Nokishita has spotted another camera registration with the code “WW111327”. We know there is one high end camera coming (A9III?) soon and the A7IV a bit later. In total Sony now registered three new camera codes:

• WW186333 (no 5Ghx Wifi which suggests this might be an RX camera)
• WW728473
• WW111327

Rumored Sony A9III specs:

• Sony will launch a new High End camera in Q1 2021. Maybe at the January 11 CES show (which is all digital this year).
• It will be named as an A9x series camera and not A7x (not sure if it’s “A9s” or “A9III”)
• It has a new ~50 megapixel sensor
• 8k30p video confirmed with no overheating. It’s still an “infant” 8k mode…meaning it’s not 8k60 which would be crazy and there will be limitations in the quality you can record internally.
• Other specs similar to A7sIII (EVF, autofocus, and so forth)
• At least $1,500 more expensive than the EOS-R5 (but price hasn’t be finalized yet) Expect something like $4,999.

via nokishita

Viltrox announced three new Fe lenses that will be available in December:

• 24mm f/1.8 FE
• 35mm f/1.8 FE
• 50mm f/1.8 FE

They also announced the 33mm and 56mm f/1.4 APS-C E-mount lenses you can preorder on their store (Click here).

The lens will be released soon!

via Weibo Thanks Mistral!

This news will not surprise anyone: Photokina 2021 has been suspended. And I suspect Photokina might not come back at all.

Press release:

We can join the imaging industry in looking back upon a successful, colourful and innovative era: 70 years of photokina in Cologne. Since 1950, for generations it has been the top address for photography, video and imaging. It indisputably ranks among the most positive and emotionally charged brands in the global trade fair world.

This is precisely why it is an extremely difficult step for us to have to suspend implementation of photokina at the location in Cologne for the time being, in light of the continuing steep decline in the markets for imaging products and the increasingly heterogeneous needs of the different market segments.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic began, the imaging market was already subject to strong upheaval, with annual percentage declines in the double digits. The momentum in this direction intensified massively in 2020, most recently reporting a decline in the 50-percent range. Within photokina, these market shifts grew very noticeable in the recent past. Conceptual changes, too, such as the inclusion of the smartphone and new imaging technologies, along with a change of cycle and a schedule change, were not enough to compensate for the downturn in the numbers and marketing budgets of exhibitors owing to consolidation of the classic market.

The overall situation at the moment is not compatible with the quality standards of a photokina as a globally renowned leading trade fair and brand representing the highest quality and professionalism in the international imaging market.

After decades of shared history, this deep cut is a painful one indeed. Nonetheless, we must face the situation and the trend in the industry and take a clear, honest decision against continuing this event – a decision to which, unfortunately, we have no alternative.

We would like to thank you very much indeed, for our time together, for your longstanding loyalty to photokina and for the enthusiasm that this has involved. It is the memories of unforgettable snapshots that we will cherish – such as when the gates of photokina opened and we were privileged to welcome you to the trade fair grounds in Cologne, to spend several days diving into the world of images together. Nothing short of Imaging Unlimited!

Thank you for 70 years together!

Your photokina team

Nikon updated their lens roadmap page and now let’s you see the form of their future lenses:

Press text:

This marks a hitsorical point: Cosina-Voigtlander has officially announced the world’s fastest photographic lens in production!

The new Super Nokton 29mm f/0,8 MFT lens! Preorders will be available in December for around $2,000.

Main specs:

This is th google translated press text:

The Nokton 29mm F0.8 is a standard lens designed exclusively for Micro Four Thirds. Achieves the brightest F0.8 * as an interchangeable lens for photography currently on the market. The angle of view of the diagonal 42.75 ° (equivalent to a 58mm lens in the 35mm format) is the same as the standard lens with a large aperture of the past, and you can enjoy shooting with a large blur due to the ultra-large aperture of F0.8.

Main features:
● Amazing large aperture With a large aperture with an
open F value of 0.8, it is possible to shoot with just “as is light” even under extremely low light conditions. It is also the best lens for shooting with shallow focus and beautiful bokeh when the aperture is open.

● Ultimate lens design
By adopting a uniquely developed GA (grinding aspherical surface) lens for the optical system, it is possible to design with a high degree of freedom using a glass material with a high melting point that cannot be used with a glass mold aspherical surface. While achieving an ultra-large aperture of F0.8, high image quality can be obtained from the widest aperture, and a compact size and weight that are easy to handle are achieved.

● Various expressive power When the
aperture is wide open, the straightforward and gentle bokeh emphasizes the focused motif and creates a three-dimensional effect. If you stop down the aperture, you will get a very sharp image, and you can express a variety of photographs with a single lens. The number of apertures is 12, and the out-focus part of the point light source is depicted in a neat shape.

● Aperture click switching mechanism
With the newly designed aperture switching mechanism, it is possible to open and close the aperture ring steplessly without generating a clicking sound. This eliminates the need to worry about picking up the aperture ring operation sound when recording movies, and also enables severe depth control by fine-tuning the aperture ring.

● Dedicated lens hood included
A metal lens hood with excellent light-shielding effect is standard equipment.

● Micro Four Thirds dedicated mount
Compliant with the Micro Four Thirds standard, the optics and mechanism are specially designed. While covering the image size of the image sensor, high image quality is achieved by optimizing it for the Micro Four Thirds sensor.

● Manual focus that enables reliable focus operation
By adopting an all-metal helicoid unit that has been processed and adjusted with high precision and high-quality grease that produces an appropriate torque, focusing with a smooth operation feeling is realized. Allows for delicate focus adjustment.

Here are the image samples: