It feels like there's been a flood of camera news lately! I'm covering some of the big announcements here. This is actually related to a video I'm working on right now where I was using the Canon M6 Mark II with an interesting little 10mm f/8 lens. I'll post that video review after this news recap.
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| A discontinued Canon M6 Mark II camera with a 10mm lens attached. |
But speaking of Canon, let's get into their recent announcements, starting with the R50V...
Watch the full news video on YouTube:
Check out some of the gear through my links:
- Sigma BF:
- Fujifilm GFX100 RF:
- Canon R50 V:
- Canon V1:
- OM Systems OM-3:
As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases! Keep in mind it's not about what is linked but rather time from click, which is usually 24 hours.
Canon EOS R50V
Canon announced the R50V, which seems to be carrying the torch, at least in small size, after they essentially dropped the EF-M system like a rock. I kind of wish they'd been more thoughtful early on with mirrorless, but now we have the RF system, and they're adding more interesting cameras to it.
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| Product page screenshot for the Canon EOS R50 V camera with kit lens. |
The R50V can come with a new kit lens, the RF-S 14-30mm f/4-6.3 IS STM PZ. That PZ means it has electronic zooming, along with image stabilization (IS) and the STM motor, which could be quite handy for video work if you don't consider the slow variable maximum aperture.
As someone who does a ton of video, the design looks interesting. It's got a 24-megapixel sensor, does 4K video (though 4K 60p comes with a crop, so not perfect), and has a fully articulating screen. The button layout seems relatively minimalistic.
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| Rear view of the Canon EOS R50 V showing the articulating screen and controls. |
An interesting design feature is the inclusion of two tripod slots, importantly one is on the grip side (1/4-20 thread), allowing for easy vertical mounting.
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| Side view of the Canon EOS R50 V highlighting the tripod mount on the grip. |
They also used the simple metal loop type strap lug design that's better for video work, which I appreciate. The main dial has custom modes, and I'm assuming these are focused on video, though I'm surprised there isn't a dedicated photo/video toggle switch like some other cameras. I had issues with the M6 Mark II where its custom modes didn't work for video, so hopefully, that's fixed here. But I suspect they flip flopped on custom modes so the are video focused instead of photography focused.
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| Top view of the Canon EOS R50 V showing the dials, adjustment wheels, and buttons. |
There's no In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS), but it does have what looks like a large record button on the front along with the top one. Overall, the design seems simple but potentially pretty decent for video. It uses a single UHS-II compatible SD card slot, which is pretty standard at this price point but I would have liked to see two slots.
Looking at video formats, it offers both 8-bit and 10-bit recording. I personally use 8-bit a lot to save space, but it's strange they're using H.264 encoding for that instead of just moving entirely to the more efficient H.265. Saving project space is a big deal for backups.
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| Screenshot of the Canon EOS R50 V specifications table showing video recording formats. |
This camera enters a competitive space with rivals like the Sony ZV-E10 series and the Nikon Z30 (which I had issues with overheating). Canon might have a good spot if the pricing is right, as they could be cheaper than Sony's newer options.
One final note on the R50V: it uses the LP-E17 battery. It's good Canon seems to be moving away from the smaller LP-E12, though I would have preferred the largest size battery possible that they use with their more expensive RF mount mirrorless cameras.
Both the R50V and the V1 below feature UVC support for easy webcam use via USB, although HDMI with a capture card might be preferable for quality. They both also have micro HDMI ports.
Canon PowerShot V1
Moving on to the PowerShot V1, which is a fixed lens camera but potentially more interesting.
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| Product page screenshot for the Canon PowerShot V1 camera. |
This camera has a fixed lens, meaning you can't change it. For many, this might be better. An all-in-one solution that just works. The lens is equivalent to 17-52mm in video (16-50mm in photo) with a relatively bright f/2.8 to f/4.5 aperture range and nine aperture blades. That's a pretty useful range, especially the wide end at f/2.8.
Like the R50V, it has a single UHS-II SD card slot. Surprisingly it features a built-in fan! You can see the fan ports on the top and side.
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| Side view of the Canon PowerShot V1 showing the fan intake/exhaust ports. |
Having a fan is great for video work to avoid overheating and allow for longer record times, even if it introduces a potential point of failure down the line. Props to Canon for adding this. Based on the specs, with the fan on Auto or High, record time limits shouldn't be an issue (depending on settings, of course).
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| Top view of the Canon PowerShot V1 showing the mode dial, photo/video switch, and top fan port. |
The design looks good, and it does have that toggle switch between photo and video modes, which I prefer. It also has custom modes, and I'm assuming these work across both photo and video. There's a dial around the lens that can likely be customized, and it includes wind protection for the built-in microphone.
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| Angled front view of the Canon PowerShot V1 with a windscreen attached to the hot shoe. |
Even though I've mentioned boycotting Canon due to the EF-M system being abandoned, the V1 looks pretty interesting enough to consider one. It's priced at $900 USD MSRP, which isn't cheap, but for an all-in-one solution with these features, it seems reasonably priced.
Like the R50V, it has a crop when shooting 4K 60p. The sensor is interesting because it's basically the same size as Micro Four Thirds but uses the more traditional 3:2 aspect ratio. Combined with the f/2.8 aperture at the wide end and I'd say that's a solid combination.
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| Screenshot of the Canon PowerShot V1 specifications highlighting the "1.4 type" CMOS sensor. |
Between the R50V and the V1, the V1 feels more compelling to me as a complete, ready-to-go package. I'd like to try one out.
Fujifilm GFX100 RF
Fujifilm announced the GFX100 RF. Think of it like their popular X100 series, but with their larger "medium format" sensor (which is a 0.79x crop compared to full-frame so not a traditional medium format size).
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| Lifestyle images showing the Fujifilm GFX100 RF camera in silver and black versions. |
It has a fixed 35mm f/4 lens, giving a field of view equivalent to a 28mm lens on full-frame. The f/4 aperture isn't ideal, but it does feature an internal 4-stop ND filter and a leaf shutter, which is great for flash photography. It also boasts a high-resolution 5.76 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder.
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| Close-up product shot of the black Fujifilm GFX100 RF camera. |
It's a pretty cool concept. Is there a market? Maybe but not for me at $5,000. If you're a fan of Fujifilm, medium format, and want the smallest package possible... this is it. However, I'd probably lean towards one of their interchangeable lens bodies and hope they release smaller lenses eventually. Sticking a fixed, relatively slow f/4 maximum aperture lens on that huge sensor feels like a waste in some ways.
Sigma BF
Next is the ever-quirky Sigma with their new camera, the BF, which apparently stands for "Beautiful Foolishness", I think that name fits...
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| Front view of the Sigma BF camera in white. |
It's a very minimalist L-mount camera with a full-frame sensor. A major specification consideration is that it has no physical shutter. Given the sensor they seem to have used, this could be a downside. Likely meaning noticeable rolling shutter. The same situation for the Lumix S9, so I'm assuming that Sigma is using the internals of that camera with their own casing and interface design.
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| Rear view of the Sigma BF camera showing the screen and touch-based controls. |
It features touch-based controls that apparently give haptic vibrative feedback, a rotatable wheel, and a small side screen. The main screen is fixed, and the body is machined from a block of metal. It's a very specific, unique design.
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| Side view of the Sigma BF camera showing the minimalist design with it's one USB-C port. |
Some potential downsides I see are the single strap lug on one side and the use of built-in storage – which can be good, but also limiting, or a future point of failure. There doesn't seem to be any wireless capability mentioned, so you'll rely on the USB-C port for transferring files or attaching external storage. Let's hope the port is durable and easily swapped if damaged.
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| Opposite side view of the Sigma BF camera showing the single strap lug. |
It's certainly interesting. I wouldn't mind trying one. Props to Sigma for sticking to their unique approach even if it's effectively a repackaged camera. It would definitely make a great display piece years from now.
Panasonic Lumix S1RII
Panasonic announced the Lumix S1RII. If you're a Panasonic shooter using the L-mount and want more megapixels than the S5 II series offers, this could be for you.
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| Product page hero shot for the Panasonic Lumix S1RII camera. |
I don't have too much to say here, but I do like the S5II and S5II X. The Panasonic system looks interesting, but I just don't have the means to get access to any of their equipment.
Generally, Panasonic seems to choose sensors with relatively high rolling shutter compared to competitors, but they often offset this with competitive pricing. Just be aware of what you're getting into, but they appear to be very nice cameras overall.
L-Mount Alliance Grows: Sirui Joins
Related to Panasonic and Sigma, another company, Sirui, has joined the L-Mount Alliance.
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| Screenshot of the press release announcing Sirui joining the L-Mount Alliance. |
I don't know much about their lenses. They contacted me once, but didn't respond after I sent my collaboration terms. Still, it's great to see more lens manufacturers supporting L-mount. It's definitely a welcome addition for users of Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma L-mount cameras.
OM System OM-3
OM Systems released the OM-3. It appears to be a downgraded version of their OM-1.
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| Product page hero shot for the OM System OM-3 camera. |
If you're into Micro Four Thirds and want something a bit smaller than their top-tier camera, check it out. However, the pricing at $2,000 doesn't make much sense to me for what it seems to offer. Good luck to them finding a market for it at that price.
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| Screenshot showing the starting price of the OM System OM-3 as $1,999.99. |
I don't know what the future outlook is for micro 4/3rds. As they become more and more niche, they increase in price. Further shrinking their market. The inherent limitations of this system's sensor size stack with all of these issues.
Pentax News: TKO Departs
Lastly, a bit of news related to Pentax's Takeo Suzuki, a very well-known employee often seen as the face of their recent products like the half-frame film camera, announced he's leaving the company.
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| Screenshot of TKO's departure announcement on Instagram. |
It sounds like he wants to focus more on his own photography and travel. It's easy to speculate, but this might relate to the demanding work culture often found in Japan; perhaps he was overworked. It's good he's moving towards something hopefully healthier for him, assuming he's financially set. Hopefully, it works out well for him.
Final Thoughts
Whew, that's a lot of camera releases! Did I miss anything major? Let me know in the comments on the video, and tell me which of these cameras, if any, you're interested in checking out yourself.
More releases is a good sign for the camera industry, I suppose.
Anyways, hope you enjoyed this news rundown. I'd like to do this quarterly as that should give me enough to talk about.
Reference links:
- https://www.usa.canon.com/shop/p/eos-r50-v-camera-rf-s-14-30mm-f4-6-3-is-stm-pz-lens-kit
- https://www.usa.canon.com/shop/p/powershot-v1
- https://www.fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/gfx100rf/
- https://www.sigma-global.com/en/cameras/bf/
- https://shop.panasonic.com/pages/lumix-s1rii-full-frame-mirrorless-camera
- https://leica-camera.com/en-SE/press/sirui-joins-l-mount-alliance
- https://explore.omsystem.com/us/en/om-3
- https://www.instagram.com/p/DHnHgg6ymLx/?hl=en-gb&img_index=1