PhotoKina, the photography industry’s extravaganza of products and announcements, went down last week. Every two years, the tribes gather in Cologne Germany to showcase the latest and greatest and give us a peak into the future. I did not attend this year. To be straight-up, I’m not a big fan of trade shows. No offense to anyone who digs the gadgetry and flood of products and promotion, but these fluorescent-lit extravaganzas sort of give me the willies. But that’s just me, and the gear that bubbles up from the secret technology labs of the best and brightest camera equipment manufacturers is enough to make any photographer drool a little bit. The tools and technology being unleashed on the world make an undeniably exciting time to be a visual artist.
So here are 8 new products that caught my eye. Full disclosure, I have not tested or even handled any of these products yet. I have included links to more comprehensive hands-on reviews when available for those of you who want to go deeper.
Of everything announced at Photokina, this is the camera that I’m most excited about. Full-frame in a true compact with a 24.3-megapixel sensor. The only problem is that at present it’s just a big expensive toy to me. The fixed lens kills its potential for professional use for photo or video, but it looks like an amazing walk around camera for photo hobbyists… with some disposable income ($2800). Everyone should buy it to show Sony how much we all want a compact full-frame camera, then maybe (definitely) in the future they’ll make a version with interchangeable lenses.
Review
Review
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Broncolor Move 1200L Flash Power Pack
I’m excited about this new pack. This battery-powered flash pack is definitely in the high end category with a retail price of over $5,000. Full disclosure, I am a long-time committed user of Broncolor. But for the serious studio photographer check this out:
_160 full power pops on a single charge
_takes just 90 minutes to recharge
_light and small
_1200j power, max flash duration of 1/20,000th of a second, weighs just over 13 pounds in weight and has LED continuous light
No reviews out yet.
The Hasselblad Lunar:
Hasseblads new luxury camera is perfect for those high rollers who want something totally different than the rest of the crowd. Word on the street is that it’s a tricked out Sony NEX-7. But if you want the panache of the Hasselblad brand, sell your car and hang this bling around your neck.
Review
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Fujifilm X-E1
This smaller and substantially cheaper little bro to the recently announced X-Pro1 has some interesting features. I dig the specs on this camera and the look of it, but I’m still a little Fuji-shy after how disappointed I was with the X100. Is anyone out there in love with their Fuji gear? I honestly wanna know. Good from afar for sure. But jury is still out for me on Fuji.
Review:
Leica M
The new M camera has a 24-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor that allows it to shoot video and use livemode. It’s f-you money expensive of course. It’ll cost around $7,000 here in the US. But, that’s no surprise coming from Leica. Great for the fantasy quiver.
Review
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Nikon D600
I already did a post when Nikon’s new DSLR hit a couple weeks back. Tons of feedback and discussion in the comments here. At $2,100 the D600 beat Canon’s 6D to the punch by a few days when it comes to the entry-level full-frame category. The Canon vs Nikon debate rages on.
Review
Credit: Popular Photography
Canon EOS 6D
The $2,100 Canon 6D, falls into the “entry-level full-frame” category along with the D600. I would love to try out the WiFi-based iPad app that lets you control the camera using your tablet. But this won’t be released to the public until December.
Review
Panasonic Lumix GH3
Panasonic seems to have nailed it with this one. I love the videos specs on this camera: 1080/60P video, high bit rates, timecode, seamless files for continuous recording, clean HDMI out. Our video guru Erik Hecht told me, “This camera is making me seriously consider selling all of my photo/video gear and going to the micro 4/3 format full time.” On par with the best DSLRs out there, that’s something to consider at $1300.
Review
Credit: Popular Photography
I pretty much hated the X-Pro1 to start with. But, it’s become my go to camera for personal photographing around town.
I dig the form, the OVF & the exposure compensation wheel. Oh & it works a treat for amazing Infra-Red images.
But, what I’m really hanging out for is an FX mirror less dSLR. The live will go to whomever does it (c’mon Nikon).
I love my Fuji X100 … great images, small, pretty to look at, can sync flash at 1/1000 (maybe more?), good low light performance.
If you can overcome the little stuff – useless manual focus, slow AF, etc – its a fantastic camera (assuming your firmware is up to date).
I synched mine at 1/4000. 🙂
+1
Any word on if the app for the 6D will have any kind of liveview function?
About the Fuji…
I have the X100, and there are features on it that are fantastic. Others are downright idiotic (a camera should focus, after all, right?). I had the “sticky shutter” issue, and after dealing with the attitude of their customer service, I will never, ever buy a Fuji product again.
Close, kids. But not close enough. If you want to play with the big kids, you have to act like one.
Yeah. They fixed mine too. After 4 days of arguing with them.
X100? Yeah. They fixed mine too. Three times. Each time it took about three weeks. No arguing necessary though…
I’m 100% in love with my X100, but not interested in the Xpro-1 or XE-1 (whatever it’s called). I love the idea RX-1 — dont even mind the fixe lens (part of what I love about the X100) but the price needs to come down. Plus, no OVF? If i’m paying that much for a camera I should have an optical viewfinder that isn’t an add-on.
Meant to add — ideally Nikon (or Canon, if you prefer them) will create an XPro-1 / RX-1 camera soon. I’d love to use my Nikon primes on a full frame compact camera!
I guess I’m the opposit. While I love the pictures it takes, as a camera I couldn’t hate the X100 more. Every time I pick it up I hate it even more by the time I put it down.
I have no problem with a fixed lens camera. I only shoot primes anyway and 90% of the time I’m shooting an 80mm (medium format) lens. The Fuji is wider than I usually shoot but I actually like that for how I want to use the X100 (or similar) type of camera.
Something full frame like the Sony would be great but I need a viewfinder and great manual focusing.