Laowa 200mm f/2 AF, Nikon Deals

The picture I’m opening this week’s Photography News with was initially meant to seem in my newest article, “Wildlife Photography Essentials.” But since its writer—an excellent photographer and my good pal Tomáš Grim—was someplace deep within the Brazilian Amazon on the time, it didn’t make it into the piece. Still, I couldn’t let its message and humor go unseen. What I didn’t point out within the article is that the enjoyment of images is even higher when shared.

Recent Announcements

• Brightin Star AF 35mm f/1.8: This yr in China is unquestionably the yr of the 35mm! Brightin Star’s third autofocus lens is aimed toward full-frame Sony E and Nikon Z cameras. The optical method (11 components in 6 teams) options glass from Japanese producer Hoya. The lens contains an AF/MF change, a programmable Fn button, and a de-clicked aperture ring. The mount is sealed in opposition to water drips, and there’s a USB-C port for firmware updates. Minimum focusing distance is 0.4 m. For the Nikon Z model, dimensions are 90 mm (L) × 75 mm (D) with a weight of 430 g. The lens takes 62 mm filters. Price: $250.
• HOVERAir AQUA: Landing an everyday drone on water normally means its unhappy and soggy farewell. Not so with the HOVERAir AQUA, which cannot solely land on water but in addition take off from it. Its waterproof distant management ensures the drone can comply with you even on aquatic adventures. The producer claims, “It can frame you, follow you, and fly circles around you.” The AQUA falls into the least-restricted class of drones underneath 249 grams. Its onboard digicam shoots 4K at 100 FPS, utilizing a 1/1.3″ CMOS sensor. Top velocity is 55 km/h, and it may well deal with winds as much as 33 knots. Pricing has but to be introduced.
• BOYA Magic: “One mic, four forms” is Boya’s primary promoting level for this pair of mini (7 grams every) wi-fi microphones. With the included stand and charging case, the mics may be configured for clip-on, handheld, desktop, or on-camera use. Noise cancellation is powered by AI algorithms educated on greater than 700,000 real-world noise samples. The mics file 48 okayHz/24-bit audio within the 20 Hz–20 okayHz vary. Audio may be transmitted to your machine by way of USB-C, Lightning port, or 3.5mm audio cable. Depending on the receiver kind and included equipment, costs vary from $92 to $153.

The Rumor Mill

Ricoh GR IV – specs and pictures

The fourth technology of Ricoh’s common compact digicam is beginning to take actual form. Pentax Rumors has posted images from a recent presentation in China. The buttons are the identical because the GR III, with one exception: the management dial is gone, and as an alternative there’s a brand new +/- button.

The greatest updates, nevertheless, are possible underneath the hood. The normal model (anticipated fall 2025) will function an 18.3mm f/2.8 lens (28mm equal) with a built-in 2-stop ND filter. A brand new GR ENGINE 7 processor will deal with knowledge from the upgraded 25.74-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. Image stabilization is anticipated to enhance from 3-axis to 5-axis. Also noteworthy is the change from normal SD to MicroSD playing cards, alongside 53 GB of inner storage for backup. Autofocus will get an replace with face monitoring and improved low-light sensitivity.

Via Pentax Rumors

Another 200mm f/2 lens on the horizon

When I noticed rumors about one more 200mm f/2 lens, I needed to double-check my very own Photography News from final week to ensure I wasn’t mixing issues up. Just per week after the rumor mill churned out information of Sigma’s upcoming 200mm f/2 Sport, right here comes one other one.

This time, and reasonably unexpectedly, from Venus Optics Laowa, and it’s going to function autofocus! Until now, the model has solely dipped its toes into AF lenses very cautiously — their present autofocus choices are the 10mm f/2.8 and 12mm f/2.8. With an annual progress price of 2mm per yr, I had calculated we’d see a 200mm lens someday round 2119. And but, right here we’re, with precise product photographs already floating round.

The lens is anticipated to weigh round 1.6kg, which is impressively gentle when you think about Nikon’s 200mm f/2 G VR II tipped the scales at virtually 3kg. Unlike the upcoming Sigma, the Laowa will provide a broader vary of mounts: Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon EF first, adopted later by Fuji X and GFX.

Via Photo Rumors

Eternal ready for Eterna could quickly finish

On September eleventh, Fujifilm is anticipated to unveil its first medium-format cinema digicam, the GFX Eterna 102MP. The title already hints on the key specs: a 102MP CMOS II HS sensor and compatibility with Fujifilm’s GFX medium-format lenses.

Alongside the digicam, Fujifilm can even introduce a brand new 32-90mm lens with a Power Zoom mechanism, reportedly with a most aperture of f/3.5. The Eterna might be powered by the X-Processor 5, already discovered within the GFX100 II. Maximum video decision will naturally be 8K, with extra choices for 6K and 4K recording. For the remainder of the specs, we’ll have to attend till subsequent month.

Via Fuji Addict

Good Deals and New Sales

As a results of Trump’s tariffs, a second spherical of Nikon value will increase is anticipated beginning September 1st, 2025. So, in the event you’re planning to put money into Nikon gear, it will be clever to take action earlier than the top of this month. A superb alternative could be the continued Back to School Specials sale at B&H Photo. Below, you’ll discover my collection of offers that caught my eye:

Cameras

• Nikon D850 (was $2,397, now $1,897)
• Nikon D780 (was $1,997, now $1,497)
• Nikon D7500 (was $997, now $747)
• Nikon Z9 with free Nikon MC-CF660G CFexpress Type B Memory Card (was $5,497, now $5,197)
• Nikon Z8 (was $3,997, now $3,697)
• Nikon Z7 II (was $2,297, now $1,947)
• Nikon Z6 III (was $2,497, now $2,197)
• Nikon Z6 II (was $1,597, now $1,497)
• Nikon Z5 (was $1,397, now $1,097)
• Nikon Zf (was $1,997, now $1,897)
• Nikon Z30 (was $707, now $607)
• Nikon Zfc (was $957, now $907)

Lenses

Z-mount (mirrorless)

• Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S (was $627, now $547)
• Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S (was $2,097, now $1,947)
• Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S (was $1,047, now $897)
• Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena (was $2,497, now $2,347)
• Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S (was $13,997, now $13,447)
• Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S (was $15,497, now $14,497)
• Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S (was $2,497, now $2,047)
• Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S (was $1,347, now $1,197)
• Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S (was $2,397, now $2,097)
• Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 (was $1,197, now $1,097)
• Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S (was $2,697, now $2,297)
• Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S (was $2,697, now $2,447)

F-mount (DSLR)

• Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G (was $1,997, now $1,397)
• Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR (was $11,197, now $7,897)
• Nikon AF-S 500mm f/4E FL ED VR (was $10,297, now $7,297)
• Nikon AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR (was $12,297, now $8,697)
• Nikon AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR (was $16,297, now $11,497)
• Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED (was $1,747, now $1,097)
• Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR (was $1,097, now $747)
• Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR (was $2,097, now $1,697)
• Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR (was $2,347, now $1,997)

Other Pages of Interest

If you thought all the large animal species had already been found—and that scientists at present have been simply combing by the undergrowth with a magnifying glass to search out the final elusive ones—this subsequent hyperlink would possibly shock you. In Australia, researchers have not too long ago described a brand new species of stick insect (Acrophylla alta) measuring 40 cm in size. At 44 g, it additionally grew to become the heaviest identified insect on the continent, outweighing the Giant Burrowing Cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) by almost 10 grams. To put that in perspective, a single supermodel suggestions the scales about the identical as 25 of the world’s smallest hummingbirds, the Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) from Cuba.

The ReFocus Awards have introduced the winners of their newest Color Photography Contest. British photographer Liam Man took first place along with his picture Ring of Fire, and Ice. The picture depicts two ice climbers standing on the ridge of a fantastically blue-tinted block of ice. Above them, a photo voltaic eclipse unfolds amid clouds painted a fiery pink. Perhaps essentially the most fascinating a part of this surreal scene is the way in which Liam lit the glacier and its climbers—a narrative you may examine within the interview on how the successful shot got here to life.

If you journey with a drone, you could have been as alarmed, as I used to be, by a latest case from the Spanish island of Tenerife. On July fifteenth, a British vacationer was caught flying his drone over crowds in the course of the busy maritime procession in Puerto de la Cruz. In doing so, he violated a number of legal guidelines and laws, incomes himself a large €200,000 nice from Spanish aviation authorities. The article from CoverDrone features a helpful pre-flight checklist for international drone use that can assist you keep away from such disagreeable surprises. Wishing you secure and trouble-free flying this week.

Photo Theme Challenge, Week #115

Last week’s theme was summary, and you’ll see the outcomes on this thread. Thank you to everybody in your submissions! This week’s theme is clouds, and you’ll submit your outcomes on this thread by Saturday, August 16, 2025!

Week #114 Results

Let’s try a number of the pictures we acquired for the “abstract” theme. We acquired fairly a couple of superior photographs, so let’s see 4 of them, beginning with Mr T’s picture:

This is the primary time we’ve seen a photograph from Mr T, and it’s a close-up of a wood cup. Very attention-grabbing texture! It seems just like the floor of the solar.

Danny’s picture:

According to Danny, that is the roof of the Liège-Guillemins station in Belgium. Very good and deliberate framing right here.

Stea’s picture:

Stea’s lovely metallic picture is definitely a closeup of a Coraebus undatus beetle.

Finally, AndrewGusew’s picture:

Although the clouds give some concreteness to this neat architectural shot, the shapes are fairly summary as they actually play together with your sense of perspective.

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