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New “Mamiya Leaf” Brand Delivers Strong Worldwide Synergy

TOKYO and TEL AVIV, January 16, 2012– Mamiya Digital Imaging, a trusted manufacturer and developer of medium-format cameras and optics, and Leaf Imaging Ltd., a leading manufacturer and developer of digital backs for the medium and large-format photography markets, today announced that they have created a new, worldwide Mamiya Leaf brand that integrates both companies’ product lines into one complete medium-format digital camera system offering, streamlines new product development and establishes more efficient customer sales and support. The new Mamiya Leaf brand represents a synergy of the best that these two companies can offer as highly competent suppliers of comprehensive, fully-integrated high-end digital photography systems comprising digital camera backs, bodies and lenses. Together, the companies are focusing on delivering new Mamiya Leaf camera systems. Unified support from worldwide Mamiya Leaf partners/distributors is also expected to be a major advantage for photographers; they will now be able to enjoy one-stop expert service for all of the various components of a Mamiya Leaf medium format digital camera system. “Creating a new Mamiya Leaf brand represents a win-win situation for photographers” said Dov Kalinksi, Leaf General Manager. “Not only will photographers be able to immediately benefit from a highly advanced, fully-integrated medium format [...]

Corel Releases New Photo Workflow Solution: Corel AfterShot Pro

CES - Las Vegas, Nevada – January 9, 2012 – Corel is pleased to announce the exciting expansion of its digital photography portfolio with the introduction of Corel® AfterShot™ Pro. The total photographic workflow solution for professional and enthusiast photographers will be displayed today at Pepcom®’s Digital Experience!® and tomorrow at ShowStoppers® at CES. Providing complete RAW workflow, flexible photo management, advanced, non-destructive editing and breakthrough performance, AfterShot Pro offers a powerful and affordable alternative to products like Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® and ACD Systems ACDSee™ Pro. Based on technology from Corel’s acquisition of Bibble Labs, Corel AfterShot Pro provides Windows®, Mac OS® and Linux® users with the tools they need to get the most out of their photos. “Today’s photographers, whether they’re professional or enthusiast, are coming from shoots with hundreds, if not thousands of photos,” said Chad Kinzelberg, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media at Corel. “They want to be able to bring in their photos and get right to work finding their best shots and making them better. With AfterShot Pro we are delivering a powerful RAW workflow solution to help photographers power through their photo workflow and get back to doing what they love [...]

Sony NEX-7: First Impressions

Sony has finally started shipping its NEX-7 compact system camera. Not being one of the big fish, I got mine the old fashioned way: I got on a waiting list and waited. Patience paid off and I was graced with a UPS box a week ago containing a Sony NEX-7 body and a spare battery. No lens. I am still waiting for this to arrive. Fortunately, I had planned for this and acquired a couple of lens adapters allowing me to fit legacy glass on my shiny new NEX-7. So while I wait for the Zeiss lens to appear on my doorstep, I shall write this first impression article based on legacy glass and my observations on how the camera and it’s files behave. Delays, delays… The floods in Thailand caused a lot of devastation for the locals as well as the corporations that housed their factories there. Originally scheduled for shipment on November 11, the cameras did not start showing up until the last week in December. Even then only in rarified numbers. Unbelievably, this delay did have a positive side. The delay allowed software makers to prepare their raw converters for the day when the camera arrived. So [...]

Merry Christmas

Wishing all who come here a very Merry Christmas!

Sony NEX-7 has arrived!

The UPS man popped by with another box of fun yesterday. I thought it was the Q zoom lens, but it was merely a NEX-7! This camera will be getting the rolling review treatment as well. I got the body-only kit and I expect the Zeiss 24 mm lens later this week or next week. C’mon Santa Claus! Sony NEX-7 + CV Nokton 35mm f/1.4 + Rainbow Adapter + Gordy Strap Requisite Cat Picture I will be posting a complete review after I finish up with the Amazing Pentax Q. Hopefully the remaining care package from Pentax will arrive soon as well. Here are a couple from today playing around with some of the picture modes: In camera Rich Tone monochrome In camera HDR Mid

Olympus Introduces New Micro Four Thirds Lens

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., December 14, 2011 – Olympus adds to its powerfully simple and growing PEN family with the first fully-compatible interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens to incorporate an electronic motorized zoom. The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ (35mm equivalent 24–100mm) delivers smooth, quiet zooming that gives you versatility, portability and maximizes the performance of the Olympus PEN® compact system cameras. The sophisticated new lens has a zoom ratio of approximately 4.2x, allowing photographers to capture anything from detailed, wide-angle group shots to medium telephoto-range images so you can get up close and personal for intimate portraits of children and pets – even indoors. The photographer can control the zooming speed by turning the barrel – slowly for drama, quickly for performance, or at an intermediate rate. Manual zooming is also available for those looking to take full control. In macro mode, which can be set by pushing the zoom ring forward while depressing the macro button on the side of the lens, focusing is possible between 8 and 20 inches for close-up shooting with a maximum image magnification of 0.72X (35mm camera equivalent). The L-Fn (Lens Function) button suspends the autofocusing operation temporarily to avoid unintended focusing on [...]

Sony NEX-7 Deliveries in USA this month – Limited Availability

Sony USA today issued a statement that they would begin limited shipment of the flood-delayed NEX-7 mirror less camera. Those who pre-ordered the camera will be attended to first. Sony USA statement: “Sony USA is happy to announce that limited quantities of the new NEX-7 camera will begin shipping to pre-order customers this month. Overall production capacity remains restrained as a result of the recent floods in Thailand, but we’ve made significant progress recovering our manufacturing capabilities and supply chain. We’re continuing to aggressively pursue all efforts to restore full production capability of the NEX-7 and other affected models.”

Tamron Announces the 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III VC for Sony NEX

December 8, 2011, Saitama, Japan – Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Morio Ono; Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the introduction of an exciting new lens, the 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III** VC (Model B011). The new high-power zoom lens is designed for the Sony E-mount system of its NEX series interchangeable-lens, lightweight and compact digital cameras. Sales in Japan will commence from December 15, 2011. Product Features High-power 18-200mm(*1) lightweight and compact zoom lens weighing 460g with a 62mm filter is designed for the E-mount system of Sony’s NEX series mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras. Equipped with Tamron’s acclaimed VC (Vibration Compensation), the lens enables easy handheld shooting from 18mm wide angle to 200mm full telephoto. Striking appearance worthy of the NEX series design. The metallic lens barrel exterior is available in two colors: black and silver. Stepping motor adopted for the AF drive, a construction that accommodates Contrast-detection AF and shooting video. * “Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras” are also known as “Compact System Cameras.” **Di III (Digitally integrated design): A designation Tamron gives to lenses engineered specifically for mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras with no internal mirror box or pentaprism, adopting an optical design that matches the characteristics of [...]

Pentax Q in the house!

The Fedex truck just dropped off a Pentax Q. I will keep updating this article with images and thoughts as I put this pint-sized powerhouse through it’s paces.

LEICA CAMERA OFFERS FIRMWARE UPDATE 1.176 FOR THE LEICA M9 AND M9-P

Allendale, NJ (December 6, 2011) – Leica Camera, Inc. announces the latest firmware update, 1.176, for the Leica M9 and M9-P, the world’s smallest, full-frame digital system cameras. Users wishing to benefit from the new offerings can download the firmware update from the Leica Camera website. Firmware update 1.176 eliminates a rare fault occurring during the formatting of SanDisk cards, ensuring compatibility with the Leica M9 and M9-P in accordance with the cameras’ respective standards. All card types available from SanDisk have been fully tested by Leica’s expert technical team and firmware version 1.176 guarantees their proper function, resulting in the previous constrictions on the cards being revoked. Leica Camera is dedicated to providing products that exhibit mastery in optics and mechanics, high-quality design and outstanding craftsmanship, resulting in an uncompromised customer experience. The company thanks all affected customers for their patience and support in searching for the cause of the compatibility issues as well as SanDisk for their intensive technical assistance. For installation instructions and to download firmware update 1.176, please visit: http://en.leica-camera.com/service/downloads/rangefinder_cameras/m9_m9-p/index.html. About the Leica M9 and M9-P: As the world’s first digital rangefinder camera with a 24 x 36 sensor, the Leica M9 carries the proud heritage [...]

Sony NEX-7 on DXOMark

The Sony NEX-7 has been benchmarked on DXOMark.com. As expected, the NEX-7, with its mirrorless design, sligthly bested its larger sibling, the SLT Alpha 77. It even outscored the vernable A900 full-frame camera in all categories except low-light ISO. One thing to take into consideration is that the A77/A65 just had a firmware update released today. DXOMark will have to rebenchmark the A77 with the new firmware to see if the scores change. The firmware on the NEX-7 will probably also be tweaked in the near future. Retesting will have to occur when that happens as well.

Leica Camera and Seedlight Workshops Host “Preserving Patagonia” Conservation and Travel Photography Workshop

Allendale, NJ (November 29, 2011) – Leica Camera, Inc., the legendary German camera manufacturer, is collaborating with Seedlight Workshops, developer of environmental photography workshops, to host “Preserving Patagonia: Conservation Photography with the Patagonia Sur Foundation.” Taking place March 3-10, 2012 in Chilean Patagonia, this experiential workshop is led by Conservation Photojournalist Bridget Besaw. Throughout the week, participants learn documentary and travel photography techniques and capture all aspects of the story of Patagonia conservation in breathtaking quality with Leica Camera’s flagship M9 and M9-P digital rangefinder cameras as well as the entire portfolio of lenses. “We are very excited to partner with Bridget Besaw for this incomparable travel experience,” said Christian Erhardt, Vice President of Marketing at Leica Camera, Inc. “A Leica in hand, participants interpret and capture fleeting moments to document the planet’s natural resources and the people who work, play and steward Patagonia’s impressive and irreplaceable landscape.” Workshop participants spend the week with Bridget Besaw amidst her six month project of documenting the preservation and stewardship of the Aysén region of Patagonia in conjunction with the Patagonia Sur Foundation. After learning relevant photographic techniques during informative lectures, participants put them into practice in the field. The result is a [...]

Hasselblad gets festive with half-price lens deal

Hasselblad is offering customers who buy a new H4D-40 camera with an 80mm lens the chance to buy a second HC/HCD lens of their choice at a massive 50% discount. The exclusive Christmas/New Year deal means that a photographer opting for an HCD 4-5.6/35-90mm zoom lens could save up to GBP 2,397 / USD 3,747 overall on the purchase. Explained Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad Global Sales and Marketing Director: “There has never been a better time to invest in the cutting edge Hasselblad H4D-40. We have just announced excellent free firmware upgrades on all new H4D-40 and H4D-50 cameras including: one-click instant digital focus check, two directional electronic spirit level, an improved high resolution display and a brand new rear display with grip info on the back And from now until the end of January photographers buying an H4D-40 with an 80mm lens can get half price discounts on any H line lens from the HCD 4/28mm wide angle upwards.” Any photographer keen to take advantage of this promotion should visit the Hasselblad website at www.hasselblad.com/h4d-40-lenscampaign or contact their local dealer for more information.

For laughs – Ultimate NEX Rig

Here’s something that caught my eye over at the Arca Swiss booth at PhotoPlus: The Ultimate NEX Rig This contraption mates the NEX camera to an Arca Swiss F-Camera System giving you the ultimate in tilt/swing/shift controls. Add the NEX’s focus peaking to the mix and you have a badass landscape/panoramic setup. Pity the setup costs 10x the price of the NEX ;P

LEICA CAMERA OFFERS FIRMWARE UPDATE 1.174 FOR THE LEICA M9 AND M9-P

Allendale, NJ (November 14, 2011) - Leica Camera, Inc. is pleased to announce the latest firmware update, 1.174, for the Leica M9 and M9-P, the world’s smallest, full-frame digital system cameras. Users wishing to benefit from the new offerings can now download the firmware update from the Leica Camera website and take advantage of new, improved features. Firmware update 1.174 features an update of the SD card driver, fixing a bug that led to faulty behavior and allowing for a more stable general performance with most SD card types. Supporting Leica’s commitment to an uncompromised customer experience, these latest improvements come as the result of feedback from M9 and M9-P users who served as beta testers in a broad based field test. At this time, Leica does not recommend utilizing the San Disk Extreme Pro UHS-1 (all card sizes) and San Disk Extreme HD Video SDHC 1 (all card sizes) as a 100% error free status has not been achieved. Support for these cards continues to be developed by Leica’s dedicated technical team and will be made available after successful testing compatibility. For installation instructions and to download firmware update 1.174, please visit: http://en.leica-camera.com/service/downloads/software-_firmwareupdates/m9/index.html. About the Leica M9 and M9-P: As [...]

PhotoPlus Expo 2011 Show Report – Part 1

The PhotoPlus Expo 2011 was held once again at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. With the absorption of PMA into the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), PPE has become the last major standalone photography exposition in the U.S. I once again took up my annual pilgrimage to the Big Apple to see what the camera makers had to offer. The Big Three were present with major displays as always, but the show was populated with about a hundred other vendors showing off their new toys. Here are some highlights: Canon Canon’s booth was populated with every existing copy of the newly announced EOS-1DX professional DSLR. I had an opportunity to handle the camera, but as it was a pre-release unit, I was not permitted to use my own memory cards to take sample pictures. The camera felt good in the hand and all of the controls fell naturally into place. The two joystick arrangement works in either the portrait or landscape orientations. Canon’s claim to shot speed, tracking focus, and lowlight capabilities seem to be well founded but I cannot render final judgement until I get to personally test the camera fully. That is going to be [...]

Phase One Releases Media Pro 1.1

COPENHAGEN, October 25, 2011 — Phase One, the photographic image-quality leader today released Media Pro 1.1. Media Pro is a professional digital visual assets manager that supports rapid browsing, cataloging, searching, annotating, retrieval and sharing no matter where digital files are stored (such as shared folders, CDs, hard drives, DVDs or on other media). This new release features German and French localization and significant performance improvements. Media Pro supports photo and video files from more than 100 different cameras and is well suited to managing large photo libraries. Images within Media Pro catalogs (more than 128,000 files may be saved per catalog) may be non-destructively edited with Capture One and with other image editing applications. Assets may also be converted into other file formats as required, and all catalogs may be archived, backed up, published via slide shows, web galleries, and distributed via email, contact sheets, prints, and other custom options. What’s new in Media Pro 1.1 – Faster importing and media rendering Now Media Pro customers can choose between Capture One rendering and Apple/WIC rendering according to image quality requirements, rendering of Capture One adjustments and speed. For new customers, the factory default is set to Apple/WIC rendering. For [...]

Thai floods hit Japan carmaker output, delay Sony launches

* Unsure when Thai output will be restored - Japan auto group

* Thailand set to miss 1.8 mln unit output target due to floods

* Honda expects to resume some ops at Thai plant in early Nov

* Sony: flooding delays camera and lens launches

Lytro, Inc. Unveils the World’s First Consumer Light Field Camera

Groundbreaking new camera instantly captures interactive, living pictures to share with friends and family online

Canon U.S.A. Introduces The New Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR Camera, Re-Designed From The Inside Out

Featuring a Completely New 61-Point Autofocus, Fast Shooting up to 12 fps, 18-Megapixel Full-Frame CMOS Sensor, Full HD Video Recording and Much More