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LensRentals constructs a C-4 Optics 4.9mm F3.5 Hyperfisheye Prototype lens

20 Feb

Lensrentals is known for its in-depth teardowns of the latest and greatest camera gear, but not everything has to be about destruction. For a change of pace, Lensrentals has decided to build a lens rather than destroy it.

In particular, Roger and his team have shared the above video and an accompanying blog post highlighting the construction of the the widest fisheye lens in existence, the C-4 Optics 4.9mm F3.5 Hyperfisheye Prototype.

Photos kindly provided by Lensrentals

Much like the 1970s Nikkor 6mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, the C-4 Optics 4.9mm F3.5 Hyperfisheye Prototype is so wide that it can actually see behind itself. It takes it a step further though; Instead of the 220-degree field of view of the Nikkor lens, the C-4 Optics fisheye, of which only two have been made, has a 270-degree field of view. Not only is it wider though, it’s also sharper and has less distortion and vignetting.

An individual element is stacked on top of another during the construction of the lens.

The entire construction is a doozy from beginning to end, with individual elements costing as much as $ 5,000, but as always Lensrentals manages to get it down with impeccable results. The final result is an unusual-looking lens that has legs and a backplate to help support the massive hunk of glass and metal.

‘For those of you who are curious, a smaller Sony camera (A7xxx) fits nicely protected within the legs,’ says Roger in his blog post. ‘For larger cameras the bottom platform can be removed, the legs extended or removed, and various apparatus (rods, follow focus, aperture control, etc.) mounted directly to the cheese plate.’

Roger notes the lens won’t be available to rent, so don’t get your hopes up. To see the full build and soak up the details, head over to Lensrentals.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Apple has turned ‘bokeh’ into a verb (and taken a stance on how it’s pronounced)

20 Feb

According to Merriam-Webster, bokeh is a noun that means ‘the blurred quality or effect seen in the out-of-focus portion of a photograph taken with a narrow depth of field.’ Apple, however, has different plans.

In a recent video advertisement, Apple has turned the word bokeh into a verb, ‘bokeh’d.’ Not only has Apple turned bokeh into a verb, it’s also taken a stance on how the Japanese term is pronounced, a widely debated topic. Based on the video, Apple’s pronunciation of choice is ‘bok-uh,’ a departure from the Japanese pronunciation which sounds more along the lines of ‘bow-kayh.’

The advert itself is humorous regardless of your pronunciation preference and, for better or worse, Apple’s ‘verbing’ of the word bokeh may very well become a universally accepted.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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‘Kissing sailor’ George Mendonsa featured in iconic 1945 photo dies at 95

20 Feb

The kissing sailor featured in the iconic ‘V-J Day in Times Square’ photo, George Mendonsa, has died at the age of 95, according to his daughter. Mendonsa suffered a seizure at the Rhode Island assisted living facility where he resided and passed away two days before his 96th birthday.

The photo, which was first published by Life Magazine in 1945, was captured by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt at the end of World War II. Mendosa, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, had been on a date with Rita Petrie, his eventual wife of 70 years, when he heard news of Japan’s surrender in August 1945. Overcome with excitement, he grabbed a stranger and kissed her.

The identities of the two people featured in the photo remained a mystery for decades, spurring multiple false claims from individuals who alleged they were the pictured subjects. The issue was laid to rest in 2012 when the U.S. Naval Institute Press published a book title ‘The Kissing Sailor’ by George Galdorisi and Lawrence Verria.

A combination of expert analysis and facial recognition technology confirmed the image features Mendosa and Greta Friedman, the woman in the nurse’s uniform. According to Verria, Mendonsa had been struck by the sight of nurses treating injured sailors during the war. When news of the war’s end arrived, Mendonsa saw Friedman in her uniform and pulled her into a kiss.

In a 2005 interview, Friedman explained the experience from her side, saying that she had been working that morning in a dental office when rumors of the war’s end began circulating. Later that day, Friedman walked to Times Square and saw a billboard confirming the news.

And so suddenly I was grabbed by a sailor, and it wasn’t that much of a kiss, it was more of a jubilant act that he didn’t have to go back, I found out later, he was so happy that he did not have to go back to the Pacific where they already had been through the war. And the reason he grabbed someone dressed like a nurse was that he just felt very grateful to nurses who took care of the wounded.

Photographer Eisenstaedt detailed the moment he captured the iconic photo in his book ‘Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Luminar update brings improved performance and new features

19 Feb

Skylum Software has announced an update to its Luminar image editing software. Version 3.0.2 comes with new features as well as improvements in performance and stability.

The latter includes faster import of images and folders to the catalog and faster launch times on the Windows platform as well as faster image moving between external and internal drives and better imports of native Luminar files for Apple Mac computers.

On both platforms the software now offers a new ‘Locate Folder’ command, allowing users to find misplaced or moved folders on their system. There are also new dedicated toolbar buttons for Gallery and Single Image views.

New features for Windows users include nested folders, offline file alerts and new shortcut keys for several functions. On a Mac you can now enjoy automated database backups, new preferences for cache, catalog and backup and Aurora HDR integration among other new functions.

The new version also comes with an updated list of supported cameras to which the following models have been added:

  • Nikon: D3500, P1000, Z6, Z7
  • Panasonic: Lumix DC-LX100 II
  • Fujifilm: GFX 50R, X-T3
  • Sony: RX100VA, RX100VI, DSC-HX99, DSC-HX95
  • Leica: M10-D, M10-P, D-Lux 7

A full list of supported cameras is available on the Luminar website. Luminar is available as a 30-day free trial. A full license will set you back $ 69 and allows you to install the software on five machines in your household. More information is available on skylum.com/.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The progenitors of GFX: A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format concepts

19 Feb

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

At Dubai’s recent Gulf Photo Plus event, Fujifilm gave us a good look at a couple of its forthcoming products, and also allowed us a peek back in time, into the design of existing GFX cameras.

What you’re about to see is a collection of mockups of concept GFX designs, dating from before the launch of the GFX 50S and 50R. Some of these mockups appear very familiar, some less so. Click through to take a closer look.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

First up is the camera that got most of the X-Summit audience talking – the very earliest concept mockup for what became the original GFX 50S. As you can see, there are a lot of similarities to the camera that eventually shipped in 2017.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

Top-mounted dials, a central pentaprism-style EVF, lots of controls, a nice big sticky-outy grip…

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

But in fact, the camera is fully modular. The EVF and grip are optional accessories to the core body of the camera, which consists of the mount, sensor and controls for the key exposure parameters.

Fujifilm’s representatives confirmed that the ‘Omega’ concept was directly inspired by Hasselblad’s iconic 500-series square format film cameras. Note the distinctive annular shutter speed dial, positioned around the lens mount itself.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

As originally envisaged, the Omega had a direct control for aspect ratio, and unusual ‘roller’ style controls, rather than the final GFX’s more conventional dials.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

Here are the three main modules – a grip component, the main body of the camera, and a removable EVF. The spirit of the Omega lives on in the design of the GFX 50S’s viewfinder, which can be removed to make a slightly smaller, lighter camera.

The main reason why this even more modular design never saw it to production is simple – the shutter mechanism for such a large sensor was simply too large for the concept. That doesn’t mean we’ll never see a modular GFX, but we might have to wait for global shutters to become a practical reality first.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

Next up is ‘Gamma’, a design which takes a lot of cues from contemporary XT-series APS-C format cameras.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

Essentially a scaled-up XT, the Gamma would have offered a larger sensor, in a body very familiar to Fujifilm’s existing APS-C shooters.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

It’s unclear why this design didn’t make it beyond the concept stage, but it’s possible that Fujifilm wanted to draw a cleaner line between the APS-C lineup and the (inevitably) more expensive GFX range. Also, notice that there’s no room for a top-plate display screen in this design.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

A second, unnamed XT-style concept removes the exposure compensation dial and combines shutter speed and ISO into a single (arguably still unnecessary) dial, reducing the amount of bulk on the right hand side of the body. Again, there’s no top-plate mounted status screen either.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

Of the two XT-style concepts, this is my personal favorite. The narrower body and simple control layout, with such a large grip is lovely to handle.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

Finally, a glimpse at what the eventual GFX 50R could have been. This is an early concept mockup for a rangefinder-style GFX, but minus the viewfinder. As such, the ‘SP-X’ actually resembles a cross between the X-Pro 2 and the X70 and XF10 compacts.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

From the rear, the angular SP-X looks fairly familiar – sub-dial ISO control notwithstanding – but with this concept, Fujifilm’s design team wanted to experiment with a rear screen that truly blended in to the back of the camera. You can’t really tell in this shot, but…

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

…the screen is designed so that when the camera is held in a shooting position, it reversed against the camera.

A closer look at Fujifilm’s medium format GFX concepts

To use the screen, it must be folded out, which suits waist-level shooting and image review (but in this position, not much more than that). It’s not clear whether Fujifilm envisaged a more complex reversing hinge for the final design, but either way – this is definitely the most conceptual of the concepts. Still though, put put an EVF in there and I might be interested.

What do you think? As always, let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Panasonic announces new Lumix ZS80 (TZ95) compact, FZ1000 II superzoom camera

19 Feb

Panasonic has announced it’s adding two new zoom cameras to its Lumix lineup: the Lumix ZS80 (TZ95 outside of North America) compact camera and the Lumix FZ1000 II superzoom camera.

Lumix ZS80/TZ95

First up is the Lumix Z80, the latest camera in Panasonic’s travel zoom series. At the heart of the ZS80 is a 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor. Beyond stills, the ZS80 can capture 4K/30p video. In front of the sensor is an optically stabilized 24mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens with 30x optical zoom, giving it a maximum focal length of 720mm (35mm equivalent).

The ZS80 can capture Raw photos and features a maximum burst rate of 10 frames per second (fps). On the rear of the camera is a three-inch 1040K-dot tilting touchscreen and a 2,330K-dot equivalent Live View Finder (LVF).

Panasonic’s signature 4K Photo mode makes an appearance in the ZS80 and adds a new Auto Marking feature that makes it easy to pick out individual frames within a 4K video file.

TheZS80 includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for connecting to and transferring images to smartphones or tablets and tagging the GPS location information within images.

Panasonic says theZS80 can capture approximately 380 shots per charge and in the event the battery does die, USB charging is possible.

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The Panasonic Lumix ZS80/TZ95 will be available at the end of April 2019 in black and silver for $ 449 / £399 / €449.

Lumix FZ1000

The new Lumix FZ1000 II features a 1-inch 20.1-megapixel sensor behind a 16x optical zoom Leica lens with a 25-400mm (35mm equivalent) focal length range and F2.8-4.0 aperture range. The lens features Panasonic’s 5-axis hybrid Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.+) with a Level Shot function that automatically detects horizontal lines within an image and keeps it level while shooting.

In addition to stills at up to 12 fps, the FZ1000 II can capture 4K/30p video in the MP4 format at 100Mbps with the option for 120 fps recording at 1080p. Like the TZ95, the FZ1000 II features Panasonic’s 4K Photo mode with the new Auto Marking feature.

The rear of the camera features an articulating three-inch 1.24M-dot touchscreen as well as an OLED 0.39-inch 2.36M-dot EVF.

The FZ1000 II includes built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for wireless connection to mobile devices. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery is rated for 440 shots per charge when working with the rear LCD and 290 shots when using the EVF (430 shots per charge when using the EVF in the ‘eco’ setting, which limited it to 30 fps).

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The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II will be available at the end of March 2019 for $ 899 / £769 / €849.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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EyeEm, Fotolog and other photo sites affected by security breach

19 Feb

Turns out the 500px data breach we reported on last week wasn’t an isolated incident. According to The Register the data breach affected not only 500px but a total of 16 websites, including mobile image sharing platform EyeEm, Animoto, Artsy and Fotolog.

