Zacuto recently introduced a new baseplate system designed for mirrorless and DSLR cameras – or any camera up to 50 lbs – called the Zacuto Polaris. Zacuto Polaris Concept The Zacuto Polaris is a lightweight yet robust baseplate built around an Arca Swiss compatible quick release system. Otherwise, the Polaris plate and QR receiver are not a traditional Arca Swiss mount. To attach your camera, you first have to snap it in the QR receiver. To lock the camera down, the Zacuto Polaris uses a knob that you have to screw 1 1/4 turn. Finally, to release your camera, you have to turn the same knob 1 1/4 of a corner and pull the knob to release. Like every Arca Swiss system, it has safety locks so the unit can’t slide out if the knob isn’t all the way lose. I prefer the clamp locking system of the Kessler Kwik Release system which is – in my opinion – much faster, takes a smaller footprint, and less prone to operator’s errors. Zacuto Polaris Baseplate The Mirrorless Polaris Baseplate kit includes a camera plate, a mounting plate, a 15mm rod support base, and a set of 12″ rods. The rods are tightened with two mini ratcheting levers. The 15mm rod support base is height adjustable to align popular cameras to standard matte box height. Also, various accessories are available if you need to extend your rig, like a Polaris Shoulder Pad. You can purchase additional Polaris camera and mounting plates if required. Finally, some of the camera cages from Zacuto, like the GH5 Basic Cage will be updated with a built-in Arca Swiss compatible plate to be “natively” Polaris compatible. Other cages for the Sony A7 III/A7R III and A9, Blackmagic 4K Pocket Camera, Nikon Z7/Z6, Panasonic S1, and Fuji X-T3 should be updated pretty soon. Or, if you already own a cage, you can screw the camera plate at the bottom of your cage. Of course, the Zacuto Polaris is compatible with all 15mm rod accessories from Zacuto like the Z-Drive, the Tornado, and the Trigger Grips. Indeed, it is also compatible with every Arca Swiss and 15mm rod standard accessories you might already have. The Zacuto Polaris Shoulder Pad Pricing and Availability The Polaris Baseplate System will cost you $350.00, but there is currently an instant saving of $70.00 at B&H. Individual parts are also available for pre-orders. Shipping will start in about a week. What do you think of the Zacuto Polaris system? What type of quick release system do you use? Let us know in the comments down below!

As Nikon and Atomos have announced, the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 full-frame mirrorless cameras will output RAW video signal via HDMI and the Atomos Ninja V will record it in high-quality ProRes RAW format. During CP+ we spoke with Shoji-san from Nikon, about this new capability. Please note that CP+ is a local show taking place in Japan and as such, most Japanese company representatives speak Japanese only. We chose to highlight this subject and bring you the video in Japanese with English subtitles. (Please turn CC on if needed) As you might already know, in January 2019 Nikon and Atomos have announced that the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 full-frame mirrorless cameras will be able to output RAW signal through HDMI and the Atomos Ninja V recorder will be able to record that stream as a high-quality ProRes RAW video. My colleague Olaf wrote a nice article about the announcement titled “Why Atomos ProRes RAW Recording for Nikon Z7 and Z6 Could Change our Industry”. Give it a read if you haven’t already. Shoji-san states that Nikon received feedback from their pro photographers, who are being asked to also shoot video next to photo, by their clients, nowadays. That’s why Nikon decided to include pro video features in their cameras. As the company does not have any cinema cameras range to protect, they can include whatever innovative feature they can, in their mirrorless cameras. At the moment, both Nikon cameras record in 8-bit H.264 internally and up to 10-bit with N-log externally in ProRes 4:2:2. Soon, these cameras will be able to output 12-bit RAW signal and the Atomos Ninja V will record the footage into ProRes RAW. The function was developed together with Atomos. We didn’t get any information on when exactly the RAW output will be available, yet. One important piece of information Shoji-san did share with us (without disclosing too much about future plans), is that Nikon is closely looking at the possibility of including high-quality internal recording in their future cameras. Reading between the lines, we won’t be surprised if some sort of internal high quality recording will be available within a reasonable timeframe… What do you think of Nikon cameras outputting high-quality RAW signal? Would you consider buying one of their cameras because of the new feature? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Samyang recently announced their first venture into the Canon RF world. The Samyang MF 14mm F/2.8 RF and Samyang MF 85mm f/1.4 RF will be the first in line for native compatibility with the Canon EOS R Mirrorless cameras. The new mirrorless line from Canon brought a new mount – RF mount is much more compact due to not needing to account for a large mirrorbox found on DSLRs. The result is a much shorter flange distance than Canon EF. Canon themselves announced an EF to RF mount alongside the first Canon EOS R camera, but that won’t stop third party manufactures making more practical native-compatible lenses. The first offerings from Samyang are two manual focus, wide aperture primes – the MF 14mm f/2.8 RF and the MF 85mm f/1.4 RF. Looking at the design and specification of these lenses, they use the structure of existing Samyang lenses, just with the longer back end to account for the shorted flange distance. Samyang MF 14mm F2.8 RF Specification Aperture range : 2.8-22 Construction 14 elements in 10 groups Coating UMC Min Focus Distance 0.28m (0.92ft) Mag. Ratio x 0.08 Aperture Blades 6 Angle of View 115.7˚ Weight 800g Samyang MF 85mm F2.8 RF Specification Aperture range : 1.4-22 Construction 9 elements in 7 groups Coating UMC Min Focus Distance 1m (3.3ft) Mag. Ratio x 0.09 Aperture Blades 8 Angle of View 28.3˚ Weight 730g Both are naturally compatible with the full frame sensor format, and are weather sealed “from light rain and snow”, the rubber gasket on the rear also helps with lens-body stability. Expect many more from Samyang here, they have a wealth of manual focus primes that I’m sure will receive the same rehoused treatment to allow native compatibility for Canon RF Mount. Article will be updated with pricing, but current similar Samyang lenses in other mounts are both sub $300. In other Samyang news, the lens we saw back at Photokina 2018 that the Korean company bill “the world’s widest no-distortion full frame lens” has been officially announced. The XP 10mm f/3.5 covers up to 130° angle of view, is constructed from 18 elements in 11 groups, will be available in the Spring (Canon mount first, then Nikon) and cost around €1099. What do you think of the new lenses? Let us know in the comments below.

The Yongnuo YN450 is a smart mirrorless camera with Android operating system and a 16MP micro four thirds image sensor. It features a Canon EF mount, a 5″ multi-touch 1080p display, as well as a 4G SIM card slot for instant content sharing. Yongnuo is a Chinese company, well known for their affordable LED panels, flashes and lenses, too. Lately, they have been expanding their repertoire: The company first teased their Android-based mirrorless camera last year in October. We spoke with a Yongnuo representative during CP+ 2019 in Japan and asked some questions about the YN450 mirrorless camera. Yongnuo YN450 Mirrorless Camera The camera consists of a very slim, smartphone-like design (except for the lens with the mount, of course). There is a 5″ 1080p multi-touch display on the back-side of the body. The Yongnuo YN450 will apparently run on the Android 7.1 operating system with a Qualcomm 8-core processor. It has a 16MP micro four thirds image sensor from Panasonic, and shooting photos in RAW will be possible. The camera has 32GB internal memory and a micro SD (TF) memory card slot. It seems like that slot will be limited to 32GB (?!) cards – and SDXC standard will not be supported. In my opinion, the combination of such a small internal memory and a limited memory card slot does not make much sense. Hopefully, the manufacturer will decide to include a bigger storage once the camera is released. Yongnuo decided to equip their camera with the Canon EF lens mount, which might have to do with Yongnuo’s lens portfolio, which is based on Canon EF mount (and Nikon F mount). However, that mount makes the whole camera-lens combination very bulky and actually prevents one from being able to use more compact micro four thirds lenses, which would be a better match for the sensor, in my opinion. The camera will shoot 4K video with 30fps, which is currently the only information about its video capabilities. Let’s hope that other frame rates will be available too, when launched. The camera supports autofocus either by tapping on the desired area on the display, or by half-pressing the shutter button. The additional features of the Yongnuo YN450 move it closer towards a smartphone. There is a SIM card slot within the camera’s body to connect it to 4G for instant content sharing, andWifi connectivity will also be available. Furthermore, there is a front-facing 8MP camera next to the display, as well as built-in GPS. The removable 4,000 mAh battery should be able to power the camera for up to 4 hours of continuous use. The company aims to launch the camera for the Chinese market already during April 2019. Next might possibly be availability in the US. The price of the device is said to be under $500 USD. What do you think of the Yongnuo YN450 smart camera? Do you think cameras with built-in smartphone OS are the future? Let us know in the comments underneath the article. Additional source: Yongnuo Rumors

Once again, my colleague Johnnie met Mr. Kazuto Yamaki from SIGMA corporation, to talk about future trends and products for the Japanese lens – and also camera – manufacturer. During this interview, taking place on the CP+ 2019 exhibition floor, Kazuto Yamaki speaks about new L-Mount lenses, their new L-Mount adapter and briefly about the upcoming SIGMA L-Mount mirrorless camera. Many New Lenses for L-Mount As you might know from our previous article, SIGMA will release 11 new Art prime lenses for the L-Mount system – 14mm F1.8, 20mm F1.4, 24mm F1.4, 28mm F1.4, 35mm F1.4, 40mm F1.4, 50mm F1.4, 70mm F2.8 macro, 85mm F1.4, 105mm F1.4, and 135mm F1.8. Those lenses are not entirely new, but SIGMA engineers take the whole – already existing – SIGMA Art full-frame primes line-up and redesign them for L-Mount specifications. The lenses are already available for Canon EF mount, SIGMA SA mount and Sony E-Mount. Precisely, the mentioned E-Mount versions are now being redesigned for L-Mount, which is most likely the case due to the similar flange focal distance – 18mm for E-Mount and 20mm for L-Mount. As Kazuto Yamaki told us, SIGMA engineers are working hard to make sure these lenses will be available during the second half of this year. We also found out that SIGMA already works on additional lenses for L-Mount and some of them should become available this year, too. Unfortunately, we do not know anything more about those lenses yet. Possibly some zoom lenses, like the 24-70mm F2.8? In any case, this really shows SIGMA’s 100% commitment to provide a high-quality lens portfolio for the L-Mount ecosystem. It looks like there will be a handful of native lens choices for the new Panasonic S1 and Panasonic S1R cameras very soon. SIGMA L-Mount Camera and MC-21 Converter SIGMA does not only work on native L-mount lenses, they have also announced the MC-21 mount converter, which will allow mounting existing SIGMA lenses with Canon EF mount or SA mount onto L-Mount cameras. SIGMA has a similar product out there already, for EF/SA mount to E-Mount conversion – the popular SIGMA MC-11. The MC-21 adapter will support quick autofocus (but not continuous autofocus for filming), as well as correction functions of a camera, such as peripheral illumination, chromatic aberration of magnification, and distortion. Last but not least: Already at Photokina 2018, Kazuto Yamaki told us that SIGMA is working on their own L-Mount mirrorless camera. The camera will be based on SIGMA’s own Foveon full-frame sensor. Now at CP+ 2019, we were told that due to slight delays in development, the camera will not be released this year. The new release year for the camera is 2020. What do you think about the L-Mount system and the upcoming SIGMA L-Mount lens lineup? Are you planning to invest in the new system? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

The Panasonic LUMIX S1 is the latest in Panasonic’s offerings. It is a full frame camera, aimed at advanced photographers, but can also capture high quality 4K videos. The new camera will greatly benefit from the firmware update scheduled for later this year, so the appeal for videographers will be even higher. I’ve been running around with the yet to be released camera and had a chance to explore its video capabilities a little  further.  Panasonic LUMIX S1 While getting to know the new Panasonic S1 in Barcelona was nice, I felt that there is much more to explore about it and have therefore decided to dedicate some extra time and review the camera, although it is still in a pre-production stage. First, let’s have a quick recap in regards to its video specifications. Panasonic S1 Video Specifications: 24.2 MP CMOS Sensor 4K HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) internal video recording, HEVC codec in 10-bit 72Mbps 4K 50/60p, 4:2:0 8-bit, cropped to APS-C, internal recording limited to 29:59 min 4K 24/25/30p Full Frame, 4:2:0 8-bit, unlimited recording Various Full HD recording modes Various High Frame Rate recording options in 4K and HD (No control on any of the recording parameters like shutter speed and ISO, no autofocus, no sound. 150fps and 180fps in HD mode are cropped) Native ISO of 100-51,200 Future paid firmware update unlocks: 4K UHD up to 30p, 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording (At 150Mbps) 4K UHD 50/60p, 10-bit 4:2:2 external recording via HDMI with APS-C crop FHD at up to 60fps, 10-bit 4:2:2 at 100Mbps  V-Log Panasonic S1 top view – Large, robust, comfortable to hold Panasonic LUMIX S1 – First Impression and Handling As a reviewer, I get to use many of the new cameras out there and leaving specifications aside, there are always those cameras that simply feel more comfortable in the hand – the Panasonic LUMIX S1 falls into this category. This mirrorless camera is big, heavy and robust (especially when equipped with the new 24-105mm f/4 L lens), so you better think of it as if you are carrying a DSLR, but in this particular case, this is NOT a bad thing, as the camera felt very balanced in my hands and I could work with it for exceptionally long periods of time. This brings me to another advantage of working handheld with this camera: its IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization) system is simply working very well! If you feel the need for even extra smoothness in your shots, you can turn the E-Stabilization (Video) “ON” and – on the expense of a slight crop – you will get perfectly steady shots. (Everything that you see in the above video nut two shots, was shot handheld and although the stabilisation is enhanced digitally, to my eyes, there was no drop in picture quality). Panasonic S1 E-Stabilization option Call me an old-fashioned cameraman, but a viewfinder is a much more valuable and suitable for my style of working than an external monitor, as it gives me an extra gripping point when working handheld and also, in bright light, I can judge the exposure more accurately and easily. The reason I’m mentioning this here is because up until now, most – if not all – of the mirrorless cameras I’ve worked with had “just an OK” EVF (with the exception of the Leica SL). The Panasonic S1 brings back the faith in the possibility that an excellent EVF can be included in a mirrorless camera. I can report first-hand that manual focusing is a breeze and eye fatigue is a thing of the past, when extensively using that particular EVF. Well done, Panasonic! Last but not least, a word about battery life. The new DMW-BLJ31  7.2V 3,100mAh large capacity battery did very well during my shooting day(s). Again, Panasonic kept its reputation of equipping their cameras (aka GH5/GH5S) with long lasting batteries. Panasonic S 24-105mm f:4 L mount lens – ISO 5000   Panasonic S 24-105mm f:4 L mount lens – ISO 30,000   Panasonic S 24-105mm f:4 L mount lens – ISO 2000   Panasonic S 24-105mm f:4 L mount lens – ISO 12,800 Lowlight capability (The above images were taken from the editing timeline) This is where the camera REALY shines! Previously, I’ve seen similar results only when testing some of Sony’s cameras. As a documentary filmmaker, the lowlight capabilities of a camera can be a deal breaker, when considering what camera to purchase, as I never know where I’m going to find myself filming, or if I will have the time to set up proper lighting on location (whenever possible). With the Panasonic S1, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Aggressive NR (Noise Reduction) or not, you can shoot and expect clean images up to ISO 30,000. (Not that above that figure the images are not usable, they are but with additional noise). As a picture is worth more than a thousands words, I encourage you to take a look at my above video and see for yourself. Autofocus system If there is anything that needs some extra care and attention from Panasonic’s side, it is the autofocus system. The main thing, when using autofocus with any camera, is the ability to get good and constant results. With the Panasonic S1, I got mixed bag results. At times, I was very happy with the speed and accuracy of the autofocus system and then, there were times where the camera simply did not function well. As I was testing a pre-production model with a non-final firmware, I assume that Panasonic will do all they can do, in order to fine-tune the autofocus system within this camera, before it hits the stores. Dynamic Range Test We are continuing with our tradition of testing the Dynamic Range of new cameras, and although the sample unit we had is NOT a final one, we were rather curious about what ballpark range we stand in. Please head to this link in order to learn more about our Dynamic Range tests. Gunther, our DR specialist has tested 3 picture profiles and modes. HLG, Cinelike D and the new Flat picture profile. Here are his observations:  HLG option in the camera menu HLG, ISO 400 (12.2 stops) V-Log will come at a later stage, with a paid firmware upgrade, however with the Panasonic S1 you can already shoot in Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) mode. (HEVC codec, 4:2:0 10bit long GOP 72Mbps).  Setting both, sharpness and noise reduction (NR) to -5, I was able to get a Dynamic Range of 12.2 stops at ISO400 for a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of 2 (13.4 stops at SNR = 1), see figure 1 below. Fig. 1: Panasonic S1 waveform plot of the step chart in HLG ISO400, noise reduction set to -5 (lowest). Visually, 12 stops above the noise floor are visible – a very good result! This is a very good result, which is only topped by the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro – see figure 2 below. Fig. 2: Dynamic Range comparison of the Panasonic LUMIX S1 – it comes in just behind the URSA Mini Pro 4.6 If we compare this result to the Dynamic Range of the Panasonic GH5S in HLG mode (ISO800, NR = 0) coming in at 9.9 stops, this is about 2.3 stops higher! Now, the same GH5S has a Dynamic Range of 10.7 stops (ISO400) with V-Log L, hence, there is some potential for the Panasonic S1 to have an even better DR reading once V-Log becomes available! Looking at the noise floor and the lower steps of the step chart of the Panasonic S1, there is very little noise visible – it looks ultra clean. Although noise reduction was set to the lowest setting, we can assume that there is still a lot of internal noise reduction going on. (I also tried shooting the chart with noise reduction set to 0 (NR = 0), but there was very little difference). Personally, I would prefer to have more influence on the internal noise reduction through the settings – maybe a future firmware update will enable this. For me, if the image is too clean, it lacks mojo. Cinelike D picture profile (10.8 stops) Panasonic LUMIX S1 Cinelike D DR result If you are not interested or ready to shoot in HLG, Cinelike D might be a good option. As you can see from the chart above, we got 10.8 stops of DR in this mode. Flat picture profile – Unmeasurable Flat picture profile – Unmeasurable I was very curious to measure the new Flat picture profile – especially as Johnnie shot all of the above video in that mode – but to my surprise, it was unmeasurable. As you can see in the above figure in the upper chart, there is a very abrupt transition in the brightness value (density) response curve from the higher into the lower stops (representing the Xyla 21 patches). Furthermore, in the middle chart the RMS noise curve falls off to zero between -5 and -4 LOG exposure values (on the x-axis), and in the lower chart again, between -6 and -4 LOG exposure the lower stops (shadows) of the Xyla chart show zero pixel noise (lowest chart of the three) – thus confusing IMATEST. The software, therefore, shows a wrong 12.6 stops for all signal to noise ratios – which cannot be real, of course. I don’t know what it is, but it seems as if a very aggressive noise reduction is responsible for those unmeasurable results. In general, we can only hope that Panasonic will consider giving us more control on the noise (meaning, the ability to turn the reduction off all together) in a future firmware update. Choose between FullFrame or APSC filming options Conclusion The LUMIX S1 camera is Panasonic’s first attempt (alongside the S1R) of entering the world of full frame sensor cameras and as such, I think they did really well! They are presenting a well-balanced shooting device (specification- vs. performance-wise), although I have to say that I wish the video images received would have a bit more “mojo” in them. The Current  image is very clean – maybe too clean, at times. It is only in post-production that you can actually turn it into having a more distinguished identity (keeping in mind that it is an 8bit camera, so color correction needs to be treated gently)… Moving to pricing, in Panasonic’s eyes, this is probably a camera for photographers first and then for us filmmakers, hence, I do understand the reason why they decided to charge extra money for the additional features. I guess, they do not want photographers – who are the main target of that camera – to pay a price if it is not needed. Fair enough. Saying that, it is an expensive camera and the price cannot be neglected, when doing the overall calculation before buying (any) camera. And further than that, we have gotten spoiled, while one of the companies to spoil us most is… Panasonic. They proved in the past that they are able to provide us with cameras that can shoot high data rate, 10bit, 4:2:2, all Intra, internally, so I won’t be surprised if this will be the case this time, too. The basics are all there, all Panasonic needs to do is top up the video specifications and produce a “video centric” camera and charge us a fair price. In case this ever happens, it’s going to be a real treat! Panasonic LUMIX S1 The above video was shot handheld on a pre-production Panasonic LUMIX S1 camera. Image quality is not final. Picture profile “Flat”. Edited on Adobe Premiere CC latest edition and color corrected with FilmConvert. The music used in the video above is courtesy of Music Vine. Get 25% off your next music license with code C5D25 (valid for one use per customer). What do you think? Does the new Panasonic LUMIX S1 interest you? Will you consider buying it or do you prefer waiting for Panasonic to produce a more capable camera that shoots video? Share with us your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Today FUJIFILM released their new X-T30 mirrorless camera with APS-C sized sensor. While housed in a more compact and more lightweight body than its bigger brother, the X-T30 sport the same sensor, the same processor and the same film simulations from the X-T3. Even F-log is on board! The new FUJIFILM X-T30 comes in three colors. The one in the middle is called “charcoal silver”. The new X-T30 is pretty tiny and especially lightweight (383g) compared to the bigger X-T3 (539g). Yet both models share the same 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor along with the X-Processor 4 image processing engine. The X-T30 can record 4K DCI (4096×2160) or 4K UHD (3840×2160) at up to 30p @ 200Mbps in 4:2:0 8-bit internally. Externally, you can record 4:2:2 10-bit video via HDMI. All the proprietary film simulations such as Velvia, ASTIA, Classic Chrome or Eterna are available during movie recording. Furthermore, you can choose to film in F-log for a wider color gamut. FUJIFILM X-T30 This new model isn’t part of FUJIFILM’s premier league of mirrorless cameras. Its two-digit name puts it in the second devision, yet the pure specs speak another language: 4K 25p/30p, F-log, 4:2:2 10-bit output, FullHD 100p/120p @ 200Mpbs. Not bad! There’s a downside though as the recording times are pretty limited: C4K (4096×2160) // 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 10min 4K UHD (3840×2160) // 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 10min Full HD (2048 ×1080) // 59.94p/50p/29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 15min. Full HD (1920×1080) // 59.94p/50p/29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p // 200Mbps/100Mbps // up to approx. 15min. Full HD (1920×1080) // 120p／100p // 200Mbps // up to approx. 6min. Video is being recorded in MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) format. No H.265, unfortunately.. that’s another downside of this camera. The X-T30 features the same EVF of the former X-t20, a 0.39″ OLED with 2.36 millions dots and 0.62x magnification. The rear touch screen is a 3.0″ LCD with a 3:2 aspect ratio 3:2, approx. 1.04 millions dots and, according to FUJIFILM, with improved response performance. New omnidirectional control lever. The rear of the X-T30 features the “Focus Lever” from the X-T2 / X-T3, resulting in more grip space. The X-T20 had a 5-way control button but the new focus lever omnidirectional control is way better suited for quick focus point adjustments. Overall, the X-T30 has the same body as the former X-T20 but with an improved grip design hat makes the camera body sit comfortably in your hand. The “old” X-T20 rear design with 5-way selector button. Unfortunately, FUJIFILM communicates color subsampling and bit rates for 4K (DCI and UHD) shots, but there is no word about these values for FullHD. I’ll update this article once they surface. The autofocus capabilities have been improved from the former X-T20, since the X-Processor 4 is just much more powerful for calculating the necessary algorithms in less time. The AF detects faces and eyes and you can select a face if multiple faces have been detected within a frame. The low-light limit for phase detection AF has been extended from +0.5EV (X-T20) to -3EV. The micro USB 2 port of the X-T20 has been upgraded to a modern USB Type-C (USB3.1, Gen1) port on the X-T30. The micro HDMI (type D) is still the same, ditto the 2.5mm stereo mini connector for an external microphone. No headphone out.. Availability and Conclusion The X-T30 will be available from the end of March but the new color scheme called “charcoal silver” will take just a little bit longer to hit the shelves. This new X-T30 is far more a mini X-T3 than the former X-T20 was a mini X-T2. F-log, Eterna film simulation, 4K 4:2:2 10-bit output through HDMI, fast continuous AF, it’s all there. The X-T3 is the more capable camera, sure but this X-T30 is way smaller, lighter and more affordable without too many compromises to make.  So if you’re in the market for a solid entry-level filmmaking device: This might be worth a very close look! Links: FUJIFILM Website What do you think? Will you wait for the X-T30 or is the X-T3 the better camera for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Today Canon has unveiled their latest addition to their new EOS R lineup of full frame mirrorless cameras: The Canon EOS RP sits below the already available EOS R in regards of both, features and pricing. This aggressive pricing might be a good thing, though: As a bottom line we get plenty of features for less money. Update: There are six new RF lenses in development, too. Canon’s transition from the legacy EOS D line of DSLRs to the EOS R line of full frame mirrorless cameras seems to be in full swing. Next up: The new EOS RP. It’s not the flagship R camera many of us are eagerly waiting for, though. If the EOS R is the middle class body, the RP is the entry level model. It’s less expensive and it has fewer features but it is based on the same robust platform. So what is the news with the new Canon EOS RP? Well, in terms of cost-performance ratio it might get the nod instead of its bigger brother, the EOR R (read our coverage here and here plus our full review here). Canon EOS RP First of all, the EOS RP is smaller than the EOS R, by quite a bit. Fact check? EOS RP: 485 g (with card and battery), EOS R: 660 g. The EOS RP lacks the top OLED status screen, same goes for the so-called touch bar on the back. Canon EOS RP (left) and EOS R (right). Both models share a weather-sealed body featuring a magnesium alloy chassis including sealing materials to provide dust and moisture resistance. So the EOS RP isn’t an entry level design in that regard, it’s a tough tool for outdoor work. The EOS R features a 3.0″ (7,5cm) flippy screen with 1.04 million dots we already know from its bigger brother (but slightly smaller in size) and a 0.39″ OLED electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million dots and 0.7x magnification. Both models share the same DIGIC 8 image processor but the EOS R fuels that processor with a 30.3MP full frame sensor while the RP has a 26.2 MP full frame CMOS sensor to offer. Same processor, same Dual Pixel AF complete with face detection! Also on board is the digital 5-axis image stabilization engine. Another thing the EOS RP inherits from its bigger brother is the lack of dual SD card slots, unfortunately. Only one UHS-II SD card can be loaded. Movie Recording The Canon EOS RP shoots 4k UHD, FullHD (1920 x 1080) and HD (1280 x 720). This is true when using RF or EF lenses (with a RF-EF adapter). If you are using EF-S lenses, your options are limited to 4K UHD and HD. No FullHD. Movies are being recorded as MPEG4 AVC/H.264 files with variable (average) bit rate. The following resolutions and frame rates are available (hint: no 4K/60p, no FullHD/120p slow mo): 4K UHD (16:9) 3840 x 2160 (25, 23.98 fps) intra frame 4K UHD Time-lapse (16:9) 3840 x 2160 (29.97, 25 fps) All-I Full HD (16:9) 1920 x 1080 (59.94, 50, 29.97, 25 fps) intra frame, intra frame lite (29.97, 25 fps) Full HD HDR (16:9) 1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25 fps) intra frame HD (16:9) 1280 x 720 (59.94, 29.97, 50, 25 fps) intra frame HD HDR (16:9) 1280 x 720 (29.97, 25 fps) intra frame No touch bar. These bitrates are available: 4K (16:9) 3840 x 2160 (25, 23.98 fps) IPB 120Mbps // 869 MB/min Full HD (59.94p/50.00p)/IPB Approx. 60 Mbps // 440MB/min Full HD (29.97p/25.00p)/IPB: Approx. 30 Mbps // 225MB/min Full HD (29.97p/25.00p)/IPB Lite: Approx. 12 Mbps // 87MB/min HD (59.94p/50.00p)/IPB Approx. 26 Mbps // 196MB/min When recording internally to SD card, the color subsampling tops out at YCbCr 4:2:0 8-bit. External recording through the built-in HDMI port is possible via an uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2, 8-bit stream. Sound output via HDMI is also possible. When outputting to external monitor/recorder internal recording is disabled and Wi-Fi communication is shut down. Bad news: No Log-C and 4K recording only works with contrast detection AF. Furthermore, when shooting 4K you’ll end up with an approx. 1.6x crop factor. No OLED status display. Canon’s own Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection and tracking AF is available while shooting (DPAF only in FHD and HD), Other modes include movie servo AF, continuous eye AF and manual focus with focus peaking. The ISO value is selectable from 100 ISO all the up to 12800 (in 4K UHD) or 25600 (FullHD/HD). Furthermore, a build-in stereo microphone delivers 2 channels of 48 kHz, 16-bit audio. External microphones can be hooked up via 3.5mm jack and there’s a headphone jack for monitoring audio, too.The three already available mount adapters also fit the EOS RP, of course, so you can use your existing EF and EF-S glass with this camera. Read all about these adapters here. Six new RF Lenses in Development The range of readily available RF glass is not yet very extensive. Not any more! Today Canon has officially announced the development of six new RF lenses. They will become available later this year and there is no pricing yet but the specs come in pretty impressive: RF85mm F1.2 L USM RF85mm F1.2 L USM DS RF15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM RF24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM The “DS” for the 85mm F1.2 stands for “Defocus Smoothing” which should make out-of-focus areas and bokeh even smoother and more appealing. Maybe this lens is your next dream portrait lens. Six new RF lenses! (The dimensions aren’t accurate). The three red ring zooms make the next generation holy trinity of zoom lenses, just as their former EF counterparts. And all three feature image stabilization, which is pretty cool! Lastly, the 24-240mm offers an impressive zoom range which makes this lens a perfect travel companion. It lacks a fast aperture, though. This is a compromise that most travelers will be happy to accept as it opens the door to a compact and relatively lightweight lens. Conclusion The EOS RP isn’t a groundbreaking camera but it seems to be pretty solid tool for enthusiasts and aspiring filmmakers alike. Canon’s new R mount opens the door for many new (and fast) lenses and the superb overall build quality of this new camera body is typical for Canon. Let’s wait and see how this EOS RP performs in hands-on and reviews but I think this camera is a solid release. Nothing miracle but really solid plus it comes with a very attractive price tag. We presume that the video performance of the new camera will be pretty much at par with the EOS R, so you can refer to Johnnie’s CanonEOS R review here. Let’s see if the EOS RP really performs at the same level which would be pretty cool, especially when considering its’ lower price. Product information: Canon USA What do you think about the new EOS RP in regards of the already available EOS R camera? Share your thoughts in the comments below!