The Ricoh Lens A16 24-85mm f3.5-5.5 is a new lens/sensor module for the Ricoh GXR system, featuring a 15.7-55.5mm (24-85mm equivalent) lens and a sixteen-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor. The newly developed lens features a 9-group, 11-element configuration, including three double-sided aspherical elements (as well as high-refraction lens elements) designed to reduce various types of distortion across the entire zoom range. Additionally, the A16 has an iris diaphragm with nine rounded blades for a pleasing rendering of the out-of-focus areas. Other highlights include dynamic range compression, ISO bracketing, an improved two-axis electronic level gauge and two different manual focusing aids. Pricing and availability to be confirmed.

Nikon UK is launching a new Nikon 1 promotion offering cashback on Nikon 1 J1 and V1 kits from 2nd February – 2nd April. Customers are entitled to claim up to £50/€60 cashback on any Nikon 1 J1 or V1 camera or lens combination. For more information on the promotion, and how to submit your claim, visit the website below.

Fujifilm has posted the English-language manual of the X-Pro1 compact system camera on its website. The 120+16-page instruction booklet is available in Adobe Portable Document Format. You can download the PDF file from the website below.

Website: Fujifilm

Via PR

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 will officially be released in Japan on February 18th, priced at around ¥135,000. Fujifilm Japan have revealed the launch date for the much anticipated X-Pro1 compact system camera in an online statement. Meanwhile, Amazon Japan have started accepting pre-orders for the X-Pro1 body, priced at ¥135,000 (approx. $1,745). Fujifilm Japan (or any other country) have yet to reveal the actual recommended retail prices for the X-Pro1.

Kyodo News International is reporting that the new Olympus OM-D compact system camera - which has not yet been officially announced - “will be offered in the United States, Europe and some Asian countries as the top model of the company’s digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera series”. Citing “industry sources”, the news agency says that the OM-D will sell for “above 100,000 yen [£830/$1300] in Japan”. Offering the company’s in-camera image stabilisation and high-speed auto-focus technologies, the Olympus OM-D will allegedly feature a 16-megapixel sensor and be available sometime this spring.

Source: Kyodo via Wells Fargo via dpreview

Panasonic has announced upcoming firmware updates for the Lumix GX1 and G VARIO 100-300mm / F4.0-5.6 / MEGA O.I.S. lens. The GX1 firmware update shall improve AWB performance, enhance the performance of the AF-F and AF-C focus modes, improve operational stability with UHS-I compliant memory cards, add Step Zoom and Zoom Speed to the options selectable via the Fn button and the Q menu, and more. The firmware update for the lens will improve the performance of the optical image stabiliser. The firmware updates will be available in the end of January at Panasonic’s Customer Support Site.

Fujifilm have confirmed that they will release a Leica M adapter for the new X-Pro 1. Speaking to journalists at an exclusive briefing, Fujifilm stated that the adapter will not be launched at next month’s CP+ photography show in Japan, but will be released by April this year. Leica lens owners looking for an alternative to the M9 should form an orderly queue…

Fujifilm have come up with a brand new category name for the X-Pro1 - “premium interchangeable lens camera” - which is claimed to be very different to a “conventional mirrorless camera”, hence the new name.

We also had a closer look at the new Fujifilm EF-X20 flash, which has a guide number of 20, and an additional grip that’s designed for people with larger hands. Pricing for both optional accessories is still to be confirmed.

Finally, some very interesting A3 prints were on display comparing the high ISO output of the X-Pro1 alongside the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Sony A77, with significantly less noise and more detail visible from the X-Pro1 at ISO 1600 and faster, going some way to verifying Fujifilm’s claims that their new sensor produces more resolution with less artefacts than either APS-C or full-frame cameras.

A detailed hands-on look at Sigma’s new lenses and a tour of their CES 2012 booth.

Sigma have introduced their first compact system camera lenses - the 19mm f/2.8 EX DN and the 30mm f/2.8 EX DN - for both the Micro Four Thirds and Sony NEX systems.

Sigma haven’t gone down the pancake lens route, instead aiming for a bigger size in the interests of maintaining image quality at the edge of the frame, and they’;ve also chosen focal lengths that fit into the current lens ranges of Panasonic / Olympus and Sony.

We’ve got an extensive hands-on gallery, including shots of the 30mm lens mounted on a new Panasonic Lumix GX1 body.

Sigma have also released the APO Macro 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens, but unfortunately the only sample at CES was stolen on the first day of the show!

So take a closer look at Sigma’s new lenses and their CES stand in our photo gallery.

A virtual tour of Nikon’s CES 2012 stand.

We’ve already covered Nikon’s new camera products for CES - the D4 DSLR and the 85mm f/1.8 lens - so here’s a virtual tour of Nikon’s mid-sized stand to give you an idea of what else Nikon are showing.

Take a closer look at the Nikon CES booth in our photo gallery.

Fujifilm have officially revealed their X-Lens roadmap at an exclusive briefing at CES 2012.

Covering 2012 and 2013, Fujifilm are set to release six new lenses in addition to the 18mm, 35mm and 60mm optics that were announced alongside the X-Pro1 body.

A super-wideangle 14mm and 18-72mm f/4 IS lens are due in 2012, with a 28m f/2.8 pancake and 23mm f/2 primes to follow in 2013. Also set to be released next year are two zooms - the 70-200mm F/4 OIS and 12-24mm F/4 OIS.

Fujifilm stressed that the X-Lens roadmap is subject to change in response to feedback once the X-Pro1 is in photographers’ hands.

Fujifilm has published nine full-resolution sample photos taken with the Fuji X-Pro1 compact system camera. These include three photographs captured with each Fujinon XF lens, the 18mm f/2 R, the 35mm f/1,4 R and the 60mm f/2.4 Macro. The JPEG files are between 2.5MB and 6.9MB in size, depending on the subject.

Website: Fujifilm X-Pro1 | Sample Images via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Panasonic have unveiled two new concept lenses, the 12-35mm and 35-100mm, at CES 2012.

Being shown under glass, the Lumix 12-35mm (24-70mm equivalent) and 35-100mm (70-200mm equivalent)  are both Power O.I.S lenses with maximum apertures of f/2.8, and they accept 58mm filters.

Other than a prominent sign stating “Concept Lens” behind each one, there’s no other information on if or when they will see the light of day.

Click through to see some larger images.

The X-Pro1 is Fujifilm’s first compact system camera, and we saw an almost-complete prototype, one of only two in the world, at Fujifilm UK’s HQ back in December 2011. This is our detailed preview of the Fujiflm X-Pro1’s design, features and accessories.

Want to see exactly what the exciting new Fujifilm X-Pro1 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Then check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of Fujifilm’s new compact system camera and the XF 18mm f2 R, the XF 35mm f/1.4 R and the XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro lenses.

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a new compact system camera sporting a 16-megapixel, APS-C sized “X-Trans” CMOS sensor, Hybrid Multi Viewfinder and a new “X” lens mount. The completely new Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS sensor has a new type of CFA (colour filter array) “inspired by the random arrangement of fine film grain” and no optical low-pass filter. According to Fujifilm, this solution results in a higher resolution than that provided by a Bayer sensor of a similar pixel count. The new X lens mount has a short flange-back distance of just 17.7mm and a wide opening, contributing to high edge-to-edge sharpness and resolution. The Hybrid Multi Viewfinder works similarly to the hybrid opto-electronic finder found on the X100, except that it also offers variable magnification to match lenses of any focal length. The camera comes with a traditional shutter speed dial and a recessed exposure compensation control that is precision milled from solid metal. The Fujifilm X-Pro1 body will cost £1399 in the UK and $1699 in the US.

In addition to the Fujifilm X-Pro1 camera, the company has also announced three Fujinon XF prime lenses, the XF 18mm f2 R ($499), the XF 35mm f/1.4 R ($499) and the XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro ($599), each of which features a traditional aperture ring and an iris diaphragm with rounded aperture blades.

12.36 CET That’s the end of the whistle-stop tour of Fujifilm’s new mirrorless camera. Make sure to check-out our Hands-On Photos and Preview articles for more detailed information on the exciting X-Pro1.

12.35 CET 14mm is the widest lens currently planned, it will work with the optical viewfinder.

12.33 CET No external microphone support. Boo. The X100 is STILL backordered worldwide.

12.32 CET Can change focal length of lenses in-camera when using the not-yet-released Leica-M adapter. Otherwise have to use the EVF.

12.31 CET Ships with Silkypix RAW software. “Oh boy!” shouts a journalist.

12:28 CET Built-in magnifier in the hybrid viewfinder will work with future zoom lenses.

12.26 CET Leica-M adapter “in the works”! Plus other system adapters too…

12.25 CET Cost to you - around $1700 body-only, to be confirmed closer to the end-February launch date.

12:22 CET 9 lenses will be released in total for the new X-Pro1 system, including a 14mm, more primes and several zooms by the end of 2013.

12:20 CET Hybrid viewfinder. 0.6x magnification built-in that switches automatically to match the attached lens.

12:17 CET X-Trans CMOS sensor. No low-pass filter. No moire in days of film, so Fujifilm have developed a 6x6 array to avoid moire and increase resolution. EXR processor developed to handle the extra data. Will out-perform both APS-C and Full-frame sensors in terms of resolution at any ISO setting!

12:15 CET X-mount 17.7mm flange back to deliver optimum results from the XF lenses.

12:13 CET XF Lenses high resolution, all glass, unique aperture blade. 18mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4, 60mm f/2,4 macro - just what Amazon predicted yesterday. 1/3 stop aperture increments on the lens.

12:09 CET The not-so-secret X-Pro1 is officially announced. Finally!

12:00 CET Hundreds of journalists are literally squeezed into the Venetian conference room.

Even though it doesn’t officially exist yet, US readers can now pre-order three lenses for the Fujifilm X-Pro1 camera, courtesy of none other than Amazon. Widely rumoured to be Fujifilm’s new compact system camera, the X-Pro1 will probably be announced tomorrow at Fujifilm’s CES 2012 press conference.

In the meantime, you can jump to the head of the queue and pre-order the X-Pro1 18mm F2.0 lens ($499.99), X-Pro1 35mm F1.4 lens ($499.99) and the X-Pro1 60mm F2.4 Macro lens ($599.99), or more conservatively check out the specifications for each one.

Update: Amazon has now pulled the pre-order pages for the lenses and for the X-Pro1 body, which also briefly appeared for an hour. Expect them to magically re-appear tomorrow if the X-Pro1 is officially announced.

The Nikon J1 is currently the most popular compact system camera in the UK. According to figures supplied by Nikon, the J1 was the best-selling CSC model in the week before Christmas, outperforming its nearest rival (the Panasinic G3) by almost two to one.

The Nikon J1 also achieved the distinction of registering the most ever sales for a mirrorless camera in a single week since the category was first established, helping Nikon to become the number 2 brand for compact system cameras in the UK.

Aimed predominantly at people upgrading from a compact camera, the J1 is Nikon’s entry-level mirrorless camera, sporting a 10.1 megapixel sensor and a built-in flash and retailing for just over £500 with the standard 10-30mm kit lens.

Read our in-depth Nikon J1 review here.

Our fifth award is for Compact System Camera of the Year 2011.

So new that there’s still no standard name, compact system or interchangeable lens cameras are currently the hottest-sellers in terms of growth, hitting the sweet spot between the portability of a compact and the feature-set of a DSLR. It’s difficult to believe that this market simply didn’t exist a few years ago, especially when products as accomplished as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 are carrying off our Compact System Camera of the Year 2011 award.

“For us, the new G3 offers the best balance between the even tinier GF2, the slightly better handling G2, and the videographer-friendly GH2, adding the best still image quality of all G-series cameras, and it’s also a cheaper and for many users simply a better alternative to a full-fledged DSLR. Essential!”

Read the Full Review

Congratulations to Panasonic and the Lumix DMC-G3!

Nikon has posted firmware updates for its new Nikon 1 J1 and Nikon 1 V1 compact system cameras. Version 1.10 adds a pixel mapping function and support for the FT-1 adapter that enables users to attach F-mount lenses to these cameras. You can download the firmware updates from the websites below.

Website: Nikon 1 J1 Firmware Update 1.10
Website: Nikon 1 V1 Firmware Update 1.10