Camera
25 Years of DPReview: 6 camera features that didn't make the cut
| Images: Samsung |
In the twenty-five years since DPReview was founded, camera companies have tried many things to differentiate their products from the competition. This was especially true for compact cameras, where manufacturers threw everything at the wall to see what stuck.
Here are six features camera makers tried that didn’t find long-term success.
Swiveling lenses
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The legendary Nikon Coolpix 950
Photo: Jeff Keller |
The Nikon Coolpix 950 was one of the most iconic cameras released in the late 1990s. While its features were top-end, it was the design that turned heads. The lens could rotate 270 degrees, so you could place the camera up high, on the ground, or even use it for – gasp – selfies. (The 950 wasn’t actually Nikon’s first swivel camera; that honor belongs to the Coolpix 900.)
Nikon wasn’t the only company in the swivel lens game. As we’ll see a bit later, Casio produced many cameras with them, including the QV-10A, the first consumer digital camera. Sony used the ‘inner swivel’ design on several cameras, such as the DSC-F88. (Sony’s DSC-F505 and successors had more of a ‘swivel body’ than a ‘swivel lens.’)
Photos: Carey Rose
In my opinion, the coolest swivel lens camera was the Minolta DiMAGE V (not to be mistaken for the DiMAGE 5). While the photo above makes it look wireless, the camera and lens were attached by a ‘lens extension cable’. This was 1997, after all.
The swivel lens faded into obscurity as fully articulating LCDs became more common. It’s possible that weather sealing and durability also played a role in the swivel lens’ demise. It was while it lasted, though.
Jump Shot
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| Photo: iStock/Carles Iturbe Ferre |
About 10-15 years ago, ‘jump shots’ like the one shown above were popular, especially with teens and young adults. Taking a jump photo wasn’t easy, though. You’d need to leave out someone in your group, use a tripod, or find a stranger with a good trigger finger.
The engineers at Panasonic developed a feature for its smartphone Image App known as Jump Snap that solves two of those problems. The app lets you adjust the ‘sensitivity’, and then it’s jumping time (with the phone in hand, of course). When the app notices the upward motion from the phone’s gyroscope, it snaps the picture right at the peak of the jump.
There was just one problem that Jump Snap didn’t solve: you still needed a tripod.
Casio’s bells and whistles
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The Casio QV-7000SX had the company’s ‘famous’ rotating lens and IR blaster for sharing photos with a select number of cameras and printers.
Photo: Digital Camera Museum/Boris Jakubaschk |
I have a real soft spot for Casio. In fact, I wrote an article about the company. While it was a big seller in Japan, the brand never took off in the US. What made Casio cameras great was their selection of unique modes that you wouldn’t find elsewhere at the time.
“What made Casio cameras great was their selection of unique modes that you wouldn’t find elsewhere at the time.”
Take 1998’s Exilim QV-7000SX, for example. It had an infrared transmitter, the ability to create HTML photo albums, in-camera panorama stitching and dozens of scene modes. The QV-7000SX’s support for the IrDA infrared protocol allowed it to slowly send pictures to a very small collection of compatible devices, such as the Fujifilm Z20fd or Canon SELPHY photo printers.
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The photo gallery created by some Casio cameras wasn’t pretty, but it was the first of its kind. And if I may, the car pictured in photo 08290008.JPG is the most beautiful of all time.
Image: Jeff Keller/DCResource |
The photo album feature was very handy since few people knew how to make an interactive gallery in the late 90s. (These galleries were made for viewing from your CF card, not online.) You could view slideshows, see larger versions of pictures, and examine Exif data.
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The Coupling Shot feature lets you combine two separate photos into one.
Images: Casio |
It takes two photos and assists you in lining up the background, like in a panorama. |
Moving on, one more Casio feature worth mentioning is its Best Shot (scene) modes. The cameras had at least thirty Best Shot modes, with some cameras having seventy more on an included CD-ROM – and you could create your own! Some of the notable Best Shot modes were autumn leaves, food, eBay, and business cards. There were also several multiple exposure modes, which allowed you to add people to photos, kind of like smartphones that came 20 years later.
The MP3 player
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The Fujifilm Finepix 40i with its wired remote and earbuds.
