News and rumors roundup: Nikon shows they make their own sensor, rumored new Fuji XF lens shipment…

Quick roundup on the latest news and rumors:

Nikon:
In a “sponsored post” by Nikon in Imaging Resource Nikon claims their sensors are designed by Nikon. This is porbably Nikon’s reaction to the discovery that the D850 sensor has a Sony mark.

Fuji:
Fujirumors reports the Fujinon XF 200mm F2 is shipping in October and XF 8-16 will be available in November.

Sony:
Sony launched the RX100VA in the USA (SonyAlphaRumors).

There is no typo error in that title: Nikon announces the P1000 with 24-3000mm lens!

Nikon announced the new P1000 which features an impressive 24-3000mm zoom lens! You can preorder it for $996 at BHphoto.

This is the press text:

THE SUPERZOOM COOLPIX P1000 OFFERS AN ASTOUNDING 125X ZOOM TO CAPTURE YOUR WORLD AND BEYOND

With its Impressive NIKKOR 24-3000mm Equivalent Optical Zoom Lens and Advanced Shooting Controls, the New COOLPIX P1000 Brings Creative Possibilities Closer Than Ever

MELVILLE, NY (JULY 10, 2018 AT 12:01 A.M. EDT) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the COOLPIX P1000, the new undisputed powerhouse of superzooms. With an incredible 125X optical zoom (24-3000mm equivalent) powered by high performance NIKKOR optics; the P1000 is the ideal companion camera for birding, sports, wildlife and celestial-photographers seeking superior performance from extreme distances. Beyond its incredible zoom range, the versatile 16-megapixel COOLPIX P1000 captures 4K UHD video and offers a myriad of manual controls, as well as user-friendly functions including built-in Wi-Fi1 and Bluetooth2 connectivity, letting photographers of all levels explore and share their creativity.

“The COOLPIX P1000 is the first of its kind for a compact digital camera,” said Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President, Nikon Inc. “It raises the bar for superzoom cameras and is a testament to our commitment to delivering innovative tools that offer creative freedom to capture and allow users to share their unique visions of the world.”

Powerful Optics go the Distance

The COOLPIX P1000 incorporates state-of-the-art NIKKOR technology, designed with ED and Super ED lens elements, boasts the world’s most powerful3 125X optical zoom lens (24-3000mm f/2.8-8) and 250X Dynamic Fine Zoom4, equivalent to a staggering 6000mm from macro to extreme distances. This powerful zoom range gives the P1000 the versatility to chronicle an adventure filled vacation, capture a favorite ballplayer from the top tier of a stadium or fill the frame with celestial objects like the moon, that normally only a telescope could reach.

To handle such extreme distances, the camera is equipped with the latest Nikon EXPEED image processing system and Dual Detect Optical VR technology for 5-stops5 of camera shake compensation that help capture sharp images and reduce blur. Featuring a 16-megapixel back-side illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor and expanded ISO range up to 6400, the P1000 affords users the versatility to capture superior image quality even under challenging lighting conditions. The COOLPIX P1000 also boasts a variety of high-speed features including a quick start-up and fast Autofocus (AF) system, making it an ideal choice for capturing action from the sidelines of your kid’s soccer game or from an adventure-packed safari. Additionally, whether capturing a ballplayer sliding into home plate or photographing a bird in flight from afar, users will feel confident finding, tracking and capturing these far-away subjects using the camera’s snap-back zoom feature which temporarily expands the field of view for super-telephoto shots.

Versatility Ignites Creativity

The COOLPIX P1000 makes it easier than ever for photographers to express their personal creativity. Through its host of manual functions and RAW (NRW) image output, the P1000 is great for advanced users seeking precise control from point of capture to post-production. The COOLPIX P1000 offers an innovative control layout complete with a function button, command dial and mode dial to bring frequently used functions to a photographer’s fingertips.

Additionally, the camera includes a focus mode selector that can be used to change the focus mode and a control ring that allows for the adjustment of settings such as the white balance and manual focus. Photographers will find the camera’s built-in 2.3-million dot OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) helpful when composing their shot, while the Vari-Angle 3.2-inch 921K-dot TFT LCD display is ideal for capturing challenging angles like framing a performer on a concert stage.

The COOLPIX P1000 offers numerous picture controls, creative modes and filter effects to help photographers bring their creative vision to life. Whether capturing the night sky or a bird perched on a tree branch, users can take advantage of the camera’s designated scene modes, such as Moon Mode and Bird Watching Mode, to automatically adjust settings to deliver brilliant results in a variety of environments. While amazing for extreme zoom, the COOLPIX P1000 also supports versatile shooting scenarios like capturing macro images from as close as 1 cm away. Beyond mastering still photography from both near and far, the P1000 is also capable of incredible 4K UHD video with stereo audio recording and time-lapse effects to further expand artistic expression. Lastly, with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, images will transfer automatically to a photographer’s compatible mobile device so family and friends can view stunning vacation moments or epic shots of the night sky in real time.

New Accessory: Bluetooth Connected Remote

The new COOLPIX P1000 is equipped with an accessory terminal and an accessory shoe that supports a wide variety of compatible devices, including external Nikon Speedlights. To bring more capabilities and creative control to photographers, Nikon also announced the new ML-L7 Bluetooth connected remote as another optional accessory available for the COOLPIX P1000. The ML-L7 Bluetooth connected remote control expands the shooting possibilities of the P1000 by enabling users to trigger various camera functions, including video start and smooth zoom control, remotely.

Price and Availability

The COOLPIX P1000 will have a suggested retail price (SRP) of $999.95* and will be available in September 2018. The new ML-L7 Bluetooth connected remote control will also be available in September 2018 for a SRP of $49.95*. For more information on COOLPIX P1000 and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

1. This camera’s built-in Wi-Fi® capability can only be used with a compatible iPhone®, iPad®, and/or iPod touch® or smart devices running on the Android™ operating system. The Nikon SnapBridge application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera.

2. The camera’s built-in Bluetooth® capability can only be used to connect the camera to a compatible smart device running the SnapBridge app, and to take advantage of SnapBridge features. The Nikon SnapBridge application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera.

Using the SnapBridge App System Requirements:

  • Android 5.0 or later or 6.0.1 or later
  • A device with Bluetooth 4.0 or later (i.e., a device that supports Bluetooth Smart Ready/Low Energy) is required.
  • The SnapBridge app is available for compatible iPhone®, iPad® and/or iPod touch®, and for smart devices running the AndroidTM operating system. The app can be downloaded free of charge from Apple’s App Store® and GooglePlayTM. Nikon SnapBridge can be used only with compatible cameras.

3. Among compact digital cameras available as of July 10, 2018. Statement based on Nikon research.

4. At the maximum image size. The maximum zoom ratio varies by image size. The zoom ratio indicated for Dynamic Fine Zoom is the combined ratio of optical zoom from the maximum wide-angle position and digital zoom.

5. Measured in accordance with CIPA standards at approx. 350mm (equivalent focal length in 35mm [135] format).

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

**Specifications, equipment and release dates are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.

Canon patent discloses a new 16-60mm f/2.0-5.0 lens for APS-C mirrorless

A new Canon patent application (P2018-106021A) discloses the design for quite an unusual APS-C lens for mirrorless cameras: It’s a 16-60mm f/2.0-5.0 lens. The lens is surprisingly fast at the wide end and comparatively slow at the long end. I don’t think I ever saw such a fast aperture on any Canon patent yet.

A patent is not a guarantee they will ever make this lens for real. But it shows they are playing with the idea to try out something new.

via Hi-Lows-Note

No real news from the latest CIPA report

The latest CIPA report from May doesn’t show any sign of change in the trend:

  1. Compact camera sales are still dropping compared to the previous years
  2. System Camera sales are on par with previous years

It means that we probably bottomed out the System Camera down-trend from the past years. This is the good news. The bad news is of course compact cameras are going to get near extinction danger.

Skylum reinvents the approach for managing photos with upcoming Digital Asset Manager

If you are seeking for an Adobe Lightroom alternative this might be for you. Skylum announced this:

Skylum plans to offer the new DAM free to anyone who owns a current version of Luminar. Within a few weeks, the company will announce its final sale of the current version. There will be a well-known, well-publicized, time limit set for this sale and at the end of the sale, the retail price of the product will go up. Everyone who buys (or currently owns) the current version of Luminar before that date, will get the new DAM free of charge. After that date, the price will rise and will still be very affordable.

The new DAM is still under development, and the company wants to make sure it is rock solid before it comes out of BETA. We’re in the home stretch. As soon as possible, the shipping date will be announced. For now, make sure you own the current version of Luminar to put yourself in the queue to receive the new DAM free of charge. 

Note that you save $10 on Luminar when using our code “MIRROR” at checkout!

This is the presentation video of the DAM module:

You can now adapt Alpa lenses on the Hasselblad X1D and it looks gorgeous!

The swiss company Alpa announced their new HXD Adapter for Hasselblad X-mount cameras. I doubt many readers here do actually own Alpa lenses. But for sure it’s worth to check out these gorgeous pictures (Click on them to enlarge):

Here is the press text:

ALPA HXD Adapter

With the introduction of the ALPA adapter HXD, a variety of ALPA lenses and lens modules can now be used on current and future Hasselblad X cameras. The adapter allows the use of high-quality ALPA/Rodenstock optics from 32 to 180 mm on the Hasselblad X1D. Depending on the combination technical movements and multiple stitching beyond 100 megapixels become achievable.

By introducing the electronic shutter in the Hasselblad X1D and the camera’s advantageously short flange distance, a wide range of high-quality ALPA-Short-Barrel lenses (SB-Mount = lenses with shortened lens board) can now be used. The high modularity of the ALPA platform opens up a wide range of combination options for optics from 32 to 180 mm focal length. In addition, lenses for Hasselblad V, Pentax 67 and those with PL mount can be attached via the respective ALPA lens modules. The design of the adapter allows easy and safe mounting. MR

Since the X-cameras can also be attached directly to ALPA bodies via this adapter, multiple stitching is also possible on an ALPA camera movements when long focal length lenses of type SB34 are used. Images of more than 100 MP become reality and with a sufficiently large image circle, even 9-fold stitches with even higher megapixel count can be realized. For a corresponding overview of the possible combinations please see the download area.

The comfortable aperture priority mode of the X cameras makes working extremely comfortable and easy. The electronic viewfinder and the large display allow reliable focusing by zooming and focus peaking.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ITEM NO 190.070.010
… D I M E N S I O N S …
WIDTH 98 mm
HEIGHT 98 mm
LENGTH 16 mm
WEIGHT 69 g