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CP+ 2019: Panasonic shows 10-25mm F1.7 mockup

03 Mar

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

Panasonic announced that it would be building a 10-25mm F1.7 zoom back at Photokina in later 2018 and has a mockup on show at CP+ in Yokohama. The red box on the label says ‘Development Announcement’ in Japanese. If nothing else, it’s a striking way to confirm the company’s commitment to the Micro Four Thirds system as a high-end format.

Scarce details

Very little additional information has been given, but the mockup shows it will have a dedicated aperture ring like the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7 prime. The mockup also makes clear just how much larger it’s going to be than the 12-60mm F2.8-4.0.

Five primes in a tube

Panasonic seems committed to its ‘five primes in one lens’ concept, by marking the 10, 12, 14, 18 and 25mm focal lengths on the zoom ring, representing 20, 24, 28, 35 and 50mm equivalent focal lengths that are popular choices for prime lenses. This shouldn’t be taken to mean the lens will only offer these focal lengths, though.

For video, as well as stills

While the ‘five primes’ idea is a great way of appealing to photographers, we suspect plenty of videographers will also be interested in the idea of a lens that gives them a wide-angle to normal field of view with a constant F1.7 aperture, meaning no need to change lenses (or change any rigging built around the camera), between shots. Sadly there are still no details of either price or availability.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Olympus E-M1X versus the E-M1 II, Panasonic G9, Fujifilm X-T3 and Nikon D500

24 Feb

Introduction

With ‘Deep Learning’ autofocus, crazy-fast burst speeds and refined ergonomics, the Olympus E-M1X is the most focused action and sports shooting camera that Olympus has ever made. And though it retains a Four Thirds sensor like the E-M1 II, Olympus is touting the X as a credible alternative to the flagship Nikon D5’s and Canon EOS-1D X II’s of the world: in the right circumstances.

We’ll look at comparisons against the D5 and 1D X II in a future article, but for now, we wanted to take a closer look at how the E-M1X stacks up against other Four Thirds and APS-C cameras with sports-shooting chops. It’s true that the E-M1X is the only camera in this comparison with a true double-grip chassis, but its competition is fierce nonetheless.

Against the E-M1 Mark II

Olympus has been clear that the E-M1X does not replace the existing E-M1 II, and both will live alongside each other in their lineup. But since the E-M1 II was already such a capable camera and you can get one at a steep discount compared to the X, we figured we’d start with a look at how these two stack up against each other.

The most immediate change is obviously the body. Not only in terms of size, but also battery life (doubled on the X, since it has…double the batteries). There are also significant differences between the two in terms of their controls. By and large, there are more buttons on the X that are dedicated to a single purpose, and the dual 8-way joysticks free up the four-way controller to act as four distinct custom buttons.

Against the E-M1 Mark II

Another benefit of the larger body on the E-M1X is that it makes room for an all new in-body image stabilizer, now rated at up to 7 stops without a stabilized lens, and up to 7.5 stops with certain lenses such as the Olympus 12-100mm F4 Pro. The E-M1X is also officially rated to IPX1 standards; the E-M1 II is certainly a well sealed camera, but Olympus makes no claims regarding formal ratings for it.

Both cameras have the same viewfinders, the same rear screens and the same
(or very similar) sensors

Olympus also doubled the processors in the X relative to the Mark II, enabling not only the ‘Deep Learning’ autofocus that detects motorsport vehicles, aircraft and trains, but also the hand-held high-resolution mode that spits out 50MB files. And Olympus has told us that it’s tweaked its C-AF algorithm in the X (note, this is not the C-AF + Tracking algorithm) to allow for better autofocus performance when you keep an AF area over your subject.

As for the rest, well, there’s not much to tell. Both cameras have the same viewfinders, same screens and the same (or very similar) sensors and very similar menu systems. For all intents and purposes, unless you need a tougher camera, want a beefier camera to use with bigger lenses or are in love with the Olympus ecosystem and want the best possible autofocus performance your bucks can buy, it’s probably best to just stick with the E-M1 II for now.

Against the Panasonic Lumix DC-G9

Let’s start with Panasonic’s Four Thirds stills-shooting flagship, the G9. Although at first glance there doesn’t appear to be much between the two in terms of core specs, the experiences of actually using each of them are more disparate than you might expect.

But let’s start with those specs, just ’cause. While the E-M1X shoots at 18fps with autofocus, the G9 ups the ante with 20fps. But they both have 20MP Four Thirds sensors with native ISO ranges of 200-25600, they both have fully articulating rear touchscreens, AF joysticks and in-body image stabilization.

But whereas the E-M1X has an on-sensor phase detection autofocus system that is able to recognize subjects like aircraft, trains and automobiles, Panasonic has stuck with its Depth from Defocus technology in the G9’s contrast-detection autofocus system. The result is that there is ‘flutter’ in the G9’s EVF when shooting moving subjects, as the lens rapidly wobbles in and out of focus to reconfirm critical focus. The ‘keeper rate’ of in-focus shots on the G9 is actually quite good, but it can be difficult to see while shooting if your subject is in focus at all. It’s a bit disconcerting until you get used to it.

Against the Panasonic Lumix DC-G9

There are other considerations, such as the G9’s top-plate LCD that displays shooting settings, something missing on the Olympus. Both cameras have high-resolution modes, but only the Olympus lets you hand-hold the E-M1X to get those extra pixels. The G9′ s video spec is rather more impressive too. It shoots 4K/60p, while the Olympus tops out at 4K/30p. Missing a built-in battery grip, the Panasonic is of course smaller, and with around half the rated battery life of the Olympus.

Both cameras give great results from their Four Thirds sensors given enough light. In the end, we lean towards the Olympus for outright autofocus performance, but the Panasonic is the stronger option for those who also dabble in video.

Against the Nikon D500

Okay, with the E-M1X’s main Four Thirds competitor out of the way, let’s look at how it stacks up against Nikon’s APS-C flagship, the D500.

With a resolution of 21MP, the D500 is only slightly above the E-M1X in this regard – but the larger sensor will come with less noise, more dynamic range and better low light performance than the E-M1X. Physics is physics, simple as that.

The larger sensor in the D500 will have less noise, more dynamic range, and better low light performance

And while the D500 comes without any form of ‘Deep Learning’ in its autofocus system, it does have a highly capable 3D Tracking mode to track moving subjects. So it won’t automatically detect, say, a car, but if you manually tell the camera what to track, the D500 will stick to it with remarkable tenacity. By contrast, Olympus’ non-subject specific tracking is nowhere near as ‘sticky’ as the Nikon.

Against the Nikon D500

The viewfinder experience differs from one camera to the next, and not just because one is optical (Nikon) and one is electronic (Olympus). The Olympus’ viewfinder is noticeably larger than that on the D500, but because it uses LCD technology, contrast is lacking and blacks can appear somewhat ‘washed out.’

The D500 also tops out at 10fps, slower than the E-M1X but still respectable. Despite only having a single battery, the D500 is rated for more shots per charge than the E-M1X, in part because it doesn’t have to power its viewfinder. But the Olympus has incredible image stabilization, and Nikon’s lens lineup offers limited solutions for getting near the reach of the Olympus lineup without spending more money and carrying more weight.

In the end, both cameras will reward you with an insane number of in-focus ‘keepers’ and good image quality – but the Nikon will handily beat the Olympus as light levels drop and ISO values rise, while Olympus gives you more reach in a smaller overall package.

Against the Fujifilm X-T3

Aha! You weren’t expecting Fujifilm to make an appearance, were you? But the X-T3 is a credible contender, offering further evidence that Fujifilm is quickly learning from both its past and its competitors. It wasn’t that long ago that Fujifilm offered dismal video and slow autofocus, yet now the X-T3 is a stills / video hybrid camera that is among the best APS-C cameras we’ve ever used. So how does the E-M1X look against it?

The X-T3 has the highest resolution of any camera in this slideshow

With a new sensor offering 26 megapixels of resolution, the X-T3 will have the highest resolution of any camera in this slideshow. It also reads out very fast, allowing for 20fps burst shooting using the electronic shutter, and 30fps with an added 1.25x crop that yields 16MP images.

But what good are burst speeds if your subject is out of focus? Good thing the latest autofocus system in the X-T3 is really good, with a solidly capable tracking mode that works similarly to Nikon’s 3D Tracking. Also like the Olympus, there’s no top-plate LCD to check your settings, but that may not matter if you make use of the analog dials. And one last small-but-significant distinction: the E-M1X has a large AF-L / AE-L button that can be assigned to AF-ON for back-button shooters, and the X-T3’s AF-L and AE-L buttons are comparatively small and placed less conveniently.

Against the Fujifilm X-T3

Despite its relatively large sensor, the X-T3 will also be the smallest camera in this comparison – but that portability comes with compromises. The Fujifilm’s smaller grip is less well-suited to large lenses than the Olympus, and battery life is comparatively poor. But build quality is excellent, even if Fujifilm won’t commit to an ingress protection rating like Olympus will. Despite having excellent video capabilities, the Fujifilm has no in-body stabilization, limiting video shooting possibilities for some users, though it has a much nicer electronic viewfinder and zero-blackout shooting in those electronic bursts.

Like Panasonic’s G9, the Fujifilm X-T3 may be best seen as a more appropriate all-rounder for most people. But Olympus should be concerned about the little Fujifilm, particularly as the system has some excellent lens support that signals how seriously the company is taking sports and action shooting (see the XF 100-400mm zoom and the 200mm F2 prime). Fuji also offers – arguably – some of the best JPEG color in the business, which is not only an Olympus strong suit but also very important to action shooters that don’t have time to process thousands of Raw files.

The wrap

In looking at the E-M1X in comparison to these excellent crop-sensor cameras on the market today, you can’t help but wonder if Olympus really has their work cut out for them.

It occupies an interesting niche in the market. Olympus is clearly catering to users that may either aspire to own a professional double-grip DSLR, or perhaps already own an SLR of some sort but are tired of carrying it around. These users must be shooting in pretty decent light to avoid ultra high ISO values compromising image quality on the Four Thirds sensor and yet, these users must not want to compromise at all on autofocus capability.

There’s no denying that the E-M1X is an amazing piece of technology wrapped in what is perhaps the best-built camera body any of us have laid our hands on. In the right hands and in the right circumstances, it’s capable of astounding imagery. We’ll continue to put the camera through its paces as we press on with our final review.

What do you think of the E-M1X? Do you own any of the other cameras mentioned in this comparison? Do you want to pick up a copy of the Olympus for your very own? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic S1R sample gallery updated with Raw conversions

23 Feb

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We’ve had a little more time to shoot around with Panasonic’s high-resolution full-framer and thus, top off our sample gallery. We’ve also had the chance to add a whole lot of Raw conversions, which should give a better idea of image quality compared to the out-of-camera JPEGs. So have a peek and let us know what you think.

See our Panasonic S1R gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic announces new Lumix ZS80 (TZ95) compact, FZ1000 II superzoom camera

19 Feb

Panasonic has announced it’s adding two new zoom cameras to its Lumix lineup: the Lumix ZS80 (TZ95 outside of North America) compact camera and the Lumix FZ1000 II superzoom camera.

Lumix ZS80/TZ95

First up is the Lumix Z80, the latest camera in Panasonic’s travel zoom series. At the heart of the ZS80 is a 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor. Beyond stills, the ZS80 can capture 4K/30p video. In front of the sensor is an optically stabilized 24mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens with 30x optical zoom, giving it a maximum focal length of 720mm (35mm equivalent).

The ZS80 can capture Raw photos and features a maximum burst rate of 10 frames per second (fps). On the rear of the camera is a three-inch 1040K-dot tilting touchscreen and a 2,330K-dot equivalent Live View Finder (LVF).

Panasonic’s signature 4K Photo mode makes an appearance in the ZS80 and adds a new Auto Marking feature that makes it easy to pick out individual frames within a 4K video file.

TheZS80 includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for connecting to and transferring images to smartphones or tablets and tagging the GPS location information within images.

Panasonic says theZS80 can capture approximately 380 shots per charge and in the event the battery does die, USB charging is possible.

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The Panasonic Lumix ZS80/TZ95 will be available at the end of April 2019 in black and silver for $ 449 / £399 / €449.

Lumix FZ1000

The new Lumix FZ1000 II features a 1-inch 20.1-megapixel sensor behind a 16x optical zoom Leica lens with a 25-400mm (35mm equivalent) focal length range and F2.8-4.0 aperture range. The lens features Panasonic’s 5-axis hybrid Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.+) with a Level Shot function that automatically detects horizontal lines within an image and keeps it level while shooting.

In addition to stills at up to 12 fps, the FZ1000 II can capture 4K/30p video in the MP4 format at 100Mbps with the option for 120 fps recording at 1080p. Like the TZ95, the FZ1000 II features Panasonic’s 4K Photo mode with the new Auto Marking feature.

The rear of the camera features an articulating three-inch 1.24M-dot touchscreen as well as an OLED 0.39-inch 2.36M-dot EVF.

The FZ1000 II includes built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for wireless connection to mobile devices. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery is rated for 440 shots per charge when working with the rear LCD and 290 shots when using the EVF (430 shots per charge when using the EVF in the ‘eco’ setting, which limited it to 30 fps).

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The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II will be available at the end of March 2019 for $ 899 / £769 / €849.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic announces new Lumix TZ95, FZ1000 II cameras

18 Feb

Panasonic has announced it’s adding two new zoom cameras to its Lumix lineup: the Lumix TZ95 compact camera and the Lumix FZ1000 II bridge camera.

Lumix TZ95

First up is the Lumix TZ95, the latest camera in Panasonic’s Travel Zoom (TZ) series. At the heart of the TZ95 is a 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor. Beyond stills, the TZ95 can capture 4K30p video. In front of the sensor is an optically stabilized 24mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens with 30x optical zoom, giving it a maximum focal length of 720mm (35mm equivalent).

The TZ95 can capture Raw photos and features a maximum burst rate of 10 frames per second (fps). On the rear of the camera is a three-inch 1040k-dot tilting touchscreen and a 2,330k-dot equivalent Live View Finder (LVF).

Panasonic’s signature 4K Photo mode makes an appearance in the TZ95 and adds a new Auto Marking feature that makes it easy to pick out individual frames within a 4K video file.

The TZ95 includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for connecting to and transferring images to smartphones or tablets and tagging the GPS location information within images.

Panasonic says the TZ95 can capture approximately 380 shots per charge and in the event the battery does die, USB charging is possible.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ95 will be available at the end of April 2019 in black and silver for £399.99 (UK) / €449.99 (Ireland).

Lumix FZ1000

The new Lumix FZ1000 II features a 1-inch 20.1-megapixel sensor behind a 16x optical zoom Leica lens with a 25-400mm (35mm equivalent) focal length range and F/2.8-4.0 aperture range. The lens features Panasonic’s 5-axis hybrid Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.+) with a Level Shot function that automatically detects horizontal lines within an image and keeps it level while shooting.

In addition to stills at up to 12fps, the FZ1000 II can capture 4K30p video in the MP4 format at 100Mb/s with the option for 120fps recording at 1080p. Like the TZ95, the FZ1000 II features Panasonic’s 4K Photo mode with the new Auto Marking feature.

The rear of the camera features an articulating three-inch 1.24m-dot touchscreen as well as an OLED 0.39-inch 2.36m-dot EVF.

The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II will be available at the end of March 2019 for £769.99 (UK) / €849.99 (Ireland) / $ 897.99 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Open letter to Panasonic: Innovations in manual focus could make Lumix S a winner for cinematographers

17 Feb

Jack Lam is a cinematographer based in Beijing and Hong Kong. His body of work includes TV commercials, seasonal TV drama series and theatrical feature films. His commercial clients include Cathay Pacific, Lenovo, Airbnb, Alibaba, and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. He also works with DJI as a design consultant for their cinema products.

This guest editorial has been lightly edited for style and clarity.

As a working cinematographer, I am super excited by Panasonic’s announcement of the Lumix S mirrorless camera system. The Panasonic GH5 is so well-designed, it has become a reliable workhorse for many video shooters. I have no doubt a full-frame version of it will be amazing, and everything I read about the S1/S1R confirms that.

However, Lumix S has the potential to become much greater that what we see in this product launch. With this brand new camera system, Panasonic has a unique opportunity to create the perfect small camera system for professional cinematographers. But doing so requires Panasonic to address a long-standing problem that is overlooked by all other camera makers, as well as some rethinking of conventional ideas on camera design.

This missing feature – one that can become a potential killer feature for Panasonic – is good manual focus control for video.

“What’s the big deal with MF?” one may ask, “Don’t most cameras already have MF?” Well, when I say good manual focus control, I mean good enough for real working professionals – advanced documentarians and Hollywood cameramen alike.

The new Lumix S series cameras present an excellent opportunity for Panasonic to redefine the interface between mirrorless cameras and cinematographers who need pro-level focus control.

I want MF control that is simple, accurate, reliable, repeatable, predictable, measurable and ergonomically sound. It should also be wireless-capable and highly integrated as part of the camera (so that we can keep the camera small and don’t need to add six other accessories just to pull focus). Do you know of any small (DSLR/mirrorless) camera in the market that fulfills all of the above requirements? I have found none.

My perspective

My work varies widely in budget and crew size, ranging from run-and-gun documentaries, TV commercials to feature films for national theatrical releases. While the Arri Alexa is my go-to camera of choice for most of my work, I also use small form-factor mirrorless cameras when I see fit. I used to own every Panasonic GH model from the GH1 to the GH4, before I took a break from the m43 system for the full-frame Sony A7S.

This missing feature – one that can become a potential killer feature for Panasonic – is good manual focus control for video.

There are many instances where a smaller camera is the better camera for the job (for example, run-and-gun docs, sensitive locations, small gimbal, special car rigs, crash cams, etc.). Unfortunately, every time I shoot with a small camera I am faced with one big problem, a problem that haunts every video shooter but one that receives very little attentions in camera reviews: how do I pull focus? To be more specific, how do I pull focus effectively and professionally, as my director expects me to? How do I make sure I can nail the focus equally well in the first take, the second take, and each take thereafter?

The problem with focus pulling in today’s cameras

I am sure every DSLR video shooter shares this experience. Ever since the so-called DSLR video revolution, anyone looking to get into this game must build their own camera rig with all kinds of third-party components as if making a science project. Finding the right combination of lenses, lens adapters, focus gears rings, follow focus system, and the rig cage to hold everything together… All of these take a lot of time and energy to experiment and to troubleshoot, while we should really be focusing our time on our own artistic growth. The worst thing is, despite all the time and money we spend, the resulting rigs we built are never very good. They are unreliable, clumsy to use, and not very ergonomic.

The need to piece together unstandardized third-party camera parts also introduce uncertainties to productions. While we can order an Arri Alexa kit from any rental house in the world and have a pretty good idea of what to expect, it is never the case with DSLR/mirrorless camera rentals. Running a multi-camera shoot usually means operating with camera rigs from multiple brands, and their parts are not always compatible with each other.

All such desperate attempts in rig-building are primarily meant to provide a means of focus control. At the heart of this problem is the fact that camera manufacturers have failed to provide a good solution for focus pulling as part of their camera design.

Would you call such a monster user friendly?

**Autofocus is not the answer for professionals**

With the incredible progress in autofocus technology, can AF help us achieve good focus pulling, or even replace MF altogether? The answer is a resounding NO. Autofocus IS NOT and WILL NEVER be a good solution for professional cinematographers.

I have tried the AF in some of the latest cameras in the market. Dual pixel phase detection, facial recognition, AI subject tracking… I have to say the amount of technology is very impressive. AF works amazingly for stills, but for video I find it only useful under very limited conditions. Perhaps AF can be useful when I am following only ONE subject with a small gimbal without a focus puller’s help. Maybe I can give AF a try when I am shooting a sit-down interview on a slider. But when it comes to professional filmmaking, these said situations are just ‘kindergarten focus pulling’.

With the incredible progress in autofocus technology, can AF help us achieve good focus pulling, or even replace MF altogether? The answer is a resounding NO. Autofocus IS NOT and WILL NEVER be a good solution for professional cinematographers.

Real focus-pulling in a professional setting is much more complicated and much more nuanced. It often involves multiple actors and multiple marks. The camera may be panning from actor to actor, who may or may not be hitting their marks. We need to synchronize our focus shifts with dialogue beats, action beats, and emotion beats. Sometimes we need to predict the action and rack focus before the actor moves. Sometimes we don’t want to focus on the actor’s eyes. In fact, even the term ‘follow focus’ can be misleading because sometimes we intend to not follow anything at all to create a certain mood. Until the day arrives when a computer can understand dialogues, emotion, and esthetics, it is only foolish to think that AF can replace a focus puller.

I would even argue that the reason why some video shooters would even consider trying AF is only because there is no good MF control available to them. If we have an easy way to control MF reliably, most of us wouldn’t even need to bother with AF at all.

After all, why dumb down to artificial intelligence when we have the intelligence (and heart) of a real human being?

Focus control for stills and video are two different animals

The old saying goes, “To a man with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” When camera engineers started making still cameras that shoot video, the obvious solution for focus control was to use the existing AF system that works so well for stills and applied it to the video mode. Then the marketing department finished the job by calling it the new frontier of filmmaking.

However, focus control for motion picture is a very different task than getting sharp focus in a still image in many ways. For stills, all we need is to place the focal plane at the right subject as quickly as possible. How the image looks during the focusing process does not matter. For video, there is an element of time, and every frame counts. During a focus pull, the soft frames are just as important as the sharp ones as a form of artistic expression. That means hunting for focus is not an acceptable strategy.

For stills, all we need is to place the focal plane at the right subject as quickly as possible… For video, there is an element of time, and every frame counts.

To put it simply, focusing for stills is a question of WHAT to focus on. Focusing for video involves the interpretation of WHAT, WHEN, and HOW FAST to focus, and that makes it a much more complex problem for a computer to solve because it requires the understanding of intention.

Besides, focus pulls that look timely and confident often require one to know the focal distance of out-of-frame subjects ahead of time. Camera-based AF technology simply can’t do that.

Touchscreen tapping IS NOT focus pulling

There is an element of performing art in focus pulling. To a focus puller, the focus wheel is like piano keys are to a pianist. A focus puller’s distance scale is like a musician’s octave scale. A real focus puller thinks in terms of feet and inches, and prefers to have total control of focal distance. Then there is rhythm and timing in focus pulling, just like music.

For the same reasons why a piano app on an iPad can never replace a real piano, touchscreen tapping can never truly replace the focus wheel. If you want to build a camera that is loved by real professionals, you must first understand and respect the way a professional works.

If a professional musician can’t fit a grand piano in his tiny New York apartment, what would he get instead? The same goes for focus pulling with small cameras.

Focus pulling truly is an art form (let the pros do it their way)

If you still have any doubt in the above statement, this YouTube video by Fandor does a great job explaining the intricacy of focus pulling.

Please note – many of the focus pulls featured in this video, while being very easy to perform manually, are simply not possible with AF.

This YouTube video by Fandor does a great job explaining the intricacy of focus pulling. Many of the focus pulls featured in this video, while being very easy to perform manually, are simply not possible with AF.

Small cameras deserve professional manual focus control too

Skeptics may say, “if you care so much about the art of focus pulling, you should be using those big, expensive camera systems.”

This is certainly not true. Even big Hollywood productions have a need for small cameras with good focus control. I once spoke with cinematographer Tom Stern, ASC, about his experience shooting the movie American Sniper (2014). He shared that one day they had an interior helicopter scene, and it took a very long time to set up their Alexa XT cameras inside the tiny space. Director Clint Eastwood figured they were running out of time and made the call to “let’s bring in that little camera”. They ended up shooting the whole scene with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.

In retrospect, Mr. Stern expressed disappointment with this camera for two reasons: 1) the image didn’t match well with the Alexa; 2) the pocket-sized camera wasn’t so small anymore after the cinema lens and the Preston follow focus system (and the required accessories to support it) were mounted.

Sadly, four years after the movie was made, we still don’t have a small camera that fully answers Mr. Stern’s demands.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: Panasonic S1R preview from Barcelona

09 Feb

What do you get when you send two crazy Canadians to Barcelona, Spain, and turn them loose with Panasonic’s first full frame camera? A Panasonic S1R hands-on preview with a nod to a Woody Allen film, that’s what. Only cinema at its finest here on DPReview TV.

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

Introduction
Handling and ergonomics
Tilt screen design
AF 'wobbles'
A walk with Gordon
Battery life
EVF
High-res mode
Card formats and buffer
Burst shooting
Night shooting
In-body image stabilization (IBIS)
Illuminated buttons
The return home
Image quality predictions
Autofocus interface
Wrap-up

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Gothic streets and cured meats: shooting the Panasonic S1R in Barcelona

09 Feb

With a pre-production S1R in hand, I took to the streets of this iconic Spanish city.
ISO 100 | 1/200 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 66mm

I stepped out onto the promenade with the early afternoon sun shining bright. A couple wandered past, the woman leaning her head on the shoulder of her partner. Barcelona is a city filled with romance, from couples young and old sharing an embrace on seemingly every corner, to the intricacies of the city’s historic Gaudí architecture.

With the S1R dangling from my right hand, I flipped the on switch as I brought it up to my eye and the enormous 5.76M-dot electronic viewfinder sprang to life in an instant. I snapped three frames and brought it back down as the oversized camera strap bumped into my leg. “I sure hope one of those is in focus,” I thought. All three were, but the camera’s Depth from Defocus AF system made it hard to know for sure in that moment.

I continued on my way, eventually turning off the promenade toward a series of modern buildings that quickly gave way to a narrow gothic residential street. These ultimately lead me to Barcelona’s famed Mercado de La Boqueria, a historic market.

Barcelona offers a wonderful mix of new and ancient architecture.
ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 51mm

Last week I attended Panasonic’s worldwide launch event for the Lumix DC-S1 and S1R in Barcelona, Spain. There I was able to spend an afternoon shooting street photography with an early-production S1R. Because of its not-quite-finished nature, I used the opportunity to get a better understanding of the broader essence of the S-series, rather than assessing its technical merit.

Panasonic is pitching the S1 and S1R as no-comprise packages for professionals

Panasonic is pitching the S1 and S1R as no-comprise packages for professionals: so not only will they have to perform from a technical standpoint, but they also have to handle well. Panasonic aspires to have S-series cameras on the grounds at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. If that’s going to be a reality, they’ll need to operate as well as the Canon and Nikon pro bodies currently being used by most sports photographers.

Full disclosure: Panasonic covered our costs to attend this worldwide launch event including flights, lodging and several yummy meals. This was our first opportunity to shoot with the S1 and S1R. Images and impressions are based off of pre-production firmware – performance and image quality may change with final firmware. Images in this story are out-of-camera JPEGs, minimally processed in Adobe Lightroom. Originals can be found in the gallery below. Raw conversions will be added with ACR support.

Cured meats, as far as the eye can see.
ISO 2000 | 1/500 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 78mm

People buzzed around me on both sides as I stopped and glanced at the vendor above. He didn’t seem to notice or care about the camera in my hand. I turned 90 degrees and brought it to my eye, pretending to focus on something else, then swung it back around and clicked the shutter four times. Unsure of whether my focus point landed on the vendor, his hand or somewhere else completely, I looked up from the EVF: he was staring my direction. I smiled, gave a little wave and kept on my way.

Annoyed with myself for not taking more time to compose, I gave the camera’s AF joystick a flick and watched with delight as my AF point zipped across the screen. The ability to quickly move an AF point is critical for many forms of photography and the S1/S1R’s fastest setting doesn’t disappoint. Of course, none of this matters if you aren’t giving yourself the chance to properly compose and move the point in the first place.

I continued walking through the market labyrinth with no real sense of direction, letting the allure of brightly-colored candies and glistening seafood guide me. Some time had passed before I noticed a few shops were closing down, so I stepped back out into the street. Before long, I was on La Rambla, a noisy/touristy stretch as famous for its kitschy vendors as it is for its pickpockets.

Mercado de La Boqueria is filled with plenty of eye-catching delights.
ISO 1000 | 1/500 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 24mm

At this point I’d been walking around Barcelona for a few hours with the camera in-hand the whole time. Despite being a big chunk of magnesium alloy and rubber, the S1R wasn’t a burden. The grip is comfortable and reaching core controls doesn’t compromise one’s hold on the camera, nor does it cause strain.

The S1R simply handles more like a pro DSLR than a mirrorless camera and that’s ok

There’s been a lot of talk about the heft of these two cameras, given their mirrorless pedigree, but I feel the size/weight is justified: they simply handle more like a pro DSLR than a mirrorless camera, and that’s ok. Yosuke Yamane, Panasonic’s imaging division president, even confirmed the day prior that the S1 was benchmarked against the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Nikon D850, not other mirrorless cameras, and the S1R was benchmarked against the 1D X Mark II and D5.

In fact the S1 and S1R may actually be tougher than those DSLRs: you can literally flip the screen out on either, pick them up by the LCD and give them a good hard shake without worry. I know this because it was done the day prior at the launch event by a Panasonic representative as a demonstration of toughness (I did not mimic this test). I’m told this professional construction is a contributing factor to the high MSRP of both cameras compared to offerings from Sony and Nikon.

The Gothic quarter is filled with narrow street and open courtyards.
ISO 200 | 1/500 sec | F5.6 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 105mm (cropped in slightly)

I turned off La Rambla, overwhelmed by the buzz of the selfie-stick crowd and made my way into the Gothic quarter. After navigating windy, shadowy streets, I came to a courtyard with the sun illuminating a stone wall, as silhouetted figures wandered by.

I knelt down, flipping the tri-angle screen out to frame up the image and zoomed the 24-105mm F4 kit lens in all all the way. Then I waited. As individuals crossed through the scene, I tried to see if I could use the AF joystick and a single point to follow whomever I deemed the main subject, without moving the camera and throwing off the composition. This worked ok, but then I switched the camera to Tracking mode and moved my initial AF point to the edge of the frame where people were entering. A half shutter press over a subject locked focus and engaged tracking – releasing the shutter returned my AF point to its starting place. This proved to be the better way to get the shot I was after.

Satisfied with the variety I’d captured and a bit achy in the knees from kneeling, I slammed the dual-hinged screen back in (not as hard as the aforementioned Panasonic rep did, mind you), stood up and continued along my way.

The streets of Barcelona have no shortage of characters to photograph.
ISO 500 | 1/500 sec | F5.6 |Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 78mm

Narrow Gothic alleyways soon turned back into wide streets filled with stately buildings. I stopped for a moment on a busy corner, filled with men in suits descending into and ascending from a subway station. Everyone seemed sucked into their own world, so I zoomed in on several interesting ‘characters’ and snapped some frames.

As someone who normally shoots street photography with primes and tends to avoid kit lenses all together, I was initially hesitant to explore with Panasonic’s kit S 24-105mm F4. But throughout the day and beyond, it pleasantly surprised me. The size and weight are both manageable, the zoom range provided great creative versatility and my photos were mostly sharp.

The shooting experience felt comfortable, organic and fun

Though it is not Leica-certified, as is the case with the S Pro 50mm F1.4 and S Pro 70-200mm F2.8, the S 24-105mm F4 handles and shoots like a quality piece of glass, even on this early production camera. It is worth pointing out though that you’ll pay ~$ 900 for the lens in a kit, but $ 1300 for it own its own.

As the sun began to set, I headed back to my hotel to rest before trying my hands at some night photography. Though I wasn’t looking to technically assess the camera’s 5-axis in-body stabilization, I was excited to drop my shutter speed down a little and explore.

Though firmware wasn’t complete, the camera’s in-body IS + lens IS offered piece-of-mind when shooting at slower speeds.
ISO 6400 | 1/25 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 24mm

Panasonic has long impressed when it comes to image stabilization. The brand’s Dual IS 2 system, offered in both Micro Four Thirds cameras and the S-series, combines 5-axis in-body stabilization with lens stabilization (the S 24-105mm F4 is stabilized).

Once on the streets, I pointed the camera at a dimly lit nightclub sign: I was curious to see just how slow I could go in an informal test. I began at one-over-the-focal-length (50mm, 1/50 sec) and dropped my shutter in 1/3rd increments until I hit 1 sec. ‘Blurry,’ I sighed upon inspecting my slowest sample. After a little more time chimping I determined 1/8 sec to be my slowest speed – not amazing, but I suspect this will improve with final firmware.

Satisfied with my informal test, I moved along. That’s when a large shimmering structure caught my eye – it was Frank Gehry’s Golden Fish Sculpture.

Sometimes, look up.
ISO 5000 | 1/50 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 25mm

I scurried up to it, giddy with excitement. Positioned underneath, I began shooting frames. “This EVF is unbelievable,” I remember thinking as I created my own abstract take on a famous artists’ work. It was getting close to dinner and I knew my time with the S1R was winding down. I spent a couple more minutes lying flat on the ground – I wanted to make the most of 24mm and really fill the frame with as many abstract lines as possible. A couple of passing tourists paused for just a moment, seemingly concerned about my well-being, before they continued on their way.

Once back at the hotel, I sat in the lobby looking through the day’s photos. As I thumbed through, my mind began to wander: for a brand taking its first crack at a truly professional stills camera, the S1R receives high marks for its handling. My afternoon with it resulted in a shooting experience that felt comfortable, organic and fun – even more importantly, it resulted in photos I’m happy with. Panasonic set out to make a camera that handles and shoots as well as the best pro DSLRs. In terms of the former, the S1R nails it. And regarding the latter, well, we’re excited to get a chance to test a final production model in the coming weeks.

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Panasonic Lumix PRO Services support program is now accepting applications

05 Feb

Panasonic has launched registration for its new Lumix PRO Services, a support program for professional photographers and other imaging customers. The company is offering its service in four tiers, each with different prices, requirements and benefits. Panasonic is now offering Lumix PRO Services to customers in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, France, and Germany.

For customers in the US, the highest-end ‘Platinum’ tier is offered to professionals who own at least two of the following camera bodies: G85, G9, GH4, GH5, and GH5s. As well, the customer must own at least four of the following qualifying Lumix lenses:

12-35mm f/2.8
12-35mm f/2.8 II
14-42mm f/3.5-56 Power Zoom
35-100mm f/2.8
35-100mm f/2.8 II
45-175mm f/3.5-5.6 Power Zoom
Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3 – Vario-Elmar
Leica 12-60mm f/2.8-4 Vario-Elmarit
Leica 12mm f/1.4 Summilux
Leica 15mm f/1.7 Summilux
Leica 200mm f/2.8 Elmarit
Leica 25mm f/1.4 Summilux
Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 Nocticron
Leica 45mm F/2.8 Macro-Elmar
Leica 50-200mm f/2.8-4 Vario-Elmarit
Leica 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Vario-Elmarit

Multiple benefits are offered to US-based Lumix PRO Services ‘Platinum’ customers, including two business day turnaround, next-day free shipping, a 20% discount on out-of-warranty repairs, loaner gear for repairs that require more than two business days, a “premium welcome kit,” and an exclusive hotline.

Later in 2019, Panasonic also plans to add evaluation loaners for new products and discounts with (currently unnamed) partners. The membership is priced at $ 199 USD per year and is now accepting applications from eligible customers.

The program varies based on region. Lumix PRO Services ‘Platinum’ customers in the UK, for example, must have a minimum of three camera bodies and five lenses to register their gear. This version of the ‘Platinum’ membership is priced at ?179. Platinum customers in Spain, France and Germany are charged €199.

According to Panasonic, its Lumix PRO Services have been available in Japan since April 2017 and will arrive in Ireland and Austria in Spring 2019. Other unspecified countries will be supported later this year.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic launches 50mm F1.4, 70-200 F4 OIS and 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS full-frame lenses

02 Feb

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Panasonic has launched a trio of Lumix S lenses alongside its S1 and S1R full-frame mirrorless cameras. The three new lenses are a 50mm F1.4 – Panasonic’s ‘reference lens’, a 70-200 F4 OIS and a versatile 24-105mm F4 OIS Macro, which will serve as the kit lens for both cameras.

The Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4 features 13 elements – two aspherical and three ED – and an 11-blade aperture. Panasonic claims that one of the aspherical elements is among the largest ever created, with a diameter of over 40mm. The lens has two focus motors – linear and stepping – designed to operate with 480 fps sensor readout. Panasonic says that the lens has been designed for smooth exposure changes with minimal focus breathing for video capture.

The Lumix S Pro 70-200 F4 OIS’s stabilization works in conjunction with the S1/S1R’s in-body IS to provide up to 6.5 stops of shake reduction. It has 23 elements, including aspherical, UHR, UED and ED. It uses a linear motor with a 480 fps AF control. As with the 50mm F1.4, the 70-200 is weather-sealed, has a focus clutch and is designed to reduce focus breathing.

Finally, there’s the Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS, which will serve as the kit lens for both the S1 and S1R. It too is stabilized, and has one ED, two aspherical ED, two aspherical and three ED elements. The 24-105 uses a linear motor, again with 480 fps AF control. The minimal focus distance on this general-purpose lens is 0.3m, with a maximum magnification of 0.5x.

All three lenses are dust and moisture-sealed, and the two ‘S Pro’ models include a focus clutch for quick switching between auto and manual focus.

The three new lenses will ship in early April. The 50mm F1.4 is priced at $ 2299, the 70-200 F4 at $ 1699 and the 24-105mm F4 at $ 1299. Buying the S1/S1R kit effectively lowers the price of the 24-105mm F4 to $ 899.

Press Release

Panasonic Launches Three L-Mount Interchangeable Lenses for the LUMIX S Series Full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera

LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 (S-X50), LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. (S-R70200) and LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R24105)

Newark, NJ (February 1, 2019) – Panasonic is proud to introduce three new interchangeable lenses based on the L-Mount system for the LUMIX S Series Full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera. Specially focusing on professional use, the LUMIX S Series pursues uncompromising photographic expression with its high-quality cameras and lenses.

The L-Mount is a lens mount for mirrorless cameras that was launched by Leica and is equally suitable for both the APS-C format and full-frame cameras. Leica Camera, Panasonic and Sigma are set to offer a user-friendly solution that will allow photographers to ‘mix and match’ any of the three manufacturers’ APS-C and full-frame cameras with any lens from each other’s product portfolios. The aim of the L-Mount Alliance is to provide customers with a diverse and future-proof range of products. The advantages are a large inner diameter of 51.6 mm that enables the realization of extremely fast lenses and extremely compact dimensions. The configuration of the lens-to-camera communication interface is future-proof and the L-Mount also offers an option for the construction of sealed systems that are insensitive to dust and moisture.?The L-Mount thereby opens up an almost limitless spectrum of new creative possibilities.

All interchangeable lenses of the LUMIX S Series provide high performance yet the “LUMIX S PRO” lenses further boast ultimate optical performance to be certified by LEICA for clearing stringent LEICA standards. Panasonic is committed to designing and developing 10 or more lenses with a focus on “LUMIX S PRO” lenses by 2020 and further expanding the S Series lens lineup.

LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 (S-X50)

The LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 is a large-aperture fixed focal length LUMIX S PRO lens that is the core of all LUMIX S Series lenses. Ensuring versatile use with its 50mm focal length and F1.4 high speed, the LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 boasts stunningly high resolution and a descriptive performance from the center to the corners of the image despite its large aperture. It provides smooth defocus gradation from the focus peak to the neighboring area of the image. It also describes the point light sources in the background as impressive, beautiful bokeh. The optical performance of this LUMIX S PRO lens is outstandingly high to clear stringent LEICA standards.

Comprising 13 lenses in 11 groups, the use of 2 aspherical lenses and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Astigmatism is also corrected with those aspherical lenses, achieving high resolving performance.

A double focus system combining a linear motor and stepping motor achieves sensor drive at a maximum speed of 480 fps. It realizes fast, high-precision AF to ensure that you will never miss a photo opportunity. Adoption of a focus clutch mechanism enables instant AF/MF switching and accurate manual focusing. The LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a fatal problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.

The refined design of the LUMIX S Series provides high operability as a tool for professionals. The rugged dust/splash-resistant* design withstand use under harsh conditions even in 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. The filter diameter is 77mm, with an 11-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

*Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.

LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. (S-R70200)

The second lens is also a LUMIX S PRO lens. The LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. telephoto zoom lens provides high-resolution, high-contrast images across the entire zoom range. It can be used for wide-ranging situations, from portraits to sports. Panasonic LUMIX’s image stabilization system 5-Axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) 2*¹ can be used with the LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. for the first time as a lens of a full-frame mirrorless camera system, to ensure that you will never miss a photo opportunity. The optical performance of this LUMIX S PRO lens is outstandingly high to clear stringent LEICA standards.

The lens unit comprises 23 lenses in 17 groups and the use of an aspherical lens and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Designed in pursuit of optimum lens alignment, it achieves beautiful bokeh with minimum vignetting.

The O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) in the lens effectively compensates for the hand-shake movement, making it easy to shoot even without a tripod or in low-lit situations. Complying with the camera’s Body I.S., the 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2*¹ makes it possible to use 6-stop slower shutter speed*². The high-precision linear motor achieves sensor drive at a maximum speed of 480 fps for fast auto focusing. The adoption of a focus clutch mechanism enables instant AF/MF switching and accurate manual focusing. The LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F4 O.I.S. also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a fatal problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.

The refined design of the LUMIX S Series provides high operability as a tool for professionals. The rugged dust/splash-resistant*³ design withstand use under harsh conditions even in 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. The filter diameter is 77mm, with a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

*¹ 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2 can be used with the camera LUMIX S1R and S1, as of February 1, 2019.

*² Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=200mm, when LUMIX S1R is used.

*³ Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.

LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R24105)

The LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. is a versatile standard zoom lens covering wide-angle to medium-telephoto. It assures high descriptive performance across the entire zoom range. In addition to its versatile use with a wide and long zoom range, the LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. enables 0.5x macro shooting with a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m. Panasonic LUMIX’s image stabilization system 5-Axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) 2*¹ can be used with LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. for the first time as a lens of full-frame mirrorless camera system, never to miss the photo opportunity.

The lens unit comprises 16 lenses in 13 groups and the use of 2 aspherical lenses and 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses chromatic aberration and achieves high resolution.

The O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) in the lens effectively compensates for the hand-shake movement, making it easy to shoot even without a tripod or in low-lit situations. Complying with the camera’s Body I.S., the 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2*¹ makes it possible to use 6-stop slower shutter speed*². The high-precision linear motor achieves sensor drive at a maximum speed of 480 fps for fast auto focusing. The LUMIX S 24-105mm F4 MACRO O.I.S. also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a fatal problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.

The refined design of the LUMIX S Series provides high operability as a tool for professionals. The rugged dust/splash-resistant*³ design withstand use under harsh conditions even in 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. In addition, a fluorine coating on the front element repel water and oil and prevent them from attaching. The filter diameter is 77mm, with a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

*¹ 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2 can be used with the camera LUMIX S1R and S1, as of February 1, 2019.

*² Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=105mm, when LUMIX S1R is used.

*³ Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4 specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	50 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Leica SL
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1.4
Minimum aperture	F16
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	11
Optics
Elements	13
Groups	11
Special elements / coatings	2 aspherical + 3 ED elements, fluorine coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.44 m (17.32″)
Maximum magnification	0.15×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Linear Motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Focus notes	Has both linear and stepping motors
Distance scale	Yes
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	955 g (2.11 lb)
Diameter	90 mm (3.54″)
Length	130 mm (5.12″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	77 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200 F4 / Lumix S 24-105mm F4 specifications

	Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm F4 OIS	Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS
Principal specifications
Lens type	Zoom lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	70–200 mm	24–105 mm
Image stabilization	Yes
CIPA Image stabilization rating	6 stop(s)
Lens mount	Leica SL
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F4
Minimum aperture	F22
Aperture ring	Yes	No
Number of diaphragm blades	9
Optics
Elements	23	16
Groups	17	13
Special elements / coatings	1 aspherical + 1 UED + 3 ED + 1 UHR elements, fluorine coating	2 aspherical ED + 2 aspherical + 1 UED + 2 ED elements, fluorine coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.92 m (36.22″)	0.30 m (11.81″)
Maximum magnification	0.25×	0.5×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Linear Motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	Yes	No
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	985 g (2.17 lb)	680 g (1.50 lb)
Diameter	84 mm (3.31″)
Length	179 mm (7.05″)	118 mm (4.65″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Zoom method	Rotary (internal)	Rotary (extending)
Power zoom	No
Filter thread	77 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	Yes	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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