Leica has announced its new L-Mount full-frame mirrorless camera. The Leica SL2 features a 47MP full-frame CMOS sensor with 5-axis image stabilization. It is capable of recording 5K video at up to 30fps, 4K video at up to 60fps, and FullHD video at up to 180fps, all in 10-bit H.264. The camera features a high-resolution EVF, full-size HDMI port, two 3.5mm jack ports for headphones and microphone, and an all-metal magnesium body. It will be available from November 21st, 2019 for $5,995. Leica SL2 full-frame mirrorless camera. Source: Leica It has already been four years since the German premium brand introduced its Leica SL full-frame mirrorless camera. Our Leica SL review and Lab test articles from 2015 are a good reminder of its video capabilities. The newly announced Leica SL2 promises to bring even more video-oriented features. Let’s take a look! Leica SL2 – 47MP Full-Frame Stabilized Sensor The new Leica SL2 features a 47.3MP 3:2 full-frame CMOS sensor and Maestro III image processor, which enables up to 20 fps continuous stills shooting with an electronic shutter, 10 fps with a mechanical shutter, and 6 fps with a mechanical shutter and AF-C, for up to 78 consecutive DNG files with a color depth of 14 bits per RGB channel. The sensor features a 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system, which minimizes the appearance of camera shakes when shooting handheld. Using sensor-shift stabilization technology, the SL2 features a Multishot mode to capture and compile eight separate exposures to create a single 187MP (16736 x 11168) RAW or JPEG file. This is suitable for static subjects and when working on a tripod. Leica claims that the new SL2 offers a 14-stop Dynamic Range. The sensor’s design omits a low-pass filter for high degrees of sharpness and resolution. The ISO range is 50-50,000. Like its predecessor, the SL2 also uses Leica’s L-mount. Compared to 2015, however, thanks to the L-mount alliance, there are now much more affordable native lens choices from SIGMA and Panasonic. Leica SL2 full-frame mirrorless camera. Source: Leica The new Leica Object Detection AF, which uses 225 selectable AF areas for fast and accurate performance, ensures a fast and reliable autofocus. In addition to an array of modes and features, including face recognition, the SL2’s AF system also automatically detects whether a subject is stationary or in motion, and subsequently switches between motion and focus priority. Leica SL2 Video Capabilities We can really see that filmmakers are a very important segment for Leica. The SL2 seems to be a capable video camera with its 5K (4992 x 3744) 10-bit color depth video recording. The high-speed recording modes sound impressive as well – with UHD 4K60 (with 30 fps playback, 2x slow motion), and Full HD 180 fps (with 30 fps playback, 6x slow motion). Leica SL2 full-frame mirrorless camera. Source: Leica The list of internal recording modes looks impressive, too. All of the following modes are in H.264 with 10-bit color depth, with MOV quicktime codec (UHD and Full HD are also available in MP4): 5K (4992 x 3744) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p/180p The camera, unfortunately, has a recording limit – up to 29 minutes. We don’t know yet whether the SL2 uses 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 subsampling and what the exact bitrates for the recording modes are. We will update the article once we get this information. Leica SL2 main display. Source: Leica There is a “Cine mode”, which (when activated) transforms the SL2 into a manually controlled cine camera as ISO becomes ASA, the shutter speed is marked in degrees on the rotary disk shutter, and the f-stops indicating the aperture ratio are replaced by T-stops, which measure the actual amount of light transmitted through the lens. The camera offers a dedicated Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) Photo Style mode and L-Log gamma profile for higher Dynamic Range and greater flexibility for color grading. The Leica SL2 also outputs video signal (in DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) 10-bit up to 59.94p) over its full-size HDMI port, so using an external monitor or recording to an optional external recorder is possible. Finally, there are also dedicated 3.5mm jack ports for a microphone and headphones. Leica SL2 Ergonomy Another great feature is a high resolution electronic viewfinder – the Leica SL2 includes a new 5.76m-dot EyeRes OLED EVF with 0.78x configurable viewing magnification, along with 120 fps refresh rate, 0.005 sec lag, and 10,000:1 contrast ratio. On the back, there is a large 3.2″ 2.1m-dot touchscreen LCD with durable Gorilla glass. Last but not least, on the top there is a 1.28″ top status LCD, which can be used for quick recognition of shooting settings – even when the camera is powered off. Leica SL2 top display. Source: Leica Leica SL2’s durable, weather-sealed magnesium-alloy all-metal body is splash-, dust-, and freeze-proof with an IP54 certification. The SL2 is actually the only mirrorless camera designed and manufactured in Germany. The BP-SCL4 rechargeable lithium-ion battery is rated for approximately 370 shots per charge when working with the rear monitor. The camera offers dual UHS-II-compatible SD card slots. The USB Type-C port allows for fast file transferring, as well as high-speed in-camera battery charging. Additionally, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth work in conjunction with the Leica FOTOS app (iOS and Android) for wireless file transferring and remote camera control. Leica HG-SCL6 Battery Grip Along with the launch of the Leica SL2 camera, the German camera manufacturer also announced a new battery grip for this camera. As one would expect, the HG-SCL6 grip offers both, extended battery life and a more comfortable grip when shooting in vertical orientation. It accepts one additional BP-SCL4 battery to effectively double the overall battery life. The grip’s design maintains the same layout, fit, and finish as the camera body itself for seamless use, and incorporates a secondary shutter button and control dials. Leica HG-SCL6 battery grip. Source: Leica Price and Availability The Leica SL2 will available from November 21st 2019 on. It can already be pre-ordered now. The price for the camera has been set to be $5,995. I suppose the battery grip will be available at the same time. It is priced at $995 and can be pre-ordered now, as well. What do you think of the new Leica SL2? Have you worked with the original Leica SL? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Canon has just released their latest addition to the EOS R lineup of mirrorless full-frame cameras: The Canon EOS Ra. As the name suggests, this camera is a close relative to the EOS R but the little ‘a’ hints to its real purpose: Astrophotography!  The new Canon EOS Ra (as in astrophotography). Background image credit: Brian McMahon via unsplash.com This new, special version of the original EOS R is not a whole new camera, however it does come with a bunch of features dedicated to astrophotography. If you are into this rather complicated field of photography, you’ll know how difficult it is to capture a decent shot of the milky way. There are a lot of details to take into account and a light setup can quickly grow big and cumbersome. The new Canon EOS Ra is here to help. Canon EOS Ra – Focused on Astrophotography One of the major hurdles you will run into, when specializing on astrophotography is a matter of physics: There may not be as much visible light in outer space, but there is so much more invisible infrared radiation that pollutes other wavelengths, such as so-called H-alpha rays! And these hydrogen alpha rays (Ha, 656.28nm) are exactly the ones you want to capture in order to create an accurately colored shot of distant galaxies. So the IR blocking filter of the original EOS R has been modified, in order to let these wavelengths saturate the sensor – without being polluted by infrared light. With this modification, the Canon EOS Ra is able to capture about four times the amount of these rays in comparison to the EOR R camera. Distant nebulas and other celestial objects can be captured without the need of dedicated accessories or further modifications. In order to aid with focussing, which is tricky when shooting (very) far away objects in combination with wide angle lenses, the Canon EOS Ra offers a 30x magnification within the EVF and in live view. The original EOS R offers a mere 10x magnification. This camera is a special kind of tool for special tasks. So don’t go buying one of these if you just want to capture normal worldly images: Due to the tweaked IR filter the colors will be off! You can, however, add another filter in front of your lens to counteract the modification. While that somehow defeats the purpose of the camera a bit, it still offers you the possibility to use the EOS Ra as a normal camera, which is good. Specifications As stated above, the Canon EOS Ra is pretty much an EOS R with some modifications, so the specs are pretty much the same, as well: 30.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor Max resolution (stills): 6720 x 4480 Internal video recording: mp4/h.264 UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) @ 23.976p / 24p / 25p / 29.97p FullHD (1920 x 1080) @ 23.967p / 24p / 25p / 29.97p / 59.94p External recording 4:2:2 10-bit UHD Digital 5-axis image stabilization (video only) The absence of image stabilization in stills mode might sound strange, but in reality you will use a tripod for capturing galaxies. Always. Is it Worth it? If this camera is a worthy addition to the R lineup? Well, it’s a special camera for a special purpose. If you’re an astrophotographer this might be big news: A fully self-contained full-frame mirrorless camera dedicated for capturing stars? Sounds great! However, if you’re a regular normal stills shooter or an indie filmmaker, this camera might not be for you. Personally, I would be more content seeing a “pro” version of the EOS R more suited for filmmakers, of course, but who am I to judge… The Canon EOS Ra is currently available for pre-order and it should ship pretty soon. Link: Canon Website What do you think? Are you into astrophotography? Share your experiences in the comments below!

After strong user feedback towards recently announced EOS cameras in which Canon originally ditched 24p recording, Canon promised to release a firmware update which will add 24p (23.98fps) video recording mode to these cameras. The update will be available for both Full HD and 4K UHD resolutions starting with the EOS 90D and EOS RP in late October, followed by PowerShot G7X Mark III, G5 X Mark II, and EOS M6 Mark II. Canon will update selected cameras with 24p mode When Canon recently introduced their new cameras with uncropped 4K UHD video, the EOS 90D DSLR and EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless, many users pointed out with disappointment that these cameras do not support 24p mode anymore (video recording with 23.98 fps). It seems that Canon listened to these numerous complaints, because they now promised to release a new firmware update, which will fix that and bring 24p to their cameras after all. The 24p feature will come via a series of future free firmware updates for selected models. Once installed, the cameras will be able to shoot 24p (23.98fps) in both Full HD and 4K resolutions. The first Canon models to benefit from the new 24p (23.98fps) firmware will be the recently launched EOS 90D and EOS RP in late October. The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III and G5 X Mark II will follow by the end of December and the EOS M6 Mark II update will be available during 2020. Canon will update selected cameras with 24p mode. Image credit: Canon This announcement comes after the recent availability of the new firmware version 1.3 for EOS RP and 1.4 for EOS R which further enhances the eye and subject detection AF performance of both mirrorless cameras. While Canon offers 24p in their older cameras, they somehow decided not to include it in the new releases. No information was given why. Thankfully, they changed their opinion after strong user feedback. What do you think of this step from Canon? If you use Canon for your video work, would you have missed the 24p feature? Let us know in the comments below the article.

