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The New Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R – Could these Full-frame Mirrorless Cameras be Cameras of the Year? [video]

08 Mar

The post The New Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R – Could these Full-frame Mirrorless Cameras be Cameras of the Year? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video by Art of Photography, he gives us a first look at the testing of the new Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R full-frame mirrorless cameras.

This is a preproduction look at the camera, so all images are jpegs coming straight out of the camera with no editing done at all. All noise reduction features were switched off in the camera to show how good the noise reduction features of these cameras are too.

S1: 24mp, S1R: 47mp big still images
If you are a fan of Panasonic Lumix cameras, you’ll feel at home using both these cameras. Dual IS

The video focuses on:

Image quality

outstanding. Color rendition and contrast are great. Worked well with portraits, still life, low light.

Autofocus

Autofocus is an area Panasonic has struggled with over the years, but this is one of their best autofocus systems. Uses contrast detection autofocus. Very usable in most situations. Additional processing layer for Autofocus. This is the technology that drives or defines what they call AI Autofocus. Defines object recognition, animal recognition, face recognition etc. detection. So while the Autofocus is not perfect, the way the technology works means that Panasonic can work on improving Autofocus and update them as Firmware.

Shooting video

Low light performance and Panasonic dual IS image stabilisation

Best image stabilisation used on any camera. Great for low light situations – Low light performance is one of the best features of this camera. It performs beautifully right up to 12800 ISO. Low noise even with the noise reduction features switched off.

Pixel Shifting

Pixel Shifting feature takes 8 images and shifts the sensor around so you end up with a really high resolution image of up to 180mp. In reality, this feature is only limited to still life shooting. If anything moves around in the image it doesn’t work well. So may not work well for landscapes where there is any wind or trees moving. This may be something that Panasonic can work on to fine-tune.

Ergonomics

The cameras are quite large but very easy to use. They are lighter than the Leica SL. When using all day it does become heavy. This can work well when hand-holding for video because the camera doesn’t shake as much. If you are a photographer who wants to travel light, these cameras may not be for you.

It is a very quiet camera, even using the mechanical shutter.

Is this the perfect Panasonic camera?

While this camera is amazing it still has a couple of weak points, mainly the Autofocus system and the Pixel Shift technology.

Also, the fast continuous shooting mode uses 6K film shooting that you can then take stills from. This means you can only use jpegs, which for many photographers is not ideal.

However, overall, both the Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R are are very exciting cameras.

Pixel Shift High Resolution images of the Panasonic S1R at work

In this video by Adorama, see the Pixel Shift technology of these cameras at work.

You may also find the following articles interesting:

Gear Review: The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera

Canon EOS RP Full-frame Camera – Why Some People Won’t be Buying this Camera

Fujifilm X-T3 versus Fujifilm X-H1: The Best Mirrorless Camera for You?

The 19 Most Popular Compact System and Mirrorless Cameras with Our Readers

Sony a6300 Mirrorless Camera – Thoughts and Field Test

DSLR vs Mirrorless: Guide to help you decide which is right for you?

The (Almost) Perfect Autofocus of the Sony a7R III: a Hands-On Review

The post The New Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R – Could these Full-frame Mirrorless Cameras be Cameras of the Year? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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CP+ 2019: Hands-on with Tamron’s trio of full-frame lenses

02 Mar

Introduction

Tamron has its three newly-announced full frame lenses on show at CP+ in Yokohama. It’s a slight odd setup, though. You can look at the lenses in a glass cabinet or you can handle rather more rudimentary samples, with no marking on their switches and their names stick on with labelling tape. Thankfully we were able to convince Tamron to let us photograph the more complete versions.

Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD

The SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD [Model F045] is the company’s latest fast prime for Canon and Nikon DSLRs. It’s designed for full frame and arrives as a higher-end alternative to its stabilized 35mm F1.8 VC. It uses a conventional ring-type USD (ultrasonic drive) focus motor.

Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD

The SP 35mm F1.4 is fairly long lens but isn’t excessively wide. The company promises you get the image quality to justify the size. Tamron suggests it’s suitable for ‘nearly every photographic genre, including photojournalism, landscape, sports, street life, wedding groups and family snapshots,’ which is a pretty wide range.

Among the best 35s

Despite its fairly modest proportions (by modern standards, at least), Tamron seems bullish about the SP 35mm’s performance, saying it should by the best of its type. We were certainly impressed by how smooth and solid everything felt, when we handled it. Not a bad way to mark the 40th anniversary of the SP series.

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

The Tamron 35-150mm F2.8-4 Di VC OSD [Model A043] is an interesting and somewhat unfamiliar concept: a full-frame lens extending from slightly wide-angle to moderate telepoto focal lengths, while retaining a semi-fast maximum aperture. Tamron describes it as a ‘Portrait Zoom.’

35-150mm F2.8-4: a ‘portrait zoom’

It’s about half the size of a 70-200mm F2.8, and still shorter even when extended, which should make it easy both to carry and to handle. Interestingly, the company says all its functions will remain available when adapted to a mirrorless camera. The sample we saw is fairly early, so we haven’t been able to get a sense for the speed or sound of the ‘Optimized Silent Drive’ micromotor.

35-150mm F2.8-4: handy for APS-C?

Although Tamron doesn’t mention its use on APS-C cameras, we reckon the 52.5-225mm equivalent range it would offer on a Nikon APS-C DSLR, long with the F4.2-6 equiv maximum aperture could be fairly interesting for a range of shooting situations. It wouldn’t offer especially shallow depth-of-field, but might make a temptingly portable midway point between a variable-aperture 55-200mm and the significantly higher cost of a 70-200mm lens, depending on how Tamron prices it.

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

The final lens we got to see what Tamron’s wide-angle F2.8 zoom for Sony’s E-mount cameras. The 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD is a full-frame zoom that makes a lot of sense alongside the relatively small 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD that’s one of our favorite lenses for FE-mount Sonys.

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 – a compact wide-angle

The Model A046 is based around the same ‘Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive’ focus motor used in the 28-75mm, so should be both quick and quiet. The lens itself is a touch shorter than its normal zoom counterpart but otherwise resembles it pretty closely. The biggest difference is that, unlike the 28-75mm, the 17-28mm F2.8 doesn’t extend when you zoom.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon EOS RP Full-frame Camera – Why Some People Won’t be Buying this Camera

02 Mar

The post Canon EOS RP Full-frame Camera – Why Some People Won’t be Buying this Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Canon have released their new Canon EOS RP full-frame mirrorless camera, and not without some controversy. The Canon EOS RP is it’s entry-level mirrorless camera that comes in at US$ 1299.

Find out the reasons why some people won’t be buying this new camera in these great videos by Jared Polen, Matti Haapoja,and SLR Video Shooter.

You’ll be surprised by the results.

The disappointments of Canon EOS RP for people shooting video:

While this is one of Canon’s lightest full-frame cameras, some people will be highly-disappointed to know that the camera has no 24p video capabilities in HD. It only offers it when shooting 4k. So for many photographers who also like to do video, this will be a major source of disappointment.

The other major downfall is when you use crop sensor lenses on this camera, you lose the ability to shoot in HD. What?!

So, unless Canon comes out with a firmware fix to these issues, you will likely want to choose an alternative camera for video.

However, If you are wanting to use this camera for photography, you will likely find this a great lightweight, affordable, full-frame, mirrorless camera.

So, will you be buying the Canon EOS RP, or will you stick to the Canon EOS R?

You may also find the following articles helpful:

Best Vlogging Cameras for 2019

Fujifilm X-T3 versus Fujifilm X-H1: The Best Mirrorless Camera for You?

9 Recommended Accessories for Your New Sony a7R III or a7 III Camera

Camera Comparison – The Fujifilm X-H1 Versus the Sony a7R III

Gear Review: Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Camera Kit

The post Canon EOS RP Full-frame Camera – Why Some People Won’t be Buying this Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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CP+ 2019: Zeiss ZX1 – hands-on with the full-frame Android camera

28 Feb

Hands-on with the Zeiss ZX1

We’ve seen Android-based cameras before, we’ve seen primarily touchscreen-based cameras before and we’ve seen full frame compacts with built-in 35mm lenses, but we’ve never seen anything that combines them, which is essentially what Zeiss’s ZX1 does.

Zeiss’s first entry into the digital camera market has echoes of the touchscreen-based Leica TL, it also can’t help but conjure-up thoughts of Sony’s RX1 cameras, which are also built around 35mm F2 lenses on full frame chips. What it doesn’t feel like, though, are Samsung’s erstwhile Android-based Galaxy cameras or Nikon’s Coolpix S800c, which felt like smartphones with a lens glued onto the front.

We got the chance to handle and explore a pre-production ZX1 at CP+ in Yokohama. Zeiss isn’t yet giving a release date for the ZX1 so it’s difficult to know how close to finished it is, but the camera seemed stable and to have most features in place, so we can at least describe how it’s going to work.

ZX1 Physical controls

There are only five physical control points on the camera: dedicates aperture, shutter speed and ISO dials, a solitary function button and a sprung switch at the base of the shutter speed dial. Everything else is controlled via the touchscreen.

All three dials have ‘A’ positions, if you want to hand-off control of their function to the camera. The shutter speed dial only goes up to 1/1000 sec since that’s where the camera’s leaf shutter tops-out. You’ll also notice there’s an ‘H’ position, though. This switches the camera over to electronic shutter mode, to access shutter speeds up to 1/8000 sec, via the touchscreen. At the other end of the scale there’s a ‘L’ setting for shutter speeds longer than a second. There are Low and High positions on the ISO dial, too.

