The Newest Photo Products to Hit the Market Right Now

October 9, 2015

By Theano Nikitas and Greg Scoblete

Atomos Ninja Assassin 

A trimmed down version of the Shogun, the new Ninja Assassin offers many of the same features as its more expensive sibling, including a 7-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 monitoring, advanced playback and editing and much more. While you’ll give up the 12G/6G/3G-SDI connectivity, among a few other features, this is a powerful HDMI 4K/HD Monitor-Recorder that’s ideal for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. It’s 10 percent lighter than the Shogun and comes with a new red Armor Bumper for protection, as well as a soft case, SSD caddy and AC adapter.

PRICE: $1,295

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II 

The latest Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus delivers 5-axis stabilization for up to four stops of IS, per CIPA standards. Beyond a steadier shot, the E-M10 Mark II boasts a 16-megapixel sensor, a 2.36 million dot viewfinder and 8.5 fps burst shooting. You can create 4K time-lapse movie files in-camera as well as record 1920 x 1080p60 video.

PRICE: $499 

Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC USD and SP 45mm f/1.8 VC USD  

Tamron’s newest full-frame prime lenses deliver fast f/1.8 apertures, close focusing and image stabilization. Available in 35mm and 45mm focal lengths, the lenses have weatherproof, metal bodies. The 35mm lens can focus on objects as close as 7.9 inches while the 45mm gets as close as 11.4 inches. They’ll be sold in Canon and Nikon mounts with a Sony A-mount to follow in the future.

PRICE: $599 (35MM AND 45MM)

Ricoh Theta S

Ricoh’s Theta S is no ordinary camera. It captures 14-megapixel spherical images and HD videos to put the viewer in an immersive experience. The Theta S builds on an earlier model with faster Wi-Fi, longer exposures and more internal memory (8GB-worth). You can preview its Theta S’s spherical contents on your smartphone or live stream its recordings when connected to a PC via USB or HDMI.

PRICE: $350 

Zenfolio Mobile Shopping 
We’re living in a mobile age, and Zenfolio is helping you reach (and sell to) customers glued to their smartphones. The company recently added commerce to its mobile sites so your customers can buy prints, canvas wraps and more when they’re on the go. Zenfolio also added new products to its mix: Mpix panoramic photo books and bamboo wood prints. Mobile shopping is free for existing Zenfolio customers.

PRICES: PLANS START AT $5/MONTH 

Western Digital My Book Pro 

As WD’s fastest external storage solution to date with transfer rates of up to 435MB/s, this new RAID device features dual Thunderbolt 2 ports, USB 3.0 compatibility, two 7200 RPM drives and a hot swappable hardware RAID controller. The My Book Pro is equipped with two front-access USB ports and allows users to daisy chain up to six Thunderbolt devices. Available in 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-TB capacities, the device is configurable to RAID 0, RAID 1 or JBOD.

PRICES: $599-$999

Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 Lens and V-Log L Function Firmware Upgrade Kit 

Following up on their “in development” announcement earlier this year, Panasonic officially announced the Micro Four Thirds Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 ASPH lens. A wide f/stop and seven-bladed aperture promise beautiful bokeh from this compact and lightweight lens. In addition to multi-coated lens elements, the new 25mm lens features a stepping motor for silent and smooth focusing as well as a metal mount. At the same time, Panasonic announced a V-Log-L firmware upgrade kit for GH4 owners, providing log video recording.

PRICES: $250 (LENS); $100 (FIRMWARE KIT)

FJ Westcott LunaGrip Kit 

Designed by photographer Kevin Kubota to fit shoe-mounted flashes, the LunaGrip Kit can be handheld or stand-mounted. The kit features everything you need to get started (other than a flash): an adjustable shoe mount bracket, grip handle, a trio of flexible grip arms, a 40-inch one-stop diffusion disc and a carry bag.

PRICE: $135

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 II USM 

With its newest 35mm lens, Canon is introducing a brand new optical technology?— dubbed Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics— that they claim will greatly reduce chromatic aberration. The lens also uses Canon’s Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating (SWC) to reduce flare and ghosting. You’ll enjoy a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches. The lens is weather-sealed with a fluorine coating on the front and rear lens surfaces to make it easier to clean. The new Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens is compatible with 72mm filters.

PRICE: $1,800

Lowepro DroneGuard  

Lowepro’s DroneGuard series offers a trio of organizational and carrying solutions for the quadcopter pilot. The newest additions include the DroneGuard CS 300 and the CS 400 cases, which feature removable backpack straps and dedicated space to fit everything you need to fly. The third member of the series, the DroneGuard Kit is an open carry case with quick and easy access to gear. Also check out the Hardside 400 Drone case, which comes with—and perfectly fits—the DroneGuard Kit as an insert.

PRICES: $130 (CS 300), $150 (CS 400), $100 (DRONEGUARD KIT), $370 (HARDSIDE 400 DRONE) 

Lowepro ViewPoint Series 

Action cameras may be tiny but you still need to carry lots of gear, whether it’s multiple cameras, skateboards or trekking poles. Available in four sizes, the bags accommodate one or more action cameras and accessories.

PRICE: $30-$130

Think Tank Photo Mirrorless Mover  

Think Tank Photo has grown its Mirrorless Mover family by adding a new size. The 25i bag is designed to fit one medium-to-large mirrorless body, plus two-four lenses, an 8-inch tablet and lots of accessories. Notable features include a divider with a smartphone slot and two SD card slots.

PRICE: $65 (25i) 

Think Tank Photo Retrospective Leather 

If you love Think Tank Photo’s Retrospective bags, check out these three new models. Designed with dash-of-style leather accents and a new Dual Cross buckle on the front flap for extra security, this rugged shoulder bag comes in a trio of sizes ranging from the Retrospective Leather 5 for a basic DSLR setup and 8-inch tablet, to the Retrospective Leather 30 that can accommodate gripped DSLRs, lenses and a small laptop.

PRICE: FROM $200

broncolor Beautybox 65   

When you’re shooting on location, the new collapsible Beautybox 65 is the perfect alternative to broncolor’s metal Beauty Dish reflector. A reversible gold/white center counter reflector is bundled with the Beautybox 65 to achieve warming or neutral effects. Optional accessories are available as well.

PRICE: $296 

Innova YouTac Textile

For the first time, Innova’s new YouTac Textile media is available in the U.S. This 100 percent polyester fabric offers a unique adhesive backing—great for wall graphics, home décor and other applications. YouTac is repositionable and peels off cleanly when you’re ready to remove it from the wall. The substrate comes in rolls up to 60-inches wide.

PRICE: $0.89/SQUARE FOOT