Sigma has announced it will be offering six of its DC DN APS-C lenses for Canon's RF mount, making it one of the first third-party manufacturers to sell autofocus RF lenses under license.
Recent Videos
The DC DN 18-50mm F2.8 fast standard zoom will be available from July 2024, offering a 29-80mm equivalent range on Canon's 1.6x crop APS-C bodies.
This will be followed, later in the year, by the DC DN 10-18mm F2.8 fast wide-angle zoom, giving 16-29mm equivalent coverage.
The company's four F1.4 primes will follow on from this, giving EOS R100, R50, R10 and R7 users a choice of 16mm, 23mm, 30mm and 56mm lenses that give 26mm, 37mm, 48mm and 90mm equivalent focal lengths.
The lenses, all part of the company's Contemporary series of mid-priced lenses, are already available for Leica L, Fujifilm X and Sony E mounts, with three of the four primes also available for Micro Four Thirds and Nikon Z mount.
With the lenses being made under a license from Canon, Sigma says it's been able to optimize the AF speed and support features such as image stabilization and lens aberration correction. The news coincides with Tamron also launching a licensed RF-mount APS-C lens.
No details of pricing have been provided.
SIGMA launches interchangeable lenses for Canon RF Mount system
SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of interchangeable lenses for Canon RF Mount system. This addition allows users to enjoy high performance, and high quality SIGMA lenses in native mount on their Canon RF Mount system.
[Lineup]
For detailed product information, please refer to the link below.
* These products are developed, manufactured and sold under license from Canon Inc.
[Main specifications and features]
Control algorithm including AF drive and communication speed optimization has been developed specifically for Canon RF Mount interchangeable lenses. In addition to realizing high-speed AF, the lens also supports AF-C (Continuous AF), in-camera aberration correction* and in-camera image stabilization. The mount is rubber-sealed to cater for use in a variety of environments.
Tamron has announced it's developing a version of its 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD fast wide-angle zoom lens for Canon RF-mount APS-C cameras.
Recent Videos
The 11-20mm F2.8, which is already available for Sony E-mount, will offer an 18-32mm equivalent range on Canon's 1.6x crop cameras.
The lens, released under license from Canon, was announced simultaneously with SIgma's announcement that it will offer six of its DC DN range of APS-C lenses for the same mount. Notably all seven lenses are for the smaller format RF-mount models.
The company says the 11-20mm will be available before the end of 2024. No details of pricing has been given.
TAMRON announces development of first CANON RF mount lens
The compact, lightweight, fast-aperture F2.8 ultra wide-angle zoom
11-20mm F/2.8 Di III-A RXD (Model B060)
April 23, 2024, 12AM ET / April 22, 2024, 9PM PT, Commack, NY – Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Shogo Sakuraba; Headquarters: Saitama City, Japan; “TAMRON”), a leading manufacturer of optics for diverse applications, announces the development of TAMRON’s first CANON RF mount lens, 11-20mm F/2.8 Di III-A[1] RXD (Model B060), an ultra wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. The lens is expected to launch within 2024.
TAMRON’s lenses for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras are highly regarded for their combination of superior optical performance and compact, lightweight designs. After receiving many requests from customers to offer lenses compatible with the CANON RF mount, TAMRON made the decision to develop a lens for the CANON RF mount under a license agreement.
The 11-20mm F2.8 is a fast-aperture zoom lens covering a focal length range from ultra wide-angle 11mm to 20mm[2], with a maximum aperture of F2.8 across its full range of focal lengths. With a surprisingly compact and lightweight design for a fast, ultra wide-angle zoom lens, the lens feels well balanced when attached to a compact APS-C mirrorless camera body, making it ideal for regular use. Despite its small, lightweight design, it also delivers high-level imaging power with an uncompromising optical design. Wide macro shooting is possible at 11mm with an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 0.15m (5.9”) and maximum magnification ratio of 1:4, and its stunning close-range shooting performance enables creative use of perspective at the wide end. The lens also incorporates an AF drive system with an RXD (Rapid-eXtra-silent stepping Drive) stepping motor unit that is remarkably quiet. The lens accurately captures not only still images but also video. It is also highly practical, with Moisture-Resistant Construction, Fluorine Coating, and other features designed for outdoor shooting, enabling users to easily enjoy the high image quality of this ultra wide-angle large-aperture F2.8 lens under a range of conditions.
Product Features
Fast-aperture ultra wide-angle zoom lens
Compact and light weight
Outstanding optical performance
MOD of 0.15m (5.9”) and maximum magnification ratio of 1:4
High performance autofocus RXD stepping motor for both still and video use
[1] Di III-A: For APS-C format mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras
We must be getting close to the official announcement of the previously reported Laowa FFII 15mm f/5 Cookie full-frame lens for M/E/R/Z/L - the lens by Venus Optics is already listed for sale at an Australian retailer:
Drawing inspiration from the design and function of vintage Graflex 3 Cell flashguns, this Lux Master Retro Camera Flash from Godox brings modern wireless triggering and a touchscreen interface to a powerful, bracket-mounted strobe. The flash has a guide number of 82' at ISO 100 and can be further adjusted in 0.1-step increments from 2.0 or 1/256 at the low end and 10.0 or 1/1 at full power. Featuring manual, automatic, optical, high-speed sync, and multiflash modes, it can deliver TTL Auto when used with a compatible wireless trigger. Toggle through the modes and settings using the intuitive touchscreen interface. Its built-in 2.4G wireless receiver works with the Godox XPROII, the X2T, and the X3 for remote triggering.
Widely compatible with major camera brands, including Canon, Nikon, FUJIFILM, Olympus, Sony, Leica, and Pentax, the flash comes with a triggering cable and a mounting bracket for use with almost any camera. The fan-style reflector is detachable for convenient storage, and a cover is included to protect the flash bulb. The built-in battery charges in approximately two hours with the included cable and is good for 460 full-power flashes. The flash also comes with a bag for convenient storage and transport.
Unleash Creativity in the Great Outdoors with the Ulanzi TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod
Ulanzi is proud to introduce the TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod, a world pioneering solution designed for adventurers and photography enthusiasts who cherish both mobility and the art of capturing stunning outdoor scenes. As the first product of its kind, the TT35 seamlessly blends the practicality of a trekking pole with the functionality of a professional tripod, providing unparalleled versatility and ease of use in outdoor environments.
Product Features
The Ulanzi TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod includes three lightweight, robust trekking poles, each weighing just 284g and compressing to 47cm for convenient packing. Fully extended, the poles reach 130cm, and feature four adjustable sections that support a substantial load of 30KG, ensuring they are ready for any trail or shoot.
Photographers will find the TT35 invaluable, with each pole functioning as a monopod that extends from 60 to 140cm and supports camera gear up to 3KG in hand-held mode, with best stability results under 1KG. Equipped with a quick-release ball head, the poles also convert into selfie sticks, ideal for smartphones and action cameras, facilitating both expansive landscape captures and engaging personal portraits.
By connecting the three poles, users can craft an ultra-long 350cm extension pole, perfect for overhead shots and capturing wide landscapes, with a total weight of only 852g.
The TT35's versatility shines when configured as a full-sized travel tripod using the included desktop tripod and quick-release mechanism. This setup, weighing 1.16kg, can extend up to 145cm, support up to 3KG of equipment, and adjust to multiple angles (20, 50, and 80 degrees), ensuring stability on various terrains.
Independent Usability
The desktop tripod component of the TT35 is fully functional as a standalone unit, ideal for tabletop and low-angle photography. It maintains a minimal height of 14.2cm, supports a maximum load of 5KG, and is recommended for loads up to 3KG.
Brand Vision and Development
The TT35 was developed over three years of rigorous testing and refinement. William, founder of Ulanzi, emphasizes, "We're committed to providing products that not only meet the needs of our community but also enhance their experiences by reducing the logistical challenges of outdoor photography."
Market Impact
The Ulanzi TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod is set to revolutionize the outdoor equipment market by reducing the need for multiple pieces of gear, thereby encouraging adventurers to explore further and capture more with less burden. The Ulanzi TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod invites adventurers to go further, capture more, and do it all with less effort. It's not just a tool—it's an essential companion for anyone serious about their outdoor and photographic pursuits.
Availability and Price
Price: $199USD, early-bird price.
About Ulanzi
Ulanzi specializes in innovative photography solutions that support adventurers and visual storytellers everywhere. The company is dedicated to fostering a community of outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate both function and form in their gear.
Launched in 2023, the T-series is Moment’s current line of premium add-on lenses for smartphones and comprises an entire lens ecosystem, including cases, filters, filter mounts, and other accessories.
Recent Videos
Compared to the previous M-series introduced in 2017, the new T-series has been designed for the larger image sensors and bigger pixel counts in the latest generation flagship smartphones, using 25% more glass, an additional lens element and a larger bayonet mount. In addition, the larger dimensions should help avoid vignetting on smartphone cameras with focal lengths of 24mm equivalent or wider.
We had three Moment T-series lenses available to test: the Tele 58mm telephoto lens, the Wide 18mm lens and the Fisheye 14mm lens. The Moment T-series line-up also includes a 10x macro and anamorphic lenses for video shooters, the Anamorphic 1.33x and the Anamorphic 1.55x.
Moment offers a variety of options for attaching the lenses to your smartphone, including a universal lens mount that should work with most smartphones. We used Google’s latest top-end smartphone, the Pixel 8 Pro, with its dedicated Moment case for our tests.
All three lenses come with a metal body and are reassuringly hefty, giving you the impression of having shelled out your money for a premium product. In the box, you’ll find a lens cap and a pouch, and in the case of the 18mm lens, also a screw-in metal hood. The 58mm tele and the 18mm wide lenses offer a filter thread. There is no way of attaching filters or hoods to the fisheye lens.
All lenses come with a pouch in the box.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro dedicated case looks like any generic plastic lens case but comes with a bayonet-style mount for attaching the lenses. Lenses are attached with a 1/4 turn motion, similar to a mirrorless camera or DSLR, but lack the reassuring click sound when the lens locks into place. Still, the connection is solid and tight.
Lenses are attached to the bayonet mount in the lens case with a quarter-turn motion.
Moment recommends mounting their lenses in front of the smartphone’s primary camera module, which offers better overall image quality on some smartphones than the ultra-wide or tele modules. The Moment case for the Google Pixel 8 Pro allows you to mount lenses in front of the phone’s tele module. This would, of course, only make sense for the 58mm tele, but in practice, it does not work. With the lens attached, the Pixel camera automatically switches to its primary camera and uses digital zoom instead. Moment offers a dedicated app that can be configured to force the device to use its telephoto camera. However, the app is currently only available for iOS.
The tele lens adds quite a bit of bulk and weight to your smartphone.
Image Quality
Moment Wide (18mm equivalent) lens
On the Pixel 8 Pro, the Moment wide lens expands your options in terms of wide-angle shooting. It widens the field of view of the primary camera module but is still closer to the primary camera than to the Pixel’s ultra-wide in terms of focal length.
Overall image quality is not massively impacted by the add-on lens, across all light conditions. The camera tends to use a very similar ISO value with the lens attached, and global image parameters, such as color, dynamic range or contrast, are very close to the Pixel image without the lens attached. The same is true for image noise, but the Moment lens introduces a slight corner softness, and our lens sample also had a soft spot towards the bottom center of the frame.
The Moment lens was also somewhat prone to lens flare when shooting in bright sunlight, even with the hood attached. Focus was still working well, though, and both distortion and vignetting were well under control.
Moment Fisheye (14mm equivalent) lens
The Moment fisheye lens offers a slightly wider field of view than the Pixel 8 Pro’s built-in ultra-wide camera, but the difference is relatively moderate.
As you would expect from a fisheye, its images display a much stronger distortion than the built-in ultra-wide camera, but depending on the use case, this can be a desired effect and a legitimate reason for using the Moment lens. You’ll have to live with quite soft corners in your images, though.
With the Pixel 8 Pro’s ultra-wide camera delivering excellent detail and low noise, even in low light, using the Moment fisheye with the primary camera doesn't offer any real benefit in this respect. Like the wide lens, the fisheye is a little more prone to flare than the built-in cameras. Focus works just as well with the lens attached as without.
Moment Tele (58mm equivalent) lens
When mounted in front of the Pixel's primary camera, the Moment tele 58mm tele lens achieves, as one would expect, a narrower field of view, but not as narrow as the Pixel’s own 2x tele mode, which is achieved through digital zoom.
Shooting through the Moment lens with the Pixel's primary camera gives you a slight advantage in terms of fine detail over the digitally zoomed image. Still, given the Moment image's wider field of view, this advantage is canceled out when viewing the same crop area. Given both images are captured by the image sensor in the primary camera module, there is no noticeable difference in terms of image noise, but in some conditions, we noticed a slightly reduced contrast with the Moment lens and, surprisingly, chromatic aberrations appear to be better controlled with the Moment glass.
You can also combine the Pixel’s 2x zoom with the Moment lens for roughly a 4x tele factor, but the result is pretty underwhelming. The Moment lens magnifies the digital zoom’s imperfections, resulting in a relatively obvious lack of detail. You’re better off using the Pixel’s dedicated tele camera with its native 5x tele in almost any situation.
The Moment Tele provides some advantages in terms of portraiture. Background blurring is not as pronounced as with the artificial bokeh of the Pixel's portrait mode, but you do not get the same segmentation errors around the subject, especially in fine details, such as hair. This said, current flagship smartphones, such as the Pixel, have become very good at isolating the subject from the background, and you have to zoom in fairly closely to spot the imperfections.
Conclusion
The Moment T-series lenses are nicely made, and the case and lens mount designs work well together, giving you the impression of converting your smartphone into a much more serious piece of photographic equipment.
However, out of the lenses we have tested, the fisheye is the only one that offers a unique perspective unavailable through one of the Pixel’s built-in cameras. In addition, shooting with the add-on lenses mounted in front of the Pixel 8 Pro’s primary camera does not really give you an advantage in terms of image quality. The built-in ultra-wide and Google’s 2x tele zoom mode are just too good for that.
You also do not get any aperture control, as you would get on an interchangeable lens camera and the Moment lenses eliminate one of the most apparent advantages of a smartphone camera: ultimate compactness and simplicity.
Overall, the Moment T-series lenses are an interesting option for smartphone photographers who like to experiment with gear. The fisheye provides a unique look, and the telephoto's natural bokeh is nice for portrait shots, but you should not expect massive improvements to your smartphone's camera capabilities.
The Moment lenses might make more sense on smartphones with less capable ultra-wide and tele cameras, but if you own a current top-end device, it's hard to justify the cost and added bulk.
What we like:
Premium build-quality
Well-designed Bayonet mount
Expansive lens ecosystem
Fisheye lens adds a new perspective
Telephoto lens provides natural bokeh for portrait shots
What we don't like:
No real image quality advantage on to-end smartphones
Added weight and bulk
Some corner softness and flare on the wide and fisheye lenses
It seems that the first leaked picture of the Fujifilm X-T50 camera already showed up on the Chinese social media Weibo:
This is what Google AI knows about the Fujifilm X-T50 camera:
The Fujifilm X-T50 is a camera that is expected to be highly acclaimed and shake up the APS-C mirrorless market. It is the successor to the X-T30II and belongs to the 5th generation of Fujifilm cameras. The X-T50 is also set to be bundled with the Fujinon XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 kit lens.
Here are some insights from rumors about the X-T50:
It will be the first camera to be offered bundled with the Fujinon
It will be announced alongside the Fujinon XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 kit lens
In a recent live broadcast in China, Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun announced that Xiaomi will no longer make cameras and will focus on making cars. Xiaomi used to produce the compact Xiaomi YI M1 MFT mirrorless camera and two lenses:
"YI Technology was originally backed by Xiaomi, but split off from Xiaomi in October 2016 and dropped the "Xiaomi Yi" branding. The YI M1 is a consumer-level camera designed and made in China. It has a 20MP Four Thirds sensor, 3'' 1.04M-dot touchscreen LCD, and an 81-point Contrast Detect AF system."
Photo sharing site Photobucket recently revealed that it might license the images it hosts to teach AI models.
Photobucket’s recent reveal that its 13 billion images may soon be licensed to teach AI models raises questions about copyright and how to protect your images.
Recent Videos
Cloud storage is a useful tool that allows us to back up our images and share them with others quickly. It’s not perfect, though. Constant monthly payments and the possibility of data loss or leaks turn many people away. Now, with the rise of cloud-based companies potentially using your data for AI machine learning, it begs the question: what can we do to keep our files safe and, most importantly, under our own control and private?
We learned recently that Photobucket, one of the internet’s oldest photo and video storage sites, was in talks to license user data to companies wanting to use it to train AI models. In an interview with Reuters, the company’s CEO, Ted Leonard, said, "We need to pay our bills, and this could give us the ability to continue to support free accounts.” This means granting third-party access to the 13 billion images and videos uploaded to the platform.
Changes to T&Cs
It’s possible for Photobucket to do this thanks to an update in its terms and conditions, which gives the company carte blanche to analyze and incorporate data from user images. The privacy policy states, “We, and those third parties we may contract with, may also use your images in a general and anonymous way for training artificial intelligence ("AI") algorithms and/or machine learning models and subsequent commercial uses derived therefrom.”
Cloud companies having the ability to scan user images is nothing new. Popular services such as Dropbox, Google Drive and Adobe Cloud can all scan images, as can many others. Google and Adobe have both been accused of accessing user data to train AI, though both companies deny doing so.
"It’s possible for Photobucket to do this thanks to an update in its terms and conditions."
Personally, I’m not comfortable with anyone other than myself and those I authorize accessing my images. That’s even more true now when there’s no clarity on how severely AI technology will impact those working in the photo industry.
Some may suggest reverting to backing up images locally to a hard drive. For many, including myself, this isn’t a realistic option. As someone who travels a lot, I find storing my files in the cloud much easier than carrying multiple hard drives whenever I’m on the move.
Finding privacy in the cloud
Thankfully, there are alternatives to the status quo and several cloud services that emphasize keeping user data private, away from the eyes of company employees and third parties. Of course, every service can update its T&Cs, but it would be bad business for those who have marketed themselves as taking user privacy seriously.
Over five years, I’ve tested and reviewed dozens of cloud storage services. The first question I ask when looking at a service is: does it offer zero-knowledge encryption? This type of encryption gives the user a unique key, which even the software developer can not access, and by extension, means they can’t grant third-party companies access to your files. This means only the user, or those they share their encryption key with, can access their data.
"The first question I ask when looking at a service is: does it offer zero-knowledge encryption?"
When considering platforms that offer zero-knowledge encryption, it can be difficult to know where’s best to back up your files. Having tried the good and the bad, there are some services I feel confident recommending to others.
The two I’m currently using are pCloud and Sync.com, as I find them the easiest to use, and the pricing, overall, is affordable. They’re both available on desktop and mobile and offer useful features for photographers and videographers, which I’ll break down in more detail.
pCloud
pCloud was one of the first services I used. It has fast sync speeds and no file size limits, making it ideal for those working with large files. It also has a built-in native media player to view high-resolution images and videos.
pCloud has fast sync speeds and no file size limits, but charges extra for zero-knowledge encryption.
Unfortunately, pCloud charges extra for zero-knowledge encryption, so you’ll pay $4.99 more on top of your standard monthly fee, which is between $4-$8 per month on selected plans. Personal plans max out at 2TB of storage space, which some users may find limiting.
With Sync.com, users don’t need to pay extra for zero-knowledge encryption, as it’s incorporated into all plans, including the free plan. Personal plans also offer up to 6TB of storage space and unlimited monthly data transfers.
Sync.com includes zero-knowledge encryption by default, but sync speeds can be slow.
One limitation: sync speeds are not the quickest, with uploads and download speeds being considerably slower than other options. Also, moving files around can feel cumbersome, with the drag-and-drop function not being the smoothest.
If you find these services' storage space too limited, Mega is a good alternative. Personal plans reach up to 16TB of storage space, and zero-knowledge encryption is included at no extra cost, although monthly plans are costly. Personal plans can cost up to $32 per month, though you can reduce this to $26 if you pay annually.
IDrive is a good option for those not ready to go all-in with cloud storage, as it offers both local and cloud-based backup for your data. You can clone your entire disk (including operating system and applications) and IDrive will mail out a copy in the event of a complete machine malfunction. The cloud aspect works like any other service, allowing you to upload, download and share your files with others, and they’re all protected with zero-knowledge encryption.
The wrap
In closing, my intention here is not to fearmonger. The reality is more brands are using AI imagery. More apps are being made to generate AI imagery, and cloud companies are gaining the power to use our (real) photographs to help it all happen while making more money.
I want no part of that. It’s more important than ever to have complete control over our photographs and to ensure cloud companies don’t maximize their bottom line at the expense of our privacy. To not be complicit in this, we must seek out alternative services to store our images. Not only to ensure our privacy but also to ensure we help protect the future of our industry.
Here are the technical specifications of the upcoming AF 27mm f/2.8 APS-C lens by 7Artisans (price: $129, expected announcement date: April 25th, available first for Sony E-mount):
Interview participants (all with Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.) Second from Right: Tomoki Tanaka, General Manager, Pentax Division
Others, left to right: Kazuhiko Shibuya, Pentax Division, Business Management Department, Overseas Sales Section Hiraku Kawauchi, Marketing Group, Marketing Communication Department Takeo ("TKO") Suzuki, Designer, Pentax Division Ryutaro Aratama, Group Leader, Overseas Sales Section, Business Management Department
Everything analog is suddenly cool again, and photography is no exception: There's an incredible renaissance happening in film photography, led by a generation who grew up never knowing anything other than digital cameras.
Recent Videos
The growth has been explosive by any measure; on a recent tour of used-camera stores in Tokyo, owners consistently told me that they're seeing about 3x the level of film camera sales now compared to pre-pandemic times. More remarkable is that I don't think I saw any customer older than 40 in any of the mainstream shops I visited.
Old cameras are just that, though: old. They may or may not work, and if they stop working, the only option is usually to fork out for another one. Wouldn't it be great if there were a brand-new film camera with a warranty and service available?
That's exactly what the Pentax division of Ricoh Imaging has been thinking, led by a passionate young designer, Takeo "TKO" Suzuki, the designer who first had the idea of Pentax developing a new film camera, with the full support of Pentax's General Manager, Tomoki Tanaka.
In this recent YouTube video, designer Takeo "TKO" Suzuki discusses some of the design choices on the upcoming Pentax film camera.
The project has been ongoing, albeit largely under wraps, since late 2022, but Pentax revealed the following details about the camera in an announcement and a YouTube video where TKO went into more depth on March 1 this year:
The project is going forward; the camera will ship sometime this summer
Compact design with a half-frame format (2x the exposures on a 35mm roll)
Manual film advance and rewind
Vertical image format
A wide-angle fixed, prime lens (likely ∼36mm equiv)
Zone focusing
Mostly automatic exposure, but with "shooting modes" for user control
I was in Tokyo when the announcement was made and managed to interview Tanaka, TKO and team members about a week later. We covered Tanaka's vision for Pentax going forward, as well as many details about the camera itself. Here's how that went, with some slight paraphrasing on my part for clarity:
Ricoh Imaging's vision for the Pentax brand
Dave Etchells: What's your vision for the Pentax brand? What do you see as your unique place in the market, and how do you plan to leverage that going forward? What do you see as the relationship between film and digital products, say, five years from now?
Tomoki Tanaka: Our vision is to offer products to photography enthusiasts; that's the main point. Photography doesn't just mean digital cameras or analog cameras, though, but both. As of today, we don't know the future of these categories, but it's clear that film camera use has been increasing in recent years. Five or ten years from now, there might be new technology that will change everything, so it's hard to say that far in the future. We believe that both digital and analog cameras will be available though. Some people prefer digital, some people prefer analog, and some may like both. Our mission, our vision, is based on user demand; we always try to offer products to users based on their demand.
We, of course, can't speak for other manufacturers, but so far, we are the only one to have the potential to offer both analog and digital to the users. That is our vision for now: whether they are film or digital users, we want to be able to serve the enthusiasts.
"Our mission, our vision, is based on user demand; we always try to offer products to users based on their demand."
The biggest surprise in the latest announcement about the Pentax Film Camera is that it will use a half-frame format with vertically-oriented frames on 35mm film.
Photo: Ashley Pomeroy, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The future of film cameras
Dave Etchells: I know you can't read the minds of your competitors, but I think there's going to be a very robust market for new film cameras, given the high level of interest, especially with the Millennials and Gen-Zs. Do you think other companies might enter the market for advanced compact film cameras once you've demonstrated success?
Takeo "TKO" Suzuki [TKO]: Yes, we don't know the situations of our competitors, but we expect that some will enter the film market. We even hope that what we are doing will stimulate the market overall. The analog photography industry is supported by many people with great dedication to it. It's wonderful to have such people, and we'd like to support them as a camera manufacturer. It's very difficult to try to do that only by ourselves, though, so we hope we can do it together with other manufacturers to pass on the film culture to the next generation.
"We want to be a pioneer, but we don't want to be alone."
Dave Etchells: Ah - as they say, a rising tide floats all ships; if you can get other companies to participate, that would be good for you, too, vs just having a monopoly.
Tomoki Tanaka: We want to be a pioneer, but we don't want to be alone.
Making the new film camera a reality
Dave Etchells: For a long while, you weren't sure that it would even be possible to manufacture a new film camera, but you announced just a week before our meeting that you've firmly decided the project is feasible and you're going ahead with it. When was that decision finally reached, and what was the last piece of the puzzle that made you realize it was possible?
TKO: It was when we were able to create a prototype, and I could take a picture with it. I didn't expect that anyone would give us the OK to proceed with this project without a first shot actually being made by the prototype, so that was the moment. I was very moved when I was able to take the first picture with the prototype. It even brought tears to my eyes.
"I was very moved when I was able to take the first picture with the prototype. It even brought tears to my eyes."
Dave Etchells: I can imagine; you'd had a dream, and finally, it was in your hands.
TKO: A dream, yes.
Dave Etchells: It must have been a lot of work to build the prototype - and you had to have a lens for it. Did you just take an existing lens that you had and kind of hack it together into something for the sake of a test?
TKO: It's newly designed for this project specifically. We, of course, referred to other cameras' lens designs, but we didn't just use an old one as it was; we redesigned it. To make the prototype, we had to make a whole new lens just to be able to build one prototype camera. We actually didn't have the necessary equipment or molds to rebuild old designs, so we had to start over from scratch.
Dave Etchells: Wow, that's a big investment to make, just to decide if the project would be possible or not.
TKO: Yes, it was a lot.
The new film camera will carry the Pentax brand, a famous name in photo history. In 1957, the Asahi Pentax (AKA the Asahi Pentax AP) arguably kicked off the SLR boom. Some aspects of its design became industry standards, including its rapid-wind film advance lever, film-rewind crank, instant mirror return and microprism focusing aids on the viewfinder screen.
Photo: Andriy Matusevich, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pentax vs Ricoh branding
Dave Etchells: Part of the announcement was that the camera will carry the Pentax branding. How did you decide on that? I was kind of expecting to see the Ricoh name used, given that the GR series has more of a compact rangefinder feel to it than current Pentax models.
TKO: Actually, this was simply because we considered this product to be a Pentax brand product from the very beginning; we simply started working on it as a Pentax project and announced it as the Pentax Film Camera Project in December of 2022.
You mentioned the Ricoh Auto Half when we were talking earlier - We didn't start off thinking of it as a half-frame camera. That's why we only just now declared that it will be half-frame format; we decided to do that during the process, but we didn't have the Ricoh Auto Half in our minds in the beginning.
"We considered this product to be a Pentax brand product from the very beginning."
Dave Etchells: Ah, so you actually started out thinking in terms of full-frame and only later turned to half-frame when the idea of making it vertical-format came about.
TKO: Yes, we only decided on half-frame later. When we made the first announcement in December 2022, we didn't have any such details yet. We communicated with the market [and that led us to the idea of vertical format and half-frame].
Dave Etchells: I like that. It's a story about having a vision for a product but then talking to the market to refine it. I've always appreciated that about the Film Project; you've gotten very close to the users to see what they actually want.
Incorporating feedback from film photographers
Dave Etchells: Before we talk about some of the details you just announced, what was the most surprising thing you discovered as the concept developed?
TKO: It was the fact that we have so many friends and supporters in the analog world. There were many, many more than we expected, so we were very surprised. We were very moved by how cooperative they were and how much they wanted to help with our project. It was also very encouraging to have a sense of such camaraderie that we're not alone in doing this. There are many many supporters, that's very encouraging.
Tomoki Tanaka: There were many strong friendships that contributed. Once we had an opportunity to talk with someone for example, they would introduce us to the next person, and the next and the next. 'Film' people have many connections, and everyone has been so cooperative. So their friendliness, their connections … I don't know if that's a good English word. The connections and relationships with each other really increased our opportunities to talk with analog camera people.
The used film camera market is red hot right now. The owner of Used Camera Box in Shinjuku (Mr Tanaka, above) told me he's getting 100+ customers per day, 80% from outside Japan. (Stay tuned for an upcoming article on used-camera shopping in Tokyo.)
Photo: Dave Etchells
Dave Etchells: I can imagine that. Film shooters are a very passionate, supportive and close-knit group. For a manufacturer to come along and say, "Hey, we're with you, we're going to make this happen," it's very powerful; I can see it really being embraced.
TKO: We receive comments directly through our distribution channel, and also via SMS comments [phone texts]. We watch these comments every day and try to understand what they're thinking. But we were also surprised that many comments were from overseas countries, not just Japan.
Dave Etchells: It was interesting to me as I was touring the used camera stores here that first, I don't think I saw a single customer over the age of 40 the whole time, except in some of the small, very collector-oriented shops. Secondly, there were a huge number of foreigners from all over the world. One shop owner said that 80% of his customers are from other countries. So as strong as the interest is in Japan, it might be even more in other countries.
Tomoki Tanaka: It's just a guess, but maybe it's that there's demand outside of Japan, but the product is available here [so that's why there are so many foreigners hunting for film cameras here.]
Dave Etchells: Yeah, there's really nowhere in the US where you can go and put hands on remotely as many cameras as you can here in Tokyo. There's a large used-gear dealer in Atlanta (KEH) that has perhaps 500 film bodies on hand and another in Portland, Oregon (Blue Moon Camera) that has a similar number in stock, but only people who live nearby can visit either one, and you can probably find 5-10x as many bodies just in Shinjuku.
Ryutaro Aratama: I've heard that some camera fans from overseas countries first stop in Shinjuku and find a favorite camera, then go to Kyoto or Osaka or for another trip.
Dave Etchells: Ah yes - I came across a couple of stories exactly like that, just among the people I met. One person was buying a camera and a couple of lenses before going to Kyoto to shoot with them. It's nice to see people using old cameras again; it's like they're still loved and they still have a place.
I'd never given a second thought to cranking a film-advance lever, but the moment TKO mentioned it, it brought a flood of memories. So many moments in my life are connected through that quick flick of a finger. I dug out an old and battered family K-1000 to pose for this shot.
Photo: Dave Etchells
Sweating the little details
Dave Etchells: Some design choices seemed obvious to me, while others were quite surprising. I immediately loved the idea of mechanical film advance and rewind, but TKO mentioned that this approach was more costly. What makes a manual mechanism more expensive, and can you give us a rough idea of how much more it costs to make a fully mechanical system?
TKO: At this moment, we cannot disclose any figures, but it is true that to have a mechanical film winding means the number of parts, such as screws or gears, is many more than with an electrical system. So it's more difficult to assemble, and it needs more training, much more training, even for experienced assembly workers. It's not just the parts cost itself, but everything around it takes more time and money. Despite the fact that it costs more, though, we decided to equip the camera with a mechanical system because we believe that one of the fun parts of using a film camera is winding the film. I really wanted to make that happen and deliver it to the users, our target users.
[Author's note: There aren't just more parts, but they have to be strong enough for people to crank on them, applying much more force than a tiny electric motor would. This adds cost as well.]
The Ricoh Auto Half first debuted around 1960, and a whole range of variants were sold through the 1970s. It featured a 25mm F2.8 lens (equivalent to 36mm on a full-frame camera). The optical design of the lens in the coming Pentax Film Camera draws its optical heritage from the Pentax Espio Mini, but the angle of view was inspired by the Ricoh Auto Half.
Photo: Hiyotada, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The logic behind going vertical
Dave Etchells: The choice of a vertical format was a real surprise to me. Once TKO explained it in the video, though, I was like, "Well, of course!" Was this a decision you made very early in the project, or was it a point you arrived at only after a while?
Tomoki Tanaka: I believe it wasn't openly discussed, but it was in his [TKO's] mind from the beginning. He needed to carefully study whether it would really be suitable for young users these days or if it would be accepted by the market, so he spent a lot of time interviewing knowledgeable people and potential users. He received a lot of great advice and very helpful information.
Dave Etchells: So you found people liked the idea? I've never used a half-frame camera, but I expect it will be a shift for older photographers like me to think of vertical format for everything. You found that both older and younger thought it was a good idea, though?
TKO: We were afraid at first that long-time analog users wouldn't like the idea of half-frame. After the YouTube video, though, many older people say they understand the concept, saying "we know that this camera is for young people."
Dave Etchells: Even though I'm an "old person," this is a camera I would buy and think about starting up my darkroom again for. I like the idea that it immediately cuts processing costs in half for users. I don't know if labs are set up to print half frames separately, but even if printed two up it would probably be fine. (In fact, it could even be a storytelling component, where you would take pairs of pictures that you wanted to see together.
These shots of Japanese actress and model Riko taken with a Ricoh Auto Half show how the half-frame format looks as a standard 4x6 print. The new Pentax Film camera will have about the same angle of view and perspective.
Dave Etchells: This is a bit the same question over again, but the idea of a vertical frame and half-frame 35mm format go hand in hand. Did half-frame drive the idea of vertical format, or was it the other way around?
TKO: I myself shoot with a smartphone every day, so using vertical format is a very normal everyday activity for me. One day I was using a half-frame camera, looking through its viewfinder at a small street with traditional Japanese buildings, and I realized how well they fit in a vertical frame. It was really refreshing to be able to see a vertical composition, not on a smartphone but in a viewfinder.
Tomoki Tanaka: Actually, in the old days, even after we had smartphones, people would take pictures with them this way. [Gestures, showing a horizontal format.] But now, everyone just takes pictures in the vertical. The times have changed, and we have to follow.
Historically, photography was always this way [horizontal], maybe because of our … can I say eyes? But now, people are seeing pictures on their smartphones… Maybe in the future, movies will be vertical too, made for smartphones.
The Pentax Espio Mini was sold in the US as the Pentax UC-1. Its 32mm f/3.5 lens was highly regarded for its sharpness, contrast and overall image quality, despite its simple 3-element triplet design. The new Pentax Film Camera will use a newly designed but similar triplet arrangement.
Photo: Butkus.org camera manual site, used with permission
Lens details
Dave Etchells: You said that the lens was inspired by the field of view of the Auto Half models and the optical design of the Pentax Espio Mini's lens. How were the optical designs of those two camera lines different, and what sort of design did the Espio have that you've brought forward?
TKO: So, to confirm, we referenced the Espio's lens design, not the Auto Half's; it was just the angle of view of the Auto Half that we followed, not the design itself. [Editor's note: The Auto Half featured a 25mm lens, equivalent to 36mm on a full-frame camera, but Pentax declined to state a specific number for the new camera's lens.]
I thought that the natural angle of view when looking through the viewfinder of a Ricoh Auto Half is very suitable for everyone, for everyday use. The Espio Mini was a famous compact film camera that had many fans. We decided to use the Espio Mini lens as a reference because of its high-quality image; even the R&D people rated it very highly. We can also apply the latest technology coatings to it; I think it has the potential to become a modern masterpiece.
"The [Pentax] Espio Mini was a famous compact film camera that had many fans. We decided to use the Espio Mini lens as a reference because of its high-quality image."
Dave Etchells: This is sort of a technical detail, but can you tell me how many elements were in the Espio lens, and are you using the same number in the new one?
TKO: The Espio Mini's lens is a triplet, a very simple lens system with just three elements. It's very simple, but our engineers tried it and got very good results. It's beautiful with just the triplet, very natural and very clear, so we optimized the triplet. The lens on the Espio Mini was very nice; this new lens is a new design but it's very similar.
Dave Etchells: So the new lens is a triplet also?
TKO: For right now, we'll just refer you to the Espio Mini's triplet lens construction. The Espio Mini was a full-frame camera though, so we had to do some refining to adjust to the half-frame format.
Zone focusing
Dave Etchells: TKO mentioned in the video that the camera would have zone focusing rather than a continuous range. Is this only the case for manual focus, or is it true for autofocus as well? If the latter, isn't there a potential loss of sharpness for subjects at distances between the discrete settings? [Author's note: Think of zone focus settings in terms of close-up, portrait or landscape, although Pentax didn't reveal how many zones there would be.]
TKO: In this camera, focus adjustment is assumed to be only zone focus. We adopted zone focusing because we believe that zone focus is the best mechanism for young users entering the world of film cameras to take a step from pan-focus to the next level. Zone focus is a style in which users judge the distance visually and select a proper zone. So there actually isn't any autofocus, it will be the user selecting their own setting. This style is very suitable for snapshots, and you can adjust it, switch it very intuitively.
"We adopted zone focusing because we believe that zone focus is the best mechanism for young users entering the world of film."
I tried taking pictures with a prototype and found it really fun to judge the distance myself, decide the distance and take the picture. I realized that I had completely forgotten how much fun it was. Of course there will be failures, but I believe that failure is one of the charms of film photography.
Tomoki Tanaka: In the case of digital cameras, we can see the picture right after we shoot it, and many people like to check the screen to see if it is in focus or not. But in the case of film cameras, we take the pictures, and we have some hope for how they will turn out, but we don't know until we get the results. So, in this sense, making a picture all by yourself and having responsibility for the focus can be fun.
The difference between digital and film shutters
Dave Etchells: TKO said that the electronic shutter mechanism is specifically optimized for film camera use. What's the difference compared to shutters in digital cameras like the Pentax WG or Ricoh G series cameras?
TKO: Film cameras need to prevent light leakage, not only when shooting but also when the power is off. Even if you're not using the camera, the film is always there, so that makes it extremely sensitive to light leakage. It's not just the shutters themselves but the mechanism around them; the entire camera body has to be designed to avoid light leakage. It's a much more serious problem than in digital cameras.
When I read that the new camera would have "shooting modes," I immediately thought of the standard PASM dial. Pentax declined to give any specific details, but TKO's observation that aperture won't have a lot of effect on the images due to the half-frame format and relatively wide angle lens suggests that any modes won't involve aperture control. (To be 100% clear, though, Pentax gave no indication of what "shooting modes" might mean.)
Photo: Richard Butler
What's meant by "shooting modes"?
Dave Etchells: TKO also mentioned the ability for the user to choose the shooting mode via a control dial. What did he mean by shooting mode? Will there be anything like PASM options, or was he referring to something else?
TKO: We can't disclose all the details of this yet, but basically, the camera can shoot automatically, controlling the aperture and shutter speed by itself. But if that is all you have, if everything is controlled by the camera, you won't be able to enjoy changing the settings yourself, so we're considering making it possible to choose from several shooting modes. I'm afraid we can't go into more detail on this right now, but there will be some choices that the user can make.
Tomoki Tanaka: We can provide good pictures by having the camera control the exposure, but we want to let the user apply their own modifications. That's what we want to make available.
Dave Etchells: It may be too early to ask this, but will the camera have an entirely manual exposure mode, as in the user can set an exposure of F8 at 1/250?
TKO: Please wait. <laughter> But I want to say that because the camera is half-frame, the depth of field will be very great, so adjusting the aperture may not be very effective in changing that.
Despite the best exchange rates in decades, film prices are high in Japan, just like the US. (When this photo was taken, a 3-pack of 36-exposure Kodak Gold 200 film cost ¥6,180, or about $40.) While it trades off some ultimate image quality, the Pentax Film Camera's half-frame format will make photography a lot more affordable for users.
Photo: Dave Etchells
Getting film into the hands of consumers
Dave Etchells: Moving on to a related but non-camera subject, I see that Ricoh has begun selling film. I think that's a brilliant move, but I would like to hear the thinking behind it. Was this made possible through any particular partnership or collaboration?
Ryutaro Aratama: We are trying an experiment selling film directly. We would like to cooperate with film manufacturers and others to try to improve both the supply and price.
Dave Etchells: What brands are you selling right now?
Tomoki Tanaka: An assortment; some Fuji and Kodak films, and monochrome films by Ilford; actually several assortments.
Ryutaro Aratama: This is a trial, though; we source them on the spot, and once one is gone, it's gone.
Tomoki Tanaka: This is a trial project, a trial challenge, and we will have to work together with people in other territories as well to gain experience. The aim isn't mainly to sell film but to build relationships and give opportunities to consumers.
Pentax has a "Clubhouse" in the Yotsuya neighborhood of Tokyo, where Pentaxians can come to see and hold the current lenses, have cleaning and light service performed on their cameras and attend exhibitions, classes and seminars. They say it's an important way for them to stay close to their users.
Dave Etchells: Doing a film sales trial is easier for you to do in Japan than in other countries, given that you have your own retail locations here. Do you have any plans or strategies for reducing the high costs of film and processing in other parts of the world as well?
TKO: We haven't come to any specific plan. We need to first establish relationships with development or printing companies. In the end we hope we can help to improve the cost or lead times. We've begun setting up relationships with several partners around the world. We've just started, though, and want to continue the process
Tomoki Tanaka: Indirectly, if we can grow the analog film business in the world, higher volume always makes the cost come down. Perhaps we can indirectly help with that, but we don't want to be directly involved in film development. We just want to increase the size of the pie for everyone.
Pentax has long been known for making water-resistant and waterproof/shockproof cameras. Their latest model is the WG-90, announced in November, 2023. It's a 16 megapixel/5x zoom model that's waterproof to 14m (46 ft.), shockproof against a fall from 1.6m (5 ft.), and freezeproof to -10C (14F).
The future of the WG (weather-resistant) camera line
Dave Etchells: Finally, the WG-90 has been released since I met with [Ricoh Imaging president, Noboru] Akahane last year. How does the WG line fit into Pentax's overall strategy? What has the market trend been like for waterproof/rugged cameras in recent years? Is it increasing, decreasing or holding steady?
Tomoki Tanaka: I think it's stable. We don't have market data except from our own sales history, but we believe there is a demand for water-resistant or waterproof and shockproof types of cameras, and I see this continuing. We at Pentax have offered products like this for a long time, probably more than 30 years. Our first water-resistant camera was the Zoom-90 WR; I remember it clearly because it was shipping back when I first joined Pentax in 1992. We believe that there is a demand from users so we should offer the product.
The WG-90 is just the latest in a long string of weather-resistant and waterproof cameras. The Pentax Zoom-90 WR was first released in 1991, the year before current General Manager Tomoki Tanaka joined the company.
Photo: Butkus.org camera manual site, used with permission
Conclusion
Pentax is making a big bet on the rebirth of film by being the first major manufacturer to commit to making a new film camera in decades. It's no small thing, as they've had to start completely from scratch, recapturing the expertise of retired film-era engineers, reviving or replacing decades-gone supply chains and setting up mass manufacturing to meet global demand for a product more mechanically complex than not only today's digital cameras but even late-model film cameras with motorized film advance and rewind mechanisms.
It all began as one man's passion project, but TKO's enthusiasm is infectious, and the idea of a new film camera, hopefully even a line of them, turned into a passion project for the company as a whole.
Every company gets excited about its latest products, but what I felt at Pentax was on another level; there's an overriding sense of doing something new and almost revolutionary, of being part of a movement rather than just adding the next checkbox to an already-bulging digital feature list.
At the heart of it all is the film community itself. There's truly a new generation of photographers rising, sharing an excitement about photography that digital cameras and cell phones could never ignite. As has been true of photographers in any era, they're supportive of each other and happy to do whatever they can to help other people enjoy the craft, too.
"Every company gets excited about its latest products, but what I felt at Pentax was on another level."
Pentax tapped into and became a part of that community, letting their efforts be guided by what they heard people asking for rather than imposing their own ideas on the market.
Will it work? We'll see this summer, but if they can bring a well-built, reliable and attractive modern film camera to the market, I think they're going to have more demand than they can handle.
On a parting note, I do hope that the enthusiast community will recognize and accept that they're not the primary target for this particular model. If it succeeds, there'll be other cameras coming, some designed for us, but right now, Pentax needs to focus on the under-40 crowd I saw almost exclusively in the Tokyo used camera shops. That's the mass movement that Pentax needs to ride to not only kick-start their own product line but hopefully reboot the whole analog film world as well.
All that said, while I'm more of an SLR or at least an advanced-rangefinder sort myself, I plan to be one of the first in line to buy a new Pentax film camera when they're released. Who knows, maybe my enlarger and developing trays will find their way back into a spare bathroom again :-)
Today, TTArtisan has officially released its AF 56mm F1.8 autofocus lens for X and E-mount cameras. The APS-C portrait lens is another budget offering from the China-based company. The company's website also includes specs for a Nikon Z-mount version but lists it as "Sold Out."
Recent Videos
The 56mm F1.8 lens has ten elements in nine groups and has nine aperture blades. The lens is built with a stepper motor, which TTArtisan claims delivers fast and quiet autofocus. It has a minimum focusing distance of 0.5m (19.6") and a minimum aperture of F16.
TTArtisan says the lens has a full aluminum build, weighs between 233-245g (8.2-8.8oz), and includes one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element. This should help reduce the amount of color fringing that may occur in an image. This makes it a very different optical formula from the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 for Fujifilm X mount and Nikon Z mount announced last week. Like the Viltrox, the TTArtisan lens has no aperture ring.
This is only the company's fourth autofocus lens, but it's the second one it has announced in recent weeks, following the TTArtisans AF 35mm F1.8 released early this month for Sony E-mount cameras.
Pricing and availability
The TTArtisan AF 56mm F1.8 ships globally and is available immediately. It has a suggested retail price of $158.
Connexion
