Photo Corners headlinesarchivemikepasini.com
A S C R A P B O O K O F S O L U T I O N S F O R T H E P H O T O G R A P H E R
Enhancing the enjoyment of taking pictures with news that matters, features that entertain and images that delight. Published frequently.
Photokina Clippings: L-Mount, Leica, Fujifilm, Sigma, Ricoh
25 September 2018
We're taking the drone approach to covering Photokina 2018. No boots on the ground but aerial surveillance of the more important targets. We'll provide a brief description with links to official press releases and sponsored links for pre-ordering. This entry covers the new L-Mount Alliance, Leica, Fujifilm, Sigma and Ricoh.
L-MOUNT
L-Mount Alliance Formed
Leica, Panasonic and Sigma have announced a new L-Mount Alliance to allow you "to mix and match any of the three manufacturers' full-frame and APS-C cameras with any lens from each other's product portfolios."
The L-mount features a large diameter, which ensures maximum product diversity, as well as multiple electrical contact points, allowing for seamless communication between the lens and the camera. It features four prong segments, wear-resistant stainless steel manufacturing and with the Leica SL-System protection from spray water.
Leica
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Leica chairman and majority shareholder said, "In the rapidly growing market for mirrorless system cameras, users seek increasingly greater product diversity to fulfill a wide range of different photographic needs.
"To meet these needs, we have decided to work together with prominent partners in the photographic segment. Our long-established partnership with Panasonic is a collaboration based on mutual trust and the company's expertise in the area of electronics is unquestioned.
"Sigma is also a highly respected company that has become firmly established, especially in the areas of optical design and lens manufacturing and is able to perfectly complement our existing portfolio of L-Mount products."
Panasonic
Tetsuro Homma, Panasonic senior managing executive officer, added, "Panasonic has always focused on revolutionizing the camera sector to make the lives of photo enthusiasts easier, more sophisticated and more enjoyable.
"Our longstanding partnership with Leica has brought many high-performance and high-quality digital cameras to the market; fusing Leica's superior optical technology with Panasonic's digital technologies. Our partnership has enabled us to accelerate the development of excellent digital camera products and the L-Mount alliance with Leica and Sigma is a great example of such acceleration.
"This is an alliance of growing players, which will make a fundamental difference to the future of the imaging industry."
Sigma
"As Sigma strives to develop high performance, high quality and innovative products, this alliance will strengthen the level of completion and the extensibility of our camera system and provide greater user benefits," said Kazuto Yamaki, Sigma chief executive officer.
"Leica is a magnificent company that has been contributing to photographic cultures for more than 100 years and Panasonic is leading the industry by developing reliable technologies across various fields. Together with Sigma's unique, high performance and high quality products, the L-Mount will evolve as an extremely attractive system for users."
This strategic partnership will allow customers to choose from a much wider selection of cameras and lenses without limiting themselves to one specific brand, the companies said. Photographers can expect future product announcements from Leica Camera, Panasonic and Sigma that will adhere to this new standard, they added.
LEICA
Leica S3 Launched
The launch of the Leica S3 at Photokina 2018 marks the tenth anniversary of the launch of the Leica S2 at Photokina 2008. The new medium format camera, which uses the Leica ProFormat developed for the Leica S-System, features an increase in resolution from 37.5 to 64 megapixels.
Subjects can be composed in the large and bright SLR viewfinder, focused sharply with the fast and reliable autofocus and captured at a continuous shooting rate of three frames per second. The entire sensor area enables not only full-HD videos, but, for the first time, also 4K cinema resolution.
Leica said the S3 will be available in Spring 2019. For more information, visit http://www.leicacamerausa.com.
FUJIFILM
Fujifilm Announces GFX 100-Mp Concept Camera
Fujifilm has unveiled the GFX 100Megapixels Concept, the concept of flagship model currently under development as a new addition to the GFX series medium format mirrorless digital cameras. It will incorporate a 102-megapixels image sensor which is about 1.7 times the size of a full-size 35mm image sensor and include built-in image stabilization plus 4K video capture.
The company also announced the GFX 50R medium-format mirrorless rangefinder, which we reported on earlier. It features a large, 51.4-megapixel sensor and is the first in the GFX series to include Bluetooth LE technology.
And Fujifilm announced a software collaboration with Phase One to provide Capture One Express free to Fujifilm owners and a version of Capture One Pro with expanded support for Fujifilm cameras.
SIGMA
Sigma Introduces Five New Global Vision Lenses
Sigma has announced five new Global Vision lenses. They include (with links to the specs sheets) the 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary, 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports and 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports.
Sponsored Link: Except for the $1,999 60-600mm zoom, pricing has not yet been announced. B&H is now accepting preorders for the 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary, 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports and 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports.
RICOH
Ricoh Announces Development Of GRIII
Ricoh has announced a preview showing of its Ricoh GRIII camera at Photokina 2018. The new camera has been in the development for some time as the latest model of the Ricoh GR series. The GRII, designed to be the ultimate snapshot camera, will feature a newly designed lens, a new image sensor and a new imaging engine, the company said. It won't ship before 2019.
Follow #photokina and check back for more clippings later...
