Show Notes
Greetings everyone, you’re listing to the Liam Photography Podcast, I’m your host Liam Douglas and this is Episode 433 for Thursday December 19, 2024. Sigma joins the photo elites, Lost photos from a 90 year old roll of film, Panasonic recommits to the Point ’N Shoot and more.
It has been a fantastic year for Sigma. While the company did not launch any new cameras, Sigma released six superb new lenses.
Before lauding Sigma’s 2024 lens lineup, we must address the elephant in the room. Sigma is not just a lens company, it is also a camera company. It can be easy to forget that, though, since Sigma’s last camera, the Sigma fp L, released in 2021, two years after the Sigma fp.
That’s a long time to go without releasing a new camera. In the intervening time, Sigma has been hard at work on a long-awaited full-frame Foveon image sensor. This project, which began back in 2016, has experienced a lot of turmoil. Sigma’s CEO Kazuto Yamaki told PetaPixel earlier this year that the full-frame Foveon camera remains in development, but is still at least “a few years away.”
Sigma will take a tiny hit for its lack of new cameras in 2024 (and 2023 and 2022, for that matter), but make no mistake, Sigma is still crushing it. The company is PetaPixel‘s Photo Company of the Year for 2024, after all.
Sigma wasted no time this year launching incredible new lenses. The company kicked off 2024 with a bang with the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Art and 500mm f/5.6 DG DN Sports, each announced in February.
The 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, the world’s first diagonal fisheye lens for full-frame cameras with an f/1.4 aperture, made a strong impression.
Sporting an expansive 180-degree field of view perfect for capturing wide, sweeping vistas, the lens is an achievement in optical engineering. With 21 elements, including some exotic ones, arranged across 15 groups, Sigma’s optical engineers overlooked nothing. The lens is specifically designed to control sagittal coma flare, an essential consideration for astrophotographers. This is a tricky optical aberration to correct, and Sigma’s ability to do so is a testament to its talented team. The lens is available for E- and L-mount cameras.
As for the 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports, it is a shockingly compact and lightweight 500mm telephoto prime lens with excellent optical performance. The lens made a strong push to be PetaPixel‘s Best Prime Lens of the year, finishing second behind the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II.
Sure, a max aperture of f/5.6 is not super fast. Still, the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 lens is very sharp, easy to handhold, and built to meet the demands of professional photographers. Available for E-mount and L-mount, it is a fantastic lens that fills a void in each system.
Just a month later, Sigma announced the 50mm f/1.2 Art lens for full-frame E- and L-mount mirrorless cameras. The lens is so good PetaPixel went so far as to say that the prime proves Sigma has mastered the art of lens making.
The lens is super-fast, remarkably compact and lightweight despite its f/1.2 aperture, and its optical performance is superb. The impressive lens finished third in PetaPixel annual awards, but could have easily won in a less busy year.
The good times keep rolling. In May, Sigma announced an updated version of its 24-70mm f/2.8 standard zoom, the 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art II. Lighter than its 2019 predecessor, the new version delivers faster autofocus, improved usability, and better image quality, all for an incredible $1,199 price. It is one of the best values in all of photography, and a genuinely excellent lens.
As much as any of Sigma’s new lenses this year, the 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art II shows photographers are not compromising when they opt for a Sigma lens, even when the lens is significantly more affordable than the “first-party” competition.
Sigma’s fifth lens of the year is the 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art, the world’s first f/1.8 zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. While the company’s earlier lenses this year were mostly fresh takes on existing ideas, the 28-45mm f/1.8 is altogether new and unique. And shocker, it’s also great.
As PetaPixel‘s Jordan Drake can attest, it’s a great lens for video. But it’s no slouch for photography, either. Speaking of the lens’ cinematic qualities, Sigma is developing a cine version of the lens, which will be its first autofocus cinema lens.
Sigma’s final new lens of 2024 is the 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art. It is a versatile lens that promises the utility of a 24-105mm-type lens and the fast f/2.8 aperture of a 24-70mm f/2.8.
