The Photokina 2018 Live-Blog

[dirk]

In this thread I will report live from the Photokina 2018. Both, from the press conferences tomorrow and on Wednesday from the photo fair

 

[dirk]

Until now I was in one press conference after the other. So what is important for Medium Format?

Leica announced the Leica S3. 64MP, 3fps., Video full sensor size in Full HD and 4K!

Expected in spring 2019






additionally they announced their own App to communicate with their cameras. Very impressive!

The also announced the oartnershio with Sigma and Oanasonic for the L moint mirrorlesss fullframe. But this might be less interesting for MF users.

If you want to hear/ see more about that L mount, just comment here in this thread..




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Press release L-mount:

Press Information
The L-Mount Alliance: a strategic cooperation between Leica
Camera, Panasonic and Sigma
Cologne, 25 September 2018. At the company’s press conference prior to the opening of
photokina 2018, Leica Camera AG, Panasonic and Sigma announced a strategic partnership.
The ‘L-Mount Alliance’ is a previously unparalleled form of collaboration that will particularly
benefit the customers of all three partners. The collaboration enables Panasonic and Sigma to
make use of the L-Mount standard developed by Leica for their own developments and to
offer both cameras and lenses utilising this lens mount. As a joint effort of all three partners,
this alliance will increase the importance of the L-Mount technology to the world of
photography even further.
Due to their numerous interchangeable components, system cameras are extremely versatile
and can be individually configured for a wide range of photographic needs. Here, the bayonet
is the most important interface, because the lens makes a decisive contribution to imaging
performance and, in turn, to the quality of the final results. Thanks to the strategic
partnership between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma, customers will be able to choose from a
much wider selection of cameras and lenses without having to limit themselves to a particular
brand, as all three brands will share the same proprietary bayonet mount.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG and majority
shareholder: “For photographers, the ability to choose from a wide range of lenses for their
system of preference is extremely important. Especially in the strongly growing market for
mirrorless system cameras, users seek increasingly greater product diversity to fulfil a wide
range of different photographic needs. We have therefore decided to work together with
prominent partners in the photographic segment as an immediate response to these needs.
Our long-established partnership with Panasonic is a collaboration based on mutual trust, and
the company's expertise in the area of electronics is unquestioned. Sigma is also a highly
respected company that has become firmly established especially in the areas of optical
design and lens manufacturing and is able to perfectly complement our existing portfolio of LMount
products. We are convinced that we and our partners can realise mutual and
sustainable growth for all our products.”
Mr. Tetsuro Homma, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation: “Panasonic
has always focused on revolutionising the camera sector to make the lives of photo
enthusiasts easier, more sophisticated and more enjoyable. Our longstanding partnership
with Leica has brought many high-performance and high-quality digital cameras to the
market; fusing Leica's superior optical technology with Panasonic's digital technologies. Our
partnership has enabled us to accelerate the development of excellent digital camera
products, and the L-Mount alliance with Leica and Sigma is a great example of such
acceleration. This is an alliance of growing players, which will make a fundamental difference
to the future of the imaging industry. We have always been a challenger, bringing innovation
to the industry under the slogan of “Changing Photography” to meet the high expectations of
professionals. Our partnership with Leica and Sigma will create additional business
opportunities for our businesses, but more importantly will advance our customers’ joy of
photography.”
Mr. Kazuto Yamaki, Chief Executive Officer, SIGMA Corporation: “As cameras evolved into
digital and mirrorless, requirements from users and systems introduced by each brands
diversified. Currently, there are overwhelming choices for users, but in terms of extensibility
and possibility, the system truly meets user’s needs is not yet available. SIGMA is joining this
alliance to develop mirrorless cameras benefiting from a short flange back. As SIGMA strives
to develop high performance, high quality and innovative products, this alliance will
strengthen the level of completion and the extensibility of our camera system and provide
greater user benefits. Leica is a magnificent company that has been contributing to
photographic cultures for more than 100 years, and Panasonic is leading the industry by
developing reliable technologies across various fields. Together with SIGMA’s unique, high
performance and high quality products, the L-Mount will evolve as an extremely attractive
system for users.”
About the L-Mount
The L-Mount was developed by Leica Camera under the proviso of providing customers with a
future-proof, flexible, robust and precise bayonet mount that would fulfil even the most
demanding photographic needs. Since its initial appearance in 2014 within the Leica T,
development of the L-Mount was continued by Leica as well as by its strategic partners,
which led to significant improvements and therefore an effectively new and more polished LMount
technology.
To ensure maximum product diversity, the diameter of 51.6 millimetres was chosen to make
the L-Mount suitable for use not only with full-frame cameras, but also on cameras with APSC
sensors. The short register of only 20 millimetres enables a short distance between the
lens and the sensor, which in turn enables considerably more compact construction – which
is particularly helpful for developments in the wide-angle lens segment. To ensure resistance
to even the most extreme stresses, and to guarantee customers maximum reliability in many
years in intensive use, the camera bayonets are manufactured from wear-resistant stainless
steel and with four flange segments that prevent canting and ensure particularly secure and
precisely positioned lens attachment. The standardised L-Mount contact strip ensures
trouble-free communication between the electronic components of the lens and the camera –
including the possibility of installing future firmware updates for lenses to react to
technological advances and exploit the full performance potentials of the lens.
The lens mount is currently used in the Leica SL full-frame camera system and the Leica CL,
TL2 and TL APS-C camera models. All lenses made for the various different systems can be
used on all cameras without adapters and without any functional limitations – this illustrates
only one of the numerous benefits the common bayonet brings for customers. In the near
future, not only Leica Camera AG, but also Panasonic and Sigma will be announcing further
products that use the common standard.
For more information, please contact:
Leica Camera
Michael Röder
Corporate Communications
Leica Camera AG
Phone +49 (0)6441 2080 275
michael.roeder@leicacamera.
com
Panasonic
Global
Communications Department
Panasonic Corporation
Phone +81 (0)3 3574 5664
SIGMA
Marketing Division
SIGMA Corporation
Phone +81 (0)44 989 7432
pr@sigma-photo.co.jp

 

[dirk]

The star if the show was the Fuji press conference. They announced so many products, that it was hard to keep up.

In short
XT3

GFX 50R rangefindee style camera. 145g less weight and thinner than the 50s. Finally the body I was hoping for/ expected last photokina.











A kind of bigger x100, but for changing lenses. Basically similar to the Hasselblad X1D.

Additionally the announced the GFX100s. With Ibis, od af and 4k video!









Plus the announced the deep cooperation with Phase one. From today on, there are new Phase One software availabme, which supports all Fuji Medium Format cameras!!!

 

[dirk]

I would love to bring some positive news about Hasselblad. But it seems difficult at the moment.

As promised, I tried to get an interview with the CEO Paul Bram at Photokina and ask some.of your questions. But unfortunately he is not the CEO anymore.

I will try to find out, how the new responsabilities are now within Hasselblad and will then report back...