credits: digiKam The team behind digiKam, a powerful open-source digital photo management software designed for photographers providing a suite of tools for organising, editing, and sharing photos, has just rolled out version 8.7.0. The software now includes smarter face recognition, GPU acceleration, and a new AI-powered auto-rotation tool. That last one is especially handy for batch-processing tilted photos without needing to go through them one by one. All of this builds on digiKam’s aim to be a no-cost alternative to big-name photo software, minus the monthly fees and subscription traps. The face recognition feature got a solid upgrade: it now kicks in automatically when new faces are confirmed, and tagging has become smoother and more accurate. The software also runs faster on machines with OpenCL or CUDA-compatible GPUs, speeding up tasks like color conversions and resizing. DigiKam now also supports over 1,260 camera models thanks to an updated RAW decoder, and metadata handling is sharper with the latest ExifTool. This version also brings better stability across the board, fixing more than 240 bugs. Looking forward, the developers are already working on new features for the next release due in October. They're experimenting with deep neural networks for things like noise reduction and color tuning, and they’re even considering a language-based search tool using LLMs, which could let users search their photo libraries by typing something like “sunset on a mountain.” DigiKam 8.7.0 is available for free on Linux, Windows and macOS. You can see full details on digiKam’s website here

credits: Tamron Tamron just officially released the final piece of its second-generation f/2.8 zoom lens lineup, with the new 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 now officially joining the 28-75mm and 70-180mm G2 lenses. Together, they form what Tamron calls the “Daisangen” trio, a name borrowed from the game of mahjong that refers to collecting all three dragon tiles for a win. In photography terms, it means you’ve got your wide, standard, and telephoto zooms all covered with constant f/2.8 apertures. This new 16-30mm builds on Tamron’s well-loved 17-28mm from a few years back, expanding the zoom range just enough to give a bit more room on the wide side. Physically, the lens is short and light: just 4 inches long and 440 grams for Sony E-mount, and a hair longer and heavier on Nikon Z. It focuses pretty close too, down to 7.5 inches at the wide end. You get a 9-blade diaphragm, a 67mm filter thread, and weather sealing with a fluorine-coated front element for extra protection. Autofocus has gotten an upgrade too, thanks to the VXD motor, and Tamron says the handling has been improved with better ergonomics and a refreshed exterior. Despite the compact size, Tamron promises sharp optics and pleasing bokeh, though the company hasn’t gone into detail about what kind of glass is inside this one. Pricing is at $929, with the Sony version hitting shelves on July 31 and the Nikon Z version landing August 22. You can see full details and sample shots on Tamron’s website here

credits: Irys Photographer Alan Schaller announced Irys, a new social media platform built specifically for photographers, and it’s clearly meant to push back against the video-first, algorithm-driven direction of apps like Instagram. Schaller, who’s built an audience of over a million followers on Instagram himself, says it’s gotten harder and harder for still photography to get the spotlight online. “Communities are kind of dwindling,” he says. “People feel like they’re posting into the void.” According to Schaller, Irys has been in the works for two years and is more than just another app, it’s also a full-on photography agency, with plans to represent photographers, collaborate with galleries, and publish both books and a dedicated magazine. The idea seems to be giving control back to the creators, not the algorithms. “We shouldn’t leave it up for these tech people to decide just what we need,” Schaller says in the launch post. Irys promises a clean, photo-focused experience with no ads, no data-selling, and massive 50MB uploads so users can share high-quality work as intended. It’s not clear yet how the platform will support itself financially, but the ethos is: photographers first. While the platform isn’t open to everyone yet, you can join the waiting list on the official website. You can see full details on Irys’s website here

credits: Brighting Star Brightin Star just dropped a limited-edition version of their 28mm f/2.8 lens. Finished in an eye-catching olive green and made entirely of brass, this ultra-slim lens doubles as a bit of a collector’s piece (there are only 100 units available worldwide too). Brightin Star leans into old-school craftsmanship, with each lens polished using a technique inspired by traditional gold lacquerware, a method that dates all the way back to the Tang Dynasty. What’s impressive in general about this lens is just how much they’ve packed into the body. It’s only 9.9mm thick, yet it includes a focus ring, aperture ring, and full rangefinder coupling support. That means you get real functionality in something that barely adds any bulk to your camera. Each unit is manually tuned for precise focusing, and while that makes the production more labor-intensive, the trade-off is a mechanical feel that’s rare in modern lenses. It’s designed for M-mount cameras, but it comes with a free adapter for other mounts like Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, L-mount, and even GFX. Optically, the lens uses six elements, with high-refractive and ultra-low dispersion glass in key spots to keep images sharp and clean across the frame. You even get a matching ultra-thin UV filter (1mm thick) that replaces the lens cap and blends nicely with the lens’s style. Pricing for this limited edition lens sits at $348. You can see full details and sample shots on Brighting Star’s website here

Pixelmator Pro got its first major update since Apple bought the app to compete with Photoshop, and while version 3.7 doesn’t come with a long list of flashy new features, it lays the foundation of a more AI-powered future. The biggest change is the addition of Apple Intelligence which now plugs directly into the app. This means you can use Apple’s Image Playground to create custom images from prompts, photos, or even people from your library. There's also a new “Add to Playground” option, which lets you rework existing layers with AI-generated tweaks. Another new addition is the Writing Tools, powered by the same AI system. These let you proofread, rewrite, summarize, or otherwise clean up any text you’re working with in your designs. It’s easy to use too: just right-click any text, and the options pop up. These tools have already been showing up in macOS, but now they’re baked right into Pixelmator Pro, which should be handy for anyone juggling visuals and copy in the same project. For photographers, there's one extra treat: Pixelmator now fully supports RAW files from the OM System OM-1 Mark II, including the High Res Shot mode. It’s a small addition, but a welcome one for anyone using that Micro Four Thirds camera. Pixelmator Pro still sells as a one-time $49.99 purchase. You can see full details on Pixelmator’s blog here

credits: Creative Commons Creative Commons, the nonprofit open licensing system, is stepping into the AI conversation. They’ve just introduced something new called CC Signals, a framework designed to help creators, including photographers, say whether or not they want their work used to train AI models. The idea is pretty simple: just like CC licenses let you tell people how they can use your work, CC Signals would let you tell machines (and the people behind them) how your content should (or shouldn’t) be used. It’s especially aimed at companies scraping public data to train AI systems, and it’s meant to offer a clearer, more ethical way forward in an era where that line is getting blurrier. “CC Signals are designed to sustain the commons in the age of AI,” said Anna Tumadóttir, the org’s CEO. The point, they say, is to strike a balance — between open knowledge and fair treatment of creators — instead of letting things slide into either full data grabs or walled gardens. Right now, the framework is still a work in progress, and Creative Commons is asking for feedback from the public before a full alpha release planned for November 2025. You can see full details on Creative Common’s website here

credits: ArtraLab ArtraLab just dropped a new wide conversion lens for Fujifilm X100 shooters: the WCL+ Macro 25mm. Designed specifically for the entire X100 series, from the original all the way to the new X100VI, it screws straight onto your camera and gives you a 25mm equivalent field of view, which should be great for things like street, landscape, and architecture. The lens itself is compact and solid, built from aluminum alloy and weighing in at 190g. Inside, it’s got a 4-element/3-group optical setup with a multilayer low-reflective coating to keep flares and ghosting in check. Pair it with the X100’s built-in correction features, and you’ve got minimal distortion and clean, sharp images edge to edge. Autofocus, metering, and EXIF data all work just like they would with a native Fujifilm lens, so you’re not sacrificing functionality for the extra width. It screws right onto the front of the Fujifilm X100 with no adapter needed, just twist it on and it is ready to go. The lens comes in both silver and black to match your camera, keeping the X100 look intact. Pricing for this lens is at 120€ You can see full details on ArtraLab’s website here

credits: Venus Optic Venus Optics has just announced a lighter, more compact version of one of its most popular ultra-wides: the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF. This new model keeps the same extreme 122-degree field of view and rectilinear “Zero-D” design, meaning it stays distortion-free without the usual fisheye warp. What’s new this time around is the addition of autofocus (at least for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts) making this Laowa’s second-ever AF lens. The Canon RF and L-mount versions are still manual focus, but all versions share the same optical formula and build. The new Lite version weighs 377 grams (0.83 lb), making it a great fit for travel, vlogging, and any lightweight kit. You still get the fast f/2.8 aperture, a very usable minimum focusing distance of 14cm, and a built-in 72mm filter thread. Laowa says this version offers better corner-to-corner sharpness and less chromatic aberration compared to the original 12mm f/2.8, a welcome improvement for anyone doing detailed architectural or astrophotography work. Photographers can choose between two aperture blade designs: a 5-blade version that produces bold 10-point sunstars when stopped down, or a 14-blade version for smoother bokeh. The latter, though, is manual focus only. Regardless of mount or focus type, all versions are priced at $699. You can see full details and sample shots on Venus Optic’s website here

credits: Kono Manufaktur Kono Manufaktur, the German film company released Kono Color 200, a new color negative film. Unlike their earlier films that often repurposed motion picture stock, this one uses a fresh emulsion developed from the ground up with a pro partner in Germany. It’s available in standard 36-exposure rolls, loaded into refurbished film cartridges, or as 30.5-meter bulk rolls if you’re into loading your own. This new film isn’t just a product for the company, it’s also a bit of a celebration. In 2025, UNESCO recognized analog photography in Germany as an “intangible cultural heritage,” and Kono says Color 200 is their tribute to that legacy. It’s a C-41 color negative film rated at ISO 200, designed for everyone from casual shooters to serious DIYers. Kono even packaged and spooled the film using machinery they built themselves, which is a nice touch. Kono started back in 2014, first releasing respooled cinematic stocks like Rotwild and Kolorit 400T, and quickly moved on to more experimental emulsions with names like Moonstruck, Galaxy, and Candy. With Color 200, they’ve now hit their 45th product, and they’re calling it a “world premiere”. The 36-exposure rolls are available for €9.90 (about $11.60), and while the bulk roll pricing is not listed yet, production is already running full steam. You can see full details and sample shots on Kono Manufaktur’s website here

credits: Tamron Tamron is set to release a new wide-angle zoom lens: the 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2, for both Nikon Z and Sony E-mount users. A few leaked images and specs have already surfaced, and from the looks of it, this lens is shaping up to be a solid update to the well-liked 17-28mm f/2.8. The new version expands the zoom range slightly while keeping the fast f/2.8 aperture and a compact build, weighing 450 grams. It’s fully weather-sealed and supports Tamron Lens Utility, meaning you can customise focus behavior and other functions via USB-C. Inside, the lens features 16 elements in 12 groups, a 9-blade aperture, and Tamron’s top-tier VXD linear motor, which promises fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus. It doesn’t have built-in stabilization, but that’s not a dealbreaker on most mirrorless bodies. The minimum focusing distance is 19cm, so you can get fairly creative with close-up wide-angle shots. It also accepts 67mm filters, which matches several other Tamron lenses and helps keep your kit streamlined. If this new lens launches alongside Tamron’s existing 28-75mm f/2.8 G2, users would now have a matched pair covering everything from 16mm to 75mm. No official release date yet, but with leaks picking up, an announcement likely isn’t far off. You can see more details and leaked images on Sonyalpharumor’s website here

Photo by: @moumarion Let’s Analyse this Image: Framing & Perspective What works well: The composition is clean and deliberate. Good timing, strong use of scale. Our subject is captured mid-step with great posture and (kind of) just enough separation from the city behind. The depth is nice, foreground rails, the man, and the background fading into haze and steel. The leading lines of the road and buildings naturally draw you down the street toward the bridge. What could be better The shot almost nails the symmetry, but not quite. The photographer is slightly off-centre, and although that does often work and makes for a ‘‘dynamic’' composition, in my opinion: If you have such a nice and tight background (the bridge and buildings (and the bridge already being framed by the buildings)), it’s worth going all in on symmetry. Taking one or two steps to the left and aligning dead centre with the tracks would’ve brought perfect symmetry to the shot. You’d get more visual harmony, and the leading lines would become even stronger. Maybe getting a little lower (and shooting from down → up) could have made the buildings and our subject ‘‘more grand’’. Subject Separation & Contrast What works well: The person is well-timed, and their white hat and light jacket naturally pull the eye against the darker cityscape. The forward lean adds subtle movement, which helps with interest and dynamics. The depth of field isolates our subject nicely from the more chaotic background. What could be better: The lower half of the man (especially the pants) blends a bit too much into the dark asphalt. There’s not quite enough contrast to clearly define the silhouette from the knees down on the first look. A few ways to improve this would be to: Lighten the shadows selectively around the legs using dodge or local adjustments. Boost clarity or contrast just on the subject to subtly pull them forward. Shoot at a slightly lower angle so the legs are framed against a lighter part of the background (like that brownish building), creating more separation. Light & Atmosphere What works well: The light is beautifully restrained. Everything feels soft and overcast, which creates this moody, cinematic calm. Nothing’s blown out, nothing’s too harsh. That diffused lighting helps the subject pop. As already touched on: the white hat, mask and jacket catch just enough light to stand out from the darker background. There’s a natural gradient in the light, from darker at the top and sides to brighter in the centre, and it subtly funnels your attention down the street, toward the bridge. What could be better: The midtones are slightly muddy, especially in the shadows of the buildings on the sides. Lifting the blacks a touch or tweaking contrast locally could bring out a bit more definition. The road surface in the foreground is doing a lot of work tonally, but it feels just slightly underexposed, it might benefit from a gentle dodge to bring out its texture and shine. Colour & Tone What works well: The color grading is clean and deliberate, cool urban/citiy tones with small but important accents. The hat, skin tone, and traffic lights all introduce warmth in a way that feels controlled. There’s a subtle teal/orange thing going on, but it’s not overdone. The tones feel more like real-world mood than an Instagram preset. The desaturated palette also fits the mood, there’s no forced vibrance. What could be better: It might benefit from a slightly warmer white balance on our subject’s face and hands, the cool tint mutes some of the ‘humanity’ in the portrait.