In Other News: Leica M10-P Reporter and Noctilux-M, a film startup, impressive 2020 for MFT and more
posted Friday, January 29, 2021 at 5:00 PM EDT
In this week's edition of 'In Other News,' we're highlighting exciting announcements from Leica, a new startup company catering to film photographers, a great year for Micro Four Thirds and more.
Leica announces M10-P Reporter and brings back the Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 ASPH
Leica is fond of releasing special, limited editions of its cameras. The latest in a long line of pricey editions is the M10-P 'Reporter.' The $8,800 camera is part of Leica's 40th anniversary celebration of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
The M10-P 'Reporter' features a distinct dark green, scratch-resistant finish and Kevlar trim. The model is an homage to reportage and press photographers. Per Leica, 'Through exposure to natural UV rays, the camera's body armor will gradually turn the same color as its top and base plate.' The camera's engravings are all inlaid with light green for a discreet, stylish look. Functionally, the M10-P' Reporter' is identical to the mass-produced M10-P camera, but the 'Reporter' edition is limited to 450 total units. You can preorder the camera from Leica Store Miami for $8,795.
Keeping the limited-edition train going down the tracks, Leica also announced the Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 ASPH lens. It's a reissue of an important lens from Leica's past. The Noctilux 50mm f/1.2 was the world's first lens to incorporate aspherical elements, and it was originally produced from 1966 to 1975.
The new version adhered to the original's construction, and Leica says that 'the imaging results are almost identical.' The new lens is the third lens added to Leica's expanding 'Classics Range', following up on the Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 (originally released in 1955) and the Thambar-M 90mm f/2.2 (1935). You can learn more about the lens by visiting Leica.
Shutterstock acquires TurboSquid for $75M USD
Shutterstock announced this week that it will be acquiring 3D asset company, TurboSquid. The $75M acquisition will greatly expand Shutterstock's offerings, making it the largest 3D marketplace. This is a significant acquisition and development for Shutterstock. We first heard about this at DPReview.
Indisposable is a new startup that develops your film and then uploads it directly to your phone
Indisposable develops 35mm, 120mm and disposable camera film. To utilize the service, you must use the app – which is currently iOS only – and then arrange to send your film to Indisposable. The company then develops your film and sends you the files. You can also opt to have the negatives returned to you as well. The company doesn't offer printing services, but it hopes to soon. You can purchase disposable film cameras from Indisposable as well. We first saw news of Indisposable at PetaPixel.
OM Digital Solutions and Panasonic announce a strong 2020 for Micro Four Thirds System
OM Digital Solutions Corporation and Panasonic Corporation announced that the Micro Four Thirds System, the system that the two companies announced in 2008, was the best-selling lens-mount type in the Japanese interchangeable lens digital camera market in 2020.
There are 56 companies as part of the Micro Four Thirds consortium. In 2020, there were four new Micro Four Thirds System cameras released. In total, Micro Four Thirds products held a 21.7% market share in the Japanese market in 2020. The MFT system's strong performance in 2020 is certainly great news for OM Digital Solution and Panasonic.
7 best macro lenses to buy in 2021 according to photographer Micael Widell
Talented photographer Micael Widell released a new video this week highlighting his favorite macro lenses. The selected lenses cover most of the camera systems out there, including Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, and most full-frame DSLR and mirrorless cameras. To see which macro lenses Widell recommends, watch the video below. To see more of his content, visit his YouTube channel.
Testing the new Depth-Aware Haze Neural Filter in Photoshop
Aaron Nace of Phlearn published a video testing out the new AI-powered Depth-Aware Haze Neural Filter in Adobe Photoshop 2021. You can use the filter to add atmosphere to your images leveraging the power of artificial intelligence. It's a cool idea, but does it work? Find out in the video below.
Photographer you should check out: Sasha Arutyunova
Sasha Arutyunova was born in Moscow, raised in Florida, and now based in Brooklyn, New York. The widely-published and acclaimed photographer produces excellent work with distinct, eye-catching styles and tones. While she regularly photographs celebrities and politicians, her work always has an approachability and grounded nature. In addition to viewing her work on her website, you can also follow Arutyunova on Instagram. Arutyanova is also a co-founder of the artist collective and documentary production company, Nomadique. You can hear from her directly in an interview below from 2015.