Hasselblad announces new bonus plan

Hasselblad has announced a new bonus incentive scheme today worth 10% of the manufacturer’s suggested Retail Price (excl. VAT) against the purchase of a new Hasselblad H4D camera or CFV digital back between June 15, 2011 and July 31, 2011. Any one of the following products purchased is eligible for the scheme: H4D-40, H4D-50, H4D-60,H4D-200MS, H4D-50MS, CFV-39, or CFV-50. For more information please see the press release below.

 

Press Release

Copenhagen, June 15th 2011

Hasselblad Announces Bonus Incentive Plan for Purchasers of Hasselblad Cameras and Digital Backs

Hasselblad announced today a bonus plan to reward purchasers of new H4D series cameras and digital backs. This limited time offer is a unique opportunity for photographers to get their hands on any photographic item of their choice.

Any Hasselblad customer who purchases a new Hasselblad H4D camera or CFV digital back between June 15, 2011 and July 31, 2011 will be awarded a Bonus Check worth 10% of the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (excl. VAT) of the product they have purchased. This unique Bonus Check can then be redeemed to purchase any photography equipment of their choice at the Hasselblad dealer, where they purchased the camera.

“We believe this campaign is a perfect solution, presenting any of our camera customers a valuable bonus this summer. We are very proud of our cameras and hope this will make it even easier for customers to decide to make Hasselblad part of their image capture solution,” says Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad’s Global Sales and Marketing Director. “Hasselblad has always sought to support and promote photography in general, and photographers across all genres. What better way to do this than to give our camera customers a Bonus Check which they can use to purchase lenses, filters, camera bags, lighting or whatever other photo related accessory they so desire?”

Once the customer purchases one of the following cameras, an H4D-40, H4D-50, H4D-60,H4D-200MS, H4D-50MS, CFV-39, or CFV-50, they will be directed towards a special registration page where, with a few simple clicks, they will be able to register their new product and see the total amount of the Bonus Check they are entitled to spend with the dealer, and with another simple click, can save and print a unique and numbered Bonus Check. The customer simply then redeems the Bonus Check with their Hasselblad dealer, spending the total value on any photographic item of their choice - the offer is not restricted to Hasselblad equipment, but can be used to purchase any products sold by the dealer, where they purchased their Hasselblad camera or digital back.

“We sincerely hope that customers will take advantage of this unique offer,” says Russell-Fish, “and use this wonderful opportunity to get their hands on Hasselblad equipment and accessories, or any other products they may need or desire.”

More information about the campaign and about how to find a participating dealer near you can be found at: www.hasselblad.com/bonuscheck

 

Quantum announce QLink radio control for Canon, Nikon strobes

Flaghead Photographic the UK distributor for Quantum flash has announced the Quantum QLink, a new TTL cable adaptor, that converts the existing Quantum FreeXwire receiver FW8R allowing control of Nikon and Canon speedlites up to 600 feet away from the camera position using radio signals. QLink allows control in TTL, Manual and Auto modes as well as the setting of lighting ratios. The QLink will retail for £114 inc VAT and will be available in both Nikon and Canon fit from the end of June.

PRESS RELEASE                     June 2011

NEW Quantum QLink:
Radio Control for Nikon & Canon speedlites

 

FLAGHEAD PHOTOGRAPHIC, the exclusive UK& Ireland distributor for Quantum products, are pleased to announce the NEW Quantum QLink!

Qlink is the wireless solution to controlling Nikon & Canon speedlites up to 600 feet away from the camera position using radio signals. QLink will not just fire the remote speedlites, but allows control in TTL, Manual and Auto modes as well as the setting of ratios!

This is how it works:
Speedlites: The QLink shoe adaptor fits over the hot-shoe of the flash and a cable connects to the Quantum FreeXwire receiver FW8R.
Camera: fit a Quantum Trio or Pilot to the camera hot-shoe, this has now become the master controller for any amount of Nikon, Canon or Qflash units within range. The Pilot allows 3 groups to be controlled independently and the Trio 2.

The Quantum FreeXwire uses radio waves, this has many advantages over Nikon & Canon’s remote wireless control system:
•    Radio triggers don’t get swamped by high ambient light levels
•    have a greater range: up to 600 feet
•    have no need “line-of-sight” issues
•    work in bright sunlight
•    receivers can be placed behind doors, walls, people and/or furniture!

For more information visit www.qtm.com or www.flaghead.co.uk

Mike Colon capturing the perfect moment

The team at Lexar recently caught up with some of the top wedding photographers and produced a series of educational videos offering the tips, tricks and equipment they use to capture the best wedding shots. This week, viewers can see professional international wedding and lifestyle photographer, Mike Colon, discussing his strategies of how to capture the perfect moment including:
 
·          How to break the ice and make your subject feel comfortable
·          How to predict and capture fleeting moments as they happen
·          Shares his favorite shot of all time

Canon update EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available separately and also as part of a double lens kit, bundled alongside the recently-announced EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II with  EOS 550D, EOS 600D and EOS 60D bodies. The updated lens features Canon's new four-stop IS system an new exterior finish and a single UD glass element and will be available from July 2011, priced at £329.99/Euro 369.99 RRP incl. VAT.

Canon unveils the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II – the ideal telephoto lens for aspiring photographers
 
United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 13th June 2011 – Canon today announces the launch of its latest high-quality telephoto zoom lens. The new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II is a compact and affordable lens, offering powerful telephoto performance combined with high image quality, making it ideal for photographers wanting to get closer to the action.

The versatile new lens enables photographers to shoot a variety of subjects due to its variable focal range. It’s ideal for shooting anything from portraits to longer-distance subjects, such as wildlife, sports, or even features within a landscape – ensuring the moment is always captured in impressive detail.

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available separately and also as part of a double lens kit, bundled alongside the recently-announced EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II with  EOS 550D, EOS 600D and EOS 60D bodies, providing beginners with a fantastic start to their photography system, all in one box.

Designed and manufactured to exacting standards, the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II reflects Canon’s premium design philosophy, with an enhanced exterior design and a number of premium technologies to ensure leading image quality. Canon’s four-stop Image Stabilizer (IS) counters image blur during low light and handheld shooting, and the inclusion of an Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens element and Canon’s Super Spectra Coatings also ensure beautifully crisp, high contrast and glare-free images. The latest EF-S lens to be added to Canon’s range is ideal for photographers seeking an affordable and versatile lens for general-purpose telephoto photography.

Pricing and Availability
The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available from July 2011, priced at £329.99/Euro 369.99 RRP incl. VAT.

Leaf announce Raw Converter 1.2.6

Leaf Imaging has announced an update to their Raw Converter software, which allows the conversion of Leaf .mos files in Adobe Camera Raw (and although not quoted Lightroom too). The latest update adds support for Leaf Aptus-II 12, Leaf Aptus-II 12R, Leaf Aptus-II 12 for AFI/HY6 in addition to earlier backs and those from Mamiya including the DM56, DM40, DM33, DM28, DM22. The download is free and available now.

Leaf Raw Converter 1.2.6
Leaf is happy to announce the release of Leaf Raw Converter 1.2.6.

The Leaf Raw Converter enables you to convert the non-standard files created when shooting images to Compact Flash card on Leaf back to a standard Leaf format which can be read by other applications such as the Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in.

This latest version of LRC adds support for Leaf Aptus-II 12, Leaf Aptus-II 12R, Leaf Aptus-II 12 for AFI/HY6 and continues to support files from all of Leaf’s older models.

The Leaf Raw Converter supports both Macintosh® and Windows® operating systems, including Windows 7 32 and 64 bit.

Download:

Leaf RAW Converter 1.2.6 for Windows
Leaf RAW Converter 1.2.6 for Mac
Leaf RAW Converter 1.2.6 Release Notes

Camera Back Compatibility

Leaf Aptus-II 12R, 12, 10R, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5
Leaf Aptus 75, 65, 22, 17
Leaf Aptus 75S, 65S, 54S
Leaf AFi-II 12, 10, 7, 6
Leaf AFi 7, 6, 5
Mamiya DM56, DM40, DM33, DM28, DM22 f Raw Converter 1.2.6

Canon Fisheye EF 15mm f/2.8 discontinued

We've just heard from a spokesperson at Canon UK that the outstanding EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens has been discontinued. The situation is a little different in the US however, but my guess is once stock has disappeared from dealer's shelves that'll be it till the new EF 8-15mm f/4L starts shipping from Japan.

B&H Photo is still showing the EF 15mm f/2.8 in stock at $749, but I can't tell you how long that will last.

Panasonic unwrap Lumix GF3

After the launch recently of the G3 comes the expected announcement of the GF3, the smallest of the Lumix G-series models to date. These cameras are popular not only for their stills, but for video too. The Lumix models record up to 29 minutes, which is much more compelling than the Olympus Pens' somewhat restricted video (7 minutes on the E-PL2 in HD - 720p). But, note the Full HD 1080i (interlaced) claim of this new model, that's not the same as 1080p, which is preferred. We hope to have more information on that after we've received a standard-production sample for review.

UPDATE: Also note the lack of a hotshoe, though there's a built-in flash, that means no optional EVF. This is much more like a digital compact (albeit with interchangeable lenses) than any previous mirrorless offering.

Press release:

The Panasonic LUMIX GF3: Get more from every moment
 
Slim, stylish and easy to use, the LUMIX GF3 captures the moments you want to remember in exceptional detail
 
Panasonic has today launched the LUMIX GF3, its smallest and lightest interchangeable lens LUMIX G system camera*. Easy to use and bursting with features, the LUMIX GF3 puts high-quality images in the palm of your hand.
 
Get more from every moment
With an image sensor far larger than those found in point-and-shoot cameras and superior image processing, the LUMIX GF3 allows you to get the picture quality you would expect from a large, bulky DSLR camera. But with a compact design that fits in your pocket, the LUMIX GF3 gives you high-end photography you can take anywhere:
·         Innovative design: New breakthroughs in innovative design means the LUMIX GF3 is Panasonic’s small and light interchangeable lens camera, but still packed full of advanced technology. With an aluminium chassis, built-in flash, easy-to-handle grip and a choice of four colours, the LUMIX GF3 will be the perfect everyday companion.
·         Take the step to high quality photography:A Micro Four Thirds 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor offers gives both superior image quality and low power consumption. The advanced sensor, alongside the high-performance Venus Engine VII HD images processor, lets you take beautiful photos and high-definition movies wherever you are, even when shooting in low-light situations.
·         Full HD Movies: The LUMIX GF3’s quality advances are not restricted to still photos. Now you can record the world around you in stunning AVCHD Full HD (1080i, sensor output 25fps), with Dolby sound. With full time Auto Focus and Auto Focus Tracking, the camera will automatically lock onto the subject of your movie and follow it even as it moves. A dedicated button on the top lets you instantly start recording movies when a sudden opportunity arises.
 
See more of your world
Your world is unique, and the LUMIX GF3 puts advanced features at your fingertips to capture the world as only you see it. You can make creative changes with just a touch of the LCD screen making it easy to experiment, while the automatic functions give you professional results, instantly:
·         Get the perfect result: With the High-resolution Live View system, you can see how the settings will affect the image before you shoot, making it easier to capture exactly the mood or atmosphere you want. The stunning 3 inch wide-viewing angle LCD screen features the simple touch screen operation you expect from your essential gadgets
·         Touch control shooting: The LUMIX GF3’s intuitive touch screen lets you have full control over your photos, with ease. Focus and defocus can be set immediately to the subject or to the background, with just one touch of the large LCD screen
·         Rich colour reproduction with Intelligent D-range Control: With Intelligent D-range Control, the LUMIX GF3 allows photographers of all levels to achieve the rich colour reproduction expected by professionals. Colours appear more natural than ever, as the camera optimises the exposure and ensures that gradation and individual details are artfully reproduced.
·         Absolute creative control: The GF3’s Creative Control mode lets you add visual effects to your photos that have previously required software post processing, including Retro, High Key, Sepia and High Dynamic.  In addition, portrait presets allow finer adjustment of contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction to get the perfect shot.
·         Intelligent Auto Plus functionality: Featuring Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto Plus (iA+), the LUMIX GF3 lets you take professional-level shots, even if you’re a beginner or need to shoot instantly:
o        Reducing blurring: MEGA O.I.S (Optical Image Stabilising) helps prevent blurring from hand-shake[1]
o        Motion detection: Intelligent ISO Control reduces motion blur by adjusting the ISO sensitivity if the subject moves as the shot is taken
o        Intelligent set-up: With Intelligent Scene Selector the camera automatically switches to the appropriate mode according to the subject touched. For example, a touch on a human face switches to the portrait mode and a touch on the background to the scenery mode
o        Face Recognition: Face Recognition can automatically remember your friend and family and adjust focus, exposure, contrast on them so the photos turn out exactly as you want
·         Taking photography to the next dimension: The LUMIX GF3 also lets you add an extra dimension to your photography skills, with high-quality 3D still photography with the LUMIX G 3D 12.5mm / F12 lens. The lens produces 3D photos without distortion or time lag between left and right images, even for moving objects
 
