Canon PowerShot G3 X
This week we saw Canon’s first superzoom compact camera to feature a 1.0-inch back-illuminated CMOS sensor, the Canon PowerShot G3 X. A 25x optical zoom, equivalent to 24-600mm is the standout feature, making the G3 X a solid choice for traveling photographers.
In his initial assessment our deputy technical editor Michael Topham found a lot to like about the camera, but thought the lack of a built-in viewfinder was a bit of a shame and could potentially work against its appeal to many photographers.
Our Canon G3 X hands-on first look
Sony Alpha 7R II, RX10 II and RX100 IV
Sony Alpha 7R II
Sony do like to surprise us every so often. Last week without warning we saw not one, not two, but three new cameras arrive from the firm, boasting 4K resolution and a host of other features.
The Alpha 7R II was the flagship highlight, with a hefty megapixel count that puts it as a rival to Canon’s 5DS R. Our editor Nigel Atherton was able to get some hands-on time with the camera, and he reckons it’s got potential to appeal to a wide range of photographers.
Sony Cyber-shot RX10 II
Also announced were the RX10 II, a superzoom bridge, and the pocket-sized RX100 IV. Both cameras offer a great range of features for videographers, including advanced super slow-motion.
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV
More on the RX10 II and the RX100 IV
Leica Q
Got a spare £2,900 kicking about? Then Leica has got a 24.2-million-pixel, full-frame compact with your name on it. The Leica Q, equipped with a 28mm f/1.7 lens that can be switched to macro mode, is really a rather lovely camera, as you’d hope for the price tag.
Our deputy editor Richard Sibley was very impressed with the Leica Q, calling its viewfinder the best he’d ever used. We’re looking forward to seeing the results of the full review, which we’ll have online soon so keep checking back.
Our Leica Q hands-on first look
Ricoh GR II
Ricoh GR fans rejoice – the long night is over. Ricoh this week announced an update to the rather venerable Ricoh GR in the form of the GR II, which comes packing a 16.2-million-pixel APS-C-sized imaging sensor and a 28mm (equivalent) f/2.8 lens.
Main improvements according to Ricoh include: improved precision of auto white balance control; reduced high-sensitivity noise; increased buffer memory capacity; continuous shooting of up to 10 raw-format images; incorporation of Wi-Fi and NFC functions.
DxO One
Now this was unexpected. DxO, known best for its software, has gone and come out with a camera that attaches itself to your phone. The DxO One is a premium plug-in camera for the iPhone and iPad, which can save images as JPEGs, Raws or DxO’s own ‘SuperRAW’ format, which can store the data from four exposures in order to produce a composite image.
We only saw a pre-production sample, and it’s difficult to predict what kind of impact the DxO One will have on the camera world. It’s an interesting idea though, and we’re looking forward to putting a full production model through its paces when it arrives at the AP offices.
Our hands-on first look at the DxO One
TomTom Bandit and 4GEE Action Cam
TomTom Bandit
We’ve seen some challengers to the GoPro crown emerge this week from unexpected quarters. First the TomTom Bandit, a 4K action camera promising fast, on-the-go video editing and the capacity to instantly cobble footage together by giving your phone a brisk shake.
4GEE Action Cam
Elsewhere there’s EE’s 4GEE Action Cam, which comes boasting 4G connectivity and 64GB internal storage. There’s been a lot of buzz around the 4GEE thanks to a few well-placed viral stunts, though whether it has the capacity to be a GoPro killer remains to be seen.
More on the TomTom Bandit and 4GEE Action CAM
Sony firmware updates
The Sony Alpha 7s, one of the cameras to receive the update
As if Sony hasn’t been busy enough recently, we’ve also seen firmware updates to several of its major cameras. The Alpha 7, Alpha 7R, Alpha 7S and Alpha 6000 have all received an update that should bolster their startup speeds by up to 60% and enable high bit-rate movie recording.
More on Sony’s firmware updates
Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM | A
Finally, fresh this morning we have news of a full-frame wide-angle zoom from Sigma. The 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM | A boasts a constant aperture of f/2 and is claimed to have the optical quality of a prime lens.
