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Posts Tagged ‘HIGHEND’

Meyer-Optik announces move into high-end lenses for mirrorless cameras with Primagon 24

07 Apr

German lens manufacturer Meyer-Optik-Gorlitz has announced it is to produce a new premium 24mm lens that will come in mounts for all mirrorless camera systems. The Primagon 24 will feature a maximum aperture of F2.8 and will use seven elements including one aspheric. The company says that although the lens uses the Primagon name, it isn’t a recreation of a vintage model, but is a completely new design.

Meyer goes to some length to emphasize that the lens will be made in Germany from German-constructed parts and glass. It is said to be the first in a new series aimed at compact system users that will incorporate popular focal lengths and which aims at ‘best in class’ optical performance.

The information released by the company makes no mention of autofocus, so we should assume this will be another manual lens like the brand’s other optics. Meyer says it will allow 30 photographers the chance to buy the lens at half price before general production begins so they can give feedback to the lens designers so it can be improved or altered before it goes on general sale. We’d guess that those 30 will also receive a full-production model once they become available. To qualify for this opportunity, you need to already be a backer of the company’s Kickstarter campaign for the Trioplan 35+ lens, announced earlier.

The Primagon 24 is expected to be ready at the beginning of 2018, and will retail for approximately €4.999/$ 5,499 . For more information visit the Meyer-Optik-Gorlitz website.

Press release

Meyer-Optik Takes Quantum Leap with New High-End Primagon 24mm

Lens Maker Seeking Photographers to ‘Test’ Lens

With its latest Kickstarter campaign for the historic Trioplan 35+ successfully underway, Meyer-Optik is moving boldly into the world of high-end, high-performance photography with the newest addition to its lineup of hand-crafted lenses. Today, Meyer-Optik announced the new Primagon 24 mm f 2.8, which will have 7 individual lenses, including one aspheric lens. It will have an 84 degree angle of view and will impress with its image quality, compact size and weight of less than 9 ounces (about 250g). It will be available for practically all mirrorless cameras.

Even though the Primagon takes its name from a famous line of historic Meyer-Optik lenses, the new Primagon 24 is a totally new development. With this lens, the young Meyer-Optik brand strives for the highest image quality achievable, sticking to its guiding principles and guarantees that practically all mechanical and optical parts are made in Germany and the lenses will also be hand assembled as individual pieces of craftsmanship in Germany. With the help of world famous development engineers, the Meyer-Optik team has been working on the Primagon 24 for more than a year. The team is also working on several more lenses for this new series to cover the full range of the most needed and popular focal lengths. These lenses are all developed under the premise that they will provide the best in class high-performance tools for the ambitious photographer.

Even though photographers will have to wait until early 2018 to get a look at this lens, as one of the rewards for backing its Kickstarter for the Trioplan 35+, Meyer-Optik is allowing 30 photographers to receive the Primagon 24 for about half of its expected retail cost. The photographers will get a chance to use the lens months before it heads into serial production, allowing them to give Meyer-Optik feedback that the company could use to make final refinements. The “testing” promotion is a unique way to reward a select group of Kickstarter backers, while giving the company a chance to receive some feedback on how the lens performs in the “real world.”

“Even though the new lenses are already high performers, we want to listen and learn from the feedback of our users,” said Dr. Stefan Immes, founder of the revived Meyer-Optik brand.

“The opinion of the Kickstarter community and the direct feedback is very important to us. We are striving for technical perfection with this lens – but we will not make any compromises when it comes to the creative part of photography. Personality and character are the most important features of all our lenses. This starts right at the beginning of the development process and we are proud that some of the best engineers nationally and internationally are supporting our team in Goerlitz,” Immes said.

The new lens will be available at the beginning of 2018. It will be available for all mirrorless mounts. The suggested retail price will be 4.999,–€/5,499 US $ .

