Sony News (Page 4)
Just posted: Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II Lens Review.
Outstanding lens.
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Support this site by ordering the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II Lens (or anything else) from B&H | Sony | Adorama | Amazon (all available countries) | WEX | Camera Canada
Rent the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II Lens from Lensrentals.
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While supplies last or through 10-25-24 at 11:59PM ET, use coupon code SV24 at KEH Camera to save 15% on select used camera gear. Over 2,400 items areavaialble.
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Topaz Labs just introduced Gigapixel 8 and Photo AI 3.3.
The viewer's eye is drawn to contrast, which is lacking in a strongly blurred portion of the image. Thus, blurring the non-subject area aids in drawing the viewer's eye to the sharp-focused subject.
For this image, the telephoto compression and long distance beyond the subject create the background blur, and getting down into some close rocks takes the foreground out of focus, eliminating those distractions.
While I love the use of blur in photography, I rarely like foreground blur covering the subject's face.
A larger version of this image is available here.
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Learn more about the Sony BC-ZD1 Dual-Battery Charger for NP-FZ100 Batteries and DC-C1 DC Coupler and preorder at B&H.
Sony Alpha 7 IV firmware update version 4.00 is available for download.
Firmware Version 4.00 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds support for focus bracket shooting, which allows for continuous shooting while automatically shifting the focus position
- Introduces additional settings for exposure value adjustments and number of shots in the exposure bracketing
- Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings
Note: You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie. - Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature
- Allows notifications to be displayed when the latest software is available for your camera
- You can now continue shooting while transferring captured photos and videos to a smartphone or tablet
Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators' App is necessary. The Creators' App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators' Cloud support website. - Transfer to smartphones and tablets can now be resumed even if interrupted in the middle of a transfer
Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators' App is necessary. The Creators' App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators' Cloud support website. - You can now transfer only the differences that have not yet been transferred to your smartphone or tablet, or add videos to be transferred during the transfer process
Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators' App is necessary. The Creators' App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators' Cloud support website. - Adds support for the Monitor & Control app
Note: The Monitor & Control app connects wirelessly to a camera and enables video monitoring and remote control with a smartphone or tablet. - Ver. 2.1.0 or later of the Monitor & Control app is necessary. The Monitor & Control app may not be available in some countries or regions.
- Fixes an issue where peaking display would appear during movie playback
- Improves the functionality and operational stability of the camera
Get the Sony Alpha 7 IV at B&H.
Through 12/31/2024, get a trade-in bonus of up to $800.00 for any working interchangeable lens camera at B&H.
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Canon previously shared that we should expect more hybrid RF L-series lenses, and now they put a date on that announcement.
From Canon USA:
MELVILLE, NY, October 15, 2024 - Canon, a leader in digital imaging technology, today announced its intention to add new lenses to its hybrid RF L-series range on October 30, 2024, when all details will be revealed.
Canon’s hybrid lenses are a range of RF L-series primes and zooms designed for high performance stills and video capture. They are able to perform multiple roles and harness technology from Canon’s broadcast, cinema and existing RF lenses to make for a truly versatile range concept. They empower creatives with the flexibility to reach new levels of artistry and practicality in stills and video production.
Official announcement date for the lenses is: October 30, 2024.
Stop back here on October 30, 2024, to get the full reveal.
Highlighting some just-arriving gear in the B&H Used Department:
| Category | In Stock at the Moment |
|---|---|
| Canon EOS Cameras | R5 kit, R7 |
| Canon RF Lenses | 14-35, 50 F1.2, 85 F1.2 DS, 135 F1.8, Mount Adapter |
| Sony Alpha Cameras | a9 III, a7R V, a7R IVA, a7 IV, a7S III, a7C II |
| Sony FE Lenses | 16-35 II, 24-70 II, 85 F1.4 II, 135 F1.8, 600mm F4 |
| Really Right Stuff | BH-40, BH-55, PC-LR Round Panning Clamp, PG-01 Compact Pano-Gimbal Head, Macro Focusing Rail |
Remember to use the B&H Payboo payment card to save the tax.
While the stars are not unusual for Pennsylvania, the Northern Lights are. As I shared recently, the epic Northern Lights in Pennsylvania was worthy of a distraction.
While I love the look of the Northern Lights fully contained in the frame (though even the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Lens couldn't always contain all this light show), I also appreciate tighter framing of the lights.
