Nikon Patent For A Ring Flash To Mount On The Camera Body (perfect for mirrorless systems)

Left: not mounted, right: mounted

Japanese site Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Nikon for a ring flash that can be mounted directly on the camera body. The patent pictures suggest a compact camera. Looks like the ring flash gets mounted through a sort of bayonet mechanism

  • Patent Publication No. 2012-185190

    • 2012.9.7 Release Date

    • 2011.3.3 filing date

  • Ring flash

  • With a light input portion

    • Using the built-in flash of the camera, etc.

    • Through an optical fiber, the light that has been input is output to the light output unit (ring-shaped diffusion member)

  • And easy installation

    • I was provided with a hinge in part optical input

    • I have provided a light input portion of the elastic member

    • Mounting of the optical output to the camera bayonet

[via EG]

 

RX1 specs changed, E-M5 firmware released.

Two news on two of the most popular mirrorless cameras. The Sony RX1 specs just got changed. Sony Japan that they will remove the AF-C focus option. The good news that thel shutter speed has been increased to 1:4000 (before it was 1:2000).

The second news is that a huge E-M5 firmware update has been released. Source: olympus.co.jp. You have to use the Olympus Digital Camera Updater.

And to end there is a quick note for a nice deal on the Sony NEX-5n. That tiny little nice camera is for sale for $369 at Adorama (Click here). This is one of the best deal I ever saw on a mirrorless camera this year.

Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Camera with Nikkor 10-30mm VR Zoom Lens Down To $399!!

Don’t know how long this will last (not long typically), but Adorama (using coupon code S1111111) has the Nikon 1 V1 with the 10-30 mm lens down to insane $399 (click here). Hurry up if this is the camera you are looking for! Regular price is $897!!

  • 10.1Mp 13.2 x 8.8mm CMOS CX Image Sensor

  • EXPEED 3 Image Processor

  • 3.0″ LCD Display

  • Electronic Viewfinder

  • Nikon 1 Lens Mount

  • SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slot

  • Advanced Hybrid AF

  • 100-3200 and 6400 ISO

  • i-TTL Hot Shoe for Optional Speedlight

  • 1920 x 1080/60i Movie Capture

Sigma will make lenses for serious enthusiast mirrorless systems. And DP2 news roundup.

Amateur Photographer interviewed Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki that Sigma will aim compact system camera (CSC) lenses at serious photo enthusiasts, rather than general consumers. De facto Sigma will “ignore” consumer mirrorless system liek the Pentax Q (and probably Nikon 1).

As you know last week Sigma said that they won’t make their own mirrorless camera system. That’s too bad because the DP2 proves that they have a very intruiguing sensor technology that may be not fully mature but definitely rocks when it comes to low ISO quality. Just check out the latest DP2 tests:
Experience the Sigma DP2 Merrill resolution at Outbackhpto. DP2 ISO test at Focus Numerique. A full camera review has been posted at Photographyblog: “Image quality is the DP2 Merrill’s star turn, indeed the principal reason to put up with its numerous other shortcomings.“

Check out price and specs at Amazon (Click here) and Bhphoto (Click here).

Canon EOS-M worldwide shipment started.

The first Canon mirrorless camera is now finally shipping in Japan (Source: Canon and Amazon Japan). It will ship in US on October 15th according to BHphoto (Click here). This is a great little camera, and I don’t think Canon is telling us the truth when saying they do not care about a M PRO version with viewfinder. I bet we will see such a camera in 2013!

Canon EOS-M preorder links:
Full presentation page on Amazon (Click here).
EOS-M Black at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M White at BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 22mm pancake at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 15-55mm kit lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M adapter at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M Flash at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

Canon repeats: No plan to make any PRO mirrorless camera…

Spanish DSLR Magazine (machine translated) published a long interview with Richard Shepherd, Senior Product Specialist for the EOS system, Canon Europe. And once again it becomes clear that unlike Fuji and Sony Canon has no plan yet to go into the PRO market with their mirrorless M system. I guess that they will wait until Fuji and Sony will release their FF mirrorless cameras in 2013 to see the market response.

 

Canon EOS-M Preorders and specs:
Full presentation page on Amazon (Click here).
EOS-M Black at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M White at BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 22mm pancake at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 15-55mm kit lens at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M adapter at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M Flash at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).