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Modded ‘Ribcage’ Sony RX0 II features passive MFT mount for interchangeable lenses

05 Dec

Canadian retailer Back-Bone Gear is offering the new Ribcage RX0 II, a modified version of the tiny and rugged Sony RX0 II camera that features a passive MFT mount for use with manual lenses, as well as a C mount (via a mounting ring) ideally intended for use with 1″ and 1.1″ format lenses.

The Sony RX0 II features a 1″ stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor, removable IR-cut filter, support for capturing video at up to 4K resolutions, slow-motion capture at up to 1,000fps, and much more. Joining the camera’s robust features is an ‘extra-super-duralumin’ rugged body and 180-degree tilting LCD.

The modified Ribcage version of the RX0 II enables users to attach their existing lenses using an adapter, to use the tiny camera for niche applications involving telescopes and microscopes, or to use unique lenses with the camera, such as vintage models. Back-Bone Gear notes that its modified MFT mount doesn’t supply power for the lenses, hence why it must be used only with manual lenses.

The Ribcage model features CNC-machined aluminum components and includes a removable mounting plate with 1/4″-20 and 3/8″-16 mounts. The Ribcage RX0 II modified camera is available now for $ 1,299; it ships with a replacement IR-cut filter, charging cable, wrist strap, and more.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Qualcomm’s new 865 chipset supports 8K video, 4K HDR, no-limit 960fps capture and more

05 Dec

Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform, its latest chipset that pushes the limits of mobile processing in a device that’s small enough to fit on the face of a penny.

In addition to support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 4G/5G modem, the chipset also brings a number of improvements in the imaging department thanks to its Kryo 585 octa-core CPU, Adreno 650 GPU and Spectra 480 Image Signal Processor (ISP).

Unlike previous chipsets, which could only hand one pixel per clock cycle, the Snapdragon 865 can handle four pixels per clock cycle. In addition to power savings and running cooler, this increase enables exciting new features on the photo and video front.

Specifically, the Snapdragon 865 can handle up to two gigapixels of data per second thanks in part to its dual 14-bit ISPs. This means the Snapdragon 865 will be able to handle up to 200-megapixel captures, as well as dual 64-megapixel camera captures with zero shutter lag and HEIC photo capture. It can also apply multi-frame noise reduction on the fly, as well as provide real-time object classification, segmentation and replacement in images thanks to its 5th generation Qualcomm AI Engine. This new technology will make it possible to ‘quickly and intelligently identify different backgrounds, people, and objects, so they can be treated individually for a truly customized photo,’ according to Qualcomm.

The Snapdragon 865 chipset is also a major boost for mobile video. In addition to 8K video capture, the chipset can also handle 4K HDR (HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision), 4K video at 120fps and 4K video capture while simultaneously capturing a burst of five 640-megapixel photos. This makes it the first chipset that captures Dobly Vision video on the fly and in addition to capturing 120fps video, the chipset can also playback 120fps video in realtime when paired with a 120Hz display, such as those found inside the Razer Phone, Razer Phone 2, Sharp Aquos R3 and Asus ROG Phone II smartphones.

Qualcomm has addressed high-speed capture as well. The Snapdragon 865 can capture 720p video at 960fps without limits. 720p video at 960fps is nothing new, as the Sony Xperia XZ and over a dozen of other smartphones from Sony, Samsung, Huawei, Sony and Xiaomi can attest to, but current devices are limited to capturing just a few seconds at a time. When paired with the proper hardware, the Snapdragon 865 chipset will be able to record 960fps video indefinitely; or at least until you run out of storage.

Below is Qualcomm’s day two livestream of its Snapdragon Tech Summit in Maui:

Qualcomm says flagship devices based on the Snapdragon 865 are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2020. So far HMD, Motorola, Oppo and Xiaomi have confirmed they have devices on the way based on the Snapdragon 865 chipset.

Press release:

Qualcomm Introduces the World’s Most Advanced 5G Mobile Platform

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform Delivers the Best 5G Mobile Experiences for Next Generation Flagship Devices—Devices Expected to be Commercially Available in First Quarter 2020

MAUI, HAWAII — December 4, 2019 — Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, introduced the Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM 865 Mobile Platform, which combines the world’s most advanced 5G Modem-RF System with the world’s most advanced mobile platform designed to deliver the unmatched connectivity and performance required for the next generation of flagship devices.

