Nikon Patent For A Ring Flash To Mount On The Camera Body (perfect for mirrorless systems)

Left: not mounted, right: mounted

Japanese site Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Nikon for a ring flash that can be mounted directly on the camera body. The patent pictures suggest a compact camera. Looks like the ring flash gets mounted through a sort of bayonet mechanism

  • Patent Publication No. 2012-185190

    • 2012.9.7 Release Date

    • 2011.3.3 filing date

  • Ring flash

  • With a light input portion

    • Using the built-in flash of the camera, etc.

    • Through an optical fiber, the light that has been input is output to the light output unit (ring-shaped diffusion member)

  • And easy installation

    • I was provided with a hinge in part optical input

    • I have provided a light input portion of the elastic member

    • Mounting of the optical output to the camera bayonet

[via EG]

 

RX1 specs changed, E-M5 firmware released.

Two news on two of the most popular mirrorless cameras. The Sony RX1 specs just got changed. Sony Japan that they will remove the AF-C focus option. The good news that thel shutter speed has been increased to 1:4000 (before it was 1:2000).

The second news is that a huge E-M5 firmware update has been released. Source: olympus.co.jp. You have to use the Olympus Digital Camera Updater.

And to end there is a quick note for a nice deal on the Sony NEX-5n. That tiny little nice camera is for sale for $369 at Adorama (Click here). This is one of the best deal I ever saw on a mirrorless camera this year.

Sigma will make lenses for serious enthusiast mirrorless systems. And DP2 news roundup.

Amateur Photographer interviewed Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki that Sigma will aim compact system camera (CSC) lenses at serious photo enthusiasts, rather than general consumers. De facto Sigma will “ignore” consumer mirrorless system liek the Pentax Q (and probably Nikon 1).

As you know last week Sigma said that they won’t make their own mirrorless camera system. That’s too bad because the DP2 proves that they have a very intruiguing sensor technology that may be not fully mature but definitely rocks when it comes to low ISO quality. Just check out the latest DP2 tests:
Experience the Sigma DP2 Merrill resolution at Outbackhpto. DP2 ISO test at Focus Numerique. A full camera review has been posted at Photographyblog: “Image quality is the DP2 Merrill’s star turn, indeed the principal reason to put up with its numerous other shortcomings.“

Check out price and specs at Amazon (Click here) and Bhphoto (Click here).

Canon EOS-M worldwide shipment started.

The first Canon mirrorless camera is now finally shipping in Japan (Source: Canon and Amazon Japan). It will ship in US on October 15th according to BHphoto (Click here). This is a great little camera, and I don’t think Canon is telling us the truth when saying they do not care about a M PRO version with viewfinder. I bet we will see such a camera in 2013!

Canon EOS-M preorder links:
Full presentation page on Amazon (Click here).
EOS-M Black at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M White at BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 22mm pancake at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 15-55mm kit lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M adapter at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M Flash at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

Sony and Olympus will work together on the mirrorless camera market.

Today we have a huge news! Sony and Olympus have signed an agreement where Sony will become Olympus largest shareholder. And they already anticipated that they will work together in the medical and camera business. What this means for the future of the NEX and Micro Four Thirds system has yet to be seen. But I think this may not be good news for Panasonic…

Just my two cent. Sony urgently needs lenses for the NEX system while Olympus needs the Sony sensor for their cameras. They may keep challenging each other with their own systems but saving costs on the development front.

 

Full rpess release with strategy goals is available here (.pdf).