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PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024 FINALISTS

01
 FROM THE EDITOR

E
very year we select the reviews of the hybrid mirrorless camera in 2024. And talking of
2024 ISSUE products we think have been the most irresistible, Fujifilm’s GFX100 II is the most capable
Future Publishing Australia significant new releases over the past medium format mirrorless camera we’ve ever seen,
PO Box 1077 Mount Street, 12 months or so. These are the products and for both photographers and cinematographers
North Sydney, NSW 2059
Tel: 02 9955 2677 Fax: 02 9955 2688 that, in one way or another, enhance our ability to because it’s equally well featured in both areas. And
Email: paul.burrows@futurenet.com take better photographs and su8bsequently be able the price isn’t dramatically more expensive than
Web: digitalcameraworld.com/australiancamera
to appreciate them. This may be a feature – the those of the top end full frame mirrorless cameras.
Subscription enquiries: ‘live’ graduated neutral density filters in the OM We also like BenQ’s SW272U 4K photo monitor
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System OM-1 Mark II is a good example – or the because it’s very affordable for a panel the delivers
Editorial
Editor: Paul Burrows complete package such as the Fujifilm X100VI or close to the full gamut of the Adobe RGB colour
paul.burrows@futurenet.com the Nikon Z 8. The sixth edition of Fujifilm’s hugely space – essential if you’re a keen printer – and has
Art Director: Kristian Hagen popular X100 series is surely compact camera a host of tech to optimise the IQ across the screen.
kristian.hagen@futurenet.com heaven now it has a 40 megapixels sensor. And Our two lens selections are poles apart,
Photography
Nikon’s Z 8 is essentially the flagship Z 9 in a but equally brilliant at what they do – Sigma’s
All copyrights and trademarks are recognised more compact body, arguably making it the most superlative 14mm f/1.4 ultra-wide is an optical
and respected.
desirable full frame mirrorless camera currently masterpiece while SLR Magic’s characterful
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Advertising Director: Jim Preece on the market. Leica’s ‘P’ version of the M11 MicroPrime CINE 50mm T1.2 delivers an
jim.preece@futurenet.com digital rangefinder camera pioneers technology atmospheric cinematic look which works just
Advertising Manager: Lewis Preece
lewis.preece@futurenet.com to authenticate the originality of your images and as effectively for still photography. Also, take a
Management protect their copyright. Everybody is now signing look at Benro’s new Cyanbird compact tripods
Managing Director: Neville Daniels up to the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) in which not only look fantastic, but have some nifty
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an effort to collectively deal with unauthorised design features too. Finally, our Camera Icons
Distributed in Australia and NZ by
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Leica was the first camera-maker to get the ball significant changed the way we take photographs.
We are committed to only using magazine paper which is
derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and rolling. Nikon’s Z f is here because, like the X100VI, And, of course, there are other gems to find
chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was
sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, its retro styling is simply irresistible, but under between these covers so enjoy the read.
conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic
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CONTENTS
the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing
Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England
and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath 4 COMPETITION – PINK LADY® 84 SLR MAGIC MICROPRIME CINE
BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for
information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 50mm T1.2
time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility 2024 FINALISTS Show time… create a retro and moody cinema
for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to
contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the Tasty… fabulous food pics from both amateur and look straight out of the camera.
prices of products/services referred to in this publication. This
magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with professional photographers.
the companies mentioned herein. 88 NIKON Z 8
Information contained in this magazine, whether in editorial
THE TESTS Go pro… Nikon doing what it does best; pro-level
matter or in feature articles or in advertisements or otherwise,
including in particular, but not limited to, technical information, performance at a more affordable price.
is published on the basis that neither the publisher, its 16 NIKON Z F
employees and/or agents, nor its distributors accepts or assumes
liability or responsibility for any loss or damage resulting Seeing is wanting… classic good looks combined 100 ZOOM M3 MICTRAK
from the incorrectness of such information. The submission
of material and/or products to us signifies that you have with Nikon Z tech and performance. Superior video sound in any situation from Zoom’s
read, acknowledged and accepted all the abovementioned
32-bit ‘float’ sampling technology.
28 FUJIFILM X100VI
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If you submit material to us you warrant that you own the
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The front cover features a few of the stars of our annual collection of test
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food photographer Alana Dimou who is a finalist in the Pink Lady® Food
Photographer Of The Year 2024. Turn to page four for more.
03
 Drowning by Nicolas
Mancosu (Switzerland),
finalist in the Errazuriz Wine
Photographer Of The Year
– Produce category, Pink
Lady® Food Photographer
Of
The Year 2024.

PINK LADY FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER ®

OF THE YEAR 2024 FINALISTS
ince launching back in 2011, the
Pink Lady® Food Photographer
Of The Year competition has
grown to attract many thousands
of entries from all over the
world. It is open to both amateur
and professional photographers.
Food is, of course, a vital part of life and
so it’s a huge subject with many diverse
aspects from production to presentation
to consumption. This is reflected in the
competition’s many categories which include
Bring Home The Harvest, Food In Action,
Food For Celebration, Politics In Food, Food
For Life, and Moments Of Joy. The Claire
Aho Award For Women Photographers
category is named after who a trail-blazing
Finnish photographer. Claire Aho (1925-2015)
was given her first camera at the age of
ten, and she then worked as a commercial
photographer from the late 1940s and at a
time when almost no other women were
practicing in this field.
There are also dedicated categories for
wine-making which cover the people, places
and products involved in this industry, along
with a category for wedding food.
To see all the finalists for 2024, visit www.
pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com

04
 COMPETITION

S Sea Of Rainbow Chard, Brooklyn Grange Sunset Park T Working Together by Sanghamitra Sarkar (India), finalist in
Farm, Brooklyn, NY by Valery Rizzo (USA), finalist in the the Philip Harben Award For Food In Action category, Pink
James Beard Foundation Award category, Pink Lady® Food Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.
Photographer Of The Year 2024.

05
 COMPETITION

S Walk On The Mallow Side by Jacki Gordon (United Kingdom), T Cave Fishing by Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn (Thailand),
finalist in the Production Paradise Previously Published finalist in the Tenderstem® Bring Home The Harvest category,
category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024. Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.

06
COMPETITION

S Give Me A Kiss! By Simon Detraz (France), S Peter Enjoying His Scotch Broth By The Fire With His Dog,
finalist in the Street Food category, Pink Lady® Seoras by Susie Lowe (United Kingdom), finalist in the Food
Food Photographer Of The Year 2024. For The Family category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of
The Year 2024.

T Side Street Hanoi by David Cotsworth (United Kingdom), finalist in the unearthed®
Food For Sale category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.

08
 COMPETITION

S Love by Mohammad Fayzul Mowla (Bangladesh), finalist T Back To Front (Of House) In One Shot by John Carey (United
in the World Food Programme Food For Life category, Pink Kingdom), finalist in the Philip Harben Award For Food In Action
Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024. category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.

09
COMPETITION

S Italian Oyster Mushroom by Lynn Karlin (USA),

finalist in the Hotel Art Group Cream Of The Crop
category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The
Year 2024.

T Figgy Sweet Cake Temptation by Seersa Abaza (Jordan), finalist in the Tiptree Cake
Award category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.

10
 COMPETITION

W Tomato Cans by Alana Dimou S Battered Chopsticks by Lara Jane Thorpe T Gabriel At Dawn by Suzanne Becker Bronk
(Australia), finalist in the Claire Aho (United Kingdom), finalist in the unearthed® (USA), finalist in the Errazuriz Wine Photo-
Award For Women category, Pink Lady® Food for Sale category, Pink Lady® Food grapher Of The Year – People category, Pink
Food Photographer Of The Year 2024. Photographer Of The Year 2024. Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.

11
COMPETITION

S Soulful Rain by Carolina Agudelo (Denmark), finalist in the T The Fight For Food by K. M. Assad (Bangladesh), finalist in the
Pink Lady® Moments Of Joy category, Pink Lady® Food Poliyics Of Food category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of
Photographer Of The Year 2024. The Year 2024.

12
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COMPETITION

S The Ice Cream Shop by Derek Snee (United Kingdom), T The Pirates Catch – The Last Few by Sarah Louise Ramsay (United
finalist in the unearthed® Food For Sale category, Pink Kingdom), finalist in the Production Paradise Previously Published
Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024. category, Pink Lady® Food Photographer Of The Year 2024.

14
 ON TRIAL
NIKON
Zf
HERITAGE VALUE
Combining the classic 35mm SLR user
experience with all the conveniences of a
full frame digital mirrorless camera makes
the Z f highly desirable… so do its ‘Expeed
7’ driven functionality.
T
echnology has rather trumped
tradition in camera design
over the last decade or so,
but with retro being very
much in fashion everywhere
– and the promise of new film cameras
(serious ones, that is) any time soon – the
value of heritage is starting the gain more
recognition. Of course, Leica does it best
with its M series digital rangefinder models,
although to some extent, it hasn’t had
much choice with such a strong legacy
overshadowing everything. Fujifilm’s more
voluntary adoption of a dial-based control
layout for its X-T series cameras has
arguably been a more successful marriage
of the old and the new given there’s no real
links to the past (the Fujica 35mm SLRs
16
were largely unremarkable).
However, Nikon really does have
something to celebrate with its FM and
FE series reflexes and, before these, the
workhorse Nikkormats. From the Nikkormat
FT, launched in 1965, to the FM2N, a
1989 update of the original FM2, was a
true golden era for Nikon, establishing it
as the brand for serious enthusiasts and
professionals on a bit of a budget.
Many a career got started behind a
Nikkormat or an FM/FE, and all the models
have become enduring classics thanks
to their inherent durability (yes, even the
electronic models).
It’s not surprising, then, that Nikon wants
to acknowledge this period with retro-look
digital cameras; firstly, the Df DSLR in 2013,
PAUL BURROWS
S Nikon hits all the right notes with the
Z f’s styling, and the full frame mirrorless
platform allows for much better balanced
proportions than was the case with Df or
even the Z fc.
then the Z fc ‘APS-C’ mirrorless camera in
2021 and now the full frame mirrorless Z
f. Some found that the D f looked a little
strange, but owner love them and are
hanging on to them which is reflected by
the prices being asked for second hand
examples. The Z fc looks a lot better, but the
‘DX’ offshoot of the Z mount system is still,
with all due respect, a little underdone with
regard to lenses so the appeal to enthusiast
is diminshed. Like Goldilocks’s porridge, the
Z f looks to be just right. The proportions
are pretty well balanced – although it’s
quite a bit chunkier than an FM2 – and the
full frame Z mount means there’s plenty
of lenses available and probably thousands
more if you dip into the F mount back
catalogue – from Nikon and others – via
the FTZ II mount adapter (the original and
bulkier FTZ is now discontinued). Under
the Z f’s 1980s fashionware is essentially
the Z 6II with a few of the more recent Z
8’s upgrades thrown in for good measure,
including the later-generation (and faster)
‘Expeed 7’ processor.
It does look the business, especially
as Nikon has resisted the temptation to
stick on a big handgrip. There’s a hint of
one, but otherwise the front panel has the

sparse cleanliness of the FM2. As with
the Z fc, there’s a choice of insert colours,
and these coverings include the EVF
housing, replicating the distinctive look of
the pentaprism housings on the original
Nikkormat FT all the way through to the last-
of-the-line FM3A (which was introduced in
2001). Additionally, the faceplate replicates
the shape and the ‘Nikon’ period lettering
introduced with the FM in 1977 when
the Ai – Automatic (Maximum Aperture)
Indexing – lenses also arrived, ending the
ritual of racking the lens’s aperture collar
from the smallest aperture to the largest
so a coupling pin on the camera body
relayed this information to the metering
system. Incidentally, non-Ai Nikkor lenses
can’t be used with the FTZ II so, perhaps
appropriately, compatibility with legacy
lenses is from the FM/FE era onwards.
You’re definitely going to be tempted by
the idea of using 35mm SLR and full frame
DSLR lenses on the Z f because they look
more at home here than on any other Z
mount body. An AF-S lens works as it would
on any autofocus F mount body, but the
earlier AF Nikkor lenses were driven from
the camera body so you’ll have to focus
manually on the Z f. Some third-party G
mount lenses – i.e. without an aperture
collar – may require a firmware upgrade
for auto oe even manual aperture control.
With the MF lenses there’s no auto aperture
control so you’ll have use aperture-priority
auto exposure control or full manual... just
like with an FE or FE2. However, subject
recognition is actually available with manual
focus (more about this shortly) and a focus
peaking display which is a very effective
MF assist plus, of course, in-body image
stabilisation works with any lens regardless
of its age.
EFFICIENCY DRIVEN
The Z f’s BSI-type CMOS sensor has an
effective pixel count of 24.5 million, giving a
maximum image size of 6048x4032 pixels
with a choice of two smaller sizes for both
JPEG and RAW capture. However, 10-bit
HEIF capture is added to the mix as per
the Z 8 and, also similar to this model, the
main RAW settings are ‘High Efficiency’ and
‘High Efficiency*’ along with a conventional
lossless compressed option. The ‘High
Efficiency’ settings employs a more efficient
form of lossy compression – essentially
using the H.265 video codec – to deliver
close to the same image quality as an
uncompressed RAW file, but at either one-
third or one-half the file size. HEIF capture
is selected by switching the camera’s Tone
Mode setting from standard dynamic range
(SDR) to HLG (hybrid log gamma) high
dynamic range.
The JPEGs and HEIFs can be captured at
one of three compression levels and with a
choice of three aspect ratios – 3:2, 1:1 and
YOU’RE DEFINITELY GOING
TO BE TEMPTED BY THE
IDEA OF USING 35MM
SLR AND FULL FRAME
DSLR LENSES ON THE Z
F BECAUSE THEY LOOK
MORE AT HOME HERE
THAN ON ANY OTHER Z
MOUNT BODY.”
16:9. All the RAW file options capture 14-bit
RGB colour. There’s both RAW+JPEG and
RAW+HEIF capture options.
The ‘Expeed 7’ processor is ten times
faster than its predecessor and enables
continuous shooting at up to 30 fps when
using the sensor shutter and at the full
resolution, but only using JPEG/large/normal
capture. The buffer memory allows for four
seconds at this frame rate so you’ll get
around 120 frames per burst. ‘Pre-Release
Capture’ comes as part of the 30 fps speed
package and can be set to 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0
seconds of buffering prior to full shutter
release (i.e. when the shutter button is
at the half-way position for metering and
autofocusing). As on the Z 8, there’s also
a ‘Post Release Burst’ option which can
be used to minimise the subsequent burst
length to one, two or three seconds, or
‘MAX’.
1. Rear panel control layout is also
logically organised. Insert on the
back of the monitor screen adds to
the look of a 35mm SLR.
ON TRIAL NIKON Z f
If you want to shoot fine-quality large
JPEGs, the top speed is 15 fps with the
sensor shutter and 14 fps with the focal
plane shutter, but the burst length extends
to 200 frames. The top speed with RAW
capture is 11 fps and 10 fps for HEIFs, again
with up to 200 frames in a burst.
Continuous AE adjustment between
frames is available at 7.8 fps for JPEGs
and 7.0 fps for RAW files, but the ongoing
Nikon curiousity of AF adjustment at faster
speeds – in this case up to 14 fps – appears
to continue here.
Sensor shifting gives up to eight stops
of correction for camera shake and has
five-axis movement. There’s the choice of
Normal and Sport mode, the latter disabling
the horizontal correction to allow for
panning. Like the Z 8 and Z 9, the Z f has
‘Synchro VR’ which works in conjunction
with the optical stabilisation in a lens,
adding to the efficacy of the corrections for
pitch and yaw. This mostly comes into its
own with longer lenses – when the degree
of correction drops to perhaps as low as
five stops – where it will help increase,
although perhaps only by a small amount,
the leeway for handheld shooting. New is
the option of linking the stabilisation to the
active focus point rather than the centre of
the image. ‘Focus Point VR’ again enhances
the effectiveness of the image stabilisation
which otherwise progressively reduces,
albeit not by much, towards the edges of
the frame. It won’t work if you are using
the ‘Auto Area’ AF mode for automatic point
selection and it’s selecting multiple points.
It also doesn’t work with the OIS-equipped
Nikkor Z lenses, and it isn’t available when
1
2
2. Body construction is magnesium alloy with
extensive weather sealing, although Nikon still
errs on the side of conservatism and describes
the Z f as being “drip resistant”.
17
NIKON Z f ON TRIAL
shooting video. VR, by the way, stands for
Vibration Reduction which is Nikon’s name
for its image stabilisation systems.
Sensor shifting also drives the Z f’s ‘Pixel
Shift Shooting’ function which can be set
to capture four, eight, 16 or 32 shots with
the options of a shutter delay timer (up to
ten seconds) and an adjustable interval
between shots (up to 30 seconds). The four-
shot setting records the full RGGB colour
information at each pixel point – which
enhances the overall reproduction since
there’s no interpolation involved – and the
eight-shot option is essentially adding multi-
shot noise reduction. Step up to 16 shots
and you get full colour plus a resolution
of 96 megapixels (i.e. 4x24) with the 32-
shot setting adding lower noise to the
mix. However, the camera needs to be on
a tripod and the subject static such as a
landscape. Additionally, ‘Pixel Shift Shooting’
only captures RAW files so these need to be
processed post-camera in Nikon’s NX Studio
software so, unfortunately, no JPEG option
and no in-camera compositing.
The Z f has dual memory card slots, but
with a rather unusual arrangement of one
for SD devices (with UHS-II and V90 speed
support) and one for microSD types (with
UHS-I speed support only). The downside
of microSD cards is that they’re so fiddly
to load and unload, especially as the slot
is in the same compartment as the battery
and in the camera’s base… in fact, the
battery really has to come out first which
is all a bit labour intensive. The best option
is to probably leave a microSD card in the
camera for emergencies and use the SD
for all the general work. However, the file
management options are Overflow, Back-Up
or the separate recording of JPEG/HEIF and
RAW
Files, or two different sizes of JPEG/HEIF
images.
NEW MONO DUO
For the first time in a long time, there are
some additions to Nikon’s ‘Picture Control’
presets, namely two new B&W settings
S Handy B&W mode setting can be
assigned to one of the Z f’s three
monochrome ‘Picture Control’ profiles.
18
1. The Z f’s 4. Shutter speed
top panel has FM2-era type
actually style and colours
boasts more for the numbers.
dials than the Small LCD read-
camera that’s out alongside
inspired it; shows the
the FM2. aperture settings.
1
2
3 4
5
2. A standard ‘PASM’ 3. ISO dial locks on its ‘C’ 5. Exposure
mode selector is setting which gives access compensation dial is
retained, primarily as to the extended sensitivity marked for +/-3.0 EV
no Z mount lenses settings and alternative setting and set to ‘C’ to access
have an aperture options (such as using the the extended +/-5.0 EV
collar. ‘i-menu’ on the monitor screen) range.
called Flat Monochrome and Deep Tone same choice of adjustment parameters as
Monochrome, and a second portrait profile the standard picture presets along with a
called Rich Tone Portrait. Expanding the choice of ten effect levels.
B&W shooting options seems to be a Also designed for wedding or portrait
popular thing at the moment, and Flat photography is the ‘Skin Softening’ function
Monochrome delivers softer tones while which was introduced with the Z 8 and has
Deep Tone Monochrome punches them up the choice Low, Normal or High settings. The
in the way as a red contrast filter does with Z f also has the new ‘Portrait Impression
film. The Z f actually adds a B&W setting to Balance’ function which has three Mode
the photo/movie selector and to which can settings that you create using adjustments
be assigned one of the three monochrome for colour hue – over a magenta-to-yellow
presets. Rich Tone Portrait is tuned to range – and brightness. This also allows for
enhance the reproduction of skin tones tweaking of the skin tone reproduction and
with a wider range of tonality while also is obviously a more selective – and subtler
managing the clipping of the brighter whites – tool than trying to do the same thing with
so clearly wedding photographers are in the white balance settings.
mind here. There’s a multiple exposure facility which
As before, there’s a further 20 ‘Creative can combine up to ten shots (with various
Picture Control’ settings which are options for managing the overall brightness)
essentially special effects, but have the and an intervalometer which can record up
S Memory card slots share the battery S Classic Nikon round eyepiece.
compartment. The second slot is for
microSD cards and they’re hard to get at
without first removing the battery pack.

IT IS WORTH RE-ITERATING
JUST HOW GOOD THE Z F
LOOKS AND IT CERTAINLY
GIVES THE FUJIFILM X-T
SERIES MODELS – AS
PRETTY AS THEY ARE – A
BIT OF A RUN IN THE RETRO
BEAUTY CONTEST.”
to 9999 frames in a sequence. Additionally,
there’s provision for adding in exposure
bracketing at each point for up to nine shots
which means, if so desired, you could record
up to 9999x9 shots in a sequence.
The auto bracketing functions are for
exposure, flash, exposure and flash, white
balance and the camera’s Active D-Lighting
process for dynamic range expansion.
Additionally, there’s a ‘Focus Shift Shooting’
function which can capture up to 300
frames, adjusting the focus with each via a
predetermined step from one (narrow) to
ten (wide). These frames can subsequently
In the same year that Nikon launched
the FM2, 1982, Sony introduced the first
video camera/recorder; the terminology
quickly shortened to camcorder. The Sony
Betamovie was the first combined video
camera and recorder, and it used Sony’s
Beta format cassettes. It was hardly
compact, but it was the shape of things
to come and a steady evolution to smaller
tape formats – from VHS-C through 8mm
to MiniDV – through to the use of memory
cards resulted in ever smaller and lighter
camcorders. So the idea that the FM2-
styled Z f is a more capable video camera
than any consumer-level camcorder ever
was takes a bit of getting used to. If video
is your main activity, it’s hard to see you
picking the Z f over the Z 6II, but if you can
get your head around shooting video with
what looks like a 35mm SLR, there’s some
pretty decent spec at hand.
The Z f records 4K UHD oversampled
be assembled post-camera for focus
stacking.
The adjustable in-camera lens corrections
are for vignetting, diffraction and distortion.
There’s also the standard Nikon fare
of ‘Active D-Lighting’ (ADL) processing to
expand the dynamic range which, on the Z
f, has a range of settings from Low to Extra
High; noise reduction processing for both
long exposures and high ISO settings; and
an ‘HDR Overlay’ function which combines
two images with each exposure adjusted
to preserve more detail in the shadows
and the highlights. The amount of exposure
adjustment is set as HDR Strength from
Low to Extra High, or there’s an Auto setting
which adjusts according to the contrast
range present in the scene.
CATCHING THE EYE
Compared to the Z 6II, the Z f has a bunch
of autofocus upgrades, starting with subject-
recognition for People, Animals, Vehicle and
Aircraft. These expand into body/head/face/
eye detection for humans, body/head/eye
detection for animals (which encompasses
dogs, cats and birds); and cars, motorcycles,
bicycles and trains within the Vehicles
category. Improved AF detection algorithms
also mean that much smaller objects can
be more reliably detected… such as a bird’s
from the sensor’s full-width 6K at 24, 25
and 30 fps, while a 1.5x crop is needed
to get to 50 or 60 fps. There’s the choice
of 8-bit or 10-bit 4:2:2 colour when using
the 265 HEVC codec (with LongGOP
compression) in the MOV format. The Full
HD frame rates extend up to 120 or 100
for slowmo effects and here there’s also
the option of using the MP4 format with
the MPEG 4 AVC/H.264 codec, 8-bit 4:2:0
colour and LongGOP compression. The
maximum clip duration is 125 minutes
for 4K UHD at up to 60/50 fps with H.265
and 8-bit colour. The Z f has built-in stereo
microphones for 24-bit 48 kHz PCM linear
audio recording in the MOV format. The
audio functions comprise auto/manual
levels, an attenuator, adjustable frequency
response (wide range and vocal range) and
wind noise filter. Both a stereo microphone
input (with plug-in power) and a headphone
output (with adjustable volume) are
provided. The HDMI output – a micro Type
D connection – supports up to 4K UHD
with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 50 or 60 fps.
The video feature set includes the
N-Log gamma profile, the HDR HLG
profile, hybrid IBIS and electronic image
stabilisation (which gives a 1.25x crop),
time code support (with drop-frame
correction), time-lapse movies (2K or 4K),
auto flicker detection and correction, zebra
ON TRIAL NIKON Z f
eye. Auto subject detection will find any of
the definable subjects in a frame which can
be very convenient, but may get confused
if there’s a number of different recognisable
subjects in the mix.
The hybrid phase/contrast detection
autofocusing has 299 measuring points
which give 89 percent vertical and 96
percent horizontal frame coverage. The area
modes range in size from ‘Pinpoint’ to ‘Auto
Area AF’ which is essentially using the full
point count across the frame. In between
are Single-Point AF, two ‘Wide Area’ modes
– large or small – and three ‘Dynamic Area’
options – Small, Medium and Large –
where, if the subject moves, the focusing
point automatically switches to any of the
surrounding ones. There are additionally
are two custom ‘Wide Area’ modes which
allow you to create your own shapes from
a choice of 77 (up from the Z 8’s 20), either
square or rectangular from 1x1 to 21x13
points.
A very handy feature if you’re forced
to focus manually when using an older F
mount lens with an FTZ adapter is subject
detection with manual focusing. After the
subject is detected, the magnified image
focus assist kicks in automatically and
enlarges this part of the frame so you can
finish the job. It works very well, but the
patterns (a choice of two with adjustable
highlight threshold and mid-tone range),
and a waveform monitor display (which
shows the luminance – or brightness –
distribution in a scene). Of course, the
variable-angle LCD monitor screen has
benefits for video shooters as does the
‘Touch Fn’ controllability. The upgraded AF
control algorithms and the subject based
detection modes – driven by the faster
‘Expeed 7’ processor – work as well for
video as they do for still photography.
Again, subject detection is also available
with manual focus. All the ‘Picture Control’
and ‘Creative Picture Control’ settings
are available for video which includes the
new Flat Monochrome and Deep Tone
Monochrome B&W profiles and the Rich
Tone Portrait colour prodile for improved
skin tone reproduction.
It’s worth noting here that Nikon opted
not to give the Df DSLR video recording in
order to preserve its photographic ‘purity’
and, frankly, there would have been a
good case for doing the same with the Z f.
However, the reasoning is probably that, a
decade later and with video more widely
shot than ever before, the Z f will have
much more appeal as a hybrid mirrorless
camera. And if you need it to shoot video,
it does indeed do an excellent job.
19
NIKON Z f ON TRIAL
focus peaking display is equally useful if
you’re shooting more generally (and it’s also
available with AF).
As with the Z 8 and Z 9, the Z f also
has the ‘3D Tracking AF’ which worked to
great effect on Nikon’s top-end DSLRs and
simply follows whatever object is selected
with the initial focus lock-on. It then uses
the focusing distance and colour to track
the subject, but it can also be used with
subject detection. Additionally, you can fine-
tune the tracking to better match the type
of movement – essentially either Steady or
Erratic – and the response to a blocked shot
– from Quick to Delayed over five steps.
Low light sensitivity now extends down
to EV -10 (at ISO 100 and f/1.2) without
needing to resort to any special AF mode.
This is made possible by making the PDAF
pixels bigger and also the processing
capabilities of the ‘Expeed 7’ engine. At
EV -10, the Z f’s AF is able to discern more
contrast in a subject than you can.
The Z f retains a conventional focal plane
shutter which is rated to 200,000 cycles and
has a speed range of 900 seconds (that’s 15
minutes) up to 1/8000 second plus both ‘B’
and ‘T’ timers for even longer exposures.
Compared to ‘B’ when the shutter release
has to be held down for the duration of
the exposure, the ‘T’ setting allows for one
press to start the exposure and a second
to end it. Although it looks like the Z f’s
shutter button has the screwthread socket
for attaching a cable release, it doesn’t… the
fitting is for attaching an optional soft-release
button.
The metering is sensor-based with a
choice of multi-zone ‘Matrix’ metering,
centre-weighted average, highlight-
weighted average and spot measurements.
Additionally, the multi-zone metering can
be linked to face detection. With centre-
weighted metering, the bias assigned to
the central zone can be set to Small or
Standard (which correspond to 8.0 mm
or 12 mm) or you can switch to a fully-
averaged measurement which uses
the whole frame area equally.
The auto exposure modes are
supplemented by an AE
lock, up to +/-5.0 EV of
compensation and
auto bracketing (over
two, three, five, seven
20
or nine frames with up to +/-3.0 EV of
adjustment).
For white balance control there’s a choice
of three auto correction modes called ‘Keep
White’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Keep Warm’. There
also the ‘Natural Light Auto’ setting which
was introduced with the Z system and
essentially maintains a colour balance that
looks natural to the human eye. There are
eight lighting presets plus you can make and
store up to six custom settings. Additionally,
every WB settings has fine-tuning or you can
manually set the colour temperature over a
range of 2500 to 10,000 degrees Kelvin. The
auto bracketing for white balance adjusts
over a sequence of three frames.
IN THE HAND
One of the reasons that the Z f looks so
right is its proportions which are more
balanced than with either Z fc or the D f. It’s
the reason that the second memory card
slot is for microSD and that there’s only a
hint of a handgrip. The FM2 didn’t have a
grip either – unless you fitted the MD-12
motordrive – and it didn’t need it. Neither
does the Z f. It’s very comfortable to handle
even with a bigger and bulkier lens fitted,
although many of the more affordable
Z mount lenses aren’t especially heavy
anyway. The chassis/covers construction
is magnesium alloy with weather sealing
which looks fairly extensive in the
illustrations, and Nikon describes the Z f as SOK, so you can do this with any Z series
being “highly dust and drip resistant”. body and the FTZ II mount adapter, but
these legacy F mount lenses look a whole
It is worth re-iterating here just how lot more at home on the Z f. From left; a
good the Z f looks and it certainly gives the real classic – the original AF Nikkor 50mm
Fujifilm X-T series models – as pretty as f/1.4 (1986 vintage); another lens from the
same era – the AF Nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5
they are – a bit of a run in the retro beauty (also 1986); and a real gem – the Sigma
contest. The insert colours are less sugary AF 14mm f/3.5 (1991), a brilliant ultra-wide
and more grown-up than those for the Z prime before the mirrorless configuration
made it easier to make brilliant ultra-wide
fc, and they actually all look pretty smart in primes. All these lenses were driven by an
one way or another. The top panel dials are AF motor in the camera body so they have
all machined from solid lumps of brass and to be manually focused on the Z f, but auto
feel great to the touch with the engraved aperture control still happens.
marking replicating the typestyle of the FE/
FM cameras. Unlike Fujifilm, however, Nikon
has given the Z f a ‘PASM’ mode selector
which also has a full ‘AUTO’ point-and-
shoot setting. The shutter speed is simply
overridden when using the modes that
select these settings automatically (i.e. there
isn’t an ‘A’ position). For manual control, you
can set it to ‘1/3STEP’ in which case the
front or rear input wheels select speeds in
1/3-stop increments for finer control. The
dial locks at this position as well as at ‘X’, ‘B’
and ‘T’; but freely moves through the speed
settings which is a sensible arrangement.
As noted earlier, there’s a specific selector
for switching the Z f into B&W mode so you
don’t have to dig into the ‘Picture Control’
settings every time you get the urge to go
monochrome. It’s an acknowledgement
W For the first time on a Nikon full frame mirrorless camera,
the monitor screen is fully articulated so it can face forwards.

S Main shooting display includes ‘i-menu’
touch tiles.
S Live view screen elements include a dual-axis level display and a real-time histogram. You
can cycle through various display designs.
of the growing popularity of digital B&W
photography, along with the fact that the
Z f now has three monochrome ‘Picture
Controls. With camera switched to B&W,
you can then select whichever profile you
want from an abbreviated ‘Picture Control’
submenu. In practice, it’s a very convenient
feature and it’s likely everybody will be doing
it before too long.
On the other side of the EVF housing and
equally large dial for setting film speeds…
oops, we mean ISO settings… and it has
1/3-stop incremental settings plus a ‘C’
setting at which it locks for accessing the
extended sensitivity range. The third and
S Main menus are included in the touch
screen implementation.
smallest dial is for exposure compensation
and is marked over +/-3.0 EV with, again, a
‘C’ setting for getting to the extended +/-5.0
EV range with setting via the input wheels.
The digital-era controls are the
aforementioned front and rear input wheels,
a video start/stop button and a little LCD
read-out for aperture settings. The rear panel
control layout is notable for the absence
of a joystick-type controller, but there is an
eight-way keypad – Nikon calls it the “multi-
selector” – which is used for the various
navigational duties.
Furthermore, ‘touch-pad’ AF point/zone
selection via the monitor screen – when
ON TRIAL NIKON Z f
TS Review/replay screen cycles through a
wide range of pages, including RGB channel
histograms and info overlays for all the
capture settings.
using the EVF – appears for the first time
on a Z mount mirrorless camera. Nikon
is calling it ‘Touch Fn’ as you can assign
other functions such as switching eyes for
humans or animals, or for switching on (or
off) a framing grid or the level indicator.
There’s a big choice of touch area settings
for both when the camera is held vertically
or horizontally, and from full screen to the
various quarters.
Another first for a full frame Z mount
mirrorless camera is a fully-articulated
monitor screen, no doubt with video
applications such as vlogging mostly in
mind. The panel itself is 8.1 cm in size with
a resolution of 2.1 megadots, touch controls
of course, and adjustments for brightness
and colour balance.
The EVF is a 1.27 cm panel with 3.686
megadots resolution and a magnification
of 0.8x (50mm lens at infinity). As with the
monitor, it’s adjustable for brightness and
colour temperature. The eyepiece is circular
– another classic Nikon design element –
and has aspherical elements and a fluorine
moisture/grease repellent coating. There’s
four live view screen designs for both the
EVF and monitor which can be separately
customised as desired to include a level
21
 NIKON Z f ON TRIAL
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22

indicator, a real-time histogram, a guide grid
and a centre marker plus either Simple or
Detail info displays. There’s a fifth option in
the monitor which is an info display for the
exposure settings and ten function indicator
tiles with touch control for adjusting
settings.
The touch screen implement also
includes the ‘i’ menu – which overlays
function tiles on the live view image – the
main menus and the replay/review functions
so there isn’t much that you can’t do by
tapping on the monitor. In addition to the
‘Touch Fn’ operations mentioned earlier,
there’s also ‘Touch AF’ focusing with the
option of automatic shutter release once it’s
achieved.
The Z f also has a ‘Starlight View’ setting
for the live image which brightens all the
dark areas in the frame to assist with
composition and manual focusing when
shooting at night.
The review/replay displays include pages
of four, nine or 72 thumbnails; zooming up
to 32x and a slide show with adjustable
frame intervals. Individual images can
be displayed full-frame either with or
without basic capture info or as thumbnails
accompanied by a full set of brightness and
RGB histograms, or a highlight warning.
Additionally, the autofocus points or zone
used to take the shot can also be shown.
Cycling through the replay options also
brings up five pages of detailed capture data
– including the lens model and the taking
focal length – which are superimposed over
the image. You can record copyright info,
IPTC data and voice memos.
The interfaces are USB Type C, HDMI
Type D and a stereo audio input and output.
Wireless connectivity is WiFi (either the
T Coloured insert versions are limited editions and are all quite tasteful. Choose from
Bordeaux Red, Indigo Blue, Moss Green, Sepia Brown, Stone Gray or Sunset Orange.
2.4 or 5.0 GHz bands) and Bluetooth 5.0 LE
(via the Nikon SnapBridge app). The USB C
port supports in-camera battery recharging
and, in the Z f, the EN-EL15c power pack –
shared with the Z 5/6/7/8 models – is good
for around 410 shots (in the camera’s energy
saving mode, otherwise it’s 360 shots)
However, unlike all these other model, there
isn’t a provision for fitting a battery/vertical
grip (the Z 9’s is built-in, of course).
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
Loaded with a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB
SDXC UHS-II memory card and using the
focal plane shutter with the Continuous High
Extended mode, the Z f captured a burst
of 150 JPEG/large/fine frames in 10.615
seconds which represents a continuous
shooting speed of 14.1 fps. These files
averaged around 17.8 MB in size. Using
the sensor shutter and the ‘C30’ setting, a
sequence of 217 normal-quality JPEGs was
rattled off in 7.15 seconds which equates to
a speed of 30.3 fps. The file size here was
around 6.7 MB. So there’s no question that
the Z f can hit its speed targets.
Thanks to the ‘Expeed 7’ processor, the
Z f’s autofocusing capabilities are more in
line with the top-end Z mount cameras so
there are significant improvements over the
Z 6II and the Z 7II in terms of the overall
speed and, not surprisingly, the reliability of
the tracking. Smaller-sized objects – such
as a distant person or animal – are detected
more quickly and then the tracking will stay
locked-on even with quite erratic movement.
In situations where an eye is no longer
visible, the system progressively switched to
face, head or body detection in order to stay
on the subject. The ‘3D Tracking AF’ works
very effectively when shooting subjects that
ON TRIAL NIKON Z f
aren’t covered by the recognition categories,
although in the Auto detection mode pretty
well anything that moves will be detected
and then there’s the added reliability of the
system actually knowing what it’s looking
at, and it won’t be distracted. The low light/
contrast performance is exceptional again
with fast initial subject acquisition and then
highly reliable tracking subsequently.
While the Z f may have the same sensor
as the Z 6II, the later-gen processor makes
some differences to the image quality,
including improvements to the noise
reduction and also the colour reproduction.
Nikon is up with Fujifilm in its grip on
colour science, and it certainly knows how
to balance realism with a more pleasing
rendering of both saturation and contrast.
The out-of-the-camera JPEGs have plenty of
crisply-defined detailing and super smooth
tonal gradations. It would be a nice touch
to have a few retro colour profiles – such as
Fujifilm’s Classic Chrome and Classic Neg
– and perhaps these could be added via a
firmware upgrade and some point.
The sensor employs ‘dual gain’ circuitry
so there are two base ISO settings – at 100
and 800 – for output circuits optimised for
dynamic range and colour saturation (i.e.
low gain) and sensitivity (i.e. low noise).
This results in inherently lower noise at
the higher sensitivity settings above ISO
800. Subsequently, less noise reduction
processing is required, so the image quality
for JPEGs – particularly in terms of the
sharpness and colour saturation – is better
than would normally be the case. However,
it does also mean that the IQ at 800 could
well be better than that at ISO 400 – at
least in terms of noise levels – which is one
reason why some dual-gain sensors have
a lower crossover setting at, say, ISO 500
as on the Z 8. However, another plus is
23
NIKON Z f ON TRIAL
ISO 50
ISO 400
ISO 3200
ISO 25600
ISO 102400
increased exposure latitude which is useful
when shooting at the higher ISOs… so you
can underexpose by up to around four stops
to help preserve more detail in the brighter
highlights and still be able to lighten the
shadows without creating too much noise.
Both saturation and definition are well
maintained up to ISO 6400, with only a
24
ISO 100
ISO 800
ISO 6400
ISO 51200
ISO 204800
small reduction in the overall image quality
at ISO 12,800 and even at ISO 25,600. The
ISO 51,200 setting is also useable and, while
detailing and saturation both start to fall off a
bit, the visible noise is still finely-grained.
THE VERDICT
For anybody who likes the idea of a
film camera experience, but with all the
ISO 200
ISO 1600
ISO 12800
ISO 64000
SThe Nikon Z f has a native ISO range
of 100 to 64,000 with extensions down
to ISO 50 and up to ISO 204,800.
The sensor’s dual-gain design means
the noise reduction at the higher
sensitivity settings starts from a higher
base ISO and noise is inherently
lower. The two base ISO settings are
at 100 and 800, and the output circuits
optimised for dynamic range and
colour saturation (i.e. low gain), and
sensitivity (i.e. low noise).
7hese images were captured as JPEG/
large/fine files with the aperture set
to f/11 and the exposure time varied
to compensate for the adjustments to
the ISO. High ISO and Long Exposure
noise reduction processing are
switched off. Nikkor Z 40mm f/2.0 SE.
conveniences of a contemporary mirrorless
digital camera, the Z f hits all the right notes.
Likewise, if you want to relive your classic
dial-driven 35mm SLR days. It looks superb,

handles really nicely and delivers brilliant
results. It doesn’t take long to feel at one
with it and then you just can’t put it down. If
you did cut your teeth on the camera that’s
inspired the Z f’s styling and design – or
something quite similar – it feels like coming
home, and you’re soon back in the groove
of dials and the directness of controllability
that they deliver. However, it would be really
VITAL STATISTICS
Type: Enthusiast-level digital mirrorless camera with Nikon
Z bayonet lens mount
Focusing: Automatic via 299 points (89 percent vertical/96
percent horizontal frame coverage) using hybrid phase/
contrast detection. Area modes are Pinpoint, Single-Point,
Dynamic Area – Small, Dynamic Area – Medium, Dynamic
Area - Large, Wide Area Small, Wide Area Large, Wide
Area – Custom 1 and 2 (with 77 shape/size options from
1x1 to 21x13 points), Auto Area, 3D Tracking, Subject
Tracking. Manual switching between one-shot and con-
tinuous modes for photography with auto switching in AF-F
mode for video. Body/head/face/eye detection for humans,
body/head/eye detection for animals (dogs, cats and
birds), subject recognition for cars, motorcycles, bicycles,
trains and aircraft. Auto subject detection. Adjustable
tracking sensitivity. Sensitivity range is EV -10 - 19 (ISO
100, f/1.2). AF assist provided by built-in illuminator.
Low-Light AF in ‘Starlight View’ live view mode. AF micro-
adjustment available. Manual focus assist in live view
via subject detection with magnified image, magnified
image (up to 16x) and/or focus peaking display (choice of
colours – red, yellow, blue or white; and high, standard or
low intensities).
Metering: TTL via sensor with multi-zone (Matrix meter-
ing), multi-zone with face detection, centre-weighted
average (8.0mm or 12 mm centre circle), full average, spot
(4.0mm/1.5%), highlight weighted and i-TTL flash. Spot
metering can be linked to AF point. Metering range is EV
-4.0 to 17 (f/2.0 and ISO 100).
Exposure Modes: Continuously-variable program with shift,
shutter-priority auto, shutter-priority auto with auto aper-
ture and ISO adjustment, aperture-priority auto, metered
manual, i-TTL auto flash and manual flash.
Shutter: Electronically-controlled, vertical travel, focal
plane type, 900-1/8000 second plus ‘B’ and ‘T’. Flash sync
up to 1/200 second. Exposure compensation up to +/-5.0
EV in 1/3 or ½ stop increments. Sensor-based shutter and
‘electronic first curtain’ shutter available to reduce noise
and vibrations.
Viewfinder: 1.27 cm OLED-type EVF with 3.686 mega-
dots resolution. Coverage = 100% vertical/horizontal.
Magnification = 0.8x (50mm lens at infinity). Eyepiece
strength adjustment built-in. Adjustable for brightness (18
levels) and colour temperature. 8.1 cm TFT LCD monitor
with 2.1 megadots resolution, fully-articulated adjustment,
and touch screen controls. Adjustable for brightness (15
levels) and colour temperature. Auto/manual switching
between EVF and monitor.
Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units connect via
ISO 518 hotshoe.
Additional Features: Magnesium alloy bodyshell sealed
against dust and moisture, auto exposure bracketing over
two to nine frames (up to +/-3.0 EV adjustment per frame),
AE lock, depth-of-field preview, all exposure adjustments
in 1/3 or ½ stops, programmable self-timer (two to 20
seconds delay, up to nine frames at 0.5 to three seconds
intervals), quiet shooting mode, external OLED read-out
panel with built-in illumination, audible signals, wireless
remote control, 78 custom functions.
DIGITAL SECTION
Sensor: 24.5 million pixels (effective) BSI CMOS with
35.9x23.9 mm area. Sensitivity equivalent to ISO 100-
64,000 (extendable to ISO 50 and 204,800). Optical low-
pass filter is fitted. Fluorine coating repels moisture and
grease.
Focal Length Increase: None.
Formats/Resolution: Three JPEG compression settings
nice to have a Z mount prime lens with
a manual aperture collar to complete the
experience. Yes, you can fit an older Nikkor
via the FTZ II, but it’s not quite the same
as having something that attaches directly.
Note to design department.
Nevertheless though, the Nikon Z f is
still an experience and a truly satisfying one,
with the added bonuses of an AF that never
NIKON Z f $3,949 body only, recommended retail price
(1:4, 1:8 and 1:16; with size or quality priority); three HEIF
compression settings (1:4, 1:8 and 1:16; with size or qual-
ity priority); and lossless compressed, High Efficiency* or
High Efficiency lossy compressed RAW files. Three resolu-
tion settings at 3:2 aspect ratio (‘FX’ format); 6048x4032,
4528x3024 and 3024x2016 pixels. Three resolution settings
at 1:1 aspect ratio (24x24 mm); 4032x4032, 3024x3024
and 2016x2016 pixels. Three resolution settings at 16:9
aspect ratio (36x20 mm); 6048x3400, 4258x2544 and
3024x1696. Three resolution settings in ‘DX’ format (24x16
mm); 3936x2656, 2976x1992 and 1984x1328 pixels. RAW
(NEF) images are captured at 6048x4032 pixels, in either
36-bit or 42-bit RGB colour; or at 6048x4032, 4528x3024
and 3024x2016 pixels with 36-bit RGB colour. RAW+JPEG/
HEIF capture is possible (with all JPEG/HEIF compression
levels).
Video Recording: MOV format (H.265 HEVC codec,
LongGOP compression, 8- or 10-bit 4:2:2 colour) – 4K UHD
at 3840x2160 pixels; 30, 25 or 24 fps and 16:9 aspect
ratio (up to 360 Mbps). 4K UHD at 3840x2160 pixels; 60 or
50 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1.5x crop. Full HD at
1920x1080 pixels; 120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and
16:9 aspect ratio (up to 190 Mbps).
MP4 format (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264 codec, LongGOP com-
pression, 8-bit 4:2:0 colour) – Full HD at 1920x1080 pixels;
120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up
to 50 Mbps). Maximum clip duration is 125 minutes for 4K
UHD at up to 60/50 fps (H.265, 8-bit colour).
Stereo sound recording (24-bit 48 kHz PCM linear audio in
MOV format) with auto/manual adjustable levels, attenu-
ator, adjustable frequency response (wide range and vocal
range) and wind noise filter. Stereo microphone input
(with plug-in power) and headphone output provided (with
adjustable volume).
Video Features: N-Log gamma profile, HDR HLG profile,
hybrid IBIS and electronic image stabilisation, time code
support (with drop-frame correction), time-lapse movie
mode (2K or 4K ), auto flicker detection and correction,
zebra patterns (choice of two with adjustable highlight
threshold and mid-tone range), waveform monitor, focus
peaking display, red frame recording indicator. ‘ISO Fine
Tune’ provides 1/6-stop adjustment increments, video
recording display zoom (50, 100 or 200 percent).
HDMI Output: 4K UHD 16:9 with 8/10-bit 4:2:2 colour and
60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. Full HD 16:9 with 8/10-bit 4:2:2
colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. N-Log or HLG with
10-bit 4:2:2 colour.
Recording Media: Two memory card slots; one for SD/
SDHC/SDXC devices with UHS-II and V90 speed support
and one for microSD cards with UHS-I speed support.
Back-up, overflow and assigned file type management
options.
Continuous Shooting: Up to 120 frames at 30 fps in JPEG/
large/normal quality using the sensor-based shutter,
with full AF adjustment, but AE locked to first frame.
‘Pre-Release Capture’ at 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0 second with ‘Post-
Release Burst’ at 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 seconds or MAX.
Up to 200 frames at 14 fps with JPEG/large/fine quality
using the focal plane shutter in ‘Continuous High Extended’
mode with full AF/AE adjustment. Up to 200 frames at 11
fps in RAW quality using the focal plane shutter, with full
AF/AE adjustment. ‘Continuous High’ shooting at 10 fps.
Low speed continuous shooting can be set between 1.0
and 7.0 fps.
White Balance: Auto/manual control with ‘Natural Light
Auto’, seven presets and six custom settings. White bal-
ance fine-tuning available for AWB and all presets plus
manual colour temperature setting (2500-10,000 degrees
Kelvin, in ten degree increments or mired units) and white
ON TRIAL NIKON Z f
misses, excellent high ISO performance
and, for JPEG shooters, glorious results
straight out of the camera. It will attract
attention – even our low-key sepia brown
example prompted plenty of admiring
comments when we were out and about
shooting – which is just further confirmation
that Nikon has absolutely nailed the brief
with the Z f.
balance bracketing (up to nine frames). Three auto correc-
tion settings – Auto 0 ‘Keep White’ reduces warmer hues
under artificial lighting. Auto 1 ‘Normal’ balances subject
colour and ambient lighting. Auto 2 ‘Keep Warm Lighting
Colours’ maintains warmer hues under incandescent
lighting.
Interfaces: USB Type C (3.2), HDMI Type D, 3.5mm stereo
audio input, 3.5mm stereo audio input.
Additional Digital Features: Sensor-shift image ‘VR’ stabi-
lisation with five-axis movement and up to eight stops of
correction for camera shake, ‘Focus Point’ VR stabilisation,
‘Pixel Shift Shooting’ (four, eight, 16 or 32 shots with RAW
capture, up to 96 megapixels, tripod mode only), sensor
cleaning, ‘Active D-Lighting’ contrast control (Auto, Low,
Normal, High, Extra High), auto bracketing functions (AE,
Flash, AE+Flash, WB or ADL), focus shift shooting (up to
300 frames), 11 ‘Picture Control’ presets (Auto, Standard,
Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Flat Monochrome, Deep Tone
Monochrome, Portrait, Rich Tone Portrait, Landscape and
Flat), 20 ‘Creative Picture Controls’ (Dream, Morning, Pop,
Sunday, Sombre, Dramatic, Silent, Bleached, Melancholic,
Pure, Denim, Toy, Sepia, Blue, Red, Pink, Charcoal,
Graphite, Binary and Carbon), ten effect levels for ‘Creative
Picture Controls’, adjustable ‘Picture Control’ parameters
(Sharpening, Mid-Range Sharpening, Clarity, Contrast,
Brightness, Saturation and Hue), with ‘Quick Sharp’ adjust-
ment (for Sharpening, Mid-Range Sharpening and Clarity),
B&W filters and toning effects, nine user-defined ‘Picture
Control’ modes, ‘Skin Softening’ processing (Low, Normal,
High), ‘Portarit Impression Balance’ (Mode 1, Mode 2,
Mode 3), multiple exposure facility (up to ten frames with
Add, Average, Lighten or Darken exposure adjustment),
intervalometer (up 9999 shots with exposure smoothing
and silent mode), HDR dual-shot capture (Smoothing
–High/Normal/Low; Exposure Differention Auto or 1/2/3
EV), auto bracketing functions (AE, flash, AE and flash,
white balance and ADL), sRGB and Adobe RGB colour
spaces, auto flicker detection, long exposure noise reduc-
tion (Off, On), high ISO noise reduction (Off, Low, Normal,
High), 4x4 grid guide, real-time histogram, dual-axis level
indicator, auto ISO with auto minimum shutter speed
control, in-camera lens corrections (distortion, diffraction
and vignetting), image comments input (up to 36 charac-
ters), voice memo recording, copyright information, IPTC
data, auto image orientation, adjustable image display
time, slide show, 4/9/72 thumbnail displays, histogram
displays (brightness and/or RGB channels), highlight alert,
playback zoom (up to 32x), in-camera editing functions
(Trim, Resize, D-Lighting, Red-Eye Correction, Straighten,
Distortion Control, Perspective Control, Image Overlay, Trim
Movie and RAW Processing), WiFi connectivity (2.4 and
5.0 GHz bands), Bluetooth 5.0 LE connectivity (via Nikon
SnapBridge app).
Power: One 7.0 volt, 1900 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion
battery pack (EN-EL15c type) with in-camera charging via
USB C (PD). Battery age indicator.
Dimensions (WxHxD): Body only = 144.0x103.0x49.0mm.
Weight: Body only = 630 grams (without battery pack or
memory card).
Price: Body only = $3,949. With Nikkor Z 40mm f/2.0 SE
= $4,049. Black finish with a choice of coloured inserts
– Black, Moss Green, Sepia Brown, Indigo Blue, Stone
Grey, Sunset Orange and Bordeaux Red. Nikon products
purchased from an authorised Nikon Australia reseller are
covered by a two-year warranty. For more information visit
www.nikon.com.au
Distributor: Nikon Australia Pty Ltd, telephone 1300 366
499 or visit www.mynikonlife.com.au
25
CAMERA ICONS
PENTAX SPOTMATIC
These are the cameras that in one way or another
had a significant influence on photographers and
photography.
f all the likely millions of pictures
taken of The Beatles, the most
significant for the camera
industry depicted the Fab Four
clutching Pentax Spotmatics.
In fact, there are many photos
from the early 1960s showing Paul, John,
George and Ringo with various Asahi Pentax
35mm SLRs and appears these cameras
were most likely private purchases, but
by the time the Spotmatic arrived in 1964,
the commercial opportunities of such an
association were just too good to miss. The
Beatles were global stars and the Spotmatic
quickly became one too, taking Pentax to
the top of the sales charts and popularising
the 35mm SLR. For the next couple of
decades the Japanese camera industry’s
fortunes would be built on the 35mm SLR.
The genesis of the Spotmatic dates back
to 1950 and the start of the development
of the Asahiflex, remarkably the first ever
camera made by Asahi Optical. The first
35mm SLRs had appeared before the
second World War, starting with the Kine
Exacta in 1936, followed by the Praktiflex
in 1939 and the Contax S in 1948, made by
the now East German (and state-owned)
VEB Zeiss Ikon. This camera was significant
for the introduction of a fixed eye-level
viewfinder using pentaprism optics which
made it very much more convenient to use.
The Asahiflex (now known as the Asahiflex
I) stuck with a waistlevel finder when it was
26
launched in May 1952, but with a Galilean
viewfinder alongside, albeit uncoupled.
The first Japanese-made 35mm SLR, the
Asahiflex I established a reputation for
reliability (the Contax S was notably fragile)
and affordability. The next big step came
in May 1957 with Asahi Pentax which not
only had a pentaprism viewfinder, but other
conveniences such as a rapid-wind film
advance lever and a crank-handle for quicker
film rewinding (both replacing the traditional
knobs). It also had the instant-return reflex
mirror mechanism that Asahi Optical had
introduced in late 1954 with the Asahiflex
IIB. Furthermore, it adopted the 42 mm
screwthread mount (M42) which had been
first used in the Contax S and, nearly a
decade later, was becoming as universal as
any fitting would ever become.
The scene was set for the next big step
and, at the 1960 Photokina, Asahi Optical
showed off a prototype 35mm SLR called
the Spot-Matic. The name was derived
from the camera’s built-in spot metering
which used a CdS (Cadmium Sulphide) light
measuring cell mounted on an arm that
positioned it in the centre of the viewfinder
to take through-the-lens (TTL) readings.
The Spot-Matic also had a new focal plane
shutter capable of 1/2000 second and, most
interestingly, a bayonet lens mount. All of
these innovations were abandoned by the
time the camera went into production in
1964, but it was still called the Spotmatic
W Pentax Spotmatic F – 1973 to 1976 – the
first of the mechanical Spotmatics to have
open-aperture metering, eliminating the
need to stop down first.
(now without the hyphen). Rightly so, Asahi
Optical had concluded that spot metering
would be problematic (ahem) for most
users and devised a new TTL system using
a pair of CdS cells located either side of the
viewfinder eyepiece to take fully-averaged
readings. It wouldn’t be until 1975 that a
bayonet lens mount made an appearance
on a Pentax 35mm SLR (the KX, KM and
K2) and until 1979 for a 1/2000 second top
shutter speed (ME Super).
Nevertheless, the first Spotmatic – also
called the SP – was greater than the sum
of its parts and a huge success almost
instantaneously. By 1966, Asahi Optical had
sold one million of them and, for the next
three years, Spotmatic production exceeded
the total output of 35mm SLRs from Canon
and Nikon combined. It wasn’t the first
35mm SLR with built-in metering – that
was the Topcon RE Super from 1963 – but
it was the first to put all the key elements
together in such a competent, capable and
comfortable way. More efficiencies followed
with the addition of a flash hotshoe to
the Spotmatic II in April 1971, followed in
the October of that year by open aperture
metering (i.e. eliminating the need for
stopping down) and, a world first, aperture-
priority auto exposure control. This model
was called the Electro-Spotmatic early on
and then badged simply ES. The Spotmatic
name was also dropped from the last-of-the-
line SP which remained in production until
early 1977, thus outlasting the short-lived
trio of K series bayonet mount models. Total
Spotmatic production topped four million
units.
It’s very likely that the Spotmatics would
have still been massively successful without
the link with The Beatles, and certainly
Paul, George and Ringo were using Pentax
35mm SLR cameras before the SP was
launched. Paul’s many photographs from
1963 and ’64 are now an exhibition called
Eyes Of The Storm (with a companion book
titled 1964: Eyes Of The Storm). A book of
Ringo’s early photography – titled simply
Photograph – was published in 2015 and,
in it he comments, “At one time, we all had
cameras. I think we all bought a Pentax in
Japan the first time we went there.”
Both ex-Beatles have continued to be
keen amateur photographers, just like so
many others whose first experience of a
‘serious’ camera was a Pentax Spotmatic
model. They have also been used by many
famous photographers, among them Cecil
Beaton, Sebastião Salgado, David Bailey (his
well-used ES featured in a Pentax ad), Nadav
Kander and Australian Magnum Photos
member Trent Parke
Iconic, then, on many levels.
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 ON TRIAL
FUJIFILM
X100VI
FORTY-FIED
Can the X100 become any more of a cult
camera than it already is? You bet! Just add
Fujifilm’s 40 megapixels sensor and latest-
generation X Processor 5’ engine and you
have arguably the most desirable model yet.
I
t doesn’t happen very
often. The very first X100
was revealed at the 2010
Photokina, the assembled
audience of generally cynical
camera journalists applauded. Afterwards
in the press room, the talk was mostly all
about cancelling orders for whatever other
high-end compact camera was on order
28
and lining up for the new Fujifilm fixed-lens
sensation.
Subsequently, the X100 series has
gone from strength to strength with every
subsequent generation and it reached a
frenzy with the fifth-iteration X100V which
seemed to be permanently on back order for
its entire model life. It was a nice problem
for Fujifilm to have – except if you think
REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS
T It’s marginally bigger and heavier
than its predecessor, but the
X100VI retains all the classic styling
elements and visual appeal.
about all those missed potential sales – but
it’s not going to happen again the company
says… which is just as well because the
X100V’s successor is already even more of a
hit, and it’s only just got started.
As has been the case with every
previous model, Fujifilm doesn’t mess with
the basic formula – classic styling, compact
dimensions (but not too compact), traditional
controls, a fixed 35mm-equivalent lens
and the brilliant hybrid optical/electronic
viewfinder. The ‘real camera’ looks have
simply grown in popularity over time,
and any serious competition has now
disappeared (Sony’s RX1 models being
the closest), so if you want a similar vibe
you’re looking at a digital Leica M which is a
much more expensive proposition no matter
which model you consider. The X100VI is
also smaller and lighter and, now with 40
megapixels resolution on tap, not a world
away in terms of imaging performance
either.
This sensor is the 40.2 megapixels
(effective) ‘X-Trans CMOS 5 HR’ BSI-type
imager as used in the X-H2 and the X-T5,
and which delivers a very big jump up in
 ON TRIAL FUJIFILM X100VI
resolution from the 26.1 megapixels X100V. T Monitor screen now tilts down
It’s mated with Fujifilm’s current-generation by 45 degrees for more comfortable
operation as a waistlevel finder.
‘X Processor 5’ engine which boosts the
autofocusing capabilities, the continuous
shooting speeds and the video recording
resolution and frame rates. Most notably,
in terms of the AF upgrades, there’s now
AI-based subject recognition and tracking. In
essence, the X100VI is the mirrorless X-T5
stuffed into a compact fixed-lens camera
body.

RESOLUTION AND
STABILISATION
Aside from the marked increase in image
quality overall, the big deal about the new
sensor is the scope that it gives for cropping
while still maintaining sufficient resolution
for a decent file size. As with Leica’s Q3,
this adds extra versatility so the X100VI
has two ‘Digital Teleconverter’ settings of
1.4x and 2.0x which equate, respectively, to
effective focal lengths of 50mm and 70mm.
At ‘50mm’ the image size is 5472x3648
pixels or 19.96 megapixels (at the 3:2 aspect
ratio) and, at ‘70mm’, it’s 3888x2592 pixels
or 10.07 megapixels. Of course, Fujifilm
also offers an optical teleconverter for this
camera which also effectively gives you the in-camera 50mm crop’s 20 MP res still As a street camera, the X100VI becomes
50mm (but obviously now at 40 MP res), but delivers a very workable file. a whole lot more capable. Interestingly
it’s quite a bulky add-on and may perhaps Another big increase in versatility is though, Fujifilm doesn’t take sensor-
also compromise your idea of the one- delivered by another of the X100VI’s new shifting any further so unlike on the X-T5,
camera-and-nothing-else ethos. Certainly features – in-body image stabilisation. for example, there’s no multi-shot capture
The big challenge was to add the function option for ultra-high res files.
without adding too much additional bulk to The sensor has a native sensitivity
the camera which is probably why it hasn’t range equivalent to ISO 125 to 12,800
been done until now. As it turns out, the with extensions down to ISO 64 and up

THE X100 SERIES increases in the size and weight compared to 51,200. This means ISO 125 is now a
to the X100V are very small, but the benefits native sensitivity setting rather than an

‘REAL CAMERA’ LOOKS

of IBIS are considerable when it comes extension. The maximum image size for
to hand-held shooting which, of course, is stills is 7728x5152 pixels and there’s a

HAVE SIMPLY GROWN

mostly how an X100 series camera is used. choice of five aspect ratios – 3:2, 16:9, 1:1,
Movement detection is over five axes with 4:3 and 5:4 – along with three image sizes

IN POPULARITY OVER
correction for camera shake of up to six and two compression settings for JPEG
stops when using the EVF and, for reasons capture. RAW files are captured with 14-bit

TIME, AND ANY SERIOUS

that aren’t entirely clear as yet – 5.5 stops RGB colour, and the options of either lossy
with the OVF. Regardless, there’s still a lot compressed or lossless compressed, or

COMPETITION HAS NOW

of leeway for shooting with slower shutter uncompressed. You can now also capture
speeds in order to hang onto either smaller 10-bit HEIF files as an alternative to 8-bit

DISAPPEARED.”
apertures or lower ISO settings (or both), JPEGs, and this format uses a more efficient
and when shooting in low light situations. compression algorithm than JPEG to

S Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder is S Front panel lever switches between the SInterfaces comprise USB Type C, HDMI
one of the key attractions of the X100 series viewfinder modes. Type D and a 2.5 mm connector for either a
cameras. stereo microphone or a hardwired remote
trigger.

29
FUJIFILM X100VI
deliver both a wider dynamic range and a
wider colour gamut. An HEIF file contains
roughly twice as much data as a JPEG
with the same file size. Both HEIFs and
JPEGs are captured at either Fine or Normal
compression levels and at three image
sizes plus, of course, there’s the option of
RAW+JPEG or RAW+HEIF recording. In-
camera conversion is available to turn the
HEIF files into JPEGs or into either 8-bit or
16-bit TIFFs. Additionally, you can convert
RAW files into either JPEGs or HEIFs.
MOTION AND SIMULATION
Continuous shooting is possible at up 20
fps with the sensor shutter, but this comes
at the cost of a 1.29x crop. It’s not such a
big sacrifice in terms of resolution – you still
get 31 megapixels – but obviously there’s
a further increase in the lens’s effective
focal length. Uncropped shooting with the
sensor shutter can be at up to 13 fps, while
the physical shutter – which is an in-lens
leaf-type assembly – is good for 11 fps
and unchanged from the previous model.
The quoted burst lengths are for up to 117
best-quality JPEGs (with the 1.29x crop) or
35 lossless compressed RAW files. Using
the leaf shutter at 13 fps, you’ll get around
38 JPEGs or 33 lossless compressed RAW
files.
The sensor shutter also enables a
‘Pre-Shot’ function which starts buffering
THE BIG DEAL ABOUT
THE NEW SENSOR IS THE
SCOPE THAT IT GIVES FOR
CROPPING WHILE STILL
MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT
RESOLUTION.”
S Built-in flash is low powered, but handy
for fill-in lighting.
30
ON TRIAL
3
2
1
1. Control layout is 2. Dial for exposure 3. Shutter speed dial
unchanged with dials compensation is marked is marked down to one
for shutter speed and up to +/-3.0 EV with the second so the longer
exposure compensation extended range to +/-5.0 exposure durations
plus manual aperture EV accessed via the ‘C’ are accessed via a ‘T’
collar on the lens. setting. setting.
immediately you press the shutter button and magenta-to-green ranges, plus there are
to its half-way position so it’s essentially B&W contrast control filters in yellow, red
thinking ahead of you. It captures a rolling and green.
one second of frames – which, at 13 fps, is There is also a selection of ‘Effects’
obviously 13 – prior to the shutter being fully processing for Grain, Smooth Skin,
pressed. Sticking to the same body design Colour Chrome and Colour Chrome Blue.
obviously mean that the X100VI still has a The Chrome effects boost contrast and
single memory card slot – shared with the saturation with the Blue option only doing
battery compartment – for SD types and this to the blue tones rather than to all
with only UHS-I speed support. colours. ‘Grain Effect’ has adjustments for
For in-camera file processing, X100VI Roughness and Size. There’s a selection of
has the full set of the 20 current ‘Film eight ‘Advanced Filters’ special effects which
Simulation’ profiles, including the latest include Toy Camera, Miniature, Soft Focus,
Reala Ace setting which was introduced with Partial Colour and Pop Colour.
the GFX100 II and is designed to replicate In addition to the standard Fujifilm
the look of Fujicolor Reala Ace. This was a dynamic range expansion processing
fine-grained, ISO 100 speed colour negative
film. Compared to the previous model, the
options, there’s also ‘Dynamic Range
Priority’ processing which is designed to
‘Film Simulation’ options now also include
Nostalgic Neg and, for video, Eterna Bleach
adjust the contrast to give more detailing in
both the highlights and the shadows. There
Bypass. Fujifilm’s ‘Film Simulation’ profiles are three settings – Auto, Weak and Strong
don’t have individually adjustable parameters – with the latter two based on the selected
and instead there are ‘global’ tweaks Colour dynamic range expansion setting which
(i.e. saturation), Sharpness, Highlight/ means the minimum ISO is also raised (to
Shadow Tone Curve and Clarity. The B&W 320 and 640 respectively) in order to give
profiles have a ‘Monochromatic Colour’
adjustment which tints in the warm-to-cool
more ‘headroom’ for adjustments. The
Auto setting selects either one or the other,
S Lifting the shutter speed dial’s rim selects S The 1260 mAh NP-W126S lithium-ion
the ISO settings. battery pack is retained, but the new camera
has improved power efficiency.

depending on the contrast range present in
a scene.
As on the X mount mirrorless cameras,
all the X100VI’s multi-shot capture modes
are grouped in the Drive settings so
this is menu for the multiple exposure
facility, multi-shot HDR capture, the auto
bracketing functions and an in-camera
panorama stitching functions. The multiple
exposure facility allows for up to nine
shots to be combined, with the choice of
Additive, Average, Bright or Dark exposure
adjustments. The HDR capture function
records three frames with the options of
auto exposure adjustment or a choice of
four manual settings designated HDR200,
HDR400, HDR800 and HDR 800+. There are
auto bracketing modes for exposure, white
balance, ISO, dynamic range expansion,
‘Film Simulation’ and focus. Three ‘Film
Simulation’ profiles can be bracketed to
give you three versions of an image. The
focus bracketing allows for up 999 frames
to be recorded with an interval of up to ten
seconds, and with the amount of focus shift
adjusted from between one to ten steps.
Additionally, the X100VI has an
intervalometer which can be programmed
for sequences of up to 999 frames or set
Regardless of the many upgrades, it’s
still hard to see the X100VI being the first
choice for any serious video-maker, but
it is capable of serious results so there’s
potential as a compact back-up camera or
for shooting in situations where anything
bigger and heavier just isn’t practical. As
with the X-T5, there are physical limitations
too, such as the absence of a proper
output for monitor headphones and the
micro HDMI port. Plus there’s only SD card
UHS-I speed support. Furthermore, the
headlining 6.2K res recording comes with a
substantial 1.23x crop which is a bit harder
to get round with a fixed lens camera…
the effective focal length becomes 43mm.
This crop also applies to the HQ modes for
4K DCI and 4K UHD recording (which are
oversampled from 6.2K).
However, for 4K recording – the most
likely requirement for X100VI users – all
the essentials are provided. Both 17:9
4K DCI and 16:9 4K UHD are recorded
ON TRIAL
to unlimited recording (both with the option
of exposure smoothing). There’s also noise
reduction for both high ISO settings and
for long exposures, flicker detection and
reduction with the automatic adjustment
S Lens is the upgraded series II version of
the 23mm f/2.0 prime (equivalent to 35mm)
that was introduced with the previous
model.
of shutter speeds, and a built-in ND filter
which, as before, reduces the exposure by
four stops, but it’s either on or off (so not
adjustable for strength). Obviously with the
lens matched to the camera any corrections
are performed behind-the-scenes.
using the full width of the sensor (i.e.
subsampled) and you can have either
10-bit 4:2:2 colour with the HEVC H.265
codec or 8-bit 4:2:0 colour with MPEG 4
AVC/H.264, both with the choice of Long
GOP or All-Intra compression regimes. The
camera also has the wider F-Log2 profile
which gives a claimed 13-plus stops of
dynamic range and translates into even an
increased exposure latitude. It has a base
ISO of 1250 versus 640 for F-Log recording
(which is also available and has a dynamic
range of 12 stops). Alternatively, there’s
the Eterna cinematic ‘Film Simulation’
profile. The range of resolutions and frame
rates with H.265 encoding and 10-bit
colour is from 4K DCI at 50/60 fps to FHD
at up to 200/240 fps (which also has a
1.23x crop, as do the 100/120 speeds). The
4K recording at 50 or 60 fps comes with a
small 1.14x crop.
The autofocusing upgrades also greatly
benefits video as the faster processor
enables more reliable subject tracking with
eye/face detection which is better here
than when shooting stills. Additionally, the
AI-based subject recognition also works
with video, making it much easier to track
fast-moving subjects such as racing cars
or aircraft. However, the sensor’s read-out
speed isn’t fast enough to prevent rolling
shutter distortion. For video, there’s an
FUJIFILM X100VI
DETECTION AND
RECOGNITION
There’s a total of 3.3 million on-sensor
pixels for phase detection autofocusing with
425 selectable measuring points. These
are arranged in a 25x17 pattern which can
be reduced to 117 in a 13x9 pattern for
more efficient selection, but obviously also
results in a larger measuring area. Low light
sensitivity extends down to -5.0 EV at ISO
100.
The choice of AF area modes expands in
size from Single-Point (adjustable to one of
five sizes), to Zone (selectable in 7x7, 5x5
or 3x3 point clusters selected from the 117
points) and then Wide. There’s also an ‘All’
setting which allows you to cycle through
these three modes via the rear input
wheel. Additionally, you can create a total
of three custom zones. With continuous
AF operation, the area modes are Single-
Point, Zone, Tracking and All. An updated AF
prediction algorithm is said to particularly
improve the continuous autofocusing
operation in the Zone modes and also in
low-light situations.
As per all the recent Fujifilm
interchangeable lens cameras, an ‘AF-C
Custom’ submenu provides five scenarios
additional manual focus assist called the
focus meter which has an indicator needle
display to show whether the focus is in
front of or behind the subject. Additionally,
it can be used in conjunction with the
focus peaking display.
For audio recording, the X100IV has
built-in stereo microphones with auto/
manual level control, a wind-cut filter, a
low-cut filter and an attenuator. The stereo
audio input can be switched between
mic level and line level, but as noted at
the start, there isn’t a dedicated audio
output. The video-based features include
zebra patterns, time coding and electronic
IS to compliment the IBIS plus the
video functionality includes all the ‘Film
Simulation’ profiles and their adjustment
parameters, and the dynamic range
expansion processing plus there’s a video-
only correction for lens vignetting.
The IQ in the high-quality 4K modes
is exceptional if you can live with the
additional crop, but it’s also more than
acceptable in the standard quality modes
too. In truth, you probably wouldn’t have
considered using any of the previous X100
models to shoot video, but it is a viable
proposition with the VI version and a
handy extra capability when, for example,
travelling or shooting at events.
31
 FUJIFILM X100VI ON TRIAL
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32

XAccessory conversion lenses are available
to give the equivalent of 50mm or 28mm
focal lengths.
– Fujifilm calls them “Sets” – for fine-tuning
tracking via three parameters – Tracking
Sensitivity, Speed Tracking Sensitivity and
Zone Area Switching. The five options are
called ‘Multi Purpose’, ‘Ignore Obstacles &
Continue To Track Subject’, ‘For Accelerating/
Decelerating Subject’, ‘For Suddenly
Appearing Subject’ and ‘For Erratically
Moving & Accel/Decel Subject’. A sixth
setting enables the creation of a customised
focus tracking scheme using the three
adjustable parameters.
Subject recognition is available for
people, animals, birds, cars, motorcycles
and push bikes, aircraft and trains. These
expand as required to identify specific
subjects such as dogs, cats and horses
within the animals category; and open-
wheeler race cars, rally cars passenger cars
within the cars category. Face/eye detection
is the default acquisition and tracking mode
for people, and it can cope with people
wearing goggles, spectacles or masks, or
if the subject is in profile. It can also be
set to prioritise either the right or left eye.
However, as on the X mount mirrorless
cameras, human face/eye detection is
automatically switched off if you select one
of the other subject recognition modes (and
vice versa) so switching between them is
unnecessarily clunky. It would make sense
simply to integrate humans into the subject
recognition submenu.
The manual focus assists start with
the conventional magnified image and a
focus peaking display which is available
in a choice of four colours each with two
intensity levels. Additionally, there’s Fujifilm’s
‘Digital Split Image’ and ‘Digital Microprism’
displays which are ‘virtual’ representations
of the split-image rangefinder and the
gridded collar or ring which surrounded it
in a traditional reflex optical viewfinder. The
‘Digital Split Image’ display can be in either
colour or B&W.
The lens is the same ‘Super EBC
23mm 1:2 II’ version from the X100V
with the improved optical compared to
S The 40 megapixels sensor makes the ‘Digital Teleconverter’ crops much more useful so the 1.4x/50mm setting (centre) still delivering 20 MP
resolution and the 2.0x/75mm files (right) holding up fine at 10 MP.
ON TRIAL
the first four generations. The redesigned
optical construction – which includes two
aspherical elements – gives more effective
correction for distortion, improved close-up
performance and better uniformity of centre-
to-corner sharpness. The anti-reflection
multi-coating was also revised to provide
more effective suppression of flare. Also
carried over from the previous model is a
focus range limiter which has two presets
for either 2.0 metres to infinity or 5.0 metres
to infinity, plus there’s a user-set custom
option.
Exposure control is based on a
256-segment metering with the choice
of multi-zone, centre-weighted average,
fully averaged or spot measurements.
Additionally, the spot meter can be linked to
the active focusing point or zone. There’s the
standard set of ‘PASM’ control modes with
an AE lock, up to +/-5.0 EV of compensation
and the already-mentioned auto bracketing
which can be set to sequences of two,
three, five, seven or nine frames. The built-in
flash is small which is reflected by its low
guide number of just GN 4.4 power (at ISO
100). The flash modes are auto, red-eye
reduction, fill-in, slow sync, first/second
curtain sync, and commander. Manual
control is available down to 1/64 and there’s
+/-2.0 EV of flash compensation.
FUJIFILM X100VI
The leaf shutter has a timed speed range
of 15 minutes to 1/4000 second while the
sensor shutter extends the top speed all
the way up to 1/180,000 second (up from
1/32,000 second). As is also the case on
all the X mount bodies, the shutter speed
dial is only marked down to one second so
the longer exposure durations are accessed
via a ‘T’ setting. The bulb (B) timer has
a maximum duration of 60 minutes and
flash sync is at any speed up to 1/4000
seconds thanks to the leaf shutter. There’s
also a hybrid electronic first curtain shutter
function which makes the exposure with the
sensor, but finishes it conventionally with
the leaf shutter.
The white balance control options
comprise three auto correction modes
– Auto, White Priority and Ambience
Priority – and the latter two are primarily
for use with incandescent light sources to
either correct for, or preserve, the warmer
tones. Furthermore, as on the X-T5, AI-
based recognition of thousands of lighting
variations is working behind the scenes to
determine a more accurate white balance
setting. Alternatively, there’s a choice of
seven lighting presets (including one for
underwater), while up to three custom
measurements can be stored. Finally,
manual colour temperature setting is
33
FUJIFILM X100VI ON TRIAL

available over a range of 2500 to 10,000

degrees Kelvin.

IN THE HAND
Like Leica’s Q series fixed-lens cameras,
the Fujifilm X100 models seem to be
able to deliver comfortable handling
without the need for any dimension-
ISO 64 ISO 80 busting protuberances. And so, like all its
predecessors, the X100VI not only looks
right, but feels right as well. The operation is
very much a classic camera experience with
a shutter speed dial, manual aperture collar
on the lens and an exposure compensation
dial. What’s more you set the film speed by
lifting the rim of the shutter speed dial and
turn until the desired setting appears in a
little window… which is pure 1970s 35mm
SLR. The various auto exposure modes are
selected by setting either/or – or both – the
ISO 160 ISO 200 speed dial and the aperture collar to their ‘A’
positions… pure old school.
All this is integrated with contemporary
modern digital camera controls, namely
front and rear input wheels, a joystick-type
navigator, touch screen operations and
lots of scope for customisation. Does it all
play nicely together? Yes, it does, making
the X100VI a distinct experience without
compromising overall efficiency.
Following the X100V, the top and
ISO 400 ISO 800 bottom panels are milled from solid billets
of aluminium (all the other covers are
magnesium alloy) and all the main dials and
levers are machined metal. The bodyshell
is weather sealed although full protection
requires the fitting of the optional AR-X100
adapter ring and then a screwthread filter
(the fitting is 49 millimetres diameter). The
monitor screen is adjustable for up/down tilt
(with slightly more adjustment range than
before), but still sits completely flush with
the back of the camera. The TFT LCD panel
ISO 1600 ISO 3200
itself is unchanged so is 7.62 cm in size with
a resolution of 1.62 megadots. The EVF is
also unchanged – at least from the Version
2.0 firmware upgrade for the X100V – and
uses OLED-type panel with a resolution of
3.69 megadots and a magnification of 0.66x
(35mm equivalent). The optical finder has a
magnification of 0.52x and a scene coverage
of 95 percent. Both the EVF and the monitor

ISO 6400 ISO 12800 W The X100IV’s native sensitivity range

spans ISO 125 to 12,800 with extensions
to ISO 64, 80, 100, 125, 25,600 and 51,200.
Like the X-T5 and the X-H2 – which
share the same sensor – pixel-level ‘dual
gain’ conversion enhances the high ISO
performance by having two base ISO
settings… in this case set at ISO 125
and 500. This enhances the high ISO
performance, making the entire native ISO
range useable. These test images are JPEG/
large/fine files taken in the aperture-priority
auto exposure mode with the aperture
set to f/11 so the exposure time varies to
compensate for the adjustments to ISO.
ISO 25600 ISO 51200 Both High ISO and Long Exposure noise
reduction are switched off.

34
 ON TRIAL FUJIFILM X100VI
screen are adjustable for brightness, colour
saturation and colour balance.
If you haven’t encountered Fujifilm’s
hybrid viewfinder before, there are actually
three configurations – fully optical or fully
electronic, or a ‘hybrid’ display comprising
the optical viewfinder with an ‘Electronic
Range Finder’ (ERF) inset at the lower right
corner of the frame. This is a TTL feed direct
from the sensor and provides a magnified
view from the active focus point when S The X100V adds 10-bit HEIF files to the S A big update compared to the previous
the camera is in the single-point AF mode. RAW and JPEG capture options. model is the availability of AI-based subject
recognition and tracking.
Better still, with manual focusing, the ERF
panel will also show a focus peaking display
or any of the other digital focus aids. Even
the standard OVF isn’t quite a typical optical
finder as the display elements include a real-
time histogram and a level indicator.
The live view display in the EVF can be
configured with 3x3 or 4x6 guide grids,
a real-time histogram (either brightness
only, or with the RGB channels as well),
either single- or dual-axis level displays
and a highlight warning plus the selection
of read-outs and status indicators shown S Monitor-based ‘Quick Menu’ has touch S Monitor-based Info Display provides a
is fully customisable. Additionally, you can tiles for rapid access to functions, and it can comprehensive set of read-outs, including
increase the size of selected icons and be customised. a real-time histogram and focus point/zone
graphic.
also adjust the display contrast to enhance
legibility in different lighting conditions. This
includes a ‘Dark Ambient Lighting’ setting
for shooting at night so it doesn’t upset your
night vision. The optical finder’s main display
elements include a brightline image frame
(with automatic parallax correction), an AF
point/zone frame, all the exposure read-outs
and a whole bunch of function icons. The
crop frames for the ‘Digital Teleconverter’
settings are shown in both the optical (just
like on a Leica RF camera) and the electronic
viewfinder displays. S Review/replay options include a full set of histograms or a thumbnail along with either
As is the case across Fujifilm capture or camera settings. The thumbnail also shows the focus point or points.
camera land, the X100VI’s touch screen
implementation does not include the main
menus so these are navigated conventionally
via the joystick controller along with the front
and rear input wheels. However, the handy
‘Quick Menu’ screen in the monitor enables
direct access to 15 functions by simply
tapping on the appropriate tile. It can be
customised too, and up to seven ‘Custom
Settings Banks’ can be created as additional
‘Quick Menus’ which, for example, you
might use for specific subjects or shooting
situations. There’s also a video-specific S ‘Film Simulation’ profiles now number 20 S The live view screen can be extensively
with the addition of a setting for Fujicolor customised with elements including a level
‘Quick Menu’ screen. Touch control is also Reala Ace colour negative film. indicator (either single- or dual-axis), a
available for focus point/zone/face selection guide grid, areal-time histogram, a focusing
with a ‘touch pad’ function for when you’re distance scale and a highlight warning.
using the EVF. Additionally, the touchpad
can be configured to selected areas of the
monitor screen. In playback mode, you can camera does. Furthermore, four ‘Touch review/replay screens include the image
browse, zoom in or out (which will also Functions’ (T-Fn) enable custom functions overlaid with a full set of histograms, a
select the thumbnail pages), or zoom in on to be assigned to the left, right, up and thumbnail with a brightness histogram, or
the active focus point. down swipe actions on the monitor’s touch alternatively, accompanied by a capture data
There are six multi-functional controls screen. The defaults for these are a full set or the camera’s set-up, including the lens
– including two dedicated ‘Fn’ buttons – of histograms (up), a dual-axis level indicator focal length. The focus point/zone is also
and they can be user-assigned from a list (down), white balance settings (right) and shown and pressing the rear command dial
that pretty well covers everything that the the ‘Film Simulation’ profiles (left). The instantly zooms in on this point so you can

35
FUJIFILM X100VI
quickly check the focus. There’s the choice
of pages with either nine or 100 thumbnails,
zooming and a slide show function.
In addition to the various conversion
options, the in-camera editing functions
include red-eye removal, cropping, resizing,
Fujifilm’s ‘PhotoBook Assist’ feature
(which allows for up to 300 images to be
organised for reproduction in a photo book)
and direct printing to an Instax instant
printing device via WiFi. Bluetooth LE
connectivity is provided for easier pairing
and automatic geo-tagging. Fujifilm’s
XApp – the much-improved replacement
for the old Camera Control app – allows
for both image file transfer and full remote
control of the camera via a smartphone or
tablet. Following the GFX100 II, the X100VI
also supports the cloud service ‘Frame.io
Camera to Cloud’ so images and video can
be directly and immediately uploaded to
Frame.io.
Not surprisingly, the 1260 mAh NP-
W126S lithium-ion battery pack is retained,
but improvements to the camera’s power
efficiency enables up to 450 frames from a
full charge when using the OVF or 360 with
the EVF. In-camera recharging is available via
the USB Type C port and the other interfaces
are, as before, micro HDMI (i.e. Type D)
and a 2.5 mm minijack connector which
serves as the input for an external stereo
microphone or a wired remote release.
Adapters for the more common 3.5 mm
microphone plug are readily available, but
you could also use a USB-C mic (assuming
that you aren’t using this port for connecting
monitoring headphones).
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
Using a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB SDXC
UHS-II memory card and the leaf shutter,
the X100VI captured a burst of 48 JPEG/
large/fine frames in 4.283 seconds which
represents a continuous shooting speed
of 11.2 fps. Using the sensor shutter,
a sequence of 100 best-quality frames
(uncropped) was fired off in 7.639 seconds
which equates to a speed of 13.09 fps. It’s
WITH ALL THE KEY
INGREDIENTS FAITHFULLY
RETAINED, THE ESSENTIAL
APPEAL OF AN X100 SERIES
CAMERA IS LOVINGLY
PRESERVED WITH THE VI
MODEL”
36
worth noting here that this burst length
exceeded the quoted spec by 20 frames,
and a retest delivered pretty much the same
result at 99 frames. The test files averaged
around 22.4 MB in size.
The AF system has been given a
comprehensive overhaul with not just the
addition of the subject recognition modes,
but new algorithms for the non-subject-
specific acquisition, responsiveness and
tracking. The new control algorithms
undoubtedly enhance the tracking reliability
with objects that are fast moving and
change direction erratically. The reality,
of course, is that because of the fixed
lens, the X100VI is better suited to some
applications than others so, for example, it’s
not the logical choice for wildlife or sports
shooting. Nevertheless, the upgrades to the
autofocusing are beneficial in any situation in
terms of the speed and accuracy.
Obviously too, there are big improvement
to the imaging performance thanks to all
that extra resolution delivers significant
increases in the detailing and definition as
well as much smoother tonal gradations. The
X100VI also delivers a wide dynamic range
so plenty of detailing is retained in both the
brighter highlights and the darker shadows.
With RAW capture, the wide dynamic range
translates into plenty of exposure latitude
and, consequently, a lot of post-camera
flexibility when adjusting brightness.
The ‘X-Trans CMOS 5 HR’ sensor has
pixel-level ‘dual conversion gain’ which
is designed to enhance the high ISO
performance by having two base ISO
settings and, as with the X-T5 and X-H2, the
second base is set at ISO 500 (compared
to ISO 800 with the previous generation
imager). This ensures that the image quality
at ISO 400 is better because an anomaly of
dual gain conversion is that with a higher
second base ISO – i.e. ISO 800 – the image
quality at ISO 400 could well be inferior to
that at, say, ISO 1250.
The two outputs are optimised for
dynamic range – in this case below ISO
500 – and higher gain (or sensitivity) above
ISO 500. Consequently, there is less noise
at these higher ISO settings than would
otherwise be the case. With JPEG capture
this means that less aggressive noise
reduction processing is required at the
higher ISO settings which benefits both the
sharpness and the colour saturation.
In practice, this means that the full native
sensitivity range is usable without any
significant loss of colour saturation, contrast
or definition up to ISO 3200, and only a
minimal fall off in sharpness at ISO 6400 and
12,800. The softening of finer details does
progressively increase with the extension
settings, but the IQ at ISO 25,600 is still
very good.
Like all the Fujifilm interchangeable lens
cameras, the X100 series also benefits from
the advanced colour science behind the
‘Film Simulation’ profiles. While the different
colour palettes are designed to replicate
the specific look of various Fujicolor and
Fujichrome films, the underlying philosophy
is to balance colorimetric colour – or ‘real’
colour – with expected or ‘memorised’
colour – which is basically how we think
colours should look. Consequently, the
colour reproduction is both realistic and
pleasing at the same time, and this is
actually quite hard to achieve given digital
data processing doesn’t allow for the same
subtleties that are achievable with the
continuous tonality of the dyes in colour
film.
THE VERDICT
With all the key ingredients faithfully
retained, the essential appeal of an X100
series camera is lovingly preserved with
the VI model, but Fujifilm has really amped
up the spice with its new sensor, faster
processor, IBIS and AF upgrades. The X100V
was undoubtedly a very capable camera –
hence its unwavering popularity – but its
successor blows it into the weeds by virtue
of being so much more versatile. Count
the ways – the cropping options inherent in
the increased resolution, greatly extended
handheld and/or low-light shooting potential
thanks to the image stabilisation, much
more reliable AF in any situation, and yet
more creative possibilities with the full suite
of ‘Film Simulation’ profiles.

The styling, handling and user experience
– underpinned by an unmatched balance of
the classic and the contemporary – have
always made the X100 series ‘feel good’
cameras… they demand to be picked up and
VITAL STATISTICS
Type: Fixed prime lens digital compact camera with hybrid
optical/electronic eyelevel viewfinder.
Lens: Fujinon Super EBC 23mm f/2.0 II (equivalent to
35mm). Eight elements in six groups (two glass-moulded
aspherical types). Aperture range is f/2.0 to f/16 adjust-
able in 1/3-stop increments. Built-in neutral density
filter (four stops). Digital teleconverter (70mm or 50mm
equivalents).
Viewfinder: Hybrid optical/electronic eyelevel viewfinder.
Optical viewfinder = 0.52x magnification and 95 percent
frame coverage. EVF = 1.27 cm OLED panel with 0.66x
magnification, 3.69 megadots resolution and 100 percent
frame coverage. Eyepiece strength adjustment built-in.
Tilt-adjustable 7.62 cm LCD monitor (1.62 megadots reso-
lution) with touch screen controls. Auto/manual switching
between OVF/EVF and monitor screen. Both EVF and moni-
tor adjustable for brightness and colour balance.
Focusing Type & Range: Hybrid phase/contrast-detection
measurement. 425 measuring points (in 25x17 or 13x9
patterns). Single-point, zone (7x7, 5x5 or 3x3 point clusters
selected from 117 points), three user-created custom
zones, and wide/tracking modes. Five ‘AF-C Custom’ set-
tings for optimising tracking plus a user-definable setting
for Tracking Sensitivity, Speed Tracking Sensitivity and
Zone Area Switching. Face/eye detection with left/right
priority. Subject detection for animals, birds, cars, motor-
cycles and bikes, aircraft and trains. Face/eye detection for
humans with left/right priority. Focus frame adjustable to
five sizes. Range is 10 cm to infinity (Auto Macro mode).
Focus range limiter. Face/eye detection with left/right pri-
ority. Manual switching between one-shot and continuous
AF modes. AF+MF mode. Low-light assist via illuminator.
Manual focus assist via magnified image, ‘Digital Split
Image’ display (colour or B&W), ‘Digital Microprism’ dis-
play, or focus peaking display (white, red or blue; low or
high levels). ‘Digital Split Image’ electronic rangefinder is
also available in the optical viewfinder via inset EVF panel.
Real-time automatic parallax correction. Sensitivity range
is EV -5.0 - 18 (ISO 100).
Shutter Type & Speeds: Electronically-controlled leaf
combined with sensor-based exposure start, 900-1/4000
second plus ‘B’ (up to 60 minutes). Sensor-based shutter
has a speed range of 900-1/180,000 second. Leaf shutter
plus sensor shutter operation available with automatic
switch over to the faster speeds.
Metering: Multi-zone (256 segments), centre-weighted
average, average and spot (2.0% of frame area). Metering
spot can be locked to the active AF point.
Exposure System: Program (with shift), aperture/shutter-
priority auto and manual. Up to +/-5.0 EV exposure
compensation, an AE lock and auto exposure bracketing.
Built-in ND filter (equivalent to -3.0 EV).
Sensor: 15.7x23.5 mm Fujifilm ‘X-Trans CMOS 5 HR’ BSI
CMOS, 40.2 megapixels (effective). No optical low-pass
filter.
Sensitivity: ISO 125 – 12,800. Extendable to ISO 64, 80,
100, 25,600 and 51,200.
Formats/Resolution: Two JPEG compression settings, two
HEIF compression settings, RAW output (compressed, loss-
less compressed or uncompressed), TIFF RGB, RAW+JPEG
and RAW+HEIF capture. Three resolution settings at 3:2
aspect ratio; 7728x5152, 5472x3648 and 2888x2592 pixels.
Three resolution settings at 4:3 aspect ratio; 6864x5152,
4864x3648 and 3464x2592 pixels. Three resolution set-
tings at 5:4 aspect ratio; 6423x5152, 4560x3468 and
3264x2592 pixels. Three resolution settings at 16:9 aspect
ratio; 7728x4344, 5472x3080 and 3888x2184 pixels.
Three resolution settings at 1:1 aspect ratio; 5152x5152,
3648x3648 and 2592x2592 pixels. 24-bit RGB colour for
JPEGs, 30-bit colour for HEIFs and 42-bit RGB colour for
RAW files. RAW files are sized at 7728x5152 pixels.
Video Recording: MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour
(HEVC/H.265 codec) at 6240x3510 pixels (6.2K); 30, 25 or
ON TRIAL
used and reward you with pure enjoyment
and contentment. The X100VI takes
everything further with its turbocharged
capabilities and the promise of superlative
results. In such a compact and comfortable
FUJIFILM X100V $2899
24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio with
a 1.23x crop. At 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI HQ); 30, 25 or
24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio with
a 1.23x crop. At 3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD HQ); 30, 25 or
24 fps (200 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio with a
1.23x crop. At 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25
or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At
3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200,
100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio. At 2048x1080
pixels (Full HD) at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50
Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full
HD) at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and
16:9 aspect ratio. At 2048x1080 pixels (Full HD) at 240,
200, 120 or 100 fps (200 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At
1920x1080 pixels (Full HD) at 240, 200, 120 or 100 fps (200
Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
MOV format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI HQ); 30, 25 or 24 fps
(200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio with a 1.23x
crop. At 3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD HQ); 30, 25 or 24 fps
(200 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1.23x
crop. At 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps
(200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 3840x2160
pixels (4K UHD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200 100 or 50
Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio. At 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI)
at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9
aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD) at 60, 50, 30,
25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
At 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI) at 240, 200, 120 or 100 fps
(200 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels
(Full HD); 240, 200, 120 or 100 fps (200 Mbps) and 16:9
aspect ratio.
MP4 format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI) at 30, 25 or 24 fps
(200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 3840x2160
pixels (4K UHD) at 60, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50
Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (2K DCI)
at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9
aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD) at 60, 50, 30,
25 or 24 fps (200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD); 240, 200, 120 or 100 fps
(200 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
Built-in stereo microphones with auto/manual levels
adjustment, limiter, wind-cut filter and low-cut filter.
Stereo audio input (switchable mic/line levels) and stereo
headphone output adapter for USB-C connector supplied.
Video Features: LongGOP compression, F-Log and F-Log2
gamma profiles, HLG (HDR) profile, IBIS, time coding
(free run or rec run, drop frame correction), zebra patterns
(with adjustable brightness thresholds), ‘Movie Optimised
Control’ for quieter camera operation, built-in ND filter
(four stops), focus peaking display, front and rear tally
lamps, recording frame indicator.
HDMI Output: 4K DCI HQ 17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and
30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K DCI 17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and
60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K UHD HQ 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2
colour and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K UHD 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2
colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. Full HD 16:9 or 17:9
with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. High
Speed Rec HDMI; Full HD 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and
120 or 100 fps.
Continuous Shooting: Up to 38 JPEG/large/fine frames at
11 fps or 33 RAW (lossless compressed) frames using the
leaf shutter. Up to 80 JPEG/large/fine frames at 13 fps or
38 RAW (lossless compressed) frames using the sensor
shutter. Up to 117 JPEG/large/fine frames at 20 fps or
35 RAW (lossless compressed) frames using the sensor
shutter with a 1.29x crop. Low speed continuous mode
captures at 6.0 fps with continuous AF/AE adjustment and
live view. Pre-shot capture with sensor shutter at 8.0 or 11
fps (full frame); or 10, 13 or 20 fps (with a 1.29x crop) for
one second each.
Flash: Built-in with GN 4.4 power (ISO 100). Auto, red-eye
FUJIFILM X100VI
package, such a performance is truly
sublime. No matter what else you shoot
with, it’s hard not to want this camera…
badly! This time, hopefully, the wait
shouldn’t be so long.
recommended retail price
reduction, fill-in, slow sync, first/second curtain sync and
commander modes. Flash range = 30 cm to 7.4 metres (at
ISO 1600). Flash sync speeds up to 1/4000 second and
f/8.0 to f/16. External flash units sync via a hotshoe.
White Balance: Three auto modes, seven presets and
three custom settings. White balance compensation
(amber-to-blue and/or green-to-magenta) in all presets,
and white balance bracketing. Manual colour temperature
setting from 2500 to 10,000 degrees Kelvin. Auto White
Priority maintains whites under incandescent lighting. Auto
Ambience Priority maintains warmer hues under incandes-
cent lighting.
Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards with UHS-I speed
support.
Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type C), Micro HDMI (Type D),
2.5 mm stereo audio/remote trigger input.
Additional Features: Aluminium bodyshell with weather
sealing, in-body image stabilisation via sensor shift with
five-axis movements and up to 6.0 stops of correction,
20 ‘Film Simulation’ presets (Provia/Standard, Velvia/
Vivid, Astia/Soft, Classic Chrome, Nostalgic Neg, Pro Neg
High, Pro Neg Standard, Classic Neg, Reala Ace, Eterna/
Cinema, Eterna Bleach Bypass, ACROS, ACROS+Yellow,
ACROS+Red, ACROS+Green, B&W, B&W+Yellow,
B&W+Red, B&W+Green, Sepia), adjustable picture param-
eters (Colour, Sharpness, Tone Curve, Noise Reduction,
Clarity and B&W Adjustment – warm-to-cool or green-
to-magenta), eight ‘Advanced Filter’ effects (Toy Camera,
Miniature, Pop Colour, High-Key, Low-Key, Dynamic Tone,
Soft Focus, Partial Colour – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green,
Blue or Purple), ‘Grain Effect’ processing (Roughness –
Strong, Weak, Off. Size – Large or Small), ‘Colour Chrome
Effect’ processing (Strong, Weak, Off), ‘Colour Chrome
Effect Blue’ processing (Strong, Weak, Off), ‘Smooth Skin
Effect’ processing (Strong, Weak, Off), auto bracketing
modes (AE, Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, ISO, White
Balance and Focus), long exposure noise reduction (On/
Off), single/dual-axis level displays, dynamic range expan-
sion processing (Auto, 100%, 200%, 400%), ‘D Range
Priority’ processing (Auto, Strong, Weak), multi-shot HDR
capture (Auto, HDR200, HDR400, HDR800, HDR800 Plus),
sRGB and Adobe RGB colour space settings, multiple expo-
sure facility (up to nine frames with Additive, Average,
Bright or Dark exposure adjustment), intervalometer (up
to 999 frames or unlimited frames with exposure smooth-
ing), dual-delay self-timer, flicker detection/correction,
‘Quick Menu’ control screen, real-time histogram display,
in-camera panorama mode (120 or 180 degrees sweep),
single/dual axis level indictors, guide grids (3x3 or 6x4),
selectable shutter sounds, silent mode, in-camera editing
functions (RAW to JPEG/HEIF/TIFF Conversion [19 adjust-
able parameters], HEIF-to-JPEG/TIFF conversion, Erase,
Crop, Resize, Protect, Image Rotate, Voice Memo, Transfer
To Smartphone, DPOF Print Order, PhotoBook Assist,
Instax Print), 9/100 thumbnail displays, playback zoom,
slide show (with fader effect), customisable ‘My Menu’
(16 items), seven custom ‘Quick Menu’ settings banks,
copyright info, shutter release counter, WiFi and Bluetooth
LE 4.2 wireless connectivity. Frame.io Camera To Cloud
support. Optional wide-angle and telephoto conversion
lenses available.
Power: Rechargeable 7.2 volts, 1200 mAh lithium-ion bat-
tery (NP-W126S type). In-camera battery recharging via
USB-C.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 128.0x74.8x55.3 mm.
Weight: 471 grams (without battery or memory card).
Price: $2899. Available in either black or silver. The X100VI
is backed by a three-year warranty when purchased from
an authorised Fujifilm Australia reseller.
Distributor: Fujifilm Australia, telephone (02) 9466 2600 or
visit www.fujifilm.com.au
37
 ON TRIAL
BENRO CYANBIRD COMPACT TRIPODS
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Benro rethinks the travel tripod and comes up
with a very versatile combination of size, weight,
working height, load capacity and price.
REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS
I
t’s always tempting to think
that image stabilisation
systems mean that you don’t
ever have to carry a tripod
again, but the reality is that
there are plenty of situations where one is
essential. Very long exposures is an obvious
one, but also it’s often just the benefit of
having the camera locked in position while
you do other stuff. Often, a small tripod
will still do the job, so how small can it be
before there are compromises?
Just about every tripod brand offers
compact models designed for trekking or
38
travel, but in the quest to make them as
small as possible, sometimes they’re not
the most convenient to use. The fold-over
configuration – where the legs fold back
along the centre column – is a commonly-
used way of giving a much shorter package
for carrying and storage. The down-side here
is that the centre column is then always
above the legs which can compromise both
stability and load limits.
Benro’s approach with its new line-up
of compact Cyanbird tripods is to have a
conventional folding arrangement for the
legs and instead employ other ways of
reducing the size and weight of what you
have to carry around. Firstly, there are five
leg sections so each can be shorter and,
while this isn’t new at all, the last couple
of extensions aren’t so thin that they’re too
flimsy to use. Second, the profile is oval
rather than circular with a slight indent on
the inside so the legs fold more snuggly
along the centre column. The oval shape
ensures rigidity isn’t compromised and, all
folded up, the total diameter is a little under
six centimetres
In case you’re wondering, the Cyanbird is
a legendary Chinese bird of prey, but these
tripods also have all the metal components
finished in the colour cyan. There’s a choice
of three leg sets in carbonfibre, aluminium
or a combination of both with the first leg
section in the composite material and the
next four made from metal alloy. This last
option provides a more affordable alternative
to the full carbonfibre model.
The Cyanbird tripods are sold as kits
which means that they’re complete and
come with a head. In the case of the
composite and aluminium models, this is

the ingenious FS20 Pro which is both a ball-
type head and tilt/pan head combined into
the one rather complex-looking unit (more
about this shortly). The ‘hybrid’ model has a
conventional ball-type head so it’s the most
compact package overall and also the least
expensive. Both heads have quick-release
plates with an Arca-Swiss foot that clamps
to lock it into position.
The leg sections’ clamping locks are
released and engaged via fairly hefty flip-
type levers made from magnesium alloy. The
age-old argument regarding levers versus
twist locks will likely never be resolved,
but these are quick and easy to use. More
importantly, they’re either on or off so once
a leg section is locked in place, it stays
locked in place and won’t start slipping
when you add some weight (i.e. your
camera). A lever-type lock is also used for
the centre column which has a hexagonal
profile – to optimise strength – and is
aluminium on all models. Again, the lever
THE COMBINATION
OF CARBONFIBRE
AND ALUMINIUM LEG
SECTIONS WORKS WELL
IN TERMS OF STRENGTH,
WEIGHT AND PRICING.”
lock means it stays firmly in place when
set. The column can be reversed or the top
section can be detached so the legs can be
used at their most acutely angled setting for
low-level shooting. The leg angle adjustment
is via the tabbed release arrangement
found on a great many tripod models and
the leg is then swung up to set the top on
the appropriate ridge. However, the release
tabs aren’t spring-loaded so they have to be
ON TRIAL BENRO
pushed back in manually.
Shortening the centre column is a little
more involved, starting with retrieving
the required tool – a 3.0 mm Allen key –
from its base. It’s attached to the ballast
hook which obviously first needs to be
unscrewed to detach it from the column,
but the beauty of this arrangement is that
the Allen key is always with the tripod and
not lost somewhere in your camera bag.
Next you have to detach the tripod head and
then insert the Allen key into its 3/8-inch
mounting screw (which is hollow), find the
coupling and start unscrewing. Is this overly
fiddly? Yes, but you’re probably not going to
be doing it very often, and we really haven’t
encountered any other way of shortening
the centre column that’s significantly more
efficient or easier.
HEADING UP
The leg sets have their own bubble-type
spirit level set into the tripod’s top section

S Leg sections unlock and lock via hefty S Legs can be set to one of three angled S The main bodies of the tripods
flip-type levers. positions. incorporates a bubble-type level.

S A flip-type lock is also used on the centre S Ballast hook at the bottom of the centre column unscrews to become a 3.0 mm Allen key
column. (right). It’s needed to detach the column’s lower section so the legs can be set at their most
acute angle for low-level shooting.

S Quick release plate has Arca-Swiss type S The Cyanbird TCBH15 leg set (left) has carbonfibre top sections and the rest are aluminium
foot which is now more of a standard fitting alloy. TCBC15 has all composite leg sections (there’s also an all-aluminium model).
than ever before. Head also has a bubble
level.

39
BENRO ON TRIAL
THERE’S ENOUGH THAT’S
DIFFERENT ABOUT
THE BENRO CYANBIRD
TRIPODS TO MAKE THEM
STAND OUT FROM THE
COMPACT CROWD.”
(which is also called the spider), but there’s
also one on each of the heads. The NP00P
ball head is a pretty straightforward compact
model, but is does have dual, independent
panning movements (both through a full
360 degrees) – which Benro calls “Dual
Panorama” – one at the base and one at
the quick release plate platform. The dual
panorama modes mean that should the
head be at angle, you can still pan in the
horizontal plane at the mounting plate once
T Hybrid carbon/alloy TCBH15 legs set
is matched with the compact N00P ball-
type head.
40
it and the camera have been levelled. The
pan adjustment on the quick release has its
own locking lever.
As noted earlier, the Benro FS20
ProC hybrid head combines a ball-
type adjustment with separate tilt/pan
movements… so it’s suitable for both
photo and video applications. Again, there
are also the dual panning options at the
base of the head and the base of the quick
release head. There are seemingly knobs
and levers everywhere and it all looks very
technical. Basically, though, these free up
the movements which really just boil down
to the two pans and the tilt… so not that
complicated after all. The tilt/pan handle
can be set at a high angle or a low angle –
depending on which is the more convenient
in a given situation – or you can release it S FS20 ProC 2-in-1 head combines a ball
so it folds down when the tripod is being adjuster and tilt/pan movements. This
stored which is handy. Niftily, the handle’s means it works for both photo and video.
knob does the locking and unlocking, and
the shaft contains the 4.0 mm Allen key that
you’ll need to detach the whole assembly…
as there’s the option of swapping it over to
the left-hand side of the head.
IN THE FIELD
As we’ve come to expect from Benro, the
Cyanbird tripods are very well-made and
everything works pretty well in terms of the
ergonomics and efficiencies. They look great
too, although that’s generally not a primary
S Tilt/pan handle can be set to low- or
consideration when buying a tripod. high-angle positions… select whichever is
The flip locks make setting up very easy, the more comfortable in the given shooting
as are any subsequent small adjustments situation.
for levelling. The feet are rubber pads and
there’s no option to replace them with
spikes, but they seem to plant quite
firmly even on slippery surfaces. The
specs quote a maximum working
height with the centre column
extended, but as with just about
any tripod, this compromises the
overall stability even with a light load
and, in reality, you’ll only gain a few
extra centimetres before the wobbles start
to set in. However, raised by roughly two S FS20 head also has Arca-Swiss quick
centimetres – which doesn’t affect stability – release plate and a built-in bubble-type
you get access to three ¼-inch screwthread spirit level.
mounting points for connecting accessories
via arms.
Using just the leg extensions then,
the hybrid model with the ball head gets
up to 132 centimetres which is still very
good for a tripod that folds down to just 46
centimetres. The maximum load is quoted
at 4.0 kilograms which, again, is very good
for such a compact tripod and one which
only weighs a shade over a kilogram. The
carbonfibre model with the dual photo/
video head has a slightly greater load
S Handle shaft houses a 4.0 mm Allen key.
capacity – quote at 4.5 kilos – and This is used to detach the handle if you’d
a working height (legs only) of 129 prefer to fit it to the left-hand side of the
centimetres. FS20 head. Handily, all the adjustment tools
you’ll need are actually on the tripod…
The ball head’s lock is a bit rather than lost somewhere in your camera
on/off in its action so it needs bag.

a delicate touch to avoid loosening it too
much too quickly, but it’s still arguably
the preferred option for photography. The
combination of carbonfibre and aluminium
leg sections also works well in terms
of strength, weight and pricing, making
T Tilt/pan handle can be folded down
when the tripod is stowed.
VITAL STATISTICS
BENRO CYANBIRD
TCBH15 & N00P PHOTO
BALL HEAD
$599
Leg Material: Carbonfibre and aluminium alloy.
Leg Sections: Five.
Leg Angle Settings: Three.
Tripod Body Material: Magnesium alloy.
Head: Ball-type with dual panorama adjustments,
quick release Arca-Swiss plate, bubble level.
Folded Length: 46 centimetres.
Maximum Working Height: 132 centimetres (155 cm
with centre column extended).
Minimum Working Height: 17.7 centimetres.
Weight: 1.08 kilograms (includes ball head).
Maximum Load Rating: 4.0 kilograms.
Maximum Leg Section Diameter: 34.5x19.5 millime-
tres.
Minimum Leg Section Diameter: 24.1x9.1 millimetres.
Feet: Rubber pads (non-removable).
Additional Features: ‘Arch’ profile leg sections, lever-
operated clamp locks for leg sections and centre
column, dual section centre column with ballast
hook, bubble level, four ¼-inch screwthread mounting
points.
Price: $599, includes padded wrap-style carry case and
shoulder strap.
Distributor: Maxxum Pty Ltd, visit www.maxxum.
com.au
ON TRIAL BENRO
this model the pick of the pair we tested.
Nevertheless, the FS20 head is a work
of engineering art and the logical choice
if you’re going to be shooting video and,
thanks to the entirely composite legs, this
model is also a bit lighter overall.
The Cyanbird tripods are supplied with a
‘tool roll’ wrap-style padded carry bag which
has extra pockets within for storing various
other bits and pieces. When rolled up, it’s
secured via a couple of clip-in locks.
THE VERDICT
There’s enough that’s different about the
Benro Cyanbird tripods to make them stand
out from the compact crowd. For starters,
the overall design enables a very small
package for carrying – it can be easily ac-
commodated inside a camera bag or photo
backpack – and yet in terms of the working
heights and loads, it can still be used with
fairly big telephoto lenses. These are sturdy
tripods for their size.
If you’re an M43 shooter, the Cyanbird
tripods are a great solution when extra
support is needed, and in most situations.
For the bigger formats, they’ll certainly
help save weight when trekking to remote
locations or when you simply don’t want to
carry a lot of bulky gear.
The perfect tripod is almost certainly
an unobtainable goal, but for our money
the hybrid composite/alloy legs with the
compact ball head make the Cyanbird
TCBH15 comes close when there’s any
need to travel as light as possible.
ENRO CYANBIRD
TCBC15 & FS20 PROC
HYBRID HEAD
$849
Leg Material: Carbonfibre.
Leg Sections: Five.
Leg Angle Settings: Three.
Tripod Body Material: Magnesium alloy.
Head: Hybrid ‘2-in-1’ with three-way ball-type adjuster
and two-way tilt/pan adjustments, dual panorama
adjustments, quick release Arca-Swiss plate, bubble
level.
Folded Length: 43.5 centimetres.
Maximum Working Height: 129 centimetres (152.5 cm
with centre column extended).
Minimum Working Height: 18.2 centimetres.
Weight: 1.02 kilograms (includes hybrid head).
Maximum Load Rating: 4.5 kilograms.
Maximum Leg Section Diameter: 34.5x19.5 millime-
tres.
Minimum Leg Section Diameter: 24.1x9.1 millimetres.
Feet: Rubber pads (non-removable).
Additional Features: ‘Arch’ profile leg sections, lever-
operated clamp locks for leg sections and centre
column, dual section centre column with ballast
hook, bubble level, four ¼-inch screwthread mounting
points.
Price: $849, includes padded wrap-style carry case and
shoulder strap. Aluminium version is priced at $699.
Distributor: Maxxum Pty Ltd, visit www.maxxum.
com.au
 ON TRIAL
LEICA
Q3
AT THE FRONT OF THE Q
A hit almost the moment that it was launched,
Leica’s Q series cameras now enjoy cult status
ever since, and the Q3 is the juiciest of model so
far. It’s the priciest too, but you get a lot of Leica
lovin’ for your money.
D
o you wonder whether
camera designers are
surprised when a new model
turns out to be a big hit? After
all, for it to get to market
(many don’t), plenty of people along the way
must have thought it was a good idea. But
how good? For Leica, its heritage casts a
long shadow over any new camera project,
especially one that makes significant breaks
with tradition which is why there’s been the
softly-softly approach to the digital Ms. So
there must have been a bit of trepidation
when the wraps came off the original Q
42
back in early 2015… and some relief when
it was so enthusiastically embraced by the
market.
Tellingly, the Q concept works as much
because of what it isn’t as because of what
it is. It isn’t an M, but has some key M-like
qualities in its size, styling and build quality.
It isn’t an interchangeable lens camera
either, but there are benefits from going
down the fixed lens route, and Leica has
been progressively enhancing the flexibility
with each new generation’s higher-res
sensor. And high-performance prime lenses
are a Leica speciality. They’re the beating
S’Tis a handsome looking thing and,
despite the absence of ergonomic aids,
handles very comfortably and easily.
heart of the M system and it’s made a lot
of sense to impart some of this magic to
the Q series cameras. The Summilux 28mm
f/1.7 ASPH has remained the constant
through the three generations of Leica Q
so far despite, undoubtedly, many pleas for
something else… a 35mm most likely being
top of the wish list. With its 60.3 megapixels
sensor, the Q3 is the best response to
these requests, based on a practice that
was very common with film – even the
35mm format – cropping. There seems to
be an obsession now with squeezing every
pixel out of an ultra-high-res sensor when,
frankly, it’s just not necessary. However,
the very real benefit is that it does give you
room to move which Leica is exploiting on
the Q3 with crops from 28mm to 35mm,
50mm, 75mm and now even 90mm. These
correspond to image sizes of 39, 19, 8.0 and
6.0 megapixels. Certainly, both 19 and 39
MP give you plenty of resolution to play with
in terms of massaging image quality and,

not so long ago, eight was easily enough
and you could make six work too. It’s still
true today.
As if to reiterate the point that you don’t
always need 60 MP, the Q3 again has what
Leica calls “Triple Resolution Technology”
which allows you to have either 36 MP or
18 MP resolution, but without a crop (so
there’s no increase in the effective focal
length either). The camera instead groups
sets of pixels together which also gives an
increase in the dynamic range – Leica claims
a whole stop – and a reduction in noise
that’s equivalent to two stops. Of course,
there’s also the convenience of the small file
sizes when it comes to image processing
and storage.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORY
The Q3 has a revised version of the 62.4
megapixels (total) BSI-type CMOS sensor
used the M11, and it’s matched with Leica’s
latest-generation ‘Maestro IV’ processor
which, incidentally, is a product of the L2
Technology tie-up with Panasonic. It enables
faster continuous shooting – now at up to 15
fps with the camera’s sensor-based shutter
– and 8K video recording at up to 30 fps
(see the Making Movies panel for the full
rundown of the Q3’s video capabilities).
There’s also a bigger, 8.0 GB buffer
memory to help deliver reasonable burst
lengths at the maximum speed and
resolution. For large JPEGs, it’s quoted at 67
frames and just marginally fewer – 63 – with
RAW capture. The caveats here are that
the AF, AE and AWB measurements are all
fixed to the first frame, and the RAW files
have 12-bit colour rather than the full 14-bit.
The latter kicks in at 7.0 fps and continuous
adjustments for AF et al at 4.0 fps. These
are relatively modest specs by the current
mirrorless camera standards, but then the
Q3 certainly isn’t intended to be a sports
camera, and for applications such as travel
or street photography, it’s more than fast
enough. As is standard on all Leica’s digital
cameras, RAW files are captured in the
Adobe DNG format. The sensitivity range is
equivalent to ISO 100 to 100,000 with a one-
stop ‘pull’ to ISO 50.
There’s a single memory card slot in
the camera’s base for SD devices and with
support for the UHS-II write speeds. The
card compartment will be covered if the
camera is on a tripod but, given the Q3’s
credentials for hand-held photography, this
is unlikely to be much of an inconvenience in
practical terms.
For JPEG shooters, there’s a selection
of five ‘Film Style’ presets, labelled
Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome
and Monochrome High Contrast. The
colour settings are adjustable for contrast,
sharpness and saturation; the B&W ones
for just the first two. You can also adjust
THERE’S NO MISTAKING
THE CLASSIC LEICA ‘HEFT’
IN THE Q3’S SOLID BUILD
AND PRECISION FIT.”
the noise reduction for JPEGs over three
levels and there’s a new ‘Intelligent Dynamic
Range’ setting (iDR for short) which is
designed to expand the dynamic range,
particularly in the shadow areas. You can
set it to Auto – which uses the brightness
range present in a scene as its basis – or
select one of the three manual settings of
Low, Standard or High. The Q3 also gets the
nifty ‘Perspective Control’ feature from the
M11 and M10-R, and which corrects JPEGs
in-camera for the converging or diverging
verticals which occur when the camera is
tilted up or down. The clever bit is that the
function generates a frame – available in
both the viewfinder and the monitor – which
adjusts in real time to show you exactly how
the image will be cropped as it’s processed.
Should you want them, a set of ‘Leica
Looks’ special effects for application to
JPEG files can be loaded into the camera
via the Leica Fotos app. No doubt more
will come, but for now you can choose
from Contemporary, Classic, Selenium,
Sepia or Blue. It’s a good way to a handle a
feature that many Q3 users likely won’t be
interested in so why clutter up the menu
unnecessarily?
STAYING FOCUSED
Like the Mark II Panasonic Lumix S5
models, the Q3 steps up to a new hybrid
phase-difference and contrast detection
1
Put simply, it’s brilliant to use.
ON TRIAL LEICA Q3
autofocusing system. The key benefit
here is increased speed, but the contrast-
detection measurement is performed
using Panasonic’s ‘Depth-From-Defocus’
(DFD) sampling method so it’s quicker too.
Additionally, subject recognition is provided
for both humans and animals with eye, face
and body detection to assist with more
reliable tracking.
There’s a total of 315 focusing points
and a choice of four area modes which
progress in size from Spot, through Field
and Multi-Field to Zone. There’s the option
of automatic switching between the
single-shot and continuous modes, and the
lens has a macro setting which reduces
the minimum focusing distance from 30
centimetres to 17 (the focusing scale
switches too). Manual focusing is assisted
by a magnified image or a focus peaking
display which is available in four colours
each with three levels of intensity.
The lens incorporates a leaf shutter with
a speed range of 30-1/2000 second and
the option of either ‘B’ or ‘T’ settings for
making longer exposures. The Q3’s sensor
shutter runs from one second to 1/16,000
second and you can select either shutter
type separately or opt for ‘Hybrid’ which
will automatically switch between the two.
If you’re controlling the speeds manually,
the faster settings are available by turning
the shutter dial to its ‘2000’ position and
then using the camera’s command wheel.
Manual aperture control is via a traditional
collar on the lens which has settings in one-
third stop increments.
Multi-zone, centre-weighted average,
highlight-weighted average and spot
metering measurements are available, and
the auto exposure modes are supplemented
by up to +/-3.0 EV of exposure
compensation and auto bracketing over a
43
LEICA Q3 ON TRIAL
sequence of either three or five frames. The
standard set of ‘PASM’ exposure modes is
supplemented by nine subject/scene modes
and the option of a full auto setting with
subject/scene recognition.
The white balance control options
comprise auto correction, a selection of five
lighting presets, a custom measurement
(which Leica calls ‘Grey Card’… as in
the good old days), and manual colour
temperature setting over a range of 2000 to
11,500 degrees Celsius.
IN THE HAND
There’s no mistaking the classic Leica ‘heft’
in the Q3’s solid build and precision fit. As
before, the top panel is milled from a solid
billet of aluminium while the main shell
is a diecast magnesium alloy component.
Despite the absence of a handgrip, it’s very
comfortable to hold and the control layout is
as simple as it is logical. As on Fujifilm’s X-T
series cameras, the shutter speed dial and
lens aperture collar have ‘A’ settings and any
combination of these delivers the semi-auto
and program exposure control modes. And,
also like the X-T cameras, Leica has given
the Q3’s shutter release an old school cable-
release socket.
The modern bits comprise an input
wheel, a four-way navigator keypad, an
input wheel and a smattering of buttons.
Essentially all the unmarked buttons –
well, there’s actually only four – are multi-
functional so you can set up the Q3 to have
all the key controls such as white balance
S Menu design also keeps things simple.
There’s just six pages so it doesn’t take long
to find anything.
S The main replay/review screen includes
a histogram, highlight warning and the key
capture data
44
4
1
3 2
3. Classic shutter speed
dial is marked to 1/2000
1. Top panel layout is 2. Main input wheel second, and the faster
very similar to that of the had a push-button in speeds delivered by
digital M RF cameras and its centre which can the sensor shutter are
keeps things very simple be assigned various then set using the input
indeed. operations. wheel.
and ISO readily accessible. The menus both brightness and colour balance. Along
are getting longer as more functions are with the high-res eyepiece optics, the result
added, but still only run to six pages with is a very comfortable viewfinding experience
the convenience of continuous navigation. indeed, and the quality is remarkable.
The main display/control screen – which Another key new feature of the Q3 is the
is comprehensive – is included in the addition of a tilt adjustment to the monitor
touch screen implementation and so screen, a first for any German-made Leica
greatly enhances the camera’s operational digital camera. Leica has long stuck with
efficiency. The tough controls also include a fixed screen primarily in the interests of
focusing with an AF ‘touchpad’ for when structural durability, but user demand has
you’re using the viewfinder. The Q3’s EVF obviously prevailed with the tilted monitor
jumps up to a resolution of 5.76 megadots being useful in many applications for which
with a magnification of 0.76x and the option the Q3 is ideally suited such as street
of a 120 fps refresh rate. It’s adjustable for photography. The monitor panel also gets a
S The Q3’s 60 MP sensor allows for the ‘Digital Zoom’ cropping to be expanded to include a
setting equivalent to 90mm. The crop frames are shown within the full frame image, just like
on Leica’s RF cameras.
S Main info display panel has touch S Live view screen can be configured with
controls for rapid access to adjustments and “Capture Assistants” namely a guide grid,
settings. a real-time histogram, a highlight warning
and a dual-axis level indicator.

lift in resolution to 1.84 megadots.
The live view display can be configured
with a choice of what Leica calls “Capture
Assistants”, namely a guide grid (the classic
‘rule-of-thirds’), a real-time histogram, a
highlight warning (which is a zebra pattern
in the camera’s video mode) and a dual-axis
level indicator. You can select what you want
and then the display also cycles through
various levels of information. The cropped
setting frames are displayed within the
28mm imaging area just like the brightline
frames in an M’s optical viewfinder. You can
see exactly what’s in and what’s out.
As has now been adopted on the M11,
the Q3 has the same battery compartment
arrangement as that of the SL series
mirrorless cameras. The compartment cover
is actually part of the battery and unloading
is a two-stage process. A locking lever
releases the pack, but it won’t drop out of
the compartment until you press the cover
back in slightly which depresses a sprint-
loaded lug, enabling the battery to be fully
withdrawn. Power now comes from the
higher-capacity, 2200 mAh BP-SCL6 lithium-
ion battery which is good for 350 shots per
charge and can be recharged in-camera via
USB C. Alternatively, wireless inductive
charging is available via the optional HG-
DC1 handgrip and a Leica-branded charging
pad, but the grip will work with any 10W
Qi charging pad. The good news is that a
traditional olde worlde battery recharger is
still provided.
The Q3’s USB C connection is also
utilised for tethered shooting using either
the Capture One or Adobe Lightroom
It’s hard to see anybody buying the
Q3 specifically to shoot video, even if
28mm has been dubbed ‘the cinematic
focal length’. Interchangeable lenses are
still more desirable, and the crops are a
bit harder to work with when shooting
video (although not impossible, of course).
Nevertheless, the Q3 still boasts some
serious video spec and certainly has
enough to satisfy photographers who want
to shoot moving pictures. In a nutshell,
there’s 8K up to 30 fps, 4K up to 60 fps
and Full HD up to 120 fps plus L-Log and
HLG (HDR) recording.
The key negatives are the single
WITH PDAF NOW
DOING ITS THING, THE
Q3’S AUTOFOCUSING IS
SNAPPILY FAST AND VERY
ACCURATE.”
software. Additionally, the Q3 is Apple
‘Made For iPhone’ (MFi) certified and is
supplied with a dedicated Lightning cable
for connection via USB C to an Apple
iPhone or iPad for faster and more stable file
transfers as well as remote camera control,
and a live view feed using the Leica Fotos
app. If you’re an Android user, the good
news is that the Q3’s WiFi supports the
much faster MIMO transfer speeds, making
file transfers significantly quicker than is
possible with the Q2 (and allows for video
as well as stills).
SPEED AND
PERFORMANCE
With a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64
GB SDXC UHS-II memory card
loaded, the Leica Q3 fired off a
burst of 63 JPEG/large frames in
4.172 seconds which represents
a continuous shooting speed of
15.1 fps. The typical file size for
this test was 31 MB.
With PDAF now doing its
thing, the Q3’s autofocusing is
snappily fast and very accurate,
memory card slot in the SD format and
the absence of a stereo audio input for an
external microphone. A product such as
Zoom’s M3 MicTrak which combines both
an external mic and a digital audio recorder
in an on-camera unit looks like it could be a
handy solution for significant better quality
audio recording.
The 8K recording is available in the DCI
and UHD aspect ratios and uses the more
efficient HEVC/H.265 codec with LongGOP
compression to keep file sizes and data
rates manageable in the light of SD UHS-
II speed restrictions versus CFexpress
(which most 8K cameras support). The
colour sampling is 10-bit 4:2:0, but you
can have 4:2:2 with 4K recording – again
with the choice of the DCI or UHD
aspects – which switches to using the
MPEG 4 AVC/H.264 codec with All-Intra
compression. Not surprisingly, the bit rate
jumps up to a hefty 600 Mbps with 4K
recording at either 50 or 60 fps. The Apple
ProRes 422 HQ codec becomes available
ON TRIAL LEICA Q3
especially with the Zone area mode which
covers both big and small subjects. The
eye/face/body detection for humans works
well enough in most situations, but isn’t
quite as infallible as we’ve come to expect
with the latest generation of mirrorless
cameras. Nevertheless, the AF upgrades
mean that the Q3 focuses much more
reliably in situations when you need to shoot
quickly and it’s able to cope much better
with moving subjects. The ‘Digital Zoom’
cropping also becomes a lot more useful
with the Q3 and, assigned to one of the ‘Fn’
buttons, it’s quick and easy to cycle through
the settings to change focal lengths on-the-
fly.
At full resolution, the image quality is
truly superb and out-of-the-camera JPEGs
are packed with crisply-defined detailing
and beautifully smooth tonal gradations. The
T Tilt-adjustable monitor screen is a first for
Leica and definite plus for applications such
as street photography.
for Full HD recording internally at up to 60
fps, but H.265 is employed for the faster
rates of 100 or 120 fps, again presumably
to keep file sizes bit rates in check. The
external recording specs top out at 8K
DCI with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (with L-Log/
HLG) and 60/50 fps. The HDMI connector
is the smaller Micro type rather than the
physically stronger full-size fitting.
There’s not much in the way of
dedicated video features, but there are
obviously benefits to be had from the new
hybrid autofocusing and it’s exceptionally
quiet in operation too. Needless to note,
the video IQ is superb and with 4K or 2K
– which is what most users are likely to
shoot – there’s crisp detailing, great colour
rendition and a wide dynamic range. As
is often a complaint even with the more
video-orientated mirrorless cameras, the
in-camera sound recording isn’t brilliant and
lacks dynamic range so an external option
is definitely worth considering for anybody
serious about making videos with the Q3.
45
 LEICA Q3 ON TRIAL
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46
 ON TRIAL LEICA Q3
dynamic range is very good even with ‘iDR’
switched off, but you will get more from the
shadows if it’s active. The Standard ‘Film
Style’ profile has the classic Leica contrast
with a slightly muted colour palette. The
Vivid profile delivers more saturation, but
without overdoing things so the colours still
look very pleasing and true-to-life. Thanks ISO 50 ISO 100
to the pixel binning approach, the image
quality doesn’t suffer at the lower resolution
full frame settings, maintaining excellent
detailing, a wide dynamic range and low
noise. The wide dynamic range gives up to
five stops of exposure latitude with RAW
capture.
Interestingly, the Q3’s high ISO
performance is significantly better than that
of the M11, especially at the extreme end of
ISO 200 ISO 400
the sensitivity. With JPEG capture, the noise
reduction processing doesn’t compromise
either sharpness or colour saturation up to
ISO 25,000. There’s some slight softening
at ISO 50,000, but the colour repro remains
the same so, unlike with the M11, this
setting is eminently usable. At ISO 100,000
there’s increased softness, but even this
setting is still useable if you aren’t planning ISO 800 ISO 1600
to make very big enlargements. Clearly,
the fourth-generation ‘Maestro’ processor
is making a difference here, presumably
with newer noise reduction algorithms. The
RAW files are, of course, noisier, especially
at the highest ISO settings, but are easily
corrected with the post-camera noise
reduction processing of your choice.
The 28mm Summilux lens has already
proven itself in all the previous Q models ISO 3200 ISO 6400
and it’s definitely a big contributor to the IQ
in terms of the sharpness and the contrast
characteristics. Centre-to-corner sharpness
holds up well at f/1.7, but is even more
uniform across the frame from f/2.8 and
beyond until diffraction comes into play.
The out-of-focus effects are beautifully
smooth and give the image a real sense of
depth. There’s no vignetting and it’s very
well corrected in terms of distortion – three ISO 12500 ISO 25000
aspherical elements are included in the
optical construction – and both spherical and
chromatic aberrations. As before, the Q3
does perform some in-camera corrections
behind-the-scenes for lens aberrations, and
there aren’t any manually-settable controls
(which isn’t all that surprising with a fixed

XThe Q3’s native sensitivity range spans ISO 50000 ISO 64000
ISO 100 to 100,000 with a one-stop ‘pull’ to
ISO 50. Judiciously applied noise reduction
processing for JPEGs maintains excellent
sharpness and colour saturation all the way
up to ISO 25,000, and there’s only slight
softening evident at ISO 50,000, These
images are JPEG/large files taken with the
aperture-priority auto exposure mode and
the aperture set to f/11 so the exposure time
varies to compensate for the adjustments
to ISO. Long exposure noise reduction
switched off, Noise Reduction set to Low
(there is no Off option on the Q3). ISO 80000 ISO 100000

47
LEICA Q3 ON TRIAL
lens), but no matter how it’s achieved, the
lens’s performance speaks for itself.
THE VERDICT
So the magic Q recipe is take some
classical Leica M camera ingredients and
then add an EVF, autofocusing, all the
auto exposure control options and more
mainstream user-friendliness. The Q3 adds
extra spice with its ultra-high-res sensor,
tilting monitor screen, additional goodies
for JPEG shooters and 8K video. It’s a very
tasty combination of the traditional, the
modern and the luxurious in a camera that,
as a result, truly is a delight to handle and
use. Like the digital Ms, shooting with a Q
is definitely an experience, but arguably a
less challenging one thanks to conveniences
such as the EVF and autofocusing.
With not much change out of ten grand,
the Q3 is a serious investment, but it’s still
VITAL STATISTICS
Type: Fixed prime lens digital compact camera with elec-
tronic viewfinder.
Lens: Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. Eleven elements
in nine groups (three aspherical types). Aperture range is
f/1.7 to f/16, adjustable in 1/3-stop increments. Built-in
optical image stabilisation with 2.5 stops of correction
for camera shake. Metal lens hood supplied. 49 mm
screwthread filter fitting.
Viewfinder: OLED-type EVF with 5.76 megadots resolu-
tion, 0.79x magnification and 60 or 120 fps refresh rate.
Adjustable for brightness and colour balance. Auto/manual
switching between EVF and monitor screen.
Monitor: 7.62 cm TFT LCD with 1.84 megadots resolution.
Adjustable for up/down tilt. Adjustable for brightness and
colour balance.
Focusing: Hybrid phase/contrast-detection measurement
with 315 focusing points. Contrast detection via Depth-
From-Defocus (DFD) calculations. Auto/manual point selec-
tion. Area modes are Spot, Field, Multi-Field and Zone.
Eye/face/body detection for humans and animals with
subject tracking.
Focus frame adjustable for size. Normal focusing range is
30 cm to infinity. Macro focusing down to 17 cm (at f/2.8,
maximum magnification ratio is 1:4.1). Auto or manual
switching between single-shot and continuous modes.
Low light/contrast assist provided by built-in illuminator.
Manual focus assist via magnified image (3x or 6x) and
focus peaking display (red, green, blue or white; at low,
medium or high intensity). Touch AF operation available via
monitor screen.
Shutter Type & Speeds: Electronically-controlled leaf,
120-1/2000 second plus ‘B’ and ‘T’. Flash sync up to
1/2000 second. Sensor-based shutter has a speed range
of 1-1/16,000 second. Hybrid shutter setting automati-
cally switches from the leaf shutter to sensor shutter as
required.
Metering: Multi-zone, centre-weighted average, highlight-
weighted average, and spot.
Exposure System: Program (with shift), aperture/
shutter-priority auto and manual plus full auto with auto-
matic subject/scene setting. Nine subject/scene modes
(Sports, Portrait, Landscape, Night Portrait, Snow/Beach,
Fireworks, Candle Light, Sunset and Digiscoping). Up to
+/-3.0 EV exposure compensation, an AE lock and auto
exposure bracketing (over three frames or five frames with
up to +/- 3.0 EV adjustment per frame).
Sensor: 24.0x36.0 mm BSI CMOS, 60.3 million pixels effec-
tive (62.39 MP total). No optical low pass filter.
Sensitivity: ISO 100-100,000 with a one-stop extension
to ISO 50.
48
S Memory card compartment is in the base
and is a single slot for SD devices.
pretty good value in Leica terms, especially
if you compare it with buying an M11
and the Summicron-M 28mm f/2.0 ASPH
(roughly a $22.5k exercise min total). In
practical terms, you also get a 35mm and
a 50mm lens if you want high resolution,
and a 75mm and a 90mm if you’re happy
working with less (but, in fact, still quite
LEICA Q3 $10,290 Recommended retail price
Formats/Resolution: 12/14-bit RAW (Adobe DNG) =
9520x6336, 7404x4928 and 5288x3518 pixels. JPEG
= 9520x6336, 7390x4928 and 5280x3512 pixels. The
two lower resolution settings use ‘Triple Resolution
Technology’ and the full sensor areas so there is no crop
involved. RAW+JPEG capture available. Choice of aspect
ratios – 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 and 16:9.
Video Recording: MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:0 colour
(HEVC/H.265 codec) at 8192x4320 pixels (8K DCI); 30,
25 or 24 fps (LongGOP compression, 300 Mbps) and 17:9
aspect ratio. At 7680x4320 pixels (8K UHD); 30, 25 or 24
fps (LongGOP compression, 300 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD), 120 or 100 fps
(LongGOP compression, 100 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60, 50 or 48 fps (All-
Intra compression, 600 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At
4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra com-
pression, 400 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 3840x2160
pixels (4K UHD); 60, 50 or 48 fps (All-Intra compression,
600 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio. At 3840x2160 pixels (4K
UHD); 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra compression, 400 Mbps)
and 16:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD), 120
or 100 fps (All-Intra compression, 400 Mbps) and 16:9
aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD); 60, 50, 48, 30,
25 or 24 fps (All-Intra compression, 200 Mbps) and 16:9
aspect ratio.
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (Apple ProRes 422 HQ
codec) at 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps (up to 454 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
MP4 format with 10-bit 4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265 codec)
at 7680x4320 pixels (8K UHD); 30, 25 or 24 fps (LongGOP
compression, 300 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio. At
3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD); 50 or 60 fps (LongGOP com-
pression, 100 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
MP4 format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD); 30, 25 or 24 fps
(LongGOP compression, 100 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD); 60, 40, 30, 25 or 24 fps (up
to 28 Mbps).
Built-in stereo microphones with auto/manual levels con-
trol, gain adjustment and wind-cut filter. Maximum video
clip length is 29 minutes.
Video Features: L-Log and HLG (HDR) recording, zebra pat-
tern, video-dedicated main display.
HDMI Output: 8K DCI 17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (L-Log/
HLG) and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 8K DCI 17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:0
colour and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 8K UHD 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2
colour (L-Log/HLG) and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 8K UHD 16:9 with
10-bit 4:2:0 colour and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 8K 16:9 with 8-bit
S Q3 gets a higher-capacity battery – Leica’s
2200 mAh BP-SCL6 type – to handle the
camera’s extra demands on power.
usable files). This is certainly the most
flexible Q model yet and the most enjoyable
to use given its extra features all deliver
real benefits in one way or another. You
love it from the moment you pick it up and
it doesn’t take long to be truly smitten so,
be warned, don’t try if you don’t intend to
buy.
4:2:0 colour (L-Log/HLG) and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 8K 16:9 with
8-bit 4:2:0 colour and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K DCI 17:9 with
10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 48, 30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K UHD
16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 48, 30, 25 or 24
fps. Full HD 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 120, 100, 60,
50, 48, 30, 25 or 24 fps.
Continuous Shooting: Up to 15 fps with the sensor shutter
for a burst of up to 67 images with JPEG/large/fine cap-
ture and up to 63 images with DNG RAW capture (12-bit
colour). AF, AE, AWB pegged to first frame. Continuous AF/
AE/AWB adjustment at 2.0 or 4.0 fps with the leaf shutter.
14-bit DNG RAW capture at 2.0, 4.0 and 7.0 fps.
Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units sync via ISO
standard hotshoe.
White Balance: TTL measurement via image sensor. Auto,
five presets, one custom measurement and manual colour
temperature setting (2000 to 11,500 degrees Kelvin).
Storage: One slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards with
UHS-II support.
Interfaces: USB (Type C) 3.1 Gen 2, Micro HDMI (Type D).
Additional Features: Aluminium and magnesium alloy
body with weather sealing (up to IP52 standard), cable
release socket, ‘Digital Zoom’ crop settings (equivalent
to 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm focal lengths, but the
standard 28mm field-of-view retained with an Adobe DNG
file), five ‘Film Style’ presets (Standard, Vivid, Natural,
Monochrome, Monochrome High Contrast), adjustable
‘Film Style’ parameters (Contrast, Highlight, Shadow,
Sharpness, Saturation), ‘Leica Looks’ effects (via the Leica
Fotos app), ‘Intelligent Dynamic Range’ (iDR) dynamic
range expansion processing (Auto, High, Standard, Low,
Off), Perspective Control (On/Off, with real-time framing),
User Profiles (up to six can be configured), intervalometer
(up to 9999 frames), two customisable ‘Fn’ buttons, dual-
delay self-timer (two or 12 seconds), audible signals, real
time histogram display, guide grid (3x3), highlight warn-
ing, dual-axis level indicator, 12/30 thumbnail displays,
playback zoom, WiFi (2.4 or 5.0 GHz) and Bluetooth LE 5.0
wireless connectivity, Apple MFi certified.
Power: Rechargeable 7.2 volts, 2200 mAh lithium-ion bat-
tery (BP-SCL6 type). In-camera recharging via USB C or
wireless inductive charging via 10W Qi charging pad or the
optional HG-DC1 Wireless Charging Handgrip.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 130.0x80.3x92.6 mm.
Weight: 658 grams (without battery or memory card).
Price: $10,290. Available in black only.
Distributor: Leica Camera Australia Pty Ltd, telephone (03)
9248 4444 or visit https://au.leica-camera.com To pur-
chase online, go to https://leica-store.com.au
 ON TRIAL
SIGMA
14mm f/1.4 DG DN ART
WILD WIDE
Combining the 14mm ultra-wide focal
length with a fast aperture of f/1.4 is a
challenge for optical engineers, but a great
result for photographers.
E
ven with the extra freedoms
derived from the mirrorlss
camera configuration and the
availability of in-camera cor-
rection processing, there are
optical designs that remain challenging. One
of them is combining an ultra-wide focal
length with an ultra-fast maximum aper-
ture… say 14mm and f/1.4. There’s already
a 14mm f/1.8 ultra-wide prime from Sigma
which was originally designed for DSLRs,
but is now also available in the FE and L mir-
rorless mounts. The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 is a
50
mirrorless era creation so it’s two-thirds of a
stop faster and takes over the crown as the
fastest ultra-wide prime for full frame sen-
sors. At f/1.4 there’s 1.6x more light entering
the lens than at f/1.8.
To add to the design challenges, Sigma
has optimised the 14mm f/1.4’s optics
for astrophotography which requires
additional optical correction, primarily for
comatic aberrations – also known as coma
distortion or coma flare (although it’s not
actually flare) – which otherwise renders
points of light as more tear-shaped near
PAUL BURROWS
REPORT BY
the edges and corners of the frame. In
a nutshell, it’s caused by the curvature
of the lens elements – either concave or
convex – which causes differences in the
amount of refraction depending on where
the light rays pass through them with the
more oblique angles resulting in differences
in magnification. So the ‘flare’ is actually a
series of ever-smaller off-axis renderings
of the light point which looks a bit like the
short tail of a comet… hence the name
of this type of lens aberration. Another
important requirement for a lens designed
for astrophotography is the correction
of astigmatism which is another off-axis
aberration and causes a point of light to
become distorted – or ‘flared’ – linearly.
Again, it can become very pronounced
towards the edges and corners of the frame.
It can be minimised via the optical design,
although not entirely eliminated.
While astrophotography is the primary
application of the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG
DN Art, the very expansive 114.2 degrees
angle-of-view (diagonal) makes it suited
to a number of other applications notably
landscapes, architecture, street scenes
and interiors. Ultra-wides are undoubtedly
specialised lenses so you’re only going to

get the most from the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 if
you love to shoot these subjects and also
want to take advantage of its extra low-light
capabilities. It’s available in both the FE and
L mounts so the in-body image stabilisation
available in the Sony, Panasonic and Leica
SL2 bodies give even more scope for
shooting in low light, staving off switching to
a higher ISO setting for longer.
That said, Sigma’s pursuit of
uncompromised optical correction means
that there’s a total of 19 elements inside
the 14mm f/1.4, including the massive
aspherical front element that has a diameter
of 79 millimetres. The total diameter is 101.4
millimetres.
The result is a fairly chunky lens that tips
the scales at close to 1.2 kilograms and,
consequently, has a tripod-mounting collar…
which you don’t usually see on a wide-angle.
The collar is detachable, but the fact that it’s
provided tells you something about how you
might need to use the 14mm f/1.4 in many
situations.
IN THE HAND
Put simply, it’s a big handful, but to be fair,
hand-held shooting is perfectly feasible,
provided your wrists and forearms are up to
it. In practice, a monopod is a good compro-
mise, providing extra support without unduly
hindering maneuverability.
The barrel tubes are magnesium
alloy with Sigma’s polycarbonate-based
‘Thermally Stable Composite’ (TSC) used
for the internal components to save weight
without compromising strength and also
maintain precision operation regardless of
the ambient temperature. The lens mount
is hewn out of a solid lump of brass.
Importantly for a lens that’s going to be used
outdoors a lot, the 14mm f/1.4 is weather-
sealed and also has a water-repellent
fluorine coating on the exposed surface of
the front element. This is the large-diameter
aspherical and the highly-convex front
surface looks mightily exposed full-stop,
SOn-barrel controls from top; AF/MF switch,
focus hold button and manual focus lock
switch.
IMPORTANTLY FOR A
LENS THAT’S GOING TO
BE USED OUTDOORS A
LOT, THE 14MM F/1.4 IS
WEATHER-SEALED AND
ALSO HAS A WATER-
REPELLENT FLUORINE
COATING ON THE FRONT
ELEMENT.”
but there is an integrated petal-shaped lens
hood – as much as can be provided without
causing vignetting – to provide some
protection plus a monster lens cap, but the
bottom line is that you’re just going to have
to be very careful. For starters, always use
the lens cap which is a work of art in itself
and even gets its own model number –
LC1014-01. It’s over 20 millimetres deep so
it can fit over the integrated hood and so, to
make use of the space on the inside, Sigma
provides a couple of nifty compartments for
storing cut filters. Notably, it has a proper
spring-loaded clamp locking arrangement
rather than being slip-on/off as is often the
case with a lens of this diameter and so fits
much more securely.
Not surprisingly, you can’t fit screwthread
filters or, for that matter, a filter holder to the
front of the 14mm, so a holder for cut filters
is provided at the rear. Sigma even goes to
the trouble of providing a plastic template.
As the name suggests, a cut filter is cut
from a thin sheet of coloured transparent
plastic that’s also called a gel. These sheets
– often uncut – are used in cinematography
and theatre productions, but less so these
S Lens mount is made from a solid billet
of brass. Rear holder for cut filters has a
locking lever to keep them in place.
ON TRIAL SIGMA
days in photography since they’re quite
fiddley when cut down to very small sizes.
Sigma tries to make it all as convenient as
is possible with the template and also a
locking lever on the holder to prevent the gel
slipping out. Better still, accessory filters,
already precut, are available including, for
example, a set of NDs.
It’s not often that a lens comes with a
box of accessories – just like a new camera
– but the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 is supplied
with a kit of items which comprise the filter
cutting template, a set of stopper screws
for the tripod collar’s baseplate (and the
necessary hex drive), a protective ring that’s
fitted when the tripod collar is detached, and
a shoulder strap. There’s a second shoulder
strap for the heavily-padded carry case
that’s also supplied. The stopper screws add
another element of security when the tripod
collar’s Arca-Swiss baseplate is fitted to a
compatible quick-release head, while the
flexible collar makes for more comfortable
handling if you’re using the lens without the
tripod collar fitted.
Both the control rings – for manual
focusing and aperture setting – are pretty
substantial controls. Conveniently, a manual
focus setting can be locked in (although the
electronic ‘fly-by-wire’ collar will still turn)
and the aperture ring can be set to stepless
or click-stopped operation. The latter is in
one-third-stop increments for more precise
exposure control, and you can also apply an
‘iris ring lock’ which either locks the aperture
on its ‘A’ setting or on the manual setting
range (i.e. so you can’ accidentally switch
from auto to manual control or vice versa).
The other on-barrel controls comprise an
AF/MF switch and an AF lock button with
is also variously customisable depending
on which camera body you are using. On
L mount bodies – as per Panasonic’s own
Lumix S lenses – you can switch the manual
focusing collar’s operation between linear
or non-linear. With non-linear adjustment,
the amount of focus shift is governed by
S Tripod mounting collar has Arca-Swiss
type foot. Stopper screws are provide with
the lens for extra mounting security.
51
 SIGMA ON TRIAL
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preset (and with all the camera’s Lens Compensation corrections switched off). Check out the view! Expansive 114.2 degrees angle-of-view
creates dramatic results. The 14mm f/1.4 is sharp across the frame – even at the maximum aperture – and nicely contrasty. It’s well corrected
1 for distortion (especially for an ultra-wide) and there’s virtually no chromatic aberrations to speak of.
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the rotation speed of the focus collar…
in other words, if you turn it quickly, you’ll
make big adjustments, but turning it slowly
allows for more precise control thanks
to smaller degrees of adjustment. With
the linear setting, the focus is shifted at a
constant speed according to the rotational
angle of the focus ring. In this mode, the
sensitivity (i.e. the amount of focus shift per
the rotational angle of the focusing collar)
can be adjusted – from a Lumix S camera
body – from 90 to 360 degrees in 30-degree
increments or set to ‘Maximum’, allowing
for more uniformity of adjustment when
shooting video.
Just behind the integrated lens hood
is a pronounced lip and this is there
for a purpose. You might not know that
there’s such a thing as a lens heater, but
astrophotographers in particular use them
to prevent condensation forming on the
front element as the ambient temperature
cools down. The heater wraps around the
front of the lens and they can often slip
forward, intruding into the image area.
This is a particular problem with ultra-wide
lenses and if, for example, you’re shooting
a time-lapse sequence and the camera
is unattended, you might not notice the
problem until it’s too late. The lip on the
14mm f/1.4 is designed to keep the heater
ring more securely in place. Lens heaters,
eh? Who knew?
OPTICAL DESIGN
The 14mm f/1.4’s 19 elements are arranged

S Aperture collar has one-third stop settings, but can be switch to seamless adjustment for S Lens cap has compartments on the inside
shooting video. for storing cut filters.

52

IT’S SURPRISING HOW
WELL THE 14MM F/1.4
CAN WORK IN MANY
SITUATIONS – THE
EXTREME ANGLE-
OF-VIEW MAKES
THE ORDINARY LOOK
EXTRAORDINARY.”
in 15 groups which includes an internal
focusing group so the lens’s length remains
the same during focusing. There are a total
of eight special elements, namely four
aspherical types and four with extra-low
dispersion characteristics. Three of these
are made from what Sigma calls ‘F Low
Dispersion’ (FLD) glass which has similar
ultra-low dispersion characteristics to a
fluorite element. Fluorite elements are very
expensive to make and hence rarely used
these days in photographic lenses so Sigma
has come up with a formulation for a glass
which gets close to being just as effective in
countering chromatic aberrations. The fourth
low dispersion element is designated ‘Super
Low Dispersion’ (SLD) so all they’re all extra-
strength as Sigma goes to greats lengths to
minimise chromatic aberrations in this lens.
Low dispersion elements are designed
to reduce the variations in the amount of
refraction – or bending – of the different
coloured wavelengths of light (i.e. the
dispersion) which otherwise manifests
itself as colour fringing. Longitudinal (or
axial) chromatic aberration affects the
whole image while lateral (or transverse)
chromatic aberration affects the edges and
corners, and becomes progressively more
pronounced towards the extremities of the
image frame.
Sigma’s ‘Super Multi-Layer Coating’ is
employed to limit internal reflections and
so reduce both ghosting and flare which
is particularly important with such a wide
angle-of-view. The sun will often be in the
frame.
As noted previously, focusing is
performed internally and employs Sigma’s
‘High-Response Linear Actuator’ (HLA)
motor which employs a direct drive rather
than any gearing for better responsiveness
and precision. The minimum focusing
distance is 30 centimetres so the maximum
magnification ratio at 14mm is 1:11.9 so, not
surprisingly, this isn’t a lens for close-ups.
However, the massive depth-of-field means
you can be still have sharp foregrounds,
especially when using the smaller apertures,
to assist with compositions. The minimum
aperture is f/16. The diaphragm employs 11
blades to give a very circular aperture and,
subsequently, smoother out-of-focus effects.
PERFORMANCE
Having said earlier that ultra-wides are spe-
cialised lenses, it’s surprising how well the
14mm f/1.4 can work in many shooting situa-
tions. The extreme angle-of-view makes the
ordinary look extraordinary and there’s lots
of scope for creative composition depending
on the POV and framing. Go low to empha-
sise foreground details or aim high to make
the most of dramatic skies. Focus at some-
where around two metres and everything in
the frame will be sharp from front-to-back
thanks to the huge depth-of-field. However,
f/1.4 does allow for a shallower depth-of-field
for selective focusing – especially at the
minimum focusing distance – and the Sigma
exhibits a nicely smooth transition from
sharp to soft.
The lens itself is exceptionally sharp
across the frame even when shooting wide-
open at f/1.4 which is quite an achievement.
The corner sharpness is excellent and only
gets better with stopping down. However,
as this lens is tuned for focusing at long
distances and infinity, the corner sharpness
falls off a little more noticeable when
focusing closer than around two metres,
but stopping down to f/4.0 or smaller
improves things considerably. There’s some
noticeable vignetting – i.e. brightness fall-off
at the corners – but it’s completely gone at
f/2.0. There’s some very slight longitudinal
chromatic aberration at f/1.4, but nothing
you’ll actually notice in most images and
it’s eliminated with just a slight stop-down.
Lateral chromatic aberration is virtually non-
existent. There’s some slight barrel-type
distortion, but it’s nowhere as pronounced
as you might expect with an ultra-wide
angle lens. The good news if you’re shooting
for the stars is that comatic distortion is
minimal, but the focus is critical here as
this lens’s plane of sharp focus is actually
slightly curved so it’s a case of managing
and balancing the corners versus the centre
when shooting wide-open.
JPEG shooters can use in-camera
corrections for both distortion and vignetting
with Sony’s Lens Compensation (we tested
the 14mm f/1.4 on an Alpha 7 IV), for
example, offering automatic compensation
for these and also for chromatic aberrations.
The correction for distortion applies a very
slight crop. However, the optical correction
really is extremely effective so RAW
shooters won’t actually need to do much
post-camera. No focus breathing (i.e. a
small change in the image size) was evident
across the full focusing range and the HLA-
driven autofocusing is very quiet; both of
which are plusses for video work.
Flare and ghosting are well suppressed
ON TRIAL SIGMA
and with the sun in the frame – sometimes
hard to avoid with a 114-degree angle-of-
view – the 11-blade diaphragm gives well-
defined 22-point starbursts when the lens is
stopped-down.
THE VERDICT
While astrophotography is where the Sigma
14mm f/1.4 excels in terms of both its fea-
ture set and optical performance, it’s actually
a lot more than a one-trick pony. It opens up
new vistas in landscape photography and
certainly does justice to big, impressive inte-
riors such as cathedrals or concert halls, but
delivers eye-catching results in many other
situations and locations too. It’s a big, bulky
lens that creates some additional considera-
tions in terms of handling, but as we noted
earlier, for the times that you don’t need a
tripod, a monopod is a good way to lighten
the load. The combination of 14mm and f/1.4
is an exciting one providing lots of creative
scope for playing with framing and focusing.
There’s also plenty of scope for cropping es-
pecially with the 60 megapixels Sony Alpha
bodies so, in practice, this is a much more
versatile lens that you might expect. And the
results, visually, are certainly well worth the
effort.
VITAL STATISTICS
SIGMA 14mm f/1.4
DG DN ART
$2650
Format: Full frame (35mm format) digital sensors.
Angle-of-View: 114.2 degrees (diagonal).
Construction: 19 elements/15 groups. Eight special
elements – three ‘F’ low-dispersion (FLD) types, one
super-low diffraction (SLD) and four aspherical types.
Minimum Focus: 30 centimetres.
Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1:11.9.
Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16.
Overall Length: 149.9 millimetres.
Maximum Diameter: 101.4 millimetres.
Filter Diameter: N/A.
Weight: FE mount = 1170 grams, L mount = 1160
grams.
Lens Mount(s): Sony FE, L Mount Alliance (Leica,
Panasonic and Sigma).
Features: Weather-sealed external construction using
magnesium alloy barrel tubes, brass lens mount cast-
ing, internal construction incorporates TSC (Thermally
Stable Composite) polycarbonate materials, fluorine
moisture-repellent coating on the front element, HLA
(High-response Linear Actuator) autofocusing motor,
internal focusing, rear filter holder for cut gel-type
sheet filters, detachable tripod-mounting collar with
Arca-Swiss mounting plate, AF lock button, manual
focus lock switch, linear or non-linear focus ring
operations (L mount only), click-stopped/clickless
aperture collar control, aperture collar lock, 11-blade
diaphragm, retainer lip at the front of the lens for
securing an optional lens heater (to prevent condensa-
tion as the temperature drops) so it doesn’t cause
vignetting. Dedicated front lens cap has two storage
compartments for cut filters. Carry case and lens strap
supplied.
Price: $2650.
Distributor: Sigma Photo Australia (C.R. Kennedy &
Company Pty Ltd), visit https://sigmaphoto.com.au
53
 CAMERA ICONS

HASSELBLAD
500C
These are the cameras that, in one
way or another, had a significant
influence on photographers and
photography. Hasselblad’s modular,
box-form 6x6cm SLR revolutionised
medium rollfilm photography and the
500-series subsequently stayed in
production for 56 years.

keen ornithologist and
amateur photographer, Victor
Hasselblad tried many camera
systems in his quest to
find the ideal tool for taking
pictures of birds. He liked the
image quality of 4x5- and 5x7-inch sheet
film, but even ‘portable’ cameras like the
Speed Graphic were still too unwieldy. He
liked the size of Leica’s 35mm rangefinder
cameras, but really wanted reflex
viewfinding… and, ideally, a bigger negative
with more cropping flexibility. The solution?
Victor came up with his own design, based
on the box-form aerial cameras that his
family company had built for the Swedish Air
Force during the second World War.
The prototype was a 6x6cm format
SLR with interchangeable lenses badged
‘Rossex’ and designed by Sixten Sason
who, incidentally, also penned the first Saab
passenger car, the 92. The visual similarity
between the two products is obvious even
though they were obviously very different.
Problems with registering the Rossex
name in a number of countries resulted
in it being dropped in favour of simply
‘Hasselblad’ and the first production camera,
designated the 1600F, was unveiled in New
York on 6 October 1948. It wasn’t quite the
world’s first 6x6cm SLR, but it was the first
with interchangeable film magazines and the
first serious medium format reflex system
camera. It was accompanied by four Kodak
Ektar lenses, but by the time its next model
arrived in 1952, Hasselblad had switched to
Zeiss as its lens supplier.
Problems with obtaining a top speed
of 1/1600 second from the 1600F’s big
focal plane shutter (now you know what
‘1600F’ stood for), meant the second ’Blad’s
shutter ran to 1/1000 second. This was the
1000F and around 10,000 examples were
made, but some problems with shutter
reliability persisted so, in 1953, Hasselblad
started work on a camera which used a
leaf-type shutter in each lens. In addition
to better reliability, the leaf-shutter could
be synchronised with electronic flash (just
introduced) at all speeds up to the fastest
of 1/500 second. Linking the mechanics of
the camera to those of the lens presented
a number of problems and Hasselblad
experimented with external linkages before
perfecting a coupling system built into a
new lens mount.
The 500C was launched in 1957 (the
‘C’ stood for Compur, the shutter made by
Compurwerk of Munich) and it established
Hasselblad’s reputation for reliability and
top-end performance. The 500C also
resigned the comparatively cumbersome
TLR to history and brought a new level
of convenience and flexibility to medium
format photography.
Arguably, the best of the breed was the
500C’s successor, the 500C/M, which also
had interchangeable focusing screens and
could be fitted with a metering prism finder.
Introduced in 1970, the 500C/M remained
in production for nearly 19 years. Examples
built from 1984 onward had a fold-away
crank handle for the film advance instead
of the knob Hasselblad had used since the
beginning.
While they looked brick-like, Hasselblad’s
500-series reflexes actually handled very
comfortably... everything was just where it
should be and they operated very intuitively.
The square format meant the camera never
needed to be held vertically. The modularity
extended to lenses, viewfinders and film
holders so the system was immensely
flexible, and it was widely used in many
areas of professional photography.
In 1961, Hasselblad started work on a
second stream of 500-series cameras which
had a built-in battery-powered motordrive.
The impetus for this was that the military
wanted a high-speed camera for aerial
reconnaissance, but a more likely reason
was that Victor Hasselblad hankered after
a camera for bird photography that could
be remotely triggered. The prototype
500EL (‘EL’ being short for ‘electronic’)
was completed in 1963 and the camera
was launched in 1965 to a fairly sceptical
audience. Users of the fully-mechanical
cameras were suspicious of anything
electronic, but the EL cameras did
eventually start to sell and were adopted by
NASA for its space cameras from 1968 until
now (the space agency has since ordered
a special version of the 203FE). A modified
500EL, called the EDC or Electronic Data
Camera, was used on the historic first
landing on the moon... possibly the most
significant photo opportunity ever.
The next major development was the
addition of TTL off-the-film (OTF) flash
metering which was introduced with the
motorised 500ELX in 1984 and the 503CX
in 1988 which subsequently evolved into
the 503CXi in 1994. This model had LED
indicators in the viewfinder and, in 1997,
was replaced by the 503CW which could
be fitted with an accessory autowinder. The
motorised 500 family tree progressed to
the 553ELX in 1988 which had the brighter
Acute-Matte focusing screen, and then the
555ELD (‘D’ for digital), introduced in 1998.
Notably, it featured connections for fitting
and syncing digital capture backs. By now
though, Hasselblad was working on its all-
new autofocus 6x4.5cm format H System
(launched in 2002), as the mechanical
cameras had reached the end of the road.
Nevertheless, production of the last-of-
the-line 501CM – essentially a revival of
the 500C/M – didn’t end until 2013. What’s
more, they’re all back in demand, especially
the later models, as unique camera
experiences take on a whole new life.

54
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT DISPLAY THE TIPA
LOGO IS YOUR ASSURANCE OF THEIR OUTSTANDING
QUALITY, DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE

Every year since 1991, TIPA awards have been given to the best photo, video
and imaging products and accessories, including smartphones and equipment for
printmaking, image editing and display. The TIPA logo is awarded by a large group
of respected editors of technical magazines and websites from around the world,
including the Camera Journal Press Club of Japan.

Visit our website to learn more about our

organization and TIPA World Awards
www.tipa.com
A CAMERA HANDBOOK &
C.R. KENNEDY & COMPANY PROMOTION

SIGMA AND THE ART OF

MAKING FINE LENSES
Sigma continues to expand its
line-up of high-performance
Art series lenses – both primes
and zooms – to realise the full
image quality potential of high-
resolution sensors with both still
photography and video recording.
Sigma’s DG DN lenses for full frame digital mirrorless cameras are
specifically designed to exploit the optical and mechanical design
advantages of the configuration’s short flange back distance. All
these lenses are currently available in the Sony FE mount and the
L mount (for the Leica SL series, the Panasonic Lumix S series, and
the Sigma fp L mirrorless camera bodies).
The DC DN lenses are for ‘APS-C’ cropped sensor digital mir-
rorless cameras, and available in the Sony E mount, the L mount,
Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Canon RF and Micro Four Thirds.

Sigma DC DN Lenses when shooting video.

Now In Canon RF Mount
Sigma will initially offer six of its DC DN
zooms and primes for the ‘APS-C’ format
Canon mirrorless cameras. The license
agreement means that the Sigma lenses will
fully integrate with the AF systems, Exif data
exchange, in-camera lens corrections and in-
body image stabilisation on the Canon EOS
R10 and the R7, and the first three facilities
on the R100 and R50 (which don’t have IBIS).
The arrival of Sigma’s RF mount models is
good news for the owners of these cameras,
expanding their choice of fully compatible
lenses.
The first Sigma lens in the RF mount is
the 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary
zoom which is equivalent to 29-80mm on
the Canon mirrorless bodies (the focal
length magnification factor is1.6x). This will
be followed by the 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN
Contemporary (equivalent to 16-29mm), cur-
rently the world’s smallest and lightest ultra-
wide-angle zoom lens for ‘APS-C’ format
mirrorless cameras.
Next, Sigma will release four fast prime
lenses in the Canon RF mount – the 16mm
f/1.4 DC DN, the 23mm f/1.4 DC DN, the
30mm f/1.4 DC DN and the 56mm f/1.4
DC DN. These have effective focal lengths
of, respectively; 26mm, 37mm, 46mm and
90mm.
Sigma states, “Control algorithm includ-
ing AF drive and communication speed
optimisation has been developed specifically
for Canon RF mount interchangeable lenses.
In addition to realising high-speed AF, the
lens also supports AF-C (continuous AF), in-
camera aberration correction and in-camera
image stabilisation.”
Faster Fifty
Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art
The ‘fast fifty’ is a classic prime lens beloved
by many photographers and Sigma has gone
faster with its f/1.2 speed Art series model. A
lot of optical and lens design technology has
gone into this lens in order to optimise per-
formance while also keeping it more compact
and lightweight than has been seen in this
class before.
Available in the L mount – which is sup-
ported by Sigma, Panasonic and Leica – and
the Sony FE mount, the 50mm f/1.2 DG DN
Art has an optical construction comprising 17
elements in 12 groups. A total of four aspheri-
cal elements are used while optical glass with
a high refractive index is used throughout.
Consequently, the optical design provides a
high degree of correction for spherical aber-
ration, sagittal coma flare and axial chromatic
aberration. This ensures exceptional unifor-
mity of sharpness and brightness across the
frame and at all apertures, including when
shooting wide open. The arrangement of the
focus group along with the use of aspherical
elements also significantly suppresses focus
‘breathing’. This is a slight variation in the
angle-of-view (i.e. the image size) that can
occur when focusing and can be problematic
when recording video. However, focus breath-
ing is so effectively minimised with this lens
that the f/1.2 rendering can be fully utilised
Flare and ghosting are effectively mini-
mised when shooting in incident light situ-
ations and a high resistance to backlighting
ensure sharp images under any lighting condi-
tions. A 13-blade diaphragm delivers natural
bokeh images that blur smoothly and without
colour bleeding from the focal plane. Double-
line bokeh is also suppressed, allowing users
to take advantage of the soft, smooth bokeh
for creative effect.
Focusing is performed internally so there’s
no change to the lens’s external dimensions and
the AF drive employs a new version of Sigma’s
HLA (High-Response Linear Actuator). Dual HLAs
drive two ‘floating’ focusing groups and they
both employ multiple magnets to still provide
sufficient thrust to quickly move the lens’s large-
diameter focus elements, but are 25 percent
smaller and also give 44 percent reduction in
total weight. The 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art weighs
only 745 grams, making it the lightest model in
its class. Each element is made as thin as pos-
sible, using precision production techniques at
Sigma’s Aizu factory in Japan.
The physical construction has also been
carefully designed to help reduce weight
without compromising rigidity or durabil-
ity. It employs various lightweight materials
along with Sigma’s exceptionally strong ‘TSC’
(Thermally Stable Composite) which is a type
of polycarbonate with thermal expansion char-
acteristic similar to that of aluminium.
The lens’s external controls include a
manual aperture collar which can be set to
either click-stopped or stepless adjustment
(the allowing for smoother exposure adjust-
ments when shooting video) and also has a
locking. The iris lock can be used to either lock
the aperture collar on its ‘A’ (auto) setting or
on the manual setting range (i.e. so you can’t

56

accidentally switch from auto to manual
control or vice versa). The other controls are
an AF/MF switch and an AF lock button with
is also variously customisable depending on
the camera body in use. On L mount bod-
ies it’s also possible to switch the manual
focusing collar’s operation between linear or
non-linear.
The Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art sets a
new standard for the fast 50mm standard lens,
not just in terms of its optical performance, but
also the compactness of its design.
AT A GLANCE
Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art
Optical Construction: 17 elements in 13
groups (including four aspherical elements).
Angle-Of-View: 46.8 degrees.
Minimum Focus: 40 cm.
Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1:6.2.
Key Features: Weather sealing with water
and oil repellent coating on the front ele-
ment, two floating focusing groups, internal
focusing, dual high-speed HLA drives for
AF, manual aperture collar (click-stopped or
seamless adjustment), manual aperture lock,
focus hold button, 13 blade diaphragm.
Dimensions (LxDiameter): 110.8x81.0 mm
(Sony FE mount).
Weight: 740 grams (Sony FE mount).
Mounts: Sony FE and L (for Sigma, Leica and
Panasonic L mount cameras).
Lightweight Long Shot
Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG
DN OS Sports
Longer in focal length than a 400mm, but
much more manageable than a 600mm,
Sigma’s Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports
supertelephoto prime lens offers an unri-
valled combination of magnification power
and handheld usability. Consequently, it’s
very well suited to a wide range of applica-
tions, including wildlife, birds, sports and
action, and aviation photography. Despite the
long focal length, Sigma’s 500mm is just over
236 millimetres in length and weighs 1.36
kilograms. This makes it more comfortable to
carry and use over long periods of time, and
it’s allows for hand-held shooting.
A CAMERA HANDBOOK &
C.R. KENNEDY & COMPANY PROMOTION
The latter is further enhanced by the
incorporation of optical image stabilisation
which uses Sigma’s latest ‘OS2’ stabilisation
algorithm which enables up to 5.0 stops of
correction for camera shake. There are two
stabilisation modes; one for general shoot-
ing, and the second for use when panning. In
Mode 2, Sigma’s ‘Intelligent OS’ – which is an
algorithm specifically designed for panning
shots – ensures effective image stabilisation
regardless of whether the camera is moved
vertically or diagonally, and irrespective of its
orientation (i.e. either horizontal and vertical).
The optical construction comprises 20
elements in 14 groups which includes three
“F” low-dispersion glass (FLD) elements and
two special low-dispersion glass (SLD) types.
These low-dispersion elements minimise
axial chromatic aberrations as well as con-
tributing to enhanced image quality, including
enhanced uniformity of sharpness across
the frame. By using exclusive low-dispersion
convex elements at the front of the lens, the
500mm is able to deliver highly effective cor-
rection for aberrations while maintaining a
comparatively shorter overall length.
In order to achieve such a compact and
lightweight yet robust construction, materials
such as Sigma’s ‘TSC’ high-strength polycar-
bonate and magnesium alloy have been used.
The ‘TSC’ (Thermally Stable Composite) com-
ponents – used both internally and externally –
are manufactured with micron-level precision
at Sigma’s Aizu factory in Japan. The mount
connection, manual focusing collar, switches
and exterior connections are all sealed to
prevent dust and dirt from entering the lens.
Additionally, the exposed surface of the front
element has a water- and oil-repellent coating
which also enables easier cleaning.
Autofocusing is driven by Sigma’s ‘HLA’
(High-response Linear Actuator) which enable
exceptional accuracy and speed as well as
very quiet operation. The minimum focusing
distance is 320 centimetres and the optical
design minimises focus ‘breathing’ so the
image size remains unchanged across the
focusing range. The lens has three focus
hold buttons located around the barrel so
they’re easy to reach no matter how the
camera is orientated, and these can also be
assigned various custom operations. There’s
also a focus limiter switch and a manual
aperture collar which can be set to either
click-stopped or stepless operation. A tripod-
mounting bracket is provided, but the Arca-
Swiss foot can be detached when the lens is
being used hand-held.
Available in both the FE and L mounts,
the 500mm f/5.6 is supplied with a light-
weight, high-strength lens hood which is also
made of ‘TSC’. The outer rim of the hood
is rubberised to protect from abrasion and
scratches that might be caused by placing
the lens front down on different surfaces. The
L mount version of this lens is compatible
with Sigma’s 1.4x (TC-1411) and 2.0x (TC-
2011) teleconverters to give focal lengths of
625mm and 1000mm respectively.
AT A GLANCE
Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports
Optical Construction: 20 elements in 14
groups (including three FLD and two SLD
elements).
Angle-Of-View: 5.0 degrees.
Minimum Focus: 320 cm.
Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1:6.
Key Features: Weather sealing with water
and oil repellent coating on the front element,
OS2 optical stabilisation, two floating focus
groups, internal focusing, high-speed HLA
drive for AF, manual aperture collar (click-
stopped or seamless adjustment), manual
aperture collar lock, three focus hold buttons,
focus limiter switch, 11 blade diaphragm,
tripod mounting bracket with detachable foot
(Arca-Swiss fitting).
Dimensions (LxDiameter): 236.6x107.6 mm
(Sony FE mount).
Weight: 1365 grams (Sony FE mount).
Mounts: Sony FE and L (for Sigma, Leica and
Panasonic L mount cameras).
Performance Enhanced
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG
DN OS Sports
The 70-200mm f/2.8 is the standard telezoom
for a great many photographers, thanks to
the versatility of its focal range combined
with a bright constant maximum aperture
of f/2.8. Sigma’s 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS
Sports further builds on this versatility with
its advanced optical design, built-in optical
image stabilisation and high-performance
autofocusing drive.
The external construction employs a
combination of magnesium alloy and com-
57
A CAMERA HANDBOOK &
C.R. KENNEDY & COMPANY PROMOTION
posite polycarbonate components to opti-
mise both strength and lightness. Sigma’s
‘Thermally Stable Composite’ (TSC) is also
used to reduce the effects of temperature
on the precision of the lens’s mechanical
operations. The barrel is fully sealed against
the intrusion of moisture and dust while the
exposed surface of the front element had a
fluorine coating to help better repel moisture
and grease.
The aperture collar can be switched
between click-stopped and seamless adjust-
ment (when shooting video) plus there’s an
Iris Lock to prevent accidentally switching to
the ‘A’ auto aperture control setting. There
are three focus hold/multi-function but-
tons positioned around the barrel for ease
of access, a focus limiter switch, an AF/
MF switch, a mode selector for the optical
image stabilisation, a Custom Mode selector.
Both zooming and focusing are performed
internally so the length of the 70-200mm
zoom doesn’t change during either opera-
tion. A detachable tripod mounting collar is
provided and has an Arca-Swiss type quick-
fit foot.
The autofocusing drive employs dual
high-speed HLA (High-Response Linear
Actuator) motors for fast and extremely
Zhiyun – Creative
Zhiyun Molus X60 RGB
LEDs have revolutionised photographic and
video lighting, and have enabled products
never thought possible only a few years ago.
The Zhiyun Molus X60 full-colour RGB COB-
type cinematography light is one of them.
It’s exceptionally compact – actually small
58
accurate operation. Notably, the Sigma
70-200mm f/2.8 employs a ‘floating focus’
arrangement in which two focus groups
move in opposite directions, thereby reduc-
ing the amount of their movement by about
half. The minimum focusing distance is 65
centimetres at 70mm and 100 centimetres
at 200mm which gives a maximum repro-
duction ratio of 1:5.2.
The optical image stabilisation provides
7.5 stops of correction for camera shake
at the 70mm focal length and 5.5 stops at
the 200mm setting. There are two modes;
one for general shooting and one for pan-
ning which employs Sigma’s ‘Intelligent OS’
algorithm to maintain effective image sta-
bilisation even when the camera is moved
vertically or diagonally, and with either the
horizontal and vertical orientation.
The optical construction employs 20 ele-
ments in 15 groups with a total of 11 special
types to optimise the image quality. These
comprise six “F” low-dispersion glass (FLD)
elements, two special low-dispersion glass
(SLD) types and three aspherical elements.
The optical design also helps minimise focus
breathing (a change in the angle-of-view
during focusing), creating a more natural-
looking focus shift when shooting video.
enough to easily fit in a jacket pocket – and
weighs just over 300 grams, yet is also ver-
satile while providing a remarkable variety
of creative lighting effects. What’s more, it’s
very affordable.
The X60 has a RGB LED panel with a
100 percent.
charging and lighting.
The X60 employs Zhiyun’s exclusive
‘DynaVort Cooling System’ Mark II which
uses an ultra-thin heat sink and optimises
the airflow to enable cooler running over
The L mount version of the Sigma
70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports is compat-
ible with the Sigma 1.4x and 2.0x L mount
teleconverters (TC1411 and TC 2011). The
lens is also available in the Sony FE mount.
AT A GLANCE
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS
Sports
Optical Construction: 20 elements in 15
groups (including six FLD, two SLD and three
aspherical).
Angle-Of-View: 34.3 – 12.3 degrees.
Minimum Focus: 65 cm at 70mm, 100 cm
at 200mm.
Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1:5.2 at
200mm.
Key Features: Weather sealing, optical sta-
bilisation, two floating focus groups, internal
focusing and zooming, dual high-speed HLA
drives for AF, manual aperture collar (click-
stopped or seamless adjustment), three
focus hold buttons, focus limiter switch, 11
blade diaphragm.
Dimensions (LxDiameter): 207x90.6 mm
(Sony FE mount).
Weight: 1335 grams (Sony FE mount).
Mounts: Sony FE and L (for Sigma, Leica and
Panasonic L mount cameras).
long periods (and also keeps the unit
extremely slim).
There’s a choice of 15 lighting effects
creative lighting effects, including six immer-
sive RGB mood settings .A range of light-
shaping accessories is available, including
Ideal for many on-location video lighting
requirements and for photography applica-
tions such as portraiture or fashion, the
Zhiyun X60 RGB makes creative lighting both
easy and affordable.

Ilford – Quality
And Innovation
In Photo Printing
Since the company’s
founding in 1879, Ilford has
been a name associated
with photography. Today it
continues to be associated
with cutting edge imaging
technologies in digital photo
printing products.
Ilford Galerie Cotton
Fine-Art Papers
Photographers and print-makers can rely
on these 100 percent cotton fine-art inkjet
papers to produce the highest quality digital
prints in either colour or B&W.
Hoya Filters
– Superior
Performance
And Protection
Hoya Fusion One Next Filters
Hoya has been a name synonymous with
high-quality on-lenses filters for over 80
years since the company was establishment
in 1941 as Japan’s first specialty manufac-
turer of optical glass. Hoya continues to
develop new technologies and techniques
A CAMERA HANDBOOK &
C.R. KENNEDY & COMPANY PROMOTION
Ilford
Galerie
Smooth
Cotton
Sprite
A 100 per-
cent cotton
rag fine-art
paper with a
weight of 280
gsm, Smooth
Cotton Sprite has an ultra-smooth surface
with a natural base tint. With no optical
brighteners, a medium weight quality and
excellent image stability, Galerie Smooth
Cotton Sprite ideal for interior décor appli-
cations and art reproduction of fine-art,
pop art and artistic illustrations. It is com-
patible with pigmented ink photo printers.
It is available in cut sheet sizes up to
A2+ size and paper rolls in 17, 24, 36, 44
or 50 inches widths.
to create superior products for both photog-
raphers and video-makers.
The latest Hoya Fusion ONE Next series
continue the company’s policy of refining
and enhancing its filters. They employ
high-quality optical glass with Hoya’s
water-repellent and stain-resistant
‘Super HMC’ multi-coatings which
make filter cleaning easier while
also providing effective protection
for the front of the lens.
The Fusion ONE Next filters
are also designed to match the
optical capabilities of modern,
high-resolution lenses. They
represent a fusion of all the com-
pany’s highly-regarded performance
features; namely multi-layer coatings,
ultra-high light transmission characteristics,
professional-grade optical glass and a low-
profile filter frame.
Available in screwthread sizes from 37
to 82 millimetre diameter, the Fusion ONE
Nest line-up currently comprises Protector,
UV and a circular polariser (CIR-PL). All fea-
ture an 18-layer multi-coating – applied to
both sides of the glass – to minimise reflec-
tions and greatly enhance light transmission
efficiency. They also have water-repellent
and stain-resistant properties to that they’re
both easier to keep clean and easier to
clean when it’s necessary. The Protector
and UV filters feature Hoya’s exclusive
one-piece, low-profile frame made of from
Ilford
Galerie
Textured
Cotton
Sprite
Ilford Galerie
Textured Cotton
Sprite is a 100
percent cotton
rag paper with a
medium weight of
280 gsm. It has a soft textured surface with a
natural base tint which ensures the crisp repro-
duction of fine details and excellent colour con-
sistency with a wide gamut. Galerie Textured
Cotton Sonora contains no optical brighteners
to provide exceptional image stability. Suitable
applications include fine-art and pop art
reproductions. It is compatible with pigmented
ink photo printers. Textured Cotton Sprite is
available in cut sheet sizes up to A2+ size and
paper rolls in 17, 24, 36, 44 or 50 inches widths.
lightweight but robust aluminium and with a
front filter thread.
The circular polariser has a two-piece
aluminium frame, but it’s still low-profile
with a front filter thread. The CIR-PL filter
enhances the colour by filtering out the ver-
tical light waves in the air, so colour such as
the blue of the sky and the greens of foliage
are deeper and better defined. It also mini-
mises – or even completely removes – the
reflections on surfaces, such as glass, water
or plastic.
The glass in the Fusion ONE Next UV
filter is Hoya’s professional-grade optical UV
glass to ensure a sharp UV cut and optimise
image contrast and colour reproduction.
Additionally, its outer ring is black-rimmed to
minimise any reflections inside the frame.
KEY FEATURES
Hoya Fusion One Next Filters
· 18 coated layers on both sides to ensure
ultra-efficient light transmission
· Stain resistant to protect from finger-
prints and smudging
· Water repellent coating so it’s easy to
keep the filter clean
· Ideal for use as permanently attached
lens protection
· Hoya’s professional-grade optical glass
· Low-profile filter frames with front filter
thread
· Made in Japan
59
A CAMERA HANDBOOK &
C.R. KENNEDY & COMPANY PROMOTION

ing is provided by an LED source (which

also serves as the modelling lamp) and the
maximum brightness has been increased to
3250 lumens with a running duration of 65
minutes. The brightness is adjustable, as is
the colour temperature which has a range
of 3000 to 6500 degrees Kelvin to enable
closer matching with the ambient lighting.
The B10X Plus has same continuous lighting
capabilities, but its maximum flash output is
500 joules, again adjustable over a ten-stop
range. Recycle times vary from 0.05 to 2.2
seconds, and the battery pack allows for up
to 200 full-power flashes.

Profoto – Travelling Light Common to both models are TTL auto

exposure control, HSS high-speed sync at
up to 1/8000 second and USB-C connec-
Profoto B10X & B10X Plus tions to allow for in-unit battery charging.
Dimensions are similar to those of the typi-
As the lighting requirements of photographers have cal 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom. The B10X weighs
changed over the last decade or so, Profoto has changed 1.5 kilograms with the battery and the B10X
Plus – which is a little larger – weighs 1.9
with them, evolving into the world’s leading maker of kilograms.
portable lighting solutions… and the most innovative. PROFOTO B10X & B10X PLUS
The Highlights

While professional flash lighting was once
traditionally studio based, the empha-
sis has now switched to more portable,
battery-powered systems that can be used
anywhere at any time. Swedish flash manu-
facturer Profoto has been at the forefront of
this change, creating products that provide
the flexibility and creativity of professional
flash lighting in ever more compact and
capable portable systems, including on-
camera speedlights and even a system for
use with smartphones. Back in 2014, Profoto
revolutionised flash photography when it
launched the world’s first battery-powered
flash monobloc with TTL automatic exposure
control, providing new levels of convenience
and performance.
In the intervening years it has gone on
to refine the concept and the latest gen-
eration of models are the B10X and B10X
Plus which feature new designs with easier
operation, and recognise that many more
photographers now need lighting sources
for both photography and videography. Both
the B10X models are portable and multi-
purpose, providing both flash and continu-
ous lighting. Both are also fully compatible
with Profoto’s OCF – Off Camera Flash –
system light-shaping accessories which fur-
ther enhance the creative possibilities when
shooting on location. Currently, the OCF
range runs to over 120 lighting tools.
The B10X models also compatible the
Profoto AirTTL remote triggers which are
available for Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus
and Sony cameras. Additionally, both mod-
els can be wirelessly controlled from a
smartphone via Profoto’s AirX Bluetooth
connectivity and using the Profoto iPhone
app (which can also be used for firmware
upgrades).
The B10X has a maximum flash output
of up 250 joules with a power adjustment
range of ten stops. Flash recycle times
range from 0.05 to 1.3 seconds. Up to 400
full-power flashes can be delivered from
the lithium-ion battery pack and recharging
takes only 90 minutes. Continuous light-
· Extremely compact and lightweight
design
· B10X Plus has 500 joules flash power –
equivalent to ten on-camera speedlights
· B10X has a 200 joules flash power –
equivalent to five on-camera speedlights
· Ten stop stepless flash power adjust-
ment range
· Flash recycling times of 0.05 to 1.3
seconds for B10X, 0.05 to 2.2 seconds
for the B10X Plus.
· LED continuous light source of up to
3250 lumens brightness
· Adjustable brightness and colour tem-
perature with continuous lighting
· 400 full-power flashes from a battery
charge for B10X (200 for B10X Plus)
· Compatible with 120+ light-shaping tools
from the Profoto system
· Compatible with all Profoto TTLAir
remotes, and the A1 series on-camera
flashes
· Built-in AirX Bluetooth connectivity

Like More Information?
More details about any of the products featured on
these pages are available from;
C.R. Kennedy & Company Pty Ltd, 300 Lorimer Street,
Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207. Telephone (03) 9823 1555
or visit https://crkphotoimaging.com.au
C.R. Kennedy & Company is the Australian distributor for many of the most
respected names in photography and video; including Sigma, Phase One, Pentax,
Ricoh, Ilford, Harman, dji, Profoto, Barber Shop, Cokin, Hähnel, Harman, Hoya,
Lomography, BlackRapid, HPRC, Kenko, Kowa, LensBaby, Lume Cube, SLR Magic,
Elmo, Flir, ONA, Paterson, Red Wing, Tokina, Slik, SanDisk, Shootools, Studio Assets,
Vanguard, Vixen, Western Digital, X-Rite, Zeiss, Zhiyun and ZILR.

60

Ricoh GR III Series –
Less Is So Much More
Latest Models Offer A Highlight Diffusion
Filter For Enhanced Creativity
Ricoh GR III HDF
Ricoh’s GR III series compacts
are loaded with ‘big camera’
features, yet remain
comfortably pocket-sized. The
newest models add an HDF
filter and a Zone Select AF
function for precisely targeted
autofocusing.
The long-running Ricoh GR series of premium
compact cameras dates back to the heyday
of 35mm film and the original R1 model
which was introduced in 1994. Since then,
each successive model has gained a loyal
and dedicated following, thanks to the com-
bination of small size and impressive perfor-
mance. What’s more, this tradition has been
maintained in the digital era.
The GR III HDF packs a lot of features and
capabilities into its smart, slimline magne-
sium alloy body, many of them more com-
monly found on current mirrorless cameras
or DSLRs. It weighs just 257 grams with its
battery. The lens has an ultra-compact opti-
cal design which employs special elements
– high-refractive index glass, low dispersion
glass and high-precision moulded aspherical
glass – to minimise spherical aberrations and
distortion. The focal length is equivalent to
28mm, making it extremely versatile which is
further enhanced by the fast maximum aper-
ture and the availability of sensor-shift image
stabilisation which operates over three axes
and provides up to four stops of correction
for camera shake.
The sensor is an ‘APS-C’ format CMOS
with an effective resolution of 24.24 mega-
pixels and a sensitivity range equivalent to
ISO 100 to 102,400. Resolution is optimised
by omitting a low-pass filter, but the GR III
HDF has the same ‘AA Filter Simulator’ func-
tion as Ricoh’s higher-end Pentax DSLRs,
enabling the precise balancing of sharpness
with correction for moiré patterns.
Ricoh’s current generation ‘GR Engine
6’ processor allows for the capture of
14-bit RAW files (in the Adobe DNG format)
and continuous shooting at up to 9.0 fps.
Conveniently, the GR III HDF has a built-in
memory with a useful 2.0 GB storage capac-
ity (that’s enough for 140 large JPEGs), and
which is supplemented by a memory card
slot for SD format devices.
The GR III HDF offers ten ‘Image Control’
picture modes with, variously, adjustable
parameters for saturation, hue, high/low key
adjustment, contrast, contrast (highlight and
shadow), sharpness, shading, clarity, toning,
filter effect, grain effect and HDR tone level.
The newly-developed ‘Highlight Diffusion
Filter’ (HDF) diffuses highlights to make them
softer, creating more expressive images with
a sense of depth and emotion. Developed
using Ricoh’s advanced inkjet technology,
the filter reduces overall image contrast by
diffusing incoming light. It blurs the whites in
bright areas, creating a blurred effect along
the image’s contrast edges to give a visual
look similar to film photography or vintage
movies. The effect can be switched on or off
as desired. Incidentally, the standard GR III
series models remain available and retain a
neutral density (ND) filter.
There’s both WiFi and Bluetooth LE
connectivity, delivering image transfer and
remote camera control via Ricoh’s ‘Image
Sync’ app. Accessories for the GR III HDF
include a wide-angle conversion lens which
delivers the equivalent of a 21mm focal
length (and an angle-of-view of 90 degrees).
Ricoh’s GR III HDF may be pocket-sized,
but it’s a compact without compromise.
Ricoh GR IIIx HDF
The GR IIIx HDF has a
classic 40mm-equivalent
prime lens, adding to its
appeal as the perfect camera
for street photography.
A key new feature is the
newly-developed ‘Highlight
Diffusion Filter’ (HDF).
The standard prime lens has always been
favoured for street photography as it approx-
imates exactly how the human eyes see the
world. With Ricoh’s GR III series compact
cameras already popular for street photog-
raphy because of their compact size, the GR
IIIx HDF provides a classic 40mm-equivalent
lens in the same pocket-sized package.
The lens’s optical construction comprises
seven elements in five groups and includes
two aspherical elements to minimise both
distortion and chromatic aberrations.
Focusing is via a hybrid phase/contrast
detection system and, in the Macro mode,
the minimum focusing distance is just 12
centimetres. In the ‘Full Press Snap’ mode
the focus is automatically sets to a pre-
selected point by either tapping the LCD
monitor screen or by fully depressing the
shutter release button. Face and eye detec-
tion is available when using the Auto-Area
AF mode and is able to distinguish between
different subjects. A built-in neutral density
(ND) filter provides an extra two stops of
exposure control when shooting in very
bright conditions. The aperture range is f/2.8
to f/16, and the diaphragm employs nine
blades to give smoothly rounded out-of-
focus effects.
The GR IIIx HDF employs the same ‘APS-C’
format CMOS sensor as the other models
and has all the same features and capabili-
ties including the new HDF built-in effect
diffuses highlights and reduces contrast to
create more expressive images with a sense
of depth and emotion. The standard GR IIIx
model retails a built-in neutral density filter.
61
 ON TRIAL
OM SYSTEM
OM-1 MARK II
THE GRADUATE
It looks the same on the outside – apart
from the nameplate – but there’s been a lot
of tweaking under the bonnet to make the
OM-1 Mark II a more accomplished camera
than its predecessor.
I
t was critical for OM Digital
Solutions that the original
OM System OM-1 was a
success. It certainly helped
that it was still badged
Olympus and wearing the famous model
number that got it all started back in 1972,
but OMDS nevertheless put a lot into it at
a time when resources were likely limited.
62
Consequently, much of the ‘old’ camera
has been carried over into the new to make
use of existing tooling and production
processes plus the OM-1 Mark II shares the
same stacked 20.4 megapixels sensor and
‘TruePic X’ processor. However, there are
numerous upgrades to both firmware and
software to extend the Mark II’s capabilities
and performance in a number of key areas,
PAUL BURROWS
S Handgrip is substantial for a
comparatively compact camera body.
Weather sealing is to IP53 standard.
including the autofocusing and in-body
image stabilisation. Additionally, a bigger
buffer memory extends the bursts rates.
Externally, very little has changed
beyond the name on the front which is
now OM System, but the market has
certainly now had long enough to be
familiar with the transition from Olympus.
With the new camera, OMDS is taking
the opportunity to further emphasise the
benefits of the Micro Four Thirds sensor
size, and the corresponding reductions in
the size and weight of both cameras and
lenses. This is obviously advantageous
for any field of outdoor photography, but
OMDS is concentrating on nature and
wildlife as a core application. It’s worth
noting here that predecessor Olympus was
first with AI-based machine learning for
subject recognition to drive AF targeting
and tracking, introduced in 2019 with the
E-M1X. The racing car mode has proved a
big asset for motorsport photography – and
 OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II
now widely copied by everybody – and so
the OM System flagship is undoubtedly THE STACKED SENSOR one, two or three stops) and the choice of
hard, medium or soft transitions. You can
well-suited to sports photography more
generally… especially with its extended DESIGN DELIVERS set the graduated section’s position via the
monitor’s touch screen or, when using the
burst lengths and improvements to the
AF tracking beyond the list of specifically- A NUMBER OF viewfinder, by using the navigational controls
to shift up or down. These also allow you to
recognised subjects. Incidentally, this now
includes a mode for humans, included in PERFORMANCE BENEFITS; shift the pivot point for the angle adjustment
which is subsequently performed via the
the Subject Detection menu rather than
separately and, additionally, the recognition MOST NOTABLY A FASTER front and rear input wheels (either coarsely
or finely respectively).
extends beyond eyes and faces to heads
and bodies so it can stay locked on in many READ-OUT SPEED, AN Conventional graduated ND filters are
essential equipment for any self-respecting
more situations (such as when the subject
turns away from the camera or the face is IMPROVED DYNAMIC landscape photographer, but the good
ones – i.e. made from optical quality glass
partially obscured). The original camera’s
superfast shooting speeds are retained – up RANGE AND LOWER – are expensive, fragile and easily marked
if not handled very carefully. Additionally,
to 50 fps with full AF and AE adjustment
or up to 120 fps with these measurements NOISE LEVELS.” the filter holders are cumbersome and
very problematic in poor weather… which
locked to the first frame – but with the burst is often when a grad ND is most needed.
lengths now potentially doubled (up to 256 ‘Live ND’ was introduced with the E-M1X Consequently, being able to simply switch
RAW files according to the specs) which and carried into the E-M1 III and the OM-1, the facility on and off in-camera as and when
makes these high speeds more practically but now there’s an additional ND128 setting needed is a very appealing one. It ‘fits’ all
useful… especially with fast-moving action. which represents a seven-stop reduction lenses too, so you don’t have to worry about
The ‘ProCapture’ pre-release frame buffering in exposure. Unlike with a conventional changing adaptor rings for each different
is expanded to 99 frames (up from 70). neutral density filter, ‘Live ND’ allows you filter fitting. Of course, adding a grad ND
As before, AF adjustment at 50 fps needs to effectively increase the exposure time filter effect can be done post-camera, but it’s
the lens to be able to keep up and this without needing to slower shutter speeds certainly more convenient – and a time-saver
is still limited to six supporting M.Zuiko and a tripod… and there’s no need to use – to have it available in-camera.
Digital models, although this does include small apertures either. It works by capturing The list of ‘Computational Modes’ banner
key telephoto models such as the ED 150- a progressively greater number of short also includes focus stacking – again with the
400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO and the ED exposures – depending on the ‘Live ND’ images processed in-camera – a selection of
300mm f/4.0 IS PRO… so wildlife shooters setting – which has the effect of creating HDR modes, and a double exposure facility.
are certainly kept happy. the motion blur normally produced a single The focus stacking can be set for up to 15
long exposure. Because image stabilisation frames with the focus adjustment step
READY STEADY is again operating continuously (and each of ranging from one to ten. There are two auto
OMDS also promotes that even its longest the multiple exposures is short), you can still HDR modes – which capture four frames to
lenses can still be handheld and so, to shoot handheld… even when the ‘effective’ give either “high contrast” or “super-high
back up this point, the OM-1 Mark II’s exposure time equates to one second. contrast” effects – or it can be set manually
in-body image stabilisation gets a boost, The OM-1 Mark II takes the concept to make +/-2.0 EV adjustments over three,
delivering up to 8.5 stops of correction for further with a ‘Live Grad ND’ function which five or seven frames; or +/-3.0 EV variations
camera – up from seven previously. The has the potential to be even more useful over either three or five frames. This delivers
IBIS is again based on a super-responsive for landscape photographers. There’s the either a composited JPEG or a set of RAW
gyroscopic sensor – as introduced on choice of ND 2, 4 or 8 density settings (i.e. files for post-camera processing.
the E-M1X – and operates over five axes.
Probably because so few M.Zuiko Digital
lenses have optical image stabilisation,
there’s now no increase in the correction
range with ‘Sync IS’ – which combines OIS
and IBIS – but the former further assists
with the compensations for yaw and pitch.
In other words, the full range of correction is
available regardless of what lens is fitted.
Pixel-shifting drives the camera’s multi-
shot ‘High-Res Shot’ mode which delivers
quadruple the resolution – now with 14-bit
RAW capture as well as JPEGs – when
the camera is mounted on a tripod, and 50
megapixels when shooting hand-held. Eight
shifted frames are captured and combined
in-camera with the resulting image also
exhibiting a two-stop reduction in noise.
As before, the Mark II camera actually
has a bunch of multi-shot in-camera
compositing modes which are bundled
together under the title of ‘Computational
Modes’ and have their own menu page.

63
OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II
XTop panel control layout is based around a
chunky main mode dial and front/rear input
wheels.

In the same menu – but listed under the

‘Other Shooting Functions’ tab – is the ‘Live
Composite’ function that has been on every
Olympus OM-D and OM System camera
and is designed for low-light photography. It
combines a reference background exposure
with subsequent multiple exposures that
only add any bright light sources (such as
stars) thereby avoiding any overexposure. It
can run for up to six hours, and the ‘Live’ bit
means it can be monitored in real-time in the
monitor or the EVF; likewise also the other
Live Bulb/Time shooting modes. As on the
original OM-1, image stabilisation is available
with ‘Live Composite’ shooting so you can
also use it hand-held… although obviously
not for six-hour exposures.

POWER TO THE PIXELS

As noted earlier, the sensor is unchanged
from the first OM-1 so it’s a stacked BSI-
CMOS with an effective pixel count of 20.4
million and a sensitivity range equivalent
to ISO 200-25,600 with extensions either
side; down to ISO 80 and up to 102,400…
which is pretty much on a par with a current
‘APS-C’ sensor camera. The stacked design
delivers a number of performance benefits;
most notably a faster read-out speed, an
improved dynamic range and lower noise
levels.
The maximum image size is 5184x3888
pixels for both JPEGs and RAW files with
a choice of four smaller sizes and three
compression levels for the former. There
also choice of five aspect ratios – 4:3, 3:2,
16:9, 1:1 and 3:4 – while RAW capture is

S Main mode dial is lockable and allows S Dial-style secondary control incorporates S Both a joystick controller and a four-way
for up to four custom camera set-ups to the on/off switch and function keys for the controller are provided for navigational
accessed directly. drive, flash and self-timer settings (top); functions.
plus AF and metering modes (bottom).

S Dual memory card slots are for SD S EVF has 5.76 megadots resolution S Mark II badging is discreet.
devices, both with UHS-II speed support. complimented by high-quality optics.

64

with 12-bit colour and lossless compression.
There’s no 10-bit HEIF capture option and
the 14-bit RAW files are only available when
using the multi-shot High-Res function and
not with general shooting. Dual slots for SD
memory cards – both with UHS-II speed
support – are retained.
The sensor also incorporates OMDS’s
‘Cross Quad Pixel AF’ technology so, under
each pixel point, are four photodiodes rather
than one and these collectively – by making
comparisons between each’s read-out –
can determine depth and hence distance.
This enables phase-difference detection AF
measurements to be made across the entire
frame.
The four-photodiode groupings at each
pixel point serve as X-shaped detectors so
they can measure in both the horizontal
and vertical planes. There are 1053
selectable points with a bunch of area
modes, either preset or customisable. The
former comprise, in diminishing size; All,
Large, Medium, Cross, Small and Single.
Additionally, you can create up to four
custom AF area settings which can be either
square or rectangular and any size, plus the
number of active points can adjusted to vary
the selectivity. You can then select which
area modes you want to be available on-
With the core elements of the previous
model carried over to the Mark II upgrade
of the OM-1, it’s not surprising that
not much changes in terms of its video
capabilities. However, the enhancements
to the AF system are also available here,
making the implementation of the subject-
based recognition and tracking much
easier, by-passing old route via the ‘C-AF
+ TR’ mode (which has gone completely).
The improved AF control algorithms also
deliver enhancements to speed and
reliability. Additionally, the Mark II now has
Webcam support built-in, and the ability to
shoot video in the vertical orientation for
mobile device applications.
Both 4K DCI and 4K UHD can be
recorded internally at 50 or 60 fps, and Full
HD shooting is available up to 200/240 fps
for slow-motion clips. There’s the option
of 10-bit 4:2:0 colour with the H.265
HEVC compression codec which delivers
bit rates of up to 152 Mbps. With the
OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II
THE HANDGRIP IS FAIRLY
SUBSTANTIAL FOR AN
OTHERWISE COMPARATIVELY
COMPACT CAMERA
BODY AND FEELS VERY
COMFORTABLE TO HOLD.”
demand when you’re shooting… all of them
(including your custom settings) or just one
or two for quicker switching between them.
As noted previously, the subject
recognition modes now include humans
along with motorsport (both cars and
motorcycles), aircraft, trains, animals and
birds. There’s no automatic subject detection
as yet though.
Low-light AF sensitivity extends down
to EV -5.5 at ISO 100 and f/2.8 and down
to EV -8.0 with the 17mm, 25mm or 45mm
f/1.2-speed PRO series primes. There’s also
the ‘Starry Sky AF’ mode which was first
introduced with the E-M1 III and uses a
dedicated control algorithm to accurately
autofocus on extremely small points of
standard MPEG-4 AVC H.264 codec and
8-bit 4:2:0 colour, the bit rates extend up
to 202 Mbps. The LongGOP interframe
compression regime is applied to 4K
recording, but there’s the option of ALL-I
intraframe compression with FHD at 24,
25 or 30 fps which boosts the maximum
bit rate up to 202 Mbps. The OM-Log400
and Flat profiles are now joined by HLG
(HDR) for 10-bit colour and an enhanced
dynamic range (using H.265). Usefully,
‘View Assist’ is available for the OM-Log
and Flat profiles so you can get an idea
what the final footage will look like. There’s
no limit on clip durations.
The external recording options are
topped by a 12-bit 4:4:4 colour ProRes
RAW output in 4K DCI or 4K UHD up to 60
fps which is supported by the Atmos Ninja
V and V+ devices (via a firmware upgrade).
The OM-1 sticks with a micro HDMI Type D
connector unlike the GH5 II and GH6 which
both use the full-size Type A.
There’s the option of recording high-
quality sound with 24-bit quantisation and
sampling at 96 kHz. There’s both a stereo
audio input (with switchable plug-in power)
and a stereo audio output for connecting
headphones. Both are the standard 3.5
mm stereo minijack connections. Sound
levels are adjustable manually and there’s
a built-in attenuator for shooting in very
light. Here there’s also the choice of Speed
Priority or Accuracy Priority, and the mode
is activated by pressing the ‘AF On’ button.
Once focus is achieved (which can take a
few seconds with Accuracy Priority), it will
stay locked on until you either switch off the
function or the camera.
The manual focusing assists area
comprises a magnified image (up to 14x)
and/or a focus peaking display which can
be set to red, yellow, black or white; and at
low, normal or high intensity. There’s also a
‘Focus Indicator’ display which shows the
direction – and the amount – of rotation of
the focusing collar required to achieve sharp
focus.
LIGHT AND COLOUR
The Mark II’s exposure control system is
also unchanged from the previous model
and is based on the 324-zone ‘Digital ESP’
metering that’s used in all the current OM-D
and OM System models. The alternatives to
the multi-zone metering are centre-weighted
average and spot measurements, the latter
with the added choice of a bias for either
the highlights or the shadows. Incidentally,
Olympus first introduced this feature on the
35mm OM-4 way back in 1983.
The standard ‘PASM’ exposure control
noisy locations. A wind-cut filter can be set
to Low, Standard or High. It’s also possible
to adjust the audio levels sent to the
headphones. Additional electronic image
stabilisation is available when shooting
video and enables remarkably smooth
hand-held shooting, but it results in a small
crop of 1.18x because the image is shifted
on the sensor.
The rest of the video functionality
includes a handy white balance lock
(which can be switched on and off during
recording), time-coding, two zebra
patterns with adjustable thresholds, flicker
reduction, the ‘PASM’ exposure modes,
the ‘Picture Mode’ profiles, most of the ‘Art
Filter’ effects, lens vignetting correction,
the grid guides, the real-time histogram
display and the focus peaking display.
Touch screen controls are available for AF
point selection, pull focusing, exposure
adjustments (apertures, shutter speeds
and compensation), audio recording levels,
headphone levels and power zooming.
As with the previous model some
of the higher-end video capabilities are
missing and, in this regard, it’s hard not
to see the dedicated video shooter opting
for Panasonic’s Lumix GH6, but the OM-1
Mark II is still hugely capable and will likely
have more than enough for photographers
who also want to shoot video.
65
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 ON TRIAL OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II

S Menu design underwent a major S New addition to the ‘Computational Mode’ is a built-in gradual neutral density filter
makeover with the first OM-1 and the function. You can vary the density, the type of transition and the positioning.
benefits to overall efficiency continue with
the Mark II camera.

modes are supplemented by an AE lock,

up to +/-5.0 EV of compensation and auto
bracketing which can be applied over
sequences of two, three or five frames
with adjustments of up to +/-1.0 EV, or over
seven frames with a variation of up to +/-
0.7 EV. There is also bracketing for flash,
sensitivity, white balance, the ‘Art Filters’
effects and focus. The focus bracketing can S Replay/review pages include info options and a full set of histograms.
be programmed for sequences of up to 999
shots with a choice of ten focus adjustment
steps from narrow to wide. However, unlike
with the focus stacking functions, these
frames have to be combined post-camera.
The camera’s focal plane shutter has a
speed range of 60-1/8000 second with flash
sync up 1/250 second. As before, it’s rated
at up to 400,000 cycles. The sensor shutter
has a speed range of 60-1/32,000 second
with the faster sensor read-out allowing for
flash sync up to 1/100 second (at up to ISO S Live view screen elements include guide grids, a dual-axis level indicator and a real-time
12,800, 1/50 second from ISO 16,000 and histogram. The histogram’s internal section – displayed in green – shows the brightness
higher). The hybrid ‘electronic first curtain values at the selected focusing point (or cluster of points).
shutter’ has a top speed of 1/320 second. A
PC flash terminal is retained.
The white balance control options All have fine-tuning. Manual colour choice of eight ‘Picture Mode’ profiles and
comprise two auto modes (the second temperatures can be selected over a range 16 ‘Art Filter’ special effects which, if you
being the ‘Keep Warm Colour’ variation), of 2000 to 14,000 degrees Kelvin. count all the possible variations for latter,
seven lighting type presets (including one The in-camera processing options for expands the list of settings to 31. To this you
for shooting underwater) and provisions for JPEGs are also carried over lock, stock and can also add the camera’s ‘Colour Creator’
storing up to four custom measurements. barrel from the previous model. There’s a function, and then you can have everything

S Live graduated neutral density filter can not only be used to deal with contrast in landscape photography, but allows for exposure
adjustments to enhance selected elements such as the ground mist and trees in the foreground on this image (right). The settings were GND 8
with a soft transition.

67
OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II ON TRIAL

included in an ‘Art Filter’ bracketing

sequence so, should you so desire it, you
can have a total of 40 different versions of
an image. The ‘Colour Creator’ function, by
the way, is a quick method of adjusting hue
and/or saturation.
The anti-flicker detection and correction
ISO 80 ISO 100 capability includes a ‘Flicker Scan’ function
for shooting under high-frequency LED
lighting (now increasingly common in indoor
sports venues). After determining the
switching frequency of the lighting source,
the camera adjusts the shutter speed
slightly to avoid banding in the image taken
during the ‘off’ phase. The various other
corrective measures comprise ‘Shading
Compensation’ to reduce vignetting, noise
reduction for both high ISO settings and long
exposures, ‘Keystone Compensation’ which
ISO 200 ISO 400 provides in-camera perspective control (in
both the vertical and horizontal planes) and
‘Fisheye Compensation’ which offers three
settings for correcting the extreme distortion
when shooting with the M.Zuiko Digital ED
8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO lens. At the other
end of the focal length scale, when making
long exposures and/or using telephoto
lenses, there’s an ‘Anti Shock’ mode which
switches the camera to the ‘electronic first
curtain shutter’ operation and allows for a
ISO 800 ISO 1600 delay time to be set (between 1/8 second
and 30 seconds) to allow any physical
vibrations to die away before the exposure
commences.

IN THE HAND
As also noted earlier, virtually nothing has
changed externally between the Mark II
model and its predecessor beyond the
nameplate. The control layouts are identical
except that the new model’s front and
rear control wheels (a.k.a. the ‘command
ISO 3200 ISO 6400
dials) are now rubber-coated to improve
the grip… most notably when wearing
gloves, so another concession to outdoor
photographers.
The handgrip is fairly substantial for an
otherwise comparatively compact camera
body and feels very comfortable to hold.
The basic control layout comprise a large –
and lockable – main mode dial along with
the aforementioned control wheels, and a
dual-key selector pad – which looks a bit
ISO 12800 ISO 25600
WThe Mark II camera has the same
performance characteristics across its
sensitivity range as the previous model so
the full native ISO range is usable, with only
a minimal loss of sharpness and saturation
at the highest settings. Even the one-stop
push to ISO 25,600 holds up well in terms
of image quality. These test images are
JPEG/large/super fine files taken in the
aperture-priority auto exposure mode with
the aperture set to f/11 so the exposure
time varies to compensate for the ISO
adjustments. Noise reduction is switched
ISO 51200 ISO 102400 off. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12-40mm f/2.8
PRO.

68
 ON TRIAL OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II

like a small dial – on the other side of the

EVF housing. This provides direct access
to the drive modes, self-timer settings,
flash modes, AF modes and metering
patterns. Located atop the handgrip are
dedicated buttons for setting the exposure
compensation (at the front) and ISO (at the
rear) while, when in the photo mode, the
video start/stop button defaults to engaging
the ‘High-Res Shot’ capture function.
Having the exposure comp and ISO buttons
immediately to hand is big plus when you
need to change settings on-the-fly.
The rear control panel layout key controls
are a joystick-type ‘Multi-Selector’ and a
four-way ‘Arrow Pad’ which, along with the
input wheels, perform various navigational
duties in various combinations.
There’s a customisable ‘Fn lever’ which
has two setting positions for switching
the exposure setting operations of the
front and rear input wheels, but there are
other options as well which vary according
to whether the camera is in the photo or S Spot the difference. Apart from the name on the front, the Mark II update of the OM-1 is
video mode. A total of 11 other external unchanged in styling, size and construction from the first model.
controls are customisable, including the four
quadrants of the ‘Arrow Pad’ and most of
the function buttons, each assignable from a a touchpad facility (which Olympus calls The bodyshell is a one-piece magnesium
very long list of functions. The customisable the “AF Targeting Pad”) for focus point/ alloy casting with weather protection to
‘My Menu’ can be assigned up to 35 items. zone selection when using the EVF. Touch the IP53 standard and insulated to allow
The much-improved menu system controls are also available in review/replay operation in subzero temperatures down to
that was introduced with the OM-1 is, for functions such as browsing and zooming. -10 degrees Celsius. OMDS is subsequently
not surprisingly, also carried over with its The Mark II’s monitor screen and EVF are upgrading some existing Olympus-badged
clear graphics and logical layout which unchanged from the previous model so the lenses to the IP53 standard (such as the
make for much easier and more efficient former is an OLED panel with a resolution Mark II version of the 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO
navigation. There isn’t any touch control of 5.76 megadots, 0.83x magnification standard zoom) while newer OM System
implementation for the main menu, but if (35mm equivalent) and 120 fps refresh rate. models (such as the 40-150mm f/4.0
you want to get somewhere even faster, However, there’s now the option of black- telezoom) also have the higher level of
there is the ‘Super Control Panel’. This can out free viewing at the slower continuous weather sealing.
be either a standalone display in the monitor shooting speeds and not just at the fastest The OM-1 Mark II is powered by the
or superimposed over the live view image 50 fps rate… the Mark II additionally has same 2280 mAh BLX-1 battery pack as
(monitor or EVF), and covers everything settings at 12.5, 16.7 and 25 fps. previously – which is still good for around
you’re likely to need to access when As before, the EVF also employs high- 520 shots per charge – and allows for both
shooting. quality optics to compliment the resolution in-camera charging and powering over
The other touch screen operations – so it’s exceptionally sharp and very USB-C. It retains compatibility with the
include focusing point/zone selection – with comfortable for a M43 format camera – HLD-10 battery/vertical that was released
or without automatic shutter release – and and the eyepiece lens has an anti-fogging with the previous model and which adds
coating. The display is adjustable for both a second battery to the camera (it’s also
brightness and colour balance, and there’s a weather sealed to the IP53 standard).
choice of three displays styles – two which In addition to USB Type C, the OM-1
essential replicate the read-outs of a film- Mark II’s interfaces comprise micro HDMI
era viewfinder (one looking very like the (Type D), a 2.5 mm connector for wired

IN TERMS OF IMAGE OM-4 with its white-on-blue display) and

one which duplicates the monitor’s layout.
remote controllers, a stereo audio input
(with switchable plug-in power) and a stereo

QUALITY, OMDS HAS Additionally, there’s a ‘Simulated OVF’

mode which extends the dynamic range to
audio output for connecting headphones.
As noted earlier, it also retains a PC flash

DONE A BIT MORE TO replicate the look of an optical finder (and

so doesn’t adjust to represent any image-
terminal to supplement the hotshoe. The
wireless connections are WiFi at 2.4 GHz

COUNTER THE INEVITABLE related settings), while a ‘Night Vision’ mode

brightens the live view image so that you
and Bluetooth LE with the OM Image Share
smartphone app also allowing for remote

JIBES AT BOTH THE can still see what’s going on even in close to
total darkness.
camera control.

SENSOR SIZE AND THE The monitor screen is a 7.62 cm TFT LCD
panel with a resolution of 1.62 megadots,
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
Loaded with a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB

RESOLUTION.” fully articulated and again adjustable for

brightness and colour balance.
SDXC UHS-II memory card and using the
standard silent sequential shooting mode

69
OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II
(i.e. using the sensor shutter), the OM-1
Mark II captured a burst 204 JPEG/large/fine
frames in 9.814 seconds which represents a
speed of 20.78 fps. The average file size was
9.2 MB. Shooting at the Super Fine quality
level with the focal plane shutter, the camera
captured 141 frames in 13.922 second,
giving a shooting speed of 10.13 fps. The
SF file size averaged 12.6 MB. Switching to
the 50 fps ‘SH2’ high-speed mode (and back
to the JPEF Fine quality setting), a burst of
302 frames was captured in 6.121 seconds
which equates to 49.99 fps… as close to 50
fps as makes no difference. That’s around
28 GB of data flying around, by the way. The
main thing to note here is the much longer
burst length… when we did this timing test
with the previous model, we managed just
92 frames. As we noted at the start of this
review, the longer burst lengths will prove
useful in a number of applications, but
OVERALL, THE OM-1
MARK II IS A VERY
COMPELLING PACKAGE,
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT
OMDS HAS ADDRESSED
THE KEY GRIPES WITH
THE FIRST MODEL.”
70
ON TRIAL
particularly fast-moving sports and action.
And if you don’t need 50 fps – which may
often be the case – then the burst lengths
become even longer.
Not surprisingly, the Mark II camera
shares many of the performance
characteristics of its predecessor, but there
are improvements, particularly with the
autofocusing. The addition of humans to
the subject recognition and tracking greatly
improves the overall reliability, especially
with smaller targets or if your subject turns
away briefly or looks down. You still have
to preselect the subject, but this is made
easy by now having the settings available in
the ‘Super Control Panel’ so they’re just a
quick tap away. Tracking in the non-subject-
specific C-AF mode (the ‘+Tracking’ bit has
been removed) is also much more ‘sticky’
when the subject is moving erratically or
continually changing speed. In terms of its
overall AF performance then, the Mark II is a
step up from the first OM-1.
In terms of image quality, OMDS has
done a bit more to counter the inevitable
jibes at both the sensor size and the
resolution of ‘only’ 20 megapixels. As
we noted with the previous model, it’s
extremely unlikely that you’ll look at the
best-quality JPEGs – straight out of the
camera –and complain about the definition,
detailing, tonality or dynamic range. The
sensor’s design optimises the signal-to-
noise ratio, but there have been further
improvements to the noise reduction
algorithms to squeeze a few more drop of
goodness out of the higher ISO settings. As
before, the full native ISO range of 200 to
25,600 is useable with the colour saturation
and the definition holding up at the highest
settings.
Even the one-stop push to ISO 51,200
looks clean and sharp, allowing for
significant enlargement before any softening
of the finer details was noticeable. The wide
dynamic range also enhances the flexibility
of the RAW files, giving plenty of scope
for post-camera exposure adjustments
for the highlights and shadows without
compromising the image quality. However,
it has to be noted that most sports, action
and adventure photographers shoot JPEGs
for speed and convenience, often using files
straight out of the camera which is where
the OM-1 Mark II really excels. The camera
also delivers smoother tonal gradations and
very pleasing colour reproduction with the
Natural ‘Picture Mode’, but there’s plenty of
scope for tweaking the colour and contrast
to taste.
For landscape photography – and maybe
even wildlife if the subject stays still long
enough – the improved ‘High Res Shot’
function is an option for bigger image files
with even finer detailing, smoother tonality
and, as noted earlier, with reduced noise
as a by-product. The extra information in
the 14-bit RAW files certainly defies any
conceptions about the sensor… seeing
is definitely believing. Incidentally, we
processed these ORF RAW files using the
latest version of the Luminar Neo photo
editing software.
The Mark II model also has extended
hand-held shooting capabilities to further
build on the portability message. Addition,
the more efficient IBIS means lower ISOs
can be maintained in a wider variety of
lighting conditions to optimise the definition
and dynamic range.
THE VERDICT
OMDS is specifically promoting the OM-1
Mark II to wildlife and nature photographers,
but obviously it is suited to any application
and especially those where more compact
equipment and the 2x boost to telephoto
focal lengths is particularly beneficial… so
sports and action photography are obviously
high on this list. In other words, if you aren’t
a wildlife shooter, don’t be put off… this
could still be your camera because of its
very tempting combination of portability,
handling, speed, performance and quite a
number of extremely useful features such as
the in-camera graduated filters. And there’s
clearly scope for more options to come
here.
Overall, the OM-1 Mark II is a very
compelling package, especially now that
OMDS has addressed the key gripes
with the first model such as the size of
the buffer memory and the integration of
human eye/face detection into the AI-based
subject recognition. Additionally, there are
many more small tunings and tweakings
which enhance the overall efficiencies and
enjoyment of shooting with this camera.

Having had longer experience with the
original OM-1 and a decent time with the
Mark II update, it’s not hard to conclude that
with both cameras OMDS has certainly not
VITAL STATISTICS
Type: Enthusiast-level and semi-professional interchange-
able lens digital mirrorless camera with Micro Four Thirds
System bayonet lens mount.
Focusing: Automatic ‘Cross Quad Pixel AF’ hybrid system
using contrast-detection and phase-difference detection
measurements via the imaging sensor with 1053 X-type
focusing points for each. Sampling at 120 fps with 100
percent scene coverage vertically and horizontally. Focus
points may be selected manually or automatically by the
camera. Area modes are Single, Small (3x), Medium (9x7),
Large (15x11), Cross (9 points horizontally, 7 vertically),
or Custom shape/size (up to four). ‘Intelligent Subject
Detection AF’ tracking modes for humans, animals, birds,
motorsport (cars and motorcycles), aircraft (including
helicopters) and trains. Eye/face/head/body detection for
humans and animals. Up to eight targets can be tracked
simultaneously. ‘Starry Sky’ AF mode. Manual switching
between one-shot and continuous AF modes. Face/eye
detection and auto tracking with adjustable sensitivity (five
steps). Continuous manual override available with single-
shot mode. In-camera AF limiter (three settings). Low light
sensitivity down to -8.0 EV at f/1.2 and ISO 100 (EV 5.5 at
f/2.8). Low light/contrast assist via built-in illuminators.
Focus assist via magnified image (3x/5x/7x/10x/14x) and
focus peaking display (Red, Yellow, White or Black; High,
Normal or Low intensity).
Metering: 324-point ‘Digital ESP’ (i.e. multi-zone), centre-
weighted average, spot (2.0%) with highlight/shadow bias,
and TTL flash. Spot metering can be linked to AF target.
Metering range is EV -2.0 to 20 (f/2.8 and ISO 100).
Exposure Modes: Continuously-variable program with
shift, shutter-priority auto, aperture-priority auto, metered
manual, TTL auto flash and TTL flash.
Shutter: Electronic, vertical travel, metal blades, 60-1/8000
second plus B (up to 30 minutes). Flash sync up to 1/250
second. Sensor shutter has a speed range of 60-1/32,000
second with flash sync up to 1/50 second. Electronic first
curtain shutter has a speed range of 60-1/320 second.
Sensor/EFCS shutter delay timer (1/8, ¼, ½, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15
or 30 seconds). Exposure compensation up to +/-5.0 EV in
1/3, ½ or full stop increments.
Viewfinder: OLED EVF with 5.76 megadots resolution,
100 percent coverage and 0.83x magnification (35mm
equivalent). 120 fps refresh rate. Adjustable for brightness
and colour balance plus ‘Simulated OVF’ and ‘Night View’
modes. Anti-fogging coating on the eyepiece. 7.62 cm LCD
TFT monitor panel with 1.62 megadots resolution, tilt/
swing adjustments and touch screen controls. Adjustable
for brightness and colour balance. Auto/manual switching
between EVF and monitor screen.
Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units connect via
hotshoe or PC terminal.
Additional Features: Magnesium alloy bodyshell sealed
against dust and moisture (up to IP53 standard) and with
insulation for operation down to -10 degrees Celsius, AE/
AF lock, auto exposure bracketing (over three, five or seven
frames), depth-of-field preview, programmable self-timer
(2 and 12 second delays, 1 to 10 frames, variable interval
times), audible signals, auto power-off timer, hard-wired
remote triggering.
DIGITAL SECTION
Sensor: 20.4 million (effective) pixels stacked BSI-type
‘Live MOS’ (CMOS) with 17.4x13.0 mm imaging area and
4:3 aspect ratio. ‘Cross Quad Pixel AF’ employs 80 million
diodes (i.e. four at each pixel). No optical low-pass filter.
Sensitivity equivalent to ISO 200-25,600 (extendable to
ISO 80 and 102,400). ‘TruePic X’ processor.
Focal Length Magnification: 1.97x.
Formats/Resolution: Three JPEG compression settings,
RAW output (12-bit lossless compression) and RAW+JPEG
capture. Five resolution settings at 4:3 aspect ratio;
5184x3888, 3200x2400, 1920x1440, 1280x960 and
ON TRIAL OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II
only blunted the arguments for a bigger-size
sensor, but strengthened those for M43.
Consequently, the OM-1 Mark II is very
much in the spirit of the original 35mm OM
OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II $3779
1024x768 pixels.
Five resolution settings at 3:2 aspect ratio; 5184x3456,
3216x2144, 1920x1280, 1296x864 and 1008x672 pixels.
Five resolution settings (four available at any one time)
at 16:9 aspect ratio; 5184x2920, 3200x1800, 2560x1440,
1920x1080, 1536x864, 1280x720 and 1024x576 pixels.
Five resolution settings at 1:1 aspect ratio; 3888x3888,
2400x2400, 1440x1440, 960x960 and 768x768 pixels.
Five resolution settings at 3:4 aspect ratio; 2912x3888,
1824x2432, 1104x1472, 720x960 and 576x768 pixels.
24-bit RGB colour for JPEGs, 36-bit RGB colour for RAW
files. RAW files captured at 5184x3888 pixels.
Video Recording: MOV format (MPEG-4 AVC H.264 codec,
8-bit 4:2:0 colour, LongGOP compression) – 4K DCI at
4096x2160 pixels; 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and 17:9 aspect
ratio (up to 202 Mbps). 4K UHD at 3840x2160 pixels;
60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 202
Mbps). Full HD at 1920x1080 pixels; 30, 25 or 24 fps and
16:9 aspect ratio (up to 202 Mbps with ALL-I compression,
up to 27 Mbps with LongGOP). Full HD at 1920x1080 pix-
els; 60 or 50 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 52 Mbps).
MOV format (HEVC H.265 codec, 10-bit 4:2:0 colour,
LongGOP compression) – 4K DCI at 4096x2160 pixels;
60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and 17:9 aspect ratio (up to 152
Mbps). 4K UHD at 3840x2160 pixels; 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 152 Mbps). Full HD at
1920x1080 pixels; 30, 25 or 24 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio
(up to 82 Mbps with ALL-I compression, up to 22 Mbps
with LongGOP). Full HD at 1920x1080 pixels; 60 or 50 fps
and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 162 Mbps with ALL-I compres-
sion, up to 42 Mbps with LongGOP). Full HD at 1920x1080
pixels; 240, 200, 120 or 100 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio
(H.264) or 200, 120 or 100 fps (H.265).
Stereo microphones with auto/manual adjustable levels,
wind filter and attenuator. Stereo audio input (with plug-
in power) and output. Standard 16-bit audio recording
samples at 48 kHz, high resolution 24-bit audio recording
mode samples at 96 kHz (requires a supporting external
microphone).
Video Features: Hybrid IBIS and electronic image stabilisa-
tion, time lapse movie recording (4K, FHD and HD); Flat,
HLG (HDR) and OM-Log 400 10-bit colour profiles; time
code support (rec run, free run, drop frame, non-drop
frame), auto white balance lock, centre marker, zebra
patterns, grid lines (choice of four), focus peaking display
(Red, Yellow, White or Black; High, Normal or Low inten-
sity).
HDMI Output: Uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2 colour (4K/2K)
with simultaneous recording internally (4:2:0 colour up
sampled to 4:2:2). 12-bit 4:4:4 colour Apple ProRes RAW in
4K DCI or 4K UHD up to 60 fps.
Recording Media: Dual slots for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory
cards, both with UHS-II speed support. Standard, Auto
Switching, Dual Independent and Dual Same file manage-
ment modes.
Continuous Still Shooting: Up to 338 JPEG/large/fine
frames at 10.0 fps or up to 278 RAW frames with focal
plane shutter. Up to 232 JPEG/large/fine frames or up to
216 RAW frames at 20 fps with the sensor shutter and
with continuous AF/AE adjustment. Up to 194 JPEG/large/
fine frames or up to RAW frames at 50 fps with the sen-
sor shutter and with continuous AF/AE adjustment (with
selected PRO series lenses). Up to 219 JPEG/large/fine
frames or up to 213 RAW frames at 120 fps with the sen-
sor shutter and with AF/AE locked to the first frame. Silent
sequential shooting (SH1) mode (60, 100 or 120 fps) and
SH2 mode (12.5, 16.7, 25 or 50 fps) with blackout-free EVF
shooting. Three ‘Pro Capture’ modes pre-captures frames
prior to full shutter release – ‘Pro Capture’ at 5/10/15/20
fps, ‘Pro Capture SH1’ 60/100/120 fps and ‘Pro Capture
SH2’ at 25/50 fps. Number of pre-captured frames is pro-
grammable up to 99.
White Balance: TTL measurement via image sensor. Auto
system with the potential, as the legendary
designer of the very first OM-1, Yoshihisa
Maitani, desired for his creation, to become
“…an indispensable photographic tool”.
body only, recommended
retail price
measurement, auto with ‘keep warm colour’, seven presets
and four custom settings. White balance compensation
(amber-to-blue and/or green-to-magenta) in all presets,
white balance bracketing over three frames. Manual colour
temperature setting from 2000 to 14,000 degrees Kelvin.
Interfaces: USB 3.0 (Type C), micro HDMI (Type D), 3.5 mm
stereo audio input, 3.5 mm stereo audio output, 2.5 mm
remote input, PC flash.
Additional Digital Features: Five-axis sensor-shift image
stabilisation with up to 8.0 stops of correction (up to 8.5
stops with ‘Sync IS’), ‘Live ND’ built-in neutral density
filter effects, (ND2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128), ‘Live Gradual
ND’ effects (ND2, 4 and 8; Soft, Medium and Hard edge;
adjustable for position/angle via touch screen and with
auto rotate), multi-frame ‘High Res Shot’ capture via pixel
shift with in-camera processing (Handheld Mode = 25 or
50 MP resolution JPEG or 12/14-bit RAW; Tripod Mode =
25, 50 or 80 MP resolution JPEG or RAW), sensor cleaning,
Adobe RGB or sRGB colour space, flicker detection and
correction, in-camera focus stacking (3 to 15 shots), long
exposure noise reduction (Auto, On, Off), high ISO noise
filter (Low, Standard, High, Off), Low ISO processing (Drive
Priority or Detail Priority), eight ‘Picture Modes’ (i-Enhance,
Vivid, Natural, Muted, Portrait, Monotone, Underwater
and Custom), adjustable ‘Picture Mode’ adjustments
(Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation and Gradation – Auto,
Normal, Low-Key, High-Key), monochrome modes have
four contrast filters and four toning effects, ‘Highlight/
Shadow’ function, ‘Colour Creator’ function (30 colours,
seven saturation levels), double exposure facility (with
auto exposure adjustment), 16 ‘Art Filter’ adjustable
effects applied at capture (Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale &
Light Colour, Light Tone, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama,
Cross Process, Gentle Sepia, Dramatic Tone, Key Line,
Water Colour, Partial Colour, Vintage, Bleach Bypass,
Instant Film), nine ‘Art Effects’ (Soft Focus, Pin Hole, White
Edge, Frame, Star Light, Blur left/right/top/bottom, Shade
left/right/top/bottom, Colour – availability varies accord-
ing to filter effect), ‘Live Composite’ function (up to six
hours exposure), ‘Live Bulb/Live Time’ modes, auto flicker
detection/correction, ‘Shading Compensation’ vignetting
correction, flicker scan for LED light sources, intervalom-
eter (up to 9999 frames) and 4K time-lapse movie clips,
multi-shot HDR capture with in-camera compositing (Auto
= HDR1 or HDR2. Manual = +/-2.0 EV over three, five or
seven frames; +/-3.0EV over three or five frames), HDR
bracketing (three, five or seven frames), auto bracket-
ing modes (AE, WB, ISO, flash, focus and ‘Art Filters’),
Keystone Compensation, Fisheye Compensation, ‘Super
Control Panel’ screen, real-time histogram display, guide
grids (choice of five), dual-axis level indicator, highlight
and shadow alerts (adjustable thresholds via histogram),
adjustable image display time, auto image rotation, slide
show (with a choice of music and transitions), playback
zoom (up to 14x), 4/9/25/100/Calendar thumbnail displays
(also available in slide show mode), star rating, ‘Lightbox’
side-by-side comparison display, in-camera editing func-
tions (Shadow Adjust, Red-Eye Fix, Crop, Aspect, B&W,
Sepia, Saturation and Resize), in-camera RAW-to-JPEG
conversion, in-camera RAW image overlay, copyright info,
silent shooting, DPOF and PictBridge support, WiFi and
Bluetooth LE 4.2 connectivity, tethered shooting via USB-C.
Power: One 7.2 volt/2280 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion
battery pack (BLX-1 type). Optional HLD-10 battery grip
holds an additional battery pack. In-camera recharging and
powering via USB-C.
Dimensions (WxHxD): body only = 138.8x91.6x72.7 mm.
Weight: body only = 511 grams (without battery pack or
memory cards).
Price: $3799 body only.
Distributor: OM Digital Solutions Australia, telephone 1300
659 678, or visit https://explore.omsystem.com/au/en/
71
 ON TRIAL
FUJIFILM
GFX100 II
IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN
Fujifilm continues to expand the flexibility
of its medium format mirrorless cameras
and, with the GFX100 II, the 102 megapixels
resolution comes with 8.0 fps shooting,
subject-recognition AF and 8K ProRes video.
hen the GFX100 was
W
launched at the 2018 Pho-
tokina – the last one ever as
it’s turned out – it represent-
ed a whole bunch of digital
medium format camera ‘firsts’… in addition
to being the first 100 megapixels mirrorless
digital medium format camera, of course.
Notably, it was the first with in-body image
72
stabilisation, the first with phase-different
detection autofocusing (PDAF), the first
with 4K video recording and the first with
extended specifications such the ISO and
shutter speed ranges. The sensor itself was
a first too… the first BSI-type CMOS in the
so-called “44x33” format.
The GFX100 II adds a few more ‘firsts’
for a digital medium format camera (well,
PAUL BURROWS
REPORT BY
SIt’s still big, but nowhere near as bulky
as the GFX100 and much better looking
thanks to the more balanced proportions.
Two optional battery/vertical grips are
available.
let’s be honest, for any medium format
camera) – 8.0 fps continuous shooting,
subject-recognition modes for AF tracking,
8K video, 10-bit HEIF capture for stills, the
highest-res EVF thus far, an even faster
top shutter speed of 1/32,000 second and
support for the super-fast CFexpress Type
B memory cards. As we noted with the
GFX100, it had “…pretty much everything
you’d expect to find on a competitive full-
35mm or ‘APS-C’ mirrorless camera”. The
same is true of the Mark II model, but
five years later. Comparing features and
specifications for both stills and video, the
GFX100 II is essentially a 100 megapixels
version of the X-H2… OK, 101.8 megapixels
to be precise. It uses the same ‘X Processor

5’ engine – obviously tweaked to drive this
particular camera – and Fujifilm has adopted
a similar naming arrangement for the sensor
which is called the ‘GFX 102MP CMOS
II HS’. The imager’s basic specifications
are unchanged from the GFX100 (and the
ON TRIAL FUJIFILM GFX100 II
‘THE WHOLE COLLECTION sensor-shift in-body image stabilisation given
it took quite a bit of engineering to move
OF ‘FILM SIMULATION’ such a big chip so quickly and precisely. It’s
been further upgraded in the Mark II model
PROFILES IS NOW VERY to give up to eight stops of correction for
camera shake – compared to five in the

VERSATILE AND DELIVERS

GFX100S), but it is, in fact, completely new GFX100 and six in the GFX100S – which is
with a much faster read-out, a redesigned partially achieved by also analysing image

A SELECTION OF QUITE
microlens array to improve sensitivity (by information from the sensor.
30 percent Fujifilm says) and, of course, a As was the case when the GFX100S was
launched in 2021, there are still only four
DISTINCTIVE COLOUR
set of pixels dedicated to PDAF. The imaging
area is 43.8x32.9 mm (hence the ‘44x33’ GFX lenses with optical image stabilisation
tag) and the effective pixel count yields a and, presumably, ‘Sync IS’ operates
maximum image size of 11,648x8736 pixels
at the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. The pixel
PALETTES AND TONAL when these are attached to enhance the
correction for pitch and yaw, although it’s not
size is 3.76 microns which is the same,
incidentally, as the 60 MP full frame sensor
QUALITIES.” mentioned in the specs.
The sensor-shifting facility also enables
in the Sony A7R V, and so ensures a high a ‘Pixel Shift Multi Shot’ function which
signal-to-noise ratio. JPEGs and HEIFs can The fastest 8.0 fps shooting speed, captures 16 RAW frames with half-pixel
be captured in one of three image sizes and interestingly, is achieved with the focal shifts to record both full RGGB colour and
three compression levels while the RAW plane shutter while the top speed with the a resolution of 400 megapixels. You can
options comprise either 14-bit or 16-bit sensor-based shutter is 5.3 fps which comes also just opt for a four-shot mode which
RGB colour depth and the choice of lossy with blackout-free viewfinder framing. Up provides the full colour information at each
or lossless compression or no compression to 8.7 fps is available in the ‘35mm Format’ pixel point at the standard 102 MP res.
at all. There’s a bunch of RAW+JPEG and mode – again blackout free – which has a Unfortunately, Fujifilm still doesn’t offer
RAW+HEIF combo settings and the in- 1.67x crop, but still has an image size of in-camera compositing so you’ll need the
camera creation of 8-bit or 16-bit TIFFs 60.8 megapixels. It’s primarily designed for Pixel Shift Combiner software (it’s free) to
converted in-camera from RAW files. There’s when full frame system lenses are fitted via do the job post-camera. It’s possible to vary
also RAW-to-HEIF and HEIF-to-JPEG (or a mount adaptor with the crop eliminating the interval between each capture – from
TIFF) conversion options. the vignetting caused by their smaller Short up to 15 seconds – but there’s no
The sensor’s increased sensitivity drops image circle. There’s an auto setting which processing for any slight subject or, indeed,
the base ISO from 100 down to 80 – with means that the camera will automatically camera movement. This means the camera
the benefits of lower noise and a wider switch to the 35mm format if it recognises needs to be mounted on a tripod and the
dynamic range – while the faster read-out the adaptor. There’s now quite a choice of subject static.
and processor bump up the continuous G mount adaptors including for Canon EF, The original GFX100 was a big camera
shooting speed to 8.0 fps. This the fastest Nikon F/G, Leica M and R, and Sony A. and, it has to be said, not a particularly
that any medium format camera has been Fujifilm was rightly proud of the GFX100’s good-looking one so its successor has a
able to run and obviously a lot of data
is being moved around even with JPEG
shooting. Thanks to a bigger buffer memory,
the burst lengths at 8.0 fps can top 1000
frames for best-quality JPEGs and exceed
300 frames for compressed RAW files.
Even with uncompressed RAWs – which 2
represent a file size in the order of 200
MB – the burst length can still extend to
76 frames. However, the faster CFexpress
Type B memory card is needed to achieve
these maximum burst lengths and also
for the video recording modes with the
highest bit rates (which is when using the
ProRes codecs). It’s worth noting here 1
that – another first – Fujifilm is deliberately
targeting cinematographers with the
GFX100 II so its video feature set in the
most advanced of any digital medium format
camera we’ve seen so far, but it’s also very,
very much cheaper than a large format cine
camera such as the Arri Alexa Mini LF, Sony
Venice/Venice 2 or RED Monstro 8K. In fact,
these cameras are so expensive (think six
figures, body only), they’re mostly rented for
specific productions rather than purchased
outright. You can read all about the GFX100
II’s extensive video capabilities in the 1. Rear panel control layout is simple and 2. EVF module is detachable and
straightforward. Joystick controller is the the optional EVF-TL1 adapter allows
Making Movies panel. main navigational tool. for tilt and swing adjustments.

73
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
much more compact and better-proportioned
bodyshell similar to that of the GFX100S.
This means the vertical grip becomes
an optional accessory and the GFX100 II
consequently sheds around 200 grams in
weight and over 25 millimetres in height.
The styling is a mixture of the two previous
100-series cameras which is partly because
the GFX100 II also has the interchangeable
viewfinder arrangement of its predecessor.
However, it’s an all-new EVF module with
a resolution of 9.44 megadots and a large
magnification of 1.00x. The refresh rate is
60 fps, but can be boosted to 120 fps if the
magnification is reduced to 0.77x. However,
while the fitting is the same, the new EVF
can’t be used on the GFX100 which is a bit
surprising as the whole interchangeability
thing was meant to be about providing an
upgrade path. The previous EVF-TL1 tilt
adaptor is still compatible and enables the
EVF to be angled up through 90 degrees
or swung sideways. You can, of course,
also take the EVF off – it uses body-based
hotshoe mount for both the physical and
electronic couplings – if you want a more
compact package overall or only want to use
the monitor screen in certain circumstances
(such as in a studio, for example). The
monitor employs Fujifilm’s three-way tilt
arrangement so there’s a vertical tilt – up
or down depending on which way up you
hold the camera – as well the horizontal
tilts. The panel itself is 8.1 cm in size with
a resolution of 2.36 megadots and touch
screen functionality. Both the EVF and the
monitor are adjustable for brightness, colour
saturation and colour balance.
S Top panel ‘sub monitor’ can be cycled through photo/video info, virtual dials for shutter
speeds and ISO, and a real-time brightness histogram.
74
1
1. Main mode dial is 2. New trio of function buttons astern of the
lockable and has no fewer shutter release are customisable. One has exposure
than six positions for storing compensation as its default setting, but the other two
customized camera set-ups. could be assigned to white balance and ISO.
REALA COLOUR
The GFX100 II introduces the 20th ‘Film
Simulation’ profile which is designed to
replicate the look of Fujicolor Reala Ace,
later known as Superia Reala and discon-
tinued in 2012. This was a fine-grained, ISO
100 colour negative film which incorporated
Fujifilm’s fourth layer technology to enhance
the colour accuracy. The additional layer was
2
cyan-sensitive so it countered green casts
and, in particular, improved the reproduc-
tion of skin tones, but also reds and other
warmer colours. Overall though, it delivered
a more neutral look, but with a colour satura-
tion somewhere in between the Fujichrome
Provia and Astia transparency films… not
quite as soft as the latter, but more subtle
than the former. Not surprisingly, Reala was
popular with wedding and portrait photogra-
phers and the new ‘Film Simulation’ profile
will likely be a favourite here too.
The whole collection of profiles is now
very versatile and delivers a selection of
quite distinctive colour palettes and tonal
qualities, including the more retro-look
characteristics of Nostalgic Neg, Classic
Neg and Classic Chrome. Further tweaking
is possible via adjustable parameters for
Colour (i.e. saturation), Sharpness, Highlight/
Shadow Tone Curve and Clarity. The two
B&W profiles – Monochrome and ACROS
(after Fujifilm’s popular B&W film) – have a
‘Monochromatic Colour’ adjustment which
tints in the warm-to-cool and magenta-
to-green ranges (plus there are the usual
contrast control filters in yellow, red and
green). Additionally, there’s a set of effects
– ‘Grain Effect’, ‘Colour Chrome Effect’,
‘Colour Chrome Effect Blue’ and ‘Smooth
Skin Effect’ – which come with various
setting levels. The ‘Colour Chrome Effect
Blue’ differs from the standard ‘Colour
Chrome Effect’ by only adding contrast and
saturation to the blue tones rather than to all
colours. ‘
Also available is ‘Dynamic Range Priority’
processing which adjusts the contrast to

give more detailing in both the highlights
and the shadows. There are three settings
– Auto, Weak and Strong – with the latter
two based on the dynamic range expansion
setting which means the minimum ISO is
also raised (to ISO 160 and 320 respectively)
to give more ‘headroom’ for adjustments.
The Auto setting selects either one or the
other, according to the brightness range
in the scene. Alternatively, the standard
Fujifilm dynamic range expansion processing
options are available with either auto
correction or one of three manual settings
(which, as always on a Fujifilm camera, are
labelled 100%, 200% and 400%).
Also on the bill is a multiple exposure
facility, an intervalometer, flicker detection
and shutter speed correction, a bunch of
Fujifilm is actively targeting video users
with the GFX100 II, specifically promoting
it as an affordable alternative to the
so-called ‘large format’ cinema cameras
which mostly all cost a fortune. The larger
imaging circle derived from the 44x33 mm
sensor and the wide G mount make the
GFX100 II multi-format so, in addition the
GFX lenses, it can accommodate a wide
selection of PL mount cine lenses (via an
optional adapter), including the Fujinon
Premista (Vista Vision) zooms (up to 5.4K
in the 17:9 aspect), full frame 35mm (up
to 4.8K at 3:2 aspect, and which includes
the Fujinon Cabrio cine zooms) and
anamorphic full frame 35mm (up to 8K at
the 2.76:1 aspect, and with the availability
of de-squeezing in-camera for monitoring
and recording – at 1.3x, 1.33x, 1.5x, 1.8x,
or 2.0x).
With internal recording to a CFexpress
Type B memory card, the GFX100 II
can record 8K DCI at 24 fps or 8K UHD
up to 30 fps in the ProRes 422 codecs
with the bit rate topping 3500 Mbps.
However, 8K recording involves a 1.53x
crop in UHD and a 1.44x crop in DCI. You
can also record 8K DCI/UHD in the H.265
HEVC codec and here there’s the choice
of 10-bit 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 colour and either
All-Intra or LongGOP compression, with
the highest bit rate being 720 Mbps.
Essentially the, all these choices of codec,
colour subsampling, compression regime
and aspect ratio are available with 4K at
ON TRIAL
auto bracketing modes and Fujifilm’s ‘Lens
Modulation Optimiser’ which corrects for
diffraction blur when using small aperture
settings (all other lens corrections are
performed automatically). The multiple
exposure facility allows for a total of nine
frames to be combined with the choice of
Additive, Average, Comparative Light or
Comparative Dark exposure management
options. The intervalometer has a setting for
recording unlimited frames or, alternatively,
you can set a specific count of up to 999.
The auto bracketing modes are
for exposure, the ‘Film Simulation’
profiles (allowing three to be applied
simultaneously), dynamic range, ISO, white
balance and focus. The focus bracketing can
be set for up to 999 frames with intervals of
up to 60/50 fps and 2K recording at up to
120/100 fps so, for example, you can have
2K DCI (i.e. 17:9 aspect) in ProRes 422HQ
at 100 fps (which generates a bit rate of
880 Mbps) or any other combination of
settings you care to select. Additionally,
when recording ProRes, the GFX100 II
also supports proxy recording in ProRes
422 Proxy or H.264. The 4K recording
uses the full sensor width. Cine 5.8K at
2.35:1, 5.5K at 17:9 and 4.8K at 3:2 (i.e.
35mm) are also available. Only the ProRes
codecs specifically require the speed of
a CFexpress memory card, everything
else can be recorded onto a V90-speed
SD card. In a couple of cases – namely
8K DCI and 35mm – the sensor’s read-out
speed limits the video frame rate to 24 fps.
The H.264 codec with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour is
available with 4K DCI/UHD at up to 60/50
fps and 2K DCI/UHD up to 120/100 fps.
Again, you can select between All-Intra or
LongGop compression. It’s pretty much
the same again (i.e. resolutions, frame
rates, etc) for recording in the MP4 format
with LongGOP compression. There’s both
F-Log2 and HDR HLG recording; the former
combining with the ‘Dynamic Range
Priority’ processing to give a dynamic
range of 14 stops, but is only available with
4K DCI/UHD up to 30/25 fps.
Theoretically, there are no limits on
the recording duration or at least Fujifilm
doesn’t quote any, but the GFX100 II
does have a high temperature warning
and, more tellingly, can be fitted with
the optional FAN-001 cooling fan that’s
available for the X-H2 twins. Such high
bit rates will inevitably generate a fair
amount of heat internally so the fan –
which attaches behind the monitor screen
and is powered by the camera – is likely
to needed when shooting in warmer
conditions.
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
up to ten seconds and the shift in focus is
adjustable from one to ten steps.
CATCHING THE EYE
The major upgrade to the GFX100 II’s
autofocusing is AI-based subject recogni-
tion as found in the X-H2 duo and the X-T5.
The main categories are for people, animals,
birds, cars, motorcycles and bicycles, aircraft
and trains. These expand to identify specific
subjects such as dogs, cats and horses with-
in the animals category; and open-wheeler
race cars, rally cars and passenger cars
within the cars category. The detection for
both birds and animals can recognise eyes
and heads when tracking.
As is the case on the X mount cameras,
face/eye detection is the de facto acquisition
Both ProRes RAW and Blackmagic
RAW are available via the HDMI output for
external recording and the GFX100 II has
the full-size Type A connector. The camera
can also record directly to an SSD via USB,
including Apple ProRes 422 HQ/422 and
All-Intra compression at 8K UHD up to 30
fps and 4K DCI/UHD up to 60 fps.
Fujifilm has loaded the GFX100 II with
more video-orientated features than have
ever been seen on a digital medium format
camera before. The choice of displays now
includes a waveform monitor – with the
option of a RGB Parade colour version –
and a vector scope. The waveform display
shows the luminance – or brightness –
distribution in a scene, while the vector
scope indicates the degree of the hue
and saturation of the colours in a scene.
The camera also supports the Atomos
AirGlu wireless time code syncing and has
integrated Camera-to-Cloud transfer which
is only available with the X-H2 models
via the optional FT-VH vertical grip. C2C
uploads in ProRes, H.265 or H264 as you
record via the Ethernet LAN connection or
WiFi, and can be used for stills too.
The upgraded autofocusing with
subject-based recognition and tracking also
benefits video-makers, especially in terms
of the faster continuous AF operation. The
new Reala Ace ‘Film Simulation’ profile
may well have attractions too, and the
video-orientated options of Eterna/Cinema
and Eterna Bleach Bypass remain plus all
the other options for tweaking colour and
contrast straight out of the camera.
The GFX100 II is a formidable tool
for video with appeal right up to pro
cinematography where Fujifilm is obviously
to increase involvement beyond just its
lenses. The superlative video imaging
performance is going to satisfy all levels of
user too.
75
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76

S Live view screen is extensively
customizable, including read-outs and
status indicators plus a single- or dual-axis
level indicator, real-time histogram, guide
grid and focus distance scale.
S The list of video resolutions, frame
rates, codecs, colour subsampling and
compression methods is extensive, topping
8K at 30 fps in ProRes 422HQ.
S Replay/review screens include a full set of histograms, capture data as per the info display, and lens data with additional function settings.
and tracking mode for people, and it can deal
with people wearing goggles, spectacles
or masks, or if the subject is in profile. It’s
integrated with the selected AF point or
zone so engages automatically to detect a
face in the frame, and it can be fine-tuned it
to look for either a right or left eye. However,
the camera automatically switches off
human face/eye detection when one of the
other subject recognition modes is selected
(and vice versa).
A total of 3.76 million pixels are available
for the PDAF focusing, giving 425 selectable
measuring points. These are arranged in a
25x17 pattern which can be reduced to 117
in a 13x9 pattern for more efficient selection,
but obviously also a larger measuring area.
The choice of AF area modes extends from
Single-Point (selectable in six sizes), to Zone
ON TRIAL
S The GFX100 II is also the first digital
medium format camera with 10-bit HEIF
capture.
S ‘AF-C Custom’ menu allows for fine-
tuning of the subject tracking to suit the
type of movement.
(in 9x3, 7x1, 7x3, 7x7, 5x5, 5x3 or 3x3 point
clusters selected from 117 points) and then
Wide. In addition to the seven standard
Zone sizes, you can create up to three
custom shapes varying from one point to
the full 117. There’s also an ‘All’ setting which
allows you to cycle through these three
area modes via the rear input wheel. With
continuous AF operation, the area modes
are Single-Point, Zone and Tracking. Low
light sensitivity extends down to -5.5 EV at
ISO 100 and f/1.7.
As before, there’s an ‘AF-C Custom’
menu which provides five scenarios for
fine-tuning tracking via three parameters
– Tracking Sensitivity, Speed Tracking
Sensitivity and Zone Area Switching. The five
options are called ‘Multi Purpose’, ‘Ignore
Obstacles & Continue To Track Subject’,
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
S AI-based subject recognition and tracking
is available for people, animals, birds, cars,
motorcycles and bicycles, aircraft and trains
S Monitor-based info display screen
includes real-time histogram and selected
AF point/zone plus 15 function indicators.
‘For Accelerating/Decelerating Subject’,
‘For Suddenly Appearing Subject’ and ‘For
Erratically Moving & Accel/Decel Subject’.
A sixth setting enables the creation of a
customised focus tracking scheme using the
three adjustable parameters.
The manual focus assists include the
conventional magnified image and a focus
peaking display in a choice of four colours
each with two intensity levels. Fujifilm’s
‘Digital Split Image’ and ‘Digital Microprism’
displays are also available and these are
‘virtual’ representations of the traditional
split-image rangefinder and the gridded
collar or ring which surrounded it in an
SLR’s optical viewfinder. The ‘Digital Split
Image’ display can be in either colour or
B&W. Additionally, there’s the option of
switching the lens’s focus collar operation
77
FUJIFILM GFX100 II ON TRIAL

between linear or non-linear. Non-linear

means that the focus is adjusted at the
same speed that the collar is rotated while a
linear adjustment is based on the degree of
rotation and allows for more precise control
rather than more speed.
As on all the GFX models, exposure
ISO 40 ISO 80 control is based on 256-segment TTL
metering using the imaging sensor and
with a choice of multi-zone, centre-
weighted average, fully averaged or spot
measurements. Additionally, the spot
metering can be linked to the active focusing
point or zone. The focal plane shutter had a
speed range of 60-1/4000 second with flash
sync up to 1/125 second. It’s supplemented
by a sensor-based shutter which can now
ISO 100 ISO 200
operate at up to 1/32,000 second, both
silently and without any vibrations. There’s
also the option of the hybrid ‘first curtain
electronic shutter’ which uses the sensor,
but ends an exposure with the FP shutter,
thereby enabling the use of electronic flash.
There are actually several addition options
for mixing the shutters with M+E and EF+E
switching to the latter’s higher speeds
ISO 400 ISO 800 seamlessly as needed.
The auto exposure modes are
supplemented by an AE lock, up to +/-5.0
EV of compensation and the auto bracketing
which can be set over sequences of two,
three, five, seven or nine frames with up to
+/-3.0 EV adjustment per frame.
The white balance control options
comprise three auto modes – Auto, White
Priority and Ambience Priority – and
ISO 1600 ISO 3200 the latter two are primarily for use with
incandescent light sources to either correct
for, or preserve, the warmer tones. There’s
a choice of seven lighting presets (including
one for underwater), and up to three custom
measurements can be made and stored.
The white balance bracketing operates over
three frames. Alternatively, manual colour
temperature setting is available over a range
of 2500 to 10,000 degrees Kelvin.
ISO 6400 ISO 12800
IN THE HAND
For a big camera, the GFX100 II handles very
comfortably thanks to its large and ergo-
nomically-shaped grip. It doesn’t feel unduly
heavy – at least not with the GF 32-64mm
and 55mm lenses we used for testing – and
is actually less bulky overall than the likes of
Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark III or the Nikon D6.
The chassis and covers are magnesium alloy
ISO 25600 ISO 51200

ISO Test Images

There’s virtually no visible noise for a good way up the ISO range so there’s no noticeable
noise reduction processing-related artefacts until ISO 12,800 and even then it’s mostly only
evident at a pixel level. This means that the full native ISO range is at your disposal. Some
loss of definition in the finer details starts to become noticeable at ISO 25,600, but this
setting is still quite usable. The softening and loss of saturation become more pronounced
at the two higher extension settings.
ISO 102400

78

with sealing against dust and moisture and
insulation for subzero temperatures down to
-10 degrees Celsius.
The control layout is very similar to that
of the GFX100S which means there’s a main
mode dial on one side of the top plate and a
very large info panel on the other. It’s now a
quite substantial 5.3 cm panel – bigger than
on the S model – with a 320x219-dot display
and built-in illumination. You can switch
between white-on-black or black-on-white
read-outs and there are dedicated displays
for stills and video plus the option of a set of
virtual dials – for ISO and shutter speed – or
a real-time histogram. The top plate actually
slopes back a little so it’s easier to see the
displays from behind the camera
A big improvement operationally is a trio
of buttons just behind the shutter release
that are programmable, but have defaults
for exposure compensation, face detection
on/off and subject detection on/off, but it
is but the work of a moment to switch the
latter two to setting the white balance and
ISO, and you have all the essentials at your
fingertips. Mind you, the quick selection of
eye/face or subject detection is something
we’ve been wishing for on the X mount
cameras for ages so you may want to keep
these ‘Fn’ button defaults as they are.
The rear panel layout is virtually identical
to that of the GFX100S with joystick-type
controller doing all the navigational duties
(focus points/zones, main menus and ‘Quick
Menu’) in conjunction with the front and
rear input wheels.
In addition to the three ‘Fn’ buttons just
mentioned, another seven are customisable
in one way or another, and there’s up to nine
menu pages of assignable functions (that’s
about 65 in total). There are also four ‘Touch
ON TRIAL
SDual memory card slots are for CFexpress
Type B and SD with UHS-II and V90 speed
support.
Function’ actions on the monitor’s touch
screen which are executed by up, down,
left or right swipes. The defaults for these
are a full set of histograms (up), a dual-
axis level indicator (down), white balance
settings (right) and the ‘Film Simulation’
profiles (left). Additionally, the front input
wheel – which Fujifilm calls the ‘Command
Dial’ – can be configured to adjust aperture,
shutter speeds, ISO settings exposure
compensation.
The ‘Quick Menu’ control screen in the
monitor is also extensively customisable.
Firstly, it can be configured with four, eight,
12 or 16 function tiles; and then you can
then assign these as desired from a list
of 33 items for still photography or 32 for
video. Furthermore, you choose to have a
black background or a transparent one which
will show the live view image behind the
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
S Connections include full-size HDMI and
USB Type C. Gigabit Ethernet port appears
for the first on a GFX series model.
function tiles.
The ‘Quick Menu’ has the added
convenience of touch control, and the touch
screen implementation also extends to
AF point/area selection (with or without
auto shutter release), ‘touchpad’ AF point
selection when using the EVF, and the
replay/review operations. The main menus
have to be navigated conventionally,
although the joystick controller makes this
pretty efficient.
The monitor panel itself is unchanged
from the GFX100S, but the higher-res EVF
is truly sublime. It’s not just the resolution,
but also the high magnification which makes
it a truly involving experience, and this
combination makes it easily the best there is
at the moment.
Both the monitor and EVF can be cycled
through a number of display configurations,
but exclusive to the former is an ‘Info
Display’ which includes 15 function tiles, all
the exposure settings, a real-time histogram
and the selected AF area mode. When
focusing manually, there’s an additional
‘Dual Display’ option which comprises the
live view screen accompanied by a small
additional panel which shows the manual
focus assists separately (or you can switch
them about). The big EVF makes this feature
much more usable on the GFX100 II than
any of the X mount models where the
smaller screen ends up being very small
indeed.
The live view screen can be extensively
customised in terms of status icons and
read-outs, selected from a very long list
in the ‘Display Custom Setting’ submenu.
Additionally, there’s the options of a level
display (single- or dual-axis), a guide grid
(either 3x3 or 6x4), a real-time histogram,
a highlight warning, a focusing distance
W Monitor screen has a three-way tilt
adjustments so it can be angled out when
holding the camera vertically.
79
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
scale, an exposure compensation scale
and the audio channel level meters when
shooting video. You can select up to 32
items in all and even designate which ones
will be displayed in a larger size (and also
independently in either the EVF or the
monitor).
The image replay/review screen can be
cycled through four displays which comprise
an RGB/brightness histograms overlay and a
highlight warning, a thumbnail accompanied
by capture data and a brightness histogram,
and a page of more addition capture info,
including the lens settings. The main
thumbnail page also provides a highlight
warning and a focus point indication.
Pressing the rear command dial instantly
zooms in on this point for checking the focus
and you can then scroll around the image
using the joystick controller.
The GFX100 II uses the same 2200
mAh NP-W235 lithium-ion battery pack
as the X-H2 twins and the X-T5 plus, of
course, the GFX100S. A full charge is good
for up to 540 shots in the Normal ‘Power
Management’ mode. There’s also a Boost
setting which, as noted earlier, increases
the EVF’s refresh rate to 120 fps, but which
also drops the magnification to 0.77x. The
Boost setting also increase the AF speed
when ‘AF Priority’ is selected. In camera
battery recharging is available via the USB C
port. The GFX100 II is compatible with the
GFX 50S’s VG-GFX1 battery/vertical grip,
but also its own VG-GFX100II which accepts
two additional battery packs rather than just
one. Remember that, for reasons unknown,
80
ON TRIAL
the GFX100S doesn’t have any provision for
fitting a battery grip.
In addition to the USB Type C (3.2 Gen
2 speed) connection, the GFX100 II’s
interfaces comprise a Gigabit Ethernet
terminal, a full-size (i.e. Type A) HDMI
connection, both 3.5 mm stereo audio
input and output (the former doubling as
the wired remote controller’s input) and, of
course, the PC flash terminal. The Ethernet
connection supports video uploading to
Frame.io. WiFi connectivity is in either
the 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz bands, and
supplemented with Bluetooth LE
Version 4.2.
WNew “44x33” sensor has redesigned
microlenses to improve sensitivity and
incorporates PDAF pixels.
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
Using a SanDisk Extreme PRO 64 GB CFex-
press Type B memory card and the camera’s
focal plane shutter, the GFX100 II captured a
sequence of 91 JPEG/large/superfine files in
11.275 seconds which represents a shooting
speed of 8.07 fps. The test files averaged
in size at around 44.6 MB. Of course, with
this memory card, the camera would have
just gone on shooting at this speed for a lot
longer. Switching to a SanDisk Extreme PRO
64 GB SDXC card and the sensor shutter, a
sequence of 55 best-quality JPEGs was cap-
tured in 10.358 seconds which represents a
shooting speed of 5.31 fps… the GFX100 II
has no problem hitting its quoted specs for
continuous shooting.
The autofocusing performance benefits
noticeably from the faster processor so
the GFX100 II’s AF is much snappier in
its response and faster overall, including
the tracking. With the subject-recognition
modes, the tracking is also more reliable
even when the movement is a bit erratic,
but the GF lenses with their bigger and
heavier focusing groups mean you’re not
going to get the same AF speed as the
best systems in smaller format mirrorless
cameras. Nevertheless, the GFX100 II is
able to shoot fast-moving subjects with a
much higher percentage of in-focus shots
than previously. It’s challenged if something
suddenly pops into the frame – such as
WStyling is similar
to the GFX100S.
Magnesium alloy
bodyshell is sealed
and insulated.

IF THE SUBJECT
ACQUISITION IS ALREADY
ACHIEVED IN THE FRAME,
THEN THE AF TRACKING
HANGS ON PRETTY
WELL WITH WHATEVER
HAPPENS NEXT.”
racing car coming over a crest – but if the
subject acquisition is already achieved in the
frame, then the AF tracking hangs on pretty
well with whatever happens next. You’re not
going to pick it over the X-H2S for sports
and action photography, but the GFX100
II autofocusing is better able to handle
movement than any medium format camera
we’ve seen before.
The image quality is, put simply, sublime
and the out-of-the-camera superfine JPEGs
look absolutely stunning with even the
finest details crisply resolved and the tonal
gradations as linearly continuous as you’re
going to get with a digital camera. The colour
reproduction can be tuned to personal taste
via the ‘Film Simulation’ profiles and there’s
even more scope for balancing saturation
and contrast with the new Reala Ace option.
At the new ISO 80 base sensitivity setting
gives an exceptionally wide dynamic range
of a little over 14 stops with 16-bit RAW
capture.
With 102 megapixels resolution, the
challenges of avoiding blurring related to
external camera movement or internal
vibrations are significantly increased, but
VITAL STATISTICS
Type: Professional digital medium format mirrorless cam-
era with Fujifilm G bayonet lens mount.
Focusing: TTL automatic hybrid system using phase-differ-
ence detection and contrast-detection measurements. 425
measuring points (in 25x17 or 13x9 patterns). Single-point
(six sizes), zone (9x3, 7x1, 7x3, 7x7, 5x5, 5x3 or 3x3 point
clusters selected from 117 points), three custom zones
(variable in size and shape) and wide/tracking modes. Five
‘AF-C Custom’ settings for optimising tracking plus a user-
definable setting for Tracking Sensitivity, Speed Tracking
Sensitivity and Zone Area Switching. Face/eye detection
with left/right eye priority. Subject detection for animals,
birds, cars, motorcycles and bikes, aircraft and trains.
Focus frame adjustable to five sizes. Manual switching
between one-shot and continuous AF modes. AF+MF
mode. Low-light assist via built-in illuminator. Manual
focus assist via magnified image, ‘Digital Split Image’
display (colour or B&W), ‘Digital Microprism’ display or
focus peaking display (white, red, blue or yellow; low or
high intensity levels). Focus Map display (colour or mono-
chrome) for focus assist with video. Sensitivity range is EV
-5.5 - 18 (ISO 100 and f/1.7).
ON TRIAL
the GFX100 II makes hand-held shooting
less problematic in this regard. For starters
it’s easy to hold quite steady thanks to
the good-sized grip while the extended
capabilities of its in-body stabilisation means
that you can consider shooting at slower
shutter speeds than would otherwise be
the case. There’s a limit, of course, and
in practice, it’s reached before you get
down to the full eight stops of correction,
but there is definitely more leeway when
comes to shooting in low light conditions.
One contributor here is that the high ISO
performance is exemplary across the entire
native ISO range so there’s no visible noise
up to ISO 3200 and minimal deterioration
in both definition and saturation from here
up to ISO 12,800. The first of the extension
settings – at ISO 25,600 – is still quite
usable, although you can see that the NR
processing is now working a lot harder to
deal with the colour noise which obviously
evident in the RAW files, but easily
corrected post camera. What’s more, the
dynamic range is still reasonably wide at the
top end of the native sensitivity range. With
RAW capture, this translates into plenty
of exposure latitude for rescuing both the
shadows and highlights post-camera.
All that resolution not only means
phenomenal levels of detailing, but it also
means a huge amount of flexibility when it
comes to cropping and untold opportunities
for manipulating depth-of-field, especially
with the faster GF lenses such as the new
55mm f/1.7 (which is equivalent to 44mm
in the full frame format). There as many
creative benefits as there are technical ones
with a big 102 MP sensor.
THE VERDICT
This is the pinnacle of image quality without
FUJIFILM GFX100 II $12,599
Metering: 256-point multi-zone, centre-weighted average,
full average, spot (2.0% of frame area) and TTL flash. Spot
metering can be locked to AF point/zone. Metering range
is EV -4.0 to 20 (ISO 100/f2.0).
Exposure Modes: Continuously-variable program with shift,
shutter-priority auto, aperture-priority auto and metered
manual.
Shutter: Electronic focal plane, vertical travel, metal
blades, 60 minutes to 1/4000 second plus ‘B’ (up to 60
minutes). Flash sync up to 1/125 second. Sensor shutter
has a speed range of 60 minutes to 1/32,000 second plus
‘B’ (up to 60 minutes). Electronic front curtain shutter has
a speed range of 60 minutes to 1/4000 second plus ‘B’ (up
to 60 minutes). Exposure compensation up to +/-5.0 EV in
1/3-stop increments.
Viewfinder: Detachable 1.62 cm OLED-type EVF with 9.44
megadots resolution, 100% vertical/horizontal scene
coverage, 1.0x magnification (35mm equivalent) at 60 fps
refresh rate or 0.77x magnification at 120 fps. Optional
EVF-TL1 adaptor allows for tilt adjustment. Automatic/
manual switching between the EVF and the LCD monitor
screen. Eyepiece strength adjustment built-in. 8.1 cm
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
spending the equivalent of a decent new
car, and Fujifilm has added yet more conven-
ience and flexibility to the GFX100 II which
now defies all the traditional limitations of a
medium format camera. It’s fast enough to
cope with plenty of moving subjects, and
the AF is the most advanced in the medium
format world. What’s more, the extensive
video capabilities make it the first true hybrid
medium format mirrorless camera.
The handling is easily as comfortable
as any of the larger full frame mirrorless
cameras such as the Nikon Z 9 or the Canon
EOS R3, and the operational efficiencies
match those of Fujifilm’s X mount cameras.
The user experience isn’t very much
different from that of the X-H2 twins, but
with the added delights of the brilliant
viewfinder and the superb files that 102
million pixel generate. Stepping up to
medium format obviously involves more
than just buying a new camera body as the
lenses are mostly pricier and you may well
need to upgrade both your image processing
and data storage systems. The GFX100S
is the more affordable route into high-end
digital medium format photography – and by
enough of a price difference to buy you the
GF 32-64mm f/4.0 zoom we mostly used for
this test (equivalent to a handy 25-50mm)
– but the GFX100 II is the better camera in
a number of key areas and, when you take
all the new features and the upgrades into
account, arguably the better value too. It
certainly gives you more opportunities to
make the most of the sensational image
quality and qualifies for the description of
“all-rounder” more than any other medium
format camera… ever! Yes, the GFX100 II
might make you work a bit harder, but the
rewards are truly great.
body only, recommended retail price
LCD monitor with 2.36 megadots resolution, three-way
tilt adjustments and touch screen controls. Both EVF and
monitor are adjustable for brightness, colour saturation
and colour balance.
Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units connect via
hotshoe or PC terminal.
Additional Features: Magnesium alloy bodyshell sealed
against dust and moisture and insulated for subzero tem-
peratures, top panel info display with built-in illumination,
AE/AF lock, auto exposure bracketing (up to +/-3.0 EV over
two, three, five, seven or nine frames), multiple exposure
facility (up to nine shots with exposure adjustments –
Additive, Average, Comparative Light, Comparative Dark),
dual-mode self-timer (two or 10 second delays), audible
signals, auto power-off, wired remote trigger.
DIGITAL SECTION
Sensor: 102 million (effective) pixels ‘GFX 102MP CMOS II
HS’ with 32.9x43.8 mm imaging area and 4:3 aspect ratio.
No optical low-pass filter. Sensitivity range equivalent to
ISO 80-12,800; extendable to ISO 40, 25,600, 51,200 and
102,400.
81
FUJIFILM GFX100 II
Focal Length Magnification: 0.79x (35mm format), 1.3x
(6x4.5cm format).
Formats/Resolution: Three JPEG compression set-
tings, three HEIF compression settings, RAW output
(compressed, lossless compressed or uncompressed),
RAW+JPEG and RAW+HEIF capture. TIFF RGB via
in-camera conversion of RAW files. Three resolution
settings at 4:3 aspect ratio; 11,648x8736, 8256x6192
and 4000x3000 pixels. Three resolution settings at 3:2
aspect ratio; 11,648x7768, 8256x5504 and 4000x2664
pixels. Three resolution settings at 16:9 aspect ratio;
11,648x6552, 8256x4640 and 4000x2248 pixels. Three
resolution settings at 1:1 aspect ratio; 8736x8736,
6192x6192 and 2992x2992 pixels. Three resolution set-
tings at 65:24 aspect ratio; 11,648x4304, 8256x3048 and
4000x1480 pixels. Three resolution settings at 5:4 aspect
ratio; 10,928x8736, 7744x6192 and 3744x3000 pixels.
Three resolution settings at 7:6 aspect ratio; 10,192x8736,
7232x6192 and 3504x3000 pixels. RAW files captured at
11,808x8754 pixels and TIFF files at 11,648x8736 pixels.
24-bit RGB colour for JPEGs, 48/42-bit RGB colour for
RAW files, 48/24-bit RGB colour for TIFFs. 35mm Format
Mode capture at 24x35mm (9552x6368 pixels) in either
JPEG, HEIF or RAW.
Video Recording: MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour
(Apple ProRes 422 HQ/422/422 LT codecs) at 8192x4320
pixels (8K DCI), 24 fps (3004/2007/1393 Mbps) and
17:9 aspect ratio (1.44x crop). MOV format with 10-bit
4:2:2 colour (Apple ProRes 422 HQ/422/422 LT codecs)
at 7680x4320 pixels (8K UHD); 30, 25 or 24 fps (up to
3520/2352/1632 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio (1.53x crop).
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (Apple ProRes 422
HQ/422/ 422 LT codecs) at 5824x3476 pixels (Cine 5.8K);
30, 25 or 24 fps (up to 1530/1022/709 Mbps) and 2.35:1
aspect ratio. MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (Apple
ProRes 422 HQ/422/422 LT codecs) at 5440x2868 pixels
(5.4K); 30, 25 or 24 fps (up to 1655/1106/767 Mbps) and
17:9 aspect ratio. MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour
(Apple ProRes 422 HQ/422/422 LT codecs) at 4776x3184
pixels (4.8K), 24 fps (1291/862/598 Mbps) and 3:2 aspect
ratio. MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (Apple ProRes
422 HQ/422/422 LT codecs) at 4776x2688 pixels (4.8K); 30,
25 or 24 fps (up to 1362/910/631 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio.
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (Apple ProRes 422
HQ/422/422 LT codecs) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60,
50 30, 25 or 24 fps (up to 1877/1254/870 Mbps) and 17:9
aspect ratio. At 3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD); 60, 50, 30,
25 or 24 fps (up to 1877/1254/870 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio.
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour (Apple ProRes 422
HQ/422/422 LT codecs) at 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI) at 60,
50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (up to 469/314/218 Mbps) and 17:9
aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD) at 60, 50, 30,
25 or 24 fps (up to 469/314/218 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio. At 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI) at 120 or 100 fps
(880/588/408 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080
pixels (Full HD) at 120 or 100 fps (880/588/408 Mbps) and
16:9 aspect ratio.
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265
codec) at 8192x4320 pixels (8K DCI), 24 fps (All-Intra =
720/360 Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps)
and 17:9 aspect ratio (1.44x crop). MOV format with 10-bit
4:2:2/4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265 codec) at 7680x4320
pixels (8K UHD); 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 720/360
Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and
16:9 aspect ratio (1.53x crop). MOV format with 10-bit
4:2:2/4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265 codec) at 5824x3476
pixels (Cine 5.8K); 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 720/360
Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and
2.35:1 aspect ratio. MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0
colour (HEVC/H.265 codec) at 5440x2868 pixels (5.4K); 30,
25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 720/360 Mbps. LongGOP = 720,
360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. MOV
format with 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265 codec)
at 4776x3184 pixels (4.8K), 24 fps (All-Intra = 720/360
Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 3:2
aspect ratio. MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 colour
(HEVC/H.265 codec) at 4776x2688 pixels (4.8K), 24 fps (All-
Intra = 720/360 Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50
Mbps) and 3:2 aspect ratio.
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265
codec) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps (All-Intra = 720/360 Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200,
82
ON TRIAL
100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 3840x2160 pix-
els (4K UHD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 720/360
Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9
aspect ratio.
MOV format with 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 colour (HEVC/H.265
codec) at 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI) at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps (All-Intra = 720/360 Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200,
100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pix-
els (Full HD) at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 720/360
Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9
aspect ratio. At 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI) at 120 or 100
fps (All-Intra = 720/360 Mbps. LongGOP = 720, 360 or 200
Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD)
at 120 or 100 fps (All-Intra = 720/360 Mbps. LongGOP =
720, 360 or 200 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
MOV format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25 or
24 fps (All-Intra = 360 Mbps. LongGOP = 360, 200, 100
or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 3840x2160 pixels
(4K UHD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 360 Mbps.
LongGOP = 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio.
MOV format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25 or
24 fps (All-Intra = 360 Mbps. LongGOP = 360, 200, 100
or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels
(Full HD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps (All-Intra = 360 Mbps.
LongGOP = 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio. At 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI); 120 or 100 fps (All-
Intra = 360 Mbps. LongGOP = 360 or Mbps) and 17:9
aspect ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD); 120 or 100 fps
(All-Intra = 360 Mbps. LongGOP = 360 or 200 Mbps) and
16:9 aspect ratio.
MP4 format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 4096x2160 pixels (4K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps (LongGOP; 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect
ratio. At 3840x2160 pixels (4K UHD); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps (LongGOP; 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect
ratio.
MP4 format with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264
codec) at 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI); 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24
fps (LongGOP; 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect
ratio. At 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD) at 60, 50, 30, 25 or
24 fps (LongGOP; 360, 200, 100 or 50 Mbps) and 16:9
aspect ratio. At 2048x1080 pixels (2K DCI); 120 or 100
fps (LongGOP; 360 or 200 Mbps) and 17:9 aspect ratio. At
1920x1080 pixels (Full HD); 120 or 100 fps (LongGOP; 360
or 200 Mbps) and 16:9 aspect ratio.
Built-in stereo microphones with auto/manual levels
adjustment, limiter, wind-cut filter and low-cut filter.
Stereo audio input (switchable mic/line levels) and stereo
audio output (with adjustable volume) provided. No record-
ing clip limits. CFexpress Type B memory card required for
Apple ProRes codecs. Optional FAN-001 cooling fan avail-
able to limit temperature build-ups.
Video Features: Choice of cinematic frame formats (GF,
Premista, 35mm, Anamorphic FF 35mm), external video
recording to SSD via USB C (including Apple ProRes 422
HQ/422 and All-Intra compression at 8K up to 30 fps and
4K up to 60 fps), anamorphic recording (5.8K at 2.76:1
aspect and 4.6K at 1.38:1 aspect – ProRes/H.265 and
10-bit 4:2:2 colour) with de-squeeze display options, F-Log
and F-Log2 gamma profiles, HLG HDR profile, digital image
stabilisation, focus peaking display, zebra patterns with
adjustable brightness threshold, waveform monitor/vector
scope displays, time code support (SMPTE compliant with
Rec Run and Free Run modes), wireless time code support
(Atomos AirGlu), interframe noise reduction, movie silent
control.
HDMI Output: RAW (ProRes or Blackmagic) 8K DCI 17:9
with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 24 fps. RAW 8K UHD 16:9
with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 30, 25 or 24 fps. RAW 4K UHD
16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps.
8K DCI 17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 24 fps. 8K UHD
16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K DCI
17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps.
4K UHD 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or
24 fps. 2K DCI 17:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 30,
25 or 24 fps. Full HD 16:9 with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 60,
50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. High Speed Rec HDMI; Full HD 16:9
with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and 120 or 100 fps
Recording Media: One slot for SD with UHS-II and Video
Speed Class V90 support. One slot for CFexpress Type B.
Sequential, Back-Up and RAW/JPEG slot file management
modes.
Continuous Shooting: With a CFexpress Type B memory
card – 1000+ JPEG/large/fine frames at up to 5.3 fps or
1000+ RAW frames (compressed or lossless compressed,
14-bit) or 390 frames (uncompressed) using the sensor
shutter. 1000+ JPEG/large/fine frames at up to 8.0 fps or
325 RAW frames (compressed, 14-bit), 302 frames (loss-
less compressed) or 76 frames (uncompressed) using the
focal plane shutter. 1000+ JPEG/large/fine frames at up
to 8.7 fps or 1000+ RAW frames (compressed or lossless
compressed) or 260 frames (uncompressed) using the sen-
sor shutter with 35mm format crop.
White Balance: TTL measurement. Three auto modes,
seven presets and three custom settings. White balance
compensation (amber-to-blue and/or green-to-magenta) in
all presets, and white balance bracketing. Manual colour
temperature setting from 2500 to 10,000 degrees Kelvin.
Auto White Priority maintains whites under incandescent
lighting. Auto Ambience Priority maintains warmer hues
under incandescent lighting.
Interfaces: USB Type C (3.2 Gen2), HDMI Type A, RJ45
Ethernet, 3.5mm stereo audio or remote controller input,
3.5 mm stereo audio output, PC flash.
Additional Digital Features: In-body five-axis image sta-
bilisation with up to eight stops of correction for camera
shake, ‘Pixel Shift Multi Shot’ ultra high res capture (16
shots for 400 megapixels files with accurate colour or
four shots for accurate colour alone; adjustable shot
intervals), sensor cleaning, 20 ‘Film Simulation’ presets
(Provia/Standard, Velvia/Vivid, Astia/Soft, Classic Chrome,
Nostalgic Neg, Pro Neg High, Pro Neg Standard, Classic
Neg, Reala Ace, Eterna/Cinema, Eterna Bleach Bypass,
ACROS, ACROS+Yellow, ACROS+Red, ACROS+Green,
B&W, B&W+Yellow, B&W+Red, B&W+Green, Sepia),
adjustable picture parameters (Colour, Sharpness, Tone
Curve, High ISO Noise Reduction, Long Exposure Noise
Reduction, Clarity and Monochromatic Colour – warm-
to-cool or green-to-magenta), ‘Grain Effect’ (Roughness –
Strong, Weak, Off. Size – Large or Small), ‘Colour Chrome
Effect’ (Strong, Weak, Off), ‘Colour Chrome Effect Blue’
(Strong, Weak, Off), ‘Smooth Skin Effect’ (Strong, Weak,
Off), ‘B&W Adjustment’ (Warm/Cool), ‘Quick Menu’ control
screen (customisable), ‘Lens Modulation Optimiser’ pro-
cessing, intervalometer (up to 999 frames), pixel mapping,
dynamic range expansion (Auto, 100%, 200%, 400%),
‘D-Range Priority’ (Auto, Strong Weak, Off), flicker detec-
tion and correction, high ISO noise reduction (plus/minus
four levels), multiple exposure facility (up to nine frames
with Additive. Average, Bright or Dark exposure adjust-
ment), intervalometer (up to 999 frames or unlimited; with
exposure smoothing), real-time RGB/brightness histogram
display, highlight alert, single/dual-axis electronic level
displays, grid displays (choice of two), depth-of-field pre-
view, auto bracketing functions (AE, ‘Film Simulation’, ISO,
White Balance, Dynamic Range and Focus), six custom
camera set-up memories (C1 to C6 on the main mode dial),
sRGB and Adobe RGB colour space settings, ‘Dual Display’
screen, RGB and brightness histograms in playback, high-
light alert in playback, in-camera editing functions (RAW to
JPEG/HEIF/TIFF Conversion, HEIF to JPEG/TIFF Conversion.
Erase, Simultaneous Delete, Crop, Resize, Protect, Image
Rotate, Copy, Rating PhotoBook Assist, Transfer Image
To Smartphone), multi-image playback, 9/100 thumbnail
displays, zoom playback, silent mode, Instax print, custom-
isable ‘My Menu’ (16 items), copyright info, voice memo
recording, battery age display, WiFi (2.4 and 5.0 GHz
bands) and Bluetooth LE 4.2 wireless connectivity, inte-
grated Frame.io to Cloud support, DPOF support.
Power: Rechargeable 7.2 volts, 2200 mAh lithium-ion
battery (NP-W235 type). In-camera recharging via USB C.
Optional VG-GFX II battery/vertical grip houses two addi-
tional NP-W235 battery packs.
Dimensions (WxHxD): body only = 152.4x117.4x98.6 mm.
Weight: 949 grams body only (without battery or memory
cards).
Price: $12,599 body only. VG-GFX II battery grip is priced at
$899. Fujifilm Australia provides a three-year warranty for
GFX series mirrorless cameras and GF lenses purchased in
Australia from an authorised reseller. For more information
visit www.fujifilm.com.au
Distributor: Fujifilm Australia, telephone (02) 9466 2600 or
visit www.fujifilm.com.au
 ON TRIAL
SLR MAGIC
MICROPRIME
CINE 50MM T1.2
IN THE MOOD
There are plenty of photo lenses adaptable to
shooting video, but a dedicated cine lens can be
a far better option… the aesthetics of motion
picture often being quite different from those
of a still photograph. SLR Magic’s fully manual
primes are all about creating an atmospheric
cinematic look and feel… which, incidentally,
works for photography too.
T
he world of cinema lenses is
a fascinating one. It spans the
hugely expensive optics used
in mainstream movie and TV
productions – such as those
from Leitz Cine and Zeiss – to all manner of
vintage lenses often picked up for a song.
The latter gained in popularity after the
video-enabled DSLRs started appearing, and
84
very quickly classic 35mm SLR system
manual focus prime lenses were in high
demand… Nikkors, Rokkors, Super Ta-
kumars, Hexanons and Leica R mount (a
very popular option). Manual focus is pre-
ferred and so is manual aperture control
so it doesn’t matter that the many mount
adapters are simply physical couplings.
A classic Nikkor prime fitted to an EOS
5D II/III/IV body was quite a commonly-seen
configuration.
The near-endless permutations in lens
mount adapters that’s available today
had its origins in film-makers wanting to
fit any lens that they liked the look of to
their video DSLRs and now, of course,
mirrorless cameras. And it’s all to do with
the ‘look’ as well… for example, uncoated
or the early one- or two-layer anti-reflection
multi-coatings result in less contrast, more
muted colours and the ability to deliberately
use flare for creative effects. Interestingly
too, the lenses made for film photography
took into account that the film was never
held completely flat across the entire
frame (the role of the pressure plate) so
the corners would be fractionally bowed…
and hence out-of-focus. Over time, film
lenses were designed to correct for this
so… when used with digital sensors which
are micron flat from corner-to-corner, they
actually introduced some sharpness fall-off
at these extremities. In cinematography
though, more softly-rendered corners – and
vignetting too – can be A Good Thing in
visual terms.
SLR Magic taps into all of this with its
dedicated cine prime lenses which, both
physically and optically, are designed to
replicate the key attributes of a vintage
lens, but with all the reliability and durability
benefits of being brand new. These are
primarily cine lens with – because of
their particular visual characteristics –
photographic applications too, rather than
being photo lenses that have some small
adaptions to make them more suitable for
shooting video.
SLR Magic’s MicroPrime CINE series is
quite extensive and includes models for the
Micro Four Thirds sensor size, the Super
35 image size (i.e. ‘APS-C’) in the Fujifilm X
mount and the Sony E mount, and full frame
for the Sony FE mount. The FE models –
which have an image circle of 44 millimetres
in diameter – all share essentially the
same physical characteristics in terms of
size, weight, balance and the location of
the geared control collars. This makes for
easier and quicker lens changes when the
host camera is mounted in a video rig, or
maintains the same balance if you’re using a
three-axis gimbal.
IN THE HAND
The word ‘Micro’ in the model series name
isn’t so much a reference to the MFT format
as the comparative compactness of these
primes. The key offerings for the FE mount
comprising a 21mm T1.6, a 25mm T1.5, a
35mm T1.3, a 50mm T1.2 and a 75mm T1.5.
These are all fast lenses too, so by cinema-
tography lens standards, they are indeed
pretty compact and not especially heavy,
although the all-metal and all-glass construc-

tion sees the 50mm T1.2 tested here tipping
the scales at a solid 700 grams. And “solid”
is a pretty apt description of the 50mm
T1.2’s construction overall.
The build quality is quite exceptional and
this lens certainly looks – and feels – like it
could withstand quite a bit of heavy handling
when on location. There’s no weather
sealing, but everything seems to fit so
tightly that a bit of gentle rain probably isn’t
going to be an issue.
In this era of electronic ‘fly-by-wire’
control controls, it’s reassuring that the
50mm T1.2 is entirely mechanical in its
operation… just like a vintage lens. Even
the styling looks classical, with the gearing
on the control collars looking a lot like the
ribbed metal grips that were common
on interchangeable lenses during the
1950s and ’60s. Both control collars feel
nicely weighted with enough mechanical
resistance to allow for very precise
adjustment. Both also have end stops which
do make a pronounced ‘click’ when you hit
them so take care when recording, although
the aperture ring is quieter and the focus
collar is designed to they’re slightly beyond
THERE’S A ROMANTIC FEEL
THAT OBVIOUSLY WORKS
WELL WITH PORTRAITURE,
BUT WOULD BE EQUALLY
COMPLIMENTARY TO
OTHER FIELDS SUCH AS
FASHION, GLAMOUR AND
SOME STILL LIFE STUDIES.”
S The barrel construction uses entirely
metal tubes, and these lenses are built
tough.
T-STOPS AND F-STOPS – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
If you’re new to cine lenses you might
be wondering about the T-stops and
how they’re different from f-stops. The T
stands for “transmission” and the T-stop
– also called a T-number – is a measure of
exactly how much light is passed through
the lens (i.e. to the sensor), taking
into account the losses which occur in
the optical system due to refraction,
diffusion or reflection. In comparison,
f-stops are determined mathematically
by dividing the focal length of the lens
by the diameter of the aperture… so
they’re a theoretical value rather than
an actual value. The T-stop takes into
account the number of elements in a
lens’s optical construction, the quality of
the optics and the effectiveness of the
anti-reflection coatings. So, for example,
due to variations in the transmittance,
two lenses with a theoretical f-stop of
f/2.8 could have an actual T-stop of T2.9…
or T3.1. These small differences aren’t an
issue with still photography because the
the actual minimum distance and infinity
settings.
The 50mm T1.2 has a stepless aperture
control which allows for very smooth
exposure variations. It also has a long
‘throw’ from T1.2 to T2.0 and on to T2.8,
enabling exceptionally fine control which is
as much about exploiting the shallow depth-
of-field at these widest apertures as it is
about adjusting exposure.
The focus collar has a 150-degree
rotation which also allows for very smooth
and precise adjustment across the full
distance range. If you’re focusing by hand –
rather than using a follow focus set-up – the
geared collar still feels quite comfortable to
use, but you’ll probably need several ‘bites’
to complete the full twist. The distance
markings are in feet-and-inches only which
S Mount is entirely passive so all lens
operations are manual.
ON TRIAL SLR MAGIC
camera’s built-in metering takes care of
it, but the variations in exposure will be
noticeable when shooting video using
different lenses and different camera
angles. T-stops – which are the result of
actually testing the transmittance of a lens
– ensure exposure consistency from shot
to shot no matter what… T2.0 is always
T2.0 regardless of the lens. Incidentally,
testing the transmittance of a lens is
quite a lengthy and costly exercise which
generally isn’t worth undertaking with a
photography lens because the f-stop is
near enough to be good enough.
Particularly with prime lenses which
have a higher transmittance because they
employ fewer elements, the degree of
exposure variation between any given
T-stop and the same f-stop is usually
quite small… in the order of one-third of
a stop. The T-stop will, in effect, be slower
because transmittance losses are taken
into account.
photographers, in particular, may find a little
unusual to start with, but obviously really
doesn’t make any difference in the end. The
minimum focusing distance is two feet or
60.9 centimetres.
Importantly, focusing is performed
internally ensuring there’s no change to
lens’s physical length and that the front
element doesn’t rotate. SLR Magic says the
focusing mechanism has been designed to
minimise focus breathing – a slight change
in the image size which occurs during
focusing – which is again an important
requirement when shooting motion
picture footage, but rarely an issue for
photographers
The lens’s maximum diameter is 85
millimetres so it fits standard matte boxes
or, for photographers, the 100 mm square
S Focus distance markings are in feet-and-
inches only. Mechanical control collar has a
150-degree throw.
85
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86

S Both the focusing collar and the aperture
ring – which has stepless adjustment – use
0.8 MOD/32 pitch gearing.
filter holder systems. Alternatively, the
screwthread filter fitting is 82 millimetres
and, of course, this is shared across all the
MicroPrime CINE FE mount primes.
The lens mount is a stainless steel
casting and entirely passive so it’s you and
the optics doing all the work. In practical
terms, it means that the camera doesn’t
‘see’ the lens and you’ll need to make sure
that ‘Release Without Lens’ is enabled.
OPTICAL DESIGN
The 50mm’s optical construction is a simple
one employing seven elements in six groups.
It’s optical design purity and certainly a
contributing factor to the high transmittance
percentage which, incidentally, means the
maximum aperture is equivalent to f/1.1.
These are all traditional cut-and-polish spheri-
cal glass elements so the dispersion charac-
teristics and refractive indices are what they
WIDE OPEN AT T1.2, THE
SLR MAGIC 50MM IS AT
ITS CINEMATIC BEST WITH
ALL THE TYPICAL VISUAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
VINTAGE PHOTO LENS.”
are. There are no special elements to correct
for specific lens aberrations… which is
deliberate. As you’ll see in the Performance
section, it’s all about the look. Consequently
too, the multi-coatings balance contrast and
colour without being overly clinical.
As noted earlier, focusing is performed
internally so nothing moves externally.
The iris diaphragm has a total of 13 blades
to give a much more uniformly rounded
aperture and hence very smooth out-of-
focus effects. Additionally, the odd number
reduces the likelihood of flare being created
by the blades themselves.
PERFORMANCE
While photo lenses typically chase optical
perfection – and, where it can’t be achieved
optically, in-camera corrections are applied
to the image file – dedicated cinema lenses
have a different design ethos. With moving
pictures, realism becomes much more of a
consideration… the natural depiction of the
world as we see it every day. Thus muted
colours and low contrast along with reflec-
tions and often quite dramatic flare are all
about creating mood and atmosphere. Focus
is a powerful creative tool or, perhaps more
specifically, the visual difference between
what’s sharp and what isn’t.
Wide open at T1.2, the SLR Magic
50mm is at its cinematic best with all
the typical visual characteristics of a
vintage photo lens… which many movie-
makers now consider positives rather
than negatives. The sharpness fall-off at
the corners is quite dramatic and there’s
noticeable vignetting too, but it looks
great for video and also works well with
photography if you want a more filmic look
that doesn’t assault you with unrealistic
saturation and contrast. The shallow depth-
of-field at T1.2 allows you to make great use
of selective focus which is complimented
by a creamily smooth bokeh that gives
a nicely progressive focus roll-off from
the subject to the background. There’s a
romantic feel that obviously works well
with portraiture, but would be equally
complimentary to other fields such as
fashion, glamour and some still life studies.
Stop down a couple of apertures though,
and the 50mm T1.2 becomes an entirely
different lens in character. At T4.0 the
corner sharpness improves significantly and
chromatic aberrations are much reduced
which enhances the overall definition and
contrast. The colour palette is still a little
restrained – which is often quite desirable
– but obviously there’s scope in any Sony
Alpha mirrorless body or the FX series
cinema cameras to tweak saturation and
hue in-camera. More likely though, many
users will be shooting in S-Log and colour
grading in post. In either case, the SLR
Magic prime’s natural colour rendition is
actually very appealing.
ON TRIAL SLR MAGIC
THE VERDICT
While so many photo lenses are now touted
as being ‘hybrid’ and having some of the
functionality needed by video shooters –
such as stepless aperture adjustment – the
SLR Magic MicroPrime CINE lenses present
a strong argument for the dedicated cine
lens. The simplicity of an optical design
that’s not packed with extra elements doing
corrective duties, and the inherent durability
of a fully mechanical construction are both
big plusses for a dedicated cinema lens.
The 50mm T1.2 is certainly one of the
toughest built lenses that we’ve ever
encountered and, across the aperture
range of T4.0 to T11, performs supremely
well in terms of sharpness, definition and
tonality. Yet, a lens such as this is a much
about its unique pictorial character as it is
about its technical capabilities. At its widest
apertures, those vintage lens imperfections
– clinically tuned out of any modern photo
lens especially for mirrorless cameras –
work brilliantly with video to create mood
and, indeed, a bit of magic. Ironically, they
can have their place in photography too, if
you want to create a retro look straight out
of the camera. The wider-angle MicroPrime
Cine lenses would undoubtedly exploit
these characteristics even further, but the
50mm is the true classic and can deliver
a more technical result – particularly in
terms of the uniformity of centre-to-corner
sharpness and greater contrast – if you want
it. Affordability is the icing on the cake –
shop around and you might snag the 50mm
T1.2 for under a grand – but the cherry on
top is that this lens is simply a huge amount
of fun to use, both for video and stills.
Mirrorless Magic now!
VITAL STATISTICS
SLR MAGIC
MICROPRIME CINE
50MM T1.2
$1049
Format: Full frame (35mm format) digital sensors.
Image Circle: 44 millimetres.
Angle-of-View: 46.8 degrees (diagonal).
Construction: Seven elements/six groups.
Minimum Focus: 60.9 centimetres.
Aperture Range: T1.2 to T16.
Overall Length: 87.0 millimetres.
Maximum Diameter: 85.0 millimetres.
Filter Diameter: 82 millimetres.
Weight: 700 grams.
Lens Mount(s): Sony FE. Mechanical coupling only.
Features: Metal barrel tubes, cine-standard geared
control collars for manual focusing and aperture
setting (both 0.8 MOD/32 pitch), clickless aperture
control, internal focusing, 13 blades diaphragm.
Compatible with the SLR Magic 65-1.33x Anamorphic
adapter.
Price: $1049.
Distributor: C.R. Kennedy & Company Pty Ltd), visit
https://www.crkphotoimaging.com.au
87
 ON TRIAL
NIKON
Z8
LOVE YOUR WORK
If the Z 9 is too much camera and too
much money, the Z 8 is more compact and
more affordable, but really no less capable
overall and thoroughly rewarding to use.
A
lmost immediately after the
Z 9’s launch there was talk –
undoubtedly based on Nikon’s
long track record with such
things – of a more compact
and more affordable version of the flagship Z
mount flagship, but which maintained all the
key capabilities. And so the Z 8 has come
to pass and, lo, it is indeed a Z 9 in a great
88
many respects and, as such, is where you’ll
likely go next if you’ve been using a D810 or
D850… but also where you could well go if
you’re still contemplating which way to jump
in the transition from any high-end DSLR to
a comparable mirrorless camera.
In a nutshell, the Z 8 is essentially the
Z 9 minus the integrated vertical grip –
there’s the accessory MB-N12 available
PAUL BURROWS
S Z 8’s chunky styling is similar to that
of the Z 9. Good-sized handgrip is very
comfortable to hold.
instead – but obviously there are a few more
changes which also help account for the
quite significant difference in the purchase
prices. Nevertheless, the two models share
the same key performance specifications
and the same extensive feature set which
is a benefit of everything being done
electronically rather than mechanically
when it cost more to do more. In fact, the
Z 8 has some added capabilities over the
Z 9 – notably 60 fps continuous shooting,
longer burst lengths at the ultra-faster
shooting speeds, 10-bit HEIF capture, dual
USB C connections (one dedicated to power
delivery), 12-bit N-RAW or ProRes RAW HQ
video recording internally (added to the Z 9
via a firmware upgrade), various tweaks to
the AF system including extended low-light
sensitivity, and number of small refinements
or revisions probably as a result of feedback
from Z 9 users. However, it’s worth noting
that 60 fps shooting can be added to the Z 9
with the Firmware 3.0 upgrade.
 ON TRIAL NIKON Z 8
The 60 fps speed is only available
with the ‘DX’ format crop – which is 1.5x NIKON BELIEVES THE Additionally, images can be copied between
the cards.
– but the image size is still a useful 19.3
megapixels. The capture mode automatically MANY BENEFITS OF LOOKING GOOD
locks into JPEG/Large/Normal. You can
shoot at up to 30 fps full frame (which ELIMINATING A PHYSICAL The Z 8’s sensor is the same 45.7
megapixels (effective) stacked BSI-CMOS

SHUTTER OUTWEIGH ANY

Nikon tags ‘FX’), but again with JPEG/ as is used in the Z 9 and which is mated
Large/Normal capture. At 30 and 60 fps, the to Nikon’s latest-generation ‘Expeed 7’

LIKELY PUSH-BACK FROM

burst length is six seconds – i.e. the buffer processor. The stacked design enables the
memory’s capacity – which equates to much faster read-out rates required for very

PHOTOGRAPHERS.”
180 and 360 frames respectively. The Z 9’s high speed shooting and also for high res
120 fps “press-ready stills” JPEG shooting and high frame rate video recording. It also
speed is available here too, and delivers an reduces the rolling shutter distortion while
image size of 11.4 megapixels with a burst range – has all the same compression level, allowing for a black-out free viewfinder
length of 600 frames (i.e. five seconds). image size and aspect ratio settings as are during high-speed shooting. It has dual gain
This is still plenty of resolution for any available for JPEGs. The burst lengths are circuitry with the two base ISOs set at 64
print-related application – if you’re shooting also the same because, although an HEIF and 500. The two outputs are optimised for
sports or adventure action, for example – file contains roughly twice as much data as dynamic range below ISO 500 and higher
and obviously way more than enough for a JPEG, it has the same file size (more high gain (or sensitivity) above ISO 500.
online publishing. The Z 8 has a ‘Pre-Release efficiency compression algorithms at work). The sensor actually delivers two data
Capture’ function for JPEGs (or HEIFs) There’s RAW+JPEG and RAW+HEIF capture streams – one to the EVF and monitor, and
which engages when the shutter button options. one to the image processor. Consequently,
is at its half-way position (i.e. for metering Not surprisingly, the Z 8 has dual the viewing stream is unaffected by any
and autofocusing) and can be set for 0.3. memory card slots, but only one is for processing so it can have the look of an
0.5 or 1.0 second durations. There’s also a CFexpress Type B devices (and which also optical finder which Nikon calls ‘Photo Live
‘Post Release Burst’ which can be used to supports XQD cards) while the second is View’ (but which has the option of making
minimise the subsequent burst length to for SD cards and has UHS-II speed support. some basic adjustments such as for colour
one, two or three seconds (but you’re more Given SD cards remain the most widely balance).
likely to simply leave it set on ‘MAX’). ‘Pre- used and are a lot more affordable too, The scanning speed is around 1/270
Release Capture’ was added to the Z 9 via this combination is likely to be much more second which allows the flash sync speed
the Firmware 2.0 upgrade and more recently preferable for many photographers than with the sensor-based shutter to be lifted
given extended capabilities with Firmware the Z 9’s exclusive use of CFexpress Type B to 1/200 second or to 1/250 second which
4.0. devices. comes with a small reduction in the
With JPEG/large/fine and RAW capture, The file management options include effective guide number of the attached flash
the top speed is 20 fps and the burst overflow, back-up, or separate storage of unit. This is important because, like the Z 9,
lengths can now exceed 1000 frames RAW and JPEG/HEIF images. Alternatively, the Z 8 doesn’t have a focal plane shutter
when using Nikon’s ‘High Efficiency’ RAW the second slot can be configured for the so sensor scanning is the only means of
mode which was introduced on the Z 9. storage of duplicate JPEG/HEIF images making an exposure. Nikon has taken the
It maintains 14-bit colour and employs a at different sizes or quality settings. plunge here, but believes the many benefits
more efficient form of lossy compression
– essentially using the H.265 video codec
– to deliver close to the same image
quality as an uncompressed RAW file, but
at one-third the file. There’s also a ‘High
Efficiency*’ RAW setting which halves
the file size, reducing the burst length to
around 685 frames. It’s worth noting that
full AF/AE adjustment is maintained at all
continuous shooting speeds, even 120
fps. A conventional lossless compressed
RAW is also available, but there isn’t an
uncompressed RAW capture option. You’ll
need a CFexpress memory card for high-
speed HE RAW shooting over long burst
1
lengths, but with XQD (which many users
of recent-vintage Nikon pro DSLRs will
already have) and UHS-II speed SD cards,
you’ll still get up to around 50 or 60 frames
before the camera slows down. It’s only
going to be restrictive with subjects such as
motorsports where you could easily hit the
buffer with, say, a cornering sequence.
The 10-bit HEIF capture – selected by
switching the camera’s new Tone Mode
setting from standard dynamic range (SDR)
to HLG (hybrid log gamma) high dynamic 1. Rear panel control layout includes a joystick and keypad navigator.

89
NIKON Z 8 ON TRIAL
of eliminating a physical shutter outweigh
any likely push-back from photographers.
Apart from the much faster shooting
speeds, there’s no physical wear and tear,
it’s completely silent and it doesn’t generate
any vibrations. If you still like to hear the
shutter going off, a simulated ‘click’ can be
switched on and is adjustable for volume
and pitch. The lowest volume setting will
only be heard by you, while the highest is
still a whole lot quieter than a reflex mirror
flapping up and down.
The sensor also provides in-body image
stabilisation via five-axis shifting which gives
up to 5.5 stops of correction for camera
shake on its own, or up to six stops along
with the OIS-equipped Nikkor Z lenses
that support the combined ‘Synchro VR’
stabilisation. And talking of changing lenses,
the Z 8 has a shield that will automatically
deploy when the camera is switched off in
order to protect the sensor from dust or
moisture.
TAKING EFFECTS
With its in-camera processing functions for
JPEGs (and HEIFs), the Z 8 pretty much
keeps it all in the Z family. At the top of the
list is a selection of eight ‘Picture Control’
presets which are supplemented by a
further 20 ‘Creative Picture Control’ settings.
These are essentially special effects,
but have the same choice of adjustment
parameters as the standard picture presets
along with a choice of ten effect levels.
There’s a multiple exposure facility
which can combine up to ten shots and an
intervalometer which can record up to 9999
frames in a sequence. Additionally, there’s
provision for adding in exposure bracketing
at each point for up to nine shots which
means, if so desired, you could record up to
9999x9 shots in a sequence.
90
4
3 2 1
1. Top panel 2. Top panel 3. Top panel control 4. Dedicated buttons
layout will info display cluster is a design for ISO and exposure
be familiar has built-in element carried compensation are
conveniently located
to users of illumination. over from Nikon’s
Nikon’s pro- later pro-level next to the shutter
level DSLRs. DSLRs. release.
New on the Z 8 is a ‘Skin Softening’ Consequently, there’s a small improvement
function which does exactly what it says in the AF’s low-light sensitivity which now
via Low, Normal or High settings. Perhaps extends down to -7.0 EV at ISO 100 and f/1.2
more interesting is the also-new ‘Portrait with normal operations and down to -9.0 EV
Impression Balance’ function which has in the ‘Starlight View’ AF mode. Again, this
three Mode settings that you create is available for the Z 9 via the Firmware 3.0
via adjustments for colour hue – over a upgrade.
magenta-to-yellow range – and brightness. The subject detection categories have
This allows for tweaking of the skin tone been refined so aircraft have been given
reproduction and is obviously a more their own separate mode to enhance
selective – and subtler – tool than trying to recognition reliability. As before, the Vehicle
do the same thing with the white balance category covers cars, motorcycles, bicycles
settings. and trains (and, incidentally, also still
The auto bracketing functions are for recognises aircraft). The other categories are
exposure, flash, exposure and flash, white People and Animal, the latter including dogs,
balance and the camera’s Active D-Lighting cats and birds. Eye, face, head and body/
process for dynamic range expansion. torso recognition is available when shooting
Additionally, there’s a ‘Focus Shift Shooting’ human subjects; and eye, head and body for
function which can capture up to 300 animals. The camera will keep switching to a
frames, adjusting the focus with larger target if it can’t lock onto the smaller
each via a predetermined elements.
step from one (narrow) to As on the Z 9, the Z 8’s hybrid phase/
ten (wide). These frames contrast detection autofocusing has 493
can subsequently be measuring points which give 90 percent
assembled post-camera frame coverage, both horizontally and
for focus stacking. vertically. There’s a total of 11 area modes
which range in size from ‘Pinpoint’ to
AIRCRAFT ‘Auto Area AF’ which uses a total of
RECOGNITION 405 points. In between are two ‘Wide
While the Z 8 has all Area’ modes – large or small – and three
the headline capabilities ‘Dynamic Area’ options – Small, Medium
of the Z 9’s autofocusing and Large – where, if the subject moves,
system, there are inevitably the focusing point automatically switches
some refinements made to any of the surrounding ones. There are
possible by subsequent updates additionally are two custom ‘Wide Area’
to the control algorithms. modes which allow you to create your own
shapes from a possible 20, either square
W Dual memory card slots are or rectangular. This is another feature that’s
for CFexpress Type B and SD, the been subsequently added to the Z 9 since
latter with UHS-II speed support its launch (via the Firmware 2.0 upgrade in

this case).
There’s also the ‘3D Tracking AF’
capability from Nikon’s top-end DSLRs which
simply follows whatever object is selected
with the initial focus lock-on. It then uses
the focusing distance and colour to track
the subject, but it can also be used with
subject detection. Additionally, you can fine-
tune the tracking to better match the type
of movement – essentially either Steady or
Erratic – and the response to a blocked shot
– from Quick to Delayed over five steps.
And, of course, you get frame-by-frame
autofocusing adjustment no matter what
continuous shooting speed is set… even the
120 fps rate for 11 MP JPEGs.
As noted in the introduction, there’s
no physical shutter and the sensor-based
shutter delivers a speed range of 30-
1/32,000 second in the semi-auto or
program exposure modes, and winds down
all the way to 900 seconds – 15 minutes – in
the manual. Otherwise, there are both ‘B’
and ‘T’ options for longer exposures. Also
as noted earlier, the shutter’s fast read-out
The Z 9 and the Z 8 are again very close
in capabilities when it comes to shooting
video. The Firmware 2.0 upgrade for the
former added all the additional recording
options that come as standard with the
Z 8. These start with internal recording of
12-bit RAW video in the proprietary N-RAW
format at 8.3K (8256x4644 pixels) and up
to 60/50 fps, 4.1K (4128x2322 pixels) at up
to 120/100 fps and 4K UHD up to 120/100
fps. Alternatively, the ProRes HQ RAW
format is available for the 4K recording
options at up to 120/100 fps again. Crops
of 1.5x and 2.3x are available with the RAW
recording, giving 5.4K and 3.8K resolutions
respectively. Usefully for editing, Full HD
proxy files are recorded along with the
RAW format.
Using the H.265 HEVC codec in the
MOV format with LongGOP interframe
compression and with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour,
the Z 8 records 8K UHD (7680x4320
pixels) at 30, 25 or 24 fps, 4K UHD at
up to 120/100 fps and Full HD at up to
120/100 fps. The 4K UHD video recording
at 24/25/30 fps is oversampled from 8K
while, at the faster frame rates up to
100/120 fps, pixel binning is employed (but
AF PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS HAVE BEEN SET
VERY HIGH BY THE CURRENT
GENERATION OF PRO-LEVEL
MIRRORLESS CAMERAS,
BUT THE Z 8 IS UP TO THE
CHALLENGE.”
speed allows for flash sync up to 1/200 or
1/250 second. High-speed flicker detection
and correction is provided for dealing with
LED light sources – now becoming very
common – and adjusts the shutter speed
fractionally to avoid any exposure variations
due to this lighting’s switching frequency.
IN THE HAND
Although the extra bulk of the Z 9’s
integrated battery grip is gone, the Z 8
the full width of the sensor is still used so
lens focal lengths remain unchanged).
However, more likely to get higher-end
video-makers excited is the availability
of the ProRes 422 HQ codec with 10-
bit colour and All-Intra compression at
4K UHD up to 60/50 fps and Full HD up
to 120/100 fps. N-Log and HDR (HLG)
recording with 10-bit colour is also possible
internally.
The theoretical limits on recording
durations are quoted at 125 minutes for
4K and 60/50 fps and 90 minutes for 8K
at 30 fps. However, the smaller-bodied Z
8 isn’t as efficient as dissipating heat and
its battery is good for around 100 minutes
(but obviously fitting the optional MB-
N12 battery will give an extended range,
or there’s the second, dedicated USB C
connection for external power). With the
highest bit rate – which is a massive 5780
Mbps with 8.3K RAW and 50/60 fps –
you should be able to run for 30 minutes
continuously and perhaps a bit longer
depending on which CFexpress Type B
memory card you use (some get hotter
than others) and the ambient temperature.
For external recording over HDMI – and
the Z 8 has the full-size Type A connector
– there’s 8K UHD up to 30/25 fps, 4K UHD
at up to 50/60 fps; and Full HD at up to
50/60 fps. Additionally, both 10-bit N-Log
and HDR with simultaneous recording
internally.
The camera has built-in stereo
microphones and records 24-bit PCM
linear audio. It has both stereo audio in/
ON TRIAL NIKON Z 8
is still a substantial handful, weighing in
at 910 grams before you attach a lens.
Nevertheless, comfortable handling is
something Nikon does best and the Z 8’s
grip is both a good size and well-shaped.
The styling is closer to that of the Z 9 than
the Z 7/Z 6 models with a very chunky EVF
housing – due to the superior optics – and
the four-way tilting LCD monitor.
The control layout is typically Nikon old
school with buttons scattered everywhere,
including on the front panel, but it maintains
many similarities with the high-end DSLRs.
For example, the four-key cluster on the
top panel which is used for selecting the
exposure modes, setting the drive and self-
timer modes, setting the white balance and
configuring the auto exposure bracketing.
On the other side of EVF housing are
buttons for ISO and exposure compensation
so everything of critical importance is within
easy reach of either hand. Navigation and
adjustments are via front and rear input
wheels in conjunction with the focus joystick
and eight-way ‘Multi-selector’ keypad on the
out using 3.5 minijack connectors; the
former with plug-in power, the latter with
a headphones volume control. The audio
controls comprise auto/manual levels
adjustment, an attenuator, two frequency
response settings for wide range and vocal
range, and wind cut filter.
Video features include a waveform
monitor (added to the Z 9 via Firmware
2.0), zebra displays (with a handy mid-tone
range adjustment), time code support,
electronic image stabilisation (which shifts
the image on the sensor to correct for
camera movement so there’s a small crop
involved) and time-lapse movie recording in
2K, 4K and 8K.
When autofocusing with video, the
subject recognition and tracking is available
(including the Auto option), but not ‘3D
Tracking’ nor the ‘Dynamic Area’ modes.
The tracking for people works very well
with the system progressively using a
larger target area – from eyes through
to the torso – as required in order to
stay locked-on. There are video-specific
adjustments for the AF speed (plus/minus
five steps) and tracking sensitivity (over
seven steps). Notably too, the sensor’s
fast read-out means there’s minimal
rolling shutter distortion when panning or
shooting fast-moving objects.
The 4K image quality, in particular,
is stunning in its definition, depth and
dynamic range, to the extent that is both
compelling and mesmerising.
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92

S Subject recognition categories have
been revised to include a dedicated one for
aircraft.
S Live view screen is highly customisable
with displays and function icons, along with
elements such as a guide grid, real-time
histogram and dual-axis level indicator.
rear panel. The classic Nikon top panel info
display (which has built-in illumination) is
retained and, with so much detail available
in both the EVF and the monitor, you’d think
it might be a bit redundant now, but it still
comes in handy, especially if you’re used
T 35mm F100 was the semi-pro understudy
to the F5. The Z 8 has a much closer
relationship to the Z
S ‘Shooting Menu Banks’ tiles can be
customised and you can have up to four
different sets.
ST Review/replay screen cycles through a number of displays – including a full set of
histograms and various info overlays which cover all the capture details.
to having it. As per Nikon’s pro-level DSLRs
and the Z 9, all the Z 8’s key controls have
backlighting which proves especially useful
with night photography.
The Z 8 continues Nikon’s tradition for
supremely efficient control ergonomics.
ON TRIAL NIKON Z 8
S Main menus are logically arranged and
easy to navigate. The on/off indicators have
a little virtual ‘on’ lamp so it’s easier to see
at a glance that a function is active.
With so many external buttons, the
customisation options are numerous and,
additionally, the S series Nikkor Z lenses
have either one or two ‘L-Fn’ buttons and
some have a ‘Memory Set’ button as well…
and all can be assigned different functions to
their defaults.
There are three dedicated ‘Fn’ buttons
on the camera body which can be assigned
different functions depending on whether
they’re simply pressed or pressed and used
with the input wheel for the functions that
have settings rather than just being switched
on or off. A further nine controls can be re-
assigned plus you can change how the front
and rear input wheels operate to suit the
way you work. The multi-function controls
also have different actions for shooting
and playback. But wait, there’s more. The
monitor-based ‘i Menu’ – which displays 12
function tiles – is also fully customisable. You
can create up to four ‘Shooting Menu Banks’
which are primarily designed so that you
can save sets of settings related to shooting
specific subjects or situations.
93
NIKON Z 8 ON TRIAL

Both the EVF and the monitor panel are

unchanged from the Z 9. The EVF uses a
1.27 cm OLED-type display with a resolution
of 3.69 megadots and a magnification of
0.8x. It’s adjustable for both colour balance
and brightness; the latter also with auto
adjustment determined by the ambient light
ISO 32 ISO 64 levels. The monitor screen is an 8.1 TFT LCD
panel with a resolution of 2.1 megadots and
is also adjustable for both colour balance
and brightness.
The live view display – in both the
viewfinder and the monitor screen –can
be configured with capture settings, a real-
time histogram, a dual-axis level display
(with a choice of two designs) and, either
a 3x3 or 4x4 grid guide or 5:4, 1:1 and 16:9
ISO 100 ISO 200 aspect ratios for framing. When you’re
shooting in the camera’s silent mode, there
is a choice of display indications to show
that an exposure has been made. One is
an old-fashioned black-out (with a variable
display time) while the other two employ
flickering lines at the edges of the image
frame… either all four or just at the left
and right. There’s now also a night vision
display setting which employs a red filter
ISO 400 ISO 800 over everything so you won’t be bedazzled
when shooting in the dark. Another option
when shooting at night with the Z 8 is the
‘Starlight View’ setting which brightens all
the dark areas in the frame to assist with
composition and manual focusing.
As noted earlier, the Z 8 has two USB
Type C connections – one for data and one
for power – plus there’s a full-size HDMI
port, a stereo audio input and output, and a
ISO 1600 ISO 3200
ten-pin remote controller terminal. However,
it loses both the Z 9’s 1000BASE-T RJ-45
Ethernet port and the PC flash terminal
mentioned earlier, but there’s a UBS-to-
Ethernet dongle available to reinstate the
former. The audio input has camera power
and the audio output has adjustable volume.
Wireless connection is via WiFi (both 2.4
and 5.0 GHz bands) and Bluetooth LE 5.0,
ISO 6400 ISO 12800 the latter using Nikon’s SnapBridge app for
image transfer, remote viewfinding and
remote camera control.
Like the Z 9, the Z 8 feels extremely well
screwed together and the body construction
uses a mixture of magnesium alloy and
polycarbonate with extensive weather
sealing and insulation to enable shooting in
subzero temperatures down to -10 degrees
Celsius. The power supply is the same
ISO 25600 ISO 51200

NATIVE SENSITIVITY RANGE

The Z 8’s native sensitivity range is equivalent to ISO 64 to 25,600 with extensions either
side; down to ISO 32 and up to 102,400. Dual-gain circuitry has bases at ISO 64 and 500
to enhance high ISO performance. The full native sensitivity range is useable, but both
saturation and sharpness progressively diminish at the two extension settings. These
test images are JPEG/large/fine files taken in the aperture-priority auto exposure mode
with the aperture set to f/11 so the exposure time varies to compensate for the ISO
adjustments. High ISO and Long Exposure noise reduction processing are switched off.
Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S.
ISO 102400

94

S The Z 8 has a pair of USB C connections,
one for data transfer and one for power
delivery… meaning that you can do both at
the same time.
EN-EL15 pack as both versions of the
Z 6/Z 7 models and also the D800-series,
D750 and D610 DSLRs. However, it’s the
latest ‘c’ version which is good for around
330 shots – although you’ll inevitably do
better in reality – and can be recharged in-
camera via the USB C PD connection. Of
course, the shot count per charge is a key
difference with the Z 9, but the option of
fitting the MB-N12 – which holds two battery
packs – means that the extended ‘range’ is
available if needed.
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
Loaded with a Nikon 660 GB CFexpress
Type B memory card and (obviously) using
the sensor-based shutter, the Z 8 captured
95 JPEG/large/fine files (with image quality
priority switched on) in 4.596 seconds which
represents a shooting speed of 20.67 fps.
These test files averaged 31 MB in size.
As when we tested the Z 9, we chose an
arbitrary point to stop this timing test... the
Z 8 would have happily gone firing along at
T Monitor screen had both horizontal and
vertical tilts.
S Shield protects the sensor from dust and
moisture during lens changes.
20 fps. Next we switched to 60 fps shooting
which, remember, comes with a ‘DX’ format
crop (i.e. 1.5x), but the image size is still
a healthy 19.4 megapixels. Now the Z 8
captured a sequence of 389 best-quality
JPEGs in 6.4 seconds dead which gives a
shooting speed of 60.78 fps. These test files
averaged 5.5 MB in size.
AF performance standards have been
set very high by the current generation
of pro-level mirrorless cameras, the Z 9
among them. The Z 8 is up to the challenge
with its super-fast response times and
exceptional accuracy. The subject-based
tracking is exceptionally reliable and, with
both humans and animals, will stay locked-
on even when the subject looks away for a
reasonable period of time. The system will
simply switch to face, head or torso/body
detection. The ‘3D Tracking AF’ works very
well when shooting subjects that aren’t
covered by the recognition categories and,
overall, the tracking will cope with anything
you throw at it in terms of size, speed
or erratic movements. However, as we
observed with the Z 9, obtaining the best
AF performance depends on learning how
to best configure the many AF settings to
suit the shooting scenario… in particular,
the area modes when sometimes smaller is
actually better or a custom shape and size
allows for better selectivity.
The Z 8’s low-light AF capabilities
are truly exceptional with the camera
still focusing speedily and accurately in
conditions that are starting to challenge to
ability of the human eye to see tonality and
detailing in a subject.
Like the Z 9, the Z 8 delivers superb-
looking out-of-the-camera JPEGs. They’re
exceptionally sharp with nicely defined fine
detailing and beautifully smooth tonal
gradations. Nikon’s colour science is
arguably as good as Fujifilm’s in
terms of the way it balances
a natural-looking rendition
with a subtle tweaking of
saturation that looks more
pleasing to the human
eye. The fidelity across the
spectrum is hard to fault. The dynamic
ON TRIAL NIKON Z 8
S Focus mode and area selector toggle is
located on the lower left of the Z 8’s front
panel.
NIKON’S COLOUR SCIENCE
IS ARGUABLY AS GOOD
AS FUJIFILM’S IN TERMS
OF THE WAY IT BALANCES
A NATURAL-LOOKING
RENDITION WITH A
SUBTLE TWEAKING OF
SATURATION.”
range tops at around 12 stops at ISO 64 and
there’s sufficient latitude to allow for at least
three stops of underexposure and hence
more flexibility when processing RAW files
post-camera.
As noted earlier, sensor’s dual gain
circuitry has base ISOs set at 64 and 500,
the latter becoming more commonly used
because of the popularity of shooting at
ISO 400. A higher second base ISO – for
example, 800 – means that the image
quality at ISO 400 could well be inferior to
that at, say, ISO 1600. However, setting
the high-gain circuit’s base at ISO 500 also
means that the image quality at ISO 800 will
still be exceptionally good too. In general
terms, dual gain means that less aggressive
noise reduction processing needs to be
applied to JPEGs which benefits both the
definition and the saturation. The Z 8’s full
native ISO range is usable, but the best IQ
at the higher settings is delivered in the 800
to 6400 range with ISO 12,800 certainly still
useable and 25,600 at a push provided you
aren’t planning to make big prints at 300 dpi.
THE VERDICT
In reality, the Nikon Z 8 has so much of the
Z 9’s goodness – including what’s been
added to it with subsequent firmware
upgrades – it will undoubtedly be the better
95
NIKON Z 8 ON TRIAL
option by far for many… even before taking
the price difference into account. On balance
– no pun intended – it’s a nicer handling
camera and the ergonomics deliver the same
effortless efficiency that has been a hallmark
of Nikon’s pro-level ILC bodies for decades.
VITAL STATISTICS NIKON Z 8 $7,449
Type: Professional or enthusiast-level digital mirrorless
camera with Nikon Z bayonet lens mount
Focusing: Automatic via 493-points wide-area system (90
percent vertical/horixontal frame coverage) using hybrid
phase/contrast detection. Area modes are Pinpoint, Single-
Point, Dynamic Area – Small, Dynamic Area – Medium,
Dynamic Area - Large, Wide Area Small, Wide Area Large,
Wide Area Large - People, Wide Area Large – Animals,
Auto Area, Wide Area – Custom 1 & 1 (with 20 shape/
size options), Auto Area – People, Auto Area – Animals,
3D Tracking, Subject Tracking. One-shot and continuous
modes with auto switching in AF-F mode. Body/head/
face/eye detection and subject recognition for humans,
dogs, cats, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trains and
aircraft. Subject type detected automatically in Auto Area
AF mode. Adjustable tracking sensitivity. Sensitivity range
is EV -7.0 - 19 (ISO 100, f/2.0), down to EV -9.0 in the
‘Starlight View’ mode. AF assist provided by built-in illumi-
nator. AF micro-adjustment available. Manual focus assist
in live view via magnified image (up to 16x) and/or focus
peaking display (choice of colours – red, yellow, blue or
white; and high, standard or low sensitivities).
Metering: TTL via sensor with multi-zone, 75/25 centre-
weighted average, full average, spot (4.0mm/1.5%), high-
light weighted and i-TTL flash. Centre-weighted metering
spot can be set to 8.0 or 12.0 mm. Metering range is EV
-3.0 to 17 (ISO 100 and f/2.0).
Exposure Modes: Continuously-variable program with
shift, shutter-priority auto, aperture-priority auto, metered
manual, i-TTL auto flash and manual flash.
Shutter: Sensor-based shutter only, 900- 1/32,000 second
plus ‘B’ and ‘T’. Flash sync up to 1/200 or 1/250 second.
Exposure compensation up to +/-5.0 EV in 1/3 or ½ stop
increments.
Viewfinder: 1.27 cm OLED-type EVF with 3.686 mega-
dots resolution. Coverage = 100% vertical/horizontal.
Magnification = 0.8x (50mm lens at infinity). Eyepiece
strength adjustment built-in. Fluorine anti-grime coating
in eyepiece lens. Adjustable for brightness (18 levels) and
colour balance (green-to-magenta, blue-to-amber). 8.1 cm
TFT LCD monitor (2.1 megadots) with four-way tilt adjust-
ment and touch screen controls. Adjustable for brightness
(15 levels) and colour balance (green-to-magenta, blue-to-
amber). Auto/manual switching between EVF and moni-
tor. ‘Warm Display Colours’ setting for night vision and
‘Starlight View’ (display optimised for point light sources).
Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units connect via
ISO 518 hot shoe.
Additional Features: Magnesium alloy and polycarbonate
bodyshell sealed against dust and moisture with insulation
for shooting in subzero temperatures down to -10 degrees
Celsius, auto exposure bracketing over two to nine frames
(up to +/-3.0 EV adjustment per frame), AE lock, depth-of-
field preview, all exposure adjustments in 1/3 or ½ stops,
programmable self-timer (two to 20 seconds delay, up
to nine frames at 0.5 to three seconds intervals), silent
shooting modes, OLED info panel with built-in illumination,
audible signals, wired remote control terminal, wireless
remote control, sensor shield, 83 custom functions.
DIGITAL SECTION
Sensor: 45.7 million pixels effective (52.37 MP total)
stacked BSI CMOS with 35.9x23.9 mm area and 3:2 aspect
ratio. No optical low-pass filter. Sensitivity equivalent to
ISO 64-25,600 (extendable to ISO 32 and 102,400).
Focal Length Increase: None.
Formats/Resolution: Three JPEG compression settings (1:4,
1:8 and 1:16); two three HEIF compression settings (1:4,
1:8 and 1:16); and lossless compressed, High Efficiency* or
High Efficiency lossy compressed RAW files. Three resolu-
tion settings at 3:2 aspect ratio (‘FX’ format); 8256x5504,
6192x4128 and 4128x2752 pixels. Three resolution
settings at 5:4 (30x24 mm); 6880x5504, 5152x4120 and
96
Overall, the Z 8 is much closer to the
Z 9 than, say, the F100 was to the F5 or
even the D850 to the D6. Consequently,
the Z 8 is very much a star in its own right,
by virtue of its smaller size and greater
affordability… and the fact that it still does
body only, recommended retail price
3440x2752 pixels. Three resolution settings at 1:1 aspect
ratio (24x24 mm); 5504x5504, 4128x4128 and 2752x 2752
pixels. Three resolution settings at 16:9 aspect ratio
(36x20 mm); 8256x4640, 6192x3480 and 4128x2320 pix-
els. Three resolution settings in ‘DX’ format (24x16 mm);
5408x3600, 4048x2696 and 2704x1800 pixels. RAW (NEF)
images are captured at 8256x5504 pixels with 14-bit RGB
colour. RAW+JPEG and RAW+HEIF capture is possible
(with all JPEG/HEIF compression levels).
Video Recording: N-RAW 12-bit – 8.3K at 8256x4644
pixels; 60, 50, 30, 35 or 24 fps (up to 5780 Mbps). 4.1K at
4128x2322 pixels; 120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 35 or 24 fps (up to
3840 Mbps). 4K UHD at 3840x2160 pixels; 120, 100, 60 or
50 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 3020 Mbps).
Apple ProRes HQ RAW 12-bit – 4.1K at 4128x2322 pixels;
120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 35 or 24 fps. 4K UHD at 3840x2160
pixels; 120, 100, 60 or 50 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio
MOV format (ProRes 422 HQ codec, All-Intra compression,
10-bit 4:2:2 colour) – 4K UHD at 3840x2160 pixels; 60, 50,
30, 25 or 24 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 1768 Mbps).
Full HD at 1920x1080 pixels; 120, 100, 60 or 50 fps and
16:9 aspect ratio.
MOV format (H.265 HEVC codec, LongGOP compression,
8- or 10-bit 4:2:2 colour) – 8K UHD at 7680x4320 pixels;
30, 25 and 24 fps at 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 400 Mbps).
4K UHD at 3840x2160 pixels; 120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 25 or
24 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up to 360 Mbps). Full HD at
1920x1080 pixels; 120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and
16:9 aspect ratio (up to 190 Mbps).
MP4 format (MPEG 4 AVC/H.264 codec, LongGOP com-
pression, 8-bit 4:2:0 colour) – Full HD at 1920x1080 pixels;
120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio (up
to 50 Mbps).
Cropped video recording – 1.5x (DX); 5.4K Nikon RAW and
ProRes HQ RAW. 2.3x – 3.8K Nikon RAW and ProRes HQ
RAW.
Maximum clip duration is 125 minutes for 2K, 4K or 8K
(but 85 minutes with in-camera battery power). Stereo
sound recording (24-bit PCM linear audio) with auto/
manual adjustable levels, attenuator, adjustable frequency
response (wide range and vocal range) and wind noise
filter. Stereo microphone input (with plug-in power) and
headphone output provided (with adjustable volume).
Video Features: Nikon N-Log gamma profile, HDR HLG
profile, hybrid IBIS and electronic image stabilisation,
time code support (with drop-frame correction), time-lapse
movie mode (2K, 4K or 8K), auto flicker detection and cor-
rection, zebra patterns (choice of two with adjustable high-
light threshold and mid-tone range), waveform monitor,
time lapse video recording, focus peaking display, video
aspect ratios (2.35:1, 1.85:1 and 90% ‘safe zone’), ‘ISO
Fine Tune’ provides 1/6 stop adjustment increments.
HDMI Output: 8K UHD 16:9 with 8/10-bit 4:2:2 colour and
30, 25 or 24 fps. 4K UHD 16:9 with 8/10-bit 4:2:2 colour
and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. Full HD 16:9 with 8/10-bit
4:2:2 colour and 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 fps. N-Log or HLG
with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour. 8K UHD outputs at Full HD resolu-
tion.
Recording Media: Dual slots – one for CFexpress Type
B and XQD memory cards and one for SD devices with
SDHC/XC UHS-II speed support. Back-up, overflow and
assigned file type management options.
Continuous Shooting: Over 1000 frames at 30 fps in JPEG/
large/normal mode, over 1000 frames at 20 fps in JPEG/
large/fine or RAW mode with High Efficiency compres-
sion, up to 685 frames at 20 fps in RAW mode with High
Efficiency* compression; all with full AF/AE adjustment.
Up to approximately 600 frames at 120 fps for 11.4 mega-
pixels JPEGs (4128x2752 pixels) with full AF/AE adjust-
ment. Up to JPEG/large/normal frames at 60 fps with a
1.5x (DX) crop. ‘Pre-Release Capture’ at 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0
second with ‘Post-Release Burst’ at 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 seconds
or MAX.
White Balance: Auto/manual control with Auto, Natural
everything supremely well. In fact, the
overwhelming impression that it will always
deliver what you want in any situation is
what makes the Z 8 so appealing… and
delivering on that promise easily justifies the
investment.
Light Auto, eight presets and six custom settings. White
balance fine-tuning available for AWB and all presets plus
manual colour temperature setting (2500-10,000 degrees
Kelvin, in ten degree increments or mired units) and white
balance bracketing (up to nine frames). Three auto correc-
tion settings – Auto 0 ‘Keep White’ reduces warmer hues
under artificial lighting. Auto 1 ‘Normal’ balances subject
colour and ambient lighting. Auto 2 ‘Keep Warm Lighting
Colours’ maintains warmer hues under incandescent
lighting.
Interfaces: USB 3.0 ‘SuperSpeed’ (Type C data), USB 3.0
(Type C, PD), HDMI output (full-size Type A), 3.5mm stereo
audio input, 3.5mm stereo audio output, 10-pin remote/
accessory terminal.
Additional Digital Features: Sensor-shift image stabilisa-
tion with five-axis movement and up to 5.5 stops of correc-
tion for camera shake, Normal or Sport IS modes, sensor
cleaning, ‘Active D-Lighting’ contrast control (Auto, Low,
Normal, High, Extra High 1, Extra High 2), auto bracket-
ing functions (AE, Flash, AE+Flash, WB or ADL), focus
shift shooting (up to 300 frames), eight ‘Picture Control’
presets (Auto, Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome,
Portrait, Landscape and Flat), 20 ‘Creative Picture Controls’
(Dream, Morning, Pop, Sunday, Sombre, Dramatic, Silent,
Bleached, Melancholic, Pure, Denim, Toy, Sepia, Blue, Red,
Pink, Charcoal, Graphite, Binary and Carbon), ten effect
levels for ‘Creative Picture Controls’, adjustable ‘Picture
Control’ parameters (Sharpening, Mid-Range Sharpening,
Clarity, Contrast, Brightness, Saturation and Hue, with
‘Quick Sharp’ adjustment for Sharpening, Mid-Range
Sharpening and Clarity), B&W filters and toning effects,
nine user-defined ‘Picture Control’ modes, ‘Skin Softening’
processing (Low, Normal, High), ‘Portarit Impression
Balance’ (Mode 1, Mode 2, Mode 3), multiple exposure
facility (up to ten frames with Add, Average, Lighten or
Darken exposure adjustment), intervalometer (up 9999
frames with exposure smoothing and silent mode), HDR
Overlay (adjustable for strenght –Auto, Extra High, High,
Normal, Low)), auto bracketing functions (AE, flash, AE
and flash, white balance and ADL), sRGB and Adobe
RGB colour spaces, flicker detection and correction, high
frequency flicker detection and correction, long exposure
noise reduction (Off, On), high ISO noise reduction (Off,
Low, Normal, High), grid guides/frames (3x3, 4x4, 5:4, 1:1,
16:9), real-time histogram, dual-axis level indicator (two
display types), auto ISO with auto minimum shutter speed
control, in-camera lens corrections (distortion, diffraction
and vignetting), image comments input (up to 36 charac-
ters), copyright information, auto image orientation, adjust-
able image display time, slide show, 4/9/72 thumbnail
displays, image review (brightness and/or RGB histograms,
highlight alert, focus point/area, shooting data, exposure
data, flash data, copyright info, location data, IPTC data,
Picture Control/HLG data), playback zoom (up to 32x), voice
memo recording, in-camera editing functions (Trim, Resize
(single image or multiple images), D-Lighting, Red-Eye
Correction, Straighten, Distortion Control, Perspective
Control, Monochrome, Overlay, Lighten, Darken, Motion
Blend and RAW Processing), WiFi (2.4 and 5.0 GHz bands)
and Bluetooth LE 5.0 (via Nikon SnapBridge) wireless con-
nectivity.
Power: One 7.0 volt, 2280 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion
battery pack (EN-EL15c type) with in-camera charging or
powering via USB C PD. Optional MB-N12 battery grip
accepts two EN-EL15c battery packs.
Dimensions (WxHxD): Body only = 114.0x118.5x83. mm.
Weight: Body only = 820 grams (without battery pack or
memory card).
Price: Body only = $7,449. Nikon products purchased from
an authorised Nikon Australia reseller are covered by a
two-year warranty. For more information visit www.nikon.
com.au
Distributor: Nikon Australia Pty Ltd, telephone 1300 366
499 or visit www.nikon .com.au
BenQ PhotoVue Monitors

BenQ SW272U/SW272Q
4K UHD/2K QHD 99% AdobeRGB
90W USB-C Photographer Monitor
Make the Moment Alive with True Colours

SCAN TO LEARN MORE


NIKON F
AND F2
These are the cameras
that, in one way or
another, had a significant
influence on photographers
and photography. Nikon
legitimised the 35mm
film format for working
photographers, creating the
first pro-level body supported
by an extensive system of
lenses and accessories.
W
hile Leica gave the 35mm film
format some respectability
during the 1930a, ’40s and ’50s
with its rangefinder cameras,
it still wasn’t really considered a serious
tool for the working photographer. A few
adventurous souls had adopted the 35mm
rangefinder camera for its compact size and
speed of use, but beyond photojournalism,
the professional scene was largely
dominated by rollfilm cameras – such as the
twin lens reflexes (TLRS) – or large format
cameras, either for the studio or the field.
Prior to 1959, the 35mm SLR was
primarily considered an amateur’s camera
and, frankly, the existing models really
didn’t offer the same degree of flexibility
as the larger format equipment. Nikon
started making 35mm cameras in 1948
(although the company’s history in optics
dates back to 1917) and these were S series
rangefinder models which established the
company’s reputation for well-featured and
well-made products. The line culminated
in the SP (the ‘P’ is generally accepted
to stand for ‘professional’), which had a
titanium-bladed shutter with a top speed of
1/1000 second and it could be fitted with
a battery-powered motordrive, enabling
film advance at up to three frames per
second. Launched in 1957, the SP was very
popular with photojournalists and went
to war with a number of famous names,
98
establishing Nikon’s credentials as a maker
of professional-grade cameras. The next
step was obvious... an SLR.
Mounting Up
The Nikon F was launched in April 1959 and
was essentially an SP with a prism finder,
but it represented a number of important
developments which were to set the stand-
ard for professional 35mm SLRs and even
SLR design in general.
Nikon broke ranks with the ‘universal’
M42 screwthread lens mount in favour of
an exclusive bayonet design which made
changing lenses faster, easier and safer.
Importantly too, the F-type bayonet allowed
a more complex interface between the
camera body and the lenses which would be
important in the future.
Designed right from the outset for
professional use, the Nikon F had a rugged
diecast aluminium body with brass covers,
a titanium shutter and interchangeable
viewfinders. The features list included
depth-of-field preview, mirror lock-up and
provisions for fitting a 4.0 fps motordrive
(derived from the SP’s unit) which was an
important ‘first’. The F was also the first
35mm SLR to give a full 100 percent frame
coverage in the viewfinder. Nikon gave
owners of its new SLR an extensive choice
of lenses including the first ultra wide-
angle, a 21mm f/4.0, and at the opposite
end of the focal range, a 1000mm f/6.3
mirror-type supertelephoto. There was
also an 85-250mm f/4.5 zoom and during
the early 1960s, Nikon quickly created a
system of over 40 lenses which spanned
6mm to 2000mm. In addition to the lenses,
Nikon also built up a system of professional
accessories around the F including a bulk-
film back (for 250 exposures), all sorts of
close-up equipment and a shoe mounted
flash ‘gun’ which accepted FP, M and MF
flash type bulbs (the first Nikon electronic
flash didn’t arrive until 1971).
The first metering device for the F
employed an external selenium cell, but
it coupled directly to both the camera’s
shutter speed dial and the lens aperture
ring so it was quite convenient to use. In
1962, the first Photomic finder with an
integrated exposure meter was introduced,
but the sensor (a CdS cell this time) was
still external, and the first TTL metering
prism appeared in 1965. In 1967, Nikon
launched a revised version -- the Photomic
CAMERA ICONS
Left: Introduced in 1959, the Nikon F was
the first seriously pro-spec 35mm SLR
and the first to be backed by extensive
systems of lenses and accessories.
Right: Like the F, the F2 (1971) has
interchangeable viewfinders with the
metering versions named ‘Photomic’.
The standard DP-1 Photomic head (made
until 1977) gave centre-weighted average
measurements using a cadmium sulfide
(CdS) cell.
TN -- which introduced centre-weighted
average metering with 60 percent of the
measurement concentrated on a 12 mm
diameter circle.
The F soldiered on until August 1971
when it was replaced by the F2, in the same
year, incidentally, that Canon launched the
first F-1 to begin a rivalry that exists to this
day. The F2 was essentially an up-dated
F with a faster, 1/2000 second shutter
(and the flash sync raised from 1/60 to
1/80 second) and a conventionally hinged
camera back... previously the whole section
was detached in a similar style to the
Leica rangefinder cameras. The Photomic
metering heads for the F2 were powered
from the camera body and five versions
were introduced during this model’s
lifetime, providing an ever greater degree of
exposure control convenience and accuracy.
The most important was the DP-11 (1977)
–which created the F2A – and introduced
Nikon’s automatic maximum aperture
indexing system (‘Ai’ for short). Up until
then, aperture settings had been relayed
to the metering prism via a pin-and-prong
coupling arrangement and it was necessary
to rotate the aperture ring fully to the right
and left after fitting a lens in order to relay
the maximum aperture value to the meter.
Ai lenses had a cam on the mount which did
the job automatically as they were attached
to the camera. The ‘ultimate’ F2 was the
AS model which was fitted with the DP-12
Photomic finder that used silicon metering
cells and had an LED exposure read-out.
Nikon upped its flagship’s spec in other
areas too. The MD-1 motordrive was capable
of 5.0 fps and had motorised rewind, plus
there was a high-speed version which could
crank through ten frames every second.
Other special versions included a titanium-
bodied model (introduced in 1978 as the F2
Titan) and a data back-equipped camera (the
F2 Data). The F2 series continued until 1980,
by which time Nikon was the undisputed
number one in the professional 35mm SLR
market around the world (the F established
the marque in the USA and the F2 did the
same in Europe).
There’s no doubt that the F and the
F2 established all the prerequisites for a
top-end 35mm SLR and set the standards
for durability, reliability, flexibility and
capability. In the history of photography,
their contribution to better picture-taking is
unquestionable.
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 ON TRIAL
ZOOM M3 MicTrack
ON-CAMERA MIC AND AUDIO RECORDER
SOUND CHOICE
Combining a shotgun microphone and
a digital audio recorder, the Zoom M3
is an on-camera mic like no other, and
it also employs 32-bit float sampling to
greatly enhance the sound quality when
shooting in noisy locations.
hen you start shooting video,
W
you learn very quickly that
the sound is as important as
the vision. A good soundtrack
adds more dynamism, depth
and emotion to the imagery and, if you’re
recording voices, they need to be clear and
understandable. Audio recording is a whole
new ball game for photographers, and it has
100
its own technical complexities and challeng-
es. As with video, there’s a lot to learn.
Digital audio recording specialist Zoom –
which is a Japanese company – specialises
in compact and highly-portable devices
which are capable of delivering high-quality
sound on location. Zoom products have
become popular with professional film-
makers who shoot in challenging locations
REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS
and extreme conditions, capturing subjects
such as adventure sports and expeditions.
Recently, the company launched a new
series of products called MicTrak which
combine a microphone and an audio
recorder in the one handy device. Among
the MicTrak line-up is the M3 which is an on-
camera microphone-and-recorder for video-
makers using mirrorless cameras or DSLRs.
It jumps into what’s now a quite crowded
video mic market where the likes of Rode,
Sennheiser and Shure have become well
established, but the Zoom M3 has a trick up
its sleeve called 32-bit ‘float’ recording.
This is an audio recording technology
that’s designed to eliminate clipped and
distorted audio – which often happens
because of sudden jumps (or reductions)
in sound levels – thanks to the significantly
larger dynamic range inherent in 32-bit
depth sampling. It gives over four billion

In other words, everything from whispers
to explosions are well within its dynamic
range which means the M3 can be used to
record virtually any sound source without
the need to worry about either clipping or
distortion. The practical implications are that
there’s no need for a manual gain control to
set the recording levels, and it also provides
much more flexibility for dealing with audio
distortion in post-production because all the
data is still there and is fully recoverable.
The M3 MicTrak is powered by a pair
of AA-size batteries and, attached to your
camera, it records audio independently via
its built-in digital recorder with the data
S Built-in recorder uses microSD memory
cards with support for up to 1.0 TB
microSDXC devices.
S Weighing a modest 135
grams with its batteries, the
M3 doesn’t compromise
hand-held camera
shooting… especially given
it incorporates an external
audio recorder without the
need for a cable or mount.
support for up to 1.0 TB devices). Obviously,
it not only by-passes the camera’s
microphones – which inevitably have a
limited dynamic range – but also its 16-bit
internal audio recording with its associated
limitations. However, the M3 has a 3.5 mm
stereo line-level output so you can still plug
it into the camera’s audio input and record
simultaneously to the camera’s memory
card which provides a back-up or, likely
more usefully, a guide track for syncing
the vision and sound in postproduction.
Additionally, the M3 always saves a
‘Mid-Side RAW’ back-up file which also
gives you the flexibility to adjust the stereo
width of a recording in post-production
S Mic capsule employs a ‘mid-side’
configuration of an on-axis supercardioid
mic and an off-axis mic with a bidirectional
pick-up pattern… enabling the stereo width
to be adjusted.
ON TRIAL ZOOM M3
using the Zoom M3 Edit and Play app (more
about this shortly).
KEEPING THE NOISE DOWN
Shotgun-type microphones have a highly
directional pick-up pattern which means that
they’re the most sensitive to sounds coming
from directly in front and suppress back-
ground noise. In audio terms, this is called a
supercardioid pick-up pattern, and this type
of microphone is also described as being
unidirectional. Consequently, shotgun mics
are ideally suited to recording in locations
where there is a lot of ambient noise such
as is created by people, traffic or machinery.
The M3 actually employs a design configura-
tion called the ‘mid-side’ (MS) format which
has a mid mic that’s pointed at the sound
source and a side mic that’s positioned at
90 degrees off-axis to the source so it will
pick up sounds from the side. These two
mics are positioned very close together so
the stereo image is created by differences
in loudness rather than by variations in the
time delay.
Consequently, the M3’s MS configuration
allows you vary the stereo ‘width’ to
better match the recording application
or situation. You can choose between a
90-degree span which you can think of as
being more ‘focused’ on the sound source,
or 120-degree pick-up which will include a
little more ambient sound from the sides
to create some aural atmosphere without
being too intrusive or distracting. A third
option is to switch to a mono mode which
is extremely directional and so, for example,
is useful if you’re shooting a presenter or
a singer in a very noisy location. You’ll be
able to determine which setting works
best via monitoring headphones which
connect to the M3’s 3.5 mm stereo audio
output. A USB C port is also provided which
enables the M3 to be used as a UBS mic
for streaming or recording. This also allows
S Supplied shock mount provides effective
isolation from most camera handling noise.
101
ZOOM M3 ON TRIAL
for an external power supply to be used,
although the pair of AAs batteries are good
for around 12 hours of operation.
In addition to the stereo mode button,
there’s one that activates a low-cut filter to
deal with wind noise. The M3 is supplied
with a foam windscreen and an optional
‘furry’ windscreen is available for more
effective suppression in blustery conditions.
The remaining controls are for the
recorder, namely a start/stop button and a
play/pause button. The battery compartment
module has the headphones output at one
end (with a volume control), while on the
other is the USB C connector and the 3.5
mm stereo output. The microSD memory
card slot is at the rear of the main mic
S Headphones output has rocker-type
volume controller.
102
body. A stereo mini cable is also supplied as
is a dedicated shock mount which cradles
the mic either side of the battery housing
and attaches it to the camera’s hotshoe.
This mount primarily isolates the M3
from camera handling noise, but as is
the case with any camera-mounted mic,
it isn’t always entirely effective and it’s
still advisable to use the touch screen
controls if video adjustments need to be
made while recording.
AFTER EFFECTS
The M3 doesn’t have any digital displays,
but hooked into your camera’s stereo input,
you’ll obviously be able to see the stereo
channel levels for the line-level feed. With
S USB C connector enables the M3 to
be used as a UBS mic for streaming or
recording.
Zoom’s M3
MicTrak
combines an
on-camera
shotgun
microphone
which
incorporates
a digital audio
recorder
employing 32-bit
float sampling
to eliminate
clipping.
the 32-bit float technology, you don’t have
to really worry about the levels going to the
M3’s recorder because clipping isn’t going to
be an issue even with very loud sources.
There’s a recording/replay indicator lamp
at the rear of the unit which shows green
in stand-by, a stereo mode setting LED and
a power level indicator set within the on/off
button which changes from green to orange
with increasing blinking frequencies as the
remaining charge runs lower.
Initial set-up is performed in the
Zoom M3 Edit & Play app running on
your computer via the USB connection.
This includes the date and time (the M3
automatically grabs this info when you first
plug it in) and you also enter the battery
S Thanks to the mid-side mic configuration,
there are two stereo width settings for 90
or 120 degrees or, when this control is set
to OFF, the M3 operates as a mono shotgun
microphone for optimum directionality.

type so the battery charge level indicator will
function accurately.
When recording, the M3 mixes the
inputs from the mid and side mics to create
a stereo output, but the ‘Mid-Side RAW’
back-up files mentioned earlier keep them
separate so you can adjust stereo width in
post-production should you decide you want
more – or less – ambient sound than was
created with the original setting on the mic.
These adjusted inputs are then mixed and
converted to a 24-bit linear WAV file which
you can add in to your video editing timeline.
PERFORMANCE
Apart from the fact that you don’t need to
carry a separate audio recorder to get higher-
quality sound than what’s possible from your
camera – which is a major convenience in
itself – the M3 also delivers superior sound
full stop… and at an affordable price too.
Zoom uses the 32-bit float technology in its
pro-level F series stand-alone recorders such
as the compact F3 which is around $150
more expensive even before you add in the
cost of a microphone and a shock mount.
Zoom is targeting the M3 MicTrak very
much at enthusiast-level video-makers who
are ready to step up to more professional
audio recording.
The audio quality is exceptional by
any standard, but truly remarkable for the
money. Using the M3 microphone alone
THE MONO MODE REALLY
ALLOWS THE M3 TO
FOCUS VERY TIGHTLY ON A
SUBJECT WITH EXCELLENT
OFF-AXIS REJECTION OF
SURROUNDING NOISE.”
will make a discernible difference to the
definition and dynamism of the sound
recorded in-camera, but using the recorder
takes it to another level which is very
evident if you directly compare the two…
even just using your editing computer’s
basic loudspeakers. The increased dynamic
range is quite obvious, especially with the
quieter sounds which are preserved in all
their subtle details and nuances, but overall,
the clarity and fidelity across all frequencies
is exemplary and noise simply isn’t an issue,
especially as you’re bypassing the camera’s
pre-amplification circuitry (which otherwise
provides gain and, inevitably, noise).
The mono mode really allows the M3 to
focus very tightly on a subject with excellent
off-axis rejection of surrounding noise,
making it very effective for recording voices,
either interviews or pieces to camera.
S The M3 has a line
level stereo output
so you can use your
camera’s audio
recording to create a
back-up soundtrack.
ON TRIAL ZOOM M3
However, if you want a little more aural
atmosphere, then the 90-degree stereo
setting provides a nice balance.
The Zoom M3 isn’t the smallest of
on-camera video mics, but it’s still a very
compact package given it incorporates a
digital recorder and still only weighs 135
grams. We trialled it fitted to the Fujifilm
X-T5 and it’s partly well-suited physically
to a mid-sized mirrorless camera such as
this. The shock mount is pretty effective at
dealing with general handling noise when
shooting hand-held, but as noted earlier, if
the camera is tripod-mount and you want
to make any adjustments while recording,
the camera’s touch screen controls for
video eliminate the likelihood of any clicks
or knocks being picked up and making
themselves heard on your soundtrack.
THE VERDICT
Photographers getting into shooting video
are invariably struck by how much more
there is to think about when shooting mov-
ing pictures. This includes the added dimen-
sion of sound which is compounded by the
fact that audio is mostly an afterthought
even with the better-specced hybrid mirror-
less cameras. If you’re serious about your
sound then an external recorder is a must,
so the Zoom M3 MicTrak kills two birds with
one well-aimed stone. Better still, it delivers
superior audio quality at an affordable price
with the convenience of simple operation
and the capacity to perform exceedingly well
in any audio environment, especially busy
outdoor locations. It’s a big step up in audio
quality from any conventional video mic, but
the enhanced practicality and flexibility of
the built-in recorder are very big plusses as
well. Sounds too good…? No, it’s true.
VITAL STATISTICS
ZOOM M3 MICTRAK
$349
Design: Mid-side configuration. Mid mic = supercardi-
oid with 133 dB SPL. Side mic = bidirectional with 119
dB SPL. Dual /AD converter circuits, so no input gain
control necessary.
Outputs: Line = 3.5 mm stereo minijack. Phono = 3.5
mm stereo minijack.
Digital Recorder: Four channel recording (stereo
recording and simultaneous line out), WAV format, 48
kHz, 32-bit floating point sampling.
Recording Media: microSD memory cards (up to 1.0
TB microSDXC).
Interface: USB Type C (2.0 High Speed). USB power
bus is supported.
Power: Two AA size batteries (alkaline, lithium or
rechargeable NiCd). 12 hours power supply (alkaline).
Power Consumption: 1.5 watts maximum.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 71.6x38.0x201.3 mm.
Weight: 135 grams (with batteries).
Price: $349.
Distributor: Dynamic Music, visit
www.dynamicmusic.com.au
103
 ON TRIAL
LEICA
M11-P
FINDER KEEPER
The M11-P maintains Leica’s classic
rangefinder focusing, but incorporates a new
technology to authenticate the originality of
your images and protect their copyright.
I
t’s pretty hard for a digital
Leica M camera to look
anonymous. From a distance
it might just be mistaken for
one of Fujifilm’s X-Pro models
or maybe even an X100, but up close there’s
no mistaking the shape and styling. Yup,
that’s a Leica alright, even if it doesn’t say
so on the front.
So the M11-P is the ‘stealthy’ version
of the standard M11 which means that it
goes without the famous red-dot badge – a
dead giveaway even if you don’t know your
cameras – but there’s still ‘Leica’ writ rather
104
large on the top plate in the classic script
that dates back to the 1930s. It’s engraved
and painted in, of course, not screen-
printed, but it does rather give the game
away. Tiny lettering on one of the hotshoe
rails identifies the model number.
Although it may not exactly be incognito,
the M11-P is all pared-back elegance,
especially in black when metal and material
all blend into the one…er… distinctive
shape. But the big deal about the M11-P
is not about what’s on the outside (or not,
as the case may be), but what’s inside
because it’s the world’s first camera to
PAUL BURROWS
REPORT BY
S Externally, the M11-P and the standard
M11 are nearly identical except the ‘stealthy’
P version goes without the red dot Leica
badge.
embed secure metadata along with an
image using the Content Authenticity
Initiative (CAI) technology. The digital
provenance information – the ‘Content
Credentials’ – is hardware-based so every
image taken with the Leica M11-P receives
a digital signature backed by a CAI-compliant
certificate. Subsequently, the authenticity of
these images can be easily verified at any
time using a freely-available, open-source
CAI tool. This means that ownership and
copyright details can’t be tampered with
and, any subsequent editing, is recorded
so, for example, a photojournalist will be
able to prove that an image is exactly as
it was taken by the camera. Any changes
made after capture and on the way to the
end application – even basic edits such
as cropping or exposure adjustments –
is added to the secure CAI data and so
there for all to see. The key impetus for
this is obviously AI-generated imagery
which is steadily becoming more realistic

and capable of fooling viewers with the
potential, if the intent is malicious, to cause
damage or harm.
Of course, it requires all the steps along
the way to support the CAI provenance
standard in order for it to be effective, but
there is already a long list of participants
in the Coalition For Content Provenance
And Authenticity (C2PA), including Adobe
(which was the original instigator of the
scheme), Microsoft, Intel, the BBC, and
newspapers such the New York Times and
Wall Street Journal. Adobe has added an
application called ‘CAI Helper’ to the latest
version of Photoshop which, if activated,
initiates the Content Credential’s paper trail
to identify the original work’s authorship
and, subsequently, unauthorised edits or
Obviously too, it’s going to need a lot
more involvement on the camera side than
just Leica and the M11-P, but Canon, Nikon
and Sony are involved and presumably,
hopefully, it will become a standard feature
in the future. At this stage, however, it’s
all voluntary – Content Credentials in the
M11-P can be switched off – but it’s hard to
see why you wouldn’t opt in to protect your
copyrights. Ultimately, the goal is that any
image published online will have a traceable
history which will show what, if anything,
has changed since it was taken and this will,
of course, reveal any alteration, manipulation
or AI-generated elements. The Leica M11-P
is a very small start, but a significant one
nonetheless.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORY
The other key change internally compared
to the M11 is the adoption of the 256 GB
internal memory that also in the B&W-only
Monochrom version. That’s a lot of memory
and it’s a bit of a mystery why more camera
makers don’t offer this feature given the
convenience factor. You certainly don’t have
to worry about having spare memory cards.
The ‘P’ camera also has a tough sapphire
crystal faceplate on the monitor screen
which is reassuring given it’s fixed and so
can’t be folded inward for protection when
the camera is being carried or stored.
The sensor is, of course, the same 60.3
megapixels (effective) BSI-type CMOS
that’s at work in the standard M11. It has
an ultra-thin dual-layer IR/UV filter glass
which is designed to ensure the acute-angle
light rays all pass through rather than being
reflected, thereby enhancing both corner
sharpness and colour reproduction with
Leica’s M mount lenses. The sensitivity
range is equivalent to ISO 64 to 50,000 and
the maximum image size is 9504x6320
pixels for JPEGs and 9528x6328 pixels
for RAW capture. There are two smaller
image sizes – more about these shortly –
but no compression level settings… Leica
ON TRIAL
ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT
EXACTLY BE INCOGNITO,
THE M11-P IS ALL
PARED-BACK ELEGANCE,
ESPECIALLY IN BLACK.”
reasoning that why wouldn’t you always
want the maximum quality? As always
with Leica’s digital cameras, RAW files are
captured in the Adobe DNG format.
The ‘Maestro III’ processor does all the
number-crunching and the buffer memory is
3.0 GB which allows for a burst of up to 100
JPEGs or 15 RAW files at 4.5 fps. There’s a
slow speed mode which runs at 3.0 fps.
The white balance control options
comprise auto correction, a selection
of eight lighting presets, a custom
measurement (which Leica calls ‘Grey
Card’… as in the good old days), and manual
colour temperature setting over a range of
2000 to 11,500 degrees Celsius.
CLASSICAL AND
CONTEMPORARY
As we with noted with the standard M11,
this series is the most digital of the Leica M
digital rangefinder cameras so, for exam-
ple, the metering is now sensor based and
there’s also the option of using a sensor
shutter as well as the hybrid ‘electronic first
curtain’ shutter. The benefits, respectively,
are the addition of multi-zone, highlight-
weighted and spot metering to the standard
centre-weighted average measurement
(all now use the sensor), and a top shutter
speed of 1/16,000 second compared to the
focal plane shutter’s 1/4000 second – and,
2
1
1. The rear control panel also keeps
things simple. ‘Fn’ button can be
user-assigned.
LEICA M11-P
of course, it’s completely silent in its opera-
tion. Timed long exposures of up to eight
minutes are delivered by the FP shutter
while the sensor shutter’s slowest setting
is 60 seconds. There are both the ‘B’ and
‘T’ settings which allow for longer exposure
times of up to 60 minutes
The classic control elements of aperture-
priority semi-auto or fully manual exposure
modes, along with rangefinder-based
manual focusing remain. A combined
viewfinder and rangefinder has been the
key feature of the Leica M since the original
M3 was launched in 1954. It also provides
brightline image frames – automatically set
by the fitted lens – and parallax correction…
for the offset between what you see in the
viewfinder and what the lens sees. This
viewfinder is the most distinctive aspect
of the Leica M experience and while many
other elements have been modernised,
it’s hard to see it ever being replaced by
an EVF or even a hybrid optical/electronic
arrangement as on Fujifilm’s X-Pro series
mirrorless cameras.
The M11-P’s finder is unchanged from
the M11 so it has a field-of-view just slightly
wider than that of a 28mm lens and a
magnification of 0.73x. The LED brightline
frame pairs are for 35mm and 135mm,
28mm and 90mm, and 50mm and 70mm.
Anything wider than 28mm would have
once required its own optical finder fitted
to the hotshoe mount, but now there’s live
view which shows you exactly what you’re
getting along with handy digital-era focusing
aids – a magnified image (at 5x or 10x)
and/or a focus peaking display. Live image
stabilisation activates with the magnified
image to keep it steadier and make it easier
to determine sharp focus.
A lever on the front of the camera
allows for the brightline frame pairs to
2. The integrated viewfinder and
rangefinder is at the heart of the
Leica M experience, digital or film.
105
LEICA M11-P ON TRIAL
be previewed to help determine framing
and lens selection. Focusing is achieved
via a double-image rangefinder which has
an effective base length of 50.6 mm. The
longer the RF base length, the easier it is
to focus more precisely, and 50.6 mm is
comparatively long so, it’s surprising just
how quickly – and accurately – you can
achieve focus.
When it comes to the in-camera
processing options for JPEGs, the M11-P
still errs on the side of simplicity. There’s
a choice of five ‘Film Style’ presets –
Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome
and Monochrome High Contrast. The
colour modes are adjustable for contrast,
sharpness and saturation; while the B&W
ones have the first two parameters.
You can also adjust the noise reduction
for JPEGs over three settings and there are
the three image size settings mentioned
earlier. One of these is obviously the full
effective resolution of 60.3 megapixels,
but the two smaller options employ Leica’s
‘Triple Resolution Technology’ to give a res
of either 36.5 MP or 18.4 MP, but without a
crop so there’s no increase in the attached
lens’s effective focal length. It works by
grouping sets of pixels together which also
gives an increase in the dynamic range of up
to one stop and a reduction in noise that’s
equivalent to two stops. Additionally, there’s
also the convenience of the small file sizes
when it comes to image processing and
FOR CAMERAS WITH
MINIMAL ERGONOMIC AIDS
THE DIGITAL MS STILL
HANDLE EXCEPTIONALLY
COMFORTABLY.”
S Model number is discreetly marked on
one of the hotshoe’s rails.
106
1
3
1. Top panel has 2. Shutter speed dial
not-so-stealthy adjusts in half-stop
classic Leica increments. Sensor
script in white… shutter delivers a top
looks lovely speed of 1/16,000
though. second.
storage.
Alternatively, there are two ‘Digital Zoom’
settings which equate to 1.3x or 1.8x and
deliver, again, 36 or 18 MP, but now with a
conventional crop of the full frame image.
Consequently, the effective focal length of
the lens is use is also increased by these
magnification factors. The ‘Digital Zoom’
settings are again available with either JPEG
or RAW capture, are available with either
JPEG or RAW capture, but with the latter
the full size image is still recorded (i.e. the
crop is only tagged in the metadata for
when the file is processed post-camera).
The handy ‘Perspective Control’ feature
from the M11 is here too, and corrects
JPEGs in-camera for the converging or
diverging verticals which occur when the
camera is tilted up or down. The function
generates a frame in live view which adjusts
in real time to show you exactly how the
image will be cropped as it’s processed.
There’s also an intervalometer which
can be programmed for up 9999 frames,
and the self-timer has the choice of two- or
12-second delays.
IN THE HAND
Dressed all in black, the M11-P is a hand-
S The battery incorporates its own
compartment’s cover and it clips in and out
in the same way as on the SL and Q series
cameras.
2
3. ISO dial lifts to enable
changing settings. The ‘M’
position can be assigned to any
of the settings beyond ISO 6400
while the ‘A’ position engages a
preset auto range.
some machine and it’s arguably the pick
of the two finishes, although it could be
said that the silver is ever more classical.
As with the standard camera, the chassis
is a diecast magnesium alloy component,
while the black model has aluminium top
and bottom covers and the silver goes with
the traditional brass. It makes a bit of a dif-
ference to the weighs as brass is obviously
heavier, but the black camera still has plenty
of heft and, as usual, you can’t fault the fit
and finish which is flawless.
Perhaps it’s something to do with the
weight, but for cameras with minimal
ergonomic aids – there’s a hint of a
thumbrest on the rear panel – the digital
Ms still handle exceptionally comfortably
and feel absolutely right in the hand. The
control layout is, to say the least, minimalist
and, of course, a couple of key controls
– focusing, and aperture selection – are
exclusively manual operations. The top panel
comprises dials for the shutter speeds and
ISO settings – both with ‘A’ settings for auto
control – the shutter release which includes
a cable release socket, the power switch
and a programmable multi-function button.
The rear panel is equally straightforward
with a four-way navigator key pad with
S Shutter release button retains a cable
release socket.

S Monitor-based ‘Quick Menu’ control panel
offers the convenience of touch screen
operation for the exposure settings and
function tiles.
S The M11-P is the first camera to offer
Content Credentials to encrypt image
metadata which will confirm its authenticity.
Subsequently, any changes to the file will
also be recorded using technology created
by the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI)
which also includes Adobe, Canon and
Nikon among its growing list of members.
S Encrypted Content Credentials include
the photographer’s name and copyright
details, the camera model and the Exif data
S Menu runs to just five pages with
continuous scrolling and progressive
navigation via right clicks. It’s not hard to
find anything.
S Five ‘Film Style’ profiles are available for
JPEG capture with adjustable parameters
for colour saturation, sharpness and
contrast.
ON TRIAL
a centre ‘enter’ button, an input wheel –
which also a press-in action that serves
as another multi-function control, but has
exposure compensation as the default – and
a trio of keys accessing the menu system,
image replay and a third multi-function
option. These can be used to assign the
functions that’s you’ll most likely need in
the field – such as the ISO and WB settings
– and then the M11-P can be driven entirely
traditionally. Alternatively, you can go full-on
modern with a monitor-based ‘Quick Menu’
control screen which has touch tiles and
also displays all the exposure settings along
with info such as the battery power level.
Live view gives you a selection of displays,
include the shutter speed, ISO, exposure
mode, compensation, metering pattern,
white balance, image quality setting and
even the lens details. Additionally, a real-
time histogram, a highlight warning (with
adjustable peaking), a guide grid (either 3x3
or 4x6) and a dual-axis level indicator can
be selected. If you don’t want everything
on-screen at once, up to four ‘Info Profiles’
can be created and you then simply cycle
through them to see what you need.
The main menus run to five pages
with continuous scrolling and right-click
navigation to access the sub menus or
settings. Where there’s only an on/off option,
the right/left clicks switch between the two.
It’s all very logical and straightforward.
The monitor screen is fixed and has a
resolution 2.33 megadots and is adjustable
for brightness over 11 levels with the
option of an auto adjustment (based on the
ambient lighting conditions). Aside from
the control panel, the touch screen controls
are limited, but allow for the positioning of
the focusing point for the magnified-image
assist, and various replay/review functions.
The replay/review image includes
a brightness histogram and a highlight
TAs with the M11, the black camera has aluminium top and bottom plates while the silver
model has brass covers… which make it 110 grams heavier.
LEICA M11-P
warning plus there’s a zooming function and
two thumbnail pages displaying either 12 or
20 images.
The USB C connection is tucked away
at one end of the baseplate – alongside
the battery/card compartment – and allows
for in-camera battery recharging and direct
access to the internal memory. It also
serves as a wired connection to an Apple
iPhone (or iPad) for remote camera control,
image transfer and a live view feed using
the Leica Fotos app. Of course, you can do
this via WiFi – and the M11-P has both the
2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands – but the hard-
wired route will be quicker and more stable
(although it requires a dedicated cable).
Bluetooth ‘always on’ wireless connectivity
is also available.
The M11-P’s battery compartment
arrangement is the same as that on the SL
and Q series cameras so the compartment
cover is actually part of the battery and
unloading is a two-stage process. A locking
lever releases the pack, but it won’t drop
out of the compartment until you press on
the cover back in slightly which depresses
a sprint-loaded lug, enabling the battery to
be fully withdrawn. The memory card slot
is in the same compartment which means
the battery always has to come out first.
The 1800 mAh BP-SCL7 li-ion battery pack is
good for around 700 shots as there isn’t an
EVF chewing up the power all the time.
There’s something deeply satisfying
about using a Leica M11 in any variant.
It’ll probably take a bit of getting used to if
you’ve always let your camera do the heavy
lifting, but the feeling of being intimately
involved is intoxicating. Run it in aperture-
priority auto exposure control and take
command of the apertures either to adjust
brightness or depth-of-field. With the wider-
angle lenses – 28mm or shorter – there’s
so much depth-of-field, you only need to
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 ON TRIAL LEICA M11-P

YOU REALLY DO SOON

FEEL COMPLETELY AT
ONE WITH THE CAMERA
AND IN CONTROL OF
THE OUTCOMES SO, ISO 64 ISO 100

SUBSEQUENTLY, ANY
PHOTO SHOOT IS TRULY
ENJOYABLE.”
make small adjustments to the focusing,
especially if you exploit the hyperfocal
distance to optimise the foreground-to-
background sharpness. Here live view ISO 200 ISO 400
with the focus peaking display in red really
comes into its own and you’ll see, at a
glance, everything in the frame that’s in
focus… it’s a modern-era aid that enhances
the classic RF camera experience. You
really do soon feel completely at one with
the camera and in control of the outcomes
so, subsequently, any photo shoot is truly
enjoyable.

SPEED AND PERFORMANCE ISO 800 ISO 1600

With a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB SDXC
UHS-II memory card loaded, the Leica M11-
P recorded a burst of 22 JPEG/large frames
4.841 seconds which gives a continuous
shooting speed of 4.54 fps. The file size for
this test averaged 24.2 MB.
Not surprisingly, the image performance
is the same as that of the standard M11
which means, at full resolution, exceptional
detailing with super-crisp definition and
beautifully smooth tonal gradations. With
ISO 3200 ISO 6400
JPEG capture, the Standard ‘Film Style’
profile delivers the classic Leica punchy
contrast and true-to-life colours, while the
Monochrome High Contrast setting does
exactly what it says on the label, again
creating the classic Leica ‘look’. It’s most
likely the same as the Leica Monochrome
preset that’s now available on the Panasonic
Lumix G9II, but on the M11-P the particular
unique optical quality of the Leica M lenses
– it’s down to the unique glass formations –
is also making a contribution. ISO 12500 ISO 25000

ISO TEST IMAGES

Noise is very well managed up to ISO 12,500 and although some chroma noise is
evident at ISO 25,000, this setting is still useable. As we saw with the standard M11,
the ISO 50,000 setting is very noisy – a bit surprisingly given the pretty good IQ at ISO
25,000. These images are JPEG/medium files (i.e. using the 1.3x crop for a full frame
resolution of 36 megapixels) and taken using the aperture-priority auto exposure mode
with the aperture set to f/11 so the exposure time varies to compensate for the ISO
adjustments. Noise Reduction is switched off. Voigtländer 35mm f/1.4 Nokton Classic. ISO 50000

109
LEICA M11-P
The ‘Film Style’ parameters obviously
allow for the adjustment of contrast and
saturation, but we did most of our testing
using the Vivid profile which gives a very
pleasing colour reproduction across the
spectrum without ever looking overblown.
Even at the two lower resolution settings
– thanks to the pixel binning approach –
the image quality is still superb and the
definition benefits from the reduction in
noise while the increased dynamic range
is particularly noticeable in the improved
shadow detailing.
The high ISO performance is excellent
so very nearly the full native sensitivity
range can be used. The noise reduction
processing for JPEGs balances sharpness
and saturation very nicely all the way up to
ISO 12,500. There’s some chroma (colour)
noise evident at ISO 25,000, but this setting
is still useable if you aren’t planning to make
very big enlargements (or shoot in B&W).
Surprisingly though, as we noted with the
M11, the ISO 50,000 setting is very, very
...A CAMERA SUCH AS THIS
APPEALS ON AN EMOTIONAL
LEVEL RATHER THAN A
PRACTICAL ONE.”
VITAL STATISTICS
Type: Coupled rangefinder digital camera with inter-
changeable lenses using Leica M-bayonet mount (with
contacts for 6-bit coding for lens ID).
Focusing: Manual via double-image rangefinder in view-
finder. RF base length is 69.31mm (effective base length
is 50.6 mm). Focusing in live view assisted by a magnified
image (5.0x or 10x, with image stabilisation) or focus
peaking display (red, green, blue or white, and high or low
sensitivity).
Metering: TTL using the image sensor (with both RF and
LV) with multi-zone, centre-weighted average, highlight-
weighted or spot measurements, and TTL flash metering
using the imaging sensor with centre-weighted average
measurements.
Exposure Modes: Aperture priority auto and metered
manual.
Shutter: Electronic focal plane, vertical travel, metal
blades. 480-1/4000 second plus ‘B’ and ‘T’ (up to 60 min-
utes). Flash sync up to 1/180 second. Sensor shutter has a
speed range of 60-1/16,000 second. Hybrid ‘electronic first
curtain shutter’. Exposure compensation of up to +/-3.0 EV
in 1/3-stop increments.
Viewfinder: Optical with automatic parallax correction and
LED exposure read-outs. LED brightline frames are auto-
matically switched between 35mm/135mm, 28mm/90mm
and 50mm/75mm when the lens is attached. 0.73x
magnification. Fixed 7.5 cm LCD monitor (2.3 megadots
resolution) with manual/auto brightness control, ‘Exposure
Preview’ mode and scratch-resistant ‘Gorilla’ glass face-
plate. Optional Visoflex 2 electronic viewfinder module
110
with post-camera noise reduction, but it’s
not really an option when shooting JPEGs.
The wide dynamic range delivers
excellent exposure latitude when shooting
in RAW, either for increasing detailing in the
highlights or the shadows… or both.
THE VERDICT
It’s going to take a lot more than the M11-P
to get content authentication into wide-
spread use, but Leica is to be commended
for making a start and it does put another
‘world first’ into the brand’s long and storied
history. However, right now, the M11-P is de-
sirable for other reasons. For starters, being
an M11 at heart, it is the most well executed
of Leica’s digital rangefinder models with its
more extensive suite of digital features truly
complementing the whole user experience,
LEICA M11-P $15,390
(3.69 megadots resolution) attaches via the hotshoe.
Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units sync via
hotshoe.
Additional Features: Diecast magnesium bodyshell sealed
for dust protection and shower proofing (silver version has
brass top and bottom panel, black version has aluminium
covers), auto exposure bracketing (over three or five
frames, up to +/-3.0 EV adjustment), AE lock, dual-mode
self-timer (two or 12 second delays), audible signals, auto
power off, cable release socket.
DIGITAL SECTION
Sensor: 60.3 million pixels (effective) CMOS type with
23.9x35.8 mm imaging area. No optical low-pass filter.
Sensitivity equivalent to ISO 64-50,000.
Focal Length Increase: None.
Formats/Resolution: Three JPEG resolution settings;
9504x6320, 7392x4896 and 5248x3472 pixels. Three RAW
(Adobe DNG) resolution settings; 9528x6328, 7416x4928,
5272x3498 pixels. RAW+JPEG capture. 24-bit RGB colour
for JPEGs, 42-bit RGB colour for RAW DNG files.
Recording Media: One slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory
cards. UHS-II speed support. Internal memory has 256 GB
storage capacity.
Video Recording: No video recording capabilities.
Continuous Shooting: Over 100 JPEG/large frames at 4.5
fps or 15 RAW DNG files. Low speed shooting at 3.0 fps.
White Balance: Auto correction with eight presets, one
custom setting and manual colour temperature setting
(2000 to 11,500 degrees Kelvin).
tively different in the areas that truly matter,
but doesn’t you adopt the hair-shirt approach
as a consequence. Importantly, the original
purity of purpose is still preserved.
To be honest, it’s still fair to question
why you’d buy a Leica M camera without
the signature red dot badge on the front,
but by the end of our time with the M11-P,
we’d decided that we really did prefer not to
have it. Mind you, this was purely down to
aesthetics because the anonymous all-black
camera actually attracted more attention.
Beyond the prestige factor – which will
inevitably influence some purchasers – a
camera such as this appeals on an emotional
level rather than a practical one. In other
words, the investment is about more than
just money, but the M11-P will reward both
the heart and the head.
body only, recommended retail
Interfaces: USB Type C and flash hotshoe.
Additional Digital Features: Content Authenticity Initiative
(CAI) secure metadata, live view, intervalometer (up to
9999 frames), five ‘Film Style’ presets (Standard, Vivid,
Natural, Monochrome and Monochrome High Contrast),
adjustable ‘Film Style’ parameters (Contrast, Sharpness
and Saturation), digital zoom (1.3x and 1.8x, equivalent
to 35mm and 50mm), ‘Extended Dynamic Range’ dynamic
range expansion processing for JPEGs (Off, Medium,
High), Perspective Control (On/Off, with real-time framing),
real-time histogram in live view, highlight warning in live
view, guide grid in live view (choice of 3x3 or 6x4), dual-
axis level indicator in live view, automatic long exposure
noise reduction, user-defined custom ‘Favourites’ menu,
six ‘User Profile’ memories, battery power level display,
card/internal memory space displays, brightness histo-
gram with playback, adjustable image review time, 12/20
thumbnail displays, playback zoom, copyright information,
sensor cleaning, WiFi (2.4 or 5.0 GHz bands) and Bluetooth
LE wireless connectivity, Apple MFi support via USB-C
(requires dedicated cable).
Power: One 7.4 volt, 1800 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion
battery pack (BP-SCL7 type). In-camera charging available
via USB C.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 139.0x80.0x38.5 mm.
Weight: 455 grams black body only. 565 grams silver body
only.
Price: $15,390 body only. Black or silver finishes.
Distributor: Leica Camera Australia Pty Ltd, telephone (03)
9248 4444 or visit https://au.leica-camera.com
THE FUTURE OF
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 ON TRIAL
BENQ
PHOTOVUE SW272U 4K ADOBE RGB
90W USB-C PHOTO MONITOR
RESULTS DRIVEN
If you want to guarantee how your images will look
either on screen or in print, you need a calibrated
photo monitor and BenQ’s new SW272U 27-inch
display delivers pro-level performance and features
at a very competitive price.
I
nvest all you like in camera
and lenses, but an absolutely
key component in the digital
imaging workflow – in terms
of managing the final output
– is a dedicated photography monitor. No
self-respecting professional photographer
would be without one, but the investment
has been quite a big one if you weren’t
going to be earning good money from your
pictures… so, often, near enough was
good enough. BenQ has been building a
solid reputation for making more affordable
monitors aimed at enthusiast-level
photographers and the recently-released
SW272U is arguably its best yet when it
comes to performance and pricing.
112
In terms of its capabilities, the SW272U
is essentially a pro-level model, but it’s still
comparatively affordable with a feature set
that’s appealing for both photographers and
video-makers. The combination of a 27-inch
display size and 4K resolution is a good
one as it is able to better resolve the finer
details delivered by the higher-res sensors
now common in full frame and medium
format mirrorless cameras. It also ensures
rendering times are still very short and, in
physical terms, the monitor doesn’t take up
to much space on the desktop even if you’re
using two of them.
The 3840x2160 pixels resolution with
this size screen delivers a density of 163 ppi
(pixels per inch) so quite small details are
REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS
still easy to see at a comfortable viewing
distance. The panel’s 10-bit colour depth
delivers a palette of 1.07 billion colours,
resulting in much smoother shading, colour
transitions and tonal gradations. In reality,
the SW272U is actually using a technology
called Frame Rate Control (FRC) which is a
method of achieving greater colour depth
with what is actually an 8-bit display. Will you
notice the difference between 8-bit+FRC
and true 10-bit? Highly unlikely.
In terms of reproducible colours, the
SW272U delivers 99 percent of the Adobe
RGB colour space (so, obviously, a full 100
percent of sRGB) and 99 percent of DCI-P3
which is a cinematographic colour space
that’s also a standard for colour reproduction
on transmissive displays, including tablets
and smartphones.
The display panel itself is an IPS type
with LED backlighting. IPS stands for
In-Plane Switching and this is a display
technology which enhances the off-axis
image performance by minimising any
brightness reduction or colour shifts when
viewing the screen from the sides. As
a result, the image still maintains good
brightness and colour at wide viewing angle
of up to 178 degrees, either vertically and
horizontally. IPS technology gives a fast
response time of 5.0 milliseconds (ms)
which an important spec for video-makers.
The refresh rate is 60 Hz.
VIEWING PLEASURE
The SW272U’s is largely unchanged in its
styling from the previous model, but it is
actually more compact overall (and also
lighter) with even slimmer bezels and a
smaller, flatter base. The support column
and base couple via a new mounting
arrangement whereby they simply slot
together and are then secured using a
thumbscrew. It’s a lot quicker and surer than
the previous bayonet-mount arrangement.
The column then slots – and
automatically locks – into the back of the
monitor, after which it can be adjusted for
height over a range of 14 centimetres as
well as tilted up or down or swivelled by
up to 30 degrees either left or right. It also
rotates through 90 degrees to enable a
portrait orientation. As we’ve now come to
expect from BenQ, it’s all very well-made
and ensures good stability. The base now
has a leatherette insert which looks very

smart if nothing else, but is apparently
designed as a handy resting place for bits
and bobs such as memory cards and cables.
The display’s surface has an upgraded
matte anti-reflection finish – which BenQ
dubs “Fine Coating” – to help reduce
ambient glare, and it’s good enough to get
a tick of approval with a TUV Rheinland
Reflection-Free Certification. It also gives
more of a textured look than previously.
Additionally, the SW272U is supplied
with a seven-section, clip-together
modular hood to provide shading which
more effectively eliminates reflections
and ensuring optimum viewing conditions
regardless of the time of day. The hood’s
modular design allows it to be easily
reconfigured when the monitor is being
used in the vertical orientation.
KEEPING THE FAITHFUL
COLOUR
As with all the BenQ photo monitors,
the SW272U is calibrated via BenQ’s
‘AQCOLOR’ display technology before it
leaves the factory and a printed report is
included in the box… which means it’s
performing as expected right at the start.
Subsequently, hardware calibration – via an
external colorimeter – is performed with
BenQ’s Palette Master software now in its
latest ‘Ultimate’ version which is claimed to
be 50 percent faster and twice as accurate
as the previous edition.
Hardware calibration – when the
monitor stores the calibration data
rather than the connected computer – is
generally considered superior to software-
based calibration (which also requires a
colorimeter), but the latter will still ensure
you keep the monitor within specifications
over time. Hardware calibration also has
the benefit of a 16-bit LUT which, of course,
allows many, many more colour levels
(65,536 to be precise) than the 8-bit graphics
card in your computer.
Three calibration settings – which are
essentially application-based such as, for
example, photography, print or video – and
one custom profile can be included in the
S On-panel controls are located under the
front bezel and include a five-way joystick
(second from left) for navigation and
selecting settings.
FOR MOST
PHOTOGRAPHERS, IT’S
THE ADOBE RGB COLOUR
MODE THAT WILL BE MOST
IMPORTANT AND HERE
THE SW272U PERFORMS
EXCEPTIONALLY WELL
ACROSS THE WIDER COLOUR
GAMUT.”
monitor’s colour modes; alongside Adobe
RGB, sRGB, DCI-P3, Display P3, Rec 709
(the colour space for HD TV displays),
DICOM (the standard for medical imaging),
B&W and Paper Colour Sync. Additionally,
there’s an HDR mode which supports
HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
inputs. For video users, the SW272U also
supports uncompressed 10-bit 4:4:4, 4:2:2
or 4:2:0 colour subsampling and has a P3
colour preview mode for checking video
colour.
‘Paper Colour Sync’ – which runs
from free software downloaded to your
computer – enables the input of the printer
model, paper type (brand, surface finish,
etc.) and the colour space which are then
all configured into a colour setting… so
it’s essentially a soft proofing function. As
BenQ creates these profiles itself (it has to,
in order to take into account the monitor’s
characteristics as well), the list of supported
printers and photo papers is by no means
exhaustive and there are some notable
printer model omissions, but if your’s is
on the list, PSC is a quick and easy way of
arriving at an accurate on-screen preview of
a print. But, then again, the downloadable
ICC profiles available from the paper
manufacturers will do the same thing.
The adjustable parameters for creating
the custom profile include brightness,
contrast, sharpness and black level which
S Also located under the front bezel is a
secondary connection bay with two USB
Type A ports, a 3.5 mm minijack audio
output for headphones and an SD memory
card slot.
ON TRIAL BENQ
are adjusted via on-screen sliders; plus
colour temperature (5000, 6500 – the
default – or 9300 degrees Kelvin presets, a
user-defined setting within a range of 5000
to 9300 degrees Kelvin, and user-defined
RGB blending), colour gamut (Adobe RGB,
sRGB, Rec. 709 and DCI-P3), gamma, hue,
saturation and black level. There are six
gamma settings – 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4 and
2.6 – for optimising the contrast ratio and
colour saturation to the application. Also
adjustable are various system functions such
as the menu display time, auto power-off
timings, and audio settings. Usefully, the on-
screen menus can be set to automatically
rotate when the monitor is used in the
portrait orientation.
A handy feature is the ‘GamutDuo’
display mode that enables you to
simultaneously view an image, for example,
in the Adobe RGB and sRGB colour spaces,
side-by-side. Additionally, each image is fully
adjustable independently.
COOLER HOTKEY CONTROLLER
The on-panel controls are arranged along
the bottom edge as is a small connection
bay which comprises two USB Type A
ports, a 3.5 mm minijack audio output for
headphones and an SD memory card slot.
The main connection bay is on the monitor’s
rear and has dual HDMI 2.0 ports, one
each for USB Type C and Type B, and a
Display Port 1.4. The USB C port now has
90 W power delivery (up from 60 W on
the SW271C) and can also serve as an
alternative Display Port connection. This
allows for the convenience of a one-cable
connection for video, audio, data and power
(and it’s very handy when performing
hardware calibration).
The alternative way of driving a BenQ
monitor is via the ‘Hotkey Puck’ which
has been a wired remote controller
up until now when, with the new G3
version, it’s IR wireless. Subsequently, it
now accommodates a pair of AAA-size
batteries… and there’s one less cable to
get in the way. Additionally, it can now also
control up to three monitors. The puck’s
S The main connection bay is on the
monitor’s rear panel and has dual HDMI 2.0
ports, one each for USB Type C and Type B,
and a Display Port 1.4. The USB C port now
has 90 W power delivery.
113
BENQ ON TRIAL
keypad is now angled towards you, but as
before, it comprises three hotkeys which
can be assigned a function – such as
switching between the regularly-used colour
modes – an ‘Exit/Return’ key and a central
dial that’s also customisable for adjustments
such as brightness. A ‘Looping Key’ allows
you to cycle though the presets. New is an
‘info’ button on the front rim which, when
pressed, brings up all the monitor’s current
display settings in a single panel.
The puck controller is particularly handy if
you need to regularly switch between colour
modes as three of them can be assigned
to the puck’s main keys (for example,
Adobe RGB, sRGB and B&W), but more
generally, it’s more intuitive and less time-
consuming than using various combinations
of the unmarked keys on the monitor itself.
However, either method can be used to
select the on-screen menus for the input
source, screen brightness and contrast,
aspect ratio and a big selection of colour
adjustments. The on-screen menus get a
graphic refresh on the SW272U with aim of
delivering more efficient navigation to the
sub-menus and settings.
S Next-generation ‘Hotkey Puck’ controller
is now wireless and powered by a pair
of AAA-size batteries. The controls are
angled towards you and there’s a new ‘info’
button on the front which brings up all the
monitor’s current settings in a single display
panel.
114
PERFORMANCE
The SW272U scores very highly
for colour accuracy and also the
uniformity of colour accuracy
across the screen. The uniformity
of luminance or brightness
– always a challenge with
backlighting using LEDs – is also
pretty good with any variations
being quite minimal.
We conducted software-based
calibration using the Datacolor
SpyderX Elite colorimeter; and
the subsequent DisplayCal scores
for colour uniformity and colour
accuracy, luminance uniformity, white
point uniformity, tone response and contrast
were all very good.
DisplayCal divides the screen into nine
for both the colour and brightness uniformity
tests and notes any differences within each
as a Delta E value for the differences in
colour accuracy from best to worst, and as
a comparison to the maximum brightness
expressed as a percentage. The colour
uniformity was measured with brightness
set to 100 percent and, on our sample of
the SW272U, the worst reading across the
nine panels was 2.0 and the best was 0.0
(which means optimum colour accuracy is
achieved in that section of the panel).
In terms of brightness, nothing exceeded
a seven percent variation so you’re simply
not going to notice anything when working.
For many photographers, it’s the
Adobe RGB colour mode that will be most
important and here the SW272U performs
exceptionally well across the wider colour
gamut, delivering impressive accuracy and
vibrancy along with natural tonality and
texture. Additionally, the gradation from
saturation to subtle is seamlessly smooth,
and the colour fidelity is complimented by
deep, solid blacks. As noted earlier, the 4K
resolution ensures beautifully rendered
fine detailing and seamlessly smooth tonal
gradations, as well as enabling better – and
easier – assessments of image sharpness.
The brightness is a bit marginal for HDR
S The stand’s base has a textured
leatherette insert and is designed as
somewhere to park items such as memory
cards or spare cables.
applications, but overall the SW272U
is a very solid performer, especially for
photographers.
THE VERDICT
The BenQ SW272U ticks a lot of boxes
in terms of its panel size, resolution,
increased anti-glare measures, wireless
remote controller, significant updates to the
Palette Master calibration software and an
enhanced user experience. However, at the
top of this list is the display performance in
terms of its colour accuracy, the uniformity
of brightness and the colour space
coverage. It’s a joy to behold and, along
with the promise of excellent repeatability
and reliability, ensures all that effort behind
the camera will be rewarded with the end
results that you were expecting.
VITAL STATISTICS
BENQ PHOTOVUE
SW272U 4K ADOBE
RGB 90W USB-C
$2499
Panel Type: 68.4 centimetres (26.92 inches) IPS with
white LED backlighting.
Display Area: 596.7x355.6 millimetres. 16:9 aspect
ratio.
Native Resolution: 3840x2160 pixels (163 ppi).
Viewing Angles: 178 degrees horizontal and vertical.
Brightness: 400 nits.
Contrast: 1000:1.
Display Colours: 1.07 billion.
Colour Range: 100 percent sRGB, 99 percent Adobe
RGB, 99 percent DCI-P3.
Internal Processing: 10-bits per colour.
Height Adjustment Range: 14.0 centimetres.
Mount Adjustments: -5.0-20 degrees tilt, 30/30
degrees left/right swivel, 90 degrees pivot (for portrait
format).
Connections: Back panel = Display Port 1.4, two HDMI
2.0, one USB 3.2 Type C (data, AV, 90 watts power
delivery, alternate Display Port mode), one USB Type
B. Bottom panel = two USB 3.2 Type A and a 3.5 mm
stereo audio output.
Features: BenQ AQCOLOR and Uniformity Technology,
SD memory card slot, Delta E ≤ 1.5 (CIE) colour accu-
racy, Palette Master Ultimate calibration software,
hardware calibration with 16-bit LUT, HDR 10 and
HLG support, five colour temperature settings (5000,
6500, 9300, User-Define with R/G/B gain adjust-
ments, User-Define with degrees Kelvin adjustments
over 5000 to 9300 degrees Kelvin), 14 colour modes
(sRGB, Adobe RGB, B&W, Rec 709, DCI-P3, Display
P3, HDR, M.Book, DICOM, Custom, Calibration 1-3
and Paper Colour Sync), Hotkey Puck G3 (IR wireless
remote controller), display colour adjustments (colour
temperature, gamma, gamut, hue, saturation, black
level), ‘GamutDuo Preview’ side-by-side comparison
display (i.e. an image in Adobe RGB and sRGB), P3
Colour Preview (for video), Chroma Sampling Support
(4:2:0, 4:2:2 and 4:4:4). TUV Anti-Reflection certificate,
Pantone Validated, Pantone Skintone Validated and
CalMAN Verified.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 613.9x591.8x274.0 mm (includ-
ing stand at highest setting).
Weight: 8.6 kilograms (including stand). 9.7 kilograms
(with stand and shading hood).
Price: $2499 including shading hood, Hotkey Puck G3
and cables (USB C, USB A, HDMI and DisplayPort).
Distributor: BenQ Australia. For more information go to
https://www.benq.com/en-au/monitor/professional/
sw272u.html
Matt Krumins | GFX100S II | GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR + 1.4x

SEE THE DIFFERENCE

FEEL THE DIFFERENCE

NEW

RESOLUTION. SPEED. PORTABILITY.

Visit fujifilm.com/au/en/warranty for details of Fujifilm's 3 Year Warranty

 © Jesse Marlow
Lost
in
Japan
Internationally-acclaimed photographer, Jesse Marlow,
hits the streets of Japan with his Leica Q3 and a group of
photographers in tow.

Japan is a country that is full tour culminating in the

of contradictions. You can production of a photo book Exhibition Details:
‚YEÑif:EOiO[Y:WÑ:fCNOiGCijfGÑ featuring contributions from The Leica Store and Gallery,
nestled in the shadows each participant. Sydney
9001

of modern constructions
Bringing together the 23rd May to 31st July
while exquisitely dressed
best of two recent Leica
Geishas wearing kimonos
Akademie expeditions to
walk alongside leather-clad
Japan, Jesse Marlow has
punks.
curated an inimitable group
It’s a place where neon lights exhibition of Japanese
and kawaii fashion trends street photography being
coexist with serene temples presented exclusively at
and centuries-old customs. the Leica Gallery, Sydney.
For these reasons and
more, Japan is just one
EGgiOY:iO[YÑBGOYMÑ[€GfGEÑ
by Leica Akademie - the

Scan for more info

about photo tours
LEICA Q3
to Japan and other Discover the Q3 at the Leica Store
workshops. in Sydney, Melbourne, Chadstone
or leica-camera.com