Tag: Camera

Canon EOS M6 Mark II review: Our favorite Canon mirrorless camera yet

Introduction

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The Canon EOS M6 II is an enthusiast-targeted 32.5MP APS-C mirrorless camera built around the company’s EF-M mount. In many respects it’s a more compact mirrorless variant of the EOS 90D DSLR that was announced simultaneously.

Physically, it closely resembles the original M6 but brings a host of speed and feature upgrades. These include a higher resolution sensor, the ability to capture 4K video and a mode that shoots bursts of Raw files at up to 30 fps. The result is a capable and pleasantly engaging enthusiast camera.

Key features:

32.5MP Dual Pixel AF CMOS sensor
14 fps continuous shooting
30 fps Raw Burst mode (with AF Tracking and pre-shot buffering)
UHD 4K video at 30p and 25p with no crop / full width
3.0″ rear touchscreen flips up by 180° or down by 45°
Optional electronic viewfinder
USB 2.0 port with Type-C connector

Canon says it will add 4K/24p shooting to the M6 II with a firmware update in 2020.

The EOS M6 Mark II is available in a series of kits. The official body-only price is $ 849. Adding the retracting 15-45mm IS STM lens and EVF (pictured) boosts the price to $ 1099, while an 18-150mm IS STM and EVF kit will set you back $ 1349.

What’s new and how it compares

The M6 II brings 4K video and 30 fps Raw bursts. We look at the new features and how it stacks up against its peers.

The M6 II gains some direct controls over its predecessor and features the latest iteration of the Canon menu system. There’s also a good degree of customization available.

The M6 II has a couple of nice improvements over the original version, but it’s the state of the EF-M lens range and the future of the EF mount that change out perspective the most.

The 32.5MP sensor in the M6 II (shared with the EOS 90D) is the first new sensor design from Canon we’ve seen in a while – check out how it performs.

The EOS M6 II has a reliable Dual Pixel autofocus system with eye detect. It’s not quite the best in the business, but it’s not at all bad, either.

With full-width 4K recording and a microphone input, the M6 II looks like a capable little video camera. Find out how it compares with its peers.

The EOS M6 Mark II is one of our favorite APS-C cameras of 2019 – it may not be the very best at any one thing, but it’s very good at many things.

We had the chance to shoot with the M6 Mark II and have some sample images to show what it can do.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 27, 2019

Sigma confirms Log picture profile, Raw over HDMI coming to its fp camera via firmware update

In an interview with Cinema5D, Sigma confirmed it’s bringing a firmware update to its full-frame fp camera that will add Log picture profile and Raw recording over HDMI.

The interview with Takuma Wakamatsu, Sigma’s product planner, took place during Inter BEE 2019. In the interview, Wakamatsu addresses a number of features that have already been confirmed to be on the horizon, such as in-camera CinemaDNG playback and still photo modes while recording video, but he also confirmed a future firmware update will include a Log picture profile in MOV mode and Raw recording over HDMI.

The Log picture profile should improve the dynamic range of the fp and offer more flexibility in post-production, while Raw recording over HDMI would allow external recorders, such as the popular Atomos Ninja V, to record ProRes RAW footage.

No specific timeframe is given for the firmware updates, but Cinema5D notes the updates will arrive in 2020 and be free of charge.

Our previous coverage of the Sigma fp includes a look inside the Aizu factory where it’s assembled, a video-centric hands-on and a photo gallery of images captured with the world’s smallest full-frame camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 27, 2019
Meike releases 35mm T2.2 cinema lens for Micro Four Thirds camera systems

Meike has announced a new 35mm T2.2 cinema lens for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera systems.

The fully-manual lens is constructed of 10 elements in 8 groups, features an aperture range of T2.2-T22, has a minimum focusing distance of 42cm (16.5in) and is the equivalent of a 70mm lens on a full-frame camera. Its focus ring offers 270-degrees of rotation, its front filter thread is 77mm and it weighs 660g (23oz).

