Choosing and using old lenses: second hand lens guide

Matt Osborne explains how the raft of often-overlooked old lenses available today can open up a world of possibilities with your current gear.

Pairing an old M42 medium-format lens with a modern-day Nikon D800 can produce great results. All pictures by Matt Osborne.

Have you ever lingered at the window of your local camera shop, or spent an unhealthy amount of time on the cameras section of eBay, and wondered if it's possible to use all the many weird and wonderful old lenses with your modern-day digital camera?

Well, the good news is you can – so long as you follow two basic rules.

First, the sensor size of the camera you want to mount the vintage lens to must be equal to, or smaller than, the sensor size (or camera format) of the camera for which the lens was originally made.

Second, the distance between the lens and the camera sensor (the flange distance) must be equal to, or greater than, the distance between the lens and the camera sensor on the original camera.

The Zeiss Pancolar 80mm f/1.8 is perfect for portraits

Old lens options

Most mirrorless cameras have the lens mount closer to the sensor since there's no mirror to take up additional space, so they obey rule two. As the majority either feature APS-C or Four Thirds sensors, they also follow rule one, making them a great option for shooting with vintage lenses.

If you've got a DSLR, it's easy to be tempted to buy classic 35mm optics. However, don't forget the medium-format lenses, or even large-format lenses for that matter, as they can all be used on any DSLR or mirrorless camera. As a result, the opportunities to use old lenses on such cameras are almost endless.

Don't think image quality will be compromised as it can be excellent

Starting out using old lenses

I discovered this world of vintage lenses when I was new to photography and using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera. I was researching photos I liked on Flickr, and then seeing what lens the photographer used to help achieve the look of his shot.

It wasn't long before I ditched my 14-42mm kit lens and switched to a Leica-mount Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.4 lens via an adapter. The results blew me away and made me look at other manual-focus lenses on eBay. I discovered they could be bought for a fraction of the price of the Lumix lenses that were designed for the camera. At the same time, they were teaching me photography. I became familiar with terms such as 'aperture' and 'shutter speed', and shot everything in manual mode.

Matt's first taste of vintage lenses was shooting on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3

Adapters for old lenses

As I've briefly mentioned, the primary means of attaching an old lens to your modern DSLR or mirrorless camera is a lens adapter. The majority will fit most lenses to most cameras, assumingthey conform to the rules mentioned previously. Visit your local dealer or search online for your camera and the make or mount of the old lens you wish to use with it, and you should find something suitable.

The adapter allows you to mount the lens to the camera body as if it were a modern lens designed for that camera. The main difference is that, typically, there is no electrical contact, so you'll have neither AF nor EXIF data. Metering should still be possible in most cases, though.

Along with standard adapters, tilt-shift lens adapters are also available. For example, a tilt-shift adapter made by Arax allows you to mount Pentacon Six (P6 mount) medium-format lenses on a DSLR.

This is not forgetting that some old lenses can be used on DSLR cameras with only part-functionality. For example, M42-mount lenses can be used on a Nikon DSLR using an M42 adapter.

However, the lens cannot be focused to infinity – you risk the rear of the lens hitting your camera's mirror when you fire the shutter. While this might be an issue for some, such a set-up has its advantages. M42 lenses can focus closer than they were originally designed to when mounted on a DSLR, creating a pleasingly shallow depth of field. There are a wealth of M42 lenses out there. My choice is the Carl Zeiss Jena range, but it's also worth noting that M42 lenses can be used on mirrorless cameras without any restrictions.

The ability to achieve pleasing bokeh is one of the many appeals of these lenses

Journey of discovery

I purchased various low-cost legacy lenses on eBay – some better than others – by manufacturers including Olympus Zuiko and Vivitar. After a year I changed from a Lumix G1 to a Nikon DSLR and remember the biggest disappointment being that I was unable to use my favourite Voigtländer lens on the Nikon, owing to the restrictions outlined earlier.

I then bought some M42-mount lenses to use on my Nikon D800, but as mentioned, without infinity focus. Next, I started my journey into film photography and was buying Russian medium-format film cameras such as the Kiev 88 and Pentacon Six. This introduced me to a new world of medium-format lenses and I began using these legacy lenses on my D800.

No matter what camera or budget you have, with a bit of time and research you'll be able to find a vintage legacy lens that will give a unique look to your photographs that modern lenses simply can't replicate.

Freelensing

You don't need an adapter to shoot with vintage lenses.

Freelensing can produce some striking results with lovely defocused effects

As the name suggests, freelensing is exactly what it says – the lens is handheld in front of the camera body, aligning roughly to where it would normally be mounted to the camera. It can be done with any DsLR or mirrorless camera, and any lens that follows the two basic rules outlined previously can produce some beautiful, creamy, defocused effects that can be difficult to replicate elsewhere.

First, to shoot with a lens removed from your camera, the lens must be held at the same plane to the camera body as if it were mounted, giving a similar look to any other standard photo.

If the lens you're using would normally require a very thin lens adapter, such as an M42-mount lens, then it's less easy to freelens, as the lens must be held up to the camera body. It's a similar story if the lens is the same make as the camera, such as an old Nikkor AI lens on a Nikon DsLR, since again, the lens needs to be held almost touching the camera body to achieve a shot.

If the lens would normally require a deeper lens adapter, then it will need to be held at roughly the same distance from the camera body to get a standard-looking photo. therefore, if the lens adapter you'd normally use is one-inch deep, the lens must be held at the same distance from the camera body to give the same look to the image.

Mirrorless cameras are one option, as seen in this image shot on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3

Getting creative with an old lens

Probably the most common reason for freelensing is the ability to tilt the lens to a different plane from that of the camera sensor, thereby creating the common tilt-shift look with part of an image in focus and part of it out of focus.

This works by tilting the lens no more than a few millimetres from the lens mount. tilting the lens to the right will mean the left side of the frame retains focus, while tilting it downwards will mean the top area retains focus, and so on. Get it right and it can produce some fantastic results.

You'll need to be careful when shooting with the lens removed

Overcoming problems

It goes without saying that light leaks can be a problem, as the lens is tilted away from the camera body. Try to cup the lens from the side from which the light is coming to avoid this. However, there are times when it's best not to fight it, since light leaks can lend a lovely retro look to your images. It's a case of making sure you don't overdo things.

With the sensor exposed, the risk of dust increases greatly. Try to limit the length of time that the sensor is exposed, and avoid placing the camera in areas that are likely to be dusty.

Step-by-step guide to using an old lens 1. Settings

Before you detach your lens, set your camera's drive mode to continuous, to boost your chances of success. Dial in the exposure you'll need once the lens has been removed, using the maximum aperture of the lens. With the camera set up to shoot raw, detach the lens.

2. Shooting

Set focus to infinity – it's easier to move the lens rather than try to adjust the focus with one hand. There's a lot of trial and error, so don't be disheartened if it doesn't work at first. Very gentle movements are key here; the more you tilt the lens, the more blur you'll get.

3. Practice

You may prefer to shoot through the viewfinder, but with focusing being tricky you may want to use the larger rear screen. Don't be afraid to shoot a burst of shots, either, as you're more likely to get one that's in focus. You'll be amazed by what tiny movements of the lens can do.

Using an old lens: Kit list M42 adapter

Very affordable and with a raft of options available for various mounts, this is a great adapter to get started with.

P6 tilt-shift adapter

While you can get standard P6 adapters, there are some tilt-shift options available from the likes of Arax.

Carl Zeiss Jena

Available in a range of mounts including P6 and M42 options, these are not budget vintage lenses but are definitely worth looking at.

Matt Osborne

Matt Osborne's photographic career began in 2008, after he was given a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 for Christmas. Eight years later, he is now a wedding and model photographer. Completely self-taught, he enjoys using a range of kit from Leica M3s to a 1947 Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Sinar F2. www.mrleica.com

Source: Choosing and using old lenses: second hand lens guide

Cheap Camera: Mirrorless, Waterproof, Bundles Galore! Keep Your Wallet Happy withToday’sDeals.

Camera deals are the name of the game on Tuesday's edition of Cheap Photo, or as we affectionately refer to it as: Cheap Camera. Today we highlight a killer deal on Canon's maligned but vastly improved EOS  M3, as well as some great savings on waterproof cameras and Canon/Olympus bundles.

Thanks to some great community feedback, we are mixing the old ways with the new, going back to displaying the full running list every day, while continuing to stick to our daily highlight theme (in today's case, Cameras). We hope that this makes things more convenient on a daily basis.

Spotlight Camera Savings: Canon's EOS M3

Canon's mirrorless 'M' line has about as bad a reputation as a camera line can have. From the very beginning the Canon offering has lagged behind the capabilities of its competition and suffered from a severe lack of quality native lenses. The EOS M and EOS M2 were both big failures at launch, yet became sort of niche, underground favorites for budget videographers and those needing quality content on the cheap. The EOS M3 is an improvement in every way over the previous two models and Canon's recently released 28mm macro lens (you know, that weird one with the built in ring light) shows that the company is starting to take its EF-M mount more seriously. If you are in the Canon ecosystem already, and are looking for a smaller, more compact camera that still offers a similar look & image quality and experience that you are used to, then the EOS M3 could be a great (and affordable) option for you.

Notable New Additions

We are always adding and updating our camera deal listing, and below you can find a few of today's notable new additions (or updates, if a deal got even better). You can, of course, also find our full camera deal listing by checking out the full running list below.

Canon  Rebel SL1 (White) with 18-55mm Lens (Save $200): Get The Deal

Olympus OM-D E-M10 w/ 14-42mm lens (Save $250): Get The Deal

Olympus TG-4 Waterproof Camera (Save $50): Get The Deal

Nikon COOLPIX AW130 Waterproof Camera (Save $70): Get The Deal

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Waterproof Camera (Save $35): Get The Deal

—

The Full Running List (Cameras, Lenses, Accessories, Education and More!)

Cameras Canon Nikon Sony Fujifilm Panasonic

Olympus Pentax Samsung

—

Lenses

Canon Nikon Sony Fujifilm

There are currently no Fujifilm lens savings we are aware of.

Panasonic

Olympus Pentax

There are currently no Pentax lens savings we are aware of.

Sigma  Tamron

Rokinon Zeiss

—

Accessories & Education

Memory Cards Tripods & Monopods Monitors

Dell Ultra HD 4K Monitor P2415Q 24-Inch (Save $212): Get The Deal

HP Pavilion 25xw 25-in IPS Monitor (Save $80): Get The Deal

Dell UltraSharp U2414H 24-Inch (Save $60): Get The Deal

AOC i2769Vm 27-Inch Screen IPS Frameless Monitor (Save $125): Get The Deal

External Storage

Seagate Backup Plus 4TB Portable Hard Drive (Save $55): Get The Deal

Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable HDD (Save $15): Get The Deal

1.5 TB WD Elements Portable USB 3.0 (Save $36): Get The Deal

Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Slim 2TB (Save $30): Get The Deal

Toshiba Canvio Connect II 1TB (Save $65): Get The Deal

Internal Storage

Samsung 850 EVO 500GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (Save $105): Get The Deal

PNY CS1311 240 GB 2.5″ SATA III Internal SSD (Save $40): Get The Deal

WD Red 6TB NAS Hard Disk Drive (Save $66): Get The Deal

Lens Filters

Tiffen 52mm Neutral Density Filter (Save $23): Get The Deal

77mm Altura ND Filter Kit ,ND2, ND4, ND8 (Save $4): Get The Deal

Speedlights

Canon 600EX-RT (Save $80): Get The Deal

Altura Photo Professional Flash Kit for Nikon (Save $35): Get The Deal

Altura Photo Studio Pro Flash Kit for Canon, 2 Light Kit (Save $50): Get The Deal

Lighting

E-Photo 500 LED Light Panel, 2 Light Kit (Save $285): Get The Deal

Flashpoint 620M 300 Watt AC/DC Monolight Strobe (Save $110): Get The Deal

Misc

Sabrent USB 3.0 Super Speed Memory Card Reader (save $10): Get The Deal

Zonman Univeral Underwater Housing Case (Save $49): Get The Deal

Bags & Cases

Pelican 1510-000-110 Carry On Case (Save $100): Get The Deal

LUST Handmade Vintage Leather Camera Bag (Save $249): Get The Deal

MOACC Professional DSLR Shoulder Bag (Save $23): Get The Deal

FeatherTouch Leather Camera Bag (Save $309): Get The Deal

Education, Tutorials, & Software

* > Creative Kit XXL – A Photography Bundle Unlike Any Other (Save $1400+): Get The Deal

Dramatic Portrait Photography By Michael Grecco (Save $12): Get The Deal

Shoot To Sell: The Real Women Boudoir Posing Guide (Save $39): Get The Deal

HDR Photography Workshop (Save $30): Get The Deal

The Perfect Shot Bundle For Wedding Photography (Save $300): Get The Deal

Well, that is it for today's Cheap Photo. Make sure and check back tomorrow for another Cheap Photo post with our complete (and up to date) running list all in one place. Have a great weekend and make sure to save some money!

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Source: Cheap Camera: Mirrorless, Waterproof, Bundles Galore! Keep Your Wallet Happy withToday'sDeals.

Great Camera Deals on Small and Large Models

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Source: Great Camera Deals on Small and Large Models

Weekend Poll: Do You Shoot Images In RAW/DNG On Your Smartphone Camera?

Most high-end and even a number of mid-range Android smartphones today allow you to capture images with the rear camera in the "RAW" DNG format. The reason for this feature's existence has always been a bit befuddling to me, personally, though. While I can understand why a professional photographer found camera-less in a situation where an image absolutely must be captured and is forced to use their smartphone would want to use RAW capture, that's a hell of a niche use case.

The reason we most often hear is that RAW images are "better" for editing, which in and of itself I find myself grappling with. RAW images are more malleable in the context of an editing application like Lightroom (which, unrelated, I love) and lack the processing that would be applied to JPEG images you smartphone captures, certainly, and they do have vastly superior archival value, given that all of the image sensor's capture data is present. They're also very large, sometimes obnoxious to manage (especially without desktop software), and must be rendered to a more common format before actually being shared or published.

Those who do photography professionally, of course, understand that this in the name of the game with RAW - that's just how it works. But as someone who is not a photographer but does often have to use a camera for my work, even I stopped using the RAW mode on my large Sony mirrorless camera long ago for exactly the same reasons I don't use it on a smartphone. And what I found was, somewhat surprisingly to me at the time, that I actually preferred the processing the camera applied to any kind of result I could achieve with the same image captured in RAW in Lightroom. Granted, much of that is down to skill - professional photographers use RAW for a reason, and there's no disputing it is a valuable tool under the right circumstance. I've always just had a very hard time understanding what that frequent circumstance could be with a smartphone.

So, I ask: do you use RAW/DNG capture on your smartphone? Why? How many of you tried RAW/DNG capture on your phone and then went back to JPEG? Vote and discuss in the comments below.

Source: Weekend Poll: Do You Shoot Images In RAW/DNG On Your Smartphone Camera?

Hands-on: Sony’s a6300 mirrorless camera makes a great 4K shooting companion

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0.18 Hands-on: Sony's a6300 mirrorless camera makes a great 4K shooting companion

Jeff Benjamin

- 11 hours ago

@JeffBenjam

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The iPhone can shoot 4K video, and now even the iPad can shoot 4K video. Yet, there are times when you need the flexibility and power provided by a standalone camera.

Standalone cameras have inherent advantages over smartphone cameras, despite the major strides made by iPhone photography over the last few years. Even with amazing third-party apps like FiLMiC Pro, which lets you adjust things like ISO and shutter speed, you're still stuck with a constant aperture and fixed lens.

While smartphones have replaced point and shoot cameras for a vast amount of people, standalone cameras, especially ones with interchangeable lenses like the recently-released 24MP Sony a6300, still have their place.

I recently had the privilege of going hands-on with Sony's latest interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, the follow up to 2014's venerable a6000. My tester a6300 came equipped with Sony's 16-50mm kit lens.

As someone who's been using the well-respected Panasonic GH4 for the last year, switching to a Sony camera takes some getting used to. In the last week, I feel like I was finally able to turn the corner, and I've been thoroughly enjoying my time with this camera ever since.

It may come as no surprise that I'm primarily interested in the camera's video capabilities, and that just so happens to be what the a6300 excels at. It's not a perfect camera for video, but it's pretty close.

10 things to consider about the a6300 Interchangeable lenses

The a6300 is a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. The fact is that having the ability to quickly swap out lenses can make a world of difference in your workflow. Your camera can quickly go from a wide angle camera to a portrait camera with the change of a lens. Of course, you can also opt to use zoom lenses, which allow for a range of different focal lengths with a single lens.

Smartphones like the iPhone don't really have this luxury. True, there are iPhone add-on lenses that you can buy, but the iPhone wasn't specifically designed to interface with these lenses, so the fit and function isn't going to be anywhere near that of a lens on a standalone camera.

The kit lens that ships with the a6300 is a 16-50mm F3.5 – F5.6 with Optical SteadyShot. This lens is very compact when fully retracted, which makes it good for using while traveling. I consider the 16-50mm to be a good all purpose lens that can handle a variety of situations.

As you might expect, there are downsides to this lens, though. Soft edges when shooting at its widest angle, variable aperture when zooming…yuck…and slower startup times than what you'll see on pricier zooms or primes.

The bottom line is that having the ability to switch out lenses lends an amount of flexibility that smartphones just can't offer right now. If you're serious about shooting stills or videos, a standalone camera that can handle a wide variety of shooting scenarios is worth considering.

4K video

Yes, the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s and the 9.7″ iPad Pro can both shoot 4K video, but the bitrate used for that video isn't on par with that of the a6300.

A still from our Shure Mv5 review, shot originally in 4K with the a6300

Sony's camera can shoot 4K video (downsampled from 6k sans pixel binning) at 100Mbps, which will yield improved image fidelity over video shot with the stock Camera app on iPhone. The app that I mentioned before, FilMiC Pro, can help in this area, but there's no question that the a6300 yields better video quality when shooting in 4K.

Please note that rolling shutter (jello effect) can be a issue for this camera if you do fast pans and action shots at 4K. I shoot primarily on a tripod, so I didn't have to deal with this much at all. Still, it's something to be aware of if you're looking to do action videography.

iOS compatibility

Sony's XAVC-S 4K file format isn't recognized by iOS. This appears to be an Apple problem, as XAVC-S works perfectly fine in Final Cut Pro X on Mac. Apple periodically adds support for new cameras on the Mac, and it looks like it needs to do the same thing with the a6300 and XAVC-S on iPad.

For anyone looking to directly import and edit high quality 4K videos on the iPad, something the device was touted as excelling at, the a6300 isn't going to be that great of a fit. I tried everything I could think of to import 4K videos using Apple's Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, but alas, the imports failed each time.

EVF

The electronic viewfinder (EVF) on the Sony a6300 is downright amazing. I never understood the hype behind these things until I tried it while I was out and about while the sun was shining. The EVF provided me with a crystal clear look at the shot I was attempting to frame, and because it features an eyecup, most of the light from the sun was blocked out allowing me to focus on my image.

The a6300's EVF is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, the legendary a6000. The new viewfinder sports an XGA OLED display with 2.4 million dots. This means that the image is super sharp and clear. It's so much better than trying to frame a shot via an LCD screen in less than ideal lighting conditions, whether it be an iPhone's display or the a6300's flip out display.

Low light shooting

The a6300 isn't the low light master like the full frame A7Sii is, but it's still going to best the iPhone in this area. ISO sensitivity can reach up to 51,200 on the a6300, though it's quite noisy at that level. Still, you can reasonably ramp up to around ISO 3200, and keep noise at a respectable level.

Much on your low light shooting success will depend on other exposure settings and the shooting modes that you choose, but low light performance will obviously win on a standalone camera sporting such a large sensor, when compared to a smartphone.

Selfies

Many camera manufactures are making it easier for users to take selfies via articulating screens, but the a6300 features no such ability. True, the a6300's screen does move, but its range of motion is limited in such a way that you can't view the screen while in front of the camera. Even if you don't often take selfies, this can be a problem, as it makes it difficult to frame shots while the camera is mounted on a tripod if you're on the side or in front of the camera.

The iPhone, and smartphones in general, excel at taking selfies. Even the latest iPad does, with its upgraded front-facing shooter and its new "Retina flash".

If you're looking for a standalone Sony camera that features an articulating screen that's good for selfies, then look no further than the RX 100 IV. Though small, the Sony RX 100 is widely considered to be the best camera for YouTubers due to its compact size, selfie ability, and ridiculously good image quality.

Image stabilization

The a6300 lacks in-body image stabilization, but the kit lens offers Optical SteadyShot. If you want stabilization on the iPhone, you'll have to go with the larger iPhone 6s Plus, as the smaller model lacks optical image stabilization altogether.

The a6300 is compact enough to where it's comfortable to shoot handheld for an extended period of time. Having a lens with stabilization built in definitely helps when going handheld, and it's something you're going to want to consider when making your lens purchases.

a6300 menu system

It's no secret that Sony's in-camera menus are disliked by the majority of its users. Sony cameras have a steep learning curve as the menu layout is so convoluted and needlessly complex.

Coming from the Panasonic GH4, I felt like I was going back in time when navigating the a6300's many menus. To add insult to injury, the LCD screen isn't a touch screen, which means you have to rely on the physical buttons to traverse the menu system.

There's really no way to sugarcoat this; Sony needs to go back to the drawing board and reexamine its menu system across its entire camera lineup.

That all said, after about a week of using the a6300, I began to feel more comfortable navigating the menu system. If you can can get past the initial shock of using such a ludicrously complex system, then it might very well grow on you.

Grip and build quality

Gripping a smartphone like the iPhone can be a tough task. It's hard enough to keep the iPhone 6s from slipping out of your hand in day-to-day usage, so it's no surprise that its build can make it challenging for long photo or video shoots.

Being that it's a standalone camera, it only makes sense that the a6300 would feature an ergonomic build conducive to long handheld shooting sessions. The camera features a hearty grip that makes it easy to hold, and comes wrapped in a solid magnesium alloy body that resists dust and water.

Autofocus

As someone who primarily shoots tutorial and product videos, it's hard to get excited about autofocus, but Sony's a6300 is very good in this regard.

The iPhone and other smartphones feature similar phase detection focusing technology, (Apple calls this "Focus Pixels") but it can't compete with Sony's 425-point phase-detection system coupled with its 169-area traditional contrast detection system. Such a combination yields lightning-fast continuous focusing that's second-to-none in its class.

Conclusion

You can make some really amazing stuff with just an iPhone, but smartphones do have limits. They don't feature interchangeable lenses, they come with fixed apertures, and don't have the optical zooming capabilities that standalone cameras possess. This places limits on iPhone photography, but limits don't have to be a bad thing. Limits force us to think outside of the box, and by doing so, you can yield some truly amazing creative work in spite of the tools at your disposal.

The Sony a6300 isn't cheap at around $1,000, but it packs in some truly professional features, such as S-Log3, many of them pulled directly from the upper-echelon of Sony's offerings. If you're looking for a standalone camera that can supplement your iPhone photography, then the a6300 is a solid choice.

Source: Hands-on: Sony's a6300 mirrorless camera makes a great 4K shooting companion

Canon launches first ever lens with built-in flash

Canon has come up with a new lens that has a built-in flash functinoality for the EOS M which'd be the first mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera from the company. Canon launched this new lens on may 11.Just check around below with more info into it.

On May 11, Canon announced the EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM lens, the first macro lens in the company's EF-M lens series designed especially for the EOS M.

"The new lens features a pair of built-in miniature Macro Lite electronic flash units that illuminate close-up subjects as needed, helping to freeze movement, enhance color accuracy and provide a better sense of depth and dimension. Two curved flash units surround the front element of the lens, with the ability to illuminate both simultaneously, or one at a time," says Canon.

Users of the new lens will have the option of adjusting the brightness of the Macro Lites between "dim" and "bright" settings.

The built-in ring flash provides illumination for close-up subjects. The lens also lets users create right or left shadows using only one side of the flash. For close shots, the flash also eliminates the shadow of the lens.

The new EF-M lens also features Hybrid IS (Canon's optical image stabilization), which reduces camera shake, making handheld photography a more enjoyable experience. The stepping motor technology in the lens allows for a smooth focusing operation while taking videos. This feature enables users to capture videos in near-silence.

Canon introduced the EOS M camera series in 2012. The EOS M cameras are lightweight and easy to carry on outdoor trips.

"The biggest breakthrough of the EOS M lies in Canon's ability to contain an EOS System in a compact body, with full compatibility with new and existing EF and EF-S lenses (with adapter)," says Canon. "EOS M is by far the most accessible EOS camera providing the same level of photographic brilliance of a DSLR."

The launch of the latest lens shows Canon's focus on the EOS M camera. Hopefully, the company will launch more lenses designed for the camera, which eliminates the need for adaptors.

Canon has revealed that the new EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM will be available from authorized retailers in June this year at a price tag of $299.99.

Canon has also announced the Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash, which is compatible with the majority of EOS cameras. When using standard AA batteries, it enhances continuous flash rate by about 1.1 to 1.5 times and by up to two times when using the latest Compact Battery Pack CP-E4N.

Source: Canon launches first ever lens with built-in flash

Firmware Friday: Nikon V3 power drain issue fixed

Firmware Friday is short and sweet this week, with just one camera having been updated since our last roundup. The Nikon V3 compact system camera, flagship of the company's mirrorless camera lineup, receives its second firmware update since its launch some two years ago.

The previous v1.10 firmware update for the Nikon V3 added compatibility with the company's Camera Control Pro 2 tethering software, but the just-released v1.11 update doesn't add any new features beyond those already present in that release. (Of course, if you've not already updated to v1.10, the new v1.11 firmware will give you those new features.)

Instead, this release is about squashing a bug -- and one that's probably fairly rarely encountered, we'd imagine. Apparently, if the Nikon GP-N100 GPS unit was left attached to the camera when it was in sleep mode or powered off, the battery could continue to drain power. This is no longer the case once you've updated to the new Nikon V3 firmware version 1.11, which you can obtain here.

And that's it for this week. Be sure to check back next time for all the latest camera firmware news!

(Camera parts image courtesy of Kelly Hofer / Flickr; used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-2.0 license. Image has been modified from the original.)

Source: Firmware Friday: Nikon V3 power drain issue fixed