Before you check out this week’s Photography News, I have a little quiz for you. No, don’t worry, I won’t test your intelligence, nor will you learn anything uncomfortable about yourself. Think of it more as a teaser for an upcoming article. What 400mm lens did I use for the photo below – the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 or 400mm f/4.5? Let me know your guess in the comments. I’ll reveal the correct answer soon.
Recent Announcements
- Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4: Alongside their new release of an old camera (the 35mm film M6), Leica is also re-launching a 50-year-old 35mm f/1.4 lens. This photojournalistic classic with renowned bokeh has an upgraded lens hood, new lens coatings, and – of course – will be produced using modern manufacturing standards. The relatively reasonable price of $3,895 will please Leica photographers, especially when compared to the current ASPH version.
- HD Pentax 100mm f/2.8ED AW Macro: Ricoh announces a new 100mm macro lens. The 348g lens has new HD and SP Coating, one ED and 2 Anomalous Dispersion elements, and weather sealing. The aluminum lens barrel is anodized black or silver. Available in November for $549.95.
- iPad Pro: It has a new 8-core M2 chip that will offer 15% faster speeds compared to its M1 predecessor. The 10-core GPU is expected to increase performance by as much as 35%. With this iPad, it should be possible to edit not only photos but also videos. (For example, in DaVinci resolve, which, according to Apple, will now be available in an iPad version.) Available from $799.
- Heipi Travel Tripod: Two tripods in one. The unique design allows you to transform the center column with ball head into a separate mini tripod. Carbon fiber construction, total weight 1.35kg, weight capacity 25kg, folded length 44.5cm, working height range from 15 to 150cm. Super early birds will pay $299; starting in January, the price will be $339.
The Rumor Mill
The latest rumours about the Sony Alpha 7r V
In just a few days, the next Sony Alpha 7r V will be a much-talked-about addition Sony’s high-resolution a7r mirrorless lineup. Until October 26th, however, everything is officially shrouded in mystery. What about the likely specs of the new camera? First of all, Sony seems to be stopping their hunt for megapixels for now, as the new camera is expected to have a 61MP sensor like its predecessor (possibly with BSI technology). At the heart of the camera will be the new BionZ XR processor, which will drive a brand new, more powerful AF with AI deep learning. The Alpha 7rV will offer 8k 24p (cropped) and up to 4k60p (full readout) video, image stabilization up to 8 stops, and a fully articulating LCD screen. The buffer depth should grow to 88 uncompressed RAWs.
New “portrait” and macro lens from Astrhori
Last week I set the stage for a new, upcoming supertelephoto lens from Astrhori. Today I’m here with two more rumored lenses from that manufacturer. This time, there’s a chance of a third-party, autofocus 85mm f/1.8. Another, more unusual lens is also rumored. This one is expected to have a special elongated barrel design, with a magnification up to 2:1. Is its similarity to the Laowa 24 mm f/14 2x Macro Probe a coincidence? I guess we’ll find that out soon.
OM System OM-5: First pictures and specifications
The new camera from OM System (Olympus) should get a 20MP sensor with up to 7.5 stops of in-body image stabilization. If the native resolution is not enough for you, in a handheld/high-resolution mode, you should get up to 50MP. A built-in ND 16 filter (4 stops) will allow you to shoot with the aperture fully open in full sun or create motion blur shots of waterfalls and similar effects. For photographers who want a partner in discomfort, the new OM-5 is expected to have an IP53 certification (weather sealing and operating temperature down to -10 Celsius).
Via 4/3 Rumors
Photo Contest Corner
- Topic: Topic title “Beloved” (single photo or photo story)
- Fees: Free
- Prize: Prize money of 500,000 yen (Japanese yen), Z9 and Nikon Z lens for overal winner
- Deadline: February 13, 2023
International Picture Award – Category: TRAVEL
- Topic: Travel. In the words of the competition organizer, “from street to portrait, from nature to architecture, from near to far”.
- Fees: €4-5 per image submission
- Prize: €250 for the winner
- Deadline: October 31
- Topic: Five categories – Innovation, Cars as Art, Motorsport, Scenes and Styling, Car Culture
- Fees: Free
- Prize: The 5 first place winners will receive a year’s membership of Shutter Hub. 100 winning images will be selected for the AUTO PHOTO Awards book.
- Deadline: October 31
Good Deals and New Sales
In today’s turbulent times, we inform you of discounts on Canon products one week, only to sadden you with the opposite message a few weeks later. Canon Japan has announced a price increase of 1 to 10% on virtually all currently manufactured cameras and lenses starting November 4. It is very likely that the price increases in Japan will continue globally. Among the lenses that are still on sale so far, it is worth mentioning the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM for $1,999 (was $2,399), Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM for $1,299 (was $1,699) or Canon RF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM for $1,499 (was $1,799). Other good deals on Canon lenses include the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS for $999 (was $1,399), Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM for $399 (was $499), Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM for $2,099 (was $2,299) and Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS for $2,599 (was $2,799).
There are also some interesting discounts on certain Nikon products at the moment. These include DSLR cameras and lenses, such as the Nikon D850 for $2,497 (was $2,997), Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR for $1,597 (was $2,097), and Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR for $1,997 (was $2,347). The sale also includes cameras and lenses from the current Nikon Z series. For example, the Nikon Z7 II at $2,797 (was $2,997), the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S for $2,097 (was $2,397), and the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S for $2,397 (was $2,697) caught my eye. The full range of discounted Nikon products on B&H Photo can be found here.
Other Pages of Interest
In The Rumor Mill, I brought to your attention an upcoming macro lens with magnification up to 2:1. What could such a magnification be useful for? Perhaps you could use it for portraits of one of the most abundant groups of the animal kingdom – ants! See these ubiquitous bugs in a new light in the following close-up photos by Joshua Coogler.
Most of us have probably tried making a time-lapse video at some point. After all, it’s so easy with today’s cameras and phones. However, the time period we capture usually doesn’t exceed a few hours at most. Watch the following video to see how celestial objects change in a time-lapse spanning over a decade. The video was taken by NASA with its Near-Earth Object Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft.
And at the end of today’s Photography News, a little inspiration and humor – so necessary in today’s troubled world. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have announced their finalists. Come and have some fun with photos of animals that make you smile. Have a good week and good light!