Sigma 200mm f/2 Rumors, Back-to-School Sales

{A photograph} ought to inform a narrative, however typically it’s exhausting to suit the entire story right into a single body. I’m positive you’ve gotten loads of tales to share, and I’d like to see and listen to them! If you want, beginning right now, you possibly can ship me a collection of 3-10 images, every with a caption, and a brief story that ties them collectively. I’ll choose three submissions to publish. Who is aware of, this may be laying the muse for a brand new collection that may encourage you to select up your digital camera extra typically.

For this primary spherical, I’ll depart the subject completely as much as you. You can ship your images here by the top of August, with out borders, sized at 2048px and beneath 1 MB every. I can’t wait to see what tales you’ve captured!

But now, let’s dive right into a recap of what the previous week has delivered to the world of pictures.

Recent Announcements

• DJI Osmo 360: Classic motion digital camera or 360-degree digital camera? Actually, each. Two f/1.9 lenses mix to supply the identical space as a 1″-type sensor when taking pictures in 360 levels. 360° video is feasible at 8K 30p, whereas single-lens mode permits as much as 4K 120p at a 170° subject of view. You get 10-bit colour depth and D-Log M mode assist. DJI guarantees as much as 100 minutes of recording at 8K30. The digital camera can wirelessly pair with as much as two DJI microphones whereas concurrently capturing ambient sound with its built-in mics. The worth is $550 for the digital camera with a single battery, whereas the $700 Adventure Combo provides two additional batteries, a battery case, and a selfie persist with a fast launch mount.
• 7Artisans 75mm f/1.4: An inexpensive manual-focus portrait lens designed for full-frame cameras with Sony E, Canon R, Nikon Z, and L mounts. The development of this comparatively compact lens (408 g; L 77mm, D 62mm) is all metallic, together with the lens hood. Inside, you’ll discover 6 parts in 6 teams, with 3 high-refraction parts. A front-positioned aperture ring controls the 13-blade diaphragm. The filter diameter is 58 mm. The worth is $189. (Could be a finances different to the Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 that we simply reviewed.)
• 7Artisans 14mm f/2.8: Another manual-focus lens from this Chinese producer, this time geared toward panorama and structure pictures. It’s designed for full-frame cameras with E, R, Z, and L mounts. The aperture ring swap permits for each clicked and de-clicked positions, making it a strong selection for video work as nicely. The 10-blade diaphragm produces 10-line starbursts when stopped down. A removable lens hood permits the usage of normal 77mm filters. Weighing simply over half a kilogram, this all-metal lens has an optical development that features 13 parts in 9 teams (5 high-index, three ED, and two aspherical). The worth is $299.
• Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: “Air” stands for light-weight — each to your digital camera (180g) and your pockets ($227). The widest lens within the Air collection (which additionally contains 25mm, 35mm, and 56mm variations) is designed for APS-C cameras with E, X, and Z mounts. Autofocus is pushed by an STM motor. The lens accepts 58mm filters. Jason Polak has already offered a evaluate of this lens for you right here and got here away with typically optimistic impressions.
• Think Tank DarkLight 14L and 20L: Tactical digital camera backpacks designed for each city and subject use. Webbing rails on the perimeters present attachment factors for Think Tank modular pouches and different gear. The entrance pocket of the 20L model matches an iPad Pro, whereas the again panel accommodates as much as a 16” MacBook Pro. It ought to match a digital camera with a 300mm f/2.8 or a 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens hooked up. Available in black or montane inexperienced. Pricing is about at $170 for the 14L model and $200 for the 20L.

The Rumor Mill

Sigma is about to announce three new lenses this month

We’ve already lined two of them right here: the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 (for APS-C) and the second-generation full-frame Sigma 35mm f/1.2 Art. The 12mm is anticipated to be launched in a variety of mounts (E, L, Z, X, RF), whereas the 35mm will (at the very least for now) be restricted to E and L mounts.

What’s extra intriguing, nevertheless, is the third lens that hasn’t been mentioned but — the Sigma 200mm f/2.0 Sport. This quick, brief telephoto existed from Canon and Nikon within the DSLR period (and from Fuji in APS-C), however that’s the place its historical past ends. Or does it? Many portrait, occasion, sports activities, and even wildlife photographers will surely welcome its revival. Unfortunately, it appears to be like like mount choices might be restricted right here too, with solely E and L mounts more likely to be on the desk.

Via Sony Addict

Leica is engaged on a brand new portrait lens

In the most recent difficulty of “The Camera from Wetzlar, The Independent Magazine for Leica Users” (Issue XII, August-September 2025), Peter Karbe, Leica’s Senior Managing Expert on Optics, confirmed that Leica is creating a brand new 135mm APO lens for its SL system. This would develop into the longest prime lens in Leica’s mirrorless ecosystem to this point.

Portrait photographers loyal to the model presently have the 75mm and 90mm APO-Summicron-SL lenses, each with a most aperture of f/2. Will Leica follow this aperture for the upcoming 135mm as nicely? We would possibly discover out within the close to future.

Via Leica Rumors

Will Nikon reply to the Sony RX1R III?

If so, the corporate actually has a wealthy design heritage to attract from — just like the Nikon S collection, a line of rangefinder cameras from the Fifties. These Japanese “Leicas,” produced beneath the Nippon Kogaku identify, remained in manufacturing till the enduring Nikon F SLR shifted the model’s trajectory in direction of a unique future.

