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  • ASUS Zephyrus G14 (2021) Review: The M1 MacBook Pro killer

    The ASUS Zephyrus G14 is a new breed of powerful, portable laptop made possible by the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs.

    All product photography by DL Cade.

    When it comes to lightweight laptops for creatives, Apple pretty much cornered the market with the release of the M1 MacBook Air and M1 MacBook Pro. The price-to-performance of these laptops is better than anything we’ve seen from Cupertino in a long time, and the Apple Silicon M1 punches well above its weight given its ‘entry-level’ designation.

    But what if you’re not a Mac fan? What if 16GB of unified memory isn’t enough? And what if you want more graphics power than the maxed out 8-core GPU variant of the Apple Silicon M1 can deliver? Is there a PC out there that offers all of these things without sacrificing the portability and efficiency of laptops like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

    There is, and that PC is the ASUS Zephyrus G14: a small, lightweight ‘gaming laptop’ that features a powerful-but-efficient AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, 32GB of RAM, a WQHD/2K display with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and an NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM. All of it packed inside of a 14-inch laptop chassis that’s only a tiny bit thicker, and no larger, than your typical 13-inch MacBook Pro.



    Key specifications:

    The 2021 ASUS Zephyrus G14 that we’re testing is the more expensive of the two main variants available in the US. Both options come with the same AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor and NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU (60W, 80W boost), but our model is equipped with 32GB of RAM and a WQHD display that claims 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, while the more affordable model comes with only 16GB of RAM and a Full HD display that can only manage 100% of sRGB.

    Zephyrus G14 – FHD Zephyrus G14 – QHD
    CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
    GPU

    NVIDIA RTX 3060

    6GB VRAM

    NVIDIA RTX 3060

    6GB VRAM

    RAM 16GB DDR4-3200MHz 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
    Storage

    1TB NVMe M.2 SSD

    PCIe 3.0

    1TB NVMe M.2 SSD

    PCIe 3.0

    Display

    14-inch 144Hz FHD

    100% sRGB

    14-inch 120Hz WQHD

    100% DCI-P3

    Price $ 1,450 $ 2,000

    Note that the RAM in the Full HD version is user-upgradable, but for creatives, we would still recommend the more expensive option simply because of the color-accurate display. The extra pixels aren’t totally necessary at this screen size, but we’ve found that many high-refresh-rate displays used in gaming laptops slightly under-perform their spec sheet when it comes to gamut coverage, so it’s always good to have some cushion above and beyond 100% sRGB.

    If you’re going to be doing creative work, the extra $ 550 for the top-tier model is worth the additional RAM, resolution and color accuracy.


    Design, build and usability

    For photo and video editors, the ASUS Zephyrus G14’s WQHD display delivers up to 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

    The Zephyrus G14’s design is gamer-y, but not over the top. There’s no ostentatious RGB accents or glowing logos, and while the overall shape of the laptop features a few sharp angles, there isn’t even an RGB backlight on the keyboard – just a standard white light. The chassis is available in a ‘Moonlight White’ or ‘Eclipse Gray’ and, when closed, the only hint that this is an ASUS computer comes from the Republic of Gamers (ROG) logo stamped on a pearlescent metal plate that’s embedded in the lid.

    Speaking of the lid, the most ostentatious and unique design element of the ASUS G14 is the so-called ‘AniMe Matrix’ lighting effect that covers a little more than half of the laptop’s lid on a diagonal.

    The Zephyrus G14’s design is gamer-y, but not over the top.

    Made up of mini-LEDs hidden behind a matrix of little dots, the matrix can be customized in ASUS’ Armoury Crate software to show any number of preset animations, display a static image, or loop through a custom set of images or GIFs that you upload yourself. For this review, I obviously couldn’t resist popping the DPR logo onto the back.

    The so-called ‘AniMe Matrix’ on the G14’s lid can be customized to display a customized image or animation.

    Unfortunately, that little bit of showing off is about all it’s good for. After taking the picture above, I turned it off and kept it off to avoid any additional battery drain, and the only purpose the little dots served from that point onward was the collection of dust and other particles that are practically impossible to remove once they’ve become embedded.

    It is, in my opinion, the only thing on this laptop that is 100% gimmick and 0% function, and I kind of wish ASUS had left it off. Even the cheaper model, which won’t allow you to customize the AniMe Matrix, still comes with these little holes, they’re just set to display a static ‘holographic’ effect.

    Moving back to the front of the computer, both the keyboard and trackpad qualify as good-but-not-great in my book. The keyboard features a little bit more travel and ‘mush’ than I’m used to from most low-profile laptop keyboards these days, but your preferences may vary, while the trackpad is sufficiently smooth and responsive, but a little bit undersized.

    The Zephyrus G14’s trackpad is smooth and responsive, but smaller than most competitors.

    Compare this to the massive glass-topped trackpads favored by Apple, Microsoft, Dell and Razer, and you’ll see what I mean. By pushing the keyboard down to make room for the audio controls, ROG button and power button/fingerprint reader, the trackpad has been squeezed to just 2.5 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide.

    It’s precise, with a nice springboard click that’s usable from about halfway down the trackpad, but I wish it were a little bit taller.

    In terms of ports, the Zephyrus G14 comes equipped with an HDMI, two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, a headphone jack and standard barrel connector for power. One of those USB Type-C ports can also carry a DisplayPort 1.4 signal and charge your device if you leave the included 180W power brick at home, and both can transfer data at USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds (10Gbps), but neither supports Thunderbolt’s faster 40Gbps transfer rate because of the AMD processor.

    The trackpad is precise, with a nice springboard click that’s usable from about halfway down the trackpad, but I wish it were a little bit taller.

    In terms of ports, the Zephyrus G14 comes equipped with an HDMI, two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, a headphone jack and standard barrel connector for power.

    Thunderbolt is an Intel creation, and until it fully merges with the CPU-agnostic USB 4.0 standard and AMD releases Ryzen 6000 sometime in 2022, you won’t find any AMD Ryzen laptops that also feature Thunderbolt support.

    Everything so far makes this a good gaming PC but not particularly special for photo and video work. That’s where the display comes in.

    Following a trend we’ve seen from other gaming laptops, ASUS offers the Zephyrus G14 (and the bigger G15) with a couple of different display options. There’s an ultra-fast 144Hz Full HD display that can only hit 100% sRGB or a slightly slower 120Hz WQHD option that is ‘Pantone validated’ and claims 100% coverage of DCI-P3.

    In my testing, it didn’t quite live up to that claim, managing only 95.3% coverage of DCI-P3 and 80.0% of AdobeRGB, but it did so at a respectable Delta E 2000 of less than 2. Other reviewers have profiled this display at up to 98% DCI-P3, but to my knowledge, nobody has seen it hit the advertised 100%.

    In other words: the display is accurate enough for proper photo and video editing on the go, but I would not rely on it as my only screen. When it’s time for serious color grading, use the USB-C/DisplayPort to connect a larger, color-accurate 4K monitor, especially if you’re planning to print your work.

    Finally, there are two more things left to mention – one positive and one negative.

    The positive is battery life, which is excellent. AMD’s Zen 3 processors are already very power efficient, and ASUS is taking full advantage of that fact by putting a large 76Wh battery inside of the G14. For normal writing, research, and video consumption in ‘Silent’ mode, I could easily get 8+ hours of use out of this laptop. In ‘Performance’ mode while doing serious photo or video editing on battery, that drops to about 2 hours, but that’s to be expected given the NVIDIA 3060 GPU is pulling 60W all on its own.

    The Zephyrus G14’s QHD display is color-accurate enough for proper photo and video editing on the go, but I would not rely on it as my only screen.

    The negative is the total lack of webcam on this computer. While the Zephyrus G14 does have a built-in microphone array embedded in the top bezel, it does not have a webcam. None at all. Not even the crappy 720p option that’s included in most laptops today.

    With so many photo and video professionals communicating with their clients over Zoom as much (if not more) than in-person, this is a huge miss. I suppose the idea is that gamers who stream will use a nicer camera anyway, and those who don’t won’t care about a webcam, but it’s a glaring omission that has the potential to really annoy you day-in and day-out.

    Tehre is no webcam on the ASUS Zephyrus G14 – a frustrating omission given the increased popularity of video conferencing.

    Overall, I quite like the design and build quality of the Zephyrus G14. Sure, I tend to prefer the rigid CNC-milled aluminum unibody designs favored by companies like Razer and Apple, but I never felt like I was dealing with a flimsy laptop and the design aesthetic is clean enough to use for both business and fun… assuming you turn off the AniMe Matrix.

    For creative professionals, you can go in knowing that the I/O is solid, the trackpad is good (if a little bit small), and the screen is sufficiently color accurate so that you can get your work done on the go. If you can live without Thunderbolt and a webcam, the G14 checks just about every other ‘ultra-portable’ box, without sacrificing performance.

    Speaking of which…

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    Performance benchmarks

    Despite its small size, the Zephyrus G14 is one of the fastest photo and video editing laptops on the market.

    What really makes the ASUS Zephyrus G14 special is just how powerful it is given its size and weight. This is down to the magic of the AMD Ryzen processor inside, which is built on AMD’s Zen 3 architecture and practically sips wattage compared to most of Intel’s chips.

    This is why ASUS chose AMD for this 14-inch laptop, why Razer chose AMD for their 14-inch Blade, and why we expect to see Ryzen PCs and M1 Macs practically take over the ‘powerful-but-portable’ category for at least the next year or two. Intel’s latest 11th-geneneration H-series laptop CPUs are more efficient than 10th-gen, but they still soak up a lot more wattage to generate those results.

    For this round of performance benchmarks, we tested the M1 Mac mini, an Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro, the AMD Ryzen-based Razer Blade 14 and the ASUS Zephyrus G14. Full specs below:

    Zephyrus G14 13-inch MBP M1 Mac mini Blade 14
    CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS Intel Core i7-1068NG7 Apple Silicon M1 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
    GPU

    NVIDIA RTX 3060

    6GB VRAM

    Intel Iris Plus Graphics

    Apple Silicon M1 8-core

    NVIDIA RTX 3070

    8GB VRAM

    RAM

    32GB DDR4

    3200MHz

    32GB LPDDR4X

    3733MHz

    16GB Unified Memory

    16GB DDR4

    3200MHz

    Storage 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD 4TB NVMe SSD 2TB NVMe SSD 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD
    Display

    14-inch 120Hz WQHD IPS LCD

    100% DCI-P3

    13-inch Retina Display

    100% Display P3

    N/A

    14-inch 165Hz QHD IPS LCD

    100% DCI-P3

    Price

    $ 2,000 $ 3,600 $ 1,700 $ 2,200
    Price w/ 1TB of Storage $ 2,000 $ 2,600 $ 1,300 $ 2,200

    Unfortunately we did not have an M1 MacBook Pro on hand to do a side-by-side comparison, but the internals of the M1 Mac mini and the internals of the M1 MacBook Pro are identical, so the results should be interchangeable. As usual, we tested Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Capture One 21 using the suite of tests described here.

    All tests were run a minimum of three times in a row, with the laptops plugged in, fully charged, and set to their maximum Turbo/Performance settings.

    Lightroom Classic

    Import and preview generation in Lightroom Classic is based entirely on CPU performance, RAM amount and RAM speed. Each of these machines has a different combination of these factors, and the ASUS Zephyrus G14 and M1 Mac mini end up trading blows at the top of the import table thanks to the stellar performance of their respective CPUs and the Mac’s fast unified memory architecture.

    Despite having an ever-so-slightly more powerful CPU than the ASUS, the Razer Blade 14 falls to last place because of its 16GB RAM limitation, while the Intel-based MacBook Pro sits somewhere in the middle of the pack.

    Canon EOS R6 Import Nikon Z7 II Import Sony a7R IV Import Fuji GFX 100 Import
    ASUS G14 1:38 2:59 3:30 7:35
    Blade 14 2:07 4:16 4:58 12:30
    M1 Mac mini 1:44 2:54 3:03 8:51
    MacBook Pro 2:22 3:42 4:02 10:12

    It’s a similar story when we try exporting heavily edited 100% JPEGs, but now that there are more pixels to move around, the ASUS G14 wins every single category.

