RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Interview’

Interview: Aaron DuRall’s surreal self-isolation photos

04 May

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_6761134399″,”galleryId”:”6761134399″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

In an alternate timeline New York-based photographer Aaron DuRall and his partner Whitney DuRall would have been gearing up for their busiest season of the year – wedding season. The couple have been photographing weddings together for eight years and typically make the bulk of their yearly income during Spring and early Summer. Of course, these are not the times we’re living in. Like many independent photographers, as COVID-19 began sweeping through the states, DuRall saw his work drop off quickly.

“We lost about about a third of the year, it’s pretty staggering,” he says.

DuRall, who also specializes in portraiture and documentary work, saw those gigs dry up quickly as well. For the last month DuRall has been isolating at home in his apartment in Ridgewood, Queens, churning out daily photos that are worlds away from the natural documentary style work that he typically creates. We caught up with DuRall over the phone to learn more about the inspiration for the brightly-colored, surreal frames that make up his COVID-19 Self Isolation series.

Tell me how you started your isolation photo project.

We began isolating on Sunday, March 15 and have been at home since. I knew I was going to be cooped up and I needed something to keep me occupied and stretching my brain – keep me busy and creating. I decided I was going to make photos every day, but it’s gone through an evolution.

Initially I thought I would photograph the neighbors when they were outside in their backyard from our back windows, or that I’d photograph from our front windows and capture people on the sidewalks and hanging out on their stoops. I thought I’d use an observational, bird’s eye view and a long lens, then I realized how limiting that would be. I have a view of one backyard and a view of four stoops. How can you photograph the exact same people every single day? Then I decided I’m just going to get weird using the objects that we have at home, and experiment with light, form and the human body.

Aaron DuRall

What is the planning process like for the daily shoots?

I start thinking about what I’m going to do tomorrow as soon as I stop shooting for today. It’s the mindset of ‘I got that idea out there, so what is the next one?’ I’ve been keeping notes in my phone so if an idea comes to me in the middle of the night or while I’m walking around the apartment I put it in my phone. Then I sketch them out in a notepad and figure out how I might enhance the idea through different objects and colors that I have access to in the apartment.

I start thinking about what I’m going to do tomorrow as soon as I stop shooting for today

I’m not going to lie, we lost the bulk of our livelihood for this year with the pandemic—April, May, June and July wiped clean—so I do spend extra time in bed every day. I get out of bed around 11:30, make a coffee and a blueberry waffle with peanut butter, and then come into the space, turn on my music and stare at my backdrop to try and figure out what the idea is going to be and how I’m going to facilitate it.

What’s in your home-studio setup?

Behind the scenes: Aaron’s home studio.

I’ve got a handful of seamless paper, some poster boards, a variety of gels and then just a bunch of silly props. For lights I’ve got two Alienbees B800s and a Canon 430EX speedlight. My camera is a Canon 5D Mark III.

During weddings you and your partner Whit are typically shooting alongside each other, what has her role been in these shoots while the two of you are quarantined at home?

Some days I make a photo 100 percent by myself and I won’t need help, but there are other concepts where I need to have her involved. I would say 70 percent of the time she is involved, sometimes that means being the subject of the picture, other times it’s having her flag lights, or even press the shutter for me. Whit’s usually sitting in the living room reading a book or working on emails while I’m in the office tinkering. The process has typically been when I’m at a point where I need her help with something she will pop in. I try to make it a quick process and not hold her hostage with this stuff.

Early on, day four or five of isolation I decided to light my hand on fire

A big part of what she is doing is sitting in as my subject. She’s very comfortable in front of the camera, awesome at taking direction and is great at helping me give these images that final pop. I’m lucky that Whit is super patient, and will generally participate in any of the ideas I have – there have been some moments that she hasn’t been too thrilled.

I’ve cut it from the series at this point, but early on, day four or five of isolation I decided to light my hand on fire – she wasn’t stoked on that for obvious reasons. You take the best precautions that you can, and there is a process to doing it as safely as possible, but she obviously wasn’t too thrilled about setting me ablaze inside of our apartment – which is very reasonable. She’s been really supportive, whether she is involved in the shoot or not.

Aaron DuRall

What is the post-processing process like for you?

It’s gotten more involved as the project has gone on. I was never big on post-cleanup and retouching, but I’m actually starting to enjoy it. These were skills that I didn’t have the best grip on going into isolation, and when I come out of this situation I feel like I’m going to have a lot more skills that are applicable to my freelance career.

Some of it is simple: removing artifacts from the backdrop and making sure that it has a consistent smooth look. The Invisible Man photo required a lot of compositing. I had to mask myself out of that and then I had to take additional photos of the inside of the collar of my shirt, the inside of my sleeves, the insides of my shoes and my beanie so that when I inevitably erased myself from this photo those things would be filled in and it would look authentic.

It’s been more post-processing than I’m used to, but I’m not mad about it. These projects are taking up a good amount of my day. I wake up, I spend a couple of hours tinkering, I spend about an hour shooting it and then I’ll spend about two hours retouching and editing.

I’ve felt like I’ve broken out of a shell and have started creating work that is so far from the body of work that I generally live within

What have some of your favorites from the series been so far?

I feel like each new day provides a new favorite, honestly. The ones that appeal to me the most are the ones that have some kind of erotic or sexual connotation to them. I’m primarily a portrait and documentary photographer, and so this has been really exciting, creatively speaking. I’ve felt like I’ve broken out of a shell and have started creating work that is so far from the body of work that I generally live within. Lots of color, lots of punch, lots of heavy shadows. These are things that I never really did before. I love them all, but I’m drawn most to the ones that have a subversive and sexual feel to them.

Why was it important for you to take such a different approach with this project?

I could have gone into this and taken a documentary approach, I did at first, but I think everyone is acutely aware of how scary this situation is – at least in New York. I would rather create an escape and give people a distraction from this, as opposed to creating something somber that is predicated on the weight of this moment.

I think it’s been great for my mental well-being, has kept me focused and kept me optimistic. Based on the feedback I’ve been getting online, it appears that this work is something that other people enjoy as well, and that’s the cherry on top for me. I make this work to make myself feel better, and if it’s somehow making someone else feel better that’s cool and I am lucky for that.

Aaron DuRall

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Interview: Aaron DuRall’s surreal self-isolation photos

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Fujifilm interview: ‘We will get through this crisis together’

15 Apr
Toshihisa Iida, General Manager of Fujifilm’s Optical Device and Electronic Imaging Products Division pictured at the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany in 2018.

With CP+ canceled and international travel off the agenda for the time being, we’re doing things the old-fashioned way: by telephone. Recently we caught up with Fujifilm’s Toshi Iida, to talk about the X-T4, X100V and, of course, the ongoing impact of the coronavirus epidemic on Fujifilm and the camera industry as a whole.

The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

How are things going in Tokyo?

We’re not in complete lockdown, we’re still able to work in the office together but this week activities in Tokyo have been restricted. At the moment we’re all safe.

You’ve been dealing with the COVID-19 situation now for more than two months – what impact has it had on your operations?

There are three or four aspects to the situation. Firstly on the manufacturing side. Our China factory is our main factory for camera manufacture. [In February] the Chinese government extended the new year holiday, so we couldn’t restart manufacturing until the 10th of February, of course at limited scale. We’re catching up, and […] at the moment we’re almost back to full-scale operations at the factory. Of course, we’re working with the strict health management processes set down by the [Chinese] government.

So that’s the good news: we have the [manufacturing] volume for the X-T4, so we’re confident we can launch the camera officially at the end of April.

The next thing is logistics and sales. As you know, the situation in the US and in Europe is getting more serious every day, and this is affecting our warehouses and logistical operations. And also sales operations, because many stores are shut down. So we’ve seen a sudden drop in demand, which was inevitable. On the service side, we can continue to offer after-sales service in both the US and in Europe, for the moment.

Where will this crisis leave Fujifilm as a whole?

Fujifilm is very diversified. Our medical and healthcare business is the biggest part of our company. The drug Avigan [currently being investigated for use in treating COVID-19] was developed by Fujifilm’s pharmaceutical division. This current moment is certainly difficult for the imaging part of our business, but I think we are in a good position to weather the present situation.

It’s important when talking about business not to forget about people’s health

Of course it’s important when talking about business not to forget about people’s health and safety. We may not be able to predict when this crisis will be over, or when things will return to normal. But eventually we will get through this together, and hopefully demand for our products will come back strong.

For now, our R&D plan is unchanged. We’ll launch the X-T4 at the end of April and move on to the next project. We’ll keep on focusing on making better projects, and developing better technology.

What kind of impact will the cancelation of the Olympic Games have on Japan this year?

It will have a huge impact on the entire Japanese economy. Many people were invested in the games happening this year, so it is a big loss. On the imaging side, obviously the broadcasting and TV coverage is all canceled, and that has impacted our broadcasting business. Broadcasting lenses are one of our key products, and we’ve seen a lot of orders being postponed or canceled.

Fujifilm’s main factory building near Sendai, in Japan. Fujifilm has been making digital cameras in this facility for a long time (we first visited it way back in 2002). After being badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake, it was reopened in 2018.

Do you think this will prove more serious than the impact of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami?

Yes, definitely. The earthquake and tsunami were [limited to] Japan. Of course the logistics of the supply chain were affected, but it didn’t last for a long time. At that time we’d just introduced the original X100, and within two weeks our manufacturing was back to normal. There was a flood in Thailand in 2011, too, which also affected the supply chain, but it only affected [customer] demand in Thailand itself.

COVID-19 is affecting everything, worldwide.

Why did you opt for a totally new model name with the X-T4, rather than making it a variant of the very similar X-T3?

We did have that discussion, and one idea from our team was that we should call it the X-T3 ‘S’. But considering the changes we made in the X-T4, except for the sensor and the processor it’s completely different. New shutter, new IBIS unit, new battery. So we felt that overall it’s different enough from the X-T3 to be called ‘X-T4’.

The IBIS unit for the GFX100, shown alongside a 100 Yen coin, for scale (for reference, a 100 Yen coin is about the same size as a US quarter, or a British 10p piece). Experience gained in the development of this IBIS unit helped Fujifilm’s engineers create the small, lightweight IBIS mechanism used in the new X-T4.

How is the X-T4’s IBIS different to that of the X-H1?

The IBIS unit is completely redesigned. New parts, fewer parts, and it’s more powerful. The components and the structure are completely different. In terms of size, it’s about 30% smaller, and 20% lighter than the mechanism in the X-H1.

Experience with the X-H1 and the GFX100 helped our R&D team. Without the X-H1 we couldn’t have made the new IBIS unit in the X-T4, and it’s the same with the GFX100. Without that experience and knowledge we couldn’t have developed it.

Now that the X-T4 exists, with its advanced 4K features and IBIS, how will the XH line develop?

We’ll keep the X-H line, alongside the X-T series. I can’t share our precise plans, but we will continue to develop that line in future, and we will introduce innovations into that series.

Will the X-H line continue to be video-centric, in the same way as the X-H1 when it was originally released?

Possibly. I can’t give details, but the concept will be very different to the X-T series.

The X-H1 was Fujifilm’s video-centric model when it was first released, but has since been leapfrogged by subsequent XT-series models. Mr. Iida tells us that the XH line will continue to be developed, which hints at even more powerful video features to come.

Will the X-T3 be updated via firmware to bring its autofocus into line with the X-T4?

It’s technically possible, because they have the same sensor and the same processor. But it depends on prioritization on the firmware development side. We have many other projects, but in the future we would like to do that for our X-T3 customers.

Will the X-T3 continue to exist alongside the X-T4 in the lineup?

Yes. The X-T3 has been on the market for more than a year, but it has a good sensor, and a good processor. It will continue to be available alongside the X-T4.

The X-100V just started shipping, but do you have a sense of how it’s been received?

The reception has been very good. Because it was launched in February, the initial shipment volume was very limited. In early February we were still under restrictions on the production side. So we had to decide to launch the silver version only, with the black version later. We are still back-ordered. All of the feedback has been very positive.

The X100V features a new lens and several ergonomic changes compared to previous X100-series cameras.

Was it important to you that the X100V offers such advanced 4K video features?

Everybody knows that for the X100 series, the primary use-case is still photography. We know that not many people are shooting video on the X100 series. But with the X100V we really want even still photographers to enjoy the 4K movie experience. We’re proud of the improvements we’ve made to the quality, and we really want to encourage our customers to try it. And we also want to make the camera future-proof.

Video is not as important in the X100V as the X-T4, but still, it’s nice to have.

Speaking of video, the GFX100 has been on the market now for almost a year. How has it performed?

In terms of sales numbers I can tell you that it’s about 50% more than we originally anticipated. So very positive. We’ve been back-ordered, but we’re finally catching up. So sales numbers have been very good, and all of the feedback, especially around the IBIS and autofocus, it’s all been positive.

What kind of photographers have been buying it?

As we predicted, it’s been fashion, commercial and landscape photographers, but now we’re getting interest from more industrial photographers, for example for aerial and archival purposes. It’s been interesting.

The GFX100 is obviously a very capable video camera. How many of your customers are using it for filmmaking?

We know some filmmakers are now evaluating the system. As for how many customers are shooting video on the GFX100, we don’t know. But I hope that people are using it for video.

Fujifilm’s new ‘Premista’ line of cine lenses is designed for larger than full-frame imaging circle. These new lenses could become an option for GFX-series video shooters, via an adapter.

Is there potential for a range of Fujinon cine lenses for GF?

We just extended our line of Premista cine glass, which covers an imaging area slightly larger than full-frame. It’s a Vistavision image circle. It may be possible to convert these lenses to the GF mount with an adapter.

The GF line is now three years old – can you tell us how the cameras will evolve into the future?

We have the three styles – the 50R, the more rangefinder style, the 50S, the more SLR-style, and the 100, which is integrated. We really want to keep that kind of differentiation [in the lineup]. That’s the way we’d like to go.

Do you think there’s any potential for a fixed-lens X100-style GF camera?

At the moment we have no plans for a camera like that. We really want to focus on interchangeable lenses. A fixed lens design would mean that we would have to allocate a dedicated lens development team to that kind of camera. So at the moment our priority is to expand the GF lens lineup.

What are your priorities when it comes to expanding the GF lens line?

Our biggest priority is introducing the 80mm F1.7 lens to the lineup. We’re really focused on that kind of lens. But in the future, we’ll continue to listen to what our customers request.

Fujifilm’s GFX range now includes three lines – ‘S’, ‘R’ (shown here) and ‘100’. Mr. Iida tells us that all three will continue to evolve.

What kind of changes or improvements do your GFX 50S and 50R customers want in the next generation of their cameras?

Everybody loves the image quality, the resolution and dynamic range, and compared to traditional medium format cameras they’re easier to use, and easier to carry around. That’s been a lot of the feedback. What they really want us to improve is autofocus speed.

Will future developments address that requirement?

It’s at the top of the list of things we want to address. We will continue to focus on how to improve the autofocus.

Do you see a major difference in where certain types of products sell most, around the world?

When it comes to mid-range and high-end cameras, the sales are pretty even. The US, Europe, and Japan – it’s almost an even spread. Our medium-format market is also pretty even, but there’s a very strong demand for GFX in China. One exception is entry-level models, like the X-A7 and XT-200. Asia is our major region for those cameras.

Has the situation in China affected your sales of GF products?

Yes, because in February all the shops closed. But about 80% of the stores have since reopened. Online sales have remained stable. I don’t know how, but the online channel has been pretty solid.

What are you doing to encourage the growth of a third-party video accessory ecosystem around your imaging products?

Our customers need compatibility with third-party accessories, like gimbals, drones, things like that. We’ve opened pretty much all of our specifications to third-party manufacturers.

So do you actively speak to companies like DJI, Rode, and so on?

Yes, we’re very proactive about talking to them.

Do you plan on opening the X-mount up to third-party lens manufacturers?

Yes. Kenko Tokina actually already announced three lenses for X-mount, with autofocus. Many customers want more lenses, and we want to satisfy that need.

I know last year you were gathering feedback from users on how to refresh the first generation of XF lenses. Can you give us an update?

We are fully aware of the need to refresh our older lenses. At the moment our roadmap does not contain any ‘Mark II’ products but we will be working on new versions of many of our ‘key’ lenses. In some cases we may need a new optical design, or maybe just a mechanical redesign.

How will the XF lens range develop? Will we see more lenses like the XC 35mm F2?

First we need to see how customers react to the XC 35mm F2. If it’s positive, maybe we can consider more lenses of this type. It’s too early to tell at the moment.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

When I spoke to Mr. Iida, it was a few days before Japan declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 epidemic, when offices in Tokyo were still open and life in the city was still more or less normal. That was a little over a week ago. A lot has changed in the short time since our conversation, which only serves to underline the seriousness of the current crisis.

Beyond the most immediate and important concerns (the global shutdown, and loss of human lives being chief among them) this is of course the last thing that the photo industry needs. Compared to the 2011 earthquake in Japan, and the flooding in Thailand that took place in the same year, the economic impact caused by COVID-19 is likely to be far more serious. It’s already having a profound effect.

Because it’s so diversified, Fujifilm is in a pretty good position compared to some companies

According to Mr. Iida, because it’s so diversified, Fujifilm is in a pretty good position compared to some companies, and the immediate impact of the Chinese shutdown seems to have passed. Less certain – and potentially far more impactful – is the devastating effect on longer-term sales caused by economic disruption in the US, Europe and parts of Asia. If, as seems highly likely, we’re pitched into another global recession, what happens next – after the virus – is anyone’s guess.

For now, Mr. Iida assures us that Fujifilm’s R&D planning remains on track. This is just one of several encouraging messages from our interview. Others include a strong hint at future firmware for the X-T3, and autofocus improvements in the GF lineup. Speaking of which, it looks like the current trifurcation of the GFX line will continue, with the ‘100’ series remaining distinct as an ‘integral’ solution, while the ‘R’ line will maintain the compact, rangefinder-style approach embodied in the GFX 50R.

The X-H line will continue to be developed, and the ‘concept’ of future products will be distinct from the X-T series

Another product line that looks set to continue is X-H. Despite the X-H1’s video capabilities being leapfrogged by the new X-T4, Mr. Iida told me that the X-H line will continue to be developed, and the ‘concept’ of future products will be distinct from the X-T series. It’s unclear exactly what that will look like, but for filmmakers I’m sure this will be welcome news.

It’s also encouraging to hear that Fujifilm is continuing to communicate ‘proactively’ with third-party manufacturers about supporting its products for video. A big part of how Panasonic and Sony have managed to make such major inroads with filmmakers is the ecosystem of accessories which exists around their cameras, and it seems that Fujifilm understands the importance of such support.

The news that Tokina’s upcoming XF-mount lenses will offer autofocus (a detail missing in the press release for those products) is also very positive. This means that Fujifilm is making its mount protocols available for licensing from third-parties which (theoretically) opens up the possibility of compatible optics from the likes of Sigma and Tamron, at some point in the future.

Read more in-depth interviews

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Fujifilm interview: ‘We will get through this crisis together’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Sigma interview: Smaller, high-quality lenses coming ‘in the near future’

30 Mar
Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, pictured in his company’s plant in Aizu, Japan when we visited in 2015.

The photo industry is recovering from the disruption in global supply chains caused by Chinese shutdown, but with the rest of the world still in crisis, companies are preparing for a major drop in customer demand, especially in the US and Europe. Last week I spoke to Kazuto Yamaki of Sigma to get his take on the ongoing situation worldwide, and on Sigma’s strategy for the next generation of cameras and lenses.

Please note that this interview was conducted remotely, and has been edited for clarity and flow.

Mr. Yamaki, I last spoke to you two weeks ago, which feels like a year ago. What has changed in those two weeks?

Two weeks ago I was mainly concerned about the production system, and the supply chain. We make all of our products in Japan and make most of the parts by ourselves or by Japanese local suppliers, but some parts such as electronics are supplied from China, therefore, I was concerned about the supply of parts. But in fact, up to now we haven’t had a serious problem with that. Some parts have been delayed due to confusion in the supply chain but it hasn’t been serious, and we’ve been able to adjust our production planning.

Production and delivery systems in China are starting to normalize

So on the production side, we haven’t had a serious problem. And we don’t expect to have problems in the future, because production and delivery systems in China are starting to normalize.

I was also really concerned about sales in China. At the beginning of March, my worst-case scenario was a halving of sales compared to last year. But in fact our business in China is quite stable, and not too bad, which is a big relief. Sales in China are still doing OK because there’s a very strong online business. Right now the biggest concern is the market situation in Europe and the USA. I had never imagined such a crisis in Europe and America.

How are things in Japan?

It’s not a crisis situation, like in some parts of the US or in Europe. People are walking in the streets, and coming back to stores. It’s not as bad as it is in other countries. But for the photo industry it’s really bad. Since the beginning of March, we’re seeing a decline in sales in the Japanese market, but we will have to wait for a while to get a picture of the full situation.

Sigma’s Aizu factory in northern Japan is still where all of the company’s lenses and cameras are assembled, with a primarily domestic (i.e., Japanese) supply chain. This makes Sigma unusual among modern manufacturers in the consumer digital imaging space.

So to some extent, life is returning to normal in parts of China?

This is what I’ve heard. People are starting to return to the streets, and our staff in China are reporting a positive mood in the towns.

What effect do you think that this crisis will have in the long term?

To be honest I don’t know. Some countries have already decided to lock down cities for weeks, even months, and this will affect our business. I don’t want to be too negative, but the situation may not improve in the short term.

Do you have any idea of what portion of your sales in Europe and the US are online?

It’s a bit too early to say that, but in Europe, it doesn’t look like online business can compensate for the loss of sales from physical stores. Some online retailers are also prioritizing food and sanitary goods because of the high demand, so shipments of cameras and lenses are being de-prioritized.

Sigma’s ‘DC’ trio of native mirrorless lenses (now available for Canon EF-M, Sony E-mount and Micro Four Thirds) has proven a hit, with demand regularly outstripping supply in some markets.

Has this crisis revealed any vulnerabilities in the current structure of the photography industry – for example within the supply chain?

Well, this is not the first time. We had similar problems when the earthquake hit Japan in 2011, and also a flood in Thailand. The global supply chain was thrown into total confusion. I think we’re aware of such risks. Sigma has a relatively short supply chain. As you know, most of our suppliers are located in Japan, and we work with them directly. However, some of those suppliers do outsource certain components to other suppliers, called ‘second-tier’ suppliers.

Most companies have a very complicated structure, with first-tier suppliers, second-tier suppliers, and sometimes even third-tier. But in the case of Sigma, our supply chain is quite simple, so it’s easy to control the situation.

Let’s move on from talking about coronavirus – you recently said that going forward, Sigma would prioritize development of native mirrorless lenses over lenses for DSLR. Can you explain that decision?

It’s simply because we’ve had higher demand for mirrorless lenses. The mirrorless camera market is stable compared to DSLR. If you look at the market statistics you’ll see that the decline in DSLR sales is quite significant. This decline gets steeper every month.

We’re also seeing a decline in sales of our DSLR lenses, so naturally we have to focus our efforts on the development of mirrorless lenses.

Demand for Sigma’s ‘DN’ (Digital Native) range of lenses for mirrorless mounts has outstripped demand for lenses made for traditional DSLR lens mounts. For this reason, Sigma is prioritizing development of native mirrorless lenses.

How have the full-frame ‘DN’ lenses performed in the market since they’ve been released?

They’re doing very well, especially our 24-70mm F2.8. It’s been very well-received. We’re still catching up to demand for that lens. We’ve been enhancing our manufacturing capacity, continuously, but we still can’t meet demand. Even in the current difficult situation, demand for that lens is still very strong.

What portion of your DN sales are L-mount lenses?

It’s tough to say. Most of the lenses we’re shipping of course are for Sony E-mount. It’s too early, and we don’t have a big enough lineup to make our potential customers feel comfortable with the L-mount system. Changing systems is a big decision for the customer. There are a lot of potential customers out there, but I think they’re waiting and seeing how the L-mount system develops. I think we need one or two more years before we have a complete L-mount system. Not only from Sigma but also Panasonic and Leica.

Last year you released your first full-frame camera, the fp. How has it performed in the market?

It sold quite well at the beginning. Early adopters were very interested, and purchased the camera immediately. We’ve received a lot of emails from customers, which I’ve read, and we have a lot of customers who are very happy and satisfied with the fp. We’ve also been monitoring feedback online, through Facebook and Twitter; things like that.

To be honest though, sales have declined considerably [since launch], especially in Europe and America. It’s still selling well in Japan, but overall sales have been lower than expected.

The fp is an ultra-compact full-frame camera aimed at photographers and filmmakers. In order to minimize its size, Sigma designed the fp with a fully electronic shutter. Mr. Yamaki believes that this will act as a model for the ‘camera of the future’.

Why do you think that is?

There are several reasons, I think. First of all, changing systems is a big investment for customers. So even though we have potential customers who are really interested in the camera, I think a lot of them are waiting to see how the L-mount system develops. We don’t have enough compact lenses, suited to the fp. We’re currently developing several lenses of that type. Once we have that kind of lineup, I think a lot of potential customers may decide to buy the camera.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, we had to cancel many events. So we’ve lost an opportunity to let customers try our camera

That’s one thing. The second thing is that in Japan, we’ve found that ‘touch and try’ events have worked really well in convincing customers that the fp is a good camera. After they try it, many of them buy it. We had a plan to conduct many such events, but due to the coronavirus crisis, we had to cancel many events in Japan, in China and in Europe. So we’ve lost an opportunity to let customers try our camera. That’s disappointing, but once things calm down we’ll start again.

So when a show like CP+ or NAB is canceled, what impact does that have on a manufacturer like Sigma?

It’s difficult to evaluate the value of such events, today. But if you take CP+, it’s basically a consumer show. Typically we see people there who are excited by new products, and we can use that excitement to create some momentum. So it’s definitely not a good thing to lose such opportunities.

A typical scene from CP+ 2019, showing the density of the crowd as enthusiasts flock to get their hands on the latest photo gear. This ‘hands-on’ experience is precious when it comes to converting customer interest into sales, and manufacturers are feeling the effect of so many canceled shows in 2020.

Can you talk more about the development of smaller lenses?

Going forward, we will still try to deliver the highest-possible quality products. But we will have two main streams of products. One is for very serious photographers, like our existing ‘Art’ series. But another line will be high quality, premium lenses, but much more compact. And very stylish, like our 45mm F2.8, with metal housings, and high quality aperture and focus rings. We will expand that kind of range for street photographers, or those who need smaller, stylish, high-quality products.

So our readers can look forward to a range of smaller lenses from Sigma, with Art-series optical quality but more modest maximum apertures?

Yes, that’s our goal. You’ll probably see such products in the near future.

Sigma is committed to making more compact lenses, like the 45mm F2.8 ‘Contemporary’ for L and E-mount in future.

Do you think that the fp range will evolve to include things like a mechanical shutter, and viewfinder?

If we made the fp with a mechanical shutter, it would not be so compact. One of the reasons it’s so small is that we eliminated the mechanical shutter. We created the fp as a kind of platform for a ‘future camera’. I think in future, most cameras won’t have a mechanical shutter, because of improvements to the readout speed of sensors. I haven’t made any decisions about future products, but we’ll probably keep that concept.

You recently announced the postponement of your planned Foveon sensor full-frame camera. Can you give us more details about why that project was postponed?

The development of the sensor has been significantly delayed. We are still working on it, but there are still several technical problems we need to overcome. If everything goes well, we should be able to release the camera next year. But if we continue to face technical problems the camera may be delayed further. We haven’t stopped developing the camera, but without the sensor we can’t move very fast.

Are you interested in creating a full-frame alternative to the DP Merrill fixed-lens camera concept?

We don’t have any plans to do that right now. We are researching the market, but it’s difficult to make such a camera really compact. Of course there are cameras like the Sony RX1R II, which is a very small camera, but it’s difficult to make the lens compact. If we wanted to make a really compact lens, our options for focal length and F stop become very limited. Compared to APS-C or M43 cameras with a fixed lens, it’s very challenging, technically.

Our mission is to support as many mounts as possible, but due to limited engineering resources, we have to be selective

Is there anything you can say to our readers about the possible development of Canon RF, Fujifilm XF and and Nikon Z-mount lenses from Sigma?

As a lens manufacturer, we believe that it is our mission to support as many mounts as possible, but due to limited engineering resources, we have to be selective. We are watching the market.

How have your ‘Classic’ cine lenses been received?

Very positively, especially for filmmakers looking for a unique rendering. These lenses create huge ghosting and flare, so they’re not easy to use. Especially if there is a direct light source in the frame. But if you carefully control the lighting, it can create a very nice, soft, ‘retro’ kind of look. High-end filmmakers in Hollywood have received these lenses very positively.

Do you know of any productions that are using these lenses?

It’s still very early, we only started shipping in January and February, so we don’t have that kind of information yet. But we made a film, ourselves, it’s about 30-40 minutes long. We shot the entire thing on the Sigma fp, and we used our regular cine lenses, and in some scenes the ‘Classic’ lenses were used. We need to apply to some film festivals, and after that will release the movie online. Probably in the near future.

Do you think that your DC DN lens lineup will grow? It’s been three lenses now for quite a long time.

Actually, demand for those lenses keeps growing. It’s really surprising. In terms of units, they’re the top seller for Sigma right now. It’s a surprise because in general the market for APS-C cameras and lenses is declining. But sales of those three DC DN lenses keep growing. Most of the sales are for Sony E-mount and Micro Four Thirds [versions], and in peak seasons sometimes we actually can’t keep up with demand.

Do you still see a healthy market for Micro Four Thirds?

Yes, I think Micro Four Thirds is well accepted by filmmakers, and our 16mm is really popular among M43 users. People who need a compact system still love Micro Four Thirds.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

In the two weeks since I spoke to Mr. Yamaki last (for this article) a lot has changed. Only a few days ago, his biggest concern was getting hold of parts from China, and a significant slowdown in Chinese consumer spending. Now, with countries all over the world in virtual lockdown, and US and European governments bracing for a catastrophe in their healthcare systems in the coming days, such worries seem almost quaint.

It remains to seem how quickly – and to what extent – markets will recover, but there are some tentative signs of hope. Mr. Yamaki tells us that the situation in China is stabilizing, and the mood in the country is positive. Japan seems (for now, at least) to have escaped the worst social effects of the COVID19 outbreak, and South Korea has employed pioneering test and trace technologies to address what could have been a catastrophe.

Away from the immediate crisis, Mr. Yamaki tells us that demand remains strong for some of the company’s products, particularly the ‘DN’ range

The same sadly cannot be said of Europe or the US, and with consumers in those territories tightening their belts in the face of economic turmoil, it’s not hard to understand why Mr. Yamaki still characterizes the situation for the photo industry at this early point in the year as ‘really bad’.

There are tough times ahead, without a doubt, for all of us. But away from the immediate crisis, Mr. Yamaki tells us that demand remains strong for some of the company’s products, particularly the ‘DN’ range of native mirrorless lenses. These include the 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art, and the trio of ‘DC’ lenses for APS-C. This latter range, in fact, appears to be a genuine success story.

It seems that we’ll have to wait a little longer for Canon RF and Nikon Z support

Support for Canon EF-M has been added to the ‘DC’ range but in the full-frame arena, it seems that we’ll have to wait a little longer for Canon RF and Nikon Z support. As Mr. Yamaki says, he wants to support as many mounts as possible, but his engineers can’t do everything; they have to be selective.

It’s also likely that the communication protocols that make these new mounts work are protected I.P., and need to be licensed. It’s entirely possible therefore that just like their customers, Sigma’s engineers are waiting patiently too: in their case for the original manufacturers to open the protocols up to third parties, before any decisions can be made.

Coming soon though, we’re told, is a range of small, lightweight lenses specifically designed to be a better match for cameras like the fp. A range of more compact, slower maximum aperture lenses but with ‘Art’ series image quality is a longstanding request from Sigma fans, and it’s great to have confirmation from Mr. Yamaki that these are on their way ‘in the near future’ for L and – safe to assume – Sony E mount, too.

Coming soon… is a range of small, lightweight lenses specifically designed to be a better match for cameras like the fp

Meanwhile, Sigma continues to make inroads in the filmmaking community. Sales of the hybrid stills / video fp may be slowing, but Sigma’s range of Cine lenses have proven popular with filmmakers, and Mr. Yamaki tells us that the response from Hollywood to its range of ‘Classic’ cine lenses, designed with minimal coatings to give a retro look to footage, have been received well.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Sigma interview: Smaller, high-quality lenses coming ‘in the near future’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Interview: how a box of negatives offered a very personal glimpse into the past

22 Mar
Joan Ruppert’s father, Joe Tortorici, pictured in the late 1930s. This image, along with many others, was discovered in a trove of negatives and contact prints given to Joan by her mother.

When Joan Ruppert was handed a box of film negatives by her mother, she had no idea what to expect. What she found was a precious glimpse into pre-war Chicago, and a priceless insight into her father’s early life.

Thanks for speaking to us Joan. Tell us about the shoeboxnegs project.

Many years ago my mother handed me a shoebox – literally – a shoebox full of negatives and said ‘Your dad used to take a lot of photographs, he was an avid photographer’. Which I really didn’t know, and I was actually kind of flabbergasted by that. I’d just started taking a darkroom class, and seeing that I was getting interested in photography, my mom suddenly remembered about this box of negatives.

As the images were coming off the scanner, I was amazed. I had no idea what I had

Years later I pulled them out, and put them on my flatbed scanner and I realized that none of them were going to fit into the standard holders. They were odd sizes – either too big, or too small, or too bumpy, or too curled.

So then I decided to learn how other people had approached similar tasks, and I discovered wet scanning, and I started working on that. As the images were coming off the scanner, I was amazed. I had no idea what I had.

So I put a website together to showcase the images, and then I really got excited about sharing them with the world.

Street portraits, showing life in Chicago, dominate the collection.

How much did you know about your father’s early life before you started working on these images?

He died when I was very young. What I know is that he was a city kid, his parents were born in Sicily, so he was first-generation. His family came from modest means, so I knew he didn’t have a lot of expensive cameras, or access to a proper darkroom or anything like that, so that was another mystery: Whose camera was he using? Was it his? I have no idea.

Shortly after Pearl Harbor he went into the Navy, and saw a lot of action, and when he came home I don’t know if he ever picked up a camera again.

The world of today is very different to 1939 – how different is Chicago, and life in general, as seen in those pictures compared to now?

There are things that are different, and things that are very, very similar. When the bulk of these pictures were taken, my dad had just graduated from high school, and he had this posse of six to eight guys, and apparently they just hung out of together, and did the usual crazy stuff – climbed up on billboards, mugged for the camera, pretended like they were boxing – and they took pictures.

In that way, to me, it all seems very similar to what teenagers do now. They hang out in groups, they check out the girls, they stand around by cars, things like that. That all feels very familiar.

What is very different is the access to the tools to record that experience. Everybody now has a camera with them all the time in their phone. And everybody is documenting what they’re doing. But back then it wasn’t nearly as common.

This image was created from a negative in very poor physical shape. Joan used image processing software to bring a lot of the more damaged negatives back to life.

From a technical point of view, what were the challenges you faced in digitizing those photographs?

One of the toughest things was actually culling the collection down. I came up with a method for culling, where on my computer I created a blank text document, which became my light table. And then I took my iPhone, and I put it in inverted colors mode. So with the negative pinned in front of the monitor, using my phone I was able to look at a positive image. So then I put them into categories: one star, two stars, and so on.

Once I had them categorized I started to do the wet scanning. I learned pretty quickly that some of the negatives were simply irredeemable. They were either badly underexposed, or overexposed, or too scratched. So that whittled it down even further.

Once I started to do the wet scanning, I used Photoshop and Capture One to get the most out of those negatives that weren’t optimal in terms of contrast, things like that, and pulled a lot out of them that I probably wouldn’t have been able to do in a traditional darkroom, or at least not as easily.

‘The Posse’, on the steps of Chicago’s Crane Tech High School: built in 1903 and still standing. The building’s exterior was the setting for many photos in the collection.

Looking at the pictures, it seems like you’re getting rid of some dust and scratches, but you’re leaving in things like drying marks, fingerprints on the negatives, and things like that. You’re not painting things out, or in?

Absolutely. My dad didn’t have an enlarger, so everything he printed was in the form of contact prints. I felt very married to that idea: of seeing the whole negative, in the same way as he did. The uneven edges, the thumbtack marks, things like that. I didn’t want to perfect them. That idea just didn’t appeal to me.

I felt that if I perfected them too much, there was a risk that some of their character, and some of the aspects of them that were thrilling to me, might be lost.

When you were doing the digital work, what kind of adjustments were you making?

A lot of it was dealing with contrast and mid-tones that had been lost, and trying to bring up as much detail as possible without over-sharpening. For example there’s one image, I call her ‘Sailor Girl’. She’s standing in front of a brick wall.

There’s no such thing as ‘batch’ on a project like this. Every one of them is a one-off

At first I didn’t see it, but after fiddling with the negative, I saw there was faint writing on the brick. I wanted to improve the negative enough that you can see there’s something there, but not sharpening to the point where you lose the feel of the photograph. I might have gone too far on some of the negatives, but it’s a judgement call.

And it was different for every negative. Every negative had its own personality, and every negative had its own needs and requirements. No two were the same. There’s no such thing as ‘batch’ on a project like this. Every one of them is a one-off.

‘Sailor girl’. The faint lettering on the brick wall was revealed during digital processing.

Aside from your father, how many of the people in these photographs are you able to identify?

Very few. My mom is in a couple of them, my uncle is in two, I’ve got a cousin who’s in one. The rest of the people, I have no idea who they are. I don’t know if the girls in the photographs are acquaintances, or old sweethearts, I have no idea. I don’t know anything about ‘the posse’ of his high-school friends, or what happened to them. I also don’t know who took the photos in which my father is pictured!

You want to fill in all these blanks, but the truth is I have no idea what he was feeling

Besides the technical challenges – which were actually kind of fun – the mental challenge for me was accepting the fact that there was a lot that I don’t know, and I won’t know. And resisting the temptation to fill in the blanks. It’s easy to start projecting, and thinking well, the pictures were taken in the really short time after high school, and before Pearl Harbor – did he feel a sense of freedom?

You want to fill in all these blanks, but the truth is I have no idea what he was feeling, and it’s not smart of me to try to make assumptions. I just have to let it be. I’ll never know.

When a project like this goes out into the world, there is a risk that people might start projecting their own feelings onto the images in a way that you may not recognize. Did you worry about that?

Yes, I did, and I do think about it. I thought a lot about contacting you, and other outlets about it because you do immediately lose control. I put a couple of the pictures up on my personal Facebook page, and some of what you mentioned – some of that started happening.

There was one image of the posse sitting in front of a billboard for a train route. And all these train people out there jumped on it, and they just wanted to talk about the train. Or they were saying how the kids in the pictures looked like a bunch of thugs, and because it was Chicago they must have been bad guys, or gangsters. Ascribing all of this stuff that had nothing to do with anything. You do lose control, and that’s concerning.

‘Quintessential Chicago’, in Joan’s words. And a favorite photo from the collection among train enthusiasts, apparently.

There’s a lot of politicization of nostalgia going around, these days.

I worry about that to some degree. There’s part of me that wonders if my father was here, would he be thrilled by all this or horrified by it? And I really don’t know. I don’t expect people to look at these pictures in the same way that I do, because it’s not their father, it’s my father. I talked to my brother and sister about it too, to make sure that they were OK with me making the pictures public.

People are going to fill in the blanks, because that’s what people do.

I know you’re reluctant to read too much into these images yourself, but do you feel like you know your dad a bit better than you did?

Yes, I do. I had just turned eight years old when he died. He was 43, and his hair was almost snow white. So I thought he was an old man. Now when I look at him, I see a teenager. He’s having fun. I do feel like with the photographs, I’ve been able to see some things that were important enough to him, that he captured them. I don’t know why they were important, but they were.

So on that level, I think I do understand him a little better. But if anything, I feel like I have a fresh batch of questions I would love to ask him if we were to meet again. That alone makes the project worthwhile.

Joan Tortorici Ruppert is a writer and television producer, based in Illinois.

You can see more images from her project at her website:

shoeboxnegs.com

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Interview: how a box of negatives offered a very personal glimpse into the past

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Interview: Fujifilm X100V – ‘We decided we could change more in the fifth generation’

24 Feb
From left, Shinichiro Udono, Senior Manager of Fujifilm’s Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Division and Maszumi Imai, Design Manager of Fujifilm’s Design Center are pictured here at the launch of the Fujifilm X100V in London earlier this month.

Earlier this month we attended the launch of the Fujifilm X100V in London, where we had the opportunity to sit down with two senior figures within the company: Chief Designer Maszumi Imai and Senior Manager Shinichiro Udono.

In a conversation primarily focused on the X100-Series, we discussed the evolution of the X100 line and the challenges of updating a ‘signature’ model.

Note: This interview is broadly split into two parts: The first part is a strategy-focused conversation with Mr. Udono about the development of the X100V in the context of the continuing evolution of the X100 line. The second part is a discussion with Mr. Imai about the design process of the X100V and previous models in the line, and more broadly, his background and influences as a designer.

This interview has been edited lightly for clarity and length.

How important is the X100 line to Fujifilm?

(S.U.) It was where we started. It was our first high-end camera. In 2010-11 our main camera business was in small-sensor compacts. The X100 established the concept of dial-controlled operation, which is found now across the X-Series. We have the same concept across the X-T1, X-Pro 1, and so on.

So the X100 established the Fujifilm shooting style, and then we extended this concept to the entire X-Series.

So when you’re discussing a new X100, are you more careful about changes to this model because it’s so important?

(S.U.) We’re always careful to maintain the camera concept, the style, and the size. But we also really want to provide the latest technology to our customers. Quicker autofocus, better resolution, better image quality, color reproduction and so on. That’s very important. So while we don’t want to change the camera’s style – how it looks – we’re always thinking about how we can deliver the best performance, and the best functions to our customers.

The X100V is unmistakably a member of the X100 line, but several subtle changes have been made to its physical design and ergonomics.

How have sales of the different X100 models compared over the past few years?

(S.U.) The sales of each generation were fairly similar, however the latest model X100F had the most success. With that in mind and with the new features, I expect the X100V to sell more than the previous four models.

What were your biggest priorities when planning the development of the X100V?

(S.U.) The first and most important point is the hybrid viewfinder. Next, the lens, the single focal length. We knew we had to keep that concept. And then we considered what sensor and processor we should put inside the camera. So we start with the concept, and with the basic form factor, and then we think about what goes inside.

What was the number one request from X100F customers?

(S.U.) Weather resistance. And also image stabilization. After we launched the X-T3, a lot of customers [also] wanted the latest sensor and processor.

We thought it would break the basic concept of the X100V. So we didn’t pursue stabilization in this model

The X100V does not offer image stabilization – why not?

(S.U.) Simply, size. There are two ways we could add stabilization – one is optically, in the lens, and the other is IBIS. We made some rough studies of both possibilities, but in both cases the camera would have become bigger. We thought it would break the basic concept of the X100V. So we didn’t pursue stabilization in this model.

How long does it typically take to develop a new X100 model?

(S.U.) Well with the X100V we redesigned the lens, so it took around two years. A little longer than normal. If we only made changes to the body, it would have been a shorter process.

The X100V’s 23mm F2 lens has the same specifications, and physical dimensions as the lenses used on previous models in the X100 line but it employs an additional aspherical element, for better sharpness at close distances, and in the corners of the frame.

Where do you see most sales of the X100 line, globally?

(S.U.) With the first generation, Japan was the biggest market. Later on, the USA became the biggest. Because it’s not an interchangeable lens model, it can reach a wider market of photo enthusiasts. There’s a big market in the US for photo enthusiasts, especially people who know about the history of film cameras. Those customers really like the X100 line.

How will the X100-series evolve in future?

(S.U.) In terms of technology, maybe we can add image stabilization, if we can develop it. But in the longer term, I don’t think we’ll change the style. We’ll probably keep this style and design even for another ten years. But we may have totally different technology, which I don’t know about at the moment. Different style sensor, or Ai technology. We’ll keep adding new technology into the X100 line but we’ll keep the basic design concept.

If you did add IBIS to the X100, would it require a totally new mechanism?

(S.U.) Probably, yes. We’d have to develop it from scratch. We’d need a very small IBIS unit.

Do you tend to find that these cameras are most popular with a certain age-group, or demographic?

(S.U.) The biggest audience is slightly older people, who remember film cameras. But we also see a lot of young people, especially in Japan, buying X100 models. It’s a fashionable camera. Those people take pictures, of course, but they also like the design.

We felt that a more classic design would be a good fit for our new brand

What was the original idea behind the X100?

(M.I.) In 2009, we started to consider how to make our next high-end digital camera. At that time we only made FinePix small-sensor compacts at that time. Other companies had their own interchangeable lens cameras, but we didn’t. So we were a challenger in that space – we could have done anything. But we wanted to create our own brand.

We designed a lot of concepts for cameras, which were a completely different shape to the original X100. For example we had a square concept, and a vertical style one, and one that was designed for the perfect grip – things like that. And then we decided that we were inspired by classic-styled cameras. We felt that a more classic design would be a good fit for our new brand. So at that time I started designing around the concept of purity – a classic camera design.

The film-era Fujifilm Klasse is cited as one of the design inspirations for the X100 line. Photo by David Narbecki, from an article originally posted on 35mmc.com. Used with permission.

(S.U.) Some background to why we reached for the classic style design, when Fujifilm made film cameras we made cameras which shared a similar shooting style to the X100. Cameras like the TX-series, the Klasse, and so on. They offered a similar shooting experience. In our digital camera division there were several people who came from the film camera division. We asked ourselves ‘what would be the best camera for the Fujifilm brand?’ At that time there were many good cameras from other brands, but we wanted to show what it meant to be a Fujfilm camera.

(M.I.) The first-generation X100 was created according to a set of tenets: The best quality, a good user experience, and styling that would tell photographers at a glance that this was a serious camera. That was a big reason why we chose this kind of classic style.

From the very beginning of the design process was about two years. We started the X100 project in 2009 and launched in 2011.

The innovative ‘hybrid’ viewfinder introduced in the original X100 was created about halfway through the development process of the camera itself. The X100 was originally envisaged as having a simple optical finder.

Was there any particular model or style of camera that you were particularly inspired by?

(M.I.) During the design planning process, around halfway through the project, our engineering team invented the hybrid viewfinder. So we decided that we should go with a rangefinder-style camera, not DSLR-style. Originally the X100 was intended to just have an optical viewfinder.

We looked at most of the legendary film-era cameras for inspiration. The Leica M3, of course, and others, including our own designs. The X100 was a homage to traditional film cameras.

What was your background as a designer, before you joined Fujifilm?

(M.I.) I worked at Minolta, in Osaka. At that time the main market was film cameras. When I was a student, my professor told me that camera design was one of the most difficult branches of industrial design. So he said if you go to a camera company, you’ll acquire the most useful skills. So I decided to go to Minolta.

What are your biggest design influences outside of photography?

(M.I.) Vehicles. Especially cars, but also airplanes. When I was a child, supercars were very popular in Japan. Lamborghinis, Ferraris, those were our dream cars. Airplanes like the F4 Phantom, the F15, and the F14 too. Very popular and stylish airplanes.

When I was five years old, my dad took to me to the cinema for the first time, to see Star Wars. So cars, planes and science fiction were a big influence.

We’ve talked about the physical engineering challenges of putting stabilization into the X100, and last year we saw some of the early modular GFX concepts – how often do engineering considerations restrict your vision as a designer?

(M.I.) Taking the X100 first, I know the basic size and the basic [details of] construction. First of all, we make an actual-size image-mockup. Sometimes these mockups can lead us to make the camera better. For example if I [deliberately] make a mockup thinner, maybe people will react well to it, and then we’d realize we should aim for this kind of size [in future]. Inspiration, and first impressions are very important when we make a product.

We take are two different approaches to design at Fujifilm. One is just the daily work of knowing ‘OK, we need to make a new X100’, where we consider all the technical limitations, and the R&D side will prepare some rough designs, [based on] of the lens, battery, the LCD, things like that. And these decide the final size of the camera.

That’s the standard approach. But once a year we also conduct a study where we think about the future without considering the current technical limitations. Like a vision exercise. And we create more visionary image mockups. And in a few years, some elements of those image-mockups might end up in final cameras.

Mr. Imai’s team makes ‘image mockups’ for internal discussion, to highlight possible directions for future products. This one, of a proposed medium-format rangefinder-style camera (which eventually evolved into the GFX 50R) features the ‘hidden’ rear LCD that finally made it into the X-Pro 3.

You were the lead designer on the X100, and after that you supervised the teams working on the S, the T and the F, and now you’re lead designer again on the V. Was this because the V is considered to be particularly important, to you or the brand?

(M.I.) Both, actually. The X100F had a great reputation, so it was hard to think about what we could add, to make something new. That was a big concern. With a ‘signature’ model like this it’s hard to make a successor, so I was appointed as the designer of the next model.

This is the fifth generation, and as I’ve already explained we have these tenets about the X100-series. Nine years have passed, the world has changed, and the X100 brand is familiar in the market, and has grown in reputation. So we decided we could change more in the fifth generation, in terms of concept and design. It’s still based on the X100 core concept, but this time I had freedom to explore more possibilities.

How do you balance the concept of simplicity against demands for more control and customization?

(M.I.) It’s very difficult to find a way to do that. We see a lot of comments from people who prefer the simplicity [of the original X100]. At the beginning of this project I made a mockup which looked almost the same as the original X100. I also made a mockup that looked almost the same as the production model of the X100V, which gained everyone’s approval. In the end we were able to make something that satisfied all of our goals.

The original X100 featured a simple twin-dial interface and limited number of external controls. Subsequent X100-Series cameras have become more complex, but immensely more powerful.

If you didn’t have any engineering or technical restraints, or any need to be true to the designs of previous models – if you could do whatever you wanted – what kind of camera would you make?

(M.I.) Right now I want to make the simplest, purest camera. Simple, and sharp in style. The X-Series cameras are based on classic styling, but I think that this kind of classic style, if it were to meet with an extremely modern style, we could create something new. I want to try. Simple, sharp, but solid design.

Could a future X100 camera have a simpler interface?

(M.I.) Maybe. But ‘simple’ doesn’t necessarily mean fewer dials or buttons.

Sometimes I think about musical instruments, versus using software like Garage Band […] It’s the same thing with shooting using a camera

Being intuitive in operation for photographers is the most important thing. A smartphone doesn’t have any buttons or dials, but it’s not necessarily the most intuitive interface for shooting photos. So we need to keep a balance.

When the original X100 was being planned, smartphone photography was in its infancy. How has the development of the smartphone, and changing customer behavior that resulted, influenced how you design cameras?

(M.I.) Maybe in the future we’ll invent brain-controlled cameras! But I wouldn’t want that. This (indicating the interface of the X100V) is the best way to shoot, to create an expression of creativity through photography. And this style of camera is completely different from a smartphone. Sometimes I think about musical instruments, versus using software like Garage Band. I like using Garage Band, but it’s completely different to playing an instrument. Playing something by hand is fun, and comfortable. It’s the same thing with shooting using a camera.

We always look at new technologies, like Ai, and we carefully choose the best way [to implement them]. We could create a haptic touch interface for buttons and dials and things like that, but it wouldn’t be a good fit for the X-series. That’s why we keep the buttons and dials, and the classic style.

Do you have any particular designers or artists that inspire you?

(M.I.) There are a lot of very good designers in the world, and a lot of them have inspired me. Every kind of industry has its masterpieces. It’s difficult to choose one, but I’d like to choose [industrial designer and Blade Runner concept artist] Syd Mead, who passed away recently.

Editor’s note: Barnaby Britton

The launch of the X100V in London recently provided a good opportunity to have an unusually tightly focused conversation with two of the figures most responsible for its development. Mr. Udono and Mr. Imai are key members of the team that has shepherded the X-Series (and later the GF line) from an idea, ten years ago, to the broad lineup of products that are available today.

From previous conversations with Fujifilm executives, we knew that of all the products in the company’s lineup, the X100 line is the one over which the most care is taken to update only the right things, and only in the right way. The X100 line is sometimes referred to by Fujifilm representatives as a ‘signature’ product line and for good reason: as Mr. Udono says, the X100 was ‘where we started’.

This small, quirky, retro-styled camera was a hit with enthusiast photographers almost from the word go, and subsequent generations have been embraced by photographers of all types, and all ages, all over the world. The X100F has proven the most popular iteration of all, which of course means that it was always going to be among the hardest to replace.

The X100 could have been launched (and was apparently originally planned to have been launched) with a simple fixed optical finder

Mr. Imai has been working at Fujifilm for a long time, and before that Minolta. As lead designer on the original X100, he has had a key role in the evolution of the X100 line and took full control over the design of the X100V. It was interesting to speak to him about the process of the original X100’s development, from mockups to a final product.

I didn’t know, for example, that the creation of the signature ‘hybrid’ viewfinder only happened around halfway through the development process of the camera. The X100 could have been launched (and was apparently originally planned to have been launched) with a simple fixed optical finder. Would it still have been a hit? I’m not sure. It’s certainly hard to imagine an X100 without the option for a hybrid finder, but I know a lot of X100-series owners claim that they rarely or never engage the EVF.

The message that came out of my conversation with Mr. Udono and Mr. Imai most clearly is that when it comes to the development of the X100 line, it’s almost more important for photographers to understand what Fujifilm can’t or won’t change than what they will. A lot of X100 fans want some kind of stabilization for example, but the simple fact is that adding it would be impossible without the dimensions of the camera changing.

With the current state of Fujifilm’s technology, Mr. Udono claims that adding an IBIS unit into the camera body would increase the body size, while an optical stabilization system would force (another) redesign of the lens and would inevitably also add bulk. The X100V is slightly larger than the X100F, but only very slightly (which is impressive, considering that it has a tilting screen – another long-standing request from some customers). Notably, the X100V can still use the same hood and filter adapter – and even the same converter lenses – that were released for the original X100.

As a fan of the series, with a drawer full of caps and adapters that I’ve picked up over the years, I personally appreciate this commitment to what Mr. Udono calls the key ‘tenets’ (Mr. Imai also referred to a design ‘law’) of the X100, as laid down almost a decade ago.

I always enjoy talking to artists and designers, partly because of my own background, but mostly because I’m always interested in what – and who – they cite as influences. Mr. Imai was no exception. During our conversation he mentioned such diverse influences as Star Wars and the F4 Phantom, but I shouldn’t have been surprised that as his main inspiration he cited the late Syd Mead.

A lot has happened since the original X100 was launched, and despite looking similar, the X100V is a different beast

Mead was a famed futurist, known for his work on 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars, among many others. He is credited for visualizing what George Lucas described as the ‘used future’. This was a concept which arguably evolved into (or at least informed) the emergent retrofuturism of the late 1970s and 1980s, wherein nostalgic styling is melded with modern technology. In the world of digital photography, it’s hard to think of a better example of this aesthetic than the X100.

That being said, a lot has happened since the original X100 was launched, and despite looking similar, the X100V is a different beast. More versatile, sure, and definitely more powerful. But with a total of seven dials, an articulating screen, and the need to support serious video capture, it’s an altogether more complicated, less streamlined camera than its early ancestors. Mr. Imai admits as much, and it was interesting to hear him speak about his ‘dream’ camera: one that melds classic styling with modern simplicity. How this dream ends up being manifested in Fujifilm’s future camera lineup remains to be seen, but it’s something to look forward to.

Read more in-depth interviews

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Interview: Fujifilm X100V – ‘We decided we could change more in the fifth generation’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Interview: How the brother duo at Abstract Aerial Art create masterpieces from above

21 Feb

Interview: How brothers at Abstract Aerial Art creates masterpieces from above

Photoshop wasn’t involved here. This image of a real-life puzzle piece was captured with a drone in the Netherlands.

JP and Mike Andrews, brothers from the United Kingdom, have gained international recognition for their compelling images taken from an aerial perspective. There’s a good chance you may have already encountered their work in some capacity; they’ve been featured in major publications including The Guardian and National Geographic.

The duo, who refer to themselves professionally as Abstract Aerial Art, had an epiphany back in 2016. While they didn’t have a concrete plan, one thing was clear: they were fed up with their day-to-day lives and needed to change their circumstances. Without a concrete plan in place, they embarked on a journey through the Australian outback, with the intention of taking a hiatus, and unexpectedly found their true calling.

All the images in this slideshow, and on their popular Instagram feed, are taken from real, un-staged locations around the world. Besides slight color and contrast enhancements, the images are not manipulated. ‘The point is not to work out what it is, but to show how weird and wonderful the world can look from above.’ What really sets their work apart is the composition, something the duo has mastered. That last component has transformed their images from mere photographs to works of art.

How do they do it? I’m lucky to call these two friends and they were gracious enough to answer my questions about their background, initial attraction to the drone world and how they monetize their work so they can continue to live the type of adventurous life that most photographers wish they had. All images in this article are published with permission from Abstract Aerial Art.

The Congregation

What is your background?

Mike had been working as a commercial photographer, predominately focused on the product side of things. The technical knowledge he built up over the years was certainly a contributing factor in our decision to buy a drone in the first place. JP was working as a music producer and sound designer and had absolutely no experience in photography.

In early 2016, heartbroken and fed up with day-to-day life in the UK, we made the joint decision to leave everything we knew back home, purchase a one-way ticket to Australia and, with no plan whatsoever, fly to the other side of the world. It was during this life-changing adventure around the Australian continent that we were inspired to get into aerial photography.

The Vault

What was your initial attraction to the drone world?

The idea first came about during the year we spent traveling around Australia, specifically the time we spent in the outback. With the intention of filming some of the incredible sights we had seen whilst we were out there, we decided to purchase a drone after an evening in the pub… we will let you draw your own conclusions from that! At the time, we knew nothing about drones. We had never even seen one, let alone flown one.

Heading back out into the Australian wilderness, we started to take some shots of the landscapes surrounding us. Looking back at the images we had captured, we realized we had a number of extremely unusual photographs that loosely reminded us of abstract artworks. As a result, Abstract Aerial Art was born.

The Zipper

What gear and accessories are you currently using?

We have two drones, a DJI Phantom 4 Pro and a DJI Mavic 2 Pro. The Phantom 4 Pro is the drone responsible for the majority of our work and in our opinion, the best drone currently available for a balance between quality and practicality. We initially brought the Mavic 2 Pro as a backup drone to the Phantom 4 Pro. However, we have found ourselves using it more and more in recent times, primarily for its practicality.

Each has their benefits but they are both capable of shooting extremely high-quality stills and videos. We also carry a Canon 5D MK4 and a GoPro Hero 7 for ground-based shots and behind-the-scenes video stuff.

Accessory-wise, we have very little other than the PolarPro Cinema Series filters for both drones. We consider them a must-have for anyone serious about shooting quality content from a drone (disclaimer: they are brand ambassadors).

Aqua Phone

Some of your shots are incredibly unique, whether they’re close up or display an entire landscape. How do you find these places?

We dedicate a huge amount of our time to meticulously researching the planet for things that interest us. Almost every single image we have ever taken has been found during these research sessions. Only on very few occasions have we stumbled across something by accident out in the field.

When we say research, what we are referring to is using satellite applications to search for things that we want to photograph. We then screenshot these finds and save the coordinates of the location with the intention of shooting it for real at some point in the future. The process can be frustrating, even mind-numbing at times, but, in our opinion, it is absolutely essential to finding interesting places to photograph.

Thanks to apps such as Google Earth, the whole world is visible from an aerial perspective. As a drone photographer, you can imagine how useful that is! Using this method to find unique places to photograph is something that we cannot recommend highly enough if you are interested in getting into aerial photography. We have written a blog post on our website that includes some photo examples of how we go about this research process if you’d like to find out some more information.

Riding Solo

From what I’ve noticed, you’re always traveling around the world for your art. How do you monetize your work so you can keep shooting in new locations?

Whilst we are always exploring new avenues for potential income from our work, we currently have two main sources of income. Both are online.

  1. Print sales – We have an online shop on our website where prints of our images can be purchased on different materials at a variety of price points.
  2. Image licensing – We sell licensed, digital content to brands and businesses for commercial usage. Our images have been purchased by customers for a wide range of purposes including advertising, printed media, and website design.

Burnout

Your work has a distinct style. When and why did you decide to focus on abstract art?

As we touched on earlier, the initial shots that we took in Australia loosely reminded us of abstract artworks and it was purely that which inspired us to explore how bizarre the world could look from an aerial perspective. To this day, we are blown away how surreal even the most mundane objects, structures, and landscapes can look from above.

All we have ever wanted to do since taking those first shots is focus on trying to shoot something different. As beautiful as the more well-known locations are, there is still a whole world out there still waiting to be discovered and the more we find, the more we realize we are yet to scratch the surface.

Skyline

What image or series are you the proudest of?

The image we are most proud of is entitled ‘Skyline.’ The planning behind the shot took over 6 months. It all started on a completely unrelated shoot during which we had seen the shadows cast by these enormous ships under the right conditions. On our return home, we immediately set about working out how, when, and where we could best perfect the shot we had in mind.

There were so many variables that all had to be exactly right for it to work. These included sun positioning, tidal depths, wind speeds, and extremely precise angles. After a huge amount of research, we set off from the UK and drove into Europe arriving at our destination just before sunrise. Waiting until the ship we had chosen was in the correct position and the morning sun had risen high enough to cast the defining shadows, we sent out the drone to start taking pictures. After all the previous months’ planning, the actual shot was done within 15 minutes.

Fire and Fury

What is the craziest situation you’ve been in while shooting?

Whilst driving through the Australian outback during one of the many wet season storms, we encountered a bolt of lightning strike the bushland surrounding us and set it alight. In an instant, we found ourselves at the centre of a raging wildfire. With very little consideration to the incredible danger we were in, we couldn’t resist the chance to jump out and capture Mother Nature at her ferocious best. Setting up the camera in what must be the quickest amount of time we ever have managed to achieve, we began photographing the scene.

Five terrifying minutes later, we had a shot of the wildfire and a lightning bolt in the same frame. We managed to get out of there just before our car was completely engulfed by flames. In hindsight, it was probably the most stupid thing we have ever done. That being said, it was a unique opportunity to capture something that few people will ever witness and despite the very obvious dangers, at the time, we thought it was well worth the risk.

Another Planet

I’m not going to use the clichéd phrase ‘bucket list,’ but I’m curious to know where you have not been yet or what you consider a dream shoot?

We would love to photograph volcanic activity, especially lava. It has always been something we have just wanted to see, let alone have the opportunity to photograph. We are currently in the process of working out what we could do creatively with it, and how and where we are going to do it. There are obviously many challenges involved but these challenges are one of the many reasons we enjoy what we do so much.

The Maze

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers, whether it’s aerial or ground-based?

The best piece of advice we can give any budding photographer is simply ‘love what you do.’ With the modern-day pressures of social media recognition, it’s very easy to forget those four simple words. We cannot express how grateful we are for the continued love and support we receive on social media and truthfully, it’s unlikely we’d even be in the position we are today without it.

That being said, from day one, we have never let that dictate what we wanted to shoot. That will never change. We photograph the things we do because we love it. Expressing yourself through any creative process is meant to be fun. Never let what you think others might find popular take your work in a direction that does not reflect you and your happiness.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Interview: How the brother duo at Abstract Aerial Art create masterpieces from above

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Panasonic interview: ‘If we stay united I think we will survive’

18 Feb

Yosuke Yamane, Director of Panasonic’s Imaging Business Division, pictured at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, in January.

At last month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas we sat down with Yosuke Yamane, Director of Panasonic’s Imaging Business Division, to discuss market reaction to the S1-series, full-frame strategy and the state of the L-mount alliance.

How have the S1 and S1R performed in the market?

It fluctuates month by month, but in the $ 3,000 / €3,000 price range, we have gained roughly a 10% market share, globally. That was the result we were hoping for.

With the S1 and especially the S1R we were targeting high-end customers in the full-frame market. Over the past eight months we’ve been able to penetrate that market and we are satisfied with the sales, so far.

We’ve had great reviews from magazines and websites, and we just won the Gold Award at the prestigious Camera Grand Prix, in Japan. Only one camera can be selected as best camera in a year, and we got the number one award. We’ve been in the industry for twenty years and this is the first time we won the Grand Prix award, so we’re very satisfied.

What kind of differences are you seeing between the kinds of people buying the S1 versus the S1R?

With the S1R, we were targeting high end stills photographers, whereas with the S1 we were targeting both video and stills customers. So-called ‘hybrid’ photographers. And the customers who are purchasing the S1R are mostly stills photographers, whereas S1 customers are shooting both video and stills.

These days a lot of professional photographers are stepping into the videography area, and we want to support those photographers with the S1.

Do you have any idea of how many S1 purchasers have paid for the SFU2 video firmware upgrade?

The S1 outsells the S1R, and roughly speaking, probably 20-30% of S1 customers are purchasing the SFU2 for the upgraded video customers.

The Panasonic Lumix S1 is a 24MP full-frame camera aimed at enthusiast photographers and videographers. Unsurprisingly, it has out-sold the more expensive S1R, but it’s interesting to learn that up to a third of buyers have paid for the SFU2 upgrade, which adds video features.

What kind of people are buying the S1H?

Videographers and cinematographers, as we expected.

Panasonic already has a range of high-end dedicated video cameras – what specific need was the S1H designed to meet?

These days, more and more filming is done using drones and gimbals. The S1H is designed to be more flexible for those [kinds of] unique requirements.

Where do you see the biggest opportunities for Panasonic, in the next few years?

We believe that our video features are one or two steps ahead of our competitors, and we have an advantage there. For example, with the S1H which we released a few months ago, the sales performance is exceeding our original expectations. But the video performance of the S1H was designed to meet the needs of high-end videographers and cinematographers, so for amateur or hobby videographers, the S1H may be over-specced.

Our video features are one or two steps ahead of our competitors

We believe that what the market is telling us is that in the near future, all those video features should be available from high-end to enthusiast-level videographers. That’s the demand that we need to meet.

Do you see more long-term opportunity in the full-frame market, compared to Micro Four Thirds?

One advantage of Micro Four Thirds is the deep depth of field. Which is also good for video. With that unique feature, we want to support both stills and video photographers. Whereas big sensor cameras have a shallower depth of field, which suits different requirements. Those two categories [of needs] are different, and we satisfy both.

We want to target different customers, and we will keep developing cameras for both categories – full-frame and Micro Four Thirds.

The S-system consists of some very high-quality cameras and lenses, but the current lineup includes some seriously chunky products – especially lenses. According to Mr Yamane, customers are asking for smaller products.

The fact is that the full-frame camera market in the US is expanding rapidly. But as you know, full-frame sensors are 4X bigger than Four Thirds, which means that the lenses also need to be big. Which means that [our] full-frame camera system, even though it’s mirrorless, is bigger than Micro Four Thirds. We believe that the two categories can co-exist. That’s why we keep pursuing both [product lines].

Some manufacturers, as you know, are making very small lenses, compatible with full-frame, but we think that to do this, they needed to sacrifice lens quality to a certain extent. That’s how they are able to make them so small. That means that those lenses are not fully utilizing the benefits of the full-frame sensor. When it comes to Micro Four Thirds, we can fully utilize the benefits of the sensor, and we believe that as a combination, the overall quality of Micro Four Thirds can be very good.

Which countries generates the biggest sales of full-frame, and Micro Four Thirds products respectively?

There’s not much difference, country by country, in terms of percentage of sales.

Panasonic now supports two interchangeable lens systems – Micro Four Thirds and L-mount – but they’re not directly cross-compatible. You’ve told me before that Panasonic will not create an APS-C lineup – is that still the case?

As of now, we have no plans to enter the APS-C market, because we know that Micro Four Thirds and full-frame can coexist without any cannibalization.

Promoting the L-mount alliance is very important for us because it gives our customers confidence in the [mount] over the coming years

If we moved into APS-C, there might be some overlap between Micro Four Thirds and APS-C, and between APS-C and full-frame, so I don’t think we’ll go in that direction.

What is your strategy to attract entry-level photographers to full-frame?

As you know, we have an alliance with Leica and Sigma. Between the three manufacturers, there are 47 lenses available. We think that with this combination of different cameras from the three manufacturers, and lenses, from the high-end to the mid-class, we are starting to satisfy entry-level to enthusiast users.

So you don’t mind if an entry-level customer comes into the L-mount via a Sigma or Leica camera?

Initially, we really wanted to appeal to high-end users, to show that we could make those high-end cameras. To prove the quality of our cameras. In the future, we’re going to introduce mid-class, and different ranges of cameras.

But those future cameras will still be full-frame?

Yes. Two different [L-mount systems] would be too much for us!

What are the most important priorities for evolving the S1 lineup, in the future?

Overall, we’ve had a lot of appreciative comments from high-end users. What’s hindering us in the lower-end segment is size, weight and price. So we need to understand those obstacles, and we’re considering the development of new products in order to penetrate into a wider market.

The S1 (left) has a sensor 4X larger than the GH5S (right). According to Mr Yamane, if the company expanded its lineup of L-mount cameras to include APS-C models, this might risk cannibalizing sales of its Micro Four Thirds bodies.

How has your relationship with Sigma and Leica evolved over the course of your alliance?

We meet periodically to [maintain] our relationship, and right now we’re discussing how to expand the L-mount system. We need some new ideas to expand the system to a wider variety of customers. We cannot disclose details, but [at the moment] we’re discussing changes to the communication protocol between the cameras and lenses.

The number of members of the L-mount alliance may increase in the future

Promoting the L-mount alliance is very important for us because it gives our customers confidence in the [mount] over the coming years. So for example, we’ll have joint booth areas at tradeshows, and maybe in stores we’ll have touch and try opportunities for consumers to try the products from all of the alliance members.

What has been the most important or valuable aspect of your collaboration with Sigma and Leica?

With Leica and Sigma, we [hope to be] offering L-mount cameras forever. If you purchase a camera from another brand, you have to rely [solely] on that brand. But we are three, and because of that we can give our users the assurance that the L-mount alliance is not going to disappear.

Is there a risk that some of your competitors might disappear?

It may be hard for some manufacturers to survive in this difficult industry, but we are a combined team, and if we stay united I think we will survive. Please understand that this is purely hypothetical, but the number of members of the L-mount alliance may increase in the future.

Is this something that has been discussed?

There are no concrete ideas, but we wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity.

Late last year, Panasonic teased an 8K camera, and hinted that this technology might make it into the Lumix line. That may yet happen, but according to Mr Yamane, it won’t be for a while.

Can you share any more details of the 8K camera that was talked about at IBC? There was a hint that this technology might start being included in Lumix cameras after the 2020 Olympics.

At this time, the only 8K camera we have planned is for the Olympic games, which is only a few months away. Our feeling is that the 8K era is a little bit delayed. But we want to catch that opportunity and we haven’t given up our pursuit of 8K cameras.

So there are no immediate plans to introduce 8K capture into the Lumix line?

We will be ready for 8K soon, but we can’t tell you the timing. We need a little bit longer before we can introduce 8K cameras. It won’t be [in the very near future].

Editor’s note: Barnaby Britton

I enjoy speaking to Mr. Yamane, whenever I get the opportunity. Like Mr. Yamaki of Sigma (the two are friends) he is reliably candid, and has a firm grasp of the many challenges and opportunities facing Panasonic. No executive can be expected to reveal concrete plans for future products or projects, but Mr. Yamane’s hints at more (and smaller) S-series products, and possible changes to the L-mount data protocol are intriguing.

Also intriguing (but understandably couched in purely hypothetical terms) was Mr. Yamane’s comment that the L-mount alliance might expand, to incorporate more than three members. With so much of the full-frame market still in the hands of just three manufacturers (Canon, Nikon and Sony) it’s interesting to imagine other players joining up to the L-mount, but hard to imagine who they might be.

Olympus has said (repeatedly, and recently) that it has no interest in full-frame, which really only leaves Fujifilm and Ricoh. I very much doubt that Fujifilm would see much potential benefit from supporting a third mount, incompatible with either of its existing XF and GF systems, and with potential overlap, but Ricoh? You never know.

Mr. Yamane’s claim of a 10% share of the €3,000+ market, globally, counts as strong performance

Away from hypotheticals, the S1 and S1R have been on the market for a while now: long enough for Panasonic to get an idea of how they’ve been received. Anecdotally, neither model seems to be selling in huge numbers (at least not in the US or UK: the two territories in which I’ve recently had the opportunity to speak to staff in specialist camera stores) but Mr. Yamane’s claim of a 10% share of the €3,000+ market, globally, counts as strong performance from a new line.

Of those sales, it seems that the S1 has the larger share. This is unsurprising since a) it’s cheaper, and b) it’s more versatile, with a deeper video feature set. Interestingly, up to a third of S1 buyers have opted to pay for a firmware upgrade which upgrades the camera’s video features even further. Meanwhile, the S1H is (no surprise) attracting the attention of dedicated filmmakers.

Panasonic knows how to make great video cameras, and the videography market is clearly of key importance to the company. What’s most encouraging from talking to Mr. Yamane is that he believes great video should be available throughout his company’s product lineup – not simply in the flagship products.

And 8K? Well, it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer for that.

Click here to read more in-depth interviews

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Panasonic interview: ‘If we stay united I think we will survive’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Nikon interview: “We’re at a transitional stage”

13 Feb
Keiji Oishi, Department Manager of Nikon’s UX Planning Dept, Imaging Business Unit.

We were at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas last month, and during our time on the floor we sat down with Keiji Oishi, Department Manager of Nikon’s UX Planning Dept, Imaging Business Unit.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Mr Oishi gave us an insight into Nikon’s strategy at all levels of its business, and shared some details of Nikon’s (then very much under wraps) new professional flagship, the D6.

Nikon recently released the D780 – some people might be surprised to see the launch of a new DSLR in 2020.

The development of the Z-series is our core focus, but we need to support the demands of our DSLR customers, for the latest technologies. The D780 represents a leap in terms of technology compared to the D750. The D780 has what we might call ‘over-class’ features for a DSLR of this type, such as the autofocus algorithm from the D5, and the shutter mechanism of the D850.

It also incorporates some of the advantages of mirrorless technology, such as live view autofocus performance and Eye-Detection AF. It’s all combined in one model.

The D750 continues to be competitive, long after its introduction. Why did you feel it needed updating?

The D750 is a very good camera, and its sales are good because of its well-balanced specifications and its price point. But some customers were starting to consider replacing [their D750] because their camera body is five years old.

We’re at a transitional stage at the moment, with our customers. They’re wondering which platform is better for their needs

Some people we’ve pointed towards the Z 6 or Z 7, because of the advantages of mirrorless, but some customers want to stick with DSLR because of the optical viewfinder, autofocus performance in some situations, and also the long battery life. For those customers looking to replace their D750, we wanted to prepare two options – the Z-series lineup, and also DSLR.

Does this indicate a deliberate strategy going forward of creating closely-related ‘companion’ models, across the Z-series and DSLR lineups? The Z 6 and D780, and the Z 7 and D850, for example?

I can’t say that we’ll do that forever, but we’re at a transitional stage at the moment, with our customers. They’re wondering which platform is better for their needs. And given the current state of our technologies we’ve concluded that we should prepare both options right now – Z-series, and DSLR, because of the [different] advantages of both platforms, for different customer needs.

The Nikon D780 is a significant upgrade over the D750, offering a lot of the same technologies as the mirrorless Z 6 in a solid, power-efficient DSLR form factor.

Do you have a sense of the timeframe over which you’ll transition customers away from DSLR, eventually?

We haven’t finalized our plan yet. At this time I can say that we will prioritize both DSLR and mirrorless. We also want to complete our Z system: that’s the first priority. At a certain point, we hope that all DSLR customers will [ultimately] be satisfied by the features provided by mirrorless, and will shift to the Z system. That’s the goal. But until then, we will continue to develop DSLRs.

In building out the Z system, what are you prioritizing? Lower-end or higher-end products?

We’re actually going in both directions. The Z 50 is a good entry-level body, using the DX format, but we also want to expand the FX lineup at both the high-end, and the more affordable level.

The Z 50 is still fairly new in the market – how do you see the DX Z lineup evolving over time? Or do you see it as a step-up model on the way to full-frame?

The Z 50 is a well-balanced body. The beauty of the Z 50 is that it uses the same mount as our FX cameras, so Z 50 customers can use DX and FX lenses. But if they require more, let’s say high image quality or more resolution, we can point them towards the Z 6 or Z 7..

Nikon’s DX format Z-mount lens lineup currently consists of only two ‘kit’ zooms but Nikon sees FX-format lens compatibility as a major advantage of the Z-mount compared to some competitive systems.

Traditionally, APS-C customers tend to buy fewer lenses. Do you expect your DX customers will purchase full-frame lenses for their camera?

Currently, our 16-50mm and 50-250mm [DX format Z-mount lenses] offer very good optical performance. So first of all, I would like Z 50 customers to explore those two lenses. And on our roadmap we have another lens, the 18-140mm, also for those customers. We want to make [DX lenses] affordable, and of the right size.

A lot of DPReview readers want to see something like a small, high-quality 35mm equivalent lens for DX.

Some of our FX customers also want more affordable, smaller lenses, for example pancake lenses. if we can make those kinds of lenses [for FX] they will provide a good solution for both DX and FX-format customers. We have a 28mm and a 40mm [already] on the roadmap [for full-frame].

Nikon is fully committed to the future of the Z system, and we will have 23 lenses by the end of 2021

We need to make these kinds of lenses. The roadmap is always evolving, year by year, which is why we don’t put any dates on it. Additionally, we understand that many potential customers are interested in teleconverters and we are thinking about it. Although [teleconverters] are not in the Lens Roadmap, we understand the necessity of those accessories. Nikon is fully committed to the future of the Z system, and we will have 23 lenses by the end of 2021.

There are almost no restrictions for the Z mount system, compared to F-mount. The approach to lens design is totally different than for the F-mount system. Our engineers get to enjoy lens design from scratch. They can aim for ultimate image quality.

The Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S is one of the company’s first lenses designed from scratch for a wide diameter mirrorless lens mount. Without the physical restrictions imposed by the narrow F-mount, Nikon’s optical engineers were able to deliver excellent performance, even at maximum aperture,

Does that mean that the manufacturing techniques for Z mount lenses are different, too?

Yes, that’s true.

You’ve had 18 months or so to gather feedback from Z 6 and Z 7 users – what lenses do they really want to see?

Basically, they’re just saying “more lenses!” But we’re getting most requests for a pancake. The mirrorless camera bodies are smaller than DSLR, but the lenses are still the same size. A lot of our Z 6 and Z 7 customers want to make their system size much smaller, so this is a priority for us.

What feedback or requests have you had on the cameras themselves?

The number of card slots was one of the [most common] pieces of feedback. Also, we have received requests for a vertical control grip. Customers are used to the D850 or D750, with two slots. With the Z 6 and Z 7 we wanted to minimize the [body] size.

There is a grip available now, obviously functionally quite limited, has it done well in the marketplace?

It hasn’t been as popular as vertical grips for the DSLRs, but some customers really appreciate the additional battery capacity.

In developing the Z 6 and Z 7 Nikon placed priority on minimizing the size of the camera bodies. As such, the company opted for a single card slot, supporting high-speed XQD / CFexpress media. Apparently, one of the most-requested features from Z 6 and Z 7 owners for future models is another card slot.

Do you see your APS-C and full-frame customers as being different?

Actually, our APS-C customers are unique, I think. There are two kinds: one is the person who wants a second camera. They’re really [interested in] system size. For those people, APS-C makes sense because it makes the cameras smaller.

The other kind is first-time camera buyers. We want to promote [the Z 50] to these people as an affordable, small camera that creates good stills and video. Because these customers don’t just stick to stills, they also want to enjoy movie capture. We feel the Z 50 offers a good balance for both these kinds of customers.

Obviously there’s a lot of competition now in the mirrorless market. What is the most important customer demographic for Nikon, in the medium-term?

Nikon’s advantage is that we have a full lineup, for both DSLR and mirrorless, that satisfies the needs of many kinds of customers. This still isn’t offered by other manufacturers, so far.

We want to create a new group of customers. Of course we want to prioritize our existing users, but we also need to capture more new photographers, who are currently enjoying using their smartphones, but who want to move towards better image quality, to differentiate their work from others. For those customers we want to send the message that we can help them create good images with a small platform. With the wide diameter of the Z mount we can create very good optics.

The size difference between the Z-mount (left) and the legacy F-mount (right – obviously) is significant. The wider diameter and much shorter flange-back allow Nikon’s optical engineers a much greater degree of freedom when designing lenses for Nikon’s new Z system.

Those are the same people that every manufacturer, across the entire industry wants to attract. What is your strategy to actually get the message across to them?

We want to emphasize the benefits of the Z-mount diameter, and short flange-back distance, which differentiates the image quality from our cameras from others. So by introducing our technology to those customers we want them to understand the beauty of our system, and bring them into our world.

How will Nikon be competitive in the full-frame market in the future?

We understand that we need to keep on evolving, with the Z series as our first priority, and complete our lineup of Nikkor Z lenses and accessories.

Some of our customers still see an advantage to DSLRs, because of their particular usage needs

By having a full system lineup, the customer can easily enter the system and see the great advantages of the mount diameter and short flange back. This is our strategy.

Have you seen a drop in DSLR sales following the launch of the Z 6 and Z 7?

We have seen some impact, but much less than we anticipated. Some of our customers still see an advantage to DSLRs, because of their particular usage needs.

Looking forward, how important is video capture to your camera strategy?

We’ve really prioritized video customers, at both entry-level and high-end. The Z 50 is a good solution for an entry-level video customer, like a YouTuber. But for professional customers, we introduced new firmware for the Z 6 and Z 7 for RAW video output. That’s the kind of approach we want to take – step by step, and we want to keep those kinds of professional-level features in future products.

Do you have any sense of how many customers have opted for the Raw video firmware update?

I can’t share the exact number but it’s more than we expected. It was a real surprise.

We want to do regular scheduled firmware updates to keep the products up to date

The firmware update was promised a long time ago – why did it take so long to become available?

To be honest, it was just a question of resources. But after I took over product planning, we are planning to schedule firmware updates more frequently. We don’t want that kind of delay [again] between the announcement of firmware and its availability. We want to do regular scheduled firmware updates to keep the products up to date for a long time.

What are the most important differences from the D5 to the D6?

The D6 has two big advantages. The first is the performance of its new autofocus system, and also the interface for transmitting images. These two advantages are of major importance to professional photographers, who need more rapid data transfer and more focus accuracy. In these respects the D6 is a dramatic jump from the D5.

the forthcoming D6 is a powerful camera designed to satisfy the needs of Nikon’s most demanding customers, but it’s still a fairly traditional, stills-focused DSLRs.

The D6 obviously has a 4K video feature, but it appears to be primarily a stills camera. Is that fair?

Basically yes.

Was the decision not to load more video features into the D6 based on feedback from professional D5 users?

Yes, we had a lot of requests from D5 users around stills features, but fewer requests and opinions about movie enhancements. Most of the customers for the D5 don’t need things like 4K, 60p video for sports shooting. If they were shooting for commercial uses like weddings, maybe they would need it, but not for sports.

Do you think that this requirement is met, for example, by the Z 6?

The Z 6, yes, or the D850.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

Mr Oishi is a candid and engaging interviewee, and a man who is clearly passionate about his company and its customers. Few other manufacturers have quite as much history behind their brand, and for this reason alone Nikon’s move into full-frame mirrorless was probably always going to be a little fraught.

Despite the fact that Nikon’s Z 6 and Z 7 are among the most well-rounded mirrorless ILCs on the market, and certainly among the nicest to use, the cameras have attracted some criticism from the company’s own customers over the past 18 months. Some people complained about their single card slots, some people complained about the limitations of their autofocus implementation, some people complained about the lack of a proper vertical grip, and some complained about their cost (because some people always complain about the cost).

It just goes to show that you can’t please all of the people all of the time. But you can try. I’m sure that a lot of our readers will be pleased to hear Mr Oishi’s comments about more regular firmware updates, for one thing, but the launch of the attractively well-featured D780 is another indication that Nikon is genuinely keen to keep its customers happy – whatever system they’re invested in. Mr Oishi all-but confirmed that during this ‘transitional stage’, Nikon will create both mirrorless and DSLR bodies which share common technology.

Nikon would like to transition its customers over to mirrorless at some point, en masse, but the company is in no rush

The Z 7 is already (almost) a D850 without a mirror, and the new D780 seems intended both to reassure Nikon’s wider DSLR customer base that the company hasn’t forgotten about them, and also to satisfy the immediate needs of D750 owners interested in an upgrade. Nikon is probably also hoping that the raft of ‘mirrorless’ technologies offered in the D780 will smooth an eventual transition to Z-mount, if and when buyers choose to make the ‘big’ switch.

It’s clear from talking to Mr. Oishi that Nikon would like to transition its customers over to mirrorless eventually, en masse, but the company is in no rush. Several things have to happen before a full transition to the Z-mount becomes realistic. One of those things is lenses. Mr Oishi mentioned that 21 lenses will be available for Z-mount by the end of next year, and repeatedly stressed that the roadmap is very flexible, based on requests from Nikon’s customers. As it stands right now, that roadmap includes a couple of vital professional-friendly telezooms, as well as a 105mm macro and more primes.

Another factor, of course, is that compared to beginners and enthusiasts, transitioning professional sports and photojournalism photographers (a vital demographic for Nikon) over to mirrorless will be a slow and gradual process. These people rely on their cameras to make a living, one split second at a time. Despite its impressive feature set, the new D6 is still a fairly traditional, stills-focused DSLR, because that’s the kind of camera that Nikon’s pro users are asking for.

For now.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Nikon interview: “We’re at a transitional stage”

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Interview: Award-Winnng Wildlife Photographer Buddy Eleazer on why he chose the Olympus OM-D E-M1X

09 Dec
Two rhinos at a watering hole, pictured on one of Buddy Eleazer’s trips to southern Africa.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X with M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO
ISO 4000 | 1/160sec | F2.8

Recently, we spoke to award-winning photographer and Olympus shooter Buddy Eleazer about his work, what inspires him, and what he needs from his camera gear when shooting wildlife on African safaris.

How long have you been a working photographer?

I was an active hobby photographer in the 70’s, but got back into photography seriously in 2003 with the advent of digital cameras.

What camera equipment do you currently shoot with?

Right now I’m shooting with two OM-D E-M1X bodies, an M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4 IS PRO, both the M.Zuiko MC-20 1.4x and M.Zuiko MC-20 2.0x teleconverters, and my workhorse lens which is the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO, with some other ‘PRO’ series lenses. Especially the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO.

When I’m close to the wildlife, the 40-150mm is perfect. When I’m further away I use the 300mm.

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_4531348939″,”galleryId”:”4531348939″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

What drew you to the OM-D system?

I’m a fairly recent convert to Olympus – I used to be a ‘full frame guy’. I still love that gear, but there are some definite advantages to the OM-D system. Shooting full frame cameras with prime and zoom telephoto lenses created two problems: a) getting my gear onto flights to and within Africa – especially the smaller planes we fly into the lodges such as the Bombardier Dash 8 and Cessna 203 Caravan prop planes, and b) after a few weeks on safari, my right elbow and both shoulders took weeks to lose the soreness from lifting those big lenses.

I’ve been shooting with Olympus since early 2018. That doesn’t sound like a long time, but with nature photography and leading trips to Africa, that’s over 59,000 images ago.

Behind the picture: Leopard attack

A herd of wildebeest stampeding in the midst of a leopard attack.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X with M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO
ISO 64 | 1/30sec | F13

This was a special moment. You never know what’s going to happen on safari, and when things do happen, they can happen very quickly. We were looking at Wildebeest walking left to right, near a water crossing. Suddenly, for no reason that was apparent to me they started running – right to left.

I’d been shooting some panning photographs of them walking so I had the E-M1X set perfectly at 1/30sec with the 40-150mm F2.8 and suddenly they turned and started coming almost right for me. I was clicking away, and as the wildebeest cleared and I could see what was happening, right there in the middle of them was a leopard. The attack had happened right in front of my eyes but there were so many wildebeest in the way I didn’t see it.

How would you describe your style of photography?

I describe myself now as a nature photographer. I love both landscape and wildlife, but in recent years have focused primarily on wildlife with emphasis on African wildlife and North American birds.

I came from landscape photography originally, and I still really enjoy including the landscape in my wildlife photography. I also really like tight details of animals, too. What I teach people in the field is get the safe shot first, but don’t shoot 100 versions of that. Let’s get a tight shot, let’s look for details, the trunk, the feet or tail or something. And then let’s get creative – maybe a panning shot, or something high key. There are lot of those kinds of pictures in my portfolio: what you might call ‘sense of place’ shots, tight shots, panning and so on.

What’s your major priority when selecting camera equipment?

As a wildlife photographer, I have a few key requirements. These include:

  • My lenses must be fast to focus
  • The lenses should be tack sharp when in focus
  • I need my camera to be able to track accurately, especially for birds in flight
  • The camera needs to be able to focus and deliver acceptable images in very early morning and very late afternoon light – when wildlife is often on the move.

A closer look at the Olympus OM-D E-M1X

Buddy shoots with the E-M1X, Olympus’ flagship camera, designed for professional and enthusiast photographers in the sports and wildlife fields. Using powerful processors and ‘deep learning’ AF technology, the E-M1X is blazingly fast and offers the most advanced autofocus system of any OM-D camera. It’s also among the toughest cameras of its type, rated for use in extreme conditions with IPX1-certified weather-sealed construction.

The E-M1X is among the first cameras on the market with AF modes trained to identify specific subjects. Specifically, aircraft, locomotives, and wheeled vehicles (commonly referred to as planes, trains, and automobiles).

The E-M1X features a 121-point all-cross-type on-chip Phase Detection plus Contrast Detection AF system. The on-chip Phase Detection AF allows for high-precision AF even when shooting with high speed lenses.

These modes are smart enough to not only track the outline of say, someone riding a motorcycle, but actually focus on the rider’s helmet, or the cockpit of the plane. For scenes with multiple planes or motorcycles, the camera will settle for the largest in the frame. However, if you’d like the option to toggle between subjects, you can leave the camera in Single Point and manually place your point over the further subject – the camera will then prioritize tracking them instead.

A water buffalo drinking at a pond.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X with M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO
ISO 1600 | 1/80sec | F2.8

How does your style of photography inform your gear choices?

I switched to Olympus because the size and weight allowed me to travel easier and hand-hold up to the equivalent of 600mm.

I’ve always loved panning shots but they’re really hard to do with big cameras and lenses. With these light, small lenses, there’s so little effort, comparatively, to stabilize them as you move. There’s in-body stabilization which is good to begin with but with a fast moving animal you need to stay with it in order to get a sharp shot, and the heavier the gear the harder it is to do that. With this OM-D gear it’s literally just like turning your head.

The weight of a system for wildlife photography isn’t in the camera body, it’s in the lenses

I came from full-frame professional DSLRs, and those things are bricks. They wear your body out. The E-M1X is similar in weight to something like a midrange full-frame DSLR, and fits my hand very comfortably.

The weight of a system for wildlife photography isn’t actually in the camera body, it’s in the lenses. The camera is close to your body, but the weight is in the lenses, which extend forward, outwards from you. The weight of the glass in a big full-frame lens is considerable. Shooting the E-M1X with the 300mm F4, which is 600mm equivalent, is like shooting a DSLR with something like a 70-200mm attached. It’s very comfortable.

The PRO Capture mode on the E-M1X has also been a game changer for capturing birds and other animals at the precise moment when the action occurs.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as a photographer?

Really there are a few key pieces of advice that have guided me. First, find your own voice with your images. It’s okay to shoot iconic locations, but be creative and put your own spin on the subjects. Second, always seek to simplify the composition. Less is more. Third, know the rules of composition. They should only be guidelines, but if you know them, then you know why you give them respect and know exactly what you are trying to achieve when you are breaking those rules.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to make it as a photographer today?

If you want to be a commercial photographer, listen to your client. Make sure you know what they want before you get too carried away with the assignment. And know your gear. To be successful, you have to be looking through the camera at the subject. You must be able to adjust aperture, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation while still looking through that viewfinder.

Elephants in Kenya.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X with M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO
ISO 125 | 1/800sec | F2.8

What draws you to Africa?

I go about 6-8 times a year. Primarily I focus on Southern Africa, although about once a year I’ll go to Eastern Africa, to Botswana. Every second year I’ll go to Namibia, but mostly I’m focused on South Africa and Botswana. I like the reserves there, and I know the guides.

What I really like about Southern Africa is how close you can get to the animals. The lodges I focus on have off-road tracking, so you can position a vehicle perfectly for the lighting. You can get off-road and into position. Also because the reserves have been there for some time, the animals are habituated, they don’t get stressed if they see people or vehicles.

In Botswana I love shooting near the water. I really love low-angle shots. Obviously if you’re in a vehicle you have to aim for things up on a hill, to really get low, but if you’re in a hide or you’re on the water, you can get really low, down on the gunnels of the boat and shoot right at water level. Bird life, elephants crossing, buffalo drinking or whatever happens to be there. It’s really cool.

Buddy Eleazer is an award winning wildlife and landscape photographer. His images have been featured by Popular Photography, National Geographic and the prestigious Epson Panorama Awards. He runs Magnum Excursions, and organizes multiple photography trips every year.

See more of Buddy Eleazer’s work

This is sponsored content, created with the support of Olympus. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Interview: Award-Winnng Wildlife Photographer Buddy Eleazer on why he chose the Olympus OM-D E-M1X

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Interview: Aki Murata of Olympus – ‘Full-frame isn’t for everybody’

06 Dec

We attended the Photo Plus Expo show in October in New York, where we spoke to Aki Murata, Olympus America’s VP of sales and marketing. Among the topics of discussion were the new E-M5 III and his company’s strategy to attract professional photographers.

The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

How is your professional strategy evolving now that the E-M1X exists?

The E-M1X has completely changed our position in the professional market. We see a lot of changes. The E-M1X is designed for wildlife, birding and sports. After we announced the 150-400mm we had a lot of enquiries and questions from those people, and we’ve had a lot of requests for pre-orders even though we haven’t yet revealed pricing information.

The reason is the size and weight, and also the other characteristics of our system. Very strong stabilization, and now the ability to capture very fast-moving subjects.

How many E-M1X buyers were already invested in your system, versus completely new users?

That’s hard to say. At the very beginning it was mostly Olympus users, but recently we had a ‘trade in, trade up’ promotion, and it’s about half and half, people trading from our own system versus new users coming in from other [brands]. A lot of people from the wildlife and sports fields are coming into our system.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is one of the toughest cameras on the market. Aimed at professional and enthusiast wildlife and sports photographers, the E-M1X features a 121-point autofocus system and high-speed continuous shooting.

Do you have a target in terms of market share?

We don’t have specific numbers, but in terms of birding and wildlife we have targets for the number of users. But we don’t know how big the market is.

When you talk to E-M1X users, do you find that they use that camera for one kind of photography, and another camera or another brand for a different kind of photography?

We are seeing a trend with people coming from full-frame, where they need a small camera for travel, they use Olympus. We call those people ‘switchers’. But after we introduced the E-M1X, we have seen people working in the birding and wildlife field, they’re starting to switch. They don’t even test the gear sometimes, they just switch completely.

As the OM-D lineup evolves, do you think the professional and semi-pro market will become more important to you?

Definitely. If you look at the market today in the US, in 2019, the market is down by 10%. Above $ 500, there’s some increase in the full-frame segment, but in-between, there’s been a decrease of 20-25%. How we see the market right now is there are many entry-level offerings, since last year, but this market isn’t very big anymore. All the manufacturers are trying to achieve volume by discounting.

For people interested in travel, wildlife and sports, we can serve up products that can take photos which aren’t possible with a smartphone. So our professional range is important not only for professionals but also for enthusiasts that want better, sharper images.

We tend to hear that buyers of entry-level cameras don’t buy additional lenses. Is that one reason why you see professionals and enthusiasts as a more valuable demographic?

The short answer is yes, but their interest in purchases is not the only reason. Those people who really want to enjoy photography do need additional accessories. We want to give these people more opportunities – it’s not just about selling more lenses. And there are some products in the pipeline that should fit those customers very well.

Despite its Four Thirds sensor, the E-M1X (L) is a large camera, with a generous handgrip and built-in vertical grip with duplicate controls.

Can you describe your product strategy for enthusiast and professional customers in the medium-term?

For those people who shoot fast-moving subjects, we are going to introduce more super telephoto lenses. This is one area where you will see a big difference between full-frame and Micro Four Thirds. We are going to produce small but very high quality lenses. Not just small, but lightweight. You will immediately see the difference. It’s symbolic of the system.

For landscape photographers we want to produce small professional lenses.

The two big players in the pro sports market are Canon and Nikon, and a big reason for that is they’ve been around for a long time, and picture agencies have a huge investment in those systems. Do you have any ambition in the future to really compete against them in the agency space?

We’re not differentiating like that for the time being. Professionals are important to us for a couple of reasons. A product has to be really good to serve professionals, and we work with professionals to get feedback. That’s a really important cycle when it comes to improving the quality of our products. Also it’s important to work with professionals in order to convey messages to the market.

A product has to be really good to serve professionals, and we work with professionals to get feedback

For people who work for those big agencies, we see them as part of the general pro / enthusiast users. And we’re really interested in improving the quality of our products for those users. As long as we can keep on producing the right products for those people, I don’t think we need to differentiate between the different groups.

The EM1X is such a powerful camera, but it’s a big change from the initial concept of OM-D…

It’s tough, you know. It’s a big camera [by comparison with earlier models]. But when you look at the features, it’s still pretty small. And a lot of photographers we’ve spoken to end up saying ‘oh this is smaller than I thought’. But the size and weight benefit is also in the lenses. I truly believe that the 150-400mm lens will change the world. It is really good, and I can’t wait to show it to you. Handheld shooting at 2000mm equivalent – it’s amazing.

How does a camera like the E-M5 III fit into that overall strategy?

This camera is intended to appeal to people we call ‘wanderers’. We have a couple of very important target groups, especially in the US. One is bird photography, wildlife photography. That kind of field. The other is wanderers – people who want to explore the world. And this is a great camera for exploring the world. Which doesn’t mean you have to go to extreme places, even just around the city. These two different target groups are our main target users.

Unlike the E-M1X, the OM-D E-M5 III is a small, compact camera in the traditional OM-D mold. Containing a lot of technology from the E-M1 II, the E-M5 III is aimed at what Olympus calls ‘wanderers’.

Does the E-M5 III have a role to play in your professional strategy? Do you want people to buy it and step up to an E-M1-series camera, or buy it alongside a professional body?

We don’t really think like that, to be honest. In terms of the number of purchasers of the E-M5 III, we expect step-up customers, or people who are replacing an earlier model will make up the biggest portion. But of course there are professionals who will use this as a second camera.

A lot of our readers have reacted to the price being maybe a little high for a Four Thirds camera. What would you say to those people?

I think one big thing with Micro Four Thirds is that we’re using one single format. So if you buy a new lens in the future, or replace your camera, you don’t need to switch formats. This is a great benefit, The second thing is that there is a very strong mindset in the US that bigger is better. Full-frame is better. But the size of the sensor does not determine the the cost of the product, or the quality of the picture.

Full-frame isn’t for everybody. It’s important for all photographers to think about what matters to them

If someone really needs a bigger sensor because they’re shooting in really dark conditions, or they need to make really big prints, then full-frame is a better choice. But if someone finds value in a smaller package, not just the camera but also lenses, then [our OM-D cameras] will be better.

Because of this recent full-frame trend, there’s always this discussion. In the US, full-frame is 18% of the market, by volume. This time last year people were saying it would be 30%, or 50% but I don’t think it will happen. Full-frame isn’t for everybody. It’s important for all photographers to think about what matters to them. If what’s really important is portability, we’re confident that they’ll pick [the E-M5 III or E-M1 II] as their first option.

You mentioned photographers shooting in very low light or who need really big prints might still opt for full-frame. Do you have an ambition in future to attract those kinds of users to Four Thirds?

In short, yes. Technology will develop. If you look back three or five years ago, or even back to the first Micro Four Thirds cameras, the noise made images unusable sometimes. Development will continue. It will not stop. One day, I don’t know when, technology will catch up and some of the disadvantages we have today will not be disadvantages any longer. And when those disadvantages are gone, what is left are smaller physical size and weight, and the quality of our lenses. And image stabilization. Today there are some people that really need bigger sensors, but this will not always be the case in the future.

When you imagine this future, you’re still talking about a single format – Four Thirds?

Yes, and that won’t change. That format will be evolved, but we don’t need to change it. There are no plans.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

We last spoke to Mr. Murata in October 2018. This was shortly before the official launch of the E-M1X, while the forthcoming camera was being shown to select journalists and photographers but before it was released out into the wild. Since then, the E-M1X has been put into the hands of professional and enthusiast photographers all over the world, and has been joined by the E-M5 III, offering some of the same capabilities but in a smaller, considerably less bulky package.

This interview was conducted a year after our last conversation, in late October 2019. That was before the rumors (and that is all they appear to be) started to swirl about the future of Olympus’s camera division. Those rumors have been addressed (if not outright denied) by Olympus recently, and in our conversation in October, Mr. Murata gave no hint of trouble ahead.

In fact, it seems to be full steam ahead for him and his team, with the E-M1X now out in the world, the E-M5 III joining it, and hints at more to come. And the basic message from Mr. Murata hasn’t changed between October 2019 and now. Olympus has no plans to introduce a new sensor format into its lineup, it’s committed to Micro Four Thirds and the company is confident that ‘technology will develop’ such that the current advantage of full-frame in some situations will eventually vanish.

Mr. Murata is hoping that the forthcoming M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO will be the lens that really gets professionals’ attention

After almost a year on the market, Olympus isn’t saying how many E-M1Xs have been sold, and we wouldn’t expect them to. According to Mr. Murata, many of the first people to pick it up were already invested in the Micro Four Thirds system. This isn’t surprising, given the investment required for someone to completely switch systems. But such people (Olympus calls them ‘switchers’) do exist, and Mr. Murata is hoping that the forthcoming M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO will be the lens that really gets professionals’ attention. I certainly can’t wait to try one on the E-M1X when they become available – hopefully soon.

I hesitated to broach the question of cost with Mr. Murata for fear of appearing rude, but he’s well aware of the general impression from some photographers (and some DPReview readers) that the E-M5 III is rather expensive for a M43 camera, at $ 1,200 body only. That ignores the fact that it incorporates a lot of technology from the E-M1X and E-M1 II of course, and as Mr. Murata says, “the size of the sensor does not determine the cost of the product, or the quality of the picture”.

There’s no arguing with that.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Interview: Aki Murata of Olympus – ‘Full-frame isn’t for everybody’

Posted in Uncategorized

 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »