2022 turned out to be as tormenting a year as 2021. The Covid pandemic was a still unfolding saga, impacting all segments of the world economy. Add to that supply chain issues, especially with regard to chips, and the picture is complete.
In spite of all the negative factors, 2021 saw the launch of:
• 21 new cameras overall
• 1 new D-SLR (from Pentax)
• I new compact camera (from Ricoh )
• 2 medium format cameras
• 5 full frame mirrorless cameras
• 4 APS-C mirrorless cameras
• 2 Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras
New lenses were launched at a feverish pace. Nearly 70 new lenses were announced in the mirrorless space. On the other hand, 60 D-SLR lenses were discontinued.
Sony said ‘goodbye’ to Minolta’s Alpha mount and Canon announced that there would be no new D-SLRs from their stable. Meanwhile, the Minolta brand has been relaunched in the US through a licensing arrangement with Elite Brands Inc. Finally, OM Digital sprung a pleasant surprise by announcing the brand new OM-1. As usual, the SP Awards are awarded only to products that have been reviewed by the magazine and we are grateful to manufacturers for reaching out to us in difficult times. As in the previous year, the jury team was limited to the editorial team in view of the limitations posed by the pandemic.
ACCESSORY OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Sennheiser MKE400
This camera mounted shotgun microphone offers a clean sound pickup with a super cardioid pick-up pattern and simple noise cut off options.
PHOTOGRAPHY MONITOR OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Asus ProArt PA279CV
If your photography predominantly involves rendering for the web such as stock photography, this is certainly a great monitor to consider.
STORAGE SOLUTION OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Kingston XS2000 External SSD
Slightly larger than a flash drive, this external SSD is available in up to 2TB capacity and offers blazing fast data transfer and carries an IP55 rating.
BEST CAMERA IN A BUDGET SMARTPHONE
and the winner is…
Realme 8 Pro
This under 20k smartphone exceeds the expectations with a capable camera and impressive performance.
BEST CAMERA IN A MID PRICED SMARTPHONE
and the winner is…
OnePlus 9
Brilliant performance and excellent cameras make this device a winner among the devices we got to evaluate in 2021-22.
BEST CAMERA IN A PREMIUM SMARTPHONE
and the winner is…
iPhone 13 Pro Max
This year’s Pro versions of iPhones are truly made for the professionals with cinematic mode, ProRAW and ProRes modes.
LAPTOP OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Asus ProArt StudioBook H5600
Made for creative professionals, this laptop offers extensive shortcuts along with Asus Dial and is truly a complete digital studio on the move.
TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS OF THE YEAR
and the Joint
Winners Are..
Canon RF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS USM
&
Sony FE 70-200 mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Both these lenses – the Canon RF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS USM and the Sony FE 70-200 mm f/2.8 GM OSS II — performed equally well, offering excellent image quality as well as build quality.
PRIME LENS OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Sony FE 50 mm f/1.2 GM
A ‘no compromise’ super fast lens with super performance.
WIDE-ANGLE LENS OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Fujifilm XF 18 mm f/1.4 R LM WR
A ‘fast’, lightweight, close focussing, sharp lens for landscapes, interiors, photojournalism and day-to-day general photography.
MACRO LENS OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Nikkor Z MC 105 mm f/2.8 VR S
A premium, well-built, excellent performance macro lens for the Nikon Z-series cameras.
STANDARD ZOOM LENS OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Canon RF 24-70 mm f/2.8L IS USM
Fast and quiet autofocussing, weather sealing and brilliant performance make this versatile lens our winner.
SUPER TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Nikkor Z 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S
The Nikkor Z 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S sets the new benchmark for portability and performance at an affordable price, especially for sports and wildlife enthusiasts.
PHOTO PRINTER OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Epson L8180
This A3+ size photo printer offers the brilliance and longevity of Epson’s Claria ink with the advantage of an ink tank system and convenience of wireless connectivity.
PHOTOGRAPHY SOFTWARE OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
PortraitPro 21
Unmatched in functionality, this AI-based portrait retouching software gets better and better with each upgrade.
FULL FRAME MIRRORLESS CAMERA OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Nikon Z9
The Nikon Z9 is the top-of-the-line full frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera for photographers who want the best and are not willing to settle for anything less.
APS-C MIRRORLESS CAMERA OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Nikon Z fc
The Z fc is Nikon’s ‘retro-style’ APS-C mirrorless interchangeable lens camera offering both style and performance in a compact body.
HYBRID CAMERA OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Sony ZV-E10
The mirrorless version of Sony’s ZV-1 compact vlog camera, this device offers a complete package for serious vloggers along with the flexibility of changing lenses.
INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
DJI Action 2
The Action 2 offers a versatile magnetic mount along with a tripod head with a reusable sticky base, which are the best innovations we have seen in an imaging device this year.
MOST PRESTIGIOUS CAMERA OF THE YEAR
and the winner is…
Nikon Z9
“In the end, it became a supreme dogfight between the Sony A1 and the Nikon Z 9. After long discussions, it finally was the Nikon Z 9. In the opinion of the jury, the Z 9 is perhaps the most impressive professional camera ever made! Praise indeed! The Z 9 boasts superb build quality, impressive speed and resolution and a clever subject recognition system. The absence of a physical shutter is not felt at all. The newly designed stacked CMOS sensor along with an autofocus system that recognises humans, animals and vehicles ensures brilliant images. Handling is improved by the tilt and swivel viewfinder, a first for a mirrorless Nikon. The icing on the cake is the price which is significantly lower than competition. Take a bow, Nikon!”