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Vertu Constellation is a luxury smartphone with high-end specs, for a change

26 Jan

Vertu is company known for its “handmade in England” luxury smartphones and eye-watering price tags. However, while many Vertu devices easily set you back as much as a decent used car, the specifications tend to be in line with mid-range rather than high-end models.

However, the latest incarnation of the Vertu Constellation, announced today, changes things up. It comes with actual high-end specifications and dual-SIM capability as an added bonus. The  5.5″ QHD AMOLED display is protected by scratch-proof sapphire glass and the Android 6 operating system is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset and 4GB of RAM. Also on board are 128GB of expandable storage, NFC, a USB Type-C port, and a 3,220 mAh battery. Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus virtual surround sound processing should provide a good sound experience and all the components have been wrapped up in a hand-crafted shell made from anodized aluminum and finished with leather, ‘sourced from a specialist, family-run tannery in Italy.’

In the camera department the Constellation offers a 12 MP rear camera with 1.55um pixel size which equates to a 1/2.3 sensor. Video recording at 4K is supported but there is no talk of optical image stabilization. No pricing information for the device has been released yet but it’s safe to assume it will be a four-figure US$ number. In case you’re still not sure if this kind of price tag is justified, you should consider Vertu’s 24-hour concierge service is included. On the Constellation it is accessed by pressing a ruby button on the side of the phone. You also get access to iPass, the world’s largest Wi-Fi network. If you want to take your mobile image in style you won’t have to wait too long. The Constellation will be available from February. You can register your interest now on the Vertu website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016

07 Dec

Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016

Although it’s true that ‘compact’ usually refers to cameras small in size, here, we use it to refer to any camera with a non-removable lens. This makes for an interesting spread of cameras, with 1″-type sensors and APS-C sensors, prime lenses and zoom lenses, pocketable wonders and DSLR-styled bridge cameras.

So step (or sit) right up and take a peek through the high-end compacts of 2016, and let your voice be heard – which of these should be crowned the best high-end compact camera of the year?

Note: This poll only includes high-end compact cameras released in the calendar year of 2016. If there’s a late 2015 product missing that you want to highlight, leave a comment and we’ll take this into account.

Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II

The Canon G7 X Mark II brings some impressive updates to Canon’s original 1″-sensor compact. It features a new Digic 7 processor, bringing with it increased operational speed and 8fps burst shooting in Raw + JPEG. There’s a (very comfortable) front grip, more effective image stabilization and the screen now tilts down as well as up (selfies will outlive us all).

There’s abundant external controls and a well-thought out touch interface, the control dial around the lens can be ‘clicked’ or ‘unclicked,’ and a 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens sits in front of a 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor.

In all, the G7 X Mark II is everything we hoped the G7 X Mark I would have been and more – is that enough to launch it to the top spot? Cast your vote and let us know.

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Fujifilm X70

As is typical with Fujifilm cameras, the retro-styled X70 is quite the looker, with image quality to back up those looks. Along with 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens, it uses Fujifilm’s tried-and-true 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and offers their famous film simulation modes.

You also get a 77-point hybrid autofocus system, a 3″ touch-enabled LCD, and all the manual controls you could want – plus eight customizable buttons.

The Fujifilm X70 is a camera for those that like a ‘hands-on’ experience, and it’s very petite considering the relatively large sensor. Do you think these qualities are enough to push it to the top of the pack this year? 

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Leica X-U

The Leica X-U is the manufacturer’s first-ever rugged camera – it’s waterproof to 15m, and is also shock-proof and dust-proof. It features a 23mm F1.7 Summilux ASPH lens that works out to a 35mm equivalent field of view for its 16.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor. There’s a flash mounted directly above the lens barrel, which will be especially useful for use underwater.

There’s always a certain cachet that comes with that red dot, reinforced here with Leica’s claims that they teamed up with Audi Design for the overall design of the camera. Are you a fan of the design? Excited by the prospect of dunking a Leica in the drink? Cast your vote and let us know.

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15

The Lumix LX10 / LX15 is Panasonic’s answer to Sony’s RX100-series, offering a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor, a 24-72mm equiv. F1.4-2.8 zoom and 4K video as well as some clever 4K photo modes. It has an all-metal body and well-damped dials, a pop-up flash, and a refined touchscreen interface.

The LX10 / LX15 also uses Panasonic’s Depth-from-Defocus (DFD) technology, ensuring swift and accurate autofocus, even for moving subjects, and also features varying levels of image stabilization between stills and video. Does the LX10 / LX15 tick all the right boxes for you? 

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Panasonic Lumix FZ2500 / FZ2000

The Panasonic FZ2500 / FZ2000 is the followup to the older FZ1000. Like many other models in this poll, it features a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor, though unlike other cameras in this roundup, it has a whopping 24-480mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 zoom lens. As much a video camera as it is a stills camera, Panasonic has also added a built-in variable ND filter, fully articulating LCD, 4K capture and 10-bit 4:2:2 vide output over HDMI.

It’s not the most… compact… compact camera in this poll, but that’s you price to pay for that staggering zoom range. Are you a video enthusiast who’s picked up the FZ2500 for yourself? Do you think it’s beaten out all the other compacts this year?

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Panasonic Lumix ZS100 / TZ100

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 / TZ100 marks the manufacturer’s return to the compact travel-zoom market, and it is a camera that more or less stands alone in this regard. It uses a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor behind a 25-250mm equivalent F2.8-4.9 zoom lens in a package that will easily fit in your jacket pocket. Typically for Panasonic, there’s also detailed 4K video capture and a slew of stills capture aids like Post Focus and 4K Photo. They’ve even shoehorned a popup flash and an electronic viewfinder into the all-metal body.

Is the ZS100 your go-to travel camera? Let us know.

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Sony Cyber-shot RX10 Mark III

The Sony RX10 Mark III is as much about its lens as it is everything else. That lens is a 24-600mm equivalent F2.4-4 Zeiss-branded unit, exhibiting impeccable sharpness throughout the zoom range. The sensor is a familiar 20MP 1″-type CMOS unit, and the camera is otherwise very similar to the RX10 Mark II. It offers 4K and ultra-slow-motion video capture as well as Sony’s industry-leading JPEG noise reduction.

Is the RX10 III and its monster lens enough to take the compact camera crown? Let us know what you think by casting your vote in the poll below.

Full specifications, user reviews and more

Sony RX100 Mark V

The RX100 V is the most refined RX100 model yet. It comes with a 20MP 1″-type sensor, 24-70mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 Zeiss-branded lens, and incredible 24fps burst shooting with full autofocus and autoexposure. There’s also oversampled 4K video capture, ultra slow motion video capture, a clever pop-up electronic viewfinder and a tilting rear screen.

The RX100 V is about as much technology as can fit into a pocket. Does it make your list of best cameras of the year?

See full specifications, user reviews and more

Vote now!

Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

Have your say

$ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”4436302269″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:3}); })

Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016
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Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II

Fujifilm X70

Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Panasonic Lumix FZ2500

Panasonic Lumix LX10

Panasonic Lumix ZS100

Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V

Poll Rules:

  1. This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted or paid for in any way and DPReview staff don’t care how you vote, so please don’t start a flame-war in the comments. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
  2. It’s fine to vote for products that you haven’t used (some may not yet be shipping, after all) but please don’t vote purely just to sandbag another product or brand. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
  3. Please only vote once, from a single account. Creating and voting from multiple accounts for a community poll of no consequence is a silly thing to do with your time. See points 1 and 2, above, about not being a troll.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Xiaomi Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus offer high-end camera specs and ultrasonic fingerprint reader

28 Sep

Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has launched two new high-end devices today, which in terms of specification and product naming, are squarely aimed at Apple’s recently launched iPhone 7 models. 

The Mi 5s is the smaller of the two new devices, featuring a 5.15″ force-sensitive 1080p display and a 3,200 mAh battery in a fully metallic body. The camera specification can compete with some of the current best Android smartphones. Sony’s 1/2.3-inch IMX378 CMOS sensor offers the same large 1.55um pixel pitch as the predecessor IMX 377 that is used in the Google Nexus 6P or HTC 10. It comes with on-sensor phase-detection and is combined with an F2.0 aperture, a dual-tone LED flash, auto HDR and 4K video recording at 30 fps. The front camera is less exciting, offering a 4-megapixel sensor with F2.0 aperture and an 80-degree wide-angle lens. Xiaomi has published a sample gallery on its website.

The Android OS is powered by Qualcomm’s latest top-end Snapdragon 821 chipset, up to 4GB of RAM and 128G internal storage. Another highlight is the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that is located underneath the front glass. The ultrasonic technology eliminates the need for cutting a hole into the glass and, according to Xiaomi, works better with dirty fingers than capacitive versions. In China the Mi 5s can pre-ordered on September 29th for approximately $ 300 for the base model with 64GB storage and 3GB RAM. The high-end version with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage will set you back $ 345.
The larger Mi 5s Plus comes with a 5.7″ display but no force-sensitivity and a conventional fingerprint reader on the back. On the plus side it has a bigger 3,800 mAh battery and a 13-megapixel dual-camera. The latter works in a similar way to the version in the Huawei P9, combining images from a color and BW sensor for improved detail and dynamic range. Both cameras use Sony’s 1/3.06 IMX258 sensor. The Mi 5s Plus will cost you approximately $ 345 for the model with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. A premium model with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage will be available for about $ 390. 

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony Xperia X Compact offers high-end camera in smaller format

02 Sep

Along with the Xperia XZ, Sony has launched the Xperia X Compact. It’s aimed at users who want a powerful camera in a compact body but can live with a slightly less powerful chipset.

The X Compact comes with the same 23MP ‘triple sensor’ main camera with laser-AF and color sensor as the Xperia XZ, but doesn’t offer 4K video and uses a front camera with a lower 5MP resolution, compared to the XZ’s 13MP. Like previous Sony Compact models the new device has a 4.6” display with 720p HD resolution, putting it in direct competition with Apple’s iPhone 6s. The Sony is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chipset and features 3GB of RAM in conjunction with 32GB of internal storage. The latter is expandable via a microSD slot. Power is provided by a 2700 mAh battery, that, like on the larger model, supports smart battery management and quick charging.

The power button doubles as fingerprint reader to ensure secure device access and online shopping. In contrast to the Xperia XZ the Compact model comes with a plastic body that does not feature any environmental protection. However, this is reflected in pricing. The Xperia Z Compact will be available in Europe from September for a more affordable €449 (approximately $ 560).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Huawei’s MediaPad M3 is a high-end media consumption device

02 Sep

With the MediaPad M3, Huawei has launched an interesting new option for photographers who like showing images or videos to clients or friends on a tablet. An 8.4″ IPS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels displays sharp images and an ‘eye-care’ mode filters blue light to put less strain on your eyes while viewing the screen. Sound is played back through stereo speakers that are powered by an AKM soundchip and Harman Kardon engineered surround sound technology.

The Android operating system is powered by Huawei’s own Kirin 950 octa-core chipset and 4GB of RAM. Buyers can choose from 32 or 64GB storage versions and there is also a microSD expansion slot. Huawei claims the 5100 mAh battery is good for 11 hours of video playback and the fingerprint sensor at the front doubles as a navigation tool. Tap and swipe gestures let you use it as a back or home button and for scrolling.

The Media Pad M3 is not meant to be a capture device but, just in case, 8MP cameras are available at front and back. All the components are wrapped up in a sleek-looking and only 7.1mm thin metal unibody. The device will be available in Europe, starting at €349 (approximately $ 390) for the 32GB version. No information on pricing in other regions has been provided yet.  

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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OmniVision announces 1.55-Micron sensor for high-end smartphones

02 Jun

Image sensor maker OmniVision has announced its latest product, the OV12890, a 1/2.3-inch 12MP sensor with a 1.55-micron pixel-size that has been designed with implementation in high-end smartphones in mind. OmniVision claims the new chip delivers improved sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio compared to previous generations. It also offers a 12-bit architecture that allows for faster readout speeds.

The OV12890 comes with on-sensor phase detection and built-in HDR capabilities. It can capture 12MP still images at 45 fps, 4K video at 60 frames per second and Full-HD 1080p video at 240 fps, allowing for smooth high-resolution slow-motion footage. It fits into 10 x 10mm camera modules with a z-height of 6mm. 

‘As cameras for premium smartphones continue to improve, we see the resolution race slowing down and increasing emphasis placed on pixel performance and image sensor size as key to ever-higher quality mobile images and video,” said James Liu, senior technical marketing manager at OmniVision.’

The sensor is currently available for sampling and is expected to enter volume production in Q4 2016. We were quite impressed with the performance of of OmniVision’s 1/2.4-inch 16MP sensor OV16860 in our recent Lenovo Moto G Plus quick review, so looking at the impressive specifications of the new chip we are really looking forward to its implementation in production devices.

Press release:

TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — OmniVision Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today announced the OV12890, a new 1.55-micron big-pixel sensor for flagship smartphones. Built on OmniVision’s PureCel®Plus-S stacked die technology, the OV12890 delivers improved sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with faster 12-bit readout architecture when compared with previous-generation big-pixel sensors. These performance enhancements enable the 1/2.3-inch OV12890 to capture ultra-high resolution, high frame rate images and video with support for phase detection autofocus (PDAF), making it an attractive camera solution for premium smartphones.

“As cameras for premium smartphones continue to improve, we see the resolution race slowing down and increasing emphasis placed on pixel performance and image sensor size as key to ever-higher quality mobile images and video,” said James Liu, senior technical marketing manager at OmniVision. “The OV12890 is our newest big-pixel stacked die image sensor for the mobile market, and represents one of our strongest offerings for premium smartphones. The feature-rich OV12890 captures exceptional images and video in a compact package, making it a top-flightimaging solution for flagship mobile devices.”

The OV12890 leverages OmniVision’s PureCelPlus-S pixel technology to capture full resolution 12-megapixel images and video at 45 FPS, ultra-high resolution 4K2K video at 60 FPS, and 1080p full HD definition video at 240 FPS via high speed D-PHY and C-PHY interfaces. The OV12890 also supports advanced features such as high dynamic range (HDR).

The OV12890 can fit into 10 x10 mm modules with a z-height of 6 mm. The sensor is currently available for sampling and is expected to enter volume production in the fourth quarter of 2016.

About OmniVision
OmniVision Technologies is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today’s consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, tablets and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at www.ovt.com.

OmniVision® and the OmniVision logo are registered trademarks of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. PureCel®Plus-S is a trademark of OmniVision Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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2015 Roundup: High-end Interchangeable Lens Cameras $2000+

26 Nov

This category has something for everyone, whether it’s ultra-high resolution, 4K video, high dynamic range, and super-fast burst rates. For the enthusiast or pro who refuse to compromise, here’s a look at cameras priced over $ 2000.  Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon USA drops prices on 31 high-end L lenses

14 Apr

Canon USA has dropped the price of 31 of its high-end L-series prime and zoom lenses, by between $ 30 and $ 800. Several popular zooms like the EF 24-70mm F2.8 II USM and EF 70-200mm F2.8 IS II USM have been discounted by $ 100 and very high-end primes like the 400mm + F2.8 sports lenses have dropped in price by $ 500. Meanwhile the Extender EF 1.4x III and Extender EF 2x III have been reduced by $ 20. Click through for a full list

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Enlight for iOS launches with high-end photo editing tools

14 Mar

The developers behind Facetune have created a new app called Enlight, a general purpose image editor. It challenges apps like VSCO Cam and Adobe’s own mobile image editors, with adjustment tools, presets and various filters. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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