Lensbaby Composer Pro announced (GH2 in Stock and Fuji X100 coming soon)

For all Lensbaby lovers there is a new toy for you! Lensbaby announced the Composer Pro. The new lens refines and enhances the classic Lensbaby Composer by upgrading the swivel ball and focus mechanism to provide professional performance. It now delivers an ultra-smooth focus and tilt control and you have a fluid and accurate dampened focus ring comparable to the focus mechanisms of the highest quality professional manual focus lenses. The lens is available for Four Thirds only. We don’t know yet if they will make a Micro Four Thirds version too.

The lens is already in Stock at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

Reminder: The long awaited Panasonic GH2 with 14-140mm lens kit is in Stock at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

UPDATE: J&R just changed the status and now says that the Fuji X100 will be coming soon (Click here to preorder on J&R). And Digitalrev says “Usually ships in 1-2 weeks” (Click here to order on Digitalrev). There are a few X100 on auction on [shoplink 19929 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] but they are all very expensive.

a little bit of everything…


How to hack, modify, adapt your iDC follow focus to use with the Panasonic Lumix GH2, GH1 (Mike Kobal)

Noob Conundrum: Canon 60D or Panasonic GH2? (planet5d.com)
[ib] Update (Olympus Japan)
Desmontando una Lumix LX3 (Caborian via Fotoactualidad)
Panasonic AF100 Journey (Outbackphoto)
Panasonic Lumix TZ18 Digital Camera Review (ePhotozine).
Olympus to Launch Regional Headquarters Company for Asia and Oceania in April (Imaging Resource).
Olympus E-PL1s tested at DC.watch.
Win a Retrospective 20 from Think Tank Photo (The Phoblographer)

Pansonic GH2 direct links at [shopcountry 16254].
Pansonic AF100 direct links at [shopcountry 16841].

a little bit of everything…

A 43rumors reader washes the car (GF1+[shoplink 15659 ebay]Nokton 0.95[/shoplink]).

Olympus camera tests

Olympus E-PL2 Field Test Gallery (Outbackphoto).
Olympus XZ-1 ISO Test 100-3200 (TheDigitalStory).

Panasonic compact camera tests

Panasonic LX5 vs Canon S95 vs Nikon P300 (ePhotozine).
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX77 Review (Trustedreviews).
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS16 Digital Camera Review (ePhotozine).
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3 review (Trustedreviews).
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 First Look (Digitalcamerareview).

Other news

Gary Fong Intros a Micro Four Thirds Puffer Pop-Up Diffuser (Steve Digicams).
Also Cosina has to delay some product production (DC.Watch).

A roundup of fool news :)

There is a long list of false news goign around the web today. be warned!

Vitaly Kiselev wrote that on DVXuser.com: “During some early stages of GH2 exploring we found the follow things:
1) Quite big part of firmware is deactivated as it contains most features present in AF100, including waveform. We are looking how to enable it.
2) 4:4:4 color mode on HDMI is present in special video output debug mode. So, it can be also enabled.
3) Sensor can run at variable frame rates from 12 up to 60fsp in 1080p and up to 120fps in 720p.
4) Bitrate can be adjusted up to 110Mbps with B frames and up to 150Mbps without them.

The new Apple iCam and the end of analogue Photography at System Kamera Forum.

Crazy new camera design at ePhotozine.

 

If you find more news comment this post!

 

Press release: Zeiss CP.2 lens for Micro Four Thirds

[shoplink 15756 ebay][/shoplink]

We were all very excited when Zeiss announced that they will become part of the Micro Four Thirds group. But I do hope they will go much further with their “intentions” because those [shoplink 15756 ebay]CP.2 lenses[/shoplink] aren’t really what we amateurs are waiting for. These manual lenses ideal for professional filmmakers but also to expensive for us amateurs. One more thing, they are not designed from scratch for m43 cameras. They “only” made a new adapter to make it fit on professional cameras like the [shoplink 16841]Panasonic AG-AF100[/shoplink].

Check the availability (and huge price) of those lenses at [shopcountry 15756].

That’s the official press release (via Dpreview)

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 30.03.2011. : During the NAB Trade Show in Las Vegas from April 9-14, 2011, Carl Zeiss will present two new mounts for the Compact Prime CP.2 lenses: the E mount and the MFT mount. The MFT mount is particularly suitable for the new corresponding professional camcorders, while the brand-new E mount is perfect for the new Sony cameras like the Super 35 mm NXCAM camcorder. The MFT mount has been available since March.

The new E mount is expected to be available beginning in June. Exactly a year ago, Carl Zeiss introduced the Compact Prime CP.2 series during the NAB Show in Las Vegas. They are the first lenses with interchangeable mount developed specially for filming with HDSLR cameras. Since then, there has been significant demand for these lenses among cinematographers and still photographers adding new video services. Carl Zeiss is now adding a new chapter to its Compact Prime CP.2 success story.

“With these new mounts, we respond to many of our customers’ wishes asking to use the lenses on these new HD video cameras,” said Holger Sehr, Product Manager for Cinematography lenses at Carl Zeiss AG, Camera Lens Division. “Thanks to the interchangeable mounts, now for five different camera systems — PL, EF, MFT, F and E mount — our Compact Prime CP.2 lenses deliver superb flexibility, can be used in many different market segments, and are attractive for both end-customers and rental houses.”

With the interchangeable mount and the 24×36 mm full-format image circle illumination, these latest members of Carl Zeiss compact lens family are extremely versatile. During the NAB Show, Carl Zeiss will present all nine fixed focal lengths of Compact Prime CP.2 series from 18 to 100 mm, which thanks to the new mounts can be used for a wide range of cameras — from SLR to professional camcorders through to professional cine and television film cameras. Moreover, the Compact Prime CP.2 lenses are highly compact with a robust construction, so that they can withstand any demand of cinematographers and photographers on the set.

SLRmagic announces (an expensive) 11mm f/1.4 Micro Four Thirds lens.

[shoplink 21181 ebay][/shoplink]

UPDATE: Sorry guys, I had the wrong links on the lens. If you click now you will land on the correct ebay page. Thanks!

SLRmagic announced a new [shoplink 21181 ebay]11mm f/1.4[/shoplink] wide angle lens with Micro Four Thirds mount. But there is a big disappointment. The price is incredibly high…$210!!! It would be a fair price if the lens would have at least a decent optical performance. But from the first images we have seen on [shoplink 21181 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] we can see heavy vignetting and unsharp results.

If you really need a fast wide angle lens get the [shoplink 16968 ebay]Computar 12.5mm F1.3[/shoplink] which is much cheaper (Read the review at EosHD).

Zeiss CP+ lenses for Micro Four Thirds to start shipping this week

[shoplink 15756 ebay][/shoplink]

Via Twitter (Click here) Zeiss announced that “We’ll ship our Compact Prime CP.2 lenses w. F and MFT to our customers this week“.  Zeiss AG joined the Micro Four Thirds System group and the first products are the adapted [shoplink 15756 ebay]CP.2 lenses[/shoplink]. They are very expensive and meant for professional movie work. Check price at [shoplink 21116].

You can see the first image samples at Flickr. Taken with the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] and Compact Prime CP.2 85mm/T2.1 Cine Lens.