Sony a7IV 6.02 and a7SIII 5.01 Firmware Updates Released


Sony a7IV: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Sony a7IV Firmware 6.02 Benefits and Improvements Download Here

  • Fixes an issue where Focus Bracket shooting could not be performed in some cases
  • Improves the operational stability of the camera


Sony a7SIII: B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama

Sony a7IV Firmware 5.01 Benefits and Improvements Download Here

  • Fixes the following issues with the ISO value:
    • The ISO value is displayed incorrectly when outputting a RAW video to a RAW-compatible device connected via an HDMI cable
    • The upper and lower limit setting ranges are incorrect when the ISO value is set to Auto
  • Fixes an issue where the camera may not be able to connect to the network
  • Improves the operational stability of the camera

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Posted in Firmware updates, Sony a7IV, Sony a7SIII| 14 Comments

Meike AF 56mm f/1.7 Air Now Available


The Meike AF 56mm f/1.7 Air is now available on B&H Photo and Amazon.

Designed for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, the Mieke AF 56mm f/1.7 Air Lens is a compact portrait-length prime lens that provides a full-frame equivalent of 85mm. It’s ideal for photographers seeking a shallow depth of field and a strong separation between the subject and the background. Weighing just 6.7 oz, it has 11 elements in 7 groups, a 9-blade diaphragm, and an STM stepping motor.

  • Delivers smooth, creamy bokeh, cleanly separating the subject from the background.
  • Reproduces real-life colors with rich detail, resulting in vibrant yet natural-looking images.
  • Provides edge-to-edge sharpness with minimal flare and chromatic aberration for clean images.
  • The STM stepping motor delivers fast, accurate, smooth, and silent autofocus, making it ideal for video capture.
  • The 6.7 oz design is compact and ideal for effortless handheld shooting on the go.

Key Features

  • APS-C | f/1.7 to f/16
  • 85mm (Full-Frame Equivalent)
  • Fast Compact Prime
  • STM Stepping Motor
  • 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • Weight: 6.7 oz

Meike AF 56mm f/1.7 Air: B&H Photo / Amazon

Posted in 3rd Party Lens| Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Sigma Patent P2026079898: The Ultimate Prime Trio Unveiled – 85mm F1.2, 105mm F1.4, and 135mm F1.4

Sigma Patent P2026079898: The Ultimate Prime Trio Unveiled – 85mm F1.2, 105mm F1.4, and 135mm F1.4

A newly published patent (P2026079898) reveals that Sigma is actively developing optical formulas for what could be the ultimate portrait prime trio for full-frame mirrorless systems. The patent outlines specifications for three incredibly fast telephoto lenses: an 85mm F1.2, a 105mm F1.4, and a 135mm F1.4.

This signals that Sigma is pushing the boundaries of light-gathering and depth-of-field control, aiming to produce some of the most dramatic bokeh rendering we’ve seen on the Sony E-mount.

Key Technical Specifications

Our research into the patent documentation highlights several critical optical characteristics for these new designs:

  • Format Compatibility: The optical designs are engineered for Full-Frame sensors but maintain full APS-C compatibility.
  • Back Focal Length: The formulas demonstrate a back focal length ranging from approximately 13mm to 17mm, which is perfectly optimized for the short flange distance of modern mirrorless mounts.
  • Image Height: Designed to cover an image height of approximately 14.2mm to 21.6mm, ensuring edge-to-edge coverage on full-frame sensors.

What This Means for Sony Shooters

Sigma has already established itself as the “Bokeh Master” with the current 105mm F1.4 Art, but moving the 85mm to an F1.2 and the 135mm to an F1.4 takes things to an entirely new level.

  • The 85mm F1.2 would directly challenge Sony’s top-tier GM offerings, providing that ultra-shallow depth of field portrait shooters crave.
  • The 105mm F1.4 continues to occupy that sweet middle spot of the portrait trio between the 135mm and 85mm. This new patent appears to be a mirrorless-optimized evolution of their legendary DSLR design, likely aiming for better autofocus performance and a refined optical path.
  • The 135mm F1.4 is perhaps the most exciting prospect, taking the already phenomenal background compression of the 135mm focal length and combining it with an F1.4 aperture.

While patent filings do not always guarantee an immediate product release, the specificity of these optical formulas suggests these designs are well into the research and development phase.

In the meantime, if you are looking to upgrade your current portrait kit, you can check out current pricing and availability for Sigma’s existing Art line below:

  • Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens for Sony E
  • Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Sony E
  • Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens for Sony E

Sigma lenses can be found at B&H Photo and Amazon.

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via j-platpat

Posted in 3rd Party Lens, Patents| Tagged | 2 Comments

New Godox MF-T76 Macro Twin Flash


Godox MF-T76 Macro Twin Flash: B&H Photo / Amazon

Godox MF-T76 Overview

Greater Precision & Control
Offering dual heads and a customizable design, Godox introduces the versatile MF-T76S Macro Twin Flash with 76Ws of power and Sony compatibility. Find clean illumination that reveals every detail of macro shooting scenes. The MF-T76S consists of two components: a controller, which slips into your camera’s hot shoe, and the dual head flash, which mounts on your lens. For installation, attach the MF-T76S to your lens with one of the eight adapter rings provided, ranging in size from 49 to 77mm. Load the included lithium battery onto the control unit, then mount it on your camera hot shoe for easy operation. The two heads are independently adjustable with a 0-150° tilt angle for direct illumination at close distances.