    As resolution increases and file sizes get larger, the Blade 14 and M1 Mac mini fall way behind the rest of the pack, held back by the maximum 16GB of RAM available to them. By the time we get to the 100MP Fuji GFX 100 files, the ASUS G14 is more than 15 minutes faster than both the M1 Mac mini and the Blade 14, but only about 3 minutes faster than the two-year-old MacBook Pro.

    These results show you just how RAM dependent Lightroom Classic exporting really is. The more RAM, and the faster your RAM, the better your performance… even if you’re running an older processor and no discrete GPU:

    Canon EOS R6 Export Nikon Z7 II Export Sony a7R IV Export Fuji GFX 100 Export
    ASUS G14 3:58 8:55 11:41 23:40
    Blade 14 5:30 14:40 20:46 40:02
    M1 Mac mini 4:06 9:21 15:04 38:44
    MacBook Pro 5:55 12:01 15:35 26:46

    Capture One 21

    Capture One 21 is a whole different animal. As we showed in our recent head-to-head comparison between Capture One and Lightroom Classic, C1 is less dependent on RAM speed and better optimized to take advantage of powerful GPUs through hardware acceleration.

    At import, CPU performance is still the most important factor, and the ASUS G14, Blade 14, and M1 Mac mini are within spitting distance of each other, while the MacBook Pro and its weaker 10th-gen Intel processor falls further and further behind as file sizes increase.

    Canon EOS R6 Import Nikon Z7 II Import Sony a7R IV Import Fuji GFX 100 Import
    ASUS G14 00:40 00:59 1:12 1:50
    Blade 14 00:40 00:59 1:14 1:50
    M1 Mac mini 00:45 00:53 1:00 1:22
    MacBook Pro 00:47 1:42 2:12 3:12

    At export, the Zephyrus G14 uses its combination of a fast CPU, fast GPU, and 32GB of RAM to (once again) sweep every single category. None of the other computers could keep up.

    The Razer Blade 14 only fell a little bit behind the ASUS, but by the time we get to the largest files the M1 Mac mini is more than 10 minutes slower than the Zephyrus G14, and the Intel-based MacBook Pro was another 10 minutes slower than that – a full 20 minutes and 45 seconds slower than the ASUS G14.

    If you own an Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro (as I do) this is not a pretty graph.

    Canon EOS R6 Export Nikon Z7 II Export Sony a7R IV Export Fuji GFX 100 Export
    ASUS G14 1:35 3:12 3:50 6:53
    Blade 14 1:48 3:47 4:47 7:46
    M1 Mac mini 2:53 7:02 8:49 17:20
    MacBook Pro 4:57 12:50 16:18 27:38

    Photoshop

    When we ran the Pugetbench benchmark for Photoshop, the ASUS G14 came incredibly close to beating the impressive overall score put up by the M1 Mac mini, and did manage to beat the Mac in both the GPU and Filter categories.

    However, this result requires a bit of context.

    Presumably due to their ultra-fast unified memory, M1 Macs are able to merge panoramas much faster than any PC we’ve tested (at least in Photoshop), but the high overall score is disproportionately affected by that one factor. It’s like an Olympian winning the decathlon by coming in the middle of the pack in 9 events, and then pole vaulting twice as high as anybody else.

    In most of the individual tasks that the benchmark performs, the ASUS G14 is as fast or faster than the Mac, which is reflected in the high General, GPU, and Filter score. I only really loses the ‘overall’ battle because of its lower PhotoMerge score.

    Overall General GPU Filter PhotoMerge
    ASUS G14 973.6 99.0 97.3 86.9 115.0
    Blade 14 835.6 85.6 88.8 67.3 111.9
    M1 Mac mini 1017.8 99.4 81.2 82.9 144.2
    MacBook Pro 597.7 65.4 32.6 52.8 62.6

    Premiere Pro

    Our final tests involve Adobe Premiere Pro. Unlike most other Adobe CC apps, Premiere is well optimized to take advantage of the NVIDIA GPUs in both the Razer Blade 14 and the ASUS Zephyrus G14 through ‘CUDA’ hardware acceleration. It’s also able to take advantage of ‘Metal’ hardware acceleration on the M1 Mac mini.

    This fact alone puts these three computers in a league of their own, and leaves my poor little Intel-based MacBook Pro trailing way behind the rest of the pack in every video encoding task we tried.

    The Zephyrus G14 steals the show here, putting up the fastest times in all but one category despite stiff competition from both the Razer Blade 14 and M1 Mac mini. Using our Sony a1 test video, the G14 rendered and exported the full Premier Pro project 1 to 2 minutes faster than either the Blade or the Mac mini, and a whopping 18 to 20 minutes faster than the MacBook Pro.

    This result, more than any others, shows the potential of GPU hardware acceleration. Properly implemented, it can produce massive performance gains.

    Render All Export Master File Export H.264 Export H.265/HEVC Warp Stabilize
    ASUS G14 6:40 00:15 6:06 5:59 2:33
    Blade 14 8:50 00:41 8:12 8:06 3:13
    M1 Mac mini 7:32 00:18 7:30 7:19 2:13
    MacBook Pro 25:53 00:37 26:12 25:09 2:36

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    Takeaways

    Normally, this is the part of the review where I would list a few interesting takeaways based on the strengths and weaknesses that I noticed while running our benchmarks. But the ASUS does so well across the board that I don’t really have much to say other than: wow.

    The ASUS Zephyrus G14 is an extremely capable photo and video editing machine – far more capable than you would guess given its small size. Thanks in large part to the power-efficient AMD CPU, ASUS has created a little monster that packs more punch than any other ‘ultra-portable’ PC laptop on the market, including the similarly specced Razer Blade 14 and, presumably, the M1 MacBook Pro (based on our M1 Mac mini results).

    ASUS has created a little monster that packs more punch than any other ‘ultra-portable’ PC laptop on the market.

