As already reported earlier, Sigma officially announced a new 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens for Canon RF (the lens has been available for Sony E and Leica L Mounts since 2021 and for Fujifilm X mount since last year).

• Pre-order: Adorama | B&H Photo
• Additional information
• Additional information (2)
• Press release
• First look
• Additional information:

Key Specs of the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon RF

• Smallest and lightest F2.8 standard zoom for crop-sensor mirrorless cameras (as of Oct. 2021).
• Three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements provide superb optical quality.
• In-camera aberration correction eliminates optical distortion and vignetting.
• The thermally stable composite barrel construction (polycarbonate with thermal characteristics similar to aluminum), with slim internal metal parts, offers lightweight and functional strength.
• 7 rounded aperture blades offer smooth background blur (bokeh).
• Stepping motor provides swift, accurate, and quiet autofocus for still and video shooting.
• Working distance of just over an inch (2.7cm) from the front element at 18mm.
• It includes a petal-type hood to reduce ghosts and flaring while protecting the front lens element.
• High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount with dust and splash-resistant structure.

Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon RF Specification Chart:

Product Name	SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary
Lens Construction	13 elements in 10 groups (3 Aspherical Elements / 1 SLD Glass)
Angle of View	73.4°-30.0°
Aperture	7 Blades, Rounded Diaphragm, f2.8-22
Minimum Focusing Distance	12.1cm-30cm (From Sensor)
Maximum Magnification Ratio	1:2.8(W) – 1:5(T)
Dimensions (Diameter x Length*) *From the front of the lens to mount	φ69.2mm x 74.5mm / φ2.7in. x 2.9in.
Weight	300g / 10.6oz.
Supplied Accessories	LENS HOOD LH582-02 FRONT CAP LCF-55 III REAR CAP LCR II

Sigma has no plans to release full-frame lenses for Canon RF-mount

Canon allows Sigma and Tamron to produce RF mount lenses – here is what to expect (only APS-C lenses for now)

The post Just announced: new Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens for Canon RF-mount appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Image: Sigma

Sigma has announced the pricing of its 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | C lens for APS-C RF-mount Canon cameras.

The RF version will be on sale from mid July 2024 with a recommended retail price of $599, which is a $50 premium compared with the launch prices of the existing versions for Sony E mount, Fujifilm X mount and Nikon Z mount. We'll have to wait to see whether this trend continues before we can make assumptions about the cost of Canon's RF-mount licensing.

Sigma says the 18-50mm F2.8 is part of its mount conversion program, so you can arrange to get your existing lenses modified for RF-mount, if you have them. It'll be interesting to see whether the same is true for the other DC DN primes Sigma has promised, as it may offer a mechanism for owners of EF-M versions to carry their lenses over to the newer Canon mount.

With dimensions of 69 x 75mm (2.7 x 2.9"), the Canon version is around 4mm wider than the original Sony E-mount version and, at 300g (10.6oz), is 10g heavier.

We're currently in the process of shooting a gallery with the 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN on the Canon EOS R7 and will publish it in the coming weeks.

Sigma China is teasing a new product announcement for tomorrow - the rumors from China point to a new Canon RF mount lens(es):

The post Sigma to announce a new lens tomorrow? appeared first on Photo Rumors.

The Nikon Z6 III camera is now shipping. Here is a recap of the latest Z6 III stories from NikonRumors:

• Impressive: the Nikon Z6 III is now shipping a week after announcement
• Nikon Z6 III additional coverage
• Nikon Z6 III review
• Nikon Z6 III: “Best in class”
• Nikon Z6 III + 24-70mm f/4 S pre-orders open again at Amazon
• Nikon Z6 II vs. Nikon Z6 III vs. Nikon Z8 cameras size comparison
• Pictures from the Nikon Z6III NPS press event in Hong Kong
• Nikon Japan: Z6 III product shortages due to the high number of pre-orders
• Nikon NX Tether and Wireless Transmitter Utility now support the Z6 III
• Nikon NX Studio and N-Log 3D LUT now support the Z6 III
• Nikon Z6 III camera now listed on Digitutor
• Nikon Z6 III features
• Updated Nikon Z6 III pre-order links
• List of Nikon Z6 III events
• Nikon Z6 III YouTube videos
• Nikon Z6 II vs. Nikon Z6 III specifications comparison
• SmallRig cages for Nikon Z6 III
• Nikon MB-N14 power battery pack for Z6 III camera
• Die neue Nikon Z6III ist da (in German)
• Nikon Z6 III with a partially-stacked CMOS sensor
• Nikon Z6 III camera announcement

Nikon Z6 III pre-order links:

• US: Adorama | B&H Photo | Amazon | Paul’s Photo | Service Photo
• DE: Foto Erhardt | Foto Koch | Calumet
• UK: WEX Photo | Park Cameras
• CA: Camera Canada

---

Join the Nikon ℤ6 III Facebook Group

The post Nikon Z6 III recap appeared first on Photo Rumors.

The latest Canon patents:

Canon 20-60mm f/2.8 and 28-70mm f/2.8 Patents Found

Canon 35-600mm f/4-7.1 and Canon 28-500mm f/3.5-7.1 Lens Patents Found

Canon 14-20mm f/2 and 14-24mm f/2.8 Patents Found

Canon Patents For Inner Zoom 15-60mm F2.8 and 22-80mm F2.8 Found

Canon RF33mm f/1.8 APS-C and Canon RF24mm f/2.8 Full Frame Patents Found

The post The latest Canon patents appeared first on Photo Rumors.

The SwitchLens Micro Four Thirds camera for smartphones has already raised over $231k on Kickstarter with 32 more days left.

Additional information:

• 21MP M43 CMOS
• 4K/60fps
• Autofocus
• Switchable MFT lenses
• HDR
• 21MP RAW Photos
• Wi-Fi Connect
• iOS & Android phone

The post The SwitchLens Micro Four Thirds camera for smartphones has already raised over $230k on Kickstarter appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Was the Panasonic S9 camera really in short supply because of high demand? The camera is currently sitting in stock at Adorama and B&H Photo - (all colors available!) almost a week before the official shipping date.

Companies should work harder to convince us that their products are good and selling well. Announcing short supply because of high demand is outdated and laughable.

I do believe that the Fujifilm X100VI, for example, is currently in high demand—Amazon still does not even let you place an order. The Leica Q3, Nikon Z8, and a few other cameras were also really in high demand, but everything else is marketing BS. Just take a look at the long list of products that were "in high demand" and tell me what you think.

Ricoh even recently implemented a lottery system in order to pre-order their latest GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF cameras, which are almost identical to the previous model. A lottery system? Really?

Can you believe this: the Panasonic S9 camera will be in short supply because of high demand?

Panasonic in trouble: the company is considering transferring or withdrawing from businesses with low growth potential by fiscal 2026, President Kusumi calls it a “crisis situation”

More bad news for Panasonic: Lumix S9 product page controversy and the use of stock photos *UPDATED*

Finally someone said it: “camera reviews need to change” or how camera companies are influencing the influencers

The post Was the Panasonic S9 really in short supply because of high demand? The camera is currently sitting in stock a week before the official shipping date… appeared first on Photo Rumors.

A new Nikon Z7 III camera is not coming anytime soon, but a new Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 S-line lens should be announced very soon:

What about the Nikon Z7 III?

The next Nikon announcement: new Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 S-line lens coming very soon

The post Nikon Z7 III: NO, Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4: YES (the latest Nikon rumors) appeared first on Photo Rumors.

What else is new:

New: llano fast camera battery chargers or Canon

Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM Coming June 27th

One Last Shot with the Leica D-Lux 7 As We Get Ready for the Launch of the D-Lux 8

Discontinued: Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 35mm and 50mm f/2 Aspherical lenses for Nikon Z-mount

Multiple Sigma Firmware Updates Resumed

Sony a9III Firmware 2.01 Released

Sony is Working on a More Energy Dense Battery

Fujifilm Film Production Resumes In China

FUJIFILM X Acquire 1.29.0 Released

The post What else is new? appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Pentax 17 film camera additional coverage (preorders: Adorama | B&H | Paul’s | Koch | WEX):

The new Pentax 17 film camera is currently in stock at WEX Photo (UK)

Pentax 17 camera easter eggs: inspired, designed, and developed from historic products

Pentax 17 film camera additional information

Rioch Japan announced announced supply shortage of the new Pentax 17 camera

Ricoh Japan issued a temporary order suspension for the new Pentax 17 film camera

Pentax 17 reviews, interview, how to use videos

The post Pentax 17 film camera additional coverage appeared first on Photo Rumors.

The new SIRUI Sniper 16mm f/1.2 and 75mm f/1.2 APS-C autofocus lenses are now available for sale (check also the official website, Amazon, and B&H).

Previous coverage of SIRUI Sniper can be found here.

Additional information on the SIRUI Sniper 16mm f/1.2 and 75mm f/1.2 APS-C autofocus lenses:

The post The new SIRUI Sniper 16mm f/1.2 and 75mm f/1.2 APS-C autofocus lenses now available for sale (E/X/Z mount) appeared first on Photo Rumors.

We'd never before seen so much silicon wrapped up in such a small package Photo: Samuel Spencer

The Hasselblad X1D beat Fujifilm to the market by three months in 2016 to become the first mirrorless medium format camera. It wasn't the first "affordable" (or, at least, sub-$10,000) medium format option: that credit goes to the Mamiya DM22, but it was the first larger-than-full-frame digital camera to be designed as a self-contained ILC with no mirror.

It was built around the same 50MP CMOS sensor as the Pentax 645Z, which also underpinned the Fujifilm GFX 50 models, producing some excellent image quality. Hasselblad's modern minimalist design was eye-catching, and the operability improved significantly through a series of firmware updates (though it never offered the mass-market slickness of the GFX models).

One of the factors that allowed the Hasselblad to be so small was the decision to build leaf shutters into all the XCD lenses, rather than having a physical shutter in the camera body. This resulted in a camera that could sync with flashes all the way up to each lens's maximum shutter speed. Though this came at the cost both of higher lens prices and of polygonal bokeh, as the shutter/aperture mechanisms had relatively few blades. This second issue was somewhat resolved by an update that allowed the aperture to be opened a fraction beyond the widest listed value, so that the blades don't intrude on the image.

Click here to see the nearly 200 photos we've published from the X1D

Alongside the X1D came the first series of medium format lenses designed specifically for 44x33mm digital, giving some excellent results (to the point that moiré is a significant risk even when stopped-down to F5.6, given the lack of low-pass filter on the X1D's sensor). It also led to the only instance we've seen of a manufacturer referring to equivalent f-numbers. It's probably no surprise that it would be one of the only companies to solely produce larger than full-frame systems.

We were in the fortunate position to borrow a Hasselblad, Pentax 645Z and Fujifilm GFX 50S at the same time and use them alongside one another, and looked at their comparative strengths and weaknesses. We hope to do something similar with the more refined 100MP cameras from Hasselblad and Fujifilm in the coming months.

Skylum released a new Luminar Neo update version 1.20 with several improvements ranging from interface tweaks to bug fixes:

Luminar Neo update 1.20.0:

• Extensions are moving: For your convenience, Extensions will now move from the Extras tab into new locations, among other features.
• In the Catalog tab you’ll see the tools for merging photos and enhancing resolution: HDR Merge, Panorama Stitching, Focus Stacking, and UpscaleAI.
• In Edit mode, you can find tools for improving image quality: SupersharpAI and NoiselessAI.
• Magic LightAI will appear in the Creative section, and Background RemovalAI in Layers.
• Luminar Neo now speaks Czech! It's the 17th language we added to Luminar Neo.
• We've also added small interface improvements all throughout the app. Discover new icons for tools, the newly moved Extensions, X Membership, the Extras button, and Luminar Share.

List of fixed bugs:

For macOS

• When batch merging images in HDR Merge, always have the brackets with the relevant exposure value for Ghost Reduction selected.
• More convenient settings pop-up in the HDR Merge tool.
• Open unsupported RAW images without it leading to crashes.
• More accurate export of upscaled images.
• See the file name in the "Reference image" drop-down of HDR Merge tool, even for long file names.

For Windows

• Smooth opening of the ObjectAI mask.
• More accurate Ghost Reduction checkbox in the Batch HDR window.
• Interface improvements for the Portrait Background tool.

Luminar’s upcoming photo tour to Iceland: get $500 off

Skylum announced a new photo editing app for professional portrait photographers

New Luminar Mobile app for iPhone is now available (20% off coupon code included)

The post Luminar Neo update version 1.20 released appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Tamron announced an increase in their dividends, The company stock prices have more than doubled this year (+57.96%):

On the 18th, Tamron announced that it would pay a dividend of 70 yen per share for the January-June period of 2024. This is an increase of 20 yen from the previous forecast and an increase of 35 yen from the previous period. This reflects the company's favorable performance, with sales of its main camera business and automotive parts growing. (Nikke)

Tamron releases financial results, plans to release 7 new lenses in 2024

Canon allows Sigma and Tamron to produce RF mount lenses – here is what to expect (only APS-C lenses for now)

Via Dclife

The post Tamron raises dividends, the stock price has more than doubled this year appeared first on Photo Rumors.

DPReview Editors' Challenge results

June includes multiple days devoted to celebrating nature, including World Environment Day (June 5), World Oceans Day (June 8) and World Rainforest Day (June 22). In that spirit, we chose 'Natural Worlds' as the theme for our most recent Editors' Choice photo challenge, with over 100 readers submitting entries.

We love seeing your work! Thanks to everyone who submitted. We couldn't call out every image we liked, so we restrained ourselves to a baker's dozen (in no particular order).

If you don't see your work here today, don't despair. We'll soon announce a new Editors' Choice challenge.

Also, a quick reminder to keep comments constructive and civil. These are images submitted by your fellow readers who took the time to share their work. Rule #1: Be nice. That's it, there is no rule #2.

Nature's pastel colors

By: Montage61

Caption: Simplicity and the beauty.

Technical specs: Sony Cybershot DSC-R1 | 1/400 sec | F4.8 | ISO 160

Edits: Basic light adjustments using the Snapseed Android app.

A lone bull under Nebraska skies

By: Jerredz

Caption: A lone bull sits under an amazing sky in Nebraska's Sandhills. This part of the state is incredibly diverse, and although it's rare to find public land, this open range area of the western part of Nebraska is one of those rare locations.

Technical specs: Fujifilm GFX 100S | Fujifilm GF 100-200mm F5.6 | 1/320 sec | F8 | ISO 100

Edits: Contrast, highlights, shadows, whites and blacks.

Cottonwood Pass sunset

By: DaveN01

Caption: Cottonwood Pass sunset.

Technical specs: Pentax K1 | Samyang 24mm F1.4 ED AS IF UMC | 1/60 sec | F22 | ISO 100

Edits: Adjusted lights and shadows.

Pine Siskin

By: GrantsImages

Caption: Supervised by the parents, this was the first day out of the nest for this juvenile Pine Siskin. This pine tree is on our front lawn and my wife and I are able to watch the progress through our front window.

Technical specs: Nikon D850 | Nikon AF-S 300mm F4E PR ED DR | 1/320 sec | F5.6 | ISO 720

Edits: Light sharpening, contrast and clarity adjustments in Lightroom

Beautiful summer

By: Xiaomao

Caption: An Asian green bee-eater in Yunnan, China on June 3..

Technical specs: Sony a1 | Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS | 1/2000 sec | F4 | ISO 1600

Edits: List of edits made during post-processing: 1. Color: 3900 2. Toning: +1 3. Exposure: +0.81 4. Contrast: -54 5. High light: +88 6. Shadow: +19 7. White level: +4 8. Black level: +53 9.Clarity: +11 Etc. The photo was taken for an Asian green bee-eater in Yunnan, China on June 3.

Dreamy summer light

By: Dino26323

Caption: Local field UK West Midlands.

Technical specs: Pentax 645D | Pentax 645 150mm F2.8 SMC | 1/1000 sec | F2.8 | ISO 100

Edits: Brightened and darkened Raw to make JPEG from one Raw photo. Added yellow cast to bottom of image.

Red fox fight

By: raptor_photo

Caption: Red fox fight.

Technical specs: Nikon D3500 | 1/600 sec | F6 | ISO 5600

Edits: None listed

Night skies over Colorado

By: DaveN01

Caption: Cottonwood Pass, Colorado.

Technical specs: Pentax K1 | SIrix 15mm F2.4 | 30 sec | F2.4 | ISO 3200

Edits: Single exposure, adjusted lighting, denoise, and some color balancing.

Quiver tree

By: double-vision

Caption: Capture of a quiver tree at sunset in the Namib Desert.

Technical specs: Sony a1 | 35mm | 1/160 sec | F10 | ISO 100

Edits: None listed

Speckled bush-cricket nymph

By: TheDispossessed

Caption: A speckled bush-cricket nymph, photographed in Empingham, Rutland, England.

Technical specs: Olympus E-M1 Mark II | Olympus ED 60mm F2.8 Macro | 1/250 sec | F11 | ISO 200 | Nissin i40 flash with cygnustech diffuser

Edits: Slight contrast and sharpening adjustments.

Abstract nature

By: Minas_Eye

Caption: Banana leaf attacked by Black Sigatoka.

Technical specs: Olympus E-M1 III | Olympus ED 60mm F2.8 Macro | 1/250 sec | F4.5 | ISO 1200

Edits: Cropping and small adjustments in contrast, tone and shadows.

Black and white fern

By: Peter Timmerman

Caption: This fern was shot in our garden in Boekelo, The Netherlands. Camera was set on Monochrome + R-filter & Tone curve H+2 / S+2.

Technical specs: Fujifilm GFX 50S II | Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 R LM OIS WR Macro | 1/420 sec | F8 | ISO 640

Edits: Sharpening and crop

Needletip blue-eyed grass

By: ebaphoto

Caption: Taken while walking In the fields at Schooley's Mountain Park, Long Valley, NJ. The flower head is quite small, about 2 cm. They are easily missed.

Technical specs: Nikon D500 | Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro | 1/125 sec | F8 | ISO 125

Edits: Raw processed in Photoshop ACR, adjustments in exposure, contrast, highlights, blacks; 0.5 pixel high-pass sharpening.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who participated. Seriously, how amazing is it to see our fellow DPReview reader's work? To see all the entries for yourself, head over to the challenge now. The complete shooting specs and gear used for each photo in the challenge platform can also be found in the challenges gallery.

If you couldn't participate in this editors' challenge, keep an eye out for our next one. And, if you have a suggestion for an Editors' challenge theme, let us know in the comments.

The new Nextorage CFexpress Type A memory cards are now available for purchase on Amazon US:

Nextorage NX-A1PRO

• NX-A1PRO640G
• NX-A1PRO320G
• NX-A1PRO160G
• NX-A1PRO80G
• NX-A1PRO40G

Nextorage NX-A1SE

• NX-A1SE1920G
• NX-A1SE960G
• NX-A1SE480G

Basic specifications:

• Operating Temperature Resistance: 14 ℉ to 158 ℉
• Shock Resistance
• X-ray Resistance
• UV Resistance
• Magnetic Resistance
• Anti-Static

Additional information:

Nextorage CFexpress Type A NX-A1PRO Series:

• Best-in-class read and write speeds of up to 950 MB/s and 950 MB/s, respectively [1] [2]
• Minimum continuous write speed of 850 MB/s for high-speed continuous shooting [1] [2]
• Stable high-speed continuous shooting and movie recording with our unique low power consumption technology
• VPG400 compatible

Nextorage CFexpress Type A NX-A1SE Series:

• Best-in-class read up to 950 MB/s[1] , write up to 950 MB/s[1]
• High-capacity lineup for long-time video recording
• VPG200 compatible

The NX-A1PRO series is a CFexpress Type A memory card for professional users who handle high-speed continuous shooting and high bit-rate video.

Best-in-class write/read speeds.

The maximum transfer rate of 950 MB/s for both write and read, the highest level in its class, and the minimum continuous write speed of 850 MB/s are achieved. ^{[1] [3]} The number of consecutive shots possible during high-speed continuous shooting has been increased, and the buffer memory release time has been shortened. This reduces the number of missed shots at the desired moment.

Dynamic Auto Power Save, a unique low-power consumption technology that stabilizes video recording.

Nextorage's unique power saving technology, "Dynamic Auto Power Save," reduces power consumption by up to 88% compared to the case without. In addition to reducing power consumption during video recording, thermal throttling* is also suppressed by reducing the temperature rise of the card itself. (*Thermal throttling: a control function that attenuates the transfer rate to prevent thermal runaway). This enables stable video recording. It also reduces the camera's battery consumption, which contributes to extending the available shooting time.

VPG400 compliant, as required for professional video shooting.

All capacities comply with the Video Performance Guarantee VPG400 (minimum guaranteed continuous write speed: 400 MB/s). It has the specifications required for professional video recording.

Abundant lineup of capacities for various applications

80 GB/160 GB capacity lineup for high-speed continuous shooting of still images and VPG200 for video shooting requiring. High capacity 320 GB/640 GB available. The CFexpress Type A is now available to professional users who have not yet used the CFexpress Type A.　We want our customers to experience the performance of our 40GB capacity at an affordable price.

The NX-A1SE series is a CFexpress Type A memory card for video creators who shoot long, high-quality videos.

Best-in-class write/read speeds.

Achieves a class-leading maximum write/read transfer rate of 950 MB/s. ^[1] Reduces data transfer time after shooting.

High-capacity lineup for long-time video recording

The high-capacity lineup of 480 GB,960 GB and 1,920 GB supports long-time movie recording, and is ideal for switching from SD cards, as it dramatically improves shooting time and data transfer speeds compared to SDXC UHS-II memory cards.

VPG200 compliant for stable, high quality video recording

All capacities comply with the Video Performance Guarantee VPG200 (guaranteed minimum continuous write speed: 200 MB/s). It has the specifications required for professional video recording.

Durability

• Both the NX-A1PRO and NX-A1SE series are durable and come with a 5-year warranty in accordance with CompactFlash Association regulations.
• Heat resistance: -10 °C to 70 °C (guaranteed operating temperature)
• Shock resistance (EIA-364-27A compliant)
• X-ray resistant (ISO7816-1 compliant)
• UV resistant (ISO7816-1 compliant)
• Magnetic resistance (based on Nextorage's own testing)
• Electrostatic resistance (conforms to IEC 61000-4-2)

The post Nextorage CFexpress Type A memory cards are now available for purchase on Amazon US appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Here is some additional information on the upcoming NiSi 250mm f/5.6 lens for E/R/EF/Z/F/GFX/XCD/X (previously reported here | the lens is based on the Minolta 250mm f/5.6 lens | NiSi lenses are sold at Amazon and B&H Photo):

• Minimum focusing distance: 2m
• 6 elements in 3 groups
• Minimum focusing distance: 2m
• Filter size: 62mm
• Price: around $400
• The new lens will be available for Sony E, Canon R, Canon EF, Nikon Z, Nikon F, Fuji X+GFX, and Hasselblad XCD mount:

NiSi to announce a new 250mm f/5.6 folding lens (E/R/EF/Z/F/GFX/X) and three cinema lenses

The post Additional information on the upcoming NiSi 250mm f/5.6 lens (E / R / EF / Z / F / GFX / XCD / X) appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Nikon Z6 III camera now at Digitutor

Nikon Japan already warning about Nikon Z6 III product shortages due to high number of pre-orders

Finally in stock: Voigtlander 50mm f/1.0 & Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lenses for Nikon Z-mount

More Leica D-Lux 8 reviews appear online

Canon released EOS Webcam Utility Pro version 2.2.22

Multiple Tamron Firmware Updates Released With TAMRON Lens Utility 3.0 Support

Interesting News on the Panasonic GH-6 Lumix Update

The post What else is new? appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Photo: Photogram

The Alice Camera, a phone-driven Micro Four Thirds camera that creates AI-enhanced images, is about to ship to customers who placed pre-orders.

The camera, which is operated using an app on a smartphone that connects to the main camera unit, is designed to deliver social media-ready imagery without the need for manual editing.

Image: Photogram

It's underpinned by powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon and Google Edge TPU processors. Edge refers to AI algorithms running on the end device, rather than in the cloud. These are tasked with optimizing color, white balance and image brightness to automatically give the polished end image, more like the computational output of a modern smartphone, rather than the relatively neutral photographic representation of most dedicated cameras.

However, unlike a smartphone, the Alice Camera is built around the Micro Four Thirds lens mount, allowing the use of a wide range of lenses, which significantly boost the creativity and flexibility that the camera can offer.

It's built around a Sony-sourced four thirds sized sensor which the company describes as featuring Quad Bayer HDR and 4.63μm pixels. This almost certainly makes it the same sensor used in the Panasonic GH5S, which would give around 10.5MP images. The Quad Bayer design placed four photodiodes under the same filter color of a Bayer array (there are actually around 42 million 2.3μm photodiodes on the chip).

Alternate rows of the sensor can be read out early, giving a reduced exposure to capture highlights, and this data is easily combined with the full exposure given to the other half of the pixels, to deliver wider dynamic range.

As well as stills, the Alice camera can shoot 4K video at up to 30p and 1080 at up to 60p.

Photo: Photogram

Development of the Alice Camera has been delayed by Covid lockdowns and the chip shortages that followed but Photogram says cameras will ship to customers starting with UK customers next month.