News tagged with "mirrorless"

Sony has announced the NEX-F3 entry-level 16MP mirrorless camera and lightweight 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS stabilized superzoom lens with for the E-mount. The NEX-F3 gains a built-in flash, along with the updated 16MP sensor from its NEX-5N big brother. Its big party trick is undoubtedly its LCD, whose image automatically mirrors when it's flipped up for taking self-portraits. Meanwhile, the E18-200mm F3.5-5.6 LE OSS is a more compact, lighter 11x superzoom lens for the NEX system. Starting in June, the NEX-F3 will have an MSRP of around $600, while the SEL18200LE will sell for around $850 from July.

Panasonic has formally announced the much-discussed DMC-GF5. We've had a pre-production GF5 for a couple of days, so we've had a look at what's changed and what the diminutive Micro Four Thirds camera offers to compact camera users looking for better image quality but still wanting the option to simply point and shoot. The 12MP camera is a subtle revision over the GF3, but a higher-res screen, refined user interface and the inclusion of Panasonic's retractable 14-42mm power zoom lens for a list price of $749.99/£579 makes it worth looking at.

CIPA has started publishing sales and shipment figures for mirrorless cameras, giving a clear picture for their take-up around the world. The Japanese trade body will issue separate figures for 'Non-reflex' cameras and Single Lens Reflex cameras, rather than a combined 'interchangeable lens camera' category. The first batch of figures show mirrorless cameras are becoming increasingly popular in all major markets.

Pentax has formally announced the K-01 K-mount mirrorless interchangable lens camera and a revised 40mm F2.8 pancake lens to match. Built around a 16MP APS-C sensor, the camera can mount most of the lenses the company has ever made. It features sensor-shift image stabilization, a 920k dot rear LCD and can shoot at up to 6 frames per second. The rather interesting design is the work of respected product designer Marc Newson and features a logo of his signature on the base of the camera. The K-01 (which the company says should be pronounced 'kay-zero-one'), will cost around $749 body-only and $899 with the 'XS' version of the 40mm lens.

Just Posted: Our preview of the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and Fujifilm's X system lenses. The X-Pro1 is, in many respects, the camera that many people hoped the X100 was foreshadowing: interchangeable lenses and a cutting-edge sensor combined in a classically-styled body and retaining the excellent hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder. We've had a chance to get our hands on the X-Pro 1 and the 18mm F2, 35mm F1.4 and 60mm F2.4 primes that are being launched alongside it, to get to really make sense of the camera, its capabilities and that unusual color-filter array. Click here to read what we think. [Updated with approx price]

Pre-CES: Sigma has launched the Digital Neo range of lenses for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, with the announcement of the 19mm F2.8 and 30mm F2.8 lenses for Micro Four Thirds and Sony NEX. The two relatively compact prime lenses offer 38mm and 60mm equivalent fields of view, respectively, on the Micro Four Thirds system and, 28.5mm and 45mm on the Sony E-mount. At F2.8, neither lens is spectacularly fast, but both systems benefit from the Sigma beginning to make mirrorless-specific lenses. Pricing and availability information has not been announced.

We've rounded-up the latest Mirrorless cameras, breaking them down into user groups and highlighting the standout models. Having used all the current crop of cameras extensively, we summarize their main strengths and weaknesses. So, which Mirrorless models should you be considering and just what do you get for your money?

Just published: A Mirrorless camera primer. Mirrorless cameras have been on the market for a little over three years but now, with most of the major players now involved, we thought it was a good time to try to make sense of the market. In advance of our end-of-year Mirrorless roundup, we try to explain one of the most interesting developments of recent years.