Official: Tamron announced the development of the new 20-40mm f/2.8 FE lens

Press Text:

TAMRON announces category-disrupting, fast-aperture standard zoom
20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A062)
New lens is smallest and lightest in its class1 and opens new video opportunities

August 18, 2022, Saitama, Japan – Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Shiro Ajisaka), a leading manufacturer of optics for diverse applications, announces the development of the 20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A062), a fast-aperture standard zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras. However, due to the current global health crisis, the release date or product supply schedule could change.

Overview of the 20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A062) features

The 20-40mm F2.8, TAMRON’s latest innovation, is an unparalleled new fast-aperture standard zoom lens that can be easily carried around for everyday shooting for both still images and video. Designed for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras, the lens was created in aggressive pursuit of portability that is ideal for everyday use. Starting from 20mm at the ultra wide-angle end and covering up to 40mm in the standard focal range, it is the smallest and lightest in its class1. The 20-40mm F2.8 delivers beautiful images across the entire zoom range and is great for still photography and for creating vlogs and other video content. The lens incorporates TAMRON’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive), an AF drive system using the linear motor focus mechanism. The VXD boasts superior quietness and agile performance and achieves high-speed and high-precision autofocus. With an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of just 0.17m (6.7 in) and maximum magnification ratio 1:3.8 at the wide end, the lens provides exceptional close-range shooting capability, offering the added feature of wide macro photography.

Main features

  1. 1. Fast F2.8 aperture, compact size and exceptionally versatile 20-40mm zoom range

    The 20-40mm F2.8 is TAMRON’s innovative creation of a new standard zoom lens, born from the unbridled desire to produce a compact size that can be carried around easily. It delivers a fast F2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range from 20mm to 40mm and achieves a class-leading compact and lightweight design at just 86.5mm (3.4 in) and 365g (12.9 oz). At the longest zoom end, the lens offers a standard focal range of 40mm, handy for everyday shooting of snaps, portraits, and food photos. Meanwhile at the wide end, the ultra-wide 20mm focal length lets users enjoy a broad range of photography including stunning and powerful natural landscapes that make use of the unique ultra wide-angle perspective, something that cannot be expressed as readily with a fast-aperture standard zoom lens that starts at 24mm.

  2. 2. Fabulous family videos, vlogs, and other online content

    The compact and lightweight 20-40mm F2.8 offers excellent handling that is well balanced even when accessories like camera grips or gimbal stabilizers are attached. With this single lens, you won’t miss a shot, from street videography to vast landscapes during travel and selfies that include wide backgrounds.

  3. 3. High image quality in a compact, lightweight body

  4. 4. TAMRON’s VXD linear motor for high-level AF speed and precision

  5. 5. Wide macro shooting: MOD of 0.17m (6.7 in) and maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.8 at the wide end

  6. 6. Rapid zooming (Zoom ring rotation arc is just 65˚)

  7. 7. TAMRON Lens Utility™ software for Focus Ring Function Setting and firmware updates

  8. 8. New design with improved texture and scratch resistance

  9. 9. 67mm filter size, same as most other TAMRON lenses for mirrorless cameras

  10. 10. User-friendly features (Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating)

  11. 11. Compatible with many camera-specific features and functions, including Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF

PREORDER now with discount: Luminar Noiseless AI and Big Fall Update!

Skylum will release 6 big extensions in November. One is the new “Noiseless AI” and the other five will be unveiled one by one til November. And starting from today you can buy Luminar Neo + preorder the Extensions pack for a discounted price (Click here). Save $10 more using our code “43RUM”

– >The discount will last til August 30th and price will be raised afterwards.

Press Text:

Skylum to fulfill new vision for Luminar Neo with Extensions
Luminar Neo transforms into a one-stop creative editing platform with the release of 7 Extensions by the end of 2022, next one being Noiseless AI.

NEW YORK, NY – August 16, 2022 — Skylum’s biggest commitment is to develop Luminar Neo as a one-stop platform for creative photo editing. Setting a new mark for Skylum’s future, Extensions are the natural continuation of the new vision for Luminar Neo. By the end of 2022, Skylum is going to release 7 Extensions in total, following the HDR Merge release in July and the upcoming Noiseless AI release in August, with an additional 4 in November and 1 in December. Skylum is also adding a more flexible payment solution, introducing a subscription for Luminar Neo and all the Extensions that will be released during the subscription period. Early bird subscribers can benefit from a better price. All the Extensions of 2022 are also available to Luminar Neo lifetime license owners as a package in a preorder deal.

Luminar Neo as a one-stop platform

Skylum is fulfilling the main vision for Luminar Neo — for it to become a one-stop creative platform for photographers. Luminar Neo’s platform will aid Luminar Artists in their growth and content creation. By the end of 2022 there will be 7 Extensions added in Luminar Neo that will make editing photos even more satisfying, with Noiseless AI coming on August 30th, and the next four announced in September and October, plus an extra special one announced and delivered in December. Noiseless AI is the second Extension of the series, that provides seamless noise reduction based on AI technologies to your photo.

To regularly receive all the Extensions for the best value Skylum is introducing a more flexible pricing and product purchasing model. Luminar Neo will be available both as a standalone purchase, as well as a subscription, with paid extensions. The Pro Monthly or Yearly subscription, available from August 16th 2022, will include the Luminar Neo app, plus all the Extensions that will come out during the subscription period. Lifetime license and the 2022 Extensions Pack for those who are not keen on subscriptions are also available.

In the meantime, Luminar Neo will continue to have regular free performance and feature updates, because we’re committed to delivering the best possible editing experience to you. The long-awaited Clone & Stamp tool will be delivered to Luminar Neo by the end of September.

Meeting the needs of photographers

The addition of Extensions is a natural continuation of Luminar Neo’s innovative problem-solving path, as the app is already providing creative solutions for common editing issues with such features as Sky AI, and many others. For example, Sky AI transforms a gray sky that is bringing down the photo’s mood into an exciting and vivid centerpiece of your photo. Relight AI makes sure your photo is well-lit and takes into account the photo’s

depth with clever AI algorithms. Masking objects is easy with AI that detects and masks up to nine separate elements in your photo. This is all possible thanks to Luminar Neo’s brand-new engine that gives the app an unlimited number of opportunities to get more editing tools and power into the hands of creatives.

“This year, Luminar is coming to its full potential, becoming a platform, therefore we’re not releasing the new version of it, and keep bringing improvements to the existing product. Photographers can now get more superpowers for their creativity and superb image quality, with our new professional AI extensions.” — Evgen Kushnirchuk, CPO of Skylum

The next big thing — Noiseless AI

The flexibility of Luminar Neo’s new engine allows it to deliver a new Extension — Noiseless AI, the second Extension released for Luminar Neo. It is an AI-based pro level tool that helps reduce the noise level on an image. Built-in algorithms allow to achieve higher quality results, and new control options let retain even more precision over results. Noiseless AI is designed for raw images, but works just as well with non-raw image formats. Thanks to the smart neural networks Noiseless AI removes noise, but retains all the high-quality details on the photo. Based on deep photo analysis Noiseless AI will determine the level of noise of the photo and will suggest one of three noise reduction options — Low, Middle, or High that artists can apply in a click, or adjust the noise reduction levels manually. Furthermore, the 3 additional sliders, Luminosity, Color, and Details, give even more control over the results.

Luminar Artists now won’t have to compromise on ISO (the adjustable sensitivity of your camera to light) when capturing photos, it’s possible to set a higher ISO rendering an image brighter without fear of too much noise. Plus, there’s no need for meticulous close ups in attempts to evenly mask up the noise area, as one click of a button gets rid of the noise level throughout the photo.

The announcements of the next Extensions will be coming soon. Four more extensions will be delivered in November, and one in December.

Preorder for a better price

Noiseless AI will be released on August 30. It can be acquired with the Luminar Neo Pro Monthly or Yearly subscription, or purchased as part of the 2022 Extensions pack. The Pro Monthly or Yearly subscription is available from August 16th 2022, and includes Luminar Neo and all the extensions that will be released during the subscription period. By subscribing during the yearly bird stage, Luminar Artists get the best price possible for the first subscription year.

Availability

The Luminar Neo Noiseless AI extension will be released on August 30. You can find out pricing here, and Skylum offers a 30-day money-back guarantee from the time of shipping. Noiseless AI works only as an Extension within Luminar Neo.

New Sony patent discloses three APS-C primes: 12mm f/1.8, 14mm f/1.8 and 15mm f/1.5 (already in production)

Asobinet spotted a newly published patent describing the specs and design of three APS-C E-mount prime lenses:

  • 12mm f/1.8 (different design than the existing 11mm f/1.8)
  • 14mm f/1.8
  • 15mm f/1.5 (similar to the existing 15mm f/1.4).

Asobinet also talks about a variation of the 15mm lens having a f/1.0 aperture. But this should be just an exercise from engineers that will never make it into a real product.