Industry News: Sony Alpha 7R IV With 61MP Full Frame Sensor Announced

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Sony just announced the Sony Alpha 7R IV. Is the Sony Alpha 7R IV the new reference for the competition?

Preorders are open at B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon

Press release:

Sony Introduces High-Resolution Alpha 7R IV Camera with World’s First 61.0 MP Back-illuminated Full-frame Image Sensor

World’s first[i] 35mm full-frame 61.0 MP[ii] back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor with latest-generation BIONZ X™ image processor

• 15-stop[iii] dynamic range at low sensitivities, resulting in smooth natural gradations ranging from deep shadows to highlights

• High-speed continuous shooting at up to 10 fps[iv] with full AF / AE tracking for approx. 7 seconds[v]in full-frame mode with an increased buffer memory, and approximately three times more in APS-C mode 

sony alpha 7r iv

• 567 focal-plane phase-detection AF points covering 74% of image area and 425 contrast AF points 

• Debut of Real-time Eye AF for movie recording[vi] and advanced Real-time Tracking[vii] plus Real-time Eye AF for still image recording

• Features an APS-C crop mode delivering stunning high resolution of 26.2MPii

• 5.76 million dot UXGA (Ultra-XGA) OLED Tru-Finder™ electric viewfinder with outstanding detail, brightness and contrast

sony alpha 7r iv

• Upgraded connectivity and operability including high-speed Wi-Fi support, wireless PC remote connectivity[viii], FTP wireless transfer, faster data transfer via USB and more

• Professional 4K movie recording functionality including full pixel readout with no pixel binning in Super 35mm mode,[ix] S-Log3, HDR workflow support

• Multi Interface Shoe™ with digital audio interface deliver the high-quality sound recording with new Sony’s microphones and XLR adaptor 

• Additional enhancements to the body design include an improved grip and button for improvised control with compact, lightweight body

Sony today announced the latest addition to its acclaimed Alpha™ 7R series full-frame mirrorless camera line-up; the extremely versatile, powerful Alpha 7R IV (model ILCE-7RM4).

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Canon Announced New PIXMA G-Series MegaTank Printers (starting $250)

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The new PIXMA G-series printers are available today, with the PIXMA G6020 All-In-One Printer available for $299.99 and the PIXMA G5020 MegaTank Single Function Printer for $249.99.

Pre-order: B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon

Press release:

Ease And Convenience Is Now Synonymous With Your Printer: Canon Announces Two New PIXMA G-Series MegaTank Printers

Providing Wireless1 Connectivity, Now is the Time to Upgrade Your Printer to a Continuous Ink Supply System

MELVILLE, NY, June 6, 2019 – In a time where it seems like digital is king, we cannot forget that 69% of Americans feel overwhelmed about the constant barrage of digital information2. It’s time to bring it back to basics and embrace the benefits of print. In that spirit, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to announce the new PIXMA G6020 All-In-One Printer and the PIXMA G5020 MegaTank Single-Function Printer. These new PIXMA G-series MegaTank printers are further extending the current lineup and are ideal for high-print volume printing with low maintenance.

  • pixma g-series
  • pixma g-series

The magic of PIXMA G-series MegaTank printers lies with the continuous ink supply system. Boasting ink bottles with spill-resistant tops, the printer system is designed to provide seamless and clean usability at home and in the office. With black ink providing up to 6,000 pages3 per bottle and total color ink combination providing up to 7,700 pages3, the printers provide a high-page yield, making them cost-effective and convenient for the consumer. Further adding to the flexibility and convenience of the two new MegaTank models is automatic two-sided printing along with a 350 page paper capacity when using both the front and rear trays. In addition, these two new printers feature faster print speeds than the previous generation of MegaTank printers, producing 13 impressions per minute (“IPM”) for black and white4 and 6.8 IPM for color4. 

“Listening to our customer’s printing needs is a top priority for our company as we continue to bring new innovations to our products and the marketplace, ” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “I am confident that today’s product introductions will deliver upon the needs for a continuous ink system and easier wireless technology.”

