Nikon announced the second year of The Nikon Storytellers Scholarship. The scholarship awards $10K US to ten winners. The dates of the competition are as follows:
The Nikon Storytellers Scholarship Key Dates (2019-2020)
This is an interesting look at what senior players at camera manufacturers are faced with when confronting a changing photography landscape. In an interview reported by both DPReview and Canon Rumors, but officially published by Nikkei (originally in Japanese, but translated), Fujio Matarai, Canon’s CEO, provided insights on the camera market. It is important to note that this discussion is about all interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs), not just the typical mirrorless vs. DSLRs.
The market has declined 10% year-over-year. This trend will continue for the next several years. Mirrorless cameras are a replacement for DSLRs, but do not drive up total units sold.
What we’re most curious about given a contracting market segment is what it will do to prices of professional-level gear. Costs, even if adjusted for inflation, of flagship systems are already well above where they were ten years ago. Given the smaller market, what will the price of a flagship system camera be in 2025?
Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now — British Journal of Photography. An article about the Guggenheim’s year-long exhibit of Mapplethorpe’s work. The exhibit coincides with the 30th anniversary of Mapplethorpe’s death.
A World Silent — The Photographic Journal. A photo essay composed of mostly nude self portraits by half-deaf photographer Jesuuna. The images are an exploration of two months spent in Sweden, in a house that was “quiet and [she] felt completely free”
Olympus OM-D E-M1X with M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO LensOlympus OM-D E-M1X (back) Product Photo
Olympus announced the OM-D E-M1X mirrorless camera. The camera targets professional photographers. It features two TruePic VIII processors and Olympus claims “vastly improved AF with new subject detection autofocus technology.” Furthermore, the camera features a massive 7.5 stops of image stabilization.
Additionally, it features dual UHS-II card slots, shoots 4K video in OM-Log, and can achieve a 15fps frame rate, and a weather-sealed body.
Olympus Product Photo of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS Pro Lens
In addition to the new camera body, Olympus announced development of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS Pro. This lens has an equivalent focal length of 300-800mm that reaches 375-1000mm with the built-in teleconverter. Read DPreview’s article here.
Olympus Product Photo of FL-700WR Flash Unit
There’ More: Today’s announcement included a weather-resistant flash unit, the FL-700WR. It’s dust, freeze, and splash proof and occupies the spot between the brand’s FL-600R and FL-900R. Read DPreview’s article here.
Prograde Digital announced its “[deepening] commitment to global markets” with the launch of its Amazon Japan site. Read Prograde’s press release here.