    From a performance standpoint, ASUS basically didn’t have to cut any corners; as a result, we get a $ 2,000 14-inch laptop that easily outperforms $ 3,000+ Intel-based PCs from less than a year ago and gives the Apple Silicon M1 some honest to goodness competition in this size and price bracket.

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    Conclusion

    What We Like What We Don’t Like
    • Exceptional performance
    • Color-accurate WQHD display
    • Small and portable
    • Good variety of ports
    • Great battery life
    • Affordable
    • No Thunderbolt Support
    • No SD card slot
    • No webcam
    • Small trackpad
    • The AniMe Matrix is a neat-but-useless gimmick

    It’s hard to find fault with the 2021 ASUS Zephyrus G14. It already offers most of what ‘creators’ are hoping to see from the rumored 14-inch MacBook Pro: it’s a small, portable, efficient laptop that delivers professional-grade performance in creative applications, including GPU accelerated tasks.

    All of this for an extremely reasonable price and without some of the Apple-specific downsides that we’ve gotten used to: the lack of user-upgradable storage, the lack of ports, and occasional compatibility issues (especially with ARM-based M1 Macs).

    The 2021 ASUS Zephyrus G14 a small, portable, efficient laptop that delivers professional-grade performance in creative applications.

    The only real downside for creatives is the lack of Thunderbolt support – a must for some specialized equipment – and the computer’s focus on certain gaming-specific specs and design elements. Personally, I’d rather have a more power-efficient WQHD display that’s limited to 60Hz or a more affordable Full HD option that covers 100% DCI-P3, and the ‘AniMe Matrix’ feature is nothing more than a party trick that sucks up battery if you forget to turn it off.

    Sure, this little gaming laptop can’t match the top-shelf build quality and clean design of brands like Apple, Razer, Microsoft, and even Dell – which is basically the only reason I can’t give the computer a full 5 stars – but if you’re looking for the ultimate ultra-portable PC laptop with the fewest trade-offs and the best performance, the ASUS Zephyrus G14 is the way to go.

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Zeiss will raise the prices of all its lenses in the US on October 1

    Zeiss has announced it will be increasing the price of its lenses in the United States starting October 1, 2021.

    According to a graphic, embedded below and shared by Leica Rumors, lenses in the Batis and Loxia lines will increase by $ 50 per unit, while the Milvus (ZE & ZF.2) and ZM lenses will increase by $ 75 and $ 100 per unit, respectively. Zeiss’ T* UIV and POL filters will increase by 10% each.

    If you’re already in the market for one, you might want to pick one up within the next month. Otherwise, count on shelling out a little more cash to get your hands on the Zeiss lens of your choosing.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: Curiosity rover captures 360-degree panorama of Mount Sharp on Mars, showing changing landscape

    NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover recently explored Mount Sharp. The mountain is 8km (5 mi) tall and is within the 154km-wide (96 mi) basin of Mars’s Gale Crater. Curiosity captured a new 360-degree panorama at Mount Sharp, revealing its diverse terrain and shedding light on the area’s ancient environment.

    NASA writes, ‘Images of knobbly rocks and rounded hills are delighting scientists as NASA’s Curiosity rover climbs Mount Sharp, a 5-mile-tall (8-kilometer-tall) mountain within the 96-mile-wide (154-kilometer-wide) basin of Mars’ Gale Crater. The rover’s Mast Camera, or Mastcam, highlights those features in a panorama captured on July 3, 2021 (the 3,167th Martian day, or sol, of the mission).’

    Studying the region has been a long-term goal for the Curiosity mission, which is now in its ninth year on Mars. By studying the layers of Mount Sharp, scientists hope to understand how the environment of Gale Crater dried over time. Similar changes in mineral composition are seen across the planet, so understanding Gale Crater should pay dividends in understanding other parts of Mars.

    ‘The rocks here will begin to tell us how this once-wet planet changed into the dry Mars of today, and how long habitable environments persisted even after that happened,’ said Abigail Fraeman, Curiosity’s deputy project scientist, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

    ‘NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this 360-degree view near “Rafael Navarro Mountain” on July 3, 2021, the 3,167th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Stitched together from 129 individual images, the panorama has been white-balanced so that the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. A craggy hump that stretches 450 feet (137 meters) tall, the geologic feature is located on Mount Sharp in northwest Gale Crater.’ Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS. Click to enlarge.

    When Curiosity landed on Mars on August 5, 2012, its primary mission was to study whether different Martian environments could have supported microbial life in Mars’s ancient past. Lakes and groundwater once existed within Gale Crater, and scientists want to use Curiosity to understand better what happened and how Mars changed over time.

    Looking forward, Curiosity is currently working its way up a path between Rafael Navarro Mountain and a towering butte. In the coming year, Curiosity will drive past these features and enter a canyon. It will then revisit Greenheugh Pediment.

    You can learn more about the Curiosity mission by visiting NASA’s dedicated Mars website. You can also check out some of our prior coverage, including Curiosity photographing rare shimmering clouds in June and a neat selfie Curiosity sent to Earth in March.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • The UK’s largest news agency announces partnership with Sony

    The largest national news agency in the United Kingdom and Ireland, PA (formerly known as the Press Association), has announced a deal with Sony to have its photographers shoot with Sony cameras and lenses.

    PA was founded 153 years ago, in 1868, and its parent company is PA Media Group Limited. PA Media Group Limited is a private company owned by 26 shareholders that are primarily UK-based newspapers, like the Daily Mail.

    PA has over 90 staff photographers and video journalists working in the UK and Ireland, and the process of switching them all over to Sony’s full-frame Alpha mirrorless cameras and Cinema cameras, like the FX3, has begun.

    Sony UK writes, ‘With developments in the quality of still and video technology and specifically the introduction of Sony’s full frame silent shutter mode and remote capture it has meant that journalists and photographers have been able to adapt and shoot in situations not possible before – for example silently during broadcast – a key requirement for official engagements, where most recently the Sony Alpha 9 II has been used. Remote shooting is becoming a more common requirement, so being able to control cameras and send images quickly and efficiently to the newswire, is key for success. Along with a close working relationship with the Sony UK Pro team, it is for these reasons that Sony imaging kit was selected as the preferred choice.’

