New XCD Roadmap with New Lenses and Specs

[PeterA]

The 250SA is spectacular if you can find a good copy (I use it on an IQ160 and have tested it on an IQ3 100). I am seriously contemplating adding the X1D to my kit to take advantage of some of my old Zeiss glass, now that it has the electronic shutter enabled.

John

For sure the electronic shutter adds some versatility, especially when it comes to opening up lens choice - but the relatively slow 300ms read on the chip, means that it easy to encounter real world shooting issues either through subject movement or camera movement, or even mixed light (eg LED) ...still for a couple of hundred bucks it is great way for me to try out M lenses or the collection of Zeiss glass I have accumulated over the years. The Otus series on a 50 megapixel chip - even with vignetting is exciting.

 

[DB5]

:clap::clap::clap:

Wow, this is really shaping up.

I'm now holding off all purchases to see how this 80mm and 35-70 shapes up.

This could finally be the system I've been waiting to jump into.

Photokina 2018 I guess it will be, maybe we will see an X2D with the new 100MP sony sensor at the same time!

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[DB5]

For sure the electronic shutter adds some versatility, especially when it comes to opening up lens choice - but the relatively slow 300ms read on the chip, means that it easy to encounter real world shooting issues either through subject movement or camera movement, or even mixed light (eg LED) ...still for a couple of hundred bucks it is great way for me to try out M lenses or the collection of Zeiss glass I have accumulated over the years. The Otus series on a 50 megapixel chip - even with vignetting is exciting.

It's exciting but I heard the slightest movement either in the frame, or by the photographer creates visible rolling shutter effects which is off putting.

 

[jng]

Right. ES is not well suited for hand held shooting or moving subjects, but rather best used when locked down on a tripod for shooting static scenes. The good news is that the read time is much faster than on the IQ3100. Note that every landscape photographer I've talked to who uses this back on a tech cam has dispensed with sync cords and cable releases, relying instead on the electronic shutter. Together with the native XCD lenses, a dummy adapter for nice legacy glass would round out an X1D kit nicely, especially at the long end.

John

 

[tcdeveau]

FWIW I just asked B&H and Ace Photo about when the 21mm, 65mm, and 35-75mm could be pre-ordered. The B&H representative said "check the website" and the Ace Photo rep said "sometime in the spring [of 2018]".

 

[JoshMerwin]

From my experience, I haven't had any quality issues with the H 1.7x teleconverter, so I assume this would be the same with the X line. Hopefully they will add in some extension tubes to the X line. They probably don't view the Macro as overly redundant because they sell it as a Marco for close focusing in their minds. We tend to think more about it in focal lengths...

There were a couple of interesting choices made in the configuration of the new XCD lenses. The zoom is an f/3.5-f/4.5. Why have a variable maximum aperture rather than a constant f/4? What is gained?
The new 135 f/2.8 is somewhat surprising, as it is close in focal length to the 120mm. However, it can be mated with a new, dedicated 1.7x converter to turn the lens into a 230mm f/4.8. My first reaction was why not just make a separate 200mm-240mm lens? My experience with tele-converters has not been good. They inevitably entail some degree of compromise in image quality. This XCD tele-converter is a dedicated converter, so perhaps the compromise will be less significant. There would be a substantial savings in size and weight compared to carrying two fairly hefty lenses. This may make the decision to buy the 120mm Macro more difficult for some, as the 120mm is close in focal length to the 135mm, and the 135mm will be more versatile because of the 1.7x converter. Hmmm.