Yesterday, as a part of my cultural prep for an upcoming pictures expedition, I completed a chapter from the superb e book Amazonia and the Rivers of Tales by Vladimír Plešinger. The protagonists of this chapter have been French mathematicians and geographers La Condamine, Godin, and Bouguer. Their mid-18th-century journey would make for a improbable film.
What actually caught my consideration, nevertheless, have been their names. The place had I heard them earlier than? After which it hit me – Eutoxeres condamini, Eriocnemis godini, and Urochroa bougueri – three Andean hummingbird species named after them. Sadly, the second of those is most definitely extinct at this time.
As a lot as I’m fascinated by adventurers from practically 300 years in the past, although, let’s leap ahead a bit and check out the most recent pictures information from the previous week.
Latest Bulletins
- Tilta Transportable Charging Station: A full pictures journey means one factor – you’ll want a variety of batteries. I normally advocate carrying three or 4. And it’s all the time higher to have a charger that may cost them unexpectedly, ideally whilst you sleep. Tilta’s new charger enables you to cost as much as 4 batteries directly with a 45W USB-C PD energy enter. Every slot has its personal cost standing indicator. Accessible for the Canon LP-E6, Nikon EN-EL15C, Fuji NP-W235 and Panasonic DMW-BLK22 for $29.
- Leica M11-P Safari: The olive-green paint end continues a Leica custom that dates again to the mid-Twentieth century. Legendary fashions just like the M3 and M4 on this basic look now fetch tons of of 1000’s of euros at auctions. In comparison with these, the brand new M11-P Safari is a relative discount at “simply” $10,495 – which is $655 greater than the usual Leica M11-P. Actually, the Safari additionally improves on the M11-P by including the characteristic of Content material Credentials, the authentication expertise for digital content material. Except for that, every thing stays the identical: a 60MP sensor with the Maestro III processor, 256GB of inside reminiscence or UHS-II SD card help, and an ISO vary from 64 to 50,000.
- DxO Nik Assortment 8: The most recent model of the favored suite of plug-ins for Photoshop, Lightroom Basic, and PhotoLab brings an improved person interface and tighter integration with Photoshop. Edits can now be despatched again to Photoshop in three user-defined methods, giving photographers extra management over their workflow. You may also import and export masks instantly between Photoshop and any Nik Assortment plug-in. Each Silver Efex and Colour Efex have been considerably up to date in each performance and interface. The brand new license is priced at $160, whereas an improve from Nik Assortment 6 or 7 prices $90.
The Rumor Mill
What ecological area of interest will the potential Nikon Z7 III occupy?
Based on Canon Rumors, “the subsequent full-frame digicam from Nikon goes to be the Z7 III.” However the query is, the place can we discover a significant house in Nikon’s lineup for such a digicam? One doable path is to go for even larger decision. This rumor suggests the Z7 III will bounce up in decision to 67 megapixels, occupying a brand new area of interest within the Nikon ecosystem. Nonetheless, it’s value noting that the (usually extra correct) web site Nikon Rumors believes that this rumor doesn’t maintain water.
By way of Canon Rumors
Canon RF 300-600mm f/5.6L IS USM: The saga continues
For years, there’s been hypothesis a couple of successor to the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM. More often than not, it was believed that this successor would come within the type of a 200-500mm f/4 (and in wild goals, even with a built-in teleconverter).
Final month, nevertheless, a report surfaced suggesting that the plans for a 200-500mm f/4 could be going into the shelf, and that one other design patented in October 2024 (JP 2024-152941) would possibly take its place as a substitute. This patent suggests shifting the focal size by 100mm and reducing the utmost aperture to a relentless f/5.6.
Will Canon’s wildlife and sports activities shooters have to attend a number of extra years for the RF 300-600mm f/5.6L IS USM to materialize? “Canon goes to announce this 300-600mm quickly,” says a dependable supply. And I add, “We’ll see.”
By way of Canon Rumors
The 12 months of the quick 35s
This well-liked focal size amongst photojournalists and documentary photographers appears to be having a little bit of a renaissance this 12 months. First, Nikon launched its 35mm f/1.2 S, rapidly adopted by Viltrox with their 35mm f/1.2 LAB. And now it appears like Leica rangefinder customers could be subsequent in line.
Till now, the quickest 35mm lens for the Leica M was the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. However new rumors recommend that we would see the arrival of a Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 on this June. And whereas its most aperture will likely be spectacular, you may guess the value tag will likely be simply as lofty. Different Noctilux lenses hover across the $15,000 mark.
By way of Leica Rumors
Good Offers and New Gross sales
Not less than for wildlife photographers, spring normally results in the most important harvest. Which suggests it’s time for many people to consider whether or not we now have sufficient space for storing for all of the fruits we’re gathering right now of 12 months. Here’s a collection of attention-grabbing playing cards at engaging costs this week:
CFexpress Kind B
SDXC
Different Pages of Curiosity
The celebrated Pulitzer Prize for Breaking Information Images went to Doug Mills of The New York Instances “for a sequence of photographs of the tried assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, together with one picture that captures a bullet whizzing by means of the air as he speaks.” Within the Function Images class, Moises Saman received “for his haunting black-and-white photographs of Sednaya jail in Syria that seize the traumatic legacy of Assad’s torture chambers, forcing viewers to confront the uncooked horrors confronted by prisoners and ponder the scars on society.”
As I discussed in my final Images Information, within the early days of this week, I used to be photographing and filming considered one of Europe’s most attention-grabbing songbirds, the White-throated Dipper. The outcomes of that endeavor will likely be revealed quickly – however you may already benefit from the successful picture of the identical fowl, together with different excellent photographs from one of many world’s most prestigious nature pictures competitions: GDT Nature Photographer of the 12 months 2025.
Sir David Attenborough made his first documentary when my dad and mom weren’t even youngsters. Now, over 70 years later and on the age of 99, he’s again along with his newest undertaking – The Ocean. Generations of naturalists, wildlife photographers, filmmakers… and on a regular basis individuals have grown up impressed by this exceptional nature storyteller. Take a second to revisit 99 Iconic Moments From Sir David Attenborough, revealed this week by BBC Earth.
And talking of icons, I realized about it in class as a residing fossil, however nobody had ever photographed it in its pure habitat. I’m speaking in regards to the Coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae), a fish whose uniquely formed fins supply a glimpse into how primitive limbs of early land vertebrates may need shaped. Now you may see Alexis Chappuis’ extraordinary photographs of this historical fish, captured off the coast of the Maluku Islands, in a characteristic from Scientific Studies.
Picture Theme Problem, Week #101
Final week’s theme was low key, and you may see the outcomes on this thread. Thanks to everybody on your submissions! This week’s theme is wildflowers, and you may submit your outcomes on this thread by Saturday, Could 17, 2024!
Week #100 Outcomes
Let’s try a number of the photographs we acquired for the “low key” theme, beginning with AndrewGusew’s photograph:
The principally darkish tones give an air of secrecy, accentuated by the symmetric lights!
Robert’s photograph:
The low key impact is ideal for the muted scene.
vidmarko’s photograph:
The panorama right here is slowly revealed by the delicate darker tones. Good!
Thanks everybody for submitting their photographs within the problem, and we hope to see extra subsequent week within the wildflowers theme.