BCN Inc., has released the ranking and market share of the top three companies “BCN AWARD 2013” annual sales. Here are the winners of the digital video and camera market:

Digital camera (integrated lens)
Canon 17.6
Sony Corporation 16.5
Nikon Corporation 14.1
Digital camera (SLR)
Canon 52.7
Nikon Corporation 35.1
Sony Corporation 7.1
Digital camera (SLR mirror-less)
Olympus 29.8
Panasonic 23.3
Sony Corporation 20.1
Digital video camera
Sony Corporation 40.2
Panasonic 24.8
JVC Kenwood 18.2

These are the market shares based on the camera sales number of 2012. There is no such report available in any EU or US market :(

Amazon ranking (just ro see what’s hot in EU and US):
US ranking (Click here).
DE ranking (Click here).
UK ranking (Click here).
FR ranking (Click here).

The E-M5 collects one award after another. Now it even earned the prize for the best camera design at IFA AWARD (Source: Olympus UK). And also the XZ-2 won an award for the best compact camera design.

P.S.: Don’t forget that you can save up to $100 on Olympus Digital Cameras including the E-M5 (Check the amazon deal description). In Europe thirteen ref. E-M5 in Stock at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink].

There is a new Panasonic interview at Imaging Resource (Click here) with Mr Darin Pepple, senior marketing manager at Panasonic. There is a lot of talk about WiFi and mobile integration but also some talk about MFT. Here are some highlights:

1) Mr. Pepple says that “we’re seeing a lot of professional photographers who are in the wedding and event fields making the transition to video. In fact, in an upcoming trade event, you will see us present several photographers who are showcasing their ideas on how a traditional photographer can make use of video as part of their workflow.”

2) Interesting: The GH2 and a lot of the hacks that you saw coming into the GH2 inspired Panasonic to do more.

3) Panasonic clearly underlines the advantages of contrast af that is far more reliable and accurate than phase detection AF. And Panasonic says that on sensor Phase detection is “really more of just a software trick.”

4) About the development of a new bigger sensor mirrorless system he answers: “I don’t think we’re going to do that.”

5) And finally a real new “rumor”. Mr. Pepple says that “a 300mm f/2.8 or even a 600mm f/2.8 would be a great thing to have. We don’t have that yet. So, at f/2.8 we go to up to about 100mm and that’s the limit for us. We’ve got some development to do in the optics to make the sports photographers interested.”

6) There are also some interesting considerations about how to market Panasonic mirrorless cameras. They are no more trying to advertise the general “mirrorless” concept, they are now more and more focusing on advertisign the top features of the camera. That’s the right approach I think.

It’s a really interesting interview I invite you to read in full at Imaging Resource!

It’s Monday Morning and this news will shock you and you wake you up! :)
Metabones just announced the new “Speed Booster” Adapter that makes any FF or APS-C (and not MFT!) lens faster, wider and sharper! Philip Bloom posted the news as first and explained how it works:

“The Metabones ‘Speed Booster’ is a 0.71 x focal reducer, that will effectively turn your full frame 50mm f/1.8 lens into a 35mm f/1.2 lens. Note, doing so (as a guide) will increase the aperture of that lens by one stop. It will be available in January 2013 from Metabones’ web site http://www.metabones.com and its worldwide dealer network for US$599 / £372 plus shipping and applicable taxes and duties“

The adapter reduces the image circle of FF or APS-C lenses and both will cover the MFT sensor area. The only not so good things about the lens are you can use only APS-C or FF lenses and not MFT or FT lenses!

Here is an image that shows you how it works:

The image circle gets reduced and this actually doesn’t decrease the image quality!

And here is a video sample shot by Philip on a NEX camcorder (APS-C):

194 grams from James Miller on Vimeo.

Take some time to read Philip Bloom post and than let me know:

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Kisses from Vienna from Fabrys on Vimeo (shot on E-M5)

Full review of the Panasonic X Vario 12-35mm F/2.8 at Kurt Munger. And it has been selected as lens of the year by Photographyblog.

Olympus 17 mm 1.8 review at Camerastuffreview. The lens also got tested by Lepidi (part one and part two and part three).

GH3 test at Itmedia (translation here).

Phil: “I posted this information about new equipment for the Nauticam housing systems for M43 cameras: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/olympus-outlet/442771-new-m43-products-nauticam.html“

Nico: “I’d like to share with you and your readers a photo essay of black and white travel/street photographies shot in Viñales, Cuba, depicting the life of the Guajiros, who produce Cuba’s world-renowned tobacco. Here: http://www.nico-foto.com/guajiros/ My kit consisted of the Panasonic GF1 and GH2 bodies, Panasonic 14mm 2.5, 20mm 1.7 and the wonderful Olympus 45mm 1.8 lenses, all carried in a small and convenient Billingham Hadley Digital, a fantastic bag for a unconspicuous m43 outfit.  For other travel/street photographies shot in Cuba with this same kit, you can also visit my Cuba Flickr album here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicolasraddatz/sets/72157632464051675/”

Edmond: “I’m the proud owner of what I assume is the only OM-D camera in my country Lebanon. For some reason Olympus’  distributor here does not offer this particular model, nor does Panasonic sell the GH2 and the GH3 either! (Had to buy mine via a friend from Canada) . I would like to share with you my first video shot with this camera. It was all done handheld using the kit zoom lens. It clearly shows the power of the IBIS as I’m not that experienced with holding the camera properly nor was I using any sort of rig or camera-stabilizing platform….I’m also new to editing and grading so not sure if I messed up hehe (it does look much better though than here on vimeo I promise) , but anyway here it is https://vimeo.com/56783856”

Farrukh: “Went stargazing at Stonehenge with the Olympus EP3 and the SLR Magic 12mm f1.6, great combination with great photos! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.341526195953643.63961.341504945955768&type=1”

Omar: “Below is a link to a photo essay published in the Courier Journal newspaper in case you would like to share it with readers. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20121216/OPINION04/312160038/Egyptians-show-Morsi-they-won-t-back-down. The images were all takein with the EPM2 and 20 mm shot at ISO 3200 or the LX7 at 24 mm f1.4 at ISO 800.  It was nice to abe to walk around and keep the cameras in my jacket pockets when I was not using them.“