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Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

22 Jun

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The Hasselblad CFV II 50C is an upgraded version of the original CFV 50C digital back that was launched in 2014. This new model though comes, I assume, with the benefits of the speed improvements in the X1D II 50C that make operation quicker, and that it will provide large JPEGs as well as general improved quality in JPEG files.

The back is exciting in as much as it is designed to work with V-system film camera bodies to bring them into the modern age: even some of the earliest Hasselblad models from the 1950s.

What makes this version much more exciting though is that is also designed to couple with a new 907X body that accepts the X-series lenses – so the CFV II 50C back is a gateway not only to digitizing older classic bodies, but also to using the new X lenses in a smaller, classic-style format. Here the CFV II 50C back is married to the 907X body and mounted with the XCD 65mm F2.8 lens.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The back is designed very much in the classic Hasselblad style, and the 907X body is made to match. The black textured finish and chrome trim is straight from the first mainstream Hasselblad medium format film bodies.

This side of the 907X body features only the strap lugs, while the CFV II 50C has its USB-C socket disguised as something like a frame counter window on the A12 film back. It is all quite minimalist this side.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

Underneath we have a collection of screw mounts and sockets. On the left are the connections that will allow the 907X to communicate with the optional grip that Hasselblad will introduce with the camera. In videos shown of the system the grip has a shutter release and a collection of control points for directing the operation of the body.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

Below the rear screen is a flap that conceals another series of connection ports. Sockets for microphone, headphone, HDMI, two sizes of flash connections (in and out) and Hasselblad’s ELX socket.

The flash sockets allow short cables to be used to connect wireless triggers and standard PC flash cables. It isn’t certain yet if the HDMI socket will survive into the final production model, I was told, so don’t count on it until the camera comes out.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The CFV II 50C has a neat flip-out screen that allows viewing from three positions: folded flat to the back and slightly raised are just two of them. The screen has a collection of buttons for controlling the back and camera’s functions, and the buttons come up with the screen when it is angled away from the body.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

Here the screen is flipped up fully. It provides something of the waist-level finder experience of the classic V system bodies. Someone will probably invent a chimney-finder hood before the CFV II 50C even arrives on the market.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The front of the 907X with the lens removed shows that there’s no body shutter so we see straight through to the sensor of the CFV II 50C. As all Hasselblad lenses use a lens shutter there’s no need for one in this little camera.

The body carries the contacts that allow it to communicate with the lens to drive the AF, aperture and shutter commands.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

This new version of the CFV has an internal battery compartment so we no longer have to attach a battery to the outside of the body. The back accepts the same battery that is used in both X1D models. You can see too that there are dual SD card slots: most likely UHS-II, as with the new X1D II 50C.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

To access the battery compartment and the SD card slots, a panel on the side of the CFV II 50C is pulled backwards to reveal the hinge. Once this is done the compartment door springs open. It is a very neat design.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The CFV II 50C digital back and the 907X camera body clip together in exactly the same way a film back mounts on the back of a V series camera. Guiding prongs at the bottom slide in first and then we just clip the top edges together.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

Away from the CFV II 50C the 907X body is very skinny. It really is more than just a mount adapter though, as it offers controls for the user as well as running functions like AF, aperture etc that you wouldn’t expect to be able to control from a digital back.

The 907X name comes from the SWC 9xx series that saw the 903 and 905 bodies designed to be used with super wide-angle lenses.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The shutter release button on the 907X is positioned exactly where you would expect it to be on a classic Hasselblad, so that it can be operated with the same hand that cradles the body. Around the shutter release is a dial that can be used to adjust exposure settings.

Next to the dial, on the side of the camera, is a small button that can be used to toggle the dial’s function when the camera is used in manual mode. I guess it will also deal with exposure compensation in the semi-auto modes.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

The CFV II 50C is also fitted with a USB-C socket for tethered shooting and for downloading images from the memory cards. The socket can also be used for charging the battery, though I’m not sure whether it can be used to power the back while it is in use as well.

The CFV II 50C has a whole new row of contacts that the original version didn’t have. These are to allow the back to interface with the 907X.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

In Hasselblad’s publicity the CFV II 50C and 907X set up is shown with an optical viewfinder mounted on the top of the camera section, just as the SWC models had.

I couldn’t see how this could be done on the pre-production example I was using as there is no hot shoe or obvious mounting area. There is chance that Hasselblad name plate will flip up to allow accessories to be mounted. This one though was firmly rooted in place.

Hands-on with the Hasselblad CFV II 50C and 907X

Here’s the CFV II 50C mounted on the back of a Hasselblad 503 CX – a model made between 1989 and 1994. This is a relatively modern model that still fetches just under $ 2000 with an A12 back and a good 80mm F2.8 standard lens. The CFV II 50C looks completely at home on it, and there is little to tell us that it wasn’t made at the same time as the camera.

Hasselblad bodies don’t have too much trouble holding their value on the second-hand market, but we should expect rising prices over the next few months as interest in these models is peaked and the V-system comes back to life once again.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Hasselblad X1D II 50C

21 Jun

Hands on with Hasselblad’s X1D II 50C

The new Hasselblad X1D II 50C is housed in a body that’s almost exactly the same as that used for the original X1D 50C. You will notice that the top plate and metal trim are now a dark grey instead of the lighter shade brushed chrome used on the original model, but there isn’t too much to tell them apart at first glance.

Hasselblad’s first X system zoom lens

This is the camera with the new 35-75mm F3.5-4.5 lens mounted. This is the first zoom for the X system and is said to produce the quality that exceeds prime lenses. While it is relatively big when compared to the other system lenses it is still well balanced and comfortable on the X1D II 50C body. It isn’t nearly as heavy as it looks either, at 1115g weighing only a bit more than a Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 for the F system. For a medium format lens it is doing quite well.

X1D II 50C top view

The top plate remains unchanged from the previous model, with a Nikon-compatible hotshoe, and the same control layout and operation as before.

Grip changes

There is a slightly different shape to the right hand grip in the new version I’m told. The grip is slightly more angled to the main body, and the finger and thumb holds are a little more pronounced, providing a more secure grip with longer lenses. The difference isn’t dramatic and I’m not sure I could tell without direct comparison, but the grip feels good either way.

Rear screen changes

The change in the rear screen though is dramatic. The new 3.6″ display looks significantly bigger and fills a lot more of the back of the camera than the screen on the original model. We have a much higher resolution too, with 2.36 million dots compared to 920k dots, which leads to much greater detail on display.

Higher resolution viewfinder

The viewfinder enjoys a higher resolution as well as a slightly larger magnification of the image on display. The resolution has jumped from 2.36 million dots to 3.69 million, and when you look through the finder window you can see the effect of that extra detail. The refresh rate is also improved to 60 fps which makes a further significant difference. These three changes make this viewfinder a much more modern device and very nice to use.

USB-C and UHS-II

The switch to USB-C allows better communication with external devices, so large files can be moved more quickly to a user’s iPad or computer when shooting tethered or when downloading captured images. The camera has dual SD slots that have been upgraded to UHS-II and which can accept 1TB cards.

Few changes to UI

The main menu screen hasn’t really changed that much. Some of the icons are redrawn to be clearer and with the higher resolution display everything looks a bit sharper and cleaner.

Menu navigation

Accessing the menu items though has changed, so now we have menus in menus, like folders, instead of big long lists of items which take ages to scroll through. The menu can now be viewed in the viewfinder too, which can make operation a good deal more convenient.

Shooting data

The main shooting data display is much the same as before, though now we have the exposure indicator in the middle of the screen.

More responsive touch control

I was very pleased with the reactions of the touch functions and how much more responsive they are now. Touching your subject on the rear screen brings the AF area to that point and the focusing system to life immediately. It is a dramatic improvement on previous performance. We can now also change the size of the AF area just by pinching with two fingers on the rear screen, which is much quicker than before. The three AF area sizes options are still accessible in the menu as well.

Touch pad AF

Now the rear screen can be used as a touch pad to direct the AF area while our eye is to the viewfinder. This also is a massive improvement, and the system works quickly, smoothly and predictably.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with new Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS and FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

12 Jun

Hands-on with new Sony telephoto lenses

Sony has just released two new lenses, aimed at sports and wildlife photographers. The FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS is aimed squarely at enthusiast and semi-pro users, while the FE 600mm F4 GM OSS joins the FE 400mm F2.8 GM at the top of Sony’s professional lens lineup. We were given the opportunity to shoot with both lenses recently at a Sony event in New Jersey – click through for some initial impressions, and more information.

Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

The FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS is aimed at enthusiast and semi-professional photographers, especially fans of wildlife and sports shooting. As well as full-frame cameras, Sony expects some buyers to pair this lens with the company’s range of APS-C models, at which point it covers an equivalent focal range of 300-900mm.

One of the selling points of the 200-600mm compared to other lenses of its kind is an internal zoom design, which means that the lens doesn’t get any larger when zoomed through its focal length range. This has advantages when it comes to balancing the lens for handheld shooting, and also reduces the risk of dust and grit being sucked in during zooming.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

The G 200-600mm is equipped with optical stabilization, controllable in 3 modes. Mode 1 is standard, suitable for general photography. Mode 2 is specifically for panning, and according to Sony, Mode 3 provides ‘optimum stabilization for dynamic sports action’.

This shot also shows the main OSS on/off switch, and the 3-position focus limiter, which helps reduce unwanted lens hunting in situations where you can safely keep the lens within a certain focus range (i.e., capturing birds at a feeder, or aircraft at close to infinity).

The 200-600mm’s minimum focus distance is 2.4m (~8 feet). This might not seem impressive, but it’s in the same ballpark as other lenses of this type from competitive manufacturers. Autofocus is driven by a linear direct drive SSM motor, which in our time with the lens provides very fast and near-silent AF in normal lighting situations (tested on an a9).

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

Optical construction of the 200-600mm comprises 24 elements in 17 groups, with one aspherical lens and five ED elements. An 11-bladed aperture ensures circular bokeh even as you stop down modestly, an advantage this lens has over its 9-blade counterparts from competitors. Without the tripod foot attached, the lens weighs 2.1 kg (4.6 lb) which is very slightly heavier than competitive lenses from the likes of Nikon, Sigma and Tamron.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

Here’s that tripod foot, which can be quickly unscrewed and detached for handheld shooting, or stowage.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

A large, deep hood is provided to help protect the front element from flare (and rain). While the G-series aren’t guaranteed to offer quite the same resistance to the elements as the more expensive G Master lenses, the 200-600mm is extensively weather sealed.

The G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 will be available in August, for $ 2,000.

Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS

The FE 600mm F4 GM OSS is aimed at professional photographers, and joins the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS at the very top of Sony’s lens lineup, offering the best optical technologies that the company is capable of creating. Sony’s G Master series is designed according to the principle of ‘no compromise’ and we’re told that when it comes to autofocus speed, the FE 600mm F4 should be able to keep up with the autofocus speeds of future generations of Alpha-series interchangeable lens cameras. Put simply, the lens is capable of even faster autofocus communications and speeds than are currently possible with the company’s flagship a9 camera.

Offering an equivalent focal length of 900mm on APS-C, the 600mm F4 can be used on all Sony E-mount cameras, and has been designed to work with Sony’s 1.4X and 2X teleconverters without a significant penalty to either AF speed or sharpness.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

The GM 600mm F4 is the smallest and lightest lens of its kind currently on the market – just edging out the Canon EF 600mm F4 III at 3,040g (6.7 lb) compared to 3,050g. Like the GM 400mm F2.8, the weight of the lens is mostly concentrated towards the rear, which means that despite its size, the lens can be hand-held for short periods of time without being unmanageable. The lightweight construction is partly achieved thanks to the extensive use of magnesium alloy in the body shell.

Despite its relatively light weight, the 600mm F4 has a complex optical construction, made up of 24 elements in 18 groups, including a 40.5mm drop-in filter. This is compared to 17 elements in 13 groups from Canon’s EF 600mm F4 III. Of these 24 elements, three are fluorite, and two are ED glass. Just like the 200-600mm, the 600mm F4 features an 11-bladed aperture, meaning it can retain circular bokeh as you stop down better than its 9-bladed competitors.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

The GM 600mm F4 is intended to be used alongside the GM 400mm F2.8. As such, all of the major controls are identical, and can be found in the same places. This is to ensure that life is as easy as possible for a photographer swapping between them at (say) a sporting event. Even the focus rings of the two lenses are the same size and the same distance away from the camera body.

This view also shows the tripod foot tensioning screw, and a dedicated strap lug. While the weight of the 600mm F4 can probably be supported by the lens-mount of an Alpha-series camera for short periods of time, this is not advisable. The rotating tripod ring can be ‘declicked’ if required, and a security wire can be connected to a dedicated socket in the foot (not pictured) to secure it against theft.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

The GM 600mm F4 has a minimum focus distance of 4.5m (14.7 ft) which is slightly longer than the 4.2m (13.7 ft) minimum focus of its nearest competitor, Canon’s EF 600mm F4 III.

Autofocus throughout the 600mm F4’s focus range is swift and accurate (tested on an a9), thanks to dual XD linear motors, similar to the ones found in the 400mm F2.8. These provide the power required to drive the relatively large, heavy focusing group across its range extremely quickly. In the relatively low light of an artificially-lit sports arena, the 600mm performed very well in our limited testing, even when paired with a 1.4X teleconverter.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

Here’s the 40.5mm drop-in filter, which is an integral part of the lens’ optical makeup. The filter size is the same in both the GM 600mm F4 and the GM 400mm F2.8.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

This view shows (R-L) the wide and deep focus ring, the ‘adjustment ring’ and one of the four focus hold buttons which are standard on professional lenses of this kind. The adjustment ring is effectively a ‘nudge’ control which can be customized to perform various actions, one of the most useful for sports photographers being a ‘focus position recall’, to quickly jump to a preset ‘home’ focus position of your choosing.

Hands-on with new Sony GM 600mm F4 and G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3

The Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS will be available in August for $ 13,000.

Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS sample gallery

Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: Hands-on with Sony’s new super-telephoto lenses

11 Jun

Chris and Jordan, along with Senior Editor Barney Britton, traveled to New York for a hands-on look at Sony’s newest super-telephoto lenses: the FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 G OSS and the FE 600mm F4 GM OSS. Find out what they think so far, and vote to tell us who shot the best sample images.

Get new episodes of DPReview TV every week by subscribing to our YouTube channel!

Don’t forget to view the sample galleries and vote in the poll! (Below)

Introduction
Shooting soccer (football)
Halftime switch
600mm F4 design and build
200-600 F5.6-6.3 design and build
Sharpness
Teleconverter support
Video capability
The contest
Who are these lenses for?
Wrap-up

Have your say

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Who shot the best sample photos?

Sony 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G FE OSS sample gallery

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_7871298865″,”galleryId”:”7871298865″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

Sony 600mm F4 GM FE OSS sample gallery

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with Panasonic’s 10-25mm F1.7 Micro Four Thirds lens

01 Jun

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH

The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH is a fast zoom lens that covers several popular focal lengths. When mounted on a Micro Four Thirds body, where it’s equivalent to 20-50mm, you can hit 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm or 50mm with a single lens (and a fast one, at that). It will ship in July for $ 1799/£1799.

The lens was originally announced last year at Photokina, and saw a mockup under glass at CP+ back in March.

We were able to get our hands on a preproduction lens, so click through to learn more about this beast of a lens.

Big, but not that big

Make no mistake, the 10-25mm F1.7 is a hefty lens, but it’s not nearly as large or heavy as one would expect given its ambitious spec. The lens is 128mm (5″) long, has a max diameter of 88mm (3.5″) and weighs in at 690g (1.5lb). By comparison, Sigma’s 18-35mm F1.8 Art lens is a bit shorter, but almost 20% heavier, despite covering a narrower range of focal lengths.

The 10-25mm is a pricey lens, and it feels like it in the hand. It’s virtually all metal and is dust and splash-resistant. The lens can function down to -10°C/+14°F.

Seventeen elements

It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that this ambitious lens requires a lot of glass. The 10-25mm F1.7 has 17 elements in 12 groups and includes aspherical, ED and UHR elements. The lens is threaded for 77mm filters, which serves as an example as how compact (relatively speaking) the 10-25 is.

The lens uses a stepping motor that focuses quickly and quietly.

Grabbing control over focus

The 10-25 is the first Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lens to have a focus clutch, making it easy to quickly switch between auto and manual focus. As you can see from the photo above, the lens can focus down to 28cm (11″).

