Olympus
has published the third installment of its video series celebrating the
50th anniversary of its Pen cameras. The compact, cropped-format
cameras evolved into the Pen-F, one of the smallest mass-market
interchangeable lens cameras ever made. The site says there will be
another installment next week but, with few milestone Pen series
cameras left to cover, its layout appears to leave room for more
videos. Coincidentally, Olympus has said
there would be more news this summer about its Micro Four Thirds
camera, a distinctly retro mockup of which has been shown at recent
trade shows. Update: Olympus UK has told us there
will be a public hands-on event in London on June 25th at a venue to be
announced soon. We'll bring you more details as soon as we have them.
Panasonic has further expanded the Marine line of underwater cases for
the Lumix compact digital cameras. With the Marine Case DMW-MCFT1 you
can now take your DMC-FT1 / TS1 rugged and waterproof digital camera to
new depths of 130 feet / 40 meters, rather than the camera's standard
10 feet / 3 meters. The new Marine Case DMW-MCTZ7 will be the perfect
fit for your model DMC-TZ7, TZ6, ZS3 and ZS1 and the DMW-MCFX40 will
allow you to take your DMC-FX40 / FX48 to depths of up to 130 feet / 40
meters..
Panasonic Marine Cases for the other Lumix digital compact cameras:
DMW-MCFS5 for the DMC-FS5 / FS3 digital cameras
DMW-MCFX01 for the DMC-FX01 / FX07 / FX3 digital cameras
DMW-MCFX07 for the FX07, FX3, FX01, FX12, FX10 digital cameras
DMW-MCFX30 for the DMC-FX30 / FX33 digital cameras
DMW-MCFX35 for the DMC-FX35 digital camera
DMW-MCTZ1 for the DMC-TZ1 digital camera
DMW-MCTZ3 for the DMC-TZ3 / TZ2 digital cameras
DMW-MCTZ5 for the DMC-TZ50 / TZ5 / TZ4 digital cameras
Pentax launches two weather resistant lenses
Lens Review Blog
Friday, 05 June 2009
Pentax launches two weather resistant lenses
Along with the K-7 DSLR, Pentax has launched the smc PENTAX-DA
18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL WR and smc PENTAX-DA 50-200mm F4-5.6ED WR
weather-resistant lenses. Treated with Super-Protect (SP) Coating for
dust resistance and designed with environmental sealing, both the
lenses complement the latest Pentax weather-resistant DSLRs. Priced at
9.95 USD for the DA 18-55mm and 9.95 USD for the DA 50-200mm, the
lenses will start shipping in July 2009.
The smc PENTAX-DA18-55mmF3.5-5.6AL WR and the smc PENTAX-DA50-200mmF4-5.6ED
WR
Compact, lightweight, weather-resistant Zoom lenses designed for exclusive
use with digital SLR cameras
May 19, 2009: HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division
is pleased to announce the launch of two compact, lightweight zoom
lenses: the smc PENTAXDA18-55mmF3.5-5.6AL WR, and the smc PENTAX
DA50-200mmF4-5.6ED WR. Featuring a newly designed, simplified
weather-resistant construction, these zoom lenses offer excellent
reliability in various outdoor applications — especially in rain, fog
and mist.
Common features Simplified weather-resistant construction
The new zoom lenses feature a simplified weather-resistant construction
designed to minimize the intrusion of water and moisture into the lens
barrel. With these lenses mounted on PENTAX weather resistant digital
SLR camera bodies, the user is assured of improved durability and
reliability during shooting in rain, fog or mist and at locations
subject to a spray or splash of water.
SP coating to block dust and dirt
The front surface of these lenses is treated with PENTAX-original SP
(Super Protect) coating, which applies a special fluorine compound to
the lens surface through a vapor deposition process. This SP coating
not only effectively repels dust, water and grease, but it also makes
it easy to wipe off fingerprints and cosmetics.
Digital-SLR-exclusive optical design PENTAX
has optimized the characteristics of these lenses — including lens
coating, curvature and positioning of optical elements — to reproduce
the finest possible digital images. As a result, they are practically
free of flare and ghost images, and bring out the best in the PENTAX
digital SLR camera bodies they are coupled with.
Their Image circle is also perfectly proportioned to the size of the
image sensor used in PENTAX digital SLR cameras, helping to reduce the
camera’s overall size and weight and guarantee outstanding cost
performance.
Quick-Shift Focus system for instant AF/MF switching
After the subject is captured in focus by the camera’s AF system, the
unique Quick-Shift Focus system lets the photographer instantly switch
to manual-focus operation for final pinpoint focus adjustment.
Other features
Durable, dependable metallic lens mount
Lens hood with a PL (polarizing filter) window included as a standard accessory
Overview of the smc PENTAX-DA18-55 F3.5-5.6AL WR lens
This standard zoom lens covers focal lengths from 27.5mm wide angle to
84.5mm moderate telephoto (in the 35mm format). Incorporating a
high-performance aspherical (AL) optical element and a super-low
Dispersion glass optical element in its optics, it assures outstanding
image Resolution and remarkable Brightness, even at the edges, while
effectively compensating various aberrations.
Overview of the smc PENTAX-DA50-200 F4-5.6ED WR lens
This telephoto zoom lens covers focal lengths from 76.5mm moderate
telephoto to 307mm super telephoto (in the 35mm format). Incorporating
an extra-low dispersion (ED) glass optical element in its optics, it
assures excellent description of the subject in various telephoto
applications, including portraiture, sports/action and landscape, while
effectively compensating Chromatic aberration over the entire zoom
range.
Hasselblad has won the Technical Image Press Association’s TIPA award -
one of the photo industry’s most prestigious awards worldwide - for
“Best Medium-Format D-System in 2009,” making it the third honor
bestowed on the company this year. In January, the H3DII-50 won
Professional Photographer’s coveted Hot One Award. Earlier this month,
the camera was named Product of the Year at Russia’s Photoforum 2009.
As
announced on TIPA’s website, www.tipa.com, on April 17, editors of 25
renowned photography magazines from 11 European countries honored the
Hasselblad H3D system, when they convened this week in Budapest,
Hungary, to select the industry’s top European imaging products from
the past 12 months.
In making its choice, the TIPA jury said, “Hasselblad's H3DII-50 is the
first camera to feature Kodak’s 50 megapixel sensor, measuring 36x48mm
and twice the physical size of the largest 35mm DSLR sensors. The
H3DII-50 provides full 48mm coverage and has been designed to provide
an ideal solution for any photographer who demands both creative
flexibility and ultimate image quality and Resolution.”
In
a secret vote for the best photographic and imaging products introduced
in Europe during the past year, TIPA editors took into account
innovation, the use of leading-edge technology, the design and
ergonomics of the products, and their ease of use and price/performance
ratio.
Christian Poulsen,
CEO of Hasselblad, commented: “Hasselblad is again proud to accept this
prestigious award. This honor demonstrates Hasselblad’s vision of
providing the world’s best photographers with the most advanced camera
system, enabling them to create the world’s best images. With H3DII-50,
new components including the HCD 35-90mm zoom lens, HTS 1.5 Tilt &
Shift Adaptor, and Phocus software, Hasselblad is helping photographers
break creative barriers and achieve image quality that was not possible
even six months ago.”
For more information on Hasselblad’s Hot One Award, click here
Canon releases EOS 5D Mark II firmware version 1.1.0
Lens Review Blog
Thursday, 04 June 2009
Canon releases EOS 5D Mark II firmware version 1.1.0
Canon releases EOS 5D Mark II firmware update version 1.1.0. This firmware update offers the manual video exposure control already announced last month and these fixes/improvements:
• Disables the depth-of-field preview button when images are played back
• Fixes a problem with image Peripheral illumination
• Fixes the algorithms of the Auto Lighting Optimizer
• Corrects indications in several language menus
• Changes battery info display for the Battery Grip
...
&
Go to the Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firmware Update page.
Firmware Version 1.1.0 incorporates the following improvements and fixes.
1.
Includes a function to enable the manual exposure setting when shooting
movies. *For details on how to use this function, please download the
PDF files from the bottom of this page.
2. Disables the function
of the depth-of-field preview button when images are played back or
when the menu screen is displayed on the LCD panel.
3. Fixes a
phenomenon where the peripheral illumination of images cannot be
properly corrected, even if the images were captured with the lens
peripheral illumination correction function set to Enable. *Digital
Photo Professional software version 3.6.1 or later (for Windows and
Macintosh) can be used to automatically correct the peripheral
illumination of RAW and JPEG images that were captured in the
Peripheral illumination correction setting with cameras that have
Firmware Version 1.0.7 or earlier.
4. Fixes the algorithms of the
Auto Lighting Optimizer function when Custom Function C.Fn II-3
Highlight tone priority is enabled.
5. Fixes incorrect indications on the Arabic, Romanian, Spanish, and Ukrainian menu screens.
6. Changes the battery information displayed on the camera when using the optional Battery Grip BG-E6.
In case you missed or did not apply the previous Panasonic Canon EOS 5D firmware update, you will get these improvements too:
[Version 1.0.7]
•
"Black dot" phenomenon (the right side of point light sources becomes
black) When shooting night scenes, the right side of point light
sources (such as lights from building windows) may become black. The
phenomenon may become visible if the images are enlarged to 100% or
greater on a monitor or if extremely large prints of the images are
made. This firmware improves and mitigates this phenomenon.
• Vertical Banding noise
If
the recording format is set to sRAW1, vertical banding noise may become
visible depending on the camera settings, subject, and background. The
firmware improves and mitigates this phenomenon
Tamron 10-24mm for Sony and Pentax coming soon
Lens Review Blog
Thursday, 04 June 2009
Tamron 10-24mm for Sony and Pentax coming soon
Tamron
has announced that the availability of Sony and Pentax versions its
10-24mm wide-angle zoom APS-C cameras. This lens, which received a
Recommended rating when tested in its Nikon mount guise, will be available in Japan from June 12th, the company says, with sales then expanding to other markets.
Nikon updates firmware for D40 and D40x DSLRs
Lens Review Blog
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Nikon updates firmware for D40 and D40x DSLRs
Nikon has released a firmware update for its D40 and D40x DSLRs.
Version 1.12 for the D40 and Version 1.01 for the D40x improve compatibility of
both cameras with Nikon's new EN-EL9a batteries. With the updated firmware, the
D40 should deliver approximately 510 shots in single-frame shooting mode using
the EN-EL9a, according to CIPA standard tests, rather than 470 with the original
EN-EL9 pack.
Canon today have unveiled there new EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i), the
latest addition to its compact DSLR series. The upper-entry-level
camera features a 15.1 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with 1080p HD video
recording at 20fps. It also offers a 3.0 inch LCD with 920,000 dot
Resolution and an ISO sensitivity range expandable up to 12800
equivalent. It includes a faster Digic 4 processor offering better
noise reduction at higher ISO's and continuous shooting speeds of up to
3.4 fps delivering 170 large JPEG images in a single burst.
Olympus today introduced the E-450 which, as you might've
guessed, is the follow-upto the E-420. I can"t describe the changes in a few words: it's the E-420 witha couple of Art Filters, plus a nicer LCD. And that's about it. Here'sa rundown of all the specs on this compact, entry-level digital SLR:
Olympus E-450
10 Megapixel Live MOS sensor
Supports all FourThirds lenses with 2X Focal length conversion ratio
Compact body (by D-SLR standards)
2.7" HyperCrystal II LCD display (230k pixels) has improved Contrast and viewing angle
Live view with contrast detect AF (with select lenses) and face detection; Perfect Shot Preview feature lets you compare the effects of different exposure compensation or white balance settings in real time
Optical viewfinder has 95% coverage and 0.92X magnification
Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system
Full manual controls; ISO range of 100 - 1600; white balance can be set by color temperature and fine-tuned
Plenty of scene modes, plus three Art Filters (pop art, soft focus, and pin hole)
Continuous shooting at 3.5 frames/second
Built-in wireless flash support
CompactFlash + xD Picture Card slots
Uses BLS-1 lithium-ion battery; 500 shots per charge
Includes the F3.5-5.6, 14 - 42 mm and F4.0-5.6, 40 - 150 mm lenses
The
Sigma Corporation (COO:Kazuto Yamaki) is pleased to announce that the
50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, introduced to market in June 2008, has won the
“Digital camera Grand Prix Gold Prize” and "Digital camera Grand Prix
Extra Award from Judges" of the "VISUAL GRAND-PRIX 2009".
Name of Award: VISUAL GRAND-PRIX 2009 Digital camera Grand Prix Gold Prize and Extra Award from Judges.
Product: 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
The
SIGMA 50mm F1.4 has a standard Focal length. It can be used as a
standard lens on a digital camera with a full size image sensor and
effectively becomes a medium telephoto lens on digital cameras with an
APS-C size image sensor. This lens creates an attractive Blur with a
maximum aperture. It is ideal for several types of photography such as
portrait and night scenes.
The superior construction of the lens provides convenient handling.
The
Digital Camera Grand Prix has been launched to recognize products that
promote the development of markets relating to digital still cameras
and digital camcorders. It follows the Visual Grand Prix launched to
promote the visual home entertainment industry.
As with the Visual
Grand Prix, products will be selected that embody superior performance,
technologies, and concepts that function as guidelines for users in
helping them to select superior products.
guessed, is the follow-upto the E-420. I can"t describe the changes in a few words: it's the E-420 witha couple of Art Filters, plus a nicer LCD. And that's about it. Here'sa rundown of all the specs on this compact, entry-level digital SLR:
