If you’re a beginner DSLR camera user, it means you’ve outgrown your smartphone or compact camera and want to take your photography to the next level and deliver quality images. Right? If that’s the case, we’ll help you take that big step up. There’s a range of DSLR Cameras for entry-level users like the Canon and Nikon brands that offer Continue Reading
The post Best DSLR For Beginners: Canon or Nikon? appeared first on Photodoto.
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Shimoda has launched its new Explore 30 Daypack, a multi-use backpack for photographers, filmmakers, and others. The bag features the same gear carrying capacity as the original Explore 40 pack despite a shorter profile, according to the company. As well, the Explore 30 backpack has a new removable belt system and the ability to use Shimoda’s lineup of Core Units, the modular storage compartments that house camera gear.
The Shimoda Explore 30 features a main compartment that is accessible while carrying the bag, as well as a wrap-around zippered opening for access while the bag is positioned facing the wearer. The backpack has a dedicated zippered smartphone pocket, stretchable side pocket, padded shoulder straps, a removable waist belt, and a top carrying handle.
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The Explore 30 is weather-resistant and can be used with a separate rain cover for additional protection. Photographers can utilize the Mirrorless Medium Core unit for transporting mirrorless and rangefinder cameras and lenses, or the Large DSLR Core Unit for transporting longer telephoto lenses and DSLRs.
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Accessory webbing straps enable users to attach accessories to the bag’s front and side panels; there’s also a multi-use accessory pouch that can be used with the webbing straps to transport larger items, such as a tripod. Shimoda is also offering a multi-section SD card wallet, a divider kit for the DSLR Core Unit, a Belt Booster that transfers some pack weight to the wearer’s waist, three mesh Stuff Sacks, and extra webbing straps with gate hooks.
The Shimoda Explore 30 backpack is available to preorder from B&H Photo and Adorama for $ 259.95 USD.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Awesome highlights of this wild career: taking photographs, hanging out with cool clients, and producing stunning imagery.
The not-so-fun part: transporting all the cameras, lenses and bits and bobs we need from point A to point B.
If you’re like me, you know that being able to carry all of our must-haves comfortably can make or break the work day. I’m always looking for better ways to lug my gear. So when I came across the Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack I had to try it out.
Before we get into my opinion of this strappy carrying device, let’s take a moment to discuss what this backpack is about. According to Evecase it “features a customizable interior which can hold camera bod and 2-5 lenses, a laptop compartment that holds a 14-inch laptop, Chromebook or tablet, plenty of pockets, pouches and spaces for jackets, books, a tripod and other accessories. Rain or shine, wet or dry, the removable rain cover will give your backpack the best protection. Fashionable canvas design with discreet look that won’t stand out as camera backpack.”
According to Evecase, the highlights include an easy-to-access camera compartment, discreet instant laptop access, and extended top storage. There are a slew of accessory pockets, tripod holder straps, stowaway side pockets and ergonomic shoulder straps.
I won’t lie. The appearance of this canvas backpack is what piqued my interest in the first place. I always gravitate towards cases that don’t scream “Expensive camera equipment stored in here”, and this backpack is certainly inconspicuous enough.
This product is 15 x 12.5 x 7 inches , with the camera compartment being 9.6 x 11 x 4 inches.
The canvas fabric material has a subtle texture to it and is a rather pretty grey. The material is waterproof and weatherproof. (Well, generally. But it also comes with a waterproof case.) It looks like something you’d take on a camping trip or backpacking across Europe. The details are all black, and the color scheme can easily match whatever your style is. Much of my carrying devices and storage units are grey. (I like having all of my products match one another.)
The front of the backpack features a multitude of pockets and flaps, with bottle or beverage pockets that can be stowed away discreetly when not in use. The inside is lined with a light, slate grey that has a bit of a blue tint to it.
The backpack has a bit of weight when empty, but not enough to concern me.
The build quality is where other people’s reviews on this product get a little shifty. I’ve read many claims of it ripping at the seams or being rather fragile. But having used this Evecase product rigorously for more than a month, I haven’t experienced it myself.
The photography I do involves a lot of wear and tear on whatever I have with me. I photograph canine sports, exotic animals and live concerts. My daily dose of damage can include anything from animals biting my bags to a rowdy crowd unintentionally tearing at my stuff. After being put through the wringer for more than 30 days, this bag has managed to survive with almost no visible damage.
Even when it’s fully packed, I haven’t experience any ripping, tearing, or deformity of the compartments due to the weight. I even took it for a spin at the beach (being from California and all), and neither sand nor salty water caused much of an issue. Based on my experiences alone, I’d consider the build quality on this backpack to be great.
That being said, as with any product you own a bit of TLC goes a very long way in ensuring its longevity. I have weekly cleaning where I perform cleaning and basic maintenance on of my work gear. And backpacks, cases and other carrying devices are no exception.
The main criteria for whether or not a backpack, sling, or any carrying device stays is comfort. After dueling against several alternatives, the Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack is definitely staying.
I’ve worn this backpack fully stocked with supplies for around six hours, and suffered no significant discomfort or additional pain normally associated with carrying weight for such a long time. This being said, I feel the size of this backpack and where it suits my height (5’ 5”) brilliantly. Taller people may have an issue simply there’s no real way to adjust where this backpack sits. It would also be nice to have have more padding on the shoulder straps. I think I’ll eventually mod the straps and add more padding, but if it came with some initially it would be even more rad.
As for ease of access, I like the solid build of the camera compartment. I can easily balance the backpack on my knee as a table to help switch lenses or attach something to my rig. There’s a wonderful side pocket I can pull my laptop out of if I don’t feel like opening the top and reaching the computer from there. All of the small bits and bobs I might need are also easily accessible due to the various pockets on the front of the backpack, and the beverage pockets are also within a comfortable reach.
This backpack features plenty of storage for everything I could possibly need. Of my kit, at maximum, I can fit:
That being said, a couple of the pockets in the front are a bit odd in the sense that I would have gone for something different. The size of the two small pockets in front of the camera compartment are a bit strange. The dividers inside them are a bit too large for some of the smaller electronics I’d put there, but too small for anything larger. I’d prefer them to mimic the one long pocket at the top of the backpack, as I currently have to dig deep into the dividers to pull out the small components I need to use. A couple of the flaps could make excellent pockets for paperwork or business cards, but instead they sit there as decorative elements.
The backpack features an acceptable amount of padding in both the camera and laptop sections. The camera section had significantly more padding than the laptop slot, and so I often store my laptop in its compartment with a secondary case already on it. Fortunately a secondary case fits just fine. The camera compartment includes your run-of-the-mill customizable dividers, so you can arrange that area to suit your needs.
In conclusion, for between $ 40 and $ 60 on Amazon.com this backpack gives you a decent bang for your buck. I quite like it, and still get tremendous use out of it.
The post Review: Evecase Canvas DSLR Backpack appeared first on Digital Photography School.
It appears Huawei hasn’t learned its lesson. Two years after the Chinese smartphone manufacturer was busted for trying to pass off a DSLR image as a photograph captured with its P9 smartphone, it’s under scrutiny yet again.
Huawei is now taking heat over a recent advertisement for its Nova 3 and 3i smartphones, wherein Huawei insinuates certain photos were captured with a smartphone when a behind-the-scenes photo proves that’s not the case.
The video, which is 30 seconds long, shows various scenes in which the subjects snap photos using various built-in camera features, including beauty, HDR and AI modes. Although the video never explicitly states the images were captured with a Huawei smartphone, it’s very much implied that’s the case.
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A critical eye would instantly realize the images weren’t captured with the phone. But for the sake of empirical evidence, we’ll reference the above image uploaded to Instagram (and subsequently deleted) by Sarah Elshamy, the actress in the ad. In the behind-the-scenes still, pictured above, it’s clear the main actor was holding his hand out to make it appear as though he’s holding a phone, when in reality the scene was being shot with a Canon DSLR.
Again, Huawei never specifically mentions what the ad was shot with, leaving a bit of room for leniency. But it’s misleading at best, and downright false advertising at worst. We’ve reached out to Huawei for an official comment and will update this article accordingly if we hear back.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
We live in weird times as photographers. Paradoxes abound and when it comes to the idea of cameras and whether or not cellphone photographic performance is on par with dedicated digital camera systems is an issue which sees even learned opinions hopelessly polarized.
“Cellphone cameras are killing photography!” – “It’s such a great time to be a photographer since we have cameras right on our phones.” – “A cell phone is not a camera!” – There are many opinions on this topic!
I have a good friend who photographed his way through Europe with nothing but his cellphone while editing along the way using Lightroom Mobile. His photographs are nothing short of incredible.
At the same time, even I sometimes get tired of all the “cellphone artists” who seem to bypass the fundamental nature of photography with their tiny little gadgets held out in front of them.
So with the debate still raging over whether or not a cellphone can match the performance of a more traditional camera…an idea suddenly came to me. Granted, I’m not the first person to ever think of this but it’s a new idea for me nonetheless and one that I wanted to share with all of you fine people.
I decided to put my own cell phone up against one of my standby full-frame DSLR camera bodies and do some blind comparisons of the images.
I want you to come along for the ride. Can you tell which images were shot with the DSLR and which were done with the cell phone? Could it be that a cell phone will ever be capable of producing images that are close to or dare I say even exceed the results obtained from a “professional” grade DSLR?
For this fun little evaluation we will be looking at the core quality of both RAW and JPEG files from a DSLR and a cellphone. The test camera is a Canon 5D Mk3 and the phone is the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active.
The comparison is for image quality only. Pay attention to the sharpness, the color, and the contrast presented in each one of the images. I’ve numbered each photo so you can make your guesses down below in the comment area if you like!
And yes, before you mention it, lenses play a huge role in final image quality. To me that makes this test even more interesting because the glass of the cell phone camera isn’t interchangeable; meaning the lens you have on your phone is the essentially the only one you can use (unless you go with aftermarket attachments) which makes its fidelity all the more crucial.
As far as image sensor size is concerned there really isn’t much comparison between one inside a full-frame DSLR image and the one that fits inside of your cellphone. This is what interests me. Dimensionally speaking the image sensors from the 5D MK3 and the S8 Active is like comparing grapes and watermelons.
That being said, deciding how that impacts image quality is completely up to the eye of the beholder depending on your definition of “professional quality”.
The camera on the Galaxy S8 Active sports a 12MP sensor which has a physical dimension of 1/2.55 inches or about 12.7mm with individual pixels measuring 1.4 microns. I assume the 12.7mm is the diagonal measurement but I have found no information directly indicating this.
The lens of the S8 Active has a maximum aperture of f/1.7 and fixed (??mm) focal length.
The Canon 5D MK3 has a 22.3MP full frame sensor featuring a diagonal measurement of approximately 1.7 inches (about 43.27mm) with a pixel size of 6.1 microns. I used a (??mm) lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4.
I know I know…there’s no focal length indicated for either the S8 Active or the one I used with the 5D MK3. This is because some of you astute readers would probably connect the dots for each image and that would ruin the fun!
So, I’m keeping everyone in the dark as far as the focal lengths for both lenses are concerned.
Just like the estimable 5D MK3, the Samsung S8 (like many others) has the capability to record both RAW and JPEG image files when shooting in “Pro” mode.
So the first series of photos will be comparing the typically drab RAW images from both the 5D MK3 and the S8 Active. Each image was shot at ISO 100 with the shutter speed being matched as closely as possible.
Image #1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Moving into the realm of non-RAW (uncooked?) image files, it’s time to take a look at the JPEG photos from both the Canon 5D MK3 and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active.
Just like the RAW files before, each one of these images was shot with the same ISO setting except this time at ISO 400. The 5D MK3 was set to Adobe Standard Fine JPEG and the S8 Active was set to its “Standard” profile mode as well. Again, shutter speeds were kept as close to uniform as could be achieved.
#6
#7
#8…These two looked so similar that I had to include them both.
#9
#10
Alright, you know you want to do it. Let’s really take a close look at the images from my S8 Active cell phone and the tried and true 5D MK3.
Just to refresh ourselves with the rules of the game here, we are looking at overall image quality. First, let’s have a look at a RAW file of a leaf lying on a bed of grass.
Then I cropped and got extremely up close and personal with said leaf…
11a (left)
11b (right)
And here’s one more for those of us who like to hold a magnifying glass up to each one of our photos. This time let’s take a look at a side-by-side zoom of a JPEG image from both the 5D MK3 and the S8 Active.
Here we have a photo originally shot as an in-camera JPEG.
Now zooming in on those knobs and buttons.
12a (left)
12b (right)
I realize that it’s somewhat of a risky move not telling you which one of the images are which here at the terminus of this article. Alas, that is exactly what I’m going to do.
Have a look at each one of these images which I assure you were, in fact, each shot with both my everyday-carry Galaxy S8 Active cell phone and my trusty 5D MK3. As you look at the photos examine them closely and pick which one you think came from which source.
I also encourage you to evaluate where you stand on the idea of whether or not cellphone photography is a good or a bad thing for the medium as an art. Do you think cameras and cell phones will forever remain separate pieces of technology or do you feel that some day they will be one in the same?
I’d love to hear your ideas on the future of camera tech and your opinions on the photos from the above tests. Please post your thoughts in the comments below. And yes, eventually I will provide an answer key so you have to forgive me.
The post Cell Phone Versus DSLR – Can you tell which is which? appeared first on Digital Photography School.
If you’re sensitive to gore, you might want to turn your head. Nikon Asia has published a video on its YouTube channel that dives into the brutal depths the company goes to in order to test the ruggedness of its DSLR cameras — specifically the Nikon D850.
In the two-minute video, Nikon ambassadors and workers detail the amount of thought, research and methods that go into practically testing how its cameras will handle tough environments. Although there are plenty of automated tests going on, this particular video, titled ‘True Reliability’ takes a look at the more hands-on testing.
Specifically, the video shows how Nikon tests its cameras in dusty conditions, wet environments and extreme temperatures, all well beyond what you could reasonably expect from even the most challenging shoots. There’s even a few drop tests in there for good measure.
It’s not as long or in-depth a look as we would like, but it goes to show how few stones are left unturned when checking for resiliency in Nikon cameras.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
In today’s world, digital camera technology continues to improve and get lighter. A plethora of systems offer lighter camera bodies with more technology bundled into them. There are many photographers transitioning to these systems to lighten their gear and are selling off their old equipment. However, I cannot help but be attached to the reliability and familiarity of my full frame DSLR bodies.
I do not like to compromise on image quality and feel most confident making quality images in spur-of-the-moment wildlife activity or in difficult lighting with my full-frame camera. Are you the same as me? If so, does that make us a little crazy?
The Pelican case gives me space for a couple of bodies, a 200-500 mm telephoto lens, and two shorter ones. Lots of space to pack a full kit!
Well, in truth, it is a bit crazier than that, I am most comfortable when I have two camera bodies with me at all times. I also carry a telephoto lens, 50mm, and wide-angle lens with me along with cleaning equipment and filters, and I like to do so at all times. In other words, I carry a full kit. I do my best to carry a full kit when hiking 10 miles into the backcountry, floating a 5-mile river trip, or walking to a local beach to watch a sunset.
If you are like me you are constantly looking for ways to safely haul your gear from Point A to Point B while also protecting your investment during your adventures. Through experimenting and modifying a Pelican 1510 case I have found a solution that works for me. In this article, I will demonstrate that system for you. I hope my DIY camera bag for DSLR storage and transportation works for you and inspires you to get more creative in hauling your gear!
I customized this Pelican 1510 case to provide waterproof and shockproof protection for my DSLR bodies and kit. Thanks to the modifications I have made, I now transport this kit everywhere.
Close the lid and use the 3/32 bit to drill through the plastic to the inside of each latch. You’ll need to go through both layers so the extra length of eyebolt has a hole to pass into. Once you have drilled the hole, open the case and use the 3/8 bit to bore into the plastic so that the nylon nut recesses into the case and allows it to close. Repeat on both sides of the case.
You can see here that I bored through both sides of the Pelican case with the 3/32 bit to allow the eyebolt to pass through. I bored with the 3/8 bit into the top layer to allow the nut to recess so that the top can close
Use the 3/32 bit to drill through the “fin” on the backside and pass a carabiner through the hole. The fins are the rigid plastic ribs that stick out to hinge the lid and bottom of the Pelican case together.
Repeat on the other side.
I drilled through the “fin” of the back with the 3/32 bit and threaded the carabiner through. I did the same thing to the other side of the pack.
Apply the Velcro to the back of the modular case and then line it up accordingly on the front of the Pelican case.
Tip: Stick the hook side and the fuzzy side of the Velcro together on your modular case, peel the paper off to expose the sticky surface and then press the modular case onto the Pelican case to get a perfect alignment of your Velcro.
Attach Velcro to the top of the Pelican case and make sure that it aligns with the modular case. It is easies to make sure that the Velcro is aligned by sticking it together, applying it to the Pelican case, and then pressing the secondary modular case onto it.
Attach the Velcro.
With the Velcro attached to the Pelican case and the modular case, you’ll be able to open and access the case without it falling off the larger Pelican case. That’s a huge perk!
Thread the luggage straps through the eyebolt and the carabiner. Adjust it to a length that fits around the modular case, and then tie a good knot – I prefer two half-hitches.
Make sure the luggage straps are long enough to wrap around the modular case. Tie the ends securely to the carabiner and eyebolts.
Next, install the RUCPAC straps to the Pelican case. This is very simple – you’ll attach it to the top handle and thread the straps through the bottom wheels. Instructions to install the RUCPAC come with the product.
RUCPAC straps attached to the Pelican 1510 case.
There you have it!
This DIY camera bag solution has grown with me and my kit and worked for me the last two years. I find this pack very comfortable to use and wear. I am 6’3” and would be interested to hear if it fits shorter torsos as well.
The luggage straps give you the flexibility to attach a tripod or any other gear on to the outside. You can choose the size of modular case you that use to accommodate the gear you have.
This pack also provides a portable chair for those long days or nights shooting photography and can act as a tripod in a pinch. In fact, having the pack available has saved my shoot on several occasions when I needed stabilization but did not have a tripod.
The DIY camera bag case can function as a spur-of-the-moment tripod. I’ve used it for shooting the Northern Lights and time-lapses.
I took this image of the Aurora Borealis with my camera stabilized on my Pelican case. It saved the night since I did not have a tripod along with me!
What I’ve shown you here could be just a jumping off point for you. Use this concept to expand and create your own DIY storage solution that works for the gear and kit you have, and your needs.
Once you are done get out there and shoot lots of images. As I like to say, “pixels are cheap”, so go make a lot of them!
The post DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle appeared first on Digital Photography School.
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Finding a backpack that doesn’t scream “I’m a camera bag,” but can still hold all of my gear while not killing my back has long been a struggle for me. I’m 5’3″ and most backpacks that can hold a lot of equipment are impossible for me to carry for any extended period of time. Living in a city, typically when I head out for an assignment close to home I’ll opt to bring less gear so that it will fit into a smaller, understated backpack. But for assignments that require more gear or travel, a smaller bag just won’t cut it.
The design looks different than your typical padded camera backpack
That’s why I was immediately intrigued by the Hex Raven DSLR bag – although I had never heard of the company before – as the design looks different than your typical padded camera backpack. The Hex’s square shape and matte black material were particularly appealing to me. It also looked like it could hold a ton of equipment – a very good thing considering I’d be spending a week in Austin, Texas covering SXSW and a short time later a week on the road touring with a band from Brooklyn. I knew that my typical one body, two lens, one speedlight setup just wasn’t going to cut it for these two jobs.
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The Hex Raven DSLR bag’s exterior is made of matte black tarpaulin with waterproof zippers. The straps are thick, air-mesh padded. The front of the bag has two compartments. The top one is accessed by undoing the buckles. Beneath the flap is a zippered compartment that is fleece-lined and can hold up to a 17″ laptop as well as a small tablet. This section of the Hex is easily accessed, making it convenient to remove these larger items in the rush to get through airport security.
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Top front storage Undoing the bag’s buckles reveals a zippered compartment that offers a fleece-lined laptop sleeve and separate space for a tablet. |
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Lower front storage There are two lower zippered pockets. The main space offers room to organize and store items you might want quick access to. |
There are two zippered areas on the lower front of the bag, which are great for stashing keys, pens, notebooks, spare batteries or memory cards.
On the right side of the bag you’ll find two more small flat zippered pockets, which are fairly easy to access when the thing is on your back – they’re great for holding any odds and ends that you might need such as chapstick, business cards, a small wallet or your phone. On the opposite side of the bag there are straps to attach a tripod.
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| You can attach a tripod to the side of the backpack using the two straps. | The opposite side has two very small zippered pockets. |
Camera equipment is accessed through the bag’s back panel which is made of EVA foam and air-mesh. The back panel zips along three sides of the bag. The inside features padded partitions that are customizable depending on the amount of gear inside. There are also two zippered back pockets and a velcro pouch on the inside for even more storage options.
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This bag features ample storage, has the ability to hold a ton of gear and its construction feels like it can handle life on the road while keeping your camera equipment safe. The zippers on the Hex bag were a little stiff right out of the box, but after a few weeks of use that stiffness has disappeared—I no longer feel like I have to fight with the Hex bag to access my gear.
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| A zipper on the very top of the Hex bag makes it easy to access your primary camera without having to open the main gear section. |
Although the bag was quite flat when it was empty as I filled it up with my equipment to prepare for my trip to Austin I became skeptical—I wasn’t sure whether its bulk would become overwhelming.
I was thoroughly impressed by the amount of gear I was able to fit into the Hex: two bodies (a Canon 5D IV and a 5D III), four lenses (35mm, 50mm, 24-70mm and a 70-200mm), a speedlight, an LED on camera light, four batteries, two chargers, a point and shoot film camera, portable HD, a laptop, a laptop charger and an iPad. That being said, as I prepared to head to the airport and catch my flight to Austin I wasn’t sure that the monster would actually be able to fit under my seat (fully loaded the Hex was almost as large as my carry on roller bag).
The bag distributed the weight quite nicely
Although the Hex was certainly heavy with all of this gear, the bag distributed the weight quite nicely. Like many photographers, I’m used to feeling an acute amount of shoulder pain while carrying gear around; I didn’t notice this with the Hex bag.
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The various storage options within the bag also made it easy to access the pieces of gear I needed, both while going through security and while waiting for my flight – without pulling everything out. Although getting the Hex under the seat in front of me (really my biggest concern in using the bag as a carry on for my flight) was a bit of a struggle, it wasn’t impossible. However, someone with longer legs might find the situation untenable. Here, the amount of individual storage spaces within the bag also made a big difference, as it was easy to grab what I wanted when I wanted it without unpacking the whole thing.
The Hex was great for safely and comfortably transporting and later storing large amounts of valuable camera equipment
Although having a bag with room for so many lenses and a backup body is a plus, realistically the Hex is just too oversized to make sense in the small music venues bands play during SXSW or a cramped photo pit at a larger show—but the Hex was great for safely and comfortably transporting and later storing large amounts of valuable camera equipment while I was traveling.
A few weeks later I was prepping to hit the road for a week with a touring band from Brooklyn. My gear storage needs were more or less the same but because we would be traveling by van, space was limited. My photo gear needed to take up way less space than the band’s gear, but still be easy to access so I could edit as we drove from city to city.
Its shape and style don’t make it immediately clear that it’s a camera bag
Although the Hex was still too bulky to be a good fit for inside the small venues where the band was playing, its non-descript look made me feel okay about leaving it inside the locked van in numerous cities with my back up equipment still inside. Its shape and style don’t make it immediately clear that it’s a camera bag, which I’d like to think makes it a little less of a target.
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The Hex Raven is well designed and feels like it is built to last. The amount of pockets make it easy to organize a large amount of equipment, and they’re functional when it comes to finding specific items in a hurry. It’s certainly a little pricey for a camera backpack, but considering the sheer amount of gear that it can accommodate, its durable construction and the classy design, it seems worth the price tag.
I would be interested in checking out a scaled-down version of the Hex for day-to-day use.
Although the bag is too bulky to be good for everyday use, as a travel bag I appreciate its understated design, storage options and the way in which it evenly distributed weight. I would certainly be interested in checking out a scaled-down version of the Hex for day-to-day use.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
NYC-based filmmaker Casey Neistat recently compared a $ 35 clip-on smartphone lens with a $ 7,000 DSLR (the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II to be precise) and superzoom lens. The results, to no one’s surprise, were not in the smartphone lens’ favor. However, Neistat expresses surprise at the (admittedly very minor) capabilities of the cheap lens, saying, “So, I very gently, very reluctantly, recommend this total piece of sh*t $ 35 lens because it sort of almost works.”
That recommendation is given to potential buyers who need something to use with a smartphone. If a more capable lens and camera are within budget, the resulting content will benefit greatly from them, as the comparison screenshot below pretty clearly demonstrates:
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Via: PetaPixel
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| Canon executives (L-R) Yoshiyuki Mizoguchi, Go Tokura, and Naoya Kaneda. Will Canon announce a full-frame mirrorless camera this year? The signs are looking increasingly positive. Read the full interview |
At DPReview, we’re in touch with the companies that make your favorite cameras and lenses all year-round. Our best opportunity to really tap into how the leaders of those companies are thinking though comes once a year, at the CP+ show in Yokohama Japan.
Senior executives from all of the major camera and lens manufacturers are present at CP+ and we try our best to speak to as many of them as possible. This year we sat down with leaders from (in alphabetical order) Canon, Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, Ricoh, Sigma, Sony and Tamron to learn more about how they see the market, and to get an indication of what might be coming down the road.
Full-frame mirrorless will become the norm, and it will happen pretty soon
This year, almost all the executives we spoke to seemed to agree on one thing: full-frame mirrorless will become the norm, and it will happen pretty soon. Kenji Tanaka of Sony even put a date on it, saying that in his opinion, Canon and Nikon would join Sony in the full-frame mirrorless space within a year. Executives from Sigma and Tamron were similarly confident, and even Go Tokura of Canon dropped a couple of fairly heavy hints that the move to mirrorless is imminent.
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| Kenji Tanaka of Sony thinks that it won’t be long before Sony has some company in the full-frame mirrorless market, but must be hoping that products like the A7 III will increase his company’s share of the full-frame market in the meantime. Read the full interview |
It certainly makes sense, and honestly, I’m surprised that it’s even taken this long. For quite a while now, I’ve had the feeling that DPReview has been reporting on two camera markets. One is the mirrorless market: new, energetic, and increasingly packed with advanced autofocus systems and high-end video features. And the other is the DSLR market, dominated by increasingly non-essential iterative updates at the low-end, solid money-makers in the middle, and tough but conventional flagships at the top. There are some exciting and innovative DSLRs still being released, no doubt, but they’re starting to look less and less like products of the technology’s continuing evolution and more like its ultimate expression.
At a certain point, the mirror and prism will become barriers to further innovation
It’s hard to imagine, for example, how much more advanced Nikon’s DSLR platform can get, following the release of the D5 and D850. At a certain point, the mirror and prism will become barriers to further innovation, and if we haven’t already reached that point already, surely we must be getting close?
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We spent some time at CP+ talking with senior executives from Fujifilm about the runaway success of the GFX system, and how the company is moving into video. Read the full interview |
Canon already has a mirrorless lineup, albeit one that up to now has been primarily aimed at entry-level customers. They’ve been quietly laying the groundwork for high-end mirrorless for a while now though, with key technologies like Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus and a small system of compact EF-M lenses that are optimized for the short flange-back of the M-mount. As Mr. Tokura and his fellow executives told us when we spoke to them in Japan, ‘we have the technology’ – they just need to put it all together. Nikon’s 1 System (it’s not dead, it’s just sleeping…) likewise introduced some important technologies that Nikon could presumably incorporate into a larger-format system when it feels the time is right.
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When we spoke to the head of Olympus’s imaging business unit, Shigemi Sugimoto, he told us that he hopes to grow his company’s market share after “a painful period”. Read the full interview |
I think that the time is close at hand. It’s hard to argue with Mr. Tanaka of Sony that “if cameras are going to develop […] manufacturers have to develop mirrorless technologies”. Consider features like face / eye-detection AF, full-frame autofocus coverage and 4K video. All work best with the mirror up, even when it might not technically be a prerequisite.
With a lens like its new 28-75mm, Tamron is not just betting on Sony, but on full-frame mirrorless in general
Sigma and Tamron both announced full-frame Sony E-mount lenses at CP+, and appear committed to further development in the future. Takashi Sawao of Tamron confirmed something that we already suspected – lenses like its upcoming 28-75mm F2.8 for Sony have the potential to be adapted relatively easily for future – new – mirrorless mounts. The not-so-subtle message here is that with a lens like the 28-75mm, his company is betting not just on Sony, but on full-frame mirrorless in general. Sigma isn’t quite there yet (although Sigma has several native FE lenses on the market, they’re based on existing DSLR designs) but CEO Mr. Yamaki told us that his company’s announcement of E-mount versions of some Art-series lenses is ‘just the beginning’.
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| Among the topics covered in our conversation with Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki were his determination to make more native Sony E-Mount lenses for mirrorless cameras. Read the full interview |
Technically speaking, there are plenty of advantages to making lenses for full-frame mirrorless systems from scratch. Mr. Yamaki explained that for wideangle optics especially, the lenses can be made substantially smaller. They can also take advantage of in-camera optical corrections. If and when Canon and Nikon fully commit to full-frame mirrorless, I predict a flood of new lenses, as well as cameras. Nobody is expecting a return to the salad days of the early and mid-2000s, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a little more competition in a market with a few more new products in it? I’m asking for a friend…
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Our conversation with Tamron executives covered various topics, including the move to new native mirrorless designs and the decline in DSLR lens sales. Read the full interview |
Sony and Fujifilm both told us that they would welcome Canon and Nikon’s eventual contributions to the high-end mirrorless marketplace, and I believe them – although Sony’s rapid release cycle of full-frame a7 and a9 bodies in the past 18 months certainly looks like an attempt to grab as much market share as possible in the meantime.
Olympus’ Shigemi Sugimoto seems to be looking forward to some growth, after “a painful period” which saw his company’s imaging products lineup shrink. He’s new to his job, but appears confident that his company’s high-performance Micro Four Thirds cameras can compete thanks to their attractive combination of small size and market-leading image stabilization.
Meanwhile, Panasonic also hinted at further development of its stills-focused ILCs, after a period when the company has seemed more focused on meeting the needs of professional and enthusiast videographers. For its part, Fujifilm has made a bold move in the other direction with its new flagship X-H1, explicitly courting video creators for the first time.
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Panasonic executives told us that the company is hoping to ‘re-brand’ its stills photography offerings, after a period of investment in video users. Read the full interview |
The only manufacturer we spoke to in Japan that appeared uninterested in talking about mirrorless development was Ricoh. I suspect that this is partly strategic and partly also driven by necessity. The R&D resources required to tool up and launch a new system into (presumably, before too long) a crowded market may simply be prohibitive – especially given that the company has only recently started to dip its toes into full-frame digital.
At least for now, it looks as if we can expect little more from Ricoh than consolidation of the existing K-series DSLR lineup and probably a GR II successor of some kind, at some point in the future. A proportion of die-hard Pentax fans will be disappointed by this, but I expect that many simply won’t care. The K-1 II and the imminent arrival of a new 50mm F1.4 represent (at least) a continued investment in the company’s core user-base, and that’s probably enough to keep the loyalists happy for now.
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Takashi Arai of Ricoh told us that we can expect new K-series products and possibly also a GR II successor soon, but it seems unlikely that we’ll see any Pentax-branded mirrorless cameras in the near future. Read the full interview |
So what’s coming around the corner? If you’ll indulge some informed guesswork, I’m expecting the announcement of 4K-capable full-frame mirrorless cameras from at least one if not both of the major DSLR manufacturers by late summer, ahead of Photokina in September. That would fit the historical pattern of major product launches from both manufacturers. I don’t think that either Canon or Nikon will attack the professional market straight out of the gate – instead, it’s probably more likely they’ll kick things off with EOS 6D / D600-type products.
I expect flagship professional mirrorless ILCs to be launched ahead of Tokyo 2020 from Canon, Nikon and Sony
A slow build-up of core native-mirrorless lenses (alongside the necessary mount adapters for legacy EF and F lenses) will naturally follow, and development will ramp up as we get close to the Olympic Games in 2020. We know from speaking to executives at CP+ that Tokyo 2020 is going to be a big deal for Canon, and I’d expect it also to be used as a showcase for flagship professional mirrorless ILCs from the other two manufacturers in the ‘big three’ – Nikon and Sony.
By then, it would make sense for both Canon and Nikon to have replicated their most important tele primes and wide-aperture zoom lenses in their new native mirrorless mounts, and for Sigma and Tamron to be offering their own lower-cost alternatives. I don’t want to guess at exactly what those alternatives will look like, but it’s a safe bet that Sigma’s will be larger.
What do you think? Will Fujifilm or Panasonic be competing with the big three in the photographers stands at Tokyo 2020? Will Ricoh ever make another mirrorless ILC? Will Canon’s concept cameras transform how we think about capturing images?
Have your say in the comments.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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