 
Take more control:
Fast, accurate, and intuitive, the LUMIX GF3 lets you take instant control of your photography. The easy-to-operate advanced controls, including choice of a control wheel and an advanced touch LCD screen means you can get the results to suit you:
·        Outstanding speed: For exceptional photography, speed is of the essence. High-definition burst shooting at 4 FPS means you can pick out the perfect shot from a fast moving subject, while the LUMIX GF3 focuses automatically in approximately 0.18 seconds[2], meaning you’ll never miss the moment. Once you’ve locked the focus onto the subject with just one touch, the GF3’s AF Tracking mode will follow it even if as it moves.
·         Control-wheel An innovative control wheel – featured for the first time in a Panasonic LUMIX G series camera – lets you easily scroll through your images and the camera’s key functions.
·        Intuitive auto-focus: The AF is not only fast but extremely accurate, letting you get the perfect shots when a sudden opportunity arises. You can choose from a wide range of AF modes – including Pinpoint AF which allows extremely precise near–pixel-level focus point calibration with the touch of your finger. In contrast to other technologies that limit the number of fixed hardware focus points, Panasonic’s Pinpoint AF can be set by touch control to very fine points anywhere on the LCD screen.
·         Built-in flash: With an integrated flash, the GF3 gives you take the perfect photos, whatever the light level. With just a press of a button, the spring-loaded flash mechanism will be ready to use.
·         The world’s largest range of Micro Four Thirds lenses: The LUMIX GF3 gives you the widest range of Micro Four Thirds lenses to choose from to make sure you have the right set up for the right job, including the newly unveiled H-H025 25mm/F1.4 lens.
 
Key features:
·         Image Sensor12.1 MP LIVE MOS
·         Engine Venus Engine VII HD
·         ISO setting Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400
·         AF speed Approx 0.18 seconds (* The time for focusing on the subject is measured with LUMIX G VARIO HD 14-140mm / F4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. (H-VS014140) to move the lens position to “2m” from “infinity” position. The zoom position is in wide range. Panasonic measurement method.)
·         Burst shoot: 4 fps (12.1MP)
·         Movie recording: AVCHD Full HD (1080i, sensor output 25fps)
·         LCD Screen: 3.0”, 3:2,  460K dotsTouch LCD
·         Size: 107.5 x 67.1 x 32.0mm
·         Weight: 222g
·         Built-in Flash: GN6
·         Interface: HDMI, Digital AV Out
 
* With built in flash, as of date of release

For more information please visit -
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/7722901/index.html

[1] With selected compatible lenses
[2] * The time for focusing on the subject is measured with LUMIX G VARIO HD 14-140mm / F4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. (H-VS014140) to move the lens position to “2m” from “infinity” position. The zoom position is in wide range. Panasonic measurement method.

Additional photos

Panasonic roll out Leica 25mm (50mm) f/1.4

Panasonic has announced a Leica-branded 25mm f/1.4 (50mm equivalent). The lens is Leica designed, but made by Panasonic at the Yamagata lens plant - the factory was said to have been damaged by the recent earthquake in Northern Japan.

Interesting use of Nikon-esqe 'nano' element coating to reduce flare and ghosting. There's no IS as some detractors are bound to point out, but there's absolutely no need for it in a lens like this.

The optical construction consists of nine elements in seven groups, that's unusual as most even high end 50mm's adopt seven or sometimes eight elements in total. Cheaper models, the modern 50mm f/1.8 type, for instance, use six elements. Of those nine, two are aspherical (glass moulded, not ground) and one is made from ultra high refractive (UHR) index glass.

There's no word as yet on price or availability.

UPDATE. A spokesperson for Panasonic has confirmed to the DJP the lens will be available in August at approximately £539.99 (inc VAT), or just $599.95 in the US.

 

Press release:

Panasonic expands LUMIX G Micro System range with light, high performance Leica DG lens
 
The LUMIX G Leica DG Summilux 25mm / F1.4 ASPH lens delivers superb optical performance for use everywhere you go
 
Panasonic today launched the LUMIX G Leica DG Summilux 25mm / F1.4 ASPH Lens, a new light-weight interchangeable lens based on the Micro Four Thirds Standard.  Meeting Leica’s strict standards ensuring high optical quality, the new lens will allow you to take stunning photos and videos wherever you are, even when shooting in low-light conditions.
 
This versatile, compact lens delivers bright, sharp images suitable for a wide range of photographic requirements. From daily snapshots while out and about; to indoor portraits without flash in low light levels; to creative images which take advantage of its beautiful peripheral defocus effect, the Leica DG lens turns everyday moments into works of art.

With this Leica DG mounted, the LUMIX G Micro System is easy to carry with you anywhere. An Ultra High Refractive (UHR) index lens makes it thin and light without compromising image quality. While a newly developed “nano surface coating” on the surface of the lens, means ghosting and flare will be dramatically reduced in your photos, further emphasising the high image quality from Panasonic’s LUMIX G Micro System.

The F1.4 aperture lets you capture the desired parts of an image in sharp focus, while giving other parts a soft focus. This makes the subject really stand out, adding a rich expressiveness to the photo. The lens also incorporates an inner focus direct-drive linear motor, which enables smooth, silent operation of its fast and accurate contrast Auto Focus (AF) system for use in both photo and movie recording.

Despite its extremely compact size and superb optical performance, this lens brings out the full capabilities of the 4/3-type image sensor; achieves smoother Live View performance in combination with the camera’s body; and allows a variety of unique features such as the contrast AF function of LUMIX G Micro System cameras.
 
With the addition of this new 25mm lens, Panasonic now offers twelve lenses ranging from 7mm to 300mm, making sure you have the right set-up for the right job. With the LUMIX G Micro System, there really is no limit to your creativity.
 
 
Key features:
·         Lens Construction: 9 elements in 7 groups (1 Ultra High Refractive Index lens, 2 Aspherical lenses)
·         Mount: Micro Four Thirds mount
·         Optical Image Stabilizer: N/A
·         Focal Length: f = 25mm (35mm camera equivalent 50mm)
·         Aperture Type: 7 diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm
·         Aperture: F1.4
·         Minimum Aperture: F16
·         Closest Focusing Distance: 0.30m / 0.98 feet
·         Maximum Magnification: Approx. 0.11x / 0.22x (35mm camera equivalent)
·         Filter Size: ø 46mm
·         Max. Diameter: Approx. ø 63mm
·         Overall Length: Approx. 54.5mm (from the tip of the lens to the base side of the lens mount)
·         Weight: Approx. 200g
·         Standard Accessories: Lens cap, Lens rear cap, Lens storage bag

Additional photos

More information can be found here.

Sony announce firmware update version 2.0 for A33 and A55

Sony has announced the latest firmware update (version 2.0) will be available from June 20 for the SLT A33 and A55 DSLRs.

Version 2.00 firmware update for α33, α55

Available from June 20th, a firmware upgrade for existing α33 and α55 cameras by Sony adds several creative and operational enhancements.

Support for the ‘Picture Effect’ function featured on the new α35 is now offered. High-Speed Synch is supported during wireless operation with a compatible external flash (only α55). Ergonomics are further improved with revised menus and a new mode that lets users switch off shooting parameters overlaid on screen for clear, uncluttered composition.

The camera’s Digital Level Gauge can also be displayed when shooting via the optional CLM-V55 external LCD monitor. Frequently used features can now be custom-assigned to the D-RANGE button for rapid, menu-free access.

Available free to registered users, from the 20th of June the latest Version 2.00 firmware update for α33 and α55 can be downloaded from:

α33
Windows:
http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/downloads/downloads.aspx?f=FW_A33_V2_WIN&site=odw_en_GB
MAC OS:
http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/downloads/downloads.aspx?f=FW_A33_V2_MAC&site=odw_en_GB


α55
Windows:
http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/downloads/downloads.aspx?f=FW_A55_V2_WIN&site=odw_en_GB
MAC OS:
http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/downloads/downloads.aspx?f=FW_A55_V2_MAC&site=odw_en_GB

Sony unwrap HVL-F20S flash for NEX

HVL-F20S Flash

Also available as an option [to the new NEX-C3, announced earlier today], the new HVL-F20S is a style-matching flash that clips onto the camera’s Smart Accessory Terminal. Powered directly by the camera, the flash requires no batteries, achieving an ultra-compact size and light weight when you're travelling. With a generous GN20 (50mm, at ISO 100, m) flash power rating and adjustable head, it’s ideal for creating natural fill-in and bounce flash effects with portraits and everyday shooting subjects.
The expanded range of co-ordinating accessories features a new body case/lens jacket, soft carrying case, straps and value accessory kits.

Sony unwrap 30mm f3.5 Macro lens for NEX cameras

New E-mount 30mm macro lens (“E 30mm F3.5 Macro”)

The versatility of the α E-mount compact camera system grows with new style-matched accessories to expand your shooting possibilities even further. Joining the range of E-mount interchangeable lenses, the SEL30M35 is currently the world’s lightest1 life-size macro lens (138g) for interchangeable-lens cameras. This high-quality 30mm F3.5 macro lens features a 1:1 magnification ratio and minimum working distance of just 2.4 cm, making it ideal for capturing detail-packed close-ups of small subjects like flowers and insects. Despite its extremely compact size, the SEL30M35 employs one ED glass and three aspherical lens elements for excellent optical performance, with minimised aberration and very high edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast. It also offers smooth, quiet autofocus operation whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The macro lens is supplied with a matching lens hood.

Schneider Group shows 12-percent growth

Schneider Group are reporting in increase in revenue approaching 12-percent over last year. The optical company is behind the B+W filter brand and makes lenses for high-end cameras and compacts.

Press Release
Schneider Group shows double-digit growth
The group’s revenues grow by almost 12 % in 2010. Investments in R&D and new production technologies lead to an increase in sales. The outlook is also positive for the current year.

BAD KREUZNACH, 8 June 2011. Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH from Bad Kreuznach and its subsidiaries are on a growth path. Total revenues were up by 11.7 % in 2010 over the previous year, totaling 86.6 million euros. The company’s operations at its Bad Kreuznach headquarters contributed 48.8 million euros to total revenues (20.1 % higher than in 2009), a particularly pleasing result. Both figures exceed the revenues the Group achieved before the general economic crisis. “This is an ongoing trend; we expect a positive development in the current year, too,” says Dr. Josef Staub, CEO of the Schneider Group.

In recent years, the company has stepped up its investments in the development of new products and production plants as well as in its core team. That is now paying off. The company’s site in Bad Kreuznach has returned to three-shift operation. Thanks to new production technologies, the company is now able to make even more precise lenses, thus securing its competitive edge. Demand has risen in the area of industrial solutions in particular, mainly thanks to a new generation of lenses for surface inspection used especially in the capital goods industry to monitor production. “The decision to push innovation was right. We intend to expand our position on the international markets and further intensify our sales activities to achieve this,” says Dr. Josef Staub. The group’s key customers are currently in Asia.

The installation of a systematic innovation process has given the company an additional stimulus. The group aims to benefit above all from the growing market for mirrorless system cameras in the area of photography, from 3D technology in cinema projection in the field of entertainment, and from the demand for high-precision measurement systems, special illumination and medical technology, as well as lens technology, in the area of industrial optics. The company sees growth opportunities in the fields of new energy technologies and the preservation of resources. Schneider-Kreuznach products are already being used here, for example lenses in solar technology and special valves in the production process for wind turbine rotors.

For more information about the optical company please visit their website at www.schneiderkreuznach.com

Gossen add Digisky meter to range

Editorial comment:

Nothing prepares you for this meter's slim design, it will fit most shirt pockets, though it is quite tall. This meter is a must if you use Elinchrom Skyport enabled remote syncing, as the Digisky wireless triggering built-in (and it's the only model to do so - the Sekonic L358/758 models has wireless triggering of PoctWizard based flash/strobes).

 

Press release:

The super-flat, high-precision exposure meter from Gossen - lightweight and easy to operate

DIGISKY is the new compact high-precision exposure meter in the GOSSEN range of products for flash light and ambient light. It is the world’s first exposure meter equipped with a colour graphic display and has been specifically developed to meet the requirements of today’s professional and enthusiastic amateur photographers who demand high-tech details, design and handling. DIGISKY is suitable for the precise measurement of flash and ambient light, for use in studios and outdoor locations.

Features
DIGISKY is equipped with a ring controller through which all functions may be selected very easily. Even functions for special tasks may be set individually by means of three pre-settings, which may be chosen according to the photographer's requirements. All measuring values may be indicated in full, ½ or 1/3 f-stops.

The DIGISKY has a built-in remote radio trigger, a TFT-LCD Colour Graphic display - even in dark ambience all measuring values may be read clearly. It also features a well-arranged menu structure with all information at a glance. Comfortable triggering of your studio lighting - up to 4 groups may be selected and triggered on 8 different radio frequencies, and individual configuration - up to three profiles may be programmed and selected.

Technical Specification

•    Large, bright TFT-LCD graphics display - all values can be read clearly and easily.
•    Intuitive menu structure - all information can be seen at a glance.
•    Measuring values can be indicated in full, 1/2 or 1/3 f-stops.
•    Rotating, retractable diffuser allows switch-over between flat & spherical 180° measurements.
•    Efficient workflow via easy-to-use, one-handed operating concept.
•    Ring-Controller permits quick selection of all measuring functions in the menu.
•    Functions for special tasks can be customised using three user-defined profiles.
•    Integrated Radio Control – compatible with Elinchrom SkyPort triggering for studio lighting already included
•    (more to follow) - up to 4 groups may be selected and triggered on 8 different frequencies.
•    Battery charging & firmware updates via USB
•    Compact dimensions, approx 139x66x15mm.
•    Suggested Retail Price: £399.99 inc VAT

For further details please contact Intro2020 on 01628 674411 or visit the UK distributor's web site at www.intro2020.co.uk

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Sony roll out NEX-C3

Sony introduces world’s smallest, lightest* interchangeable lens camera with APS-C sized sensor
 
Easy-to-use α NEX-C3 with 16.2 effective megapixels, HD video and friendly new interface

DSLR-quality images with 16.2 effective megapixel Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor
Intuitive new ‘Photo Creativity’ interface for jargon-free adjustment of picture settings
In-camera ‘Picture Effect’ with real-time preview

Multi-frame imaging techniques including 3D Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR and Handheld Twilight mode
Optional accessories including compactHVL-F20S travel flash and 30mm F3.5 E-mount macro lens

 

 

* Among interchangeable-lens digital cameras with APS-C size image sensor, as of 8th June 2011

The new α NEX-C3 by Sony is the world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable lens digital camera in its class.
Offered in a choice of stylish colours, the NEX-C3 features an attractive new body design that combines a satisfyingly solid metal top casing with an easy-to-use streamlined grip shape. Reducing the size of main circuitry shrinks camera body weight to just 225g – that’s almost 6% less than the NEX-3.
Image quality, functions and usability of the NEX-C3 also surpasses that of the NEX-3.

Resolution of the large Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor is boosted to 16.2 effective megapixels, capturing stills and 720p HD video with breath-taking clarity. The large, DSLR-sized sensor also lets you produce pro-quality ‘bokeh’ background defocus effects, whether you’re shooting HD video or stills.
Even if you’re not familiar with specialist photo jargon, the NEX-C3 puts sophisticated picture controls within easy reach, whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The intuitive new Photo Creativity interface replaces technical terms like ‘aperture’, ‘exposure value’ and ‘white balance’ with the friendlier and more intuitive ‘background defocus’, ‘brightness’ and ‘colour’.

There’s no need to dig into confusing menu options or guess their effect on your composition. Just turn the camera’s rear-mounted control wheel and instantly see the effect of your settings previewed on screen. If you wish, two or more different settings can be combined to create more sophisticated creative effects.

A new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’ setting lets users add extra impact to stills or HD video during shooting, without the worry of editing images afterwards. ‘Picture Effect’ options include Partial Colour, Retro Photo, Pop Colour, High Contrast Monochrome, Posterisation, High-key and Toy Camera. There’s also a ‘Soft Skin’ effect that removes wrinkles and blemishes from portrait subjects.

Tilting for comfortable viewing at any angle, the high contrast 7.5cm Xtra Fine LCD features TruBlack screen technology for high-contrast images with rich, deep blacks. It’s a great way to compose shots and judge the effect of adjusting picture settings, even when you’re viewing outdoors in bright sunlight.
Advanced multi-frame imaging technologies by Sony broaden the possibilities of the NEX-C3 further still.3D Sweep Panorama captures extra-wide images in 3D to enjoy on your 3D TV. Auto HDR ‘stacks’ a high speed burst of three successive exposures to capture extreme shadow and highlight details in a single frame. Similarly, Handheld Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur modes automatically combine six exposures to capture smooth, low-noise images: this avoids hand-blur and subject-blur when you’re shooting in available light.

The NEX-C3 works even harder to capture more amazing images and HD video between battery charges. Improved energy efficiency boosts battery stamina to a generous 400 still shots per charge – over 20% more than the NEX-3/NEX-5.

 

Sony announce A35 DSLR

Sony introduces α35 (SLT-A35) with Full-time Continuous AF powered by Translucent Mirror Technology
 

Light, compact camera with 16.2 effective megapixels and new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’

    •    16.2 effective megapixels Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor
    •    Exclusive Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony for high- speed, full-time continuous AF with stills and AVCHD movies
    •    Up to 7fps in Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting mode with approximately 1.4x magnification
    •    Ultra-high quality, low noise images with up to ISO 12800
    •    In-camera ‘Picture Effect’ enhances stills or HD video

Light, compact and easy to use, the new α35 (SLT-A35) by Sony brings pro-style shooting speeds and generous creative options to photographers of all abilities.

