BTM_Pix

So.... Insta360 have announced this today, the 360 EVO https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/video/news/just-announced-insta360-evo-ultra-compact-folding-360-vr-3d-camera It is a 360 twin lens camera but the big trick is that it folds out so you can also use the lenses to do 180 degree 3D.

The Sigma SD Quattro and its kit lens, the 30mm f1.4 I'm not up to speed with the different versions in terms of whether they have changed anything over the years but this is the original F mount version.

I was also doing some Pocket4K stuff so the bar mount was for the controller for my 3C app.

You can get lower cost compatible ones on eBay such as this one. Can't vouch for the quality so whether its a false economy I wouldn't be able to tell you https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5mm-Stereo-Screw-Lock-TO-standard-3-5mm-stereo-Cable-For-Sennheiser/231200664351?hash=item35d4a22b1f:g:D7QAAOxylpNTRS21

Yeah, that was the "interesting" part for me as well ! Haven't seen any other mention of it in any other review either. I'd prefer a lock image button than a delete one to be honest. Far better to put something destructive in a menu especially with the much larger capacity cards these days. The diopter control being recessed isn't a winner for me personally either as I do adjust it a lot depending on how vain I'm being about wearing my glasses

I was quite interested in what Hugh Brownstone had to say here about the rolling shutter performance....

Game on.

As luck would have it, a post about one for the Pocket4K has just popped up in another thread that might be of interest.

It needs an interface but its nothing too dramatic. There are kits for making your own VR headsets that could form the basis of a Hi-Res version of the DIY EVF I made with the Raspberry Pi monitor and the loupe. This one has 1080p AMOLED screens (though you'd only need one of them) and the whole kit is under £150. I will definitely look at making one as the DIY EVF I made is actually pretty serviceable but just a bit low res. But much, much better than trying to use a rear LCD in the sunshine here. Yes it is. And the kindness was particularly apt in this case as she had bought me that particular lens about 30 minutes earlier ! I'll sort out a side by side tomorrow, they are roughly the same size. I expect the Contax Zeiss to smoke it but you never can tell ! I've barely used it since I got it unfortunately. I think these were probably taken the day after I got away with daylight robbery buying it in Tokyo but its not had many outings since so it could do with an airing.

Well looking at his name badge he does actually work for Sigma so that works on two levels ! I will do. I'm trying to set aside some time to actually use the camera as 99.9% of my interactions with it thus far have been titting about with developing for it. The Ninja V actually sits on it well with them being the same size so it feels more like a flip up monitor for it ! Its pretty essential for it for outdoor daylight use for me, though, yes, I would prefer an EVF. I have the Visoflex for my Leica T and its just fantastic the way you can rotate it up for a pseudo-waist level finder use. Why someone isn't making these with HDMI inputs for all cameras I just don't know. Yeah, Sigma's non-ART can still do the business, even the really cheap APS-C and MFT ones so I'd definitely check one out. These are grabs from my (unloved) A6500 with the sub £150 60mm f2.8 DN That WW2 re-enactment video was great but, yeah, I do suspect a lot of those shots were the 70-200mm f4. With regard to 85mm, I haven't used the Nikon one but I actually quite liked the Samyang 85mm f1.4 and I picked up the Contax Zeiss 85mm f1.4 for a silly price last year and have been meaning to do an A/B comparison if that's something that would appeal ?

Its no fan of Spain either. An affordable EVF can not come soon enough for this camera.

The interesting thing with the Quattro is that Sigma getting involved with the L alliance is a bit of a win from both perspectives really. For anyone who doesn't have one, there will be some even bigger bargains around on the SA mount cameras and lenses but that will also benefit existing owners too as it will also mean a lot more SA mount lenses coming up used from people swapping over to the new mount version, particularly if there is a full frame version of it. Everyone knows about their MC-11 EF to E mount adapter but not many people are aware that they do an SA to E version of it as well which means those cheaper ART lenses in SA mount may not be the dead end people imagine them to be I got the Ninja V last week with one eye on maybe getting a cheap Z6 in Japan in a few months but also as a monitor/expander for the Pocket4K and the LS300. After using it in anger for the first time over the weekend, its pretty much a must have for whatever camera you're going to attach it to. This image doesn't really do it justice regarding just how much brighter it is (although the fact that the camera screen looks like its off !) but, to me, its pretty essential when using the Pocket4K outdoors when the big shiny thing is not covered in cloud. Its heresy to say anything that could remotely be interpreted as negative about the Pocket4K of course but I'm just going to come out and say it that the non-articulating screen without an EVF combo is crap. No, I haven't but I will be this week. That little 12-32mm is a really good bonus on the Pocket4K because of the OIS but also as its good enough in the edges to not suffer too much with the reduced crop. Based on how it performs I'm looking at picking up the other similarly diminutive matching 35-100mm that they do which also has OIS and is also usually available cheap second hand. Thanks. Just took a lot of the red out of it to cool it down really to make it a bit more monotone. The main thing was exposing for the window and then using a bit of dodge and burn to help the light along here and there. The B&W version took out more of the distraction of the Photokina exhibition hall in the background !

Using 3C in hub mode with the cheap 8Bitdo controller to give you tripod bar (or gimbal) mounted hands off control of the camera.

No, you'd have to buy a real camera Sorry, forgot the EF requirement. Works with the EOS-R if you went that route though I guess that's doubtful with your RAW requirement. If you want this lens and RAW then with the TechART you can have it on the Nikon Z6 with the added bonus of it then becoming AF, which with an f1.1 lens is actually quite a boon !

For more cash ? The 7Artisans 50mm f1.1 Glowfest wide open and crisps up nicely at more sensible apertures.

Who won in the end or did you just do what I always end up doing and keeping them all?

Here is the thread with the list in of all the adapters from Kipon mate. They also do one for Canon FD.

Please buy two of them as I need to pay the mooring fees today.

Nothing remotely exotic or with any particular character but the diminutive Panasonic 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 is a handy little (with the emphasis on little) lens to have in your bag if you shoot MFT. The upside is the OIS so its a boon for using on cameras without IBIS like the G7 or, like here, the Pocket 4K but the downside is the lack of manual focus ring so you will have to rely on AF or onscreen focus. Or for the Pocket 4K as I was doing here for testing you can use a remote control app.... As I say, its not going to wow anyone with its '3D pop' or 'mojo' but as a purely utilitarian wide zoom its a very solid performer and as so many of them were bundled in kits with GX80 etc they are readily available for well under £100 used.

If you are looking to go 1.0x and above and want to buy a specific lens then the Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro Lens is almost doable for your budget. Its Canon mount so you'll need an adapter as well. This is a review of it up against the venerable Canon MP-E 65mm https://petapixel.com/2018/03/21/the-399-laowa-25mm-macro-lens-vs-the-1050-canon-mp-e-65mm/ The other route with Fuji is to use their own MCEX-11 or MCEX-16 extension tubes with your existing lenses which have the benefit of being electronically connected so you can retain AF and aperture control. This chart shows you the magnification gains with each of their lenses http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/accessories/pdf/mcex_01.pdf The Fuji ones are about £70 but the 3rd party ones with the same electronic control are about half that price. As you can see from the chart then if you want to get to the 1.0x area then the MCEX-16 will get you in the ballpark with both the 18mm f2 and 23mm f2 lenses. If you've got either of those lenses then you're in business but if not, used ones from somewhere like MPB will get you there or thereabouts budget wise as a package with the adapter with the added advantage of, unlike the dedicated ultra macros like the Laowa, being very decent lenses for non-macro work. https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-lenses/used-fuji-x-series-lenses/

I would say that your details are very secure with the Play store. If you are in any doubt at all though, you can either buy a Play store voucher from PayPal which will give you a degree of separation or buy a Play store gift card from a physical shop. https://www.paypal.com/uk/gifts/brands/google-play

Thank god its not just me who has the labelling fetish! I don't go down to SD card level but I do find them to be at their best for lens cap labelling for easy selection from my storage drawers. They even have a little code structure !

Yes because of course I'm not busy enough right now Seriously though, Gmonitor does all this stuff and is available for Android and iOs https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gmonitor/id1219955645?mt=8

OK, well I've got a solution for you. The live view to a phone works while recording the burst. So your options are to use the free Panasonic Image App on your phone as a monitor or use an app like Gmonitor (Android or iOS) which is about $5 and is a more dedicated monitor app for showing the live stream. There is some lag but it is actually pretty marginal and definitely usable. Far, far more usable than the non-functioning HDMI port.

No, it has morphed slighty into a Leica/Panasonic/Sony controller and will be available soon both as the pocket version here But also the larger version with focus wheel as shown here with the Pocket4K There will likely be a Wifi version of 3C for them as well.