Phototrend had a talk with Foucauld Prové, Managing Director at Sigma France. Here are the highlights:

Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports production and availability issues:

He says for the past six months, they have been facing a global shortage. The factory’s production capacity is not scalable at will, with approximately one hundred units produced each month and to be shared worldwide.

Sigma 300-600mm preorders at BHphoto. Amazon. Adorama. FotoErhardt. Fotokoch. WexUK.

How they managed to make the new 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art more compact and lighter:

The correction algorithms internal to the boxes have improved considerably compared to the 2018-2019 period, when the first model was released .
So, with this second version , they can rely more on these advances to optimize optical performance and reduce the number of lenses, particularly those that correct distortion or vignetting. This is a real advantage of hybrid cameras, which allows them to design more compact and lightweight lenses.

Sigma 35mm f/1.2 II at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Fotokoch, Fotoerhardt, Calumet, WexUK, Clifton.

About the new competition from chinese manufacturers:

he thinks they have a little time before they see them in their rearview mirror, even if they’re moving quickly. Sigma doesn’t want to be overconfident, but they’re not afraid either.

A new Sony patent, published on October 15, 2025, describes a technology that would allow photographers to control autofocus points using their eyes while looking through the viewfinder — a concept reminiscent of Canon’s eye-control AF found in the Canon EOS R3 and Canon EOS R1.

The patent, titled “Viewfinder and Imaging Device,” outlines a system that detects the photographer’s eye movement to select the AF area. It uses a light-emitting unit to project detection light onto the cornea and analyzes the reflected signal to determine gaze direction. However, Sony’s design appears to address a major challenge with such systems — ensuring accuracy without increasing the size of the viewfinder or camera body.

The document explains that previous eye-tracking systems required larger optical paths and could be obstructed by eyelids or corneal variations, leading to unreliable autofocus. Sony’s new approach aims to confine the light emission to a narrow zone around the pupil, maintaining precision while keeping the viewfinder compact.

If this concept reaches production, it could mark Sony’s first implementation of true eye-controlled AF — something that could revolutionize shooting speed and precision for mirrorless cameras like the future Sony a9 IV.

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via Asobinet

The new Viltrox 50mm f/1.4 PRO lens is now available for preorder at BHphoto, Amazon, Viltrox, Pergear.

There is a review of this lens at SonyAlphaBlog and he concludes

It is a very good 50mm F1.4 with a budget price; very good to excellent sharpness, very good ergonomics, bokeh, background blur, AF , very low CA, good resistance to flare
Its main weakness is its weight, one of the heaviest in its category

ThePhoBlographer writes:

Viltrox packed weather resistance, good classic image quality, fast autofocus, and high quality into this body. Truly, there’s nothing to dislike about this new lens except that I wish it were just a bit smaller.

Do You Really Need the FX2 Instead of A7IV? | Sony FX2 Review

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
Beyond the Flash: Constant Lighting Photography | Westcott Wednesday (Explora)
Summer Photography Survival Guide: Stay Cool & Keep Your Gear Safe (42West).
Lunar Eclipse with the Sony 100-400mm (Mads Peter).
Sony’s Best Portrait Lens is From Over a Decade Ago (ThePhoBlographer)
3 Essential Lens Adapters for the Sony A6700 (Fotodiox).
Planning the Perfect Costa Rica Photography Trip (42West)
Illuminate Wedding Photographs with Versatile Outdoor Lighting (Explora)

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The new Viltrox 50mm f/1.4 PRO FE is now available for $549 at Amazon (click here). There are no reviews yet, but given its specs and build, it looks like a strong performer — priced about $400 less than the Sigma and nearly $900 cheaper than Sony’s GM version.