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› archive for ‘Interchangable Lens Compacts’

Olympus Releases All Black E-P2 Kit, Jody Grober Is The Likely Audience

If there’s one thing my boss is good at, it’s helping pros get the equipment they need. If there’s a second thing, it’s complaining when cameras don’t come in “professional” black. So, Jody Grober, this kit is for you.

At its heart, it’s the same E-P2 with 17mm f2.8 pancake prime that’s been available for a while. So, you’re talking 13 megapixels, a 3″ LCD, full-time LiveView, Olympus’ dust-reduction system and in-body sensor-shift image stabilization, and those find-them-fun-or-hate-them-passionately art filters (including multiple exposure.) And they’re adding the previously optional FL-14 flashgun to the package. And the lens and flash are now black.

Think you can handle that? Good. Estimated pricing is about the same as the current kit without the flash, so, basically you get the black paint and the flash for free. Can’t beat that, now can you?

Coming, er, sometime?



Panasonic to Debut 3D Conversion Lens for G-Series Shooters

Not got quite enough scratch shoved under the mattress to buy one of those 3D-ready camcorders Panasonic’s talking up? We feel you. Did you purchase one of Panasonic’s very nifty Micro-Four Thirds G-series cameras with a good video mode, like the GH1 or G2? Yeah? Well, boy-howdy, you’re in luck! In addition to the camcorder, Panasonic is promising a 3D lens converter for its G-series mounts by the end of this year.

For those scratching their heads and looking blankly at their screen, the idea is the lens splits one image into two, the same way we’d see it with two eyes. So, the left- and right-halves of your sensor are recording slightly different versions of the same scene. You lose half your horizontal pixels, but you gain 3D. Ta-da!

Now, while any Micro Four Thirds shooter could mount this (Olympus’ Pen series uses the same mount), at this point a lot of the functionality will be in the firmware, so until we hear anything otherwise, we’ll assume this a Panasonic-only thing, k?



Sony NEX Firmware Adds 3-D Panorama

Alright! Now Sony’s showing us how it’s done right here, folks. No wussy firmware update fixing boring things like problems, bugs, or the intermittent inability to turn on. No sir, such things are not fit for the likes of the NEX-3 and NEX-5s. You know what you need? New features so that you’ll buy one of them there new Bravia TVs with 3-D support, that’s what.

And, so, it’s lucky for you that Sony has bumped both current NEX models up to firmware v 02, adding 3-D sweep panormas t the existing sweep panorama mode. As far as we’ve heard, you’ll be needing one of those Bravia TVs to play the result back, but that’s a small price to pay for coolness, right?

Got a jonesing for some firmware? Looks like Sony Europe’s got the goods up already.



Winners in Olympus E-PL1 Contest Announced

The winners of Olympus’ recent E-PL1 contest have been announced. 6 finalists are getting a free Olympus E-PL1 Micro Four Thirds camera and five grand to flesh their video proposals into real projects. Then, one of those six will be chosen as the grand winner and the creative staff sent to the Olympus-sponsored US Open Tennis Championships, where their work will be aired on the giant video board at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Not too shabby.

All six video proposals are on Olympus’ YouTube channel. Or in the press release. Both linked below.



Sony NEX-3 is here…with fisheye!!!!

So….we finally received the production models of the Sony NEX-3 cameras.  In both 16 2.8 and 18-55 kit configurations.  We also got a very cool accessory along with it.  A fisheye adapter that bayonets onto the 16 2.8  Twist, click, and start shooting!

The 720p HD video mode in AVCHD is none too shabby either.  Check it out below.  The focus and exposure do impress.  Did I mention the fisheye adapter is only $150?



Third-Party Third-Party Adapters Reported For Sony E-Mount

So, those Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 interchangeable lens compacts that are coming out and that we didn’t shoot a sneaky snarky cloak-and-dagger video of we certainly don’t know what you’re talking about, well, like the Micro Four Thirds system from Olmpusonic (Olympus/Panasonic), their lack of a mirror yields a shallow flange-back distance. This distance, put in over-simplistic terms, is the distance from the imaging plane to the back of the mount. Now, this is interesting, because since it’s shorter than any 35mm based system (that includes APS-C bodies, actually), you can create adapters that let you mount basically any lens ever made onto it and still maintain infinity focus. Leica? Sure, why not? Nikon F? Of course. Canon FD? Hey, those lenses have to still be good for something.

And, just like there are quite a few mounts floating around for the Micro-Four Thirds system, we’re starting to hear word there’ll be the same third party style mount adapters to convert Sony E to your favorite legacy whatever (all manual, of course). Early ones are sound expensive, but if you’ve been wanting a nice digital body to strap to your dusty collection of Pentax primes, well, it sure makes an NEX seem more appealing, doesn’t it?



New Pany GH1 hack

So Derek just shot me over a link that I think needs to be shared.  Looks as if somebody hacked the GH1 to make the video ability even better.  Looks like it might even surpass the Canon 5DMKII.  50 MB/sec.  Wow.  Here is the link: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/how-to-hack-panasonic-gh1-to-shoot-super-high-quality-24p-video-and-more/

What will the GH2 do?  Will it matter?



Raw Footage and the Sony NEX-5

So, remember that thing, that system that Sony announced recently? You know? yeah? What was it, interchangeable lens compact, tiny body, Alpha sensor, new “E” mount lenses? Ringing any bell? No?

Well, then you probably have no idea why all the hush-hush cloak-and-dagger in this video. Oh well, you should watch it anyway.

And learn.

Executive Panther out.



Sony NEX-5 hands on preview/opinion

I just got my hands on the new Sony NEX-5 camera.  And I like it.  A lot.

This is Sony’s answer to the Panasonic and Olympus micro 4/3 cameras and the answer is huge.  The first thing you notice is the sensor.  It’s a regular APS-C size sensor that you find in most digital SLR’s today.  And it makes a difference.  The low light, high ISO ability is spectacular!  The new Sony E-mount only has a few lenses at this time, but I bet, just like the Micro 4/3 mount, there will be adapters available in no time for all the popular mounts!
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The Panasonic LUMIX G Fisheye 8mm/F3.5 lens

Panasonic has today announced another lens for the ever growing Micro Four Thirds system: a fisheye. These specialty optics, famous of course for that odd fishbowl distortion and their super extra wide range of viewing. This particular entry sports a 180° field of view. No idea on when it’ll be out yet, but all you fisheye shooters can wait anxiously now.

From the press release:

SECAUCUS, NJ (June 1, 2010) – Today, Panasonic introduced the LUMIX G Fisheye 8mm/F3.5 lens, the H-F008, with a 35mm camera equivalent 16mm lens, the world’s smallest and lightest* digital interchangeable fisheye lens compatible with the LUMIX G Series, DSL Micro (DSLM) cameras.

Featuring a 180-degree diagonal angle view, the LUMIX G Fisheye 8mm/F3.5 lens offers a distinctive perspective and unique deformation effect, creating a creative view for both photos and video. Additionally, its compact size can be attributed to its ten lenses in nine groups, which takes advantage of the Micro Four Thirds system standard to achieve dramatic downsizing.

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