09/18, 7:40pm
Special project is a one-off, will be auctioned for charity
Hot on the heels of its announcement of five new cameras in a wide range of price points at Photokina, German camera maker Leica has revealed that Apple Senior Vice President of Design Sir Jonathan Ive will create a special one-of-a-kind edition of the new Leica M camera which will be auctioned off for charity. The Leica M, a high-end rangefinder that will retail for $7,000, is part of the company's high-end series and features its original 1950s look. Only one copy of the Ive-designed version will be produced.
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05/10, 6:18pm
Cameras available now, accessories to follow
Boutique German camera manufacturer Leica boosted their product line with the addition of two cameras to the venerable line today. The newly released V-Lux 40 replaces the V-Lux 30, while the X2 is the newest in the X-line of compact cameras. Both cameras are available immediately at all Leica dealers, including the Washington DC Leica store.
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03/22, 7:05pm
Limited production of only 50 cameras
Leica is readying an extremely limited edition white version of its M9-P digital rangefinder camera. The will be making only 50 of these cameras to commemorate the opening of its new facility in Tokyo. The camera body itself is a white lacquer finish with some parts covered in white calf's leather. The camera comes fitted with a very bright, f0.95 50mm lens.
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03/15, 4:35pm
Leica invites news organizations to Berlin in May
Leica CEO Alfred Schopf has sent out invites for an event on May 10 and 11 in Berlin, SteveHuffPhoto found. While there are no specifics in the invite (an image of which is embedded below), promised is a "whole range of product launches." Educated guesses, along with the date, suggest an M10 camera will be unveiled, while an update to the X1 is also expected.
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12/08, 11:50am
Leica V-Lux 3 upscales latest Panasonic long zoom
Leica continued its recent tradition of upscaling Panasonic compact cameras on Thursday by unveiling the V-Lux 3. A close cousin of the Lumix FZ150, the superzoom centers on a 25-600mm (24X) equivalent, f2.8-5.2 lens. It makes a rare step down in resolution, from 14 to 12.1 megapixels, but the CMOS sensor both helps in low light as well as offering the same 1080p, 60 frames per second video and 12 frames per second burst still shooting as its Panasonic counterpart.
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10/20, 4:10pm
Leica shows limited edition D-Lux 5 camera
Leica has brought back the D-Lux 5 point-and-shoot camera in a new luxury model, the Titanium. A rebadged Panasonic LX5, its core addition is the use of the genuine, anodized titanium. The insides remain unchanged and include a 10-megapixel, compact-sized CCD sensor.
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08/05, 1:15pm
Mount module includes sensor and shutter
Ricoh has brought out a new mount module, the A12, for its GXR camera. The module lets a photographer use Leica M series lenses with the GXR body. The mount incorporates an APS-C sized, 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor as well as a focal plane shutter, which can be used instead of the camera's electronic shutter.
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06/21, 3:40pm
Leica M9-P and new 21mm lens arrive
Leica on Tuesday introduced an uncommon camera tailored to the pro side of its audience. Compared to the original M9, the M9-P has a scratch-resistant and also anti-reflective sapphire coating on the LCD to protect it outside. The iconic red Leica logo has also been pulled off to reduce distractions and make it less of a target for thieves.
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05/26, 7:25am
Leica intros V-LUX 30 compact with 16X zoom
Leica on Thursday morning upgraded its smallest camera line through the V-LUX 30. Its body is a more premium adaptation of the 14-megapixel Panasonic Lumix ZS10 that revolves around Leica's own 16X, 4.3-68.8mm f3.3-5.9 lens in a compact body. The V-LUX adaptation goes all black and ships with both Adobe's Photoshop Elements 9 and Premiere Elements 9.
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05/18, 11:30am
Leica to show off new M9-P camera next month?
German camera maker Leica will soon release a new camera, the M9-P, according to LeicaRumors. Early versions of the camera may already be out there, with reportedly one carried by British singer Seal through Los Angeles' airport last week. It differed from current cameras as it lacked a few modern touches and legacy holdovers such as a rewind crank, a battery compartment, a film advance lever, or a reversing lever.
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01/18, 4:20pm
Leica X1 BMW edition camera gets little for $900
Leica's X1 camera, first seen in a leak back in 2009, has just been refreshed with a special edition model. The camera maker teamed up with German luxury carmaker BMW to endow the special camera with a different color on the body and a BMW stamp on the top. No other functional changes were made to the shooter, however, although the price tag, at $3,500, is $900 dearer than the standard-issue and just-as-capable $2,600 X1.
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01/06, 1:20pm
Feature wide-angle LEICA lens, 720p HD video
Panasonic has introduced four new cameras to its Lumix FH-series of digital cameras. The cameras take 720p HD video and offer shutter speeds as fast as 0.005 seconds for still photos. The FH27 and FH25 upgrade the FH20 introduced last year with a 16.1-megapixel sensor and a Leica DC 28mm-equivalent wide angle lens with 8x optical zoom. The FH27 features a 3-inch LCD touch control screen, while the FH25 has a standard 2.7-inch LCD.
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09/21, 5:00pm
Leica dresses up Panasonic cameras for Europe
At Photokina on Tuesday, Leica added two new compact cameras in the V-Lux 2 and D-Lux 5. The two are luxury versions of existing cameras from Panasonic, namely the Lumix FZ100 and LX5, respectively. The former has a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor and 24x optical zoom and can record 1080i video at 60fps, while still photos can be taken at up to 11fps in rapid capture mode, just like the FZ100.
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09/20, 9:15pm
Titanium edition limited to 500 pieces
Leica has unveiled a special edition camera, the M9 Titanium, which was featured at a special event in Cologne. The camera is an upgraded version of the semi-professional M9, extensively constructed from titanium and designed in collaboration with Volkswagen. Leather trim, LED-illuminated frame lines, and fingerprint resistant overlays distinguish the special edition from its basic counterpart.
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09/15, 9:20am
Expands Leica, Leaf, Mamiya support
Phase One has released a new version of Capture One, 5.2. The software handles a professional photography workflow, including the import of RAW files as well as basic editing tasks, for example color, sharpness and contrast. A Pro version adds more advanced options, such as tethered shooting, spot removal and skin tone enhancement. The v5.2 upgrade brings new profiles for several Nikon DSLRs: the D3s, D3x, D3, D2x, D700, D300, D300s and D90.
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05/11, 4:50pm
Also extends compatibility to non-RAW files
Camera maker Hasselblad has announced Phocus 2.5, a future update to the company's photo editing tool. The program handles tasks like white balance, shadow/highlight adjustment and lens correction, for instance by removing moiré patterns and image distortion. The v2.5 update primarily adds RAW support for over 150 non-Hasselblad cameras, from companies such as Canon, Nikon, Leica, Sony, Fuji and Olympus.
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04/20, 8:55am
Leica converts Panasonic 12X cam to upscale model
Leica today quickly confirmed its rumored new camera and launched the V-Lux 20. The compact is a mild reworking of the Panasonic Lumix ZS7 and gives it Leica's signature matte black finish and other high-end materials while retaining the core functionality. As a camera, the new V-Lux is Leica's first compact with both a 12X zoom lens and GPS-based geotagging, making it a possible good fit for travelers.
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04/15, 5:20pm
Leica to take Panasonic ZS7 upscale with new V-Lux
Leica is on the verge of launching a new compact camera as one of its most affordable models. A leak of the V-Lux20 shows it to be an upscale version of Panasonic's Lumix ZS7 with the same 12X, 25-300mm zoom. The point of reference would dictate the built-in GPS, 12-megapixel sensor, HD video recording and three-inch preview LCD.
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03/26, 3:00pm
Panasonic prices, dates 3MOS Full HD camcorders
Earlier this week, Panasonic announced prices for its pair of 3MOS 1080p HD camcorders, the HDC-TM700 and HDC-HS700, first introduced at the start of February. The company also revealed the two will arrive in mid-April, with the TM700 priced at $1,000, while the HS700 will cost $1,400. Both camcorders can shoot 1080p video at 60fps and sport 14.2-megapixel image sensors.
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02/19, 5:15pm
Pentax pulls out of PMA digital imaging expo
(Update with PMAI response) Pentax has pulled out of this weekend's PMA show, with no explanation given, joining Canon and Leica in abandoning the show, according unofficial report on Friday. Whether this has to do with the change of venues from Las Vegas in 2009 to Anaheim this year is unknown. The decision is said to be that of Pentax specifically and not its parent company Hoya's.
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09/09, 10:45am
Leica X1 and M9
Leica today added two long-anticipated upgrades to its more compact cameras. The X1 shares the rangefinder-like design of most Leicas but is deliberately designed as a cross between these and compact cameras: it has a fixed f2.8, 36mm equivalent lens but an APS-C sized, 12-megapixel CMOS sensor that the company bills as the largest ever in a compact. The combination of a zoomless prime lens and the large photo receptors give the camera a DSLR-like sensitivity to light (ISO 100 to 3,200) and reduced noise.
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09/02, 10:50pm
Leica to update M-series with 18.2 MP sensor?
Several image leaks allegedly show upcoming Leica cameras, the X1 and M9, according to Leica Rumors. Unconfirmed specs point to a full-frame 18.2 megapixel sensor on the M9, up from the current 10 megapixel component. The camera is also claimed to offer improved noise performance at high ISO settings, while adding an SD card slot and a free copy of Adobe Lightroom.
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09/02, 9:25am
Panasonic Lumix GF1
As expected, Panasonic today launched the Lumix GF1, its own take on the idea of a rangefinder-like Micro Four Thirds camera. In addition to being slightly smaller than the Olympus E-P1 it shares its system with, the GF1 has a surprise fix for the absence of built-in flash on its competitor: the corner opposite the grip has a hidden pop-up flash that properly distances the illumination from the lens. No viewfinder is built-in, but an optional electronic viewfinder provides 100 percent coverage regardless of lens.
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01/21, 4:05pm
Leica intros DLP projector
German photo camera manufacturer Leica has recently introduced its Pradovit D-1200 DLP projector at the Photokina show, the first product of its kind for the manufacturer. The 16:10 aspect ratio projector sports a 1920x1200 native resolution along with a 2,000 lumens brightness and a 2,500:1 contrast ratio. The D-1200's magnesium body houses a 0.98-inch DarkChip sensor sourced from Texas Instruments and a six-segment RGB color wheel. Setting up the D-1200 is made easier thanks to a vertical lens shift feature, and minimum projection distance is rated at nearly 3.3 feet.
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11/11, 8:55pm
Best Buy leaks T929 Leica
T-Mobile USA is set to receive a new touchscreen phone – the Samsung T929 Leica – following closely of the release of the T919 Behold handset. Cell Phone Signal writes that a leak on Best Buy's website shows that the store already has access to part SKUs, including the phone itself and battery packs. The phone offers users an 8MP Leica camera with built-in video recording options, 3G connectivity, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and a full HTML browser.
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09/24, 5:00pm
Kodak sensors in cameras
At the currently ongoing Photokina show, three professional medium format digital SLR camera manufacturers revealed newly released products that utilize current and new Kodak CCD image sensors. The newly-unveiled Leica S2 uses Kodak’s KAF-37500 image sensor, which is good for 37.5-megapixel resolution. The sensor introduces a new format that is 50 percent larger than conventional 35mm film thanks to its imaging area of 45mm x 30mm. The KAF-37500 uses micro lenses to increase its light sensitivity, while a built-it infrared filter is integrated into the sensor, allowing the camera to be physically thinner.
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09/22, 1:00pm
Leica S2 DSLR camera
Leica is preparing an unexpected new camera, writes Professional Photographer. Better known for its rangefinder cameras like the M8, Leica is said to be working on a new DSLR, the S2. The camera is being targeted exclusively at the professional market, and should have a 37-megapixel full-frame sensor, 56 percent bigger than that of its competitors. This may theoretically put the S2 in competition with medium format cameras like the H3D-II, rather than DSLRs like the Sony A900.
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09/15, 9:55am
Leica Camera Updates
Camera maker Leica has refreshed its line with a set of new models that keep it up to date with rivals. The M8.2 (pictured) refreshes Leica's retro rangefinder camera but primarily focuses on the design itself. The compact is the first professional camera to use a scratch-resistant, sapphire-coated LCD similar to luxury cellphones that provides much tougher protection than glass. The outside has also been reworked with a vulcanite-style finish that preserves the rest of the shell without altering the vintage looks.
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07/21, 11:10am
Panasonic FZ28 and LX3
Panasonic this morning got an early start to the run-up for the Photokina expo with a full range of new cameras. The Lumix FZ28 is close in capabilities to the earlier FZ18 with an 18X zoom factor but now shoots with a slightly wider-angled 27mm (previously 28mm) lens that lets it put more of a very long subject in the frame. It also adds a new autofocus tracking mode that keeps a subject in focus even in fast movement, ensuring that either basic focusing or face detection works properly without mastering shutter speeds and ISO settings.
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02/22, 4:20pm
Leica ousts CEO Steven Lee
Famous camera and lens maker Leica has officially jettisoned its CEO, according to company officials. The removal of Steven K. Lee is described as a sudden move, authorized by the company's supervisory board. He will be temporarily succeeded by owner and chairman Andreas Kaufman, who will work in tandem with the board's treasurer and financial controller until February 28th. Lee's tenure only began in November of 2006.
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