Migrating winter birds have not yet arrived at their breeding grounds, but for some birds, courtship is already in full swing. Many owls, including the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) in this photo, are at the peak of their mating season. Take a walk in a park or forest after sunset, and you may well hear the sounds of these magnificent nocturnal hunters. Their flight is as silent as ever, but their far-reaching hoots now enliven the darkness of the forest. What else can you hear this week? Perhaps some news from the photography world.
Recent Announcements
- Canon PowerShot V1: A point-and-shoot camera with an integrated 8.2-25.6mm f/2.8-4.5 lens and a surprisingly large sensor: 18.4 x 12.3mm (1.4″-Type). This is about the same size as Micro Four Thirds (though a 2×3 aspect ratio) and gives the lens a 16-50mm equivalent focal length. It’s a nice and compact (379g) choice to carry along when you need something small. Canon has added some higher-end video features, including a fully articulating LCD, 4K/60p video (though with a 1.4x crop), and 10-bit Canon Log3. Video is possible up to two hours continuously, and very interestingly, there’s a built-in 3EV neutral density filter. The camera is expected to be available in April 2025, with pricing yet to be announced.
- Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 Lens: The fifth member of the Leica Classic Line is best suited for rangefinders like the M11-P. Its brass barrel design takes inspiration from the first-generation model introduced in 1959, while the optical formula (7 elements in 5 groups) remains faithful to the second generation from 1962. Technological advancements are reflected in the use of modern optical glass and coatings. The lens accepts 46mm filters and comes with a metal hood. Price is $3,895.
- Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5: Cosina describes this new VM-mount lens (compatible with Leica M) as a “lightweight and compact wide-angle lens with the latest optical design.” With a length of just 14mm from the mount, a 34mm filter size, and a weight of only 99g, its compactness is truly remarkable. Attaching the metal lens hood nearly doubles its length. The optical design consists of 6 elements in 4 groups, including one double-sided aspheric element and three anomalous partial-dispersion elements. The lens will be available in silver and black for around $680.
- DJI RS 4 Mini: The lightest member of the DJI video gimbal family (890g / 2.0lb) can handle smartphones (with the new phone holder) and mirrorless cameras weighing up to 2kg (4.4lb). The optional RS Intelligent Tracking Module allows for easy subject tracking. You can operate your camera directly from the gimbal, including power zoom if your lens has it. The 3100mAh battery provides up to 13 hours of runtime. The DJI RS 4 Mini is priced at $369, while the Combo Kit is available for $459.
The Rumor Mill
First leaked image of the Lumix S1R II
An image has leaked, likely from one of the influencers invited by Panasonic to Norway for an early hands-on with the Lumix S1R II. Don’t expect too much from the link below – the image quality is on par with standard sightings of the Yeti and Loch Ness Monster. Still, it serves as solid proof that the official announcement is just around the corner.
Based on rumored specs, the S1R II is expected to feature a 44 MP “high speed” sensor, 176 MP High Res mode, 40/10 FPS electronic/mechanical shutter, 8 stops image stabilization, 1.5 second pre-capture, 8k 30p (4K 120p without crop), multi-angle screen similar to the Sony A9 III/A1 II, a weather-sealed and ventilated body, a size comparable to the S5 II (just a tiny bit thicker), and tally lights on both the front and back of the camera. All that for a price around $3,500. The expected announcement is February 25.
Via L Rumors and 4/3 Rumors
First image of the upcoming supertelephoto from OM System
OM System just updated their lens roadmap and included a very small image of an upcoming supertelephoto. What does the image show? The lens seems to be white! That’s a rare occurrence in the OM lineup. So far, the only “big white” lens is the 150-400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25 IS PRO, priced at $7,500. This new telephoto zoom is expected to cover shorter focal lengths, probably around 50-200mm (100-400mm full-frame equivalent), with an estimated aperture of f/2.8. If you’re already saving up, you’ve still got some time – the lens is expected to be available near the end of 2025.
