November 29
Sony Sensor Announcement Versus Rumor. Sony Semiconductor recently posted a new list of sensors available to camera companies, updating their long-existing public list with some new items. The "official" Sony Semiconductor sensor list tends to postdate actual sensor use, not predict future sensor use. Article on dslrbodies.com
November 26
Nikkor 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 AF-P DX Lens Review. The 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 is Nikon's most recent wide angle zoom for the DX bodies. In full frame equivalence, it's a 14-30mm lens, so it covers the very wide to wide range. Article on dslrbodies.com
Is One Really Better? I keep seeing comparo reviews of the three entry, full-frame, mirrorless cameras (Canon R, Nikon Z6, Sony A7m3). dpreview's is just the latest. I actually think it's gotten far simpler than that. Article on sansmirror.com
Pushback. I’m seeing two pushbacks this holiday season with all the new mirrorless options available, particularly the full frame ones. Article on sansmirror.com
Image Stabilization. Back when sensor-based image stabilization (IBIS) first appeared, there was an Internet frenzy over which was better, sensor-based or lens-based shake reduction. Marketing departments at camera/lens companies with vested interests in one answer of the other all fired up their mimeograph machines—uh, I mean marketing teams—and generated a great deal of contrary and confusing "information." It's way past time to try to present a sane, reasonable explanation of the benefits and drawbacks of each type of image stabilization (IS). Article on sansmirror.com
Autofocus Numbering Differences. Lately we’ve been getting camera companies marketing insane numbers of autofocus sensors on their mirrorless cameras. I keep getting questions about the relevance of those numbers. Article on sansmirror.com
Lens Anxiety. Nikon just issued a press release claiming 110m Nikkors have been produced (see my charting of the lens growth here), which found its way into my InBox via a scrapper I use. Along with that email came a whole bunch of what I call “lens anxiety” emails. Article on dslrbodies.com
November 19
Competition is Good. I keep track of statements made by various camera executives in my Claims to Remember article. I've just added Nikon's "Our goal is to become number one in the full-frame market for both mirrorless and DSLRs" to the list (quote from dpreview interview). Article on sansmirror.com
Fujifilm X-T100 Review. The X-T100 is Fujifilm's entry model mirrorless camera with an electronic viewfinder (EVF). By appearance, it looks like a somewhat diminutive DSLR with a moderately retro look. Article on sansmirror.com
Nikon Z Lens Sets. We have, of course, only three native Z-mount lenses. That generally means that you're going to dip into the F-mount lenses via the FTZ adapter, pretty much no matter what you want to do. At least until we get some more Z lens releases. So what's a Z shooter to do? Article on sansmirror.com
What Thom Wants for Christmas. Yeah, I know. This article might seem a bit like a five-year old who's just got the Christmas toy catalog and goes into full parental persuasion mode. But bear with me a bit. I think there's useful information here. Article on dslrbodies.com
The Best Mirrorless Holiday Deals. This page will change from time to time as new deals come and old deals go. But I thought I’d share my thoughts about cameras and lenses that you should be paying attention to (be sure to consult my reviews of the individual products for additional advice). Article on sansmirror.com
November 12
New Nikon Lens Rebates. As I always do with Nikon lens rebates, here’s my advice about how good these lenses and new prices are. Article on dslrbodies.com
Dead Versus Zombie. I’ve written about this before in passing, but it seems with all the recent talk about “dead” companies, mounts, and cameras in the photography press—and yes, including from me—we need to present some elaboration to be clear about what we’re talking about. Article on dslrbodies.com
November 8
The Decline Continues. One now has to wonder what the Japanese camera companies are actually hiding. In particular, both Canon and Nikon in their financial results are seeming to understate the likely market size (Nikon just said it's 10m units; the actual 12-month trailing value is 11m units, so cooked into Nikon's numbers is an implicit strong collapse of the ILC market in just two quarters). Either that or they're overstocking inventory by large numbers (e.g. CIPA shipments are far above actual sales). Article on dslrbodies.com
Review of the Nikon 180-400mm f/4E FL Lens. The 180-400mm f/4E FL ED VR AF-S is a follow-up to a venerable lens with a long past (all the way back into manual focus days). It's Nikon's pro zoom optic that naturally sits above the f/2.8 pro zoom trio (14-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm). While not an f/2.8 lens, the 180-400mm (and the 200-400mm before it) provide pro quality optics with the usual modest zoom range (~2x) in a package that easily be carried in the field with the other three. Article on dslrbodies.com
November 5
Working Distances. Working Distance is the measurement from the front of the lens to the subject. It does not include lens hood; it's the measurement from the focus plane on the subject to the middle of the front element of the lens. Article on dslrbodies.com
Are DSLRs Still the Best Choice? I'm going to do one of my end-of-year assessments a little earlier this year. Many of you will be struggling with buying decisions this holiday season because of all the higher-end mirrorless cameras that appeared in and around Photokina. I've now had the chance to use virtually every new camera—some for less time than others, obviously—and I am ready to deliver a quick assessment of The State of the ILC. Article on dslrbodies.com