Yongnuo M4/3 EF camera

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

What a contraption.

https://***URL removed***/news/1929459569/the-yongnuo-yn43-is-a-micro-four-thirds-smartphone-clip-on-camera-with-canon-lens-mount

[tupp]

Reminiscent of the Olympus Air or the Sony QX, which are linked in your article along with a couple of other similar concepts from Kodak and DxO.

 

Can't understand why they decided on an EF mount for a M4/3 camera, but it seems like many camera manufacturers wear blinders when it comes to considering any lens mount other than EF.

[kye]

Interesting - it looks pretty big compared to some m43 cameras.  I guess the specs and price will tell us a lot more.

I'm not optimistic though.

9 hours ago, tupp said:

Can't understand why they decided on an EF mount for a M4/3 camera, but it seems like many camera manufacturers wear blinders when it comes to considering any lens mount other than EF.

From the article - "The choice of lens mount is likely due to the fact that Yongnuo only makes lenses for Canon and Nikon, but no Micro Four Thirds glass."

If you went super-budget and only added their version of the 50mm 1.8 then you'd have the lens in your phone (likely 28mm with comparatively deep depth-of-field) and a 100mm equivalent lens with shallow depth-of-field, which is quite a good complimentary pair of focal-lengths and apertures IMHO.

[tupp]

17 minutes ago, kye said:

From the article - "The choice of lens mount is likely due to the fact that Yongnuo only makes lenses for Canon and Nikon, but no Micro Four Thirds glass."

Yes.  I read that, but that makes even less sense than BMD and Panasonic offering only EF mounts (or longer) for their S35 cameras.  What if somebody wants to use a M4/3 lens on the Yongnuo M4/3 camera?  or, what if somebody wants to use a speed booster, tilt-shift adapter, c-mount lens, etc. on the Yongnuo M4/3 camera?

 

All they have to do to easily solve those dilemmas (and probably sell more cameras) is to start with a M4/3 mount and supply the camera with a smart, reinforced M4/3-to-EF adapter... and the camera will still take the Yongnuo lenses.

[kye]

2 minutes ago, tupp said:

Yes.  I read that, but that makes even less sense than BMD and Panasonic offering only EF mounts (or longer) for their S35 cameras.  What if somebody wants to use a M4/3 lens on the Yongnuo M4/3 camera?  or, what if somebody wants to use a speed booster, tilt-shift adapter, c-mount lens, etc. on the Yongnuo M4/3 camera?

 

All they have to do to easily solve those dilemmas (and probably sell more cameras) is to start with a M4/3 mount and supply the camera with a smart, reinforced M4/3-to-EF adapter... and the camera will still take the Yongnuo lenses.

Who knows how much thought or market research goes into these things...  or who their target market might be.  They might be planning a killer marketing campaign to address the legitimate needs of users we don't know about on a social media network we're not even on!

[tupp]

21 minutes ago, kye said:

Who knows how much thought or market research goes into these things...  or who their target market might be.

The configuration that I suggested above (with the smart, reinforced M4/3-to-EF adapter) does not preclude the clueless EF lens user market... nor does it preclude any market.  In fact, such a smart, reinforced adapter configuration allows the most versatility in regards to marketing, without any sacrifice to the EF lens market.

[IronFilm]

13 hours ago, tupp said:

 

Can't understand why they decided on an EF mount for a M4/3 camera, but it seems like many camera manufacturers wear blinders when it comes to considering any lens mount other than EF.

This. We have seen it from cameras like the URSA Mini and even bizarrely from Panasonic themselves with their EVA1!!

[sanveer]

14 hours ago, tupp said:

Reminiscent of the Olympus Air or the Sony QX, which are linked in your article along with a couple of other similar concepts from Kodak and DxO.

 

Can't understand why they decided on an EF mount for a M4/3 camera, but it seems like many camera manufacturers wear blinders when it comes to considering any lens mount other than EF.

I found the concept and this shape and of the cameras very fasinating. Unfortunately the implementation was a complete mess. 

IMHO it could have done VERY WELL if:

1. It had an IBIS version found on the Panasonic and Olympus Camera it would have been great. They could have used a floating design to reduce the load on the battery, or have quick swappable batteries. 

2. If it had a mini monitor or screen for shooting, with a semi articulating screen like on the GX85. The screen size could be tiny (>2 inches) as long as it has focus assist or some kind of focusing help. Attaching it to a smartphone was clunky and cumbersome, more so due to the disappointing transfer speeds. Also, monitoring on smartphones or using it for truly Guerilla Shoots remotely was also absent (like on the Olympus). Plus many of the apps for using it were apparently very disappointing. 

3. The Transfer of footage (photos and videos) seemed like forever. They should have had a USB-C with super fast data transfer speeds. 

4. The Servo zoom Sony version of some of the models seems great. Maybe they could have added to that. Also, like mentioned Above, shooting remotely (via Smartphone) should have been the biggest priority.

5. They should have tried building an ecosystem around it by collaborating with InstaMic and others for using this as a Guerilla filmmaking super tool, or something that could replace point and shoots. Instead of a large lens to be attached to a smartphone, which itself was pretty capable. It could also had had accessories like tiny tripods or motorised mini time-lapse setups for shooting. The list seems almost endless.  

[kye]

If this camera doesn't make sense then this camera probably isn't for you.

I don't understand why people think they're the only people in the world to design cameras for.  

In fact, why would you even think that it was designed for someone who spoke English?  The largest Chinese social network has more than half as many active users as the entire population of the US.

 

[cantsin]

It's very simple - Yongnuo already produces a whole series of EF mount lenses. Conversely, MFT is an open standard and sensors are probably either to source. So they just combine the two technologies that are most easily available to them, even if it technologically doesn't make so much sense.

Wouldn't be surprised if this camera would be sold for under $200, maybe even only $100, given Yongnuo's aggressive pricing.

[BTM_Pix]

Bizarrely enough, I have a use case for it exactly as they show it with their 14mm lens that means I might well buy it!

Or two actually !

Basically, taking a fully fledged DSLR for the goal cam shots is a waste of camera, lens and packing most of the time.

To get proper coverage you ideally need two (which hardly anyone does for obvious reasons) so a lot of the time its a bit of a lottery as to how successful the image is as you have to go very wide and crop in depending on which side the ball goes in the net etc.

They are also a right royal pain in the arse to set up as you have lie down on the (often soaking wet) pitch to set the framing and then there is the issue of getting the images off them in any sort of timely manner as you aren't allowed to access the pitch until half and full time (hence the enormously long ethernet cables you can see which lead back to the main photo positions).

All in all, they are a hassle and of course you are going to have to get lucky to get something different from everyone else but they are a necessary evil and I've tried numerous different strategies to ease the process (especially the framing issue without getting soaked) but its still a pain.

So.....

Looking at that module, it might be a bit of a godsend if its the right price.

If the camera is say £200 then the package with their 14mm lens (which will give 28mm if its MFT) would be just over £500.

So for £1000 (way less than the price of any lens you can see there!) you can cover both sides of the goal with something much, much smaller to carry round.

With it connecting to a smartphone then the framing issue is sorted because you can do it standing up.

As a smartphone is part of the deal then that means it would be eminently feasible to automatically ftp the shots wirelessly to the editing computer.

The only missing link then would be the triggering but if there is one company that know a bit about triggering remotely then its YongNuo.

If they built a triggering port in to it (which I'm guessing they could because it is likely to have a USB port) then it would cover every need that I would have for it.

Unless it does like 1fps or something stupid obviously