Support this: The ultimate Test of Lenses!

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Paolo Namias sent me this:

Dear Sirs
I’d like to present to you our project: “The ultimate Test of Lenses”
All the current tests you can read in internet use a camera to test the lenses, but in this way you cannot measure the real performances of the lenses.
Our method is different: we test each lens by itself, we use an MTF optical bench, so the performances we measure are real.
And our software shows how the performances change according to the different sensor’ size.

The interface is very interactive, you choose the aperture, or the focal length, and you see how the performances change.
You can compare different lenses, very easily.

As an independent laboratory, we do no accept advertising. That guarantees even more our independent judgment.
We finance the project by selling the tests at low price (€ 5 each).

At present we achieved a beta version, and we launched a Crowdfunding to complete our work.
I’d appreciate if you would like publish our project to help us to realize the final version in the English language.
With the donations the people get tests saving money.
http://kapipal.com/projects/the-ultimate-test-of-lenses

Our laboratory MTF Lenses LAB was born more than 30 years ago and we have online a database of about 450 lenses, that we constantly enlarge.
But our story begins 122 years ago, when Rodolfo Namias, my grandfather, published the magazine Il Progresso Fotografico, January 1894; he was a researcher, and the magazine was the media to be in contact with other researches in the world.
I join some photos of that old times.

I thank you for your support
Paolo Namias
http://kapipal.com/projects/the-ultimate-test-of-lenses

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Panasonic launches the new GX80 with 5 axis stabilization

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Panasonic announced a nice new MFT camera today. It’s the GX80 with 16MP sensor and new 5 axis stabilization system. The specs in short:

  • 16MP Live MOS Sensor
  • Micro Four Thirds System
  • 2.76m-Dot 0.7x Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • UHD 4K Video Recording at 30/24 fps
  • Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • ISO 25600 and 10 fps Shooting with AF-S
  • DFD AF System, 4K Photo Modes
  • 5-Axis Image Stabilization, Dual I.S.
  • Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

Store links:
Black GX80/85 at BHphoto. Amazon. Adorama. WexUK. ParkUK.
Silver GX80/85 at BHphoto. Amazon. Adorama. ParkUK.

Previews:
Hands-on at Dpreview. GX80 preview at ePhotozine. Preview at WexUK. Hands-on at ParkCameras. First look at Whatdigitalcamera. Preview at Photographyblog.

Hasselblad Event in Berlin on April 15: New medium format camera priced below the Phase One?

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Hasselblad Germany just confirmed there is an event on April 15. And in the text presentation Hasselblad says that Chief Developer Roland Lord will report about their new products. I guess we will see the new Hasselblad Medium Format Camera with 101 Megapixel Sony sensor! And rumor has it this will be a cheaper camera than the Phase One IQ3 101MP camera.

UPDATE: This should be a H6D-100 with

  • Higher frame rate > 1.5 frames a sec
  • High resolution touch display similar or better than Phase, so that focus checking can be done easily
  • USB 3.0
  • Dual memory slots (CF and SD)
  • Possibly video (720p or 1080p or 4K)

Specs via LL.

date info via Photorumors. Price rumor part via me :)

All the fools day jokes :)

Today is April Fools Day! So let’s check some of the “amazing” and “fun” news we found:

Nikon annonce un hybride full frame: le NikoM! (Lepidi).
Worst Sony a6300 Camera Review ever by Erik Stenbakken
Nikon will soon announce a rebranded Canon EOS 80D (CanonWatch).
Exclusive: a new pro camera from Sony! (Addicted2light).
GlobalFilter – Universal Screw in filter that removes Rolling Shutter! (Blog.cvp.com).
New Olympus Dog Filter (Twitter).
Sony develops the world’s first ghost catching device – The Proton Pack™ (SonyAlphaRumors).
BREAKING NEWS :: Fujifilm X-T2, Fujifilm X-T2 PRO and Fujifilm X-MF1 officially registered in China! (Fujirumors).
Sony A6300 vs Mini A7R II (TheDigitalDigest).
Sony announce impressive new features on current cameras and new A7 cameras!!! (Philip Bloom).

Sony finally gets it and launches a new affordable 50mm FE lens and a new 70-300mm FE lens!

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Finally the Sony E-mount system gets more “proletar” (can we say that?). They launched their very first ultra affordable lens, the new 50mm f/1.8. And there is also a nice and not too expensive new 70-300mm lens too. Here are the store links (preorder start tomorrow on March 31):
FE 50mm f/1.8 at BHphoto. Adorama.
FE 70-300mm at BHphoto. Adorama.
RX10m3 at BHphoto. Adorama.

And here is the Press text:

Sony Bolsters Full-Frame FE Lens Lineup with New 70-300mm High-Resolution Zoom and 50mm F1.8 Prime Lenses

New FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS Telephoto Zoom and 50mm F1.8 Prime Lens Extend Sony ? Shooting Possibilities

SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 29, 2016 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced two new full-frame lenses for their E-mount camera system, the FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom and 50mm F1.8 prime lens.

The new FE 70-300mm F4.5-F5.6 G OSS zoom lens represents the first Sony ? E-mount lens to reach a 300mm focal length, featuring high resolution and excellent overall optical performance throughout the entirety of its range.  The new 50mm F1.8 prime lens is extremely compact, lightweight and affordably priced, making it an ideal choice for those looking to explore the benefits of a large aperture prime lens at a reasonable cost.

“We’re continuing to build out our FE lens lineup, offering more variety than ever for today’s imaging enthusiasts,” said Neal Manowitz, Vice President of Digital Imaging at Sony Electronics.  “Representing two of the most requested focal lengths by our customers, the new 70-300mm zoom and 50 F1.8mm prime become ideal choices for those looking to expand and enhance their Sony ? kits.

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New FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS Telephoto Zoom Lens

Sony’s longest reaching E-mount lens to date, the new FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens (model SEL70300G) features a state-of-the-art optical design including four aspherical glass elements, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and Sony’s Nano AR coating, which all work together to effectively suppress spherical aberration, distortion, and chromatic aberration.  This ensures beautiful high-resolution results for both still and video shooting.

The new telephoto zoom lens also features class-leading close-up performance, with a minimum focusing distance of less than 3 feet (0.9m) and a maximum magnification of 0.31x, making it an ideal choice for tele-macro photography.  This outstanding close-up performance also factors into the lens’ excellent corner-to-corner sharpness.

The versatile zoom lens includes built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization that helps to reduce camera shake, making it easier to capture clear images when shooting handheld.  Additionally, the new SEL70300G model has a linear actuator that allows it to achieve fast, smooth and quiet autofocus and is also dust and moisture resistant1 to ensure reliable operation in harsh outdoor conditions.

New FE 50mm F1.8 Prime Lens

Weighing in at less than 7 oz (192 g), the new lightweight FE 50mm F1.8 “normal” prime lens (model SEL50F18F) delivers an outstanding blend of performance, compactness and value, making it a perfect choice for hobbyist photographers and videographers looking to experience the benefits of a wide aperture prime lens at an attainable cost.

The lens features a new optical design with an aspherical element that effectively compensates for all forms of aberration, resulting in beautiful, crisp imagery.   Additionally, it has a circular aperture with a maximum of F1.8, producing beautiful ‘bokeh’ in images that allows the subject to stand out against a smoothly defocused background.  For extended durability, the new prime lens is built with a solid metal mount.

Pricing and Availability

The new FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens will be available in May for about $1,200 US and $1,700 CA, respectively.

The new FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens will also be available in May for about $250 US and $350 CA, respectively.

Both of the new FE interchangeable lenses will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America.

A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new lenses and other Sony ? products can be found atwww.alphauniverse.com , Sony’s new community site built to educate, inspire and showcase all fans and customers of the Sony ? brand.

Content is also available for viewing at the sony.com product pages for the FE 70-300mm F4.5 – 5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens and the FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens.