Topaz released the new Photo AI v.3.6 update (Click here)

Press text (full release info here):

We’re excited to announce another major update to Photo AI

• Super Focus v2: A second-generation of Super Focus and now our most powerful sharpening and focus recovery model EVER. Powered by the same architecture as Recovery v2, this model is 500% faster than before.
• Super Focus is MEGA FAST in the Cloud: It’s true! This model is even FASTER in the cloud than some of our standard sharpening and upscaling models. This means the credit cost is super low in comparison to before. If you can’t run Super Focus v2 on your machine – no worries, because you’re gonna love this in the cloud.
• Color Correction, Highlights, and Shadows with Adjust Lighting v2: Our second generation AI color and lighting filter is incredible, and now you can pick whether you want color correction on or off when applying the model to your images. You can also adjust highlights and shadows to boot.
• More Improvements are also packed into this release, including a much-requested Zoom to Fit preference, new image formats and extensions (fancy JPG or JPEG? TIF or TIFF? no problem), and of course many other fixes and optimizations under the hood as well.

DEALS reminder:

• $300 off on the Sony FX3 at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama.
• $300 off on the Sony FX30 at Amazon, BHphoto,Adorama.
• Tamron USA launched their new the E-mount lens rebates you can find on those pages at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama.
• Topaz launched the new Gigapixel 8.3 update (Click here). You save 15% for a limited time!

Important note: We are not talking about politics here, but simply about the economic impact of the new tariffs on camera gear.

Sony manufactures overseas and the new tariffs promise a price increase for all cameras and lenses. Products made in China will be subject to a 34% tariff and products made in Thailand will be subject to a 36% tariff. Sigma lenses are manufactured in Japan and are subject to a 24% tariff. Tamron produces in Vietnam (46%). Lenses from Chinese manufacturers are subject to a 34% duty.

Rough calculation:

• Sony A1II produced in Thailand would now cost $8708 instead of the current $6499.
• Sony A7IV produced in Thailand would now cost $3347 instead of the current $2498

This doesn’t sound good. Even if companies would transfer the production to the USA this would take years. And still many components are made in many foreign countries which would again keep prices high.

UPDATE: Here the production centers for the biggets camera manufacturers:

• Canon – Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and China
• Nikon – Thailand and Japan
• Sony – Thailand and China
• Fujifilm – Japan and China
• Panasonic – China and Malaysia
• OM System (Olympus) – Vietnam and China
• Leica – Germany and Portugal

Getnavi has listed the bestsellers in their big Yodobashi shop for the first half of March:

Best selling mirrorless system cameras:

1. Sony α7C II Body Silver | Black
2. Sony α7C II Zoom Lens Kit Silver | Black
3. Nikon Z50II Double Zoom Kit
4. Canon EOS R5 Mark II Body
5. OM SYSTEM OM-3 Body
6. Canon EOS R10 RF-S18-150 IS STM Lens Kit
7. Canon EOS R6 Mark II Body
8. Nikon Z8 Body
9. Nikon Z50II 18-140 VR Lens Kit
10. Sony VLOGCAM ZV-E10 II Power Zoom Lens Kit Black | White

Best selling fixed lens cameras:

1. Fujifilm X100VI Silver | Black
2. Ricoh GR IIIx
3. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Silver | Black
4. Ricoh GR III
5. Panasonic LUMIX TZ99 Black | White
6. Canon IXY 650 Black | Silver
7. Sony VLOGCAM ZV-1 II Shooting Grip Kit Black | White
8. Canon PowerShot SX70 HS
9. Sony VLOGCAM ZV-1 II Black | White
10. Nikon COOLPIX P1100

Best selling lenses:

1. Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (E-mount)
2. Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
3. Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
4. Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (E mount)
5. Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM
6. Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
7. Canon RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Z White | Black
8. Canon RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
9. Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
10. Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S

Hi folks, wanted to post the Sigma lens specs rumor today but it’s April first and thew Internet wouldn’t take me serious :)

So I am going to drop the rumor tomorrow (April 2) at 3pm London time. A video about this lens will go online on my Youtube channel at the same time.

Here are the new CINED edition Angelbird Type A cards (get them here). Press text:

A chinese source on Weibo reports that:

Internal documents of Tamron have been exposed, and the market share of Tamron camera lens products accounts for about 19% of the global market share, ranking first among third-party manufacturers in the world. This is also the first document information about the market share of third-party brands.

Not sure how reliable this info is but this would be good news for Sony too as they own around 12% share of this company. Tamron will announce six new lenses this year, so expect some new exctiging glass!

Note: Via PetaPixel we got confirmation by Tamron managers that they are definitely open to the idea to design more prime lenses if they see a market request in that direction.

Viltrox announced the new Retro Flash Z1 that is yet not available for preorder

• GN12 (ISO 100, ISO 1000)
• 23W/s
• 1/5000s – 1/50000s
• 6500±200K
• 3.7V/1100mAh
• Type-C 5V/2A (≈50W)
• 68.5×50.2×74mm
• 116g

Reminder:

Viltrox launched 15% discount on all their E-mount lenses at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Viltrox global store. Some examples:

• $135 off on the new 135mm f/1.8 LAB FE lens at Amazon, BHphoto.
• $87 off on the 16mm f/1.8 FE lens at Amazon, BHphoto.
• $87 off on the 75mm f/1.2 E lens at Amazon, BHphoto.
• $60 off on the 85mm f/1.4 FE lens at Amazon, BHphoto.
• $43 off on the 23mm f/1.4 E lens at Amazon, BHphoto.
• $15 off on the 28mm f/4.5 pancake at Amazon, BHphoto.
• $9 off on the 20mm f/2.8 FE lens at Amazon, BHphoto.