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DJI Enterprise launches the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T – Not Your Average Mavic 3 

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DJI’s Mavic 3 launched a few months back. It is, in our opinions, one of DJI’s most innovative product to date. The feature packed compact drone is really a demonstration of DJI’s technological superiority when it comes to drone technology.

While compact drones like the Mavic 3 have its roots found in the demand in the end-user segment for aerial photography and videography, it holds more potential that goes beyond just amateur filmography. Thanks to its lightweight and compact construction, the industrial application could be limitless for a Mavic 3.  

The Mavic 3 for enterprises comes in two flavors, the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T. The difference? You get a thermal enabled camera on the Mavic 3T while the Mavic 3E boasts a powerful camera system that allows you to accurately map out an area or pinpoint points of interest with 56x hybrid zoom. The thermal camera on the Mavic 3T allows you to also pinpoint subjects of interest via heat signatures. At the same time, the Mavic 3T packs a 28x side-by-side digital zoom for even better accuracy in detecting subjects and comparison. 

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Thanks to DJI’s know how in long-range remote technology, the drones can be flown up to 15km away from base (remote). They call the technology DJI O3 Enterprise Transmission and it is even more powerful than the antennas you can find on any consumer grade DJI products. The technology also allows users to view its feed live at 1080p/30fps with minimal interruption.  

The Mavic 3 for pro-sumers is already a potent drone with state-of-the-art safety features and measures. The one for Enterprises gets all the same innovative features for safer and easier flight. It also includes DJI AirSense, a system that automatically detects traditional aircrafts in the area and warns its users of surrounding air traffic. At the same time, the DJI APAS System 5.0 is improved to ensure that the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T do not fly blindly into obstacles.  

Made for all sorts of applications, the DJI Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T can be attached with a selection of modules to ensure that the Mavic 3 is properly tailored for specific use cases. For one, the remote that the DJI Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T can work with is the DJI RC Pro Enterprise that fits a 1,000-nit display for clear visibility even in direct sunlight. With the RTK Module, the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T becomes an aerial measuring tool that measures down to centimeters. Ensuring that your Mavic 3E or Mavic 3T is properly always located for emergencies is the D-RTK 2 Mobile Station with GNSS receiver. You can even send the drone packing a speaker for either crowd control or direct communication via the drone and remote combination.  

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Of course, hardware is only one part of the story. The Mavic 3 made for enterprises comes with a suite of apps and software to support and make sense of all its sophisticated hardware. For the Enterprise series, there is the DJI Pilot 2 app with improved interfaces for even better experiences than before. Payloads can also be easily controlled via the app if they can interface with the drone. At the same time, the DJI Pilot 2 can be used as a monitor for users. 

To manage a fleet of drones, DJI developed the FlightHub 2 as well to always locate and manage your fleet with route planning efficiently and effectively. DJI Terra can be used to map entire areas for mission planning and even 2D or 3D modelling of an area. For the Mavic 3T, the DJI Thermal Analysis Tool 3.0 helps with analysis, annotations, and processing of all images captured by the thermal camera for temperature changes and abnormalities. 

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The DJI Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T is now available in Malaysia. If you are interested in procuring one, you can do so via DJI Enterprise’s newest authorized distributor and service centre, Aonic. This also means that you can also service your existing DJI drones with Aonic as well. The Mavic 3E will set you back MYR 14,800 while the thermal camera equipped DJI Mavic 3T comes in at MYR 21,000. More on DJI’s Mavic 3 Enterprise series drones can be found on their website.  

Business, Camera, Lifestyle, News

Sony’s Latest FX30 is the New Compact Super 35 4K Camera for the Future, Or So They Say

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You may say that cinema cameras are a little unnecessary. In most cases, you will be right, they offer very little in terms of photography in both professional and enthusiast segments. Unlike regular photography cameras, they are much bulkier too. Not to mention, they are a lot more expensive to work with while not offering much more in terms of pixel count. Your smartphones today can shoot at up to 8K resolution, or 4K 120fps. So why is Sony’s latest FX30 important? 

It is important simply because it is one of the most compact cinema cameras to come off Sony’s production line. We want to say that the FX30 is technically the spiritual successor to the Sony FX3 introduced a few years ago. While it contains all the right traits to be one, it is a unique camera on its own though.  

The Sony FX3 was technically a repackaged Sony α7S III in a cinema camera guise. It featured a larger body that is also a different colour (grey instead of black). The larger body houses bigger heatsinks and fans to dissipate heat more effectively from the 12-Megapixel sensor that shoots videos at 4K 120fps (up to). The FX30 is different. 

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Source: Sony

The Sony FX30 packs a more powerful (technnically speaking) video sensor that pushes 20.1-Megapixel instead of the 12 that the FX3 has. It is not a full-frame sensor like the FX3 though. Instead, it is an APS-C Exmor R SMOS sensor with back-illumination that offers a rather high ISO sensitivity.  

The APS-C sensor also means that the camera shoots at Super 35 format by default. At that, the camera oversamples the footages from 6K at up to 60fps to scale it down to 4K formats. You can even get the camera to shoot at 120fp (4K) or 240fps (Full HD) if you want that extra smooth feel or that beautiful looking slow motions. Of course, all these are shot at 10-bit 4:2:2 internally. If you have an external recorder that is capable, you can output to 4K 16-bit RAW formats.  

With the latest Sony cameras, you want to shoot videos at S-Log3 for even more details and vibrant footage than before with colour grading. Sony’s cinema line-up of cameras offers ever better gamma settings though. You get something called the S-Cinetone for Sony’s signature cinematic look in combination with BIONZ XR engine. 

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Of course, the BIONZ XT engine also means you get a full suite of Sony’s clever technology for its Alpha cameras. Real-time Eye AF tracking for humans, animals, and birds allows you to keep your subject in full focus quickly no matter where they go within the frame. In combination with AF Assist, autofocusing in a compact camera has never been this easy. There is even a Focus Map that allows the camera to compensate for breathing effects and set your depth of field before you take your final shot. For run-and-gun situations, the Active Mode works with the built-in 5-axis stabilizer with time code synchronization for rock steady footages even in freehand shooting situations.  

Alongside the FX30, Sony launches two new CFexpress Type A cards. You can now get the XFexpress Type A card in 320GB and 640GB flavours in addition to the current 80GB and 160GB variants. Like the existing cards, the CFexpress Type A cards offer 700 MB/s write speeds, which is overkill considering that 4K 120fps videos only writes at up to 400 MB/s at the maximum. The new TOUGH cards are also IP57 water and dust resistant.  

The Sony FX30 comes in the FX30 and FX30B variants. Bost will be available November onward in Malaysia. There is no official pricing detail for Malaysia just yet, but we are keeping our ears close to the ground for that. For more information on the new Sony Cinema Line FX30 and FX30B, you can visit their website.  

Camera, Lifestyle, News

Fujifilm Releases the new X-H2 with 40.2MP on Tap and up to 8K 30fps Internal Recording

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When you think high-end cameras, you usually think full-frame sensors. In the case of a Fujifilm, full frame is not an option. You either go for the compact APS-C format, or medium format form factor.  

To be fair, Fujifilm has been championing the APS-C form factor for a few reasons. While you get a smaller sensor, you are not losing that much from full-frame sensors in terms of image quality and detail. Of course, image quality and clarity are also affected by the lenses, so Fujifilm’s FUJINON lenses are made to the highest standards. The smaller sensor also allows Fujifilm to make their cameras more compact than regular full-frame sensor cameras. At the same time, APS-C sensors can naturally capture videos at super 35 format without odd crops.  

In the modern era of photography as well, they make some of the world’s most advanced APS-C mirrorless cameras. With the Fujifilm X-H2, they have just redefined what a mirrorless APS-C can do. Yes, it is technically a more advanced camera even compared to the X-H2S.  

The headline figure is impressive. There is 40.2-Megapixel on tap from a sensor smaller than anything you can get from Sony’s α7 series. While there are cameras out there with higher Megapixel count, you also want to keep in mind that APS-C sensors hardly fit more than 24-Megapixel. Having any more pixel on the sensors also means shrinking the pixels to sizes never seen. Then again, Sony crammed more than 50-Megapixel into their full frame sensor, something that was thought to be impossible. 

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Source: Fujifilm

The larger sensor comes with Fujifilm’s proven X-Processor 5, the same one found in their X-H2S flagship shooter. The X-Processor 5 is a potent processor not just for still imaging though. It is also a powerful processor for video recordings. It allows the X-H2 to fully take advantage of the higher pixel count in the form of 8K video recording at up to 30 fps. It is capable of recording at up to 4:2:2 10-bit colours at 8K resolution too for up to 160 minutes, making it an even more impressive piece of kit. All of this is done internally too, so there is no need to get an external capture device. 

On top of ProRes 422 format at 10-bit colour, you can push the Fujifilm X-H2 to shoot videos at 12-bit RAW with compatible HDMI recording devices. With an Atomos and Blackmagic Design’s recorders, you can even record at Apple ProRes RAW and Blackmagic RAW formats at up to 8K and 30fps. For more dynamic range, the X-H2 can record videos at F-Log2 that offers up to 13+ stops for even more details in your videos. 

In terms of shooting stills, you can get the camera to shoot from as low as ISO125 and at a maximum shutter speed of 1/180000 seconds with electronic shutters for great photos in ultra-bright conditions. With up to 20 frame per second in high-speed shutter mode, shooting action and sports under bright lights becomes a breeze with the Fujifilm X-H2.  

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Source: Fujifilm

If you think that this is just a regular camera for enthusiasts with no place in the studio, you might want ot think again. The X-H2 can function and capture high-resolution stills like a medium format camera with up to 160-Megapixel in its resulting image. They call is the Pixel Shift Multi-Shot function that works with the 5-axis built in stabilisation mechanism (IBIS) shifts the image sensor with high precision and shoots multiple images automatically to create a high-resolution image that can be used in a commercial context.  

Fujifilm did not disclose the number of autofocus points featured on the X-H2. They claim that the new camera packs more autofocus points than before for more precise and faster autofocusing speeds in AF-S mode. In AF-C mode, the camera is supposed to ensure a more stable and accurate autofocus on the subject. At the same time, with Deep Learning technology that allows the camera to detect a wide range of subjects for photography, the camera accurately tracks different subjects to ensure that users have one less thing to worry about in their photographs.  

A fast camera needs a fast storage system, especially when you are talking about taking 20 40.2-Megapixel in a single second. For that you have the option to go for a regular SDXC card with support for up to UHS-II or Video Speed Class V90 storage. You can also work with the current more widely accepted CFexpress Type B cards that allows a more seamless video workflow too at 8K resolutions.  

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The Fujifilm X-H2 is expected to be available late into September 2022. You might see it in Malaysia early in October 2022 instead though. There are no colour options here, just the regular black, as with any other high-end camera available in the market today. The camera body will set you back US$ 1,999 (MYR 9,086*) when it is available. For more information on the Fujifilm X-H2, you can refer to their website.  

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.55 as of 19/09/2022 on xe.com 

Accessories, Camera, News

More Mirrorless Goodness from Canon with new RF Lenses

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Sony is no longer the only choice in mirrorless cameras. While the Japanese electronics manufacturer have been at it for a long time, its compatriots have also started betting into the technology in recent years. Canon, for one, has been rather active in pushing out new mirrorless cameras and lenses in the recent years to not just compete against Sony. They want their throne as the largest camera manufacturer in the world, and they want the top spot in mirrorless cameras too.

To unseat the current king of mirrorless cameras though, Canon needs to offer more than just a few cameras and select popular lenses. They need to cater to a much larger market. They need to create a larger support system for their EOS R line-up of products. That is why they have introduced their new RF24mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM and RF15-30mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lenses.

While it is only two lenses that they are introducing currently, they now have 30 lenses in their collection of lenses for the EOS R system. The RF lenses, in numbers, still pale in comparison to Sony’s current offerings. Canon is catching up fast though, at this rate anyway.

RF24mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM

RF24mm f1.8 MACRO IS STM Slant
Source: Canon

As its single focal length suggests, it is another prime lens made for the EOS R series mirrorless cameras from Canon. It completes the range of affordable prime lens collection in Canon’s RF stables. The 24mm adds to Canon’s current 16mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm prime lenses. It is not just a regular wide-angle prime lens though.

Canon says that this is a sort of dual-purpose prime lens. It is still a wide-angle lens at 24mm, at which focal length, is perfect for landscape shots and even close-up portraits if you like. But it is also developed as a macro lens with only 0.14m in focusing distance from your selected subject. The ultra-short focusing distance will allow you to capture things like food, flowers, small animals, and even toys in rather immaculate detail up-close. At f/1.8 aperture too, you can capture all of these and even portraits with beautiful bokeh on your photos.

The 24mm is also not a very hefty lens to carry around, making it the perfect lens for travelling. At 270g, the prime lens is not what you would call back breaking. Yet, it still packs Canon’s rather clever Image Stabilisation hardware with up to 6.5 stops to ensure that you are capturing the best possible photos without wobbles. It contains 9 aperture blades so that your bokeh comes as round as they can be.

RF15-30mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM

RF15 30mm f4.5 6.3 IS STM Slant
Source: Canon

If you need versatility from your lens, a zoom lens should always be the preferred option. Zoom lenses give you a sort of flexibility no prime lenses can give you. If you need one lens to do it all, you want to go for a Zoom lens.

The RF15-30mm with f/4.5-6.3mm is a budget lens. With aperture as high as f/6.3mm, you may not get depth effect as good as the one you get on the prime lens. It is a small trade-off for the versatility in range you get from 15mm to 30mm though. At 15mm, you get a wider angle from the 24mm to capture more landscape goodness in your travels. At 30mm, you can just zoom in enough to cut out whatever you might not want in your photo but still get a good wide-angle shot anyway. At 30mm too, you are getting a rather natural perspective, very close to what you can see with your natural human eyes.

While it is not exactly a macro lens, its 0.28m focal distance puts it close enough for you to work with if you still want to capture macro images. Of course, to get even more detail on your subject, you want to get a good zoom in. It sacrifices some of the lens opening with up to f/6.3 aperture, but with good enough lighting, you should be able to come up with something beautiful still.

At 390g, it is heavier than the budget prime lens Canon introduced alongside this lens. It is also slightly bulkier than the prime lens, which is sort of a given with more elements introduced for the lens to zoom in and out. It still packs Canon’s legendary image stabilization at 7 stops for ultra-steady and crisp images out-of-the-box. It features 7 aperture blades, 2 less than the prime lens. But you can still capture rather interesting photos with the RF zoom lens.

Availability

There are no confirmations on when the new RF lenses will make it to Malaysia. Although, you can already find more information on the new lenses on their website. If you do head over there, you would have noticed that there is no pricing just yet too. There are no clear indications how much Canon would be pricing both these budget lenses. Based on what we have seen on the market though, the 24mmm lens should set you back anywhere between MYR 2,000 to MYR 3,000. The zoom 15mm-35mm should go anywhere between MYR 2,500-3,500. Take it with a pinch of salt though, we could be wrong.  

Android, Camera, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Xiaomi and Leica’s Partnership is Real – First Devices to Feature Leica Branding Coming 4th July 2022

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A few months ago, we heard a rumour. A little bird said that Leica is looking for a partnership with a mobile manufacturer. We heard that they are looking into another partnership with a different Chinese manufacturer at the time, Xiaomi. For a few months after that, the rumour seemed dead, quiet.

Leijun, the current CEO of Xiaomi global, today just confirmed that the rumours a few months ago was true after all. There were no big announcements too, no press releases. It is just a simple twitter post that also teases a 4th of July 2022 launch date for the Xiaomi 12S Series flagship smartphones. It is happening at 7pm at GMT +8 next week, which is good for us in Malaysia.

There is not too much that we know about the Xiaomi 12S series. To be fair, Xiaomi has not teased much about it and has been keeping mums about it quite well. Still there are a few things we may be able to expect out of the new flagship devices.

You can expect Qualcomm’s latest Snadragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip fitted into the new devices. It will effectively be the first devices in the world to pack Qualcomm’s new generation system on a chip (SoC). Technically at launch too, it will be the most powerful Android device available in the market.

You can expect up to 12GB of RAM too in the most premium variant of the Xiaomi 12S alongside up to 256GB of storage. In terms of display, you should get up to 120Hz in refresh rate, the highest you can sort of get in smartphones today anyway. Like Xiaomi teased a long time ago too, fast charging will still be a thing with the new device with up to 120W in charging speeds.

Of course, the Xiaomi 12S will be an Android 12 device at launch. It should be upgradable to Android 13 when it is available from Xiaomi. As with any other Xiaomi flagship that came before, it will come installed with MIUI 13 based on Android 12 too.

There are no confirmations on what prices the devices will launch with. There is also nothing to indicate its availability date in different regions. We are hoping that Malaysia will be in the list of countries that gets the Xiaomi 12S devices first. The Xiaomi 12S, with Leica’s co-engineered camera sounds a lot like a treat, and we are excited for it.

