The Perfect Shot

Although today’s generation prefers to click with their smartphone. But to grab the minute details, picture gradient, photographic effect, clarity, and image quality, having the latest digital camera is a must.

While 2020 hasn't panned out as expected, but the global pandemic hasn't slowed down a wave of new camera launches, and the latest rumors suggest that this year will continue to be an incredibly exciting one for photography fans.

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The year may have been plagued by delays, setbacks and production issues, but the leaks, teases and rumblings keep coming thick and fast. While recent headlines have been dominated by blockbuster launches like the Canon EOS R5 and Sony A7S III, it seems the likes of Nikon and Sony will now switch their focus to the more affordable end of the market. Which will come as a big relief to hobbyists who can't justify spending thousands on a new camera body, as tempting as it is.

Nikon Z7 Mirrorless Digital Camera

The Nikon Z7, along with its slightly lower specified 24MP Nikon Z6 sibling, was the manufacturer’s big news of late 2018 – an indication that Nikon was, finally, taking mirrorless cameras seriously after some very tentative false starts. Was it too little too late, some wondered? Fortunately we need not have worried, as the full frame camera has been critically acclaimed by photographers and reviewers alike as an instant classic, and, as we ourselves opined: ‘Nikon has learnt its mirrorless lesson’.

The Z7 – starting from a very rugged and ergonomic build to top-notch performance from its 45.7MP full-frame sensor— have similarities with the Nikon D850, although here its manufacturer has fashioned a sophisticated on-sensor phase detection system that has, in turn, given rise to a whopping 493 phase detection AF points.

In short, the Nikon Z7 is a very impressive camera. So much so that you almost forget that Nikon hasn’t been making full frame mirrorless models for years – and that this is just one of only two of its own in existence right now. The Nikon Z7 is worth every penny you invest in it

Priced at ₹2 82 950.00 (with 24-70mm Lens + Mount Adapter FTZ)

₹2 41 450.00 (with Mount Adapter FTZ)

₹2 71 450.00 (with 24-70mm Lens)

₹2 30 450.00 (Body only)

Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera

The above examples have been sufficient for you to note that mirrorless cameras are on a mission for the last few years, trying their best to replace full-fledged DSLRs. And while Sony, Nikon, and a few more are in the race to deliver the most power-packed mirrorless cameras, Fujifilm, being the quietest of them all, has had a fairly good portfolio. With its X-T4 range, this mirrorless camera comes as a natural successor to the T-X3 as well as undoubtedly packs a good combination of features in a mechanical-looking sleek and delicate body.

The Fujifilm X-T4 has a 5-axis stabilisation and 4K 10-bit video recording which is good for shooting images in nearly all kinds of scenarios. As far as Autofocus is concerned, it is definitely fast and the tracking subject was really impressive. From eyes to the face, the camera is capable of tracking the subject reliably and in most cases, even with sudden movements. Even in artificial light conditions, the autofocus works like a charm and still shows a coloured focus box, which is of great help.

As for the video, the camera can record 4K videos for 30 minutes at a stretch, which is ample and the colours are captured well. In addition, you can shoot in 10-bit F-LOG and not 8-bit (owing to a larger battery than T3) along with 5-axis IBIS (in-body image stabilisation) stabilisation, which really makes a difference when it comes to capturing a moving subject while the X-T4 is handheld.

This camera is priced at ₹1,54,999. And understandably, at this price tag, one would hope to get the best mirrorless camera out there. So, the one is here.

Sony’s world's widest zoom lens with an f/2.8 aperture

Sony’s brand new FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens for its mirrorless lineup is a part of the G Master series of lenses. What’s special about the lens is that it’s the world’s widest full-frame lens with a fixed aperture of f/2.8. It is a fairly large and heavy lens, tipping the scale at 874 grams, measuring 5.39 inches in length and 3.84 inches in diameter. This large size of the lens is due to the complex optical configuration, which includes three XA Extreme Aspherical elements, two super extra-low dispersion (ED) elements as well as a single aspherical lens element. The aspherical and XA elements serve the purpose of controlling fringing and chromatic aberration on ultra-wide lenses, aspherical elements do the same when these ultra-wide lenses also have a large aperture.

The aperture assembly utilizes 9 blades, giving the bokeh a circular characteristic. The lens construction also offers a dedicated focus hold button, while also incorporating dust and weather sealing. The lens does not include a filter thread at the front.

The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 has a price tag of ₹2,99,990 and is available across all Sony Center, Alpha Flagship stores.

From the September 2020 issue of FHM India.