Photo: DPReview |
Portable music players, along with music ‘sharing’ services like Napster, gained popularity around the turn of the century. While the first iPod wouldn’t ship until 2001, camera manufacturers were already at it, like Fujifilm. The FinePix 40i shown above had a slick design and compact body but was limited by a fixed 36mm lens, a so-so SuperCCD sensor, and a hefty price tag. Music was loaded onto the camera’s SmartMedia card via proprietary software.
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The Kodak mc3 is a very mediocre camera and mp3 player in one.
Original image source unknown |
To the best of my knowledge, there was only one camera I never reviewed due to its quality, and it was the Kodak mc3. While it was a fairly capable music player, the camera side was so bad that I couldn’t bring myself to invest the time raking Kodak over the coals.
The mc3 was a plastic camera with a fixed 37mm-equivalent F2.8 lens and a reflective LCD that could only be seen in bright outdoor light (Kodak wasn’t the only one to do this). It captured VGA-sized photos and QVGA videos with monaural sound. It lacked a remote control, so you’d have to use the hard-to-view screen to change songs. The only nice thing I can say is that it was relatively inexpensive at $299.
MP3 cameras didn’t last long, as the iPod and cheap knockoffs let cameras be cameras again.
Printer docks
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One of Kodak’s many printer docks (camera usually not included).
Photo: Kodak |
Printer docks were accessories that I genuinely wanted to succeed. For families and older folks, they were incredibly convenient, though expensive to operate. Just pop the camera on top, pick the photo(s) you want to print using the topside controls, and let the printer do its thing for a few minutes. It could also charge the batteries in your camera.
The most famous manufacturer of printer docks was Kodak by a long shot. Kodak used dye sublimation thermal printing, and a pack of 20 sheets (the ink was ‘inside’ the paper) set you back around $15. Kodak’s printers could crank out a 4×6 print in 60-90 seconds, charge your camera’s batteries, and let you view your photos on TV.
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HP’s Photosmart A447 camera on its printer dock
Photo: HP |
The HP pictured above could output 4×6 or 4×12-inch (panoramic) prints and used a tri-color ink cartridge (yep, no black ink). It had a button for redeye removal, which got rid of the annoyance that was common on compact cameras.
Unlike the other products in this article, the printer dock didn’t die; it just adapted to the times. Kodak, Canon, HP, and Fujifilm all make compact photo printers designed for use with smartphones. The difference is how you connect; instead of putting the camera on a dock, it’s all done wirelessly using Bluetooth.
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A Fujifilm Instax Link Wide wireless photo printer. In this case, ‘wide’ means 6.1 x 9.9 cm (2.4 by 3.9 inches).
Image: Fujifilm |
Instant printers like Fujifilm’s Instax lineup produce card-sized, square, and wide prints, often with special effects and templates. Unlike the printer docks that use ink or dye sublimation, Instax printers work like old Polaroid instant film, so it takes a little while for your print to appear.
Android cameras
Images: Nikon
It’s 2013, and smartphone sales are taking off while consumers are starting to lose interest in compact cameras. Nikon, Samsung and even Zeiss tried giving people the best of both worlds: the ease of use and large app library of Android with photo capabilities that smartphones could not yet match.
Nikon was first out of the gate with its Coolpix 800c, which ran a version of Android (v2.3) that was already out of date. It had a 16 Megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 10X optical zoom (25-250mm equiv.), 2GB of internal storage and a giant 3.5″ touchscreen to take advantage of Android. It had an SD card slot and a removable battery. Since battery life was dismal, having a spare on hand was a necessity.
“While a clever idea, the Coolpix 800c was not a great product.”
Aside from being unable to make calls, you could use the 800c just as you would a smartphone and nearly every Android app was at your disposal. Who knew that one day, you could e-mail your friends or browse DPReview from your camera?
While a clever idea, the Coolpix 800c was not a great product. The photo quality was lousy, it took 30 seconds to start up, it was buggy, etc. This was the last camera review I wrote for my website, DCResource. What a way to go out.
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The Samsung Galaxy Camera with its 4.8″ touchscreen running Android 4.
Photo: Samsung |
If there was one company that should have been able to do Android cameras right, it was Samsung. It actually made two Android cameras at the opposing sides of the spectrum: the compact Galaxy Camera pictured above and the Galaxy NX, a mirrorless camera that used Samsung’s NX-mount (RIP).
The Galaxy Camera (GC) was based on Samsung’s Galaxy S III smartphone and came in two flavors: Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G/4G. Unlike the Coolpix 800c, the Galaxy Camera ran a much more modern version of Android (v4.1), and it had plenty of horsepower courtesy of a quad-core processor. It couldn’t make calls, but there was nothing to stop you from using something like Skype to chat with friends.
“If there was one company that should have been able to do Android cameras right, it was Samsung.”
Like the Nikon, the GC had a 16 Megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, but the lens was longer at 23-481mm equiv. It had a giant 4.8″ touchscreen display, making it a lot more usable than the Coolpix. As with that camera, the GC could run virtually any Android app. Samsung included three of its own for photo and video editing.
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| The Galaxy Camera had a slick shooting interface with virtual dials. |
The Galaxy Camera was the better of the two compact Android cameras. Image quality wasn’t great, but it was more responsive, battery life was much longer, and the 3G/4G option made it usable from anywhere.
The GC apparently sold well enough for Samsung to make a sequel. The Galaxy Camera 2 had a faster processor, more RAM, NFC, and a higher-capacity battery.
Samsung exited the digital camera business in 2015, taking with it the two Galaxy Cameras and the Galaxy NX. The company sold 320 million smartphones that year.
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The $6000, Android-powered Zeiss ZX1 came with Adobe Lightroom built-in. You could even use it to surf the internet.
Photo: Dan Bracaglia |
On the other end of the spectrum was the Zeiss ZX1. It was introduced in 2018 but didn’t actually ship until the end of 2020. As you’d expect it was extraordinarily expensive ($6000) and everything was high end. It had a 37 Megapixel full-frame sensor, 35mm F2 lens, large LCD, hybrid autofocus system, and top-notch build quality. Perhaps the most interesting feature about the ZX1 is that it had Adobe Lightroom Mobile built-in. The ZX1 was unable to download other Android apps, though the target audience probably didn’t mind.
Can you think of any features from compact, DSLR or mirrorless cameras that didn’t survive beyond a generation or two? Let us know in the comments below.
| Photo: Nikon |
Nikon has announced an updated (albeit minimally) version of its P1000 24-3000mm equiv. superzoom compact. The Coolpix P1100 gains a USB-C socket, updated Bluetooth and a handful of relatively minor changes over the now-discontinued P1000.
When Nikon released the Coolpix P1000 in 2018, it offered something no other bridge camera did or has since: 125x optical zoom. That was well beyond the previous high water mark of 83x optical zoom in the Coolpix P900. The 125x zoom delivered an equivalent focal length of 24-3000mm from the camera’s 16MP Type 1/2.3 (6.2 x 4.7mm). It was bulky as a result of that lens, but the extensive reach made it a versatile choice for certain applications (though mainly for photographing the moon).
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The P1100 provides the same reach as the P1000, making it feasible to take photos of the moon.
Photo: Nikon |
There was speculation that Nikon discontinued the P1000 because it wasn’t selling enough models due to smartphone competition. However, Nikon says that wasn’t the case, and it was selling enough units to make it worth continuing production, hence the new model. Zoom reach is one of the areas smartphones struggle to compete with, so it makes sense that the longest-zoom compact might remain comfortable in its niche.
Unfortunately, for fans of the P1000, the upgrades are minimal. The main focus of the P1100 is a USB-C port to meet the 2022 law that requires electronic devices sold in the EU to have the newer connector type.
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| Photo: Nikon |
In addition to the port, though, there are a few other small upgrades. Most notably is that it modernized the camera’s connectivity, moving to WPA3-SAE Wi-Fi for greater security and Bluetooth 5.1. The P1100 also enables Fn button operation from the ML-L7 Bluetooth remote, which the P1000 did not.
A change in CIPA’s stabilization standard sees the P1100’s rating drop to 4.0 stops of correction vs. the P1000’s 5.0 stops, despite the performance being identical. The flash’s guide number drops from 16 to 12m. Nikon added a new Fireworks Show Scene Mode and Long Exposure NR.
The P1100 will be available in late February for $1099; this is $100 more than the 2018 launch price of the P1000 but a match for the increased list price it gained mid-lifespan.
REACH FOR THE STARS: NIKON RELEASES THE COOLPIX P1100 COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY 125X OPTICAL ZOOM
The Compact Camera That Sets the Gold Standard for Super Zooms
MELVILLE, NY (February 4, 2025) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the COOLPIX P1100, a compact digital camera that features an incredible 125x optical super-telephoto zoom, with creative features that help users create amazing photos and videos from the most extreme distances.
The COOLPIX P1100 is a compact digital camera and offers further improvements in usability and connectivity. The COOLPIX P1100 covers a vast range of focal lengths beginning at the wide-angle 24mm equivalent, extending to the super-telephoto 3000mm 1 equivalent. If that is not enough, the P1100 is capable of going even farther, with up to a 250x 2 zoom when Dynamic Fine Zoom is enabled.
The COOLPIX P1100 makes it easy to enjoy the world of super-telephoto shooting with the ability to capture dynamic images of subjects that are difficult approach, including birds and celestial bodies. The camera features Dual Detect Optical VR, which achieves a level of vibration reduction equivalent to 4.0 stops 3 at the center of the frame, effectively suppressing camera shake when handheld shooting. The P1100 is also able to capture 4K UHD/30p and superlapse movie recordings, helping the user make creative videos of nature and
the night sky.
Further enhancements include a selectable AF-area mode in Bird-Watching Mode, and the same functions that can be assigned to the camera’s Fn button can now be assigned to the Fn1/Fn2 buttons on the optional ML-L7 Remote Control 4 . What’s more, a Fireworks option has been added to [Multiple exp. Lighten] scene mode. This function reduces instances of blown-out highlights that often occur when shooting long exposures, making it easier to capture impressively clear scenes of fireworks displays in which the brightness of the foreground or
the background differs.
Primary Features of the COOLPIX P1100
- Incredible 125x optical zoom for super-telephoto performance up to a 24-3000mm equivalent.
- Super ED and ED lens elements provide superior chromatic aberration compensation and deliver outstanding rendering capabilities across the entire zoom range, even with super-telephoto shooting.
- Dual Detect Optical VR accurately suppresses the effects of camera shake with super-telephoto handheld shooting. This enables the capture of sharp and clear images of birds, celestial bodies, and other distant subjects at dynamic angles of view.
- Bird-Watching and Moon modes can be accessed directly using the mode dial.
Support for 4K UHD/30p movie recording lets users beautifully record subjects with the power of super-telephoto 3000mm equivalent. Frames from movies recorded in 4K UHD format can also be saved as still images. - Massive zoom, small size: Despite coverage of focal lengths up to 3000mm equivalent, the camera weighs only approx. 3.1 lbs. (1,410g), allowing users to enjoy super-telephoto shooting more comfortably than with DSLR and mirrorless camera systems.
Additional Features of the COOLPIX P1100:
- The camera is equipped with a focus mode selector that can be used to change the focus mode even after it has been acquired, along with a control ring that enables the adjustment of settings such as white balance and manual focus.
- Optional accessory ML-L7 Remote Control connects to the COOLPIX P1100 via Bluetooth®︎, and the same functions that can be assigned to the camera’s Fn button can be assigned to the remote.
- A 3.2in. TFT LCD Vari-angle monitor with a wide-viewing angle makes it easy to compose handheld or on a tripod.
Compatible with Nikon’s exclusive RAW (.NRW) format. - COOLPIX Picture Control 5 , which can be used to make adjustments in accordance with the subject, shooting situations and intentions.
- Capability to record superlapse and time-lapse movies.
- Support for Clean HDMI output 6 , which cleans the information display from the
- image output to an external monitor during recording.
- The ability to set long-exposure noise reduction to [Auto] or [Off].
- Adoption of a USB Type-C input/output connector.
- Compatible with the optional DF-M1 Dot Sight that facilitates image composition during telephoto shooting.
Price and Availability
The new Nikon COOLPIX P1100 will be available in late February 2025 for a suggested retail price of $1,099.95*. For more information about the latest Nikon products, including the large collection of NIKKOR Z lenses and the entire line of Z series cameras, please visit nikonusa.com.
Nikon Coolpix P1100 specifications
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $1,099 |
| Body type | |
| Body type | SLR-like (bridge) |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 4608 x 3456 |
| Image ratio w:h | 4:3 |
| Effective pixels | 16 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 17 megapixels |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS |
| Processor | Nikon Expeed |
| Color space | sRGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100-6400 |
| White balance presets | 5 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | Optical |
| CIPA image stabilization rating | 4 stop(s) |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| File format |
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| Optics & Focus | |
| Focal length (equiv.) | 24–3000 mm |
| Optical zoom | 125× |
| Maximum aperture | F2.8–8 |
| Autofocus |
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| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Yes (4X) |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Normal focus range | 30 cm (11.81″) |
| Macro focus range | 1 cm (0.39″) |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3.2″ |
| Screen dots | 921,000 |
| Touch screen | No |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 99% |
| Viewfinder resolution | 2,359,000 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 60 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Exposure modes |
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| Scene modes |
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| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 12.00 m (at Auto ISO) |
| External flash | Yes (via hot shoe) |
| Drive modes |
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| Continuous drive | 7.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 secs) |
| Metering modes |
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| Exposure compensation | ±2 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | No |
| Videography features | |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Modes |
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| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I support) |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| USB charging | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes (micro HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g + Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone, Bluetooth remote, wired remote) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | EN-EL20a lithium-ion battery and charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 250 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 1410 g (3.11 lb / 49.74 oz) |
| Dimensions | 146 x 119 x 181 mm (5.75 x 4.69 x 7.13″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
| Image: Nikon |
Nikon has announced the Nikkor Z 35mm F1.2 S, the latest in its lineup of full-frame fast primes. It’s an interesting option for photographers who want shallow depth of field, but still want to capture the environment around a subject – something that’s not as easy with the company’s 50mm and 85mm F1.2 options.
The 35mm F1.2 is made up of 17 elements in 15 groups, with three ED elements, three aspherical elements, and one aspherical ED element. The lens also has a variety of coatings to prevent ghosting and flares, but while its body does have dust and moisture sealing, there’s no fluorine coating on the front element to repel moisture or oils.
Nikon says that such a wide, fast prime would not have been possible for F-mount
The lens uses stepping motors for its autofocus system, and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m (11.8″). For controls, it has a clickless control ring and a matched pair of function buttons meaning they can be reached whether portrait or landscape shooting. As is expected for a fast full-frame lens, it’s relatively large, weighing 1060g and using an 82mm filter.
The company is pitching the lens at people who shoot weddings, events and fashion, as well as video, but we won’t be surprised if it finds an audience with enthusiasts as well. Wide-angle lenses with apertures this fast are relatively uncommon, which lets you get distinctive-looking photos with them. You can see a few examples in the sample gallery we shot using a pre-production lens.
Nikon says that such a wide, fast prime would not have been possible with its longer, narrower F-mount.
The Nikkor Z 35mm F1.2 S will be available later this month and will retail at $2,799.
REDEFINE THE ART OF STORYTELLING: NIKON RELEASES THE NIKKOR ® Z 35MM F/1.2 S, A FAST WIDE-ANGLE PRIME LENS FOR NIKON Z MOUNT MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
Environmental Portrait Lens Provides Outstanding Optical Performance and Smooth, Beautiful Bokeh
MELVILLE, NY (February 4, 2025) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the highly anticipated release of the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S, a medium wide-angle prime lens with an impressively fast f/1.2 maximum aperture for professional photographers and filmmakers.
The NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S is Nikon’s latest S-Line lens, a series synonymous with outstanding optical performance and handling. The lens emphasizes the main subjects with soft and beautiful bokeh, a dramatic shallow depth-of-field, and the realistic expression of textures. This classic wide-angle prime lens allows for a creative use of the environment to tell a deeper story that meaningfully connects with the viewer.
“Our latest f/1.2 lens truly demonstrates the power of Nikon’s optical expertise, creating a lens that helps the user to portray more of the environment within a single, beautiful frame,” said Fumiko Kawabata, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc. “The NIKKOR Z line of lenses continues to expand as we now offer more than 40 impressive optical solutions for Nikon Z Series users.”
The optical characteristics of the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S are finely tuned to create the perfect combination of sharpness and atmosphere. Soft, delicate organic textures, such as skin and hair, are rendered with a natural authenticity, while reflective objects like jewelry are sharp and free of distracting color aberrations. The NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S is a must-have lens for those shooting events, weddings, fashion, as well as for cinematography.
Sharing a similar design concept to the NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S and the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S, the new lens offers superior rendering capabilities as well as depiction of the scene with a sense of depth, even with its wide angle of view. The optical design includes three ED glass elements and one aspherical ED element, enabling effective reduction of false color aberrations. In addition, the application of Nikon’s proprietary Meso Amorphous Coat, Nano Crystal Coat, and ARNEO Coat minimize ghosting and flare and provide outstanding optical performance.
Primary Features of the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S
- Enables unique imaging styles through the combination of high resolving power achieved by superior optical performance, smooth and beautiful bokeh that takes full advantage of the shallow depth-of-field at f/1.2, and 35mm angle of view.
- Achieves a sense of depth with smooth bokeh that transitions gently as it moves away from the focal plane.
- A lens structure with symmetry in front of and behind the aperture realizes outstanding optical performance.
- Three ED glass elements and one aspherical ED glass elements enable effective correction of various lens aberrations.
- Adoption of Meso Amorphous Coat, Nano Crystal Coat and ARNEO Coat effectively reduces ghosting and flares for clear rendering even in tough lighting conditions.
- Adoption of a multi-focusing system1 that uses stepping motors (STMs) realizes fast and accurate AF drive for both still images and video.
- Features a design optimized for video, including a clickless control ring, silent focusing and stable exposure, and suppressed focus breathing to effectively reduces shifts to the angle of view when focusing.
- Two convenient L-Fn buttons, to which a wide variety of functions can be assigned, enable smooth adjustment of settings, even during vertical shooting.
- Superior dust and drip-resistant performance2 is ensured by sealing various parts of the lens, including movable parts of the lens barrel.
Price and Availability
The new Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S lens will be available in late February 2025 for a suggested retail price of $2,799.95*3. For more information about the latest Nikon products, including the vast collection of NIKKOR Z lenses and the entire line of Z series cameras, please visit nikonusa.com.
*1 Multiple AF drive units work together to control the position of multiple focus lens groups with great precision for superior image formation performance regardless of shooting distance.
*2 Thorough dust and drip resistance is not guaranteed in all situations or under all conditions.
*3 SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.
Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm F1.2 S Specifications
| Principal specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens type | Prime lens |
| Max Format size | 35mm FF |
| Focal length | 35 mm |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Lens mount | Nikon Z |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F1.2 |
| Minimum aperture | F16 |
| Aperture ring | No |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 11 |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 17 |
| Groups | 15 |
| Special elements / coatings | 3 ED, 3 aspherical, 1 aspherical ED, meso-amorphous coating, areno coating, nano crystal coating |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 0.30 m (11.81″) |
| Maximum magnification | 0.2× |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Motor type | Stepper motor |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Distance scale | No |
| DoF scale | No |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 1060 g (2.34 lb) |
| Diameter | 90 mm (3.54″) |
| Length | 150 mm (5.91″) |
| Sealing | Yes |
| Filter thread | 82 mm |
| Hood supplied | Yes |
| Image: Sony |
Sony is updating its app and cloud platform to give users more options for getting their photos from their cameras onto the cloud. You can now make it so your photos and videos automatically upload to Google Drive or Lightroom, either straight from your camera via Sony’s Creators’ Cloud or from your smartphone via the Creators’ App.
This ability will be limited to Sony’s most recent generation of cameras, such as the a1, a7 IV, a7S III, a7R V, FX3 / FX30 and ZV-E10 II, as its older models can’t upload directly to the cloud or connect to the Creators’ App. You’ll also need to ensure that your camera has the latest firmware.
If you want to leave your files on Sony’s cloud, you’ll have to keep an eye on how much storage they take up. By default, you get 5GB free – though owning a Sony camera ups that to up to 25GB – but you’ll have to pay a monthly fee if you need more storage. Of course, you can always delete the images from Sony’s cloud after they’ve been offloaded to Google Drive or Lightroom.
The updates help bring Sony’s cameras in line with competitors
The company has also recently updated its app to support “differential transfer,” where your camera will only send new or unsent files, speeding up the process of offloading images and videos onto your phone. The latest version of the app also supports “Enhanced Remote Control,” which Sony says lets you adjust camera settings from your phone, though the company doesn’t specify exactly what kinds of settings you can adjust.
The latest version of the app is available immediately from Google Play and Apple’s App Store, according to Sony. The updates, especially the ability to have your images automatically transferred to Google Drive and Lightroom, help bring Sony’s cameras in line with the competition. Other companies have taken a similar approach, letting you upload images to their cloud where they’ll then be automatically transferred to a third-party cloud provider of your choice, while others have relied on integrations like Frame.io’s Camera To Cloud.
Sony Electronics Enhances Creators’ Cloud with Addition of Direct Transfers to Google Drive or Adobe Lightroom
SAN DIEGO, CA – Feb. 4, 2025 – Sony Electronics Inc. has made updates to its Creators’ Cloud platform, enhancing the Creators’ App to streamline content management for creators with new automated cloud transfer options. Based on feedback from the creative community, this latest update simplifies workflows by enabling direct uploads from select Sony cameras to Google Drive or Adobe Lightroom, empowering creators to seamlessly integrate their work into widely used editing and storage solutions.
This release of version 2.6.0 of the Creators’ App marks another step forward in Sony’s ongoing commitment to supporting the creative process with practical, user-driven enhancements, that give creators powerful, intuitive tools to move from shooting to sharing with minimal steps, with fewer technical barriers.
Overview of Creators’ Cloud System Capabilities:
The Creators’ Cloud platform enhances flexibility, control, and efficiency for photographers and videographers by offering an all-in-one platform for remote camera operation, content management, and seamless media transfer. This comprehensive ecosystem empowers modern content creators with a suite of innovative apps designed to streamline every stage of the creative process.
From capturing footage to editing and finalizing projects, the platform offers specialized tools that cater to the unique needs of photographers and videographers. The Monitor & Control (M&C) app provides real-time, mobile-based control over camera settings, ideal for complex shooting environments, while the Creators’ App acts as a central hub for connectivity, facilitating camera-to-phone transfers, live streaming, and cloud uploads. Then, for postproduction, the Catalyst Prepare Plugin accelerates workflows with metadata-driven tools for fast, precise edits, compatible with DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro, simplifying the editing process while delivering professional-grade results.
What’s New:
The recent updates brought further optimized workflow with features like a USB connection for stable monitoring, a Shutter Angle Display, improved iris control, and enhanced smartphone transfer options. In addition, upgraded live streaming capabilities streamline YouTube integration for faster setup and operation.
Key Feature Highlights of Creators’ App v2.6.0:
- Automatic Cloud Transfer to Google Drive or Adobe Lightroom: In response to creator requests for a faster, more seamless workflow, this new feature allows users to automatically transfer images and videos to external cloud storage providers, offering immediate accessibility for collaborative editing and organization across platforms.
- Enhanced Smartphone Transfer and Efficiency Options: The latest smartphone transfer feature enables creators to move content to their devices while shooting, ensuring uninterrupted productivity. With “differential transfer,” only new or unsent files are transferred, maximizing efficiency and reflecting Sony’s commitment to streamlining repetitive tasks.
- Expanded Storage Options Tailored to User Needs: Creators’ Cloud now provides four cloud storage plans, including a free 5GB for all Creators’ Cloud users (25GB free for Sony camera owners), and premium tiers up to 500GB, addressing the storage demands of both casual users and professionals. This flexible structure responds to feedback for scalable, affordable storage solutions.
- Enhanced Remote Control via Smartphone: With advanced control options, users can now adjust camera settings directly from their mobile devices, enhancing creative flexibility. This feature continues to evolve based on the needs and insights of the Sony creator community.
These updates are available immediately and continue Sony’s mission of fostering an inclusive ecosystem that grows in response to the needs of the creator community.
To download the latest Creators‘ Cloud updates and for further details on compatibility, please visit: https://creatorscloud.sony.net
To download the latest version of the Creator’s App, please visit: https://creatorscloud.sony.net/catalog/en-us/creatorsapp/index.html
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