The Northrups discuss some of the mirrorless myths…

The Chinese website Xitek had a chat with Nikon managers. Here is the google translated text:

• Is it an improvement from AF-S 105mm?
  It is a completely new design to meet the expectations of users.
• What is the secret to making it smaller and lighter?
  The material of the lens body has been changed, and it has been realized with an aluminum alloy mount and a newly developed stepping motor. Despite its weight reduction, it ensures strength, durability, and optical performance.
• Some people used teleconverters for F-mounts, but is there a dedicated teleconverter?
  So far, there is no such plan. It was not compatible with teleconverters in order to achieve optical performance, AF performance, and weight reduction.
• Speaking of lenses, we emphasize the opening performance of the maximum aperture, but do you think that the resolution when the lens is stopped down is also important for macro lenses?
  The two lenses announced this time are excellent not only in optical performance with the aperture open, but also in suppressing aberrations when the aperture is stopped down. Even if you use a small aperture like the F11, the difference from the current model is obvious.
• Is it compatible with ES-2?
  50mm F2.8 is supported, but 105mm is not.
• What are the main design differences between 50mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.8?
  Although it is compact and lightweight, it maintains high resolution from infinity to 1x and low optical performance with little aberration. It is suitable for close-ups of subjects that are prone to bleeding, such as jewelry and watches.
• Regarding the disappearance of the F-mount ring,
  S-Line does not adopt the ring design. Newly adopted S-Line logo and dark silver ring. I intend to make use of this design in the future, but the super-telephoto lens may change in the future.
• Is the “S” logo changed?
  The design has been redesigned. Adjusted the size ratio to better convey the impression of S-Line. We want to realize a more luxurious design.
• What is the effect of the combination of 105mm in-lens image stabilization and in-body image stabilization?
  There is no change in the performance value of image stabilization, but the correction effect improves in conjunction with the 5-axis in-body image stabilization.
• Does the effect of image stabilization change depending on the shooting distance?
  The correction effect becomes smaller as the shooting distance becomes shorter.
• Dust-proof and drip-proof
  105mm has a high dust-proof and drip-proof property by sealing the moving parts. 50mm is designed to prevent water droplets and dust from entering the main body.
• Why is there no lens with the same magnification or larger?
  The magnification is set to the same size in consideration of the balance between optical performance, AF performance, and weight reduction.

via Asobinet

Yongnuo has showcased their new MFT camera YN455 in Shanghai. It runs Android 10 and comes in two kit versions – 25mm 1.7 and 42.5mm 1.7. Here are the specs:

New MFT sensor, 20 million pixels
Snapdragon SoC
, CPU 8 cores 2.2GHz
, 6GB RAM
, 64GB storage
, up to 256GB memory card compatible (Micro SD)
, 2/3 / 4G network compatible (Nano-SIM)
, 8 million pixel front camera
5.0-inch tilt touch monitor
4K 30p
3.5mm headphone jack
3.5mm microphone jack
Dual USB-C port
(maximum 1080p output on the side, OTG compatible on the bottom)
2.4 / 5GHz Wi-Fi compatible
Bluetooth 5.0 compatible
GPS installed
Equipped with LED light
Size: 162 x 85 x 56 mm
Weight: 670g
4400mAh battery
, 18W PD / QC3 fast charging compatible
, removable
Operating temperature: 0 ~ 55 ℃
Price
・ Body: 3888 yuan (about 66,000 yen in Japanese yen)
・ 25mm F1.7 kit: 4487 yuan
・ 42.5mm F1.7 kit: 4686 yuan

Note that the camera also comes with a fixed 8Mp front camera, so that the camera can be used without any lens attached as well.

It supports 4G nano sim card for connectivity and live streaming in 4K. Android editing apps are supported directly on camera.

via Dpreview via Asobinet

Viltrox China announced the development of this new 13mm f/1.4 lens. No info on price and availability yet.

Laowa shoed off some new lenses and some other new gear they announced before:

1. The 10mm f/4.0 is a pancake lens for MFT and APS-C system cameras
2. LAOWA Mini FFii 85mm F5.6 Macro 2:1 Full Frame lens
3. LAOWA FF S 20mm F4.0 C-Dreamer SHIFT lens for Full Frame system cameras
4. LAOWA FFii 12-24mm F5.6 C-Dreamer Ultra Wide Zoom
5. LAOWA FF 24mm T14 2x PERIPROBE (2x macro lens for cine that allows the tip of the lens to change the angle between 0 and 90 ° and can rotate 360 ° around the axis. With LED lighting. Only the tip of the lens is waterproof)

Preorders:
25-50mm at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon

You can get the new lens at Amazon US (Click here).

LEICA DG VARIO-SUMMILUX 20-50mm / F1.7 ASPH. H-X2550 lens is built for mirrorless Micro Four Thirds (MFT) mount cameras, enabling F1.7 aperture brightness throughout the entire 50-100mm (35mm camera equivalent) zoom range. Its exceptionally high optical performance is suitable for both professional photographers and videographers. Comprising 17 elements in 12 groups, the lens system features three aspherical lenses and four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses that effectively suppress the axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Spherical aberration and distortion are also corrected by the aspherical lenses for stunningly high resolution. The use of aspherical lenses and the optimum design of the lens system results in a compact size and light weight. Compatibility with a maximum 240-fps high-speed sensor drive realizes high-speed, high-precision auto focusing. In addition to the silent operation achieved by the inner focus drive system, the stepless aperture ring and micro-step drive system in the aperture control section help the camera to smoothly catch up to brightness changes when zooming or panning. The optical design achieves exceptional barycentric stability to minimize image shifts during zooming. A focus ring is equipped for intuitive, precise focusing and linear/ non-linear setting can also be switched with this ring.

via Nokishita