Canon and Sony News for Oct 2011

I have added a focal length and aperture comparison to the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM Lens Review. You will find it near the end of this review.

I have added an aperture comparison to the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS II USM Lens Review. You will find it near the beginning of this review.

From CP+:

We are pleased to announce that CP+ 2012 (Camera & Photo Imaging Show in Yokohama) will be held at Pacifico Yokohama, Japan during the period from February 9th (Thu) to 12th (Sun), 2012.

CP+ is the premiere source of photo imaging information from Japan, the epicenter of the camera and photo imaging industries, for consumers and businesses all over the world, featuring following events and seminars with English translator.

1. Keynote speech by the president of CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association based in Japan) representing camera manufacturing industry

2. Technological panel discussion for future trend by senior engineers

3. Latest technology seminar by 9 manufacturers, technology academy, etc

4. Delivery forecast of digital camera for 2012 essential for the digital camera industry

There will be executives from Overseas Friendship Partners, photokina, PMA and Salon de la photo.

For professional users, there will be symposiums to discuss about the capability of HD movies by single lens cameras as well as seminars to learn how to take movies with the latest information.

Last year CP+ 2011 was quite successful with approx. 50,000 visitors which was 20% increase against previous year. Journalists from various countries reported the world premiere information from among 45 World Premier Products from Yokohama to the world via a wide variety of media. CP+ is now taking its important role to transmit the latest information from Japan to the world.

Please come to join us at CP+ 2012 and meet the World Premiere Products waiting for you there. For details, please visit our web site below.

http://www.cpplus.jp/en/index.html

Think Tank photo has announced updates to their Modular Rotation System and Modular Rotation System Skin Components:

Think Tank Photo Releases Completely Redesigned Modular Rotation System

Santa Rosa, Calif. -- In response to customer feedback, Think Tank Photo’s has completely redesigned its Modular Rotation System to provide additional features and benefits, including easier photography gear retrieval, better equipment fit, and an updated/inclusive style. The Modular Rotation System consists of three product groupings: Lens Cases, Gear Pouches, and the Modular Component Set V2.0. The new items will be available for sale in December at www.thinktankphoto.com.

The Modular Rotation System is part of Think Tank Photo’s integrated modular belt carrying solution, which also includes its Skin™ components. The Lens Cases and Gear Pouches feature padded components and the Skin components features unpadded pouches.

The new Modular Component Set V2.0 includes the Lens Changer 50 V2.0, LC 75 Pop Down V2.0, Strobe Stuff, Speed Changer V2.0. All can be transported in the breathable Large Travel Pouch. All of the elements can be carried as a set or as individual items on Think Tank Photo’s Pro Speed Belt V2.0, Steroid Speed Belt V2.0, or Skin Belt V2.0. The new Keep It Up™ Shoulder Strap provides vertical support to any Think Tank Photo belt and includes a memory card holder.

The Lens Cases’ new features are:

• Wide mouth opening allows for smoother lens retrieval and replacement.

• One-hand drawstring closure with the auto-locking mechanism: only one hand is needed to securely close the pouch.

• Zippered bottom pocket includes seam-sealed rain cover.

• Top handle allows for easy gathering of multiple pouches.

• Smooth back reduces wear on clothing and helps components slide easily around the belt.

• Padding under lens cover protects lenses from bumps and bruises.

• Improved front pocket material for increased durability and elasticity.

The Lens Cases consist of the Lens Changer™ 15 V2.0 (accommodates tele-converters and small primes with hood in shooting position), Lens Changer™ 25 V2.0 (small telephotos with hood in shooting position), Lens Changer™ 35 V2.0 (24-70 2.8 with hood in shooting position), Lens Changer™ 50 V2.0 (wide angle lens—16-35, 17-40—with hood in shooting position), LC 75 Pop Down™ V2.0 (70-200 with hood reversed or in position), and the Lens Drop™ (standard telephoto zoom lens).

The Gear Pouches include the same new features as the Lens Cases, as well as:

• Secure front pocket with increased hook and loop.

• Improved rip-stop nylon for increased durability and discrete styling.

The Gear Pouches consist of the Strobe Stuff™ (pro-size flash with some lens modifiers attached), Slim Changer™ (standard-size body, lens not attached), Speed Changer™ V2.0 (pro-sized body, lens not attached, and small telephotos and pro-size batteries), Stuff It !™ (accessory pouch for all your stuff: CF cards, batteries, filters or pocket wizards), Little Stuff It !™ (accommodates most point and shoot cameras, including Canon G12 & Nikon P7000), Hubba Hubba Hiney™ (70-200 2.8 lying down or two to three smaller telephotos; includes shoulder strap), and the R U Hot ?™ (for water bottle, hat, gloves).

Both the Lens Cases and Gear Pouches come with Think Tank Photo’s unique Rotate and Lock design feature so that components slide along the belt or fasten in a specific position on the belt.

 
Think Tank Photo to Release Completely Upgraded Modular Rotation System Skin™ Components

Santa Rosa, Calif. – For those photographers who want no padding separating them from the gear on their belt system, Think Tank Photo has completely redesigned its Modular Rotation System Skin™ Components to provide additional features and benefits. These include easier photography gear retrieval, better equipment fit, and an updated/inclusive style. The new items will be available for sale in December at www.thinktankphoto.com.

The Skin components are part of Think Tank Photo’s integrated Modular Rotation System belt carrying solution. The Skin Components feature unpadded pouches and the Lens Changers and Gear Pouches feature padded components.

The new Modular Skin Set V2.0 includes the Skin 50 V2.0, Skin 75 Pop Down V2.0, Skin Strobe V2.0, and the Skin Body Bag. All can be transported in the breathable Large Travel Pouch. All of the elements can be carried as a set or as individual items on Think Tank Photo’s Skin Belt V2.0, Pro Speedbelt V2.0, and Steroid Speed Belt V2.0. The new Keep It Up™ Shoulder Strap provides vertical support to any Think Tank Photo belt and includes a memory card holder.

The new features are:

• Wide mouth opening allows for smoother lens retrieval and replacement.

• One-hand drawstring closure with the auto-locking mechanism: only one hand is needed to securely close the pouch.

• Zippered bottom pocket includes seam-sealed rain cover.

• Top handle allows for easy gathering of multiple pouches.

• Smooth back reduces wear on clothing and helps components slide easily around the belt.

• Secure front pocket with increased hook and loop.

• Improved rip-stop nylon for increased durability and discrete styling.

All Skin components come with Think Tank Photo’s unique Rotate and Lock design feature that allows components to slide along the belt or fasten in a specific position on the belt. They also feature the Skin system’s “sound silencer” functionality that silences hook and loop noise.

 
Learn more about these new cases at Think Tank Photo's web site.

Here are a couple of X-Rite press releases:

X-Rite Announces Eizo Monitor Support for its i1Display Pro

X-Rite and NEC Announce Partnership to offer i1Display technology to SpectraView Customers

Kenko Tokina has introduced the PRO ND100000 Filter (Google translation).

No, I didn't hold the "0" key too long. These filters are made for solar observation and solar eclipse photography.

Canon's PhotoPlus 2011 Press Release for your review.

Canon Europe has posted a new article: Inside the PIXMA PRO-1 printer.

The Zeiss 25mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZE and ZF.2 Lenses were announced yesterday.

I had the pleasure of using the Zeiss 25mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZE Lens at PhotoPlus Expo in New York City yesterday.

The build quality of this lens is on par with the other Zeiss ZE lenses - which is to say that this is an incredibly-well built lens. Zeiss ZF.2 Nikon mount lenses are built similarly to the ZE Canon mount counterparts. This lens is rather small (does not take up much space in a bag), but solid feeling (if you fill all the space in your bag with similar Zeiss lenses, your back may regret you having done so).

Image quality from this lens is expected to be on the level of the great Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 ZE Distagon Lens' image quality.

Apple Aperture 3.2.1 has been released.

This update addresses the following issues in Aperture 3.2:

Resolves an issue that could cause Aperture to quit unexpectedly at launch on Macs with Core Solo or Core Duo processors.

Addresses issues that could cause the Crop tool to switch to the incorrect orientation or resize incorrectly.

Resolves rendering issues when cropping images with Onscreen Proofing enabled.

Location menus are now displayed correctly on the map in the Places view when Photos is selected in the Library Inspector.

iPhoto 9.2.1 has been released.

What's New in iPhoto 9.2.1:

Addresses an issue that could cause iPhoto to quit unexpectedly on Macs with the 3ivxVideoCodec plug-in installed

Tamron has released Q3 2011 Financial Results (PDF).

Just announced: Lowepro Pro Messenger AW Series (press release)

Just announced: Lowepro Pro Roller Lite AW Series (press release)

Lens flare test results have been added to the following review pages:

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens Review
Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro Lens Review
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens Review
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di Lens Review
Tokina 17-35mm f/4 AT-X Pro FX Lens Review

PDN Press Release:

PHOTOPLUS EXPO PROVIDES EXTENDED SHOW COVERAGE WITH PPE TV INTERNET BROADCAST

Video Interviews with Exhibitors, Photographers, and Other Newsmakers at PhotoPlus Expo Provides Highlights of Show via Internet Video Streams

Oct 25, 2011 - New York, NY: PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo announced it will broadcast interviews with exhibitors, photographers, and other newsmakers at PhotoPlus Expo and WPPI NYC through PPE TV, a video streaming broadcast channel to highlight each day's events for trade show attendees and those unable to attend this year's show. PPE TV can be accessed via the Internet at www.photoplusexpo.com on Thursday and Friday, October 27th and 28th. Interviews will be conducted inside the PPE TV broadcast booth located on the WPPI NYC trade show floor in the North Hall of the Javits Convention Center as well as from exhibitor’s booths.

This year PhotoPlus Expo and WPPI NYC includes more than 300 exhibitors and 115 seminars and special events. PPE TV provides attendees, and those unable to attend the show, unprecedented access to all the latest news, exhibitor interviews, and seminar speakers. The Nielsen Photo Group will lead a team of broadcast professionals including Adorama TV and RETV to provide video interviews with keynote speakers and on-site product reviews with leading manufacturers that can be seen online, at the viewer's convenience. Through PPE TV, PhotoPlus Expo gives attendees an opportunity to see everything they may have missed and also provides a great way for non-attendees to see the latest products, services, and trends in the photo industry.

"We realize that attendees may not have an opportunity to see everything they have on their wish list and created PPE TV as a way to capture many of the highlights at this year's show for viewing at their leisure," explains Jeff McQuilkin, Director – PDN PhotoPlus International Conference & Expo. "For those unable to be in New York this week, we hope that PPE TV gives them a good sense of the excitement at the show and a good look at the products and trends going on in the photo industry. With Adorama TV and RETV as our broadcast partners, we know that PPE TV will be a quality resource for photographers long after the show ends on Saturday."

The PPE TV broadcast team will be posting, tweeting and blogging their way through the showroom floor and conducting interviews from the PPE TV broadcast booth and around the expo. Attendees are encouraged to stop by the broadcast booth to see interviews as they happen.

Just posted: Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS II USM Lens Review

Note that I'm looking for your hands-on experience feedback regarding this lens' AI Servo AF accuracy.

Phase One Press Release:

Improves performance of leading professional photographer’s digital visual assets manager

COPENHAGEN, October 25, 2011 — Phase One, the photographic image-quality leader today released Media Pro 1.1. Media Pro is a professional digital visual assets manager that supports rapid browsing, cataloging, searching, annotating, retrieval and sharing no matter where digital files are stored (such as shared folders, CDs, hard drives, DVDs or on other media). This new release features German and French localization and significant performance improvements.

Media Pro supports photo and video files from more than 100 different cameras and is well suited to managing large photo libraries. Images within Media Pro catalogs (more than 128,000 files may be saved per catalog) may be non-destructively edited with Capture One and with other image editing applications. Assets may also be converted into other file formats as required, and all catalogs may be archived, backed up, published via slide shows, web galleries, and distributed via email, contact sheets, prints, and other custom options.

What’s new in Media Pro 1.1

-- Faster importing and media rendering

Now Media Pro customers can choose between Capture One rendering and Apple/WIC rendering according to image quality requirements, rendering of Capture One adjustments and speed. For new customers, the factory default is set to Apple/WIC rendering. For best image quality and rendering of Capture One adjustments, the Capture One renderer is recommended.

-- Improved Capture One Integration with Media Pro

Used together, Phase One’s Capture One Pro for image editing and Media Pro for photo management, these programs comprise an optimal photography software toolset for photographers who need to manage very large, high quality image files and collections in a fast and efficient workflow.

