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Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

13 Oct

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

Announced as a development way back in August last year, the Z 58mm 0.95 ‘Noct’ is Nikon’s fastest ever lens, described by the company as a no-compromise flagship prime designed for optimum image quality, to take full advantage of the new Z mount. Like ‘a well-tempered Japanese sword’. as one promotional pamphlet put it, and priced to match, at an MSRP of $ 7999.99.

Nikon has shown mockups of the Noct at several tradeshows over the past 12 months, but it was only recently that we got our hands on a working sample of the lens – albeit a pre-production copy. We’re still waiting for a reviewable lens, so you won’t find any shots of Seattle in this article, but click through to learn a little more about Nikon’s most expensive and undoubtedly most impressive Z-series prime.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

First things first, this is a big lens. At fifteen centimeters (six inches) in length and ten centimeters (4 inches) in diameter, the Noct dwarfs the body of the Z6/7. Weighing in at 2 kilos (4lb, 7oz) it’s heavy, too. So heavy in fact that Nikon has included an integral tripod foot, on a locking ring around the barrel.

While the weight of the lens didn’t threaten to pull the mount off our Z7 during normal handling, it’s not a combination suited to single-handed shooting. This image also shows the screw-in hood, which is lined with felt.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

Here’s a closeup view of the barrel of the Noct, showing the L-Fn and ‘DISP’ buttons, which operate in the same ways as those buttons on the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S (L-Fn can be configured in exactly the same way as the equivalent controls on Z-series camera bodies).

The control ring to the right works in the same way as other Nikon Z lenses too, and can be configured to do various things (i.e. to provide direct control over aperture or exposure compensation). On the left of this image you’ll see the enormous manual focus ring, which makes up almost half the total length of the lens.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

Since the Noct is a manual focus lens, it was important that Nikon got the feel of the focus ring exactly right.

The pre-production copy we were using had small ‘detents’ at various positions across its focus range, but we understand that these will not be present in final lenses, leaving the ring travel free and smooth. The throw of the mechanical (note: not focus by wire) focus ring is enormous (around 350 degrees), allowing for minute adjustments to focal position. The focus ring is easy to grip, being knurled with finely-machined grooves running down almost its entire length.

Despite the super-sized focus ring and large barrel diameter, the filter thread is a relatively modest 82mm.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

Like the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S, the Noct features a small display on the top of its barrel, which can be configured to show either the precise hyperfocal distance at the shooting aperture (shown above) or the shooting aperture itself. Minimum focus is 0.5m (1.6 ft) which equates to a maximum magnification ratio of 0.194X.

Being a digital display means the depth-of-field markings are able to adjust in response to the aperture being changed.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

Optically, the Noct is something quite special. Consisting of seventeen elements in ten groups, Nikon’s optical engineers have included three aspherical elements in this formulation, and four ED (extra low-dispersion) elements.

In addition to Nikon’s now-familiar Nano Crystal coating, the Noct also features the new ARNEO coating (also seen in the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S) for addition control of flare and ghosting.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

Image supplied by Nikon, shot on the new Z Noct-Nikkor 58mm F0.95.

The original Noct-Nikkor 58mm F1.2 was released in the late 1970s (not coincidentally, the development of this version was announced on its 40 year anniversary) as a high-priced, very specialized lens, designed to accurately render point light sources across the frame when shot wide open (‘Noct’ denoting to its expected nighttime applications).

The original Noct contained seven glass elements, and weighed a little under 500g. Compare that to the 17 elements of the new Z version, which tips the scales at a fraction over 2000g.

Hands-on with Nikon’s 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ lens

As you can see in the image above, this is not your average standard prime.

Faster and more expensive than its 1970s forebear (faster and more expensive than almost any lens, in fact) and designed from the outset for high resolution digital imaging, the Z Noct is a lens that that will be made and sold in very small numbers but which Nikon hopes will be a benchmark for a long time.

In the meantime, we’re hoping to get hold of a final copy soon, and we’ll share sample images as soon as we can. For now, start saving up your pennies and let us know what you think about it in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: Nikon Z50 hands-on preview

11 Oct

The Z50 is Nikon’s first Z-mount mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor, and it launches alongside a pair of DX zoom lenses. Chris and Jordan had a chance to use a pre-production model and share their experience in this hands-on preview.

For more detail, see our hands-on photos of the Z50 and new kit lenses.

Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Introduction
Z-mount DX lenses
Design
Sensor
Displays
Battery life
Picture effects
Autofocus
Video capabilities
Pop-up flash
Low light performance
Wrap-up

Sample gallery from this episode

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Nikon Z50 and new DX Z-mount lenses

10 Oct

Hands-on with the new Nikon Z50 and kit lenses

The much-rumored Z50 is here. Nikon’s latest Z-series camera, the third in the lineup, features an APS-C sensor and is being launched alongside two DX-format kit zooms. Reminiscent in many ways of a downsized Z6, the Z50 should (Nikon hopes) open up the Z-mount to more enthusiast and entry-level photographers.

As you can see in this image, the Z50 is a small camera, with a relatively sparse top-plate, but generously-sized grip. Lacking the upper status screen included on the Z6 and Z7, the biggest control on the top of the Z50 is a large, non-locking exposure mode dial. A simple lever allows for quick switching between still and movie capture modes.

21MP sensor

The 20.9MP sensor inside the Z50 is based on the familiar BSI-CMOS sensor inside the D500. ISO sensitivity spans 100-51,200, and based on our initial (JPEG) shooting, it’s capable of excellent image quality. One major change compared to the Z6 and Z7 though – the sensor in the Z50 is not stabilized.

This shot shows the Fn1 and Fn2 buttons at the 8 o’clock position on the large Z-mount. These are the same buttons – in the same place – as the Z6 and Z7, and fall naturally under your fingers when the camera is held in a shooting position.

No IBIS

It remains to be seen whether future DX-format Z-series cameras will offer in-body stabilization, but for now, Z50 owners will have to rely on the VR built into the two new kit lenses: the Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR and the Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR. More on these lenses later.

209-point PDAF system

While the Z50’s sensor might be closely related to that found inside the D500, there is one major difference, which is the addition of on-sensor phase-detection autofocus pixels. The Z50 offers a 209-point autofocus system covering approximately 87% of the frame horizontally and 85% vertically, which operates in essentially the same way as the equivalent systems on the full-frame Z6 and Z7.

As such, autofocus performance is generally very good, with a decent amount of control, and includes useful face/eye-detection features. We continue to miss the speed and ease with which the company’s DSLRs can initiate AF tracking but, although we can’t draw any definitive conclusions, autofocus speed when the Z50 is paired with its new DX lenses seems responsive.

Weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body

The Z50 is positioned as a midrange ILC, but build quality appears excellent, with a magnesium alloy body and extensive weather-sealing around the major potential points of dust and moisture ingress. Nikon is at pains to point out however that buyers of the Z50 should not expect quite the same level of environmental sealing as the Z6 and Z7, because unlike those cameras, the Z50 features a pop-up flash.

Speaking of the flash, some enthusiasts might be disappointed to note that while handy for fill light or social snaps, unlike higher-end Nikon DSLRs, the built-in flash on the Z50 cannot be used as a ‘commander’ to control the company’s off-camera strobes.

3.2in tilting touch-sensitive LCD

The 1.04M-dot LCD screen on the rear of the Z50 is touch-sensitive, and can be tilted up for waist-level shooting. The experience of using the Z50’s screen is essentially the same as the Z6 and Z7. It’s easy to position your desired autofocus point by touch, and swiping between images, and tapping to zoom in / out is fast and intuitive. You don’t get quite as much resolution as you do on the Z6/7, though, which offer 2.1M-dots on their screens.

A tilting screen like this isn’t as versatile as a fully articulated design (especially when composing images vertically) but it’s fine for waist-level shooting, video, and for composing images from awkward low angles. It can also flip downward 180 degrees, below the base of the camera, for selfies or vlogging.

2.36 million-dot OLED viewfinder

The Z50’s 2.36M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder is very nice. Crisp and contrasty, it’s up there with the best in its class, while (understandably) falling short of the 3.69M-dot resolution of its full-frame Z6 and Z7 cousins. This shot also gives you a view of the permanent touch-sensitive magnification and ‘DISP’ labels just outside of the main screen area on the rear of the camera.

Hidden in this shot is the top control dial, which falls naturally under your thumb when the camera is held in a shooting position. The control logic of the Z50 is extremely similar to that of the Z6 and Z7, which in turn were natural evolutions of established Nikon ergonomics going back several generations. In fact, if you imagine a Z6 crossed with a D5600, that’s pretty much the Z50.

