PP: AstrHori 18mm f/8 2X Probe Macro vs Venus Optics Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Review

By Louis Ferreira | Published: July 8, 2023

AstrHori 18mm f/8 2X Probe Macro: Amazon
Venus Optics Laowa 24mm f/14: Amazon / B&H Photo

The AstrHori 18mm f/8 2X Probe Macro is quite a unique lens that Chris and Jordan decided to review and surprisingly they find the lens to be sharper than Laowa’s Probe lens.

  • The lens is best for video
  • AstrHori is made for APS-C while the Laowa is for Full Frame
  • You will want a slider to create the best results
  • Many cameras shoot in Super 35 mode which is APS-C
  • The AstrHori is a f/8 while the Laowa is a f/14
  • Both power their light via USB
  • Both are waterproof up to the USB port
  • The original Laowa lens doesn’t have a removable head
  • The AstrHori does allow you to remove the lens so they can release adapters in the future
  • The AstrHori is about 27mm full frame equivalent
  • The Laowa is 24mm on Full Frame and 36mm on APS-C
  • the AstrHori should be wider all around but it is mainly longer on the wide end since the AsrHori has better magnification and there might be some focus breathing so the Laowa comes off wider sometimes
  • AstrHori is a very flat shooting lens
  • The AstrHori is sharp wide open and you only get more contrast by stopping down to f/14
  • The AstrHori is very sharp and has more detail than the Laowa
  • AstrHori is way more affordable than the Laowa

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SAB: Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Review

By Louis Ferreira | Published: July 8, 2023


Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8: B&H Photo / Adorama

Sony Alpha Blog posted its full Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 review which you can read in full here. You can check out the pro/cons below:

Pros

  • Very good sharpness wide open on A7RIV (61Mpix) and Excellent on A1 (50Mpix)
  • Excellent sharpness in the centre as of F4
  • Smooth background blur
  • Very good contrast
  • Very Good Bokeh balls in the centre
  • Very good color rendition
  • Very good rendering for portrait and skins
  • Excellent ergonomics with plenty of controls
  • Samyang lens manager allow you to personnalise your lens including setting up the Focusing ring into an aperture ring
  • Very good AF in photo and video : efficient and fast in 95% of the cases,
  • All Weather resistance
  • Very good build quality
  • Low CA
  • No focus breathing
  • Parfocal
  • Dolly Zoom function
  • Price

Average

  • Bokeh balls show strong cat’s eye at the border (truncated bokeh balls)
  • Distortion and vignetting
  • Resistance to flare
  • Sharpness in the corners wide open at 35m and 150mm
  • AF in video when zooming
  • Some front/back focus issues in less than 5% cases

Con’s

  • Heavy and big
  • Zoom ring a bit stiff
  • No tripod collar possible

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AstrHori 18mm f/8 2X Probe Macro Give Away

By Louis Ferreira | Published: July 7, 2023


AstrHori 18mm f/8 2X Probe Macro: Amazon

AstrHori is giving away an AstrHori 18mm f/8 2X Probe Macro on Instagram and there aren’t many entries with only a few days left. The directions about how to enter and win are below. You can get started here.

Win your 18/F8 Macro Probe Lens.

?
Like this post.

Tag 5 photographer friends in the comments and leave your thoughts on macro lenses.
#astrhori18mmf8 #astrhoritime

Follow @astrhori.official

:⏰⏰⏰
✔: June 19~July 09, 2023
✔: Deadline for DM screenshots is July 09
✔: 1 winner will be announced on July 10th

!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by AstrHori (@astrhori.official)

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Voigtlander 23mm f/1.2 APS-C and 35mm f/1.4 Full Frame Patents Found

By Louis Ferreira | Published: July 7, 2023


overview

  • [Publication number] P2023090337
  • [Release date] 2023-06-29
  • [Title of invention] Optical lens system
  • [Application date] 2021-12-17
  • [Applicant]
    [Identification number] 391044915
    [Name] Cosina Co., Ltd.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a compact and high-performance lens by effectively utilizing an aspherical lens.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 23.6
  • F-value: 1.22
  • Half angle of view: 31.5
  • Image height: 14.2
  • Overall length: 55.7
  • Back focus: 14.8


Example 3

  • Focal length: 34.3
  • F-value: 1.21
  • Half angle of view: 32.4
  • Image height: 21.6
  • Overall length: 71.8
  • Back focus: 19.3


Example 4

  • Focal length: 34.7
  • F-value: 1.46
  • Half angle of view: 31.7
  • Image height: 21.6
  • Overall length: 60.0
  • Back focus: 16.1

via asobinet, FujiAddict

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Another Sony a6700 Rumor Spotted

By Louis Ferreira | Published: July 6, 2023


We have 3 sets of leaked a6700 specs now and all of them match up pretty well with each other and agree with a July launch, but the most recent is the most detailed, which you can read below:

  • Name: a6700
  • Sensor: 26mp (same FX30 sensor)
  • IBIS: 7 stops
  • Ai processor (same Sony ZV-E1 processor)
  • 6k30p 10bit. 4k120 (1.19 crop). 4k120 will come in FW update along with it
  • 3.69m dot viewfinder
  • 2 SD/CF type A cards
  • The body will be a new design. It will still have the EVF on the left, but it will have a scroll wheel on the front under the shutter button. The grip is redesigned and more ergonomic. The body will be about 3mm deeper and 4mm taller.
  • Basically, it is going to be a stills version of the fx30. Due to the cost of the VF, shutter, and a few other things it is looking like the price will be $1999.
  • Announcement date: the beginning of July (source: Dpreview)

Previously Rumorsed Specs here

  • 26 MP APS-C BSI CMOS sensor (same as in the FX30)
  • IBIS: 7 stops
  • AI processor (same as in the Sony ZV-E1)
  • 4k 120 (1.19 crop)
  • Newly designed body: 3mm deeper and 4mm taller
  • Improved camera grip with better ergonomics
  • S-Cinetone
  • S-Log3, 4:2:2 10-bit internal
  • 5-axis image stabilization
  • Updated Quad-VGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF 3.69m-dot resolution
  • Sony E PZ 15-45mm F3.5-5.6
  • Announcement date: July 12th, 2023

Also previously Rumored Specs here

  • 26MP IMX571 Sensor (same one as the Fujifilm X-T3)
  • 12 FPS Continuous Shooting
  • Shutter 1/6000th – 30 seconds
  • 4K 60p
  • 2k 180P
  • 10-bit internal
  • Dual SD Card Slots
  • 3.5mm mic input
  • Improved IBIS
  • Improved Tracking
  • Quick Charging
  • 560g
  • 124 X 85 X 57mm

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via Photorumors

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LensTips: Samyang AF 24-70mm f/2.8 FE Review

By Louis Ferreira | Published: July 5, 2023


Samyang AF 24-70mm f/2.8 FE:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Samyang Lens Station:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Lenstips published its full Samyang AF 24-70mm f/2.8 FE review here which you can read in full or you can check out the excerpt below:

Pros:

  • good image quality in the frame centre,
  • sensible image quality on the edge of the frame at the shortest focal length,
  • slight lateral chromatic aberration,
  • properly corrected spherical aberration,
  • moderate astigmatism,
  • low vignetting on the APS-C sensor,
  • silent, efficient and quite accurate autofocus,
  • competitive price.

Cons:

  • weak image quality on the edge of the frame at longer focal lengths,
  • a bit of problems with longitudinal chromatic aberration,
  • noticeable distortion with moustache deformation elements,
  • too high coma.

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