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Tamron’s New 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens

Tamron just officially released the final piece of its second-generation f/2.8 zoom lens lineup, with the new 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 now officially joining the 28-75mm and 70-180mm G2 lenses. Together, they form what Tamron calls the “Daisangen” trio, a name borrowed from the game of mahjong that refers to collecting all three dragon tiles for a win. In photography terms, it means you’ve got your wide, standard, and telephoto zooms all covered with constant f/2.8 apertures.

This new 16-30mm builds on Tamron’s well-loved 17-28mm from a few years back, expanding the zoom range just enough to give a bit more room on the wide side. Physically, the lens is short and light: just 4 inches long and 440 grams for Sony E-mount, and a hair longer and heavier on Nikon Z. It focuses pretty close too, down to 7.5 inches at the wide end. You get a 9-blade diaphragm, a 67mm filter thread, and weather sealing with a fluorine-coated front element for extra protection.

Autofocus has gotten an upgrade too, thanks to the VXD motor, and Tamron says the handling has been improved with better ergonomics and a refreshed exterior. Despite the compact size, Tamron promises sharp optics and pleasing bokeh, though the company hasn’t gone into detail about what kind of glass is inside this one. Pricing is at $929, with the Sony version hitting shelves on July 31 and the Nikon Z version landing August 22.

You can see full details and sample shots on Tamron’s website here

A New Social Media Network for Photographers

Photographer Alan Schaller announced Irys, a new social media platform built specifically for photographers, and it’s clearly meant to push back against the video-first, algorithm-driven direction of apps like Instagram. Schaller, who’s built an audience of over a million followers on Instagram himself, says it’s gotten harder and harder for still photography to get the spotlight online. “Communities are kind of dwindling,” he says. “People feel like they’re posting into the void.”

According to Schaller, Irys has been in the works for two years and is more than just another app, it’s also a full-on photography agency, with plans to represent photographers, collaborate with galleries, and publish both books and a dedicated magazine. The idea seems to be giving control back to the creators, not the algorithms. “We shouldn’t leave it up for these tech people to decide just what we need,” Schaller says in the launch post.

Irys promises a clean, photo-focused experience with no ads, no data-selling, and massive 50MB uploads so users can share high-quality work as intended. It’s not clear yet how the platform will support itself financially, but the ethos is: photographers first. While the platform isn’t open to everyone yet, you can join the waiting list on the official website.

You can see full details on Irys’s website here

Something Worth Checking Out

AI is something that most photographers/creatives see critically, and for absolutely good reason. HOWEVER the fact at the end of the day is that there sadly is no stopping AI, so the best thing you can do is learn how to use AI to your own advantage, whether that be with helping you with daily tasks, writing, editing, your day-job etc.

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Photographer Spotlight

Discover amazing photographers

This time in the Spotlight: Lollo V. W.

You can find her on Instagram as: @lollo.v.w_photography

A few photos of hers:

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