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Image: Canon
Canon has announced the new RF-S 3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye, an APS-C lens for VR (virtual reality) content production.
The compact, stereoscopic lens captures a 144º field of view and is the first non-L series lens to feature Canon's Air Sphere Coating. Its optical formula consists of 11 elements in eight groups, including two UD glass elements. The interpupillary distance (the distance between the left and right lens centers) is 60mm, which approximates human vision.
This is the second VR lens for the RF mount. Canon previously announced the RF 5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye, a VR mount for full-frame cameras. The new 3.9mm lens appears to be aimed primarily at social media creators, with Canon emphasizing the lens' affordability and usability for creating vlog-style VR content.
The new lens works with the EOS R7, though a firmware update will be required.
Image: Canon
Canon has previously indicated its interest in the VR, AR (augmented reality) and XR (extended reality) markets. In fact, during an exclusive interview earlier this year in Japan, Canon executives told us they believe the company is uniquely positioned to provide production tools for these markets.
The APS-C lens is compatible with the Canon EOS R7 camera, though a firmware update will be required for compatibility with the new lens.
Pricing and availability
The RF-S 3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye has a suggested retail price of $1,099 and will be available in June
Press release:
Canon unveils the future of everyday VR content creation with new dual fisheye lens
MELVILLE, NY, June 10, 2024 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, has announced the new RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens, bringing ease, affordability and quality for social media creators interested in exploring VR content creation. The RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens is compatible with the EOS R7 camera* and will be available in June 2024.
The new RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens makes VR content creation with a mirrorless camera more accessible and efficient than ever. Engineered to empower creators of all types, this lens offers a perfect balance between clarity and usability for vlog-style VR creation. This APS- C Stereoscopic VR lens’ ability to achieve a 144º wide-angle view and utilize equidistant projection makes it ideally suited for every day, virtually hassle-free VR production. Also designed for versatility, this lens permits multiple methods of camera handling, from hand-holding, mounting on a gimbal, or tripod-mounting. Canon’s available EOS VR Utility software (separately available with a paid subscription) is designed for a smooth editing process.
"The RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens offers a solution to the growing demand for more affordable and accessible tools in the VR market,” said Brian Mahar, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Whether you’re a social creator looking to expand your content into VR, or a filmmaker interested in making the jump from 2D to 3D content, this lens enables creators of all levels to comfortably explore VR content creation and generate amazing content.”
Get to know the RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens:
One-shot AF and Left/Right focus Adjustment with Focus ring, helping to create effortless and precise shooting in virtually any environment.
An Air Sphere Coating (ASC) is a first for Canon non-L Series lenses and helps to minimize ghosting and facilitate pristine image quality.
Rear filter holder that accommodates both 30.5mm screw-on filters and sheet-type filters, i.e. gelatin or polyester filters.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens is scheduled to be available in June 2024 for an estimated retail price of $1,099.00
During the 2024 WWDC event, Apple announced that Canon will release a new RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM lens for capturing spatial video for the Apple Vision Pro. Developoing story, stay tuned for updates.
Update - here is the development announcement for the new Canon RF-S7.8mm f/4 STM dual lens for EOS R7 camera for recording spatial video for Apple Vision Pro:
Nikon has released a teaser, promoting the upcoming launch of the Nikon Z6 III. A countdown indicates that the new camera will be revealed on Monday 17th June.
The name implies the long-awaited successor to the Z6 II, itself a relatively minor refresh of the company's original mid-level full-frame mirrorless camera.
There are plenty of rumors swirling around, promising impressive specs, particularly on the video side of things, but at least we now know for sure that we've only got a week to wait. We'll bring you all the details as soon as we can.
It seems that Insta360 will release a new S version (Insta360 GO 3S) of their existing GO 3 camera (see product page). The new model will come with 4k video recording and other improvements - here are the first leaked camera pictures:
We are getting close to the official announcement of the previously reported 7Artisans 85mm f/1.8 autofocus lens. The new 85mm f/1.8 will be very similar in design to the existing 7Artisan AF 50mm f/1.8:
The previously rumored Yongnuo YN 56mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL PRO APS-C lens for Nikon Z-mount is now officially announced (Yongnuo lenses are sold at Adorama, B&H, and Amazon). Here are the details:
7-day adventure through Iceland's diverse landscapes
Original price: $6,000 ($500 off if you mention the code rumors)
If you compare other photo tours to Iceland, the price is pretty decent. If you mention the code RUMORS when you sign up, you can get $500 off the original price of $6,000 (the final price will be $5,500).
Tour description:
"From dramatic waterfalls to volcanic lakes and mountains, our Iceland excursion promises an unforgettable experience for photography enthusiasts. Organized in collaboration with the local tour operator and led by professional photographers, this tour offers unique opportunities to elevate your photography skills and take breathtaking shots you’ll want to frame on the wall. Organized in partnership with Europe's leading tour operator Iceland Photo Workshops ehf."
In the last three articles in this series, I talked about my visits to Andasibe NP, where I shot lemurs and chameleons, and to Tsingy Rouge NP, where I shot beautiful formations made by erosion. I also talked about shooting sifaka lemurs and baobab trees in the Kirindy Forest reserve. This time, instead of discussing one spot, I'll present a series of locations I briefly visited on my way along the west coast of Madagascar.
Once finished in Kirindy, I took an extremely bumpy ride north to the famous Tsingy De Bemaraha National Park. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much time to stick around and explore the vast expanses of karstic formations in the park, but I did devote some hours to shooting some more beautiful lemur species in the forest next to those formations.
Female red-fronted brown lemur at Tsingy De Bemaraha National Park. These medium-sized lemurs with reddish-brown fur are commonly found in the forested areas of the reserve. They are very agile, but when relaxed, they're comfortable resting on branches for long periods, making them relatively easy to shoot.
Red-fronted lemurs are sexually dichromatic, meaning that males and females have different fur patterns; males are gray to gray-brown, and females are reddish brown. In this shot, you can see the limitations of high-ISO photography, as the quality isn't as good as one would hope.
My favorite lemur family is the Sifakas. After shooting the Diademed sifakas in Andasibe and the Verreaux sifaka in Kirindy, I was keen to shoot another species in the family: the beautiful Decken's sifaka. This species is especially fluffy and features all-creamy-white fur, which accentuates its red eyes.
The Y-shaped branch contributed a great deal to the composition. I don't even hate the fact that the background is blue sky - I think it compliments the sifaka's creamy-white fur.
I spent one afternoon shooting the Tsingy themselves, but felt unable to achieve many good compositions. Movement is extremely slow and difficult on these sharp formations, and one often needs to wear a harness and climb to get to the viewing platforms. The view is astounding for sure, and I wished I spent more time exploring the area. Leaving after one afternoon was an unfortunate scheduling necessity.
Backlit trees and rock formations in Tsingy De Bemaraha.
After Tsingy De Bemaraha NP, I returned to the city of Morondava and, before starting a long drive south, stopped by the famous Baobab Alley. This is an over-crowded location, as I quickly found out on an afternoon visit, but it's both empty of people and often foggy during sunrise. It's a nice place, but honestly, it's way overshot. There are beautiful baobabs all over Madagascar (as you saw in the article about Kirindy), where you can get more original compositions and avoid the masses.
Baobab Alley. I would only go there to shoot if it's on your way and if you can go at sunrise. If you do go, make sure you try the baobab fruit juice in the cafe!
Then began the long, long journey south – a two-day drive that I didn't know whether it was more boring or more grueling. The worst dirt roads you can imagine had us going at a snail's pace. We did stop at a few locations along the way, and I took a few shots of less-photographed subjects. One of those was the forest of fat baobabs close to Andavadoaka, a beautiful place in its own right but also one that is way off the tourist path.
The fat baobabs are shorter than the famous ones you have in mind, but in my opinion, they are much more interesting photographically. They are also usually grouped close together, which, while making them harder to shoot, also allows for more interesting compositions. They also kinda look like turnips, don't they?
Post-sunset glow is the perfect time to shoot the fat baobabs. The red light accentuates their natural reddish hues against the purple sky. The close grouping of the trees allowed me to create a more interesting near-far composition.
To shoot this image, I had to focus stack three images to get both the closer and more distant trees in focus (the camera was positioned only tens of cm from the tree on the left).
Fat baobabs also have a type of fungus growing on them that creates absolutely astonishing natural patterns. By the way, if you do visit them, make sure you put on lots and lots of mosquito spray. I was viciously attacked when I first arrived and had to retreat to the car for a proper slather.
The most fungus-ridden baobab I saw was further south. It was completely covered in amazing patterns that looked like they were painted by graffiti artists.
The sun star sparkles through the branches of a fungus-ridden baobab.
We continued our two-day drive, passing beautiful views of the Mozambique Channel. The whitest sands I've ever seen were washed by resplendent turquoise waters when we had to turn east, inland, toward Isalo National Park – the subject of the next article in this series.
Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, photography guide and traveler based in Israel. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates and to his YouTube channel.
PentaxRumors published the First leaked picture of the upcoming Pentax 17 half-frame film camera with 25mm f/3.5 lens, built-in flash, and a viewfinder:
Leica has launched a new LUX app for iOS that's ostensibly intended to reach longstanding fans of the brand and endear a new generation of shooters to the photographic aesthetic of the iconic German camera company – or at least a digital approximation of it.
The app's proprietary image processing engine can apply film emulation presets to existing photos in a similar fashion to Fujifilm's popular offerings. Eleven so-called "Leica Looks" are included in the app at launch, such as Leica Standard, Leica Classic, Leica Contemporary, and Leica Black and White. However, the company says that new looks will be added every month.
Though now available to a much broader potential set of consumers, Leica Look filters technically aren't new for the brand. The feature initially appeared in the company's Fotos app for owners of newer Leica digital cameras.
Like other fully-featured third-party camera apps such as Halide, iPhone photographers can also use the LUX app's automatic mode, "Aperture Mode," and manual control modes to capture photos.
Photo: Leica
Aperture Mode is the most unique selling point of the new app. Seemingly like Apple's own Portrait Mode on steroids, the feature leverages Leica's image engine to emulate the bokeh and color of the brand's iconic – and for many, unobtainable – premier lenses, such as the Leica Summilux-M 28mm F1.4 ASPH, Summilux-M 35mm F1.4 ASPH, and Noctilux-M 50mm F1.2 ASPH. iPhone 15 Pro (Max) users can also access an APO-Telyt-M 135mm F3.4 emulation thanks to the phone's telephoto lens.
There's also a pro manual mode, which allows advanced users to control settings, including exposure compensation, shutter speeds, ISO, white balance, manual focus, and Raw/ProRaw capture settings. You can also see a live histogram.
While we haven't tested the app yet ourselves, at least some journalists, such as Antonia G. Di Benedetto at The Verge, who have had access to early beta versions, describe the app's processing features as hit-or-miss and the color filters in some cases as heavy-handed, at least for now. Like the built-in portrait modes on many premium smartphones, Leica's efforts to simulate bokeh and depth of field via software seem to struggle to produce realistic results under certain conditions.
A free version of Leica’s LUX App is available from the Apple App Store with limited features, including access to five looks. Paying a monthly subscription fee of $6.99 or an annual fee of $69.99 unlocks all of the app's capabilities. Leica recommends using the app with an iPhone Pro 12 or newer.
Pre-orders will ship in early July. A limited number of silver G45 lenses are still available. The last batch of G45 lenses will be only in black. Keep in mind that for $999, you will get the complete functioning lens. The conversion kit is also available (without the optics) for $489, where you have to source your original lens and convert it (check the product page for instructions).
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