Tag Archives: stabilisation

[CES 2021] Sony Introduces the AirPeak

Sony made large strides last year starting with CES 2020. They introduced their very own electric vehicle concept that can also drive itself, the Vision S. They also made the gaming community very happy by releasing the PlayStation 5 at the end of the year 2020. Sadly, we still have not been able to get our hands on one just yet.

This year is no different for Sony. They kicked off the year with CES 2021, and they look amazing at it. No new earphones to introduce, not new smartphones just yet too. But they did introduce a new concept, a new idea, a new project. They introduced the AirPeak.

If you see DJI printed all over this, you are not the only one. We see DJI all over this too. We see DJI’s Matrice line-up in this AirPeak. This is not a DJI device though, it is by Sony, for Sony.

Source: Sony

When we say, ‘for Sony’, we meant that this is designed around their Alpha camera system. It could be a mid-range mirrorless line-up or a high-end mirrorless camera, the AirPeak is designed to take on any payload from any Alpha lien-up from Sony. It is also the world’s smallest drone to boast such feat.

It is designed to take these cameras off the ground and into the air. It is a clever system too, that stabilises itself in the air with multiple sensors. All these features, and it is still smaller than the Matrice line-up from DJI. Yes, the DJI can lift even heavier payloads and can be retrofitted to be used in industrial cases. The AirPeak is not about that though. It is about expanding film making capabilities and open up new creative avenues with Sony’s very popular Alpha camera line-up.

The AirPeak, at this time, is still in its project phases and Sony is looking for professional collaborators to work on the project. Very much like the Vision S, but the technology is technically already available and easy to work with. This also means that the AirPeak is closer to reality than you might think.

There are no mentions on specs and weight limits on the AirPeak just yet at this point, but we are guessing they might want to look into making the drone powerful enough to carry a Sony FX6 at the very maximum, and still keep it small enough that you do not need to own a lorry to carry it around. More information on the Sony AirPeak on their website.

FUJIFILM X-T4 Launches With Stability Control

FUJIFILM’s cameras have been quite iconic and has been a go to for plenty of hobbyist and professionals alike. Their mirrorless APS-C flagships like the X-T2 and X-T3 proved to be some of the most popular platforms among photographers. There was a very minor issue with the X-T3 though, as modern cameras go. It does not have any sort of stabilisation built into the body of the camera itself.

Source: FUJIFILM

That is all about to change with the new X-T4 though. The new X-T4 comes with an in-body stabiliser this time bringing it in the classes of Sony’s α6000 series cameras. Do not get me wrong though, the X-T3 was a very good camera with superb image quality. Some say that the X-T3 was better than the α6000 series cameras. To a certain extent, that is true.

Enough about the older models though. This is the X-T4, the new flagship camera from FUJIFILM. It still has the 26.1-Megapixels packed into the APS-C X Trans CMOS 4 back illuminated sensor. The image processor is also still the brilliant X-Processor 4 which also shoots at high-speeds like the older X-T3.

Source: FUJIFILM

While it may not sound like FUJIFILM has fitted any more than just a stabiliser hardware, the improvements are more than you can see. The battery, for example, is now a bigger one. It now allows you to shoot about 500 shots per charge in normal mode. If you get the optional battery grip, you can bring the grand total frame captured to 1,700 shots. That could be worth a whole day of shooting.

The camera is faster too, the X-Processor 4 now has to keep up with 15 fps mechanical burst shots. It also has to respond faster with just 0.035 seconds in shutter lag. Somehow they made it quieter than the X-T3 too, 30% quieter to be exact.

Source: FUJIFILM

The FUJIFILM X-T4 also features a new “ETERNA Bleach Bypass” feature. It is technically a fancier digital filter. Except, that is is supposed to be better than just a filter. If you work with film cameras, you might know what Bleach Bypass is. It basically produces photos with low colour saturation but super high contrast; very unique and artistic.

You get more control on your photos now too. Your highlight and shadow tone adjustments can be done in halves instead of single stops. You even get to choose your priority for white balancing as well. To be fair, I do a fair bit of white balancing manually whenever I get the chance to.

Source: FUJIFILM

Of course you still get the brilliant EVF and vari-angle display for a more versatile shoot positioning. The EVF now features an eyecup with locking mechanisms though so you can keep using it without having to worry about misplacing the eye cup.

We have to talk about the in-body stabilisation for a short bit though. It is not the usual spring loaded stabiliser that we are used to. Instead, it is a magnetic stabiliser which also means that the whole mechanism is floating. The benefits are more than just sounding cool though. It takes up less space and therefore allows FUJIFILM to fit the same sensor in near identical body shape and size.

The result is added stability in your photos. If you have built-in stabilisers in your lenses, the result is going to be even better. Super steady photos produce even better and clearer details; who would not want that? The improved stability also helps with videos.

You can now shoot Full HD videos at 240fps. That also means you can create super slow-motion videos. Beyond that, you may not need to bring your dolly or passive stabiliser out anymore to record videos thanks to the in-body stabilisation. Yes, it shoots at 4K 60fps too. Wedding videographers and film makers might really want to take advantage of this. Film makers will also now rejoice with an improved F-Log function to shoot low saturation, high contrast videos for better detailing.

The FUJIFILM X-T4 should be available soon. At least that is what is being reported else where. We can expect the X-T4 to arrive in Malaysia before Q2 2020 ends. The X-T4 (body only) is reported to start from US$ 1,700 (MYR 7,183) though, which is more expensive than the X-T3 at launch. Still, it is a flagship camera.