The platform’s best-in-class Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM X55 5G Modem-RF System provides peak speeds of up to 7.5 Gbps, surpassing most wired connections and transforming the mobile experience. The leading 5th generation Qualcomm® AI Engine and new Qualcomm® Sensing Hub provides more intelligence and personalization than ever before. Snapdragon 865 includes the blazing fast Qualcomm SpectraTM 480 Image Signal Processor (ISP), which brings new features to mobile photography and videography thanks to gigapixel speeds – up to 2 gigapixels per second. Gamers can use Snapdragon to compete at the highest levels with an array of brand-new Qualcomm® Snapdragon Elite GamingTM features for desktop-quality gaming and ultra-realistic graphics. Our next-generation Qualcomm® KryoTM 585 CPU delivers up to 25% performance improvement, and the new Qualcomm® AdrenoTM 650 GPU offers up to 25% overall performance boost compared to the previous generations, ensuring superior processing power for the next generation of flagship devices. The Snapdragon 865 empowers you to game, capture, cross-task and connect like never before.

“Snapdragon 865 supports the world’s most advanced 5G connectivity and features, raising the bar for what a mobile device should be,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager, mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “It’s the culmination of Qualcomm’s more than 30 years of wireless leadership and innovation.”

Benefits of the Snapdragon 865 include:

The World’s Most Advanced 5G Mobile Platform: The Snapdragon 865 is the most advanced 5G mobile platform—ever. Its Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System is the world’s first commercial modem-to-antenna 5G solution for consistent, lightning-fast speeds across the board—with peak speeds of up to 7.5 Gbps. The comprehensive Modem-RF System-approach allows advanced technologies such as Qualcomm® 5G PowerSave, Qualcomm® Smart TransmitTM technology, Qualcomm® Wideband Envelope Tracking technology and Qualcomm® Signal Boost to help deliver superior coverage and data speeds along with support for all-day battery life. This 5G global solution supports all key regions and bands including mmWave and sub-6 in both TDD and FDD frequencies. Plus, it’s compatible with both NSA and SA modes along with Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), global 5G roaming and support for multi-SIM. In addition to 5G connectivity, the Snapdragon 865 is redefining Wi-Fi 6 performance and Bluetooth audio experiences via the Qualcomm® FastConnectTM 6800 mobile connectivity subsystem. Extensive Wi-Fi 6 feature innovation helps users take advantage of incredible speed (approaching 1.8 Gbps) and latency, especially in crowded environments with many devices contending on a network. FastConnect 6800 is also among the first to be designated Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 by the Wi-Fi Alliance. The introduction of Qualcomm® aptXTM Voice makes Snapdragon 865 the first mobile platform to wirelessly support Super Wide Band (SWB) voice over Bluetooth for a new class of crystal clear audio, in addition to aptX Adaptive and Qualcomm TrueWirelessTM Stereo Plus, thereby reducing latency, increasing battery life and improving link resilience for wireless headphones and earbuds.
Gigapixel Speed ISP: The Snapdragon 865’s ISP operates at staggering speeds of up to 2 gigapixels per second and provides brand-new camera features and capabilities. You can capture in 4K HDR with over a billion shades of color, capture 8K video, or snap massive 200-megapixel photos. You can also take advantage of the gigapixel speeds to slow things down and capture every millisecond of detail with unlimited* high-definition slow-motion video capture at 960 fps. And now, for the first time ever on mobile, Dolby Vision video capture creates brilliant HDR footage that’s primed and ready for the big screen. In tandem with the 5th generation Qualcomm AI Engine, the gigapixel speed ISP can quickly and intelligently identify different backgrounds, people, and objects, so they can be treated individually for a truly customized photo
5th Generation Qualcomm AI Engine: The new 5th generation Qualcomm AI Engine and new AI software tools pack incredible performance for the latest camera, audio, and gaming experiences. It delivers a whopping 15 TOPS of AI performance, which is 2x more powerful than its predecessor. At the heart of the Qualcomm AI Engine is a new and improved Qualcomm® HexagonTM Tensor Accelerator that has 4x the TOPS performance of the previous Tensor Accelerator while operating at 35% greater power efficiency. Then, there’s real-time translations using AI—your phone can translate your speech into a foreign language in both text and speech. In addition to the Qualcomm AI Engine, the all-new Qualcomm Sensing Hub enables your device to be contextually aware of its surroundings– using extremely low power. Highly accurate voice detection ensures your requests are heard loud and clear by your favorite voice assistant, while enhanced always-on sensors and intelligent sound recognition brings contextual AI to the next level. An updated Qualcomm® Neural Processing SDK, Hexagon NN Direct and Qualcomm® AI Model Enhancer tools gives developers ultimate freedom and flexibility to create faster and smarter apps.
Desktop-quality Gaming: Snapdragon 865 unlocks brand new and first-to-mobile premium features to deliver ultra-smooth gaming experiences with the highest graphics quality in the next generation of Snapdragon Elite Gaming. Snapdragon 865 is the first mobile platform on Android to support Desktop Forward Rendering allowing game developers to bring over desktop quality lighting and post processing effects creating a new level of realism for mobile games. With a first-to-mobile feature, Adreno Updateable GPU Drivers can be downloaded directly from an app store when made available by OEMs, which allows players to have control over their graphics driver updates and GPU settings for their top games to achieve premium performance. An upper echelon of display and visual fidelity for mobile HDR gaming is here with 144Hz display refresh rate available for the first time on mobile and Game Color Plus to enrich game image quality with enhanced details, boosted color saturation and local tone mapping. Game play is now optimized to the micro-second level with the Snapdragon Game Performance Engine, providing adaptive and predictive real-time system tuning for sustained performance over longer periods of time. The new Adreno 650 GPU offers new hardware embedded features like Adreno HDR Fast Blend to boost game scenes with heavy blending, often used in complex particle systems and rendering, to deliver up to 2x performance lift for certain operations.

Devices based on Snapdragon 865 are expected to be commercially available in the first quarter of 2020. For more information, please visit [link]. Livestream replays will also be available Snapdragon Tech Summit Event Hub.

Battery life and storage varies significantly based on device, settings, usage, and other factors.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year announces LUMIX People’s Choice Award finalists

04 Dec

Wildlife Photographer of the Year LUMIX People’s Choice Award finalists

Drawing over 48,000 entries from 100 countries, the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards is not only well-known, it’s also the world’s longest-running photography competition. Thanks to a partnership with LUMIX, the public can have their say in which shortlisted image should win. 25 photos have been selected by a panel of judges and anyone can vote for their favorite here.

‘The LUMIX People’s Choice images capture the essence of the competition; they all ignite a reaction about the natural world and make you see it differently. Showcasing breath-taking beauty, compassion and cruelty, it is impossible not to be moved by them – I think everyone who votes has a tough decision to make,’ said Tim Littlewood, the National History Museum’s Executive Director of Science and member of the judging panel.

Those in close proximity to the Natural History Museum of London can view all 25 shortlisted images at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. It will be open for viewing until voting closes on February 2nd. The entry that receives the most votes for the LUMIX People’s Choice Award will be on display until the exhibition concludes on May 31st. The winner plus four other top entries will be featured online at The Wildlife Photographer of the Year hub where they’ll be seen by millions of online visitors from all over the world.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is an annual event hosted by the Natural History Museum. Its goal is to shine a light on nature photography as an art form while challenging the viewer to question the plights facing animals and our planet. Entries for the 2020 competition are open until Thursday, December 12th. Photographers of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to submit their work.

Shortlisted image: Matching outfits by Michel Zoghzoghi, Lebanon

About the photo: Michel was in the Pantanal, Brazil photographing jaguars. One afternoon, as he was on the Três Irmãos River, a mother and her cub crossed right in front of his boat. He watched, mesmerized, as they left the water holding an anaconda with a very similar pattern to their own.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 1D X Mark II +500mm f4 lens; 1/1250 sec at f13 (-1e/v); ISO 1250.

Shortlisted image: What a poser by Clement Mwangi, Kenya

About the photo: In Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, Clement spent time observing this beautiful leopard as she soaked up the last warm rays of the setting sun. Clement is mindful to remember to take pleasure in life’s simple moments – being all too aware that sometimes, as a wildlife photographer, you can miss the exceptional while looking for the unusual.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Sigma 150-500mm lens; 1/320 sec at f6.3; ISO 1250.

Shortlisted image: Inquisitive by Audun Rikardsen, Norway

About the photo: From a hide on the coast of northern Norway, it took Audun three years of planning to capture this majestic bird of prey in its coastal environment. After some time, the golden eagle became curious of the camera and seemed to like being in the spotlight.

Gear and specs: Canon 6D Mark II + Canon 8-15mm f4 lens; 1/640 sec at f18 (-1e/v); ISO 400, Canon 600II Flash; Siuri tripod head; motion sensor.

Shortlisted image: Tender play by Steve Levi, USA

About the photo: It was early March and Steve spotted this mother polar bear and her two cubs after 10 days of looking. They had recently left their birthing den in Wapusk National Park, Canada, to begin the long journey to the sea ice so their mother could feed. After a nap the cubs were in a playful mood.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850 + 800mm f5.6 lens + 1.25x teleconverter at 1000mm; 1/1250 sec at f10; ISO 640.

Shortlisted image: Family get-together by Michael Schober, Austria

About the photo: Marmots have become accustomed to the presence of humans in Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria and allow people to observe and photograph them at close range. This behaviour is beneficial for the marmots, as human company deters predators such as golden eagles.

Gear and specs: Nikon D4 + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 lens; 640 sec; ISO 400.

Shortlisted image: Training session by Stefan Christmann, Germany

About the photo: When Stefan came across this penguin couple in Atka Bay, Antarctica, seemingly with an egg, he was surprised as it was too early in the season for egg-laying. Upon closer inspection he discovered the egg was a snowball! Perhaps the diligent couple were practicing egg transfer in preparation for when their real egg arrived. This is possibly the first time it has ever been witnessed and documented.

Gear and specs: Nikon D810 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 400mm f2.8 E FL ED VR lens; 1/1000 sec at f4.0; ISO 800.

Shortlisted image: Beak to beak by Claudio Contreras Koob, Mexico

About the photo: Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in the state of Yucatán is home to Mexico’s largest flock of Caribbean flamingos. This chick is less than five days old – it will stay in its nest less than a week before it joins a crèche of other youngsters who wander around the colony searching for food.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + Canon 300mm f2.8 Lens + Canon 2X Teleconverter II; 1/160 sec at f11; ISO 1600; Camo throwover blind.

Shortlisted image: Teamwork by Jake Davis, USA

About the photo: Jake was on a boat off the coast of Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada where he watched humpback whales bubble-et feeding. Here the leader whale dives to locate the fish, once the fish are located, the rest of the pod swim in decreasing circles while blowing bubbles which create a net, trapping the fish.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 1D X Mark II + 100-400mm lens; 1/500 sec at f5.6; ISO 2500.

Shortlisted image: A pulsing sea by David Doubilet, USA

About the photo: A school of red tooth triggerfish form a cloud of silhouettes above a river of convict blennies flowing over the coral in Verde Island Passage, Philippines. The Passage, a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, is one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world.

Gear and specs: Nikon D3S with Nikon 17-35 mm f/28 lens in SEACAM Underwater housing. Sea & Sea YS 250 strobes at ½ power 1/50th sec f/10 at ISO 250.

Shortlisted image: Station squabble by Sam Rowley, UK

About the photo: Sam discovered the best way to photograph the mice inhabiting London’s Underground was to lie on the platform and wait. He only saw them fight over scraps of food dropped by passengers a few times, possibly because it is so abundant. This fight lasted a split second before one grabbed a crumb and they went their separate ways.

Gear and specs: Nikon D500 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1/125 sec at f2.8; ISO 1000.

Shortlisted image: Ocean’s signature by Angel Fitor, Spain

About the photo: Angel took this image in the waters off of Alicante, Spain. Immersed in a strong current, an otherwise slightly undulating salp chain twists and turning forming whimsical shapes. Salps move by contracting, which pumps water through their gelatinous bodies.

