Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II and TZ95 – New Bridge and Travel Cameras Announced

 Cinematography, Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II and TZ95 – New Bridge and Travel Cameras Announced
Feb 182019
 

Panasonic releases two new LUMIX consumer cameras – the LUMIX FZ1000 II and the LUMIX TZ95. The FZ1000 II is a 1-inch sensor bridge camera with a 16x telephoto zoom lens and a flip-out touchscreen. The LUMIX TZ95 is a new compact travel zoom camera with a very small body, 1/2.3-inch sensor, 30x zoom telephoto lens and a tilting LCD. Both cameras record 4K UHD video at up to 30fps. Ready for pre-order now.

Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II

The first generation FZ1000 was introduced already five years ago. Now the time has come to release its successor – the FZ1000 II. It is a bridge camera, meaning it has a rather bulky form with an ergonomic grip and a built-in long range lens. In other words – it is a fixed lens ultrazoom camera that looks like a DSLR.

The camera incorporates a 1-inch 20.1 megapixel CMOS sensor with 5-axis Hybrid O.I.S.+ (optical image stabilizer). The sensor should have improved lowlight capabilities, thanks to its high signal-to-noise ratio. Video recording is possible in 4K UHD (3840×2160) resolution at 30/25/24p. In the official press release, there was no information about 1080p modes, codec or bitrate. There is a 4K photo function, which can help users choose the best photo (frame) from a 30fps burst. Other 4K photo functions include Post Focus, Focus Stacking and the ability to combine multiple images for a “stromotion” effect.

Read More:

cinema5D

~

Fujifilm Unveils the XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR Lens

 Cinematography, Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Fujifilm Unveils the XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR Lens
Feb 182019
 

Fujifilm has announced the new XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR, a wide-angle prime lens for APS-C sensors that’s the equivalent to a 24mm lens in 35mm terms.

The weather-and-dust-resistant lens features an internal focusing system and a stepping motor that provide fast and quiet autofocusing.

Read More:

petapixel

~

New FUJIFILM X-T30 Released – The X-T3’s Little Brother is Here

 Cinematography, Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on New FUJIFILM X-T30 Released – The X-T3’s Little Brother is Here
Feb 142019
 

Today FUJIFILM released their new X-T30 mirrorless camera with APS-C sized sensor. While housed in a more compact and more lightweight body than its bigger brother, the X-T30 sport the same sensor, the same processor and the same film simulations from the X-T3. Even F-log is on board!


The new FUJIFILM X-T30 comes in three colors. The one in the middle is called “charcoal silver”

FUJIFILM X-T30

This new model isn’t part of FUJIFILM’s premier league of mirrorless cameras. Its two-digit name puts it in the second devision, yet the pure specs speak another language: 4K 25p/30p, F-log, 4:2:2 10-bit output, FullHD 100p/120p @ 200Mpbs. Not bad! There’s a downside though as the recording times are pretty limited:

  • C4K (4096×2160) // 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 10min
  • 4K UHD (3840×2160) // 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 10min
  • Full HD (2048 ×1080) // 59.94p/50p/29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 15min.
  • Full HD (1920×1080) // 59.94p/50p/29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 15min.
  • Full HD (1920×1080) // 120p／100p // 200Mbps // up to approx. 6min.

Read More:

cinema5D

~

Micro Four Thirds Versus Full Frame: How Much Heavier Is Panasonic’s S1?

 Cinematography, Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Micro Four Thirds Versus Full Frame: How Much Heavier Is Panasonic’s S1?
Feb 102019
 

For those of us that like shooting on a mirrorless camera, we’ve probably become accustomed to the lightweight and easy to manage cameras. So are the S1 and S1R a step too far on the scales?

Now that Panasonic are entering the full-frame mirrorless market, they’ve created the heaviest camera of the bunch. The S1 weighs 2.25 pounds, with the S1R weighing basically the same at 2.24 pounds. Out of the competition, it’s only the Sony a9 that comes close with 1.48 pounds. All of this is with the battery inside the camera. Here’s a breakdown:

Read More:

fstoppers

~

Canon EOS RP Revealed in Leaked Photos and Specs

 Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Canon EOS RP Revealed in Leaked Photos and Specs
Feb 072019
 

Canon is gearing up to announce its second full-frame mirrorless camera following the EOS R. It you can’t wait for the official announcement just around the corner, today’s your lucky day: the upcoming Canon EOS RP has been revealed in leaked photos and specs.

From the photos, we see that the RP isn’t just the same R body with modified specs and features. We can see that the design and form factor are noticeably different (and the RP is smaller):

To scale: a size comparison between the EOS RP (left) and EOS R (right).

Nokishita, which first published the photos, reports that the Canon EOS RP will feature a 26.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with Dual Pixel CMOS AF and a DIGIC 8 image processor.

Read More:

petapixel

~

Fujifilm X-T30 Leaked Photos Show New Joystick

 Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Fujifilm X-T30 Leaked Photos Show New Joystick
Feb 072019
 

Fujifilm appears to be gearing up to announce the successor to the X-T20, and purported photos of the X-T30 have leaked onto the Web.

The Japanese camera rumor site Nokishita posted the photos today after receiving them from overseas sources.

Read More:

petapixel

~

Sony a6400 Review – Is the End of Manual Focus Lenses Near?

 Cinematography, Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Sony a6400 Review – Is the End of Manual Focus Lenses Near?
Feb 032019
 

With the introduction of the Sony a6400, I had a chance to take the new camera for a short spin and after playing with it for a bit, I made up my mind. Sony’s latest offering is very different and interesting, BUT, is it worth the upgrade from its a6300 and a6500 siblings? (Same sensor but enhanced image processing engine). Is it really a Vlogger’s camera? What is its strongest selling point and last but not least, what is the real reason for Sony to introduce this camera in my personal opinion? Interested? Keep reading.

It is the middle of January. My short (and yet to be disclosed) assignment in Japan is almost over but before going back home, I’m lucky enough to put my hands on the new Sony a6400 to take it for a short spin. At first, my plan was to shoot a short documentary with it and by doing so, explore its video capabilities, but after noticing that most features and even technical specifications are very similar to the Sony a6300 and a6500 (which I reviewed and tested before), I decided to scrap my original plan and concentrate on testing a single feature, the one that captured my attention most.

Read More:

cinema5d

~

Panasonic hints at a future entry-level full-frame camera, by Phil Hall

 Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Panasonic hints at a future entry-level full-frame camera, by Phil Hall
Jan 042019
 

We know Panasonic is launching its professional-focused Lumix S1 and S1R full-frame cameras this year, but it looks like we could see a more affordable entry-level model as well.

In a wide-ranging interview with DPReview.com, the President of Panasonic’s Imaging Network Business Division, Yosuke Yamane, was questioned on whether the new full-frame S series will grow to include entry-level products.

Yamane responded that “the first generation will be specialized for professionals, but in the future, of course we’re also aiming to attract entry-level users”.

It appears, though, that for now the priority is to appeal to professionals, with Yamane stating that “our image to professional users is very important. That’s why we’re attacking this segment [initially]”.

Yamane also discussed aspects of the philosophy behind Panasonic’s first full-frame mirrorless cameras, from why the company chose to enter the sector to its decisions regarding the size of its cameras. 

Read More:

~

Sony a7/R III Firmware v2 Unlocks All AF Modes for Adapted Lenses

 Gear, Mirrorless  Comments Off on Sony a7/R III Firmware v2 Unlocks All AF Modes for Adapted Lenses
Dec 032018
 

Two months ago, Sony released a major firmware version for its popular a7 III and a7R III mirrorless cameras. Version 2.0 brought new features and improvements… including the ability for a wide range of adapted lenses to make use of all the camera’s autofocus modes.

The update “Adds support for Zone, Expand Flexible Spot, and Lock-on AF focus areas when using the LA-EA3 mount adaptor,” Sony writes.

Sony specifically mentioned the LA-EA3 mount adapter, which is designed to let photographers use Sony A-mount lenses on E-mount cameras. But it seems the new feature goes well beyond that use case and includes all lenses, according to DPReview.

Read More:

petapixel

~

Fujifilm says it will ‘never’ launch a full-frame mirrorless camera, by Trevor Mogg

 Gear, Mirrorless, News  Comments Off on Fujifilm says it will ‘never’ launch a full-frame mirrorless camera, by Trevor Mogg
Oct 242018
 

Nikon finally dove in. And so did Canon. But it appears that launching a full-frame mirrorless camera is not for Fujifilm.

The Japanese camera maker has enjoyed huge success with its line of mirrorless cameras, though none of them are full-frame devices. Indeed, Fujifilm has said in the past that it doesn’t plan on launching such a camera, and will focus its efforts instead on its X-Series (APS-C crop sensor) and GFX (medium format) systems.

But in a recent interview with DPReview, the company — to the surprise of some and perhaps to the disappointment of many — went out of its way to state that it will “never” release a full-frame mirrorless camera.

Read More:

~