Nikon is pleased to announce the AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED; the world’s first macro lens equipped with Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM) and Vibration Reduction (VR) systems, specifically developed to meet customer demands.

The new lens offers a host of Nikon’s advanced optical features and technologies such as Nano Crystal Coating, Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass and Internal Focusing (IF). The AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED is engineered for use with both Nikon DX format digital and 35mm film SLR cameras.

The SWM ensures fast and quiet auto-focusing and the ability to switch rapidly between autofocus and manual operation. Whilst the IF system offers a non-rotating front lens element that makes it easy to fit and use circular polarising filters.

With the enhanced VR system (VRII), photographers can capture sharp images at shutter speeds approximately 4 stops* slower [at near infinity to 3m (1/30x reproduction ratio)] than would otherwise be possible. The negative effects of camera shake are greatly amplified in close-up photography and can affect image sharpness greatly. The incorporation of Nikon VR technology in a Micro-Nikkor lens for the first time expands versatility by providing the benefits of VR-assisted sharpness and improving hand-held close-up photography. In addition, the VRII offers a stable viewfinder image for easy frame composition even at high magnification shooting.

The AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED also features proven Nikon optical technologies such as the Nano Crystal Coat, which drastically reduces flare, and one ED glass element that minimises chromatic aberration to provide higher resolution and high-contrast images.

In summary, the AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED ensures high-quality and high-performance for all photographers — from amateurs to professionals.

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Product Information

• Nikon USA: Product Page
• Nikon USA: Press Release

Nikon UK is pleased to announce the launch of Capture NX; a radically enhanced and redesigned version of Nikon’s digital image editing software. Capture NX marks a significant shift for image editing, irrespective of camera brand, whilst delivering powerful and dedicated tools for photographers shooting with the increasingly popular NEF (Raw) file format.

Offering a compelling combination of creative potential, a simple user interface and an attractive price, Capture NX promises to revolutionize the way photographers’ work with digital images in the future.

Robert Cristina, Manager of Professional Products for Nikon Europe, said: “One of the main barriers inhibiting and limiting creative image editing has been the skills required to isolate areas or subjects in the image. Layering and masking techniques have been the exclusive preserve of experts and re-touchers. Nikon’s Capture NX redefines the image editing landscape and marks a significant new direction for both Nikon and ours partner, Nik Software.”

Capture NX Feature Highlights

New U Point™ technology
Revolutionary U Point™ technology is a unique new method of applying subtle enhancements to areas of any JPEG, TIFF or NEF (Raw) image. By simply clicking a Control Point onto the chosen area, a variety of local adjustments can be applied. The effects are subtly blended with other adjustments to provide a natural looking result, until now only possible with extensive mastery of layers and masking techniques. For example by clicking a Control Point to the sky enables one to obtain complete control over its colour. To prevent other areas being affected requires simply clicking Control Points to isolate them from the affects of the first. Just add, duplicate or delete any number of Control Points as you wish along the way.

There are also dedicated Control Points for Black and White points, convenient for adjusting dynamic range, a Neutral Control Point to modify overall colour cast even in images without a gray tone, and a Red-Eye Reduction Control Point.

Shoot in NEF (RAW)
More and more customers are discovering the amazing flexibility that shooting in NEF (Raw) offers. Capture NX provides a complete suite of tools designed to deliver powerful adjustment and correction that can be applied after shooting, but appear as if they where made at the time. Many of these tools are also backwards compatible for archives of NEF files captured by any Nikon D-SLR since the original Nikon D1 (introduced in 1999).

In addition to the creative advantages of U Point technology, Capture NX continues to bring intelligent new tools for adjusting the optical properties of the image. Using algorithms matching the optical properties of the Nikkor lenses used, Aberration, Vignette and Fisheye* distortions can be corrected quickly and simply within Capture NX to prepare the purest image file before creative editing commences. A new Barrel Distortion function has been added to complete a suite of specialist tools designed for the highest optical demands.

*AF DX Fisheye Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED.

Flexibility
The Edit List presents the user with a continuous overview of each step of their processing workflow. As each tool is applied it appears in the Edit List thus keeping the user fully informed of progress. Each step can be individually undone or changed at any time offering immense flexibility. Because Capture NX offers non-destructive image editing for NEF (Raw) files, the user has complete freedom to experiment with their images, secure in the knowledge that their original image data remains intact. As all changes are saved as simple settings files, only one original image file is stored, to make the most of HDD space.

Selective tools and Colour Management control
In response to demand from Nikon Capture 4 users, Capture NX now offers a range of traditional selective tools such as Brush, Lasso and Marquee (four kinds), Gradient and Fill/Remove. Colour Management performance has been reinforced in Capture NX for advanced control of how colours from an image correspond to the colours a printer can produce. Options include Perceptual, Saturation, Relative Colourimetric and Absolute Colourimetric.

Powerful Image Browser
Advanced functions of the Capture NX Browser include labeling and sorting. Repetitive global editing – such as batch processing new White Balance settings to a number of NEF files simultaneously – can be applied to thumbnails within the browser.

Keeping the Image Central
The graphical user interface (GUI) has been designed so the image itself remains central, with settings dialogue boxes appearing when necessary to preserve valuable screen space. Icons are used wherever possible to simplify the workflow and maintain user focus on the image itself, rather than being distracted by having to search for tools hidden in drop down menus. When editing NEF (Raw) files all camera pre-set adjustments can be made directly from the shooting data panel, even from within the browser.

Previews/Reviews

Product Information

• Nikon USA: Press Release
• Nikon USA: Product Page

Nikon today introduced the highly anticipated new D200 — a precision-engineered, high performance digital SLR camera designed to satisfy the requirements of passionate and demanding photographers. Combining brand-new technologies with advanced features inherited from Nikon’s venerable D2X professional digital SLR camera, the D200 incorporates more must-have features than any other camera in its class, enabling photographers to capture images in a way once reserved only for professionals.

The D200 promises an extremely satisfying shooting experience, with a winning combination of quality, performance, construction and advanced system features. Employing a newly developed 10.2 effective megapixel Nikon DX Format CCD image sensor, the D200 captures images with remarkable resolution and clarity. Its sophisticated 1005-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II system ensures ideal exposures while an advanced Nikon image processing engine renders images with superb clarity and smooth color gradations. The D200 reacts with lightning speed, powering-up in a mere 0.15 seconds, and firing in an imperceptible 50 millisecond shutter release lag time. It can shoot five frames per second with a drastically shortened viewfinder blackout time of just 105 milliseconds between shots. Its large, bright viewfinder offers 0.94x magnification for comfortable and precise composition while a new 2.5 inch LCD screen provides ultra-wide 170 degrees viewing angle from all directions. With an all new 11-area autofocus system, robust control of Nikon’s i-TTL Creative Lighting System and advanced Wi-Fi image-transmission options, the D200 is a perfect fit for discriminating photographers a nd anatural choice for wedding, event and action photographers.

“Nikon has spent considerable time and effort to truly understand the qualities and features photographers desire in an advanced digital SLR camera. The D200 embodies this research and delivers a camera that’s built to the requirements of passionate photographers, and meets demands for resoluti on,speed, precision, and ultimate image quality. The D200 represents a nunmatched combination of quality, performance and value that’s hard to resist,” said Edward Fasano, general manager for Marketing, SLR Systems Products, at Nikon Inc. “The D200 is hands-down the most capable digital SLR camera in its category.”

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Reviews/Previews

• Review: DPReview
• Review: Ken Rockwell
  

Product Information

• Nikon USA: Press Release
• Nikon USA: Product Page

Nikon has taken another bold step forward in redefining the digital SLR landscape today by introducing the highly anticipated D50(TM) digital SLR camera. The D50 is the smallest, lightest and easiest-to-use Nikon digital SLR camera to date, and is designed for the broadest range of consumers including family memory-keepers looking to take advantage of the image quality, speed and responsiveness Nikon digital SLR’s offer, as well as photo enthusiasts and amateur photographers who want to capture brilliant digital pictures with vibrant color and immaculate sharpness. The new entry-level D50 makes exceptional digital SLR photography a reality for everyone.

“With the new D50, Nikon intends to bring a fulfilling digital SLR photography experience to more consumers than ever before and help them capture their most precious memories with great quality and ease. The D50 inherits the high image quality, responsiveness and speed consumers have come to expect of Nikon’s digital SLR cameras, while also embodying a simple, intuitive and compact design, so anyone in the family can use it without hesitation,” said Steve Heiner, general manager for Digital SLR Camera Systems at Nikon Inc. “The attractive price for the D50 will expand the market substantially and ensure many more people can enjoy shooting with a Nikon digital SLR this year.”

Product Images

Reviews

• DPReview
• Ken Rockwell
  

Product Information

• Nikon USA: Press Release
• Nikon USA: Product Page