Now and again, it’s good to step out of your consolation zone and check out one thing in pictures that you understand nearly nothing about. Not solely are you able to be taught one thing new, however you may additionally have a variety of enjoyable doing it! I just lately had the prospect to shoot some BIF. Normally, that stands for “chook in flight,” however on this case, the “B” was a beetle. A chook or a beetle – what’s the distinction, proper? From a pictures perspective, not a lot, actually.
In a couple of weeks, although, I’ll be photographing one thing utterly totally different. I’ve already began brushing up on the right way to use a grigri, jumar, and daisy chain. If you understand what these are, you then might need an thought of the sort of beasts I’m aiming to seize this time. I want you a summer season stuffed with thrilling discoveries, whether or not in your yard or someplace far-off. And possibly one of many following new releases within the pictures world will make it easier to get there.
Latest Bulletins
- Meike 35mm f/1.8 Professional Full Body Auto Focus STM: Suitable with Nikon Z, Leica L, and (beginning August sixteenth) additionally Sony E mount. At 400g, it’s barely heavier than Nikon’s equal, however at $379, it prices lower than half as a lot. Options embody an aperture ring, focus mode swap, and USB-C port for firmware updates. The producer claims minimal focus respiratory. The lens is weather-sealed. Filter thread: 58mm.
- Lomography Joseph Petzval Focus-coupled Bokeh Management Artwork Lens Collection: A collection of 5 guide full-frame lenses with very distinctive swirling bokeh, the design of which roots again to 1840. Suitable with Sony E, Canon RF, and Nikon Z mounts. Constructed with video in thoughts, they function uniform gear positions and follow-focus compatibility. A devoted stopless bokeh management ring adjusts swirl depth, with bokeh character linked to focus distance for smoother transitions. Presently accessible: 35mm f/2, 55mm f/1.7, and 80.5mm f/1.9. A 27mm f/2 and 135mm f/2.8 will comply with. Priced at $499 every or $1,272 for a bundle of three.
- Godox iT20 and Godox iT22: Two ultra-compact price range flashes designed for Sony, Nikon, Fuji, OM System, Panasonic and Canon cameras. Practically equivalent apart from their form and the slight distinction in flash-to-lens axis distance. Each supply TTL and guide energy management with 6 output ranges (1/32 to 1/1). A built-in USB-C rechargeable battery delivers as much as 700 full-power flashes with a 1.5-second recycle time. Every flash comes bundled with two magnetic coloration filters and a diffuser; an extra filter and modifier set is on the market individually. Each are priced identically at $45.
The Rumor Mill
Insta360 will quickly launch its Antigravity drone
Final week, rumors surfaced that DJI was planning to invade Insta360’s territory by releasing a competing 360-degree digicam. Now, plainly Insta360 is able to strike again by coming into DJI’s residence area. In accordance with early leaks, Insta360 is engaged on a drone known as the Antigravity that may, in fact, shoot in full 360 levels. This ought to be attainable by means of an adjunct known as the Insta360 Sphere, a mounting system designed to connect a 360-degree digicam on to the drone.
Through Picture Rumors
Canon is ready to increase its assortment of VCM prime lenses
To this point, Canon has launched 4 lenses that share an analogous dimension, a most aperture of f/1.4, a voice coil motor (VCM), no optical picture stabilization, and a guide aperture ring. The lenses of 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm focal lengths have been all designed with a robust concentrate on video use. Very quickly, this quartet is anticipated to develop with the addition of a brand new member – a Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM.
Through Canon Rumors
Sigma patent for astrophotography lovers
If this 15mm f/1.2 patent ever makes it from the drafting board to manufacturing, it could possibly be a dream come true for evening sky photographers. An ultra-wide 15mm lens with a most aperture of f/1.2 would act like a real magnet for photons from nearly any route. Surprisingly, its dimensions wouldn’t be all that large in keeping with the patent, measuring 16.3 cm in size (about 6.4 inches). And this could be a rectilinear lens, making it much more versatile than its extremely specialised fisheye sibling.
Through Sony Alpha Rumors
Good Offers and New Gross sales
It appears like Peak Design is making room for its new tripod trio by providing 10% off its Carbon Fiber Journey Tripod, which is now accessible for $540 (was $600).
