Leica annouces the M9 Neiman Marcus Edition

Leica announced the limited edition of the M9 Neiman Marcus Edition (Only 50 to be sold) recently. The rugged looking Leica M body and the matching Summicron-M 35mm f2.0 ASPH lens are finished in classic chrome and costs $17,500.00!!

The high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD screen is protected by sapphire cover glass and each lens and body are uniquely numbered. The $17,500 price tag covers a three-year warranty covers accidental damage, s full suite of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 digital editing software, a personal letter from Leica CEO Alfred Schopf and a certificate of authenticity.

Call 1.877.9NM.GIFT if you want to buy one of these.

Lensbaby launches the Composer with Tilt Transformer

Lensbaby launched the new addition to their Lensbaby Creative Effects camera products line, the Composer with Tilt Transformer. The Composer with Tilt Transformer will be available for the Panasonic Lumix G Micro System and the Olympus PEN digital cameras.

Lensbaby expects the Composer with Tilt Transformer to be available for the Sony ? NEX cameras in Q4 of 2010.

The Tilt Transformer allows photographers to mount any Nikon mount lens onto their Micro Four Thirds or Sony ? NEX camera and tilt up to twice the amount of standard tilt-shift lenses, delivering photos that have a slice of focus through the image, bordered by a soft blur.

Check out the How-To video for Lensbaby Tilt Transformer.

Leica’s new V-Lux 2 Superzoom camera

Four years after the V-Lux 1, Leica has released its next iteration of superzoom compact cameras, the V-Lux 2. Here are some of its features followed by their press release.

Leica V-Lux 2 Features

Ultra-wide focal-length range
The Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 1:2.8-5.2/4.5-108 mm ASPH.

Continuous shooting at high speed
The ultra-fast consecutive burst capability of the Leica V-Lux 2 is 11 frames per second at the full resolution of 14.1 MP or 60 frames per second with a resolution of 2.8 MP.

Fold-out LCD display
The V-Lux 2 offers entirely new viewing perspectives when shooting.

Videos in Full-HD-Quality
The V-Lux 2 shoots videos in 1080i-AVCHD Full HD.

Comprehensive software options: Two image processing software packages from Adobe
The V-Lux 2 is supplied with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 8 and the Adobe® Premiere® Elements 8

Press Release

Photokina, Cologne, 21 September 2010: Leica Camera AG has announced the LEICA V-LUX 2, combining a high-performance 24x super-zoom lens and outstanding image quality with a sleek and compact body. Equipped with a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT 4.5 – 108 mm f/2.8 – 5.2 ASPH. lens, a 3’’ rotating LCD display and a wide variety of video functions in 1080i-AVCHD Full HD, the V-LUX 2 is ideal for almost any photographic situation.

The V-LUX 2’s 24x optical super-zoom lens offers an enormous range of focal lengths equivalent to 25–600 mm in 35mm format. Whether shooting expansive landscapes, finely detailed macro studies at short distances, or far-away objects, people or animals with a super-telephoto setting, the Leica lens captures them all in breathtaking quality.

Peter Kruschewski, product manager for Digital Compact Cameras at Leica Camera AG, said, “The V-Lux 2’s versatile lens and compact form make it the ideal camera for the ambitious travel and wildlife photographer. In certain shooting situations, having to change lenses can be frustrating, especially when a quick reaction is required. Thanks to the V-LUX 2’s large range of focal lengths, this compact camera has the ability to capture almost all moments of life. The V-LUX 2 is an interesting alternative to comparable SLR systems. Compact and lighter, it also significantly reduces the weight and volume of photographic equipment when travelling.”

A newly developed 14.1 MP CMOS image sensor tuned to perfection enhances the high-performance LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT 4.5 – 108 mm f/2.8 – 5.2 ASPH. zoom lens. In combination with the camera’s electronics and firmware, the sensor guarantees brilliant, high-contrast images with natural colour rendition and superb sharpness.

