Here are 5 things of interest this week…
The Importance of 3rd Party Lenses - 3-Day Poll
With Canon putting pressure on non-OEM lens manufacturers, I’m thinking about the value of these optics for our community. For example, one of my favorite lenses of all time is the Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 SL IIS that works great on my Nikon film cameras and DSLRs. (Would not want to be without that one!) My question is: what is the value of 3rd party lenses to you?
Nik and DxO - TDS Outtakes
To keep the weekly podcast in the 30-minute range, I sometimes edit out digressions, rabbit holes, and rants. But I do keep them. And on occasion, I will be sharing them with you. Here’s the first TDS Outtake: Nik and DxO.
iPhone 14 - Do I Upgrade?
I have an iPhone 12 Pro Max that I really like. The camera does everything I need it to do. And most importantly, it’s paid for. With the Apple trade-in program, I can get around $500 for it. That’s sweet! But the iPhone 14 Pro Max would cost me around $1,200. That’s still a $700 outlay. So for the moment, I’m standing pat. We’ll see if I change my mind.
ON1 announces Photo RAW 2023
Check out this article on DP Review if you’re an ON1 fan and am interested in their latest photo editor. “ON1 has announced ON1 Photo RAW 2023. ON1 says the new version, which arrives next month, is 'the most significant update in ON1 Photo RAW's history.' The software includes many new features, including AI-powered tools designed to make organizing and editing your photos faster and easier.”
TDS Inner Circle Member Photo
I love this shot by TDS Inner Circle Member, Myron Freeman, that he shared on our group for the July Photo Challenge, Signs.
If you want to learn more about becoming an Inner Circle Member (and being a part of this group), visit our Patreon page. Thanks Myron! (Most people call him Fletch.)
Thank you for showing my photo for the Member photo!
Third-party lenses from the "mainstream" players like Tamron and Sigma serve a couple of very important purposes
First, they usually represent a higher value proposition than OEM lenses, where you might give up things like corner sharpness, a faster maximum aperture, or AF speed in exchange for a much lower price.
Second, they often fill a void in the OEM lens catalog. Tamron's recently-announced 70-300 f/4.5 - 6.3 for the Nikon Z cameras is a perfect example. Nikon makes a stunningly good Z 70-200 f/2.8, but it is big, heavy, and expensive - as one would expect from such a lens. Nikon have said they have no plans to make a native Z mount alternative with a more modest maximum aperture, which would reduce size, heft, and cost. Until Tamon's announcement, the only option for Z shooters was Nikon's own F mount 70-300 AF-P. That's gem of a lens, and a bargain too, and it works perfectly with the FTZ adapter, but I would rather shoot native mount glass given the choice.
If Canon is putting the squeeze on third-party manufacturers because they are worried about customers not buying their native RF glass, they are being very short-sighted. There are people shopping R bodies who will happily pay the premium for RF glass, but I would wager there are just as many who simply can't afford to do so. Unless there are third-party lens options, those buyers will cross the R bodies off their short list very quickly, and Canon will lose customers entirely to Sony and Nikon .
Speaking of Sony, this is exactly the reason why their technically superior Betamax format lost out to JVC's VHS format back in the early days of the VCR. Sony refused to license their tech to other VCR manufacturers because they wanted to hold the market captive to their hardware whereas JVC welcomed the chance to do so. I think we all know how that story ended for Sony, and I suspect if Canon doesn't re-think their approach, they may find themselves in a similar situation.