Only a few weeks in the past, I discovered myself in what can solely be described as true photographic nirvana. I used to be standing on the sting of a excessive cliff, utterly surrounded by a panoramic pure spectacle. Within the glow of the setting solar, majestic Andean Condors soared above and beneath me, whereas Carunculated Caracaras darted by means of the sky. I didn’t know what to {photograph} first. I used to be overwhelmed. There are moments when images is “simply” enjoyable. However this… this was pure photographic ecstasy. The type of expertise I won’t encounter even annually. And what about you? What photographic moments make your pulse race? I’d love to listen to about them within the feedback on this subject of Images Information.
Latest Bulletins
- Peak Design Professional Tripods: To this point, the model’s solely tripod (the Journey Tripod) is getting three greater siblings – the Professional Lite, Professional, and Professional Tall. In comparison with the unique, they function 4 leg sections (as a substitute of 5), considerably greater load capacities starting from 15.9kg to 18.1kg (up from 9.1kg), taller most heights from 162.5cm to 197.4cm (versus 152.4cm), and heavier weights from 1.7kg to 2kg (in comparison with 1.29kg). The tripod head has been utterly redesigned, now providing fluid panning and 15 levels of head adjustment even with the central column retracted. Video shooters will be capable of add an elective Tilt Mod, which brings a telescopic deal with and fluid tilt with counterbalance. One other elective accent, the Professional Leveling Base, will allow you to mount a third-party head. Costs are set at $800 (Professional Lite), $900 (Professional), and $1000 (Professional Tall), with availability anticipated from October 2025.
- OM System OM-5 Mark II: In comparison with its predecessor, the brand new mannequin good points the now-essential USB-C port, permitting each energy supply and high-speed file switch. The digital camera additionally improves its climate sealing and is now IP53-rated. Close to the shutter button, a brand new Computational Images button gives fast entry to 5 helpful modes: Excessive-Res Shot, Reside ND (4 stops), Focus Stacking, HDR, and A number of Publicity modes. Low-light shooters will recognize that the autofocus system has gained a Starry Sky mode, whereas a Evening Imaginative and prescient and Hand Held Help mode have additionally been added. Full HD video now reaches as much as 120fps, and there’s now a front-facing crimson recording tally gentle. Out there in black, silver and sand beige (new shade) for $1,200 (with the first-generation mannequin presently out there for $900).
- Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC Artwork: In 2013, Sigma launched an APS-C lens with very comparable specs – the 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Artwork (reviewed right here). On the time, it provided an intriguing various to the usually sluggish equipment lenses, which regularly began at f/3.5. The brand new model provides 1mm on the vast finish, 5mm on the lengthy finish, and 13 years of technological progress. It options an inside zoom mechanism, and Sigma guarantees minimal focus respiratory for videographers. The optical design consists of 17 parts in 11 teams, together with 4 SLD and 4 aspherical parts. Minimal focusing distance is 28cm, with a most magnification of 1:4.8 achieved at 40mm. The lens weighs in at 535g – a full 275g lighter than its DSLR predecessor – and makes use of 67mm filters. It’ll be out there beginning July 10 for L, E, and X mounts, with RF mount following in August. Pre-orders are open at $919.
- Leica Monopan 50: The very first black-and-white movie from Leica (or, at the least, with the Leica model title) has been launched to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the digital camera that began all of it – the Leica I. This 35mm movie stands out with its excessive resolving energy (as much as 280 lp/mm), prolonged spectral sensitivity (reaching as much as 780 nm, a number of dozen nanometers past the sensitivity of the human eye), and, due to its sensitivity, very wonderful grain. Out there from August 21 for $10 per roll. The similarly-specced Adox HR-50 movie is not available, nevertheless it sells for a number of {dollars} much less if yow will discover a roll.
The Rumor Mill
The Nikon Z8 is about to obtain a significant firmware replace: model 3.0
Most definitely out there on July 1, this replace ought to considerably broaden the capabilities of your digital camera. What new methods will your Z8 be capable of pull off after set up?
From my perspective, essentially the most thrilling addition is the in-camera focus limiter. This may allow you to exactly outline the vary inside which autofocus can function. We truly talked about this function in an article titled 5 New Options I’d Wish to See from Nikon, and right here it’s! You’ll be capable of set the main focus vary in two methods – both by typing within the values (you probably have an excellent sense of distance) or by specializing in the closest level (utilizing AF-ON) and the farthest level (with the shutter button).
One other spotlight is the Most Aperture Reside View function. With this, you’ll be able to drive your lens to remain vast open (say, at f/1.2) proper up till you press the shutter. Solely then will it cease all the way down to your working aperture (like f/8). The advantages are clear: Your sensor will get the utmost quantity of sunshine for a brighter viewfinder picture in low gentle, quicker and extra correct autofocus, and simpler guide focusing with focus peaking.
Talking of focusing – topic detection is now supported when utilizing guide focus lenses. Customized Extensive Space AF can be getting an improve, providing expanded protection proper as much as the sides of the viewfinder. And right here’s a small however helpful contact: you’ll now be capable of assign a 400% magnification (zoom on/off) to a customized button for super-precise focus checking.
Focus shift capabilities are additionally getting a significant increase. You’ll now be capable of mix it with each Pixel Shift and Auto Publicity Bracketing. For panorama, product, and macro shooters, the mixture of focus shift and pixel shift may very well be particularly attention-grabbing.
There are additionally new Versatile Coloration Image Controls. Nikon already provides a variety of Image Management presets, however quickly you’ll be capable of create your individual in NX Studio and cargo them instantly into your digital camera through reminiscence card. This may work for each pictures and video, letting hybrid creators preserve a singular, constant look throughout all their recordsdata.
There are a number of extra enhancements coming to the Z8 with this replace, however these are simply among the many most enjoyable. Hopefully, a few of them will make their approach as much as the Z9 quickly, too.
By way of the Nikon Europe YouTube channel
Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 is more likely to be introduced subsequent week
The corporate made its autofocus debut with the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D, which was launched over a 12 months in the past. Admittedly, autofocus isn’t precisely a crucial function for a lens this vast. Nevertheless, it seems that Venus Optics has gained confidence in its focusing know-how and is setting out on a 2mm longer journey. As early as June 25, we might even see the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 FFII C&D Dreamer lens. In line with rumors, it would function autofocus for Nikon Z and Sony E mounts whereas providing guide focus just for Canon RF and L-mount methods.
By way of Picture Rumors
Good Offers and New Gross sales
It’s already been a number of days since Spencer put collectively an in depth roundup of The Greatest Offers of B&H’s Bild Expo Specials. So in the event you’re planning to choose up some new photograph gear, I’d positively advocate beginning there. A lot of the costs listed in that article will solely stay legitimate till the tip of June 22, so you might want to act shortly.
Reductions on some merchandise will final a bit of longer, till June 23. This contains computer systems and equipment, for instance. What’s value listening to right here?
Computer systems
Mac
- Apple 16″ Macbook Professional, M4 Professional, Silver (was $3,100, now $2,700)
- Apple 15″ MacBook Air, M3, Midnight (was $1,300, now $900)
- Apple 14″ MacBook Professional, M4 Professional, House Black (was $2,800, now $2,400)
- Apple 14″ MacBook Professional, M3 Professional, House Black (was $2,000, now $1,500)
- Apple Mac Studio with M4 Max (was $2,200, now $2,000)
- Apple Mac mini with M4 Professional (was $1,600, now $1,450)
Home windows
- HP 16″ ZBook Studio G11 Cell Workstation (was $4,790, now $3,000)
- HP 16″ ZBook Studio G11 Cell Workstation (was $3,510, now $2,300)
- HP 14″ ZBook Extremely G1a Cell Workstation (was $3,500, now $3,200)
- Lenovo 14″ ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (was $2,330, now $1,800)
- Lenovo 16″ ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 (was $2,520, now $2,100)
Only a fast reminder – as a result of tariff improve on items made in China, US-based costs for quite a lot of Nikon lenses shall be going up beginning June 23. (We beforehand listed the anticipated value will increase right here.) Which suggests even the common value you see at the moment may truly be a fairly whole lot in that context.
Different Pages of Curiosity
Lately, it’s frequent to see pictures for instance the looks of various animal species. However for a whole lot of years, naturalists relied on the abilities and abilities of painters and illustrators as a substitute. In reality, the power to create wonderful area sketches was as soon as a part of an excellent naturalist’s fame. Do high-quality drawings nonetheless outshine even good pictures for this objective? I consider they’ll. One of the best fowl guides, like Birds of Europe illustrated by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterström, are clear proof of that. And the way did the outdated masters deal with comparable assignments again within the Seventeenth century? You may see for your self on the exhibition Little Beasts: Artwork, Marvel, and the Pure World, operating by means of November 2 on the Nationwide Gallery of Artwork in Washington, DC.
Within the roughly 400 years since these Seventeenth-century assignments, a lot has modified. For one, the variety of animal species identified to science has grown dramatically – and naturally, all of them must be photographed. The Smithsonian Nationwide Museum of Pure Historical past, the establishment behind the Little Beasts exhibition, has set an formidable aim for subsequent 12 months: to digitize 200,000 insect pollinator specimens in a single 12 months. A customized conveyor system is anticipated to make this job doable. To place that into perspective, it could have taken the outdated masters a lifetime to perform the identical, even assuming they might sustain a tempo of illustrating ten specimens a day.
Based in 2018, Earth Picture is a program that works with creators of each nonetheless and shifting pictures to spotlight points affecting the local weather and life on our planet. Out of over 1500 submitted works, a jury of specialists from the fields of images, movie, geography, and environmental science chosen the finalists of Earth Picture 2025: 195 pictures and eight movies by 40 photographers and filmmakers from all over the world. You may view the successful entries on the Earth Picture web site.
Picture Theme Problem, Week #108
Final week’s theme was triangles, and you may see the outcomes on this thread. Thanks to everybody to your submissions! This week’s theme is fog, and you may submit your outcomes on this thread by Saturday, June 28, 2025!
Week #107 Outcomes
Let’s try a number of the photographs we acquired for the “triangles” theme, beginning with a photograph from new discussion board member Stea:
A reasonably cool tackle the triangle theme, macro model!
PRG Lagarde’s photograph:
It’s attention-grabbing how the strains develop from the underside and finally coalesce into triangles.
And Robert’s photograph:
On this case, the cool geometric nature of the structure model brings out the triangular shapes!
Thanks everybody for submitting their pictures within the problem, and we hope to see extra subsequent week within the fog theme.