The PIXMA G6020 and PIXMA G5020 printers both feature wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi®1 and, for users of compatible mobile devices, the added benefit of access to the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app5, allowing for easy setup and basic operations on compatible smartphone devices. Through the Canon PRINT app, users can easily access PIXMA Cloud Link6 to print photos and documents from popular online social platforms and services, such as Instagram®, Facebook®, Twitter®, Flickr®, Photobucket®, Dropbox®, Evernote®, Google Drive™ and Microsoft® OneDrive®. 

The PIXMA G6020 printer also supports the Apple AirPrint® software feature7 and the Google Cloud Print™ web printing service8 for printing from the Gmail™ email service and the Google Docs™ web-based word processing program8 on a compatible mobile device and from the Google Chrome™ browser for Mac®, Windows®, Linux® and Chrome OS™ operating systems.

The new PIXMA G-series printers are available today, with the PIXMA G6020 All-In-One Printer available for $299.999and the PIXMA G5020 MegaTank Single Function Printer for $249.999. For more information and a detailed listing of all product features, please visit: shop.usa.canon.com/gseries.

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Cinematic Imaging Reimagined: Introducing Sumire Prime Lenses From Canon

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B&H Photo accepts pre-orders.

Press release:

Cinematic Imaging Reimagined: Introducing Sumire Prime Lenses From Canon

The Company’s First Set of PL-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses Merge the Art and Science of Cinematography

MELVILLE, NY, April 3, 2019 – Covering the core range of focal lengths that cinema professionals desire, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to announce the company’s first set of seven cinema prime PL-Mount lenses, aptly named Sumire Prime. Pronounced “Soo-mee-ray,” the word is of Japanese origin and is associated with a floral gentleness and beauty. Sumire Prime Lenses offer a unique artistically pleasing look with gentle and beautiful skin tones and smooth bokeh, designed for use with large-sensor cinema cameras, including 35mm full-frame cameras such as the EOS C700FF Cinema Camera. 

In addition to bright T-stops and Canon’s renowned warm-color imagery, a unique optical design introduces a nuanced look as the lens aperture approaches its maximum setting – subtly modifying the textural renderings of the human face closeup. It also smooths the transition to the fall-off portions of the scene resulting in a pleasing bokeh. This combination adds emotional expressiveness and provides creative flexibility to create a memorable scene.

“Sumire in Japan is the name of a flower, and like the petals of a flower, our lenses are most beautiful when fully opened. This is the inspiration behind the Sumire look,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The feedback from cinematographers is crucial and their voices have been heard loud and clear – they asked Canon to introduce a set of PL-mount cinema prime lenses. We went a step further and our new Sumire Prime Lenses produce the beautifully cinematic and unique images professionals desire. We can’t wait to see how the lenses will contribute to the art of filmmaking.”

The new set of seven Canon Sumire Prime Cinema Lenses include the following:

  • CN-E14mm T3.1 FP X
  • CN-E20mm T1.5 FP X
  • CN-E24mm T1.5 FP X
  • CN-E35mm T1.5 FP X
  • CN-E50mm T1.3 FP X
  • CN-E85mm T1.3 FP X
  • CN-E135mm T2.2 FP X

All Sumire Prime lenses feature an 11-bladed iris and bright T-stops that allow users to capture images that feature a more natural circular-like bokeh from both maximum to minimum aperture. The use of an odd number of iris blades also helps to diffuse light rays and produce what is generally considered a more sought after, artistically pleasing and cinematic look with warmer colors. The lenses also achieve uniform color balance throughout the lineup, helping to reduce the need for post grading, even when a production is frequently changing lenses.

The highly durable Sumire Prime lenses feature the same outstanding operability and reduced focus breathing as Canon’s well-established EF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses. Manual operation provides users with the resistance they desire to make precise changes in focus. A 300-degree focus rotation angle and gear position is consistent across the entire Sumire Prime series of lenses – eliminating the need to adjust gear positions when changing lenses.

“The new Sumire Prime lenses are the perfect blend of science and art,” says cinematographer Matt Porwoll, who shot the first U.S. footage with the lenses. “The bokeh comes alive in ways that weren’t occurring with other lenses I’ve used. Lens flares have a dynamic feel to them, rather than behaving in a formulaic manner. I wish I had these on my last project!” 

The Sumire Prime Lenses are compatible with the complete lineup of Canon Cinema EOS full-frame and Super 35mm 4K cameras, including the EOS C700 FF, EOS C300 Mark II and EOS C200. In addition to Canon cameras, the new lenses are also compatible with the latest full-frame and Super 35mm PL-mount cameras from leading manufacturers. Additionally, the mount on the Sumire Prime Lenses is interchangeable and can be converted from PL-Mount to EF-Mount at a Canon Factory Service & Repair center. A Canon representative will be able to perform the service or even revert back to original PL-mount upon request at an additional cost*.

Availability*

The Canon CN-E24mm T1.5 FP X, CN-E35mm T1.5 FP X, CN-E50mm T1.3 FP X and CN-E85mm T1.3 FP X lenses are scheduled to be available in Summer 2019. The Canon CN-E14mm T3.1 FP X lens is scheduled to be available in Fall 2019. The Canon CN-E20mm T1.5 FP X and CN-E135mm T2.2 FP X lenses are scheduled to be available in Winter 2019/Spring 2020. 

For more information, please visit: usa.canon.com/cinemalenses.

Canon Announces Four New Professional Camcorders With 4K/30p Video

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As anticipated, Canon announced new camcorders ahead of NAB 2019. Pre-orders are open:

Press release:

Four New Canon XA Professional Camcorders Feature 4K 30p High-Quality Recording

XA55, XA50, XA45 and XA40 Camcorders Deliver Crisp 4K Imagery in Compact Bodies at Affordable Price Points

MELVILLE, NY, April 2, 2019 – Meeting videographer needs for a variety of applications, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced four new additions to the lineup of XA Series professional camcorders, the XA55, XA50, XA45 and XA40. These four camcorders are the first in the series to feature 4K 30p recording. They also include a detachable XLR handle and the XA55 and XA45 each feature an HD-SDI terminal. In addition, the company has announced the Canon VIXIA HF G60 4K UHD camcorder, a budget-friendly, compact-and-lightweight camcorder.

“Often spending their days and nights working in fast-paced environments, videographers need a camcorder that is affordable, reliable, and delivers great images,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “These new camcorders meet the needs of a variety of users, including those capturing news, shooting influential documentaries, educating young filmmakers or developing content for their companies.” 

All of the camcorders feature Canon’s five-axis Intelligent Optical Image Stabilization system, providing users with powerful image stabilization via a Dynamic mode, which helps reduce image distortion, even when shooting while moving. The ergonomically designed and highly portable camcorders have a three-inch LCD touch panel screen and user-friendly, tilting, high-resolution Electronic View Finder (EVF).

The XA55 and XA45 are excellent options for news reporting and documentary shooting, while the XA50 and XA40 are geared more towards broadcasting schools, government agencies and corporate-video production companies. The affordable VIXIA HF G60 caters to advanced amateur videographers who need a 4K UHD camcorder to shoot a wedding or a student film project. 

The XA55 and XA50 camcorders both feature a 1.0-inch sensor, nine-bladed circular aperture and Dual-Pixel CMOS AF with a 15x (25.5-382.5mm) genuine wide-angle Canon optical zoom lens. For natural and realistic life-like imagery the XA55 and XA50 camcorders feature a Wide Dynamic Range (DR) Gamma mode. This lowers the barrier for focusing, especially when shooting in 4K, which requires strict focus accuracy. By suppressing overexposure in high- brightness areas of the composition, this mode helps achieve a wide dynamic range of 800 percent to help produce seamless tone gradations, resulting in smooth detail, accurate color and virtually no blown-out highlights. The camera’s Dual Pixel Focus Guide takes advantage of Dual Pixel CMOS AF data to display focus-assist information on the screen. The camcorders also record 4K UHD/30p (4:2:0 8 bit) and 1080p Full HD (4:2:2 10 bit) via SDI/HDMI Output in XF-AVC and MP4 format to dual-card SD card slots with dual and relay recording.

