The 5 Coolest Pieces of New Photo Gear

It’s that time again to for a monthly round-up of the coolest photo gear that we found in May 2014. The gear isn’t necessarily the “best” or the creme de la creme, but they piqued our fancy. In no particular order:

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM

Following on the success of their 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens, Sigma returns with another awesome entry in their Art series. The 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM is definitely not cheap at $949 (especially when compared to the $349 Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM), but according to DxOMark, its performance is second only to the $3990 Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus Distagon T*. So if you want sharper than sharp in a normal lens, this bad boy is for you.

Sony RX100 III

Like Fuji, Sony has been surprising people with their high quality non-DSLRs for some time. The Sony RX100 is now in its 3rd iteration, and features a built-in electronic viewfinder and a faster (but shorter) zoom lens. If you’re looking for a truly pocketable point-and-shoot, this should be on you short list.

Mitakon 50mm f/0.95 Speedmaster

It’s a bit soft wide open. It has a lot of vignetting. The bokeh has a weird streakiness to it. But it’s fast. Almost Stanley Kubrick fast. If you’re suffering from Gear Aquisition Syndrome, this hunk of glass will make you fall off the wagon.

Adidas ZX Flux with Your Instagram Photos

Why let shoe designers have all the fun? Adidas is launching an app to allow you to wrap your Instagram images around their Adidas ZX Flux. Sure, maybe your design won’t be coveted by sneaker afficionados, but it will be uniquely yours.

Lomo’Instant

Instant film has been cool since it was born from Polaroid to Instax to Impossible Project to New55 Film. Equally hip brand Lomography is joining the fray with a Kickstarter project to bring to life a customizable Lomo’Instant camera. And unlike some other delayed projects, the prototype is already designed and ready for production, so you won’t have to wait 2 years to get yours.