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Photokina 2016 highlights: What we saw (and what we didn’t)

29 Sep

Photokina 2016: What we got, what we wanted

The anticipation and excitement of Photokina makes it a lot like the camera nerd’s Christmas. And not unlike Christmas, you don’t always get exactly what you want. Sure, we got plenty of shiny toys like the Fujifilm GFX 50S, and things we weren’t expecting like the YI M1, but a few things on our wish lists didn’t turn up.

Read on as DPR staff offer their own personal takes on the show as a whole, what they were pleasantly surprised by and what they’re still wishing for.

Dale: Innovation, big and small

To me, the really interesting products at Photokina 2016 were of the large and small sensor variety. Fujifilm’s new medium-format system is particularly exciting. If you had asked me a few years ago about the future of medium-format, I would have been pessimistic. Now we have two new medium-format systems (Fujifilm’s and Hasselblad’s X1D) in just a few months, and both should be reasonably approachable for most photographers thanks to their (relatively) compact size and similarity to existing mirrorless camera systems.

At the other end of the spectrum we saw great innovation in the Micro Four Thirds space, starting with the Olympus E-M1 Mark II. It wins the ‘How much performance can you cram into a small camera and not blow it up?’ award. It’s a performance tour de force. We also got our first glimpse of the Panasonic GH5. Panasonic has long been on the cutting edge when it comes to video; the GH4 is still a class leading camera over two years into its life cycle. The GH5 looks poised to pick up where the GH4 left off, with 4K/60p capability, 4:2:2 10-bit 4K video, 6K photo mode, and an optional hot-shoe mounted I/O unit for pro-level audio.

But wait, there’s more! As if that weren’t enough, there’s also the YI M1. We know from our initial testing that the M1 has room to grow, but what’s really exciting is that we have a new manufacturer entering the market, and one that is joining a strong Micro Four Thirds ecosystem of products. Plus, the YI’s smartphone style user interface may be the best thing out there to entice mobile phone users to migrate back in the direction of a dedicated camera.

What did I miss at Photokina? While everyone was standing around the Fujifilm booth, mouths agape and drooling on the GFX 50S, I kept wishing for an updated X100 series camera with a 24MP X-trans sensor, Acros film simulation, and maybe even a new lens. #stillwaiting

Dale Baskin

Dan: What’s the big DL?

Dear Nikon, your Photokina presence was disappointing. Yes I know, you launched the D5 and D500 earlier this year (in time for the summer Olympics), so I guess you deserve some sort of break. But to think that the only product launches you had at the world’s biggest photography trade show were an action camera and a lifestyle/POV camera is pretty lame. Of course it would be one thing if the KeyMission 170 was ground-breaking in any way. It’s not. Sure its a competitive: 4k-capable, waterproof without a case, but in the presence of the GoPro HERO5 and Sony X3000 (which offers optically-stabilized 4K), the KeyMission 170 is just another 4K-capable action cam.

Which brings me back to my initial point, what’s the big DL? I am of course referring to the the Nikon DL line of premium compacts, announced around CP+ time in late February and than quietly delayed. Do they exist (or are they delayed indefinitely)? I saw plastic mock-ups back in January (and my colleagues again saw real mock-ups in Japan). I know the DL’s are available for pre-order (though no date is indicated as to when they’ll ship). Simply put, all I wanted from Photokina from Nikon was an announcement/some sort of concrete proof that DL’s will be in consumers’ hands before the year ends. I did not get that. All I got were some stinkin’ action cams.

Dan Bracaglia

Sam: Where are all the (cheap) mirrorless lenses?

This year was a vintage year for expensive new equipment at Photokina – very, very expensive equipment.

For example, the flagship Olympus body now costs nearly $ 2,000. They also made a fancy new 25mm F1.2 that costs over $ 1,000. There’s plenty of fuss over the new Fujifilm, which should be ‘less than ten grand.’ We finally got the long-awaited Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art, which has become the most expensive prime of the Art lineup. But what about the little guy? What about enthusiasts who can’t afford a lens that costs more than a thousand bucks?

Well, for the cash-strapped consumer, not much happened this time around… we got a couple refreshed models, the Nikon D3400 and the Olympus E-PL8, but neither of those brought any significant improvements to either camera, or that market segment. I guess as a consolation prize the Nikon has a new silently focusing kit lens…

There was the Yi M1, but fiddling with our pre-production sample left me with no praise and a thousand snarky comments. They’ve got some scrambling to do if they’re going to make that autofocus remotely usable before shipping.

We did see some less pricey things from Canon, like the new 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 IS II USM, with the super quick Nano USM tech inside. They also showed us their brand-new mirrorless camera. I like the new Canon M5, although it’s not necessarily priced to be an entry level bargain. Plus, much like the rest of the APS-C mirrorless world (except Fuji), we’re just left wanting more lenses.

That’s what I was hoping we’d see more of this Photokina: mirrorless lenses. Now that there’s a desirable mirrorless Canon, I can think of two systems that are in desperate need of good, affordable primes. I was hoping to see Sigma’s excellent DN line of primes expand to fill this gap, but we didn’t see anything at the show.

At least the Micro Four Thirds continues to grow both on the high end and low end of things. While we did get two very expensive new lenses from Olympus, we also got a very good little 30mm macro lens that was built with cost and quality in mind — a mix that seems to favor the latter too much and forgets the former more often than not.

Sam Spencer

Chris: Where’s my D810 update?

Photokina was well, a bit interesting this year. Olympus and Fujifilm both made huge announcements with respect to flagship cameras that they are developing, but I was honestly a bit disappointed by the announcements from Nikon and Sony. There have been rumors flying for some time now about replacements for Nikon’s D810 and in Sony’s case the a7R II. There was even some talk of the release of a long fabled Sony mirrorless flagship, which fans of rumor sites are calling the a9. Instead, Nikon released their Keymission series of action cams and Sony released the SLT-a99 II.

The announcement of the a99 II was a bit unexpected, but I wasn’t completely surprised that Sony decided to revitalize the a-mount with an updated version of the a99. The action-cams from Nikon on the other hand, were a bit of shock, not so much from the perspective that Nikon wanted in on the action-cam market, but more so that they ended up being Nikon’s only major announcement at Photokina.

In a year when Canon announced the 5D Mk IV only a few months ago, Fujifilm announced the GFX 50S and Olympus announced the development of the E-M1 II, it was a bit surprising that Nikon didn’t deliver a brand new or even an updated version of a full-frame camera. Sure, they recently released the D5, but it’s an expensive, niche product. Perhaps a D820 was planned but stymied by the knock-on effects of the earthquake in Japan earlier this year?

Regardless, I’m really hoping that we won’t have to wait until the next Photokina to see a brand new or even an updated camera from Nikon or Sony to replace the aging D810 and a7R II, respectively, but I’m not holding my breath.

Chris Williams

Allison: Long live instant photography

It was a good Photokina for tech innovations, but it was also a good year for lo-fi photography: thanks to Fujifilm and Leica, instant photography enjoyed a moment at the show. Fujifilm introduced monochrome film for its mini Instax format in addition to plans for a square format camera and film, and Leica introduced their own instant camera – well, sort of. Heck, we even got an updated Polaroid instant camera.

Okay, so the Sofort may only be a re-badged Instax Mini 90, but it does mean that Leica is sitting up and taking notice of Fujifilm’s success with instant film, which has been pretty darn successful. And when brands with as much recognition and clout as Leica get interested in a medium, I can’t help but feel better about its chances. If selling a re-badged camera and film helps keep the momentum going for Instax then I’m all for it. Just pass me some of that monochrome film when you find it – I don’t care if it says Fujifilm or Leica on the package.

Allison Johnson

Carey: A big show for lenses

If there’s one thing I think everyone is missing about Photokina this year, it’s the Olympus M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro stabilized lens. Okay, everyone is aware that the lens was announced, but no one seems to be talking about the main thing I would use it for – run and gun video capture.

You see, that’s how I spent most of my Photokina experience (and how I spend a good deal of time at any trade show or conference). When I’m hopping from meeting to meeting and booth to booth, hauling around extra gear – like a tripod – definitely gets in the way. So having 6.5 stops of combined stabilization with the E-M1 Mark II is a godsend, and honestly, the extra depth of field offered by the smaller sensor size will be more help than hindrance. Shooting at F4 on the full-frame setup we use can be handy for isolating a subject, sure, but it does mean it’s easier to miss focus if you’re not careful. Finally, when you combine all of this with truly excellent 4K video capture, you have a pretty formidable package (even if I’m going to shoot in 1080p most of the time anyway to save on editing time).

The only problem? Olympus’ swap from a tilting screen to a fully-articulating one. When you flip the screen out to the side to use the camera from a low or high angle, it interferes with the side ports for headphones and a microphone. Sure, I could get better quality audio by running a separate device, but as a one-man crew, I’m always looking to simplify.

The other standouts for me? The Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art looks amazing, but it’s huge. The Nikon 105mm F1.4 also looks amazing, and it’s also huge. The Olympus 25mm F1.2 Pro offers great results, but for the system, it is – no surprise – huge. One of the reasons I love my old Nikon AF-D lenses is their relatively compact size, which goes a fair way towards offsetting the relative bulk of a full-frame DSLR. Canon’s got a pretty neat package with the EOS M5 and the EF-M 22mm F2, but come on – let’s have some more! Bring on the pancake lenses!

Carey Rose

Richard: The element of surprise

The thing I liked most about Photokina was the surprise of the first day. Between the Sony a99 II, Fujifilm’s medium-format camera and Olympus’s E-M1 Mark II, there were a range of interesting products that hadn’t already been leaked, discussed then criticized to death before the show.

This gave the whole show a bit of a buzz that I felt it had lacked in recent years. Canon is probably kicking itself for launching the EOS M5 so far in advance.

In terms of the cameras themselves, it’s the M5 and Panasonic’s LX10/LX15 that I found most interesting. The flagship cameras are all well and good and give a great insight into what’s going to be possible, but they’re not the cameras that many people will get an opportunity to use. By contrast, I suspect both the Canon and the little Panasonic will find their ways into a lot of people’s hands.

The appeal of the M5 isn’t immediately apparent from the spec sheet but is the moment you pick it up and try to use it. The LX10 is almost the opposite, based on my experience so far: the touchscreen works well but the dials are oddly set up, so it’s the specifications of the lens and video capability, along with the price that keep it interesting.

Sadly, Nikon’s continued silence on the DLs was deafening. With the arrival of the LX15 and FZ2000/FZ2500, whenever they do finally surface it may only be the wide-angle 18-50 model that isn’t entering an overcrowded market.

That said, there were plenty of products (Sigma 12-24mm, Fujifilm GFX 50S, Hasselblad X1D 50c…) that it’ll be great to get a chance to test and use. The photo industry may not be in the best of health, but Photokina showed there are a lot of people working hard to produce exciting products.

Richard Butler

Jeff: Flagships and Superzooms

It was hard to top the big announcements from Photokina 2014, which saw the announcements of the Nikon D750, Canon EOS 7D II and Samsung NX1, but the 2016 show may have done it. This year’s show has, in my opinion, at least eight blockbuster announcements, from the medium format Fujifilm GFX 50S to the Sony a99 II to the Panasonic GH5. And that’s not including some very exciting new lenses. Two cameras that I didn’t just mention that stood out to me were the long-awaited Olympus E-M1 Mark II and Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FZ2500/FZ2000.

The E-M1 II isn’t something that’s only excited those who’ve already bought into the Micro Four Thirds system. As a Canon EOS 5D III owner I find the size and design of the E-M1 II as well as the MFT system’s still-growing selection of lenses (hello, 12-100 F4) quite appealing. The built-in image stabilizer already offers 5.5 stops of shake reduction (and can pull off another stop with select lenses) and the AF system sounds impressive based on reports from my colleagues. Oh, and the high bit rate (236Mbps) 4K video doesn’t hurt either.

Speaking of 4K, another camera that impressed me is Panasonic’s FZ2500 (read our preview). While stills-related updates are fairly minor compared to the FZ1000, the 2500’s longer lens, built-in variable ND filter and larger EVF are most welcome. The FZ2500 continues to use Panasonic’s frankly awesome DFD focus system. Video is where it’s at, though, with DCI *and* UHD 4K capture at up to 100Mbps, 120 fps Full HD recording and an insane amount of tools (there are even SMPTE color bars.) The lens can zoom super slowly and the camera’s LCD made it really easy to rack focus. Something that irked me is Panasonic’s $ 99 charge for V-Log L support – come on guys, it’s a $ 1200 camera!

Jeff Keller

Barney: Delays and surprises

Photokina is the most important event in the photographic calendar, and as such it’s the show where we tend to see major announcements from the biggest manufacturers. This year, a large spanner was thrown into the works by the Kyushu earthquake, which hit Japan in spring and badly disrupted Sony’s sensor manufacturing plant.

This is a problem not only for Sony, because Sony supplies imaging chips to virtually every camera maker. The Kyushu earthquake is the reason why Fujifilm, Olympus, Sony and Panasonic had to be content with only announcing the ‘development’ of new flagship cameras at Photokina, and may also be a contributing reason for the continued no-show of Nikon’s DL-series compact cameras (originally announced back in February). Maybe Nikon had originally planned a replacement for the D750, D820 or D610 at Photokina. Maybe Sony had planned to show off a successor to the a7 II – we don’t know.

Although we’ve yet to see a ‘final’ sample, my standout camera of this year’s Photokina is Fujifilm’s GFX 50S. If the 50S turns out being as good as it looks, and if it really does come in at ‘well under $ 10,000’ with a 63mm prime, I suspect that they could be backordered for quite some time.

At the other end of the spectrum is the 4K-capable Olympus OM-D E-M1 II. Small, light (relatively speaking) and blazingly fast, Olympus has pulled out all of the stops with its new Micro Four Thirds flagship. Sony’s new a99 II came as a bit of a surprise, but also offers a range of attractive high-speed stills and video modes, and full-frame 4K video capture.

Meanwhile, although we don’t have all the details yet, Panasonic’s GH5 raises the video bar even further with the ability to capture 6K footage.

Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, this year’s Photokina actually ended up being pretty exciting, and I’m really looking forward to some of these ‘development announcements’ turning into shipping products in the coming months. Thanks for reading!

Barnaby Britton

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016 interview: Victor Hasselblad would be proud

28 Sep

Ove Bengtsson looks relaxed despite the scrum taking place around him on the Hasselblad booth. Photo enthusiasts jostle to see the company’s latest products while a professional photographer demonstrates various techniques and, no doubt, advantages of the Hasselblad system to a growing crowd, but he seems content to stand back and watch, the hint of a smile on his face.

‘The reception and the amount of people asking about the X1D is fantastic,’ he says: ‘There have been no negative comments, everyone seems so impressed.’

‘Of course not everyone here is going to be buying an X1D but they all seem to like the camera, like the way it feels. It’s hard to really demonstrate the image quality but when we say it can produce the same image quality as our H6D-50c, they are astounded. It uses the same sensor, the same image processing system and the lenses are equally good. It’s professional quality medium-format in a very small package.’

‘We had a projection for how many we’d sell in the first year and we’d passed that number in the first ten days.’

It’s been a similar story when photographers have had the chance to shoot with it, he says: ‘We have had a few photographers amazed at how small the camera is, how amazing the image quality is and how well the AF works, when you see it, not a lot of people have been able to use it properly, yet, but there are a number of cameras out there now and all the reaction has been very positive.’

And the reaction goes beyond passing compliments: ‘Already at the launch event we were already starting to take orders. We had a projection for how many we’d sell in the first year and we’d passed that number in the first ten days.’

Ove Bengtsson, shot using a pre-production X1D under the rather challenging, unflattering lights of the Photokina exhibition hall. 90mm lens, hand held at 1/100th sec, ISO 3200, F4.5. Manual focus. Processed through Phocus software at default settings, one dust spot removed.

In the hand, the X1D is an impressively dense, solid-feeling camera, even in comparison to professional DSLRs: ‘The body is made in three parts, all machined from a block of aluminium,’ Bengtsson explains. And this sureness in the hand is one aspect of making the camera easy to shoot with: ‘Due to the fact we don’t have any moving parts and we use an in-lens shutter, there’s nothing to introduce vibration. One of the photographers shooting with the camera to prepare for the launch event produced images shot at 1/8^th of a second with a 45mm lens. That’s with good technique, of course, but I was very impressed by how good it looked.’

But the construction of the camera has a further advantage, Bengtsson says: ‘As well as the way it feels, it’s also good for transferring heat from the sensor. We have a tight connection between parts, which also helps transfer heat away from the processor – it’s an efficient way of minimizing problems with internal heat.’

‘Of course, when a product gets warm it uses a lot of energy. It drains the battery faster. Because of the amount of data we’re dealing with, the processors can become very warm. We have a thermal shut-off if the internal temperature gets to 70C, both to protect the sensor and to avoid the additional noise it would produce, but it’s mainly to protect the components.’

‘We had some experience of dealing with this sort of issue in past generations of our H series cameras. We used a fan in the H3D but were able to move to a passive system of thermal management in newer models that actually worked better, so we had some experience we were able to use. We knew what to do and also what not to do.’

‘It looks like [Fujifilm] has done some very good things, but I think their camera is very different from ours.’

Bengtsson goes to some lengths to stress that this X1D is the product of the company’s in-house expertise: ‘There have not been collaborations on this camera: we’ve developed the whole camera in Sweden, including the electronics. In terms of lenses, we have worked with a Japanese company. We design all the lenses but they do the actual manufacturing. To our specifications, of course.’

Interestingly, he’s happy to name that company. ‘It’s a company called Nittoh. They don’t sell lenses under their own brand but they make a lot of lenses for a lot of companies. We have a long history of working with them. The X-Pan, for instance, was Hasselblad’s first collaboration with Fujifilm but it was actually made by Nittoh, so we knew they’re really good. They are really good and we were extremely happy to get them.’

On the subject of Fujfilm, Bengtsson seems sanguine about the company’s sometime partner creating a mirrorless medium-format rival: ‘It looks like they’ve done some very good things but I think their camera is very different from ours.’

‘I think when looking at these cameras, they’re actually very different. The X1D is much, much smaller. It doesn’t perhaps have all the features – I suspect they’ll bring a lot of technologies across from their X-T cameras – but theirs is bigger.’

‘I think they’ll appeal to different people. If you’re looking for specs and features, the Fuji might be a good choice. But if you want something that feels good, maybe this is the one you buy. They use the same sensor, so they’ll probably come pretty close in terms of image quality but maybe our quality will be a bit better.’

The XCD 30mm F3.5, the third lens for the X1D camera, was on show at Photokina. This is a 28mm F2.8 equivalent in ‘full frame’ terms.

‘The best thing about having two cameras is that it gets more people talking about medium-format. When medium-format went digital it became so expensive. It was out of the reach of most people, it was on a different planet.’

‘We already have a certain reach to particular customers, particularly those who already use our system, but having competition will make the whole segment bigger.’

There’s a clear benefit for existing Hasselblad users, he explains: ‘H system camera users can buy an adapter to use all our other lenses, currently without autofocus. That’s something that might come later, but no promises. This means there are sixteen lenses, including the three native ones, that can be used.’

‘We don’t expect people to buy H system lenses to use with this camera, but we think some existing H system users will use it as a second camera.’

There’s no prospect of being able to adapt Fujifilm GF lenses, though. ‘Our camera doesn’t have a shutter mechanism, the shutter is in our lenses.’ But it’s unlikely that many people will be looking to adapt lenses to the X1D, he suggests: ‘I fully understand the appeal if you have a small camera of putting on cool other lenses, but there are very few that will cover the full sensor of this camera.’

In addition to the X1D, Hasselblad is showing its concept of a modern modular camera. ‘It is just a concept at this stage,’ Bengtsson is at pains to stress: ‘We involved our design team and made sure it’s possible, but what you see on the show floor is a model made by a company that specializes in making models.’

The V1D concept harks back to the company’s famous V series cameras but for now is purely a design study aimed at gauging interest.

‘We often hear the old cameras, the V system, were fantastic. We wanted to see if we could do something more modern. The thing people liked about the V-system was that it was modular, that is wasn’t a fixed camera. We wanted to see if we could do something more modern in that direction, modeled with a similar sort of modular design’

‘The modularity is in the screen and the EVF. You can move the screen, you can replace it with an electronic viewfinder instead. There’s a grip that you can mount on either side and aperture and shutter speed dials you can mount on either side. You don’t have to have both – you can choose.’

‘You will also be able to buy extra modules,’ he says, before he recognizes that his enthusiasm is running away from him: ‘Well, if we do it.’

‘We’d start with something very basic, just one screen and an aperture dial, for instance.’

‘As technology evolves, you can update to get a better display or perhaps a faster or more flexible EVF. That’s the nice thing, you’re not locked-in to current technology. That was the heart of the appeal of the V system, you can even now put a digital back on a camera from 1957 and make it digital.’

‘If you really love photography it can be better to have a slower camera. It makes you think about each photograph’

‘The response to this has been really good too. I’ve heard a few people say it’s the biggest thing a Photokina.’

‘One thing I think people are understanding is that if you really love photography it can be better to have a slower camera. It makes you think about each photograph and stops you taking 400 photos every time.’

Bengtsson is fully aware that positive comments don’t always turn into sales: ‘The tricky question is: would you buy it for €12-15,000? Some people will say yes but we’ll have to look at how big the market would really be. After the show we’ll start to summarize what the sales people have heard, but the general response is that it’s really cool. Photokina is a good place to find a lot of input.’

Like the original V series cameras, the V1D concept would be modular, and would allow users to add only the features they wanted.

The reaction from the crowds is very different from the bemusement being expressed four years ago, when Hasselblad displayed the first fruits of a collaboration with Sony. ‘I remember it very well. It’s not something we’re very proud of. I wasn’t involved very closely – it was controlled by the management at that time. It was mainly the work of an Italian design company and Hasselblad in Sweden wasn’t very involved in the process.’

‘The idea of trying to find a product that appeals to a wider audience was a good one, but the product wasn’t anything near Hasselblad: it lacked authenticity and any connection to the brand.’

‘We were in a position where we were buying a camera from Sony at a high price then taking it apart and adding things like exotic wood or carbon fibre but we didn’t change anything in its characteristics. It’s still the same NEX-7 controls and image quality and, of course, all of our customers saw that.’

‘We had a divided stand that year, Lunar on one side and our medium-format products on the other. We were also launching the H5D but many people didn’t really notice that. The first few days we weren’t allowing the people on our stand to talk about that it was a Sony, it was ridiculous.’

‘It wasn’t us and we had to pay a high price
to realise it was a mistake.’

‘We reached a much lower number than we’d anticipated. The later model, the Stellar, had a more reasonable price and didn’t look so extreme so that actually sold quite well.’

‘It wasn’t us and we had to pay a high price to realise it was a mistake. It shows that you should always be honest with what you do and never try to fool people.’

‘I think Victor Hasselblad would have been rotating in his grave.’ But that’s not the case now, Bengtsson says: ‘I think he’d certainly approve of the X1D. It’s a small camera with excellent image quality. It’s exactly what he would have wanted. Just as the V series was exactly the camera he wanted to make – he was a bird and landscape photographer – I think he’d be proud of the X1D.’

And Bengtsson believes the new products will help perpetuate that legacy: ‘we could have ended that history, the direction we were going, I think these products will lift us again.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016 interview: Ricoh aims for visual revolution

28 Sep

The Pentax 645Z might be large compared to the mirrorless medium format cameras announced at the show, but look at the effect of that viewfinder on Carey’s face.

‘Visual Revolution’ is the concept that links Ricoh’s Theta 360 degree camera to its Pentax K-1 DSLR and the arrival of competition only serves to grow the market, the company says.

We spoke to Kazunobu Saiki, Senior Management and Group Leader, Marketing Section, Visual Revolution Business Development and Yutaka Takada, General Manager, Business Management Department, Global Sales and Marketing Division. Saiki started by explaining the company’s philosophy when it comes to imaging.

‘We don’t see the Pentax business and products like the Theta as separate concepts, we group them together under a business group called ‘Visual Revolution.’ We believe the K-1 is a visual revolution within the frame, whether this is in terms of high resolution, the really nice hand feeling or Pixel Shift Resolution.

The Pentax K-1 has been receiving positive feedback both from established Pentax users and photographers who aren’t invested in the K-mount.

Another visual revolution could be beyond the frame. Both are different but both can help users to enjoy some new creativity. That’s why Ricoh governs both areas as one business group.’

Mr. Saiki seems to be in a bullish mood, buoyed by the market response to the K-1. ‘The reaction to the K-1 has been beyond our expectations,’ he says: ‘not only in terms of sales but also in the words we’re hearing from users. We believe we can revive Pentax as the leading company for DSLRs. We’ve had lots of feedback from non Pentax users, who wanted to be able to enjoy our FA Limited lenses. That’s nice feedback to have.’

“We believe we can revive Pentax as the leading company for DSLRs”

This response validates the company’s commitment to the system, he says: ‘In terms of developing the system, we have a lens roadmap and we plan to release some single focal length D-FA lenses. We know some users want to have D-FA Limited lenses and we’re listening to their voices.’

But the Visual Revolution business isn’t just focused on established technologies. Ricoh hopes to capitalize on its early entry into the market for 360 degree capture devices. ‘We believe we are a pioneer of 360,’ says Saiki: ‘If we compare to two years ago, the move to the Theta S has seen business grow to something like triple. Now in 2016 we have several new entrants to the market, but we’re really happy to get competition. That will grow the market itself.’

They’re already starting to see the impact of this increased interest in 360 content: ‘The VR market has really started now, and the Theta is a one-shot VR camera. At the moment, the majority of people enjoy the content that’s provided for them, but with the Theta they can create their own content with one shot. It’s in good harmony with VR development and we expect rapid growth for 360 market, including Theta.’

The Theta, now on its third iteration, faces increased competition but its capability and form-factor remain unique.

The company is confident that the Theta is the right product for the market: ‘When we’ve done our evaluations, we’re told one of the top features is the form factor. It’s very different from all competitors models including newly released ones or any of the earlier released ones we’ve seen. It has the advantage of being small, so it’s always with the user. It can also create a 360 image in a single shot, so it’s quick and simple. Because of this, we’ve applied the same form factor to the first, second and now third generation, the Theta S.’

The current Theta model offers both stills and video but its users are already demanding more: ‘we’ve been listening to the customers voice and after Theta S they’re telling us they want 4K video, HDR and easy live streaming. In today’s form factor this is difficult but this is what they want. They want to enjoy video and high resolution images, too. Most likely we need to develop our product to catch up, technologically.’

‘The Theta S’s still image is more than 4K but the video is 1080 for the entire 360 degree scene. For video customers they require more quality.’ But this is hard, Saiki says: ‘The technology for compression and data transfer have not caught up to allow end users to capture VR in 4K. We need to develop 4K and beyond. This means processing a huge data and this requires heating management in a small and slim body of this form factor. But we want to be the leader in the industry so we’re very busy trying to reply to these needs.’

As well as responding to customer demands, the company says it’s also been trying expand what can be done with the content its devices produce. ‘In order to enjoy and share 360 images/videos, we had needed to have a lot of platforms. Thanking to Google, FaceBook, YouTube, Instagram and others, Theta users can enjoy instant sharing of their works. Also we provide the applications Theta + and Theta + Video for editing and posting on FaceBook, Instagram and so on.’

“We think the challenge is not just connectivity but the management and storage, too”

This isn’t Ricoh’s only work in the area of content sharing, though. ‘One of the key issues is the number of pictures our audience takes. It’s only getting bigger and the size of their images are getting bigger,’ says Saiki.

‘These days we need instant action. Before we had to wait maybe one week to get our prints back. Now it’s maybe a couple of seconds. We think the challenge is not just the connectivity but the management and storage (probably in the cloud), is very important, too.’

‘The cloud side can play a role. These two [connectivity and the cloud] can provide a new era of visuals. Ricoh acquired Eye-Fi’s cloud service, and this is one step to creating new solutions of communication and storage. Not just from the point of view of taking pictures but from the back end as well.’

The 645Z’s weather sealing and lens options (both current and planned) are part of its appeal, the company says.

The 360 market isn’t the only area in which Ricoh faces new rivals. Photokina saw the announcement that Fujifilm will introduce a digital medium format system and for many it was also the first opportunity to see Hasselblad’s X1D camera. Yutaka Takada doesn’t seem too worried, though: ‘We could enjoy success in the medium format market,’ he says: ‘Fujifilm coming to our market shows that it still has potential to grow. Like the Theta, having competition is a great chance to develop the medium format market as a whole. Our advantage is that we have plenty of lenses in our lineup and on our roadmap, which helps convince customers to join medium format. 645Z has great image quality but it’s also weather sealed. People can use it in outside situations. This is very much the DNA of Pentax cameras.’

“Having competition is a great chance to develop the medium format market as a whole”

‘All these are under one business unit to provide visual innovation. We want to give surprise and astonish with innovation.’

And, having discussed the Pentax K-1, 645Z and Theta, we wanted to check whether the company still has time for models such as the GR. Absolutely, says Saiki: ‘Ricoh GR is one of our most important premium cameras. We want to reassure our GR lovers that the series will continue.’

Might that extend to GRs with other focal lengths? ‘It depends,’ says Saiki: ‘we know we really appeal. We have so many GR lovers, it’s a very emotional attachment. That’s why we need to listen to customers about where we should go.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: Photokina 2016 wrap-up

27 Sep

Photokina is without question the biggest photography show in the world, and as such, the venue at which manufacturers routinely showcase their biggest and most exciting releases. We were on the ground in Cologne, Germany before the show even began to bring you the most in-depth content we could write on the most important innovations we could find.

But now that Photokina has come and gone, we’ve had some time to reminisce over everything we saw in and among the development announcements, tech briefings and even just while wandering the halls of the Koelnmesse. So in case you just can’t get enough of Photokina content, come join Richard Butler, Barney Britton, and even cameraman Carey Rose for a few pints and a few thoughts on how this year’s show went.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find in the video:

Our favorite new cameras we got to try
A discussion on the problem of heat dissipation (which Richard has claimed, quite wrongly, to be the nerdiest thing he’s ever said)
Small sensors versus large sensors
No-compromise third-party lenses
And of course, some continuity errors regarding the quantity of beer glasses moving about on the table

Thanks for following our Photokina 2016 coverage this year! We can’t wait to see what Photokina 2018 will bring.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina Roundup

27 Sep

Hey folks. Just a quick post after returning from Photokina 2016 with some cool things that I found interesting and worthy of sharing. (Also, if you ever get a chance to go to Photokina … go. It is indescribably huge.)

So here it is: some lighting stuff, some other stuff . . . Read more »
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Reader’s poll results: What was the most exciting announcement of Photokina?

26 Sep

What’s been the most exciting announcement of Photokina?

Every two years people flock to Cologne to find out what’s next in the world of photography. This year we’ve seen some announcements that left us very excited, but we wanted to know what you, our readers, think of what’s come out of the show this year. So we asked: what’s been the most exciting announcement of Photokina? With more than 5,000 votes counted, we have a pretty good idea.

Winner: Fujifilm GFX 50S development

Winning by a margin as big as its sensor is the announcement of the development of the Fujifilm GFX 50S and a selection of lenses to go along with it. Built around the 51.4MP 43.8 x 32.9mm sensor that is found in the Pentax 645Z and Hasselblad X1D-50c medium-format cameras, it lays claim to being the world’s first medium format mirrorless camera with a focal plane shutter. While Hasselblad stuck with leaf shutters built in to the lens, which is common in the medium-format world, Fujifilm claims using a focal plane shutter has allowed them to design a short flange back distance in to their new lenses, helping vignetting and sharpening.

There’s loads more to the new system, which you can learn more about in the official announcement, or our hands-on article.

Runner up: Olympus E-M1 II development

Trailing on the heels of the big Fujifilm with nearly 1,000 votes is the much smaller, but arguably a much more powerful, Olympus E-M1 II. Sure, the 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor isn’t nearly as big, but this one has been tricked out with all sorts of technology.

First, it gains an array of 121 cross-type AF on-sensor phase detection points spread further than its predecessor. The new autofocus system and sensor work alongside the new dual quad core TruePic VIII Image Processor with four CPU cores and four image processing cores that achieve image processing speeds approximately 3.5 times faster than the TruePic VII Processor.

That means this little powerhouse can shoot Raw continuously at 18fps with continuous autofocus and auto exposure, or 60fps without autofocus. This all on top of a slew of other improvements, which you can learn more about in the announcement or our hands-on articles.

Runner up: Sony a99 II

Third place in our Photokina poll comes as no surprise, as it helped shed some light around the fate of Sony’s Alpha mount cameras. The Sony a99 II answers prayers with a 42MP BSI sensor from the Sony a7R II, complete with its 399 on-sensor PDAF points. These work in conjunction with the 79-point dedicated PDAF sensor to create what Sony calls ‘Hybrid Cross AF points.’ The a99 also receives an a-mount first: 5-axis in body image stabilization that should provide up to 4.5 stops of stability.

The improvements don’t stop there. Read the official announcement or look at our hands-on article for more information.

Runner up: Canon EOS M5

Another product our readers are excited about is Canon’s latest mirrorless camera: the EOS M5. It gains features fans of the EOS-M lineup have been begging for, namely an EVF and a sensor equipped with Canon’s marvelous Dual Pixel Autofocus system. What results is a small and responsive camera with a touch screen, digital image stabilization for video, and all sorts of other goodies.

For more information, check out the announcement or our First Impressions Review.

Runner up: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art edged into the top five by just a single vote, and it’s easy to understand why our readers are excited about it – they’ve been waiting a while for this one. Starting with the 35mm F1.4 Art, Sigma started producing an excellent lineup of zooms and F1.4 prime lenses. After the 35 they made a 50, after which people logically assumed an 85 would come. Instead we got a 24mm F1.4, then an industry-first 20mm F1.4, which are both wonderful lenses.

Finally, they’ve focused all their optical prowess in to producing what they’ve billed as ‘The Ultimate Portrait Lens’, with a (de) focus on bokeh quality, and an improved AF motor. Our polls indicate that this is a lens many people cannot wait any longer to try, us included.

Honerable mention: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5 development

It only missed the top five readers’ picks by one vote, and while we only got a look at the new GH5 under glass at the show, Panasonic was able to provide us with some drool-worthy specs and capabilities of their upcoming flagship. It will offer 4K/60p capability for the first time in a consumer ILC, and will provide 4:2:2 10-bit 4K video. The GH5 will also provide a 6K Photo mode that will extract 18MP stills from burst footage, or 8MP stills from 60p 4K clips. These impressive specs are enough to keep us eagerly waiting for the GH5’s arrival.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

25 Sep

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The star of Hasselblad’s booth at Photokina is the X1D – a compact, mirrorless medium-format camera with a 50MP sensor. Announced earlier this year, the X1D has yet to to start shipping, and the Swedish company’s booth was thronged with photographers eager to get their hands on the new camera.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Weighing just 750g without a lens, one of the main selling points of the X1D is its small size and weight compared to traditional medium-format digital products. The X1D (and Fujifilm’s just-announced GFX 50S) dispenses with a conventional mirror box, which allows the camera to be slimmer, and much lighter than DSLRs with equivalent-sized sensors.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The X1D is beautifully designed, with relatively few external controls. It’s a bit strange to see a mid-range DSLR-style exposure mode dial on a $ 10,000 camera, but in use, it’s very convenient. A neat ‘pop up to use, pop down to lock’ design means that the dial can be kept flush with the camera’s top-plate until you need to change exposure mode.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

We’re seeing more and more cameras being designed with a smartphone style ‘app tile’ interface, and the X1D makes good use of its large, 920k-dot rear touch-screen. The screen is nice and responsive, but this kind of resolution is low compared to the screens found on (for example) the Nikon D5 and D500, which boast 2.3 million dots and look sharper.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The X1D’s relatively low-resolution rear screen is partially mitigated by its excellent 2.36-million dot electronic viewfinder. This view also gives you a good idea of just how slim the X1D is, despite its large sensor. The hotshoe is compatible with Nikon flashguns.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Here’s that large 50MP sensor, in all its glory. Hasselblad is calling this new lens-mount ‘XCD’ and as well as a new range of XCD lenses, the company is also offering an H lens adapter, which extends support to Hasselblad’s existing H lens system with full autofocus operation.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The X1D is a luxurious, pricey piece of equipment but as we’d expect from Hasselblad, its standard of construction and finish is exemplary. We’re looking forward to testing a shipping sample as soon as one becomes available.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Hasselblad is also showing off an upcoming lens. The XCD 30mm F3.5 offers the same field of view as a 24mm on full-frame, and can focus down to 0.4M. No pricing or availability information has yet been given.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

If there’s one thing Hasselblad likes to do, it’s make special limited editions. This is the 4116 edition of the X1D, in matte black. We actually prefer the way this one looks, compared to the more traditional two-tone finish but at $ 12,995 with a 45mm lens, it’s a bit rich for our blood.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

It does look nice though…

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

As well as the X1D, Hasselblad is also showing off a concept camera – the 75MP V1D 4116 Concept. There’s no word on whether or not this concept will ever become a reality, but it’s certainly a very attractive mockup.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The V1D 4116 Concept is built around a (presumably hypothetical) 75MP square-format sensor, and like the classic Hasselblad SLRs of old, it features a modular design.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016: 360 and VR Capture Roundup Video

25 Sep

In hall nine, which encompasses Photokina 2016’s ‘Futurezone,’ there are dozens of 360 and VR capture devices on display for attendees to ogle. There’s also plenty of people wearing VR headsets and appearing vaguely zombified to ogle, as well. So whether you think VR and 360 capture represent a future that’s dazzlingly bright or frighteningly dim, companies all over the world are jumping in with their own capture solutions. Heck, even Nikon’s joining the VR race.

Thankfully, DPReview contributor Lars Rehm has been making the rounds and has selected a handful of the most interesting devices on display in the Futurezone. Check them out in our roundup video.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

25 Sep

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

Venus Optics is showing off two brand new lenses at Photokina – the Laowa 15mm F2 FE for Sony E-mount and 7.5mm F2 MFT for Micro Four Thirds.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

The 15mm F2 is being billed as the world’s widest F2 lens, and Venus Optics claims that it is virtually distortion-free. Designed for Sony’s full-frame FE-mount A7-series, the new 15mm could prove very attractive to videographers, as well as stills photographers.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

The mount is fully mechanical, so don’t expect to get automatic aperture indexing or focal length reporting. As such, metering is limited to the stop-down method. Videographers will be used to this way of working.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

Here’s the 15mm F2 attached to a Sony A7R II. As you can see, it’s not a small lens, but actually balances very nicely with the camera. At 500g in weight (~1.1lb) it is substantial without being too heavy, in normal use.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

The minimum focusing distance of the 15mm F2 is around 6 inches, which equates to a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.25X. Pricing has yet to be announced but the lens should become available in early 2017.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

Next up is the 7.5mm F2 MFT, for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. Designed to appeal especially to drone photographers this lens is absolutely tiny. Offering an equivalent focal length of 15mm, it weighs 170g (~0.4lb).

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

Again, this is a fully mechanical mount with no electrical contact between camera and lens.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

Interestingly, despite its ultra-wide focal length, the 7.5mm F2 can be used with screw-in filters (49mm) which could prove very handy to videographers who want to work with ND filters.

Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Laowa 15mm F2 FE and 7.5mm F2 MFT

As with the 15mm F2, the 7.5mm F2 will be available in early 2017, and no pricing information has yet been released.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016: Olympus E-M1 Mark II overview video

23 Sep

With the Mark II version, Olympus’ new flagship comes with some big improvements despite remaining relatively compact. Between its impressive speed, autofocus system and video capabilities, almost every core specification has been bumped up a notch (or three). We sat down with Olympus’ Eric Gensel to go through some of those changes in more detail, from continuous shooting (and what its mechanical shutter sounds like at 15 fps) to just how effective Olympus’ image stabilization has become.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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