Hasselblad has announced the XCD 20-35mm F3.2-4.5 E, equivalent to 16-27mm in full-frame terms. It’s the company’s first ultra-wide zoom lens, and Hasselblad says it should deliver the same level of image quality as its XCD prime lenses.

Formally branded the XCD 3,2-4,5/20-35E, it’s also the first lens in the company’s new XCD E series. According to Hasselblad, ‘E’ stands for Excellence and represents the top level of optical performance in the XCD series.

The new lens has the widest field of view and the largest aperture in Hasselblad’s medium format system. Optically, the internally focusing lens is comprised of 16 elements in 12 groups, and includes three aspherical elements. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.32m (13″) and maintains its widest f3.2 aperture all the way to 24mm.

The lens is housed in an all-metal ring with a matching metal lens hood and features a focus and control (aperture) ring. Its leaf shutter supports flash sync speeds of up to 1/2000 sec., and autofocus is driven by a stepper motor for quiet movement. Physically, the lens is 117mm (4.6″) long with a diameter of 81mm (3.2″) and weighs 805g (1.8lbs). It has a 77m filter thread.

The XCD 3,2-4,5/20-35E has a suggested retail price of $5,929 in the US and €6,729 in Europe.

Hasselblad XCD 20-35mm F3.2-4.5 E specifications

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Nikon has announced the Nikkor Z 50mm F1.4, a fast, normal prime lens for Z-mount cameras that covers the classic 50mm focal length.

The new lens is a virtual twin to the Nikkor Z 35mm F1.4 prime that Nikon announced just three months ago in June. The two lenses share the exact same dimensions, at 87mm (3.4″) long by 75mm (3″) diameter, and the new lens weighs in at 420g (14.8oz.), just 1% heavier than its 35mm sibling.

Notably, the new lens is slightly less expensive than Nikon’s own 50mm F1.8 S prime, which is part of Nikon’s premium ‘S’ series of lenses. It was suggested to us that the non-S lens prioritizes character over clinical sharpness.

The Nikkor Z 50mm F1.4 mounted on a Nikon Z6 III Image: Nikon

Optically, the lens comprises 10 elements in 7 groups, including one aspherical element, and has a 9-bladed aperture. This makes it optically simpler than the F1.8 S lens and it lacks that Nano Crystal Coatings of the premium model. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.37m (14.5″) and a maximum magnification ratio of 0.17x.

Other features include a manual focus ring and a customizable control ring, which the ‘S’ model lacks. According to Nikon, the lens should be well-suited to video work thanks to a smooth, twin STM motors, suppressed focus breathing and the clickless control ring. Nikon describes the lens as designed to be drip and dust-resistant.

The Nikkor Z 50mm F1.4 has a suggested retail price of $499 and will be available beginning in late September.

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm F1.4 specifications

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Apple has announced the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 and 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus. The new phones now include a dedicated ‘Camera Control’ button, as well as the ‘Action’ button that was exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro in the previous generation. The phones also feature a new A18 processor, which the company says has a 30% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU than the chip found in the regular iPhone 15.

The phone’s ultrawide camera has been upgraded, and now includes autofocus. The company says it can capture ‘2.6x’ more light. It also now allows users to capture ‘Macro’ photos using the ultrawide camera, a feature that was previously limited to the Pro models.

Apple says the iPhone 16 can now capture spatial videos and photos, using both cameras.

The company says the ‘Camera Control’ button allows you to control various features in the camera app. Pressing it will open the camera, and pressing it again will take a picture. You can also press and hold it while in the app to take a video. The button is touch sensitive, letting you slide your finger across it to change zoom level, depth of field, and more.

Lightly double-tapping the Camera Control will let you choose which variable to adjust. Image: Apple

The button also has haptic feedback, which the company says will give you a more tactile feel while taking pictures.

Apple says the button will also provide ‘instant access’ to Apple Intelligence features. According to Apple, pressing and holding the ‘Camera Control’ will bring up an interface that lets you perform a visual search using ‘Visual Intelligence.’ You can point it at an object, and the phone will bring up information about what’s in frame. It can also be connected to third parties, getting information about what the camera is pointed at from services like ChatGPT.

The new design also features what appears to be a smaller camera bump than the previous generation, as the wide and ultra-wide cameras are in line vertically, rather than being at a diagonal.

Earlier in the presentation, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the phones “the first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence and its breakthrough capabilities.”

This story is developing… please refresh to see more details.

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