The 22 megapixel Mamiya ZDb Digital Back will make its debut at Photokina next week. The ZDb Digital Back transforms the Mamiya 645AFDII, Mamiya 645AFDIII, RZ67Pro-IID and RB67Pro-SD from professional quality film cameras into high-end digital systems. This updated version of the Mamiya ZD Digital Back system has been enhanced with up to twice the amount of memory, which means that you can continuously shoot up to 22 frames of full resolution RAW files before the buffer is full. The Mamiya ZDb back is now compatible with SDHC cards. Pricing and delivery will be announced in the fall of 2008.

The Mamiya Sekor 45mm f2.8 D is a new wide-angle lens for 645AFDII & III and ZD cameras. This wide-angle lens utilizes low-dispersion glass to correct chromatic aberration, producing high resolution and a large image circle coverage for film and digital backs. The Mamiya Sekor 45mm f2.8 D lens has an angle of view of 76 degrees - equivalent to a 28mm lens in the 35mm format. Pricing and delivery to be announced later this year.

The Mamiya Sekor AF 80mm F2.8 D L/S is a new leaf shutter lens for the 645 AFD III camera. The lens has an angle of view of 47 degrees in the 6 x 4.5 format, the equivalent of a 50mm lens in the 35mm format. The leaf shutter, which has been developed and manufactured in-house by Mamiya, is capable of shutter speeds from 1/800 second to 16 seconds, and has flash synchronization at all speeds. “The Mamiya Sekor AF 80mm F/2.8 D L/S,” says Jeff Karp, Mamiya Product Marketing Manager, “is unlike any other lens system available today. It has the advantage of high flash sync speeds—up to 1/800 second when used as a leaf shutter lens—and a top shutter speed of 1/4,000 second when used with the Mamiya 645AFD III’s built-in focal-plane shutter.” Final pricing and availability will announced later this year.

Adobe have released the release candidate versions of Camera Raw 4.6 and DNG Converter 4.6 for both Windows and Mac platforms. Version 4.6 includes the following changes:

- Newly supported camera models include:
  * Fuji Finepix IS Pro
  * Nikon D700
  * Nikon D90
  * Nikon Coolpix P6000

Website: Adobe Camera Raw 4.6 (Windows)
Website: Adobe Camera Raw 4.6 (Mac)

Carl Zeiss have unveiled an 85mm telephoto lens for rangefinder cameras. The compact Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM is a new addition to the ZM line of lenses. The lens is almost distortion-free and features excellent field curvature correction. Its shortest possible distance setting of only 0.9 m ensures maximum diversity of use. Its all-metal mount and sturdy design make it a multi-purpose lens for a wide variety of applications. Delivery of the Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM is scheduled to begin by the end of the year, priced at 769 euros.

Billingham have added two new models, the SP40 and SP50, to their range of shoulder pads for camera straps. Billingham have incorporated foam padding for comfort and a switch from the neoprene grip to a much more hardwearing rubber material. The SP40 and SP50 pads are fully bound with high quality leather for a tough, weatherproof finish. The release of the SP50 introduces an entirely new colour to the Billingham range; Birch. The Billingham SP40 costs £19.99, and the Billingham SP50 £21.99.

ProShow Producer 3.5 adds Blu-ray output to this professional slide show software. ProShow Producer 3.5 provides photographers with a complete solution for outputting high definition Blu-ray slide shows from start to finish. No special conversions or formatting is required - photographers simply create a slide show and output directly to Blu-ray. ProShow Producer 3.5 also has built-in features that archive show files directly to Blu-ray providing a safe and secure method of storing important files. ProShow Producer 3.5 is available now for $249.95.

The 21.1 megapixel EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s first DSLR camera to offer High Definition video capability. The new Canon 5D Mark II has a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor with ISO sensitivity up to 25600, new DIGIC 4 processor, 3.0” Clear View LCD with VGA resolution, and 3.9 frames per second continuous shooting. With a body-only price tag of $2,699 / €2,499 / £2,299, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II is available from the end of November. It will also be available in kit form with the EF 24-105mm f4.0L IS USM lens for £3049.99 / €3999.99.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II from the UK press launch, including a side-by-comparison with the original 5D model that it replaces.

The Canon EF 24mm f1.4L II USM lens is a new fast aperture prime lens. Completely redesigned, the EF 24mm f1.4L II USM replaces the original Mark I model. Featuring a 13-element, 10-group lens, the EF 24mm f1.4L II USM is designed to achieve the highest standards of image quality. Pricing and availability are still to be announced.

The Canon PowerShot G10 features a 14.7 megapixel sensor and 5x, 28-140mm zoom. Successor to the G9, the Canon G10 also offers a large 3.0” PureColor LCD screen with 461k dots, DIGIC 4 image processor, Canon’s new i-Contrast system which increases the dynamic range, and Servo AF mode to continually adjust focus on a moving subject. The Canon PowerShot G10 will be available from October priced at £499.99 / €649.99 / $500.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon G10 from the UK press launch, including a side-by-comparison with the G9 model that it replaces.

