It's a brand new year! That means it's time for Chris and Jordan to look into their crystal ball and predict all the big camera news of 2022 – before it happens. Find out what products and trends they expect to see in the coming year.
Editor's note: Jordan had a minor microphone mishap shortly after filming began that went unnoticed until later. We apologize in advance for some minor audio issues.
100MP may seem like a stretch, even in a FF package. 60MP from Canon and Nikon is probably more appropriate. But I don't think 100MP in a FF is very practical, especially when you have companies like Fuji doing 100MP MF cameras for $10k. Plus for me at least, I don't know if I'd want a 100MP FF camera even with the newer stacked sensor designs.
I might jump to MF if I wanted much more than about 60MP, and I think that 45-60MP is the sweet spot for high-res FF, 24MP being on the "low-res" FF sweet spot, and it seems 20-26MP is the sweet spot for APS-C (there are some that are higher-res like the 90D at 32.5MP, but the majority fall in these ranges).
Thanks for your thoughts on what's coming in 2022. However you only commented on interchangable lens cameras. I have been a bridge camera user since the early part of the digital camera age. My last such camera was an Olympus Stylus One. I also bought an Olympus telextender gave me a 35mm equivalent reach of a 525mm range. Sadly this camera is discontinued. The autofocus on mine is on the fritz, and the part needed is no longer available. So Sad. Any new bridge cameras on the horizion? The only two out there that currently appeal to me are the Sony Rx 10 IV and the Panasonic ZF 2500. Both of these cameras have not been updated since 2017! The Sony is too expensive and too heavy for my taste. I bought the Panasonic, but the one I received had a very soft lens and did not focus well. I sent it back, but the store was unwilling to exchange it for another[they are in short supply]. They did allow me to return it. So again any hope of a new 2022 Bridge camera?
I think that full frame can kill APS-C if there are low cost, light weight lenses. And maybe some of those lenses will be APS-C; that could be very interesting. Used to be that nature photographers would use expensive full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies; but maybe we can go the other way around, offering very high magnification, reasonably fast APS-C zoom lenses which are affordable. Same end result but in a lightweight, low cost package which still allows for ultra high res photography with other lenses.
Perhaps, but then cost of FF lenses would have to come down too. Part of the reason people buy APS-C is not so much the bodies but rather the cost and size of the lenses that go with them. Take for example the 16-50 Z lens, versus the 24-70 f/4 Z lens. Both are very good optically, but one costs 3x as much as the other ($300 vs $900/$1000). And most people who buy into APS-C are probably more sensitive to cost/price than those who jump right into FF, even with an entry level FF. They know it will cost more, but they are prepared for that. There is still a market for APS-C but that market will shrink as FF becomes more "affordable", although I have yet to see FF lenses like a 70-200 or even a nifty 50mm become any more affordable. It seems that those lenses the price has gone up or stayed pretty steady over the years in general.
Sony will make the 100mp camera for three reasons (1) they can, (2) their management adores the headlines it will create and (3) most people won't have a use/need for 100mp. Initially, they'll sell more than you woud expect, even if only for owner's bragging rights. DPR will have tons and tons of coverage on this camera.
Canon will make more Rebels for three reasons (1) they can, (2) there are more photo hobbyists in the world than there are DPR readers and (3) price is what excites some people more than a spec sheet.
Sigma will keep making cameras because making strange things that just miss the mark is in their DNA. No doubt they envy the Zeiss camera.
Smaller, cheaper lenses for FF mirrorless will arrive, but optically they won't be that great. Not like the classic pancakes of years past. But the price will be right and software will correct most of the flaws.
Nikon will make a full frame body that looks like a beautiful film camera but it will be backordered.
Will 2022 give us a 20 year old tech, purposefully crippled APSC dslr complete with a mediocre IS "kit" lens and some ancient USB port? Sadly, I'm sure they will, so the dslr crowd can gloat for another year.
I think 2022 might be the year that we see a lot of people either jump to mirrorless, or stick with DSLR for the years to come. I’m not talking about pros or even advanced amateurs, but people who perhaps who do want good quality photography, but don’t do it often enough to invest an enormous amount of money into it. The used market for mirrorless is developing, and so some people that have been eyeing the capabilities of mirrorless, but saw the cost of switching as being prohibitive, may now be ok with still paying a bit of a premium, but getting something that they think is worth it too. For the rest, they might just stick with a DSLR for the next 3, 4, 5 years or so.
I won't hold my breath for 100 MP. That has been rumored for at least three years. This year will still be challenging from a supply chain perspective. 50 MP is enough for my large landscape prints at home but the 100 MP would be nice when my 800mm lens is too short!
