Photokina news!

[Senna4ever]

If you have any old Nikon lenses, this is SO sweet!

http://www.lensbaby.com/tilt-transformer.php

[Senna4ever]

- Sigma announced several new products including a 46MP camera with Foveon X3 sensor! Probably an interpolated 46MP, but still impressive.

http://www.sigma-sd.com/SD1/

- Panasonic introduces GH2

- Profoto introduces D4 Air packs: http://profoto.com/d4-air

[77civic1200]

That tilt-transformer would be pretty awesome, too bad it doesn't mount to any real cameras, bah

[Matsuda]

Yeah that tilt transformer is for:

"Available now for Panasonic Lumix™ G Micro System and Olympus PEN® digital cameras and on October 28th for Sony® α NEX digital cameras"

damn I got all excited for using it on my Nikon.

[VancouverG88]

There is widespread outrage in the Sony community right now. A700 users have been waiting years for a decent replacement, and Sony had promised them a semi-pro body at Photokina 2010. Now that Photokina is here, what has Sony given us? All Sony has given us is a toy camera with a semi-transparent mirror and an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Semi-pro body and EVF do not go together. I've handled these new EVF's in the new bodies, and they really are garbage. Slow refresh rate, slow handling body. What the hell is Sony thinking.

I'm pissed. Nikon jump?

[DC5-S]

are sony cameras even good? lol

[VancouverG88]

@DC5-S

Elaborate pls?

We can drag on the brand-wars discussion for ages on end, but where would that lead us. Each manufacturer's cameras offer different advantages and disadvantages to suit the consumers' varying needs. I am a Sony user for 2 simple reasons.

1. I have lots of Minolta glass from the film days, which still work on the alpha mount
2. Body stabilized primes (eg. 85mm 1.4G)

Did you just come here to brand-bash?

[Bonjour43MA]

Come over to Nikon! We're all very nice and friendly

[Senna4ever]

Originally Posted by DC5-S

are sony cameras even good? lol

The Sony A700 is easily as good as the Nikon D300. I actually prefer the A700. My A700 + Sony/Zeiss 16-80mm is a great combo. The Sony/Zeiss glass are sharper than the Nikon equivalent on average. I'll also add that the Sony A900 has the best tonality of ANY 35mm based high resolution FF DSLR up to 400 ISO....after which it falls apart and the 5DmkII, 1DsmkIII and D3x destroy it. In other words, as a studio camera, and especially fashion, it's the best one to use. I know of one prominent Vancouver fashion photographer who ditched his Canon gear recently to go with the A900 + Zeiss lenses as he never shoots over 400 ISO in the studio and he loves it.

The one big thing going against Sony is the lack of professional support that Canon and Nikon have, and the so far limited range of lenses - for example, no tilt/shift lenses pretty much takes Sony out of the commercial product & food photography market. By lack of professional support, I mean if a Canon/Nikon photographer has some sort of equipment failure, Canon/Nikon will ship a replacement unit to him/her to use for the duration of the time it takes to repair it. Canon is awesome for this: my friend's 5DmkII died a few days before we were to shoot a wedding and Canon air shipped him a replacement 5DmkII to use for the wedding. Canon got it to him in less than 24 hours. Awesome. Nikon is a little more picky as to who they consider a professional, but they will do that too. I had a client who went to Italy to watch the Italian F1 race and forgot her 70-200 and also didn't take her NPS (Nikon Professional Services) card. She got in contact with us, and we contacted Nikon Canada's NPS people who vouched for her and she was able to borrow a 70-200 VRII from Nikon Italy's press pool at the race. Remember, she wasn't shooting for the press, she was a spectator in this case. She had the lens in her hand in about 6 hours(!) - amazing.

So yes, DC5-S (why did you fail VancouverG88's post?), the Sony DSLR cameras are pretty good. Granted they are a little weak in low light, but they have good image quality. Guess who makes the sensors used in almost all Nikon and Canon P&S cameras?

Sony's announced the A77 today, but it looks like it will have the pellicle mirror.

VancouverG88: Fuck you and your Minolta 85mm f1.4! Goddammit, I want that lens!

[ddr]

Originally Posted by Matsuda

Yeah that tilt transformer is for:

"Available now for Panasonic Lumix™ G Micro System and Olympus PEN® digital cameras and on October 28th for Sony® α NEX digital cameras"

damn I got all excited for using it on my Nikon.

is there a reason they announced it for these mounts first? and selected nikon lenses?

[Senna4ever]

Originally Posted by dragonone

is there a reason they announced it for these mounts first? and selected nikon lenses?

I suspect it's because older Nikon lenses (some which are still in production) have an aperture ring, are easily adaptable and there are plenty of them still in existence. You can't manually change the aperture on an EOS lens, for example. I think it's a brilliant idea, personally.

[ddr]

i was just thinking that nikon is probably far more popular than the mounts they are starting to offer with, and probably canon too. perhaps the micro 4/3 guys seem more likely to purchase a toy as such.

... just jealous