Editor’s Note: (Tuesday, January 05, 2021 at 10:29 AM): We have added additional details about the transition, provided to us by an Olympus spokesperson.
Olympus has confirmed in an announcement on its website that it’s completed the transfer of its imaging division to OM Digital Solutions, the subsidiary of Japan Industrial Partners Inc. (JIP) that now controls the Zuiko and OM brands.
Olympus first agreed to sell its imaging business back in June 2020, when it announced JIP would be the new stewards of its camera brands. Further details were unveiled in September 2020, when Olympus laid out the framework for how the transfer would take place.
This new announcement, embedded above, confirms the transition has been completed as expected, effective January 1, 2021. In it, Olympus says Shigemi Sugimoto has been named President and CEO of OM Digital Solutions under JIP. It’s business will be ‘digital cameras, interchangeable lenses, IC recorders, etc. centered on mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras.’ The company starts out with 37 billion yen ($ 360.9 million) and has 2,000 global employees at inception.
The announcement says sales and research and development will take place at the OM Digital Solutions Co. building in Takakuramachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, while production of equipment will take place at factories in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.
We’ve also learned OM Digital Solutions has licensed the use of the Olympus brand name. So, in addition to the OM and Zuiko branding, the cameras will continue to be released under the Olympus brand ‘for the foreseeable future.’ This won’t always be the case, but an Olympus spokesperson told us they are ‘unable to provide the exact duration of its use, at this time.’
The Olympus spokesperson also clarified details of the transition, saying OM Digital Solutions ‘will retain Olympus leadership and capabilities in Research and Development, Production, Sales and Marketing.’ The roadmap will also remain unchanged under the new owners, according to the spokesperson. ‘Services, repairs and warranties will continue, and customers will receive full support for future purchases,’ as well.
OM Digital Solutions CEO and President, Shigemi Sugimoto, is quoted in the announcement saying (via machine-translated text) ‘[OM Digital Solutions] will continue to supply high-quality and highly reliable products [and] will continue to develop unique products for the creation of new value.’
What exactly this new endeavor entails remains to be seen, but we’ll get our first preview of Olympus’ brands under JIP in the form of a new website that will go live tomorrow.
The post Is the Olympus Sale a Sign of Things to Come for Other Camera Companies? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away, or 2014, as most would call it), when I first started writing about photography, I created an article on my photography predictions for 2015.
In that article, I wrote about how one or more manufacturers would stop producing cameras. I specifically named Olympus (and Pentax) as companies I could see not surviving long-term. My prediction has unfortunately come true with the recent Olympus sale (six years later, but I was still right!).
This history lesson shows two things:
Talk of camera manufacturers not surviving has been around forever.
Eventually, some camera companies will fall victim to the ever-shrinking photography market.
After years of rumors and denials, June 2020 saw the sale of Olympus to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP). This is the same firm that acquired Sony’s VAIO PC business back in 2014. It now seems (although it’s yet to be confirmed) that JIP will most likely be dropping the name “Olympus.”
The sad loss of Olympus shows that digital cameras are an ever-decreasing market and begs the question:
Is Olympus a one-off? Or is the Olympus sale a sign of things to come?
Unfortunately, it will not be long before we no longer see the name Olympus on a camera.
A small caveat
For this article, I will simply concern myself with digital camera divisions. I know that companies such as Nikon and Canon have huge businesses outside of cameras, but that doesn’t mean they won’t close their digital camera divisions if they become financially unviable.
What is happening to digital camera sales?
Digital camera sales are still in decline.
To give you a sobering statistic, over 98% of all digital cameras sold are smartphones. As cameras in phones continue to improve, the small percentage of compact digital camera sales will more than likely continue to shrink to zero.
But there will always be a market for more serious digital cameras. Such cameras are aimed at those of us who enjoy photography beyond a snapshot. For those who photograph either for a hobby or an income, there will always be the need for a larger camera with more advanced features.
That said, figures are continuing to trend downward and are not looking good. There are Japanese analysts who are saying that, unless the industry rapidly changes, it will begin to collapse. How true this is depends on several factors, but one thing is for sure:
We are heading toward rock bottom.
The quality of phone cameras means the compact camera market is shrinking rapidly.
The Corona effect
A recent report by Slackline showed that the camera industry has been hit incredibly hard by COVID-19. The camera market came in at number three on a list of the top 100 fastest-declining e-commerce categories in 2020 (only beaten by luggage and briefcases).
