[shoplink 44043 ebay][/shoplink]
Image above shows the [shoplink 44043 ebay]Fuji 6X9 film camera[/shoplink].

Sony is conquering all the medium format sensor market with their CMOS sensors. First the 50MP senor got used by all Medium Format makers. And now they launched the world’s highest resolution 101MP CMOS sensor for Phase One.

And now here comes the news:

It’s known that Fuji designs the X-trans sensor but Sony is actually making those. Well yesterday Fuji officially stated that they are testing the a new medium format sensor (easy to guess it’s made by Sony). Fuji is investigating the possibility to launch a medium format system camera. And also Sony is rumored to testing such models (probably RX fixed lens format).

Now here comes my dream part:

We know Sony is reading us. So I figured that for once we will take the chance to let SAR readers express their opinion on unlikely but still exciting dream idea: What would you think if Fuji and Sony would launch a new medium format mirrorless system together? It would create diversity within the system, make it growth fast and probably also keep costs reasonable. Let us know:

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SAR reader Mistral75 (Thanks!) shared some additional info and image samples about the Laowa STF 105mm f/2.0 lens on Flickr (see here). The company estimates the lens will cost $550-600 and shipment target is before summer.

Reminder:
After the [shoplink 43950 ebay]Laowa 60mm f/2.8 Macro 2:1 (here on eBay)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 43951 ebay]Laowa 15mm f/4 Shift Macro 1:1 lenses (here on eBay)[/shoplink], the Chinese company Anhui Changgeng Optical Technology Company Limited, better known as Venus Optics (see http://www.venuslens.net/about), will launch the Laowa STF 105mm f/2 (T/3.2).

It is a portrait lens with an apodization filter that gives a more progressive and velvety bokeh than an ordinary lens (STF stands for Smooth Trans Focus). This is the same principle as for the [shoplink 43952 ebay]Minolta AF / Sony 135mm f/2.8 [T/4.5] STF[/shoplink] and close to that of the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD.

Click on images to enlarge:

The Laowa has the advantage over the Sony of being one EV brighter. Hereafter its main features:

– 11 elements, including the apodization filter, 1 element made of glass with high refractive index and 3 elements made of low dispersion glass, in 8 groups
– Manual focus (the apodization filter is hostile for phase-detection autofocus)
– Minimum focusing distance: 90cm
– Maximum magnification: 0.16x
– Filter diameter: 67mm
– Dimensions: 76 mm (maximum diameter) x 98.8 mm (length) (depending on lens mount)
– Weight: 746 g (depending on lens mount)
– Available mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A and Sony E
– Available in black and silver
– Launch date: January 18, 2016
– Price in China: the equivalent of €500-550 (probably more in Western countries)

Image samples:

You can find more details and many pictures taken with the lens on two threads from the Chinese forum Xitek:

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1533456-1-1-1.html

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1444928-1-1-1.html

In addition to the pictures in the threads referenced above, sample images are available for download from:

– https://yunpan.cn/OcuWqL82CSKLPX password: 9351. 9 pictures taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III (full-resolution jpeg files)

– https://yunpan.cn/OcuWqBwTM7s9Bw password: CFAE. 1 picture taken with a Nikon D800 (full-resolution jpeg file) and 9 Canon RAW files (CR2)

You will also find a number of images (pictures of the lens, optical formula, MTF curves and a dozen of sample images as full-resolution jpeg files) in the dedicated Flickr album I have set up: https://flic.kr/s/aHsksPyYgn.

Kind regards
Mistral75

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