Transcend launches 8 TB external hard drive

Transcend Information Inc. has taken wraps off its newest device StoreJet 35T3. This black and sleek 3.5’’ device offers storage capacity up to 8TB and a USB 3.0 interface. It further provides a transfer rate of up to 200 MB/sec. With this speed, it would be a hassle-free task to transfer a 4.7GB movie, which will take about a mere 24 seconds. This hard drive features a One Touch auto-backup button. This helps the user in taking an instant back-up and synchronising their data with a notebook or desktop, making sure that their data is stored in a secondary location. Another value-added addition is the inclusion of a free download of the Transcend Elite data management software that helps users manage their data. They can perform incremental backups, secure confidential information and a lot more. StoreJet 35T3 is available in 3TB, 4TB and 8TB capacities. The device comes with Transcend’s three-year limited warranty.

Indian printers shine at HP Digital Print Excellence Awards

HP Digital Print Excellence Awards recognise atypical achievements and innovations made by the topmost printing companies across Asia Pacific and Japan. This year, there were about 380 submissions from across 16 countries. One of the grand winners was Bengaluru based Canvera Digital Tecnologies. The company was awarded in the Photo Book- Art category. Gido van Praag, Vice President and General Manager, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific and Japan said, “ Winners of the H P Digital Print Excellence Awards exemplify those who took the challenge to win their customers’ hearts and minds through innovative digital print technology. Businesses and brands today are connecting with their customers to drive more engaging conversations, transform perception of their organisations and ultimately, create the best possible customer experience.”

Tamron launches lightest zoom lens

Tamron announced a new lens— the 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC ( Model B018) for APS-C D-SLR cameras. This lens opens up varied photographic possibilities attributed to its optical and mechanical design in sync with modern times and technology. With a zoom range of 18-200mm, photographers need not go through the hassle of changing lenses while taking wideangle pictures or long distance telephoto pictures. From portraits to group photos and so on, this lens is an ideal choice. Keeping the aspects of portability and convenience in check, this lens weighs about 400 g. The lens also features Tamron’s Vibration Compensation technology. The lens offers quick and noiseless focusing in comparison to models with the usual DC motors. Constructed with 16 elements in 14 groups, the 18-200mm utilises an LD ( Low Dispersion) element to reduce chromatic aberrations. The lens’s circular seven-blade aperture diaphragm offers an appealing bokeh with point light sources blurring into naturally rounded shapes. The lens is also moisture-resistant. It further comes with a Zoom lock that helps in preventing unneeded barrel extension when the lens is pointed towards the ground.

95 million Nikkor lenses!

In a new achievement for Nikon, the company announced that its total production of Nikkor lenses, has reached 95 million. The first Nikkor lenses were manufactured in 1959 for Nikon’s SLR cameras. Since then, Nikon has produced various lenses that tap different kinds of optical technologies to cater to the photographers’ needs. These include the Nano Crystal Coat (anti-reflection coating), fluorite lens elements that offer chromatic aberration compensation and a compact build for telephoto lenses and more. Kazuo Ninomiya, Managing Director, Nikon India Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are elated to announce the production of 95 million Nikkor lenses, which have been pushing the boundaries of imaging possibilities ever since the early days of camera. At Nikon, we have a history of producing best in the class products that symbolise our spirit and today’s milestone is a testament of constantly innovating and providing world-class experience to our consumers, suited for their photographic needs.” Sajjan Kumar, Vice President – Imaging Division, Nikon India Pvt. Ltd. said, “ I am delighted to state that, we have propelled to 95 million Nikkor lenses, which is the result of several years spent in R&D to transform each photographer’s experience. Maintaining our legacy of producing technologically advanced cameras and accessories, we have introduced elements like Phase Fresnel lens and many more to make the Nikkor lenses compact, lighter and way ahead of the technology curve.

Canon India launches new multi function devices

Canon India has released a new range of A3 and A4 colour multifunction devices (MFDs) to further strengthen the Indian colour printing market. The A3 segment comprises of the imageRunnerAdvance (iRADV) C3300 series that consists of iR-ADV C3320/C3325/C3330 and imageRunnerAdvance C350i in the A4 segment. With these products, Canon endeavours to expand into the commercial space, especially photocopy shops. These machines have also been targeted at small and medium businesses. Kazutada Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Innovation has always been a driving force at Canon and our new series of colour MFDs reflect our commitment towards offering worldclass technology, ease of use and high quality to meet customer expectations. India is a land of rising entrepreneurs and we would like to play an active role in increasing the opportunities for them in the colour printing domain. National NEWS PHOTOG RAPHY Smart Our newly launched products shall add value to SME’s and government sector’s demand for cost efficient, secure and high quality printing solutions.” Accessible printing as well as quick execution of printing tasks can be attributed to this new range of products from Canon India. Mobile printing is also one of the features. Users can also benefit from the synchronisation with an onscreen walk-through video that provides detailed instructions to users regarding consumables replacement

Fujifilm reports increase in profit for Q1

Fujifilm Corp. stated that it has noted a 49.4% gain in its net profit, which amounts to nearly 24.305 billion yen for Q1 of 2015 on a revenue of 590.918 billion yen. On the whole, a 5.8% increase. Profit in operation soared by 21.3% to 36.193 billion yen. The Imaging Solutions segment recorded a 7.4% sales gain to 84.870 billion yen along with a profit in operation of 4.5 billion yen that totals up to a 39.4% leap. When it comes to photo imaging business, sale of instant cameras like the Instax series and different designs of instax film rose globally. The number of companies utilising instant cameras went up to 100 from previous year’s 70. 1.03 million units of these were sold, which is a 17% gain . An annual target of 4.6 million units has been set. The sales of the company also increased. This has been attributed to the growth in the value-added printing business. One of the main contributors to this growth were the sales of year album photo books and shuffle print services. The Electronics imaging systems’ sales decreased because of a drop in sales volume along with a shift to high-end models. The premium digital cameras of the X series delivered a steady performance. The company has plans to venture into sales of broadcast zoom lens that provides an exceptional optical performance with a 4K camera. As for the forecast, the company is anticipating a revenue of 2,580 billion yen indicating a 3.5% gain with an operating income of nearly 190 billion yen coming up to a 10.2% gain. When it comes to net income, a 1.2% gain is expected, which is about 120 billion yen.

Nikkei surveys Imaging industry

Nikkei Shinbun surveyed nearly 100 products of which 16 belonged to the imaging and IT industry. The camcorder category has disappeared from the list and interchangeable lens camera category was an addition to the list. Canon and Nikon have achieved 8.9 percent points and 2.2 points respectively. Sony and Fujifilm’s share reduced by 4.4 and 2.1 percentage points respectively. In the interchangeable lens camera category, Canon alone gained share. When it comes to inkjet printers, Canon moved to the first position in four years replacing Epson. This is attributed to its steady performance of Pixma printer series, which can print directly from smartphones without the use of a desktop. Epson has also released a similar printer. In the field of Video game consoles, Nintendo managed to retain its top position in spite of losing some shares. Sony Computer Entertainment gained with its PlayStation 4, which created ripples in the global market.

Canon Marketing Japan expects 3% drop

Canon Inc.’s domestic marketing arm, Canon Marketing Japan declared its financial performance for the first six months of 2015. A 35% decrease was posted for net profit at 5 billion yen to total revenue of 314 billion yen, down 4.3%. The profit in operation was 8.5 billion yen, a 31.9% decline. The company posted a 5.4% decline for the first quarter of the imaging business. The revenue declined to 78.6 billion yen with a 42% fall of interchangeable lens cameras, which rose to 53% in Q2 focusing on EOS 7D Mark II and entrylevel models. Therefore the the first 6-months sales dropped by 9%. In Q1, the compact models declined by 23% while in Q2, a 12% gain was noted. Therefore, for the first six months, the revenue declined by 12%. Inkjet printer unit sales went down by 30% and ink cartridge sales noted a decrease of 23%. The total sales value decreased by 28%. In Q2, inkjet printer sales rose to 5% thus in the first six months, 14% down. The company has estimated its imaging sales to be 186 billion yen. Interchangeable lens cameras will record a 2% gain whereas lens-mounted compact models will drop by 8% from an estimate of 6%. The company further stated that mid-class digital cameras priced around 100,000 yen and up along with maintenance service for photocopiers will continue to be favourable.

Nikon adds three more lenses to its kitty

The AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR comes with an enhanced four-stop advantage Vibration Reduction (VR) technology, making it suitable for situations from a wedding ceremony to a chaotic news room. The lens also makes use of the Electromagnetic Aperture control, which allows for consistent exposures during high speed bursts of shooting. The lens also incorporates a new Aspherical Extra-Low Dispersion (ASP/ED) element that is paired with the traditional aspherical ED and High-Refractive Index (HRI) elements for a whole new optical experience. The AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 ED VR weighs only 2300g including a tripod collar. This makes the lens easy to be used hand-held for an extended period of time. Its optical formula features three ED elements that help in minimising chromatic aberration and improving sharpness. A smooth bokeh is offered by a 9-blade aperture whereas critical focus is attained through Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor Technology. The AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8G ED allows for some exceptional landscape photography. This lens can create an effective and impactful demarcation between the subject and background. Minimal ghosting and flare can be attributed to the combination of ED and aspherical lens elements. The AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR will be available from late august for a suggested retail price of $2399.95. The AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR will be available mid-September onward at a price of $1399.95 whereas the AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8G ED will be available mid-september onwards

Velbon Corp. announces 5 portable Monopods

Velbon Corp. has released 5 portable monopods, which have been available from July 2015. The Ultra Stick R63Q has been developed for full-frame interchangeable lens cameras. It has 6 sections with a maximum diameter of 30 mm as well as a universal panhead. The folded length of the model is 400mm and can extend up to 1,640mm. It weighs 680g and the suggested list price is 19,700 yen. The Ultra Stick R60 is similar to the R63Q, but has a magnesium alloy platform. The model’s folded length is 32mm, extendable up to 1,550 mm. It weighs 368g and the list price is 12,000 yen. The Ultra Stick L60 is designed for lightweight interchangeable lens cameras. Its folded length is 314 mm, extendable up to 1,550mm. The model weighs 275g and is priced at 8,600 yen. The Ultra Stick M52 makes use of a slim pipe that has a 21mm diameter. The 5-section pipe has a compact universal pan-head. The folded length is 355mm extendable up to 1,370mm. The model weighs 257g and is priced at 8,000 yen. The Ultra Stick M50 with a tube diameter of 24mm is for lightweight interchangeable lens cameras. The folded length is 317mm extendable up to 1,320mm. It weighs 212g and its price is 6,600 yen.

Canon to automate domestic camera factories in Japan

Canon Inc. has plans to set up automated manufacturing production systems in domestic factories for digital cameras by 2018 to reduce production costs by 10% to 20%. As per the plan, machines will be placed on assembly lines. From lens to components to finished products, everything will be produced in the 4 plants of Japan. The company estimates that the assembly costs will be halved to a great extent. Canon will put in about 13 billion yen ( US$104) to create such a technology. A laboratory will be set up on the grounds of Oita factory that manufactures parts for SLR cameras. The laboratory is expected to begin its operations by the end of next year. Approximately 500 engineers will work on creating robots to take over the jobs of assembly line workers. Canon will find jobs for the displaced workers. In the past too, Canon eliminated the human element from the manufacturing of key lens components in 2013 but skilled hands were required for tasks such as assembling delicate electrical components, modeldependent outer casings and so forth. Digital cameras contribute about 800 billion yen to the revenue earned by Canon. This is nearly one-fifth of the total sales. The company is leading the market with a 30% share though the market is shrinking and the price competition is increasing. The idea to automate portrays Canon’s attempt to find a new pattern for domestic factories. Digital camera plants in China and Taiwan like the ones in Japan are incurring problems like shrinking labour pool, rising personnel costs etc. The company aims to set up a manufacturing network that can deal with aspects like exchange rates and wages.

Nokia turns its attention towards virtual reality

Nokia has taken wraps off Ozo the first commercially available virtual reality (VR) camera—meant for professional content creators. The camera was first conceptualised at the company’s research and development facilities in Tampere, Finland. Ozo was first revealed at an industry event held in Los Angeles. The pricing and specifications will be revealed soon. The camera will be manufactured in Finland and its shipment has been estimated by Q4 2015. Ozo captures a stereoscopic 3D video through eight synchronised global shutter sensors and spatial audio through eight integrated microphones. The software for this camera allows realtime 3D viewing with a playback solution that eliminates the need to pre-assemble a panoramic image, which is quite a timeconsuming procedure. Ramzi Haidamus, President of Nokia Technologies said, “We’re thrilled to introduce OZO to the content creation world, and to define a completely new category of virtual reality capture and playback solutions. OZO aims to advance the next wave of innovation in VR by putting powerful tools in the hands of professionals who will create amazing experiences for people around the world. We expect that virtual reality experiences will soon radically enhance the way people communicate and connect to stories, entertainment, world events and each other. With OZO, we plan to be at the heart of this new world.”

Fuji Film announces X-T1 IR

Fuji Film North America Corporation has unveiled the all new Fujifilm X-T1 IR (Infrared)—a one of its kind advanced infrared X-series mirrorless camera that is a boon to technical experts, law enforcement, medical research and other scientific communities. Nearly similar to the Fujifilm X-T1, this new camera incorporates advanced infrared technology to see light from the ultraviolet, visible and infrared portions of the light spectrum ( approximately 380nm-1,000nm). In scenarios which involve crime scene investigations, healthcare diagnostics, fine art photography and more, this With the newly added 4K features, photographers can also extract an 8 MP still from 4K burst images without any hassles and with precision. In the 4K pre-burst mode, photographs are taken a second earlier before the shutter button is pressed so as to not miss out on any key moment. Another new addition is the ‘Focus Select mode.’ With this option, focus can be changed after pictures have been taken provided that they are displayed on the LCD monitor. The user will simply touch the point, which he or she wants to focus. Panasonic will roll out the software for this function later in the year. camera can prove to be handy because of its 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II Sensor. The camera has retained the 100% silent electronic shutter of the X-T1. This camera’s electronic viewfinder allows perfect night vision with an infrared light source, normally invisible to the human eye. The camera’s exterior is constructed of magnesium alloy and is weather resistant, making it perfect for photographing in different weather conditions. The camera will be made available for purchase October 2015

Panasonic releases Lumix DMC GX8

Panasonic Corp. has raised the bar with its all new Lumix DMCGX8— a 4K video capable digital camera. The model has been launched with substantial upgrades such as a one of its kind dual image stabiliser for still and movie. This enhanced system ensures shake-free images by counteracting vibrations using a combination of six-axis stabiliser incorporated in the camera and lens— 4 for the body and 2 for the lens. The Lumix DMC-GX8 also features a 20.3 MP Micro Four Thirds LiveMos sensor. The camera’s 0.77x (35mm equivalent) Live View Finder (LVF) tilts 90 degrees to offer comfortable shooting options for different situations. Its free-angle touchscreen monitor can move sideways (180 degrees) and up and down (250 degrees). Built with magnesium alloy, this lightweight camera is splash and dustproof. It is expected to be sold at 145,000 yen. With the newly added 4K features, photographers can also extract an 8 MP still from 4K burst images without any hassles and with precision. In the 4K pre-burst mode, photographs are taken a second earlier before the shutter button is pressed so as to not miss out on any key moment. Another new addition is the ‘Focus Select mode.’ With this option, focus can be changed after pictures have been taken provided that they are displayed on the LCD monitor. The user will simply touch the point, which he or she wants to focus. Panasonic will roll out the software for this function later in the year.