The up to $200 Tamron lens rebates are ending on May 27

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The up to $200 discount on Tamron E-mount lenses will run out on May 27 at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama. The HOTTEST deals is the Tamron 28-75mm III lens for $699 only at Amazon US, BHphoto and Adorama. This is the lowest price ever for an excellent and much-loved kit lens!

Reminder: Those Sony rebates run this til June 2 at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama. Some special mentions:

 

Cameras:

Lenses:

Accessories:

Samyang:

You get the Rokinon/Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE now for $622 only at Amazon and BHphoto. Only limited supply at this price!

 

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The first real images of the Canon R1… the camera that will compete with the forthcoming Sony A1II

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The Canon R1 will compete with the Sony A1, but especially with the forthcoming Sony A1II, which will probably be announced at the same time as the R1 (late 2024 or early 2025).

So far we only saw “product” images of the R1. So here are some images of the “real world” R1 courtesy of Federico Basile:

Still no info about the specs of the cameras and my feeling is that the rumored specs are sooo wrong :)

You can read the full press text on Explora but here are the key interesting aspects:

  • It’s going to use a new CMOS sensor (so no global shutter)
  • Uses a variation of the current Digic X processor of the Canon R3.
  • promises to have the best in class autofocus…beating the Sony A1 and Sony A9III AF system.
  • Will be field tested at the Olympics

 

via CanonRumors

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Panasonic S9 vs Sony A7cII “real life” comparison

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Here are the first real size comparison pictures between the new Panasonic S9 and the Sony A7c cameras. Notice that the Sony has some room to further reduce the size of the camera due to the smaller mount. Panasonic can’t get smaller than this.

This is where I think the Panasonic outperforms the Sony:

  • I like the clean design of the Lumix S9. The A7c has a cheaper look and feel.
  • The Lumix has a great IBIS
  • OpenGate is super useful
  • From what I’ve seen, the APP integration works much better than Sony’s app.

That’s where I think the Sony is better than the Panasonic:

  • The A7c series has a built-in EVF (for a photographer this is a must).
  • The A7c series has a mechanical shutter
  • many more controls on the Sony
  • Far better autofocus performance
  • Many pancake AF lenses that the L-mount system does not have.

images via DC.watch

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New ON1 Photo RAW 2024.5 Sneak Peek

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Personal note: The image on top has been shot 35min from where I live :)

Press text:

ON1, the leading provider of innovative photo editing software applications, is excited to announce the upcoming release of ON1 Photo RAW 2024.5, a new update with huge performance gains and precision masking tools. This exciting update unleashes powerful new features designed to elevate the photo editing experience for photography professionals and enthusiasts.

“We strive to improve performance with every release. Usually, we can eke out a boost here and there which positively impacts your workflow. However, this update is the big one. It is the most pervasive performance boost we’ve had. You will feel it almost everywhere in Edit. Opening photos is faster, brushing is faster, and zooming is faster. If you work with many layers and filters, you will feel the difference,” says Dan Harachler, VP of product.

ON1 Photo RAW 2024.5 underscores ON1’s commitment to developing cutting-edge technologies that support photographers without compromising their creative vision and control.

WHAT’S NEW IN PHOTO RAW 2024.5 

New and Improved Super Select AI – Our innovative point, click, and edit tool just got better. The enhanced Super Select AI tool can now identify and select any object, not just those it recognizes. This makes adjustments to areas like clothing, hair, skin, and individual flowers much faster. Simply click on an object or region, select an adjustment, and you’re done. No more creating layers and adding filters and masks.

New and Improved Quick Mask AI Tool – Similar to the Super Select AI tool, the upgraded Quick Mask AI tool offers point-and-click editing for masks, simplifying the blending of layers and filters.

Optimized Performance – This update brings the most significant performance boosts yet! Almost everything in Edit feels faster. Opening raw files is now up to twice as fast, making it almost instantaneous. Opening .ONPhoto files (your creations from HDR, Pano, or multiple layers) is over twice as fast. Zooming, panning, and brushing are now buttery smooth, even on complex photos with many layers and filters. These improvements result from innovative methods we’ve developed to utilize the GPU and reduce memory usage.

Smaller Installer and More Frequent Updates – This release also includes a re-engineered app and update delivery method. The product installer is now much smaller, making it faster to download and install. Upon launching the app, it automatically checks for updates and downloads any missing or updated components. This allows us to update camera support, AI models, and extra content more frequently, making updates much smaller.

Added Camera and Lens Support – As with all updates, support for new raw formats and profiles for the latest cameras and lenses.

Price and Availability
Version 2024.5, coming this June, will be a free update for all 2024 owners and subscribers. They will be notified via the in-app update when it is available. New customers and those upgrading from previous ON1 versions can get ON1 Photo RAW MAX 2024.3 or Photo RAW 2024.3 at a discount today and will receive version 2024.5 for free once it is available. Anyone can order a non-subscription license or subscribe. ON1 Photo RAW MAX 2024 is also available in the ON1 Everything Subscription Plans.