As introduced on the acclaimed α33 and α55, Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony allows high-speed shooting with responsive, accurate continuous autofocus - whether you’re shooting stills or Full HD movies.

Making its debut on the α35, Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting magnifies a central portion of the image area to give an effective approximately 1.4x magnification while you shoot at up to 7 fps. Providing continuous tracking autofocus of still or moving objects, it’s ideal for capturing fast-moving sports, children’s faces or distant subjects with a high-speed burst of frames. There’s also a rapid 5.5 fps drive mode that offers full-resolution continuous shooting with tracking AF.

With a resolution of 16.2 effective megapixels, the newly-developed Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor delivers stunningly detailed, low-noise still and HD video images. Complementing the sensor’s extremely high resolution and sensitivity, the powerful BIONZ processor cleans and optimises image data to assure flawless images with rich, natural colour reproduction. With a maximum sensitivity of ISO 12800, it’s possible to capture beautifully natural still images and HD video in low light where other cameras struggle.

Advanced Quick AF Live View continuously displays a real-time output from the main image sensor during still- or Full HD video shooting. Light is partially directed from the translucent mirror to an AF sensor to permit non-stop precision TTL phase-detection autofocus – a benefit that’s not possible with traditional DSLR cameras.

Whether you’re shooting stills or AVCHD video, you’ll enjoy a superbly detailed view on the high-quality Xtra Fine LCD. TruBlack technology assures high-contrast images with rich, deep blacks – even if you’re shooting outside.

The high-resolution Tru-Finder offers a precision alternative to framing shots on the camera’s LCD. Offering an extremely detailed, high contrast image with full 100% field coverage, it’s ideal for live preview of picture effects and exposure adjustments. Accurate composition of landscapes, architecture and other scenes is enhanced by switchable grid lines.

Aside from its powerful imaging possibilities, the α35 is refreshingly accessible, even for photographers stepping up to their first interchangeable lens camera. The on-screen Help Guide gives a clear explanation of selected functions and how they’re used.

More advanced photographers, meanwhile, will welcome the top panel-mounted customisable button that allows instant recall of any of 14 frequently-used functions.

The α35 offers a new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’ setting that lets users add extra impact to stills or HD video during shooting, without the worry of editing images afterwards. Effects can be previewed on the camera screen, allowing photographers to see the result of a chosen effect instantly rather than post-shooting. The inspiring palette of artistic treatments includes Retro Photo, High-key, Toy Camera and Posterisation.

It’s also easy to produce dramatic Partial Colour effects, with a single colour picked out against the rest of the image in monochrome. This popular effect normally takes a series of painstaking steps to achieve with photo editing software: with the α35 it’s both automatic and instant.

Refinements in power consumption now boost the camera’s shooting stamina to a generous 440 still shots (approx. when using the rear LCD panel) between battery charges – that’s a 30% increase over its predecessor. The α35 is compatible with the full range of 32 A-mount interchangeable lenses from Sony that includes six Carl Zeiss lenses.

The new α35 digital camera with Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony is available from August 2011.

Apple intros iCloud

As expected Apple has introduced iCloud, a wide-ranging set of free cloud services.

Free Cloud Services Beyond Anything Offered to Date

SAN FRANCISCO—June 6, 2011—Apple today introduced iCloud, a breakthrough set of free new cloud services that work seamlessly with applications on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and automatically and wirelessly push it to all your devices. When anything changes on one of your devices, all of your devices are wirelessly updated almost instantly. 

“Today it is a real hassle and very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date across all your devices,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iCloud keeps your important information and content up to date across all your devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because it’s integrated into our apps you don’t even need to think about it—it all just works.”

The free iCloud services include:

• The former MobileMe services—Contacts, Calendar and Mail—all completely re-architected and rewritten to work seamlessly with iCloud. Users can share calendars with friends and family, and the ad-free push Mail account is hosted at me.com. Your inbox and mailboxes are kept up-to-date across all your iOS devices and computers.

• The App Store and iBookstore now download purchased iOS apps and books to all your devices, not just the device they were purchased on. In addition, the App Store and iBookstore now let you see your purchase history, and simply tapping the iCloud icon will download any apps and books to any iOS device (up to 10 devices) at no additional cost.

• iCloud Backup automatically and securely backs up your iOS devices to iCloud daily over Wi-Fi when you charge your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Backed up content includes purchased music, apps and books, Camera Roll (photos and videos), device settings and app data. If you replace your iOS device, just enter your Apple ID and password during setup and iCloud restores your new device. 

• iCloud Storage seamlessly stores all documents created using iCloud Storage APIs, and automatically pushes them to all your devices. When you change a document on any device, iCloud automatically pushes the changes to all your devices. Apple’s Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps already take advantage of iCloud Storage. Users get up to 5GB of free storage for their mail, documents and backup—which is more amazing since the storage for music, apps and books purchased from Apple, and the storage required by Photo Stream doesn’t count towards this 5GB total. Users will be able to buy even more storage, with details announced when iCloud ships this fall.

• iCloud’s innovative Photo Stream service automatically uploads the photos you take or import on any of your devices and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices and computers. So you can use your iPhone to take a dozen photos of your friends during the afternoon baseball game, and they will be ready to share with the entire group on your iPad (or even Apple TV) when you return home. Photo Stream is built into the photo apps on all iOS devices, iPhoto on Macs, and saved to the Pictures folder on a PC. To save space, the last 1,000 photos are stored on each device so they can be viewed or moved to an album to save forever. Macs and PCs will store all photos from the Photo Stream, since they have more storage. iCloud will store each photo in the cloud for 30 days, which is plenty of time to connect your devices to iCloud and automatically download the latest photos from Photo Stream via Wi-Fi.

• iTunes in the Cloud lets you download your previously purchased iTunes music to all your iOS devices at no additional cost, and new music purchases can be downloaded automatically to all your devices. In addition, music not purchased from iTunes can gain the same benefits by using iTunes Match, a service that replaces your music with a 256 kbps AAC DRM-free version if we can match it to the over 18 million songs in the iTunes Store, it makes the matched music available in minutes (instead of weeks to upload your entire music library), and uploads only the small percentage of unmatched music. iTunes Match will be available this fall for a $24.99 annual fee. Apple today is releasing a free beta version of iTunes in the Cloud, without iTunes Match, for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users running iOS 4.3. iTunes in the Cloud will support all iPhones that iOS 5 supports this fall.

Apple is ready to ramp iCloud in its three data centers, including the third recently completed in Maiden, NC. Apple has invested over $500 million in its Maiden data center to support the expected customer demand for the free iCloud services. 

Pricing & Availability 
The iCloud beta and Cloud Storage APIs are available immediately to iOS and Mac Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. iCloud will be available this fall concurrent with iOS 5. Users can sign up for iCloud for free on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 5 or a Mac running Mac OS X Lion with a valid Apple ID. iCloud includes 5GB of free cloud storage for Mail, Document Storage and Backup. Purchased music, apps, books and Photo Stream do not count against the storage limit. iTunes Match will be available for $24.99 per year (US only). 

iTunes in the Cloud is available today in the US and requires iTunes 10.3 and iOS 4.3.3. Automatic download of apps and books is available today. Using iCloud with a PC requires Windows Vista or Windows 7; Outlook 2010 or 2007 is recommended for accessing contacts and calendars.

Apple reveals OS X Lion

Apple has announced the next major release of OS X (or Lion as its being called) and includes new Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store built right into the OS and Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app. It will be available from July for just £20.99

Mac OS X Lion With 250 New Features Available in July From Mac App Store

SAN FRANCISCO—June 6, 2011—Apple today announced that Mac OS X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features and 3,000 new developer APIs, will be available to customers in July as a download from the Mac App Store for £20.99. Some of the amazing features in Lion include: new Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app. 

“The Mac has outpaced the PC industry every quarter for five years running and with OS X Lion we plan to keep extending our lead,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The best version of OS X yet, Lion is packed with innovative features such as new Multi-Touch gestures, system-wide support for full screen apps, and Mission Control for instantly accessing everything running on your Mac.”

New Multi-Touch gestures and fluid animations built into Lion let you interact directly with content on the screen for a more intuitive way to use your Mac. New gestures include momentum scrolling, tapping or pinching your fingers to zoom in on a web page or image, and swiping left or right to turn a page or switch between full screen apps. All Mac notebooks ship with Multi-Touch trackpads and desktop Macs can use Apple’s Magic Trackpad.

Full screen apps take advantage of the entire display and are perfect for reading email, surfing the web or browsing photos, especially on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. With a single click your app fills the display and you can swipe from one window to another, between full screen apps, or back to your Desktop, Dashboard or Spaces without ever leaving full screen. iWork and iLife apps, as well as Safari, iTunes, Mail, FaceTime and others, all take advantage of Lion’s system-wide support for full screen apps.

Mission Control combines Exposé, full screen apps, Dashboard and Spaces into one unified experience for a bird’s eye view of every app and window running on your Mac. With a simple swipe, your desktop zooms out to display your open windows grouped by app, thumbnails of your full screen apps and your Dashboard, and allows you to instantly navigate anywhere with a tap.

The Mac App Store is built into Lion and is the best place to discover great new Mac apps, buy them with your iTunes account, download and install them. Apps automatically install directly to Launchpad, and with Lion’s release, the Mac App Store will be able to deliver smaller “delta” app updates and new apps that can take advantage of features like In-App Purchase and Push Notifications.

Launchpad makes it easier than ever to find and launch any app. With a single Multi-Touch gesture, all your Mac apps are displayed in a stunning full screen layout. You can organise apps in any order or into folders and swipe through unlimited pages of apps to find the one you want. 

Lion includes a completely redesigned Mail app with an elegant widescreen layout. The new Conversations feature groups related messages into an easily scrollable timeline, intelligently hiding repeated text so the conversation is easy to follow, and retaining graphics and attachments as they were originally sent. An incredibly powerful new search feature allows you to refine your search and suggests matches by person, subject and label as you type. Mail includes built-in support for Microsoft Exchange 2010.

Additional new features in Lion include:

• Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
• Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work;
• Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and
• AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy.

Pricing & Availability 
Mac OS X Lion will be available in July as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard from the Mac App Store for £20.99. Lion will be the easiest OS X upgrade and at about 4GB, it is the size of an HD movie from the iTunes Store. Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and will be available in July from the Mac App Store for £34.99. 

Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. The Lion upgrade can be installed on all your authorised personal Macs.

The Mac OS X Lion Up-To-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge via the Mac App Store to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller on or after June 6, 2011. Users must request their Up-To-Date upgrade within 30 days of purchase of their Mac computer. Customers who purchase a qualifying Mac between June 6, 2011 and the date when Lion is available in the Mac App Store will have 30 days from Lion’s official release date to make a request. 

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Nikon announce cashback on D3100

Nikon UK has announced a summer cashback promotion starting today (3 June 2011) of up to £65 /75 Euro on the 14.2-megapixel D3100. The promotion is for customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) only. For more details please read the press release below.

NIKON ANNOUNCES SUMMER CASHBACK


Nikon UK is pleased to announce a new summer cashback promotion offering customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland up to £65 / 75 Euro back on purchases of the Nikon D3100, starting Friday 3rd June 2011.

Customers are entitled to claim £40/50 Euro cashback on purchases of a new Nikon D3100 body or single lens kit, or £65/75 Euro cashback on purchases of a new Nikon D3100 body with two or more lenses until 31st July 2011 (inclusive).

Cashback entitlement

All claims must be received by 31st August 2011 to apply. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.nikon.co.uk/cashback for information about how to make a claim.

Simon Iddon, Nikon’s Enthusiast Product Manager comments: “With summer around the corner, now is the time to look at upgrading your camera ready for holidays and family fun. I am pleased we are able to make the D3100 an even more appealing choice for customers with the substantial cashback offer.”

The Nikon D3100 is an entry level DLSR camera that is fun and easy to use and is ideal for newcomers to digital SLR photography who want to take stunning images without worrying about complicated functionality. The camera’s Guide mode helps you develop your photography skills with by taking you through the settings and processes step-by-step to get the images you want.

