The second version of Mapbox offline map tile packs now uses up to 40% less space. Improved tile pack efficiency means that offline maps require less space on embedded hardware and mobile devices, without sacrificing coverage or detail. Mapbox customers can reallocate that saved space toward non-map related functions, or allow users to increase the coverage area or zoom level of maps when offline.
Mapbox offline tile packs v2 currently include offline tilesets for the Mapbox Streets-v8 and Auto-v1 tilesets, with support for additional tilesets coming in the future. Applications need to use the Mapbox Mobile Maps SDKs v11.16 or higher in order to access tile packs v2. Before going live with the v2 tile packs in an application, we recommend contacting Mapbox to discuss some best practices and considerations. Please reach out to your Account Manager or contact Mapbox.
Discord announced its powerful in-game communication tools, including high-quality voice chat, cross-platform messaging, and linked channels, are now available to developers through the Discord Social SDK. Previously launched in closed beta earlier this year, the Social SDK can now be used commercially to bring Discord’s trusted voice and messaging features directly into games, connecting players for longer playtime and improving multiplayer experiences.
Developers that integrate the Social SDK in eligible games unlock powerful social features that enhance in-game communication and drive stronger player retention. Discord data shows that players who link their accounts through the SDK return more frequently resulting in more active days in-game. By unifying friends lists, players can seamlessly connect with their Discord contacts from within the game and continue conversations with in-game friends directly on Discord, making it easier to team up, stay connected, and jump back in, whenever they’re ready to play.
Designed to streamline player connections and increase engagement, the Social SDK extends a game’s reach into Discord’s highly engaged community of over 200 million monthly active users globally who collectively spend more than 1.9 billion hours each month playing games while on the platform. Discord is today’s digital living room designed for gaming where close-knit friends and community groups influence each other potentially more than a developer’s typical marketing or traditional ads can. In fact, over 40% of players on Discord join the same game within an hour of watching a friend stream (source: Discord internal data).
With this milestone launch, developers ranging from indie developers to major game publishers can now integrate the same high-quality voice and messaging infrastructure that powers Discord’s global community, including:
Cross-Platform Chat:
Players can keep the conversation around the game going across desktop, console, and mobile, even without a Discord account. Direct messages between users can show up in both the game and Discord, allowing players to talk to their Discord friends without leaving the game.
Linked Channels:
Players who link their Discord accounts can connect their in-game chat channels to specific Discord text channels of their choosing, providing a space for guilds, groups, and squads of all sizes to connect with messaging that syncs across both the game and Discord.
Voice Chat:
Players can enjoy some of the highest quality audio chat available today, powered by the same technology behind Discord’s voice tools that have made it the gold standard for video game communications.
Canon has aannounced starting out in nature and sports photography with an EOS R System camera. With its amazing reach and flexible zoom range, the RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 provides creative freedom when shooting photos and video of subjects you can’t physically get close to. Users can keep their distance to avoid disturbing wild animals and birds or zoom right into the action when photographing a sports event from the sidelines. The streamlined design lets users react quickly, with a large zoom ring requiring little more than a quarter of a turn to run through the entire zoom range.
At 300mm it’s possible to get as close as 1.5m to fill the frame with detail, making this lens a practical solution for portraits of animals and people. The long zoom and wide, seven-blade aperture ensure superb separation between a sharp subject and blurred background for a refined look.
This classic entry-level, full-frame 75-300mm lens can be used on any camera equipped with Canon’s advanced RF mount. Paired with an APS-C body such as the EOS R100, it delivers a more powerful 120-480mm effective reach to bring distant subjects even closer. Despite its extensive telephoto coverage, the lens weighs just 507g and is a compact 146.1mm in length when retracted. It’s one of the lightest lenses in its class and ready to go anywhere, from local sport matches to remote nature reserves.
