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Tamron and Kenko bring third-party glass to the Micro Four Thirds bash
The fresh trend of Micro Four Thirds shooters is on the rise, thus it shouldn't come as a surprise that more glass-makers are jumping on the MFT bandwagon. Joining the likes of Panasonic, Olympus and Kodak as part of the Micro Four Thirds Group, is a trifecta of third-party lens manufacturers: Tamron, Kenko Tokina and ASTRODESIGN. Following closely behind rival Sigma, the newcomers are looking to make a dent in the four-thirds universe. Better late than never, right? There's still no sign of these optics being available for you to stack in your camera bag, but the news just came in, so it shouldn't be too long before you can get some extra glass for your shiny new GX1.
Insert Coin: 50-Dollar Follow Focus
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. If you've watched HD video footage captured by a DSLR, you've probably wondered why, despite the fact that you own the exact same model, your clips lack the fluid feel of a professional production. One culprit may be the lack of a steady support system to maintain balance as you shoot, like the rather complex Steadicam. That's just part of the equation, however. What you're also missing is the precision handling of an external follow focus. As its simplistic name implies, the 50-Dollar Follow Focus is a cheap and effective solution.Made of CNC-machined aircraft-grade aluminum, the 50-Dollar Follow Focus includes two belts and two pulleys to accommodate a variety of lenses, and with the exception of your DSLR and a pair of support rails, everything you need to get started ships in the box. Author Wiley Davis teamed up with The Robot, his in-house CNC mill, to develop some early prototypes, before bringing the project to Kickstarter and launching a campaign to raise $10,000 in order to buy supplies in bulk and invest in a more efficient production system. The result looks very slick, and while it adds some bulk to your DSLR rig, the size tradeoff seems to be worthwhile. Ready to buy your own? Hit up the Kickstarter link below to make your pledge, and keep an eye on that mailbox -- these are expected to ship in March. You'll find a video demo just past the break.
Fujifilm X-Pro1 interchangeable lens camera preview (video)
The interchangeable lens camera market grew by one this week, following Fujifilm's confirmation of its new X-Pro1. The 16 megapixel APS-C ILC may be in fact be a mirrorless model, but company reps prefer that you don't use "the M-word," insisting that the shooter stands alone in its own category as a "premium" interchangeable lens camera. And after spending an hour with the oversized, solidly-built ILC and viewing a variety of comparison samples, it's not difficult to confirm that the assessment may not be far off. The entire hands-on experience was in line with that premium claim -- from the white gloves we were required to use when handling the camera to the Japanese design lead taking care to make sure sample models were clean of markings and positioned just right, it's clear that Fujifilm is taking this launch very seriously, and you should, too. Join us past the break for an early CES look at what may very well be the sharpest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera to date.
Hack your monitor and 3D glasses, ensure ultimate privacy
You've always wanted a bit more privacy with your monitor (porn jokes notwithstanding) and if you're willing to tear apart a spare LCD monitor and a pair of 3D theater glasses (thanks, Dreamworks and Pixar!), you'll get it. In lieu of a thicker tinfoil hat, Instructables' dimovi suggests removing the LCD's frame, cutting out its polarized film with a utility knife before removing the screen's film adhesive with a combination of cleaner and paint thinner and reassembling the monitor. Once complete, grab the glasses, cut out the lenses and combine them with the plastic film removed from the monitor before inserting them back into their frames. The result is an LCD monitor that displays a white screen to anyone not wearing the customized glasses, your actions being confidential, no matter what they might happen to be. Check the how-to video embedded after the break, or hit the source link for full instructions
Photojojo's iPhone Lens Dial a pricey, but cool iPhoneography accessory
Late last week, TUAW ran a story about the Holga iPhone Lens Filter Kit SLFT-IP4, a US$25 case that gives iPhoneographers a wheel of ten fun filters to put in front of their iPhone's camera lens. Now photography toy store Photojojo has something even more fun for the serious iPhone photographer -- the iPhone Lens Dial ($249). This isn't a low-cost, cheap set of lenses from China. Instead, the Lens Dial is a machined aircraft-grade aluminum case for the iPhone 4 and 4S that features three lenses on a rotating dial. You have your choice of a .33x Fisheye lens, a .7x Wide Angle lens, and a 1.5x Telephoto lens, all made of optical-quality coated glass. To make sure that your camera is rock-steady while shooting those pro photos, the Lens Dial comes complete with two tripod mounts -- one for portrait orientation, the other for landscape. Besides the hefty price tag of the Lens Dial, there's another cost you'll incur. This is a heavy little accessory, adding 10 ounces of weight to your lightweight (4.9 ounce) iPhone 4S. Still, the Lens Dial looks a perfect gift for the iPhoneographer on your list. If you have any space on your shopping list, you can buy one for me, too. Please? I really have been good this year.
Photojojo intros iPhone Lens Dial for fisheye, telephoto and wide-angle shooting
Annie Leibovitz seems to love the camera in the iPhone 4S as is, but if you'd ever hoped the snapshot darling were a bit more flexible, then Photojojo's new Lens Dial may be the solution. Available as a case that's compatible with the iPhone 4 and 4S, users are able to rotate between three different lenses -- including fisheye, telephoto and wide-angle -- to achieve their desired effect. Naturally, the enclosure will add quite a bit of thickness and heft to your handset (it weighs ten ounces, or twice that of the iPhone), but it also piles on flexibility, too, such as tripod mounts for landscape or portrait scenes. Shipping now for $250, the iPhone Lens Dial seems like the logical step after you've taken Holga's option for a spin.
LiveLens MFT adapter brings aperture control to Canon EF lenses
It may be serving a somewhat small niche, but we're guessing that niche will be plenty pleased that something like the LiveLens MFT adapter now exists. That's MFT as in Micro Four Thirds, and the adapter is for Canon EF lenses. Nothing too special there, but this particular adapter now also allows for aperture control for the first time, which is actually done on the adapter itself, not the camera -- the only remaining drawback is a lack of autofocus. Expectedly that ability comes at quite a premium -- you'll have to fork over $442 for the adapter and an extra $52 for the necessary 9V battery cable.
Panasonic G-series lenses get firmware update, performance boosts aplenty
Jonesin' to shoot some radder-than-usual HD video with that Lumix G-series lens? You're in luck. Panasonic released a firmware update for the family of lenses that gives them a needed level-up -- bringing 'em to version 1.1 -- to shoot higher quality video. Added features include enhanced tracking focus for videos, silent auto focus, improved stability for the optical image stabilizer and exposure control. The update applies to seven slabs of metal and glass, and every single unit in the 2011 line is also covered. Hit the source if you're ready to update, but don't expect that 720p ceiling to magically raise to 1080p -- it's just a poor attempt at marketing genius.
Olympus Pen E-PM1 hands-on (video)
Joining the family of Olympus Pen products is the lovingly nicknamed "PEN Mini," or E-PM1. Compared to its big brothers the PEN E-PL2 and E-PL3, this little guy packs some serious punch in a tiny body, with a similarly small price tag of $500. But can this ILC that Olympus claims offers "DSLR quality in a compact camera design" stack up against the big boys in the pit at the US Open? The 12.3 megapixel camera comes with a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens and includes a Micro Four Thirds mount, enabling it to accept compatible lenses from both Olympus and Panasonic -- something that was really easy to get the hang of for speedy switching between sets. Check out our impressions as we go hands-on with the camera at one of the biggest tennis matches of the year. %Gallery-132239% %Gallery-132243%
Panasonic shrinks its Micro Four Thirds lenses, launches X-series with wide-angle, telephoto zooms
Anyone who's used Panasonic's 14-42mm Micro Four Thirds zoom lens has probably noticed its relatively bulky design, especially when compared to Olympus's counterpart. Today, the company announced a new lens that offers the same zoom and f/3.5-5.6 aperture range in a housing less than half the size when closed, and still noticeably smaller when extended. The first of two optics in Panasonic's premium X-series -- the second is a 45-170mm f/4-5.6 zoom -- it's been billed as the world's smallest digital interchangeable power zoom lens, thanks to its internal zoom motor which lets you adjust the focal length using a side-mounted rocker -- the design is similar to the zoom toggle included with the company's new FX150 superzoom. Priced at $399, it also includes a metal lens mount, instead of the plastic mount used with the existing $199 14-42mm lens. That second 45-170mm zoom ($449) can replace Panasonic's 45-200mm lens ($349), and while the size difference isn't as dramatic is its smaller X-series sibling, it's still noticeably smaller and lighter. Both lenses include optical image stabilization and feature nano surface coatings, designed to reduce ghosting and lens flare. The 14-42mm lens will ship in October in black and white (for use with silver bodies), and the 45-170mm zoom will ship in September. They'll only be compatible with the GF-2, GF-3, and G3 at launch after downloading a firmware update -- Panasonic is leaving it up to Olympus to release supporting firmware for its own cameras be compatible with all G-series cameras at launch, without the need for a firmware update. Jump past the break for more details from Panasonic, and check out the gallery below -- complete with side-by-side shots for both lens classes.%Gallery-131060% Update: Panasonic issued a correction saying that both lens will be compatible with all G-series cameras without the need for a firmware update.
Sony reveals three new NEX E-mount lenses, LA-EA2 A-mount adaptor with translucent mirror
Sony's NEX line of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) deliver quite a lot of bang for your buck, but a diminutive lens selection reduced appeal for advanced shooters. Today, the company is growing its E-mount family of lenses by three, now offering a total of seven compatible lenses. Shipping in October, the Carl Zeiss SonnarT E will take the helm as Sony's flagship optic, delivering a 24mm fixed focal length and f/1.8 aperture, with a minimum focus distance of 16 cm and a sky-high $999 price tag. Also packing a speedy f/1.8 aperture, the $300 E 50mm OSS doesn't sport Carl Zeiss branding, but it does include built-in image stabilization and a circular aperture, promising smooth defocus. Both lenses will ship in December. Hitting stores in October, a new telephoto lens, the $350 E 55-210mm compensates for its sluggish f/4.5-6.3 maximum aperture with optical image stabilization while offering 3.8x magnification. And finally, Sony's LA-EA2 A-mount adapter lets you use your full-size Alpha lenses with the NEX cameras without losing functionality, thanks to built-in Translucent Mirror Technology and a dedicated AF motor. NEX-3, NEX-5, and NEX-C3 owners will need a firmware update to take advantage of the adaptor, but if you already have a collection of A-mount lenses, $400 may be a reasonable price to pay for full compatibility when it ships in November.%Gallery-131067%
Sony announcing three NEX lenses on August 24th?
Last month we fell in love with a camera. Specifically, the Sony NEX-C3. We were so enamored with its lilliputian body and stunning image quality that we gave it a "9," declared it nearly perfect and promptly began recommending it to everyone we know. But if there's one thing we thought needed improvement, it was the selection of lenses. Well, it looks like we had nothing to fret about -- a series of leaked shots suggest the outfit's had at least three in the works all along. According to the shots, originally posted in DPReview, we're looking at a 55-210mm / F4.5-6.3 zoom lens and fixed 50mm / F1.8 and 24mm / F1.8 numbers. Though the poster stopped short of revealing any pricing info, he seems confident Sony will announce them on August 24th. Now, while we typically take rumors with a grain of salt, it turns out that the tipster who posted these shots is none other than "Eddieaus," the same guy who splattered forums with pictures of the VAIO Z next to its external Power Media Dock -- the same press photos, in fact, that Sony unveiled days later. So we're inclined to believe NEX loyalists are about to get a few new pieces of glass to play with. And if that rumored August 24th launch date is also on the money, you won't have to wait too long to find out how many pretty pennies they'll cost.
Sony LA-EA2 lens adapter gets ready for its close-up in 'leaked' render
Hey Sony, you hear that? Sounds like you might have another leak on your hands. We got our fourth unofficial look at Sony's Alpha A77 this morning, and now it's time for a little accessorizing. What you see above is reportedly a shot of a new lens adapter called the LA-EA2, which would apparently bring the outfit's translucent mirror technology to its range of little NEX shooters. As you might recall, that mini-mirror brings with it continuous phase-detect autofocus. Of course, this is just a rumor, but it does lines up with previous reports of a forthcoming NEX-7. You know we enjoy a leak as much as the next guy, but we like hard facts even more. So what's it going to be Sony?
Photojojo phone lenses give your iPhone a new set of eyes
I've been a fan of Photojojo for a while. The site sells all sorts of fun and useful camera gear and gifts, things like an SLR Bokeh kit or a inexpensive point-and-shoot tilt-shift digital camera. When they offered to let TUAW try out a set of three phone lenses that give iPhone shooters a choice of different widths of field, I jumped on the chance. Here's how Photojojo's little lenses work on your iPhone for fun photography. There are three lenses available -- one is a 2X telephoto, one is a 180° field-of-view fisheye lens, and the last is a wide angle/macro lens that helps to take those group photos and close-ups of bugs. The fisheye sells for US$25, the two other lenses for $20 each, or you can get the entire set for just $49. Now we all know that our iPhones don't have a little bayonet mount for lenses, so how do these lenses actually mount on your iPhone? Easy -- there's a minuscule metal ring with sticky backing that you put around the rear camera lens on the iPhone (or iPad). Here's where a problem arises. If you have an iPhone 4, the ring gets glued right over the flash! That's not an issue for me since I rarely take flash photos, but for many people that could be a deal killer. On the plus side, the ring is thin enough that I was able to continue using my Mophie Juice Pack Air case, although I have to remove the top of the case to take photos. There are two of those magnetic rings included with each lens, as well as a pair of tiny lens caps to keep both ends of the lenses clean when not in use. Now the moment of truth! Braving an oncoming storm, I grabbed the iPhone 4 and lenses for a photo session. These photos aren't great, as the rain started coming down the moment I stepped out the door, but they'll give you an idea of what each of the lenses accomplishes. First, let's look at a picture of my boring back yard with the standard iPhone 4 camera: Next, I grabbed the fisheye lens. As you can see, there's a very wide field of view (180°) but a lot of distortion. I think this would be incredibly fun when shooting video with the iPhone 4: Stepping back a bit from the distortion of the fisheye lens, I put the wide angle lens onto the iPhone 4 mount: You can see that the wooden post on the left side of the photo above is distorted a bit, but that you can see a lot more of the back yard than is visible in the "normal" photo. There's also a small amount of vignetting visible in the corners of the image, which of course could be cropped out using one of the many photo editing apps for iOS. Finally, I put the 2X telephoto lens onto the iPhone 4: Notice that the field of view is smaller, and that the cottonwood tree at the left appears to be much larger than it is in the other images. If you screw off the top of the wide angle lens, it becomes a macro lens that lets you focus quite closely: When viewed at the full resolution of the iPhone 4 image, this picture was incredible, with every tiny scratch on Jefferson's face clearly visible. As you can see, these inexpensive lenses don't rival the picture clarity that you'd get with a true DSLR lens, but you're paying less for all of them than a DSLR lens cap would probably cost you. And your iPhone 4 is not a single-lens reflex camera; it's a point and shoot with a fixed focus and rolling shutter. A $49 set of lenses is not going to turn your iPhone into a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III DSLR. But if you want to do more than take snaps with your iPhone 4, the Photojojo lenses are a fun way to experiment without spending too much money.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: digital cameras
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got our optical viewfinders set firmly on digital cameras -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Welcome to Digital Cameras 101. This single-lecture class will feature a handful of top cams for every budget, and since you're just getting back from a summer of wild shooting, we'll try to keep things brief this time around, giving you one last chance to enjoy that crisp natural light. There won't be a pop quiz, but if you're feeling lucky and don't mind following our simple instructions, we may just be able to send you home with your very own Sony NEX-C3. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. So wipe off the glasses, grab your clicker, and get ready to jump past the break for a top-level overview of this year's picks for back to school.
Sony Alpha NEX-C3 review
Traditionally known as DSLRs, interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) have always promised excellent image quality, speed, and versatility. But their enormous size and weight, lofty price tags, and intimidating design have forced casual photographers to focus on compact and superzoom point-and-shoot cameras instead, often leaving those bulky, confusing monstrosities to the pros. Enter mirrorless models, which scrap an optical viewfinder in favor of shrinking both body size and price tag, have provided the rest of us with a welcome mat to the world of powerful sensors, high-speed shooting, and swappable lenses -- with relatively little sacrifice along the way.The 16-megapixel Alpha NEX-C3 builds upon the successes of its predecessor -- the NEX-3 -- sporting a slimmer body and redesigned APS-C sensor. It also adds a reported 20-percent boost in battery life, improved low light performance, and a slimmer, more attractive design. We spent well over a month using the NEX-C3 as our primary camera for product shoots, trade shows, hands-on videos, and vacations, and were blown away by its performance as both a versatile still snapper and a powerful video camera. It's important to note that while the C3 does capture 720p video, it can't shoot in 1080p, so you'll need to look elsewhere if you need full HD. Like all mirrorless cameras, there's also no optical viewfinder, nor is there a traditional hot shoe. Instead, Sony included the same propriety connector found on the NEX-3 and NEX-5, enabling connectivity with a dedicated external microphone and a limited variety of external flashes, including the compact strobe that ships in the box. While some photographers may find the NEX-C3 inadequate for their needs, we absolutely loved shooting with it, and we think you will too. Jump past the break to see why.%Gallery-128646%
iPhone 4 SLR Mount lets you shoot 5-megapixel photos with your $3,000 lens
So you flew around the world for a photo assignment, camera bag packed full of high-end lenses, but forgot the DSLR on the kitchen counter. Not to worry! You never leave home without your iPhone 4 and its new must-have accessory: the iPhone SLR Mount. $190 $249 scores you one of these aluminum bad boys, eager to pair with your multi-thousand dollar Canon or Nikon optics, bringing "powerful depth of field" and manual focus to your smartphone's itsy bitsy image sensor. You can reportedly use the new pricey mobile rig to capture photos with shallow depth of field, without the need to add one of those "unethical" $5 digital filter apps. The accessory is ready to ship, so you're just 24 hours (and a couple hundred dollars) away from having this life-changing masterpiece sent straight to your door. As for us? We're holding out a bit longer for the iPad version. Update: The folks at Photojojo wrote in to let us know that the $190 price provided earlier today was incorrect -- the iPhone 4 mount will actually set you back a cool $249.
Sony NEX-C3 hands-on (video)
Sony announced the successor to its NEX-3 digital camera earlier this week, so we decided to take a post-E3 road trip down to the electronics maker's US headquarters in San Diego to check out the $599 NEX-C3 for ourselves. We'll analyze the new sensor's image quality in a full review before the camera hits stores later this summer, but from our initial impressions, the new cam appears to offer fairly minor tweaks compared to its predecessor. It's incredibly small for a camera with an APS-C sensor -- perhaps even awkwardly so, when paired with the comparatively massive 18-55mm kit lens or Sony's enormous 18-200mm optic -- but not small enough to be any less functional than the previous iteration. Like the NEX-3, the camera was designed to be held by resting the lens on your left palm, rather than by the grip, so size isn't likely to be an issue. Cosmetic changes include a magnesium alloy top panel, front microphone positioning, and a more efficient display hinge, which helped reduce the camera's thickness. We'll be posting a full review in several weeks, but jump past the break for more observations, and a hands-on video from Sony HQ, shot with the NEX-C3.%Gallery-126159%
Sony announces NEX-C3 and Alpha A35 cameras, new macro lens
We've been (impatiently) waiting for Sony to update its NEX line of digital cameras since the NEX-3 was discontinued earlier this year, and it looks like a worthy successor has finally been named. Announced today, the NEX-C3 appears identical to the model leaked in April, and uses the same format APS-C image sensor as its predecessor, bumping resolution to 16.2 megapixels in a camera body smaller than the NEX-5. Sony says the new entry-level cam is designed to fill the gap between point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras, and is the smallest body to pack an APS-C sensor, offering DSLR-level image quality -- the same 16.2 MP chip is also included in its new full-size Alpha A35, which replaces the A33. Both cameras can shoot at up to 5.5 fps (the A35 adds a 7 fps mode at 8.4 megapixels), and include 3-inch LCDs, with the NEX keeping its hallmark tilt display, and the A35 adding Sony's Translucent Mirror live-view mode, and an electronic viewfinder. We have plenty more to share, including a new lens and flash, along with pricing and availability for all, so jump past the break for the juicy details. %Gallery-125282%
$4,000 Leica lens split in two, sold on eBay as $1,000 piece of art
Discontinued products typically dip in value, but such is not the case with Leica lenses -- unless they're sawed in half. Leica students had an opportunity to "make" cutaways of two Leica lenses as part of a graduation project. A discontinued Tri-Elmar-M 28-35-50mm (valued at about $4,500 when fully functional) and a 50mm f/1.4 Summilux (about $3,700) were split, exposing various layers of glass and metal. Now forever unable to capture images of their own, all four halves were photographed, and the tri-focal lens was sold for $995 on eBay, complete with original box -- which, unlike its contents, appears to be in like-new condition. We were probably at home playing Frogger when Kermit went under the knife in biology, but we would have definitely had a perfect attendance record in any class that involved brushing camera equipment across a circular saw.
