News from Photokina 2014


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Main trends

In Spring 2014, the New York Times's headline is "The Future of Photography: Canon, Nikon and Sony? "Indicating that many photo manufacturers would disappear in the coming years.
Indeed in 2014 and for the second consecutive year, sales of digital cameras simple models (APN) fell of 40 % from last year. Nikon, as in other Japanese giants Photo companies (Canon, Olympus, Sony ... ) suffered of the collapse of the camera market. It has decreased of 43% in the first half of 2013. This year, IDC estimates that worldwide sales of digital cameras will decline of 29%. Total sales of cameras go from 144 million in 2010, a record year, to 102 million in 2013.
More and more pictures are indeed taken with smartphones. The quality of smartphones continues to improve. It is in this context that Photokina 2014 opens.

Photo manufacturers are adopting the same strategy that electronics and phone manufacturers, trying to change their products into fashion elements.
Pentax propose its new digital DSLR Pentax KS-1 in several bright colors : cyan , lime or pink.
Stella McCartney and Canon have partnered to create the Linda Bag, a white bag designed for the Canon EOS 100D white. This bag is also a tribute to the mother's stylist : The photographer Linda Eastman McCartney.
The camera picture becomes more feminine with more colors or class.

Full 135 and APS-C Formats


Nikon D750




Canon 7D Mark II








Sony QX1





Samsung NX1

Nikon and Canon, historical photographic companies continue to improve what they do best and offer more mature DSLRs. The models currently on the market reach a high level of performance (20 and 24 million pixels) and possibilities. The challenge is how to inspire the consumer to change.

The Nikon D750 is a new camera and the true successor to the D700. It is positioned between the D610 and the 810. It is more compact and lighter than the first with a new CMOS sensor Full Frame FX 24.3 megapixels (6016 x 4016 pixels) and inherits from the second, an image processor EXPEED 4, an improved AF module, the Multi-CAM 3500 II, sensitive to -3 EV, with 51 AF points including 15 cross compatible and 11 available at f/8 and a 91,000 pixels RGBB sensor.
The front plate of D750 is made of carbon fiber on a magnesium chassis. This is the first full-format Nikon DSLR to have an 3.2 inch rear swivel screen , but not a touch , with 1,229,000 points that opens and rotates up to 90 ° up and 75 ° to the below, a Wi-Fi built-in module integrated in the flash bump but no built-in GPS. It has a rate of 6.5 frames per second, a full HD video mode in 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p and 24p recording in MOV on DX or FX image format, an sensitivity range of 100-12,800 ISO (expandable from 64 to 51,200 ISO). It is powered by an EN-EL15 battery.
It is priced at 2,399 $ body only (October 2014).

The Canon 7D Mark II is an evolution of the 7D camera, it has an APS- C 20 Megapixel sensor with Dual Pixel Technology for an AF phase detection in live view and video. Two DiGiC 6 processors allow calculations for photo and video recording HDTV 1080 60p MP4 format. The Canon 7D Mark II also provides an output with uncompressed HDMI stream, an built-in GPS module, a burst mode image at 10 frames per second with autofocus 65 collimators (against 19 on the 7D) crossed f/5.6 covering a good surface of the frame.
It is priced at 1,799 $ body only (November 2014).

Sony updates its Alpha E-mount cameras and QX modules. Sony QX 1 is a curious camera module, which completes a smartphone and has the particularity to accept E mount Sony lenses. It inherits from the alpha 5000 CMOS sensor Exmor APS- C 20.1 megapixel, its X BIONZ processor; it has its own battery and a built-in flash . However, its size makes it less attractive than the first models.

Samsung NX1 is a camera with interchangeable lenses and electronic viewfinder. It has a BSI (backlight) CMOS sensor APS- C of 28 megapixel, an autofocus system with 205 AF points (including 153 cross type)for phase correlation and 209 points for the AF contrast detection. It has a burst mode of 15 frames per second with autofocus tracking about 70 images, a video mode of 4K film (4096 x 2160 pixels) at 24 fps and 4K TV (UHD , 3840 x 2160 px) at 30 fps, an 7.6 cm swivel and LCD touchscreen (90 ° up and 45 ° down) of 1 037 000 points with AMOLED technology.
This camera is not available in France and is priced at 1,600 $ body only (November 2014).

Leica and expert digital compacts

Sony RX100 Mark III


panasonicLX1000


Leica M-A

Leica M60


The Sony RX100 Mark III remains the reference of this market segment. It retains its excellent 1" sensor but now has a built-in electronic viewfinder.

the Lumix LX1000 is the new Panasonic compact expert and a serious challenger to the Sony, it has a fixed lens equivalent to 24-75 mm f / 1.7-2.8 , large sensor, the same processor as the excellent Lumix GH4 , real aperture rings and wheel speed, 4K video, a built-in 2.8 million pixel electronic viewfinder, the integrated Wi-Fi and NFC functions.
It is priced at 800 $ (November 2014). An almost identical model is proposed by Leica and is called D-LUX 6.

In addition to the Leica D-LUX 6, Leica shows several cameras and lenses:

  • An update of the Leica S type 007 with a big format sensor of 37 megapixels,

  • A bridge camera, the V-LUX, copy of Panasonic FZ1000 with a zoom Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 9.1-146 mm f/2.8-4 aspherical (equivalent 25-400mm in 135 format) with an aperture of f/2.8-4.0.

  • The Leica M-A 100% mechanical film camera with no electrical or electronic component. A camera without any exposure system.
    It is priced at 3750 €, body only (November 2014).

  • The Leica M60 digital camera with electronics parts coming from Leica M 240 but where the rear screen disappears in favor of an ISO dial as the first 1954 models. An camera for purist, limited to 600 copies which will be available in kit with a Leica Summilux -M 35 mm f / 1.4 ASPH available for 15,000 $ (November 2014).

    • Others






    Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1

    Open Platform Olympus

    RED Epic Dragon 6K







    ball Panono

    An answer to the influence of smartphones is to offer more innovations, as done by GO-PRO cameras or Sony QX modules.
    Panasonic presents the Lumix DMC-CM1 an Android smartphone with a Leica 28mm / f2.8 lens and a 1" sensor. It is priced at 1,000 $ (November 2014).

    Always in idea to compete/complete the smartphones, Olympus offers as Sony and QX-1 optical sensor modules that can be associated with a smartphone with WiFi. The concept is the same but based on a Micro 3/4 sensor and lenses. The system is intended to be open to other developers and is called: "Open Platform".

    The camera Red Epic Dragon has a sensor with a 6K resolution for filming in 6144 x 3160 pixels at 100 fps. The Red Epic Dragon offers uncompressed RAW signal and a resolution nine times more than the 1080p.

    The camera Panono may be launched into the air and take pictures simultaneously in all directions. Panoramic views 360 ° x 360 ° final resolution of 108 million pixels. It will be priced 600 $ (November 2014).

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    Created September 9th 2014
    V1.0 © Pierre J.