The Phoblographer

OM Digital Solutions only has one shot at getting this right.

Since officially taking over the Olympus, OM Digital Solutions have been a little on the quiet side. A new website has been launched, and a few interviews have been given. Apart from these things, there hasn’t been a lot to write home about, until now. In another recent interview, an OM Digital Solutions exec said that the company plans to wow everyone. What could this mean? After the break, we’ll break down what products we want to see going forward with this ‘WOW’ factor.

4/3 Rumors came across an interview that was given to AreaDot. In the interview, Mr. Kataoka, the Chief Technology Officer of OM Digital Solutions, stated that there will be a new series of products that will, yep, you guessed it, ‘wow’ us. To be honest, it has been a long time since we have been wowed by an Olympus branded product. Their cameras and lenses are great, but they have been standing still for years from a tech standpoint. The new products aren’t expected until at least 2021. That’s okay, though. I’d rather OM Digital Solutions takes their time to get this right. They probably only have one chance to win back their followers’ confidence and generate new interest in their products. So, what do we want to see from Olympus going forward? Let’s talk about that.

New OM Digital Solutions Sensor Tech

This is an obvious one. Photographers and fans of Micro Four Thirds have been calling for new sensors for years. Even Olympus’s latest cameras use sensors that are now 6 years old. It’s not a good look. Especially when other platforms have moved on in significant ways. Do we need to see more than 20MP in a new sensor? Not necessarily, though I’m sure we will. Speculation suggests a 32MP sensor is incoming. This adds up as 8K video specs have been discussed too. Whatever happens, we’d just like to either see stacked sensors or BSI sensors that will be able to help the cameras overcome their shortfalls, such as low levels of dynamic range and noise control at higher ISO settings.

Get Yourself Connected

OM Digital Solutions has a chance to get ahead of the pack by introducing cameras that are connected. Yes, it’s time for Wi-Fi and 5G enabled cameras. We’ve recently talked about how many photographers just use their phones because of convenience. Pictures can be taken, edited, and posted online in minutes. The ability to do this must come to dedicated cameras if they want the masses to buy cameras again. If anyone has the potential to make this work, it’s OM Digital Solutions. Drop the custom software from your cameras. Move to an open-source platform like Android. Load the camera up with apps, allow it to get online, and boom. You’ll start encouraging smartphone photographers to pick up a camera again. While you’re at it, use this time to redesign your menu system, okay? Thanks.

Focus, Focus, Focus

Some significant strides have been made with autofocus systems in Olympus cameras. However, there’s still a long way to go. AI tracking, like the system that can be found in the EM1X, is great. That needs to become the norm. Still, big improvements are needed overall. 121 autofocus points are not enough anymore. This 121 point AF system has been in place for about the same amount of time as the now tired sensors. Give us an updated autofocus system that can match Canon and Sony. Especially if you’re still bent on making yourselves the go-to company for wildlife and birding. Make it so that your cameras are capable of blackout-free shooting during high burst rates. Yes, this will mean you’ll finally have to update the EVF’s you use too. I know you can do it OM Digital Solutions.

Update Old Products and Bring On the New OM Digital Solutions Lines

We’ve said it before; we’ll say it again. It’s time for the Pen F II. Olympus was so close to having the perfect camera with the original Pen F. OM Digital Solutions, update it with the new AF system we talked about. Give it weather sealing...

An AI-Infused camera known as the Alice Camera should be a wake-up call to Canon, Nikon, Sony, and all other camera manufacturers.

It has been a while since a new camera made me tingle. The wait for a camera to do such a thing is over now. A new campaign on Indiegogo from Alice Camera is finally infusing smartphone technology into an interchangeable lens camera (ILC). If the big boys are smart, they will pay attention to this AI-infused camera. While it may not be perfect, the geniuses behind it are certainly moving photography and videography in the right direction. Find out why this new smartphone-powered camera has us in a tizzy after the break.

I have said until I’m blue in the face that the camera industry needs to start adopting smartphone technology. There’s absolutely no reason why, in 2021, we have cameras that still do not feature wireless data connectivity. There’s also no reason why modern cameras shouldn’t have more AI-infused tech elements in them. If a smartphone has processors powerful enough to deliver great AI experiences, then dedicated cameras should have them. Fortunately, one company, Alice Camera, agrees with these statements. In fact, they say that cameras are stuck in the past and that they’re dumb. I have to agree with them. So, they went about creating their own smartphone-powered, AI-infused camera called Alice.

What Is the Alice Camera?

Alice is a M4/3 powered camera that wirelessly syncs with your Android phone or iPhone. The camera can work by itself to some degree, but the magic happens when combined with your phone. The phone you attach basically becomes the LCD and drives the software that powers the camera. Alice uses Micro Four Thirds lenses and a 10.7MP M4/3 sensor to help create pro-level images. The sensor is paired to a couple of processors that help give it some oomph. Alice uses Google’s flagship Neural Network processor. This chip uses deep learning to help improve colors, focusing, low light performance, and more. Then there’s the FGPA chip that focuses solely on providing high quality 4K video processing. The user interface is displayed on the phone. Because your phone is network-connected, you can share images and video to multiple social media platforms. There’s also intelligent object tracking and electronic stabilization too.

It’s Not a New Idea, But It’s Being Done Right

The camera is made from aluminum, and it looks very nice. It reminds me slightly of the Zeiss ZX1. Okay, so the camera needs to be paired with a smartphone to get the most out of it, but still, the Alice camera is a step in the right direction. Camera manufacturers need to look at what Alice Camera is doing. Yes, this is similar to what Olympus had a few years ago, the Olympus AIR A01. However, it failed to take off because Olympus doesn’t know how to market things. As you can see, the video above from Alice Camera does a fine job of showing why we need innovation like this. Personally, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Why the big boys fail to see the importance of having connected cameras is a mystery. My freaking fridge can get online, so why can’t our $4,000+ pro-grade cameras?

You Can Pre-Order Now

The Alice is up for pre-order right now over on Indiegogo. At the time of writing, the campaign has raised $17,061 toward a goal of $27,562. There are still 31 days left to invest in the campaign too. So, it looks like they will easily reach their goal. The Alice can be yours for $758 (£550) if you get in and order early. The estimated shipping date is October 2021.

What do you think about the Alice camera? Do you think Alice Camera is helping push cameras in the right direction? Do you think Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, and others need to be doing more to bring cameras into this century? Let us know in the comment section below. If you’d like more information on the camera, check out the main Alice Camera Indiegogo page.

Upgrade your lens collection and save a ton with these lens deals.

If you need some new lenses and want to save some money, you’re in the right place. There are some incredible lens deals from Sigma and Tamron to go over. Tamron’s weather-sealed f2.8 primes for Sony E mount are crazy cheap. The 20mm f2.8 is just $249, the 24mm f2.8 is $199, and the 35mm f2.8 is only $199. You can also save on Tamron lenses for Canon and Nikon DSLRs too. Sigma has tons of lens deals as well. The excellent Sigma 16mm f1.4 is down to just $349 (Sony E mount). The Sigma 35mm f1.4 for Canon EF mount is just $615! If you’re a birder and shoot with Nikon F mount cameras, grab the brilliant Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary for only $889.90! There are many more lens deals after the break for Canon EF and EF-M, Nikon F mount, and Sony E mount. Come and check them out.

Tamron Lens Deals

Sony E Mount

Tamron 20mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 $249 (Save $100)

Tamron 24mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 $199 (Save $150)

Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 $199 (Save $150)

Canon and Nikon DSLR

Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2 for Nikon FX DSLR $1,199 (Save $100)

Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2 for Canon EF DSLR $1,199 9Save $100)

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 for Canon Digital SLR $1,189 (Save $110)

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 for Nikon $1,299 (Save $100)

Sigma Lens Deals

Canon Lens Deals

Sigma EF-M 16mm f/1.4 $399 (Save $500)

Sigma EF-M 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary $289

Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Canon EOS EF-M $429 (Save $20)

Sigma EF 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM $615 (Save $74)

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art $1,099 (Save $100)

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM EF $678 (Save $41)

Sigma 24-105mm F4.0 Art DG OS HSM $829.89 (Save $69.11)

Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sports DG OS HSM $1,235 (Save $264)

Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM $890 (Save $199)

Nikon Lens Deals

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM $624.95 (Save $94.05)

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art $929 (Save $170)

Sigma 24-105mm F4.0 Art DG OS HSM $716.94 (Save $182.06)

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports $1,379.95 (Save $119.05)

Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM $889.90 (Save $199)

Sony Lens Deals

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary $349 (Save $30.99)

Sigma 30mm F1.4 Contemporary $267

Sigma 56mm f1.4 Contemporary $379 (Save $100)

Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Sony E $1,089 (Save $110)

While Mirrorless camera sales have suffered, but DSLR sales have dropped off so much that the end for them might be close.

Let’s not beat around the bush here. The DSLR is dying. It pains me to say that because I’m a huge DSLR fan. I will, of course, still be able to use my DSLRs for many years. Still, recent sales figures show that the platform is dying a quick death. The pandemic has ravaged the camera industry, and there have been huge drops in sales across the board, but just wait until you see the DSLR sales numbers. After the break, we’ll discuss the latest numbers from CIPA, and we’ll ready ourselves to say farewell to DSLRs.

The Camera Imaging Products Association recently published their camera market findings for 2020. It should come as no surprise that camera sales were down across the board. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on markets far and wide. The camera market is no exception.

Looking at the numbers, we can see that Mirrorless camera sales were down by roughly 24 percent. When it comes to DSLR shipments, well, they were down by close to 48 percent! That’s a huge, huge drop-off. Mirrorless camera shipments were, for the first time, higher than DSLR shipments too. The writing is on the wall, as they say.

The Death of the DSLR

Now, when we say the death of the DSLR, we know that DSLRs will still be around. There are millions of them out there in the wild being used by photographers every day. (I’m one of them.) I’m still not 100% convinced by Mirrorless, even though I use them in my professional life too. For me, DSLRs are still more reliable. They’re built better and have better battery life. An optical viewfinder is still hard to beat as well. After these recent findings, it’s likely only going to be Pentax producing DSLRs. All other camera manufacturers will likely kill off the DSLR after seeing sales of them tank.

Again, this should come as no surprise. The rate at which Mirrorless cameras have improved is staggering. Many photographers have made the switch to take advantage of better AI, faster-autofocusing systems, and lighter weights. Cameras like the Canon EOS R5 and R6. The Sony a7r IV, a9 II, and the newly announced Sony a1 are winning over even the toughest of skeptics. Consumers who used to buy DSLR staples like Canon Rebels and Nikon D3XXX and D5XXX series cameras are now opting to just use their phones. If they want a dedicated camera, options like the Sony a6000 are cheap enough to win them over.

So, it’s time to ready our farewells for DSLR cameras. The pandemic has moved this almost total transition to Mirrorless along faster. It was always going to happen. I’m still looking forward to buying the K3 III from Pentax, and I’m excited they will keep DSLR cameras alive. Still, with sales numbers for DSLRs generally down the pan, I think we can kiss any more new DSLR releases Canon and Nikon after this year goodbye.

All images by Oli Schuehle. Used with permission.

My name is Oli Schuehle. Everybody is a photographer nowadays. It’s rather easy to take technically good pictures. Someone recently said, “It’s getting harder and harder to take bad pictures.” I agree. Looking for the sharpest lens, the highest megapixel, and the best picture quality film photography never crossed my mind until I saw a picture with a crazy swirly bokeh shot with a Helios 44-2 lens. So I bought one on eBay and it came with a Zenit-E camera attached to it. I ran a couple of rolls of film through the brick-like camera just for laughs but was instantly intrigued by the process that came with it. Two years later, I call four analog cameras my own and almost exclusively shoot film.

So, why did I get into photography?

I cannot even say when it really started. When I was around 13 my uncle used to shove his camera into my face and said I should take pictures of my cousins. I like to think the reason was that I was patient enough to wait until someone would do something I wanted them to do or pose in a certain way. So, the picture was somehow good rather than my uncle just didn’t want be bothered to take the pictures himself.

Which photographers are your biggest influences? How did they affect who you are and how you create?

I was always fascinated about the big screen and how filmmakers have the ability to take me into their world and still lingering in it coming out of the theatre trying to figure out how the heck they make it look so good. Steve McQueen’s ‘Widows’, Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Requiem for a Dream’ or the intro of the TV series ‘Bosch’ just to name a few random ones that come to my mind.

How long have you been shooting? How do you feel you’ve evolved since you started?

After my teens I just used disposable cameras or the first digital camera (an Olympus C2000Z) during holidays and never thought of anything else than quick snaps of pictures.

The first serious camera I bought was a Sony A33 just before I went on a trip to Cuba in 2010. Coming back I photoshopped / HDRed the living thing out of all the pictures I took there and even printed a book of them!

But even though the editing was way over the top I still like the actual framing and the subject/scene I was shooting then. I read a lot about gear and bought a couple of new lenses and digital cameras. Looking back I regret spending all that time and money on G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome) instead of just looking at still pictures or movies properly or just taking in scenes unfolding on the street – even without a camera attached to my eye. It takes a while to get out of that fast, fleeting, high paced life we are living now.

I try to ‘see’ pictures now before I take them. And I am not talking so much of the keepers but the ones I would have taken with a digital camera just to delete them on the first round of going through a day’s shooting.

Tell us about your photographic identity. You as a person have an identity that fundamentally makes you who you are. Tell us about that person as a photographer.

Cities. People. They are fascinating. I am a city boy and enjoy watching people doing normal everyday things. And even without people in the actual frame they still tell a story by shaping their surroundings. Whether it be carelessly discarded rubbish, an out of place wall of graffiti, or a shiny classic car parked on the street.

Tell us about the gear you’re using. Please give us a list of the gear and the reasons why you choose it. Please be descriptive. We want to know how it helps you translate your creative vision.

As I said before I spent way too much time on G.A.S. and catch myself even now and then doing so. I have cameras for different occasions of shootings.

For street photography, I mostly use the small Olympus XA which easily fits in a pocket and has a sharp f2.8 lens combined with the aperture priority automatic mode which makes it ideal for quick shooting. Because...

These lenses can survive the harshest conditions and won’t back down from any job you throw their way.

When out in the field, photographers need to capture a moment in the blink of an eye. If you’re a split second late, that moment is lost forever. Documentarians find themselves in these situations daily. They need lenses that can adapt to multiple situations and genres, and take a beating. The great news is that modern lenses are tough yet lightweight. They also have the ability to focus quicker than ever before. These versatile lenses can go from shooting close-ups to wides and on to telephoto images in a split second. These are all features of the incredibly versatile lenses listed here. After the break, you’ll find a lens for each of five popular systems. These lenses will have your back and won’t leave you wanting more.

Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM

In our review, we said:

“The Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM is a great lens through and through. It’s sharp, has beautiful bokeh, great colors, and is incredibly versatile.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $2,299

Fujifilm 16-55mm f2.8 LM WR

In our review, we said:

“The Fujifilm 16-55mm f2.8 LM WR is an exceptional lens in pretty much every way when it comes to image quality. The lens is sharp–sharper than most of the company’s primes in fact. It also gives us great bokeh, excellent colors, and everything a photographer could ask for, including weather sealing.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $1,199

Pro Tip: Anyone can jump into documentary photography with these versatile lenses. However, you really need to be able to make your images capture emotions and tell stories. You need to have a trained shutter finger to be able to capture the moment. You also need a trained eye to spot moments of significance. This documentary photography tutorial will help you become a modern documentarian who can capture soulful images. It will show you how to leverage new mediums to get your work seen as well. Check it out.

Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G Master

In our review, we said:

“In all rights, this is a fantastic lens. It delivers wonderful image quality, performs well, has a fast autofocus, and will make lots of professional photographers very happy. For the photographers who love zoom lenses, this is another reason to move to the Sony E mount system if you haven’t already. It can tackle any sort of work you can throw at it, and combined with just the right Sony a7 camera body, you’ll get the results you really want.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $2,098

Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 Pro

In our review, we said:

“What makes the lens so special is not only its excellent image quality, which we can’t mention enough, but the size, build quality, and speed in focusing.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $849

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f2.8 S

In our review, we said:

“The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70 f2.8 S’s hefty price is further justified by the lens’ ability to produce vibrant yet color-accurate images, the consistent sharpness throughout its focal range, and its ability to minimize chromatic aberrations and distortions.”

Buy now: $2,296.95

These cameras make for fantastic webcams, and we’ve tested them to be sure!

Everyone needs a solid webcam these days. The good news is that your current camera can probably do just that. During the pandemic, manufacturers have been giving their cameras more capabilities. One of those involves being a solid webcam. On our YouTube, we’ve been showing lots of videos to test the autofocus on these cameras. They happen almost weekly on our Pro Camera Reviews show. More importantly, we’ve used them with a variety of lenses. Some have more lag, others just don’t have autofocus that can keep up. So here’s a roundup of great cameras that double as the best webcams.

Panasonic S5: A Speed Demon Amongst the Best Webcams

We’ve used the Panasonic S5 with a few different lenses from both Panasonic and Sigma. It always locks onto the face with no issues, and the focus transition is smooth too! For this, this camera ends up being one of the best webcams around.

In our review, we state:

“The Panasonic S5 has improved a whole lot with new autofocus algorithms. It’s much better. So much so that I’m revising my original score to give it five out of five stars.”

Buy Now: Usually around $1,997

Nikon Z5: Unique Image Quality Amongst the Best Webcams

The Nikon Z5 is one of their most impressive cameras. The autofocus on this thing really worked well with video, but even cooler are all the filters you can apply to the image. Pair it with a 35mm lens and you’ll be all set. As far as image quality goes, this one is unique. That’s why it’s one of the best webcams!

In our review, we state:

“The most impressive tests were with the Nikon Z5 as a webcam. The autofocus tracking in AF-F mode is incredibly fast. Nikon should be heavily commended here for their improvements and steps forward.”

Buy Now: Usually around $1,396.95

Pro Tip: Getting great video isn’t just about using your camera with Zoom, Hangouts, etc. You also need solid lighting. The ideal setup for most apartments involves two lights. Get a constant light on a stand with a shoot-through umbrella. Then get a daylight-balanced desk lamp on the other side. Eureka! You’re all set!

Panasonic S1: The One That Really Improved

The Panasonic S1 has really improved from its first launch. It’s the most rugged camera on this list, but Panasonic has used its video capabilities to make it into a top-notch webcam.

In our review, we state:

“Recently in an episode of Pro Camera Reviews, we used the Panasonic S1 as a webcam. The company recently released beta software to do just that. And boy, did they deliver! The Panasonic S1 seems to have zero lag between the sound and the video. In a live demonstration, folks were genuinely enthused with the autofocus tracking. I kept moving around and the camera would track my face almost immediately and within reason.”

Buy Now: Usually around $2,497

Sony a7r IV: High Resolution to High Quality Video

The Sony a7r IV wasn’t great at autofocus out of the box. After firmware updates came, it really improved. We’ve used it as a webcam with great results on our Pro Camera Reviews show.

In our review, we state:

“When it comes to autofocus, Sony has been leading the industry in terms of both speed and accuracy for some time. Sony baked its latest and greatest AF technologies into the A7R IV, and the autofocus performance on the A7R IV feels on par with what we’ve experienced on the Sony A9 running version 5.0 firmware.”

Buy Now: Usually around $3,499

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My name is Robert Claus. As a kid, I wanted to be an artist—a painter or composer, or preferably both. Life has a funny way of redirecting and planing down these creative (and potentially very expensive) impulses. When I returned to photography as an adult, it was the perfect means of self-expression for me. I could then bring my other passions to bear, from lighting a still life like a 17th century painting, to thinking about sequencing images in a portfolio or collection like a piece of music.

Which photographers are your biggest influences?

On the internet, people like Gavin Hoey, Don Gianatti, and David Hobby taught me a lot of technique. Sean Tucker is someone I admire deeply for his ethos and flawless style. I owe a lot more than I can fit here to my two mentors: Gina Milicia, a top-level lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Melbourne, Australia (who was absolutely amazing—she gave me a lot of confidence), and Phillip McCordall, a retired commercial and advertising photographer, who taught photography—and especially still life photography—as if there was no such thing as Photoshop, which deeply influenced my way of thinking about capturing images. He did one shoot for Audi, which perfectly encapsulates his mastery of the craft; his was a profound influence that still guides me today.

In terms of historic photographers, I admire a wide range of masters: Eugene Smith, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Albert Renger-Patzsch, August Sander, Richard Avedon, Don McCullen, Annie Leibowitz—the list goes on!

From the brush and paint brigade, I would call out Caravaggio, but also Claesz, Breughels, Dürer, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Rembrandt, El Greco, Georges de la Tour, Goya, Turner: again, too many to list here.

How did they affect who you are and how you create?

At their core, my “internet heroes” all shared an almost laissez-faire approach to gear—the emphasis was always on the craft. They would teach a technique and demand that we go out and practice! Gina Milicia in particular taught brilliant “little hacks” as she called them, that often didn’t even require a camera, but which pushed my photographic game to new levels. Case in point: you’re stuck in traffic, so look around you—what’s the light like? What kind of shadows can you see? That sort of thing really help to train the eye, and helps me to quickly recognize good light when I see it.

How long have you been shooting? How do you feel you’ve evolved since you started?

I’ve been shooting increasingly seriously for the past ten or fifteen years; I’ve evolved ever so slowly from gear-obsessed noob, frantically looking for the next “cool” thing to shoot (or buy, I’m sorry to say), to a much more conceptual and deliberate artist. Now, I will make preparatory sketches for particular shoots, and practice portrait sessions with a foam head at home. Photographing for a local youth Shakespeare group was also a real learning experience, whether I was doing headshots, documenting rehearsals, or shooting “editorials” for promotional materials. Each new shoot built directly on the lessons learned from the previous one.

Tell us about your photographic identity. You as a person have an identity that fundamentally makes you who you are. Tell us about that person as a photographer.

As I say, I always wanted to be an artist somehow. When my parents sent me to a fancy boarding school in England that viewed itself as a forge of prospective Oxford and Cambridge students, I horrified the Headmaster by saying I wanted to be a roadie for a heavy metal band. At that time, heavy metal best encapsulated the intensity of the artistic experience for me, and I knew full well that my guitar chops were not up to fronting a band myself—but as a roadie, I would at least get close to that experience.

That particular pipe dream never came true, of course, but as an artist, I always veered ...

This new Micro Four Thirds lens from Voigtlander is an oddball option with a hefty price tag.

Variety is certainly the spice of life, but sometimes new products hit the market and they make us scratch our heads. Voigtlander is no stranger to the Micro Four Thirds platform. They have made some great lenses for the m4/3 users before. While we’re sure their new offering will be nice, it’s still a little odd. The Voigtlander 29mm f0.8 manual focus lens has just been released, but we can’t help but wonder if it’s really needed. Find out all the deets about this new lens after the break.

A recent post over at 4/3 Rumors shows just how shallow the depth of field is from an f0.8 lens on Micro Four Thirds cameras. For years, many photographers have lamented the lack of bokeh or background separation that’s possible with these cameras. While I’ve never seen it as much of an issue, the naysayers took that disadvantage and ran with it to put down the platform at every possible opportunity. The new Voigtlander Super Nokton, 29mm f0.8, will certainly give you bokeh, but who really needs a 58mm f1.6 equivalent lens? Especially when it costs an eye-watering $1,799! Sure it takes the crown of being the fastest lens on the platform, but still, what a price!

The lens features two aspherical lenses. It has a viewing angle of 42.75 and has eleven elements in seven groups. As far as we can tell, the lens is not weather sealed. It also weighs in at a hefty 1.5lbs! Balancing might be an issue on most Micro Four Thirds cameras. It will likely appeal to videographers more than photographers. This is because of the clickless aperture ring and it being a manual focus lens. Still, we can’t help but feel that there are far better options on the market.

Micro Four Thirds Needs Affordable Faster Glass

We’re not going to sit here and say that the Micro Four Thirds system doesn’t need more fast lens options. It does. However, these lenses also need to be affordably within reach of the average Micro Four Thirds user. Olympus’s own f1.2 pro lenses, the 17mm, 25mm, and 45mm f1.2’s cost a little over a grand apiece, and that’s about the upper limit for lenses on this system. Anything priced beyond that for normal focal length lenses will be a hard sell.

There are some more affordable fast lenses for the system from Sigma. Sigma’s 16mm f1.4, 30mm f1.4, and 56mm f1.4 Contemporary lenses are fine options and generate the bokeh most photographers crave. Still, we hope OM Digital Solutions and Panasonic themselves will create or update some of their own fast, affordable primes. OM Digital Solutions and Panasonic both need to make their M4/3 systems sustainable. While we understand they want to cater to pros, they can’t forget about their core base.

What do you think about the new 29mm f0.8 Voigtlander Super Nokton lens? Is it really needed? What about that price? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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We, as photographers and journalists, often wrestle with the idea of abandoning social media. Our EIC walked away from his Instagram for the whole of 2020. I’ve also taken consistent breaks to keep my mind in check. The frustrating part is, the apps can be useful for photographers, but they’re often of no use for the mind. And with companies like Facebook (which has a growing monopoly on the apps we use) often having their actions questioned, the use of such apps can go against our ethics. In this piece, we look at how one photographer feels about using social media and the ethical struggles they have when doing so.

Ethics of Social Media

When it comes to social media, Facebook sits at the top of the hill. It currently has 2.7 billion users. Instagram, a company owned by Facebook, has 1.1 billion users. It’s because of those kinds of numbers that photographers want to use the platforms to promote their work.

But with Facebook continually being flagged for their actions, which include misuse of data and allegedly interfering with elections, some photographers feel like boycotting the company.

A conflicted Redditor posted:

“As I’m sure many of us have been, I have been using my pandemic induced free time to do some intensive organizing and editing of my photography archives. I now find myself with an ethical dilemma: I want to post my pictures to Instagram, a Facebook company.”

“I quit Facebook some 7-8 years ago and Insta some 3-4 years ago due to the many scandals Facebook has been implicated in over the years...”

“Sometimes it seems like a silly stand to take / hill to die on– I am, after all, an infinitesimally small cog in the machine– but that hasn’t stopped my conscience from shouting at me every time I think about giving “the gram” another shot.”

Ethics of Social Media / Don’t Like. Don’t Use.

The photographer clearly understands their stance on the ethics of social media. And with that in mind, I’m unsure why they’re making the post. If something makes you uncomfortable, then don’t get involved with it. They’re clearly against the Facebook company, so why are they considering sacrificing their values?

There’s only one reason why a person should continue with a social app that goes against their ethics: money.

If you are one of the select few that has been able to monezite Instagram, whether through getting regular photography gigs or sponsored content, we understand that it makes it more challenging to walk away from the platform. But, if like the Redditor, you use it solely for storing your images, then you have alternative options.

Build Your Website

Building a website to showcase your work is the best option. Firstly, it removes the question of ethics (unless you’re unethical), and secondly, it gives you complete control over the kind of photographs you publish.

Some may complain, “But my website has zero traffic compared to Instagram’s one billion users.” And this is true. But the key thing to remember is your Instagram feed doesn’t have one billion people following it. In fact, the average amount of followers one user has is 150. That’s not that many, and with the right approach you could quickly generate much more traffic than that – daily – towards your website.

Blogging will be your best route to bringing people to your site. Sure it will take a little bit of work, but if you’re serious about getting eyes on your photographs, then you shouldn’t have a problem with it.

The Real Problem Is You

The brutal truth is if you have a problem with the ethics of social media but continue to use it, companies are not the problem; you are. People constantly look for excuses to go against their ethics. “It’s easy to use” and “everyone else uses it,” seem to be the most common when relating to social media. You then make yourself feel better by declaring your awareness of how bad these companies...