Thursday 10 November 2016

N&R: 4 relatively quiet weeks

Seems not much has happened in the last 4 weeks: GoPro is in trouble with it's Karma drone; some new lenses from Nikon; uninspired new body from Leica, plus a cute little lens; new macro flash from Olympus; and some issues with the Panasonic G85 and IBIS in video. Plus a new Kickstarter from Spider Holster a new budget lens from Yongnuo.
The Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 gets an update.


GoPro


GoPro have had to recall their Karma drone after reports some units will lose power during operation. Given the poor reviews the Karma had been getting, I think many may be pleased to be able to get their money back. The bigger question is will GoPro be able to financially survive this setback?

Leica

Leica have released an upgrade to their mirrorless APS-C camera, the Leica T, called a Leica TL. Other than vague promises of better AF-C modes and a titanium colour scheme, I'm not sue what is new about this. Given its price puts it in the same territory as the Olympus E-M1 Mark II and the Sony A6500, I think this camera would only be for dedicated Leica fans.

Much more interesting is they've also announced a new Leica M Mount 28mm f5.6 lens. If tiny lenses appeal to you, look no further.

Nikon

As well as announcing a new revision of their 70-200mm f2.8, Nikon have announced a new 19mm f4 tilt-shift lens.
Unlike the company's existing PC-E designs, the mechanism for tilt can be rotated independently from the mechanism for shift, allowing the tilt to be set either parallel or perpendicular to the shift.
It costs a pretty penny, but I'm sure the 19mm will be of great interest to architectural photographers.


Olympus

Olympus have announced a macro twin flash with weatherproofing. Called the STF-8, it is available for pre-order for $479USD with an expected shipping date of January 2017.

Panasonic

DP Review have reviewed the Panasonic G85, and given it their gold award. However, they also reported an issue with IBIS and video. They've reported this in the comments of their article:

A quick update on the issue surrounding 'jerkiness' or 'stickiness' when panning during video capture with IBIS engage: Panasonic engineers are aware of the issue. I've been in touch with Panasonic USA and they've conveyed your/our concerns to the factory. I'll update when I hear anything more. 
In the mean time, you can use E-stablization (with IBIS switched off) for panned shots, without having to worry about any 'stickiness.' Just note that there is a slight crop factor (you can see an example of it on the Video & Features page of the review).
It is an otherwise very capable little camera, so hopefully it is something they can fix with just a firmware update.

Spider Holster

If you're a fan of Spider Holster and accessories, they have a new product on Kickstarter called the SpiderLight Holster.

It seems to be a smaller version of their professional holster, but unlike the BlackWidow which is also designed for lighter cameras, it is still made of metal and, as a possible result, is smaller.

What I found frustrating to lean was, back in June, they also had a campaign for a smaller version of their hand strap, but for mirrorless cameras. I would have been all over that if I'd been made aware. They new hand strap is available for pre-order on B&H.

If you want to get your hands on the SpiderLight Holster sooner, there are 7 days left in the campaign.

Yongnuo

If you're a fan of cheap lenses, Yongnuo will soon release a 100mm f2 for Canon, with a Nikon version expected in future. The lens is expected to sell for $170USD.



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