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Samyang Unveils an 85mm f/1.4 Full Frame Lens for Canon EF

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Jun 192018

Samyang has just announced its new Samyang/Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 full frame autofocus lens for Canon EF-mount cameras. The announcement comes just one week after the company unveiled its new 24mm f/2.8 lens.

The lens is the equivalent of a 136mm when mounted on a Canon crop sensor APS-C camera.

Thanks to its internal design and technologies such as a Hybrid Aspherical element, the 85mm measures less than 3 inches long and is lightweight for its focal length (17oz/482g). The features (including Ultra Multi-Coating) also help reduce and control distortion and aberrations.

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Canon’s Next 18-55mm Kit Lens May Have a Built-In LCD Screen

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Jun 192018

It looks like electronic info displays are becoming a new norm for camera lenses. A new patent filed by Canon suggests that the company’s next 18-55mm kit lens will feature an LCD display.

New Camera first spotted the new Canon patent (JP2018005130A) for aberration reduction in an interchangeable lens. Within the document is an illustration showing what appears to be the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS III kit lens, and one of the reference indicators is for a “lens information display.”

The info display is found next to the AF/MF and IS ON/OFF toggle switches.

Zeiss kicked off the idea of sticking electronic displays on lenses with the Batis series back in April 2015.

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Zeiss Accuses Samyang of Stealing Its Lens Designs

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Jun 132018

The renowned German lens maker Carl Zeiss has accused the South Korean lens maker Samyang of copying its designs. As a result, the Samyang lenses at the center of the dispute are being pulled by distributors and retailers.

The Swedish website Monitor reports that the Samyang Premium XP 50mm f/1.2 and 85mm f/1.2 lenses are the ones Zeiss has issues with.

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MIOPS Capsule360: The World’s ‘Most Compact and Versatile Motion Box’

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Jun 132018

The camera triggering company MIOPS has just announced the Capsule360, a new app-controlled motion box that the company claims is the world’s “most compact and versatile motion box ever created.” It’s one motion system that aims to do it all.

Compatible with any DSLR camera, mirrorless camera, or smartphone, the Capsule360 can do pans, tilts, slides, custom movements, subject/star tracking, and 360-degree photography.

“For those filmmakers and stills photographers who want to go further than ever before with their projects, the MIOPS Capsule360 is the ideal companion,” MIOPS says.

The Capsule360 has 3 axes of motion: it can do pans straight out of the box, tilts with the optional L-Bracket, and slides with the Capsule Slider accessory.

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Canon Announces EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II Lenses [Update: Pre-Order Now]

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Jun 072018

Tonight, Canon announced the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM lenses. These both include the latest technologies in their categories for improved performance within one of the most popular zoom ranges around.

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III lens features an Air Sphere Coating (ASC) for better flaring and ghosting control. Other features include the Optical Image Stabilizer with up to 3.5 stops of correction, fluorine coating on front and rear elements to help reduce smears and fingerprints, an inner focusing system with Ring Ultrasonic Motor (USM), one fluorite lens and five UD lenses that help to provide high-image quality, a minimum focusing distance of 1.2m (3.9ft), and a circular eight-blade aperture. This lens features 23 elements in 19 groups.

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Drone Comparison: New Parrot Anafi vs. DJI Mavic Air

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Jun 072018

Parrot just announced a new drone that may be able to challenge DJI’s domination in the hobby market. Let’s take a look at the specifications and check if the French manufacturer can take on the Chinese leader.

Size, Weight and Speed

The two drones are fighting in the similar lightweight category but the Anafi is lighter than the Mavic air at 374 grams versus 430 grams. It can be a curse or a blessing. Lighter drones tend to sustain less damage in case of crash but more weight also helps to stabilize the frame.

The Mavic Air wins the top speed category (42mph) but the Anafi is not too far behind (33mph). The key factor is to determine the maximum usable speed because the sport mode on DJI drones is not very good to record video (propellors in the field of view, limited stabilization) but it can help to fly back against strong winds.

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The Camera You Should Want: Fstoppers Reviews the Sony a7 III

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Jun 072018

Sony has been making waves with the a7R III and a9, but a lot of photographers don’t need those crazy levels of resolution and frame rates. Instead, they look for a quality camera that can do almost anything asked of it at a reasonable price. The Sony a7 III may just be that camera, with an awesome feature set, excellent performance, and an aggressively competitive price. Check out our full review.

