Amazon recently added a new bestseller category for mirrrorless cameras! That’s one more proof for the success of such cameras. But there is one BIG mistake. Amazon US names the category “Micro Four Thirds cameras” unlike other Amazon Europe stores where they call it “Compact System Cameras”. Is that a mistake or a Panasonic/Olympus marketing action?

Check out the current rankings:
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon US (Click here)
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon Deutschland (Click here)
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon UK (Click here)
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon France (Click here)

Amazon Canada and Amazon Japan do not offer the new ranking system.

What can we learn from those rankings? Generally spoken Micro Four Thirds is winning the game against Sony and Samsung. In UK and Germany, Samsung is doing surprisingly well and in France the NEX cameras are on top of the list. And the most popular camera is (as usual) the .

Sony-alpha.saloon.jp found a scheduled press release from Sony at SankeiBiz that says that on October 12 at 13:00 Sony will “Unveil a new SLR mirror-less product“. Probably they will show the colored NEX cameras or some new mirrorless accessories. A NEX7 seems very unlikely to be announced after Photokina!

According to X-rumors.om Samsung will launch two new NX camera in March 2011. One of the cameras is the new Samsung compact camera, the NX200. Compared to the new NX100 it will have new advanced features (like better video and high-ISO quality) and very likely a new built-in flash and swivel display. It will use the same 14 Megapixel sensor (but with a new better processor engine). The other NX camera will replace the current .

With the new firmware (version 1.20) also the is compatible with the iFunction of the new 20mm and 20-50mm lenses. Also the AF performance becomes better and support for the GPS10 module has been added. And last but not least there is also a new “distortion compensate” function to correct lens distortion.

Download: http://www.samsungimaging.com

Ricoh GXR-Modul 2,5/28 mm Mit 12-Megapixel-APS-C-Sensor (Colorfoto.de)

Samsung NX100 • 12 Hours “Hands-on” at Photokina (Flickr)

According to Amateur Photographer UK “sales of mirrorless interchangeable lens system cameras grew 191% compared to August 2009.”

Sony Nex with Sony E 18-200/3.5-6.3 OSS (Motimotion.at)

A Year with the GF1 (Sam Bennet)

Sony Japan officially sent “Apology and Notice of insufficient supply of the new E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS“

My first look at the Gh2…Clean HDMI out?! (Philip Bloom)

DIWA Gold Award for Olympus E-PL1 (Photographyblog)

Ricoh A12, G700 SE, G700 Hands-On at Photographyblog

Ricoh stand at Photokina (Photographyblog)

OK GO Films Video with Samsung NX100 (ThePhoBlographer)

Samsung stand at Photokina (Photographyblog, Fotopolis and Dkamera.de)

Samsung NX100 First Look Digitalcamerareview.com

Samsung NX100 – First Look reviewat Pocket Lint

Samsung NX100 fullsize samples (Eprice.com.tw)

Samsung NX100: toma de contacto (Quesabesde)

Samsung NX10 Pop Art (Fotoactualidad)

Interview with the GH1 hacker about the GH2 (43rumors.com)

Thom Hogan likes the new GH2 (43rumors.com)

PRESS RELEASE:

Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2010 —Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the development and release of GR LENS A12 28 mm F2.5, the fourth camera unit in the GXR interchangeable unit system. This product is being announced and exhibited at the photokina 2010 exhibition held in Cologne, Germany, beginning September 21, 2010.

Introduced in December 2009, the GXR is a revolutionary new interchangeable unit camera system in which lenses can be changed by mounting camera units that integrate lens, image sensor, and image processing engine into a single unit. In addition, to fully utilize this system’s unique ability to accommodate interchangeable units other than camera units, Ricoh is also investigating possibilities for development of a variety of other devices.

The new GR LENS A12 28 mm F2.5 brings together a newly developed 28 mm wide-angle fixed focal length GR Lens, an APS-C size CMOS sensor, and the proven GR Engine III image processing engine to create a unit with high flexibility, high image quality, high-speed shooting ability, and high power of expression.

Main features of GR LENS A12 28 mm F2.5

Newly developed GR Lens and APS-C size CMOS sensor for strong resolution and imaging power

• The new 28 mm equivalent GR Lens has a 6-group, 9-element configuration. Incorporating two aspherical lenses, one special low-dispersion lens, and multiple high-refraction-ratio lenses, this extravagant lens configuration achieves strong resolution and imaging power to the edge of the frame.
• The lens thoroughly corrects for various types of aberrations while at the same time utilizing a floating lens structure to suppress performance changes caused by focusing. The result at all shooting distances is high image quality worthy of the GR Lens name.*1
• A 23.6 mm × 15.7 mm (APS-C size) CMOS sensor is used. The combination of this sensor with the GR ENGINE III image processing engine enables the camera unit to shoot high-quality images with smooth tone gradations as well as high definition and low noise.
• The use of a configuration of nine rounded aperture blades enables the photographer to enjoy beautiful bokeh as well as precise aperture settings.

Rapid shooting capabilities help capture fleeting shutter chances

• Focusing speed has been accelerated through the addition of the new drive mode and the use of a high-speed CMOS sensor.
• The Pre-AF function also accelerates focusing speed by adjusting the focus to match subject movement.
• The full press snap function shoots at a preset distance for a one-push full-press of the shutter-release button.

High usability and quality feel

• The manual focus ring is available for precise focus adjustments. High-speed adjustment is also an option. The manual focus ring can even be used to seamlessly fine tune the focus after automatic focusing.
• The target position can be magnified on the screen during shooting, and it can also be moved using the direction keys. Select from 2x, 4x, and 8x magnification ratios for convenient and precise focus checking.
• The two options of normal and pinpoint can be selected for the AF area size used in spot AF.
• For the exterior, we utilized die cast magnesium, which has a strong track record in the GR series, and we covered the surface with a corrosion-resistant “pear-skin” coating. The end result is a body with durability, light weight, and a superior feel in hand.

GXR series power of expression takes full advantage of GR Lens capabilities

• Multi-pattern auto white balance makes it possible to recreate natural as-seen colors even in people-photography scenes that were difficult to shoot with past auto white balance functions, such as scenes with both shadow and sunlight and scenes mixing flash and natural light (or fluorescent light, etc.).
• ISO3200 facilitates shooting in low light conditions.
• The noise reduction level can be specified as Off, Weak, Strong, Max, or Auto. By specifying Max, it is possible to do sophisticated variance-estimation type noise reduction processing in which the sensor image data’s noise distribution is analyzed and the optimum processing is done for each region.
• The automatic exposure modes include program shift mode, shutter speed priority mode, and aperture priority mode.
• Picture settings can be customized with nine setting levels for easy creation of a diverse range of images.

Diverse functions of the GXR series

• An electronic level utilizing an acceleration sensor.
• Three grid guides useful for framing images while shooting.
• An image flag function to enable the quick display of specific images from among those in the camera. Up to 20 images can be flagged.
• The DIRECT screen enabling current shooting settings to be displayed and changed. Settings can be easily checked at a glance.
• It is possible to shoot 1280 × 720 pixel HD movies.*2

*1To be given the “GR Lens” name by Ricoh, a lens must exceed a specified level of overall lens performance, with particular attention being given to MTF values, distortion, and color aberration.
*2 Note: When shooting movies of 1280×720 size, the use of an SD/SDHC memory card with an SD speed class of Class 6 or higher is recommended.

Fuji just announced the FinePix X100, a rangefinderstyled 12.3MP APS-C-based camera with Hybrid Viewfinder. The “Hybrid Viewfinder that enables users to toggle between optical and electronic viewfinders and display intricate shooting information right into the OVF” (Source: Engadget). That’s what I call “Innovation”! The bad news is that it uses a fixed 23mm f/2.0 lens (The lens itself is gorgeous). There is no official price indication yet but unofficially some websites do report a price target of $1.400. That’s a lot cheaper than the Leica X1 ($1.995 at Amazon)!. The FinePix X100 will be in Stock by early 2011.

More news on:
Engadget
Dpreview
Fuji brochure pdf: http://www.fujifilm.com/photokina2010/list/index.html#h2-3

And here a video taken from Engadget: