Photography News Issue 50

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Photography News | Issue 50 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Panasonic’s new flagship

Specat aglance

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III was announced the day we went to press with the last issue. The launch event took place at the Simon Drake House of Magic in South London and at this fascinating venue we got the chance to use G1 X Mark III pre-production samples, so the pictures published here are not from final samples. The G1 X Mark III is Canon’s first in the G-series, and with an APS-C sensor this premium compact is a significant landmark for the company. I know cosmetics do not affect how a camera performs, but it undoubtedly influences purchase. I wouldn’t say the Mark III is a pretty camera, but that said, Resolution 20.3-megapixels Image stabilisation system Sensor shift type, five axis, 6.5EV benefit Viewfinder LED live view, 3680k dots, 100% field of view, eye sensor Focus Contrast AF system, 225 area, custommulti, single area, full area touch available. AFS, AFC, manual and AFF (AF Flexible) available Exposure 1728 zone multi-pattern with multi-zone, centre-weighted and spot measurement. PASMmodes. Compensation +/-5EV, +/-3EVmovie ISO range Still: ISO 200-25,600, expands to ISO 100. Movie: 200-12,800, expands to ISO 100 Shutter range 60secs – 1/8000sec, electronic shutter to 1/32,000sec. Bulb maximum 30 minutes. Flash sync up to 1/250sec. Shutter life 200,000 actuations Continuous shooting Electronic shutter, up to 20fps in super high, mechanical shutter/ electronic first curtain 12fps/6K photo 30fps. 4k photo 60fps Connectivity WiFi, Bluetooth. QR code

personally, I like its scaled-down, angular DSLR look. So while it seems unlikely that the Mark III would win a beauty pageant, it handles well enough. One thing that really appeals is its size and weight, which is even more impressive when you consider the large sensor inside and that the lens is a 3x zoom (24-70mm 35mm equivalent), although its f/2.8-5.6 variable maximum aperture is nothing to shout about. But that and the limited 3x zoom range help keep the camera’s size down. The G1 X Mark II is small for a large sensor zoom compact – it’s certainlynot a camera that is going to pass the shirt or blouse pocket test ThePanasonicLumixG9isafeature- rich 20.3-megapixel micro four thirds camera that is also splash- and dust-resistant. It can shoot at 20fps with focus tracking and 60fps with single shot AF mode while the body integral image stabiliser gives a claimed 6.5EV benefit. Body IS combined with lens OIS gives even more benefit for low light or long lens shooting, and works for still and 4k video shooting. The 20.3-megapixel Digital Live MOS sensor is lowpass filter free for the highest detail resolution, and if more is needed of static scenes a high resolutionmode gives 80-megapixel results in Raw and JPEG formats. Available in January 2018, the G9 comes as part of three kit options. The body only is £1499; the M kit includes the Panasonic 12-60mm and costs £1699; while the L Kit comprises the G9 with the Leica equivalent of that lens, and is £2019. Panasonic has also introduced a 200mm f/2.8 lens (400mm equivalent in 35mm format) complete with Power OIS to combat camera shake, and that goes on sale in December at £2699. panasonic.co.uk

Images A robust and good-looking camera, the Panasonic Lumix G9 comes tomarket in January 2018 and is eagerly anticipated by users of the brand. It will come with three kit options: body only, Mkit (includes the Panasonic 12-60mm), and the L kit (includes equivalent Leica lens)

Hands on: Canon PowerShot G1 XMark III

The a7R III is a full-frame mirrorless camera with a 42.4-megapixel resolution, 10fps continuous shooting and a highly advanced AF system, with 399 phase detection points covering 68% of the image area. The 42.4-megapixel sensor is a back-illuminated CMOS unit. It has a gapless design and an anti-reflective coating to improve light collecting efficiency, for a low noise performance even at high ISO settings. It has a wide dynamic range with 15EV claimed at low ISO speeds. The native ISO range is 100 to 32,000, which is expandable to ISO 50-102,400. The a7R III costs £3200 body only. Full-frame Sony

but it’s fine in a workbag, manbag or handbag. The menu structure is just like every current Canon DSLR around, so set-up will not be a problem to any Canon user, but even for newcomers it won’t take more than a few minutes to find your way around. Themonitorisa3intouchscreen variangle, so perfect for shooting from different viewpoints, and on our pre-prod sample touch AF and AF generally worked well. This is especially impressive given the very low light, artificially-lit environment we were shooting in. We can’t make an informed judgement about the G1 X Mark

sony.co.uk

III’s picture performance until we get to use the real thing and start exploiting its Raws, but on early acquaintance this APS-C compact is likely to impress, and at £1149 it is a welcome addition to the premium compact market. WC

canon.co.uk

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