Gear and specs: Nikon D800 + Sigma 20 mm f1.8 lens; 1/250 sec at f16; ISO 50; Nexus D800 housing; Two Retra strobe.

Shortlisted image: Losing the fight by Aaron Gekoski, UK

About the photo: Orangutans have been used in degrading performances at Safari World, Bangkok – and many other locations – for decades. The shows were temporarily stopped in 2004 due to international pressure, but today the shows continue – twice a day, every day – with hundreds of people paying to watch the orangutans box, dance, play the drums and more.

Gear and specs: Canon 5D Mark II +100-400mm f4.5/5.6 lens; 1/100 sec at f5.6; ISO 800.

Shortlisted image: The surrogate mother by Martin Buzora, Canada

About the photo: Elias Mugambi is a ranger at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya. He often spends weeks away from his family caring for orphaned black rhinos like Kitui here. The young rhinos are in the sanctuary as a result of poaching or because their mothers are blind and cannot care for them safely in the wild.

Gear and specs: Nikon D4S + 85mm f1.4 lens; 1/5000 sec at f1.4; ISO 800.

Shortlisted image: Captive by Marcus Westberg, Sweden

About the photo: A giant panda sits in its cage in a breeding center in Shaanxi, China. With a growing wild population and no realistic plan of how to breed and raise pandas for rerelease into the wild rather than a life in captivity – not to mention lack of habitat being the largest barrier to the continued spread of the wild population – it is unclear how such centers will benefit the species.

Gear and specs: Canon 1D X Mark II + 16-35mm f2.8L III lens at 20mm; 1/60 sec at f28; ISO 2500.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Have your say: Best zoom lens of 2019

04 Dec

Best zoom lens of 2019

As always, there were a lot of high-quality zoom lenses released this year. These include several ‘reference’ models, as new full-frame mirrorless systems from Canon, Nikon and Panasonic start to mature. We’ve gone through everything that came out in 2019, and selected what we think are the standout prime lenses from the past 12 months, but as always – if you think we missed something, let us know in the comments.

Voting runs through December 15th, and once the vote has closed we’ll run a second poll to find your choice for overall product of the year.

Canon

For Canon, 2019 was all about filling out its new EOS R full-frame mirrorless lineup. To that end, the company officially launched several new lenses, including the RF-mount ‘holy trinity’ of F2.8 zooms. From our initial shooting, these new lenses are truly impressive. Meanwhile, the RF 24-240mm is a versatile go-everywhere zoom for EOS R and RP shooters.

Do any of these new zooms deserve a place on our list of best lenses in 2019? Let us know by casting your vote.

Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM
Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM
Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Fujifilm

Between them, the Fujifilm GF 100-200mm F5.6 and XF 16-80mm F4 fill out the company’s medium format and APS-C lens lineups nicely, offering a versatile telephoto solution and handy walk-around travel zoom lens range, respectively.

Both are great lenses, but do either of them get your vote for best zoom lens of 2019? Cast your vote and let us know.

Fujifilm GF 100-200mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm F4.0 R OIS WR

Nikon

Nikon is slowly expanding its Z-mount mirrorless lens lineup, and this year released two full-frame zoom lenses, the 14-30mm F4 and 24-70mm F2.8. Both are sharp, practical, weather-sealed options for Z6 and Z7 shooters, but are they among the best zoom lenses released in 2019?

Nikon Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4 S
Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Olympus

Olympus has mostly focused on new cameras in 2019, but the company did release one zoom lens, designed for mid-range and entry-level M43 cameras. The 12-200mm F4 covers a useful equivalent focal length range of 24-400mm, making it ideal for travel and everyday photography. Let us know if you think it has a place on our list of best 2019 zoom lenses.

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm F3.5-6.3

Panasonic

Of the several zoom lenses that Panasonic released in 2019, the majority are for its new S1-range of full-frame mirrorless cameras. But alongside its new S-range, Panasonic also released the 10-25mm F1.7 – a fast 20-50mm equivalent zoom for Micro Four Thirds. Cast your vote and let us know if any of them deserve a place in our list of best lenses released in 2019.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH
Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS
Panasonic Lumix S Pro 24-70mm F2.8
Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm F4 OIS

Sigma

Sigma’s range of ‘DN’ (Digital Native) lenses designed from scratch for mirrorless is growing, and this year saw the launch of two. We’ve only just got our hands on the 14-24mm and we’re still waiting for the 24-70mm, but we have high hopes for both. Are you among the lucky few that have used either? Either way, let us know what you think.

Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art

Sony

Sony finally answered a lot of its a6000-series fans’ prayers this year with some new zooms for APS-C. The 16-55mm F2.8 in particular is a pricey lens, but it’s a great companion for the a6600. Meanwhile, the 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 is designed for sports and wildlife enthusiasts using a7 and a9-series full-frame cameras. Do any of these zooms make your list for best lenses of 2019? Cast your vote now.

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G
Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

Tamron

Tamron released two zoom lenses this year for full-frame – the 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD for Sony E-mount and the 35-150mm F2.8-4 Di VC OSD for Canon and Nikon DSLRs. They’re designed for different users, and for different kinds of photography. The 17-35mm helps fill out Tamron’s native mirrorless lineup with a wide-angle option, while the 35-150mm is a lens intended specifically to appeal to portrait photographers.

What do you think of them? Cast your vote and let us know.

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
Tamron 35-150mm F2.8-4 Di VC OSD

Vote now!

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Have your say

$ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”5879470067″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll2″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:19}); })

Have your say: Best zoom lens of 2019

Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM

Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM

Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM

Fujifilm GF 100-200mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR

Fujifilm XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR

Nikon Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4 S

Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm F3.5-6.3

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH

Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 24-70mm F2.8

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm F4 OIS

Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G

Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS

Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 OSS

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Tamron 35-150mm F2.8-4 Di VC OSD

Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick as many products as you like, and rank them in order of priority.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Have your say: Best prime lens of 2019

04 Dec

Best prime lens of 2019

2019 was a banner year for lenses, as Canon, Nikon and Panasonic grow their respective full-frame mirrorless systems and Sony continued to add optics to its E-mount lineup. In this poll, we’re giving you the change to vote for your favorite prime lenses of 2019 but as always, if you think we’ve missed something, let us know in the comments.

Voting runs through December 15th, and once the vote has closed we’ll run a second poll to find your choice for overall product of the year.

Canon

Canon is busy building out its nascent EOS R full-frame mirrorless system, but while most of the action has been in the zoom category this year, Canon also added a stellar prime lens in the form of the RF 85mm F1.2L IS USM. Also in consideration is a lens which became available just a little too late to be included in last year’s poll, the EF-M 32mm F1.4 STM – a fast, compact standard prime for the APS-C M-system.

Canon EF-M 32mm F1.4 STM
Canon RF 85mm F1.2L IS USM

Fujifilm

Fujifilm has been expending a lot of energy on new cameras this year, from the entry-level X-A7 to the flagship medium-format GFX100. But the company also released a handful of lenses, both primes and zooms.

Among them were two fixed focal-length options that we’ve really enjoyed in 2019 – the GF 50mm F3.5 and the tiny XF 16mm F2.8 – both really nice, compact walk-around lenses on Fujifilm’s medium-format and APS-C format cameras, respectively.

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 16mm F2.8 R WR

Leica

2019 saw Leica release the refreshed Q2 and mirrorless SL2, and to accompany the latter, Wetzlar unveiled two new lenses, a 35mm F2 and 50mm F2. We’ve never no much as even handled either, but both appear to be excellent performers, and we know that you’ll have opinions.

Do either (or both?) make it on to your list of the best primes of 2019? Let us know.

Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm F2 ASPH
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 ASPH

Nikon

This year for Nikon has been all about consolidating its Z-series lens lineup, following the launch of the Z6 and Z7 in 2018. Nikon released three Z-series primes this year, and two of them (the 85mm and 58mm ‘Noct’) have impressed us in our initial shooting. We just got hold of the Z 24mm F1.8 S and it looks like another excellent performer. Let us know what you think by casting a vote.

Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct
Nikon Z 85mm F1.8 S
Nikon Z 24mm F1.8 S

Panasonic

Panasonic has been putting a lot of energy into its full-frame L-mount lineup this year, and the S Pro 50mm F1.4 is a fine ‘reference’ lens for that system. But the company also found time to update one of its most popular primes for Micro Four Thirds: The Leica DG Summilux 25mm F1.4 II ASPH. Did either of them make it into your lens collection?

