New Sony 16mm f/1.8 G review at SonyAlphaBlog: “excellent lens”
New Sony 16mm f/1.8 G lens is now shipping out at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Fotokoch, Calumet, WexUK, Amazon UK.
SonyAlphaBlog tested the new Sony 16mm f/1.8 G lens and concluded:
The Sony 16mm F1.8 is an excellent lens : ultra sharp, very compact and light, top ergonomics and AF , vire nice bokeh balls and color rendering, very good resistance to flare. It is of the same family and quality as the Sony 20mm F1.8 G . It will ideal for landscape , low light street photography, or astrophotography
First reviews of the new Laowa 100mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift E-mount lens
A couple of months ago Venus Optics launched two new Tilt Shift FE lenses:
- 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1X Macro at VenusOptics store, Bhphoto, Amazon.
- 100mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1X Macro at VenusOptics store, Bhphoto, Amazon.
Here are two new reviews of the Laowa 100mm T/S lens:
SonyAlphaBlog writes:
The Laowa 100mm F2.8 Tilt Shift macro (1559 euros) is a very good lens optically , very well build and with very good ergonomics for macro and tilt shift.
The Tilting effect works particularly well in photos and video
However it is a big , heavy lens, and quite costly and with quite specialized used cases to deliver its full potential. If you are just looking for a 50mm F2.8 or a macro lens cheaper and lighter option exist , for for a 50mm Tilt shift it is the best you can find on E mount
Recommended for Tilt shift users
Opticallimits writes:
The price tag of the Laowa 100mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1x Macro is surely a big entry hurdle, but you are getting a lot of a lens for your bucks in return. It’s certainly not a lens for everybody. However, in the right hands it can deliver magic – well … almost.
Rumors about three new Sigma E-mount lenses coming soon!
A couple of weeks ago I told you that a new Sigma 200mm f/2.0 FE lens will be announced soon. Another reliable source (thank you!) just told me that two more Sigma APS-C E-mount lenses will be announced soon. I am now double-checking the information on all these lenses and hope to be able to tell you soon what is coming. I haven’t received an exact date for the announcement yet, but before mid-June we should have the product presentation.
Sony and Sigma rumors recap:
- Sony announcement on May 28 for the FX2 (33Mp, integrated tilting EVF just like on this GX9)
- Sigma announcement before mid June with new 200mm f/2.0 FE and two new APS-C lenses
- One more Sony announcement in June/July?
SHARE RUMORS using this contact box or at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com. Thanks!
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Did Petapixel shoot the Fujifilm X-half episode with the Sony FX2?
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
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).