Lately, I’ve been musing concerning the sheer variety of lenses the picture business rolls out each week. A few of them, I think, we might simply dwell with out. Others, nonetheless, strike me as actually intriguing. Into that second camp I’d undoubtedly place the newest launch from Venus Laowa: a 180mm macro lens that goes past life-size magnification. Due to the longer working distance, you’ll see rather less concern within the compound eyes of your tiny topics. However that’s removed from the one noteworthy factor this week needed to supply. See for your self.
Current Bulletins
- DJI Mini 5 Professional: An ultralight drone (below the 250-gram restrict, permitting for minimal flight restrictions) that has, for the primary time, a 1-inch kind sensor! The drone options 4K/120 FPS recording, as much as 10-bit video, H.265 encoding, and 50 megapixel stills with .DNG uncooked capabilities. The battery has improved to 36 minutes (from 34 minutes on the Mini 4 Professional), and new obstacle-avoidance LiDAR sensors have been added. The worth is £689.00 (UK) or €799 (EU). It is not going to be offered in the US for now.
- Venus Laowa AF 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Extremely-Macro: An autofocus-capable ultra-macro lens for Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L, and Canon EF mounts. The utmost magnification is 1.5:1, and due to the 180mm focal size, there’s a beneficiant working distance of 14.7cm / 5.8 inches in entrance of the lens at most magnification. The burden is round 500 grams / 1.1 lbs (varies barely by lens mount). At a value of $499, this lens might turn into a brand new go-to alternative for macro photographers!
- SongRAW Moonlit AF 85mm f/1.2: One other third-party autofocus lens, this time from the comparatively new Chinese language producer SongRAW. What makes this lens noteworthy is the ultra-fast f/1.2 most aperture – and the $1300 value, which is about half what you’d pay for, say, the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S. The lens weighs a heft 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) and has a basic aluminum development. Will probably be out there starting in October.
- LaCie Rugged SSD4 USB4 Exterior SSD: A brand new shock-resistant, water resistant SSD for journey photographers. Learn speeds attain as much as 4000 MB/s, whereas the drive helps Chrome, Android, Home windows, Mac, iOS, and iPadOS. It has a USB4 (USB-C) interface however is backward suitable. Capacities of 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB can be found for $135, $250, and $480 respectively.
The Rumor Mill
Sony’s a7 V could also be coming quickly
Rumors say that the long-expected Sony a7 V will arrive earlier than the top of the 12 months! It’s anticipated to function a brand new picture sensor (the present a7 IV has a 33-megapixel sensor) and most certainly might be paired with a brand new lens announcement as properly. Present rumors don’t have way more element than that, however an October or November timeframe has been floated. After we hear extra, we’ll let you recognize.
Through Sony Alpha Rumors
Nikon to develop cine lenses
Not like most rumors, this one comes straight from the horse’s mount: Nikon informed Petapixel just lately that they’re actively growing Nikkor cine lenses proper now. Moreover, Petapixel makes the excellence that the 28-135mm f/4 PZ is taken into account a “hybrid” lens somewhat than a real cine lens. Nikon shared a silhouetted picture of a collection of lenses, however no further particulars have been made out there but.
Through Petapixel
Two new Schneiders on the roadmap
To pair with the prevailing 14-24mm f/2.8 and the upcoming 24-60mm f/2.8, two new Schneider x Samyang lenses have been added to their roadmap just lately: a 60-180mm f/2.8 and a wild 28-135mm f/2.8 zoom. Each are anticipated to be for Sony E solely, at the very least for now. Though no specs are identified but, there’s already a photograph of the prototype for each lenses.
Through Reddit
A 300mm f/1.9 on the best way?
That’s what rumors counsel – the opportunity of a guide focus 300mm f/1.9 APO lens from the corporate Mild Lens Lab. Curiously, an MTF chart is already out there, and the lens seems to be impressively sharp. Nevertheless, the dearth of autofocus could restrict its utility to extra specialised conditions, resembling cinema, managed portraiture, or astrophotography.
Through Picture Rumors
Good Offers and New Gross sales
There are some large gross sales this week on DJI gear, SD playing cards, and Canon cameras and lenses. Listed below are the perfect offers we discovered for you:
DJI
SD Playing cards
Canon Gross sales
B&H:
- Canon EOS R8 (was $1599, now $1399)
- Canon EOS R7 (was $1599, now $1499)
- Canon EOS R6 Mark II (was $2199, now $1899)
- Canon EOS R5 (was $3199, now $2999)
- Canon EOS R5 Mark II (was $4299, now $3899)
- Canon EOS R3 (was $5399, now $4399)
- Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L (was $1499, now $1399)
- Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L (was $2599, now $2299)
- Canon RF 24mm f/1.4L (was $1599, now $1499)
- Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L (was $2599, now $2299)
- Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L (was $3399, now $3099)
- Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L (was $1599, now $1499)
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L (was $2499, now $2299)
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.4L (was $1499, now $1399)
- Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L (was $2999, now $2699)
- Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L (was $1699, now $1599)
- Canon RF 100-500mm f/4-6.3L (was $3099, now $2799)
- Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L (was $2299, now $2099)
- Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro (was $1299, now $1199)
Different Pages of Curiosity
We’ve some thrilling information from the Images Life staff this week… Spencer Cox gained the Rocks and Geology class of the 2025 Pure Panorama Images Awards! This prestigious panorama pictures competitors verifies RAW information from all members to make sure that no extreme post-processing was utilized. Congratulations as properly to Pleasure Kachina for photographer of the 12 months, Margrit Schwarz for picture of the 12 months, and all the different winners! You’ll be able to see the awarded images, included Spencer’s shot, right here on the NLPA 2025 web page.
Additionally revealed this week have been the winners of the 2025 Audubon Images Awards. In order for you some inspiration as a fowl photographer, look no additional than these unimaginable photographs of owls, terns, parrots, gannets, and extra. Congratulations to photographer Felipe Esteban Toledo Alarcón for taking dwelling the grand prize for his unimaginable picture of a kingfisher in flight.
Lastly, earlier this week, photographer and videographer Morton Hilmer revealed a video on his first 19 days subject testing the Nikon Zr. Wish to see how the brand new digital camera performs within the rain, and the way the audio and picture high quality carry out? That’s the video for you.
Picture Theme Problem #121
Final week’s theme was curves, and you may see the outcomes on this thread. Thanks to everybody to your submissions! This week’s theme is movement, and you may submit your outcomes on this thread by Saturday, September 27, 2025!
Week #120 Outcomes
Let’s try a few of the photographs we obtained for the “curves” theme, beginning with Mr T’s picture:
Mr T made this cup himself, and never solely is a really good hand-made object, it additionally has a pleasant coloration scheme.
Danny’s picture:
It’s the Flemish Middle for Up to date Glass Artwork, made from glass. And in it, we will see curves embedded in different curves.
Lastly, AndrewGusew’s picture:
A really artistic shot of one among his lamps!
Thanks everybody for submitting their pictures within the problem, and we hope to see extra subsequent week within the movement theme.