Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
The Canon EOS 1D Mk III is now available for pre-order at Amazon for the price of $4,499 (USD) with a release date of June 20, 2007.
I’ll take two please.
[tags]canon, eos, 1d, mk, mark, iii, availability, available, price, digital, camera, dslr, news[/tags]
Nikon “clarified” their full frame policy by stating that Nikon won’t be making a full frame sensor DSLR anytime soon. Translation to Nikon D3 rumor-mongers (*cough, yours truly): If the Nikon D3 comes this year, it’s not gonna have the previously-rumored full frame sensor.
Amateur Photographer has the story on this latest update in the Nikon D3/pro-level DSLR rumor-mill:
Nikon has never ruled out the development of a full-frame digital SLR, but has no immediate launch plans, the company told us during discussions following persistent rumours on AP’s website forum.
Jeremy Gilbert, Nikon’s group marketing manager (pictured), said that if the firm decided to make such a camera it would first need to meet the appropriate quality-to-price ratio. In other words, it would have to be the right quality at a price able to compete in the market. Read more . . . .
No other news on the Nikon D3 or Canon 40D front. As always, I’ll keep you posted when it comes in.
With the new EWC10 camera housing, you’ll be ready for the pool side and the pool bottom this summer.
PRESS RELEASE:
Norderstedt, April 2007 – Glorious blue sky and sea, rich green palms and shimmering white sand: a colourful scenario that every holiday-maker yearns for. Equipped with the bright red EXILIM snorkel housing EWC-10 for CASIO’s two digital compact cameras EX-Z75 and EX-Z65, aquatic athletes can now capture the resplendently multi-coloured fishes directly in the photo. Thanks to the perfect protection by the EWC-10, snorklers can take their EXILIM down to a depth of three meters. The housing is also the perfect companion on the beach, as it keeps sand away from the camera. The operability of EX-Z75 and EX-Z65 remains pretty easy with the EWC-10, as the individual control keys can be found on the housing. The new underwater housing EWC-10 from CASIO – a stylish eye-catcher and all-round protection for the two latest EXILIM Zoom models.
You can also find additional information at www.exilim.de/euro/ or www.casio-europe.com.
B&H has the price listed for the Canon EOS 1D Mk III at $4,495 with an estimated availability for May 2007.
I’ll take two please. ; )
So there’s a lot of new buzz about Photoshop CS3. Take a look at DP Reviews rundown on Photoshop CS 3 and Creative Suite 3. Also, check out the What’s New .PDF on Photoshop CS3 (regular flavor) and Photoshop CS3 Extended (aka orange sorbet). If you really like to read, there’s a ton of .PDF’s here on all the new Creative Suite 3 toys.
PRESS RELEASE:
SAN JOSE, Calif. — March 27, 2007 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the Adobe® Creative Suite® 3 product line, a revolutionary offering of tightly integrated, industry-leading design and development tools for virtually every creative workflow. Adobe’s new Creative Suite 3 line-up unites the best of Adobe and Macromedia® product innovation to provide designers and developers with a broad spectrum of creative options for all facets of print, web, mobile, interactive, film, and video production. There are six all-new configurations of Adobe Creative Suite 3. These include, Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium and Design Standard editions; Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium and Web Standard editions; and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium (see separate releases). Rounding out the product line is Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection which combines 12 of Adobe’s new design and development applications in a single box—the most comprehensive creative environment ever delivered.
The majority of Adobe Creative Suite 3 editions will be available as Universal applications for both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs and support Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows Vista™. Customers will experience increased levels of performance and speed running Creative Suite 3 natively on Intel-based Macintosh systems and the latest Windows hardware.
“Creative Suite 3 is the biggest launch in Adobe’s 25 year history and a milestone for the creative industry,” said Bruce Chizen, chief executive officer at Adobe. “This release reflects the powerful integration between Adobe and Macromedia and how our products bridge the gap between designers and developers. With new workflows that streamline collaboration and impact the development of rich content, designers and developers now have the creative license to engage audiences across virtually every medium.”
A customer-inspired release, Adobe Creative Suite 3 offers unprecedented choice among editions and stand-alone products, with comprehensive support for the most cutting-edge workflows for any design discipline. Customers can choose from six all-new suites or compelling full version upgrades of 13 stand-alone applications, including Photoshop® CS3, Photoshop CS3 Extended, InDesign® CS3 (see separate releases), Illustrator® CS3, Flash® CS3 Professional, Dreamweaver® CS3, Adobe Premiere® Pro CS3, and After Effects® CS3.
