Canon XC10 gets announced in Japan.

Canon Japan announced the XC10. It’s a 4K camera with a 12MP sensor and it will be released in mid June 2015.

Key Features

The new product, aimed at professionals and advanced amateurs users involved in video production, is the 4K video camera that was both high image quality and compact and lightweight. Video production and media, such as promotional videos and documentaries, as a sub-camera of digital cinema, making it suitable for a variety of applications such as the shooting of the scene that require mobility.

The high-quality 4K video can be video production immersive high definition

And 1.0-inch CMOS sensor of high sensitivity, 4K video lens equipped with a 10x optical zoom, image processing platform DIGIC DV 5 performs arithmetic processing in high speed, the newly developed all of Canon’s proprietary video format “XF-AVC”, I realize the shooting and recording of high-quality 4K video. Compression method 4K video adopts the Intra Frame for achieving high bit rates up to 305Mbps, while maintaining the high quality of 4K video Through the high compression, can reduce the data capacity. In addition, it is equipped with a video recording system that has been adopted in video production equipment CINEMA EOS SYSTEM, you will be able to shoot a high-luminance portion and the overexposure and underexposure less impressive video even in dark. Furthermore, by adopting a high-speed recording media CFast 2.0 card to 4K movie recording, you can built-in recording of 4K video.

About 12 million can be cutting out the still image from the high sensitivity of the still image shooting and 4K video pixel

The installation of an effective pixel count about 12 million pixels 1.0-inch high-sensitivity CMOS sensor, you can still image shooting of ISO20000. In addition, it is equipped with a mechanical shutter, camera is ready to take a picture not only quickly moving subject also distortion (Strain). Furthermore, in “4K frame capture”, I can record still images of about 8.29 million pixels moment from 4K video of 30 frames / sec.

Contributing to video production that require mobility

About 125 (width) × 102 (height) × 122 (depth) mm, and has realized the size and weight of about 930g ?. Furthermore, by adopting approximately 90 ° rotatable grip front and rear tilt type liquid crystal and the vertical, such as high-angle and low-angle, allows shooting from an arbitrary position and angle of the user, requiring mobility image I will contribute to the production.

?body only. Battery pack food unit finder unit of memory card and shipped (same root) is not included.

Market trends in video production equipment

With the digitization of the video production industry, and at the same time respond to 4K video progresses rapidly in productions such as movies, efforts to practical use of 4K broadcasting has begun in many countries in the broadcasting industry. From input to output, by 4K of the video production workflow progresses, it is of course, the needs of the digital 4K video camera suitable for video production in a compact and lightweight come increasingly in the future equipment is a high-resolution and image quality It is expected that. (Canon survey)

New DSLR and Mirrorless shipment data from Japan. Flat sales…

Personal View posted the graphs of the February digital camera sales. As you can see there is no big news. Camera sales are still bad compared to the previous year (which was alreayd a very bad year). And this time both DSLR and Mirrorless camera shipments were lower than the same month 12 months ago. Wondering when this will ever end to fall and fall…

The full detailed numbers can be see on that CIPA PDF.

Sony keeps working on a new Foveon alike multilayer sensor.

I guess the question that we have to answer is not “if” but “when” Sony will finally make their first multilayer sensor cameras. The last few years Sony patented many such Foveon alike sensor ideas. And the newest patent underlines their effort to design a much improved version of the Sigma sensor. To get rid of the corner issues of foveon sensor Sony plans to add a lens on top of the sensor. This will correct the Light Ray angle and allow a perfect sharp image on the entire frame.

Really Sony…do it now!

via SonyAlphaRumors.

Nikon 1 J5 announced!

Nikon announced the new 1 J5 camera. You can preorder various kits at BHphoto (Click here). This is a just small updated camera and 4k can be recorderdd at 15fps only :(

Full press release as follows:

THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION OF PORTABILITY, VERSATILITY AND PERFORMANCE, THE NIKON 1 J5 OFFERS USERS COMMANDING SPEED AND POWERFUL IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

Sporting an Unmatched Fusion of Speed and Image Quality, the Exceptionally Compact Nikon 1 J5 Pushes the Boundaries for Those Passionate About Telling Their Stories through Amazing Images and HD Video

MELVILLE, NY (April 2, 2015 at 12:01 A.M. EDT) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced a portable yet powerful addition to the Nikon 1 System of compact interchangeable lens cameras, the incredibly fast Nikon 1 J5, designed for photographers ready to creatively capture and share their passions. Featuring a blazing fast continuous full-resolution shooting frame rate at 20 frames-per-second (fps) with full Autofocus, a new 20.8-megapixel Backside-illuminated (BSI) 1-inch CX-format CMOS sensor, EXPEED 5A image processing and a slew of creative modes, the J5 packs advanced performance into an intuitively designed and compact body. Users can also utilize the experience of Nikon Snapbridge, whereby users seamlessly shoot and share stunning photos from the camera to a compatible smartphone or tablet via built-in Wi-Fi®1 and Near Field Communication (NFC2) technology.

“Consumers are constantly looking for the right balance of portability and imaging prowess to ensure they are ready to capture each and every special moment,” said Masahiro Horie, Director of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc. “With speeds that not even a pro DSLR camera can match, engineered into a compact camera body, the Nikon 1 J5 is a versatile and formidable addition to the Nikon 1 System whether shooting a Friday night football game or for the family constantly on-the-go.”

Breathtaking Speed Ready to Capture Life’s Moments
Capable of incredible speeds, the Nikon 1 J5 features a myriad of advanced features that help make it simple to capture fast moving subjects in brilliant image quality or Full HD video. Capable of shooting at an amazing 20 fps at full resolution with Autofocus (AF), even high-speed action can be captured with clarity and precision, while even reaching up to 60 fps with AF fixed on the first frame. This amazing speed is made possible in part by the addition of the new EXPEED 5A image processing engine, resulting in faster shooting and enhanced performance and efficiency. The Nikon 1 J5 also gives users an impressively fast hybrid AF system featuring 171 Contrast-Detect and 105 Phase Detect AF points to further achieve and maintain focus on tough-to-photograph subjects. Nikon has also introduced a new Sports Mode in the J5, offering intuitive preset settings to help optimize focus when capturing the “photo-finish” at the racetrack or last second “buzzer-beater.” When catching the right moment matters, the camera also utilizes the world’s shortest release time lag3 to practically eliminate shutter delay for those moments when time is of the essence.

Amazing Detail in Every Shot
Whether shooting athletes in action or a flawless flattering portrait, the Nikon 1 J5 utilizes the latest Nikon technologies and an impressive imaging feature set designed to capture incredible detail, even in low-light. At the heart of the newest addition to the Nikon 1 System is a new 1-inch CX-format 20.8-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor that renders finer detail than ever before to the J-series, while allowing for cleaner images at higher ISOs. When the light is challenging, the J5 features a built-in flash and sports a wide ISO range from 160-12,800 that will help preserve precious memories even in the absence of available light. For extreme low-light situations, High ISO Noise Reduction captures and stacks four frames simultaneously to help reduce noise when shooting at 6400 and 12,800 (with noise reduction enabled). 

Create, Capture and Share with Ease
With the Nikon 1 J5, the J-Series welcomes a new, innovative control layout that puts a full array of physical controls and creative modes at the fingertips of the photographer. Manual controls and PSAM exposure modes are now easily accessible via the Mode Dial, while the Command Dial allows settings to be changed quickly and easily. A programmable function button helps access often-used functions including ISO and white balance as well. The J5 features a high-resolution 3-inch 1,037k-dot touch LCD display with a 180-degree tilt to help users seamlessly navigate an enhanced menu system, frame shots and make focus point adjustments. The LCD screen tilts a full 180-degrees upward to help capture easy yet stunning self-portraits, particularly when using the new Self-Portrait Mode, to easily set skin softening, self-timer and exposure compensation using the touchscreen interface.

The J5 also offers a variety of Creative Modes and Scene Modes for stills and video designed to expand creativity and optimize settings for any shooting scenario. Seven new effects are now available including Nostalgic Sepia, Pop, Retro, High-contrast Monochrome, Fisheye, Skin softening (stills only) and Cross Screen (stills only). Nikon’s newest J-Series addition also features built-in Wi-Fi®1 and NFC2 that allow for seamless connectivity via compatible smart devices, allowing for easy sharing with friends and family. 

Impressive Movie Capabilities
The Nikon 1 J5 sports an impressive set of video features and is capable of effortlessly recording high-quality 1080/60p HD video and shooting at up to 120 fps (at 720p) to create slow motion playback. Users can utilize a variety of fun and innovative creative tools to add their own personal touch to any movie, including Jump-Cut, Fast Motion, 4-second movie and the new Time-Lapse Movie mode that captures up to 300 stills and replays them as a 10-second sequence. An interval timer has been added as well, allowing up to 999 images to be recorded in intervals between 5 seconds and up to nearly 100 minutes (99:59) to create time-lapse movies via external software. Also new with the J5, creative effects including Selective Color and Cross Process are now available for video application. The Nikon 1 J5 can also capture high-resolution 4K video at 15p for those who want to experiment with higher resolution video clips. Users can browse and edit videos using Nikon’s free View NX-i software, downloadable at http://nikonimglib.com/nvnxi.

Portability and Versatility
Remarkably lightweight, the Nikon 1 J5 is a versatile and portable companion that users can bring with them wherever they go. As the newest addition to the Nikon 1 System, the compact J5 is compatible with the entire 1 NIKKOR line of lenses and accessories and many DX and FX NIKKOR lenses when using the FT-1 Mount Adapter4.

Price and Availability
The Nikon 1 J5 will be available in Silver and Black, Silver and White and all Black in multiple kit configurations. The J5 alongside the 1 NIKKOR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom lens will be available for a suggested retail price (SRP*) of $499.95, while a kit with both the 1 NIKKOR  10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom lens and 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 will be available for $749.95 SRP* in Silver/Black and Silver/White only. Additionally, the Nikon 1 J5 will also be kitted with the 1 NIKKOR 10-100mm f/4-5.6 lens for $1,049.95 SRP* in Silver/Black and Silver/White only. The Nikon 1 J5 will be available soon, with exact timing still to be determined.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

1 Nikon Cameras having built-in Wi-Fi capability or connected to a WU- 1a or WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter can only be used with a compatible iPhone®, iPad®, and/or iPod touch® or smart devices running on the Android™ operating system. 

2 Nikon Cameras having built-in NFC capability can only be used with a compatible smart device running on the Android™ operating system version 4.0 or higher. 

The Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility application must be installed on the device before it can be used with cameras having built-in Wi-Fi and/or NFC capability or connected to a WU-1a or WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter. Compatibility information can be found, and the application can be downloaded, at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nikon.wu.wmau&hl=en (Android) or

https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/wireless-mobile-adapter-utility/id554157010 (iOS).

Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.

Wi-Fi® and the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

All Nikon trademarks are trademarks of Nikon Corporation.

3 Among Digital Cameras with interchangeable lenses available as of March 9, 2015, measured when using a single-point AF mode and the shortest focal length of 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM; as determined by Nikon performance tests

4 The Nikon 1 J5 is compatible via the FT-1 Mount Adapter with select NIKKOR lenses (those not exceeding 4lbs 6.5 oz. [2,000g]). To see a full list of compatible lenses, please visit http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Lens-Adapters/FT-1-Mount-Adapter.html

Specifications, equipment and release dates are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.

Not an April’s fools joke: Brand new Rokinon 100mm macro lens announced!

The new Rokinon 100mm macro lens can now be preordered at BHphoto (Click here).

Product Highlights
Fuji X, Samsung NX, MFT and Sony E-mount version available
100mm (35mm Equivalent)
Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/32
One High Refractive Index Element
One Extra-Low Dispersion Element
Ultra Multi-Coating
1:1 Magnification, 1′ Minimum Focus
Internal Focus; Manual Focus Design
Non-Rotating Filter Mount
Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Great lens!