The new Lensbaby 3G Lens for a Film SLR is not really digital but it does deserve a mention here! This selective focus lens is able to lock itself in bent position making for extremely accurate focusing! It is currently at display in Photokina and by a single press of a button, the photographer can lock in his desired position. The Lenbaby 3G has low dispersion, high refractive index, multi-coated optical glass doublet and once can also move the optic in and out just like a normal lens. The lens should be available by October and for more info visit lensbabies.com

“The process of shooting with Lensbaby 3G is quite different than with Lensbaby 2.0, and the two lenses are optimized for different types of photography. While Lensbaby 2.0 is great for intuitive, fluid, photojournalistic shots, Lensbaby 3G is a workhorse for pros that require precise focusing, complete control, and repeatability,”

Lensbaby 3G Specifications:

Optic: Coated optical glass doublet (same optic as Lensbaby 2.0)
Focal Length: Approximately 50 mm
Focus Type: Hybrid Manual Compression / Manual barrel
Aperture Type: Interchangeable levitating aperture disks
Apertures: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
Minimum Focus: Approximately 12” (30.48cm)
Maximum Focus: Infinity
Size: 3” (7.62cm) high x 3.25” (8.89cm) wide
Weight: 5.7oz (161.59g)
Available Mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Olympus 4/3rds/Panasonic, Pentax K/Samsung, Sony Alpha/Minolta Maxxum

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The Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Lens is a high performing zoom lens and sports the critically acclaimed Sigma’s proprietary OS (Optical Stabilizer) Technology which combats blurriness and ensures sharp results even in dynamic photography environments. This is done via the in-built sensors, which are able to detect camera shake and then compensate accordingly.

The new lens is also equipped with SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements and two aspherical lenses, which work brilliantly in combating chromatic aberrations.

Posted by Artemis at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another macro lens from Sigma with the Four Third System is the Sigma 18 - 50mm F2.8 EX DC MACRO which has a minimum focusing distance of 20cm and a maximum magnification of 1:3. This one looks extremely appealing and would surely impress all with its lightweight construction possible because of the onboard aspehrical lenses.

The new Macro lens has an aperture of F2.8 and the presence of Special Low Dispersion (SLD) and Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ELD) glass elements combats chromatic aberrations. The Super Multi Coating ensures that no ghosting arises and the inner focusing system makes front lens rotation redundant.

Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC Macro Lens Specifications
Focal Length 18-50mm
Minimum Aperture F22
Lens Construction 15 Elements in 13 Groups
Angle of View 69.3°-27.9°
Number of Diaphragm Blades 7pcs
Minimum Focusing Distance 20cm (7.9”)
Maximum Magnification 1:3
Filter Size 72mm
Lens Hood Petal–type Hood
Dimensions Diameter 79mm (3.1in”) x Length 85.8mm (3.4”)
Weight 450gr /16.0oz

Posted by Artemis at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lets take a break from Telephoto photography and check out what Sigma has in stores for all the Macro lovers! The new large aperture F1.8 wide-angle Sigma 24mm F1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Lens looks pretty promising with its minimum focusing distance of 18cm (7.1”) and a maximum magnification of 1:2.7.

The Macro Lens promises unrivaled performance and the presence of the two aspherical lenses combat chromatic aberrations while the Floating Focus System ensures top-notch performance. One can get a good grip via the Dual Focus System and the focal length is equal to 48 mm in Four Third System

Sigma 24mm F1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Lens Specifications

Mount Type Four Thirds
Minimum Aperture F22
Lens Construction 10 Elements in 9 Groups
Angle of View 48.5°
Number of Diaphragm Blades 9pcs
Minimum Focusing Distance 18cm (7.1”)
Maximum Magnification 1:2.7
Filter Size 77mm
Lens Hood Petal Hood
Dimensions Diameter 83.6mm (3.3”) x Length 87.9mm (3.5”)
Weight 520gr /18.3oz
UPC No. 0085126 432584

Posted by Artemis at 6:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another new Sigma lens based on the Four Third System is the telephoto zoom APO 135 - 400mm F4.5 - 5.6 DG lens. The lens focal length is equivalent to 270-800mm in the Four Third System and it has a minimum aperture of 22.

The new Sigma APO 135 - 400mm F4.5 - 5.6 DG lens has an angle of view of 9.2° - 3.1° and a maximum magnification of 1:5.3. The new lens also has the most current lens coating technology thus getting rid of chromatic aberrations usually associated with digital cameras. Thanks to the Rear Focusing System one is able to focus without any hassles and the lens comes bundled with a removable tripod collar.

Sigma APO 135-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG Lens Specifications
Mount Type Four Thirds
Minimum Aperture F22
Lens Construction 13 Elements in 11 Groups
Angle of View 9.2° - 3.1°
Number of Diaphragm Blades 9pcs
Minimum Focusing Distance 200cm (78.7”) - 220cm (86.6”)
Maximum Magnification 1:5.3
Filter Size 77mm
Lens Hood Bayonet type Hood
Dimensions Diameter 83.5mm (3.3”) x Length 189mm (7.4”)
Weight 1280gr / 45.1oz
UPC No. 0085126 727581

Posted by Artemis at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sigma recently launched a number of camera lenses and lets see what they are all about. The first in line is the large aperture ultra-telephoto zoom lens, which has a field of view of 600mm to 1600mm in the Four Thirds system. Thus the Sigma APO 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM lens is perfect for professionals like wildlife photographers, sports photographers etc.

The new lens for unrivaled performance has been coated with the most recent lens coating and care has been taken that there is as minimum flare as possible. The lens has a minimum aperture of 22 and it measures around 56.5mm (6.2”) x Length 549.4mm (21.6”). Users will also appreciate the solid construction of the lens and the HSM ensures super quite performance. The Sigma APO 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM lens accepts 46mm circular polarizing filter in the rear and ELD glass elements on the lens combats chromatic aberration.

Sigma APO 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM lens Specifications
Mount Type Four Thirds
Minimum Aperture F22
Lens Construction 18 Elements in 16 Groups
Angle of View 4.1° - 1.5°
Number of Diaphragm Blades 9pcs
Minimum Focusing Distance 600cm (236.2”)
Maximum Magnification 1:6.9
Filter Size 46mm (Rear)
Lens Hood Bayonet type Hood
Dimensions Diameter 156.5mm (6.2”) x Length 549.4mm (21.6”)

Posted by Artemis at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kodak EASYSHARE Z710 zoom digital camera is the latest camera on the block and lets see what has offer us to camera lovers! The Z710 has some decent specs on it and one will come across a 10X optical zoom, 7.1 Megapixels image sensor and a SCHNEIDER KREUZNACH VARIOGON lens. Thanks to the onboard resolution Kodak promises great 30 x 40 inch prints (76 x 102 cm).

Another thing we dig about the camera is the presence of the onboard KODAK Color Science imaging processing chip, which ensures superior camera performance even in difficult conditions. Some other nifty features found on the camera include cropping, a live histogram, and a capture grid line display. Kodak has also thrown in a number of manual controls, which is perfect for those who like to experiment.

One also comes across a 2 inch indoor/outdoor color display and this new feature, which lets one, stored their preferred images on the camera by using the Favorites feature. Via the on-camera Share button one can print, e-mail, and organize pictures by a single click of a button. The new Z710 shall be available in September for £279 (RRP).

Posted by Artemis at 6:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Fuji FinePix S5 Pro is the latest DSLR from Fuji and this one looks extremely promising. Looks like 8 AND 10 Megapixels are passé now and the S5 has a 12.24 Megapixels resolution. Fuji has incorporated the Super CCD SR double pixel technology - 6.17MP S-pixels and 6.17 MP R-pixels) which guarantees breath-taking results.

The Fuji FinePix S5 Pro is housed in a durable magnesium alloy body frame and is equipped with a 2.5 inch LCD. The DSLR also has the current favorite Face Detection technology which is able to detect faces in a crowd and then focuses accordingly for the best possible results. One thing I like about the DSLR is its compatibility with Nikon F-mount lenses.

Other features found on the DSLR include; a Dual-save mode lets you save images in both RAW and JPEG formats, CF Type I/II and Microdrive for storing images, ISO 3200, 3 levels of custom Function Locking with password protection, New Hyper Utility Software for precise editing control of images taken in CCD-RAW and i-TTL flash control. No word yet on the pricing and availability.

Posted by Artemis at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you thought only DSLR’s can get away with a resolution of 14 Megapixels then think again! Here is the Sigma DP1 for you which may not look impressive when it comes to the body but boy can looks be deceptive! This compact little thing has an 14 MP resolution under its hood making it a great alternative to DSLR’s and those who need a back up camera.

Apart from a awe-inspiring 14 MP resolution one also comes across the Foveon X3 sensor as seen in the SD14 DSLR, a fixed 16.6 mm F4.0 lens (providing a 28 mm equiv. FOV) and a large 2.5” TFT LCD monitor with 100% image preview. The camera supports both RAW and JPEG and has the exclusive ‘True’ image processing engine which ensures unrivaled performance even at high ISOs. As of now that’s the only info available but rest assures we shall keep you updated on this little wonder!

Posted by Artemis at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The new Sigma SD14 DSLR will surely give all the DSLRs a complex with its colossal 14 Megapxiel resolution! Yeah you heard that right and that’s not a typo believe me! A 14 MP resolution makes the DSRL perfect for professionals and not for average shooters! The 14 megapixel Foveon X3 direct-image-sensor ensures high performance and cuts down image noise and is also able to capture all primary RGB colours at each and every pixel.

The DSLR is equipped with a 2.5-inch, 150,000 pixel resolution LCD monitor and supports both Raw and Jpeg recording formats. The Sigma SD14 comes bundled with SIGMA Photo Pro 3.0 software, a RAW image developer and includes modes like X3F Mode, Auto Adjustment Mode and Custom Mode. Via the Image Sensor Dust Protector the sensor is protected from dust particles and other debris,

The Sigma SD14 has a continuous shooting speed of 3 frames per and the focal plane shutter mechanism has life cycle of over 100,000 exposures. It has a built-in flash and Sigma has released over 40 lenses for the DSLR. It is available now for 1099.99 £. That out to burn a whole in ones pocket.

Posted by Artemis at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The new Fuji FinePix F31fd is actually the first compact digital camera from Fujifilm with the Face Detection technology. While Fuji is no stranger to Face technology this is the first time that it has incorporated the technology in compact point and shoot.

The latest Fuji digicam has a 6 Megapixel resolution under its hood and includes the 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.5-inch LCD. There is the now mandatory Video recorder and the F31fd shoot movies at VGA resolution at 30 frames per second. Lets talk about the Face Detection feature now. Via this feature the camera is able to identify up to 10 faces in a frame and then adjusts the focus accordingly.

The Fujifilm F31fd has a maximum ISO of which is practically unheard of in point and shoots! For superior image quality there is the Picture Stabilization and i-Flash system. The latter is able to take an impressive 580 shots per full battery charge. No Manual settings on this one and the camera will see a December release.

Posted by Artemis at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ulead has launched a new imaging software called the Ulead PhotoImpact® 12 which promises to the one stop solution for all your imaging needs and is perfect for both beginners and pros. The software has a number of features, which promise hassle free operation, and thus daunting tasks like editing, enhancing cropping etc can be done quickly and with ease.

The Photoimpact 12 has an ExpressFix mode and the SmartGuide, which are perfect for beginners. The former helps in simplifying the interface and features a large preview screen with before and after views, and tools for adjusting color, exposure and focus using intelligent one-click presets. ExpressFix mode also has direct links to PhotoImpact 12’s White Balance correction feature.

