The Kodak S-1 (Image courtesy: ePhotozine).
Dpreview (Click here) posted the Kodak S-1 MFT camera first impression review. This is probably the strangest MFT camera to date. The camera has been made by JK Imaging Ltd (they just licensed the Kodak name). Dpreview doens’t say a lot about the camera (a part of the specs we already mentioned here months ago):
JK Imaging tells us that the Pixpro S-1 will be available in white or black, either body-only or in a twin-lens kit. Pricing is still to be confirmed, but should be very competitive with similarly-specified entry-level mirrorless cameras.
The interesting part is their hands-on with the three new MFT lenses from JK Imaging:
– The 12-45mm gives a 24-90mm equivalent angle of view. Despite having a retracting design, it’s about 63mm / 2.5″ long when packed.
– The telezoom offers an 85-320mm equivalent range, uses a near-silent internal focus mechanism. Extensive use of plastics in their construction, including the mounts. This does mean that the camera and twin-lens kit is easy to carry around all day without stressing your shoulder.
– The 400mm F6.7 is something of an oddity. It’s a simple fixed-aperture manual focus design, and focuses down to about 9m/ 30 ft. It has a rotating tripod collar, reflecting the fact that at 800mm equivalent, it’s not very practical to shoot hand-held
If the price is very low this camera could become interesting. Although nowadays you can get Panasonic and Olympus cameras for a very low price like:
[shoplink 46822 ebay]GF3 for $156 at 6ave (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 46823 ebay]E-Pl3 for $187 at 6ave (Click here)[/shoplink]
So will the Kodak be able to beat them?
51 Responses
[OFF] A square multi orientation multi aspect ratio sensor makes the portrait grip useless: you can always hold the camera in ‘landscape’ position even if you want to shot in portrait mode. The orientation could be set (together with the aspect ratio) using a switch – instead of rotating the body. Moreover, a simple tilting screen/viewfinder would be enough for all situations, no need for swivelling screen.
Don’t confuse this with classical square sensor systems. Unlike e.g. MF cameras, in our case the square multi aspect and orientation sensor should cover not just the image circle for 1:1 (square) format but also for 4:3 portrait, 4:3 landscape, 16:9 portrait and 16:9 landscape modes respectively, and won’t use all pixels simultaneously, see the illustration below (omitted the 4:3 modes for simplicity).
(Considering the major importance I will post this in every upcoming threads from now on. Hope both our admin and you, guys will forgive me for this kind of ‘harassment’ being a small price paid for making this killer feature as standard for future M43 bodies.)
why is this important?
Do you really like to rotate the camera body when shooting portrait (and to struggle reading the on-screen exposure parameters rotated by 90°)?
I don’t struggle with reading and I am not sure if MAR is a proper response for illiteracy.
So, you – again – rather prefer rotating the camera body in portrait mode than having a multi orientation sensor. Ok, understand.
This is basically useless unless the screens and EVFs all become massive and square also.
I don’t want to take portrait photos in landscape orientation on my GX7. The viewing image would be tiny.
You probably prefer GX7 because
1. your nose would come up against LCD if the viewfinder was centered. But I’m worrying what happens to your nose when you shot in portrait mode.
2. of tilting EVF. But this feature (as much as tilting LCD) is useless when rotating the camera.
It’s really not hard. Or a struggle. Or even inconvenient.
First, I think it’s faster to rotate the camera than to press a button for that. Second, it’s cheaper and easier to use the orientation sensor to rotate the shown parameters on the screen when you rotate the camera (as it is implemented on mobile phones).
For me the multi aspect ratio would be much more prefered than shooting portrait without rotating…
bigger sensot => more expensive cameras….
not sure I want that as a standard in most MFT
Well, you wouldn’t prefer conventional MAR sensors as they also involve additional costs, would you?
BTW I’d be happy to have this feature just in premium bodies (GX7, GH4 etc.) but it would be pity to don’t have them at all.
I understand that people who’ve had multi aspect in other cameras seem to enjoy the feature, but to me it seems like a solution lacking a problem. Rotating the camera 90 degrees is the simplest, most intuitive, and economical solution I can think of.
I also doubt that this would save many people the expense of buying a protrait grip… because those types of photographers would probably still want one for the extended battery life.
I don’t mind you posting this in future threads. I don’t believe it will make one shred of difference – but it is still more productive than many of the comments here 🙂
If you was right and rotating the camera was be the simplest and most confortable solution why professional cameras would implement such complicated things as placing second shutter button and some other items on portrait grips, insted of using the original items?
On the other hands I think future cameras will have much more battery life than current ones anyway, just think about mobile phone evolution.
What do you mean ‘if’? I was right 🙂
Turning the camera 90 degrees is the simplest and most economical way to switch from landscape to portrait for most users – people who would probably not want to pay the added expense for multiaspect or square sensor.
For pros or those who do a lot of portrait and studio work, there is already a wonderful solution – a portrait grip that has a conveniently placed second shutter button + the benefit of extra battery life.
Sure cameras of the future may/should have better battery life – but whatever that is – an accessory grip will give that, + more.
‘simplest and most economical way’ to make photos is to buy this Kodak S1. Why would you prefer more sophisticated cameras like GX7, E–M1, GH4? 😛
Multi aspect without storing all the pixels only sounds a little bit useful to me, not very valuable. On the other hand, I could really see the appeal of using a square sensor and storing _all_ the pixels in a raw file so you could re-crop later. That way you keep the micro 43 sized smaller lenses, but get a little more room to crop into different kinds of shots in post. (Then if it could store stills like this while also shooting video, that could be another plus, because I always want the camera in landscape orientation when shooting video…)
You know Panasonic already released a camera with this type of sensor, right? The GH2. (and the GH1)
Please stop. You will do nothing but piss off people and make no change at Panasonic and Olympus.
I rotate all the time when I need to and its hardly a problem, even without any grip on my GH2. In fact, not a problem at all. Any half decent tripod head can be tilted to vertical position. Again not a problem. This solution you present is not as important as you claim it is. Overkill, as far as I am concerned.
Pretty decent image quality, if the price is also good, completion is welcomed.
WHY????
where are f/0.95 or f/1 (i dont remember) sakar/kodak lens announced before?
I wonder where they are too, hope they’re coming soon…
GF3 and E-PL3 have old sensor. No comparison to Kodak, sorry.
I kind of want that 400 lens. Even though the quality is probably low, I wouldn’t mind a very inexpensive way to zoom in so ridiculously far. Will I go to hell for attaching it to my GH4?
Seems the S1 does not totally disgrace the Kodak name. And if it had a viewfinder, it might even be a serious entry-level MFT camera.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the camera, if it will be priced at 500$ is a winner!
The image quality is pretty decent, even at high ISO.
I feel like it may need to be around $400 simply because Oly still has a bajillion E-PM2’s going for $249 or less new right now. This Kodak is basically that with a swivel touchscreen.
I think $300 is a good bargain, it got wifi and swivel screen that e-pm2 lacks
We shall see…I expect the price to be low, and after one year very low. Those Chinese companies want to sell, I’m sure the price will be low.
Indications is it will be selling on sale for under $400! 😀
More companies in M43 is great news! Hope they do well. I just hope Oly & Pana don’t get distracted and spend too much recourses trying to compete with this new company and the bottom end $ of the market.
With both Panasonic and Olympus courting the high end, a new player focused on the entry level market is good for the ecosystem. This model may not be of interest to me or many here, but it is still potentially good news for the system if offers decent image quality and performance, thus expanding the M43 community.
Yes, it is really really sad to read about Panasonic dropping the GF and G range! 🙁 🙁
Without newbies joining Micro Four Thirds the system has no future!
The G range had no future. It was to expensive in comparison to any other entry level DSLR.
Maybe the GF series will be replaced by GM series (the new ultra small line).
I think Panasonic knows what they are doing…
There is nothing which matched the Panasonic G6 for value for money when it was launched. Except the older GH2, or now perhaps the Sony A6000.
So the current G series held their own, but the icing is on the cake when you look back a generation or two. A G5 or a G3 is a vastly more attractive value proposition than anything from Nikon or Canon!
G6 was and is very expensive compered to Nikon D3100 or Canon equivalent. I’m not saying is no good, hech I use one for video work with my other GH3’s, but the lunching price was very high, definitely no entry level.
I also think the G and GF series are replaced by FZ100 and LX8 cameras. I’m intrigued by the quality of FZ1000. It is almost as good as G6.
You are comparing it to completely the wrong camera.
A Nikon D3100 is an old generation from the bottom end of Nikon. Be fairer to compare a GF or older G with it.
Instead compare a G6 with a Nikon D5300 or Canon 700D. Panasonic is then a very attractive choice! (especially when compared next to the puny Canon, I’d always go for the G6 over that)
I see you point, but the vast majority of the people still buy the Canon and Nikon’s.
I pray for a G7 with 4K to complement our prerecord Gh4’s…but what else can I say. I tray to be realistic.
A nikon 3100 still vomits on anything nano four turds… Vastly LOL
Wouldn’t ever use a Nikon D3100 to film with if I had a Panasonic G6 at hand instead!
Vastly? Don’t drink and type, it can harm your health
You can already get a 300mm reflex for $199 from B&H.
At $1,080 Hong Kong dollars this 400mm is going to be even cheaper!!
ANOTHER WINNER FROM KODAK!! THEY RULE!!! EAT IT OLY/PANA!!!!
this is the expected price in Hong Kong Dollar
http://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=547&t=3322364&m=f&last=43249696
Don’t drink and type, it can harm your health
http://ict3.com/
had no future. It was to expensive in comparison to any other entry
http://ict3.com/canteral-telephone
series held their own, but the icing is on the cake
http://epanasonic.net/