Fuji announces the new GFX with Sony sensor. Is competition coming from the very top?

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Today Fuji announced the full specs and pricing of their first Medium Format system camera (here at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto). The camera uses the Sony 51MP 44x33mm sensor. The news matter for many reasons:

  1. Fuji is going high end by skipping FF.
  2. The GFX has a 1.7x larger sensor area than FF and 2.0x the pricing of the Sony A7rII
  3. Fuji already hinted they could make cheaper medium format camera which could compete with the best and most expensive Sony FF cameras

The new Fuji strategy is not yet a direct Sony A7 competitor but in the near future things could change. If Fuji (and Hasselblad) new Medium format cameras will have success the sensor production will scale up and cost go down. I can imagine that Fuji could release a $4,500-$5000 in 2 years from now. And if Sony keeps raising the price on every new A7 generation camera I guess that quite some people will wonder if they should pay just that extra bit more to get a Medium Format sensor.

If I would be Sony I would strongly push to make a medium format camera too. but not with the just 1.7times larger sensor…but use your amazing 53x40mm sensor instead!  I now it sounds crazy to do that…but in my opinion that’s the way to go.

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Metabones Unveils Fifth-Generation Smart Adapters on Fifth Anniversary

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Press text:

Vancouver, Canada, January 18, 2017 – Metabones unveils 4 new products on the fifth anniversary of the original Smart Adapter. They are EF to E CINE Smart Adapter™, EF to E CINE Speed Booster ULTRA, EF to E Smart Adapter V and EF to E Speed Booster ULTRA II.

The headline feature of EF to E CINE Smart Adapter and EF to E CINE Speed Booster ULTRA is a positive-lock EF lens mount carried over from the critically acclaimed Metabones EF-FZ CINE Smart Adapter, a perfect companion to the positive-lock mount of the new Sony FS7 Mark II camera.
All 4 new products are equipped with a rubber gasket to protect the E-mount connection from dust and moisture. To promote ease-of-use, an LED indicates the adapter’s operation mode, optical image stabilization operation and communication status. A dedicated switch controls in-body image stabilization (IBIS) on Sony cameras equipped with SteadyShot INSIDE.
EF to E CINE Speed Booster ULTRA and EF to E Speed Booster ULTRA II feature the same world-renowned Speed Booster ULTRA optics by Caldwell Photographic and WB Designs that make lenses brighter, wider and sharper.
Metabones recounts the beginnings of the world’s first fully electronic EF to E mount adapter 5 years ago, with only aperture control and auto-magnify (requires lens with distance information) but no autofocus support back then. Over the years firmware work has significantly expanded its capabilities. Today, the very same original Smart Adapter, though long discontinued, can still be upgraded to leverage the latest firmware benefits such as smooth iris (lens support required), fast contrast detection autofocus on all E-mount cameras, eye-AF, direct manual focus (DMF), zoom and distance display (requires lens with distance information), assignable custom button and 5-axis image stabilization (requires camera support).
Since the advent of the original EF to E Smart Adapter 5 years ago, Metabones has assumed a pivotal role in the mirrorless revolution. Cinematographers and photographers all over the world are armed with unprecedented flexibility of lens and camera choice.
EF to E CINE Smart Adapter will be available in February 2017 for USD 449 plus applicable taxes, duties and shipping, and EF to E CINE Speed Booster ULTRA will be offered at the same time for USD 699 plus applicable taxes, duties and shipping. Availability and pricing of EF to E Smart Adapter V and EF to E Speed Booster ULTRA II are to be determined.

Product Specification

Product name (model number): 

Canon EF-E mount T CINE Speed Booster ULTRA (MB_SPEF-E-BT3)

  • Dimension / Weight  (H:91cm W:88cm D:26.5cm / 242g), Suggested Retail Price USD699

Canon EF-E mount T CINE Smart Adapter (MB_EF-E-BT6)

  • Dimension / Weight (H:91cm W:88cm D:31cm / 207g), Suggested Retail Price USD449

Canon EF-E mount T Speed Booster ULTRA II (model number MB_SPEF-E-BT3)

  • Dimension / Weight (TBD), Suggested Retail Price TBD

Canon EF-E mount T Smart Adapter (MB_EF-E-BT5)

  • Dimension / Weight (TBD), Suggested Retail Price TBD

 

New key features

·       CINE models feature a new positive-lock EF lens mount. (Patent pending)
·       Rubber gasket protects E-mount connection from dust and moisture.
·       Compatible with Sony FS7 Mark II camera
·       Status notification LED light
·       Dedicated switch controls in-body image stabilization (IBIS)

Electronic features

·       Fast contrast-detect AF on all E-mount cameras.
·       Phase-detect autofocus support on A7RII, A7II, A6300 and A6500.
·       Smooth iris support with the latest Canon (2009+), Tamron (SP series 2013+) and Sigma (2016+) lenses
·       Supports 5-axis in-body image stabilization of A7II, A7RII and A7SII. (Distance information from lens required; 3-axis IBIS if lens does not transmit distance information.)
·       Powered by camera body. No external power source required.
·       Aperture control from camera body.
·       Custom function button assignable to more than 50 functions on A7 series and A6300/A6500.
·       High performance 32-bit processor and efficient switched-mode power supply.
·       Supports image stabilization (IS) lenses.
·       Supports electronic manual focusing (e.g. EF 85/1.2L II and discontinued EF 50/1.0L)
·       EXIF support (focal length, aperture, zoom range)
·       Distance and zoom display on VG and FS series camcorders, A7 series and A6300/A6500 (lens with distance information support required).
·       Auto magnify (lens with distance information support required)
·       Auto “APS-C Size Capture” on full-frame cameras.

 

Optical (Speed Booster models only*) /Mechanical Features

·       Increase maximum aperture by 1 stop.*
·       Increase MTF.*
·       Makes lens 0.71x wider.*
·       Advanced 5-element/4-group optical design incorporating ultra-high index tantalum-based optical glass by Caldwell Photographic in the USA (patent).*
·       Felt material flocked inside the opening to reduce internal reflection.
·       The tripod foot is detachable and compatible with Arca Swiss, Markins, and Photo Clam ball heads.

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Sony Tidbits…

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Canon 1DXii vs Sony a7Rii – Comparing 4K Resolution

The most sold camera during USA Christmas time wasn’t digital…(Mirrorlessrumors)
Atomos Shogun Inferno Fires Up On-Camera Monitoring and Recording (Explora).
Sony a6500 & 24-70 f/2.8 GM review at RonMartBlog.
Rx1rII review at SonyAlphaLab.
Hasselblad X1D-50C or Fujifilm GFX? (Diglloyd).
Sony a6500 Lowlight 4K Sample – DDP Seoul, South Korea (Chuljae Lee)

To write a guest post on SAR follow the instruction on that page.

Maartech:I did a detailed side-by-side menu, feature and function comparison of the A6500 and A6300 including burst, overheating, dynamic range and more. I found a few things that I didn’t like, and a few things missing …https://youtu.be/iAkRdgnq2nY

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(SR3) Sony A7III to start shipping mid 2017 for 2299€

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a7ii
Image above shows the A7II with Gariz case

Previously a source told us the A7 mark III is due for a Q2 release. We received a small update:

A European source confirmed the release schedule. He added the camera will start shipping in mid 2017 and the yet “unconfirmed” price for Europe will be 2299€. The new A7III will not replace the current A7II. The A7II will continue to be produced and sold for a lower price tag.

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CMOS sensor demand is increasing and supply becomes tight

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Sony is the world’s number one CMOS sensor producer. And it looks like the market is still booming. Digitimes reports that supply is becoming tight. Image Sensor World sums up the reasons for that:

Handsets with dual-lens cameras spurs demand for CMOS sensors
More mid-range smartphones are expected to feature a dual lens cameras in 2017
Mobile devices consume 70% of CMOS sensors
Automotive market has expanded for CMOS image sensors

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Sony Tidbits…

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Sony A6500 Review | John Sison

Sony a99 II real-world sample gallery (Dpreview).
New ShutterBands Enhancement Kit for Sony E-Mount Cameras at Amazon US.
Really Right Stuff Now Available at B&H (Explora).
Cumberland Wildpark with the Sony A7II VLOG (DSphotoblog).
Zooms VS Primes – the real trade off (Matt Granger)
Can I Charge Batteries Through Sony a6300 Meike Grip? (ThatCameraGuy).

To write a guest post on SAR follow the instruction on that page.

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