Today we should have a Sony announcement at around 3-4pm London time. There is not livestream event from Sony likely because there is no new camera to be announced. There will be a new 24-50mm f/2.8 G and I heard also the PDT-FP1 transmitter will be unveiled in other countries outside Japan (Where it already was announced back in January). But maybe Sony will do something unexpected and also give us some info/hints about other future products? Let’s see…never give up hope :) —

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Preorders:
500mm f/5.6 at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Calumet, WexUK.
15mm f/1.4 fisheye at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Calumet, WexUK.

Reviews:
Presentation at Explora.

Video reviews:

Preorders are now open at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, FotoErhardt. Calumet. WexUk.. Press text at Explora. 

I had the chance to talk to multiple store owners (some of them are big names). And according to all of them the new Fuji X100VI is setting record numbers of preorders. Something they haven’t seen for years now! Here I explain why this is happening and what Sony has to do now:

You can finally reorder the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Full Frame E-mount autofocus lens at BHphoto, Adorama, Venusoptics store (worldwide shipment). This is Laowa’s first autofocus lens and I do believe this is quite an interesting lens! It’s unique to get a 10mm lens that is both FAST and RECTILINEAR (which I absolutely do like).

Anhui China, Feb 20, 2024 – Venus Optics announces the launch of the new Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF

Lens. It is the world’s first rectilinear 10mm full-frame lens with f/2.8 aperture and the first-ever auto-focus lens, for Sony E and Nikon Z mount, in Laowa’s lineup. Designed in a compact and lightweight manner, the lens weighs only 420g(0.93 lbs) with a stylish grey outlook. The lens also delivers outstanding image quality and close-to-zero distortion. Despite such an ultra-wide angle, the lens comes with a 77mm front filter thread, making it a powerful tool for photography and videography, from capturing one-of-the-kind landscapes, architecture, interior and astrophotography to stunning time-lapse and vlogging.
This 10mm lens marked 10 years journey of Laowa in the realm of optics. Over a decade of innovation, Venus Optics continues to surprise the world by bringing new products with optimized optical designs and solid lens quality. The Laowa 10mm f/2.8 lens delivers an unmatched ultra-wide-angle shooting experience for photographers and video creators to achieve every new idea.

Key Features:
– Ultra-wide 10mm with f/2.8
– Angle of View of 130°
– Zero-D
– Compact & Lightweight
– Close Focusing Distance of 12cm
– ⌀77mm Filter thread
– 10-Point Sunstar
– Accurate and Reliable AF Performance
– Outstanding Optical Design
– Excellent performance for Panorama and Astrophotography

Pricing & Availability
The new Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF is currently pre-order via Venus Optics official website (http://www.venuslens.net/) and authorized resellers.
The US price for Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF is USD799 for all mounts (Both AF and MF version are the same price). Pricing varies in different countries. Shipping starts from mid-March.

Product Page (Pre-order)
Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF: https://www.venuslens.net/product/laowa-10mm-f-2-8-ff-zero-d/

Cosina/Voigtlander announced it will display the new Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Full Frame E-mount lens at the CP+ show. The lens optical construction is the same of that of the M-mount version (price $799).

Cosina did not unveil the pricing and reorder/shipment dates. All they disclosed is this:

• It has electronic contacts and supports Exif information recording, focus magnification function, lens correction selection, and 5-axis in-body image stabilization function (limited to applicable models). The same applies to other aperture operations.
• The lens configuration is 7 elements in 6 groups. The shortest shooting distance is 0.55m, and the maximum shooting magnification is 1:5.5. Filter diameter is 62mm.
• External dimensions are φ73.4 x 73.9mm. Weight is 515g.
• A special hood is included.

Sony issued a new firmware update for the Sony FX3 (download it here) and for the Sony FX30 (download it here).

Benefits and Improvements (for both cameras)

• Allows you to upload camera images directly to the Creators’ Cloud app
  Notes:
  • Make sure you have updated the Creators’ App to the latest version (Ver.2.3.0 or later)
  • Settings must be made in the Creators’ App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators’ App support website
  • Service may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website
• Enables display of the Wi-Fi signal strength
• Fixes an issue where certain custom key operations may cause a restart
• Fixes an issue where the time may not be retained after a power restart
• Improves the exposure stability when using Extended ISO during movie recordings
• Improves the operational stability of the camera