Features:
•Flexible 75-300mm focal length range for full-frame EOS R System cameras, extending to 120-480mm equivalent view on APS-C models
• 1.5 metre minimum focusing distance at 300mm for frame-filling detail
• Compact and lightweight design: Measures just 146.1mm in length when stored and weighs approximately 507g
• 7-blade circular aperture for beautiful background blur
• Super Spectra coating to reduce ghosting and flare
Canon announces the new RF16-28mm F2.8 IS STM lens, joining the Canon RF28–70mm F2.8 STM as a more affordable f/2.8 zoom option for Canon mirrorless users. Designed for modern content creators, this lens delivers outstanding image quality, portability, and versatility—ideal for use across both photo and video.
Whether filming cinematic video or shooting intimate photo portraits, the RF16-28mm F2.8 IS STM provides sharp details and vibrant colors to elevate content with ease. Its compact, durable design makes it the perfect companion for creators working in both urban environments and remote locations, offering performance typically reserved for larger lenses.
Engineered for professionals and beginners alike, the RF16-28mm F2.8 IS STM combines fast autofocus, smooth aperture control, and outstanding optics. With the wide f/2.8 constant maximum aperture and ultra wide-angle zoom coverage, it captures high-resolution, crisp footage, while minimizing technical challenges, allowing creators to expand their creative vision. The lens also features focus breathing correction, which smooths video transitions during focus changes—an essential asset for filmmakers aiming for a polished, professional look in evolving shooting environments.
Additionally, the lens incorporates advanced stabilization systems for both stills and video. Coordinated control with Peripheral IS minimizes distortion at the edges of wide-angle shots, providing clear, crisp images across the entire frame. For video, coordinated control with Movie Digital IS enhances stabilization, making it perfect for handheld or highspeed shots, keeping footage steady and smooth even when walking or shooting in changing settings.
As demand for dynamic, high-quality content continues to grow, the RF16-28mm F2.8 IS STM stands out as an indispensable tool for photo and video content creators, landscape and travel enthusiasts, and everyday photographers alike—and the flexibility to meet the needs of today’s fast-paced digital world.
Key features of the RF 16-28mm F2.8 IS STM
• Ultra-wide 16-28mm focal length range with a wide f/2.8 aperture throughout, for a wide variety of shooting scenarios
• 5.5-stops of optical image stabilisation (IS)1
• 8-stops when combined with a camera featuring In-Body Image Stabilizer (IBIS)2
• Excellent image quality and sharp high-contrast images thanks to two aspheric and four UD lens elements plus Super Spectra coating
• Durable build quality with added weather resistance
• 9-blade circular aperture offering great artistic control of bokeh and highlights
• Compact and lightweight at 445g, measuring 76.5mm (W) x and 91mm (L) when retracted
Pricing and Availability
The Canon RF16-28mm F2.8 IS STM Lens is available and currently scheduled to ship on February 11, 2025, for an estimated retail price of $1,149.00*. For additional information, please visit usa.canon.com
Canon is releasing the imagePROGRAF PRO-310, a new inkjet printer for enthusiast photographers with 10-colour pigment ink for A3+ printing, which combines high photographic image quality, light-fastness and abrasion resistance.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310, a new product in the large-format inkjet printer series, is a printer that meets the needs of photographers who want to print their photos beautifully and display them as works of art for a long time. By adopting the newly developed pigment ink LUCIA PRO II1, the PRO series achieves outstanding photographic image quality, such as rich colours and deep blacks, while significantly improving the light resistance and abrasion resistance of printed materials, enabling the creation of high-quality works with rich expression and long-term storage.
The new LUCIA PRO II inks, which are common to the higher-end models, use a pigment that is resistant to UV rays and does not deteriorate easily. As a result, the light resistance of printed materials reaches up to 200 years2, enabling long-term, archival storage. In addition, when printing on glossy paper, the wax added to the ink smooths the surface, making the printed materials highly resistant to abrasion. It also prevents scratches during post-printing operations such as framing and transportation, improving the ease of handling printed materials.
