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Photokina 2016: What to Expect

Photokina 2016 kicks off on Monday. Here's what we know for sure, and what rumors are swirling before the show.

 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

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Photokina, the large, semi-annual European camera show, kicks off in Cologne, Germany, with press conferences on Monday. PCMag will be on the ground covering the show, but there have already been a few announcements for products that will make their public debuts at the show. Here's what we know is coming for sure, and what the rumor mill.

Early Announcements
Canon kicked things off with its newest mirrorless camera, the EOS M5. It promises to deliver faster autofocus than previous entries in the M series, and includes a built-in EVF and Wi-Fi. Canon also announced a couple of new lenses: a long zoom design for the M system and a full-frame telezoom.

Canon EOS M5

Canon had a huge slate at Photokina 2014, including an update to its flagship APS-C SLR, the EOS 7D Mark II, but it looks like it'll be a comparatively quiet show for the popular camera maker this go-round. Its most popular pro body, the 5D, got an update in the form of the 5D Mark IV last month. I don't expect to see any additional announcements at the show.

Zeiss Loxia 2.4/85

Zeiss announced a few new lenses in its Milvus family last week, and has followed that up with an addition to its Loxia family of manual focus lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras. The Loxia 2.4/85 is a short telephoto design, with an ideal aperture and focal length for portraiture. Its all-metal construction gives it a classic feel, and its Sonnar optical is sure to draw pleasing images. It will ship in December and is priced at $1,399.

Leica M-P Titanium

Leica also made a couple of early announcements, but unlike Canon I wouldn't be surprised to see the German company unveil a few additional products on its home turf. The first came earlier this week, a limited edition version of the M-P (Typ 240) with titanium top and bottom plates and matching Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH. and APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH. lenses. It's limited to 333 pieces and will be sold exclusively at Leica retail stores and boutiques. There's no word on pricing, but given the cost of non-limited editions of the camera and lenses, you can be sure it'll be expensive.

Leica Sofort

But if you want a Leica you can afford, take a look at the Sofort. It's a new instant camera that uses the Fujifilm Instax Mini film format. It's priced at $300, more expensive than a similar model from Fuji like the Instax Mini 90 ($149), but its design is quite stylish. It can use Fuji's film, but Leica is also going to sell its own branded Instax Mini film in color or black and white. The Leica film will have a cream colored border rather than a white one.

Medium (Format) Rumors
The boldest and most touted rumor preceding the show is that Fujifilm is set to release a mirrorless medium format camera. Rumors of medium format mirrorless have swirled before—at Photokina 2014 many expected Sony to dip its toes into that space. But an actual product has materizlied this year, the Hasselblad X1D. It would make a lot of sense for Fujifilm to release a similar camera at a lower price point, and likely one that supports the same lens system. Fuji's lens subsidiary, Fujinon, manufactures medium format lenses for Hasselblad, including those for the X1D.

Will the rumored camera actually become a real thing? It wouldn't shock me if it does materialize. We'll know for sure on Tuesday.

All is quiet on the Sony rumor front. Interestingly, there was a lot of buzz about a Sony mirrorless medium format camera coming at Photokina 2014, but it didn't materialize. The company has worked to seal product news leaks over the past few years, so we'll just have to wait until the press conference on Monday, but it would certainly be something if Sony and Fujifilm entered that space in the same show.

Other camera makers unveiling new products on press day include Nikon, Olympus, and Panasonic. Ricoh Pentax doesn't have a press conference scheduled, but we'll keep an eye out for announcements. Check back here to see what new gear arrives at the show!

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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