The long time rumored GF8 camera got finally announced! The interesting news is that the camera will not be availble in the USA and not in the UK. It’s confirmed that it will be available in Australia (AU$699) and Asia. Don’t know about Europe yet…
Press text:
Dpreview. Photoreview.
Images:
a
The Benefits of Anamorphic with the Panasonic GH4
Olympus 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye review at Admiringlight.
What in in your bag and … in your mind? (Danielm).
Introduction to Lens Mounts and Lens Adapters (Explora).
Test – Olympus Pen-F : gestion du bruit électronique (Focus Numerique).
Kowa Prominar 500mm tested on the E-M5II at Dc.watch.
Panasonic’s New (and Compact) VariCam LT (ALC).
David: “On the 19th and 20th of this month in Park Cameras’ London store we are teaming up with Olympus to let people go hands on with the Pen-F before release (which is due at the end of Feb/early March from what we’ve been told). You can read more on our events page: https://www.parkcameras.com/events. This should be something of interest to your UK readers I believe.“
Hong Kong, China (Feb 9th, 2016) – SLR Magic is proud to announce the SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE 1.33x PL lens set for filmmakers which could be adapted to EF/F/mFT/E-mount via adapter. Press text:
“As a commitment to the film industry, SLR Magic developed the SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE lenses to deliver the classic contrast, distortion, chromatic, color aberration, and flare characteristics of vintage anamorphic lenses, but with the convenience of a matched lens set without the hassle of aligning and matching lenses to the already popular SLR Magic Rangefinder with Anamorphot adapter combination.
To achieve the much loved scope aspect ratio, which gives a very pleasant, epic effect, filmmakers must crop off the top and bottom of standard 16:9 footage when using spherical lenses with modern digital cameras. As a result, 25% or more sensor/negative information is
discarded.
This 1.33x anamorphic lens help filmmakers to maximize their image quality by preventing this loss of vertical resolution. The unique 1.33x squeeze factor uses the entire 16:9 sensor/negative area to achieve the desired 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE 1.33x does this by compressing a 33% wider field of view to fit the width of the 16:9 sensor/negative without compressing image height.
The SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE 1.33x create a unique “artifact” such as horizontal lens flare, commonly referred to as anamorphic streaks, and may create slightly elongated bokeh. Over the history of cinema, these same stylish effects have contributed to the cinematic “look” of epic motion picture photography. Characteristics that shape this anamorphic “look” come from “front-mounted” anamorphic designs such as the SLR Magic Anamorphot while “rear-mounted” anamorphic designs have more suppressed anamorphic characteristics.
Lenses would be on demo at the BVE Expo in London, UK from October 23-25 in the Atomos booth K30″
Technical Data:
SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE 35mm T2.4
SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE 50mm T2.8
SLR Magic ANAMORPHOT-CINE 70mm T4
Lens Type: Anamorphic lens
Squeeze factor: 1.33x
Objective front filter thread: Φ82
Mount: Titanium PL compatible with optional SLR Magic EF/F/mFT/E-mount
Titanium adapter.
Lens Coating: Multi Coated
Close Focus: 3’6
Weight (oz./g): 38.8/1,100
Length (cm): 13.5
Diameter (cm): 10
Image Circle: S35 for 35mm T2.4, FF for 50mm T2.8 and 70mm T4
Rod Thompson
Taken on my first trip to Tokyo.
EM5 mk1 17mm at f1.8
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If you own the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema MFT Camera you can “pimp it up” with this one: Redrock Micro retroFlex Rig Bundle transforms your MFT cam into a Super 8mm styled recorder. You can buy this gadget for $495 at Adorama (Click here) or Amazon (Click here).
Here is the full description:
The Redrock Micro retroFlex Rig Bundle for Blackmagic Pocket Camera evokes a retro style of filmmaking, when it was all about the film and production was stylish. Now with the modern flexibility of digital filmmaking, a modular cage system and expandable rig, the retroFlex rig makes shooting both a nostalgic joy and a modern technical delight. The retroFlex Rig Bundle is the perfect tool for location scouting, red carpets, or use as a director’s viewfinder.
Featuring 9 mounting points including a Cold Shoe replicator, the retroFlex Cage for Blackmagic Pocket Camera adds all the functionality of a cage without the bulky size. The open-face design of the cage keeps the Pocket Cinema’s Grip accessible and allows for easy and secure griping of the entire cage. The backplate of the cage provides protection for the vital controls of the camera. The cage recedes the top and rear button controls behind a plate of solid aluminum to prevent accidental damage, all while still being easily accessible.
The retroFlex Rig Bundle also includes the 3x Optical Viewfinder, which allows for a clear view of the screen under all shooting conditions. The Optical Viewfinder is attached to the retroFlex Cage for Blackmagic Pocket Camera via rare-earth magnets and an integrated mounting frame that prevents light leakage. The Optical Viewfinder also features an integrated adjustable diopter, rendering a tack-sharp image for any user. Finally, the retroFlex Rig Bundle includes a Run/Stop Pistol Grip support that allows for the camera to be triggered at a moments notice without needing to readjust one’s grip.
