Sony RX-1 - Droooool....

In my previous post I wrote about my love for the 35mm focal length.  It is for this reason that I am quite in awe of Sony's new compact the RX-1.  It is a small camera, yet sports a full frame sensor and a 35mm f2 Carl Zeiss lens. Drool.....

So what's not to like?  Nothing.  Except for the fact it costs $2800!  Roughly the same price as a Nikon D800 body.  Cheap for a Leica M9 with a 35mm Summicron, sure, but that is still crazy dough.

Perhaps, the perfect night street shooter?  Probably.  Drooling resumed.....

Dallas, Dealey Plaza - Fuji X-100

Photokina Countdown

There's so much great photographic gear about to be released in the lead up to Photokina, I'm on the edge of my seat!  The Fuji XE-1 has already been announced, the Sony RX-1 full frame compact has been previewed and Sony is also likely to release a NEX-6 - a NEX-7 with a NEX-5n sensor.

Of course, and the one I am most interested in, is the Nikon D600.  Canon may also release a competitor at the same time, but I predict that this will be later.  Other predictions include a Leica M10 to replace the now 3 year old M9, and a host of Sony D-SLRs.

What I am hoping for is a Pentax full frame DSLR, and I know that would certainly be very interesting for my father.

We all shall see, but exciting times lay ahead this week.

On another note, this sculpture at the Distillery District is as fascinating as it is creepy.  Definatley worth a few shots!!

Kodak Bankruptcy Implications

It is interesting that the company perhaps the most closely associated with photography in the 20^th Century, Kodak, is now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Not that no-one could see it coming, but it was still a bit of a shock when it finally did.  

For me the biggest question is what will happen to it’s digital sensor division.  Kodak sensors are used in most medium format digital cameras, and famously in the Leica M9.  Kodak have announced that they are wanting to sell off their digital imaging patents for around $2 billion to fund their emergency restructuring loan from Citibank.  I highly doubt that they will get anywhere near the money they are looking for as most of the world have managed to figure out how to produce this technology with minimal infringement on Kodak’s patents.

So what will happen to the M9?  No idea, but hopefully it will give Leica an opportunity to put in a decent sensor, like the Sony sensor in the Nikon full frame digital cameras.

Lewisham, London UK - Sony NEX-3 with Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 Nokton

Leica brochure

While at the Dixons Heathrow airport store, I saw and M9 and a 50mm Summicron is a case.  They had some Leica brochures, so I decided to take one to read.  Apart from the M9, Leica really doesn’t have much that I am interested in.  Compact and four thirds cameras aren’t my box and dice, and after this all that is left is the X1, which is completely outclassed by the Fuji X100.  In fact the X100 is what the X1 should have been.

The M9 is really starting to show its age to, with the only key selling feature being that it is a full frame camera that takes Leica’s fabulous M mount lenses.  The rest of the camera is totally out classed by the NEX, Xpro-1 and even some of the micro four thirds cameras. 

However, the brochure is a nice glossy piece.

Sony NEX 3 with Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 Nokton