The new Fuji X-E1 seems to have quite a huge amount of preorder requests at Amazon (Click here to see the ranking). A good start! Meantime check this new videos I found on youtube: Toshimitsu Takahashi and the X-E1, first look preview by AP, official Promotional Video. And the current X PRO 1 owners will be also happy to know that the new firmware upgrade will be released on September 18th!
Zeiss (Click here) just issued an intriguing press release: “Another highlight will be the presentation of a design study, with which Carl Zeiss will offer a sneak preview of a new family of autofocus lenses for mirrorless system cameras (CSC) that will most likely be available in mid-2013. Due to their performance and high speed, these new lenses will be ideal for deliberate photo composition, making them perfect for more sophisticated photographers as well. Carl Zeiss plans to initially offer fixed focal lengths in the wide angle and standard range as well as a macro.“
There is no info about what kind of system will be supported by the new lenses. But it’s only 12 days to go until Photokina starts! Than we will finally see what Zeiss plans to do for real…
Finally the new Fuji stuff has been announced and here is the post with all you need to know about the new cameras and lenses. I am continually updating the article and including new links to reviews and preorders!
Preorders:
Black Fuji X-E1 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Silver Fuji X-E1 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Black Fuji X-E1 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Silver Fuji X-E1 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Fuji 14mm f/2.8 lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Fuji 18-55mm f/2.8-4.0 OIS lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Reviews, Previews and Image Samples:
Hands-on at Dpreview. Hands-on in spanish at Quesabesde. Hands-on review at Imaging Resource. Hands-on review at Techradar. Official X-E1 page by Fuji.
Videos:
.
Fuji X-E1 Hands-On Preview by CameraStoreTV. First look by Fujiguys. Introducing the X-E1 by FujiUK. X-E1 in action by FujiUK. In action part two by FujiUK.
Official press release:
ThePhoBlographer, Photoscala, Dpreview, DSLRmagazine, Techradar, TheVerge, Photographyblog, ePhotozine, Pocket Lint, FujiFilm, Systemkameraforum, Cnet, Engadget, Amateurphotographer.
X PRO 1 firmware:
Dpreview, Photoscala, Techradar, Photographyblog.
Sony announced the 5R while the new NEX-6 and three NEX lenses will be unveiled on September 12th.
Previews Hands-on and Reviews:
Hands-on preview at Dpreview. First impressions at ThePhoBlographer. Playmemories news at Dpreview and available on iTunes. Cnet. TheVerge. Hands-on review at Techradar. Hands-on preview at Imaging Resource. Detailed info about the APP function at Photoclubalpha. Hands-on pictures at Photographyblog.
Preorders:
Black NEX-5R body links to Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here).
Black NEX-5R with kit lens at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here).
Silver NEX-5R with kit lens at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here).
White NEX-5R with kit lens at BHphoto (Click here) and Sonystore DE–UK–FR–IT–ES–NL–SE–FI–CH
Sony HDR-AS15 HD action camcorder at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here).
White HDR-AS10 HD action camcorder at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here).
The nice team from CamerastorTV made that new Leica Monochrome video review I embedded here on top. These guys are so nice I am going to link to their store a couple of times: www.thecamerastore.com, www.thecamerastore.com, www.thecamerastore.com, www.thecamerastore.com, www.thecamerastore.com, …and I am not going paid for this joke :)
That said I heard first preorders have now been shipped by BHphoto (Click here). But I really don’t know how few of my readers had the money to preorder this jewel. We may better wait for Sony to launch their NEX-FF hybrid system. On SonyAlphaRumors we just learned that this system works in a different way then we thought (Click here ot read the newest rumor on SAR).
Conventional approach (left) and patented approach (right)
Egami (machine translated) spotted another patent filed by Canon and related to methods that aim to improve the performance and accuracy of the phase-detection AF. This is the second patent in a few days – the first one can be seen here. Such an AF method is featured on the Rebel T4i/650D and on Canon’s recently announced mirrorless camera, the EOS M. Note that such an AF method is particularly useful on a mirrorless camera, given that such cameras, since they are missing the mirror, can not focus in the “traditional way”.
As far as I can tell, the patent details methods to increase AF performance by eliminating problems caused by the angle of incidence of the light: “[…] reduce the diffraction limit by a high refractive index layer“. Another discussed issue is the reduction of the pixel size (higher resolution??). I am more and more confident that both patents are related to an upcoming sensor which, I guess, will be at the heart of the more pro-oriented mirrorless camera most of us are expecting to be announced in September at Photokina.
[egami, via canonwatch]
- Patent Publication No. 2012-151367
- 2012.8.9 Release Date
- 2011.1.20 filing date
- The diameter of the spot light focusing of the micro lens
- Determined by the numerical aperture and ? the wavelength of the incident light
- By the wave nature of light, not smaller than the diffraction limit
- When the pixel size below the diffraction limit, pupil division is impossible
- ? = 1.22 * (? / n * sin?) diffraction limit
- ? This angle ? is half the chance of lens optical system was synthesized in the micro-lenses and layers
- Related art
- There is a light flux can not reach into the openings of the light-shielding layer of the phase difference AF pixel for the image plane, the light-receiving efficiency is reduced
- Although the distance can be shortened and the photoelectric conversion unit if microlens back-illuminated (BSI), if the pixel consists of a low refractive index layer in the layer lens +, for total internal reflection occurs, can not be expected to increase the angle
- Canon’s patented
- To reduce the diffraction limit by a high refractive index layer
- Structure of the pixel
- Within a layer lens, and light shielding layer formed between the microlens
- The high refractive index layer, filled between the lens and the light-shielding layer in the layer
- The low refractive index layer, a light shielding layer filled between the microlens and
- Optical system consisting of micro-lens and lens in the layer, connecting the focal point in the PD
- A case
- ? = 540nm wavelength of the incident light
- 1.6 refractive index of the microlens
- 1.45 refractive index of the low refractive index layer
- Layer of high refractive index lens and in the layer refractive index n = 2.3 (silica Sio 2 of the prior art is n = 1.46)
