What Japan Bought in August: Kitamura’s Best-Selling Gear

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The Japanese Kitamura store shared their August best seller list:

Best selling cameras:

  1. Sony a7C II at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  2. Fujifilm X-E5 XF23mm Lens Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  3. Sony a7 IV Zoom Lens Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  4. Sony a6400 Double Zoom Lens Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  5. Sony VLOGCAM ZV-E10 Double Zoom Lens Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  6. Fujifilm X-T5 XF16–50mm Lens Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  7. Fujifilm X-M5 at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  8. Nikon Z50II Double Zoom Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  9. Nikon Z30 Double Zoom Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  10. Sony a6700 High-Power Zoom Lens Kit at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama

Best selling lenses:

  1. Fujifilm XF16–55mmF2.8 R LM WR II at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  2. Sigma 28–70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary (Sony E-mount) at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  3. Fujifilm XF27mmF2.8 R WR at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  4. Sigma 18–50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary (Sony E-mount) at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  5. Canon EF50mm F1.8 STM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  6. Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art (Sony E-mount) at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  7. Canon RF100–400mm F5.6–8 IS USM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  8. Tamron 18–300mm F3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD (Nikon Z mount) at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  9. Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary (Fujifilm X-mount) at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
  10. Tamron 28–200mm F2.8–5.6 Di III RXD (Sony E-mount) at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama
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Schneider Kreuznach AF 24-60mm f/2.8 FE announced

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Schneider Kreuznach and Samyang announced the development of their second zoom lens after the AF 14-24mm f/2.8 FE. There is yet no info about pricing and exact availability. This is the official Press Text:

LK Samyang to Unveil Second Co-Developed Zoom Lens with Schneider-Kreuznach – AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE at IBC 2025

Seoul, 12 September 2025 – LK Samyang, formerly known as Samyang Optics, is Korea’s only optical company that designs, manufactures, and markets interchangeable lenses under its own brand. With over 50 years of Korean optical heritage, LK Samyang has built a trusted reputation for delivering innovative and high-quality lenses worldwide.

Alongside its photographic lens business, the company also operates XEEN, a dedicated cinema lens brand that celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Together, the two brands embody the vision:

“LK Samyang & XEEN – Trusted Technology, Empowering Creators Worldwide.”

At IBC 2025 in Amsterdam (September 12–16), one of the world’s leading exhibitions for broadcasting and film equipment, LK Samyang will officially unveil its latest innovation: the AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE. Co-developed with Germany’s renowned optical manufacturer Schneider-Kreuznach, this release marks the company’s second collaborative zoom lens and highlights LK Samyang’s 5th participation at IBC, demonstrating its commitment to advancing optical solutions for photographers and creators worldwide.

Earlier this year, LK Samyang and Schneider-Kreuznach launched the AF 14-24mm F2.8 FE, the world’s first front-filter-compatible super-wide zoom lens for Sony E mount, which gained strong global recognition. Building on this success, the new AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE extends the lineup to the standard zoom range, offering uncompromised optical quality in a compact and lightweight design tailored for both photography and video creation.

Key Features of AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE

  • Versatile Standard Zoom: Covers the essential 24–60mm range
  • Constant F2.8 Aperture: Delivers exceptional low-light performance and creative depth of field
  • Compact & Lightweight: Designed for portability without sacrificing professional performance
  • Creator-Centric Design: Perfect for photography, videography, vlogging, and versatile content creation

Together with the AF 14-24mm F2.8 FE, the new AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE embodies LK Samyang’s philosophy of delivering “Compact High-Performance Zooms,” completing a strengthened zoom lens lineup that empowers photographers and creators to explore new perspectives and storytelling possibilities.

Mr. Piet Thiele, Head of Photo / Cine at Schneider-Kreuznach, stated:
“

At the beginning of the year, we laid the successful foundation for our partnership with LK Samyang with the AF 14-24mm F2.8 FE. With the new AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE, we are now following up quickly on our collaboration and taking the next step: a versatile zoom lens that gives creative minds even more freedom to realize their ideas and discover new perspectives.”

Mr. Bonwook Koo, CEO of LK Samyang, commented:

“The AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE is the second zoom lens co-developed with Schneider-Kreuznach and represents a significant milestone in completing our zoom lens portfolio. By combining over 50 years of optical expertise with the proven experience from our collaboration with Schneider, we continue to deliver innovative solutions that inspire creators worldwide. We are proud to present this lens at our 5th IBC participation and look forward to the excitement it will bring.”

The AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE will be officially unveiled on September 12, 2025 at IBC Amsterdam, and will be made available to global markets following the exhibition.

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Viltrox 50mm f/1.4 PRO lens will be announced on September 12

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Viltrox has just issued a press release and announced the following gear will be displayed at the IBC show:

  • AF 50mm F1.4 Pro – a professional-grade full-frame lens delivering exceptional sharpness and outstanding low-light performance.
  • AF 9mm F2.8 Air (APS-C) & AF 14mm F4.0 Air (Full-Frame) – ultra-wide lenses from the lightweight Air series, engineered for creators who prioritize portability without compromising quality.
  • AF 85mm F2.0 EVO – the first lens in the new EVO series, combining refined optics with a modern design language.
  • Z3 TTL Camera Flash – featuring a unique mech-inspired design with powerful lighting control.
  • Nexus AI Autofocus Adapter – an innovative adapter integrating artificial intelligence to expand focusing capabilities.

The 50mm PRO will be their second PRO series Full Frame lens after the excellent 85mm f/1.4.

Viltrox launched the new 85mm f/1.4 FE lens for $598 at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU, Viltroxstore, Pergear.

 

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New ProWrapp – The Weatherproof Gear Wrapper by SPINN.DESIGN on Kickstarter

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The German company Spinn.Design launched the new weatherproof ProWrapp on Kickstarter (Click here).
What sets ProWrapp apart from its predecessors and all others?
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Leica has released stylish Leitz Hektor T2.1 Cinema E-mount lenses!

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If you want Leica quality on your E-mount camera you can get those super affordable (LOL) new Leitz Cine lenses at BHphoto (Click here). These are vintage inspired compact Cine Full Frame lenses. Here is a review from Explora:

Press text:

Leitz’s new HEKTOR lineup features six prime cinema lenses with user-interchangeable mounts. These T2.1 lenses have unique character and consistency across the set.

B&H is excited to announce Leitz’s new HEKTOR lineup brings their distinguished optics legacy to the mirrorless camera world, with six T2.1 manual cinema lenses that cover full-frame sensors and feature a gentle Petzval effect with corner swirl and fall off. The line includes an 18mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 73mm, and 100mm, available in a six-lens set, three-lens set, and individually. They feature user-interchangeable mounts, with Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and L-mount available at launch.

All the HEKTOR lenses have a new Leitz coating for a slightly warm temperature, balanced contrast, and colorful flares. They are fully manual lenses, with matched focus and iris rings for quick swaps. Users can expect a 47.8mm image circle, nine iris blades, 120° focus rotations, 80mm front diameters, and 77mm screw-in filter threads. The 18mm has a bulbous front and can’t fit a screw-on filter, but could be used with a matte box. Close focus ranges from 9” on the 18mm to 2’9” on the 100mm, and the lenses only weigh between 1.5 and 2.1 lb. All of them are 3.47” in length, except the 4.84” 100mm.

The look of the lenses comes from the spherical-style of the 80s and 90s, with a lower resolution center and fall off around the edges. Direct flares are vibrant, pronounced, and idiosyncratic, while indirect flares are more contained. Expect subtle cat’s-eye bokeh and Petzval-like swirling around the frame to draw viewers to the center. Halation skews warm, but chromatic aberration is controlled and contrast is maintained throughout. Leitz also promises natural focus roll off and tasteful vignetting around the corners to emphasize your subject.

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Official Sigma product and behind the scenes videos

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Sigma 135mm f/1.4 preorder links at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, Fotokoch, Fotoerhardt, CalumetWexUK, Clifton.
Sigma 35mm f/1.2 II preorder links at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Fotokoch, Fotoerhardt, Calumet, WexUK, Clifton.
Sigma 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 preorder links at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Fotokoch, Fotoerhardt, Calumet, WexUK, Clifton.
Sigma 28-45mm T2 Cine Zoom Lens with AF preorder at BHphoto. Adorama.

Sigma 135mm f/1.4:

Sigma 35mm f/1.2 II:

Sigma 20-200mm:

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