Camera, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

The Megapixel Race is Back on with Sony Looking to Introduce 100MP Smartphone Camera Sensor

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Before Samsung came with their 108-Megapixel behemoth of a camera sensor that is their ISOCELL camera sensor you find on the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 series, Sony was the go-to people for smartphone camera sensors. Their IMX sensors proved to be some of the versatile and best camera sensors for all kinds of mobile photography needs. Of course, not everyone feels like the sensors from Sony is adequate for them and their purpose. HUAWEI, for example came up with their own Red Yellow Yellow Blue (RYYB) sensor for more natural colours on their photos.

Samsung snagged the king of smartphone photography sensor title when they introduced the new sensor that went above 100MP for their flagship smartphone. Earlier this year, Samsung made another breakthrough in their mobile photography technology. They have introduced their ISOCELL HP1 200MP sensor, a sensor that hits 200-Megapixel. If estimations are correct, the sensor could make its way to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra model next year.

Sony is not backing down though. They are reported to be working on their own version of a smartphone camera sensor that is supposed to shoot at 100-Megapixel, rivalling the current Samsung ISOCELL sensors found in the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra. Currently, reports points to the sensor as a part of the IMX8 series of sensors that are designed for mid-range and high-end smartphones. The sensor could also be larger than the ½-inch 64-Megapixel sensor that Sony already makes, currently found in the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ smartphones.

The idea of cramming more pixels into your smartphone camera is something that manufacturers have toyed with several years ago. Sony was the manufacturer of choice too when it comes to high-resolution sensors. For several years, the highest pixel count for a smartphone camera was 64-Megapixel until Samsung introduces their Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra last year with a behemoth of a 108-Megapixel sensor lodged in its body. We thought the Megapixel race was over, looks like we were wrong.

Source: SAMMobile

Accessories, Camera, Lifestyle, News

Sony Announces New Lenses for Their APS-C Mirrorless Cameras

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Whenever you go about choosing a camera system to buy for yourself. You are always stuck in a dilemma of some sorts. You must choose between the full frame format or the APS-C cropped sensor format. Generally, cropped sensor cameras are way cheaper because the sensor is smaller (hence, cropped sensor), and therefore the materials required to cocoon the sensors are less. There are differences and compromises for both APS-C sensors and full frame sensors, obviously, but we are not going to get into that for today.

There is plenty of reason why you want to go for an APS-C sensor other than its cost. Because they tend to be smaller and more compact, they are more versatile in different conditions. Even their lenses can be made smaller and more compact because APS-C sensors technically capture less light than full frame sensors. Thanks to that, APS-C specific lenses are cheaper to make and purchase as well. Of course, if you are into film making, the APS-C sensor size is perfect for Super 35mm film format.

There is a problem, however. Because everyone is so focused on bringing in more lenses for the full frame format option, the APS-C cameras get a little less attention. Sure, you can technically use full frame lenses with APS-C cameras, but they tend to get a little expensive. Sony has not forgotten that they offer a variety of APS-C mirrorless cameras too, thankfully. They have just announced three APS-C lenses that videographers and landscape photographers can enjoy.

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Yes, it is a G Lens. How do you tell? There is a ‘G’ behind the name, obviously.

It is a very short lens though at 10mm-20mm. For photographers, this is quite perfect for wide-angle photography. It allows you to capture more in an environment than regular lenses, perfect for landscape photography. Sure, you can capture portraits too, you do have to move rather close to the subject though. That said, a good selfie never hurts anyone.

At 35mm, the lens becomes a sort of 15-30mm lens, which is still rather short and wide. For video work, this is the perfect lens when space is a constraint, and you need to move rather close to your subjects. It is also a perfect vlogger camera in a lot of sense. The short focal distance allows you to use the camera at an arm’s length and you still get to capture the large canvas behind you.

It is also the lightest lens of its kind in its class. It weighs just 178 grams, 20% lighter than the SEL1018 lens it replaced. Thanks to internal zoom and focus mechanisms, there should not be any focus breathing while the camera changes its focus too.

E 15mm F1.4 G

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The F4 offered by the 10-20mm zoom lens may not offer very deep ‘bokeh’ for your photos and videos. For that, you need a fast lens with large aperture. You need a 15mm F1.4 G lens.

Wide lenses are known to have some distortions on the outer edges of the images they capture. Sony’s know how in lens making though effectively compensates the distortion. At the same time, the three aspherical elements in their optics also allow the corners to be captured in detail reducing blurs and resolution loss at the corners.

