Tag: Flash

Viltrox Vintage Z2 TTL: Radical On-Camera Flash

Viltrox, the leading innovator in high-performance photographic equipment, has launched the Vintage Z2 TTL, an ultra-compact on-camera flash designed to bridge the gap between minimalist portable aesthetics and professional lighting performance. With the slogan, ‘Barely There. Boldly Lit’, the Viltrox Vintage Z2 TTL is engineered for photographers who demand high-quality illumination without the inconvenient bulk and weight of traditional flash units.

Radical portability: Unbelievably compact
The Vintage Z2 TTL challenges the conventions of external camera lighting by being significantly smaller than traditional flashes. Weighing merely 52g, it is pocket-sized, minimizing load on the camera body and hot shoe.

This lightweight flash can remain in position without user fatigue, making it an ideal companion for minimal mirrorless setups and fast-paced creativity. The flash folds down, while still attached, for streamlined mobility and storage. Whether folded or extended, the Z2 maintains smooth visual continuity with the camera, appearing as a natural extension of the camera body.

Intuitive TTL performance or manual precision
Despite its diminutive size and weight, the Vintage Z2 is a functional powerhouse. Instant response TTL Mode uses real-time metering to automatically adjust flash output for naturally balanced exposures. For creators needing more deliberate control, Manual mode provides five levels of precise power adjustment from 1/1 to 1/16, enabling consistent results in controlled environments.

A dedicated one-touch switch switches between these modes, allowing photographers to transition from the speed of automation to the precision of manual control instantly. A clear button layout and intuitive mode indicator lights ensure confident operation, even in low-light conditions.

Professional capability in a compact frame
The Vintage Z2 TTL keeps pace with fast-moving assignments, delivering up to 700 full-power flashes on a single charge of its 420mAh battery. Two second recycle time ensures the flash is ready for rapid consecutive shots. Elevated light placement creates natural, dimensional lighting – avoiding the flat imaging of low-mounted flashes.

Technical specifications are impressive, with a color temperature of 6500±200K and a guide number of GN: 6. Flash duration ranges from 1/16500s to 1/50000s, fast enough to freeze motion effectively.

Seamless compatibility and power management
Dedicated hot shoe versions of the Vintage Z2 for Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Canon systems, ensure optimized TTL flash performance across all major platforms. For other cameras with a standard hot shoe, the Z2 remains fully functional in Manual mode. The integrated rechargeable battery is charged via USB Type-C, reaching full charge in about 70 minutes. To preserve power, the Z2’s intelligent Sleep Mode activates after 15 minutes of inactivity, requiring only a simple restart to resume operation.

Availability and design
The Viltrox Vintage Z2 TTL On-Camera Flash is available for two mounting systems. The Sony version measures 66.7×38.5×33.4 mm, while the Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm versions measure 64.6×38.5×33.4 mm.

The quick-mount hot shoe allows instant attachment and firm locking, making it the most efficient lighting tool for the modern, mobile photographer who will not compromise performance for portability.

Expanding Viltrox’s flash lineup
By combining radical lightweight engineering with clean, contemporary design, the Vintage Z2 TTL strengthens Viltrox’s growing flash portfolio. Following Viltrox’s Vintage Z1 – celebrated for its retro-inspired aesthetics and compact everyday usability – and the Spark Z3, with its old cyberpunk-inspired design and integrated TTL functionality, the Z2 represents the next step in this evolution. It pushes portability and minimalist aesthetics even further, while retaining intelligent TTL performance.

 

More details and how to buy
For more information, please visit:

Vintage Z2 Mini TTL On-Camera Flash

Amazon Store US:

Amazon Store Europe

MSRP: $35.99 / €36.99 / £31.99

 

FUJIFILM instax mini Evo Cinema Review

The FUJIFILM instax mini Evo Cinema has been one of the most questioned about devices I have had to date and quite the talking point at home and when out and about especially when testing it out along with the instax mini Link+ smartphone printer.

This camera also comes with an on board printer and an app which transfers data from the camera to your phone and you can edit shots in there and see all your videos an photos you have taken.