EDIT: Our full SIGMA fp camera review is now online and can be accessed by click here. Back in July, we reported about the launch of the SIGMA fp full-frame camera. We visited the SIGMA factory in August, we asked questions about it at this years IBC in September and we posted about the official release of highly accurate 3D models of the camera and its available accessories in order to create an even further expanded pool of custom accessories. But one thing remained in the dark and that’s the price of the fp camera. Now the company spilled the beans and here it is: The SIGMA fp will be yours for $1,899 US. Preorders are open as we speak. The SIGMA fp is not your average pocket-sized point’n’shoot camera. It’s kind of two cameras in one and it sports a full frame sensor. You can choose between a dedicated cine mode as well as a stills mode, accessible via a hardware switch right on the top plate of the camera, no more menu digging! That’s a lot of functionality inside this tiny body and it’s a fresh apporach of tackling all these menu settings and controls for both, stills and cine applications. The SIGMA fp With the introduction of the L-Mount Alliance at Photokina 2018 (read all about it here) rumors started to sprout about SIGMAs development of yet another camera, this time fitted with an L-Mount, obviously. Fast forward to July 2019 and here it is, the SIGMA fp. Despite the modular approach, the clean cut between stills and cine applications and the overall look of it, one question remained: The price. The fp fits the palm of your hand easily. Fast forward another three months, that question is know being answered: The SIGMA fp is officially a sub-$2,000 full frame camera. And it really needed to be. The competition wasn’t idle and other cameras cost about as much as the fp. So another question surfaces in the aftermath: How does the SIGMA fp compare to the full-frame competition, namely the Sony Alpha a7 III, the Panasonic S1, Canon EOR R or Nikon Z 6? To be honest, I don’t know. The SIGMA fp is not out yet but we will definitely take it for a spin once it is (stay tuned, review is coming soon)! What we do know are some hard facts about the specificatons of the fp: 35.9 x 23.9 mm CMOS Bayer sensor with 6000 x 4000 pixels (25.38 MP / effective: 24.6 MP) cine mode _ internal recording: H.264 UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/59.94p/100p/119.88p cine mode _ external recording: 4:2:2 12-Bit UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/120p external recording to USB SSD is possible micro HDMI out for streaming to an external recorder 3.15″ fixed LCD touchscreen Single Slot SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II) Size: (W x H x D) 4.43 x 2.75 x 1.78″ / 112.6 x 69.9 x 45.3 mm Weight: 14.89 oz / 422 g (Body with Battery and Memory) Also, SIGMA CEO Yamaki-san told us at IBC that internal CDNG recording will be possible, but only in 8-Bit internally (which is a bit of a strange combination to be honest). The full rundown reads as follows, but keep in mind that these specs are not finalized, yet: internal 8-Bit CDNG RAW in UHD 4K at 23.98/24/25p. internal 8 / 10 / 12-Bit CDNG RAW in HD up to 60p. external 8 / 10 / 12-bit CDNG RAW in UHD 4K/1080 HD at 24p. More questions sourcing from the filmmakers community circle around the absence of dedicated log profiles for smooth post production. Right now, there is no such option but we may see (hopefully) some kind log profile in a future firmware update. SIGMA is well aware of the demand here! However, there are some picture profiles available but these are more about looks, not so much about being flat for easy grading. Pricing and Availability The SIGMA fp is available for preorder as we speak. If you don’t own any L-Mount glass yet, there is also a bundle available which might be pretty interesting: Get the SIGMA fp along with a 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary L-Mount lens with a $250 saving over at B&H. There are L-Mount adapters as well, so you can easily adapt other glass to the fp camera. the fp is a pretty versatile piece of gear! Links: SIGMA website What do you think? Might this little camera be found in your bag in no time? Or do you prefer something bigger? Let us know in the comments below!

Sony just announced the a9 II full-frame E-mount mirrorless camera. Aimed at professional sports photographers and photojournalistst, the Sony a9 II is all about speed. It has the same 24.2 MP CMOS sensor as the original a9. The camera is capable of 20fps continous blackout-free stills shooting with AF and AE tracking with electronic shutter (up to 10fps with mechanical shutter). The new a9 II also features better in-body image stabilization, weather resistance, and gigabit ethernet port for high speed communication. Available in October for $4,500 (€5,400). Sony a9 II Sony a9 sits on top of the alpha series of mirrorless cameras. It is aimed at professional photographers, who does not require the maximum possible resolution (for those Sony has the a7R series), but who require speed and other useful features (for example sports photographers and photojournalists). The first generation Sony a9 was presented during NAB 2017, so it has been more than two years. Today Sony announced the a9 II. What are its specs and innovations? Sony a9 II – Speed Above All As I mentioned above, the a9 series is all about speed. Sony a9 II (full model name: ILCE-9M2) features blackout-free continuous shooting at up to 20 frames per second (with electronic shutter) with Auto Focus and Auto Exposure tracking, 60 times per second AF/AE calculations. This applies for 1/125 sec. or higher shutter speed. In AF-C mode the maximum continuous frame rate will depend on the shooting mode and lens used. The number of AF calculations will depend on the lens used. A software update may be required for some lenses. The high speed shooting can last for up to 361 JPEG images or 239 compressed RAW images (in “Hi” continuous shooting mode with UHS-II memory card), with no viewfinder blackout, allowing the photographer to follow the subject and action with no interruption to the EVF during picture taking. For times when mechanical shutter is preferred or required, the new A9 II has been improved to shoot at up to 10 fps, about 2x the speed of the A9. Sony a9 II – Front and left side view The new camera now offers an anti-flicker shooting mode that automatically detects and adjusts for the presence of fluorescent or artificial lighting to maximise image quality. Please note, that only 100 Hz and 120 Hz flicker is detected. Continuous shooting speed may decrease. Flicker-free shooting is not available during electronic shutter, BULB exposure, or movie recording. The new A9 II has the same 35mm full-frame stacked 24.2 MP CMOS image sensor with integral memory as the original A9. There is an upgraded BIONZ X image processing engine to enhance speed in AF/AE detection, image processing, face detection and accuracy. What also got improved is the 5-axis optical in-body image stabilisation system that now provides a shutter speed advantage of 5.5 steps. Sony a9 II – Rear and right side view Fast Communication Sony a9 II includes an in-built 1000BASE-T Ethernet terminal, enabling gigabit communication for high-speed, stable data transfer operations. Additionally, File Transfer over SSL or TLS encryption (FTPS) is supported for increased data security and PC remote (tether) shooting performance is improved, with decreased release time lag and reduced live view screen delay when using the ‘Remote Camera Tool’ desktop application. The speed of the camera’s built-in wireless LAN functionality has also been increased, adding a stable and fast 5 GHz (IEEE 802.11ac) band, in addition to the 2.4 GHz provided in the original a9. (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards are all supported, 5 GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions) Sony a9 II with battery grip / View of the Ethernet terminal The a9 II features a new Voice Memo function that allows spoken information to be attached to images in the form of voice memos that can be replayed when the images are reviewed. The voice data can also be included with images sent to an editor. Voice memos can also be automatically converted to text and added to JPEG images in the form of IPTC metadata using the ‘Transfer & Tagging add-on’ “Imaging Edge” application on a mobile device. This is only available in regions where Google services are available. Voice Memo exceeding 50 seconds cannot be converted to text. Fast Autofocus The a9 II focusing system is comprised of 693 focal-plane phase-detection AF points covering approximately 93% of the image area, as well as 425 contrast AF points. Additional notable focusing capabilities include Real-time Eye AF with right eye / left eye selection, Real-time Eye AF for animals (for stills only – Real-Time human eye AF is available for movie recording as well), Real-time Tracking, selectable focus frame colour, Touch Pad focus point control while using the viewfinder and more. Sony a9 II – Top view The Sony a9 II features upgraded dust and moisture resistant design. There is a stronger sealing at all body seams as well as the battery compartment cover and media slot. It uses Sony NP-FZ100 2280 mAh batteries. Improved grip configuration provides for more comfort and sure hold. The camera is compatible with Sony VG-C4EM Vertical Grip. There is now USB Type-C connector that supports fast USB 3.2 Gen 1 data transfer and dual media slots that are both compatible with UHS-I and UHS-II SD cards. Digital audio interface has been added to the camera’s Multi Interface Shoe (MI Shoe) enabling the new ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone or XLR-K3M XLR Adaptor Kit to be connected directly to the MI Shoe. Sony a9 II with lens Video Capabilities XAVC S codec at UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 24.00p/25p/29.97p with 60 to 100 Mb/s bitrate or at Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p with 50 to 100 Mb/s bitrate. All internal video recording is 8-bit 4:2:0. The camera is capable to output 8-bit 4:2:2 video up to 4K UHD externally via HDMI micro port. The camera features 3.5mm jack for microphone and a headphone jack. So unfortunately no improvements there, which means this camera will produce the same type of video we have become used to from the Sony Alpha series. Sony, we’re waiting for your 10-bit capabilities in those cameras!! Price and Availability Sony a9 II will be available in October 2019. The price is set in the premium segment – around $4,500 (in Europe around €5,400 including VAT). What do you think of the new Sony a9 II? Do you have experience with the first generation? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

LockCircle announced the new ZX PRO CAGE for Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 mirrorless cameras. The cage features modular design with detachable right sidebar to switch between half cage and full cage design. It offers many mounting threads and compatibility with LockPort connector savers. Top handle, mount supports, and 15mm rods baseplate are also available. LockCircle ZX PRO CAGE for Nikon Z cameras. Source: LockCircle LockCircle is an Italian camera accessories manufacturer. They designed and built cages for many popular cameras in the last years. Now the company is announcing a new cage for Nikon’s full frame mirrorless cameras – Nikon Z 6 and Z 7. Let’s take a short look at them. LockCircle ZX PRO CAGE for Nikon Z Series The LockCircle ZX PRO CAGE is designed for a tight fit around the Nikon Z cameras. It is not a one-piece cage, but rather a modular cage held together by multiple screws. It comes as a half cage – LockCircle calls it “asymmetrical design approach” – which leaves the right side of the camera unobstructed for right-hand camera grabbing and controlling with the original camera ergonomic feeling. The cage can be, however, upgraded to the full cage design with a sidebar, which provides more mounting threads on the right side of the camera. It seems that the sidebar is very subtle, so holding the camera grip should not be a problem even with the full cage mounted. The cage is CNC machined from billet aircraft grade aluminum and offers a huge amount of 1/4-20 threads and couple of 3/8-16 threads. Half cage – LockCircle ZX PRO CAGE for Nikon Z cameras. Source: LockCircle The ZX PRO CAGE integrates the MultiPort for secure connectors locking HDMI/USB-C/Headphone and Microphone mini-jacks. LockPort kits (port savers) are available for the Micro to Full-Size HDMI output. The ZX PRO CAGE baseplate has a mounting receiver for the FTZ Block (adjustable), designed for the Nikon FTZ Mount. LockCircle, of course, offers a top handle for the cage as well. The camera baseplate has two camera mounting threads (1/4 and 3/8 with 1/4 adapter) for safe mounting. There is also a heavy-duty baseplate for heavy cinematic lenses available. A titanium grade 5 camera 1/4-20 screw is coming with the cage. Mounting plates and Positive-Lock Mounts for universal cine-style lens mounting are available. To complement the cage, LockCircle is also offering a modular baseplate for 15mm rods together with the RodRocket titanium grade 5 15mm rods system. These 15mm rods from LockCircle are quite unique with the drilled holes and lightweight design. Full cage – LockCircle ZX PRO CAGE for Nikon Z cameras. Source: LockCircle All along the Focal-Plane, there are several threads for the (AC) tape measurement hook mounting and LockCircle offers an optional titanium grade 5 focal plane pin. LockCircle can make their ZX PRO CAGE with a special Dura-T (Mil-Spec) military look finish on request. All LockCircle cages are manufactured in Italy. Price and Availability The LockCircle ZX PRO CAGE is now ready for pre-order. Prices start at $189 (€169) for the basic half cage and LockCircle offers discounted prices on all ZX PRO CAGE kits until October 31. Delivery should start in mid November 2019. Are you using Nikon Z series camera for your work? Have you been looking for a decent cage? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Today, Canon announced two new cameras – a DSLR camera and a mirrorless camera. The Canon EOS 90D is a new mid-range DSLR with APS-C sensor and EF mount. Canon M6 Mark II is a new mirrorless rangefinder style camera with the Canon EF-M mount. Both cameras sport a new 32.5MP sensor and uncropped 4k UHD video recording up to 30fps with Dual pixel AF. New Canon EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II. Source: Canon Today’s Canon announcement included not only two new cameras: The Japanese electronics giant also announced new lenses for their RF mount and firmware update for Canon EOS R and Canon EOS RP cameras. We decided to write a separate post about the Canon RF mount news which will be online shortly as well. This article only covers two new cameras – Canon EOS 90D DSLR and Canon EOS M6 mirrorless. Canon EOS 90D DSLR Canon’s first announcement is the update to their mid-range APS-C DSLR line of camera bodies with EF mount. Canon EOS 90D is a successor to the 80D, which was announced in 2016 already (our article can be found here). What is new compared to the 80D? The new sensor still has the same APS-C form factor with a 1.6x crop, but the resolution has been increased from 24.2MP with the 80D to 32.5MP for the 90D (with the new DIGIC 8 image processor). There is still the great reliable autofocus for video with Canon’s 5481-point Dual Pixel CMOS AF. Canon 90D now also adds Eye-detect AF. The ISO maxes out at 25600 for photo and 12800 for video. New Canon EOS 90D. Source: Canon Video capabilities have also been finally significantly upgraded. While the Canon 80D maxed out at Full HD resolution with 60fps, 90D brings UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) video recording at up to 29.97 fps and Full HD (1920 x 1080) at up to 120 fps. Good news is that the UHD video is now uncropped (!) – finally we can record UHD video with a Canon DSLR camera using the whole width and height of the sensor. While we couldn’t find contradicting information anywhere yet, we assume that the Canon 90D and M6 Mark II both still record 4K and 1080p in an 8-bit 4:2:0 codec. New Canon EOS 90D. Source: Canon When it comes to camera body design, the 90D is not a revolution. It is very similar to the 80D. Only the buttons and the dial wheel on the back side were slightly modified. There is now also a new 8-way multi controller joystick. It still sports a vari-angle touchscreen LCD, monochrome status display on the top right hand side, optical viewfinder, and built-in flash. The Canon EOS 90D DSLR camera is available now for pre-order. The price for the body has been set to US $1,199. New Canon EOS 90D in use. Source: Canon Canon M6 Mark II It is quite interesting to see that Canon actually still updates their APS-C mirrorless line of camera with the EF-M mount, after they introduced the RF mount later on. The original Canon EOS M6 was announced in February 2017 (our article from the announcement can be found here). In July 2019 SIGMA announced to adapt three fast prime lenses for the Canon EF-M mount, so it seems like this mount is far from being dead yet. It simply seems strange to maintain two incompatible mirrorless mounts at the same time – this means headaches for consumers and an expensive lens strategy for Canon. It will be hard for people who start with an M-mount camera to upgrade to RF cameras easily – they’ll have to replace their lens collection. When it comes to the new mirrorless Canon M6 Mark II, it is again a very compact rangefinder style camera. It seems to share the same image sensor as the new Canon EOS 90D. The resolution is 32.5MP as well (the Canon M6 had 24.2MP). It also has the DIGIC 8 image processor. The ISO maxes out at 25600 for photo and 12800 for video recording. New Canon EOS M6 Mark II. Source: Canon The camera can shoot stills at up to 14fps with autofocus and up to 30fps RAW stills burst with 18MP resolution. The M6 Mark II also takes advantage of Canon’s 5481-point Dual Pixel CMOS AF, so autofocus for video should not be a problem. I hope the Dual Pixel AF will be finally available for all recording modes – in the Canon M50 it was not available for UHD (and it only was a cropped mode too). New Canon EOS M6 Mark II. Source: Canon While the original Canon M6 maxed out at Full HD resolution with 60fps, M6 Mark II brings uncropped (!) UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) video recording at up to 29.97 fps and Full HD (1920 x 1080) at up to 120 fps. It also has a clean HDMI output and a microphone jack. There is also a Bluetooth and Wi-fi connectivity available. There is no further info about the exact bitrates and codecs yet, although I expect it to be a H.264 codec with 8-bit compression in a 4:2:0 color space. The EOS M6 Mark II incorporates a 3.0″ touchscreen LCD, which has a 180° tilting design for front-facing shots. The camera does not have a built-in viewfinder. The auxiliary EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder (which attaches via the camera’s hot shoe) is included with the camera when purchased with certain lens kits. Otherwise it can also be purchased separately as well. New Canon EOS M6 Mark II in use with the detachable EVF. Source: Canon The Canon EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless camera is available now for pre-order. The price for the body has been set to US $850. What do you think of the new Canon cameras? Would it fit well into your shooting kit? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

The LUMIX S1H is Panasonic’s new flagship mirrorless full-frame camera that was revealed a couple of months ago at Cine Gear. Now, this “video-first” mirrorless has been officially announced. This 6K camera was designed with filmmakers in mind. Let’s take a closer at everything the S1H has to offer! Panasonic S1H – Photo credit: cinema5D The Panasonic LUMIX S1H is pretty similar to the LUMIX S1 in terms of photo capabilities. This article is focused on all the video functionalities of the camera. 6K, Full-Frame 4K, Super35 Crop – All the Resolutions In our previous article, we already knew that the Panasonic LUMIX S1H would be a camera that can record very high-quality/resolution footage. Now we know for sure that it can record in 6K at up to 24 frames per second (in a 3:2 aspect ratio for anamorphic shooting) or 5.9K at 30p in a 16:9 aspect ratio. Also, you can shoot 10-bit 4:2:2 4K/C4K footage at up to 29.97p internally with a bitrate of 400Mbps, and up to 60p by feeding an external recorder via the HDMI output. Below is a complete list of all the recording formats available. The list of recording formats available internally. Image credit: Panasonic. The list of recording formats, frame rates, resolutions, and bitrates is impressive and extremely extensive. We can’t think of another mirrorless cameras which offers this amount of flexibility. A dedicated new custom list of recording formats can be created to speed up your workflow. It allows you to recall your most-used settings combinations quickly. Most resolutions are available in full-frame mode, which means the camera uses the entire sensor to record the image, and there’s no crop. A Super 35mm mode is available too if you want to crop your footage to the traditional frame size, while maintaining 4K resolution. What’s most impressive is for one that the camera can record the full 3:2 sensor in 6K resolution for anamorphic shooting. This mode, too, is recorded in a 10-bit color space, albeit with 4:2:0 color sampling, and at 200 MBit. When you change to the 16:9 full-frame mode, you can shoot 4K DCI (what Panasonic calls “C4K” in their table above) in 4:2:2 10-bit in 400 MBit, and that’s the other – even more impressive – feature of this camera. Image credit: Panasonic. If you want to shoot anamorphic, you can de-squeeze the image in-camera for viewing purposes. Depending on the lenses you use, several de-squeeze aspect ratios are available: 1.30x, 1.33x, 1.5x, 1.8x, and 2.0x. 6K Test Footage Shot on Pre-Production Version of LUMIX S1H for Download My colleague Johnnie was able to have an hour with a pre-production version of the camera to take some shots. Just to “prove that it works”, he set the camera to 6K resolution (which comes with the 3:2 aspect ratio for anamorphic shooting) but he used normal spherical lenses. So if you want to download some original shots with an unusual aspect ratio in 6K, you can do it here (2.9 GB download). In-Body Stabilization The Panasonic LUMIX S1H incorporates a 5-axis Body I.S. (Image Stabilizer) to stabilize your footage if you are shooting hand-held. If you combine the camera with an O.I.S. lens (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis), you have access to the Dual I.S. 2 technology. This stabilization combo and technology, which you can already found on the LUMIX GH5, can be expected to work beautifully. For some reason, this feature did not find its way into the GH5’s sibling, the GH5S. Image credit: Panasonic. No Recording Limit, Optional File Segmenting In every S1H recording mode, there is no recording limit – so you can record non-stop as long as you have enough power/memory cards. Keep in mind that files could be segmented, but the recording won’t stop. Also, there is an optional “segmented file recording” option that can be pretty handy to avoid losing data if the camera runs out of battery in the middle of a take. With this option, the video can be recorded while it is divided into 1-minute segments. The video is saved as a single group. The camera uses a newly developed 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, which measures 35.6mm x 23.8mm. There is an OLPF (optical low pass filter) that should suppress moiré. Active Cooling System If you ever shot for an extended time with a DSLR/Mirrorless camera, you probably know that they are prone to overheating issues. The cameras usually stop or shut off because the sensor is getting too hot. To solve that problem, the team at Panasonic put an active cooling system into the camera, near the sensor. This fan should help cooling down the sensor and allow you to shoot for an unlimited period even in hot conditions (or so it is claimed). We do not know yet if this negatively impacts the weather sealing of the camera. Image credit: Panasonic. Dual Native ISO This sensor features Dual Native ISO technology, and a Venus Engine then processes the signal. In normal mode, the two native ISO are 100 and 640 (max. ISO: 204800). If you decide to shoot in V-Log/V-Gamut, the two native ISO jumps to 640 and 4000 (max. ISO: 51200). Finally, in HLG mode, the native ISO are 400 and 2500 (max. ISO: 204800). V-Log, HDR/HLG, Monitoring Tools and New Articulating Screen The Panasonic LUMIX S1H features various recording modes and picture profiles, including Cinelike Gamma, V-Log/V-Gamut, and HDR in HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). You can finetune the color profiles by adjusting the knee control and the master pedestal level. According to Panasonic, if you shoot in V-Log/V-Gamut, it is easy to match the camera with other VariCam products. You will get access to the “VariCam Look” and a claimed 14+ stops of dynamic range. We can’t wait to get our hands on the camera to test the dynamic range of the S1H in our lab. If you already have a VariCam LT/EVA1, it makes the LUMIX S1H a good B cam “on a budget.” As opposed to the GH5/GH5S, this is the “full” V-Log from the Varicam line, not V-Log L. The LUMIX S1H features the full V-Log picture profile. Photo credit: cinema5D Also, you can record video in HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode. The camera records this Hybrid Log Gamma-video with a designated gamma curve compatible with ITU-R BT.2100. With that many recording options and formats, the good thing is the S1H comes with a bunch of monitoring and viewing assist tools. For example, there is a Waveform Monitor – that you can scale and position where you want it on the screen – a vectorscope, zebra pattern, color bars, 1kHz test tone, video frame marker (to show the frame aspect), and V-Log View Assist. Tally lights are equipped on both the front and rear sides of the camera. A red frame indication can be displayed on the display/viewfinder when the camera is rolling. Image credit: Panasonic. Talking about monitoring, there is a 3.2-inch articulated LCD screen on the back of the camera, as well as an OLED viewfinder. The LCD screen is 150% brighter than the ones on the LUMIX S1R/S1/GH5/GH5S. Even more importantly, the screen adopts a new mechanical structure and design, which means you can tilt/rotate it without the need to unplug an HDMI or USB cable. I like that because having to disconnect cables on the GH5 to tilt or rotate the built-in screen is a significant pain. The new mechanical structure of the LCD screen. Photo credit: cinema5D Also, the OLED display features a handy Live View Boost that boosts the sensitivity just for live view purposes. It should make your life easier when you are trying to frame your shot in low-light conditions perfectly. The large Real View Finder.Photo credit: cinema5D High-Resolution OLED Viewfinder, Status LCD on Top The “Real View Finder” as Panasonic calls it, is the same as the S1/S1R. It is an OLED display with a 5760k-dot resolution and a 10,000:1 contrast. It’s the highest resolution viewfinder there is in any camera right now, Sony uses a similar one for their latest Alpha series cameras. Latency shouldn’t be an issue with a time lag of only 0.005 sec. The 0.78x magnification ratio can be switched to 0.7x or 0.74x. The Status LCD screen. Photo credit: cinema5D Finally, on top of the camera, there is the Status LCD, a 1.8-inch monochrome LCD with a backlight. It is “always-on” – as long as there is a battery inside the camera – and consumes minimum power. It shows you various information like your photo/video settings, how much time you can still record, the remaining battery life, and so on. Quite nicely, they have also put the audio meters on top of the cameras, which means that you could switch them off in the LCD or viewfinder for a “cleaner” feed of your video recording. Autofocus Regarding the autofocus, the S1H uses a technology that combines “lens, sensor and engine” according to Panasonic. In short, it means that the lens and sensor communicate at a maximum rate of 480 fps, and the engine does all the processing. You will have access to continuous AF with subject tracking, face, and eye detection. The LUMIX S1H also incorporates Advanced AI Technology that detects specific subjects – humans and animals. The camera keeps tracking these subjects even when they turn their back to the camera. We know that autofocus capabilities in Panasonic mirrorless cameras have improved significantly over the past few firmware updates. We tested and compared results in GH5 and GH5S updates that were released in October last year, and we saw a significant improvement in facial recognition. Panasonic informed us that there were additional enhancements since then that have found their way particularly into their S series full-frame cameras, which should have improved autofocus for video even further. We will test the autofocus capabilities of the S1H once we receive it for review. LUMIX S1H Body, Card Slots, Connectivity, Lenses and Accessories The Panasonic LUMIX S1H main structure is composed of a magnesium alloy full die-cast top/front/rear frame. Every joint/dial/button is weather-sealed, making the camera splash and dust resistant. If you are shooting in cold environments, the camera is freeze-resistant down to -10 degrees celsius. This is significantly better than most of the competition who often only guarantee the functionality of their cameras to 0 degrees celsius – which can quickly become a problem during an outdoor shooting in winter. The right side of the camera. Photo credit: cinema5D On the right side of the camera, there is a double SD memory card slot that is UHS-II and V90 compatible. Relay, backup, and allocation recording options are available. It’s kind of amazing that it seems to be possible to record every format simultaneously on both cards, even the highest-bitrate ones. There is also a “card lock” function which activates an alarm if the memory card door is opened when you are rolling. This option can be turned off. The left side of the camera. Photo credit: cinema5D On the right side, you will find a 3.5mm jack input, a headphone jack, a USB-C port that can be used to charge the internal battery, and the full-size HDMI port. On the front of the camera, there is a flash synchro terminal. This port doubles as a time code in/out port with the included BNC cable. The battery life is around 2 hours, and charging the battery takes the same time. The Panasonic LUMIX S1H flash synchro terminal that doubles as a time code in/out port. Photo credit: cinema5D There are two record buttons, one on top of the camera, and one on the front for easy access. The second record button in front of the camera. Photo credit: cinema5D The S1H is an L-mount camera, so it is compatible with every L mount glass by Panasonic, Leica, or Sigma. In total, there should be more than 46 lenses and mount adapters by the end of 2020. Alongside with the LUMIX S1H, Panasonic also announced two new lenses that will go with it – the LUMIX S PRO 24-70mm / f2.8 and the LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / f1.4 II ASPH. We will report about those two lenses in a separate post. The S1H comes with a lot of things in the box, including a useful HDMI cable lock holder. A couple of accessories will be natively compatible with the S1H, like an XLR adapter (DMW-XLR1), a battery grip (DMW-BGS1), a large eyecup (DMW-EC6), a DC coupler and so on. You can find an extensive list of all the accessories in the image below. List of compatible accessories. Image credit: Panasonic. The S1H is Bluetooth 4.2a and Wi-Fi 5-GHz compatible so that you can control it via an app and a smartphone or tablet. Pricing and Availability At the time of writing, we were informed that the Panasonic LUMIX S1H will retail for around €4000 and $4000, respectively, and should be available at the end of September already. Final Thoughts Panasonic was extremely late to the party with their mirrorless full frame cameras, and when they first announced the S1, we weren’t so sure that they still had a chance to convince enough customers from the filmmaking crowd to jump ship from their Sony or other full-frame mirrorless cameras, and change to Panasonic. Now with the S1H in particular, and seeing all the incredible attention to detail and dedication for designated filmmaker functions that they put in this camera, we have to revise this worry. While we haven’t tested this camera yet, it is safe to say that this looks like the most fully-specced “pro video” mirrorless camera on the market so far. It’s missing very little of what a filmmaker can expect from such a camera (we’re still hoping for build-in NDs in these small interchangeable lens cameras, but one can only dream ….). From the small stuff like tally lights and adjustable flip screen, to the “bigger” stuff like high-resolution viewfinder, adjustable waveform monitor and LUTs, to the “big” stuff like 6K anamorphic shooting and 4:2:2 10-bit full frame 400MBit DCI 4K video, Panasonic is obviously VERY serious about taking this market by storm. And they might do just that, if enough people take a closer look. We’ll certainly take a closer look as soon as we get our hands on the camera for a proper extensive review. Stay tuned to cinema5D in the coming weeks! What do you think of the Panasonic LUMIX S1H? Will you consider buying it? Let us know in the comments! Disclaimer: This article includes significant contributions by site editor Nino Leitner (including but not only the final thoughts), who attended a Panasonic press event about the LUMIX S1H in Hamburg, Germany. Panasonic invited us to attend the press presentation among many other press colleagues from Europe, and paid for the flight and travel costs for the one-day event.