Found myself agreeing on lots of stuff (that I actually knew about...). My comments: Correct on the idea that DSLR's will continue to be made; Correct that DSLR's are a good niche for Pentax. Very funny that Ricoh would actually have to release a camera in 2022 for us to get excited about it, and quite true.
There are actually people these days claiming their 1 inch sensor matches an or beats the sensors from top DSLRs. There are actually people these days claiming their so called smart phone cameras beats the sensors from The best APS-C cameras. So it's no small wonder that companies like Nikon, Sony, an or Canon are keeping their focus on higher end models.
So I am still sticking with the prediction of all three brands releasing high end APS-C cameras while at the same time releasing cheap, Crippled, entry level FF. I also see Canon dumping most of their current APS-C lineup an getting in line with the way Nikon an or Sony does their APS-C cameras mount wise.
I think this is the year Canon may dump the M system and my M6ii goes obsolete but I don't think we're going to see more aspc. Perhaps one body for each brand makes sense for telephoto shooters but I can't see many new apsc lenses following for them
Sigma had the first stacked/3 layer sensor. Now Panasonic has a stacked sensor, aren't they part of the L mount group? Sigma was the first to use an all electrical shutter, so I believe we'll see a DP/Leica CL style camera using a new Foveon APS-C-H 1.3 crop sensor maybe 75mp or more with lenses to match. As for the FF who knows. As for the rest I believe they'll be cutting back as cell phones cut more and more into their market shares. A lot of people I talk with have decided to shoot film and use their cell phones for digital. As for me, I own to much already and have no reason to buy more unless it was a Leica CL style camera with a Foveon sensor. Oh well have fun Roger J.
Bring on FF 100mp. I've already got it with GFX we deserve it as a new standard. My only reservation is if lenses are up to it, on my experience I think sony GM primes will cope, im less convinced by canon. The two 24-105mm L EF lenses I owned struggled on a 18mp sensor I had, I believe the RF version isn't much better
Idk - I would prefer more computational advancements like next gen DR improvements and functionality like the copany formerly know as Olympus was experimenting with. 100MP files clog a day to day workflow for many use cases rather than benefit it.
Not much love for Nikon in the video, or the comments And none for Fuji!
I still think that Nikon will make some more DX Z's. The D3550/5600 are still big sellers. The advantage is that some people like a smaller lighter camera and they can use the lenses on full frame and vice versa
My prediction is the M 4/3 will finally die away, as the sensor is just too small.
My other prediction is that tv studios and Hollywood producers will start to use smartphones as their main cameras. (cough cough)
Why does Al Jazeera English need 5 big tv cameras to shoot one tv presenter?
I think Nikons path is set for 2022 and Fuji's roadmap seems to me a closed book atm. What would one comment on?
That said: I am using m43 for video - no record limit, no overheating etc etc. I dont think those advantages are going away in 2022. If that is because companies like Sony cant ship enough products or if it's the FF hype cycle calming down - I dont think 2022 is the year.
100 mp is way more than 95% of us need. Most people spend thousands to just post on the internet. Way over the top unnecessary. For those who print in the 95% group 20 mp is plenty. Prints up to 24x36 are great. Your comment on MFT is suspect. I use it and with noise suppression software MFT is truly good, cheap and light. But I get it. The masses will continue to spend unnecessarily just because they can. And camera companies know it.
Overall excellent and quite rational predictions. There's just one area missing, however: In what year will *somebody* finally create a phone app that just works properly-seamlessly transferring photos from camera to phone/tablet for easy sharing?
Just imagine how many X-100Vs Fuji would sell (just an example, insert your favorite make and model here) if you just turned the thing on, shot it, then when you looked at your phone, the images were there and ready for edit/sharing, with none of the current futzing requirements?
In 1969 they were able to manage telemetry between earth and moon space capsule using what, 48K of rope memory behind the approximate CPU grunt of a VIC=20? Come on, it's 2022! Seems like the gulf between phone in pocket and camera on neck strap shouldn't be so wide anymore.
It is not wrong. Only WiFi or Bluetooth gets you nowhere in getting a good user close to a good user experience (e.g. a constant connection, apps not going to sleep without draining battery etc.). Only Apple and Google can provide that.
I think Nikon will release or announce a lot of lenses this year, particularly telephoto lenses:
Nikkor Z 14mm f/1.4 S (development announcement) Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S (release) * Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/4 S VR (suprise release) * Nikkor Z 70-300mm f/4-5.6 VR (suprise release) Nikkor Z 200-600mm f/5.6 VR (development announcement) Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8 S VR (release) Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 S PF VR (release) Nikkor Z 600mm f/4 S VR (development announcement) Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 S PF VR (release)
I don't think those are on Nikon's priority list. The F mount 105mm f/1.4 is such an incredible lens that still sells very, very well. So people don't appear to be waiting for the Z equivalent to be released. Thus, why prioritize that one?
As for a fast 35mm, I just think the 85mm f/1.2, an ultrawide prime and more telephoto lenses are Nikon's priority right now. Of course this is just speculation. I could be way off, and you never know what Nikon might do (e.g., releasing the 58mm f/0.95 NOCT before the had even finished the f/2.8 zoom trinity).
My new hope camera for 2022 is a Sigma/Lumix/Leica ff MILC in the Sony A7C body shape with:
IBIS High-Resolution Mode In-camera focus shift 9.44M dot OLED EVF Mechanical shutter for speeds 1/4000 to 1/60 second Two tripod sockets both directly on the lens axis (Pentax 645 like).
The video would need to be enough for vloggers. However, this is aimed at real still photographers and should proudly wear the red dot.
Which of these things isn't currently done by the Leica SL2 and its stealthy low res stablemate? 9.44m dot gimmicky EVF aside.*
*Yes, Sony has it-but you only get that res during playback. It's pretty much 3.69m dots during shooting/focus acquisition. Never over half the max res during shooting.
SL2 Weight (inc. batteries) is 916 g. There are a great many places where carrying >$10 USD will get you mugged. It is my experience that the Lumix S1 viewfinder is superior to any Nikon EVF. The SL2 doesn't have a Sony A7C body shape.
Mr Bolton yes you're correct but the SL2 is just too heavy for casual carry (I have one). I've mentioned on forums a couple of times I'd like the M series replaced with an interchangeable lens Q camera and less abusive comments point out the smaller lens size won't satisfactorily resolve to the higher mp count we are heading towards
The SL2 is meant for a far different market than the A7c. And given the small size of lenses that seem to adequately resolve across a sheet of 8x10 film, I think lens size isn't necessarily the best indicator of resolving ability.
My prediction for all things photography in 2022 - Advanced hobbyists will take back what is left of the dwindling digital camera market share, be it DSLR or MLC. The Cell Phone will continue to grow as the replacement for the Kodak Instamatic and the Cell will do almost all the video heavy lifting except for again, Advanced hobbyists and demanding vloggers. Chip, Labor, etc and shortages of all kinds will still be used as an excuse for slow production rates, weather actually true or not, while manufacturers use the down time to reevaluate the market and make plans for 2023 and beyond.
We can all see which way the camera marked is heading. When it surprisingly takes a different direction, we can instantly explain how this happened, and explain why ... :-)
No company intentionally slows down production to get downtime for evaluating the market. Unused factories are too expensive for that. Scaling down production because demand is low, or slowing it down because of parts shortages or other problems, yes, but doing it so that the marketing and planning departments can do the jobs they're supposed to do continuously anyway? I don't think so.
Fair point, maybe that thought was a bit of an over reach, but I still think they will use the lull as the opportunity for future assessments. Even if there was never Covid, the industry would still be at this crossroads, they just have now been given, or forced if you prefer, the opportunity to reassess plans.
Probably the most certain prediction is that any camera announced in 2022 won’t be available for anyone to actually go into a shop to ‘try and buy’ before 2024. Or actually receive before 2023. . .
By which time, the next generation will have been announced, and. .
Maybe (I’m hoping!) there’ll be a lot of ‘bargain’ ‘customer returns’ throughout 2022/3 as some people find their ‘sight unseen’ pre-ordered A1’s, A7iv’s, R3’s and Z9’s aren’t what they really needed (or are too complex for them) after all. . .
I dont think that we will see that many 'next generations' announced for products they cant ship the time being. Software will become more of a differentiator than ever though.
These are interesting points. For instance, how much does a company just concentrate on fulfilling orders of current gear, and postpone announcements of new stuff?
I know the rumors are that many companies will hold off until the second half of this year to announce most of their new stuff.
And with the new stuff, it is now the new normal to have to wait to get your copy. That's true for all brands.
A cautionary tale this year might be how much are things being double if not triple ordered when the person ordering is just trying to get one thing. I think that is certainly the case for some of the hotter selling items. That could backfire in 2022.
A London Nikon retailer has just hinted at the same thing. It may be why Nikon appears to have been shipping the larger proportion of Z9 production to the USA. That’s not likely to make a lot of Nikon customers very happy over the next six months or so: it looks like the numbers available to UK buyers are simply pitiful.
I think that Fujifilm cut the appetite of FF ILC in terms of Megapixel. The nonsense of Mp racing, though juicy and promising, in the early days at least, seems that is not an option for at least a couple years ahead, not to mention that the majority of current lenses are out resolved in something FFish more than 80 Mp. APS-C will practically remain mainly in Fujififilm followed even slightly by DSLR Pentax i cams. Maybe there will be one more round from the CaNiSo guys in this segment just to take the very last drops of this cow's milk.