In case you’re searching for a multiday climbing pack that additionally accommodates your pictures gear, the Lowepro PhotoSport PRO BP 55L AW III (was $660, now $400) is perhaps price contemplating given right this moment’s low cost. It appears like a basic trekking backpack, however it’s constructed with photographers in thoughts. It comes with the GearUp PRO XL digicam insert, which might maintain a digicam with an hooked up 70–200mm f/2.8 lens.
The Ruggard Alpine 600 Lens Backpack comfortably suits a digicam with a mounted 600mm or 800mm telephoto lens, in addition to equipment, a tripod, snacks, a water bottle, and a lightweight jacket in case it will get chilly. If that’s all you want for a time out within the area, this $120 pack (was $170) is perhaps simply best for you.
MindShift has a fame for making snug, well-designed digicam backpacks and judging by the five-star evaluations, the Gear BackLight 36L Backpack (was $300, now $250) is not any exception. In case your package features a digicam and 4 to six lenses, and also you just like the Woodland Inexperienced coloration, this is perhaps the pack for you.
Different Pages of Curiosity
An enormous congratulations to Pictures Life workforce member Nicholas Hess for his success on this yr’s Mangrove Pictures Awards! Nicholas took residence the highest prize within the Younger Photographer of the 12 months class together with his photograph of crocodiles underneath the Milky Manner. The identical photograph was extremely counseled within the Different Animals class, and a second photograph of Nicholas’s was extremely counseled within the Birds class. A really spectacular exhibiting from a really expert photographer! You may see Nicholas’s pictures, and all of the successful pictures, on the Mangrove Pictures Awards web site.
Czech President Petr Pavel is a passionate fan of bikes and motorsports usually. A lot to the “delight” of his safety workforce, he often rides his BMW F900GS to official occasions, and earlier final yr, he took half in one of many world’s hardest rallies, Dakar 2024. Not as a rider, however as a photographer. His pictures from Saudi Arabia have been even exhibited on the Nationwide Technical Museum in Prague. Final week, he was noticed once more—this time across the Brno Circuit throughout the Moto Grand Prix. Questioning what digicam the Czech president shoots with? See for your self.
Petr Horálek is among the most achieved astrophotographers on the market. His pictures have been featured as NASA’s Astronomy Image of the Day a formidable 49 instances, along with receiving quite a few different awards. In case you’ve ever thought that endurance and perseverance have been traits reserved primarily for wildlife photographers, it is perhaps time to rethink. Astrophotographers play the endurance recreation in a completely totally different league, as you’ll see within the article “Twelve Years of Kappa Cygnids,” which chronicles Horálek’s journey to seize a novel picture of the Kappa Cygnids meteor bathe. Horálek additionally shares the technical particulars behind the shot, so if the evening sky is your playground, put together to be impressed.
A tiny island on the japanese fringe of the Caribbean is residence to the world’s smallest snake, the Barbados Threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae). Blind, spaghetti-thin, not than ten centimeters, and weighing about half a gram, it’s a creature that’s practically inconceivable to search out, particularly contemplating that solely 2% of Barbados’s unique forest stays. However twenty years after its discovery and seventeen years after its official scientific description, an expedition led by Justin Springer has succeeded: the Barbados threadsnake (nonetheless) exists, and now you may see pictures right here of this critically endangered species.
Picture Theme Problem, Week #113
Final week’s theme was bushes, and you may see the outcomes on this thread. Thanks to everybody in your submissions! This week’s theme is rain, and you may submit your outcomes on this thread by Saturday, August 2, 2025!
Week #112 Outcomes
Let’s take a look at a few of the pictures we obtained for the “bushes” theme, beginning with Danny’s photograph:
It’s surprisingly exhausting to isolate bushes from their environment and actually showcase the form of a tree, and I believe this photograph does it very nicely.
AndrewGusew’s photograph:
Andrew offers us a more in-depth view of bushes by means of a sequence of them, targeted on their fractal department construction. Very cool perspective!
Lastly, Mauro70’s photograph:
Now we get a extra zoomed-out look exhibiting a ravishing “colony” of bushes in a peaceable panorama. Good!
Thanks everybody for submitting their pictures within the problem, and we hope to see extra subsequent week within the rain theme.