Photokina 2008 Report

Photokina 2008 takes place September 23-28, 2008 in Cologne, Germany. Photokina is a trade fair for the photographic and imaging sector. It takes place every two years and, in 2006, featured 1,579 exhibitors from 46 countries and over 162,492 from 156 countries.

PMA 2008 was a huge event with the announcement of a number of new cameras, including the Canon Rebel XSi, Nikon D60, Pentax K20D, Sony A300, A350 and many more. See Photography Bay’s PMA 2008 Report for more.

PMA 2008 also left us with some teasers and rumors from several camera manufacturers. Leading up to Photokina 2008, these rumors, teasers and news bits will most certainly increase with exponential force. Photography Bay will be following these stories through the end of Photokina.  This report will be updated regularly as more products are announced.

Adobe

Adobe Lightroom:  Lightroom release candidate version 2.1 is made available for download from Adobe Labs for existing Lightroom 2 users.  From Adobe: “The ‘release candidate’ label indicates that this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing before it is distributed automatically to all of our customers.”  RC 2.1 addresses a number of bugs in version Lightroom 2.0.  Additionally, compatibility for the following cameras has been added:  Fuji Finepix IS Pro, Nikon D90, Nikon D700, Nikon P6000.  Expect to see several more cameras added to the final version 2.1 or another update to follow shortly after Photokina to include the new DSLRs from Canon, Sony and others.

Adobe Photoshop CS4:  Adobe announced Photoshop CS4 on September 23rd.  Photoshop CS4 software now makes impossible tasks, possible. Content-Aware Scaling adds a revolutionary technology that enables users to intelligently size and scale images with a simple drag of the mouse. New Auto-align and Auto-blend modes generate composites based on extended depth of field and 360 degree panoramas now with seamless tones and colors.

Canon

Canon PowerShot G10:  The PowerShot G10 digital camera offers serious amateur shooters and professional photographers several essential ingredients for a flagship model, including Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor, 28mm Optical Image Stabilized lens and RAW mode. As the successor model to the popular PowerShot G9 digital camera, the PowerShot G10 digital camera is loaded with Canon’s latest technologies, including a long-anticipated 28 mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom, 14.7 megapixels and 3.0-inch Pure Color LCD II screen. Read more on the Canon G10.  Available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

Canon PowerShot SX1S and SX10S:  The SX1S and SX10S are collective replacements to the Canon S5IS.  Both raise the benchmark for compact zooms with an outstanding 20x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom, with USM and VCM for fast, silent, zooming. The  PowerShot SX1S offers a revolutionary series of features never seen before on a Canon compact camera – a 10 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, 4 frames per second continuous shooting, and full HD movie capture – while both cameras use Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor for fast performance and richly detailed, clean images in a wide range of shooting situations.

Unfortunately, the SX1S will not be available in North America in the immediate future.  Hopefully, Canon will change their mind on this matter in the months to come.  Read more about the SX1S and SX10S.  You can also pre-order the SX10S from Amazon.com.

Canon PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS:  The Canon PowerShot SD990 IS features a 14.7 megapixel sensor and is powered by the DIGIC 4 image processor.  The SD990 IS has a 3.7x zoom lens with image stabilization.  It will be available in October at a retail price of $399.99.

The Canon PowerShot SD880 IS features a 10 megapixel sensor and is powered by the DIGIC 4 image processor.  The SD880 IS has a 4x zoom lens with image stabilization.  It will be available in October at a retail price of $299.99.

Read more about the Canon PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS.  Pre-order the Canon PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS from Amazon.com.

Canon Powershot E1: Canon’s Powershot E1 will go on sale at the beginning of September. The specs are respectable for a point-and-shoot: 10-megapixels, 4x optical zoom and optical image stabilization, macro mode, ISO80-1600 (with 3200 scene mode) and a 2.5-inch TFT display.

The E1 runs on AA batteries and weighs in at 0.35 pounds. It will be priced at about $200.

Canon Rebel XS / 1000D: In Canon’s update to their imaging software, Digital Photo Professional, the help file indicates that the new version supported the Canon Rebel XS / 1000D. No other details were revealed and it appears to have been removed from the current downloadable version of this software. This slip up, if that’s what it is, seems like a surefire confirmation of a coming entry-level camera from Canon. It’s expected to replace the Rebel XTi / 400D. Specifications have also been rumored, which suggest a 10.1 megapixel sensor with DIGIC III processing and Live View.

The Canon Rebel XS is currently available at Amazon.

Read more on Photography Bay’s Canon Rebel XS / 1000D page.

Canon 50D

No one really expected the Canon 50D to appear at Photokina 2008 due in large part to Canon’s religious adherence to an 18 month cycle for the 10D-40D models (the 40D is only 12 months old); however, recent pressure from Nikon, Sony and others may have driven Canon to try to get back on top of the game with something better, stronger, faster.

The Canon 50D specifications were originally leaked onto the Internet by Canon China’s website on August 21, 2008.  The Canon 50D is a 15.1 megapixel cropped sensor DSLR featuring DIGIC IV image processing, 6.3 fps, ISO 100-12,800 and a 3″ VGA LCD with 920,000-dot resolution.

Pre-order the Canon 50D from Amazon.com.

Stay tuned to the latest news and reviews on Photography Bay’s Canon 50D page.

Canon 5D Mark II

The Canon 5D Mark II was officially unveiled on September 17, 2008, a week prior to Photokina.  The camera features a 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and a new DIGIC 4 image processor.  The sensitivity of the new 5D Mark II ranges from ISO 50-25,600.  You can follow all the latest reviews and news on Photography Bay’s Canon 5D Mark II Reviews and Resources page.

Canon 1D Mark IIIn or Mark IV

Additionally, there has been a bit of buzz in the rumor mill on a replacement to the ill-fated Canon EOS 1D Mark III. The autofocusing issues with the Mark III resulted in a huge publicity blow to Canon, which came on the heels of Nikon’s introduction of the highly regarded D3 and D300. All these factors make the introduction of a replacement to the Mark III a viable possibility; however, as the days trickle on by, this becomes less and less viable for a Fall 2008 announcement. You can catch the latest rumblings on Photography Bay’s Canon 1D Mark IV Rumors page.

Canon Lenses

At PMA 2008, Canon introduced a new consumer level EF-S 55-250mm IS lens. Also new to the lineup was the EF 200mm f/2L IS lens and the EF 800mm f/5.6L IS lens.

Canon has released an EF-S 18-200mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS lens along with the 50D.  The lens is pictured in the image of the Canon 50D above. The 18-200mm is also available separately for about $699.  Pre-order on Amazon.com.  More details are available in the Canon 50D page.

Canon has also released a new EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens.  Read the press release for more info.

Leica

Leica S2: Leica has dropped quite the shocker on everyone with their new Leica S2, which is a relatively compact DSLR with a monstrous 37.5-megapixel sensor.  The shocking part is that the sensor size is 56% larger than a 35mm (or full frame) sensor found in “pro” level DSLRs.

Lexar

Lexar Professional 233x CF Memory Cards:  Lexar has increased the speed of their Professional series of CF cards from 133x to 233x.   The new 233x Lexar CF cards are available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities.

Nik Software

Complete Collection: Nik has introduced their Complete Collection software package which includes Dfine 2.0, Viveza, Color Efex Pro 3.0, Silver Efex Pro, and Sharpener Pro 3.0 at a package price of $599 ($450 lower than purchasing the programs separately.

Nikon

Nikon Coolpix P6000
The Nikon P6000 is a point and shoot pocket camera with advanced features. The big feature to the P6000 is the capability to capture images in RAW format, which its predecssor, the P5100, does not offer. It’s also offers a 13.5 megapixel sensor.

Check the Nikon P6000 availability at Amazon.com.

You can read more on this point and shoot on Nikon P6000 page.

Nikon D90

The Nikon D90 was announced on August 26, 2008. It is a breakthrough of sorts in the DSLR genre, featuring not only cutting edge still photography specifications, but also the ability to record HD video.

The Nikon D90 is announced with an AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR kit lens for a retail price of $1299.99.

The D90 is available from several trusted online retailers:

• Amazon (Body Only)
• Amazon with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
• Adorama Body Only – $999.99
  
• Adorama w/ 18-105mm lens – $1299.99
• B&H Photo Body Only
• B&H Photo w/ 18-105mm lens
• Ritz Camera w/ 18-105mm lens

For the latest (and full details once it’s announced), visit Photography Bay’s Nikon D90 page.

Nikon D700

The D700 is a 12.1 megapixel, full frame DSLR, which features the image quality found in the pro-level Nikon D3, yet it has the more compact size of the Nikon D300. The D700 has a retail price tag of $2999 USD. It was announced on July 1, 2008 and should be available prior to Photokina 2008. However, expect to see the D700 prominently featured at the Nikon booth at Photokina.

The D700 is currently available at several vendors:

• Amazon (body only)
• Amazon (w/ 24-120mm VR lens)
• Adorama (body only)
• Ritz Camera (body only)
• Ritz Camera (w/ 24-120 VR lens)
  
• Wolf Camera (body only)
• Wolf Camera (w/ 24-120 VR lens)
• Camera World (body only)
• Camera World (w/ 24-120 VR lens)

For more news, reviews and other resources, visit Photography Bay’s Nikon D700 page.

Nikon D800 or D900

After the Nikon D700 was introduced, rumors surrounding the Nikon D3x (discussed below) shifted merely in name to the Nikon D800 or D900. Very little is known other than that these are more educated guesses than any confirmed naming conventions.

Photography Bay has posted rumor pages for both the Nikon D800 and Nikon D900. Stay tuned for future updates on whether these cameras will come to fruition.

Nikon D10

In May 2008, rumors began to surface of a mid-range, full frame DSLR from Nikon that’s positioned between the Nikon D300 and D3 price points and would be a direct competitor to the Canon 5D (or maybe the 5D Mark II). The impetus for these rumors seems to stem, in part, from Nikon’s release of the MB-10 vertical grip for the Nikon D300. Nikon has traditionally named it’s vertical grips consistently with the DSLR models that they “go with” (e.g. MB-D200 was for the D200).

These rumors have subsided for the most part since the introduction of the Nikon D700 on July 1, 2008. The D700 fits the rumored description of the Nikon D10. Still yet, you can follow any other rumors of the Nikon D10 on Photography Bay’s Nikon D10 page.

Nikon D3x: I know I said Nikon’s line is current; however, something Nikon has never been able to do is to compete with Canon’s flagship 1Ds series. The introduction of the Nikon D3 last year brought with it speculation of a super pixel full-frame competitor to the Canon 1Ds Mark III. When Sony announced development of a 24 megapixel CMOS sensor earlier this year, the rumors started heating up even more. Nikon has been using Sony CCD sensors in their DSLRs for several generations. The introduction of Sony into the DSLR realm may have shaken this relationship up a little bit. Will Nikon introduce a D3X with the Sony CMOS 24 megapixel behemoth or does Nikon have another in-house surprise up its sleeve? Follow this Nikon D3X Rumors page for the latest rumors, speculations, and news as it develops.

Nikon MX Format:  Rumors have been circulating of a high-megapixel (in the 40-50MP range) new format called the MX Format.  Essentially, this would be a medium format standard for Nikon, complete with a new lens and accessory lineup.  Nothing is confirmed and little is known.  Until more is known or this rumor is debunked, you can read more on Photography Bay’s Nikon MX Format coverage.

Nikon Lenses

Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED Nikkor:  Accompanying the Nikon D90 is the availability of a 18-105mm VR kit lens.  It is priced at about $400 and is available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G:  This new lens will be available in December 2008 at a retail price of about $440.  Read more about the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G.

There are rumors of several new lenses in Nikon’s lineup. Among these rumors are replacements for the popular 70-200mm VR and 80-400mm VR lenses. Renowned cycling photographer, Graham Watson may have spilled the beans on the 70-200mm VR replacement, which makes it almost a sure thing for a Photokina appearance.

Olympus

Four Thirds System

Don’t expect any updates to the lower end of the EVOLT cameras though. Earlier this year, Olympus updated the E-410 and E-510 with the E-420 and E-520, respectively. Both of these DSLRs rest at a very consumer-friendly price point. Expect the earliest updates to these cameras to be unveiled next year at PMA.

E-System Advanced Amateur Model:  Olympus has announced an advanced amateur E-System DSLR, which is slotted between the E-520 and E-3.  The new camera has yet to be named.  The new E-System DSLR will be available in early 2009 for an undisclosed price.  (Read more.)

Perhaps Olympus DSLR users will see some new lenses added to their four thirds system. Olympus introduced their Supersonic Wave Drive lenses last fall, which Olympus touted as the fastest AF in the world when used with the Olympus E-3. (Read more here: Olympus SWD Lenses) Since the announcement, Olympus has been rather quiet on additional SWD lens announcements. Photokina would be a good time to show off some additional lenses for the four thirds system.

Micro Four Thirds System

Earlier this Summer, Olympus decided to surprise us all with a Micro Four Thirds System, which essentially uses the same 2x crop sensor from the Four Thirds System; however, Olympus has done away with the mirror box in order to make their small cameras even smaller.  Expect to see lots more of the new Micro Four Thirds System at Photokina.

Olympus has announced further details in the development of their first Micro Four Thirds camera.  Read more.

For now, you can read the press releases and additional thoughts on Photography Bay’s Micro Four Thirds System coverage.

Panasonic

Micro Four Thirds System:

Panasonic LUMIX G1

Panasonic rocked the digital imaging world when it announced the new LUMIX G1, which is based on the Olympus Micro Four Thirds System (discussed above in the Olympus category).  The G1 features a 4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor (2x crop factor) as opposed to the tiny 6x crop factor sensors typically found in compact cameras.  The LUMIX G1 is expected to be available November 2008 along with new 14-45mm and 45-200mm lenses designed exclusively for the Micro Four Thirds System.

Pentax

Pentax K2000: The new Pentax K2000 is an entry-level DSLR, which offers a 10.2 megapixel sensor and comes packaged in a kit with an 18-55mm lens and a detachable flash for a price of $699.  It also offers sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200.  The K2000 is powered by 4 AA batteries, which promise to deliver over 1600 shots.  Read more about the Pentax K2000.

Pentax Lenses

Pentax has announced a number of new lenses and accessories:

• smc PENTAX DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited* ultra wide angle lens
• smc Pentax-DA 1.4X Rear Converter SDM* teleconverter
• smc PENTAX-DA 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM telephoto zoom lens
• smc PENTAX-DA 55mm F1.4 SDM medium-telephoto lens
• AF160FC dedicated auto macro flash

Read more on the Pentax K2000 page.

Samsung

The Samsung GX-20 was co-developed with the Pentax K20D. Unfortunately for Samsung, the GX-20 has been overshadowed by the Pentax K20D even though they are nearly the same camera. Recent news of a full-frame Samsung camera has boosted the buzz about Samsung’s DSLR plans though. Whether Samsung will announce the GX-2 (or whatever it’ll be called) at Photokina remains to be seen.

SanDisk

SanDisk Extreme III 32GB CF Cards:  The new 32GB Extreme III cards from SanDisk offer 30MB/s read/write rates.

Sony

The Sony A900 was officially unveiled on September 9, 2008. The A900 is the first 24.6 megapixel DSLR, making it a class leader at the time of its release. The DSLR-A900 body will be available in November for about $3,000. Follow the latest news and reviews on Photography Bay’s Sony A900 Reviews and Resources page.

The introduction of the A900 means Sony takes the DSLR market seriously. I suppose we could see Sony drop in a new DSLR for the consumer audience as well. If you look at Sony’s approach to the point and shoot camera market, you’ll notice that they release several cameras that overlap in features and price range. They’ve done the same with the bottom end of their DSLR range from the A200 to the A350. Could Sony flank the A700 with more prosumer DSLRs? I think so. It could be a good move on Sony’s part to help appeal to niche audiences that want something a little more or less than what’s available on the A700.

Sigma

Sigma SD15

The Sigma SD15 is the latest model in Sigma’s digital SLR camera SD series, powered by the 14 megapixel Foveon X3 direct-image-sensor it can capture all primary RGB colors at each and every pixel location arranged in three layers. The developing SD15 incorporates the “TRUE II” new image processing engine. It provides high resolution power and reproduces high definition images rich in gradation and impressive three-dimensional detail. Incorporation of the large 3.0 inch LCD monitor and improved processing speed provide ease of operation of the camera.

You can follow the latest news on the SD15 on Photography Bay’s Sigma SD15 page.

Sigma DP2

The Sigma DP2 is equipped with a 24.2mm F2.8 lens, equivalent to 41mm on a 35mm SLR camera and a 14 megapixel FOVEON X3 direct image sensor (2,652 × 1,768 × 3 layers) as used in the Sigma SD14 digital SLR.

Sigma Lenses

Sigma really came through at PMA 2008 with a number of lenses that cater to the demand of Nikon D40, D40x and D60 users with the internal HSM motor. If you haven’t used an HSM equipped lens from Sigma, you’re really missing out. They focus so much faster than their standard focusing mechanism.

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM:  The new Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM is available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony mounts.

Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM: Sigma has announced a new 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM for the Four Thirds System, which is used by Olympus and Panasonic.

Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC CIRCULAR FISHEYE HSM:  The new Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC CIRCULAR FISHEYE HSM lens has been announced for Sony and Pentax mounts.

Sigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC FISHEYE HSM: The new Sigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC FISHEYE HSM lens has been announced for Sony and Pentax mounts.

Sigma EM-140 DG Macro Flash: Sigma has announced the new Sigma EM-140 DG Macro Flash for Sony and Pentax DSLRs.

Sigma APO TELE CONVERTER 1.4x EX DG: The new Sigma 1.4x teleconverter is for Sony mounts and supports HSM autofocus.

Sigma APO TELE CONVERTER 2x EX DG:  The new Sigma 2x teleconverter is for Sony mounts and supports HSM autofocus.

Tamron

Like Sigma, Tamron wants to impress entry level users by incorporating internal focusing and image stabilization into their lenses. No news yet, but you also expect Tamron to deliver some new lenses with these features at Photokina.

Tokina

Same goes for Tokina. I don’t really expect anything ground breaking from any of these third-party lens makers, but you never know. In the mean time, keep image stabilization and built-in motors on your watch list.