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  • Editorial: ‘The world is ending, why are you still writing about cameras?’

    Office mascot and all-round Good Boy, Belvedere. Pictured in October, before we all had to pack up and work from home. Good times.

    Well, here we are. It seems like a year ago that I was pulling alarming statistics together about the economic impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak, but in fact it’s only been two weeks.

    Back then we were still working from our main office here in Seattle, and still mostly going about our normal lives. One of us was on vacation in New York, and one of us was preparing for a short holiday outside of the country. One of us was planning a wedding, in May. I can’t remember what I was doing, but I’m sure it was trivial – it normally is.

    At the risk of adding more mud to the landslide of hyperbole that has so far characterized 2020, all of that now feels like a different world.

    A couple of weeks ago, I was writing about how – whatever the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 on the global population turned out to be – the virus was ‘already’ having a devastating economic impact. On the photography industry specifically, but across the board. Things have moved quickly. With countries around the globe counting the human cost in terms of suspected cases, confirmed cases, and (sadly – inevitably) deaths, it’s obvious that we’re living in a changed reality.

    Here on the west coast, we have the unwelcome distinction of being right in the middle of things in the USA at the moment. As a team, we’ve been working from home and for about two weeks now we’ve been virtually self-isolating. We’re following the guidance of WA state officials and our parent company, keeping ourselves to ourselves, and updating the site remotely from laptops and home computers.

    You can expect to see current events reflected in our editorial coverage to some extent, but we’re not going to be plastering our homepage with articles about infection rates

    We’re very lucky. We’re not among the thousands of hourly employees in the catering, travel and hospitality industries who are looking at multiple weeks stretching ahead without an income. We review cameras, not ocean cruises. But of course we all have friends and family who are out of work, and others that are employed in health and social care. Still others who are caring for vulnerable relatives. All of them are making sacrifices right now that hopefully the lucky ones among us will never have to fully understand.

    We’re working. We can afford to pay our freelance writers, we’re still having the usual daily meetings, and thanks to the impressively high-resolution cameras in our computers and phones (they’re the future, if you hadn’t heard…) we all know a lot more about the state of each others’ respective ‘home offices’ than we’d probably like to. We’re writing, and editing, moderating comments and taking photos. Just like always. As I said, we’re lucky.

    We’re doing these things because that’s what you expect us to do. Unlike many ‘tech’ sites, we have a fairly focused editorial remit. You can expect to see current events reflected in our editorial coverage to some extent, as they pertain to the world of photography, but we’re not going to be plastering our homepage with multiple articles about infection rates, death rates, emergency measures or vaccine research. It’s not what we’re good at, and it’s not why you come to our site. It’s not what we do.

    Life will get back to normal, eventually, for most of us. Until it does (and with any luck long after it does) we’ll keep on working to bring you the best and most relevant news, analysis, opinion and of course in-depth reviews that we can. Without our daily readers, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing. We need you, and we’re going to make sure that whatever else is going on, there will be plenty to distract you (and yes – if you must – plenty to argue about) on DPReview.

    Stay safe, and stay in touch.

    Barnaby Britton, Senior Editor, DPReview.com

    On behalf of every member of the DPReview team:

    Editorial:

    Allison
    Barney
    Carey
    Dan
    Dale
    Gannon
    Jeff
    Richard (B)
    Rishi

    DPRTV:

    Chris
    Jordan

    Development:

    Ram
    Richard (L)
    Vlad

    Business:

    Eugene
    Scott

    And of course, Belvedere.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 impressions: an easy lens to love

    Introduction

    Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 | 1/60 sec | ISO 400 | F8

    Adobe Camera Raw Settings: Adobe Color Landscape, Daylight WB, Highlights -25, Shadows +60, Vibrance -6, Sharpening 40, Luminance Noise Reduction 0, Color Noise Reduction 25

    Over the past half-century, 50mm lenses, with a field of view that most closely approximates natural human vision, have reigned supreme as the classic ‘normal’ lens for 135 film and full-frame digital cameras. In the days before ubiquitous zoom lenses, 50mm primes were kitted with just about every 135 SLR on the market. If you’ve ever shot with a Canon AE-1, a Pentax K1000, or Olympus OM-1, there’s a better than 90% chance it had a 50mm lens on it.

    In my nearly 30 years as a photographer, I’ve purchased a 50mm (or equivalent) prime for every camera system I’ve ever owned. Over the past 15 years of teaching photography, I’ve recommended the 50mm prime lens to literally thousands of students as the highest-quality, most-affordable, must-have upgrade for anyone getting ‘serious’ about photography.

    Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 sample gallery

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    The hard truth is, though, I’ve never truly loved shooting with any of my 50mm primes and they’ve tended to sit in the bag more often than my other lenses. For me, the ‘normal’ 50mm has always been a little boring and I find a 35mm or 40mm a little more interesting with a slightly wider-than-normal view that doesn’t really feel wide. Generally speaking, 40mm lenses also tend to be rather compact and you’ll find them on many classic fixed-lens rangefinders from the 1970’s including the legendary Canonet G-III QL17 and the Rollei 35. Canon’s current 40mm F2.8 ‘pancake’ lens is a lovely performer as well.

    Speaking of 40mm (equivalent) lenses, I have to mention an old favorite of mine: the Panasonic Lumix 20mm F1.7 for Micro Four Thirds. This was one of the first MFT prime lenses, released in late 2009 alongside the wonderful Lumix GF1. Although a bit dated, the Lumix 20mm still holds up very well on my 20MP Olympus Pen-F.

    Panasonic Lumix GF1 with 20mm F1.7

    The Lumix 20mm also has at least one notable superpower: a close focusing limit of just 20cm, which is significantly closer than just about any non-macro-specific lens I’ve ever used. This very close focusing enables Micro Four Thirds to transcend its inherent depth-of-field limitations (or lack thereof) to produce images with extreme background blur, albeit limited to close subjects. The slightly wider-than-normal field of view also includes a bit more context, which can make ordinary junk-drawer-stuff visually interesting in a way that classic 100mm macro lenses can’t. In short, it’s just a very ‘arty’ lens that makes casual photography really fun for me. As a bonus, it happens to be very small and very sharp.

    Fujifilm’s new 50mm F3.5

    So when Fujifilm announced the new GF 50mm F3.5 for the GFX system, with its 40mm full-frame equivalent field of view, I got very excited. I imagined a larger version of the Lumix 20mm mated to an ultra high resolution medium format sensor. Is it a dream come true? Well, yes and no. Let me explain.

    Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 | ISO 200 | 1/500 sec | F11
    Adobe Camera Raw Settings: Adobe Color, Daylight WB, Exposure +0.5, Highlights -100, Shadows +100, Sharpening 40, Detail 10, Luminance Noise Reduction 0, Color Noise Reduction 25

    I recently drove a 4500-mile loop from Seattle, WA to Santa Fe, NM and back. DPReview kindly loaned me their copy of the Fuji GF 50mm F3.5 to try out along the way, so I attached it to my own GFX 50R and hit the road. It wasn’t a photo-specific trip and I was pretty much always on the way to somewhere else so I didn’t get to shoot in ideal lighting conditions. The images from this road trip are a good example of the sort of casual shooting I might do with the lovely Olympus Pen-F and Lumix 20mm F1.7.

    Here are my thoughts.

    It’s still kind of big

    Everyone writing about this GF 50mm has commented on how ‘tiny’ it is. Well it’s definitely smaller than Fujifilm’s other larger-than-full-frame GF lenses, but calling this a ‘tiny’ medium format lens seems a bit like describing a 16-passenger van as a ‘tiny’ bus. Yes, it’s the smallest Fujifilm GF lens to date, but it’s still larger than an old Hasselblad 80mm F2.8 or the wonderful Pentax 645 75mm F2.8, both of which have a larger aperture and were designed for even larger formats. Proportionally, the GFX 50R with 50mm F3.5 feels something like a Texas-sized version of the for-real tiny Pen-F and 20mm F1.7.

    Inoffensive bokeh

    In general, a lens’s maximum aperture affects its physical size and weight (and price). It’s clear that Fujifilm had compactness in mind here and I’m neither thrilled nor disappointed in the result. Honestly, I’d rather have a slightly larger F2.8 lens or a slightly smaller F4 lens. This lens’s maximum F3.5 aperture feels like a compromise nobody really asked for. Does it matter? Not much… F3.5 is fine. The half-stop either way would make very little difference in terms of light gathering or depth of field.

    ISO 250 | 1/3200 sec | F3.5
    ACR Settings: Default

    		 ISO 250 | 1/250 sec | F11
    ACR Settings: Default

    My casual impression of the bokeh is that I generally like it. Perhaps it could be a bit smoother (more ‘beautiful’) in shots with busy foliage and smaller apertures, but there’s certainly nothing specifically negative to say about it. In all, the out of focus rendering is very nice, very clean, and very modern. Some people might even say ‘generic looking.’ It’s just not the sort of bokeh that really stands out in any particular way – but that’s not a bad thing.

    It’s a darn good lens

    Yes, as expected, it’s sharp. Very, very sharp. Fujifilm has claimed that all the GF lenses were designed for more than 100MP of resolution. I have no problem believing that statement. To be honest, I’d be shocked if anyone had a legitimate reason to be disappointed in the sharpness of any modern digital medium format lens. I feel obligated to note, however, that digital medium format should be held to a higher standard, particularly when you consider the physical size and weight (and cost) of such systems.

    Does that mean this (and other GF lenses) are, in general, measurably sharper than all other lenses? Not necessarily. There are plenty of extremely sharp lenses for other systems. That said, even the best lenses are rarely the same sharpness across the frame at all apertures. When pixel-peeping at 100%, I was rather impressed to see essentially perfect sharpness all the way out to the extreme corners and I didn’t notice any practical difference in quality throughout the aperture range.

    ISO 100 | 1/250 sec | F5.6
    ACR Settings: Classic Chrome, Highlights -80, Shadows +20, WB Daylight, Sharpening 60, Detail 10

    No lens corrections or transform adjustments.

    ISO 100 | 1/60 sec | F11
    ACR Settings: Classic Chrome, Highlights -80, Shadows +20, WB Daylight, Sharpening 60, Detail 10

    No lens corrections or transform adjustments.

    I don’t myself shoot charts or flat brick walls so I can’t comment scientifically on this lens’s ‘square-ness’ or lack of distortion. In my studio, I often capture flat artwork but 50mm is not a focal length I would ever use for that purpose. What I can say is that in the field, I didn’t notice any geometric distortion that would matter for a real subject.

    I should also note that I couldn’t find any chromatic aberrations in any images I shot through this lens. I’d be extremely impressed if this were a smaller format lens, but again I expect nothing less from a modern medium format optical formula.

    ISO 400 | 1/250 sec | F11
    ACR Settings: Adobe Color, Highlights -50, Shadows +50, WB Daylight

    The pine needles are impressively sharp and detailed even in the extreme corners. Note the total lack of color fringing.

    ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F8
    ACR Settings: Adobe Color, Exposure +0.75, Highlights -70, Shadows +20, WB Daylight, Sharpening 60, Detail 10

    No lens corrections or transform adjustments. Note the total lack of color fringing.

    So is this the sharpest, cleanest lens in the world? I have no idea, and I don’t care. In my opinion, this lens (really any GF lens) is so close to practical perfection from corner to corner at almost any aperture, that discussion of inherent sharpness or distortion is virtually irrelevant. At this level, depth of field, diffraction, plane of focus, focus precision, and vibration are far more critical issues. If anyone is getting ‘soft’ rendering out of this system, it is almost certainly a result of technique, or in very rare cases, a manufacturing defect.

    Fast, confident autofocus

    On my GFX 50R, focusing from close to far with the 50mm seems faster than all my other GF prime lenses except the 23mm. The 45mm is just a bit slower. The 63mm feels noticeably sluggish by comparison. The most notable difference, though, is the surprisingly quiet confidence exhibited by this new 50mm. It locks on almost instantly with hardly any ‘wobble’ and a barely audible ‘zip’ sound. The 23mm is almost this good. The 110mm is slower of course, but surprisingly not far behind, considering the longer focal length and how much further the large glass elements must travel. The other primes all make significantly more noise and require a deeper in-out movement to lock on a subject.

    The 50mm exhibits surprisingly quiet confidence

    All in all, I’d say Fujifilm made the autofocus of this 50mm medium format lens feel a lot more like one of the better X-mount APS-C lenses than any other medium format lens I’ve used. It’s certainly faster than manual focus on Hasselblad V system lenses, faster than Pentax 645 AF lenses, and faster than Mamiya / Phase One AF lenses I’ve used in the past. It’s also faster than my Lumix 20mm on the Pen-F, though not nearly so fast as the best lenses from Canon, Nikon, or Olympus. But let’s put this into perspective… if you’re an event or sports shooter and ultra-fast autofocus is a primary concern, then medium format is NOT the droid you’re looking for. Full stop.

    Close focus could be closer

    The minimum focus distance of 55cm is really the only thing I find disappointing about this otherwise wonderful lens. In theory, Fujifilm’s 50mm F3.5 should have a full-frame depth-of-field equivalence of F2.8, which should blur backgrounds more than the Lumix 20mm’s full-frame depth-of-field equivalence of F3.4.

    In reality, the GF 50mm just doesn’t focus close enough to win this particular contest. There were so many times when I wanted to get just a little closer than the GF 50mm would allow. If there’s enough time, attaching a Canon 500D close up filter can help you get a little closer, though I felt the +2 diopter of the Canon 500D was not quite enough to match the 20cm close focusing magic of the Lumix 20mm.

    Fujifilm GFX 50R + GF50mm F3.5
    ISO 800 | 1/60 sec | F3.5
    Shot at minimum focus distance

    		 Olympus PEN-F + Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II
    ISO 800 | 1/60 sec | F2.2
    Shot at minimum focus distance

    It would be easy to suggest simply cropping into the much higher resolution GFX image to match the close crop of the Pen-F. But even if you get to a similar crop with similar resolution, the physics of being closer to the subject produces a more dramatic perspective and depth of field rendering.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Virtual trade show from Cinema5D in the works to replace canceled NAB 2020 April event

    The canceled NAB 2020 event will live on in the form of a ‘virtual trade show’ from Cinema5D, according to Johnnie Behiri and Nino Leitner. The team first revealed intentions to hold a virtual trade show in the place of NAB 2020 on March 12, stating at the time that they were approaching manufacturers about the plan.

    As with Mobile World Congress, GDC and multiple other events before it, the NAB 2020 show originally scheduled to take place in April has been canceled. The announcement was made by NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith last week, who cited the ongoing coronavirus outbreaks as the reason for the cancellation.

    In a statement to DPR, Behiri explained:

    ‘We were not shocked to hear that NAB was canceled because of the current developments, but we were surprised that no alternatives were offered to manufactures and visitors alike. Other canceled trade show events are moving to some kind of online event but NAB seems unable to do so too.’

    GDC 2020 is one of the previously canceled events that is now holding online talks in substitution for the physical gathering. Cinema5D’s virtual trade show will be similar, according to Behiri, who said the talks will take place in hosted, moderated live streams on April 20 – 22 from 9 AM to 6 PM PST.

    The hosted broadcasts will be mixed with prerecorded new product announcements and virtual studio talks with various guests; topics will include trends, new products and industry analyses. As well, Behiri says that the team plans to integrate streamed live press events from major manufacturers into the virtual trade show.

