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Save up to 40% at Amazon on Nextorage SDXC V90-rated cards
Amazon UK have Nextorage F2 Pro SDXC UHS-II V90-rated U3 cards at a special price – the cheapest I’ve seen them at: Nextorage F2 Pro SDXC 128 GB at £74.99, was £124.99 (40% off) Nextorage F2 Pro SDXC 256 GB at £139.99, was £199.99 (30% off) Nextorage ‘Pro’ cards are very high-performance, using pSLC NAND flash, instead of the more usual TLC type. I’ve been using them for a while, and they are now among my first choice of brands, along with ProGrade Digital. Lexar, SanDisk, and Sony can still be recommended, but highly competitive offerings like these are hard to beat for the price/performance ratio. Articles may include…
How to create and use Virtual Copies in Lightroom
In Adobe Lightroom Classic, you can easily duplicate a photo with various edits using the Virtual Copy function. Here’s how to use virtual copies in Lightroom: What are Virtual Copies? In Lightroom, a virtual copy allows you to create a duplicate of a photo without actually duplicating the file on your hard drive. This means you can apply different edits, settings, or metadata to the same original image while keeping the original intact and unaltered. Crucially, VCs allow you to visually compare the effect of various edits on what’s essentially the same photo, without the huge file sizes of TIFFs. It’s an essential feature of a parametric editor and critical…
Amazon Prime Day deals
Amazon Prime Day always offers some good deals on photography gear, particularly on memory cards and accessories. Links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon UK Lexar SanDisk Nextorage ProGrade Sony Samsung PolarPro Filters SmallRig Tilta Olight (LED Torches) IFOOTAGE (Shark Camera Slider) Apurture (LED Lighting) Other UK retailers with deals: WEX Canon Store Amazon US Lexar SanDisk OWC ProGrade Sony Samsung SmallRig Tilta IFOOTAGE (Shark Slider) Apurture (LED Lighting) DJI
Filter sizes for Leica M lenses
As you might expect, Leica offers its range of UV filters, which are recommended for the protection of the front element in everyday use but also to prevent damage when cleaning. It’s much less worrying to clean a filter than a front element. However, I also recommend B+W (UV or Clear) filters, which, although made by the German brand Schneider-Kreuznach, tend to be slightly cheaper and yet are not considered inferior in any way. The XS-Pro, now replaced by the ‘Master’, features a thin brass frame and a Nano coating to facilitate easier cleaning. More competitively priced offerings include the excellent Breakthrough Photography UV X2 range and the Firecrest series…
Canon UK store sale with 10% off RF lenses
The Canon UK store currently has a sale on RF lenses, with 10% off most, if not all, current RF models, including the vaunted L-series. For example, the extraordinary Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens was £3,160 inc VAT but is now £2,884 inc VAT (£316 off). When buying directly, Canon offers a 2-year guarantee and free shipping (when spending above £30). Furthermore, their generous returns policy gives you a 30-day window in which to send your item back (should you need to) free of charge for a full refund. Make your purchase as normal through the Canon Store to save. Offer ends 30/07/2025. Buy now while stocks last.…
Leica celebrates 100th year anniversary with Leica M11 100 special edition
Leica is introducing a special edition of the Leica M11-D to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary since the introduction of the Leica I in 1925. The Leica M11 100 features a black gloss paint finish and silver-chromed control elements with cross knurling, a black cowhide covering, and distinctive details, including a black chrome hot shoe cover, a unique serial number, and a certificate of authenticity. It is available now in German Leica Stores at EUR 9,500.00, including VAT. Check stock and prices [affiliate links] Leica Camera (DE) | Leica Camera (UK) | Leica Camera (US) Press Release: Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “WETZLAR GERMANY” To mark the 100-year…
Leica introduces new Monopan 50 black and white film
Leica has announced a new high-resolution black-and-white film with an ISO 50 rating. The film, Monopan 50, is produced in Germany and boasts an extended spectral range, with sensitivity up to 780 nm (near-infrared region). Leica Monopan 50 will be available worldwide in Leica Stores and through authorised retailers from the 21st of August 2025. The recommended retail price is £10.00 / €12.00 incl. VAT, for a 36-exposure roll. For more information and to pre-order [affiliate links] Leica Store (UK/US) Sample Shots Press Release: Wetzlar, 18th of June 2025 – The Leica I transformed photography when it made its debut…
Leica announces new lightweight L mount 28-70mm F2.8 zoom
Key Features Slightly lower zoom range (28–70mm) for size and weight benefits Weighs 572 g, measures 102mm by 73mm (lxd) Maintains the physical dimensions of Summicron-SL primes Same 67mm filters Durable all-metal (magnesium and aluminium) exterior High image quality 16 elements in 12 groups, with three aspherical elements (five aspherical surfaces) Fast, accurate and reliable autofocusing £1,650.00 /€1,950.00 incl. VAT (hood additional £145.00) Available now Check price and availability at the following stores [affiliate links, this site may earn commission on sales via these links]: B&H Photo (US) | Adorama (US) | Amazon (US) WEX UK | Park Cameras (UK) | Leica UK (Leica Online Store) As an Amazon associate, this site earns commission…
Recomended Filters for Lens Protection
Filters for lens protection seem to divide opinions; however, I’m strongly in favour of them. Not only do they prevent fumbling with lens caps (keep those for storage), but they’re also a lot easier to clean than the front element. I also don’t like cleaning lenses and would rather accidentally scratch a filter than my lens. And if you think it’s unlikely, consider the number of secondhand lenses for sale on eBay with scratched front elements. Those few that aren’t sell for appreciably more. Fingerprints are another issue. They are both greasy and contain an acid that damages coatings, and so should be removed promptly. My filter of choice for…
Sony launches high-speed FE 50-150mm F2 GM lens
Sony is emerging as a leader in lens design with its latest release, the Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM. The new lens is highly corrected with five ED elements, two being the ‘Super’ ED type, and two double-sided aspherical elements for mitigating fringing and distortion. It’s also relatively lightweight (1.34kg), is some 200mm in length and takes 95mm filters. According to Sony, the lens has a “floating focusing system [which] enables a minimum focusing distance of 0.4m.” This sentence is somewhat confusing but infers the lens has ‘floating elements,’ which is meant to mitigate aberrations at close distances, and not necessarily enable a 0.4m mfd. Of course, if aberrations are…
