The Sony 400-800mm G preorders are now open again at BHphoto. A few are available for $3179 via third party sellers at Amazon. Preorders on the new lens were closed for the past couple of weeks. Now you can get it again but with a new $400 increased price tag.

In the last episode PetaPixel hid the name of the camera they made the video with. But in one of their pictures you can clearly see an Alpha brand camera. Knowing that next week (28 May) Sony will announce the FX2…. is this the camera?

Hard to tell :)

–

Thanks JuJu

Retouch4me launched the new Apex AI photo editing app for portraits (Click here). Use promo code “Rumor” to get a discount!

Press text:

Retouch4me has combined their neural networks into a single super-plugin for portrait retouching.
The renowned developer of AI-based photo and video retouching solutions has released a new tool—the Apex plugin. Heal, Dodge&Burn, Portrait Volumes, Eye Brilliance, White Teeth, Skin Tone, Fabric, and more—over ten tools for creating perfect portraits. Simply adjust intensity sliders, preview results in real time, and achieve natural-looking retouching in less than a minute.
The AI retouches not only faces but the entire body.
This unique plugin detects all skin areas on the body, effectively addressing issues like bruises on legs.

What Apex can do:
• Perform face lifting, enhancing portraits according to Leonardo da Vinci’s golden ratio proportions.
• Remove skin imperfections, such as pimples and under-eye bags, while preserving natural skin texture.
• Gently smooth wrinkles and eliminate age-related pigmentation.
• Add depth and deliver a magazine-quality look to portraits.
• Correct skin tone.
• Whiten teeth.
• Enhance eye expressiveness.
• Remove unwanted clothing wrinkles and clean studio backgrounds.

Apex instantly elevates photo quality and frees photographers from routine tasks. The software is so user-friendly, anyone can use it.

“We designed our neural networks to allow layered result-saving. Usually, one plugin equals one neural network and one layer in Photoshop. However, this approach isn’t very convenient for photographers who just want a ready-to-use retouched image,” says Oleg Sharonov, founder and lead developer at Retouch4me. “Users want it even simpler: upload a photo, press one button, and get an excellent portrait. Apex answers this need—all our best plugins combined into one.”

Batch-process entire photo series with just one click!
The plugin lets you save settings and batch-process entire photo sessions. Wedding, school, studio, newborn, or event photographers will especially appreciate this new capability, which reduces post-processing time dramatically.

Cloud retouching eliminates high hardware requirements.
Photo processing happens on Retouch4me’s servers, removing the need for powerful gaming-grade hardware. Apex can be used as a plugin in Adobe Photoshop or as standalone software.

Affordable pricing starting at just $0.06 per portrait.
The minimum monthly subscription is $20 for 200 retouches. A one-time permanent package is available for $20 for 100 retouches. The most cost-effective plan offers 1,500 retouches for only $90.

Every new Retouch4me user receives a free trial—20 cloud-based retouches (no credit card required).

BCN published Full Frame mirrorless market share data for April. Sony’s market share fell to 32.1%. Nikon now leads the market thanks to strong Nikon Z5II sales. For a decade Sony mostly lead this kind of ranking. A year ago their market share peaked at 49.4%.

We really do need new affordable Sony camera. The FX2 coming on May 28 is not enough to drive big sales numbers!

Using Strobes for Basketball with the Sony A9III Global Shutter camera

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
Mastering Light: From Camera Flash to Studio Strobes (Explora)
How to Start Filmmaking, With or Without a Budget (42West)
Stump the Chump: Sony A1II vs. A9III Discussion, Questions, & Comments (PMR-TV).
There is no such thing as the perfect camera… trust me (George Holden).
Street Photography Exposed: 6 Misconceptions Busted! (Peter Forsgård)
Best Storage Solution for Creators: Cloud Storage vs SSD vs HDD (42West)
Why Every Landscape Photographer Needs a Telephoto Lens (Explora)

Follow our new Youtube channel.
Join our SonyAlphaForum.
I kindly invite you all to follow our Discord channel, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and Twitter to not miss news and rumors

We have our own Facebook camera groups you can join to discuss the upcoming new cameras in detail:
Sony Alpha group. Sony A1 group. Sony A9 series group. Sony A7r series group. Sony A7s series group. Sony A7 series group

The new majestic lens is finally in Stock and shipping out at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama.

FujiFilm X-half at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Fotokoch, Fotoerhardt, Calumet, WexuK, ParkUK, Amazon Europe.

FujiFilm announced a fixed camera that works in a completely new way:

1. It placed the Sony RX100’s famous 1-inch sensor in a vertical position to focus on creating pure vertical photo and video content that will appeal to social “influencers”.
2. It has an analogue mode that locks the camera settings in order to have a kind of “camera-like” experience.
3. It has an integrated diptych mode
4. It only shoots in JPGs and has a lot of fun simulations.

It is rare to see real innovation in those days. So I applaud FujiFilm for trying something completely different. I think this is something we are missing in Sony cameras, which are too often focused on specifications and less on design and fun. And from the feedback received from US and European shop managers, the number of pre-orders for this camera is skyrocketing!