Key Specifications

24-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor
693 phase detection AF points with 93 percent frame coverage
ISO range: 100-51,200 (expandable to 50-204,800)
UHD 4K 30p with HLG and S-Log3 Gammas (6K oversampling at 24p and 5K oversampling with 1.2x crop at 30p)
2.36-million dot OLED EVF
3-inch, 922,000-dot tilting touchscreen
5-Axis SteadyShot Stabilization
Continuous rate: 10 fps
Buffer: 89 raw, 177 JPEG
Dynamic range: 15 stops
Built-In Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Anti-flicker mode
Dual SD slots
USB 3.0 Type-C port
Magnesium alloy chassis with weather-sealing
Battery life: 710 shots

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DJI Mavic Air vs. Mavic Pro Footage Comparison

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May 282018

After our hands-on with the Mavic Air in Monaco earlier this year, it was time to put the Mavic Air up against its older brother, the Mavic Pro, and compare the footage. Which footage holds up better?

Does the Mavic Air Make Superior Images?

The irony about new technology is often that newer generations are simply better, even in a model that sits in a lower price bracket than a predecessor that is still in the market. And this is exactly what we are seeing with the new Mavic Air, which I took for a hands-on spin at their press event in Monaco earlier this year (watch the video here). The Mavic Air is a classic example for this conundrum that many manufacturers face, unless they want to artificially strip newer technology off of some of the features of older, but “higher end” version of their products (C200, cough-cough!).

Leica Finally Discontinues the Last Numbered M Series Film Camera

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May 282018

While film has long been outpaced by digital, a few iconic films and camera have stuck around after the industry transitioned, one of the most notable being the Leica M7. Now, the last vestige of the film side of the iconic numbered M Series has been discontinued.

The Leica M Series has found its way into the hands of numerous top photographers over the years and has been one of the most recognizable set of cameras in and out of the photography world. Leica brought it into the digital age with the M8 in 2006, but the M7, the last film model in the series, has hung around since its introduction in 2002.

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When the Sony a7S III Is Announced, What Features Are Make or Break?

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May 282018

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z97p00uQ3Ik

Each day that passes is another day closer to the announcement of the Sony a7S III. We all know it’s coming, but what new features should it have?

In September 2015, Sony announced the a7S II sporting a groundbreaking sensor specializing in low light videography. As time went on, other companies introduced very competitive alternatives that either matched or exceeded many of the a7S II’s video specifications. Personally, I think it’s a little uncharacteristic for the Sony of the past few years give their competitors enough time to catch up. But what this may mean in the end is that they have something worth waiting for.

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Canon Is Announcing Multiple New 70-200mm Lenses Soon [Rumor]

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May 172018

The Canon 70-200mm lens lineup contains some of the company’s best and most popular lenses. Nonetheless, with several of the lenses hovering around the decade mark in age, it may be about time to upgrade them. Thankfully, word has it that that’s exactly what Canon will be doing in short time.

The good folks at Canon Rumors are reporting that Canon is planning on replacing both the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses soon, with an announcement likely coming early next month. The site is quite certain, saying they can “100 percent confirm” the f/4’s update to a Mark II version and “95 percent confirm” the f/2.8’s update to a Mark III version, which would be the second Mark III lens in Canon’s lineup (the first being the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III). Both are excellent lenses, but the f/2.8L was released in 2010 and the f/4L was released in 2006, and with their status as essential lenses (particularly the larger aperture version) and sensor resolutions pushing higher and higher, an update would surely be welcome, particularly considering the inroads third party manufacturers have made in the intervening years.

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Meyer Optik Goerlitz Primoplan 58mm and 100mm Manual Primes: Smooth to the Touch

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May 172018

As a photographer, your camera body is only half the battle. Lenses play a supreme role in deciding overall image quality. Today I got a chance to work with two new manual lenses from Meyer Optik Goerlitz, the Primoplan 58mm f/1.9 and the Trioplan 100mm f/2.8.

Unboxing

OK, I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of the latest trend of gear unboxing videos that have entered the world. Either they make me want to buy a new piece of gear that I don’t really need or they just make me wonder aloud, “Why am I spending 20 minutes of my life watching someone I don’t know, describe a product I can’t afford, and enjoy a benefit I am not getting?” But even old bitter me will admit that opening up the Meyer Optik Goerlitz lenses even made me consider making a video of my own.

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Skydio R1 – Impressive Fully Autonomous 4K Drone

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May 032018

The California-based startup Skydio has introduced a fully autonomous drone named Skydio R1. Its development took 4 years. The R1 is an artificial intelligence-powered quadcopter capable of shooting 4K video of a subject and maneuvering complex environments entirely on its own. It uses 13 onboard cameras and vision-based computer system to actually see the obstacles and avoid them while following and filming the desired subject.

There were initiatives to make autonomous drones before. We still remember the sad story behind the autonomous drone Lilly, which never made it in production. It is obviously quite a challenging task to design a drone that can safely fly in busy and changing environments. Skydio seems to have succeeded with the R1. Interesting fact is that their first batch of drones called “the frontier edition” is being assembled directly in their facility in the USA. The company did not say anything about outsourcing their production to China yet.

The Skydio R1 does not come with a controller. It can be controlled with a smartphone using the Skydio mobile app. Since this is an autonomous drone, users will not need the controls so often though. Mostly only take-off and landing of the drone are being managed through the app. Furthermore users can see video previews of footage there or control how the drone captures that footage with presets like:

follow – drone follows and films the subject from behind
side – drone films the subject from the side
lead – drone films its subject from the front
tripod – drone hovers at one place and turns to have the subject in the picture
orbit – drone circles around the subject to create 360-degree shots

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SmallHD Wireless Monitors – FOCUS Bolt TX and RX

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May 032018

At NAB 2018, SmallHD showed off new wireless versions of their popular 5″ FOCUS monitor and we spoke with the company Co-Founder, Wes Phillips, to get all the details. Like the Bolt 703, SmallHD has merged their FOCUS 5-inch monitor with Teradek’s wireless capabilities and the results could be welcome news for directors or for clients looking for portable field monitor solutions.

We already covered the announcement of the transmitter and receiver versions of the FOCUS Bolt, but we thought it would be useful to catch up with SmallHD Co-Founder, Wes Phillips, and see the product for ourselves. After going hands on with the new monitors it appears that the FOCUS Bolt TX and RX are among the lightest wireless monitor/receiver solutions available. Shipping along with the 5-inch FOCUS touchscreen are the lightweight grippy monitor handles and a Sony L series battery. Of course, you can also power the monitors with a D-Tap cable.

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Review: Anthem One Could Be the Next Great LED Light to Save Your Production Big Bucks

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May 032018

Anthem is a new company. So we didn’t know what to expect when we sat down with their new LED light that promises to far outlast any HMI while promising the implied savings that could drive down production costs.

The Anthem One isn’t just any continuous LED light source. Every aspect has been designed to perform at its highest level. Heat is the enemy of long-lasting LEDs, so Anthem designed their debut light system to dissipate heat better than other lights do.

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What Nikon F to Sony E Adapter Is the Best Choice?

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May 022018

If you are a Nikon user thinking about making the switch to Sony cameras, you probably wonder what adapter could help you make a smooth and cheap transition by keeping your precious glass. In this video, Matt Granger shows you the different adapters available for you and which one is the best — or the less bad.

Switching from one camera manufacturer to another is always a pain because of all the lenses accumulated that must be replaced. It can be difficult to sell them, and it’s not rare to lose a bit of money along the way. With the mirrorless systems, what’s great is the possibility of using adapters to keep the glass from our current system. Many Canon users have had a smooth transition by doing so, but we hear less Nikon users telling similar stories.

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Get a Great Deal on the Spyder5PRO Display Calibration System Today Only

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Apr 162018

One of the best ways to ensure your photos come out as well as possible is to use a display calibrator to make sure your monitor is both the correct brightness and is displaying accurate colors. Today only, you can take almost half off a Spyder5PRO Display Calibration System.

The Spyder5PRO Display Calibration System is a popular choice and great way to keep your displays calibrated. Not only does this ensure consistency across multiple displays, it helps to make sure you’re seeing the colors and brightness you think you’re seeing, so your edits and prints come out the way you envisioned.

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Transform Your DJI Drone in a Handheld Gimbal With This Accessory by PolarPro

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Apr 122018

Everyone I know who shoots video dreams to own a gimbal if they don’t already. But did you know that if you have a drone, you actually already own a gimbal that you can use to shoot anything?

The role of the gimbal is to keep something horizontal no matter what. When flying a drone, it’s quite essential to maintain the camera stable and avoid any movement due to external elements or when flying it aggressively. However, a drone can also record videos and take pictures while on the ground. This means you can use it as a camera and take advantage of its gimbal to make super steady shots even if you don’t own a stabilizer for your bigger DSLR.

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This Adapter Lets You Mount Any Giant Lens On Your Tiny Smartphone

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Apr 122018

Want to mount a giant camera lens onto your smartphone? The Chinese company Cinematic International Company Limited has created a single universal adapter just for you. It lets you mount most lenses out there to pretty much any smartphone. You can see a glimpse of it in action in the 2-minute video above by No Film School.

Cinematics International Company Limited is a Shenzhen, China-based company that has been manufacturing photography equipment out of its own factory for over a decade now. It was showing off its new lens-to-smartphone adapter at NAB 2018 in Las Vegas, which is where No Film School came across it.

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Fujifilm Unveils 250mm f/4 Lens and 1.4x Teleconverter for GFX System

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Apr 122018

Fujifilm today announced a new 250mm f/4 telephoto prime lens and a 1.4x teleconverter for its GFX medium format system (which currently consists of the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera).

Fujinon 250mm f/4 R LM OIS WR Lens

The Fujinon GF 250mm f/4 has a rugged, lightweight magnesium alloy barrel that resists dust and weather, and it is capable of functioning in temperatures as low as 14°F/-10°C. On the front of the lens is a fluorine coating that resists water and dirt.

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