Domke to open store in UK

NEW DOMKE PRO-PRESS CENTRE TO BE ROLLED OUT IN LONDON!

In a move designed to provide ready support for the Capital's vibrant band of professional, press and enthusiast photographers, renowned outfit bag and accessory manufacturer Domke has announced the imminent opening of a new dedicated Domke Pro-Press Centre at the Oval, London.
The premises will have on permanent display the full range of Domke bags in the various materials and colourways, with at its centre-piece, the much vaunted flagship Ruggedwear collection, now numbering 15 bags.
The selection will also cover off harder to find, but no less important accessories from the extensive Domke range, including film and dri-safes, lens cases, pouches and photo jackets.
Integral to the Domke Pro-Press Centre experience, visitors will be able to take advantage of the self-service configuration to handle items and will therefore be positively encouraged to bring in their own photo equipment with them to ensure they match exactly the right bag to their own individual system.
A further incentive to visit the Domke Pro-Press Centre is provided by a a range of special monthly promotions and discount offers, training and seminars, plus an upcoming loyalty scheme which will give members other benefits and exclusive deals.
Personal invitations for the grand opening can be obtained by visiting the web site www.domkebags.co.uk
The Domke Pro-Centre is part of a dedicated centre of excellence which will also provide open-house access to the multi-award winning Tiffen filters and software, Lowel lighting and pro-am models from the Steadicam camera stabilizing system range.
The Domke Pro-Press Centre will be located at LFC/Domke, Canterbury Court, 1-3 Brixton Road, Kennington Park, London, SW9 6DE, which is a few minutes walk from the Oval Northern Line Tube Station and other transport links.
Opening hours will be 9.30 am - 5 pm Mon - Fri and the Domke Pro-Press Centre can be contacted by telephone on 0870 1001220, e-mail: info at domkebags.co.uk web site: www.domkebags.co.uk

Hard to find Domke items such as the F-2 Original Bag in Limited Edition Gray finish will be on display at The Domke Pro-Press Centre.

Sony announces release date for E18-200mm F3.8-6.3 OSS

Sony has announced the E18-200mm f/3.8-6.3 OSS zoom for the NEX mirrorless cameras will now be available from September 10th, instead of the previously reported October 5th release date.

Update, 6th October: A spokesperson for Sony has told me the E18-200mm would now be available in the UK from early October (again).

For more information please see the Sony Japan site.

Trust rolls out new graphics tablets

Press release:

 

Trust gives space to creativity

Are you artistic? Then Trust has got something for you. Thanks to the introduction of two new graphic tablets, you can let your creativity run wild.

Dordrecht, August 2010 – Creative people are well looked after by Trust with the introduction of two new graphic tablets. With the graphic possibilities which the new tablets offer, you are only limited by how far your fantasy takes you.

Trust has the Flex Design Tablet for those who wish to combine creativity with style and appearance. The extremely flexible design makes it possible to take and use this tablet anywhere. Lightweight, paper-thin and energy-saving: the Flex Design Tablet is ideal for mobile users. The flexible tablet’s design makes it an attractive addition to any desk and the anti-slip underside always ensures a comfortable and ergonomic position, wherever the tablet is used. Free-draw or edit diagrams on the 155 x 119 mm work surface with the ergonomic, 3-button pen with 1024-step pressure sensitivity. The Flex Design Tablet comes with advanced software for drawing and editing diagrams.

Trust has the Canvas Widescreen Tablet for those who are looking for a versatile, professional tablet. This extra large tablet has a work surface measuring 250 x 150 mm, which is perfect for all graphical editing and graphical applications. The Canvas Widescreen Tablet is extremely accurate and comes with a wireless pen that works without batteries. The ergonomic pen with tilt sensitivity and 1024-step pressure sensitivity is the ideal weight and comes with a separate holder for storing the pen. There are dual touch pads in the top corners, which provide easy scrolling, zooming and volume control. The Canvas Widescreen Tablet also has a handy transfer sheet: place photographs under the sheet to make tracing, retouching and other graphical refinements easy.

The tablets will be available soon. For more information about the Flex Design Tablet, see www.trust.com/16937. For more information about the Canvas Widescreen Tablet, see www.trust.com/16938.

Recommended retail price, including VAT
Trust Flex Design Tablet - £ 24.99
Trust Canvas Widescreen Tablet – £ 149.99

 

Update: the 16938 – Trust Canvas Widescreen Tablet (above) has support for Mac OS 10.4 and higher.

Adobe announces Lightroom 3.2 and ACR 6.2 release candidates

Adobe has posted release candidates (a kind of advanced stage beta) for Lightroom 3.2 and the Camera RAW (ACR) version 6.2 plug-in for Photoshop CS5. This updates provides RAW file compatibility with new camera models. Most notable are the Panasonic Lumix LX5, Pentax 645D, Samsung NX10 and TL500 (EX1) compact, as well as the two Sony NEX models. The uber high end Leica S2 also sees an update for colour and noise profiles, ann interesting addition as the camera ships with Lightroom for processing RAW (DNG), after moving from Phase One's Capture One for earlier Leica models.

Lightroom 3.2 sees an enormous number of new lens profiles added, including a raft for the Pentax 645D model, suggesting perhaps that LR3 has been chosen by Pentax for supporting the new camera, instead of the usual SilkyPix utility. This would be an important consideration for professional photographers.

Adobe Posts Lightroom 3.2 and Camera Raw 6.2 Release Candidates on Adobe Labs

 

Adobe today announced the Lightroom 3.2 and Camera Raw 6.2 Release Candidates, available for immediate download on Adobe Labs. The updates extend raw file support to 12 new popular camera models, improve on several of the lens correction profiles introduced as part of the Lightroom 3 and Camera Raw 6.1 releases, and add over 50 new lens profiles to help photographers automatically correct for undesirable distortion and aberration effects.

In addition, the Lightroom 3.2 Release Candidate now allows Lightroom 3 customers the ability to publish their photos directly to Facebook from within the application, and addresses issues reported by customers on the Lightroom 3.0 release. Adobe continues to encourage the community to provide feedback on the updates so it can ensure the highest quality experience for customers working on a variety of hardware and software configurations.

Lightroom is the essential digital photography workflow solution, helping serious amateur and professional photographers quickly import, manage, enhance and showcase all their images from one application. The Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in provides fast and easy access within Photoshop to the raw image formats produced by many leading digital cameras.

Pricing and Availability
The Lightroom 3.2 Release Candidate is available as a free download for Lightroom 3 customers, and the Photoshop Camera Raw 6.2 Release Candidate is available as a free download for Photoshop CS5 customers. For more information and to test out the updates visit http://labs.adobe.com/. Feedback can be provided on the Adobe User to User forum at http://forums.adobe.com.

*Please visit the Lightroom Journal for more information on these Release Candidates and a full list of the improved and newly added lens profiles: http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal

Newly Supported Camera Models
Panasonic DMC-FZ100,
Panasonic DMC-FZ40 (FZ45),
Panasonic DMC-LX5,
Pentax 645D,
Samsung NX10,
Samsung TL500 (EX1),
Sony A290,
Sony A390,
Sony Alpha NEX-3,
Sony Alpha NEX-5

Also, this update improves the colour and noise profiles for the following cameras that utilise the DNG raw file format already supported in previous versions of Lightroom and Camera Raw: Casio EXILIM EX-FH100 (DNG) and Leica S2

Epson announce three new Artisan all-in-ones

Today, Epson introduced three new premium photo all-in-ones – the Artisan® 835, Artisan® 725 and an all-white Artisan® 725 Arctic Edition – designed to deliver quality, reliability and superior performance for today’s active digital families. The three all-in-ones deliver an array of unique features, including the world’s fastest 4”x6” photo print speeds, built-in Wi-Fi® n, wireless printing from an Apple® iPhone, a variety of creative applications, and image quality preferred by consumers 3-to-1 over the competition.

The Artisan 835 and 725 offer full-featured scanning/copying, automatic two-sided printing, and superior image enhancing tools. The flagship Artisan 835 also features a built-in fax, 7.8-inch smart touch panel, and a 30-page Automatic Document Feeder. In addition, the sleek, all-white Artisan 725 Arctic Edition gives consumers more options in matching the décor and computer equipment in their home.

Epson’s New Artisan All-in-One Printers Offer Superior Performance,
Image Quality, Convenience, and an Eye-Catching Design

Artisan 835 and Artisan 725 Deliver Unbeatable Features and Fit the Décor of any Room

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Aug. 4, 2010 – Epson America, Inc., a leading provider of superior performing desktop printing solutions, today introduced its new line of Artisan® all-in-ones – the Artisan 835 and Artisan 725. With image quality preferred by consumers 3-to-1 over the competition1 and a host of unique features, the new Artisan all-in-ones are a perfect match for today’s active, digital families that require one solution for various printing needs.

“These latest Artisan all-in-ones continue to redefine the standard for image quality, print speed and unique creative capabilities,” said Julie Ernest, product manager, Consumer Ink Jet Printers, Epson America, Inc. “From family photos and creative projects to school work and household documents, these versatile all-in-ones deliver the quality, reliability and performance consumers have come to expect from the Artisan line.”

The flagship Artisan 835 boasts a 7.8-inch smart touch panel, a 3.5-inch color LCD, built-in fax, and a 30-page Automatic Document Feeder to quickly copy and fax documents. The Artisan 725 features an enhanced touch panel for easier navigation. Both feature 2.5 times faster wireless connectivity with Wi-Fi n2, wireless printing from an Apple® iPhone3 and the world’s fastest 4”x6” photo print speeds4. In addition, the Artisan 725 and Artisan 835 deliver vibrant colors and crisp, clear text with Epson’s six-color Ultra Hi-Definition Claria® ink.

Additional Features of the Artisan Series:
· Delivers fast ISO print speeds of 9.5 ISO ppm black and 9 ISO ppm color5
· Offers built-in wireless and Ethernet networking
· Saves up to 50 percent of paper supply with automatic two-sided printing
· Creates personalized greeting cards, coloring book pages, elegant stationery, and note paper
· Creates professional-looking discs by printing images and text directly onto ink jet printable CDs/DVDs with easy-to-use Epson Print CD software
· Features built-in Auto Photo Correction to automatically evaluate and correct images and red eye
· Prints applications wirelessly from an iPhone, including PDF files, photos, photo calendars, business documents, and more, through applications available on the iTunes App Store
· Prints images directly from digital cameras, mobile phones and USB Flash drives with PictBridge®
· Accommodates various printing needs with individual ink cartridges at affordable prices (standard and high-capacity sizes)6
· Delivers vivid, true-to-life photos with Epson’s exclusive MicroPiezo® print head with DX5™ technology
· Offers a range of eco features and environmental qualifications including, ENERGY STAR® and RoHS compliance, and is designed to be recycled7

Pricing and Availability
The Artisan 725 ($199.99*) and Artisan 835 ($299.99*) will be available in mid-August through major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores nationwide and Epson’s retail site, www.epsonstore.com. An all-white “Arctic Edition” Artisan 725 ($199.99*) will also be available in mid-September exclusively through Best Buy to allow consumers more options to match the décor of their home and computer equipment. All models come with a one-year limited warranty and free lifetime phone support8 with quick and convenient product exchange. For more information, please see the Artisan 725, Artisan 835 and Artisan 725 Arctic Edition fact sheets.

Apple updates camera RAW compatibility v3.3

Apple has released Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.3
This update extends RAW image format compatibility to Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09 for the following cameras:

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
Olympus E-PL1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10
Samsung NX10
Sony Alpha DSLR-A390
Sony Alpha NEX-3
Sony Alpha NEX-5

The new update is available from the Software Update...option, and is also available directly from Apple's site here.

For more information on supported RAW formats, see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3825le.com/kb/HT3825

Need To Transfer Images From Your Eye-Fi SD Card To Your iPad? There's A Great App For That

Yes, it's true, ditch your Apple iPad Camera Connection kit right now, with ShutterSnitch you can send the images from your Eye-Fi card directly to either your iPhone or iPad.

This app will bring relief to many, I have been constantly asked whether it is possible to wirelessly transfer images to your iPad from your Eye-Fi card and despite it being quite a challenge, I rose to the occasion and scoured the App Store until I found Shuttersnitch. You'll need to use a router or MiFi as obviously your iPad cannot create its own Wi-Fi network.

Then, once you have captured all of your images to the EyeFi card you will be able to beam your photos straight onto your iPad, or iPhone - there is also the facility to set up custom visual and audible alerts to let you know the shutter speed, ISO, aperture, focal length with more options penned for the future.

This app will appeal to many photographers and for $7.99 is an absolute bargain. Download here.

 

The Equipment Behind The 70-Gigapixel Budapest Photograph

I'm sure you've seen or heard about the incredible 70 gigapixel Budapest Photograph. I thought you'd like to see the equipment behind it two Sony A900s with 400mm Minolta lenses attached. Combined, these guys took 20,000 images to create the world's largest photo, to date.

Two Sony A900s With 400 mm Minolta Lenses

The Image

This 70 gigapixel shot of Budapest is so massive, you can zoom right into the windows of those apartments on the horizon.

See more, including the final image and a movie made on the day, here.

OWC announces eSATA modification for new iMac

OWC Unveils Upgrade Program For Adding First Available eSATA Interface, Award Winning SSD, Larger Hard Drive, and/or More Memory To 2010 Apple iMac 27"

Turnkey professional installation service offers customized configuration of Mid 2010 27" iMac with high performance eSATA interface option, OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD up to 480GB, hard drives up to 2TB, and/or OWC Memory Upgrades up to 16GB complete with shipping and warranty starting at $169

July 30, 2010, Woodstock, IL -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today its new OWC Turnkey Upgrade Installation Program for the Mid 2010 Apple iMac 27" to address the high demand for increasing iMac performance while overcoming the highly difficult upgrade level an iMac presents to an end user. The program enables new iMac 27" owners to custom configure and have OWC professionally install the first offered eSATA port option for an iMac, an award winning OWC Mercury Extreme Pro Solid State Drive up to 480GB, a larger capacity hard drive up to 2TB, and/or OWC Memory Upgrades up to 16GB. The new professional installation service program offers multiple configuration options starting at $169 with a 48 business hours or less installation turnaround and includes complete shipping options along with OWC’s renowned warranty coverage.

OWC will begin taking orders for its Turnkey Upgrade Installation Program for the Mid 2010 Apple iMac 27" beginning on Tuesday, August 3. For complete program details, including options, pricing, and answers to commonly asked questions regarding the program, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/turnkey/iMac_2010_27

OWC Options Create A Better Than Factory Built iMac
Owners of the new iMac 27" can experience the following benefits from the OWC Upgrade Program and enjoy a superior performing iMac than what is available direct from the factory:

First Ever eSATA Interface Option Offered For An iMac
OWC has custom engineered the first ever solution to provide an external eSATA port on an Apple iMac computer. With fast data transfer rates up to 300MB/s, iMac 27" users can now enjoy data backups and transfers at up to 3X faster than the factory stock interfaces. The $169.00 service includes an OWC Flexible eSATA cable for Plug and Play use with any external storage solution equipped with a standard eSATA port and return shipping of the eSATA enhanced iMac.

Bigger, Faster, More Reliable Solid State Drive
The OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD can be installed in capacities up to 480GB, up to a full 87% greater capacity than the single factory 256GB SSD option, and offer read/write speeds in excess of 270MB/s…up to 40% faster than the factory and/or other currently available SSDs. While many SSDs experience significant performance degradation over time, this is not the case with the OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD. By employing advanced block management and over-provisioning, the OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD provides the ultimate in reliability and long-term high performance.

More ‘Main Bay’ Storage Configuration Options
New iMac 27" owners requiring more storage capacity that the factory stock 1TB drive can have OWC replace the stock drive with hard drives up to 2TB in capacity and with manufacturer warranties up to five years. Or, instead of a traditional hard drive, OWC can add a second SSD to the main drive bay for a SSD RAID configuration.

Additional & Lower Cost Memory Options Than Factory
New iMac owners seeking to expand memory configuration up to 16GB will find can save up to 45% compared to same size factory installed upgrades.

Program Offers Comprehensive Convenience And Confidence
Having offered award-winning products and services to Mac owners worldwide for over 21 years, OWC drew upon its experience to create a comprehensive and convenient program. Now iMac 27" owners can confidently customize their iMac 27" to their own unique specifications and experience less hassle and downtime than using any other upgrade service, assured by an OWC 1-year limited warranty on upgrade service and installed products.

“We are quite pleased to record another innovation in the Mac industry by offering the first eSATA interface for an iMac,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. “By offering this performance enhancement along with faster, bigger, and better options for memory and storage, an OWC upgraded iMac truly will be the best performing iMac a user can own.”

Tamron Europe found in favour over illegal imports

TAMRON Europe GmbH, Cologne, Germany attains drastic 2 Million Euros penalty verdict against Ruitenberg / Crown in the Netherlands for dealing with illegal imports

Cologne, July 28th, 2010 – On June 30th 2010 the district court in Utrecht/Netherlands (file reference number 262876/HA ZA 09-458) rendered a drastic verdict against Mr. H.P. Ruitenberg and 4 respective entities of the so-called Crown group in favour of Tamron Europe, Cologne, Germany. After an extremely harsh and meticulous prosecution Tamron Europe`s lawyers succeeded in providing evidence that Mr Ruitenberg and several of his respective Crown companies violated the trademark rights of Tamron by dealing with illegally imported merchandise, which was not imported into the EU by or on behalf of Tamron. The court could be successfully convinced of the damaging impact to Tamron Europe`s business resulting from the illegal trade. The verdict includes a drastic penalty of 2.000.000 Euros,- for non-compliance with an earlier verdict that Tamron obtained in its favour. Tamron Europe urgently suggests all retailers in Europe to purchase Tamron merchandise solely from unsuspicious and fully reliable sources, as the company will not hesitate to take similar drastic legal action against any kind of trade with illegally imported Tamron products.

