N&R: Sony, Sigma, Zeiss, Atomos, Fujifilm & Google

Sony

An exciting new FE mount camera is rumoured to be coming from Sony on April 23. SonyAlphaRumors lists the most reliable information as being:

• There will be a new High End E-mount FF camera.
• This camera is all about speed: fastest AF of all Sony E-mount cameras, around 20fps, unlimited RAW recording.
• Dual SD card.
• Bit larger than current A7II camera series.
• It has a joystick control on the back.
• New FE lenses coming (16-35mm f/2.8 GM and 100-400mm FE G).

It remains to be seen if this is the extension of an existing line, or a brand new line. I just hope and pray that it can use AF-assist lights from flashes and triggers (and that RAW from continuous shooting modes are 14-bit instead of 12-bit).

Sigma

Pricing for the Sigma 135mm 1.8 has been announced at $1,400 USD, with expected delivery in May.

Zeiss

If you want a slower, and probably more expensive, 135mm lens... it has been confirmed that the next lens in the Zeiss Batis range (for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras) will be a135mm f2.8.

Of course, it should be lighter and smaller as well.

Atomos

Atomos have announced the Ninja Inferno, a cut down version of the Shogun Inferno. At half the price, you are losing the ability to record RAW, and SDI connections. If you're planning to pair it with a Panasonic Gh5, or a Sony A7S, this makes a good deal of sense.

Fujifilm

Fujifilm have announced major new firmware updates for their X-T2 and X-Pro2 cameras. Bravo Fuji, this is the thing I probably admire most about Fuji, even though I feel their cameras aren't for me.

Meanwhile, DPReview have released a devastating article questioning the actual real life gains you will get from using the new Fujifilm’s GFX 50S (and, by extension, Hasselblad X1D).

This article summed up a lot of my thoughts, as I'd been a doubtful how much gain there is to be gotten from 'crop' medium format ever since seeing the comparison of the Pentax 645Z to the Sony A7R2 by Luminous Landscape.

For me, the quality bump you get from going to medium format isn't worth the extra cost, weight, slower AF, etc.

Google

Google have released an open-source JPEG encoder that claims to produce 35% smaller files without noticeable loss in quality. Just be warned, many claim to see loss in saturation levels.