UPDATE 29/6: From now until the opening of Photokina in September, PhotoCounter will cover all the rumours, leaks, ‘pre-announcements’, and product developments set for release in Cologne.
Canon
Rumours now suggest Canon’s highly anticipated full-frame mirrorless camera will NOT be unveiled at Photokina 2018. Sources close to Canon are now pushing its release to next year, Photokina 2019 in May perhaps?
There’s still talk of a new MILC, but it’s a bit of a dampener – the EOS M5 Mk II.
Other rumours suggest Canon will announce new iterations of existing cameras: 7D Mk III, and a 80D Mk II.
Canon has registered several new cameras, according to Japanese tech news outlet, Nokishita. They all have code names, and so far the rumoured specs come across as quite sketchy.
– Apparently the new M5, 7D and 80D have a 28-megapixel APS-C sensor without AA filter and a DIGIC 8 processor. Canon Watch is sceptical of the rumour due to the lack of an AA filter;
– Potential for 4K video at 30fps for each;
– 80D may have a dedicated headphone and mic port.
There’s serious pressure on Canon to announce a full-frame mirrorless camera, or something to close to matching the Nikon D850 and Sony’s a9 and a7r III.
Canon has been playing the game and building the suspense, as it does so well. But to sustain this for almost a year – good luck!
In the interim, it seems Canon will unload updates for lacklustre enthusiast cameras, which are hardly in demand.
Olympus
Multiple sources have confirmed that Olympus will not have a ‘new products stand’ at Photokina, meaning there’s a slim chance for any major new camera bodies. Maybe new lenses. Olympus will run a low profile ‘Perspective Playground’. Dunno what that means, but with Photokina 2019 running in May, 43Rumours reckons Olympus will go ‘full monty’ next year.
Fujifilm
This is shaping up as a major platform for Fujifilm, with three major new camera announcements apparently pencilled in: GFX 50R, X-T3, and XF10.
As of June, these rumours remain firm.
The GFX 50R, the big brother for current X-Pro cameras. The camera is expected to feature a 50-megapixel medium format sensor. GFX 50R will join Fuji’s other medium format camera, the GFX 50S which was unveiled at the last Photokina in 2016. Rumour has the latest GFX camera will feature a 50-megapixel sensor and be less expensive than the GFX 50S
The Fujifilm X-T3 APS-C format mirrorless camera has been rumoured since April. The new flagship APS-C model could well feature a (Sony-manufactured) 26-megapixel stacked sensor, improving AF speed, kiow-light shooting, eliminating blackout when shooting and reducing the rolling shutter effect.Fanboys are grumbling that it apparently won’t incorporate IBIS (image stabilisation).
Third Fujifilm camera is a de-featured rangefinder-style model called the Fujifilm XF10. It has a 24-megapixel sensor (not X-Trans), and is absent a selfie screen a la the X70.
Nikon
Nikon has been more upfront about development of a new full-frame mirrorless camera. It will be pitched at buyers of 2018’s current Photocounter camera of the year, the Sony A7 III, and will have a 24-megapixel sensor and a body-only price to match it.
Shipping is expected in October, following Photokina.
Speculated specs:
– 24-megapixel sensor;
– Priced around US$2000;
– Nikon ‘Z-mount’ with external diameter of 49mm, flange focal distance 16mm.
Nikon has confirmed a new lens is in the pipeline, the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR fixed focal length super-telephoto lens for FX bodies. There’s no release date, but it’s reasonable to believe Nikon will have it on show at Cologne.
The only information Nikon is willing to divulge relates to the lens’ significantly lighter and more compact build than its comparable predecessors. The release doesn’t state exactly how much lighter or smaller the lens is, but the insiders at DPReview called it at an impressive 50 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
This improvement is due to the adoption of Phase Fresnel (PF) lens element.
The PF lens element additionally ‘compensates chromatic aberration utilising the photo diffraction phenomenon’. This phenomenon, according to Nikon, has to do with light characteristics as a waveform.
‘When a waveform faces an obstacle, it attempts to go around and behind it, and this characteristic is referred to as diffraction. Diffraction causes chromatic dispersion in the reverse order of refraction.’
Sony
Sony has announced the big mother 400mm f2.8 GM OSS super-telephoto prime lens. At under 3KG makes it the lightest (and potentially most expensive) in its class.
No local pricing or shipping details were provided. But the American press release says the G Master lens will cost US$12,000 – upwards of 16,000 plus GST. It ships at Photokina time, in September, so will definitely be on show. Click here to read more.
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