Episode 438: Instax Wide Evo, A Rare Animal, Zero Gravity & More….

Show Notes

Greetings everyone, you’re listening to the Liam Photography Podcast, I’m your host Liam Douglas and this is Episode 438 for Thursday January 23rd, 2025. In today’s episode a new Fuji camera, a rare animal photographed in California, how to change a lens in zero gravity and more.

Instax Wide Evo Hybrid

Fujifilm announced the Instax Wide Evo Hybrid Instant Camera which combines the company’s Instax line of instant cameras with its smartphone printers in one package.

Following in the footsteps of the Instax Mini Evo from 2022, the Evo line combines instant film cameras with the ability to select, share, edit, and store digital photos in one camera body. Fujifilm says the Wide Evo takes that a step further with the ability to take wide format images that print onto Instax Wide instant film as well as “a host of other advanced capabilities designed to enhance the photographic image-taking experience.”

The new camera has the widest lens on any Instax instant camera at an equivalent 16.67mm. Fujifilm says it offers the choice between taking images at the standard width or an even wider mode. Just like the Instax Mini Evo, the Instax Wide Evo has 10 lens effects and 10 film effect options for 100 different combinations that can then be fine-tuned with “Degree Control” which lets users determine the degree to which each lens effect is applied to an image.

Wide Evo also has five film styles: a cinematic look with black bars across the top and bottom of the image, a classic film strip look, a traditional date/time stamp
format, a retro contact sheet look, and a vintage collodion process effect.

The camera has a 3.5-inch LCD monitor on the back of the camera since it is, technically, a digital camera, and from it, users can add effects, edit, print, and adjust image settings. Fujifilm says that the camera can print up to 100 photos per charge and it has a microSD card slot to store images for later (in addition to the built-in memory in the camera that is pretty small, holding only about 45 photos).

The new Instax Wide Evo promises to output “high-quality prints” directly from the camera but they can also be printed from an iOS or Android smartphone using the Instax Wide Evo smartphone app. The app also unlocks additional features for the camera such as remote shooting and what Fujifilm calls “additional image enhancement options.”

Fujifilm also added a new “Discover” feed in the app, which is a social media experience of sorts, showcasing images uploaded by other Wide Evo users in a photo gallery format.

Along with the new Instax Wide Evo, Fujifilm also announced a new Brushed Metallics film pack which features metallic, dark gradient borders. These are available in a 10-pack and are compatible with all Instax Wide cameras, the Link Wide printer, and the Wide Evo.

The Instax Wide Evo Hybrid Instant Camera will be available in black and gray color finish (only one style) for $349.95. A black case will also be available for an additional $49.99. The Instax Wide Brushed Metallics Instant Film Pack will be available for $24.99 per pack. The new film, camera, and camera case are expected to be available in February.

Photographed for First Time Ever

A rare shrew that has never been photographed before has finally been caught on camera thanks to the efforts of three young researchers.

Until very recently the Mount Lyell shrew was the only mammal living in California to never have been caught in a photographer’s lens. That is until a few months ago when 22-year-old photographer and researcher Vishal Subramanyan became possibly the first person ever to see the shrew alive.

The Mount Lyell shrew is just four inches (10 centimeters) long and weighs a meager two grams. It lives in a small area of Eastern Sierra Nevada where it was first identified by biologist Clinton Hart Merriam in 1902.

Subramanyan tells SFGate that he and his friends Harper Forbes, 22, and Prakrit Jain, 20, got the idea to trap the Mount Lyell shew when they realized that it was the only California mammal species never to be photographed alive.

“It’s very possibly one of the most poorly known mammal species in California,” tells SFGate. “Photography is really important for cataloging biodiversity on a rapidly changing planet.”

“When it comes to California’s shrews, there’s so few good photos out there,” he continues. “So taking these photos that haven’t really been taken before helps the public understand and foster a connection with these animals.”

“The majority of earth’s biodiversity remains unknown. Projections suggest that most species remain scientifically undescribed, and of the described species, the majority remain unphotographed. Only a tiny fraction have seen any sort of detailed field study,” says Jain in a statement.

“This issue persists even in well-studied places like California. In an era of rapid biodiversity loss, it is important to record this information while it still exists while simultaneously fighting the extinction crisis.”

The trio embarked upon a three-night field expedition on November 1, setting up camp in the high desert of the Eastern Sierra. They trapped the shrews in “literal plastic cups” that were filled with cat food and mealworms.

Part of the reason Mount Lyell shrews have never been photographed is because of their speedy metabolism which means they will die if they don’t eat every two hours. So the group had to monitor the traps constantly and didn’t sleep for more than two hours at night to ensure they didn’t wake up to any dead shrews.

“It was kind of go, go, go,” Subramanyan tells SFGate. “You trap some shrews, you photograph them, you release them, and by that time there are more shrews. So it was pretty nonstop.”

Subramanyan calls the trip “brutal” but ultimately rewarding. He had to wait for confirmation that he had captured Mount Lyell shrews because while it is genetically distinct from other shrews they look very similar.

California lists the Mount Lyell shrew as a mammal species of special concern.

Changing Lens in Zero Gravity

NASA astronaut Don Pettit is a prolific photographer, arguably the best to ever go to space. In a fun new video from aboard the International Space Station, Pettit shows how to change camera lenses in space, and photographers on Earth will surely be envious of Pettit’s zero-gravity conditions.

One of the most tedious situations photographers encounter is changing their lenses, especially in the field. They must find a safe place to put the loose lens and ensure it doesn’t get dirty. In the gravity-less confines of the International Space Station, Pettit avoids these problems, simply keeping his extra lens floating in front of him. Granted, he could still need to contend with dust, which just floats aboard the ISS and never settles.

Nikon USA commented on Pettit’s zero-gravity lens change video on Instagram, “Don’t try this at home.”

Another commenter joked, “So while back on Earth, how often do you accidentally drop your lens expecting it to float?”

As for the gear Pettit uses aboard the ISS, he primarily shoots with a Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera aboard the ISS. Although NASA sent Nikon Z9 cameras and Nikon Z-mount lenses to space nearly a year ago, Pettit is not averse to adapting Nikon F-mount DSLR lenses to his mirrorless camera. In Pettit’s lens changing video, one lens is a native Nikkor Z lens, while the other appears to be the legendary Nikon 200mm f/2, presumably the “newer” 200mm f/2 G ED VR II lens that the company discontinued back in 2020. Pettit regularly uses the 200mm f/2 lens and captured a beautiful portrait of London at night late last year with it.

The 69-year-old Pettit, who became the second-oldest astronaut to ever go to space when he returned aboard the ISS last year, is doing a lot of fantastic photography aboard the ISS. He recently captured the Milky Way, Starlink satellites, and false dawn in a single remarkable photo, which astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy said “might be the best photo ever taken from the ISS.”

Pettit is not only armed with great camera gear and a wealth of creativity and experience but also has a custom-built star tracker, which he used to capture the photo above. Pettit made the remarkable star tracker with the aid of PetaPixel contributor and physicist Ted Kinsman, who is not only a very talented photographer but an associate professor at RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. Kinsman recently detailed the star tracker for PetaPixel.

Pettit will surely capture many more amazing photos from the ISS before returning to Earth this spring, at which point he will need to change lenses like the rest of us.

Imaging Resources

Photography enthusiasts have noticed in recent months that longtime website Imaging Resource was active again following its untimely demise in 2023. The nearly 30-year-old photography site’s new editor-in-chief shared how the site rose from the dead and its plans for moving forward.

As a brief recap of how Imaging Resource arrived here, the site ran into trouble way back in October 2019, when founder Dave Etchells announced that it was shutting down, pending a last-minute sale to a new owner. That’s precisely what happened a few months later, when in March 2020, Madavor Media added Imaging Resource to its portfolio, joining fellow photography publications Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro, and Digital Photo Magazine.

Fast-forward nearly three years, and the BeBop Channel, a music and theater-focused media platform purchased Madavor Media, including its photographic properties. This new owner proved a destructive force. Some properties were sold to even newer owners, while others were shut down entirely. Outdoor Photographer found itself in the latter camp, while Imaging Resource, after a brief spell offline, found itself in online media purgatory, alive but only just. Then Giggster tried to buy Imaging Resource, but that didn’t last and ultimately became a now-resolved legal situation. Giggster then set its sights on ePhotozine.

In late 2024, new posts started appearing on Imaging Resource‘s homepage, although it was unclear for a while who was responsible for them. As it turns out, Imaging Resource, Outdoor Photographer, and some other Madavor Media titles like JazzTimes, were purchased by British digital media and publishing company By Gamers for Gamers (BGFG) after BeBop returned assets to Madavor Media’s former owner.

This acquisition saw sites like Outdoor Photographer pop back online and Imaging Resource publish new content for the first time since early 2023.

Today, Imaging Resource‘s new editor-in-chief David Schloss shared a “Letter from the (new) editor,” explaining what the future of IR holds.

“My interests have included photography since childhood. My dad was a commercial photographer in the 1970s, and I grew up with a camera in my hand,” Schloss writes. “I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with the gear and people I love. The photography business and the photo press have been part of my life for decades.”

“That’s why I was so heartbroken when Imaging Resource closed its doors. IR was a vital and vibrant part of the imaging world. Founder (and friend) Dave Etchells built a site dedicated to demystifying camera gear and rigorously pursuing facts. He surrounded himself with good, competent, and friendly people. I consider them all part of my extended family, the photo press.”

Schloss continues, describing IR‘s most recent and worst falloff as “due to an incredibly mismanaged business sale.”

Schloss says he has “the opportunity to perform a small miracle” and bring Imaging Resource back to life.

PetaPixel readers may recognize David’s name, as he has contributed numerous articles and reviews over the years. He has worked for Photo District News and Outdoor Photographer, and was even editor-in-chief for Digital Photo Pro, Digital Photo, and HDVideo Pro magazines, so he is no stranger to former Madavor Media properties. Most recently, Schloss worked on public relations for Sony’s imaging division.

While there is much work to be done, Schloss has started hiring writers and testing camera equipment again.

“We have some ambitious goals for the next few months. Imaging Resource is showing its age. Its layout and navigation are from earlier in the Internet’s history,” he admits.

“I am truly looking forward to this journey, and I will do my absolute best to make Imaging Resource a platform you can depend on and enjoy,” Schloss says.

ProGrade’s New 960GB CFExpress Type A

ProGrade Digital announced a new, larger-capacity version of its CFexpress Type A Gold-class card. The ProGrade CFexpress 2.0 Type A Gold card now comes in a beefy 960GB capacity, joining existing 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB capacities.

ProGrade’s Gold series cards feature a VPG 200 rating and uses NVMe host interface with PCIe Gen3 x1 interconnect. Like the smaller-capacity versions, the new 960GB card fully complies with the CompactFlash Association (CFA) and the CFexpress 2.0 specification.

The card promises read speeds of up to 900 MB/s, burst write speeds of up to 800 MB/s, and a sustained write speed of 600 MB/s, making the card well-suited to demanding photo and video scenarios. Although ProGrade Digital, a trusted brand, says the card’s sustained write speed is 600 MB/s, the VPG 200 certification means the card is stringently tested and verified to never drop below 200 MB/s, even in unrealistically taxing situations. The VPG certification testing is extremely challenging, well beyond real-world use, and verified by the CFA.

“Our new CFexpress 2.0 Type A Gold 960GB card offers Sony shooters a higher capacity storage solution at a competitive price point,” says Josh Brewer, Product Manager at ProGrade Digital. “As capacities are trending upward, we felt the time was right to add a Terabyte-class option to our Gold line, enabling Sony users to shoot at higher frame rates or capture settings.”

The ProGrade 960GB CFexpress Type A card has thermal throttling to protect the card from overheating, is built to work in extreme environments, X-ray and shock-proof, and comes with a three-year warranty.

The new 960GB card is priced at $439.99, joining the 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB cards that are currently available for $127.99, $191.99, and $254.99. ProGrade’s CFexpress Type A Gold cards are generally competitively priced, with the 120GB version being among the three most affordable cards on the market, and the most affordable north of 80GB capacity.

The Gold-series card also joins ProGrade Digital’s Iridium series CFexpress 4.0 Type A card. This faster and more powerful card offers about twice the speed of the Gold card, albeit at a higher $499.99 price tag. It is worth noting that no camera currently supports the CFexpress 4.0 standard, so the improved speeds are only realized during file transfer, at least for now.

Pelican’s New Hybrid Cases

Pelican, known for its rugged hard cases for photo and video gear, announced various new carrying solutions, including some “soft cases,” like backpacks, duffels, slings, suitcases, and more.

The new Pelican products fall under the company’s new ATX TRVL and HYBRID TRVL lines. The ATX TRVL series, which stands for Adventure Travel X-Over, includes new rolling suitcases in three sizes: 22, 25, and 30 inches. The HYBRID TRVL products feature new Aegis rolling duffels, a semi-rigid travel backpack, a standard-carry duffel bag, and padded slings.

Starting with the ATX TRVL Luggage, it is a hard-sided suitcase with Hinomoto 360-degree spinner wheels, a telescoping top handle, a side carrying handle, robust TSA-approved locking latches, and a weatherproof design.

The “military-grade” suitcase uses a proprietary HPX polymer resin, which is super strong but not precisely lightweight. For example, the 30″ ATX Check-In Hard-Sided Luggage, which can safely carry a significant amount of gear, weighs 21.9 pounds (9.9 kilograms) when empty, nearly half the typical luggage weight allowance for many airlines. The smaller “carry-on” sized 22- and 25-inch versions are not much lighter, tipping the scales at 12.8 pounds (5.8 kilograms) and 18.5 pounds (8.4 kilograms).

The ATX TRVL luggage starts at $499.95 for the 22-inch size and comes in black, charcoal, blue, and tan colorways. The 25-inch one is $599.95, while the 30-inch size is $699.95.

Moving to the Aegis products, Pelican announced a rolling hybrid duffel in three sizes: 22, 28, and 32 inches. Priced from $329.95 to $429.95, these durable and modular rolling duffels have two wheels for tilted transport, a telescoping handle, and comfortable options for hand carry. The bags feature multiple compartments and, despite being a soft case, promise the protection of a hard case.

The Aegis hybrid duffels are much lighter than their ATX TRVL Luggage counterparts. The 22-inch Aegis duffel weighs 7.32 pounds (3.3 kilograms), while the 32-inch model, sized to be checked luggage, is about 10.5 pounds (4.8 kilograms).

The PX-series Aegis Travel Pack, a durable semi-rigid backpack, comes in 18-liter and 25-liter capacities. In both cases, the backpack, which features Pelican Shield EVA compression molded technology, weighs under three pounds (1.3 kilograms).

Pelican says its PX backpack is “ideal for daily use or short excursions” and is comfortable to wear all day, even when hiking.

The backpacks work alongside modular ModPak quick-connect storage organizers, including pouches and storage cubes sold separately. These help keep a wide range of photo gear organized and safe inside the backpack.

The PX18 is $199.95, while the PX25 is $229.95. Both sizes come in black, blue, charcoal, and sand (tan) colorways.

There’s also the new Aegis DX45 Duffel/Pack. This can be worn like a backpack or carried like a duffel bag. It also features Pelican’s hybrid Shield material and works with the company’s ModPak storage modules. The weather-resistant bag has 45 liters of carrying capacity and weighs just 2.36 pounds (1.1 kilograms) when empty.

The Pelican Aegis DX45 is $179.95.

Rounding out Pelican’s flurry of announcements is the SX series sling bags. Available in three models, including two soft padded slings and one hybrid material “protective” sling, these three- and five-liter bags are designed to carry smaller camera kits. They range in price from $59.95 to $89.95.

As for the ModPak accessories, these fit into Pelican’s new larger bags and attach externally to the new sling bags. There are two sizes of audio/video cases, three packing cubes, two storage pouches, and a toiletry bag. They all come in matching colorways, and Pelican says additional ModPaks are being developed.

A complete breakdown of all of Pelican’s new carrying solutions is available on the company’s website.

Viltrox Looking to Join L-Mount Alliance

Chinese lens maker Viltrox is attempting to join the L-Mount Alliance, which would pave the way for the company’s lenses to work on full-frame Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma cameras.

As spotted by L-Rumors, on a recent YouTube video about the new Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens, a YouTube viewer noted there was no mention of an L-Mount version. The excellent and relatively affordable 135mm f/1.8 prime lens is only available for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. However, expecting the lens to venture to other mirrorless mounts at some point is reasonable.

Viltrox replied, “We’re trying to connect and negotiate with Leica for the licensing,” suggesting that L-Mount could be among these other mounts.

As a company, Viltrox has long paid attention to the L-Mount Alliance, publishing a blog post in August 2023 to discuss Samyang and Astrodesign joining the alliance.

The L-Mount Alliance comprises Leica Camera, Sigma, Panasonic, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH (Leica’s cinema lens division), DJI, Samyang, Astrodesign, and Blackmagic Design.

The L-Mount Alliance is a strategic partnership wherein the companies involved develop products and technologies for the unified L-Mount standard, developed by Leica Camera in April 2014. It was the T-mount then, but the name changed to L-Mount when Leica released the original Leica SL camera the following year. Leica founded the L-Mount Alliance in September 2018 with co-founding members Panasonic and Sigma.

In the case of the L-Mount Alliance, the more the merrier. In last week’s episode of the PetaPixel Podcast, the team discussed the state of L-Mount and whether the system is worth investing into now. While there is healthy debate regarding the value proposition of the L-Mount system, there is little doubt that more high-quality lenses would make the system more attractive to photographers and videographers.

Viltrox, which has only been around since 2009, fits the bill as a high-quality lens maker. As mentioned, the company’s new AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is fantastic. In his review for PetaPixel, Chris Niccolls called its optics “incredibly good,” noting that the lens, although a bit large and heavy, is “excellent value no matter how you slice it.” The Viltrox lens rivals Sony’s 135mm f/1.8 G Master prime in terms of performance while costing less than half as much. The L-Mount could use lenses like that.

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