You know that cellphone cameras are seen as serious imaging devices when Zeiss, the venerable German optical master, is rolling out a whole line of high-performance lenses for them. Zeiss, in partnership with ExoLens, had already released its first one, the Zeiss Mutar 0.6 Asph T* wide angle (equivalent to an 18mm on full frame) for the iPhone, in June. Now the manufacturer has added a 56mm equivalent Zeiss Mutar 2.0x Asph T* with an aspheric element to provide “uniform contrast and definition across the entire image field” that’s mostly aimed at portrait shooters, and a Zeiss Vario-Proxar 40-80 T* macro zoom lens with an equivalent focal-length range of 40-80mm.
“In combination with the optics built into the smartphone camera, turning the ring does not alter the field of view,” explains Zeiss Product Developer Vladan Blahnik. “Instead, the ring functions much like a manual focus control that lets you select different planes of focus, allowing objects measuring 3-12 centimeters to fill the field of view.” All three lenses feature T* coating and fit iPhones perfectly, thanks to a specially developed aluminum bracket that provides a standard 1/4"-20 tripod socket and a cold-shoe mount for adding an external light or microphone. There are two versions of the bracket for different iPhone models. Now when someone asks you why your latest iPhone pictures images look so great, you can honestly say it’s because you shot them with a Zeiss lens!
The Turkish Trigger Connection
MIOPS, a small company based in Istanbul, specializes in innovative remote triggering devices that can fire your camera wirelessly from afar in a number of ingenious ways—by using light, sound, and vibration to provide the triggering impulse, or by combining any number of different methods simultaneously, including an interval timer or based on the distance to the subject. These units can also be used as conventional remote releases that fire the camera when you press a button. The company’s first product, the MIOPS Smart, will soon be available from B&H. The new MIOPS Mobile announced at Photokina takes the concept up a few notches by accessing the apps built into your smartphone’s software, and using them individually or in concert to fire your camera remotely. For example, in the short video shown at the booth, an iPhone 6 lashed to a pole supporting a basketball hoop senses the vibrations when the ball touches the rim and instantly fires the MIOPS Mobile-equipped camera to capture a clean shot of the ball going into the net. Because it’s based on such an open-ended idea, it opens up a world of fascinating possibilities for sports, action, nature, and (watch out) surveillance photographers.
Medium Format Fujifilm Debuts Under Glass
The Fujifilm folks assured the press that the impressive new Fujifilm GFX shown in a locked glass cabinet glass at Photokina is not merely a beautifully crafted wooden block, and that the camera will hit the market sometime in early 2017. Its beautifully compact form factor is certainly enticing, and Fujifilm has a long history of creating excellent medium-format film SLRs, folding cameras, and outstanding medium- and large-format lenses. With a 51.4MP, 43.8 x 32.9mm CMOS sensor, the mirrorless GFX should certainly be capable of capturing first-class image quality, and its new lens mount, with a flange back distance of only 26.7mm, certainly gives Fujifilm’s optical designers ample scope in delivering high-quality lenses, particularly wide-angles. Fujifilm confirmed that the camera will be officially released along with six new lenses, including a 23mm f/4 ultra-wide, a 63mm f/2.8 normal, and a 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS with integral optical stabilization. They plan to hit the ground running, by bringing out the complete system at once, including such mouthwatering accessories as an adapter that can rotate the EVF to virtually any convenient viewing angle, and an ergonomic vertical battery grip. With Hasselblad, Mamiya, Pentax, and Leica already in the medium-format digital fray, will there be enough room for this enticing new camera? Well, Fujifilm has more than hinted that the GFX will be “very competitively” priced.
Leica Unveils State-of-the-Art 50mm f1.4 Summilux SL ASPH.
Leica’s new autofocus 50mm f/1.4 Summilux for the full-frame mirrorless Leica SL said to set a new performance benchmark for high-speed normal lenses. And surprise, surprise—it’s based on a completely different optical formula than the acclaimed 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M for M-series Leicas. The new internally autofocusing lens uses a stepping motor to control the movement of a lightweight three-element autofocusing group that includes one aspheric element. This provides very fast, ultra-precise AF and outstanding imaging performance over the entire focusing range, all without changing the length of the lens, thus enhancing balance. This 11-element lens includes a total of 2 aspheric elements and 4 anomalous dispersion (AD) elements to dramatically reduce monochromatic and chromatic aberrations, and employs advanced multilayer coatings throughout to enhance light transmission and virtually eliminate ghosting and flare. An 11-bladed diaphragm enhances its already excellent bokeh. Yes, the new 50mm f/1.4 Summilux SL ASPH. is substantially longer, wider, and heavier than the diminutive M-series version, but it provides an ergonomic, well-balanced package when mounted on the Leica SL.
New GoPro Action Cams Kick it up a Notch
GoPro, the bold California-based company that practically invented the modern action cam, upped the ante at Photokina, releasing two new upgraded Hero models, and unveiling its first-ever drone, the Karma. The two new ultra-compact action cams are the top-of-the-line 12MP Hero 5 Black with a touchscreen LCD, and the 10MP Hero 5 Session, which is somewhat smaller because it omits the LCD. Both feature intuitive operation with automatic options and simple 1-button control, can capture 4K video at 30 fps, feature software-based image stabilization, and have well-sealed bodies that are submersible to 33 feet (underwater housings are available for those who need to go deeper), can upload photos and videos to the Cloud while charging the camera, and feature voice control with support for 7 languages (with more on the way.) Both Hero 5-series GoPro models are compatible with current GoPro mounts, can be front-mounted on the new Karma drone, include a unique new Linear-View mode for capturing wide-angle videos and stills with virtually no distortion, and provide stereo sound recording and wind noise reduction. Both Hero 5s are scheduled to go on the market by October 2.
 |  |
This Karma Won’t Run Over Your Dogma
The new Karma is an attractively compact, lightweight 4-propeller (Quadcopter) drone designed and built by GoPro that ingeniously folds into a specially configured medium-sized backpack, appears to be very solidly made, and is optimized for shooting high-quality still and video images from the air. It comes with a handheld image-stabilization Karma Grip that can be mounted on vehicles, etc., and also includes a three-axis camera stabilizer that can be removed from the drone and secured to the Karma Grip for capturing smooth professional-looking footage, whether the Hero is handheld or gear mounted. The Karma uses a game-style controller and an integrated touchscreen display that makes it very easy to set up, fly, and use to capture pro-quality video straight out of the box. The Karma will be available alone or bundled with the Hero5 Black starting on October 23, and bundled with the Hero5 Session in early 2017.
 |  |