Canon’s EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 21 February, 2006: Canon today strengthens its EF-S lens series with the Image Stabilized wide angle EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. With image quality and construction approaching that of Canon™s renowned professional lenses, the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM becomes the fastest standard focal length zoom for EF“S mount cameras such as the new EOS 30D. Combining constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range with Canon™s latest 3-stop Image Stabilizer, it delivers outstanding wide angle performance and framing flexibility in low light conditions. Specialist optics such as UD glass and aspherical elements help deliver exceptional clarity, sharpness, contrast and colour accuracy. more »
Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 21 February, 2006: Canon today releases its latest professional L-series prime lens: the exceptionally fast EF 85mm f/1.2 II USM. With the widest aperture of any lens in the current EF range, the new model becomes Canon™s definitive portraiture lens, offering extremely fine control over depth of field and consummate low light performance. With vastly improved auto focus speed, the lens replaces the popular EF 85mm f/1.2L USM. As with all L-series lenses, the EF 85mm f/1.2 II USM incorporates the very finest standards of precision optics.
Coming soon! With over 60 years of experience in design and engineering of the world’s best medium format cameras and lenses, Mamiya addresses the next generation photographer with the Mamiya ZD SLR medium format digital camera. The Mamiya ZD digital camera is the first integrated medium format digital SLR camera. With its built-in 22 mega pixel CCD imaging sensor it produces sharp, high quality rich tones in a surprisingly light weight, compact body that resembles 35mm D-SLR cameras. Utilizing Mamiya’s exclusive 14-bit A/D (Analog to Digital) converter, the 12-bit images are recorded at 1.5 fps, making it the fastest digital medium format camera. With its CF and SD storage options, built-in 1.8 inch LCD imaging preview screen and tethered FireWire® (IEEE1394) to Mamiya Digital Photo Studio software it provides the prefect solution for studio and/or on-location shoots. Simple but powerful, Mamiya?s Digital Photo Studio software offers a complete image capture, processing and editing solution in both MAC and PC based computers. Best of all, the Mamiya ZD digital camera is fully compatible with all Mamiya 645AF lenses. 
On Nov 1 2005, Nikonusa introduced two new Wireless Close-Up Speedlight Systems — the R1C1 and the R1 — both designed to seamlessly fit within Nikon’s i-TTL Wireless Creative Lighting System. Comprised of the SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander, two SB-R200 Wireless Remote Speedlights and a host of useful accessories and mounting adapters all neatly packaged in one complete kit, the R1C1 offers photographers using Nikon i-TTL capable SLRs, including D2x(TM), D2hs(TM), D2h(TM) and F6(TM) a compelling new way to get outstanding results with their close-up photography while bringing an amazing level of simplicity and automation to the lighting process. 
Digital SLR’s are quickly becoming the fastest moving segment of the digital camera market, this means more new digital SLR’s, more competition and lower prices. The Nikon D50 is introduced as a more affordable and easier to use version of the D70 which was released just under fifteen months ago. Anyone who has seen or handled the D70 will immediately see a strong resemblance in the D50, it’s only when you start to examine the camera in a little more detail that you notice the differences (we’ve detailed them below). Clearly the D50 is designed to compete with other affordable digital SLR’s such as the Canon EOS 350D (Digital Rebel XT), Pentax *ist DS and Olympus E-300. 
The Nikon D200 was announced on 1st November 2005, some three and a half years since Nikon revealed their first prosumer digital SLR, the D100. It’s fair to say however that the D200 is a completely different beast altogether, it shares far more with its ‘bigger brother’ the the D2X than its earlier namesake. The D200 has the robust build quality of the D2X, a 10.2 million pixel CCD sensor and a compact design more like the D100. Just as the D100 the D200 has a CCD sensor, unlike the D2X which utilized a CMOS sensor. It’s clear that this camera is aimed at the same kind of market as the recently announced Canon EOS 5D. From a features, control and performance point of view the D200 is closer to the D2X than any other model. 