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm F1.4 II ASPH
Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4

Sigma

Sigma released plenty of lenses this year, although several were L-mount versions of existing designs. The company’s two genuinely ‘new’ primes exist at opposite poles of the company’s lineup – the small and lightweight 45mm F2.8 at one end, and the large and heavy (and pricey) 35mm F1.2 ‘Art’ at the other.

Both are excellent in their own way – did either impress you in 2019? Cast your vote and let us know.

Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art
Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary

Sony

Sony had a great year in terms of lenses, releasing three high-quality prime lenses for its full-frame a9 and a7-series cameras. The FE 35mm F1.8 is a perfect walk-around lens, whereas the 135mm F1.8 is aimed more specifically at portrait professionals. Meanwhile the FE 600mm F4 is a perfect tool for sports and wildlife shooters.

Have you been shooting with any of Sony’s new prime lenses this year? Cast your vote and let us know.

Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM
Sony FE 35mm F1.8
Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS

Tamron

Tamron launched three prime lenses this year, including a new reference prime in the ‘SP’ (Special Performance) range. The SP 35mm F1.4 is a large, heavy but very sharp medium wideangle for Canon and Nikon DSLRs, whereas the 24mm and 35mm F2.8 Di III are lightweight, everyday options for mirrorless photographers.

Do any of the three deserve a place in our final list of best primes of 2019? Cast your vote and let us know.

Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD
Tamron 24mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
Tamron 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2

Zeiss

We’ve never seen the Zeiss Otus in person, but if it’s anything like Zeiss’s previous Otus-series lenses, it’s likely to be a seriously impressive piece of glass. But is it one of the best prime lenses of the year? Let us know.

Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4

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Have your say: Best prime lens of 2019

Canon EF-M 32mm F1.4 STM

Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR

Fujifilm XF 16mm F2.8 R WR

Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm F2 ASPH

Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 ASPH

Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct

Nikon Nikkor Z 24mm F1.8 S

Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 S

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm F1.4 II ASPH

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4

Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art

Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary

Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

Sony FE 35mm F1.8

Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS

Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD

Tamron 24mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2

Tamron 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2

Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Google Photos gets new private conversations sharing feature on mobile and Web

04 Dec

Google has pushed out yet another big update for its Google Photos mobile platform, this time adding messaging support. In an announcement on its blog today, Google explained that users have requested an easier way to quickly share individual images with friends and family, something now made possible with the addition of sharing in private conversations.

Until now, Google Photos users had two options for sharing images and videos from the app: by either creating a new album that featured only one image and sharing the link with another person or downloading the image and sharing it using a dedicated messaging app like Messenger or WhatsApp. Both methods are too clunky and time consuming for many users.

Google says the new private conversations feature will arrive on iOS, Android, and the Web. Once available, users will be able to directly share individual images and videos within Google Photos by tapping the ‘Share’ icon located below the content followed by selecting the recipient’s contact from the resulting menu. Users can send chats alongside the images and videos. The feature supports group chats and reactions.

Google says the new sharing option isn’t meant to replace dedicated messaging apps; rather, it is simply designed to make sharing content from Google Photos very simple. Recipients can download shared content from private conversations and save the content to their own galleries. The feature will roll out ‘gradually’ to users over the next week.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Venus Optics adds Canon RF, Nikon Z mount options to three of its most popular lenses

04 Dec

Venus Optics has announced it’s adding Canon RF and Nikon Z variants to three of its existing Laowa lenses.

The Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D, 25mm F2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro and 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro have all been altered so they can now work on Canon and Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless systems. Aside from the mount alterations, the lenses remain unchanged from their counterparts.

You can find our previous coverage of the lenses below:

Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D
Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro
Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro

The new Canon RF and Nikon Z mount versions of the Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D ($ 949), 25mm F2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro ($ 399) and 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro ($ 449) are available to purchase on the Venus Optics website.

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Google Photos starts rolling out manual face tagging feature on mobile

03 Dec

As promised this past summer by Google Product Lead David Lieb, Google Photos has been updated to support manual face tagging. The feature first started rolling out to some users last week, according to Android Police, only days after XDA spotted signs of the new feature in an app teardown. The feature still has not arrived for all users, however.