OWC unveil range of memory options for new iMac

OWC “MaxRAM” Certified Memory Upgrades For New Mid 2010 Apple iMacs Offer More Configurations Over Factory Build Options

OWC 12GB and 16GB configurations not available as factory build options, MaxRAM lab tested quality assured by Lifetime Warranty & Money Back Guarantee

July 29, 2010, Woodstock, IL -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today the immediate availability of high performance OWC PC3-10600 DDR3 1333MHz Memory Upgrade Kits up to 16GB that provide memory configurations not offered as factory build options for the new Mid 2010 iMac models introduced by Apple earlier this week. All OWC Memory Upgrades come with quality assurance from a Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty and Money Back Guarantee.

OWC Memory Upgrades Offer More RAM Configuration Options:

• 16GB DDR3 1333MHz Memory Kit (4 x 4GB) for all 2010 iMac 21.5" and 27" - $549.99
45% savings vs. factory 27" option. Not offered as a factory option for 21.5" iMac.

• 12GB RAM Configuration for ALL Mid 2010 iMacs - $279.99
Not offered as a factory option. Add an OWC 8GB Memory Kit (2 x 4GB matched memory modules) to factory installed base 4GB RAM for a total of 12GB RAM. Compared to $400 factory 8GB (2 x 4GB) option, OWC 8GB upgrade kit delivers 50% more RAM for 30% lower cost.

Quality Proven Memory That Costs Less
Mid 2010 iMac owners seeking to expand memory configuration up to 16GB will find it costs as much as $1,000 via the factory, compared to the OWC iMac memory upgrade kits ranging from $117.99 to $549.99. For more information on the full line of memory upgrades for Apple iMac, please visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac

Additional Savings Through OWC Rebate Program
In addition to the savings offered by OWC Upgrades, Mid 2010 iMac users also retain their original factory memory modules that can either be set aside for future use or be sent to OWC for a cash back trade-in of up to $50 per Apple factory 2 x 2GB memory module pair. For more information on OWC’s rebate program, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/trade-in-rebate

OWC Lab Confirms Performance for All Configurations Offered
By maintaining its own lab of nearly every Apple Mac model ever made, including all of the latest Mid 2010 iMac models, OWC continues its first-to-market streak as the first independent provider to test, confirm and ship memory kits that exceed the factory memory build options offered. OWC Memory Upgrade Kits for Mid 2010 iMacs are engineered with premium quality components for cool, reliable operation that meets, if not exceeds, Apple Design Specifications, and are fully RoHS and JEDEC compliant. For more information on the OWC Memory Testing Lab, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/memory/OWC_Test_Lab

Free ‘How To’ Videos for Easy Installation
OWC’s extensive online library of video installation guides make adding memory, drives, and other upgrades a breeze by providing step-by-step instructions that explain in detail the upgrade process from start to finish. These videos, available for free viewing via OWC’s website, are available for nearly every Apple Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, PowerMac, and PowerBook model made. To view OWC’s free, step-by-step installation videos, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

The full OWC Memory line, as well as a compatibility guide which directs customers to the correct upgrades for each specific Apple model, can be found online at: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple

OWC outs replacement memory for new iMac

OWC Announces Memory Upgrades Up To 16GB For New Mid 2010 Apple iMac Models

OWC Memory Upgrades offer more options & savings of up to 50% vs. factory-installed upgrades
and come backed by full Lifetime Warranty & Money Back Guarantee

July 28, 2010, Woodstock, IL -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today the immediate availability of OWC PC3-10600 DDR3 1333MHz Memory Upgrade Kits up to 16GB for the new Mid 2010 iMac models introduced by Apple yesterday. OWC Memory Upgrade Kits offer all 2010 iMac owners the advantages of upgrade options not available from the factory, savings up to 50% compared to same size factory installed options, and quality assurance from a Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty and Money Back Guarantee.

OWC Memory Upgrade Kits up to 16GB for the new iMac 21.5" 3.06GHz, 3.20GHz, and 3.6GHz i3; iMac 27" 3.20GHz i3, 3.6GHz i5 (Dual-Core), iMac 27" 2.8GHz i5, 2.93GHz i7 (Quad-Core) models:

OWC 4GB DDR3 Memory Kit (2 x 2GB matched memory modules) - $117.99
Add to factory installed 4GB RAM for 8GB total RAM, upgrade not offered as a factory option.
OWC 8GB DDR3 Memory Kit (2 x 4GB matched memory modules) - $279.99
Add to factory installed 4GB RAM for 12GB total RAM, upgrade not offered as a factory option.
Compared to $400 factory 8GB (2 x 4GB) upgrade, OWC 8GB upgrade delivers 50% more RAM for 30% lower cost
OWC 16GB DDR3 Memory Kit (4 x 4GB matched memory modules) - $549.99
45% lower cost than factory 16GB option, save an additional 5% with factory module trade in rebate
For more information on or to purchase OWC Memory Upgrades of up to 16GB for all iMac models, including the latest 2010 models, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac

Nikon reveals images from space mission

Nikon introduces the latest images from space captured with Nikon D3S digital-SLR cameras
and NIKKOR interchangeable lenses ordered by NASA


For the first time, Nikon introduces the latest images captured in space by D3S digital-SLR cameras and NIKKOR interchangeable lenses used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The images exhibited were captured with equipment, including Nikon D3S digital-SLR cameras, NIKKOR lenses, Speedlights and other accessories, kept aboard the ISS. To date, NASA has captured more than 700,000 images with Nikon equipment carried into space. Among these many images, those rare and precious photos that can only be captured from space, as well as those captured under the extremely low-light conditions of space that exhibit the superior image quality of D3S noise suppression features are introduced.

Nikon has spent many years contributing to NASA's study of space through the development and manufacture of advanced and extremely durable cameras and NIKKOR lenses. Production of NIKKOR lenses, which make the most of Nikon’s optical technologies, reached fifty million units last September. Nikon’s history with NASA began with the Nikon Photomic FTN※, a modified Nikon F camera that was used aboard the Apollo 15 in 1971. Nikon’s relationship with NASA continued even with the transition to digital when NASA placed orders for Nikon D2XS digital-SLR cameras in 2008. These cameras are still being used in space today. In 2009, NASA ordered eleven D3S cameras and seven AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lenses for use in recording activities aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. The D3S cameras were the same products available to consumers with no special modifications, and they were delivered to the ISS via the Space Shuttle Discovery launched on April 5, 2010.

In addition to the extreme environment of space, Nikon also provides official observation equipment used in exploring the Antarctic. Nikon equipment contributes to observation and research of these little explored regions with durability, reliability and technical capabilities that stand up to even the most severe environments.

•Nikon products kept aboard the ISS
・ 1 Nikon D3S digital-SLR camera: Delivered to the ISS via the Discovery with Space Shuttle mission STS-131, which returned on April 20, 2010. Images are primarily those of the surface of the earth and nighttime scenes. Standard consumer product (no modifications).
・ 8 Nikon D2XS digital-SLR cameras: Modified according to NASA specifications for recording extravehicular activities (EVA)
・ 36 NIKKOR lenses (including three teleconverters)
・ 7 SB-800 Speedlights
・ 4 D2XS eyepieces: Eyepieces made exclusively for NASA
Special eyepiece viewfinders that enable image framing and verification through a space helmet with extravehicular activities.
・ Miscellaneous (filters, cables, etc.)

•Primary images captured by Nikon products
Examples of the images we have are as follows:
- Image of extravehicular activities on the STS-131 mission. View of astronauts, as they work to tie down an Ammonia Tank Assembly on the International Space Station during STS-131 spacewalk.
- Image of the ISS, Space Shuttle and Earth captured from the ISS
Photos:NASA

•Nikon’s history with NASA
•1971: Nikon Photomic FTN* (NASA specifications) was used on Apollo 15
•1980: The “Small Camera”, based on the Nikon F3 and equipped with a motor drive, and the F3 "Big Camera", which utilized long film, were delivered to NASA. The “Small Camera” was used aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia launched the following year.
•1991: The Nikon F4 and F4S were delivered to NASA
•1999: The Nikon F5 and AI AF Nikkor lens were carried aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to photograph extravehicular activities (EVA)
•2008: D2XS digital-SLR cameras were delivered to NASA. Eight D2XS cameras are still used in space to document activities such as inspections and maintenance operations.
•In addition, approximately 15 types of lenses, more than 35 all together, are kept aboard the International Space Station for intra- and extravehicular photography that supports NASA’s space activities.

*Nikon F equipped with Photomic FTN viewfinder that supports TTL center-weighted metering.

Interestingly, the Exif data is still intact: Nikon D3s, 70mm f/2.8, ISO2200. Copyright NASA.
Read more about the equipment order here.

Panasonic unveil 3D Lens for Lumix G Micro cameras

Panasonic to Launch World’s First* Interchangeable 3D Lens for LUMIX G Micro System**

Panasonic is pleased to announce the development of the world's first* twin digital interchangeable lens. The revolutionary new accessory will make high quality 3D shooting possible with an interchangeable lens system camera for the very first time. As 3D content becomes increasingly popular across a variety of platforms, Panasonic plans to release this new lens for sale before the end of the year to deliver the joy and excitement of 3D shooting to interchangeable lens system camera users.

Having already taken the lead in 3D technology, Panasonic has had great success with the launch of their 3D-capable VIERA televisions and 3D Blu-rayTM Disc Players. The 3D market is predicted to steadily grow over the coming years, as explained by industry analysts, Screen Digest: “As consumers slowly replace the main TV set in their house, and as the price of 3D TVs continue to fall, Screen Digest expects that 3D TVs will be in around a quarter of households in major developed markets by the end of 2014***. “

The introduction of the 3D lens aims to respond to demands of consumers who want to enjoy 3D shooting for themselves whilst also expanding Panasonic’s range of 3D products. The lens will allow users to capture images in 3D which can then be viewed back using 3D-capable VIERA televisions in the comfort of their own home.
“As consumers slowly replace the main TV set in their house, and as the price of 3D TVs continue to fall, Screen Digest expects that 3D TVs will be in around a quarter of households in major developed markets by the end of 2014. “

Until now, 3D shooting with an interchangeable lens system camera has only been possible by using panorama systems or a combination of two lenses and two CCDs, but these systems have drawbacks including the need for a dedicated 3D camera and the difficulties of capturing moving objects. Panasonic's new 3D lens for the LUMIX G Micro System features two optical systems installed within the diameter of the lens mount, creating stereo images from the left and right lenses, to be processed with a 3D image processing system. Thanks to Panasonic's advancements in optical technology, image processing system, and lens barrel design, the 3D lens still manages to retain an extremely compact size.

This new compact 3D-capable interchangeable lens allows easier handling and instant 3D shooting, producing 3D images without distortion or time lag between left and right images, even for moving objects.

Through expanding its range of 3D products, Panasonic will continue to lead the industry by bringing a true-to-life 3D experience to its customers.

*For a digital interchangeable lens of July 28, 2010
**Compatible models to be announced
***Screen Digest, ‘Bringing 3D Home: the opportunities for 3D broadcast’, 2010

Sigma announces APS-C hood adaptor for 50-500mm

APS-C Hood Adapter for Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 DG OS HSM
Hood Adapter for the Sigma APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM, provides effective shading when used with APS-C size digital SLR cameras.

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the APS-C Hood Adapter HA1030-01 for the Sigma APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM.

This hood adapter extends the length of the lens hood and provides more effective shading when used with digital cameras with an APS-C size image sensor.

At PMA 2010 in Las Vegas, Sigma announced and exhibited dedicated APS-C Hood Adapters for the APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM and 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM. After this announcement, many demands have been received for development of a similar APS-C Hood Adapter for the APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM.

As of July 2010, this APS-C Hood Adapter HA1030-01 will be supplied with all APO 50-500mm DG OS HSM lenses.

For UK customers who have already purchased the APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM, the hood adapter will be available free of charge through Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd. For further details, contact Sigma on 01707 329 999 or sales (at) sigma-imaging-uk.com.

 

 

*When using the APS-C Hood Adapter HA1030-01 with digital cameras with a full frame image sensor, vignetting will occur. Please remove the hood adapter if you are using full frame cameras.

 

Apple outs upgraded iMac

Apple Updates iMac Line

Introduces New Multi-Touch Magic Trackpad

 

While the 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 option gets a slight increase in clock speed to 2.93 GHz, the big news here is all the high-end quad-core models get a bump from the ATI Radeon HD4850 (with 512MB VRAM) to the HD5750 with 1GB GDDR5 RAM. Furthermore, memory speeds have increased from 1067MHz to 1333MHz, and now you can opt for a 7,200rpm 2TB SATA drive with a 256GB SSD (using the latter as either the start-up disk or as a scratch disk) - mind that option adds £720 to the base 1TB SATA drive spec.

CUPERTINO, California—July 27, 2010—Apple® today updated its all-in-one iMac® line, widely praised as the world's best desktop computers, with the latest Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors and powerful new graphics. Starting at £999, the new iMac line is the fastest ever with dual-core processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz, quad-core speeds up to 2.93 GHz and discrete graphics including the powerful ATI Radeon HD 5750. The new Magic Trackpad, with a smooth glass and aluminium design, gives iMac users the same intuitive Multi-Touch™ gestures that Mac® notebook customers have come to love and is available separately for £59 inc VAT.

“We took the world’s best all-in-one and made it even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With the latest processors, high-performance graphics and signature aluminium and glass design, customers are going to love the latest iMac.”

Dual-core Intel Core i3 and Core i5, and quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors set a new benchmark for iMac performance. The processors feature an integrated memory controller to access the system memory directly, allowing the new iMac to take full advantage of its faster 1333 MHz memory. New discrete ATI Radeon HD processors deliver incredibly smooth, crisp graphics for the most demanding 3D games, creative software and technical applications. iMac displays feature IPS technology to deliver a brilliant image across a wide 178 degree viewing angle. The SD card slot on the iMac now supports the SDXC format to handle the latest high-capacity storage cards. Customers of the 27-inch iMac have the option to order a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) as a primary or secondary drive. The iMac SSD supports up to 215 MB/s data transfer rates for faster startup and application launch times.

Every iMac comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse and customers can also order the new Magic Trackpad as an option. The Magic Trackpad brings the intuitive Multi-Touch gestures of Mac notebook trackpads to the desktop. With its glass surface, the wireless Magic Trackpad enables users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with their fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop lineup is a leader in green design. The iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.* iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs. A new Apple Battery Charger provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way to always have a fresh set of batteries for your Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. The Apple Battery Charger is available for £25 inc VAT and comes with six long shelf life rechargeable batteries.

Every Mac also comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, with breakthrough ways to organise and manage your photos by who appears in them and where they were taken; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use features such as Precision Editor, video stabilisation and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which offers a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Pricing & Availability
The new iMac line is shipping now and available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com/uk), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.

The new 21.5-inch 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of £999 inc VAT (£850.21 ex VAT), includes:
• 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display;
• 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM;
• 500GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• slot-load 8x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for audio and video output (adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• iSight® video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one SDXC SD card slot;
• one FireWire® 800 port;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include up to 8GB of RAM.

The new 21.5-inch 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of £1249 inc VAT (£1062.98 ex VAT), includes:
• 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display;
• 3.20 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 5670 discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3;
• 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for audio and video output (adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• one SDXC SD card slot;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include a faster 3.6 GHz Core i5 processor, 2TB hard drive and up to 8GB of RAM.

The new 27-inch 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of £1399 inc VAT (£1190.64 ex VAT), includes:
• 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display;
• 3.20 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 5670 discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3;
• 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for audio and video input and output (adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• one SDXC SD card slot;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include a 3.6 GHz Core i5 processor, 2TB hard drive, 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and up to 16GB of RAM.

The new 27-inch 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 iMac, for a suggested retail price of £1649 inc VAT (£1403.40 ex VAT), includes:
• 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display;
• 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor with 8MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 5750 discrete graphics with 1GB GDDR5;
• 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for audio and video input and output (adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• one SDXC SD card slot;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include a 2.93 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor, a 2TB hard drive, 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and up to 16GB of RAM.

Additional accessories include: Magic Trackpad, Apple Battery Charger, wired Apple Mouse, wired Apple Keyboard, wired Apple Keyboard with numeric keypad, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, the AppleCare® Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of iWork®, Logic® Express 9, Final Cut® Express 4 and Aperture® 3.

*EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple unveils new 27-inch LED Cinema Display

Apple Unveils New 27-inch LED Cinema Display

CUPERTINO, California—July 27, 2010—Apple® today unveiled a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display with stunning 2560 x 1440 resolution and 60 percent more screen real estate than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. Featuring a built-in iSight® video camera, microphone and speakers, powered USB 2.0 hub, and universal MagSafe® connector, the new LED Cinema Display is an ideal companion for the MacBook® family or a Mac® desktop, and is available for $999.

“With built-in MagSafe charging, iSight camera, speakers, and USB ports, the LED Cinema Display is ideal for MacBook and MacBook Pro users,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With its massive 2560 x 1440 resolution, the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display is a perfect fit with our powerful new Mac Pro, and it gives iMac users an easy way to double their screen real estate.”

The new, larger 27-inch LED Cinema Display features a beautiful 16:9 edge-to-edge glass display on an aluminium stand with an adjustable hinge that makes tilting the display almost effortless. The LED Cinema Display has vivid colours and exceptionally high contrast and uses a premium display technology called in-plane switching (IPS) to provide a brilliant image across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle.

Designed as a companion for any Mac notebook or desktop, the 27-inch display includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, built-in Mini DisplayPort connectivity for video and audio input and a powered three-port USB 2.0 hub so customers can charge their iPhone® or iPod® even when they take their MacBook with them.

The new LED Cinema Display now includes a new ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions and uses only as much energy as necessary to provide an optimum viewing experience. Made with mercury-free LED technology, arsenic-free glass and highly recyclable materials, the LED Cinema Display meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.* The new display contains no brominated flame retardants and all cables and components are PVC-free.

Pricing & Availability
The new LED Cinema Display will be available in September through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com/uk), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). International pricing will be announced at a later stage. The LED Cinema Display requires a Mac with Mini DisplayPort.

*EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple announce new 12-core Mac Pro

Apple Unveils New Mac Pro With Up to 12 Processing Cores

 

CUPERTINO, California—July 27, 2010—Apple® today unveiled a new Mac® Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and up to 50 percent greater performance than the previous generation.* Featuring the latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD), the new Mac Pro continues to deliver amazing performance and expandability for the most demanding consumers and professionals.

“The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms our previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50 percent, and with over a billion possible configurations, our customers can create exactly the system they want.”

At the heart of the new Mac Pro’s performance are next generation quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 3.33 GHz. These multi-core processors use a single die design so each core can share up to 12MB L3 cache to improve efficiency while increasing processing speed. These systems feature an integrated memory controller for faster memory bandwidth and reduced memory latency; Turbo Boost to dynamically boost processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz; and Hyper-Threading to create up to 24 virtual cores. The Mac Pro now comes with the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB of memory and customers can configure-to-order the even faster ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of memory.

For the first time, Mac Pro customers have the option to order a 512GB SSD for the ultimate in reliability and lightning fast performance. With the ability to install up to four SSD drives in the system's internal drive bays, the new Mac Pro can provide ultra high-speed disk bandwidth and random disk performance, two times faster than the average performance of a standard disk drive.** Mac Pro also now features two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port. The additional Mini DisplayPort output allows customers to connect two LED Cinema Displays without an additional graphics card or adapter and the dual-link DVI port supports legacy DVI-based displays up to a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.

Every Mac Pro comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse and customers can also order Apple’s new Magic Trackpad as an option. The Magic Trackpad brings the intuitive Multi-Touch™ gestures of Mac notebook trackpads to the desktop. With its glass surface, the wireless Magic Trackpad allows users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with their fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click. Magic Trackpad is available separately for £59 inc VAT.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop lineup is a leader in green design. The Mac Pro meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.*** The Mac Pro enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminium and the interior is designed to be more material-efficient. The Mac Pro uses PVC-free internal cables and components and contains no brominated flame retardants. The new Apple Battery Charger provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way to always have a fresh set of batteries for your Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. The Apple Battery Charger is available as an option for £25 inc VAT and comes with six long shelf life rechargeable batteries.

Every Mac also comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, with breakthrough ways to organise and manage your photos by who appears in them and where they were taken; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use features such as Precision Editor, video stabilisation and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which offers a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Optional Apple professional applications include Aperture®, Final Cut® Express, Final Cut Studio®, Logic® Express and Logic Studio®.

Pricing & Availability
The new Mac Pro will be available in August through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com/uk), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.

The new quad-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of £1999 inc VAT (£1701.28 ex VAT), includes:
• one 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3530 processor with 8MB of fully-shared L3 cache;
• 3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 16GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
• two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold separately);
• 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• 18x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
• five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire® 800 ports;
• AirPort Extreme® 802.11n;
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
• Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

The new 8-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of £2799 inc VAT (£2382.13 ex VAT), includes:
• two 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5620 processors with 12MB of fully-shared L3 cache per processor;
• 6GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
• two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold separately);
• 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
• five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n;
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
• Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include:
• one 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3565 processor for the quad-core Mac Pro;
• one 3.33 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon W3680 processor for the quad-core Mac Pro;
• two 2.66 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5650 processors (12-cores) for the 8-core Mac Pro;
• two 2.93 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5670 processors (12-cores) for the 8-core Mac Pro;
• two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
• one ATI Radeon HD 5870 card with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
• up to 16GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory for the quad-core Mac Pro;
• up to 32GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory for the 8-core Mac Pro;
• up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD); or
• up to four 1TB or 2TB Serial ATA hard drives running at 7200 rpm;
• Mac Pro RAID card;
• dual-channel or quad-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel card; and
• up to two 18x SuperDrives with double-layer support.

Accessories include: Magic Trackpad, Apple Battery Charger, wired Apple Mouse, wireless Apple Keyboard, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, the AppleCare® Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server; iWork®, Logic Express 9, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 3. Complete options and accessories are available at www.apple.com/uk/macpro.

*Testing conducted by Apple in July 2010 using preproduction Mac Pro 12-core 2.93 GHz units and shipping Mac Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz units, all configured with 6GB of RAM. Maxwell test file: sculpture.mxs (www.benchwell.com). Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

**Testing conducted by Apple in July 2010 using preproduction Mac Pro 12-core 2.93 GHz units and shipping Mac Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz units, all configured with 6GB of RAM. Based on render performance of Maxwell Render 2.0.3 using Benchwell's sculpture.mxs. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

***EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Sony unveil three A-mount lenses for Alpha DSLRs

SONY EXPANDS A-MOUNT LENS LINE-UP FOR DSLR CAMERAS WITH THREE NEW LENSES

Sony expands its already strong line-up of over 30 A-mount lenses with new models that will appeal to seasoned photographers and those new to DSLR cameras alike

· The Distagon T* 24mm F2 ZA SSM (SAL24F20Z) features the acclaimed Carl Zeiss Distagon design and rounds out the existing Planar (SAL85F14Z) and Sonnar (SAL135F18Z) models also developed in conjunction with Carl Zeiss. It is intended to appeal to experienced photographers looking for a large-aperture wide-angle lens of real distinction.

· The DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18) adds the important 35mm focal length to the ‘Easy Choice’ series. ‘Easy Choice’ is intended to provide great value, compact and lightweight lenses that are attractive to entry-level and advanced photographers alike. Each lens in the series is selected for a specific purpose, for example portraiture or macro.

· The 85mm F2.8 SAM (SAL85F28) is another ‘Easy Choice’ lens, this time offering the 85mm focal length considered the standard for portraiture because of the natural perspective it provides. True to type it is extremely compact and light, weighing just 175g.

The lenses will be available from September 2010.

Distagon T* 24mm F2 SSM (SAL24F20Z)
The Distagon T* 24mm F2 SSM (SAL24F20Z) functions as a wide-angle 24mm lens on full-frame cameras with 35mm sensors, or as a 36mm equivalent lens ideal for general use on cameras with APS-C sensors. Jointly developed with Carl Zeiss, it features the highly-regarded Carl Zeiss Distagon retro-focus lens configuration designed for wide-angle lenses.

This lens is distinguished by its fast response focus and extremely quiet, very smooth operation thanks to its built-in SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor).

It offers a wide and therefore highly versatile focal range from 0.19m to infinity, and features a nine-blade circular aperture that along with the large F2 maximum aperture contributes to smooth, natural bokeh effects.

In keeping with traditional Carl Zeiss design, the all-metal lens barrel has been finished to a very high standard resulting in a visibly high-quality appearance.

DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18)
Part of the ‘Easy Choice’ series, offering photographers at all levels great value, compact and lightweight lenses, the DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18) weighs just 170g. It can be added to a lens kit system and carried without noticeably increasing the weight of the bag.

With an approximately 50mm (35mm equivalent) focal length on an APS-C sensor, this lens is ideal for snapshots and portraits under a wide range of shooting conditions. The high-speed F1.8 maximum aperture is particularly advantageous for hand held shooting in low light.

At just 0.23 metres, the DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18) has the shortest minimum focus in its class, making it an excellent choice for dramatic close-ups too. Whatever the shot, the internal Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) drives the focussing group directly and ensures responsive and fluid autofocus operation.

85mm F2.8 SAM (SAL85F28)
This is the first full-frame lens in the ‘Easy Choice’ range, so its launch represents an important development of the line-up as a whole. The 85mm focal length is a standard for portraiture because of the natural perspective that it provides. On an APS-C sensor camera the 85mm F2.8 SAM (SAL85F28) functions as a 127.5mm (35mm equivalent) telephoto lens – and features a Sonnar-type optical design that is considered ideal for mid-range telephoto lenses.

The lens is sharp center to corner, and features smooth defocusing thanks to its large F2.8 maximum aperture and circular aperture design. At 0.6 metres, the minimum focusing distance is the shortest in its class, and SAM motor technology ensures smooth autofocus operation.

The quality optical and mechanical features of the lens mean it is suitable for serious photography and should more than satisfy intermediate to advanced users.

Canon announces firmware update for EOS 7D

Firmware changes

Firmware Version 1.2.2 incorporates the following fixes.

Fixes a phenomenon in which the set aperture moves when shooting movies in manual exposure mode using some Canon lenses (such as macro lenses).
Fixes the AF point-selection behavior of the C.Fn III-7 (Manual AF pt. selec. pattern) custom function when set to [1].
Fixes the AF point display for the viewfinder electronic level when shooting in the vertical position.
Corrects misspellings in the Spanish and Thai menus for applicable products.
The Version 1.2.2 firmware is for cameras with firmware up to Version 1.2.1. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.2.2, it is not necessary to update the firmware. Note that cameras with the Version 1.2.2 firmware (and also Versions 1.2.0, 1.2.1) cannot be downgraded to a previous firmware version (such as Version 1.1.0). Version 1.1.0

For more information, and to download the update please see here.

Panasonic unleashes new DMC-LX5 replacing regarded LX3

After leaks appeared on certain sites around the internet last week, Panasonic has today officially announced the Lumix LX5, replacing the highly-regarded LX3.

Press release:

DMC-LX5: Capturing Creativity with the New Panasonic DMC-LX5 Compact Digital Camera,
With New High Sensitivity CCD and F2.0 LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON LENS

 

Panasonic is pleased to announce the long-awaited DMC-LX5 - a successor to the DMC-LX3, acclaimed worldwide by photography enthusiasts. The premium compact camera is fully re-designed in the lens from its predecessor with changes in the CCD and the image processing engine, and with further improvements and upgrades to the camera, ensuring the new LX5 produces high picture quality and creative images.

The DMC-LX5 packages an f/2.0 LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens with 24mm wide-angle and 3.8x optical zoom. This low-distortion, high-resolution lens lets you capture truly dynamic 24mm wide-angle images while rendering the tiniest nuances clearly, from corner to corner. The fully open f/2.0-3.3 aperture and iris diaphragm also work together to produce stunning scenes with gentle soft focusing. The 24mm wide-angle lens captures approx. 213% larger viewing space compared to a normal 35mm lens.
The DMC-LX5 features a large 1/1.63-inch, 10.1-megapixel ultra-sensitive CCD. It achieves high resolution, noise-less pictures even in high sensitivity recording and richly reproduced gradation in highly contrasted situations with the exquisitely wide dynamic range. In addition, the CCD in DMC-LX5 can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 24mm to 90mm in any of three aspect ratios; 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9, so you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective.
With the Intelligent Resolution technology, 3 areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation areas – are automatically detected. Apart from the uniform enhancement of sharpness, this technology precisely performs signal processing pixel by pixel in the most effective way according to the area. As a result, images are clear and crisp in both photos and movies. The Intelligent Zoom extends the zoom ratio by approx. 1.3x maintaining the image quality even combining a digital zoom. A 3.8x optical can virtually extend to 5x equivalent.
The DMC-LX5 can record HD movie in AVCHD Lite with high sound quality of Dolby Digital Creator. Motion JPEG format is also available (1,280 x 720 pixels). Just press the Motion Picture Button, and shooting begins. In the Creative Movie Mode, the shutter speed and aperture can be adjusted. The iA Mode can also be activated in motion picture recording. When the DMC-LX5 is connected to a Panasonic VIERA via an optional mini HDMI cable, the TV's remote control unit can be used to enjoy playing back with greater convenience.
The excellent manual controllability is the advantage of DMC-LX5. The jog dial enhances the operability together with the focus switch relocated on the lens barrel. The My Color Mode and Film Mode make it easy to customize color effects to match your favor. The DMC-LX5 also features a 3.0-inch LCD with 460,000-dot high resolution and a wide range of optional accessories to choose from to match your shooting situations and style, including view finders, filters and external flashes.

More information can be found here.