The new AF 135mm F1.8 FE from Samyang is a fast-aperture prime telephoto lens developed for full-frame Sony E Mount cameras but also compatible with Sony APS-C mirrorless cameras.

Since its release in 2015, the Samyang MF 135mm F2.0 ED UMC has been a popular telephoto lens due to its high resolution. Originally regarded as a portrait lens, the MF 135mm evolved to become popular for landscape and astrophotography photography as well. As a result, Samyang Optics has chosen to develop an AF evolution of this lens, increasing convenience for all users and photographic genres.

Samyang Corporation, which recently extended its autofocus F1.8 series line-up, has developed the AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens, which is packed with numerous extra functionalities to fulfil the new expectations of many individuals who previously used the MF 135mm F2.0 lens.

The new AF 135mm F1.8 FE telephoto lens is ideal for portraiture, astrophotography, landscapes, and video. It incorporates well-known features like the Focus Lock Button and Custom Switch, as well as Samyang’s new Focus Range Limiter switch. With the addition of the new AF 135mm F1.8 FE, Samyang’s Auto Focus F1.8 FE series now includes: 24mm, 35mm, 45mm, 75mm, and 135mm focal lengths, completing the range from wide-angle to telephoto.

Excellent Resolution
Unrelenting use of Samyang’s most modern optical technology has resulted in a large-aperture prime telephoto lens with exceptional corner-to-corner resolution. The AF 135mm F1.8 FE has a full-frame angle of view of 18.9 and an APS-C angle of view of 12.5. It has a brilliant maximum aperture of F1.8, which is preferred by full-frame camera users. The optical design of 13 components in 11 groups, in particular, achieves optimal resolution (1 U-ASP, 2 HR and 3 ED). When combined with Sony’s full-frame image sensor, this lens produces images with exceptional sharpness and contrast in all areas.

Capable of producing incredibly shallow depth of field with gorgeous bokeh
To achieve perfect background blur, the AF 135mm F1.8 FE has a wide aperture. By employing a short depth of focus, it effectively separates the subject from the backdrop. It also has a UA (Ultra-precision Aspherical) lens, which produces natural and polished bokeh. With this smooth bokeh, you can easily create photographs that showcase your subjects against breathtaking backdrops, whether you’re shooting portraits, close-ups, or cityscapes.

Capable of generating extremely shallow depth of field with stunning bokeh
The AF 135mm F1.8 FE offers a large aperture to provide excellent background blur. It efficiently isolates the subject from the background by using a shallow depth of focus. It also sports a UA (Ultra-precision Aspherical) lens for natural and refined bokeh. You can simply produce images that showcase your subjects against gorgeous backdrops with this smooth bokeh, whether you’re shooting portraits, close-ups, or cityscapes.

Autofocus performance that is both quick and silent
When recording video, the AF tracks the subject precisely and rapidly, and it also runs silently and smoothly. Samyang’s Linear STM (Stepping Motor) provides photographers and videographers with quieter and more precise focusing lens group control.

Improved operability and dependability
Customizable features include the Focus Hold button, Custom Switch, and Focus Range Limiter. Overall, this is a lens that meets and surpasses professional control and dependability requirements for both stills and movies.

1) Press the Focus Hold Button

By pressing this button on the lens, you may keep it fixed at that focusing distance. In the camera body’s settings, you may apply functionalities like Eye AF.

2) Personalized Switch

There is a custom switch that can be adjusted to allow quiet aperture adjustment by twisting the focus ring. Using the optional Lens Station, you may customise the setting to your liking*.

(*In the future, more functionalities will be added via firmware upgrades.)

3) On/Off switch for the Focus Range Limiter

The Focus Range Limiter is only available in AF mode, however it can help to speed up focusing once the distance from an object has been determined:

To select the focus range, slide the Focus Range Limiter forward or backward as shown:

FULL: The autofocus range is set to infinity and the minimum focus distance of 0.69m.

0.69m – 2m: The AF range is adjusted between 0.69m and 2m, making it ideal for close-up photography.

1.5m – : The AF range is set at 1.5m to infinity, which is enough for most shooting situations.


0.69m is a short minimum focus distance
Despite the fact that this is a 135mm telephoto, Samyang has efficiently controlled aberration at all focusing distances. It also features a close-up lens with a minimum focus distance of 69cm (2.26ft) and a maximum magnification of 0.243x. Small accessories and other things can be photographed with high resolution and gorgeous, soft background bokeh.

Weather-sealing and modern design
The AF 135mm F1.8 FE was designed and improved with the user’s shooting environment in mind, as well as the design characteristics. It includes a micro-patterned rubber focus ring that is comfortable to use, and the weather-sealing protects the lens from mild rain, snow, and dust.

Panasonic India recently announced the release of the LUMIX Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera BS1H, a new full-frame box-style camera. The LUMIX BS1H is a perfect marriage of Panasonic’s most sophisticated technology, combining the cinema-quality visual performance of the LUMIX S1H with the convenience of a box-style design. The camera has a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor with Dual Native ISO and 6K resolution, making it an ideal companion for professional filmmakers, videographers, and digital content creators. The LUMIX BS1H is priced at INR 3,39,990 and is available at all Panasonic brand stores in India.

Speaking about the launch, Fumiyasu Fujimori, Divisional Director, Consumer Sales Division at Panasonic India said, “At Panasonic, we are bullish about introducing consumers to cutting edge technologies through our diverse and future-proof range of products. Keeping the consumer requirement at the core, we have been relentlessly working towards upgrading the experience of our users through innovations, and the new LUMIX BS1H is a step ahead in this direction. With a surge in online content consumption, we have seen a rise in demand for high quality imaging solution to create superior content and LUMIX BS1H will cater to this growing need amongst the professional community and empower them with the best in class technology. Box-style cameras from LUMIX have proved their competency in applications as varied as Augmented Reality and 3D Video Production globally and we are confident that this model will do so in India as well.”

Panasonic’s new LUMIX BS1H is a cutting-edge professional image product intended to meet the needs of cinema, live-streaming, and other multi-camera customers. The LUMIX BS1H promises the best of both worlds for filmmakers looking to customise their setup for higher-end productions, as well as a better continuous recording/streaming camera for live video and other longer-form video productions, with features such as 6K video, multiple recording modes, and high connectivity and mobility. The LUMIX BS1H is capable of providing 6K resolution that delivers smooth and fine video quality, as well as a variety of recording settings that let users to capture spectacular photos in any situations by making the most of the pixels in the full-frame image sensor. The LUMIX BS1H also has heat management, which allows for long-hour use without the need for fast pack-ups during shots.

Mr. Hardeep Sarna, Sales & Marketing Head, Imaging Business Group, Panasonic India added, “With the launch of LUMIX BS1H, we aim to fulfill the demand of the professionals who are on a lookout for new-age innovations which not only meet the varied requirements of videography but also prove to be a long term camera partner. Equipped with features for exceptional video recording, seamless production, options for live streaming, LUMIX BS1H is an extension of innovation in box style cameras in Cinema and is an ideal solution for professionals across business segments. The versatility of this camera is evident in its applications ranging from wedding, documentary making, cinema and OTT platforms to usage on FPV drones and in medical and industrial settings, following the lead of the Lumix BGH1.”

The LUMIX BS1H is a high-definition companion that has capabilities such as HDMI/SDI Output, Genlock IN/OUT, and Timecode IN/OUT. The camera contains Double SD Card Slots, 3.5 Audio (in/out) port, USB 3.1 Type-C, a 3G-SDI (BNC), HDMI Type-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, tally lighting (front/rear), and XLR microphone compatibility to provide customers with outstanding and hassle-free communication. Furthermore, the camera retains Panasonic’s V-Log format and has 14+ stops of V-Log/V-Gamut, allowing users to shoot photos with more than 14 stops of dynamic range in a very wide colour spectrum. The camera also has HDR recording with HLG and RAW Video Data Output (Apple ProRes RAW / Blackmagic RAW), allowing for high-image-quality recording with minimal noise even in low-light conditions like indoors or at night.

Key features:

• Video Performances with Cinema Quality
• 24.2MP Full-frame Sensor
• 6K 24p / 5.9K 30p 10-bit Video Recording
• C4K/4K 60p/50p 10-bit on APS-C Crop
• C4K/4K 30p/25p 4:2:2 10-bit Full Frame Recording
• RAW Video Data Output (ATOMOS Ninja V / Blackmagic Video Assist 12G HDR)
• Dual Native ISO
• 14+ stops of V-Log/V-Gamut
• ISO range of ISO 100-51200, extendable up to ISO 50 – 204800
• HFR recording on FHD 120fps along with Sound and AutoFocus

Pursuing Usability in Video Production

• Ethernet / PoE+ compatible
• Remote Control upto 12 cameras with LUMIX Tether for Multicam
• USB/LAN Tethering
• IP Streaming with PC (RTP/RTSP protocol)
• Simultaneous HDMI/SDI Output
• Genlock IN / Timecode IN/OUT

Flexible Expandability

• Ultra Compact & Lightweight
• Unlimited Rec Time
• SDK supported for Industrial usage and integration with customer’s applications.
• Power Supply Options (AC Adaptor / Battery / PoE+)
• Multiple Standard Mounts for rigging the camera

The World Photography Organisation recently announced the shortlisted photographers in the Student and Youth competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2022. Winners of Student Photographer of the Year and Youth Photographer of the Year will be announced on 12 April and will go on display as part of the Sony World Photography Awards 2022 exhibition at Somerset House, London.

It has now become a commonplace where smartphone brands are looking to push newer boundaries in imaging and the camera experience that they offer with their smartphones today. OnePlus and Hasselblad collaborated for the 9 series launched in 2021. Although the collaboration didn’t seem to offer much in the beginning, it is now starting to show its potential. Bhavya Desai spoke to Ms. Hsiaohua Cheng, Head of Imaging at OnePlus on their collab and what can the users expect for the future.

When the collaboration with Hasselblad happened (for the 9 and 9 Pro), initially users seemed disappointed. Was it always the idea to build those features in the future updates?

Creating a better camera experience has been a central tenet of OnePlus’ strategy in 2021 and will remain a key focus in the near future. Earlier this year, we inked a strategic partnership with Hasselblad to further improve the OnePlus camera experience over the next three years. Additionally, we also committed an investment of USD $150 million to develop better mobile imaging to build out our mobile imaging capabilities in our ongoing pursuit of delivering the best smartphone camera experience for our users.

Involving meticulous software calibration and multiple hours spent working with the Hasselblad team, the OnePlus 9 Series today, represents OnePlus’ biggest leap forward in terms of camera development and bring to users natural colour calibration, high dynamic range, and keen detail. With the OnePlus 9 Series, we are committed to delivering immediate benefit for OnePlus users, while continuously collaborating over the next three years to further improve the user experience and product quality for the long-term.


The XPan Mode changed the usage of the 9 and 9 Pro and we’ve started seeing the potential of this collaboration now. What else can we expect from this in the future?

Using XPan Mode on the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, users can see the world around them through a unique lens, and we are very excited about how this format is being utilised by our users and photographers around the world. Our partnership will continue to evolve our camera capabilities as we look at providing users with innovative ways of capturing images and storytelling.


Does it limit or make it difficult to offer features in cameras when the hardware is sourced and needs integration with your OS? Thoughts?

As elevating the camera experience is one of OnePlus’ core focus areas, we continue to invest towards camera development and enhancing the image quality. This year, we have established a full-fledged Camera Image Quality Lab at the OnePlus India R&D Centre. This camera IQ lab works on India specific camera requirements for OnePlus devices as well as contributes to the camera image quality tuning requirements for global regions including testing efforts for NA and EU markets. Going forward, we will continue to improve our camera performance through investments and strategic partnerships and push the boundaries of mobile imaging.


What is the overall vision of this collaboration with Hasselblad?

At OnePlus, we have always prioritised a premium user experience over everything else. We began this year through a concerted effort to significantly improve the smartphone camera experience for our users, with the expertise of a truly legendary partner in Hasselblad. Today, the Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, on both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, represents OnePlus’ biggest leap forward ever in camera quality. Hasselblad’s pursuit of imaging quality and deep aesthetic expertise will be fully integrated into this system, continuing their legacy in imaging in OnePlus phones. The partnership will roll out in numerous phases as we look at resetting the standards for a best-in-class mobile imaging experience.


What does OnePlus aspire to offer to its users with its cameras in the future?

In the coming years, the partnership will continuously develop, starting with software improvements including colour tuning and sensor calibration and extend to other areas in the future. Through close R&D collaboration, OnePlus and Hasselblad will continue to work on developing camera systems for future OnePlus smartphones that are significantly improved.


You have worked on a project which is shot using a 9 Pro in a feature film format. Can you tell us more about that?

While shooting long format content on smartphones is relatively new in the Indian film industry, it is slowly gaining interest, feasibility and being adopted by more and more individuals in the industry. In shooting long format content using the OnePlus 9 Pro, the filmmakers in fact, found that they could incorporate unique perspectives, high dynamic range and create a lot of contrast and authenticity when shooting in a variety of settings, including low-light environments. These features allowed us to bring a fast-paced storyline to life with thrilling sequences for a one-of-a-kind feature film.
Our entire team has been thrilled to attempt this unique project of shooting an entire feature film on the OnePlus 9 Pro guided by his extensive experience. Filming on the OnePlus 9 Pro helped us bring to life the cinematic detail required to capture the essence of the storyline and emotions of the characters. This film truly demonstrates the capabilities of the OnePlus 9 Pro’s cameras, and we hope this serves as an inspiration for our community to embark on their own creative endeavours with their OnePlus devices.


Do projects like these have the anticipated impact. Thoughts?

OnePlus has consistently been recognised as a brand that brings cutting-edge technology and creates unique experiences for its community. As part of our ‘Shot on OnePlus’ efforts, we had earlier created the ‘United by Hope’ documentary to showcase the daily experiences of people from different backgrounds during the pandemic. Following the success of the SOOP documentary, we decided to take this a step further and explore the possibility of making a full-length feature film.

Since we began working on the project, I had envisioned how the final movie would turn out. After we got the footage, I was extremely pleased with how the shots turned out. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s cameras did a great job at producing stunning pictures, especially in low light settings. I believe the cameras were able to rightly capture the essence of the story. In addition to being versatile and user-friendly, OnePlus’ cameras are robust and user-friendly, making it easy even for people with little to no photography and videography experience to capture images and videos without a lot of hassle. As the first Indian “Shot on OnePlus” film, this allowed us to experiment with mobile camera technology and bring to life a wonderful storyline. We have received good feedback on this project and we sincerely hope that it will inspire our user community to follow their creative passions.

What were the features that were used the most while shooting this film?

The OnePlus 9 Pro camera made for a seamless shooting experience by providing hyper-realistic 8k 30 fps, superior HDR video recording, in-built image stabilization, and support for capturing 4K at 120 frames per second. With faster focus speeds and in-built image stabilization, the OnePlus 9 Pro also helped deliver cleaner daytime and nighttime imagery while also providing reduced motion blur with higher dynamic range in shooting videos.

The camera set-up also came with advanced Nightscape Video 2.0, which allowed us to capture bright and detailed videos, even in very dim environments. Coupled with DOL-HDR and the sequences captured with the ultra-wide camera, the camera allowed us to bring every frame to life with captivating contrasts and exciting sequences.

Every year it is customary for us to feature an article that highlights the trends and predictions that will might become big in the coming year. This list usually includes a combination of photography styles, products, technology among others that we feel will be used/applied the most in the next year, and with 2022 around the corner there are things that potentially might be some of the biggest trends in 2022. In this article we’ve listed them and if you have read our previous articles then you would know that we usually get most of these things right.

– By Bhavya Desai

Weddings to come back full circle

For the large part of the past two years, we’ve spent most of our time in isolation or in smaller groups. This also meant that most of the celebrations like weddings have been more intimate or in a private setting. And while they have their own place and everyone enjoys that as an experience, it was believed that this will be the trend going forward. Infact I was also completely sold to that idea. But from what we’ve been witnessing in the past few months, weddings are for sure coming back full circle or circus (whatever you like). So get ready for some massive shor sharaba in 2022, which surely is great news for the photographer fraternity.

Short form Content

This will be one of the biggest trends for the year 2022 with more and more users consuming short form content thanks to social media platforms. Creators and photographers will use these platforms to showcase BTS, projects, etc. and if you aren’t one of those who hasn’t started using these features, now would be a good time to start. The potential of providing a sneak peek into your world and amplifying your reach via such content is going to be golden.

Content to be King

While content has always been important, the explosion of creators, social platforms, etc. have also increased the amount of content that is now available for viewing. And more often than not you find a lot of noise rather than meaningful content. But 2022 will be a time that viewers will become more selective when it comes to consuming content, whether still or video. So if you are a photographer or a creator then I would pay double attention to what you create in 2022 since it will be even more important this year.

NFTs in Photography

For certain 2022 will see more photographers/artist try out NFTs in photography. NFTs are Non-Fungible Tokens and I am not certain if they will be around for many years to come, but the sort of success that they recently got, their popularity will surely increase more in 2022. Artists will try their hands at NFTs in 2022 and if they will taste success, then it will plant the seed for the years to come.

Camera and Smartphone brand collabs

We’ve already seen a number of collaborations between camera manufacturers and phone brands. And this is only natural since cameras play such a big part in influencing the buyers’ decision today. But while the both these segments are collaborating since the past few years, the true potential of what they can achieve isn’t there yet. But in 2022, I feel these will start shaping up with great meaning. The phones will start offering superior features, better cameras, better technology, thanks to the results maturing from such collabs that’ve been initiated over the years.

Candids are the Only Thing Now

Everyone knows Candid Photography has been around for a while. It really isn’t a new concept anymore. But what is about to change is the sheer application of that style in 2022. With photography now becoming more personal, candid is the future with lesser application to commercial outlook in weddings. For instance, in wedding photography you’ll now find dedicated photographers only for the bride and only for the groom, probably one only for the families as well. These are uncommon today, but in 2022 you’ll see more of such trends where dedicated candid photographers/videographers will be used with commercial ideas thrown out of the window for a new style of services to evolve.

Drones, drones and more drones

Drones automatically have been qualifying in our list for the past few years and they’ll continue to do so may be for the next few years as well. With technology getting better and better with what drones can achieve, like newer shots, angles, scenes, photographers and creators will continue to use them extensively in 2022, especially with the norms now relaxing slightly towards their applications.

Death of the DSLRs?

I am on the fence with this point honestly. Every time I feel that DSLRs are done, some manufacturer springs in and surprises me with a new product. But honestly, I think now the time has come when DSLRs or at least new products might be done. I don’t see many launches happening for the next few years and the remaining few manufacturers that are still making them might also stick to only a product or two in every few years. But with some of the new products being launched still doing the rounds, you never know what happens.

Affordable Mirrorless Full-Frames

This as a category of cameras will grow exponentially for the next few years to come. Products with great potential have already been launched in the market and from the popularity that they are getting, it is a matter of time when products with better features at a more affordable price will start emerging from all manufacturers.

Plus Size and Dark Models

We are always shooting subjects in Fashion and Commercial Photography who for the longest time were considered to be perfect models. Unfortunately, that system and belief is severely flawed since we’re tuned to like people in a particular body shape and skin colour, but in the last two years these inhibitions are changing and more plus sized and dark skin models are used in global and mainstream campaigns. And this is a stance that is now adopted by some of the biggest brands globally and 2022 will mark an important change in this trend moving forward.

Chip Shortage

Now this really isn’t a trend but an important update on the chip shortages that plagued every industry in 2021. One of the biggest challenges for any industry in 2021 was acquiring microchips that power every smart product. And the camera industry was no different with shortage in supply of products still on-going. In 2022 also most manufacturers will face this challenge, so be ready to see some delays.

So this rounds up the trends that we feel will become big in the year 2022. Do let us know in the comments what you think of them or if there is something that we have missed.

Sony has created the world’s first 1 stacked CMOS image sensor technology with 2 Layer Transistor Pixel. Whereas photodiodes and pixel transistors in typical CMOS image sensors share the same substrate, Sony’s innovative technology divides photodiodes and pixel transistors on independent substrate layers. This innovative architecture almost doubles 2 saturation signal level 3 compared to traditional image sensors, broadens dynamic range, and decreases noise, resulting in significantly improved imaging qualities. The pixel structure of the new technology will allow pixels to preserve or improve their present qualities at not only current but also reduced pixel sizes.



Sony’s new design represents a step forward in stacked CMOS image sensor technology. Sony placed the photodiodes and pixel transistors on separate substrates stacked one on top of the other using its unique stacking process.

Furthermore, because pixel transistors other than transfer gates (TRG), such as reset transistors (RST), select transistors (SEL), and amp transistors (AMP), occupy a photodiode-free layer, the size of the amp transistors may be expanded. Sony was able to significantly reduce noise in nighttime and other dark-location photos by increasing the size of amp transistors. This new technology’s increased dynamic range and noise reduction will avoid underexposure and overexposure in situations with a mix of bright and dim lighting (e.g., backlit settings) and enable high-quality, low-noise photographs even in low-light (e.g., interior, nighttime) circumstances.

Sony’s 2-Layer Transistor Pixel technology will help to realise increasingly high-quality imagery, such as smartphone pictures.

Princeton University and the University of Washington researchers have created an imaging system the size of a coarse grain of salt. It is based on a metasurface with 1.6 million cylindrical posts and functions similarly to a camera sensor. Each post functions as an optical antenna, receiving light to form the optical wavefront, and then developing a high-quality picture in full colour using AI algorithms. Traditional cameras employ a sophisticated set of plastic and glass lenses to bend light onto a sensor, which transmits impulses electronically. The new method is based on metasurface, which is a thin layer made up of individual microscopic parts designed to refract light in any desired direction.