When printing on glossy paper, the transparent Chroma Optimiser ink suppresses reflected light and evens out the gloss, allowing true reproduction of the original colours of photographs regardless of lighting, viewing angle or other environmental conditions. When printing on fine art paper, matte black ink with high black density enables deep, tight blacks. It enhances light and scratch resistance, while creating expressive works that reproduce rich colours and subject textures.
Styrofoam used in product packing for the previous model3 has been replaced with recyclable corrugated cardboard and pulp molds, reducing the amount of single use plastic.
OpenAI is testing a new search engine that uses generative artificial intelligence to produce results, raising the prospect of a significant challenge to Google’s dominance of the online search market, writes Nick Robins-Early on The Guardian.
“SearchGPT will launch with a small group of users and publishers before a potential wider rollout, the company announced on Thursday. OpenAI ultimately intends to incorporate the search features into ChatGPT, rather offer a standalone product.
OpenAI said SearchGPT is a temporary prototype that will combine the company’s AI models, such as ChatGPT, with the ability to search the internet. It will respond conversationally to searches, while providing up-to-date information with “clear links to relevant sources”.
The search feature positions the company as a direct competitor to major search engines, most notably Google but also Bing, a product of OpenAI’s biggest investor Microsoft.”
Canon announced that it is currently developing the EOS R1, a full-frame mirrorless camera, as the first flagship model for the EOS R SYSTEM equipped with an RF mount and is aiming for a 2024 release.
The EOS R1 is a mirrorless camera geared toward professionals that brings together Canon’s cutting-edge technology and combines top-class performance with the strong durability and high reliability sought in a flagship model. This camera will dramatically improve1 the performance of both still images and video and meet the high requirements of professionals on the frontlines of a wide range of fields including sports, news reporting, and video production.
This camera employs the newly developed image processor DIGIC Accelerator in addition to the pre-existing processor DIGIC X. The new image processing system, composed of these processors and a new CMOS sensor, enables large volume of data to be processed at high speeds and delivers never-before-seen advancements in Auto Focus (AF) and other functions.
By combining the new image processing system and deep learning technology to an advanced degree, Canon has achieved high-speed and high-accuracy subject recognition. For example, subject tracking accuracy has been improved so that in team sporting events where multiple subjects intersect, the target subject can continually be tracked even if another player passes directly in front of them. In addition, the AF “Action Priority” function recognizes subject movement by rapidly analyzing the subject’s status. In moments during a sports game when it is difficult to predict what will happen next, this function automatically determines the player performing a certain action, such as shooting a ball, as the main subject and instantly shifts the AF frame, thereby helping to capture decisive moments of gameplay.
The combination of the new image processing system and deep learning technology will help to improve image quality. Canon implements the image noise reduction function, which has been previously developed and improved as part of the software for PCs, as a camera function to further improve image quality and contribute to user creativity.
Canon is working on field tests for this camera, and will support capturing definitive and impactful moments at international sporting events to be held in the future.
Going forward, Canon will continue to expand the EOS R SYSTEM lineup of fascinating cameras and RF lenses, thereby continuing to meet the demands of a wide range of users and contribute to the development of photography and video culture.
London, UK – Canon Europe has announced the launch of the RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM, a new addition to the L-series range for photo and video professionals. Offering limitless possibilities by enabling an extreme ultra-wide shot, the RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM provides unrivalled image quality, all in a compact size.
The lens builds on the capabilities of the existing wide-angle RF range as the widest AF zoom ever made for a full frame camera1, with an angle of view of up to 130°. Featuring a zoom that ranges from 20mm wide-angle to an exceptional and unique ultra-wide 10mm focal length, users can now achieve a shooting area more than twice that of a 16mm focal length.
Fitting more in the frame allows for fresh perspectives when it comes to capturing dramatic panoramas. Photographers can add extra foreground interest, capture tight interiors and architecture, and add depth to landscapes, and filmmakers can be more creative with awe-inspiring establishing shots.
The RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM can withstand even the most challenging weather conditions, as it is resistant to dust and moisture for professional use.
Key features and attributes include:
• The aspherical, Super UD, and UD lens elements (including one Aspherical UD element) which help to achieve high image quality appropriate for an L lens
• Highly durable dustproof and waterproof qualities, to withstand rigorous conditions faced by professionals
• SWC (on 2 lens surfaces) and ASC (Air Sphere Coating) reducing ghosting caused by light sources within the image, a phenomenon often seen in wide-angle lenses
• First L series lens to feature STM motor and full time manual focus capability, thanks to compact lightweight focus group
Canon Europe has announced the launch of three groundbreaking RF lenses and two new power zoom adapters that offer a breadth of capabilities for content creators of all levels, broadening their creative possibilities.
The ultimate hybrid lens with two optional power zoom adapters
RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z marks a significant milestone in lens technology, one that many photographers and videographers have been waiting for. This all-in-one lens essentially performs as multiple lenses – including attributes from broadcast, cinema and standard RF lenses to make a truly versatile lens concept. It is the first RF zoom lens to combine a dedicated iris/ aperture control ring and Servo functionality via optional power zoom adapters.
It is designed to cater to the increased demand within the pro creator community for hybrid shoots encapsulating photo and video content. This feature rich, professional-level lens lends itself perfectly to capturing news, documentaries, corporate work, weddings, events, and social media content.
RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z combines the convenience and reach of the RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens, with the creative and low-light capability of the RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM – meaning there’s no longer a need to choose between these two strengths when seeking the perfect shot. The lens also maintains 5.5-stop optical image stabilisation for unparalleled image quality (up to 8-stops when combined with in-body image stabilisation1), providing extreme stability for handheld movies and high image quality when shooting images in dynamic shooting situations, such as weddings or events. The smooth control iris ring (for video) offers fine control over changing exposure – all paired with an 11-base iris for beautiful bokeh.
The new lens bridges the gap in the market for hybrid lenses, offering professional shooters the quality they seek across static and video content.
Key features of the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z:
• Excellent image quality and weather sealing providing added durability – alongside sharp high-contrast images due to four UD lenses to correct chromatic aberration
• Professional electronic parfocal focus capability and focus breathing suppression to maintain a consistent field-of-view when shooting movies
• Internal zoom operation meaning the barrel length is constant, which is better for rigging, weather resistance, and has a smoother operation
• Smooth iris ring operation with 32 steps between stops (no clicks) and a lock release switch for the ‘Auto’ position
The features of the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z lens can be taken even further with the newly launched power zoom adapters, bringing greater flexibility for filmmakers. The power zoom adapters allow for smooth zoom operation and remote control via Canon’s Camera Connect app or EOS Utility.
Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2B additionally sports a 20-pin zoom/ focus remote connector that allows compatible zoom/ focus demands to be attached for studio or large-scale production environments – and is even compatible with Canon’s Zoom Servo Grip ZSG-C10.
Key features of Power Zoom Adapters PZ-E2 and PZ-E2B:
• Ergonomic grip for comfortable use when attached to the lens
• Optional USB-C external power supply for extended shooting and faster zooming
• Wide tele buttons for smooth zooming
• Zoom speed dial for control over zoom performance
• Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2B has a 20-pin remote connector compatible with Canon zoom/ focus demands and Zoom Servo Grip ZSG-C10
The most compact and lightweight ultra-wide angle zoom lens
Revolutionary for ultra-wide angle photography and videography, the RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM is designed for APS-C EOS R System cameras and offers a focal range of 10-18mm, making it ideal for travel, landscape, cityscape, and vlogging enthusiasts.
The lens delivers outstanding image stabilisation, providing up to 4-stops of optical image stabilisation and up to 6-stops when combined with in-body image stabilisation2. This gives photographers and video users the ability to shoot handheld with confidence, even in low light conditions. Highly-performing when combined with Movie Digital IS, it’s perfect for content creators shooting handheld who want to go wide and fit more in the frame.
Weighing only 150g, this incredibly small and light lens is the perfect companion for your travels. Creators no longer need to compromise as this lens is great for both stills and video content. Offering superior image quality and performance, it is perfect for capturing stunning ultra-wide-angle shots, effortlessly.
Key features of the RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM:
• Compact and lightweight design
• Ideal for travel, landscape, and vlogging
• Up to 4-stops of optical image stabilisation and 6-stops combined with in-body image stabilisation2
• A great match for APS-C cameras like the EOS R10, EOS R50, and EOS R7
• Superior image quality and flexibility
The longest reaching telephoto zoom lens3
RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM is a full-frame super telephoto zoom lens set to revolutionise the world of wildlife and sports photography. With an incredible maximum telephoto focal length reach of 800mm, compared to a maximum of 600mm from others currently on the market, it is the longest reaching telephoto zoom lens for the RF mount3.
It is built to withstand challenging conditions with water and dust seals, ensuring photographers can capture breathtaking images in any environment, lending it unmatched versatility.
Designed for those who want to advance their photography and reach the unreachable, this lens is ideal for capturing the perfect shot from any position. Its 5.5-stop image stabilisation (up to 7.5-stops combined with EOS R cameras featuring in-body image stabilisation4), fast autofocus, focal range and optical construction deliver high quality images and videos whilst the zoom has the power to pull even small subjects right into the frame.
It is the ideal choice for enthusiasts who want to push the boundaries of wildlife and sports photography, capturing what may not have been possible previously.
Key features of the RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM:
• Unique, super telephoto zoom for wildlife and sports photography, an ideal choice for amateurs and enthusiasts
• Up to 5.5-stops of optical image stabilisation and 7.5-stops combined with in-body image stabilisation4
• Nine-blade aperture for beautiful background rendering, high-quality optical construction, and fast autofocus
• Weather-resistant for use in harsh conditions
For more information about Canon’s new lenses, please visit:
https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/rf-200-800mm-f6-3-9-is-usm/
https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/rf-24-105mm-f2-8l-is-usm-z/
https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/power-zoom-adapter-pz-e2-power-zoom-adapter/
https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/rf-s-10-18mm-f4-5-6-3-is-stm/
Canon Europe has announced the introduction of a new series of RF mount Cinema Prime lenses, building upon the existing portfolio of EF mount CN-E Primes and PL mount Sumire Primes. The seven new lenses, Canon’s first cinema lenses equipped with its RF mount, combine high optical performance and cinema-style operability to meet the needs of professional video production such as drama, documentaries, music videos and other large productions.
• CN-R14mm T3.1 L F
• CN-R20mm T1.5 L F
• CN-R24mm T1.5 L F
• CN-R35mm T1.5 L F
• CN-R50mm T1.3 L F
• CN-R85mm T1.3 L F
• CN-R135mm T2.2 L F
The native RF mount offers high speed communication between the lens and camera body, with the enhanced design allowing for a more stable and comfortable experience when operating.
The lenses are compatible with the EOS C70 (released in November 2020) and EOS R5 C1 (released in March 2022) RF Cinema cameras. Fully compatible with the transmission protocol of the RF mount, and as with EF mount Prime series lenses, operators can control magnification, chromatic aberration correction, peripheral light correction, and a dual pixel focus guide via camera body operations. In addition to these functions, the new lenses feature distortion aberration correction. These features support efficient video production not only during on-location recording but also post-shoot editing.
The new lenses achieve exceptional optical performance, excellent colour reproduction and are suitable for use with 4K and 8K cameras – optimally positioning large-diameter aspherical lens elements and lens elements with anomalous dispersion glass. Their compatibility with the full-frame large-format sensor, bright T-stop values2, and the use of 11 aperture blades allow for a shallow depth of field for subjects, natural round blurring, and soft image expressions. In addition, since the colour balance is unified throughout the series, adjusting colour tones when changing lenses while shooting the same scene can be done with greater ease.
With an appropriate sense of torque of the operation ring, the new lenses allow for precise and smooth adjustments that are required for cinema shooting. In addition, due to the unified design across the series, including the gear position of the operation ring, the diameter of the lens and the rotation angle (operation angle), the lens can be exchanged smoothly without the need to adjust the mounting position of the matte box or external follow focus accessories for each model. A new knurled surface near the mount provides a comfortable fit in the user’s hand, allowing the lens to be held securely without gripping the operation ring when attaching and detaching different lenses.
Key features of the RF mount Cinema Prime lenses:
• Genuine RF mount for stable operation without a converter
• High speed lens communication offering advanced metadata support from the lens to camera
• Geared rings offer greater control via hand operation and third party follow focus accessories
• High optical performance and high image quality for 4K, 8K and HDR productions
• T-stops up to T1.3 with broad focal lengths covering ultra-wide to telephoto
• Minimal focus breathing
• 11-blade iris for cinematic bokeh and softly diffused highlights
The new set of RF mount Cinema Prime lenses will be showcased at IBC 2023 on 15th – 18th September 2023 at the RAI, Amsterdam, for visitors to explore and experience.
Canon Europe announces the launch of four new cutting-edge printers, due to join the brand’s existing range this autumn. The new additions have been designed to cater to different audiences, with a focus on delivering top-tier performance, superior print quality, and enhanced convenience.
Canon PIXMA TS8750
A high-quality, six-ink photo printer with a variety of smart features, the Canon PIXMA TS8750 is the perfect device for printing your memories at home. From multiple connectivity options, allowing users to print directly from their smartphones, tablets and laptops effortlessly, to its high-resolution prints and intuitive functionality, this printer is a premium 3-in-1 solution for family craft projects. To extend creative possibilities, the accompanying Canon Print App has been improved to make daily print tasks and routine maintenance a lot more seamless.
Key features
• A large, tilting 4.3” screen and a streamlined, customisable Switch UI touch interface make accessing frequently used functions and settings simpler than ever.
• Subtly streamlined and compact premium design that fits any home décor. Available in white and black colour finishes.
• Print photos and documents wirelessly with support for 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands as well as from your mobile device using the updated Canon PRINT app. Set up Wi-Fi quickly by using the information already on your device (iOS only), or connect directly by scanning a QR code with Android and iOS smartphones.
• Quickly print both pin-sharp documents (15ipm mono; 10ipm colour1) and brilliantly vibrant colour photos (4×6” borderless photo in 13 seconds) with the six individual ink system.
• Print on different types of media thanks to the two-way paper feed, create disc labels with the multipurpose tray and save money with automatic two-sided printing.
Mapbox have announced New Dynamic 3D Urban Environments. The new Mapbox Standard core style enables a highly performant and elegant 3D mapping experience with powerful dynamic lighting capabilities, landmark 3D buildings, and an expertly crafted symbolic aesthetic.
The new ready-to-use style currently in public beta enhances wayfinding and spatial orientation for users, and provides a polished canvas for custom location data. Mapbox Standard is available in pre-releases of the latest versions of our web and mobile SDKs.
Mapbox Standard provides four carefully curated lighting presets: Day, Night, Dusk, and Dawn. As the sun moves throughout the day, based on a user’s location, shadows shift and highlight different areas of the map. Supplementary light sources like flood lighting or entrance lights make the map come alive at night. The dynamic lighting creates a feature-rich and true-to-life experience that helps users better orient themselves in the physical world. For developers and designers, using Mapbox Standard eliminates the need to maintain and transition between separate ‘day’ and ‘night’ map styles as the style is completely reactive.
