As much as 2018 is an important year for Nikon with the introduction of the Z Series of mirrorless cameras, this year is also a big one for the company as the iconic Nikon F celebrates its 60th birthday. The first in the company’s highly successful line of professional 35mm SLR cameras, it was one of the most advanced cameras of its time when it came out in April 1959. To honor the Nikon F and its legendary successors on this special occasion, here are some key milestones that we believe are worth the revisit.
Backing up our work is one of the most important things we can do as photographers, but hard drives and SSD’s haven’t always been the toughest. One slight bump, or a splash of water could mean the end of your hard drives and your files, and if that was the only backup you had, you would be in a world of hurt. Apparently someone at Sony HQ has been sitting quietly over in a corner and has been thinking about this for a while now, and they have come up with some new portable Sony SSD drives can can take a hiding.
If you choose to update to the latest firmware for the Sony a7r III and the Sony a7 III, you’ll be treated to a number of new features. Chief amongst those features is what Sony is pushing AI–which they’re stating is more akin with referencing a database than cloud computing. In what seems like manufacturers have been doing for many years, this new firmware puts a pretty big database on your camera that Sony also claims will be improved over time. What this ultimately translates into is Animal Eye Autofocus–which Sony also states will be best used for Cats and Dogs initially and more animals to come in the future.
If you’re yet to get your own Intrepid large format camera, now would be a great time to contemplate your options. Intrepid Camera Co. has recently announced upgrades for both of their large format camera models. With this news comes the fourth generation of the 4×5 and the second for the 8×10, and the promise of improvements typically only seen in higher end cameras of its class.
If you are one of the lucky people who have acquired a Panasonic S1 or its bigger brother, the Panasonic S1R we have some good news for you. No longer will you be bound to Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for your editing needs. The guys and gals over at Capture One have added support for a few new cameras today, and both of those are included. Jump past the break to find out more.
Fujfilm have really flown out of the gates with their X mount cameras and lenses, and there is no sign of them slowing down, but many Fujifilm users are fluttering eyelids at glass from third party lens makers like Sigma in the hopes that they will start making lenses for the X Mount series of cameras. As much as Sigma would love to oblige, the problem is that Fujfilm doesn’t see the need to collaborate with the likes of Sigma and Tamron, and that’s a real shame. Join us after the break for some insight from both Sigma and Fujfilm in regards to this.
Looking for yet another rare camera to shoot with and add to your growing collection? Today’s vintage find is definitely something that today’s generation of film photographers have on their cool camera checklist: a gorgeous Fujifilm Natura Black F1.9. One of the most impressive premium film point-and-shoots ever made, the main draw of this popular ultra-wide shooter is its f1.9 aperture.
If you were to ask most journalists, editors, and photographers about how often they calibrate their computer displays, I’m positive that the answer would be never–though the Datacolor SpyderX Elite should give them a number of reasons at least to consider it. The most recently updated product from Datacolor includes a few big design changes and deviations from the previous products. For the creatives who have been using the Spyder units for years, you’ll be happy to know that it operates mostly the same. But in terms of future proofing and reaching out to a newer generation of creatives, there are some obvious and glaring problems with the new Datacolor SpyderX Elite. A number of competitors have popped up in the most recent years to include pretty revolutionary features to the genre of products. But what’s perhaps the Datacolor SpyderX Elite’s biggest problem is the displays that they’re catering so hard towards.
Despite the catastrophic mess that was the Yashica digiFilm Y35, it seems the company now at the helm of the brand have turned to its film roots instead. Everyone was hoping that it was just another (bad) April Fools’ joke. But since they kept posting teasers a few days after and have kept them all over the company’s website, Facebook, and Instagram, we’re all forced to take that they’re really seriously at work. Needless to say, most photographers aren’t happy about it.
I’m not going to lie, the new Canon Rebel SL3 shares a whole lot in common with many of Canon’s other cameras–which ultimately means that there is no real innovation. But it looks nice, and perhaps that’s what Canon is really trying to do at the $599.99 body only price point. In the spirit of making a quick buck, it boasts a whopping 9 point autofocus system based on a camera from over 10 years ago. But again, it’s pretty in white.