Of course, F1.4 aperture allows photos to be taken with beautiful ‘bokeh’ in the background, especially in low-light photography or film making. With a focusing distance at just 170mm away from the subject, your ‘bokeh’ can really shine.

For video work, it is important that the focal length does not change even when the camera is focus hunting. Like the zoom lens, the internal focus mechanism allows the 15mm lens to focus hunt while eliminating focus breathing effects.

It is a heavier prime lens over the zoom 10-20mm. It weighs in at 219g, which is still technically not a lot of weight. It is still perfect for vlogging if you just want one focal length and be done with it. It is also wide enough for you to capture most of what you see in the background as well, so your vlogs get a little more flavour from the background.

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If 15mm is not wide enough for you though, you can get your hands on an 11mm lens instead. It features all the same construction feature as the 15mm, which also means you get less focus breathing. The same aspherical elements also eliminate distortion and improve resolution in the corners of the photos taken with the 11mm lens.

At 35mm, you are shooting at 16.5mm focal length, which is still quite a perfect distance as a vlogging lens. At the same time, it is the perfect lens when space is an even bigger constraint in shoot locations. It is lighter than the 15mm as well at 181g, perfect for a quick ‘run-and-gun’ shoot condition.

While the aperture is not as large as the 15mm lens at F1.8, it is still quite a significant opening. The large opening allows the lens to capture plenty of light in low-light conditions and still produce beautiful looking ‘bokeh’. You can go even closer to your subject too at a minimal focus distance of 120mm.

Price and Availability

The three lenses that Sony has just announced are now available in Malaysia via Sony’s authorised retailers and concept stores nationwide. The E PZ 10-20mm F4 G will set you back MYR 3,299, the E 15mm F1.4 G will set you back MYR 3,299, while the E 11mm F1.8 will set you back MYR 2,399). More information on the new Sony lenses can be found on their website.

Camera, Lifestyle, News

Canon EOS R Mirrorless Gets Smaller with new APS-C Sensors and RF-S Lenses

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Canon’s entry into high-end mirrorless camera gear industry with their first EOS R was not too big of a surprise. Mirrorless cameras are the future and Canon must step in and make a small dent to stay relevant too. What was surprising though was how much of an impact Canon is making in the mirrorless camera segment.

When they introduced their current flagships, the super powerful Canon EOS R3, the Canon EOS R5, and the brilliant EOS R6, it seemed like they got the formula right. They did what Sony did not do with the EOS R5 in introducing 8K video recording capability to it. While early reports suggests that the 8K video recording on the Canon EOS R5 is still a little finnicky, it gave us a glimpse of what Canon can really do when their stretch their legs and pull all the stops with their high-end camera.

They are not market leaders in the mirrorless segment, Sony still is the king of mirrorless cameras with the support system that they have built over the years. To be market leaders again, Canon cannot just stop at their high-end EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6 full-frame shooters. They need to cover all their bases. That is where their APS-C mirrorless cameras come in.

To be fair, Canon did have a mirrorless compact camera. They had the EOS M series that is highly regarded by many still. Unfortunately, the EOS M series was short-lived with highly limited lens and accessory support. But it will be different this time with the new Canon EOS R series and the RF-S lenses.

They introduced two brand-new cameras in the EOS R7 and the EOS R10 mirrorless APS-C cameras. Alongside the new APS-C interchangeable lens cameras, Canon also launched new lenses that caters specifically to the APS-C format cameras called the RF-S range. In this case, you get the power of Canon’s brilliant EOS R series at a fraction of the price.

Canon EOS R7

EOS R7 w RF S18 150mm f4.5 6.3 IS SSTM Front Slant
Source: Canon

Meet the new all-rounder that is the Canon EOS R7. It is powered by the same processor as the flagship class EOS R3, the DIGIC X image processor made for professional grade cameras. Thanks to the new image processor, the EOS R7 inherits the same fast autofocus system that the EOS R3 gets.

Thanks to the same processing power as well, the EOS R7 can shoot at up to 15fps in high-speed burst mode in mechanical shutter mode. In electronic shutter mode it can shoot at up to 30fps continuously. You can even shoot at RAW formats in that speed.

The Canon EOS R7 feature an impressive 32.5-Megapixel on tap. They also managed to fit a 5-axis in-boy Image Stabiliser mechanism within the body with up to eight stops of image stabilisation. The result for that is not just better still images, you also get much better and steady videos even if you are shooting without an external stabiliser rig.

The 32.5-Megapixel sensor captures videos at 4K with 7K oversampling for high-quality and detail rich videos at up to 30p. If you prefer to get more frames out of your videos though, you can switch it down to 4K UHD Standard mode that shoots at 4K resolution still but at 60p. For even better details and more freedom in colour grading, you can switch your camera to Canon Log 3 gamma profile.

Canon EOS R10

EOS R10 with RF S18 45mm f4.5 6.3 IS STM Front Slant
Source: Canon

The Canon EOS R10 also packs the same DIGIC 3 image processor that allows it to also shoot at 15fps continuously in mechanical shutter mode. In electronic shutter mode it shoots at a slightly slower rate of 23fps. You still get 24.2-Megapixel out of the camera though, which should still prove to be mighty clear and detailed.

While it does not pack an in-body stabilisation mechanics, it has a built-in Movie Digital image stabilisation algorithm that allows the camera to simulate a 5-axis body stabiliser to allow for better and steadier video recordings even with lenses that does not come equipped with Optical Image Stabiliser. You still get to record videos at 4UK UHD at up to 30p with 6K oversampling in UHD Fine mode, no Canon Log 3 gamma colour profile to work with here though.

Canon RF-S lenses

  • RF S18 45mm f4.5 6.3 IS STM
    Source: Canon
  • RF S18 150mm f3.5 6.3 IS STM
    Source: Canon

Alongside the two new APS-C crop sensors, Canon also introduces two new lenses for crop sensor mirrorless cameras. They introduced the RF-S18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM and RF-S18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lenses. Both are technically made as kit lenses that should come with either camera choices.

The RF-S18-150mm kit lens offers an equivalent of 29-240mm in effective range. Meanwhile, the RF-S18-45mm lens will offer 29-72mm in equivalent range to full frame cameras. Technically as well, you can use the RF-S lenses with other EOS R cameras, since they have the same RF mount anyway.

Availability

There is currently no confirmed availability date for the camera and the lenses. Canon says that the products will be available later in 2022. In terms of price, there are no confirmed local prices just yet as well. The Canon EOS R10 will be available in the North American region for US$ 980 (MYR 4,305*) for body only and up to US$ 1,380 (MYR 6,062*) with the kit RF-S18-150mm lens on it. The R7 is a little more expensive at US$ 1,500 (MYR 6,589*) for the body only. Buying it together with the RF-S18-150mm lens will set you back US$ 1,900 (MYR 8,346*). You can find out more on the new Canon EOS R APS-C cameras and RF-S lenses on their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.39 as of 25/05/2022 on xe.com

Camera, Lifestyle, Mobile, News, Social Media

[Snap Summit 2022] The US$ 229.99 Pixy is Prove that Selfie Drones are Not a Fad

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A few years ago, on Kickstarter and a few other crowdsourcing platforms, we saw something quite intriguing. We saw a small drone that is supposed to be sold to consumers. It is made to eliminate the need for selfie sticks, allowing self-portrait subjects a free range of movements in their own photos. It allows them to have a more flexible control on the frame of the photos. We thought that it was brilliant and odd at the same time. The idea never really took off anywhere though, at least until now. Snap, the people behind Snapchat (obviously), introduces a new hardware for Snapchat users, the Pixy.

The idea of Pixy is nothing new. Ever since DJI started selling consumer grade drones that is smaller than smartphones, the idea of using a drone to capture selfies has been born. It makes a lot of sense too since with a drone, you have a larger creative canvas anyway. You can push it further than you physically can with a selfie stick and bring it closer when you need it to. Like what DJI does with their drones, a flying camera can also be a personal vlogging camera that gives you the full motion of both your hands.

That is basically what Pixy is. It is a pocket-sized, free-flying personal camera that you can take with you anywhere you go. Unlike DJI drones, it does not come with a comprehensive remote. It is made to be used quickly and seamlessly, so we assume that you can control it with your smartphone. We suspect also that the controls on the smartphone could be limited since Snap has mentioned in their release that the Pixy can fly in four preset flight paths. Once you set the flight path, you should not need to look at your smartphone until you are done with it.

Unlike DJI’s devices as well, the Pixy is made with less powerful motors, because it is a simpler and lighter compact drone anyway. Because of that, they designed the Pixy to take off and land on your hands instead of the ground.

We also assume that the Pixy is going to be fully controlled via the Snapchat app. Snap says that the Pixy will be a companion device to the app in the future. All videos and photos from the drone can be transferred to a smartphone device wirelessly to be saved into Snapchat Memories. Everything captured via the Pixy can also be edited on the Snapchat app itself.

The Pixy is now available in the United States and France only. There are no mentions on its availability elsewhere, but we expect that the Pixy will at least make a few more markets in the North American and European regions. It will set you back US$ 229.99 (MYR 1,001*). If you are planning to get one somehow, do check with the local laws to ensure you do not get into trouble taking a selfie. More information on the Pixy can be found on their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.35 as of 28/04/2022 on xe.com

Camera, Lifestyle, News

Sony Introduces the Most Compact and Lightest F2.8 Standard Zoom Lens, The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 G Master II (SEL2470GM2) is Here

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Before we go on; yes, Sony already had a 24-70mm lens with a G Master branding on it. Yes, it was also rather expensive. Yes, it shoots rather pretty photos. Also yes, it shoots nicer than the standard Sony 24-70 F4 G lens. So why do we need another 24-70 F2.8?

Because it is a better one than before.

More Compact, More Portable

SEL2470GM2 2
Source: Sony

They call the new one the FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II, or code named SEL2470GM2. It is much lighter than before with about 20% of weight shaved off from the previous lens. It now sits pretty in your bag, or hand, at less than 700 grams.

If you put it beside the first iteration of Sony’s highly acclaimed 24-70mm G Master, you can see how much effort Sony puts into the Mk. II in terms of weight saving too. It is a much smaller lens overall. It is shorter by 16mm and much slimmer than before too, about 18% slimmer than before. With all the weight shavings, Sony can claim that this is the lightest and most compact lens of its kind, at least for the time being.

More Speed, More Performance

SEL2470GM2 3
Source: Sony

Smaller size does not mean that Sony has compromised on its performance though. They have managed to first improve its autofocusing (AF) ability. It is still the same Extreme Dynamic (XD) Linear motors working on the AF mechanism, but iis now much faster than before. It can support up to 30fps in continuous still shooting and up to 4K 120fps in video recording mode. That might not sound like a lot, but it is mighty impressive to work with in this sort of lens. Sony also claims that the AF tracker is about twice as precise than before.

For the videographers, Sony is making the 24-70mm G Master an even better lens to work with. Thanks to a newly developed aperture unit (now with 11 aperture blades instead of 9), AF operations is quieter than before. The improved motors have also reduced focus breathing, focus shift, and axial shift when zooming to ensure that you get a nice, smooth, immersive video footages when it matters. Of course, you still can work with manual zoom if you want.

Better Elements, Better Images

SEL2470GM2 5
Source: Sony

They managed to fit better glasses in this compact form too. Sony first treated the lens with a Nano AR Coating II. This is to reduce reflections on the glass that in turn reduces lens flares. The new glasses within the lens also allows the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 G Master II to produce photos with beautiful depth effect in all sorts of zoom range. At the same time. The new lens also allows a shorter focusing distance at 0.21 and 0.30 meters at its minimum (@24mm and 70mm respectively) with up to .32x magnification.

All this is achieved through the five aspherical elements found in the lens. There are two high-precision extreme aspherical glass elements paired with two extra-low dispersion glass elements and one floating focus mechanism. The combination of elements also allows the lens to capture photos with high-resolution even at the edges of the photos.

More Precise, More Control

SEL2470GM2 1
Source: Sony
SEL2470GM2 6
Source: Sony
SEL2470GM2 5
Source: Sony
SEL2470GM2 4
Source: Sony
SEL2470GM2 3
Source: Sony
SEL2470GM2 2
Source: Sony

To top it all off, Sony has made improvements on the lens body itself to give users more control over the lens. There is a zoom smoothness switch on the zoom ring to adjust its smoothness now. There are two customisable focus hold buttons in the lens as well. At the same time, some work has been done on the focus ring to make it just a touch more responsive for better manual focus controls. They have also managed to shift the weight balance further back, toward the camera flange end to allow for better ergonomic and camera control in free-handed shooting conditions.

Price and Availability

The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 G Master II lens will be available in Malaysia from 5th of June 2022 onward. There are no mentions on prices just yet. We are guessing that the price should not be too far off the current FE 24-70mm F2.8 G Master though. There could also be a price drop for the original standard zoom lens, so you might want to look out for a bargain for something that is still quite stellar. More information on the FE 24-70mm F2.8 G Master II can be found on their website.