Manual face tagging is a new Google Photos feature that builds upon the service’s existing face-detection algorithm. With this new tool, users are able to manually correct errors made by the algorithm and to also immediately tag images of new people who haven’t yet been identified by the app.

Users who have access to the feature note one big limitation with the new tool: the app does not allow users to tag faces that weren’t detected by the algorithm. As well, it isn’t yet clear whether manually tagging people and correcting mistakes will help improve the algorithm’s ability to detect those people in subsequent photos.

Users who have access to the new manual face tagging option can find the tool within the Google Photos app’s ‘Albums’ menu. Tap on ‘People & Pets,’ then tap on an image. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the menu containing EXIF data, then swipe up again.

The person featured in the image will be listed under a section title ‘People.’ If you have access to the manual face tagging feature, you will see a new pen icon located next to the person within this ‘People’ section. Android Police notes that this feature is rolling out through a server-side update, meaning that users can’t manually update the app to get access to the new tagging option.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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ZY Optics announces its Mitakon Creator 85mm F2.8 1-5X ‘Super Macro’ lens

03 Dec

Zhong Yi (ZY) Optics has announced the release of its new Mitakon Creator 85mm F2.8 1-5X Super Macro lens.

The ‘Super Macro’ lens is constructed of 12 elements in 8 groups, has an aperture range of F2.8-F32 and features a minimum focusing distance of 27.2cm (1X) at its 25mm focal length and 10cm (5X) at its 85mm focal length. ZY Optics says the lens was designed ‘to have one of the longest working distance for any super macro lens.’

The lens is entirely manual, features a 58mm front filter thread, uses an eight-blade aperture diaphragm, measures 67mm x 122mm (2.64in x 4.8in) and weighs 750g (1.65lbs). Below are a number of sample images provided by ZY Optics (be forewarned that there are plenty of bugs in the event you don’t like creepy-crawlies):

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The Mitakon Creator 85mm F2.8 1-5X Super Macro lens is available on ZY Optics’ website for $ 499 in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A, Pentax K, Sony E, M43, Fuji X and EOS-M mounts.

Press release:

ZY Optics release the Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro Lens with extended working distance

Shenyang China, Nov 25, 2019 – Zhongyi Optics (ZY Optics) have released a new Super Macro Lens for full frame cameras, the Zhongyi Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5x Super Macro Lens and it features a wide magnification range and a very long working distance.

Zhongyi Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro Lens has a wide magnification range (from 1X to 5X) allowing photographers to capture subjects at different sizes. Users no longer need to DIY or use any extension tubes to reach high magnification shooting.

The lens is also designed to have one of the longest working distance for ANY super macro lens. The closest working distance at 5x magnification is 3.93” (10cm) and 10.7” (27.2cm) at 1x magnification. This working distance is so much longer than traditional macro lenses in the market. Photographers can now start shooting macro objects without getting too close and scare them away.

The extended working distance also implies lighting can get to the subjects easier. It is also more friendly to use on video shooting. This new super macro lens also has a near telecentric performance which is a big advantage when it comes to macro image stacking photography or industrial usage.

The new 1x-5x Super Macro lens incorporates a 12 elements in 8 groups structure which delivers impressive resolution from corners to corners. The chromatic aberration is also controlled to the minimum (APO design). Weighing merely 1.65 lbs (750g) and 6.7cm long, it is a perfect companion for both wildlife or indoor lab shooting. It is relatively compact in its class which allows photographers to capture extremely fine subjects or patterns with different sizes.

Greater magnification can also be achieved by stacking extension tubes or bellows. The high magnification is extremely useful for scientific purposes. The lens can only be used in macro distances and cannot focus to infinity. A 58mm filter thread is also available.

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Panasonic Lumix S Pro 24-70mm F2.8 sample gallery

03 Dec

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The fourth lens to debut in Panasonic’s full-frame lineup is the 24-70mm F2.8. It’s a popular and versatile focal range, and the company makes big claims of its superior bokeh and sharpness. Take a look for yourself at what the workhorse of the S Pro lineup is capable of.

See our Panasonic Lumix S Pro 24-70mm F2.8 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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