Boo!
Read about it at dpreview
Category: Product News
New Horseman SLR conversion lenses
Horseman press release:
Direct Source Marketing (DSM), the sole U.S. distributor of Horseman photo products for professionals and high-end consumers, today announced unique multi-coated conversion lenses for DSLR cameras. [Of course they should work on any film body, too. — ed]
"What makes the Horseman lenses unique is that they provide wide-angle and macro photography easily and comfortably, without changing lenses," said Richard Dischler, DSM President. "They are easily and quickly attached in front of the taking lens, much like attaching a filter. The lenses are also very portable and offer an affordable solution for the end user who is looking to extend the use-function of their DSLR."
Street pricing is expected to range from $60-$120, depending on the model, of which there are seven.
Among the numerous models is the Horseman 0.7 Wide, which is designed exclusively for 18-55mm zoom lenses. The 0.7x wide conversion lens is thin, lightweight and can be attached in front of the taking lens of your camera, quickly and easily.
Another is the Horseman 0.6 Wide/Macro, a 0.6x wide conversion lens that also serves as a macro lens. The lens delivers crisp images without chromatic aberration in the periphery of images, enabling you to enjoy wide-angle photography over the entire focal length range of your DSLR zoom lens.
The Wide Macro lens is particularly effective in shooting wide angles from confined spaces or when you’re in a tight spot and can’t step back. Other examples would be shooting scenic vistas or towering buildings. The lens gives you perspective and allows you to capture near-by objects larger and distant subjects smaller.
The Horseman 0.25x Superwide/Macro is a 0.25x super-wide conversion lens that enables you to enjoy super-wide-angle photography just like a fish-eye lens. In addition, the lens incorporates a macro lens so you can get real close to your subjects for frame-filling impressive macro shots.
Both the Horseman 0.6x Wide and the 0.25x Superwide conversion lens turn into a macro lens when its front part is removed. Macro photography lets you take close-up shots and bring out the minutest details of the smallest subjects.
The Horseman 0.45x WIDE conversion lens serves as a wide lens when it’s used as is, but it turns into a macro lens when you remove the front portion. It’s a uniquely versatile conversion lens that enables you to enjoy wide-angle and macro photography with just one lens.
Other models include the Horseman 08x SUPERWIDE conversion lens, which lets you make the most of a fish-eye lens’ barrel distortion; the Horseman 4.0x Macro, which is designed primarily for medical applications, and the MiniDigi AF5.0, which allows you to have super-wide and macro photography on the Rollei MiniDigi AF5.0.
Horseman products are manufactured in Japan by Komamura Corporation.
The Horseman conversion lenses will be available at professional photo dealers. MSRP is expected to be in the [USD] $60-$120 range.
For more information visit http://www.komamura.co.jp/e/CVL/index.html
Via ArtBistro
2 new Holga converter lenses & fisheye viewfinder
Holga just officially released two plastic lenses that attach over the existing Holga lens to change the focal length
The two tele-converter lenses, models HT-25 (tele lens) and HW-05(wide lens) fit onto you holga and either lengthen(HT-25) or shorten (HW-05) the focal length, therefore creating a tele or wide lens.
Another new release is a fisheye viewfinder that sits on top of your holga enabling you to see the subject ‘fisheyed’ before taking the photo. This viewfinder is a companion piece to the holga fisheye lens.
More info at Holgablog
Holga 120N toy cameras on sale for US $20 at Adorama
On sale for $19.99, usual price $27.99. Go get some.
As usual, if you want one pimped out for you, go to Holgamods.
Shit-ass Lomographic Society launches overpriced Diana Mini camera I might actually buy
The Lomographic Society launched a new camera today that actually looks cool: Diana Mini. Cool enough that I might actually buy it, even though it’s definitely over-priced, and if it’s like the rest of their products, a complete piece of shit.
What makes it cool is that it shoots square format pictures on 35mm film. This is awesome. I love square format, don’t like the 3:2 aspect ratio of normal 35mm, but like the film’s cheap and convenient processing. Unfortunately, square format 35mm cameras are rare and often expensive. This is too expensive for what it is, but less than most of the other options.
Here’s the rundown:
- Film Type: 35mm film
- Lens: 24mm (Square Format: 30mm equivalent, Half Frame format: 35mm equivalent)
- Diagonal View Angles: 70° 62°
- Focusing: 0.6m-inf.
- Frame Format: 24mm × 24mm & 24mm × 17mm (select on body)
- Shutter Speed: 1/60, Bulb (N, B)
- Aperture: f8, f11 (cloudy, sunny)
- Flash Attachment: via Diana Flash Plug (flash not included)
- View Finder: built in
- Film Counter Type: frame accumulate type
- Multi- exposure: yes
- Film stopping: yes
- Cable Release: yes
- Tripod Mount: yes
- Dimension: 70mm × 101mm × 60mm
Multi-format, square and half frame – "Wide-angle" lens (unspecified focal length) – Two apertures (unspecified) – Bulb setting, other shutter speed(s?) unspecified – Cable release socket – Tripod mount
(I just love how they’re too cool to actually tell you what you’re buying. I guess Real Lomographers don’t need to concern themselves with the mundane details of, you know… exposure. It’s Lomographic, so you should just buy it.) (corrected in a comment below by davers)
The cheapest package (no, you still can’t just buy a fucking camera from these goons, you have to buy a lifestyle-enhancing, off-the-shelf Lomographic Personality Package) is US $60.
