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Panasonic Lumix GX9 offers 20MP with no low-pass filter, improved shutter mechanism

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Panasonic is taking the wraps off the GX9, a 20MP Micro Four Thirds camera. Its sensor does not use a low-pass filter in an effort to maximize sharpness, and a new L/Monochrome D Photo Style is on board for fans of black-and-white film. The GX9 does not offer weather-sealing, unlike the GX8 and G9.

The GX9 offers a 2.7 million-dot (equiv.) EVF that tilts 90° upward, and a 1.2 million-dot touchscreen that tilts up 80° and down by 45° – a departure from the G9 and GX8’s fully articulated screens. An electromagnetic drive claims to reduce shutter shock by 90%, an attempt to mitigate the shutter-induced softness we saw in previous GX- models.

The camera relies on contrast detect autofocus with the help of Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus technology when Panasonic lenses are used. Naturally 4K/30p/24p video is present with all of the affiliated 4K Photo Modes, including two new ones: Auto Marking and Sequence Composition. Auto Marking allows the camera to identify movement in a 4K clip and set a marker to quickly jump to the action, and Sequence Composition makes it easy to create composite images of action in-camera.

In-body 5-axis stabilization combines with dual-axis optical stabilization, resulting in a claimed 4-stop reduction in shake. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are available for quick image sharing.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 will ship in the beginning of March with a new 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens for $ 999. An optional wide eyecup ($ 19) and grip ($ 59) will also be available.

Press release

LUMIX GX9

The Ultimate Compact Single Lens Mirrorless Digital Camera Capture High Quality Images in Your Own Creative Way

Newark, NJ (February 13, 2018) – Panasonic is proud to introduce the LUMIX GX9, a sleek, compact new Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera for everyone who wants to shoot vibrant, true-to-life, high quality images in their own creative way with excellent resolution, high contrast and impressive color reproduction.

The LUMIX GX9’s 20.3-megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor without a low-pass filter and Venus Engine combine to drive maximum lens performance while rendering natural, high-precision images. The L.Monochrome D mode is newly added to Photo Style, making it easy to shoot detailed dynamic monochrome photos with emphasized highlights and shadows. Plus, Grain Effect can also be adjusted in all monochrome modes with Photo Style.

A 5-axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) in the LUMIX GX9 effectively suppresses blur. Combining an O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) and a B.I.S. (Body Image Stabilizer, 5-axis), the Dual I.S. compensates for a wider range of movement to enable blur-free photo/video shooting from wide to tele, even in low-light conditions.

A new wide screen LVF (Live View Finder) in the LUMIX GX9 tilts up approx. 90 degrees. With its high, approx. 2760k-dot equivalent, resolution and 100% color reproduction, this 16:9 LVF provides approx. 1.39x / 0.7x (35mm camera equivalent.) magnification and 100% field of view. Plus, the camera’s large 3.0-in., approx. 1240k-dot high resolution static-type touch monitor provides nearly 100% of field of view tilts up approx. 80 degrees and down 45-degrees to enable shooting in high or low angle even easier.

The Contrast AF System in the LUMIX GX9 features DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology and excels in both speed and accuracy by exchanging digital signals between the camera and the lens at max. 240 fps*1, for ultra-fast auto focusing in approx. 0.07 sec*2. A range of extensive AF functions include Face/Eye Detection AF, Pinpoint AF, One-shot AF and advanced Low Light AF to enhance usability to comply with various shooting situations. Live View Boost makes it possible to check composition even in total darkness by boosting sensitivity just for live view.

The LUMIX GX9 records smooth, high-resolution 4K video in 3840×2160 at 30p or 24p in MP4. 4K PHOTO is easier to use in more creative ways with Auto Marking and Sequence Composition, two new additions to Post Focus, Focus Stacking, Light Composition and 4K Live Cropping.

Ultra HD 4K video and 4K PHOTO

With a high-speed sensor signal readout and engine processor, the LUMIX GX9 records smooth, high-resolution 4K videos in 3840×2160 resolution at 30p or 24p in addition to the Full-HD 1,920×1,080 60p videos with practical full-time AF. With this technology, LUMIX 4K PHOTO lets users capture perfect moments by extracting single frames from 4K burst files shot at 30 fps to save as 8-megapixel equivalent photos.

Choosing the best shots out of hundreds of 4K video frames is now easier with a newly added Auto Marking function. Auto Marking identifies the frame most different from others in the file to help minimize the time it takes to choose the best individual shot. A Sequence Composition function creates a stromotion image in-camera by synthesizing multiple images shot at fixed frame to produce a unique image of a subject’s motion without special retouching.

