Canon has been awarded six separate honours by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). The award-winning Canon products include the EOS C300 (Best Professional Video Camera), the EOS 5D Mark III (Best Video DSLR), the not-yet-available EOS-1D X (Best Professional DSLR, pictured), the EF 8-15mm f4L USM Fisheye (Best Professional DSLR Lens), the Powershot G1 X (Best Expert Compact Camera) and the Pixma MG8250 (Best Multifunction Photo Printer).

Canon UK has announced that the sales start date of the Canon EOS-1D X has been pushed back to mid-June. Blaming a delay to the start of mass production, the company has also announced that the Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM lens will only hit the shops in early July.

Canon has announced the development of four new digital cinematography zoom lenses supporting 4K resolution. The expanded EF Cinema Lens series will include two wide-angle cinema zoom lenses, the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S (EF mount) and CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L SP (PL mount), alongside two telephoto cinema zoom lenses, the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S (EF) and CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L SP (PL). These new lenses will join Canon’s existing line-up of high-end EF Cinema Lenses in forming the core of the Cinema EOS system. Prototypes of the new cinema zoom lenses will be on display at NAB 2012. Availability is slated for September. Pricing to be confirmed.

Sigma UK has announced the suggested retail price (SRP) of the new Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC APO OS HSM lens. Available in mid April for Canon fit and mid May for Nikon and Sigma fit, the lens features Sigma’s proprietary OS (Optical Stabiliser) system, Super Multi-Layer Coating, six SLD glass elements and “hyper-sonic” focus motor. The price of the lens is £949.99.

At the same time, Sigma Corporation of America has announced the immediate availability of the upgraded 50-150mm lens, with an MSRP of $1,099.

Sigma UK has just announced that the new Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN and 30mm F2.8 EX DN (pictured) are now available in the UK in both Sony E-mount and Micro Four Thirds fittings. Both lenses feature a telecentric optical design, a newly developed linear AF motor which moves the lens elements directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts, and Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating that reduces flare and ghosting. Each lens is available at £169.99 including VAT.

Pentax Ricoh has launched the smc Pentax-DA645 25mm F4AL [IF] SDM AW ultra-wideangle lens for the Pentax 645D medium-format DSLR camera. First announced over a year ago and originally intended for an April 2011 launch, the lens features a 35mm equivalent focal length of 19.5mm, maximum aperture of f/4, a supersonic direct-drive auto focus motor, two high performance aspherical elements, exclusive lens coatings applied to all optical elements, and a dustproof, weather-resistant construction. Additionally, the lens comes with a built-in, pull-out-type filter holder in its barrel. By placing the 40.5mm circular polariser included as an exclusive accessory on this holder, the user can easily rotate the filter to obtain the desired polarising effect. The smc DA645 25mm f/4 AW lens will be available from mid-April 2012, at a recommended retail price of £3999.99.

Sony Europe has leaked a picture of a new zoom lens. The Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens has been designed for digital SLR and SLT cameras with APS-C sized sensors, and features a metal-looking Sony Alpha bayonet mount, a Smooth Auto-focus Motor and a zoom lock switch. The other specifications, recommended retail price and release date have yet to be communicated.

Via Digicame-Info via PR

Zeiss has announced a brand new ultra-wideangle lens for Canon and Nikon SLR cameras. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2,8/15 boasts an optical formula comprising 15 lens elements in 12 groups, a 0.25m close-focus point, an integrated hood and a huge 95mm filter thread. The company claims the lens features “extraordinary chromatic aberration correction” and nearly complete insensitivity to reflections and stray light. Zeiss also emphasises the “extremely well controlled” distortion that enables the lens to capture “naturally proportioned photographs which are not typical of many other super wide angle lenses”. When attached to a camera with an FX sized sensor, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2,8/15 offers a diagonal angle of view of 110°. The lens will begin shipping in May 2012 at a recommended retail price of €2,148 or US$2,948 (excluding VAT).

Rioch have released a major firmware update for the GXR system. Version 1.50 includes the firmware for the following GXR modules:

- GXR body
- GR LENS A12 28mm F2.5
- GR LENS A12 50mm F2.5 MACRO
- GXR MOUNT A12
- RICOH LENS S10 24-72 mm F2.5-4.4 VC
- RICOH LENS P10 28-300 mm F3.5-5.6 VC

New features include 1 EV or 1/3 EV ISO settings, ISO bracketing, interval shooting, RAW only mode, and Bulb / Time shutter speed settings.

Download the Ricoh GXR 1.50 Firmware

On its official blog, Carl Zeiss has posted a teaser about the upcoming launch of a brand new ultra-wideangle (UWA) lens for SLR cameras. The detailed specifications have not been revealed yet, but Zeiss says the new lens will have an integrated hood and still be able to accept normal screw-in filters via a giant 95mm thread. The new Carl Zeiss ultra-wideangle lens will be available from May for a variety of mounts.

Website: The Official Carl Zeiss Blog

Sigma UK has announced the suggested retail price of the new Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN lens. Available from the end of this month in both Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount fittings, the Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN boasts a newly developed linear AF motor which moves the lens elements directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts, and comes with a non-rotating 46mm filter thread. The suggested retail price is £169.99.

Via their Facebook fan page, Samyang have confirmed that they are working on a 24mm tilt/shift lens. According to the company, their first perspective control lens is expected to launch in the middle of the year. Specifications, pricing and the exact launch date have yet to be communicated. (For a demonstration of what a tilt/shift or perspective control lens can do, check out our review of the Nikon PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED, a highly regarded product in this category.)

Via PR

Sony Japan has posted a notice on its website saying there is a shortage of supply of the new Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 24mm f/1.8 ZA lens due to unexpectedly high demand. Featuring Sony’s DMF (Direct Manual Focus) technology and a near-circular diaphragm with 7 blades, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm f/1.8 ZA offers a similar angle of view as a 36mm lens on a 35mm body. With its f/1.8 maximum aperture the Sonnar T* E 24mm f/1.8 is currently the fastest native E-mount AF lens in the entire NEX system. No wonder it has generated so much interest - but given its eye-watering price tag of $999.99, the high demand has caught even Sony by surprise.

Source: Sony Japan via PR

Canon UK has announced the official launch date and recommended retail prices of its new super-telephoto lenses, the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM. Each lens includes the highest-quality components, and features high-specification image stabiliser technology alongside the use of optical materials such as fluorite, to correct aberrations ensuring high-resolution images rich in detail and contrast. The redesigned, comparatively lightweight construction will provide added mobility alongside enhanced protection against dust and water, the company says. Both lenses will be available from May 2012, with RRPs of £8,999/€10,799 for the 500mm and £11,299/ €13,549 for the 600mm. All of these prices include VAT.

Sigma UK have announced a new digital SLR camera kit including the Sigma SD1 Merrill body and a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens. The 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens is a large aperture standard zoom lens designed for digital SLR cameras and incorporates Sigma’s Optical Stabiliser as well as a HyperSonic Motor for quiet focusing.  It is a compact lens with an overall length of just 91.8mm (3.6”). The new kit is available for £2149.99. (The Sigma SD1 Merrill camera body has a suggested retail price of £1839.99.)

Sigma UK has announced a reduction in the suggested retail price of the 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens. Previously set at £799.99, the MSRP of the lens has now been lowered to £649.99. Featuring a Super Multi-layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, a HyperSonic Motor (HSM) for quiet auto focus and Sigma’s own Optical Stabiliser (OS) to combat motion blur resulting from shaky hands, the Sigma Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM boasts nine rounded diaphragm blades for a pleasing bokeh and a splashproof construction for problem-free outdoor use.

The Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN prime lens - which was announced at CES - now has an official MSRP of $280. Manufactured for Micro Four Thirds and Sony’s NEX system, the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN “Digital Neo” lens has an optical formula that comprises 7 elements in 5 groups and an iris diaphragm with 7 rounded blades. Also equipped with a newly developed linear AF motor, which moves the lens elements directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts, the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN is currently listed at B&H for $199 along with the remark, “new item, not available yet”.

Via PR

Pentax Ricoh has published new and updated lens roadmaps for the Pentax K, Q and and 645 systems. The most extensive of the three - the K-mount system - will be joined by no less than 7 new lenses and a 1.4x teleconverter over the next two years. These lenses can be used with the company’s APS-C digital SLRs and the new K-01 compact system camera without the need for any adapters. For the Pentax Q system, the company plans to launch 2 new primes, a telezoom and a “body cap lens”. Finally, the Pentax 645 system will be expanded with a 90mm f/2.8 lens and three zooms. Click through / scroll down to view all three lens roadmaps.

Lensbaby today launched the 80mm Edge 80 Optic, the newest addition to its Optic Swap System. This new optic is compatible with the Lensbaby Composer Pro, Composer, Muse, Scout and Control Freak, and will transform any of these bending lens bodies into a tilt lens that delivers a selective slice of sharp focus through an image.  Like the Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic, the Edge 80 features Lensbaby’s internal 12-blade adjustable aperture. The Edge 80 provides a flat field of focus that, pointed straight ahead, takes photos that are sharp from edge to edge. Tilting the Edge 80 allows photographers to create vertical, horizontal and diagonal slices of focus through the image. Objects in both the foreground and the background can be in focus within that slice.  Photographers can control the size of the slice of focus by changing the 12-blade aperture. The Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic is available for $300.

Vtec has announced its new range of add-on lenses for the iPhone 3, 4 and 4S. These include the CAM-1209 12x telephoto conversion lens (£34.99), a new 180-degree fish-eye lens (£24.99) and a wide-angle and super-macro converter (£24.99) Each Vtec lens come with a back cover that the lens screws onto, providing extra protection for your phone. Additionally, the Telephoto Lens has a manual focus ring and also comes with its own tripod, which attaches to the lens to steady the phone when capturing shots.