After nearly 3 years, Canon has announced a 70D replacement in the new Canon 80D. With an upgraded 24MP dual pixel sensor, 1080p video at 60fps, and a new focus system sporting 45 all cross type points, Canon has moved the 80D further up their ladder. With built in Wi-Fi and now NFC, time lapse, and creative filter options, Canon is also stressing the importance of shooting, sharing, and processing in camera. With availability starting in Mid April, the Canon 80D is available for preorder starting today. Check out the preorder options below and hop past the break for more information and my personal opinions. 

Preorder today:
Canon 80D Body Only $1199:  B&H Photo   |   Adorama  
Canon 80D w/18-55mm Lens $1349:  B&H Photo   |   Adorama  

Sony has in 1 swoop delivered 3 new FE lenses and probably the most valuable ones to date. We have a 24-70 f2.8 OSS, 70-200 f2.8 OSS, and an 85mm f1.4. All these lenses are apart of a new range of Sony G Master lenses (GM) and feature higher resolution power as well as softer transitions in bokeh. We had the opportunity to use all three lenses today so stay tuned for the full hands on as well as sample images. The Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM will be available in March for $2200 while the 85mm F1.4 GM also available in march will be priced at $1800. The 70-200mm F2.8 GE will arrive in May with an unknown price and will be introduced alongside a 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverter giving Sony some much needed options for longer focal lengths.

Preorder Today
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM :  B&H Photo   |   Adorama  
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM: B&H Photo   |    Adorama  
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM:  B&H Photo

Sony has just announced their newest mirrorless camera and we were hands on to see it. The camera sports a 24MP camera capable of 11fps, 425 phase detection autofocus points, 169 contrast detection points, and 4k video at 30fps. Check back past the break for all the details and stay tuned for our hands on! Availability will begin in Feb with a list price of $999

Preorder today:
B&H Photo    

Canon has just announced the Canon 1DX Mark II with a stunning spec list. With 2 Digic 6 processors, the new 20MP sensor which promises better dynamic range is now capable of 14fps with AE and AF or 16fps in live view. ISO sensitivity has also been improved ranging from 50-409600 with a similar 61point AF system sporting 41 cross type points. However, some of the biggest surprises come from the video side where we now have 4k at up to 60fps and 1080p at 120fps with the ability to record to Cfast 2 cards or to an external recorder. In addition, the dual pixel AF system which brought unbelievable live view and video autofocus to the Canon 70D and 7D Mark II has now made its first appearance in a full frame camera. Check back for updates as more information comes in. 

Pre-order the Canon 1DX Mark II - $5,999
B&H Photo  |   Adorama  

After much speculation, the new Olympus Pen F has just arrived...though with some inflation unfortunately. With a new 20MP sensor, faster processor enabling 10fps with a mechanical shutter, and improved AF performance via the 81 point contrast detect focus system. Unfortunately, the rest is fairly standard (but still good) affair with a 3" articulating touch screen, 1/8000 mechanical shutter, 1080p video up to 60fps, 5 axis in camera image stabilization, and built in wifi. Unfortunately this new setup costs a high $1,199 (body only) when it goes on sale March 15th which seems a bit high for a micro 4/3 camera and lacking some more impressive features we expect for high end systems. That said, specs aren't everything and Olympus may have something special with the Pen F's stunning retro design. 

You can preorder the Olympus Pen F today:
Olympus Pen F:   B&H  |  Adorama

Well after 8 long years, Nikon D300 owners finally have the update they dreamed of in the new Nikon D500. This new pro level DX body boasts robust build quality with a body style more along the lines of the Nikon D810 than the cheaper cameras leading to that pro end feel. Spec wise you now have a 20.9MP sensor, 153 point AF system (same as the new Nikon D5), and the new EXPEED 5 processor allowing up to 10fps for 79 uncompressed RAW frames. 

The D500 is available for preorder at: B&H Photo  |  Adorama  

Check past the break for more information and updates!

The Nikon D5 has officially been announced with availability beginning in March. The new D5 is being offered in two versions with either 2 CF card slots or 2 XQD type slots. The resolution has been upped to 20.82MP with continuous shooting of up to 200 frames (14 Bit Raw) at up to 12fps with AF tracking. 
You can preorder the Nikon D5 today: B&H Photo  |  Adorama  
Stay tuned for further updates and view the full specs after the break:

It's the end of the year so let's take a minute to reflect on the stories you clicked on the most. It may have been an incremental year for many camera manufactures but there were a few headturners got us interested. So these are the top 5 articles from 2015.

5. DJI Osmo 

The Sony A7SII is finally here and I will begin to put it through it's paces. But that doesn't mean you have to wait for the full review to get my thoughts, sample footage, and to get your questions answered. Head over to our Facebook page at facebook.com/learningcameras and follow us for all the details and to ask your questions. 

You can purchase the Sony A7sII on September 17th at: B&H Photo |  Amazon 

You can also follow me on:
Youtube, Twitter, & Instagram @learningcameras

Sigma has just announced the Sigma 20mm F/1.4 Art Lens which is officially the widest focal length f1.4 prime lens available. This lens brings the quality we have enjoyed from Sigma's Art collection to another focal length. Availability is set for mid November at $899. Check out all the details of this new lens after the break and you can preorder this lens today.

Pre-order Sigma 20mm F/1.4 Art:  B&H Photo | Adorama 

Dji has just introduced a brand new 3 axis handheld stabilizer featuring a build in 4k video camera with 12MP stills. An app for your mobile phone allows for control as well as timelapse, panoramic, and long exposure functionality. While the Osmo comes with a smaller 1/2" camera system, this powerful camera allows UHD recording at up to 30p and HD recording at 120P for slow motion work. For those who crave even better quality, both the DJI X5 and the X5R are fully compatible with the Osmo and offer a larger Micro 4/3 recorder. Check out more information as well as a demo video past the break.

Preorder today at B&H: DJI Osmo  

Sony has announced that the new Sony a7SII will ship capable of 14 bit RAW in October with firmware updates on the way starting with the Sony a7RII and other cameras shortly after. This is great news as this was an unfortunately limitation I noted in the Sony a7RII Review and something we should have in a professional camera system. While this will likely mean larger file sizes and will be an un-noticeable change for most people, it is great to see Sony responding to their customers demanding the best from their cameras. More details past the break.