2012..what a year it's gonna be.

[swifty]

Just a not-so-serious look at what 2012 may shape up to be for enthusiast photographers.

Already announced and available soon(ish):
Sony NEX 7 (technically 2011 but widespread availability this year)
Canon 1Dx
Nikon D4
Canon G1x
Fuji X-Pro 1 system
XQD cards

Speculation of just some of the things to come:
Nikon D800
Canon 5D3
Sony A99
Canon mirrorless system
Leica mirrorless system
Samsung NX20
Olympus pro Pen
Panasonic pro m43
Panasonic GH3
Nikon D400/D7100/D8000
Canon 7D2

Not to mention all the lens update for the established systems as well some much needed new release of lenses for emerging systems.

I've probably missed a lot of anticipated products but that's what I can think of off the top of my head.

[JM Tran]

Dave! Be seeing you Easter April in Syd for client shoots if u are free:) Hopefully the D4 will be available by then, I am looking at hiring it for a wedding there to see how it goes before putting out the money for it. Will be a very interesting year for sure, and one I have been waiting on for a while. Well since 2009:D

[swifty]

Hmm... Why is there a thumbs down on my thread title??
Anyways.. Jackie, Buzz me next time you're in town for a shoot. Love to catchup.

Lightroom 4 beta's gone public now so it should be safe to say release won't be too far off.

[knumbnutz]

Pretty obvious why there's a thumbs down..........This year will cost people too much money :D
ps. it wasnt me !

[swifty]

Haha .. Thanks knumbnutz. New gear doesn't necessarily mean new purchases. But the options are really widening up.

I forgot about Pentax.
Will they also do a mirrorless in 2012 or the long rumoured FF Pentax.

On the support gear front, Apple's also rumoured to be over hauling the design of a whole range of stuff this year including their laptop line, iMac, Mac Pro etc.

[Bennymiata]

That new Canon GX-1 looks to be ripper too.
That's the sort of camera that could make me want to get a rangefinder camera.

Basically a G12 with an almost aps-c sized sensor.

[mikec]

That new Canon GX-1 looks to be ripper too.
That's the sort of camera that could make me want to get a rangefinder camera.

Basically a G12 with an almost aps-c sized sensor.

Huh, it's not a range finder camera though?

[Bennymiata]

84104

Looks like a rangefinder camera to me!

[swifty]

Perhaps Benny meant rangefinder form factor as oppose to SLR form factor.
Of course the only digital rangefinders that actually have rangefinders in them are from Leica and Epson.

[mikec]

84104

Looks like a rangefinder camera to me!

Looking like doesn't make it a rangefinder. A range finder has two overlapping images that when stacked perfectly will determine the photo is in focus, look it up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangefinder_camera).

[swifty]

Round 2 jz kicked off.
Pentax indeed went mirrorless with the K-01 but stuck with the k-mount. Ok I'm not a fan of the design but the message to me is that the mirrorbox and OVF are slowly becoming omitted in consumer products. I see this trend happening from the bottom end up.

It's Nikon and Olympus' turn soon.
The pro Pen turned out to be a reincarnated micro43 OM. Looks good I must say.

[arthurking83]

Just a not-so-serious look at what 2012 may shape up to be for enthusiast photographers.

Already announced and available soon(ish):

.......

Speculation of just some of the things to come:

....

Leica mirrorless system


.....

:confused:

Leica have their medium format camera which would sell in very limited numbers, but their bread and butter camera systems are rangefinders which are already mirrorless!

[swifty]

Oops, I should say Leica non-rangefinder mirrorless interchangeable lens system.
The rumour is something like an X1 but with interchangeable lens.

[arthurking83]

.....
The rumour is something like an X1 but with interchangeable lens.

:D LOL! I think I knew what you meant, but as mirrorless cameras seem to be all the rage lately it's just common practise to call 'em that. But this type of camera from Leica, who only really ever made RF cameras, sounded humorous as a news topic.

So, in effect Leica is developing a new P&S camera :p

[I @ M]

So, in effect Leica Panasonic is developing a new P&S camera :p

:rolleyes:

[swifty]

haha... I think I completely missed your point there AK.

But speaking of a 'mirrorless' Leica, there really isn't much Leica needs to do.
The M-mount already has some of the best lens for the 135 format available.
They're MF and have always been.
All they need to do is replace the RF with a EVF. Give it really good manual focussing aids, like focus peaking etc.
Add a pin or two and modify the M-mount specs for potential future AF lens.
Keep the M9 sensor and ta-dah!!! The M-evolved. They can price it at $5k and still sell more than what they can produce.
No need for a new mount, its already a great manual focus system. Just future proof it.

[swifty]

Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95. That's a nice surprise for m43 mount.
As is the Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC for Canon and Nikon. Non-VC for Sony.
D800 pics just leaked.

[arthurking83]

Hopefully that Tammy 24-70 will be nice.

I'm seriously serious about updating my 28-75 and the VC may come in handy on occasion.

82mm front filter tho!! :( may help IQ, but 82mm polarisers don't come cheap!

[swifty]

82mm front filter tho!! :( may help IQ, but 82mm polarisers don't come cheap!

Yea tell me about it. That might be the deal breaker for me there.
But then again I'm don't usually use filters often enough for me to realistically worry about the 82mm threads.

[swifty]

Woah this is huge. SD1 gets reinvented and drops to $2300.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/02/08/Sigma_SD1_Merrill_price_drop

[I @ M]

Woah this is huge. SD1 gets reinvented and drops to $2300.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/02/08/Sigma_SD1_Merrill_price_drop

Had to happen I guess, the factory is saying that the price reduction slash annihilation is due to lowered production costs but methinks it may have more to do with new models on the market ( think D800 ) and the fact that Sigma have probably sold the SD 1 in figures that you can count on 10 fingers and 10 toes. :D

If only they had made it to accept a variety of lenses, Minolta, Pentax, Canon and Nikon. Then it would have been a lot more appealing to people. :confused013

[swifty]

This is rather unexpected. Nokia 808 Pureview with an oversized multiaspect sensor ala Panasonic GH2, sporting 41MP.

Yes, 41MP is ridiculous but what's interesting is it seems Nokia understands that the 41MP is just the frequency the sensor samples at and will output far more manageable (and useful) final image sizes.
Furthermore the sensor is larger than pretty much all 'p&s,' coming in slightly smaller than Nikon CX.

There are also some advantages to the massive pixel count, eg. a built-in tele converter in video.

Is this another nail in the p&s coffin? Who knows but if all smartphones in a year's time have equivalent performance, p&s cameras would really have to reinvent itself to set itself apart. Right now, optical zoom and ergonomics are still to p&s camera's advantage.
But the Nokia, being a smartphone, don't get me started on connectivity. It'll run rings around any camera today.

[arthurking83]

..... p&s cameras would really have to reinvent itself to set itself apart. Right now, optical zoom and ergonomics are still to p&s camera's advantage.
.....

There is a limit as to how much tech you can legitimately pack into a device tho.

While it all sounds theoretically advanced and marvellous, I think a typical high(ish) end compact will still out gun this type of device.

IQ is more than just about pixels and a single focal length lens where 'pixel zooming' now considered to be a form of focal length increase.

Nothing beats physically increasing focal length for when you want to actually increase focal length!
Good optics are vital, and many high end P&S cameras have very good lens designs.

Compactness comes at a price, and while this phone will produce startling results when compared to other small sensored phones, I think it'll lag behind in many situations when compared to actual cameras.

Still a great achievement, no doubt about that!! And the idea of ludicrous pixel counts and then pixel binning for better quality images(mainly accurate colour rendition at high ISO) is a good one .. but at the moment it's all talk and no samples.
Actual samples are what's needed to prove their point.
Their idea of pixel zooming may end up backfiring tho! History has taught us so far that when you want to increase magnification, increased focal length(obviously with high quality optics!!) is the way to achieve higher quality images.

[swifty]

Hi AK, absolutely agree with what you've said, particularly that there's no substitute for optical changes to FL vs digital cropping.

But I can't help but think we're approaching this from an enthusiast POV.
And a smartphone with a competent camera is coming from bottom end of the market up.
Let's face it, a great portion of photos taken with p&s are destined for the web, small prints and maybe displayed on a tv or iPad etc. And a smartphone trumps any camera (all the way to top end DSLRs) when it comes to connectivity.
In that respect for a large number of ppl, the camera will become good enough, if not already and far more convenient.

From the enthusiast level down, there are issues with focal length (as we've mentioned) and ergonomics.
And I do believe there are room for the all-in-one compact camera. Not everyone wants an interchangeable lens system.
As the G1x has shown, the top end p&s needs to be shaken up. There 's talk Sony will also have a G1x like camera this year.
But I feel these enthusiast p&s will need to be essentially be as competent as low end DSLRs to remain relevant. The IQ's almost there depending on your standards, but I feel the general speed of operation are lacking, but it'll get there.
The rugged/waterproof and superzoom niche will probably remain.

But anything in-between will probably get squeezed out of relevance IMO.

[swifty]

I know this is already keenly followed in other threads but another camera to check off the list of 2012 releases.
Canon 5D3. Not too many surprises but the 500EX-RT radio speedlight announced together with the 5D3 looks interesting.

[swifty]

No one has yet mentioned the 'new' iPad (as its officially called) so I may as well.
Of course strictly speaking not a photographic tool, the tablet has become an increasingly used accessory whether it be for immediate feedback, portfolio presentation etc.
And with the retina display arriving in tablet guise this can only improve the tablet as a photographic aid.
Now why doesn't my camera communicate natively to a tablet (or my phone)?? :P

[Bennymiata]

Apple is just repsonding the terrific, and more connectable tablets from Samsung.

When is Apple going to put a USB plug and memory card slot into the i-Pad?

I bet if Canon or Nikon made tablets, your camera WOULD coomunicate to it.

[swifty]

If the camera companies do try to make tablets instead of concentrating on cameras then 'oh dear!!'
The point is wireless connectivity with devices we already own without jumping through hoops.
And not forcing the user into their own image hosting galleries but I'm afraid that'd be too much to ask from the camera companies *sigh*

[swifty]

A few more announcements today.
Nikon's new entry level DSLR now sports arguably the equal-best APS-C sensor.
Samsung updates their entire NX CSC line. All with wifi for their 'Smart Camera Ecosystem.'

[swifty]

I'm late with my updates for enthusiast photographic product releases and it's only been 1 1/2 months since the last post!!
Sony updates their entry level NEX and Alphas lines.
Olympus announces a long portrait prime lens (75mm f1.8).
Panasonic announces their fixed aperture normal zoom (12-35 f2.8).
Leica goes M mono and updates their uber expensive X1 to an X2.
Sony surprises with diminutive p&s (RX100) sporting a 1" sensor (Nikon CX sized).
Canon leaks new Rebel and 40mm pancake.

And we're not even half way through 2012!!

[swifty]

Oops.. Forgot about the Pentax K30. Hmm.. What else have I missed?