After months and months of hints, rumors, leaks, speculations, and teasers, Nikon just finally officially unveiled the highly-anticipated Z Series, its first full-frame mirrorless camera system.
Nikon is launching the Z Series with two cameras, three lenses, and one lens adapter. Many industry watchers believe the move is critical to the Japanese firm’s future, at a time when smartphones have decimated demand for fixed-lens compact digital cameras.Sales of mirror-based DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras have also been weakening.
The New Z Lens Mount
“We have been refining our optical technologies for over 100 years,” Nikon stated at its global launch event. The Z Series features a brand new lens mount that’s designed to “redefine possibilities” and elevate optical performance for Nikon over the coming decades.
“This is the new light that Nikon will use to pioneer the future,” Nikon says. “It is indeed mirrorless reinvented.”
The Z mount uses a large 55mm inner diameter and a 16mm flange focal distance that allow for apertures as fast as f/0.95 and a slim body design. It also opens the door to other lens properties that weren’t previously possible with Nikon’s F mount.
F-mount lenses will be fully compatible with Z mount cameras using the new FTZ Mount Lens Adapter.
Nikon says the new lens mount will also allow its Z mount to be future proof, allowing for cameras with higher and higher resolutions and optics with greater and greater sharpness.
Nikon Z7: A Flagship High-Res Mirrorless Camera
The new Nikon Z7 is Nikon’s flagship full-frame mirrorless camera, featuring high-resolution photography and “revolutionary” autofocus.
The camera features a 45.7-megapixel backside-illuminated full-frame CMOS sensor with a native ISO of 64-25,600. It has an EXPEED 6 image processor that supports 9fps continuous shooting.
The Z7 packs a groundbreaking autofocus system that boasts a whopping 493 AF points that cover 90% of the viewfinder area.
The Nikon Z6 is $3,996.95 and available for Pre-order. It will be released on 27th Sept, 2018
Nikon Z6: A High-Speed, Low-Light Powerhouse
The new Nikon Z6 is designed to be an all-around, high-speed, low-light camera. It features a backside-illuminated 24.5-megapixel full-frame sensor with a native ISO range of 100-51200. Backed by an EXPEED 6 image processor, the Z6 can do 12fps continuous shooting.
There’s a 273-point on-sensor phase-detect autofocus system that operate on both shooting stills and videos. Nikon is billing the Nikon Z6 as an all-rounder and it’s aimed at enthusiast photographers, especially existing Nikon photographers. Nikon sees the Nikon Z6 as the mirrorless partner to the Nikon D750 and it’s a natural competitor to the Sony A7 III
The Nikon Z6 is $2,569.95 and will go on sale in late November.
Both cameras feature durable, dust- and drip-resistant builds and a large, firm grip for secure and comfortable holding. On the top of the cameras is a relatively large information display, two dials, a dedicated video recording button, an ISO selection button, and an exposure compensation button next to the shutter button. They also feature a hybrid AF system that uses an algorithm to automatically switch between focal-plane phase-detection AF and contrast-detect AF. For the first time, in-camera 5-axis vibration reduction is appearing in a Nikon camera. The system provides 5-stops of compensation and is also compatible with F-mount lenses mounted to the lens adapter.
Check the complete specs of these cameras [here]
A winning entry in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has been disqualified for featuring a “stuffed” anteater. The picture by Mr. Cabral was a winner of the 2017 Animals in their Environment category. The Natural History Museum, which runs the contest, said it was “highly likely” that Marcio Cabral’s image featured a taxidermy specimen. The picture, titled The Night Raider, shows an anteater beside a termite mound in Emas National Park in Brazil. But an anonymous whistleblower contacted the museum last month to say the animal bore an uncanny resemblance to a stuffed anteater that can be found at a visitor centre in the reserve.
Mr Cabral denies the allegation, but could not supply any other pictures of the anteater in a different pose.
In a statement, the Natural History Museum said: “Evidence was presented to the Museum by third parties that it is highly likely the animal in the awarded photograph is a taxidermy specimen. “After a thorough investigation, the Museum concluded that the available evidence points to this allegation being true. As a result, the Museum believes that the image breaches the competition rules, which state that ‘entries must not deceive the viewer or attempt to misrepresent the reality of nature.”
The museum called on five experts – two of its own mammals experts and a taxidermy specialist, and an external South American mammals expert and anteater researcher.
They all concluded there are elements of the animal’s posture, morphology, raised tufts of fur and patterns on the neck and head that are too similar for the images to show two different animals.
The museum said Mr Cabral cooperated fully with the investigation and provided images before and after the winning photo was taken, none of which included the anteater. He gave an explanation as to why he had no other images of the anteater and provided a witness who says he saw the live anteater. Mr Cabral, who has won many awards in his 20-year career, strongly denies the anteater in his image is a taxidermy specimen.
Roz Kidman Cox, a member of the museum’s 2017 judging panel and current chair of the competition’s jury, said: “I find it disheartening and surprising that a photographer would go to such lengths to deceive the competition and its worldwide following.
“The competition places great store on honesty and integrity, and such a breach of the rules is disrespectful to the wildlife photography community, which is at the heart of the competition.
“This disqualification should remind entrants that any transgression of the rules and spirit of the competition will eventually be found out.”
The caption alongside Mr Cabral’s winning photo stated: “Marcio had been visiting the National Park for three years waiting for the right conditions to capture the glowing termite mounds.
“After days frustrated by rain, he was in for a surprise.
“A giant anteater ambled out of the darkness and stayed just long enough for Marcio to take a single picture, using a long exposure and flash to highlight his unexpected companion.”
Mr Cabral will no longer be considered the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year category and has been banned from entering the contest in future years.
The museum said a new winner cannot be announced in his place.
Featured image credit: news.sky.com
Weekenders Photography club celebrated its 5th Anniversary with an informative and educative workshop by bringing in macro Guru and International award winning photographer “Yuwaraj Gurjar” from India for a macro Photography workshop titled “The Amazing Tiny World”.
The workshop was presented by ShutterXpose Photography in association with Tamron Kuwait, garnered lot of positive feedback from the participants which was held in the Murjan Ballroom, Crowne Plaza, Kuwait on 18th November 2016 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. A souvenir was released during the event highlighting the activities and achievement of the Photography club over the last 5 years. Tamron and Naser Al-Sayer Communication has been a key associate of Weekenders Photography club and has been supportive through each of the club activities. Tamron Kuwait introduced an exclusive special discount lens offer during the workshop which truly amazed the participant expectation. Mr. Salman Al-Basha, Tamron Kuwait Development Manager spoke on Tamron lens and its active development and new technology included in some of their latest lenses. Mr. Adil Javed, Tamron lens ambassador spoke on his personal experience of using Tamron lenses and how it has helped him at professional front.
The macro photography workshop had an extremely informative morning session followed by a practical demonstration of various techniques with tips on approaching macro subject, composition, and controlling light to get a good macro photograph. Post lunch the participants moved on to the workshop desks where they photographed to their heart’s content the various macro subjects displayed. The participants enjoyed one to one interaction and guidance from the experts. Lumen Store, the main dealers of Elinchrom Lighting and lighting accessories in Kuwait supported the event as lighting associates. At the end of the workshop each participant was handed over certificates. The organizers also had arranged for a raffle draw for the participant.