    According to Behiri:

    ‘All of this is an evolving plan but we invite manufacturers to get in touch with us via our contact page to share NDAs about new products so we can interview them beforehand and align plans to integrate them into our coverage. We are also happy to consider working together with other online publications.’

    Though the virtual trade show will attempt to offer ‘a bit’ of coverage on a broad range of subjects, Behiri says that it will focus on production tech aimed at aspiring and professional filmmakers.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Helping You the Way We Know Best During These Trying Times

    The post Helping You the Way We Know Best During These Trying Times appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

    Helping You the Way We Know Best During These Trying Times
    Many people are stuck in their homes at the moment. So let’s make the most of it and do some photography! Image by dPS writer, Lily Sawyer

    Let’s face it – we’ve all been stressed about the Coronavirus (covid-19).

    For many people, they have had to self-isolate (including members of the dPS team). This can be anxiety-inducing and people can also start feeling isolated and down.

    So we want to do what we do best. We want to give you all some photography exercises that you can do in and close to home. That way, you’ll get to focus on your creativity, keep the boredom at bay, and, hopefully, feel less stressed with life until this all starts to resolve itself.

    How this will work is that each week over the next month (mid-week before our weekly newsletter goes out, starting tomorrow), we will publish a 7-day challenge. In this challenge, we will give you a challenge idea per day that you can do right within your own home or yard. We will also publish more articles on things you can photograph around the home, as well as some post-processing articles.

    We care about our community and wish you all the best at this time. Please stay safe and keep in touch with us – whether by commenting on posts or heading over to our FB group where you can chat and share your photos.

    Let us know if there is anything else you’d like to see here on dPS that will help you through these times too.

    All the best,
    Caz and the dPS team

    The post Helping You the Way We Know Best During These Trying Times appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


    Digital Photography School

  • Slideshow: Sony World Photography announces 2020 National Awards Winners

    Sony World Photography announces 2020 National Awards Winners

    Recently, the World Photography Organisation announced Sony World Photography’s National Awards 2020 winners. The National Awards program was developed to support and celebrate local photographic talent from 63 countries and regions around the globe. All images entered into the Open competition are considered for a National Award. Over 190,000 were submitted this year, the highest number yet according to organizers.

    ‘Winning a National Award was a huge reward for my hard work and this acknowledgment has made me focus even more on my work as a photographer. Sony and the World Photography Organisation have helped me gain some extraordinary exposure around the world,’ says Mikkel Beiter, Winner of the 2018 Denmark National Award.

    Sony’s World Photography Awards is now in its 13th year. Its mission is to highlight work from photographers of all ages and abilities so they have a global voice. A full list of countries and regions the National Awards program represents can be found here.

    1st Place, National Awards: ‘Flamingo Fly Over Lake Magadi’ by Hong Chen (Hong Kong)

    About this photo: ‘The water forms many unique colors and shapes, when Flamingo fly over the Lake Magadi, Kenya. I shot this from a helicopter.’

    2nd Place, National Awards: ‘Video to Jacks’ by Kam Moon Lai (Hong Kong)

    About this photo: ‘The photo was taken at Sipadan on 8-9-2019. I saw a School of Jack fishes swimming towards to the diver who was taking video for them. At such moment I took this photo.’

    3rd Place, National Awards: ‘Water Magic’ by Isao Tabayashi (Japan)

    About this photo: This is a reflection of the water gate at the ferry crossing in Hamarikyu Park, Tokyo.

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Mount Elbrus’ by Sergey Savenko (Russian Federation)

    About this photo: ‘Bermamyt Plateau. The best place with a view of Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Russia and Europe, included in the list of the highest peaks of the world “Seven Peaks”.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘The Game of Shadows’ by Jacek Patora (Poland)

    About this photo: ‘This image was taken a few days after 2019’s New Year’s Eve in Lisbon, Portugal.

    I always wanted to take a photograph of this famous bridge covered in fog, and that day turned out to be perfect. I took this shot as I was astonished by the shapes created by the light and shadows, the perfect lines and people’s silhouettes. Lisbon is famous for it’s incredible light, and advection fogs like that one are a common sight there. They occur when moist air passes over a cool surface of the river Tagus, creating this breathtaking sight.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Horse Motion’ by Abbas Alkhamis (Saudi Arabia)

    About this photo: ‘A horse breeder plays a horse in one of the stables of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Sur La Mer’ by Roberto Corinaldesi (Italy)

    About this photo: ‘Swimmers seen from above take on the appearance of human ants.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Mobil Home’ by Greg Lecoeur (France)

    About this photo: ‘During an expedition on a small sailboat, we explored the Antarctica Peninsula by diving below the surface. Although the conditions are extreme with a temperature of minus 1°C, we have documented an extraordinary marine life in its fragile ecosystem such as on this image: crab-eater seals living on the pack-ice but witch are affected by global warming with the melting of the ice.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Descend from Above’ by Tien Sang Kok (Malaysia)

    About this photo: ‘Hundreds of horses are galloping when the sun is about to shine its last ray. It is traditionally said that a Mongol without a horse is like a bird without a wing, this is how strong the bond between human being and animal that we should appreciate.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Red Day’ by Kiatthaworn Khorthawornwong (Thailand)

    About this photo: The beauty of Mount Fuji is highlighted in Autumn at Kawaguchigo Lake, Japan.

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Dubai’ by Antonio Bernardino Coelho (Portugal)

    About this photo: ‘Based on an image of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and surrounding skyline in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this still life was made out of staples of various sizes. The staples were positioned on black glass with a black background, and lit via three independent sources.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Fun Fair’ by Wolfgang Wiesen (Germany)

    About this photo: ‘A multi-exposure of people on a chairoplane.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Building’ by Liliana Ochoa (Columbia)

    About this photo: ‘Workers assemble an iron structure during the construction of a building in Medellín, Colombia. This is a common scene in urban areas, and reflects the overflowing and uncontrolled growth of modern cities.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘Sunset’ by Atanas Chulev (Bulgaria)

    About this photo: ‘The photo was taken in one of the excavated tunnels and galleries during the First World War. Most of them can be seen on Via Ferrata De Luca-Innerkofler, but it is advisable to go with the Via Ferrata kit.’

    Winner, National Awards: ‘That’s Nothing to Laugh About’ by Adam Stevenson (Australia)

    About this photo: ‘This image was taken with my iPhone X close to my home at Wallabi Point, New South Wales, Australia, after devastating bushfires swept through the area. As I watched the sun set through the smoke a kookaburra appeared and allowed me to walk right up to it. We shared a moment, watching the sun fade behind the apocalyptic scene… he was laughing.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Imaging Resource announces it’s been acquired by Madavor Media

    Imaging Resource has announced it’s been acquired by Madavor Media, the publisher of several other print and digital photography-centric magazines.

    Back in October 2019, Imaging Resource announced it would be shutting down its website in the near future. Not long after the announcement, four different groups came forward asking about acquisition possibilities. In an email shared with DPReview, Imaging Resource founder Dave Etchells said ‘After a lot of back and forth with all of them, one company rose to the fore, and will now in fact be the new corporate “home” of IR.’ That company is Madavor Media, a publishing company who also operates Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro, Digital Photo and HDVideoPro.

    Etchells elaborated on the transition in his email to us saying:

    ‘My biggest concern in thinking about handing over IR to anyone else was that the site would continue to maintain the quality and objectivity we’ve been known for, for the past 22 years. I’m confident that Madavor will do that, and am happy to think that the brand I’ve worked so hard to create will continue into the future.’

    As for what this transition means for Imaging Resource, Etchells notes the site will continue to focus on providing the same level of quality and integrity as before, with the same general content, including the still life lab shots, overviews, hands-on reports and field tests. Etchells will be stepping back from day-to-day operations, but will still be involved in the direction of the site as he continues to pursue intellectual property consulting and expert witness work. As we saw yesterday, he also plans to write up many more weather-resistance tests.

    All in all, Etchells says ‘this is really great news that I’m so happy to share. Imaging Resource v2.0 will live on, I’ll get to stay involved with the industry and people I love, but will also finally get some concentrated time in my basement workshops’

    Madavor Media Acquires Imaging Resource

    Madavor Media, LLC announced today that it has acquired Imaging Resource, one of the most popular and trusted websites for camera and photography equipment reviews. The 22-year-old website, which has millions of loyal followers, will continue to operate utilizing its experienced staff and contributors.

    The acquisition by Madavor will enable Imaging Resource seamlessly to continue its mission to provide the most comprehensive, independent news and reviews in the photography business.

    Imaging Resource will operate under its existing brand, and founder Dave Etchells will maintain an ongoing presence within the company as editor emeritus. The camera review website will now join Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro, Digital Photo and HDVideoPro as part of the photography portfolio at Madavor and will enhance the company’s position as the dominant media company to connect with a wide range of photographers and videographers.

    “We’re excited to welcome the engaged consumer base and advertisers that trust Imaging Resource and we believe the website’s in-depth expertise on cameras and other products will be a perfect complement to our other photo content,” said Madavor Chief Operating Officer Courtney Whitaker. “The opportunities for advertisers to achieve their marketing objectives will increase across all of our photo titles as well as some of our other publications such as BirdWatching and Plane & Pilot. We also anticipate the cross-promotion of content will be very beneficial to our readers, especially our newsletter subscribers.”

    Imaging Resource was started in 1998 and has provided in-depth coverage, testing and reviews on new technology since that time from its Georgia headquarters. The company will continue to be based in Georgia, giving Madavor Media a new location as part of its nationwide operations.

    “Part of my confidence in transferring the IR brand to Madavor is the level of quality they’ve consistently supported in all of their existing photo publications,” Dave Etchells said. “I was also struck by the excellent strategic fit between IR and Madavor’s existing respected photo publications and websites. Their loyal and passionate audiences enjoy timely award- winning content, which tends to be more focused on the art of photography than the gear. This is an element that I’ve always felt was missing from IR, but that we never had the resources to fill.”

    About Madavor Media, LLC

    Founded in 2004, Madavor Media develops and markets content for consumers who are passionate about their interests and those seeking highly informative editorial that helps them take charge of their well-being and live happier, healthier lives. Through its team of experts,

    Madavor delivers highly engaging, world-class content that is disseminated and consumed through virtually all channels. Headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, Madavor’s main office acts as the hub for social media, marketing, design and production, operations and information, while its associates throughout the country keep in close contact with its customers and communities of interest.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Due to Coronavirus, Canon Faces Production Problems on EOS R5, R6

    The post Due to Coronavirus, Canon Faces Production Problems on EOS R5, R6 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

    Due to Coronavirus, Canon Faces Production Problems on EOS R5, R6 featured image

    The camera industry is feeling the effects of the coronavirus now more than ever.

    According to Canon Rumors, Canon’s is facing significant shortages in the production of its two new mirrorless cameras, the EOS R5 and EOS R6.

    These two mirrorless models are currently under development and were slated to launch this summer, but the appearance of coronavirus has seen the disruption of Canon’s supply chains and has brought production capacity on the cameras down to just 25%.

    Canon is considering two ways of addressing these issues:

    First, the company may decide to halt the release of the EOS R5 and EOS R6 until the fall, when production should be back at full capacity. This would allow for strong, albeit late, product launches.

    Second, Canon may go ahead with the launch of both cameras. But Canon would be moving forward without the production numbers necessary to satisfy all customers, and so we would likely see shortages until the coronavirus pandemic has passed.

    Obviously, neither of these measures is ideal. Both the EOS R5 and R6 have generated great excitement among Canon fans, and among the camera industry at large. Any delays or shortages will be met with frustration on all sides, especially by those who have been holding out for a true professional mirrorless model from Canon.

    Note that the EOS R5 offers a number of features that were missing from Canon’s first two distinct full-frame mirrorless bodies, the EOS R and RP. These include dual card slots (essential for wedding photographers, photojournalists, and sports photographers, all who require redundancy in their work), as well as in-body image stabilization, which will debut in both the EOS R5 and EOS R6. The EOS R5 will also address concerns that videographers had with the EOS R; the R5 will reportedly offer true 8K video that utilizes the full width of the sensor.

    And while Canon has not confirmed a megapixel count for the R5, it has been consistently rumored to feature a 45 MP sensor, which could position the R5 as a high-powered alternative to megapixel monsters such as the Nikon Z7 and the Panasonic S1R.

    Canon has remained virtually silent regarding the EOS R6. But rumors suggest that the camera will feature a 20 MP sensor, in-body image stabilization, 4K/60p video, and 12/20 frames-per-second shooting with mechanical and electronic shutters, respectively. It may cater to hobbyists looking for a first full-frame mirrorless body, but who want true mirrorless-type features such as IBIS.

    Here’s the bottom line:

    The release of these two full-frame mirrorless cameras may well be a turning point for Canon. Whether it comes sooner or later is immaterial, though it will certainly be frustrating for anyone looking to purchase these cameras.

    So keep an eye out for more information regarding both of these mirrorless bodies.

    Are you looking to buy either the EOS R5 or the R6? Which camera excites you more? Share your thoughts in the comments!

    The post Due to Coronavirus, Canon Faces Production Problems on EOS R5, R6 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


    Digital Photography School

  • Five reasons why Fujifilm probably won’t make a full-frame X100

    Introduction

    The X100 series is one of Fujifilm’s most popular and important product lines. Over the course of almost ten years, the company has built the X100 series into an iconic line of cameras, which established Fujifilm as a serious brand with enthusiasts, and continue to be best-sellers.

    Ever since its introduction, some photographers have been asking Fujifilm to develop a full-frame version of the X100. And on the face of it, that’s an appealing thought. Who doesn’t like the idea of greater depth of field control and a boost in potential image quality? But we strongly suspect that Fujifilm will never do it. Read on for the five main reasons why not, and why we doubt that a full-frame version is on the cards, either.

    Size and weight

    The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is a very small compact camera with a 35mm F2 lens, but in order to make it so compact, compromises were made on ergonomics and battery life.

    The X100V is a little bigger than previous iterations of the X100 series, but it’s still a relatively small camera, considering everything that Fujifilm has packed into it. One of the reasons for that is its APS-C sensor. A larger sensor would mean a larger imaging circle (which means a larger lens to achieve the same F stop), a larger shutter mechanism, and probably a deeper body, to accommodate the additional circuitry hardware, and to keep it cool.

    Genuinely small full-frame cameras exist (the Sigma fp and Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II spring to mind) but with both, their small size comes with compromises. The fp lacks a viewfinder and even a mechanical shutter. In fact, the fp is better thought of as a module inside a camera system rather than as a wholly complete camera in and of itself. Meanwhile the RX1R II has a fairly cramped control layout and a tiny battery, rated for a pitiable 220 shots, and not infrequently capable of rather less than that, depending on how you use it.

    It’s impossible to know exactly what a full-frame X100 might end up looking like, but you can bet it would be larger and heavier than the cameras that we know and love.

    Development cost of full-frame

    The Sigma fp is even smaller than the RX1R II, and one of the ways in which Sigma ensured the smallest possible body is by eliminating both a viewfinder and a mechanical shutter. An X100-type camera without either of those things would probably be a non-starter.

    And then there’s cost. The 26MP sensor in the X100V is used in multiple other Fujifilm cameras, which means that they can be purchased from Sony in bulk, keeping the per-unit cost down.

    Economies of scale mean that it would probably be very expensive for Fujifilm to procure a relatively small number of totally different sensors for only a single product line, aimed at a relatively small group of customers.

    On top of that, a new, larger sensor would probably mean developing a new shutter mechanism: either a conventional mechanical shutter in-camera, or a scaled-up in-lens shutter, of a type similar to the current X100 line. Either way, Fujfilm would need to make it from scratch, likely with associated development and production costs.

    Bigger sensors also draw more power, and create more heat. One way or another, it all costs money.

    Add all of these costs together, and developing a niche product like a full-frame X100 would probably be very expensive for Fujfilm. And what would that mean?

    Literal cost to consumer

    The Leica Q2 is a good example of a fantastic camera, with a built-in finder and a great lens, that makes the most out of its high-resolution full-frame sensor. But it’s priced beyond the reach of most of us.

    You guessed right: it means that a hypothetical full-frame X100 would cost you more. One of the major reasons for the success of the X100 line over the past decade has been the cost of the cameras, at a sweet spot of around $ 1,200 at point of launch, usually dropping a little over their lifetime. Obviously, $ 1,200 is still a considerable chunk of change, but compared to the likes of the Sony RX1R II or the Leica Q2, it’s a relative bargain.

    Imagine if Fujfilm had to double the cost of the X100 in a full-frame version. Would you buy one? Even if you’re one of those people who would answer “yes”, it’s only logical that you’d be counting yourself among a minority, compared to the potential audience for the traditional APS-C bodies.

    Loss of brand identity, and customer trust

    For customers who have made large investments in Fujifilm’s APS-C products, the announcement of a full-frame camera may look like a vote of no confidence in the smaller format.

    Customers really like it when companies play to their strengths, talk frankly to them, and don’t try to fix something that isn’t broken. Fujifilm has said so often – and for so long – that it has no interest in developing full-frame cameras, that such an abrupt change of direction would risk damaging the brand in the eyes of some of its most loyal customers.

    In short, Fujifilm is not a full-frame brand. It’s arguably the only company (R.I.P. Samsung) that has really made a full-throated case for the benefits of APS-C over full-frame, and has spent the past decade doubling-down on that approach, creating the most convincing dedicated APS-C lens lineup on the market.

    If Fujifilm introduced a full-frame version of the X100 concept, there’s no doubt that the company would attract a certain number of new customers. But several other, much less positive things would happen: For starters, a lot of loyal X100 series fans would feel betrayed, and worried that such a move might spell the end for a range of cameras they’ve come to love.

    Photographers with an investment in the APS-C interchangeable lens X-series would also get spooked. To a Fujifilm shooter who has spent thousands of dollars on XF lenses, the announcement of a full-frame camera – any full-frame camera– could look like a massive vote of no confidence in APS-C.

    Finally it’s not hard to imagine the feelings of someone who has just dropped thousands on one of Fujifilm’s medium-format GFX cameras, if the company suddenly announced it was developing a compact full-frame camera. Which leads us on to…

    Risk of cannibalization

    How many GFX 50Rs would Fujifilm sell if a similarly-sized, fixed-lens alternative were available? Such a product would risk cannibalizing Fujifilm’s existing lineups.

    I’ve explained the likely potential costs (both real and in terms of potential damage to the brand) to Fujifilm of adding a full-frame X100 lineup, but there are always costs associated with doing something new, and costs are acceptable if there’s a major long-term benefit.

    There’s no doubt that by putting a full-frame sensor behind a fixed 35mm F2 lens, Fujifilm would be providing photographers with a more powerful tool than any of the previous X100 series models, but that might actually end up being a problem. Why? Because it would risk ‘cannibalization’.

    In this context, ‘cannibalization’ describes a situation where sales of a new model come at the expense of sales lost in other parts in the lineup. Would Fujifilm want to risk a large number of sales of the (at this point presumably quite profitable) X100-series in favor of a new, costlier full-frame model? It seems unlikely, and it’s even less likely that the company would risk sales of the nascent GFX range by inserting a full-frame model into the lineup, aimed at the exact same type of users.

    Summing up – arguments against

    Every one of Fujifilm’s medium format cameras so far has used the same NP-T125 battery. It’s physically big, because it has to be. That means the cameras have to large enough to accommodate this kind of battery.

    To sum up, it’s highly unlikely that Fujifilm will develop a full-frame X100 series camera for the following reasons:

    1. A larger sensor would add size and weight, mitigating a major X100 selling point
    2. Such a product would cost a lot to develop and manufacture
    3. The result would be a very expensive camera – reducing its potential audience
    4. A move to full-frame would annoy and worry existing loyal Fujifilm APS-C customers
    5. The risk of cannibalization within existing lineups is too great

    At a technical level, the imaging potential of full-frame is undeniably greater than APS-C, and only slightly less than medium-format. But the additional development cost, and the size and weight penalty involved in making full-frame work in a compact X100-type form factor, would be considerable. It’s lovely to imagine a full-frame X100 with a 35mm F1.4 lens, but less lovely to picture how much larger, heavier, and costlier that camera would have to be, compared to an X100V.

    But what about medium format?

    Fujifilm has a long track record of making fixed-lens medium format cameras, from the days of film. Could it repeat the trick with digital?

    Fujifilm has said repeatedly that it has no interest in full-frame. Instead, it has developed a medium format lineup, offering far superior image quality potential and differentiated from both its own APS-C line, and the growing crop of full-frame mirrorless cameras now on the market.

