There are lots of new products vying for attention at CP+ 2016, including Sony’s a6300 and new GM series lenses for its full-frame mirrorless cameras. And they are getting plenty of attention from show attendees, especially those eager to try out the FE 85mm F1.4 GM’s portrait capabilities. We took another look at the a6300 and the GM lenses on display at the buzzing Sony booth in Yokohama.
See all of our CP+ 2016 coverage
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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At this year’s CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan, Panasonic unveiled the Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power O.I.S. lens. Featuring a splash and dustproof design, the 24-120mm equivalent zoom is designed to be a lightweight, versatile companion to Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds cameras.
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The new 12-60mm is smaller and much lighter than we expected from the specification. Although it is weather-sealed and boasts 11 elements in 9 groups, it weighs a mere 210 g (0.46 lb).
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The lens is constructed from polycarbonate, but the mount is metal. It’s hard to see in this image but there’s a rubber gasket around the lens throat which prevents dust and moisture from getting into the camera.
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This is an O.I.S lens, which means that it is optically stabilized. In combination with the in-body stabilization of the Lumix DMC-GX8 this means that it supports Panasonic’s Dual IS feature, which we’ve found offers very good performance across a wide range of focal lengths, but especially at long telephoto settings, where in-body stabilization alone can sometimes struggle.
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The Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH will be available in May for $ 499.99.
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Announced before the show, CP+ was the first chance that most Panasonic users have had to play with the new Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4-6.3 telezoom. We got the chance to shoot with one recently and it certainly impressed us.
Covering a focal length range equivalent to 200-800mm when attached to a Micro Four Thirds body this powerful zoom appropriately features ‘Power’ optical image stabilization to keep things steady. It has has one aspherical, one UED, and two ‘regular’ ED elements, as well as a nine-bladed circular aperture. The minimum focus distance is 1.3m, with a magnification of 0.25x.
The Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400 F4-6.3 will be available in early April at a price of $ 1799.99.
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Also annouced before the show, here’s the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (known as the TZ100 in most regions outside of North America). It’s a compact travel zoom of the kind that Panasonic has historically been particularly good at, but unusually it features a 20 megapixel, 1″-type sensor.
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That 20MP sensor is paired with a 25-250mm equivalent F2.8-5.9 Leica DC lens which incorporates the company’s snappy Depth from Defocus autofocus technology. It offers a 3″ touchscreen LCD as well as a 1.04M-dot electronic viewfinder, Raw support, 10 fps continuous shooting (5 fps with AF) and Wi-Fi.
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On the video side of things the ZS-100 can record 4K/UHD video at 30p and 24p as well as 1080/60p clips. Panasonic’s unique 4K photo mode lets you grab high quality 8MP stills from 4K video.
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A built-in EVF, 25-250mm equivalent lens and plenty of manual controls make the ZS-100 a very attractive camera for traveling, in theory. We’re expecting a reviewable camera very soon and we’ll be posting sample images as fast as we can.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Tamron is showing off two brand new lenses at CP+ this year – the SP 85mm F1.8 Di VC USD (shown here) and SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD 1:1 Macro. The ‘SP’ in the model names stands for ‘Super Performance’ – a designation that Tamron reserves for its high-end optics. We headed to the Tamron booth today and got our hands on the new lenses, and Tamron’s upcoming TAP-in Console.
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First up is the SP 85mm F1.8 Di VC USD, which slots right alongside the previously-announced 35mm and 45mm F1.8 primes that Tamron released last year. Like those lenses it is relatively compact, but feels extremely solid and has a nice weight to it, balancing well on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III (provided by Tamron to get a feel for the how the lens handles).
It’s worth noting the Nikon version of this lens uses an electromagnetic aperture control, rather than the traditional aperture lever.
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The 85mm features LD (low dispersion) and XLD (extra low dispersion) elements to reduce flare and ghosting and a fluorine coating on the front element to keep moisture and fingerprints at bay. Nine aperture blades ensure circular out-of-focus highlights. MTF (theoretical) curves suggest outstanding resolution and contrast. The VC system offers up to 3.5 stops of shake reduction (tested to CIPA standards) and its ring-type ultrasonic motor provides fast and near-silent autofocus when we tested this pre-production sample.
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It’s hard to see in this photo, but the lens mount of the new 85mm and 90mm SP primes is protected by a rubber gasket, to protect against dust and moisture incursion into the lens throat. Expected to be available in April in Canon and Nikon mount versions, a Sony A-mount version will follow later. Pricing is still TBC.
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Next up is the SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD 1:1 Macro, which offers true macro 1:1 reproduction at a focusing distance of 13.9cm/5.5in. A 9-blade aperture ensures circular out-of-focus highlights. Tamron has been making a 90mm macro lens of some or other kind for a very very long time, and all of them have been extremely well-regarded. Our first impressions of the new 90mm are that in terms of handling, this might be the best yet.
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Like the other recently-announced SP primes, build quality is very high, and just in terms of aesthetics, the new 90mm looks great. It seems that Tamron has been looking over its shoulder at Sigma’s ‘Art’ range and this is no bad thing. Like those lenses, all of Tamron’s new SP primes look more expensive than they are. The 90mm macro will be available next month for a very reasonable $ 649.
Again, we’ve only handled a pre-production sample but just from first impressions we’re excited to get it into our studio as soon as possible.
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Tamron’s new ‘TAP-in Console’ is also distinctly Sigma-esque. (An early engineering sample is shown here). Available for Nikon and Canon-mount versions of the SP 85mm F1.8, SP 90mm F2.8 Macro, SP 45mm F1.8, SP 35mm F1.8 lenses (the older 35mm and 45mm primes will need updating at a Tamron service center) the TAP-in Console will allow users to calibrate their lenses for precise AF, at either end of a zoom and at three different subject distance ranges (near, mid, far), as well as adjust VC performance parameters.
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Projected to be available next month, Tamron has not yet announced pricing information for the TAP-in console but after seeing coming to appreciate the value of Sigma’s dock, we’re very pleased to see this kind of solution being introduced by another manufacturer. Canon and Nikon take note…
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
It’s all well and good to imagine what Nikon’s trio of 1″-type sensor compacts might be like based on spec, but there’s nothing like getting them in your hands. See what the buzz is all about – straight from the show floor of CP+ in Yokohama, Japan.
See all of our coverage from CP+ 2016
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Sigma announced several new products at CP+ 2016, including two new cameras. The interchangeable lens SD Quattro And SD Quattro H represent a new departure for the company in two senses – both are mirrorless cameras, and the ‘H’ features an APS-H format sensor. More conventional are a new 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art zoom and 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary prime for mirrorless cameras.
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Ergonomically, the new SD Quattro and Quattro H are far more conventional than the DP-series compact cameras in Sigma’s lineup. But both still handle very differently to most other mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. They’re boxier, for one thing, with a distinctive body shape, and a viewfinder that’s much further to the right than the majority of DSLRs and EVF-equipped mirrorless models.
The 2.3MP viewfinders in Sigma’s new cameras are sharp and detailed, although our preliminary impressions of the cameras’ hybrid autofocus systems aren’t terribly encouraging. We’re hoping that the slow, hesitant AF that we experienced is a symptom of these early, pre-production cameras because in most other respects the new models handle very well.
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That being said, the cameras are comfortable to hold, and feel like ‘premium’ products, as we’d expect from Sigma at this point. This view highlights the unusually deep lens throat, which protrudes a good inch or so from the front of the main camera body. Here, we’ve attached a (Sigma mount, of course) 50mm F1.4 ‘Art’, and the total package handles (and balances) very well.
Ergonomically, the SD Quattro and SD Quattro H are identical. The only difference is the size of their sensors. Sigma claims that the Foveon sensors inside the SD Quattro and SD Quattro H offer resolutions equivalent to 39 and 51MP respectively, in conventional Bayer terms.
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The new cameras are being launched alongside a new flash – the EF-630. Compatible with ‘with most well-known digital SLR cameras’ (and the Sigma SD Quattro / H) the EF-630 has a guide number of 63, and the articulating head can zoom to cover focal lengths from 24-200mm.
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We don’t normally get too excited by flashguns but the EF-630 is an unusually solid-feeling, well-made unit. As well as on-camera use it can also be triggered wirelessly.
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As well as a new flash, the SD also gets a new dedicated grip. The grip adds duplicated vertical controls and can incorporate two batteries. It also converts the SD Quattro’s unconventional body shape into a more traditional flat-sided form. Booooring…
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Not at all boring is the new 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art, which provides a 75-150mm focal length range on the APS-C format DSLRs for which it’s designed. Offering a fast maximum aperture and standard ‘Art’-series construction quality the 50-100mm is solid, heavy and luxuriously engineered.
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With enthusiast APS-C format DSLRs enjoying something of a resurgence in the past couple of years, we suspect there are a lot of Canon EOS 7D Mark II and prospective Nikon D500 owners who will be very excited by this lens. The 50-100mm features three FLD (F Low Dispersion) glass elements, one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass element, and one high-refractive index, high-dispersion glass element. We expect this lens to deliver great results and we’re keen to see how it performs.
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At the other end of the size and weight scale is he 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary. A small, lightweight prime for mirrorless cameras, the 30mm F1.4 is available in two versions – one for Micro Four Thirds (shown here) and another for Sigma’s APS-C mirrorless E-mount cameras. We were able to use both versions briefly at CP+ and we’re especially impressed by how fast the lens can focus. Eventually, we’d love to see Sigma make a version for full-frame mirrorless (you’ll get heavy vignetting if you put the E-mount version on an A7-series camera).
The 30mm F1.4 will ship in mid-March at an MSRP of $ 339, while the 50-100mm F1.8 is expected in late April priced at $ 1099.
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Sigma’s final CP+ announcement was the Mount Converter MC-11, which lets you attach Sigma’s most recent lenses (in either Canon or Sigma mount) on full-frame or APS-C E-mount bodies. The MC-11 adapter is able to support phase detection AF with adapted lenses, and makes use of both camera and lens stabilization when present.
Effectively an own-brand version of Metabones Canon EF to FE adapters, the MC-11 (sort of) answers a long-standing complaint of Sony A7-series owners about the lack of full-frame Sigma lenses for their chosen platform. Pricing and availability has yet to be announced.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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DPReview is at the CP+ 2016 show in Yokohama, Japan, where Nikon announced three new compact cameras. The ‘DL’ range is distinct from the established Coolpix and 1-series lineups, and consists of three cameras built around the same 20MP 1″-type sensor. We headed straight to Nikon’s booth to get hands-on time with the DL18-50, DL24-85 and DL24-500.
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The DL24-85 is (we suspect) going to be the most popular of the three cameras, at least for the average DPReview reader. The 24-85 in its name designates a 24-85mm equivalent focal length range. This is a useful everyday focal range for general shooting and the lens is fast enough for low-light work and some control over depth-of-field for portraiture.
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This is the DL18-50 is ergonomically virtually identical to the DL24-85 but offers a considerably wider and shorter lens which covers an equivalent focal length range of (you guessed it) 18-50mm. The maximum aperture range of both cameras is identical, at F1.8-2.8. This wider range should make it more suitable for landscape and street photography fans, and just personally, I’m really looking forward to taking it hiking.
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The lenses of the DL18-50 (shown here) and the DL24-85 can be zoomed either in steps, using the ring around the lens barrel, or via a small W-T rocker switch around the shutter release. Having a step zoom is very handy for some situations (it’s a real time-saver in the DPReview studio, for one thing).
The frontmost dial is a focus dial, but it is unclear whether it can be customized to perform other functions. We’d fully expect this to be the case, but Nikon has been a little ambiguous on this point (and the cameras we handled for these images were in Japanese). As soon we can, we’ll try to get clarity.
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The DL18-50’s lens offers Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coating, which should help when it comes to flare resistance – an important factor with such a wide-angle lens.
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Ergonomically the DL18-50 and DL24-85 recall the Nikon Coolpix A, crossed with some of Panasonic’s compact zoom cameras, like the LX100. Both feel solid and well-built and the various control points move positively and aren’t too small for comfortable use. Nikon is clearly attacking the same market with these new 4K-capable cameras as Sony is with the Cyber-shot RX100-series, and we’re very keen to see how they compare in the studio.
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Unlike Sony’s Cyber-shot RX100-series, the DL18-50 and DL24-85 offer touch-sensitive rear OLED screens. And they tilt outwards, too, as well as upwards to 180 degrees for selfies. Although we’re basing our impressions on very brief use of prototype cameras, the screens seem responsive to the touch, and are certainly nice and constrasty. Which is good news because the DL18-50 and DL24-85 lack built-in viewfinders. Instead, you’ll need an optional EVF (price still TBC) which adds versatility, and of course, cost.
The DL24-85 will cost $ 649 and the wider DL18-50 will set you back $ 849.
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The largest and most expensive ($ 999) of the three new DL cameras is the DL24-500 which offers an equivalent focal length range of 24-500mm. Like the smaller DLs it offers 4K video capture, up to 60fps continuous shooting and enthusiast-focused ergonomics, but inevitably it is much larger to accommodate that longer lens.
The lens is slower, too, offering a maximum aperture range of F2.8-5.6. That’s the price you pay for the greater versatility of the longer zoom range.
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The other reason why the DL24-500 is physically larger than the DL18-50 and DL24-85 is its built-in EVF, which sits above the lens axis in classic ‘bridge’ camera style. To the left of the viewfinder hump is a small cap over the DL24-500’s microphone jack. This is an unusually prominent position for a mic jack and reflects the importance of video in the camera’s feature set. All three DL-series cameras shoot 4K, but ergonomically, the DL24-500 is definitely the better suited to filmmaking.
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All three cameras offer Nikon’s ‘Dual Detect Optical VR’ vibration reduction, but this is especially useful in the DL24-500, with its longer, slower lens. We have high hopes, too for its autofocus system which is inherited from the 1-series (and shared with the DL18-50 and DL24-85) which combines 105 phase-detection and 171 contrast-detection AF points in a hybrid system that should be extremely competitive with cameras like Sony’s Cyber-shot RX10 II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000.
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Hybrid AF has been a major selling point of Nikon’s 1-series since its inception and promises fast and accurate subject tracking, certainly compared to pure contrast-detection focusing systems. All three DL-series compacts can shoot at up to 20 fps with autofocus. Impressive stuff, assuming the hit-rate is decent.
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The screen on the back of the DL24-500 is touch-sensitive, just like its smaller DL cousins, but fully articulating. All three cameras offer plenty of manual control including a physical exposure compensation button which spans an unusually wide +/-5EV (visible on the upper right of the camera’s top-plate in this view).
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The DL24-500 offers twin control dials, one on the top-plate (to the left of the exposure compensation dial) and one on the rear, around the conventional 4-way controller. This view also shows off the large EVF housing and generous eye-cup.
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So what do you think? We’re pretty impressed, especially by the DL24-85 and DL18-50, and it’s nice to see Sony getting some genuine competition in a market segment that has been dominated by RX100-series cameras. All three DL compacts have a lot to offer (the DL24-500 might finally give the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 a run for its money in terms of autofocus performance) and we’re really keen to see how all three perform when shipping samples become available.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Following our recent field test of the Phase One 645DF+ and an accompanying IQ250 back, we thought it would be interesting to see how the same 50MP CMOS sensor is employed by another medium-format beast: the Hasselblad H5D-50c Wi-Fi. This particular Sony sensor is interesting. It may not be the highest resolution sensor in its size class, but its CMOS technology allows ISO sensitivity ratings that its CCD rivals simply can’t match. This extra sensitivity – largely due to the low noise CMOS architecture – lends immense flexibility to cameras that traditionally have been rather tied to the studio and are often only capable of location work when accompanied by a few powerful lights. The low noise sensor combined with the large surface area of the medium format sensor also lends the camera slightly more Raw dynamic range than even the best full-frame cameras, something landscape shooters are sure to appreciate.
That the majority of medium-format camera brands want to be able to offer the features that this 50MP sensor makes possible is understandable, and in fact Pentax, Phase One, Leaf and Hasselblad have all built solutions around it. Of course, having the same sensor doesn’t automatically guarantee that all of these cameras will give exactly the same results.
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The Hasselblad H5D-50c Wi-Fi is a medium-format DSLR camera that uses a back fitted with a 50MP sensor. The sensor measures 43.8 x 32.9mm and has a pixel array of 8272 x 6200 that outputs Raw images weighing in between 65 and 90MB. The Raw files are saved in Hasselblad’s own 3FR format that uses lossless compression. The camera is capable of simultaneous JPEG output as well – but JPEG files are only 12.7MP and measure 4128 x 3088. Think of them as the digital equivalent of a Polaroid proof print.
The H5D-50c’s CMOS sensor allows an ISO range of 100-6400 which is slightly wider and shifted towards higher sensitivities when compared to the 50-800 range of the company’s CCD offering. Color is recorded in 16-bit ‘definition’ and rendered according to Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution color profile. The company recommends its own Phocus software for post-production work and for tethered shooting, but the files are also compatible with Adobe’s Camera Raw application – all of which are included in the purchase price of the kit.
Other primary specifications worth pointing out include a shutter speed range of 34 minutes to 1/800sec – more impressive at the longer end than the shorter – spot, center-weighted and center-spot metering across a EV1-21 range, and a single-spot AF system that works between EV1-19.
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The new features of the H5D-50c Wi-Fi obviously include the integration of Wi-Fi wireless communication in the digital back. This allows the user to connect the camera to an iOS smart device so that it can be controlled remotely and images can be viewed, before and after shooting, on the screen of an iPhone or iPad. An app called Phocus runs the connection and allows a good deal of control over the camera’s settings, as well as the ability to browse images stored on the card loaded in the camera.
Live View is another important ‘new’ feature, giving photographers the chance to see through the lens via the rear screen. At the same time you can use the built-in level to check the camera is straight, and once images are captured it’s possible to preview focused areas via magnification or peaking, as well as see over- and under-exposure warnings.
This is also the first new Hasselblad for some time to accept film backs, so users can switch easily between digital and traditional media.
The body of the H5D-50c is a good deal more modern than the 1980’s Mamiya derivative that is the Phase One 645DF+ (which has since been replaced by the Phase One XF). The well-designed hand grip makes the weight of the body pleasant to hold, and the lens and back feel balanced. Although the kit – even with the small standard 80mm lens – is heavy, the designers have made a great job of reducing the strain through the way we are forced to hold the body. During my time with the camera, non-photographers consistently commented to me on how big it was, but also how comfortable it is to hold and use. Probably due to the form-factor, many people also thought it was a video camera.
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Hasselblad has arranged the majority of control points around the bulky grip of the right hand. An LCD panel on the top of the grip displays options and settings with the resolution and panache of yesterday’s Casio digital watch – but without the screen size. This tiny display is the interface between the photographer and a mass of complicated functions, and while it can do the job it really isn’t ideally suited to it.
The grip is equipped to keep all of your fingers busy, with buttons on the back for the thumb, on the top for fingers and on the front for stretched out digits. It is remarkable how much can be accessed without changing the way the camera is held – including the mirror lock-up, depth-of-field preview and the True Focus button. With the HVD 90x prism head attached, as it was for the duration of this test, the photographer has access to an exposure compensation button – at a stretch – and the button for adjusting the exposure mode. All adjustments of features and functions are dealt with efficiently by a pair of small but comfortable wheels under the thumb and forefinger.
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Further control is afforded by the screen on the digital back and the accompanying small, spongy buttons. While 35mm-style DSLRs can host all their features on a rear screen, this screen only really allows us to alter white balance, image format and other issues relating directly to the operations of the back. The back is attached to the body alright, and the two communicate, but the two are not fully integrated. You can’t adjust body functions via the back, so the real estate of that spacious rear screen is largely redundant when not being used to view what has just been captured.
Working with a single AF point that is fixed in the middle of the frame is par for the course for a lot of medium-format shooters, but hardly ideal. Although the system is reasonably quick I think it is fair to say that autofocus isn’t one of the camera’s strongest points – as indeed it isn’t in the Phase One 645DF+. When tripod-mounted, you’re obviously better off focusing manually using the magnified view in Live View, but when working handheld, AF is much improved by the addition of Hasselblad’s True Focus system.
True Focus makes a real difference if you’re a ‘focus lock and recompose’ kind of a photographer. After locking AF and recomposing your scene, the camera measures the angle that the camera has been shifted by, and adjusts the focus position accordingly to compensate for the fractionally greater subject to imaging plane distance. It is very clever, and works very well most of the time.
As with other large-bodied medium-format cameras, some caution needs to be exercised when working with the H5D hand-held. No matter how comfortable the grip and how well suited the camera seems to off-tripod operation, the slap of the mirror is a significant hazard to image sharpness, especially at shutter speeds below 1/250sec.
I think most experienced medium-format photographers will be inclined to forgive some handling irritations for the sake of the image quality (they’re probably used to doing exactly that). And for me, the detail and dynamic range of the successful frames I shot with the H5D-50c worked like some memory-obliterating drug, making me forget about how awkward the camera can – sometimes – be to use.
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| Unsharpened | Sharpened |
Images from this camera look really quite soft in their Raw state, which alarmed me at first. They need a good deal of sharpening applied. However, when used at low ISO settings and at an optimal aperture, the amount of detail captured is fabulous.
Hasselblad seems to have set the processing in Phocus to prioritize noise reduction over detail, so images are less noisy than those shot on the Phase One IQ250 back and opened in Capture One Pro – but they need a good deal more sharpening to bring out textures in the subject matter. When the same images are opened in Adobe Camera Raw the amount of noise from the two backs is much more comparable.
Dynamic range is extensive, and the camera is capable of capturing a wider range of tones than the best full-frame DSLRs. As is the case generally with digital capture, it is easier to lift shadows than to recover blown highlights: once pixels saturate and clip, there’s no information to recover. Modern CMOS sensors like this one can retain a truly astonishing amount of detail in shadow areas, with little of the noise and / or banding penalty that we might have expected in previous-generation CCD sensors. This low noise CMOS architecture combined with the massive amount of light the large medium format sensor can collect means photographers can deal with high contrast scenes by exposing for highlights and tone-mapping shadows in post.
Unfortunately, exposing in this manner isn’t helped by the camera’s unsophisticated metering system, nor the fact that the rear screen is not a very reliable visual gauge of what has been captured – other than when the histogram display is showing. There is a clipping display option, but it is more a reflection of what will be lost in the JPEG images rather than what will be unrecoverable in the Raw files.
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| With HCD 28mm ISO 100, f/14, 0.3sec. Processed in ACR with -38 highlights, +100 blacks, no shadow correction. | Processed in ACR with -38 highlights, +100 blacks, +90 shadow correction. |
I found Hasselblad’s color quite difficult to get used to, and in some cases it took a while to make it work. I suppose it is hardly surprising that color, dynamic range and sharpness are easier to deal with in the company’s Phocus software than they are in Adobe Camera Raw, but even so there were occasions I struggled to get images to look the way I remembered seeing the original scene.
This is the third medium-format camera I have tested in recent months so it is almost impossible not to compare the Hasselblad H5D-50c Wi-Fi in some ways to the Phase One 645DF+ and the Leica S Type 007. Although different in handling and specification, the Hasselblad H5D-50c Wi-Fi is generally quite similar to the Phase One camera; as it is based on a older body, uses the same sensor, has Wi-Fi and Live View – but both seem very clunky when compared to the slick operation of the Leica. The Hasselblad mirror is less violent than the Phase One unit, and the body handling is overall more comfortable and better thought-out, but the integration of the digital back is less complete.
I appreciate being able to use flash at all shutter speeds, but found it hard to accept that my fastest shutter speed under any type of light was a very restricted 1/800sec. To me, that is a serious short-coming.
While obviously the quality of the images a camera produces is of the upmost importance, then surely the comfort of the photographer should take more precedence than it does with this H5D body. Most medium-format bodies are actually fairly old fashioned, and the H5D is a prime example. The company may have added some new features to jazz it up, but in my opinion, the whole system could do with a refresh.
Perry Oosting, the Hasselblad CEO, hinted in an interview with us that things are about to change and modernize at Hasselblad, and that the core products would be first on the list. I hope that means we will see something more suited to these modern times than this very able but imperfect machine. As I have said, the image quality it produces is really excellent, but there are so many other things the camera could do better.
We like:
We don’t like:
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Olympus’s PEN series of digital interchangeable lens cameras has a long heritage, stretching right back to the mid-20th Century, long before digital imaging transformed photography. The company’s latest PEN shows off its early influences in a classically-styled body and enthusiast-friendly handling experience, but in terms of its specifications the PEN-F is very much of its time.
Read our Olympus PEN-F First Impressions Review
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The PEN-F is available in two finishes, black (shown here, obviously) and silver. We really like the sleek-looking black finish but it’s all a matter of taste. We also quite like how the black version pairs with the silver finish of our 17mm F2.8. And how a camera looks is the most important thing, right?
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Well, looking at this camera you could certainly be forgiven for thinking that. The PEN-F is perhaps the most shamelessly ‘retro’ camera we’ve seen since the Nikon Df.
There’s really no need for a physical control point to select color modes, for instance (were the engineers just looking for something to make that dial do?), but we’ll freely admit that the front-mounted dial does look pretty cool. Likewise the generous amount of leatherette that covers the front (and back) of the PEN-F. So much classier than bare metal, or heaven forbid – plastic…
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The large on/off switch on the top left of the camera body is another control point that we suspect was included more for nostalgic reasons than anything else. Recalling the on / off switch on many OM-series film SLRs it moves positively, and with an expensive-feeling stiffness.
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New in Olympus’s digital PEN lineup is a built-in electronic viewfinder. This finder immediately sets it apart from earlier models like the E-P5 and puts the handling experience of the PEN-F closer to cameras like Sony’s venerable a6000. With 2.36 million dots, this OLED finder gives a very clear and crisp view of the world beyond the lens.
Also thoroughly modern is an 800-point contrast detection AF system, with face and eye-detection. This might not be capable of quite the same accuracy when tracking moving subjects as the hybrid system in the OM-D E-M1, but we’ve been impressed by Olympus’s contrast detect AF in other recent ILCs. Initial experience of using the PEN-F suggests that it performs well.
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At the heart of the PEN-F is a 20MP Four Thirds format Live MOS sensor. The Micro Four Thirds system entails a 2X crop factor for attached lenses, meaning that our 17mm F1.8 actually behaves approximately like a 34mm F3.6 lens would on a full-frame camera.
Like its bigger brother the DSLR-style OM-D E-M5, the PEN-F features 5-axis image stabilization, which Olympus claims should offer a stabilization benefit of ~5 stops. In our experience, this type of stabilization is also extremely useful when shooting handheld video.
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The PEN-F’s video specification is pretty standard for an ILC in 2016, offering Full HD capture at up to 60fps, with a maximum bitrate of 52Mbps. Sound is dealt with by a built-in stereo microphone, visible here just ahead of the hotshoe, on the top of the camera.
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By default, video is initiated via the red movie record button on the top right of the PEN-F and both this and most other major controls are pretty familiar, being used in other recent OM-D and PEN-series Olympus cameras. The shutter button sits in the middle of the main control dial (and a thread for a screw-in cable release is a nice touch) and there’s a secondary dial just behind it, jutting out from the rear of the camera. A ±3EV exposure compensation dial can be found on the top right shoulder.
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The PEN-F features a 3″ fully articulating LCD screen with 1.037 million dots, which folds out to the left of the camera body. The screen is touch sensitive, allowing for various features like touch AF placement and shutter release, menu navigation and zoom / swipe image review.
In terms of general handling, the PEN-F feels dense without being too heavy, and its aluminum and magnesium-alloy body gives a distinct impression of quality – an impression backed up by the nicely damped dials and stiff, well-machined dials. It’s a shame that the body isn’t weatherproof, though. That’s something that we did expect for the relatively high MSRP.
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Here’s a clearer view of the rear of the PEN-F showing the screen stowed for normal use. The notched dial to the right of the viewfinder is a diopter adjustment.
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On the right side of the PEN-F under a sprung flap you’ll find USB and HDMI ports. The USB port doubles as a jack for Olympus’ optional RM-UC1 remote shutter release. The camera lacks sockets for an external microphone or headphones. As with most cameras these days, Wi-Fi is built-in.
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The battery and memory card can be accessed from the bottom of the PEN-F, from within the same compartment. The battery is the familiar BLN-1, and this is rated for around 330 shots by CIPA standards.
As you can see, the tripod socket of the PEN-F is central to the lens axis, and far enough away from the battery compartment that it should be possible to swap battery / memory card with the camera mounted on some (if not all) tripods. This is good to see.
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This view gives you a pretty good idea of the PEN-F’s size – or rather of its smallness. Without a lens attached you can see that the camera fits pretty much into the hand of our model. The PEN-F measures 125 x 72 x 37mm, weighs 427g with battery and card installed, and will be available in March for $ 1199.99, body only.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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At its core, the X-Pro2 is a rangefinder style camera (and one that actually works a little like a rangefinder, thanks to some clever digital technology) that should appeal not only to the traditional rangefinder crowd, but also to enthusiasts who may be more accustomed to other styles of camera as well.
The X-Pro2 is technically the successor to Fujifiilm’s original X-mount camera, the X-Pro1, however in the context of Fujifilm’s camera business it’s much than that. In many ways the X-Pro2 raises the bar for the entire Fujifilm line of interchangeable lens cameras, including the current top of the line X-T1. Headline features include a 24MP X-Trans sensor, a new hybrid AF system, and picture-in-picture viewfinder design borrowed from the X100, along with improved video quality.
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With its 24MP X-Trans III CMOS sensor the X-Pro2 sets a new resolution standard for Fujifilm cameras, most of which have utilized 16MP sensors for a number of years. We’ve generally been impressed with how much image detail the company has been able to extract from those 16MP, and so far our impressions of the X-Pro2’s images have been positive, too.
The camera’s shutter has been uprated, too. The mechanical shutter can shoot as fast as 1/8000th of a second and can flash sync up to 1/250th. An electronic shutter mode expands the range up to 1/32000th of a second.
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Just as important as the additional resolution is the X-Pro2’s new autofocus system. With 273 AF points (including 77 phase detect points) the AF system is actually more advanced than Fujifilm’s existing flagship model, the X-T1. Importantly, the phase detect region extends beyond the central third of the frame, and the system supports AF tracking as well as eye-detection AF. Ultimately, however, the rate-limiting step when focusing some of Fujifilm’s lenses may be the lenses themselves: a few of them have to move a lot of glass around and may not react as quickly as the camera.
If you find 273 points too many to cope with, you can limit yourself down to 77 points to make them quicker to select – you retain the same coverage across the frame, though.
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The top plate of the X-Pro2 should be fairly straightforward to most experienced photographers, however it’s worth noting Fujifilm has added a nested ISO dial inside of the shutter speed dial. As neat as it looks, you probably won’t utilize this dial much if you use the camera’s Auto ISO settings. One quirk when using Auto ISO is that while you have the ability to specify a minimum shutter speed threshold, there is no option to relate minimum shutter speed to focal length. This is fine when using prime lenses but works less well for zooms, where the shutter speed required to avoid shake changes as you zoom.
There’s good news, though. The X-Pro2 includes the ability to save three Auto ISO settings in camera (compared to one on many previous Fujifilm models). It’s also possible to assign a custom button to switch between these settings for quick changes while shooting. Maximum standard ISO is extended up 12800 – one stop more than on previous Fujifilm models – and there’s an extended ISO mode that expands out to ISO 51200. For the first time, you can shoot Raw files at every setting.
There’s also a manual exposure compensation dial which can be set as much as ±3EV. However, this can be extended out to ±5EV in combination with the front dial.
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Looking at the rear of the camera we see one of the most important design elements of the X-Pro2: a small joystick just to the right of the screen. The joystick is useful for a couple reasons.
First, it can be used to manually select any of the camera’s 273 AF points – a much easier arrangement than trying to do so with four directional buttons. Second, and possibly more important, using the joystick to select AF points means that you don’t have to assign your four-way controller buttons to perform this task, effectively giving you extra buttons for custom functions.
In fact, the X-Pro2 has six customizable buttons. With the addition of the joystick, this means you really can assign six custom functions even with manual AF point selection. For shooters who like to manually select AF points this will be a significant enhancement to the shooting experience.
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Even the original X-Pro1 had a viewfinder lever on the front, but now the lever’s presence has taken on new significance. On the X-Pro2, Fujifilm has added the ‘Advanced’ hybrid viewfinder, similar to the one in the X100T. While shooting with the optical viewfinder, a quick push of this lever will bring up a small, magnified live view window in the lower right corner to use as a focusing aid. It’s then possible to focus on the magnified region (as seen through the lens) while composing with the OVF. There’s also a function button at the center of the lever.
In addition to the viewfinder lever there’s also a new command dial on the front of the camera, bringing the X-Pro series into the twin dial control era.
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The X-Pro2 has the standard connections you would expect on a Fujifilm camera. In addition to the traditional PC sync socket for connecting a flash there are USB and micro-HDMI ports. That microUSB port is also where Fujifilm’s optional RR-90 wired remote control plugs in. There’s also a 2.5mm microphone-in jack for shooting video, though no headphone jack to monitor sound.
For those wanting to shoot video, we’re happy to report that video quality on the X-Pro2 is notably improved relative to previous Fujifilm models. Whether this is a result of the new sensor or better algorithms for converting X-Trans data into video we’re not sure, but it’s fair to say that movie quality is fine for casual use. Video enthusiasts concerned with absolute quality will still want to look elsewhere, however. The X-Pro2 supports 1080/60p recording at around 36mbps.
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Another area in which Fujifilm has improved the build of the X-Pro2 is with additional weather sealing. A quick look at the inside of the card slot door reveals a good example of this in the form of a rubber gasket. The X-Pro2 is also Fujifilm’s first camera to support dual card slots, one of which supports UHS-II speeds.
What will go on those cards? Photos with beautiful Fujifilm colors, of course. Fujifilm has a well-deserved reputation for both JPEG color and B&W rendition based on classic film stocks, and the X-Pro2 continues the trend with a new one: Neopan Acros, a black and white film known for its rich gradations and fine grain. By default it features a very fine grain but there’s now an option to apply an additional grain effect to this and all the camera’s film simulation modes.
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Thankfully, Fujifilm has been fairly consistent with batteries, and the X-Pro uses the same NP-W126 battery as cameras such as the X-T1 and X-Pro1. It’s rated at 350 shots (250 if using the EVF) according to CIPA standards, which is about average for similar Fujifilm models, but it does come in below average for its APS-C sensor peers.
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We end with a slide from a Fujifilm presentation highlighting some of the X-Pro2’s sensor capabilities. The X-Trans color filter array (CFA) sits atop a traditional CMOS sensor, which we expect is Sony or Toshiba sourced, based on the low noise characteristics of previous Fujifilm cameras. The specs indicate a higher sensor readout rate, which if utilized properly, could lead to increased autofocus performance and may have an impact on video – which appears to be improved on the X-Pro2 relative to the X-T1 for example. Fujifilm is also claiming a 7.6 dB improvement in SNR, and we’ll be curious to see if this translates to increased low light performance in our controlled studio tests.
For more information about the X-Pro2 and what it’s like to use, read our first impressions review.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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In addition to its X-Pro2 and X-E2S, Fujifilm also announced the X70, a compact camera with a fixed 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens (shown here with a lens hood). Focal length aside, the X70 is in many way a Fujifilm X100T minus the hybrid viewfinder but with the addition of a tilting touchscreen.
It uses the same 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans II sensor as the X100T and features a similar layout of control points. We had the opportunity to get our hands on the X70 at a press event in Japan – take a look.
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The X70 looks quite a bit like a classic rangefinder film camera shrunken down. It features direct controls for shutter speed and exposure compensation, both of which are made from milled aluminum. It also has a dedicated aperture ring around the lens barrel, offering 1/3-stop aperture adjustments ranging from F2.8 to F16.
The focus ring on the front of the lens can be set to toggle focus when shooting in MF, or be used as a digital teleconverter, to switch the field of view to a 35mm and 50mm equivalent. The top also offers a hotshoe, video record button, drive button and Auto switch. When flipped down, the Auto switch overrides all other exposure parameters (just like the Auto switch on the X-T10).
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Just because the X70 has a touchscreen doesn’t mean there aren’t ample physical controls as well. Quite the contrary. The back alone offers a four-way controller, custom function button and a Q button for direct access to the Quick menu.
The touchscreen, by the way, is 3″ in size with 1.04 million dots. In addition to offering touch-to-shot and touch-to-focus capabilities, it can also be used in playback to swipe through images, and even offers pinch-to-zoom functionality.
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The grip on the X70 is made from a rubber-material; it is moderately-sized and comfortable to hold. The camera can easily be used with just a single hand, but offers enough real estate on the body to also be comfortably gripped with two.
While it’s easy to draw comparisons between the X100T and the X70, spend a little time holding the latter and you’ll quickly find it handles like a very different camera. In addition to its use of a 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens, compared to the 35mm equiv. F2 of the X100-series, it is also substantially smaller than a X100, thanks to its lack of a viewfinder. Moreover, the addition of an articulating touchscreen makes the X70 an even more discreet option than the X100T, especially for street photography.
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The 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens is composed of 7 elements, arranged into 5 groups. Two of those elements are aspherical to help cut chromatic aberration. The lens itself uses a 9-blade aperture.
The X70 offers Fujifilm’s latest AF system, and features both Zone AF and Wide/Tracking AF, first introduced on the Fujifilm X-T10 (and X-T1 via firmware 4.0). The Hybrid AF system comprises a total of 77-points.
Like all recent X-series cameras, the X70 offers Face Detect and Eye Detect. We had the chance to briefly try Face Detect on the X70 in a press meeting and our initial impressions were positive, despite the fact that Fujifilm cameras have historically lagged behind the competition at AF speed and accuracy when using Face and Eye Detect.
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The X70 has an articulating touchscreen that flips up 180 degrees and down 90 degrees; this is the first X-series camera to offer a touchscreen of any kind. We had the chance to try out the touch-to-shoot functionality during a product briefing and found the camera to be quite responsive. Street photography purists might scoff at the idea of using a touchscreen to make images, but we’ve found in use, it can be an incredibly handy way to shoot discreetly.
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For those tempted by the small size and touchscreen of the X70, but afraid they might miss having a viewfinder, Fujifilm will be selling the VF-X21 hotshoe-mountable optical finder, shown here, for $ 200.
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The X70 uses the same NP-95 battery as the X100-series. However the most logical comparison to the X70, both in terms of price and design is the Ricoh GR II. Both cameras use 16MP APS-C sensor and offer 28mm F2.8 equiv. lenses. It’s clear that Fuijifilm has set its sights on street shooters with the release of the X70; perhaps trying to snag those tempted by the Ricoh GR (and GR II), which is somewhat of a cult classic among urban shooters.
But while both cameras have similar bells and whistles, like Wi-Fi connectivity, direct controls and comfortable ergonomics, all in a nondescript body, the GR II has a fixed LCD, while the X70 has an articulating touchscreen. Furthermore, the X70 has a high ISO of 51,200, compared to the 25,600 on the GR II.
And for those nostalgic for the days of film, the X70 offers 13 baked-in film simulations including the much-loved Classic Chrome.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)