Leica to show two new models at Photokina?

The spanish website DSLRmagazine announced via twitter (Click here /via noisyc) that Leica is working on two new models (one low end and one high end camera). In a second tweet they added that while the models will be shown at Photokina in September they will probably not be ready for the mass production. The may will go the Fuj marketing route that usually displays a model months before it’s ready.

Leica already said many times that they will make a mirrorless camera without the rangefinder optical system. And that it would be a high quality product (of course).

Nikon 1 V1 and J1 tested at DPreview!


Finally DPreview (Click here) posted the much expected Nikon V1 and J1 review. A must read! The cameras are amazing for shoot moving subjects in good light. And image quality is almost on par with the Micro Four Thirds cameras (and that’s also an amazing result considering the smaller sensor). But also Dpreview recognizes that the price is still too high when you compare it with other cheaper and more featured cameras like the Sony NEX-5n.

Nevertheless, at least in USA the Nikon 1 cameras are selling well (Check here the Amazon US ranking). I guess this has also to do with their strong marketing campaign and retailers network. Anyway, I am pretty sure Nikon is already preparing the launch for new Nikon 1 cameras. Can’t wait to see them!

I hope Marc Newson can make a better Pentax K design than that one :)

Our reader Charlie reminded us that Pentax has already shown a sort of K-mount mirrorless prototype at the Photokina show in 2006. I really hope the new (REAL) K-mount mirrorless camera will have a much mrge attractive design. And if the rumors are true than the Star Designer Marc Newson will be the creater of that camera and it will certainly be beautiful! For the record, he designed the Talby phone (Click here to see).

Exciting time! Pentax mirrorless, Olympus OM, Panasonic (?)….

New Fuji X PRO 1 ISO samples (+ Adorama notification and crazy belgium price)

The french website Focus Numerique (Click here) posted his first short X PRO 1 ISO test. Keep in mind that they used a pre-production camera with non finalized firmware. The conclusion from the reviewer is that up to ISO 1.600 noise is almost invisible. At 3.200 ISO grain is very fine and there is a just a little color noise. A larger chromatic noise is only visible starting from 12.800 ISO. Focus Numerique writes that they are truly impressed by that result!

A couple of days ago another french website Zone Numérique (Click here) said the price for the Fuji X PRO 1 body would be 1590 Euro. Now a Belgium store (Click here) is causing me a light heart attack by taking preorders at 1850 Euro! Hope this is not the real final price! Other preorder options are actually asking you for ZERO money while waiting for the final price info: Expansys USA (Click here), Expansys Canada (Click here), Henrys Canada (Click here) .

And after Amazon US (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here) als Adorama (Click here) is offering a pure notification service.

Hot! Pentax K-01 mirrorless camera coming soon?

Our friends over at Digiaminfo got the first (exciting!) specs about the possible new Pentax mirrorless camera:

  • Pentax new mirrorless camera will be announced by CP + in February.

  • The name is K-01

  • K-mount!

  • Black & white body color (black keynote), white and black (white tone), black and yellow (based on black and white, yellow leather) three different colors.

  • The sensor is the same spec K-5 (). And same rear LCD.

  • Full HD video

  • Shutter speed to 1 / 4000 p to 30 seconds

  • Contrast AF, AF 81 Split

  • Built-in pop-up flash

  • 121mm width, 79mm height, 59mm depth

  • 560g in weight with battery

  • designed by the designer who designed talby from au (i.e. Japanese mobile phone sold in 2004)

  • it looks more like Optio than K series; not like GXR

  • comes with a new lens: DA 40mm F2.8XS

  • three lens kits with DA40XS and lenses already on market

  • mirrorless but whether there is an EVF or it is built in is not revealed

I hope my japanese readers can provide send me a better translation than Google soon :)

That camera could be a real dealbreaker!

Kodak bancrupcy is near. A bad news for every film camera owner :(

This is the kind of news we knew it would come :(
Kodak filed Chapter 11 for bankruptcy and this means that they will now try to restructure the company. You may have noticed that Kodak is suing Apple, Samsung, Fuji (and some other companies) because of patent infringement. They are trying to find some money here and there.

This is really not good news for people like me that uses Kodak film for their work (I own the ). Really a bad day for the photography history!

Here is the press release:

Read more

“Retro” NX200 to be launched on Saturday.

Photorumors got this photo of the upcoming “Retro” styled Samsung NX200 RS. It will be announced on Saturday and has exactly the same specs of the current NX200. I guess that silver top is the only thing “new” coming with the camera. And I don’t believe that alone justifies the “retro” definition.

P.S.: While the camera might be not soo exiting their lens roadmap is much better than the Sony NEX roadmap.