Fujifilm X-E1 hands-on (video)

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Fujifilm XE1 handson

Sure the XF1's nice to look at, but the real star of Fujifilm's 2012 Photokina lineup has to be the X-E1. The X-Pro1's little sibling offers up most of the functionality of its bigger, pricier brother -- save for its inclusion just an electronic viewfinder -- into a body that's roughly a third smaller. That said, this is hardly a compact mirrorless -- the X-E1's still got a bit of girth and weight to it, compared to some of the smaller entries in the field. Still, it feels nice in the hand and isn't likely to weigh down your shooting -- particularly for those accustom to using a larger DSLR. It's also worth pointing out, right off the bat, that the retro-styled interchangeable lens camera is significantly cheaper, running you $700 less than the X-Pro-1.

Flip the camera over and you get a 2.8-inch 460k-dot LCD. Just above the display is a devoted button that will pop up the retractable flash directly above. The X-E1 will be hitting stores in November, carrying a $1,000 price tag. Buy a kit with a lens and you'll still come in $300 under the X-Pro1's $1,700 price tag, making for a full-featured and great looking little mirrorless for a lot less money.

Gallery: Fujifilm X-E1 hands-on

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Fujifilm X-E1 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujifilm’s XF1 makes a fashion statement at Photokina, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Fujifilm's XF1 makes a fashion statement at Photokina, we go handson

Point-and-shoot or fashion accessory? This is the conundrum posed by the XF1, a new retro-styled point-and-shoot from Fujifilm. It's a nice looking camera with a solid and fairly light build, certainly, and while the faux leather (in black, red or tan) might not be for everyone, the company was quick to point out that it'll go nicely with your new designer handbag, for whatever that's worth. The textured design is complimented nicely by a metal border on the top and bottom. There's a bit of a learning curve here, when it comes to just turning the thing on -- give it a twist and a pull, not unlike a childproof pill cap to put it in standby and another pull to get things started.

There's a big, bright three-inch LCD on the rear of the device. Click the E-Fn button on the bottom right, and you can actually reassign the button mapping on the back to your liking on the display. Of course, such style and functionality comes at a price -- this guy will run you $500 when it goes on sale next month.

Gallery: Fujifilm's XF1 makes a fashion statement at Photokina, we go hands-on

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Fujifilm's XF1 makes a fashion statement at Photokina, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Leica M camera has live-view and 1080p video capture, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Zach Honig

Yesterday, Canon stole the show, but today's darling of Photokina appears to be the just-announced Leica M camera. Show attendees flocked to the "new M" demo counter this morning, nudging through the crowd for a chance to check out Leica's first live-view equipped M. This new feature is powered by a new 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, and also enables 1080p video capture at 24 and 25 frames-per-second -- another first for Leica. Live-view and HD video shooting may not seem like banner features for a €6,200 (about $8,100) camera, but considering they've never been offered before, these additions seem to be highlights for hopeful M10 owners.

The camera itself is quite beastly, in typical M fashion, and appears to have just as much heft as the M9. There's a new Gorilla Glass-equipped 3-inch, 920k-dot display, that's plenty sharp and quite responsive in live-view mode. Adjacent to the display, you'll find a new LV button, which, as you may have guessed, launches the new realtime display mode. There's also a playback button, along with direct access to ISO, image deletion and menu settings. Up top, there's the Leica trademark shutter speed dial (aperture control is on the lens), letting you select from bulb all the way through 1/4000 second. There's a full-size hot shoe up top with an accessory connector for the EVF 2 attachment, and a second proprietary connector on the bottom to interface with the accessory grip, which adds USB connectivity and built-in GPS.

We can't comment on image quality just yet, but there's no question that the "new M" marks Leica's commitment to finally bring otherwise commonplace features to its popular (and pricey) rangefinder line. Look for this latest model to hit stores in early 2013, but you can take a closer look today in our hands-on gallery below and video demo after the break.

Update: This post originally stated that the new Leica M had yet to be named, however the company has confirmed that the new camera will simply be named, "The Leica M," without numbers. "The Leica M also marks the beginning of a new era in the Leica product naming policy. In [the] future, Leica M and S model names will omit the number suffix to emphasize the enduring and long-term significance of the respective systems."

Gallery: Leica new M (M10) hands-on

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New Leica M camera has live-view and 1080p video capture, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lensbaby lets your imagination run wild on a budget with the Spark, an $80 selective-focus lens

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Daniel Cooper

Lensbaby, maker of creative optics that let you take pictures you'd otherwise have to make in Photoshop is going after youthful crowd with its newest product, the Spark. The selective focus lens attaches to your Canon or Nikon DSLR, allowing you to create bokeh-rich images -- simply squeeze the unit to focus and tilt it on its axis to move the "sweet spot" as you go. The 50mm lens features a fixed f/5.6 aperture and focuses from 13-inches to infinity, and goes on sale from today from the company's website, Amazon and specialist retailers who deal in such things.

Gallery: Lensbaby Spark Product Images

Gallery: Lensbaby Spark sample images

Continue reading Lensbaby lets your imagination run wild on a budget with the Spark, an $80 selective-focus lens

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Lensbaby lets your imagination run wild on a budget with the Spark, an $80 selective-focus lens originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leica X2 gets à la carte, Paul Smith editions to help you stand out from plebeian photographers (update: hands-on)

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

Leica X2 gets la carte, Paul Smith editions to help you stand out from plebeian photographers update handson

Let's say you've been considering a Leica X2 for the mix of a big APS-C sensor and retro styling, but a $1,995, fixed-range compact camera just isn't exclusive enough. Leica has you covered with two extra-rare editions that rise above the pack. Provided you don't mind someone else designing for you, the Edition Paul Smith spices things up with a mix of black, green and orange that reflects the UK fashion designer's love of stripes and wilder colors. Is the small 1,500-unit batch of Paul Smith cameras still too common? There's now an à la carte X2 option to limit the production run to exactly one. After picking from black, silver or new titanium colors for the main body, you can choose from a set of leather trim colors and get custom engraving to hedge against the unlikely event that anyone confuses your X2 with someone else's. Prices aren't immediately available for the October launches of both cameras. Not that it matters much -- if you're willing to even consider a special edition Leica, you already know that it's within your price range.

Gallery: Leica X2 Edition Paul Smith and à la carte

Gallery: Leica X2 Paul Smith editions hands-on

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Continue reading Leica X2 gets à la carte, Paul Smith editions to help you stand out from plebeian photographers (update: hands-on)

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Leica X2 gets à la carte, Paul Smith editions to help you stand out from plebeian photographers (update: hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leica unveils V-Lux 4 superzoom, D-Lux 6 compact to mirror their Panasonic counterparts

Posted on 17/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

Leica has its more unique creations, but some of its more affordable cameras are usually upscale parallels to Panasonic models -- and that's undoubtedly true for the newly official (and previously leaked) V-Lux 4 and D-Lux 6, which respectively echo Panasonic's FZ200 and LX7 shooters. We can't object too much. That similarity gives the 12-megapixel V-Lux 4 superzoom (seen up top) a 25-600mm equivalent lens with a constant, wide f/2.8 aperture to snap bright images at long distances. The D-Lux 6, meanwhile, combines its large 1.7-inch, also 12-megapixel sensor with a 24-90mm, f/1.4-2.3 lens and that distinctive aperture control ring. What you're really getting over the Panasonic equivalents is a subtler, all-black Leica color scheme and a copy of Adobe Lightroom 4 to manage the imminent flood of photos. Photographers who don't mind knowing their luxury cameras' true roots can swing by Leica dealers in November to buy either design; we don't yet know prices, but it's safe to assume that the V-Lux 4 and D-Lux 6 will carry premiums over their more pedestrian equivalents.

Gallery: Leica V-Lux 4 and D-Lux 6

Continue reading Leica unveils V-Lux 4 superzoom, D-Lux 6 compact to mirror their Panasonic counterparts

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Leica unveils V-Lux 4 superzoom, D-Lux 6 compact to mirror their Panasonic counterparts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leica reveals S-System medium format digital photography lineup

Posted on 17/09/2012 by Terrence O'Brien

Leica wasn't about to let everyone else hog the spotlight at Photokina this year. The company took the wraps off more products than you could possible cram into one post (or two, or three...). But among the more intriguing is certainly the new S-System -- an update its pro-series medium format line. The sensor and accompanying board have all been refreshed, with the 30 x 44mm sensor cramming 37.5 megapixels into its expansive CCD surface. The 16-bit color depth is complimented by a wide ISO range of 100 to 1600, which should cover you for almost any imaginable application. A dual shutter design gives photographers the choice between the camera's built in shutter or the integrated one on the CS lens line, which allow for flash sync at shutter speeds as high as 1/1,000 of a second. Leica is touting the improved speed of its medium format internals, but with the ability to capture just 1.5 fps in continuous mode, it might not be the ideal action shooter. Still, the ability to capture 32 consecutive RAW images at full resolution, thanks to the 2GB of buffer memory, is quite impressive.

The digital viewfinder is a three-inch LCD, capable of displaying 16 million colors representing the full sRGB color space. Of course, the VGA resolution isn't anything to write home about, but it should get the job done. The integrated two axis leveler, displayed on the viewfinder, should help avoid oddly angled portraits, while the integrated GPS receiver will let you keep track of every remote mountaintop you capture in full resolution majesty.

Of course, no new camera product line would be complete without some lenses as well. In total four are launching alongside the new body, including the first zoom (30-90 MM F/3.5-5.6) and tilt/shift (120 MM F/5.6) members of the family. Rounding out the lineup is a 24mm superwide angle lens and a close-up accessory that shortens the focal length of one of the existing mounts by about three and a half feet. For more info, check out the source link.

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Leica reveals S-System medium format digital photography lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leica launching new Leica M in early 2013, stripped-down M-E available this month

Posted on 17/09/2012 by Ben Gilbert

Leica launching new Leica M in 'early 2013,' Leica ME out in early 2013

Do you need a stylish, undoubtedly expensive German camera early in 2013? Perhaps right now? Leica's got you covered on both fronts, announcing today that its Leica M line is finally getting an official followup to the venerable M9 rangefinder in "early 2013." The new M is outfitted with the company's first 24-megapixel (full-frame, naturally) Leica Max CMOS image sensor (à la the A99 and D600) -- what Leica calls "a completely new development in sensor technology." That sensor will snag you a sensitivity range of IS0 200 to 6,400 (expandable to 100). Even more exciting, this latest M can mount Leica's legacy R glass (!) with a new adapter (available separately) and it can also shoot video in 1080p HD with 24 / 25p frame rate. While it retains the classic M-series styling, rear now features a 3-inch 920k-dot display, protected behind a layer of Gorilla glass. Leica's also making special note to highlight that the new M features live view functionality on the embedded screen and with an optional EVF.

Gallery: Leica M

Gallery: Leica M-E

The M-E model (which appears to be a refresh of sorts on the M9) comes paired with a slightly less-potent 18-megapixel full-frame CCD sensor. Beyond that, it doesn't appear to pack any video functionality and features a much smaller 2.5-inch 230k-dot display. Neither model comes with any additional numbers in their titles title, however -- that's a conscious decision on Leica's part to rework its naming policy. "In [the] future, Leica M and S model names will omit the number suffix to emphasize the enduring and long-term significance of the respective systems," the announcement says. We're calling it "The iPad 3 approach."

The cameras were revealed along with a slew of new products that Leica's showing during Germany's Photokina convention, including a range of new accessories (the Leica R-Adapter M, the Leica EVF2 electronic viewfinder, the multifunctional handgrip-M with optional finger loops, and the Leica Microphone adapter set). Although there's no word on pricing for the new M, we'd expect it to sell for somewhere between a cool 7 to 10K given the $5,450 price of the M-E and the approximately $7,000 sticker tag on the M9 -- hey, at least both snag you the prestige of the red dot and a pro-bono copy of Adobe Lightroom. The M-E will be be available from Leica dealers before the month's out, while the M will ship out early next year -- both in your choice of black or black / silver. In the meantime, hit up the source link below for the full tech specs on both shooters.

Joe Pollicino contributed to this post.

Continue reading Leica launching new Leica M in early 2013, stripped-down M-E available this month

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Leica launching new Leica M in early 2013, stripped-down M-E available this month originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon PowerShot SX50 HS hands-on

Posted on 17/09/2012 by Brian Heater

Sure the SX160 is a bit of a bulky superzoom, but it's got nothing on Canon's beefy PowerShot SX50 HS. As with the similarly named SX500 IS, the SX50's got a big, protruding lens and flash, though the added girth make it look a bit more like a DSLR. Part of its width can no doubt be chalked up to its 2.8-inch vari-angle LCD, which can be swiveled away from the body of the camera to help vary viewing angles. Also, like the SX50, the SX500 has a devoted button for Zoom Framing Assist, which does a quick zoom out to help you reframe subjects on the fly.

Above the display you'll find a play button and a cushioned viewfinder. To its right, you've got the Record, Display, Menu and access to settings like Macro and ISO. You'll find the rest to the settings -- plus ON / OFF and access to that big 50x zooming to the right of the flash. The PowerShot SX50 HS will run you $480 when it drops next month.

Gallery: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS hands-on

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Canon PowerShot SX50 HS hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon PowerShot G15 features f/1.8-2.8 lens and DSLR-like controls, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 17/09/2012 by Zach Honig

Not completely sold on Canon's large sensor-packing PowerShot G1 X? The company's latest jumbo compact offers a comparable smooth focus effect, thanks to its super-wide f/1.8-2.8, 28-140mm optical zoom lens, with image stabilization that boosts your shooting capability by up to four stops. The camera, which is designed to replace the G12, features a 12.1-megapixel 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor paired with a DIGIC 5 processor, enabling RAW shooting, 1080p video and a top sensitivity of ISO 12,800 all in a body that's significant smaller and lighter than its predecessor. There's also a super-sharp 922k-dot 3-inch LCD (no touchscreen here, not that we miss it) and a built-in optical viewfinder.

The $500 G15 isn't set to hit stores until October, but we caught an early peek at Photokina today. A Canon representative also clued us in on the camera's naming scheme -- that jump from 12 right to 15. As we know, 13 is an unlucky number in North America and Europe, but the 14 was also avoided because the number four "sounds like an unlucky word" in Japanese. So, there you have it. Regardless of what it's called, though, the G15 is one powerful shooter, with a very solid design to boot. Though it is smaller than the G12, it's still far too large to fit in a pocket -- you'll likely walk around with this guy dangling from your neck. There's a mode dial up top, along with a dedicated exposure compensation dial, enabling more precise EV control. We weren't able to examine samples in order to evaluate the camera's bokeh capabilities, but Canon reps said that the effect is on par with the G1 X. You'll be able to get your own mitts on the G15 beginning next month, and you can catch our hands-on photos just below, along with a video walkthrough after the break.

Gallery: Canon PowerShot G15 hands-on