Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Photography News: Instagram sues fake like factory, Zeiss launches luxury lens

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Afraid of missing out on the latest photo industry news while you’re out, well, actually taking pictures? Photography News of the Week is all the information you might have missed this week, published on the weekends. Alongside the biggest stories of the week, like Illustrator’s latest teaser and Luminar’s updated A.I. tool, find briefs on the latest in accessories and photography news from this week.

Could the upcoming iOS 13 simplify photo editing on the iPad?

The iPad is powerful enough that even Photoshop is expected out on the Apple tablet, yet the system isn’t without a few quirks. Apple may be working to solve one of them with iOS 13, expected to be announced in June. Anonymous sources recently told 9to5Mac that iOS 13 will have the ability to import images from an SD card or camera directly to an app. Currently, images need to be imported into Photos before adding to an app such as Lightroom.

If the feature is indeed coming to the next operating system, it could streamline the mobile editing process. One of the quirks of photo editing on the iPad is that users have to import photos twice, one to Photos, then once to Lightroom. Besides making the import process longer, the quirk means images potentially take up space in both the iCloud and Creative Cloud if not deleted.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the feature. The company is expected to launch iOS 13 during the Worldwide Developers Conference during the first week of June.

Zeiss promises images on par with medium format from a new full-frame lens

Zeiss

How much of a difference can a lens make? Zeiss says that the new Zeiss Otus 1.4/100 lens for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts creates image quality that’s “on par with those created using a medium format system.”

The lens is a 10mm f/1.4 full-frame lens that Zeiss says creates exceptional detail and bokeh, allowing the subject to stand out from the background. The lens is designed for minimum distortion and maximum quality, but it’s also a manual focus-only lens and retails for $4,500.

The lens joins a 55mm, 85mm, and 28mm in the same Otus series.

Instagram is so tired of the fake likes, it’s suing a company selling engagement

After taking several steps to remove the platforms selling fake likes and followers, Instagram has had enough. This week, parent company Facebook filed a U.S. lawsuit against one company and three individuals in New Zealand for violating the Terms of Use and Community guidelines.

Facebook says that the company continued to sell fake likes on Instagram even after Facebook revoked access to the social network and suspended the company’s accounts. The lawsuit also says that the company violated California laws against computer fraud and abuse.

“Inauthentic activity has no place on our platform,” wrote Facebook’s Jessica Romero, the director of platform enforcement and litigation. “That’s why we devote significant resources to detecting and stopping this behavior, including blocking the creation and use of fake accounts, and using machine learning technology to proactively find and remove inauthentic activity from Instagram.”

Vimeo Showcase allows creatives to design their own video site or even smart TV channel

Vimeo Showcase

Need to launch a video-heavy website such as a portfolio, or even a smart TV channel? Vimeo Showcase is a new feature that allows users to create custom webpages highlighting their videos. Vimeo says the tool is designed to help users create their look and style when showing off their videos, without paying for a separate website builder. Made for tasks like videography portfolios, marketing or establishing an online presence, the tool offers custom layouts as well as custom domain names and embeddable playlists.

Pro subscribers can also use Showcase to design their own channel for the Roku and Amazon Fire without learning code, Vimeo says.

Showcase replaces albums and mixes in some of the features from Vimeo portfolios. The company expects to expand the tool with more layouts, livestreaming, presets, and more in the future.

Polaroid launches special-edition instant camera and summer-inspired film

Polaroid Originals

The Polaroid OneStep 2 has a new look. This week, Polaroid launched a special edition Polaroid OneStep 2 Summer Blue in color inspired by the summer sky. The new camera keeps the innards of the OneStep 2 instant film camera and gives the exterior a summer-inspired refresh.

Along with the special-edition camera, the company also launched Summer Haze and Summer Blues film, instant film that uses frames inspired by the sunset and the blues of the ocean. The camera retails for about $100, while the film sells for $17 for Summer Blues and $20 for Summer Haze.

Editors' Recommendations

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…
Best Camera Deals: Save on Canon, Panasonic, Nikon, and GoPro
fujifilm x t4 review set 2 dm 1

Whether you're looking for the best digital cameras or the best travel cameras, there are a ton of options out there, sometimes too many options, especially for those who aren't familiar with the photography world. Luckily, we've done a lot of legwork for you and collected a range of great camera deals across the spectrum, so even if you want something more sports-oriented, like a GoPro, there are a couple of deals for those too. So, let's jump right into it.
Today's Best Camera Deals
One of our favorite deals is the Canon EOS Rebel T7 going for $400, as it's one of the better DSLR cameras on the market, and it has a reasonably budget-friendly price on it, making it a great starter camera. Of course, if you've been in the game for a while and are looking for a powerful upgrade, the Sony Alpha 7R IV is one of the best full-frame cameras on the market, and while it still costs a hefty $3,200, that's still $300 off the usual $3,500 price tag. That said, if you're looking for something more portable and action-oriented, you can't go wrong with the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini, although if you're a professional content creator, the GoPro HERO9 Black 5K is probably the one to go for instead.

Do I Need a DSLR or a Mirrorless Camera?
Like most things, this really depends on what you're trying to do. Mirrorless cameras have fewer internal moving parts, which generally means they can capture images quicker, so if you're taking pictures of action-packed stuff like sports or animals in the wilderness, a mirrorless camera is a great option. On the other hand, DSLR cameras are great for low-light conditions and are great for anything from portraits to landscapes. DSLRs are also cheaper and have much better battery life, as well as having a decade or two worth of lenses to choose from.

Read more
How to blur a background in photos
A person photographed with iPhone 11's portrait mode.

Introducing a background blur to your photos can draw attention to a specific subject, such as an individual in a portrait or an item in a still life, while also adding a professional flair to your image. This beautiful background blur, also known as bokeh, can be achieved even after shooting your photo, thanks to advances in editing software. This guide will walk you through the process on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.

Read more
How to download Instagram photos (5 easy ways)
Instagram app running on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Instagram is amazing, and many of us use it as a record of our lives — uploading the best bits of our trips, adventures, and notable moments. But sometimes you can lose the original files of those moments, leaving the Instagram copy as the only available one . While you may be happy to leave it up there, it's a lot more convenient to have another version of it downloaded onto your phone or computer. While downloading directly from Instagram can be tricky, there are ways around it. Here are a few easy ways to download Instagram photos.

Read more