News from PMA (CES) 2012


version française


In 2011, Photographic industry had one catastrophic year: the Japanese tsunami, floods in Thailand and the European financial crisis. The production was limited just like the market forecasts and demands.
Moreover this year the PMA was coupled with CES of Las Vegas. That can explain the absence of true innovations. Every manufacturer tries to consolidate its positions and its market parts.



DSLR

Nikon D4

Nikon D4

Canon 1Dx

Canon 1Dx

The Canon 1Dx was announced in October 2011 for an availability in March 2012. The Canon 1Dx have a full format sensor of 18 million pixels with a DIGIC 5+ double processor, enable image capture up to 12 fps, an sensibility from 100 to 51.200 ISO, expandable until H 204.800.
It is logically and with some months of delay, that Nikon presented the Nikon D4 with also a new full frame CMOS sensor of 16.2 effective megapixel, a rate of 10fps shooting with AF and AE, an ISO Range of 100-12,800 (extendable from 50 – 204,800) and a strongly improved video part: 1080p30 HD video at up to 24Mbps with uncompressed video output through port HDMI. It is available in February 2012 to the price of 5.800 € body only. The two cameras seem rather close and demonstrate the skills of the two leaders on the DLSR pros market.



Hybrid and enthusiastic amateur or pro compact cameras


Fuji X-Pro1

Fuji X-Pro1

Canon G1X

Canon G1X

Nikon J1

Nikon J1

The two only real innovations are:
The Fuji X-Pro 1 which have same the look as Fuji X100, same sensor (APS-C 15,8 X 23,6 mm) which passes from 12 to 16 million pixels and its optical/electronic hybrid viewfinder but add interchangeable lenses capability. Fuji, after leaving the DSLR market, takes place on the hybrid cameras market, more profitable and joins Leica, Samsung, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Nikon and Pentax (by sensor size order) with a top-of-the-range camera.
The Fuji X-Pro 1 has undeniable construction quality. The new " X-mount" has a flange distance of 17,7 mm and three lenses are announced.

  • 18 mm f/2 (equivalent in 35mm terms: 28 mm)
  • 35 mm f/1,4 (equivalent in 35mm terms: 50 mm)
  • 60 mm f/2,4 macro (equivalent in 35mm terms: 90 mm), ratio 1:2

    • In spite of its characteristics the announced price of 1700 € body only, risks however to be crippling.

    Canon remains alone to not offer interchangeable lenses mirrorless (hybrid) system, Canon fills gap between the reflex cameras and the G12 with a new camera, the Canon G1-X which has larger 14 X 18,7 mm sensor of 14 million pixels. This camera keeps the design and ergonomics of G12 with optical viewfinder and 3" side-articulated swivel LCD. The G1X is slightly more imposing, has 4x zoom 15,1 X 60,4 mm f/2,8-5,8 (equivalent in 35mm terms: 28-112 mm) increases thickness of the body (almost 2 cm). This camera presents an interesting alternative to the hybrids cameras for a price of 700 € (February 2012).
    In spite of the mitigated reception of the Nikon fans, Nikon J1 seems carried out beautiful sales and positions in the top 5 of Christmas sales on Amazon site.


    Lenses


    Sigma APO Macro 180mm F2.8

    Sigma APO Macro 180mm F2.8




    Sigma 30-28mm EX DN hybride

    Sigma 30-28mm EX DN hybride

    Nikkor AF-S 85mm f1.8 G

    Nikkor AF-S 85mm f1.8 G

    Sigma proposes some new DN Lenses for Hybrid Nex and micro 4/3 cameras, the Sigma hybrid 30-28mm EX DNN and a 18mm.
    For the DSLR, Sigma proposes the first 180mm f/2,8 lens Macro stabilized in the world, with a reproduction ratio of 1:1. The price is not yet fixed.

    Nikon continues to update its lenses system, like the new Nikkor AF-S 85mm f1.8 G , by integrating an AF-S engine (Silent Wave) in it and by removing the ring of diaphragm G in all the new lenses. The connection between camera and lens thus becomes mainly electronic except for the cam of diaphragm which remains the only vestige of F mount of 1959.


    Other



    Lytro camera

    Lytro camera

    Lytro system

    Lytro system

    Before the CES, Lytro, a start-up based at Mountain View in California, developed a photo sensor and an algorithm able to catch all the luminous fields of a picture, i.e. all the rays of light which circulate in all the directions at each point. Once the photo caught, it is possible to make the development on any part of the image by clicking simply on the desired zone.
    Lytro’s technology works by positioning a series of microlenses between the principal lens and the sensor of images to be able to measure the totality of the luminous field and its directions. The treatment is run by software using a special algorithm. The system can also capture 3D images that can be seen on a screen with compatible glasses.
    The camera has a 8x optical zoom opening at f2, a 1 Megapixel sensor , a 3,3 cm touchscreen and a built-in memory 8 (~350 shoots) or 16 Go (~750 shoots) depending to the version.
    The price is 399$ for the 8Go version and 499$ for the 16Go version.

     pierre j.

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    Created January 16th 2012
    V1.0 © Pierre J.