The Phoblographer

I’m a huge fan of Panasonic’s smaller lenses. And I think Panasonic has a lot to teach the rest of the photo industry. A case in point is the Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S. It checks off all the needs one could have and does so at an affordable price. What’s even more exciting is that it does this better than any other brand on the market. And if you’re going to buy any lens for the L-mount, this is the absolutely essential one. In fact, it could probably be the lens that makes you swap systems.

Editor’s Note: I bought the Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S of my own accord. And trust me, I’m glad I did! We declare this to let everyone know we aren’t paid by manufacturers, and our reviews are honest. We’ll also receive an affiliate commission on the purchases made using our links.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S is an incredible lens. It’s affordable, focuses quickly, has great image quality, is weather sealed, lightweight, and handy. Panasonic has taken the nifty 50 and really stepped it up. The rest of the industry should recognize this.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Beautiful image quality

Fast focus to get the first target

Weather sealing

Incredibly affordable for what it is

Cons

I wish it were metal

Not so fantastic and reliable autofocus tracking, but good for one shot. When it hits, it nails it

Gear Used

We tested the Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S with the Leica SL2s and a Flashpoint flash.

Tech Specs

Specs table taken from LensRentals.

35mm-Equivalent Focal Length. Angle of View. Aperture Blades. Autofocus. Brand. Compatibility. Diameter. Extra Low-Dispersion Elements. Filter Size. Fluorite Elements. Focal Length. Groups/Elements. Hood Included. Image Stabilization. Item Type. Length. Lens Type. Max Aperture. Maximum Magnification. Mfr. Model Number. Minimum Aperture. Minimum Focusing Distance. Mount. Ultra High-Refractive Index Elements. Weight.

75mm

47°

9, Rounded

Panasonic

Full Frame

2.9″

67.0mm

22

50.0-50.0

8/9

Yes

No

Lens

Incredibly affordable for what this lens is.

3.0″

I kind of wish it was metal

Normal Range and Normal Range

Not so fantastic and reliable autofocus tracking, but good for one shot. When it hits though, it nails it

1.8

0.14x

S-S50

22.0

1.5feet

L Mount

1

0.7 lb.

Innovations

While not necessarily innovative, Panasonic has made the first 50mm f1.8 under $500 that boasts weather sealing. Compared to the rest of the industry, there’s no compromise here. Sony’s 50mm f1.8 doesn’t have weather sealing and has a few issues. Canon’s doesn’t have weather sealing either. Nikon’s has weather sealing but is pricier. And Sigma and Leica don’t make a nifty 50. In the full-frame camera world, Panasonic is teaching the masterclass on the nifty 50.

Ergonomics

The Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S has a 67mm filter thread in the front. So, of course, you know this isn’t a huge lens.

Here’s a view of it from the side. The only control is the switch on the side. Of course, there’s also the focusing ring that’s covered in ridged rubber.

Here’s another view from the top. The lens has a fully plastic body, and the only major control is the focusing ring. It also provides a lot of the grip needed for the lens.

Build Quality

Here’s where I’m slightly torn. First off, I wish the Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S had a metal exterior and weather sealing. I’ve got personal qualms with plastic and the environment. But I know that the industry moves like a mummified sloth. So I’m not going to hold that against Panasonic.

Through and through, the Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S is weather resistant. So you’ll have few worries about that. We took it in the rain, got splashes on it in the community garden, and it kept working. You can’t ask for anything more, really. Then in the hands, it’s small and lightweight. The rubber ring provides more than enough grip. And even on the heavy Leica SL2s, it feels balanced. Seriously, I can’t complain here.

Ease of Use

Of course, this is a nifty 50. So it’s easy to use. Put the Panasonic 50mm f1.8 S on any L-mount camera, and it ...

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If you like convenience, then the K+F Concept Filter Package gives you a ton of it. In the same package, you’ll get an ND, CPL, and a UV filter. Better yet, they’re magnetic. Magnetic filters have had varying degrees of build quality over the years. But most of all, they’re quick and easy to use. It goes without saying that lots of folks love convenience. Anything you can do to save time works! Yet, at the same time, if you’re a seasoned landscape photographer, you’re probably always early to the scene. So does the K+F Concept Filter Package really belong in your camera bag?

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The K+F Concept Filter Package provides a ton of utility for the photographers that need it. The convenience of a magnetic filter system is huge. You can easily switch from a UV filter to CPL to an ND filter if you need. But it’s a bit poorly executed with what K+F Concept is doing here.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Good quality

Easy to Use

Good build quality

Very resistant to fingerprints

Cons

Major vignetting when you stack all three filters

A bit too much wiggle room for my liking.

Gear Used

We tested the K+F Concept Filter Package with the Leica SL2s and the 16-35mm f3.5-4.5 SL lens.

Tech Specs

Tech specs are taken from the Amazon listing.

【Professional Magnetic Lens Filter Kit】 This filter kit includes MCUV+CPL+Neutral Denstiy ND1000+1 magnetic adapter ring + 1 waterproof zip filter pouch. Note: This magnetic filter set has two combination methods: 1. Magnetic Adapter Ring + CPL+ ND1000. 2. MCUV+CPL+ND1000.

【One Second Filter Swap & Install】 Still screwing your filter awkwardly? Now it is time to free your hands. This magnetic lens filter kit could be installed in less than one second compared with conventional six-seconds screw.Swap and intall the filter in one second even on the cold weather, avoding frozen hands.

【Import Optical Glass and Multi-coated】 All the filter are made of Germany optical glass, high quality in light transmitting and transparency, no ghost and flares. With 16 multi-layer coated waterproof ,scratch resistant and oil proof. Providing you a perfect photographing experience and professional protecting for lens and camera.

【Ultra Slim Frame】 Ultra slim frame ensures no vignetting and dark corner on 16mm wide angle lens. CNC non-slip system intensing the friction , easy for install.

【4 in 1 Waterproof Zip Filter Pouch】This filter waterproof zip fitler pounch with 4 layer room for filter collecting, metal clasp for handy placements and velcro seal to your belt for fetching the filter easily.

Ergonomics

There isn’t much to the ergonomics on the K+F Concept Filter Package. There are three filters and one ring. The kit has dividers that keep everything organized, sort of. You’ll use the ring on your lens first. Then, since they’re magnetic, you’ll attach the filters as needed.

Build Quality

View this post on Instagram

There are lots of parameters when it comes to the build quality of the K+F Concept Filter Package. One of the biggest and most traditional factors is the build quality of the rings themselves. These are made of metal. They’re built a whole lot better than the plastic ones we’ve used from other brands. For what it’s worth, these are made of metal. Of course, they have to be if they’re a magnetic filter system. The filters themselves easily attach and fit onto the magnetic ring. However, the sizing can vary just a bit. You’d think that all 82mm filters would be created equal. But that’s not the case. In fact, there’s wiggle room with these–enough to give me pause.

Please check out the Instagram Reel we did above for more!

The wiggle room comes in when you stack filters. For example, if you’re using the UV filter and then stack the Circular Polarizer on top, it will wiggle around. But if you put just the CPL, then it will be fine. I typically only use filters like this once I’ve set up with a tripod. However, the wiggling is a concern for someo...

On this week’s episode of Inside The Photographer’s Mind, we’re joined by portrait and documentary photographer Yekaterina Gyadu.

She’s been seen in Vogue Italia, Poppn Magazine, and has had several photo exhibitions. She’s beginning to burst onto the scene, and we’re happy to give her a platform to help elevate her success.

