If any place in the world can be described as the global epicentre of biodiversity, is it the village where I am writing this Photography News for you? I’m sitting on a covered terrace in Mindo, Ecuador, rain drumming on the tin roof above me, sipping jugo de Guanábana and sorting through photos from the coast from where I arrived yesterday. I came across one of a Black Vulture eating a dead moray eel that had been washed up by the sea. Like him, I’ll try to pick out the best bits for this week’s news.
Recent Announcements
- Viltrox 23mm 33mm 56mmT1.5: New manual focus lenses for filmmakers. Stepless T1.5 wide aperture, minimized breathing effect, internal focus system for Sony E-mount and M4/3 mount (for $415).
- Tamron 20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD: The unconventional range will please Sony E-mount users, the question is when. Tamron lists an expected launch date of fall 2022, but they also say it could change “due to the current global health crisis.”
- ON1 Super Select AI Masking Tool: Creating selections in ON1 will soon be a one-click process. The ability to make simple, selective edits can be a game changer for many photographers.
The Rumor Mill
Canon RF 300mm f/2.8L IS knocking on the door
Admittedly, the door is still well locked. But according to Canon Rumors, this long-awaited telephoto lens is on its way, and some information has already leaked. The optical formula is said to be completely redesigned, for starters. The lens is also rumored to lose about 40% of its weight and become 30% shorter than its predecessor, which would certainly be remarkable. Let’s wait and see what Canon users will be pulling from their bags by (perhaps) the end of the year.
The new DJI Avata is taking off
There have been rumors about a new drone from DJI for a while now. We didn’t learn much from the official teaser, but information from various sources is already leaking out. Let’s start with the price, which should be somewhere between $1399 and $1499. The drone is supposed to be available in different control options (DJI Goggles 2 and hand controller). You can see here what the drone should look like when the curtain opens and it is officially unveiled on August 25.
Latest rumored specs of the OM Digital OM-5 camera
Specifications for the upcoming OM-5 have appeared on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The resolution estimates have a wide variance so far, though, with both 20 MP and 41 MP suggested as possible sensor resolution (AKA, they don’t know). Other specifications seem more concrete, with the electronic viewfinder said to have a resolution of 3.6 million dots, space for a single memory card, and up to 15 FPS shooting. If you’re using an OM-1 body and planning on an OM-5 as a backup, the batteries should be interchangeable. We’ll know everything officially by September 2022, when the announcement is planned.
Photo Contest Corner
Color Play: Photo Competition and Exhibition
- Topic: The photos are meant to show how to use color to create emotion, tell a story and add depth to your photos.
- Fees: $35 (up to 3 images)
- Prize: Adult category $375 (1st), $250 (2nd), $175 (3rd); Youth category $125 (1st), $75 (2nd)
- Deadline: August 25
PhotoEx Juried Photo Exhibit “In the Moment”
- Topic: Your author’s vision of “In The Moment”
- Fees: $35 to $45 for 3 to 5 entries
- Prize: $300 (1st), $200 (2nd), $100 (3rd), $50 (honorable mention)
- Deadline: August 26
Audubon Community Nature Center 2022 Nature Photography Contest
- Topic: Fauna and Landscapes/Waterscapes
- Fees: Each photo entry costs $15
- Prize: $200 for each for Adult and Youth winners in each of three categories
- Deadline: August 28
Good Deals and New Sales
Carrying a heavy camera around your neck all day is a pain. Wearing a camera over your shoulder is definitely more bearable. The high-quality and comfortable BlackRapid Sport Breathe and Double Breathe straps are now a bit cheaper (10% off to be exact) at B&H.
If you’re thinking of buying a stylish, small, yet powerful camera, you might like to take advantage of the big discount ($2,495 off) on the Leica TL2. If the lack of a viewfinder isn’t a deal breaker, an APS-C Leica at $1,995.95 sounds like a bargain.
Other Pages of Interest
- Will we ever have full-frame smartphones? I doubt it, but who knows! So far, perhaps the closest to that mark is China’s Xiaomi with its 12S Ultra, sporting a 1-inch sensor. Xiaomi recently announced a partnership with Leica, and it looks like it’ s really serious about photography. Check out this video for more.
- I’m leaving for the Amazon the day after tomorrow, and looking at the winning image of the 2022 BMC Ecology and Evolution image competition, I’m very glad I’m not an arthropod. Photographer Roberto García-Roa won first prize for his image of a parasitic fungus that, once it gets under the exoskeleton of its host, takes over its brain. The poor victim then crawls out where it suits its fungal invader best. How nice and straightforward mosquitoes sound by comparison.
- Speaking of using photographic technology for scientific purposes, let’s dive underwater with a dolphin equipped with a GoPro camera. Using such an unorthodox method, scientists uncovered interesting facts about the diet of these marine mammals. You’ll find that dolphin food is definitely not just fish. But don’t let me spoil the video for you, take a look for yourself.