Nikon News (Page 3) Report News & Deals  ►

From DxO:
 
December 4, 2013 – DxO Labs announces the immediate availability of DxO Optics Pro v9.1 for Mac and Windows, an update of its image processing software for all demanding photographers. DxO Optics Pro v9.1 enhances its revolutionary PRIME denoising technology that restores the finest details in images even at the very highest sensitivities; provides support for eight new cameras; integrates the features of new DxO FilmPack v4.5 in plugin mode; and includes a new Export to Facebook option.
 
Even more spectacular images
DxO Optics Pro v9.1’s PRIME (Probabilistic Raw IMage Enhancement) technology has been enhanced to obtain an even more detailed rendering, particularly at high ISO. Textures and details are better preserved, and noise is eliminated more efficiently.
 
A DxO Labs’ exclusive denoising technology, PRIME, has been designed to achieve unrivaled image quality. Its algorithms analyze the structure of RAW images in depth: for each pixel, nearly a thousand neighboring pixels are studied in order to identify similarities and to reconstruct information. This unusual denoising produces spectacular results: details, color saturation (particularly in dark zones), and textures are preserved for a natural-looking rendering.
 
With PRIME denoising technology, DxO Optics Pro 9 offers a gain in image quality of up to one stop beyond the best noise reduction algorithms currently available on the market.
 
Support for new cameras and new DxO Optics Modules available
DxO’s laboratories calibrate the most recent equipment on the market. This means that DxO Optics Pro v9.1 supports the following eight new cameras: the Sony Alpha 7R (Elite edition only) and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 (Elite edition only); the Nikon D5300, the Pentax K-500, the Canon PowerShot G16 and PowerShot S120, the Panasonic Lumix GX-7, and the Sony NEX-5T.
 
DxO Optics Pro v9.1 also benefits from the addition of new DxO Optics Modules: nearly 500 new camera/lens combinations round out the library, which now contains more than 16,000 available modules. Developed in the lab, these modules contain exhaustive information about the characteristics of each camera and lens so as to automatically correct distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberrations, and lens softness (lack of edge-to-edge sharpness) with an unmatched level of quality.
 
Faster display for greater productivity
DxO Optics Pro v9.1 is now faster for greater user comfort. Images now display instantly, facilitating sorting and speeding up photographers’ workflow.
 
All the creativity of DxO FilmPack v4.5 applied to RAW images
With DxO FilmPack in plugin mode (and thus without quitting the DxO Optics Pro interface), photographers can give their photos a unique look by directly applying to their RAW images the characteristics of any of dozens of analog films, as well as numerous filters, tonings, and visual effects — all of which they can customize in an infinite number of ways.
 
Integrating the latest features of DxO FilmPack v4.5, DxO Optics Pro v9.1 offers two additional new analog films – the legendary Agfa Scala 200x and Kodak Ektar 100 – as well as new Designer renderings and enhanced frame and light leak tools.
 
New Export to Facebook option
DxO Optics Pro v9.1’s new Export to Facebook option lets users share their photos via the popular social network. Photographers can publish their photos directly from RAW images, with processing and uploading combined into a single operation.
 
Availability and prices
The Standard and Elite editions of DxO Optics Pro 9 for Mac and Windows are now available at photo resellers at a special discount price through December 25, 2013:

• DxO Optics Pro 9 Standard Edition: $99 instead of $169
• DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite Edition: $199 instead of $299

Adorama carries DxO Optics Pro 9 and DxO FilmPack 4.

For a limited time, DigitalRev has the Nikon D5100 DSLR Camera available for $419.00. Compare at $546.95.
 
Note: When purchased by US customers, items sold by DigitalRev are considered grey market.

Following Bryan's "What I Want for Christmas from Canon" post, we posed the question – "What do YOU want from Canon for Christmas?"
 
Here were some of the responses we received:

• An open SDK for developing in-camera applications (Pavel)
• A 7D Mark II (Spencer, Nguyen, Jim)
• An updated TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift lens (Don)
• An EOS M with Dual-Pixel sensor (Richard)
• A higher resolution 6D Mark II (Jiri)
• A Canon retro-styled body (Joe)
• Raw video for 5D Mark III through official firmware (Brandon)

Thanks to everyone for your responses! Hopefully some of these wishes will be filled by Canon in the not-so-distant future. ;-)

Adobe has extended their Photoshop Photography Program deal – that's Photoshop CC & Lightroom 5 for $9.99/month with no prior ownership of Photoshop required.
 
Don't hesitate to take advantage of this deal! I've been a Photoshop Photography Program member for a couple of months now and couldn't be happier. Having a constantly updated Photoshop for $9.99 per month represents an excellent value, in my opinion. The extended offer ends December 8. [Sean]

The Nikon Df User Manual is now available for download (English / Spanish).
 
Adorama has the Nikon Df available for preorder.

Amazon has the Nikon D5100 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens available for $429.00. Compare at $649.95.

From Sigma:
 
Thank you very much for purchasing and using Sigma products.
 
We have found that the current firmware of our Nikon fitting interchangeable lenses may not work properly with the Nikon Df camera's OS and Auto Focus functions. This is similar to the phenomena described in "Information Regarding the Nikon D5300 Cameras" that we have announced on November 19th.
 
However, for the Nikon Df cameras, it includes those lenses that do not have an internal AF motor, and the following products will require a firmware update.
 
For those customers who use Sigma lenses in Nikon mount with the Nikon Df camera, we are going to provide a free firmware update. Please note that all the products we dispatch from the factory will have the latest firmware.
 
Phenomenon
Without the latest firmware, the OS and Auto Focus functions do not work properly when it is used with the Nikon Df cameras.
 
Concerned Products
Nikon fitting interchangeable lenses not yet updated for the Nikon D5300 camera. It includes the following lenses that do not have an internal AF motor:

• 8mm F3.5 EX DG CIRCULAR FISHEYE
• 15mm F2.8 EX DG DIAGONAL FISHEYE
• 20mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL RF
• 24mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL MACRO
• 28mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL MACRO
• MACRO 50mm F2.8 EX DG
• MACRO 70mm F2.8 EX DG

* For some discontinued products, we may not be able to offer the firmware update due to the discontinuation of related repair parts. Please contact your nearest authorized Sigma distributor for further details.
* Please refer to the link below for further information on the firmware update for the Nikon D5300
http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/new/new_topic.php?id=402
 
Support
For those customers in need of the latest firmware, we are going to provide a free firmware update from December 4th. For discontinued products, please contact your nearest authorized Sigma distributor for further details. Also, for lenses that are compatible with the SIGMA USB DOCK, it is possible to update the firmware via SIGMA Optimization Pro.
 
Local Service Center
You can contact your nearest authorized Sigma distributor for the firmware update. Details of your nearest authorized Sigma distributor can be found on the following web page.
http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/network/index.html

eBay (via BigValueInc) has the Nikon D800 DSLR Camera available for $2,199.99 with free shipping. Compare at $2,796.95.
 
Caveat Emptor: BigValueInc's positive feedback rating has risen recently to 99%. Be sure to keep all supporting documents if taking advantage of this offer. eBay trusts "BigValueInc" enough to continue listing their auctions as "Daily Deals" and we had a good first-hand experience with them.

eBay (via AdoramaCamera) has the Refurbished Nikon D7000 DSLR Camera available for $559.00 with free shipping.

Hot Deal: Amazon has joined the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 sale bandwagon - now just $69.99. (thanks Mark)

Hot Deal: Adorama has Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 available for only $72.99 with free shipping and 5% Rewards. This is a limited time offer (a few hours), so don't wait to take advantage of this savings opportunity.
 
Update: This deal has expired. However, Amazon now has Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 for $69.99.

From Datacolor:
 
Digital Imaging Prizes from Industry Leading Brands Awarded Daily Throughout the Month of December
 
Lawrenceville, NJ – November 25, 2013 – Datacolor, a global leader in color management solutions, today announced it will be hosting a month long holiday giveaway during the month of December. Beginning December 1, daily prizes will be awarded through the Datacolor website with a new door opening each day to reveal the featured prize and partner. Professional and novice photographers, videographers and graphic designers alike are encouraged to enter the Datacolor Happy Holidays Giveaway for a daily chance to win essential tools to enhance their digital workflow..
 
The Datacolor Happy Holidays Giveaway will include prizes from the award-winning Datacolor Spyder line such as Spyder4ELITE and SpyderCAPTURE PRO, as well as products from partnering brands like DxO Labs, Fujifilm, Gura Gear, Lowepro, MyPix2, SanDisk, Tamron, Wacom, Zenfolio, and many more. A full list of partners can be found at spyder.datacolor.com/holidaygiveaway-friends. Winners of the Datacolor Happy Holidays Giveaway will be chosen at random and announced daily on the Datacolor website.
 
“For the second year in a row, we’re partnering with some of the industry’s most recognizable brands in an effort to make the holiday season for many imaging professionals even brighter,” said David Tobie, global product technology manager for Datacolor. “Not only is this a fun way for us to close out the year, but it provides digital imaging specialists of all skill sets the opportunity to start the New Year with a gear bag full of cool new gadgets.”
 
Adorama carries Datacolor products.

From Adorama:
 
Enter for FREE now while browsing Adorama.com to win a football fan package that includes VIP events and the chance to see the Big Game, plus be automatically entered and save big on Adorama’s “Deal of the Day” special items!
 
New York, NY – December 2, 2013 – Adorama, the official electronics retailer for the New York Giants and one of the world’s largest photography, video, imaging and electronics retailers, today announced its most exclusive giveaway contest yet: the Adorama FANtasy Escape Weekend Sweepstakes. Anyone can enter for free in the Adorama store or online. Winners will receive VIP tickets to the kickoff Celebrity Party in NYC on Friday, VIP access to the Celebrity Flag Football Challenge on Saturday, and then see the Big Game on Sunday. With the 2014 championship game coming to New York City - the home of the Adorama Superstore - there’s no better way to celebrate than with an exclusive sweepstakes.
 
“We couldn’t be more excited for the 2014 championship game to come to our city next February,” says Ahron Schachter, director of strategic planning, Adorama. “Seeing the Big Game can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we’re pleased to be able to offer our customers access to such an exciting contest. In the midst of the busiest shopping season of the year, we’re providing a multitude of ways for shoppers to enter the contest, ensuring just about every purchase is another chance to win.”
 
More Ways to Get in the Game: Discounts and Featured Items
With the holiday shopping season in full effect, Adorama has brought back its wildly popular "Deal of the Day" holiday extravaganza. From now through Christmas Eve, shoppers can visit Adorama.com for unbeatable holiday savings on select electronics, computing, photography and video products. When customers purchase any "Deal of the Day" item, which is only available online for 24 hours, they’ll be automatically entered in the Adorama Ultimate FANtasy Escape Weekend sweepstakes.
 
In addition to automatic entry into the Adorama Ultimate FANtasy Escape Weekend sweepstakes, customers will be automatically enrolled in Adorama’s VIP program when purchasing any “Deal of the Day” Product. Exclusive VIP benefits include: 30 gigs of free, lifetime cloud storage provided by Pogoplug; free photography education through the New York Institute of Photography, Adorama Learning Center and Creative Live; the opportunity to purchase products only available to VIPs; special VIP pricing on products throughout Adorama; exclusive email offers and much more.
 
Customers can get an additional three entries to the sweepstakes when they purchase specially designated items throughout Adorama.com.

Site visitor Stewart sent me a fascinating article yesterday regarding evidence that Johannes Vermeer (1600's Dutch painter) used a camera obscura to create his "photo realistic" paintings. If art, historic optical technoglogy and/or contraversy intrigue you (as they do me), then you'll likely enjoy the Vanity Fair article.

Adorama has the Westcott 7' White Parabolic Umbrella available for $49.99. Regularly $99.90.

From Ilford Imaging Switzerland GMBH:
 
November 29th, 2013 – Marly Switzerland – Today ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH announced that the company is again facing liquidity issues and is no longer able to honour its full financial obligations. The Managing Directors have already informed the employees and have sent a letter to the court of Fribourg declaring insolvency.
 
In June 2013, ILFORD Imaging experienced a liquidity issue after the former shareholder Paradigm Global Partners, a UK based financial investor suddenly withdrew from the business. Since then the management took over the company to secure the business short-term and also to find a new long-term investor.
 
The new shareholders, Paul Willems and Jean Marc Métrailler, initiated the sale of land owned by the real estate company ILFORD Property and invested these funds in ILFORD Imaging in order to provide sufficient liquidity to bridge the time until a new investor could be found. The ILFORD investment opportunity was presented to more than 20 interested parties from all over the world. Unfortunately, a new investor for ILFORD Imaging has not yet been found and the last potential investor pulled out earlier this week.
 
After the liquidity issues during the summer, it was challenging to re-start the business, as many existing customers began to buy products from competitors, which resulted in a large negative impact on the company’s revenue. In addition, ILFORD had to operate in a particular difficult market where demand is decreasing and manufacturers compete on low prices due to excess capacity. Furthermore, most suppliers would only deliver raw materials against payment in advance. These circumstances, along with the fact that the company had to replenish its inventories, and after payment of the late salaries of June and July, required additional cash.
 
The restructuring measures that were taken in August 2013 were necessary to improve the competitiveness of the company medium- to long-term. However these measures have not been fully effective yet and the impact will only be realised in the first quarter 2014.
 
The management is working closely with the State and the appropriate authorities in order to minimise the negative impact on all parties involved. No further information can be provided until the decision of the court is made and the next steps are understood.

Adorama is featuring Cyber Monday pricing on select camera bags from Timbuk2, Pelican and more.

Adorama is featuring special pricing on select SanDisk, Eye-Fi & Lexar Memory Products (microSD/SDHC/SDXC/CF/SSD). There are 3 pages of specials – be sure to check them all out.