Links

https://www.thephoblographer.com/

Yekaterina Gyadu

https://www.ygyadu.com/

​​https://www.facebook.com/ygyadu

https://www.instagram.com/yekaterrrina/

Camera bags generally fall into two camps: the athletic, nylon bags, or the more fashionable canvas or leather options. The new Morally Toxic Wraith 15L doesn’t pledge allegiance to either camp. The bag has nylon material, but it’s a pebbled, textured look that feels more punk rock than sports jock. Yet, the bag has a suede-like accents that feel more reminiscent of canvas bags. It’s a combination that’s both unique and eye-catching.

But, the Wraith does more than look good. There’s only a single zipper between you and your gear. There’s a cushy shoulder pad that stays in place. There are tons of pockets. Unfortunately, there are also a few odd design choices. It’s one of the first four bag designs from a new company. Morally Toxic derived its name from a desire to create a fair work environment and environmentally conscious products. Toxic, well, with a goal of “corrosion to conformity.” Let’s dig in.

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

The Morally Toxic Wraith 15L is a comfortable messenger bag that makes gear quick to access and comfortable to wear. But, the dividers are too stiff, the hardware squeaks, and the camera compartment zipper isn’t sealed like the laptop compartment.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Unusual design and pattern

Comfortable padding on the strap

Durable materials

Built-in pockets on the dividers

Quick access

Lots of ways to organize

Luggage pass through

Cons

Limited configuration

Plastic hardware squeaks

Stiff dividers trap lens hoods

Zipper gets in the way

Strap is too long for sling wear

Main compartment zipper isn’t weather-sealed like the laptop compartment

Gear Used

I primarily used the Morally Toxic Wraith 15L with the Panasonic S5, the 70-200mm f2.8 Pro, the 20-60mm f3.5-5.6, and the Leica 50mm f2 Summilux. To see what kind of gear would fit, I also configured the bag with a Nikon D850 and Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro, and the Nikon Z7 with the Z 50mm f1.2. I also stashed my iPad in the laptop pocket.

Innovations

The Morally Toxic Wraith 15L doesn’t look like a camera bag — it’s not an athletic style or canvas bag, and it’s not a business-like messenger. It has a more urban, punk-rock feel. It’s going to appeal to photographers that haven’t found a style that they like already on the market.

Morally Toxic Wraith 15L Tech Specs

Morally Toxic lists these details for the Wraith bag:

Medium has a 15L capacity

Constructed with tough fabrics that are treated to repel liquids

Padded main storage for camera gear with movable dividers

Laptop pocket with two-side opening for easy access.

Unique “Frog” pocket for stowage of wet items, with collapsable divider, accessiblefrom bag exterior to avoid contact with electronics

Dual front organizer pockets with inward access to prevent side access

Protective front flap with zipped access to tablet stowage

Secret pocket for cash and passport security

Internal dividers with integrated pockets – ideal for cables, filters and lens cloths

Stowage strap for connecting to roller-cases

Woven nylon adjustable shoulder strap with detachable padded shoulder strap, anddual strap attachment points for use messenger or sling style

Dual carry handle on top with connecting pad

Smart use of fabrics in its construction avoids waste

Choice of two sizes and three colors

5 Year global warranty

Laptop/tablet pocket for up to 13-inch

Available colors: Onyx, emerald, sapphire

Ergonomics

For a mid-sized bag, the Morally Toxic Wraith has a great number of different pockets. The front of the pocket has a large zippered pocket that actually fits an iPad. Below that is a flap that closes with snaps. Here, there’s a hidden pocket inside the flap that’s big enough for a phone, wallet, and passport. Below that are two pockets that open with a clamshell zipper. The zippers are intentionally on the inside of the bag in a measure to protect against pickpockets. One of these pockets has two wide, snug inner pockets and a key ring. The other has narrower pockets and three pen sleeves.

The back has another zippered pocket that’...

