Busy gear week in the camera industry

So finally the rumors ended and Sony delivered! The resulting A7 and A7R are truly landmarks in the history of digital cameras. For the first time we have a small full frame (35mm) auto focusing system camera without a mirror. Does this mean that the DSLR as we know it is dead? My answer is: no, but the market will start to segregate into more specific types of cameras. DSLRs will still be around, at least another ten years or so, they still have the advantage in action sport and wildlife photography, sure the compact systems are getting closer every day, but they are not there yet.

Panasonic also revealed the new GM1, a micro 4/3 camera that is similar in size as the Pentax Q system. Mount a 20/1.7 lens onto this camera and it could be an interesting set up for street shooting, I would miss the viewfinder though, but there is an approach for street photography with small cameras lacking a viewfinder that I find interesting, and this includes hip shots and low angle shots.

And then finally Fujifilm had to show some muscles. The X-E2 has now been presented along with a new compact XQ1. The X-E2 continues the tradition of the X-E1 with a few improvements, such as a new sensor X-Trans CMOS II (the same as in X100s), along with the new image processor (EXR II). The focus speed is now vastly improved (according to Fujifilm) and they even claim the title “world’s fastest auto focus speed of 0.08 sec”, well we just have to wait and see. Moving forward to the XQ1 compact; this is a neat gem, something I can see replacing my Canon S100 in the near future. It sports the same sensor and technology as the X20 using the 2/3” X-Trans CMOS II sensor and a very fast auto focus with a hybrid contrast AF and phase detection AF. 

I wish you all a very nice weekend, and don't forget to go out on the streets and shoot!