Gear Update
Our round-up of the latest digital photography must-haves
Gather round and gaze at some delightful new Canon cameras, lens and more
01 Canon Powershot G5 X Mark II & G7 X Mark III
Two new Canon Powershot G-series cams
£720-850/$TBA
www.canon.co.uk
Want large-sensor image quality in a highly portable package? The new Powershot G5 X Mark II gives you a powerful 1-inch, 20Mp stacked CMOS sensor with a max sensitivity of ISO 25,600, yet it weighs just 340g and is substantially smaller than the original G5 X, largely due to a new, space-saving pop-up EVF with a 3.36-million-dot resolution. You even get 5x optical zoom, with a bright f/1.8-2.8 max aperture for shallow depth of field effects and enhanced low light performance.
the new Powershot G7 X Mark III has the same sensor and maximum variable lens aperture, with 4.2x zoom. Like the G5 X Mark II, it packs a 20Mp 1-inch sensor for respectable image quality, along with Canon’s latest Digic 8 processor to enable 4K video recording without cropping, or 120fps 1080p footage. Plus, with its flip-forward screen, live streaming via built-in Wi-fi and a separate mic input.
02 Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM
First superzoom optic for EOS R and RP
£900/$TBA
www.canon.co.uk
With its 10x zoom range, Canon’s latest Rf-mount lens is an ideal travel companion for the EOS R or RP mirrorless. At 750g, it’s not the lightest – although for comparison an RF 85mm f/1.2l (page 96) weighs nearly 1200g – but it is compact at 80x123mm. The lens has a 5-stop image stabilizer and Nano USM autofocus that combines the best bits of Canon’s STM and USM AF systems. The focal range is made possible by 21 lens elements arranged in 15 groups, including aspheric and Ultra-dispersal lens elements and a Super Spectra Coating in the optical path.
03 Profoto B10 Plus
Ultra powerful & compact location lighting
£1795/$2095
www.profoto.com
Profoto’s original B10 was designed to be powerful yet portable, but the B10 Plus manages to be twice as powerful at 500Ws, but is only marginally larger. At just 10cm in diameter and 23.5cm long, the B10 Plus isn’t much bigger than a 70-200mm f/2.8. Recycle times are as low as 0.05 seconds, and the B10 Plus can be used as a continuous light source with temperature-controllable illumination that can output up to 2500 lumens. The B10 Plus is cordless and uses a rechargeable battery good for up to 200 flashes at max power, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of uninterrupted continuous output, and it can be recharged in around 90 minutes.
04 Datacolor Spyderx 04 Capture Pro
It’s Datacolor’s fastest-ever calibration kit
£355/$400
www.datacolor.com
the Spyderx Capture Pro kit contains four products designed to calibrate each stage of your photographic workflow. The centerpiece is the impressive Spyderx Elite monitor calibrator with its new lens-based sensor system that helps boost calibration accuracy and speed. When it comes to judging accurate colour and contrast during a shoot, there’s the Spyder Cube. Placed in a test shot, it helps you set white balance, highlight and shadow levels. The Spyder Checkr target is designed to enhance colour correction consistency in post processing. The final element – the Spyder Lenscal – is used to identify any lens AF inaccuracy.
05 Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD
Tamron goes all out to make its latest Superior Performance lens just that
£930/$TBA
www.tamron.eu
this prime lens is constructed using 14 elements in 10 groups, including four LD (Low Dispersion) and three GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements. These help maintain high resolution performance right to the edges of the frame, even at the maximum f/1.4 aperture, and they keep nasty aberrations at bay. There’s also a new Dynamic Rolling-cam mechanism developed specifically for this lens to minimize the drive load on the focus lens element. The diaphragm uses nine rounded blades for smoother background bokeh, and though this Tamron 35mm lens weighs in at a fairly hefty 810g, it is thankfully fully weather sealed.