Photography News 12

Latest photography news 2014 special

Nikon’s new full-frame DSLR: the D750

NEWS INBRIEF

85MMNOWPART

OF OTUS RANGE Zeiss has added

another lens to its fold: the Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4. Naturally this short telephoto lens’s forte lies in shooting portraits, but ZEISS is also marketing its new model as a fast all- rounder. Natural bokeh backgrounds are said to be easy to achieve with the 85mm and it’s claimed to be almost entirely consistent in terms of imaging quality throughout the aperture range. Prices for the Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 are only estimated at the moment, but it looks like you’ll need around £2,800 to be able to call one your own. JOBY’S NOT STRAPPED FOR IDEAS The innovative company behind the much-loved GorillaPod, Joby, has launched a string of new products. The Pro String Strap (£57) keeps your DSLR close and easily accessible whilst the UltraFit Hand Strap with UltraPlate (£41) facilitates easy transfer from handheld to tripod. The GorillaPod Focus and Ballhead X (£140) is the strongest and largest ’Pod on offer whilst a Flash Clamp and Locking Arm (£35) transform everyday objects into lighting assistants. www.joby.com

– it’s sensitive down to an impressive -3EV. Broadening the range of possibilities, Nikon has incorporated a new Group Area AF mode, as seen in the D810, which is evenmore efficient at focusing on subjects against busy backgrounds. The weather- sealed body protects from the elements and it weighs in at just 750g (body only). It’s the first of Nikon’s FX-format cameras to include a tilting LCD screen and it also has built-in Wi-Fi. In addition, a new ultra-wide AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G ED FX-format prime lens has been released priced at £679.99. The D750 is available now and prices start at £1799.99 body only.

After much hype, Nikon finally made the announcement we’d been waiting for. The D750 is here. The new FX-format DSLR sits in between the D610 and D810 whilst borrowing features from the revered D4s. Like the D610, it includes a 24.3-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor although it has been redesigned to deliver what Nikon promises will be “even cleaner results than ever before at high ISOs”. The ISO range of 100-12,800 itself is impressive and an EXPEED 4 image processor boosts the overall performance. Fast-moving subjects will have a hard time escaping the D750 thanks to its high-end, newly developed Multi-CAM 3500II FX 51-point AF system

π To find out more, go to www.nikon.co.uk.

Panasonic keeps it compact

processor that’s said to offer advanced noise reduction. The LX100 is Panasonic’s new flagship premium compact; like the GM5, it has a Four Thirds sensor, so its image quality should be comparable to that of a CSC. With a full suite of manual controls, its zoom lens covers an equivalent of 24-75mm and offers a maximum aperture of f/1.7-2.8, and it’s also capable of 4K video recording.

A compact, the LUMIX DMC-LX100, and an interchangeable lens camera, the LUMIX DMC-GM5, are the newest releases from Panasonic announced at this year’s Photokina. An upgrade to the GM1, one of the major additions to the GM5 is a 1,166-dot equivalent live viewfinder with 100% field-of- view. There’s also a 16-megapixel Four Thirds sensor on board for improved resolution and a new Venus Engine

π To find out more, go to www.panasonic.co.uk.

Sigma’s storm of accessories

an all-in-one optic and features improved rendering at the telephoto end as well as a newly-developed Optical Stabilizer system. Two teleconverters (TC- 1401, £259.99 & TC-2001, £329.99) have also been announced. The TC-1401’s magnification is 1.4x and the TC-2001 offers 2x. Sigma also revealed a new compact camera, the dp1 Quattro. It features a newly developed Foveon X3 direct image sensor and has a 19mm f/2.8 lens for wide-angle shots. Rounding off Sigma’s releases is a line of filters optimised specifically for Sigma lenses: the WR Protector, Protector, WR UV Filter and the WR Circular PL Filter (from £18.99 each).

Sigma has released a glut of new products this month, including a number of lenses and filters. The 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens has been launched for both the Sports and Contemporary ranges. The Sports version retails at £1599.99 and has been designed to achieve the best optical results as well as offering greater durability for demanding sports environments. The Contemporary equivalent (price and availability TBC) is lighter in weight and more compact for the enthusiast market. Both will be available in Sigma, Nikon and Canon mounts. Another Contemporary lens, the 18-300mm f/3.5- 6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM lens (£499.99) is billed as

π To find out more, go to www.sigma-imaging-uk.com.

Photography News | Issue 12