This week Chris and Jordan compare four popular mid-range APS-C mirrorless cameras: the Canon M6 II, Nikon Z50, Sony a6400 and the Fujifilm X-T30. Which one is right for you?
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Nikon’s Z50 and Canon’s EOS M6 Mark II are both built around APS-C sized sensors, mirrorless lens mounts, come with twin-dial controls and are being launched at similar prices. But as much as they have in common, there are plenty of other aspects separating the two as well.
We’ve gotten a chance to use them both and have a ton of details for you about how they compare, but not just on specs alone. We’ll take a closer look at how well they’re each work for common photographic use cases.
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First things first, the Canon comes with noticeably more resolution than the Nikon: in fact, at 32.5MP, the M6 Mark II (along with its DSLR sibling, the EOS 90D) comes with the highest-resolution APS-C sensor we’ve yet seen. The Nikon Z50 instead uses a 20.9MP unit that is closely related to the one in the Nikon D500. This will be plenty of megapixels for most people, but some users may want more; and we’ll have more on that in a bit.
Both cameras have sophisticated on-sensor autofocus systems that offer eye-detection and subject tracking, but they differ greatly in both interface and usability. Most notably, the Z50 has an AF joystick for interacting with your AF point, while the M6 II makes do with merely a touchscreen.
Both capture full-width 4K video and offer fast burst speeds, but further differences like ergonomic design and their respective lens lineups will have a big impact on which option is the right one for you.
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Both cameras tick a fair amount of boxes for landscape shooting, albeit different ones. The more compact EOS M6 II is going to be the easier option to pack into a bag for heading out into the elements, though you may want to add on the optional EVF for shooting in bright light.
However, the Nikon Z50’s claimed weather sealing is probably going to help it stand up to those elements better if you’re expecting inclement weather, and its larger grip, buttons and dials will be more easily operable with gloves. You can top them up with USB should battery life run down while you’re off the grid – and they have similar battery life numbers.
If you like to crop, or you want to make the largest prints you can from an APS-C sensor, the M6 II is your best bet
Based on our testing of cameras with similar sensors, we expect both the Z50 and M6 II to have good dynamic range, so that won’t be a big differentiator. But resolution absolutely will be: 32.5MP is a good amount more than 20.9MP. So if you like to crop, or you want to make the largest prints you can from an APS-C sensor, the M6 II is your best bet here.
But we must also consider lenses: from our initial photos, we’ve only seen one native zoom lens that performs well on the high-res M6 II sensor, and that’s the wide-angle 11-22mm F4.5-5.6. There’s a wide suite of primes for the system now, to be sure (more on those later), but for users who work with a more ‘standard’ zoom range, we think Nikon’s Z50 solution may be best.
Of course, you can always adapt lenses from Canon’s EF-S and EF mount DSLRs onto the M6 II, and Nikon’s Z-mount full-frame lenses and F-mount lenses on the Z50. If you’re willing to put up with the extra bulk and cost, either camera will offer you plenty of options.
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Both cameras will to be great for travelers, for several reasons. Firstly they’re both reasonably compact and easy to pack. They both offer USB charging (be aware we think the Canon requires USB Power Delivery spec) so you can top up their batteries on-the-go. They each offer solid Wi-Fi connectivity so you can get images onto your phone and onto the web from just about anywhere.
Oh, and we like the pictures out of each of them: even their un-tweaked JPEGs look to offer pleasing color and will be great for quick social posts. And if you do find you want to tweak your files, each allows for user-friendly creative filters as well as more powerful processing of Raw files right on the camera.
For this use, we wouldn’t get too fussed about the standard zooms on either camera – they’re both compact, and the Canon offers good-enough sharpness for web posting. But if you want better low light performance or blurrier backgrounds behind your subjects, we’d recommend the EOS M6 Mark II because it has more native, fast-aperture primes available for reasonable prices.
On the Nikon Z50, you can of course adapt Nikon’s full-frame Z primes, as well as crop-sensor and full-frame Nikon F-mount primes, but that adds a lot of bulk and, potentially, cost. On the M6 II, you have 16mm, 30mm and 56mm F1.4 primes from Sigma as well as Canon’s 22mm F2 and 32mm F1.4, and they’re all available for less than $ 500 US each.
We found the original EOS M6 with Canon’s 22mm prime was a particularly pleasing combination for travel, and we’d expect the same with the Mark II. But it bears mentioning that if you are shooting in a lot of bright light, you’ll want a viewfinder, so if you get your EOS M6 II with the optional unit, don’t forget to bring it along.
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Sports and action shooters eyeing either of these cameras will find that they look awfully capable from their specifications. The Nikon Z50 doesn’t shoot quite as fast as the Canon M6 Mark II, topping out at 11fps with autofocus to the Canon’s 14fps. If you want a live view of images between each of your shots, the Nikon drops to 5fps, which is again slower than the Canon’s 7fps.
And all this is ignoring the Canon’s very fast 30 fps Raw Burst mode, which is just as it sounds: the camera shoots a burst of Raw images at 30 fps for around three seconds. The caveats with this feature include a 1.25x crop, as well as the requirement that you ‘unpack’ the burst using Canon’s proprietary software once you download them to your computer, but Canon edges out the Nikon on absolute speed here.
We generally find we prefer a viewfinder to a rear screen when shooting sports and action, and it’s no different with these cameras. The Nikon Z50’s unit is broadly comparable to the EOS M6 II’s detachable unit, so as long as you get the Canon with a kit that includes the EVF-DC2, you won’t be left wanting.
Both cameras comes with adept on-sensor phase detection systems capable of accurately following subjects very well
But burst speeds are meaningless if none of your images are in focus. Luckily, both cameras comes with adept on-sensor phase detection systems capable of accurately following subjects very well, particularly if you choose a ‘zone’ and keep it over your subject on your own. If you want the camera to track your subject for you around the frame, the Nikon requires a series of button clicks to get there , whereas the Canon requires you to change one menu setting, and thereafter, you only need a half-press of the shutter once you find your intended subject.
Lastly, ergonomics bear mentioning. The Nikon’s AF joystick makes moving your AF point a bit easier than the M6 II’s touchscreen (though the latter isn’t bad by any means), and the Nikon’s larger grip will be more comfortable if you’re adapting larger telephoto zooms. But if you opt for each system’s native, lightweight telephoto zooms (meaning Nikon’s DX Z 50-250 F4.5-6.3 or Canon’s EF-M 55-200mm F4.5-6.3), either camera will balance just fine.
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To start, just as both cameras’ autofocus systems are capable with sports and action, they’re quite good at focusing on people as well. Both come with reliable eye-detection autofocus, ensuring focus is exactly where you want it. The M6 II has the edge again here: if for some reason it loses track of your subject, or that person turns away, the camera won’t jump to someone else, as the Nikon Z50 will.
Both kit lenses are going to be great for general outdoor shooting, but if you’re out at a fancy candlelit dinner, you’ll want a fast prime lens for the best images, and Canon simply has better options here, as we covered in the ‘Travel’ section.
Image quality on both cameras is generally superb. This means you will rarely have to tweak images before sending them off to your phone, which you can then easily share with the people around you, in the moment.
Without its viewfinder, the M6 II is a bit easier to throw into a bag than the Z50, but once attached, the size difference between the two is less significant. And since both can be USB charged, you can use the same USB Power-Delivery charger you use for your phone to keep them topped up should you run out of power.
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While family and moments is primarily about casual outings, this type of photography is for the social media conscious photographer looking to add some panache to a scene with some posing and creative use of depth-of-field.
To summarize, both cameras are capable of great image quality out-of-camera despite their small size, and each have great eye-detection focus (though we prefer generally the Canon’s). Both let you get your images onto the social web quickly, but you can tweak them on the cameras themselves before getting them to your favorite image-sharing app.
As with a few of the previous categories, it really comes down to lenses here. Between Canon’s own primes and now Sigma’s, the EOS M6 Mark II has a pretty extensive range of fast prime lenses that are both appropriately sized and priced for the camera. Nikon’s only two native Z-mount crop-sensor lenses are currently kit zooms, and their slower variable apertures won’t blur backgrounds as well. Add a full-frame Z mount prime, or any F-mount prime and an adapter, and you’re spending more money and adding more size and weight.
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These cameras offer comparable video feature sets. They each provide 4K video from the full width of the sensor and have microphone and micro-HDMI ports, but no headphone port to monitor audio. The tilting touchscreens make it easy to shoot from odd angles, but hand-held footage has to rely on in-lens stabilization as neither has a stabilized sensor in the camera body. Our biggest concern was the lack of 24p video recording from the Canon, but the company says it’s adding it in a firmware update in 2020.
The Nikon gives you more flexibility for configuring a separate i (custom) menu for video mode and they both allow you to set up separate button functions when video shooting.
Additionally, both cameras feature face-and-eye-detect autofocus while shooting video, as well as tap-to-track functionality. In all, they’re both solid options for shooting good-quality, casual video.