The LEICA V-LUX 2’s 3” LCD display has a resolution of 460,000 pixels and can be twisted and turned in almost any direction, making it easy for photographers to compose pictures from even the most unusual or challenging angles. When shooting stills or videos from over their heads or close to the ground, photographers using the V-LUX 2 are always in full control.

In addition to offering an integrated stereo microphone with an electronic wind noise filter that guarantees a crystal-clear soundtrack, the entire 24x zoom range is available during video recording. The LEICA V-LUX 2 is the first Leica digital compact to feature video capture in 1080i-AVCHD Full HD.
One of the world’s fastest consecutive-shooting cameras, the LEICA V-LUX 2 features high-speed burst shooting capability: bursts of 11 frames per second at the full resolution of 14.1 MP, or 60 frames per second with a resolution of 2.8 MP.

Characterised by a compact design and extremely simple handling, the V-LUX 2’s integrated handgrip and light weight allows photographers to shoot one-handed. The camera controls are clearly laid out, ensuring fast and simple operation. For instance, video recording can be started quickly and easily at the touch of a button on the top plate of the camera.

Software
The LEICA V-LUX 2 is supplied with a comprehensive suite of software. Adobe® Photoshop® Elements® 8 provides users with a comprehensive and versatile image editing solution that offers viewing, organisation, administration and a wide range of processing options for still images and video recordings. Also included is Adobe® Premiere® Elements® 8, an easy-to-use package offering video processing for movies recorded by the V-LUX 2 in AVCHD format, and also enabling the creation of professional audio and video effects.

Pricing and availability
The LEICA V-LUX 2 will be available in the UK from October 2010 from authorised Leica dealers including the Leica Store Mayfair: www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk, tel: 020 7629 1351. A full list of authorised UK Leica dealers is available at www.leica-camera.co.uk. The suggested retail price of the LEICA V-LUX 2 is £675 including VAT. An outdoor case will be available for the V-LUX 2 at an SRP of £135 including VAT.

Panasonic announces the first interchangeable 3D lens for cameras

Panasonic recently announced 3 new interchangeable lenses for the LUMIX G Series cameras, including the world’s first interchangeable 3D lens, the H-FT012 (pictured below). The lenses, which are based on the Micro Four Thirds System standard, are compact while featuring high optical performance and are compatible with Panasonic’s LUMIX DSLMicro cameras including the new LUMIX DMC-GH2.

The interchangeable 3D lens LUMIX G 12.5mm / F12 (H-FT012) features 2 optical systems installed within the diameter of the lens mount, creating stereo images from the left and right lenses which are then processed with a 3D image processing system.

“Panasonic’s delivery of the world’s first interchangeable 3D lens speaks to our commitment to leading the 3D era,’” said Darin Pepple, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Consumers can now enjoy shooting high-quality photos in 3D with this compact lens, from landscapes to people, while watching them back later on their 3D-capable VIERA televisions at home.”

How to choose a tripod for your Digital SLR

You have bought your Digital SLR, your lenses and now you are now wondering if you should invest in a tripod. Our advice is if you are serious about your photography, you should get one. Here are some situations that will have you appreciating a tripod:

1. Heavy Lenses: When you start using tele-zoom lenses, you will realize that those monsters are quite heavy to hold steady and shoot without a shake. Tripods will help you shoot sharper pictures with the tele-zoom lenses.

2. Low Light Shots: When shooting in low light, the shutter speed is usually slowed down and slower shutter speeds require a steadier hand while shooting. With tripods, you can eliminate almost all the shake and get sharper pictures in low light.

3. Landscape Photography: For landscape photography, it is recommended that you use a tripod since you will be using a small aperture to get the required depth of field and smaller apertures require longer exposure times.

Now that we have looked at some of the situations that will warrant a tripod, lets look at how to choose a good tripod.

1. Check the stability of the tripod: Fully extend the legs of the tripod, put some weight on the top and check if it shakes. Since the main objective of the tripod is to hold the camera steady, you should look for a tripod that does not shake at all.

2. Check the height of the tripod: Choose a tripod that can offer your preferred low height as well as go just a little above your line of sight.

3. Choose the right head for your needs: Tripods come with two different kinds of head – Pan/tilt and ball head. Pan/tilt heads are usually used for shooting video since  they provide the ability to lock each axis (tilt, pan, and roll) independently.

4. Quick Release heads: Look for a tripod with a  quick release head. The quick release feature lets you switch quickly between shooting using a tripod or shooting by hand. For shooting still pictures, you do not need that kind of control and therefore, a ball head is preferred. However, with today’s DSLRs offering HD video, you might be better off getting a Pan/Tilt head.

Do you have any other suggestions for choosing a tripod?

Image Credit: Koshyk

Do I really need a Lens Hood?

Lens Hoods have 2 main advantages:

1. Lens Hoods shield yours lens from direct sunlight or other bright lights that might fall directly on the lens and in turn, cause flare. By reducing the contrast and creating flare, your pictures will have much richer colors and deeper saturation. Flower shaped lens hoods are often used on zoom lenses as a normal lens hood will block the field of view on certain zoom settings.

2. Lens Hoods also protect your lens. As the hood does project from the lens, it does make the actual lens difficult to reach. This helps reduce the accidental fingerprint on the lens or even the accidental drop which could result in the need to replace the lens. And if you are a serious photographer, you know how expensive that is!

The only time you do NOT want to use a Lens Hood is when are you are shooting Macro or when are you are shooting using the on-camera flash. In these cases, the Lens Hood can obstruct your shot.

Check out the latest Canon Lens Hoods here and the latest Nikon Lens Hoods here.

Here is an interesting video on Lens Hoods by Jared Polin

Image by: nlewis039

Its here – Canon’s new EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II lens

Canon has announced the EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM lens. This is a successor to the EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM lens that was launched 2 years ago and was the go-to lens for professional shooters. This newest version offers various improvements on an already great design including a redesigned optical system and a closer minimum focusing distance.

Check out some of the reviews:

“The new EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens promises high-performance and quality plus greater flexibility in low-light conditions. A new Image Stabiliser provides the equivalent of approximately four stops of shutter speed advantage, while the minimum focusing distance has been reduced to 1.2m throughout the zoom range. Dust- and moisture-proof sealing has been extended for improved durability in challenging conditions.”

Photo Review Australia – Read their full review here

“Canon has improved the optical performance by redesigning the internal elements, incorporating a fluorite element and a fifth UD element to help minimize secondary chromatic aberrations and produce better image quality with improved contrast and resolution through the entire zoom range. The new lens design features improved auto focus speed due to a new focusing algorithm and a shorter minimum focusing distance of 3.9 feet (1.2 meters). It also features improved image stabilization allowing it to compensate for shutter speeds up to four steps slower than 1/focal length, a one step improvement over the previous lens model.”

Digital Camera Review – Read their full review here.

Are you planning to upgrade your lens?

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM is here

Canon has released another amazing lens that I cannot wait to get my hands on – the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM!

Check out their press release below:

“The high quality, medium telephoto macro lens, has been developed for photographers who demand the highest level of optical quality. The new Hybrid IS system features up to 4-stop correction, compensating for the effects of camera shake, during normal shooting. Low friction ceramic balls support the moving elements, which allows for the amazingly smooth movement – needed when compensating for camera shake during macro shooting.  Hybrid IS corrects shift movement – problematic when shooting up close -as well as angular movement providing photographers with the benefit of up to 2 stops at 1.0x magnification.

The EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM features ultra low dispersion (UD) lenses that correct colour aberration for high resolution, high contrast images while the addition of Super Spectra coatings effectively reduce ghosting and flare for superior quality images. A nine blade circular aperture makes subjects stand out amid beautiful background blur and a silent, high-speed ring type USM Autofocus motor quickly achieves focus. The lens also includes a three position focus limiter to tailor the focus system range to the desired subject.

As part of the L-series the lens features dust and water resistant seals. Sitting ahead of the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro, within the range, the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM supports a full range of accessories including: Tripod Mount D, Macro Lite adaptor 67, Lens Hood ET-73 and EF12 II and EF25 II extension tubes. The tripod mount attaches to the lens without the need for an adaptor enabling quick portrait or landscape switching without having to reframe the camera. Speedlites MR-14EX and MT-24EX can be attached using the MacroLite adaptor”

Pentax K2000 Digital SLR Camera Review

K2000 is the 10.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera released by Pentax. The Pentax K2000 is targeted towards entry level DSLR users and was released in November of 2008. Following are some of the technical specifications of the Pentax K2000:

Model: K2000 w/ AF200FG Flash & 18-55mm Lens
Optical Sensor Resolution: 10.2 MP
Optical_sensor_technology: CCD
Optical zoom: 3 x
Optical_sensor_size: 23.5 x 15.7 mm
Included Flash Type: Built-in flash
Display Size: 2.7 inches
Light_sensitivity: SO 100-3200, ISO auto (100-3200)
Shooting Modes: Auto Picture, Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Action, Picture Portrait, Night Scene Portrait, Standard Flash Off
Exposure Control Type: Bulb, automatic, manual, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, ISO priority, shutter+aperture priority
Viewfinder Type: Optical – Eye-level mirror pentaprism
Width: 4.8 inches
Depth: 2.7 inches
Height: 3.6 inches
Weight: 18.5 Ounces

Following are some the reviews from other websites:

“The Pentax K-m (more logically called the Pentax K2000 in some parts of the world) is Pentax’s brand new entry-level DSLR camera, slotting into the range underneath the K-m model. Designed to be small, lightweight and simple to use, the uncluttered layout and aggressive price make the Pentax Km particularly well-suited to compact camera owners looking to make the step-up to a DSLR.

Despite its budget leanings, the 10 megapixel K-m still offers some significant features, including a 2.7 inch LCD monitor, built-in Shake Reduction system to help avoid blurry photos, Dust Removal system to prevent dust from appearing, 3.5 frames per second continuous shooting, and an Auto Picture mode which promises to do most of the hard work for you.”

Click here to read their complete review.

Source: The Photography Blog

“The Pentax K2000 is a new 10.2 megapixel DSLR.  The K2000 is geared toward entry-level shooters.  The new 18-55mm and 55-200mm kit lenses both feature plastic lens mounts.  The K2000 became available in November 2008 with an smc Pentax DA-L 18-55mm lens and an AF200FG flash included in the kit for a retail price of $699.95, although many retailers offer it at a significant discount.  A second kit option including the smc Pentax DA-L 50-200mm lens will be available in early 2009.”

Click here to read their complete review.

Source: The Photography Bay

Whats your experience with this camera?

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens Review – I want.

This is probably going to be my next purchase in the photography department! These lens has been voted as one of the best upgrades from the kit lens and the reviews are very favorable.

“With the introduction of the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens, Canon has replaced one of its most popular lenses and its first image stabilized lens – the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS. The 75-300mm IS lens was popular because of its useful focal length range, small size, light weight, midrange price and Image Stabilization. The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens improves this overall package (sacrificing only price somewhat).”

Read the complete review at Digital Picture here.

The Canon EF 70-300/4-5.6 IS USM  is the replacement for the EF75-300/4-5.6 IS USM, but the difference is much more than just 5mm at the short end of the range. According to Canon, the new lens uses a low dispersion optical element for better image quality, digitally optimized coatings to lower flare, an improved IS system giving an extra stop of “handholdability” and a panning mode, faster autofocus and a zoom lock at 70mm to prevent “creep”. This comes at a price however, which for the Canon EF 70-300/4-5.6 IS USM is around $570, about $125 more then the old EF75-300/4-5.6IS USM sold for new.”

Read Bob Atkins’ complete Canon EF 70-300mm IS USM Lens review here.

Click here to get Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras at a discount/sale price.

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