Let’s take a long look forward and back – 2020’s Lens of the Year, the Sony 200-600mm f5.6-6.3, has some magnification 2020 has been a strange year for the camera industry – the pandemic has exacerbated trends that were already underway, and there are new trends emerging. We are probably going to lose a camera manufacturer or two (no, not Nikon or anybody else big like … [Read more...]
State of the Business – What we know and what we don’t
Flop? Not so fast – Nikon’s actually selling a very respectable number of Z6s and Z7s, given that they’re upper-end full-frame cameras. There have been some numbers floating around online (from an article in the Japanese business publication Nikkei.com), showing shipment rankings for 2019 among the leading camera companies. Nikkei numbers show shipments (not necessarily … [Read more...]
Olympus has Fallen – Who’s next?
In better days – The tough, compact OM-4Ti with the 50mm f1.2 Zuiko was an iconic film SLR of the late 1980s. In a move that will surprise few watchers of the camera industry, Olympus is selling their camera business to Japan Industrial Partners, a private equity group that specializes in helping troubled companies spin off insolvent businesses. JIP is most famous for having … [Read more...]
The Pentax K-1 Review
INTRODUCTION When Pentax announced their new full frame 36mp K-1 body, I was very interested in its potential to act as a backup and sidekick to my main landscape camera, the Pentax 645Z. I was also looking for a high-resolution platform for some focal lengths that are difficult or impossible to achieve with the 645Z - particularly the ultra-wide focal lengths. I have been … [Read more...]
