What a week! Tons of you showed up for the B&H Depth of Field conference, in person here in New York and online through our virtual portal. On top of that, we had loads of new camera and lens announcements from Canon, Nikon, OM SYSTEM, and more.
There’s too much to talk about this week so let’s jump right in.
Canon releases cameras and lenses for entry- and mid-level shooters
Canon showed up with the largest number of new products—and the only cameras for the week—so the brand earned top billing. All these products are on the more affordable end, which is always nice to see, and put a heavy emphasis on being a step-up option for those still relying on their smartphones.
Here’s what we are looking at in this announcement:
There is a lot to talk about here and even more announcements to cover below, so this is going to be a speed round.
If anyone remembers the Canon M mirrorless lineup, then the first camera in this announcement might be familiar: the EOS R50. It’s essentially the R Series version of the M50 (which is sticking around for the time being). It packs a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS with DIGIC X processor in a lightweight mirrorless body.
This is looking to be a very nice camera for beginners since it has some impressive tech inside. There’s 4K 30p uncropped video using the full 6K area, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, various auto modes to make things easy, a 2.36m-dot EVF, and a 3" vari-angle touchscreen. It is tiny and weighs just 375 g, though you could say Canon skimped out with a single UHS-I SD card slot. At only $680 for the body alone (or $800 with an 18-45mm lens), it’s going to be hard to beat.
You can also get it with a two-lens kit. The second lens is a brand-new option: the RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM. It’s what you would want from an APS-C telephoto zoom with an equivalent zoom range of 88-336mm. It also has image stabilization and a decent AF system.
More interested in picking up your first full-frame camera? Then the EOS R8 might be what you need. This travel-friendly full-frame model is almost a replacement for the original EOS R, though it uses something more similar to the smaller RP body design.
The R8 features the same 24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor found in the just-released R6 Mark II. That means stellar photos and video recording up to 4K 60p with tons of AF options, a very nice option if you want your first full-frame camera.
You can even get it in a kit with another new lens: the RF 24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM. This is another compact lens with decent range that should be perfect for getting started. I do suspect many people will want a bit more and I would recommend looking at the RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM as a good companion.
You can learn much more about these new products by looking at their detail pages on the B&H website.
Nikon makes 85mm f/1.2 and 26mm f/2.8 lenses official
There honestly wasn’t much more to learn about these two lenses since 90% of what you need to know are the focal length and aperture, but Nikon has made the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S and NIKKOR Z 26mm f/2.8 official.
One of the biggest pieces of info we were missing was the pricing. The 85mm f/1.2 is, no surprise, a premium optic with a premium price of $1,899. The 26mm f/2.8 is more reasonable, at $499. If that’s all you were waiting on to make a decision about these lenses, then now is your time to preorder and, conceivably, you’ll get your hands on one when they start shipping.
Looking more closely at the 85mm f/1.2, there’s a lot to like, but no real surprises. Nikon put all its tech in this massive lens and the samples we shot in our review prove that it is some outstanding glass. If you have any questions, feel free to watch the video.
Now, the 26mm is a bit more interesting. Releasing a 26mm when you already have a 28mm (which is cheaper) is an odd move for Nikon, though it does reveal the direction in which Nikon is looking. 26mm is what you will find as the standard lens on an iPhone. It is a lot easier to pitch a camera system if it exactly matches what your audience has been using every day.
Its form is pancake-like, and weighs basically nothing, so when paired with a Z5 (or a Z50 where it becomes a 39mm equivalent), it creates an outstanding everyday camera setup. Bigger systems may be appealing due to quality and features but, at the end of the day if you feel encumbered when you take it out, then more often than not that camera will stay at home.
For vloggers, travelers, and families, this might be a great choice. However, I must be honest and admit that nine times out of 10, I’ll still recommend Nikon’s Z 28mm lens over the 26mm. Sorry, Nikon. It looks nice but for most people, the space savings and 2mm wider perspective aren’t going to justify the extra cost.
OM SYSTEM revives long telephoto macros with 90mm f/3.5 PRO
Something that has been in the ether for a while (Olympus/OM SYSTEM claimed a decade) is a premium long telephoto macro for the Micro Four Thirds system. Well, OM SYSTEM has finally made it a reality with the official release of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO Lens.
Being made for Micro Four Thirds format cameras means that what we are getting is something equivalent to a 180mm on full frame. These types of lenses used to be more readily available, with Canon having its own EF 180mm f/3.5 and Nikon with a Micro-NIKKOR 200mm f/4. Both of those are now discontinued.
This new offering from Olympus revives the format and does it better than before.
Considering the ~100mm macro is immensely popular, you might be wondering why you would want a longer option. The answer is usually bugs. The extra “zoom” lets you stay farther away from a subject so you won’t disturb them. In this case, with the 2x magnification, it could also be as simple as working with very small objects, such as jewelry.
If a 180mm equivalent with 2x magnification isn’t doing it for you, the 90mm will support Olympus’s teleconverters. With the 2x Teleconverter, you are now working with a 360mm equivalent and a 4x magnification with a very lightweight lens. If you like close-ups and want a decent super tele in your bag, this is a good way to go.
OM SYSTEM made this lens in line with its other PRO optics, making sure it is built well and rugged enough to pair with its exceptionally durable cameras. It is IP53 rated for dust and weather resistance.
As for usability, OM SYSTEM did well here because the 90mm has a manual focus clutch that should make it easy to operate in those macro modes. There is built-in optical stabilization—a must on macros, in my opinion—as well as focus limiters and a capable AF system. It’s a shockingly good lens.
In other news…
- Sigma released its 50mm f/1.4 DG DN lens for Sony E and L-Mount systems.
- Leica is offering smaller, lighter, and more affordable Summicron-SL 35mm and 50mm lenses.
- Depth of Field wrapped! We will pull some of the highlights to check out next week.
Catch you all next week!
0 Comments