As we hurtle towards Amazon Prime Day on a yet-to-be-confirmed date in July, brands are pulling out the big guns, with new releases galore, and even a few world firsts.
Sigma has just launched the world’s first-ever full-frame f/1.8 zoom lens, while in another industry first, Canon has released its EOS C400, with a newly developed image sensor with triple-base ISO.
This is Canon’s first full-frame RF mount cine camera, offering 12-bit 6K 60p, triple-base ISO, Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus II and support for 180° VR video.
In another first, Panasonic has announced the Lumix GH7, with phase-detection autofocus and potentially game-changing 32-bit float recording.
In an interesting twist, laptop manufacturer Acer has created a groundbreaking camera leading the way in stereoscopic 3D imaging. The new camera can livestream 3D video, and it's specifically designed for photographers!
Let’s get into this week's most exciting top news stories…
Sigma launches world-first full-frame f/1.8 zoom
Sigma has just revealed a ground-breaking, world-first lens: the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art, which is the first full-frame zoom lens with a constant f/1.8 aperture, for E and L-Mount.
This is exactly the kind of optic that the mirrorless revolution promised us: with larger throats and reduced distance between lens and sensor, lenses that were previously impossible are now achievable.
Leave it to Sigma, the self-confessed "guinea pig of the lens industry", to deliver the 28-45mm f/1.8, which sets new standards for what we can expect of zoom lenses. Previously, the family of f/2.8 professional zooms (15-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm) were considered the "holy Trinity" because of their speed and coverage…
Read more:
Trinity lenses? Pfft – this world-first f/1.8 zoom is the New Testament
Canon releases the first ever TRIPLE-base ISO sensor
In a first for the industry, Canon's latest camera – the Canon EOS C400 – features a newly developed image sensor with triple-base ISO. Yes, triple.
Canon has leapfrogged the current dual-base ISO technology, which has become standard in many video-oriented cameras. This enables the C400 to shoot with a trio of native sensitivities – ISO800, ISO3200 and ISO12,800 – to offer an unprecedented spectrum of dynamic range.
Simply put, this is huge...
Read more:
Canon gets oversensitive with first ever TRIPLE-base ISO camera
Canon's first full-frame RF cinema camera is here
Canon has just dropped a bombshell on the world of cinema cameras with the Canon EOS C400 – its first full-frame RF mount cine camera, offering 12-bit 6K 60p, triple-base ISO (yes, really), Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus II and support for 180° VR video.
Fascinatingly, the Canon EOS C400 was first rumored a decade ago as a new model to sit alongside the C300 Mark III and C500 Mark II. While it technically sits below the C500 series, its specs are definitely streaks ahead of its older brother.
The EOS C400 features a newly developed, back-side illuminated, full-frame 6K sensor. It's capable of RAW recording up to 6K 60p, 4K 120fps and 2K 180fps in Canon's 12-bit Cinema RAW Light format...
Read more:
WHOA! Canon's new camera is nothing short of a mic drop
Panasonic launches the long-awaited Lumix GH7
When Panasonic launched the Lumix GH6 just over two years ago, the reception was pretty overwhelmingly positive, with it quickly racking up accolades as one of the best video cameras for independent filmmakers. In our review, we gave the camera the full five stars, saying “the GH6 holds its own with cameras almost twice its price in terms of functionality and image quality and excels beyond the competition”.
The only major complaint of the camera was its outdated contrast-detect autofocus system, but since then Panasonic has answered its critics with its much-improved phase detect auto-focus (PDAF) in the Lumix S5 II and Lumix G9 II – now PDAF is coming to the GH series with the launch of the new Panasonic Lumix GH7.
On the surface you’d be forgiven for thinking not much has changed with the Lumix GH7, as the camera shares the same body as the previous GH6 model, and as the old adage goes, if it aint broke don't fix it…
Read more:
Panasonic’s best video camera enters a new phase with the Lumix GH7
Acer reveals new stereoscopic 3D camera
The Acer SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera is a new camera with two lenses positioned apart, just like eyes, to capture a stereoscopic 3D image.
The device is a straightforward 'box' design, with two eight-megapixel cameras, a weatherproof design, EIS, and a 'manual mode'.
It is designed to provide 'eyes' to Acer's existing range of 3D products – monitors and laptops which have 3D displays which don't need glasses.
Acer's SpatialLabs tech relies on a lenticular monitor, but the technology has moved on a long way from the ridged screens over static images you might remember from years ago (or the Nintendo 3DS).
Read more:
Acer's new camera can livestream 3D video and it's designed for photographers!
Check out our guides to the best cinema cameras. We've also put together a guide to the best Canon cameras, and the best Canon RF lenses on the market.
