Friday afternoon, I'm sitting in Causeway Bay with a flat white going cold and the GH7 next to me, finally catching up on the week. Honestly, this was one of those weeks where the news cycle moved faster than I could keep up — Sigma quietly shipped a roadmap that solves a real problem, Sony's A7 V production ramped up to clear backorders, Tamron's 35-150mm f/2-2.8 VXD actually showed up in stock at B&H, and Fujifilm dropped a NYC event date that I'm now mildly obsessing over. Let me run through what actually mattered, in the order I personally care about it.
Sony A7 V production ramps up to clear backorders
The biggest news of the week, for me, is that Sony A7 V production lines at Sony's factory in Thailand have reportedly expanded significantly, aiming to satisfy global backorders ahead of Q4. After topping sales charts through spring, supply has been tight, but the shortage is finally easing.
For Sony shooters — and there are a lot of you reading this — this is great news if you've been on waiting lists since early spring. The jump from the A7 IV to the A7 V is substantial, especially on autofocus and rolling shutter performance. With supply catching up, buying without extended shipping delays is finally on the horizon.
What I'm personally watching: does the A7 V get the global shutter that the A1 II didn't, or just the rolling shutter with faster readout? Because if it gets global shutter at the A7 IV price point, that changes the conversation for video shooters completely. I have not seen confirmed specs yet but the chatter from Sony Alpha Rumors this week suggests it's still rolling shutter with a major readout speed boost, not full global. We will see.
Sigma quietly solved the 24-70 problem
Okay, this is the story that surprised me most. Sigma published a 2026 lens roadmap that includes a 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art for mirrorless — and on paper that solves a problem I have been complaining about for two years.
The problem: every manufacturer makes a 24-70mm f/2.8. Every single one. Some are better than others. None of them are exactly what hybrid shooters want. The 24-70 range is a portrait-and-event range that starts a little too wide and ends a little too short. A 28-105mm f/2.8 keeps the wide end usable for environmental portraits and pushes the long end into proper telephoto territory for events. That is the focal length range event photographers have been begging for, quietly, for a decade.
Sigma's existing 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is already one of the best third-party standard zooms you can buy. If they ship a 28-105mm f/2.8 with similar build quality and weight — call it 900g, similar to the 24-70 — this becomes the default event and wedding lens for a lot of Sony and L-mount shooters. I will be writing a much longer piece on this once I have hands-on time, which I am hoping is around late Q3.
Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD (A058) back in stock
Quick one: the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD (Model A058) for Sony E — the one that was announced in 2024 and has been 'shipping soon' for eighteen months — is now actually in stock at B&H and Adorama. I flagged this on the LensClear blog earlier this week because it matters. This is arguably the most useful single zoom lens you can buy for Sony E-mount if you shoot events, weddings, or portraits.
The lens features fast VXD autofocus, a slightly lighter body, and a USB-C port for firmware updates. The original 35-150mm f/2-2.8 was already legendary for event shooters who wanted to carry one lens and not miss shots. This is the version Sony shooters have been relying on. If you have been on the fence, this is the moment.
Fujikina NYC 2026 is happening — and I am trying to go
Fujifilm announced Fujikina NYC 2026, October 16-18 at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan. Three days of hands-on time with whatever Fujifilm announces between now and then — almost certainly an X-T6, possibly an X-Pro4, definitely some kind of surprise. The X-Pro line is overdue for a refresh and the X-T5 has been out for almost two years now.
Real talk: I have not been to a Fujikina event yet. I shoot Panasonic, not Fuji, but I have been eyeing the X-T5 for a dedicated street body since I wrote about using one for six months earlier this week. If Leo lets me expense the flight, I will be there. If not, I will be refreshing the news feeds like everyone else.
Aputure MC Pro vs Godox M1: my money is on Aputure
I published a head-to-head this week between the Aputure MC Pro and the Godox M1 — two small RGB LED panels aimed at portrait and product shooters. I have been using both for about six weeks, including on a couple of product shoots and a portrait session in Sheung Wan. Short version: the MC Pro is the better panel if you care about color accuracy and CRI. The M1 is the better panel if you care about price and battery life. Neither is wrong.
Both panels do the job. The MC Pro's CRI 96+ means skin tones look right without me having to mess with the white balance in post, which on a paid portrait shoot saves me about ten minutes per set. That is a real workflow win. The Godox M1 is half the price and runs 30% longer on a single battery. If you shoot video and need a constant-on light for hours, the M1 wins. For stills, MC Pro.
And a quick shoutout to the astrophotography piece
I also published a guide this week on doing astrophotography from light-polluted cities — which, as someone shooting in Hong Kong most weekends, is a topic I have real opinions on. Short version: a star tracker changes everything. A clip-in narrowband filter changes more. You do not need a dark-sky site to get usable Milky Way shots anymore. The full guide is on the blog with my actual settings from the GH7 plus the OM 12-40mm.
What I am personally watching into next week
Three things. One: any leaks or official confirmation on Sony A7 V specs beyond the mass production report. Two: Sigma's full announcement on the 28-105mm f/2.8 — I want to know the price and weight. Three: any Fuji rumors ahead of the NYC event in October.
If you have been shooting with anything older than a 2023-era body and you are wondering if this is the year to upgrade — honestly, yeah. The prices are starting to come down on the older generation as the new ones are announced, and the used market is going to flood with A7 IVs once the A7 V ships. That's your window.
Anyway, that's the week. Have a good weekend, get outside and shoot something, and I'll see you Monday with the next piece.
— Leo
Cover image: A moody weekend-evening scene representative of this week's photography news roundup — Sigma, Sony, Tamron, Fujifilm, Aputure, and Godox all made moves worth tracking.