Lenses Panasonic

Panasonic Announces LUMIX S 100mm F2.8 MACRO for L-Mount

Panasonic Announces its Newest S Series Lens at CES 2024

The LUMIX S-E100 is the world’s smallest and lightest medium-telephoto fixed focal length macro lens

Las Vegas, NV (January 8, 2024) – Panasonic is pleased to introduce the brand new LUMIX S 100mm F2.8 MACRO (S-E100) lens based on the L-Mount system standard. Compact and lightweight to match the camera body, the S-E100 lens joins the LUMIX S Series lineup which is designed to address the demand for accessible yet professional grade photography gear.

With a new optical design and a newly developed Dual Phase linear motor, the S-E100 is the world’s smallest and lightest medium-telephoto fixed focal length macro lens, weighing approximately 298 grams. It boasts high resolution, stunning bokeh unique to macro lenses, excellent depth in expression, and fast focusing in a chassis matched to our existing F/1.8 series of lenses. At the same time, its compact nature ensures excellent mobility outdoors and in other shooting locations.

In addition to close proximity photography, the S-E100 also produces impressive portraits and images unique to medium-telephoto lenses, with support for fast autofocusing and bright F/2.8 aperture. Following increased demand for video capabilities, the S-E100 produces high-quality video content through silent operation with optically corrected focus breathing. This is due to the newly developed linear focus motor and micro-step aperture control. These features allow for smooth exposure change and the ability to choose between linear or nonlinear focus ring settings.

By providing cutting edge, improved performance and mobility for camera enthusiasts and professionals, LUMIX aims to create a new digital mirrorless camera market.
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Editorial

Happy New Year 2024!

AI.Cameras of the future will incorporate AI (Artificial Intelligence) more and more. AI is poised to revolutionize photography. ChatGPT and other AI tools landed on our desktops and smart phones in 2023 in a big way. While they had already wowed early adopters, consumers did not generally have wide access to them until last year. Suddenly, we were stunned by the ease, sophistication and breadth of their capabilities.

AI is already in your smart phone and mirrorless cmeras, helping your camera to keep tracking focus on humans, pets, birds and other objects (mirrorless cameras), as well as helping nail exposure and cleaning up unwanted subjects in your photos (smartphone cameras). But they should become ubiquitous in all aspects of photography, from determining the optimum exposure to determining the preferred composition to applying the right filter for the desired effect. And, at last, the iconic 1888 advertising slogan from Kodak, “You Press the Button, We Do the Rest,” will finally really come true 136 years after it was first coined by George Eastman.
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Lenses Sigma

SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports for L-Mount, Sony E-mount

SIGMA is announcing a December 7, 2023 release date for its flagship full-frame 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports mirrorless lens for the L-Mount and Sony E-mount. It is targeting professional photographers who shoot nature, wildlife, photojournalism, action sports, wedding and portraits.

The SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports features very minimal focus breathing, dust and splash-proof construction, up to 7.5 stops optical stabilizer at the Wide end (5.5 stops at the Tele end), an inner zoom mechanism, and is the first SIGMA DN zoom lens to be equipped with an aperture ring.

PRESS RELEASE

SIGMA Announces Release of 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports Lens

Ronkonkoma, NY, November 16, 2023 – SIGMA Corporation of America, the US subsidiary of SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki. Headquarters: Asao-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan) is pleased to announce the official release of the highly-anticipated SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports lens.

A reliable and lightweight large-aperture telephoto zoom lens designed exclusively for full-frame mirrorless cameras, the 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports is available for Sony E-mount and Leica L Mount. Combining high-speed AF, remarkably effective OS, exceptional mechanical reliability, and superior optical performance, this high-performance lens is purpose-built to meet the rigorous demands of professionals, and is suitable for a wide range of styles and genres including nature, wildlife, photojournalism, action sports, wedding and portraits. The lens will retail for $1,499 USD and will be available through authorized retailers on December 7, 2023.
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Cameras Press Releases Sony

Sony Alpha 9 III Features 24.6MP Global Shutter, 120 FPS With No Blackout, 4K/120P Video

Sony has announced the Sony A9 III with specifications that blow all curent cameras out of the water and leave competitors in the dust.

