Category: Product News

Lightleaks toy camera magazine issue #3 available for pre-order

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Announcement from Lightleaks toy camera photography magazine:

Our third issue is almost ready for press! Once again, we are running our pre-order special cover price of $12.99 U.S. for a few days before it goes to the printer. Head on over to our website at www.lightleaks.org to reserve your copy for $2 off the cover price!

This issue is jam packed with toy camera goodness for your viewing and reading pleasure. Our feature is Steph Parke’s interview with world-renowned photographer and author, Lee Frost. Find out where he got his "toy camera" inspiration from before his recent trip to Cuba… maybe from you?

Our themed gallery, "My Space: An intimate look at where I am" is overflowing with your submissions. Check out our FOUR new features: "Trippin,’" "Treadly Speaking," "Do-it-yourself!" and "Toy Camera Artists." We also have the return of "Tales from the Plastic Darkroom." Along with our regular features, "The Toy Box" and the "Events Calendar," we’ve made our biggest issue yet.

Finally, a great announcement on the next big publication from Light Leaks Press will be featured on the inside cover and we’ll be looking for you to be a part of it, so be sure to pick up this issue!

Visit www.lightleaks.org and get on the pre-order bandwagon for $12.99 U.S. After that, we’ll be switching back to our regular cover price of $14.99 U.S.

A reminder: At the present time, our issues can only be purchased from our web site using our Paypal shopping cart. However, you don’t have to be a member of Paypal. All you need is a major credit card to make the purchase.

We hope you enjoy the third installment of Lightleaks magazine!

Fujifilm increase film prices

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Fujifilm Press Release

May 17, 2006 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Shigetaka Komori, hereinafter Fujifilm) announced today that from June 2006 onward, it will implement worldwide price increases for its photosensitive material products. The rapid digitalization of photography has created harsh market conditions for the photo imaging business. To sustain its photo imaging business, Fujifilm is undertaking intensive structural reforms, but despite efforts to reduce fixed costs and improve productivity, it no longer can absorb the soaring costs of silver, oil and other raw materials.

Thus, it has been forced to revise its pricing as follows:

  1. Affected products: Photosensitive materials
  2. Effective date: From June 1, 2006 onward
  3. Price revision: The prices of main products are expected to increase by 3% to 20%.

Specific details regarding affected products, effective dates, and exact price increases will be decided based on local market conditions.

Via Photography BLOG

ISO 24,000(!) film developed by Kodak

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

Oren Grad’s entire post from The Online Photographer:

No, that’s not a typo. This week at the International Congress of Imaging Science in Rochester, NY, Kodak researchers presented a new silver halide emulsion that is thermally developed to produce a positive image at speeds of up to ISO 24,000. You can read the conference abstract here.

Kodak is currently seeking to determine whether there is sufficient demand for such a film to justify a trial production run. More in this thread over at APUG, including instructions on how to communicate your interest to Kodak.

Via The Online Photographer

Horseman LD bellows/movement system for DSLRs

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Horseman have just introduced their LD bellows system for Canon and Nikon digital SLRs.

"Whether you are using a Canon® or Nikon® digital single lens reflex, Horseman now gives you an opportunity to add full bellows functions—like in a medium or large format view camera. The Horseman LD comes in two models that accept Nikon or Canon DSLR bodies, maintaining all their normal functions. Up front, you can attach any standard medium or large format camera lens…"

This isn’t my ultimate fantasy ideal, which is movements controlled by a thumb pad on the back of the camera with one-touch zeroing of any plane, but still: HELL YEAH!

Coming soon are a conversion kit that will allow you to shoot 4×5 film and a slide adapter for pro digital backs.

It’s available now for about US $2,500.

Check it out at the Horseman product page or read the press release.

Via PhotographyBLOG

Plastic Fantastic toy camera magazine: R.I.P.

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filmwasters member Out of Contxt (Bill Vaccaro) writes:

Eric Hathaway, editor of Plastic Fantastic magazine, has sent out a letter informing subscribers that it is ceasing publication effective May 1 [2006]. To summarize his letter, they couldn’t cut it fanancially and it was personally bleeding Eric dry.

From hindsight, some of the factors that led to PL’s demise are obvious: lack of a sustainable subscriber base and lack of outside revenue sources (ads). I know Eric was insistent that, apart from the Holgamods‘ ad on the back cover, that the magazine be ad-free. And I’m not knocking his decision to do so either. It’s takes a lot of courage to do what Eric attempted to do. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

In any case, I’m truly sorry to see it go. I know it was a labor of love for Eric and I’ll really miss getting my issues at my doorstep every few months. I always felt there was room for more than one publication devoted to toy cams. Damn shame.

The plasticfantasticonline.com site is already down. Update your links pages and break out the black armbands.

Via slowlight pinhole blog

Mamiya’s demise greatly exaggerated

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Here is an email from Bill Gratton of Mamiya America about some of the recent Mamiya news…

Good Morning Friends,

Some of you may have recently heard some rumors regarding Mamiya. Over the weekend there were a lot of ‘busy-bees’ on the internet making all sorts of speculations, including implications that Mamiya was going out of business. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact Mamiya’s future is brighter than ever before. I’ve attached a copy of the official press release. It should help clear things up a little…

Continue reading at The Online Photographer

JPG Magazine release 1st year box set

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JPG Magazine says:

To celebrate the first year of JPG, for a limited time only, we’re selling a special box set of the first four issues! In addition to the four issues, the set also comes with a set of four high quality vinyl JPG stickers. Buy now, because supplies are limited!

The set is $59.99 plus shipping. That’s twenty bucks off the price of buying all four separately! And, of course, your support helps ensure the second year of JPG Magazine.

Order the set at jpgmag.com

Mamiya reported to be leaving camera business

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

Engadget is reporting that Mamiya are bailing on camera manufacturing:

It looks like another venerable Japanese camera company is about to exit the business, just weeks after Konica Minolta produced its last camera. According to reports out of Japan (which we’ve confirmed with our Japanese bureau), Mamiya, best known for its high-end pro equipment, will be selling off its film and digital camera business to focus on other sectors…

Continue reading at Engadget

Via The Online Photographer