Now Media Pro keeps Capture One adjustments when renaming and transferring files to other folders in Media Pro; and users can drop files onto the Media Pro application icon to have those rebuilt, selected and revealed in the front catalog;

-- Added support for the following camera RAW formats when using the Capture One renderer:

Olympus E-P3 and E-PL3
Sony NEX-7, NEX-5N, SLT-A77, SLT-A65 (all preliminary)
Sony DSLR-A580, NEX-C3
Panasonic DMC-G3, DMC-F3

Bugfixes on Mac

• Fixed a bug that could cause rebuilding or the importer to hang.

• Fixed some issues where missing items in the catalog could halt the thumbnail and

• preview generation.

• Fixed an issue preventing some RAW image formats from being imported.

• Fixed an issue causing panning in Media View to break after using the Light Table.

• Fixed a saving issue related to large catalogs.

• Fixed a launching issue related to QuickLook.

• Fixed some UI glitches with the Recent Catalogs menu, Custom Fields and the Organize panel.

• Made it possible to delete files on volumes with no trash e.g. servers.

• Made rebuilding items preserve existing orientation.

• CSS files are now accepted in catalogs.

• Fixed a number of issues relating to Notes files (.ivn)

Bugfixes on Windows

• Fixed an issue causing a license server connection error to appear whenever launching without being connected to the internet.

• Fixed an issue causing panning in Media View to break after using the Light Table. Fixed a saving issue related to large catalogs.

• Fixed some color management issues.

• Added warning if about to overwrite existing Web Contact Sheet.

• Fixed an issue where make and model metadata would be lost for converted images.

• Fixed broken preset saving functionality for Convert Image, Sound and Movie Files.

• Made the cursor automatically move to the next field when entering license keys.

• Fixed an issue that would make Custom Fields clear unintentionally.

• Made it possible to save new Media Pro catalog in the same location as an existing Expression Media 2 catalog.

• Made rebuilding items preserve existing orientation. In addition a number of minor bugs have been fixed on Mac and Windows

Availability and Pricing

Media Pro is available now via download for 199 USD and 139 EUR through Phase One’s Online Store and through leading professional photography dealers worldwide.

Media Pro 1.1 is available as a free upgrade to existing Media Pro customers.

B&H carries Media Pro.

Canon has posted financial results for the third quarter of 2011.

The presentation materials are a better read for most.

Lens specifications and distortion test results have been added to the following review placeholder pages:

Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX Lens Review
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Lens Review
Samyang 35mm f/1.4 US UMC Lens Review
Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Lens Review

Jill-e Designs press release:

Introducing Three New Jack™ Bags for Men from Jill-e® Designs

Compact System Camera Bag Leads Trio of Affordable, Eye-Catching, Casual Day Cases

ORLANDO, October 18, 2011 – Jill-e Designs, the leading maker of stylish camera and carry bags for today’s technology-rich, on-the-go lifestyle, once again has expanded its popular Jack Collection for men with three casual day bags that blend protection with eye-catching good looks – including the Jack CSC Camera Bag made specifically for today’s new Compact System Camera equipment.

Jill-e Designs also has introduced a lean Jack Swing DSLR Camera / Carry Bag, built to transport a complete DSLR system or other personal electronic devices safely, as well as a matching lens bag. All three of these new bags are currently available at photo retailers worldwide, and on the Jill-e Designs web site – www.jill-e.com.

“Today’s technology-rich, on-the-go lifestyle is lived by men as well as women – which is why we now have an option for the popular new compact systems, plus two terrific lifestyle bags for traditional DSLR systems,” said Gail Backal, president and co-founder of Jill-e Designs. “We’re giving men bags that protect their gear with style and help them look their best while they do their best. We’ve found that the Jack styling is also popular with women.”

The new Jack CSC Bag

The Jack CSC Bag offers several safe carrying options – including a convertible cross-body or shoulder

strap and utility loops that secure the bag to the user’s belt. It easily holds a compact system camera body and one or two small interchangeable system lenses. Or load it with any popular point-and-shoot camera plus a variety of smaller personal items including wallet, keys, cell phone and more.

