This is cool: Peak Design launched this new completely “different” Travel Tripod

Peak design has just launched a compltely new kind of Tripod on Kickstarter (Click here). Usually there is little incremental improvement on tripods but Peak Design completely rethinked it:

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Traditional travel tripods have a critical flaw: tons of wasted space. The result is a tool that is inherently difficult to carry with you into the field. We fixed that, and more.

We spent 4 years redesigning the tripod from the ground up to eliminate dead space and minimize packed-down size.

But we didn’t stop at space savings.

We made a tool that deploys and packs down rapidly—nearly twice as fast as a traditional tripod. We made it intuitive and delightful to use. We engineered professional-quality stability and performance. And we added thoughtful features to help you get the shot— with any gear, in any environment, from any point of view.

But there is really MUCH MORE to ssee if you jump over on their Kickstarter page (Click here).

Fully leaked GFX100 specs!

Nokishita leaked the full GFX100 specs (via Fujirumors):

Fujifilm GFX 100 Specs (google translated from Japanese)

  • Equipped with a backside illuminated CMOS sensor with 102 million pixels
  • High-speed image processing engine “X-Processor 4”
  • Achieves high-speed AF with up to twice the speed of the current model and excellent in moving object tracking
  • 3.78 million image plane phase difference pixels are placed on the entire surface of the image sensor (coverage ratio about 100%)
  • The accuracy of “face and pupil detection AF” has dramatically improved
  • In addition to face detection of objects farther away, it is also possible to achieve high followability even when the face turns sideways or is blocked by an obstacle.
  • Equipped with a 5-axis camera shake correction mechanism in the body that has an effect of up to 5.5 steps
  • Equipped with 4K / 30P video shooting function
  • Recording to an SD card 4K 30p 10bit 4: 2: 0, recording to an external media via HDMI 4K 30p 10bit 4: 2: 2
  • The first “GFX Series” to be equipped with “ETERNA” mode
  • In addition to rear liquid crystal monitor corresponding to 3.2 type 3 direction tilt, we adopt 2.05 type rear sub monitor newly
  • The newly installed 1.80 top screen sub LCD monitor can use “Virtual dial mode” to display dial design
  • Newly developed 5.76 million dots organic EL electronic view finder
  • View finder magnification 0.86 times, optional EVF tilt adapter “EVF-TL1” can be attached
  • It supports “16bit RAW” “16bit TIFF” recording
  • Newly developed Smooth Skin Effect, a new function that automatically performs skin retouching
  • We realize small size, light weight of thinnest part 48.9mm, approximately 1400 g (including two batteries, memory card, electronic view finder)
  • High dust and water proof performance and low temperature resistant structure with 95 places sealing
  • First to support “IEEE 802.11ac” as “GFX series”
  • Since two “NP-T125” can be mounted, approximately 800 images can be taken when using the rear LCD monitor
  • Power supply and charge from USB terminal is possible

Announcement on May 23!!!

Ricoh lease contract for the Pentax brand ends in 2020?

Well this is a surprise:

A reliable source reported on Pentax Forum that the

‘Pentax ownership belongs to HOYA, the right to use belongs to Ricoh, and the lease contract expires in 2020. Maybe this is why Ricoh does not continue to develop Pentax.’

It would be a serious surprise if Ricoh couldn’t use the Pentax brand name from 2020 towards. I hope Ricoh will still manage to extend the terms of use!

All the specs we know about the soon to be announced new Fujifilm GFX 100!

This week on May 23 fuji will finally launch the new GFX100!

Fujifilm GFX 100 official and rumored specs via Fujirumors: