When the A1 arrived in 2021, it put the camera world on notice. In more than a few categories, Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera outperformed rivals like the Canon R5 and came with a lofty $6,500 price to match. However, after nearly four years, the A1 finds itself in an awkward position. Despite its position as Sony’s flagship, the A1 is not the most complete camera in the company’s lineup, with the more recently released A7R V and A9 III each offering features not found on their sibling. That’s changing today with the introduction of A1 II, which retains the performance capabilities of its predecessor while borrowing quality-of-life improvements from the A7R V and A9 III.
To start, the A1 II features the same fully stacked 50.1-megapixel CMOS sensor found inside the A1. As before, Sony says photographers can expect 15 stops of dynamic range for stills. The company has once again paired that sensor with its Bionz XR image processing engine but added a dedicated AI processor to handle subject recognition and autofocus. As a result, the A1 II can still shoot at up to 30 frames per second using its electronic shutter, and the autofocus system once again offers 759 points, good enough for 92 percent coverage of the sensor.
Sony
However, Sony is promising substantial improvements in autofocus accuracy due to that dedicated AI processing unit. Specifically, the camera is 50 percent better at locking eye focus on birds and 30 percent better at eye autofocus when it comes to other animals and humans. Additionally, you won’t need to toggle between different subject-detection modes. Instead, the camera will automatically handle that for you. Sony’s pre-capture feature also offers a one-second buffer that can capture up to 30 frames before fully depressing the shutter button.
That said, the most notable addition is the inclusion of Sony’s most powerful in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to date, with the A1 II offering an impressive 8.5 stops of stabilization. For context, that’s three additional stops of stabilization over the original A1.
When it comes to video, the A1 II is no slouch. It can capture 8K footage at up to 30 fps using the full readout of its sensor. It can also record 4K video at 120 fps and FHD footage at 240 fps for slow motion, with support for 10-bit 4:2:2 recording. If Super 35 is your thing, there you have the option for 5.8K oversampling. In addition to Sony’s color profiles, the A1 II can store up to 16 user-generated LUTs, and the camera offers the company’s breathing compensation and auto stabilization features. Of the latter, Sony says you can get “gimbal-like” footage with only a slight crop.
Sony
On the useability front, the A1 II borrows the deeper grip and control layout of the A9 III. Also carried over from the A9 III is the camera’s 3.2-inch four-axis LCD screen and 9.44-million dot OLED viewfinder with 240Hz refresh rate. Moreover, the new camera includes Sony’s latest menu layout design. Oh, and the company plans to include two separate eyecups in the box. Nice. When it comes to connectivity, there’s a full-sized HDMI connection, USB-C and an upgraded Ethernet port that supports transfer speeds up to 2.5Gbps. For storage, the camera comes with two CFexpress Type A card slots that are also capable of reading and saving to UHS-II SD cards.
Alongside the A1 II, Sony also announced a new 28-70mm G Master Lens with a constant f/2 aperture (pictured above). While not the lightest lens in Sony’s stable, it still weighs under a kilogram. Both the A1 II and the 28-70mm F2 G Master will arrive in December. They will cost $6,500 and $2,900, respectively.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sonys-a1-ii-features-a-dedicated-ai-processor-and-refined-ergonomics-164840579.html?src=rss
Fujifilm is developing a medium-format, 102-megapixel cinema camera, the company said in a surprise announcement. Due next year, the GFX Eterna will carry a boxy, modular design reminiscent of Sony's FX6 or the new Blackmagic Pyxis and will likely be launched with a top handle, electronic viewfinder and other optional accessories.
The new camera will have a medium format GFX 102-megapixel (MP) CMOS II HS sensor, the same one used on the GFX100 II. That sensor is 43.8mm x 32.9 mm in size, or 1.7 times larger than the full-frame sensor found on the aforementioned FX or Pyxis. That will be one of the largest cinema camera sensors available, even bigger than RED's V-Raptor XL sensor.
The benefits will be extra dynamic range, potentially high resolution and a very shallow depth of field that should allow for cinematic shots when paired with the right lens. That does bring up the fact that Fujifilm currently has no GFX glass designed specifically for film production. However, the company said it's developing a 32-90mm power zoom lens (24-70mm full-frame equivalent) and will have a mount adapter for GFX to PL lenses, which are widely used in cinema.
One other concern might be rolling shutter distortion. RED's V-Raptor XL uses a global shutter that has zero distortion, but the sensor Fujifilm will employ has a fair bit of it . In addition, the GFX100 II captures 8K with a 1.53x crop, negating many of the benefits of a medium format sensor — so, hopefully Fujifilm will resolve those issues with its cinema camera.
Fujifilm will show off the GFX Eterna starting tomorrow at the InterBEE 2024 media exhibition in Chiba City, Japan. It's set to be released sometime in 2025, with an exact date and pricing yet to be announced.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-is-developing-a-102mp-medium-format-cinema-camera-130027537.html?src=rss
Camera companies are starting to get the hang of marketing entry-level cameras with features that help beginners take great photos right away. Nikon's $910 Z50 II mirrorless joins that trend with a dedicated "Picture Control" button that produces fun, social media-ready looks. The new model also promises faster shooting speeds than the five-year-old Z50, improved autofocus and better-quality video.
There's no question that the Z50 II is aimed at the creator crowd with a host of new features borrowed from Sony, Fujifilm and Panasonic. That starts with the Picture Control button (not a dial) that offers 31 presets like Denim, Toy Camera and Carbon, for both photos and video. It also lets you download "Imaging Recipes" from the Nikon Imaging Cloud, with custom presets for color, brightness, hue and more, à laPanasonic's S9. On the video side, it now offers a Product Review Mode that immediately focuses from a creator's face to a product they hold up, exactly like Sony's Product Showcase feature.
Nikon
At the same time, the Z50 II is surprisingly powerful. You can shoot bursts at up to 30 fps (JPEG only) in electronic mode or 11 fps (RAW/JPEG) with the mechanical shutter. Autofocus has been overhauled to be more responsive and now includes 3D tracking with AI modes for animals, birds and vehicles — along with an auto mode that selects the subject for you.
Video is also much improved. It offers oversampled 4K 30p (no crop) and 4K 60p (1.5x crop), compared to just 4K 30p before. Better still, it now offers N-Log 10-bit shooting compared to just 8-bit with no log on the Z50. That should greatly improve dynamic range and give video shooters more room for creativity in the edit suite.
Steve Dent for Engadget
One downside to this camera is the resolution, which is on the low side in this price range at 20.9 megapixels. It also lacks in-body stabilization, so you'll need to rely on electronic stabilization for video (which adds a small crop) or purchase lenses with built in stabilization (VR, as Nikon calls it). I'm also not a fan of the boring body, but I imagine that Nikon will be releasing a Zfc II later with the same features in a retro design.
Other features include a built-in flash, flip-out display, brighter 2.36-million dot EVF (now 1,000 nits), a single UHS-II card slot, mic and headphone jacks, a tally lamp, waveform display, USB streaming support and a wider ISO range up to 512,000. The Nikon Z50 II is now on pre-order for $907 (body only) or $1,050 with a Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikons-z50-ii-targets-creators-with-a-dedicated-film-simulation-button-133037492.html?src=rss
Sony announced that it will stop selling the Airpeak S1 camera drone. Sales of the product will end on March 31, 2025. Sony will also stop selling most of the drone's accessories next year, but replacement batteries and propellers will be available until March 31, 2026. Inspections, repairs and software maintenance will continue through March 31, 2030.
The Airpeak S1 was initially introduced during a virtual presentation at CES in 2021. The drone was intended to capture high-definition footage with Sony's full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens Alpha cameras. It could fly for 12 minutes with a camera attached and achieved a max flight speed of 55.9mph. While the high-end drone would set buyers back about $9,000 even before buying accessories, it had middling to flat-out negative reviews.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/sony-discontinues-its-pricey-airpeak-s1-camera-drone-in-march-234823252.html?src=rss
DJI is a major player in the camera market with its drones and gimbals, so why hasn’t it had the same success with action cams? The answer is simple: GoPro. The company’s Hero lineup has offered superior image quality and stabilization. The same goes for Insta360’s action cams, which have caught the public’s imagination.
Now, DJI’s taking another shot at its rivals with the $350 Osmo Action 5 Pro, which is perhaps the biggest upgrade yet in this series. Nearly everything on the inside has changed, from the sensor to battery life and storage. However, it looks very similar to its predecessor, the Osmo Action 4.
Video quality only goes up to 4K on the new model though, compared to 5.3K for the latest GoPro Hero 13 and 8K for the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 released last week. Still, the Action 5 Pro surpasses its competitors in several key areas and it’s easily DJI’s best action camera yet.
Long battery life and internal storage
The Action 5 Pro now boasts the longest battery life of any action cam and it’s not even close. Thanks to the higher-capacity 1,950 mAh battery (up from 1,770 mAh), it can shoot 4K 60p video for well over two hours and 1080p for four hours. By comparison, the GoPro Hero 13 can only go 88 minutes at 4K 60p with a similar-sized battery. Another rival, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, can run a bit more than 90 minutes at the same resolution.
With the optional charger (available in the $400 Adventure Combo with two extra batteries), it takes about 30 minutes to fully replenish a battery. Three batteries should be enough for most people to shoot an entire day at 4K 60p without recharging — quite impressive for an action camera.
Steve Dent for Engadget
Another big upgrade on the Action 5 Pro is the 47GB of internal storage, compared to zero before, on top of a microSD slot. This allows you to still capture an additional hour or so of 4K 60p footage when you fill up your memory card. Neither the Hero 13 nor Insta360’s Ace Pro 2 have any internal storage.
At 5.15 ounces, the Action 5 Pro is a bit smaller and lighter than the Hero 23, which weighs 5.6 ounces. On top of that, the Action 5 Pro is waterproof down to 66 feet by itself, which is double the Hero 13’s limit. If you really need to go deeper, DJI’s waterproof case extends the maximum depth for this device to nearly 200 feet.
DJI increased the rear OLED display’s size from 2.25 to 2.5 inches by shrinking the bezels — a small change that makes the touchscreen menus easier to use. The 1.4-inch front OLED panel is also slightly bigger than before. Both screens are sharp and easy to see in sunlight with up to 800 nits of maximum brightness.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The Action 5 Pro’s textured body provides a firm grip, and the record and power buttons are larger and less stiff than on the Action 4. Settings can be changed from the rear display by swiping up and down or side to side, though it can be hard to remember where settings are. You can also connect your smartphone using the Mimo app to operate the camera and gain access to editing features. An interesting addition is the new pressure sensor that shows how deep you’re diving or your altitude when climbing — a useful feature that rival cameras lack.
One thing I’ve loved about DJI’s last few action cameras is the magnetic mounting system. It lets you instantly clip the Action 5 Pro to nearly any accessory, including car, bike, helmet and chest mounts, without the need to fiddle with screws or clumsy brackets. That said, GoPro finally implemented its own magnetic mount on the Hero 13 and the Ace Pro 2 has a similar system as well.
DJI has fallen behind its main rival in the area of optics, though. GoPro’s Hero 13 now supports optional removable lenses, letting you change from a typical wide angle field of view to ultra-wide, macro and more. While they’re fairly expensive, it’s a nice option if you want something other than the usual action camera look.
Sharper video and subject tracking
Steve Dent for Engadget
With a new 1/1.3-inch 40-megapixel sensor, the Action 5 Pro has a sensor that is the same size as its predecessor but is nearly four times sharper. It’s much larger than the GoPro Hero 13’s sensor with more than double the area. That extra size helps the Action 5 Pro produce clearer shots with more detail, especially in lower light.
You can shoot 4K at up to 120 fps, or 1080p at 240 fps for super slow-mo. There’s a new twist, though, with “open gate” 4:3 capture at 3,840 x 2,880 resolution, also up to 120 fps. That squarish frame makes it easier to crop vertically for social media while still retaining full 4K width. Another new feature is 10-bit support for regular video instead of just D-LogM as before. However, the GoPro Hero 13 supports sharper 5.3K video that allows for even more cropping options in post. And the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 can shoot up to 8K 30p video or 4K open gate like the Action 5 Pro.
As with other DJI products, the Action 5 Pro shoots bright and colorful video straight out of the camera. However, to my eye the colors look less natural than on the GoPro Hero 13. Skin tones aren’t as warm, and the colors are too intense for my taste. The ability to shoot 10-bit color in regular mode is a big help, providing extra room to edit without shooting D-LogM, which can be tricky for beginners. My preference is still to shoot D-LogM then apply DJI’s LUT in post. That yields more natural, less saturated colors and gives you up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range in challenging lighting conditions, like shooting in a forest on a sunny day.
Thanks to the bigger sensor, the Action 5 Pro is superior to the GoPro Hero 13 in low light, with far less noise and artifacts. If things really get dark, the new Super Night Mode further brightens video, but the aggressive noise reduction applied can create an artificial look and reduce sharpness. Low-light quality is similar to the Insta360, as both have similar 1/1.3-inch sensors. And while it’s not primarily a photo camera, the Action 5 Pro can shoot 40-megapixel photos compared to 27-megapixel stills for the GoPro Hero 13.
Video stabilization is paramount for action cameras and a big reason why GoPro has dominated for so long. However, the Action 5 Pro is finally up to that level with its latest RockSteady 3.0+ stabilization. I tried it through a mix of sports, including biking, swimming and kayaking and it delivered stable shots with none of the minor weaving or jolting that I’ve seen before. As before, it also offers HorizonBalancing to keep the image level even when the camera tilts up to 45 degrees. Another mode, HorizonSteady, keeps the image level even if you rotate the camera 360 degrees.
A key new feature on the Action 5 Pro is subject centering and tracking that lets creators shoot without a gimbal. As with other DJI products (like ActiveTrack on drones), it detects a subject's position and dynamically adjusts the composition to keep them centered in the frame. Though it’s limited to 2.7K resolution, it worked well to frame me near the middle of the shot during activities like cycling and swimming.
Finally, let’s talk about audio. On top of the built-in microphones that offer decent quality, the Action 5 Pro connects directly to DJI’s Mic 2 transmitters over Bluetooth (up to two at a time). Those mics allow high quality audio capture and automatically reduce noise, even if you’re filming action like a mountain biker on a gnarly descent. It’s easy to set up and should be a hit with creators, given the popularity of the Mic 2.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro costs $350, while the Hero 13 Pro and Insta360’s Ace Pro 2 are priced at $400. The DJI beats both in terms of battery life and is on par with its rivals when it comes to stabilization. The Action 5 Pro also offers superior low-light and log footage, though I prefer the GoPro Hero 13’s video straight out of the camera.
Taking price into account, the Action 5 Pro is a very attractive option. It’s one of the best action cameras I’ve used, with battery life well above rivals, a solid waterproof construction and full support for DJI’s Mic 2. If you feel you might benefit from the extra sharpness, then the GoPro or Insta360 might be a better choice. But, if low-light performance is key, head straight for DJI’s Action 5 Pro.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-osmo-action-5-pro-review-finally-a-worthy-gopro-rival-143027778.html?src=rss
Move over Sony, Canon is trying to take the lead in bleeding-edge tech for mirrorless cameras. The company’s new $4,300, 45-megapixel EOS R5 II offers advanced features like eye-tracking autofocus (AF) that can’t be found on any recent Sony model. The new camera is also pushing Sony’s A1 and other models in the key areas of speed, video and autofocus. And it’s arguably more desirable than Canon’s own upcoming flagship R1 as it has nearly double the resolution.
I’ve had the R5 II for a few weeks, evaluating not only its practicality and speed for both professionals and serious amateurs, but also how it stacks up against Sony's A1, the gold standard for high-resolution mirrorless cameras. And frankly, I'm impressed.
Design and handling
I love the handling of Canon’s mirrorless cameras and the EOS R5 II may be its sweetest design yet.
The body and controls are very similar to the R5, apart from a couple of changes. Canon moved the power switch to the top right where it’s easier to access, and added a dedicated photo/video switch on the left. The company gave photo and video modes their own settings, making it much easier to jump from one to the other. Canon also made a rare change to its menu system, adding a new olive green tab for control customization. This new tab also contains the settings for eye control AF tracking.
Otherwise, the R5 II’s layout is similar to its predecessor. That’s a good thing, as the control placement is the most natural of any camera I’ve used, from the comfortable grip that provides a secure place to hold, to the nicely tactile controls that fall perfectly to hand.
Moving to the displays, the R5’s 2.1-million-dot fully articulating rear touch screen was already sharp and easy to use, so Canon didn’t mess with that. The R5 II has the same sharp 5.76-million dot OLED electronic viewfinder as before, but the company boosted the brightness and redesigned the optics to accommodate the new eye control autofocus.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The R5 II supports CFexpress Type B cards for capturing 8K RAW video, along with SD UHS II if you’re okay with cheaper and slower media. Other key features include headphone and microphone ports, a full-sized HDMI input and a USB-C port for charging and transfers. Canon also released three new battery grips, including one with a cooling fan that extends video shooting times, as I’ll discuss soon.
I’m a big fan of the R5 II’s design, and my pro photographer friend agreed, saying that like most Canon products, the R5 II's ergonomics are so good the device is comfortable to hold for long periods of time. He also said he slightly preferred the R5 II's handling to his Sony A9 III and A1 cameras, thanks to how easy it is to use with one hand.
Performance
Steve Dent for Engadget
The EOS R5 II offers a blend of speed and resolution that rivals and sometimes even surpasses the Nikon Z8 and Sony A1. That's mostly due to the new stacked 45-megapixel sensor and updated Digic X processor to crunch all those pixels.
The R5 II can shoot bursts at up to 30 fps in electronic shutter mode with a blackout-free view. That’s slower than the R1, but I’ll trade a small hit in performance in exchange for the extra resolution. I was able to capture about 100 RAW frames before the buffer filled. Speeds drop to 12 fps with the mechanical shutter, but there’s rarely any need to use it because there’s no issue with rolling shutter distortion – thanks to the stacked sensor. The R5 II’s new pre-capture mode can record up to 15 photos when you half-press the shutter. That’s great for photojournalists or wildlife photographers who may otherwise miss a shot by a fraction of a second.
Canon’s "Dual Pixel" autofocus has always been good, but on the R5 II it’s the best I’ve ever seen. When shooting bursts with a subject biking toward the camera, 80 percent of my shots were in focus. And the EOS R5 II now tracks animals, birds and vehicles, on top of faces, eyes and bodies of people.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The camera also has a couple of new autofocus tricks, including one called action priority. That keeps the AF focused around the ball in three specific sports: volleyball, basketball and soccer. I didn’t notice any particular AF improvement, as my hit rate seemed to be about the same without it, but dedicated sports photographers might see the difference.
Another new function keeps the tracking point on your subject even if someone crosses in front of them. That did seem to work well most of the time, but it would occasionally wander off and lock onto someone else.
When Canon launched the R5 II and R1 in July, it introduced pre-registered person priority AF that lets your camera memorize up to ten specific people, like star athletes for instance. This feature functioned as advertised, switching AF to a registered person and tracking them instead of other people in the scene.
Finally, I tested Canon’s famous eye control AF that detects where the photographer is looking and moves the subject tracking point there. This is an undeniably cool feature and has improved compared to the first implementation on the EOS R3, but is still too unreliable for professional use.
Steve Dent for Engadget
In fact, the pro photographer friend I mentioned pointed out that though eye control feels futuristic, it’s still a bit too flakey for paid gigs where focus reliability is paramount.
On the R5 II, in-body stabilization is the best I’ve seen on any Canon camera, keeping the sensor rock-steady for handheld shooting, with up to 8.5 stops of shake reduction. It was so reliable that I never felt the need to carry a tripod when using slow shutter speeds.
I’ve always found Sony cameras to be slightly superior to Canon when it comes to autofocus and speed. I can no longer say that, as the EOS R5 II is very even with Sony’s latest models. My Sony-using photographer friend agreed, saying he couldn’t see any real difference between the R5 II his A1 or A9 III.
Image quality
Image quality on the R5 II is largely the same as the R5, and that’s a good thing. The 45-megapixel sensor produces photos as good as or better than the Sony A1 at a much cheaper price, and compares favorably to Nikon’s similarly priced Z8.
When shooting in RAW mode at lower ISOs, the R5 II offers good dynamic range in high contrast bright and dark scenes. Like other stacked sensor cameras, though, there’s a bit more noise than with regular CMOS sensors. Quality also drops slightly in electronic shutter mode, so it’s better to use the mechanical shutter in tricky lighting conditions.
High ISO performance isn’t too bad for such a high-resolution camera either, with noise staying under control up to ISO 12,800. After that, the R5 II doesn’t quite measure up to models like the Nikon Z7 II or Sony A7R V, as both of those offer cleaner images with less grain.
Steve Dent for Engadget
If you don’t want the hassle of processing RAW, JPEG rendering is excellent straight out of the camera, with well balanced sharpening and noise reduction. For low-light shooting, skin tones are flattering at all ISO settings, and the best among all cameras in this price range.
One new notable feature on the R5 II is the AI-powered upscaling applied after the photo is taken. The result isn’t quite as good as a dedicated app like Topaz, but it’s not bad considering it’s in-camera processing.
Video
The original EOS R5 would have been a darn near perfect video camera if not for its pesky overheating issues. Canon has improved this to a degree with a new passive cooling design and $400 fan grip. With those updates, heat is only really an issue at the highest resolutions (8K 60p and 4K 120p). However, these limitations are less severe on the rival Nikon Z8.
Steve Dent for Engadget
Aside from the heating issue, the EOS R5 II has impressive specs. It can shoot up to 8K 60p and 4K 120p video, but does so with far less rolling shutter than the R5, again thanks to the new stacked sensor. The camera now has Canon Log 2 (CLog 2) capability that allows for higher dynamic range capture than the R5.
Video autofocus is outstanding at all resolutions, with rapid acquisition of the subject and reliable tracking. Face- and eye-detection work very well, and I only occasionally noticed AF lag with fast-moving subjects.
As for stabilization, I could shoot smooth footage while handheld in optical mode with no crop, provided I didn’t move the camera too much. Digital stabilization allowed for more movement while only cropping in a touch, and the enhanced setting let me shoot smoothly while walking with a 1.5x crop. Panasonic’s S5 II is still the best in this regard, but the R5 II is close behind.
As for quality, video on the EOS R5 II is extremely sharp, particularly with supersampled 4K HQ. Other 4K modes are subsampled, but nearly as sharp. Rolling shutter is well managed, so you won’t really notice it unless you do whip pans or jostle the camera while shooting.
Canon’s excellent color science delivers warm skin tones and accurate colors. RAW video allows lots of room for adjustments in post, while the CLog 2 brings dynamic range up to 14 stops to enable shooting in contrasty conditions. With all this, the Canon R5 II is now my go-to camera for shooting video — even over Sony and Panasonic models.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
The $4,300 EOS R5 II is Canon’s best camera in years, thanks to improvements in key areas like autofocus, video, shooting speeds and overall feel. Newly introduced tech like eye control AF is less useful, but it’s still nice to see Canon try to innovate, and the feature should improve in subsequent models.
The R5 II is up against some great competition in this price range, especially the $4,000 Nikon Z8 that holds its own against this camera in most situations. However, Canon’s autofocus is slightly faster and more reliable, and I greatly prefer the R5 II’s handling. The only other full-frame option with a stacked sensor and similar resolution is the Sony A1, which costs $2,200 more.
The main issues with the R5 II are overheating, the wonkiness of action priority and unreliable eye control autofocus. However, it now stacks up extremely well against Sony's A1 in terms of speed and autofocus, while offering superior stabilization and handling. Which one you choose may simply come down to brand preference or existing lens collection.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-eos-r5-ii-review-canons-most-powerful-camera-yet-puts-sony-on-notice-160013865.html?src=rss
DJI just announced the dual-camera Air 3S drone and there’s some all-new cutting-edge tech hiding in the nose. A LiDAR sensor is there to provide extra crash protection at night, a time that’s often dangerous for drones.
The Air 3S also has a new main camera with a larger sensor better suited for capturing video in low-light. And it now comes with the company’s ActiveTrack 360, which it first introduced in the Mini 4 Pro, allowing the device to zoom all around your subject while tracking and filming them.
There are a bunch of other little improvements, from storage to the new panoramic photo mode, all at the same $1,099 price as the Air 3 was at launch. To see if it lives up to DJI’s hype, I tested all of its new capabilities, especially the new night-flying obstacle avoidance.
Design
The Air 3S looks a lot like the Air 3 and weighs just 0.1 ounces more at 1.6 pounds. Since it’s over 250 grams, you need a permit to fly it in the US and elsewhere. Unlike the Avata 2 or Neo, the Air 3S is obviously not suited to fly around people, but DJI does offer propeller guards for a bit of extra safety.
The Air 3S’ camera module is larger as well because it holds a new 50-megapixel 1-inch sensor camera with a 24mm f/1.8 lens, up from from the previous model’s 1/1.3-inch sensor. This setup supports 4K recording up to 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps, along with D-LogM to improve dynamic range. DJI also boosted the maximum ISO to 12,800 for improved light sensitivity. The secondary 70mm (3x) zoom camera is unchanged with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, and it supports the same video specs and color modes as the primary.
The Air 3S is DJI’s latest drone with its ActiveTrack 360 system. Once you start tracking a subject, you can change the camera angle using an onscreen control wheel. The drone will then figure out the best way to change positions while also avoiding obstacles. It does so using six vision (camera) sensors, two downward facing infrared time-of-flight sensors and the new LiDAR.
Another key change on the Air 3S is its 42GB of internal storage, up from 8GB on the Air 3 — something that’ll be handy if you forget a microSD card or fill one quickly. You can transfer files to your PC either by a Wi-Fi connection or the drone’s USB-C port. The wired method now works even if the drone is turned off.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The Air 3S can hit up to 45 mph in sport mode. That’s fast and there’s no obstacle detection with this setting, so you need to know what you’re doing. In normal mode, which does support obstacle tracking, speeds drop down to 23 mph. You get about 12.5 miles of range in the US via DJI’s latest O4 transmission system, or half that in Europe. One small change is that the Air 3S now transmits 10-bit 1080p 60p video rather than 8-bit as before, improving remote video capture quality.
Battery life on the Air 3S is excellent at 45 minutes, which equates to about 38 minutes under working conditions. With the optional Fly More kit that includes three batteries and a charging hub, pilots should be able to fly most of the day. Like the Mini 4 Pro, the charging hub supports power accumulation, so you can transfer energy from the weakest batteries to the strongest for longer flights.
Finally, the Air 3S appears to have the same propeller system as the Air 3 and emits about the same amount of noise. It’s pretty quiet for such a large drone, and once it gets up to around 150 feet, you can barely hear it.
Performance
Steve Dent for Engadget
I tested the ActiveTrack 360 function while walking, biking and driving a car to see how it worked at various speeds. When tracking my car at around 20 to 25 mph, it stayed locked on while easily avoiding trees and power lines.
I found a bike trail among some widely spaced trees and another with denser foliage. In the first section, the drone weaved smoothly around obstacles while keeping the bike in frame. After a few minutes, I was confident it wouldn’t crash and was able to focus on creating some cool shots. The drone occasionally hesitated when it encountered obstacles, which spoiled some footage. However, it never crashed or lost track of the bike.
Things weren’t quite as easy on the dense brush trail. When I changed the camera angle, the drone would occasionally pick a bad route, get hemmed in by branches and stop. A few times the propellers knicked leaves or branches, throwing the drone off keel. It never crashed or took any damage, but I replaced the propellers out of an abundance of caution.
Steve Dent for Engadget
That experience taught me that the Air 3S’s sensors can miss small obstacles, so it’s wise to stay away from those situations and use propeller guards if you can’t avoid them. You also need to make sure the drone has enough room to maneuver when using ActiveTrack 360 to change camera angles.
Later, I took the Air 3S out at night to test the LiDAR, flying it up around trees and next to buildings. Previously, this would have been very risky, but the Air 3S successfully detected and avoided all obstacles. This new low-light capability will be especially helpful when you need to bring the drone home in the dark. Keep in mind that the LiDAR only works in the forward direction, so avoid going backwards or sideways at night.
Video quality
Steve Dent for Engadget
To test the video quality, I shot aerials with the Air 3S, at dawn, in the daylight and at night. With the larger 1-inch sensor, 4K video is more detailed than ever and the camera produces vibrant, accurate colors and nice skin tones. It also does a great job in variable light conditions when using the DLogM setting. That came in handy when I was biking in the forest with a mixture of dappled sunlight and shadows. The 4K 120 fps setting is nice for creating dramatic shots with moving subjects, and there’s no discernible loss in quality compared to the 30p or 60p modes.
The Air 3S promises up to 14 stops of dynamic range, DJI promises, matching high-end mirrorless cameras. That’s impressive for a drone. If things are too bright, DJI includes an ND filter kit to reduce brightness and avoid high shutter speeds that can make video look choppy.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The secondary 70mm-equivalent telephoto camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor is the same as before and similar to the one on the Mini 4 Pro. To that end, it’s not as sharp as the main camera and not as good in low light. However, DJI tuned it to closely match the main sensor, so it’s now easier to combine shots from each. This camera also supports D-LogM video to boost dynamic range.
The 3-axis mechanical gimbal allows for incredibly smooth footage, which is a hallmark of DJI drones. And if you need to shoot photos, the Air 3S produces sharp and color accurate RAW images that can be manipulated in post for great results.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
The $1,099 Air 3S is DJI’s most technologically advanced drone yet thanks to the LiDAR sensor, updated 1-inch camera and ActiveTrack 360 subject tracking. The obstacle detection is a strong point, and though the drone isn’t invulnerable, I felt very safe flying it once I figured out its limitations.
As usual, DJI’s main competition is itself. The Mini 4 Pro is priced at $759 but lacks rear sensors and has inferior image quality. The triple-camera Mavic 3 Pro has a larger sensor that produces a slightly more cinematic image, but it costs $2,199. And of course, you can also look at DJI's Air 3, which has now dropped a bit in price. The only real non-DJI alternative is the $2,099 Autel Evo II Pro 6K (kit), which has just a single 1-inch camera and is also a lot more expensive.
I think the Air 3S is a better choice than the Mavic 3 Pro for most video creators, because video quality is outstanding and it has superior obstacle detection. If I were a content creator looking for a high-end drone right now, the Air 3S is the one I’d buy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-air-3s-review-lidar-and-improved-image-quality-make-for-a-nearly-faultless-drone-130002876.html?src=rss
Fujifilm has released its first sub-$1,000 camera in a long while and resurrected the 11-year old "M" branding with the $799 X-M5. With that price, it's primarily aimed at photographers on a budget or vloggers looking to step up from a smartphone. Fujifilm cut a few features like a viewfinder (EVF) to get to that price point, but it does have the company's latest 26-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor and decent video specs.
For a camera without a viewfinder, the X-M5 should handle pretty well. It has front and back control dials, along with a top setting dial that includes a new "Vlog" mode. It also comes with the same film simulation dial found on the X-T50, to help social media users and creators create cool photos straight out of the camera.
Fujifilm
When in vlog mode, you get a full GUI interface on the touchscreen for easy access. That includes things like a "portrait enhancer," background defocus and product priority, much as we've seen on Sony's vlogging products.
For vloggers, it has a 3-inch, 1.04-million dot fully articulating rear display that's hopefully bright enough to use in sunlight (because, again, no EVF). There are both headphone and microphone ports for vloggers, but they're not located on the left as usual. Instead, Fujifilm placed the 3.5mm mic input on the rear (where the EVF would usually go) and the headphone port on the right side. That's to avoid having the display hit the mic or headphone cable when it flips out, as can happen on other cameras.
You'll never mistake it for a sports camera, but the X-M5 can shoot 8 fps bursts with the mechanical shutter, or an outstanding 20 fps in electronic mode (both with continuous autofocus). It can capture a decent 82/60 compressed RAW frames in those modes before the buffer fills, again very respectable for such a small camera.
Video is also pretty strong, with 6.2K open gate 3:2 capture, 4K 60p and Full HD at up to 240 fps (these specs match the X-T50 as you may have noticed). There's a bit of crop for 4K 60p (1.18x) and FHD past 120fps (1.29x) but otherwise everything is one-to-one.
Another thing missing is in-body stabilization so the X-M5 is limited to what the lens provides or electronic stabilization. In the latter mode, there's a minimum 1.32x crop for 4K 30fps video and a significant 1.44x when shooting 4K 60p. The small body also has overheating limitations when using LP (long play) recording, but those can be reduced with a $200 fan attachment.
Fujifilm
Other features including three internal microphones that allow for surround sound-like capture, a 9:16 short movie mode for TikTok creators, high-speed movie transfer, up to 440 frames of battery life and a single UHS-I card slot.
I couldn't understand what Fujifilm was thinking when it released the X-T50 for $500 more than the X-T30 II. Now we know — it's hoping budget buyers will gravitate toward the X-M5 instead. It goes on pre-sale today for $799 and Fujifilm also unveiled the 16-55mm f/2.8 (24-70mm full-frame equivalent) lens selling for $1,199 and XF500mm f/5.6 super telephoto (750mm equivalent) now on pre-order for $2,999.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilms-x-m5-is-its-first-sub-1000-camera-in-years-140715888.html?src=rss
It's the last day of Amazon's October Prime Day event, and the good news is, there's still plenty of deals on camera and drone equipment. Now is a great time to shop for holiday gifts for that photographer on your gift list, or pull the trigger on a camera or accessory you've been lusting after.
There are some particularly good offers this year from many of the major brands including Sony, Canon, DJI, GoPro and Fujifilm. And many are pulled from our guide to the best cameras for 2024. You may want to peruse that post for more info as you add items to your cart. Here are the best Prime Day camera deals we could find.
GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299 ($50 off): GoPro's Hero 12 isn't the company's latest action camera, but it offers a big improvement over the previous model and offers features like 5.3K 10-bit video at 60fps, industry-leading stability and native vertical video.
Sony ZV-1F compact vlogging camera for $398 ($102 off): Sony's famous creator compact camera is a big step-up over a smartphone thanks to the 1-inch sensor and high-quality optics. It also offers vlogging features like a flip-out screen, one-touch bokeh and background defocus.
Canon EOS R7 mirrorless camera body for $1,274 ($225 off): The R7 offers very fast shooting speeds up to 30 fps using the electronic shutter, high-resolution images that complement skin tones, excellent autofocus and sharp 4K video.
Panasonic S5 II mirrorless camera body for $1,800 ($200 off): The S5 II was Panasonic's first full-frame mirrorless camera with phase-detect autofocus. It also offers solid vlogging features like 5-axis stabilization, 10-bit log capture up to 6K and more.
Sony A7 IV body for $2,298 ($102 off): Though it was released over two years ago, the 33-megapixel Sony A7 IV still has one of the best combinations of image quality, performance and video powers.
Canon EOS R5 body for $2,999 ($900 off): Canon's R5 is near an all-time low price, giving you 8K video and 20fps shooting speeds at a substantial savings over the original.
Nikon Z8 full-frame mirrorless camera body for $3,497 ($503 off): I said that the Nikon Z8 was a phenomenal camera for the price at $4,000 so at this price it's nearly a no-brainer. With a stacked 45-megapixel sensor it can shoot RAW photos at 20fps and capture 8K RAW video.
DJI Osmo Mobile SE gimbal for $69 ($20 off): This gimbal keeps your smartphone video as smooth as can be with DJI's ActiveTrack 6.0, and includes a magnetic snapping mechanism so you can install your mobile device in seconds.
DJI Avata for $499 ($130 off): DJI's original first-person cinewhoop-style drone offers 4K 60p stabilized video and a built-in propeller guard so it's safe around people.
DJI Air 3 Combo (RC 2) for $1,239 ($310 off): While its cameras aren't pro level, the DJI Air 3 offers the Mavic 3 Pro's bells and whistles for half the price. Top features include obstacle detection all around, focus tracking, 4K 120p video and more.
Camera accessories
K&F Concept camera sling bag for $32 ($6 off): If you need to travel light this bag can carry a surprising amount of gear while offering excellent protection and features like a side safety buckle.
Fujifilm GFX50S body for $2,999 ($1,000 off): Though over seven years old, Fujifilm's GFX50S is the cheapest way to get a medium-format camera, especially with this sale. For less than half the original price, you get a lightweight large sensor camera with 50.1-megapixels of resolution.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-camera-deals-on-sony-canon-dji-and-more-091728508.html?src=rss
You'd think making a good digital picture frame would be easy. All you need is a good screen and a seamless way to get images to the device. Combine that with an inoffensive, frame-like design and you're good to go.
Despite that, Amazon is positively littered with scads of digital photo frames and I can tell you that many of them are awful. It's basically the 2020s version of what we saw with knock-off iPods back in the 2000s. There are loads of options that draw you in with a low price but deliver a totally subpar experience that will prompt you to shove the thing in a drawer and forget about it.
The good news is that you only need to find one smart photo frame that works. From there, you can have a pretty delightful experience. If you're anything like me, you have thousands of photos on your phone of friends, family, pets, vacation spots, perhaps some lattes or plates of pasta and much more. Too often, those photos stay siloed on our phones, not shared with others or enjoyed on a larger scale. And sure, I can look at my photos on my laptop or an iPad, but there's something enjoyable about having a dedicated place for these things. After all, there's a reason photo frames exist in the first place, right? I tested out seven smart photo frames to weed through the junk and find the best digital frames worth buying.
What to look for in digital picture frames
While a digital photo frame feels like a simple piece of tech, there are a number of things I considered when trying to find one worth displaying in my home. First and foremost was display quality and size. I was surprised to learn that most digital photo frames have a resolution around 1,200 x 800, which feels positively pixelated in 2024. (That's for frames with screen sizes in the nine- to ten-inch range, which is primarily what I considered for this guide.)
But after trying a bunch of frames, I realized that resolution is not the most important factor; my favorite frame has a 1,280 x 800 resolution. More important than sheer pixel density are things like reflectivity, brightness, viewing angles, color temperature and so forth. A lot of these digital photo frames were lacking in one or more of these factors; they often didn't deal with reflections well or had poor viewing angles.
A lot of frames I tested felt cheap and looked ugly as well. That includes lousy stands, overly glossy plastic parts and design decisions I can only describe as strange, particularly for items that are meant to just blend into your home. The best digital photo frames don't call attention to themselves and look like an actual “dumb” frame.
Perhaps the most important thing outside of the display, though, is the software. Let me be blunt: a number of frames I tested had absolutely atrocious companion apps and software experiences that I would not wish on anyone. One that I tried did not have a touchscreen, but did have an IR remote (yes, like the one you controlled your TV with 30 years ago). Trying to use that to get on a Wi-Fi network was painful, and when I tried instead to use a QR code, I was linked to a Google search for random numbers instead of an actual app or website. I gave up on that frame, the $140 PixStar, on the spot.
Other things were more forgivable. A lot of the frames out there are basically Android tablets with a bit of custom software slapped on the top, which worked fine but wasn't terribly elegant. And having to interact with the photo frame via touch wasn't great because you end up with fingerprints all over the display. The best frames I tried were smart about what features you could control on the frame itself vs. through an app, the latter of which is my preferred method.
Another important software note: many frames I tried require subscriptions for features that absolutely should be included out of the box. For example, one frame would only let me upload 10 photos at a time without a subscription. Others would let you link a Google Photos account, but you could only sync a single album without paying up. Yet another option didn't let you create albums to organize the photos that were on the frame — it was just a giant scroll of photos with no way to give them order.
I can understand why certain things might go under a subscription, like if you're getting a large amount of cloud storage, for example. But these subscriptions feel like ways for companies to make recurring revenue from a product made so cheaply they can't make any money on the frame itself. I'd urge you to make sure your chosen frame doesn't require a subscription (neither of the frames I recommend in this guide need a subscription for any of their features), especially if you plan on giving this device as a gift.
How much should you spend on a digital picture frame
For a frame with a nine- or ten-inch display, expect to spend at least $100. Our budget recommendation is $99, and all of the options I tried that were cheaper were not nearly good enough to recommend. Spending $150 to $180 will get you a significantly nicer experience in all facets, from software to design to screen quality.
The best digital picture frames for 2024
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-digital-frame-120046051.html?src=rss