SONY BRINGS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, IMAGE QUALITY AND CREATIVITY TO CYBER-SHOT® LINEUP

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Editor AL

Three New Entry-Level Compact Cameras Offer Enhanced Point and Shoot Flexibility

LAS VEGAS , Jan. 9, 2012 – The newest additions to Sony’s Cyber-shot® line of point-and-shoot cameras deliver powerful new features for consumers, ranging from 360 Sweep Panorama™ and image stabilization technologies to creative picture effects. These new entry-level cameras pack high performance into a compact body, allowing users to take high-quality, creative photos with ease. 

The stylish and compact new lineup include the DSC-W610, DSC-W620 and DSC-W650 models. 

Small Cameras, Big Features
The compact DSC-W610, DSC-W620 and DSC-W650 cameras feature Sony’s new 360 Sweep Panorama™ mode.  Users can now capture beautiful, seamless 360 degree panoramic images of the entire surrounding landscape with one easy “press and sweep” motion.  Multiple images are automatically stitched together to create one stunning, detailed panoramic photo.

Additionally, the “Intelligent Auto” mode allows the cameras to automatically optimize camera settings based on the external environment.  They analyze focus, lighting, subjects and more, selecting the appropriate scene mode to realize a clear, high-quality image output with ease.  Further, in order to reduce image blur often caused by camera shake and subject motion, the DSC-W610 and DSC-W620 cameras feature SteadyShot® image stabilization. 

The DSC-W650 model offers enhanced Optical SteadyShot™ functionality and also boasts a 16.1 mega pixel Super HAD™ CCD image sensor.


Picture: Sony DSC-W650.

The new DSC-W620 and W650 cameras also feature HD Movie mode (720p) as well as four “Picture Effect” options which can be used to create customized, artistic images.  The full list of effects includes Toy Camera, Partial Color, Pop Color and Soft High-key.

Product Specs, Pricing and Availability

The cameras and an expanded range of stylish accessories, including the new LCS-CS1, LCS-CS2, LCS-TWM and LCM-CSVH carrying cases, will be sold at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) as well as other authorized retailers throughout the Sony dealer network.  New camera specs are below:


Picture: Sony DSC-W610

The DSC-W610 camera will be available in silver, black, pink, green and blue later this month for approximately $110.  Features include:

14.1 MP Super HAD CCD image sensor

26mm equivalent lens with 4x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD screen

Capture breathtaking images with new 360 Sweep Panorama mode

SteadyShot image stabilization reduces blur

Intelligent Auto mode automatically optimizes camera settings based on outside shooting environment.


Picture: Sony DSC W-620

The DSC-W620 camera will be

available in silver, black and red this February for approximately $120. Features include:

14.1 MP Super HAD CCD image sensor

o    28mm equivalent lens with 5x optical zoom, 2.7 inch LCD screen

o    4 total “Picture Effects”, allowing for creative, custom styled photographs

o    Capture your videos in HD Movie mode (720p)

o    Capture breathtaking images with new 360 Sweep Panorama mode

o    Intelligent Auto mode with 33 scene recognition patterns, SteadyShot image stabilization

 

The DSC-W650 camera will be available in silver, black and red this February for approximately $150. Features include:

16.1 MP Super HAD CCD image sensor

o    25mm equivalent lens with 5x optical zoom, 3.0-inch LCD screen

o    4 total “Picture Effects”, allowing for creative, custom styled photographs

o    Capture your videos in HD Movie mode (720p) enhanced with Optical SteadyShot Active Mode

o    Intelligent Auto mode with 33 scene recognition patterns, 360 Sweep Panorama mode, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization

 

Posted in Brand: Sony, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G Arrives.

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Editor AL

A fast, medium-telephoto fixed focal length lens with a focal length of 85 mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.8 compatible with the Nikon FX-format

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G, a fast, medium-telephoto fixed focal length lens with a focal length of 85 mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.8 compatible with the Nikon FX-format.

The AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G is the new addition to the FX-format lens lineup. It utilizes an all new optical design allowing users to enjoy shooting portraits with pleasing blur characteristics only possible through fixed focal length lenses. Even with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, the AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G is very lightweight at roughly 350 g, allowing users to easily carry their camera around with this lens mounted. The Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures not only quiet autofocus operations, but also makes autofocus shooting possible when the lens is used with entry-level Nikon DX-format digital-SLR cameras such as the D5100 and D3100, which are not equipped with an autofocus drive motor.

Nikon has long had the support of professional, advanced amateur and entry-level photographers for its consistent development of innovative products that respond to the demands of customers and are equipped with the optical technologies Nikon has spent years cultivating as a manufacturer of optical devices. Nikon intends to continue to expand and strengthen the NIKKOR lineup as well as improve customer convenience with the steady release of new, high-performance lenses that offer advanced functions.

AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G Primary Features

  • A fast, medium-telephoto fixed focal length lens with a focal length of 85 mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.8 compatible with the Nikon FX-format
  • An all new optical design that enables maximum utilization of digital-SLR camera capabilities in shooting high quality images
  • Enables shooting of portraits with pleasing background blur characteristics only possible with a fast, medium-telephoto fixed focal length lens
  • Very lightweight at approximately 350 g, even with the large aperture
  • Equipped with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for extremely quiet autofocusing. Autofocus shooting is also possible when the lens is used with entry-level Nikon DX-format digital-SLR cameras such as the D5100 and D3100, which are not equipped with an autofocus drive motor.
  • Equipped with two focus modes, M/A (autofocus with manual override) and M (manual)
Posted in Brand: Nikon, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nikon Announced the Nikon D4 – The DSLR for Professional.

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Editor AL

The next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikon’s lineup of digital-SLR cameras. Nikon will be exhibiting the D4 at the 2012 International CES, to be held Tuesday, January 10 through Friday, January 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This electronics exhibition is open to the public.

The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) and EXPEED 3, the latest image-processing engine specifically optimized for digital-SLR cameras, making it the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality that offers superior image quality rich in detail along with excellent high-speed performance. It has an effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels, and offers superior image quality under a broad range of lighting conditions with its image sensor supporting an incredible range of sensitivities from ISO 50 to ISO 204800.

The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor supports the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which is able to recognize human faces even when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. In addition, the Advanced Scene Recognition System offers significant improvements in AF, AE, i-TTL flash control, and auto white balance (AWB) control accuracy. The 51 focus point AF system has been improved with faster initiation of autofocusing and the ability to detect and focus on subjects with less lighting. In addition, 11 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. All of this means more precise autofocusing when super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with teleconverters (2.0x). The Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie movie recording function is capable of recording full-HD movies at 30 fps, and offers three movie recording formats for selection according to recording conditions or creative intent.

What’s more, the D4 records images to memory cards faster with built-in support for high-speed, UDMA 7-compatible CompactFlash memory cards and next-generation, high-speed XQD memory cards. In addition to built-in wired LAN features, the D4 also supports high-speed image transfer via wireless LAN when the new, compact, easy-to-use Wireless Transmitter WT-5 (available separately) is connected to the camera. The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.

Development background
In 2007, Nikon released the D3 digital-SLR camera as its flagship model equipped with the new FX-format CMOS image sensor developed by Nikon. With its new image sensor, the D3 established a new level of image quality, speed, and support for high sensitivities. In December of 2008, Nikon released the D3X with an effective pixel count of 24.5-million pixels, which enabled superior imaging performance equal to that possible with medium format cameras. In the following year, the D3S proposed new possibilities in imaging expression with its expanded range of standard sensitivities from ISO 200 to ISO 12800 and a built-in movie recording function. The superior performance of the Nikon D3 was recognized with three of the most prestigious domestic and international awards—Japan’s Camera Grand Prix Camera of the Year and Europe’s Technical Image Press Association’s (TIPA) Best D-SLR Professional and the European Imaging and Sound Association’s (EISA) Professional Camera of the Year. The D3X and D3S continued the success of the series introduced with the D3, being recognized by the camera industry for their superior performance with a number of awards of their own as well as extreme popularity with professional and advanced amateur photographers alike. In addition, the superior durability and reliability of the cameras has also been recognized by NASA, which ordered several models as-is, with no special modification, that are currently used aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Nikon based development of the flagship D4 on the basic performance achieved with the D3 series, which has led the industry in imaging expression since its release. In addition to this high level of basic performance, a number of new functions and features were added in response to the needs and demands of professional and advanced amateur photographers, resulting in this next-generation digital-SLR camera that stretches the boundaries of functionality and performance with superior versatility.

D4 primary features

  1. New Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor
    Support for an incredibly wide range of sensitivities, from ISO 50 to ISO 204800The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) developed by Nikon. The superior performance of the FX-format CMOS image sensor with its effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels offers excellent resolution and image quality under an incredible variety of lighting conditions. Despite the increase in pixel count, the D4 reads out data faster than the D3S. The range of standard sensitivities has been expanded to ISO 100 to ISO 12800. What’s more, support for ISO 50 and additional expansion up to ISO 204800 is also possible, enabling effective shooting under a variety of lighting conditions without concern for any sacrifice in image quality.
  2. New EXPEED 3 image-processing engine with superior, high-speed processing capabilitiesThe new EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into the D4 offers better image quality and even faster processing speeds for vivid yet faithful color reproduction, a broader dynamic range, and rich expression of tones. It also effectively suppresses noise with advanced noise-reduction processing for images captured at high sensitivities under dim lighting, all while preserving definition and sharpness. Noise-reduction processing designed especially for movies maintains crisp, clear outlines in movies recorded in low-light situations. EXPEED 3 has high-speed processing capabilities for a variety of task, and it uses power effectively, contributing greatly to the camera’s power-saving design.
  3. 91K-pixel RGB sensor for the more accurate Advanced Scene Recognition SystemThe D4 is equipped with the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which supports face recognition* when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor recognizes human faces for more frequent focus acquisition on human faces when Auto-area AF AF-area mode is used. When a human face is detected in the frame, 3D Color Matrix Metering III bases exposure control on the brightness of that face so that the face is optimally exposed even with backlighting. In addition, the high resolution of the metering sensor with its roughly 91,000 pixels enables extremely precise analysis of the scene for more accurate control over autofocusing, auto exposure, i-TTL flash control, and auto white balance.
    • *There is no display in the viewfinder that shows when a face or faces have been recognized.
  4. Faster and more accurate AF with 51 focus pointsThe 51 focus point AF system built into the D4 utilizes the new Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module for faster, more accurate autofocusing that performs extremely well under dim lighting.
    The 15 focus points at the center of the frame are cross-type sensors that detect phase differences both horizontally and vertically. All 51 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of up to f/5.6 are used, and the cross-type sensors make the most of this capability. Precise focus can be quickly acquired with autofocusing using all AF NIKKOR lenses, even under lighting as dim as −2 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F), the level at which the scene through the viewfinder can just be made out by the human eye. What’s more, 11 focus points (five at center with an additional three to each side) are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. This enables very precise focus acquisition with sports photography and the like when super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with a teleconverter (2.0x) at a combined aperture value of f/8.
    In addition, adoption of a new algorithm enables faster autofocus initiation for even more certain and sharper capture of defining moments especially necessary when shooting sports scenes. The new high-speed AF system also supports high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 10 fps* in FX format with AF and AE tracking.