Caniso guys will produce more targeted products for the foreseeable future (entry level, mid range, more photo or videocentric, a touch of computational et such marketing staff). M43 will go more than just fine if Panasonic gets a little more dedicated in this segment which seems to be very promising, not necessarily targeted in video work, a lot of People use it for pro photo work, especially in the East. Panasonic also has to decide with its auto focus system, the chances that the evolution of theirs is going to surprise competition and audience are well less than 5% by now and in any case it's not "sine qua non" nor for photography neither for videos, it never was actually in the perception of connoisseurs, mainly apart sports. Leica is very-well-thank-u, Hassy still visits fortune tellers, Pentax always solid as a rock and OM tries to adapt in a new world wishfully not to end like Kodak.
Here here!! Would love to have the option of working out the FF based focal lengths in X mount Sigma Art lenses! Would gladly shoot within those parameters on my new APS-C Fujifilm X-H2.
Looking at the pace Pentax releases its new products, it's definitely closer to a tortoise than a Phoenix. Then again, tortoises are known to live as long as 175 years, so I guess they're going to stick around for a while.
Fujifilm has really backed themselves into a tight squeeze with APSC and their stubbornness there. And medium format doesn’t suit many shooters, sadly. No speed or reach and bigger equipment. I’m rooting for Fujifilm and love my X100V, but they’re going to need to make the adjustment to full frame, IMO.
There is a massive push to move customers to full frame and it's hard to overcome the marketing and the influence from online forum conversations. I think there are a ton of people in limbo at the moment--Canon M users, M4/3 users, cheap crop DSLR users. People just want a solid, enjoyable system with a smaller footprint for travel, hiking, outdoor enthusiast activities, family vacations etc. Even the basic Nikon Z 24-70 f/4, extra lens a Z5 and all of the water, food etc. is not something I would be willing to carry up the side of a mountain or family vacations. I did this for years with a D700 and a brief time with a Z6. Got some great shots. But, I also got some great shots with other lesser quality cameras too. After climbing a few high peaks in the Adirondacks, I forced myself to be honest with myself. I am not a professional. I do not need the best image quality to take acceptable photos. I'm cheering for the underdog--m4/3
Same here After traded my m to R system now I want to go back, i found the beauty of ef-m, it can be compact as m43. And can capable beast when i want to by slapping EF lenses
Hope om digital can make interesting products in the future
How big is the weight/size/cost saving with a M43 system vs mirrorless FF today really? Not relevant if you ask me, unless you compare apples vs oranges to make m43 look good (24-70mmf2.8 vs 12-40mmf2.8 or 600mmf4 vs 300mmf4 or 35mmf1.4 vs 17mmf1.2)
You can have the smallest and lightest camera body there is, but if the lenses are still big and heavy you lose the advantage. Sony seems to have grasped that, or at least begun to, but I’m not so sure Nikon and Canon have yet.
@phouphou: "How big is the weight/size/cost saving with a M43 system vs mirrorless FF today really? Not relevant if you ask me, unless you compare apples vs oranges to make m43 look good."
But people who prefer m43 often prefer the apples to the oranges. In other words, many people who shoot m43 are perfectly happy to shoot, say, an f/2.8 zoom on m43 fully aware that it has a narrower shooting envelope than an f/2.8 zoom on a FF camera. They just don't care, because they don't need the larger shooting envelope of the FF system.
And at the end of the day, that person can put together a kit with, say, f/1.8 primes and f/2.,8 zooms that is smaller, lighter, and cheaper than what they'd get with a FF kit.
And let's be honest-for X-T4 money the A7c has some pretty compromised controls and a dinky EVF. And not much better low light or DR than said X-T4. A7c is a nice little camera, but for the money one can gain more versatility elsewhere.
The irony is that Nikon already has such a camera with the Z50 but they refuse to give us proper lenses for APS-C. A Z50 with IBIS (and "Olympus features") would be MY perfect hiking camera. I also carry around a Z6 with the Z 24-200.
I am not sure how useful increased megapixels are going to be without dramatic increases in stabilization. The advantages of increased megapixels cannot be seen in hand held photography of moving objects.
I couldn't stop thinking that Jordan had lost the mic (Had fallen of his shirt and was laying next to him on the chair?)...
But besides that, I think the chip and supply crisis will prevent focus on lower-end but high quantity cameras. Focus will still be on high-end low quantity (but higher profit pr camera) camera models.
I believe/hope Canon will debut an APS-C camera for RF-mount. But it will be high-end. Maybe the "R7" I'm hoping for? ;-) I also think that Canon will keep EF-M alive some more time. Probably not the original plan, but because they won't/can't introduce cheaper cameras for RF mount (fullframe or APS-C), they will postpone the death of EF-M.
PS. Oh, and I think it is a bit funny that some commenters *hope* for new camera models without [mechanical] shutter. I mean, it is not a feature omitting it, you can just choose not to use it if electronic shutter works well enough for you? Of course if downsides are small to use electronic instead of mechanical shutter it might be okay to omit it from camera (and make camera a bit less expensive and maybe more compact/lightweight?), but is it a *feature* not to have a mechanical shutter available as an option?
The reason they hope for a removal of mech shutters is, the only way a brand would do that is if the E shutter was blazing fast like the Z9. The "feature" isn't the removal of the shutter, it's the improvement to E shutter speeds, to the point it can photograph everything without issue.
You might not call this a new feature but it's an improvement to an existing one and would be very welcome to most people.
The A1 can be used e-shutter only (and works perfectly that way). The Z9 works that way. I suspect the pressure will be on Canon to go e-shutter only on the (theoretical) R1. Guessing it will be on the highest end cameras only for a while.
It will be interesting to see if Sony or Nikon can emulate Canon's "eye-driven AF" - (about the only feature of the R3 that was interesting!).
And maybe someone will release a global shutter camera - honestly don't know who.
... Or to put it in another way, A1 does well with e-shutter. But using the mechanical shutter instead of the e-shutter raises the flash sync speed from 1/200s to 1/400s. That sounds like a good feature to me. Removing the mechanical shutter completely from A1 might not be a problem for many. But would it be a "feature"?
Yes, you get one slight advantage using the mechanical shutter on the A1.
However my point was that the A1 was the first able to shoot studio flash with e-shutter. That was the last hurdle to using e-shutter alone - I can attest that you don't need to use the mechanical shutter on the A1 (I haven't!).
> However my point was that the A1 was the first > able to shoot studio flash with e-shutter
Well, now there's at least three cameras that can do that. Two of them also have mechanical shutter which can be a (small?) advantage to use in some situations. If Z9 would have advantages too by adding an option for mechanical shutter, we don't know for sure...
Thanks for your thoughts. I hope for Nikon that they will bring us a Z8 without shutter. By the way, why is Chris face yelloish and Jordans reddish? Do you use different lights on both sides?? Have a good start in 2022, hope I can met you once at Wetzlar.
Something seems weird with the light or color grading or something. Notice Jordan’s arms as well, kind of too pink on one side and a jaundice like yellow on the other. Chris’s face has oddly abrupt transitions from pinkish to yellow. It seems like something has distorted otherwise typical skin tone transitions to be oddly garish.
Or, alternatively, apparently alcohol can cause adult jaundice and maybe they are just drunker than usual?
(BTW, Happy New Year Chris and Jordan! - even with weird color processing you likely look better on camera than I would).
It's so silly when people feel they have to discredit or at least dislike reviewers just because those reviewers aren't positive about their brand. Like, seriously? If a guy says something positive about Pentax (or any other brand for that matter, but I think Pentax users are on average more loyal), then they're suddenly good reviewers? How does that work?
I fear for the world. Objectivity is getting few and far between.
They need to focus on increasing the dynamic range for RAW files. While modern sensors are amazing with dynamic range already exceeding film, there is still a lot of room for more stops of DR to be displayed on HDR+ monitors.
That's not really an issue with the RAWs tho, there just isn't an obvious/default format to process & convert those RAWs into for stills HDR display, there's a bunch of competing formats but idk about a clear frontrunner or any semblance of a workflow around.
Probably a chicken/egg problem, until there's more displays to work on those files (beyond large TVs and small tablets) there might not be an incentive to that even if a few of us would love to display them on large TVs.
The budget RF/Z lenses prediction doesn't seem that bold, I mean, the RF 16/2.8 & 35/50/85 STM are relatively inexpensive, then they've got the 24-105 f4-7 & 100-400 f5.6-8 and the f11 teles... That actually looks like a complete semi low budget lineup by normal 1st party standards.
Nikon's got the 24/2.8 & 40/2, which I actually like more than the STMs, I expect some more of that and/or rebadges like the Tamron/Nikon 28-75 (tho it's not exactly cheap). As a Sony shooter I'm kinda jealous of the Z 28/2.8 & RF 100-400.
I'm with Chris on shutterless, would love to see it at more affordable prices but I'm skeptical this is the year for it other than in maybe a TotL M4/3 body. I think it's something that will slowly trickle down, maybe on the A7 V (and the IV just came out so...), the R5 can already do 1/60 so it's not an urgent upgrade for that line and Nikon will wanna milk the Z9. Z8 or A9 III maybe?
I didn't see that M4/3 prediction coming, I'd love to see it but I'm skeptical, a couple $2K M4/3 bodies with stacked sensors aren't really gonna move the needle much unless they really do have some more compelling computational features...
Those already invested will surely love it but it's not gonna draw new users in. I hope it pans out tho... Now, if they can get stacked sensors into $700-1K bodies that's a whole different story, I'd settle for seeing the 1/60 readout sensor in a body <$1K and/or in a really tiny body.
Speaking of APS-C sensors, did I miss it, or was nothing at all mentioned about Fuji's tech and/or releases for the coming year? It would seem to me that Fuji would be the top rated APS-C camera maker for years to come.
I noticed that as well. I have already sold my soul for a Sony FF, but Fuji makes the cameras I really want but will never buy. I predict Fuji will release at least two new cameras with intuitive user interfaces that take great pictures. They will have cool new features that I might understand. I hope someone buys them.
Seems like Panasonic isn't really trying that hard at either FF or m4/3 right now. I could see them going to cinema/video only before long. I mean they've only really released video centric m4/3 lenses in this decade anyway. And their FF system can't be meeting their sales goals.
It looked like m4/3 was fading fast, but with recent developments, it could be only Fuji and OM digital left with real crop systems before long. I don't see crop systems going away completely, as they still have their advantages in size and cost.
Pentax seems content with niche sales in low numbers. They've designed their product cycle around it and I don't see that changes. My prediction is maybe 1 lens release if we are lucky.
Nikon, Canon and Sony will keep duking it out for specs superiority in FF mirrorless while ignoring their DSLR and only giving bare-minimum for APS-C stuff.
2021: They released four lenses for their FF line, and one camera. Also provided major firmware updates. They also released their best camera for M4/3 to date, and one high end zoom lens, arguably the best lens for that system, while they also announced the GH6 development. Also, major firmware updates for previous cameras.
All this in a very challenging and difficult year for every company.
You could class that as video centric M4/3 stuff so I can see tk's point, but it's not like the M4/3 lens lineup really has a ton of holes at this stage, unlike most other mirrorless systems it can actually coast pretty safely in that regard. There's always a few niche holes but all the major needs are mostly covered...
I actually thought Pana jumped the gun a little when the GX9 & G95, both of those releases could've happened much later. The GX9 was a pretty minor upgrade (beyond the 20MP sensor), and most still kvetched about the EVF, and the G95 got pinched between the much cheaper G85 and G9 after the price slash.
Future stacked sensor flagships aside (cause let's face it, it's not gonna debut on anything else), I'd like to see Pana do a GX body with the faster reading 1/60 Sony sensor... GX# or GX###, I'd take either as a good sign. I think they'll hang in there either way, I'm still more skeptical of OM until they actually release an all new body under the OM name (not warmed over E-PLs).
Unfortunately I don't see this happening for another few years at least. We're pretty much at the limits of current tech, and it'll take another huge shift like the CCD to CMOS shift to get another significant bump. I expect we'll see cameras with advanced image processing like AI driven denoise that can denoise in-camera effectively and quickly well before we see actual improvements.
I would like to see someone other than Nikon make a sensor that has a native base ISO like ISO 64 (which started on one of the Nikon D8xx bodies). Or maybe even 50 or lower (and no, I do not mean the fake "extended" ISOs).
On a dual gain sensor with a step between 400-800, that could get us some more DR at base ISO (assuming the electron wells are big enough).
Everything is going to be moving to stacked sensors and no mechanical shutter, but it's a lot of fab to get there... probably not enough fabs until 2023. It's interesting that everybody had been talking about non-Bayer RGB stacked pixels (same word, very different meaning) for years as what's next, and almost nobody is saying that now.
I agree fire-sale-priced DSLRs are likely in 2022 because it's easier to get parts (largely from stock). As for 100MP FF, that's not really a huge win because most FF lenses don't resolve that... but it would mean almost never seeing moire, and some sensor tech that isn't ready yet (e.g., QIS) would want much higher pixel counts.
I don't agree with "most FF lenses don't resolve 100MP". Sony has certainly been aiming there with their GM lenses, but it has been pointed out repeatedly that a finer sensor gets more out of pretty much any lens (no, we aren't counting "LensBaby" :-D ).
That's especially true if you offer the ability to produce sub-sampled RAWs - imagine something like a 25Mpixel RAW format merging data from a 2x2 cell.
What a finer pixel pitch gets is basically a better sampling (i.e., in Nyquist terms) of the resolution projected by the lens. I have around 250 lenses, and none can resolve 100MP on FF in general, with maybe 2-3 coming close on axis at their best aperture setting. You'd be talking about around 167 lp/mm; good lenses are around 50 at most apertures and very few of the very best lenses hit 80 lp/mm in the center at their best aperture. However, 100MP would basically be meeting Nyquist sampling rate (>=2X the highest spatial frequency the lens resolves) for lenses resolving 80 lp/mm. In short, don't expect more resolution, but expect less artifacting.
DaveR43: That happens to align pretty well with my experiences, give-or-take the fact that I mostly use old manual lenses which are **MUCH** cheaper than LensRentals deals with. If you look at their charts for these best-of-the-best lenses Roger tested, you're still no better than about 80 lp/mm across the frame at MTF30.
BTW, I'm fine with MTF30, but keep in mind Roger measured it directly from the lens, while most folks measure resolutions as MTF50 off the camera capture... which would probably mean >MTF60 measuring the lens directly, making a much harsher metric. Most cameras using a CFA (e.g., Bayer pattern) color sensor incorporate Anti-Aliasing filters that deliberately spread light across pixels to reduce moire. The AA filter thus divides contrast when you get lens PSFs close to the pixel size.
Jordan had some sort of microphone transmitter at his waist, but no mic near his neck, so his voice capture was weak, particularly at 3:15. It seems that Chris's mic was the sole source of audio. An oversight due to beverage consumption?
I’d like to see a Canon camera sitting below the R6. Something less “pro” on the video side, one sd slot is fine, decent sensor if not the same. Keeping ibis will maybe make it more expensive than it should. We shall see. I’m also excited about new micro 4/3 products and the idea of computational photography in a MILC. There’s also the long awaited Fuji X-H2 or more than one model.
It won’t be far from that anyway. There are solid rumours of less expensive Eos r cameras this year. Something close to the eos r with ibis would be good.
I think a solid Z5 competitor could replace both Rp and R in their lineup. I'm thinking good DR, keep the 26MP resolution, IBIS, 5fps burst, smaller body size than R6. Price it about $1300-1400.
Of course depending on production cost, they could just pull a Sony and keep selling the R for years at lower and lower prices. It's already down to $1600 on sale. It doesn't have IBIS, but at least it has competitive DR.
I'm really partial to the compact size of the Rp. I hope they keep making cameras that size. It's such a solid, yet small and light camera. Just needs a new sensor, really.
I agree. For a great affordable full frame Eos R, all that’s needed is an Eos rp level body with a better sensor. IBIS isn’t even needed. Canon’s lenses are stabilised.
- Panny full frame with PDAF and fast like A1/Z9. - shuterless A9iii with 1.8ms readout , 60fps , 120 AF/AE - 7r5 with 102MP - variant of Canon R5 with better video skills - canon and fuji apsc with 8K recording
- Panny full frame with PDAF and fast like A1/Z9. Can Panny pull that off? That would require a big leap in processing power.
- shutterless A9iii with 1.8ms readout , 60fps , 120 AF/AE. Any A9III will be shutterless. But would Sony want to put that read out speed and 60 fps and outshine their flagship A1? They could but then the A1 would no longer be "the one"...it would be sort of the "the one" except for a few areas where A9III would outshine. And would a lower resolution body go so well, given that it seems that many have pretty much pronounced that they want high res and high speed or no go.
- 7r5 with 102MP I could very much see this happening.
- variant of Canon R5 with better video skills According to rumors, this is pretty much a done deal and we should see it fairly soon.
- canon and fuji apsc with 8K recording Fuji, yes...but I don't know if Canon will go there.
I don't think Sony will be precious about the A1. It's going to be the camera for high res / high speed, but an A9III will be all speed, just as an A7RV will be all res.
Sony doesn't mind if you buy all three - they had a bunch of us buying both an A9 and an A7R before the A1 came out, and if you've bought an A1, they'll happily sell you an A9III and an A7RV (or only one if the A1 gives you enough to skip the other).
And if the A1 is all you need, they won't mind selling you a second one :-D
Topaz Labs' flagship app uses AI algorithms to make some complex image corrections really, really easy. But is there enough here to justify its rather steep price?
Panasonic has announced the Lumix DC-S5 II and DC-S5 IIX, a pair of 24MP full-frame mirrorless cameras with phase-detection autofocus. We've taken a close look at the S5 II and discuss what the more video-focused S5 IIX will bring.
Above $2500 cameras tend to become increasingly specialized, making it difficult to select a 'best' option. We case our eye over the options costing more than $2500 but less than $4000, to find the best all-rounder.
There are a lot of photo/video cameras that have found a role as B-cameras on professional film productions or even A-cameras for amateur and independent productions. We've combed through the options and selected our two favorite cameras in this class.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both the speed and focus to capture fast action and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.
