Photo news: X100 killer, cheap Elmarit and the age question

Contents

We can do clickbait too, but we only do it by way of example. The title of this column is therefore only to be understood as an example – even if some people want to see Fujifilm's new X-E5 as a "killer" for the notoriously scarce X100VI. This is of course nonsense, as always with clickbait, because: Both cameras come from the same manufacturer and, judging by the RRP, the X-E5 including kit lens and the X100VI are closely priced at around 1800 euros.

System or compact is no longer a question

The big difference: the X100, which has been very popular for several generations, is a compact camera with a fixed lens, while the X-E5 is a system camera with interchangeable lenses. The similarities, and this is the grain of truth of provocative statements: the new X-E now has 40 megapixels on an APS-C sensor like the X100IV and is similarly elegantly designed as the compact. New functions for certain image looks and a control lever on the front also make it, like the X100 series, even better suited for street photography and everything else where unobtrusiveness is important.

The pricing shows that the manufacturer is also aware of the proximity between the two cameras. The price of the body has risen from the X-E4, with a recommended retail price of 900 euros at market launch, to 1550 euros, and 1800 euros including the new Fujinon XF23mm F2.8 R WR kit lens. The X-E5 is therefore an alternative – and not a replacement – for the X100VI. Those who are already using Fuji's APS-C system are more likely to opt for the new X-E, and those who want a compact camera on its own will continue to flirt with the X100VI.

Leica's standard zoom with Sigma genes

It is also only slightly true that the new Vario Elmarit-SL 1:2.8/28-70 ASPH from Leica is "cheap". After all, for a standard zoom that lacks four millimeters of focal length compared to comparable models at the short end, an RRP of 1950 euros is a lot of money. This should of course be seen in relative terms with Leica, as their Vario-Elmarit-SL 1:2.8/24-70 ASPH, which has been available for some time, costs 2850 euros. So you save 900 euros by giving up a bit of wide angle.

And even that is very, very relative, because: The technical data of the new Elmarit is very similar to the Sigma Contemporary 28-70mm 2.8 DG (starting from 779,99 €), which was introduced four years ago and is available for Sony's E-mount and the L-mount. This is available for less than 900 euros, and here comes the but: it is not completely sealed. In other words, it is not protected against dust and splash water, whereas Leica's version is. And unlike the Sigma, it also has a metal housing, not a plastic one. So for around 1000 euros extra, you're not just paying for the Leica name, you're actually getting added value. And the Leica Sigma is not surprising either, as Sigma has been part of the L-Alliance since 2018. How convenient that we have already tested the lens for the E-mount.

Nikon announces firmware 3.0 for Z8

What is surprising in its consistency, however, is how much effort Nikon puts into its free firmware updates. This time, the Z8 has been updated to version 3.0 and a bag full of new functions has been added. Probably the most remarkable thing is what the camera can now do with Pixel Shift. Among other things, exposure bracketing and focus bracketing can be combined. The aim: 180-megapixel images without a large focus shift. There are also numerous new functions such as switching the JPEG quality when fast continuous shooting is selected, a viewfinder view with open aperture, regardless of the selected aperture – i.e. brighter – and so on and so forth.

A Nikon video on firmware 3.0 also shows how the new focus limitation can be switched on quickly: AE-F button for minimum distance, shutter button for maximum, done. This has obviously been devised by someone who wants to use it intuitively in hectic situations. Here's an example from concert photography, where I've always wished for exactly that. Because there is a lot of movement on stage and the light is constantly changing, subject recognition doesn't always work reliably. In addition, more and more big bands have LED walls with videos as a stage background, and this can spontaneously lead to the contrast autofocus focusing on the video, not the musician. You can't see or anticipate this because you can keep an eye on the performers through the viewfinder.

My solution would be to focus on the singer – usually at the very front – and the drummer – almost always at the very back – and the stupid Vidiwall would never interfere again. But that's just theory so far, and has to be tried out first, because: Nikon has only announced firmware 3.0 so far. "Coming soon" is written on the dedicated website, no date. Only the previous version 2.10 can still be found on the download page. This is a rather transparent maneuver, as Nikon's summer campaign is currently running, as it does every year, with discounts on the purchase of cameras and lenses. Apparently, they want to quickly promise a few new functions, which should then provide the final push to buy a new camera.

How Hollywood stars age in public – or not

The question posed by photographer Shane Balkowitsch in our recommendation for a long read for the weekend is also provocative: Why can't Pamela Anderson age? Balkowitsch does not base his attempt at an explanation on the obvious explanation that Anderson is simply the sex symbol of the 1990s and is repeatedly reduced to her role in the series "Baywatch", but instead dares to take a broader view. Among other things, it is revealed that the actress no longer wears make-up outside of work because her make-up artist passed away in 2019. And the comparison with male actors, who are allowed to age in public, is not neglected either.

(nie)