Hands-On Review: Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art Lens by Bjorn Petersen

Bjorn Petersen tested the new Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art L-mount lens and writes:

So, after a week of visiting the gardens with this lens, it’s tough for me to say that I really do like the lens. Despite its weight and size, it’s a serious lens with seriously good performance. I say it’s “tough” for me to like this because I’m not really much of a wide-angle lens person. But, with the flexibility afforded by this lens’s fast design, I felt like it could play multiple parts. It has a wide field of view, perfect for establishing shots; an f/1.2 design, for isolating subjects; and, when you mix the two, you get this enticing mixture of being able to focus selectively on your subject without losing “the big picture.” It’s an effect that’s caught my attention and a lens I’d be excited to continue using into the future.

Store links:
Sigma 35mm f/1.2 FE at Adorama, BHphoto.
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 FE at Adorama, BHphoto.
Sigma 45mm f/2.8 FE at Adorama, BHphoto.

Panasonic Lumix S 24-70 f/2.8 Hands-On Review

Richard Wong:

In this review, we will have a look at the Panasonic Lumix S 24-70 f/2.8 lens’s design, operation, autofocus performance, image quality (sharpness, bokeh, distortion, CA, flare..etc) and whether it is suitable for video use.

Lumix S1H gets raw file support from Adobe and demonstrates amazing DR

Damien Demolder tested the S1H Raw files edited with Adobe:

Images in which highlight detail is lost in JPEG files look completely different once the raw files are opened and worked on, and information is easily drawn back into the normal tonal range from the brightest and darkest areas of the frame. Landscape images in particular show excellent detail in skies and in deep shadow from pictures taken in contrasty conditions. Pictures taken in less contrasty light also allow a much greater degree of flexibility when manipulations are required.

Panasonic S1H: When Perfect Meets Unreasonable :)

If you don’t know him…please take it with a sane dose of humorism 🙂

Camera Conspiracies:

Is the Panasonic S1H the new perfect camera? It’s closer than any camera to date, but that comes with a lot of side effects. In order to actually make a full frame stabilized sensor with flippy screen and the video features we wanted, the size and cost of the camera is astronomical. Let’s talk about the 3 flaws of the best camera this world has ever known.

Panasonic S1H Footage & first impressions by Newsshooter

Newsshooter writes:

My initial impressions of the S1H are mixed. I think it is a good camera, but like every camera, it has its flaws. I think a lot of this has to do with how much today’s cameras tend to get hyped up with tease announcements. These teases arguably have the effect of setting high expectations that sometimes are not always met.

The image quality is good when you don’t put the camera into situations where it is forced to work hard. In mixed lighting conditions and scenes where you would like to have nice highlight roll off it is going to struggle a bit if you are comparing it to a much more expensive camera.

I did find some of the images noisy, despite the camera having a dual native ISO.

Usability, for the most part, is good, and it’s nice that you get unlimited recording times. I like how you can hot-swap cards during recording, and that the camera uses SD cards.

The battery life is really good. The menu system could be improved, but for the most part it will get the job done.

The autofocus isn’t good and the rolling shutter might be a problem for some users.

Despite its flaws, I think Panasonic has set the bar fairly high for what you should expect out of a high-end full-frame mirrorless camera. I look forward to getting hold of a production version of the camera for a full review.