New Toy Lenses for Pentax Q, Micro Four Thirds and Sony NEX system.

SLR Magic just announced three new Toy Lenses for three new systems:
1) SLR Magic x Toy Lens 11mm f/1.4 lens for Pentax Q. It’s already available on .
2) SLR Magic x Toy Lens 28mm Bokehmorphic lens for NEX. Available on .
3) SLR Magic x Toy Lens Pinhole Lens for Micro Four Thirds. Available on .

Here is the full press release:
“Hong Kong, China (March 5, 2012)  – SLR Magic introduces three more Toy Lenses.
The SLR Magic x Toy Lens Pinhole lens is the first wide-angle pinhole lens that is compatible with all micro four third mount cameras. The field of view of this Pinhole Lens corresponds to a 24mm pinhole lens in 35mm format. It is the first pinhole lens to offer a protective glass to keep dust and moisture away from the digital sensor.
The SLR Magic x Toy Lens 11mm f/1.4 is a standard focal length lens that is compatible with all Q mount cameras. The field of view corresponds to a 60mm lens in 35mm format. The fast aperture combined with the close minimum focus distance of this lens allows for pleasing shallow depth of field effect and is a joy to use.
The SLR Magic x Toy Lens Bokehmorphic allows for creative bokeh effects. The lens is compatible with all E mount cameras. The field of view corresponds to a 42mm lens in 35mm format. It is great for creative bokeh or light painting for impressionistic photography.
All three Toy Lens models will be available from authorized SLR Magic dealers by April 2012.
Andrew Chan
Product Manager“

New Fuji X PRO 1 reviews (and silver fata morgana effect)

The Taiwanese magazine MAG (Click here) made that picture showing an apparently “Fata Morgana” effect. It looks like the girls are holding a Silver X PRO 1 version but some of our readers confirmed that this was just an effect created by the intense light. There cameras are indeed black :(

Don’t know if there will be ever a silver version ( I would like it!). Back from the fantasy world here are two real news sent me by the original reviewers:

1) “Image samples from Fujifilm X-Pro1 (not pre-production!) showing ISO-performance and center/corner sharpness of the 18 mm and 35 mm lenses:
http://www.akam.no/artikler/sjekk-bildekvaliteten-pa-fujifilm-x-pro1/107175
Norwegian words:
Senterskarphet = center sharpness
Hjørneskarphet = corner sharpness“

2) “I am a professional wedding/portrait/travel photographer in Canada who has been recently engaged by Fujifilm Canada to shoot some promotional images with a pre-preproduction X-Pro 1 for their upcoming product launch in Canada. They have also asked me to provide feedback about the camera system to them.
They have asked me not to share any images I shoot (yet) as they want to present them to the press/public at the product launch, however, they gave me permission to discuss my thoughts about the camera.
I have written a “working review” as I have been using the camera for a week in my studio on live client work. Fujifilm really wanted to know how the camera performs on the job, so I approached my review from that “working photographer” perspective.
If you would like to see the review (and maybe show it to your readers), you can find it at:
http://holyfstop.blogspot.com/2012/03/fujifilm-x-pro-1-first-look.html“

—

The Fuji X PRO 1 camera can be preordered:
in USA/Canada at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), Epxansys US (Click here) and Expansys Canada (Click here).
in Europe at Jessops UK (Click here), eBay Italy (Click here) and Expansys UK (Click here).
in Asia at Amazon Japan (Click here) and eBay Japan (Click here).

First Fuji X PRO 1 review at Cnet Asia!

Fujifilm FinePix X-Pro1 sample video from CNET Asia on Vimeo.

Shawn Low from Cnet Asia (Click here) posted the first full X PRO 1 review: “its slower-than-average autofocus performance and unimpressive battery life are notable shortcomings. The X-Pro1 will wow you with its excellent image performance and low-light capabilities.“

Amateur Photographer (Click here) posted a new X-PRO 1 hands-on impression: “In all, though, it is a very pleasing camera to hold, to operate, to look through and to hear go ‘click’. I look forward to the AP in-depth test, and I suspect this will be a camera our readers will want to own.“

They didn’t post any test or image samples but you can find some of them in Japan at Kakaku (Click here and scroll down). There is also a full ISO test on the second page of their review (Click here).

 

Great australian Fuji X PRO 1 launch video shot by Michael Fletcher.

Fujifilm X-Pro 1 Official Australian Launch from Michael Fletcher on Vimeo.

On top you can see the Fuji Australian launch video! Wish I could have been there :)

 

P.S.: While we Europeans and our American readers have to wait a month to see the X PRO 1 in Stock Amazon Japan (Click here) is already shipping it. I don’t think non Japanese can buy it directly from there. If you really need the camera now than eBay may be your better friend. A

The Fuji X PRO 1 camera can be preordered:
in USA/Canada at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), Epxansys US (Click here) and Expansys Canada (Click here).
in Europe at Jessops UK (Click here), eBay Italy (Click here) and Expansys UK (Click here).
in Asia at Amazon Japan (Click here) and eBay Japan (Click here).

The Fuji X 18mm f/2.0 can be preordered:
in USA/Canada at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
in Asia at Amazon Japan (Click here).

The Fuji X 35mm f/1.4 can be preordered:
in USA/Canada at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
in Asia at Amazon Japan (Click here).

The Fuji X 60mm f/2.4 macro can be preordered:
in USA/Canada at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).

A double Lytro camera review.

It doesn’t happen very often to see a major paradigm shift in the photo camera industry. Mirrorless was one of them and now Lytro is leading a new revolution. In short, it is the first camera that takes picture without the need to focus on a single point. The full image is in focus and if you want to add some focusing effect you can do it after you took the picture.

To see how it works check out the latest two reviews at The Verge (Click here) and Dpreview (Click here). The product page is available here: www.lytro.com.

The current product is more a toy than a real usable camera and I don’t know if that new kind of photography will play a major role in future. But I will keep a close eye on lytro because I may be wrong and the future will not be DSLR or Mirrorless but Lytro :)

 

Mirrorless news roundup…(with Nokia crazy 40+ megapixel sensor)

Full Canon G1 X review at Digitalcamerareview (Click here).
Metabones EF to E-Mount adapter for Sony NEX Review (EosHD).
Interview with Canon at Megapixel.
Canon Powershot G1 X Sample Photos (ePhotozine).
NEX-7 and 50mm lens test (Bmupix)
Le Sony NEX-7, par Jean-Marie Sepulchre (Alpha Numerique).
German Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 review at Digitalkamera.
The crazy 41 megapixel camera fo the new Nokia smartphone (Image samples at Nokia website).

P.S.: Who said Megapixel race would end? I already knwo of a Sony sensor with 100 Megapixel sensor that will be shown at Photokina :)

Samsung NX200 tested at Dpreview

[shoplink 100005][/shoplink]Better late than never :) Right before the new NX210 and NX300 announcement Dpreview (Click here) posted their Samsung NX200 review. The camera earns the Silver Award with a great overall score of 77%. Not a bad result at all.

Check the current price of the NX200 at [shopcountry 100005].