Viltrox announced a new affordable vintage flash, the Viltrox Vintage Z2
Small but powerful, the Viltrox Vintage Z2 Flash for Canon is ideal for photographers seeking a compact, lightweight, and easy-to-use lighting solution. The straightforward design incorporates simple button controls, a battery level indicator, and a universal hot shoe connection. It features both automatic TTL and manual modes with five levels of power adjustment and comes with a diffuser.
Has five power levels from 1/16 to 1/1 and provides a 10W output
Supports both manual mode and fully automatic TTL mode
Has a fast two-second recycle time at full power
Built-in, rechargeable 420mAh battery delivers up to 700 full-power flashes
Recharges in 70 minutes via the integrated USB-C port
Includes a snap-on diffuser that softens the light
Canon patent P2026043301 has been found, which covers Canon 14mm f/1.4, 18mm f/1.4, and 35mm f/1.8 lenses. Below is a summary of the patent; you can also view it here on j-platpat.
Patent Analysis: Canon P2026-043301 Details New 14mm f/1.4, 18mm f/1.4, and 35mm f/1.8 RF Primes
Canon’s latest patent application out of Japan, P2026-043301 (published March 12, 2026), provides a transparent look at the optical engineering driving the next phase of the RF mount. The filing outlines three distinct wide-angle prime formulas: a 14mm f/1.4, an 18mm f/1.4, and a 35mm f/1.8.
More than just a list of focal lengths, the physical dimensions and optical complexities detailed in this patent confirm Canon’s strategy to standardize their primes for hybrid (stills and video) workflows.
Here is a breakdown of the specific embodiments and the engineering logic behind them.
The Engineering Context: Why VCM for the Ultra-Wides?
Before analyzing the specific lenses, the f/1.4 formulas in this patent must be viewed through the lens of Canon’s Voice Coil Motor (VCM) strategy.
Fast, ultra-wide primes require heavy, complex optical groups to correct for coma and distortion. Traditional Ring USM (Ultrasonic Motor) generates rotational force that translates to linear movement via mechanical gears or helicoids. While excellent for stills, this mechanical translation introduces micro-jitters and acoustic noise during continuous video autofocus.
VCM, paired with Nano USM, provides a direct magnetic linear drive. This allows Canon to glide massive f/1.4 focusing groups silently and fluidly. It also facilitates precise electronic breathing compensation. The 130mm and 121mm lengths of the 14mm and 18mm designs in this patent clearly indicate the physical space required to house this dual-motor VCM architecture, matching the footprint of the existing 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm VCM lenses.
Embodiment 1: RF 14mm f/1.4L VCM
Canon already dominates the ultra-wide zoom space, but an f/1.4 prime at 14mm is a specialized tool engineered primarily for astrophotography and architectural work.
Focal Length: 14.30mm
F-Stop: f/1.45
Half Angle of View: 56.71°
Total Lens Length: 130.00mm
Analysis: The 130mm physical length accommodates a heavily bulbous front element necessary to gather light across a 114° total field of view. The optical diagram reveals a dense cluster of rear elements. This is a classic hallmark of designs utilizing large-diameter GMo (Glass-Molded) aspherical glass to force light rays to strike the sensor perpendicularly, aggressively correcting the sagittal coma flare that plagues wide-open astrophotography.
Embodiment 2: RF 18mm f/1.4L VCM
This is a historic focal length for Canon. While 18mm is a standard in the APS-C and cinema worlds, Canon has traditionally skipped it in their full-frame stills lineup in favor of 14mm, 20mm, and 24mm.
Focal Length: 18.45mm
F-Stop: f/1.46
Half Angle of View: 49.33°
Total Lens Length: 121.17mm
Analysis: At 121.17mm, this lens fits the exact physical profile of the current f/1.4L VCM series, making it instantly swappable on a gimbal without rebalancing. The 18mm focal length fills a critical gap for hybrid shooters: it is wide enough for immersive vlogging and environmental portraits without inducing the severe perspective stretching seen at 14mm. To achieve f/1.4 in a 121mm barrel, this design likely relies heavily on digital distortion correction profiles rather than purely optical correction.
The inclusion of a 35mm f/1.8 is the most revealing aspect of this patent regarding Canon’s consumer lens strategy, as the RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM already exists.
Focal Length: 33.95mm
F-Stop: f/1.85
Half Angle of View: 32.55°
Total Lens Length: 96.88mm
Analysis: The current RF 35mm f/1.8 is an older, external-focusing design where the front barrel extends. This shifts the center of gravity and prevents the use of clamp-on matte boxes—both dealbreakers for video production. The 96.88mm formula in this patent strongly points to an internally focusing Mark II redesign. By utilizing a smaller, lighter internal focus group, Canon can significantly speed up autofocus, eliminate external movement, and bring their popular consumer prime up to modern hybrid standards.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is being marked as discontinued overseas, as camera bodies sell out. There are still camera bodies available, so grab them while you can
Laowa’s New Tilt-Shift Lens – 17mm f/4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift & Shift – Your Vision, Precisely in Control Laowa, a leading innovator in camera lens design, proudly announces the dual launch of the Laowa 17mm f/4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift and the 17mm f/4 Zero-D Shift. These lenses introduce a new era of precision for architectural and landscape photography, combining an ultra-wide 104° angle of view with unparalleled perspective control. Pairing the ±12mm shift capability for the tilt-shift version ±11mm for the shift version, and with the signature Zero-D design, they effectively eliminate optical distortion and the keystone effect, ensuring perfectly straight lines for every professional application. Although the lenses are designed primarily for full-frame mirrorless cameras, the expansive image circle provides ample coverage for medium format sensors with an incredible ±8mm shift capability. With the tilt-shift version, photographers gain control over the focus plane, allowing for both technical selective focus and the creative miniature effect. Both lenses offer a great blend of technical correction and artistic freedom, along with benefits such as a 360° rotation mechanism for seamless stitching, a 25cm close-focusing distance, and 14 aperture blades.
Comparison Between the Two
Product Name
17mm f/4 Zero-D Shift
17mm f/4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift
Features
17mm Ultra Wide Lens
Perspective Control
360° Lens Body Rotation for Easy Stitching
Plane of Focus Control
Miniature Effect Made Easy
Selective Focus for Creative Shots
Shift
±11mm*
±12mm*
Tilt
–
±10°
Weight
770g
810g
Mounts
Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, L-mount^, Fuji GFX, Hasselblad XCD
*±8mm on medium format camera for both tilt-shift and shift version
^Tilt-shift version is not compatible with the following Panasonic Lumix models: S52 S1M2 S1R2 S1M2E S5M2X
Optical Excellence: Zero-Distortion Design The cornerstone of the Laowa 17mm f/4 Tilt-Shift lens is its signature Zero-D (Zero-Distortion) design. While ultra-wide lenses typically suffer from barrel distortion that causes straight lines to curve—a significant challenge for architectural and interior photography—this lens is optically engineered to maintain geometric integrity. The Laowa 17mm f/4 Tilt-Shift lens ensures that vertical and horizontal lines remain perfectly straight from edge to edge. By correcting distortion optically rather than digitally, it removes the need for heavy post-processing. This allows photographers to avoid the significant resolution loss that occurs when stretching or warping pixels in software, preserving the maximum level of detail and sharpness across the entire frame.
Refined Rendering: 14-Blade Aperture The 14-blade aperture design helps create a more rounded bokeh, resulting in softer out-of-focus areas. Also, it translates into a softer, subtler Sunstar effect. This is especially beneficial in night cityscapes, where point light sources appear as smoother orbs rather than harsh points. This design enhances the overall aesthetic, allowing the subject to stand out more effectively.
Versatile Compositions: 25cm Min. Close-Focusing Distance In addition to its perspective control capabilities, the Laowa 17mm f/4 Tilt-Shift lens offers impressive flexibility with a minimum focusing distance of 25cm. This close-focusing ability allows photographers to get remarkably close to foreground subjects while still capturing the vastness of the background. It provides more creative options for emphasizing close-up subjects without sacrificing the sense of space.
The Power of Shift The 17mm ultra-wide focal length provides an expansive field of view, making it ideal for capturing tight interiors and grand architectural exteriors in a single frame with just a simple shift. The shift function eliminates the keystone effect. This ensures that vertical lines remain straight and parallel rather than converging, providing the professional geometric accuracy required for high-end real estate and architectural documentation. The advantage of doing it in-shot, instead of in-post, is to get the best quality of photo. Since software would require stretching, warping, and cropping pixels—which inevitably leads to a loss of resolution—the 17mm shift function preserves the full integrity of the image data. Every shot maintains its original sharpness and detail across the entire frame, delivering a clean, high-resolution output that is ready for large-scale printing.
When paired with the integrated 360-degree lens body rotation, the lens becomes a powerful tool for high-resolution stitching and panoramas in any orientation. Mounting the lens on a tripod keeps the image axis stationary during rotation and shifting, enabling the creation of expansive wide-angle images that maintain incredible detail and a natural sense of space. This capability is crucial for achieving perfect stitching in panorama photography.
The Art of Tilt The tilt function of the 17mm f/4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift lens introduces a sophisticated layer of creative control by allowing photographers to manipulate the orientation of the focus plane. By tilting the lens, you can achieve the famous miniature effect, which makes real-world landscapes and cityscapes appear like tiny, intricate scale models. This is achieved by creating a narrow strip of sharpness while blurring the rest of the frame, tricking the eye into perceiving a much shallower depth of field than is typically possible with such a wide-angle lens.
Beyond artistic effects, controlling the plane of focus is a crucial technical tool for professional photographers. By tilting the lens, you can align the plane of focus with the subject instead of keeping it parallel to the camera sensor. This allows photographers to adjust the image plane to emphasize the most important areas.
Furthermore, this ability to control the plane of focus allows photographers to achieve selective focus easily, enabling them to highlight specific elements within a complex composition. You can choose to keep a particular object or architectural detail in focus while the surrounding environment softly blurs away. This level of precision creates a more intentional narrative in your photography, guiding the viewer’s eye with accuracy. Whether aiming for technical perfection or a unique artistic signature, the tilt function transforms the 17mm f/4 into a versatile tool for visual storytelling.
User-Centric Design: 86mm Filter Thread and Arca-Swiss Support The Laowa 17mm f/4 Zero-D series is built with practical, on-site usability in mind, featuring a standard 86mm front filter thread. Unlike many ultra-wide lenses that require bulky, expensive external filter holders due to bulb-like front elements, this lens allows photographers to use common screw-in filters. For landscape and architectural shooters, this is a massive advantage—enabling the quick attachment of circular polarisers to cut reflections or ND filters for long exposures without adding unnecessary weight or complexity to their kit.
The 17mm f/4 is engineered for a seamless professional workflow, featuring an integrated Arca-Swiss lens support that allows for direct mounting to a tripod without the need for extra plates. For maximum versatility, the lens includes a 360-degree lens body rotation mechanism that features precise clicks every 15 degrees. This allows photographers to quickly and accurately switch between vertical, horizontal, and diagonal orientations.
Specification
Name
17mm f/4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift / Shift
Format
Full Frame
Focal Length
17mm
Aperture Range
f/4 – 22
Angle of View
104°
Lens Structure
18 elements in 12 groups
Aperture Blades
14
Shift
±12mm (±11mm for Shift version only) *
Tilt
±10° / –
Min. Focusing Distance
25cm
Max. Magnification
0.131X
Focusing System
MF
Filter Thread
Ø86mm
Dimensions
Ø93mm x 111mm
Weight
810g (770g for Shift version)
Mounts
Sony E / Nikon Z / Canon RF / L Mount^/ GFX / XCD
Price
USD 1249 (USD999 for Shift version)
*±8mm on medium format for both tilt-shift and shift versions ^Tilt-shift version is not compatible with the following Panasonic Lumix models: S52 S1M2 S1R2 S1M2E S5M2X
A remote built for speed, clarity, and confidence We are pleased to introduce the Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X – the next generation of on-camera flash control within the Elinchrom system. Built on the proven foundation of the Transmitter Pro, the Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X refines what matters most to professional photographers: clarity, control, and predictable results. More than a trigger, the Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X is the control centre of your lighting workflow – designed for photographers who demand speed, precision, and confidence when working with complex lighting setups.
What’s New
Modern colour touch screen with clear visual feedback
Real-time control of flash power and modelling lamps
HSS and Hi-Sync up to 1/8000s (camera and flash dependent)
TTL support for fast and accurate exposure
20 channels and 4 groups
Color-coded groups displayed on screen
Extended working range up to 200 m (656 ft)
Secure locking metal hotshoe
Firmware upgradable via USB-C
Powered by AA batteries
Integrated Bluetooth for future capabilities
Modern Colour Touch Screen
Your entire setup, under control The Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X is seamlessly integrated into the color-coded interface developed by Elinchrom. Each flash group is clearly displayed both on the transmitter’s screen and on each flash unit, where a bright LED indicator ensures immediate readability and intuitive navigation.
Power settings, color-coded groups, and modeling light controls are presented clearly and logically, giving you full control over your entire lighting setup — directly from the camera.
No guesswork. No menu diving. Just clear, actionable information when it matters most.
Visual Feedback & Two-Way Control
Go beyond your camera’s X-sync High Speed Sync and Hi-Sync enable shutter speeds of up to 1/8000 second, depending on camera and flash combination. Freeze motion, control ambient light, or work with wide apertures in bright conditions.
With TTL, your camera communicates directly with Elinchrom studio flashes and automatically adjusts flash output to ensure correct exposure from the very first shot. Ideal for fast-paced and demanding environments such as weddings, events, and reportage photography.
After the first exposure, settings can easily be fine-tuned or locked and switched to manual control for full creative freedom.
Refined Ergonomics
Faster access. Smoother workflow The Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X is designed for intuitive and efficient handling. Improved unit and group selection, along with responsive navigation, make adjustments faster and more precise.
The display shows flash groups using the same colour coding as Elinchrom’s latest flash units – a unique feature that makes setup fast and intuitive.
Every interaction is designed to reduce friction and increase confidence.
Reliable Range
Freedom to work without compromise With a working range of up to 200 metres (656 ft) outdoors and 60 metres (196 ft) indoors, the Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X delivers dependable performance even in demanding environments.
A Connected Platform
Designed to evolve Built on a next-generation hardware platform, the Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X is designed to support future capabilities within the Elinchrom ecosystem. Integrated Bluetooth connectivity and firmware updates via USB-C ensure long-term relevance as the system evolves.
The Elinchrom Transmitter Pro X is available for Canon, Sony, Nikon, and Fujifilm and is designed to work seamlessly across the Elinchrom lighting ecosystem, supporting both studio and on-location workflows with the same logic and consistency.
