Exclusive on mirrorlessrumors: Sony to drop their fullframe line. Focus on NEX system!

According to our sources Sony is currently very close to the decision to stop their DSLR Fullframe development (lenses and cameras). There are many reasons why this could/will happen:

1) Sony wants to focus on the development of the NEX system. For the first time they see the chance to increase their market share!
2) Sony wasn’t able to earn money from their FF cameras and it is expensive to keep and develop three different lens-systems (APS-C and FF DSLR and NEX).

The next FF was expected to be announced in 2011, but everything is uncertain now. Maybe the A850 was the last Sony FF camera! Some thoughts about that decision have been posted on bythom (by Thom Hogan).

So after Olympus also Sony could drop their classic “DSLR” camera development. But keep in mind, those are long-term decisions. You will still see new DSLR from Olympus and Sony at Photokina. But in 2011…

Sony will now force the development of NEX cameras and lenses. More news about that soon on mirrorlessrumors!

Samsung NX100 and new lenses on Photokina

DDaily said that Samsung plans to unveil a new NX camera and three new lenses on September 14.

According to our sources those till be the NX100 (very compact camera like the $loc = $_SESSION[‘geoip’];

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{?>Panasonic GF1 } ?>). The three lenses could be the 20mm, 20-50mm and the 60mm macro.

But there will be more coming from Samsung! Stay tuned on mirrorlessrumors.com!

Fujis Hybrid AF: A way for mirrorless cameras to catch up the AF speed of DSLR cameras?

As you all now fast autofocus is one of the main advantage of classic DSLR cameras. This because a phase detection focus usually works faster than contrast autofocus. But with the release of the F300EXR and the Z800EXR Fuji just introduced a new tecnology called Hybrid AF that will interest many of our MicroFourThirds readers! Fuji found a way to implement phase detection directly on the sensor!

You can find more information on Fujifilms website: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/f/finepix_f300exr/features/

“Hybrid Auto Focus System NEW!
One of the disadvantages of longer zoom compacts is relatively slow auto focusing. Typical compacts rely on Contrast Detection, which works by fixing the focus by searching for contrast differentials. Some expensive cameras, including many DSLRs, use two focusing systems in tandem to improve the time taken to auto focus. Phase Detection AF works by dividing the incoming light into pairs of images and calculating the phase difference to find if the object is in front focus or back focus position. Contrast AF is generally better in low-lit scenes, while Phase Detection AF is extremely responsive in good light. Having both systems on one camera is perfect. The FinePix F300EXR uses both Contrast AF and Phase Detection AF to offer auto focus speeds as good as, or sometimes better than expensive DSLRs. To achieve the incredible AF speed of 0.158*1 seconds, Fujifilm engineers placed pairs of phase detection sensors on the EXR sensor, which work exactly like external sensors on DSLRs. The FinePix F300EXR automatically selects the optimum focus system, by measuring the amount of light or contrast in the scene. The benefit for the photographer is immediate and obvious: an almost instantaneous capture of the subject in the viewfinder, with no missed shots or subjects half out-of-frame.“

Nikon calls, Canon answers…the giants mirrorless battle begins (maybe).

Few weeks ago Nikon announced that they are working on a new mirrorless system. Today Reuters published the statement made by Mr Maeda from Canon. He said the company was working on a smaller version of its upmarket single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras in a bid to compete with the new breed of mid-range so-called “mirrorless” cameras. Maeda did not give further details of the new camera, including whether the internal structure would include a mirror.

Competitors have made high-quality cameras more compact by removing the mirror that enables the user to look at the actual scene through a viewfinder, creating a new market segment that is popular in Japan and which analysts say may grow rapidly.

“It’s not a question of whether or not you have a mirror. There is a consumer need for good-quality cameras to be made smaller,” Maeda said. “We will meet this need.”

He denied this would be difficult without removing the internal mirror, adding that Canon had produced very small SLR cameras in the past.

Source: Reuters

Four new Olympus MicroFourThirds lenses at Photokina (2 zooms and 2 primes)

(Olympus M43 lens roadmap from November 2009) Click on picture to enlarge.

Now that the LX5 has been leaked we have to go back to our usual 43 and M43 rumors :)

We are trying to filter the rumors we do receive and day by day we feel that we are getting closer to the final correct lens and camera roadmap. We learned that Olympus will announce a minimum of four new MicrFourThirds lenses at Photokina. We have been told that there should be two new primes and two new zooms. One of our source told us the 50mm and the 70-300mm would come at Photokina (but we still have to confirm the rumor with a second source). The Olympus roadmap itself shows also the 12mm(?) wide angle lens and the 8mm(?) fisheye (Panasonic just announced the 8mm f/3.5 ED Fisheye Lens)

Reminder: We are almost certain that Panasonic is working on very fast new primes (faster than f/1.4). The first prime is expected to be on market by end 2010 early 2011.

New Ricoh GXR firmware (ver. 1.18)

The new firmware is available here http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/gxr/

Changes:

Version 1.18 (2010. 07. 15)
No. Model applied Details
A12 S10 P10
Modified the following phenomena.
1 applied applied applied In case of attaching the cable switch (CA-1), when half-pressing the shutter release button of the CA-1, it may turn off the camera.
2 applied — — Macro AF Distance Limit option (On) may be disabled (Off) in some conditions like; replacing a camera unit from the A12 to the other one.
3 — applied — Even if a shutter speed is changed, the aperture value will not vary in case of the conditions below; S mode, AE locked.
4 — — applied Noise sound may be recorded into movies when the electrical viewfinder (VF-2) is attached.
Revised or corrected the following.
5 applied applied applied Revised the ISO sensitivity range conditions when shooting with the combination below; S mode, Shutter speed Auto Shift On, and ISO Auto/ISO Auto-Hi.
6 — applied — Corrected the display of focus distance as 19mm when the conversion lens (DW-6) is attached.
7 — — applied Revised the upper limit of the ISO sensitivity range as ISO 3200 when shooting in S mode.

Nikon mirrorless camera before March 2011?

According to Bloomberg Nikon Corp. plans to introduce a new type of single-lens reflex camera as early as this fiscal year, President Makoto Kimura said.
The “new concept” model will probably have an enhanced function for video recording and may adopt the so-called mirrorless structure, Kimura said in an interview today in Tokyo. “It could be any time this fiscal year or the following year, as new models are starting to sell,” he said, declining to specify when the product will be available.