Unreleased OM 90mm macro lens now listed at BHphoto
The 90mm f/3.5 macro lens has now been listed at BHphoto (Click here). Maybe the official announcement will happen next week already?
Panasonic: “The need for compact cameras like MFT will increase”
Dpreview had a chat with Yosuke Yamane from Panasonic. He strongly believes that MFT will be more popular in future particular among younger people:
He emphasized that the size and portability of Micro Four Thirds lets it deliver things that full-frame systems can’t. ‘Micro Four Thirds is a compact and lightweight system that enables hand-held photography in combination with a telephoto lens, which is not possible with full-frame,’ he said. ‘And we believe it is an indispensable system for achieving a compact body that can be easily carried.‘
‘I think the need for small, lightweight cameras that can be carried around all the time like smartphones will increase, especially among the younger generation.‘
That combination not only underpins its appeal to groups such as wildlife photographers, but could also give it a role as a gateway for younger users more used to smartphones, he suggested. ‘One of our goals is to tell the story of the benefits of a dedicated camera to teens and people in their 20s. We need to tell them that there is a world that can’t be achieved with a smartphone.‘ But to achieve this, ‘you need the portability the smartphone has,‘ he said. ‘I think the need for small, lightweight cameras that can be carried around all the time like smartphones will increase, especially among the younger generation.’
He wouldn’t be drawn on whether this might result in a return of the GM series, but said we weren’t the only people expressing an interest in a small, capable camera. ‘The press in Japan ask the same thing,’ he said, ‘but for full-frame.’
He also talked about the AI implementation on cameras:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) could also play an increasing role in workflows, he suggested. ‘If cameras automatically reflect the intentions of creators through AI – such as AF, which is already being used with AI – as well as color, exposure, and framing, we believe that shooting mistakes will be greatly reduced in the future, and this will contribute to reducing shooting time.
‘Furthermore, we believe that using AI in editing will make workflows more efficient. In terms of the overall workflow, one-man-operation creators spend a great deal of time editing, and if they can automatically edit as the creators intend with one push, I think they will be able to produce more and more attractive content, which will broaden the field for creators.’
The idea of the camera being able to anticipate what you’re trying to achieve could have benefits for people less familiar with dedicated cameras, he suggested. ‘By combining Micro Four Thirds with AI and other technologies, we hope to convey the advantages of cameras to casual users.’
Topaz Video AI v3.1 is here (and $50 discount on the Image AI and Video AI bundle)
Both the Video AI and Imagq Quality AI app got a $50 discount (Click here). The Video AI tool got a new 3.1 update with the following new features:
Get sharper videos with the new Themis AI model
Reduce motion blur caused by panning, rotation, or zoom with the new Themis AI model:
Topaz Video AI v3.1 – Motion Deblur Example
Because it can use information from multiple frames, the new Themis AI model performs much better than its equivalent in our image apps. It also pairs well with the Stabilization model to reduce camera shake and jerkiness:
TVAI Themis and Stabilization Example
Themis helps you increase the perceived sharpness and detail of your videos by removing blur instead of just increasing edge contrast. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Faster in-app playback
The in-app video player will now play videos at up to 3x faster, as we’ve improved the efficiency of frame rendering. While playback may still not be real-time for large videos, it has significantly improved over v3.0.x and will improve more in the future.
Other quality of life improvements
The 6 releases over the past month have also improved the general quality of life of the app:
- Improved JPEG output quality
- Prevent OS from sleeping when app is processing
- Fix many issues related with image sequences imports
- More reliable login method
- Improve stability and fix various crashes
New firmware update for OM camera clearly confirms the 90mm f/3.5 IS PRO Macro lens is coming soon!
Today OM digital released firmware updates for many cameras. The update adds compatibility with the 90mm f/3.5 IS PRO Macro lens. Definitely a solid sign the lens will be announced within the next days/weeks!
a bit of everything…
Laowa 6mm f/2 Zero-D MFT X Zhiyun Crane M3 | BTS | 4K
Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
Best Hybrid Camera (for Photo and Video) in 2022 (42West).
Micro Four Thirds for Everyday Photography (Gary W).
OM Systems/Olympus How to Add GeoTags to Images – Ask Rob Trek
How to Use Natural Light in Photography (42West).
Plenty of news on the facebook OMD group, Panasonic FF and the GH5 group.