credits: Sirui Sirui has officially announced the new Aurora 35mm f/1.4, making it the second lens in a series of lightweight, fast primes that kicked off with the Aurora 85mm f/1.4 earlier this year. The lens was on display at IBC Amsterdam a few days ago, giving us an early look before its official release later this month. Sirui plans to round out the Aurora series with five focal lengths in total, aiming to offer creatives a compact and affordable set of primes. The 35mm f/1.4 is a full-frame lens that will ship in Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L, and Fujifilm X mounts. Despite its all-metal build, it comes in at roughly 490 grams depending on the mount, which is light compared to many modern full-frame primes. The lens uses a 62mm filter thread and packs a fairly complex optical design: one SED ultra-low dispersion element, two ED elements, one high refractive index element, and three aspherical elements, all treated with nano multi-coating to help reduce reflections and improve contrast. Autofocus is handled by a stepping motor, with support for eye-tracking across compatible camera bodies. At IBC, early hands-on impressions noted how surprisingly light the 35mm felt, especially against the backdrop of today’s often hefty high-end glass. Performance expectations are more modest than flagship lenses from Sony or Nikon, but Sirui seems to be betting on portability and price to win attention. The Aurora 35mm f/1.4 is expected to launch on September 29th for $549. You can see full details on Sirui’s website here

credits: LaCie LaCie has added a new model to their Rugged lineup with the Rugged SSD4, a portable drive meant for people who need something a little more tough and fast out in the field. The SSD4 is rated IP54 for dust and splash resistance and has been drop-tested from three meters, so it should hold up fine to rough handling and less-than-ideal weather. Unlike the Rugged SSD Pro5 that came out earlier this year, the SSD4 doesn’t have a fully sealed blue shell. Instead, it is a metal SSD wrapped in LaCie’s signature orange bumper, which gives it protection but not quite the same level of weatherproofing as the Pro5 (IP54 versus IP68). On the performance side, it connects over USB 40Gbps and can hit read speeds of up to 4,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 3,800 MB/s. That is more than enough for editing big photo files or 4K video straight off the drive. The SSD4 works with Mac, PC, iPad, and phones right out of the box, and it also supports ProRes RAW recording on the iPhone 17 Pro and 4K ProRes on the iPhone 16 Pro when plugged in via USB-C. LaCie also points out that the drive uses at least 35% recycled materials by weight. The Rugged SSD4 is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB versions for $134.99, $249.99, and $479.99.

What Is Prisming Photography? Prisming is when you shoot through a prism or another piece of glass to bend, distort, or reflect light into your photo. By holding a prism in front of your lens, you can add flares, rainbows, reflections, or even duplicate parts of your subject and all this straight in-camera. You are basically using optics to get results you can’t normally achieve. Portrait photographers love it for dreamy effects, but it works just as well for landscapes, stills or (especially) abstract work. Why Give It A Try? It is cheap (a decent prism costs $20 + you can even use random glass or acrylic objects if you don’t want to buy a prism). You get effects that look more organic/natural than digital overlays. It is simply fun → you are literally bending light by hand and watching the magic happen live through your viewfinder. Gear You Need

credits: Pentax Rumours are swirling that Pentax could finally roll out the long-awaited K-1 Mark III. Word is that the official announcement might come in October 2025, with the first units hitting shelves before the end of the year. That would mark the first major refresh of Pentax’s flagship full-frame DSLR since the K-1 Mark II back in 2018. Reports point to a new back-illuminated CMOS sensor that should improve low-light shooting, plus a redesigned SAFOX 14 autofocus system promising faster and more reliable focusing. Eye and face detection may also be getting a revamp. For video, the K-1 Mark III is rumoured to support 4K at 60 frames per second, backed up by improved in-body image stabilisation that would finally work effectively for video recording. Log profiles, external mic inputs, and other pro video features are also being mentioned. On the stills side, Pentax may be enhancing its Pixel Shift Resolution tech, and the popular Astrotracer function for star tracking is said to be in line for an upgrade too. Beyond imaging, the rumoured body updates include dual CFexpress Type-B card slots, USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS. There could also be a lighter magnesium alloy body, a joystick for AF point control, and a high-res touchscreen with a red night mode for astrophotography. Importantly, it’s expected to keep compatibility with existing K-mount lenses and the same D-LI90 battery. Price chatter puts it between $2,799 and $2,999. We will see what the future holds!

credits: AstrHori AstrHori has introduced a new 18mm f/5.6 pancake shift lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. The lens is available for Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, and L-Mount, weighs 169 grams and with its ultra-wide 76.8° field of view it is meant for architecture, interiors, or even real estate where straight lines and accurate framing are especially important. The lens’s key feature is its shift function, which lets you move the optical axis horizontally or vertically without tilting the camera. This makes it possible to correct perspective distortion, expand compositional options, or crop out unwanted elements without changing position. To add more flexibility, the lens can also rotate around its axis, meaning the shift direction can be adjusted to suit different angles. Optically, the lens uses seven elements in five groups, designed to deliver sharpness across the frame while keeping flare and chromatic aberrations under control. The fixed f/5.6 aperture isn’t especially fast, however that is typical for this type of specialty lens, where control and perspective matter more than speed. The lens is available for $119 (€129 / £119). You can see full details and sample shots on AstrHori’s website here

credits: OM System OM System announced its latest telephoto zoom, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f/2.8 IS Pro. On a Micro Four Thirds body, the lens covers the same field of view as a 100-400mm on full-frame while holding a fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the range. Paired with OM System’s teleconverters, it can stretch all the way to an 800mm equivalent at f/5.6. Weight wise it comes in at 1,075 grams, which makes it far lighter than comparable full-frame options like Canon’s 100-300mm f/2.8, which is more than double the weight. The lens design includes 21 elements in 13 groups, with special EDA and super ED glass to keep fringing and flare under control. OM System’s updated ZERO II coating further reduces ghosting in tricky light. An internal zoom design helps balance the lens while shooting, and the autofocus system has been tuned for speed, supporting up to 50fps bursts. For close work, it can focus down to 0.78 meters across the zoom range and offers 0.5x magnification on its own, or 1x when paired with the 2x teleconverter. Stabilisation is another strong point. The lens works with OM System’s 5-axis sync IS to deliver up to seven stops of correction at the long end. Like other Pro-series glass, it has IP53 weather sealing, freeze resistance down to -10°C, and a heat-resistant coating to keep internal temperatures lower in hot conditions. The 50-200mm f/2.8 IS Pro will be available on October 3, 2025, for $3,699.99. You can see full details and sample images on OM System’s website here

credits: Sony Sony has added two new CFexpress 4.0 Type A Tough memory cards to their lineup, this time meant for photographers and filmmakers who don’t need massive capacities but still want high performance. The new cards come in 480GB (CEA-G480T) and 240GB (CEA-G240T) versions, joining the already available 960GB and 1920GB options. On paper, they are just as quick as their bigger siblings, with read speeds topping 1,800 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,700 MB/s. The cards are fully compatible with Sony’s current Alpha and Cinema Line bodies, including the FX6, FX3, a7 IV, a7R V, a9 III, and a1 III. That said, no Sony cameras (or any cameras, for that matter) can yet take advantage of the extra speed offered by CFexpress 4.0. In practice, they perform no better than CFexpress 2.0 cards when shooting. The real gains come once your files hit the editing desk. Pairing one of these cards with a CFexpress 4.0 reader means much faster offloads, which can make a difference when you are dealing with hundreds of gigabytes of 8K video or long high-speed bursts. The 240GB card comes in at $260, while the 480GB version costs $360. For comparison, the existing 960GB and 1920GB models sell for $585 and $950. Sony’s CFexpress 4.0 card reader is already available for $150. You can see full details on B&Hphotovideo’s website here

credits: Datacolor Datacolor is rolling out a new entry-level calibration tool, for reliable colour accuracy, called SpyderExpress. It promises a full monitor calibration in about 90 seconds and supports up to three displays at once. It’s compatible with most modern screens, including Apple’s newer mini-LED panels like the MacBook Pro M4. One noteworthy aspect is the way Datacolor is handling upgrades for the calibrator. Instead of releasing multiple standalone devices, the company is moving to a single hardware platform that unlocks features through software updates. Out of the box, the SpyderExpress covers the basics, but users can add functions such as soft proofing, video-specific tools, or support for OLED displays later on by paying for upgrades. The device itself is compact, ships with both USB-A and USB-C support, and includes a built-in lens cap for travel protection. System requirements are 1GB of RAM and 500MB of disk space, plus an internet connection for activation. Alongside the Express version for $119, Datacolor is introducing a $169 mid-tier model with higher brightness calibration and ambient light adjustments, and a $269 SpyderPro with more advanced tools, including projector support and 3D LUT workflows. You can see full details on Datacolor’s website here

