Lens Tests, Ricoh GR in BnW & New Exhibits
Viltrox lenses put to the test, Think Tank DarkLight backpack, a flurry of new lenses, and Man Ray at The Met.
About today’s photos: The Ricoh GR IV is now out, with supply dribbling out. But in the meantime, I thought I’d post some shots I’ve taken with the GR III from my DCinBW series.
If you’re not familiar with Ricoh’s GR series, they’re small pocketable APS-C cameras that have developed a cult following over the years (well, really over the decades, because the current digital versions are direct descendants of the film versions). So far, I’ve had the GR II and GR III. Looking forward to the GR IV!
What I’ve Been Working On & New Deals Worth a Look
Continuing my deep dive into lens alternatives outside the obvious, I've been testing out and reviewing these:
Viltrox 15mm ƒ/1.7. A small, compact, sharp, and surprisingly good wide angle for APS-C cameras. While there’s not a specific thing that makes it stand out—except maybe price—the package makes for a very interesting option for lightweight street and travel photography.
Viltrox 28mm ƒ/4.5. An unusual fixed-aperture lens that is ultra-thin but also surprisingly sharp. For APS-C. At first, I thought it was more of a novelty lens. But its sharpness surprised me, and it’s ultra-small size makes for a very interesting option for minimalist street photography, especially on one of the retro-styled full-frame cameras like the Nikon Zf.
And I’m out shooting with, and in the process of reviewing these two fisheye lenses (both full frame):
AstrHori 12mm ƒ/2.8 fisheye. Large and heavy and sharp.
TTArtisan 11mm ƒ/2.8 fisheye. Smaller and lighter and also sharp.
After shooting with them both, I prefer the TTArtisan, but the reasons don’t have to do with it being smaller and lighter, and there are some things I don’t like about it. The short version is I’m able to more consistently get keepers out of it; I’ll explain in more detail in my review.
Hot Take Mini Reviews
Think Tank Photo DarkLight tactical backpack. It’s small and narrower than your average backpack, but that’s precisely why I like it. I have plenty of bigger, bulkier backpacks, but I wanted something I could comfortably take on my bike and yet still pack a long telephoto lens. It has the usual Think Tank Photo quality and thoughtful touches. I’ve been using it over the summer, and I like it.
Nikon 1.4x teleconveter. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with teleconverters. Yes, that extra reach offers great potential, but I’ve often been disappointed in the past with the practical results. I’m pleased to say that the Nikon 1.4x Z has been working well for me, and I’m really happy with it. I’ve been using it mainly on the Nikon Z 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 but also on the Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR and have been happy with the results.
New Camera Gear
There's been a flurry of notable new lenses announced in recent weeks:
Sigma 200mm f2 / E and L mounts
Sigma 12mm f1.4 / APS-C / RF, X, and E mounts
Viltrox AF 14mm f4.0 Air / full-frame / Z and E mounts
Viltrox AF 9mm f2.8 Air / APS-C / Z and E mounts
Canon RF 85mm f1.4 L VCM / full-frame/ RF mount
OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f2.8 IS PRO / M43 mount
Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 S II / full-frame / Z mount
Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art / full-frame / E and L mounts
Viltrox AF 56mm f1.2 Pro / APS-C / E and XF mounts
Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm f5-7.1 O.I.S. / full-frame / L-Mount
And the Nikon Zf camera is now available in several other colors, if that’s your type of thing.
Software Updates
ON1 Photo RAW 2026 / new version. Major upgrade, including Resize AI 2026 now built-in.
DxO PhotoLab 9 / new version. With several of DxO's other apps built-in, this app is getting incredibly powerful for RAW image processing.
DxO PureRAW 5.3 / update.
Lightroom Classic 14.5.1. GPU previews, better generative/remove tools, refined copy-paste, plus new camera/lens support.
Other Photography Stuff
If you upgrade your Mac to the new macOS Tahoe version, it’s worth checking your display calibration. Mine was suddenly extra high contrast and a bit cooler, so a recalibration was in order.
Instagram is finally (!!) getting an iPad app. I've pretty much given up on Instagram now that it strongly favors reels at the expense of photos. But if you're using it, the long-overdue iPad version might appeal.
Photographers at Work
Photos from NASA's 1960s Gemini program have been given the remastering treatment, and the results are pretty stunning.
There’s a new exhibition at The Met of 64 of Man Ray's "rayographs" (i.e., photograms), including the most famous photograph ever sold at auction.
There’s a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in DC: Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985. Open now and runs through January 11.
Sydney's Head On Photo Festival 2025 is set for November 7 to 30.
An exhibition of Dennis Morris's work with Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, and others is on at The Photographers' Gallery in London through the end of September. A sizeable selection of images from it are available online at the link.