Canon and Sony News for Feb 2013

B&H has the Nikon MB-D15 Multi Power Battery Pack (for D7100) available for preorder.

From Canon:

Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 incorporates the following fix:
Fixes a phenomenon in which the focal length may not change when the control ring's function is to control the step zoom, and the control ring is turned slowly, click-by-click. (In AUTO, SCN, or Movie mode, the default function for the control ring is to control the step zoom.)

* Please note that this phenomenon does not always occur with every affected product.

Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 is for cameras with firmware Version 1.0.1.0 or Version 1.0.0.0. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.2.0, it is not necessary to update the firmware.
Please note that, once the camera is updated to the latest version, it cannot be restored to a previous version.

How to Identify Cameras eligible for the Firmware Update:
All PowerShot S100 Digital Compact Cameras are eligible for this firmware update.

Download:

Canon PowerShot S100 Firmware v1.0.2.0: Windows | Macintosh

Adorama carries the Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Camera.

From Canon:

Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 incorporates the following fixes and improvements:
1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the focal length may not change when the control ring's function is to control the step zoom, and the control ring is turned slowly, click-by-click. (In AUTO, SCN, or Movie mode, the default function for the control ring is to control the step zoom.)

* Please note that this phenomenon does not always occur with every affected product.

2. Changes the camera's specification in accordance with the specification of iOS 5/6 so that the Wi-Fi connection between the camera and an iOS device will not disconnect after one minute, when the PowerShot S110 is set as an Access Point and an iOS device is connected to that Access Point.

The latest version of Canon Camera Window iOS App (1.2.0 or later) is available for download from Apple's App Store. Please perform this update. Sharing images on social media sites may not be possible with Canon CameraWindow. However, sharing images on social media sites is possible through the application installed in the iOS device, at this time.

Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 is for cameras with firmware Version 1.0.1.0 or Version 1.0.0.0. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.2.0, it is not necessary to update the firmware.
Please note that, once the camera is updated to the latest version, it cannot be restored to a previous version.

How to Identify Cameras eligible for the Firmware Update:
Please check the serial number on the bottom of the camera. This firmware update is for products with the following serial numbers.

• Products whose sixth digit from the left is "4" or less [*****4******]

Products with eligible serial numbers that contain a blue marking inside the battery cover near the hinge have had this firmware update already applied.

Download:

Canon PowerShot S110 Firmware v1.0.2.0: Windows | Macintosh

B&H carries the Canon PowerShot S110 Digital Camera.

From DxO:

02/27/2013

129 new lens / camera combinations have been added to the DxO Optics Modules library, providing support for Canon, Nikkor, Sigma and Konica lenses for Canon, Nikon, Fuji and Sony cameras.

To see supported and planned combinations, click on the link below then select the second tab.

Supported or planned combinations

New DxO Optics Modules:

Canon | Fujifilm | Nikon | Sony

B&H carries DxO Optics Pro.

From Adobe:

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Feb. 27, 2013 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of a new version of Adobe Photoshop Touch, optimized for iPhone, iPod touch, and Android smart phones. Inspired by the highly successful Photoshop Touch for tablets, the phone app brings core features of Photoshop desktop software to mobile devices and offers similar intuitive, touch-based gestures and features.

“Mobile phones are increasingly becoming the primary tool for people to take and edit photos," said Winston Hendrickson, vice president products, Creative Media Solutions, Adobe. “Adobe is dedicated to serving our customers’ evolving creative workflow and we heard, loud and clear, that Photoshop fans wanted some core Adobe imaging magic on their smartphones.”

Adobe Photoshop Touch for phone offers powerful new capabilities for smartphone users

• Enhance images using popular Photoshop features such as layers, selection tools, filters, tonal and color adjustments
• Apply effects and add graphical text for endless creative possibilities
• Edit images as large as 12 megapixels with layers
• Combine images together quickly using the Scribble Selection feature, and easily refine your selection with the Refine Edge tool
• Automatically sync images to Adobe Creative Cloud™ with free 2GB of storage

"Photoshop Touch is a great way to work on an image on my mobile phone. The 400 percent touch zoom and organized interface in Photoshop Touch for phone made enhancing my images fun and easy,” said Brian Yap, creative director, Boxing Clever. “Working with curve adjustments and filters that use slider controls is especially intuitive."

“Adobe Photoshop Touch for phone offers great depth and value with layering and blending features,” said Richard Gray, mobile photographer, educator and blogger, iphoggy.com. “I’ll be using Photoshop Touch for phone in class with my students this year as we look at the more artistic end of the creative process with dreamscapes and surreal images.”