Card slot and battery

The single UHS-II card slot is accessed via the battery door in the base of the Z50’s grip. The battery itself is a new type: EN-EL25, which Nikon claims is rated for around 300 shots (per CIPA). As always, we’d expect most people’s normal use to yield many more shots than this figure. The bad news for some existing Nikon users is that (for now) the Z50 is the only camera that uses this battery.

Continuous shooting rate

The Z50 is a snappy little camera, offering a maximum framerate of 11 fps with autofocus. This places it among the fastest cameras in its class, and we’re keen to test how well the PDAF system performs while shooting fast action once we get hold of a reviewable camera.

Video

No surprise the Z50 offers 4K video shooting (we’d be more surprised at this point if an enthusiast-focused ILC didn’t) and its feature set is reasonably solid, given the Z50’s market positioning. 4K/24p is offered, which will keep cinephiles happy, but there’s a fairly heavy 1.5X crop and while there is a microphone input, Nikon has not found room for a headphone audio monitoring socket.

While probably not an everyday shooting mode, Full HD at 120 fps is nice to have, and offers a lot of fun creative possibilities.

Creative filters and in-camera editing

Nikon has been offering Picture Control modes for a very long time, and the Z50 offers a wide range of profiles and picture effects, to help you get that little bit closer to the Instagram experience, right in the camera. For Raw shooters, it is also possible to edit NEF files in-camera, and save edited JPEGs directly to your memory card.

Connectivity

The Z50 is equipped with built-in WiFi + Bluetooth, and can be controlled via Nikon’s Snapbridge app. This shot also shows the physical ports, which are (from top to bottom) 3.5mm audio in, USB (2.0) and HDMI. The Z50 can be charged via USB, but cannot be powered over this port. And don’t worry – there’s a proper battery charger included in the box.

Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR kit lens

The Z50 is being launched alongside two ‘DX’ APS-C lenses. This is the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR, which is a very compact 24-75mm equivalent standard zoom. Like several of Nikon’s zoom lenses, the 16-50mm is collapsible, and in its ‘locked’ position (shown here) it barely protrudes further than the Z50’s grip, making the camera genuinely pocketable, assuming you’re wearing a jacket.

Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR kit lens

Here’s the 16-50mm in its unlocked state. Zooming is mechanical, and the other ring is customizable, and can be used for direct control over focus, aperture or exposure compensation (etc.). Optical construction comprises nine elements in seven groups including one extra low dispersion element and four aspherical elements.

According to Nikon, the lens’ Vibration Reduction system is effective up to 4.5EV.

DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR kit lens

The second lens released alongside the Z50 is the DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR, which covers an equivalent focal length range of 75-375mm. Optically it is comprised of 16 elements in 12 groups, including one extra low dispersion element. Nikon claims that its built-in VR system is effective up to 5 stops.

The Nikon Z50 will be available soon for $ 859 body only, $ 999 with the 16-50mm zoom or
$ 1349 for the dual lens kit, with the 16-50mm and 50-250mm. What do you make of it? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Canon EOS M200

25 Sep

Meet the Canon EOS M200

The Canon EOS M200 is a modest update to the M100 that was announced in August 2017. Most of the changes are courtesy of the new Digic 8 processor, which allows for 4K video capture, eye detection autofocus and improved battery life.

Canon didn’t change the design of the camera because, frankly, this entry-level, selfie-friendly camera didn’t need it. But more about that in the slides ahead.

The M200 will be available in October in your choice of white or black for $ 549/£499/€569, which includes the EF-M 15-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens.

Same ol’ sensor?

From what we can tell, the M200’s 24.1 effective Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor is the same as the one on the M100. The M100 has very good image quality, with really nice color and Raw detail capture in-line with the competition, though noise levels were slightly higher in our testing. The Digic 8 processor may affect JPEG image quality, which we’ll evaluate once we get hold of a final sample of the camera.

While the M200 uses Canon’s familiar (and very good) Dual Pixel AF system, some improvements have been made since the M100 was released. First off, there’s now eye detection, which we found to be reliable on the EOS M6 II that we’ve been testing more recently.

The other change is the number of selectable AF points, which has increased from 49 to 123. This may be due to having better Dual Pixel coverage compared to the M100, and we’ve reached out to Canon to confirm.

Flip-up display

Being a lower-end, consumer-friendly camera means that, of course, the M200 comes with an LCD that can flip upward for selfies. The display is 3″ in size and sports 1.04 million dots: the same as before. When the screen is flipped all the way up, you can turn on a self-portrait mode, which lets you blur the background, brighten the image and retouch your skin.

The flash can be popped up with the LCD in this position, though it will block the right side of the LCD. Speaking of the flash, it can be manually bounced for softer light, if you’d like.

Light on controls

The M200 isn’t loaded with buttons, which is probably a good thing for those looking for an easy-to-use camera. You’ve got three buttons and the four-way controller on the back, a single control dial and a simple shooting mode switch on the top. M200 users can choose from fully automatic, program mode and movie mode – and that’s it. The camera can almost be controlled by the touchscreen alone.

Like most Canon cameras, there’s a Scene Intelligent Auto mode, which picks the right settings for the situation, or you can select a scene preset manually when in Program mode. By putting the camera into the ‘Creative Assist’ mode you can use sliders to adjust background blur, color, brightness and contrast.

Video

The M200 gains the ability to shoot 4K/24p video (23.98fps, to be exact), but there’s a catch: When shooting 4K there’s a 1.6x crop and, when combined with the 1.6x crop of APS-C, this adds up to 2.56x. The bundled 15-45mm zoom thus becomes a 38-115mm equivalent lens when you shoot 4K. The widest Canon EF-M lens is 11-22mm, which turns into 28-56mm equivalent. That’s still wide-ish, but be aware that if you’re vlogging, or just want to shoot wide-angle, you might find that compound crop effect very limiting.

If you drop down to 1080 the crop disappears, and frame rates of 30p and 60p become available. If you want to shoot at 120 fps you’ll need to shoot at 1280 x 720 resolution – which is still fine for sharing on social media.

One of the M200’s new party tricks is the ability to record vertical videos, much like the PowerShot G7 X Mark III. Unlike that camera though, the M200 cannot stream live video to YouTube.

Ins and outs

The EOS M200 has a minimal set of inputs and outputs: just micro USB and micro HDMI. The camera can be charged over the USB port, and Canon is kind enough to include an external charger with the camera.

Speaking of batteries, the M200 uses the familiar LP-E12 and can take up to 315 shots per charge (by CIPA testing) – up from 295 on the M100. Canon says that if you put the camera into Eco mode you can take 485 photos before you run out of juice. Unless you’re using the flash or Wi-Fi a lot, you should find that you can easily exceed those numbers.

The M200 offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and Canon’s Camera Connect app supports auto image transfer, sharing location data with the camera and, of course, remote control.

Wrap-up

The Canon EOS M100 was one of our favorite entry-level mirrorless cameras when it was released, with an easy-to-use interface and solid image quality. While the EOS M200 isn’t a huge upgrade, nobody’s going to complain about improved autofocus and better battery life.

Some may complain about the M200’s 4K video feature though, due to the restrictive 2.56x crop (relative to full-frame) that puts wide-angle shooting out of reach with the bundled kit lens. That’s too bad, since crop-less 4K and a microphone input would make the M200 a pretty compelling vlogging camera. That said, 4K is nice to have, and 28mm equiv., from the (admittedly not bundled) 11-22mm zoom is still likely to be wide enough in a lot of situations.

That aside, if you’re after an accessible camera with robust underpinnings and don’t mind the 4K crop, we think that the M200 will be a good choice. For those who wish that the M200 had an electronic viewfinder, let us direct you to the EOS M50, which is essentially the same camera with an EVF.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: Cinema5D goes hands-on with Sony’s new full-frame cinema camera, the FX9

16 Sep

Last week, Sony unveiled the FX9. While we were able to get a brief look at the camera in the product shots, our friends over at Cinema5D have gone hands-on with the full-frame E-mount camera.

Throughout the 14-minute video, Nino Leitner of Cinema5D covers nearly every component of the camera. He starts by explaining where exactly the FX9 fits into Sony’s lineup and then dives into all of the new features, including the various sensor modes, the new S-Cinetone Picture Profile, the new dual-base ISO and much more.

Leitner also interviewed Yasuo Ueda-san, head camera designer at Sony, if you want even more insight the FX9 and its development process.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Fujifilm X-A7

12 Sep

Introduction

Feast your eyes on the Fujifilm X-A7, in all its mint green glory. Though this is an entry-level camera, it’s significant because it’s the first major redesign of Fujifilm’s X-A series…well, since Fujifilm started making the X-A series. Just like previous models though, it’s got a Bayer color filter array, foregoing Fujifilm’s usual X-Trans array used in most of its other APS-C mirrorless cameras.

We’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on a pre-production model to give you a tour of all of the design updates on Fujifilm’s new budget ILC.

A new sensor

Although the Fujifilm X-A7’s sensor is still an APS-C unit and still offers 24MP, it’s an all-new design. According to Fujifilm, this sensor and ‘industry-leading copper wiring’ help contribute to the camera’s speed, and we suspect, to its adoption of ‘real’ 4K video at 30 frames per second. (The previous X-A5 could shoot 4K ‘video’ at 15 frames per second.)

The sensor also comes with 8.5X more phase detection pixels than its predecessor, giving you a total of 425 autofocus points. Burst shooting is a bit less impressive, coming in at 6fps with a very small buffer. We’ll be testing out this new autofocus system as soon as we get our hands on a final review unit.

The huge rear screen

Just take a look at that rear screen. It’s a healthy 3.5″ unit, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a very impressive 2.76 million dots: higher than most other cameras this side of a Nikon D850. It also reaches an impressive brightness, so it should be fairly usable outdoors – an important consideration, as the X-A7 has no viewfinder.

Clearly visible here is also the new 8-way joystick, which you’ll use to navigate the menus and move your AF point around. However, you can also use the huge rear screen for the very same functions, should you desire. One more thing to note about the screen, before we move on…

The huge, fully-articulating rear screen

…yes, this is the first Fujifilm camera with a ‘conventional’ fully articulating screen mechanism, meaning the screen swings out to the side and rotates around. Video shooters often prefer this sort of implementation, though I honestly have no idea if selfie enthusiasts prefer one type of tilty screen to another. Anyway, as with other cameras that use this type of mechanism, you can flip and stow the LCD side of the screen against the rear of the camera for protection while traveling.

One thing worth noting is that if you’re shooting traditional stills, the 16:9 aspect ratio of the screen means you’re going to have black bars on each side of your composition, since the camera takes photographs with a 3:2 aspect ratio. But for video shooters looking to take advantage of the camera’s 4K/30p capture, it should be lovely.

And speaking of video capture, there’s also…

A microphone socket

Yes, the X-A7 comes with a microphone input so you can easily capture better audio than the internal microphones could. Of course, it’s directly in the way of the screen mechanism if it’s swung out, but hey, a mic jack is a mic jack.

You may have noticed it’s of the 2.5mm variety, meaning you’ll likely need to use the included adapter to step up to the 3.5mm jack that most consumer microphones use. Just above the microphone port, you’ll see the release for the pop-up flash, which can be pulled back with your finger and ‘bounced’ to the ceiling for a softer effect indoors.

But we’re not done with ports just yet.

USB-C and HDMI ports

On the other side of the camera, behind a mint-green door, are traditional micro-HDMI and USB-C connectors. The USB-C port can be used not only for charging the camera up on the go, but also for file transfer to either PC’s or smart devices with adapters. Disappointingly (though not unlike other recent camera models we’ve seen), the X-A7 will transfer images at slower USB 2.0 speeds through the USB-C port.

Top-plate controls

Now let’s take a look at the top of the camera, which has also been redesigned. Gone is the old power switch, which used to surround the shutter button – in its place is a front control dial, and there’s a recessed On/Off button to get you off and snapping away. There’s also a rear control dial, and within it, a customizable function button to which you can assign many things. We’ll let you know which things once we’ve gotten cracking on our full review, with a final review unit.

The mode dial is familiar, with SR+ denoting the camera’s fully automatic setting, the standard PASM modes, a range of scene modes, filters, and a dedicated panorama mode. We’re also pleased to see a fully-fledged hotshoe for mounting an external flash, trigger, or a shotgun microphone if you’re going to be shooting video on-the-go and using the microphone port on the left side of the camera.

Battery and card slot

Last but not least, the battery. The X-A7 uses the same NP-W126S battery that is now in basically all of Fujifilm’s APS-C interchangeable lens cameras, meaning it should be easy to pick up a spare or two should you need – though a battery life of 440 shots is pretty respectable, even if that number is for the camera’s ‘economy’ mode. The X-A7 uses standard SD cards, and the slot is below the battery in this image (not visible).

The wrap

And there you have it – Fujifilm’s new budget interchangeable lens camera, the X-A7. Our initial impressions are positive, especially compared to previous X-A models in terms of responsiveness and autofocus. And let’s be honest: I never thought I would ever want a mint green camera (several other colors are available, don’t worry) but here I am, thinking about how I kind of like it and how I’d probably need to buy all new shirts to make sure I’m not clashing with the it while I’m out taking pictures.

In any case, what do you think of the new X-A7? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and ask us any questions you have – we’ll do our best to answer them.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Phase One XT camera system

10 Sep

Introduction

Phase One has just unveiled their new XT Camera System, which uses the same IQ4 digital backs as their XF system, but in a much smaller and lighter overall package. Phase One is billing the XT system as a ‘field camera,’ explaining to us that, while the XF system is really about ultimate image quality in a studio environment, the XT is about making it easier to achieve that quality beyond the studio.

Let’s take a closer look at the components of the XT camera system and how it handles.

The XT camera

Although Phase One likes to use ‘back-to-basics’ as a phrase to describe the entire XT camera system, it’s the impressively slim XT camera itself that is perhaps most representative of this philosophy. The IQ4 digital backs mount to the rear of the camera, and a series of new Rodenstock lenses (which are attached to the company’s new ‘X-Shutter’ mechanism – more on that in a bit) mount to the front, using a standard Cambo mount. You can see the electrical contacts here that control that shutter, and also communicate shooting data between the lens and the camera.

The XT camera also allows users to quickly switch from landscape to portrait orientation, thanks to a tripod plate mounted on a grooved track (visible here on the right of the camera) that allows the whole system to rotate 90 degrees without leaving the tripod. If you like, you can remove the tripod foot altogether.

There are only three control points on the XT camera – one which you can easily see here, is that bright blue shutter button at the top left. The others are…

Lens shift knobs

…shift-knobs, seen here as the textured tumbler on the top of the camera. These will adjust the Rodenstock lenses by as much as 12mm up, down, left and right. There is another of these knobs on the rear of the camera (not visible, but just below the thumb in the photograph), and they principally allow for the correction of perspective distortion while shooting, but could also aid those shooting with high-megapixel stitched panoramas in mind, as well.

Lens shift knobs

Here, you can see one of this early prototype camera’s lens-shift display windows, as well as a peak of that second shift knob. These show you how far you’ve currently got the lens shifted. This value is saved into the EXIF data for the files, for later reference.

So, on the XT camera, you have the dual-action shutter button and two shift knobs – how do you go about controlling the rest of the camera?

The digital back

As is already an option for users of Phase One’s XF system, the touchscreen interface on the company’s IQ4 lineup of digital backs becomes absolutely key when using the XT system. They provide a robust live view display to aid in composition, and also include helpful exposure aids, such as Raw clipping indicators. You also have full access to the system’s menus, and from there, you can enable the new Automated Frame Averaging feature, which we’ll be looking at in greater depth in a separate article.

The rear touch-sensitive display also allows for adjustment of all exposure parameters, including aperture (there’s no aperture ring on the Rodenstock lenses). Speaking of rings on lenses…

Manual focus only

…the XT system is manual focus-only. Here, you can see the manual focus ring for the Rodenstock 32mm F4 lens – it’s very well-damped and very smooth, and we’d expect the same on the other lenses offered. Of course, manual focus generally precludes the use of the XT system as a fast, reactive photographic tool for moving subjects, but Phase One is…unfazed…by this reality. The company has stated that it’s really aiming the XT system at high-end landscape and architectural photographers that will likely use smaller apertures for greater depth-of-field, and for whom focusing using the rear screen and its in-built focus aids is an expected way of working.

Of course, there will probably be users who will take their XT system out as a ‘carry-around’ kit for shooting just about everything, just as there are users who currently do the same with the much-bigger XF system.

The X-Shutter and ebony grip

This brings us to the new X-Shutter mechanism, shown here protruding between the mount and the lens barrel. Phase One tells us that their experience in industrial applications informed this new unit’s construction.

The X-Shutter is electromagnetically controlled, and allows for shutter speeds from 1/1000 sec to 60 minutes, and is tested for a minimum of 500,000 actuations. There are 5 rounded aperture blades, all made of carbon fiber.

Oh, and last but not least, you can get a nice view of the XT’s grip in this image. It’s made of ebony, and is one of very few non-metal components on the camera.

The wrap

And that’s it for our quick hands-on tour of Phase One’s new XT camera system. The Phase One XT is the second example we’ve yet seen of modular medium format makers embracing the possibility of mirrorless cameras.

