Two slim new compacts from Nikon will be available from next month, with the Coolpix S4000 and S3000 models landing in March.

Successors to the Coolpix S230 and S220 models, the new compact digitals utilise a touch-screen panel, a 12-megapixel sensor, and a 27mm 4X zoom lens. The S4000 model also throws in HD video recording capabilities.

The touchscreen features a redesigned graphical user interface, which includes a touch shutter and slider adjustment for white balance. They’re also pretty compact for a compact, with the S3000 only 19mm deep.

Avaialable in eight colours, there’s still no word on local pricing and availability, but keep reading D-Photo for more details.

Australian wedding and portrait photographer Jerry Ghionis was recently honoured at the 2009 Societies Convention Awards in London, picking up no less than eight awards, including the Photographer of the Year Title.

According the British Journal of Photography, Ghionis managed to dominate a field of 23, 000 images over 33 categories, taking out the fashion and photojournalism categories.

The photographer picked up over $17,000 worth of photographic equipment, including a sparkling new Nikon D3s.

The Melbourne-based photographer began shooting professionally in 1994 at the age of 20, Ghoinis has regularly been listed among the top ten wedding photographers in the world.

‘The trophies I have won are just glass but if they show I have been in some way helpful to other photographers through my images and my workshops then that is praise indeed,’ the photographer told the BJP.

Image by Jerry Ghionis

New Zealand icon Marti Friedlander is gifting her series of photographs taken for the Moko project with renowned historian Michael King to Te Papa.

Before the photographs enter their collection, an exhibition of the work, which saw Friedlander and King visit every surviving kuia who wore moko in 1970, will go on display at FHE Gallery in Auckland.

“It is the most moving exhibition, and I was completely overwhelmed with emotion when I saw a preview of these Original Images altogether in the Gallery,” Friedlander told D-Photo.

“I have no doubt that when our descendants want to know what kind of country New Zealand was in the twentieth century, what we did that distinguished us from other peoples, what we looked like, what our character was then one of the major sources for that kind of information and understanding will be the photographs of Marti Friedlander,” said King of Friedlander’s work.

The show runs from February 8 to March 20, 2010, at 2 Kitchener Street, Auckland

Professional sports photographer Michael Bradley tries out Sony’s new zoom lens

This new Sony zoom might suit photographers in search of a 400mm lens to add to their kits, but who don’t have the budget to shell out the big-bucks for an f2.8 prime lens. There are, however, a few catches.

On the plus side, this long zoom has the added benefit of built-in image stabilisation, which really is a great feature. It allowed me to easily take hand-held shots at 1/60 of a second at 400mm with impressive results.

During field testing I used the 70-400mm on a family trip to the zoo. I decided to only pack one lens, and the Sony’s versatility was impressive. I was very happy with some images, especially at 400mm, without having to lug around a cumbersome f2.8 prime lens.

On first impression the 70-400mm’s silver finish might look a little on the cheap side. Personally, I’m not a fan, but there’s no doubt it sets the lens apart from the more common black or white chassis.

It doesn’t seem to feel as sturdy or water tight as competing lenses from the other leading brands, either. ...full story

Epson’s slender TX550W all-in-one inkjet manages to pack considerable functionality into its sleek black chassis. Along with USB and Ethernet connectivity, the TX550W is also able to be used wirelessly — ideal for remote locations in the home/office that do not have access to cabled USB or Ethernet connections.

Epson’s entry-level CMYK Durabrite inks are used; these pigment-based inks have a fairly wide colour gamut, but for photo printing I’d have liked a dedicated photo black on board as well. The only printer in this roundup to use a piezoelectric print head (the other two are bubble jets), Epson’s variable dot technology offers droplet sizes as miniscule as two picolitres. That suggested no visible dot structure, and so it was — I was unable to detect any form of dot using my keen eyesight, while viewing under a glass produced almost the same result. A decent scanner and good paper handling make up the feature set.

During my time with the TX550W I was unable to get the printer up and running wirelessly; luckily, my trusty old USB cable came to the rescue and I was soon cluttering up my office ...full story

Ricoh has just unveiled the new CX3 compact with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a 28-300mm lens.

Incorporating technology introduced in Ricoh’s 2009 GR Digital III camera, the CX3 improves low-light performance via its 10 megapixel back-lit sensor.

It also delivers 1280×720p HD movie recording capabilities, along with the addition of high & low luminance priority  settings for “dynamic range double shot mode” dynamic range expansion effects, and the addition of the “pets” scene mode.

The new camera is expected to retail somewhere around $699.

Hard on the heels of the E-P2’s release, Olympus has unveiled its third micro four-thirds camera, the E-PL1, a lower-price model designed to appeal to a wider audience.

Using a 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor, the E-PL1 shoots stills up to ISO 3200 and HD video at 1280×720p. Image stabilisation is built in to the camera body, which reportedly delivers three stops of exposure.

The new model also adds a built-in flash, rather than depending on the optional hot-shoe version on the E-P1 and E-P2.

The camera’s operation has also been fine-tuned since the E-P2’s release, and uses a ‘Live Guide’ system for ease of use.

It’s also in keeping with Olympus’ retro stylings, offering the E-PL1 in four colours: black, champagne and silver, white and silver, and red and black

Along with the E-PL1’s release, there’s a selection of new lenses specially crafted for the micro four-thirds system due, including the ultra-wide angle M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 (18-36mm) and M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 (28-300mm) zooms.

A local release ...full story

Canon recently put its 50 millionth EF lens, one of the latest EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USMs, into production.

After starting production on its EF lineup in March 1987, Canon surpassed 10 million units in August 1995. In April 2008, the company hit the 40 million milestone, and cracked the 50 million barrier only a year and a half later.

“Worldwide, Canon has seen production and demand for EF lenses grow exponentially in the last five years,” said Darren Ryan, General Manager – Consumer Marketing, Canon Australia. “Indicative of the accelerating popularity of SLR photography, 10 million EF lenses have been produced in the last 20 months alone.”

EF lenses were the first commercially available glass to employ Ultrasonic Motor technology, and also the first to use an aspherical lens element. There’s currently more than 60 EF lenses available, ranging from 14mm to 600mm.