Hello, fellow photographers! This week was once again a busy one in terms of announcements. Canon announced its EOS R8 II; Sony unveiled two lightweight super-telephoto prime lenses; Panasonic covered the other end with a wide-angle prime; Fujifilm announced a completely new look for the miniature Instax Pal 2 camera; and Camp Snap launched a screenless camera reminiscent of 110 film cameras from the 1970s. Phew, that was a lot.
That's not all, either. There were many other announcements this week as well, particularly in the software world. Long story short, be sure to check the website if you haven't been there in a few days.
We also have our own announcement: Today in Photography will be moving to twice a week! We have so much to share with you that once a week just wasn't enough. You'll see the same types of content as before, though scattered between emails sent on Sundays and Wednesdays. It will also give us the opportunity to share even more newsletter-dedicated items, which I am very excited about.
If there's anything you would love to see in this newsletter, please don't hesitate to let me know. I have big ideas for this space, but I know you all have your own fantastic suggestions, and I’d love to hear them.
With that, let's dive in!
— Abby Ferguson, Features Editor
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Latest Articles
This 2.5-hour Leica restoration video is basically camera ASMR for film photographers
Godox C100 review: A novelty camera that works better as a light meter
The rewind: all the cameras and lenses launched this week
Micro Four Thirds just gained an unexpected member: GoPro is now officially on board
Camp Snap’s screen-free 110D brings a 1970s film camera shape to digital for $75
What announcement were you most excited about this week?
Posts That Stopped the Scroll
I’m a fan of good design in the broadest sense, especially when it intersects with cameras. So I really enjoyed this post from type7 on how the designer of the Porsche 911 also helped shape the Contax RTS. The retro ads are visually compelling in their own right, while the caption (click through to see that) adds some genuinely cool context about the camera’s history.
These diptych videos stood out to me simply because they’re so pleasing to look at. I love the focus on smaller details, as well as the color pairings in each. They’re calming, yet still engaging.
Review Spotlight
Photo by Mitchell Clark
This week, Canon released the R8 II, and update on its entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera. It gained in-body image stabilization (up to 7.5EV in the center with lens coordination) and a joystick, two of the biggest shortcomings of its predecessor, and got an updated autofocus system. Canon also redesigned the body, explaining that it takes design cues from the T80 SLR from the 1980s (though that’s certainly not what many people see. You can read our initial impressions at the link below.
Firmware Updates
There were some interesting firmware updates this week
Nikon Z8 — v3.11: A bug-fix release addressing NX Tether menu quirks, flicker-reduction settings changing unexpectedly, and a freeze tied to Manage Picture Control.
Leica M11, M11-P, M11-D, M11 Monochrom, M EV1 — v2.6.4: Adds a lens profile for the new Summicron-M 66 f/2.
Panasonic Lumix S9 — v2.1: Adds UHD 4K/60p, 1080/60p and 1080/120p MP4 (Lite) modes, full Lumix Flow app support and far more assignable lens Fn button functions, free starting October 13. You can read more here.
Panasonic Lumix S1II, S1IIE, S1RII (and S1IIN): Improves shutter release lag and burst performance with an external flash, a fix aimed at the TTL sluggishness wedding shooters complained about, plus general stability, also arriving October 13.
Behind the Scenes
Photo by Dale Baskin
Dale Baskin had the opportunity to take Sony’s 400mm F4.5 and 600mm F6.3 lenses out while he was in Montana. He brought both lenses to the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and the CSKT Bison Range, photographing a range of wildlife in both places, seeing how the lenses did in situations they are meant for. He even had to contend with some rain. It’s well worth checking out his sample galleries, and his hands-on experience as well.
Important Dates in Photo History
September 15 – Walter Iooss Jr.'s birthday (b. 1943). Dubbed "the poet laureate of sports," the American photographer landed his first Sports Illustrated assignment at 17 and went on to shoot more than 300 covers for the magazine, including portraits of Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan that came to define modern sports imagery.
September 18 – Jack Cardiff's birthday (b. 1914). The British cinematographer won an Academy Award for his Technicolor work on Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus (1947), also shot The Red Shoes and The African Queen, and later directed, earning an Oscar nod for Sons and Lovers.
September 18, 1977 – NASA’s Voyager 1 recorded the first spacecraft photograph showing the crescent Earth and Moon together in a single frame.
September 20, 1932 – Lunch atop a Skyscraper photographed. Eleven ironworkers posed on a steel beam 850 feet above Manhattan during construction of Rockefeller Center's RCA Building, a staged publicity shot that ran without a byline and still has no confirmed photographer. Plus, there was a bobblehead of this photo announced this week.
From the Community
Photo by Meeces
The Fujifilm X system / SLR Talk forum has weekly threads for people to share images taken with Fujifilm X APS-C cameras. As usual, this week’s thread had many incredible images, but this image by Meece really grabbed my attention. I love the stark simplicity and shapes.