Pro Photo V76 Issue 3

Right now, it’s impossible to tell what the world of professional photography will look like when we eventually emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and its after-effects, except that it will have changed… again! It’s the economic impact – potentially likely to be more severe in the long-term than the virus – that will be keenly felt by photographers who rely largely on another industry for their livelihoods. We have to recognise the current hardships for people directly employed in areas such as travel and tourism, hospitality and fashion, but the knock-on effects from these contractions is also less work available for photographers. Likewise, with smaller weddings and social events still a reality, the budget for photography and video is likely to be one of the first expenses to be trimmed accordingly. Professional…

You’d have to say that, since the launch of the EOS R in September 2018, Canon’s progress with its full-frame mirrorless camera system has been slow, especially compared to the activities of, for example, Sony or Fujifilm. Now, though, prepare for lift-off. Canon has been releasing snippets about its EOS R5 flagship for around four months which was, apparently, a bit longer than anticipated due to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now the EOS R5 is here – much more highly specced than even Canon’s hints had previously suggested – and it’s accompanied by an enthusiast-level sibling, the EOS R6. Canon Australia’s senior product manager, Brendan Maher, describes the next step in the EOS R system’s development as “a bit of a crescendo for us” and says it represents…

Along with the two new EOS R camera bodies, Canon has launched four RF mount lenses and two teleconverters (1.4x and 2.0x). The newcomers extend the RF mount system to 15 lenses (plus the extenders) and significantly increase telephoto capabilities. The most interesting of the four are two prime supertelephotos that are very much the results of thinking outside the box. The new RF 600mm and RF 800mm have a fixed aperture of f/11, allowing for a significant reduction in size, weight and cost. Both the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM have full autofocusing and built-in optical image stabilisation, and are compatible with the new teleconverters which, in the case of the 2.0x model, will give 1,200mm and 1,600mm respectively. Both supertelephotos have a…

Users of L mount full-frame mirrorless cameras have a new compact and lightweight standard zoom to consider, courtesy of Panasonic. The Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom weighs in at just 360g and is only 87mm in length. On the outside it features a weather-sealed construction that enables operation in sub-zero temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius. It also has a fluorine coating on the exposed surface of the front element to help repel moisture and grease, and also makes it easier to clean. On the inside, the optical construction comprises 11 elements in nine groups, including two aspherical types and three with extra-low dispersion characteristics to suppress both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. These elements also correct for astigmatism to optimise resolution. An ultrahigh refractive (UHR) index element…

While the fixed-aperture supertelephoto lenses from Canon are creating quite a stir, they’re not the only interesting new lenses added to the RF mount system. The new RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM telezoom is another example of what’s achievable when you don’t have to worry about a reflex mirror. Consequently, the 100-500mm is pretty much the same size and weight as the EF mount 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, with a length of 207.6mm (versus 193mm) and a weight of 1,370g (versus 1,380g, both minus the tripod-mounting collar). It has built-in optical image stabilisation giving up to five stops of correction for camera shake (and up to six stops when used on the R5 or R6), and uses Canon’s Dual Nano USM AF focusing drive for faster and quieter operation.…

Fujifilm has expanded its GF mount lens system to 11 with the arrival of the Fujinon GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR prime wide-angle. On the ‘44x33’ medium format sensor, it has an effective focal length of 24mm. The GFX medium format mirrorless camera system now numbers nine primes spanning 23mm (18mm equivalent) to 250mm (198mm equivalent) and three zooms, including a 100-200mm (79-158mm). The new GF 30mm f/3.5 lens has a 13-element optical construction (arranged in 10 groups), including two aspherical types and two made from optical glass with extralow dispersion characteristics (to correct for chromatic aberrations). It has internal focusing which, Fujifilm says, minimises focus breathing down to just 0.05% to ensure the focal length doesn’t noticeably vary at smaller subject distances. The minimum focus distance is 32cm. There’s a…