Each edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3 integrates different configurations of Adobe’s creative products to serve a breadth of design needs: Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium delivers an essential toolkit for print, web, interactive and mobile design while Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Standard focuses on professional print design and production. Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium combines the leading web design and development tools and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Standard serves the professional web developer. Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium, meanwhile is a complete post-production solution for video professionals. Lastly, Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection combines 12 new creative applications in one box, enabling customers to design across all media—print, web, interactive, mobile, video and film.
With Adobe Creative Suite 3 family, mobile development and the delivery of video rich content take center stage. Today, Flash technology is emerging as a leader for the mass distribution of video across the Internet, bringing TV shows online, and powering the video capabilities of YouTube and MySpace. Now with the expanded Creative Suite 3 family, Adobe’s powerful video technologies are available, cross-platform, to any creative delivering rich media experiences. In addition, a new common suite component, Adobe Device Central (see separate release) radically boosts the productivity of creative professionals who develop content for mobile handsets. Other shared features across the product line included an updated version of Adobe Bridge CS3, the hub of Adobe Creative Suite, providing instant access to Version Cue® CS3, Acrobat® Connect™, and an expanded Adobe Stock Photos service.
To celebrate the unveiling of Adobe Creative Suite 3, Adobe will host a launch event in New York City that will be webcast live on March 27 at 3:30 p.m. EDT. To attend the webcast, please visit www.adobe.com/go/cs3launch .
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium and Standard, and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium and Standard will begin shipping in April 2007. Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection for Mac OS X on Intel-based systems and for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista platforms will begin shipping worldwide in the third quarter of 2007. All configurations will be available through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/go/gn_store . Estimated street price for the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium is US$1799, US$1599 for Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium, US$1699 for Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium, and US$2499 for Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection. There are numerous upgrade paths available for Adobe customers. For more detailed information about features, upgrade policies, pricing, and international versions please visit: www.adobe.com/go/creativesuite .
Amazon is now accepting pre-orders for several of the new products announced at PMA. All products will be released on March 31 and should ship then or shortly thereafter.
The EF 16-35 f/2.8L II is available to pre-order for $1,599.
Pre-order the WFT-E2A Wireless File Transmitter for $799.99.
Finally, the 580EX II can be pre-ordered for $499.99.
No word yet on the Canon 1D Mk III. I’m on email alert and I’ll be sure to let you know when it becomes available.
Originally uploaded by Kelly Turner.
How about that Sigma f/2.8 200-500? Holy cow! That’s a constant f/2.8 throughout the zoom range! Word is that its 35 lbs and will cost something like $9,000 (US) when released.
You got a monopod for that?
Looks like Tamron is joining the popular and crowded 70-200 f/2.8 market. If it’s priced in the same range as the Sigma (about $800), this may be another good alternative to the pricey 1st party 70-200 f/2.8 lenses out there. For the details on the new lens, read the press release below.
Mr. Morio Ono, President of Tamron Co., Ltd., has announced the development of the SP AF70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD (IF) MACRO, a lightweight, high-performance and fast tele-zoom lens designed for SLR cameras with full-size image sensors.
The new SP AF70-200mm Di LD (IF) MACRO (Model A001) is an F/2.8 fast tele-zoom designed for full-size format SLR cameras. It inherits the product concept of the award-winning SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di (Model A09) standard zoom lens that is highly acclaimed for its compactness and speed, which lets photographers enjoy a high cost to performance uniqueness.
While overall dimensions are confined to the absolute minimum, the new SP AF70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD (IF) MACRO zoom lens is packed with features that allow stress-free photography: a versatile MFD (minimum focusing distance) of just 0.95m (37.4) over the entire zoom range; an excellent maximum macro magnification ratio of 1:3.1 at f=200mm; and an advantageous internal focusing (IF) system. The new tele-zoom lens enables the user to cover a desirable focal length range of 70mm medium telephoto to 200mm telephoto when mounted on full-size format SLR cameras and a focal length range from 109mm to 310mm equivalent* ultra telephoto (7°59′ angle of view) when mounted on a DSLR camera with an APS-C sized imager.
(*) The ratio Tamron uses to convert from full-size to APS-C focal length is 1.55X.
 |
| MAIN FEATURES |
| 1. 0.95m (37.4) MFD over the Entire Zoom Range for 1:3.1 Maximum Magnification Ratio This zoom lens, designed for use with full-size format SLR cameras, boasts a fast maximum aperture of F/2.8, yet it allows close-focusing down to 0.95m (37.4) over the entire zoom range. The maximum magnification ratio is 1:3.1 at the 200mm tele-end. The filter diameter is confined to ?77mm as a result of the use of an advanced optical design pursuing optimum optical power distribution. |
| 2. Soft Out-of-Focus Effect and Sharp Depiction In order to realize soft out-of-focus effect and sharp depiction performance at the same time, the zoom lens uses three LD (low dispersion) elements. As a result, the optical system effectively compensates for lateral and on-axis chromatic aberrations that are major image-degrading factors in telephoto photography, in order to provide edge-to-edge sharpness and high-contrast image quality with flat-field characteristics over the entire zoom range in various photographic situations. |
| 3. Lightweight, Yet Fast F/2.8 Maximum Aperture The lens features a fast maximum aperture of F/2.8, yet it weighs a mere 1,112.6 grams (39.2oz.)*, since it uses barrel parts made of engineering plastic materials having excellent dimensional stability and sufficient strength for professional use and even industrial applications. (*) As of February 2007, based on Tamron’s research of lenses in the same class, excluding the tripod base. |
| 4. Internal Surface Coatings Minimize Ghosting and Flare Through the use of “Internal Surface Coatings (i.e., multiple-layer coatings on cemented surfaces of plural elements) and multiple-layer coatings to prevent reflections from lens surfaces, ghosting and flare due to reflections that occur when light enters through the front element as well as reflections caused by the imager itself in the mirror box are reduced to the absolute minimum. |
| 5. One-touch AF/MF Switchover mechanisms (for Canon and Nikon only) The models for Nikon and Canon cameras are equipped with AF/MF switchover mechanisms to allow one-touch switchover from AF mode to MF mode or vice versa electronically and mechanically by simply sliding the button. (Sony and Pentax systems require AF/MF switchover operation on both the camera and lens.) Since the lens uses an IF (internal focusing) system, the focusing ring does not rotate during focusing, which ensures good holding balance at all times. In the MF mode, focusing is performed as easily and comfortably as with an MF lens. Since the overall length of the lens does not change due to zooming or focusing, it offers excellent operability and holding balance. |
| 6. Detachable Tripod Grip Ring The lens is supplied with a lightweight and rigid aluminum removable tripod socket. |
| 7. Flower-shaped Lens Hood A flower-shaped lens hood is included as a standard accessory. The special hood provides optimum shading of superfluous light rays that enter from the rectangular frame outside the image field. SPECIFICATIONS Model Name A001 Focal Length 70-200mm Maximum Aperture F/2.8 Angle of View 34°3′ – 12°3′ Lens Construction 18 elements /13 groups Minimum Focus Distance 0.95m (entire zoom range) Maximum Mag. Ratio 1:3.1 (at f=200mm, MFD=0.95m) Filter Diameter ?77mm Overall Length 194.3mm * Maximum Diameter ?89.5mm Weight 1112.6g* (without tripod holder) Diaphragm Blades 9 blades Minimum Aperture F/32 Standard Accessory Flower-shaped Lens Hood Compatible Mount Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony
* values given are for Nikon AF-D cameras. * The cosmetic design and specs are subject to change without notice.
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On March 27, 2007, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time, Adobe Systems will host a webcast of the official launch of Adobe® Creative Suite® 3, live from New York City. Show up here on the 27th for the show.
Looks like Tamron is jumping on the super-zoom image stabilized band wagon the new Tamron 28-300 f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC lens that was announced today. Bob Atkins has a handy preview article. You can also check out the features in the press release below.
PRESS RELEASE
Mr. Morio Ono, President of Tamron Co., Ltd., has announced the successful development of the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO zoom lens, a high power zoom lens designed for SLR cameras with full-size format(Model A20), now equipped with a Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. The AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC is the ultimate high power zoom lens that covers everything from wide-angle to telephoto and macro. Tamron has incorporated a Vibration Compensator, an anti-shake mechanism developed by Tamron, into the highly versatile zoom lens. The new AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO zoom lens offers the convenience, comfort and versatility of a high power zoom lens and the capability to reduce hand-shake blur on SLR cameras using either APS-C size or full size format imagers.
When the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC is used with a full size format SLR camera, it covers the tremendous focal length range from 28mm in wide angle to 300mm ultra telephoto. When mounted on a DSLR with an APS-C sized imager, the lens covers a 43mm wide angle to 465mm equivalent ultra telephoto* (full size format equivalent, in a diagonal angle of view of 5°20′).
(*) The ratio Tamron uses to convert from full size format to APS-C focal length is 1.55X.
MAIN FEATURES
1. VC (Vibration Compensation) Mechanism Reduces Hand-shake
The proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism developed by Tamron features a triaxial configuration using three pairs of driving coils and slide balls around the compensator group of the lens’ optical system. Since the compensator lenses are supported with rolling friction of the balls, the response performance is enhanced and the construction is simple, which results in the compactness of the lens. The lens incorporate a highly accurate gyro sensor for detecting hand-shake, which, combined with a 32-bit RISC CPU, offers comfortable anti-vibration effects.
2. Outstanding Design Realizing High Zoom Power, VC Mechanism and Compactness
The AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.5 XR Di VC integrates optical technologies that Tamron has accumulated as the pioneer and leader of high power zoom lenses in order to realize the desired compactness even while incorporating the VC mechanism. The optical system uses a number of lens elements made from special optical glass materials including XR (high refraction index) glass elements, GM (glass-molded aspherical lens) elements, hybrid aspherical elements, LD (low dispersion) glass elements to compensate for on-axis and lateral chromatic aberrations and AD (anomalous dispersion) glass element. The lens offers high contrast, high resolution performance and flatness of the image field as a one-does-it-all zoom lens designed to match the characteristics of DSLR cameras.
3. Revolutionary MFD of 0.49m (19.3″) throughout the Zoom Range Provides 1:3 Macro Magnification Ratio
The AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD MACRO boasts an MFD (minimum focusing distance) of 0.49m (19.3″) over the entire zoom range, a top-class closing focusing capability among high power zoom lenses for full-size format SLR cameras, which provides the remarkable maximum macro magnification ratio of 1:3 at the 300mm telephoto end.
4. Internal Surface Coatings Minimize Ghosting and Flare
Through the use of “Internal Surface Coatings” (i.e., multiple-layer coatings on cemented surfaces of plural elements) and multiple-layer coatings to prevent reflections from lens surfaces, ghosting and flare due to reflections that occur when light enters through the front element as well as reflections caused by the imager itself in the mirror box are reduced to the absolute minimum.
5. Ultra-high Zoom Power, yet Lightweight and Compact Design Thanks to New Mechanical Devices
Tamron has reviewed the roles that respective barrel parts play in order to achieve the high power, compactness and light weight. As a result, dimensional increases are confined to a mere 17.8mm (0.7″) in overall length and about 5mm(0.2″) in diameter, when compared with the existing AF28-300mm (Model A061), despite the incorporation of the VC mechanism.
6. Zoom Lock Mechanism for Enhanced Portability
The zoom lock prevents unwanted barrel extension when carrying the lens/camera combination over the shoulder.
7. Flower-shaped Lens Hood
A flower-shaped lens hood is included as a standard accessory. The special hood provides optimum shading of superfluous light rays that enter from the rectangular frame outside the image field.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model Name A20
Focal Length 28-300mm
Maximum Aperture F/3.5-6.3
Angle of View 75°23′-8°15′
Lens Construction 18 elements /13 groups
Minimum Focus Distance 0.49m (entire zoom range)
Maximum Mag. Ratio 1:3 (at f=300mm, MFD=0.49m)
Filter Diameter ?67mm
Overall Length 99mm *
Maximum Diameter ?78.0mm
Weight 550g*
Diaphragm Blades 9 blades
Minimum Aperture F/22-F/40 (28mm – 300mm)
Standard Accessory Flower-shaped hood
Compatible Mount Canon and Nikon
* values given are for Nikon AF-D cameras.
* The cosmetic design and specs are subject to change without notice.