Medium Format Camera News

Yes, as we predicted, there’s been a ton of new photo gear announced for the photokina 2014 show in Cologne, Germany. We’re still in Cologne covering the show and there’s been so much photo gear news this past week, it’s actually hard for even us to remember some of what’s been announced.

Leica introduced an upgraded S-Series medium format camera at photokina this morning: the new Leica S (Type 007) model, which features a Leica CMOS sensor and the Leica Maestro II image processor.

A venerable brand in medium format photography has announced a long-awaited new system: the new 50-megapixel, CMOS sensor-based Leaf Credo 50. The Leaf Credo 50 was unveiled by Mamiya Leaf this morning, 14 years after the CMOS-based 6MP Leaf C-MOST digital back was announced at photokina 2000.

If you've wanted to make the leap from 35mm full-frame digital photography to medium-format, the start-up costs just got a whole lot cheaper.

Hasselblad's gone "back to the future" with a new digital back designed to bring its V System analog cameras into the 21st Century. Called the CFV-50c, the CMOS sensor-based back will sell for 11,000 Euros (approximately $14,900) and is designed to work with "almost every V camera made by the company since 1957," Hasselblad said

Every year the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), a worldwide association of photo and imaging magazine editors, meets to pick the Best of Class in a wide range of photo categories. As the sole US member of the association, Shutterbug joins editors from Europe, Asia, and Africa in the nominating, judging, and selection process. One of the most exciting aspects of photography today is the constant advancement of technology and design, and this year’s Top Products reflect that spirit and those accomplishments, including new categories of Video D-SLR and Mobile App. Editor George Schaub joins all fellow TIPA members in congratulating those selected to receive the prestigious TIPA award. (To learn more about TIPA, please visit the website at: www.tipa.com.)

It isn’t often that as a camera reviewer you get the chance to test a camera with the technical experts right at hand, but that’s how I got to know the Phase One 645DF and IQ160 back. Actually, I attended one of the company’s Phase One Digital Artists Series workshops in Chicago with other photographers (see PODAS workshops sidebar for further info on this and other workshops the company is offering). Beyond the guided portion of the workshop, we were given time to go off and work with the camera at our own pace. It didn’t take long to find my comfort zone with the new IQ system. By the end of day one, I had a working familiarity with the camera and back and hardly paid attention to the big bundle I was hefting. Although I often felt quite at ease shooting handheld, for night photography and some other occasions I did employ my trusty Benbo tripod, with the camera seated on a Foba Superball M-2 on one day, an Acratech GP-L ball head on another.