Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half We'll be honest - the past year has been pretty rough. It's hard to find much good news out there, and it seems like the world is more divided than ever.
With so much uncertainty in so many areas of our lives, it's important to hold on firmly to the important things. Friends, family, lifebelts, and amusing-looking 19th century cameras (snigger snigger) but most of all, traditions.
Here at DPReview we take tradition seriously. Every new years eve, Rishi drinks a pint of beer*. Every Easter, Carey gets a haircut. And every February, at CP+, we post a gallery of things we found at the show which have been cut in half.
So dim the lights, put on some Enya and settle in, because it's that time again.
* Most of a pint of beer.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
First up is the recently announced Pentax KP, a weather-sealed 24MP APS-C DSLR which features a lot of the same technology as the full-frame K-1. We know what you're thinking - this KP might have its innards exposed for all the world to see, but it hasn't been cut in half! How am I supposed to trust DPReview? It hasn't been the same since Phil left! Where is the Leica M9 review???
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Not so fast. Don't worry - we know what you came here to see, and we would never disappoint you (unless you really are still waiting for the M9 review, in which case we're definitely going to disappoint you).
Here's a KP without any weather sealing at all, because it's been cut in half. It's positively begging for dust and moisture incursion.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Also distinctly vulnerable to the elements is this Canon EF Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM. A regular on the 'things that have been cut in half', trade show circuit, Canon seems to really enjoy taking these 200-400mm lenses apart and showing off their insides.
We're starting to worry, to be honest.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
It's just gratuitous, at this point.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
We have to admit though, when it comes to showing off lens components, Canon does a good job. These are aspherical lenses, from (L-R) the company's 14mm F2. 8 II, 85mm F1. 2 II, 17-40mm F4, 16-35mm F2. 8 II (last generation) and EF-S 15-55mm F2. 8, respectively.
We were hoping to see the new 16-35mm F2. 8 III represented in this display, but no such luck. If you really want to see an impressive aspherical element though, check out the 10-24mm F4, on display at CP+ 2015.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
The 16-35mm F2. 8 III might have been missing from Canon's aspherical mushroom farm, but Canon didn't let us down - here it is, in another display case, with all of its many elements on show. This latest version of the 16-35mm is favorite of landscape photographers and a stellar performer, outperforming its predecessors in every respect.
Good luck getting nice-looking sunstars out of this one, though. It's been cut in half.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Tamron's new 70-200mm F2. 8 'G2' has been completely redesigned, with a new optical design consisting of 23 elements in 17 groups. These include extra low dispersion and low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations. Stabilization has been improved too, and now offers up to five stops of compensation.
This lens is 50% lighter than shipping samples, so in theory, it should be even more hand-holdable.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Not to be outdone, Nikon is showing off a another high-tech, multi-element 70-200mm of its own - the new, and very nice 70-200mm F2. 8E.
We've been impressed by the performance of this new telezoom, both optically and in terms of image stabilization, but we won't be getting on the waiting list for this 100th anniversary special addition. It looks like Nikon got a bit carried away with the weight-saving.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Speaking of lightweight, Panasonic's DC GH5 is a modestly-sized powerhouse, combining an advanced video feature set with impressive speed, resolution and autofocus performance for stills photography. We're currently working on an in-depth review but we're glad that Panasonic didn't send us this one. It seems to have exploded.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Voigtlander really outdid itself this year, when it came to things that had been cut in half. Here's the Nokton F1. 1 for Leica M mount. Normally a useful lens for extreme low light imaging on film and digital rangefinders, we'd recommend passing on this one if you see it on Ebay.
It's decentered.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Another Voigtlander - the 10mm F5. 6 Heliar Ultra-Wide. The second native E-Mount lens made by Voigtlander and at the time of its release, the widest rectilinear lens ever produced, this one has been put together using even more aspherical elements than normal.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Another 15mm, this is the LAOWA 15mm F4 Wide Angle 1:1 Macro - an impressive, inexpensive but undeniably niche optic, we'd describe this lens's internal construction as 'industrial'. Or 'industrial accident', in the case of this example, which has been partly - but not entirely - cut in half.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
Sony can always be relied upon for some high-quality tradeshow bisection, and this year was no different. It's easy to forget that despite its size and form-factor, the SLT-A99 II does not contain a pentaprism, and seeing it cut in half (here with a 24-70mm F2. 8 attached) reveals a surprising amount of empty space above the fixed mirror.
Admittedly, this one has 50% as much empty space inside it as a regular A99 II, because as you can see, it has been cut in half.
Things we found at CP+ 2017 which had been cut in half
That's it for another year - thanks for reading, and we hope you've enjoyed our show content from CP+. It's time for lunch. Or breakfast. Quite honestly we're still a bit confused about what timezone we're in.
Until next time - keep it demi.
. dpreview.com2017-2-27 16:17