Google has just updated the Google Meet app and it is now better than ever. You can now make video calls in Full HD instead of just 720p HD resolution. Those Full HD, 1440p, and 4K webcam for your video conferences are now starting to make sense. There are some caveats though.
The Full HD capability update for Google Meet applies to not just the app on your smartphone, or on your PC. It also works when you access Google Meet via the web. By default, it is set to ‘off’, so you do need to turn it on to activate the feature for your calls. You also need a Full HD or higher resolution cameras connected to your PC or device for it to work. You can also only use it in a one-on-one call unfortunately, means your group calls will still be in 720p at the maximum.
With Full HD 1080p resolution though, bandwidth requirements will be higher than ever before for Google Meet calls. In the case where bandwidth is an issue, Google Meet will default to 720p resolution at the maximum. Of course, if you feel like your feed is choppy, you can turn off the Full HD 1080p option yourself. Google Meet will also inform you about the feature before it puts you into a supported call.
Source: Google
Here is the thing though, the function is not available to everyone using Google Meet. If you are using Google Meet for free to get personal video calls in, you are out of luck for now. The feature will only be available to users of Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials, and Frontline. It is also available to Google One Subscribers with 2TB or more storage space with supported devices. We are hoping that Google will make the Full HD 1080p feature available to more users in the future. For now, if you are not a user of any of Google’s listed services you are out of luck. For more information on the latest Google Meet update, you can visit their website.
FUJIFILM’s INSTAX series cameras have been the king of instant printing cameras, not like they had plenty in terms of competition anyway. Their first INSTAX mini camera was introduced back in 2016. Back then, the INSTAX mini was a curious little camera that looked out of place in the world of digital cameras. There were questions about its place in the modern photography world.
It was not made as a serious camera though. It was built and made for fun. It was made to be completely basic and very easy to use. Fast forward to 2023, they are introducing the 12th iteration of the INSTAX mini. To be fair, the recipe has been somewhat the same.
Source: FUJIFILM
The INSTAX mini 12 draws pretty much from the INSTAX mini 11 introduced back in 2020. Yes, it has been nearly three years since FUJIFILM updated the INSTAX mini camera. To be fair, there is not too much to update in the first place.
The INSTAX mini 11 introduced a very clever Automatic Exposure function to the FUJIFILM INSTAX family. There is nothing much else to be improved for the INSTAX because it offers the sort of same instant film experience as the INSTAX before it. There is slightly new bodywork adding some flair and ergonomic function to the instant film camera on the mini 11. Apart from that and the new exposure control technology, there is not much else new on the mini 11.
The mini 12 offers the same Automatic Exposure as the older INSTAX mini 11. It offers largely the same body as the old one too. Now though there is a new control mechanism on the 12th iteration of the INSTAX mini. You now can rotate the lens. When you do that, the lens zooms in and goes to ‘Close-up Mode’. You can now use it to take proper selfies with the photo focusing right on your face. You can use the mirror right beside the lens too to get yourself in the right frame. It also prints faster than before, now at just five seconds after you hit the shutter.
Once you take your photo with the FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12, you can keep it digitized with FUJIFILM’s latest smartphone app. With the ‘INSTAX UP!” app, you can take use your smartphone, take a photo of the film that was just printed by the INSTAX mini 12 and keep it digitally. You can even reproduce it in your own style with INSTAX printers. Either that, you can share the photos on your social media channels.
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
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Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
The FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 will be available in new colours too – Mint Green, Blossom Pink, Pastel Blue, Lilac Purple, Clay White. The FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 will be available in Malaysia from the 13th of April 2023 onward from FUJIFILM’s authorised retailers, their official stores, and online across the nation. It will set you back MYR 428 and you also get two packs of film to get going. More on the FUJIFILM INSTAX mini 12 can be found on their website.
Sony’s ZV series of cameras are known to be small, handy devices that you can whip out anywhere and bring anywhere with no fuss to take photos or videos for your social media and vlogging use. They are appealing because they are the size of a compact point-and-shoot but full feature packed for even professional use. What they are not though are full-frame shooters for the discerning photographer, until Sony introduced the ZV-E1 today that is.
The Baby α7S III
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
In its core is a full-frame sensor, not a 1-inch sensor you find in the ZV-1 and ZV-1F, not an APS-C cropped sensor you get from the α6600, a full fat full-frame sensor you get like the one from the α7 series of cameras. It even packs the same image sensor as Sony’s most modern cameras, the BIONZ XR processor. Both combines to shoot brilliant 12.1-Megapixel photographs and 4K videos at up to 120fps. There is a small caveat for the 120p 4K video recording function though, it is only available in certain regions and you have to manually update your camera’s software to get the function.
The 4K video recording is meant to be brilliant with this camera though. If you know your way around the camera, you can get your ZV-E1 to record 4K videos at S-Cinetone for that extra cinematic quality for your videos or vlogs. Of course, you still get the usual S-Log2 and S-Log3 colour gamut options. You also get 10-bit 4:2:2 colours for your videos, that means you get some of the best-looking videos out there. All of this is recorded without the need for the camera to do pixel binning, which means you get the best unfiltered quality there is for your films. It is not like you need to buy an extra gimbal for yourself too, it comes with a 5-axis in-body image stabilising mechanism alongside dynamic active mode for even more stabilisation when you roll the camera while moving vigorously.
The decision to go with a 12.1-Megapixel sensor could be in part because it is meant to do more videos than photos. It is technically the same sensor as the α7S III, which also means you can expect nearly the same video performance from this ZV-E1. It also means you get a rather admirable low-light video performance for your money. You can push the camera to ISO409600 to make your low-light videos look like it is shot with extra lighting boost. Of course, you want to deal with the noise artifacts in extreme conditions.
Shoot Cinema Quality Videos Out-of-the-Box
Source: Sony
If you are not into setting your camera up manually, this one has something that the α7S III does not have. It has something called the Cinematic Vlog Settings. It automatically sets your camera up to shoot videos at 4K resolution and to the Look or Mood that you want from the selection the camera offers you. You get different sort of ‘Looks’ that emphasise neutral tones, soft colours, and highlights. You have a ‘Moods’ that offers a specific colour saturation and focus. You can even tune the Autofocus speeds in this mode, something only doable manually on the α7S III. All of the footages in this mode is shot at a traditional 24fps and at 2.35:1 Cinemascope aspect ratio for an added cinematic feel. All of these can be done and you do not need to even fire up your video editor, do any colour corrections, or add any colour gamut modes to your videos. Of course, if you want to get a true cinematic look and feel, you want to get down to S-Cinetone and do all the hardwork of colour correcting your footage by hand.
There are also some added AI (artificial intelligence) functions to the camera. With the fast Hybrid AF mechanism, the camera cleverly tracks your subjects and keeps them in focus while you work out everything else around the subject. You have Dynamic active Mode stabilisation that works together with the built-in optical stabiliser to achieve an even more stable footage than before. Then there is also something they call the Auto Framing function for videos. The AI-based function automatically recognises a subject in the frame while recording a video and automatically crops the frame to fit the subject focus and in optimum frame position no matter where the subject moves. You can also do that via the camera’s touch screen or the Creator’s App on any Android or iOS smartphone.
The One-Man Operator
Source: Sony
For a one-man operation, this camera is a blessing. There is something called Framing Stabiliser in the camera. It automatically keeps a subject in a constant frame position even when you shoot without a gimbal. You can follow a subject, or even shoot around a subject and your frame stays the same and consistent, which is always a good thing. There is also a Product Showcase setting for when the user wants to showcase or review a product, allowing the camera to quickly switch its focus between the presenter and product as the product comes closer to the lens.
You even get to shoot time-lapse videos out of the box with the ZV-E1. You can set the camera to take photos in 1 second to 60 seconds interval. You do not even need to connect your camera to anything for this, just make sure you have enough battery power to get it through the shoot.
Unlike the α7 series too, there is a zoom lever on the ZV-E1. It not only controls the zoom on compatible lenses, but it also allows you to digitally zoom with your prime lenses. That means you can work with a single lens and still get a variety of shots with the camera. You may not even need to purchase a shotgun mic for your videos with three built-in high-performance microphones. The multiple mic set-up can be set to record videos from all sorts of directions and some can even be used as a noise cancelling mic.
All of these functions and features are packed within a body that only weighs less than half a Kg. Of course, this being an E-mount interchangeable lens camera, the lens you fit on the camera will affect its final weight. But it is still a rather light and compact camera to work with, more so than the α7c. It is in fact Sony’s lightest and most compact full-frame camera to date.
Price and Availability
Sony has not announced the final pricing of the Sony ZV-E1. The compact full-frame shooter will be available in Malaysia from June 2023 onward. For more information on Sony’s latest compact full-frame camera, you can visit their website.
The INSTAX cameras are a lot of fun. In any social gathering, the INSTAX camera and printer can capture great memories and you can physically keep the photos for these occasions and start a collection. There is only one issue, with most INSTAX cameras, there is no way for you to digitally store the photos. This is where INSTAX UP! app comes in.
It is not another camera app. You do not need another camera app on your smartphone, since most modern smartphones offer better than ever camera experiences today. But it still does rely on using your smartphone’s camera.
Instead of capturing the regular things like portrait or objects in street photography, it captures your INSTAX print outs. It can even recognize the type of print you are using including mini, SQUARE, and WIDE films. To ensure that the digital copy is free of all sorts of blemish, the app automatically reduces glare on the photos in challenging conditions. You can even adjust the contrast, brightness, and even colour vividness and temperature after capturing the photos. All that is then stored in your smartphone digitally so that you can reprint the image using an INSTAX printer if you want.
There are more you can do with your INSTAX photos now with the INSTAX UP! app. There is a new ‘photo in photo’ mode. You can take the print and put it against a backdrop of a scenery or other photos to be shared across social media directly from the app itself. You can even compile your favourite photos within the app. While compiling your collection, you can shake the app to mimic the INSTAX films being tossed around in a box. You can even share this collection with your friends directly from the app.
The app even allows you to choose how you want to view your INSTAX photos. You can keep it neat and organized in the ‘list view’ mode. Or, if you do not mind a little bit of chaos, there is the ‘box view’ mode that makes it look like you tossed your INSTAX films all into a box. You can also find a few ‘tips and tricks’ from the app itself in taking photos and portraits that will look good on and INSTAX films or even how to spice up your home and room with INSTAX products.
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
Source: FUJIFILM
The app is now available for free on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store. The app, as mentioned, is compatible with any INSTAX film and photos that has been printed. Again, it is not a camera app. You can find out more about the INSTAX UP! and other products from their website.
We are fans of Sony’s products. There is hardly a product in their stables we do not like or would not recommend. This one, we find a little difficult to recommend. It is not that we do not like it; we do. We think that it is a product targeted toward a rather niche group of people.
Welcome to the Sony ZV-1F, a compact camera from Sony that comes with a fixed lens. It is based on Sony’s rather brilliant and highly popular ZV-1. The most interesting thing about the ZV-1F, we think, is that it features a 20mm fixed lens.
It will set you back MYR 2,599, about MYR 800 less than the ZV-1, making it more accessible. It is still a premium product though. While the ZV-1F lacks a few features, it is lighter than the camera it is based on too, which is always welcome even for compact cameras.
Other than having a fixed lens with large aperture, it seems like there is little else that is special about this ZV-1F. In that case, why bother with the Sony ZV-1F? Should you pay attention to it? We dive in to find out.
Design
The ZV-1F looks strikingly similar to Sony’s ZV-1, which should not come as a surprise at all. The only difference is that the Sony ZV-1F packs a fixed lens that does not tuck in or unpack when you turn it on.
It is a compact camera, there is not much to say in terms of design here. It is a rectangular aluminum box with a bump in front for a grip mound, and a short tube that houses the lens. For the money you pay, you get a tiny light package. While it is a little on the lighter end, it still feels like a quality product.
We appreciate the swiveling display. It is useful if you plan to use the camera for vlogs, replace your webcam, and even take self-portraits. Since it is based on the ZV-1, it takes on all the accessories that the ZV-1 works with as well, that includes the remote grip. While the test unit you see here is black in colour, there is also a white colour option if you want.
Hardware
Internally, you get mostly the same components from the Sony ZV-1. You get the same image processor, the same 1-inch sensor, and even the same battery and memory card slot configuration. You can charge the camera with USB Type-C cable too. There is more to the USB Type-C port to just charging too.
Specifications
Sony ZV-1F
As tested
Sensor
1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS 3:2 aspect ratio Approx. 20.1-Megapixel
Electronic Shutter (1/4″ – 1/32000) Contrast-detection AutoFocus ISO125-ISO6400 (up to ISO12800) up to 16fps continuous shooting
Video Recording
XAVC S 4K: 30p 100M/60M, 24p 100M/60M XAVC S HD (Full HD): 60p 50M/25M, 30p 50M/16M, 24p 50M, 120p 100M/60M
Miscellaneous
USB Type-C charging/data transfer Battery Pack NP-BX1 Bluetooth 4.1 WiFi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz Band
Features
Everything on the ZV-1F is simplified to ensure that you get access to its most important features. There is still a zoom toggle on the camera. It is not optical zoom though, just digital zoom.
4K 30p Video Recording
The Sony ZV-1F is made for vloggers. The sensor captures videos at up to 4K 30p, just not at 10-bit 4:2:2 colours, though that is nothing to complain about. Having 4K capability also means that you are getting more details in your videos for great looking vlogs.
One Less Frame to Think About with Fixed Lens
While most consensus would say that having a fixed lens on a compact camera is a bad thing, we think there are some benefits. Having a fixed 20mm lens means you know how your frame looks every time you turn on your camera. In that case, you just know where to stand to get the right image through.
At its native zoom length, your frame is perfect for selfies at an arm’s length. If you find that the frame is too tight, you can invest in a cheap selfie stick, or get the remote grip attachment from Sony. Your vlogs are even more instantaneous than ever before since there is no zoom to mess with.
The Might of Sony’s Accessories
Sony has various mic attachments that work with the proprietary hot shoe mount on top of the camera. The hot shoe mount is a blessing in modern compact cameras. It allows you to play with all sorts of attachments that may not even be from Sony.
Of course, if you do not want your set-up to be a cable mess, you go with Sony’s various clever accessories. We mentioned that you can work with Sony’s remote grip that is connected via Bluetooth. You can have a shotgun mic too for better directionality. You can even work with Sony’s XLR expansions too if you want.
The Webcam Replacement You Want
The ZV-1F’s USB Type-C port is your charger and data outlet. Here is where the ZV-1F becomes one of the best tools for content creators too. You can turn the Sony ZV-1F into a 4K webcam without a capture card.
It is also rather simple to work with. You only need to connect the ZV-1F to your PC via USB cable. On the camera itself you select streaming mode. You do not even need to have Sony’s proprietary software for this to work. You can even turn the camera into your designated microphone for clearer audio.
Obviously, using the ZV-1F as a streaming camera or webcam offers better image quality over regular webcams. It is also significantly more expensive than regular webcams. It is an investment to get better quality images and streams.
Sony Imaging Edge
Using the Sony Imaging Edge suite on PC allows you to control your camera remotely and transfer photos and videos off your camera without ever pulling the SD card from your camera. If all you want from the ZV-1F is a webcam replacement, you can go ahead and skip the software for your PC. For your smartphone though, Sony’s Imaging Edge can be quite useful.
On the smartphone, you can use the app to control your camera and use it as a remote display, a rather nifty and useful feature when you just want to place your camera on a tripod and record away from the camera. Using the Imaging Edge app as well, you can take photos using the camera directly saved to your smartphone device. Same goes for 4K videos.
Made for Social Media
Within the camera itself, you can technically shoot videos that are optimized for social media. Well, there is shooting vertically, which is nothing special technically. There is something else you can do on the camera.
Before you transfer your video clips into your smartphone, you can choose and cut out 15-, 30-, and 60-seconds clips within the camera itself. You not only save storage space on your SD card, but you also cut out all editing nuances from your smartphone itself. It allows you to easily pick out clips and put them together before posting them on TikTok, Instagram, or even Facebook.
Performance
You get a 1-inch sensor that shoots at 20.1 Megapixels. You can also record videos in 4K resolution. The lens shoots at 20mm wide angle. The image quality from the ZV-1F is very similar to what you get from Sony’s ZV-1. This should not come as a surprise though; they share the same imaging sensor and even the same image processor. The only difference between the two is the lens on the ZV-1F.
Imaging
Without the zoom lens, you lose the flexibility of adjusting your frame from where you stand. In that sense, some might struggle with it when you need a larger or smaller frame for their photos. For self-portraits, the frame is tight enough to properly frame your face within that arm-length. if you do want to capture a self-portrait with a larger group, you might want to space your friends out a bit behind you.
Still, once familiar with your frame, you can get the ZV-1F to work very nicely for you. The images you get from the compact camera are detailed enough that it will look good on any social media platform. If you dig deeper and zoom in on the photos, you can see that the photos are much sharper in the central region, where Autofocus works. At the edges, the focus seems to be a little softer. With portraits, you get a natural looking depth-of-field (bokeh) effect, which is always nice.
In terms of colours, in auto mode, photos produce rich colours. There is a very slight orange tinge to the photos though. It adds to the vividness of the images and colours, but it does take away some neutrality to the photos. While it means that your photos are ready for social media almost immediately taken by the camera, you might have a slightly harder time if you are looking to colour grade your photos. You can still take RAW photos though.
Small Camera, Big Videos
One of the biggest attractions to this camera is its 4K video capabilities, though only at up to 30p. You can also get those crisp slow-motion videos in Full HD at 120p. That also means that you get an extra layer of flexibility in terms of your creative shots for your vlogs.
While you are not getting 4:2:2 10-bit colours from the ZV-1F, you are not missing out on too much especially if you share your contents on social media. Most of the time, shooting vlogs is a run and gun thing. In that sense, the colours look good and accurate enough without colour grading.
At the same time, recording 4K videos with the ZV-1F gives you a clean crisp image with plenty of details. You even get a nice depth-of-field effect that you get from more expensive lens. It is a fast lens though at f/2.0 allowing that cinematic bokeh in your background and putting the focus on the subject.
AF, but no Eye-AF
We find this a little disappointing. Not because the AutoFocus function is not great. It is a fast autofocus system they have here that easily keeps up with you in a shoot. It lacks the eye-AF system that is so useful on the ZV-1.
