Photo news: Canon's travel zoom, "Bigma" and CAI as Adobe beta

Contents

It seems as if the photography industry has declared lens weeks just before the summer: Only the week before last, Sony's FE 50-150 mm F2 GM was unveiled, and now two other interesting optics are making the news. Let's start with the affordable one: Just €299 is the RRP for Canon's RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 for the RF mount. Sounds like a typical travel zoom that perhaps doesn't quite deliver the best optical performance.

Canon's RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 is an old acquaintance

And this is confirmed by the technical data, even if we have not yet had the lens in our hands: 13 lenses in 9 groups and a DC motor sound more like something from the DSLR era. In fact, on the product page of the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III – introduced in 1999 – Canon refers to a newer model, the RF lens just mentioned. This has become 27 grams heavier, which is probably due to the new weather sealing, but is not pricier. And at 507 grams, it is still light for a 4.3x zoom. That, and a light 50mm or 35mm fixed focal length will take you quite far on long trips.

Sigma's fast super telephoto in the test

If, on the other hand, you want to take Sigma's latest lens with you, you have to think carefully about whether you want to lug the almost 4 kilos just for the lens around with you all day. Because that is the price – in addition to the 7000 euros RRP – for a fast super telephoto lens. We are talking about the 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports, which is now being delivered. Sigma announced it back in February 2025, and in view of the optical data, it is clear that this giant tube is for sports and wildlife photography.

Thanks to a continuous aperture of f/4.0, the question always arises, especially with such extreme focal lengths: Is it still sharp at open aperture? Yes, is the answer from Petapixel, who have already been able to test the lens in a YouTube video. As expected, stopping down brings more sharpness, but judging by the sample images at f/4.0, it is still very usable. Otherwise, we liked the numerous setting options, including the freely assignable ring that is provided ex works for the aperture.

However, the columnist has to disagree with his colleagues on one point: the new 300-600mm does not qualify as the new "Bigma". This nickname was first coined for the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG, which at 15.7 kilograms – therefore also has a carrying handle – requires even more muscle power from the photographer. Released in 2008, and still unrivaled with its zoom range and f/2.8 throughout, it costs around 19,000 euros. But: It was available for Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma's SA mount. For the time being, the new 300-600mm is only available for Sony's E and L mount. Presumably the license fees from Canon and Nikon are behind this once again.

Adobe launches public beta for Content Credentials

For as long as this column has been around, it has been reporting on CAI/C2PA, also known as "Content Credentials", in short: the seal of authenticity for photos. Using GPS data including time and place as well as camera model and the name of the photographer, the circumstances of an image are to be recorded cryptographically securely in image data. In times of AI fakes, this is a matter of course, especially for press photos – one might think. CAI is already available for large agencies, but even Sony, for example, with the widest range of compatible cameras, still only wants to make it accessible to professionals.

Apparently Adobe is now fed up with the constant dragging out of the standard. No wonder, as the top dog for media software originally launched the CAI in 2019. Now the company has also made its Adobe Content Authenticity App available for a public beta test. Anyone was supposed to be able to participate – but the author's Adobe account was promptly put on the waiting list. So for now, the only thing left to judge is the blog entry from Adobe, which describes how this is supposed to work. Among other things, it is noteworthy that when signing the images, you can also specify whether they should be available for AI training. However, as this is a subsequent certificate issued by the user for images, this is not quite what you would expect from CAI for press photos.

Why the first Nikon F changed photography

Our recommendation for the Long Read for Sunday or the start of the week is also about a piece of the history of press photography. It's about the technology and marketing of the first Nikon F, which came onto the market in 1959. In it, Knut Gielen has beautifully traced how the first F was a success not only because of its modular concept – change the viewfinder on a modern system camera today –. But also because Nikon placed it prominently at social events.

Because the camera was also very robust and reliable, it eventually established itself as the preferred tool for professional photographers, even without any tricks. And in the following decades, numerous successor models followed. The lenses for the F-mount always remained mechanically compatible. Today, anyone who wants to can screw them onto the mirrorless flagship Z9 with fully manual operation, but this is more of a hobby. Incidentally, the last analog camera in the F series, the F6, only appeared in 2004 and was built until 2020.

(nie)