News tagged with "mirrorless"

Panasonic has formally unveiled the LUMIX DMC-G5, a mid-level mirrorless interchangable lens camera. The G5 is built around a 16MP LiveMOS sensor that the company implies hasn't been used in a G-series camera before. This, combined with the company's latest 'Venus Engine' allows the capture of 1080p video at 60 frames per second (50p in European examples). It also gains an additional control lever, higher-resolution 920,000 dot rear LCD and regains the eye-sensor to automatically switch between LCD and electronic viewfinder. In principle the G5 will sit above the existing G3 in the company's lineup. For more information, read our hands-on preview.

Schneider Kreuznach has said it will begin making lenses for mirrorless systems, and has shown renderings of a 14mm F2.0 lens for the Micro Four Thirds system. The move will make Schneider one of the few independent lens makers building autofocus lenses for mirrorless systems, following the launches of lenses for Micro Four Thirds and Sony NEX from Sigma and a NEX 18-200mm from Tamron. As part of its annual review, Schneider says it will introduce a range of lenses for mirrorless cameras 'this fall,' which we're expecting to mean around the Photokina show in Cologne, this September. (via Photoscala)

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.

Canadian lens interface experts Conurus and Sino-Japanese adapter maker Metabones have created an electronic 'Smart adapter' for using Canon EF lenses on the Sony NEX's E-mount. The adapter is manual focus-only but allows control of aperture and the use of the image stabilization on Canon IS lenses. Full lens information, including focal length, aperture and lens IS is reported back to the camera for EXIF, allowing the use of all P,A,S and M modes. The adapter also features a 'Wide Open' button that opens the aperture up for fine focusing, with the lens otherwise stopped-down to the chosen aperture, giving accurate depth-of-field in live view. It will cost $399.

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.

Nikon has announced the V1 enthusiast small sensor mirrorless camera. Built around what the company is calling a 'CX' format 10MP CMOS sensors, the cameras is part of the company's new Nikon 1 line. The V1 is intended as the higher-end model in the lineup and features magnesium alloy construction and a 1.4M dot electronic viewfinder. It also has an accessory port allowing the connection of the SB-N5 mini speedlight or GP-N100 GPS unit. Unlike the J1, it can switch between mechanical and electronic shutter. In common with the J1, in can shoot 1080i60 or 1080p30 video and combines phase detection and contrast detection autofocus, in movie shooting or 10fps continuous bursts. The 1" type sensor (13.2mm x 8.8mm) gives a 2.7x crop. The V1 kit with 10-30mm (27-81mm equiv.) lens will be $899.95 and will be available around October 20th. An adapter allowing the use of Nikon F-mount lenses will follow.

Nikon has announced the J1 small sensor mirrorless camera. The J1 is the more compact, less expensive model in the line up and, like the V1, features Hybrid autofocus (combining phase detection and contrast detection AF) that allows the camera to shoot at up to 10 frames-per-second with autofocus. The J1 has only an electronic shutter, limiting sync speed to 1/60th of a second but allowing shutter speeds of up to 1/16000th of a second. It's built around a 1" type (13.2mm x 8.8mm) 10MP CMOS sensor, giving a 2.7x crop, which Nikon is calling 'CX' format. Like the V1, it can shoot 1080i60 video. The J1 kit with 10-30mm (27-81mm equiv.) lens will be $649.95. Again, the J1 is expected to arrive in the US around October 20th.

Live report from the New York launch of the Nikon 1 system. Dpreview.com attended the unveiling of Nikon's new mirrorless camera system, which included the launch of the J1 and V1 cameras. We had a chance to handle the cameras and their associated accessories. Here are our images from the event, including mock-ups of possible future lenses.