Cameras
BEST APS-C PROFESSIONAL CAMERA Fujifilm X-H2S TIPA SAYS
The camera market is not in great shape in terms of sales. To mitigate this, manufacturers are working extra hard to attract customers – by bringing in brand-new and innovative features as well as beefing up existing technologies. New models sport all the advancements in video to produce cameras that are truly hybrid, with features that can satisfy experienced stills shooters as well as those who have a foot in the video camp. It was no surprise to see how well hybrid cameras did in this year’s TIPA Awards, and that trend is very likely to continue.
The X-H2S offers a fully capable hybrid camera for pro users. Its impressive still and video capabilities incorporate refined AF and subject detection tools and deliver improved low-light performance, all with reduced noise and enhanced tonality and clarity. On the stills side, a remarkable 40fps and 140-frame consecutive Raw format capture means no action will be missed, while video flexibility includes the ability to record in DCI/UHD 4K at 120p and Full HD at 240p, with recording times up to 90 minutes at all frame rates and resolutions. PN’S VIEW The X-H2S is a superb camera and its long feature list will tempt stills and video shooters. It’s a 26-megapixel APS-C camera with Fujifilm’s renowned X-Trans 6x6 colour array sensor rather than the 2x2 array of the Bayer sensor. This model features a stacked sensor for superfast performance so, for example, it can shoot at 40fps with its blackout-free electronic shutter making tracking easy. Keeping pace with this is an advanced autofocusing system with improved tracking and subject detection.
BEST FULL-FRAME PROFESSIONAL CAMERA Sony Alpha 7R V
BEST FULL-FRAME EXPERT CAMERA Panasonic Lumix S5 II TIPA SAYS Pro content creators will welcome the capabilities of this hybrid. It’s the first Lumix to offer Phase Hybrid AF, which greatly benefits fast and precise autofocus performance. The S5 II features a new Active IS system that is especially designed to compensate for recordings made while walking, an exciting development for ‘on-the-ground’ event coverage. PN’S VIEW Panasonic is the only camera maker committed to both Micro Four Thirds and 35mm full-frame formats. ‘No compromise’ was the mantra when it launched its 35mm S-system in 2019, and that holds sway today – as the S5 II testifies. It’s a mid-priced mirrorless with features aimed at stills and video shooters – while the DC-S5 IIX has a more extensive set of video features. Highlights include 24.2-megapixel resolution, with multi-shot high-res shot mode giving 96-megapixel files, 30fps shooting in Raw plus continuous AF and hybrid phase-detect AF. And you get all this tech in a very compact body.
TIPA SAYS TIPA editors picked out the Alpha 7R V as a responsive, flexible camera that raises the bar on features and functions for pro photographers. It offers a 61-megapixel full-frame sensor, 8K video recording and eight stops of image stabilisation, plus it offers unprecedented accuracy and speed in tracking and predicting movement with its advanced AI-powered autofocus system. Thanks to its Exmor R BSI and Bionz XR Processor, the Alpha 7R V features a remarkable 15-stop dynamic range and expanded low-light capability. PN’S VIEW Sony’s mirrorless range goes from strength to strength, but filling the high- resolution shoes of the Alpha 7R IV was always going to be a challenge. As you’d expect, it was a challenge Sony met head on – the Alpha 7R V is a simply stunning camera. It uses the same sensor as the A7R IV, but a new, more powerful Bionz XR processor makes the most of its potential.
BEST FULL-FRAME ADVANCED CAMERA Canon EOS R8 TIPA SAYS The EOS R8 brings all Canon’s expertise to bear, with subject tracking, a broad ISO range for enhanced low-light options, low-light AF capability (-6.5EV) and rapid burst mode (40fps up to 120 frames, JPEG). PN’S VIEW The R8 is Canon’s mid-range full-frame offering and comes at a great price – currently £1899 body only. Typical of recent cameras, it’s equipped for stills and movie shooters and while it might lack IBIS, key selling points include a more portable body and highly advanced autofocusing skills – and it’s one of the few Canon cameras with focus stacking. It can rattle through frames too, and there is a Raw burst mode with the option of preshot, another new feature for Canon mirrorless.
› BEST APS-C ENTRY-LEVEL CAMERA Canon EOS R50 › BEST APS-C EXPERT CAMERA Fujifilm X-T5 › BEST APS-C VLOGGER CAMERA Nikon Z 30 › BEST FULL-FRAME ADVANCED CAMERA Canon EOS R8 › BEST PROFESSIONAL CONTENT CREATOR CAMERA Sony ZV-E1 › BEST PROFESSIONAL VIDEO CAMERA Canon XA70/XA75 OTHER WINNERS
Issue 107 | Photography News 17
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