→ New Nikon Z6/Z7 books in German language (for the latest Nikon Z books in English, check Amazon US, Amazon CA and Amazon UK).
→ Rare NASA Nikon Nikkor EVA modified 35mm f/1.4 AI-S lens listed on eBay:
The EVA version had specially formulated lubricants and adhesives that could allow the lens to perform in extreme temperature ranges and inside the vacuum of space without the fear of outgassing. The lens had an oversized serrated focus and aperture ring that was all metal, unlike the rubber grips of their commercial counterparts. These rings each had two threaded holes bored into them. This was to accommodate tabs (basically little metal rods) that could be screwed into place to allow the astronaut the ability to more easily adjust the focus and/or the aperture settings. This was the original thought when the lens was designed, however in actual use, astronauts found that, even with an action finder installed on the camera body, the distance between their eyes (set behind the mask of their space helmet) was too far away to accurately focus the lens on EVA. The aperture was almost always set wide open anyway to gather as much light as possible. Ironically, the ‘tabs’, which were supposed to allow greater control of the images captured, would often accidentally get bumped, changing their setting and ultimately result in out of focus or incorrectly exposed images. Later EVAs would preset the focus and the aperture and the ‘tabs’ wouldn’t even be installed to try to improve the quality of the images taken on the spacewalks.
→ Product recall for the power cord of Nikon EH-5c and Nikon EH-6c adapters sold only in Japan (does not apply for the rest of the world).
→ Nikon launched their 2019 CP+ show site (February 28 – March 3).
→ Meike 50mm f/1.7 Z-mount lens unboxing video and sample image. You can see quick hands-on preview of the lens with a few sample photos at the Nikon Z6/Z7 Facebook group.
→ Panasonic S1 vs. Nikon Z6 autofocus performance test (via L-Forum).
→ Photo Tips from Joe McNally at Epcot.
