Camera Grand Prix 2024

Camera Grand Prix 2024 / CJPC

Camera Grand Prix 2024 -outline-

The Camera Grand Prix is held every year by the Camera Journal Press Club (CJPC, Japan, President Makoto Shibata), an association of technical editors from magazines and websites specializing in photography and cameras. The CJPC, established in September 1963, now has seven members from the media as of April 2024. The Selection Committee, organized under the CJPC’s Camera Grand Prix Executive Committee (Chairman Koji Nagahara), chooses the best products for the following four awards among those introduced on the Japanese market during the previous fiscal year from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024 for the Camera Grand Prix 2024.

The Camera Grand Prix "Camera of the Year" is awarded to the still camera recognized as the best of all marketed during the period. The "Lens of the Year" is given to the best lens launched on the market, while the "Readers Award" is determined by the general camera users’ votes on the CJPC website (the voting period this year was from February 22 through April 8, 2024). In addition, the CJPC members select the "Editors Award R&D Prize and Technology Prize" to cameras, lenses or other photography-related products, excluding the ones awarded the "Camera of the Year" and the "Lens of the Year", in consideration of the products' popularity, topicality, and innovativeness.

The Selection Committee is comprised of the CJPC members, chief editors (or representatives) of the CJPC member publications, external members entrusted by the Camera Grand Prix Executive Committee, and other special members such as academic experts, technical writers, professional photographers, and representatives from photo-related organizations, in addition to the TIPA (the Technical Image Press Association), an association of photo- and image-related magazines, which now have organizations and photo journalist clubs from the countries mainly in Europe. In total, 47 people were involved in the selection process this year. The reasons for choices stated here were composed by the Camera Grand Prix Executive Committee, based on the Selection Committee members’ opinions.

About The Camera GP emblem

The Camera GP emblem is the trademark (registration pending) of the C.J.P.C (Camera Journal Press Club of Japan). The use of the emblem is not permitted except for the purpose of creating news articles on the Camera Grand Prix. In that case, however, any alteration or partial use of the mark is not allowed.

【GUIDELINE】
Color:Use it by the color basically.
Size:Use it by 8mm or more in width.
Others:The ratio in length and breadth cannot be changed/A part alone cannot be used/The color cannot be changed/Other elements cannot be added.
All inquiries:Camera Journal Press Club /JAPAN
Website: http://www.cjpc.jp/
Email: camera-gp@cjpc.jp

Camera of the Year

Sony α9 Ⅲ

Reasons for choice
The mirrorless camera that for the first time adopts a global shutter*1 that has been considered ideal by　now. It enables simultaneous exposure of all pixels on the sensor to eliminate the distortion of moving objects that occurred in conventional electronic shutters. It garners many votes as the ideal camera for capturing decisive moments in sports and wildlife photography. In addition to being able to synchronize flash shooting at up to 1/80,000 sec*2, it also supports the company's first Pre-Capture continuous shooting. It's a technological innovation that expands the possibilities of photographic expressions, and there are also expectations for its deployment to the future mass market class cameras. Furthermore, while minimizing the enlargements from previous models, the refinement of detailed shapes and the ease of operation as a tool are highly appreciated.

*1 According to Sony, as an interchangeable lens digital camera as of November 2023 at the time of the official announcement.
*2 With firmware version 2.00 and later, even during continuous shooting, the maximum shutter speed has been increased to 1/80,000 second. When shooting with an aperture faster than F1.8, the maximum shutter speed becomes 1/16,000 second. When using the high-resolution shutter function or when no lens is attached, the shutter speed does not reach 1/80,000 second.

Lens of the Year

Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

Reasons for choice
Expresses with the unique name "Plena", the rendering with a circular out of focus images that do not give a feeling of vignetting even to the periphery of the picture frame. Not only the beauty of the out-focus images, but also the sharpness and three-dimensionality of the focal plane are appreciated by many screening committee members.
the name "Plena" comes from the Latin word "Plenum," meaning "space filled," but the philosophy and commitment of the designers who realized this rendering characteristic without relying on digital correction, and the shooting experience that is moved just by looking through the viewfinder, also leads to comments such as "heart filling".

Readers Award Camera

Sony α9 Ⅲ

Reasons for choice
The followings are some reasons of choice from the readers excerpted and edited by the Camera Grand Prix 2024 Executive Committee.

