Canon and Sony News for Jul 2020 (Page 3)

From Canon USA:

DEAR IMAGE MAKERS: CANON’S NEW imagePROGRAF PRO-300 PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY PRINTS AND OFFERS NEWLY UPDATED SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

New Premium Fine Art Paper for Professional, Advanced Amateur Photographers and Art Lovers Further Benefitting Image Makers also Introduced

MELVILLE, N.Y., July 9, 2020 –– After taking the time to create your ideal photo, every creative image maker should look to complete the process with a vibrant print to share for everyone to admire. Completing the lineup of professional printer options from 13 inches through 60 inches, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, unveils today the new 13-inch Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 Inkjet Printer along with a new Premium Fine Art Rough paper. Providing an improved workflow and high-quality output within a smaller footprint compared to previous models, this new printer excels at professional printing performance. Combined with the new Premium Fine Art Rough paper that features a textured surface to express the depth of an image, the printer along with the paper introduces a new powerhouse professional imaging duo that meets creators’ demands.

“With the introduction of the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, we are continuing our outstanding tradition of creating great quality printers for a variety of image makers, making it easier to print work at home,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president of the Canon U.S.A., Inc. Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “As the creative responsibilities of our customers have evolved and the importance of preserving historic moments has increased, it is imperative the features Canon integrates into new solutions and consumables meet the needs, wants and asks of our customers.”

Smaller Footprint Completes the Lineup

There has been a shift in what traditional work and school looks like over the last few months, as many creative-focused jobs, industries and areas of study now require tasks to be completed in non-traditional ways. Without access to a studio, office space or classroom with all the necessary tools and equipment, there is no better time to introduce a professional printer that is 15% smaller than its predecessor. With the addition of the new 13-inch Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 printer, the lineup of professional inkjet printers expands while offering a new space-saving design that is fitting for a home studio or office.

Core features of the newest printer include:

• 9-color LUCIA PRO plus Chroma Optimizer ink providing expanded color gamut and enhanced black density
• New matte black ink offering greater black density, smooth gradations and details in darker areas
• Technologies to help prevent print failures such as a nozzle recovery system and a skew correction function. Nozzles are carefully checked by sensors, and if a clog is detected in one nozzle, others will automatically compensate for it
• Updates to the Professional Print & Layout software to help create seamless photo printing from image-editing software including Digital Photo Professional and Adobe® Photoshop®, Adobe Lightroom, or as stand-alone software
• Improved media compatibility with the additional capability to support panorama-sized paper, and multiple feeding methods for media of varying thicknesses
• High-speed printing at up to approximately 4 minutes and 15 seconds¹ for a bordered 13” x 19” inch print when using Photo Paper Pro Premium paper

The usability of the imagePROGRAF PRO-300 is also improved with the addition of a 3.0 inch LCD display, allowing the user to check printer status and monitor ink levels at a glance.

New Fine Art Paper

Continuing the theme of high quality to use with the new imagePROGRAF PRO-300 printer: new Premium Fine Art Rough paper is now available in a variety of sizes including 17 inches by 22 inches, 13 inches by 19 inches and Letter sized within a pack of 25 sheets. To help express the depth of an image and add a three-dimensional touch, the new paper consists of a rough texture. The cotton used to create the paper provides a luxurious touch and makes it suitable for long-term storage.

Pricing and Availability of the imagePROGRAF PRO-300 and Premium Fine Art Rough paper

The imagePROGRAF PRO-300 Printer will be available later in July with an MSRP price of $899.99*. Premium Fine Art Rough paper will also be available later in July for an MSRP* of:

• $44.99, Letter size
• $109.99, 13” x 19” inches
• $169.99, 17” x 22” inches

Availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

¹ Photo print speed is based on the default setting using ISO/JIS-SCID N2 on Photo Paper Plus Glossy II and does not take into account data processing time on host computer. Print speed may vary depending on system configuration, interface, software, document complexity, print mode, page coverage, type of paper used etc.

* Prices subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.

Today at 8:00 AM EST, Canon will be holding a virtual product launch with exciting news.

The virtual conference will be hosted at http://www.usa.canon.com/virtualproductlaunch. Optionally, that page can be linked to from this announcement page.

As mentioned before, it is important that you place your preorders using the links on our site (any item ordered after clicking on the preferred retailer results in the site being credited). Here are preorder links already available for the EOS R5: B&H | Adorama

Preorder the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens at B&H.

The manufacturer specifications for this relatively compact new lens are loaded on the site. Check out these comparisons, paying attention to the size and weight:

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens Compared to Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G Lens

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens Compared to Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens Compared to Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art Lens

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens Compared to Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens

Though its price is high, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens will attract attention.

From Sony:

Sony Electronics Grows Lens Line-up with Launch of 12-24mm G Master, the World’s Widest Full-frame Zoom with a Constant F2.8 Aperture

SAN DIEGO – July 7, 2020 – Sony Electronics Inc. today announced an exciting new addition to its full-frame lens line-up with the introduction of the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM (model SEL1224GM) Large-aperture Ultra-wide Zoom lens. This compact and versatile lens is ideal for shooting landscapes, astrophotography and architecture while providing extra mobility for active sports shooters who want to capture ultra-wide perspectives. As part of Sony’s flagship G Master series lenses, users can be completely confident that it delivers outstanding image quality up to an ultra-wide 12mm angle of view with F2.8 constant aperture and beautiful bokeh effects.

The introduction of the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM now extends the F2.8 range of Sony’s G Master series zoom lenses all the way from 12mm to 200mm[ii] and at 12mm, offers the world’s widest range of zoom at F2.8. At this focal length, it is possible to emphasize distance and create dynamic perspectives that are beyond the scope of the human eye, opening the door to new avenues of creative expression.

“We are excited to introduce the new FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM as the 57th lens in Sony’s E-mount line-up”, said Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Products and Solutions Americas, Sony Electronics. “It is important for us to continue to push boundaries in the industry to develop the best tools for our customers. By extending our range of G Master constant F2.8 zoom lenses out to 12mm, we are excited to see how these new innovations will help our customers create like never before.”

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM benefits from innovative construction that delivers outstanding corner-to-corner image quality throughout the entire zoom range. It features three precise XA (extreme aspherical) elements including the largest XA element ever made for an a - Alpha brand lens. These XA elements, with an additional aspherical element, effectively suppress astigmatism, coma and field curvature right out to the image edges. Furthermore, three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements plus two Super ED glass elements, powerfully control chromatic aberration and combine to deliver corner-to-corner clarity while minimizing color fringing.

An extremely effective floating focus mechanism divides the lens’s focus group into two independently controllable groups, ensuring both outstanding close-up performance and maximum sharpness at any distance. The two independently controlled groups help realize a constant 11” (28 cm) minimum focusing distance throughout the zoom range, and because it is an internal focus lens, its length remains constant, so its center of gravity varies very little and is always optimally balanced in the hand.

The signature bokeh effects of Sony’s G Master series lens are achieved through the fine tuning of the lens’s spherical aberration characteristics during both the design and manufacturing process. At the same time, the extremely high surface precision of the lens’s XA elements effectively suppresses spherical aberration and, in combination with a 9-blade circular aperture, further enhances its exquisite bokeh.

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM employs four original high-speed, high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors to ensure that it is compatible with the speed performance of both current and future camera bodies. With two XD Linear Motors for each of the lens’s focus groups, autofocus is fast and precise. New control algorithms maximize the response of the system while achieving flawless synchronization between the two focus groups. Further benefits include extremely quiet operation with minimal vibration and lower power consumption.

A brand-new Nano AR Coating II that can be evenly applied to large lens elements or highly curved element surfaces has been used for the first time on the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM. It suppresses internal reflections, minimizes flare and ghosting for clear, crisp imagery and despite the lens's wide angle of view, Nano AR Coating II maintains high clarity and contrast throughout the entire image, even in difficult light.

Moviemaking

The constant F2.8 maximum aperture at all focal lengths ensures that exposure is stable when zooming. As a result, this means that shutter speed and ISO sensitivity can remain constant while shooting movies. The creative opportunities afforded by shooting movies at a 12mm angle of view with F2.8 constant aperture in full-frame are boundless, and when used on an APS-C or Super 35 camera, the wide end of the zoom range becomes equivalent to 18mm, providing a useful zoom range for moviemaking.

Professional Control

Weighing only 1.87 lbs (847 g), the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM offers numerous features for full professional control of shots. These include a customizable focus-hold button, focus-mode switch, zooming ring and focusing ring that are positioned for easy operation while shooting. The Linear Response MF ensures that the focus ring responds directly to the most subtle adjustments when focusing manually so control feels immediate and precise. It is dust and moisture resistant [iii] and the front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels water, oil, and other contaminants, making it easier to wipe off any fingerprints from the lens surface. The rear filter holder accommodates standard sheet-type ND, color correction and other filters for expanded expressive capability. A cutting template for sheet filters is supplied.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM is available in in August 2020 for a suggested retail price of $2,999.99 USD and $3,999.99 CAD.

[1] Compared to interchangeable constant F2.8 zoom lenses for 35mm full-frame format digital cameras. As of July 2020. Sony survey.

[1] SEL1224GM, SEL1635GM, SEL2470GM, SEL70200GM

Preorders

Preorder the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens at B&H (starting 5pm ET, Tue Jul 07).

Mark your calendar — you are not going to want to miss this one:

On July 9th at 8:00 AM EST, Canon will be holding a virtual product launch with exciting news.

The virtual conference will be hosted at http://www.usa.canon.com/virtualproductlaunch. Optionally, that page can be linked to from this announcement page.

As mentioned before, it is important that you place your preorders using the links on our site (any item ordered after clicking on the preferred retailer results in the site being credited). Here are preorder links already available for the EOS R5: B&H | Adorama

Here is info about the Canon EOS R5.

Just posted: Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens Review.

Excellent lens. Great value.

The Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX

Rent the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens from Lensrentals.

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