I’ve shot thousands of pictures with hundreds of great lenses over the past 40+ years, but these seven have a special place in my heart. That’s because they capture beautiful images that have “the look”—an elusive quality that may be a combination of excellent detail and sharpness plus a natural roundness in their rendition. It’s not bokeh exactly—that refers to smooth transitions and shape retention in the out-of-focus areas of the image—although these lenses all have gorgeous bokeh as well.
Photokina 2016 may have ended, but we have a couple more interesting lens introductions to share with you: Leica’s 50mm f/1.4 Summilux SL ASPH, and the Lensbaby Twist60 announced earlier in the U.S.
If there were a Photokina Award for the greatest number of cool new products by an American manufacturer, GoPro would certainly be in the running. The innovative folks that put action cams on the map unveiled two new Hero5 cameras and their first-ever drone, along with some interesting accessories.
Part of the fun of the photokina show in Cologne, Germany this week is getting to actually touch and try much of the new camera gear that’s been announced in the past month.
Combining hypermodern styling with the classic high-performance modular design Hasselblad has pioneered for 75 years, the new Hasselblad X1D is a striking statement that promises to move the company forward and it’s certainly generating lots of excitement at Photokina. And two new H-Series models confirm Hassleblad’s commitment to moving that line forward.
Shutterbug fanatics (myself included) are enchanted by the possibilities of remote- control triggers, especially those that take the concept to a new level. Enter MIOPS Mobile, a versatile device that not only triggers your camera, but can also help determine when your photos are taken.
Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras have become increasingly popular among enthusiasts and pros because they provide a DSLR-like shooting experience in a lighter, more compact form factor, along with robust feature sets and significant technical advantages. The top models deliver pro-caliber performance and hi-res/high-magnification EVFs with incredibly rapid refresh rates that display the image captured by the sensor in real time.
According to official stats, more photos are taken during spring and summer than during any other time of year. Now that the outdoor shooting season is in full swing, more photographers are on the go—shooting on assignment, traveling to vacation destinations, or just hitting the road to have some fun.
Active lifestyle cameras are aimed at photographers who don’t want to worry about their equipment during their adventures, but do want to capture images they can be proud of—even under challenging conditions. All seven cameras on this list are virtually indestructible, high-performance compacts that are perfect for skiing, surfing, taking to the beach, boating, hiking or any other activity where an unprotected DSLR or mirrorless camera could be damaged.
Advanced mirrorless cameras are posing a serious challenge to traditional DSLRs, but the latest members of the mirror-box-brigade are fighting back—offering new cutting-edge features, awesome performance, and a wider lens selection.