Download my full resolution 6000×4000 photos from the Sony RX1
The Sony RX1 is a compact camera that beats Leica and Hasselblad for image quality.
The Flare Factory 58 is modified lens by fellow British filmmaker Richard Gale, and a regular member of the EOSHD forum. A few weeks go Rich sent me one of the first of the lenses, a Flare Factory 58 (serial 004). Humorously branded Dog Schidt Optiks (the ‘n’ is silent), Rich is modifying Helios 44-M 58mm F2.0 lenses making versions with a unique character which can be customised on order. They are hand assembled and modified in England.
The new Leica M (dubbed type 240) has a CMOSIS full frame sensor, and a first for a Leica camera – video. Not since the Leicina 8mm camera (EOSHD article) has a Leica product been viable for cinema.
The Leica M of course is primarily a photography tool, but it is interesting to see if Leica have taken the same no-compromise approach to image quality in video mode as they have always done with stills.
Furthermore Leica are a company with no high end cinema camera range or video camera market share to protect from themselves (yes – never did make sense that did it?)
An exploded view of the A99 at Photokina
Whilst I was able to record some footage from the Sony A99 at Photokina I didn’t really have any spare time to do much with one. The camera to me seems a little bit disappointing on the image quality front with line skipping resulting in quite heavy moire and aliasing. Not acceptable in 2012.
Johnnie (who I had the pleasure of finally meeting at Photokina) is a freelance BBC cameraman and editor based in Vienna. His comments on the new A99 are mixed (as are my feelings about the camera).
One of the highlights of Photokina 2012 was meeting up with SLR Magic, the small but nimble optics company based in Hong Kong. They brought out one of the first proper fast wide lenses for Micro Four Thirds (the 12mm F1.6) by listening to demand and acting swiftly. Now they are building high end super-fast primes which are optimised for filmmakers as well as photographers.
