Wednesday 27 January 2016

ANNOUNCED: OLYMPUS PEN-F


Olympus has just announced the latest addition to its PEN series interchangeable lens compact system camera- the Olympus PEN F. Based on the Olympus PEN F 35mm film camera from 1963, at first glance you cant help but think you are looking at an old film classic. Olympus have been very true to their 1960's original design & modernised where needed, in doing so, have created something absolutely stunning. The NEW Olympus PEN-F may have the look & the feel of the cool & stylish Sixties, but hidden beneath its beautiful exterior is all the latest in Olympus's digital technology making it their highest spec camera to date. 

Its Quick & Responsive & due to the Olympus PEN-F's small range-finder design it appears less intrusive making it the ideal Street Photography camera, probably will give stiff competition to the also newly announced Fujifilm X-Pro2. As well as its outdoor prowess, for those capturing Still- life in a studio the Olympus PEN-F has a feature that will be very appealing- the High Res Shot. First bought out in the Olympus OM-D E-M5mkII, the High Res Shot uses the cameras in-built image stabilising system to capture multiple image & combines it into one Ultra High Quality image. Tests showed that as long as your subject is static, the OM-D E-5mkII 40MP High Res Shot could capture more detail than the likes of a  Full Frame Nikon D810 & the NEW Olympus PEN F has an impressive 50MP High Res Shot- enough said there..!!!

Key Features:

Beautifully Moulded Range-Finder Design.

NEW 20MP Live MOS Micro Four-Thirds Sensor.

In-built 5 Axis Image Stabilisation.

81 Auto-Focus Points.

10 Frames-Per-Second.

2.36MP High Visibility Electronic Viewfinder.

3" Vari-Angle Touch Panel LCD (1037K Dot).

Creative Dial at the front of the Camera gives direct access to 4 Creative Functions: Monochrome Profile Control, Colour Profile Control, Art Filters & Colour Creator.

1080 HD Video - only 4K in time-lapse mode.

Wifi.





Tuesday 26 January 2016

OLYMPUS CASHBACK OFFER ENDING SOON

Olympus's Winter Cashback Offer 'Bright Lenses For Dark Days' is ending soon- 31st January 2016. (available within the UK)

Dont miss out on these incredible offers......

CLICK HERE to view offer items
(Terms & Conditions Apply)

Monday 25 January 2016

RUMOUR: CANON ARE WORKING ON A FULL FRAME MIRRORLESS CAMERA

Lots of rumours are floating around today, & apparently Canon are rumoured to be working on a Full Frame mirrorless camera which will 'Surprise a lot of people' (don't know where that quote has come from...!!!). Lets just say, they surely cant do any worse than they have done so far with their EOS-M series of cameras. According to some news & review sites,  this new Canon full frame mirrorless camera has already been delayed due 'mount related issues'. Sounds like a promising start, I think I will be surprised.... if it will even take pictures....
However, I will say the mock-up designs of what this camera could possibly look-like looks very impressive- a stylish, retro-design, modern digital version of a Canon A-1 or F-1 would have many photographers mouths salivating. 

RUMOUR: FUJIFILM TO ANNOUNCE A NEW FAST PRIME LENS LATE 2016

The rumour mill has been circulating & if the rumours are true Fujifilm a likely to announce a new fast prime lens at Photokina September 2016. The rumoured lens will be a Fujifilm XF 33mm F1.0, yes you that correctly, an F1.0 Aperture lens. Sounds impressive & is exactly what Fujifilm needs to offer to satisfy the Pros who are ditching their bulky Digital SLR systems for the Fujifilm X System. The 35mm film/Full Frame DSLR equivalent for this rumoured lens will be approx 50mm F1.4 effective focal length & aperture.