ZX1 power switch

But before we get into the details of the touchscreen, we should take a closer look at that sprung switch. At first glance, this little nub looks like a power switch, but it’s not quite that simple. Although it is the way you turn the camera on and off, this three-position switch provides access to the ZX1’s video shooting mode, too, and it’s also how you put the camera to sleep.

Because it’s an Android device, the ZX1 doesn’t just leap into life when you flick the power switch forward from being off – it starts to boot up, which just like a smartphone, takes a little while. To avoid you having to go through this ordeal every time you want to take a shot, pulling the switch back doesn’t turn the camera off: instead, like a smartphone it just sends it to sleep: powering down the sensor and screen. Pull the switch back for three seconds and it’ll completely shut the camera down. Push it forward while shooting and you enter video mode. We’re told that in ‘sleep’ mode, your battery should only drain by about 10% over the course of a day.

The function button can be reconfigured. With the current firmware it’s an AEL button but you can also get it to control a couple of other functions, including AFL.

ZX1 Swipe bar

The first thing you’ll notice about the ZX1’s touchscreen is that it’s not flat. Instead there’s a distinct crease (but a lovely, smooth one that we suspect must be quite costly) around 1.5 cm in from the right-hand edge. This angled strip of screen is home to a series of icons, which are used for controlling everything else on the camera. In stills mode they’re displayed on a black background but in video mode they’re overlaid on the preview, which expands out to use the full 16:9 expanse of the screen.

There are four icons to a page and swiping your finger up or down along the control strip scrolls through the available options. The top option on the strip is exposure compensation and tapping it brings up a vertical slider so that you can swipe-in the amount you want to apply. Most of the other options work in the same way, popping up a small virtual slider to adjust the setting. Some options also present three dots in a circle, giving you access to a menu with more detailed settings.

Menus, playback and the Android homescreen

What’s not quite so obvious is that there’s another, un-indicated swipeable region along the right-hand-side of the screen. Swipe up and you’ll enter the camera’s main menu, swipe down and you’ll enter playback mode. Left and right swipes change the level of information shown on the screen.

Only if you swipe down do you get a a little 3-dot icon that then finally lets you see the homepage of familiar circular icons that belie the camera’s Android underpinnings. At present, the available apps are locked-down, for security purposes but will be opened up somewhat when the camera is finished. We doubt that Zeiss will simply allow all Google Play apps to be accessible, though.

ZX1 battery and battery life

All the extra processing to run a more complex operating system has the predictable effect on battery life. The ZX1 packs a pretty sizable battery pack that offers around 3190mAh. At present Zeiss is discussing a figure of around 250 shots per charge when tested in a manner comparable with the CIPA standard. We’ll see whether this improves at all with the last bits of fine-tuning of code, prior to launch.

This image gives you a better idea of the angled right-hand portion of the rear display, which follows the angle of the body shell. It really is beautifully done.

ZX1 construction

Back on the physical side of things, the camera has a solid-feeling metal body. The right-hand edges are wrapped with a thin rubberized coating, which means it feels surprisingly secure in the hand. I found myself rotating my hand to the right to adjust my grip whenever I held the camera, but I’m not sure if this was a conscious attempt to more comfortably reach the shutter button or an unconscious attempt to access a front control wheel that doesn’t exist.

The top left of the camera is the only other non-metal body panel: a plastic cover that looks for all the world like it should conceal a pop-up flash but is actually a ‘window’ in the camera’s metal shell to allow the Wi-Fi to communicate efficiently. Given the large files (~70MB per uncompressed Raw), the Wi-FI needs to work as effectively as possible.

Storage, image management and output

What you can’t see on the ZX1 is that it has no memory card slot. Instead it has a vast 500GB SSD built in. We weren’t told exactly how much of that space is taken up by the operating system, but that’s still a ridiculously large amount of space. To sensibly manage such a large drive, the ZX1 lets you shoot what it calls ‘collections’. Essentially these are image folders on the camera’s internal drive, so that you can easily find the images to took on a particular shoot. They appear as separate folders if you connect a device to the exposed USB C socket on the left-hand side of the camera.

Interestingly, because it has an onboard operating system the ZX1 can act both as a slave device (effectively a computer will see it as a massive memory card, as you’d expect from a conventional camera) or a host device that can read a USB memory stick or hard drive plugged into it. This means you can transfer images from the camera to an external drive without ever having to connect to a computer.

Summing up

One advantage the Zeiss has over previous attempts at Android-based cameras is that it’s not trying to compete on price with less-sophisticated mass-market models, meaning (in theory) fewer corners should need to be cut in terms of processing power or memory.

The company say they’ve also stripped the Android implementation back to the bare essentials and focused on building a camera interface, rather than trying to use any of the operating system’s built-in camera capabilities. And even in this non-final form, this decision appear to have paid-off, with the interface working smoothly.

