Camera September-October 2015

BACK WHEN I STARTED OUT road-testing camera gear (no, you don’t need to ask), in one particular review I wrote something about the packaging. The editor of the day, wielding the red pen (literally back then), told me in no uncertain terms that such details were an irrelevancy, and I would do better to concentrate more on the main topic. Yes, boss. I’ve never mentioned packaging in a review again, but I’ve always inwardly commended any manufacturer who quite clearly went to a bit of effort in this department. Of course, I’ve been fortunate enough to unbox quite a few cameras along the way and – call me strange – I never tire of the thrill, especially if the test sample happens to be brand-spanking new and I’m the first…

FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION of the first SureColor series photo printer – the A3+ format SC-P600 – a few months ago, Epson has launched its A2+ sibling. Similarly styled, the SureColor SC-P800 A2+ replaces the popular Stylus Pro 3880 in Epson’s line-up of pro-level pigmented-ink printers and uses the same MicroPiezo print head and advanced LUT technology for high resolution imaging at up to 2880x1140 dpi. The P800 uses Epson’s latest Ultrachrome HD inkset – introduced with the SC-P600 – with nine colours, but in larger, 80 millilitre cartridges. The new inks provide a large colour gamut with, Epson claims, the highest Dmax in the market, enabling improved results with both colour and black and white printing. The new inks also provide improved lightfastness. Like the SC-P600, the P800 has a…

Canon has produced its 110-millionth EF mount lens, setting a new world record for the most interchangeable camera lenses produced ever. This milestone was reached with the production of an EF 11-24mm f4.0L USM wide-angle zoom. The EF mount (with the EOS camera system) was launched in 1987, and the lens line-up has grown to a total of 97 models, including the EF Cinema Lenses for digital cinematography. For more information about Canon EF lenses visit www.canon.com.au Meanwhile, over at Nikon, they’re celebrating the building of 95 million Nikkor lenses since the legendary Nikon F was launched in 1959. The two rivals used to be neck-and-neck in the lens production numbers race, but Canon seems to have pulled ahead over the last year or so. Of course, Nikon’s count started…

PART 1 LEVERAGING THE LATEST in lens technologies, Nikon has introduced a pair of new prime supertelephoto lenses which are significantly lighter than the preceding models. The AF-S Nikkor 500mm f4.0E FL ED VR weighs in at 3.09 kilograms while the new AF-S Nikkor 600mm f4.0E FL ED VR tips the scale at 3.81 kilograms (a massive reduction of 1.45 kilos). These are ‘FX’ format lenses for Nikon’s D-SLRs with full-35mm size sensors, but can also be used on the ‘DX’ models with APS-C’ sizes sensors (with a 1.5x increase in the effective focal length). The 500mm has a 16-element optical construction of which three are made for ‘Super ED’ (super extra-low dispersion) glass and two are fluorite types to optimise the correction for chromatic aberrations (while also contributing to…

Many thanks to you sharp-eyed readers who noted the Minolta mix-up in our feature ‘The 50 Most Significant Cameras Of All Time’ published in the last issue. The number 45 entry – the Minolta Hi-Matic 7 – was erroneously accompanied by an illustration of the Minolta 7000. In fact, we had great problems sourcing a copyright-free image of the Hi-Matic 7 which is why the mistake eventually occurred. Here, just to complete the feature, is a period advertisement for the Hi-Matic 7… feel free to cut-and-paste. We particularly enjoyed the observation of one reader who felt the mistake was compounded because of the awfulness of the 7000’s styling versus the simple elegance of the Hi-Matic 7. We agree.…

PART 2 IFYOU OWN one of Nikon’s ‘FX’ format D-SLRs with a full-35mm size sensor, there are three new AF-S Nikkor lenses to consider adding to your system. The AF-S type lenses have built-in autofocusing drives – Nikon’s ultrasonic ‘Silent Wave Motor’ – and there’s a continuous program to eventually upgrade all contemporary Nikkor lenses to this spec as well as adding features such as optical image stabilisation. The entry-level ‘DX’ format Nikon D-SLRs no longer have body-based AF drives and Nikon could be planning to go this way with its lower-priced ‘FX’ models. Additionally, it’s a certainty that the much-rumoured Nikon full-35mm format mirrorless camera won’t have a built-in AF motor. As an aside, we have a feeling this camera will break cover in early 2016. The new arrivals…