The new Jack CSC Bag features:

• Stylish, weather-resistant brown ballistic nylon exterior
• Durable, top-grain leather trim
• Protective padded interior with adjustable dividers
• Double zip top opening for easy access to gear
• Convenient loops to carry on belt
• Convertible strap to carry cross-body or on shoulder
• Interior zipper pocket to safeguard small valuables
• Outside pocket for easy access to keys, smart phone, etc.
• Dimensions: (LxWxH) 9.5” x 3.25” x 7.0”
• Weight: 1.0 lbs.
• Suggested price: $79.99

Jack Swing DSLR Camera / Carry Bag

Fully padded and able to perform in close quarters, Jill-e Designs’ lean new Swing Camera / Carry Bag has room for today’s DSLR cameras, loads of accessories and personal belongings – even an iPad. With a profile of less than four inches and adjustable padded shoulder strap, this bag keeps gear close and secure in a crowd, in the elements, anywhere your lifestyle takes you.

In addition to a tablet device and an array of photo accessories and personal items, the Jack Swing Bag can hold a DSLR or SLR camera body and one-to-two medium sized lenses, or a DSLR or SLR camera body and a telephoto lens.

The new Jack Swing Camera / Carry Bag features:

• High-quality, weather-resistant ballistic nylon exterior
• Padded exterior walls and configurable Velcro dividers protect your gear
• Zippered bag-wide top opening ensures easy access to your belongings
• Adjustable shoulder strap provides better control, comfortable fit
• Protective wide pocket is perfect for tablet, netbook, e-reader or similar device
• Wipes clean with a damp cloth
• Dimensions: (LxWxH) 10.0" x 4.25" x 13.0"
• Weight: 1.1 lbs.
• Suggested price: $89.99

Jack Essential Lens Bag

The Jack Essential Lens Bag, a perfect match to the Jack Swing Camera / Carry Bag, is just right when you want to bring along a few more lenses or personal belongings. It can hold a 12” telephoto lens or two-to-three medium-sized lenses, plus a flash unit, extra batteries, memory cards and accessories and personal items. It’s crafted with the quality and features found in the Swing bag, to keep your gear safe and you looking stylish.

The new Jack Essential Lens Bag features:

• High-quality, weather-resistant ballistic nylon exterior
• Padded walls and adjustable interior dividers keep lenses secure
• Zippered top opening ensures easy access
• Adjustable shoulder strap provides better control, comfortable fit
• Matches the Jack Swing Camera / Carry Bag perfectly
• Wipes clean with a damp cloth
• Dimensions: (LxWxH) 5.0" x 4.0" x 13.0"
• Weight: 1.0 lbs.
• Suggested price: $39.99

B&H carries Jill-E Designs bags.

Canon Europe has announced the Canon PIXMA PRO-1 Flagship Printer.

In case you did not pick up on this fact from the Canon-published 1D X AF information, the new Canon EOS-1D X, unlike previous 1-Series DSLRs, will not autofocus when using lenses or lens combinations with an f/8 max aperture.

Chuck Westfall, through Arthur Morris, confirms this:

"AF is unavailable on the EOS-1D X if the maximum aperture reported to the camera through the electronic lens mount is smaller than f/5.6. This is a lower specification than previous EOS-1 series DSLRs. On the plus side, consider the fact that with most f/4 lenses including the 400 DO, 500/4L IS and IS II, and 600/4L IS and IS II, you now have 41 cross-type AF points plus color and face detection, whereas you had no cross-type points and no color or face detection during AF with previous EOS-1 series DSLRs using the same lenses, not to mention a significantly wider AF coverage area from left to right."

This is of course disappointing to many extender users. Canon does not currently have a bare lens with an f/8 max aperture, but adding a 1.4x extender to an f/5.6 max aperture lens results in an f/8 max aperture lens. And, adding a 2x extender to an f/4 max aperture lens results in an f/8 max aperture lens.

The largest group of photographers affected by this change are, probably, bird photographers (such as Arthur Morris) - who have been dealt a double blow with the 1D X. Bird photography typically needs the most reach possible - through both lens focal length and sensor density. Increasing focal length via extenders has now been limited (for autofocus to function) and the 1D X has a less-dense sensor than either of the previous 1-Series models.

There are still some Canon EOS-1D Mark IV bodies available.

From Canon Professional Services USA:

Canon Professional Services Program Announces New Points Qualification System and Website to Enhance Membership Opportunities For Emerging Professionals

Canon Hosts CPS Lounge at PhotoPlus Expo 2011 with a Full Roster of Membership Benefit Activities

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 20, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced an enhancement to the Canon Professional Services (CPS) program with a new qualification system for membership acceptance. The new CPS professional points system allows an expanded roster of equipment to qualify prospective members into the program. The new points system will help many professionals who were unable to join based on the previous membership requirements.

In April of 2010, Canon extended its CPS membership to qualifying videographers, cinematographers and filmmakers and the overwhelming response received from these professional clients has prompted the need for a third CPS support center. Under the new points system, professional image makers can now qualify with ownership of a broader range of professional products including DSLR camera bodies, professional camcorders, lenses and accessories (speedlites and wireless transmitters, etc). The CPS program is designed to extend Canon's support assistance to imaging professionals with fast service, equipment evaluation loans, and a range of other benefits. For details and additional information on the new CPS points system and to see a comprehensive list of all eligible pro DSLR and Video equipment, please visit the CPS web page at: www.usa.canon.com/cps

Canon will once again host the CPS Lounge during PhotoPlus Expo 2011 at the Jacob Javits Center, October 26th-29th. The CPS Lounge will be open to the public on October 26th at noon, the day before PhotoPlus Expo opens and will be located in rooms 2D02/03 and 2D04/05. In addition to answering questions and providing Clean and Check services throughout PhotoPlus Expo, Canon Professional Services will also host a number of great opportunities for CPS members to enjoy additional membership benefits:

Print Signings

On October 27, 2011, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. legendary Rock & Roll photographer and CPS member, Bob Gruen will be signing copies of one of his iconic images for the first 100 Gold and Platinum CPS members to visit the lounge. These limited edition prints will be produced on the latest professional Canon printer.

On October 28th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the CPS Lounge, Canon Explorer of Light, Vincent Isola will be signing prints for Gold and Platinum members. Images will be printed on the latest professional Canon printer.

Free Large Format Print Sample Member Images

CPS Gold and Platinum members are encouraged to bring with them their favorite image file to receive a free large format sample print of their image, courtesy of Canon Professional Services. Throughout PhotoPlus Expo Canon will station an imagePROGRAF iPF6350 large format printer in the CPS Lounge where Gold and Platinum members will be able to receive a sample print of their own image, limited to one print per member.

Free Clean & Check

Gold and Platinum members will be able to take advantage of free on-site Clean & Check services for up to two Canon professional DSLR or lens models. All equipment must be dropped off before 5 p.m. on October 28th in order to guarantee turnaround before the show ends. The lounge will not be accepting any equipment as of October 29th.

On-Site Registration Promotion

As a bonus for new or upgrading members, any person who signs-up, upgrades, or renews for a Gold or Platinum membership in the CPS Lounge will receive an additional free Clean & Check coupon. A registration kiosk will be available in the CPS Lounge to new and existing members throughout the show.

CPS Lounge Hours during PhotoPlus Expo 2011:

10/26 noon – 5 p.m. (Pre-show hours available)
10/27 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
10/28 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
10/29 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (equipment pick-up only)

Canon has made a video about the new EOS 1D X available:

From Nikon:

2nd Notice on the damage from the flood in Thailand

This is to advise you, following our first notice of October 11, of the latest situations of submersion at Nikon (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a consolidated manufacturing subsidiary of Nikon Corporation in the Rojana Industrial Park in Ayutthaya Province located in Central Thailand.

1. Damages

The 1st floor of all buildings at the premises are presently submerged and the water level is as high as around 2 meters and there arose no remarkable change since October 12. Operation of the factory has been suspended since October 6. It is reported that there is no human damage.

2. Estimated impact to our business performance

We still have difficulty to grasp the overall damages of our equipment and facility since access to the premises continues to be prohibited. We are now continuing our utmost to estimate the impact of the flood to our group companies and business performance. We assure you to immediately advise our findings once it is judged there will be an important change in our forecast.

3. Recovery

We are unable to define how soon operation will be resumed. It will take a certain time before the situation normalizes including completion of water pumping out from the Rojana Industrial Park. We have set up support system under the Emergency Headquarters for Disaster Control headed by the president and will endeavor to restart the operation as early as possible. Every possible measure is now under preparation to resume production by means as purchase of new manufacturing equipment, review of production assignment among whole Nikon group companies. As for drainage from the industrial park, we are requesting its acceleration to the Thai government, together with the Rojana Industrial Park authority, other companies in the Park and Japan External Trade Organization.

We deeply apologize you for any inconvenience caused by the disaster such as short supply of our products.