By giving up just a little bit on the wide end, the 28-105mm f/2.8 is surprisingly compact and lightweight while delivering excellent performance across the board.
The Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art took the silver in PetaPixel‘s Best Zoom Lens category, while the 28-45mm f/1.8 above earned the bronze. For those keeping score at home, Sigma won four of the six lens awards in 2024. That level of dominance is staggering, and a big reason why Sigma is PetaPixel‘s Photo Company of the Year.
For reference, the only Sigma lens that wasn’t in the running for an award was the 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, and there was undoubtedly contentious discussion about it not being nominated. The 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art, the only other non-winning Sigma lens, didn’t miss medaling by much.
Beyond launching six all-new lenses in 2024, Sigma also announced that some of its older lenses are coming to Canon RF mount, including the 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN and a quartet of prime lenses. While these won’t move the needle much for some photographers since they are APS-C lenses, they are vitally important for the Canon EOS R ecosystem, which is sorely lacking high-quality APS-C lenses.
In early April, Chris Niccolls said he would happily use only Sigma lenses, and that was before the company launched the 28-45mm, upgraded 24-70mm f/2.8, and 28-105mm lenses.
Sigma has had a strong reputation for a long time, but 2024 may be the year people look back on as the one that cemented the company as not just praiseworthy, but class-leading as a lens manufacturer. Sigma had an outstanding year, one of the best we’ve ever seen a company have. It is not easy to make a great lens, let alone six of them.
Here’s hoping the Foveon camera people have been clamoring for is just as good as the company’s glass. Although, even if it’s only half as good, that’d still be a hell of a camera.
Austrian photographer Markus Hofstaetter developed photos from a 90-year-old roll of film with fascinating results.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? According to Hofstaetter, not a chance. Earlier this year, Hofstaetter published an interesting video documenting his process of developing the film that came with a 113-year-old stereo camera. Now, he’s back at it again — this time with a roll of Agfa Isopan Super Special 127 film (ASA 100), a stock produced 90 years ago.
His process, which he writes about on his blog, starts with the stand development method. That involves using a small portion of developer fluid and dissolving it in a larger quantity of water at a ratio of 1:119. According to Hofstaetter, this method works differently than typical film development.
“You just put everything together,” he writes, “and after one round of motion, the film just stands for one hour in the development tank.”
The moment Hofstaetter pulls the developed film out of the tank is exciting to watch. The film was shot on a Zeiss Ikon Baby Box Tengor, a camera released in the 1930’s. It produces 4 x 6.5-centimeter negatives. While very faint, you can see some remnants of the original exposures still present on the film.
Hofstaetter then scans the images and loads them images onto his computer. He uses a mix of software, including Lightroom, Photoshop, and Negative Light Pro. His video speeds through his retouching, and Hofstaetter admits he’s “not a pro.” Still, he yields some incredible results. The final images are pretty grainy, but Hofstaetter brought out enough detail in the pictures to see people standing and waving.
It speaks to the beauty of film photography, especially in today’s digital world, that simple moments like the ones in these photos can be preserved like this. Even with a 90-year-old film, Hofstaetter was able to develop these ‘lost’ moments in time, which should make for a lovely holiday surprise. Hofstaetter is sending the developed images back to the owner of the camera.
Fans of unusual and fun photography projects can follow Markus Hofstaetter on his blog and YouTube channel.
Panasonic Recommits to Point 'N Shoot
As point-and-shoot cameras are growing in popularity at the same time manufacturers have all but pulled back on making new models, Panasonic is recommitting to the format with the announcement of a new ZS99 — a successor to the ZS80 and ZS80D.
The ZS99 (which will be known as the TZ99 in some regions) is designed to be a compact, pocketable camera that offers solid image quality with a huge zoom range. The new ZS99 isn’t hugely different from the previous models, though, and serves as a minor refresh of the format. That said, a new release keeps the camera on manufacturing lines and shows Panasonic’s support for the revived love of point-and-shoots.
