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Posts Tagged ‘mirrorless’

Sony a7R III ties Nikon D850: Best mirrorless full-frame camera DxOMark has ever tested

28 Nov

DxOMark has just published their review of the Sony a7RIII’s sensor, and no surprises here: it ties the Nikon D850 as the best full-frame camera they’ve ever tested with a score of 100. This also makes it the best mirrorless full-frame camera DxOMark has ever tested, besting the former king, the Sony a7R II, which scored a 98.

From the moment Sony debuted the a7R III, it became clear there was only one competitor for this mirrorless beast: The Nikon D850. And as DxO makes clear in their review headline, the D850 has now met “its mirrorless match.” In fact, it would be a stretch to call one of the cameras better overall than the other. Here’s how their scores break down:

As DxOMark makes clear in its conclusion, which camera you prefer (or should prefer) has to do with your own use case:

Comparing the A7R III sensor to the Nikon D850’s reveals the advantage that the Nikon camera’s lower minimum sensitivity (ISO) value brings. Photographers who predominantly shoot in bright light or capture motionless subjects with the camera on a tripod will record the most information, be it color, tone, or detail with the Nikon D850 set to ISO 32. However, if they require values above that, the Sony A7R III sensor produces marginally better images.

By now it should be obvious why the Sony a7RIII tied with the Nikon D850 for our best camera above $ 2,000: it’s next to impossible to pick one over the other unless you have a specific use case in mind. Check out DxOMark’s full review for a deeper dive on this particular camera sensor, and if you want even more you can read our full review as well.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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TIME calls Sony a7R III ‘one of the best mirrorless cameras ever made’

25 Nov

When we finished our full review of the impressive Sony a7R III, we wrapped it up with a conclusion that started:

The sheer capability of the Sony a7R III is hard to overstate […] Like the Nikon D850, the a7R III is a camera that you can shoot just about anything with, from landscapes to fast action.

But it seems we weren’t the only ones blown away by Sony’s newest flagship mirrorless full-frame camera, because TIME just named it one of its Top 10 Gadgets of 2017, and crowned it “one of the best mirrorless cameras ever made.”

TIME’s Top 10 this year included everything from the DJI Spark to the iPhone X, but the Sony a7R III has the distinction of being the only true-blue camera to make the list. Combine this with the fact that demand for the camera is so high Sony Japan had to issue an apology about pre-order delays, and you see why the Sony shares the top spot in our over $ 2,000 category for 2017.

To learn more about the Sony a7R III, why people are lavishing the camera with such praise, and what its weaknesses are despite this praise, check out our full review below:

Sony a7RIII Review

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The 19 Most Popular Compact System and Mirrorless Cameras with Our Readers

23 Nov

Earlier in the week we revealed the DSLRs that were best selling among our readers over the last few months. While DSLRs are still the most popular type of readers among our readers this last quarter has seen a big rise in the number of you using compact system/mirrorless cameras.

popular compact system cameras

In fact if we combined the two lists we’d now see compact system cameras in the top 20 cameras bought by our readers with the Sony Alpha a6000 and the Sony Alpha a7II both making that list.

Also an indication of the growth of sales in the compact system camera class of camera is that today we’re listing 19 of them while last time we created this list we only saw enough sales to justify making it a list of 9 cameras.

Here are the most popular compact system cameras among our readers!

Note: we’ve included cameras with interchangeable lenses and fixed lenses in this list.

This post was last updated 23 November 2017

1. Sony Alpha a6000

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2. Panasonic LUMIX G7

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3. Sony Alpha a6500

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4. Sony a7R III

Note: this camera made the list based purely upon pre-orders – it’s one of the most anticipated mirrorless cameras ever.

sony a7r III

5. Sony a5100

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6. Sony Alpha a6300

91SK7Lmn0GL SL1500

7. Fujifilm X-T20

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8. Sony Alpha a7II

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9. Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G85

81Y920s19 L SL1500

10. Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

81Y920s19 L SL1500

That’s our top 10 – here are the next 9 most popular compact camera systems.

  1. Sony a7
  2. Panasonic Lumix GH5
  3. Panasonic Lumix GH4
  4. Sony a7R II
  5. Sony Alpha a7S II
  6. Canon EOS M100
  7. Fujifilm X-Pro2
  8. Fujifilm X-E3
  9. Samsung NX500

*Note: this list was compiled from reports supplied to us from Amazon.com where we are affiliates. One of the ways dPS is able to cover its costs and be a sustainable business is that we earn a small commission when readers make a purchase from Amazon after clicking on our links (including those above). While no personal details are passed on we do get an overall report from Amazon about what was bought and are able to create this list.

The post The 19 Most Popular Compact System and Mirrorless Cameras with Our Readers by Darren Rowse appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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YI releases much-needed firmware update for Yi-M1 mirrorless camera

02 Nov

When we got our hands on Chinese camera maker YI’s first mirrorless camera, the YI-M1, we didn’t have a lot of positive things to say. Despite a great sensor, the camera was… unrefined. But the company just released a new firmware version for the M1 that promises to smooth out some of its rougher edges.

Key updates include (much-needed) improved AF speed, the addition of a RAW+JPG shooting option, exposure control in P, A, S and M modes when shooting video, AF/MF control during video capture, and the addition of a histogram in live view while shooting both stills and video.

We’ve updated our review model to the latest firmware and are taking it for another spin to possibly update our review, but in the meantime, check out the release notes below to see what all YI has improved and fixed on the M1 with this newest update.

Release Notes

{PressRelease}

Firmware Version 3.0-int Update Logs

New

  1. Added exposure control in the mode P/A/S/M for video capture
  2. Added AF/MF control for video capture.
  3. Added RAW+JPG format for still capture
  4. Added still image option in Time Lapse
  5. Added the option to shoot 1-3 images when using the self-timer function with an initial 2 second or 10 second timer settings
  6. Added a histogram in live view mode for both still and video capture
  7. Added new focus viewing modes with improved image quality including: 6x, 8x and 10x magnification in MF mode
  8. Added 2 ways to show the Metering mode in the UI
  9. Added the user guide (Restoring factory settings to view)
  10. Added multiple selection of images for deletion.
  11. Added 2 new options for the display grid
  12. AE algorithm optimization
  13. Master Guide template display logic optimized
  14. Improved AF speed

Fixed

Fixed some known bugs, and improved the overall stability of the system.

Changed

Change the thumbnails in each screen from 9 to 12 images.

{/PressRelease}

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samyang unveils 35mm F1.4 autofocus lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless

10 Oct

Samyang has officially unveiled its fourth autofocus lens for Sony FE mount cameras: the long-rumored Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE. The new 35mm joins Samyang’s three other AF lenses—the AF 14mm f/2.8 FE, AF 35mm f/2.8 FE and AF 50mm f/1.4 FE—and offers Sony full-frame mirrorless shooters yet another affordable (and fast) prime to shoot with.

As with all previous Samyang autofocus FE lenses, the company claims that they offer exceptional image quality across the whole image field.

This particular lens features 11 lens elements in 9 groups, including 2 aspherical lenses and 2 high-refractive lenses. At its core is a 9 (circular) blade aperture that opens up all the way to F1.4, and a Linear Super Sonic Motor promises “fast, precise and quiet autofocus performance.”

The lens is scheduled to ship in November at a suggested retail price of £600 and €650, which should put US pricing around $ 750. To learn more about the new lens, head over to the Samyang website.

Press Release

Samyang Announces the Fourth Autofocus Lens – AF 35mm F1.4 FE

October 10th, 2017, Seoul, South Korea – Global optics brand, Samyang Optics (http://www.samyanglensglobal.com) is pleased to announce the release of their fourth autofocus lens: AF 35mm F1.4 FE. The bright F1.4 aperture and absolute resolution turn every moment into artwork. This lens now expands Samyang’s autofocus lens line-up to four which includes three existing autofocus lenses, AF 14mm F2.8 FE, AF 35mm F2.8 FE and AF 50mm F1.4 FE.

Aim High, Create Artwork

This new AF 35mm F1.4 FE works in harmony with full frame mirrorless cameras in Sony E mount such as Sony ?7 or ?9 series. It is designed to appeal to enthusiasts and professionals who are ready to take the next step up in photography. It is the excellent companion to create artworks from everyday moments, while the tiny AF 35mm F2.8 FE released in June of this year is the perfect partner for everyday photographers.

High Performance beyond Expectation

Absolute resolution across the entire image field is the key feature of Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE. The lens includes 11 elements in 9 groups and features 2 aspherical lenses and 2 high-refractive lenses, plus Ultra Multi Coating. The optical design minimises various aberrations and unnecessary light dispersion to deliver outstanding resolution. Fast, precise and quiet autofocus performance meets Samyang’s exceptional optical technology to capture any moments clearly. The bright F1.4 secures fast shutter speed and creates shallow depth of focus images in wide-standard angle of view. The new 35mm F1.4 lens is ideal for professional photography including low-light events, landscapes and portraits with expressive characteristics.

Available from November 2017

Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE, a lens for photographers aiming high in photography, will be available globally from November and will carry a suggested retail price of EUR 649.

To celebrate launching, Samyang Optics will hold various consumer events on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/samyanglensglobal) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/samyanglensglobal). For more information on product, visit Samyang Optics official website (http://www.samyanglensglobal.com/).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Billingham introduces the tiny ‘72’ for premium compacts and small mirrorless kits

07 Oct

Premium British bag manufacturer Billingham has launched a new small shoulder bag called the Billingham 72, aimed at users of fixed lens premium cameras and those with small mirrorless bodies. The Billingham 72 features a new padding design that puts a double layer of high-density foam all around the body of the bag in a continuous form that leaves no spaces between the sides and the base.

Traditional Billingham canvas or FibreNyte finishes are available, both of which are weather, water and heat resistant for the entire life of the bag. All fittings are made from leather and brass, and a quick release catch allows easy access to the cover whether the bag is over the shoulder or attached to your belt.

The bag is available in a choice of five color combinations that will go on sale in the UK tomorrow for £100. Sales in the USA are expected to begin after Christmas.

For more information visit the Billingham website.

Press Release

Small and perfectly formed. Billingham announces the ‘72’

High quality, lightweight, compact bag with dense foam padding offers outstanding protection for fixed prime lens and small system cameras

Designed for owners of fixed prime lens cameras and the growing range of small mirrorless and compact systems, Billingham has today announced the Billingham 72. The new, high quality, lightweight bag will be available to view and order for the first time at the Digital Splash 17 exhibition in Liverpool, 7-8 October.

The Billingham 72 will come in five colour combinations and will cost £100 inc. VAT:

  • Sage FibreNyte & Chocolate Leather
  • Khaki Canvas & Tan Leather
  • Burgundy Canvas & Chocolate Leather
  • Black Canvas & Tan Leather
  • Black FibreNyte & Black Leather

At 150 x 130 x 190mm (WxDxH), the Billingham 72 is the ideal size for premium fixed lens cameras such as the Leica Q, Fujifilm X100 range or Sony DSC-RX1R series, and many small mirrorless system cameras with one standard lens, such as the Fujifilm X-T2, Olympus OMD E-M series, Leica M rangefinders or Canon EOS M kits. The bag itself, with shoulder sling attached, weighs just 0.46kg.

Made in England at the Billingham factory, the 72 offers extensive protection thanks to a newly-designed arrangement of structured, highly dense foam in a continuous double layer around the whole body of the bag. This special fortified padding safeguards the entire camera and lens, keeping all edges and corners fully protected.

Heavier camera bodies with small lenses fit perfectly into the Billingham 72 interior with the grip facing upwards. A padded inner lid over the main compartment completely covers the top end of the camera, but allows the photographer quick access to their equipment when required. Ideal for travelling, or when working in large crowds, the equipment is shielded on all sides from any knocks or bumps.

With an outer body constructed of either Billingham canvas or FibreNyte, the Billingham 72 offers the ultimate in water resistance and provides full defence against inclement weather conditions. Both materials are hard-wearing yet lightweight and never require reproofing, remaining moisture- and heat-resistant for their entire life. FibreNyte is an extra-rugged material that is colour-fast, and delivers exceptional durability and protection against wear and tear.

The bag’s Quick Release System comprises a strong leather tab and brass ClogBall, enabling fast opening with one hand to retrieve the camera, while securing the equipment in transit. Each model is reinforced with the finest top-grain leather, and all fittings are made from solid brass.

For maximum versatility, the Billingham 72 comes with a comfortable, detachable shoulder sling made of extra strong, shuttle-woven spun polyester, which is long enough to be worn across the body. It also incorporates a wide belt loop for those who prefer to keep their camera a little closer.

A precisely-formed removable foam base and a vertical padded divider attached with Velcro® are included with the Billingham 72, enabling the photographer to configure the bag and adjust it to fit their individual requirements. A small pocket on the front provides storage for a spare battery, lens cap or memory cards.

As with all Billingham bags, the 72 is manufactured with extreme precision, meeting meticulous technical standards. Once it has passed Billingham’s strict quality controls, each bag is adorned with a laser-engraved woven label containing an individual 10-digit barcoded serial number as part of the company’s Unique Identifier (UI) system, allowing the bag to be registered, identified and tracked throughout its life.

Harry Billingham, director at M. Billingham & Co, said, “The idea for the Billingham 72 was conceived by our newly formed in-house design team, following extensive research into the market. They identified a need for a secure but lightweight bag to protect smaller systems or fixed lens cameras, particularly those with heavier bodies, that also gives photographers immediate access to their equipment. It makes a perfect addition to our range, providing owners of small premium cameras with a smart, reliable and robust way of protecting their valuable kit from the elements and daily wear and tear.”

The Billingham 72 comes with a 5 year manufacturer’s guarantee.

A collection of leather accessories is available for all Billingham bags, including fine leather luggage tallies and shoulder pads, to complement the colour and style of each model.
More information on the Billingham range can be found at www.billingham.co.uk.

Billingham 72 technical specifications:

  • External dimensions: 150 x 130 x 190mm (WxDxH)
  • Internal dimensions: 110 x 90 x 140mm (WxDxH)
  • Capacity: 1.38 litres
  • Weight: 0.33 kgs (without shoulder sling) / 0.46 kgs (with shoulder sling)
  • Sling: Adjustable between 99cm and 172cm in length
  • Front pocket: 110 x nominal x 120mm (WxDxH)

Availability

The Billingham 72 is available to order now from Billingham stockists in the UK.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Zenit’s full-frame mirrorless camera will use components made by Leica

20 Sep

Following an announcement last month that camera maker Zenit would launch a full-frame camera in 2018, USSRPhoto claims the new Zenit model will be based on the Leica SL full-frame camera. Leica will reportedly make components for the Zenit based on the ones found in its Leica SL camera, but will tailor them specifically for the upcoming Zenit model.

Little is known about Zenit’s plans at this time. In mid-August, an announcement that Zenit would return with a new camera was reportedly made on Moscow Region Radio 1. No camera specifications were provided aside from the fact that it will be a full-frame mirrorless model with a brand-recognizable design and an anticipated 2018 launch date.

We know that the reborn Zenit company won’t try to compete with the industry’s biggest camera makers, and it was stated at the time that a “leading photographic equipment company” would be used to produce some of the new model’s components. That company wasn’t revealed, but assuming USSRPhoto’s leak is correct, it will be Leica.

However, and in speaking to PetaPixel, USSRPhoto said the KMZ Zenit factory in Russia will itself produce the new lenses for this upcoming model, and that work on this project has already started. Though the factory isn’t capable of producing electronic components for the camera (hence Leica’s involvement) it does have the equipment necessary to make its own optics.

Additional information—such as cost, specs, and a more specific release date—still haven’t been revealed.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon Director of Development: ‘If Nikon will go mirrorless, it must be full-frame’

18 Sep
Photo by Joseph Chan

We’ve known for some time now that Nikon is working on a mirrorless camera—in fact, Nikon confirmed this to DPReview directly. But one question has remained tantalizingly unanswered: will it be a full-frame system, or simply an evolution of the old 1-inch Nikon 1 system?

The answer, at least according to one high-level Nikon director, seems to be what we were all hoping for. The mirrorless camera will be full-frame.

This information came to light in an interview with Tetsuro Goto, Director of Laboratory Research and Development at Nikon Japan, who told Chinese website Xitek that, “full frame is the trend. If Nikon will go mirrorless it must be full frame.” A statement that immediately set the photography world on fire with speculation.

You can read the full translated interview at this link. Most of it focuses on the Nikon Df and other topics, but page 4 of the interview begins to cover new ground including competition from Sony, Fuji, and the like, and the future of Nikon mirrorless. The other, slightly controversial statement shared by Mr. Tetsuro during the interview had to do with Nikon’s market share and penetration vs the competition (translation courtesy of Nikon Rumors):

Nikon customer base is very broad, from novice to enthusiasts to prosumer to professional, that’s Nikon’s advantage. Olympus, Sony and Fujifilm can only cover a small part of that. So far there is no professional using their products. So when they develop products, even like retro style, they only try to meet these people and that’s only what they can do. Their customer base is limited anyway so they have limited view in developing products.

Read the full interview here, and then feel free to go speculation crazy in the comments. We’ll update you as soon as we have something official from our sources at Nikon.


A Nikon representative was not immediately available for comment at the time of publication. We will update this news story as soon as we have an official response from Nikon USA about Mr. Tetsuro Goto’s comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon patents two full-frame mirrorless lenses: 52mm F0.9 and 36mm F1.2

08 Sep
Photo by Jakob Owens

Nikon users who are out there wishing for a full-frame mirrorless camera from the storied Japanese brand have two more reasons to feel hopeful today. It seems Nikon has filed two new patents for full-frame mirrorless lenses in Japan: one for a Nikon 52mm F0.9, and another for a 36mm F1.2.

The patents were spotted by Japanese site hi-lows-note, and come complete with a few lens diagrams so you can ogle the lens elements while you cross your fingers even tighter.

Here’s the 52mm F0.9 diagram:

And the 36mm F1.2:

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Nikon has patented a full-frame mirrorless lens—two zoom lenses for FF mirrorless were patented three years apart, one in 2014 and another earlier this year. But while a patent does not a new lens confirm, the more of these lenses Nikon puts on paper, the more hopeful we’ll be that a full-frame Nikon mirrorless camera is on the way.

For more on that possibility, read the official statement Nikon sent us on their future mirrorless camera plans.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Zenit is back in business, plans to release full-frame mirrorless camera in 2018

22 Aug

Russian publication RNS has revealed that camera maker Zenit has restarted camera production, and may in fact launch a full-frame mirrorless model on the international market as early as 2018. The initial announcement was reportedly made by Krasnogorsk Mechanical Plant’s Deputy Director General for Civilian Production and Consumer Goods, Igor Sergeyev, who revealed the plans via Moscow Region Radio 1.

The planned full-frame mirrorless camera will retain iconic, brand-recognizable elements, according to the announcement, including “characteristic contours, ergonomics, [and] camera lines.” However, the camera will be modernized for today’s market, featuring both light and dark color options as well as leather trim.

The price will exceed that of a “good smartphone,” according to Sergeyev, though specifics weren’t provided.

Zenit, though once popular, ceased production in 2005 following multiple failed attempts to revive its place in the market. According to Sergeyev, the latest production round will not attempt to compete with big-name camera manufacturers like Canon or Nikon. In fact, an unnamed “leading photographic equipment company” will produce some of the components for this camera.

Additional details on the camera or Zenit’s renaissance weren’t provided, but we’ll let you know just as soon as more is revealed.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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