The S5 is at the center of the Panasonic’s announcements today, but the company has also revealed plans to release a handful of F1.8 prime lenses. Details are thin at the moment, but we know that S-series 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm F1.8 lenses are on the way, and that the 85mm will be available in November.
Panasonic showed renderings of its forthcoming lenses in a presentation surrounding the S5 launch.
A YouTube presentation by Panasonic shows all four primes as being the same size, each of them smaller (and presumably less expensive) than the existing F1.4 L-mount options at these focal lengths, which will bring some added variety to the growing lens system.
An update to Final Cut Pro X promises to unleash the power of ProRes Raw video, a feature available on many new cameras. But, cameras need to supply the right metadata for it to work.
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Alongside its latest camera, the S5, Panasonic has announced a promised firmware update for its existing S-series of full-frame mirrorless cameras. Of greatest significance to the greatest number of users is likely to be enhanced autofocus performance for the S1, S1R and S1H, whether shooting in stills or video. This means the addition of head-detection, so you’re less likely to lose focus on your subject should they turn away momentarily. There’s also the promise of less overall hunting for a better viewfinder experience for shooting stills, and better footage when shooting video.
Speaking of video, the S1R gets a bespoke update, and will be able to capture 5K video. The press release is light on details, so that’s all we really know, but it’s a welcome update nonetheless.
Panasonic says the firmware update will arrive by the end of 2020, and we have to say, we’re pleased to see significant updates making their way into the company’s existing cameras.
Press release:
Panasonic Releases Firmware Update Programs for the LUMIX S1R, S1H and S1
Newark, NJ – (September 2, 2020) – Panasonic has announced that they will be releasing firmware update programs for the LUMIX Digital Single Lens Mirrorless cameras S1R, S1H and S1 to enhance functions and usability by the end of 2020.
The new firmware enables the S1R to record 5K video, making the most of its high-resolution image sensor. Also, LUMIX’s state-of-the-art AF technology and performance of the new LUMIX S5 will also be available on the S1R, S1H and S1. The upgraded AF notably excels in detection of human and its movement. In addition to the eye, face, body the head is also separately recognized by real-time detection technology to provide even more precise focusing. The camera keeps tracking the subject person even if he/she moves quickly, turns his/her back to the camera, tilts his/her head or moves far away from the camera. On the other hand, improvements to the DFD technology has enhanced AFC, which also enables users to keep tracking small or fast-moving subjects to capture them in crisp focus. Users can take these advantages in both photo shooting and video recording.
Panasonic further addresses technology development and its achievement shall be applied not only to the new products but also to those already released via firmware update.
The Panasonic Lumix S5 takes the important bits of Panasonic’s S1 and GH5 and combines them to make one capable-yet-compact camera. We’ve had our hands on an S5 for a few weeks we’re pleased with what we’re seeing. Take a look through our gallery to see for yourself.
Is the Panasonic S5 a camera for still photographers or videographers? Chris and Jordan answer this burning question with a resounding, “Yes.” Okay, that’s not really an answer. But after spending some time with a nearly-final S5, they’ve come to the conclusion that this is a highly versatile hybrid camera at an attractive price point.
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Introduction
Build quality and design
Sample images
Displays
Battery
Stabilization
Drive speed and buffer
Autofocus
Video specs
Video autofocus
Video overheating
Slow motion
Audio
Compared to the S1H
Upcoming firmware
Video conclusion
Image quality
Who's it for?
Sample images from this episode
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The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Spring appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
Well, here in Australia where dPS is based, it’s SPRING and I can tell you, we’ve been looking forward to it! Share your ‘Spring’ photographs in the comments, or via social media (details below) make sure you tag your photos #dPSSpring
If it isn’t Spring where you are, we challenge you to interpret the weekly challenge theme in any way you see fit, as long as there’s a ‘Spring’ connection!
Some stunning photos from last week, here’s one from the blog comments by Rhonda Martin (See more of Rhonda’s here) beautiful work, Rhonda!
Great! Where do I upload my photos?
Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favourite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
Share in the dPS Facebook Group
You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.
If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSSpring to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.
Follow us on Instagram?
The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Spring appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
Hardware modder, retro gaming enthusiast and Everyday Carry co-founder Bernard Capulong has come to the rescue of an anonymous Redditor who recently expressed their desire for pettiness on the social media platform. The result? A video demonstrating the use of an old Game Boy camera as a modern, live webcam.
On Tuesday, September 1, a Redditor known only by the handle ‘/u/eye_for_an_homunculi’ posted a question on the Game Boy subreddit: is it possible to use an old Game Boy camera as a webcam? The reason, Homunculi explained, was to use the camera as a type of petty ‘gotcha’ in protest of ‘a long list of insane rules’ he or she had to follow when taking an online exam.
It didn’t take long before Capulong dropped a comment demonstrating that it is possible; he shared an image of his setup, as well as video captured using the Game Boy camera as a webcam. The process is expensive if you don’t have the right hardware and fairly convoluted, Capulong explained, making it quite impractical but nonetheless fun.
According to the video demonstrating the project, the Game Boy camera is run off a Super Game Boy 2, the adapter cartridge used to play Game Boy games on the Super Nintendo (SNES) for a bigger-screen experience. Things get a bit more complicated from there, however.
According to Capulong, the adapter cartridge is used with the Analog Super NT, an FPGA-based SNES that includes an HDMI for use with modern displays. Using this HDMI-out functionality, Capulong ran the video signal to an Avermedia Live Gamer ULTRA external capture card, which was then connected to a Windows laptop over USB-C.
Naturally, some interested users wanted to know whether it is possible to do this setup with the OEM SNES console, which quite obviously does not have an HDMI port. In response, Capulong said that while it is technically possible, it would require more effort, including an upscaler cable that would be able to deliver an HDMI signal to the capture card, ultimately increasing the cost and effort involved.
The end result is a novelty that isn’t very useful — many modern webcam applications include filters that could simulate the low-resolution appearance without the convoluted setup and extra costs. With that said, going with the more practical option is considerably less fun.
On September 1, Canon Australia announced that it will be closing its online direct to consumer marketplace, Canon Store, for the ‘foreseeable future.’ The store will close starting on September 30.
Canon Australia has determined that current Australian market conditions and challenges demand a shift in how consumers access products, services and support. Of the decision to shutter the online store, which was launched in 2011, Canon Australia says ‘…we are proudly streamlining our efforts in supporting local retailers to drive competition in the local market and bring you the best value product offers, promotions, services and experiences possible.’
The Canon Store will stop taking product orders on September 30. For any backorders not scheduled to arrive before September 30, Canon will directly contact consumers to arrange for a refund or refer the customer to a local retailer.
Image credit: Canon Australia
Any Canon Store gift cards and vouchers can be applied to purchases and existing eligible offers until September 30. Beyond this date, customers are advised to contact Canon Australia. Promotion codes and discount offers are valid until September 30 as well. Canon Store codes will not be transferable to other retailers, so consumers with any questions about codes and offers should contact the Canon Store.
The closure of the Canon Store will not affect Canon Australia’s 5-year local warranty for mirrorless cameras, DSLR cameras, video cameras and lenses. Canon Australia’s warranty for purchases made at authorized Canon sellers will also be unaffected.
In addition to closing the Canon Store, Canon Australia will continue to organize hands-on product experiences, promotions and special events with local retailers. Canon Australia’s statement ends as follows: ‘We look forward to bringing you the best of our innovative products, services and imaging solutions in new ways and trust that you will benefit from our strengthened arrangement with local retailers.’
For Canon customers outside of Australia, it will be interesting to see if Canon Australia’s decision is an outlier or a harbinger of what’s to come for other Canon online retail presences around the world. Different regions face varying market conditions and challenges, so the impending closure of the online store in Australia may just be a one-off situation.
We present this gallery of Panasonic S5 sample images, shot by our team at DPReview TV. It’s already September, so this may be your last chance to see pictures of Calgary again before it freezes over.
The post Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
The Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 is a lens that Tamron touts as “the lightest and most compact f/2.8 tele zoom for Sony mirrorless.”
It debuted in the summer of 2020, and has a solid build quality and a reasonable price point, similar to the rest of Tamron’s recent lens offerings.
But how does the image quality stack up? Let’s find out.
Recent Tamron lenses
Tamron has been on a roll with its Sony E-mount lens releases lately.
The recently released 70-180mm f/2.8 completed Tamron’s holy trinity of fast zooms (the others being the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8). All three of these lenses have been massively popular due to their solid builds, compact sizes, and affordable prices relative to their Sony G Master equivalents. Additionally, Tamron has released a handful of other fast prime lenses, including the Tamron 35mm f/2.8.
Tamron 28-200mm specs
The Tamron 28-200mm is a full-frame autofocus lens for Sony E-mount cameras. While it can be used with Sony APS-C cameras, it is best used with a full-frame camera. All sample images in this post were taken with the Sony a7R III.
Focal Length: 28 to 200mm
Maximum Aperture: f/2.8 to f/5.6
Minimum Aperture: f/16 to f/32
Angle of View: 75° 23′ to 12° 21′
Minimum Focus Distance: 7.5″ (19.05 cm)
Optical Design: 18 Elements in 14 Groups
Diaphragm Blades: 7, Rounded
Image Stabilization: No
Filter Size: 67 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L): 2.91 x 4.6″ (74 x 116.8 mm)
Weight: 1.27 lb (575.5 g)
Pros
Small and lightweight
Variable aperture lenses are often looked down upon by photographers, because you can’t retain a fast f-stop when you zoom in. This means shooting at 200mm on the 28-200mm will force you to shoot at f/5.6, making it much more difficult to shoot in low lighting. However, variable aperture lenses are generally much smaller and weigh less compared to zoom lenses with constant apertures.
Indeed, the Tamron 28-200mm is incredibly small and light given its focal range. This makes it a great lens for travel or landscape photographers who work with ample light and don’t mind sacrificing a fast aperture at all focal lengths.
Simple and easy to use
Like many recent Tamron lenses, the 28-200mm is very straightforward, with a single physical switch to lock the lens and keep it from sliding out when not in use.
Other than that, it’s an intuitive plug and play lens that works exceptionally well with Sony E-mount cameras. All autofocus features, including face detection and eye autofocus (for both people and animals), were fast and accurate; the lens performs well on Sony cameras.
Moisture resistant
The build quality is solid without adding lots of weight. The Tamron 28-200mm is moisture-resistant for use in wet conditions, and also has a fluorine coating on the front lens element to prevent dust and dirt build-up.
Speaking of the front lens element, the filter size is 67mm, exactly the same as the three lenses in the Tamron holy trinity. This makes it easy to interchange filters such as polarizers and ND filters among these lenses if you buy into the full Tamron lens system.
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/160 sec | f/11 | ISO 200
Five- or six-year extended warranty
This is a bonus that comes with all Tamron lenses. If you register the Tamron 28-200mm lens within two months of purchasing it, you get an extended six-year warranty if you are in the USA, or a five-year warranty if you are in Europe.
Compared to Sony’s one-year warranty, this is a pretty big advantage when going with a Tamron lens.
Great image quality
So with all of the great points about this lens, how is the image quality?
It’s surprisingly good for a variable-aperture lens. Bokeh or lens blur is soft and pleasing, especially at longer focal lengths. Image sharpness is phenomenal, although admittedly not as crisp as a prime lens. And chromatic aberration, or color fringing, which often plagues all-in-one zoom lenses, is not a problem on this lens.
Similarly, 4K video shot with this lens also boasts great image quality, which leads us to the next section of the article.
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/100 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 1600
Cons
No image stabilization
Unfortunately, none of Tamron’s recent Sony E-mount lenses come with image stabilization. This feature is likely withheld to keep lenses smaller and more affordable, but it means that the Tamron 28-200mm is not an optimal lens for video or shooting handheld in low light. If you use the lens with a camera that has in-body image stabilization (IBIS), this can help make up for the lack of lens-based image stabilization. But in my experience, it’s always best to have a camera with IBIS and a lens with image stabilization.
On the plus side, this lens is lightweight enough that you could use it on a gimbal for video work, as long as you can balance it out when shooting at longer focal lengths.
Variable aperture
While the Tamron 28-200mm does give you a fast f/2.8 aperture when shooting on the wide end, the more you zoom in, the slower the aperture gets.
This may not be a big deal-breaker if you tend to shoot in scenarios with tons of natural or artificial lighting. However, if you shoot a lot in low light, the variable aperture might bother you.
Comparison to the Sony 24-240mm
The most direct competitor to the Tamron 28-200mm is the long-standing Sony 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 lens. This Sony lens is very close in size to the Tamron, although it is slightly heavier, coming in at 780 g (1.72 lb) compared to 575 g (1.27 lb).
However, the Sony 24-240mm does offer slightly more range than the Tamron, plus it has OSS, or optical image stabilization. The OSS comes in handy if you shoot video, or like to have extra support when shooting handheld. The Sony lens does cost more, at $ 1,085 USD, but it has been out for so long that used versions of the lens can be had for prices similar to that of the Tamron.
If you value the extra range and OSS, the Sony may be the better all-in-one lens for you. However, it is quite a bit heavier than the Tamron and also has a significantly shorter warranty.
Sample image gallery
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/60 sec | f/6.3 | ISO 1250
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 2500
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/160 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2500
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/80 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2000
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/250 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2000
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/125 sec | f/7.1 | ISO 1000
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 1250
The post Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
