Today Sony announced the a35 ($699) and NEX C-3 ($599-$649) cameras plus the 30mm NEX macro lens ($249) and the new F20S flash ($150). Sony describes the new NEX C3 as “the world’s smallest and lightest compact system camera“. Detailed specs of the new cameras can be found here. The new NEX firmware will be available on June 20, 2011. Two preview videos of the new cameras and full press releases after the break:
SLR Magic recently took over the Noktor brand and announced the future development of two new lenses for Sony NEX/E-mount: 28mm f/2.8 and Noktor 50mm f/0.95.
SLR Magic is currently working on supplying the Noktor 50mm f/0.95 lens to people who have been on the waiting list. The lens is expected to start shipping in July. In an email to PhotoRumors.com, SLR Magic representative stated that the Noktor 50mm f/0.95 is not a rebranded CCTV lens as many people think. The original design is for a professional vision lens that is mainly used for medical and biological research where minimal light is available. A lot of work was done to make this lens work on digital cameras.
A beta tester was spotted with the new Samsung 85mm f/1.4 ED SSA lens in Korea. Here is a brief description of the lens given by the tester:
The Samsung 85mm f/1.4 ED SSA is one of five new NX lenses announced by Samsung in February of 2011.
Some samples taken with the Samsung 85mm f/1.4 lens can be found here.
The PrintBrush 4X6 is a camera that can print in color on virtually any surface. The printing process is done by sweeping the device over a flat surface:
The PrintBrush is developed by Alex Breton who spent 11 years and $10 million for the development of the device. Expected release date is early 2012.
I am really doubtful if this thing is real – remember the WVIL camera or the invisible camera? What do you guys think?
Is this the previously rumored Panasonic GF3 camera? A unidentified white camera was shown in this promotional Lumix video:
The new 16MP GF3 Micro Four Thirds camera is expected to be announced on June 13, 2011 together with the new Leica branded 25mm f/1.4 lens. Here is the full YouTube video:
This is another guest post from Dan on the best AA batteries for photography. You can read also his previous Fuji X100 and Olympus ZX1 reviews. You can follow Dan on twitter @ZDP189.
What Are the Best AA Batteries for Photography?
I seem burn through batteries at an alarming rate. I have lots of devices that take AA batteries and none more so than my Speedlites. The Canon 580 EX II is a beast of an external flash and it drinks energy like a dehydrated camel knee deep in Lucozade. For some reason Canon still haven’t moved onto Lithium battery packs and so I have to keep dropping in AA batteries. There is a bewildering array of batteries available. Here’s my story; it’s a typical consumer tale of woe, but there’s hope.
Alkaline
I started out buying AA (LR6) batteries at the grocery store. Today, these cost about ten dollars for a bumper pack of 20 batteries. That would last my family anything between a couple of days and a couple of weeks, but usually the battery drawer would be empty when I needed to grab a handful to shoot with. I started stashing batteries. I think we all did. We’d have our own little hoards, so when the new batteries came in with the shopping they’d all be gone in a flash.
Today Nauticam announced a new underwater housing NA-GH2 for the Panasonic GH2 camera with a depth rating of 100m. The retail price is $2100 and shipping will start on June 10, 2011.
I received some information from Europe about the second interchangeable lens camera called Pentax Q, expected to be announced in August 2011. Those are the specs:
This hi-def camera prototype developed by NHK and Sharp has “a single image sensor with an on-chip color filter array (4 chips each capable of imaging 8 million pixels). The 2.5-inch sensor is also compatible to conventional SLR camera lenses.”
Via Crunchgear
Here are the top 10 most visited PhotoRumors posts for May 2011:
