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Canon’s single-lens reflex mirrorless camera series “EOS M” that won a 2012 Good Design Award will add its new color “Bay Blue” on April 25. The color was created by popular Japanese art director Chie Morimoto under the theme of “Travel”.

We wrote about the Canon single-lens reflex mirrorless camera EOS M last year.

Chie Morimoto has been engaged in art works for many popular Japanese musicians such as Mr. Children, and recently she is famous for working on a TV commercial series for apparel brand, Kumikyoku.

Nikon is going full steam ahead in the Mirrorless market and just a year after its first Nikon 1 V1, the Japanese company announced today the new and improved 1 V2! With a design drastically different from the 1 V1, the V2 comes however with a full set of improvements including but not only a new 14.2Mpix Expeed 3A image sensor that will let you shoot amazing slow motion videos at 1200fps but also still pictures at 15fps for 45 continuous frames! The V2 is also capable to shoot 1080 60i and 30p …

It was just over a year ago when Nikon first dipped its toe into mirrorless waters with its first two 1 System cameras, the V1 and J1. Now, the company has released the V1’s successor, the aptly named V2. Like its elders, the V2 has a 1200fps slo-mo capture mode, a 3-inch LCD display on the back, a high-res (1.4 million dot) electronic viewfinder, and does 1080/30p and 1080/60i video capture (Alas, 4K recording capability didn’t make the cut). Unlike the V1, the V2 comes in only black or white and uses an upgraded 14.2-megapixel CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 160-6,400. It also packs a new Expeed 3A image processor in tandem with Nikon’s Advance Hybrid AF to deliver higher speed shooting. That autofocus system is comprised of 73 phase detect sensors and 135 contract detect sensors, which enables the V2 to capture stills at up to 15fps for 45 continuous frames — and it can shoot 60 frames continuously using fixed focus.

The camera itself looks quite a bit different from its brethren, with a magnesium chassis, a bulked up grip and a built-in flash, plus command and shooting mode dials up top. It’s a layout not unlike Sony’s NEX-7, with one dial enabling easy switching between auto and manual exposure modes and a second providing access to secondary shooting controls like exposure compensation. The camera also has a stereo mic on board along with an external mic jack for recording audio. Would-be V2 owners can grab one with a 10-30mm kit lens for $899.95, and Nikon will add 30-110mm glass to that package for $250 more when it goes on sale in late November. Want to know more? Check out our hands-on with the V2 to see the new shooter in action, and Nikon’s full PR awaits after the break.

Continue reading Nikon 1 V2 unveiled: 14.2 megapixel ILC shoots 15fps stills for $899.95 in November

Filed under: Cameras, Nikon

Nikon 1 V2 unveiled: 14.2 megapixel ILC shoots 15fps stills for $899.95 in November 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.

Continue reading Canon EOS M review: was Canon’s first mirrorless ILC worth the four-year wait?

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

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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Sure the XF1’s nice to look at, but the real star of Fujifilm’s 2012 Photokina lineup has to be the X-E1. The X-Pro1’s little sibling offers up most of the functionality of its bigger, pricier brother — save for its inclusion just an electronic viewfinder — into a body that’s roughly a third smaller. That said, this is hardly a compact mirrorless — the X-E1’s still got a bit of girth and weight to it, compared to some of the smaller entries in the field. Still, it feels nice in the hand and isn’t likely to weigh down your shooting — particularly for those accustom to using a larger DSLR. It’s also worth pointing out, right off the bat, that the retro-styled interchangeable lens camera is significantly cheaper, running you $700 less than the X-Pro-1.

Flip the camera over and you get a 2.8-inch 460k-dot LCD. Just above the display is a devoted button that will pop up the retractable flash directly above. The X-E1 will be hitting stores in November, carrying a $1,000 price tag. Buy a kit with a lens and you’ll still come in $300 under the X-Pro1’s $1,700 price tag, making for a full-featured and great looking little mirrorless for a lot less money.

Continue reading Fujifilm X-E1 hands-on (video)

Filed under: Cameras

Fujifilm X-E1 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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