Panasonic announced the Lumix GH1 Micro Four Thirds camera this March at the annual PMA tradeshow. It was the biggest announcement of the show and a solid follow-up to the first Micro Four Thirds camera and last year’s camera of the year, the Panasonic Lumix G1. Like the G1, the GH1 is a “system” camera with changeable lenses and a 12-megapixel Four Thirds sensor. The GH1 is basically the same as the G1 as far as still shooting goes, but it adds 1080p HD video capture and a new silent auto focus, 10x image-stabilized kit lens. Although it looks a lot like a digital SLR the GH1 is smaller and has an EVF (electronic viewfinder) instead of an optical through-the-lens viewfinder.
Read the rest of this entry »

 
Last week Olympus announced their second Micro Four Thirds Pen Digital camera, the E-P2. We got a little sneak peak at the E-P2 in the form of a pre-production camera that showed up about a week before the announcement. Since it wasn’t a finished camera we couldn’t shoot studio tests or evaluate the performance. But we did get to shoot product photos and make a hands-on video of the E-P2 so you could see some of the new features in action.
Read the rest of this entry »

 
Micro Four Thirds fans, listen up! The Olympus E-P2 digital camera has landed and Olympus sent me one to check out for a few days before they made the announcement! Its predecessor, the Olympus E-P1 was one of the surprise hits of the summer. The Olympus E-P2 is more or less the same camera as the E-P1 with a few important new features. The most obvious difference is the sexy new black finish. But it goes deeper than that. Most important is the new Accessory Port and included Articulating EVF (electronic viewfinder). The rest of changes are internal. They include auto focus tracking (yes - it works in Movie Mode, too!), manual exposure control in movie mode, two new Art Filters and a new Picture Mode.
Read the rest of this entry »

page 1 page 2

2009 PhotoPlus Expo
October 22-24, 2009 - New York City

October 22 - 24, 2009: The PDN PhotoPlus Expo tradeshow bills itself as “the most important event in the photo industry.” That might be overstating things a bit, but it is the largest and most important consumer photo tradeshow in North America. Every fall, photographers gather at the Javits Center in New York City where they get to take a closer look at new digital cameras, lenses, tripods, camera bags, software, studio lighting and more. There are also more than 100 photography workshops, covering everything from marketing your photography to improving all kinds of photography skills and techniques.
Read the rest of this entry »

 
Novoflex, part of the HPMarketing Group, Inc. has added to an already extensive line of Camera Lens Mount Adapters. These additions give users of the Micro Four Thirds system several new options for lenses that can be used by this growing system. Of particular interest are adapters that allow photographers to use Leica M and Leica R lenses on the Olympus E-P1, and Panasonic Lumix G1, GH1 and GF1 Micro Four Thirds cameras.
Read the rest of this entry »

 
Panasonic has announced their third Micro Four Thirds camera, the Lumix DMC-GF1. Obviously an answer to the well-received Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds camera, the Panasonic Lumix GF1 is about the same size as its Olympus cousin, but adds a built-in pop-up flash and optional electronic viewfinder (EVF). Like previous Micro Four Thirds cameras, the new GF1 uses a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor. And like the Olympus E-P1, it captures HD video at 1280 x 720 (720p) resolution. Along with the GF1, Panasonic is introducing two new Micro Four Thirds lenses, a compact 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens (40mm equivalent) and Leica’s first Micro Four Thirds lens, the DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. (90mm equivalent).
Read the rest of this entry »

 
Olympus is launching a new digital SLR designed to offer families and photography enthusiasts DSLR performance for under $600. Olympus is describing the E-600 as sort of a “little brother” to the E-620 that was announced this spring. Key features like the 12.3-megapixel imaging sensor, built-in image stabilization, compact body, fast auto focus and 2.7-inch tilt-swivel LCD display with Live View are exactly the same.
Read the rest of this entry »

page 1 page 2

Today, Olympus introduces their first Micro Four Thirds camera – the E-P1. The compact new Olympus E-P1 has a 12.3-megapixel sensor and it’s Olympus’ first changeable lens camera to offer a movie mode (720p HD). The Micro Four Thirds format was announced last August and since then I’ve been anxiously waiting to find out what Olympus would do with it. Panasonic has introduced two Micro Four Thirds cameras, the Lumix G1 and the GH1 with HD video. But until now, the only Micro Four Thirds action we’ve seen from Olympus was behind glass at tradeshows. But now there’s an Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera we can bank on – and it’s not just a list of specs and features, either. I was lucky enough to get a pre-production E-P1 last week so I could get a feel for the camera, make my own product photos and shoot a hands-on video preview of the new Micro Four Thirds camera.
Read the rest of this entry »

page 1 page 2 page 3

 
Panasonic has announced a price for the forthcoming Lumix GH1 Micro Four Thirds HD-capable digital camera. The Panasonic Lumix GH1 will be available in June with an MSRP of $1499.95. That price includes the new image-stabilized Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 10x zoom lens. The 14-140mm lens was specially developed for the Lumix GH1 camera. It has a silent auto focus motor to work with the camera’s HD video capture.
Read the rest of this entry »

Sigma Corporation has made available at their US website an online repair order form and payment information. A revamped Service page at the site, Sigma Online Mall Service Page, has tabs for both United States Customers and those Outside of the United States.  Online tracking is now available via a customer generated form.

Contact information is available for Authorized Sigma Service Centers. Sigma acknowledges that they expedite customers repair work by sometimes forwarding work to these vendors and tells customers to be prepared to have direct communication with them.

A step-by-step procedure is posted to aid customers seeking repair/warranty service for Sigma products and third party products by Sigma for Canon, Nikon, Sony/Minolta, Pentax and of course the 4/3rds lenses for Olympus and Panasonic.

Sigma Service Information

Related links:

Sigma Corporation of America Home Page

Authorized Sigma repair centers

Criscam.com Chandler, AZ contact - email: sigma@criscam.com

Camera Repair Japan Duluth, GA contact - email: crjco@aol.com

Olympus has announced a new entry-level camera to their E-System line of digital SLRs. The Olympus E-450 digital SLR has a 10-megapixel Four Thirds sensor, a 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD with Live View and it includes three Art Filters - Pop Art, Pin Hole and Soft Focus.
Read the rest of this entry »

page 1 page 2

For the past 6 years or so, the annual PMA tradeshow has mostly been about digital SLRs. Every manufacturer had to have one or two new ones to show off at the show. This year was different. The bad economy is no news but it was still a surprise that there was only one new digital SLR at the show this year. I was expecting Canon or Nikon to pull something out of their sleeve at the show - at least an entry-level camera. But the only manufacturer to introduce a new digital SLR at PMA in 2009 was Olympus. No doubt, all the manufacturers are working on new digital SLRs, and they’ll likely all have video from here on out. But the 12-megapixel Olympus E-620 was the only new DSLR at this PMA show. Good job, Olympus!
Read the rest of this entry »