Improve Your Shooting Efficiency

  • The MF-T76S is a compact and portable macro/close-up lighting solution ideal for shooting food, products, insects, plants, jewelry, and other macro photography subjects.
  • Its twin head design allows you to set each side to different power ratios, enabling fine-tuning and higher contrast lighting when desired.
  • Adding to the unit’s TTL auto flash convenience, the MF-T76S offers HSS for sharp well-controlled images, as well as first and second curtain sync capabilities.

Light Shape & Depth Control
The MF-T76S has a guide number of 73.5′ at 100 ISO. It can also individually adjust the output power of each head from 1/1 to 1/256 or dial in exposure compensation and bracketing configurations. The result is balanced power between the two heads, which helps manage contrast and enhance depth to achieve fine textures. Two modeling lamps with 10 adjustable brightness levels are useful for low light scenes. The modeling lights help with focusing and previewing the light direction.

2.4 GHz Wireless System
Part of brand’s 2.4 GHz X wireless system, the MF-T76S works seamlessly with other Godox flashes in multi-light setups, so you can create a variety of lighting scenarios and different effects. The 2.4 GHz wireless technology enables long-distance transmission, adding more flexibility to your shooting. 32 channels prevent interference and disturbance when several wireless systems are working close to each other.

Rechargeable Battery & Hot Shoe Mount
The included lithium battery provides approximately 550 full-power flashes with a 1.2 second recycling time for a smooth, yet responsive shooting flow. The battery is easily rechargeable using the included USB-C cable. USB-C charging ensures reliable power for extended shooting sessions. Mount it directly on your camera’s hot shoe and start shooting.

AR-R Kit & Optional Accessories
Eight adapter rings are included for mounting to compatible 49mm, 52mm 55mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, and 77mm lenses. An optional MF-DD diffuser, color filter holder, and various MF-11C and MF-11T filters are available separately. These modifiers enable a wide range of tones and diffusion options. In addition, the MF-T76S is compatible with the optional MF-PL dental polarizing filter that is specifically designed for accurate color reproduction and improved dental macro photography.

Product NameMacro Twin Flash
ModelMF-T76 C / MF-T76 S / MF-T76 N
Flash Power (1/1 step)76Ws
Guide No. (1/1 step)Approx. GN22.4 (ISO100, in meters)
Flash Power Range1/1-1/256 (with ±1/3 increment)
FEB±3 step, with ±1/3 increment
Flash Duration (t0.1)1/700s~1/19300s
Number of Flashes (1/1 step)Approx. 550
Recycle Time (1/1 step)Approx. 1.2s
Flash ModeTTL Flash, M (Manual) Flash
Flash Head Angle0°~150°
Modeling Lamp Power1W×2
Modeling Lamp CCT4800K±300K
Wireless Transmission Distance0-100m
CH32 groups: 01-32
ID99: 01-99
HSSYes
Second Curtain SyncYes
First Curtain SyncYes
Lithium Battery7.2V/2980mAh
Working Environment Temperature-10~50°C
Flash Head Dimension (excluding connecting cable)2.97″×3.21″×1.18″
Controller Dimension (excluding connecting cable)5.35″×2.78″×2.44″
Net Weight (excluding battery)≈466g

Posted in Accessories| Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

OL: Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB N Review – Very Sharp and Highly Recommended


Optical Limits published its full review of the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB N, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that the lens is highly recommended and it is even a little sharper than the origional non N version. The full review can be found here, and there is an excerpt from it below:

“It’s very sharp at f/1.2 already – and slightly better than on the non-N sample that we reviewed.. it’s stunningly good when stopped down a little. Lateral CAs are very low. Axial CAs are noticeable at large aperture settings… vignetting is typical… slight pincushion distortion in RAW images, which turns to slight barrel distortion when autocorrected… background bokeh is very smooth, and out-of-focus highlights are nicely rendered. The build quality is up to professional standards thanks to a weather-sealed all-metal housing… AF is quick and noiseless.

Pros

  1. Impressively sharp
  2. Superb build quality
  3. Affordable for what it is
  4. Improved aperture handling over the non-N version
  5. Good bokeh

Cons

  1. It’s heavy (but that’s to be expected)

Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 LAB N: B&H Photo / Amazon
Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 LAB: B&H Photo / Amazon

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Posted in 3rd Party Lens| Tagged , , | 16 Comments

7Artisans 10mm f/4 and 7Artisans 18mm f/2.0 Autofocus Pancake Lenses

The first images of 7Artisans’ autofocus pancake lenses have been spotted on weibo. Good pancake lenses are hard to find, and I hope these are good ones.

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via weibo, FujiAddict

Posted in 3rd Party Lens| Tagged , , | 9 Comments