At this year’s Photokina, the one aspect that all the different brands had in common as far as the mirrorless world is concerned was an increase in size as evidenced by the most recent lenses showcased. This aspect seems to have triggered different reactions. One of the criticisms is that the increase in size has made them closer to a DSLR system, therefore nullifying the main advantage: compactness and lightness. The discussion is most pertinent to Micro Four Thirds, a system well-known for its compact cameras and compact lenses.
Could it be a (r)evolution? – First impressions of the Lytro Illum light field camera
Since its announcement in April earlier this year, I’ve been very curious about the Lytro Illum because it offers something that none of the other digital cameras out there can: a new way of shooting and seeing photographs, and as such, a new and original tool to be creative with. But while the idea sounds appealing, it is only when you actually see and play with the camera that you start to realise how much potential it has.
Olympus ED 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro and MC-14 Teleconverter – First impressions, images and video samples
Update: check out our complete review about the 40-150mm Pro!
After two hands-on videos, we can finally share a first impressions from the field about the highly anticipated 40-150mm PRO zoom lens. We received a sample to test a few days ago and I used it the very same night for a contemporary dance show. Then, the day after we paid a visit to the Stork and Anatidae Wildlife Center in Racconigi near Turin. In between, some pictures taken for random jobs allowed me to gather together some thoughts about the new telephoto zoom.
Medium Format in a small package? – First impressions of the Sigma DP2 Quattro
During Photokina we paid an enjoyable visit to the Sigma booth to meet some managers from the UK office. One of them was kind enough to let me play around with the Sigma DP-2 Quattro inside the Koelnmesse. It was certainly a better way of quickly testing a camera than being confined to the booth area!
The DP2 Quattro is the latest generation in the Sigma DP series which consists of three different cameras with a Foveon APS-C sensor and fixed prime lens. The difference between the three all comes down to focal length. The DP2 has a 30mm f/2.8 which corresponds to a 45mm in full frame format.
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Summing up Photokina 2014: Final thoughts, unique discoveries, and thank-yous
It is on a bittersweet note that our complete coverage of the 2014 edition of Photokina draws to a close. During six days of non-stop hands-on and meetings, we managed to write 26 different articles including news, hands-on and interviews. But if you think that this number high, the truth is that there were still many things we didn’t have the time to see or try, and there were even halls we didn’t visited. It is renowned as the biggest photo show in the world for a reason, after all.
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