Looks Aren't Everything, But They Help - Pentax K - r Red

Can Pentax really mix beauty and brains? Well some may disagree but the new Pentax K-r certainly packs a punch or two. With 12.4 Megapixels, HD video and a 3 inch LCD display. Available in basic black, classy white and PENTAX red.

As well as all that you will also find, PRIME (Pentax Real Image Engine) II imaging engine, claimed 100-25600 ISO range, a 6fps high-speed mode, an 11-point AF system, Pentax's own Shake Reduction and dust removal mechanisms, and the option to source power from four AA batteries once you exhaust the rechargeable.

As a modern DSLR it also records 720p HD video at 25fps and even offers some obscure IrSimple high-speed infrared data transmission capabilites for all those IrSimple-compatible devices you don't own. PENTAX-original Shake Reduction mechanism for sharp, blur-free images that works with every PENTAX lens ever made.

Prices

Shipping in October 2010
The PENTAX K-r K-r Body Kit ($799.95)
K-r Lens Kit w 18-55 ($849.95)
K-r Double Lens Kit w 18-55, 50-200 ($899.95)
K-r Double Lens Kit w 18-55, 55-300 ($999.95)

Think Tank Photo makes Sling-O-Matics official, celebrates 5th Anniversary

Think Tank Photo, who are celebrating their 5th anniversary, has officially announced the Sling-O-Matic shoulder bag. The new sling-type shoulder bags are the first to feature a reversible shoulder strap, using an innovative rail system. Three sizes are offered, the smallest taking a DSLR with up to a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached. Prices start at $129 and the bags will be available from early October.

Think Tank Photo’s New Sling-O-Matic™ Series
The First Sling Bags with Easily Reversible Shoulder Straps

SANTA ROSA, CALIF – Think Tank Photo today announced that in October it will release the Sling-O-Matic, the photo industry’s first sling bag that can be easily switched back and forth to either shoulder. The Sling-O-Matic’s adjustable, fully padded shoulder strap “automatically” slides along a set of rails to change which shoulder the bag can be worn on.
This innovation is the solution to the problem inherent with sling bags: they are designed to be to worn over one shoulder only. With one smooth motion, the Sling-O-Matic can be quickly switched to the opposite shoulder without losing the characteristics that have made sling bags popular among photographers.
The Sling-O-Matic series offers three unique bags to choose from, depending on the photo gear a photographer needs to carry. The Sling-O-Matic 10 can carry a pro-size DSLR and three to four lenses, including a 70-200 f2.8. The Sling-O-Matic 20 and Sling-O-Matic 30 can each carry a pro-size DSLR and four to six lenses, including a 70-200 f2.8. The Sling-O-Matic 30 also features a separate laptop compartment for carrying a 15.4” laptop.

Key Features:
• Industry’s first sling bag that can be easily switched back and forth to either shoulder.
• Each bag fits a DSLR with up to a 70-200 f2.8 lens with lens hood in position.
• All bags are flexible to fit most pro size DSLRs with a lens attached.
• Discreetly stylized to avoid obviously appearing like a camera bag.
• Long side pocket for carrying a tripod, large water bottle, or other accessories.
• Large handles on three sides.
• Wide zippered pockets on front, back, and side.
• Business card pocket for identification.
• Removable/adjustable straps and waist belt for additional stability.
• Small storage pocket for storing removable straps.
• Fully padded compartments for protection.
• Seam-sealed rain cover included.

“However flawed their basic design, sling bags have long been a favorite among photographers, especially those who like carrying their gear on their shoulders,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo president and lead designer. “With the Sling-O-Matic we solved one of their biggest problems, which is that carrying heavy equipment solely on one shoulder can cause pain. Within just a few seconds, photographers can quickly switch the load – and the weight – from one shoulder to the other.”
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SPECIFICATIONS:
Sling-O-Matic 10
SKU: 87453000 430 8 • Part Number: 430
• ID: 8.25” W x 15.5”H x 6”D* (21 x 39 x 16.5 cm*)
• OD: 9” W x 16.5” H x 6” D (23 x 42 x 15 cm)
• MIN WEIGHT: 2.3 lbs (1.0 kg)
• MAX WEIGHT: 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg)

Sling-O-Matic 20
SKU: 87453000 434 6 • Part Number: 434
• ID: 10.25” W x 15.5” H x 6.5” D* (27.5 x 39 x 16.5 cm*)
• OD: 11” W x 16.5” H x 6” D (28 x 42 x 15 cm)
• MINIMUM WEIGHT: 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg)
• MAXIMUM WEIGHT: 3.4 lbs (1.5 kg)

Sling-O-Matic 30
SKU: 87453000 438 4 • Part Number: 438
• ID of photo gear compartment: 11.25” W x 16” H x 6.5” D (28.5 x 41 x 16.5 cm”)
• ID of laptop compartment: 11.25” W x 16” H x 1.5” D* (28.5 x 41 x 3.5 cm*)
• OD: 12” W x 17.25” H x 7.5” D (30.5 x 44 x 19 cm)
• MINIMUM WEIGHT: 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)
• MAXIMUM WEIGHT: 4.0 lbs (1.8 kg)

Small World Big Pictures

Small World is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. For over 30 years, Nikon has rewarded the world's best photomicrographers who make critically important scientific contributions to life sciences, bio-research and materials science. A photomicrograph is a technical document that can be of great significance to science or industry. But a good photomicrograph is also an image whose structure, color, composition, and content is an object of beauty, open to several levels of comprehension and appreciation.

The official judging for the 36th Annual Small World Photomicrography Competition took place on May 13, 2010. The winners will be announced on October 13, but you do get the chance to pick your favorites among this year’s top entries by clicking on the link at the end of this post.

 

Fabrice Parais, Atherix ibis (fly) aquatic larva (25X)

The Nikon Small World Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography through the microscope. Truly international in scope, entries have been received from the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Winners have included both professionals and hobbyists.

Gerd A. Guenther, Sonchus asper (spiny sowthistle) flower stem section (150X)

The subject matter is unrestricted and any type of light microscopy technique is acceptable, including phase contrast, polarized light, fluorescence, interference contrast, darkfield, confocal, deconvolution, and mixed techniques. Entries submitted to Nikon are then judged by an independent panel of experts who are recognized authorities in the area of photomicrography and photography. These entries are judged on the basis of originality, informational content, technical proficiency and visual impact.

Entries may be submitted either on film (in 35 millimeter transparency format) or uploaded digitally through your web browser.

Pedro Barrios-Perez, Wrinkled photoresist (200X)

Winners will receive one of 20 prizes, sorted according to rank in the competition. First prize is $3,000 toward the purchase of Nikon equipment. In addition, the winner is invited to attend an awards presentation ceremony in New York City as Nikon’s special guest.

Heiti Paves, Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) anther (20X)

Each year, the top 20 prize-winners are exhibited at numerous museums and science centers throughout the United States and Canada. Many winning images are also featured on the covers of prestigious scientific and industrial journals.

Cast Your Vote

To cast your vote for this years entries, click here

Carl Zeiss to offer Compact Prime CP.2 lenses in Sony and Micro 4/3 mounts

Carl Zeiss has announced that Sony Alpha and Olympus/Panasonic Micro Four Thirds mounts will be an option for their CP.2 (Compact Prime ) lenses made for video-enabled DSLRs. The company has also said the CP.2 lenses using the Nikon F mount, also announced previously as an option, will be available in Q4 of 2010. Two new models, the Compact Prime CP.2 50 mm/T2.1 Makro and CP.2 100mm/T2.1 CF, previously available in PL and Canon EF mount will now also be offered in Nikon F mount. The CP.2 lenses differ externally to the Zeiss ZF and ZE range, with their calibrated lens scales, and cine style barrel but the optical train is identical. The CP-.2 lenses also feature interchangeable lens mounts, allowing the user to switch between camera makes.

Press release:

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 08.09.2010.
In 4th quarter of 2010, ZEISS Compact Prime CP.2 lenses will be available with F-mount. The Compact Prime CP.2 series, presented last April, were the first lenses developed especially for shooting with HDSLR cameras. Since then, the lenses have been highly sought after by cinematographers and film photographers alike. In addition to the PL-, EF- and F-mount, Carl Zeiss will soon also be offering the Compact Prime CP.2 lenses with Micro 4/3 and A-mount.

The Compact Prime CP.2 lenses’ inter- changeable mount means the lenses can be used for many purposes. The lenses have a compact and robust build so that they can handle any demand on the film set.

“With the new enhancement of mounts we want to meet the needs of our customers”, says Michael Schiehlen, Head of Sales of Carl Zeiss AG Camera Lens Division. “The possibility of using our CP.2 lenses flexibly for three different camera systems is not only interesting for new customers. Stores that rent cameras and camera equipment also benefit from the lenses’ enhanced flexibility.”

Just in time for the IBC in Amsterdam, Carl Zeiss has announced two new focus lengths that will also be available with F-mount: Compact Prime CP.2 50 mm/T2.1 Makro and CP.2 100mm/T2.1 CF. They complement the seven focal lengths from 18 to 85 millimeters that are already available.

The S8100/S80 - Nikon's New Cooler COOLPIX

Nikon today unveils the latest compact camera to join the COOLPIX line-up. With an innovative, multi-touch, Organic LED (OLED) screen, 14.1 megapixels, 5x zoom NIKKOR lens and HD movie capability, the stylish COOLPIX S8100/S80 combines ease of use and great performance to guarantee stunning results and individual style. The S8100 is the US tradename and the S80 the European tradename, both are the same camera body.

Mark Pekelharing, Product Manager Consumer Products at Nikon Europe: “The S80 demonstrates Nikon’s commitment to lead the touch screen camera category. The chic, slim style and high-quality screen allows you to interact with your images with ease whilst its high-speed performance captures the perfect shot quickly and in clear definition. Providing substance as well as a unique sense of style, the S80 is the perfect camera for the fashionable photographer.”

Touch screen

The S80’s Touch Shutter function allows you to focus and take a picture or video simply by touching the relevant area on the screen, making framing your shots quick and easy; whilst the high resolution (819K dots) OLED touch screen allows you to scroll through the images you have already taken and share them easily with friends and family. The magic of the touch screen is that it makes on-camera retouching simple. With built-in filters such as a fisheye lens, selective colour and a miniature effect you can get creative on the go without having to use a computer.

HD movies made easy

Providing HD movie with stereo sound recording on the go, the COOLPIX S80 is the camera of choice for those looking for the latest in multi-format technology. It allows you to capture the moment as it happens – even zooming in and out while recording. If the large 8.7cm (3.5 inch) OLED screen is not large enough to share your memories, the HDMi connector enables you to instantly access your high-definition pictures and movies on a compatible TV.

Style and substance

Alongside the stylish, dual-coloured design, the S80’s surprisingly thin size makes it conveniently portable while Easy Auto Mode ensures you can take great shots without having to worry about the technicalities. Behind the scenes, technologies such as 5 built-in anti-blur functions (including lens-VR (Vibration Reduction) and Motion Detection) will ensure you capture images exactly as you see them.

To further ensure consistently great results the camera processing engine is based on EXPEED C2, Nikon’s improved digital image processing engine. EXPEED C2 helps expand the possibilities of photography, offering improved levels of high image quality, fine detail and processing speed. Custom-optimized for the COOLPIX S80, the EXPEED C2 engine helps ensure beautiful photographs and videos of every scene you shoot.

ViewNX 2

ViewNX 2 is an all-in-one software package that enables users to quickly and easily import, browse, edit and share still images and movies. Building on the highly successful ViewNX software, ViewNX 2 is a user-friendly suite that offers a huge range of features, going well beyond those supplied as part of a PC’s operating system. Newly-incorporated advanced movie-editing functions have been taken directly from Nikon’s award-winning DSLR range, enabling users to create stunning movie footage. ViewNX 2 is included with all Nikon digital cameras and is also available as a free download.

The COOLPIX S80 comes in two colours; black and red

US Price: $299 - European Price: 391 Euros - UK Price: £329.99

The New Nikon P7000

Is this Nikon's answer to the Canon G11? Many fans seem to think so. Interestingly it has a lower megapixel count that the P6000. The P7000’s superb image quality is guaranteed by a wide-angle 7.1x zoom NIKKOR lens giving a 28mm to 200mm range (35mm format equivalent), with optical Vibration Reduction (VR), two ED glass elements and Nikon’s brand new EXPEED C2 image processing system. The large 10.1 effective megapixel 1/1.7” CCD sensor facilitates wide dynamic range and exceptional low light performance whilst the 7.5cm (3.0”) high resolution LCD (920K dot) monitor assists composition, movie making and playback in brilliant detail.

Mark Pekelharing, Product Manager, Consumer Products at Nikon Europe B.V., says: “The COOLPIX P7000 boasts a raft of advanced features and ergonomics found in SLR cameras, making it the ultimate compact option for advanced SLR users and professional photographers who want high quality images in a discrete and responsive body.” He added, “Our professional customers have really helped to drive decisions about the feature set, and the results speak for themselves; great quality photography…anywhere”.

The P7000 is packed with cutting-edge technology to ensure the best image quality available, with a large 1/1.7” sensor and EXPEED C2 image processing system to provide enhanced low light performance and movie recording. Its 7.1x zoom NIKKOR lens has two ED glass elements to reduce chromatic aberration and fringing at longer focal lengths. What is more, it also includes a built-in ND filter to expand exposure options in very bright conditions.

The P7000’s wide sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 3200 is expandable to Hi 1 (ISO 6400 equivalent), while low noise night mode ensures fine results in extremely low light conditions, such as in candlelit interiors and a Noise Reduction (NR) adjustment function enables photographers to manage the impact of noise in their images.

For situations where choosing the right setting proves difficult, D-Lighting automatically ensures images look natural, rescuing underexposed shadows caused by very high contrast lighting conditions. COOLPIX in-camera Picture Controls, based on the technology from Nikon's award winning digital SLRs, allow the user to manage camera processing according to personal taste while the new bracketing functions enable the photographer to take sequences with slightly different settings, varying exposure, ISO sensitivity, or white balance, and select the one that best suits the intended effect. A newly-added Virtual Horizon can also be displayed in the LCD to make sure the camera position is perfectly aligned.

Enhanced recording and playback

Some occasions call for capturing more than a picture, so the COOLPIX P7000 comes with an HD movie recording (720p) function. Stereo sound can be simultaneously recorded using a built-in microphone, while the microphone jack enables the use of an external microphone. The extra large 7.5cm (3.0”) ultra-high resolution (920K dot) LCD display offers almost 100% sRGB colour space to make image reviewing a pleasure and the optical viewfinder features diopter adjustment. In addition to this, the HDMI port enables instant sharing on external HD displays.
The P7000’s in-camera editing allows users to take control over their pictures. Tone level information is displayed on a histogram, and exposure compensation, aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity can be minutely adjusted while confirming highlights, shadows and intermediate tone.

For those who prefer to revise their images on a PC or Mac, images can be stored in the enhanced NRW+ (COOLPIX RAW) format, providing an uncompressed digital “negative” which enables advanced editing. NRW+ files are compatible with Nikon’s bundled ViewNX 2 software as well as the optional image editing software Capture NX2

Easy operation, everywhere

The P7000 has been designed for those who wish to have complete control over their photography with the familiar intuitive layout of buttons and dials found on Nikon DSLR cameras such as Command dial and AE-L/AF-L buttons. The P7000 also features an ‘analogue retro’ dial to manage exposure compensation levels in 1/3 EV steps. Manual control over other commonly used functions is accessible via the Quick Menu dial. A User-Setting Function enables users to switch zoom position to a preset focal length, as if using interchangeable lenses. The settings at each zoom position can also be customised according to the user’s intention. Alongside this, the added Zoom Memory function allows one-touch switching to any focal length setting, using a new manual mode dial.

The compact system camera

The COOLPIX P7000 forms the core of a mini-system and is i-TTL compatible with Nikon’s acclaimed Speedlights, a new WC-75A wide-angle convertor for a 21mm equivalent field of view and infra-red remote control ML-L3. The P7000 also comes complete with ViewNX 2 software, long life battery EN-EL14 and charger MH-24. The camera can be further expanded using an external microphone (not available from Nikon). To protect the camera, an optional carry case is also available (CS-P06).

