The Nikon Z7 Beats Sony When It Comes To Ergonomics But Not The Canon EOS R

Nikon Z7
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Nikon Z7 at a glance:

  • 45.7MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
  • EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
  • UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
  • 493-Point Phase-Detect AF System
  • Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
  • 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
  • 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • 9 fps Continuous Shooting; ISO 64-25600
  • Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot
  • NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S Lens

Says FroKnowsPh0to, aka Jared Polin in his Nikon Z7 unboxing video. I believe that. Among the many good things that come with any Canon camera, ergonomics are on top.

All the new Canon gear announced ahead of Photokina 2018 can now be pre-ordered:

Pre-order the Canon EOS R in the USA: B&H Photo | Adorama | Canon USA | Amazon

Pre-order the Canon RF mount lenses in the USA: B&H Photo | Adorama | Canon USA | Amazon

Canon EOS R world-wide pre-order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF mount lenses world-wide pre-order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Sigma Announces Five New Lenses, Four With Canon EF Mount

Sigma Canon Eos R
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Sigma press release:

Sigma Unveils Five New Global Vision Lenses

Sigma’s 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary, 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports, and 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports will make their public debut at Photokina 2018

Cologne, Germany – September 25, 2018 – Sigma today announced five new Sigma Global Vision lenses shown for the first time at the 2018 Photokina expo in Cologne, Germany from September 26th-29th in Hall 4.2 on Stands B020, B028I and C029. From wide-angle to hyper-telephoto, the new Sigma Global Vision introductions arrive as some of the most anticipated lenses in the industry, further facilitating artistic expression for photographers.

 

Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The new Sigma wide-angle model stands out with its thoroughly corrected magnification chromatic aberration and sagittal coma flare, as well as completely minimized distortion thanks to its optical design. It features water- and oil-repellent coating on the front lens element and its overall dust- and splash-proof structure ensures excellent performance even in the most challenging shooting conditions. The high-speed AF, thanks to the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) with an updated algorithm, captures the perfect moment instantly. Available in Sigma, Nikon, Canon and Sony E camera mounts, this lens is a great contender for street photography, as well as shooting landscapes and night skies.

Full technical specifications are available here: https://bit.ly/2DdAiVE. Pricing and availability will be announced later.

Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is Sigma’s first lens developed originally to live up to the sought-after angle of view and performance standard for a benchmark cine lens. This lens effectively arranges three FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements and three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements to correct axial chromatic aberration and magnification chromatic aberration. Designed for exceptional sharpness at maximum aperture, this lens excels at available light photography. With less than 1% distortion and near non-existent sagittal coma flare, this lens demonstrates consistent optical results featuring both 8K-compatible resolution and a beautiful bokeh. It is available for Sigma, Nikon, Canon and Sony E mount camera systems.

Full technical specifications are available here: https://bit.ly/2QHliC5. Pricing and availability will be announced later.

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary
Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary

This lens completes the Sigma large aperture series of portable wide-angle, standard, and telephoto prime lenses in Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mounts. Featuring compact design, light weight and outstanding image quality offered in Sigma’s Contemporary line, this lens stuns with a beautiful bokeh effect and the amount of brightness expected from F1.4 lenses even in the mid-telephoto range for cropped sensor cameras. In addition, this lens is characterized by smooth and quiet autofocus ideal for video shooting. Compatible with the Sony E mount Fast Hybrid AF, it also achieves precise AF tracking. By using the face recognition or eye AF functions of the camera, focus will continuously be on the face or the eye even if the subject moves during the shoot.

Full technical specifications are available here: https://bit.ly/2PLuSTh. Pricing and availability will be announced later.

Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports

Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports

One of the most anticipated lenses from the Sigma Global Vision line, the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports is the new flagship large-aperture telephoto zoom lens that meets the most stringent needs of professional photographers. Robust yet lightweight, the lens’ magnesium body ensures high mobility and its dust- and splash-proof structure together with the water- and oil-repellent coating on the front element ensure safe use even in the most challenging shooting conditions. It also incorporates Intelligent OS with an acceleration sensor and the latest algorithm capable of panning in all directions. The lens’ optical design, incorporating 10 exclusive low-dispersion glass elements, allows for extremely high resolution, from the center to the corners. By optimizing spherical aberration, a smooth and natural bokeh effect is achieved when using the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports for portrait photography. The versatility of this lens is demonstrated in various customization options via an AF Function button either through the camera body or Sigma USB Dock. The newest F2.8 large-aperture zoom lens from Sigma comes in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts.

Full technical specifications are available here: https://bit.ly/2DlyWbE. Pricing and availability will be announced later.

Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports
Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports

Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports

The Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports is the world’s first 10x optical zoom telephoto lens with a tele end of 600mm. Incorporating 25 elements in 19 groups, excellent and consistent image quality can be achieved throughout the entire zoom range. This lens’ intelligent OS featuring the latest algorithm delivers an image stabilization effect of 4 stops. Its optical design ensures maximum correction of magnification chromatic aberration encountered in hyper-telephoto shooting. This offers both high resolution and consistent edge-to-edge performance throughout the entire zoom range. In addition, when shooting at the focal length of 200mm, the Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports can also be used for telephoto macro photography, with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.3, thanks to its high rendering performance. Its multi-material build, which incorporates magnesium among other components, ensures durability and enhances portability, allowing for comfortable handling of the 10x zoom lens. The zooming mechanism has been engineered to make both smooth rotation and straight zoom possible. Versatile and robust, the new Sigma hyper-telephoto zoom lens is available in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts starting in late October 2018 for $1999 USD.

Full technical specifications are available here: https://bit.ly/2xmASv1.

Industry News: Panasonic Announces Two Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras, the Lumix S1R and Lumix S1

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What happened?

  • Panasonic has developed two Mirrorless camera models with a 35 mm full-frame image sensor for the first time
  • The S1R and the S1 cameras are the world’s first*1 to support 4K 60p/50p video recording
  • Utilising Leica Camera’s L-Mount allows for the use of alternative lenses that meet the L-Mount specifications of the partners

After Canon and Nikon, more brands want to jump on the full frame mirrorless bandwagon. First we learned about the L-Mount alliance between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma. Now Panasonic announces their first two full frame mirrorless cameras (with the new L-mount), and they have impressive specs. The rumors on l-rumors.com were all true.

Panasonic press release:

25th September 2018 – Panasonic has announced the development of two Mirrorless camera models with a 35 mm full-frame image sensor: the S1R and the S1. Equipped with the world’s first*1 4K 60p/50p video recording function and a Dual I.S. image stabilisation system, these cameras form the new LUMIX S Series due for global release in early 2019.

Panasonic will also expand its line-up of LUMIX S Series compatible lenses, developing more than ten by 2020, including a 50mm/F1.4 prime lens, 24-105mm standard zoom lens, and 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens.

The key features of the newly developed S1R and S1 cameras are as follows:

1. Newly-developed 35 mm full-frame image sensor and image processing engine (Effective pixels: approximately 47M for the S1R and 24M for the S1)

2. World’s first*1 support for 4K 60p/50p video recording in a full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera

3. World’s first*1 full- frame camera equipped with Dual I.S. image stabilisation enabling handheld shots for dark or distant scenes that would previously have required additional equipment

4. A double slot for XQD memory cards and SD memory cards: a first for Panasonic

5. A rugged triaxial tilt LCD: emphasising ease of use and supporting professional photography and videography

6. Utilising Leica Camera’s L-Mount, making it possible to use alternative lenses that meet the L-Mount specifications of partners*4 Leica Camera and Sigma, increasing options for alternative lenses

panasonic

Designed to incorporate an entire array of Panasonic technology refined over a century in the consumer electronics business and ten years developing Mirrorless cameras, the new S1R and S1 models will retain essential user-friendliness and robustness as tools for photography or videography by professionals.

For the existing LUMIX G series of Micro Four Thirds Mirrorless cameras, Panasonic will begin developing a Leica DG VARIO-SUMMILUX 10-25mm F1.7 lens that will achieve the world’s first*5 zoom with a constant aperture value of F1.7. In addition, support services for professional photographers and videographers will be available in selected European markets and the United States this year.

The GH5, G9, and GH5s high-end Mirrorless cameras that Panasonic has released since 2017 have already gained a solid reputation among professionals and high-level amateurs across the world for the quality of their pictures and ability to capture the vitality and beauty of life. This success is thanks to Panasonic’s world’s-first*6 support for 4K 60p/50p video recording, and the world’s fastest autofocus*7function using the company’s proprietary DFD technology.

Panasonic will continue to reach the professional market through the introduction of the full-frame LUMIX S series and the greater reach of its support system, as well as continuing to support the Lumix G Micro Four Thirds System.

The products in development in this release will be exhibited at Photokina 2018*8.

Notes:

*1. World’s first support for 4K 60p/50p recording in a full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera. Regarding the inclusion of the Dual I.S. image stabilisation system, this is for a full-frame Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera: As of September 25, 2018 when announced at Photokina (Germany), according to Panasonic data.

*2. For a Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera: As of September 12, 2008, according to Panasonic data.

*3. The GH4 Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera capable of 4K video (as a Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera, as of February 7, 2014), and the GX8 Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera with Dual I.S. onboard (as a Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera, as of July 16, 2015) according to Panasonic data.

*4. “The L-Mount Alliance: a strategic cooperation between Leica Camera, Panasonic and SIGMA”(announced on September 25, 2018 in Germany.

*5. For an interchangeable lens for use with a Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera. As of September 25, 2018 when announced in Germany, according to Panasonic data.

*6. As a Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera. As of January 4, 2017, according to Panasonic data.

*7. For a Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera. As of November 8, 2017, according to Panasonic data.

*8. Photokina is a leading exhibition for the photographic and imaging industries (held in 2018 from September 26 to September 29, at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany).

• Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH.

• SUMMILUX and L-Mount are registered trademarks of Leica Camera AG.

About LUMIX

LUMIX is the photographic brand of the Panasonic Corporation. Established in 2001, LUMIX launched the world’s first Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera in 2008. With the launch of the GH5, LUMIX was propelled into the professional market, a position that was further cement with the subsequent launches of the LUMIX G9 and GH5s.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the company has expanded globally and now operates 591 subsidiaries and 88 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of Euro 61.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2018. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global.

Industry News: Leica, Panasonic and Sigma to Form a New L-Mount Alliance

L-mount
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It was rumored since a few days, many didn’t believe it, it turned out to be true. Leica, Panasonic and Sigma are set to form an industry alliance for their new mount type (and standard), the L-mount. All upcoming L-mount murmurings and rumors are covered by the l-rumors.com website.

Nokishita leaked the German press text for the L-mount alliance. Below, you can read a Google translated version in English.

L-Mount Alliance: Strategic cooperation between Leica Camera, Panasonic and Sigma

One day before the official launch of photokina 2018, Leica Camera AG, Panasonic and Sigma announced a strategic partnership at the company’s press conference. The “L-Mount Alliance” is an unprecedented way of working together and will be particularly beneficial to the customers of the three companies. It allows Panasonic and Sigma to use the L-mount standard developed by Leica for their own developments and thus also offer cameras and optics with this lens mount. Through the joint efforts of the three partners, the alliance will significantly contribute to the importance of the L-Mount standard for the world of photography
Due to their numerous interchangeable components, system cameras allow a very flexible use and can be individually configured according to requirements. The bayonet is the most important interface, as the lens has a significant impact on the imaging performance and therefore on the final image quality. The strategic partnership between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma will allow customers to use a wider range of cameras and lenses in the future without compromising on so far to have to specify individual manufacturers, because they use propriety bayonets.

Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and majority shareholder, Leica Camera AG: “Photographers are extremely important for their chosen camera system. Particularly in the increasingly growing market for mirrorless system cameras, there is an ever-increasing variety of different requirements on the part of the users. In order to be able to meet these requirements at short notice, we have decided to work together with renowned partners from the photographic industry.
With Panasonic we have many years of partnership and trusting cooperation and their expertise in electronics is undisputed. Sigma is also a respected company, which has established itself particularly in the field of optical development and with its innovative products, a perfect complement to our existing L-Mount portfolio can. We believe that together with our partners, we can achieve mutual and sustainable growth for all our products. ”
Mr. Tetsuro Homma, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation, said: “Panasonic’s focus has always been to revolutionize the camera market and make photographers’ lives easier, more advanced, and more enjoyable. Our long-standing partnership with Leica has resulted in numerous high-performance, high-end digital cameras, combining Leica’s leading optical technology with Panasonic’s digital technologies. This partnership has enabled us to drive the development of excellent digital photography products. The L-Mount alliance with Leica and Sigma is a prime example of the power of our collaboration. This alliance of strong companies will fundamentally change the future of the photography industry. As a market challenger, we have always driven innovation with the slogan ‘Changing Photography’ to meet the high expectations of professional photographers. Our
Partnering with Leica and Sigma will provide additional business opportunities for our companies, but above all, it will continue to bring great pleasure to our customers in photography. ”

Mr.Kazuto Yamaki, Chief Executive Officer, SIGMACorporation: “As cameras evolve toward digital and mirrorless, user and system requirements have also changed. Currently, there is an almost overwhelming choice of different systems that, however, do not yet meet all the needs of users, especially in terms of extensibility and flexibility. SIGMA joins this alliance to develop mirrorless cameras that benefit from the short run. As SIGMA seeks to develop high-quality and innovative high-performance products, this alliance will greatly enhance both the implementation and expandability of our camera system, significantly increasing the value to our customers. Leica is a great company and has had a significant impact on photography for more than 100 years, and Panasonic is a leader in many different areas because of its proven track record. Combined with SIGMA’s high quality, high performance and unique products, the L-Mount will become an extremely attractive system for potential users. ”

About the L-mount

The L-Mount was developed by Leica Camera to provide customers with a future-proof, flexible, robust and precise bayonet that will meet even the most demanding photographic requirements. After its initial launch in 2014 in the Leica T, the L-Mount has been continuously developed by Leica Camera and its partners, resulting in improved and quasi-new L-Mount technology.

For the widest possible variety of products, the diameter of the L-mount was dimensioned at 51.6 millimeters, making it suitable not only for full-frame cameras but also for APS-C sensors. The small footprint of only 20 millimeters allows for a small distance between optics and sensor, making lenses much more compact – particularly useful for wide angle development. To withstand even the heaviest loads and to guarantee maximum safety for customers over many years of intensive use, camera bayonets become wear resistant Stainless steel and with four flange segments, which prevents tilting and ensures a particularly firm and flat fit of the lens. The standardized L-Mount contact strip ensures smooth communication between the electronic components in the lens and the camera, including the possibility of firmware updates for lenses, in order to react to technical developments and thus ensure full performance in the future.

Currently, the Leica SL system in full format and the APS system with camera models Leica CL, TL2 and TLde use the lens mount. All the optics of the different systems can be operated without restrictions and without adapters on all cameras – here is already one of the many advantages that customers have through the unified bayonet.In the near future, both the Leica CameraAG, as well as Panasonic and Sigma announce other products using the same standard.

Understanding the Canon EOS R Through an Interview with Canon Executives

Canon Eos R Firmware Update
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HardwareZone visited the Canon headquarters in Shimomaruko, Japan, to speak with executives about the EOS R, and asked them specifically about the lack of IBIS and 4K video with the crop.

Excerpts from the interview:

Why is there no in-body image stabilization (IBIS) in the EOS R?

Shoji Kaihara: We had to look at the balance of the entire camera, like the size and other aspects. Based on that, it’s not something we are able to include in the EOS R at this time. We are quite aware that there are pros and cons to that […]

Why does the EOS R shoot 4k video with a 1.7x crop?

