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Viltrox Teased New Lenses

Viltrox just teased three new lenses at the China P&E Expo: an 85mm f/1.4 and a 50mm f/1.4 for Sony E-mount, and a 56mm f/1.2 for Fujifilm X-mount. We don’t have full details yet, but the lenses were on display at the show, and the company says more info is coming soon. The 85mm and 50mm both have physical aperture rings that go from f/1.4 to f/16 and appear to support declicking, which is great for video. Interestingly, they don’t have the digital screen from Viltrox’s LAB series, a feature some people actually prefer to skip anyway.

The 56mm f/1.2 is built for Fujifilm’s APS-C system and has a similar clean design, but without as many bells and whistles as the Sony versions. Like the others, it has a manual aperture ring and fits into Viltrox’s Pro line, which sits just below their top-tier LAB lenses. The Pro series is known for delivering solid image quality and fast apertures without pushing into super high-end pricing, which makes them a sweet spot for a lot of shooters.

Viltrox didn’t mention pricing or a release date yet, but based on previous Pro lenses, they’ll probably come in under $600. That’s way more affordable than the LAB series, which usually sits closer to $1,000. These new lenses look like a solid step forward in expanding Viltrox’s lineup, and they should give photographers—especially Fujifilm and Sony users—some fast, affordable new tools to play with.

Leica Lux Camera App Update

Leica has released version 1.7 of its Lux iPhone camera app, and the big new feature is something called “Artist Looks.” The first of these comes from British photographer Greg Williams, who worked with Leica to create a new cinematic profile inspired by classic Tri-X 400 film. Leica says the look is tuned for various lighting conditions and avoids the usual digital overprocessing, so no fake sharpening or gimmicky effects, just a warm, film-like aesthetic.

The Lux app originally launched last summer, offering simulated Leica lenses like the 28mm and 35mm Summilux f/1.4, the 50mm Noctilux, and a 120mm Summicron. It was built in collaboration with Fjorden — the grip case company Leica acquired the day of the app's launch — and works with a dedicated $625 Leica Lux Grip.

Leica has steadily added to the app since launch, including a 90mm Thambar-M in version 1.6. Now, with version 1.7, Leica is aiming to bring more analog soul to iPhone shooting, starting with Greg Williams’ profile and promising more Artist Looks to follow. The same look is also coming to the Leica Fotos app for use with actual Leica cameras. The Lux app is free to download on the App Store, but you’ll need a $6.99/month or $69.99/year subscription to unlock its full potential.

You can download the App here

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Photographer Spotlight

Discover amazing photographers

This time in the Spotlight: Payton

You can find him on Instagram as: @paytonsphotography__

A few photos of his:

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