Mirrorless news and review roundup (Fuji X manual download and Canon G1 X test)

Fuji X-Pro1 manual now available online as pdf document (Click here to download). And there is also a X lens manual (Click here to download). Preorders at Amazon.co.jp (Click here), Expansys USA (Click here), Expansys Canada (Click here), Henrys Canada (Click here).

Canon G1 X tested by Photoreview (Click here / via noisyc) “Colours were attractively rendered and the dynamic range in shots was as wide as we found with the EOS 600D. In-camera processing was minimal for most JPEGs, although some shots would benefit from a little unsharp masking at the editing stage.” Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

Pentax Q 02 Standard Zoom Kit to be Marketed on Feb. 16 (RiceHigh).

Fuji X-S1 Review at Neocamera (Click here): “It can deliver great results for most travel subjects and creative photography thanks to extensive manual controls. Operating this camera is quick and efficient using its numerous controls.”

Fuji X PRO price and release announced in Japan (+ one more ISO test!).

Finally Fuji Japan announced the price of the new Fuji X PRo 1 and X lenses (via Fujirumors). It’s in yen, we still don’t know what’s the price in Euro or Dollar for example:
1) The X PRo 1 camera will be released on February 18 and cost 150.000 Yen. By using the current conversion rate this means 1475 Euro or 1930 Dollars. But I am sure the price will be less in USA (probably $1799) and a bit more in Europe (almost 1.600 Euro).
2) The 18mm f/2.0 lens and the 35mm f/1.4 will cost 55.oo0 Yen each (540 Euro or 708 Dollars).
3) The 60mm f/2.4 macro will cost 60.000 Yen (590 Euro or 773 Dollars).

Just my two cent. It’s an expensive camera, so I am going to wait to see real tests before to decide if I buy it or not. Right now no big website posted any preview or test of the camera. Only Romanian photographers are doing that job right now! :)  Look at the latest ISO test by F64 (Click here).They compared the X PRO 1 with the Fuji X100 and Nikon D3. His conclusions in short:
1) At high ISO the X PRO 1 beats both the e X100 and D3 cameras.
2) Shutter noise is similar to that of the .
3) The 18mm lens suffers from some purple fringing (but Fuji could add an automatic lens correction once finalized the firmware).
4) manual focusing has been improved over the X100 but the reviewer is still not completely satisfied with the performance. Also auto-focus isn’t really fast.
5) What matters: Image quality is spectacular.

Fuji X PRO 1 preorders and notification services:
Preorder: Expansys USA (Click here), Expansys Canada (Click here), Henrys Canada (Click here) .
Notification:  Amazon US (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

More rumors about the Pentax K-mount mirrorless camera (a damn ugly camera!)

Our reader Alvaro sent us the translation of a rumor tweeted by DSLRmagazine (Click here). The Spanish editor writes that “The new Pentax CSC will be a bit smaller than the and it is not sure that it wins -immediately- a beauty contest“..LOL!

In a second tweet he says the “New Pentax CSC will use standard K mount compatible with actual lenses. It will not have a eye level visor.“

Cannot wait to see that ugly beast :)!

Thanks for the translation Alvaro! ;)

Samsung NX20 to be announced in February?

The

According to two of our sources Samsung will announce the SAMSUNG NX-20 in February. The camera will than be available in April. One of our sources told us that it has a retro design with 1.8M EVF, manual control and swivel amoled display. It has the same NX-200 sensor but a better processor and buffer. The retail stores price is $950 only body for NX-20. There will be two new lenses, the 16-80mm and 12-24mm and a new Flash.

Sounds pretty amazing, a sort of “cheaper” Fuji X PRO 1 :)

Leica to show two new models at Photokina?

The spanish website DSLRmagazine announced via twitter (Click here /via noisyc) that Leica is working on two new models (one low end and one high end camera). In a second tweet they added that while the models will be shown at Photokina in September they will probably not be ready for the mass production. The may will go the Fuj marketing route that usually displays a model months before it’s ready.

Leica already said many times that they will make a mirrorless camera without the rangefinder optical system. And that it would be a high quality product (of course).