Without eye-AF, you only get a regular autofocus system that can reasonably keep up with you. In most vlogging situations, the AF system is clever enough to detect your face and follow it. It is fast enough though for you to work with once it gets a lock-on.
It is not perfect. We had some trouble getting it to focus on our test subject, a toy car. Since the focal distance is at a minimum of 7.6mm, we thought we could get the toy car to be in focus even when we close the distance between the camera and the subject. We had to pull away from the subject most of the time to get the subject in proper focus. We also had to tap on the screen to get it to focus on our subject when it is off center.
At MYR 2,599, the ZV-1F compact camera is not exactly a budget option. While it is more accessible than the ZV-1, it is still a lot of money for what some might describe as nothing more than a glorified 4K webcam. It does not pack Eye-AF, it does not have a zoom lens, and the lack of weight might not inspire plenty of confidence.
The thing is, there is still plenty to like about the ZV-1F. The ZV-1F is ridiculously light. It is not much more compact than the camera it is derived from, it is about the same size and therefore just as compact.
Because it is lighter than the camera it is based on, it feels quicker to work with. You do not need to spend on heavy duty tripods too. Since there are no zoom lenses to unpack, you are quicker to get to your photos or videos. It is an excellent webcam and mic combo replacement too.
At the same time, you are getting everything that is also great about the ZV-1. The ZV-1F can record videos at 40K 30p. It takes photos at the same 20.1 Megapixel as the ZV-1. If you think the ZV-1 takes great photos, you will be pleased with this one too.
In the right hands, the ZV-1F is a powerful entry-level and compact content creation tool. As a webcam replacement, the ZV-1F offers a much higher quality feed over regular webcams, even if you stick with 720p streaming over USB. It is also your mic replacement, on a budget. At the same time, taking the camera out for a vlog or taking a quick photo is easy. Since it connects to your smartphone wirelessly too, you can make quick work of any photos or videos you take on the ZV-1F before posting it on social media. You even cut an entire editing process out of your workflow with the built-in modes made specially for social media format contents. It is content creation made super easy.
If you ask any photographer about their preferred lenses, or what lens you should start with as an enthusiast, most will respond with one lens length in particular. They will always tell you that you should get a 50mm lens. There is a good reason for that.
The 50mm prime lens is one of the most versatile lens you can find in your arsenal of lenses. In the right hands, it is an excellent portrait lens that is meant to capture everything from candid photos to magazine quality headshots. It is perfect for street photography, since 50mm is narrow enough for you to get portraits of people in their everyday lives without getting into their personal spaces. In open spaces, landscape photos can look good too. There is also the fact that they say that the frame you get with 50mm lenses is the closest to what you actually see with your own eyes. Whatever it is, you get the idea.
Sony already has two 50mm lenses in their stables. They have the SEL50F25G lens. It is a rather compact, budget-friendly 50mm lens with F2.5 aperture. It weighs only 174g and is only 45mm long.
They also have the super-premium FE 50mm F1.2 G Master lens that offers a lot of lens for three-folds the price of the 50mm G lens. It is not as compact at 108mm in length. It is also much heavier at 778g in weight. It offers F1.2 aperture though for beautiful bokeh. The F1.2 aperture means that it is amazingly fast and especially excellent video work. There are 11 aperture blades for smooth, round bokeh effects. The weight is also a direct contribution o the amount of glass elements within the lens, about 14 of them.
Source: Sony
So why do Sony need to introduce another 50mm lens? Because the new Sony 50mm G Master lens is meant to be a modern take of what a 50mm lens is supposed to be.
In terms of minimum focus distance and magnification, it is similar to the older lens. The minimum focus distance is at 0.41m and autofocus allows the lens 0.16x magnification for beautiful and detailed close-up photos. These are not the improvements made on the new lens though.
It features a slightly smaller maximum lens opening than the existing lens at F1.4 vs F1.2. But that does not mean that it is not a fast lens, it is still faster than most 50mm lens you can find in the market. It also weighs quite a little bit less than the older lens at 516g, which also means you might get more use out of the lens in one sitting. At 96mm length, it is also slightly more compact than the other 50mm G Master lens.
How they got the lens to go on a diet is by fitting a new high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors which is smaller than lighter than ever before. You still have 11 aperture blades, but they are new more compact units compared to before, so the lens can be made shorter than before.
The new linear motors are not just to reduce weight and make the lens smaller though. The XD Linear motors goes along with a new algorithm for smoother and more responsive focus control. That also means that your autofocus is faster than before. Thanks to smoother motors, the autofocus mechanism is also quieter than before. The faster, smoother operations means that it is perfect for shooting high frame-rate videos. To make it even better for videos, the lens offers focus breathing compensation to reduce the image distortion when the lens changes focus.
The new lens offers a Linear Response MF focus ring that directly responses to subtle controls when you work with it manually. There is also a new iris lock switch, first in a prime lens from Sony. There are now two custom programmable buttons on the lens. Sony has also coat the glass with a fluorine coating that is supposed to repel fingerprints, dust, water, oil, and other contaminants from the exposed glass elements to ensure that the lens is still as excellent as it can be in any shoot conditions.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 G master (SEL5014GM) lens will be available in Malaysia at the end of March 2023 onward. They have not mentioned the price for the lens just yet. The previous 50mm lens from Sony’s G Master line-up sets you back MYR 9,499. With that as an indication, you might want to ensure you have anywhere between MYR 8,000 to 10,000 to spare to get the upcoming lens. It is just an educated guess though; we could be wrong. More information on the Sony FE 50mm F1.4 G Master lens can be found on their website.
Canon’s EOS R line-up has proven to be some of the most powerful and currently popular content creation tools to date. It is also an indication of a new direction that the entire camera industry is moving toward – mirrorless. Then again, Canon only has the EOS R5, R6, and RP helming their mirrorless camera division. Now there is a new one, the new EOS R8. If you were not convinced by Canon to start going into their mirrorless ecosystem, you might be now.
The Canon EOS RP is and will still be Canon’s most affordable EOS R series camera to date. The Canon EOS R8 is not meant to replace the EOS RP then. It is meant to complete the EOS R collection and fill the gap between EOS RP and full-frame EOS R6. At the same time, it is Canon’s lightest EOS R camera yet, even lighter than EOS RP.
At 461g, the Canon EOS R8 is 20g lighter than the already light EOS RP. That weight has taken the battery and SD card into account. That weight also allows cameramen to haul the EOS R8 and shoot for longer and offer even more shoot flexibility.
For high-resolution, clear, and detailed photos, the Canon EOS R8 comes with a brand-new 24.2-Megapixel sensor. The new CMOS sensor works with their proven DIGIC X image processor. The new sensor is also capable of shooting at ISO 102,400 (stills). In video mode, it goes up to ISO 25,600, which is still rather high for shots in low-light conditions.
While it is a traditional interchangeable lens camera, the Canon EOS R8 is made to be excellent for videographers. That is not to say that it will be rubbish as a point-and-shoot stills camera. It is still an excellent photographer tool. You can get up to 40fps high-speed continuous shooting with the electronic shutter. If you prefer shooting in RAW, you get up to 30fps with that too. After all, it is a Canon camera.
Source: Canon
Source: Canon
Source: Canon
Source: Canon
Source: Canon
Source: Canon
The lack of weight in the camera is rather perfect for extended free-handed video shoots. At the same time, Canon specifically developed something called the Movie Digital IS for the EOS R8. It is, technically, the same 5-axis in-body stabilization mechanism you can find in the highly acclaimed EOS R6 and R5. The Movie Digital IS adds tilt correction on top of that for extra stable footage in video shoots even without a gimbal. Since it is an in-body mechanism, it works even with lenses without optical stabilization.
The Canon EOS R8 is capable of shooting videos in up to 4K UHD resolution, which is expected from all of Canon’s latest cameras at this point. You can even shoot the videos with HDR 10-bit 4:2:2 colours baked in, if you want. It is an even more capable video shooter too than the EOS RP with up to 60fps 4K UHD video recording for up to 30 minutes (4K 30p limitless recording). That 4K UHD footage from the new 24.2-Megapixel CMOS sensor is also even more detailed than before since the entire sensor is being used to oversample the footage in 6K resolution before being recorded in 4K.
Canon’s very fast autofocus is rather famous in the camera industry, The new Dual Pixel CMOS AF II technology developed for the EOS R6 II makes an appearance here too for ultra-fast autofocus speeds. It can get a hold of an object in mere 0.03 seconds for that matter. It can lock onto and track various subjects including people, animals, and even vehicles. For video workflows, the clever focus breathing correction eliminates any sort of distortions or fluctuations when the focus changes from one object to the other.
Shooting videos in Logs is always recommended, especially if you want your videos to look extra sharp and detailed. In that case, you can shoot with Canon Log 3 at up to 40fps. It is not quite the 60p if you shoot without the Canon Log, but you are getting above 30fps videos with highly flexible colour grading options in post-production.
If you need a do-it-all camera for your streaming needs, the Canon EOS R8 is that one camera too. You can plug the camera to your streaming PC via USB type-C and get up to Full HD footage via the streaming apps or in video calls. You can get the camera running even without going through Canon’s app on your PC.
Source: Canon
Source: Canon
Alongside the Canon EOS R8, Canon is also launching the RF24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM RF mount lens for full-frame cameras and RF-S55-210mm f/5-7.1 ISTM STM zoom lens for APS-C EOS R cameras. The RF24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM zoom lens will be Canon’s lightest RF-mount lens available at 210g. It also features up to 4.5 stops in optical image stabilization. Combined with EOS R8’s Movie Digital IS, it offers up to 7 stops in image stabilization.
The Canon EOS R8 is now available for pre-order in the European and North American regions. There are no confirmed availability dates for Malaysia just yet. It is priced at about US$1,500 for the North American market. We are guessing that prices will hover around MYR 6,500-7,000 when it comes to Malaysia, but we are only speculating since there are no indications to local pricing at this time. More information on the Canon EOS R8 can be found on their website.
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2023 is happening in less than 2 weeks. They are set to launch their latest flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series of smartphones in that event. With the new device, they are also expected to unveil a few new features on the device itself as well. One of them is a new camera sensor module.
Samsung has been leading the charge in the smartphone camera Megapixel war. They introduced their 108-Megapixel sensor a few years ago and Sony has not come up with an answer for that kind of resolution just yet. Sony does have their larger format 1-inch sensors shoehorned into their smartphones though, effectively making them proper compact point-and-shoot camera with smartphone built-in.
While the 108-Megapixel camera still sits on top of its throne, it is getting a little outdated. There are new technologies to be explored, there are cleverer ways to cram more pixels in a sensor; there is always a new horizon to be explored. In that spirit, Samsung introduced the ISOCELL CP2 sensor.
Welcome to the world of super high-resolution photos coming from your smartphone. At 200-Megapixel, even medium format cameras from Hasselblad cannot compete in terms of theoretical detail. All this might come to your next flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (or whatever they want to call it this time).
The 200-Megapixel is packed in a 1/1.3” sized sensor, the same size from the previous 108-Megapixel ISOCELL you can find in your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra today. That means you get nearly twice the pixel amount in the same amount of space. But it is not just a small sensor with added pixels.
The sensor packs Samsung’s latest advanced pixel-binning technology, Tetra2pixel. The HP2 sensor with the technology now can simulate different pixel sizes for different lighting levels. That means that the camera can basically combine the pixels into larger pixels to make 50-Megapixel or 12.5-Megapixel clusters for low-light conditions. The 50-Megapixel mode will also be used for 8K 30fps videos so that you do not have to crop too much out of the frame.
Getting a focus in low-lit environments is a challenge for most cameras. Because the Samsung camera can see better, auto focus in the environment should be less of a problem. With Super QPD, the 200-Megapixel available become part of the focusing mechanic. The technology allows for the pixels to be divided into four parts to recognise pattern changes to ensure that autofocus is more accurate and much faster than before.
In conditions where there is too much light, yes; you can have too much light, the HP2’s Dual Vertical Transfer Gate (D-VTG) technology can make the images vibrant still. The D-VTG is basically an added voltage transfer gate for the sensor to sort of increase its dynamic capabilities by up to 33%. This allows the sensor to cleverly reduce overexposures of photos while optimising colours. That all means you can take a photo on a bright day without worrying about getting washed out details and colours.
The Samsung ISOCELL HP2 should start making its way into flagships in the coming year. We are expecting the HP2 to make it first into Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series flagships. You can expect the usually suspects like Xiaomi capitalising and shoehorning the high-resolution sensor in their smartphones in year 2023 as well.
Mirrorless camera is currently the way forward in terms of imaging. Canon and Nikon realized this and have made obvious strides and transitions toward mirrorless cameras with their own line-up of high-end mirrorless shooters. Mirrorless cameras are way lighter, more compact, and can offer superior image quality at the same time.
Mirrorless cameras have also revolutionized the video making industry. Because they are more compact, they tend to weigh less and cost less to work with. The rigs that go around the mirrorless cameras can be much smaller and compact to work with. You can bring the camera to where traditional cameras cannot go. It put professional filmmaking technology closer to the ground and made them more accessible than ever.
There is a problem though. Filmmaking technology made accessible today are still geared toward traditional DSLR formats. That means that things like stabilizing gimbals are made to carry heavier rigs. That does not mean that you have to settle though, thanks mostly to DJI.
DJI RS 3 Mini – a Mini Gimbal for Compact Set-Up
Source: DJI
Welcome to the DJI RS 3 Mini, a Ronin stabilizing platform that is geared specifically toward mirrorless cameras. It is also the only gimbal made for proper cameras that is designed for single-handed function. Of course, that meant that it has to be light. It weighs less than 1kg at 795g gram specifically, without a camera attached to it.
The RS 3 Mini is at least 40% lighter than the larger format RS 3 platform. Making it much simpler to work with when you need to get a quick shoot going. It is perfect for travelling too, since you can easily pack it into your daily backpack and quickly get it going. Because it is lighter as well, you might be able to shoot for extended periods without feeling too much strain on your arms.
The RS 3 Mini is capable of working with payloads weight up to 2kg. You are looking at something like a Sony α7S III paired to a 24-70mm F.28 G Master lens combination or a Canon EOS R5 with a 24-70mm F2.8 STM lens combo. The gimbal stabilization is still powerful enough to work with fully extended lenses if need be.
Made for Social Media
Source: DJI
Because social media is largely consumed from a smartphone, you want your camera to shoot vertically in most situations. For that, you also want to be able to vertically mount your camera to the gimbal for the best stabilization for your social media optimized videos. The DJI RS 3 Mini comes with a dual-layered quick-release plate that allows you not to only quickly unhook the camera from the gimbal but also to rotate the camera to the vertical arm for vertical shooting optimized for short form social media contents.
Just as Powerful
Source: DJI
The compact body does not mean that you are getting a watered down DJI RS 3 gimbal. You are getting most of the same stabilizing technologies you get from the bigger DJI RS 3 Pro. DJI’s 3rd generation stabilization algorithm allows users to shoot stabilized videos no matter the shoot condition. Even an amateur film maker can shoot smooth and stable videos like the pros with the DJI RS 3 Mini. For more creative stability, the DJI RS 3 Mini packs a few features of its own more dynamic shots like the 360o rotating images.
More Shooting Freedom
Source: DJI
With Wireless Bluetooth Shutter function, the RS3 Mini can be connected to most modern mirrorless camera format for simple remote activation. You do not need to take your hands off the gimbal when you shoot. You can activate the camera directly from the record/shutter button on the gimbal itself. If you are on a Sony camera, the gimbal can even work the zoom lenses via the front dial. There is also a 1.4-inch touch screen and an M-mode button to switch between the three custom modes on the gimbal. The front rotating dial can also be used as a focus dial. For even more options, you have the Ronin app to work with to easily record timelapse, point tracking, and even panorama videos.
You get up to 10 hours of battery life out of the compact gimbal. 10 hours should also be enough for an entire day’s worth of shooting. If not, you can charge the gimbal within 2.5 hours, at which time you might want to think about taking a break yourself.
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Source: DJI
Price and Availability
The DJI RS 3 Mini is now available via DJI’s authorized dealers and their ecommerce platform. There are no colour options for the DJI RS3 Mini, just plain black with some red trims. It will set you back US$ 369 (MYR 1,613*), which is rather affordable as professional gimbals go. The DJI RS 3 Mini comes with DJI Care Refresh that covers all accidental damages with a replacement unit immediately. Of course, you do have to pay a little extra if you want that sort of coverage. More information on the DJI RS 3 Mini can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.37 as of 11/01/2023 on xe.com
It’s become a norm to want a webcam that can do more than just video conferencing. Razer started its journey in the webcam with the original Kiyo and Kiyo X webcams. However, with their releases, they’ve realised that current users, and in particular, streamers have unique requirements for their cameras. With that in mind, they ventured to bring DSLR-like quality to their already powerful webcam series with the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra.
Source: Razer
The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra comes equipped with the large 1/1.2-inch Sony STARVIS 2 sensor. The sensor is able to capture even more light and detail with its large 2.9 μm pixel size. It also comes with a large f/1.7 aperture lens which allows four times more light into the sensor for crisper details even in low light conditions. There’s even a manual shutter to physically block the sensor.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra comes with a processor that powers its high-resolution capture. The processor converts raw 4K 30fps or 1080p 60fps footage into 4K 24fps, 1440p 30fps or 1080p 60fps directly into your stream. The AI-powered face-tracking autofocus also allows you to focus on creating content while the camera keeps your shots on point and in focus. It also gives artfully blurred bokeh while keeping key details in focus and crisp.
The webcam is also able to dynamically adjust and refine lighting for better picture quality. The Kiyo Pro UItra also corrects over or under-exposed areas. It also supports HDR at 30fps bringing better detail and more vivid colours when streaming. Razer’s Synapse app provides users even more control of the webcam with the ability to fine-tune and tweak settings like ISO, shutter speed, pan, tilt and more. The webcam is also simple to use with its plug-and-play capabilities needing only a USB 3.0 connection.
Pricing & Availability
The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra will be available starting on January 5, 2023. It will retail for USD$299.99 (MYR1,312.05) or EUR 299.99 (MYR1,408.69).
