Thursday, May 24, 2012

Lastolite has launched its new TriGrip Warm Tone Difflector. Billed as the world’s first dual purpose reflector panel which can be used both as a diffuser and as a soft bounce reflector, the Lastolite TriGrip Difflector features a unique fabric which allows light to pass through one side and bounce off the other side. Now, in addition to the existing cool soft silver, it is available in warm soft gold finish, in three sizes, 18”, 30” and 48” for £50, £65 and £80, respectively.

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On 7th June, Manfrotto School of Xcellence will be hosting renowned filmmaker and photographer Phil Coates for a webinar entitled “Adventure Film & Photography From Pole To Pole.” Phil Coates will share stories from a life behind the lens filming and photographing explorers and adventurers in some of the most remote and hostile parts of our planet. Taking place from 4pm to 5pm, the webinar is free and open to all. For more details and to registe visit the website below.

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Single malt whisky brand The Macallan has commissioned Annie Leibovitz for the third edition of its Masters of Photography series. The Macallan Masters of Photography series features exclusive collaborations, conjoining the art of whisky making with the artist’s interpretation of the world of The Macallan.  Previous editions were authored by iconic photographers Rankin and Albert Watson. “This year, Annie Leibovitz, chosen for her exceptional skill and inimitable style, has interpreted four single cask variants released for the first time, resulting in four powerful images,” the company says. “Shot against dramatic backdrops in and around New York City, Annie Leibovitz captures the brilliance of a moment where everything comes together, showcasing the stature of whisky as an icon of taste and masculinity.”

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Fujifilm M Mount Adapter enables the X-Pro1 compact system camera to be used with Leica M mount lenses. The M Mount adapter comprises three parts; an aluminium mount for the body, a stainless steel mount for the lens plus an aluminium central tube, which accurately maintains a 27.8mm distance from lens mount to sensor. A new firmware version, 1.10, will be made available to support the new adapter. The Fujifilm M Mount Adapter will be available in June and will cost approx. £179 in the UK.

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

DxO Labs have released DxO Optics Pro v7.5, which functions as a native 64-bit application under both MacOS and Windows. Thanks to this, DxO Optics Pro 7.5 can handle much larger files, among them those of the Nikon D800. Additionally, the interface of the Windows version has been enhanced with numerous new features-

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Omnivision has annonced two new, 1/2.3” type16-megapixel sensors that are capable of recording 4K video at 60fps. Built on OmniVision’s 1.34-micron OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture, the OV16820 and OV16825 sensors are capable of operating in full resolution (4608 x 3456) at 30 fps, 4K2K (3840 x 2160) video at 60 fps, and 1080p HD video at 60 fps with extra pixels for electronic image stabilisation.

Via Engadget via 1001 Noisy Cameras

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Apple has posted a new Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update to Apple Aperture 3 and iPhoto 11. Version 3.13 adds support for raw image files generated by the new Canon EOS-1D X, Nikon D800E, Nikon D3200, Olympus OM-D E-M5, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 and Sony Alpha SLT-A57 cameras. You can download the upgrade from the website below.

Website: Apple

Last Sunday marked the 35th anniversary of Kodak’s filing its first patent for a digital camera. It was on 20 May 1977 that the company submitted a patent application for an “electronic still camera,” 1.5 years after a group of employees had put together a working prototype at its Elmgrove Plant in Rochester. Research scientist Steve Sasson who, as the project leader, is credited with inventing the device, described the prototype as “a rather odd-looking collection of digital circuits that we desperately tried to convince ourselves was a portable camera.” Consisting of a Super 8 movie camera lens, a “highly temperamental” new area-array CCD imager, an A/D converter, dozens of circuits and circuit boards, with a cassette recorder thrown in for storage, the world’s first digital camera used no less than 16 NiCd batteries and captured images that could only be viewed on a TV set with the help of a dedicated playback device. The patent (US4131919) was granted on 26 December 1978. Sasson was voted into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame in 2007 and received an Innovation Award from The Economist in 2009.

Website: Kodak - Plugged In

Casio Japan has just announced the Exilim EX-ZR300, a compact travelzoom camera with a 24-300mm equivalent lens, 16-megapixel sensor and fast auto focus. Successor to the Casio EX-ZR200, which was announced a few months ago, the EX-ZR300 boasts the same headline specifications and adds support for Toshiba’s new FlashAir range of Wi-Fi enabled memory cards. The exact price has yet to be communicated (the EX-ZR200 cost 45,000 yen at launch).

Source: Casio Japan via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The 2012 AOP Student Photographer of the Year has been announced at the Awards presentation and launch of this year’s AOP Students Awards. Jordi Ruiz Cirera, from London College of Communication, was voted as Student Photographer of the Year, by the panel of five judges, comprising of Julia Fullerton-Batten, Harry Hardie, Perry Curties, Nick Meek and Michael Regnier. “Winning Student Photographer of the Year is an amazing accolade, because the AOP is the most prestigious UK organisation for professional photographers,” Cirera says.  “This is going to be a really useful foot in the door to the industry.”

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