    The sensor in Fujifilm’s flagship $ 10,000 GFX 100 can be thought of essentially as four X-T3 sensors, in a single piece of silicon. With four times the surface area, and current-generation chip design, the GFX 100’s sensor is capable of astonishing resolution and dynamic range, putting it in a different league to even the best APS-C cameras.

    So might Fujifilm build a medium-format X100? There’s an argument to be made that it makes sense in a way that full-frame just doesn’t. Medium format would offer an increase in potential image quality over full-frame (albeit relatively modest – about 2/3EV), a significant leap in image quality over APS-C, it’s a major part of Fujifilm’s brand identity, and the larger format is a key differentiator for Fujifilm compared to competitive manufacturers.

    In conclusion

    For all of the appeal to Fujifilm of burnishing the company’s credentials in the medium format marketplace, an MF X100-type camera still seems very unlikely, for all of the same reasons why a full-frame X100 is probably a non-starter.

    The difference in image quality between full-frame and what Fujifilm calls medium format is relatively modest. In fact, in our testing we found that the 50MP sensors used in the GFX 50S and 50R don’t offer significantly better performance than the best current full-frame sensors. The more advanced 100MP sensor in the GFX 100 is a slightly different matter, but its cost (larger sensors are significantly harder to produce, and their ‘yield’ is much smaller) probably makes it impractical for use in such a different type of camera.

    Meanwhile, remember how a full-frame X100 would have to be bigger and heavier? Well that’s even more true with a hypothetical medium format version.

    The GFX 50R provides a convenient point of comparison here. It’s not huge, compared to (say) the GFX100, but it’s definitely not a camera you can slip into your pocket. Imagine a fixed version of the compact 50mm f3.5 on the front, and it might be possible to shave off a few mm here and there. But either way, you’re likely still looking at a very expensive product, which probably won’t deliver much better image quality than a current full-frame model from Nikon or Sony.

    Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t still want one.

    What do you think? Let us know in the poll below.

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    Have your say

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    What do you think? Full-frame Fujifilm X100
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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: a BTS look at what goes into making a camera weather-resistant

    Dave Etchells, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Imaging Resource, has shared a video and accompanying blog post that dives into the topic of weather-resistance in cameras. In both the video and blog post, Etchells shows off the bespoke system he’s built for testing the claims of manufacturers and chats with a leader at Olympus to get an inside look at what goes into the manufacturing process behind weathersealing a camera.

    A close-up shot of the dripper used in Etchells’ current testing rig.

    Etchells’ bespoke system, which he says it’s taken him ‘literally hundreds of hours’ to build over the past three years, was conceived after the weather-resistance of the Nikon D850 and Sony a7r III proved to be the tie-breaker for Imaging Resource’s 2017 Camera of the Year Award. In his own words, he wanted to build a ‘test system that would let me rigorously control all the variables, built around an array of timers, pumps, custom-made drippers (coming in what I’ve been calling version 1.5 of the system) and other components.’

    His desire for all of this work is explained in two parts:

    ‘First, to give manufacturers a way to meaningfully market and compete with each other on the basis weather sealing. More than just that though, I want to push them to up their game across the board, making good weathersealing more common for consumers and pros alike.’

    To see what goes into the process of weathersealing a camera, Etchells partnered up with Olympus and took a trip to Olympus’s R&D headquarters in Hachioji, Japan, where he met with Takao Takasu, the Imaging Product Development manager for Olympus Corp.’s Research and Development department.

    A screenshot from a promotional video showing how Olympus tests its cameras for water-resistance.

    After a brief intro, the 12-minute video starts with an interview with Takasu-san, who provides a history of weathersealing inside Olympus camera systems. After that, the video transitions into a walkthrough that shows nearly every weathersealing component inside Olympus cameras, from small gaskets around buttons and dials to protective meshing used throughout lenses.

    Both the video and article are a wealth of knowledge on the matter and go to show the lengths to which Etchells will dive into the details to share his knowledge and the insight of his industry contacts with the photography community.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sigma CEO confirms ‘most new products’ will be ‘exclusively for mirrorless cameras’

    In a tweet published on March 10, Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki shared a bit of information that hints at what products we should most be expecting to see from Sigma in the foreseeable future.

    In response to a question from Twitter user Terri Ikoma, username @uplink_boss, Yamaki-san said Sigma will put a priority on developing its ‘DN’ lens lineup for mirrorless camera systems, including full-frame, APS-C and Micro Four Thirds (MFT) systems. Below is the screenshot with the machine-translated text:

    Since much can get lost in translation (particularly machine translation), we contacted Yamaki-san to independently confirm the statement and see if he would be willing to divulge any further information. Yamaki-san both confirmed the statement and elaborated that while APS-C and MFT lenses aren’t out of the question, ‘most of [the lenses] will be DG DN series (designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras).’

    Considering the direction the rest of the photography world is moving, this news shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, but to get confirmation from Sigma’s CEO that the third-party lens manufacturer will be focusing exclusively on mirrorless systems is a significant detail. Canon also confirmed earlier this year that its focus will be on full-frame mirrorless lenses (RF-mount) over DSLR lenses (EF-mount), so Sigma isn’t the only one who’s looking at DSLRs through the rearview mirror.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)