In Focus: May 2012

This Article Features Photo Zoom

MODIFIED ZOOM The EF 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L II USM is the latest from Canon. A durable build with weather sealing makes it good for the outdoors, plus the lens is dust- and water-resistant. The optical design consists of two Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) elements and one Super UD to reduce chromatic aberration at wide angles. This helps to deliver sharp-looking photos with high contrast. Additionally, three aspherical elements minimize aberration and suppress distortion, as well as aid in reducing the size and weight of the lens. A circular nine-blade diaphragm creates soft backgrounds and incredible bokeh. A zoom lock lever secures the zoom position for safe transit, and fluorine coatings on the front and rear glass surfaces reduce smears and fingerprints. List Price: $2,299. Contact: Canon, (800) OK-CANON, www.usa.canon.com.
LENS OPTIONS The Novoflex lineup of lens adapters continues to expand with support now for the Nikon 1 and Pentax Q mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera systems. If you’re considering a switch, the adapters allow you to use almost all of your old lenses on these cameras. Mirrorless camera systems have made lens adapters quite popular, partly because some camera makers don’t offer a wide range of lenses for these systems yet. There are now more than 125 available models, including some to fit medium-format lenses to SLR, rangefinder and mirrorless cameras, so you can mount a Hasselblad 500mm to a Micro Four Thirds body. Estimated Street Price: Varies. Contact: HP Marketing Corp., (800) 735-4373, www.hpmarketingcorp.com.
DIGITAL GRAIN Alien Skin Software Exposure 4 comes with tons of new features for simulating the look of historical photographic processes like cyanotype, lith printing and wet-plate photography. If you want to really get authentic, the program has tools for reproducing defects such as light leaks, dust and scratches—flaws that film photographers try to prevent. Alien Skin did extensive research into how grain should look, so it clumps and is strongest in the midtones, just like the real thing. It also scales with your image size. Estimated Street Price: $249. Contact: Alien Skin, (888) 921-SKIN, www.alienskin.com.
GO VERTICAL For many outdoor photographers, Really Right Stuff L-Plate brackets are as essential as a tripod, polarizer or weather cover. Really Right Stuff knows it, too. Every time a new camera model comes out, they produce a new bracket to support it. Simply put, the bracket allows you to change your DSLR’s position from horizontal to vertical without affecting its stability by moving the ballhead. This is because in addition to the Arca-style mounting plate on the bottom, there’s an extension arm for mounting the camera in a vertical position. With the camera mounted on the tripod, just reattach the quick-release plate in the vertical position on the bracket. Estimated Street Price: Starts at $120. Contact: Really Right Stuff, (888) 777-5557, www.reallyrightstuff.com.
CLASSIC CARRIER A longtime favorite of photographers, the Billingham 335 SLR Camera Shoulder Bag has undergone a redesign. In the main compartment, there are four deep pockets for holding cords, memory cards and other important extras. The zipper opening was re-tooled so that the zip panels can lie out of the way behind the inside pockets forming the TukTop, which allows the main zip with its double pullers to be tucked out of the way when opened. When you’re shooting, the zip can remain open, and your gear kept out of sight and protected with the main flap. The bag can carry two DSLRs, three lenses and accessories. It’s constructed of soft-weave fabric, which helps eliminate abrasions. Estimated Street Price: $389. Contact: Billingham (R.T.S. Inc.), (631) 242-6801, www.rtsphoto.com.
SHARP GLASS The Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD is an ideal focal length for nature landscape photography. This lens is highly anticipated because it includes the lens maker’s Vibration Compensation technology. The moving coil mechanism in the VC system consists of a lighter coil that reduces the load on the drive system. Since the unit is more compact, the lens’ overall weight and size have been reduced. Optically, the lens features 12 groups with a total of 17 elements. There are three high-grade Low Dispersion elements, three glass-molded aspherical lenses, one hybrid aspherical lens and two Extra Refractive Index glasses. All of that glass helps deliver top-notch image quality. It will be available for Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts. Estimated Street Price: TBA. Contact: Tamron USA, (631) 858-8400, www.tamron-usa.com.

This Article Features Photo Zoom

SAFE COVER Give your DSLR the utmost protection using the LensCoat BodyBag Pro. Made from soft shock-absorbing neoprene, the camera body cover protects your DSLR from the nicks, dings and scratches of accidental impact. It also prevents dust and dirt from getting into your camera, as well as shielding it from the elements. The Velcro® closure makes it easy to take your camera in and out. The BodyBag Pro is especially useful for travel and comes in a variety of colors. Estimated Street Price: Starts at $24. Contact: LensCoat, www.lenscoat.com.
STRONG SUPPORT Capture steadier, higher-quality video with the Flashpoint DSLR Movie Bundle. This affordable support solution comes with a shoulder-mount bracket rig with two grips, a matte box, industry-standard 15mm rods, a follow-focus unit and gear belt. The rig is comfortable to operate, reducing arm and shoulder fatigue when you’re out shooting for long stretches. The fully adjustable lever-locking design allows you to adjust camera positioning for comfort and balance. The placement and angle of the handles also can be modified, and the large, smooth-turning knob of the geared focusing system lets you change focus without having to reach for the focusing ring of the lens. Built-in French flags reduce unwanted light and flares. Estimated Street Price: $459. Contact: Adorama (Flashpoint), (800) 223-2500, www.adorama.com.
DESIGNER STRAPS Replace that boring manufacturer camera strap with a stylish one from Mod. Each one is constructed with durable webbing and has been tested to withstand a “pulldown” weight of 70 to 90 pounds. The straps in the Premium Strap Collection are lined with high-quality, mink-like fabric and have genuine leather ends with quick release. Fabrics are hand-selected, and pattern designs include black zebra, kaleidoscope, skull and crossbones, and many more. Estimated Street Price: $47. Contact: OmegaBrandess, (410) 374-3250, www.omegabrandess.com.
EDGY OPTIC The Lensbaby 80mm Edge 80 Optic transforms your Composer Pro or Control Freak lens into a tilt-shift lens capable of delivering a selective slice of sharp focus through an image. You can point the Edge 80 straight ahead for capturing conventional photos. For a different look, fluidly tilt the lens to create vertical, horizontal and diagonal slices of selective focus through the image. Changing the aperture with the rotating dial on the front of the optic controls the amount of blur, and objects in the foreground and background can remain in focus within that part of the image. The minimum focusing distance is 17 inches when the lens is at its maximum tilt angle and fully extended. Estimated Street Price: $300. Contact: Lensbaby, (877) 536-7222, www.lensbaby.com.
SHARE PHOTOS Use the Tamron MyPhotoExhibits app for the iPad and iPhone to showcase your favorite images. An interactive interface allows you to create customizable 3D exhibits of your photos. Setup is easy. After creating login info, just upload images and create your own exhibit space. You can choose from a variety of wall and floor textures and colors for your gallery space, as well as photo frames, furniture and lighting options. Add more images or change how they’re displayed at any time. An unlimited number of exhibits can be created as well for featuring different themes, such as travel, wildlife, macro and more. Share with friends by sending an invitation from the site, app and Facebook or other social media. Estimated Street Price: Free. Contact: Tamron, www.myphotoexhibits.com.
ON THE SHOULDER UPstrap is expanding its lineup of nonslip shoulder pads with the XX Pad. Designed to prevent the camera strap from sliding down your shoulder, the XX Pad allows you to carry a range of cameras that vary in weight. UPstrap offers nylon or kevlar webbing, and a heavy-duty quick-release system is available for the large- and medium-sized pads. Estimated Street Price: Starts at $33. Contact: UPstrap, (850) 878-1088, www.upstrap-pro.com.