This is a one handed device looks cool and full of switches and dials and the main feautre is the dial that allows you to turn back time giving your videos that retro look we have some samples below so you can see what this is all about. You can pick between the 1920s up to the 2020s on the dial and see the differences with them.

On the side there is the on/off button still and cine and framing button along with the zoom and print options. You can also adjust the lens for more effects and there is a clip on eye piece there. All of this might sound cumbersome but it is not and still looks super cool and again you can print on the go which is neat. On the back is an LCD monitors a naviwheel for adjusting settings and several other buttons one being a back button play button and menu button.

On the front is your adjustable lens your mirror for selfies for photos and videos your flash and the capture button for videos and photos, the clips can be up to 15 seconds for videos only.

After you go through the settings let the nostalgia begin with videos and photos you can replay or look and images and videos on the camera itself or have them auto transfer to your smartphone and do some more like editing and so on, we have some clips to shows you with different years and editing below..

Overall this is a niche camera but fun and looks great, there was some lag during testing and battery life not great but enough for what most will use it for and with USB-C charging it will charge faster than previous cameras and it is a joy to use looks great and a great conversation starter and not forgetting you do not need a separate printer as there is on built in which makes this shine even more.

 

Mini Evo App

 

Main Features: 

Eras Dial™

The mini Evo Cinema hybrid instant camera features a first for instax™ cameras – the Eras Dial™, which allows users to apply photo effects from 10 different eras to their image – from the grainy, pale tones of the 1930s, to a 1960s effect inspired by 8mm film cameras, to the vibrant colors of the 1980s, and to the sharp, rich imagery of the 2020s. Each era is designed to capture the look and feel of the imagery of that time.

Degree Control Dial

Content created in each era can be fine-tuned with any of the 10 effects from the Degree Control Dial on the lens. By simply rotating the dial to precisely adjust color, contrast, and noise expression – users can create up to 10 creative variations per era.

Frame Switch

Once an era is chosen and the intensity of the era is selected via the Degree Control Dial, users can continue to personalize by adding a frame to every shot or video clip utilizing the Frame Switch. There’s a frame for every era, each paying homage to the characteristics, media, and playback devices that defined that time.

CINE/STILL Modes

Users can easily switch between “CINE” and ”STILL” modes to capture either a video or photo, respectively, with ease. In CINE mode, users can shoot a series of clips – up to 15 seconds in total – and the camera will stitch them into one smooth video automatically. Via the free, downloadable instax mini EvoTM smartphone app, users can connect via Bluetooth® and extend video creations to 30 seconds by adding or reordering clips.

Zoom Lever

The mini Evo Cinema features built-in digital zoom. The tactile Zoom Lever lets you dial up the intimacy of the shot or pull back for greater scope and more atmosphere.

“My Gallery”

Within the instax mini Evo™ app, the My Gallery section provides users a secure place to store the images and videos they create, segmented into categories including Favorites, Printed, Video, Photo, Projects. Through this function, users can also save printed images digitally to their smartphone’s camera roll, finished with the iconic instaxTM mini border.

Video Printing

Users can access videos via a one-of-a-kind instax™ mini instant photo printed with a QR code ready to be scanned and played back on a smartphone. Video is captured as standard at 600 x 800, and with the 2020 Era selection is captured at 1080 x 1440.

Timeless Design

With sleek black, vertical grip design (inspired by Fujifilm’s “FUJICA Single-8”, an 8mm camera introduced in 1965); and analog-inspired details, this hybrid instant camera is meticulously crafted for those who appreciate tactile functions alongside beauty and elegance.

Additional camera features include:

 

  • Remote shooting capability (via app)
  • Integrated Selfie Mirror and Self-Timer
  • 1.54-inch high-resolution LCD Monitor
  • Print Lever
  • The camera features an analog-style printing operation lever – lift and twist to print a photo.
  • Accessories
      • The mini Evo Cinema includes viewfinder and grip attachments, and a premium hand strap.
  • USB-C & Micro SD Card Slots
  • Integrated flash/continuous light source

 

BUY visit https://instax.ie/cameras/mini-evo-cinema/

Other instax reviews

Video Review 

Google Introduces Nano Banana Pro

Just a few months ago Google released Nano Banana, our Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model. From restoring old photos to generating mini figurines, Nano Banana was a big step in image editing that empowered casual creators to express their creativity. Check out whats new in the release below

Today, we’re introducing Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image), our new state-of-the art image generation and editing model. Built on Gemini 3 Pro, Nano Banana Pro uses Gemini’s state-of-the-art reasoning and real-world knowledge to visualize information better than ever before. 

How Nano Banana Pro helps you bring any idea or design to life 

Nano Banana Pro can help you visualize any idea and design anything – from prototypes, to representing data as infographics, to turning handwritten notes into diagrams. 

With Nano Banana Pro, now you can:

Generate more accurate, context-rich visuals based on enhanced reasoning, world knowledge and real-time information 

With Gemini 3’s advanced reasoning, Nano Banana Pro doesn’t just create beautiful images, it also helps you create more helpful content. You can get accurate educational explainers to learn more about a new subject, like context-rich infographics and diagrams based on the content you provide or facts from the real world. Nano Banana Pro can also connect to Google Search’s vast knowledge base to help you create a quick snapshot for a recipe or visualize real-time information like weather or sports. 

Generate better visuals with more accurate, legible text directly in the image in multiple languages 

Nano Banana Pro is the best model for creating images with correctly rendered and legible text directly in the image, whether you’re looking for a short tagline, or a long paragraph. Gemini 3 is great at understanding depth and nuance, which unlocks a world of possibilities with image editing and generation – especially with text. Now you can create more detailed text in mockups or posters with a wider variety of textures, fonts and calligraphy. With Gemini’s enhanced multilingual reasoning, you can generate text in multiple languages, or localize and translate your content so you can scale internationally and/or share content more easily with friends and family.

 

Create high-fidelity visuals with upgraded creative capabilities 

  • Consistency by design: With Nano Banana Pro, you can blend more elements than ever before, using up to 14 images and maintaining the consistency and resemblance of up to 5 people. Whether turning sketches into products or blueprints into photorealistic 3D structures, you can now bridge the gap between concept and creation. Apply your desired visual look and feel to your mockups with ease, ensuring your branding remains seamless and consistent across every touchpoint.

  • Studio-quality creative controls: With Nano Banana Pro’s new capabilities we are putting advanced creative controls directly into your hands. Select, refine antransform any part of an image with improved localized editing. Adjust camera

angles, change the focus and apply sophisticated color grading, or even transform scene lighting (e.g. changing day to night or creating a bokeh effect). Your creations are ready for any platform, from social media to print, thanks to a range of available aspect ratios and available 2K and 4K resolution.

How you can try Nano Banana Pro today 

Across our products and services, you now have a choice: the original Nano Banana for fast, fun editing, or Nano Banana Pro for complex compositions requiring the highest quality and visually sophisticated results. 

  • Consumers and students: Rolling out globally in the Gemini app when you select ‘Create images’ with the ‘Thinking’ model. Our free-tier users will receive limited free quotas, after which they will revert to the original Nano Banana model. Google AI

Plus, Pro and Ultra subscribers receive higher quotas. For AI Mode in Search, Nano Banana Pro is available in the U.S. for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. For NotebookLM, Nano Banana Pro is also available for subscribers globally. 

  • Professionals: We’re upgrading image generation in Google Ads to Nano Banana Pro to put cutting-edge creative and editing power directly into the hands of advertisers globally. It’s also rolling out starting today to Workspace customers in Google Slides and Vids. 
  • Developers and enterprise: Accessible via the Gemini API and Google AI Studio, and in Google Antigravity to create rich UX layouts & mockups; enterprises can start building in Vertex AI for scaled creation today and it’s coming soon to Gemini Enterprise. 
  • Creatives: Available to Google AI Ultra subscribers in Flow, our AI filmmaking tool, to give creatives, filmmakers and marketers even more precision and control over their frames and scenes. 

How to identify AI-generated images in the Gemini app 

We believe it’s critical to know when an image is AI-generated. This is why media generated by Google’s tools are embedded with our imperceptible SynthID digital watermark. 

Today, we are putting a powerful verification tool directly in consumers’ hands: you can now upload an image into the Gemini app and simply ask if it was generated by Google AI, thanks to SynthID technology. We are starting with images, but will expand to audio and video soon. 

In addition to SynthID, we will maintain a visible watermark (the Gemini sparkle) on images generated by free and Google AI Pro tier users, to make images even more easy to detect as Google AI-generated.

 Recognizing the need for a clean visual canvas for professional work, we will remove the visible watermark from images generated by Google AI Ultra subscribers. 

You can find out more about how we’re increasing transparency in AI content with SynthID in our blog post.

Viltrox Upcoming Lens Lineup and New TTL Flash at IBC 2025

Viltrox, a leading innovator in photographic and cine optics, will unveil a diverse portfolio of upcoming products at IBC 2025. Visitors can discover the brand’s latest advances in lens and imaging technology, including new autofocus lenses, a next-generation TTL flash, and intelligent optical solutions designed to enhance creative workflows.

Product Highlights at IBC 2025

 

  • AF 50mm F1.4 Pro – a professional-grade full-frame lens delivering exceptional sharpness and outstanding low-light performance.
  • AF 9mm F2.8 Air (APS-C) & AF 14mm F4.0 Air (Full-Frame) – ultra-wide lenses from the lightweight Air series, engineered for creators who prioritize portability without compromising quality.
  • AF 85mm F2.0 EVO – the first lens in the new EVO series, combining refined optics with a modern design language.
  • Z3 TTL Camera Flash – featuring a unique mech-inspired design with powerful lighting control.
  • Nexus AI Autofocus Adapter – an innovative adapter integrating artificial intelligence to expand focusing capabilities.

 

A Complete Optical Ecosystem

Beyond first-look products, Viltrox will present its broader ecosystem, including the LAB, Pro, and Air lens series, the DL-mount lineup for DJI Ronin 4D and Inspire 3, and the Epic 1.33X anamorphic cine lenses. Together, this range underscores Viltrox’s commitment to empowering photographers, filmmakers, and hybrid creators with versatile tools that elevate visual storytelling.

Inspiring Creativity

Under the theme “Powering Every Vision,” Viltrox highlights its mission to provide reliable, high-quality, and customizable optical solutions that inspire creativity and innovation worldwide.

Visit Viltrox at IBC 2025

Viltrox invites industry professionals, creators, and media representatives to visit Hall 11, Booth A09 at RAI Amsterdam from September 12–15, 2025 to experience the next generation of imaging solutions firsthand.

Viltrox Brightens Photography Scene With New Vintage Z1 Retro Camera Flash

Viltrox is pleased to announce the new Vintage Z1 camera flash, which brings retro aesthetics and modern lighting technology together in a newly portable form: a palm-size lightweight design. The Viltrox Vintage Z1 comes with a white diffuser to soften its light, imbuing photos with a smooth, natural, ethereal glow and enhancing clarity and translucency. The Viltrox Vintage Z1 flash effortlessly creates flawless portraits anytime, anywhere.

Iconic Vintage Design Meets Portable Power

The Vintage Z1 Flash Light combines iconic retro aesthetics with modern portable performance. The premium matte silver alloy chassis delivers nostalgic appeal through its artisanal craftsmanship – with lychee-textured genuine leather cladding and precision-engineered mechanical dials. Weighing just 116g and measuring only 6.8 × 5.0 × 7.4 cm, this palm-sized lighting solution provides unprecedented portability for mobile creatives. It seamlessly integrates into compact camera setups, allowing spontaneous urban and travel photography.

 

GN 12 Power and Diffused Light for Stunning Portraits

Delivering a Guide Number (GN) of 12 (ISO 100, meters), the compact Vintage Z1 provides powerful illumination to overcome ambient light and capture well-lit shots in low-light or backlit conditions. The included white diffuser attachment softens light for a smooth natural glow, enhancing clarity and providing the translucency essential for flawless portraits – and helping make complex lighting scenarios effortless.

 

Precise Control, Rapid Performance

The Vintage Z1 offers precise control for creative lighting through seven adjustable power levels from 1/64 to 1/1. This enables meticulous light management in a wide variety of scenarios, and is beneficial for both novices and experts in fine-tuning highlights and shadows. It also features a rapid 0.2s-3.5s recycle time, ensuring uninterrupted shooting to capture decisive moments. With 28mm wide-angle coverage, it provides even illumination for diverse situations, from indoor portraits to street photography. The short flash duration of 1/5,000s to 1/50,000s captures fast action with exceptional clarity.

 

Reliable Power and Fast Charging

The Vintage Z1’s built-in battery ensures robust performance for extended shoots. On a full charge, it delivers approximately 400 to 10,000 flashes, supporting stable operation even during high-intensity use or on a full day of shooting. Fast charging via USB-C allows a complete charge in just 50 minutes and even allows simultaneous charging and use, ensuring an uninterrupted creative workflow. For extra safety and efficiency, a 15-minute auto-sleep mode helps conserve power, keeping the flash ready to capture every moments.

 

More details and how to buy

For more information, please visit: https://geni.us/Vintagez1_PR

Amazon Store:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZN7X868

Europe: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DZN7X868

MSRP: $​​​49.99 / €56.99 / £47.99

More Viltrox news 

instax mini 41 instant camera review

The instax mini 41 instant camera from FUJIFILM is their latest offering and a fun camera to use for those who like instant cameras and instant shots and this is no different than their other products on the market in this respect.

The snaps on this model are smaller than others is so keep this in mind they are not the larger based photo prints from other models we have tested before.

The camera is smaller than others however hence the smaller photos it prints but still has that nostalgic experience and the mini 41 camera is a joy to us it is simple to use and anyone can use it be it a pro or beginner.

To turn the camera on all you need to do is turn the ring on the lens and you have two focal lengths to play with 30-50cm and has much improved viewing window but be careful not to get your finger in some shots as I did on testing.

The build quality of the camera is also excellent here and has all the right rough edges in the right places making it easy to hold in both portrait and landscape mode and not as cumbersome as one would think some have asked what it was but I think they are more interested in the lens as is always with these that twist open on these cameras.

 

There is a flash on the camera however this cant be turned off which I found odd but it is what it is they put it there as is for a reason I guess and handy for night shots and low light situations when using the camera.

The images produced are as expected pretty good in most cases some came out over saturated or had a greyish hue to them but mostly good this time around I had no prints that came out white which has happened in past models.  Photos again take about 90 seconds to process but let them sit a bit longer and watch them. This is a basic point and shoot camera which requires no skills no settings to play around with all day like other cameras and is fun to use it is not for everyone however as always with these cameras they are a joy to use and just simple and who does not like that.

 

 

Key mini 41 features include:

Automatic Exposure functionality

The Automatic Exposure function automatically senses the level of ambient light when the shutter button is pressed, optimizing the shutter speed and flash output according to the scene. It allows users to produce high-quality photo prints on-the-spot in a variety of interior or exterior environments.

Close-up Mode with Parallax Correction

The mini 41’s close-up mode features Parallax Correction, which helps center close-up images (including selfies) by adjusting the position of the ‘focus’ mark to the lower left of the frame.

Updated, easily portable design

Building off the classic design elements of its predecessor, the textured, tactile body of mini 41 provides secure, ergonomic grip, and the subtle metallic-like finish and orange color accents add unique design elements to the camera body.

The instax mini 41 joins a fun and versatile lineup of instax instant cameras and smartphone printers. Fujifilm’s instax mini 41 instant camera will be available at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of €110.00 (inc, VAT).  It will be expected to be available for purchase from 17th April 2025 at FUJIFILM retailers nationwide.

For more product information, visit https://www.instax.ie/cameras/mini-41/

See our FUJIFIM reviews 

Unboxing and first look

Kingston IronKey Locker+ 50 USB Flash Drive Review

The Kingston IronKey Locker+ 50 USB Flash Drive comes in several storage options to suit one’s personal needs these range from 32GB to 256GB which is what we have here today.

Flash drives are ten a penny these days but security is vital today with what we store and now with GDPR laws encryption is vital in any business and indeed personal use.

We have review many brands in the past like iStorage for example who seem to have vanished since we seen them last but Kingston offer similar products here too and again many other brands we have covered in this category of tech.

This USB Flash drive is built well with a nice finish that stands out and also has an LED light on board to show when it is in use. The build quality alone sets it apart from plastic housed devices out there and also you can attach to your keyring if required.

The set up is relatively simple here and a much simpler process than others there is a complex or passphrase mode here also an admin mode for others to access which is not the case for us here it is just me that will use it. You can see how this works in the video review below it is simple to be honest and not a complex process. You can also hide your password whilst typing which is hand for several obvious security reasons.

The LP50 comes with the latest AES hardware encryption and XTS mode and stops brute force attacks.

 

You can also back up direct to cloud with a pop up every time you use it  if not chosen from the start this is handy to have and supports several platforms such as box and google drive which would suit many again you can see this in the video review below.

Performance is fine here for a USB key with no issues swapping files across and back in no time and works well on all laptops I have here during testing overall a simple handy effective gadget to have to keep your data safe where it should be.

Features
  • XTS-AES Encryption with Brute Force and BadUSB Attack Protection
  • Multi-Password (Admin and User) Option with Complex/Passphrase modes
  • New Passphrase Mode
  • Automatic Personal Cloud Backup
  • Additional Security Features
  • 256GB
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1
  • 115.0 write speed

BUY

Kingston External SSD XS 1000R review

Video Review

 

Dell Technologies Unveil Next-Gen All-Flash PowerScale F210 and F710 Nodes

Dell Technologies is today announcing the introduction of two new cutting-edge additions to their all-flash lineup – Dell PowerScale F210 & F710. These new storage systems are designed to boost AI innovations, offering top-notch performance and scalability with exceptional efficiency.

These latest generation file storage solutions are seamlessly integrated with the advanced OneFS software. This integration empowers businesses and organisations in Ireland to harness the power of PowerEdge servers, ideal for driving the most compute intensive workloads with ease.

“With these latest PowerScale all-flash nodes, we’re ready to unleash the power of your data and fast-track your AI innovation journey,” said Chris Mount, Director, Dell Technologies. “As part of the world’s broadest GenAI infrastructure portfolio that spans from cloud to client devices, all from a single vendor, at Dell Technologies, we’re ready to bring AI to your data anywhere.”

Latest All-flash Nodes

Drawing on its established reputation as a Magic Quadrant leader for eight consecutive years, the PowerScale F210 and F710 are launched with enhanced capabilities. The F210 is tailored for optimal performance with smaller capacity needs, while the F710 offers a blend of high performance and substantial capacity within a compact 1RU form factor which helps in meeting the evolving needs of customers in today’s data-centric landscape.

 Improved Efficiency

Dell’s latest platform features a Smart Flow chassis designed to streamline airflow. This innovative design directs air precisely where it’s needed, improving energy efficiency across the system. This advancement in innovation has allowed Dell to deliver up to 90% greater performance per watt in just one year. Furthermore, the latest F710 node builds upon the capacity and density of previous generations, accommodating up to ten drives in a compact 1U configuration. This represents a 25% increase in node density compared to its predecessor, the F600.

“Collaborating with Dell means faster innovation for my business. The new Dell PowerScale F710 has exceeded our expectations with more than 25% performance improvements in our EDA workloads while delivering improved data center sustainability,” said Alan Davidson, CIO, Broadcom

The release of PowerScale OneFS software and platform enhancements marks a significant milestone in AI innovation. These advancements will allow Dell customers to take full advantage of high-speed storage and empower their most demanding file workloads, including AI and generative AI (GenAI).

Check our Dell’s website to learn more about their AI solutions and services.