About ON1 Photo RAW
Elevate your photo editing game with a 30-day free trial of ON1 Photo RAW—no credit card required. Perfect for photographers of all skill levels, ON1 Photo RAW offers an intuitive yet powerful platform that blends speed, versatility, and quality into one AI-powered application. Try ON1 Photo RAW for free and experience why it’s the top Lightroom Alternative, giving you the ultimate control to bring your photographic visions to life.

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Super offer on an E-mount lens I had completely forgotten existed :)

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Today only you save $300 on the Tokina atx-m 23mm f/1.4 Lens sold by BHphoto (Click here). This is an APS-C autofocus lens announced back in 2020. Almost forgot it existed!

More interesting deal of the day for hikers like me is this one: $360 off on the LowePro Backpack sold by BHphoto (Click here).

Reminder: Those Sony rebates run this til June 2 at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama. Some special mentions:

Cameras:

Lenses:

Accessories:

Tamron and Rokinon:

  • Tamron 28-75mm III lens for $699 only at Amazon US, BHphoto and Adorama. This is the lowest price ever on an excellent and much beloved kit lens!
  • Rokinon/Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE now for $622 only at Amazon and BHphoto.

 

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Skylum Announces A New Photo Editing App For Professional Portrait Photographers

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Press text:

Skylum, a leading innovator in photo editing software and the company behind the award-winning, AI-powered program Luminar Neo, is proud to announce Project “Barcelona”, a new desktop application specifically for professional portrait retouching.

Recognizing the increasing demand for time-saving tools in portrait photography that would enable professional and semi-professional photographers to focus on creative growth and client engagement, Skylum is collaborating with renowned portrait photographer Julia Trotti to develop this specialized software solution. Set for release in September 2024, Project “Barcelona” will empower photographers by automating routine face retouching processes through an efficient, AI-optimized workflow that runs locally on the user’s device, making it as easy as applying presets. With the added advantage of precise and adjustable masking tools, it provides enhanced control and accuracy for perfect results every time. This, in turn, will allow portrait photographers to balance the time-intensive task of photo retouching with shooting and growing their photography business.

Designed with the specific needs of portrait photographers in mind, the new app’s key features include:

Skin Toning: Make subtle changes to the skin tone of specific areas thanks to an accurate facial skin segmentation model; remove the red hue or unify the overall color. On top of that, the new app’s state-of-the-art face mesh model provides unique makeup correction capabilities, allowing the application of extra textures like blush, highlight, and contour, and changing the color of lips, brows, and other elements.

Eye Enhancement:  Add iris flare, remove redness, and adjust eye shape with a comprehensive suite of tools to perfect a subject’s eyes in portraits.

Teeth Whitening: Ensure radiant smiles with advanced teeth whitening and brightening capabilities.

Makeup Application: Enjoy customizable options for creative makeup styles and colors to compliment any complexion, clothing, or backdrop.

Bokeh Effects: Create stunning depth-of-field effects with the bokeh feature, adding dimension and allure to portraits.

Body Enhancement: Adjust bodily proportions to correct posture and account for unflattering angles, making sure portraits capture subjects in their best light.


“In the development of Project “Barcelona” (public name to be announced soon), we’re working closely with acclaimed photographer Julia Trotti to infuse our software with professional insights that meet the specific needs of portrait photographers everywhere,” says Ivan Kutanin, CEO of Skylum. “Just as Luminar Neo provides convenient editing solutions for a broad set of photography challenges, this new app uses cutting-edge AI technology to help portrait photographers achieve top-quality retouching and inspire them with new creative possibilities.”

Early bird offer starts June 25, 2024. Find out more on Skylum’s website and sign up for the waiting list for early access.

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Sony FX9 successor coming in late summer. After that the A7sIV and 1/2 more “photo oriented” cameras?

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According to trusted sources there is a fair chance that the next FX camera might be a new Sony FX9 successor. It could be announced in late summer. This is not the only Full Frame camera we will get in 2024. This is the rumored roadmap:

  • Sort of FX9 successor coming in late Summer
  • New Alpha camera body in late Summer (August/September). Could be the A7sIV but this is not confirmed yet.
  • New Alpha camera body in October/November
  • Small chance there might another Sony camera in November (to be confirmed)

If you happen to know more details about those cameras drop me a message at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com or use this anonymous contact box. Thanks!

So far I got a couple of unconfirmed rumors about what kind of Alpha cameras we will get. But I still don’t fell comfortable enough to share that info. But it’s clear that Sony’s big announcement will be made between September 2024 and February 2025. All we are getting before is that ZV-E10II that should ship out in August (announcement June/July).

Still, what’s coming soon (possibly June) should be very exciting are the 85mm f/1.4 GMII and the 24-70mm f/2.0 GM. Hope to get some announcement dates soon!

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