If you noticed any significant mood swings in a positive direction this week, it may have been because March 20th was the International Day of Happiness. Still, I preferred to leave nothing to chance – I traveled for a few days from a country ranked 18th in happiness to one ranked 14th. I can totally feel the change. Here you can see where your country stands in the happiness scale. Not so good? Well, hopefully the latest photography news will bring you some joy.
Recent Announcements
- Sony CFexpress Type B TOUGH: This new series of memory cards from Sony should offer higher speeds compared to the previous generation (the manufacturer claims read speeds up to 1850 MB/s and write speeds up to 1750 MB/s). The card is VPG-400 certified (which means that its write speed won’t drop below 400 MB/s). One of the main selling points is its durability – reportedly, it can withstand pressures up to 70N, which is certainly interesting for those who want to squeeze the most out of their cards. The manufacturer promises good heat dissipation, good for recording 8K video. The cards are available in capacities ranging from 480GB to 1920GB, and prices start at $320.
- Mevo Core UHD 4K Mirrorless Streaming Camera: I told you last week about an upcoming Micro Four Thirds camera from Logitech, and now it’s been announced. Though it has interchangeable lenses and a large sensor, it is mainly meant for indoor recording and streaming. In terms of specs, I’d highlight Full HD 1080/30p streaming and up to 4K/30p recording, six hours of battery life, three built-in microphones (option to connect an external powered microphone via the 3.5mm port), multi-camera setup (via the Mevo Multicam app), and an external power supply option via USB-C. Recording is done either to microSD card or via HDMI (or both). Price is $1,000.
- Lexar SL500 Portable SSD: The main selling point of this portable SSD is its size. At 85mm x 54mm, its dimensions are the same as your credit card, only the thickness is larger at 7.8mm. It uses a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 interface for data transfer. The claimed read and write speeds are 2000MB/s and 1800MB/s respectively. Those who use the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max for serious videography may appreciate that they can record video directly to the drive in Apple Pro Res format at up to 4K 60FPS. The capacity is 2TB, and the retail price is $230.
- MIOPS Snap Pro Camera: An app for the iPhone to enhance its photographic capabilities. It allows you to manually adjust basic exposure parameters such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. You can shoot in ProRAW, RAW, JPEG or TIFF formats. The shutter speed has been extended to up to 30 seconds, which improves low-light capabilities and provides the ability to capture light trails. Interesting features include focus peaking, zebra stripes, histogram, timelapse video, and remote control with the Apple Watch. Price is $2.49/month, $11.99/year, or $49.99 for a perpetual license.
The Rumor Mill
A rumored Nikon Z 28-400mm
According to Nikon Rumors, a new Nikon lens will be announced soon with Nikon’s biggest zoom range yet: 28mm on the wide end, 400mm on the telephoto end. The range is wide as the Amazon River is long. Despite this, Nikon Rumors says it will have a reasonable maximum aperture from f/3.5 to f/6.3, though it may be a fraction of a stop narrower. The lens is not expected to be an S-line lens, which is not surprising given the range.
Via Nikon Rumors
Viltrox 135mm f/1.8: A poor man’s Plena
According to a recently released teaser, Viltrox will announce its first lens of the premium LAB series. This should be a kind of showcase for the Chinese lens manufacturer. According to the reports that swept through several rumor sites, it should be a 135mm f/1.8 lens. For this debut, Viltrox has chosen the NAB Show in Las Vegas (April 13-17, 2024). So if you are tempted by the 135mm focal length with f/1.8 aperture, but can’t justify the investment in an original Nikon lens like the 135mm Plena, this could be an interesting and undoubtedly cheaper alternative.
Via Viltrox
A new compact camera from Leica?
Leica currently produces a very successful compact camera model, the Q3, which has a full-frame sensor and a fixed 28mm lens. Until recently, Leica also produced a more affordable camera, the D-LUX 7, which had a 4/3 sensor and an integrated zoom lens of 10.9-34mm (22-70mm equiv.). Now there are rumors that the D-Lux 8 will be announced this summer, helping Leica compete with Fuji’s incredibly popular X100VI.
Via Leica Rumors
Good Deals and New Sales
Sony’s CFexpress Type B TOUGH memory cards are an interesting option if you want an affordable CFExpress B card. They are not as fast some cards like the ProGrade Cobalt, but they are very reliable and their speed is not bad at all. Thanks to the release of the new generation, the previous generation is now available at a really good price.
- Sony 128GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $218, now $138)
- Sony 256GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $428, now $228)
- Sony 512GB CFexpress Type B TOUGH (was $648, now $348)
If you’re looking for a UHS-II SDXC memory card with a good price/performance ratio, here’s the one I recommend, and it’s on sale this week:
- Lexar 64GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC (was $80, now $63)
- Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC (was $170, now $108)
- Lexar 256GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC (was $270, now $198)
The Datacolor SpyderX Pro Colorimeter (was $150, now $130) is a device that helps you see colors on your monitor as they really are. The included software guides you through the entire calibration process simply and intuitively. Suitable for laptops and desktop monitors, compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems.
Other Pages of Interest
You may have noticed that, as of a few months ago, I no longer include details about photo contest deadlines in my weekly news. But let me make an exception. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are noteworthy for several reasons. First, it brings some much needed laughter, and second, Nikon is the main sponsor this year, which brings with it the chance to win some interesting prizes. So if you have a wildlife photo in your archive that has the potential to make people laugh, don’t hesitate to submit it to the tenth annual competition before July 31st. In the meantime, enjoy the winning images from 2023.
The retro wave in the camera industry does not seem to be subsiding. The latest addition from Leica is proof of this. The company has just released a limited edition of two hundred units of the legendary Leica Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 lens, first introduced in 1961 and described as “the true king of bokeh”. When stopped down, it is said to “deliver very sharp and almost distortion-free images that easily meet all modern requirements on image quality.” Considering its $10,945 price tag and its uniqueness, it is likely to become a pampered addition to the collections of well-to-do fans.
On April 8, you will have the opportunity to witness the cosmic phenomenon of the Moon passing between the Earth and the Sun. On a terrestrial trajectory that begins in Mexico and ends in Canada, this will create a solar eclipse that you will be able to enjoy for about four and a half minutes at the most. While you’re photographing it, try to look around and observe the reaction of the animals. For many of them, this is likely to be the experience of a lifetime, and they will behave accordingly. “How will birds and other wildlife react?” Well, you can find out in the article on the Audubon website.
Photo Theme Challenge, Week #41
Last week’s theme was favorite place, and you can see the results in this thread. Thank you to everyone for your submissions! This week’s theme is distortion, and you can submit your results in this thread by Saturday, March 30, 2024!
Week #41 Results
Let’s check out some of the shots we received for the “favorite place” theme, starting with florin’s photo:
Wow, I love the simplicity of the colors here, especially that they are red, green, and blue in very soft tones. It certainly looks like a very peaceful place.
Now let’s get on to DL84’s photo:
According to DL84, it’s “the place I visit the most, because it’s relatively close (45min drive) to where I live in Switzerland. This particular evening, after a two hour overcast hike, the sun decided to peek through to bathe the Säntis in some nice evening light.” I can see why this would be your favorite place, it looks absolutely amazing!
Finally, let’s take a look at PRG Lagarde’s submission:
PRG says, “Clearly, on my bicycle along the Loira ;)” What a cool selection of things to see. It is also nice to see a triptych that shows different elements of such a beautiful place.
Thanks everyone for submitting their photos in the challenge, and we hope to see more next week in the “distortion” theme!