credits: Tamron Tamron has officially announced that it’s developing a new all-in-one zoom, the 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 (Model A075), for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras. The lens follows up on the well-regarded 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (Model A071), but this time Tamron is pushing things a little wider at the short end. Moving from 28mm to 25mm may not sound like much on paper, but in practice it makes a real difference for wide-angle shooting, especially for landscapes, interiors, or travel photography. Like its predecessor, the new lens keeps the fast f/2.8 aperture at the wide end and closes down to f/5.6 at 200mm. Tamron says the G2 version won’t just be a minor refresh, autofocus performance has been upgraded thanks to the company’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor, and optical performance is promised to be sharper across the frame. The lens should also deliver strong close-up capabilities, with a 1:1.9 maximum magnification ratio at 25mm. As with Tamron’s other recent G2 releases, the new 25-200mm features a 67mm filter thread and a more refined exterior design. Full specifications, along with size, weight, and pricing details, are still unknown, Tamron says those will come closer to launch. For context, the current 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 sells for $699 (currently discounted from its original $799 price). You can see full details and sample shots on Tamron’s website here

Photo by: @ jarvisl.photography

credits: Canon Canon quietly announced a new compact point-and-shoot, the PowerShot 360 HS A. However, there is not much “new” about it. In fact, most of what’s changed compared to the original PowerShot 360 HS from 2016 is either minimal or a step backwards. Still, with point-and-shoots suddenly back in fashion thanks to TikTok and Instagram trends, Canon seems to be thinking that even a lightly refreshed model will find buyers. The 360 HS A is essentially the same camera from nearly a decade ago. It uses a 20.2-megapixel Type 1/2.3 CMOS sensor and the old DIGIC 4+ processor. Back in 2016, that wasn’t bad compared to smartphone cameras. But today, many phones have larger Type 1 or 1/1.5 sensors, higher megapixel counts, and more advanced image processing. The one place this compact still has an edge over phones is zoom, the lens covers a 25–300mm equivalent range with 12x optical zoom, plus 4x digital zoom on top. It has optical image stabilisation, but with a variable f/3.6–7 aperture and a tiny sensor. Video is also stuck at 1080p 30fps, despite the sensor having enough resolution for 4K. Design-wise, almost nothing has changed. It is still a small, no-viewfinder camera with a 3-inch LCD. The card slot now takes microSD instead of SD, which some may find inconvenient. Oddly, Wi-Fi features have been scaled back, meaning you can no longer transfer images to a PC or print directly over Wi-Fi. And while most new devices ship with USB-C, this one doesn’t because the old processor can’t support it. The new PowerShot 360 HS A arrives in October at $379, in black or silver only. You can view the full spec sheet on dpreview’s website here

credits: Sigma Sigma has officially introduced the 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art lens, a big update to its original 2019 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art. The lens keeps the ultra-fast maximum aperture but comes in a smaller, lighter, and more refined package. It is about 20% shorter and 30% lighter than the first version, now measuring 111.4mm in length, weighing 755 grams, and using a more manageable 72mm filter thread. The build is still premium, with aluminium and Thermally Stable Composite materials, plus weather sealing, a petal-type hood, a customisable AFL button, and a de-clickable aperture ring. Inside, lens features 17 elements in 13 groups, including one SLD element and four aspherical pieces, with an 11-bladed circular diaphragm for smooth bokeh. Sigma says it paid special attention to controlling aberrations and avoiding issues like colour fringing and “double line” bokeh, especially when shooting wide open at f/1.2. Focus breathing has also been cut down, which should make it a strong option for video work as well as stills. Autofocus has seen improvements too. The new design uses dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors, each driving a separate focus group, for faster, quieter, and more accurate focusing. The minimum focus distance is 28cm, giving a 1:5.3 magnification ratio. The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art will be available for Sony E and L-Mount starting September 25, priced at $1,549. You can see full details on Sigma’s website here