via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3jxj9Ke

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3hqxMMq

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3xcfJ3i

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3h7KXTS

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3w3lxuB

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3x7DWb2

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3wbltZQ

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3qK8bmc

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3ybcF7G

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3hgjT3y

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/2UWfzPt

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3y8TjA3

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3ynxUDF

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3yaRS4k

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3h52hbR

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3x6L9Z6

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/2TkKlRD

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3dMSdCD

There's a new space race, and it's taking place on Mars. NASA's Perseverance rover isn't the only new rover on the Red Planet in 2021. China has its own rover exploring the surface, Zhurong, and China has published new photos, video and audio from its Zhurong rover.

As seen on Space News, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) published new footage of Zhurong's descent to Mars. Onboard Zhurong are microphones designed to listen to the sounds of wind on Mars. Beyond capturing wind, the mics also recorded audio of Zhurong's descent and landing.

'With the files we released this time, including those sounds recorded when our Mars rover left the lander, we are able to conduct in-depth analysis to the environment and condition of Mars, for example, the density of the atmosphere on the Mars,' said Liu Jizhong, deputy commander of the Zhurong mission.

Here's the deployment of Zhurong from the landing platform, but this time with SOUND pic.twitter.com/gKES48hT6a

— Andrew Jones (@AJ_FI) June 27, 2021

Zhurong weighs 240 kilograms (529 pounds) and landed in Utopia Planitia on May 14. Following a week of systems checks and environmental analysis, Zhurong deployed and began exploring Mars. The solar-powered, six-wheeled rover has traveled 236 meters on Mars so far, as seen in a panorama published by CNSA.

Click here to download the full-resolution version. Credit: CNSA

Zhurong is up to some of the same things as Perseverance. Like Perseverance, Zhurong has also captured a selfie, which we wrote about earlier this month.

Zhurong rover (left) and its landing platform (right). Credit: CNSA

Compared to China's previous rover efforts on the Moon, Zhurong is more independent. 'Zhurong Rover is more independent in its driving on Mars [compared with China's Yutu lunar rovers]. It can judge by itself whether there is a path ahead based on its own image analysis. It will make a judgment about every one meter in its driving, and move towards the target set by the ground,' Jia Yang, the deputy chief designer of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, said to CCTV.

Tianwen-1 launched in July 2020 and is China's first independent interplanetary mission. As part of the mission, there's an orbiter, lander and rover (Zhurong). Tianwen-1 entered Mars' orbit on February 10, 2021. In March, we saw a stunning image of Mars from Tianwen-1. CNSA recently shared an image, seen below, showing the rover's progress on Mars.

You can see Zhurong's tracks, showing its progress on Mars. Credit: CNSA

As part of the Tianwen-1 mission, Zhurong has six science-oriented payloads, including instruments for spectroscopy, multispectral imaging, radar and more. CNSA hopes that Zhurong will shed light on Martian water-ice deposits, weather, topography and geology. Zhurong sends information from Utopia Planitia to Tianwen-1 once per sol. Zhurong's primary mission is 90 sols (92 Earth days) long.

from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) https://ift.tt/3ya1PyY
via IFTTT

Back in February, Ricoh released three HD Pentax-FA Limited lenses for K-mount DSLR cameras: the HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Limited, HD Pentax-FA 43mm F1.9 Limited and HD Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited.

These three lenses feature the same optical construction as their respective non-HD predecessors, but have been updated with a new aperture diaphragm and Ricoh’s High-Definition (HD) coating. Ricoh says the HD coating 'assures higher light transmittance and lower reflectance to deliver sharp, clear images free of flare and ghost images, even under such adverse lighting conditions as backlight.'

We've been shooting with the 77mm recently and we've just posted a gallery of samples - keep an eye out for galleries on the 31mm and 43mm coming soon.

Check out samples from the HD Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited

from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) https://ift.tt/3jtDHTN
via IFTTT

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3ju8Qqk

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/2ToPXu1

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3dofJ8H

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3w9A3B4

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3jvHwI2

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3AbJcMP

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3jrrrTD

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3dta4xZ

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3AcdD5G

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/2UfsifB

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3y2VEwz

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3h1zfdo

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3A9nSaJ

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3hmBsyK

We've still a pre-production Nikon Z fc, so let us know if there are any details you'd like to check out.

Are you curious to know more about the new Nikon Z fc? Are there any obscure details or inquiries you have that no one has thought to ask about? If so, you're in luck.

In addition to responding to forum posts and comments on our launch content on DPReview, we're conducting an ad hoc AMA (Ask Me Anything) over on Reddit. So if there's something you want to know, head on over and get your questions submitted!

DPReview's Nikon Z fc AMA on r/photography

from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) https://ift.tt/3w6uSBO
via IFTTT

via Fstoppers https://ift.tt/3w8B5xc

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3x5eVxh

via PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3jno0xq

Nikon's Z fc is an APS-C mirrorless camera that combines Nikon's new Z lens mount with looks and controls that recall the company's classic FM and FE-series film SLRs.

The Z fc is the second crop-sensor Nikon camera to use the company's new Z-mount, built around the same 20.9MP sensor as the Nikon Z50, but it gains dedicated dials for ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation to go with its throwback styling. Nikon says it's aiming the camera at a younger, style-conscious audience.

Key specifications

• 20.9MP CMOS sensor
• Burst shooting up to 11 fps with full AF (9 fps with 14-bit Raw)
• Oversampled UHD 4K video at up to 30p, using the sensor's full width
• Fully-articulating 1.04M-dot rear touchscreen
• 2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder

The Z fc will cost around $960, body only, or $1100 with a silver version of the 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR kit zoom (both prices represent a $100 premium over the launch price of the Z50). Kits of the camera with the retro-looking 28mm F2.8 (SE) prime lens will sell for $1200. These will be available from late July 2021.

The Z fc will be primarily be available in silver with black leatherette patches, but six versions with colored grip material will also be available, in limited numbers. Pink, Mint Green, White, Grey, Amber Brown and Sand Beige versions will cost $100 more than the regular model and, in North America at least, will only be sold through Nikon's own web store.

---

Jump to:

What's new | How it compares | Body and controls | Initial impressions | Sample gallery

---

What's new

The main thing that's new in the Z fc is its retro styling and control system based on dedicated control dials. The camera is designed to evoke Nikon's FM and FE-series SLRs, but is also likely to be reminiscent of some of Fujifilm's digital cameras that reference to the same era of SLR design, as well as Nikon's own Df DSLR from 2013.

But despite the classic looks, the Z fc is a modern camera at heart, offering a few features that should ensure it's seen as more than just a prettified Z50.

Full-time eye AF in video mode

Unlike the Z50, the Z fc is able to offer Nikon's full-time 'Eye-Autofocus' mode while shooting video. When shooting stills, it also includes focus modes that combine face and eye AF with a large focus zone, letting you take more control over where the camera looks for a subject (on the Z50 face/eye AF is only available in the all-area 'Auto' AF mode, meaning the camera chooses a human subject for you if there is more than one person in the frame).

It's very likely that the Z50 and Z fc share the same 'Expeed 6' processor, so these functions could probably be added to the older model via firmware, but Nikon may choose to maintain a distinction between the two.

Fully articulated screen

The Z fc is the first Z-mount camera to feature a fully articulating rear LCD. This means that it can be rotated all the way forward for vlogging (working nicely in conjunction with the video Eye-AF function), and also means the screen can be folded in to face the back of the camera, to protect the LCD panel when traveling.

USB power

The Z fc's USB C socket lets you charge the battery or directly power the camera. Below it is a mic input socket, but there's no way to attach headphones to monitor the captured audio.

Also aiding on-the-go photographers, the Z fc has a USB-C socket on its side which can be used to power the camera, as well as to charge the battery. It's a USB 3.2 Gen 1 'Superspeed' (aka USB 3.0) interface which should mean it's significantly faster at data transfer than the Z50's sockets is.

Firmware updates by smartphone

The other new feature of the Z fc is the ability for it to accept firmware updates from a smartphone. It's a feature we've seen from other brands and we've found it unexpectedly convenient both in terms of finding out about updates, as well as keeping the camera up-to-date.

Return to index

---

How it compares

The Z fc is available body-only, with the Z 28mm F2.8 (SE) prime lens or with a silver version of the DX Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR zoom lens (pictured)

The Z fc is being launched for $100 more than the Z50 was, with the articulating screen, 'better' looks and USB-C capabilities being the main gains over that model. This makes its price comparable with Fujifilm's image-stabilized X-S10, and a little higher than that of Sony's un-stabilized a6400.

The comparison with the X-S10 is interesting because, while they share a similar aesthetic, the X-S10 represents a move away from Fujifilm's use of dedicated control dials, back to something more DSLR-like. The other distinction to note is that the X-S10 costs more when bundled with a lens because Fujifilm tends to kit it with the somewhat better 18-55mm F2.8-4.0, rather than its own retractable power zoom. The less expensive, unstabilized X-T30 is offered with the retractable 15-45mm zoom, at a list price of $1000.

	Nikon Z fc	Nikon Z50	Fujifilm X-S10	Sony a6400
MSRP at launch	$960 b/o $1100 with 16-50mm F3.5-6.3	$860 b/o $1000 with 16-50mm F3.5-6.3	$999 b/o $1299 with 18-55mm F2.8-4.0	$900 b/o $1000 w/ 16-55mm F3.5-5.6
Sensor size	APS-C	APS-C	APS-C	APS-C
Resolution	20MP	20MP	26MP	24MP
Image stabilizations	Lens only	Lens only	In-body	Lens only
Max burst rate	11 fps (12-bit Raw) 9 fps (14-bit)	11 fps (12-bit Raw) 9 fps (14-bit)	20 fps (e-shutter) 8 fps (mech)	11 fps
Screen res / type	1.04M-dot Fully-articulating	1.04M-dot tilt up/down (down by 180°)	1.04M-dot fully-articulating	920k-dot tilt up/down (up by 180°)
Viewfinder res /magnification	2.36M-dot / 0.68x	2.36M-dot / 0.68x	2.36M-dot / 0.62x	2.36M-dot / 0.7x
Built-in flash	No	Yes	No	Yes
4K video spec	UHD 30p/24p No crop	UHD 30p/24p No crop	DCI or UHD 30p/24p No crop	4K 24p No crop 4K 30p 1.1x crop
Mic / 'phones	Yes / No	Yes / No	Yes / Yes (w/ inc USB adapter)	Yes / No
Weather sealing	Claimed	Claimed	No	Claimed
Battery life LCD/EVF	300	300	325	410
Weight	445g	450g	465g	403g
Dimensions	135 x 94 x 44 mm	127 x 94 x 60 mm	126 x 85 x 65mm	120 x 67 x 60 mm

The Z fc's specs make it competitive with its immediate peers and its looks will help it stand out. The lack of headphone socket for monitoring audio may undercut its appeal as a vlogging camera, as does the absence of in-body stabilization. Nikon's kit zoom is stabilized but lens-stabilization can't correction for rotational movement (roll) like in-body systems can. If you buy the kit with the 28mm F2.8 (SE) prime lens, you'll have no stabilization at all.

Return to index

---

Body and controls

Aluminum dials

Metallic-finish dials are pretty commonplace, but the Z fc uses solid aluminum dials and Nikon says the numbers are etched into the metal, rather than being printed or stuck on the surface. The ISO and shutter speed dials both have press locks on them, to prevent accidental operation, but this means they require slightly more considered operation.

Dial operation

Although the Z fc ends up looking a lot like Fujifilm's X-T30, its dials operate slightly differently. Rather than exposure mode being defined by the position of the ISO and shutter speed dials, the Z fc has a separate exposure mode switch. For instance, setting this to 'A,' for Aperture Priority deactivates the shutter speed dial, regardless of its position.

Generally the dedicated dials are used for controlling each exposure parameter, with a command dial on the front of the camera setting aperture value. The exception to this is if you turn the shutter speed dial to the '1/3 Steps' position, at which point the rear command dial takes over control of shutter speed.

One interesting quirk is that the ISO dial does not include an 'Auto' position. We couldn't find an easy way, other than adding 'ISO Settings' to My Menu, to engage and disengage Auto ISO. With Auto ISO turned on, the ISO dial ends up defining the minimum ISO the camera will use.

Separate video/stills operation

A small switch at the base of the shutter speed dial lets you jump from stills to movie shooting and back. As with the Z50 and other recent Nikons, you can opt for different settings for both modes allowing, for instance, different white balance and color mode settings for each style of shooting. However, the reliance on dedicated dials means that your exposure settings will tend to carry over, so you'll have to adjust them somewhat, each time you switch.

Magnesium alloy construction

The Z fc is a pretty light-feeling camera, thanks to extensive use of magnesium alloy in its construction. The lack of protruding hand grip helps keep the weight down below that of the Z50. In addition to the solidity of a primarily metal shell, Nikon says the Z fc has been designed to resist moisture and dust (though neither of the lenses offered as kits appear to make the same claim).

The thin-gauge metal and rather light plastic battery door and viewfinder eye-cup molding make the camera feel less substantial than its metal construction might otherwise imply. However, the dial feel (particularly in terms of the front and rear command dials) helps counteract this impression.

Battery

The battery and SD card both slot into the bottom of the camera, behind a slightly insubstantial-feeling plastic door.

The Z fc uses the same EN-EL25 battery as the Z50 and, since it shares that camera's screen, viewfinder, sensor and processor, it delivers a very similar battery life. The CIPA rating of 300 shots per charge is reasonable, rather than great, even once you've taken into account the fact it's common to get twice as many shots as these ratings suggest, in day-to-day use.

The ability to recharge or directly power the camera using its USB socket will relieve some of this pressure, especially if you're already in the habit of packing a USB power bank for keeping your phone topped-up on weekends away.

Return to index

---

Initial impressions

The leatherette coating on the viewfinder hump and the 'old style' Nikon typeface helps tie the Z fc back to the company's classic SLRs.

The Z fc is an undeniably pretty camera, with the leatherette coating on top of the viewfinder immediately recalling Nikon's much-loved FM SLRs. Other manufacturers have been making classically styled cameras in the meantime though, which has the effect of the Z fc also resembling several Fujifilm models, even though it legitimately has its own lineage to refer back to.

My first impression of the control system is that it's more coherent than that of the company's similarly retro (but nowhere near as svelte) Df full-frame DSLR, where the dedicated dials seem to be bolted on top of an existing command-dial-based UI. And it shares a lot in common with the Nikon Z50, one of our favorite APS-C cameras (and certainly one of the most keenly-priced).

Nikon presented the Z fc alongside images of faux Edison bulbs and shelves of vinyl records: its role is as much a lifestyle accessory as a tool for taking photos. But there need not be any tension between these two roles.

I still have concerns about Nikon's level of support for the DX end of the Z-mount, but the release of the 28mm F2.8 helps; providing a pleasant (though not especially fast) 42mm equivalent option that's a good match for the camera in terms of size and price, as well as aesthetic.

Nikon is keen to point out that you can mount all its full-frame Z-mount lenses on the Z fc, broadening your options, but the closed world of Z-mount does mean there's no equivalent of, for example, the eminently affordable Tokina 23, 35 and 56mm F1.4 lenses now available for Canon, Sony and Fujifilm's APS-C mounts or Sigma's similarly interesting DC DN trio of lenses.

It's interesting to note that the Z fc is very close in size to the FM SLR, which makes it noticeably larger than Fujifilm's X-T30 or X-S10. This affords all its controls a little more room on the camera body, and gives a slightly more substantial feel in the hand.

Ultimately this may not matter. A significant subset of Z fc users may be perfectly happy with the flexibility afforded by the kit zooms or the forthcoming DX 18-140mm, and a further proportion will find lenses such as Nikon's 28mm F2.8 or 24mm F1.8 are great ways to expand their photography, before perhaps venturing up to full-frame (hopefully in conjunction with a desire for the expanded angles of view that these primes would offer with the larger sensor format).

Either way; I liked the Z50 a lot, and a prettier, perhaps more flexible version for a little more money is something I'm looking forward to spending more time with. There's little reason to doubt the Z fc's ability to shoot strong images, the provision of improved video AF is a definite bonus and, to be quite honest, it's a camera I think will look good hanging off my shoulder. The Z fc recognizes that a camera is just as much a lifestyle accessory as it is a tool for taking photos and there need not be any contradiction in trying to be both.

Return to index

---

Sample gallery

This gallery was shot using a pre-production Nikon Z fc, and may not represent final image quality.

Please do not reproduce any of these images without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review).

Return to index

from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) https://ift.tt/3AbAKNq
via IFTTT