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LucisPictor's Photokina 2010 Report...
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:38 am    Post subject: LucisPictor's Photokina 2010 Report... Reply with quote

Gentlemen, I am back!

I went to the Photokina yesterday together with a very good friend (and talented photographer). It was ever so nice to be there with him. We had a great day and were walking until our feet hurt.

Here is my little report...

The Photokina has not changed a lot since 2008 and still some things were different.
There was a major theme: 3D video - which is kind of fascinating but not that interesting for me, really.



We started at the Sony booth. Here I was pretty interested in the NEX series.

NEX-5 by LucisPictor, on Flickr
That's a very nice cam with a lot of features. Great for using old lenses on a digital sensor, but there could be a more intuitive handling.


Then we came the Lensbaby booth. Although, I am not really a fan of things like that, I really like the "Composer" and all the possibilities you get with the add-ons. That's definitely a great thing and the people there were really nice.

Lensbaby Effect by LucisPictor, on Flickr


Of course I went to the Canon booth in order to play around with some AF lenses that I would not want to afford. The one that has impressed me most was the EF 2/200 L:


But the 2.8/24-70 L also is a nice lens. Honour to whom honour is due.

At the Samsung booth I tried the NX10:

Samsung NX10 by LucisPictor, not the NX10 but shot with it. Wink



and the new NX100:


Very nice, actually! With the NX100 playing with DoF is possible due to the APS sensor.


Olympus had a funny idea to compare the sizes of cams with tele zooms:


And the EP1 works well with a long lens:



Of course, I went to Fuji!

New (!) medium format film cams:

Fuji Medium Format by LucisPictor, on Flickr

And, yes, the X100 is adorable, absolutely gorgeous:

But there is no working model yet. Boooh! Sad

At the Sigma booth they were very friendly again. We could try many different lenses.

Sigma 12-24 by LucisPictor, on Flickr
The EX 1.4/50 is very interesting, as is the new EX 1.4/85 (What a huge glass!). The shot above was taken with the 12-24 on my 5D at 12mm!


Panasonic allowed us to use our own card in their cams this year. I kind of like the LX5:

Lumix LX5 by LucisPictor, on Flickr

Even at ISO1600 quite a decent performer:

Lumix LX5 @ ISO1600 by LucisPictor, on Flickr


Then, we came to Zeiss!

Zeiss! by LucisPictor, on Flickr

I was eager to try the new Distagon 1.4/35 on my 5D:

Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35 ZE by LucisPictor, on Flickr


Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35 ZE by LucisPictor, on Flickr


Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35 ZE by LucisPictor, on Flickr

WOW!!!
Feels great, performs very well, but it's pretty huge and heavy. If it only was more affordable. I talked to the gentleman there and he said that the 1.4/35 is better than the 2/35 at f/2 and at least as good at f/2.8 onwards. Plus, it does not have the focus shift effect that the 1.4/50 sometimes shows. It was easy to see that he was absolutely convinced about the 1.4/35!


As I said, some things were different this year: At the Leica booth they were not at all arrogant, we even could play around with the S2!!

Me and the Leica S2 by LucisPictor, on Flickr

And this shot was taken with the S2 and a 35mm lens (equal. ~ 25mm on 135):

Me and my cam by LucisPictor, on Flickr

Here you can see an unsharpened 100% crop (f/4):

Leica S2 100% Crop!!! by LucisPictor, on Flickr
The whole file is a 75MB DNG!!

Isn't that amazing?

This S2 is unbelievable. I have never seen such a big and bright viewfinder in cam that resembles an SLR! It feels fantastic. After shooting with it for a minute, my 5D felt like a plastic cam! After we had left the booth, Markus asked me if I knew the price of the S2 and then we realized that we just had a "car" in our hands. Wink

We went to other boothes as well. Some of our impressions you can see as a special treat for you in our short Photokina Video:


Sorry about the simple editing and the bad quality, but I wanted to have this up quickly. Since my internet connection is not fast enough to upload a high-quality video in a sensible time, you need to watch this one. But, I guess, it gives an idea.

It was a great day that I could spend with Markus. I will show some more pictures as soon as I get the memory card he shot on.

BTW, all day I shot only with the Summicron-R 2/50 on my 5D (and of course with some lenses that I could try.)


Last edited by LucisPictor on Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:30 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am so jealous,You were so lucky to have gone to something like this.Thanks for sharing a lovely report...really appreciated from someone so far away... Very Happy
That S2 looks stunning!
I am just watching your great video awesome so far.....boy you out did yourself Very Happy Cool Cool


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Superb journalism there Lucis, thank you.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carsten wrote:
BTW, all day I shot only with the Summicron-R 2/50 on my 5D

wow! I am so happy you used a manual lens Very Happy
great report and nice video!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Only one additional info.

The number of visitors increased this year by 7 %. Totol number were 180.000 visitors, 50 % professionals, 50 % private/hobbyist.


Wink


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rolf wrote:
Only one additional info.

The number of visitors increased this year by 7 %. Totol number were 180.000 visitors, 50 % professionals, 50 % private/hobbyist.


Wink

Since we went on a Sunday, we were expecting completely crowded halls, but it wasn't really too bad. It was pretty full at the beginning when everybody wanted to get inside and at the Canon and Nikon booths. Otherwise it was really OK.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thankyou for the marvellous report Carsten, it looks like you had a great day out. I wish I'd been there with you, but the video is almost as good. That was a great idea and very professionally done. Please pass my thanks to Markus too! Smile


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carsten: you should work for a photo magazine!!!
Much better than any show reports that you can find on magazines here.
Thanks much for sharing!!

Dang that Leica S2 crop Shocked Shocked Shocked


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Orio wrote:
Carsten: you should work for a photo magazine!!!
Much better than any show reports that you can find on magazines here.
Thanks much for sharing!!

Dang that Leica S2 crop Shocked Shocked Shocked


+1 Many thanks!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice report with a good edited video. Wink


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much for the report. So you are getting the X100? Smile


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

aleksanderpolo wrote:
Thanks so much for the report. So you are getting the X100? Smile

I wish I would. But I think it will be too expensive.
I was asking the lady at the booth: "How much will it be?"
She answered: "How much would you pay?" Wink
I said: "It needs to be below €1000. But if you sell me one for €499,-, I will order one immediately!"
She explained that they ask this question to interested photographers, I guess in order to check the market.
She said that most people estimate this cam somewhere between €1000 and €1200,-.

It's such a fantastic cam, but if I think about what else I can buy for €1000,-...


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fantastic report! Thanks!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wow Carsten, what a great report AND VIDEO!
Your spoken English is amazing, and so is you witty and relaxed style. You must be a very good teacher, you certainly make for a marvelous reporter!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, really fine report, synthetic and efficient, straight to the subject ...
I would really like to see more like this one. Totally agree with Orio about this subject ...

Thanks for sharing, this really makes me planning about a trip for the next edition ...


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

excellent report - thanks a lot


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice T-shirt, Carsten!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great report.
Thank you very much Carsten ! Smile


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Carsten for the great report and interesting video. Looks like you enjoy yourself quite a bit.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Olivier wrote:
Great report.
Thank you very much Carsten ! Smile

+ 1. Nice report, thx for sharing!


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great reportage, Carsten! The X100 has RFF buzzing, can't wait to see a
review with pictures from it. As Zeiss's poster boy, they probably wouldn't
appreciate your handling Leica gear. Wink Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

indianadinos wrote:
...
Thanks for sharing, this really makes me planning about a trip for the next edition ...


Yes, but better not visit the fair on Sunday.
Or, visit the fair on Sunday if you plan to buy things there. The smaller asian manufacturer and some other sell their things. I bought a cheap small studio flash and a flash-umbrella.
There are many flash systems sold, backdrops, tripods, battery-grips, bounce equipment, radio triggers,...
When you go on Sunday there is a bit break-ip feeling. Some booths hase sold some of their equipment on Saturday, some are startin packing. Some of the people of the booth are a bit tired on the 5th day of the fair.
On Sunday the very best thing to do, is to go to the used camera fair in Cologne! Last time two years ago I buyed there my heavy used Canon EOS 5D with grip for 800 Euro with 1 year gurantee. That price was very good back then.
On this Sunday I bought a Canon FD 55/3.5 macro for 45 Euro, a Vivitar 135/2.8 Close Focus with SR mount for 40 Euro, a Novoflex Noflexar 200/4 with bellows for 60 Euro, a russian 45 mm (Mir 26?) for Kiev 88 for 40 Euros (iris defective).

There where some big Canon EF lenses 500/4.5 and I think 400/2.8. Some other white Canon Ef lenses, an EOS 7D, some 1Ds - thats for the more current lenses. For the lovers of odler equipment there was:
A Killfit Sport-Fern-Kilar 1:5.6 / 600mm (I suppose it was that lens) for 3000 Euro, some microscopes, many manuel Nikon and Canon FD lenses, two russian Helios 40 (for 400 and 250 Euro), medium and large format, a bunch of Leica and Zeiss lenses...

I think that this one is the biggest camera fair in Germany. I was on camera fairs in Bonn, Cologne, Hamburg, Düsseldorf - don´t know Berlin and Munic?
This time two guys from KEH.com where there to buy things I think.

Regarding the Photokina: I liked it, but I was not that fascinated as some years before. Probably I am a bit more calm, after working with several expensive cameras and now working in a camera research department.
I got new informations regarding my work, got in contact with one more lens designer, meet some old friends (like the one from Zeiss in your picture). But I saw nothing I would deeply like to have. Ok, I porbably buy the Samyang 35/1.4 and dream about the Zeiss lenses, but that is nothing new.
I plan to go to the Photokina 2012 - as I do every second year since 1994 (or did I miss a Photokina can't remember).


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ZoneV wrote:
Yes, but better not visit the fair on Sunday.

Easier said than done!
If you don't get a free day during the week, you have to go at the weekend, haven't you?


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We traveled Friday after work from Hamburg with the train to Cologne.
Saturday I went to the fair, Sunday I went to the used camera fair, and afterwards we traveled back again.

It depends on the working end time on Friday and how far away one lives. But If one (indianadinos?) plan to go tho the Photokina fair, I would recommend to try to go not on the Sunday.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And pay a lot of money for a hotel?
Not everybody has got friends in Cologne.