Mock-up image courtesy of www.fujirumours.com

Currently, the fastest aperture lens in the Fujifilm XF series line-up is the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 which is wonderful lens, but actually has an effective Full Frame aperture value of F1.8. I personally would like to see a brighter Portrait lens, as I'm sure so would many Pros within the fields of Portraiture, Fashion & Wedding Photography. It would be nice to see a fixed focal length lens like a 60mm F1.0 or a 70mm F1.2, which would give photographers a Full Frame equivalent of 90mm F1.4 or a 105mm F1.8 where similar lenses are available with both Canon & Nikon systems. Whether we will ever see these lenses, the rumoured Fujifilm XF 33mm F1.0 is a good start & will definitely be a welcomed addition to the Fujifilm X-Series lens line-up.

Monday 18 January 2016

NEW: FUJIFILM XF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

With all the excitement of the recently announced Fujifilm X-Pro2, we forgot to mention the announcement of the equally important Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Previously for distant subjects, X-Photographers either had the choice of the Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 or the bright aperture Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R OIS WR, which are still very popular lenses in their own right. However, for those X-Photographers interested in Wildlife or Sports photography the double focal length of the 100-400mm is a necessity, giving this lens a 35mm film equivalent of 152-609mm. The new Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR is born to be outdoors, whatever the weather condition. Its Dust & Waterproof, has a fluorine coating on the front element to repel dirt & water, 5 stop image stabilization, linear motor for fast Auto-Focusing & weighs just under 1.4kg. Also, when used in conjunction with the Fujifilm XF-1.4X TC WR tele-converter, your 35mm film effective focal length becomes 853mm, with apparently no loss in Auto-Focus performance. 
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR on the Fujifilm X-T1

Specifications

Focal length - 100-400mm (35mm format equivalent 152-609mm)
Angle of view - 16.2°- 4.1°
Aperture control - Number of blades : 9 (rounded diaphragm opening) Step size : 1/3EV (19 steps)
External dimensions : Diameter x Length* (approx.) - ø94.8mm x 210.5mm (Wide) / 270mm (Telephoto)
Filter size - ø77mm
Focus range - 1.75m - ∞
Lens configuration - 21 elements 14 groups (includes 5 extra low dispersion elements and 1 super extra low dispersion element)
Max. aperture - F4.5 (Wide) - F5.6 (Telephoto)
Max. magnification - 0.19x (Telephoto)
Min. aperture - F22
Weight* (approx.) - 1,375g

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Friday 15 January 2016

ANNOUNCED: NEW FUJIFILM X-PRO2, X-E2S & X-70

FUJIFILM announced today 3 exciting new models to join their Fujifilm X-range line-up, the Fujifilm X-PRO2, X-E2S & the compact X-70. Most exciting of these is the eagerly anticipated X-PRO2 & shows the most dramatic improvements over its predecessor the X-PRO1. With a similar classic design, it now sports a NEW sensor, NEW processing engine, NEW improved Auto-Focus system, NEW improved Hybrid Viewfinder- so far its looks very promising & sounding like what every X-series user out there has been waiting for.


Fujifilm X-PRO2


New X-Trans CMOS III - The newly-developed 24.3MP X-Trans™ CMOS III APS-C sensor boasts the highest ever pixel count for an X-Series camera. Combined with an XF lens, it delivers images with a perceived resolution far greater than the number of pixels used thanks to the removal of the Optical Low-Pass Filter used in many other cameras.

In addition, the phase detection pixels have been positioned over a larger area for faster, more precise phase detection AF performance.

High ISO sensitivity performance has also been improved to the point that the whole sensitivity range - up to the maximum ISO 12,800 in RAW (Extended output sensitivity up to 51,200 in JPEG) - can now be used with confidence.

New X Processor Pro - Thanks to the newly-developed X-Processor Pro engine, processing speeds are now approximately four times faster than a conventional model. This maximises the capability of the X-Trans™ CMOS III sensor to ensure it delivers the highest image quality with super-fast response times.

When combined with the high-speed reading technology of the sensor, the previous generation EVF's display speed of 54fps has been increased to a maximum of 85fps when used in High Performance mode. This substantially reduces the image delay phenomenon when tracking a moving subject.

Finally, blackout time after releasing the shutter has also been reduced by approximately half and lossless compressed RAW is supported, improving the ease-of-handling of RAW data.

Film Simulation modes - Using the knowledge gained from of accurately reproducing colour in film manufacturing, Film Simulation modes allow users to change colour and tone settings to match the subject, scene and creative intent, just as if shooting with a roll of film. There are a total of 15 modes including PROVIA / Standard, Velvia / Vivid and ASTIA / Soft.

ACROS Film Simulation mode - The FUJIFILM X-Pro2 features the new ACROS Film Simulation mode. Its features include smoother gradation, deep blacks and beautiful textures. Ultra high-quality monochrome images are possible, adding extra creativity to the general monochrome mode.

Grain Effect - The FUJIFILM X-Pro2 has the ability to reproduce graininess typically unique to film-based images. There are two strengths: Strong or Weak, which can be combined with each of the different Film Simulation modes. It is possible to add the effects after the shot has been taken through in-camera RAW development.

Compressed RAW - By using compressed RAW files, performance and functionality now meets the needs of professional photographers, including shorter write-times and even higher definition movies.




Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder - The only interchangeable lens camera in the world that features a Hybrid Viewfinder system that incorporates both an Optical Viewfinder with Electronic Rangefinder and an Electronic Viewfinder.


Choose the viewfinder mode to suit your needs

Compose images in the viewfinder using one of three different viewing modes. Combining the advantages of both an OVF and an EVF, Fujifilm has perfected the Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder with three viewing options. Now you can return to the roots of photography with the only viewfinder of its kind in the world. A built-in eye sensor allows the camera to automatically switch between the viewfinder and the LCD screen when the camera is held up to the user's face.

Optical Viewfinder (OVF) lets you see outside of the frame.

The OVF is the purest way to shoot. As you look through it, you are simply seeing the real world in front of you, eliminating any possible delay. Additionally, depending on the lens you use, you can see outside of the final frame which makes framing up even easier. The frame guideline and OVF magnification automatically changes depending on the lens attached.

Electronic Rangefinder (ERF) simultaneously displays a small EVF window in the optical viewfinder.

The EVF is simultaneously displayed as a small window in the optical viewfinder. It can be displayed in three different ways: 100% field of view, 2.5x magnification and 6x magnification. This allows the user to check focus, the angle-of-view, exposure and white balance in real-time, even when taking photos through the OVF. As it can also be used with MF assist, precise MF is now possible in OVF mode. Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) allows you to see the final shot before you press the shutter. A 0.48-inch, 2.36-million dot EVF allows you to see exactly what the camera sees, including all exposure settings, the depth of field and any film simulation modes.

This is particularly useful when shooting in Aperture or Shutter priority modes, allowing you to use the Exposure Compensation dial to adjust the brightness in front of your very eyes, or when using additional Neutral Density filters.

Focusing

Advanced focusing system that combines fast and accurate AF with simple MF. For photographers, focusing is an important job. Although AF now reacts faster than the human eye, the appeal and level of trust in MF will never disappear. Manually operating the focus ring to pick out a specific element in the frame is often crucial. Speed isn't always everything.

Phase Detection AF area expanded to 7x7



 The number of selectable focusing points has been expanded from 49 on previous models to 77. Approximately 40% of the imaging area is now covered by fast, precise phase detection AF pixels, which means focusing speeds when capturing moving subjects have improved dramatically.
New dedicated Focus Lever


Instantly change the focus area

The new dedicated Focus Lever on the back of the camera can be moved like a joystick in eight directions to instantly move the focus area. Now, rapid focus area changes can be made, even when composing an image. Not only is this available to move the AF point during AF mode, but it can also be used during MF mode to quickly move the enlarged display area when using MF assist.
Advanced Manual Focus assist modes

Colour Digital Split Image

The FUJIFILM X-Pro2 comes equipped with Digital Split Image manual focus assist mode, which is reminiscent of old rangefinders

Focus Peaking

Colour is used to highlight the parts of the image that are in focus. You can choose between White, Red or Blue highlights - the latter two are particularly effective while shooting in a black and white film simulation mode.


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Fujifilm X-E2S
Advanced Rangefinder design
16 MP X-Trans™* CMOS II sensor & EXR Processor II
New Full Auto mode
New AF Zone and Wide/Tracking modes
Real Time Viewfinder
3.0-inch 1,040K-dot LCD
Compact and lightweight body


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Fujifilm X-70


 Wide angle of view, compact size, X-Trans image quality, superb response, stunning style. The FUJIFILM X70 with its 18.5mm wide-angle lens is all you need to make your everyday shots dramatic.

The Ultimate APS-C sized sensor compact X
New 18.5mm wide angle lens
X-Trans™ CMOS II & EXR Processor II
Manual Dial Operation
Auto Mode Selector Lever
Fastest AF 0.1 sec.
New Tilting LCD & Touchscreen Monitor
New Digital Tele-Converter

Design & Control

High-quality finish and easy operation encourage creativity - Weighing approximately 340g*5, the FUJIFILM X70 is the lightest X-series camera with an APS-C sized sensor. The top-plate features milled aluminium exposure compensation and shutter speed dials, making it easy to quickly access key features, while the aperture and focusing rings are also made from milled aluminium to help keep weight down. Apertures can be changed in 1/3 or 1 stop increments, plus the focusing ring doubles up as a control ring for quick access to a range of functions.

Autofocus

AF system with Zone and Wide/Tracking modes for effortless capture of moving subjects - The AF system offers the standard 49-point Single Point mode for high speed and precision focusing, as well as the new Zone and Wide/Tracking modes that use a larger 77-point area to capture moving subjects.

Digital Tele-converter

Digital Tele-converter with three settings - One body, three lenses. The X70's fixed lens offers a 28mm angle of view but, thanks to the first Digital Tele-converter mode in an X-series camera, users can also select 35mm and 50mm options. Settings for the Digital Tele-converter can be changed within the menu, or on the control ring on the lens barrel, enabling users to quickly check the image on the LCD before shooting.

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Tuesday 12 January 2016

FIRMWARE UPDATES FOR SONY A7 II & OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1

Been meaning to write about these 2 firmware updates for a few weeks now. If you are owners of the Sony A7 II or the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and haven't updated to the latest firmware for these 2 cameras already, then there are new firmwares available which you might want to consider. 

-Sony A7 II-

Sony updates include Uncompressed RAW and Phase Detection AF for Faster and More Precise Autofocus. In addition to this, the MOVIE button can now be assigned to a custom button.

Details from Sony

Sony today announced that it will release a free firmware update for α7 II cameras on November 18 , 2015 that will add uncompressed 14-Bit RAW image capture and activates phase detection autofocus for faster and more precise autofocus with lenses designed for interchangeable lens cameras such as Sony’s A-mount lenses.

The α7 II becomes the latest Sony full-frame camera, along with α7S II, α7R II and RX1R II to offer uncompressed RAW capture, which becomes a selectable feature within the menu system.
Additionally, it becomes the second Sony camera, along with the flagship α7R II, to offer fully functional phase detection autofocus with A-mount lenses in addition to E-mount lenses. The firmware update activates the 117-point focal plane phase detection autofocus sensor on the α7 II for lenses beyond native Sony FE lenses. This includes Sony’s extensive collection of A-mount lenses, which can be utilised along with the LA-EA3 mount adapter. In addition to these feature upgrades, the MOVIE button can now be assigned to a custom button.

The new firmware, version 2.0, will be available for download at no cost through Sony’s e-support site www.esupport.sony.com on the product page for model ILCE-7M2.

The α7 II is compatible with Sony’s growing line-up of α -mount lenses, which now totals 64 different models including 13 native ‘FE’ full frame lenses. In 2016, Sony aims to build the native FE lens line-up to over 20 different models.

-Olympus OM-D E-M1-

Olympus has added quite a lot of updated features via the new firmware, almost making the OM-D E-M1 a new camera.


Olympus OM-D E-M1 Firmware update Version 4.0
Precautions when updating firmware: When you update your firmware to version 4.0, camera settings other than the AF Focus adjustments are reset.

New functions:

Focus bracketing is now possible.
Focus stacking is now possible.
Silent shooting is now possible.
Simulated Optical Viewfinder was added.
4K was added to Time Lapse Movie for Time lapse shooting.
Supports synchronization of start and stop of movie sound recording when using linear PCM recorder LS-100.
Slate Tone generation function was added.
Major improvements to operability:
Anti-shock shooting was moved to Shooting menu 2.
Keystone compensation was moved to Shooting menu 2.
Sequential shooting/self-timer setting menu integrated with Time lapse shooting setting menu and moved to Shooting menu 1.
M-IS2 was added to movie setting for Image Stabilizer. Image Stabilizer was moved to Custom Menu [C].
Image quality mode for movies were changed. Frame rates 24p (23.98p)/25p were added.
Movie setting function was added.
MF clutch/Snapshot Focus can be disabled.
Sequential shooting setting was added to silent shooting.
Info display settings are changed, and custom display settings are possible.
Expand LV Dyn. Range was changed to S-OVF.
It is possible to change the color and strength of the Peaking Settings.
It is possible to do setting Menu Recall.
If digital shift is done by button functions, it is possible to cancel by pressing and holding the button.
S-OVF was added to button functions.
S-OVF was added to Multi Function.
Supports shooting movies with release cable (RM-UC1).
Supports Windows 10.
OI.Share support:
Supports OI.Share Ver.2.6. Live composite shooting with O.I.Share is now possible.
OLYMPUS Capture support:
Supports OLYMPUS Capture Ver.1.1.
To find out about all features and improvements in this firmware update, please refer to the Manual.

Wednesday 6 January 2016

NEW CAMERA ANNOUNCEMENTS

Happy New Everyone....!!!

Canon, Nikon & Panasonic have both started 2016 with the announcement of some new cameras, and it would seem that Canon are going backwards not forward with their compact line-up. They have released 3 new IXUS cameras- the Canon IXUS 175, IXUS 180 HS & IXUS 285 HS, and a new bridge camera- the Canon Powershot SX 540 HS. The 3 new IXUS cameras have the same appearance they have had for years now, boasting a not very exciting 8,10 & 12x Optical Zooms, & a 50x bridge camera with no viewfinder. Canon is not listening to their customers/or future customers & is clearly unaware of the competition it has in this sector from other brands.

Nikon has released 2 new DSLR's- the Nikon D5 & D500. The D5 being a camera that Professional Photographers have been eagerly waiting for quite a while since rumours of its development begun. 


However, for us the new Nikon D500 looks very exciting & boasts very impressive specifications which will make it a very exciting product for photographers interested in Wildlife & Sports. The Nikon D500 is a 20.9MP APS-C CMOS Sensor, 153-point AF System (inherited from the D5), 10 Frames-Per-Second, EXPEED 5 Processing, 4K Video, WiFi & a 2359k-dot 3.2" Tilting Touch-screen LCD.
Pictured: Nikon D500

The product announced so far which we feel is the most exciting would the new Panasonic Lumix TZ100. 


Panasonic have released 2 new cameras, the Panasonic Lumix TZ80 & TZ100. The TZ80 doesnt seem that much of an upgrade from the TZ70, now boasting 4K Video & Post Focus. However, the Panasonic Lumix TZ100 could be abit of a game changer in the Premium Compact Market. No Premium Compact currently on the market has a large 10x Optical Zoom (25-250mm f2.8-5.9 in 3:2 aspect ratio) with a 1" Sensor. This new model also boasts 20.1MP, 4K Video, Touch-screen, Post Focus & a 1.166k-dot built-in viewfinder. 
Pictured: Panasonic Lumix TZ100

Yet, we are still awaiting announcements from Sony & also Fujifilm where there are hotly rumoured & anticipated products yet to come like the Sony A6100 & the Fujifilm X-PRO 2.