Via 4/3 Rumors
Zeiss Otus for Z-mount
It seems that the speculation and wishful thinking of many photographers is about to come true. On February 25th at 8:00 AM ET, Zeiss will unveil an updated lineup of its legendary Otus lenses, which should include an Otus ML 50mm f/1.4 and, quite likely, an Otus ML 85mm f/1.4.
In addition to the expected Sony E-mount version, these lenses are also rumored to be compatible with Canon and Nikon mirrorless systems. The lenses are expected to cost £2,100 (50mm) and £2,350 (85mm).
Via Nikon Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
For everyday office work, a basic computer monitor suffices. However, the situation is entirely different when it comes to photo or video editing, where color range and accuracy are key. Here are three monitors on sale today with very wide color gamuts – the last one being an especially good deal if you don’t mind a 1920×1200 pixel monitor:
- ASUS ProArt PA32UCRK 32″ 4K HDR Monitor was $1,299, now $999
- BenQ PD3225U DesignVue Designer 31.5″ 16:9 HDR 4K IPS Monitor was $1,100, now $1000
- BenQ SW240 24.1″ 16:10 PhotoVue IPS Monitor was $400, now $280
Considering a new camera backpack for the upcoming season? Then you might like one of these four options that are currently on sale. The Vanguard pack is specialized for carrying long telephoto lenses. The F-Stop Gear backpack, paired with the large PRO ICU insert, can accommodate almost any camera gear comfortably for backpacking. Meanwhile, the two options from NYA-EVO and MindShift are best described as versatile everyday backpacks for standard-sized camera kits.
- Vanguard Alta Sky 66 was $220, now $200
- F-Stop Gear TILOPA 50L DuraDiamond Travel & Adventure Camera Backpack Bundle was $500, now $400
- NYA-EVO FJORD 36 ECONYL was $300, now $219
- MindShift Gear BackLight 36L was $300, now $220
Other Pages of Interest
I’m sure you know the classic Jungle Book, where the evil tiger Shere Khan was equally matched with Baloo the bear, Mowgli’s protector. Luckily for them, Shere Khan wasn’t a Siberian tiger. A male Siberian tiger can weigh over 300 kg (660 lbs), making them the world’s largest cat. Bear meat makes up about 10% of their diets. In this compilation of trail camera footage captured by Chinese researchers, you can see a tiger pursuing a bear much like a house cat pursues a mouse.
More than two-thirds of our planet’s surface is covered by water. And photographically, the opportunities beneath the surface are practically as abundant as those above. The sheer beauty of the winning images from Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 took my breath away. You’ll likely appreciate that, alongside the winning shots, you can also watch videos where the photographers share the stories behind their award-winning images.
Once again, let’s focus on nature in the Nature in Focus photo contest. During my trip to Sri Lanka, I witnessed the respectful relationship the predominantly Buddhist population has with the natural world. But even there, things are far from perfect. The winning series, Trapped Between Worlds, by Sri Lankan photographer Supun Dilshan, is a testament to this. His poignant images document the consequences of conflicts between the island’s largest land mammals, elephants, and the ever-expanding human population.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #90
Last week’s theme was breaking rules, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is soft, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, March 2!
Week #89 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “breaking rules” theme, starting with Mark Fulton’s photo:
Although this photo is of a leaf, it clearly also has an abstract quality that is somewhat disturbing. Mark says, “Balanced composition??? What if it isn’t SUPPOSED to be balanced?”
Bhoward’s photo:
About this one, Bhoward said, “Backlit. Shot through glass. Crow is on the other side of a limb at a distance. High(ish) ISO. Background intersects with the subject in some disturbing ways. Odd wing placement for the crow. But it does have rule of 3rds… so not entirely out of order. NEVER MORE! (Poe reference.)” I find it interesting how the overall image quality degradation in various ways is remarkably uniform! It’s a beautiful and moody photo.
Tom Pazol’s photo:
Tom writes, “Used tungsten white balance outdoors!” I thought the color effect was quite interesting.
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the soft theme.