Upward Mobility
The open-face design of the retroFlex Cage for Blackmagic Pocket Camera allows for limitless expansion. Unlike other cages, the retroFlex Cage for Blackmagic Pocket Camera does not block or affect the lens mount, leaving it available for any lens adaptation like the LiveLens MFT or Professional PL adapters.
Seems like Panasonic continues to have no plan to make a Micro Four Thirds mount camcorder. They announced a new VariCam LT 4K cinema camera with EF mount instead.
Newsshooter talked to Panasonic at the Hollywood launch of the Varicam LT
Newsshooter talks to Panasonic at the Hollywood launch of the Varicam LT from Dan Chung on Vimeo.
Here is the full press text:
–
Panasonic today unveiled the VariCam LT, representing the next generation of 4K cinema cameras. The VariCam LT camcorder inherits the same super 35mm sensor and superb imaging capabilities that distinguish the award-winning VariCam 35, but with significant reductions in size, weight and price.
Incorporating this identical imaging “DNA” in a more compact rendition, the VariCam LT (model AU-V35LT1G) delivers 14+ stops of dynamic range with V-Log, and the esteemed cinematic VariCam image quality and color science, as well as the VariCam 35’s breakout innovation, dual native ISOs of 800/5000.
Weighing just under six pounds and having superior capability to similar sized cameras, the VariCam LT will be the ideal camera for handheld, SteadiCam, jib, crane, drone, gimbal and overall cinema verité work. The VariCam LT is likewise tailor-made for owner/operators, independent filmmakers, documentary makers and corporate production creators.
The VariCam LT delivers superb image handling in multiple formats ranging from 4K, UHD, 2K and HD, and like the VariCam 35, is fully capable of High Dynamic Range (HDR) field capture. The new 4K camcorder offers Apple ProRes 4444 (up to 30p) and ProRes 422 HQ (up to 60p) support for HD recording, as well as Panasonic’s AVC-ULTRA family of advanced video codecs.
New codecs introduced in the VariCam LT include AVC-Intra LT and AVC-Intra 2K-LT, both designed to offer capture rates up to 240fps in imager crop mode, ideal for sports and other fast motion footage.
Powerful color management capabilities combined with VariCam’s extended color gamut and support for the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) workflow allow for full fidelity mastering of original source material. The VariCam LT offers in-camera color grading, with the ability to record an ungraded 4K master along with all on-set grading metadata. A new color processing feature is “V-LOOK,” which acts as a blend of V-Log and video, and allows filmic documentary acquisition without the same need for intense color grading.
The VariCam LT differs from the VariCam 35 in being a one-piece, short-bodied camcorder vs. a two-piece camera head plus recorder. While the VariCam LT does not feature parallel sub-recording, it does have an SD slot for high-resolution proxy recording. Proxy files can be wirelessly uploaded via FTP, which facilitates wireless color grading. Variable frame rates are available with LongG6 recording.
There is one expressP2 card for all formats including high frame rate and HD/2K/UHD and 4K recording (the 256Gbyte expressP2 card can record up to 90 minutes of 4K/4:2:2/23.98p content). RAW output from SDI is planned to be supported by a firmware upgrade in early summer 2016.
The VariCam LT features an EF mount (vs. the VariCam 35’s PL mount), suitable for the wide array of lenses available for smaller cameras.* The EF mount can be switched out to a robust standard PL mount, expanding the range of compatible lenses that can be used. The control panel can be separated from the camera body to facilitate real-time control and easy menu access. The camcorder has a production-tough magnesium body to assure durability and reliability in challenging shooting locations.
Other features new to the VariCam LT are power hot swap, IR shooting (further enhancing the camcorder’s extreme low-light capture at ISO 5000), 23.98 PsF output, and image presets as scene files.
Among the camcorder’s top-level production assets are ND filters (CLEAR, 0.6, 1.2, 1.8), an optional OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) with optical zoom functionality, 24-bit LPCM audio for in-camera audio master recording, Focus Assist, anamorphic lens de-squeeze, special REC functions (PreRec, interval, one-shot), IP control via Panasonic’s AK-HRP200 camera remote controller, and built-in GPS.
Professional interfaces include: 3G-HD-SDI x 3 (SDI-OUT X 2 and VF), LAN, genlock in, timecode in/out, USB2.0 Host and USB2.0 Device (mini B), and three XLR inputs (one 5-pin, two 3-pin) to record four channels of 24-bit, 48KHz audio. In addition, its flexible interfaces allow use of the Panasonic AU-VCVF10G viewfinder, as well as 3rd party viewfinder solutions.
The VariCam LT will be available at the end of March in two packages, suggested list price $18,000 (body only) and suggested list price $24,000 (body + AU-VCVF10G viewfinder).
Back in December Panasonic launched a great deal on the 25mm f/1.7 lens which was on sale for $99 only. The preorders were very high and shipment were expected to be fulfilled by March. But well we got bad news for you today: All those $99 preorders were canceled by BH:
“I am sorry to hear about this situation. Regrettably, Panasonic is not continuing production of this item at this time and we have no way to fulfill any of the backorders which is why it was cancelled.”
Damn it :(
And also Adorama (Click here) says the lens is no longer available:
