Thursday, February 09, 2012

Swann has unveiled its latest digital video cameras – the HD PenCam and PenCam 4GB. Each device conceals a miniature video camera and DVR inside a real working pen. The HD PenCam ($99.99) is capable of recording high-definition AVI videos (1280x720 pixels) and high-resolution JPEG images on microSD memory cards, while the PenCam 4G ($69.99) shoots VGA movies and 1.2-megapixel stills and saves them in its built-in memory. Both versions switch between video and photo mode with a touch of a button, feature date and time stamping, and are compatible with PCs and Macs.

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East London gallery and pro lab theprintspace is calling all photography enthusiasts to join its “World” competition on Facebook. As the official sponsor and print partner of the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards, theprintspace has teamed up with the World Photography Organisation (WPO) to offer the winners of the World Competition exclusive prizes. Interested photographers can upload one image which illustrates their perception of the world. Prizes range from tickets to the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, a Premium WPO 12 month membership, professional 20”x24” Dibond mounts and prints, a space in theprintspace’s annual SoShowMe Exhibition to features on theprintspace blog. The submission deadline is 20th February. You can read the rules and enter your work through the website below.

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Kodak has announced that it is ceasing production of digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames. Due to take place in the first half of 2012, Kodak will instead expand its current brand licensing program, and seek licensees for cameras. Kodak will continue to honor all related product warranties, and provide technical support and service for its cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames.

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Wednesday, February 08, 2012

The Sony 500mm f/4 G SSM (SAL500F40G) is a professional grade super-telephoto lens for A-mount SLR and SLT cameras. Billed as the longest fixed-focal-length G lens from Sony to date, the Sony G 500mm f/4 SSM includes 11 elements in 10 groups, including three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements. It’s also the first G lens from Sony to benefit from an advanced new coating process that ensures crisper, clearer images. Exclusive to Sony, the Nano AR Coating process is claimed to cut internal reflections “drastically”. The lens’ SSM (SuperSonic-wave Motor) features a new drive circuit that ensures rapid, responsive AF with significantly faster object tracking than conventional Sony lenses. Four focus hold buttons are spaced around the lens barrel for easy operation in any position. They’re complemented by a two-way DMF (Direct Manual Focus) mode button and focus range switch. Focusing ring and front/rear joints are protected by interlocking seals that ensure a high degree of protection from the elements. Built to order, the SAL500F40G super-telephoto lens from Sony is available in the UK from April 2012.

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Want to see exactly what the new Olympus OM-D compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Ushered into a blacked-out stretch limousine back at the CES show in January, we were wondering exactly what Olympus had in store for us. The surprise was the exciting Olympus OM-D, the company’s new flagship mirrorless camera.

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of 40 photos of the Olympus OM-D camera.

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Olympus gave us a detailed presentation of the impressive new Olympus OM-D camera and accessories at a secret CES event.

It includes a look at Olympus’s market share, how the OM-D fits alongside the current PEN range, technical aspects of the OM-D and the new lenses and accessories.

Click through for a gallery of all the slides.

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Olympus has announced the development of two new prime lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 is a telemacro lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:1. Housed in a dust- and splashproof body, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro is designed to complement the similarly rugged Olympus OM-D camera (but can, of course, also be mounted to any other Micro Four Thirds body). The M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8 (pictured) is an ultra-bright telephoto lens with a full-metal exterior, designed primarily for portraiture, indoor sports and low-light photography. Mock-ups of both lenses will be on display at the CP+ Photo and Camera Imaging Show in Yokohama, Japan from 9-12 February. The prices and precise launch dates will be announced later in the year.

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The dust- and splashproof, metal-bodied Olympus OM-D is a retro styled 16.1-megapixel compact system camera featuring a body-integral 5-axis image stabiliser, 1.44-million-dot EVF and best-in-class auto focus with 3D subject tracking. In sequential shooting mode, the camera is capable of capturing up to 9 frames per second (4.2fps with AF, when fitted with the M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens). Also called the Olympus E-M5, the OM-D has an eye proximity sensor that allows automatic switching between the EVF and the articulated OLED touchscreen. The camera is capable of recording Full HD videos that benefit from the improved in-body image stabiliser, and can store them in either AVI or MOV format with M.JPEG or MPEG-4 encoding. The Olympus OM-D is available from April 2012 as a kit with the M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens for £1149.99. Body only price to be confirmed.

Along with the OM-D camera, Olympus also announced a number of new accessories including the dust- and splashproof MMF-3 four thirds mount adapter, the HLD-6 power battery holder grip (also dust- and splashproof), and the FL-600R flash with a guide number of 36 (in metres at ISO 100/21°), improved recharge time as well as a wireless control option. Two new lenses, the weatherproof M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 macro and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8, are also under development.

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The Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 is an ultra-bright moderate wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds. Like its highly regarded stablemate, the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f0.95, this is a manual-focus lens with an all-metal exterior. The Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 has a 10-bladed iris diaphragm and features an aperture ring with stepless aperture control. The optical formula comprises 13 lens elements arranged in 9 groups, including aspherical and ultra-high-refractive-index glass elements. Available from March, the Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 has a close-focus point of 15cm, and carries an MSRP of ¥ 118,000 in Japan.

Source: Cosina Voigtländer

The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS is a new travelzoom camera with a 16-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, a 25-600mm equivalent zoom lens, touch-sensitive screen, high-speed AF and Multi-Recording functionality. Equipped with two separate TruePic V image processors, originally developed for DSLR cameras, the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS is capable of simultaneously capturing Full HD movies and full-resolution stills. Its new iHS (intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) technology is claimed to “dramatically improve” low-light performance, speed up camera response time, and enhance scene and subject recognition. “Combined with High-Speed Sequential Shooting (10fps) and high-speed autofocus, iHS reduces picture noise and enhances resolution and colour gradation,” the company says. The camera‘s touch-sensitive, 3.0-inch 920,000-dot LCD screen allows users to change the active AF point, shutter speed and zoom, or navigate the Live Guide controls by touch. Other highlights include a hand-held starlight mode and a dozen “Magic Art Filters”. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS will be available in silver and black, priced at $399.99/£299.99.

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