Two New Mamiya Lenses - Outdoor Photographer

Cologne, Germany – September 17, 2008 – Mamiya announced the introduction of the Mamiya Sekor 45mm f2.8 D -- the latest lens in the growing series of Mamiya Digital lenses. This wide-angle lens utilizes low-dispersion glass to correct chromatic aberration, producing high resolution and a large image circle coverage for film and digital backs. The use of floating lens elements ensures edge-to-edge sharpness at all focusing distances.

Since wide-angle lenses can cause color shift problems with digital backs (due to the extreme angle at which light rays hit the sensor), the Mamiya 45mm f/2.8 D has been designed to direct light rays so that they are parallel when they hit the sensor – producing maximum sharpness, color accuracy and contrast.

The Mamiya Sekor AF 45mm F2.8 D lens has been designed with a 16bit CPU that allows easy firmware upgrading, fine lens characteristic correction and fast, reliable communication between the lens, camera body and digital back when used in conjunction with the Mamiya 645AFDIII and 645AFDII.

The lens has an angle of view of 76 degrees - equivalent to a 28mm lens in the 35mm format. The Mamiya Sekor AF 45mm F2.8 D is especially suited for architectural photography and other subjects dominated by straight lines. It also features a one touch switching ring for easy changing between manual and auto focus.

Pricing and delivery to be announced later this year.

In response to requests from Mamiya owners, a new leaf shutter lens for the 645 AFD III will be introduced at Photokina 2008. The Mamiya Sekor AF 80mm F2.8 D L/S will be the first leaf shutter lens in Mamiya’s AF L/S Digital lens lineup. The leaf shutter, which has been developed and manufactured in-house by Mamiya, is capable of shutter speeds from 1/800 second to 16 seconds, and has flash synchronization at all speeds. This allows more creative control and flexibility when shooting on location where daylight flash synchronization is often required. The option of higher sync speeds can also be beneficial for flash photography in studios.

“The Mamiya Sekor AF 80mm F/2.8 D L/S,” says Jeff Karp, Mamiya Product Marketing Manager, “is unlike any other lens system available today. It has the advantage of high flash sync speeds -- up to 1/800 second when used as a leaf shutter lens -- and a top shutter speed of 1/4,000 second when used with the Mamiya 645AFD III’s built-in focal-plane shutter.”

The optics have been designed to direct light onto digital sensors at an angle that will produce outstanding sharpness, contrast and color accuracy - vital requirements for today’s high-end digital backs.

The Mamiya Sekor AF 80mm F/2.8 D L/S contains a 16bit CPU that allows easy firmware upgrading, fine lens characteristic correction and fast, reliable communication between the lens, camera body and digital back.
The lens has an angle of view of 47 degrees in the 6 x 4.5 format, the equivalent of a 50mm lens in the 35mm format. Switching between manual and auto focusing is achieved by simply moving the focusing ring back and forward. Like all Mamiya Digital lenses, the 80mm f/2.8 D L/S is designed to work with film backs, not only digital backs.

Final pricing and availability will announced later this year.