    • *Measured according to CIPA guidelines. Value with shooting in AF-C autofocus mode, [S] or [M] exposure mode, shutter speed of 1/250 s or faster, all other settings at their default values.
  5. Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie with three image area optionsA dedicated movie-record button has been positioned near the shutter-release button for smooth starting and stopping of movie recording with a feel similar to that of still-image shooting. Full-HD movie recording at a frame size of 1920 x 1080 and frame rate of 30 fps is supported, and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video compression method has been adopted. Movies up to 29 minutes 59 seconds*1 can be recorded. Image sensor sensitivity begins at ISO 200 and can be expanded to the same ISO 204800 equivalent possible with still-image shooting.
    Full-HD movies can be recorded with the D4 using one of three image areas: FX-based movie format*2, DX-based movie format, or 1920 x 1080; 30 fps/25 fps/24 fps crop. FX-based movie format makes full use of the large image sensor, enabling movies with an emphasis on pleasing blur characteristics. When a DX lens is attached, DX-based format is automatically selected. This format is useful for creating an extension to the local length of an existing lens. For an even stronger telephoto effect, the 1920 x 1080 crop format brings an approximately 2.7x crop of the picture angle while delivering outstanding video quality and detail, obtaining 1080p Full HD. By choosing the movie format appropriate for the particular scene, the three image area options available with a single camera enable more flexible imaging expression through collaboration with the entire NIKKOR lens lineup, including DX lenses.
    The D4 is equipped with a connector for external microphones that enables stereo recording. The camera also offers a headphone connector that supports stereo headphones, convenient for checking sound recorded with movies.

    • *120 min. depending on frame size/rate and movie quality settings.
    • *2Movies are recorded with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 regardless of the format selected. Aspect ratio is 3 : 2 with recording at a frame size/rate of 640 x 424; 30 fps and 640 x 424; 25 fps.
  6. Smooth workflow from initial setup to image transferThe entire photographic workflow is faster with the D4. Superior, high-speed response with a power-up time of approximately 0.12 s*1 and a release time lag of roughly 0.042 s*1. In addition, support for high-speed, next-generation XQD memory cards enables a continuous shooting frame rate of 10 fps for up to approximately 100 shots even with shooting in RAW format*2. The camera is also equipped with dual memory card slots, one for XQD memory cards and one for CompactFlash memory cards, for smooth handling of images. What’s more, professional photographers can work much faster with high-speed transfer of images to a computer when an XQD memory card reader supporting SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)*3 is used.
    • *1Measured according to CIPA guidelines
    • *2When a Sony XQD memory card H-series (QD-H16G, QD-H32) is used with capture of compressed 12-bit NEF (RAW) images (based on Nikon testing standards)
    • *3Sony MRW-E80 (based on Sony testing standards)
    • The new compact Wireless Transmitter WT-5 with simple connection to the camera (available separately)

      The D4 is equipped with an Ethernet port and functions for wired LAN connections. In addition, it also supports the new WT-5 (available separately), a compact wireless transmitter that is easily connected to the camera for high-speed transfer of images over a wireless network.* The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.
      The new WT-5 is powered by the camera, making a more compact size possible. In addition to IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards, the WT-5 also supports the new IEEE 802.11n (1 x 1) standard, enabling data transfer at twice the speed possible with the WT-4. The camera’s HTTP server mode can be used to display a list of images stored on the memory card, and also enables basic camera control, live view, movie recording, etc. using the Web browser on a computer or smartphone. Synchronized release (WT-5 only) mode enables synchronized shutter release of up to 10 cameras D4 cameras, each with its own WT-5) with the D4 used as the controlling “master”.

      • *The Wireless Transmitter WT-4 can also be used.

      ·Other D4 functions and features

      • Extremely durable shutter that has passed testing for 400,000 cycles
      • Magnesium alloy adopted for the very strong, durably body that is very resistant to dust and water
      • Effective sealing using O rings and packing make the camera more resistant to dust and water
      • Silent shutter-release mode for live view photography that almost completely eliminates the sounds of the mirror and shutter operation
      • A time-lapse photography feature, with which the camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to record a time-lapse movie, which can be played back at 24–36,000x normal playback speed
      • Operation optimized for both horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) shooting
      • Button backlights (illuminators) for increased visibility when working in dimly lit or dark situations
      • High-performance viewfinder, utilizing a glass pentaprism, with a frame coverage of approximately 100% (FX format) and magnification of approximately 0.7x
      • Four image area options for still shooting—FX (36 x 24), 5:4 (30 x 24), 1.2x (30 x 20), DX (24 x 16)—with viewfinder indicator that identifies the current image area
      • A 3.2-inch, approximately 921k-dot LCD monitor with reinforced glass and wide viewing angle; integration of the glass and panel reduce internal reflections
      • A virtual horizon that shows the degree to which the camera is tilted sideways (roll), forward or backward (pitch) with display in the monitor and viewfinder
      • White balance that can be adjusted in units of 10 K; white balance can be specified separately for shooting (white balance applied to images) and monitor display with still-image shooting in live view mode
    • Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3 for significantly faster processingA trial version and free upgrade for Capture NX 2, Nikon’s image editing software, were released on December 20 to coincide with release of the D4. This latest version is Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3. In addition to offering image editing functions that allow users to achieve the intended results with intuitive operation, a faster image-processing algorithm has been adopted for much faster processing. What’s more, operation is smoother and more natural with the addition of native compatibility with 64-bit operating systems.
Posted in Brand: Nikon, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Canon U.S.A. Introduces The Highest Image Quality Powershot Digital Camera, The G1 X.

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Editor AL

And Feature-Packed ELPH Series Cameras.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 9, 2012 – Continuing to revolutionize the digital camera market, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the introduction of a new flagship PowerShot model, the PowerShot G1 X, in addition to two stylish PowerShot ELPH models, the ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 110 HS. The PowerShot G1 X camera will feature a 1.5-inch, 14.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, the largest sensor to date for a PowerShot model, delivering approximately nine times more light sensitivity and helping to produce amazing depth-of-field and high-quality images in tough low-light conditions. For those users looking for a camera with advanced features in a compact form both the PowerShot ELPH 520 HS, the world’s thinnest 12x optical zoom with a 28mm lens1, and PowerShot ELPH 110 HS feature a sleek design and compelling creative capabilities.

“The new additions to our PowerShot lineup further demonstrate Canon’s commitment to delivering users innovative imaging products,” said Yuichi Ishizuka executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “These sleek and compact cameras bring together powerful features, intuitive controls and unrivaled portability while maintaining high image quality.”

The Power of DIGIC 5

Living up to its reputation as a leader in the digital camera marketplace, Canon has incorporated the DIGIC 5 image processor into the HS SYSTEM for all three models. Achieving better quality images in low-light settings, boasting faster operation and providing improved color accuracy, the DIGIC 5 image processor ensures users are able to produce high-quality images in the most difficult of lighting conditions. The processor will also enable the PowerShot G1 X camera to utilize the High-Speed Burst HQ2 feature allowing photographers to shoot images at high speeds at full resolution to capture the perfect moving shot. Additionally, to ensure images are crisp and clear, advanced noise reduction and a smarter multi-area White Balance can be utilized to achieve accurate color reproduction for a balanced image.

Advanced Smart AUTO

Advanced Smart AUTO, available in the PowerShot ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 110 HS, can detect up to 58 scenes varying from non-human moving subjects to people, landscapes, pets and vehicles, helping the camera determine the best mode of shooting. This technology has been enhanced to include a new Face ID feature, allowing users to register up to 12 people on the camera and have the camera recognize and prioritize each person. When registering individuals on the camera, users can take up to five images of a subject at various angles or facial expressions and enter their name and birth date. This allows the camera to make one of three age distinctions: Babies (0 to 1 year old), Children (2 to 12 years old) or Adults (13 years or older). Based on these different groups, the camera will give focus priority to the youngest recognized group in the frame and makes the images searchable as well with the ability to view only those images of a particular person.

Further additions to this new feature are Smile Recognition and Sleeping Face Recognition. With Smile Recognition, the camera will take three consecutive shots of a scene such as a smiling baby or of grandparents at a family get together and select the best out of the three for the final image. For Sleeping Face Recognition the flash, assist beam and sound is turned off for that precious moment to be captured while not disturbing one’s sleep.

PowerShot G1 X Digital Camera

Ideal for photography enthusiasts looking for the highest image quality in a compact, point-and-shoot design, the Canon PowerShot G1 X camera features the largest sensor to date for a Canon point-and-shoot model. The camera has a brand new, large 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14mm), 14.3-megapixel High-Sensitivity Canon CMOS sensor, delivering shallow depth of field, a wide dynamic range, an ISO range of up to 12800 and incredible light gathering ability helping to ensure brilliant images in even tough low-light conditions. Featuring an amazing Canon lens with 4X Optical Zoom, an aperture of f/2.8 to f/16 for beautiful images when shooting portraits and amazing clarity when shooting landscapes along with wide-angle capabilities starting at 28mm, the PowerShot G1 X camera makes certain that users will have the right optics for most any situation. Further adding to the EOS-like feature set of this new model is 14-bit, RAW+JPEG shooting and compatibility with accessories such as Speedlite, Macro Twin Lite or the Macro Ring Light flashes. HDR Shooting has been included to ensure the best possible shot is captured as well. The PowerShot G1 X camera also shoots in Full HD 1080p video ensuring memorable moments are captured in the highest quality.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X camera has a bright, large 3.0-inch vari-angle LCD with 922,000 dots of resolution providing photographers with the highest quality available in a point-and-shoot. The inclusion of the Mode Dial on the top of the camera and the Front Dial helps provide more intuitive control of the camera.

The estimated selling price of the Canon PowerShot G1 X camera is USD $799.99 and is scheduled to be available in February 2012.

PowerShot ELPH 520 HS Digital Camera

The feature-packed Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS camera resurrects the original PowerShot ELPH design with a more contemporary and radiant look and feel. This new stylish model has a 10.1-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor along with a 12X Optical Zoom lens, ISO range of up to 3200 and wide-angle capabilities starting at 28mm. For photographers on the move, this camera also has Full HD 1080p video capture capabilities, a 3.0-inch LCD for easy viewing of images and High-Speed Burst mode where images are continuously captured at 6.8 frames per second.

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS camera will be available in black, silver, red and blue in March with an estimated selling price of USD $299.99.

PowerShot ELPH 110 HS Digital Camera

Canon’s PowerShot ELPH 110 HS camera comes in a variety of fun, bright colors (black, silver, red, blue, green and pink) and is the ideal camera for new photographers. With a 5X Optical Zoom lens and wide-angle capabilities beginning at 24mm, this camera provides the user with the ability to fit an entire landscape or a specific area of a subject into one shot. The camera also features a16-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor, ISO range of up to 3200, 3.0-inch wide LCD and Full HD 1080p video capture for brilliant, high resolution quality. High-Speed Burst mode has also been included for continuous shooting up to 5.8 frames per second.


The Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS camera is scheduled to be available in February with an estimated selling price of USD $249.99.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With more than $45 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks fourth overall in patent holdings in the U.S. in 2010†, and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2011. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.
###
 

Specifications subject to change without notice.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Availability, prices, and specifications of all products are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.

1 This information as of January 9, 2012

2 The PowerShot G1 X camera’s continuous shooting speed at high resolution is approximately 4.5 shots at 6 frames per second.

Posted in Brand: Canon, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

eBay Beware – Online Cheat “dzone2-au”.

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Editor AL

This is part 2.

I have created a new Category on this site for online cheats, so do check back often for updates and be protected. Especially Sellers from eBay.

Online Cheat Profile 2:
eBay Seller ID: “dzone2-au”.
Real Name: No Individual Name (Online Shop)
Company Name: DZONE HONG KONG LIMITED  
Seller email: payment@dzone2.com
Claimed Location: Hong Kong.
Telephont: +852 35202217

Case:
A fellow photographer “Ray” (name changed to protect the identity of the photographer), approached me to help him buy a Sony DSLR Lens off eBay. He sent me a link to the item and I found the eBay shop familiar. Then I remembered that I had bought things from this eBay shop before with no bad experience. So I went ahead and collected the money from Ray and made the purchase. Then things started going wrong.

First, I find it weird that the lens was not shipped after 4 days, so I wrote to the seller. The seller replied me and told me that they have not received my payment. In panic, I log in to my PayPal account and check – I had Paid! So I called PayPal to verify, they confirmed my payment had reached the seller. OK, so I called “dzone2-au” in Hong Kong and told them about my conversation with PayPal, but they insisted that they have not received my payment and will not ship the lens. I insisted that they check with the Hong Kong eBay/PayPal office why this is so and they did. After 2 days, they finally told me payment cleared. Fine, so I presumed everything is in order again.

Then I found replies in my eBay message box from Dzone2-au saying there was no stock. Seriously? I called and make my stand again and they found a lens and promised to ship out ASAP. And they did. But.

When the lens arrived, I brought the parcel to Ray’s house and let him open by himself. On closer inspection, Ray found scratches on the outer filter ring that looks like the lens had been dragged over a rough surface and there were scratches on the lens cap and on the barrel too. This came as a shock to both of us. Dzone2-au is supposed to be a reputable eBay shop and a good seller, but receiving this new Sony lens in this state is really unbelievable. So I wrote to them with Ray in the copy. Then the person who helped me sort out the payment mess told us that the shipping and packing was handled by another of his colleague and referred us to him.

Patiently, we wrote to this person, and took photos of the defects on the new lens and they stopped replying after we had sent them the photos. Even if they offer a refund and ship the defective lens back (at our costs), we had incur losses on time, trunk calls and return shipping. In the first place, why don’t they even check the condition of the item before packing and shipping? I round it up as this eBay shop is simply just irresponsible.

Will you buy from this eBay seller? Yes, their price is cheap by any standards – but, do remember that if they send you a cosmetically defective lens to you (like in our case), are you willing to pay the return shipping?

You decide.

To Read about other Online cheats,
please visit http://atomic-temporary-16134153.wpcomstaging.com/category/blacklisted-online-shops-ebay-sellers/

Posted in Blacklisted Online Shops/ eBay Sellers | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

eBay Beware – Online Cheat “jhlny2002”.

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Editor AL

For those who frequent my Facebook will know that I buy a lot of photography stuff off eBay. From lenses to cameras, from cleaning kit to filters, in 2011, I clocked a total spending of over SGD $10k. However, not all purchases are for myself, I have started to help my fellow photographer friends and my photography students to buy stuff too. The savings are too good to miss it than buying off the shelves in local camera shop unless it’s urgently in need.

Like all online portals, all the users on eBay are real people; they are differentiated into good or bad. In my experience of buying off eBay sellers, I met my share of “Cheats” or irresponsible people or worse, bogus sellers who will trick you into paying for an auction item but the item never arrived. And seriously, eBay & PayPal is not really helpful when you get cheated. Don’t believe? Try to contact an eBay representative by phone.

I wrote this article to warn the local Photography Circle in Singapore about some really bad & irresponsible sellers on eBay.   

Online Cheat Profile 1:
eBay Seller ID: “jhlny2002”.
Real Name: Joon Lee
Seller email: jhlny2002@yahoo.co.kr
Claimed Location: USA.

Case:
I bought a Nikon AF Nikkor 70-210mm F4-5.6 from this seller “jhlny2002” on 04th July 2010. I was given a USPS tracking number LJ262998848US for tracing the parcel. The mail type was “First-Class International Mail”. After 30 days, I didn’t receive the parcel so I contacted the seller and the seller replied me & told me it will take some time. Fine, so I waited. By the 50th day, I wrote to the seller again and this irresponsible seller just ignored my messages & emails. The tracking number given was traced to a parcel on http://www.track-trace.com/ which left the country of origin on 6th July 2010 and no further updates after that..

I tried to contact USPS several times and I was asked for the receipt number. So I wrote back to this seller again and requested for assistance as it will be much easier for him to contact his local USPS office since he is the person who ships out the parcel and he has the receipt. However, this seller continues to ignore me and refused to assist me. All my attempts to contact USPS failed as they do not has a direct number for you to call from outside USA and their online HELP all requires the Receipt Number which this Seller refuse to give or even respond to my correspondence.

I decided to call eBay and report the Seller & highlight this incident to PayPal as well. By then, it’s already the 75th day then I realized eBay has this 45 Days policy which any transaction that has been completed after 45 Days, they will not do anything. So I guess this Seller must be aware of this policy and decided to make off with the money I paid for this lens. He claimed he had shipped, well, if he really did, he will assist and reply, however, fellow photographers suggested that this seller can just post a bogus item on eBay to sell, after receiving payment, then ship something really cheap like a Pencil to another fake address and gave the buyer a tracking number and the delivery will never be completed.

Today, as I write, more than 180 days had passed and my lens never arrives.
So beware of this seller “jhlny2002”.

Never buy anything from this Seller or end up high & dry like me.

Posted in Blacklisted Online Shops/ eBay Sellers | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Samyang Announces 24mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Editor AL

Samyang 24 mm F1.4 ED AS UMC has been designed to work with most popular reflex cameras produced by renown manufacturers and equipped with small-image sensors or smaller. The lens will be available with a mount for the following systems: Canon, Four Thirds, Nikon AE, Pentax, Samsung NX and Sony Alpha.

24mm focus is tailor-made for most of the sensors available on the market today. In the case of full-frame cameras, it constitutes a high-quality wide-angle lens perfect for street, landscape and architecture shooting. Whereas photographers using DX sensors will get just perfect lens for the purposes of calmer journalist and landscape photography. The lens attached to Four Thirds cameras will create a universal and bright construction corresponding to the 50mm focal length.

The lens should be available for sale by the end of the year or at the beginning of 2012.

The exact price will be announced at a later date.


Posted in Brand: Others (Cosina, Carl Zeiss, Leica, Mamiya, Samyang, Vivitar, Zenitar,etc), Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Editor AL

4.2X motorized zoom lens with 24mm (35mm equivalent) wide angle capability and Micro Four Thirds System standard compatibility (12-50mm equivalent to 24-100mm of 35mm equivalent)

Olympus Imaging Corporation (President: Shuichi Takayama) is pleased to announce the release of the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ, a Micro Four Thirds System standard-compliant zoom lens featuring a motorized zoom mechanism with zoom ratio of 4.2X starting from a wide angle of 24mm (35mm camera equivalent).

This zoom lens has a zoom ratio of approximately 4.2X, covering a range that extends from a wide angle of 24mm (35mm camera equivalent) – ideal for taking wide shots even indoors – to a medium telephoto focal length of 100mm (35mm camera equivalent), which is optimal for portraits. It is the first Olympus interchangeable lens to incorporate a motorized zoom mechanism, which is especially useful in movie shooting thanks to the smooth, quiet zooming it makes possible. The AF system is based on the MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) mechanism enhanced by a newly developed linear motor drive that enables faster, quieter focusing.

To assure the best possible image quality, this sophisticated lens comprises 9 lens groups with 10 elements, including three aspherical elements. Special glass materials are used extensively to correct various aberrations and all lens surfaces are multi-coated to ensure high transmittance and clear imaging performance.

The lens also features a macro mode for close-up shooting with a closest focusing distance of 0.2 meters and maximum image magnification of 0.72X (35mm camera equivalent). In addition, an L-Fn (Lens Function) button is also provided to allow the user to stop autofocusing temporarily.

Finally, as befits a lens designed for the highly mobile Micro Four Thirds System, this new lens employs the proven dust-/splash-proof mechanism originally featured in the ZUIKO DIGITAL SHG (Super High Grade) series lenses. The result is a versatile zoom lens usable in the toughest conditions and capable of everything from close-up wide angle shooting to medium range telephoto shooting of both still images and movies. The launch of the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ is scheduled for the end January, 2012.

Main Features
4.2X (approx.) zoom starting from a wide angle of 24mm (35mm camera equivalent) – ideal for wide shots even indoors

  1. Motorized zoom mechanism for stable zooming at a constant rate
  2. MSC mechanism enhanced by linear motor drive for faster, quieter AF control
  3. Convenient features including macro mode for close-up shooting at 0.72X magnification (35mm camera equivalent) and the L-Fn (Lens Function) button with focus stop function
  4. Dust/splash-proof mechanism

Pricing & Launch Date

Category Product Name MSRP Launch Date
Interchangeable lens M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ (Black/Silver) 47,500 yen
(49,875 yen incl. tax)		 End January, 2012

Main Features Details

1. 4.2X (approx.) zoom starting from a wide angle of 24mm (35mm camera equivalent) – ideal for wide shots even indoors
The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ is a zoom lens with a zoom ratio of approximately 4.2X, covering a range that extends from a wide angle of 24mm (35mm camera equivalent) – ideal for taking wide shots even indoors – to a medium telephoto focal length of 100mm (35mm camera equivalent), which is optimal for portraits.

To enable a wide 84-degree angle of view to be captured at 24mm wide-angle, this zoom lens uses a DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) element that requires high-precision manufacturing because of the extremely large ratio between the thickness of the lens center and periphery, as well as double-sided aspherical elements located at an intermediate position between the lenses to correct spherical and comatic aberrations that can accompany changes in the zoom ratio. In addition, an HR (High Refractive index) element and ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element are combined for optimum correction of color aberrations.

Thanks to the extensive use of special glass materials, the 9-group, 10-element lens construction of the zoom lens ensures high imaging performance throughout the zooming range. In addition, all lens surfaces are multi-coated to ensure high transmittance and clear imaging performance even under unfavourable conditions such as shooting against light.
The use of an inner zooming system means that there is no variation in overall lens length during zooming, ensuring that stability can be maintained during handheld shooting.

2. Motorized zoom mechanism for stable zooming at a constant rate
This zoom lens is our first interchangeable lens to use a motorized zoom mechanism. This mechanism enables smooth, quiet, stable zooming at a constant rate, which is especially convenient for movie shooting.
This mechanism drives the zoom lens at one of three selectable speeds and allows the user to control zooming as desired, including slow zooming during movie shooting, detailed composition setting, and quick zooming when required.
Manual zooming is also available, allowing the user to take full control over zooming if desired.

3. MSC mechanism enhanced by linear motor drive for faster, quieter AF control
Developed independently by Olympus, the MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) mechanism features advanced optical design technology developed for fast, quiet focusing. The new M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ enhances the MSC mechanism by a new linear motor drive. Driving the coil linearly with a direct electromagnetic force without using a gear that would produce noise, the new lens can drive autofocusing with swift start-up and faster, quieter and smoother operation. The smooth autofocusing enables comfortable, stress-free shooting with both movies and still images.

4. Convenient features including macro mode for close-up shooting at 0.72X magnification (35mm camera equivalent) and the L-Fn (Lens Function) button with focus stop function
The macro mode can be set by pushing the zoom ring forward, while depressing the macro button on the side of the lens. In this mode, focusing is possible between 50 and 20 cm for close-up shooting with a maximum image magnification of 0.72X (35mm camera equivalent). Another new feature is the L-Fn (Lens Function) button, which can activate the focus stop function that stops the autofocusing operation temporarily. This makes it possible to avoid unintended focusing on an obstacle that may appear suddenly between the camera and the subject.

5. Dust/splash-proof mechanism
Already proven with the SHG (Super High Grade)/HG (High Grade) series of ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses, our highly reliable dust/splash-proof mechanism is now incorporated for the first time in a product compliant with the Micro Four Thirds System. This mechanism uses multiple sealing rings fitted in key positions of the lens to prevent water splashes and dust from penetrating the lens.

Optional Accessories

Product Name MSRP Launch Date
Lens Hood LH-55B 4,800 yen
(5,040 yen incl. tax)		 Already on sale
Protection Filter PRF-D52PRO 3,500 yen
(3,675 yen incl. tax)
Lens Case LSC-0814 2,500 yen
(2,625 yen incl. tax)

Main Specifications

M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ

Mount typeMicro Four Thirds System standard
Focal length 12mm – 50mm
   35mm equivalent    24mm – 100mm equivalent
Lens construction 10 elements in 9 groups (DSA element x 1, aspherical element x 2, HR element x 1, ED element x 1, etc.)
Angle of view 84° – 24°
AF system High Speed Imager AF (MSC: Linear motor drive)
Closest focusing distance 0.2 m*
Maximum image magnification 0.36X*
   35mm equivalent    0.72X equivalent
Maximum field size 36×48 mm*
Number of blades 5 blades (Circular diaphragm)
Maximum aperture f3.5 (12mm) – f 6.3 (50mm)
Minimum aperture f22
Filter size φ52 mm
Dimensions (Max. diameter x Overall length) φ57 mm×83 mm
Weight 211 grams
Provided accessories Lens cap (LC-52C), lens rear cap (LR-2), Instruction manual, Olympus International Warranty Card
(Note)  The figures marked * are those in the macro mode.

 

Posted in Brand: Olympus, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

See the world in 20.3 Megapixels.

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Editor AL

Reality never looked so real 20.3MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
Samsung has customised the new, 20.3 megapixels APS-C CMOS Sensor to perfectly complement the mirrorless lens system of the Samsung NX200, a feature typically found only in DSLRs. The professional-grade sensor ensures that each individual pixel receives more light. The resulting images are amazingly true to life, with rich, brilliant colours. The sensor also captures Full HD video that maintains higher definition and clarity than ever before.

A camera that’s quick on the draw. High Speed Capture (7fps) and ultra fast AutoFocus (100ms).
Picture perfect moments don’t last long enough. The Samsung NX200’s High Speed Capture capabilities enable you to capture fast moving objects at a sequential rate of 7fps at full resolution, allowing you to capture every movement in incredible detail. An all-new autofocus algorithm, delivers accurate, instantaneous (100ms) autofocus allowing to capture every memory however quickly it happens

See more in lower light  – Wide range ISO (100 ~ 12800)
The right exposure can make the difference between a stunning photo and a forgettable one. But some lighting conditions call for greater sensitivity than most cameras allow. The NX200 lets you shoot as high as 12800 ISO at normal settings. Even in low light, you can take high-speed photos with minimal noise or blurring. When needed, the range can be expanded further so you can maximise the potential of any light available, capturing natural-looking images even indoors or at night.

Discover the true beauty of Full HD video 1080 30p Full HD Movie (H.264)
The NX200’s uncompromising performance isn’t limited to still images. The camera’s 1080 30p Full HD recording capabilities let you create professional-looking videos, and the built-in stereo mic make them sound professional too. An 18 – 200mm lens exclusively for Full HD video produces smooth, dynamic movies with wide zoom capability. When you’re ready for showtime, an HDMI interface lets you transmit your vision straight to the big screen.

Picture performance that meets its design
The sleekly designed NX200 puts the power of a professional-grade camera in the palm of your hand. Every function was designed for easy access and instinctive use. Packing a genuine DSLR-sized sensor and interchangeable lens system into a lightweight, compact body, the NX200 is the ultimate high-performance camera you can carry in your pocket.

Take full control of your pictures i-Function 2.0
The NX200 makes it easy to create spectacular images on the move. Samsung’s unique i-function technology allows you to manually control image capture settings by touching the i-function button on the lens and change the values within this settings with the lens value ring. This allows you to adjust your photo without having to take your eye off the subject and ensure that you capture the perfect shot every time. Updated i-function 2.0 also allows you to customise which settings you can control via the i-function button, so you can make the camera work perfectly with your photography style.

Bring the magic back into your photos and videos
Magic mode (Smart Filter + Magic Frame )
The NX200’s Magic Mode gives you control over special moods and effects that expand your creative palette. Your choice of 10 types of Smart Filters and 12 types of Magic Frames help you create poster-quality visuals without all the work. New special effects include Soft Focus for a warm ambience and Half-Tone Dot for a comic-book look.

3” VGA AMOLED Display
The NX200’s thin and light 3” VGA AMOLED display provides darker blacks and more vibrant colours than a conventional TFT-LCD display, even in direct sunlight. It also responds 3000 times faster, so your images appear almost as quickly as you shoot them, freeing you to move on to the next shot.

Panorama, 3D Panorama, Action Panorama
The NX200’s panoramic capabilities let you capture vast landscapes and dramatic vertical shots at the touch of a button. 3D panorama makes these shots even more impressive by making certain elements jump out of the photo. Action panorama, unique to Samsung, allows you to also capture movement along a sweeping panorama. The background will remain a seamless panoramic shot but will capture the moving object at several stages along its journey, ideal for capturing your child’s race at their first sports day.

DRIMIII DSP (Digital Signal Processor)
One key to the NX200’s stunning images and Full HD video is its advanced image processor. Supporting a sensitivity range of ISO 100 – 12800, DRIM DSP instantly recognises and reduces noise and distortion. That means you don’t need perfect circumstances to get perfect results.

Smart Panel
Advanced capabilities don’t mean much if you can’t find them. The NX200’s user-friendly Smart Panel puts all the most important controls at your fingertips. Accessible by hot key, the intuitive graphical interface ensures that you won’t miss a great shot while you’re fiddling with settings. There is also a hot key to take you directly to movie recording at the touch of a button.

Image Sensor

spec view Image Sensor data
Sensor Type APS-C CMOS  
Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.7mm  
Effective Pixel Approx 20.3MP  
Color Filter RGB Primary Colour Filter  

Lens

spec view Lens data
Mount Samsung NX  
Usable Lens Samsung Lenses  

i-Function

I-Effect: i-Scene (depends on Lens), Smart Filter (Vignetting, Minature, Fish-Eye, Sketch, Defog, Halftone Dot) i-Zoom: (x1.2, 1.4, 1.7, 2.0)

spec view i-Function data

Image Stabilization

spec view Image Stabilization data
Type Lens Shift (Depends on Lens)  
Mode OIS Mode1 / Mode2 / OFF  

Distortion Correct

spec view Distortion Correct data
Mode LDC On / Off (Depends on Lens)  

Dust Reduction

spec view Dust Reduction data
Type Super Sonic Drive  

Display

spec view Display data
Type AMOLED  
Size 3.0″  
Resolution VGA (640 x 480) 614k dots (PenTile)  
Filed of View Approx 100%  
User Display Grid (4 types), Histgram, Icons: On / Off, Distance Scale: ft / m / Off  

Focusing

spec view Focusing data
Type Contrast AF  
Mode Single AF, Continuous AF, MF  
Focusing point Selection: 1point (Free selection) Multi: Normal 15points, Closeup 35pointsFace Detection: Max. 10 faces  
AF-Assist Lamp Yes  

Shutter Speed

spec view Shutter Speed data
Type Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter  
Speed Auto: 1/4000sec. ~ 30sec. Manual: 1/4000sec. ~ 30sec. (1/3EV step) Bulb (Limit time: 4min.)  

Exposure

spec view Exposure data
Metering System TTL 221 (17 x 13) Block segmentMetering: Multi, Center-weighted, SpotMetering range: EV 0-18 (ISO 100 · 30mm, F2)  
Compensation ±3 EV (1/3EV step)  
AE Lock Shutter Button half press  
ISO Equivalent Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800 (1 or 1/3EV step)* AUTO ISO upper level is selectable. (Less than ISO3200)  

Drive Mode

spec view Drive Mode data
Mode Single, Continuous, Burst (5M size only), Self-timer, Bracket (AE / WB / PW)  
Continuous JPEG: High (7fps) up to 11 shots, Low (3fps) up to 15 shots selectableBurst: 10, 15, 30fps selectable, 30 shots by 1 releaseRAW : High (7fps), Low (3fps) selectable up to 8 shots  
Bracket Auto Exposure Bracket (max ±3EV), WB, PW  
Self-Timer 2 – 30sec. (1sec. step)  

Flash

spec view Flash data
Type External Flash only (Bundle with SEF8A)  
Mode Smart Flash, Auto, Auto+Red-eye reduction, Fill-in, Fill-in+Red-eye reduction, 1st Curtain, 2nd Curtain, Off  
Guide Number 8 (at ISO 100) (SEF8A)  
Angle of View Coverage 28mm wide-angle (Equivalent to 35mm) (SEF8A)  
Sync. Speed Less than 1/180sec.  
Flash Compensation -2 – +2EV (1/2EV step)  
External Flash Samsung External Flash available (SEF42A, SEF20A, SEF15A: Optional)  
Synchro (Flash attachment) Hot Shoe  

White Balance

spec view White Balance data
Mode Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent (W, N, D), Tungsten, Flash, Custom, K (Manual)  
Micro Adjustment Each 7 steps in Amber / Blue / Green / Magenta axis  

Dynamic Range Expansion

Smart Range On / Off

spec view Dynamic Range Expansion data

Picture Wizard

spec view Picture Wizard data
Mode Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Forest, Retro, Cool, Calm, Classic, Custom (1 ~ 3)  
Parameter Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation, Colour  

Shooting

spec view Shooting data
Mode SmartAuto 2.0, Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Lens Priority, Magic, Panorama, Scene, Movie  
Scene Mode Beauty shot, Night, Landscape, Portrait, Children, Sports, Close-Up, Text, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow, Sound Picture, 3D Photo  
Sound Picture JPEG OnlySound Recording Time (Before and after shooting each 5sec or 10sec)  
Image Size JPEG (3:2):20.0M (5472 x 3648), 10.1M (3888 x 2592), 5.9M (2976 x 1984), 2.0M (1728 x 1152), 5.0M (2736 x 1824) : Burst mode onlyJPEG (16:9) : 16.9M (5472 x 3080), 7.8M (3712 x 2088), 4.9M (2944 x 1656), 2.1M (1920 x 1080)JPEG (1:1) : 13.3M (3648 x 3648), 7.0M (2640 x 2640), 4.0M (2000 x 2000), 1.1M (1024 x 1024) RAW : 20.0M (5472 x 3648)  
Quality Super fine, Fine, Normal  
RAW Format SRW  
Color Space SRGB, Adobe RGB  
Magic Frame (Magic Mode) Old Album, Old Film, Wave, Full Moon, Old Record, Magazine, Sunny Day, Classic TV, Wall Art, Holiday, Billboard 1, Billboard 2, Newspaper  
Smart Filter (Magic Mode) Vignetting, Miniature, Fish-Eye, Sketch, De-fog, Halftone Dots, Soft Focus, Old Film1, Old Film2, Negative  

Image Play

spec view Image Play data
Type Single image, Thumbnails (3 / 15 / 40 images), Slide show, Movie  
Smart Filter Miniature, Soft Focus, Old Film1, Old Film2, Halftone Dots, Sketch, Fish-Eye, De-fog Negative JPEG (3:2) : 5.9M (2976 x 1984), 5.0M (2736 x 1824), 2.0M (1728 x 1152) JPEG (16:9) : 6.2M (3328 x 1872), 4.9M (2944 x 1656), 2.1M (1920 x 1080) JPEG (1:1) : 6.0M (2448 x 2448), 4.0M (2000 x 2000), 1.1M (1024 x 1024)  
Editing Smart Filter, Red-eye fix, Backlight, Resize, Rotate, Face Retouch, Brightness, Contrast, Vignetting  

Movie Clip

spec view Movie Clip data
Format MP4 (H.264)  
Compression Movie: H.264 , Sound: AAC  
Mode Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual  
Recording With Audio or without Audio (user selectable, recording time: 25 minutes)  
Frame Rate 60fps (1280 x 720 Only), 30fps  
Image Size 1920 x 1080, 1280 x 720 , 640 x 480, 320 x 240 (Default: 1920 x 1080)  
Movie Editing Still Image Capture, Time Trimming  
Sound Stereo  
Smart Filter Vignetting, Miniature, Fish-Eye, Sketch, De-fog, Halftone Dots, Soft Focus, Old Film1, Old Film2, Negative  
Multi-Motion Recording X0.25 (640, 320 only), x0.5 (1280, 640, 320 only), x5, x10, x20  
Quality High Quality, Normal  

Storage

spec view Storage data
Media SD, SDHC, SDXC (guarantee up to 128GB)  
File Format RAW (SRW), JPEG (EXIF 2.21), DCF, DPOF 1.1, PictBridge 1.0  
Capacity (1GB) 20M: RAW 1720M (3:2) : Super Fine 94, Fine 185, Normal 27210.1M (3:2) : Super Fine 192, Fine 368, Normal 5305.9M (3:2) : Super Fine 318, Fine 593, Normal 8342M (3:2) : Super Fine 827, Fine 1393, Normal 1806Burst (5.0M) : Super Fine 371, Fine 685, Normal 95416.9M (16:9) : Super Fine 116, Fine 227, Normal 3337.8M (16:9) : Super Fine 246, Fine 467, Normal 6654.9M (16:9) : Super Fine 379, Fine 699, Normal 9722.1M (16:9) : Super Fine 799, Fine 1354, Normal 176213.3M (1:1) : Super Fine 147, Fine 284, Normal 4137M (1:1) : Super Fine 272, Fine 513, Normal 7284M (1:1) : Super Fine 454, Fine 823, Normal 11301.1M (1:1) : Super Fine 1344, Fine 2062, Normal 2508Movie : 1920 x 1080 30p : High Quality 8m 54s, Normal 10m 16s 1280 x 720 60p : High Quality 8m 21s, Normal 9m 32s 1280 x 720 30p : High Quality 14m 47s, Normal 16m 37s 640 x 480 30p : High Quality 37m 16s, Normal 43m 14s 320 x 240 30p : High Quality 119m 57s, Normal 145m 49s※ These figures are measure under the Samsung standard.  

Languages

17 Languages (Korean, English, Danish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Czech, French, Portuguese, Polish, Finnish, Russian, Norsk, Simplified / Traditional Chinese)

spec view Languages data

Direct Print System

spec view Direct Print System data
PictBridge PictBridge  

GPS

spec view GPS data
Type Geo-tagging w / Optional GPS Module (WGS84)  
Function -Location Name (OSD) (English and Korean only) -Google Map Link (with intelli-Studio)  

Interface

spec view Interface data
Digital Output Connector USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED)  
Video Output NTSC, PAL (user selectable) HDMI 1.4a (1080i, 720P, 576P / 480P)  

Power

spec view Power data
Power Source Type Rechargeable battery : BP1030B (1030mAh) Charger: BC1030
Battery 160min / 320shots (CIPA Standard)  

Physical Specification

spec view Physical Specification data
Dimension Dimension (WxHxD) 116.5 x 62.5 x 36.6mm (excluding the projection part)
Weight 220.4g (without battery and memroy card)  
Operating Temperature 0 ~ 40°C  
Operating Humidity 5 ~ 85%  

S/W and PC OS

spec view S/W and PC OS data
Bundle PC S/W Intelli-studio 3.0, Samsung RAW Converter 4, Adobe Reader  

System Requirement

spec view System Requirement data
Windows General PC with processor better than Intel Pentium III 500MHz (Intel Pentium 800MHz or higher recommended) Windows XP / Vista / 7 Minimum 256MB RAM (512MB or more recommended) 250MB of available hard disk space (1GB or more recommended) USB portCD-ROM drive 1024 x 768 pixels, 16-bit colour display compatible monitor (24-bit colour display recommended) Microsoft Direct X 9.0c or later
  Intelli-Studio 3.0 Windows XP SP2 / Vista / 7 Intel Core 2 DuoTM 1.66GHz or higher / AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core 2.2GHz or higherMinimum 512MB RAM (1GB or more recommended) 250MB of available hard disk space (1GB or more recommended) 1024 x 768 pixels, 16-bit colour display compatible monitor (32-bit colour display recommended) USB 2.0, Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or laternVIDIA Geforce 7600GT or higher / ATI X1600 series or higher# 64-bit editions of Windows XP / Vista / and 7 are not supported
  Samsung RAW Converter 4 Windows XP / Vista / 7 Intel Pentium, AMD Athlon Processor(Intel Pentium 4, AMD Athlon XP or later recommended)* Multi-core processor ready (Intel Core i7, Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, AMD Phenom II X4, Phenom X4, etc.) 1GB or more RAM recommendedMinimum 100MB of available hard disk space1024 x 768 pixels, Full colour (24-bit or higher) colour display compatible monitor
Macintosh General Power Mac G3 or laterMac OS 10.4 or later Minimum 256MB RAM (512MB or more recommended) Minimum 110MB of available hard-disk spaceUSB portCD-ROM drive
  Samsung RAW Converter 4 Mac OS X v10.6 / v10.5 / v10.4Power PC / Intel Processor-based or compatible computer (Core 2 Quad or later recommended) 1GB or more RAM recommendedMinimum 100MB of available hard disk space 1024 x 768 pixels, 24-bit colour display compatible monitor
Posted in Brand: Others (Cosina, Carl Zeiss, Leica, Mamiya, Samyang, Vivitar, Zenitar,etc), Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nikon provides aid to the victims of the Typhoon “Washi” in the Philippines.

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Editor AL

The Nikon group would like to express its profound sympathy and condolences to the victims of the typhoon “Washi” in the Philippines.

In response to this tragedy and to extend the immediate support to its victims and affected area, the Nikon group has decided to donate the following assistance:

Nikon Corporation
Cash donation 3 million yen
Nikon Hong Kong Ltd.
Cash donation HK$ 100,000

The allocation and timing of the donation are now under consideration.

The Nikon group sincerely hopes for the earliest possible recovery from this disaster

Source: nikon.com

Posted in Brand: Nikon, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Christmas Shopping for a Photographer Friend?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Editor AL

It’s the Christmas season again and I received quite a number of emails from readers who asked me what do I recommend to buy as a Christmas Gift for their photographer friends? Although everyone has different budgets as well as needs, I have decided to compile this list for “general purpose” as well as to be an unofficial guide to what might be the best Christmas Gift for your friends who is interested in photography. The below list is not targeted at any genre of photographers, but on a very generic basis. And the items listed may not be original but from 3rd party manufacturerers. Here we go!

For those with budget SGD $10 & Below.
Accessories seems to be the best choice here as most photographers spent a loads of money on accessories – without even knowing that they had spent so much as these items are usually quite cheap to buy but have to buy often.
I will suggest things like hotshoe covers, lens caps, filter pouch, remote switches, DSLR rain cover, SD/CF Card holders & even battery covers will be nice & thoughtful.

For those with budget SGD $50 & Below.
Well, you have slightly more budget and probably the photographer have been a great pal, for $50, you can pick up things like macro extension tubes, filters, lens pouch, camera straps, spare batteries, lens hood etc. These are “perishables” as filters gets scratched, straps get worn out and hoods gets lost, so these items will be good as gifts too!

For those with budget SGD $100 & Below.
Now, with this money, you have more options naturally. For SGD $100, you can pick up a used lens from a dealer, get a flash, a battery grip, a small camera bag, a tripod ballhead or even a film SLR! Be creative, find out what your friend really need for this budget segment then shop around before committing the purchase.

For those with budget SGD $500 & Below.
This is an interesting category. For SGD $500, there are many many things that is within reach. You can opt for a good tripod with head, a used DSLR, some 3rd party lenses, vintage cameras, a supply load of films, filter sets, a good prosumer point-&-shoot camera, a good backpack or even a photo-editing software! There are a lot more of things that is good & relevant too, my advice again will be to subtlely find out what your friend has in mind before buying. SGD $500 is lots of money these days.

For those with budget SGD $1,000 & Below.
This shall be the “Cap” for this article. For those really well-to-do people who feel like spending a bit more to help boost the ailing economy, at SGD $1,000 buget, you can consider lots of entry level DSLRs (probably for the friend who wish to have a back up body or another leisure camera), many good wide-angle or good zoom lenses are within reach, that top of the line ETTL/iTTL/Macro flash, or those “out-of-reach” vintage cameras at the dealers! There are simply a long list of things that you can buy for your friend at this budget, just make sure what you are buying are also what your friend needs.

Now, what about those people who do not have a budget constraint?
For this group of eilites, I will suggest getting the Canon 1DX or Nikon D3S (Nikon D4 belongs to the next Christmas) coupled with a few lenses like 12-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm all in F2.8 and maybe add a Fisheye or a Tilt-Shifter to the arsenal too.
:)~
 
Merry Christmas 2011 to all my Photographer Friends from Singapore & All over the World!

Posted in Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

“Dear Sigma” Contest will fulfill photographer’s holiday wishes for photo gear

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Editor AL
Visit Sigma Corporation of America’s Facebook page to win up to $2,500 in lenses, cameras

 

Ronkonkoma, NY,  2011 – Photographers: Have you been good this year? Sigma Corporation of America wants to check some photography gear off your wish list this holiday season.
 
The leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, is tapping into its online fan base this Cyber Monday, November 28, by kicking off the “Dear Sigma” Contest at 12 p.m. ET.
 
Photographers are invited to visit the Sigma Corporation of America Facebook page and click on the “Contest” tab to enter the contest through Dec. 16 at 12 p.m. ET. Participants will be required fill out an entry form and draft a “Dear Sigma” letter describing what Sigma products they’re dreaming of this holiday season.
 
“Our Facebook fans are constantly telling us what Sigma gear they love and want, so we decided to give them an opportunity to win it this year,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “We’ll be judging the finalists based on their humor, creativity and overall appreciation of our products. Luckily, whether or not you’ve been naughty or nice won’t even come into play!”
 
Do you need some inspiration for your “Dear Sigma” Contest holiday wish list? Click here to see what some of the PhotoPlus Expo 2011 attendees asked Sigma for this year.
 
Once all of the submissions have been received on Dec. 16, online voting will commence until Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. ET. The top five vote-getters will become the contest finalists and a winner will be selected on Dec. 22 by a panel of judges from Sigma Corporation of America. The winner will receive his or her wished-for Sigma products totaling up to $2,500 of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).
 
For information about the “Dear Sigma” Contest or the full contest rules, visit http://tinyurl.com/DearSigma. For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com.
 
About Sigma Corporation
For 50 years, Sigma Corporation’s expertise and innovation has driven the company’s core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience, plus imagination,”with anemphasis on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 40 lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Sigma Corporation also produces digital SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com.
Posted in Brand: Sigma, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NEW PENTAX K-r COLORS AVAILABLE ON WALMART.COM

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Editor AL

Denver, CO. – If you dream of owning a PENTAX K-r digital SLR in a color that stands out in a crowd, your wait is over!  PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION just announced the K-r digital SLR soon will be available exclusively on www.walmart.com in limited edition colors including pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, navy, metallic brown, gold and silver.  Each new color kit will ship with an 18-55mm lens and an array of advanced features. 
    
The compact and lightweight PENTAX K-r offers photographic performance that challenges higher class DSLR models:

• High quality 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor with high color accuracy and low noise.
• Large 3 inch, 921,000 dot LCD with Live View.
• Powerful automatic shooting modes, such as Auto Picture mode and various scene modes.
• Fast 6 FPS framerate.
• Highly responsive and accurate 11 point SAFOX IX autofocus.
• High sensitivity 100-25600 ISO range with improved noise performance.
• Li-Ion and AA battery compatibility (AA batteries can be used via optional adapter).
• Widescreen HD 720p video at 25 FPS using any PENTAX lens.
• A maximum 1/6000 second shutter speed.
• A viewfinder focus point indicator.
• Improved in-camera HDR image capture.
• A wide range of in-camera image processing and special effects filters.

All specialty PENTAX K-r body colors will be available exclusively at www.walmart.com  
Complete information is available here:  http://www.pentaximaging.com/about-us.aspx?p=press   
More information about the K-r is available here: www.facebook.com/pentax and www.youtube.com/pentaxian1

PENTAX is a leader in the production of a variety of adventure ready digital cameras including weather-resistant digital SLRs and stylish, compact, waterproof cameras, as well as lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For more than 90 years, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of adventurous consumers and businesses. With new headquarters in Denver, Colorado, PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION is a subsidiary of PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. effective October 1, 2011. Additional details may be found here: www.pentaximaging.com/news

Posted in Brand: Pentax, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Nikon Announces Speedlight SB-910

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Editor AL

A high-end Nikon Speedlight offering simple and smooth operation

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Speedlight SB-910, the new high-end Nikon Speedlight.

The SB-910 is a high-end Speedlight for advanced amateur to professional photographers that offers a number of improvements over its predecessor, the Nikon Speedlight SB-900. Among these improvements are smoother operation, greater illumination precision, and the adoption of hard color filters. The SB-910 fully supports the creative photography of advanced amateurs to professionals who demand the ability to make the most of light to achieve their individual intent.

SB-910 primary features

  1. A refined user interface for smoother operationUsers can now quickly access custom settings using the new MENU button. In addition, the graphical user interface (GUI) has been improved to offer simpler application of settings for all operations.
  2. Three illumination patterns for use according to the sceneThe SB-910 offers selection from three illumination patterns (standard, even, center-weighted), allowing users to choose the pattern most appropriate for the scene. Illumination precision has also been increased.
  3. Automatic detection of hard color filters attached to the front of the flash headThe SB-910 supports hard color filters because they are more durable, stand up better to the heat generated by the flash head, and are easier to use than the gel color filters supported by its predecessor. One incandescent filter and one fluorescent filter are supplied with the SB-910.

    Additional SB-910 features and functions

    • Guide number of 34/111.5 (at ISO 100, m/ft., 35-mm zoom head position, in FX format, standard illumination pattern) for high flash output volume
    • Fully compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System
    • Power zoom function with which the SB-910 automatically adjusts the zoom head position to match lens focal lengthFX format, Standard illumination pattern : 17–200 mm (14 mm with the built-in wide panel in place)

      DX format, Standard illumination pattern : 12–200 mm (10 mm with the built-in wide panel in place)

    • Automatic switching of zoom head position with detection of the camera’s image area setting—FX or DX format—for optimal angle of flash coverage

Posted in Brand: Nikon, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Notice to Sony a77 and a65 Owners using Sigma’s Sony Mount Lenses

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Editor AL

After thorough investigation, Sigma Corporation have ascertained that auto focusing does not work properly when some Sony fitting Sigma lenses are used with Sony α77 and α65 interchangeable lens digital cameras. To overcome this, Sigma Corporation will be supplying a free update to theirs customers. This phenomenon will only occur with the combination of any lenses listed below and the Sonyα77 or α65. Future production of Sigma lenses for Sony fitting will be fully compatible with these cameras.

Sigma Corporation deeply apologize for any inconvenience caused to their customers.

[Phenomenon]
Auto focusing does not properly function when shooting with a Sony α77 or α65 camera.

[Lenses requiring the modification]

  • 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM
  • 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
  • 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO HSM
  • 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM
  • 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM
  • 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 DC HSM
  • 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM
  • 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC HSM
  • 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC CIRCULAR FISHEYE HSM
  • 10mm F2.8 EX DC FISHEYE HSM
  • 24-70mm F2.8 IF EX DG HSM
  • APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM
  • APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM A
  • PO 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM
  • APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM
  • 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
  • 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM

[Support for this issue]
Sigma Corporation will be offering firmware update service for above lenses free of charge. Please contact your nearest authorized Sigma Service Station for further details.

[Indicator for compatible lenses]


Future production of Sigma lenses will be compatible with these cameras. The following sticker is put on the gift box of compatible lenses.

For further information, please contact your nearest authorized Sigma Service Station.

Posted in Brand: Sigma, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Samyang 7.5mm 1:3.5 UMC Fish-eye MFT – Release Date & Estimated Retail Price

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Editor AL

 

Delta company, the exclusive representative and distributor of Samyang Optics in Europe, is proud to report that the lens announced in March, Samyang 7.5mm 1:3.5 UMC Fish-eye MFT will be available from the middle of September this year. The lens will be available in two colour versions: silver and black. Estimated retail price is EUR 299.

Samyang 7.5mm 1:3.5 UMC Fish-eye MFT offers an exceptionally wide angle of view, up to 180 degrees diagonally, which makes it a very useful tool for making panoramic photographs. You can enjoy the example panoramic photos in the form of a virtual tour around Krakowon our specially created website: www.samyang.pl/75mft All these panoramic photographs were taken with Samyang 7.5mm 1:3.5 Fish-eye UMC MFT and PEN Olympus E-P1.

Samyang 7.5mm 1:3.5 UMC Fish-eye MFT is an ultra-wide-angle manual lens with 7.5 millimetre focal length and 1:3.5 aperture ratio, providing 180 degree angle of view. Despite its small size, the new Samyang successfully combines the best features of the popular model with 8 mm focal length offering highest quality optics closed in a compact and visually attractive casing. Samyang 7.5mm 1:3.5 UMC Fish-eye MFT is the first model from the new family of lenses developed specifically for Micro Four Thirds system.

Posted in Brand: Others (Cosina, Carl Zeiss, Leica, Mamiya, Samyang, Vivitar, Zenitar,etc), Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

OLYMPUS SH-21

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Editor AL

12.5x optical zoom, High-sensitivity shooting, Touch shot.

Olympus Imaging Corporation (President : Shuichi Takayama) is pleased to announce the OLYMPUS SH-21 featuring 16-megapixel Backlit CMOS sensor to enable high-sensitivity shooting. It also features super-wide 12.5x optical zoom from 24mm, DUAL IS, and Full HD movies in a stylish body. It is scheduled to go on sale in Japan in middle of November, 2011.

Main Features
– Easy tuning vividness, color, and tune brightness with touch Live-Guide. Releasing the shutter after the automatic focus only by touching the subject

– Comfortable operation by using a touch and dial button operation

– Backlight HDR*1, Full HD movie*2 (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264), Magic Filter Movie*3 High-speed continuous shooting available with 16-megapixel*4 backlit CMOS sensor

– Super-wide 12.5x optical zoom from 24mm*5 and DUAL IS*6 in a stylish body

The SH-21 is a digital camera best suited for travel, watching sports, athletic meet or other events. Thanks to its advanced optical expertise, Olympus has been able to incorporate in a compact, palm-size camera the same high-powered super-telephoto capability that normally makes SLR cameras so bulky and heavy. The SH-21 is an easy-to-use “all-in-one” camera that makes it possible anyone to enjoy the pleasure of advanced photography and movies.

Easy tuning vividness, color, and tune brightness with touch Live-Guide by checking the effect on the screen in iAUTO mode. Only by touching the subject you want to shoot, release the shutter after the automatic focus.

Because the 16-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor which condenses more efficient light and lowers noise, the SH-21 offers superb image quality even for low-light shots. The CMOS sensors are also great for high-speed image processing so High-Speed Continuous Shooting is another forte of this camera.

The 12.5x optical zoom lens covers a wide shooting range with focal length ranging from 24mm wide-angle to 300mm telephoto. It can capture big, up-close images of even the most distant subjects, creating high-impact pictures such as the facial expressions of children in athletic or theatrical events or athletes in professional sport competitions. To reduce the picture blur commonly associated with telephoto shooting effectively, the SH-21 features DUAL IS using a CMOS-shift image stabilization mechanism and high-sensitivity image capturing.

It also features dedicated Movie REC button to immediately shooting movies and Magic Movies to enhance your camera life. Moreover, you can enjoy the SH-21 not only in special events but also in your usual life with the full array of functions such as 3D Photos*7, Smart Panorama, Hand-Held Starlight Mode and Pet Mode.

Backlit CMOS sensor for high-sensitivity shooting
The SH-21 features a 16-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor which condenses more efficient light and lowers noise so that the camera offers superb image quality even for low-light shots. The CMOS sensors are also great for high-speed image processing so High-Speed Continuous Shooting is another forte of this camera.

Full HD movie (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264) recording
Extended smooth and beautiful HDTV (1920 x 1080 pixels) movie recording is available, as movies are encoded in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format. Movie recording can be manipulated by a dedicated movie REC button. High-resolution Multi-Recording movies also come with high-quality stereo sound.

Hand-Held Starlight Mode
The SH-21 takes four different photos with one click of the shutter in Hand-Held Starlight Mode. By overlaying pictures in continuous shooting mode at high precision and merged to produce a single nigh-scene photo, you can get beautiful night shots without blur and with reduced noise even in the darkest parts of the image.

Backlight HDR
Backlight HDR newly added to the scene mode is excellent for the scene of big contrast such as backlight situations.
It captures images with less noise and wide dynamic range without over-exposure and under-exposure by high-speed CMOS and high-speed processing of TruePicIII+.

Smart Panorama
Thanks to the backlit CMOS sensor’s high processing capability, anyone can capture the dynamic panoramas of 360-degree at maximum.

High-Speed Continuous Shooting
High-speed continuous shooting of up to 7 full-size photos per second (High-speed continuous mode 2), and up to 15 photos per second are available. The Auto Split Shooting Mode automatically split images recorded while the shutter button so you do not have to worry about not having enough frames from a sequence. (Image size is limited to 5M or smaller)

Magic Filters
The SH-21 features an expanded range of 10 Magic Filters, Pop, Pin Hole, Fisheye, Drawing, Soft Focus ,Punk, Watercolor*8 and Sparkle*8*9 inherited from the previous model, and newly added Reflection*8 and Miniature*8. Furthermore, Magic Movies recordings are available in Pop, Pin Hole, Fisheye, Drawing, Soft Focus, Punk, Watercolor, Reflection, and Miniature delivering distinct look and artistic feel.

Reflection : Applies an effect like a reflection on a lake in a night scene or a landscape for a fantasy effect.
Miniature : Converts real-world images into magical images of a toy world.

3D Photo Shooting Function
You can shoot dynamic 3D photos in any mode from macro to landscape. Recreate a sense of depth like that of the original scene. You can then enjoy the full power of 3D images on compatible TV sets and computers. Simply select the 3D Photo in Shooting mode and then release the shutter and slide the camera sideways to easily get a 3D photo. During 3D Photo shooting, a 3D file and regular JPEG files are recorded at the same time. There are two modes to shoot 3D photos;

MPO file (Multi Picture Format)
This is a format standardized by CIPA to handle multiple images under a single image file. When you use the 3D Photo Shooting function, the images for the right and left eye are recorded in a single “Multi Picture Format” format file.

Photo with Movie Clip
Record movies and sounds automatically during shooting photos. 7sec. / 5 sec. / 3 sec. (before releasing the shutter), 3 sec./ 0 sec. (after releasing the shutter).

Pet Mode*10
The camera automatically detects dogs’ and cats’ faces. Selecting the [Pet Mode – Dog] or [Pet Mode – Cat] from the scene mode, the camera will quickly detect your pet’s face and automatically focus on it before shooting the photo. The camera will detect up to 10 faces of different dogs or cats.

Auto Release
The camera captures perfectly your pet’s cute expressions. Use the Auto Release function to have the camera automatically shoot the photo the moment the dog or cat who is the main subject turns to face the camera. You will never again miss your pet’s whimsical facial expressions.

Eye-Fi Card*11 Compatible
Eye-Fi Cards are SDHC memory cards with built-in wireless LAN functionality. The images that you take can easily be uploaded wirelessly to your computer and to photo printing services and online albums.

*1 Not effective while recording the movies. Not effective under all of the circumstances.
*2 Recording time per session is limited to less than 29 minutes. Recording is terminated automatically when the file size reaches 4 GB
*3 Image size is limited to 5M or smaller in Drawing, Soft Focus, Watercolor and Sparkle filters
*4 Effective pixels
*5 35mm camera equivalent
*6 Image stabilization effect varies depending on shooting conditions
*7 3D effect cannot be obtained when shooting moving subjects. Movies cannot be recorded. The 3D file recorded conforms to the Multi-Picture Format standardized by CIPA. During 3D Photo shooting, a 3D file and regular JPEG files are recorded at the same time.
*8 Image size is limited to 5M or smaller
*9 Filter is not effective on LCD monitor
*10 The number of pets automatically detected is limited to 1 when Auto Shutter Release is set to ON, or up to 10 when it is set to OFF. Depending on the subject and shooting conditions the camera may not be able to correctly detect faces. In Pet mode, the flash and face detection of people’s faces cannot be used.
*11 The use of Eye-Fi cards is limited to the original country of purchase. Observe all the applicable laws of the country of use. Turn off the Eye-Fi setting or refrain altogether from using Eye-Fi cards inside airplanes or in other places where wireless communication is restricted or forbidden. Single files (images or movies) exceeding 2GB cannot be transferred wirelessly. Files recorded using the 3D shooting function (MP files) are supported only by the X2-Pro card. For any inquiries regarding Eye-Fi cards please contact the card’s manufacturer.
*12 Image size is limited to 5M or smaller. The effect varies depending on shooting conditions.
*13 HDMI control setting is set to ON. Limited only HDMI(CEC).
*14 Some of the search functions has to be rewritten using [ib] software.

Basic Performance

Effective pixels 16 megapixels
Optical zoom 12.5X
Wide-angle shooting 24mm (35mm camera equivalent)
Image stabilization DUAL IS (CMOS-shift image stabilization & High-sensitivity shooting)
LCD size 3.0-inch, 460,000 dots
LCD type TFT color
Movie recording Full HD movie (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)

Other Features
Multi-motion Movie IS features image stabilization to correct large amounts and slow blur

Beauty Mode*12 to touch up human faces for more attractive results

Scene Modes for one-touch shooting adjustment in difficult environments as well as in standard conditions
HDMI*13 output control for operations including picture selection and frame-by-frame advancement using a TV’s remote control

Face Detection AF with which the camera detects and focuses on human faces automatically

iAUTO function that analyzes the current composition and optimizes camera settings automatically
USB battery charging enables the camera battery to be recharged from a PC while automatically storing and organizing recorded data in the PC
AF Tracking to keep a moving subject in focus by tracking it automatically

Photo-surfing*14 allows you to search desired pictures according to recording keyword such as “date” or “subject”.
Compatible medias : SD / SDHC / SDXC / Eye-Fi memory cards

Posted in Brand: Olympus, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

PENTAX Q AVAILABLE IN LARGEST WIRED STORE EVER

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Editor AL

Times Square WIRED Store to feature 10,000 square feet of hot holiday gadgets, art installations and special events from November 18 – December 24


New York, NY (November 2011) – Tech aficionados, gadget junkies and holiday shoppers can rejoice when The WIRED Store (www.wired.com/store) returns to New York City in a new location in the heart of Times Square from Friday, Nov. 18 through Saturday, Dec. 24.  Store hours are noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays (closed Thanksgiving Day).  Located at 42nd and Broadway, the 7th annual WIRED Store invites shoppers to get a first look at unique gadgets and gear such as the PENTAX Q (the smallest interchangeable lens camera in the world):
http://store.wired.com/product/192-pentax-q-in-white
http://store.wired.com/product/191-pentax-q-in-black   


The brick-and-mortar store is a spin-off of WIRED, known for its big ideas, innovative design and focus on forecasting trends. With a pixel-based winter landscape and color scheme, the interactive shopping gallery will feature more than 200 of the hottest new products, on display and available for purchase, as well as a schedule of engaging events. Items include an array of electronics, apparel, art and design fixtures, kitchenware, luxury items, games and for adults and children of
all ages.

Special events include:
• Saturday, November 26:  GeekDad Family Day
• Wednesday, November 30: Norman Reedus of AMCʼs “The Walking Dead” photo exhibit
• Sunday, December 4:  Game Day
• Wednesday, December 7 and Thursday, December 15: Music Spotlight Series, featuring rising indie bands
• Saturday, December 3, 10, and 17: Maker Demo Days

For more information on the 2011WIRED Store, including a full list of products and events, please visit www.wired.com/store  or visit the store tab via Facebook at www.facebook.com/wired  Follow on Twitter @WIREDInsider and use the hashtag #wiredstore.

Posted in Brand: Pentax, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

PENTAX Returns with NEW FACES!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Editor AL

PENTAX HOME PAGE, PHOTOGALLERY.COM GET MAKEOVERS AND MOBILE SITE LAUNCHED

DENVER, CO. – PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION unveiled three websites today including two refreshed sites and one mobile. Every site is designed for:

• Easier search and navigation.
• Social and global interaction and sharing.
• Inspiring new and seasoned PENTAXIAN photographers with fresh, informative content.

MAIN PENTAX SITE
With an inviting design, the main PENTAX website www.pentaximaging.com now offers:

• An EXPLORE section that serves as a social media gateway to access and share buzz about PENTAX photography and products via facebook, twitter, youtube and select blog feeds.
• Enhanced education and learning resources to help photographers get the shot.
• One-click access to Spanish translations of select content.
• The entire line of PENTAX product offerings including ILC and compact cameras, lenses, accessories, sport optics including binoculars and scopes.

PENTAX PHOTO GALLERY
First introduced in 2007, the Webby Award winning www.pentaxphotogallery.com has grown to feature over 55,000 images by 600 artists in 90 countries in four years. Major gallery renovations include:

• Faster navigation whether the search is by artist, camera or lens.
• Regularly showcased artists featuring their images, profile and ‘What’s in their camera bag?’
• Featured collections that display premier work in popular categories such as black and white, wildlife, portrait, landscape, etc.
• Discussions tools that enable gallery members to comment on and rate images.

MOBILE PENTAX SITE
With estimates in mind that half of all Americans carry a smartphone, PENTAX launched its first mobile ready site http://m.pentaximaging.com. The mobile site features:

• Irresistible ‘Deal of the Week’ shopping specials from www.pentaxwebstore.com
• A PHOTO TIP OF THE WEEK fed from regular PENTAX tweets #@pentaxian.
• The latest posts from the content-rich www.facebook.com/pentax page.
• A PENTAX dealer locater that uses smartphone location devices to find the nearest authorized retailer online or down the street.

PENTAX invites visitors to comment on the new website designs and content on www.facebook.com/pentax or twitter #@pentaxian as well as a number of other social media outlets that are accessible from the site. PENTAX is a leader in the production of a variety of adventure ready digital cameras including weather-resistant digital SLRs and stylish, compact, waterproof cameras, as well as lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For more than 90 years, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of adventurous consumers and businesses. With new headquarters in Denver, Colorado, PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION is a subsidiary of PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. effective October 1, 2011.

Posted in Brand: Pentax, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Canon Digital SLR Camera Under Development

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Editor AL


Photo: The “New Canon DSLR Prototype” created by Canon Fans. See below for the Official Photos from Canon Inc.

TOKYO, November 2011— Canon Inc. today announced that the company is developing a new-concept EOS-series digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. Incorporating an enhanced version of the video-capture capability offered in the current EOS-series lineup, the new camera will be ideally suited for cinematographic and other digital high-resolution production applications. The model will be equipped with a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor and, enabling the recording of 4K video* (at a frame rate of 24P, with Motion-JPEG compression), will make possible the type of exceptional image quality and sublime imaging expression to be expected from the next generation of “EOS Movies.”


Photo: The Official New Canon EOS C300 Prototype.

The announcement coincides with the launch of the Cinema EOS System, marking Canon’s full-fledged entry into the digital high-resolution production industry. The new professional digital cinematography system spans the lens, digital video camcorder and digital SLR camera product categories.

Further details regarding the new EOS digital SLR camera currently under development, including the product name, specifications and scheduled launch date, have yet to be decided.


Photo: The Official New Canon EOS C300 Prototype.

EOS Movie: A New Industry Standard

Movie recording has been a standard feature in all newly introduced Canon EOS-series digital SLR cameras since the launch of the EOS 5D Mark II in November 2008. Coupled with the diverse array of lenses in Canon’s current interchangeable EF lens lineup, this feature has heralded rich visual expressive possibilities, delivering such characteristics as beautiful image blur and low noise while also garnering kudos for the mobility and maneuverability made possible through the cameras’ compact and lightweight body designs.

The impressive images created by the combination of Canon EOS digital SLR cameras and EF lenses, known as “EOS Movies,” have already earned their screen credentials on the sets of multiple productions, from television commercials and artist promotion videos to episodic dramas and even major motion pictures.

*Cropped to APS-H-equivalent size (dimensions measuring approximately 80% vertically and horizontally of a 35 mm full-frame sensor) when recording in 4K.

Posted in Brand: Canon, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment