The Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 is a remarkably fast moderate wide-angle lens for Canon and Nikon single-lens reflex cameras. With a focal length of 35mm and a maximum aperture of f1.4, the manual-focus Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 has been designed with ultimate sharpness and excellent bokeh in mind. Plus, with the Zeiss T*‘s anti-reflective coating, its sophisticated stray light reduction and the excellent flare control the new Distagon also takes pictures of bright light sources without artifacts, the manufacturer says. Constructed of 11 elements arranged in 9 groups, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 can focus down to 30cm, enabling full-frame camera users to fill the frame with an object that measures 18x12cm (0,2x magnification). The lens will be available in first quarter of 2011 at a recommended retail price of €1385.71+VAT.

Canon has introduced two compact professional HD camcorders. The smallest models in Canon’s professional line-up, the new XF105 and XF100 utilise the same Canon XF Codec featured in the Canon XF305 and XF300, introduced earlier this year. The Canon XF105 and XF100 feature 10x wide zoom lenses with a SuperRange Optical Image Stabiliser, and native Full HD CMOS sensors. Each camcorder also features a convenient, freely rotating 3.5-inch, 920,000 dot LCD monitor and 0.24-inch 260,000 electronic viewfinder with approximately 100 percent field of coverage. The LCD can show peaking, edge-monitor-focus and magnify the image, enabling users to confirm critical focus. Additionally, the Canon XF105 and XF100 include an infrared feature enabling the capture of HD video shooting in conditions with little to zero ambient light. The new camcorders support 16-bit PCM audio at 48 kHz with automatic and manual audio level adjustment. Both the Canon XF105 and XF100 are scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2011.

Zoner Software has announced the addition of 10-bit colour support to Zoner Photo Studio Professional. This support enables users with compatible graphics cards and displays to view images with 10 bits per colour channel, for a total of 30 bits. “Displays with 10-bit color can express over a billion different colors—64x more than normal, 8-bit displays can offer. In practice this means truer colors, smooth gradients, and a better representation of what a photographer wants to express—but only when the user’s graphics card and software support 10-bit display,” says Ales Hasala, Development Manager. Note that only the Professional edition of Zoner Photo Studio supports 10-bit display devices.

Website: Zoner

Artensoft today introduced Artensoft Photo Mosaic Wizard 1.0, a software tool specifically designed to let anyone create a mosaic picture from hundreds of smaller tile images. The program offers a simple wizard-driven interface that allows the beginner to create the first photo mosaic project in a few minutes, without opening a manual. Following the instructions of the wizard, the user first selects a photo to be used as a template for a photo mosaic, adds folders with photos, and then clicks the “Create Photo Mosaic” button. A photo mosaic is generated automatically and displayed on the screen. If necessary, the user can move, resize or replace individual tiles to fine-tune a mosaic picture before saving it to file. Artensoft Photo Mosaic Wizard 1.0 is available immediately for $49.95.

Adobe has released the final versions of Lightroom 3.2 and Adobe Camera Raw 6.2. Originally posted as Release Candidates, these software updates extend raw file support to over a dozen new camera models including the Panasonic Lumix LX5 and Pentax 645D, improve on several of the lens correction profiles introduced as part of the Lightroom 3 and Camera Raw 6.1 releases, and add more than 120 new lens profiles to help photographers automatically correct for a number of distortion and aberration effects.

Website: Adobe Downloads

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 is a new ultra-telezoom lens the Micro Four Thirds platform. Equivalent to a 150-600mm lens in 35mm format, the new Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 measures just 70x116mm and has been designed with both photographers and videographers in mind. Featuring a rear-focusing mechanism with only two moving lens elements, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 enables “remarkably fast” and quiet autofocus. Constructed of 18 elements arranged in 13 groups, the lens boasts two ED lens elements and three highly refractive elements, while its iris diaphragm has seven rounded blades for pleasant bokeh. Weighing in at 430 grams, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 takes 58mm filters and comes in black and silver, priced at £799.99/€899.00/$899.99. Availability is slated for December.

Note: This is the “Super Telephoto Zoom” that appeared on the MFT lens roadmap we published back in November 2009.

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 is an 80-300mm equivalent telezoom lens for the Micro Four Thirds system. With its ultra-quiet and “extremely fast” autofocus mechanism, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 is claimed to be ideal for video capture. Available as a standalone product or as part of Olympus’ PEN double zoom kit, the lens comprises 13 elements (including an ED element) in 10 groups. Weiging in at only 190 grams, this is one of the lightest telephoto lenses around. The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 will be hit the shelves in October in Europe (and November in the USA), priced at £299.99/€329.00/$299.99.

Olympus has announced two limited-edition E-P2 kits. The Olympus E-P2 Special Black EVF Edition comprises a black E-P2 body, a matching black Olympus 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens and a VF-2 add-on electronic viewfinder, while the Olympus E-P2 Special Black Flash Edition (pictured) offers a black FL-14 external flash alongside the black body and black pancake lens. Both kits feature retro styled lens caps imprinted with the original Olympus PEN F logo in silver. The Olympus E-P2 Special Black EVF Edition will be available for €1079.00, whilst the Olympus E-P2 Special Black Flash Edition can be yours for €1049.00/$999.99, come October. The retro lens cap can also be purchased separately for €49.90.

Canon has successfully developed the world’s largest CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring a whopping 202x205mm. This is approximately 40 times the size of Canon’s largest commercial CMOS sensors. Despite its size, which in the past would have meant slow signal readout speeds, the massive sensor meets the requirements of video capture. Thanks to its improved circuitry and exceptional light sensitivity, the new CMOS imager can be used to record video at 60 frames per second at a mere 0.3lux of illumination. Potential applications include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behaviour.

Cosina has announced a new Voigtländer lens for M-mount cameras. Constructed of 6 elements in 3 groups, this fast short telephoto lens is designed to provide shallow depth of field with excellent bokeh. The Voigtländer Heliar Classic 75mm f1.8 has a 52mm thread for screw-on filters and comes with a reversible lens hood. Although it has an imaging circle large enough to cover the full frame on 35mm film or the similarly sized sensor of the Leica M9, it seems best suited to sub-frame digital rangefinder cameras such as the Leica M8 and M8.2, on which it makes for a perfect portrait lens. Scheduled for release in September, the lens is priced at 75,000 yen.

The Nikon version of the Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is now available in Japan. Constructed of 22 elements in 17 groups, the lens has a filter thread size of 77mm and has an iris diaphragm with 9 rounded blades for smooth bokeh. Two FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements, which have the performance equal to fluorite glass, and three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction of colour aberration, the company says. Supplied with a petal-type lens hood (and a hood adapter for use when the lens is attached to a DX body), the Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is priced at 200,000 yen.

Manfrotto Distribution has announced a new free webinar titled “Impact & Information: Understanding and using the visual language to create compelling, intentional photographs that express your vision”. The free webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 1st from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. The host, Canadian photographer David duChemin, will discuss how to go beyond the technicalities of photography to create effective and unique stories with a camera. Topics for discussion include finding inspiration, vision, photographing people, places and culture, and utilising camera technology to tell your story. To register for this free webinar, visit the website below.

Website: Manfrotto School of Xcellence

tiltShifted.com is a new online showcase for tilt-shift photographers from all over the world. The website is divided into artist showcases and image categories like “landscape”, “sport” and “urban”. You can discuss images using the comment option, submit work if you are a tilt-shift artist. Registered users may register to create a tiltShifted profile and share images they like using the Share/Save option for their favourite social network.

Website: tiltShifted

Webshots.com has been enhanced with a greater focus on photography and more options for photo enthusiasts to interact. The site redesign features larger images, easier navigation, and new opportunities to discover the professional and member photographers that make up Webshots’ community. The site’s redesign puts an added emphasis on picture quality by moving to a sleek, dark background to make the images really stand out, and introducing even more spotlights of its outstanding member and professional photographers. Webshots is also introducing more ways to enjoy the images. Members can now share photos on their or their friends’ Facebook wall, and soon they can send their favorite images as e-cards.

Website: Webshots

Kodak has introduced the newest addition to its innovative line of All-in-One (AiO) Inkjet Printers. The Kodak ESP 9250 features Kodak’s proprietary pigmented inks which are designed to deliver richer, more vibrant colours that bond more effectively with paper for superior fade resistance. Prints dry instantly, don’t smear or smudge and are water resistant, even when using a highlighter on documents, the manufacturer claims. With the latest Wi-Fi and networking capabilities on board, users of the Kodak ESP 9250 AiO Inkjet Printer can effortlessly print from anywhere in their home or even from an iPhone (OS 2.2 or later required), iPod Touch (2nd generation) or iPad. Available now, the Kodak ESP 9250 retails for $249.99.

The International Guild of Visual Peacemakers (IGVP) - a group of acclaimed humanitarian and cultural photographers - has just launhced its website. The site features galleries and profiles, photo documentaries and a forum, among other things, including information on how to join the exclusive Guild or broader Visual Peacemakers Community. “Through visual peacemaking efforts, our common humanity can become visually seared into the minds of millions, inspiring more compassion worldwide,” said Mario Mattei, cultural photographer and president and co-founder of IGVP. “Many unwarranted fears would evaporate, preemptively subduing fear-based reactions.”

Website: Visual Peacemakers

Eye-Fi has launched its Summer Sweepstakes with prizes including a Sony NEX-3, an iPad and various Eye-Fi memory cards. To participate, simply join Eye-Fi’s Facebook community, “like” it and enter your information. Plus if you invite friends to join the sweepstakes, you also have another chance to win: if your friend wins a prize, so do you. Sweepstakes run until 6th September 2010, 11:59:59pm PDT.

Website: Eye-Fi | Facebook