The Kenko booth at CP+. New Ricoh GXR firmware update!

Also Kenko had his nice place at the CP+ show in Yokohama!

With all those CP+ news we missed to post an important new Ricoh GXR firmware update that has been posted two days ago! This update includes the firmware for :
•GXR body (ver. 1.31)
•GR LENS A12 28mm F2.5 (ver. 1.31)
•GR LENS A12 50mm F2.5 MACRO (ver. 1.31)
•RICOH LENS S10 24-72 mm F2.5-4.4 VC (ver. 1.31)
•RICOH LENS P10 28-300 mm F3.5-5.6 VC (ver. 1.31)

The update corrects a few bugs. You can read more about that and download the firmware here: http://ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/gxr/

Video: The Ricoh M-module and the Sony booth at CP.

It’s always interesting to see video of the photoshow booths! The video above shows the Ricoh M-module that has been displayed today at the Cp show in Yokohama. And below we have the Sony booth video. To bad that stuff is not available yet. I guess we have to wait a few months before to see them in Stock. Source: Akihabarenews

Olympus, Sony and Sigma do show new lens mockups/roadmap


We knew there would be no real new mirrorless product at the CP+ show that starts today in Yokohama. But instead we have lot of mockups and a new Sony roadmap!

Olympus shows pictures of a new pro Zuiko lens (no details given). Sigma shows a prototype of a 30mm f/2.8 (macro?) lens for NEX. And Sony unveiled the E-mount lens roadmap:
Carl Zeiss lenses (scheduled for release in 2011, focal length: 24mm)
Telephoto zoom lens (available in 2011, focal length :55-200mm)
Macro lens (scheduled for release in 2011, focal length: 30mm)
Lens – Portrait (scheduled for release in 2011, focal length: 50mm)
G – High-performance standard zoom lens (available 2012)
Zoom wide (scheduled for release in 2012)
Medium Telephoto Lens (available 2012)

The Sigma lens for NEX

Zeiss, Cosina-Voigtländer, Sigma and Tamron. All do join the Sony NEX system!

Micro Four Thirds gained a lot of attention with the latest entry of Zeiss and Schneider. That’s why the Sony “counter attack” is certainly not casual! With an official press release (Source: Sony.net) Sony announced that “it will disclose the basic specifications of its “E-mount” for interchangeable single lens cameras, without fee, to manufacturers of lenses and mount adaptors, starting April 1st, 2011“. But that alone wouldn’t be enough to gain the headlines that’s why Sony also announced a nice list of manufactures that will join the E-mount system! That includes Zeiss, Cosina-Voigtländer, Sigma and Tamron!

My guess is that we will see some of those companies showing their new lenses at the CP+ show that starts tomorrow in Yokohama. And according to rumors floating around the web Zeiss should be the first…

Stay tuned!

Zeiss joins m43. New Voigtländer M-mount lenses.

At Photokina 2010 Zeiss announced that they would release CP+ lenses with m43 mount. And today Zeiss officially announced that they will join the m43 group. But their press release lead us to believe are going to make “ZEISS HD Video lenses” only.Read the full press release at 43rumors.com.

Meanwhile Photorumors says that Voigtländer could soon announce two new m-mount lenses. The 35mm f/1.1 and the 50mm f/1.4.

And to finish a no-news. Canon didn’t announce any new mirrorless system. We will have some warmed up Rebels instead!

Schneider turns the back at Samsung and joins Micro Four Thirds!

Oh Samsung…that hurts! The lens partner Schneider Kreuznach just joined the Micro Four Thirds group and announced they will soon release new lenses for the system. Confess, we all thought they would sooner or later join the NX system. Of course the chance still remains SK will also make NX lenses but the fact that they announced to go with m43 is a bad joke for the koreans!

Source: Photoscala (Click here to read the google english translation)

Is Mirrorless Really Hot or Not? (Thom Hogan)

Let’s take a short break from rumors and let’s do a little bit of mirrorless Chrystal ball chat:)

Thom Hogan wrote an article about the future of mirrorless: “I’ve pretty much always had a mirrorless camera with me, as I did go from sampler to adapter. But again, as a compact camera replacement, not a DSLR replacement.“…”Yet they don’t yet really make it to DSLR replacement in my mind“…”So we’ll see Nikon, Canon, and Pentax all come into the mirrorless market, too, while Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, and Olympus redouble their efforts. These camera companies aren’t sure why mirrorless cameras are selling, but that won’t stop them from entering the market or further pushing their efforts. “…”To me, the camera companies are chasing the wrong rabbit. What users want is smaller and lighter, not ->remove the mirror box, optical viewfinder, and sophisticated focus system<-.”

Please read the full article at bythom.com (Once clicked scroll down to find the article). I know Thom Hogan is reading us so feel free to add your comments! And let us know how you see the future of mirrorless cameras: