Today Olympus marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary PEN F with the launch of the new Olympus PEN E-P5, a digital update of a classic film camera designed with breakthrough technology and incredible performance advancements. Developed for photographers looking for superior image quality in a portable body, the PEN E-P5 delivers a stellar shooting experience with 1/8000th of a second shutter speed – a world-first for the Compact System Camera class – built-in Wi-Fi, autofocus advancements, easy-access manual controls and a host of other features.

The new optional high-definition VF-4 viewfinder provides an impressive 1.48X magnification, a 2.36 million dot LCD, eye detect to turn it on at the right time, and intuitive functionality that enable real-time viewing of shooting conditions.

View Olympus official sample images.

Olympus PEN E-P5

Retro. The Olympus PEN E-P5 is the successor to the popular E-P3. It merges the cool retro design of the compact PEN F rangefinder camera with the high-end qualities of a [mirrorless] DSLR. New is the requisite Wi-Fi social sharing features (with easy set-up using QR code) we see cropping up in all new cameras. This allows Wireless Touch AF Shutter (view the image on your smartphone and use touch AF on smartphone to trigger the shutter on the camera) and Geo-tagging.

The distinctive styling of the PEN F rangefinder camera is carried over quite attractively. The use of high-quality textured metal for the top plate, shutter button, lens release button and arrow pad cover lends a premium look and feel to the camera. Olympus claims countless mock-up prototypes were used to finalize the design and placement of controls and dials. The PEN E-P5 will be available in an all-black, silver top and black, or white body.

The PEN E-P5 probably comes closest to match the high-end features of a DSLR: 1/8000 sec. max. mechanical shutter speed, Continuous Shooting at 9fps, 5 axis image stabilization, 1/320 sec. sync speed with the built-in pop-up flash, up to 1/4000 sec. sync speed with Super FP external flash, a high-speed AF (30% faster than E-P3), short release time lag mode, 3.0-in. 1.04 million pixels tiltable LCD, 0.5 sec. start-up, Focus Peaking function with use of manual focus lenses, optional external VF-4 EVF (2.36 million dot and 1.48x viewfinder magnification) with eye-sensor.

A new feature for those who travel a lot is the Photo Story theme that allows you to include multiple photos (or views of the scene) in a single one. Other features include Time Lapse and Art Filters.

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Olympus PEN E-P5

PRESS RELEASE

THE ONLY THING RETRO ABOUT IT IS THE WAY IT LOOKS: NEW OLYMPUS FLAGSHIP PEN E-P5® TAKES COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERAS TO A NEW LEVEL

Advanced Performance in a Classic Design: 1/8000th of a Second Shutter, Built-in Wi-Fi, Custom Control, Creative Functions, Optional VF-4 Viewfinder and More

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., May 10, 2013 – Olympus marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary PEN F with the launch of the new Olympus® PEN E-P5, a digital update of a classic film camera designed with breakthrough technology and incredible performance advancements. Designed for photographers looking for superior image quality in a portable body, the PEN E-P5 delivers a stellar shooting experience with 1/8000th of a second shutter speed – a world-first for the Compact System Camera class – built-in Wi-Fi, autofocus advancements, easy-access manual controls and a host of other features.

The new flagship in the Olympus PEN series exudes detailed craftsmanship, from a seamless design to an all-metal casing that houses many of the same award-winning technologies found inside Olympus’s premier Micro Four Thirds® camera, the OM-D E-M5®: 16-Megapixel TruePic VI Live MOS sensor, FAST AF, 5-Axis Image Stabilization and more.

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Most people love the clean lines of Apple products and the pictures on the Apple web site and other publications emphasize the beauty of the products. But, unlike those hamburgers that never live up to their photos, Apple products are as beautiful as their photos indicate.

To capture that beauty, Apple photographer Peter Belanger painstakingly adjust lights, add one lamp here, move another an inch, try a reflector, a translucent screen,… I can only groan as I watch the video of a [2009 Making of a MacWorld cover] shoot: it’s painful, and there’s still a lot of image editing that go on afterward to accentuate various aspects of the products.

Read the interview of Peter Belanger at the Verge.

via dpreview

Sigma USB Dock + Cord

The Sigma USB dock was developed exclusively for Sigma’s new Art, Contemporary, and Sports series of lenses.:

• This allows photographers to easily update lens firmware and adjust parameters (e.g. focus) via a standard USB connection to their computer

• It has a suggested retail price of $59.95

• It will be available for Canon and Sigma lenses in May, with the Nikon version to follow

• For more information about Sigma and other Sigma products, please see the Sigma brand page

PRESS RELEASE

NEW SIGMA USB DOCK ALLOWS PHOTOGRAPHERS TO UPDATE FIRMWARE AND ADJUST SETTINGS ON THE NEWEST SIGMA LENSES

TORONTO, ON., May 9, 2013 – Gentec International announces the launch of Sigma’s new USB Dock and proprietary Optimization Pro software. Developed exclusively for Sigma’s new Art, Contemporary, and Sports series of lenses, the USB Dock easily connects to a computer via a standard USB connection and allows photographers to update lens firmware and adjust parameters, such as focus.

The USB Dock is currently compatible with the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM and 30mm F1.4 DC HSM lenses from the Art line, the 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM lens from the Contemporary line, and the 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM lens the Sports line. Using the USB Dock, it’s possible to update the lens firmware via the Internet. Multiple focus setting options are also available: four categories for fixed focal length lenses and sixteen categories for zoom lenses (four options for focal length and four options for shooting distance). In addition, lenses from Sigma’s Sports line include a “Custom Mode Switch” for customizable AF speed (three AF speed modes), focus limiter, and optical stabilizer (OS) function (three OS adjustment modes).

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Manfrotto Befree tripod is opened

The Manfrotto BeFree compact tripod was specifically designed with travel photographers in mind:

Manfrotto Befree tripod folded up to just 40 cms in length

• Its unique design allows legs to fold up to just 40 cms in length, making this an easy tool to pack

  • Portable: The padded shoulder bag offers protection from damage and makes the tripod easy to pack in luggage or carry with you

• This sturdy, lightweight tripod makes a great travel companion for photographers on the go

  • at 1.4 kg, it weighs less than the average laptop

  • the rugged Befree and aluminum ball head offer a maximum capacity of 4 kg to guarantee stability, even with long zoom lenses

   

Manfrotto Befree tripod is extended

• The BeFree tripod has a suggested retail price of $249.95 and will be available in June

• For more information, please check out the BeFree microsite and videos on Gentec’s website

This video presents “Manfrotto Befree tripod in action travel and shoot”

PRESS RELEASE

MANFROTTO LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE Befree, A COMPACT TRIPOD SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHERS

TORONTO, ON., May 9, 2013 – Gentec International announces  Manfrotto’s Befree, a compact tripod featuring an innovative design dedicated to  who love to travel. Now, there’s no need to sacrifice a sturdy camera support when travelling. With this convenient travel companion, photography on-the-go has never been easier.

The Befree tripod is an easy tool to pack. Thanks to its unique design, the legs fold perfectly around the head into a closed position, where it is only 40 centimetres in length. The tripod’s lightweight aluminum construction makes it especially easy to carry; at 1.4 kilograms, it weighs less than the average laptop. The Befree also comes with a dedicated shoulder bag that protects it from accidental damage and makes it more portable for traveling and convenient to store in luggage. No longer will photographers have to compromise on picture quality because they weren’t able to travel with their heavy tripod.

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The big news is that we won’t be able to purchase and download Photoshop anymore, except through a US $20 (for now) monthly subscription. [A full subscription to Adobe CC costs US $50/month] Dubbed Creative Cloud, the new Photoshop CC gives the impression that it resides and operates in the cloud though you really do download the program and can work offline… but Adobe checks regularly (30 days for monthly subscribers, about 99 days for annual subscribers) to see if your license is up-to-date.

Reading the “reviews” on Adobe’s site, it seems that some people do not understand that the cloud option costs the same (currently) as the purchase option. In fact, buy once and use forvever is what most non-pro PS users do since there is no need to constantly upgrade to the latest versions every 2 years. With the cloud option, you are “renting” and will never stop paying, forever upgrading for features you may never care about.

We’ve no doubt that Adobe’s bean counters and number crunchers have figured out that a subscription model will earn them more money, but there’s danger lurking. While most organizations may be able to justify a one-time purchase of Photoshop if there’s money in the budget and based on current image processing needs, it will be much more difficult to escape the ever watchful accountant’s eyes that see an expenditure line item of $240 (or more) every single year — and require justification every year. Get something cheaper or free, they might order — and you’ve just lost a subscriber and user of Photoshop.

Eventually, everything will inevitably move to the cloud, but not yet, just not quite yet. Adobe may be moving just a tad bit too early for many users. It should continue to offer two versions of Photoshop: the purchase & download version and the cloud version, with the cloud version providing more frequent features updates and enhancements. Priced at par with the purchase version (assuming a 2-year upgrade path), the cloud version may eventually convince many users that, in the long run, it is the “better value for the money” (especially for those who MUST use PS all the time).

So, what do you think Adobe, there’s still time to listen to your customers and do a discreete backpedaling after considering the various scenarios? Anticipate and fend off a potential looming crisis?

Those who are stuck on Adobe software really have no choice. Others can easily find other alternatives (and if none satisfy you today, just give it some time, they will come).

If you are a Photoshop user and are incensed about this move to a subscription model, then you can still purchase and download a stand alone version of Photoshop CS6 until Adobe removes this option for good.

This is a firmware update that fixes the brightness of the OVF bright frame when using ISO 1600 and higher. Apparently, the brightness of the OVF bright frame did not vary according to the surrounding brightness when using this high ISO and this firmware update fixes this.

Download the Fujifilm X100S Firmware Update Ver.1.02

TechRadar has published its Olympus XZ-10 review.

The Olympus XZ-10 occupies the lucrative premium compact camera space that seems to be ever-growing in the number of options available to consumers. These cameras offer much more than a bog-standard compact, and certainly much more than a smartphone. Generally offering full manual control, other inviting features include fast aperture lenses and raw format shooting.