How a Petzval Lens Could Change Your Photography

The latest from the Phoblographer for August 15th, 2025

Author

Chris Gampat
August 15, 2025

Subscribe to get the Phoblographer Banner-Ad Free for $25/year.

Here’s the latest:

The Hasselblad X2D II Might Best Fuji on Autofocus

By Nilofer Khan

August 15, 2025

It has been three years since Hasselblad launched a medium format camera, the X2D 100C. The device was powerful, offered immense details, and was something many professional photographers looked up to for their needs. However, since then, there has been no word about a successor, until recently. Reports have revealed that the X2D will finally get an heir soon, as soon as this month. Here is a look at the details.

4 Best Cameras From 2019, and 4 Disappointments to Avoid

By Nilofer Khan

August 15, 2025

The year 2019 was quite an exciting year for cameras. Why? Because many brands switched from DSLRs to mirrorless, medium-format cameras found a new footing in the DSLR world. While everything was still in its infancy, each of these companies showcased that if there is a will, there will be innovations. Here is a look at some of the best cameras from that time and some that won't stand a chance today.

Is Sigma Developing the Brightest Zoom Lens Yet?

By Nilofer Khan

August 15, 2025

Sigma has multiple zoom lenses in its portfolio. Options such as 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN Art, 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary, and 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports have enabled photographers to capture images of wide and distant objects and people. It now appears the company is focused on providing more options to its existing and new customers, with the introduction of new wide-angle zoom lenses. Here is a look at a patent that describes what they do.

The Yashica City 300 Aims to Ride the Current Wave of Digicam Demand

By Alberto Lima

August 15, 2025

If you've been paying attention to the cameras that are capturing the imaginations of new and younger photographers, you'll notice the trend towards pocketable, simple, and affordable point-and-shoot styled cameras. Yashica's latest City-series camera, the City 300, is one such camera that looks to hit all the right notes with some features typically reser­ved for higher-end cameras. Is this latest city camera the perfect urban companion for everyday adventures, or will it leave you feeling like you've made a wrong turn into a hyped, gentrifier’s restaurant with grass on the walls and no flavor on your plate? Let's dig in.

Kodak Crisis: Could Other Camera Brands Face the Same Fate?

By Nilofer Khan

August 14, 2025

The photo world has been having battles on multiple fronts. From the invasion of smartphones to the boom of AI to tariffs in the United States, the industry has been trying to find ways to keep itself going despite the challenges. However, in some cases, it seems the efforts are going in vain. For example, Kodak, one of the legacy brands in the photo world, fears it may have to shut down operations once and for all. But what does this crisis imply for other brands?

No Tubes, No Limits: Mitakon Macro Lens Brings Subjects 5X Closer

By Nilofer Khan

August 14, 2025

Macro lenses have enabled us to view the details of the unseen world with ease. Whether it is a dragonfly's eyes or a butterfly's wings, macro lenses showcase a side of nature that we interact with daily but never truly care about. While there are multiple lenses in this portfolio, Chinese manufacturer Zhongyi Optics has now introduced a new lens that offers a great magnification range for this genre: the Mitakon 55mm f2.8 1-5X Macro lens. What is this lens capable of? Let's find out.

The Best 100MP Cameras for Pro Photographers (And The One To Ditch)

By Nilofer Khan

August 14, 2025

A great medium-format camera offers various features, including image quality, weather sealing, and excellent autofocus performance. While there are multiple options to choose from today, we look at a few that can help you get the best of both worlds. These medium-format cameras are expensive, but they offer so much more than a full-frame camera. If you are wondering if they are worth it, then take a dive into this list.

The Thing Every Experienced Wildlife Photographer Needs

By Chris Gampat

August 14, 2025

If you're a wildlife photographer, we both know that you've worked really hard on the images that you make. Some are honestly much better than others -- and we shouldn't necessarily base that on how Instagram followers are rating it. We all have those one or two images that we're truly in love with, but others aren't. Sometimes, you end up capturing a moment that's rarely otherwise seen. These are the images that matter the most -- they're part of what makes you unique as a photographer. Look around on eBay, Etsy, and other places -- you'll find that these prints go for hundreds of dollars otherwise. And to maximize how much you make from those images, you should check out Lumaprints.

Burning Questions: WTF is a Petzval Lens?

By Alberto Lima

August 14, 2025

Photographers and Cinematographers are enamored with creative ways to separa­te their subjects from their backgrounds. One such trick is to implement a "swirly" background effect that turns otherwise mundane scenes into something out of a dream. Although the swirly bokeh effect may be getting lots of hype these days, it's far from a new advancement in photography; we can all thank Hungarian mathematician Joseph Petzval for this creative and game-changing effect.