News / New Cameras & Lenses

CP+ 2013: Pentax announces the WG-3 rugged digital camera, available with and without a built-in GPS. Both versions feature an image-stabilized 16MP CMOS sensor, and now an F2.0-4.9 lens with 25-100mm equivalent zoom. Both are also waterproof down to 45 feet, drop-resistant from heights of 6.6 feet, dust-resistant, and can handle temperatures down to 14F. Finally, they're back-pocket-safe, meaning you can sit on them and they're still likely to work (they can handle up to 220 pounds of pressure).

CP+ 2013: With the WG-10 Pentax has created a more affordable waterproof digital camera, one that still withstands depths of 33 feet, as well as the usual drops, dust, cold, and pressure. With a 14MP CCD sensor, Pentax says the camera can produce 'poster size' images thanks to its new imaging engine, and can also capture 720p videos. Its 5x lens zooms from 28-140mm equivalent.

CP+ 2013: Sigma has announced four additions to its 'Art' range of prime lenses, including a 60mm F2.8 DN lens for mirrorless cameras and an updated 30mm F1.4 DC for APS-C DSLRs. Alongside these are redesigned versions of its 30mm and 19mm F2.8 DN lenses for mirrorless in metal bodies. Like these lenses, the 60mm F2.8 DN features a metal casing and will be available for the Sony E and Micro Four Thirds mounts. It will offer a 90mm equivalent field of view on Sony NEX cameras or 120mm equivalent coverage of Micro Four Thirds bodies. The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC is a completely redesigned version of the popular normal lens for APS-C DSLRs - it will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. Price and availability details have not been given.

Tokina has announced it will be exhibiting two soon-to-be-released lenses at the CP+ trade show in Japan. The AT-X 70-200 F4 PRO FX VCM-S is a telephoto zoom that's designed for use on both full frame and APS-C SLRs, and features both optical image stabilisation and a ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor with full-time manual override. Meanwhile the AT-X 12-28 F4 PRO DX is a replacement for the company's existing 12-24mm F4 wideangle zoom for APS-C cameras. But rather than making the lens wider to match its competitors, Tokina has chosen to extend it further into the 'normal' range, to give an 18-42mm equivalent zoom. 

Tamron has announced that it's developing an image stabilised superzoom lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The 14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 Di III VC (Model C001) is poised to become the first third-party zoom for the system, and will offer a 28-300mm equivalent focal length range. It uses the company's Vibration Control (VC) system to counteract hand-shake, and a stepper motor for fast and silent autofocus. The lens will also feature a metal barrel and be available in a black or silver finish. Price and availibility are still to be confirmed.

CP+ 2013: Nikon has announced the AF-S Nikkor 18-35mm F3.5-4.5G ED full-frame wideangle zoom and the AF-S Nikkor 800mm F5.6E FL ED VR, a super-telephoto prime that comes with its own dedicated teleconverter. The 18-35mm is a consumer-grade wideangle to extend the options available to buyers of the company's more affordable D600 model, and will cost around $750 / £670. The 800mm lens, which uses fluorite glass, will cost around $18,000 / £15,600 and comes with an exclusive, matched 1.25x teleconverter that gives a 1000mm F7.1 combination.

CP+ 2013: Nikon has unveiled a quartet of mid-level Coolpix compacts including the Coolpix P520 42x superzoom and S9500 22x compact superzoom, alongside the Coolpix L820 30x budget superzoom and the S6500 12x compact. The P520 features the same 24-1000mm equivalent zoom seen in the P510 but moves to an 18MP BSI CMOS sensor and is compatible with the optional WU-1a Wi-Fi module. The S9500 has built-in Wi-Fi and fits the same 18MP sensor into a slim body with a 25-550mm equivalent lens.

Casio has announced two additions to its High Speed Exilim series, the EX-ZR700 and EX-ZR400. The EX-ZR700 uses a 16.1 MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 3 inch LCD and a stabilized 18x, 25-450mm equivalent optical zoom lens. The EX-ZR400 is similar to its predecessor the EX-ZR300, inheriting its 16.1MP BSI-CMOS sensor and 24-300mm equiv. lens, and comes equipped with a long-lasting battery promising 515 photos on a single charge. Both cameras feature the company's latest Exilim Engine HS 3 processer and new shooting modes including a Premium Auto Pro and an All-In-Focus Macro mode. There is currently no information available about their price and availability.

CP+ 2013: Nikon has announced the Coolpix AW110 and S31 tough, waterproof cameras. The AW110 is the more resilient and feature-packed of the two. It features a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, OLED screen and a 28-140mm equivalent stabilized zoom. It is waterproof to 18m (59ft) and shockproof from a height of 2m (6.7ft) and includes both GPS and Wi-Fi. The S31 is built around a smartphone-sized 10MP sensor and includes a 29-87mm equivalent lens. It's waterproof to 5m (16.5ft) and shockproof from a height of 1.2m (3.6ft).

CP+ 2013: Nikon has announced the CoolPix S5200 and L28 - two affordable compact cameras. The S5200 is a 6x compact with a 26-156mm equivalent stabilized zoom lens and a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor. It features a 3" LCD screen and built-in Wi-Fi capability and will retail for around $180. The L28 offers a slightly more modest 26-130mm 5x zoom lens in front of a 20MP CCD sensor. It uses AA batteries and will sell for around $120.

CP+ 2013: Canon has announced three long-zoom compacts, the PowerShot Elph 330 HS, the Elph 115 IS and the A2500. The Elph 330 HS, called the Ixus 225 HS in Europe, is a Wi-Fi capable 12MP CMOS camera featuring a 10x, 24-240mm equivalent lens. The Elph 115 IS, known as the Ixus 132 in Europe, has a 16MP CCD sensor and an 8x, 28-224mm equiv stabilized zoom. A Wi-Fi variant, called the Ixus 135 is available in Europe. Finally, the A2500 is an inexpensive model using the same 16MP CCD chip placed behind a 28-140mm equiv zoom. It has a slightly smaller screen than the A2600 launched at CES.

CP+ 2013: Panasonic has announced the Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II Asph. Mega O.I.S - its latest affordable kit lens for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. The 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II is the company's fourth variable aperture standard zoom (following the 14-45mm, original 14-42mm and 14-42mm power zoom), and gains two aspherical elements to help make the lens smaller than the existing version. The 14-42mm II will be available as a kit option with both the DMC-GF5 and DMC-G5 in most markets.

Pentax has released three multi-colored variants of its Q10 small-sensor mirrorless camera for the Japanese market. The color scheme is based on characters from the country's popular science-fiction franchise Neon Genesis Evangelion. Apart from the cosmetic changes, there are no spec differences in these editions compared to the original camera. Click through for a link to the press release and (shudder) some pictures...

Sony has announced the E 20mm F2.8 - a moderately wide-angle pancake prime lens for its NEX cameras. The moderately-fast E-mount pancake will offer a 30mm equivalent field of view and adds another compact lens option for NEX shooters. It will be available in April for around $350. Sony has also said it will offer its video-targeted 18-200mm OSS F3.5-6.3 power zoom lens as a standalone product. Previously only available bundled with the NEX-VG30 camcorder, it becomes the company's third E-mount 18-200mm superzoom and will cost around $1200.

Olympus has issued a press release confirming JK Imaging and four other companies have formally signed-up to the Micro Four Thirds standard. JK Imaging announced last week that it would be offering MFT cameras under the Kodak brand. Australian company Blackmagic Design, which already offers a movie camera with a passive Micro Four Thirds mount and is rumored to be working on a fully compliant version, also joins. The other three signatories are less consumer-facing.

Just a week after announcing it was licensing the Kodak brand name, JK Imaging has been showing a Micro Four Thirds camera at a press conference in China. Details are vague but the camera, reported to be called the S1, does appear to be sporting the official Micro Four Thirds logo. The camera, which will offer Wi-Fi for communication with smartphones, is said to be based around a Sony CMOS sensor. (via PetaPixel)

Canon has announced two additions to its range of Cinema EOS prime lenses, a 14mm T3.1 and 135mm T2.2. The CN-E14mm T3.1 L F and CN-E135mm T2.2 L F are both designed to be used on movie cameras with image sensors up to 35mm full frame in size, and include a range of features optimized for movie shooting. These include geared focus and aperture rings with markings designed to be read from the side of the camera, 11-bladed circular aperture diaphragms, and all-metal weather-resistant construction. The 14mm T3.1 will be available from April 2013 at an estimated retail price of $5,500, while the 135mm T2.2 will appear in May for $5,200.

CES 2013: As promised we've used the CES show as an opportunity to get our hands on the Samsung NX300. The latest model shares its looks with the NX210 but has been substantially re-worked under the skin. We had a chance to play with the NX300 and Samsung's innovative 3D variant of its 45mm F1.8 lens that has been developed alongside it. Click here to see what we found.

CES 2013: Sakar International has formally announced the distinctly Nikon-esque iM1836 - a modular camera system wearing Polaroid branding. Details are scarce - with the company able to give little information (and some of that being improbable), but the first model is said to be an Android-based, Wi-Fi-connected camera with Ricoh GXR-style interchangeable modules with the sensor built into the lens. Further adapter modules are promised to allow use of Pentax K, Nikon F and Micro Four Thirds lenses.

CES 2013: Sigma has announced the DP3 Merrill, the latest iteration of the company's enthusiast large sensor compact camera. Nearly identical to the earlier DP Merrill models, this camera features the familiar 15x3MP APS-C Foveon X3 sensor, but it is now mated with a 50mm (75mm equiv.) F2.8 lens. The lens lends itself to portraiture and, with a minimum focus distance of 22.6cm, offers respectable 1:3 magnification. Video recording is still limited to VGA resolution but the DP3M can shoot at up to 4 frames per second for 7 frames in Raw.