Main specifications:
– 24.6MP stacked CMOS image sensor with Global Shutter
– Continuous Shooting at 120 fps with no blackout
– 4K/120P video
– S-Cinetone
– Most advanced AI AF
– 5-axis 8.0 stops IBIS
– Maximum shutter speed of 1/80,000 sec. (1/16,000 sec. during continuous shooting)
– Flash sync at all shutter speeds up to 1/80,000 second
– Pre-Capture function continuously records up to one second before the shutter is released
– High AF precision down to light levels as low as EV-5 in AF-S mode (ISO 100 equivalent, F2.0 lens)
– AF tracking for continuous shooting at F22
– Composite RAW shooting function combines multiple consecutive images into a high-quality composite
– Improved grip to avoid straining when using a telephoto lens or using it for long periods of time
– Optional VG-C5 vertical grip
– 3.2-in. 2,095,104 dots 4-axis multi-angle LCD monitor
– EVF 9.44 million-dot Quad XGA OLED with magnification of approx. 0.90x

The big deal about global shutter is that, instead of reading rows of pixels of data one at a time (and thus introducing the dreaded rolling shutter effect), a global shutter reads all the rows of pixels (and so the whole sensor) at the same time. This eliminates rolling shutter, 120 fps continuous shooting with no blackout, and the ability to sync flash at all shooting speeds.

Continuous Shooting at 120 fps with zero blackout means you can follow the action in the EVF as the camera blazes along.

4K/120P video allows you to shoot smooth and very slow motion video in 4K.


PRESS RELEASE

Sony Electronics Releases the Alpha 9 III; the World’s First Full-Frame Camera with a Global Shutter Systemi

The next-generation Alpha 9 III captures all decisive moments with up to 120 frames per second high-speed shooting, distortion-free and blackout-free images, and flash sync at all shooting speeds

SAN DIEGO- Nov. 7, 2023 – Sony Electronics today introduced the Alpha 9 III camera equipped with the world’s firsti full-frame global shutter image sensor. ​

The newly developed global shutter image sensor exposes and reads all pixels simultaneously, unlike a rolling shutter sensor that records images sequentially from the top row of pixels to the bottom. The impressive global shutter full-frame image sensor enables the camera to shoot at burst speeds up to 120 frames per second with no rolling shutter distortion or camera blackout. This innovative sensor is combined with Sony’s most advanced AF (autofocus) system to date – boasting AI autofocus with up to 120 times AF/AE focus calculations per second. With the added ability to sync flash at all shooting speeds, the Alpha 9 III opens up a new world of possibilities for professional photographers to capture every decisive moment.

Sony A9 III

Sony A9 III

“The Alpha 9 III full-frame camera is a landmark achievement for the industry,” says Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics. “Designed with the needs and demands of professional photographers in mind, every single update to this camera – from the sensor to even the size to the button layouts and menu functions – has been made to address specific input and feedback from our community. We have listened and are thrilled to bring the new capabilities of the Alpha 9 III to market—capabilities which allow photographers to capture things they’ve never been able to capture before.” Cheng continued, “For professionals everywhere, they can achieve even more dynamic expressions when the Alpha 9 III is combined with our rich lineup of lenses, in particular with the new 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS – the world’s lightestii large-aperture telephoto lens.”
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Lenses Press Releases Sony

Sony FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS Is the World’s Lightest Large-Aperture Telephoto Prime Lens

Sony has released the FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS for the full-frame E-mount. Since both Sony’s full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras use the same E-mount, the lens can also be used on Sony’s APS-C mirrorless cameras (450mm equiv.). An optional 2x teleconverter extends the focal length to 600mm (900mm equiv. on an APS-C camera). The FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS is dust and moisture resistant. A fluorine coating helps prevent dirt and fingerprints on the lens surface.

PRESS RELEASE

Sony Electronics Releases 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS; the World’s Lightesti Large-Aperture Telephoto Prime Lens

Capture dynamic moments such as sports scenes with high agility and supreme image quality

SAN DIEGO – November 7, 2023 – Sony Electronics is pleased to announce the release of the world’s lightesti 300mm telephoto prime lens G Master™ (SEL300F28GM), a full-frame α™ (Alpha™) E-mount lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8.

The anticipated FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS lens has the high depiction performance and high-speed, high-precision AF (autofocus) which are the hallmark of G Master. The lightweight design of approximately 1470gii (excluding tripod mount) and excellent weight balance allow the user to capture sharp, dynamic and decisive moments such as those of fast-moving sports or agile animals with handheld shooting. Paired with the Alpha 9 III full-frame camera that also launched today, high-speed continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking up to 120 frames per second is possibleiii. Even subjects with complex and diversified movements can be tracked with high precision. It is an ideal match for lightweight camera bodies by reducing the load on the user, minimizing fatigue during long handheld shooting sessions. It is also compatible with an optional teleconverter, allowing the user to shoot in the telephoto range of up to 600mm (equivalent to 900mm when using with an APS-C camera)iv.

“Ever since our announcement of the development of this lens in January of this year, we have received an overwhelming number of positive reactions from photographers around the world who are looking forward to its release,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics. “By adding this 300mm lens to the already available E-mount 400mm and 600mm super-telephoto prime lensesv ,it supports a wide range of needs and shooting environments for professional and advanced amateur photographers.”
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