With the clutch pulled back, the manual focus response is linear. This will be especially useful for video shooters, since it means you can be certain of how much the focus will change in response to you turning the lens. There’s a feedback stop at either end of the focus range but they’re not hard stops: the focus ring will continue to rotate beyond the close and far points, so it’s not great for use with a follow-focus.

Stills shooters are likely to appreciate that it gives an experience much more like an old, mechanically-driven lens,

Put a ring on it

The aperture ring, which travels from F1.7 to F16, is click-less, another feature the video crowd will appreciate. Something we like about the dial, at least on the prototype we used, is that there’s a detent to prevent you from accidentally switching the ring out of Auto mode.

Just as importantly for videographers, the aperture/iris is driven smoothly, without steps. This allows subtle adjustments in exposure (either manually or in auto mode), without the brightness of the video visibly jumping.

No going to great lengths

The lens extends when you adjust the zoom, but not by much: here it’s shown at full-extension.

Its comparably low weight should make it easy for a gimbal to stabilize, and the limited change in length should also mean its center of gravity doesn’t move very much. This should make it possible to get away without having to re-balance for different focal lengths, which is a clear benefit over using a series of prime lenses.

L-mount teleconverters

Panasonic released a pair of teleconverters for its S-series full-frame bodies alongside the 10-25mm F1.7. These 1.4x and 2x converters are compatible with Panasonic’s S Pro 70-200mm lenses: the currently available F4 version as well as the F2.8 model coming later this year.

Both teleconverters feature UHR (ultra-high refractive index lens) elements, and Panasonic claims that there’s virtually no reduction in resolution when using them.

The 1.4x and 2x teleconverters are priced at $ 499/£489 and $ 599/£579, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Fujifilm GFX 100

23 May

Hands-on with the Fujifilm GFX 100

It’s here! The long-awaited next-generation Fujifilm GFX has been officially launched. Announced at Photokina back in September last year, and previewed to us in Dubai in February, Fujifilm has kept pretty tight-lipped about the final specification of the camera up to now, but finally the waiting is over. Click through to learn more about the camera that Fujifilm is hoping will shake up the pro photography market – the GFX 100.

New 100MP medium-format sensor

Central (literally) to the GFX 100 is a brand new 100MP back-illuminated sensor, which, at a technical level, is basically an upsized version of the sensors used in the APS-C format X-T3 and X-T30. Upsized by 4X, in fact. Yes, the 43.8 x 32.9mm medium-format sensor in this camera has an area a full four times greater than APS-C, and 1.7X greater than full-frame. As well as the obvious increase in output resolution, this should also ensure a significant boost in image quality compared to smaller sensor formats, especially when it comes to Raw dynamic range.

In-camera stabilization system

That’s not the headline, though. The really big leap in the GFX 100 compared to the earlier GFX 50S/R is that the sensor is stabilized. Using technology developed for (and lessons learned from) the X-H1, Fujifilm created an IBIS system for the GFX 100, which the company claims is effective up to 5.5 stops. We’ve shot extensively with a pre-production GFX 100 and we’ve found that at an equivalent focal length of 35mm, the GFX 100 can safely be hand-held down to at least 1/10 sec, and at even longer shutter speeds when wider lenses are attached.

While not up there with the 6+ stops of stabilization offered by some of today’s Micro Four Thirds cameras, having at least a reliable 2-3 stops of stabilization makes the GFX 100 enormously versatile for outdoor and low-light work compared to any previous camera of this type.

‘Double structure’ construction

The sensor, lens mount and IBIS mechanism are structurally independent of the main magnesium alloy body shell, using what Fujifilm calls a ‘double structure’. This design is intended to isolate the key imaging components of the camera from external stresses on the body. Meanwhile, the body itself is sealed at 95 points against dust and moisture incursion.

On-sensor PDAF

The GFX 100’s new sensor also enables on-sensor phase-detection autofocus: a first for the GFX line. While focus speed is still somewhat lens dependent, once we updated our lenses with new firmware from Fujifilm, the overall experience of autofocus with the GF100 is noticeably faster and more positive (less ‘clunky’, essentially) than it is with the GFX 50S or 50R.

In normal / good light, automatic focus is swift (Fujifilm claims a speed increase of up to 210% compared to the GFX 50R) and accurate, with little of the hesitancy or occasional hunting which characterizes the AF experience on earlier GFX models. Near-total frame coverage from 3.76 million PDAF pixels and face / eye detection means that you don’t need to worry about following a subject (i.e. portrait subject) around the scene, either.

High-resolution electronic viewfinder…

In many ways, to anyone who has used the previous GFX 50S, the GFX 100 will offer a fairly familiar user experience. But there are some pretty big differences, beyond the obvious stuff like resolution and on-sensor PDAF.

In general terms, almost everything about the GFX 100 just feels upgraded. That’s everything from operational speed and control layout to details like viewfinder resolution. This is the new dedicated OLED EVF, which offers 5.76 million dots – a significant increase in resolution and sharpness compared to the 3.69 million-dot unit in the GFX 50S.

…optional

Like the GFX 50S, the GFX 100 viewfinder is removable. The lower-resolution viewfinder from the GFX 50S will fit the GFX 100 but its resolution will not magically increase.

With the EVF attached, the GF100’s overall body dimensions are essentially the same as a professional DSLR like the Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1D X II. It feels a bit boxier than those cameras, but they’ll take up pretty much the same amount of space in a camera bag. With the EVF removed, the GFX 100 obviously becomes a smaller camera, and easier to stow (since it effectively becomes a square). Total body weight (with EVF attached, two batteries installed and a memory card) is about 3 lb, or 1.4 kilos – again, almost exactly the same as a Nikon D5 and similar DSLRs.

Vertical grip controls

Also like professional DSLRs, the GFX 100 features an integrated, non-removable vertical grip, with duplicated shutter button and some key control buttons. The grip is much less ergonomic than the more evolved bodies offered by Canon and Nikon, but it’s not uncomfortable. We do wish it was a bit more contoured though, especially when shooting with longer, heavier lenses.

Battery tray

The grip is home to a long battery tray which can accommodate two NP-T125 batteries, which are the same kind used in the GFX 50S and 50R. These batteries drain sequentially, and if necessary the camera can be used with only one installed in either the left or right slot.

Charging can be performed with an external dedicated charger or via USB, using the USB C socket on the camera. Impressively, battery life is comparable to the GFX 50S. Using CIPA’s methodology you should expect at least 400 shots per charge per battery with the 63mm F2.8 attached and Auto Power Save ‘on’. With two fully charged batteries installed videographers can expect around 170 minutes (almost 3 hours) of continuous 4K video capture, or 4 hours of HD.

New control interface

There are big changes on the top of the GFX 100, which features a much more stripped-down, minimalist design than either the GFX 50S or 50R, both of which look rather more ‘retro’ by comparison. In fact, at the risk of wearing out a predictable comparison, the GFX 100 is more reminiscent of the cleaner interface pioneered in Canon’s EOS-1 series D/SLRs. No big chunky dials for exposure compensation, shutter speed or shooting mode, and no big fat dedicated switches.

Instead, on the upper left you’ll find a simple 3-position lockable switch which places the camera in one of three modes: ‘Movie’ (self-explanatory), ‘Multi’ (any one of various multiple-exposure / bracketing modes which can be selected in the menu system) and ‘Still’. Pressing the central ‘Drive’ button allows you to select single shooting, continuous frame-rates and self-timer (etc.)

Top-mounted status display

On the upper right of the camera is a large multi-mode status display panel, which serves as the main display for key shooting parameters such as exposure settings / mode, film simulation, exposure compensation and so on. The display has several modes, including a full-screen histogram display. The two buttons to the right of the screen (on the left in this picture) toggle the display modes and change exposure mode (PASM) respectively. The panel itself is of the same monochrome type featured in the GFX 50S, but larger and higher resolution.

Just in front of the screen you’ll see the exposure compensation button, which follows the contours of the sloping ridge down to the shutter button and integrated on/off switch. One of our few frustrations with the ergonomics of the GFX 100 is that the exposure compensation button sits quite flush to the camera’s body and can be hard to locate and operate with your eye to the EVF.

Rear controls and OLED panel

There’s another screen on the rear of the GFX 100, a thin OLED display just below the main LCD. This was working in the pre-production camera that we’ve used, but not finalized. As such, we’re showing it here with the camera turned off. In the camera that we’ve used, this screen is used to show the status of several key shooting parameters, and we don’t expect this essential behavior to change in final shipping cameras.

This shot also shows the general disposition of the GFX 100’s rear controls, as well as the lack of textured rubber on the secondary vertical grip. Fans will be pleased to see that the Q button and AF joystick from previous Fujifilm cameras is retained, but there’s no 4-way controller or vertically mounted rear dial. Instead, the twin front and rear control dials, joystick and touch-screen are used for operations that don’t have a dedicated button.

Articulating touchscreen

On the rear of the GFX 100 we find an articulating 2.36 million-dot LCD touchscreen, of the same kind that GFX 50S users will be used to. While not fully articulating, the fold out, hinged design allows for low-angle framing in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Q button and vertical shooting

This shot illustrates a minor frustration with the GFX 100 (at least of the pre-production sample that we used) – the ‘Q’ button is really easy to press accidentally, especially the one on the vertical grip. As such, when setting up for a portrait-format shot, the first thing we saw in the viewfinder was often the Q menu display.

Fortunately, this display is easily dismissed with a half-press of the shutter button. Given Fujifilm’s rapid response to similar issues with the X-T30, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this behavior tweaked via firmware in shipping cameras.

Twin SD card slots

Twin SD card slots operate as you’d expect, and can be set up for overflow storage, backup or separate stills / video storage. The GFX 100 is UHS-II compatible, and with a fast card installed, the camera is remarkably quick in operation.

Whereas it’s not uncommon for other medium-format digital cameras to start to moan and wheeze after a few high-resolution Raw exposures, the GFX 100 appears to have power to spare from its quad-core X-Processor 4 engine. To photographers, the benefits of this speediness should go without saying. The downside is that with 100MP to play with, and a processor that can keep up with that many pixels, it’s all too easy to ‘overshoot’ and run out of card space.

That being said, our shooting so far has been in 14-bit Raw mode. It’s unlikely that the GFX 100 will be quite so light on its feet when capturing extended 16-bit Raw sequences.

4K video and I/O ports

One of the reasons the GFX 100 packs so much processing power is that as well as high-resolution stills (with the option for 16-bit capture), it also features an advanced 4K video feature set. While the video functions weren’t finalized on the pre-production camera that we’ve used, the 4K video footage that we captured at the GFX 100’s maximum bitrate looks very, very nice, and we’re looking forward to diving into this feature as soon as we can get our hands on a reviewable camera.

With features like F-Log Rec 2020, the popular Eterna cine profile and the ability to capture 4:2:2 10-bit uncompressed footage via the HDMI port, the GFX 100 has the potential to be a genuinely impressive video camera, and our initial impressions are very positive.

This shot shows the microphone and headphone monitoring sockets, as well as USB-C and micro HDMI interfaces, and a port for 15V DC power in. Towards the bottom of this image you can also see the catch for the battery tray, which fits lengthways into the vertical grip. Surprisingly – and perhaps a little alarmingly – this catch does not have a lock, which presents the theoretical risk of accidentally opening the battery tray if the catch snags on an item of clothing, etc.

Yours for only $ 10,000

The GFX 100 will be available at the end of June, for an MSRP (body only) of $ 9,999.95, which works out to roughly $ 100 per megapixel.

What do you make of it? Let us know in the comments.

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Hands-on with the new Peak Design Travel Tripod

21 May

Peak Design Travel Tripod

Peak Design announced a new Travel Tripod on Kickstarter today and we were lucky enough to get our hands on a prototype prior to launch. But before we dive into some initial impressions, here’s the nitty gritty: the tripod will be available in aluminum for $ 350 and carbon fiber for $ 600 – both prices include a ball head – however you can score the tripod for much less by backing it on Kickstarter now.

The Travel Tripod series sits in a pricing bracket of its own, toward the upper end of the market. It’s more than double the cost of a lot of other popular entry-level travel tripods, like Manfrotto’s Be Free line and MeFOTO’s RoadTrip tripods, but still much less expensive than the upper-echelon of the market in the Gitzo Traveler tripods (when factoring in the cost of both legs and head).

Overall design

The Peak Design Travel Tripod (center) is 2.5″ / 6.35 cm in diameter from top to bottom, making it considerably more streamlined and less bulky than the Manfrotto Be Free (left), MeFOTO RoadTrip (right) and Gitzo Traveler (not shown). Peak Design told us removing unnecessary bulk to save space was the primary goal of developing this tripod. To that regard, they seem to have been successful.

However, just because it’s slimmer doesn’t mean it’s any lighter than the competition. In fact both the aluminum and carbon fiber versions weight about the same as their Manfrotto and MeFOTO counterparts. And Peak Design’s collapsed length of 15.5″ / 39 cm is also about the same as the aforementioned tripods.

The ball head

Like most Peak Design products, the ball head accepts Arca Swiss-compatible plates – the two pins on either side can be removed (using an included tool) if you happen to have an Arca plate that is wider than the standard Peak Design-issued one. And a dual-locking mechanism offers piece of mind that your precious gear won’t take a tumble.

The top of the plate has a small bubble level that I found generally ends up covered when a camera’s attached, but it is useful for leveling prior. Users loosen and tighten down the ball head by turning the lower ring. I was pleased with the throw of this ring, you only need to turn it about 90-degrees to go from fully-locked down, to loose enough to adjust the camera’s framing.

Stability

Historically, I haven’t been terribly impressed by the level of stability most travel-oriented tripods offer, especially when using cameras with front-heavy lenses. For instance, when trying to photograph the moon with a Nikon P1000 mounted on a Manfrotto Be Free, the camera was prone to sagging forward with the lens fully-extended.

But Peak Design assured me their new tripod is up to the challenge of locking down even the heaviest rigs. To test their claims I went to our gear closet and brought out one of the heaviest setups I could find: a Nikon D5 with a 70-200mm F2.8 lens. To my surprise, I had no issue locking it down. Even with the front-heavy lens pointed up toward the sky, I witnessed no sag.

The legs and other features

The Peak Design’s Travel Tripod’s locking levers are easy to open and close thanks to a long throw. This makes it very easy to set up or break down in an instant, something I can definitely appreciate. A hex tool is also included to tighten and loosen the lock joints. This tripod can reach a maximum height of about 60″ / 152 cm with its legs and center column fully extended. It also offers a ‘low mode’ that get you to about 5″ / 13 cm off the ground and an ‘Inverted Mode’ for when you want to shoot straight down.

Peak Design loves including secret little features in their products and the Travel Tripod is no exception. A hook at the bottom of the center column can be used to weigh down the tripod, but turning it also reveals a secret Arca-compatible cellphone mount, tucked away in the column.

Initial impressions

It’s encouraging to see brands jumping into new product categories and genuinely trying to innovate and improve. With the Peak Design Travel Tripod, there’s no doubt the price alone will have people turning up their noses. But innovation and research doesn’t come cheap. And more importantly, even in the little bit of time I used a prototype of this tripod, I found it to be more compact and more stable than what’s offered on the lower end of the travel market.

Ultimately, we’re looking forward to getting a final version in and taking a proper look at how it compares not only to the ManFrotto and MeFOTO travel tripods, but travel tripods with a similar price, likes those from Benro, as well as the higher-end models from Gitzo.

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Hands-on with the DJI Osmo Action

16 May

DJI Osmo Action hands-on

The Osmo Action is DJI’s answer to the action cam. The 4K rugged action camera utilizes DJI’s built-in stabilization technology, offers dual screens, and like the Osmo Pocket, is simple to use.

Here is what you need to know about it.

Hardware overview

The DJI Osmo Action is built around a 1/2.3″ sensor—the same found in the Osmo Pocket—and has an F2.8 three-glass aspherical lens with a 145 degree FOV. The camera also features a de-warp function so you can maintain a wide perspective of a scene but eliminate the fish-eye effect typically found in action cameras.

The device features three buttons: power, record and quickswitch (QS). The QS button on the left-hand side lets you toggle between different video modes (video, HDR, slow) and photo without digging into the menu. Holding the QS button down will toggle between the front and back screens on the camera.

The camera is charged via a USB-C port located above the microSD slot on the camera’s left-hand side.

Build

The Osmo Action is shockproof up five feet, dustproof and waterproof down to depths of 36 feet without additional waterproof housing, though users will want to ensure that the microSD and USB charging slot is locked and the screw on front lens protector is secure before submerging. It can withstand temperatures as low as 14° Fahrenheit.

The rear touch screen features coatings to keep water and fingerprints away, and the protective lens cap has an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and an anti-fingerprint coating to keep things free of smudges.

Photo

The Osmo Action shoots 12MP Raw or JPEG photographs in 16:9 or 4:3 ratios. A self-timer countdown feature is included, and the camera can shoot in burst mode at 3/5/7 fps. Users can select either spot metering or AE lock mode. A setting called Face-Oriented Exposure ensures that faces stay bright in the scene.

The Osmo Action also allows you to set custom white balances and shoot in full manual exposure mode with an ISO range of 100-3200 and shutter speeds up to 1/8000sec. Additionally, the camera offers WiFi or Bluetooth to connect to the DJI Mimo app. Using the camera with the app gives it added functionality: live feeds, story templates and in-app editing.

Video

The camera can shoot 4K video up to 60 fps at 100Mbps with options to shoot as low as 24 fps, HDR video at 4K 30 fps and 8x slow motion in 1080p 240fps or 4x slow motion in 1080p 120fps. Built-in dual microphones and a speaker give the Osmo Action audio recording performance that is on par with that of a high-end smartphone. Adding the 3.5mm adapter accessory will allow you to connect an external mic for higher quality audio.

Timelapse mode makes it easy to turn hours of footage into seconds with just a few taps. Timelapses are recorded at 1080p and can be set at intervals of 0.5 sec up to 30 sec and durations can be set from 5m up to infinity. Custom exposure mode can be set up to 120 seconds for shooting nighttime landscapes or starscapes.

RockSteady/EIS

A new electronic image stabilization technology called RockSteady works to create footage that is smooth and stable even when shooting at 4K/60fps. The technology has a higher image cut ratio, removing blurry shots for smoother footage and analyzing raw data from the frames to increase stability by predicting the movement of the user. It is the first handheld DJI camera to incorporate the tech.

LCD screens

The Osmo Action has a 2.25″ rear touchscreen that can be used to access all of the features of the camera. There is an additional front-facing LCD that can be activated by tapping the back screen twice or by holding the QS button down. The 1.4″ front screen doesn’t offer touch functionality. The brightness of the LCDs mean that they can be used in direct sunlight with ease.

Performance and media

The Osmo Action uses a removable battery that is charged via USB-C in approximately 88 minutes. A fully charged battery will last 116 minutes when recording at 1080/30p or 91 minutes of 4K/30p with Rock Steady enabled. The camera uses microSD cards up to a maximum size of 256GB.

Price and availability

The Osmo Action will be available on May 22 for $ 349. The in-box setup includes camera, frame kit, quick release, two adhesive mounts (one flat and one curved), screw, and a USB-C charging cable. Customers can add accessories like ND filters for shooting in bright conditions, a waterproof case for deep sea shooting, the 3.5mm adapter for attaching a mic, an extension rod for unique angles, a floating handle for shooting underwater and a charging hub that can charge three batteries at once.

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Minolta DiMAGE V hands-on review

02 Apr

Introduction

In the DiMAGE V, Minolta combines point-and-shoot simplicity, modular lens design, thoughtful touches such as (literally) flexible storage media and the convenience of AA battery power to create a truly compelling photographic package for photographers of all types. From landscapes to family gatherings, the DiMAGE V is up to the task to help you capture the most of your moments in stunning 0.33MP detail. Younger photographers in particular will appreciate that the lens can swivel back towards you, making selfies just as easy as they are with your smartphone.

Key specifications:

1/3 inch, 0.33MP CCD sensor
34-92mm (35mm film-format equivalent) F5-5.6 manually zoomed detachable lens
Smart Media 5v storage (approx. 32 ‘Fine’ images per 4MB card)
Zero autofocus points (manual macro engagement)
ISO range of 160 to 160
1.8″ 71.8k-dot rear screen
Powered by four AA batteries, with a battery life rating of ‘not good’

Body, handling and controls

The DiMAGE V sits comfortably in the hand, thanks to a ridge on the front of the camera and an indent for your thumb on the rear. The rotating lens does, of course, encourage two-handed operation, and the smooth action of the manual zoom lever is a joy. A small door on the bottom of the camera prevents accidental operation of the ‘Format,’ ‘Date’ and ‘Self-Timer’ options, because we all know that accidentally enabling the self-timer results in many a photographer hurling their camera into the nearest body of water in frustration.

The rear screen does an excellent job of giving you a general idea of what your photo may look like, without giving you enough detail to ruin the ‘moment of discovery’ when you load it up on (preferably) an old Trinitron CRT.


The ‘+’ and ‘-‘ buttons not only control exposure compensation, but also navigating images in ‘Play’ mode.	This door prevents accidental operation, and will never, ever break, just like all of these little types of doors on ’90s electronics.

Operation of the camera is as straightforward as can be. The shutter button is in a nice spot, and the plus and minus buttons on the top give you control over exposure compensation and let you scroll through your images in playback mode. The built-in flash will be especially handy for when the light starts to drop, and the camera’s 1/30 maximum shutter speed won’t quite cut it. And to keep you focused on the actual process of taking pictures, there is no provision for manually selecting exposure settings.

So, does anyone out there have a Smart Media reader compatible with older 5v cards? Asking for a friend.

Lastly, the DiMAGE V runs on easy-to-find AA batteries, a blessing as you’ll be going through quite a few of them. It uses Smart Media storage, and will only accept cards up to 4MB – this thoughtful touch keeps you from over-shooting and having far too many images to go through on your OG Pentium-powered machine.

Performance and autofocus

In terms of performance, the DiMAGE V start-up time helpfully gives you plenty of time to think about the shot you’re going to take, and whether you really do want to take it. Likewise for shot-to-shot times. This careful slowing-down of the photographic process does, of course, encourage comparisons with Leica’s lineup of digital rangefinders, though we think the DiMAGE is the more practical option for most people.

This brings us to autofocus. There isn’t any. (Also like a Leica rangefinder!)

Image quality and usability

Ah, the moment I know you’ve all been waiting for. Unfortunately, this is just a hands-on review. We weren’t able to retrieve files from our DiMAGE V, owing to the scant availability of compatible card readers, but we’ve done the next best thing – we’ve photographed the rear of the camera so you can get an idea of how effective its screen is. Once we source a card reader, we’ll update the story so you can have your own ‘moment of discovery’ and see the full, glorious 0.33MP files that you crave.

Studio scene


Daylight	Low light

As you can see, the DiMAGE looks like it’s exposing the daylight scene fairly well without having to use exposure compensation. Colors look a bit cool, but we can’t say for sure whether it’s the screen or not – and certainly, there is no provision for custom white balance, to keep things simpler for the user.

Switch over to low light, and… well, perhaps it’s best to just not to shoot in low light.

Zoom range, selfies

The DiMAGE’s zoom range is fairly flexible, ranging from 34-92mm equivalent. Though the start of its zoom range isn’t all that wide, fans of Fujifilm’s X100 series – with its fixed 35mm lens – will likely see no problem with this.


Wide-angle	Telephoto

And thanks to the unusual design of the lens, you can even use the optical zoom while taking selfies. This is going to be great for those looking to spice up their Instagram feed with some more avant-garde compositions.


Wide-angle	Telephoto

Finally, we are big fans of the exposure compensation option on the DiMAGE. It really does give you wide latitude to adjust your exposure to your liking, particularly if you’re looking for a more silhouetted look. Though it’s difficult to see on the rear screen, it did help to bring back the Seattle wheel through the windows for this shot.


Automatic metering	Negative exposure comp

The detachable lens

It does detach, and you can even then use the camera itself as an off camera flash. This is something I was really looking forward to testing, but unfortunately, connector cables from the lens to the camera are harder to find than 5v Smart Media readers.

Conclusion

So, who is the Minolta DiMAGE V for? Well, while it’s tempting to say it’s great for anyone with fifty bucks and an eBay account, you may actually spend more money on and have a harder time finding the requisite memory card reader. But that said, we have to say we find the concept to be a bit of fresh air, even in 2019. There’s no denying that cameras these days are ludicrously more capable and more responsive, but designs are nowhere near as neat as some cameras seen in the early days of digital imaging. Today, the DiMAGE remains a fun-to-use novelty thanks to the detachable / swiveling lens design.

And later in the week, we promise we’ll get back to some reviews of, well, modern cameras.

Happy April Fool’s day, and H/T to our newest developer for generously loaning me his first ever digital camera.

Editor’s note – an earlier version of this article claimed incorrectly that the DiMAGE V has 3.3MP of resolution. It actually has 0.33MP – we regret the error.

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CP+ 2019: Hands-on with Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8 FF

03 Mar

CP+ 2019: Hands-on with Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8 FF

The second lens in Tokina’s new ‘Opera’ range is the 16-28mm F2.8 FF for full-frame Nikon and Canon DSLRs. We saw a mockup of this lens in late 2019, but we just got our hands on a working sample at the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan. Click through for a closer look.

High-quality wideangle zoom

Described by Tokina as ‘next generation, premium full-frame lenses’, the Opera range is designed to deliver optimal results on modern high-resolution Canon and Nikon DSLRs. Optical construction comprises 15 elements in 13 groups, three of which are of aspherical, and three are made of Low Dispersion glass.

Automatic / manual focus switch

A long-standing feature of Tokina lenses is a direct manual/automatic focus switch. To select manual focus, simply pull the entire focus ring towards the camera. This shot also shows off the large focus distance scale, marked in feet and inches.

Fast continuous maximum aperture

As one of two premium Opera lenses in Tokina’s lineup, the 16-28mm F2.8 is an appropriately solid lens, and balances nicely on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III that we tried it on in Yokohama. The zoom and focus rings operate smoothly, with no play, and the overall impression we got was of a very well-constructed lens.

The petal-shaped lens hood is integral to the lens, which unfortunately means that screw-in filters cannot be used.

No rear-mounted filter support

While some wideangle zoom lenses of this type offer support for rear-mounted drop-in filters, unfortunately that’s not an option on the Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8, either. While some photographers won’t care, dedicated landscape shooters might find this limiting.

On the plus side, the 16-28mm does feature sealing against dust and moisture incursion. You can just make out the black rubber gasket around the lens mount in this image.

Upgraded AF system

The Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8 weighs 940g (~2lb) and measures 89 x 133.5mm. It offers a nine-bladed iris for improved rendering of out-of-focus highlights and an upgraded AF system that is claimed to be both faster and more accurate than the original AT-X 16-28mm F2.8 PRO FX. Although we only had a few minutes with the lens at CP+, automatic focus on a Canon EOS 5D III seemed reasonably fast for a lens of this type, albeit not entirely silent.

The Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8 is shipping this month, for a very reasonable $ 699.

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	Chris wins
	Barney wins
	They're both terrible – send me next time