Spring, not Summer, is generally considered the season of love. However, I have good news for you. The amount of love has not declined at all now that it’s June! On the contrary – in the breeding grounds of the European Bee-eater, Europe’s most colorful bird, there was love to spare. It’s just a pity that the most intimate moments happened out of reach of my lens. While I was waiting for something interesting to happen in my viewfinder, I compiled some more news from you from this past week in the world of photography.
Recent Announcements
- Fujifilm X-H2s: Fujifilm is more than keeping pace with the other, bigger players in the market. After the recent introduction of the Canon R7 and R10, it looks like a new dawn for the APS-C format.
- Fujifilm 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR: Photographers using the Fujifilm system will soon reach 200mm further than they could before. Combined with the new Fujifilm X-H2s, this will be a great combo for wildlife shooters.
- A trio of Sony lenses for hybrid shooters: On the first day of June, Sony announced three new APS-C wide-angle lenses usable for both video and stills. There’s a PZ 10-20mm f/4, E 15mm f/1.4, and E 11mm f/1.8. The lenses are already available for pre-order.
- SIGMA 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary: Rumors last week, reality today. According to the manufacturer, Leica and Sony users can look forward to edge-to-edge sharpness, inner zoom mechanism, a front filter thread (72mm) and low weight (450 g).
The Rumor Mill
Will Tamron surprise us with new lenses?
If the rumors turn out to be true, we can look forward to some interesting glass from Tamron. Besides the 35mm f/3.5 Di III OSD Pancake, 45mm f/1.4 Di III USD, and 90mm f/1.8 Di III USD, there are also speculations about a 150-400mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VC VXD lens. Its aperture at the wide end is definitely unusual. Let’s see if the rumors turn into reality. Via Sony Alpha Rumors
Nikon NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 Should Have a Teleconverter
There are rumors that after the amazing lenses NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S, Nikon could soon (perhaps end of 2022) fill the gap between these focal lengths. Like its shorter brother, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 is expected to offer a built-in teleconverter (probably 1.4x). After our experience with the NIKKOR Z lenses so far, we can expect nothing less than excellent sharpness, focusing speed, and weight. However, the price probably won’t be low either. Via Nikon Rumors
VILTROX 13mm f/1.4 Campaign
Chinese lens manufacturer Viltrox has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a new ultra-wide-angle and ultra-fast autofocus lens for Nikon Z and Sony E mount. The f/1.4 aperture and angle of view (equivalent to 20mm on full-frame cameras) make it suitable for Vlogging, Landscape, Architecture, Street and Food photography as well as Astrophotography. The lens can be pre-ordered on Indiegogo. As always, treat crowdfunding campaigns carefully until the product starts shipping (hence why I put it here as under the Rumor Mill).
Photo Contest Corner
Nature Photographer of The Year 2022
- Topic: Wildlife and Nature (10 categories)
- Fees: €500 for each category winner and €3,000 for overall winner
- Prize: From €29 (Young photographers between 10-17 years: Free)
- Deadline: June 12
Close-up Photographer of the Year 2022
- Topic: Animals, Insects, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Invertebrate Portrait, Underwater, Plants, Fungi, Intimate Landscape, Manmade, Micro and Young
- Fees: £10 to £40 (£5 for the Young CUPOTY)
- Prize: £2,500 for winner or SIGMA 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro Art lens for The Young CUPOTY winner
- Deadline: June 12
- Topic: You can enter up to 100 photos into categories: Landscapes, People, Nature, Architecture and Technology, Sports, Cooking and Food, Hobby and Leisure, Animals, Travel and Culture and Aerial Photography
- Fees: Free
- Prize: 1000 prizes totalling 250,000 Euro
- Deadline: May 21, 2023
Good Deals and New Sales
Fujifilm’s new APS-C flagship camera, the X-H2S, is now available for pre-order at B&H. If your main focus is video, there is a good deal available. Combined with the MKX 18-55mm T2.9 or MKX50-135mm T2.9 cinema-focused zoom lenses, you can save $1000 in a discounted set (or save $2000 in a set with both lenses).
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR is a lens that works great on both DSLRs and the new Nikon Z cameras. For a long time, it was about as common on the shelves as unicorns in the woods of western Oregon, but today it’s available at B&H for $3,296.95, which is a $300 discount over the MSRP.
And now something from the other end of the focal length spectrum. The top-of-the-line NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S ultra-wide-angle zoom is currently discounted $200 to $1,296,95.
Other Pages of Interest
- The RED company, a manufacturer of professional camcorders, sued Nikon for infringement of its patents. This was allegedly committed by Nikon with the release of the latest firmware for the Z9 camera. The subject of the lawsuit is the ability to internally record 8.3K 60p video in 12-bit N-RAW. Nikon uses TicoRAW technology from intoPIX for this function, which according to RED is virtually identical to that used in its cameras. In the lawsuit, RED seeks monetary damages and a preliminary injunction prohibiting the promotion and sale of the affected Nikon product. Via Nikon Rumors
- After a strategic partnership with Xiaomi, Leica has entered into another alliance, this time with Panasonic. Both companies expect to build on the strengths of their counterparts. Specifically, Leica’s optical and imaging technology and Panasonic’s video and digital technology. What results will this collaboration bring? Via Leica Camera
- “We expect that still images will exceed the image quality of single-lens reflex cameras within the next few years.” This bold claim about the evolution of smartphone cameras was made by Terushi Shimizu, Sony Semiconductor Solutions CEO. Is Sony planning something groundbreaking in 2024, or is this just a visionary description of technology development in the coming years? I’m skeptical, but if it turns out to be true, the idea of going on a photo expedition with just a cell phone in my pocket is quite appealing. Via Sonyaddict