Gear of the Month | February 2024

With what was a relatively dry month for products from January out of the way, February was a different story. Not unlike February last year when we saw the launch of the Canon EOS R8, Canon EOS R50 and a slew of lenses from Canon, Nikon, Sony and OM SYSTEM; this year, we have been gifted several treats. 

The launch of the Fujifilm X100VI will bring great joy to many, many, many people. We’ve also seen offerings from Sony, Panasonic, Sigma and Laowa as well as a brand launch from Gomatic. But as always, remember, electronics stock can fluctuate rapidly. If something you’ve got your eye on isn’t available now, it likely will be soon, so keep checking back.

Let’s get down to business, shall we?

Calling all street, documentary and travel photographers, videographers and Fujifilm enthusiasts. That’s right, the X100VI is here and we’re dammed happy about it. It’s no secret that demand for the Fujifilm X100V was so high that it became one of the hardest cameras to get your hands on. Even three years after it was announced, stock issues plagued those eager to get one. But that ends here.

The X100VI is Fujifilm’s latest offering and takes what the photography world loves about the X100V and elevates it to match industry standards. Compatible with all its predecessor's accessories, the X100VI steps it up a notch with a 40MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, X-Processor 5 and a new low base ISO of 125. Compared to the last model, this new iteration features 6-stop IBIS, AI subject detection with the latest AF algorithm and offers 6.2K30P and 4K60P video recording. 

The X100VI keeps the same 23mm f2 Mark II lens (equivalent to 35mm full frame) but that’s okay because quite frankly, it’s a beautiful lens. 

We were lucky enough to try out the X100VI in Marrakesh to test how it performs and give our opinions. You can check that video out below.

Laowa is a brand that has been coming out with some excellent lenses as of late, mostly at more affordable prices than their native lens counterparts. The Laowa FFII 10mm f2.8 C&D Dreamer AF lens is their latest lens offering. Available for Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF and L-Mount, this lens is built for full-frame and offers a huge 130-degree field of view that is perfect for architecture and landscape photography.

This lens also has a wide f2.8 maximum aperture that naturally allows for lower light situations but also pairs well with the wide-angle view for astrophotography. On the other end of the spectrum, its close focusing distance of just 12cm and effective distortion control, allows you to explore the world of macro photography. So despite what initial thoughts you might have with a 10mm lens, this one is surprisingly versatile. 

Sony’s latest offering is the Sony FE 24-50mm f2.8 G lens. This is a compact and lightweight standard zoom lens that could easily become an everyday, always-on-the-camera lens. The range is versatile enough to cater to most situations and the maximum f2.8 aperture allows for shooting in lower light situations as well as giving you that extra control of depth of field. It also has a remarkable close focus distance of 19cm at the wide end and 30cm at the 50mm end which only adds to its flexibility. It seems to us that this lens would be suitable for someone who would ideally like Sony’s 24-70 f2.8 G Master but doesn’t like “big lenses”.

Generally, if you wanted to take a 500mm out with you on a shoot, you’d probably need an enormous camera bag to fit all your gear or a separate bag altogether to house it. But that isn’t the case with the Sigma AF 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS I Sports. Available in L-Mount and Sony E-Mount, this lens is small compared to other 500mm lenses on the market. It exhibits the same high-quality construction that we’ve come to expect from Sigma lenses including effect weather resistance and an overall premium feel. 

As with any telephoto lens such as this, this lens is designed with sports and wildlife photographers in mind. It is fitted with a high-speed HLA motor and 5 stops of stabilisation with OS2 algorithm, which combined with the lightweight lens build and the speed of the cameras that this lens is intended for, makes this lens very capable.

Another ultra-wide angle lens arrived this month in the form of Sigma’s 15mm F1.4 DG DN Diagonal Fisheye I Art lens. Branded as the world's first full-frame f1.4 diagonal fisheye lens, it offers a unique 180° angle-of-view and all the desirable effects you would want from a fisheye lens (unsure of what that really is? Check out our camera lens type article that explains all the different types there are.)

This particular lens is aimed at astro, architecture and landscape photographers. But of course, it being a fisheye, it lends itself to those creative folk out there photographing and video sports like skateboarding. And that maximum f1.4 aperture means that you’ll have a lot more room to play when shooting in low-light situations.

Panasonic has dropped what it claims to be the world's smallest and lightest 7x zoom full-frame lens. The Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f4-7.1 Macro OIS Lens is equipped with a wide focal range that can cater to almost any shooting scenario. Because of this, this lens is ideal for travel photography when you don’t want to bring lots of equipment and keep your weight down. This type of compact and always-on-the-camera lens is often met with criticism but this lens seems to perform very well — surprisingly so! This is definitely a lens for a person who wants a lens that can do it all.

Lacie is a household name in the world of portable memory storage and their latest range of Rugged Mini SSDs will further solidify its standing. Now, LaCie has many similar-looking external hard drives, many of which are difficult to differentiate due to design and product name. And I’d be lying if these didn’t exhibit the same potentially confusing design tropes. However, this series differs from other LaCie Rugged SSDs on a few key points: a new and easily pocketable form factor, IP54 water/dust protection rating and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 mode for enhanced file transfer speeds. 

Of course, the Rugged series is characterised by how rugged and hardy the SSDs are (and shown here when we put a LaCie hard drive through its paces). This new range continues with a tough exterior that protects against accidental drops, shock or pressure. So, if you are an adventure photographer who travels the world, or just a bit clumsy, these hard drives may be the answer.

This portable hard drive is available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB

About the Author

Leo White has been a member of the Wex Photo Video team since 2018, working in a variety of roles ranging from the contact centre to the product setup team. With both a photography BA and MA, Leo has a wealth of knowledge he's ready to share.