New Leica 60mm macro lens for the Leica T system

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Confess it, I almost forgot that Leica has still an APS-C Leica T mirrorless system :)
Well  here is the new Leica 60mm f/2.8 macro lens! And yours is the pleasure to own the lens for a super low $3,000 price (here at BH).

Press text:

Leica Announces Newest Addition to the T Lens Portfolio: the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm

All future lenses for the Leica T camera system will be marketed under a new name: “TL”

September 1, 2016 – Beginning today, a new prime lens is available for the Leica T camera system – the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60 mm f/2.8 ASPH. Considered to be the reference lens in the APS-C segment, this lens delivers macro exposures with a reproduction ratio of 1:1 and impresses with best imaging performance.

Like the Leica Summilux-TL 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH., the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60 mm f/2.8 ASPH. is available in both black and silver.

With this new addition, the lens portfolio of the Leica T camera system now offers a total of six lenses – including three prime lenses and three zoom lenses – that together offer a range of focal lengths for every photographic situation. The two fast prime lenses, the Leica Summicron-TL 23 mm f/2 ASPH. and the Summilux-TL 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH, are classic focal lengths for reportage photography. The APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60 mm f/2.8 ASPH. complements them ideally as a lens for finely detailed close-up photography. Finally, the three compact zoom lenses, the Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-TL 11–23 mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH., Vario-Elmar-TL 18–56 mm f/3.5–5.6 ASPH., and APO-Vario-Elmar-TL 55–135 mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH., cover an entire range of focal lengths equivalent to 17 to 200 mm in 35 mm format and deliver outstanding images with rich contrast from corner to corner of the frame.

As the Leica T and the new Leica SL share the same L bayonet mount, the name ‘TL’ will be implemented for all new Leica T lenses moving forward. Thanks to the flexibility offered by the TL-Lenses for a wide range of applications on cameras with the L-Bayonet, Leica once again showcases the company’s fundamental principle of system-compatibility and sustainability and offers users access to an even wider portfolio of Leica products

All Leica TL-Lenses impress with outstanding imaging performance at lengths that range from infinity to their closest focusing distance and deliver images with the unique Leica look and bokeh. Designed by the optical engineering specialists in Wetzlar, the lenses all offer the exceptional imaging performance for which Leica lenses are renowned. The combination of optical and technical expertise and the use of only the finest materials guarantee consistent quality and reliability in every situation.

The new Fuji medium format system camera will be announced on September 19. Comes with three lenses!

Fuji has a scheduled press conference on September 19. And they will finally show us a prototype of their new medium forma mirrorless system camera. First specs and info got leaked via Fujirumors.

Straight up: The one main difference with the Hasselblad X1D-50c is that the Fuji has a DSLR style. And the Fuji is also rumored to be priced $2-3,000 below the Hasselblad :)

The new Fuji camera specs:
– 50 Megapixel Sony sensor
– Shipment in 2017
– DSLR form factor
– Will be launched with two prime lenses and one zoom

Sounds great! I want it already! Some of my readers wanna buy one of my kidneys?

 

Canon announces two new 4K cameras: XC15 and C700!

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Canon announced two new 4K cameras:
Canon EOS C700 Cinema Camera (Specs at BH).
Canon XC15 4K Professional Camcorder (Specs at BH).

The new EOS-M5 camera that will be announced on September 15 is likely to have no 4K recording feature. Seems like Canon want you to buy the specific camcorders in their portfolio instead. Or maybe they want you to buy a Sony/Panasonic camera :)

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This could be the new Canon EOS-M5 specs…

Well, it’s really good to hear that Canon isn’t done with the Photokina announcements yet! On September 15 they will announce the new EOS-M5 camera and according to Canonrumors it has the following specs:

  • 24.2mp (80D sensor or some variant, we’re 90% sure on this)
  • Built-in electronic viewfinder
  • A new AF system (Could be the best new feature of the EOS M line)
  • A more classical camera design, more in line with Fuji or Olympus
  • EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM coming alongside the new body
  • September 15, 2016 announcement (We’re 90% sure on this)
Not bad….

Panasonic GH5 specs leaked and it’s a glorious hybrid camera!

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First a Spoiler alert: The image above is just an imaginary rendered GH5. But now the good news….those are the real Gh5 specs posted by 43rumors:

20mp,
4k 4:2:2 10bit…
Dual SD slots…
no crop 4k….
4k photo stills 60fps,
6k 30fps…
ISO 1 stop better…

This will become the best “hybrid” system camera on the market. Better than any Sony or Canon!

Sony announces new 50mm f/2.8 macro lens

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Today Sony announced the third 50mm FE lens in their range, the new 50mm f/2.8 FE macro lens! If you count in the new Rokinon 50mm AF lens and the Zeiss 55mm f/1.8…well it’s getting crowded in the normal focal length world!

Preorder will start on September 1 at Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

PRESS TEXT:

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 30, 2016 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced a new full-frame lens for their E-mount camera system, the FE 50mm F2.8 Macro lens (model SEL50M28).
Ideal for everyday photography, this 50mm macro lens features an F2.8 maximum aperture that offers outstanding image quality and bokeh, while its 1:1 macro capability allows the photographer to get sharp close-up shots of their subject. Additionally, its comprehensive range of controls including focus-mode switch, focus-range limiter and focus-hold button ensure an effortless shooting experience for a wide range of users.

The lens offers a 6.3 inch minimum focusing distance and a wider field of view for capturing more background, compared to longer focal-length macro lenses. Weighing in at a mere 8.4 oz., it’s extremely lightweight and portable, making it easy to carry around.

FE50mmmacro
The new FE 50mm F2.8 Macro lens features an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass to effectively compensate for axial chromatic aberration at close focus, allowing it to create consistently sharp and high quality images. The optical and mechanical construction of the lens has less glare and ghosting, even without a lens hood. The lens is also dust and moisture resistant.
Pricing and Availability

The new FE 50mm F2.8 Macro lens will be available in September for about $500 US and $650 CA, respectively. It 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 at www.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 page in the US and CA.
Please follow #SonyAlpha on twitter and visit @SonyAlpha on Instagram for all of the latest ? camera news and content direct from Sony.

Key Features

Full-frame 50mm macro lens with 1:1 magnification
f/2.8 max. aperture for low-light and shallow depth of field
Get close with 6.25” (0.16m) minimum focusing distance
7-blade circular aperture design produce beautiful bokeh
ED glass effectively compensates for axial chromatic aberration
Robust and reliable dust and moisture resistant design
Focus-mode switch, focus-range limiter and focus-hold button
Distance scale, Magnification scale and Distance index
Compact (2.78”) and lightweight (8.3 oz.) for high mobility
Great for scenery and portraits as well as macro shots.

Sample Images

Sony ?7R II, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens. 1/200-sec., f/2.8, ISO 400

Sony ?7R II, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens. 1/640-sec., f/2.8, ISO 100

Sony ?7R II, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens. 1/60-sec., f/5.6, ISO 1250

Sony ?7R II, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens. 1/100-sec., f/3.5, ISO 400

Sony ?7R II, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens. 1/80-sec., f/2.8, ISO 100

Info via Sony and Alphauniverse