credits: Canon A newly surfaced Canon patent shows some unusual catadioptric zoom lens designs, and it might offer a hint at how a very fast f/1.4 zoom lens for the RF system could be built without becoming extremely large. Recently there have been multiple reports that Canon is working on a constant f/1.4 zoom, which would fit into the broader trend of increasingly fast lenses. Even Fujifilm has been exploring extremely bright designs, recently floating concepts like a 33mm f/1.0 and an 18–50mm f/1.4 as possible future lenses. The interesting part is how Canon might actually pull something like this off. The patent, numbered 2026-033938, describes catadioptric zoom lenses designed to achieve very bright apertures. For those of you that don’t know, catadioptric designs combine traditional glass elements with mirrors that fold the light path inside the lens. Instead of traveling straight through the optics, light is reflected several times, which allows the lens to be much shorter than a conventional glass design with similar specifications. Canon has explored similar ideas before, including patents for 400mm f/3.6 and 800mm f/5 mirror lenses, although those never ended up becoming real products. Of course, mirror lenses come with their own compromises. Because of the central secondary mirror, highlights often appear as donut-shaped bokeh, and many classic mirror lenses had fixed apertures and slightly softer rendering compared to traditional optics. The patent itself outlines several possible zoom designs, including 28–45mm f/1.2, 28–55mm f/1.4, and 35–70mm f/1.4 lenses for full-frame cameras, along with a potential 15–35mm f/1.4 APS-C version. As always with patents, these are just design concepts for now, but they do line up fairly well with the recent rumours about Canon working on a fast new RF zoom.

credits: Kase The previously reported Kase 150mm f/5.6 reflex autofocus lens is now officially here. What makes the lens interesting is that it combines a mirror (reflex) optical design with autofocus, something you do not see very often. It is launching for Sony E-mount and Canon EF mount, with the possibility of additional mounts later on. Another more unusual feature is the magnetic front ring, which allows filters and the lens cap to attach magnetically instead of relying only on traditional screw threads. The optical design uses five elements arranged in four groups, following the folded light path typical of reflex lenses. That design helps keep the lens relatively compact compared to traditional lenses with a similar focal length. The lens has a fixed f/5.6 aperture, a minimum focusing distance of 1.5 meters, and supports both autofocus and manual focus. It is designed for full-frame cameras, and the optical layout tries to reduce chromatic aberration while still producing a characteristic bokeh-look. Physically, the lens is relatively compact for a 150mm. The Sony E-mount version measures about 82 × 105mm and weighs around 529 grams (about 554.5 grams with the hood). The Canon EF version is slightly shorter at 82 × 82mm and weighs roughly 487 grams (around 512.5 grams with the hood). The lens supports 67mm filters, including both standard threaded filters and the magnetic filter system. It also includes an AF/MF switch and a textured focus ring for manual adjustments.

credits: Manfrotto Manfrotto has expanded its ONE-series lineup with a new tripod called the ONE Photo, and unlike last year’s ONE Hybrid tripod, this one is meant specifically for photographers. According to Manfrotto, the tripod uses a redesigned structure with a non-rounded leg profile that improves torsional rigidity and overall stiffness. The idea is to provide better stability for high-resolution cameras and long exposures. The tripod incorporates Manfrotto’s XTEND mechanism, which allows all leg sections to extend simultaneously with a single action. It also includes a sliding centre column for precise height adjustment and ground-level shooting. Manfrotto’s Q90 horizontal column mechanism is built in as well, allowing the column to swing into a horizontal position for overhead shots, macro work, flat-lay setups, and product photography. The company says the system makes it easier to quickly switch between shooting orientations without disassembling the tripod. Unlike the ONE Hybrid, which came in both aluminium and carbon fibre versions, the ONE Photo is available only in aluminium. It can be purchased as a legs-only or as part of two kits. One version pairs the tripod with Manfrotto’s XPro ball head, while the other includes the XPro 3-Way Head, which offers independent axis control. The tripod also includes Manfrotto’s Easy Link connector, allowing accessories like lights or reflectors to be attached directly. Pricing starts at $329.95 for the tripod alone, while the two head kits are priced at $514.95.

credits: Venus Optics Venus Optics’ new Laowa 17mm f/4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift and Laowa 17mm f/4 Zero-D Shift ultra-wide lenses are here Both are designed for full-frame and medium-format mirrorless cameras and are meant for photographers who work with architecture, interiors, or landscapes where perspective control matters. While Canon and Nikon both produced tilt-shift lenses for their DSLR systems, neither company has introduced equivalent lenses for their mirrorless mounts. That gap has opened the door for third-party manufacturers like Venus Optics to step in with alternatives. Technically, the two lenses share the same core optical design. Each features 18 elements arranged in 12 groups, a 14-blade aperture, and a 104-degree field of view. The lenses can focus as close as 25 centimetres (9.8 inches) and, as expected for this type of lens, they are manual focus only. They are also very similar in size and build. The Tilt-Shift version weighs about 810 grams, while the Shift-only version weighs 770 grams. Both lenses measure 111mm in length, use 86mm front filters, and include a tripod foot with Arca-Swiss support. The tripod collar can rotate a full 360 degrees with click stops every 15 degrees. The Tilt-Shift model offers ±10 degrees of tilt and ±12mm of shift, allowing you to control the plane of focus or correct perspective distortion when photographing buildings. The Shift version skips the tilt mechanism and offers 11mm of shift instead. Both lenses are available for Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, L-Mount, Fujifilm GFX, and Hasselblad XCD cameras, although medium-format users will be limited to 8mm of shift due to the image circle. Pricing is $1,249 for the Tilt-Shift lens and $999 for the Shift version.

credits: Escura Escura has announced a small cube-shaped camera called Ligar and it is trying something a little different for film photographers. The device attaches to the hot shoe of a film camera and automatically takes a digital photo the moment the camera’s shutter is released. In other words, it captures a digital copy of the moment at the same time the film exposure is made. The idea is partly convenience and partly insurance, if something goes wrong with the film roll during development (or if the film was never loaded at all) you still have a digital version of the shot. The camera itself is pretty small, weighing around 40 grams, and captures 12-megapixel photos. It can also record video at 1440 × 1440 resolution at 30 frames per second, which Escura says allows photographers to capture moments leading up to the shot or between frames when shooting film. As mentioned, the device sits on the hot shoe, but works independently of the camera, effectively acting as a tiny companion camera that mirrors the moment the shutter is pressed. Ligar can also function on its own. It includes a 240 × 240 pixel LED viewfinder, a fixed shutter speed of 1/125 second, and a 0.45× wide-angle 3.2mm f/2.8 lens with a focusing range from 0.3 meters to infinity. The lens has a 17mm filter thread, allowing filters to be attached if desired. Escura also added built-in “time capsule” filters designed to mimic the colour styles of different decades, from the 1950s through the 2010s. The company plans to retail the Ligar for $167, with shipping expected to begin in July.

credits: Canon A new rumour is causing excitement in the Canon community, suggesting the company could be working on a zoom lens with a constant f/1.4 aperture, possibly arriving as early as late 2026. The rumour site CanonRumors reports that there is “pretty good evidence” that such a lens exists. At this point, though, the details are still extremely limited. There is no confirmed focal length range yet, and there is also no information about pricing. The speculation appears to be connected to a recently surfaced Canon patent that outlines several optical designs for extremely fast f/1.4 zooms. The lens is believed to be part of Canon’s high-end L-series lineup, which would strongly suggest a full-frame design. Canon has never released an L-series lens for APS-C cameras (neither in the EF-S system nor the newer RF-S mount) so a full-frame RF lens seems far more likely. That said, the patent itself includes designs intended for both full-frame and APS-C sensors. There has been some speculation that a lens like this could appear alongside the upcoming EOS R7 Mark II, although there is currently no indication of an RF-S version, making an APS-C model possible but unlikely for now. If Canon actually releases a constant f/1.4 zoom, it would go well beyond anything currently available. Sony recently raised the bar with lenses like the FE 28–70mm f/2 GM and FE 50–150mm f/2 GM, while Canon itself made waves with the RF 28–70mm f/2L USM when the EOS R system launched. An f/1.4 zoom would push things even further. Of course, a lens like that would almost certainly be large, heavy, and extremely expensive. Some speculation online has put the price anywhere from $5,000 to well over $20,000, although a shorter zoom range would probably be necessary to keep the size and complexity somewhat manageable.

credits: TTArtisan TTArtisan has expanded its tilt-shift lineup with the 17mm f/4 tilt-shift lens, which is now also available for Nikon Z, Canon RF, and L-mount cameras. The lens had previously been released for Sony E-mount and Fujifilm GFX systems, and this update simply brings the same design to a wider range of mirrorless mounts. With its ultra-wide 17mm focal length and tilt-shift functionality, it is meant for areas like architecture, interiors, and landscape photography where controlling perspective and focus plane is often important. From a technical standpoint, the lens uses an optical design with 17 elements arranged in 11 groups, including two large aspherical elements intended to help control distortion, dispersion, and chromatic aberration. It features a maximum aperture of f/4, stopping down to f/16, along with a 10-blade diaphragm. The tilt mechanism allows ±8° of tilt, while the shift function offers ±8mm of movement for correcting perspective distortion. The lens can also rotate a full 360° with 15-degree click stops, which makes it easier to adjust the tilt and shift orientation depending on the shot. The angle of view is about 104°, and the minimum focusing distance is 0.3 meters. The lens is manual focus only and built with an all-metal construction and a clicked aperture ring. It weighs roughly 1031 to 1060 grams depending on the mount, which is fairly typical for a tilt-shift lens of this type. Another interesting detail is the large 64mm image circle, which is much larger than what a standard full-frame lens requires and provides the extra coverage needed for shift movements. The TTArtisan 17mm f/4 tilt-shift lens is available for Sony E, Fujifilm GFX, Nikon Z, Canon RF, and L mounts, with a launch price of $550. You can see full details on TTArtisan’s website here

What Is Kinetic Photography? When you hear the word kinetic, the first thing that probably comes to mind is motion, and that is exactly what this technique is built around. Kinetic photography, sometimes called camera tossing, is a style where the camera itself becomes part of the movement while taking the photo. Instead of holding the camera steady like we normally would, you intentionally move it. That movement might be a shake, a swing, a bounce, a spin, or in some cases even a brief toss into the air. Kinetic photography overlaps with techniques like panning or intentional camera movement, both of which I already talked about a couple of weeks ago (if you remember ;)). The results are usually unpredictable, which is part of the appeal. Some photos might look chaotic, others surprisingly beautiful. Often the photos end up looking almost like digital artwork or computer-generated/video game graphics (depends heavily on the scene of course too). How To Do Kinetic Photography 1: Slow Down the Shutter For the camera movement to show up in the photo, the shutter needs to stay open long enough. Start with: 1/5s – 1 second for a bit of motion 1–5 seconds for more dramatic results If you are shooting in bright daylight: use ISO 100, stop down your aperture (f/11–f/16), maybe use an ND filter if the scene is still too bright. Longer exposures give you more time to move the camera and create stronger motion effects. 2: Choose a Scene with Light and Colour Kinetic photography works best when the scene contains strong visual elements, such as: Bright lights Neon signs (like from Restaurants or bars) Street lights at night Colourful scenes City scapes (a very popular scene) Night scenes all together are especially good for kinetic photography because light sources stretch dramatically when the camera moves. 3: Move the Camera Once the shutter opens, move the your camera. You can literally try any type of motion (feel free to experiment), but here are a few ‘classic’ variations your can try: Shake the camera Quick movements → chaotic, energetic patterns. Swing the camera Smooth arcs/movements will end up in flowing streaks of colour. Spin the camera Rotating the camera can create spiral shapes and circular light trails. Bounce or lift the camera

credits: Samyang (3D-printed mock up of 200mm) Samyang seems to have some fairly ambitious lens ideas lined up for the coming years. In a new interview with the French photography publication ‘Phototrend’, Samyang’s head of product planning, Kim Dubin, talked about several concepts the company is currently exploring. Samyang is already working with Schneider-Kreuznach on projects like the upcoming 60–180mm f/2.8 full-frame zoom, but it is also developing a number of lenses internally. Among those are two long telephoto primes for full-frame mirrorless cameras, the AF 200mm f/1.8 FE OIS and the AF 300mm f/4 FE OIS. The 200mm f/1.8 concept is especially notable because that focal length has seen renewed attention recently. Over the past year, Venus Optics released the Laowa 200mm f/2 C-Dreamer, and Sigma introduced the 200mm f/2 DG OS Sports. If Samyang eventually brings its 200mm f/1.8 to market with autofocus, it could end up being the fastest lens of its kind available for mirrorless systems. The idea also inevitably brings up comparisons to Canon’s well-known EF 200mm f/1.8L USM, often nicknamed the “Eye of Sauron” because of its enormous front element. Samyang’s prototype does not look quite as extreme, but it is still clearly a large piece of glass. Right now, though, both the 200mm f/1.8 and the 300mm f/4 are still very early concepts. The versions shown at CP+ were reportedly 3D-printed mockups rather than finished working prototypes. One interesting detail is that both lenses are planned to include optical image stabilisation, something Samyang has not implemented in its lenses before. At the same time, the company is also exploring other designs, including a possible AF 20–50mm f/2 zoom and a 28–85mm f/2–2.8 FE. Those lenses are still a few years out, but they show the direction Samyang seems to be thinking about for the future.

credits: Harman Technology Harman Technology has introduced a new experimental colour film called Switch Azure, and it does something a little unusual with how colours appear in the final photo. Instead of reproducing colours in the typical way, the film deliberately shifts them around. Blues can show up as orange, yellows may turn into bright azure tones, and reds can shift toward purple or blue. The idea is to create a very distinctive look straight from the film itself, without relying on filters or digital editing afterward. Switch Azure is rated at ISO 125 and will be available in both 35mm and 120 medium format. It is the latest entry in Harman’s growing line of experimental films, following releases like Harman Red and Harman Phoenix 200. At the same time, the company continues to produce more traditional emulsions as well, including Kentmere Pan 200 and the updated Harman Phoenix II. In the case of Switch Azure, the unusual color shifts come from changes inside the film’s chemistry. Harman says two of the three colour couplers in the emulsion have been swapped, which alters how the red, green, and blue channels respond during exposure and development. According to Harman’s Sales and Marketing Director Giles Branthwaite, that change in the colour couplers alters the contrast response of each channel, which is what produces the unusual colour shifts. Interestingly, the final look can also vary depending on how the film is scanned after development. Harman notes that Fuji lab scanners tend to produce stronger, more saturated shifts, while Noritsu scanners usually give a slightly more subdued result. Despite the unconventional colour palette, the film still uses the standard C-41 colour negative process, so it can be developed at most labs without any special treatment.

credits: Samyang At the 2026 CP+ show, Samyang unveiled a new AF 35mm f/1.8 P FE full-frame lens designed as part of its compact Prima series. The lens closely follows the design of the existing AF 85mm f/1.8 P FE and AF 16mm f/2.8 P FE, keeping the same small form factor and straightforward design. In the United States and Europe, Samyang lenses are often sold under the Rokinon name, so the lens will likely show up under both brands depending on the market. The AF 35mm f/1.8 P FE is expected to replace the earlier AF 35mm f/1.8 FE from 2020, a lens that became a popular option for Sony E-mount shooters. This updated version brings a handful of changes to the design. It features a larger textured manual focus ring, a USB-C port for firmware updates, and a dedicated AF/MF switch on the lens body. The construction also appears to have been strengthened, with improved weather sealing compared to the older model. Samyang also says the autofocus system has been refined, with a quieter and more optimized motor. Full technical specifications have not been released yet, and there is still no official confirmation on pricing or availability. What is known is that the 35mm f/1.8 P will join the Prima lineup alongside the AF 85mm f/1.8 P and AF 16mm f/2.8 P lenses introduced in summer 2025. Those lenses are known for being pretty lightweight (the 85mm version, for example, weighs 272 grams) and the new 35mm is expected to land in roughly the same weight range. Based on the rest of Samyang’s lineup, pricing will probably come in somewhere around $400.