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Exclusive: Sony confirms a7S II successor this summer – “Everything is new”

30 Jun

Kenji Tanaka, VP and Senior General Manager of Sony’s Business Unit 1, Digital Imaging Group. Pictured at the 2019 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan.

With the photo industry still mostly hunkered down, and offices temporarily closed all over the world, ‘business as usual’ is still a distant dream. But we’re not in stasis – cameras and lenses are still being released, and plans are still being put in place for future product development. Recently we spoke to Kenji Tanaka of Sony, on video chat (with a little help from his ZV1) about the impact of COVID-19 on his business, the growing market for video and – yes – the successor to the a7S II.

The following interview has been edited lightly for clarity and flow.

What impact has COVID-19 had on your operations worldwide?

It has definitely had an impact on production, and on procurement of supplies. But we’re working with all of our suppliers to minimize this. We have two manufacturing bases though – China and Thailand, which helps, and most of the supply and logistics issues have now been resolved. Operations at our factories have resumed.

What do you think the effect of the pandemic will be on the photo industry as a whole?

I think there will be very little long-term impact on production and logistics, but demand [for cameras] has been decreasing. The entire world is affected by COVID-19. However there are a lot of positive signs. For example in China, sales at June 18 shopping gala were higher than last year. We experienced strong demand for our premium lines, like the Alpha 7 Mark III and Alpha 7R Mark IV. So China is getting better, but in other areas the situation is different, obviously. Demand in the market is starting to recover in most regions though, and I’m not worried about demand [for our products] in the long-term.

Where do you see Sony’s biggest opportunities in today’s market?

Video is a big opportunity, and full-frame. In China especially, the full-frame mirrorless market is growing. We’re also going to continue to expand our lens lineup to meet the needs of professionals around the world. Those are our biggest opportunities, I think. Full-frame mirrorless and video. Demand for video is now growing in every region of the world.

The Sony ZV-1 (left) is one of a new generation of cameras intended to appeal to vloggers and video content creators, alongside the likes of the Canon PowerShot G7 X (right) and the new Panasonic Lumix G100.

You released the ZV-1 in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis – how important is the vlogging and live-streaming market to Sony?

The content creator market is expanding rapidly, and the ZV1 was purpose-built to meet the needs of video creators at all skill levels. With the impact of COVID-19, a lot of people want to record their experiences with video. Demand for this kind of product is increasing, and with the ZV-1 we had an opportunity to meet this need. A lot of people will also enjoy the ZV-1 as a webcam when connecting it to a PC via USB. We will deliver a new Desktop application in July to enable this.

I can confirm that a successor to the Alpha 7S II will be coming, later this summer

Will the Alpha 7S Mark II be replaced, or has the ‘S’ line been superseded by the a7 III and a7R IV?

We’ve received many requests, especially from professional video content creators, and I can confirm that a successor to the Alpha 7S II will be coming, later this summer. Right now we’re focused on the launch of the new camera, and it will be a complete redesign of the whole system, including the image sensor. Everything is new. We hope it will meet and exceed the expectations and requests of our customers. I’m very confident that our new model will meet their demands.

The ‘S’ originally stood for ‘sensitivity’ but now I think it should stand for ‘supreme’ in terms of image quality, and expression. It comes from having really big pixels. I think that many professionals and high-end users will enjoy the new camera.

What were the major requests from a7S II users?

Mainly things like 4K/60p, 10-bit 4:2:2… really what you’d expect.

We’re seeing Raw video being added to more and more consumer cameras – do you think there’s a need for it?

We’re aware that there is a certain amount of demand for Raw video. As you know, our customers include a lot of professionals, so we’re working hard to be able to deliver Raw data capture to these people.

Mr. Tanaka confirms that the long wait for an a7S II successor is almost over – just don’t call it a Mark III (yet).

What can Sony offer professionals right now that your competitors can’t?

Technology and innovation. These are our strengths, and that’s what we want to deliver. We have strong in-house technologies. We have very advanced technology for both stills and movies. I am proud of the speed, the performance and the richness of the images [from our products] in various conditions. And also portability of the system.

We’re continuing to evolve, to bring the performance of our products to a new level. We’re really not developing products in an attempt to compete with other manufacturers. We want to satisfy consumers, and surprise them – and create a ‘wow!’ reaction.

Can we expect to see Stacked CMOS sensor technology make its way into more Sony cameras in future?

Of course, it’s a unique, cutting-edge technology, and we want to make maximum use of these kinds of technologies.

How will your autofocus technologies evolve in future?

Increased detection speed and accuracy are what’s being demanded by our users, including professionals. And with demand for video booming, autofocus in movie shooting is very important. Right now we’re dedicated to developing autofocus technology further and further.

How will AI influence future products?

Right now we’re further developing Eye-AF, and we’ve added other detection technologies, like Animal Eye-detection. Object recognition using AI is very, very important for the future.

What do you think will be the next major technological leap, in the camera industry?

We’re very invested in AI technology, as I mentioned, but photography and videography need lenses, and the autofocus actuator in lenses is very important. For video, for example, if the actuator doesn’t work, doesn’t move quickly enough, that’s a problem, and if it makes noise, that affects the quality of the footage. So this is something we’re also investing in a lot, as we’re planning for the future.

In ten, twenty, fifty years I expect that computational photography will be doing a lot of things that traditional lenses do now

With computational photography technologies becoming more advanced, do you think that lenses of the future will look like the lenses of today?

I’m very positive about computational photography technologies, but glass has a lot of advantages. In ten, twenty, fifty years I expect that computational photography will be doing a lot of things that traditional lenses do now. But in the near future – five years, say – glass will still be superior.

In some devices, like smartphones or cameras designed to be easy to use, computational photography could be very useful. But if you want to create a masterpiece, or commercial work, real glass is better. And glass can evolve, a lot. For example with our lenses, some of them are very small but the quality is high. There’s a lot of technology inside our lenses. We’ll continue to innovate with our lens technologies.

Do you think in the future that smartphones will start to work more like cameras, or cameras will start to work more like smartphones?

Nobody knows that! But I think it’s good to have options, and choices.

Editors’ Note: Barnaby Britton

It’s always nice to speak to an optimist, especially these days. With predictions of doom and gloom from almost all corners, Mr. Tanaka strikes a rare note of positivity. The situation is improving, sales are recovering and demand looks solid in the medium term. For Sony, at least.

The wider long-term impact of the global pandemic remains to be seen, but despite the challenging environment, Mr. Tanaka is confident that Sony has what it takes to thrive as a camera and lens manufacturer. The reasons for his confidence are simple: Sony has a lot of very advanced technology, and has shown a proven willingness to innovate with it.

The biggest news to come out of this interview is confirmation (following some heavy hints) that after a long wait, an Alpha 7S Mark II successor is coming – and coming quite soon. Mr. Tanaka didn’t give away many details (it remains to be seen even if it will be called a ‘Mark III’) but reading between the lines, we’re excited.

Everything from Mr. Tanaka’s description of features like 4K/60p, and 10-bit 4:2:2 recording as merely “what you’d expect” to his mention of wanting to create a “wow!” reaction suggests that Sony intends to pull out all of the stops. Whether or not the camera will offer Raw video capture is uncertain, but given Mr. Tanaka’s remark that Sony is “working hard to be able to deliver Raw data capture to [professionals]” I wouldn’t bet against it.

Assuming that the a7S Mark II’s successor will represent the company’s best efforts, I’m sure that a lot of video pros will consider that it was worth the wait.

According to Mr. Tanaka, Sony sees video as a crucial opportunity for growth in the future, alongside the development of artificial intelligence and computational imaging technologies. Assuming (as seems reasonable) that the a7S Mark II’s successor will represent the company’s best efforts in all three areas, I’m sure that a lot of video pros will consider that it was worth the wait. Meanwhile, with demand for video products increasing globally, products like the new ZV1 are aimed at entry-level videographers and content creators who just want a small, simple and effective tool for personal expression. Or for Zoom calls.

Other exciting hints included the possibility of further optical development – both in terms of traditional lenses and computational approaches. Interesting times ahead, then – certainly worthy of some cautious optimism, I think!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Google’s Dual Exposure Controls and Live HDR+ features remain exclusive to Pixel 4

22 Oct

Google’s brand new flagship smartphone Pixel 4 comes with a variety of new and innovative camera features. Google has already said that some of those features, for example the astrophotography mode, will be made available on older Pixel devices via software updates.

However, two of the new functions will be reserved for the latest generation Pixel devices: Dual exposure controls, which let you adjust highlights and shadows via sliders in the camera app, and Live HDR+, which gives you a WYSIWYG live preview of Google’s HDR+ processing. Google confirmed this in a tweet:

Hi Mahfooz, Dual Exposure Controls and Live HDR+ require low-level capabilities in the hardware that are only available on Pixel 4, so they will not be available on older Pixel devices.

— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) October 21, 2019

According to the tweet the reason these two features won’t be available on the Pixel 3 and older devices is down to hardware rather than a marketing decision. It appears the older phones simply don’t have enough processing oomph to display the HDR+ treatment and manual adjustments in real time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: Cinema5D shares more exclusive BTS video of the Fujifilm GFX 100 being built, launched

22 Jun

Earlier this month, we shared with you the first part of Cinema5D’s two-part documentary that shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Fujifilm is bringing its medium-format GFX 100 mirrorless camera to life. Now, Cinema5D has dropped part two, which further dives into the intricacies of creating, testing and launching the world’s first 100-megapixel mirrorless camera.

The 12-minute video shares exclusive footage of how Fujifilm meticulously pieces together GFX 100 units inside its Taiwa, Japan factory, which was opened in September 2018 and designed specifically for the creation of Fujifilm GFX and X-series cameras and lenses. The video also shares a collection of footage captured with a pre-production model of the GFX 100 and takes a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to get the official launch presentation in order.

If you haven’t seen part one, be sure to go watch it first. If you’ve experienced part one, press play on this video and take in the experience.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX medium-format

11 Feb

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

Announced back at Photokina in September 2018, Fujifilm’s next-generation GFX medium-format camera is getting closer to becoming reality. Sporting a 100MP BSI CMOS sensor and built-in image stabilization, the GFX 100 represents a significant evolution of the GFX 50S, which debuted the basic body shape and control philosophy of Fujifilm’s current medium-format lineup.

We’re at the Gulf Photo Pro event in Dubai, where Fujifilm gave us a sneak peek at the first working prototype of the upcoming camera, to see for ourselves how it’s shaping up. Click through for a closer look.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

This is an early prototype, with many key features in-place and working, but not all. This particular camera is literally ‘unfinished’ in another sense, because it’s still waiting for its final cladding. The current smooth rubber covering will be replaced by a textured finish, similar to that used on the GFX 50S.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

At a casual glance, the GFX 100 looks a lot like a GFX 50S with a lighter gray finish and battery grip attached, and from an ergonomic point of view that’s not too far off being accurate, in many respects. The ‘grip’ is integral to the camera, providing more space inside the body for large components like the mechanical shutter and IBIS unit, which has to stabilize a sensor 1.7X larger than full-frame (43.8mm x 32.9mm).

With the relatively lightweight GF 45mm F2.8 attached, the GFX 100 feels more like a professional full-frame DSLR than a medium-format mirrorless camera. Exact dimensions and final weight are still secret, but my sense from handling the GFX 100 with the 45mm F2.8 is that it has about the same kind of heft as something like a Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1DX II with a fast prime attached.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

From the top, the GFX 100 starts looking a lot less like the GFX 50S that went before it. It’s blockier and a little more industrial-looking for a start, and lacks the retro-style dials that are a characteristic of previous GF and X-series cameras.

A large high-contrast information panel dominates the upper right of the top-plate, while a large 3-position dial on the left is used to switch the camera between movie, stills and multiple exposure modes. The ‘drive’ button at its center allows you to determine your desired frame-rate, in combination with the camera’s control dials.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

The top screen on this prototype is not fully activated, but it will show a comprehensive status display of major exposure parameters, including exposure compensation. It is hoped that in this way, users of the new camera won’t miss the large shutter speed and ISO dials of its predecessor too badly.

A major and very welcome change in the GFX 100 compared to the earlier 50S is the electronic viewfinder. At Fujifilm’s request I have to be a little vague about the exact specifications of the finder, but I can tell you that in terms of clarity and resolution it compares well to the excellent EVF in the X-H1, and is free from the pixelation and noticeable lag which affected the finder of the 50S, especially when autofocus was initiated.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

Just like the GFX 50S, the viewfinder unit is removable, and will be interchangeable with the viewfinder from the earlier camera. However, GFX 50S users hoping to save some money might be disappointed – when the GFX 50S finder is attached to the GFX 100, they won’t get the benefit of the greatly improved resolution of the newer EVF.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

From the rear, more differences compared to the GFX 50S are obvious. The focus mode dial has been swapped from the left to the right of the viewfinder, playback has been relocated to the lower right of the screen, and the 4-way controller of the older camera has been deleted entirely.

As well as the larger top-mounted display there’s an all-new OLED ribbon display on the back, below the main LCD. Not activated in this prototype, the intention is that this display will serve to show the status of key camera settings. I was hoping it might be touch sensitive, but apparently not.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

The rear LCD assembly isn’t quite flush with the rest of the rear controls but it sticks out a lot less than the original GFX, partly because of the relocation of the large battery to below the screen, inside the grip.

Like the GFX 50S, the main rear display is tilting and touch-sensitive, which is good because also like the 50S, the small rear joystick (which is duplicated in the GFX 100) is rather small and recessed. Setting AF point by touch might be a little easier in some situations, especially when the camera is tripod mounted.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

Here’s a closer look at the duplicated controls on the integrated vertical grip. While the main shutter dial has an on/off switch collar, the same control on the secondary shutter release serves to lock/unlock the button.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

Inside the ‘grip’ is a tray which accepts two of the same NP-T125 batteries first introduced in the GFX 50S. Battery life figures have yet to be confirmed, but I’m told that Fujifilm is aiming for around the same rating as the older camera, i.e., ~400 shots (CIPA) per single charge, which would double presumably to ~800 shots when both batteries are loaded into the GFX 100.

While two batteries will double the battery life, the GFX 100 will work perfectly happily with only one.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

Two batteries, and two card slots, but somewhat surprisingly, both are SD. Despite its high pixel count Fujifilm has opted not to include support for the next-generation XQD/CFexpress media in the GFX 100, but apparently this is being discussed for future products in the GFX lineup.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

I/O ports are as expected, with microphone and headphone jacks, plus HDMI and USB, courtesy of a USB 3.0 Type C port. A traditional PC socket is positioned on the side of the camera, under a threaded cap (just visible here between the two open port covers.

While unconfirmed, the lightening bolt symbol on the port door suggests that it will be possible to charge the GFX 100 over USB. I suspect that to operate the camera under remote power, the 15V DC IN socket will need to come into play.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

At the heart of the GFX 100 is a newly developed 100MP BSI CMOS sensor, which at a component level we understand is similar to the sensor used in the X-T3 . In addition to extra pixels, the new sensor also incorporates phase-detection AF pixels (details still TBD) and support for 4K/30, 10bit, 4:2:0 video internally and 10bit 4:2:2 externally via HDMI. Perhaps most importantly, from the perspective of many photographers is in-camera stabilization – a first for medium format.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

While the exact details of expected performance are still secret, a quick hotel conference room handheld shooting test with the GF 45mm F2.8 delivered plenty of sharp images at 1/20sec and a couple of acceptably sharp shots at shutter speeds as low as 1/6sec. Rest assured that as soon as we get our hands on a final camera, this is something we really want to test.

In theory, we’re told that the GFX 100 could support sensor-shift features in future, such as higher-resolution capture. While such modes probably won’t make it into the initial shipping product, there’s a chance that extra features could be added via firmware.

EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX

Something else we really want to test is the GFX 100’s autofocus performance. In another highly unscientific hotel conference room test, AF speed appears very good, and certainly greatly improved over the original GFX 50S. This is certainly due in part to the new phase-detection autofocus system, and also the substantially more powerful on-board processor of the higher-resolution camera. Also, compared to the ‘hair trigger’ of some current Fujifilm cameras, the shutter button response on this prototype GFX 100 has a little more travel, and feels similar in responsiveness to a Nikon or Canon DSLR.

Pictured here is Makoto Oishi, who is in charge of the GFX 100’s development. His team still has a lot of work still to do, but he is confident that the camera will be available on-time, in late spring or early summer. Price is still to be confirmed, but is expected to be in the region of $ 10,000.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with upcoming Fujifilm XF and GF lenses

10 Feb

Hands-on with upcoming Fujifilm XF and GF lenses

We’re in Dubai, where Fujifilm is showing off pre-production and prototype samples of three upcoming lenses – the GF 50mm F3.5 – a compact, lightweight standard lens for medium format – the XF 16mm F2.8, and the XF 16-80mm F4 – both of which designed for the company’s range of APS-C format X-series cameras.

Click through for an exclusive first look at all three, including detailed specifications.

Fujinon GF 50mm F3.5 LM WR

First up is the GF 50mm F3.5, which was placed on Fujifilm’s GF roadmap back in September. Shown here on the medium-format GFX 50R, the GF 50mm F3.5 covers a focal length equivalent to 40mm in 35mm terms, making it a so-called ‘normal’ standard lens. In terms of subject isolation, you can think of it as offering F2.8 full-frame equivalent depth-of-field, thanks to the reverse 0.79x crop factor. As you can see, for a lens designed for a modern medium-format system, it’s impressively small.

Even more impressive when you consider that the GF 50mm F3.5 contains nine elements in six groups, including one aspherical element. Note the small front element – more on that in a minute.

Fujinon GF 50mm F3.5 LM WR

An ideal companion for the (relatively) compact GFX 50R, the 50mm F3.5 provides a versatile and very portable solution for day to day photography. Autofocusing performance seems good, from our brief time with this pre-production sample, and focus acquisition is fast and quiet. Manual focus (as with all GF lenses) is ‘focus by wire’, via the slim focus ring towards the front of the lens.

Fujinon GF 50mm F3.5 LM WR

This shot shows the rear element of the GF 50mm F3.5. Compare this with the markedly small front element, and you might spot a theme with modern prime lenses designed for mirrorless systems. The short flange back and wide diameters of dedicated mirrorless camera mounts compared to legacy SLR systems allow optical designers to include large rear elements, positioned close to the imaging surface. Large rear elements allow for the potential to keep light rays at the peripheries of the image somewhat perpendicular to the sensor – in other words, less oblique. As such, higher resolution, lower chromatic aberration, and less vignetting can be achieved nearer to the edges of the frame. This can also mitigate the need for complex software corrections.

