360Photography

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  • Panasonic DC-LX100 II First Impressions Review

    Panasonic Lumix LX100 II First Impressions Review

    The Panasonic Lumix LX100 II is a 17 megapixel enthusiast zoom compact with a 24-75mm equivalent F1.7-2.8 lens. It uses up to ~85% of the area of a Four Thirds-sized sensor to give a choice of aspect ratios without narrowing the field of view.

    Like the Mark I, the LX100 II features extensive external control points but it now also gains a touchscreen to speed up processes such as AF point positioning and interacting with the customizable function menu.

    Key features:

    • Up to 17MP (from 20MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor)
    • 24-75mm equivalent F1.7-2.8 zoom
    • 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios using selector switch on lens
    • 4K video at up to 30p
    • 2.76M-dot equiv. electronic viewfinder
    • 1.24M-dot rear touchscreen
    • Wi-Fi with always-connected Bluetooth

    Along with the higher-resolution sensor, the LX100 II gains a host of clever features the company has developed since the launch of the original model. But, perhaps more importantly, it also gains the improved color rendering Panasonic introduced with the GH5, which should mean more attractive JPEG output.

    While we’ve yet to put the LX100 II through our full suite of tests, we have gotten hands-on time with a pre-production unit to get a feel for the improvements Panasonic’s brought to the table. Read on to find out what we think.

    The LX100 II is expected to ship in October at an MSRP of $ 999.

    What’s new and how it compares

    The LX100 II gets an updated Four Thirds sensor, all of Panasonic’s latest 4K photo features and more.

    Read more

    First impressions

    DPReview editor Jeff Keller was a big fan of the original LX100 and finds the updates in the LX100 II make it an even more compelling offering.

    Read more

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Leica M10-P sample gallery

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    The Leica M10-P is a new, stealthier version of the standard M10 rangefinder, offering a quieter shutter, touchscreen and no red dot. We spent a few weekends taking it for a spin around town – from the neighborhood block party to balcony portrait sessions. Take a look at our first sample images.

    See our Leica M10-P sample gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Leica M10-P adds a touchscreen and removes the red dot

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    Leica has introduced the M10-P, a higher-priced version of the M10 that removes the famous red dot and adds a quieter shutter in order to make the camera ‘the stealthiest M ever’. Though ironically, if stealth is its aim, Leica has also added its trademark script to the top plate, which is hard to miss.

    A more significant addition is a touchscreen LCD: the first to grace an M-series camera. This lets you position the area to magnify in live view or double-tap to jump straight to an enlarged view. You can also swipe and pinch-to-zoom in playback mode. There’s also a new spirit level on the LCD and in the viewfinder.

    As with the M10, the M10-P has a 24MP CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 100-50,000, a 3″ LCD, Wi-Fi and – of course – the M’s timeless styling. Neither camera has I/O ports: not even USB.

    The M10-P comes in black or silver and black and will be available today for $ 7995.

    Photos by Mathieu Bitton taken with the M10-P

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    Press Release:

    The Leica M10-P, A New Level of Understated Excellence

    Exceptionally discreet, the new Leica M10-P allows photographers to see and not be seen

    August 21, 2018 — Go unnoticed with the Leica M10-P, the newest, most inconspicuous addition to the Leica M series. Exceptionally discreet, the M10-P embodies the essence of the M philosophy and raises the traditional subtlety of the M series to an unprecedented level. The new Leica M10-P separates itself from other digital cameras with its almost inaudible mechanical shutter release and omission of the classic red-dot logo to covertly capture candid moments.

    The most notable feature of the Leica M10-P speaks volumes to the core philosophy of the M series, yet it is virtually silent to the ear. At the heart of this camera is its newly designed shutter, making the M10-P the quietest of all digital and analog M cameras ever made. Moments requiring utmost discretion can be captured unobtrusively with the nearly silent, fast and slim M10-P. The design of the Leica M10-P is classically minimalist, featuring only subtle Leica lettering on its top plate, and omitting the Leica red dot logo or any branding on the front.

    With the M10-P, Leica debuts a touch-function for the M-System, enabling faster checking of focus in Live-View and Playback modes and convenient contemporary touchscreen controls such as swiping and pinch-to-zoom. The M10-P further assists photographers in capturing a perfectly framed and level shot, thanks to its built-in Level Gauge. This time-saving feature helps photographers get their perfect shot, right at the press of the shutter. All other features, functions, build quality and finishing of the Leica M10-P match the same high standards of its sibling model, the Leica M10. Rounding out that high-level design, the M10-P also comes with a color-matched metal hot shoe cover, giving the top plate a seamless look and sleek style.

    Compact, pared down and discrete, the M10-P’s design perfectly reflects the ethos of M cameras: provide photographers the right tools to unobtrusively capture important moments from the rich tapestry of life.

    “Never before have I shot with a more discreet camera,” says Grammy Award-nominated photographer Mathieu Bitton. “The M10-P feels like stealth version of my beloved M film cameras. It fully retains that signature M nature, while being so quiet and unobtrusive that my subjects barely realize I’m photographing them. That’s such an important thing in the type of photography I do. The less I distract my subjects, the more genuine moments I’m able to capture.”

    The Leica M10-P is available today in Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers, offered in a choice of black chrome and silver chrome finishes. This new release from Leica will coexist with the current Leica M10.

    Leica M10-P specifications

    Price
    MSRP $ 7995
    Body type
    Body type Rangefinder-style mirrorless
    Body material Magnesium alloy
    Sensor
    Max resolution 5952 x 3992
    Other resolutions 5952 x 3968 (JPEG, 24MP), 4256 x 2932 (12MP), 2976 x 1984 (6MP)
    Image ratio w:h 3:2
    Effective pixels 24 megapixels
    Sensor size Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm)
    Sensor type CMOS
    Processor Maestro II
    Color space sRGB
    Color filter array Primary color filter
    Image
    ISO Auto, 100-50000
    White balance presets 8
    Custom white balance Yes
    Image stabilization No
    Uncompressed format RAW
    File format
    • JPEG
    • Raw (DNG)
    Optics & Focus
    Autofocus
    • Touch
    • Live View
    Manual focus Yes
    Lens mount Leica M
    Focal length multiplier 1×
    Screen / viewfinder
    Articulated LCD Fixed
    Screen size 3″
    Screen dots 1,036,800
    Touch screen Yes
    Screen type TFT LCD
    Live view Yes
    Viewfinder type Optical (rangefinder)
    Viewfinder coverage 100%
    Viewfinder magnification 0.73×
    Photography features
    Minimum shutter speed 8 sec
    Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 sec
    Exposure modes
    • Program
    • Aperture priority
    • Shutter priority
    • Manual
    Built-in flash No
    External flash Yes
    Flash X sync speed 1/180 sec
    Drive modes
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Interval
    • Exposure bracketing
    • Self-timer
    Continuous drive 5.0 fps
    Self-timer Yes (2 or 12 secs)
    Metering modes
    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot
    Exposure compensation ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
    AE Bracketing ±3 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)
    Videography features
    Microphone None
    Speaker None
    Storage
    Storage types SD/SDHC/SDXC
    Connectivity
    HDMI No
    Microphone port No
    Headphone port No
    Wireless Built-In
    Remote control Yes (via cable trigger)
    Physical
    Battery Battery Pack
    Battery description BP-SCL5 lithium-ion battery & charger
    Battery Life (CIPA) 210
    Weight (inc. batteries) 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz)
    Dimensions 139 x 39 x 80 mm (5.47 x 1.54 x 3.15″)
    Other features
    Orientation sensor Yes
    Timelapse recording Yes
    GPS Optional
    GPS notes via optional Visoflex EVF

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Rokinon AF 14mm F2.8 launches in September for Nikon F-mount

    Rokinon has announced that its ultra-wide AF 14mm F2.8 lens will arrive for Nikon F-mount in September. The lens, which is already available for Canon EF, is the maker’s first auto focus lens for Nikon. The model features 15 glass elements in 10 groups, including two aspherical lenses, four high refractive index lenses, and one extra-low dispersion lens. The glass has Ultra Multi-Coating (UMC) anti-reflective coatings.

    The lens features a Manual / Auto Focus switch and an aluminum alloy housing, as well as a 7.8″ / 0.20m minimum focusing distance, weather sealing, and a 16.7oz / 474 grams weight. According to Rokinon, the AF 14mm F2.8 “meets or exceeds the performance characteristics” of similar ultra-wide lenses.

    The Rokinon AF 14mm F2.8 for Nikon F will be available in September for $ 799 USD.

    Via: Imaging Resource

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • The Insta360 Pro 2 is an 8K 3D 360-degree camera

    Insta360 is probably best known for its smartphone 360-degree cameras, but the company is also very active in the professional space. Today it underlined its ambitions in the market for professional 360-degree imaging equipment by launching the Insta360 Pro 2, a six-lens 8K 3D professional VR camera.

    The Insta360 Pro 2 uses six cameras to capture a scene, fusing the image data into two 8K photos or videos to create 3D VR image output. Available shooting modes include 8K 3D at 30 fps, 8K monoscopic at 60 fps, 6K 3D at 60 fps, and 4K 3D at 120 fps.

    In-camera HDR allows for capturing highlight and shadow detail, even in difficult lighting situations, and i-Log mode offers flexibility in post-production coloring. The camera also features Insta360’s FlowState stabilization. The software-based system uses data from a gyroscope and the company says it offers gimbal-like performance, doing away with the need for bulky stabilizing gear that would possibly be visible in the footage.

    For monitoring the Pro 2 comes with a 360-degree live monitoring system that, according to Insta360, offers a high-definition, low-latency video stream that is optimized for long-distance previewing. Thanks to a transmitter and receiver, the camera can be controlled and footage previewed from a distance of roughly 300 meters ground-to-ground, and 1 kilometer ground-to-air.

    In addition the camera features four built-in mics for 360 audio, a pair of USB and 3.5 mm audio inputs, and six MicroSD card slots for recording at the maximum possible bit rate. A seventh SD card is reserved for recording stabilization data and low-res proxy files that can be used for editing in Adobe Premiere Pro.

    The Insta360 Pro 2 can now be preordered at the Insta360 Store and other retailers for $ 4999.95 USD. The package includes the Farsight transmitter system and an additional battery. Shipping is scheduled for September. Sample footage can be viewed on the Insta360 Youtube channel.

    Press Release:

    Insta360 Pro 2 Launches with 8K 3D, FlowState Stabilization, Simplified VR Workflow

    Insta360 today launched the Insta360 Pro 2, a groundbreaking six-lens professional VR camera. Ready to shoot 8K-per-eye 3D 360 video, the Pro 2 innovates the entire professional VR production workflow – offering effortless FlowState stabilization, long-range live monitoring, simplified post-production in partnership with Adobe, and a new technology that delivers 8K VR to viewers regardless of whether they have high-end playback devices.

    Introducing the Insta360 Pro 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjM3wS68cYo

    Every Detail. From Every Angle.

    The Insta360 Pro 2 uses six cameras to capture every angle of a scene at once. The resulting videos or photos are then fused into two 8K 360 images, one per eye, to create immersive, beautifully detailed 3D VR.

    Available shooting modes include 8K 3D at 30 FPS, 8K monoscopic at 60 FPS, 6K 3D at 60 FPS, and 4K 3D at 120 FPS, among others. New in-camera HDR keeps lighting natural even when it varies in every direction, and i-Log mode is optimized for maximum flexibility in post-production coloring.

    Make Your Move

    The Pro 2 features Insta360’s proprietary FlowState stabilization, bringing a high-quality in-camera stabilization system to professional VR for the first time ever. Until now, VR creators have faced a grim choice: Make their audience sick with poorly stabilized footage, or use bulky stabilizing gear that would show up in scene and create a post-production headache.

    FlowState solves this, achieving gimbal-level, pro-quality stabilization with no gear necessary. The Pro 2 uses an ultra-precise gyroscope that tracks motion on nine axes, and then – when paired with Insta360’s software innovations – allows creators to stabilize their footage down to a hair, fully automatically.

    The dynamic, moving shots that filmmakers rely on to tell good stories are now possible in VR, along with a new language of dynamic 360 shots waiting to be created.

    Action at a Distance

    VR creators struggle with a fundamental challenge of the medium. How do you direct a shot when you can’t be on-set? The common solution – Wi-Fi monitoring – is notorious for being unreliable, short-range and prone to delay and interference.

    The Pro 2 comes paired with all-new Farsight technology, a 360° live monitoring system that offers a high-definition, low-latency video stream that’s optimized for long-distance previewing.

    With a transmitter and receiver, creators can effortlessly direct and control their scene from a distance of roughly 300 meters ground-to-ground, and 1 kilometer ground-to-air. Transmitting at 5.18Ghz, the Farsight uses smart channel switching to ensure it always cuts through the noise.

    “No-Stitch” Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro

    The Pro 2 is tailored for convenient stitching and editing using Insta360’s integrated Adobe Premiere Pro workflow. Every time the Pro 2 captures a video, it automatically saves a low-res proxy version in addition to the full-quality footage.

    All a creator needs to do when they finish a shoot is directly import their footage into Adobe Premiere Pro. The proxy files will be automatically recognized and stitched instantly to let creators preview their final project.

    This proxy version can be used to edit the project as usual. Then, when users are ready to export, Insta360’s algorithm will take over and stitch together exactly the footage they used in the final project, at full quality. There’s no wasted time, processing power, or effort. Creators stitch only what they use.

    Ready for Anything

    The Pro 2 weighs in at a handy 3.42 pounds (including a battery and antennae), making it easy to carry on remote shoots or send up on a drone, and its hot-swap battery dock ensures that it stays powered-up out in the field.

    It sports four built-in mics for 360 audio, plus a pair of USB and 3.5 mm audio inputs on its top and bottom – allowing creators to add a custom audio setup or other add-ons as their shoots demand.

    Six MicroSD card slots, one per each camera, allow the Pro 2 to record at the maximum possible bitrate, ensuring optimal image quality and post-production flexibility. A seventh Full SD card captures stabilization data and low-res proxy files optimized for editing in Adobe Premiere Pro.

    Clear as Crystal

    There’s a drawback to creating a beautiful, high-res VR project: You have to figure out how to deliver it to an audience — most of whom are going to be using either a smartphone or a popular headset like the Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR, both of which max out at 4K.

    Using Insta360’s proprietary CrystalView technology, Pro 2 content can be quickly converted into a format that’s ready to play back – at full 8K quality – on any mainstream smartphone or headset. Insta360’s free playback apps (such as Insta360 Moment) will dynamically render these files, displaying in full quality the exact segment of a scene that a user is looking at.

    Live In the Moment. But Capture It.

    The Insta360 supports 360 live-streaming at 4K resolution — in both 3D and monoscopic formats. The best part: Creators can save full-quality 8K footage at the same time that they broadcast in 4K, giving them the flexibility to turn their live recording into a polished edit later on.

    Perfect Sense of Direction

    The Insta360 Pro 2 sports a built-in GPS module, enhanced with a top-mounted antenna to improve signal strength. Creators can automatically append GPS data to their captures, allowing for easy contributions to Google Maps Street View and other precision-mapping projects.

    Tools for Any Job

    Insta360 Pro 2 customers will also have access to some of the premiere post-production tools in the VR industry. Included in the purchase of the Pro 2 is a 3-month license for Mistika VR Professional Edition ($ 236 USD value), offering customizable stitching controls, integrated with Insta360’s official stitching libraries. Also included is a 3-month license for Blend Media’s 360 Stories Pro software ($ 745 USD value), letting users easily create and publish virtual tours and other interactive 360 experiences.

    Preorder Open

    Preorders for the Insta360 Pro 2 are open now via Insta360 Store, B&H Photo Video and select retailers worldwide. It’s priced at $ 4999.95 USD, and includes the Farsight transmitter system, plus one battery. Cameras are set to ship in September.

    Pre-order Now:

    https://store.insta360.com/

    Sample Footage – 8K 2D H265

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjES6kpciWY

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb700lV7oLc


    Sample Footage – FlowState

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPlpTvutqzs

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQKHZFn5A_c

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Yongnuo releases 50mm F1.4 for Nikon F-mount

    Lens and camera accessory manufacturer Yongnuo has announced the availability of the new YN 50mm F1.4N E II lens for Nikon F-mount cameras. This announcement comes roughly three months after Yongnuo released the same lens for Canon EF-mount cameras.

    As is to be expected, the YN 50mm F1.4N E II lens for Nikon F-mount is identical to its Canon equivalent in every way aside from the metal lens mount. It features an electromagnetic aperture with full shooting mode support, a 7-blade aperture diaphragm and a built-in USB port for on-the-fly firmware updating.

    The nine optical elements in seven groups feature a multi-layer coating for reducing glare and ghosting while simultaneously letting in more light. The front filter is 58mm in diameter and the lens weighs 577g/20.35oz.

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    The YN 50mm F1.4N E II lens for Nikon F-mount is currently available through multiple sellers on eBay for roughly $ 175. The lens will likely make its way to other retailers, such as Amazon and B&H, in the coming weeks.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Smartphone image sensors are low in supply

    In May we reported that CMOS sensor sales were at an all time high and record numbers were expected for 2018.

    It appears the strong sales have not slowed down at all over the summer, and we’re now in a situation where CMOS sensors are in short supply. Industry news publication IFNews quotes a number of Chinese sources that refer to an article in the Taiwan Economic Times, reporting that image sensors are now in short supply.

    Big suppliers like Sony and Omnivision are increasing their prices for image sensors

    This is largely due to dual and triple cameras becoming more commonplace on smartphones, with even mid-range models often featuring dual-setups now, sometimes at front and back.

    As a result big suppliers like Sony and Omnivision are increasing their prices for image sensors. Smaller smartphone manufacturers who don’t get the same priority access to the big suppliers as major manufacturers are diverting orders to smaller sensor makers, such as Pixart and Silicon Optronics (SOI) to keep component cost under control.

    The trend for multiple cameras and sensors on smartphones is unlikely to stop any time soon, so be prepared for increased sensor prices having a minor knock-on effect on final device retail pricing. On the plus side, as this development mainly affects the smaller sensor implemented in smartphone cameras, the impact on the market for the larger units used in DLSRs and most mirrorless system cameras should be minimal.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Huawei caught trying to pass off DSLR images as smartphone photos…again

    It appears Huawei hasn’t learned its lesson. Two years after the Chinese smartphone manufacturer was busted for trying to pass off a DSLR image as a photograph captured with its P9 smartphone, it’s under scrutiny yet again.

    Huawei is now taking heat over a recent advertisement for its Nova 3 and 3i smartphones, wherein Huawei insinuates certain photos were captured with a smartphone when a behind-the-scenes photo proves that’s not the case.

    The video, which is 30 seconds long, shows various scenes in which the subjects snap photos using various built-in camera features, including beauty, HDR and AI modes. Although the video never explicitly states the images were captured with a Huawei smartphone, it’s very much implied that’s the case.

    A critical eye would instantly realize the images weren’t captured with the phone. But for the sake of empirical evidence, we’ll reference the above image uploaded to Instagram (and subsequently deleted) by Sarah Elshamy, the actress in the ad. In the behind-the-scenes still, pictured above, it’s clear the main actor was holding his hand out to make it appear as though he’s holding a phone, when in reality the scene was being shot with a Canon DSLR.

    Again, Huawei never specifically mentions what the ad was shot with, leaving a bit of room for leniency. But it’s misleading at best, and downright false advertising at worst. We’ve reached out to Huawei for an official comment and will update this article accordingly if we hear back.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon mirrorless system beta testers share first impressions in latest teaser

    Nikon has posted teaser number five for its full-frame mirrorless system that will be announced in just three days. In this one, early users of the camera share their first impressions, and there’s also a quick glimpse of an F-mount adapter.

    You can find the rest of Nikon’s teaser videos here.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DPReview TV: Looking back at the Panasonic G1 and ten years of mirrorless

    It’s not just the Seattle team celebrating ten years since the announcement of the first mirrorless system. Chris and Jordan have also been looking back at the camera that started it all: the Panasonic Lumix DMC G1. This week they’ve been remembering what it was like and how things have progressed from there.

    Click here to see Richard’s look back at Micro Four Thirds and the birth of Mirrorless

    Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)