The Guangzhou, China-based company Techart has officially unveiled the Techart PRO AF adapter, world's first autofocus adapter for manual focus lenses. The adapter, which was teased last month, actually lets you autofocus with lenses that don't have that ability.
This is pretty wild: the lens adapter company Techart has announced that it has created the world's first Leica M-mount to Sony E-mount autofocus adapter. That's right. Autofocus.
Sony today unveiled its new Xperia Z5 family of smartphones, which breaks new ground in the camera and display department thanks to the line's high-end Xperia Z5 Premium phone. That phone features a 23MP sensor, an f/2 lens, the world's first 4K display on a phone, and the world's fastest autofocus in its camera module.
Last week, we shared a video showing how the Sony a7R II has greatly improved autofocusing with Canon EF lenses using a Metabones adapter. Photographer Yannick Ciancanelli did some similar tests using a Fotodiox adapter and a wide range of Canon lenses, including the massive $11,499 Canon 600mm f/4.
Ciancanelli's findings weren't as positive as what other photographers are reporting.
One thing that early reviewers are noticing about the Sony a7R II is …
Traditional SLR cameras do phase detection autofocus by directing light onto AF sensors in the camera’s mirror box. Some …
Last month, Kipon announced the world's first autofocus-capable adapter for using Canon EF lenses on Micro Four Thirds cameras. If you've been thinking about picking one up, here's some good news for you: the autofocusing speed appears to be quite fast.
Japanese Kipon distributor SHOTENKOBO has released the 2-minute video above that shows some tests of the adapter using a Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens on a Panasonic GX7.
Fujifilm has announced a new version 4.0 firmware update for the X-T1 that will revamp the autofocus system for the camera with better speed and more powerful features.
If you’re a Nikon shooter who wants a better grasp of how your camera’s autofocus settings work, check out …
Five years ago, the Shanghai, China-based lens adapter company Kipon became the first to offer a Canon EF to Micro Four Thirds adapter with electronic aperture control. The company is now taking its adapter another big step forward: its new Canon EF to MFT adapter is the world's first to feature autofocus.
FoCal today announced Version 2 of its automated camera calibration software that helps photographers calibrate the microfocus adjustment on their cameras. The new update will allow users of the software compare their autofocus test results with other users and see previous tests you've run to better see how your gear is performing.
Back in September, we reported that Chinese manufacturer Yongnuo has expanded its cloned gear business to include copycat lenses, starting with the Canon 50mm f/1.4. Now a new clone has emerged: the super popular "thrifty fifty" Canon 50mm f/1.8 II (also known as the "nifty fifty" and "plastic fantastic").
One pesky issue you may have run into with your DSLR is front-focusing or back-focusing, a problem that, in the past, required that you send your camera into a service center along with any troublesome lenses.
We've seen one video demonstration of the Canon 7D Mark II's impressive AutoFocus system, and we've heard the amazing specs, but it's a picture of a dragonfly that really drove home the point, for us, of how good this system is at locking focus on a moving subject.
The Canon 7D Mark II is an enigma. One day we're hearing about how its weather sealing is second to none, the next about how the sensor's performance at base and low ISO is on par with Nikon... 5 years ago, and now we swing back to the other side of the spectrum with this impressive demonstration of the camera's lightning quick AF system.
At Photokina 2014, Sony is a showing off its new autofocus technology called "4D Focus." It's an AF system that blankets the scene with a wide coverage area and can rapidly focus on subjects while predicting their movements over time.
According to a newly-published patent from Apple, the tech giant is looking to flex its muscles in the world of smartphone camera technology... quite literally.
TheCameraStoreTV released this very timely video yesterday in which they putting the autofocus systems of four separate mirrorless cameras -- the Fuji X-T1, Sony a6000, Olympus OMD E-M1 and Panasonic GH4 -- to the test against the mighty Nikon D4S.
Each of these cameras have claimed at some point or another in their marketing that they indeed have the fastest autofocus, so The Camera Store's goal was to see which one could rise above the pack.
Since the last A-Mount Sony came out with, we've seen the a7, the a7R, the a7S, the a3000, the a5000, the a6000 and the a3500. But don't let the names fool you, not a single one of those was actually an A-Mount. This has led many to wonder if Sony had given up on the A-Mount.
Well, today those people have their answer in the form of the a77 II -- in other words, a resounding "No."
Dicahub recently sat down with a Samyang Optics rep at the P&I Show 2014 to talk about future plans and help clear up some of the rumors that have been floating around about what the company has in store.
In addition to actually announcing the much-praised 50mm f/1.4 Art lens last week, Sigma also revealed a useful unknown feature for the new 50, as well as some hardware updates for their entire glass line-up.
Following hot on the heels of the Nikon 1 V3 announcement is another 1-series that is targeted more at the consumer market: the much-improved Nikon 1 J4. Compared to the J3, the newly announced 1-series boasts a new sensor, new processor and, due in large part to the latter, much faster burst mode capability as well.
A report on Canon Rumors is pointing out an issue with Canon's flagship full-frame DSLR and its Cinema counterpart: the 1D X and 1D C. Apparently users have been reporting problems with the 1D X's AF when shooting in less than 0° C, and if an anonymous report sent to CR is accurate, Canon knows about the problem.
Yesterday, Samyang told us to stay tuned for an announcement on March 21st (this Friday) that many expect will introduce a line of AF lenses. Today, the company's Korea branch has released yet another teaser, this one featuring the silhouettes of three new lenses.
About a month ago, we reported on rumors that Samyang was going to start making AF lenses under an all new logo "very soon," and it looks like "very soon" is finally about to arrive.
One of the most exciting things about Sony's new A6000 is the crazy-fast AF system that's been built in. At just 0.06 seconds of lag, the A6000 claims the title of 'world's fastest AF' and blows most mirrorless cameras and APS-C DSLRs out of the water.
But if you're like us, you're not satisfied with knowing THAT it's fast... you want the WHY and the HOW as well. Fortunately, Sony has just released an episode of LearnTV that answers this question for you, and teaches you a few things about the different types of AF systems while it's at it.
They say that the DSLR’s better days are behind it, but it’s still the choice for most working pros. Rapid advances on point and shoots, ILCs (mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras) and smart phones have left the DSLR looking like the camera of yesteryear, so here are a few features we think every DSLR should have now.
Third-party lenses are on the rise, there's no denying that. Between Sigma kicking large amounts of booty with its impressive lineup and Tamron looking serious with the new 150-600mm lens it recently announced, competition for space in your camera bag is getting fierce.
And apparently it's about to get even fiercer, because rumor has it Samyang intends to step its game up as well.
It's finally here! About one bazillion (official statistic) leaks and one teaser later, Fujifilm has finally announced the much-longed-for X-T1. With a weather-resistant body, a large and powerful OLED EVF and the fastest autofocus in its class, Fuji promises that this camera will make for a "truly remarkable photographic experience."
Still autofocusing by pressing halfway down on your shutter release? Well, suppose I told you there’s another way that you might even like better? Sound interesting? Read on.
On Sunday I covered what was easily the hardest football game I’ve ever been asked to shoot. In turn it was the most fun I’ve ever had on an assignment.
Canon's first mirrorless camera, the EOS M, received mixed reviews when it first hit the market, mainly because of its slow autofocus. Canon is hoping to address those concerns with the newly-announced EOS M2, but it looks like this one might not even make it to the US or Europe.
DSLRs and Compact System Cameras are becoming increasingly capable video capture devices in addition to being solid still shooters. But when it comes time to focus or zoom using the lens' or camera's built-in motor, you're often left with glaringly obvious noise on your soundtrack.
So far manufacturers have tackled this problem by introducing silent focusing motor lenses, but one group of engineers is taking a firmware-based approach that seems to work just as well (if not better) and might someday soon do away with zoom and AF noise entirely.
As Canon has begun focusing more adamantly on making its DSLRs capable video capture machines, the company has had to adjust its glass to match. The new Dual Pixel AF on the 70D is a great improvement (check out these videos if you doubt that) but if you're planning on shooting video using the autofocus, you'll probably get to the point where you have to choose between buying a USM lens and an STM lens.
When that time comes, the video above by YouTube user marconilanna should make that choice a little easier by showing you the differences -- in both noise and speed -- between one of Canon's STM lenses and a few older USMs.
Canon made a bit of a splash when it released the 70D, touting lightning fast live view and movie mode auto focus that would put the previous system to shame. The tech is called "Dual Pixel," and now we have a few clips that show you just how fast the system works while filming in movie mode.
At the beginning of the week, Canon introduced the latest and greatest addition to its APS-C lineup of DSLRs when it debuted the Canon EOS 70D. In addition to the standard specs you would expect to find in any of Canon's APS-C cameras (the company has gotten some grief lately regarding its lack of innovation) the 70D packed one very impressive improvement.
The 20.2-megapixel Canon-designed sensor inside features something called "Dual Pixel CMOS AF": a new autofocus system that promises to vastly improve the speed of Canon's live view and video AF capabilities. And now, we get to see it in action.
Earlier this month, Canon announced that there's a firmware update for the Canon EOS M on the way that will boost the mirrorless camera's sluggish autofocusing speeds by up to 2.3x. Given that AF slowness is one of the biggest gripes EOS M owners have with the camera, the news was likely music to many a EO M owner's ear.
If you want to see what this 2.3x looks like in real life, Korean photographer Daero Lee has published a number of comparison videos showing updated and non-updated EOS Ms focusing on things.
There was a great deal of excitement when Canon entered the mirrorless camera market with the EOS M last year, but much of the buzz evaporated when people began putting the camera through its paces. Although the camera features impressive image quality, one of the biggest issues is the sluggish autofocus that often gets in the way of capturing "decisive moments."
If you're the not-so-proud owner of a EOS M who constantly grumbles about the AF, here's some news that'll be music to your ears: your camera is set to receive a major AF speed boost by way of a firmware update.
It’s fairly well known that not all lenses are created equal. Put that in combination with manufacturing variables and lenses don’t always perfectly align with the camera mount. Generally the differences are minor and for the most part negligible, but I buy old Minolta lenses from eBay and I want to get the best bang for buck out of them.
I started making micro adjustments to my lens/camera combinations when I first got Sony’s a77, and have now micro adjusted all my lenses for the a99 and D3. After reading what the Internet had to offer regarding “micro adjustment” or the “fine tune” functions higher level DSLRs offer, I quickly printed off some charts similar to rulers and taped them to my wall to start making adjustments.
Fujifilm launched a number of new compact cameras this week. While most of them offer rather pedestrian improvements on older models, one of the models comes with a rather eye-catching claim: the new FinePix F900EXR is said to feature the world's fastest autofocus system found in a digital camera.