Canon and Sony News for Sep 2012 (Page 3)

The inexpensive Lensbaby Spark (press release) has just made its debut.

B&H has the Lensbaby Spark in stock.

From Gura Gear:

Introducing the solution for keeping your cables, chargers, batteries and ‘everything else’ organized.

OGDEN, UT (September, 2012) – Gura Gear, an innovator in carrying solutions for passionate visual thinkers and travelers, introduces a range of solutions for organizing the chaos that follows any digital imaging user. Et Cetera cases and pouches are finely made bags in a range of sizes from 0.5L to 3L for cables, adapters, power blocks, chargers, batteries, pocket wizards, flash units, and the rest of the “extra stuff” that needs a place to call home.

The Et Cetera range features top-quality YKK zippers, Velocity Nylon exteriors, luxurious linings, and PVC-free TPU micro mesh windows for viewing contents. The Et Cetera cases all feature interior elastic battery keepers and a convenient external slot for business cards and ID tags. In practice, the Et Cetera bags allow for easy sorting and organization of kits for GPS units, adapters, or charging sets so photographers can simply grab and go, rather than sorting through a nest of cables and electronic components. Et Cetera is available in three pouch sizes from 0.5L to 1.0L and three case sizes from 1L to 3L.

The Tembo range of memory card wallets take a fresh look at a classic design correcting some key annoyances with wallet-style memory card holders by eliminating noisy Velcro and opening like a book; no more unrolling. Available in three versions holding various combinations of compact flash (CF) and smart disc (SD) memory cards.

All Et Cetera and Tembo products are finely crafted of the highest quality materials to exacting specifications.

Et Cetera is Latin for ‘other things; odds and ends’. Tembo is Swahili (East Africa) for ‘elephant’.

Adorama carries Gura Gear products.

From Gura Gear:

Introducing the camera bag with an innovative patent pending multi-access system designed for traveling visual artists.

OGDEN, UT (September, 2012) – Designed by Gura Gear, the company that developed the revolutionary Kiboko photo bags, the Bataflae represents the next evolution of creative design and refinement for photographers and videographers featuring a patent pending butterfly multi-access system and stowaway harness. Bataflae is aimed at traveling photographers needing to navigate through the world’s airports with carry-on compatibility and a lightweight durable design.

Bataflae’s unique patent pending butterfly multi-access system features a smarter way of carrying and accessing camera gear. The unique configuration maximizes the interior space making it possible to work out of the bag with multiple bodies attached to lenses in the field. Available in 32L and 26L variants, the Bataflae swallows professional size DSLRs, medium format systems, and long lenses. The butterfly flaps provide access to just the gear needed, useful in tight environments like tour vehicles and stadiums, or in rough conditions where exposing the entire kit is less desirable. There are times, however,when opening the bag completely is helpful, like loading and unloading or in studio environments. With the quick pinch of a buckle, the butterfly flaps release to a full traditional opening.

Available in black, grey, and tan, the Bataflae is PVC-free, features durable materials, flawless craftsmanship and the world’s best zippers, YKK RC Fuse with a weather resistant coating that repels dust and water while remaining flexible and easy to operate.

Additional innovative features of the Bataflae include a M.O.L.L.E. compatible side attachment system that allows for unique multi-point tripod/monopod configurations as well as the attachment of other accessories with the innovative quick-hookside straps. Each bag comes with a removable seam-sealed adjustable rain cover/ground cloth, fully riveted handles, and color-coded zipper pulls that can easily be operated with gloved hands. Two full-length external accessory compartments on the front allow for the storage of travel documents, light jacket and snacks, while the multiple internal mesh pockets and a fully adjustable divider system help keep gear organized.

Bataflae is Bislama (Vanuatu) for ‘butterfly’.

Adorama carries Gura Gear products.

Smaller and lighter than a Canon EOS 7D and autofocusing down to -3 EV is the just-announced Canon EOS 6D (press release).

Visit the Canon EOS 6D Review page for comparison images, charts, links to the Canon USA and UK press releases and more.

Canon EOS Remote is an app that EOS 6D owners will definitely want.

Canon (Japan) has posted image and video samples from the Canon EOS 6D.

Pre-order opportunities:

B&H - Body Only | Body & Lens Kit
Adorama - Body Only | Body & Lens Kit
Amazon - Body Only | Body & Lens Kit

International pre-order opportunities:

Amazon Japan - Body Only | Body & Lens Kit

Just announced are the Canon PowerShot G15, PowerShot S110 and PowerShot SX50 HS Digital Cameras (press release).

Eye catching in this announcement is the AF speed improvement over the prior models:

Read the full press release for the details. The new Canon PowerShot Spec Comparison Chart is also worth-reading.

Pre-order opportunities:

Amazon - PowerShot G15 | PowerShot S110 | PowerShot SX50 HS

Just announced: Canon PIXMA PRO-10 and PRO-100 Printers (their prices differ by nearly as much as their model numbers).

Canon has today introduced five imagePROGRAF Large-Format Printers (press release).

COLOGNE, Germany, Sept. 17, 2012 – Sigma Corporation of America (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider for some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the family-owned and operated company’s Sigma Global Vision from an invite-only event at photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany.

This announcement explains the restructuring of the Sigma lens lineup into three new categories, the launch of a new lens in each of those categories, the development of a new quality control inspection and measurement system for the lenses, and the design of new software and a USB docking station that will enable photographers to update and adjust their lenses to suit their personal preferences.

“We’re moving in a new direction that simplifies the lens selection process for photographers and helps them realize the full potential of the DSLR system,” said CEO Kazuto Yamaki. “In addition to making it easier for photographers to find the right lens, we’re empowering them with more control over their equipment, while furthering our commitment to them by establishing a higher expectation for the quality of the lenses we produce.”

New lens categories and new lenses

Starting immediately, all newly produced interchangeable lenses from Sigma will be designed for and organized into one of three product categories: Contemporary, Art and Sports. Each line has a clearly defined concept to guide shooters in the selection of the right lens for their photographic interests.

• Contemporary – These lenses incorporate the very latest technology and keep size and weight to a minimum, without compromising their advanced optical performance or utility. High-performance, versatile, compact and superbly portable, these lenses will be largely comprised of standard zooms, telephoto zooms and high-magnification zooms for an array of photography, including landscape and travel photography, and casual portraiture.
• Art – These lenses are developed with an emphasis on artistic touch and are designed to meet the expectations of users who value a creative, dramatic outcome. Along with landscapes, portraits, still-life, close-up and casual snaps, these lenses are perfect for the kind of photography that unleashes the inner artist. Ideal for studio photography, they offer just as much of an expressive scope when capturing architecture, starry skies, underwater shots and many other scenes. This category will be comprised of many focal lengths and designs, such as large-aperture prime lenses, wide-angle lenses, ultra wide-angle lenses, and macro and fisheye lenses.
• Sports - With their high-level optical performance and expressive power, these lenses can capture fast-moving subjects, even at distance. This line also offers a variety of functions to aid the photographer in challenging conditions and scenarios. Besides sports photography, the lenses are also ideal for nature shots featuring birds, wild animals and other creatures, and for the capture of aircraft, trains, race cars and more. The Sports line is also unique in that users can adjust the lenses’ focus speeds and the focus limiters via a button on the lens. The Sports category will be comprised of telephoto lenses, telephoto zoom lenses, super telephoto lenses, super telephoto zoom lenses, and more.

The creation of these new categories comes with the introduction of three new lenses:

• 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM – This new Contemporary lens is designed for cameras with an APS-c sensor and covers a range equivalent to 25.5 to 105mm on a 35mm camera. An upgrade to its predecessor, which was released in December 2009, this general purpose lens offers a new design and a more compact build.
• 35mm F1.4 DG HSM – This Art lens provides photographers with a state-of-the-art alternative to the more conventional 50mm. This lens’ axial chromatic aberration is minimized, which renders a cool and smooth out-of-focus image. At low apertures, it can perform like a wide-angle lens; when opened up to F1.4, it will provide background bokeh and make the subject pop like a mid-range telephoto lens.
• 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM – With redesigned mechanics and performance, this Sports lens is an update from its predecessor released in February 2011. This high-performance lens eases difficult shooting conditions by offering a maximum focal length of 300mm and a wide-open aperture of F2.8. This lens, like the other Sports category lenses to come, is dust and moisture resistant, and allows users to adjust the focus speed and the focus limiter via a button on the lens.

