What comes to mind when the words “compact camera with replaceable optics”? Something small and amateur… This view was relevant five years ago, and it is for the high-tech industry is a huge time. Today, having played in “reflex and Soap”, manufacturers offer a really interesting model.

Category of compact cameras with replaceable optics today is very diverse. It includes devices with high-aperture optics and small matrix “inch” models and quite unfamiliar to the general public with a large camera arrays and lenses with fixed focal length.

For the sake of historical justice, it should be noted that Fujifilm does not belong to the championship in entering the market with unusual for the parameters of the digital era – a non-replaceable lens with a fixed focal length and a large matrix. Perhaps the palm formally belongs Sigma DP1, announced back in 2006, however, it was more beautiful toy (4 apertures, the lack of a viewfinder, specific control).

The first serious bid for success was Leica X1 2009. The only significant disadvantage in terms of equipment – the lack of a viewfinder. The price tag of $ 2,000, even amid the global crisis did not seem challenging, the brand has positioned itself as a premium and do not hesitate to ask for $ 6-7 thousand. For rangefinder devices.

Fujifilm has become one of the sensations of Photokina 2010 X100 camera. This is a wonderful device, it is very easy to use, with a minimum of childhood diseases. At the time of it surpasses competitors in an equipment (the famous hybrid viewfinder, full manual exposure control with excellent implementation) and gave them a head start in price.

The camera was so successful that it continues to be produced until now, however, already in the third edition.

Design, ergonomics – Fujifilm X100T

Although this maxim and became a template, but worth repeating: Fujifilm X100 yield significant impact on the industry in terms of design aids. Extreme retro – if implemented correctly – can become a trend.

External changes compared to the previous models virtually none.

Drive right job exposure, exposure compensation, aperture in place. In the center of the Shutter button – threaded socket for mechanical.

Letter about the other lens. The shape of the buttons on the rear panel has become round, it looks fresh. A careful comparison revealed facts movement keys (and their reassignment). Disappeared scroll wheel around the five-way joystick.

I had the experience of shooting all the previous models. The layout of the buttons Fujifilm H100T – the best.

First, the menu button drive modes (Drive) was under the thumb, and now the main manipulation can be done with one hand.

Secondly, the functionality of seven (!) Buttons reassigned through the menu and very flexible – from, such as white balance, to the exotic such as face recognition, only about three dozen. To be honest, I do not remember so much … The company, which will offer the first mini-display to show the current function of each function key (for example, based on e-paper) widely respected. As the number of assignable buttons and hit five-way joystick.

Q-menu can also remap: 16 positions – three dozen functions.

If someone is a projection on the front panel seems a little (I’m with them, would agree), then Fujifilm has pad-holder MHG-X100. It captures and bottom panel is screwed to the tripod, leaving access to the battery compartment and memory card. In the hands, I have not kept, but judging by the pictures, as a bonus buyer receives offset tripod socket closer to the optical axis of the lens and the center of mass of the camera.

The only significant complaint about the design and ease of shooting – screen on the rear panel. At this angle of lens custom camera angles can a good way to build interesting frame.

Yes, compared to the size of the X100s screen diagonal increased slightly but limit the growth of the vertical size has already been reached.

There is also entirely black version. An amateur. Personally, I prefer it a classic, two-tone body.

Functionality – Fujifilm X100T

In order not to reinvent the scale of significant improvement compared with the previous model will try to arrange them in order of the shooting process. First we see a future frame (viewfinder), then projects the image on the lens matrix, then there are processes determine the exposure / focus is achieved, then in the case enters the matrix and the processor, the result is stored on a memory card and displayed on the rear screen.

Hybrid Viewfinder, a real jewel of the series X100, just got better.

In the optical mode, the bottom right corner, which is useless when cropping (where the lens is visible), you can now use. There is projected enlarged portion of the image of the AF point for the visual evaluation of the quality focus.

For easy selection of the display, mode has been redesigned switch located on the front panel. In previous versions, he had only turned in one direction and it cyclically varying optical and electronic modes.

Now position two. Right (looking through the viewfinder) is still cycles through the optical and electronic modes. Left and cyclically-show or hide the zoomed image.

In manual focus, image Digita Split Screen can be displayed in the lower right corner of the optical viewfinder. Feeling almost like working with analog cameras, only the location of the “digital wedges” unusual. In the electronic viewfinder is centered in the frame.

This short video shows how it happens in practice.

Fujinon lens optical scheme has been very successful, and it remains unchanged since the release of the first model series. What improved? Manual aperture control. Previously step change was the whole stage exposure in Fujifilm X100T he reduced to ⅓. Division of the body did not appear, but they are not needed – the value is displayed in the viewfinder or on the rear display and the touch is distinctly felt a click.

In X100T appeared electronic shutter with incredible fast shutter speed 1/32000. Zero is not superfluous, thirty-two thousandths of a second. Because of the implementation of the shoot moving objects is not recommended because of the resulting geometric distortion.

The car was traveling about 40-60 km / h. Walking man distorted by.

Electronic shutter with a fast shutter speeds and built-in neutral density filter lens into three stages allow you to shoot at the bright sun on the beach or in the snow-covered virgin when the diaphragm 2.

X100T divides the matrix with the current flagship of the Fujifilm X-T1. 16 megapixels is more than enough to see 4K TVs provided low-energy crop.

Phase sensors embedded in the matrix, significantly increased the speed of AF compared with the X100, X100s but the owners need not worry.

This is how the automatic focus.

AF points are located throughout the area of the screen and their size regulated. Thanks to reprogram the buttons to change the current point can be in one hand: if you assign one of the five-way joystick buttons, the first press will include the appropriate mode, and the second and subsequent longer will move the point area of the frame.

Metering area now can be linked to the AF point. Useful stuff, if changes in brightness coincide with the storyline.

Speed burst shooting according to the manufacturer is 6 K / s. When using a fast memory card, such as a Kingston 64 GB SDXC UHS-I U3 camera confirms the declared characteristics. After the exhaustion of the buffer (I turned up to 8 frames RAW + JPEG) speed drops to about 1 K / s, but the picture is not interrupted. The buffer is released very quickly, and the camera can continue to use.

Image quality will be discussed in the next section, we will continue to improve transfer. The size of the rear LCD screen has increased due to the shift of proportions by photographic standard cinematic. Diagonal become three inches, the main thing – to increase the density of pixels. Now the image is formed with a tail million items, get a picture of 720×480 pixels.

Quality survey

Raw files from the camera can be downloaded at this link. They are made with zero setting color, sharpness, light and shadows, noise reduction (except for noise reduction at slow shutter speeds).

Share your thoughts. ISO 1600 – absolutely working the sensitivity. 3200 basically working, 6400 – Working with reservations. They are not so much the noise level, this is no problem. Occurs some narrowing of the dynamic range and loss of detail, particularly in the shadows. And it does not matter much whether it was light or not enough.

Since the shooting in RAW is limited to ISO 6400, direct conclusions about the usefulness of the values 12800 and 25600 are difficult. ISO 51200 clearly seems marketing value. From RAW at ISO 3200 and underexposure three stages (conditionally – the equivalent of 25,600), you can get an acceptable image for screen viewing or printing up to 13×18 format. Minus two degrees, the camera can withstand very worthy.

Great detail, especially noticeable in the pictures with bare tree branches against a background of almost spring sky. Profile optical lens distortion correction are in Adobe Camera RAW.

Of particular note feature film stimulating colors. In Fujifilm X100T set expanded: Classic Chrome is not named for licensing and patent reasons, some vintage Kodak Chrome. For the first time in the industry, Adobe has included the relevant sections in the ACR.

Power

The camera is powered by a rechargeable battery NP-95 1800 mAh 3.6V and voltage

One charge enough (according to the manufacturer) to 330 shots under normal usage patterns or up to 700 in the power-saving mode, ie, with disabled screen when using the optical viewfinder. An impressive figure.

The device performed well in February frosts. Radical drop tank is not noticed. After fifty street shots and about the same number of shots made with fill-in flash and studio test series there is still one notch on the display. Total 150 frames, viewing footage was thorough.

And now – the most pleasant. The battery can be charged inside the camera via USB. In other words, any paperback, car charger for smart phone, even the modern TV in the hotel, not to mention the laptop will be able to replenish power. In this vast ointment is a fly in the ointment – while charging the camera should be turned off.

Wireless function

According to the latest fashion, the camera is equipped with a Wi-Fi-module. He decides to three useful tasks – provides remote control shooting and shooting itself takes footage from the camera to your smartphone / tablet for later viewing / mailing / placement in social networks and the like, and transmits the camera to save geodata in pictures.

On the mobile device, you can change the basic parameters of the shooting. I can not say that the realization of the ideal, to the logic of the ligament camera / application to get used.

In summary – Fujifilm X100T

On the Ukrainian market at the device virtually no competitors. Sony RX1R? Yes, full frame, yes Lens Carl Zeiss.

I liked the camera Fujifilm X100T. Yes, it is expensive costs, it’s a serious genre and technical limitations associated with the focal length of the lens and its non-replaceable. But believe me, the pleasure you get from both the process and the outcome. I must admit that 35 mm – not my focus. Here are 28 and 50 closer to me, but Fujifilm offers a proprietary optical attachment, giving the equivalent of these focal lengths.

Liked:

High-quality images in a wide range of sensitivity

+ Convenient to realize full manual control

+ Innovative viewfinder

Did not like:

– Comes with no hood

– Very expensive adapter for filters

– Video Quality

Source: Fujifilm

The post Fujifilm X100T review – the third generation appeared first on Raqwe.

When in 2008 was announced the Micro 4/3, as one of its major advantages declared to be able to create a really small camera with a relatively large matrix. Panasonic GF5 – the same pattern.

In line with the index, Panasonic GF is inexpensive and easy-to-use devices. GF5 will join the world of digital photos in just a little over three thousand hryvnia – the same or even have to spend a large sum for a top-end compact camera with a non-replaceable lens.

Design and usability

Panasonic GF5 combines many of the advanced features of more expensive and bulky fellow with almost miniature size and light weight (270 grams with battery, without optics). If, instead of the standard package, which includes a 14-42 mm lens, camera and only purchase one separately from the “pancakes”, then turns and does a handheld solution.

Despite its small size (108 x 67 x 37 mm), the body is well kept with one hand thanks to a reasonable thickness, the palm and the thumb tab on the front panel covered with textured rubber-like material under the skin. Although the phone has two tabs for the shoulder strap, without it you can (using a small lens) to do, replacing light carpal loop.

Simplicity – one of the advantages GF5. It is not overloaded with controls that are confused by untrained amateur. On the body rendered only the necessary buttons. The top panel of this descent, Video recording and Superintellektualny mode.

On the rear – also three buttons plus a five-way joystick with a selection wheel options. The joystick handed down important options – input compensation, change the white balance, focus mode selection and drawing.

Flash is raised by hand button. It is located above the optical axis of the lens, although not far from it. The design allows easy (his left hand) to reject the lamp, directing the light output at an angle to the subject (even in the ceiling), which to some extent helps to avoid harsh shadows characteristic of the photos taken with the built-in flash light with no modifiers.

The screen is made by technology TFT, a three-inch touchscreen with 920K pixels. He firmly integrated into the rear panel, which in most cases is compensated almost maximum viewing angles. High sensitivity to touch, accuracy – sufficient for the job, although the screen and resistive.

Menus and Modes

The control system is optimized for touch-screen display. Near the right edge, there are two “hot” area, working as a programmable button. If one choose to assign the sensitivity matrix, and on the other – Metering mode, you get a great gentleman’s set for those who like to keep everything under control.

In addition to a full menu GF5 is also short, with user-configurable menu. In each slot you can put frequently used items.

However, the simplicity of Panasonic GF5 – apparent. Via the OSD menu – just one touch – you can switch the unit into one of the priority or full manual mode set the exposure. 

The phone has three slots for saving shortcuts and user settings, allowing just two touches to reverse all the shooting. Unfortunately, they only numbered and the photographer has to rely solely on your memory, while the screen is still plenty of room for a brief listing.

If you change the shutter speed or aperture value is displayed on the screen matches the scale that allows you to see the second parameter ekspopary and assess their impact on the nature of the transmission of motion and depth of field.

And yet, this product is designed for beginners. For them superintellektualnom mode (iA +) provides additional control. One controls the blur the background (read – the diaphragm), the second – the overall brightness (exposure compensation), the third – tone frame (almost white balance, only one – blue and red – axis.).

Functionality

In Panasonic GF5 installed 13-megapixel CMOS-matrix size 17,3 x 13 mm, which provides an image of 4000 x 3000 pixels.

Shutter speeds ranging from 1/4000 to 60 seconds. The burst speed is 4 k / s at full resolution, or 3 c / s in Live View. Length of the series in RAW – 5 frames in JPEG – until the memory card (if it does not impose a limit on the write speed of the buffer).

Focusing is performed on the basis of information about the borders of contrasting objects. The device can independently choose one or more of the AF pixels 23 which are arranged at a substantial part of the frame. The touch screen allows you to specify arbitrary point in the image (and, if appropriate configuration snapshot will be performed immediately after achieving focus).

In the tests, the device showed good speed and accuracy of autofocus. The manufacturer strongly emphasizes the dignity of the contrast method. At least in terms of the ability to choose any area of ​​the frame, these statements are true. Is also supported by the identification of persons and tracking of moving objects.

In addition to single-frame and continuous autofocus is intermediate, Flexible – the unit when the shutter button Descent normally blocks the focus on the subject, but at this point if the subject moves, the camera will refocus to keep it in the zone of sharpness.

In manual mode for more accurate focusing device magnifies the image from four to ten times. In Panasonic GF5 such regimes are actually two. The first – the usual – the whole screen, and you can control both the scale and position of the enlarged section in the frame. Second – in my opinion, more useful – a fourfold increase fragment is only part of the screen, allowing you to simultaneously see the limits of the future frame and the sharpness.

A set of presets for different kinds of stories in the Panasonic GF5 is very interesting, especially for evening and night shooting. Besides the usual portrait on the background of the city lights have several options sunsets, the night sky, track lights, etc.

Setting the white balance GF5 produces a mixed impression. To unqualified include two slots for custom settings (and ease of capture procedure). But the lack of presets for lyuministsetnyh lamps that are energy-efficient incarnations have become quite popular, it seems odd.

The device can identify up to 6 people. Recognized person receive a certain priority when choosing the exposure and focus.

In Panasonic GF5 can also create three profiles – a couple of children, one – for a pet. Along with the file name will be written (in case you suddenly forget it) and age (very useful – there is no need to calculate feverishly “and how much he / she was then”). Unfortunately, these EXIF ​​data is not stored and are visible only when viewed on the screen of the camera.

Panasonic GF5 video capabilities have been enhanced over its predecessor. The unit is recording Full HD-video at up to 60 frame / s. 60 frame / s progressive scan can be set when shooting HD-video. Stream is stored in either AVCHD or MPEG4 format with high or medium bit rate.

Sound recording microphone pair, but the location can not be considered the best – are both at the left (viewed from the operator) of the upper panel, wherein one – on the bevel compartment flash. Of course, they have a wide omnidirectional, but for the owner of a beautiful mind, symmetric with respect to the lens, the placement would be preferable.

Quality shooting

Let us consider the results of the survey. Downloads and careful self-examination are here .

The combination of Live MOS-chip and the Venus has been very successful, especially given the current low price of the device.

In light lenses nesvetosilnyh question the value of the maximum working ISO is very important. Panasonic GF5 records as JPEG, and RAW-files, but the practical use of the latter requires a certain level of training for novice photographer and not always comprehensible.

When shooting in JPEG 3200 to raise the sensitivity of the above is inappropriate. Even at this value artifacts are noticeable, but they can still be tolerated. In dark places, preferably not exceed the threshold of ISO 1600, though for screen display and sharing over the Internet 3200 (assuming no significant plot in the frame textures) to a certain extent is acceptable.

If we use the information from the RAW, then the shots taken at ISO 6400 can be used after treatment in a graphics editor. Yes, the noise of them are, but his character is not annoying, and from a distance may resemble film. It is encouraging that the details are retained. The noise is more luminance than chromatic character.

Extreme value – ISO 12800 – gives a surprisingly useful results. Of course, the dynamic range is significantly narrowed, noise noticeable but not unpleasant color of porridge, and a decrease shots are quite reasonable, especially for on-screen viewing. The best part – even in low light conditions RAW saves a lot of useful information.

Relight in two stages damaging to the yellow flowers. Increase the saturation does not give anything useful.

Underexposure in two stages almost critical. At three stages of growth is noticeable noise, and quite significant.

White balance Panasonic GF5 work interesting. Machine gives a measure of the neutral picture under incandescent light, but the corresponding preset – several warm. Claims to work by natural light there.

The dynamic range (do not forget, this is a camera with a matrix of the Micro 4/3) – wide. Still life on a test can distinguish between all the cells of the gray scale, and, more significantly, on black and white NITC distinguishable parts. By ISO 1600 marked narrowing, but in general – is acceptable.

Video on the big screen looks attractive. Picture lively, juicy. For those who like to experiment, to inform you that creative effects work with the video, but the frame rate is not always standard.

Findings

So, let’s sum up. Panasonic Lumix GF5 – inexpensive and compact, even by the standards of the Micro 4/3 unit. It is simple to use and does not confuse the novice photographer. Experienced the same menu can make the necessary adjustments to the implementation of the popular effects. The quality of images will satisfy both of them, if you observe moderation in improving sensitivity. Opportunity to purchase a variety of optics distinguishes GF5 from compact cameras top-class.

Liked

+ Compact
+ Ease of management
+ Wealth of options
+ Good choice of optics

Do not like it

– Not the best results in the increased sensitivity

The post Review of Camera Panasonic Lumix GF5 appeared first on Raqwe.