feature for a lens this wide. However, it appears that Venus Optics has gained confidence in its focusing know-how and is setting out on a 2mm longer adventure. As early as June 25, we may see the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 FFII C&D Dreamer lens. According to rumors, it will feature autofocus for Nikon Z and Sony E mounts while offering manual focus only for Canon RF and L-mount systems.
Via Photo Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
It’s already been a few days since Spencer put together a detailed roundup of The Best Deals of B&H’s Bild Expo Specials. So if you’re planning to pick up some new photo gear, I’d definitely recommend starting there. Most of the prices listed in that article will only remain valid until the end of June 22, so you need to act quickly.
Discounts on some products will last a little longer, until June 23. This includes computers and accessories, for example. What’s worth paying attention to here?
Computers
Mac
- Apple 16″ Macbook Pro, M4 Pro, Silver (was $3,100, now $2,700)
- Apple 15″ MacBook Air, M3, Midnight (was $1,300, now $900)
- Apple 14″ MacBook Pro, M4 Pro, Space Black (was $2,800, now $2,400)
- Apple 14″ MacBook Pro, M3 Pro, Space Black (was $2,000, now $1,500)
- Apple Mac Studio with M4 Max (was $2,200, now $2,000)
- Apple Mac mini with M4 Pro (was $1,600, now $1,450)
Windows
- HP 16″ ZBook Studio G11 Mobile Workstation (was $4,790, now $3,000)
- HP 16″ ZBook Studio G11 Mobile Workstation (was $3,510, now $2,300)
- HP 14″ ZBook Ultra G1a Mobile Workstation (was $3,500, now $3,200)
- Lenovo 14″ ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (was $2,330, now $1,800)
- Lenovo 16″ ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 (was $2,520, now $2,100)
Just a quick reminder – due to the tariff increase on goods made in China, US-based prices for a number of Nikon lenses will be going up starting June 23. (We previously listed the expected price increases here.) Which means even the regular price you see today might actually be a pretty good deal in that context.
Other Pages of Interest
These days, it’s common to see photographs to illustrate the appearance of different animal species. But for hundreds of years, naturalists relied on the skills and talents of painters and illustrators instead. In fact, the ability to create excellent field sketches was once part of a good naturalist’s reputation. Do high-quality drawings still outshine even good photographs for this purpose? I believe they can. The best bird guides, like Birds of Europe illustrated by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterström, are clear proof of that. And how did the old masters handle similar assignments back in the 17th century? You can see for yourself at the exhibition Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World, running through November 2 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
In the roughly 400 years since those 17th-century assignments, much has changed. For one, the number of animal species known to science has grown dramatically – and naturally, they all need to be photographed. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the institution behind the Little Beasts exhibition, has set an ambitious goal for next year: to digitize 200,000 insect pollinator specimens in one year. A custom conveyor system is expected to make this task possible. To put that into perspective, it would have taken the old masters a lifetime to accomplish the same, even assuming they could keep up a pace of illustrating ten specimens a day.
Founded in 2018, Earth Photo is a program that works with creators of both still and moving images to highlight issues affecting the climate and life on our planet. Out of over 1500 submitted works, a jury of experts from the fields of photography, film, geography, and environmental science selected the finalists of Earth Photo 2025: 195 photographs and 8 videos by 40 photographers and filmmakers from around the world. You can view the winning entries on the Earth Photo website.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #108
Last week’s theme was triangles, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is fog, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, June 28, 2025!
Week #107 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “triangles” theme, starting with a photo from new forum member Stea:
A pretty cool take on the triangle theme, macro style!
PRG Lagarde’s photo:
It’s interesting how the lines grow from the bottom and eventually coalesce into triangles.
And Robert’s photo:
In this case, the cool geometric nature of the architecture style brings out the triangular shapes!
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the fog theme.