New user-control tools and software, and new quality control measures

The new Sigma Optimization Pro software and USB Dock are designed exclusively for the new lenses within the new product lines. They will enable Sigma users to connect their lenses to their computers to update lens firmware and fine-tune focus parameters via easy-to-use, on-screen controls.

All of these new lenses will also be subject to Sigma’s new, proprietary modulation transfer function (MTF) measuring system called “A1.” Named in honor of the company’s sole production base, the Aizu factory in Aizu, Japan, the A1 system will allow inspectors to verify previously undetectable high-frequency details in each lens before it is shipped.

“We used to measure lens performance with a MTF measuring system using conventional sensors, but this new A1 system uses our own 46-megapixel Foveon direct imaging sensors,” said Yamaki. “We view this new method of performance evaluation as being incredibly important, not only because we owe it to our customers, but because we owe it to ourselves. We’ve spent more than 50 years perfecting our design and manufacturing processes, and now we deliver a complete package by closing the loop on that commitment to quality by adopting a more stringent verification process.”

Canon Australia has just released a video called Deep Green filmed using the new Canon EOS 6D. Watch the entire video for a behind-the-scenes making of the film.

Lexar has announed the industry's first 256GB SDXC UHS-I memory card.

New High-Capacity 400x SDXC UHS-I Card Offers Impressive Performance and Extended Capture of High-Resolution Images and 1080p Full-HD and 3D Video

Key Features:

• Industry-first 256GB SDXC UHS-I memory card provides world’s largest capacity for capturing, storing, and transferring high-quality images, as well as extended lengths of 1080p HD and 3D video content
• UHS-I technology enables high performance with 400x (60MB per second) minimum guaranteed sustained read transfer speed
• Leverages SD 3.0 specification to address the workflow needs of professional photographers and videographers

B&H carries Lexar Memory Cards.

DxO ViewPoint, the new software solution for Mac and Windows entirely dedicated to correcting distorted elements on the edges of photos and to fixing keystoning, has been announced.

DxO ViewPoint will be available in photo specialty stores by the end of September.

B&H carries DXO products.

ISO 12233 chart results are now available on the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens Review page.

Results from two copies of this lens are presented. Lens sample 1 is very impressively sharp/contrasty wide open from the center into the full frame corners save 70mm where it becomes that at f/4. Lens sample 2 is slightly softer in the corners than sample 1, but it is sharper in the center at 70mm f/2.8.

Note that results for the older 28-70 L will also be available soon.

Many product images including the standard images (useful for comparison) have been added to the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens Review page. Some direct comparisons are available on that page - including a comparison between the 28-70 L and the 24-70 L version 1.

Standard product images were also added to the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens Review page.

From the Sekonic Blog:

Sekonic Announces LITEMASTER PRO L-478DR and L-478D. These meters are the world’s first and only dedicated color touchscreen light meters.

Ideal for all types of storytellers, the L-478 series offers light measurement and control for photographers and filmmakers alike, plus additional wireless flash triggering and power control in the L-478DR model.

Whether it’s filmmaking or photography, great storytellers use light as a main character and as a method to define the mood, focus and setting. Having a tool that allows you total control over dynamic range and multiple light sources make you confident about the craft while focusing on the art.

Just a few of the groundbreaking features of this new series include:

• The world’s first touchscreen photo light meter
• The world’s first touchscreen cine light meter
• Wireless triggering (L-478DR only)Dynamic range calibration
• Wireless flash power control (L-478DR only)
• Enhanced HD cine and cine features

Visit the PRO L-478DR and L-478D minisite and see the future is just a finger touch away.

B&H carries the new Sekonic light meters.

From Samyang:

The Samyang 10mm f/2.8 ED AS UMC CS is an ultra wide-angle prime lens designed for use with cameras that have APS-C / DX sensors. Its extremely short focal length and rectilinear imaging system ensure a wide angle of view, amounting to 110 degrees (~107 degree for Canon version). As a result the lens is a comprehensive tool for architecture and landscape photography. The Samyang 10mm f/2.8 ED AS UMC CS gives an equivalent focal length of 15mm (or 16mm in the case of Canon EOS) in 35mm terms.

All details concerning the optical construction and available mounts will be published at a later date. The lens will be available at the end of 2012.

B&H carries Samyang lenses.