Live from the WPPI show floor at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (February 25-27) will be the latest and greatest from Canon, Nikon, Tamron, Sigma, Westcott and so many more. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come.

The Natural Line

The latest paper from Hahnemühle might just give you a contact high! The company’s Hemp paper, part of its Natural line, combines 60 percent hemp fiber with 40 percent cotton for a 290 gsm weight paper. As part of the Natural line, the company also offers Bamboo and a new Agave option. All are available in 25-sheet packages for four paper sizes: 8.5 x 11, 11 x 17, 13 x 19 and 17 x 22 inches. There are also 3-inch core rolls in larger sizes up to 24 x 16.4 inches.

Prices: starting at $9 (sample pack)  
hahnemuehle.com

Printers, Papers and Custom Art Options for Photographers

A Prime Example

The long promised NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct prime lens has finally been delivered. For an f-stop of f/0.9, the lens employs 17 lens elements in 10 groupings, which has created the fastest aperture that the company has ever produced. Joining the $999 NIKKOR Z 24mm f/1.8 S and $799 NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S, the manual focus lens is new to Nikon’s growing S-Line of top performance lenses for the Z Mount.

Price: $7,999 
nikonusa.com

New DSLR Lenses for Canon EF and Nikon F Mounts

All in a Name

Fun fact: The “fp” in the name of Sigma’s latest camera stands for “fortissimo” and “pianissimo.” Very small in dimension and also ultra light at less than a pound, the 24.6-megapixel Sigma fp is as compact as most point-and-shoot cameras. Don’t let its size fool you, though; the pocketable still shooter is also a formidable video tool. With one of the healthiest sets of 4K options on the market, there are already more than 14 L Mount lenses available from Sigma, as well as other optics options from Leica and Panasonic. For only $300 more, the Sigma fp is available as a kit with the excellent Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN contemporary lens. 

Price: $1,899 
sigmaphoto.com

The Best Advanced Compact Cameras

Wide Releases

There are three new incredibly affordable primes from Tamron for Sony E-mount full-frame cameras: the 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 is an ultra-wide ideal for landscape work while the 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 is a more moderate wide angle. Tamron’s third prime, the 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2, gives a more standard perspective often used for reportage and portraiture. These primes have the same 2.5-inch length as well as a 67mm front-end diameter for quickly swapping optical filters or video rigs. The 1:2 magnification ratio in each is just short of a one-to-one macro representation, which emphasizes foreground subjects while mitigating distant objects.

Price: $349 each 
tamron-usa.com

Big Pops All Around

The latest Westcott FJ400 Strobe looks to be the white-light answer to every portrait photographer’s dream. The portable 400Ws monolight has battery power for more than 480 full-power flashes on a single charge. Even better, it offers a recycling time of less than a second between full-power pops throughout the entire charge. The 5500K color temperature is digitally controlled to maintain consistent daylight output within plus or minus 150K degrees. There’s also a Continuous Capture mode that can burst at 20 fps and an Automatic Memory Recall that can store several frequently used lighting setups. Westcott’s Mask Function, which will provide two immediate flashes to create in-light silhouetting, makes image compositing for catalogs and product shots a breeze. The FJ400 Strobe works out-of-the-box with Canon RT systems as an external flash unit. The optional $99 FJ-X2m universal trigger is also available for compatibility with
most other brands. 

Price: $569 
fjwestcott.com

The Latest and Greatest Continuous Lights and Strobes

DSLR Dandy

Adding internal WiFi and “low energy” Bluetooth connectivity, the EOS-1 D X Mark III is the latest flagship DSLR from Canon. The mirror can be locked during Live View for up to 20 fps shooting, or if using the optical viewfinder, bursting is available at up to 16 fps. As if the autofocus in the EOS-1D X Mark II wasn’t fast enough, the AF system has incorporated deep learning AI technology as well as a brand new AF sensor with 29 more points of contact.

Price: tbd 
usacanon.com

5 Amazing DSLR Lenses

Color Correct

Achieve more than a million colors with the LitraStudio. Offering an absolutely massive spectrum, the latest from Litra is a pocket-sized, camera-top panel, at 5.5 x 3.9 x 2.9 inches with big output options. In addition to a 3,000 lumen continuous output, the RGBWW light can flash at 6,000 lumens. For white color temperatures, the CCT mode has a range of 2,000 to 10,000K, far exceeding most tungsten-to-daylight bi-color options. With a 50-degree beam, the light is also fully dimmable. There are kits with light shaping tools such as honeycomb and diffusion too.

Price: $649 
litra.com

A Complete Guide to Color-Effect Gels in Portrait Photography

WPPI combines exceptional programming with unforgettable networking, unlike any other event. For five days each year, wedding, event and portrait photographers and videographers come together in Las Vegas to be inspired. To be a part of this remarkable community—evolve your aesthetic, gain invaluable strategies to grow your business, connect with friends, be dazzled by stories from industry icons and create lasting memories—register now for WPPI 2020 and get a FREE Expo Pass. »