Sigma announced the Sigma APO 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM, a high ratio zoom lens housed in a compact construction and incorporating Sigma’s own image stabilization system OS (Optical Stabilizer).This lens is expected to become a relatively compact and low cost solution for people who wants a zoom with such a big focal range and have a reach of 500mm, although there is no price information available from Sigma yet.

Sigma 150-500mm also features Hypersonic autofocus motor (HSM) and will be available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony mounts. Three SLD glass elements and a rear focus system claims to provide high image quality through out the zoom range and Super multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting. Sigma APO 150-500mm is also compatible with Sigma’s APO Tele Converters.

Technical Specifications and Press Release:

The Sigzilla monster Sigma 200-500 f/2.8 EX DG lens is back in green.

The first lens with 500mm f/2.8 and featuring constant aperture through 200mm to 500mm, this is the ultimate zoom for wildlife and sports shooters. Well weighing almost 16 kg, it is not quite mobile but if you can afford the price of this monster, you surely can afford a 'caddy' to go with it. This lens even had a dedicated Li-Ion battery to provide power for focusing and zooming. So for those of you who have been wondering how to zoom this lens, this should be the answer. Sigma 200-500 f/2.8 EX DG also features an 'attachment' which will double the focal range of the lens to 400-1000mm f/5.6 and it will still be able to autofocus at 1000mm!

Besides wildlife and sports, Sigma claims this lens to be ideal for portrait work. I am not sure about the bokeh but it definetely gives the photographers opportunity to work from home and shoot sessions while his model is posing in the studio downtown.

Technical Specifications and Availability:

One of the most anticipated cameras of last year, Sigma DP1, is announced to be available in Spring 2008. İt is basically a compact digital camera with a image sensor equal in size to the sensors used in DSLR cameras. DP1 features a 14 megapixel FOVEON X3 direct image sensor (2652 × 1768 × 3 layers) as used in the Sigma SD14 DSLR.

Press Release and Specifications:

Tamron equipped three of its lenses, namely 18-200mm, 17-50mm and 70-300mm in Nikon mount with built-in focus motors in order to be suitable for Nikon D40, D40X and the new D60. These Nikons doesn't have auto focus in body so they need lenses with built-in focus motors in order to Auto focus.

The AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II (model A14) and SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II (model A16) are designed for APS-C sensors and the 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di (model A17) will cover both APS-C and FF sensors. These lenses are all known to have high quality/price ratios so it is really good news for Nikon D40/D40x and future D60 users who doesn't have many lens alternatives (especially reasonably priced).

Technical Specifications

Tamron introduces its SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical IF lens in Pentax mount. The 17-500mm, previously available for Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts, is designed to use with APS-C sized image sensors. Tamron 17-55 is know to offer a high image quality in a compact size and of course relatively low price. It surely will stand as good walk around lend alternative for the Pentax users who have been complaining about the lack of choices and the high prices of Pentax mount lenses.

SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical IF Technical Specifications:

Tamron announced the development of a new 10-24mm f3.5-4.5Ultrawide angle zoom lens for for the APS-C sensors.

The new UW zoon will exceed the focal range and speed of the Tamron's current ultrawide lens 11-18mm f4.5-5.6. The new lens looks very appealing as it will become the first SLR lens to cover this range ( a focal length range equivalent to 16-37mm in 35mm format) without sacrificing the speed and the image quality is promising thanks to the special glass-molded aspherical elements and hybrid aspherical elements. thus compensating for spherical and cromatic aberrations and distortion.

The new SP AF 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5 DI II LD Aspherical (IF) has a filter diameter of 77mm and minimum focus distance of 24cm through all focus range. the new Tamron will be available for Nikon, Canon, Sony and Pentax mounts.

Technical Specifications:

Sony announced the New Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* 24-70 f/2.8 lens for Alpha DSLR cameras.

Technical Specifications and Price:

Sony has announced two new DSLRs: Alpha A300 and A350. The new cameras stand somewhere between the enty level A200 and semi-pro A700, and differs from these two with their Live View feature which has shortly become a new standart in DSLR world.

Sony A300 and A350 Comparison:

The rumours of a new DSLR from Nikon has been on the web for a long time, and frankly what we as photolectic have been expecting to be announced was a D90 or a D80 as a replacement for the current D80. But Nikon surprised many by announcing (Not released officially though) the D60, a replacement for D40/D40x.

We will include the press release of the new D60 in this post leave the comparison of D40/D40x and the new D60 for our next post.

Press release: The New Nikon D60 DSLR

The third new lens from Nikkon is the Nikkor AF-S DX 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, a dream kit lens which is a 35mm equivalent of 24-128mm focal length, and is the first Nikkor 16mm wide-angle lens to be equipped with VR II technology.

The price is estimated to be €599 at Nikon Europe which is a little to much if it is considered as a kit lens, but the street price will surely be cheaper then this, especially outside of Europe.

Technical Specs and yet unofficial announcement of Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR: