Sigma Announces Full-Frame Classic Art Prime Lenses, And More

sigma canon eos r Art Prime rf mount
View Post

Sigma press release:

SIGMA Welcomes New Line of Full-Frame Classic Art Prime Cine Lenses; Launches /i Technology-compatible Cine Art Prime PL mount lenses; and Announces SIGMA Mount Converter MC-31; See Them All at IBC 2019

September 10, 2019

Sigma Corporation today made the following announcements:

  1. Introduction of the new series “Full-Frame Classic Art Primes” to the lineup, a new solution from SIGMA that meets the most advanced technological demands for classical expression; Compatible with Cooke’s /i Technology communication protocol, these lenses are ideal for shooting and editing with the latest imaging technology
  2. Launch of new Art Prime PL mount lenses that support Cooke Optics’ /i Technology communication protocol in the latest addition to the SIGMA Full-Frame High Speed Prime Line.
  3. The development of SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-31, a converter that allows PL mount lenses to be used on L-Mount cameras.

All newly announced products will be on display at the 2019 IBC Show in Amsterdam.

SIGMA’s new “Full-Frame Classic Art Prime” offers unrivaled expression for artists
SIGMA’s answer to the demand for a classic, cinematic look from a prime lens is the brand new Full-Frame Classic Art Prime Line, compatible with 8K shooting with large format sensors, while achieving outstanding compact design.

Click here to open the rest of the article

Darktable Is A Totally Free Yet Powerful Alternative To Lightroom

Darktable
View Post

Ever wondered if you could use a photo cataloging and editing software for free, without renouncing to powerful features, and across computer platforms? Enter Darktable

Darktable (learn more) is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer. A virtual lighttable and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, lets you view them through a zoomable lighttable and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them. It has the features that most Lightroom users need. Darktable is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and it won’t cost you a penny.

The video below by Anthony Morganti gives you a very good overview. To learn more and to master it, we recommend you follow Rico Richardson feed on YouTube where you’ll find lots of tutorials. You can also have a look at the online manual.

General features of Darktable:

  • Non-destructive editing throughout the complete workflow, your original images are never modified.
  • Take advantage of the real power of raw: All darktable core functions operate on 4×32-bit floating point pixel buffers, enabling SSE instructions for speedups.
  • GPU accelerated image processing: many image operations are lightning fast thanks to OpenCL support (runtime detection and enabling).
  • Professional color management: darktable is fully color managed, supporting automatic display profile detection on most systems, including built-in ICC profile support for sRGB, Adobe RGB, XYZ and linear RGB color spaces.
  • Cross platform: darktable runs on Linux, Mac OS X / macports, BSD, Windows and Solaris 11 / GNOME.
  • Filtering and sorting: search your image collections by tags, image rating (stars), color labels and many more, use flexible database queries on all metadata of your images.
  • Image formats: darktable can import a variety of standard, raw and high dynamic range image formats (e.g. JPEG, CR2, NEF, HDR, PFM, RAF … ).
  • Zero-latency, zoomable user interface: through multi-level software caches darktable provides a fluid experience.
  • Tethered shooting: support for instrumentation of your camera with live view for some camera brands.
  • Speaks your language: darktable currently comes with 21 translations:Albanian, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portugese (Brazilian and Portugese), Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian.
  • Powerful export system supports G+ and Facebook webalbums, flickr upload, disk storage, 1:1 copy, email attachments and can generate a simple html-based web gallery. darktable allows you to export to low dynamic range (JPEG, PNG, TIFF), 16-bit (PPM, TIFF), or linear high dynamic range (PFM, EXR) images.
  • Never lose your image development settings darktable uses both XMPsidecar files as well as its fast database for saving metadata and processing settings. All Exif data is read and written using libexiv2.
  • Automate repetitive tasks: Many aspects of darktable can be scripted in Lua.
[via DIY Photography]

Did Canon And Nikon Adopt Telecentric Lens Design For Their Mirrorless Cams, 16 Years After Olympus?

telecentric
View Post

Did you ever hear about telecentric lens design?

Robin Wong had a closer look at telecentric lens design, and explains that:

[…] telecentric lens design [means] having the optics designed in a way that the light will hit the sensor more linearly without too much straying off, and this was already adopted by Four Thirds system lens mount in 2003

This technical approach was used by Olympus 16 years ago, when they introduced the Olympus DSLR E-1.

And Canon and Nikon?

Both Nikon and Canon took the advantage to introduce new mount. Nikon made 2 changes: 1) increase the lens mount throat diameter opening from 47mm to 55mm and 2) reduce the flange back focal distance from 46.5mm to 16mm. Similarly, Canon, maintaining their already large lens mount opening of 54mm (just 1mm shy of Nikon’s new Z mount opening), decreased their flange back focal distance from 44mm to 20mm […][…] having larger glass element to fully envelope the image sensor area allows light to hit the sensor more perpendicularly, and bringing the rear end glass element from the lens closer to the image sensor minimizes light strays and bending. The obvious benefits in terms of technical image quality? Minimized aberrations (chromatic, spherical, etc), improved corner./edge sharpness, and better per pixel optimized light capture overall.

Sound complicated? The video below tells you everything about telecentric lens design in 9 minutes.

[via Robin Wong va 4/3 Rumors]

Next Canon EOS R Firmware Makes AF Better Than Nikon’s, Much Better Than Fuji’s, Comparable To Sony’s

canon eos r firmware
View Post

Canon will soon release a firmware update for the Canon EOS R. A preview video was published, promising “significant autofocus improvements”.

It seems Canon nailed it. The Phoblographer had the chance to test a beta version of the upcoming firmware update and they seem to be very impressed of the improvements in autofocus performance, especially AF tracking.

From their review:

[…] This latest update significantly improves the autofocus performance. Specifically, it enhances autofocus when it comes to tracking. Unlike other manufacturers, Canon’s autofocus works differently when tracking faces. On the Canon EOS R, there is a specific face and eye detection tracking setting. The camera analyzes the scene to find a face and then automatically tracks it.

[…] During my session with a version of the Canon EOS R with a beta firmware installed, we found the tracking to be pretty much flawless. We used the Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM, Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM, and the Profoto B10. The entire system was able to perform on par with what I feel most Sony cameras can do. 

“Pretty much flawless” sound pretty much good to us.

The Phoblographer says the upcoming firmware update for the EOS R makes the autofocus performance comparable to Sony’s, far better than Nikon’s, much better than Fujifilms X and GF series cameras, and significantly better than the Panasonic S1 and S1R cameras.

Canon EOS R: [shoplist 52287]

Irix Cine 11mm T4.3 Lens For Canon EF (and others) Announced

irix Cine 11mm
View Post

Irix announced the Irix Cine 11mm T4.3 lens.

The new Irix Cine 11mm T4.3 will be offered in following lens mounts: Canon EF, Sony E, MFT and Arri PL. Price will be announced soon.

  • irix Cine 11mm
  • irix Cine 11mm
  • irix Cine 11mm

Press release:

Irix Cine 11mm T4.3
into the art of cinematography

IRIX, known for high mechanical and optical quality, pleasantly presents the 11mm T4.3 – the second full frame lens from it’s new cinematography line. Enjoy the new perspective of super panoramic film shots made with Irix Cine lens!

Irix 11mm T4.3 is the second unique lens from the new Cine line. Its extremely short focal length, rectilinear image projection and the large image circle of 43.3mm (covering the full frame format) make it one of the most outstanding cine lenses on the market. Depending on the diagonal of the sensor, the lens can provide a moderate wide angle of view for classic wide-angle shots or super-panoramic 123 degree viewing angle in a 2.39:1 widescreen format. Irix 11mm T4.3 thanks to its unique parameters, provides perspective not available in film optics, thus releasing creativity in creating dynamic shots.SAR

The same, but different optics
The lens optical system is based on the new optical formula, developed especially for cinematic purpose. It consists of 16 optical elements, which four are made with high refractive index (HR) glass, three other have aspherical surfaces and last two are made with low-dispersion glass (ED). The use of large front lens and other special glass elements provides crisp cinematic shots in a resolution up to 8K while keeping the focus “breathing” effect at the lowest level. The lens offers large maximum T number of 4.3 which can be reduced to T22, thanks to rounded shape of iris blades.

Functional and highly innovative
When designing the lens mechanical system of 11mm T4.3, we used newly developed technical solutions that have been successfully implemented in the Irix Cine 150mm T3.0 lens. The new Multi Start Thread focusing mechanism allows quiet and precise focusing even under adverse weather conditions such as rain, humidity or extreme temperatures. The focusing geared ring rotates 180 degrees and depending on the lens version, has focusing scale with metric or imperial units.

Thanks to the another innovative solution like adaptive ring, the Irix Cine 11mm T4.3 ensures great ergonomics of operation both by hand and with follow focus mechanism. Moreover, despite of the very short optical system layout, geared rings of focus and aperture were placed at the same height as in other Irix Cine lenses – all for better ergonomics and more intuitive use.

The exceptional functionality are a distinctive feature of all Irix products. The same applies to the Irix Cine 11mm T4.3, whose extremely compact design (weights 1,1 kg) has been also equipped with an innovative Magnetic Mount System for accessories. The MMS system allows quick and easy attachment of variety dedicated accessories. The lens hood included in the kit with the lens is the first element of the MMS system. The system will be expanded with further accessories in the future.

Prepared for all weather conditions
The ultra wide field of view of the Irix 11mm T4.3 means that its natural work environment is outdoor. It’s durable magnesium housing and numerous rubber seals guarantee the safety of both the optical system and the camera sensor in an every weather conditions.

Designed to work in accordance with film industry standards
The 11mm T4.3 is another lens of the Irix Cine line that proves that newest technical solutions can perfectly harmonize with well-established film industry standards. The lens has a front flange with a diameter of 95mm and geared rings in the Mod 0.8 standard, which ensures its compatibility with most cine gear accessories. Attention to maintaining the standard also applies to the family of Irix cine lenses whose geared rings are in the same position and have unified rotation angle.

Irix Cinematic
The new line of Irix Cine Lenses is created in close cooperation with professional filmmakers; their ideas and suggestions were an important factor in the design process. The designers earlier experience in the field of photography led us to create new and better solutions for the Irix Cine products.

Available camera mounts
The new Irix Cine 11mm T4.3 will be offered in following lens mounts: Canon EF, Sony E, MFT and Arri PL.

Price and availability
The price and availability of the Irix Cine 11mm T4.3 lens will be announced shortly.

[via 4/3 Rumors]