The Phoblographer

The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is an odd but good lens.

Even as I type this review up, I’m still not totally sure how I feel about the Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary lens. It’s an easy lens to appreciate. Sigma is giving us options we’ve needed for years. They now offer three 35mm lenses to customers. And at the same time, they’re eliminating a big need for the 35mm f1.4 Art lens. The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is small. It also has a solid metal body. Best of all, it’s got a little bit of weather sealing at the mount. But at the same time, I wish Sigma had gone even further with this lens, but it’s nearly perfect so far.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Small

Lightweight

Solid metal body

Nice aperture ring

Sharp

Around $639

Cons

I wish it were fully weather-sealed

What’s Innovative?

The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is part of the I series of Sigma lenses. As part of the company’s contemporary lineup, it’s not at all innovative. There are tons of 35mm f2 lenses on the market. And they’re all very good. But nothing really makes the Sigma stand out. Sony has a 35mm f1.8 with full weather sealing. Canon has a 35mm f1.8 with image stabilization and no weather sealing. Of course, Sigma isn’t making Rf mount glass yet. Nikon has a 35mm f1.8 that’s arguably about on par, but Sigma doesn’t support the Z mount. Tamron has a 35mm f2.8 with full weather sealing but at a full stop slower. And Leica has a 35mm f2 with a more innovative lens design but at more than 5x the price.

Frankly, the Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is a wrench with audible clicks amongst a sea of tools. I’m speaking as a complete shill for the tactile experience. But even I’m scratching my head on this one. It’s doing nothing special.

Gear Used

We tested the Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary with the Leica SL2 and the Panasonic S5.

Tech Specs

These specs are summarized from our news post:

10 elements in 9 groups

STM autofocus motor

9 aperture blades

10.6-inch close focusing

58mm front filter thread

11.5 oz. That’s around as heavy as a basketball.

$639 price point

Ergonomics

The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is a beautiful lens. Honestly, this is the kind of design that I’d expect from Leica. But instead, it’s a Sigma. The exterior is made of metal, and it’s all black on the outside.

Key to the design, it has an aperture ring right around the center. In front of that is a manual focus ring. All of these, once again, are made of metal.

The aperture ring is a clicked one. Unlike the Art series lenses, these can’t be de-clicked.

On the side, you’ll find the only control: a focusing switch.

The front of the lens also bears a 58mm filter thread.

Build Quality

Doing our build quality tests makes us run into several issues. The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary touts weather sealing. So when we do our tests, we run the ideas by the manufacturers. Every now and again, reps will tell us things like, “It’ll be fine.” Realistically speaking, yes. But we tend to hold manufacturers to their claims. So we had Sigma America get word from Japan about this. We got the following message back:

“Hi Chris:

Confirmed with the home office that the I series lenses are splash and dust sealed at the mount. I would not recommend prolonged use in significant precipitation.”

And there you go, folks. Keep the lens away from splashes and such. Personally speaking, if you’re shooting some food blog content and a splash hits the lens, it will be fine. But I wouldn’t take it out into the rain.

This is part of why the Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is such an oddity. A lens built this well on the outside should have the same inside. There should be weather sealing throughout. Instead, you’re just getting this cold metal shell. Some folks might like that. But personally, everything should be held to weather sealing claims. And everything should be weather sealed.

Ease of Use

The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is a pretty simple lens to use. Slap it onto your camera, point, focus, and shoot...

The Sony Xperia 1 II blends smartphone photography with the features of a dedicated Sony Alpha camera.

Smartphone cameras have come a long way in a small amount of time. Most reach for an iPhone or a Samsung device. However, you have other options. Sony makes smartphones too. Sony’s Xperia line of phones has been around for a while, but they tend to fly under the radar. However, they have a unique product in the Sony Xperia 1 II that we think photographers might like. The Xperia 1 II takes smartphone photography and mashes it together with the tech like human and animal eye autofocus found in Sony’s Alpha line of cameras. This all sounds great, but how does the camera perform in the real-world? Find out in our full review.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

$1,098 for an unlocked smartphone is pretty reasonable. When you add what many photographers like about Sony Alpha cameras to this phone’s cameras, you have a compelling option. You’re getting a manual mode, three great lenses, excellent autofocus with tracking, human and animal eye AF, 20 frame per second bursts, and RAW and JPEG capabilities all wrapped up into a familiar alpha interface. The Sony Xperia 1 II is a great companion camera for any photographer.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Pretty great image quality

The dedicated shutter button is fantastic

Human and animal eye AF

A great selection of lenses

20 frame per second burst mode

RAW and JPEG capabilities

It feels like a premium smartphone

Excellent battery life

Well priced at $1,098 for a carrier unlocked version

Cons

The phone is extremely slick

The 21:9 form factor takes some getting used to

What’s Innovative

The Sony Xperia 1 II borrows a lot of technology from Sony’s Alpha line of Mirrorless cameras. In this smartphone camera, you’ll find excellent autofocus including human and pet eye AF. Then there’s the 20 frames per second burst mode, RAW files, macro modes, and almost full manual controls. It’s a well-rounded feature set that’s not found in a lot of smartphones.

Gear Used

We used the Sony Xperia 1 II by itself for the duration of the review.

Tech Specs

All of the tech specs listed here have been taken from the official Sony Xperia 1 II website:

Up to 20 fps AF / AE for ultra-fast focus

Real-Time Eye AF for Humans and Animals

Cinematography Pro “Powered by CineAlta”

6.5″ 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED display

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform

Dimensions – 6.5 × 2.8 × 0.3 in

Weight – 6.4 oz

Weather Sealing – Water resistant (IP65/68)

Battery – 4,000 mAh

16mm f2.4 12MP, 24mm f1.7 12MP, and 70mm f2.4 12MP cameras with Dual Phase Detection AF

0.3 MP 3D depth camera

8 Megapixel selfie camera

Dedicated shutter button

LED flash

Sony Xperia 1 II – Ergonomics

The Sony Xperia 1 II is different from most phones on the market regarding its design. The Xperia 1 II takes on a 21:9 form factor. This means the phone is longer yet narrower than most on the market. You can see above the difference between the Xperia 1 II and my iPhone 11 Pro Max. This makes the phone a little more challenging to hold and use. However, you soon get used to the different dimensions. The image above shows that the 4K OLED display is edge-to-edge as well.

The Back

Flip the camera around the back, and you’ll find the camera bump that sits at the top left corner. Being placed so close to the edge of the device, you’ll run into some issues with your fingers blocking the cameras. Especially when you use the wide-angle camera. Apart from the cameras, the depth sensors, and LED flash, there’s nothing else going on around the back.

Side Controls

On the right side of the Sony Xperia 1 II, you’ll find the volume rocker and the power button/fingerprint reader. You’ll also find one of my favorite features of this phone – the dedicated shutter button. The volume rocker and dedicated shutter button protrude from the body just enough, while the fingerprint reader is slightly recessed. I like this: the recessed button is a good way of figuring out where on the phone your finge...

If you’ve been thinking about jumping to Sony, now is the time as these deals on Sony lenses and cameras are hard to beat.

There are currently some killer deals on Sony lenses and cameras. Don’t believe us? Check out these prices. The Sony 24-105mm f4 is just $1,198. That’s $200 off! The fantastic 35mm f1.8 can be yours for only $698! A renewed Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM is a bargain at just $1,698. The classic Sony Nifty 50 f1.8 is also a steal at $198! Need a super-telephoto for wildlife and birding? The Sony 200-600mm can be picked up for only $1,998! You can also save on the Sony a7 III ($1,698), the a7r IV ($2,998), and the a7r II ($1,598). There are more Sony lenses and cameras on sale too! We have all the deals for you after the break.

Be sure to check out our comprehensive reviews database so that you can make more informed purchasing decisions. We have reviewed thousands of cameras, lenses, bags, and more.

Sony Lenses

Primes

Sony E-mount FE 24mm f1.4 GM Full Frame Wide-angle Prime Lens $1,298 (Save $100)

FE 35mm f1.8 Large Aperture Prime Lens $698 (Save $50)

Sony – FE 50mm f1.8 Standard Lens $198 (Save $50)

Sony 55mm f1.8 Sonnar T FE ZA Full Frame Prime Lens $898 (Save $88.09)

Sony 85mm f1.8 Medium-Telephoto Fixed Prime $548 (Save $50)

Sony FE 90mm f2.8-22 Macro G OSS Standard-Prime Lens $1,048 (Save $50)

Sony Lenses – Zooms

Sony – E 10-18mm f4 OSS Wide-Angle Zoom Lens $798 (Save $51.99)

Sony – FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens $2,098 (Save $100)

Sony 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 OSS APS-C $548 (Save $100)

Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM Lens (Renewed) $1,698 (Save $409)

Sony – FE 24-105mm f4 G OSS Standard Zoom Lens $1,198 (Save $200)

Sony FE 24-240mm f3.5-6.3 OSS Zoom Lens $948 (Save $101.99)

Sony FE 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 G OSS Super Telephoto Zoom Lens $1,998 (Save $50)

Sony Cameras

Sony a7R II, Body Only $1,598 (Save $200)

Sony a7 III $1,698 (Save $300)

Sony a7 III with 28-70mm Lens $1,898 (Save $300)

Sony a7R III $2,298 (Save $501.99)

Sony α7R IV $2,998 (Save $501.99)

Sony a9 $2,998 (Save $1,001.99)

These Tamron E Mount lenses offer fantastic value for money.

If you’re looking to add some incredibly great glass to your Sony E mount library, and you don’t want to break the bank, read on. Tamron has a new flash sale that will last just two weeks. The sale includes some of their most popular zoom lenses for the Sony platform. You can pick up the excellent Tamron 17-28 f2.8 Di III RXD for just $799. The versatile 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 is only $649! These are just a couple of the stunning deals on Tamron lenses. See the rest after the break.

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Chris Gampat Editor In Chief

“The Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD is a lens both professionals and enthusiasts will enjoy. If you’re not in love with the size, you’ll be seduced by the image quality. You’ll then stay for the autofocus performance. But most of all, you’ll appreciate how reliable this lens is due to the build quality.

On sale now for just $799

Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD

“One of the things that make the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD so appealing is just how good the image quality is. Not only is the lens capable of delivering sharp images, but the colors are very vibrant, and the bokeh is smooth and beautiful. Add onto that the fact that you can also go to 75mm instead of 70, and you’ve got yourself a bit more of a bokeh advantage due to having a slightly longer focal length. Overall image quality is really top notch.”

It’s on sale now for just $799

Tamron 70-180mm F2.8

“Don’t let the plasticky exterior fool you. Like the other Sony E mount lenses that Tamron introduced recently, the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 is weather-sealed. You don’t have to worry about photographing in inclement weather as long as you’re mounting this lens to a weather-sealed E mount camera body.”

It’s on sale right now for just $1,099

Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD

In our review, we said:

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

“There’s a lot that’s wonderful about the 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III RXD. From the time you pick it up, you’ll feel like this lens is one that you can permanently attach to your camera and enjoy. And quite honestly, it’s just that kind of lens. You can use it for everything.”

Make it yours today for just $649

A good photography project is often spoilt by poor image selection.

As the Arts & Culture editor of a popular photography publication, I’m inundated with photography project submissions. Photography projects come in daily: some awesome and some, that need a little work. Aside from receiving pitches, I’ll also do my own research, trying to find the best work out there to share with our readers. But when photographers send in the images they wish to be published, it saddens me to see how many get their selection wrong. Certain images add to a project, but only a few make it amazing. So when photographers send in images that should be b-roll, I’m left pulling out my hair! To ensure others don’t make the same mistake, here are some tips and things to consider when sending your images into editors.

Photography Project Image Selection

I’ve put together some key points to consider when selecting which images to pitch from your photography project. We’re going to cover some concepts you should embrace, and some you should totally avoid. Not all will apply to you, but there’s something for everyone to consider. And I’m confident it will benefit you in the long term when submitting your work to publications on the web.

Photography Project Everyone Will Like

While you should like every photo you take, we understand that photographers have their favorites. But when submitting your images to a publication, you must go further than your own tastes. While a certain photo may hold value to you, it won’t necessarily have the same impact on others. We always encourage originality, but it’s worth putting your own twist on some of the latest trends. People are more likely to connect to relevant work.

Don’t Expect Just Your Photos to Tell The Story

In my opinion, “your photos should tell the full story,” is the biggest photo lie ever told. Sure, people will grasp a concept to a certain extent, but they won’t always understand the full depth of what you’re trying to portray. I see projects on websites and pitches that are just a random set of photos. They’re not bad photos, but they just hold zero value because there’s no context attached to them. Don’t think your photos are all that’s needed for a good photography project. A solid artist statement and sound reasoning as to why you did the work can make or break all the hard work you’ve done.

Include Old Work

My focus won’t always be on a particular photography project. A photographer may just have a solid portfolio that’s worth giving exposure to. If I’m researching a particular photographer, I really like to dig deep. I don’t just want to see their recent work, I want to go way into the past. Once we agree to do a feature, I ask the photographer to send me 10-15 images from their portfolio. Sometimes, what happens is they send only their recent work. I understand why. They’re likely to be excited by something fresh they’ve created and have a buzz about it. Their old work no longer gives them that thrill, so it gets left on the shelf. It’s a shame because newer work doesn’t always mean better.

So if you’re pitching or working with a publication, throw in some images you took in the past – it also adds more depth to your feature.

Sending The Same Photography Project

2020 really highlights how so many people are doing the same thing. I’m regularly having to look at tons of images of people wearing masks. The Covid-19 pandemic, where almost everyone seemed “compelled to pick up a camera and shoot our current times” has left me feeling that the scene is staler than ever. I have seen some original COVID-19 projects, but for the most part, it’s just much of the same. I encourage you to think outside the box. Ask yourself “is a publication likely to have seen many photos similar to mine?” If there answer is yes, move on and pitch something else.

Send The Right Amount of Photos

As I wrote above, I’m usually looking for a photographer to send me 15-20 photos. I often receive pitches where a photographer...

Unfortunately, image theft is rampant these days, but this should help a lot of photographers.

Hopefully, you’ve never been a victim of image theft before. It’s a horrible ordeal to go through, and in many cases, it can be hard to win any case you might have. Especially if your images are not copyrighted. Sharing on social media has just made the problem worse because it’s just so easy for others to take your work. However, now that the PPA (The Professional Photographers of America) has joined forces with Pixsy, it’s easier than ever to take the fight back to those who rip us off. Find out all the partnership details and how you can become a part of this after the break.

What Is Pixsy?

Pixsy was founded in 2014 by Daniel Foster. Daniel is a photographer who had to deal with image theft by himself. After going through the struggles that so many of us have, he founded Pixy. Pixsy is an online platform that helps image owners discover where and how their images are being used online. If Pixsy finds your images being used illegally online, they will help you with the unauthorized use of your images. They partner with a network of lawyers and law firms that will help you with your claim. It’s all pretty easy and straightforward.

As an added benefit of being a member of the PPA (The Professional Photographers of America) network, you now have access to Pixsy off the bat! I don’t know about you, but to me, that sounds like one heck of a great benefit. Kristan Hatman, PPA’S director of Membership, said, “This new partnership reflects PPA’s commitment to helping photographers grow sustainable businesses. Ensuring our members have control over their creative work is central to that mission, and Pixsy’s software and services help photographers do just that.”

Pixsy CEO Kain Jones echoed this message. “At Pixsy, we believe that the enforcement of legal rights should not be reserved for the few but instead be accessible to any photographer in need of support,” Jones said. “Since our inception in 2014, we have kept to this belief, and to date, we have tackled over 100,000 copyright infringement cases across the globe. Each day, we monitor and protect over 100 million photos for our 85,000 members.” There’s simply no doubt in our minds that a benefit like this is worth the cost of admission to the PPA by itself.

You Must Protect Yourself In the Digital Age

The minute you share your images online, they are pretty much fair game. Especially if you share them on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. This is why we champion copyrighting your images as much as we do. The process to do this is relatively easy. You can copyright up to 750 images for just $55! Still, it can take up to 6 months for the application for copyrights to be approved. However, we believe it’s well worth the wait. Once you have done this, you are protected. Now, if you become a member of the PPA, you’ll instantly get the benefit of having Pixsy looking out for you and your work online! This is really a no-brainer deal. If you value your work, we highly recommend that you consider doing this. You can join the PPA for just $27.92 per month.

We recently finished putting the Funleader 18mm f8 lens through its paces.

The Funleader 18mm f8 lens isn’t like a whole lot of other lenses on the market. In fact, it’s totally different. There’s no adjustable aperture. It also boasts a fixed focus. While that’s a bit quirky, there’s also a ton of character. The lens is also still capable of giving you a sharp image. We discussed that in our recent episode of Pro Camera Reviews.

In This Episode:

Funleader 18mm f8 Lens Review

The cool thing about the current lens renaissance is that there’s a ton of variety. While some brands make a lot of clinical glass, some brands like Funleader go the opposite direction. The Funleader 18mm f8 is a pancake lens designed for street photography. It’s got a whole lot of character. While it’s not for everyone and every situation, it exhibits a lot of fun effects. The version we have is for Sony FE cameras. When you’re playing with a lens like this, you need to throw out all the seriousness of modern photography. Instead, just have fun. Think about shooting for the JPEG and not the raw. In this episode, we’re going to break down the cool things about this lens.

On the Next Episode

Canon EOS M50 II – First Impressions: The original Canon M50 was a Mirrorless camera that found favor with newcomers to traditional cameras and with vloggers. While it was a great camera for video creators, it was a little bit lacking when it came to stills performance. The Canon M50 II was quietly released late last year. The new camera should boast improved autofocus performance and a few other features that cater more to videographers. Brett will be talking about his first impressions of the Canon M50 II as a stills camera during this segment. Join us for a lively discussion and to see some image samples from this tiny Mirrorless camera

Gitzo Legende Backpack Overview: The brand new Gitzo Legende backpack is in for review. This is a positively beautiful camera bag! Currently being funded on IndieGogo, we managed to get one of the 100 units available in America. Targeted clearly to the outdoor photographer, it boasts beautiful green canvas and brown leather. Gitzo is also building this bag with very sustainable materials. That’s good for folks who care about the environment! So far, Chris likes it. But as he’s talked about with Gitzo, there are a few concerns. We’ll discuss in this episode of Pro Camera Reviews!

About Pro Camera Reviews

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Pro Camera Reviews is a web show by the Reviews Team of The Phoblographer. Join them as they candidly discuss the products they’re actively reviewing and the gear they’ve just reviewed. Open Q and A from the audience towards the end of the show. Every Sunday at 7pm EST.

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If you’re looking for a fun time while staying safe, we strongly recommend that you tune in for Pro Camera Reviews. It’s a weekly show where the staff tackles a couple of issues in the Photo World. They mostly pertain to cameras and lenses, but sometimes things get a bit more serious. This is partly because we still feel that we need to be educators and leaders in this space. Additionally, we also need to be responsible. Episodes are done on Zoom and are recorded. They’re Live Streamed to our Facebook Page, then shared on Flipboard TV and YouTube. We recommend that you subscribe to us on Youtube to keep up.

All images by Tibor Simon. Used with permission.

“I thought a lot about how to take different, more interesting photos with a long shutter speed,” says Photographer Tibor Simon. “I once walked in a city when I remembered what it would be like if it wasn’t the subject moving during the exposure, it was me. I took some test shots as I moved and found the result interesting.” Tibor has some incredibly unique black and white photography that reminds us of drawings. But when you find out what he does to create these, you’ll be even more surprised.

The Essential Photography Gear of Tibor Simon

Nikon D4s

Nikon D850

Nikon 24mm f1.4

Nikon 60mm f2.8

Nikon 85mm f1.8

Irix 150mm f2.8

Tibor says:

“I live in Hungary and am 55 years old.

I shoot with Nikon equipment, especially I use a D4s camera because it is robust, weatherproof and extremely versatile. I recently bought a Nikon D850 camera, I’m still familiar with it, I have to get used to it, its lighter weight.

Over the years, I have used a wide variety of lenses, typically primary lenses that better meet my needs. My favorite lens is the Nikkor f1.4 / 24mm, which I have been using for 8 years due to its extremely high brightness, low depth of field, and excellent resolution. Due to its natural perspective, I also often use Nikkor 1.4 / 50 lenses. I have a portrait lens, Nikkor 1.8 / 85mm. I take a lot of macro photos with Nikkor 2.8 / 60mm and Irix 2.8 / 150mm lenses.

I don’t like to take a lot of lenses with me for photography. While that limits the possibilities, I don’t want to be able to photograph anything I see. Often, I select a lens, put it on the camera, and choose a subject for the lens’s field of view. This is always a big challenge.

I use B + W and Hoya filters, the stand, and the ball head are Benro type. For the D4s body, I use a Sirui L console for easier mounting. When I’m cycling in nature, I usually take photos with a cell phone.”

Phoblographer: Talk to us about how you first got into photography.

Tibor Simon: I was 8 years old when my dad bought me my first camera. He was also an amateur photographer, he taught to take photographs. At the time, I was still using black-and-white film, the products of the socialist system, Forte and Orwo negatives. I had a darkroom in the apartment, where I called up movies and photos. I think that’s why I love black and white images to this day. Later, when I became more seriously interested in photography, I was already using a color slide, mostly the Fuji Velvia 50 model. I had photographed nature a lot even then, and this film was the ideal raw material for me. When I was young, I used Zenit, Fujica, Pentax, Minolta cameras, I bought my first professional film camera in 1993, it was the Nikon F3, later the F4, then the F90x. My first digital camera was a Nikon D70s that I bought in 2006. I soon grew up with this type, bought a D300, later a D700, and then 7 years ago I bought a D4s camera.

Phoblographer: What made you want to get into doing surreal work?

Tibor Simon: I always liked surreal-themed pictures, but I had no urge to make them myself. I once bought an ND 1000 gray filter with which I started taking long exposure images. I’ve seen many of these photos on Flickr, but typically in one style: minimal-style photos taken on the waterfront using a tripod. I really liked them, but after a while I found these boring, they all looked the same. I thought a lot about how to take different, more interesting photos with a long shutter speed. I once walked in a city when I remembered what it would be like if it wasn’t the subject moving during the exposure, it was me. I took some test shots as I moved and found the result interesting.

Years later, as I was traveling on the train, I tried another idea: I photographed trees passing in front of the train window with a long shutter speed. During the exposure, I turned the camera over the passing trees and I liked the result. After a while, I took such photos regularly. So it was a long de...

A Nikon 100mm f1.4 prime would go along way in appeasing Mirrorless portrait photographers.

Nikon is experiencing somewhat of a resurgence of late. We went for what seemed to be forever without hearing a peep out of team yellow. However, that has all changed recently. We’ve heard speculation about new cameras, and we’ve seen Nikon’s new in-house sensor. We have also seen lots of patents for new lenses. Today, we have another patent for a new Nikon Z mount lens that will undoubtedly please Z mount portrait photographers. A Nikon 100mm f1.4. These are exciting times indeed. After the break, we’ll take a quick look at the lens and see where it could fit into the current lens lineup.

The Nikon 100mm F1.4

Nikon took a different route to Canon when they launched their Mirrorless cameras. Where Canon offered fast, professional-grade lenses, Nikon opted for more affordable options that would appeal to the masses. As you can imagine, Canon is now fleshing out affordable RF mount lenses, and Nikon is building their pro-grade options. Today, we came across a patent for a new Nikon lens over at Hi-Low. This new lens will be squarely aimed at portrait photographers. The Nikon 100mm f1.4 would be the fastest Z mount lens outside of the gargantuan Nikon 58mm f0.95 Noct and the new Nikon Z 50mm f1.2.

At this point, not much is known about the Nikon 100mm f1.4 lens. We can see from the design it sports 14 elements in three groups. We know it has been designed for Full-Frame cameras and that the length of the lens will be roughly 150.819mm (5.93 inches). And that’s all we have to go on. More details about the Nikon 100mm f1.4 will hopefully emerge soon.

Nikon Desperately Needs Faster Lenses

Nikon Z 85mm f1.8 S

Don’t get us wrong; the current Nikon lens lineup is actually good. There’s a solid mix of slower, more affordable primes and zooms and faster premium options. However, when it comes to portrait photography, the Z mount collection is lacking. You have the Z 35mm f1.8, the Z 50mm f1.8, a Z 85mm f1.8, the new Nikon 50mm f1.2 S, and the Z 70-200mm f2.8 that can be used. Still, there’s a huge need for more ultra-fast primes. Unless you can afford the manual focus 58mm f0.95 Noct or the 50mm f1.2 S, you’re out of luck unless you adapt F mount lenses.

Nikon’s Z mount system desperately needs more fast primes. We need to start seeing more plans. We know there will be a new 85mm S lens soon as it’s listed on the roadmap. So, that will go a long way to helping round out the platform. We would still like to see faster 35mm options and a fast 135mm option. Still, the Nikon 100mm f1.4 would be welcomed with open arms should it ever make it to market.

The Future Is Looking Bright for Nikon

Now that Nikon has started addressing its issues behind the scenes, the future for Nikon and its fans is looking brighter. Only time will tell, of course. Still, Nikon certainly isn’t slowing down when it comes to filing patents for new lenses. We just hope they can realize all of them and really flesh out their pro-grade lens library before they are left behind. What do you think about the patent for a Nikon 100mm f1.4? Let us know in the comment section below.

As photographers, we are immersed in a world of creativity, expression, and individuality. Our craft is one that we pursue to create something that evokes emotion and thought, insight, and so much more. And as we continue on our journey as artists, because that is what I believe we are, we find that outside of the actual art itself, there is little in the way of individuality and expression when it comes to our equipment. Sure, some of the more adventurous among us may venture into the world of film if we only shoot digital, and some of us may start adapting vintage glass to use on our digital cameras. However, at the end of the day, we are still left with equipment that looks like every other photographer’s gear. But what if you get bored of the same black box with the same familiar lens attached?

I personally have spent more money than I’d care to admit on things like custom leather straps, colorful shutter release buttons, thumb grips, leatherette half-cases, and so on. These were all purchased in my quest to individualize my camera gear. Some will read this and scoff at the thought of dressing up their gear, while others will completely understand my pursuit of making my gear distinctly mine. For those looking to move beyond the temporary embellishments like straps and shutter release buttons, those who are like me and willing to commit to something more extreme (this is coming from someone whose arms are covered in lifelong commitment.. i.e., tattoos), I offer you the ultimate in personalization.

Customize Your Camera With Laser Engraving

Recently an artist friend of mine, Jakob Soper reached out to tell me about his latest purchases to create art with. Lasers! These aren’t the ones you see in ads on Facebook or on Kickstarter. These lasers are much higher powered and capable of not just lightly etching the finish on the surface of your MacBook or something but actually cutting through it. Now don’t let that power scare you away! Because these lasers, when controlled by someone like my friend who has years of experience wielding things like plasma torches and CNC-controlled machinery, controls these lasers, they are capable of the most intricate details.

I immediately responded to his message with a question, “do you want to engrave some cameras?” At first, he wasn’t sure why I’d suggested I have him engrave my cameras versus something more pedestrian like, say, a keychain, but after I told him my vision for what I wanted to be done, he got excited, and we began planning.

“A Freakin’ Laser!!!”

Our first order of business was my favorite street camera, the Olympus PEN-F. The Olympus PEN-F is a beautiful camera designed to look similar to a rangefinder-style camera with an offset electronic viewfinder and classic step-down top plate. But more importantly, this camera was created to be a digital homage to the original Olympus PEN-F 35mm half-frame camera released in 1963. This camera was small and perfect for carrying anywhere, especially in the streets. The front of the camera was engraved with the words Olympus-PEN and immediately to the right of that was a large Gothic letter F. This Gothic F is an eye-catching branding statement and somehow never made it onto the 2016 digital homage PEN-F. In my mind, this was a terrible omission. I was about to correct it!

When I delivered my cameras to Jakob, I told him the first camera I wanted us to tackle was the PEN-F, and I showed him what he’d be engraving and where it would go. This was by far the easiest of the two cameras to customize, thanks to the big empty space for engraving. The relatively simple design of the letter F. Jakob proceeded to start the etching process and sent me some cell phone video of the laser at work. After 5 passes, he sent me photos to show the engraving’s depth, and we decided to run the laser for 5 more passes to get the engraving as deep as the original camera markings. Upon completion, I was blown away at how crisp the laser cut vs. what I assum...