Furthermore, by making the rear elements of lenses like this slightly convex relative to the imaging surface, light that reflects back from the sensor can mostly be bounced outwards, beyond the imaging area. This reduces the risk of ‘ghosting’ when bright highlights appear in a scene.

The GF 50mm F3.5 will be available later this year, pricing still TBD.

Fujinon XF 16mm F2.8 R LM WR

Next up is the XF 16mm F2.8 for Fujifilm’s X-series APS-C format cameras, which was added to Fujifilm’s XF roadmap last summer. Equivalent to a 24mm F4.2 lens in full-frame terms, the XF 16mm is a tiny lens, perfect for street photography and landscape work, where portability is more important than a bright aperture.

Fujinon XF 16mm F2.8 R LM WR

Similar in general styling to Fujifilm’s 23mm, 35mm and 50mm F2 primes, the XF 16mm F2.8 really is tiny, and weighs in at only 155g. Despite its compact dimensions, it is sealed against dust and moisture incursion – you can just make out the rubber gasket around the lens mount in this shot.

Fujinon XF 16mm F2.8 R LM WR

Optical construction of the XF 16mm F2.8 comprises 10 elements in eight groups, including one aspherical element. Autofocus from this near-final sample (we tried it on an X-H1) is very fast and effectively silent. It will be available next month, pricing still TBD.

Fujinon XF 16-80mm F4 R LM WR

Finally, here’s the XF 16-80mm F4. Also added the roadmap last summer, the 16-80mm is optically stabilized and covers an equivalent focal length range of 24-120mm, with equivalent depth-of-field of a F6.0 lens. It’s a versatile standard ‘do everything’ zoom lens for Fujifilm’s XT-class mirrorless cameras. As you can see, at its 16mm position this lens is highly compact.

Fujinon XF 16-80mm F4 R LM WR

Zoomed in all the way to 80mm however, it almost doubles in size. Inside the barrel you’ll find 16 elements in 12 groups, including no fewer than four aspherical elements and one ED. The relatively large front element supports a 72mm filter thread.

Fujinon XF 16-80mm F4 R LM WR

Like the XF 16mm F2.8, the XF 16-80mm F4 is ‘WR’ (weather resistant). Pricing and availability has yet to be confirmed.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Exclusive: Nikon D850 high res samples and pro shooting experience

26 Aug

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For the past two weeks, sports photographer Andrew Hancock has been shooting with a pre-production model of the Nikon D850, putting it through its paces to see if there was anything Nikon’s new DSLR couldn’t do. Lucky for us, he and Nikon agreed to share some of his sample images with DPReview exclusively, as well answer a few shooting experience questions about the D850.

Our short phone interview with Andrew has been edited for clarity.

How many generations of Nikon DSLRs have you used?

I actually switched over in 2010. The first Nikon I owned was the D3, which at the time for me was absolutely remarkable camera.

I had one D3, two D3s’s and a D3x to start me off. Since then I’ve owned most of the DSLRs Nikon has released. I have one D800 left (I used to have multiple, but this the one my only cover for Time was shot with it, so I’ve kept it on the shelf), three D810s which, surprisingly, see more action than anything else in my kit, two D5, one D500, one D750, one D4s, two D4’s, and a D300s converted to infrared.

What features of a DSLR do you use/value the most?

I love shooting athletes in motion, so it’s really portrait work at its core. It’s why I love the D810: the files that camera produces are so fantastic. So resolution is really important for me more-so than framerate, even when shooting sports.

When I do basketball, for example, I usually have strobes up in the catwalk and so you’re limited to one frame at a time. As important as 12fps is with the D5 (and I do use it regularly), even then I find my best pictures are the first or second frame in any sequence because that’s my initial reaction.

12-14fps is great, but I rarely ever pick any of the later frames. The D5 for me is killer for remote camera use (horseracing, basketball using available light, etc.) but the D850 was the perfect marriage of everything I needed. It’s hands down the most versatile camera I’ve ever handled. When I had the conference call with Nikon and they introduced it to me, telling me the specs, it was everything I had been hoping for and then some. When I had it in my hand for the first time, all those expectations were met… and when I saw the first RAW files, they were blown away.

What was your wishlist for a D810 replacement?

I was hoping to be in the range close to 50MP, which they did, and as far as frames per second I would have been happy with 6, so having 7 and the option of 9 with the grip was phenomenal.

More important than fps for me was going to be ISO performance though. I do so much work behind the scenes with teams and athletes, where you’re working with only available light. Having that high ISO performance I’m used to with the D5, I really wanted to see a camera that performed closer to that, definitely better than the D810. D850 definitely hit the mark.

Doing some testing in an alley with a bodybuilder, we shot portraits at ISO 5000 and they held up! It was really eye opening to see what we could do with that camera, and how well it was reading light and processing it. Every time I would try to push the camera to its limits, it kind of pushed me back. It’s a really fun situation to be in because up to this point in my career, I’ve made a habit of pushing my gear (cameras, lenses, lights) to their limits; this camera changed the equation for me because instead of me pushing it, the camera was pushing me.

We spent 2 weeks running around like crazy shooting whatever we wanted and having a blast.

What are the most significant upgrades in the D850 compared to previous Nikon DSLRs that you’ve used?

The things I was really impressed with (and wasn’t expecting) was the AF improvements for this compared to the D810. It’s dramatic. The fact that it could hold AF at 7-9fps… this camera is going to perform for you in any situation.

One of the most challenging situation I shoot is swimmers coming at me in butterfly. Since they’re constantly coming up and out of the water, it can be a real challenge for an AF system like you see on the D810. By comparison, the D850 performs incredibly well. In the past, the best focus was coming out of the flagship pro body; the D850 gets me that same system but at a pretty crazy price point.

Honestly, it’s tough to put into words. I was surprised by the frame rate they were able to get. And incredibly impressed by the high ISO performance. I was very happy to see the MP range they put it at. Every time I would look at a file I thought might be challenging, I came back with “wow.” It passed with flying colors. It was never, “it kind of let us down” here or there.

Is the D850’s AF performance on par with the D5? What’s your experience comparing the D850 to the Nikon flagship?

I’d put it on par. The D5 still has an edge, especially with how fast it can shoot, but I say that with the caveat that I haven’t used the D850 with the battery grip. So even shooting without the grip, it’s on par. I would have no reservations having it in my hand shooting a football or basketball game.

The real trade off between the two cameras is ISO. With the D5 you are going to be better at high ISOs because that’s what that camera was built for—you’ll sacrifice a little bit of that performance for the extra resolution. But that’s a sacrifice that I’m personally wiling to make. The D810 has been my workhorse for years, and now the D850 will be.

I think people are going to be really impressed by the dynamic range, the tonal range, the clarity… everything.

What kind of photographers do you think will most appreciate the D850/find it most useful?

I’m not really sure. I don’t think you can put this thing in just one segment because it’s kind of like a decathlete: itcan do anything. This is a camera that can perform well in any situation you put it in. From a sports perspective, I’ll use it like crazy without any reservations.

I’m most known for my sports work, but I shoot a lot of photojournalism and in that genre you have to be able to shoot and cover anything—from food photography, to landscape and portraiture. This camera can handle it all. I don’t see, like you do with some other bodies, that this is “geared” more towards this or that. This is geared towards photography.

You look for the weaknesses when you’re testing it, but with the experience I’ve had so far I have yet to find what application or genre it’s going to struggle with. It just keeps performing.

And that holds for the colleagues I’ve talked to who have used it. They all have great things to say about it. Photographers by nature complain about “X Y and Z “ on occasion and occasionally a lot, complaining about what we don’t have. But it’s hard to find something this camera doesn’t have, at least for me.

I put the D850 in as many situation as I could put it in and it performed… the real question is what can’t it do.

Is there anything you still want to see improved / added?

Not as far as performance, no, and I haven’t even shot with a grip yet. One of my favorite older bodies is the D3x, and I think having a camera with this kind of resolution in that package would be intriguing, but at the same time I like having a little more weight off my shoulders.

They’ve improved the ergonomics, it’s got a deeper grip which I really like, the new viewfinder is fantastic—there’s not a lot to complain about. Again, it would be interesting to see it in a full size body like the D5, but it’s not really necessary… I mean, there’s a reason why I’ve preordered three of these.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Exclusive interview: Olympus R&D on continued E-M1 Mark II development

01 Feb

Conference room to conference room: Setting up for a cross-Pacific meeting.

Over the years, Olympus has steadily released firmware updates to its previous flagship, the OM-D E-M1. It currently sits at firmware version 4.3, and in the interim, updates have added features such as Live Composite and Live Boost II, and also included functional improvements to such aspects as continuous autofocus performance, image display lag time and more.

Bearing this in mind, it stands to reason that Olympus would be planning a similar treatment with regards to the E-M1 Mark II. Since its surprise reveal at Photokina 2016, and particularly since we’ve published our full review, we’ve emailed back and forth with both feedback and feature requests for Olympus Tokyo to consider in future firmware updates. This all culminated in an international video conference call last week, where we learned a great deal about just what Olympus’ has in store.

“I would like to promise that we will be improving and evolving [the E-M1 Mark II] with firmware upgrades.” – Mr. Takao Takasu, E-M1 Mark II Product Development

It’s important to point out that the Olympus engineers we met with are understandably unable to confirm specifics such as when (or if) certain improvements will come to the E-M1 II, but they are at the very least committed to confirming some items that they are ‘working on.’ The most notable of these include:

Adding ‘Auto ISO’ capability to manual video shooting
Allowing for control of autofocus racking speed while shooting video
Clarifying and enhancing customizability of continuous autofocus behavior beyond the current -2 to +2 ‘tight to loose’ scale
Working on the AF algorithm to improve tracking performance
Enable the ability to enter playback and menus while the buffer is clearing

To see considerations as significant as refinement of the autofocus algorithm this early in a product cycle is encouraging. Olympus is adamant (and, given what we’ve found in our full review, rightfully so) that the E-M1 II is part of a system that can appeal to professional shooters looking for a more compact kit without sacrificing anything in terms of overall speed. Admittedly the smaller Four Thirds sensor lags behind many cheaper APS-C and Full Frame solutions with regards to low light and noise performance, but no other camera offers 18fps Raw burst shooting with continuous autofocus, and the smaller sensor in the E-M1 II is precisely what allows the camera to do so.

“We will try to improve playback function during data recording.”- Mr. Katsuhisa Kawaguchi, Continuous Shooting

In addition to letting us know what they’re working on for future firmware upgrades, Olympus gave us some further insight into some of the E-M1 II’s headline capabilities.

With regard to autofocus during burst shooting, the camera is able to capture and analyze phase-detection autofocus information of the image that has just been captured to use it in tandem with Live View autofocus information for more accurate prediction of subject movement – this is all meant to improve tracking performance.

The in-body image stabilization system currently allows around 5.5 stops of image stabilization at 40mm (80mm equiv.) focal length, with shorter focal lengths reducing overall effectiveness, as with shorter focal lengths, you have ever lengthening exposure times where body shake – as opposed to hand shake – becomes dominant (this is true of all IS systems). Smaller amplitude and higher-frequency shaking from hand shake is far easier to engineer for in terms of sensor movement than high amplitude, slow-frequency shake from a photographer’s whole body.

“Our [image stabilization] becoming very, very sensitive. But we are not satisfied with the current performance and will continue to improve.” – Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, Image Stabilization System

There are, of course, reports of users getting sharp shots at shutter speeds ranging from 2-10 seconds, though these users are also bracing against larger body movements by leaning on a wall, or placing elbows on a desk.

As with its predecessor, weather sealing and durability was a big point of emphasis on the E-M1 Mark II.

That being said, the engineers stated that they are aiming to push image stabilization technology even farther than the 6.5 stops afforded when the E-M1 II is paired with an image stabilized lens, such as the 300mm F4 Pro or 12-100mm F4 Pro. We asked them how they aim to do this, and were greeted with a wry smile or two – certainly indicative of some confidence in their ongoing development.

Olympus was also able to tell us that the E-M1 II was ‘benchmarked’ against competitors’ models, with a concerted effort being made to improve upon them. In this vein, particular attention was paid to speed of image playback (which is blazingly fast, and highly important considering the burst speeds), JPEG tonality, noise reduction and overall quality (important for quickly filing photos on, say, breaking news assignments), and run-and-gun movie capability, especially in terms of movie image stabilization.

“We have achieved high quality 4K shooting without a tripod or stabilizer.” – Mr. Kazuhiro Haneda, Video

It’s clear that Olympus is proud of the E-M1 Mark II, and is serious about tackling its shortcomings with firmware upgrades wherever possible. One thing they won’t be able to fix with firmware is one of the E-M1 II’s biggest criticisms: the price remains prohibitively high for many.

But given what Olympus is already aiming to tackle, those investing in the Olympus system for the long term are likely to be rewarded. It’s become more common practice over the past few years to bring updates to camera models (particularly flagships) throughout the product cycle. It’s encouraging to see Olympus continue this going forward, not only in terms of usability and technical improvements, but perhaps new features as well – we’ll just have to wait and see.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Exclusive interview: Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

05 Aug

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

As sports fans around the world get ready for the official opening of the 2016 Rio Olympics, Canon’s Professional Services team are preparing too.

We spoke to Elizabeth Pratt, Director of Professional Products Marketing at Canon Professional Services about how Canon is preparing for the biggest event in the sporting calendar.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

The first shift of CPS staff, starting at 7:30AM, pauses to pose for a group photo.

What exactly are you doing in Rio right now?

I’m down here with Canon Professional Services, and there are also some folks here from our broadcast team. CPS provides event support for all kinds of things, any time a lot of media gathers — events like the Super Bowl, the Indy 500, the Kentucky Derby, the political conventions that we recently attended. These are very important assignments for photographers and we want to be on-site to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Elizabeth Pratt, Director of Professional Products Marketing at Canon Professional Services.

Elizabeth is currently in Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics

We offer cleaning and checks on equipment to make sure that everything is working at factory spec. Also in situations like this, for someone shooting with an older model camera we like to give them the opportunity to shoot with the latest equipment.

And then of course photographers also have a need for remote cameras, but not everybody takes six cameras to an event so they can use four of them as remotes. So we loan additional cameras to help them out.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

With over 70 Canon staff supporting photographers and broadcasters, coordinating schedules is no easy task.

How long does it take to plan your presence at an event as big as the Olympics?

We started planning at least a year ago, just trying to determine how much equipment we were going to need to be able to support all of our customers, how we were going to get it all into and out of the country, through customs… It’s a collaboration between the home country, the CPS folks who are based in Rio, Canon USA is supporting with a lot of equipment, Canon Europe is contributing to the equipment as well, and we’re all sending staff. So the planning really starts at least a year in advance.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

Racks of lenses and professional Canon DSLRs, ready to be distributed to photographers at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Can you give us an idea of exactly how much equipment you’re sending?

Almost 1600 lenses and about 900 DSLR bodies. That’s EOS 7D II, EOS-1D X II and EOS 5DS cameras. We also have 78 staff. We have what we call our Professional Market Specialists, whose job is to support professional photographers and filmmakers by answering questions and giving people advice and support. In addition to these people we have logistics folks on site, and then actual technicians who are working on the cameras.

At most events we just do cleaning and checks, but here in Rio we have virtually a complete repair center set up where we’re doing much more extensive repairs than we normally do on-site.

How many languages do you have represented among your staff over there?

Twelve languages including English.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

The EOS-1D X II is a capable video camera, as well as being designed to capture fast sequences of still images.

Are you supporting any photographers in Rio who are using the EOS-1D X II for video, or for broadcast?

There are plenty of people shooting video with the EOS-1D X II – not necessarily for broadcast, but certainly several independent agencies and teams. Under the terms of the IOC, photographers are not permitted to shoot video at the Olympics but our big clients like Getty and AP are incorporating video more and more. We talk about video a lot to photographers and they’re being asked to shoot more video and to learn about video.

We’re starting to see newspapers and publications even merge departments and cross-train people [for stills and video].

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

Canon has worked with Getty, which is creating a submersible remote camera setup using the EOS-1D X II and the 11-24mm wide-angle zoom, specifically to shoot underwater events at the Olympics.

How closely do you work with agency clients ahead of big events like this?

We’ve worked very closely with the big agencies in preparation for the Olympics. We have some robotic cameras down here and we worked with the agencies to develop them for their needs. These robotic solutions are amazing. You can shoot remotely on them from the press center with multiple remote cameras attached to one computer, and switch back and forth. It allows perspectives on the Olympics that we’ve never seen before.

We’ve been helping to support an underwater system, which was developed by Getty. It’s an EOS-1D X Mark II and 11-24mm lens. The camera is in an underwater housing, and it’s networked so that it can be controlled remotely. The flexibility of control is exceptional, and the 11-24mm has really nice distortion correction — you don’t have the kind of distortion at the frame edges that you might get with other wide-angle lenses.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

A Canon technician uses an illuminated loupe to check for dust on the sensor of an EOS-1D X II.

How many of this sort of major events have you personally been involved in?

I started off as a professional market specialist with Canon and my first Olympics was Athens in 2004.

We’re much more collaborative now in the way that we work with clients. We reach out to them well in advance and talk to them about their workflow and how their needs are changing. Then we customize solutions to meet those needs.

When I started with Canon years ago, we just made cameras and said ‘here you go’. Our whole mindset has really changed, to try and figure out how to change and adapt as the industry changes.

How will the next Olympics in 2020 be different?

I think we’re at a very interesting place now with technology, with the integration of 4K into DSLRs and the ability to grab incredibly high resolution, beautiful frames from that video. I think there’s potential to change the way that photographers work. I don’t want to try to predict the future but I think that’s probably going to be one of the biggest factors that influences what’s going to change and what new equipment will bring in the next four years.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Flickr makes Auto-Uploadr tool a Pro-account exclusive

10 Mar

In a statement released on Tuesday, photo sharing site Flickr announced that its desktop Auto-Uploadr tool, which automatically and privately uploads images to a user’s account, is now available only to paying ‘Pro’ customers. Users with free accounts must upgrade to Pro to continue using the tool.

Flickr Pro offers a few benefits over free accounts, including ad-free browsing, access to additional stats, discounts on Flickr merchandise shipping, a 20% discount for Adobe Creative Cloud Photography and, as of yesterday, exclusive use of the Auto-Uploadr tool.

Flickr Pro is temporarily discounted by 30%, putting it at $ 34.99 for a year’s subscription.

Via: Flickr

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Kickstarter Project That Will Change Your Photography Career Forever (Exclusive Freebie Inside)

17 Mar

You might have already heard about Defrozo, a free multi-tool business app for photographers as it has been mentioned in the media quite a lot lately. Today the Defrozo Kickstarter went live, and it’s become a Staff Pick in less than 1 hour after the launch! With a working Beta, over 2000 users on board, and some quite ambitious goals, the Continue Reading

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