In October 2018, French startup Pixii announced its first product, the Pixii camera. The original Pixii camera was a digital rangefinder with an M-mount. The aluminum body eschewed a back display and included an electronic viewfinder.
The camera included a small OLED info display on top and a small number of buttons. The 12MP digital rangefinder eventually went on sale in July 2020 for just over $3,000. Pixii has now announced an updated version of its APS-C digital rangefinder Pixii camera, sporting a new 26MP image sensor, new viewfinder, USB-C support and more.
Perhaps the biggest change in the new Pixii camera is its image sensor. The new 26MP backside-illuminated APS-C image sensor is a big step up in terms of megapixel count compared to its 12MP predecessor. Pixii states that the sensor has up to 51Ke- full well capacity (FWC) and read noise as low as 0. 83e-. The FWC equates to about 14 stops of dynamic range. Pixii writes, 'The new pixel design features an ultra-low noise floor, for a cleaner signal in underexposed areas. Its extended full-well capacity pushes dynamic range to a whole new level. ' The sensor also features an extended ISO range. The original Pixii camera's ISO range was 200-6400. The new sensor's native ISO range is 160-12,800, and it has a +36dB gain range.
The new Pixii camera includes a new 26MP APS-C BSI CMOS image sensor
The new interactive viewfinder 'integrates a miniature display that projects key information directly into its optical viewfinder. ' Unlike other rangefinder cameras, the new Pixii lets photographers view and interact with all camera settings like exposure speed, compensation or white balance without needing to look away from the viewfinder. You can change which settings indicator to display by rotating the menu wheel on the camera. The rangefinder assembly incorporates four distinct optical paths, and the wide view includes frame lines and a traditional rangefinder patch in the center. The viewfinder has 0. 67x magnification, like the original Pixii camera. There are selectable frame lines for 28, 35, 40 and 50mm focal lengths.
Another upgrade comes in the form of USB-C connectivity. The USB-C connector allows for faster charging and a more accurate battery gauge. The camera has up to 25Wh charging capacity. Standard memory has been upgraded from 4GB to 8GB in the new Pixii camera. There are add-on memory upgrade options ranging from 32GB to 128GB. The 128GB storage option can hold more than 3,650 DNG files. Speaking of file types, the camera adds GPR format support, allowing photographers to compress DNG files at a higher ratio while preserving full RAW editing latitude. GPR works with most photo editing solutions, per Pixii, including Adobe Lightroom.
Looking at additional features, the Pixii camera has LUT-based color profiles, a monochrome mode for 16-bit single-plane monochrome DNG files, an electronic shutter with speeds up to 1/32,000s, native iOS and Android support and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity and more. To learn more about the new Pixii camera, click here.
'We listened to photographers using the camera and we addressed their feedback with this new model,' says David Barth, founder of Pixii. 'Crucially, we also engineered the upgrade path to let A1112 model owners upgrade their camera to the new sensor. ' Regarding upgrade path details, it's not immediately clear how this will work. Still, it appears that Pixii has a solution for customers who purchased the original 12MP Pixii camera in 2020 or 2021 and would like the new 26MP image sensor.
The new Pixii camera will be available for preorder starting on September 30. The camera starts at $2,999 (2999 euros). The 32GB version will be available for around 3240 euros, 64GB for 3380 euros and the 128GB version for 3540 euros. US pricing for the models with upgraded storage has not been announced. Orders are expected to begin shipping on October 11.
. dpreview.com2021-9-28 19:48