The Meike 35mm T2.2 is available to purchase on Meike Global’s website for $ 359.99.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 26, 2019
Diveroid housing turns your smartphone into a dive computer and underwater camera

A Kickstarter campaign has already gathered over ten times is funding goal for a campaign that aims to produce a smartphone dive camera system that uses your smartphone to take pictures as well as display live data about the dive itself.

Diveroid is an underwater housing kit that comes with a mini dive computer and a app that turn the users smartphone into an underwater camera while using the phones screen to display dive information and maintain a log of the dive. The housing accepts multiple models of smartphone and uses a set of three physical buttons to control the phone. The app connects to the mini dive monitor and the smartphone and displays depth, time and temperature information as well as guiding the diver around precautions such as avoid decompression.

The app takes over the phone’s camera function and offers ultra-wide-angle, wide-angle, zoom and selfie shooting modes, as well as options to record video. A red-filter effect can also be applied in the app to offer real-time preview and recording that compensates for the loss of red at certain depths.

The housing is said to be good for depths of 60m and keeps a track of your dive so it can tell you at what depths each picture was taken. Images can be overlaid with data graphs and the whole dive can be shared as a logbook through the app. When you need to summon a boat the app can send a text message with your exact location.

The campaign page shows the Diveroid kit with accessories attached for lighting the subject

The Diveroid kit is available for $ 249 via the Kickstarter campaign but will retail from $ 418 once it is in full production. The first units are expected to ship in February 2020. For more information see the Diveroid Kickstarter campaign page.

Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 22, 2019
DPReview TV: Why electronic image stabilization works better on your GoPro than your camera
Have you ever looked at your smartphone or GoPro and said, “I wish my camera could stabilize an image like that?!” Chris explains the limits of electronic image stabilization, and why your camera probably can’t stabilize like that.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.
- Introduction
- What is electronic stabilization?
- The effect of shutter speed
- The effect of rolling shutter
- The effect of frame rate
- Conclusion
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
November 21, 2019
Apple’s Smart Battery Cases for iPhone 11 models feature a dedicated camera button

Apple has announced its new Smart Battery Cases for its latest iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max devices, and hidden within them is a little surprise. Each of the Smart Battery Cases features a dedicated camera button that launches the Camera app.

According to the product description, the dedicated camera button will launch the Camera app regardless of whether the iPhone is locked or unlocked. ‘A quick press of the button takes a photo and a longer press captures a QuickTake video,’ reads the description.

A close-up look at the dedicated camera button, located on the right-hand side of the case when looking at the screen of the iPhone.

This marks the first time any dedicated camera button has been found on a first-party case or battery case from Apple and further amplifies Apple’s emphasis on photography with its latest devices.

The Smart Battery Cases cost $ 129 for all iPhone 11 models and come in three colors: Black, White and Pink Sand. They are available to order now through Apple’s online store, physical Apple Stores and authorized Apple retailers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 21, 2019
Security firm warns Android camera vulnerability lets hackers spy on phone owners

Security analyst firm Checkmarx has detailed the discovery of an Android security issue that enables hackers to access a smartphone’s camera app, existing videos and images, audio from the microphone and location information pulled from EXIF data. Though the issue has been fixed on Google and Samsung phones, it remains in many camera apps from other vendors

The security researchers first analyzed the Google Camera app included on the Pixel smartphones. Upon discovering the security vulnerability, which involves ‘manipulating specific actions and intents,’ they found the same issue could be exploited in the Samsung Camera app included in its various smartphone models.

The vulnerability is extensive, according to the researchers. Hackers can access the camera app, use it to capture videos and photos even if the display is turned off or a call is in progress and access content saved to the phone. In addition to accessing the images, hackers could pull the location information from image metadata and use that to locate the handset’s owner.

The exploit introduces a number of privacy issues for users; attackers could use the video recording functionality to record a phone call, for example, and could retrieve sensitive images from the user’s phone for blackmail purposes.

According to Checkmarx, Google confirmed that the issue isn’t limited to the Pixel phones and that it is working with its Android partners ‘to coordinate disclosure.’ Both Google and Samsung released fixes for the security issue in their respective camera apps before Checkmarx published its report. It’s unclear how many phones from other vendors may still be vulnerable to the exploit, however.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 21, 2019
FiLMiC launches Firstlight, a stills camera app with Raw capture, live analytics and more

FiLMiC, the company best known for its FiLMiC Pro video camera app with features for professionals, has branched in the still photography market with the launch of Firstlight. With FiLMiC Firstlight, iPhone owners get access to more features than offered on the stock camera app, including support for TIF and DNG Raw formats, anamorphic adapter support, the ability to embed copyright info and more.

FiLMiC announced the availability of Firstlight v1.0 on November 12. The company has included the live analytics feature from FiLMiC Pro in its new still photography app, as well as adaptive film grain, custom film simulations, an RGB Histogram, an Auto Exposure (AE) mode, tap/swipe-based focus and exposure controls, a lens selector and vignette.

FiLMiC boasts a number of ‘professional camera tools,’ including grid overlays, a burst mode, flash and timer, expanded shadow details, the ability to select either HEIC or JPG formats, multiple aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9, 3:2, 1:1, 5:4), HDR controls on the latest iPhone models, and Bluetooth support for ‘most’ camera shutter remote controls.

In addition to the free version of the app, FiLMiC gives users the option of paying for access to premium features, making it possible to configure the burst mode, adjust the vignette, apply film grain, use an anamorphic adapter, use a custom function button, configure the exposure and focus controls, and more.

The app is free to download from the iOS App Store now. The premium features can be unlocked via either a $ 0.99 monthly subscription or a $ 7.99 annual subscription.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 21, 2019
Canon PowerShot G7 X III review: the compact camera that lets you broadcast to the world
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The Canon PowerShot G7 X III is the third in a series of 1″-type sensor compacts aimed at smartphone camera upgraders and enthusiast photographers looking for a small second camera. Its core photography features – notably its fast 24-100mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens – are very similar to the G7 X II that preceded it, but Canon has given the Mark III a new Stacked CMOS sensor and Digic 8 processor that together promise better image quality and performance.

The biggest changes in the G7 X Mark III are to its suite of video features, which now includes the option to live stream video: a useful feature for vloggers. Resolution has been bumped up to 4K, with 30p available out of the box and 24p coming via a future firmware update.

Key Specifications:
- 20MP 1″-type Stacked CMOS sensor
- 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens
- Built-in 3-stop ND filter
- Touchscreen tilts up 180° and down 90°
- 8 fps burst shooting with autofocus, 30 fps Raw burst mode
- 4K/30p and 1080/60p video recording
- Microphone socket
- Live YouTube streaming support built-in
- Vertical video capture
- 1080/120p slow motion video (with no audio or autofocus)
- Wi-Fi + Bluetooth wireless connectivity
- USB 3.1 (with USB-C connector) for data transfer and charging
- 235 shot battery life per CIPA standard
Aside from the lens, the majority of the features highlighted above are new, so the Mark III isn’t just a small upgrade, even if it’s hard to differentiate cosmetically from its predecessor.

The G7 X Mark III is priced at $ 749 and comes in silver/black and black finishes.

What’s new and how it compares

The G7 X III has a new sensor, new processor and a first for a compact camera: live video streaming.

Read more

Body, controls and handling

The design of the G7 X III has barely changed compared to its predecessor, and that’s not a bad thing.

Read more

Image quality

While its lens isn’t the sharpest, the G7 X III’s image quality is still very good.

Read more

Autofocus and video

The G7 X III is good, but not great, in terms of both autofocus and video quality.

Read more

Conclusion

Find out if the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is the right camera for you.

Read more

Sample gallery

View over 100 photos taken with the G7 X III to evaluate its image quality with your own eyes.

Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
November 20, 2019
Ricoh announces the Theta SC2, a 14MP ‘enthusiast’ 360-degree camera with 4K/30p video

Ricoh has announced the Theta SC2, a second-generation ‘enthusiast’ 360-degree camera that’s a part of its growing Theta lineup.

The Ricoh Theta SC2 serves as a successor to the Theta SC and brings with it new and improved features. Inside, it features a 14-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor capable of capturing 4K video (3840 x 1920 pixels) at up to 30 frames per second. In addition to 14GB of internal memory, the Theta SC2 offers a Micro SD card slot as well.

Ricoh has added three new shooting modes to the SC2: a ‘Face mode,’ which recognizes human faces in the frame and automatically applies skin smoothing; a new ‘Night View’ mode that helps to shoot low-noise footage in low-light environments; and a lens-by-lens exposure mode that controls the cameras independently for situations where one side of 360-degree exposure might be brighter than the other.

One small external upgrade from its predecessor is the addition of a small OLED display. Although smaller than the screen on the Theta Z1, the OLED display can be used to keep tabs on settings and battery life. There’s also a new self-timer button.

The Theta SC2 features built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for connecting and controlling the camera with Ricoh’s dedicated smartphone app.

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The Theta SC2 will come in pink, blue, beige and white (the same colors the SC shipped in) when it ships ‘mid-December 2019’ for a suggested retail price of $ 299.95 / £269.99. Ricoh is currently taking pre-orders. We’ll have our Theta SC2 review out an hour after this post goes live, so keep an eye out.

RICOH THETA SC2

An Easy-To-Use 360° camera that’s simple to operate and capable of capturing high-quality spherical images and videos

LONDON, 18 November 2019 – Ricoh Company, Ltd. and Ricoh Imaging Europe S.A.S. are pleased to announce the release of the RICOH THETA SC2. The SC2 is the “Enthusiast” level model of the RICOH THETA 360° camera series, capable of capturing 360° still images and video footage. The RICOH THETA SC2 is easy to use, simple to operate, and features a variety of functions.

Since its release in 2013 as the world’s first hand-held 360° camera¹, “RICOH THETA” has been used in a multitude of environments and offers unlimited potential for image expression. 360° photography has become increasingly relevant, due to the rapid growth of the Virtual Reality market, the increasing number of social media services that are compatible with 360° images, and the growing demand for 360° images in the business market.

The new RICOH THETA SC2 is an easy-to-use model, perfect for the 360 enthusiast, allowing anyone to capture high-quality spherical images. It snaps photos at approximately 14 megapixels, as well as smooth, immersive 360°spherical video at 30 frames per second in 4K (3840 x 1920 pixels). Additionally, the RICOH THETA SC2 comes with a variety of shooting modes such as “Face” mode, which recognizes human faces and applies skin smoothing, and “Night View” mode for shooting low-noise footage after the sun goes down. These modes allow the photographer to configure the camera with minimal effort.

The status OLEDdisplay (Organic EL display) in the lower section of the RICOH THETA SC2 body, allows at-a-glance checking of a range of information such as setting modes and remaining battery power. RICOH THETA SC2 also features a new button that lets the user switch to self-timer mode, making the camera much easier to operate in a standalone manner. Staying true to the product concept of a compact, lightweight body, the RICOH THETA SC2 can be used as a live blogging camera that people can carry with them to record the events of their day. The line-up features four different Fresh Colours, allowing users to select a colour of their choice. This is the perfect camera for people who enjoy sharing pictures and videos on social media, or for those who wish to start using a 360° camera.

^{Note 1}: For consumer products, this refers to the fact that the camera can capture the entire space surround the photographer, not just in a half-sphere or horizontal direction, but in a single shot. (As of October 2013. According to Ricoh research.)

Price & Availability

RRP: £269.99

Availability: Mid December 2019

Colours: Pink, Blue, Beige, White

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 19, 2019