It’s May Day, the celebration of spring! The snow has remained here only on the highest mountain peaks and where it managed to hide from the sun’s rays. For the last time today, the children and I threw snowballs at each other. Today I saw some beautiful butterflies flying among the trees in the forest. However, I didn’t go butterfly hunting today. My target was a bird that resembles a larger hummingbird in size. Europe’s second smallest bird, the Firecrest. And when the sun was too harsh to photograph, I sat down on a moss cushion and looked for weekly sales for you.
Godox VING V860IIN TTL Li-Ion Flash Kit for $159.00 (was $179.00)
The most important use of flash in today’s world of high ISO capabilities is to create atmosphere. To do this, the best solution is to use a remote flash in combination with a radio trigger. And the most cost-effective way to do this is a third-party flash like the Godox VING V860IIN, plus a trigger kit like the Godox XPro (one of the options at the link above). The flash is on sale for $159 on its own, or $228 with the wireless trigger kit. It works for Nikon, Canon, Sony, Panasonic, and Olympus. A newer version of this flash is the Godox Ving V860III which is available for $209.00 (was $229.00). Compared to the older version, it has a modeling light and different battery.
Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera (V2) with 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS for $3,096.00 (was $3,696.00)
Sony’s high-resolution full-frame cameras are currently ruled by the model with the serial number IV, so it’s the best time to look a generation back and consider whether you’ll really take advantage of everything the new model brings. If you’re happy with “only” 42 megapixels (compared to 61 on the a7 IV) and some slightly older focusing, video, and LCD specs, this is a deal to consider. In combination with the high quality FE 24-70mm f/4 lens, you’ll have a versatile kit for high resolution photography, and can invest the $600 savings into something like a better tripod or faster cards.
Sony 128GB SF-G Tough Series UHS-II SDXC Memory Card for $189.99 (was $209.99)
For a proper camera, a proper card! Sony’s Tough series prioritizes durability (proven by years of use in my own camera), and this one handles fast data writing and reading. The link in the headline is a model with a write speed of 299 MB/s. If you’re not shooting fast sequences where write speed is a critical parameter, the twice as slow Sony 128GB SF-M model might be sufficient, and it’s on sale for $60.
Delkin Devices 128GB POWER CFexpress Type B Memory Card (2-Pack) for $279.99 (was $309.99)
If you, like me, bought a new Nikon Z9 or other similar beast, you already understand that you can’t feed it with old, slow cards. I had no choice but to bite the bullet and buy my Z9 a card that won’t hold it back. So, in one of my two slots is nestled a Delkin POWER CFexpress card like the one linked above. No, it’s not the fastest card in the world, and I can forget about 8K video at 60 fps with it, but it doesn’t hold me back in burst shooting, and that’s why I bought it. (If you do need something for 8K 60p, the BLACK variant would be my choice, but it’s $230 for the 128GB version and not currently on sale.)
Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Canon EF for $999.00 (was$1,099.00)
Last week, I mentioned the ongoing sale on the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens. Today, I’ll follow that up with a sale on the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 lens. Since it’s a lens for crop-sensor aps-c cameras, it’s equivalent to about 80-160mm on a full frame camera. For Nikon F mount camera users, this lens is on sale at the same cost.
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF for $799.00 (was $899.00)
I already confessed my affection for 35mm focal length last week. The $50 discount isn’t breathtaking, but if you’re considering buying a fixed lens at this focal length, this is still one of the main options we’d recommend (just see our review). As with the 50-100mm f/1.8, the Nikon version is similarly on sale.
Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 CF Lens for Canon EF for $499.00 (was $529.00)
Tokina is a producer of interesting lenses at interesting prices. In the case of Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 CF, you get a wide-angle zoom lens with fast aperture, suitable for Canon SLR cameras with APS-C sensor. The lens has a filter thread with a diameter of 82mm, making it appropriate for landscape photography with a polarizing filter attached. For Nikon F mount users the same offer applies.
GoPro HERO10 Black for $449.99 (was $499.99)
An action camera is not necessarily just for athletes. Of course, it’ll fit best on your helmet when you’re riding your favorite trail or slope. But it will also find its use when you want to take photos and videos in conditions where you don’t want to destroy your beloved camera. For those who edit their photos, it’s important to know that GoPro can also shoot in GPR format, which is similar to Adobe DNG format. And my secret tip. Want to film a hummingbird hovering near a flower in slow motion, just like you know from BBC documentaries? In Slow Motion Mode you can shoot 240 fps video, at 2704 x 1520p resolution. The previous GoPro HERO 9 Black is no slouch either, if you’d like to save a hundred bucks more.
Wacom Cintiq 16 Creative Pen Display for $599.95 (was $649.95)
I know people who, without their Wacom tablet, are like being without their hand. What does a tablet offer you compared to a regular mouse? Apart from less risk of carpal tunnel inflammation and the associated better ergonomics, you can enjoy more precise and faster work when creating selections and masks in post-processing. The Wacom Cintiq is controlled by a stylus that is pressure sensitive (8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, if you believe their marketing figures) as well as tilts, to make working with it more like drawing. When drawing fine contours, you apply little pressure, but when you need a strong line, you apply more pressure. Simple but effective, and not a bad price.