For more information about the Nikon D3100 please visit www.nikon.co.uk.

Buy from Amazon UK: Nikon D3100 18-55vr Kit

Pretec announce 433x Class 16 SDXC and SDHC cards

Pretec, a specialist memory card manufacturer based in Taiwan, has announced the world's fastest SDXC and SDHC cards at Computex Taipei 2011 (Booth#: Nangang Exhibition Hall, K309a). Compliant with the latest UHS-1 spec and available in 64GB and 32GB capacities respectively (SDHC standard dictates a 32GB maximum capacity), the Class 16 cards are speed rated at 433x (up to 65MB/s), although that is device dependent. Current maximum transfer speeds from UHS-1 spec SDHC/SDXC cards are between 35-45MB/s, and this new spec is significantly faster than the recently announced Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX. The price of the 433X Class 16 card starts from just USD$29.99 for the 8GB, but there's no word yet on availability.

Computex, Taipei. – Pretec, the 1st in the world to offer SDXC 32GB card (2009) and the first to supply SDHC 233X Class 10 and SDXC/SDHC Class 16 cards, continues its tradition to offer ultimate performance memory cards by announcing the new 433X Class 16 full HD Video grade SDXC/SDHC cards, at Computex Taipei 2011 (Booth#: Nangang Exhibition Hall, K309a).

The 3rd generation of Pretec high speed SD cards not only achieve the highest speed rating in the world with Class 16 category, but also boosts its read performance over 65 MB/s with the cutting edge 2Xnm NAND flash in DDR technology, together with multi-channel and interleaving architecture. Compliant with the latest UHS-1 standard, the ultra high speed new Pretec 433X Class 16 cards easily meet the growing demands for full HD Video devices or 3D imaging capture applications without any shot-to-shot lags. Available from 8GB ~ 128GB, Pretec SDXC/SDHC 433X Class 16 card is the 1st in the world and the fastest in its class of the flash industry. Pretec SDXC/SDHC 433X Class 16 8~64GB will start sampling by next month and 128GB by end of Q3 2011.

The 1st in the world to offer highest capacity SD 1.0 card (4GB) and fastest (133X) in the world since July of 2005, Pretec has consistently pioneered the highest capacity and fastest SD card, with 1st SDHC (8GB) card in the world compliant with SD specification 2.0 working with video camcorders of Sanyo Electrical Co., Ltd. of Japan in Sept. of 2006, and the 1st SDXC (32GB) card in the world since March of 2009. The 2nd generation of Pretec high speed SD cards, SDHC 233X Class 10 cards, are capable of transferring data up to the speed of 35MB/s with minimum write speed of more than 10MB/s. In 2010, the upgrade 2nd generation of Pretec Class 16 SD cards enhanced the sustained write speed to be more than 16MB/s, the fastest of any SD cards in the world in the range of Class 16.

Pretec also offers SD card companion accessories with full reader lines supporting UHS performance and compatibility, including 1st USB 2.0 SDXC card reader in the world since 2009, ExpressCard SDXC reader and P240 USB3.0 multi-card reader in 2010, the 1st USB 3.0 card reader in the world.

With ultimate performance, Pretec 433X Class 16 card starts from affordable price at USD$29.99 (8GB).

For more information on these products, please visit www.pretec.com.

For more information from the UK distributor, please visit www.simms.co.uk.

WPO opens entries for the Sony World Photography Awards 2012

The World Photography Organisation (WPO) has started calling for entries today for the Sony World Photography Awards 2012. For more details please see the press release below.

Sony World Photography Awards 2012
 Entries open 1 June 2011
www.worldphoto.org
 
 
·         New categories for the Professional and Open Competitions
·         Moving Image Awards expand following success of its inaugural award
·         New Youth competition for under 20s
 
01 June 2011: The World Photography Organisation (WPO) today opens entries for the Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

The Sony World Photography Awards is the world’s most comprehensive photography competition. It includes a Professional competition, which invites entries from the world’s leading photographers and ‘serious enthusiasts’, and an Open competition for everyone with an interest in photography. Each competition has been refreshed with new categories for 2012.   A ‘Nature & Wildlife’ category has been introduced to the Professional competition and three new categories in the Open competition include ‘Enhanced’, ‘Split Second’ and ‘Low- light’.

A new Youth competition has been launched for younger photographers under 20 years of age and the Student Focus competition will continue to support and connect the next generation of photography pros.  The Moving Image Awards have been expanded to include six categories following the great success of the inaugural Moving Image Award in 2011.
Entries for the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards close on 04 January 2012 and the vast majority of winners will be presented with their trophies at a ceremony in London in late April 2012. 

The winner of the L’Iris D’Or Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year Award will also be revealed and presented with $25,000 (USD) plus Sony digital SLR camera equipment. The overall Open competition winner will receive $5,000 plus Sony digital SLR camera equipment.

A display of entries and winning work – the Sony World Photography Awards Winners’ Showcase - will be exhibited at Somerset House in April and May 2012 as part of the World Photography Festival 2012.

The World Photography Festival returns to London’s Somerset House after great success at its new venue in 2011.  The Festival is an opportunity for photographers from around the world to meet and discuss the latest trends, challenges and innovations in photography today. Before London, the World Photography Festival will tour to New York and São Paulo plus other cities to be announced.

Commenting on the Sony World Photography Awards 2012, Scott Gray, Managing Director of the World Photography Organisation, said: “The 2011 competitions generated entries from a huge international community. By refreshing the Awards for 2012 we aim to keep the Awards dynamic and pertinent to both photographers around the world and to those who consume photography whether in professional capacity or otherwise. We wish everyone luck with their entries”.

Full details about the World Photography Organisation and Sony World Photography Awards can be found at: www.worldphoto.org

Robert Evans wedding photography and the mixing of video and stills

Lexar Media has released the second* in a series of video interviews with US celebrity wedding photographers. This week it's the turn of Robert Evans, best known for photographing Tom Cruise's nuptials. Evans talks about the importance of mixing stills and video, how to handle editing and why it's essential to have powerful images when producing a sketch. Robert Evans' website can found here. More information on Lexar can be found here.

*The first featured Joe Buissink.