Via the onboard SmartGuide "How-to" help panel one can manage multimedia tasks, which include Web and video and DVD. Apart from the software itself the whole package includes Ulead Photo Explorer 8.6 for managing and browsing; Ulead PhotoImpact Album 12, a database; Ulead COOL 360 for composing panoramic images; and Ulead GIF Animator 5.05. It will be available soon for $49.99 US.

Posted by Artemis at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another Camera to be reviewed by PC World recently was the stylish Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5. They liked the camera for its ergonomics, its 12X zoom lens, its 3 inch LCD and the overall camera performance. What they didn’t like was the zoom controls which were extremely sensitive, the electronic viewfinder and the lack of an exposure lock button.

The Sony H5 is a 7.2 mega pixel digital camera with a 12x optical zoom and a 3-inch LCD for easy viewing. The camera includes a dual-hinged cover for the Memory Stick Duo. The H5 also has some cutting edge technologies including double anti-blur technology and Steady Shot image stabilizer. The onboard Clear RAW NR system has a signal-to-noise ratio which eliminates color and luminance noise. Color modes include Vivid, Natural; Sepia to black and white and 640 x 480 videos can be recorded at 30fps.

The review concludes by saying "Compared to its DSC-H1 predecessor, the DSC-H5 produced better image quality, earning an overall rating of Very Good in our image quality tests. The DSC-H5's flash portrait shot showed accurate colors. On the other hand, we noticed a lack of sharpness and various distortion problems, which were borne out in my informal testing."

Posted by Artemis at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Olympus SP-350 has been reviewed by PC World and they like it for its exceptional image quality, its inclusion of manual controls. its compact body and its impressive color and exposure accuracy. What they didn’t like was the digicam’s slow zoom and focus and found the buttons to be extremely close nit.

The SP-350 han as 8.0-megapixel CCD Sensor with a 3x, 8-24mm zoom lens and a bright 2.5-inch color LCD display. It produces fine 13x19 prints at ISO 400 and employs an efficient contrast-detection auto focus system, with focus ranging from 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) to infinity in normal mode. It has a number of Scene Modes like Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Night Scene, Sport, Night + Portrait, Indoor, Candle, Self Portrait, Available Light Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks etc. The camera has a 25MB of memory whichr can be expanded by using a SD Card.

The review ends by saying "Nonetheless, if you can live without the fancier settings, this step up from a point-and-shoot delivers top-notch image quality for a very reasonable price."

Posted by Artemis at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Nikon D80 has been reviewed by D Preview who like the DSLR for its resolution, its overall image quality, its extensive feature set, its LCD, its reliable metering system and the In-camera retouching features including D-Lighting and Red-eye reduction. What they didn’t like was the DSLR’s noise levels, its automatic white balance settings, lack of RAW adjustment and its limited image parameter adjustment.

The Nikon D80 features a new 10.2 effective megapixel DX Format CCD image sensor, which promises extremely detailed and striking images. This DSLR also has a SD Slot something which will no doubt go well with the consumers. Nikon has also incorporated a proprietary high-resolution image processing engine, color independent analog pre-conditioning and high-precision 12-bit digital image processing algorithms.The Nikon D80 includes Nikon F lens mount, 3D Color Matrix Metering II, 11 area autofocus, 0.18 second bootup, 80ms shot response, -Lighting, Red-eye correction, Image overlay ,Monochrome settings (Black-and-white, Sepia, Cyanotype) and Filter Effect.

The website concludes "The number of cons, and the fact that there are no serious ones, is a testament to the thought and work that has gone into the D80's design. It's one of those cameras which just feels 'right and sorted' from the moment you pick it up. Things just get better the more you use the camera, you will begin to discover the usefulness of major features like the customizable automatic ISO and the subtle touches like being able to tap the DELETE button twice to delete an image (sounds insignificant, but in use things like this make the D80 far more usable than other cameras)."

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Digital Photography Interface has done a review of the old favourite Panasonic Lumix FZ7 and think that its 12x zoom lens with optical image stabilization, its LCD, its powerful flash, its movie mode and continuous shooting mode are hot. However its slow start up and shut down time, its lack of focus or zoom in movie mode and its tendency to produce noisy images at high ISO are not so hot!