The XA45 and XA40 camcorders both feature a 1.0-inch sensor, eight-bladed circular aperture with the ability to record 4K UHD/30p (4:2:0 8 bit) and 1080p Full HD (4:2:2 10 bit) via SDI/HDMI Output) in MP4 or XF-AVC format to dual-card SD card slots with dual and relay recording. To help provide enhanced image quality over its predecessor, over sample HD processing can be utilized with information obtained from the 4K 1/2.3-inch sensor and the DIGIC DV 6 image processor. Both camcorders boast a 20x (29.3-601mm) genuine wide-angle Canon optical zoom lens.

The Canon VIXIA HF G60 4K UHD camcorder is packed with many of the same great features found in the XA55 and XA50, like a nine-bladed circular aperture, Dual Pixel Focus Guide and Wide DR, but with the budget- conscious user in mind. The affordable camcorder is an ideal tool for young videographers taking their first steps in the craft and will be sure to please due to its compact-and-lightweight form factor in addition to ease of use.

Additionally, Canon today announced firmware updates for the XF705, XF405/XF400 and VIXIA GX10 camcorders. New features by model include:

  • XF705: Firmware Version 1.0.1.1 now features improved zoom response when using the zoom ring or zoom rocker, improved focus following speed during zooming, and improved image quality of interlaced recording.
  • XF405/XF400: Firmware Version 1.0.3.0 now features IP streaming, the ability to set custom white balance, support for the reset function that resets the clip number when the reel number is set and improved image quality of interlaced recording.
  • XF405 only: Firmware Version 1.0.3.0 now features 3G-SDI mapping at level A and level B.
  • VIXIA GX10: Firmware Version 1.0.3.0 now features the ability to set custom white balance.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon XA55, XA50 and VIXIA HF G60 are scheduled to be available in June 2019 for estimated retail prices of $2699.00, $2199.00 and $1699.00, respectively. The XA45 and XA40 4K UHD video camcorders are all scheduled to be available in April 2019 for estimated retails prices of $2199.00 and $1699.00, respectively*. For more information, please visit, usa.canon.com.

Sigma Announced Mount Converter MC-21, Pricing and Availability

Mount Converter MC-21
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Available April 2019, the Sigma MC-21 can already be pre-ordered.

Sigma MC-21 Mount Converter/Lens Adapter (Canon EF-Mount Lenses to Leica L) – $249 – B&H Photo | Adorama.

Sigma Announces Pricing & Availability for Sigma Mount Converter MC-21

Available in April 2019, the new accessory ensures compatibility of the Sigma lenses in EF and SA mounts with the L-Mount camera systems.

Ronkonkoma, NY – March 29, 2019 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, today announced pricing and availability for the new Sigma Mount Converter MC-21, offering photographers a wider range of lens options for L-Mount cameras from Sigma, Leica and Panasonic. The SigmaMC-21 will start shipping in April 2019 and will be priced at $169.00 USD for Sigma SA-L mount and $249.00 USD for Canon EF-L mount.

Features
The Sigma Mount Converter MC-21 allows for Sigma’s SA mount and Canon EF mount lenses to be used on L-Mount camera bodies. By attaching MC-21 to a Sigma SA mount or Sigma Canon EF mount lens, it becomes compatible with the L-Mount camera system without compromising usability and image quality. The development of Sigma MC-21 increases the number of interchangeable lenses manufactured by Sigma to be used with the L-Mount systems by 29, offering a total of 40 lens choices, including 11 DG Art primes with native L-mount. The addition of MC-21 to the Sigma accessory lineup will increase the accessibility of the L-Mount system and further Sigma’s role in the strategic L-Mount Alliance alongside Leica and Panasonic.

The full list of compatible lenses and technical specifications can be accessed here and product imagery can be downloaded here.

Pricing
The lower price for the Sigma MC-21 in Sigma SA-L mount reflects the company’s appreciation for the loyal Sigma camera users as the MC-21 in Sigma SA-L mount allows for Sigma SA mount lenses to be used on any L-Mount camera body. Eventually, Sigma will aim to replace its SA mount lenses with the native L-mount versions, but until then, Foveon shooters can rely on the existing offering of Sigma MC-21 at a lower price point to ease the transition to the new system.