Canon have unveiled two new super-zoom cameras, the PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS. Jointly replacing the PowerShot S5 IS, both the SX1 and SX10 feature a 20x wide-angle zoom lens, with USM and VCM for fast, silent, zooming, and an optical Image Stabilizer. The Canon SX1 IS excitingly features a CMOS sensor which allows it to shoot full-resolution JPEGs at speeds of up to 4fps and full HD movie capture. Both models also have Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor and full manual control over both aperture and shutter speed. The Canon PowerShot SX1 IS will be available from December priced at £519.99 / €679.99, and the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is priced at £359.99 / €469.99. In the US the Canon SX1 IS will be available in April for $599.99.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS from the UK press launch.

The Digital IXUS 980 IS and Digital IXUS 870 IS are two new additions to Canon’s style-led IXUS camera range (called the PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS Digital ELPH in the USA). Replacing the Digital IXUS 960 IS and Digital IXUS 860 IS respectively, the new 14.7 megapixel Canon 980 IS and 10 megapixel 870 IS models both use Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor. The Digital IXUS 980 IS offers manual Mode that allows control of shutter speed and aperture, together with the new QuickShot mode that uses the optical viewfinder for framing and focusing, virtually eliminating shutter lag. The Digital IXUS 870 IS features a wide-angle (28mm) 4x optical zoom lens. The Canon IXUS 980 IS is available from late September priced at £349.99 / €459.99, and the Canon IXUS 870 IS is priced at £269.99 / €349.99.

Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS and 870 IS from the UK press launch

Kodak have introduced the world’s first wireless photo frame featuring Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) technology. OLED technology generates greater colour depth and saturation than other displays, viewed on panels that are substantially thinner, resulting in a sleek, low-profile design. The new 7.6-inch Kodak OLED Wireless Frame also features built-in Wi-Fi, Perfect Touch technology and a 180° viewing angle. The Kodak OLED Wireless Frame will retail for £599.99 / $999.99.

The GE E1050TW is a new feature-rich 10 megapixel camera. In addition to a 3.0’’ touch screen LCD and 28 mm wide-angle, 5x zoom lens, the E1050TW also offers 1280 x 720 pixel HD movie recording, plus Face, Blink and Smile detection functions. Available in silver, black and red, the GE E1050TW will be available at the end of September for £149.99.

Carl Zeiss have launched a new 21mm super wide angle lens for SLR cameras. The Distagon T* 2.8/21 lens will be available for SLR cameras with EF (ZE), F (ZF) and a K (ZK) bayonets. Delivery of the Distagon T* 2.8/21 is scheduled to begin by the end of this year with the ZF and ZK version. Its selling price is estimated at 1,399 euros.

The LaCie 4big Quadra supports seven RAID modes and offers capacities of up to 6TB. The 4big offers burst transfer rates reaching up to 200-230MB/s through eSATA 3Gbits. “The LaCie 4big Quadra definitely sets a new standard in RAID Technology for creative professionals and small sever backups,” said Arnaud Prézelin, LaCie Product manager for Creative Pro solutions. “For instance, the 4big Quadra enables digital content creators to work on multiple HD video streams or to manage RAW photos libraries with live effects.” The LaCie 4big Quadra will be available in 2TB, 4TB or 6TB in October starting at £659.00 for the 2TB.

The world’s fastest aspherical lens has been announced by Leica. The new Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH offers extremely shallow depth of field at full aperture. This new lens is the successor of the famous NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/1 marketed by Leica for over 30 years, beginning in 1975. The Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH will be available from February 2009 for £6290.

Lexar have released 16GB versions of its Platinum II 60x SDHC and 80x CompactFlash memory cards. The Platinum II SDHC memory card is speed-rated at 60x, capable of a minimum sustained write speed of 9MB per second, while the Platinum II CF memory card is speed-rated at 80x, which represents a minimum sustained write speed of 12MB per second. Available later this month, the new Lexar Platinum II SDHC and CF cards include a limited lifetime warranty and image-related software - the full version of Lexar Image Rescue 3 and a six-month trial of Corel Painter Essentials 4.

Sony has released a new firmware update, version 4, for the 12 megapixel Sony A700 DSLR camera. Version 4 provides the following benefits:

- The choice to select auto exposure bracketing (single & continuous) with 3 shots in 2 EV steps has been added.
- The choice to turn [Off] the High ISO NR feature has been added.
- Improvement of the image quality in high ISO setting.
- Improvement of the auto white balance and D-Range Optimizer performance.
- Improvement of reliability for communication between camera body and vertical grip.

Website: Sony A700 Firmware Update v4 (Europe)

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 is a new 10 megapixel super-zoom digital camera with an 18x optical zoom lens. Successor to the popular FZ18 model, the Panasonic FZ28 now offers a 10 megapixel sensor, 2.7-inch LCD screen, Venus Engine IV processing engine, updated iA (intelligent auto) mode with newly added AF Tracking function, and high-definition 1280 x 720p video. With a suggested retail price of £329.99 / $399.95, Mark Goldstein found out if the Lumix DMC-FZ28 is a worthy successor to the FZ18 or just a modest upgrade…

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 Review