Melville, NY—Nikon Corporation launched the Nikon Professional Services (NPS) Global website, which will serve as one of the measures in which the company reinforces its services for pro photographers. NPS is a membership organization through which Nikon offers support and services to pros throughout the world. For nearly half a century, NPS has not only provided routine maintenance and repair services for professional photographers’ equipment but has also provided support for them at international events. With the expansion of Nikon’s lineups of high-end DSLRs, Nikkor lenses and other accessories, the NPS Global site was developed to serve as a portal that...

After calling photographers "cranky and opinionated" New York Times tech guru David Pogue posts one representative example of a cranky photographer arguing that when it comes to a digital camera, the lens is the most important part: The camera is nothing more than a box that holds the film or memory card. It's secondary to the lens. To which Pogue responded that the image sensor and software in a camera are "incredibly important" and "makes all the difference." I'm not particularly cranky today, so I don't have a dog in this particular fight. But if you're feeling opinionated, sound off in comments.

Cologne, Germany—Panasonic announced the Lumix DMC-GH2, a hybrid touch-control digital single-lens Micro (DSLM) camera featuring Full HD video recording and compatibility with the new Lumix G 12.5mm f/12 interchangeable 3D lens. Based on the Micro Four Thirds system standard, the lightweight GH2 is newly designed with an easy-to-hold grip as well as an image-processing engine and sensor enhanced to deliver “fast, sharp photos” and the ability to take 3D photos with Panasonic’s new 3D lens. “The Lumix GH2 is Panasonic’s most professional-level DSLM camera yet, giving users the option to be more creative than ever, from recording video in Full...

San Diego, CA—Sony introduced the α (alpha) SLR- α560 DSLR camera, which leverages the company’s Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. Along with the α33 and α55 cameras, also announced, the α560 is one of the only DSLRs with multi-frame noise reduction, sweep panorama mode, 3D sweep panorama and Full HD 1,920x1,080 60i video capture. Additionally, Sony added to its line of more than 30 A-mount lenses with three models—the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm f/2 ZA SSM, DT 35mm f/1.8 SAM and the 85mm f/2.8 SAM. “These new lenses and camera show our commitment to the DSLR market and that we will...

Six L-Series EF Lenses Also Debut, Including Wide Fisheye Zoom and Two Super Telephotos with Optional Extenders Lake Success, NY—Canon USA announced its EOS 60D digital SLR, which boasts 18 megapixels of resolution, a 3.0-inch vari-angle LCD screen, Full HD video recording with manual overrides, in-camera functionality for RAW image processing plus creative filters. Aimed at advanced amateurs, the 60D replaces the EOS 50D and provides an array of new features to make it easier to add personal creativity to images. “The EOS 60D has been designed to offer the image capture and the Full HD video features customers are looking...

Melville, NY—Nikon’s D3100 digital SLR was developed to provide an easy-to-use and affordable entrance into the world of Nikon DSLR cameras. The 14.2 megapixel D3100, which debuted with four new Nikkor lenses, offers Full HD 1080p video recording and includes an enhanced guide mode that displays on its 3.0-inch LCD to offer suggestions or adjust settings. And, the D3100 is the first to introduce full-time autofocus (AF) in live view and D-movie modes. Housed in a compact, lightweight body are such Nikon technologies as a new Expeed 2 image-processing engine, a 14.2MP DX-format CMOS sensor, a fast 11-point AF system and...