In this case, the Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens captured a transition area that features stars (part of the Milky Way) in the upper-left corner of the frame. The shoreline's vertical position in the frame was based on the termination of visible color at the bottom of the frame (a dark border included) combined with alignment on the lower 1/3 line in the viewfinder. The balance of the frame illustrates the incredible color of the lights.
We are at or approaching a solar maximum when the Northern Lights are strongest and most frequent. Don't expect much notice before the next show. Do you have the right lenses in your kit? Here are some recommendations:
The Best Canon Astrophotography Lens
The Best Canon Astrophotography DSLR Lens
The Best Sony Astrophotography Lens
A larger version of this image is available here.
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Until 11:59PM PST on 10/29/24, use coupon code FALLSAVINGS20 to save 20% on everything at my favorite printer, Printique.
It's not too early to get some Christmas presents checked off the list. Also, you probably now have better images available to hang around the house.
Expect outstanding quality from Printique.
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Worth browsing: Deals of the Week at B&H.
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I had a distraction this week. The space weather forecast was redlined. It couldn't get much better. A long period of Kp 8 was predicted from sunset into the next day (as I shared with you in a news post).
A Kp 8 could be visible from my yard in central Pennsylvania. But then, I remembered Bryan's Law of Astronomical Events: If there is an astronomical event happening, all locations within a reasonable drive will be totally cloud-covered.
So, shocking was the National Weather Service forecast for 0% cloud cover and 0% wind speed, an unbelievable combination for an unusual night sky event I'm chasing, and that forecast was for the duration of the Kp 8 prediction. Game on. An adventure began.
Reasonable Northern Lights displays are rare in central PA, and I didn't have a go-to location list prepared for this opportunity. I needed good visibility of the sky and wanted dark skies, especially to the north, with a foreground subject being a bonus.
Shooting from home was an option. A nearby field provided the desired visibility, and our sky is moderately dark, especially when the air clarity is high. I could drive a short distance from the house and be shooting in minutes.
Still, the forecast was outstanding enough to make researching an even better location worthwhile. That my wife hadn't seen the Northern Lights in about two decades and had recently asked to see them again raised the bar on location selection.
Scouting the Pennsylvania state forest maps for vistas looking north and online scouting via images captured from those locations provided a few good options within a couple-of-hour drive. However, a high elevation (for PA) lake I scouted for Milky Way photography earlier in the summer was in a dark sky location with no close towns to the north. Most subjects are even better when their reflection is included, and the rare 0 mph wind forecast made the lake option seem especially great. A bonus was that the lake was a 1.5-hour drive north, deeper into the Northern Lights visibility range.
The lake was a perfect location. It was calm, and we (and a pack of loud coyotes) had it to ourselves for the entire night.
Reaching Kp 8.5+, the 10/10/2024 Northern Lights show was a 10. I've had the privilege of viewing and photographing the Northern Lights numerous times, but this show was different from what I normally see. The lights did not have a strong structure and they were not hte brightest I've seen, but the color was wild, with the reds and even some blues being especially amazing.
Consider the Northern Lights a fast-moving subject, as they are often pulsing and dancing. A wide aperture lens is needed to avoid strong motion blur, the smearing of the aurora details.
My favorite two aurora lenses, the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM and FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens, each mounted to an Alpha 1 body for fast switching, were in the MindShift Gear BackLight 26L. Both lenses performed superbly as always.
A larger version of this image is available here.
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This deal has been extended 12 hours to 3:00 AM EDT: 5DayDeal Complete Photography Bundle 2024.
Take your photography to the next level with the skills, ideas, and tools you need to create incredible photos. Get over $1,000.00 worth of training and tools for only $98.00!
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See today's full list of B&H Deal Zone Deals.
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This bull was significantly obstructed and facing away as it thrashed an alder, providing poor photo opportunities. So, planning for its next move became the priority.
The bull had moved away from a cow to threaten an opponent, so, logically, it would go back to the cow. If that option was chosen, the bull would most likely come through a specific opening, and positioning for a supporting background behind that opening became the plan. That optimal position included getting low to ensure most of the close, in-focus foreground was out of the frame, that the mountains were prominently included, and that the catchlight in the bull's eye was enlarged (reflecting more sky).
As predicted, the bull came into the opening, and better than expected, it stopped to provide a variety of poses.
The Canon EOS R5 Mark II and RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens are an outstanding combination for on-the-move wildlife photography.
A larger version of this image is available here.
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