Mirrorless Camera Reviews

Sort By: Post DateTitle Publish Date
George Schaub  |  Jul 26, 2011  | 

Is This the Best Leica Digital Yet?

 

Having owned a (used) Leica M3 since the late 1970’s I can attest to the charms of working with a Leica camera. There is a certain heft and solidity of construction that speaks to its obvious longevity, which is juxtaposed with a deftness of operation, characteristics on display in the M3 in the stroke of the film advance lever and the sound and feel of the shutter release. For those who have experienced a Leica, that “aha that’s why” moment is quite unmatched by other cameras and it spoils you, in a way. Yet, working with a Leica for me has always had a certain awkwardness—witness the film loading in the M3, at least when compared with a sleek Nikon or Canon of the day, and the rangefinder focusing system, almost arcane in the world of autofocusing speed and accuracy. Yet, that awkwardness is not a true impediment and almost becomes part of the charm.

George Schaub  |  Jul 15, 2011  | 

With the recent announcement of the third PEN in this series from Olympus, which is now in Shutterbug test, the not yet discontinued E-PL2 has dropped in price to $599 (from Olympus, with 14-42mm kit lens), about $200 less than when it was first introduced and to me a good deal for what you get while you can get it. The 12MP (effective pixels) Live CMOS sensor Olympus E-PL2 adds to the charms of the first in the “PEN” digital series, the P1. (See Joe Farace’s excellent review of that camera at http://www.shutterbug.com/content/olympus-e-p1in our Jan, 2010 issue) The PL2 adds a larger and higher resolution viewing screen, expanded accessories using the special plug-in adapter, an enhanced control setup and expanded Scene and Art filter modes.

 

George Schaub  |  Jul 06, 2011  | 

The Samsung NX11 is the follower of the NX10. Like the NX10 it is a compact system camera with an APS-C-sized sensor and a nominal resolution of 14.6 MP. The most important difference to the NX11 is the “i-Function” technology, which allows the user to set up image parameters very quickly and intuitively. The NX11 offers this technology right out of the box; the NX10 now offers “i-Function” via a firmware update.

George Schaub  |  Dec 01, 2010  | 

The promise of Micro Four Thirds system cameras is that you get the light weight and portability of a smallish point-and-shoot camera with the lens interchangeability and functions of an advanced D-SLR.

George Schaub  |  Oct 01, 2010  | 

At the recent TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) meeting we had an ongoing debate about how to classify cameras like the new Sony Alpha NEX-3.

Jason Schneider  |  May 01, 2010  | 

The first digital Leica M with a full-frame, 24x36mm sensor (active area 23.9x35.8mm), the M9 offers 18-megapixel capture and unrestricted coverage with nearly the entire range of Leica lenses past and present, including extreme wide angles.

 

Perhaps even more important, the M9’s exclusive 18-megapixel CCD, developed by Kodak with input from Leica, has addressed the foibles that...

Jack Neubart  |  Feb 01, 2010  | 

Micro Four Thirds format cameras promise of compact size, reduced weight, and versatility approaching a D-SLR. I recently had the opportunity to work with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 to see how it fulfilled those ambitions.

Joe Farace  |  Jan 01, 2010  | 

The original Olympus Pen was introduced in 1959 and was the first Japanese half-frame 35mm camera produced. Its name? Designer Maitani’s concept was that the camera would be as convenient to carry as a pen.

Jon Canfield  |  Jan 01, 2010  | 

Panasonic is one of the primary supporters of the Four Thirds format system that utilizes a standard sensor and lens mount that allow you to use lenses from other companies supporting the format, including Olympus and Sigma.

Peter K. Burian  |  Apr 01, 2009  | 

Panasonic has developed an Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera (ILDC) that’s not a single lens reflex model.

Jason Schneider  |  Apr 01, 2007  | 

The moment you take the eagerly anticipated Leica M8 in your hands you know that the design engineers at Leica have gone to great lengths to preserve the look and feel of perhaps the greatest 35mm rangefinder camera of all time, the legendary M-series Leica that debuted in 1954 as the original M3 and continues as the classic retro MP and autoexposure M7. The M8 retains the classic...

Peter K. Burian  |  Feb 01, 2007  | 

The first Panasonic D-SLR, the Lumix DMC-L1 is a product of an alliance with Olympus, since it employs, according to the company, some "jointly developed technologies and components." In fact, this camera shares many attributes with the Olympus EVOLT E-330, including the lens mount, Supersonic Wave sensor dust removal system, and Panasonic's Four Thirds format...

Pages

X