Sony has announced the A9 II, which is designed for sports and fast-moving subjects. The Sony A9 II retains the same stacked 24-megapixel full-frame sensor as its predecessor, the A9, and can shoot at 20 frames-per-second without blackout when using the electronic shutter. The A9 II also retains the A9’s much-lauded 693-point phase-detection AF system, which also includes 425 contrast AF points. It also incorporates Sony’s Real-Time Eye-AF, Real-Time Tracking, and Fast Hybrid Focusing modes. But the important changes have come to the design and connectivity options, both of which have been upgraded to fit the special demands of professionals in fast-moving situations. The overall build is similar to that of the just-announced a7R IV, including superior weather sealing. Upgraded BIONZ X™ image processing engine gains maximum benefit from the sensor’s fast readout speed; processor works with front-end LSI to enhance speed in AF/AE detection, image processing, face detection and accuracy, and more. In terms of connectivity, it has a built-in 1000BASE-T Ethernet terminal for high-speed data transfer. File Transfer over SSL or TLS is also supported. The Ethernet LAN port now supports 1 gigabyte per second transfers, 10 times faster than the original model. There's support for both 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi, and the USB-C port has been upgraded to support 3.2 Gen.1 high-speed transfers and greatly improved remote shooting. In terms of ergonomics, the a9II has a slightly larger grip and improved weather-sealing compared to the original. The rear control dial now resides on the top plate. Shooters can lock the EV comp button to prevent accidental exposure changes, and the AF-On button and multi-selector joystick are larger. Both SD card slots now support UHS-II speeds and the camera can draw power through its USB Type C port. The in-body Image Stabilization has been improved as well. The A9 II features a new Voice Memo function that allows spoken information to be attached to images in the form of voice memos that can be replayed when the images are reviewed. The voice data can also be included with images sent to an editor, giving them important information needed for effective editing. An improved processor gives users greater efficiency, allowing a bit longer battery life on this model when using the current NP-FZ100 Battery Pack. This will now provide up to 500 shots on a single charge when using the EVF or 690 with the rear LCD. Of course, you can always add to the battery life by using the VG-C4EM Battery Grip or NPA-MQZ1K Multi Battery Adapter. The Alpha 9 II will ship in November for around $4,500 (body only). Source: Sony Camera

GoPro announced a new Hero8 action camera and the GoPro Max this October. The new generation of HERO8 Black has a lighter and simpler design, and feature a quick-change mounting, new extended battery and accessory-mounting options. Evolving from the standard action camera wide-angle view, you can now simply tap on the HERO8 Black to switch between Narrow, Linear, Wide and SuperView digital lens modes. The HER08 Black features the new HyperSmooth 2.0. While maintaining the crisp UHD 4K60 video capture, 33' waterproofing, and 1080p live streaming of the HERO7 Black, the HyperSmooth 2.0 offers a choice of a wide, stabilized view or a tighter view with maximum smoothness, while improving low-light performance, and featuring in-app horizon leveling for your more off-kilter moves. Use the TimeWarp 2.0 feature to record super-stabilized time-lapse videos, you can shoot a large block of travel without complicated post-production. Still photo options at 12MP have been ramped up with improved HDR (high dynamic range) in SuperPhoto and with the LiveBurst feature. This short burst of frames captures 1.5 seconds before and after your shot so you can choose the best frame or share it as a quick video. The GoPro Max will be the follow up to the Fusion which was announced 2 years ago. The MAX shares the same ability to “punch in” and reframe your 360˚ video as its Fusion predecessor, as well as offering 16' waterproof depth, built-in GPS, still photo capture, voice commands, and 360˚ audio. The versatile MAX offers both 360˚ capture with in-camera stitching and a HERO-style mode, 270 panoramic photos without the need to pan, and a large touchscreen display. As with the HERO8, in the MAX HERO mode you can choose between Narrow, Linear, Wide and SuperView digital lens modes, capture amazing time-lapse sequences in TimeWarp, and use the Horizon Leveling to keep your craziest stunts or silliest antics on a stable plane. The GoPro HERO8 is priced at US$399.99 and the Max is US$499.99. Now it has begun fulfilling pre-orders. Source: GoPro HDRiG GoPro Action Camera Accessories

Recently, Fujifilm introduces the latest mirrorless camera X-A7. The X-A7 is Fujifilm's latest camera to join the X-Series family: a mirrorless camera that captures beautiful stills and videos with astonishing quality and ease of use. Carrying Fujifilm’s own 24.4MP APS-C CMOS sensor in a camera body weighing just 320g, the Fujifilm X-A7 instantly focuses on faces and eyes, for portraits, action and movies. And deliver premium image quality with the company’s proprietary color reproduction technology. The camera also records smooth 4K/30fps video and high-speed video, catering to the ever-growing need for high-quality video for use in Vlogger and other media. Fujifilm X-A7 Main Features (1) New 24.2MP APS-C CMOS image sensor The sensor uses copper wiring to enable high-speed data readout and features phase detection pixels across the entire sensor surface to enhance AF speed and accuracy. It enables AF tracking of a moving subject as well as Face / Eye detection AF with ease even in low light. (2) Large 3.5” 16:9 wide touchscreen LCD The new X-A7 features a large 3.5" Vari-Angle 16:9 2.76m-dot format touchscreen LCD that twists and flips around for vloggers, content creators and, of course, precise selfie compositions—Fujifilm’s first Vari-Angle LCD. Furthermore, the newly-designed “Smart Menu” facilitates intuitive touchscreen operation so that even beginners can produce high-quality images easily. (3) Advanced video performance The image sensor produces 4K (3820x2150) footage using data equal to 6K (6032x3392), which results in high-resolution video quality with lower noise, and delivering smooth 4K video at up to 30fps with no crop. Create movies in Full HD or HD, at up to 60p in full-screen 16:9 aspect ratio or the popular 1:1 square format for easy live-story posting on social media. (4) Compact and lightweight design weighing only 320g Photos can be captured at up to ISO 51200 and the camera shoots stills at 6 frames per second and can record UHD 4K video. Fast autofocus comes with face and eye detection. All of this power is wrapped up in a svelte body that is very compact and lightweight. The X-A7, with the XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ Lens, checks in at 455g. Priced at £699, the Fujifilm X-A7 will be available from late October and comes with an XC 15-45mm lens. Source: Fujifilm UK Press Release

Sony has announced two new APS-C mirrorless cameras: the flagship A6600 and the lower-tier A6100. A6600 is the new flagship of Sony's APS-C format camera. It features a new BIONZ X image processing system, which gives a 1.8x gain in data processing speeds over the A6500. But like A6500, A6600 also features 5-axis in-body image stabilization, a 24.2-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS image sensor, and super-fast autofocus (AF), which can find the subject in 0.02 seconds. A6600 uses 425 phase- and 425-contrast-detect points covering 84% of the image area to track fast-moving subjects. Offering the latest Real-time Tracking AF including Real-time Tracking AF, Real-time Eye AF for both humans and animals, and support for all these continuous focus modes during movie shooting. A6600 has adopted the larger NP-FZ100 Battery Pack found in the most recent a7 and a9 series full-frame cameras. This offers 2.2x the power of its predecessor—good for up to 810 shots per CIPA standards when using the LCD. And it added a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is allowing for monitoring of audio during video recording. A6100 as an entry-level model, it is surprising how many features of its bigger siblings have been retained. It has a 24.2MP Exmor APS-C CMOS sensor, 425-point system, 0.02 second lock-on times, UHD 4K recording and etc. Both of these cameras will be released later this year. The A6100 will release in October and the A6600 will release in November. A6100 will cost $750 for the body and A6600 will cost $1,400, in the US. Sony is also releasing two lightweight E-mount lenses later this year that are compatible with these cameras and its other APS-C cameras: the E 16-55mm (F/2.8) will cost $1,400 when it launches in October. The E 70-355mm with a variable f/4.5-6.3 will follow in November for $1,000. (Image Source: Sony / BH Photo)

Video has never been this good in a full-frame mirrorless camera. Panasonic’s Lumix mirrorless cameras are widely regarded as the best choice for anyone looking to create a beautiful video within a low budget. Recently, the company is proud to announce the newest full-frame mirrorless camera, the LUMIX S1H, which with higher quality and resolution, and once again proves that Panasonic is willing to give filmmakers the features they need. LUMIX S1H is a full-frame shooter capable of recording 6K video at 24fps.The fresh iteration of the Lumix S1. As the world's first camera capable of video recording at 6K/24p (3:2 aspect ratio), 5.9K/30p (16:9 aspect ratio), and 10-bit 60p 4K/C4K. The Lumix S1H scheduled to launch in the fall. It combines the video quality of a professional camera and the high mobility of a mirrorless camera. This bump in resolution capability should be a big help for people shooting 4K too, as it will allow them to crop in or apply video stabilization without losing image quality as they otherwise would. The LUMIX S1H features V-Log/V-Gamut with a wide dynamic range of 14+ stops, which should help it capture detail even in extremely dark or bright sections of a scene. It is virtually the same as those of the Panasonic Cinema VariCam. Designed under consistent color management, the S1H's recorded footage is compatible with V-Log footage recorded by VariCam or the LUMIX GH5/GH5S. Lumix S1H has a LED rear screen with tilting/free-angle mechanism design which can be rotated to make it useful for vlogging and other similar applications. The LCD also boasts excellent specs, with a 2.33m-dot resolution and large 3.2" dimensions. An interesting change is the use of two SD card slots, as opposed to the XQD/SD combo of the other S Series bodies. These are speedy UHS-II V90 slots and having them matched will make media management easier for filmmakers desiring to use simultaneous recording or automatic switching settings. Using 5-axis sensor-shift technology and Dual I.S. 2.0 with supported lenses, the Lumix DC-S1H can compensate for up to 6 or 6.5 stops of camera shake. This is useful for video and stills shooting and will help ensure sharp imagery. Durability is another selling point of the S Series, with splash and dust-resistant construction. Finally, the camera is equipped with the L lens mount. This permits the use of a wide range of lenses from the L-Mount Alliance, with Leica and Sigma, and its short flange distance makes adapting lenses easier. This means you can adapt some classic lenses from your old SLR and DSLRs or even get adapters to work with professional PL-mount cinema lenses. It is the final piece that makes the Lumix DC-S1H an effective tool for stills and video. The Lumix S1H is priced at US$3,999 and is expected to be available at the end of September, while the new Lumix S Pro lens is priced at US$2,200.  Source: ProAV TV

On August 9, Blackmagic Design has launched a new Pocket Film Camera Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K for US$2,495. As a follow-up to the 4K video powerhouse it released last year, the 6K has a similar look and size to the 4K, such as dual native ISO up to 25,600, 13 stops of dynamic range, 3D LUT support, a large, bright 5" screen, and professional audio support with four microphones, and all the same ports and media features. But now it features a Canon EF mount. BMPCC 6K camera has a full Super 35 size HDR picture sensor records resolutions up to 6144 x 3456 at 50 fps. It can document in industry-standard 10-bit Apple ProRes as much as 4K or in 12-bit Blackmagic RAW video — a format that may protect the quality of sensor data — as much as 6K. Additionally, it may record full-resolution videos at up to 60fps. The camera’s EF lens mount operates with lenses from various brands like Canon, Sigma, and Zeiss so that you can use your present collection. And from its larger sensor and EF mount, you may be able to capture photographs with a more superficial depth of field than its predecessor can, with themes that stand out more against a blurred background. 23.10mm × 12.99mm (Super 35) Canon EF 13 Stops Up to 6,144 x 3.456 (6K) 50fps Up to 6,144 x 2,560 (6K 2.4:1) 60fps Up to 5,744 x 3.024 (5.7K 17:9) 60fps Up to 4,096 × 2,160 (4K DCI) 60fps Up to 3,840 x 2,160 (Ultra HD) 60fps Up to 3,728 x 3,104 (3.7K 6:5 variant) 60fps Up to 2,868 × 1,512 (2.8K 17:9) 120fps Up to 1,920 × 1,080 120fps 100 to 25,600 (Expanded) 5-inch (1,920 x 1,080)  1 x CFast 2.0 Card Slot 1 x SDXC UHS-II Card Slot 1 x HDMI Output 1 x Mini XLR Mic/Line Level (+48 V Phantom Power) Input 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Stereo Mic/Line Level Input 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Stereo Headphone Output Canon LP-E6 About 45 minutes (recorded in CFast 2.0, 6K RAW, 24fps, screen brightness 50%) 178.1×101.3×96mm Source: Blackmagic Design