This week Tamron has announced the development of Tamron 35-150mm F2-2.8 for Sony E mount, which will be the fastest aperture zoom lens of the system.
Besides this, we have a ton of other new lenses, AI software to improve the sharpness of your photos, and much more.
Here’s the best news I’ve selected for “The Photography News Show”!

LENS NEWS

Tamron 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD Under Development

Tamron has published a press release where it says it’s currently working on two lenses, and the first one is the Tamron 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD for full-frame Sony cameras.

The 35-150mm is the first zoom lens made for Sony mirrorless cameras that features a maximum aperture of f/2.

That’s an incredibly versatile lens, which makes it ideal for travel photography, where it can be very convenient having so many focal lengths in the same lens. You could basically have a 16-35mm to handle the wide-angle shots and the 35-150 for the rest; not bad right?

Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 Under Development

If the 35-150mm is a completely new lens, the upcoming Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 is an improved version of the existing Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD.

It will keep the same compact size as its predecessor, but it will be able to render higher-resolution images created by the latest digital cameras, while also having a more ergonomic texture to improve handling and comfort.

Tamron hasn’t specified the prices nor the launch date for these two new lenses, but they should arrive soon, in fact, they are listed on B&H, and Tamron says they will arrive in 2021.

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Announced for Sony E & L Mount

Sigma has finally unveiled the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports for Sony E and L mount.

That’s a super-zoom lens that Sigma has redesigned from scratch for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It has a ton of switches and buttons to optimize your operations during shooting, as well as a dust & splash-resistant design.

It weighs 2.1 Kg, and if you need to give your arms some rest or shoot a static subject, you can easily attach it to a tripod thanks to the built-in Arca Swiss clamp.

It surely doesn’t have a wide-enough aperture for some uses, but given that newer cameras can handle higher ISO very well, you will be able to use it in a lot of scenarios where you need a long reach such as in a safari.

You can grab it for $1,500 at this link, and I think it can be a really great choice as a 1st ultra-telephoto zoom.

TTArtisan 50mm F1.4 ASPH Full Frame Lens

TTArtisan has a lot of super bright lenses with a Leica M Mount (I am currently reviewing the 90mm f/1.25, so stay tuned for that!), and it’s finally developing lenses with other mounts too, in fact, the TTArtisan 50mm F1.4 ASPH is made for Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon R, L-Mount Cameras.

50mm surely is one of the most famous focal lengths, and it often is the 1st prime lens in a photographer’s kit, as it’s great to practice your photography skills in different genres, like street, portrait, and lifestyle, experimenting with some good bokeh for the 1st time.

Being a manual lens it can be tricky to use in some scenarios, but if you want a super bright 50mm without spending too much money, this can be a great choice as it comes at just $235.

7Artisans 50mm F0.95 APS-C

7Artisans has announced the 7Artisans 50mm f/0.95.

It’s a fully manual lens made for APS-C mirrorless cameras, with an equivalent focal length of about 75mm, and coming at just $236 it can be a great choice if you want to get started with some portraiture without breaking the bank.

CAMERA NEWS

Sony Confirms Lasers Can Damage Its Sensors

This week we don’t have any new camera, but some news that could save your sensor.

Some of you might know already that lasers can damage your sensor, but this week Sony has published an official warning on its website, stating that direct exposure to lasers can damage its sensors.

There are some videos on YouTube showing sensors failing after being exposed to a laser, and you definitely don’t want that to happen as the sensor is the most important part of your camera, and it would surely be expensive to replace.

So, if you see a laser next time you shoot at an event, never shoot directly into it!

APP NEWS

Topaz Labs Sharpen AI

Topaz Labs is a company known for its editing plugins, and in the latest years, it has invested heavily in using Artificial Intelligence to improve images and videos.

This week it has released the latest version of Sharpen AI, its software that helps improving image sharpness.

There are several improvements in the AI models, as well as the in-app masking.

I’ve taken a look at some test videos and I must say I’m really impressed as it can not only improve sharpness but also help you save some shots where you’ve slightly missed critical focus, which can happen when using ultra-bright lenses in challenging situations.

Grab it at this link and use the code FRIEND15 for 15% off (you’re welcome 😊).

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Moths Flying at 6,000 Frames Per Second

This week we have some incredible slow-motion footage of moths taking off. The video was shot at 6,000 frames per second using the Phantom VEO 130 as a camera, and the Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens.

The video was captured by Dr. Adrian Smith, who is the head of a research lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Some people don’t like moths, but I think they are really interesting & beautiful creatures, and this super-slow-motion video shows it very well.

WEIRD NEWS

Leica Teddy Bear at $4,000

The imaging world can be at times weird!

Leica arguably is the most recognized camera brand in the world, and their new product is…well, a teddy bear.

Its design is inspired by Leica’s M cameras and it’s available in different sizes. And in case you’re wondering, no, you cannot take pictures with it.