Olympus issued that short press release the first day of the Photokina:
“In a press conference at Photokina 2018, Olympus today emphasized their role as innovation leader in the mirrorless camera segment. Olympus confirmed their commitment to support the personal mobility and spontaneity of photographers with a professional camera system boasting great image quality while still being compact and featuring light weight. Olympus management members Shigemi Sugimoto and Stefan Kaufmann explained the Micro Four Thirds sensor standard to deliver the best platform for this value proposition and invited all Photokina visitors to experience the benefits at the Olympus Perspective Playground at Photokina 2018.”
It’s clear they wanted to be clear about their MFT commitment after the Panasonic L-mount alliance announcement. Also Panasonic has clearly stated they will keep developing MFT gear.
Unrivalled global support for creative photographers
A repair service that travels with you*
Register now for service updates
25th September 2018 – Panasonic has announced the launch of LUMIX PRO, a hub for its LUMIX professional users that will provide an extensive support and service network while developing the needs of creative professionals. In recognition of the fact that photographers and videographers require more than just products within their everyday working life, the programme has been designed to ensure that they can continue to shoot whilst being assisted with a range of service and repair benefits and consistent global support.
LUMIX PRO is an expansion of the Lumix Professional Services programme currently running in Japan. LUMIX GH4, GH4R, GH5, GH5s and G9 customers will be able to register for LUMIX PRO services within the US, Germany, UK, France, Italy and Spain*.
Global repair service for high tier members
LUMIX PRO has been created with the user in mind and is designed to provide a framework for support of photographers and videographers of all levels of experience.
The tiered and modular nature of the programme ensures that it is accessible to a broad range of LUMIX users. Recognising that the creative is as individual as what they shoot, LUMIX PRO has been designed to adapt as their requirements flex.
A range of domestic and global maintenance and repair service benefits will be available, including complementary maintenance such as Sensor, EVF or body cleaning or a lens calibration*. Members will also have access to expedited and guaranteed turnaround time, or access to loan equipment when turnaround time cannot be met. Membership levels are allocated depending on the amount of equipment registered and membership fee.
Customisable service offerings
LUMIX PRO will provide more than just support, aiming to offer its members relevant benefits in conjunction with key photographic eco-system partners.
The bundle of services and support within the structure of a multi-tiered programme is designed to fit the requirements of the individual photographer. To ensure that they can continue working, photographers that travel will receive the applicable benefits for their level of membership in countries that offer the repair service.
The registration opens in Europe beginning of 2019, when registration opens there will be an initial free of charge registration period. Panasonic will continue to expand LUMIX PRO services into other countries, creating a truly global programme that can support photographers when and where they need it most.
* Service conditions and qualifying product may vary per region. Global repair service is available for black and platinum members. Sensor cleaning and other maintenance service is available only for domestic members.
About LUMIX
LUMIX is the photographic brand of the Panasonic Corporation. Established in 2001, LUMIX launched the world’s first Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera in 2008. With the launch of the GH5, LUMIX was propelled into the professional market, a position that was further cement with the subsequent launches of the LUMIX G9 and GH5s.
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the company has expanded globally and now operates 591 subsidiaries and 88 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of Euro 61.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2018. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global
Today we are announcing ON1 Photo RAW 2019 will be available this November.
Version 2019 is one of the biggest and best releases in our history. ON1 Photo RAW 2019 will include tons of improvements to the photo editing workflow and new features.
Version 2019 will include significant updates to both performance and image quality, notable new features like a new non-destructive workflow for layers, Lightroom® photo settings migration, auto-alignment of layers, focus stacking, a new portrait module, a new AI-powered masking tool, a new text tool, new digital asset management updates, and more.
Announce Campaign Details:
– ON1 Photo RAW 2019 with 1 year of ON1 Plus: $129.99
– Full Version for NEW customers: $99.99
– Upgrade for existing ON1 Product owners: $79.99
New Workflow for Layers
Layers will no longer be a separate module. Instead, the power of layers will be accessible within the non-destructive workflow inside of Develop and Effects.
New Lightroom Photo Settings Migration
New AI-powered algorithms will give customers the ability to transfer Lightroom edited photos, keep the non-destructive settings, and move them into ON1 Photo RAW.
Portrait Module
The new Portrait module will automatically detect faces in your photo and will retouch to smooth skin, brighten and sharpen eyes, and whiten teeth.
Focus Stacking
Blend multiple photos at different focus distances to increase depth-of-field.
Auto-Align Layers
Easily combine multiple photos as layers, then automatically align them based on image content.
Text Tool
Perfect for creating posters, adding your byline or adding editing annotations. Easily control font size, color, position, and more, then save to a preset to add the same text overlay to a batch of photos quickly.
Master Keyword List
Now you can see every keyword that you use in a single, searchable list. You can quickly apply, clear, edit, or delete keywords.
Improved Local Adjustments
Local adjustments will be updated to use the raw processing data. This allows for more highlight and shadow details with more tonal range.
Layered HDR Workflow
With the powerful new non-destructive layers you can combine other photos, text, or alternate exposures with your HDR photos. You can even use the powerful masking tools to combine multiple HDR renditions.
Filter Options in Effects
We have added dedicated film grain, curves, and color adjustment filters to Effects. There’s also a new way to select and browse filters.
User Interface
Overall contrast has been reduced to make photos stand out along with a new font to help increase readability. New icons, tabs, and sliders will also take up less visual space.
And the Panasonic press conference Panasonic underlined their intention to continue to develop both their systems. And certainly the new 10-25mm f/1.7 MFT lens is a solid prove they are not joking around on this!
Sigma announced the new 56mm f/1.4 MFT lens. There is yet no info about the price at BHphoto.
Press text:
Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary
This lens completes the Sigma large aperture series of portable wide-angle, standard, and telephoto prime lenses in Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mounts. Featuring compact design, light weight and outstanding image quality offered in Sigma’s Contemporary line, this lens stuns with a beautiful bokeh effect and the amount of brightness expected from F1.4 lenses even in the mid-telephoto range for cropped sensor cameras. In addition, this lens is characterized by smooth and quiet autofocus ideal for video shooting. Compatible with the Sony E mount Fast Hybrid AF, it also achieves precise AF tracking. By using the face recognition or eye AF functions of the camera, focus will continuously be on the face or the eye even if the subject moves during the shoot.
Full technical specifications are available here: https://bit.ly/2PLuSTh. Pricing and availability will be announced later.
Olympus is the only major company not having announced any new product at this years Photokina. Granted you could actually count in Sony too if they would not consider the 24mm GM lens they announced the last week. And Ricoh-Pentax at least announced the GRIII development.
But big news is coming in January with a new OMD camera to be announced!