-The camera that excites you.
-The game-changing camera.
-The camera that makes a new history with the world's first global shutter-equipped mirrorless camera.
-Flash sync speed is now another world.
-With distortion-free images due to the global shutter, 120 frames per second continuous shooting, and flash synchronization at all shutter speeds, you can capture what was previously impossible.
-It is groundbreaking to be able to track fast-moving objects at high speed.
-Incredible development capability that does not allow imitation by other companies' products.
-The camera to be proud of, worldwide.
-I expect the pioneering nature of being the first to adopt a global shutter. I hope it will be installed in products in the mass market soon.
-It opens up the next world of cameras.
-Since I enjoy taking photos of professional baseball games, I want to experience the world free from the mechanical shutter...
-It's commendable that they are quick to incorporate the global shutter into consumer products. I also think it's worth appreciating that the price is not extremely high.
-A groundbreaking camera for the new era of mirrorless cameras.
-I think it would be a model that would revolutionizes the future of photography by adopting a shutter system completely different from conventional cameras.

Readers Award Lens

Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

Reasons for choice
The followings are some reasons of choice from the readers excerpted and edited by the Camera Grand Prix 2024 Executive Committee.

-Overwhelmingly beautiful circular out-focus images.
-Completely circular out-focus images realized even to the periphery of the picture frame.
-It's evident that the manufacturer's experts (engineers) put great emphasis on image rendering and out-focus images.
-Unrivaled image rendering power.
-The beautiful colors and out-focus images produced by the lens are the most splendid expressions compared to lenses of the same specification from other makes.
-The lens incorporating high optical performance. The small vignetting and low chromatic aberration at full aperture are suitable for the Grand Prix.
-There is a beautiful circular out-focus images that stand out from other lens manufacturers' 135mm prime lenses.
-The name "Plena" is nice.
-I was just amazed when I used it.
-The beauty of the circular out-focus images stands out. I want to use this lens, so I'm considering switching to mirrorless cameras.
-I feel like my skills have improved when taking photos with the lens.

Editors Award R&D Prize

Fujifilm INSTAX Pal

Reasons for choice
The digital camera that is the smallest in the INSTAX “CheckIt!” series instant cameras, fitting in the palm of your hand. In addition to printing CheckIt! instant prints by connecting to a separately sold smartphone printer, it can also share CheckIt! like framed images on SNS through collaboration with dedicated apps, as well as remote shooting and recording of original shutter sounds. It is evaluated for incorporating fun appeal to a new audience, mainly young people, at an affordable price in the range of 10,000 yen.

Editors Award R&D Prize

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

Reasons for choice
The standard gimbal-integrated camera equipped with a one-inch sensor. While maintaining the ease of use of being able to shoot with one hand, the image quality has been improved compared to the previous models with a 1/1.7-inch sensor. In addition, it is now capable of shooting high-quality 4K videos. The compactness that allows it to be carried in the corner of a camera bag and its price, which is less than 100,000 yen even when set with a dedicated wireless microphone, are evaluated for making video shooting more accessible to many people.

Editors Award Technology Prize

Nikon Z 8 Auto Capture Function

Reasons for choice
The "Auto Capture" function is installed in the firmware update of the Nikon Z 8 (also Z 9 *3). By combining AI-based subject detections with distance and motion detections, it provides a new shooting experience where the camera automatically takes a picture by combining the conventional Pre-Capture capacity and setting predetermined functionsSince the shutter is automatically released, there is no missing shot, and photographers can capture the moments they envision. It is evaluated for making it easy to take pictures without threatening wildlife animals by allowing photographers to stay away from the camera, which previously required assembling a special system.
*3 Z 9 is capable by the firmware update as of June 2023.

Editors Choice Lifetime Achievement Award

Lambda bags

Reasons for choice
Founded in 1982 by President Hiroshi Sakuma, who was also a mountain photographer, with the slogan of "safety design knowing mountains and photography thoroughly." Lambda's camera bags, which are made with sincere craftsmanship, have been enthusiastically supported by many professional photographers as well as mountain and landscape photography enthusiasts, supporting their photography. For its camera bag production activities that have continued for 40 years until the end of August 2023.

Camera Journal Press Club/JAPAN