With the exception of the Pentax 645D and Z, most medium format systems have been based around modular backs that attach to camera bodies that contain an SLR mirror and viewfinder mechanism, along with the mechanism required to fire the shutter.

In the digital era, most of the camera functions and, increasingly, the ability to preview the image, have migrated from the camera body to the camera back. A move to a mirrorless design further reduces the role played by the camera body, to the point that it becomes almost a back-to-lens adapter with a shutter button.

Whether encouraged by the acceptance of the mirrorless approach by the rest of the market or as a by-product of a generation of large CMOS sensors with usably-fast live view, it’s interesting to see both Hasselblad (with its 907x) and Phase One recognize how minimalist a ‘camera body’ can be.

What do you make of the brand-new XT camera system? Let us know in the comments!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: Cinema5D goes hands-on with the Canon EOS C500 Mark II

06 Sep

We’ve already shared the basic specs and details of Canon’s new EOS C500 Mark II cinema camera, but our friends over at Cinema5D have gotten their hands on a unit and shared a ten-minute overview of the new full-frame cinema system.

Throughout the 11-minute video, Cinema5D takes a look at the overall unit, as well as the extension units, which make the camera even more modular and capable without the need for third-party solutions. Other details not given in Canon’s original press release are also mentioned and we even get a closer look at how the user-changeable mount system works.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 and 70-350mm F4.5-6.3

30 Aug

Meet the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G

It’s been a long time since Sony released new lenses for its APS-C bodies, and the new 16-55 F2.8 G is a pleasant surprise. The lens’ zoom range is equivalent to 24-82mm on a full-frame body and fills in a gap in Sony’s lineup which, up until now, has been mostly comprised of slow kit zooms. The one exception is the Sony/Zeiss 16-70mm F4, which has a more versatile range, but is a stop slower than the new 16-55.

Given its spec, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the 16-55mm F2.8 is on the pricey side, with an MSRP of $ 1399 US. The lenses most similar to this one are the Canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 ($ 829 US, but not as wide) and Fujifilm 16-55mm F2.8 ($ 1199 US).

Meet the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G

The 16-55mm F2.8 G has a total of 17 elements, including two aspherical, two advanced aspherical and three ED (extra-low dispersion) lenses. It has 9 rounded aperture blades, which Sony (naturally) says produces beautiful bokeh. Sony uses a Nano AR coating to reduce ghosting and flare, and the front element has a fluorine coating to repel oil and water. Speaking of water, the 16-55 F2.8 is dust and moisture resistant.

Sony uses an ‘XD’ linear motor to drive the focusing group, which is the same type of motor found its more expensive G Master lenses. The lens can focus down to 0.33m (1.1ft), with a maximum magnification of 0.66x. The manual focus ring has a linear response, which videographers will appreciate.

Meet the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G

As you can see from the above photo, the 16-55mm is remarkably compact for a fast zoom, even one for crop-sensor cameras. At wide-angle, the lens is 10cm (3.9″) long and it does’t extend that much farther at full telephoto (Sony does not publish the actual length). It weighs in at 494g (1.1lbs), which is more than 100 grams lighter than the Canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8.

Just under the ‘G’ is the focus hold button – its function can be customized on the camera. Over to the right is the AF/MF switch.

Going long: the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS

Sony also announced a lens for the wildlife photographers out there, in the form of the 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS. The lens has an equivalent focal length of 105-525mm when mounted on an APS-C body, which is an incredibly versatile range, though its slow maximum aperture range makes this lens best suited for shooting outdoors. For those wondering if they can stretch the focal length out even further using a teleconverter, the answer is ‘no’.

The 70-350 has a total of 19 elements, which include 1 aspherical and 3 ED lenses. As with the 16-55, the 70-350 uses an XD linear motor to quietly drive the focusing group. There are 7 circular aperture blades on the 70-350.

Image stabilization is a must on lenses like these, and the 70-350 has it, though Sony doesn’t publish any estimates on how many stops of shake reduction the lens offers.

Going long: the Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS

Despite its focal length, the 70-350 is remarkably compact. When collapsed it’s 142mm (5.6″) long, and is of reasonable length even at full telephoto. It weighs in at just 625g (1.4lbs). The lens is resistant to dust and moisture.

As with the 16-55, the 70-350 has a customizable focus hold button and an AF/MF switch. There’s also a switch for turning OSS (Sony-speak for image stabilization) on and off, and a zoom lock switch that’s not visible in this photo.

The 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS will set you back $ 1000, which isn’t a bad deal considering that the FE 70-300 F4.5-5.6 G OSS lens sells for just under $ 1200.

Wrap up

After a long drought, it’s nice to see Sony releasing APS-C lenses again, especially given the rate at which they still release a6000-series bodies. While everyone likes a relatively compact superzoom lens, it’s great that Sony finally released a fast lens that can serve as a nice replacement to the slow, plasticky kit lenses that often come bundled.

You can view photos from both of these lenses in our a6100 and a6600 galleries (filter by lens to find them on the desktop version of our site). We’ll have dedicated lens galleries when the 16-55 and 70-350 are in our hands in the not-too-distant future.

In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts about these new lenses in the comments below.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 hands-on

11 Aug

Hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+

On Wednesday, Samsung announced the latest generation of its Galaxy Note series and for the first time, the Note is offered in two sizes: the 6.8″ Note 10+ and the 6.3″ Note 10. If you want everything the Note offers but don’t love a massive phone, you now have the option of a slightly less massive phone!

We had the opportunity to get our hands on the new phones at Samsung’s launch event in New York. Take a look at what’s new in the Note series.

Triple cameras for all!

Both the Note 10 and Note 10+ share a nearly-identical rear triple camera array with the S10 series. That’s a 12MP main camera with F1.5/F2.4 dual apertures and a 27mm equivalent field-of-view, a 12mm equivalent ultra-wide 16MP F2.2 camera and a 52mm equivalent 12MP tele camera with F2.1 aperture – slightly faster than the F2.4 tele lens in the S10 series. Both the main and tele rear cameras are optically stabilized. While the main camera has a dual pixel sensor design for fast AF, the tele lens utilizes masked phase-detect pixels, which we’ve found on prior Samsung models to offer a sub-par autofocus experience.

The Note 10 (above) lacks one key camera feature Note 10+ offers: a Time-of-Flight camera for better depth-mapping and live bokeh effects in video mode (more on that later), and presumably better augmented reality experiences.

Front-facing camera

Both the Note 10 and 10+ use a hole punch-style front-facing camera. There’s no dual selfie camera on either model (the S10+ and S10 5G models had accompanying RGB depth and ToF flight cameras, respectively), just a 10MP 26mm equiv. lens with F2.2 aperture. This camera does not feature optical stabilization, but the sensor is a dual pixel design for fast autofocus.

Video recording

The Note 10 and 10+ are capable video shooters as well. The rear camera can record 4K UHD video at up to 60 fps with optical stabilization only, and up to 4K/30p with optical lens stabilization and electronic image stabilization (for very steady footage). The rear camera can shoot HDR10+ video for playback on HDR TVs; however, there’s no mention of HDR capture in video. The AMOLED displays on both Note 10 devices are HDR10+ certified, which isn’t surprising given the high contrast ratio, brightness and wide (P3) color gamut of Samsung OLED displays.

Both devices are capable of super slow motion video, with 960 fps capability in 720p mode, and 240 fps capability in 1080p.

Live focus video

The Note 10 and 10+ offer something first introduced by the S10 5G: live shallow depth-of-field effects for video recording. Users can change focus between background and foreground on the fly, and adjust the level of blur to taste.

We’ll be curious to test if the Note 10+ has a better implementation of live focus video thanks to its ToF camera.

Video depth-of-field effects

Not only can you blur the background behind your subject, you can add a few different effects like black-and-white backgrounds, out-of-focus highlight overlays, and this red/blue stereoscopic treatment. Maybe 3D cameras aren’t dead after all?

Still photo depth-of-field effects

Background blur effects are also available for still photos – a feature introduced in the S10 and recently added to the S9 series via software update. As in the S10, the Note 10 and 10+ provide the ability to add effects as you’re shooting or after-the-fact.

S Pen, headphone jack and other curiosities

Other highlights on the new phones include the ability to control certain functions by gesture via the updated S Pen. Samsung will open up its ‘Air actions SDK’ to invite third party developers to make use of this way of interacting with the phone. And sadly, the 3.5mm headphone jack has left the building – the USB-C connector will allow for wired audio connections.

The Galaxy Note 10 starts at $ 950; the Note 10+ starts at $ 1100.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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