But traditional cameras are experiencing a renaissance, and who is aware of, maybe Nikon may also embrace a return to conventional designs impressed by fashions that are actually three-quarters of a century outdated. Curious how such a revival would possibly look? Check out this mockup of a Nikon Z SP camera.

Via Nikon Rumors

Good Deals and New Sales

B&H Photo is presently operating their Back to School Specials. I do know, trip season is in full swing, so why begin fascinated about college now? Well, listed here are just a few good causes which may simply justify it:

• Samsung 4TB T9 Portable SSD (was $440, now $300): A dependable and quick SSD (max write pace 2000 MB/s) with sturdy design. For smaller capacities, I might suggest its predecessor, the Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD, which is presently on sale as nicely: 2TB (was $230, now $160) and 1TB (was $135, now $110).
• RODE Wireless GO II (was $300, now $220): A traditional 2-person compact digital wi-fi microphone system/recorder to be used with cameras, but in addition computer systems, tablets, and smartphones. It’s a simple system for capturing audio and appropriate for fast setups.
• f-stop Guru 4 AIR Pack for Male Torsos with Medium ICU (was $250, now $160): A digital camera backpack designed for each city and outside adventures. The insert matches as much as two digital camera our bodies with hooked up lenses as much as 70-200mm f/2.8 in dimension. Available in a wide range of colours.
• Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S (was $2,697, now $2,447): A extremely versatile telephoto zoom lens with outstanding close-up capabilities.
• Nikon Z8 (was $3,997, now $3,697): Flagship-level efficiency packed into a comparatively compact physique at an affordable worth.
• Nikon Z9 with Nikon MC-CF660G CFexpress Type B Memory Card (was $5,497, now $5,197): Nikon’s present flagship digital camera bundled with an ultra-fast reminiscence card (usually priced at $767 by itself).
• Lexar 256GB Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series, 2-Pack (was $765, now $365): Ultra-fast playing cards from a trusted model, offered in a two-pack for seamless backup in cameras with twin CFexpress Type B slots (just like the Nikon Z9).
• Lenovo 16″ IdeaPad Pro 5i Multi-Touch (was $1,900, now $1,800): A glossy laptop computer that includes a 2.9 GHz Intel Core Ultra 9 285H 16-core processor, 32GB of RAM, devoted NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 laptop computer graphics, and 1TB M.2 SSD storage.

Many extra offers could be discovered on the Back to School sale page, so if there’s any explicit gear you’ve been planning to purchase, it may be price a glance.

Other Pages of Interest

Bence Máté is without doubt one of the most profitable wildlife photographers of our time. He stood on the winner’s podium of the celebrated Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPOTY) competitors at simply 17 years outdated. His signature type was solid by way of the modern use of hides outfitted with one-way mirror glass, permitting him to seize intimate wide-angle photographs of notoriously shy animals. These setups present a singular perspective that might in any other case require the photographer to be submerged in water or mud. In current years, Bence’s distinctive method has additional developed by way of his masterful use of sunshine in nocturnal pictures. If you’re curious to see behind-the-scenes footage and listen to Bence share his course of, don’t miss his discuss Bence Máté presents Animals at Night.

Did that the world’s mightiest and longest river, the Amazon, originates in Bohemia? It seems like nonsense — in any case, Bohemia, one other identify for Czechia, lies half a world away, throughout the Atlantic Ocean, some 11,000 kilometers to the northwest. But Bohemia can also be the identify of a small lake excessive up within the Andes. Here, the river begins its lengthy journey as a tiny stream. In the top, after touring greater than 7,000 kilometers, it pours as much as 300,000 cubic meters of muddy water into the ocean each second. The supply of the Amazon was found about 25 years in the past by an expedition led by Bohumír Janský, refining a 300-year-old measurement made by his fellow countryman, Czech missionary Samuel Fritz. You can be taught extra about this discovery and discover fascinating story and images by way of a virtual exhibition hosted in Prague’s historic 14th-century Karolinum.

Finally, enable me to ask you on a journey into the interior workings of a contemporary digital camera. IRreCams, an organization that focuses on changing normal cameras into infrared ones, took a detailed take a look at the Fujifilm X-T5 of their newest article. Curious to see what’s inside this high-end digital camera? Then don’t miss Fujifilm X-T5 Disassembly and Teardown. It’s a captivating anatomy lesson, however I’d strongly advise you to not strive it at house.

Photo Theme Challenge, Week #114

Last week’s theme was rain, and you’ll see the outcomes on this thread. Thank you to everybody to your submissions! This week’s theme is summary, and you’ll submit your outcomes on this thread by Saturday, August 9, 2025!

Week #113 Results

Let’s take a look at among the photographs we obtained for the “rain” theme, beginning with Danny’s picture:

This was taken whereas driving by way of the rain. Although it’s summary, it provides a fantastic feeling of rain!

rjbfoto’s picture:

Although we will’t see rain right here, the ominous clouds actually recommend it.

And lastly, Mauro70’s picture:

The selection of framing two individuals comparatively sheltered provides additional emphasis on the particular person within the heavy rain, and I like how the opposite particular person in entrance appears to be trying on the rain!

Thanks everybody for submitting their images within the problem, and we hope to see extra subsequent week within the summary theme.