1.Tokyo is a City of Photography
For photographers, Tokyo is the most enticing city in the world. It has photography museums and galleries both large and small, and when it comes to obtaining gear, everything from major electronics retail stores to specialty stores sure to satisfy even the most obsessive among us.
Japan has world-class camera manufacturers like Canon and Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax that have stood the test of time. More recently, companies like Sony, Panasonic, and Fujifilm have been introducing fantastic products to the market.
The idiosyncratic products of lens makers such as Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina are also readily available at major electronics stores. Tokyo is heaven for camera enthusiasts.
That goes for many foreign visitors as well—I hear that many waste no time purchasing Japanese made cameras and lenses after their arrival. I often see them out and about, exploring with their new cameras held close to their bodies.
When it comes to design, many of these products don’t hold a candle to their overseas counterparts. But in terms of quality and price, Japan has manufacturers that make great camera-related products.
Tripods? Slik and Velbon. Filters? Kenko and Marumi. Lighting? Comet and LPL. Camera bags? Hakuba and Etsumi. And these are just the better-known ones.
Japanese camera products are not just geared for Japanese “cameramen"—they have something to offer for all photographers. Try them out if you get the chance.
2.Nikon
There are many “cameramen" out there who have been Nikon users since the film days. The brand has earned their trust, partly because for so long it has used the same lens mount on its cameras (the mechanical/electrical interface between the body of the camera and a lens). Nikon lenses are also known for their depth of color and ability to beautifully capture colors in underexposed areas. For that reason, they particularly excel at capturing landscapes. They are also known for their durability: the company provided cameras to NASA for the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. And photographers can count on them to reproduce images that capture color as closely as possible to what they see with their own eyes.
●Nikon full-size mirrorless DSLR picks
●Z7
The high-resolution Z7 is Nikon’s newest flagship model. It can perhaps be characterized as the mirrorless version of its high-end high-performance model D850. (It’s more compact than the D850, and lighter.) The in-body image stabilization is a big plus.
●Z6
The Z6 is the Z7’s little brother—a midrange model with a lower pixel count, but similar or comparable specs in almost every other way. More important, it is considerably more affordable than the Z7.
●Nikon DSLR pick
●D850
The D850 is equipped with the latest and greatest Nikon technology, and in a sense represents the DSLR at its most fully realized. It is a new classic that will satisfy even the most seasoned pros and advanced enthusiasts.
●Nikon compact camera/entry-level picks
●COOLPIX P1000
The 24-3000mm superzoom lens on this digital bridge camera (it has one fixed lens) is a beast. The compact 1/2.3-inch sensor captures beautiful images for its size—although the “compact" label raises eyebrows when you consider the bulkiness and weight of the camera as a whole.
●D3400
This entry-level model is recommended for those looking to set down their smartphones and pick up something more advanced. It has all the basic features you need to take beautiful photos—and nothing more. In other words, it is not built for customization, or users who hope to unlock and tap into more advanced features down the line. Much like a smartphone, it has the ability to process and retouch photos in-camera, and transfer data to your smartphone using bluetooth.
●Nikkor lens picks
●Z-mount
The Z7 and Z6 use a new interchangeable lens mount with a wide inner diameter of 55 mm. The flange focal distance (the distance between the edge of the lens and the sensor) is currently the shortest among existing makers, and Nikon says that will allow it more freedom in developing lenses moving forward. Using the separately sold FTZ mount adapter will allow users to affix (electronic) F-mount lenses to the Z series.
●F-mount
The F-mount is a symbol of the brand that has been used in its cameras for almost 60 years. By sticking with the F-mount on its products, it has allowed users to use the same lenses on each new Nikon camera upgrade—making the brand one of the most trusted in the industry.
3.Canon
Canon is famous not only for its cameras but also for its printers. For that reason, printed photos taken using a Canon camera are very vividly colored. And while Nikon cameras are fantastic at shooting landscapes, Canon cameras are wonderful at shooting human subjects. Look over at the photographer(s) at any wedding, event, or sports match, and you’ll see that most, if not all of them, are using Canon cameras. Surely, many enthusiasts will admit that they were drawn to the distinctive white design of the brand’s telephoto lenses.
●Canon full-size mirrorless DSLR pick
●EOS R
Fans of Canon’s EOS DSLR series have waited with baited breath for this mirrorless camera, which packs the high-functionality of Canon cameras into a lightweight body. The great vari-angle touchscreen LCD can be adjusted freely. Unfortunately, the camera lacks built-in image stabilization.
●Canon DSLR pick
●EOS-1D X Mark II
This is Canon’s flagship DSLR, and arguably the best camera for professionals shooting sports events and other situations that involve a lot of movement.
●Canon compact camera/entry-level picks
●EOS Kiss M
This mid-range model is geared toward smartphone users that have started feeling the limitations of the camera on their digital companions and are serious about learning photography. The simple interface and fantastic auto-mode make this a breeze to use.
●EOS M100
This is another one of Canon’s entry-level models geared toward smartphone users. It is the lightest and most compact of the brand’s interchangeable lens cameras. The LCD screen can be tilted 180 degrees—perfect if you’re the kind of person that likes taking selfies.
●Canon lens picks
●RF-mount
The EOS R uses the new RF lens mount. The inner diameter is 54 mm (the same as Canon’s standard EF-mount), and a flange focal distance of 20 mm (the EF-mount is 44 mm). It’ll be interesting to see what this means for Canon lenses moving forward.
●EF-mount
The EF-mount has been the standard lens mount on Canon cameras since 1987. It has an inner diameter of 54 mm.
4.Sony
If you’re looking the latest and greatest features and the most advanced tech, Sony cameras are a very appealing option. Their α (Alpha) camera brand is said to have changed the industry landscape when it introduced the world’s first auto-focus equipped camera. In terms of compactness, lightness, and speed, Sony cameras are in a class of their own.
●Sony full-size mirrorless DSLR picks
●α9
The α9 is equipped with a new sensor developed using the latest Sony technology, and can shoot a maximum of 20 fps continuous shooting, all the while staying completely silent. For that reason, this high-end model is intended for shooting sports events and animals—situations that call for that kind of blazing speed and silence. Compared to other cameras meant for similar purposes, it is incredibly small and light. However, the camera becomes difficult to grip when a large lens is affixed (the separately sold battery grip is a must).
●α7 III
Theα7 III is a new standard for mirrorless DSLRs, equipped with a well-balanced set of superior Sony features: speed, AF accuracy, a wide dynamic range (the range of tones in an image, from darkest to lightest), and wonderful video.
●Sony compact camera/entry-level picks
●α6300
The speed and accuracy of the auto-focus on this compact, lightweight camera holds its own against standard DSLRs. The 4K video functionality is superb. One drawback is the non-touch LCD screen.
●RX100M6
This camera is fitted with a 24-200mm zoom lens, but is small enough to fit in your pocket (the drawback is that the lens is slow, and does not handle low-light environments too well). Nonetheless this is a fantastic travel camera. And the nifty retractable electronic viewfinder is just one push away.
●Sony lens picks
●E-mount
This is the lens mount used on Sony’s mirrorless DSLRs. The inner diameter is 46.1 mm, and the flange focal distance is 18mm
●A-mount
The A-mount was originally developed by Konica Minolta for its cameras. Sony, which bought the SLR camera division from Konica Minolta, now uses the system for its DSLRs. The flange focal distance is 44.5 mm.
5.The battle of the mirrorless DSLRs
As smartphone camera technology has evolved, the market for digital cameras—which have long enjoyed massive popularity here in Japan—has gotten smaller and smaller. In response to this trend, camera manufacturers have stepped up the development of mirrorless DSLRs over the past decade.
Mirrorless DSLRs are digital single-lens reflex cameras that do not contain a mirror—a reflective surface used to project the light coming into the camera up toward the viewfinder. The viewfinder is the little rectangular window on top of the camera’s body that the user looks through to compose pictures. (In this sense, disposable cameras, digital cameras, and smartphone cameras are also “mirrorless", but the term is used to refer to mirrorless DSLRs.)
The lack of a mirror means that the body of the camera can be designed to be more compact and lightweight. And instead of a viewfinder, the light that comes into the camera is rendered digitally on an LCD screen on the back of the camera. (More advanced and recent models are equipped with an electronic viewfinder, which consists of a small LCD screen behind that little rectangular window on top of the camera.)
Mirrorless DSLR cameras can be roughly divided into two classes. One is the entry-level class, which appeals to users who have begun to notice the limits of their smartphone camera. Entry-level cameras are also extremely popular among female consumers who see cameras as a fashionable accessory, and young mothers and fathers with that irrepressible urge to capture every waking moment of their small children.
On the other end of the spectrum are the high-end models. High-end cameras are marketed towards professional photographers and advanced enthusiasts that own DSLRs but are looking for a backup camera or something more compact to carry around with them regularly. They are also an attractive option for those who are serious about getting into photography but lacked the wherewithal to buy professional-grade equipment.
The market for high-end cameras has expanded greatly over the past few years due to advances in technology. Many manufacturers have recently released new models, and the competition is reaching a fever pitch.
In spring 2017, reigning mirrorless king Sony released the α9, which was equipped with a new sensor technology. As if to respond to the challenge, Nikon released the Z7 (the body retails for around 440,000 yen) and Z6 (around 270,000 yen) in autumn 2018. Then Canon released the EOS R (237,500 yen), its first mirrorless camera to come equipped with a full-size image sensor. Each camera packs their respective manufacturer’s best technology into a compact, lightweight body, meaning absolute agony for consumers trying to decide which camera to buy.
Nikon and Canon have also introduced new lens mounts on their new mirrorless DSLRs. The idea is that the new mounts give them more freedom moving forward in developing new lenses, but from the user’s perspective, this means a new set of lenses to consider. (Of course, it’s not just for show—the new lenses are equipped with the latest technology.) What’s more, as these products were only introduced last year, the range of available lenses remains limited. In 2019 it will be interesting to see what new lenses arrive, and how these three companies battle it out.
Other manufacturers like Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, and Fujifilm are also introducing one new mirrorless DSLR after the other. (I will cover these companies in more detail next time.) For those looking to take up photography, Japan has an overwhelming selection of high quality cameras and lenses to choose from.
The advent of the iPhone and advances in smartphone technology have changed our lives in a major way. In Japan, the iPhone 3G went on sale on July 11th, 2008. That means that 2018 marked 10 years since the iPhone was introduced to Japanese audiences. It feels like no coincidence that 2018 marked a major escalation in these mirrorless DSLR wars.
