Looks like Hasselblad has a monster hit on its hands with the X1D. I speak with their product manager to get the details.
Read morePhotoPlus Expo 2016, Part 1: Looking at the Cameras I Usually Don't Review
I missed Photokina (I had to head home from Europe two weeks before Photokina began), but with announcements of Fuji's GFX 50S medium format digital camera, Panasonic's GH5 and Olympus' OM-D EM1 Mark II, there's no way I was going to miss PhotoPlus Expo in New York City hot on the heels of the German show for a chance to see and feel these puppies in the metal. Too bad ALL of them were still under glass. Still, with my mind already expanded, I found (just like the manufacturers wanted!) that their current cameras were more interesting than I'd imagined.
Read moreSony's Z150: Son of the RX10 III and the FS5 -- and Shockingly Good. But You Shouldn't Be Surprised
Want the 4K, all-in-one convenience, and reach of the non-interchangeable lens zoom of an RX10 Mark III; the 10-bit 4:2:2 HD, long battery life and freedom from worrying about thermal shut-down or 30 minute recording limit of the Sony FS5; and a price and image quality that splits the difference? Welcome to the Sony Z150.
Read moreSony FS5 RAW Upgrade: A Conversation with -- and footage by -- Doug Jensen
Doug Jensen has been a cameraman and DP for over 30 years, which makes him an expert -- and still younger than me. His video tutorials on Sony FS7 and FS5 are required viewing in my book if you're even thinking about purchasing either one. It was with this background that I reached out to Doug (we'd communicated by email and spoken a couple of times over the phone) to see if he'd be interested in having a conversation about Sony's new FS5 RAW Upgrade. A month later, Doug and I finally met in person at Maine Media Workshops just as he was finishing a class he teaches in cinematography.
Read more2016 Travel Camera of the Year: A Plane Ticket
Maybe you thought it was going to be something like the Sony RX1-R II, RX 100 Mk IV or Sony RX10 Mk III; Leica Q; Panasonic GX85; the newly-announced Canon M5; or maybe the iPhone 7 Plus. All of them -- and many more, most likely including whatever you already have -- are capable of exceptional imagery in the right hands. Use the money to get your learn on in the real world instead. Isn't that what travel's about?
Read moreCanon 5D Mark IV: End of the DSLR Era
It has taken four and a half years for Canon to announce the successor to the 5D Mark III, an eternity given today's much shorter product cycles from competitors like Sony and Panasonic. What does the 5D Mark IV tell us about where Canon and the industry are headed? Who is it for? Should you get one? With guys like Tony Northrup (my favorite imaging blogger) and bud planetMitch over at planet5D having already gone hands-on -- and taking a few pages from other industries and other things happening in ours -- we have a really good idea about the answers.
Read moreThree Days with a Pile of E-Mount Lenses, an a6300, an a6000, an RX10 III, an iPhone 6s+, and a Couple of Bags: What Better Way to Stress Gear than at a Presidential Nominating Convention?
It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, but this time (unlike in April) I wasn’t official press. Forget about a tripod or monopod - Secret Service rules prohibited even selfie-sticks. Forget about a lot of glass, especially long, fast glass: not only would everything have to be hand-held, but those same rules stipulated no backpacks and no bags bigger than 18” x 13” x 7.” And then there were the closed-door meetings where even if I had been press, no press were allowed. Traveling small, light and unobtrusive were the orders of the week. Heads-up: this is a post about gear -- not politics -- but if you don’t want to see photographs from the Democratic National Convention in Philly (along with protests) you’d better stop reading here.
Read moreHasselblad X1D: Is This the Camera that Will Save Hasselblad?
Just six months ago I wondered if Hasselblad -- among other beloved photography brands -- would "...fade, like old photographs, into the sands of time." Fast forward to April of this year, when Hasselblad announced a brand new H6D in 50 and 100mp versions, coupled with the best software interface in a camera I've ever seen -- and an eye-watering price of $32,995 for the 100mp model, body only. Now Hasselblad as announced another new camera, the X1D at $8,995 (body only). While the X1D has the same sensor and user interface as the H6D-50c, it is roughly one third the price and less than half the weight. What does this mean for photographers -- and for Hasselblad?
Read moreAnother Nail in the Coffin of Entry-level/Budget Enthusiast DSLRs? Sony RX10 Mark III Takes On the Sony a6300 with Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8
I didn't think I'd like this camera: I'd chosen to buy Sony's RX100 Mk IV last year when I faced the choice. But then I returned that camera when I realized it didn't have enough reach and I didn't like futzing with the pop-up viewfinder (I loved everything else). Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, when an RX10 Mark III loaner showed up on my doorstep, in the middle of my on-going love affair with the Sony a6300 and a just-arrived Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 - a true rock 'n roll combo. So I did the obvious - I pitted them against each other during a family portrait shoot. I’ll cut straight to the chase: the Sony RX10 Mk III is so good – and so close to an a6300 with the already-legendary Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 - that if you can’t get amazing photos with it, the problem is…ahem…do you see it coming… YOU (or, in my case, me). Even bigger: the RX10 Mark III may be another nail in the coffin of entry level/budget enthusiast DSLRs.
Read moreDeals Up the Whazoo? Yep.
I don't pay much attention to deals, but the folks over at B&H sent me a pile of links (yes, I get coffee money if you use them, thank you) and it looks like there are some big opportunities if what you're looking for is among them.