Fujifilm’s quest of making medium format accessible has revolutionized the industry. And now, they continue their pursuit of making quality medium format systems more attainable than ever with the Fujifilm GFX50s II. It will make its debut as a bundled kit with the Fujifilm 35-70 f4-5-5.6 lens or as a body only option. The competitive price is on par with many Full-Frame offerings and is sure to entice photographers looking for more real estate. If the optics are what we’ve come to expect and love from Fujifilm, this will be a great camera to make the switch. Spoiler alert, they are. Keep reading to find out why.

Table of Contents

Too Long Didn’t Read

The Fujifilm GFX50s II offers beautiful image quality. The film simulations and in-camera skin smoothing transfer to the RAW file, significantly reducing editing time. The dynamic range ability makes it difficult to capture an unusable frame. Autofocus isn’t always the fastest, although it rarely misses once it’s achieved. Its price is sure to entice anyone looking to get their feet wet with medium format.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Beautiful image quality

Colors and film simulations

In-camera skin smoothing transfers to raw file

It cuts down on editing time

Dynamic Range

Addition of IBIS

Small camera body for medium format

Cons

Autofocus can be sluggish

Although it’s improved, face detection can still be improved upon

Quick AF mode quickly drains the battery

Not a lot of fast lens options in the current lens lineup

Gear Used

I tested the Fujifilm GFX50s II with the Fujifilm GF 63mm f2.8 R WR Lens, Fujifilm GF 110mm f2 R WR Lens, and Broncolor Siros L 800ws monolight.

Innovations

Fujifilm isn’t completely redesigning the medium format system. They’re building upon what has worked well for them. The sensor is pretty great, but it isn’t new. It is paired with the newer X-processor 4 for improved performance. In-camera skin-softening within the GFX50s II is very usable and drastically cuts down on editing time in post. The second iteration of the camera has also gained an impressive 6.5 stops of IBIS. That’s an extra 1/2 stop better than the flagship GFX100s. For medium format, that’s the best on the market.

Fujifilm isn’t completely redesigning the medium format system. They’re building upon what has worked well for them. The sensor is pretty great, but it isn’t new. It is paired with the newer X-processor 4 for improved performance. In-camera skin-softening within the GFX50s II is very usable and drastically cuts down on editing time in post. The second iteration of the camera has also gained an impressive 6.5 stops of IBIS. That’s an extra 1/2 stop better than the flagship GFX100s.

Tech Specs

For a complete list of technical specifications, visit the Fujifilm website.

54.1MP CMOS Sensor Large Format (44x33mm)

Quad-core CPU X-Processor 4 with Latest FW

Mode Dial Controls

Weather Resistant

3.0fps Continuous Shooting

Full HD/30P, 4:2:0 8-bit (SD/HDMI)

Contrast Rapid AF of .272s

Lowlight Priority AF -3.5EV / 14 Stop Dynamic Range

New Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation

IBIS with 6.5 Stops of Stabilization, more than GFX100S

Fixed 3.9M-dot EVF (0.77x Mag. 50fps refresh)

NP-W234 (440 frame) battery. Same as “X-T4 Battery”

205MP Multi-Shot Pixel Shift / Drone-Gimbal Support

New 35-70mm f4.5-5.6 WR kit lens

Ergonomics

Upon first glance, you might mistake the GFX50s II for the GFX100s. The two bodies are identical, with only the model badge distinguishing the two. It is comparable to the size of a DSLR, slightly heavier, and is very comfortable to hold.

The top panel of the camera has a large LCD display and two programmable exposure buttons. I prefer to set these to resemble the ISO and shutter speed dials found on the X-series. Above, you will find the on/off switch and the shutter button. The electronic viewfinder is in the middle. The mode dial is on the left with plenty of customization options and the movie/still switch.

On the back panel of the GFX50s II is a large LCD panel that tilts and f...

Street photography remains popular strong in 2021. As the world continues to open up, the streets are filling up with people. It’s a perfect time again for street photographers to get out and shoot. However, if you need a little push or you’re looking to get started in the game of the candid frame, we’ve got some inspiration for you. Below is a round-up of some of the best street photographers we have featured over the years. Without a doubt, you’re going to fall in love with them and the weirdly wonderful craft that is street photography.

