Apple has been granted a patent by the USPTO (spotted by AppleInsider) for interchangeable lenses for a mobile device, meaning it’s possible future iPhones will have the built-in ability to swap out one lens, say a macro for close-ups, for another, like a wide-angle for sweeping landscapes. The patent first turned up as an application a few weeks ago, but Apple has already been granted… Read More
Fujifilm is releasing a new interchangeable lens “FUJINON XF27mmF2.8″ for its premium camera X series. The black model will be out on July 27 and the silver model will be out in September.
Compact sized “FUJINON XF27mmF2.8″ weights only 78g and it’s 23mm long so that it’s highly portable. The focal length is 27mm.
By adapting a glass mold aspherical lens, it limits distortion to a very high degree and makes clear optimum resolving power.
Canon is releasing new interchangeable lens “EF-M11-22mm F4-5.6 IS STM” for mirrorless camera EOS M in late July.
“EF-M11-22mm F4-5.6 IS STM” is a wide-angle lens but at the same time it can be used for approaches to objects as little as 0.15m away. As a wide-angle lens, it features image stabilizer for the first time among the EF lens series.
Also, because it has “Dynamic IS” (effective only when video recording), you are able to shoot a stable video while walking around.
Estimated price: ¥50,000
Fujifilm is releasing a new telephoto lens “XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS” for their premium cameras with interchangeable lenses “FUJIFILM X-Pro1″ and “FUJIFILM X-E1″ on May 25.
“XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS” covers 83mm wide angle to 305mm telephoto. It’s the first full-fledged telephoto zoom lens in their X Mount series. It features high image stabilization performance, high resolution, low noise, and high-speed AF of 0.28 seconds.
Price: open price
Weight: approx. 580g
Dimensions: approx. φ75×118/177mm
Polaroid saw the curtain raise early on its Android-based interchangeable lens cameras thanks to early leaks, but today was the first day we got to go hands on with the new cameras at CES 2013. The cameras, based on Android 4.1 (but fully upgradeable to 4.2, Polaroid tells me), feature a 10-30mm F2.8 lens (which maintains that aperture through the zoom range) and a pop-up flash, and they come in three flavors, including two with built-in Wi-Fi.
The cameras are advertised as lightweight, and they felt surprisingly so; the bodies appear to be made mostly of plastic, and don’t have the rigid metal lens mounts you may be used to if you’re coming from a DSLR. The price reflects the feel of the build, however, at an entry-level pricing of $349, which puts it well under the average range for interchangeable lens cameras.
Android on the camera works pretty much as you’d expect Android to, offering all the conveniences of direct integration with Instagram and Facebook apps, but with some of the quirks inherent in using a smartphone OS on a camera, too. The OS stuttered and froze a couple of times, but this device is planned for a Q2 launch after all; there are bound to be bugs at this stage.
Polaroid’s interchangeable lens system will include a zoom lens and a pancake to be released following the camera’s introduction, a company representative told me, so there will be more than the general-purpose walkaround lens for photographers to experiment with. All told, it’s still very early days for this camera, and the price point and vision of the product are ambitious, to say the least. If the shipping hardware can offer the style of these prototypes, but at $350, and if Polaroid can nail the experience for a broad audience, we could see a significant change in the accessibility and appeal of the interchangeable lens market from a company that some would likely peg as an unlikely contender.
Panasonic Corporation will release the new AG-AF100A Series Memory Card Camera Recorder in November 2012. The AG-AF100A Series is the professional HD camera recorder with a Micro Four Thirds mount. As with the conventional model AG-AF100 Series, AG-AF100A Series can use a wide range of lenses including Micro Four Thirds compatible DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) lenses and Cinema lenses with a mount adapter. AG-AF100A Series also features two-channel XLR audio input terminals and more …
If you followed the launch of Nikon’s J2 interchangeable-lens compact recently, then waking up to today’s announcement of a higher-specced V2 probably won’t come as a huge surprise. Nevertheless, whereas the J2 was frustratingly incremental compared to the J1, the V2 will likely represent a more significant upgrade when it lands on shelves at the end of November. For a start, the magnesium alloy camera has been bestowed with a sizable grip, which makes a vast difference to its ergonomics — it feels much more secure and manageable in the hand, without hurting the small and lightweight appeal of this form factor. Nikon has found room for a pop-up flash too, which is certainly nice to have. The mode dial has moved to the top of the camera and now includes the four main shooting modes (P/S/A/M) — a change which, in one fell swoop, helps the entire remainder of the control system to become more intuitive and accessible. A new processing engine allows the camera to shoot 15 fps with continuous focus (versus 10 fps with the V1), with Nikon claiming that AF speed has been improved as well. And as for the bad news? It’s waiting for you after the break.
Gallery: Nikon 1 V2 hands-on
Continue reading Nikon 1 V2 mirrorless camera hands-on! (video)
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Nikon 1 V2 mirrorless camera hands-on! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It’s here. Finally. Well, that is, if you happen to live in Japan. Canon’s very first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera should be hitting shops the world over just as you begin to make room for that decked-out evergreen conifer, but the EOS M is already making the rounds in Canon’s home country. It’s available at select Japanese retailers for ¥109,900 (about $1,410, including sales tax). That lofty price will net you the EOS M in black, white or silver (the glossy red model remains elusive), complete with 55mm f/2 and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 EF-M optics, a Speedlite 90EX external flash and the EF-M Lens Adapter, enabling full compatibility with any and all of your EF and EF-S lenses. The US variant, which comes bundled with only the black 22mm “pancake” STM lens, should run you $799 when it appears stateside beginning October 15th, though neither country’s model carries a particularly competitive price tag, especially considering how diverse (and well-equipped) the mirrorless ILC market has become.
You might argue that Canon is borrowing a play out of Nikon’s book when it comes to pricing the EOS M — had the camera offered full DSLR functionality, including an advanced user interface, a $799 sticker might be justified. But the company has crippled its new compact shooter so as to avoid cannibalizing its still-successful full-size APS-C DSLR lineup, which includes models ranging from the Rebel T3 (about $475) to the EOS 7D (about $1,350). Appropriately, the EOS M falls right in the middle in terms of capabilities, with the added benefit of a new, nearly pocketable design that should win over more than its fair share of amateurs. That said, there’s a reason larger SLRs remain on the market, and Canon very much wants to retain that solid footing. The EOS M isn’t for everyone, and that’s by design. But is it the right pick for you? Join us past the break as we try it on for size.
Gallery: Canon EOS M review
Continue reading Canon EOS M review: was Canon’s first mirrorless ILC worth the four-year wait?
Canon EOS M review: was Canon’s first mirrorless ILC worth the four-year wait? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We’ve been very impressed with Olympus’ first OM-D camera, the EM-5. That model’s 5-axis image stabilization and super-fast autofocus won us over, while the retro design appeased nostalgics as well. Now, it’s time for that speedy shooting to make its way to the company’s other Micro Four Thirds models — the E-PL5 and E-PM2. Both models, announced today, offer nearly identical specifications, with notable differences on the form-factor front. The E-PL5 is the premium model of this bunch, coming in at $700 with a 12-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens or $650 for the body only, while the E-PM2 will run you 100 bucks less for both configurations. Both cameras include 16.1-megapixel Live MOS sensors, top ISO of 25,600, 3-inch 460k-dot touch-enabled LCDs, 1080i video and an 8fps continuous shooting mode. The EM-5’s five-axis stabilization is absent here, though a three-axis version should suffice in low light. Each model also includes an external flash and a rebate offer for a free Toshiba FlashAir 802.11b/g/n card, which enables connectivity with the OI Share apps for Android and iOS.
We had a chance to check both cameras out just before Photokina, and were quite pleased with the design, along with that OM-D-like focusing performance, which really is as speedy as Olympus claims. The camera focused instantaneously with almost all of the lenses we tried, though it was a bit sluggish, understandably, when paired with the 60mm f/2.8 macro. The displays were equally sharp, though the PL5 packs a nifty articulating version, which can tilt up, down or face forward for self-portraits. We also enjoyed shooting with the super-slim 15mm f/8 body cap lens, which features a tiny front element with a slide-over cover — while it’s limited on the aperture front and includes fixed focus, it’s arguably more useful than a traditional cap (Olympus hasn’t confirmed pricing for that optic, though it’ll likely come in below the $100 mark). That aforementioned dust-and-splash-proof macro will retail for $500 in early October, while a new 12mm f/2 lens will ship during the same time for $1,100. The “Mini” E-PM2 will be available in silver, black, white and red, while the E-PL5 will ship in silver, black and white — both versions will be available in October. You can take a closer look at each of the offerings in the gallery below, then jump past the break for the full rundown from Olympus.
Gallery: Olympus E-PL5 and E-PM2 hands-on
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Olympus E-PL5 and E-PM2: Micro Four Thirds cameras with OM-D-like focusing, performance boosts (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 05:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Secrets have been hard to keep in the camera world lately, and now Olympus has undergone its second leak in as many days, but this time with a couple of higher-profile actors — the E-PL5 and E-PM2 mirrorless cameras. Both will use the Olympus E-M5 sensor with TruePic VI image engine and touchscreen, and are reported to be priced at €399 ($520) for the E-PM2 with a 14-42mm kit lens (in silver, below the break) and €599 ($780) for the E-PL5 with the same lens, shown above. That follows earlier leaks from Sony, Fujifilm and others, along with two upcoming lenses from Olympus that were also outed ahead of time. Hopefully, there’ll still be a couple of surprises left when Photokina rolls around next week.
[Image credit: Digicam Info]
Continue reading Olympus E-PL5 and E-PM2 interchangeable lens cameras leak into view
Filed under: Cameras
Olympus E-PL5 and E-PM2 interchangeable lens cameras leak into view originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 07:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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