What Is Value Angle And Why Does Fujifilm Think Canon Has The Edge With The EOS M System

Value Angle
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Ever heard about the value angle?

Without diving into too much engineering stuff, the value angle is a computed parameter that has a strong influence on the design of a camera mount and hence of the whole system. But there is more. It also gives a glance about what can be made lens design wise and how far optical engineers can push the design. In one word: it expresses the potentiality of a camera system.

The idea behind it is that a larger value is generally speaking more advantageous and that it allows the design of lenses that provide a particularly high image quality. Oh, and it’s a concept invented by Fujifilm.

The formula for calculating the value angle is: 

ValueAngle = 2 × arctan ((2 × flange distance) / (mount diameter – sensor diagonal)) 

In a recent Fujifilm summit, the company introduced the concept of value angle to discuss the X System. And it turns out Canon has a real winner here with the EOS M system. If you have a look at the table below, you’ll see Canon’s EOS M mount ranks first when it comes to this very parameter, i.e. it has the most flexible lens mount (please note: “Kleinbild” means “full frame”).

value angle

If you want to learn more about, German site Profifoto has good introduction (Original | machine translated).

Canon EOS M mirrorless system:

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 28mm F1.4 DG ART Review (premium 28mm lens, D. Abbott)

Sigma 28mm F/1.4 Art Deal
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Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG ART at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
  • Two FLD Elements, Three SLD Elements
  • Three Aspherical Elements
  • Super Multi-Layer Coating
  • Hyper Sonic AF Motor, Manual Override
  • Weather-Sealed, Protective Front Coating
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • Compatible with Sigma USB Dock

Photographer and reviewer Dustin Abbott published the full review of the Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG ART lens. A lens that catches a lot of attention.

Among the things D. Abbott liked are the excellent build quality, quick and accurate AF, sharpness starting at f1.4, bokeh, contrast, well controlled chromatic aberrations, and more.

From his conclusion:

In many ways the Sigma 28mm F1.4 ART is the lens that the 35mm F1.4 ART should have been.  It delivers better focus accuracy, richer image quality, and has a superior build.  I would actually like to see Sigma build a 35mm F1.4 ART Mark II in the future and update it with some of the experience gleaned since its release (it was the first of the ART series lenses).  The only negative that I can point to by comparison is that the price has crept up to where the 28ART can no longer be considered a bargain even if it is cheaper than direct competitors.  And that may be the primary obstacle to it being a sales success for Sigma.  The 28mm focal length is not intensely popular (though incredibly useful), so the price tag (though probably warranted by performance) may be steeper than many want to pay. 

If you want a premium 28mm lens, however, it’s hard to rule out the Sigma 28mm F1.4 ART.  It does so many things very well, and produces truly beautiful images.  What more could you ask for?

Despite being a real world review, D. Abbott’s review of the Sigma 28mm F1.4 ART lens covers everything you might want to know and comes with a huge set of sample and test pictures. This is the kind of review I look for when I want to learn about gear.

If you prefer to watch your reviews, the videos below are ready for you.

Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG ART:

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 EOS R Deal – $1649.99 (reg. $2299, import model)

Canon Eos R Firmware Update
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Canon EOS R at a glance:

Seller 6ave on eBay (99.6% positive ratings) has a good Canon EOS R deal. The EOS R is on sale at $1,649.99. Compare at $2,299. Please note: this is an import model, 1 year US seller warranty applies. Import models are legally imported from another country through channels other than the maker’s official distribution system. Limited time offer.

More selected deals:

More hand-picked deals are listed here.

Authorised Canon retailer B&H Photo has discounted EOS 5D Mark IV and EOS 6D Mark II bundles on offer for the holidays.

We offer 10% discount to subscriptions to Pixpa all-in-one platform for photographers.

Today’s Gold Box and one day only deals at Amazon US, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, B&H Photo, eBay, Adorama.

Canon Europe stores have a cash back promotions going on:

Refurbished lenses and DSLRs at Canon Store (best deals to be found here)

Save $10 on Luminar 4 and/or Aurora HDR 2019 using our code “WATCH” at checkout.

Canon Rebel SL3 Review (strong fun factor, DPReview)

Canon Rebel SL3
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Canon Rebel SL3 at a glance:

  • 24.1MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
  • UHD 4K Video and 4K Time-Lapse Movie
  • 9-Point AF System; Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • ISO 100-25600
  • Built-In Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

DPReview posted their full review of what is the world’s smallest DSLR, the Canon Rebel SL3. The Canon Rebel SL3 got a rating of 79% and a Silver Award.

From the conclusion:

The EOS Rebel SL3 is, overall, a nice little camera with a strong ‘fun factor’ appeal, delivers good image quality and offers the versatility of both an optical viewfinder and a really polished live view experience on the rear screen. For those who don’t want or need the optical finder or the battery life the SL3 offers, I think the EOS M50 is a better fit. But there are those who will end up preferring the larger size and more comfortable grip of the SL3.

The SL3 not the best camera in its category for those wanting to shoot video (and if you already have a modern phone, it’s best to just use that, honestly), it’s not the best option for shooting fast action sports, and it’s not for power users that need more controls. But it just isn’t meant to fulfill those needs – the excellent guide mode for beginners should be evidence enough of that. The SL3 succeeds in producing reliably good image quality under a variety of conditions, and with minimal fuss.

Read the review…


More Canon Rebel SL3 coverage is listed here.

Canon Rebel SL3/EOS 250D/EOS 200D Mark II/Kiss X10:

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’s APS-C Mirrorless Cameras Still Top Ranked In Japan

Mirrorless
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The Canon EOS M50 and EOS M100 are best sellers in Japan, especially the former.

No surprise that latest BCNRetail data for May 2019 confirm once more that Canon is doing very good in the APS-C mirrorless market, and not just in Japan.

The EOS M50 has a market share of 20.5% (most sold), the Sony a6400 has 11.5% (second most sold), and the EOS M100 has 7.8% (third ranked).