The reason for this is obvious:
People are not traveling or attending events for which they could justify the purchase of a new camera. Add to this many professionals who are simply not upgrading due to a major drop in income, and you are seeing a perfect storm for any camera company that may be struggling financially.
The perfect holiday camera, if only we could go on holiday.
We are about to hit rock bottom
Back in 2019, Canon president Fujio Mitarai talked about the continuing drop in sales and the expectation that, in two years, the market would drop by around 50%.
Canon estimates that the total market will be about six to eight million prosumer and professional cameras. In 2019, when Mitarai made his statement, the sales of interchangeable lens cameras were estimated to be around 10 million.
When you see figures like that, it is hard to imagine every camera brand still being able to compete.
But who will dominate? And who will be left to follow the route of Olympus?
King Canon
A while back, I said that Nikon & Canon could go the way of Kodak.
But right now, it definitely doesn’t look like Canon is going anywhere. Figures published by Nikkei show that, in 2020, Canon owns 45.4% of the market.
Canon was late to mirrorless technology, and many (myself included) thought the EOS R and EOS RP were subpar compared to what Sony was putting out. However, Canon had huge success with the 5D line, as well as cameras such as the 7D. This meant that many were still happy with their bodies and would only be purchasing lenses, flashes, etc.
It was a misstep by Canon to underestimate mirrorless, but honestly, it didn’t hurt them too much. The sales of the EOS R and RP showed that Canon has a loyal and longstanding fanbase.
Add to this the release of the EOS R5 and EOS R6, as well as their success (overheating aside), I cannot see Canon losing its market share in the next 12-24 months. So if Canon is safe, who is most at risk?
Canon’s hottest release, the R5, sees the company continuing to dominate the market.
We need to talk about Pentax
Pentax’s stubborn refusal to move away from the DSLR is a potential sign that they may be heading for significant trouble in the very near future.
In 2020, the company’s statement of “Pentax believes in the future of DSLR photography” seems crazy. The sale of DSLR cameras has dropped massively since 2017.
Reading that first statement, you may think I am bashing Pentax’s managerial decisions, but I feel the problem may lurk a little deeper.
You see, I don’t think Pentax currently has the budget to develop a mirrorless camera from scratch. They have reached a point where they would need significant time and effort to do this, which comes at a significant cost.
Also, part of their recent brand statement was this line:
“When you take a picture with a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, the light passes through the lens and, in turn, the optical viewfinder. You view the image directly with your eyes, and feel it with your heart.”
This reminded me of Fuji’s “Pure Photography” vision at the launch of the X-Pro3. Could this mean that Pentax is aiming for a niche of customers who will want to continue to use DSLRs? It certainly could be a strategy, but I am not sure how this will work in practice. I don’t think there will be enough DSLR sales to allow this to work. Even if it does, it will seemingly lead to tiny R&D budgets.
Whether it is down to budget or that Pentax truly believes in their vision and wants to create a niche, who knows? One thing that we do know is that the market has moved to mirrorless. By refusing to move with it, Pentax looks too far behind to come back, which is sad to see.
I truly feel that, as a company, Pentax will slowly fade into obscurity and then close its camera division.
Will the decision to stick to DSLRs hurt Pentax?
Could one of the big companies follow?
The obvious point this leads to is whether one of the bigger companies will eventually fall. I think it is a case of, “While that is unlikely, nobody is too big to fail.”
The way Nikon has been overtaken in camera sales by Sony signifies a shift in the market. Nikon is set to release a new flagship mirrorless camera very soon, which will likely keep them comfortable for a while.
Here’s the longer-term question, though:
Will the market sustain three major players?
If the answer is “No,” then you would have to say, simply based on recent performance, Nikon looks to be the most likely to fade away.
I feel the Fab Five of Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Panasonic are here to stay. All of them are releasing amazing cameras and pushing things forward.
However, I feel that, over time, the market will be dominated by Canon and Sony, with Nikon starting to compete with brands such as Panasonic instead of the new Big Two.
That said, if the leaks about the upcoming Nikon releases are true, I may have to eat my words.
The high-end specialists
The decline in sales to professionals due to COVID may be posing big issues for brands such as Hasselblad and Phase One. These companies’ main market is almost exclusively professionals who need the very best quality images. Again, the coronavirus issues will be having an effect on sales.
Could this be enough to topple one of these companies? I honestly don’t know, as they play their cards very close to their chests. But there was something I found during my research for this piece that did make me think that all may not be perfect in Hasselblad land.
In a 2019 interview, Hasselblad’s head of sales for Europe, Uwe Moebus, said: “There are fewer professional photographers and it is getting harder and harder for professionals to make decent money.” He then spoke of the desire for amateurs to start using Hasselblad.
These comments hint at a shrinking market for Hasselblad and its need to diversify. With COVID, we will have to assume that this will not have gone as well as hoped and could be the sign of problems to come.
Does Hasselblad really need the amateur market?
Video is key if you want to keep up
While photography seemingly continues to decline, the video market is continuously buoyant in comparison.
This is due to YouTube being the new TV and the large number of YouTube channels popping up everywhere. There is also a market for crash cams in major film production. The idea of destroying a brand new camera is heartbreaking for most of us. However, when on a Hollywood budget, a relatively cheap camera that can be used with little regard to its survival (except for the memory card) is perfect for the job. This is a growing market for camera manufacturers.
The fact that Netflix has approved the use of the Panasonic S1H as a production camera creates a market that goes way beyond photographers and YouTube creators.
Sony has always been great with video; it is a huge reason for their success. The release of the 12-megapixel a7S III shows Sony releasing mirrorless cameras for video first (if not almost entirely). Obviously, this has become a hot topic (bad pun intended) with the Canon EOS R5. As a stills camera, everyone agrees it is a masterpiece. However, Canon marketed it almost solely based on its video features. All of the complaints, problems, and potential boycotts are based on this.
When shooting in 8K, you can extract a 35-megapixel still frame from the footage. In a field such as headshot photography, where you are looking for the perfect expression, you can now capture 30 shots per second, continuously. Shoot a minute of video, skim through until you find the perfect expression, then export the frame as a large megapixel file. This may well become the future for certain types of photography.
Sony’s video-first stance is clear to see.
How a decreasing market will be bad for consumers
Those of you reading this are probably part of the shrinking market segment that will continue to buy interchangeable lens cameras.
However, while the market and consumer needs will dictate which companies survive and which fall, the fact is that the Olympus sale will impact the whole industry.
While I feel that technological developments will continue, budgets for research and development will be cut. Fewer camera sales mean less ability for the engineering departments to push new technology. This may lead to a future with new models having smaller, more incremental updates rather than exciting, huge leaps forward in camera technology.
Again, I feel the future will be driven by video and the developments will come from Sony’s and Canon’s high-end cinema lines.
The thing is, though:
In purely photographic terms, what more do we actually need?
Is it really that bad?
Well, this has all been doom and gloom. Is there any silver lining?
The fact that, even when the market hits the predicted bottom, there will be enough money for several manufacturers to continue working with still gives us hope. The camera launches in 2020 have been spectacular and show no signs of stopping despite the Olympus sale.
In terms of photography, I really feel we are in a position where technology can no longer give us huge improvements. Maybe a stop more dynamic range here, a little less noise there.
But as a photographer, what else do you need right now? Autofocus systems are amazing. Noise at high ISOs is fantastic. Frames per second are almost video-like. We don’t need new technology; we need more creativity, and that is still solely down to the one who pushes the button.
The post Is the Olympus Sale a Sign of Things to Come for Other Camera Companies? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
Nikkei Asian Review Deputy Editor, Masamichi Hoshi, has written an article that outlines a grim picture for the future of the Japanese camera business in the aftermath of Olympus’ recent sale to private equity firm, Japan Industrial Partners (JIP).
The usual suspects are mentioned in Masamichi’s overview: the rise of smartphones and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Japan’s digital camera industry was once considered on par with the country’s auto sector in terms of international competitiveness,’ says Masamichi. ‘But smartphones have driven camera makers to the brink of extinction, and this year the novel coronavirus slammed the already hobbled industry.’
More fundamentally, Masamichi believes the camera industry itself is to blame, as ‘excessive competition’ has created a fast-moving, unsustainable market that will inevitably lead to camera manufacturers paying the ultimate price:
‘Smartphones are not the only reason Japanese camera makers, who had established an oligopoly nearly everywhere around the world, have come to this point. Japanese industry, which has a penchant for competing against its own products, can also blame itself.’