Kodak to discontinue Kodachrome film
By the end of this year, Kodak’s Kodachrome film will be no more. Given that it uses a different chemical process to develop than normal slide film, almost no-one offers processing any more. I think the only surprise is that it took as long as it did to get the axe, but it is the end of an era.
This does not affect Kodak’s Ektachrome range of E-6 slide film, whose availability remains unchanged.
Read the article at Democrat and Chronicle
Thanks to Seth Oestreicher for the heads-up!
Official Holga web site & interview
The company that makes Holgas, Universal Electronics, finally launched an official web site, holgainspire.com.
holgablog "managed to grab an interview with Christine So, Public Relations Co-ordinator at Holga Inspire to find out the background to the new venture, and finally lift the mask on a company that has kept out of the limelight for so long…"
Read the interview at holgablog
2 new Canon tilt/shift lenses
Canon launched two new tilt/shift lenses today:
TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II
A superb refinement to a true Canon classic, the new TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II offers enhanced functionality and image quality in its most popular tilt-shift focal length. Designed with UD glass to minimize and compensate for chromatic aberrations and specially coated aspherical elements for the highest possible glare-free image quality, this tilt-shift lens features an angle of view of 74°. New TS revolving lets users freely combine tilting and shifting within the range of +/- 90° in the direction of movement. It has an enhanced range of movement of up to +/- 8.5°, a revolving construction for both portrait and landscape shooting modes, locking, ergonomically designed and easily operated tilt and shift knobs, uses a circular aperture for beautiful out-of-focus areas, and is constructed using only lead-free glass and has an SWC lens coating that controls ghosting and flare to a far greater degree than earlier coating technologies.
TS-E 17mm f/4L
The widest tilt-shift lens in Canon’s lineup, the new TS-E 17mm f/4L lens expands shooting possibilities exponentially on EOS Digital cameras. Designed with UD glass to minimize and compensate for chromatic aberrations, with specially coated aspherical elements for the highest possible glare-free image quality, this tilt-shift lens offers an angle of view of 93°. New TS revolving lets users freely combine tilting and shifting within the range of +/- 90° in the direction of movement. The lens also has an improved tilt & shift knob with an enhanced range of movement of up to +/- 6.5° and revolving lenses for better operability, it uses a circular aperture for beautiful out-of-focus areas and has an SWC lens coating to control ghosting and flare to a far greater degree than with earlier coating technologies.
New Polaroid Chocolate, Blue, and Sepia Polaroid pack films from PolaPremium
PolaPremium just released three new, monochromatic, type 100 (3.25 × 4.25 inch / 8.5 × 10.8 cm) peel-apart/pack films. This thread on Flickr says:
These three films were produced by Polaroid employees in the factory in Mexico shortly before the factory was closed forever. Even the packaging was designed by Polaroid employees, making these brand new films 100% Polaroid products, through and through.
100 Chocolate, ISO 80, is apparently the same film as the renowned/smaller/extremely expensive type 80 film of the same name. Run of 30,000 packs that expires October 2009.
100 Blue is ISO 80 and appears to be a full color film, but with a heavy blue cast that looks a lot like expired 669. Run of 15,000 packs that expires April 2009.
100 Sepia is ISO 1500. To me, it’s the most interesting-looking of the films, but at such a weird ISO, it’s probably going to take some fiddling with the exposure compensation dial on most full-frame type 100 cameras, unless you’re lucky enough to have a 180, 190, or 195. Run of 30,000 packs that expires October 2009.
All three cost $16 USD per pack of 10 exposures and are available from the PolaPremium film shop.
Limited stocks of out-of-print Polaroid films from PolaPremium available NOW
PolaPremium just launched their web store with a bunch of out-of-print Polaroid films. Of particular interest are 600 B&W, Artistic TZ, Type 80 Chocolate, and Type 55 Pos/Neg, as well as straight 600, Spectra, a number of peel-apart/pack films, books, vintage cameras, and accessories.
The 600 B&W seems particularly interesting… if you look at the sample shots, the tonal range is almost ambrotype-ish, where the brightest highlights are still quite dark. It’s going fast: the site listed 311 packs in stock when I looked a few hours ago (immediately after the store went live), and it’s already down to 224, so grab it NOW if you want some.
Yes, it’s expensive. And it ships from Europe, so those of us in the States get hit ($25 flat rate) on shipping for a change. But it’s the good stuff, and I’d be surprised if this didn’t do very well, despite the cost, once again casting favorable light on Polaroid’s unique products and horrible light on their business and marketing decisions.