Source: Photography Blog

The new Canon PowerShot N [shoplink 9369](price & specs)[/shoplink] was designed by four persons of Canon’s Japanese team. One of them, Miyabi Orihashi, Product Designer, Design Center, Canon Inc, says:

The PowerShot N is not only for consumers who want to record memories but also for those who are eager to capture beautiful, artistic photos for other people to enjoy. I hope people who don’t have a deep knowledge of camera functions and settings will find they are able to take a range of interesting and expressive images using this camera

The design sketches give valuable insights in the philosophy that was driving the development of the PowerShot N. See all sketches and more pics in Photography Blog’s post.

The Canon PowerShot N is available for pre-order ($299, click on shopname): Amazon | B&H | Adorama.

Canon PowerShot N specifications (from B&H’s product page):

• 12.1MP High Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC 5 Image Processor
• 8x f/3.0 Optical Zoom Lens
• 28-224mm Focal Length Equivalency
• 2.8″ Capacitive Tilt-Touch LCD Panel
• 1080p Full HD Video Capture
• Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity
• One-Touch Mobile Device Connect Button
• Creative Shot Mode

Some PowerShot N impressions:

PetaPixel’s first impressions:

The uber-compact body looks and feels nice in the hand, and can easily be carried around in your pocket without causing too much of a bulge. It’s light, and won’t weigh you or your bag down if you carry it around everywhere you go. It’s a camera that’s just as compact as a smartphone, but offers nice advantages: a longer-reaching optical lens and a larger sensor are two of the main ones.

Slashgear’s first impressions:

That’s a healthy amount of features for this little 12-megapixel shooter, but this still has plenty of the features you’d expect. These include low-light performance, ISO up to 6400, and the ability to capture video in 1080p. Canon says the PowerShot N will begin shipping in April 2013 and will come with a price tag of $300, which doesn’t seem too bad.

Techradar: They found good: Easy to use, One-touch Wi-Fi, Small size, Good sensor, Responsive touch-control. Not so good: Slightly awkward to hold, Little manual control, Restricted LCD movement. More:

The PowerShot N is all about creating images quickly and easily, so naturally all the exposure modes are automatic. Program mode provided the most control, with aspects such as exposure compensation and white balance being adjustable. Alternatively, there are some creative shooting options with filter effect such as Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Monochrome.

Canon PowerShot N price check: [shopcountry 9369].

Canon’s promo video for the PowerShot N

[shoplink 8892][/shoplink]

Two new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM reviews for you. The terrific Sigma 35mm f/1.4 [shoplink 8892](price & specs)[/shoplink], part of Sigma’s “Art” line-up, is getting a lot of positive feedbacks from photographers and reviewers.

Cameralabs writes in their verdict:

The Sigma 35/1.4 DG HSM is a very exciting lens. You can produce shots with image quality you might think were impossible at a wide open aperture of f1.4. Plus the build-quality and the new design support Sigma’s claim to have developed and manufactured a lens to professional standards.

The pros of the Sigma, according to cameralabs:

Outstanding performance in the corners of a high-resolution full-frame sensor even wide open.
Good build quality.
Quiet and fast AF operation.
Relatively low price compared to the big names.

Next, photographer Justin Wojtczak of 375photography.com (source: fstoppers) made a video-review of the lens.

Generic tidbits…:

• Canon establishes Kenyan arm with eyes on East Africa: (source: businessdailyafrica), in summary:

• The regional arm of Japanese firm Canon Inc that is banking on new office to oversee seven African countries will strengthen its position across the rapidly growing markets of eastern Africa.
• Having a dedicated entity in Kenya is meant to further reinforce the company’s ‘closer to customer’ strategy and offer enhanced support services to partners and customers across East Africa,
• Canon Kenya will provide marketing and channel development services in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Eritrea, Rwanda and Burundi.

• Canon [shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III (specs&price)[/shoplink]: The Guide to Understanding and Using Your Camera –> read it here
• 
  The World’s First Digital Fisheye Camera Is The Size Of Your Thumb –> read it here
• Beautiful Digital Photo manipulation Art by ibitiura –> read it here
• Multi-purpose cameras with edit, print, WiFi options will drive digital imaging industry, CEA says –> read it here
• MIT’s new image-processing chip improves digital snapshots –> read it here

Have a nice day….

Well, it’s not Canon related, but I hope you appreciate.

Today is Ansel Adam’s birthday, he would turn 111 years old if he were still alive today. Quoting The Huffington Post:

Adams began his career as a photographer in the early 20th century selling snapshots of Yosemite National Park. Obsessed with fine-tuning his craft, the San Francisco-born artist was known to dabble in everything from soft-focus imagery to etching before settling on a photographic style marked by sharp contrast and intense exposures. Over the course of his 60-year career, he worked closely with fellow photographers Fred Archer and Alfred Stieglitz, showed his work at a major retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and helped to found the major photography magazine, Aperture.

[via Huffington Post]