Masamichi references an unsourced quote he says was shared 11 years ago by Hiroshi Hamada, the former Chief Operating Officer of Hoya, who had acquired Pentax around the time of his tenure:
‘Digital camera companies intend to strangle their rivals through excessive competition, but in the end they’ll strangle themselves’
A Canon assembly line Meister (her badge tells us she’s been a Meister for 17 years) works on the front assembly of a telephoto prime lens inside Canon’s Utsunomiya lens factory.
Pricing and shortened product cycles, in particular, are to blame, according to Masamichi. While the near-annual 10% price drops in camera products (roughly a decade ago) and shortened product cycles due to fast-paced technological advancements were beneficial to consumers, Masamichi says it also ‘reduces manufacturers’ investment capacity.’ As a result, the ability to invest in research and development — as well as the ability to stash away savings for dire times — has decreased dramatically. Or, at the very least, started to affect the bottom-line of Japanese camera manufacturers.
Citing Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) figures, Masamichi highlights that 2020 camera sales are on track to be roughly 1/10th what they were back in 2010, when digital camera sales peaked at 121 million units.’
As dire as the numbers are and outlook is, there’s no hope in only dwelling on the negatives of the inevitable. Instead, Masamichi asks ‘where do these iconic brands go from here?’
Lens testing taking place at Panasonic’s Yamagata lens factory.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but Masamichi quotes a senior executive at an unnamed investment bank as well as unnamed analysts, who all seem to agree that reform and restructuring is going to be necessary if the Japanese camera industry is to survive:
‘With the market shrinking at such speed, companies are at great risk of falling into a fixed-costs crisis1. Some analysts believe the entire industry will collapse unless companies undertake major reforms, like splitting design and development from manufacturing, and consolidating production.’
The aforementioned investment banker executive specifically said ‘a camera foundry model is one option,’ suggesting the outsourcing of parts and components to third-party factories could help cut manufacturing costs. This method is currently seen in the imaging sensor side of photography, as multiple manufacturers use Sony sensors in their cameras, but further outsourcing of production could help cut overhead even more.
There is likely to be much change ahead; whether it be acquisitions of smaller manufacturers or outright departures from the market, there could be other casualties beyond Olympus. But, if the transition from film to digital taught us anything, it’s that people will keep on taking pictures, and as long as there are photographers out there still in need of a camera and lens, there will be manufacturers vying for their money.
1 Fixed costs in this context are the expenses that companies have incurred throughout the ongoing pandemic, which – as sales have slowed around the world – have not been offset by revenue.
We’ve already seen the Peak Design Travel Tripod and gotten our hands on it for a short period of time, but after successfully sending out units to its Kickstarter backers, Peak Design is ready to open up orders to the public. At 12am PST on April 7, Peak Design will allow the general public to purchase their latest piece of gear; but that’s not all. Peak Design says 100% of profits from every tripod sold will be split 50/50 to COVID-19 disaster relief and climate change relief funds.
The Travel Tripod launch announcement was originally embargoed for the day of the launch, April 7, but Peak Design Founder and CEO Peter Dering took to YouTube in the above video to explain the decision to launch the tripod at the time they’ve chosen, as well as announce a ‘Weird Times Sale’ that is currently live and sees nearly all Peak Design gear (everything except the Travel Tripod) between 20–40% off to help keep inventory moving during a time when sales have all but ceased.
A breakdown of the discounts for Peak Design’s sale.
Travel Tripod Updates
The Peak Design Travel Tripods were first introduced in May 2019. Over the course of its Kickstarter campaign, the company raised over $ 12.1 million from more than 27k backers. Over the course of production, Peak Design altered a few aspects of the design to refine the initial version to improve the overall experience. Specifically, Peak Design’s revisions include a new hex tool key with leg clip holder, an updated padded, weatherproof carry bag and an ultralight conversion kit that turns the tripod into a more compact tabletop tripod.
Peak Design also opted to use an aluminum center column for its carbon fiber tripod, citing testing its own engineering team came up with as well as insight from tripod testing extraordinaire David Berryrieser of the Center Column. Peak Design says Berryrieser’s testing, ‘revealed a significant improvement in the aluminum center column resisting lateral twist, less vertical slip and higher max load for the counterweight hook […] All this for the price of 16g or 10 paper clips worth of additional weight.’
As previously mentioned, 100% of profits from each Travel Tripod sold from April 7–10 through PeakDesign.com and Peak Design’s retail partners around the world will be distributed to the CDC Foundation and Climate Neutral.
You can find the ‘Weird Times Sale’ on Peak Design’s online shop and authorized Peak Design retailers. Travel Tripod sales should go live at 12am on April 7 if you’re interested in securing one.
Nikon is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its first SLR camera, the Nikon F introduced in 1959, with a commemorative items sale through the Nikon Museum. The sale is offering several unique Nikon F-themed products, including a wristwatch, coffee mug, an acrylic plate featuring a hand-drawn and written illustration of the Nikon F camera’s components, as well as a revised 2019 Edition of the Nikon Camera History poster.
The Nikon F represents an important part of the company’s history; the model was in production for years before the eventual launch of the Nikon F2 model in 1973. It’s not surprising that Nikon would commemorate the iconic model with a special anniversary sale, one involving limited-production items at very reasonable prices for collectibles.
Though the Nikon F coffee mug is already listed as ‘sold out,’ the Nikon Museum is still offering the acrylic plate camera diagram for 2,240¥ (approx. $ 22), the revised Nikon Camera History poster for 1,220¥ (approx. $ 11), and the Nikon F wristwatch for 19,900¥ (approx. $ 183). The watch is the most notable of the items, featuring an ‘F’ shutter speed dial, the words ‘Nikon Museum,’ and the letter ‘F’ in the watch face.
Nikon Museum advises that each product is offered in limited quantities and that it may prevent buyers from purchasing too many units. Unfortunately, you’ll have to physically visit the Nikon Museum shop in Japan to purchase the items; shipping is not available.
The MG10 hammerhead flash unit from manufacturer Nissin will be available from the end of this month priced $ 599. The handle-mount flash is designed to be used both attached to the camera and as a studio-type head, and has a maximum guide number of 262ft/80m@ ISO 100 and with the zoom set to the 200mm position.
When connected to the camera via the company’s 2.4Ghz Nissin Air System radio communication the flash can be remotely triggered and controlled, and the zoom head will automatically synchronize with the focal length of the lens in use. The head can adjust to cover focal lengths of between 24mm and 200mm, while an additional diffuser panel expands the coverage to 18mm. Using the Air system the flash unit can be used to trigger the camera too, as it has a shutter release button built-in to its grip.
The handle can be mounted on the left or the right side of the camera, and is powered by either eight AA cells or a pair of rechargeable PS8 lithium ion batteries. When the Li-ion batteries are in use recycling time drops from 3.5 seconds to just 1.5 seconds at full power, and we should expect 500 full power bursts per charge.
A modeling light is included to assist pre-visualization, and every unit comes with a quick release L mounting bracket, AA magazine, a ball head and a filter holder. Via the Nissin Air System the MG10 can wirelessly operate with up to eight groups of other flashes in TTL and M modes, and a MicroSD card slot is designed to allow users to update firmware themselves when improvements are released.
For more information see the Nissin website.
Press release
The ultimate power – Nissin MG10
An advance NAS 2.4Ghz Wireless strobe for on-camera and studio shoot
Nissin Japan Limited (Chairman Mr. Goto Chikara) proudly announces the MG10, an advance NAS (Nissin Air System) 2.4Ghz Wireless strobe for both on-camera and studio shoot, available in the bottom of Jun 2018
The MG10 is a high power (80GN, 165 w/s) advance strobe in the N.A.S., Nissin Air System*1. The flexible hand grip arrangement which can be used both left and right side with height level adjustment. Every single MG10 included a quick release mounting magnesium “L” bracket, AA battery magazine, Li-Ion battery magazine, ball head, filter holder and wide-angle diffuser. There is a shutter release button on top of the handle and standard adapter screw under the flash head for using in the studio shooting. It also fully supports Air 10s and Air 1 commander wirelessly.
Patented design – magnetically contacted motorized zoom head *2
The removable external motorized zoom allows MG10 to zoom 24 ~ 200mm and 18mm with diffuser. It can also control in manual and auto synchronize lens focal length via Air 10s.
Fast recycling time with full power
When two Li-ion batteries with PS8, type 26650, the recycling time is only 1.5 seconds (500 flashes with 5000mAh batteries or higher). With 8 AA re-chargeable batteries the recycle time is approximately 3.5 seconds*3.
High power modelling light (LED)
The powerful modelling light without zoom head which is perfect match for applying to the studio usage.
Set your group of strobes free – The Open Mode allowing multiple Air10s pair to the same group of strobes
The “open mode” allows for multiple Air10s units to pair the same group of the MG10 strobes which means the need to re-pair devices is eliminated. Even if cameras are changed, the same settings can be used as the shoot continues. This convenient functionality allows multiple cameras and commanders to share a same group of NAS strobes (MG10).
New wireless remote shutter replaces the camera shutter button
With the wireless remote button from flash, signal can transfer through the shutter cable socket (2.5mm) on Air 10s and then go to the camera. It is more flexible for holding MG10 as shutter release to moving around during shooting.
Independent control of maximum 8 groups
MG10 supports the basic and advance groups in maximum 8 groups via Air 10s. The basic group which is independently control the exposure setting in TTL or M mode. The advance group which is control both TTL and M mode in the mixing setting.
Sustainable performance – easily updated via a Micro SD card slot
The MG10 equipped with a Micro SD card slot that allows user to update the device easily by themselves. Nissin plans on putting a Micro SD card slot on all future strobes and commanders.
eBay seller M&K Kamera has something for the vintage Leica lovers out there – a rare KE-7A with Leitz Elcan 50mm F2 lens, all in working condition. The KE-7A is a military version of the M4 that was produced in limited numbers in the 1970s.
The seller, asking $ 24,898.85 for the camera and its lens, says that both are in excellent condition and that the shutter is still in working order. Given the camera’s heritage and who it was made for, we’d expect it to keep on clicking for a long time to come. You can check out the listing on eBay if you’ve got $ 25 grand burning a hole in your pocket.
After raising $ 585,085 through Kickstarter earlier this year, Lomography is finally ready to release its Neptune three-in-one lens system for sale to the general public. This odd system uses a single lens base that accepts three different front element groups to can create three individual focal lengths.
The Neptune system provides 35mm f/3.5, 50mm f/2.8 and 80mm f/4 optical configurations via the interchangeable front groups, and two switchable iris units. The kits are available in Nikon, Canon and Pentax mounts and cost £840/$ 990.
The kits come with all three front element groups—called Despina, Thalassa and Proteus—as well as a set of cut-out stops that influence the shape of out-of-focus highlights to create stars, discs and crosses, among others. A set of adapters is also available for MFT, Fujifilm X and Sony NX cameras that work with the Nikon F and Canon EF mount versions.
For more information, read the full release below or visit the Lomography website.
Press Release
The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System
One Story, Unlimited Endings – Now Available in the Lomography Online Shop and Gallery Stores Worldwide
One System, Three Prime Lenses, Two Aperture Mechanisms: The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System packs countless creative options into one compact package. Mix and match focal lengths, f/stops, and special aperture plates to adapt the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System to your style, mood or subject.
Three Fixed Focal Lengths for Flawless Images in Every Situation: This handcrafted lens system delivers superb optical quality at a fixed focal length of 3.5/35mm, 2.8/50mm or 4/80mm. The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System offers clean and crisp shots, dense colors and unlimited freedom of choice.
A Dual Aperture System for Extended Creative Options: Rely on the seamless iris diaphragm aperture mechanism for stunningly sharp photos and videos, or use the special drop-in aperture plates to create rich bokeh.
An Expandable System to Grow With Your Creativity: Inspired by Charles Chevalier’s innovative concept, the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System looks to the future — Lomography is already designing a brand new front lens with an ultra-wide- angle focal length of 15mm.
One System, Three Prime Lenses, Two Aperture Mechanisms:
The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System offers unlimited stylistic possibilities to a whole new generation of photographers. It’s a single lens system that consists of three interchangeable lenses, each of which can be attached to the lens base to shoot at a fixed focal length of 3.5/35mm, 2.8/50mm or 4/80mm. What’s more, you can switch through a range of apertures and use special drop-in aperture plates to achieve countless shooting styles.
Ideal for photography and perfect for videography because of its seamless aperture, the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System offers you the ideal tools and much more for complete creative freedom — whether you’re capturing street, fashion, nature, portraiture or just the beautiful simplicity of everyday life. After months of hard work and incredible support from Kickstarter backers around the world, Lomography is excited to announce the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System is now available in the Lomography Online Shop and Gallery Stores worldwide.
Three Fixed Focal Lengths for Flawless Images in Every Situation:
Each Neptune Convertible Art Lens System has been carefully assembled by hand using the finest multi- coated glass optics. Your shots will be clean, crisp and filled with strong, saturated colors even at the unrivalled closest focusing distances of 0.25m (35mm), 0.38m (50mm), 0.8m (80mm). With three elements in three groups in the lens base, and four elements in four groups in each of the interchangeable front lenses, the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System delivers prime-lens optical quality whilst offering a choice of three different fixed focal lengths.
Use the Thalassa 3.5/35 Art Lens to frame architecture, street and urban scenes at 35mm; rely on the versatile 50mm focal length of the Despina 2.8/50 Art Lens for fashion, editorial and everyday; or change to the Proteus 4/80 Art Lens and shoot perfect portraits and beautiful nature photography at 80mm. Inspired by Neptune’s moons, each focal length is determined by the proximity of their lens’ namesake to that distant, blue planet. Handcrafted to be lightweight and portable, the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System is small, compact and the only thing you need in your bag — no matter where your creativity takes you.
A Dual Aperture System for Extended Creative Options
Each of the interchangeable lens elements of the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System works with a seamless iris diaphragm aperture mechanism to produce meticulously sharp images at smaller apertures, and beautiful smooth bokeh at larger apertures. Each prime lens has its own optimal maximum aperture — f/3.5 for Thalassa, f/2.8 for Despina and f/4.0 for Proteus; but you can also push beyond these to experiment and produce unique effects with the Thalassa and Proteus lens elements. And that’s not all — the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System also includes special aperture plates that you can insert in front of the iris diaphragm to edge your frame with delicate bokeh.
An Expandable System to Grow With Your Creativity
The potential of the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System is unlimited. Inspired by Charles Chevalier’s first convertible lens from the 19th century, Lomography is redefining this classic yet ground-breaking concept as an expandable lens system.
Thanks to the support of Kickstarter backers worldwide, Lomography has already been able to release a Neptune Convertible Art Lens System macro adapter. And that’s not all — having asked backers to vote for their preferred focal length, Lomography is also designing Naiad, a brand new front lens with an ultra-wide-angle focal length of 15mm.
No matter where your creativity takes you, with this Art Lens System in your bag, you’ll be ready for everything. Available in Canon EF, Nikon F or Pentax K mount and compatible with a wide range of other cameras using adapters available from Lomography, it’s the ideal solution for photographers and videographers everywhere.
Thalassa 3.5/35mm Despina 2.8/50mm Proteus 4/80mm
Tech Specs
Focal Length: 35mm, 50mm, 80mm, front element group convertible Aperture: Dual aperture system
When Affinity Photo for iPad first launched, it touted itself as a game changer: “the first full blown, truly professional photo editing tool to make its way onto the Apple tablet.” And ever since, people (DPReview included) have been confirming that this app is, indeed, a really impressive iPad image editor.
Well, if you needed just a little more convincing, there’s one more data point to consider: Apple just named Affinity Photo for iPad its “Best iPad App of 2017.” That’s pretty great, and to celebrate the folks at Affinity Photo are hosting a 24-hour flash sale, knocking the price down 50% to just $ 10 bucks on the iTunes App Store.
As of this writing, the flash sale will end in 17 hours and 35 minutes, so if you’ve been considering a solid iPad photo editor, check out our Affinity Photo for iPad review by clicking the big blue button below. Then head over to the Affinity Photo website to learn more or get a copy for yourself.
The 360-degree camera Kodak unveiled at Photokina 2016 is now available to buy in the US. The PixPro Orbit360 is a rugged, compact action camera with a pair of 20MP sensors, one on the front and the other on the back, joining by two curved 155-degree and 235-degree lenses, a microSD slot for storage, a 1″ LCD, and an included selfie stick (depending on bundle).
JK Imaging, the company behind the camera, designed the PixPro Orbit360 to be rugged for outdoor use. The camera has an IP6X dustproof equivalency, an IPX5 splashproof equivalency, a shockproof design able to withstand drops from 2m / 6.6ft when using the lens cover, and the camera is also freeze-proof to temperatures as low as -10C / 14F.
The PixPro offers users three recording modes: a fully 360-degree spherical mode, a 235-degree ‘dome’ mode, and a 197-degree 4K Ultra-Wide mode. It works with a related mobile app (Android | iOS) that makes it possible to directly upload the PixPro’s videos to YouTube and Facebook.
The camera’s full specs sheet is available here.
The Orbit360 is being sold in the US through the Kodak PixPro website and through Amazon.com. It $ 500 USD in the “Adventure Pack” (arriving later this year) and $ 550 USD for the “Satellite Pack” (available now). The Satellite Pack includes some accessories not included with the Adventure Pack, such as the aforementioned selfie stick.
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