Photography Magazine

Nikon posts new D300 firmware version

Nikon has released firmware version 1.02 for its D300 digital SLR. Per the announcement, the latest version corrects “an issue that, in rare cases, caused vertical bands (lines) to appear in images captured at shutter speeds slower than 8s.”

New wide-angle, telephoto four-thirds system lenses announced

Speaking of Sigma, the company is now providing those of you with four-thirds format DSLRs (including popular models from Olympus and Panasonic) with another option for extreme wide-angle glass. The Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM, currently available in other standard mounts, provides a sufficiently wide (94.5 degrees) angle of view on four-thirds cameras.

With an hyper-sonic motor (HSM internal focusing system, the new lens, which provides an equivalent range of 20-40mm, promises fast, near-silent focusing, with a minimum focusing distance of just under 10 inches at all focal lengths.

At the other end of the range, the 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG HSM functions like a 140-400mm long telephoto unit on a four-thirds camera. Designed with multiple SLD and ELD lens elements to correct for optical faults, the 70-200mm’s glass is also coated to reduce flare and ghosting.

Incorporating internal focusing and zooming systems, the external length of the lens does not change when the focal length or focus is adjusted. As with the 10-20mm, the new telephoto model uses an HSM for quiet, quick auto-focus performance.

Both lenses should be available in April. No word yet on US street pricing.

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Nikon rises, Olympus falls

Nikon has seen a 3-percent upward movement on the Tokyo Stock Exchange today on the announcement that it’s raising profit forecasts for the rest of the fiscal year by 5.7 percent.

A story filed on Bloomberg.com today attributes a large portion of the better-than-average sales growth to the introduction of the new D3 professional body and the highly successful D300 advanced DSLR late last year.

All of this puts Nikon in a position to catch up, in terms of sales for the year, with Japanese rival Olympus – due to “an expected slowdown in sales of digital cameras, especially in the United States,” according to a recent press release from Japan Corporate News. Yesterday, the larger Olympus Corporation announced that it is reducing its total sales estimate for the year by approximately half a million units.

In spite of the sales slowdown, Olympus is also reporting that annual net profit should remain largely unchanged.

With Nikon investing more and more resources in its point-and-shoot business, and Olympus seeming to have increasing trouble asserting itself in a compact camera market thick with choices, it will be interesting to see whether this change of fortunes for both companies represents the beginning of a long-term trend.

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Nikon Europe launched a new member to its successful Coolpix Life-Series, the Nikon L16 compact digital still camera. The Nikon Coolpix L16 is affordable, compact and easy to operate. The Nikon L16 delivers great close-ups, finds faces and fixes red eyes automatically to help everyone create beautiful images. The Nikon Coolpix L16 offers 7.1 effective megapixel resolution and a 2.8-inch wide-angle LCD screen. It has a 5.7-17.1mm lens with a 3x optical zoom, with an aperture range of f/2.8-f/4.7. The Nikon L16 is available in silver or matt black and has an internal memory of 16MB and a slot for a SDHC memory card. The Nikon Coolpix L16 runs on widely-available AA batteries.

Nikon Coolpix L16 - Affordable digital camera
“The Coolpix L-Series is all about cameras that are fun to use and help consumers experience the joy of taking great pictures,” said Martina Beckman, Manager Communications & Marketing Services for Nikon Europe B.V. “With Nikon’s legendary optical quality and powerful technology, the new Nikon Coolpix L16 offers tremendous value for an affordable price.”

Nikon L16 - Shooting & Playback mode buttons
The Nikon Coolpix L16 features simple, accessible designs with dedicated Shooting and Playback mode buttons. With the Easy auto mode, the user can simply turn on the camera and shoot without worrying about settings. During playback the camera can zoom in and jump from face to face for ultra-fast review of a group photo. If required, focus and zoom can also be steered manually with the convenient multi-selector and zoom controls.

Nikon L16 - Image enhancement features
The Nikon Coolpix L16 utilises Nikon’s innovative high-performance Expeed digital image processing. The Nikon L16 also features face-priority auto focus, which quickly detects and focuses on up to 5 faces at once. In addition, the light falling on faces is measured producing a more natural result. Additional innovations include anti-shake auto exposure which compensates for camera movement, avoiding blurred results by increasing shutter speed and sensitivity. The Nikon Coolpix L16 also features In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, which analyses each image and automatically finds and corrects any accidental red-eye, and D-Lighting, which enhances underexposed images.

Nikon Coolpix L16 - Price & Accessories
The Coolpix L16 is supplied with two AA batteries, a USB cable, audio video cable, a strap and Nikon’s Software Suite CD-ROM for Coolpix. A battery charger, rechargeable Ni-MH batteries and AC adapter are available as optional accessories. The Nikon L16 measures 95 (W) x 61 (H) x 29.5 (D) mm, and weigh approx. 125g (without battery and SD memory card). Estimated street price for the Nikon Coolpix L16 is €119.

Original Article

by Ilse Jurrien

pma-show.com

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Nikon Europe launched a new member to its successful Coolpix Life-Series, the Nikon L18 compact digital still camera. The Nikon Coolpix L18 is affordable, compact and easy to operate. The Nikon L18 delivers great close-ups, finds faces and fixes red eyes automatically to help everyone create beautiful images. The Nikon Coolpix L18 offers 8 megapixel resolution, a 3x optical Nikkor zoom lens, and a big, easy to view 3.0-inch, high quality 230,000-dot LCD screen. The Nikon L18 includes a 5.7-17.1mm lens equivalent to 35-105mm in 35mm format, with an aperture range of f/2.8-f/4.7. The camera can focus from 50cm (1 ft. 7.7 in.) to infinity. Estimated street price for the Nikon Coolpix L18 is €139.

Nikon Coolpix L18 - Tremendous value for the money
“The Coolpix L-Series is all about cameras that are fun to use and help consumers experience the joy of taking great pictures,” said Martina Beckman, Manager Communications & Marketing Services for Nikon Europe B.V. “With Nikon’s legendary optical quality and powerful technology, the new Nikon Coolpix L18 offers tremendous value for an affordable price.”

Nikon Coolpix L18 - Shoot movies with sound
The Nikon L18 is capable of taking close-up pictures in Macro mode, focusing on objects as close as 15cm. When light levels make photography difficult, the Nikon L18 can operate at high sensitivity (ISO 64-1600) enabling faster shutter speeds that help avoid blurred results. The camera has 15 scene modes for optimized shooting in various settings, and offers continuous shooting at 1.1 frames per second. The Nikon Coolpix L18 will also shoot movies with sound at up to 30 frames per second in VGA (640×480 pixels) format. Available colours include silver and matt black, and pictures can be stored in the 32MB internal memory or SD memory cards. The Nikon Coolpix L18 runs on widely-available AA batteries.

Nikon L18 digital camera - Easy auto mode
The Nikon Coolpix L18 features simple, accessible designs with dedicated Shooting and Playback mode buttons. With the Easy auto mode, the user can simply turn on the camera and shoot without worrying about settings. During playback the camera can zoom in and jump from face to face for ultra-fast review of a group photo. If required, focus and zoom can also be steered manually with the convenient multi-selector and zoom controls.

Nikon L18 - Face priority auto focus
The Coolpix L18 utilises Nikon’s innovative high-performance Expeed digital image processing. The Nikon L18 also features face-priority auto focus, which quickly detects and focuses on up to 5 faces at once. In addition, the light falling on faces is measured producing a more natural result. Additional innovations include anti-shake auto exposure which compensates for camera movement, avoiding blurred results by increasing shutter speed and sensitivity. The Nikon Coolpix L18 also features In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, which analyses each image and automatically finds and corrects any accidental red-eye, and D-Lighting, which enhances underexposed images.

Nikon Coolpix L18 - Price & Accessories
The Nikon L18 is supplied with two AA batteries, a USB cable, audio video cable, a strap and Nikon’s Software Suite CD-ROM for Coolpix. A battery charger, rechargeable Ni-MH batteries and AC adapter are available as optional accessories. The Nikon L18 measures 95 (W) x 61 (H) x 29.5 (D) mm, and weigh approx. 125g (without battery and SD memory card). Estimated street price for the Nikon Coolpix L18 is €139.

Original Article

by Dennis Hissink

pma-show.com

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Nikon Europe announced the new Nikon Coolpix P60, a compact digital still camera that features 8.1 megapixel resolution, a 5x optical Nikkor zoom lens and a large 2.5-inch LCD screen in a traditionally-styled, yet compact and lightweight camera body. The Nikon P60 offers Nikon’s VR vibration reduction technology, a wide range of image enhancement features and a handy mode dial that puts the user in control. The Nikon Coolpix P60 has the pleasing look and feel of a traditional photo camera. Designed to work with standard AA batteries, the Nikon Coolpix P60 will appeal to camera lovers with its comfortable handgrip and classic black colour.

Nikon Coolpix P60 - Powerful zoom lens
“The Nikon Coolpix P60 brings professional features and quality to consumers in an easy-to-use package,” said Martina Beckmann, Manager Communications & Marketing Services for Nikon Europe B.V. “Its ergonomic design, powerful zoom lens and advanced features make the Nikon Coolpix P60 a great choice for people who want to take outstanding pictures with a compact camera.”

Nikon Coolpix P60 - Camera modes & scenes
Designed for intuitive operation, it has an easy-to-hold grip providing stability and a solid shooting touch in a comfortable, compact body size. Framing a photograph is simple, using either the Nikon P60’s wide viewing angle 2.5-inch LCD screen, or the electronic viewfinder with included information display. The camera’s easy to use mode dial makes it simple for users to switch between manual and auto modes. In Programmed auto mode, it automatically selects shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure, while the Manual mode lets users select both shutter speed and aperture for greater control over results. The camera includes 15 scene modes optimised for pre-defined situations including Portrait, Landscape, Night Portrait, Sports, Party/Indoor, Close Up, Museum and even Fireworks Show. The Nikon Coolpix P60 also has the capacity for movie recording with sound at 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps. Images are recorded on a removable SD memory card or in the 22MB internal memory.

Nikon P60 - Nikkor zoom lens & Image quality
The Nikon Coolpix P60 is equipped with a 5x optical Nikkor zoom lens that offers outstanding precision and sharp resolution. The lens has a focal length of 6.4-32mm, equivalent to 36mm-180mm in a 35mm format, and has aperture settings ranging from f/3.6-4.5. The camera can be used in a wide range of lighting conditions with sensitivities of ISO 80 to ISO 2000, enabling faster shutter speeds to help overcome subject blur or when shooting in places with insufficient light. In addition the Nikon Coolpix P60 offers enhanced processing speed and image quality due to its EXPEED image-processing engine. For clear, stable results when shooting still images and videos, the incorporated image sensor shift VR technology reduces the effect of hand-held camera shake at slow shutter speeds. The Nikon P60 has a focal range of approximately 30cm to infinity. A macro mode allows shooting from as close as 10cm from the subject, while the new Active Zoom feature allows smooth zooming for close-ups.

Nikon P60 digital camera - Face Priority AF & Red Eye Fix
The Nikon Coolpix P60 offers several in-camera innovations that make it easy to shoot beautiful portraits. An advanced version of Face-Priority AF (auto focus), detects up to 5 faces with precise auto focus. Another feature is In-Camera Red Eye Fix, which uses digital processing to restore natural eye colour when using the flash. A third image innovation is Nikon’s D-Lighting process, now faster than ever. Applied in the camera during playback and without the need for a computer, it compensates for excessive backlight or insufficient flash.

Nikon Coolpix P60 camera - Price & Accessories
The Nikon P60 is supplied with two AA-size alkaline batteries, a USB cable, audio video cable, a strap and a CD-ROM with Software Suite for Coolpix. A battery charger, rechargeable Ni-MH batteries and AC adapter are available as optional accessories. The Nikon Coolpix P60 measures 95.5 (W) x 63.5 (H) x 36 (D) mm with the lens retracted. It weighs approx. 160g without battery and SD memory card. The estimated street price for the Nikon Coolpix P60 is €229.

Original Article

by Dennis Hissink

pma-show.com

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Nikon Europe Debuts D60 Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera

User-friendly Nikon D60 offers 10-megapixel resolution, in-camera editing
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 29 January 2008 - Nikon Europe today announced the debut of the Nikon D60, a digital SLR designed for the consumer who wants to combine top technology with user-friendliness and creative features. The D60 provides a resolution of 10.2 effective megapixels, NikonÕs exclusive EXPEED image-processing concept, in-camera editing functions and a 3-area auto focus system. The camera offers continuous shooting at 3.0 fps, near instant power-up in just 0.19 seconds and high ISO sensitivity, all in a compact, lightweight body with a user-friendly ergonomic design.

The Nikon D60 is designed to simplify camera operation and allow the photographer to concentrate on taking pictures. The cameraÕs simple, user-friendly design includes a reduced number of buttons and a combined monitor and information display. A 2.5-inch LCD screen presents information using an easy to understand graphic user interface, with three types of presentation style to suit all users. The symbols and numbers in the display rotate through 90 degrees, presenting information in the correct orientation according to how the camera is being held. The D60 also includes a new feature that turns off the LCD monitor screen automatically when the viewfinder is in use.

The D60 utilizes NikonÕs exclusive EXPEED technology to maximize image quality and processing speed. The camera also offers creative features that are designed to allow the optimisation and adjustment of images without the need for a computer. Image optimisation is achieved through functions like Active D-Lighting (which compensates for strong shadows), and the automatic correction of false eye colour when using the built-in flash. Creative features include the automated creation of stop-motion animation files from a sequence of images, and effects that simulate the use of optical filters to produce colour shading and sparkling highlights.

To combat the dust that can be introduced into the camera body when changing lenses, , the D60 includes an integrated dust reduction system. NikonÕs exclusive Airflow Control System channels dust out of the image path and a vibrating, self-cleaning sensor unit shakes off any remaining dust from the cameraÕs optics.

The Nikon D60 standard kit comes with a high-performance VR-NIKKOR lens, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR. Compact and lightweight, the lens offers 3x zoom with a versatile focal length range of 27mm to 82.5mm (35mm-format equivalent). NikonÕs advanced Vibration Reduction technology combats the effect of camera shake, allowing the use of shutter speeds that are up to three times slower than is practical with non-VR lenses. And with its sophisticated, leather-toned design, the lens looks as good as the pictures it takes. ÒThe D60 is intended to put high quality photography within the reach of ordinary consumers.Ó said Toru Uematsu, Manager Prosumer Products at Nikon Europe B.V ÒThe combination of precision technology and carefree convenience places the D60 in a unique position of offering compact camera users the chance to move up to digital SLR with ease and security.Ó

The D60 is capable of use in a range of lighting conditions due to a wide sensitivity range of ISO 100 to ISO 1600 and offers vivid colour reproduction with clear, sharp results.. For convenient use in places where flash photography is not allowed, the camera will set the sensitivity automatically for the best results . The cameraÕs built-in Speedlight produces excellent balanced results thanks to NikonÕs sophisticated i-TTL flash system, and also allows the use of additional remote-controlled Speedlights.

Storing images on highly-compact SD memory cards (compatible with SDHC), the D60 body measures approximately 126 (W) x 94 (H) x 64 (D) mm and weighs 495 grams. Supplied accessories include a rechargeable Li-ion battery, quick charger, USB cable, rubber eyecup, camera strap, body cap, eyepiece cap and accessory shoe cap. The provided software includes the Nikon Software Suite on CD-ROM. Software for photofinishing and camera remote control may be purchased separately as an option. Suggested retail pricing for the D60 Kit with AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR is Û699. Other kits are available.

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