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Photography News: This budget brand is developing a 4G mirrorless camera

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 news you might have missed this week, published on the weekends. Alongside the biggest stories of the week, like Flickr’s big changes, Panasonic’s organic sensor camera, and a one-handed Photoshop and Lightroom editing console, find briefs on the latest in accessories and photography news from this week.

Budget brand Yongnuo has a “4G” mirrorless camera under development

Yongnuo, the China-based budget lens and flash brand, appears to be developing a new mirrorless camera. The company launched a naming contest, displaying an image of what looks to be a slim interchangeable lens camera with a smartphone-like interface at the back. And if the image isn’t enough evidence, the two names Yongnuo suggests fans should vote on are the 4G Camera and Smart Camera — that or submitting an entirely new suggestion.

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The company says that the official name will be announced in January, along with giving away 100 YN50mm f/1.8C/N lenses with the naming contest. While the company hasn’t shared details about the camera, the suggestions for Smart Camera and 4G camera offer a pretty good hint.

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Olympus rewraps lens technology into high-end binoculars

Olympus

The latest product from Olympus isn’t a camera but it does incorporate the company’s lens technology. This week, Olympus launched the new 8 x 42 PRO and 10 x 42 Pro binoculars, designed for nature and sporting enthusiasts as well as assisting wildlife photographers in finding their subject.

The binoculars use the Zukio Extra-Low Reflection Optical anti-reflection coating used on M.Zukio Premium and Pro lenses to reduce ghosting along with helping to protect the surface of the lens. The binoculars also incorporate the Extra-Low Dispersion glass to reduce chromatic aberration or colored fringing. The binoculars are both housed in an ergonomic, weatherproof design with fog resistance. The binoculars list for $470 and $570 and include a case, strap, and caps.

IGTV gets Stories sharing

Instagram’s stand-alone vertical video platform now has one more integration with Instagram itself: Stories. IGTV users can now also share videos inside Stories. The feature is accessed by tapping the send or paper airplane icon and selecting the new option to add to Stories.

Because IGTV videos can be longer than the typical Stories format, sharing in Stories doesn’t use the entire video. Instead, users see a thumbnail preview of the video with the title and length of the video. Previously, an option to share IGTV to Stories was only part of business accounts.

These copper cameras are set to take a 1,000-year exposure to document environmental change

How much changes over the course of 1,000 years? Experimental photographer Jonathon Keats hopes to find out — by creating a long exposure image that won’t be finished until 3018. The photographer recently placed four Millennium Cameras (a design he’s shared in the past for extreme long exposures) around the Lake Tahoe Basin as part of a project called Tahoe Timescape.

The cameras use a tiny pinhole from a plate of 24-karat gold to expose the image inside a copper camera body. Keats’ hope is that the cameras will document environmental change in the area in a single image, though the photographer admits that those same changes could potentially damage the camera or the image inside. He’s already arranged to exhibit the images in 3018 for future generations to see at Sierra Nevada College.

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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