Family moments are precious and sometimes you want to capture that time spent with loved ones or friends in better quality than your phone can manage. We've selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens.
What's the best camera for shooting sports and action? Fast continuous shooting, reliable autofocus and great battery life are just three of the most important factors. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting sports and action, and recommended the best.
A pro chimes in with his long-term impressions of DJI's Mavic 3. While there were ups and downs, filmmaker José Fransisco Salgado found that in his use of the drone, firmware updates have made it better with every passing month.
Landscape photography has a very different set of requirements from other types of photography. We pick the best options at three different price ranges.
AI is here to stay, so we must prepare ourselves for its many consequences. We can use AI to make our lives easier, but it's also possible to use AI technology for more nefarious purposes, such as making stealing photos a simple one-click endeavor.
This DIY project uses an Adafruit board and $40 worth of other components to create a light meter and metadata capture device for any film photography camera.
Scientists at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia have used a transmitter with 'less power than a microwave' to produce the highest resolution images of the moon ever captured from Earth.
The tiny cameras, which weigh just 1.4g, fit inside the padding of a driver's helmet, offering viewers at home an eye-level perspective as F1 cars race through the corners of the world's most exciting race tracks. In 2023, all drivers will be required to wear the cameras.
The new ultrafast prime for Nikon Z-mount cameras is a re-worked version of Cosina's existing Voigtländer 50mm F1 Aspherical lens for Leica M-mount cameras.
There are plenty of hybrid cameras on the market, but often a user needs to choose between photo- or video-centric models in terms of features. Jason Hendardy explains why he would want to see shutter angle and 32-bit float audio as added features in cameras that highlight both photo and video functionalities.
SkyFi's new Earth Observation service is now fully operational, allowing users to order custom high-resolution satellite imagery of any location on Earth using a network of more than 80 satellites.
In some parts of the world, winter brings picturesque icy and snowy scenes. However, your drone's performance will be compromised in cold weather. Here are some tips for performing safe flights during the chilliest time of the year.
The winners of the Ocean Art Photo Competition 2022 have been announced, showcasing incredible sea-neries (see what we did there?) from around the globe.
Venus Optics has announced a quartet of new anamorphic cine lenses for Super35 cameras, the Proteus 2x series. The 2x anamorphic lenses promise ease of use, accessibility and high-end performance for enthusiast and professional video applications.
We've shot the new Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2R WR lens against the original 56mm F1.2R, to check whether we should switch the lens we use for our studio test scene or maintain consistency.
Nature photographer Erez Marom continues his series about landscape composition by discussing the multifaceted role played by the sky in a landscape image.
The NONS SL660 is an Instax Square instant camera with an interchangeable lens design. It's made of CNC-milled aluminum alloy, has an SLR-style viewfinder, and retails for a $600. We've gone hands-on to see what it's like to shoot with.
Recently, DJI made Waypoints available for their Mavic 3 series of drones, bringing a formerly high-end feature to the masses. We'll look at what this flight mode is and why you should use it.
Astrophotographer Bray Falls was asked to help verify the discovery of the Andromeda Oxygen arc. He describes his process for verification, the equipment he used and where astronomers should point their telescopes next.
OM Digital Solutions has released firmware updates for the following cameras to add compatibility support for its new M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO lens: OM-D E-M1 Mark II, E-M1 Mark III, E-M5 Mark III, E-M1X, and OM-5.
Micro Four Thirds has 'size benefits, and a shooting experience that can’t be matched by a smartphone,' says the director of Panasonic's camera business, as we talked about the system's future, the role of video, the adoption of phase detection and the role his dog played in the development of the S5 II.
Today's modern cameras are armed with sophisticated autofocusing systems. They can focus anywhere in the frame, track multiple subjects, and switch on the fly. But what good are these advanced tools if you can't see where the camera is even focusing? It's time for the autofocus box to upgrade from its single-color status.
Topaz Labs' flagship app uses AI algorithms to make some complex image corrections really, really easy. But is there enough here to justify its rather steep price?
The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II is a powerful mid-range full-frame stills and video mirrorless camera that introduces on-sensor phase detection, 6K 'open gate' video, LUTs for still mode and more. We put the camera through its paces during a hands-on trial run in the real world.
The new FE Sony 20-70mm F4 G has an extremely versatile zoom range, but how do the pictures look? Check out these full resolution 60 megapixel captures!
Sony has confirmed it’s developing a high-end 300mm F2.8 telephoto lens for its E-mount camera systems. The lens will be a part of the company’s high-end G Master lens lineup.
Apple's new high-end M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets are here and being debuted in the company's 14” and 16” MacBook Pro models. Meanwhile, its Mac Mini is now available with the company's M2 and M2 Pro chipsets.
Comments