Want to get your work featured? Here’s how to do it!

Paul Kessel Found Street Photography at 70

Street photography can enter your life at any time and without warning. Paul Kessel, a retired psychologist and professor from New York, waited 70 years before starting street photography. He was looking for things to do post-retirement, and following his daughter’s interest in photography, he began to educate himself on the craft. It paid off too. Kessell took 1st place at the 2020 Miami Street Photography Festival with the photograph above. See more from him here.

Ale Ruaro’s Unique Street Photography

Working out of São Paulo, Brazil, Ale Ruaro has some incredible work. We came across him earlier this year, and we were drawn to the dark and deep black and white images he creates. He likes to mix things up. In his work, you can see simplistic candid frames and off-the-cuff street portraits. He also likes to play with light, giving him an overall eclectic body of work. See more of it here.

Rinzi Ruiz Has Colorful Street Photography

Rinzi Ruiz is a mainstay name in the street photography community. He’s also an official Fujifilm X photographer, highlighting his skillset and contribution to the craft. You will have seen his work on The Phoblographer several times. That’s because he’s constantly delivering a high standard of street photography, which we can’t stop sharing with our readers. He always has images we lust after, whether it’s a cinematic vibe or classic black and white. Take a look here.

Sándor Kereki Kept His Street Photography a Secret

Possibly one of the more heartwarming stories from this year is that of Sándor Kereki. Born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1952, Kereki photographed his home city shortly after the revolution. For reasons unbeknown to us, he kept those images all to himself. Then one day, he woke up and decided to submit 1800 shots to the public image site, Fortepan. We had a pleasure looking through his historical work. You can see it here.

Melissa O’Shaughnessy Shows Off The Diversity of New York

Melissa O’Shaughnessy is an excellent street photographer. For over seven years, she would navigate the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, looking for differences and finding connections. Her book, Perfect Strangers, showed off the highlights from her body of work. Legendary street photographer Joel Meyerowitz wrote the foreword. See more of her work here.

Polly Rusyn is a Globetrotter!

Back in 2019, The Phoblographer named Polly Rusyn, our street photographer of the year. Prior to the pandemic, Rusyn would get around the world, her Fujifilm Fujifilm X-T2 in hand, and document the diversity of our societies. Full of vibrancy, her street photography grips you to the point you can’t look away. But her work is far from just being pretty colors. She can tell the stories of the streets compellingly. Check out her work here.

Nina Welch-Kling Was Our Photo Contest Winner

Back in 2020, deep into the pandemic, The Phoblographer brought some light to the world with our street photography contest. The winner was Nina Welch-Kling, a street photographer based in NYC. She’s a patient shooter and won’t create for the sake of it. Instead, she bides her time and waits for the frame to come to her. That’s why all her images a pure gold, and why we picked her as our winner! See her work here.

Time For More

While we love taking a trip down memory line, life is too short to get lost in nostalgia for ...

Ashraful Arefin is a still life and street photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He creates beautiful, vibrant images that highlight his background in design. He’s unashamedly proud of his relationship with Photoshop and shares how he uses it to bring his photographs to life. In an hour-long conversation, I spoke to Arefin about his work, his life in Bangladesh, and everything else in between.

Gear Used by Ashraful Arefin

Nikkor 50mm

Nikkor 105mm

Nikon 850D

In Conversation with Ashraful Arefin

Originally, Ashraful Arefin was meant to be a guest on The Phoblographer’s official podcast, Inside The Photographer’s Mind. He very kindly put time differences aside and spoke to us at 10pm local time in Dhaka. Unfortunately, internet connections were not on our side, and the audio wasn’t good enough for the podcast. However, Ashraful Arefin has images so strong and a story so interesting that we want to share an overview with our readers.

How Ashraful Arefin Began Photography

Coming from a background in design, Ashraful Arefin had always had that creative spark within him. When first transitioning, he did what most newbie photographers do: bought a 50mm lens. As he told me, the 50mm lens offers a level of versatility other focal lengths don’t. It allowed him to experiment with different genres until he eventually found spaces where he felt most comfortable: still life and street photography.

Beyond his starter kit, the main component to beginning his career in photography was a project. “I began a 365 project,” he told me. For those unaware, the project involves creating a photograph every day and sharing it online. For Ashraful Arefin, the project had two main benefits. First, it pushed him to create, practice, and perfect his skills. Secondly, it helped him overcome the barriers of sharing his work publicly. Arefin told me not only did he become a better photographer technically, but he also became a more confident photographer, which helped him believe he could push further on with the craft.

Ashraful Arefin on Street Photography

“. every day, it’s like a new challenge,” says Ashraful Arefin in reference to shooting street photography. He openly admits he is an introvert, so going out, being amongst people, and making photographs doesn’t come naturally. However, he enjoys being outside of his comfort zone. It helps him grow not only as a photographer but as a person.

His street photographs follow in a similar vein to his still life work. They’re rich in color and show the wonderful vibrancy in certain parts of Asia. Aside from shooting in pre-pandemic Bangladesh, Arefin would also visit India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. We both talk about the wonderful diversity of many countries that are in close proximity. It’s a core reason why Asia remains a popular location for photographers from all corners of the world.

We couldn’t cover street photography without talking about confrontation. Thankfully, Arefin has never had an experience that went to the extreme. Of course, he’s had some piercing looks and the odd word said to him, but his experience has mostly been positive. By speaking with him, I can tell he has a quality most street photographers need: a calming, peaceful aurora. By being himself, his energy communicates that he bears no threat and carries no ill intention. It is this that allows him to work smoothly and without interference.

Ashraful Arefin on Miniatures and Gear

Ashraful Arefin majored in art. As a youngster, he loved playing with miniature toys, like cars. His still-life miniature photography allows him to reconnect to his childhood and also make use of his education in the arts. For this kind of work, he turns to his Nikkor 105mm, which he attaches to his Nikon 850D.

I asked him why he opts to use a DSLR rather than a Mirrorless camera. For him, the feel of the DSLR suits his needs, and he feels like he has something more tangible in his hand. He is, however, considering shifting to a mirrorless camera once Nik...

The 24mm lens is a classic focal length for street photography and documentary shooting. In recent years, it has lost some popularity for those genres. But, it’s very good for environmental portraits, landscapes, and anything outdoors. Lucky for you, we’ve tested a lot of them. So we dove into our Reviews Index to find some of the best to take into the rain, snow, and dirt. Here are the best 24mm lenses to use in the great outdoors.

The Phoblographer’s product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Pro tips for Using 24mm Lenses

Here are some professional tips for using 24mm lenses.

24mm lenses have gotten a lot better over the years. But they’re still not great enough that we’d use them for portraiture all the time. Go for environmental portraits if anything.

If you’re going into the great outdoors with these lenses, we think you should grab a weather-resistant camera too.

Make sure the lens is tightly mounted onto the camera and all the camera’s ports are closed.

24mm lenses are great for landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, and events. They’re fantastic storytelling lenses too.

Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master

MOUNTSony E-mountFORMAT35 mm full frameFOCAL LENGTH (MM)2435 MM EQUIVALENT FOCAL LENGTH (APS-C)36LENS GROUPS / ELEMENTS10–13ANGLE OF VIEW (35 MM)84ﾟANGLE OF VIEW (APS-C)61ﾟ1MAXIMUM APERTURE (F)1.4MINIMUM APERTURE (F)16APERTURE BLADES11CIRCULAR APERTUREYesMINIMUM FOCUS DISTANCE0.79 ft (0.24 m)MAXIMUM MAGNIFICATION RATIO (X)0.17FILTER DIAMETER (MM)67IMAGE STABILIZATION (STEADYSHOT)– (body-integrated)HOOD TYPEPetal shape, bayonet type SIZE & WEIGHT DIMENSIONS (DIAMETER X LENGTH)3″ x 3 3/4″ (75.4 x 92.4 mm)WEIGHT15.7 oz (445 g)

“Despite its diminutive size and lightweight construction, the Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master is one heck of an engineering marvel, and really showcases the advancements Sony has achieved when it comes to optics design. The 24mm f1.4 G Master features a dustproof and moisture resistant design like the rest of the lenses from Sony’s premium G Master lineup, immediately identifiable by their distinctive orange G badge. We tested our review unit in a particularly frigid New York City winter, subjecting the lens to freezing temperatures as well as a combination of rain and snowfall. The weather sealing on the Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master held up without incident, and the fluorine coating on the lens’ front element made it very easy to clean up any raindrops or snowflakes that made contact with the front element, with no streaking left behind.”

Nikon 24mm f1.8 Z S

Angle of View84°Aperture Blades9, RoundedAspherical Elements4AutofocusAutofocusBrandNikonCompatibilityFull FrameDiameter3.1″Extra Low-Dispersion Elements1Filter Size72.0mmFocal Length24.0-24.0Groups/Elements10/12Hood IncludedYesImage StabilizationNoItem TypeLensLength3.8Lens TypeWide AngleMax Aperture1.8Maximum Magnification0.15xMinimum Aperture16.0Minimum Focusing Distance0.8feetMountNikon ZWeight1.0 lb.

“The Nikon 24mm f1.8 Z was used extensively in the rain. In fact, we kept it out for a few hours and it kept working. I was very thoroughly impressed previously with how good the build quality of Nikon’s lenses are, but this blew me away. Photographers who need to shoot in less than ideal conditions will feel relieved that this lens will keep working.”

Tamron 24mm f2.8 Di III RXD

ModelF051Focal Length24mmMaximum Aperturef2.8Angle of View (diagonal)84°04′Optical Construction10 elements in 9 grou...

When you hear about a lens like a 500mm f8, you usually don’t think of Zeiss. Indeed, Canon created two lenses with similar designs recently. Those lenses are the Canon RF 600mm f11 and Canon RF 800mm f11. They’re what’s called reflex lenses. These are one of these “if you know, you know” types of situations. That should be enough to make any veteran photographer salivate. While we would’ve never guessed Zeiss made one, the Carl Zeiss 500mm f8 T indeed does exist. This too was a reflex lens. Zeiss and reflex lens together in the same sentence? That’s the cherry on top of the sundae! And there’s currently one in stock through the Rare Camera Store with Blue Moon Camera. Curious as to what a reflex lens is? We’ll explain this and the really cool bokeh effect.

Welcome to the Rare Camera Store: a joint initiative of The Phoblographer and the wonderful folks at Blue Moon Camera. We work to bring you some of the coolest and rarest items for a great price.

According to the listing for $800 at Blue Moon Camera:

“This Carl Zeiss 500mm f8 T Contax/Yashica Mount Lens (serial number 8118477) is a lightweight and telephoto lens of its focal length. It also means this lens has a fixed aperture of f8.”

Blue Moon notes that there’s minor scuffing and the lens hood has a dent. But that’s not going to affect the image quality. You can adapt it to basically any mirrorless camera mount you can get your hands on. And I’d really recommend it to anyone who has a camera with built-in image stabilization. Of course, there are also great cameras with the Contax/Yashica mount like the Contax RTS II.

Again, what makes the Carl Zeiss 500mm f8 T so tasty is the design. It’s very compact. There’s also this little circle in the middle of the lens on the front element. This helps give off a donut-shaped bokeh effect. So your bokeh balls will have this natural halo effect similar to the feeling you get when you consume angel cake. Blue Moon Camera has these lens samples to share.

Years ago, we tested the Tokina 300mm f6.3 Reflex lens for Micro Four Thirds. In that post, you can find color photos that really emphasize the donut effect. Today, there are curmudgeons that would sit there and hate on it from behind their computer screen. But seriously, it’s a beautiful effect. Companies are sitting there trying to engineer out things like onion bokeh. They say it’s distracting and folks have randomly, stupidly, complained about onion bokeh for years. But the donut effect takes that ideal and slaps it in the face. The superior donut has bokeh that will hug you and give you a warm kiss. Meanwhile, the onions will make you cry; and maybe that’s why Sony worked so hard to eliminate it! Of course, I’m kidding. But the donut bokeh is awesome.

For only $800, you can mount this lens on something like a Fujifilm XT4 or XS1 and get a 1200mm f12 equivalent lens. Plus you’ll get the donut bokeh, image stabilization, and Fujifilm’s film simulations. This would look incredible with the Classic Chrome film effect. Hop on over to Blue Moon Camera and check out this awesome listing.

Today, Capture One 21 is getting several enhancements ahead of the release of Capture One 22. To kick this off, some users will see a 500% collection load-speed improvement. I’ve known about this in beta for a while, but didn’t test it. I’m pretty sure that the folks who will see the most significant changes are using Apple M1 laptops. Then there are improvements with both Sigma and Fujifilm tethering. Capture One let us know exclusively about another big one: the Pentax 645Z will finally be supported.

For those scratching your heads, just know that this is a significant change for Capture One. For years, they didn’t want to support or work with other medium format camera manufacturers. The reason is that their parent company also owns Phase One. But realistically, Phase One hasn’t done anything noteworthy in a while. And in 2021, putting more megapixels on a sensor isn’t really appealing. Fujifilm was probably the first company to start breaking down the barriers with medium format. And, of course, the Fujifilm GFX series are supported. If you’re still using those old Pentax cameras, though, just know that you don’t need to hack the files anymore.

Frankly, I’m not sure what this will do for the market. There really aren’t that many Pentax 645D and Pentax 645Z users. (I know one, personally.) I don’t think people are going to go spend money on eBay buying 645Z cameras. If you really hate the electronic viewfinder experience, then you’re missing out. Mirrorless medium format is incredibly capable. And you’re probably going to end up going for one of those cameras instead (like Fujifilm over Hasselblad).

So, what are the significant changes photographers should expect with the new update in Capture One?

Sigma FP and Sigma FP L tethering updates. Though to be honest, we don’t know a single person who owns either And we reviewed both pretty poorly.

If you’re using a tethered Fujifilm camera, you can change the settings during Live View now.

The exporter tool has now been added to the tool tab. I can’t emphasize or stress enough how much this was needed. I’ve asked for it for years, and Capture One consistently fought back on it. Even previous staff have said that we just need to think differently. But the truth is that so many people came over from Lightroom to Capture One. And this is how we’ve all exported photos for a long time. What I’ll be super curious to see is whether JPEG Mini is supported.

Easy Magic Brush adjustments. I don’t use these often, but they work for a lot of folks who edit heavily.

These are a few exciting features that are here for sure, and Capture One is looking very exciting right now. Some of these features could be seen as more minor, but they’re needed. We’re super curious about the upcoming Capture One 22. And, the new Capture One for iPad has me super intrigued. The staff here all uses Capture One for our editing in our camera and lens reviews. We consistently get better colors and edits over Lightroom. (We use Adobe Lightroom when we need to, but otherwise, it’s kind of a frustrating program to use.)

Oh, one other thing. If you buy Capture One 21 now, you’ll get 22 for free when it comes out. You can head to Capture One’s website to get it. For the record, we aren’t an affiliate of Capture One’s nor any other first-party company. It’s against the site’s ethics.

Lead image is from our Pentax 645z review syndication.