Afraid of missing out on the latest photo industry news while you’re out, well, actually taking pictures? Photo FOMO is all the news you might have missed this week, published on the weekends. Alongside the biggest stories of the week, like Wacom’s new budget-friendly photo editing pen tablets, a five-company agreement to design a standard for smart cameras, and Leica’s upcoming 3D capable smartphone camera, find briefs on the latest in accessories and photo industry news from this week with Photo FOMO.
This “unobtrusive” camera glows in the dark — and costs $15k
Leica is launching a special edition of its M Monochrom rangefinder with the Stealth Edition of Typ 246. Designed in collaboration with Marcus Wainwright, the CEO and founder of fashion brand Rag and Bone, the limited-edition camera is designed with a matte-black exterior to make the camera feel unobtrusive, Leica said. The matte black is paired with glow-in-the-dark accents to help photographers see some controls in the dark.
The limited-edition camera will only have 125 models available, paired with a Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH lens with a matching matte black exterior. Like the original M Monochrom, the camera is said to deliver better black and whites because the absence of a color filter allows more light to reach the sensor. The Leica M Monochrom Stealth Edition will list for $15,750 on March 20.
The Capsule turns backpacks into a waterproof camera bag
Mission Workshop’s range of backpacks can now easily convert into camera bags. This week, Mission District launched the Capsule, a waterproof, padded camera insert designed to turn the 22-plus-liter backpacks into a camera bag. Mission Workshop has a wide range of bags designed for durability, but the Capsule makes the line accessible to photographers.
The Capsule has two access points, with a large front panel opening for faster top panel access where a DSLR with an attached lens sits. The Capsule is designed with padding on the edges and adjustable padded dividers with a weatherproof exterior. The insert is expected to retail for $130.
The Elinchrom says the ELB 500 TTL can overpower the sun despite a portable profile
This week, lighting brand Elinchrom launched its smallest TTL strobe yet and says that the 500W power is enough to create studio lighting effects in full sun. Weighing around 5.5 pounds for the entire pack, the ELB 500 TTL still manages to pack in a 0.5- to 2-second recycle time and a 400 full-powered flash battery life. A new transmitter allows the lighting system to communicate with the camera for TTL support. All that power in a tiny package will run for about $1,900 for one light or $2,124 for a two-light kit, now open for pre-orders.
Go for really, really long exposures with this 15-stop ND filter
Is that 10-stop ND filter not enough? Accessory company Irix now has a 15-stop option for extremely long exposures, which the company says is enough to shoot a five-minute exposure in full sun at ISO 100 and f/16. The filter is a circular screw-in type and retails for about $200.
