Camera
Accessory Roundup: fun film, a small flash, Spyders and Ospreys
Images: Ilford, Godox, Osprey |
Happy weekend, everyone! It’s been a busy few days here at DPReview: we published our full review of the Leica Q3 43 and have another review heading your way next week. As a result, this roundup will be a touch shorter than usual, but fear not; we’ve still collected some interesting accessories and great deals for you.
Full frame, not price
We found the Panasonic S5II to be a great all-rounder camera when we tested it earlier this year. Now it and the S5IIX, a model with some additional video features, are currently $300 off MSRP. At $1,700 and $1,900, respectively, it’s a great entryway into the L-mount ecosystem and a good choice for someone looking to enter the world of full-frame.
S5II:
S5IIX:
The Nikon Z7 II is a slightly higher-end full-frame camera sporting a 45MP sensor. Despite its age, it should still provide a solid experience for shooting landscapes, portraits and even the occasional video. It’s currently $700 off its MSRP.
Along came a Spyder
Image: Datacolor |
Datacolor recently announced new versions of its Spyder color calibrators, which are meant to help make sure your computer monitors are as color-accurate as possible. Both the Spyder and SpyderPro now use a USB-C cable – though a USB-A adapter is included – and support a wide variety of display types, such as OLED, mini-LED and Apple’s ‘Liquid Retina XDR.’
They also include access to a beta feature that Datacolor calls ‘Device Preview,’ which simulates how your images will look when displayed on a specific phone or tablet, such as the Pixel 8 Pro or iPad Pro with nanotexture OLED.
The regular Spyder can calibrate displays that go up to 750 nits of brightness, while the SpyderPro can handle displays that put out up to 2,000 nits. The Pro also has other features that the cheaper model doesn’t, such as support for more profiles, calibrating video as well as images, Rec. 709 & Rec. 2020 calibration targets and more.
Buy Now:
Film Friday Interlude
Image: Ilford |
This week, Ilford announced that two of its most popular films, the ISO 400 HP5 Plus and ISO 125 FP4 Plus, are getting some limited-edition packaging to celebrate the company’s 145th anniversary. The new boxes are styled after the ones HP3 and FP3 came in throughout the 1950s and 1960s – though those didn’t have the logos for social media sites like Instagram, X and TikTok imprinted on them like the modern ones do.
The film inside the box is the same stuff that most black and white film photographers are used to; the limited edition packaging is available for rolls of both 35mm and 120 film. According to Ilford, the retro boxes ‘will be available over the coming weeks’ while supplies last.
Osprey enters the ring
Image: Osprey |
Osprey, a company whose pack-making credentials are well-established in the outdoor community, has released a few accessories that may interest photographers hitting the trail. The company now makes two sizes of camera cubes, which are meant to fit into its hiking or travel packs and which add a padded, divided space to keep your gear organized and protected. The company says the small cube, which costs $75, should fit into most packs larger than 18L, while the medium cube, $95, is made for 28L and up packs.
The company also now sells a chest pack, which provides easy access to your gear even when you’re on the move. Finally, there’s the PhotoLid, which is made to replace a pack’s top pocket, commonly known as a ‘brain.’ Like the cubes, the PhotoLid has extra padding and dividers to keep your gear safe while riding atop your pack. It can also convert to a lumbar pack if you decide to bag a summit and want to leave your main pack at the junction.
Compact Flash
Image: Godox |
Godox has announced the iM30, a fully manual, compact, on-camera flash that promises near-universal compatibility via its single-pin hotshoe mount. The flash unit has seven adjustable power levels, and Godox says it can get around 230 flashes out of two AAA batteries.
Build-wise, it’s a very basic flash; it has no bounce or swivel adjustments, and its recycle time is around 3.6 seconds. Also, with a guide number of 15m at ISO 100, it’s far from the most powerful on-camera flash out there. However, it’s hard to complain, given that it weighs just 78g (2.75oz) and will cost around $35 when it goes on sale next month.