    Beyond Sony A9 II and Sony FX3 cameras, additional full-frame cameras will be used. Cameras will be paired with a wide range of Sony E-mount lenses, including several G Master models, like the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS, FE 135mm f/1.8 GM and FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS.

    PA members will be receiving their kit personally from Sony, along with product setup support and regular training. After all, some photographers have likely been working with non-Sony equipment for a long time, and there will probably be an adjustment period.

    ‘We are extremely honored to announce this collaboration with PA Media, the largest press agency in the UK and Ireland. We are incredibly proud to be working alongside them to deliver best in class photography and videography for news and sports to their clients,’ said Yasuo Baba, Director Pro Business, Sony Europe, ‘The partnership and on-going relationship will not only help us develop our camera system further but allow us to better serve their professional photographers and video journalists in future, giving them the opportunity to capture, transmit and deliver imagery in ways they never could before.’

    Martin Keene, Group Picture Editor at PA Media Group, added, ‘Sony’s silent shutter, superb lenses and brilliant sensors, along with the relationship that we have built-up with them over the past few years made the switch an easy choice.’ Keene also discussed the support PA has received from Sony as a reason for the switch. Keene added, ‘It’s a big investment, but the opportunity to have all of our team using the same brand new, state-of-the-art kit is both rare and really worthwhile, and will make a real difference to the quality of the pictures that our customers see.’

    This news from the UK and Ireland comes just over a year after The Associated Press announced that it partnered with Sony to exclusively provide its visual journalists with Sony camera gear. The AP’s undertaking was massive, including journalists in more than 250 locations across 100 countries being supplied with Sony cameras, lenses and accessories. Last July, the AP said, ‘A wide variety of Sony’s imaging solutions products will begin delivery immediately, including the full-frame mirrorless Alpha cameras, FS series professional video cameras and an assortment of Sony’s 57 E-mount lenses including G Master models.’

    At the time of AP’s big move, we interviewed J. David Ake, Director of Photography at The Associated Press, to discuss the switch to Sony equipment. To learn more about the switch, including what motivated the AP’s partnership with Sony, read the full interview.

    It wasn’t long ago that photojournalism was dominated by Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras. How things have changed in a short period.

    Press release:

    SONY BECOMES KEY CAMERA SUPPLIER FOR PA MEDIA GROUP

    Sony Europe announces partnership making Sony supplier of Imaging kit for PA Media Group’s (formerly the Press Association’s)still photographers and video journalists.

    With over 90 staff photographers & video journalists working for PA, based in the UK and Ireland, the process for switching has begun and kit lists are made up of Sony’s full-frame mirrorless Alpha™ camera series, includingthe Cinema Line Camera FX3. These will be paired with a broad selection from Sony’s E-mount lenses including several G Master™ modelsFE 24-70mm F2.8GM, FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS, FE 135mm F1.8GM and the FE 400mm F2.8GM OSS. The PA team members have been receiving their kit personally along with a product setup support from the Sony UK Pro team.

    Being the largest press agency in the UK and Ireland, the PA team providesimages from key events throughout the year including major annual sporting events through to the biggest news stories and momentous official events and engagement.

    With developments in the quality of still and video technology and specifically the introduction of Sony’s full frame silent shutter mode and remote capture it has meant that journalists and photographers have been able to adapt and shoot in situations not possible before – for examplesilently during broadcast – a key requirement for official engagements, where most recently the Sony Alpha 9 II has been used. Remote shooting is becoming a more common requirement, so being able to control cameras and send images quickly and efficiently to the newswire, is key for success. Along with a close working relationship with the Sony UK Pro team, it is for these reasons that Sony imaging kit was selected as the preferred choice.

    Regular training and support will also be available for the PA team to ensure that this continues, and to keep them at the forefront of what Sony imaging technology can deliver

    “We are extremely honoured to announce this collaboration with PA Media, the largest press agency in the UK and Ireland. We are incredibly proud to be working alongside them to deliver best in class photography and videography for news and sports to their clients,” said Yasuo Baba, Director Pro Business, Sony Europe, The partnership and on-going relationship will not only help us develop our camera system further but allow us to better serve their professional photographers and video journalists in future, giving them the opportunity to capture, transmit and deliver imagery in ways they never could before”

    Martin Keene, Group Picture Editor at PA Media Group, said: “Sony’s silent shutter, superb lenses and brilliant sensors, along with the relationship that we have built-up with them over the past few years made the switch an easy choice.

    In addition, we have had first-class support from the Sony team in the UK to make the swap and ensure that our photographers can go out and use the kit the next day. Having both stills and video cameras from the same manufacturer simplifies the workflow and colour balance across both genres.

    It’s a big investment, but the opportunity to have all of our team using the same brand new, state-of-the-art kit is both rare and really worthwhile, and will make a real difference to the quality of the pictures that our customerssee.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Canon XF605 professional 4K camcorder and new 8K broadcast lens announced

    Canon has unveiled a new professional 4K camcorder and a new 8K-suitable pro BCTV zoom lens. The Canon XF605 is a ‘compact’ 4K camcorder designed for solo shooters. The XF605 is 10% smaller and 600g lighter than the Canon XF705. The new lens is the 10×16 KAS S, an addition to Canon’s 1.25″ 8K broadcast camera lens lineup that includes 10x optical zoom from 16mm to 160mm.

    Looking first at the XF605 camcorder, it includes a 1″-type CMOS image sensor paired with Canon’s DIGIC DV7 processor. The camera records 4K UHD video at up to 60p. The XF605 records 4:2:2 10-bit in XF-AVC and MP4 formats. FHD video can be recorded at up to 120p. The camera includes Canon Log 3 and HDR.

    The XF605 includes a built-in 4K L-series 15x optical zoom lens with 30x Advanced Zoom (digital zoom) in FHD resolution. The lens has a 35mm equivalent range of 25.5mm to 382.5mm. Its minimum focus distance is 10mm at the wide end and 60cm across the zooming range. Its maximum aperture is F2.8, and it accepts 58mm filters. The lens also includes optical image stabilization.

    Autofocus is provided via Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. The XF605 offers Eye Detection AF and provides intelligent head tracking. Focus is controlled via a lens ring and using the camera’s 3.45″ touchscreen, which has a resolution of 2.76M dots. There is a peaking assist function for manual focus. You can customize AF speed, response and frame size, plus you can use AF to assist with manual focusing.

    The XF605 records to a pair of SD card slots and Class U3 V90 cards are recommended. The camera records externally via HDMI or 12G-SDI, and simultaneous recording is possible. When using the XF-AVC format and the maximum bitrate of 410Mbps, the camera can record for 39 minutes. By dropping bitrate down to 260Mbps, recording time increases to 100 minutes. Using MP4 and H.265 codec, you can record up to 118 minutes. In H.264 at 8Mbps, you can record for 2,006 minutes. Full recording time, framerate and quality information can be viewed on the XF605 specifications page.

    In addition to the touchscreen, the XF605 includes a 0.36″-type EVF with 1.77M dots. The camera’s full offering of inputs and outputs includes two XLR 3-pin jacks with 48V phantom power, line and mic. The camera includes a 3.5mm mic input jack with 2.4V DC supply voltage. The camera includes a built-in mic as well. For audio monitoring, there’s a 3.5mm stereo mini jack. Plus, the camcorder includes a built-in speaker. There’s a full-size HDMI Type A port and a pair of USB ports, one Type A and the other Type C. As mentioned, there’s a 12G-SDI output with BNC connector. The camcorder also includes LAN, a remote controller terminal and 3.4mm DC input. The XF605 includes built-in Wi-Fi, too.

    The camcorder includes a total of 11 assignable buttons which can be used for over 100 assignable functions. Also, there’s a custom dial that includes Av, Tv, M, AGC Limit, exposure compensation, and more. The camera includes auto ISO and auto gain control functionality. The ISO range is 200-12,800, and the gain range is -6.0dB to 21.0dB. The shutter speed can go up to 1/2000s, and the shutter angle goes from 360° to 11.25°. The XF605 includes a built-in neutral density filter.

    For the full details on the XF605, visit Canon. The XF605 is available for preorder now and has a suggested retail price of $ 4,500.

    The Canon 10×16 KAS S adds a telephoto lens to Canon’s 8K broadcast series, complementing the 7×10.7 KAS S. It’s targeted at broadcasters of major sporting events. The 10x zoom lens has a constant F2.8 aperture from 16mm to 160mm. It offers the same operability as Canon’s 4K portable lens line while adding 8K camera compatibility.

    The lens includes special elements such as fluorite, Hi-UD lenses and wide-diameter aspherical lenses. The specialized glass elements reduce chromatic aberrations, spherical aberrations and other image quality defects. The lens weighs 2.94kg, which is reasonably lightweight for an 8K zoom lens. It’s designed for handheld 8K broadcasts. Pricing varies by dealer, but it’s reasonable to expect the lens to be costly.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Cosina announces $825 Voigtlander Classic 50mm F1.5 lens, will be available in September

    Cosina has revealed the release date and specifications for its new Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 lens for its VM mount.

    The lens’ optical design consists of six elements in three groups. Cosina says the lens, which has a single coating, has been specifically designed to showcase ‘classical reflections that are not found in modern lenses and dares to express various aberrations.’

    It features an aperture range of F1.5 through F16, uses a ten-blade aperture diaphragm and has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm (20″), despite the on-lens focus markings only going down to 70cm (27.6″) for the interlocking system when used with rangefinders. Cosina says the manual focus system uses an all-metal helicons unit that ‘produces moderate torque’ and offers ‘smooth focusing.’

    Below is a small gallery of black-and-white sample images, provided by Cosina:

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    The lens measures 56.5mm (2.2″) in diameter by 41.9 (1.65″) long and weighs 255g (9oz). Cosina says the Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 lens will start shipping in September 2021 for ¥90,000 (~$ 825).

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sirui rehouses its 1.33x anamorphic lenses for cinema rigs and adds T-stops

    Chinese anamorphic lens manufacturer Sirui has introduced a new set of lenses bases on its existing four models. The Sirui MARS lenses are designed to offer better handling for rigged cameras, and come with built-in mod gears for both aperture and focus rings. The apertures have also been reclassified as T-stops and the focus throw of each of the models has been significantly extended to make accurate focus adjustments easier with follow focus equipment.

    While the standard 1.33x anamorphic lenses from Sirui come in a range of mounts, the MARS set is offered only for the Micro Four Thirds system – though the company tells me they are considering other mounts for the future. The focal lengths on offer are 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm, which correlate directly with the existing lenses. To unify the iris though the f/1.8 lenses now are marked T2, and the f/2.8 aperture of the 24mm is now marked as T2.9. Further modifications to the lenses include harmonised filter threads at 67mm (the existing 24mm takes a 72mm filter) and each of the MARS lenses is heavier and longer than its original equivalent.

    From the group shot photograph it appears that Sirui has managed to reposition focus and aperture rings so that they all fall in the same place. This will allow lens changes without too much rig adjustment, helped too by the fact that now each lens has its own 1/4in thread mounting socket aligned between the two rings. The lenses also now have focus and iris scales that are visible from the side of the lens instead of only from the top.

    Sirui says it hasn’t changed its optical designs for these lenses in the process, and the number of elements used and the way they are grouped is exactly the same as in the original models – though some close-focus specifications have changed.

    At the moment the lenses are available only as a set rather than individually, and they come in a hard case that can hold them all. The sets are due to begin shipping on 20th August, and will cost just under $ 4000 – a premium of about $ 600 over buying all four of the original versions. For more information see the Sirui website.

    Manufacturer information:

    SIRUI MARS 1.33x Anamorphic Lens Set for Micro 4/3

    • Lens Kit for Micro 4/3 mount
    • 2.4:1 cinematic widescreen vision
    • 1.33x crop anamorphic front element
    • Built in Mod Gears
    • Long Focus throw
    • 1/4inch screw mount
    • Fast T2 aperture (35mm, 50mm, 75mm), Range T2-T16
    • Fast T2.9 aperture (24mm), Range T2.9-T16
    • Oval shaped bokeh and horizontal flaring
    • Create a cinematic feel in your videos
    • 67mm filter thread
    • Manual focus

    With its 1.33x Ratio, the lens takes full advantage of the 16×9 sensor crop that these cameras shoot video in to produce a 2.4:1 aspect ratio that is synonymous with theatre movie experiences.

    The lens kit uses an optically distorting anamorphic front element to squeeze the horizontal axis of the shot by 1.33 times which allows for more information to be fit onto the sensor. This is then stretched back out in post-production or in-camera (see manufacturers specs for compatibility) to create the wider field of view and ratio compared to a conventional aspherical lens.

    The lens kit reproduces flares beautifully whilst the coatings on the lens keep them from obscuring the entire frame. The fast aperture of T2 to T2.9 to creates a very shallow depth of field increasing the oval-shaped bokeh effect that is found in anamorphic lenses. this soft out of focus area is one of the many benefits that a true anamorphic lens brings over its filter counterparts or digital crop bars that are used to imitate the anamorphic ‘look’.

    SIRUI MARS 1.33x Anamorphic Lens Set is in four focal lengths: 24mm, 35mm 50mm and 75mm, which allow you to shoot from wide angle to telephoto. The solid build quality, signature anamorphic look and the affordable price combined to open up more opportunities for creative composition.

    1.33x Squeeze for 2.4:1 Aspect Ratio

    Normal spherical lenses shoot standard 16:9 video.
    With a cylindrical optical element in the front, SIRUI anamorphic lens squeezes the image down 1.33 times horizontally. When the final image is desqueezed, you’Il end up with an ultra-wide CinemaScope 2.4:l aspect ratio.

    Oval Bokeh Balls and Blue Lens Flares

    The elliptical highlights and blue light streaks produced by SIRUI anamorphic lens offer plenty of anamorphic feel, adding a sprinkle of magic to your footage.

    Comprehensive Focal Lengths

    MARS has a collection of four focal lengths in the set, covering the most important focal lengths to shoot a complete project. This lens set will definitely give videographers more control over various settings.

    Precise T-Stops

    The lens set features declicked aperture rings measured in T-stops. Among the four lenses, except for the 24mm with a T-stop of 2.9, the other three have the same T-stop of 2.0. These fast lenses perform extremely well under low light conditions.

    Solid Build Quality

    This lens set is of full metallic housing with standard 67mm filter threads. The weight and size of the lenses differ slightly due to different mounts. A threaded front is included for screw-in accessories like the matte box.

    Built-In Mod Gears

    Mod gears on the focus ring and the aperture ring are designed for extra smooth control. To save you the trouble of readjusting accessories when changing lenses, the diameter and the distance between the focus ring and the aperture ring of each lens is made the same.

    Long Focus Throw

    To gain enough space for accurate focus pulling, the four lenses are all engineered with a long focus throw (the longest one reaches up to 303 degrees). Graduations on both sides of the focus ring allows you to quickly pull focus to the desired position.

    1/4″ Screw Hole

    With a 1/4″ screw hole at the bottom, the lens can be mounted directly on the quick release plate to maintain the balance of the whole setup.

    M4/3 Native Mount

    This lens set is available in native mount for Micro Four Thirds, compatible with Z CAM BMPCC4K, Olympus and Panasonic (specific models) cameras. Unified native mounts make shooting a lot easier for people who want to step into the anamorphic world.

    Waterproof and Drop-Proof Strong Suitcase

    Plastic injection molding housing, high-density EVA lining as well as the embedded rubber ring make the suitcase strong enough to meet an international standard rating of IP68, ensuring tight protection from the inside to the outside. This suitcase facilitates photographers/videographers to carry the lens set around without worrying about the safety of the gear.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Samsung’s new Galaxy Flip 3, Galaxy Fold 3 promise better performance, durability and more

    Samsung has announced a pair of new foldable smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Fold 3. The Flip 3 is a clamshell design, harkening back to a classic flip phone design. The Flip 3 is compact when not in use and gets taller when you flip it open. The Fold 3, on the other hand, has a more typical smartphone footprint, and then it unfolds like a book to offer a massive display. Let’s look at each of Samsung’s new folding phones in turn.

    Samsung Z Galaxy Flip 3

    When folded, the Flip 3 is 106.7mm (4.2″) diagonally. It’s nearly square and has rounded corners. It’s sleek. It’s also more usable than the prior iteration, thanks to a much larger cover screen. The cover screen is just under 50mm (1.9″) diagonally, although the viewable area is slightly less due to its rounded corners. The Super AMOLED display has a 260 x 512 resolution. It’s not a large display, but it’s large enough to allow users to see and interact with notifications and preview images taken with the dual rear camera.

    Samsung Galaxy Flip 3

    Speaking of selfies, due to the phone’s flip design, you can use what Samsung calls ‘flex mode’ to set up the phone, partially folded, to capture hands-free selfies. The dual rear cameras are both 12MP. The standard main camera has an F1.8 lens, includes optical image stabilization and can record HDR10+ video. The front camera is 10MP.

    The main screen, which is usable when you flip the phone open, is a 6.7″ dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 2640 x 1080 resolution. The display has a 120 Hz refresh rate.

    Samsung Galaxy Flip 3

    The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-core processor paired with 8GB of memory. The phone is available with 128GB or 256GB of storage. Unlike the Fold 3, the Flip 3 is not compatible with Samsung’s S Pen.

    Samsung promises that durability issues that have plagued earlier Samsung foldables have been rectified. The Flip 3 features more durable materials. Samsung writes that its new Galaxy Z Flip 3 is built using its strongest aluminum frame yet and that the phone’s front and back covers feature Samsung’s toughest Galaxy Z glass. The Flip 3 is also the world’s first water-resistant foldable smartphone and includes an IPX8 rating, meaning it can survive in 1.5m of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.

    Samsung Galaxy Flip 3

    The Galaxy Flip 3 is Samsung’s first foldable phone to start at under $ 1,000, with a $ 999.99 list price. The phone Z Flip 3 is available in phantom black, green, lavender, cream, gray, white and pink colorways and will begin shipping on August 27.

    Samsung Z Galaxy Fold 3

    The Galaxy Fold 3 has a more typical smartphone form factor…and then you open it up. When opened, the Fold 3 has a 7.6″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 2208 x 1768 resolution. The display has a 120 Hz refresh rate. The cover screen is large, too, at 6.2″ with a resolution of 862 x 2268. By the way, unlike prior models, the cover screen is also 120 Hz.

    Samsung Galaxy Fold 3

    While the display is the star of the show, there’s quite a lot going on inside. The Fold 3 has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-core processor as the Flip 3, although paired with 12GB of memory instead of 8GB. The Fold 3 also has a larger 512GB storage option in addition to the standard 256GB. Further, the Fold 3 is compatible with the Samsung S Pen.

    Samsung Galaxy Fold 3

    The Fold 3 is compatible with the S Pen due to Samsung using an 80% stronger protective film on the folding display. The cover screen is stronger, too, using Gorilla Glass Victus now for improved drop protection. Speaking of durability, the Fold 3 has IPX8 water resistance, like the Flip 3, and like Samsung’s other new folding phone, the Fold 3 includes better aluminum materials.

    Samsung Galaxy Fold 3

    Looking at cameras, both of Samsung’s new folding phones include a pair of 12MP wide (the main camera) and ultra wide cameras. The Fold 3 also adds a 12MP telephoto camera with an F2.4 lens. This is the same basic camera setup as in the Fold 2, but the new phone’s tele lens has optical image stabilization. There’s also a camera under the display. It’s only 4MP, but it should work well for video calls and meetings. In their hands-on, The Verge says the pixels on top of the camera are noticeable.

    The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is available for preorder now in three colors, black, green and silver. The device starts at $ 1,800 and will ship on August 27.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DJI’s rumored $300 Mini SE drone is available now in the US and weighs only 249 grams

    Following a leak in June, DJI’s sub-250-gram entry-level drone, the DJI Mini SE, is now available in the United States. At $ 300, the Mini SE is DJI’s most affordable drone.

    As noted by Drone DJ, the DJI Mini SE is essentially a cheaper version of DJI’s original Mini. In our review of the Mini in 2019, we called it ‘the perfect drone for beginners.’ In 2020, the DJI Mini 2 came out. In our DJI Mini 2 review, we remarked that the Mini 2 built upon the excellent concept of the original Mini and included significant improvements. The Mini 2 launched at $ 450, $ 150 more expensive than the new Mini SE.

    The Mini SE is more a spiritual successor to the original DJI Mini than a replacement for the Mini 2. While the Mini 2 records 4K video, the Mini SE offers the same 2.7K video resolution as the original Mini. That said, the Mini SE uses the same slightly redesigned body as the Mini 2. Speaking of sharing features with the original Mini drone, DJI has delisted it following the release of the Mini SE.

    The DJI Mini SE weighs only 249 grams, putting it in the lowest weight class of drones.

    At 249 grams (8.8 oz.), the Mini SE is about the same weight as some smartphones. DJI writes, ‘Weighing under 249 grams, DJI Mini SE is almost as light as the average smartphone. This makes it exceptionally portable and places it in the lowest and safest weight class of drones, which may exempt it from certain regulations in many countries.’

    When folded, the drone’s dimensions (L x W x H) are 131 x 81 x 58mm. Unfolded with propellers, the drone is 245 x 289 x 56mm. In terms of additional specs, the drone has a maximum ascent speed of 4 meters per second and a max speed (with no wind) of 13 m/s. The Mini SE has a maximum tilt angle of 30° and a maximum angular velocity of 150°/s.

    In our coverage of the Mini SE leak in June, we wondered what remote the Mini SE would ship with, the Mini remote or the improved Mini 2’s remote? As it turns out, it’s the former.

    As mentioned, the DJI Mini SE shares its imaging pipeline with the original Mini. The Mini SE drone records 12MP aerial photos and up to 2.7K Quad HD videos using its 1/2.3″ CMOS image sensor. The built-in lens has a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 24mm and an F2.8 aperture. The drone’s ISO range for photo and video is 100-3200. The drone includes a 3-axis motorized gimbal. When flying, the remote maintains an HD video feed at up to 4km (2.5mi). The drone is rated for up to 30 minutes of flying with a fully charged battery.

    The DJI Mini SE comes with numerous ease-of-use features, including QuickShots. With QuickShots, you can set the drone to automatically perform preset motions, including Dronie, Rocket, Circle and Helix. The drone also includes a CineSmooth mode. This slows down the Mini SE’s flight speed and movements for additional precision and stability. It’s a useful mode when flying in tight spaces, too. The Mini SE comes equipped with a 360° Propeller Guard to protect the drone and people in the area. It also has advanced sensors to hover precisely.

    The accompanying DJI Fly app helps users find scenic locations near them. The integrated SkyPixel social media platform lets users share aerial photos and videos with other users.

    The DJI Mini SE is available now through DJI and authorized retailers. To learn more about DJI’s new $ 300, 249-gram drone, visit DJI.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • TTArtisan releases $235 50mm F1.4 ASPH lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras

    TTArtisan has revealed its new $ 235 50mm F1.4 lens for full-frame mirrorless camera systems.

    The new TTArtisan 50mm F1.4 ASPH lens is entirely manual and, according to TTArtisan, able to be used with sensors up to 60MP. The optical construction consists of ten elements in eight groups, including a low-dispersion element and aspherical element.

    It uses a 12-blade aperture diaphragm, has an aperture range of F1.4 through F16, offers a minimum focusing distance of 50cm (19.7”) and uses a 49mm front filter thread.

    As with TTArtisan’s recent lenses, this one follows a clearly Leica-inspired design, complete with white and yellow markings in a Leica-like typeface. The lens features a clicked aperture ring and is rather compact. The lens measures 68mm (2.68”) long, 57mm (2.24”) in diameter and weighs around 430g (15.2oz), with slight variations between the different mounts.

    Below is a gallery of sample images captured with the lens:

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    The TTArtisan 50mm F1.4 ASPH lens is available for Canon RF, Leica L, Nikon Z and Sony E mount camera systems. It is available to purchase through TTArtisan’s online store for $ 235.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)