“The depth of selection tool options offered in Adobe Photoshop Touch for phone is unique to the photo compositing app market,” said Dan Marcolina, Marcolina Design & MarcolinaSlate LLC, author of iPhone Obsessed. “Now I, and other iPhonegraphers, can do even more exacting edge editing on the device where the image originated—our mobile phones.”

Adobe Create Cloud Workflow Integration
Photoshop Touch for phone is integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud and includes access to 2GB of Creative Cloud storage with a free account. Users can sync photos and projects to Creative Cloud, and then continue working with the files from a tablet or Photoshop desktop software. Creative Cloud is a radical rethinking of the entire creative process and an industry-defining shift in creative expression and inspiration, where members can explore, create, publish and share their work across devices, the desktop and the Web. Visit Adobe Creative Cloud for more information.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Touch for phone is immediately available in the Apple App Store and Google Play for US$4.99. For iOS devices, the app requires iOS 5, iPhone 4S and iPod touch 5th generation; Android phones must run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or later.

Adobe Create Cloud Workflow Integration
Photoshop Touch for phone is integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud and includes access to 2GB of Creative Cloud storage with a free account. Users can sync photos and projects to Creative Cloud, and then continue working with the files from a tablet or Photoshop desktop software. Creative Cloud is a radical rethinking of the entire creative process and an industry-defining shift in creative expression and inspiration, where members can explore, create, publish and share their work across devices, the desktop and the Web. Visit Adobe Creative Cloud for more information.

From Zeiss:

New application laboratories, sales and service offices and customer facilities

CAMBRIDGE/UK, 27.02.2013. - The UK manufacturing and sales divisions of Carl Zeiss have cemented their roots in Cambridge with an expansion of their existing production site and the construction of new application laboratories, sales and service offices and customer facilities.

Coldhams Lane in Cambridge has been home to Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd for some years. Due to the sustained growth in international orders, the business has acquired neighbouring premises in order to increase production of their scanning electron microscopes, including EVO, ΣIGMA and process specific tools. This provided opportune timing for the UK Sales and Service business, Carl Zeiss Ltd, to relocate from Welwyn Garden City to Cambridge where one larger ZEISS campus could be formed. The new building, located at 509 Coldhams Lane, has taken on Head Office status for both Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd and Carl Zeiss Ltd. The new facilities include five application laboratories for electron and light microscopes as well as demonstration and training facilities for surgical microscopes, medical diagnostic equipment, camera lenses, binoculars and scopes.

The first recorded sale in the UK for the German-owned company stems back to 1851. Furthermore, as Cambridge Scientific Instruments, the company designed and developed the world’s first commercial scanning electron microscope in 1965. It is clear from today’s modern business that its long history has paved the way for its success as an international leader in the field of optics and opto-electronics. Paul Adderley, Managing Director for Carl Zeiss Ltd, commented “Customers from several of the Carl Zeiss business groups, including Microscopy, Medical Technology, Camera Lenses and Sports Optics, will be able to visit us in Cambridge, the hub for innovative technology, for product demonstrations and expert applications support in our new facilities.”

The Cambridge site is one of 20 ZEISS construction projects currently underway around the world. The end goal is to achieve a modern working environment for all employees with a consistent corporate design and welcoming environment for customers.

B&H carries Zeiss lenses.

Nikon now has the following COOLPIX User's Manuals availalbe for download (PDF):

• Nikon COOLPIX L28 - English | Spanish
• Nikon COOLPIX S31 - English | Spanish
• Nikon COOLPIX S5200 - English | Spanish
• Nikon COOLPIX S6500 - English | Spanish
• Nikon COOLPIX S9400/S9500 - English | Spanish
• Nikon COOLPIX P520 - English | Spanish

B&H carries Nikon COOLPIX cameras.

In addition to the official sample pictures found on Nikon's website, Nikon France has published a set of D7100 sample pictures on flickr.

The Nikon 1 J3 User's Manual is now available for download.

Download:
Nikon 1 J3 User's Manual (PDF) - English | Spanish

From AdNews:

"Canon marketing boss Darren Ryan, who steered the brand's acclaimed 'World of EOS' campaigns, has resigned his post after seven years.

Ryan will finish on 26 April as general manager of marketing – Canon Consumer Imaging. A search for a replacement is already “well underway” according to Canon."

Read the entire article here.

From Nikon:

The WU-1a and WU-1b are USB wireless adapters that can establish a two way wireless connection between specific cameras and iOS and Android smart devices and tablets. The USB connections on the WU-1a and WU-1b are different so it is important that the correct adapter is used for the specific camera.

The table below confirms which cameras are compatible with each adapter.

The Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility (“app”) is used in combination with the WU-1a and WU-1b to download pictures from the camera and to release the camera shutter remotely. Click here for further information regarding operating system and mobile device compatibility.

From Adobe:

Welcome to the Adobe® Photoshop® Camera Raw 7.4 plug-in release candidate on Adobe Labs. A "release candidate" label indicates that this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing before it is distributed automatically to all of our customers. The Camera Raw 7.4 update includes support for many new cameras and lens profiles.

The Camera Raw plug-in provides easy access within Adobe Photoshop CS6 to the raw image formats produced by many leading professional and midrange digital cameras. For more information on the Camera Raw plug-in please visit the Camera Raw pages on Adobe.com.

The Camera Raw team would like the community to help verify the quality of the plug-in through normal usage as this will ensure that the plug-in is tested on a diversity of hardware and software configurations not available internally at Adobe. If you do experience an issue with this release candidate please report it within the Camera Raw discussion forum.

Features:

Camera Raw 7.4 Release Candidate includes a correction to the demosaic algorithms for Fujifilm cameras with the X-Trans sensor. This specifically impacts the following cameras:

• Fujifilm X-Pro1
• Fujifilm X-E1
• Fujifilm X100S
• Fujifilm X20

New Camera Support

The following new cameras are now supported:

• Canon EOS-1D C
• Casio Exilim EX-ZR700
• Fujifilm X100s
• Fujifilm X20
• Hasselblad Lunar
• Leica M
• Nikon 1 V3
• Nikon 1 S1
• Pentax MX-1

New Lens Profile Support:

Fixed Issues:

The following issues have been fixed in Camera Raw 7.4 release candidate:

• The grayscale visualization associated with Noise Reduction Luminance was visible after mouse release. This occurred when positive Clarity was present.
• The command/control + A “select all” keyboard shortcut did not select all photos.
• Modifying the brush size using the Right-click + Drag method did not increase or decrease the brush size by the desired amount.
• The crop overlay tool resized incorrectly when used in conjunction with the “Constrain to Crop” checkbox in the Lens Correction panel.
• Hovering the mouse over a local adjustment pin would turn off the desired mask.
• Horizontal artifacts occasionally appeared in DNG files.
• Improved interactive performance at intermediate zoom levels (e.g., 33% and 66%)

Downloads:

Adobe Camera Raw 7.4 Release Candidate: Windows | Macintosh
DNG Converter 7.4 Release Candidate: Windows | Macintosh

From Adobe:

Welcome to the Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 4.4 release candidate on Adobe Labs. A "release candidate" label indicates that this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing before it is distributed automatically to all of our customers. The Lightroom 4.4 update includes support for many new cameras and lens profiles.

The Lightroom team would like the community to help verify the quality of this update through normal usage as this will ensure that the application is tested on a diversity of hardware and software configurations not available internally at Adobe.

If you experience an issue with this release candidate, please submit a bug report. For more information on Lightroom 4, please visit the Lightroom product page on Adobe.com.

Features:

Lightroom 4.4 Release Candidate includes a correction to the demosaic algorithms for Fujifilm cameras with the X-Trans sensor. This specifically impacts the following cameras:

• Fujifilm X-Pro1
• Fujifilm X-E1
• Fujifilm X100S
• Fujifilm X20

New Camera Support

The following new cameras are now supported:

• Canon EOS-1D C
• Casio Exilim EX-ZR700
• Fujifilm X100s
• Fujifilm X20
• Hasselblad Lunar
• Leica M
• Nikon 1 V3
• Nikon 1 S1
• Pentax MX-1

New Lens Profile Support:

Fixed Issues:

The following issues have been fixed in Lightroom 4.4 release candidate:

• The crop overlay tool resized incorrectly when used in conjunction with the “Constrain to Crop” checkbox in the Lens Correction panel
• Background graphics were not correctly rendered within the Book Module
• The supplied lens profile for the Sony RX-1 did not contain vignette information
• Previews of photos in portrait orientation were blurry when viewed in the filmstrip in the Develop module. (Mac only)
• Stack badges displayed the wrong count when creating new stack that included a preexisting stack.
• The Filter scrollbar within the Library module was not rendering properly.

Download:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.4 Release Candidate: Windows | Macintosh

B&H carries Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.

The Canon Camera Museum has published a technical report on the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM & EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lenes.

Purchase opportunities:
Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens: B&H | Adorama | Amazon | BuyDig
Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens: B&H | Adorama | Amazon

From Photoshelter:

Get Organized & Build a Better Portfolio with Jasmine DeFoore

As an award-winning photo editor, Jasmine DeFoore knows what busy editorial and commercial clients are looking for when hiring new photogrpahers. Jasmine now helps photographers create unique narratives for books, exhibitions, websites, and promotions.

In this live webinar, Jasmine will show us what it takes to build a better portfolio and stand out from the crowd. She breaks down her tips for getting organized into four main steps

1. Define your target audience.
2. Put together a cohesive edit.
3. Build a better portfolio.
4. Create your marketing checklist.

Join us on Tuesday, February 26 at 4pm EDT for this live webinar!

Register Here

In late 2010, we posted a news feature on gps4cam, a geotagging app for the iPhone. In short, the app allowed you to record location data with your phone's GPS and append the coordinates to the EXIF data of your DSLR images.

In the past two years, gps4cam has released an Android version of their app and a "Pro" version of their original iOS app with many enhanced features.

gps4cam Features:

• No need to synchronize manually the time and date of your iPhone and your camera
• Share one bar code with several cameras
• Visualize the trip and different capture points on a map
• Share the geotagged pictures on websites like Flickr, Picasa or Panoramio
• Organize the geotagged pictures with software like iPhoto, Aperture or Picasa (mac or pc)
• Works with all camera brands including Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic
• Geotag all the usual image formats (jpg, raw, tiff…)
• Contextual help and instructions
• GPX export

Additional features of gps4cam Pro:

• Long trips management improvement:

1. Online Connection through Dropbox to GPS4CAM. This Online Mode allows you to store the necessary data on the cloud for later use. From now on, only one QRCode has to be photographed! Gps4cam Desktop finds then automatically the needed data on the cloud and geotag your photos.
2. Optimization of the number of QRCodes to photograph. If the user do not want or cannot use the online connection, he can choose the data he wants to encode into the QR Codes (Altitude,Ultra Accurate positioning) in order to limit the number of QR Codes to photograph.

• User experience improved:

1. New function to catch up if you forget to launch the application. The user can move the start of the trip. Thus, the pictures taken before the launch of gps4cam are associated with the first capture made at the launch of the trip on the iPhone.
2. Possibility to name a trip from the beginning of the trip (and not only after the ride).

• New positioning information:

1. Export of the altitudes. Pilots, skydivers, hikers & climbers specifically have asked for this feature.
2. Export Ultra Accurate Positioning. This mode is the default mode when the application is run online.

• Other functions:

1. Possibility of transferring the entire database of trips to gps4cam or gps4cam pro.
2. Ability to send by mail or import to Dropbox the trips full database.
3. Ability to specify in the iPhone settings an address by default for sending GPX files or for the trips database back up.

• Many small ergonomic improvements making it easier to navigate within the application & optimization of the app for IOS6 and IPhone 5 users.

Download Links:

gps4cam ($2.99) - iOS | Android
gps4cam Pro ($3.99) - iOS
Free gps4cam Desktop Client (click on "Downloads")

From Carl Zeiss:

ZEISS camera and cine lenses receive coveted iF product design award

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 25.02.2013. - Carl Zeiss has won five product design prizes as part of the prestigious iF design awards 2013. Three ZEISS camera lenses and two cine lenses were presented with an award during a festive ceremony on February 22 in Munich. More than 3,000 products were submitted for the iF product design award 2013, which is now in its 60th year.

The winners are the cine lenses Compact Zoom CZ.2 70-200/T2.9, the ARRI/ZEISS Master Anamorphic MA 50/T1.9 (which was developed jointly with camera maker ARRI), as well as three new camera lenses for single-lens reflex (SLR) and mirrorless system cameras (CSC). One of the lenses for Sony NEX and Fujifilm X cameras even received the coveted iF gold award for particularly exceptional design, which this year was presented to only 50 of the 981 winners. This new product family of autofocus lenses for mirrorless system cameras (CSC) should be available starting the summer of 2013.

The iF product design award pays tribute to an entirely new design approach at Carl Zeiss. "For the first time, we have established a design language that aims to convey the strengths and the identity of our lenses already through their appearance, how they feel to the human touch, and the impression they create," says Martin Dominicus, Head of Marketing of Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division. The new product design language, which will be applied to all future lenses, was created in close cooperation with the Stuttgart design studio Phoenix Design. "While ZEISS lenses have until now mainly been known for their technical precision, excellent image performance and ergonomics, our lenses will now also meet the highest aesthetic standards of our customers by becoming design objects in and of themselves," explains Dominicus. "Important in this respect are not only functional aspects such as convenient handling and operation, but also the effect that is communicated through high-quality design."

Carl Zeiss and Phoenix Design, which was founded in 1987, developed the new design language in an extensive two-year process that began with in-depth interviews with experienced users and business partners. Tom Schönherr, co-founder and partner of Phoenix Design, explains: "From the brand values of ZEISS lenses we derived product characteristics for the areas usability, perception and technology which should be mirrored in the product design. Attributes such as logical, reliable and user-oriented are reflected in the new concept for labeling and manageability." The industry designers have described the characteristics in a guideline. These characteristics will distinguish the ZEISS brand in all future products and ensure recognition across all product lines. Brand recognition will be reflected in such form elements as contour lines, the look and feel of the operating areas, and the properties of the surface. New features include an optimized focus ring, a smooth coating, and a stray light lens hood which presents itself as an optical component part of the camera lens. The lens hood's funnel-shaped form signals the high speed and performance which ZEISS lenses are known for, among others.

The names and scales on the lenses are — fully in line with a uniform and recognizable typography — in the standardized typeface DIN 1451. This typeface is not only known for its clear, classic and modern appearance; used since 1936 for German road and rail signage, it is intended to be quickly recognizable and optimally legible, even in poor lighting conditions. These are characteristics to which photographers and cinematographers also attach great importance as they make it easier to handle a lens.

"Being honored with the iF product design awards confirms that we have succeeded in creating a distinctive design. Especially for a lens, this is a major challenge as the scope to influence the design is very limited. With few but all the more typical elements, we have developed a new and modern design language that is already gaining acceptance," says product designer Schönherr.

Dominicus adds: "For us it was important that the appearance of ZEISS lenses be just as unique as their technical characteristics. We have developed a concept that enables Carl Zeiss to achieve its premium claim more consistently in the future: uncompromising technology with outstanding product design."

B&H carries Zeiss lenses.

This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending February 23rd, 2013

In the news...

On Sunday, both Canon and Nikon announced big savings with DSLR camera and lens rebates. Nikon rebates like these haven’t been seen in several years and are scheduled to run two weeks, ending on March 2nd. Canon rebates are scheduled to last a little longer - until March 30th.

On Tuesday, Canon announced a new address for its Americas headquarters, One Canon Park, Melville, NY. The 700,000 square foot facility will serve all North and South American countries and will be one of three Canon worldwide headquarters – the other two located in London and Japan.

Also on Tuesday, Canon released an official product advisory regarding slow autofocus performance when using a Speedlite’s AF assist beam with Canon EOS-1D X and 5D Mark III digital cameras. Firmware fixes are being developed for both cameras with the 5D III firmware scheduled to arrive in late April and the 1D X firmware scheduled to arrive in late May.

On Wednesday, Nikon announced the D7100 DSLR camera. The D7100 features a 24.1 megapixel DX sensor, a new 51-Point AF system, 3.2” LCD screen, and a burst rate of 6 frames per second. One of the most notable features of the D7100 is an omission – it is designed without an optical low-pass filter.

Also on Wednesday, Nikon issued an official advisory regarding sensor dust in the D600 DSLR camera. Nikon advises manually cleaning the sensor with a sensor bulb and, if that doesn’t work, consulting your nearest Nikon service center for a cleaning.

On Friday, we published a news article on the creation of the world’s largest panoramic photo – a 320-gigapixel image of London, England, captured with Canon equipment. The panoramic image was created using more than 48,000 individual images and would be 98 meters long if printed.

And, for our deal of the week…

On Tuesday, we published a deal from BuyDig.com where you could get a free copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements 11 bundled with several popular Canon DSLR lenses. As the software normally sells just north of $100.00, this was an especially good deal when packaged with moderately priced lenses.

This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!

From Nikon:

Thank you for choosing Nikon for your photographic needs.

Some D600 users have reported the appearance of random spots on their images which is generally attributed to the natural accumulation of dust.

While understanding that dust will occur over time, and steps may be taken to reduce the occurrence, the complete elimination of these dust spots may sometimes be difficult.

It has come to our attention that, in some rare cases, they may be reflected noticeably in images and removal may be difficult using normal measures. Therefore, Nikon is informing users of a service to reduce this issue.

Resolution

As a first step, please follow the guidance from the D600 User's Manual (pages 301-305) related to the Clean Image Sensor function and manual cleaning using a blower bulb.

If these measures do not remove all dust particles and you are still experiencing problems, then please consult your nearest Nikon service center. The technicians will examine the camera thoroughly, and service it as needed.

Requesting service

See the following for instructions on requesting service by a Nikon service center.

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Service-And-Support/Service-And-Repair.page

Please direct inquiries regarding this matter to your nearest Nikon service center.

We hope that you will continue to choose Nikon for your photographic needs.

From BT Tower's website:

BT Tower breaks world record for panoramic photo

An amazing image of London taken from the top of the BT Tower has set a new record for the world’s largest panoramic photo. The image shows a full 360 degree view of London in incredible detail.

The 320 gigapixel image, taken by expert photography firm 360Cities, comprises more than 48,000 individual frames which have been collated into a single panorama by a powerful workstation. It is the first time that an image of this magnitude has ever been attempted, and it took several months to create due to the scale of the endeavour. If printed at normal photographic resolution, the BT Tower panorama would be 98 meters across and 24 meters tall, almost as big as Buckingham Palace. In comparison, the last record attempt for a London panorama was 80 gigapixels, taken from Centrepoint in 2010.

Project by numbers:

• 320 – the number of gigapixels in the photo
• 48,640 – the number of individual images shot
• 3 – the number of days it took to shoot all the individual photos
• 3 – the number of months over which the computer processed the final result
• 60,000 – times bigger than an iPhone 4 photo
• 98 – the number of meters long if printed in normal photographic resolution
• 24 – the number of meters high if printed in normal photographic resolution
• 29th – The floor at the BT Tower where the photos were taken
• 20 – number of miles distant to the viewable horizon

Technical photographic information, and how the photo was taken:

• Working over a period of three chilly days in 2012, the 360Cities team spent hours on the 29th floor outdoor platform of the BT Tower working with four cameras to record the 48,640 images comprising the panorama.
• Four Canon EOS 7D cameras with EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses and Extender EF 2x III teleconverters were mounted on Clauss company Rodeon VR Head ST robotic panorama heads and positioned in four secure locations around the 29th floor platform.
• The Clauss company robotic panorama heads are capable of 72,000 steps in a single 360 degree arc, and in this case were set to fire four frames a second.
• Laptops monitored a live preview of the progress of the shoot, which was accomplished in the teeth of sub-freezing temperatures and occasional 50 mph winds high above London.
• The 360Cities photography team of Jeffrey Martin, Tom Mills and Holger Schulze ensured that not a single individual frame from the more than 48,000 planned was missed.
• The raw images were then processed over a multi-week period using Fujitsu Technology Solutions’ Celsius R920 workstation with 256GB of RAM and 16 cores at 3.1GHz, and Autopano Giga panorama stitching software from Kolor.
• The resulting online interactive version of the photo is presented in multi-layered, tiled resolution that permits zooming in to view extreme details, and is composed of millions of individual image tiles.

See the full BT Tower Press Release and check out the amazing 320-gigapixel panoramic photo.

From Kickstarter:

Luxi turns your iPhone into an incident light meter for photographers.

What is Luxi?

Luxi is a small diffusion dome that fits securely over your iPhone’s front-facing camera. When attached and used with a light meter app, Luxi will help you determine the best settings for your DSLR or other camera so that you can take perfectly exposed pictures.

What does it do?

With Luxi, your iPhone becomes a convenient and easy to use incident light meter. Professional light meters with the same features can cost several hundred dollars and require you to carry a whole separate device.

Incident light meters, like Luxi, measure the amount of light falling on the subject you are photographing, not the light reflected by the subject. Incident light meter readings are independent of the subject's reflectance and cannot be fooled by tricky lighting situations like back-lit subjects (e.g. sunset portraits).

Go to the Luxi Kickstarter page to see more.

From Microsoft:

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 21, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. and Nikon Corporation have signed a patent licensing agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for certain Nikon cameras running the Android platform. While the contents of the agreement will not be disclosed, Microsoft will receive royalties from Nikon.

“Microsoft and Nikon have a long history of collaboration, and this agreement further demonstrates the value that both companies place on responsible IP licensing,” said David Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property (IP) Licensing at Microsoft. “Microsoft is proud to align with a leader in the digital camera industry to license Android technology for the benefit of Nikon’s customers.”

B&H carries Nikon Digital Cameras with Android.

From Tamron:

February 22, 2013, Saitama, Japan - Tamron Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Morio Ono / Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the launch of a next generation 90mm Macro lens for full-size SLR cameras. The lens features completely redesigned optics, a proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation)*1, and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)*2.

The SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD (Model F004) for Nikon will be first released in Japan on March 2, 2013 and subsequently elsewhere.

(*1) VC (Vibration Compensation) is Tamron's proprietary image stabilization mechanism.
(*2) USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) is Tamron's proprietary ultrasonic motor drive.

B&H has the Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD Lens for Nikon available for preorder.

From YouTube:

"How do the world's top chefs photograph their food for recipe books?

Photographer David Loftus and Jamie Oliver have worked together for the past 15 years preparing and shooting food for countless cookbooks and websites.

In this master class, David (shooting on the Nikon D4) and Jamie (shooting on the Nikon D3200) explain how they capture rich, vibrant imagery of the food that Jamie cooks, and what can we learn from them for our own food photography."

B&H carries the Nikon D4 and Nikon D3200 DSLR cameras.

From Nikon:

Superior Clarity and Nimble Precision: The DX-Format Nikon D7100 Embraces The Advanced Enthusiast With Intuitive Engineering

Nikon’s DX-format Flagship Provides Agility, Amazing Image Quality and Wireless Connectivity

MELVILLE, N.Y. – Nikon Inc. today announced the D7100, the HD-SLR that ushers in a new era of DX-format image quality and functionality for the experienced shooter and photo enthusiast. The lightweight Nikon D7100 has an impressive array of intuitive features and controls bolstered by rapid performance and a robust feature set that includes a new 24.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, Nikon’s 51-point AF system and wireless connectivity.

“Solidifying Nikon’s ongoing commitment to the DX-format D-SLR customer, the innovative D7100 provides new ways for photographers to capture their creative vision with incredible detail and precision, whether through still images or HD videos,” said Bo Kajiwara, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Customer Experience, Nikon Inc. “The D7100 blends the best creative features with advanced-level functionality to give the enthusiast exactly what they want– and that’s a great shooting experience before, during and after capture, from shooting to sharing.”

Engineered for Exceptional Image Quality

At the core of the Nikon D7100 is a new 24.1-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor, designed to render the truest, most detail-rich images possible and brilliant HD video. The innovative sensor design delivers the ultimate in image quality by defying convention; because of the high resolution and advanced technologies, the optical low pass filter (OLPF) is no longer used. Using NIKKOR lenses, the resulting images explode with more clarity and detail to take full advantage of the 24.1-megapixel resolution achieved with D7100’s DX-format CMOS sensor.

Driven by Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED 3 image processing engine, the D7100 realizes a focus on image quality that extends beyond staggering sharpness to outstanding images with a wide dynamic range in a variety of lighting conditions. A wide ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to Hi-2 of 25,600) allows for more versatile shooting to capture challenging conditions such as nature at twilight or even sports under less-than-ideal lighting. Even at higher ISOs, noise is minimized for both still images as well as when recording HD video.

Performance and Features Geared for the Advanced User

The Nikon D7100 is designed for the experienced shooter ready to take their photography to the next level, who demands a camera that conveys reliability and performance, and who is eager to embrace the next photographic challenge. These features include:

New 51-Point AF System - The D7100 features Nikon’s professionally proven and lightning-fast 51-point AF system, with a new Multi-CAM 3500DX AF module. Additionally, the AF system and exposure are augmented with Nikon’s 3D Color Matrix Metering II 2,016-pixel RGB sensor and Scene Recognition System, which recognizes the scene prior to shooting in order to adjust AF, AE, AWB and other parameters. The results of this system are accurate and even exposures, sharp details and vivid color, frame after frame. For additional precision, 15 of the 51 AF points are cross-type, and the center point is functional at f/8, giving DX photographers an additional telephoto advantage when using a teleconverter.

Rapid Response and Operation - To help ensure the decisive shot is not missed, the D7100 can shoot at up to six frames-per-second (fps) at full resolution and up to seven fps when using the new 1.3x crop mode at slightly reduced resolution. Overall operation and image processing is swift, while startup and shutter lag is nearly imperceptible with a release time lag of 0.052 second (CIPA). Image data is also written to dual SD card slots, which accept the latest high-speed UHS-1 and SDXC cards.

1.3x Crop Mode - Sports photographers take note: Building upon the telephoto benefits of the DX-format, the D7100 has the unique ability to shoot in a 1.3x DX crop mode for both stills and HD video. While in this innovative mode, shooters will gain an extra telephoto boost (2X), and a boost in burst speed to seven fps, with 15.4- megapixel resolution. Additionally, while in this mode, the 51-point AF array covers more of the frame, allowing improved subject acquisition and tracking performance through the viewfinder.

New High Resolution LCD - The new, wide and bright LCD screen is 3.2-inches and features a super high resolution of 1,229K dots. Now photographers can easily compose and check critical focus for HD video.

New Viewfinder - Nikon has implemented a bright and high-contrast new OLED data display within the optical viewfinder that makes it easier to read and see shooting data. When composing through the viewfinder, users see 100% frame coverage, essential for proper framing.

Spot White Balance - A new feature for Nikon cameras, Spot White Balance allows for quick and precise white balance adjustment while shooting in live view. By selecting a desired point on the screen, users can set a custom white balance from a distance, even while using a super-telephoto lens. This is helpful for shooting video or when shooting under unfamiliar lighting when no gray card is available.

Durable Construction - Built to perform in a wide variety of conditions, the D7100 is built to the same moisture and dust resistance specifications of the venerable Nikon D300S. For durability, the top and rear covers are constructed of magnesium alloy, while internally, the shutter has been tested to withstand 150,000 cycles. Despite its robust construction, the camera remains lightweight, weighing in at approximately 1.5 pounds (body).

Enhanced Interface - To make it easier for users to quickly access frequently used functions, the “i” button has been added to the enthusiast-oriented control layout on the camera.

Sharing and Remote Shooting Simplified

Photographers know that moment when the shutter clicks and they have created something stunning which deserves to be shared. No matter where that moment occurs, whether in an urban landscape or isolated forest, they can now share their images wirelessly by an attached WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter.1 With this optional adapter the user has the ability to share images to a supported smartphone or tablet, shoot remotely from their device, and transfer photos from up to 49 feet away. The Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility application is available free of charge on Google Play™ for Android™ devices or from the App Store™. When using the application, photographers can wirelessly transfer images from the camera to a mobile device and even remotely control the camera.

Capture Exceptional HD Video

For those looking to create multimedia content, the Nikon D7100 has a wide variety of innovative features for capturing HD video at various frame rates. With a press of the dedicated video record button, video can be recorded at 1080/30p, or at 60i/50i (in 1.3x Crop Mode) for optimal playback on many HDTV’s when connected via HDMI. The D7100 also provides the ability to record stereo sound through the internal microphone, or attach an optional external microphone such as Nikon’s ME-1, through the dedicated microphone terminal. To reference audio, the camera also features a headphone terminal. Users can also get creative using Nikon’s Creative Effects in real time. This feature lets users take advantage of modes like Selective Color or Color Sketch to create truly customized movies.

Full Control, Creatively

In addition to full manual controls, the Nikon D7100 features a variety of intelligent modes to create effects and special features so that users can unleash their creativity. Nikon’s Picture Controls can be applied to photo and video to change the color, tone and saturation of an image for creative control. When capturing still images, the same Creative Effects modes and filters available in video are also at the disposal of the user. By combining consecutive frames, the D7100 also has a high dynamic range (HDR) function to let users capture photos with a vast tonal range.

NIKKOR, Speedlight and System Compatibility

For 80 years, the NIKKOR legacy has been providing world renowned optics for photographers. The D7100 is compatible with Nikon’s dedicated DX-format lenses and more than 50 FX-format lenses. NIKKOR lenses offer the ultimate in sharpness and clarity in photos and HD video. For added versatility, the camera features a built-in flash, or can act as a commander in Nikon’s popular Creative Lighting System (CLS).

WR-1 Transceiver

In addition to the D7100, Nikon also announced the WR-1 Transceiver for Nikon D-SLR cameras. This device uses the 2.4 GHz radio frequency for maximum range when communicating with the camera, extending the range and functionality2 for remote shooting applications. The communication range between WR-1 units is approximately 394 feet3, and 15 channels are available. Users also have the ability to remotely control a camera (with a WR-1 used as a receiver) attached by operation of another WR-1 (used as a transmitter), and also perform simultaneous or synchronized release of shutters on several cameras using the WR-14. Furthermore, there are a wide variety of options for remote shooting, which include dividing remote cameras into groups and controlling each group separately and interval timer photography. Remote shooting by combining the WR-1 with WR-R10/WRT10 wireless remotes is also possible5.

Price and Availability

The Nikon D7100 will be available starting in March 2013 for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $1599.95* with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens or $1199.95 for the body only configuration. Additionally, the new MB-D15 battery grip and the WR-1 transceiver will also be available in March 2013, and pricing for these products is not yet announced. The WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter is currently available and has a suggested retail price (SRP) of $59.95.

Preorder opportunities:

Nikon D7100 DSLR Camera (Body Only): B&H | Adorama | Amazon
Nikon D7100 DSLR Camera and 18-105mm DX VR Lens Kit: B&H | Adorama | Amazon