Read moreFirst Images from the Sony RX10 III May Make Me Change My Mind About Super Zoom Cameras
Whenever I hear about 20x, 25x or even more lenses on smaller sensor cameras, my eyes glaze over. They're going to be crap, right? Umm...well, I've only had the Sony RX10 III in house a couple of days and I've had a lot of other things going on, but these first few images -- straight out of the camera, no nuttin' -- look pretty damned good. Then again, for $1,500 they ought to.
Read moreSony’s FS5 is the Best Get-It-Right, NO FUTZING AROUND Interchangeable Lens Video Camera for the Money Out There Today. Here’s Why.
Those of you who know me will remember that I’ve drooled over the Sony a7S II and again over the a7R II, yet my favorite camera these days is Sony’s a6300. I put it in my bag as I headed to Oaks, PA last month, part of a team covering a Bernie Sanders event (this is not a political post, don’t worry). I got some great footage with it. But the camera I chose as my primary was Sony’s FS5 with their Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS lens. Here’s why.
Read moreLeica SL Firmware 2.0: Mostly Photo, Some Video Updates
Finally! iPro Case for iPhone 6s+ is Shipping, Enables the Full Monty!
I left a Pelican 1510 full of Sony bodies and prime lenses at home as I flew to Vegas for NAB 2016 (don't get me wrong: I LOVE them), vowing to repeat my NAB 2015 party trick of filming all my interviews and taking all of my pictures with an iPhone. But it was only after I arrived that I finally got my hands on the updated iPhone 6s+ iPro case, cornerstone of Schneider Optics' iPro lens system. And then some.
Of COURSE there are compromises when using an iPhone as your sole imaging device (more on that in a moment). But at a venue like NAB, they are far outweighed by the benefits -- at least for me. Incredibly small, lightweight and unobtrusive, the iPhone allows me to focus on the people with whom I'm speaking.
I just didn't want to put it in a rig like I did for the cover of my eBook Apple's iPhone: The Next Video Revolution. At NAB, bulking it up like that would defeat the whole purpose.
So I was stoked when NAB bud Niki Mustain of Schneider Optics snagged a just-shipping iPro case for the iPhone 6s+. I already had all the other gear I'd need to rock it - three iPro lenses by Schneider (Super-Wide, 2X and Macro), RØDE Videomic Me, Manfrotto's Pixi mini-tripod with integrated push-button locking ball head, and Aputure's not-yet-released-but-based-on-people's-reactions-Aputure-should-get-on-it Lightning Up micro-LED panel.
Apple iPhone 6s+, iPro case, iPro 2x lens, Manfrotto Pixi mini-tripod, RØDE Videomic Me, Las Vegas NAB 2016
I've already posted some shots from NAB, and next week I'll be posting videos. But videos are also where those compromises are really felt. I did an interview with Blackmagic Design bud (and Americas President) Dan May, but I REALLY could have used shallow depth of field. I also took no chances with audio, relying on a really great combo of gear (a TASCAM DR70-D field recorder and a pair of RØDElink Filmmaking Kits, packed in a little Domke bag). To be fair, I only used the RØDE Videomic Me once, and while it was credible, it wasn't nearly as good as my larger setup. Then again, acoustics at NAB are ALWAYS horrible -- it's just the nature of the beast.
PS: If anyone has a truly outstanding over-the-shoulder solution for one-man band hybrid video/stills shooter, let me know. Seems to me this is a hole in the market -- and I've looked at a lot of bags!
Pricing and availability:
12-bit, 4K DCI RAW Recording from Sony FS5 for $600 - Whoa.
Do you love the light weight, form factor, variable ND, and 120fps in HD of the FS5 but prefer the 4K quality coming out of the FS7? You're going to love this firmware upgrade for the FS5.
Read moreHasselblad H6D: the Best Software Interface I've Ever Seen on a Hardware-Based Camera
Hasselblad Get Its Mojo Back: a Chat with CEO Perry Oosting
We sat down with Hasselblad's new CEO Perry Oosting at the New York launch of their 100 megapixel, 4K RAW 30fps recording H6D. Perry talks Hasselblad values like optical excellence, Scandinavian design -- and a smartphone's interface as the inspiration for their new touch-screen interface. He's an exceptionally straightforward guy, and the H6D is the first clear indication that Hasselblad is getting its mojo back. The second? Perry himself.
Read moreSony a6300 Usable Video Up to ISO 25600? Oh Baby! (Yeah, OK, it Depends)
In part 2 of my just-created series entitled "How Much Low Light Capability Does One Really Need How Often?" I conclude Sony Senior Technical Manager Mark Weir was spot-on when he told me that the a6300 has an extra stop of low light sensitivity over the a6000. Not earth-shattering, but you know what? I think it's pretty amazing - and I think I will rarely need more. For now.
Read moreRolling Shutter: Sony a6300 vs a6000 When Hugh's on Cold Medicine
I saw rolling shutter consequences on the Sony a6300 [B&H|Amazon] while I wasdown in Miami for a multi-day hands-on evaluation, but it didn't bother me very much -- it was a stupid fast pan, and for my everyday shooting, rolling shutter is a non-issue. This is not true for everyone though, so now that I have the a6300 on extended loan, here's a dedicated rolling shutter test comparing it to the a6000. Warning: not necessarily the best idea to do a test (especially the edit) while on cold medicine.
Read moreSony a6300 vs. FS5, 120 fps: Which is Which?
What's the difference in image quality between the Sony FS5 with a freakin' Zeiss Milvus 100mm f/2 (adapted via Commlite) -- and the new Sony a6300 with Sony's little E 50mm f/1.8? You be the judge. Just remember: the price difference is a little more than $6,000.
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