If anything, it’s Zeiss’s decision to include an ISO dial, rather than an exposure comp control (or an unmarked dial to let you choose which you want access to), that took us longest to adapt to in our brief time with the camera. Zeiss believes that a lot of people will manually set exposure, leaving ISO effectively playing the role of exposure compensation. I guess we’ll see how that feels once we get our hands on a testable camera in the coming months.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fujifilm GFX 50R vs full-frame: how big is the difference?

06 Feb

The Fujifilm GFX 50R is the most affordable medium format digital camera ever, but how much of an advantage does it offer over the best of its full-frame mirrorless peers? We shot it alongside the Nikon Z7 so you can decide for yourselves.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic launches 50mm F1.4, 70-200 F4 OIS and 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS full-frame lenses

02 Feb

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Panasonic has launched a trio of Lumix S lenses alongside its S1 and S1R full-frame mirrorless cameras. The three new lenses are a 50mm F1.4 – Panasonic’s ‘reference lens’, a 70-200 F4 OIS and a versatile 24-105mm F4 OIS Macro, which will serve as the kit lens for both cameras.

The Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4 features 13 elements – two aspherical and three ED – and an 11-blade aperture. Panasonic claims that one of the aspherical elements is among the largest ever created, with a diameter of over 40mm. The lens has two focus motors – linear and stepping – designed to operate with 480 fps sensor readout. Panasonic says that the lens has been designed for smooth exposure changes with minimal focus breathing for video capture.

The Lumix S Pro 70-200 F4 OIS’s stabilization works in conjunction with the S1/S1R’s in-body IS to provide up to 6.5 stops of shake reduction. It has 23 elements, including aspherical, UHR, UED and ED. It uses a linear motor with a 480 fps AF control. As with the 50mm F1.4, the 70-200 is weather-sealed, has a focus clutch and is designed to reduce focus breathing.

Finally, there’s the Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS, which will serve as the kit lens for both the S1 and S1R. It too is stabilized, and has one ED, two aspherical ED, two aspherical and three ED elements. The 24-105 uses a linear motor, again with 480 fps AF control. The minimal focus distance on this general-purpose lens is 0.3m, with a maximum magnification of 0.5x.

All three lenses are dust and moisture-sealed, and the two ‘S Pro’ models include a focus clutch for quick switching between auto and manual focus.

The three new lenses will ship in early April. The 50mm F1.4 is priced at $ 2299, the 70-200 F4 at $ 1699 and the 24-105mm F4 at $ 1299. Buying the S1/S1R kit effectively lowers the price of the 24-105mm F4 to $ 899.

Press Release

Panasonic Launches Three L-Mount Interchangeable Lenses for the LUMIX S Series Full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera

LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 (S-X50), LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. (S-R70200) and LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R24105)

Newark, NJ (February 1, 2019) – Panasonic is proud to introduce three new interchangeable lenses based on the L-Mount system for the LUMIX S Series Full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera. Specially focusing on professional use, the LUMIX S Series pursues uncompromising photographic expression with its high-quality cameras and lenses.

The L-Mount is a lens mount for mirrorless cameras that was launched by Leica and is equally suitable for both the APS-C format and full-frame cameras. Leica Camera, Panasonic and Sigma are set to offer a user-friendly solution that will allow photographers to ‘mix and match’ any of the three manufacturers’ APS-C and full-frame cameras with any lens from each other’s product portfolios. The aim of the L-Mount Alliance is to provide customers with a diverse and future-proof range of products. The advantages are a large inner diameter of 51.6 mm that enables the realization of extremely fast lenses and extremely compact dimensions. The configuration of the lens-to-camera communication interface is future-proof and the L-Mount also offers an option for the construction of sealed systems that are insensitive to dust and moisture.?The L-Mount thereby opens up an almost limitless spectrum of new creative possibilities.

All interchangeable lenses of the LUMIX S Series provide high performance yet the “LUMIX S PRO” lenses further boast ultimate optical performance to be certified by LEICA for clearing stringent LEICA standards. Panasonic is committed to designing and developing 10 or more lenses with a focus on “LUMIX S PRO” lenses by 2020 and further expanding the S Series lens lineup.

LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 (S-X50)

The LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 is a large-aperture fixed focal length LUMIX S PRO lens that is the core of all LUMIX S Series lenses. Ensuring versatile use with its 50mm focal length and F1.4 high speed, the LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 boasts stunningly high resolution and a descriptive performance from the center to the corners of the image despite its large aperture. It provides smooth defocus gradation from the focus peak to the neighboring area of the image. It also describes the point light sources in the background as impressive, beautiful bokeh. The optical performance of this LUMIX S PRO lens is outstandingly high to clear stringent LEICA standards.

Comprising 13 lenses in 11 groups, the use of 2 aspherical lenses and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Astigmatism is also corrected with those aspherical lenses, achieving high resolving performance.

A double focus system combining a linear motor and stepping motor achieves sensor drive at a maximum speed of 480 fps. It realizes fast, high-precision AF to ensure that you will never miss a photo opportunity. Adoption of a focus clutch mechanism enables instant AF/MF switching and accurate manual focusing. The LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a fatal problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.

The refined design of the LUMIX S Series provides high operability as a tool for professionals. The rugged dust/splash-resistant* design withstand use under harsh conditions even in 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. The filter diameter is 77mm, with an 11-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

*Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.

LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. (S-R70200)

The second lens is also a LUMIX S PRO lens. The LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. telephoto zoom lens provides high-resolution, high-contrast images across the entire zoom range. It can be used for wide-ranging situations, from portraits to sports. Panasonic LUMIX’s image stabilization system 5-Axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) 2*¹ can be used with the LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. for the first time as a lens of a full-frame mirrorless camera system, to ensure that you will never miss a photo opportunity. The optical performance of this LUMIX S PRO lens is outstandingly high to clear stringent LEICA standards.

The lens unit comprises 23 lenses in 17 groups and the use of an aspherical lens and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Designed in pursuit of optimum lens alignment, it achieves beautiful bokeh with minimum vignetting.

The O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) in the lens effectively compensates for the hand-shake movement, making it easy to shoot even without a tripod or in low-lit situations. Complying with the camera’s Body I.S., the 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2*¹ makes it possible to use 6-stop slower shutter speed*². The high-precision linear motor achieves sensor drive at a maximum speed of 480 fps for fast auto focusing. The adoption of a focus clutch mechanism enables instant AF/MF switching and accurate manual focusing. The LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a fatal problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.

The refined design of the LUMIX S Series provides high operability as a tool for professionals. The rugged dust/splash-resistant*³ design withstand use under harsh conditions even in 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. The filter diameter is 77mm, with a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

*¹ 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2 can be used with the camera LUMIX S1R and S1, as of February 1, 2019.

*² Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=200mm, when LUMIX S1R is used.

*³ Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.

LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R24105)

The LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. is a versatile standard zoom lens covering wide-angle to medium-telephoto. It assures high descriptive performance across the entire zoom range. In addition to its versatile use with a wide and long zoom range, the LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. enables 0.5x macro shooting with a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m. Panasonic LUMIX’s image stabilization system 5-Axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) 2*¹ can be used with LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. for the first time as a lens of full-frame mirrorless camera system, never to miss the photo opportunity.

The lens unit comprises 16 lenses in 13 groups and the use of 2 aspherical lenses and 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses chromatic aberration and achieves high resolution.

The O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) in the lens effectively compensates for the hand-shake movement, making it easy to shoot even without a tripod or in low-lit situations. Complying with the camera’s Body I.S., the 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2*¹ makes it possible to use 6-stop slower shutter speed*². The high-precision linear motor achieves sensor drive at a maximum speed of 480 fps for fast auto focusing. The LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a fatal problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.

The refined design of the LUMIX S Series provides high operability as a tool for professionals. The rugged dust/splash-resistant*³ design withstand use under harsh conditions even in 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. In addition, a fluorine coating on the front element repel water and oil and prevent them from attaching. The filter diameter is 77mm, with a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

*¹ 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2 can be used with the camera LUMIX S1R and S1, as of February 1, 2019.

*² Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=105mm, when LUMIX S1R is used.

*³ Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4 specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	50 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Leica SL
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1.4
Minimum aperture	F16
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	11
Optics
Elements	13
Groups	11
Special elements / coatings	2 aspherical + 3 ED elements, fluorine coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.44 m (17.32″)
Maximum magnification	0.15×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Linear Motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Focus notes	Has both linear and stepping motors
Distance scale	Yes
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	955 g (2.11 lb)
Diameter	90 mm (3.54″)
Length	130 mm (5.12″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	77 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200 F4 / Lumix S 24-105mm F4 specifications

	Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm F4 OIS	Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS
Principal specifications
Lens type	Zoom lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	70–200 mm	24–105 mm
Image stabilization	Yes
CIPA Image stabilization rating	6 stop(s)
Lens mount	Leica SL
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F4
Minimum aperture	F22
Aperture ring	Yes	No
Number of diaphragm blades	9
Optics
Elements	23	16
Groups	17	13
Special elements / coatings	1 aspherical + 1 UED + 3 ED + 1 UHR elements, fluorine coating	2 aspherical ED + 2 aspherical + 1 UED + 2 ED elements, fluorine coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.92 m (36.22″)	0.30 m (11.81″)
Maximum magnification	0.25×	0.5×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Linear Motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	Yes	No
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	985 g (2.17 lb)	680 g (1.50 lb)
Diameter	84 mm (3.31″)
Length	179 mm (7.05″)	118 mm (4.65″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Zoom method	Rotary (internal)	Rotary (extending)
Power zoom	No
Filter thread	77 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	Yes	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Meike releases 50mm F1.7 full-frame budget lens for Canon EOS-R, Nikon Z cameras

23 Jan

Hong Kong-based company Meike has launched its 50mm F1.7 lens for the Canon EOS-R and Nikon Z6 / Z7 full-frame cameras. This manual focus full-frame lens features 6 elements in 5 groups, 0.5m / 1.6ft minimum focusing distance, a nanotechnology multi-layer coating, and 310 gram / 11oz weight.

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The Meike 50mm F1.7 lens, which is designed for portrait photography, sports a dust- and water-resistant design with a brushed metal housing and metal bayonet. The model is available now with an included front and rear lens caps, a lens hood, pouch, and cloth for $ 139.99 USD through Amazon (EOS R, Nikon Z).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Lens Rentals calls the Z7 the ‘best built mirrorless full-frame camera we’ve taken apart’

31 Oct

In case you were wondering what’s packed inside the Nikon Z7 and how well constructed it is, Lens Rentals has kindly cracked one open so you don’t have to, as promised in its EOS R teardown.

The camera equipment rental and repair business, famous for its camera teardowns, has documented the process of taking the Z7 apart, showing pictures of the weather sealing, electronic design, internal structure, and component layout of Nikon’s flagship full-frame mirrorless camera.

Roger Cicala, the man behind the teardown and founder of Lens Rentals, praises the extensive weathersealing protection from ingress of dust and moisture in the camera’s construction, and says the joints in the body are overlapped, screwed together and then covered by adhesive and rubber. He’s also impressed with the neatness of the electronics and the way the boards are packed into the body without leaving much space between them, especially with the in-body image stabilization.

“[The IBIS] noticeably more compact, has less travel than the Sony system, and seems more robust,” says Cicala. “From our focus on repair, we see this as a good thing – early Sony IBIS systems would sometimes move enough to jam and/or break. (To be clear, that’s not an issue with newer Sony cameras. I point this out just to show that the manufacturers have been watching each other.)”

Cicala’s only concerns seem to be that the diopter adjustment knob might not stand being pulled out and pushed in multiple times in rental models, and that the tripod screw isn’t as deep as some, so runs the slight risk of a long thread busting through it.

In conclusion Cicala says “I’m impressed by the very solid construction of the chassis and IBIS unit. I’m impressed with the neat, modern engineering of the electrical connections […] I’m not here to tell you which camera is best to use or has the best performance. I’m just here to say this is a damn well-built camera, the best built mirrorless full-frame camera we’ve taken apart.”

Go to the full teardown on Lens Rental’s website to see more photos and a more thorough take with all his comments. And remember, don’t try this at home!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2018: Fujifilm interview – ‘we’ll never go full-frame’

23 Oct

Toshihisa Iida, General Manager of Fujifilm’s Optical Device and Electronic Imaging Products Division pictured at the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany last month.

At this year’s Photokina show in Cologne, Germany we spoke to senior executives from several major camera and lens manufacturers. Among them was Toshihisa Iida of Fujifilm, who told us about the future of his company’s medium-format lineup, the challenges of 100MP and why Fujifilm will never make a full-frame camera.

Photokina is proving to be an important show for Fujifilm!

Yes. Photokina 2010 was the X100 development announcement, 2012 was the first-generation mirrorless – 2014 I’ve forgotten! [in fact it was the announcement of the X100T and X30] and 2016 was of course the GFX 50S.

Now that all of the legacy DSLR makers except Ricoh have full-frame mirrorless systems, will Fujifilm ever enter the full-frame market?

No, never. Because we don’t have that legacy – luckily or unluckily. We don’t see any point in Fujifilm entering that market, particularly since we have good APS-C and medium format systems. If we entered full-frame [our systems] would just start cannibalizing each other. We’re happy to stay with two completely independent systems.

Fujifilm’s new GFX 50R is a rangefinder-style medium format camera which uses the same 50MP sensor as its direct predecessor the GFX 50S.

Do you see many of your users upgrading from X to GFX?

Not quite yet. Because they’re totally different systems. We started creating our legacy based on the X100. Usability, colors [etc.] and I hope that in near future more X Series customers will step up to GFX.

Can you describe the thinking behind the creation of the 50R?

Shortly after we introduced the 50S we started receiving requests from customers, who remembered the old medium format film cameras. Immediately after we released the 50S they were asking ‘when is a rangefinder style 50S coming?.

Is this a camera you expect to be used more like a field camera? Like the old rangefinders?

Yes. All controls must be reachable with one hand, that was our concept for usability. We wanted the camera to be more suited to street, reportage and portrait photography.

The forthcoming 100MP camera is more SLR style, with a detachable viewfinder, more similar to the 50S, but with an integrated battery grip for greater battery capacity. The sensor and the image stabilization system need more power.

The upcoming 100MP GFX will feature an integrated battery grip and in-body stabilization. Fujifilm also promises a superior electronic viewfinder experience and beefed-up video capabilities.

Was a 100MP camera always in the works?

Yes, it’s why we designed our GF lenses to support 100MP, when that resolution [eventually] became available. We’ve talked about that openly.

You’ve mentioned the need for more battery capacity, what other changes did you face when designing a 100MP camera?

The biggest challenge was image stabilization. The sensor is so sensitive that even the smallest vibration is picked up [in the image]. So we knew we needed in-body stabilization. And you can imagine that it’s quite challenging to stabilize such a big sensor.

Is the system adapted from the IBIS system in the X-H1?

We drew on our experience from the X-H1, yes but it’s more challenging with the larger sensor size.

Will the viewfinder experience of the 100MP camera be better to the current GFX 50S and 50R?

It should be a lot better, yes, because the readout speed of the new sensor is a lot quicker. The sensor and the processor itself are both upgraded. The processor is much more powerful.

The recently-announced Fujifilm X-T3 is a powerful 26MP APS-C camera, which packs impressive still and video-oriented features.

Fujifilm was a little slow to introduce video features, but the current generation are very strong video cameras. What’s your video strategy for future cameras?

The forthcoming 100MP camera will be the first 4K/30p GFX camera, which is the first step. It will be interesting to see what kind of quality we can get from the new sensor. With the X Series we have a plan, for example to extend recording time, and make the menus more usable for still and video shooting. We have more to do, more speed, 4K/60p [etc.] We would really like to attract videographers to the GFX cameras as well.

Do you think that you might create Fujinon cine lenses for GFX in the future?

Let’s wait and see. The first step is 100MP, and then we’ll see how it goes. Of course, developing such lenses is probably technically possible, it’s just a matter of prioritization.

Filmmakers are creative people, always looking for something more

How do you plan to market the 100MP medium format to videographers? Videographers don’t typically think about medium format.

Just today [after the 100MP announcement at the Photokina press conference] I started receiving a lot of questions from videographers. Larger formats are becoming a trend for videography. Filmmakers are creative people, always looking for something more.

100MP and 4K/30p represent a huge amount of data – is SD media still appropriate?

I think that SD media and HDMI output are enough for now.

Tamron’s FE-mount 28-70mm F2.8 was the first third-party attempt at a native Sony FE mount lens. Could Fujifilm open up its XF and GF mounts to other lens developers?

Do you welcome third-party lens manufacturers that want to create lenses for XF and GF?

They’re not open standards as yet, but of course our customers want choice. We’re always considering what would benefit our customers, and more lenses are generally beneficial for customers.

Should we expect to see more smaller, compact lenses for GF mount, like the forthcoming 50mm pancake?

Yes, in the future we’d like to expand our lineup of compact lenses for GF. We need small lenses for the smaller camera, to get the right balance. We’re always thinking about the whole system.

Maybe we need to start from scratch when it comes to future cameras aimed at smartphone upgraders

The competitive marketplace is getting quite crowded. Which competitive products do you take most seriously?

We’re always watching the major brands, to see what they’re doing, but at the same time smartphones. The quality and functionality – we have to watch that segment very carefully, especially considering our entry-level mirrorless cameras.

How will you address the challenge from smartphones?

The first thing is to do more research into what smartphone customers want from cameras. Usability, shooting options and so on. Maybe we need to start from scratch when it comes to future cameras aimed at smartphone [upgraders].

Our biggest potential challenge is from smartphones, not competitor cameras.

Do you see opportunities for more Instax incorporation into your traditional camera lineups?

Yes, Instax are already becoming digital cameras. Maybe we should think about interchangeable lens Instax. One of the biggest features for mirrorless cameras are interchangeable lenses, so Instax is one of our opportunities.

The Pentax Q range (a Q7 is pictured here) was an intriguing but relatively short-lived attempt at an ultra-compact mirrorless interchangeable lens system. As most manufacturers move toward larger cameras and (especially) lenses, the days of such pocketable alternatives might be over.

Do you think that there could be a future for small format interchangeable lens cameras like the Pentax Q, now?

With that product, the sensor size was too small. The image quality was not strong enough to really compete against smartphones. We need a decent sensor size and high quality lens. So again the question is how to balance size, weight and quality.

Camera bodies can be small regardless of sensor size. The big difference is the lens. The size of the lens [is directly related to] sensor format.

In the past we’ve spoken about software corrections for some lenses. Do you see a future where your high-quality lenses could be made smaller using software?

We always prioritize optical quality first, minimizing software correction. That’s our policy at the moment, and I don’t think it will change. That’s why the APS-C format is important to us. We make the lenses as small as possible, without [a lot of] software correction.

What are the challenges of designing fast focusing large-aperture lenses?

A brighter lens means that each element is heavier. So we need to build in more powerful focus actuators, but there’s limited space. So it’s always a tradeoff of lens brightness, focus speed, and how heavy the lens is.

Designed for the more compact GFX 50R, Fujifilm’s forthcoming 50mm F3.5 offers a near-pancake form factor, much smaller than most of the company’s medium-format GF lens lineup.

Now that you’re thinking ahead to high resolution video capture in the GFX series, what impact does this have on lens design?

It’s challenging – how to minimize the weight of focusing units. It’s a task for the lens design team. Maybe they’ll use more aspherical elements, for example. There are technologies which we can use, but it’s a challenge.

Is there potential for Fujifilm to create dedicated video cameras?

Potentially, yes. We don’t have any concrete plans, but we need to understand the requirements of videographers, and how their requests when it comes to usability and menus are different from stills photographers. Especially for stills, operation is more dial-driven, but for video it’s totally different.

Editor’s note: Barnaby Britton

As Mr. Iida mentioned, for the past several years Photokina has been an important show for Fujifilm, serving as an opportunity to showcase its major releases in front of a global audience. Photokina 2018 was no different, with the announcement of two major new cameras – a rangefinder-style GFX 50R and the development of a forthcoming 100MP medium-format model, coming next year.

Both announcements probably serve as tacit answers to the question of whether or not Fujifilm will ever create a full-frame camera, but “no, never” is about as conclusive a response as we’d ever expect to get. A more typical response (of the kind that we get repeatedly whenever we talk to senior executives) is more along the lines of ‘we need to study the market, and we’re not ruling anything out’. The fact that Mr. Iida was so definitive is unusual, but reassuring. Fujifilm has an excellent opportunity to differentiate with medium-format in a way that it couldn’t expect to do with full-frame, especially now that Canon, Nikon and Panasonic have joined the fray.

Fujifilm’s cameras might be getting bigger, but Mr Iida recognizes a need for smaller lenses

The forthcoming 100MP GFX won’t be cheap by full-frame standards, but with features like built-in IBIS and 4K/30p video, it promises to set new technical benchmarks for large-sensor imaging when it is released next year.

Fujifilm’s cameras might be getting bigger, but Mr. Iida recognizes a need for smaller lenses, especially with the somewhat more compact rangefinder-style GFX 50R. A range of compact F3.5-ish primes for GFX would help make the system somewhat more portable, as well as potentially more attractive to first-time medium-format buyers.

We expect to see more – and more powerful – ‘hybrid’ cameras from Fujifilm

Still imaging is only part of the story, of course. In recent generations Fujifilm has made impressive efforts to improve its products’ video capabilities, to the point where the X-H1 and more recent X-T3 are among our favorite cameras for 4K videography. Assuming that it reads out all pixels for 4K video, the forthcoming 100MP medium-format model could actually prove very disruptive for professional filmmaking, thanks to the wide dynamic range of medium format sensors compared to full-frame and super 35 formats.

Could Fujifilm use its long experience of making broadcast and cine lenses to create a dedicated video camera? Mr. Iida isn’t ruling it out, and it’s an intriguing thought. In the short term though, we expect to see more – and more powerful – ‘hybrid’ cameras from Fujifilm, and that’s still an exciting prospect.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon EOS R teardown: Roger Cicala takes a look inside Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless

20 Oct

Lensrentals.com, 2018

It’s been less than two weeks since the Canon EOS R started shipping and already Roger Cicala, founder of Lens Rentals, has taken one apart in incredible detail to see what’s inside.

Per his usual routine for gear teardowns, Cicala makes notes of various features and components found inside the camera along the way.

Lensrentals.com, 2018

The EOS R teardown started with the removal of the adhesive grip tape from around the body of the camera to better see where all of the screws are. From there, the Cicala stripped the EOS R of its various elements piece by piece from the outside in.

While Cicala called it ‘a rather a boring disassembly,” the resulting photos and look inside the camera are anything but. Canon appears to have done a solid job across the board considering the price point and feature set of the camera, but there’s certainly room for improvements.

Lensrentals.com, 2018

The buttons on the camera are thoroughly protected with weather-sealing gaskets, but the body itself is only water-resistant by tightly overlapping two pieces of the seams of the polycarbonate frame. In Cicala’s own words, “that means, I think, that it will be fine in a misty rain for a while, but don’t get it saturated and don’t set it somewhere wet.”

Lensrentals.com, 2018

Cicala also notes that “it’s not very crowded inside [the EOS R],” meaning there’s plenty of room to pack in more features and tech inside if Canon decides to do so. He specifically mentions that much of the extra space he noticed between the circuit board and image sensor is where the in-body stabilization (IBIS) is seen inside the Sony A7R III he took apart. But don’t hold your breath for seeing IBIS in future EOS R cameras. Cicala adds “Canon has been very clear that they think lens stabilization is superior.”

Lensrentals.com, 2018

Overall, Cicala says the EOS R appears to follow most of the design and engineering elements of past Canon DSLR cameras. “It was rather a boring disassembly, really, about what we should expect for Canon doing a Canon 6D Mark II quality mirrorless camera […] It’s neatly laid out and nicely engineered inside.”

Lensrentals.com, 2018

To see more photos and more thorough insights from Cicala, head on over to the full Canon EOS R teardown. Cicala notes that a similar dissection of Nikon’s Z7 is complete and will be written up as soon as he can get around to it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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