On LensVid Talk 31, we cover a whole range of topics including our recent coverage of the 2024 camera industry, our review of the Meike 55mm f/1.8, the new Nikon announcements including the 28-135mm f/4 PZ and 35mm f/1.2 S and the Nikon-RED partnership first big move – Z-Mount RED cameras. OM Systems’ new OM3 camera, DJI’s two new gimbals – the RS4 Mini and Mobile 7/P, Godox’s new 433 triggers with BT, SeeU direct eye contact unit, Hollyaland’s new Cosmo 2 long-range dual wireless video unit, Tilta Mirage Pro Matte Box and Sony’s update to its camera and control app.
This video was recorded around the 20th of February 2025
What happened to the camera industry in 2024
Earlier this year we covered the camera industry status like we do every year and looked at the camera and lens sales data for 2024.
We also discussed the interesting changes in the Chinese market that led to record high sales that are posied to surpass any other region in the world in 2025 (see table below).
More in our full article on LensVid.
Camera “sales” in 2023 vs. 2024 around the world by regions (CIPA data)
Meike 55mm f/1.8 review
We recently completed a full review of the Meike 55mm f/1.8 FF AF lens. This is the first Meike lens that we are testing on LensVid and it impressed us with many positive features at a very affordable price tag.
Check out the full review here.
pricing for the Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro starts at $280 (pricing changes all the time so look for those sales).
The Meike 55mm f/1.8 AF
Nikon Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ
Nikon recently had a number of interesting announcements. The first is a new lens from a new series – the Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ that belongs to a “gold ring” series (this is the first and so far only lens of this line so we don’t know exactly what the gold entails).
The lens is a video-centric zoom lens with power zoom capabilities that can be controlled from the lens itself or via a remote. You also have the option to double the zoom range by using a camera crop (going from 8K to 4K on the Z9) and getting around 10x zoom (somewhat similar in concept to the clear image zoom on Sony cameras but with extra range).
Pricing for the new lens is set at $2600.
Official Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ video
Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S
Nikon also announced an ultra-fast 35mm S lens – the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S. This is the third in the series of Nikon’s f/1.2 lenses that also includes 85mm and 50mm lenses.
The lens has a pretty unique optical design with 17 elements in 15 groups, featuring three ED elements, one aspherical ED element, and three aspherical elements, customizable function buttons, and a control rin,g, and has a weather-sealed construction.
As you would expect this is not an inexpensive lens at $2600.
Official NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S video
Z-mount for RED Comodo X and v-raptor
Nikon and RED announced the first big move after Nikon acquired RED. This includes moving to Z-mount for both the Comodo and V-Raptor cameras as well as a PL adapter (and a PL adapter with drop-in filters).
More info on this can be found on the Nikon site.
OM-SYSTEM OM 3
OM Systems announced a new micro 4/3 camera called OM3. The camera uses the same 20MP sensor of the OM-1 MKII, 4K 60p, -6.5EV image stabilization, and of course a retro design with top and bottom metal plates (although no grip). The camera also supports only a single SD memory card.
Pricing is around $2000.
Official OM-3 video
DJI RS 4 Mini Gimbal
DJI had two gimbal announcements recently. The first is the small DJI RS 4 Mini. It is a 890g (less than 2 pounds) gimbal with a 2kg (4.4 pounds) payload auto lock axis and a thumbscrew for precise adjustment of the camera back and forth for balancing (we would like to see this on all 3 axes).
The main new feature is the Intelligent Tracking Module that you can see in action in the video below that can help the user keep the subject in the center of the frame even when moving.
Pricing is set at $460 for the combo version.
Official DJI RS 4 Mini Gimbal video
DJI Mobile 7 phone gimbal
The second product is the DJI Mobile 7 (and 7P) phone gimbals. These are versatile three-axis phone gimbals equipped with ActiveTrack 7.0 technology, which allows them to intelligently track subjects and follow their movements automatically.
They have a 10-hour battery life and a USB-C port for phone charging and their Multifunctional Module supports gesture control, , they also work with DJIs mic 2 and have a tiny LED light.
Pricing for the DJI Mobile 7P (that comes with the multi-functional module and extension rod) starts at around $150.
Official DJI Mobile 7 phone gimbal video
Godox FT433 flash trigger
Godox recently released a 433Mhz trigger for its flashes. The 433mhz frequency is less crowded than the common 2.4Ghz of most strobes and triggers and should be a better fit, especially in a heavy wireless environment. The unit also supports BT connection which is very welcome.
Pricing is set at around $65.
SEE U – direct eye contact device
One of the most interesting products we recently ran into is the SeeU introduced by German company P+S Technik and artist Sebastian Cramer.
here are some of the main features of this interesting product:
-
Direct Eye Contact: Perfect for interviews, emotional close-ups & engaging conversations
-
Dual Focal Lengths: Two different focal lengths from same viewpoint, no parallax offsets
-
Flexible Eye-Line Control: Adjust the eye-line naturally, no more acting to tape marks
-
Teleprompter Functionality: Use a monitor or iPad for guided presentations
-
Wide Compatibility: Supports lenses from 18-20mm (S35, 16:9) & longer focal lengths
-
Optimized Reflection Control: Flags minimize unwanted reflections for a clear view
More info on the product can be found on the P+S Technik website.
Hollyland Cosmo C2
We have seen the Cosmo C2 prototype in IBC 2024 and recently Hollyland released the system officially. It has a 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) range with dual transmitters and a single receiver, HEVO 2.0 Technology with frequency hoping both HDMI and SDI and 33ms latency.
Pricing is set at around $1300.
Official Cosmo C2 video
Tilta Mirage Pro Matte Box
Tilta recently introduced the Mirage Pro Matte Box
What is still in the works is the electronic VND that Tlita is developing for the Mirage Pro and this is a product that we are highly anticipating (we talked to the developer of the technology during IBC 2024).
The Pro has a modular design with a magnetic clip-on front hood that is easily removable to reduce weight, up to 3 trays for 4×5.65 filters, an option for Top and Optional Side Flags and side openings, and much more.
The Tilta Mirage Pro Matte Box sells for around $300.
Official Tilta Mirage Pro Matte Box video
Sony monitor and control app update
Sony recently updated its monitor and control app with several new and improved features including lower latency, Focus Mapping, Iris Bar, shutter angle (on supported cameras), and much more.
Sadly as far as we can tell some Sony cameras (A7 IV and A7R V for example) still do not support the multi camera monitoring that also does not support Android – we can only hope that this will change soon.
You can check out James Matthews’s video on this update.
You can Check out all of the LensVid Talk videos here. If you want us to cover any specific topics or products in our upcoming LensVid talks please let us know in the comments or on our YT or Facebook pages.
Iddo Genuth 
You can support LensVid by shopping with our affiliate partners
Affiliates: Amazon, B&H, Adorama and E-bay.
Why should you trust us?