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Nikon Z fc Review

Nikon’s new Z fc mirrorless camera is the company’s second APS-C mirrorless camera, after the Z50, which was released in January 2019. The Z fc has a much more conventional, vintage look than the Z50, with several distinctive physical controls on the body, including separate dials for regulating ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation. Nikon Z fc has a 20.9 megapixel APS-C sensor, 209 AF pixels, an expandable ISO range of 100 – 51200, 11fps burst shooting AF/ AE tracking, an EXPEED 6 processor, an LCD with an LCD touch-angle, a 2360k-dot EVF, 4K UHD video recording at 30p, Live Streaming Supports, Snapbridge and Wi-Fi, and a lighter body. The Z fc has the same Z lens mount as Nikon’s full-frame sensor cameras, thus it can use the same Z branded FX lenses, but with a 1.5x crop factor. The Nikon Z fc is now available for Rs. 84,995 for the body only, Rs. 1,05,995 with the Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 (SE) Lens, and Rs. 97,995 with the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR (Silver) Lens. Look, Body and Feel The camera is as antique as they get in terms of style, body, and feel, and the look indicates that it is a tribute to the Nikon F series designs, such as the Nikon FM1, 2, and FE. And talking about Nikon’s F series, which looked great and performed admirably. So, it is clear that Nikon is aiming to appease those individuals in this case as well, and of course, with the success of Fuji, who has truly nailed the vintage look with outstanding performance, you can be sure that this will be popular with customers. In terms of build quality, the Nikon Z fc features a magnesium body as well as aluminum utilised in the camera, which feels good and sturdy. It weights around 445 gms with the batteries and lens and feels great and substantial in the hand. Although it lacks side grips, the relatively bulky design provides a greater grip than normal. Top: The top has a well-organized arrangement, with the On/Off button on the right, as well as the shutter and exposure compensation dials. There’s also a dedicated video recording button, which is a great addition, as well as a tiny display that indicates the camera’s aperture. The ISO dial, as well as the modes toggle, are located on the left. Although the camera has a hot shoe, it does not have a pop-up flash. Rear: At the back, there’s a 3-inch completely articulating screen with a 1040k resolution, as well as a playback/delete button and a view switcher. The shutter ring is located on the right, with other recognizable controls like as the info and 4-way toggle buttons. Front and Side: On the front, there is a stunning clean design that flashes the name Nikon and the Z fc at you. Nikon has also utilised the same typeface as they used on the F series camera, which is a clever technique to use. There is one custom button as well as the aperture ring. On the side, there is a Mini HDMI port as well as a USB charging C port. Bottom: At the bottom, there is a battery slot as well as one SD card slot that supports UHS 1. Nikon excels in the camera design sector overall. It is a retro-style camera, but it also contains all of the necessities that consumers require. Typically, manufacturers keep such designs simple, which means you have to go the extra step of utilising the fast menu to access functions. Sensor, EVF and Battery When it comes to the sensor, this camera practically has the same sensor as the Nikon Z50, and most people mistake it for a Z50 with a different appearance. It is equipped with a 21-megapixel APS-C sensor and 209 autofocus points in the single-point AF mode. The camera is driven by the same Expeed 6 processor as the Z50. The EVF is an OLED display that fills the whole frame and has a resolution of 2.3 million dots. Unfortunately, there isn’t much clarification on the refresh rate yet, but in our testing, we didn’t notice any latency in anything. The Z fc use the same battery as the Z50 and, according to the CIPA certification, can provide 300 photos per charge. However, it can be charged through USB Type-C, which is a nice thing because it lessens the strain of charging. Autofocus Tracking The autofocus tracking is borrowed from the Z series, which employs a large AF-Area to track the target. The technology works well in both the Z series and this camera. Image Quality
The camera is and functions similarly to any other Nikon camera in terms of image quality. It produces pictures that are crisp and clear. The saturation and tone range are good and attractive to the eye, as everyone is accustomed to with Nikon images. The low-light photos are also quite nice, but it does search for focus occasionally, very little, but most of the time it is bang on.
ISO Performance In terms of ISO performance, the camera produces photos that are easily acceptable up to 3200. However, as the example photos show, noise begins to appear at 6400.
Video Performance In terms of video capability, the camera can shoot 4K at up to 30 fps, but it lacks integrated image stabilization, which may be a disadvantage given that it is likely aimed at vloggers. The good news is that it shoots 4K without cropping. It also does not have the ability to watch on an external output, although this should not be a problem because most vloggers or users of this camera would not utilise such things. The camera’s video performance is excellent. It focuses quickly, produces high-quality results, and there isn’t anything to complain about in this department. Conclusion So, what are our thoughts on the Nikon Z fc? In terms of style, appearance, and usage, it ranks quite high on our list. In terms of performance, it can undoubtedly offer nice sharp photos as well as good video. It does not allow you to shoot with an external screen, but we do not believe that most customers in this category are searching for it. However, when it comes to the price, users could find that slightly steep. The Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR (Silver) lens kit costs Rs. 97,995, while the Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 (SE) kit costs Rs. 1,05,995, and with the body alone costing Rs. 84,995 the overall price of the camera + lens starts fringing towards an entry-level full frame camera, like as the Z5. Apart from this while the performance of the F/2.8 28mm is excellent, it isn’t the fastest lens or offers the shallowest depth of focus. The camera could present a much better performance in combination with a faster lens, say a f/1.8? So, as time passes and the price of this camera begins to fall gradually, the combination of the faster lens along with its capability will make this a much better investment. 

Fujifilm X-E4 Review

The Fujifilm X-E4 is a lightweight, rangefinder-style camera with a 26MP APS-C sensor that works with the company’s X-mount lens family. The X-E4 is marketed as a fun-to-use and compact photography companion, and it is the smallest X-mount camera on the market, inviting you to carry it with you everywhere you go.

The X-E4 inherits a lot of the goodies from the most current Fujifilm cameras, including improved autofocus, respectable video specifications, and very outstanding burst shooting rates, thanks to Fujifilm’s newest sensor and CPU combination. And if you shoot JPEG, you now have access to eighteen of Fujifilm’s outstanding film simulations.

The X-E4 is priced at Rs 74,999 for body only. The X-E4 is similar to the Fujifilm X-S10 and much like the X-T4 except for the lack of image stabilization. Is it good enough to be considered for your future camera purchase? Let us check.

Key specifications:
  • 26MP APS-C sensor with X-Trans colour filter array
  • 3.0″ tilting touchscreen with 1.62M dots (can tilt up 180 degrees)
  • 2.36M-dot electronic viewfinder, 0.62x magnification
  • DCI 4K/30p, 4:2:0, 8-bit internal video recording (4:2:2 10-bit over HDMI out)
  • Full HD video at up to 240p, for 10x slow motion
  • 8 fps burst shooting with mechanical shutter (20 fps with electronic)
  • CIPA rated to 460 shots per charge (NP-W126S battery pack)
  • 121mm x 73mm x 33mm
  • 364g (12.9oz)



Look, Body & Feel

Just as the X-E3 experienced a small reduction in size and control points when compared to the X-E2, so does the X-E4 when compared to the X-E3. The camera body is somewhat smaller (but slightly heavier) than the previous generation.
When it comes to the grip the body is quite uncomfortable to use as it feels like you are holding a bar of soap. But you can’t really excpet much from a vintage style camera. Also after using the MHG-XE4 hand grip and TR-XE4 thumb grip, it it was quite comfortable to hold the camera and shoot. The camera looks attractive, the leather look feels nice in hand and the alloy top plate looks beautiful. Overall the camera  feels solid in hand. The camera is designed very minimalistically by Fujifilm to make it look more compact and easy to carry on the go. Buttons and dial placements are comfortable and easy to operate.

Image Quality
We have been using this camera around a week and shot some images in different lighting conditions, let’s see how it performs.

Daylight: The Fujifilm X-E4 is equipped with a 26 megapixel APS-C sensor. The sample photos visual quality was amazing and appealing to the eye. The photos taken in daylight were well exposed, and the colours were quite realistic. To grab and retain the subject, the focusing was rather bit slow. When zoomed in, the images were crisp and clear.




Lowlight: When it came to low-light photography, the photos captured by this camera were adequate but not exceptional. The colors were vibrant, but the pictures were less sharp and lacking in detail when zoomed in. Although, in low-light circumstances, the camera was hunting to focus in subject. Overall, the photos taken in lowlight conditions with this camera were mediocre.




ISO Performance: When it comes to ISO, the Fujifilm X-E4 performs admirably. Until ISO 3200, the photographs captured with this camera had less noise in them. Anything beyond 3200 ISO produced noise, and the photos began to lose clarity.




Video Quality

The X-E4 may not appear to be a natural choice for video work due to its rangefinder-style design, but it is really quite capable. It can capture 4K video at 24 or 30 frames per second, and Full HD video at up to 240 frames per second.

The camera can gather internal 8-bit logs as well as external 10-bit logs through the Micro-HDMI connection. If you want to avoid the trouble of colour-grading in post, the Eterna/Cinema profile, which delivers flat contrast and rich tones, may be exactly what you need.

There is no specific video record button, however this function can be assigned to one of the three custom buttons. When shooting video, AF settings are more limited than when taking stills. While face and eye detection are still available for human subjects, the usual autofocus subject tracking mode in which you place the AF box over your subject and start auto focusing to lock on it is missing. Face and eye detect works well, however the camera will sometimes lose the subject, resulting in a focus break. The cameras also lacks in-body stabilization.

The footage captured with the X-E4 was rather amazing. The video quality was very well exposed, the colours were vibrant, and the details were excellent in both 4K and Full HD.


Conclusion

The X-E4 is a sleek camera with great image quality and a bunch of good functions. It’s the brand’s smallest X-mount option and an excellent choice for street, travel, and hobby photographers. The images are sharp and crisp and the camera can also capture videos well, however the camera lacks in-body stabilisation which could be a challenge for the users. Another area of concern is the AF tracking and grip where other competitors provide a comfortable grip and better AF tracking using face/eye recognition. But overall, the camera is a fantastic option, and if you’re looking for a compact option around Rs. 75,000 for travel or street photography, you should definitely consider the Fujifilm X-E4.

OnePlus 9 Series Xpan Mode Review in Hindi

In this video, we look at OnePlus’s XPAN Mode in the OnePlus 9 Hasselblad Series.

After partnering with Hasselblad for the OnePlus 9 Series, the cameras didn’t live upto to the expectations. But with the new update there are new upgrades, a significant increase in image quality. Watch the entire video to see the what is the XPAN mode and how it perfroms as well as the differences in the images of the OnePlus 9 Hasselblad series.

#Oneplus #Oneplus9 #Oneplus9pro #Hasselblad

Also special thanks to Chris Wu for the Hasselblad Xpan Camera clips. Do check out his review of the Xpan Camera at https://youtu.be/VytG7syKZ9Q

Canon launches professional full-frame mirrorless camera EOS R3 and two new RF Lenses

Canon recently announced the launch of the EOS R3, their most advanced and capable full-frame mirrorless camera to date in the EOS R series of cameras. It features a newly developed (approximately 24.1-megapixel) back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor, new Eye Control AF, and is capable of recording 6K 60p RAW or 4K 120p 10-bit movie.


The new EOS R3 will appeal to advanced enthusiasts, professional and hybrid shooters with its high-speed shooting capabilities, ultra-low light performance, advanced tracking, and recognition capabilities for various applications such as wedding, sports, wildlife, and cinematography.


Commenting on the flagship launch, Mr. Manabu Yamazaki, President & CEO, Canon India said, “India is one of the most important markets for Canon’s camera business. Given the uniqueness of the photography industry here, we have been focused on catering to the varied and evolving needs of photography enthusiasts who are swiftly moving from casual photography to professional photography. The introduction of EOS R system has been a revolutionary milestone for us in India as we build a strong customer base for mirrorless cameras. Continuing the momentum, we are truly delighted to launch Canon EOS R3, the latest addition to the EOS legacy of professional cameras. With over three decades of continuous EOS innovation, the R System has been acknowledged in the industry for offering greater creative possibilities and even more dynamic ways of capturing every moment. With the launch of the Canon EOS R3, we are providing users with high level functionalities required to elevate the photography and videography experience for professionals and enthusiasts.”


Mr. C Sukumaran, Director- Consumer Systems Products and Imaging Communication Business, Canon India added, “With mirrorless cameras getting wide acceptance amongst users especially the professional segment, it has been our constant endeavour to support the growth of the ecosystem with breakthrough technologies and innovations. The introduction of Canon EOS R3 camera is a testament to our consistent efforts of expanding imaging possibilities for users. Backed by many firsts for Canon – it is the first EOS series camera to be equipped with our newly developed 35mm full-frame back illuminated stacked CMOS sensor and is also our first digital camera to feature Eye Contol AF functionality. With the EOS R3, we bring forth some next-generation features developed on the concept of high speed, high sensitivity, and high reliability for both stills and video captures. We are confident that photography enthusiasts will be delighted by the new camera and what it has to offer to capture the perfect shot.”


The 24-megapixel stacked BSI sensor has a lesser resolution than the 45-megapixel R5 sensor, but the R3 is all about quickness, rapid AF performance, and low-light capabilities. Canon claims that it can shoot at up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter and 12 frames per second with the mechanical shutter, and that the highest native ISO is 102,400. In the Canon Log 3 profile, the R3 can shoot 6K at 60fps and uncropped 10-bit 4K at 120fps.


The R3 appears to be quite similar to the EOS-1D X Mark III, which effectively fills the same position in Canon’s DSLR portfolio. It features a one-piece magnesium alloy construction with a built-in vertical grip, and Canon claims it is weather and dust resistant in the same way as the EOS-1D DSLRs. The body has wired LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB-C ports, as well as a CFexpress card reader and a UHS-II SD card slot. A 3.2-inch vari-angle LCD screen is also included.


Canon EOS R3 is expected to be available for sales in India by November end this year and will be priced at INR 4,99,995/- (body only).


Canon is also releasing two new lenses for the EOS R system which is Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 and Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 lens. Canon RF100-400 mm f/5.6-8 and Canon RF16mm f/2.8 are expected to be available for sales in India by October this year and will be priced at INR 58,995/- and INR 26,995/- respectively.

Fujifilm launches LTO Ultrium9 Data Cartridge in India

Fujifilm recently announced the release of the “Fujifilm LTO Ultrium9 Data Cartridge” (LTO9). A novel recording medium that meets with the ninth generation LTO Ultrium magnetic tape storage media standards, suited for backing up and storing huge amounts of data. LTO9, which uses Fujifilm’s patented technology, has a storage capacity of up to 45TB (18TB for non-compressed data), which is a 50% increase over the previous version of LTO tape. The new LTO9’s large capacity responds to the increasing data storage need amidst the rapid growth of IoT technology and the acceleration of Digital Transformation, while also contributing to CO2 emissions reduction, an essential job that must be tackled internationally.


Magnetic tapes are gaining popularity as a storage medium that allows for the secure long-term storage of large-capacity data at a cheap cost, particularly in India, where digitalization is becoming more important. Furthermore, they have a much reduced environmental effect because there is no need to keep it turned on at all times during data storage, reducing the amount of CO2 emissions created throughout its lifespan by 95 percent when compared to hard disk drives (HDDs).


Fujifilm has always been at the forefront of innovation and has made significant contributions to the world’s digital revolution. With the advent of 5G networks and high-definition 4K / 8K video, the amount of data created globally has risen dramatically in recent years, as has the growth of IoT, information and communication technologies, and the application of Artificial Intelligence for Big Data analysis. This includes “cold-data,” or data created a long time ago and infrequently accessed, which is believed to account for more than 80% of all data. The use of accumulated data, particularly cold data, for creating next-generation technologies is quickly rising, as is the necessity for dependable and cost-effective long-term storage of such data for future use. However, utilizing a huge quantity of power for using and storing big amounts of data would result in increasing CO2 emissions. In their attempts to address climate change, which is one of the key societal concerns, big data centers and private companies are aggressively embracing renewable energy to meet their electricity need, or developing a data infrastructure with low power consumption.


Speaking on the launch of the product, Mr. Koji Wada, Managing Director, Fujifilm India said, “At Fujifilm, we look towards providing a fitting solution to the problems of the ever-evolving world. With digitization taking the centre stage today, industries needed a smart and sustainable solution to their data storage needs – hence, we have announced the launch of our latest LTO Ultrium9 Data Cartridge in India. With a maximum capacity of 45 TB, the cartridge ensures safe storage of your computed data in a device that is not only affordable, but also environmentally conscious. At Fujifilm, we are vigilant and alert at recognizing the fallacies in technology and innovation, as we have for a long time, and develop solutions that will help tackle those short-comings. We are sure that this product will immensely benefit the Indian digital industry and will prove to be a game changer.”


Today, there is a larger emphasis on digitalization in India. With the increased need for digital storage, the carbon footprint has steadily increased. To counteract this, magnetic tapes are gaining popularity as a storage medium that provides long-term storage of large-capacity data safely at a low cost and has a significantly lower environmental impact because it does not need to be constantly powered on during data storage, reducing the amount of CO2 emissions generated during its lifecycle by 95 percent when compared to hard drives (HDDs).


The new LTO9 incorporates barium ferrite magnetic particles (BaFe magnetic particles), which have been finely manufactured using Fujifilm’s patented “NANOCUBIC technology” and are uniformly dispersed to coat tape surfaces, producing a smooth and thin magnetic coating with little unevenness. As a result, the maximum storage capacity is 45TB (18TB for non-compressed data), which is 1.5 times the capacity of LTO8. For added convenience, the new tape offers high-speed data transfer of up to 1,000MB/sec (400MB/sec for non-compressed data).Furthermore, there is no need to have it switched on at all times when storing data, decreasing the amount of electricity consumed in the process when compared to HDDs. Magnetic tapes can also be kept offline as a type of security to reduce the risk of data damage / loss in cyber attacks. Magnetic tape has long been a popular storage medium for huge data centers and research institutes due to its ability to safely store large amounts of data for lengthy periods of time.


The recording media market is always evolving, and we will see more advancements in the near future as each developer strives to provide the best solution to meet all of our technical demands. This will help humanity take another step further in its never-ending pursuit of technological advancement, and Fujifilm will always be in the forefront of making a positive difference.

New Photography Genres to Try your Hands on

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The world of photography has gone through a lot evolution. From those heavy cameras and lenses to a simple 180 g device in your hand, the technology around photography changed drastically. Likewise with each new device, came new features that improved the art of photography; offering more options to be creative. Hence different forms of photography came out and a lot of new genres came to light.


So what does it mean to be a photographer in 2021? Few years back, photography was only limited to people who could afford to buy those expensive cameras and lenses. But now, almost everybody has equipped themselves with good smartphones, which have a pretty nice camera. And the technology has grown in such a way that it doesn’t require much effort to capture decent images of anything around you.


With social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook being flooded with artistic photos from regular people, it has become really challenging and tough for the professionals out there. They have to think more creatively and work beyond the normal and capture photographs which are different and commercially successful. This gave a lot of photographers to do something new and creative and their work received huge demand commercially too.


In this article we have talked about a few trends that we think are breaking the bond of the industry and are quite offbeat in their approach.



Underwater Wedding Photography

Photography is an important part of the wedding planning process. And with the advent of social media, couples and their families are leaning more towards conceptual photography to make their special day even more special. This has led to the birth of various quirky wedding photography trends and one which has recently picked momentum is underwater wedding photography.



Underwater wedding photography is the latest trend that puts the pair in some different settings to photograph their beautiful moments. Couples nowadays are really bored with those common simple poses with just married props, standing in a beautiful location. They want to take it a step further and experiment with such new trends.


Birth Photography

The rise of birth photography has been wanted by many out there, including the huge number of professional photographers who are super keen to photograph as many births as they can. It is a very tough form of photography as you are in a very sensitive environment and your mere presence can be a source of discomfort to your subject. There is nothing quite like birth photography. According to a lot of birth photographers, it is an emotion-filled, once in a lifetime chance to witness a miracle. You need to be prepared with your gear for this kind of photography and you need to manage the light of the surrounding for good shots. The operation theatres mostly have low lighting and you need to be ready for that.




Travel Photography

Cameras are getting more compact and travel friendly each day. The camera has shifted from being a luggage to an essential and hence this form of photography has boomed. Now travellers who seek beautiful scenic location to explore can share their experience with others. Social media, especially Instagram, has given this style of photography the required medium and it has picked up since. You can now spot your friends or a neighbour venturing into this form of photography as all you need is your smartphone and an internet connection. Travel photography is different for different people. Some like to photograph monuments, whereas others like to capture beautiful landscapes. However, the common element that stays is that we photographers go to a foreign or unfamiliar places and capture them. They capture the beauty of the places, and also the essence of the culture of that particular place.




Deadpan Photography

Deadpan photography, well known in the 50s, has made a major rebound and is returning to a reality based photography style. This style of photography is unmistakably impacting clients around the globe.



So what is Deadpan Photography? The portrayal of things or emotions as it is. Today’s world is world full of filters and post-processing, what deadpan photography aspires to do is to give the raw and unaltered version of the subject, whatsoever it may be (even commercial products). As social media has become an integral part of our life, people have started sharing pictures and the reviews of the product that they purchased. Instead of applying filters to glorify these products, people are now sharing images to show items and products as they are. Following the trend, even big corporates are trying to shift towards deadpan photography to build trust with their consumers. Recently Domino’s has taken this style up and they post unedited real pictures of their pizzas on Instagram


Infrared Photography

Although this genre was used before for defence purposes, infrared photography has now become really notable for professional photographers and has taken to the mainstream pop culture. You can easily find infrared photography websites and Instagram accounts displaying colourful psychedelic images. Infrared images looks similar to painting like effect and photographers are already bringing out extraordinary images from this idea. Earlier artist like Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa used infrared images for their album covers for a more intellectual and darker touch. Now infrared has entered into other genres too like portraits, landscapes, etc. It is not used for just the psychedelic looks anymore. It has become a big part of serious photography as well.


Tamron announces the launch of all-in-one zoom lens with 16.6x zoom ratio for Sony E-mount

Tamron has recently announced the release date for the Sony E-mount model 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD (Model B061) on September 24, 2021, an all-in-one zoom lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras.


The 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 VC VXD zoom lens has a full-frame equivalent focal length range of roughly 27mm to 450mm. The world’s first APS-C mirrorless camera zoom lens with a 16.6x zoom ratio, the lens provides the benefits of a flexible all-in-one zoom lens suitable for a wide range of photography settings. Tamron’s VXD (Voice-coil extreme-torque drive) linear motor focus mechanism is used in its AF drive system for enhanced quietness and agility. The lens has unique lens components that are carefully placed to retain high resolution performance from edge-to-edge and deliver outstanding picture quality, making it the best all-in-one zoom lens available.


Furthermore, with a MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 0.15m (5.9 in) at the 18mm wide end and a stunning maximum magnification ratio of 1:2, this lens works admirably while photographing close-up. Tamron’s patented VC (Vibration Compensation) system is built into the lens, significantly minimizing picture blur produced by camera shaking in low-light circumstances or in the ultra-telephoto range at slower shutter rates.


The lens also has the same unified 67mm filter size as most other Tamron lenses for mirrorless cameras. This is a very flexible lens with a broad range of additional characteristics for comfortable photography that allows you to effortlessly enjoy great image quality from wide-angle to ultra-telephoto.

Nikon Z fc Review

In this video we review the newly Nikon Z FC by testing its Image Quality, ISO Performance and Video Quality. We have also spoken about the design, look, feel and whats new on the camera.

The camera is available in 2 kits:

Nikon Z fc body only: Rs. 84,995.00

Nikon Z fc kit with NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR Lens: Rs. 97,995.00 

Nikon Z fc kit with NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 [SE] Lens: Rs. 1,05,995.00