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 is a 6MP camera with a large 2.5 inch LCD and a F2.8-3.3, 12X optical zoom lens. The image stabilization system prevents camera shakes and blurry images and the working range of the pop up flash is 0.3 - 6.0 m at wide-angle and 0.3 - 5.4 m at telephoto (both at Auto ISO). It uses an electronic viewfinder or EVF for 100% display of the frame making shooting convenient. It a series of mode for easy and convenient shooting including Program mode, Aperture Priority mode, Shutter Priority mode, Full Manual mode, Macro mode, Movie Mode among others. There is also a new high sensitivity mode where the camera opens up the two highest ISO settings, 800 and 1600 and in the Movie Mode users have now a choice of two settings normal" 640 x 480 setting, and a widescreen (16:9) 848 x 480 setting.

The review concludes "Overall performance for this ultra-zoom camera was very good save for startup time. The FZ7 also has a noticeable performance increase when using a high-speed card. It has a nice VGA and WVGA 30 FPS movie mode and unlimited continuous shooting at 2 FPS. Brisk AF time and a 3 FPS shooting option will surely impress some action shooters."

Posted by Artemis at 6:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The website Digicam Review have done an in-depth analysis of the Ricoh Caplio R5 and like it for its solid and stylish metal body, its onboard Vibration Reduction Image Stabilisation, its 7.1x optical zoom lens, its LCD with 230,000 pixels, its overall image quality and its fast continuous shooting mode. What they didn’t like was the in-built flash, its tendency to crash at time and the occasional poor low-light focusing / focusing.

The Ricoh R5 is a successor to the R4 and has a resolution of 7.5 megapixels and is also equipped with a 7.1x optical wide zoom lens (28–200 mm in 35 mm camera format) which makes it the highest zoom in the compact class. Because it has an energy saving design, the R5 can take up to 380 shots on a single charge. The new R5 sports a 2.5-inch LCD with 230,000 pixels and movies can be captured at the following rates: 640 x 480 @ 15/30fps, 20 x 240 @ 15/30fps160 x 120 @ 15/30fps and can be captured with WAV sound.

In the end they write "I would definitely recommend this camera, with some reservations, as the camera can struggle indoors with noise and occassionally focusing. The camera occassionally has some flash problems (overexposure), so this camera would be best suited, and definitely recommended for mainly outdoor use and for those people happy to take a number of shots to get the best results. There are some design aspects that I'm not keen on such as the shutter release, and plastic battery cover, but if you are willing to overlook these shortcomings, then you will find an extremely capable pocket camera that can produce excellent results."

Posted by Artemis at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The ultra-sleek Samsung NV10 has been reviewed by Hardware Zone and love it for its stylized design, sleek ergonomics, and the included remote and overall performance. What they didn’t dig was the digicam’s tendency to produce noise at ISO 400 and higher and the lack of a USB port built-in.

The Samsung NV10 is a throwback to the 70’s era and has a colossal 10 mega pixel resolution. Users will also like the innovative touch pad Graphical User Interface (GUI), Schneider 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm equivalent), a 5x digital zoom and the brushed black aluminum body. This is a part of Samsung’s new line which sports a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for intuitive operation and includes a touch pad located along the LCD. The NV10 also includes the revolutionary Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) technology and can record in VGA (640x480) at 30fps and includes a movie stabilizer function for detecting and correcting minor shakes. It also includes additional effects and modes like Color Effect, Highlight, Photo Frame, Negative and Composite Shot. Scene modes include Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-up, Sunset, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow and Text Recognition. It will be available in the fall of 2006 for $399.99.

They conclude by saying "Overall, the NV10 has a very attention grabbing retro design and we are quite satisfied with the camera’s ergonomics pertaining to the right hand grip design. It is a lovely camera that performs well over our expectations considering that Samsung does not have a long history at making cameras.”

Posted by Artemis at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Imaging-Resource reviewed the Kodak EasyShare P712 recently and gives it brownie points for long image-stabilized 12x zoom lens, its performance, and its manual exposure mode and a hot shoe for external flash units. What they didn’t like was its tendency to over-expose.

The P712 is a 7.1 mega pixel camera and is perfect for those who don’t want just another point and shoot or a complicated DSLR. In fact Kodak once said that this camera was designed for "second- and third-time digital camera buyers." The camera and its black housing looks cool and measures just around 4.3 by 3.3 by 2.8 inches with its lens fully retracted. The camera has some impressive specs on it like 12X optical, 36mm-to-432mm, f/2.8-to-f/3.7 zoom lens, 2.5-inch, 115,000-pixel LCD screen, and a 237,000-pixel electronic viewfinder. It is able to capture images in RAW and TIFF and metering options include multipattern, center-weighted, spot, and selectable zone.

They write in the end "No camera's perfect, but the Kodak EasyShare P712 offers a compelling set of features and capabilities at an affordable price, making it a camera well worth a second look."

Posted by Artemis at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

PC Mag has done a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 and like it for its Boot-up time, its overall performance, its compact size and style and its manual controls for aperture, shutter speed, and exposure. What they didn’t like was its tendency to produce a lot of contrast and slight fringing in shots were noticed.

The Casio EX-Z850 boasts of an 8.12 Mega pixel CCD and a 2.5-inch TFT super-bright screen with an optical viewfinder. It has an effective 3x optical zoom lens and includes Aperture priority, shutter priority and manual exposure options. The camera is capable of recording movie clips in MPEG-4 format at up to 640x480 / 30fps. Metering options include • Multi-pattern, Center-weighted and Spot by CCD while Shooting Modes include Still , Still with audio, Continuous Shutter (normal and high speed, flash continuous, zoom, multi), 34 BEST SHOT modes and AE compensation +/- 2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps.

In the end they write "Overall, I found the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 to be easy to use once I mastered its settings. I also liked its wide selection of scenes and its manual controls for aperture, shutter speed, and exposure. The shooter's compact size and style are appealing too, but its picture quality fell short of expectations, especially considering its 8MP resolution and relatively high price."

Posted by Artemis at 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Those who loved the iconic Leica M series will also fall in love with the new Digital Leica M8 which is a perfect amalgamation of the old and the new. The new Leica M8 is a rangefinder digital camera and has a resolution of 10 megapixels. The camera can also be hooked up with the Tri Elmar M 16-18-21 mm F4 Aspherical lens which promises to provide optimized results at specific focal lengths.

The M8 accepts all Leica lenses produced from 1954 onwards and also supports formats like DNG (RAW), JPEG (Fine / Basic) and DNG + JPEG. One will also find a 2.5 LCD and an electronic viewfinder in addition to Shooting Modes like; Single picture (one shutter button depression, one picture), Continuous (2 frames per second up to 10 frames) and Self-timer (2 or 12 second delay).

The new Leica M8 includes accessories anti-slip carrying strap, cover for M bayonet, lithium ion rechargeable battery, battery charger incl. car socket adaptor and 3 mains plug adapters (Euro, UK, USA) (14 463), USB connection cable, user manual, software DVD Capture One LE, software CD with LEICA DIGITAL CAPTURE and user manuals in all languages.

Posted by Artemis at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The new Leica D-LUX 3 Digital Camera is an ultra compact digicam which packs quite a punch. The digicam has an impressive 10 megapixel resolution and promises to live up to the prestigious Leica name when it comes to overall performance.

The new Leica D-LUX 3 is available in chic colors like black and silver and includes features like 16:9 ratio LCD, Leica 4x wide angle optical zoom lens (28 to 112 mm equiv.) among others. Wide Angle and Telephotic photography si possible thanks to the onboard LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT 1:2.8-4.9/6.3-25.2 ASPH zoom lens. The camera is also equipped with a 2.8 inch LCD which lets you view full image in 16:9 formats.

The digicam has a movie mode which lets one capture footage in 16:9 Aspect Ratio or 4:3 Aspect Ratio formats and the camera also supports RAW. The Leica D-LUX 3 includes a number of modes like Portrait, Sport, Night-time landscape, Night-time portrait, Fireworks, Party, and Snow and pictures can be taken in three picture formats (16:9, 3:2 and 4:3).The Leica D-LUX 3 package includes; a battery charger, a powerful rechargeable battery and a comprehensive software package (Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 (PC)/3.0 (Mac), Quicktime Movie Player). No word on pricing or availability.

Posted by Artemis at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My first SLR was my dads Pentax Spotmatic and did I get some great results from that rundown old camera! Thus I have always been partial to the Pentax brand whose quality and lenses may be at par with Nikon and Canon but when it comes to marketing, they really do suck! However that’s a different story and let’s see what their latest offering the 10-megapixel Pentax K10D DSLR has under its hood!

Apart from the 10 MP resolution, the DSLR is housed in a weather-resistant body and includes the Pentax-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system. Via the Shake Reduction system one is able to sharp and vibrant images even in difficult shooting conditions like; low light, macro and telephoto photography. One will also find a new 22-bit analog-to-digital (A/D) converter which is able to transfer images from the CCD to the imaging engine and thus giving superior results,

The new K10D has a Dust Removal (DR) system which shakes the dust from the CCD and the camera comes bundled with a new Pentax-DA 70mm F2.4 limited lens. The DSLR ‘s sweet spot is its compatibility with Pentax K, KA, KAF and KAF2-mount lenses, screw-mount lenses, and 645 and 67-system lenses. The DSLR would retail for US $899.95 (body only) and for the lens one needs to shell out $600 extra.

Posted by Artemis at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Though Photokina hasn’t started yet, however that hasn’t stopped imaging giants to release and announce new digital cameras. Pentax also recently unveiled its Optio E20 which is a successor to the E10 and strives to be the perfect point and shoot camera. Don’t they all? However lets just look what Pentax has to offer us.

The new Pentax Optio E20 has a resolution of f 6.0 effective megapixels and is equipped with a 3X optical zoom lens and a 2.4-inch LCD. This one is strictly point and shoot and in fact makes no bones about it. The simple design may not appeal to some however it does work according to me. The E20 is outfitted with a 3X optical zoom lens is equivalent to a 34-102mm lens in 35mm format and can be powered by two AA batteries.

When it comes to features don’t expect any earth-shattering however to be fair to the E20, there are all the standard functions. One will come across a Mode dial which lets one access the eight modes including six still-image shooting modes, a movie mode, and a setup mode. Other features include; 13 MB internal memory (yikes), video output terminal, auto flash with red-eye reduction, Macro mode allows close-up photography as near as 6 cm, QVGA video support and PictBridge, DPOF functions, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching III compatible.

Posted by Artemis at 3:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Leica recently unveiled its first integrated digital SLR which has adapted the Four Thirds system, something which is new for the company. Thanks to this system now one doesn’t need to just invest in Leica lenses and the new Leica DIGILUX 3 will support all types of lenses. The DSLR is quite similar to the Panasonic DMC-L1 but this one has the Leica name to it so do expect some nifty features!

The Leica DIGILUX 3 is outfitted with a 7.5 megapixel LiveMOS sensor for a real-time live photo function and also features an energy-saving operating system. The kit lens is a LEICA D 14 - 50 mm ASPH (F2.8 - F3.5) lens with built-in optical image stabilization and has a focal length range of 28 to 100 millimeters. One will also come across an exposure ring on the camera and manual setting rings for aperture, zoom and focus. It also supports RAW and ISO Settings range from 80-1600.

The new DSLR from Leica features a 2.5“camera display with a resolution of 207,000 pixels and the built in image stabilization system promises top-notch results by combating camera shakes and compensating for low light shots. The camera comes bundled with 1 GB SD card, a battery charger, rechargeable battery and a complete software package (Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 (PC)/3.0 (Mac), Quicktime Movie Player).

Posted by Artemis at 2:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)