Pentax has announced a new digital SLR based on the K2000 / K-m they introduced in late 2008. The new Pentax K-x looks pretty much exactly like the K2000 but has an upgraded 11-point auto focus system, 12.4-megapixel resolution, 720p HD video capture, ISO 12,800 sensitivity and “True High Dynamic Range” in-camera HDR. Pentax is also introducing the smc Pentax DA L 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED telephoto zoom lens.
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Rugged Digital Cameras For Backpacking, Cycling, Boating And The Worksite
 
A whole bunch of new waterproof and shockproof digital cameras have become available since the spring of 2008, when this guide was originally published. I decided to update the article so it refers to the most current (as of August 2009) outdoor-friendly point-and-shoot digital cameras. These are cameras that have some level of moisture resistance and/or can take some physical abuse - cameras made for the beach, camping, fishing, skiing, etc. Right now Canon, Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, and Ricoh all offer at least one camera that fits somewhere in the waterproof, shockproof, outdoor point-and-shoot spectrum.

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Pentax adds to the growing number of outdoor and swimming pool-friendly digital camera with the new Optio WS80. The Pentax Optio WS80 is a 10-megapixel camera with a 5x internal zoom lens, 2.7-inch LCD, 720p HD video and it’s waterproof to a depth of 1.5 meters (approximately 5 feet).
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Pentax has updated their super-compact Optio P-Series and user-friendly Optio E-Series digital camera lines. The Optio P80 has the same 12.1-megapixel resolution as the P70 with a slightly wider 4x zoom lens, better 720p video capture, improved face detection and refined Auto-Tracking AF to help keep moving subjects in focus. The 10-megapixel Optio E80 is all about easy accessibility.
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Pentax introduced the first waterproof digital camera in 2005 - the 5-megapixel Pentax Optio WP. Five Optio W cameras later, Pentax announces their latest and greatest – the Pentax Optio W80. The Optio W80 increases resolution to 12 megapixels and adds shock resistance, cold resistance, a 5x wide-angle zoom lens and waterproofing has been increased to handle depths up to 16 feet (5 meters).
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Pentax has announced a $100 instant rebate on the purchase of a 14.6 megapixel K20 digital SLR body and two lens kits, the K20D with 18-55mm Lens Kit and the K20D with 16-45mm Lens Kit.

The instant rebate is effective from June 12th, 2009 to June 20th, 2009. Read the rest of this entry »

 
It’s been over a year since Pentax introduced the K20D, their current top-of-the-line digital SLR body. Even though they did make a lot of announcements in 2008, my impression has been that things have been a little on the quiet side for Pentax in the past year. They need something big to bring the buzz back. The new 14.6-megapixel Pentax K7 DSLR should do that. Pentax system owners should be very happy and other digital SLR owners might be a little jealous. It may have taken a while for Pentax to produce a new camera. But in July, $1299 will buy you a whole lot of Pentax-badged digital SLR. And yeah - it’s got video.
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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

2009 PMA Camera And Photography Tradeshow

March 3-5, 2009 - Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall

This year’s Photo Marketing Association tradeshow, otherwise known as PMA, takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from March 3rd to 5th. Every spring all the major camera, photography software and photo accessory manufacturers assemble to show off their latest wares. PhotographyREVIEW.com has attended the show every year since 2000 and this year is no exception. This is our chance to visit with camera makers, ask tons of questions, and get a look at as much camera gear as possible. Let us know what you want to see and learn. We’re there for you! We’ll be meeting with all the main manufacturers, taking pictures, shooting video and writing about all the cool new digital cameras and photo gear.
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One of the themes at PMA this year was waterproof point-and-shoot cameras. It seems the camera makers have all decided the time has come for underwater digital cameras. For the past few years, underwater point-and-shoot digital cameras have been the exclusive domain of Olympus and Pentax. Pentax got the ball rolling back in 2005 with their 5-megapixel OptioWP. Then Olympus introduced the Stylus 720 SW, which was shockproof as well as waterproof. Both companies have had several updates since they first started making underwater cameras and depth ratings have gone from 5 feet to over 30 feet. But until recently, there wasn’t any other competition (with the exception of Ricoh’s 10-megapixel G600, which isn’t readily available in the US). That has decidedly changed now, and the features and performance of waterproof cameras have matured as well. Underwater cameras used to be pretty basic point-and-shoots but the new models we saw at PMA are no-compromise, high-performance cameras that also happen to be waterproof.
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Today, Pentax has announced the new Pentax DA 15mm f/4 ED AL Limited ultra wide-angle lens for Pentax Digital SLRs.

This new compact and lightweight lens offers 23mm angle of view, giving it an ultra wide-angle perspective. It also incorporates a hybrid aspherical (AL) lens and an extra-low-dispersion (ED) glass optical element to assure high-quality images with minimal aberrations, including lateral chromatic aberration.

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Pentax has just announced the new Pentax X70 Megazoom digital camera. The X70 is a bridge between a comapct digital camera and a digital SLR. It has a compact, lightweight body and offers flexible exposure modes and powerful shooting options found on a DSLR.

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