Canon and Sony News for Sep 2010 (Page 2)

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens is now priced at only $519 with free shipping at B&H. This is a great lens for the money - Learn about it in the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens Review.

Read Nikon's revamped my Picturetown press release for more information.

B&H will be closed for holidays much of the next two weeks. Place your order today to insure timely delivery.

Canon U.S.A. has launched a new Print Sample Program (press release).

B&H is accepting preorders for the just-announced Nikon gear:

Nikon D7000 Body
Nikon D7000 w/ 18-105mm Lens
Nikon 200mm f/2G AF-S VR II Lens

Amazon.com is accepting preorders:

Nikon D7000 Body
Nikon D7000 w/ 18-105mm Lens
Nikon 35mm f/1.4G AF-S Lens
Nikon 200mm f/2G AF-S VR II Lens
Nikon SB-700

Adorama preorders:

Nikon D7000 Body
Nikon D7000 w/ 18-105mm Lens
Nikon 35mm f/1.4G AF-S Lens
Nikon 200mm f/2G AF-S VR II Lens

Nikon is celebrating the production of the 55 millionth NIKKOR lens (press release).

The Nikon 35mm f/1.4G AF-S Nikkor Lens and Nikon 200mm f/2G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor Lens (press release) were announced today.

The Nikon D7000 DSLR Camera (press release) was announced today.

The Nikon Speedlight SB-700 (press release) was announced today.

The Nikon D3100 DSLR Owners Manual is now available for download.

Canon has today announced a pair of high end PowerShot models. Get the details in the Canon USA PowerShot G12 and SX30 IS Press Release.

PhaseOne has released Capture One 5.2.

This new release of Capture One comes in three versions: 5.2, 5.2 PRO and 5.2 DB.

Capture One 5.2 is a free service release to existing Capture One 5.x owners.

Capture One 5.2 is a paid upgrade to customers with Capture One 4.x and 4.x PRO and a free upgrade to customers with Capture One 4.x DB.

Capture One 5.2 PRO/DB is a major upgrade to the respective versions of Capture One 3.x. Existing customers with Capture One 3.x PRO/DB can upgrade to a similar version of Capture One 5.2 at no extra cost.

Features and enhancements:

• LCC based dust removal.
• LCC support for Leaf portable files (also used for tethered operation)
• LCC support for large number of DSLR RAW formats.
• Live View support for Leaf backs and Mamiya DM systems.
• Significantly improved tethered performance for Leaf Aptus II series backs.
• Updated firmware for selected Leaf backs and Mamiya DM systems.
• More camera controls supported for some cameras.
• Preferences to disable tethered support based on camera make.
• Color tag in processed file.
• New lens profile for Phase One 35mm lens
• New lens profile for Schneider Kreuznach LS 110mm lens.
• Improved P65+ image quality.
• Improved colors and consistency on a number of Nikon cameras (*)
• Improved tone response in ISO mode L1.0, L0.7 and L0.3 for a number of Nikon cameras (*)
• A number of bug fixes.

(*) Nikon D3s, D3x, D3, D2x, D700, D300, D300s, D90 and D80.

Additional camera file support: Leica X1

You can learn more about the new release at: http://www.phaseone.com/5.

The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS L USM Lens Review page has been udpated with a hands-on preview of this new lens.

B&H has added a new HDSLR Guide to their site:

For some reason, Facebook's news feed feature has not been working. Thanks to TwitterFeed, the news and what's new posts should now show on the site's Facebook page.

The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens (in F and Canon mounts) is scheduled to start shipping at the end of this month.

Get it at B&H or Adorama.

Think Tank Photo has announced the Sling-O-Matic Sling Bag Series while celebrating their 5th birthday

Learn more about the Sling-O-Matic Bags on Think Tank Photo's website.

While not available for download yet, Canon Digital Photo Pro Version 3.9.0 is shipping in the box with the new Canon cameras.

Notable new features include two additional check mark levels (4 & 5), a ratings system (Unrated, * through ***** and Reject) with simple hotkey access and Unsharp Mask added to the RAW Tools Tab.

Thanks to "neuroanatomist" in the forums for this post - see the screenshot he provided.

I have updated the Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens Review.

In the review, I highlighted an exposure problem I was having with this lens. I'm letting you know that Zeiss replaced the faulty lens with a new one - and the new one works fine.

Tamron 60th Anniversary Model

Announcing the release of a full size premium telephoto zoom - the Tamron Superior Performance SP 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) for Canon mount.

September 9, 2010, Saitama, Japan - President and CEO Morio Ono of optical equipment manufacturer Tamron Co., Ltd. announced on September 25, 2010 in Japan another advance in the company's pursuit of high resolution images in the telephoto lens category with the release of a 70-300mm F/4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens featuring image stabilization-VC (Vibration Compensation) and an ultrasonic auto-focus drive - USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive). The SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) high-resolution DSLR telephoto zoom lens has been produced for the Canon mount.

Product Name: SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) For Canon
Date of Launch (in Japan): September 25, 2010

As I said before, the new Tamron SP AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC Lens (Adorama) is only $399.00 after the $50 rebate.

Adobe Pixel Bender Plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS5 is now available for download from Adobe Labs.

Carl Zeiss has announced the Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 50mm/T2.1 Makro Lens and CP.2 100mm/T2.1 CF Lens.

I was testing a Canon EF 600mm f/4 IS USM Super Telephoto Lens on a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Camera body for a new lens comparison tool (coming to the site in the near future). After completing a short test procedure, I removed the 600mm lens from the body - only to be greeted with a very-dishearteningly-noticeable amount of smoke.

I obviously had the 600mm lens framed too close to the sun for too long of a period of time - which I'm guessing was a minute or so. Here is a look at the blistered plastic in the 1Ds III.

Imagine taking an $8k lens off of a $6k camera and seeing a plume of very-black smoke come out. Wish I had video'd that! The good news is that the camera is fine - just cosmetic damage was done.

Details of the camera can be found in the Canon UK IXUS 1000 HS Digital Compact Camera Press Release. (thanks David)

Cine Lenses with Maximum Flexibility

Compact Prime CP.2 lenses from Carl Zeiss now also with F-mount

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 08.09.2010.

In 4th quarter of 2010, ZEISS Compact Prime CP.2 lenses will be available with F-mount. The Compact Prime CP.2 series, presented last April, were the first lenses developed especially for shooting with HDSLR cameras. Since then, the lenses have been highly sought after by cinematographers and film photographers alike. In addition to the PL-, EF- and F-mount, Carl Zeiss will soon also be offering the Compact Prime CP.2 lenses with Micro 4/3 and A-mount.

The Compact Prime CP.2 lenses’ inter- changeable mount means the lenses can be used for many purposes. The lenses have a compact and robust build so that they can handle any demand on the film set.

“With the new enhancement of mounts we want to meet the needs of our customers”, says Michael Schiehlen, Head of Sales of Carl Zeiss AG Camera Lens Division. “The possibility of using our CP.2 lenses flexibly for three different camera systems is not only interesting for new customers. Stores that rent cameras and camera equipment also benefit from the lenses’ enhanced flexibility.”

Just in time for the IBC in Amsterdam, Carl Zeiss has announced two new focus lengths that will also be available with F-mount: Compact Prime CP.2 50 mm/T2.1 Makro and CP.2 100mm/T2.1 CF. They complement the seven focal lengths from 18 to 85 millimeters that are already available.