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Throughout this article, there are some themes that have emerged. Both of these cameras are really good cameras that are capable of taking stellar images and video. Both cameras can perform very well with capturing fast action as well as photographing human subjects.
They both handle very well, but differently, and this will come down to personal taste for many people. The larger grip of the Z50 lends itself better to larger lenses, which may be welcome if you’re adapting lenses from the company’s other lens mounts. Which brings us to the largest theme so far.
There are currently more native EF-M zooms and primes available than there are for the Z50
It’s true that vast majority of buyers aren’t likely to move too far beyond the kit lenses on either of these cameras, but the EOS M6 II gives you the most cost-effective and size-conscious options to do so, if you ever decide to. There are currently more native EF-M zooms and primes available than there are for the Z50, and native lens options are likely to be a less confusing path to navigate for new users than deciphering adapters, additional mounts, autofocus motor compatibility, and so on.
Of course, it could be argued that buying full frame Z-mount lenses puts you on a full-frame upgrade path on the Nikon – a path that doesn’t exist for the Canon. But the affordability of the EF-M prime lenses means it might be more cost-effective to choose what you need now rather than compromising in anticipation of a switch you might make at some later date.
But what about you? What do you make of these two cameras and how would you use them? Let us know in the comments.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Google has unveiled the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, a pair of mid-range phones that put the best parts of its flagship devices—namely the cameras—into more wallet-friendly packages.
Announced today at Google I/O, the phones feature 5.6″ and 6″ 1080p OLED displays (respectively), Snapdragon 670 processors, 4GB RAM, 12.2-megapixel rear cameras and 64GB of storage. Both units have USB-C charging (no wireless charging), fingerprint readers, 3.5mm headphone jacks and Google’s Active Edge technology, which summons ‘Hey Google’ with a quick squeeze of the phone.
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The two new devices look similar to Google’s more powerful Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL devices, but come in slightly taller, feature a downward-facing bottom speaker and feature a spot on the top for the 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s no notch on either phone.
Diving into the camera details, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL use the same award-winning main rear camera found inside the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, with a 12.2MP Sony IMX363 1/2.55″ (1.4?m pixels) dual-pixel sensor and an F1.8 lens (76-degree FOV, 28mm equiv.). Missing is the 19mm equiv. wide-angle ‘group selfie’ front camera found on the original Pixel 3 phones, but this is mitigated by the wider FOV (84-degree FOV, 24mm equiv.) of the traditional 8MP F2.0 (1.12?m pixels) front-facing camera on the 3a. All the smarts packed into the Pixel 3 camera, like Night Sight, Super-Res Zoom, and learning-based Portrait Mode, are all available on the new devices.
Video capabilities remain the same, with a maximum specification of 4K/30p, and steadycam-like footage thanks to a combination of optical and electronic stabilization.
What’s powering the cameras inside the 3a and 3a XL differs, for obvious cost-cutting reasons. Rather than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and Adreno 630, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL use the older, less powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 and Adreno 615. The Pixel 3a and 3a XL also lack Google’s custom Pixel Visual Core processor, meaning all image processing is done on just the CPU and GPU.
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The Pixel 3A and 3A XL are available in black, white and a new color Google calls ‘purple-ish’ for $ 399 / £399 and $ 479 / £469, respectively.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Sony has announced the a6400, an updated 24.2MP mirrorless camera with a flip-up rear touchscreen and the processor and autofocus system ‘borrowed from the a9’.
In many respects the camera resembles an a6300 with a more powerful processor, enhanced autofocus and a more extensively articulated touchscreen, but launched at a slightly lower cost. It also adds the timelapse function that was lost when Sony moved away from offering in-camera apps.
Like previous models it can shoot at up to 11 fps or 8 fps in silent shutter mode, both with full autofocus and exposure capability, but not live view.
Most of the enhancements come in the form of autofocus improvements that have been developed for the a9. These include increased speed along with the enhanced ‘real-time tracking’ and animal Eye AF promised in a firmware update for its a9 pro-level sports camera.
Like recent APS-C Sony models it has 425 phase detection points spread out across its sensor. These, combined with the more powerful processor let Sony claim World’s fastest AF (with all the footnotes such claims usually entail). The most obvious differences are that Sony now says its subject recognition and tracking algorithms now include eye and pattern detection, in addition to the distance, color and face detection information they previously worked with. This should lead to more stable, persistent tracking, the company says.
Movie AF tracking is also improved, Sony says. Like the a6300, oversampled 4K video is taken from the full width of the sensor.
The camera also offers an 8-bit version of the Hybrid Log Gamma standard for simple capture of HDR video, allowing the capture and display of a wider range of tones in a natural manner, on the latest TVs. The company only promises compatibility with its own TVs.
The body-only price will be $ 900 in the US, CAN$ 1250 in Canada and €1050 in Europe. This is noticeably less expensive (by $ 100 and €200) than the a6300, which suggests it will sit a little lower in the lineup. Only time will tell whether this will also see it replace the low-cost a6000 model.
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New APS-C Mirrorless Camera Features Excellent Image Quality, Compact Design and Many Advanced Technologies From Sony’s Full-frame Lineup
SAN DIEGO — Jan. 15, 2019 — Sony Electronics Inc. today introduced an exciting new addition to its E-mount mirrorless camera lineup – the ?6400 (model ILCE-6400).
The ?6400 brings many of Sony’s most advanced technologies from their acclaimed full-frame lineup to a compact, lightweight APS-C camera. The speedy new camera boasts the world’s fastest1 autofocus (AF) acquisition of 0.02 seconds2, while also introducing the new advanced “Real-time Eye AF” and ”Real-time Tracking” capabilities. Also included are high-speed shooting at up to 11 fps4 with AF/AE tracking, a new-generation BIONZ X image processing engine that produces excellent image quality, 4K6 video recording, a fully 180-degree tiltable LCD touch screen and much more, making it the ultimate tool for all types of creators ranging from professionals to vloggers.
“The ?6400 represents another important step in the growth of Sony’s overall interchangeable lens camera lineup,” said Neal Manowitz, vice president of Imaging Solutions at Sony Electronics. “By bringing so many of our latest and most advanced technologies from full-frame cameras to a brand new APS-C model, we are giving today’s creators more options than ever to realize their vision.”
The impressive autofocus system on the new ?6400 inherits many technologies from Sony’s newest line-up of full-frame cameras including the ?9, ?7R III and ?7 III models. The new a6400 features 425 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points that are placed densely over the entire image area, covering approximately 84% of the image area. This high-speed, high-performance tracking AF system is paired with a new-generation BIONZ X image processing engine that together allow the camera to acquire focus in as little as 0.02 seconds2 and maintain subject lock extremely effectively, ensuring even the fastest moving subjects can be tracked and captured with ease.
The ?6400 introduces advanced “Real-time Eye AF,” the latest version of Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology. This exciting new capability employs artificial intelligence based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF. In all autofocus modes, the camera now automatically detects the eyes of the subject and activates Eye AF with a half press of the shutter button, and when in AF-C or AF-A mode, the preferred eye (left or right) of your subject can be selected as the focus point. Choices include Auto / Right Eye / Left Eye, and a Switch Right / Left Eye function is able to be assigned to a custom function as well. This exciting new technology completely frees the photographer to focus solely on composition with full trust that focus will be tack sharp on the subject’s eye. Eye AF support for animals will be added in summer 2019 via a system software update, ideal for wildlife photographers.
Also debuting on the ?6400 is Sony’s newly developed “Real-time Tracking.” This mode utilizes Sony’s latest algorithm including artificial intelligence (AI) based object recognition and processes color, subject distance (depth), pattern (brightness) as spatial information to ensure that all subjects can be captured with excellent accuracy. Additionally, when photographing or videographing humans or animals, face and eye position information is recognized by AI and the subject’s eye7 is monitored in real time with extremely high tracking precision. This can be activated by a simple half press of the shutter button, or can be assigned to a custom function as well.
In terms of overall shooting speeds, the new camera can shoot at up to 11 fps4 with full AF/AE tracking while utilizing the mechanical shutter, and up to 8 fps5 with full AF/AE tracking while silent shooting. It can shoot at each of these speeds for up to 116 frames JPEG Standard / 46 frames RAW compressed, greatly increasing the chances of capturing the perfect moment.
Sony’s new ?6400 is equipped with a 24.2 MP3 APS-C sized image sensor with that is paired with an upgraded BIONZ X processor to deliver incredible advancements in image quality and color reproduction in all types of shooting conditions. Standard ISO ranges up to ISO 32000 for both still and movie, and is expandable up to ISO 102400 for still images, with excellent noise reduction at medium and high sensitivities.
The camera also inherits many of the image processing algorithms from Sony’s newest full-frame cameras, greatly suppressing noise while preserving resolution and improving texture depiction.
The versatile ?6400 is an exceptional video camera, offering internal 4K (QFHD: 3840 x 2160) movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, and then oversamples it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth. Focusing during movie shooting is fast and stable thanks to upgraded Fast Hybrid AF technology, which keeps the subject in constant smooth focus no matter the scene, and even if an object crosses in front of the camera. This advanced AF plus touch focus functionality make it an ideal camera choice for many vloggers and video creators that are regularly creating and uploading content online.
For time-lapse movie creation, the new camera features built-in interval recording that can be set anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, with a total number of shots from 1 to 9999. AE tracking sensitivity can be adjusted to “High”, “Mid” or “Low” during interval shooting, allowing for reduced changes in exposure over the shooting interval.
Additionally, for the first time in Sony APS-C mirrorless camera, the new model includes an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile, which supports an Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) compatible TV’s to playback beautiful, true-to-life 4K HDR imagery. Further, both S-Log2 and S-Log3 are available for increased color grading flexibility, as well as Zebra functionality, Gamma Display assist and proxy recording. The camera can also record Full HD at 120 fps at up to 100 Mbps, allowing footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow-motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking.
The new camera is designed to offer a high level of functionality and customization to maximize shooting freedom. New on the ?6400 is a fully 180-degree tiltable, 3.0-type LCD flip screen with 921k-dots of resolution that allows for simple and effective framing of selfie-style shooting for both still and video capture. Utilizing this capability, vloggers will be able to check and monitor composition throughout their entire creative process. The LCD screen is also equipped with touch functionality, with options for Touch Pad, Touch Focus, Touch Shutter and new Touch Tracking which quickly activates “Real-time Tracking” through the touch screen.
The camera features a high quality XGA OLED Tru-finder™ viewfinder, extensive customization with 89 functions that are assignable to 8 custom keys, the new My Dial and My Menu functionality, enhanced overall menu usability, a help screen for menus, star rating for images, and many other features that allow for a seamless shooting experience. It is also built with a tough magnesium alloy design and has an extremely durable shutter that is rated for approximately 200,000 cycles. It also is capable of seamlessly transferring files to a smartphone or tablet when connected to the brand new Imaging Edge Mobile application.
The ?6400 will ship in February 2019 for a suggested retail price of $ 900 USD and $ 1,250 CAD. It will also be offered as a kit with the 16-50mm F3.5 – 5.6 lens for a suggested retail price of $ 1,000 USD and $ 1,350 CAD, or in a kit with the 18-135mm F3.5 – 5.6 lens for a suggested retail price of $ 1,300 USD and $ 1,750 CAD. The camera and kits will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America.
A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new camera and other Sony ? products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site built to educate and inspire all fans and customers of the Sony ? brand.
The new content will also be posted directly at the Sony Photo Gallery and the Sony Camera Channel on YouTube. Detailed information pages within Sony.com for the new products can be found at:
(US) – LINK
(CA) – LINK
Footnotes
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $ 900 (body only), $ 1000 (w/16-50mm lens), $ 1300 (w/18-135 lens) |
| Body type | |
| Body type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 25 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100-32000 (expands to 102800) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 102800 |
| White balance presets | 10 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | No |
| File format |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus |
|
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 425 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 6.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes (via hot shoe) |
| Flash modes | Off, auto, on, slow sync, rear sync, redeye reduction, wireless, hi-speed sync |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/160 sec |
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | Yes |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Huawei’s P20 Pro started the trend towards the end of last year and now triple-cameras are quickly becoming the norm. Samsung just launched the Galaxy A7, a mid-range device that features a triple-camera on its rear.
A 24MP / F1.7 main camera is joined by an 8MP / F2.4 super-wide-angle with a 120-degree field of view and a third 5MP module is reserved for creating the background-blurring fake bokeh effect in portrait mode. So, unfortunately the Samsung’s triple-cam setup does not come with a tele lens but maybe that’s too much to ask from a mid-ranger at this point.
The rear camera uses Samsung’s Intelligent Scene Optimizer system, which uses scene recognition to automatically adjust contrast, brightness and color for optimized image output.
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The front camera features a 24MP / F2.0 camera module, LED flash and bokeh mode, so should be good for decent selfies, even in low light conditions. The rest of the specifications look very respectable for a mid-range device as well. The 6-inch Super AMOLED display comes with a 1,080 x 2,220 resolution and the Android OS is powered by an 8-core Exynos chipset and, depending on region, 4 or 6GB of RAM.
Internal memory options go up to 128GB and a microSD slot is on board as well. A side fingerprint sensor and Dolby Atmos sound complete the package. The only unknown at this point is the price. However, Samsung has promised to provide more information at a Galaxy event on October 11th. We’ll keep you posted.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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With the Huawei P20 Pro there is still only one triple-camera smartphone currently available on the market. We have already heard that Apple might be launching a third generation iPhone X with triple-camera in 2019, but now it seems the technology could trickle down to mid-range devices even before that.
Specifications for Qualcomm’s upcoming 700 series mobile chipset have leaked on Suggestphone.com, and the documents indicate the new chipset will support triple-cameras as well as AI processing accelerators. The latter should come in handy for all sorts of AI-powered imaging tasks, such as scene and object identification. The former… well that one’s obvious.
The Snapdragon 700 series should slot in nicely between the current SD600 series (which powers mid-range smartphones up to around the $ 500 price point) and the Snapdragon 800 line (which is reserved for high-end models).
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| Image: Suggestphone.com |
The Snapdragon 710 was allegedly designed using a Samsung 10nm LPE process for low power consumption and higher performance than previous 14nm chipsets. The Snapdragon 730, meanwhile, builds on the newer Samsung 8nm LPP process, resulting in a 10% smaller surface area and 10% lower power consumption than the 10LPP process. It’ll also provide more oomph than the SD710.
The first smartphones with the SD710 chipset are expected to hit the shelves in early 2019; we’ll have to wait a little longer until later in 2019 for the SD730. Hopefully we’ll see a few SD8xx-powered triple-cameras before then, but it’s reassuring to know more affordable triple-camera will be available in the foreseeable future.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Most mobile manufacturers tend to unveil new flagship smartphones at or around MWC in February or IFA in September, but occasionally interesting mid-rangers pop up at CES as well. That’s the case with the Sony Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra devices, which were just launched this morning at the Las Vegas show.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 630 chipset and sporting 1080p Full-HD displays, the new devices fit squarely in the mid-range bracket of the market, and yet they boast a lot of camera technology from the Japanese manufacturer’s high-end Xperia XZ flagship models, making them an appealing option for mobile photographers who can do without the most powerful processor or highest screen resolution.
Both models feature 1/2.3-inch 23MP Exmor RS sensors in the rear camera. The imager chip is coupled with an F2.0 aperture and the camera offers a 24mm equivalent focal length, phase detection autofocus, LED flash and 4K video recording. There’s also a 120 fps slow-motion mode; however, XA2 users will have to make do without the XZ models’ unique 1000 fps ultra-slow-motion feature. In typical Sony fashion, optical image stabilization has been omitted as well.
While the main cameras are identical on the standard XA2 and the Ultra model, there is a difference at the front. The XA2 features an 8MP camera with a 120° field of view, while the Ultra model features an additional stabilized 16MP camera with a 80° field of view, allowing users to easily switch between solo and group selfies. Other differences between the two models are pretty much limited to screen size (5.3-inch on the XA2 vs 6-inch on the Ultra) and battery (3200 mAh on the XA2 vs 3500 mAh on the Ultra).
The XA2 models will be available from February, and will retail at 350 Euros (~$ 420 USD) for the standard XA2 and 450 Euros (~$ 535 USD) for the Ultra—no word yet on official US pricing. To find out more about these phones or check out some image samples shot with the XA2 and XA2 Ultra, visit the Sony website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
This year saw several cameras released in the mid-range ILC class, from full-frame DSLRs to super-compact APS-C mirrorless models. Take a look for a reminder of the key mid-range ILCs released in 2017, and don’t forget to vote for your favorites.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Lenovo has introduced the Motorola Moto X4 at its IFA 2017 event and closes the gap in its line-up that was created after the Moto X series went into hiatus with the launch of the Moto Z models last year.
The Moto X4 is an upper-tier mid-ranger that slots in between the Moto Z and Moto G series and aims to offer a comprehensive feature set at an attractive price point. 400 Euros (no US pricing has been revealed yet) get you a 5.2″ 1080p IPS display, a sleek metal body with glass back, IP68 water-resistance, Snapdragon 630 chipset, Amazon Alexa integration and a dual-camera.
The latter combines a 12MP main camera with an 8MP 120-degree super-wide-angle, a similar concept to what we’ve seen on more recent LG high-end devices. The main cameras features a 12MP sensor with 1.4um pixel size, F2.0 aperture and PDAF. The super-wide angle has a smaller sensor with 1.12um pixels and F2.2 aperture. Bokeh effect and 4K video recording are on board as well.
The front camera specification looks quite impressive for a device in this class as well: a 16MP sensor is accompanied by a F2.0 lens and a front LED flash. A 4MP low-light mode uses pixel-binning for reduced noise in dim lighting conditions.
We are having our hands on a test unit and first impressions are promising. The device feels very solidly built and, as always with Moto devices, the lean Android implementation feels smooth and responsive in operation. The super-wide-angle lens looks like a useful addition to the main camera but we’ll have to do some proper testing before commenting on image quality. The Moto X4 will be available in Super Black and Sterling Blue this fall worldwide.
Motorola #motox4 with dual-cam and glass-back, looks like a contender in the upper mid-range #ifa2017
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Nikon has announces its midrange D7500 DSLR. While its design has been slightly tweaked, the big story are the features that it’s inherited from the D500. It uses the same 20.9MP APS-C sensor, Expeed 5 processor and 180k-pixel RGB metering sensor, and is capable of 4K video capture.
The D7500 looks a lot like the D7200 that preceded it, though it’s a bit lighter, and the grip has been deepened. Nikon also says that weather-sealing has been improved. While the LCD remains at 3.2″ in size, it’s now tilting and touch-enabled. Something that Nikon has removed is one of the SD card slots; the D7200 had two, the D7500, one. This slot does not support UHS-II media, unlike on the D500. The D7500 includes a new battery, known as the EN-EL15a, but battery life is about 15% lower than on the D7200, at 950 shots per charge.
As mentioned above, it uses the same sensor, image processor and metering system as the D500. The sensor and image processor have allowed the ISO range to be increased by a full stop compared to the D7200, with a native range of 100-51200, which expands to 50-1.64 million. The autofocus module is the same as the D7200, meaning that it has 51 points, 15 of which are cross-type, with the center point sensitive down to -3EV, but now with input from the 90-times higher-res 180k-pixel RGB metering sensor. That means credible face detect AF even in OVF shooting (in Auto area mode), and remarkably precise subject tracking to maintain focus on subjects that move around the frame. For lenses that need micro-adjustment, you can now do that quickly in live view using ‘Auto AF Fine Tune’.
Burst shooting has been noticeably improved, with a top rate of 8 fps (up from 6 fps). The buffer is much deeper, as well, with the D7500 able to take up to 50 14-bit uncompressed Raws in a single burst, rather than 18. Speaking of which, the D7500 has gained the ability to batch process Raw images – handy for when you want to send a bunch of them to your smartphone.
As with the D500, the D7500 can capture UHD 4K video at a bit rate of 144Mbps, albeit with a 1.5x crop (2.25x relative to 35mm full-frame). If you drop down to 1080p you gain 3-axis digital IS and Active D-Lighting, and lose the crop factor. Power Aperture has been added, allowing for more precise control over exposure. Other video-related feature include 4K output over HDMI, a flat picture profile (similar to log gamma), zebra pattern and Auto ISO. As you’d expect, the D7500 has both microphone and headphone jacks.
The D7500 has Nikon’s ‘SnapBridge’ wireless system, that uses Bluetooth for both remote capture and keeping a constant connection plus Wi-Fi for large file transfer. NFC, which was found on the D7200, has been dropped on its replacement.
Nikon will ship the D7500 this summer in two kits: body-only for $ 1249, and $ 1749 with a 18-140mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR lens.
Press Release
Exceptional Speed, Precision and Low-Light Ability Has Never Been as Attainable; The New D7500 Uses the Same Powerful Imaging Sensor and Includes Many Features from Nikon’s DX-Format D500 Flagship
MELVILLE, NY (April 12, 2017 at 12:01 A.M. EDT) — Enthusiasts are a distinct type of photographer, who go to great lengths in the relentless pursuit of the perfect capture. It is for this user that Nikon Inc. announced the D7500 today, an advanced-level DX-format DSLR that provides a robust yet lightweight camera with powerful performance and premium features. Using the same 20.9-megapixel image sensor, processor and wide ISO range as the D500, Nikon’s flagship DX-format DSLR, the D7500 incorporates an exceptional combination of stunning image quality, impressive speed, astounding low-light ability and 4K UHD video capture, yet remains within reach for a diverse array of image makers and creators.
“The Nikon D7500 was engineered to be as versatile as the photographer using it, and excels whether shooting fast-action sports, stunning low-light landscapes, distant wildlife, glamorous portraits or multimedia content,” said Kosuke Kawaura, Director of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc. “This is a camera for the photographers who are serious about their passion, infatuated with the next frame and above all else, want speed, small size and an excellent value.”
Balance Image Quality and Low-Light Performance
The new D7500 features Nikon’s latest 20.9-megapixel DX-format imaging sensor and EXPEED 5 processing engine, the same high-performance heart of the Nikon D500. Designed to excel in a wide array of shooting conditions, the D7500 eliminates the optical low-pass filter (OLPF) for maximum sharpness and clarity, with the class-leading dynamic range flexibility that is a hallmark of Nikon DSLRs. The compact DX-format form factor also gives photographers extended focal length reach that is an advantage for sports and wildlife photography, especially when coupled with the vast selection of available NIKKOR lenses.
Whether shooting a landscape at dawn or sports under indoor lights, the D7500 affords the latitude of low-light capability to consistently nail the shot, time and time again. Even in the most challenging light, users can capture images with minimal noise, thanks to a native ISO range that spans from 100-51,200, and an expanded ISO range up to an astonishing 1.64 million equivalent. Those same stellar image quality and low noise virtues also apply to those shooting video, whether it’s a 4K UHD production or a mesmerizing astro time-lapse of the night sky.
Focus with Precision, Capture with Confidence
The Nikon D7500 DSLR gives photographers many new premium features and advanced Nikon technologies to help create incredible images and video:
Multimedia Capabilities for Creators
The Nikon D7500 adds in a diverse array of advanced features for multimedia content creators, including 4K UHD (3840 × 2160/30p) video capture and the ability to produce awe-inspiring 4K UHD time-lapse movies in-camera. Video files can be stored as either MOV files or as MP4 files, for greater flexibility and easier playback on a wide range of devices. Like the D500, the D7500 offers 3-axis built-in e-VR image stabilization when shooting 1080p Full HD video, and can be easily focused using the rear touchscreen function.
For the advanced videographer, the D7500 offers simultaneous 4K UHD output to card and uncompressed via HDMI, as well as a headphone and microphone jack for pro-level audio recording and monitoring. To allow for smooth exposure adjustments, the camera also supports power aperture for smooth and step-less depth-of-field transitions while users can also keep highlights in-check using visible zebra stripes in live-view mode.
Price and Availability
The Nikon D7500 will be available in Summer 2017 for a suggested retail price (SRP)* of $ 1,249.95 for the body only configuration, or with a AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens for $ 1,749.95 SRP*. For more information on the Nikon D7500 as well as the latest Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.
1.The camera’s built-in Bluetooth® capability can only be used to connect the camera to a compatible smart device running the SnapBridge app, and to take advantage of SnapBridge features.
2 This camera’s built-in Wi-Fi® capability can only be used with a compatible iPhone®, iPad®, and/or iPod touch® or smart devices running on the Android™ operating system. The Nikon SnapBridge application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera.
The SnapBridge app is available for compatible iPhone®, iPad® and/or iPod touch®, and for smart devices running the AndroidTM operating system. The app can be downloaded free of charge from Apple’s App Store® and GooglePlayTM. SnapBridge can be used only with compatible cameras.
*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $ 1299 (body only), $ 1749 with 18-140 VR kit lens |
| Body type | |
| Body type | Mid-size SLR |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 5568 x 3712 |
| Other resolutions | 4176 x 2784, 2784 x 1856 |
| Image ratio w:h | 3:2 |
| Effective pixels | 21 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 22 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Expeed 5 |
| Image | |
| ISO | ISO 100 – 51200 (expandable to 50 – 1640000) |
| Boosted ISO (minimum) | 50 |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 1640000 |
| White balance presets | 12 |
| Custom white balance | Yes (5) |
| Image stabilization | Digital only |
| Image stabilization notes | 3-axis Electronic for Full HD and below |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, Normal, Basic |
| File format |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus |
|
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 51 |
| Lens mount | Nikon F |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.5× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting |
| Screen size | 3.2″ |
| Screen dots | 922,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.94× |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 sec |
| Exposure modes |
|
| Scene modes |
|
| Built-in flash | Yes (Pop-up) |
| Flash range | 12.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless plus sync connector) |
| Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/250 sec |
| Drive modes |
|
| Continuous drive | 8.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec) |
| Metering modes |
|
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±5 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | Yes (3 frames in 1-stop increments) |
| Videography features | |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Videography notes | Supports MOV and MP4 packages |
| Modes |
|
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (mini-HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | Yes |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | Wi-Fi with low energy Bluetooth |
| Remote control | Yes (Wired, wireless, smartphone) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | EN-EL15a lithium-ion rechargeable battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 950 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 640 g (1.41 lb / 22.58 oz) |
| Dimensions | 136 x 104 x 73 mm (5.35 x 4.09 x 2.87″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes (4K output) |
| GPS | Optional |
| GPS notes | GP-1A |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)