equipment – Photography

2019-06-19

Two Issues I Had with the Leica Q2 in the 1st Month: Dust and Banding

This post is by Allen Murabayashi from PetaPixel

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After using a Leica Q for 3.5 years, I decided to pre-order the eagerly anticipated Q2 in early March 2019. Despite owning a number of cameras over the years, the Leica Q had become my go-to camera for its light weight, small size, and high image quality.

While I hope to do a full review of the unit in the future, I had two problems that caused me to send the unit to Leica’s service center within the first month.

Dust

My major complaint with the Leica Q was the lack of dust sealing, which eventually caused me

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2019-06-19

Hasselblad’s 35-75mm f/3.5-4.5 is the First XCD Zoom and Its ‘Best’ Lens Ever

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Hasselblad has announced the new XCD 35-75mm f/3.5-4.5 lens, the first zoom lens in the X System lineup. The company says it’s a compact zoom lens with “prime lens performance.”

The 35-75mm f/3.5-4.5 is the 9th XCD lens to be announced, joining the 21mm f/4, 30mm f/3.5, 45mm f/3.5, 65mm f/2.8, 80mm f/1.9, 90mm f/3.2, 120mm f/3.5, and 135mm f/2.8.

“Delivering the same superb image quality from edge-to-edge as the XCD prime lenses, this extremely high performance, compact mid-range zoom

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2019-06-19

Olympus E-M1 Mark II Firmware v3.0 Brings E-M1X AF and IQ

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Olympus has announced firmware version 3.0 for the E-M1 Mark II mirrorless camera (which was announced in 2016). The update improves the camera’s autofocus and image quality to be on par with the new E-M1X announced in January 2019.

The E-M1 Mark II and E-M1X are the two professional bodies in the OM-D series, and Olympus is bringing the three-year-old camera up to speed to compete with rivals in the increasingly crowded mirrorless camera market.

With firmware v3.0, the E-M1 Mark II’s autofocus system uses the same algorithm as the E-M1X, “which was developed based on the shooting

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2019-06-19

Hasselblad’s New 907X is Its Smallest Medium Format Body Ever

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Hasselblad has announced the 907X, the smallest medium format camera body ever made by the brand. Paired with the upcoming CFV II 50C digital back, photographers will be able to shoot medium format digital photography with a classic Hasselblad experience.

The new body and back will “will connect Hasselblad’s photographic history into one system,” the company says.

The CFV II 50C digital back will contain a 50-megapixel CMOS sensor that measures 43.8×32.9mm.

The back will be compatible with most V System cameras made from 1957 onwards.

Design-wise, the CFV II 50C features the look of Hasselblad’s famous medium

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2019-06-19

Hasselblad X1D II 50C is a Faster and Cheaper Medium Format Mirrorless

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Hasselblad today announced the new X1D II 50C medium format mirrorless camera, a followup to the X1D, which became the world’s first compact medium format mirrorless camera when it was unveiled back in 2016.

“In the pursuit to continue the journey of taking medium format outside of the studio,” Hasselblad has put enhanced electronics in the camera for faster performance compared to its predecessor.

The live view has a faster refresh rate, there’s reduced shutter lag, reduced blackout time between frames, a faster shooting speed (2.7fps), and a startup time that’s twice as fast.

There’s still a 50-megapixel CMOS

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2019-06-18

Lensbaby OMNI Creative Filter System Brings Reproducible In-Camera Effects

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Lensbaby today announced its new OMNI Creative Filter System, a set of tools for adding beautiful in-camera effects to your shots. It’s the fun of shooting through various objects with the reproducibility of using lens filters.

“The OMNI System offers control and repeatability when shooting through crystals and other objects engineered by Lensbaby to create distinct and compelling in-camera effects,” Lensbaby says. “This unique, professional system is unlike anything currently on the market and geared to work on photographers’ existing prime and zoom lenses.”

At the core of the system is a lightweight ring that screws onto your

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2019-06-17

Nikon Confirms D5-Equivalent Top-Tier Mirrorless Camera Coming

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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The Nikon D5 sits atop Nikon’s DSLR roster as the company’s top-of-the-line camera for professional photographers. While the high-end Z7 is currently at the top of the Z series above the mid-level Z6, it’s not going to be Nikon’s top-of-the-line full-frame mirrorless camera for long.

Nikon President Toshikazu Umatate confirmed the company’s plans to launch a higher-end camera in an interview with Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, a Japanese manufacturing newspaper.

Besides revealing that Nikon will be launching a flagship mirrorless camera that’s the mirrorless equivalent of the D5 DSLR, however, Umatate didn’t give any additional details (such as when

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2019-06-17

Canon: Here’s Why RF Lenses Can Be Better Than EF Lenses

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Canon made this 4.5-minute video explaining the technology of its new RF lens mount for full-frame mirrorless cameras and its strengths over conventional (e.g. EF) lens mounts.

“[W]hat makes these lenses so outstanding?” Canon writes. “This video introduces the innovative features of RF lenses that open up new possibilities in photographic expression.”

Canon says that RF lenses are superior to conventional lenses when it comes to minimizing aberrations caused by refraction, especially at the outer edges of photos.

If the “back focus” distance between a lens’ rear element and the camera’s sensor is too far, the

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2019-06-14

Nikon to Unveil a Mid-Level Mirrorless That May Be Sub-$1,000: Report

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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The Nikon Z series of mirrorless cameras current consists of the $1,800 Nikon Z6 and the $3,400 Nikon Z7, but get ready for a third camera. Nikon will reportedly be announcing a “mid-level” Z mirrorless camera that may cost as little as $900.

Nikkei is reporting that Nikon plans to announce the new camera in the 2019 fiscal year. Here’s a translation of the lead paragraph:

Nikon will introduce a new mid-price mirrorless camera product in fiscal 2019. The same interchangeable lens can be used in the product that corresponds to a sister model such as the high-end model

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2019-06-13

Edelkrone Unveils a 3D-Printed Version of Its Best-Selling Tripod Head

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Edelkrone’s Flextilt Head 2 is its best-selling tripod head. If you can’t afford the $149 it costs to get one, the company has just unveiled the Flextilt Head 3D, a cheaper option you can 3D print and assemble yourself.

The Flextilt Head 3D is part of Edelkrone’s new ORTAK line, which will feature 3D printable products that will put fully-functional, high-tech designs in customers hands at greatly reduced prices.

“With ORTAK method, products are manufactured by you and edelkrone together,” Edelkrone says.

The most critical parts of each design will still be manufactured by Edelkrone and shipped to you. These

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2019-06-11

Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Prints Audio Onto Instant Photos

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Fujifilm just announced the new Instax Mini LiPlay (pronounced “lee-play”), a hybrid camera that aims to take instant photography to the next level with a set of never-before-seen features.

The Instax Mini LiPlay is the smallest and lightest Instax camera ever made, but it contains the most features of any Instax camera.

On the back of the camera is a 2.7-inch color LCD screen that allows users to view and select their photos for printing as Instax Mini instant photos.

The Instax Mini LiPlay introduces sound recording to the world of Instax. Users can capture up to 10 seconds

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2019-06-11

This is Why Macs Are Slower Than PCs

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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If you’re in the market for a desktop computer or laptop to do some serious photography work on, you might want to watch this 10-minute video first. Tech presenter Linus Sebastian of Linus Tech Tips explains why the thermals of Apple’s Mac products generally make them perform slower than rival PC equivalents on the market.

In 2018, Apple’s new top-of-the-line MacBook Pro caused a stir when reviewers found that heat issues caused major slowdowns that brought performance down to the level of lower-tier models. Apple then responded by saying that the CPU throttling was being caused by a software bug

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2019-06-11

Sony Unveils 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 and 600mm f/4 Super-Tele Lenses

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

Click here to view on the original site: Original Post

Sony today announced two major telephoto lenses for its full-frame FE lens lineup: the 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS super-telephoto zoom and the 600mm f/4 G super-telephoto prime.

These are the first two Sony FE lenses that reach 600mm. Paired with Sony’s 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters, the lenses offer a reach of 840mm and 1200mm, respectively.

With the introduction of these two new lenses, the Sony E-mount lens stable now features 33 FE lenses and 51 total lenses.

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

The new Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS is

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2019-06-10

Canon Was Blinded by Sony and the ‘Mirrorless Revolution’

This post is by Usman Dawood from PetaPixel

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Based on a number of conversations I’ve had and a few minor polls I’ve conducted, most people seem to believe that Canon made the right decision by producing a mirrorless system. Now my sample size is quite small so this may or may not be a true reflection, but I have an opposing view to this. I firmly believe that Canon made the wrong choice by developing a new mirrorless system with a new mount.

I’ve long believed that Canon should have continued with the EF mount. I get the feeling that Canon panicked a little and decided to rush into mirrorless to chase after Sony. In

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2019-06-10

Fujifilm B&W Film is Back: Neopan 100 Acros II Unveiled

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Fujifilm’s black-and-white film is coming back from the dead. The company just announced a brand new film stock called Neopan 100 Acros II that promises “unsurpassed image quality” and “world-class fine grain.”

“This 100 ISO film will deliver unsurpassed resolution, fine grain and sharpness, with exceptional detail satisfying a broad range of shooting scenarios and exposures,” Fujifilm says.

The company killed off all of its remaining B&W film and photo paper products in April 2018, which included the discontinuation of its popular Neopan 100 Acros film. A few months later, there were murmurings of a potential rebirth. Today,

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2019-06-07

These Working Cameras Were Made With the Strangest Things

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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Brendan Barry is a UK-based large format photographer who has a curious passion for creating working cameras out of the most random everyday objects you could think of. ILFORD featured his work earlier this year, and here’s a look at some of his cameras and the photos they shoot.

Bread

Mannequin

Honeydew Melon

Abandoned Control Tower

Bread

Junk

Pineapple

Elevator

A photo

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2019-06-07

Sony to Unveil a $14,000 600mm, the Priciest E-Mount Lens Ever: Report

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

Click here to view on the original site: Original Post

Sony is expected to announce two telephoto lenses on Monday, and one of them will reportedly be the most expensive E-mount lens ever made with a price tag of around $14,000.

sonyalpharumors is reporting “with 100% certainty” that Sony will be announcing the new 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 GM and the 600mm f/4.0 GM.

The 200-600mm, which was strangely leaked when an apparent prototype was listed for sale over in Japan, will be priced at around $2,000.

But the 600mm lens, which may be announced as an in-development product, is expected to have a price tag of around $14,000.

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2019-06-06

Kodak Ektachrome E100 120 Medium Format Film Tests to Start in July 2019

This post is by Aaron Stennett from PetaPixel

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It’s the news that medium format film shooters have all been waiting for. Kodak has finally broken its silence regarding the release of Ektachrome 100 in 120 medium format.

Introduced in late 2018, Kodak Ektachrome 100 in 35mm is based on the Kodak Ektachrome E100G E6 slide film that was produced until 2012.

The famous Rochester-based film manufacturer has released an Instagram post to confirm that there will be a “coating trial” of the medium format version in “late July”.

The post states: “We know you’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of larger format Ektachrome E100 Films. We are diligently working

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2019-06-06

Why the Fujifilm GFX 100 is Next Level

This post is by Markus Klinko from PetaPixel

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There has never been a camera that combines such stunning image quality, resolution, dynamic range, autofocus performance, overall handling, and ergonomics like the new Fujifilm GFX 100 does.

Previous medium format digital camera systems have been able to deliver very high-resolution images for a good 10 years now, but have sorely been lacking in handling and speed, particularly when it comes to autofocus performance, and especially with the limitation of only one central autofocus point.

The GFX 100 on the other hand, with its 425 auto focus points tightly spread all across the sensor, delivers blazing fast focus without ever

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2019-06-05

Kamlan 50mm f/1.1 II is a $250 ‘Bokeh Beast’ for APS-C Mirrorless

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel

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The Taiwanese lens maker Machang Optics has announced the Kamlan 50mm f/1.1 Mark II lens, a followup to the popular first version of the lens that provided photographers with an affordable option for achieving an ultra shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh.

Machang Optics says its primary goal is “providing cost-effective large aperture lenses with high quality for every shutterbug and letting everyone enjoy the fantasy of large aperture lenses.”

After hearing customer feedback regarding its first Kalman 50mm f/1.1, Machang set out to create a new prime lens with a fast aperture, excellent bokeh, high

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