Overall the details of 617 million online accounts were stolen and offered for sale on the dark web.

EyeEm sent an email out to its user base, saying 22 million of its accounts had been compromised but no payment or payout data had been affected. The breach exposed users’ names, email addresses, and encrypted versions of passwords, however.

The company also writes that it only recently become aware of the hack, despite the fact that it happened back on July 5th 2018. Upon discovery of the issue all passwords were disabled and emails went out to the EyeEm community.

EyeEm also asks its users to not reuse old passwords, not use the same password on multiple websites, use multi-factor authentication whenever possible and use as password management tool. This is sensible advice, no matter if you’re affected by any of the hacks or not.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Camera Rescue aims to save 100,000 analog cameras for future generations

19 Feb

Finland-based organization Camera Rescue has rescued 46,000 analog cameras and it plans to more than double that number by 2020. Cameraville recently interviewed the organization’s Juho Leppänen to discuss the mission, as well as the unique challenges they face.

Camera Rescue launched in 2018 with the mission of preserving analog cameras for future generations. The organization finds used film photography gear and puts it through what it calls a ‘camera rescue process,’ which includes testing and, when necessary, repairing the devices. Rescued cameras are then sold through KameraStore.com.

The organization’s core team member Juho Leppänen discussed Camera Rescue’s mission and work in a 10 minute video from Cameraville, including the technical issues the team has to overcome. A lack of technicians capable of repairing these cameras remains a problem, though the team is addressing that problem by training a new generation of repair technicians.

“We took all the guys we could find that have the experience [and] they’ve been teaching newer guys,” Leppänen explained.

Beyond the organization’s own work, Leppänen details technical issues facing the analog photography market. “If we want new cameras, we need a new mechanical shutter,” according to Leppänen, who also pointed toward aging scanning technology that must be updated.

“Most of the scanners that are around are based on Windows XP,” which is no longer supported, Leppänen said. Though new scanners could be developed, cost remains an issue, with Leppänen explaining that it may cost €3 million just to produce the first batch of new scanning technologies.

The analog photography industry also requires new automated film development machines and an overall low barrier, in terms of difficulty and cost, for new photographers to get started. “If we want new people to come to film,” Leppänen explained, “we need to make the first roll very easy, and to make the first roll easy, it needs to be cheap.”

Additional videos about Camera Rescue, as well as the team’s history, can be found on Cameraville’s blog.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma cine 28mm T.1.5 lens gets a price and shipping date

18 Feb

Sigma has announced its new 28mm T1.5 cine lens for full frame sensor cameras will be available starting in the middle of March. The lens will cost $ 3499 but will also be offered with luminous markings, to make it easier to use in low light, for $ 4,499.

The lens is latest of a set of 10 full-frame fixed-focal-length lenses, eight of which have a T1.5 maximum aperture. The lenses have 180° focus ring rotation, and are tested using the company’s 46-million-pixel Foveon sensor.

As with the rest of Sigma’s cine series, the 28mm T1.5 FF will be available in PL, EF and E mounts. The company has also announced a new carry case for a set of five lenses that will cost $ 750. It is designed to hold the 14mm, 28mm, 40mm, 105mm and 135mm lenses, and will be available at the same time as this 28mm lens.

For more information see the Sigma website.

Press release:

Sigma Ships Its 28mm T1.5 Full-Frame Cine Lens

Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, today announced one of its newest additions to the cine prime lens lineup, Sigma 28mm T1.5 FF, will be available in mid March 2019 for $ 3,499.00 for the regular version and $ 4,499.00 for the fully luminous (FL) version.

Sigma Cine 28mm T1.5 FF is a fast and sharp T1.5 cine lens compatible with full-frame camera sensors and optimized for ultra-high-resolution 6K-8K productions. Featuring a 180-degree focus rotation, this lens is available in EF, E and PL mounts with lens support foot and cap included.

One of the key focal lengths to achieve a true cinematic look, the wide-angle perspective of a 28mm lens has long become an industry standard in shooting motion pictures. DPs and filmmakers of all genres will now have the opportunity to add this gem to their Sigma Cine lens collection to further enable their creative vision and enhance their workflow.
In addition, Sigma is now offering a five-piece case that can hold the 14mm, 28mm, 40mm, 105mm and 135mm cine lenses to safely transport your gear. The new case is also available for purchase in mid March for $ 750.00.

Prominent Characteristics of Sigma Cine Lenses

  • Individual inspection of every single lens with A1 proprietary Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even previously undetectable high-frequency details are now within the scope of their quality control inspections.
  • Computer-based ray tracing has been used from the design stage onward to minimize flare and ghosting and enhance contrast in backlit conditions. Ghosting has also been checked at every prototype stage, with its causes identified, assessed and eliminated.
  • Color balance standardized across the line to make color correction a breeze.
  • Dust-proof and splash-proof construction, with each ring and mount sealed to prevent water and dust from entering.
  • The body is made 100% of metal to stand up to tough professional use over the long term.
  • Luminous paint for enhanced visibility
  • Laser engraving for enhanced durability
  • Mount Conversion Service allows users to convert their lenses to and from EF and E-mounts (charges apply). If the camera system changes, it is possible to simply convert the mount system to continue using the high-performance Sigma lenses.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Panasonic announces new Lumix TZ95, FZ1000 II cameras

18 Feb

Panasonic has announced it’s adding two new zoom cameras to its Lumix lineup: the Lumix TZ95 compact camera and the Lumix FZ1000 II bridge camera.

Lumix TZ95

First up is the Lumix TZ95, the latest camera in Panasonic’s Travel Zoom (TZ) series. At the heart of the TZ95 is a 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor. Beyond stills, the TZ95 can capture 4K30p video. In front of the sensor is an optically stabilized 24mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens with 30x optical zoom, giving it a maximum focal length of 720mm (35mm equivalent).

The TZ95 can capture Raw photos and features a maximum burst rate of 10 frames per second (fps). On the rear of the camera is a three-inch 1040k-dot tilting touchscreen and a 2,330k-dot equivalent Live View Finder (LVF).

Panasonic’s signature 4K Photo mode makes an appearance in the TZ95 and adds a new Auto Marking feature that makes it easy to pick out individual frames within a 4K video file.

The TZ95 includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for connecting to and transferring images to smartphones or tablets and tagging the GPS location information within images.

Panasonic says the TZ95 can capture approximately 380 shots per charge and in the event the battery does die, USB charging is possible.

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The Panasonic Lumix TZ95 will be available at the end of April 2019 in black and silver for £399.99 (UK) / €449.99 (Ireland).

Lumix FZ1000

The new Lumix FZ1000 II features a 1-inch 20.1-megapixel sensor behind a 16x optical zoom Leica lens with a 25-400mm (35mm equivalent) focal length range and F/2.8-4.0 aperture range. The lens features Panasonic’s 5-axis hybrid Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.+) with a Level Shot function that automatically detects horizontal lines within an image and keeps it level while shooting.

In addition to stills at up to 12fps, the FZ1000 II can capture 4K30p video in the MP4 format at 100Mb/s with the option for 120fps recording at 1080p. Like the TZ95, the FZ1000 II features Panasonic’s 4K Photo mode with the new Auto Marking feature.

The rear of the camera features an articulating three-inch 1.24m-dot touchscreen as well as an OLED 0.39-inch 2.36m-dot EVF.

The FZ1000 II includes built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for wireless connection to mobile devices. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery is rated for 440 shots per charge when working with the rear LCD and 290 shots when using the EVF (430 shots per charge when using the EVF in the ‘eco’ setting, which limited it to 30fps).

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The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II will be available at the end of March 2019 for £769.99 (UK) / €849.99 (Ireland) / $ 897.99 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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