Many thanks to Spencer for taking over Photography News for me while I was in the forests of Ecuador. The news on my mind these last few weeks has been a bit more localized. For example, a juvenile Harpy Eagle in the forests near Loreto, Ecuador, is doing well. Toucans near Mindo have successfully raised their young. And unfortunately, my favorite female Chestnut-naped Antpitta was probably eaten by something.
Now that I’ve downloaded the photos to my computer and washed my dirty laundry, it’s time for me to tell you the more traditional photography news that surfaced in the last week.
Recent Announcements
- Accsoon SeeMo HDMI to USB Monitoring Adapter for iPhone/iPad: This handy $179 device can turn your iPhone/iPad into a camera monitor. It can also be turned around for filming vlogs with cameras that don’t have articulating screens. Alternatively, you can stream these videos directly at 1080p. Pre-order here.
- Pergear CFE-B ULTRA 1T/2T: It seems that the price of fast CFexpress B cards might start to drop. At least, that’s what’s indicated by two new cards from Pergear, in 1TB and 2TB varietiws. Although the read and write speeds are not as quick as the fastest cards on the market (1665MB/s read and 1300MB/s write), their price may be a strong argument to buy them, at $400 and $600 respectively.
- Sony ZV-1F: This miniature camera with a 1-inch sensor will please video shooters who want a compact camera on a budget. Compared to its more expensive sibling, this camera will only offer a 20mm f/2 lens (full frame equivalent focal length) versus the 24-70mm. Video can be recorded in 8-bit 4:2:0, 4K/30p quality. The camera allows up to 5x slow-motion at full HD. It will be available in late October for $498.
The Rumor Mill
Rumored specs of Canon EOS R6 Mark II
The successful Canon EOS R6 camera could see a successor. What are the rumored specs so far? The camera is likely to maintain a modest 24MP on a full-frame stabilized sensor. Shooting speeds should be 12 fps when using a mechanical shutter. Photos will be stored on a pair of SD/SDHC cards. The look of the camera itself shouldn’t see any major changes. In short, a minor upgrade – at least on the surface. Maybe there’s going to be more to this camera that the rumors are missing so far.
Via Canon Rumors
Leica M6 revival
More rumors are coming in for the “new” version of the film Leica M6. It looks like it will mostly be a cosmetic change. The color will be black and the price should be in the €4,800-€5,000 range. Moreover, it looks like the new M6 will be a rather exclusive item, of which only 500 are expected to be produced.
Via Leica Rumors
Fujifilm X-T5 will be here before the leaves fall
According to Fuji Rumors, Fujifilm is expected to not only unveil, but also ship its eagerly awaited X-T5 model during November. Contrary to the initial expectation that the X-T5 won’t hit the market until early next year, it’s possible that the first lucky buyers will unbox their camera at Christmas. However, with the various delays today, I wouldn’t be surprised if the camera actually ships when the leaves fall off the oak tree here in Central Europe – that is, in spring. I hope I’m wrong.
Via Fuji Rumors
New super-telephoto lens on Nikon Z
An affordable super-telephoto lens remains an unfulfilled dream for Nikon Z users for now. But it’s quite possible that before Nikon finally announces its long-planned 200-600mm zoom, something quite different will appear. According to Nikon Rumors, Chinese lens manufacturer AstrHori will soon introduce two lenses for Nikon Z-mount. One of them will mimic the Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S in its dimensions. If these rumors turn out to be true, the new lens will feature autofocus. The specs are a mystery, but this could be great news for wildlife photography enthusiasts.
Via Nikon Rumors
Photo Contest Corner
LensCulture Black & White Photography Awards 2022
- Topic: Open to all types of B&W photography
- Fees: Limited to one free entry per person. $10 for each additional photo. 5 images are $35. 30% discount for students.
- Prize: $10,000 in cash awards and exhibition at Photo London 2023.
- Deadline: October 19
Good Deals and New Sales
How do you back up your photos on the go? Do you back them up at all? If you rely on nothing but your memory cards until you get home, I suggest you rethink your habits. During my last expedition, a new CFexpress card went out of service right in my camera. Fortunately, I “only” lost images from the last two hours. Most of the photos were safe on two 2TB drives. If you don’t already have one, the fast, small and reliable SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD V2 drive, as made for backups on the go, can now be bought for $200 (was $450).
If you need maximum resolution for your work or hobby, and you’re not tempted to switch to medium format, you might be interested to know that the Sony Alpha a7R IV is now on sale at a significant discount of $510. The price is currently $3,498, which is significantly less than the price of Sony’s current flagship, the Alpha 1. The latter, compared to the a7R IV, will primarily offer higher video resolution (8K vs. 4K), faster shooting (30fps vs. 10fps), and bird eye AF.
Other Pages of Interest
Since 1965, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has been showcasing the best images of nature, taken by the best photographers. This year is no exception. The results for 2022 were just announced. And which photographs impressed the judges the most? You can see for yourself on the competition website.
You may have tried your hand at creating a timelapse, capturing the movement of the sun over the terrestrial landscape. The Solar Orbiter mission operated by The European Space Agency (ESA) has taken a slightly closer look at the Sun and its activity. Check out this timelapse taken between September 20 and October 10, which captures our nearest star using the high-resolution Extreme Ultraviolet Imager. Even billions of years after its formation, it’s still pretty hot, isn’t it?
What can turn even a relatively uninteresting and ordinary landscape into a visually attractive motif? It’s the weather! Take a look at the best photos where the weather plays a major role. The Weather Photographer of the Year 2022 competition already knows its winners.
And the last bit of inspiration to the end of these news comes from the microworld. First place in the 48th Annual Nikon Small World Photo Microscopy Competition won a scientific but very aesthetically pleasing image of an embryonic hand of a Madagascar giant day gecko. I could imagine this gecko on the wall in my living room.