Laowa Argus f/0.95 Coming Soon?

By Louis Ferreira | Published: January 16, 2020


Venus Optics Laowa has a new 0.95 line of lenses coming after the leaked Laowa 15mm f/4.5W-Dreamer Tilt-Shift. Details are limited at this time, but this line will come to DSLR and Mirrorless Full Frame / APS-C. Venus Optics hasn’t decided on the mounts to target yet or even a final design, but it is in progress and the details were leaked from a small meeting, which was able to be confirmed.

It is believed that the first lens we see in this line will fall between 20-35mm, which isn’t surprising since Laowa has made some excellent affordable wide glass recently. This 0.95 line could be like when SLR Magic made a very high-quality 50mm f/0.95 Noktor for M-Mount that was around $4k that came close to beating the legendary expensive Leica Noctilux 0.95. With what we have seen from Laowa lately I would not be surprised to see this level of quality at an even more reasonable price than what SLR Magic could reach.

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Tokina ATX-M 85mm f/1.8 FE Announced and Available

By Louis Ferreira | Published: January 16, 2020

Tokina ATX-M 85mm f/1.8 FE: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

The Tokina ATX-M 85mm f/1.8 FE that leaked earlier this week has been officially announced. Below are some additional details. It is expected to ship Fri February 7th, 2020 and retails for $499.

Lens features:

  • Simple and sophisticated design and high build quality based on anodized semi-satin finish metal and optical glass materials.
  • Smooth and beautiful bokeh, comparatively round light points in out of focus area thanks to fast aperture f/1.8, large diameter of front glass element and low light fall-off performance.
  • Outstanding resolving ability from corner to corner thanks to 10 glass elements including 1 SD element.
  • Effective ghost and flares care thanks to Tokina’s exclusive Super Low Reflection Coating with water, oil&dust repellent abilities.
  • Quiet, speedy and accurate focusing realized by ST-M focus motor actuation.
  • Smooth and precise manual focusing thanks to all-metal made unit and high standard grease materials.
  • Complete data correspondence with camera body that provides full advantage of the latest features of the Sony A7 series such as 5-axis image stabilization, MF assist, Face/Eye Priority AF, Real-time Eye AF and the electronic distance scale.
  • Developed and manufactured in accordance with Sony-licensed specifications.

Specification table

Focal length85mm
BrightnessF1.8
format35mm full format
Minimum apertureF16
Lens configuration10 pieces in 7 groups
coatingMulti coating
Angle of view28.5 °
Focus methodInner focus
Number of diaphragm blades9 sheets
Filter size72mm
Minimum shooting distance0.8m
Macro maximum magnification1.8
Number of diaphragm blades9 sheets
Maximum diameter80.0mm
full length93.0mm
Weight / th>645g
accessoriesBayonet hood (BH-727), lens cap
Compatible mountSony E mount JAN code: 4961607634455

Notes
* This product does not support the NEX series.
* This product is developed, manufactured and sold based on the licensed E-mount specifications under a license agreement with Sony Corporation.

Lens configuration diagram

MTF graph

Samples

Tokina ATX-M 85mm f/1.8 FE: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

via Photorumors

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Laowa 15mm f/4.5W-Dreamer Tilt-Shift Coming Soon

By Louis Ferreira | Published: January 16, 2020


Venus Optics has been rolling out a lot of excellent and unique Laowa lenses lately and another one just surfaced the Laowa 15mm f/4.5W-Dreamer Tilt-Shift. The Dreamer will be for F, EF, FE, RF, Z, and  L Mount.

Exclusive Update: The lens won’t be Zero-D and it can cover GFX without shift so the quality should still be quite good on Full Frame cameras.

via Weibo

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Today Only: Save $400 on Sigma 14mm f/1.8

By Louis Ferreira | Published: January 16, 2020


B&H Photo is currently offering a $400 discount on the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art. If you want this lens the savings likely will not get much better so do not miss out.

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Sony a9II, FE 24mm f/1.4 GM and FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Firmware Updates Released

By Louis Ferreira | Published: January 16, 2020


Sony released 3 firmware updates yesterday for the Sony a9II, FE 24mm f/1.4 GM and FE 135mm f/1.8 GM.

Sony a9II ILCE-9M2 firmware 1.01 Download Here

Benefits and Improvements

  • FTP transfer can be started earlier after shooting pictures
  • Improves the overall stability and performance of the camera:
    • Corrects a condition where the camera can sometimes turn off when playing RAW images
    • Improves JPEG image quality when shooting under specific conditions

Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM firmware 02 Download Here

Benefits and Improvements

  • Improved aperture response when the lens is attached to the ILCE-9, ILCE-9M2, and ILCE-7RM4 camera models.
  • “Focus Priority” can be selected from the “Aperture Drive in AF” menu when the lens is attached to an ILCE-9 camera (with firmware version 6.00 or later).

Notes:

  • It is not possible to execute the lens firmware procedure with the following E-mount cameras: NEX-5, NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-VG10, or PXW-FS7.
  • When using the PXW-FS7M2, follow the steps in the PXW-FS7M2 instruction manual.

Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM firmware 02 Download Here

Benefits and Improvements

  • Improved aperture response when the lens is attached to the ILCE-9, ILCE-9M2, and ILCE-7RM4 camera models.
  • “Focus Priority” can be selected from the “Aperture Drive in AF” menu when the lens is attached to an ILCE-9 camera (with firmware version 6.00 or later).

Notes:

  • It is not possible to execute the lens firmware procedure with the following E-mount cameras: NEX-5, NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-VG10, or PXW-FS7.
  • When using the PXW-FS7M2, follow the steps as specified in the instruction manual.

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Sony GP-VPT2BT Hand Grip

By Louis Ferreira | Published: January 15, 2020


Sony GP-VPT2BT: B&H Photo / Adorama

Sony Introduces New GP-VPT2BT Wireless Shooting Grip
Versatile, Reliable and Cable-free Grip for Improved Mobility and Creativity
Building on the growing lineup of cameras and accessories developed for modern creators, Sony today has announced the new GP-VPT2BT shooting grip with wireless remote commander. Ideal for many different types of content creation ranging from vlogs to travel photography / videography to simple everyday use, the new grip offers optimum stability and comfort combined with cable-free connectivity and a reliable dust and moisture resistant design.i

Compatible with a variety of Sony’s latest digital cameras,iithe GP-VPT2BT connects easily via Bluetooth® wireless technology, allowing creators to simply aim and shoot without interfering cables or exposed inputs. The new grip includes a useful tilt feature that allows for flexible vertical angle adjustment as well as the ability to switch from normal to self-shooting mode with ease.  Additionally, it has an adjustment wheel that can be loosened or tightened to allow for seamless operation with cameras of different sizes and weights. The grip also includes a flip button, indicator light and lock switch, and can be quickly changed into a tripod by simply expanding the bottom portion, enabling easy stable, hands-free shooting.The new GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip With Wireless Remote Commander will ship this month in North America, priced approximately $140 U.S. or $180 CA.

i Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof.

ii Compatible with α9 II, α9, α7R IV, α7R III, α7 III, α6600, α6400, α6100, and RX100 VII.  Firmware must be updated on cameras to ensure compatibility.

More information is available on the new GP-VPT2BT Wireless Shooting Grip on the Sony website, and on Sony’s Alpha Universe website.

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