Sigma for NEX and m43 reviews roundup!

The new Sigma 30mm on the NEX-7. Image courtesy Mike Kobal

A couple of websites almost simultaneously posted their respective Sigma for NEX or for Micro Four Thirds reviews. As you know the lens is basically the same for the two systems with just a different mount.  Even more, the lenses are also used for Sigma’s own DP camera lineup. While their specs and look isn’t particularly exciting the tests are quite favorable and the price of the lenses as cheap as it probably gets. Check this links to make get an idea of the quality:

The Sigma 30mm lens got tested with the E-P3 by Pekka Potka (Click here): “I think Sigma has produced here a lens, which is optically significantly better than I expected. It gives much compared to its price and is definitely worth considering if this focal lenght is otherwise interesting.

Also TheDigitalStory (Click here) tested the same lens on the same camera: “Overall, I rate the Sigma 30mm a notch below Olympus prime lenses. But if you want a mild telephoto with a reasonably fast aperture for an affordable price, you’ll probably like shooting with this glass. I’m going to keep mine.

SLRlensreview (Click here) tested the 30mm lens on the Sony NEX camera: “Sigma’s entry level prime indeed bests Sony’s lens in resolution department. Everything else seems to be very comparable. So the recommendation is to choose Sony’s E 30/3.5 if you’re into macro photography, while for everything else just go with Sigma’s 30/2.8 EX DN.

Another 19mm lens test on the NEX-5n can be seen within a forum post at Fred Miranda (Click here): “I think this little lens holds it own, with a muted contrast/high detail rending all it’s own, excellent ergonomics, and a ridiculously low price.

The new Sigma 19mm gets tested on the NEX-5n from our reader Eric Brandon (Click here).

Mike Kobal (Click here) reviewed the new Sigma 30mm lens on his NEX-7 camera: “I never expected this little lens to perform at such a high level-reason enough for this quick test.

Mirrorless news roundup with weird GXR-Chinon combination pictures!

DC.watch (Click here for the translation) posted that cool picture of the Ricoh GXR with the old Chinon AF 50mm f/1.7 lens (released back in 1982).

Let’s keep talking about the GXR. Bjoern Uttpott (Click here) posted a nice set of images taken with the 50mm Sonnar lens.

And now some K-01 news:
Pentax K-01 Mirrorless CSC Full Review (ePhotozine).
Another K-01 review at Photographyblog (Click here): “Therein lies the K-01’s main problem. While it may look refreshingly different, the Pentax K-01 falls unsuccessfully between two stools – ultimately we’d either buy a similarly sized DSLR or a much smaller compact system camera in preference to the K-01.
K-01 hands-on at DC.watch (Click here).

Sony:
New Sigma lens test by Slrlensreview (Click here).

Panasonic:
First movie entirely shot with the AG-AF100 at Imdb (Click here).

Sharpness battle: Fuji $600 lens beats Leica $5,000 lens?

The much discussed blogger and “guru” Ken Rockwell (Click here) posted a short Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X lens preview: “This is as sharp, maybe sharper than the equivalent LEICA 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, and has the same superb bokeh, focuses faster and closer and has the same near zero distortion. Not bad for $600!” The Leica lens costs just a tiny bit more…$5,000 on eBay (Click here)!!! The only thing Ken is not happy with is the sensor size. He would have preferred a Full Frame sensor on the X PRO 1 instead of the current APS-C. In his opinion this would have killed Leica instantly!

More X PRO 1 news: X PRO 1 test at Photoscala (Click here for the translation). New set of pictures by Brandon Remler (Click here). Field Session with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 at Outbackphoto (Click here).

Also the lenses are in Stock! Time to make a short in status check:
Fuji X PRO 1 body is in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Jessops UK (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 18mm f/2.0 in Stock at Amazon (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 35mm f/1.4 in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 60mm macro f/2.0 in not Stock at Amazon (3-4weeks) but is in Stock at Digitalrev (Click here).

Ken Rockwell and Focus Numerique Fuji X PRO 1 testing and first sniff test :)

Go on minute 2,45 to see the first Fuji X PRO 1 sniff test ever made :)

So, now that you have seen that weird sniff test you can focus your attention on the “serious” ISO testing made by these websites:
1) The famous blogger Ken Rockwell (Click here) compared the X100 and X PRO 1 with all recent FF cameras: “The Fuji X-Pro1 looks great, as clean as the D4 and usually sharper.”
2) Focus Numerique (Click here) also posted an ISO test comparison with the Sony NEX-7 and Olympus E-M5. They say that you can up to 6.400 ISO “without any hesitation“!

More bits: DC.watch (Click here) tested the X PRO 1. First image samples from Mike Kobal (Click here). The X PRO now gets beaten by the NEX-7 at Amazon (Click here to see the full ranking).

In stock status check:
Fuji X PRO 1 body is in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Jessops UK (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 18mm f/2.0 in Stock at Amazon (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 35mm f/1.4 in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 60mm macro f/2.0 in not Stock at Amazon (3-4weeks) but is in Stock at Digitalrev (Click here).

Fuji X PRO 1 sexiness (tested with the Zeiss Biogon!)

That super nice picture has been published by DC.watch (Click here) which just posted the X PRO 1 and Zeiss Biogon 21mm lens review. It’s written in Japanese and google translation tool is making a messy work (as usual). But it’s worth to check their website just to see the pictures :)

They used the new KIpon G to X mount adapter () to fit the super 21mm Biogon () on the X PRO 1.

One more Fuji news….the X100 firmware update is out: http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/x/finepix_x100/. With following improvements:

When checking focus point by pushing AE-L/AF-L button in MF mode, following phenomena can be observed in relation to focus area settings. These phenomena are improved.

  • 1.When the focus area is set to bottom right end position, the camera may hang up.
  • 2.Even when the focus area is set to other area than above, focus may be hard to be established.

 

Meanwhile the Fuji X PRO 1 got dethroned by the NEX.7 at the Amazon sales ranking (Click here to see).

New Fuji X PRO 1 reviews and tests (Fuji will soon address the AF issue!)

Dpreview (Click here) just published a short X PRO 1 first impression article: “You needn’t have read this piece from start to finish to see that I’m very impressed with the X-Pro1. From what I’ve seen so far it looks like Fujifilm has avoided re-introducing any of the more egregious oddities of the X100. And while we’ve yet to subject it to our rigorous testing methodology, we’ve not found flaws of the type that plagued the X100. On balance I think it’s safe to say that the X-Pro1 is a camera that gets much more right than it does wrong.
Sounds all good!!! :)

Soundimagesplus (Click here) compared the Fuji with the NEX-5n and GX1: “As you will also clearly see the X-Pro 1 is significantly better than the other two 16MP cameras at high ISO’s.

Stuck in Dulles with my Fujifilm X-Pro1 by Brandon Remler (Click here).

John Smith (Click here) is also testing the X PRO 1. And he got in touch with Fuji to talk about the AF issue: “called Fuji Canada about this AF problem and Gerry, the person at the camera technical support centre, reassured me that Fuji is working on improving the camera. Firmware updates are on the way. I just wish to pass my thanks to Fuji for its concerns for the customers.I was very impressed by the knowledge and helpfulness that I received. ” (via FujiRumors.com).

The X PRO 1 still sells like hotcakes at Amazon (Click here to see the full ranking).

In stock status check:
Fuji X PRO 1 body is in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Jessops UK (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 18mm f/2.0 in Stock at Amazon (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 35mm f/1.4 in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Fuji X 60mm macro f/2.0 in not Stock at Amazon (3-4weeks) but is in Stock at Digitalrev (Click here).