The Photokina effect

Photokina is “the world’s fair of imaging,” and it’s held every other year, at the Koelnmesse in Köln (Cologne), Germany. In 2014 it attracted more than 183,000 people who came to see the offerings from more than 1,000 exhibitors.

Photokina has always been a time/place for the unveiling of new products, and this year is likely to be no different.

We’ve already seen some major product introductions in the first two months of this year, so it’s going to be quite interesting to see what pops up on the horizon on or before Sept. 20-25, the dates for this year’s event.

Panasonic adds 12-60 mm lens

Designed specifically for the Lumix G line of cameras, the Lumix G Vario 12-60 mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. / Power O.I.S. lens is the equivalent of a 24-120 mm lens in the 35 mm format.

Details of the new lens are available on our companion site.

Sigma cameras coming, but . . .

Sigma has announced two new cameras, the dp Quattro and the dp Quattro HD. However, there is no word as to when they will be available in Canada, nor what their prices will be.

A representative of the company which imports and distributes them in Canada told us, “rest assured, they will be coming to Canada.”

Stay tuned.

Ricoh WG-M2 arrives in April

The Ricoh WG-M2 is a compact, shockproof and fully waterproof action camera with an ultra-wide 204-degree lens that captures 4K Ultra-HD video. The camera is approximately 40 percent smaller and more lightweight than previous WG models.

Details are available on our companion site.

Three Nikon long-zoom Coolpix cameras coming

B700

Nikon has unveiled three new long-zoom Coolpix cameras, the B700, B500 and A900, with 60x, 40x, and 70x ranges, respectively. All sport Nikkor glass.

Details are available on our companion site.

Nikon unveils DL premium compact cameras

DL24-85

Nikon has announced three DL premium compact cameras, each pairing a 20.8-megapixel (CX-format) 1-inch BSI CMOS sensor with Nikkor optics and 4K UHD video at 30p. Two of them can use a newly designed optional DF-E1 electronic viewfinder (EVF). (Hmmm, does this signal changes to the Nikon 1 series of interchangeable lens cameras?)

Further details on these new cameras are available on our companion site.

Sigma mount converter puts lenses on E-mount cameras

Sigma’s Mount Converter MC-11 lets photographers put Sigma SA mount and EOS mount interchangeable lenses on their Sony E-mount camera bodies.

The company says that, as well as aligning the flange back distance to retain full functionality, the converter incorporates the digital data necessary to provide fast and smooth AF for compatible lenses as well as OS features and functions of the camera that help control peripheral brightness and correct transverse chromatic aberration, distortion, and more.

The device allows lens type, focal length, F number, and other tags to be embedded as Exif data in the image file.

The converter also features flocking in its interior to help prevent internal reflections and a reduction in lens performance.

Since Sony E-mount camera bodies do not require mechanical integration with lenses for aperture control, the converter makes SA mount lenses and Sigma interchangeable lenses for Canon cameras fully compatible with the automatic exposure control of Sony E-mount camera bodies.

The LED display on the MC-11 makes it easy to know whether an attached lens is compatible or not and whether the mount converter control data needs to be updated for operation with that lens. Lens data updates require the installation of the latest version of Sigma Optimization Pro on your computer and the Sigma USB Dock (sold separately).

The Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter has a suggested retail price (SRP) of $339.95 and is expected to be available in April.

Two Sigma lenses arrive this Spring

30 mm

Sigma has announced the 30 mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens for mirrorless cameras, and the 50-100 mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens for APS-C cameras. The lenses are scheduled for April and May arrival, respectively.

Details are on our companion site.

Tamron’s TAP updates lenses

The Tamron TAP-in Console is a new lens accessory that enables firmware updating and customized setups for selected Tamron lenses. Scheduled for late March availability for certain Canon and Nikon mount Tamron lenses, Sony lenses later, the accessory connects to your computer (PC or Mac) and, using the TAP-in Utility as well as an internet connection, users can access a dedicated website and update firmware themselves anytime, anywhere. In addition, selected lenses can be customized by changing various settings to match the customer’s preferences based on how they like to use the lens.

So what can you do with the thing? Update firmware; focus adjustment; focus distance limiter customization; VC adjustment (only for any lenses with VC, of course); prioritize viewfinder image stabilization; Full-time Manual Focus override customization (only for lenses that have the Full-time Manual Focus feature); and more.

Two Tamron lens arrive

85 mm

Tamron has announced what it claims to be the world’s first 85 mm f/1.8 lens with VC for full-frame DSLR cameras, offering the “ultimate correction” of aberrations and excellent resolving power with balanced bokeh. The new 90 mm lens is an update of its previous macro, also with VC (vibration compensation). Both lenses will be available in Canon and Nikon mounts to start with, with Sony mount available soon.

Details are available on our companion site.