The ZS99 keeps the same sensor, lens, image stabilization, focus system, rear 1,840K dot display, and video options as its predecessor but does add some new things. For example, the the ZS99 supports vertical video shooting (the camera knows when it is oriented vertically) and adds the “REC” red frame indicator when it is recording. Additionally, camera has been updated to support Bluetooth V5 and upgrades the micro USB port to USB-C.
Panasonic also added a “Send Image” button to the camera body in addition to the in-Menu method that existed in its predecessors.
These changes aren’t without consequence, however. In order to accommodate the new USB-C port, Panasonic opted to remove the electronic viewfinder entirely — the ZS99’s only finder is the rear LCD. As a recap, the ZS80 and ZS80D had a 2,330K-dot live electronic viewfinder located in the upper left-hand corner of the camera (when viewed from the back).
The Panasonic Lumix ZS99 will be available in black (DC-ZS99E-K) and silver (DC-ZS99E-S) in mid-February 2025 for $499.99.
In addition to the ZS99, Panasonic also announced the G97, which is an upgraded G95/G95D. This Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera features improved slow and quick motion capability (a maximum of 4x slow motion or 8x quick-motion in FHD recordings), a higher-resolution 1,840K-dot rear LCD, the update to Bluetooth 5.0 and the addition of the Send Image button (same as in the ZS99), as well as the shift from micro USB charging to USB-C. Gratefully, it’s all upgrades with no compromises here.
The new Lumix G97 will be available as a kit with the 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 lens (body only is not an option) in late February 2025 for $849.99.
It looks like computer-generated imagery, but this spectacular video taken in space shows the departure of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as seen by astronaut Don Pettit.
Followers of PetaPixel will be well aware of Pettit, arguably the greatest photographer to ever visit space. The NASA astronaut is currently residing onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and has been taking epic photos of nearby galaxies among other cool projects.
And yesterday Pettit shared a video of SpaceX Dragon cargo number 31 undocking from the ISS and returning back to planet Earth “carrying the spoils from our research” after it had been parked there for over 40 days.
Although the video makes it look like the Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) boosted away from the ISS at speed, in reality the video is a timelapse that speeds up an event that takes a considerable amount of time.
The SpaceX-made Cargo Dragon was the 31st commercial resupply services mission for NASA. Digital Tends notes that it was carrying crew supplies and scientific experiments and weighs around 2,700 kilograms.
After departing from the ISS, the cargo capsule splashed down off the Florida coast yesterday. Scientists on Earth will now analyze the scientific experiments contained within it. Space notes that Dragon is the only cargo spacecraft capable of bringing back experiments to Earth. Other capsules by Northrop Gruman or Russia’s Progress burn up during reentry, spoiling whatever is inside.
Pettit recently gave an interview live from the ISS Cupola alongside fellow astronaut and photographer extraordinaire Matthew Dominick where the pair revealed what it is like taking photos in zero gravity.
Dominick explains that there are handrails and footholds to hold his body in place freeing up his hands to shoot photos. He even has “ninja” socks that grip things to help him stabilize while taking pictures.
The Earth is moving past so quickly (the ISS travels at 17,500 miles per hour) that photographers in orbit have to pick a fast shutter speed or “hand track” the Earth as it goes by to reduce motion blur. Even a fast shutter speed like 1/400 will still get motion blur because the ISS is moving so fast, which is where the hand-tracking method comes in.
“When you’re doing that, you’re stabilizing on the Earth by looking through the viewfinder,” Dominick told the SmarterEveryDay YouTube channel. “You can see the Earth and you look to keep the center of the crosshairs of the camera on the same spot of Earth.”
Best known for its action and 360-degree cameras, Insta360 also makes cameras for less adventurous scenarios, like video conferencing. The previously teased Insta360 Connect dual-4K camera AI video bar has arrived, as promised.
Initially unveiled at Infocomm 2024 in June, where it won “Best of Show” in the AV Technology category, the Insta360 Connect combines a pair of 4K cameras, a 14-mic array, and artificial intelligence to “revolutionize video conferencing.”
The all-in-one video bar is built for small to medium-sized meeting rooms. It uses “cutting-edge hardware and AI algorithms” to automatically track meeting participants and swap between people who are speaking. Insta360 says it is a straightforward solution for anyone who has struggled with poor audio or video during virtual meetings. The company believes Connect offers remote interactions that rival face-to-face meetings.
“While Connect takes a different shape from Insta360’s previous product lines, it builds on the company’s expertise in imaging and audio technology,” Insta360 explains. “Years of innovation in the 360°, VR and action camera space preceded its venture into video conferencing with the Insta360 Link webcam series, released in 2022. Now, Insta360’s first-ever video bar aims to redefine the hybrid meeting experience and deliver a groundbreaking, immersive solution for meeting rooms.”
From a hardware perspective, the connection between the Connect and Insta360’s other products is clear. Connect features a wide-angle camera with a Type 1/1.3 CMOS image sensor and a second 48-megapixel telephoto gimbal camera. These two cameras work together to provide group shots and close-up views of meeting participants.
The device features onboard AI processing to enhance the video and audio quality. AI Resolution+ aims to improve clarity while a new audio algorithm cleans up the audio from the device’s 14 microphones, removing unwanted noises and echoes. The Connect can pick up voices up to 33 feet away, per Insta360. The device measures real-time acoustics in a room and creates a specialized noise reduction profile.
There is also an 8K Gallery Mode that ensures that up to eight people have an individualized camera window during a meeting. Even if someone moves out of their frame, the camera will track them within a few seconds and get them back on the screen. This tracking also applies to audio, as Insta360 says the Connect uses multimodal speaker tracking to locate and zoom in on the speaker as they talk. Multi-person tracking promises to quickly swap between different people as they speak.
The Insta360 Connect also includes Whiteboard, Speakerphone, and Privacy modes. The privacy mode automatically conceals the lens, mutes the mic, and tilts the gimbal camera down on command whenever privacy is required. The Connect comes with a desk mount in the box, but it can also easily be mounted to a wall or a television.
This intelligent videoconferencing camera system is costly. The Insta360 Connect is available now for $1,999. It ships with the Connect, a desk mount, HDMI cables, a USB-C cable, a power adapter, and a wireless remote control. It is available directly through Insta360 and via its retail partners.
Tilt-shift lenses have not gotten their due in recent years, with some companies ignoring the lens type altogether in the DSLR-to-mirrorless transition. Venus Optics aims to change that with a pair of new Laowa tilt-shift macro lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras.
These lenses may look familiar to frequent PetaPixel readers, as they were initially announced overseas in October. However, they are finally now coming to the United States. Further, there are plenty of new sample images to check out.
The Laowa 55mm f/2.8 and 100mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1x Macro lenses feature a precise tilt range of plus-or-minus 10 degrees, plus-or-minus 12 millimeters of shift, and 1:1 macro magnification.
“These lenses allow photographers to easily manipulate the plane of focus and adjust the perspective distortions,” Venus Optics explains. “A true 1:1 macro capability will enable it to capture fine details of the subject. This versatile combination makes both lenses essential tools for photographers working across various fields, including commercial, macro, landscape, architectural photography, and more.”
Laowa’s new lenses are the first tilt-shift macro lenses featuring an f/2.8 maximum aperture designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras. However, due to their large image circles, they can also be used on some medium-format cameras, including Fujifilm GFX system cameras. It is worth noting that when used on a GFX medium-format camera, the lenses are limited to plus or minus eight degrees of tilt and 10 millimeters of shift.
Through tilt and shift, photographers can easily create a super shallow depth of field or, alternatively, achieve a greater depth of field. There are creative and practical effects with tilt-shift lenses. Venus Optics specifically cites product photography as a great use case for tilt-shift lenses, especially given the 1:1 macro capabilities of the new Laowa lenses.
Shifting specifically is also very useful for architectural photography. It is possible to correct perspective distortions and keep vertical lines perfectly straight by adjusting lens shifts. Shift is also useful for panoramic photographers, as it can make it easier to capture distortion-free images for stitching.
Laowa’s new tilt-shift lenses have yet another trick up their sleeve. The lenses feature two rotation systems so photographers can rotate the lens at the camera mount. This provides additional control over tilt direction when shooting.
Digging into specifications, the Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1x Macro lens includes 14 lens elements arranged across 11 groups. The lens has an f/2.8-22 aperture range, 15 aperture blades, and a minimum focusing distance of 27 centimeters (10.6 inches). The lens weighs approximately 1,345 grams (just under three pounds) and is about 169 millimeters (6.6 inches) long. The lens accepts 77mm front filters.
The 100mm f/2.8 lens has 13 elements in 10 groups and, like its sibling, an f/2.8-22 aperture range. The 100mm lens also has 15 aperture blades and accepts 77mm front filters. The minimum focusing distance is 32 centimeters (12.6 inches). The lens is 162 millimeters (6.4 inches) long and weighs 1,215 grams (2.7 pounds).
The Laowa 55mm f/2.8 and 100mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1x Macro lenses are available to order now through Venus Optics and authorized retailers for $1,249 each. The lenses are available in E, GF, L, RF, and Z mounts.
A court has ruled that a man’s selfie video — filmed four days before he was killed in a car crash — does not count as a will.
45-year-old heavy machine operator Jesse Beck was killed in a car crash on a highway in Carbon County, Montana on July 15, 2022.
Jesse died after he crashed his Harley motorbike on the highway and a first responder struck and killed both him and a bystander.
Four days before his death, Jesse filmed a selfie video on his smartphone in which he expressed his wish to leave all of his possessions to his brother Jason in the event of his passing.
“If anything happens to me whatsoever, I give all of my possessions — everything — to Jason Beck, my brother,” Jesse said on camera in the footage he filmed of himself.
However, when Jesse died days later, his only child Alexia Beck — whom he didn’t mention in the video — was appointed as the personal representative of his estate.
His brother Jason later sought to probate the video as Jesse’s will, arguing it should be considered a “valid testamentary document.”
However, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the Montana Supreme Court ruled in October that Jesse’s video recording, “while undoubtedly expressing testamentary intent,” did not count legally as a will.
The Montana Supreme Court ruled that the video recording did not meet the statutory requirements for a will which implies that a “document” must be a physical or digital file capable of being signed and witnessed. The court says that a video recording, such as Jesse’s selfie footage, therefore does not fulfill these requirements.
As the late Jesse’s video does not count as a will, Jason can not be the heir to his estate. Instead, Jesse’s daughter Alexia will inherit his estate, which includes a wrongful death claim of up to $750,000 at stake.
“If Jesse had written it on a napkin that would have been good enough,” Jesse’s brother tells the news outlet.” That’s crazy to me that that beats him actually saying it,”
The case highlights that while most Americans rely on digital methods like filming videos and taking photos, the written word can still hold supreme authority in the eyes of the law. And in many cases, the law sometimes does not recognize digital formats at all.
In the case of Jesse, the Montana Supreme Court noted that there was no legislative or judicial precedent for recognizing non-written video wills under the current legal code.
According to The Wall Street Journal, many Americans are unaware that video and audio recordings don’t qualify as legal or business documents. Some experts believe that the law needs to evolve to accept digital formats.
“It’s a fool’s errand to tenaciously claim that everything has to be on paper. This isn’t the time of Charles Dickens,” Chuck Borek, general counsel at FreeWill, an online will provider, tells the publication.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Jesse’s wrongful death claim is pending and his daughter Alexia Beck declined to comment.
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