EXPEED C2

The original EXPEED image processing system incorporated all of the accumulated expertise and technologies developed throughout Nikon’s long history. Now the latest evolution of Nikon’s renowned system, EXPEED C2, expands the possibilities of photography even further, with enhanced movie recording, high-sensitivity performance and maximum image quality. EXPEED C2 maximizes sensor performance for clear, lifelike images that exhibit vivid colors, reduced noise and smooth tonal gradations for outstanding photos and movies.

ViewNX 2

ViewNX 2 is an all-in-one software package that enables users to quickly import, browse, edit and share still images and movies. Building upon the highly successful ViewNX software, ViewNX 2 is a user-friendly suite that offers a huge range of features, going well beyond those supplied as part of a PC’s operating system. Newly-incorporated advanced movie-editing functions have been taken directly from Nikon’s award-winning DSLR range, enabling users to trim clips and blend still images into stunning movie footage. ViewNX 2 comes with all Nikon digital cameras and is also available as a free download.

Nikon my Picturetown

You can now back-up your images safely and securely using my Picturetown, the free online digital photo storage and sharing service brought to you by Nikon. Easily share photo memories with friends and organise precious memories into online collections. You get 2GB of space free to use for storing thousands of memories and you can upgrade your membership to Gold Account at any time if you need to store more pictures.

Leica add ostrich finish outer to limited edition X1

I really wish Leica wouldn't do this sort of thing. I mean it's fine to offer the embossed ostrich skin as an alternative to the leather finish on the standard X1, but to call it a limited edition is a bit much. Pricing is 230,300 yen ($2750) but availability is still to be announced. Just 80 units will be offered for sale.

Source DC.WATCH.

Carl Zeiss roll out range of UV and Polarizer filters

After dropping hints a few days ago, Carl Zeiss has announced they're to produce a range of UV and polariser filters in 58, 67, 72 and 82mm filter threads. Oddly, the popular pro size of 77mm has been omitted. The company has also announced a new shoulder strap using patented air-cell padding. As of posting, there's no indication of price or availability.

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 07.09.2010.
Carl Zeiss now offers photographers special accessories to support their work with ZEISS lenses. The new UV and POL filters from Carl Zeiss are optically and mechanically tailored to the high-quality ZEISS SLR lenses and protected against light reflections with the ZEISS T* multi-coating. Because good optics can be somewhat heavy at times, Carl Zeiss now offers a special camera strap with air cell padding for SLR cameras.

“It is important for us to not only deliver ideal image results, but to also make photography something to remember. This does not stop at lenses. We have also taken the demands and needs of photographers into consideration during development of our accessory products. They are the ideal addition to our ZEISS SLR lenses," explains Martin Klottig, Marketing Manager of the Camera Lens Division at Carl Zeiss AG.

The new UV and POL filters meet the highest demands on mechanical quality and can be quickly and easily changed. High-quality optical glass is tailored to the performance of ZEISS lenses, while the T* multi-coating minimizes light reflections on the glass-air surfaces and improves transmission. In addition to the filter function, the front lens element of the lens provides protection against contamination and scratches. With the standard thread diameters of 58, 67, 72 and 82 mm, the filters also fit the lenses of other manufacturers.

The camera straps ensure that your equipment does not lead to shoulder and neck strain, even when used for longer periods. Patented air cell padding and the elastic material unite comfort and maximum durability. Special quick-action locks enable users to quickly, easily and safely connect the straps to all standard SLR cameras.

Red Bull Illume 2010 Image Quest Winner Announced

Red Bull Illume, the world’s premier action and adventure sports photography competition, has revealed the winners of its 2010 Image Quest.

The Overall Winning Image

The finalists of the competition, sponsored by SanDisk, the global leader in flash memory cards, were unveiled during a ceremony in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, with Chris Burkard from the USA being named as the overall winner.

His image of surfer Peter Mendria riding the waves in golden sunlight on Chile's West Coast was selected by an international panel of 53 photo experts, winning him a variety of photography products including a Leica S2 camera and a selection of SanDisk flash memory cards.

TECHNICAL INFO
Camera: Nikon D700
Lens: 70.0-200.0 mm f/2.8
ISO: 125
F-Stop: f 6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/1000

The category winners and finalists were selected from the 22,764 images submitted to the 2010 Image Quest by thousands of photographers worldwide. Fifty-three judges from picture desks across the world voted over three rounds to determine ten category winners as well as the overall winner.

Gerry Edwards, SanDisk Imaging Senior Product Marketing Manager, commented: “The entries in this year’s competition were outstanding and we are extremely proud to be a part of this prestigious event. The competition is a great way to recognise and reward the planning, time and effort that goes into capturing the perfect picture.”

Visit www.redbullillume.com to see all the work and for updates on the nominated photographers and tour as well as picture galleries, news, interviews and videos about the world of action sports photography.

The Winner With Trophy

I am so blessed,” said Burkard on picking up the biggest prize in freesports photography. “I feel really, really lucky just to be here and be surrounded by people I look up to and my peers. There’s something to be said to win an award in front of people you respect. So for me this is huge, a really huge honour. I’m really grateful.”

“As action sports photographers, we’re used to getting towards the action and getting close to it. And nine times out of ten, that’s what we’ll do. But I decided to get as far from the action as I could so I could show the whole landscape so people could appreciate everything that was going on and not just the surfer.”

Burkard’s image proved to be a hugely popular choice with fellow photographers and the public on the night. “The overall winning shot by Chris Burkard is amazing,” said New Creativity finalist Silvano Zeiter. “When I saw the random pictures exhibited on the Red Bull Illume website, I looked through them and saw that one picture by Chris Burkard. I made a screen shot and said to my friend, ‘This is going to be shot!’”

Fred Montagne, the previous winner of the Image Quest in 2007 also thought Burkard was a worthy winner. “My favorite photo was the overall winner by Chris Burkard, really. I like these kind of photos where you see the athlete in a big environment. It’s not just about the action, it’s about the action in some crazy environment. I like when the individual is really small. It would still be a good photo without the surfer.”

A Few Of The Other Finalists

Photograper: Eric Berger, Athlete: Dan Treadway, Location: Whistler, BC, Canada

TECHNICAL INFO
Camera: Nikon D3
Lens: 10.5mm f/2.8
ISO: 250
F-Stop: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/1250

Photographer: Adam Kokot, Athlete, Michal Krol, Location: Spisske Tomasovce, Slovakia

TECHNICAL INFO
Camera: Canon EOS 350D DIGITAL
Lens: 10.0-20.0 mm
ISO: 100
F-Stop: f 4,0
Shutter Speed: 1/80

Photographer: Alessio Barbanti, Athlete: Taddy Blazusiak, Location: Città di Castello, Perugia, Italy

TECHNICAL INFO

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
Lens: EF28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM
ISO: 200
F-Stop: f 5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/500

Photographer: Brian Bielmann, Athlete: Andy Irons, Location: Teahupoo, French Polynesia

TECHNICAL INFO
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: 10-17mm
ISO: 100
F-Stop: f 3,5
Shutter Speed: 1/800

 

Nikon intro new rear lens cap

Okay, so it's not as big a news as the AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G ED we're all expecting in just over a weeks time (I'm guessing), but I never really liked the LF-1 rear lens cap - after all it doesn't seal that well and certainly could of been made to mate with the rubber gasket on the pro-Nikkors.

Anyhow, this site say the new cap is called the LF-4 (even I can work that out without using Google translator - it's in Japanese). I wonder what happened to the LF-2 and 3? Was one of those the slight amendment for non-English speakers with the Pac-Man type icon that replaced the word "Open"? Who cares? Anyway this looks like a substantial revision, and I wonder if it's made in green for use in the factory? The price is 378 yen, or around $5, which will end up as £5 in UK.

UPDATE 07/09/10: I now have a new AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 with the new LF-4, and while the rear cap doesn't seal with the rear rubber gasket, it covers more of the mount than the LF-1. It's also easier to grip and it certainly feels more secure when attached. Oh, and yeah, the other very welcome benefit, is that it now locks on the body cap (BF-1A and older BF-1 manual focus version), so they'll stay together in your camera bag (so you can loose both together, rather than one or the other). Now where is the rumored AF-S 35mm f/1.4G?

 

Kevin

Zeiss launch 35mm f/1.4 for Nikon and Canon

Carl Zeiss has introduced a super-fast, manual focus 35mm prime with a maximum aperture of f/1.4, for Nikon and Canon EOS users. Recommended retail is £1275, 1386 Euros, plus tax, and will be available for sale early 2011.

The image above shows the Canon ZE version, the Nikon ZF.2 has a manual aperture ring.

Sample photo

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 01.09.2010.
A woman is sitting at the bar of a dimly-lit cafe. Lost in thoughts, she doesn’t notice the glass of wine the bartender places before her. From a distance, a photographer tries to capture her mood. He brings her face, which is leaning toward her phone, into focus. Everything around her becomes a blur, and the lights in the background coalesce into a wild “dance” of diffuse shapes.

This shot will only work with a fast lens with short focal length and harmonious bokeh. Carl Zeiss introduces a new lens for just such images: the Distagon T* 1,4/35.

By introducing the Distagon T* 1,4/35, Carl Zeiss is complementing the Planar T*1,4/50 and T*1,4/85 lenses with a wide-angle lens that shares the same high speed. Crisp, sharp images work every time, whether at dusk or in the weak lighting conditions of a café, and without the need for a tripod. With its 35-mm, the Distagon T* 1,4/35 matches the classic and versatile standard focal lengths when used on cameras with APS-C sensor formats.

Due to the special bokeh effects in both the foreground and background areas, the Distagon T*1,4/35 opens up new creative possibilities, giving photographers more options to ‘play’ with focus. Thanks to its large focus ring, photographers can also create highly accurate, sharp pictures, even at maximum aperture opening. In addition, the optical construction of the lens guarantees high image quality across the entire image range. Furthermore, with one step less than the full aperture opening, the light fall-off toward the edges is just one f-stop.

With the ZEISS T*‘s anti-reflective coating, its sophisticated stray light reduction and the excellent flare control the new Distagon also takes pictures of bright light sources without artifacts. The Distagon T*1,4/35’s extremely long-lasting and robust all-metal precision mechanics, for which Carl Zeiss is known, make this lens perfect for use on-the-go and for photo reports.

The Distagon T* 1,4/35 will be available in first quarter of 2011 at a recommended retail price of 1385.71 euros (excluding VAT)*.

Sample close-up

Excellent differential focus (bokeh) and colour rendition of the new Distagon 35mm f/1.4

 

Follow the link here for the official UK distributor, Robert White in Poole, Dorset.

Buy from our affiliate, Adorama in NYC: Nikon, Canon.

If you run both Canon and Nikon systems as I do (and Olympus as well), then buy the Nikon version and use a high-quality lens adapter such as this one as the Canon has the shorter flange focal distance (FFD)* of the two systems. It costs a little more than the standard version but allows mounting of AI-S and G-series Nikkor lenses. Metering is unaffected, as Canon cameras meter and operate in stopped down mode, and focusing is unaffected (it's a MF lens afterall).

*Most third-party manufacturers design the Nikon version first due to the maker's longer FFD, as it's easier to compensate for Canon, Pentax, Sony and the rest with their shorter registers.

 

 

OMG! Canon Create The Ultimate 'Multi-purpose' Concept Camera

This is a full working model albiet in concept form but I so want Canon to make it for real. The 4K as it is currently known shoots at 60 frames per second at 4k resolution using a single 8 megapixel 2/30inch CMOS sensor and it weighs in at only 5.5 pounds. Let's just go over that sentence, 4K resolution video is approximately quadruple the resolution of 1080p - wow.

The hardware is essentially a huge DSLR body packing a fixed video-style lens complete with zoom and focus controls and a high-def flip-out LCD viewfinder, the same LCD found in Canon's new XF-300 and XF-305 video cameras.

 

 

Multi-Purpose Image Capture

Unlike competing camera-maker RED's offerings, apparently the 4K concept is not specifically designed for digital cinema. It's actually intended to offer "multipurpose image capture" . Despite Canon admitting that the 4K will never come to market we can't help but admire Canon's brave step from the norm, wouldn't you want one?