Shoji Kaihara: When developing the EOS R, we looked at all the hardware we had in the pipeline. When we look at the image processor and CMOS sensors that we have — we have restrictions, unfortunately, and that’s why we ended up with the 1.7x crop […]

What are the biggest challenges your team faced when developing the EOS R?

Tetsushi Hibi: It comes down to the mount size. When you go mirrorless, some restrictions get lifted. What that means is that we can go for optimum optical performance.

We wanted to make the back-focus (flange-back distance) as short as possible, and the lenses as big as possible. But then the mount would have to be larger. If the mount becomes larger, the grip gets moved out, which means a bigger camera. However, when we look at the market, the camera sizes are getting smaller […]

The full interview can be read at HardwareZone.

Pre-order the Canon EOS R in the USA: B&H Photo | Adorama | Canon USA | Amazon

Pre-order the Canon RF mount lenses in the USA: B&H Photo | Adorama | Canon USA | Amazon

Canon EOS R world-wide pre-order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF mount lenses world-wide pre-order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Irix 150mm f/2.8 MACRO 1:1 Lens Announced

Irix 150mm F/2.8
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A new and pretty interesting lens has been release ahead of Photokina 2018, the Irix 150mm f/2.8 MACRO 1:1. It will obviously come in a Canon EF mount version.

Press release:

IRIX, a European brand already known for its high-quality wide-angle lenses (Irix 11mm f/4.0, Irix 15mm f/2.4) and photographic filter systems is expanding its portfolio with a new lens – the Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1, designed for full frame cameras with the Nikon F, Canon EF, and Pentax K mount.

With its focal length of 150mm and 1:1 scale of reproduction, these are the basic features of the new product that allows comfort working with small objects. Thanks to the possibility of being able to move away from the photographed object, this makes the operation more convenient than using lenses with a shorter focal length. No shadows are cast on the object and it is also possible to use lamps dedicated to this type of photography.

The Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 lens is equipped with an aperture mechanism consisting of 11 rounded blades that maintain a circular shape within the entire available working range. Thanks to this, when shooting with a wide open aperture, a pleasant background blur is obtained; when closed right down, the diffraction appears much later. This ensures much greater detail of the image.

The focus ring has been equipped with a wide rubber handle with a special convexity pressing. To facilitate precise focusing of the scale, with 270 degree rotation. The whole design is complemented by a functional Focus Lock ring that allows you to lock the focus ring at a convenient position.

The Irix 150mm f / 2.8 Macro 1:1 lens has been sealed in key points (the front element, the Focus Lock ring, the focusing ring and bayonet), making it suitable for use in theharshest of weather conditions such as fog, rain or snow.

The optical design consists of twelve elements – three of which are made of super-low dispersion glass (ED), another four of glass with a higher refractive index (HR), and the whole arranged into nine optical groups. Thanks to this construction, we obtain an close to zero distortion (at a level of 0.1%).

The Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 lens is equipped with an internal focusing system (IF) so that the lens does not change its dimensions when focusing, thus maintaining a compact size and better sealing.

The Irix 150mm f / 2.8 Macro 1:1 lens is the first model available in the new version with the Dragonfly finish, in which the aluminium frame has been enclosed in an external structure made of aluminium-magnesium alloys and composite elements. The combination of Firefly and Blackstone features gave the lens lightness and solidity while maintaining high mechanical strength and resistance in difficult weather conditions.

The lens has a CPU that allows control of the lens aperture from camera level, and the AE module allows the use of semi-automatic modes (PASM). This solution allows the user to get confirmation of the focus from the camera. An additional benefit is the recording of exposure data in the EXIT format.

A set with the lens will include:

  • a practical deep lens hood that isolates the lens from sidelight sources and also protects the front element of the lens from minor damage
  • a rigid lens case for safe transport and storage
  • a detachable tripod collar (Arca Swiss standard), allowing you to transfer the weight that is the centre of gravity to the front and securely place the camera on a tripod.

Information on availability and prices will be provided at a later date. At the same time, we would like to invite all interested parties to visit the Irix stand during the Photokina 2018 fair in Cologne.

You can find us at hall 4.2, stand D030 where the lens will be made available to a wide audience.