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Digital Photography < B&H Email Newsletter
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By Allan Weitz
The Photo Marketing Association (PMA) held its annual powwow this past week in Orlando, Florida. As expected, there were more than a few new toys to set our hearts a pounding. As a teaser, we are featuring a brief overview of some of the new cameras, lenses, and printers coming our way as winter winds down and the robins find their way back north. |
Canon EOS30D |
Canon continues to raise the bar on imaging technology. Aside from a gaggle of new digital point-and-shoots, Canon unveiled an update of the successful EOS 20D DSLR. The new camera, known as the Canon EOS 30D, contains the same 8.3 Mp sensor as its predecessor, but with a bunch of physical and practical improvements.
Among these improvements are a slightly beefier body, a larger (2.5”) rear-mounted LCD display, 3 or 5 fps continuous shooting capability, spot metering, ISO speeds in 1/3-step intervals, direct printing to compatible printers, quicker start-up and shutter-response times, and "PictureStyles" for controlling the color and tonal qualities of your image files.
In the optics department, Canon has introduced the EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS, a faster version of its popular EF-S kit lens. The new lens boasts a constant f2.8 aperture throughout the focal-length range. Combined with IS technology, this lens offers the low-light handling of a non-IS lens with a maximum aperture of f1.4. Another benefit of the wider aperture is quicker response times for the cameras AF system. If you own a Canon 20D, 30D, or Rebel XT, this new zoom is worth a close look if you are seeking a lens you can couple to your Canon D-SLR and play with all day long.
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| Canon EF 85/1.2L IS Mark II Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS |
| For low-light shooters and those seeking razor-thin depth-of-field, Canon has performed a complete face-lift on its revered EF 85/1.2L IS Mark II . Vastly improved AF response times are the big news here. The original EF 85/1.2 L was, despite the ultra-wide maximum aperture, somewhat of a slug in the AF department. The new lens, aside from quick reflexes, is also up to spec for use with Canon’s latest generation E-TTL II speedlites and E-TTL II-compatible cameras. |
For printing all of those images you’ve been shooting with your digital cameras, Canon has also announced two new Super A3 (13 x 19”) inkjet printers. The Canon PIXMA Pro9000 is a wide-gamut, 8-color dye-based inkjet printer designed to deliver bright, saturated color prints with fine 3-picoliter dot precision. For those interested in fine-art prints that, according to Canon, will last well into the 23rd Century, the Canon PIXMA |
Canon PIXMA Pro9000 & Pro9500 |
Pro9500 is a 10-color pigment-based printer that uses canon’s new “Lucia” pigment-based inkset. To go along with these new printers, Canon is offering a wide selection of paper surfaces including several fine-art papers.
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Nikon’s latest update of a proven classic is the AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105/2.8G IF-ED. According to the folks at Nippon Kogaku, this is the first fixed focal-length macro lens to feature VR technology. If you ever tried hand-holding a macro lens while trying to shoot a bumble bee at 1:1 you’ll appreciate how cool this lens is. Nano Crystal Coatings, ED glass, and internal focusing round out the goody list for a lens that compliments any Nikon SLR or DSLR you may couple it to. |
AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105/2.8G IF-ED |
Panasonic has raised our eyebrows with the release of the Lumix DMC-L1. Featuring a 7.1Mp Live MOS sensor, the Lumix DMC-L1 offers SLR-type image viewing in a rangefinder-style body. Reminiscent of the fabled Konica Hexar film-based cameras, the Lumix DMC-L1 contains an Olympus 4/3 imaging sensor, which size-wise is midway between the APS-sized sensors found in Nikon DSLRs and the sensors found in most point-and-shoot digicams.
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
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| Aside from a laundry list of pro-quality features, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 can be coupled to a Leica D 14-50/2.8-3.5 lens (28 - 100 35mm equivalent). This new lens features an honest-to-gosh focusing ring, aperture ring, and zoom ring. If you yearn for a camera with the feel of the good-old-days, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 / Leica D14-50 zoom combo is a honey |
| HP, longing for a larger share of the printer market, has announced the HP Photosmart Pro B9180 inkjet printer. Packing a total of 8 pigment-based “Vivera” ink cartridges, HP is promoting this new Super A3 (13 x 19”) inkjet printer as an ideal machine for proofing as well as museum-quality fine-art printing. Like Canon, HP is introducing a wide range of media surfaces to go along with their new printer. |
HP Photosmart Pro B9180 |
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