The LUMIX GX9 also includes Post Focus, a function selects an in-focus area even after shooting. Post Focus is helpful in situations such as macro shooting where strict focusing is required or for changing expressions by changing the focused subject. This capability combines high-speed, high-precision DFD (Depth From Defocus) auto focus technology and 4K technology. A Focus Stacking function adjusts depth of field after shooting by combining multiple images shot with Post Focus in the camera. Now users don’t need to focus strictly while shooting because they can create images with the defocus level they want or pan-focus simply by selecting the focus area after shooting — beneficial when shooting macro images of insects, small accessories and so on.

LUMIX GX9 also incorporates a Light Composition function, a new 4K PHOTO option. The camera synthesizes images by choosing and saving a brighter pixel to easily produce more dramatic images of fireworks or night scenery in-camera. What’s more, the LUMIX GX9 also enables 4K Live Cropping in video recording to realize stable panning or zooming. In panning shots, users just set the viewing angle to begin and end with for smooth panning imagery without using special equipment like a slider. And in zooming, users can set the after-zoomed viewing angle firs to ensure the subject is perfectly in the frame. The imagery of zooming is smooth because it does not move the zoom lens physically.

The LUMIX GX9 includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi® connectivity for a more flexible shooting experience and instant image sharing with easy operation. Compatibility with Bluetooth 4.2 (Bluetooth Low Energy) enables consistent connection with a smartphone or tablet with minimum power consumption.

About motion picture recording / 4K Photo recording
– Use a card with SD Speed Class with “Class 4” or higher when recording motion pictures.
– Use a card with SD Speed Class with “UHS-I UHS Speed Class 3 (U3)” when recording motion pictures with [MP4] in [4K] or [4K PHOTO]. (SD speed class is the speed standard regarding continuous writing.)
– MP4 motion pictures with [MP4] in [FHD/30p] [FHD] [HD]: You can continue recording without interruption even if the file size exceeds 4 GB or 30 minutes in length, but the motion picture file will be divided and recorded/played back separately. – MP4 motion pictures with [MP4] in [4K]:
– When using an SDHC memory card: You can continue recording without interruption even if the file size exceeds 4 GB, but the motion picture file will be divided and recorded/played back separately.
– When using an SDXC memory card: You can record a motion picture in a single file. – When the ambient temperature is high or continuous recording is performed, the camera may stop the recording to protect itself. Wait until the camera cools down.

For [4K] video output, use an HDMI cable that has the HDMI logo on it, and that is described as “4K compatible.”

*1 Contrast AF with DFD Technology works only with Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lenses. *2 In AFS, at wide-end with H-FS14140 (CIPA).

Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9

Price
MSRP	$ 999 (w/12-60mm F3.5-5.6 lens)
Body type
Body type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution	5184 x 3888
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	20 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	22 megapixels
Sensor size	Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	Venus Engine
Color space	sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 200-25600 (expands down to 100)
Boosted ISO (minimum)	100
White balance presets	5
Custom white balance	Yes (4 slots)
Image stabilization	Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes	Dual IS uses sensor and lens-shift (when available)
CIPA image stabilization rating	4 stop(s)
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, standard
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.31) Raw (Panasonic RW2)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	Yes (2x-4x)
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	49
Lens mount	Micro Four Thirds
Focal length multiplier	2×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,240,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	1.39× (0.7× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder resolution	2,760,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	60 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/16000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Shutter priority Aperture priority Manual
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash range	6.00 m (at ISO 200)
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Flash modes	Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, forced on, forced on w/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync w/redeye reduction, forced off
Flash X sync speed	1/200 sec
Drive modes	Single Burst 4K Photo Post Focus Self-timer
Continuous drive	9.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs, 3 photos over 10 secs)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 20 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1280 x 720 @ 30p / 10 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I supported)
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging	Yes
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n with Bluetooth 4.2 LE
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	Lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	260
Weight (inc. batteries)	407 g (0.90 lb / 14.36 oz)
Dimensions	124 x 72 x 47 mm (4.88 x 2.83 x 1.85″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018

Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200/TZ200: First Impressions Review

Meet the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 / TZ200: the world’s furthest reaching pocketable 1″ -type camera. It sits beside the near-identical-looking ZS100 as the longer reaching model, providing a 24-360mm equiv. F3.3-6.4 zoom range compared to the 25-250mm equiv. F2.8-5.9 lens of the ZS100.

What’s cool about the ZS200 is its greater zoom range is achieved while barely increasing the size of the body (it’s 1mm thicker and 1mm taller than the ZS100), though the lens is nearly a half stop slower at the wide end, compared to its older sibling.

Both cameras use a 20.1MP 1″ -type sensor but the ZS200 gains a higher resolution 2.33M dot equiv. electronic viewfinder compared to the 1.7M dot LVF on the ZS100 (still field sequential, more on that later). Panasonic has also added low power Bluetooth connectivity, in addition to Wi-Fi. It also gains a 3cm macro mode (available on the wide end only), Panasonic’s L. Monochrome Photo Style, and a new highspeed 1080/120p video mode.

Key Features:

20.1MP 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor
F3.3-6.4 24-360mm equiv. zoom lens
2.33M dot LVF with 0.53x equiv. magnification
10 fps burst (AF-S), 6 fps burst (AF-C)
5-axis in-body stablization
UHD 4K/24/25/30p video
3″ touch LCD
Depth from Defocus AF
Wi-Fi and low power Bluetooth
4K Photo
USB charging

To put it simply the ZS200 seems to take the excellent pedigree of the ZS100 (one of our picks for best travel camera), makes some slight improvements and adds a longer, slightly slower lens. Combined, these two cameras fill a gap in the 1″ -type compact camera market, providing significant telephoto reach beyond that of other pocket friendly models, such as the Sony RX100 series.

Compared to its peers

Speaking of the RX100 series, here’s how the ZS200 stacks up in terms of specification to its peers.

	Panasonic DC-ZS200	Panasonic DMC-ZS100	Sony DSC- RX100 V	Sony DSC-RX100 IV	Canon G7 X Mark II
MSRP	$ 800	$ 700	$ 999	$ 899	$ 699
Lens range (equiv.)	24-360mm	25-350mm	24-70mm	24-70mm	24-100mm
Aperture range	F3.3-6.4	F2.8-5.9	F1.8-2.8	F1.8-2.8	F1.8-2.8
Autofocus	Contrast detection	Contrast detection	Phase detection	Contrast detection	Contrast detection
Viewfinder	2.3M-dot (field sequential)	1.7M-dot (field sequential)	2.36M-dot	2.36M-dot	No
Rear screen	Fixed	Fixed	Tilt up/down	Tilt up/down	Tilt up/down
Touch sensitive?	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Video capability	4K/30p 1080/120p	4K/30p 1080/60p	4K/30p 1080/120p	4K/30p 1080/120p	1080/60p
Burst Shooting	10 fps	10 fps	24 fps	16 fps	8 fps
Wifi, Bluetooth, NFC	Yes, Yes, No	Yes, No, No	Yes, No, Yes	Yes, No, Yes	Yes, No, Yes
Battery life (CIPA)	370	300	220	280	265

As you can see, the ZS200 matches up or beats its peers in some areas, like offering touch sensitivity and ample video capture options. But it also gets beat in others areas like maximum aperture range and burst speed. Though one thing worth calling out is the ZS200 features the best battery life of the bunch, something we look forward to confirming in real world testing.

We’ll also include an equivalent aperture vs equivalent focal length graph, comparing the ZS200 to its peers, as soon as we get a final version of the camera back in our office.

Pricing and availability

Available mid-March, the ZS200 can be yours for $ 800 in either black, or silver/gunmetal, shown here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Over the past few months, I’ve been testing out the features of Luminar. I’ve looked at the time-saving features that can help reduce your editing headaches. I’ve also played around with the AI filter to see how it holds up in quickly editing holiday photos and now it’s time to check Luminar’s capabilities when it comes to creating a retro look for your photos.

I wanted to know if Luminar would be quick, easy to use and create a look that tastefully gave my photos the look and feel of shooting with film.

Retro Look #1

To embark on this experiment, I studied some famous older photographs. My goal was to shoot a few images that paid tribute to the look and feel of old-school Hollywood. I saw this first image of Sophia Loren from the 1960’s and knew it was perfect. I love the style of dress from past eras and thought this would be a suitable project.

Sophia Loren Image

The goal was to create an image with a similar look and feel. I borrowed my friend Nahleen, she has some similar features to Sophia Loren. Once she agreed we set out to capture an image and then process for that 1960’s film look. Here’s the original image we took.

This is the original unedited photo.

It was shot outdoors on a cold and frosty December afternoon. Nahleen has some similar features to Sophia Loren but is by no means a carbon copy. Instead, I was more interested in attaining a photo in which the fur hood framed her face.

So now that we had captured the image, it was time to bring it into Luminar. I tried to make to make the conversion as simple and quick to complete as possible. I will admit that I tried several times with different settings, etc. until I found a look that I felt was similar to the Sophia Loren image.

The AI Filter was used to bring out some contrast in the image. The photo of Sophia Loren was quite sharp and also had a fairly contrasty look, so my first goal was to pull out the dark tones and brighten my lighter tones to match more closely.

The Accent slider made adjustments quickly and easily.

The B&W Workspace

I then used the B&W Workspace to guide my editing of the photo. I adjusted several sliders. The intention was to increase the contrast and create some fairly strong blacks.

The B&W Workspace comes equipped with a variety of filters all designed to help with black and white conversions.

Here are the settings I used.

Adding Film Grain

My final step was to add film grain. At first, I cranked up the amount of film grain. In this screenshot, you can see how strongly I adjusted it. I always like to adjust a setting by purposely using too much. Then I back off the amount until I find a nice balance.

Here you can see that I’ve adjusted the grain to a fairly heavy amount. For the final image, I backed off a bit.

The whole process was pretty quick. Once I found the right settings it didn’t take too long to recreate this retro look. The final photograph is dark and contrasty but also a little different from the original Sophia Loren shot.

The final image is cropped in closer. My use of film grain is also heavier than in the original Sophia Loren shot.

Retro Look #2

In this second shot, I used a photo from a recent photo shoot in which I was working with a young lady to create a portfolio of modeling images. The 10-hour photo session was created using a very basic budget, but we made sure to utilize a retro outfit for this article.

The bell bottoms and the fur jacket were both found at the thrift store, as was the backdrop. We were working a tight space with limited materials.

Here’s the original unedited file. It was shot in my living room. We used a very basic DIY type of set up.

Free Presets

For this shot, I decided to take advantage of Luminar’s free presets. There are lots of free presets available for download, and I was lucky enough to find a set of free analog-film looks.

Here’s a look at all the free presets available on the Luminar website.

Quick Clicks and Some Cloning

The look of this image was very easy to create with just a few simple adjustments. I chose a cross-processing look and then tweaked it to my liking. The accompanying texture was applied pretty heavily. I found that it was overwhelming the image. So I chose to back off the strength of the texture.

I also cropped the image slightly and applied the Orton Effect filter. It quickly smoothed the model’s skin, and I didn’t need to go in and do any retouching on her face. This saved me quite a lot of time.

Finally, I took the image into Photoshop, where I cloned and added a layer to fill in the areas around the outside where you could see my living room in the original shot.

The preset applied without any adjustments to the original settings.

I started to make some minor adjustment to the original settings found in the preset which included adjusting the saturation in cross-processing.

Here’s the split screen of the before and after views. I completed some cropping and clone stamping.

Plug in for Photoshop

Luminar also has the capability to clone and add layers, but I’ll be honest there’s a part of me that will forever remain loyal to Photoshop for completing these parts of the editing process. This is partly why I really like Luminar – it works as a plug-in for Photoshop as well. I can move back and forth between the two programs pretty seamlessly.

Here’s the final edited image.

Retro look #3

This is the original unedited file.

For this final shot, I decided to edit the image fully in Luminar. I started from scratch with a RAW file. The goal was to experiment with the full editing capabilities of Luminar. The intention was to create a sepia look image that felt like an older faded photograph.

To start, I opened the B&W Workspace. It contains all the tools I needed for this conversion. That means I didn’t have to search through the list of filters to find anything.

Next, I applied the orange filter, cropped the image and adjusted contrast. I also adjusted the black and white sliders and played around with the strength of this first filter. I did consider creating a color image with a faded look but decided to go with full black and white.

Here’s a look at the faded film style.

Split Toning

After making these adjustments, I started to experiment with the Split Toning sliders. I gave the image a more brownish tone. This step took some experimentation with saturation and various colors.

These are the sliders and colors I experimented with during editing.

After adding the split toning, it was time to add a vignette and film grain. Again I adjusted the grain so it was very heavy and then backed it off to a more suitable amount. The longest part of this whole process was finding a texture that I liked which I felt fit with the feel of the image I wanted to create. I tried several. Luminar comes with lots of free textures you can download. They all seemed to work quite nicely.

In the end, I chose a weathered-looking texture and used the brush tool to apply it to the image in varying amounts. I didn’t want a lot of heavy texture over her face. Here are the final results of my editing and experimentation. The image has a heavier texture application along with film grain and a stronger vignette. The B&W Workspace worked perfectly. It placed all the necessary tools right at my fingertips.

Experimenting with Different Textures

I tend to adjust the image quite strongly then slowly back off the effect until I find the treatment I like.

I played around with several different textures to create the old damaged photograph type of look.

Overlay option number two.

Overlay option number three.

The Finished Image

The final image includes the texture you see in the image above, but I backed it off quite a bit. Here are the results of the experiment. The application of the texture was reduced down to about 14. I didn’t want the effect to be as heavy-handed as in the image above.

In this final finished image, you can see the texture is most obvious around the edges. It’s a subtle texture called tattered that was available in the free downloads section of the Luminar webpage.

Your turn

Luminar comes equipped with a full array of filters that can help you to create a retro look for your images in both black and white and color. Give it a try, they have a 14-day free trial.

Disclaimer: Macphun, soon to be Skylum, is a dPS advertising partner.

The post How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar by Erin Fitzgibbon appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

February 13, 2018

Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 First Impressions Review and Sample Gallery

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 is a rangefinder-style Micro Four Thirds camera whose most recognizable feature is its tilting electronic viewfinder. The GX9 provides a healthy serving of new features and performance improvements over its predecessor, the GX8.

The most notable changes include the removal of the low-pass filter on the GX9’s 20MP sensor, 5-axis in-body image stabilization (up from 4-axis), slightly faster burst shooting and Bluetooth connectivity. The shutter unit has also been redesigned, with Panasonic claiming a 90% reduction in ‘shutter shock’ compared to the GX8. There’s also a built-in flash – something the GX8 lacked – as well as some tweaks to image processing.

Panasonic appears to have rearranged their lineup a bit, with the GX9 serving more as a midrange model than its predecessors, sitting alongside the DSLR-style DMC-G85. The price has come down to $ 999 with a kit lens, compared to $ 1199 for the GX8’s body alone. Alongside the price drop, some features found on the GX8 are now gone, such as weather-sealing. The EVF is smaller and battery life has dropped by about 25%, as well.

The GX9’s closest peers are the Fujifilm X-E3 and Sony’s a6300, both of which have 24MP APS-C sensors, hybrid autofocus systems (which the GX9 lacks) and 4K video capture.

* The 12-32mm lens pictured above is not the kit lens, which is the Panasonic Lumix G 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 OIS.

Key Specifications

20.3MP Four Thirds sensor with no low-pass filter
‘Dual IS’ 5-axis in-body image stabilization
Depth from Defocus contrast-detect AF
Tilting 2.76M-dot electronic viewfinder
3″ 1.24M-dot touchscreen display
6 fps burst shooting with continuous AF
4K UHD video capture at 30p
Built-in flash
Redesigned shutter mechanism with electromagnetic drive
New L. Monochrome D and Grain Effect color modes
Wi-Fi + Bluetooth

All-in-all that’s a pretty nice feature set, with the removal of the low-pass filter promising better resolution and the new shutter reducing the shutter shock which plagued its predecessor. Panasonic also added some new tricks to its 4K Photo mode that we’ll touch on later.

Compared to…

Now let’s take a look at how the GX9 not only compares to its predecessor but also how it stacks up against Fuji’s X-E3 and Sony’s a6300.

	Panasonic GX9	Panasonic GX8	Fujifilm X-E3	Sony a6300
MSRP	$ 999 (w/12-60mm lens)	$ 1199 (body only)	$ 1299 (w/18-55mm lens)	$ 999 (w/16-50mm lens)
Sensor	20MP Four Thirds (no OLPF)	20MP Four Thirds	24MP X-Trans APS-C	24MP APS-C
Image stabilization	5-axis (Dual IS)	4-axis (Dual IS)	Lens only	Lens only
ISO range (full)	100-25600		100-51200
AF system	Contrast-detect (DFD)		Hybrid	Hybrid
AF joystick	No		Yes	No
Burst rate (C-AF)	6 fps		8 fps
LCD	1.24M-dot tilting 3″ touchscreen	1.04M-dot fully articulating 3″ touchscreen	1.04M-dot fixed 3″ touchscreen	921k-dot tilting 3″ touchscreen
Viewfinder	2.76M-dot LCoS (tilting)	2.36M-dot OLED (tilting)	2.36M-dot OLED (fixed)
Viewfinder magnification	0.7x equiv.	0.77x equiv.	0.62x equiv.	0.71x equiv.
Built-in flash	Yes	No	Yes
Video	4K UHD @ 30p
Wi-Fi	Yes, w/BT	Yes	Yes, w/BT	Yes, w/NFC
Weather-sealed	No	Yes	No	Yes
Battery life	260 shots	340 shots	350 shots
Dimensions	124 x 72 x 47mm	133 x 78 x 63mm	121 x 74 x 43mm	120 x 67 x 49mm
Weight (CIPA)	450 g	487 g	337 g	404 g

The GX9 (left) is noticeably smaller than the GX8.

You can see that the differences between the GX9 and GX8 are a mixed bag. The GX9 loses the low-pass filter, get an extra axis (rotation) of image stabilization and adds Bluetooth and a flash. However, its viewfinder is smaller, body no longer weather-sealed and battery life has taken a turn for the worse. Speaking of viewfinders, Panasonic has gone back to a field sequential panel (a different technology than traditional LCD or OLED,) which some people may find distracting due to ‘color tearing’. The LCD is now tilting versus fully articulating, which some people may find as an upgrade, and others will not.

The 20MP Live MOS sensor on the GX8 is as high resolution as you’ll find on a Micro Four Thirds camera, though larger APS-C sensors perform a bit better at high sensitivities. Both the X-E3 and a6300 have hybrid (contrast + phase detect) autofocus systems, though Panasonic’s DFD system has performed quite well despite lacking phase-detection. The GX8 has higher resolution LCDs and an EVF that’s quite a bit bigger than the X-E3’s. Both the X-E3 and a6300 have faster burst rates and 35% higher battery life.

Accessories

Two accessories for the DC-GX9 really caught our eye, and would likely be placed in the shopping cart next to the camera if we bought one.

The GX9 shown with its optional DMW-HGR2 grip.

The GX9 doesn’t have a huge grip and we found ourselves really liking the available DMW-HGR2 grip. The grip protrudes quite a bit, so smaller hands might find it a bit too substantial, but those of us in the DPReview office who tried it had no complaints. The one downside is that it must be removed in order to access the battery and memory card compartment.

GX9 with optional DMW-EC5 eyecup.

If you find yourself shooting outdoors with the EVF then the DMC-EC5 eyecup is a must. Without the eyecup this reviewer found himself using his left hand to keep light out of the viewfinder, rather than bracing the camera for stability, and for $ 19, buying it is a no-brainer. Getting at the diopter correction knob can be a bit challenging with it attached, though.

Pricing and Availability

The DC-GX9 will begin shipping in early March at a price of $ 999 with the Panasonic Lumix G 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 OIS lens. (Keep in mind that the GX8 launched at $ 1199, body only.) Other regions will likely have other kits available.

Color choices include black or silver.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018

RED and Foxconn want to produce affordable 8K cameras for the general public

Photo by Jakob Owens

The head of iPhone manufacturer Foxconn has said that the company is working with RED Digital Cinema to build top quality video cameras at a third of current prices. Speaking at a company party at the weekend, Chairman Terry Gou announced that the two companies are already in talks with the aim of producing cameras:

…that will shoot professional-quality films in 8K resolution but at only a third of current prices and a third of current camera sizes.

Foxconn assembles over 70% of Apple’s iPhones, which accounts for 50% of its business, but the company wants to diversify into areas with a better profit margin, according to a report from Nikki Asian Review. Its acquisition of Sharp’s semiconductor business will give Foxconn the chance to manufacture critical components for digital cameras and displays, including chip technologies that go into image sensors.

The company already has a working relationship with RED, and builds and assembles ASIC/front-end LSI circuits for the movie camera maker, according to EOSHD.

Within a few years we might see this powerful combination challenging Panasonic and Sony for space in the enthusiast-level 8K handheld video camera market. It’s still a ways out, but that would be interesting!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018
US Navy confirms: Combat camera units will be eliminated over budget issues

The U.S. Navy has confirmed that it will eliminate a pair of combat camera (COMCAM) units. Confirmation was given by the Pentagon’s Navy spokesperson Lt. Lauren Chatmas to the Navy Times, which reported last week about the Navy’s plans to eliminate the units by October 1st.

The U.S. Navy has two COMCAM units, one called Expeditionary Combat Camera, the other called Fleet Combat Camera. Both units will be eliminated because of budget constraints, according to Chatmas’s statement:

…difficult decisions were made in order to ensure the resourcing of critical mission areas that support Navy’s expeditionary operations. Other expeditionary mission areas took precedence over COMCAM. Therefore, as an overall cost savings measure, the decision was made to provide this capability to the fleet from the existing Navy Public Affairs Support Element command.

Sources expanded on that statement to Navy Times, claiming that COMCAM budget cuts in fiscal year 2017 decreased funding by 60%, and was joined by a declining workload. Officials reportedly decided to eliminate the COMCAM units entirely when working out the fiscal year 2019 budget, having failed in 2017 to consolidate the two units into a single COMCAM unit.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018
Leica unveils limited edition Leica Q ‘Snow’ inspired by an Olympic snowboarder

A new, white version of the Leica Q full-frame compact camera has been announced that was inspired by Olympic snowboarder and photographer Iouri Podladtchikov. The ‘Snow’ edition will be limited to only 300 units worldwide, and will cost $ 5,395/£4300.

As with most Leica special editions, on the inside, this camera will be exactly the same as the standard Q. What differentiates it is the special white leather trim and anodized silver top plate, base plate and control dials.

A white leather case and strap complete the ‘Snow’ theme:

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Speaking about the special edition camera, Podladtchikov says the white finish doesn’t only reflect the snow he is so closely associated with:

‘White, for me, also means ‘carte blanche’ – it’s up to you. It’s time to get creative’.

