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Photo FOMO: Recharge and stash lenses with this smartphone photo bag

Manfrotto

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 Photoshop’s upcoming advanced Content-Aware Fill, Adobe Premiere Pro’s AI audio clean-up, and Aurora HDR’s latest update, find briefs on the latest in accessories and photo industry news from this week with Photo FOMO.

The Manfrotto Befree is a bit more free with a convertible monopod built-in

The Manfrotto Befree is a popular travel tripod option, but now the line allows photographers to skip packing a monopod too. The Manfrotto Befree 2N1 is a tripod that converts to a monopod in a few steps. The company says that a new locking system allows the system to remain sturdy as both a tripod and monopod.

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The tripod converts to a monopod by twisting off one leg and locking into the center column for use as a monopod. The Befree 2N1 will have two versions, one with twist locks and one with lever locks. The convertible tripod will be available later this month at a retail price of $220. The company also announced that the new Befree Live tripod designed for video will also be launching with a lever lock option.

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Cosyspeed wants to launch camera bags for … smartphones?

The PHONESLINGER – Smartphone Photography Bags

Most camera bags are dedicated to stashing larger gear and accessories, but what about smartphone photographers? Cosyspeed’s Phoneslinger bags are designed for the smartphone photographer with a place to stash add-on lenses and even wirelessly charging your smartphone on the go. The company says the line is the first bags designed specifically for smartphone photography and videography.

The line comes includes three different options, all that can be worn on a belt the strap of another bag or with Cosyspeed’s modular belt system. The Phoneslinger Power includes a wireless power bank to charge your phone while it’s stashed in the bag. Phonesligher Prime is designed to hold a smartphone and up to four smartphone lenses, while the Phoneslinger Outdoor is constructed from a rugged material. The bags can also be added to the Flowbelt Modular Belt system along with other existing Cosyspeed bags.

The company aims to launch the smartphone photography bags on Indiegogo, where there are two months left to raise $25,000. The smartphone bags start at $39 with accessories starting at $16 — if the crowdfunding is successful.

Moment’s new $99 iPhone case charges your phone too

After funding on Kickstarter, Moment now has iPhone cases designed both for the company’s lenses as well as wireless charging. Compatible with the iPhone X and XS with options for the XS Max and XR expected out later this month, the case also has a two-stage shutter release. That shutter button means the camera shoots similar to a DSLR with a half press to focus and a full press to shoot, a feature in Moment’s new camera app.

Sigma’s cinema lens line gains a new 28mm, 40mm, and 105mm

Sigma’s cinema lens family just got a bit bigger — this week, Sigma announced the 28mm T1.5, the 40mm T1.5, and the 105mm T1.5. All three lenses are designed for 6K and 8K resolution, Sigma says. The update brings the total lens count for the cinema line to 10, with options in PL, Canon EF and Sony E mounts. The 105mm is slated to arrive first next month, with the 40mm to follow before the end of the year and the 28mm early next year. Prices haven’t yet been announced.

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Capture all the action with the GoPro HERO12 Black — $150 off today at Amazon
The GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition set up on a small tripod on the beach.

In the moment, when you're blasting over that jump on your dirt bike, catching that killer wave, or jumping off of whatever insane cliff you've found, you don't necessarily think about capturing it all. But one of the best ways to make that happen is to strap on an action cam, like a GoPro. You can capture all of the action, and it's relatively low-lift. You wear whatever unique mount is best for the situation and the camera does all the work. There's just one issue, action cameras can be expensive especially if you're on a budget. However, today, Amazon has the GoPro HERO12 Black for $150 off. That brings it down from its normal price of $400 to $250. You can use that extra money to grab an accessory and you're good to go. GoPro HERO12 Black captures it all in 5.3K or 4K so you can rewatch the glory over and over.

 
Why buy the GoPro HERO12 Black? To capture the action, that's why
An action camera like a GoPro makes it possible to capture the action, in full detail, no matter what you're doing. You don't even have to be doing crazy stunts either. A common misconception is that they're only useful for outdoor activities, but no they work for filming just about anything. Even if you're having a barbecue, or a birthday party, or want to see what your roaming cat sees throughout the day -- a GoPro is what you need.

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NASA astronaut Don Pettit talks photography from the space station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit discussing his photography from aboard the ISS.

NASA ASTRONAUT DISCUSSES PHOTOGRAPHY IN SPACE WITH NASASPACEFLIGHT.COM

NASA astronaut Don Pettit arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in September on his fourth orbital mission in 22 years. Besides working on various science projects on the space-based facility, Pettit is also known for his keen interest in photography, and he regularly shares his impressive efforts -- including rivers, clouds, star trails, and high-speed spacecraft -- on X and Instagram.

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Target has great deals on the Fujifilm Instax cameras today
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 on a white background.

If regular camera deals look a little overwhelming or too expensive, you should check out what Target has to offer. Right now, there are some great deals on Fujifilm Instax cameras, which are perfect for those times you want to take some quick snaps and not worry about fancy settings. The deals include the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 and the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera. Let’s take a look at both cameras and see which will suit you best. Each camera is a great gift for someone this holiday season, but it’s also a fun way of snapping anything you want during the festive period.
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera -- $140 $150 7% off

For that instant retro look, check out the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera. It takes 3 x 5 instant photos, so it’s good for shooting wide shots. Sure, it won't compete with the best DSLR cameras, but it's a fun way of taking some quick snaps. It has a rugged yet beautiful design, so it can handle a few more bumps than most cameras. It offers easy-to-use analog-style controls with a choice of three focus modes; these include normal, landscape, and macro when using the relevant and included close-up lens. It provides automatic exposure, flash control, and a self-timer with an LED countdown, so all the essentials are here. The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera also has two viewfinder framing guides to assist in composing your image, and you can add a tripod mount if you want.

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