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Happy Sunday, photographers! I’ve had adventure on my mind lately. I’m a trail runner, cyclist and backpacker, and I love following along on the epic journeys others embark on, especially when I can’t get out on my own. Given that it’s summer, there have been plenty of adventures to follow and lots of incredible things happening. |
Naturally, as a photographer, I tend to think about the people behind the scenes who make it possible for us to see these feats. The athletes are, of course, impressive, but the photographers and videographers must be remarkably capable to do what they do as well. |
Thankfully, camera gear has gotten lighter over the years, but chasing someone running through the Alps or following a climber up sheer cliffs with a full camera kit is still no easy feat. You have to think ahead to capture compelling imagery without getting in the athlete’s way, all while lugging gear and dealing with potentially harsh conditions. And there's the added pressure of working on a deadline and getting photos or footage back to editors in time for real-time coverage. I find it incredibly impressive, and I love any glimpse into the work of these creatives. You can see a few examples that caught my attention in the Posts That Stopped the Scroll section later on. |
But first, let’s turn the lens back toward the photography world and catch up on the news, gear and stories that made waves on DPReview this week. Highlights include a 66mm limited-edition Leica lens, GoPro’s focus on “defense, government, robotics and aerospace,” and KEH’s new repair service for Zeiss optics in North America—plus much more. Let’s get into it. |
— Abby Ferguson, Features Editor |
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Presented by |
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This pocket-sized camera zooms to 2000mm and tracks wildlife on its own |
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Long-range photography has always come with a bit of a packing problem. Getting close to a hawk in the distance or a bear traversing a faraway hillside traditionally means carrying a full-frame body, a telephoto lens the size of your forearm, a tripod to steady it all, and the patience to keep a subject in frame by hand. The Farseer RocXZoom reimagines that kit with a camera that only weighs about 400 grams. |
The RocXZoom combines 20x optical zoom with 50x hybrid zoom for a 40 to 2000mm equivalent range, which is the kind of telephoto territory that’s normally reserved for dedicated lens setups. The difference is that this one delivers it without the large traditional lens-and-tripod rig, and in a package that’s light enough to carry on a trail all day. |
The RocXZoom uses dual stabilization, pairing a gimbal with electronic image stabilization to help keep long-range photos and video steady without a tripod. Its powered pan-and-tilt system physically follows the action, helping keep subjects framed while zooming. |
The RocXZoom has an MSRP of $799, but early backers can get it for $449 on Kickstarter. |
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Posts That Stopped the Scroll |
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I was closely following along last month as Sophie Woods spent three weeks running the length of the Alps to beat the previous fastest known time. With achievements like this, attention is typically focused on the athlete, but this post shines a light on what photographer Zoe Salt went through to tell Sophie’s amazing story on the trail. |
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This duo cycled across Africa, covering 10,000 miles across 17 countries over 18 months. They used the Fujifilm X100VI to capture the trip and shared unedited images throughout the journey. It’s well worth scanning through their feed, because there are some awesome photographs scattered throughout. |
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Lastly, while not an outdoor adventure, this Out of Frame podcast interview features film-stills photographer Parisa Taghizadeh explaining the SLR blimp system she uses to muffle camera noise while shooting on set. Needless to say, that’s a lot of bulk to carry around all day. |
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Firmware updates often go under the radar, even though they can be quite important and helpful. I’ll try to keep you informed on the latest significant firmware updates, so you can keep your cameras and lenses up to date. See some I missed? Feel free to send them my way! |
Nikon Coolpix P1100 version 1.1 fixes a rare freeze when adjusting zoom during burst shooting and corrects video timestamps that didn't match the actual recording time. Sony FX6 version 6.01 brings minor bug fixes, including changes to error messages displayed while recording and color reproduction in highly saturated areas. Sigma updated the firmware for its E-mount 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary (ver. 07), 24mm F3.5 DG DN Contemporary (ver. 04) and 24mm F3.5 DG Contemporary (ver. 04) lenses to fix an isolated issue where the monitor blacks out and the camera freezes while using the Sony a7 V. Sigma also updated the 35mm F1.3 DG II for both L and E-mounts (ver. 1.1 and 02, respectively), which promises to reduce focus motor noise.
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Image by Pexar |
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Pexar by Lexar just launched a new digital picture frame, the VivKeep Pro. It features a 12.5-inch 2K anti-glare touchscreen with a 100% sRGB color gamut and 64GB of onboard storage, so you don’t need to keep it connected to Wi-Fi. It’s not available quite yet, but you can sign up to be notified when it is. |
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Product images by Godox |
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Godox has been quite busy the past few weeks. It released the P100 (top left in the image above), a portable dye-sublimation photo printer that produces durable, laminated color photos wirelessly while on the go. It also announced the Flexible Macro Twin Light MA2 (middle in the image above), which aims to make lighting for macro images easier. It features two flexible arms with A/B light control, adjustable color temperature and a magnetic diffuser. |
Finally, Godox’s $34 LT1 Creative Pixel Light is a tiny, 37g RGB pixel display designed to mount on a camera’s cold shoe or attach magnetically. Controlled through the Godox Light smartphone app, it can show custom static or animated pixel art, scrolling text, logos, and simple graphics. It can also remotely switch compatible Godox wireless lights on and off. Plus, a $6 wristband turns the mascot-inspired accessory into a wearable mini display. |
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Photo by Abby Ferguson |
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It should perhaps come as no surprise that photography is all-encompassing for me, seeping into just about every area of my life. Even my dog, Athena, has had to get on board, and I caught her sleeping with a camera in my office to stay ready. |
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Important Dates In Photo History |
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September 5 – Bruce Davidson’s birthday (b. 1933). The Magnum photographer (a member since 1958) spent his career embedding with communities wary of outsiders, producing Brooklyn Gang, Freedom Rides, and East 100th Street, and helping define what humanist documentary photography looks like. September 3, 2013 – Kodak emerged from bankruptcy. The film pioneer emerged from a 19-month bankruptcy as a B2B printing and imaging company, having shed $4.1 billion in debt and spun its film business off into Kodak Alaris. September 5, 1936 – The Falling Soldier reportedly taken. Capa's image of a Republican militiaman falling in the Spanish Civil War is one of the most famous war photographs ever made and also one of photojournalism's most disputed. Researchers have since placed it near Espejo rather than Cerro Muriano, where no fighting was recorded during Capa's visit, and neither the subject's identity nor the negative has ever been confirmed.
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Photo by Zeee |
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I recently tried my hand at bird photography and now have an even greater appreciation for these types of images. Forum member Zeee had remarkable timing with this image; I love the spray of water and the positioning of the bird. |
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Photo by FrancoD |
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This week, we shared responses to the most recent Question of the Week, which focused on wildlife encounters. FrancoD shared this beautiful image of a fox, which he said he sees several times a week. You can see more of the images in the full feature, or share your images and stories in the forum discussion. |
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“What we need is the heart to understand and feel the subject, to observe before pressing the shutter.” |
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