The Swiss Olympic gold medalist and world champion is also a keen photographer, and intends to open his own photographic studio. He was due to compete in the current Winter Olympics in Korea, but had to pull out after sustaining an injury at the 2018 X Games.

The Leica Q ‘Snow’ will be available starting in March. For more information, read the full press release below, or visit the Leica website.

Press Release

Leica Q ‘Snow’ by Iouri Podladtchikov

The Swiss Olympic gold medallist and dedicated Leica photographer designs a special edition of the iconic Leica Q

Wetzlar, 12 February 2018 – Leica Camera AG presents a new version of its high- performance compact camera with full-frame sensor and fast prime lens: the Leica Q ‘Snow’ by Iouri Podladtchikov. This limited edition has been created in collaboration with Swiss Olympic gold medallist, World Champion snowboarder (halfpipe) Iouri Podladtchikov, whose own ideas inspired the design of the camera.

The Leica Q ‘Snow’ by Iouri Podladtchikov is based on the coloured version of the Leica Q with a silver anodised top deck and baseplate and controls on the top deck in silver. The design concept also features a new accessory shoe cover made from aluminium. The highlights of the special edition include the pure white trim in premium real leather that gives it its name. The edition is also strictly limited to only 300 pieces for the worldwide market, each of which bears a special serial number.

In the words of the dedicated Leica photographer: “As a brand ambassador, it’s a fascinating feeling to have inspired a special edition of a camera, but I also see it as an enormous responsibility”. Interestingly, his choice of the colour white doesn’t just relate to snow – perhaps the obvious choice for a snowboarder: “White, for me, also means ‘carte blanche’ – it’s up to you. It’s time to get creative” explains, Iouri Podladtchikov, who has already published two books of his photography and will soon be opening his own studio.

The Leica Q ‘Snow’ by Iouri Podladtchikov is presented as a set complete with a case in soft white leather and a colour-matched carrying strap and will be available from March 2018 for £4,300 (including VAT).

The technical specifications of the Leica Q ‘Snow’ by Iouri Podladtchikov are identical to those of standard model of the Leica Q. Thanks to its particularly fast Leica Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens, the camera is perfect for photography in low light, for street photography, architecture and landscapes. To allow for reliable control of subject composition, the Leica Q also features an integrated viewfinder with a resolution of 3.68 MP. Even the finest details of every exposure are displayed without any perceptible lag as soon as the camera is brought up to the user’s eye.

All functions of the camera are clearly laid out and logically placed to guarantee perfect ergonomics. Its clear and logical menu concept provides rapid access to all essential functions and enables users to programme personalised settings.

The Leica Q also delivers video recordings in full-HD quality. Depending on the scene and subject, users can choose between 30 and 60 full frames per second for video recording in MP4 format. The camera also features an integrated Wi-Fi module for wireless transmission of still pictures and video and remote control by WLAN from a smartphone or a tablet with the Leica Q App.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018
Sony’s huge 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens spotted at the 2018 Winter Olympics

A post shared by Andrea Photographer-Explorer (@andrea_pizzini_photographer) on Feb 12, 2018 at 2:35am PST

The gigantic Sony 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens announced as ‘in development’ back in October 2017 has allegedly been spotted IRL at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

A photo that claims to show the un-released lens—covered in tape to hide telltale markings, of course—was shared by the Photosthelife blog (here it is translated) and later on Instagram by SonyAlphaRumors. This appears to be the first image of the 400mm lens, whose rumored price tag will very likely tip the scales around ten grand, just like the Canon and Nikon versions of the same lens.

In its announcement last year, Sony explained that the new lens would “deliver a new elevated shooting experience for all professional sports” photographers, among others. The Olympics presents a great opportunity to put the lens to the test in an incredibly challenging environment, so it makes sense that Sony would be testing it out there.

Unfortunately, additional details—such as how many of these lenses are actually being tested in the wild, and by whom—aren’t public.

Sony says it plans to release the 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens in Summer 2018. Until then, this blurry picture will just have to hold all of those Sony a9 owners over.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018
Google strikes deal with Getty, will remove direct image links from search

Getty Images has announced a licensing deal with Google that resolves a 2016 lawsuit filed by the photo agency against the Internet giant. The lawsuit accused Google of “promoting piracy” by linking to high-resolution copyrighted images without watermarks, enabling anyone to save and use the images without paying the related fee.

At the heart of the issue was Google Image Search, and how it directly links to high-resolution images found in articles and other online destinations. Because the high-resolution images could be readily found on Google Images, users had little motivation to hunt down the proper image source. This resulted in many “accidental pirates” infringing image copyrights, the lawsuit claims.

To settle the matter, Getty and Google have jointly announced a new multi-year agreement last week, with Getty’s CEO Dawn Airey explaining that Getty “will license our market leading content to Google, working closely with them to improve attribution of our contributors’ work and thereby growing the ecosystem.” That, unfortunately, is as far as official details go.

Fortunately, The Verge elaborated on the agreement, reporting that Google will start removing direct links to image URLs and more prominently displaying copyright disclaimer—good news for all photographers and photo agencies, assuming this practice will go beyond images licensed by Getty.

Getty Images has formally withdrawn its legal complaint against Google.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2018
5 Reasons Why You Might Want to Try Black and White Photography

There are different schools of thought when it comes to black and white photography. Some believe it was a technical limitation of the past that you need to get over and move on. While others see it as a creative choice, that needs to be explored in great depths.

As camera technology gets better, with more emphasis on improved color ranges, why would you choose to shoot or process your images in black and white? In this article, we’ll look at five reasons why you might want to shoot or convert your images to black and white.

1. B&W Helps you see differently

The old “Masters” of photography shot in black and white initially, because they had no choice. Even with the advent of Kodachrome, which introduced the world to color photography, there was still a pursuance of black and white. This was because black and white was (and still is by some people) seen as photography in its the purest form.

When you remove color the emphasis shifts to the other compositional elements of the image. These include lines, shape and texture, contrasts and tones.

With this in mind, it is obvious that not all images will translate well to black and white. So, look at all the elements and deduce what else you have to work with, besides color.

Many times black and white helps you develop a different perspective from what you are used to seeing, which nurtures your photographic eye.

2. B&W Eliminates distractions

You are used to seeing the world in color and there nothing is wrong with that view. Sometimes this contributes to other elements or details being lost or taken for granted. Some of the elements (highlighted before) required for a great photo include contrast, texture, lighting, shape, and form.

When you shoot for black and white, you challenge yourself to remove the distraction of color. These include color casts and differences in color temperature (ambient light sources), as well as specific colorful elements that are strong, which may reside in the background or take away from your story.

Monochromatic imagery forces you to focus on form, shape, and texture while composing. If your emphasis is on making colors work together, these elements are sometimes overlooked. With black and white, distracting colors are now translated into shades of gray that add to your image.

3. B&W Offers creative choice

Since your world is in color, it is safe to say that color photography depicts reality and is more realistic. Thus, black and white photography is viewed as a rendition of reality – or how you interpret what you see.

When you remove color, you not only isolate the different elements, you are compelled to find how they relate to each other. This helps you explore and create different ways to tell your story.

When you take away color, you remove what your viewer is used to seeing. Now you are charged with finding the stronger elements in the scene and figuring out how to use them to convey what you want to depict.

4. Adds emotion or mood

Something about the variance of tonal ranges, rich blacks, and deep contrasts appeal to us psychologically. It creates a connection that makes you stop and pay attention to what is being presented.

Many photographers use black and white for storytelling in travel and street photography, as well as when portraying religious or cultural activities. Monochrome in some genres connects, enhances and strengthens emotions and mood.

5. Timelessness

Even though this is lower on the list, it is one of the more common reasons why some photographers shoot in black and white. Monochromatic photography adds what is seen as a timeless quality to your images.

Black and white photos seem to transcend reality and take you back to a time gone by. Historically there were color schemes that were specific to types of film or trends in digital photography that can date your image. The removal of color makes it tougher to figure out when the image was taken/produced.

Bonus

You no longer have to imagine what your scene will look like in black and white, as current camera technology allows you to try this on the spot and see if it works. While some photographers prefer to shoot in black and white, others prefer to shoot in color and then process or convert their images to black and white to get a different or better tonal range.

Note: If you shoot RAW format and set your camera to its version of the monochrome setting, you will see a black and white preview on the LCD when you review your images. But you will still have all the color data available in the RAW file at the post-processing stage. This gives you the best of both worlds – a quick b/w preview and ability to convert later.

This image was shot in black and white using the camera’s monochrome settting.

This image was shot in color and then converted to black and white in the processing stage.

Conclusion

While black and white photography still has an important role in photography, please note that not all subjects translate well to this mode. Even though a strong composition is not color dependent, sometimes the power of the photo is its color. This is why it is good to know when to use black and white.

If you are interested in pursuing the monochromatic, look for the other elements of composition like texture, shape, form, lines, and contrast. Experiment with shooting and processing black and white images and figure out which resonates with you more.

The post 5 Reasons Why You Might Want to Try Black and White Photography by Nisha Ramroop appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

February 13, 2018