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

Buy from our affiliates

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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.

B&H special on out-going pro-level 30-inch NEC MultiSync 3090W-BK-SV display

We reported recently that the outstanding NEC MultiSync 3090W-BK-SV 30-inch reference monitor has been superseded by this. The new model is outstanding too (we've had one in for a few weeks now for review), however B&H Photo have reduced the price on the out-going model, see here. If the UK price of the new model is anything to go by (£2,900 plus VAT or $4,780), the newly discounted 3090W-BK-SV model is a real steal.

Adobe updates Lightroom to 3.4.1

Adobe has updated Lightroom to 3.4.1 (as well as ACR to 6.4.1 of course) and introduced support (again) to the Fuji X100, v3.4 already supported the Fuji X100's .RAF files. Follow the link to download 3.4.1 for Mac here or for Windows here.

Nikon files patent infringement lawsuit against Sigma

Nikon has announced that it has filed a patent infringement suit against Sigma over the use of its VR (Vibration Reduction)) technology in SLR lenses. Sigma has offered lenses with their OS (Optical Stabilisation) feature for a while but has recently introduced three new lenses, including the 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM, that offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower. While this spec matches the capabilities of the newer VR II technology, so does that of rival Canon's recent lens upgrades featuring IS II.

Nikon Corporation filed a patent infringement lawsuit in Japan


Nikon Corporation (KIMURA Makoto, President, Tokyo, hereafter referred to as "Nikon") filed a patent infringement suit against Sigma Corporation (hereafter referred to as "Sigma") to Tokyo District Court on May 25, 2011. Nikon's lawsuit seeks an injunction against Sigma's manufacture and sale of infringing interchangeable lenses with vibration reduction for single lens reflex cameras, along with damages for past infringement.

Nikon has invested considerable resources in the form of research and development over a period of many years. Such investments have created intellectual property that are important business assets of Nikon and have enabled Nikon to continuously provide the products and services that satisfy its customers requirements.

Although Nikon attempted to resolve Sigma's patent infringement through negotiation, a non-adversarial resolution could not be reached. Consequently, Nikon concluded that filing a lawsuit was the only way it could protect its intellectual property.

Canon telephoto delays updated

Canon has issued an update to the announcement of the delays to the range of super-telephoto lenses expected in time for the Olympics in 2012. Both the new EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM (pictured above) and the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses are expected in August, with the unique 8-15mm f/4L fisheye zoom following in July. The 500mm and 600mm f/4 lenses are still intended to be on sale during 2011, but no date has been given, nor is there any word on the highly anticipated EF 200-400mm f/4 IS USM Extender.

Update to sales start for EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM, EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM, EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM, EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lenses

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 25th May 2011 – Following the announcement of delays to the sales start to the following lenses :- EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM, EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM, EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM, EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon can now provide an update on the planned start dates for these lenses:

EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM     Late August, 2011
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM     Late August, 2011
EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM     Late July, 2011
EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM     Within 2011*
EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM     Within 2011*
Canon would like to apologise to any customers who have been inconvenienced by these delays.

Sigma make SD1 official with availability in June

Press release:

SD1 Digital SLR Camera
The quality of a medium format, the convenience of an SLR

 

Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd is pleased to announce that the suggested retail price of the new SD1 flagship digital SLR is £6,199.99 including VAT (£5,166.66 excluding VAT). This new camera, offering unrivaled image quality amongst digital SLRs, will be available in the UK in June.

The SIGMA SD1 is Sigma’s flagship digital SLR model, adopting a lightweight yet solid magnesium alloy for its body and O-ring sealing connections to make Sigma’s splash proof design throughout for use in harsh conditions.

The SIGMA SD1 incorporates a 23.5×15.7mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor and dual “TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II” image processing engines. The combination of the 46 megapixel (4,800×3,200×3 layers) sensor and dual TRUE II processing engines ensure the high resolution images are processed quickly with high definition and a smooth and subtle graduation of colour.

SD1 Special site: www.SIGMA-SD.com/sd1

Sony announces fastest-ever Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™HX

Breaking the speed limit: Sony introduces fastest-ever Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™HX
 
Class-leading card offers up to 50 MB/sec speeds for high-speed burst shooting and Full HD video
 
 
    •    Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX with up to 50MB/sec transfer rates
·         New HX Engine technology for fast, reliable data transfers
·         Faster than UHS-I SD cards used with devices by Sony
·         Available in 8/16/32GB capacities
·         Ideal for high-speed burst shooting with DSLR, Full HD movies and 3D imaging
·         High reliability with 10 year warranty
·         Includes free File Rescue and x-Pict Story™ software
    •    Same price as previous Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX models
 
Photographers can now fully apply the high-speed, high-resolution shooting potential of the latest digital cameras and camcorders from Sony.
 
The range-topping Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX now boasts super fast data transfer speeds of up to 50MB/sec1.
 
1.6x faster than previous Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX cards – and available at the same price – it’s quicker than today’s fastest commercially available UHS-I SD cards when used with devices by Sony.
 
This phenomenal performance makes new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX an ideal shooting, storage and data transfer solution for demanding digital imaging users.
 
Available in capacities from 8GB to 32GB, the fastest-ever Memory Stick is optimised for sustained burst shooting with today’s high-resolution DSLR, SLT and interchangeable lens cameras.
 
Teamed with the NEX-5 ultra-compact camera by Sony, the card can capture 190 JPEG images in one minute in high-speed burst shooting mode. That’s well over double the rate of 80 images/minute using a standard Class 4 SD card. The high performance of Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX also makes it ideal for recording Full HD and 3D videos with the latest Handycam™ camcorders. For more information please see the HX Memory card file which is attached to this release.
 
Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX makes post-shooting file transfers and back-ups faster, too. Copying a 32GB AVCHD movie file to your PC2 takes just 11 minutes. That’s more than two times quicker than transfers using today’s fastest SDHC cards.
 
These significant improvements are made possible by new HX Engine that’s been specially developed by Sony. This intelligent flash memory controller enhances data transfer efficiency and error handling for quicker, more stable read/write performance with large files.
 
For maximum peace of mind, the card’s high reliability is backed by a 10-year warranty by Sony.
 
Available from www.sony.net/memorycard for registered Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX owners, File Rescue recovers accidentally damaged or deleted files. With a 90% successful recovery rate3, it’s an essential utility to help restore precious data including JPEG photos, MPEG or AVCHD video and MP3 music files4.
 
Also available as a free download to registered owners, x-Pict Story™ software helps anyone create memorable photo slideshows. This friendly package combines your favourite photos and music with beautiful visual effects to create professional-looking presentations. Integration with Picture Motion Browser software makes it quick and easy to upload slideshows to sharing sites like YouTube™.
 
The new 50 MB/sec Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX by Sony is available from May 2011. Prices for all capacities (8/16/32GB) are unchanged compared with previous Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX models.
 
1 As confirmed in tests by Sony. Results can vary depending on camera models and settings.
2 Via a card reader
3 Source: Sony EMCS customer support report
4 File Rescue software does not support data recovery for protected files and game data. Please note that not all data may be recoverable

Lexar announce new USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Card Reader

New Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader Dramatically Accelerates Digital Workflow
 
Reader Leverages the Latest USB Technology to Provide Blazing-Fast Card-to-Computer Transfer Speeds When Shooting is Complete

Key Messages:
    •    Delivers blazing-fast file transfer speeds from card to computer, with a USB interface speed of 500MB per second*
    •    Supports CF UDMA, SDXC™** and SD UHS-I memory cards, and is backwards compatible with standard CF, SD, and SDHC memory cards
    •    Dual-slot design enables concurrent and card-to-card file transfers, while pop-up mechanism protects slots from dust and debris when not in use
 
Fremont, CA, May 19, 2011 – Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced the new Lexar® Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader, a high-performance card reader that enables professional and advanced amateur photographers and videographers to maximize their workflow with blazing-fast transfer speeds. The reader leverages SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) technology to deliver high-speed performance that supports the latest CompactFlash® (CF) UDMA, Secure Digital Extended Capacity™ (SDXC)**, and SD Ultra High Speed-I (UHS-I) memory cards. The versatile reader is also backwards compatible with standard CF, SD™, and Secure Digital High Capacity™ (SDHC) memory cards and USB 2.0 host devices. For additional information about the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader, visit www.lexar.com.
 
“USB is the most popular connectivity option for PCs, and it’s critical that professional photographers and videographers have convenient and versatile tools to maximize their workflow and fully leverage the performance of their high-speed memory cards,” said Manisha Sharma, director of product marketing for cards, Lexar Media. “The Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader combines extremely fast performance with a versatile, innovative design to provide pro and hobbyist shooters with a reader that dramatically reduces image transfer time. The speed offered by the reader enables users to move large volumes of high-resolution images and HD video faster than ever, allowing them to spend less time at the PC and more time on other activities.”
 
The Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader features the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, which operates at 500MB per second; while the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface operates at 60MB per second*. The Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader takes advantage of the performance of high-speed cards. Real-world tests prove that today’s high-performance cards can be read more than six times faster with the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader than with previous generation USB 2.0 card readers, and future high-performance cards are likely to enable an even faster data transfer experience. The reader can transfer content from both SD and CF cards simultaneously, and allows for easy file transfer from one card to another. The USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader also features an innovative, pop-up mechanism that lets users close the reader when not in use, protecting it from dirt and debris. Its compact, portable design means users can take it on the go, and its smooth contours help it slip easily in and out of a photo bag or briefcase.
 
The Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader provides consumers with the quality and reliability they have come to expect from Lexar Media. All Lexar product designs are tested in the Lexar Quality Labs, a group of facilities where all Lexar product designs undergo extensive testing to ensure performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability with more than 800 intended digital devices.
 
The Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader comes with free, dedicated customer support and a five-year limited warranty. The reader will be available for purchase from leading photo retailers in June, with an MSRP of £39.99.
 

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Bowens announce £75 trade-in deal on Gemini 500C

How to grab a £75 Bowens trade-in deal in a flash

Bowens has announced an exclusive ‘trade-in and trade-up’ deal for photographers who buy a new Gemini 500C monolight before the end of June.
Customers will be entitled to a special £75 discount on the new monolight when they trade in an ‘any brand’ flash head at a participating Bowens Hallmark dealer.

Robert Palos, spokesman for CT Distribution (The Bowens distribution company for the UK) explained: “This is a very attractive offer for photographers who may be ready to invest in latest Bowens flash head technology. With this deal they can take any head to any Bowens Hallmark dealer included in this promotion and claim their £75 reduction on the new equipment – even if their old flash head isn’t in working order.”

He added: “If potential buyers need more information they can call us on 0870 458 5258.”

The easy to use Gemini Classic 500C easily integrates with either the Bowens Pulsar or PocketWizard® radio trigger systems. It also features a greater degree of modelling control via the separate 'lamp' dial and is powered from mains (AC) or the optional Travelpak battery system, delivering up to 300 flashes per charge on location.