Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
Hasselblad announced the H4D-31 this week at Photokina 2010 as a solution for high-end 35mm photographers and medium format film shooters looking to make a more affordable switch to digital. The H4D-31 is packaged with an 80mm lens for €9,995, and is also available with a CF-lens adapter in place of the kit lens for those who already shoot medium format film.
More details in the press release below. [Read more…]
A frequent tipster passed along the above email from Leica, which confirms a new Leica camera for Photokina 2010. The new marketing campaign appears centered around Leica’s Facebook fan base. Check out the short stop-motion promo below (apparently, the new camera doesn’t shoot video…): [Read more…]
All signs are pointing toward a release of Sony’s hyped-up HDSLRs . . . soon. [Read more…]
Updated: Check out all of the recently announced cameras and other gear at the bottom of this page.
Photokina 2010 is set to take place from Tuesday, September 21 to Sunday, September 26, 2010 in Cologne, Germany. Photokina occurs every two years, and in 2008, 1523 companies exhibited at the show and more than 169,000 people attended the show.
Photokina is a trade show in which many new cameras, lenses and accessories are frequently introduced. Cameras introduced at or around Photokina 2008 include, the Canon PowerShot G10, Canon Rebel XS, Canon 50D, Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon D90, Nikon D700, Panasonic G1, Pentax K2000, Sony A900 and Sigma DP2. All the major camera manufacturers are typically in attendance and are rather high profile at Photokina events. Expect no less this year.
Camera features and formats haven’t seen a state of flux like we are currently seeing for quite some time. As a result, I don’t think that it would be unreasonable to expect big things from big players in the months and weeks leading up to Photokina 2010.
Sony has already busted out of the gate with a serious mirrorless camera system this year, leaving the two big camera makers, Canon and Nikon, to play catch up. The industry is seemingly waiting for these traditional camera manufacturers to bless this new format by entering into the field with a product of their own. The killer (as in entry-level DSLR killer) mirrorless camera hasn’t hit the market yet. Could Canon or Nikon deliver one this year at Photokina?
No one really knew what kind of potential that the Canon 5D Mark II had when it was introduced nearly two years ago. Now, with an abundance of short films, commercials and broadcast TV episodes under its belt, this market segment is a serious piece of the pie.
Canon is the clear front-runner; however, Nikon is sure to add 1080p video capture at some point. The next DSLRs in the Nikon line-up would be a perfect time to seize a piece of this still-yet-to-be-defined market segment. We know Sony is working on some AVCHD-capable DSLRs, so it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see these guys at Photokina 2010.
Enthusiasts have been dying for these cameras to break out to the mainstream manufacturers. It’s not a segment that’s necessarily hot, but has been rumored to be “coming” from a number of manufacturers for years now. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, or maybe enthusiasts will soon get their serious compact cameras with DSLR-sized sensors (instead of the handful of niche products currently on the market). Of course, the rise of mirrorless camera systems could be the death knell to these pipe dreams as well.
With Summer upon us, I will be adding new camera and gear announcements to this page on a rolling basis as we approach Photokina 2010. Expect any serious cameras or gear announced from now on to play a roll in manufacturers’ exhibits at this year’s Photokina. Feel free to bookmark this page for future updates, or check the front page of Photography Bay for regular updates as we approach September.
Stay tuned for the latest updates in the days leading up to Photokina 2010.
PhotographyBLOG has published a summary of a round-table interview from Photokina regarding Pentax.
Pentax’s Sales & Marketing Director of Imaging Systems, Mr. Toshiaki Iue, who recently joined the company in July, has stated that “Pentax’s relationship with Samsung is not perfect – there are some issues”, but went on to say that the two companies would continue their technology partnership for at least the near future. In a wide-ranging round-table interview held at Photokina, Mr Iue candidly answered questions on a wide range of topics, including Pentax’s future plans for their long-delayed digital 645 medium format camera, the potential impact of Micro Four Thirds, and their relationship with parent company Hoya.
This year, Sony has the largest stand at Photokina and will showcase Sony’s latest products from its digital imaging range. This is the first official public showcasing of the new flagship model – the Alpha A900, Sony’s 24.6 megapixel DSLR with full frame sensor – in Europe since its announcement. There will also be a selection of Sony’s new DSLR lenses with seminars held by professional photographers in the professional photo studio.
There will also be a chance to experience ‘Foam City’ – the Sony digital imaging ad which appeared across Europe earlier this year. A giant installation, a replica of Dade Courthouse in Miami (where the ad was filmed) with surrounding buildings, monorail train and terminal, has been built for the event. It will have five bubble machines and is designed by HotHouse IWG, a company which has previously worked on movie sets such as Batman and Nightmare Before Christmas.
Olympus has announced another unnamed camera for its E-System. The new DSLR is slotted between the E-520 and flagship E-3 as an advanced amateur camera. According to Olympus, “It will inherit all the outstanding features of the E-3 such as the high-speed AF system using 11-points-full twin cross sensor and the built-in image stabilization mechanism with a correction effect of max. 5 EV steps.” The new E-System DSLR will be available in early 2009. [Read more…]
Something BIG is coming from Nikon. In a not-so-subtle ad that Nikon placed in Rangerfinder Magazine, Nikon notes that it’s got some “BIG” news for wedding and portrait photographers, which it plans on bringing along the MGM Grand Arena at WPPI in February 2009.
Additionally, the ad reveals that Nikon will unveil the BIG news “next month.” I can’t imagine that this boastful ad could be a reference to anything other than the 24+ megapixel Nikon D3x (or whatever it will be called) announcement at Photokina 2008, which will obviously be shown off to WPPI attendees at the BIG advertised event next February.
What do you think?
[via Nikon Rumors]
Thom Hogan has piped up on bythom.com with some thoughts and possible insider info on the coming Nikon D3x and D90 cameras. Word is that a D3x with the rumored 24+ megapixels should be announced around Photokina in September. The D80 replacement (the D90) may creep out past Photokina (perhaps PMA 2009).
I received a message out of Japan that the high-resolution camera is in the D3 body. I trust that message more than my guess, though please note that having one (usually good) source does not mean something is verified. . . . It seems that a D80 replacement should also be in that set of announcements, which should come just before Photokina, but we just haven’t seen any of the kinds of leaks and rumors we have with previous consumer bodies out of Thailand, so maybe the D80 replacement is going to be later than Photokina.
I don’t have any insider info myself; however, my money is on a for sure showing of the D3x (or whatever they call it) at Photokina. I’m also starting to wonder whether or not Nikon will replace the Nikon D80 at all. I’m beginning to think that they’ll let the D40/D60 line handle the entry-level consumer and let the D70/D80 line die off.
