Light & Land Launches Luxury Photographic Retreat on Sark

Just 80 miles south of the English coast, nestled between Guernsey and Normandy, lies the hidden jewel that is the Isle of Sark.

Light & Land is delighted to announce a brand new photographic tour – the first of its kind - to this stunning and remote location, which at just 2.2 square miles boasts over 40 miles of some of the most spectacular and picturesque coastline anywhere in the world.

Hosted by tour leaders Phil Malpas and Clive Minnitt the trip is based at the sumptuously luxurious Stocks Hotel, which is conveniently located in the centre of the Island.

With just 14 client places available and with two dedicated leaders, this tour is designed for those wanting to immerse themselves in both photography and the beauty of this enchanting location.

The aim of this workshop, under Phil and Clive’s expert guidance, will also be to help guests create a body of work suitable for a self published artist’s book.  Advice and support will be given on topics including image selection, design, textual content and page layout with the view to using an online publishing service to produce a finished book at the end of the trip.

The tour, which will run in April 2012, is also timed to coincide with the abundance of wildflowers present on the island in early spring – including woodlands carpeted with bluebells, red campion and wild garlic, while the cliff paths, fields and headland deliver a profusion of primroses, thrift and celandines. 

Due to the lack of light pollution, Sark is also the first island community in the world to be granted ‘Dark Skies’ status with the milky way stretching from horizon to horizon and on a clear night, stars which 
seem close enough to reach out and touch.

As a totally traffic free island, this photographic ‘retreat’ will enable guests to completely escape the pressures of the real world, focus on expanding their photographic knowledge and passion, while enjoying relaxing tranquillity of a luxury hotel base.

For full details of the tour visit: http://www.lightandland.co.uk/tours/SAR01 or call the Light & Land team on 01432 839111.

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Photo by Clive Minnitt

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Driven Creativity Competition 2011

G-Technology have launched the Driven Creativity Competition 2011. Open to talented professional and non-professional photographers, entrants will have the chance for their hard work and creative ambitions to be recognised and rewarded.

Winners and runners-up will be awarded stylish G-Technology hard drives and the overall winner will receive €5,000 – all to further drive their creativity.

The first year of the competition in 2010 saw hundreds of entrants from all over Europe entering their work across the fields of filmmaking, photography and music - both in professional and amateur categories.

To enter, simply upload a photo with a brief description to http://www.g-technology.eu/competition

Using an online peer voting system, a shortlist of 15 professional and amateur finalists will be compiled before being judged by a panel of creative experts including renowned photographer Tim Flach and National Geographic photographer Stefano Unterthiner.

The competition’s terms and conditions support the Artists Bill of Rights, so submissions will only appear on the G-Technology website and social media channels. G-Technology will not use submissions for anything else, without the permission of the creator, or release submissions to 3rd parties.

Throughout the competition, jury members will contribute their expert advice and feedback, with exclusive content being placed on G-Technology’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr channels. We urge you to subscribe to each of our channels and keep an eye on the entries as the competition progresses.

Last year’s winners – including Iain Weir in the professional category and Patty Palmtree in the amateur category – had their work presented at London’s famous Brick Lane gallery. This year, the winners will have the opportunity to be part of a week-long exhibition in October in the cutting-edge Strand Gallery in the heart of London, janinebeangallery in Berlin and 0fr in Paris. 

Entry is FREE and at http://www.g-technology.eu/competition and from June 7th until the end of August 2011.

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TPOTY 2011 Opens for Entries

GET THE WORLD IN FOCUS

Travel Photographer of the Year 2011 opens for entries

It’s time to pick up your camera and pack your travel bag - the 2011 international Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY) are open for entry and photographers worldwide are invited to take part.

Last year’s TPOTY awards drew entries from some 75 countries, the widest spread in the competition’s history. 2011 looks set to be TPOTY’s strongest year yet, with a range of new categories, an exciting new sponsor line-up and a new ‘home’ in London at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

The winners of the 2011 TPOTY awards will receive some fantastic rewards. The prize package will be announced in June and, in addition, the winners will see their work displayed at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in a major exhibition next summer in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics; a fantastic opportunity for any photographer. The 2011 winning images will also be showcased in the TPOTY book, Journey Four.

TPOTY 2011 has four Portfolio categories, two single-image categories, a New Talent award and the Young Travel Photographer of the Year award. The overall winner of the awards – the Travel Photographer of the Year 2011 – will be the photographer who submits the best entries in two of the four portfolio categories.

Portfolio categories and sponsors

Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, and the Oman Ministry of Tourism have joined forces to support the ‘Natural Elements’ portfolio category, for images depicting one or more of the following: earth, air, fire and water. Adobe, Genesis Digital Imaging and Lexar are also supporting ‘Natural Elements’, and the other portfolio categories.

Explore is backing ‘Cultures & Traditions’. This asks entrants to document the different and/or changing cultures they encounter on their travels, and provides the perfect opportunity for photographers to capture the fascinating aspects of human life they observe. Tselana Travel is supporting ‘Exotic’. Entrants can show the ‘aspirational’ side of travel as depicted in glossy brochures and travels ads. Or they may choose to submit images of what they find exotic or alluring when they travel.

‘Spirit of Adventure’ is supported by Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky. This particular category has been introduced to celebrate the London Olympics, with which the 2012 TPOTY exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) will coincide. Entrants’ images must echo the spirit of adventure that drives us to test our strength, endurance and tenacity. It might be the quest to reach the top of a mountain, or to explore the depths of an ocean, or it might be a smaller – but equally pulse-quickening – adventure.

New Talent, Single-Image and Young TPOTY awards

The theme of the 2011 New Talent category is ‘Diary of a Destination’. Supported by Tribes Travel, along with Plastic Sandwich, Adobe, Lexar and Young Photographers’ Alliance, this category requires entrants to tell a story in six images – an essential skill for any would-be professional photographer.

Capturing a situation in a single image is another key skill, and entrants in the One Shot category - ‘Wild Moments’ – which is supported by Adobe, Lexar and Plastic Sandwich, are tasked with showing the judges those wild moments they experience while travelling. This could be anything from an incredible wildlife shot to an abandoned moment of sheer exuberance.

The beginners’ single image category, First Shot, supported by Adobe, Lexar and Photo Iconic, allows those new to photography and using fairly basic cameras (or mobile phone cameras) to take part. This year’s theme - ‘Work, Rest, Play’ – gets them to turn their focus to the people they meet or observe on their journeys.

The theme of this year’s Young Travel Photographer of the Year award is ‘Green’. Entrants in the two different age groups - 14 and under, and 15-18 - must show the judges what ‘green’ means to them. It could be nature, it could be the environment – it could simply be something that is the colour green.  This category is supported by Adobe, Lexar and Photo Iconic, and Young TPOTY entrants will also compete for the Young Photographers Alliance Emerging Talent award.

How to enter

The awards will be judged by an international panel of imaging experts including travel and photography magazine editors, image buyers and renowned photographers, and are open to amateur and professional photographers from all countries. Images can be submitted as prints or uploaded online. Entries for the 2011 TPOTY awards close on October 9th 2011. Entry fees start at £10 but Young TPOTY is free to enter.  Full details of how to enter can be found onhttp://www.tpoty.com.

TPOTY at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

TPOTY 2011 was launched at the opening of the inaugural Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Society. This beautiful exhibition, featuring the winners of TPOTY 2010 together with archive images from the Society’s Collections, is free to enter and runs until June 10th. It’s the perfect place to get inspiration for the 2011 TPOTY contest. And in the autumn, TPOTY and the Society will hold three days of photography and travel workshops and talks – a must for travellers and photographers alike, particularly those considering entering TPOTY 2011!

TPOTY founder Chris Coe said, “To be launching the 2011 awards at the start of a magnificent exhibition of last year’s winning images is really exciting, as it shows this year’s entrants what they have to look forward to if they are successful. Our partnership with the Society has brought an important new dimension to the awards, and our new and existing sponsors will offer fantastic prizes to reward the winners of the 2011 competition.”

For more information on Travel Photographer of the Year, the exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and this autumn’s photography and travel events at the Society, please visithttp://www.tpoty.com.

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Photo: Dr. Larry Louie, Travel Photographer of the Year 2010

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Insight Guides Announce 2011 Travel Photography Competition

INSIGHT GUIDES PHOTOGRAPHIC COMMISSION UP FOR GRABS - PAVING THE WAY FOR A NEW CAREER

Anyone whose travel photographs are a snap above the rest is invited to enter Insight Guides’ 2011 travel photography competition, run in association with The Independent on Sunday, to win a photographic commission worth £3,000.  Also up for grabs is some great Olympus photographic equipment, as well as a night at the Corinthia, one of London’s newest top hotels. The commission from Insight Guides to photograph a travel destination for a future guide book could pave the way for a new and exciting career in travel photography.

Whether professional or amateur, any UK-based adult who has a love of travel photography can enter by submitting three images that have been taken this year and capture the essence of a destination. There’s a separate category for under-18s, too, with the young photographer winning an Olympus camera of his or her own.  Photographers have until Friday 16 September 2011 to submit their entries for judging by an expert panel made up of the picture editors of the Independent on Sunday and Insight Guides, a former Trustee of the Royal Photographic Society and high profile photographer Kevin Cummins. The winner will be announced in the travel pages of The Independent on Sunday shortly afterwards, which will also feature a selection from the winning portfolio.

As well as scooping the travel photography commission, the first prize winner receives an Olympus PEN E-PL2 (RRP £530), a favourite with those who want SLR quality results without the bulk of a traditional camera.  The second prize is an Olympus XZ-1 (RRP £400) a high-quality, fully adjustable yet portable camera.  The winner in third place and the Under-18 prize-winner will both be presented with an Olympus SZ-30MR (RRP £300) with a 24x zoom in an ultra compact body, plus full HD movies and stills.

The prizes will be presented to the winning adults in London at Stanfords – the UK’s leading specialist retailer of maps, travel books and other travel accessories – on the evening of Tuesday October 25, and treated to a special night at London’s newly opened Corinthia Hotel (http://www.corinthia.com/london ), where the winners will enjoy a celebration dinner in the Northall, the hotel’s modern British restaurant. In Whitehall, overlooking the Thames, the Corinthia was formerly London’s landmark Metropole, and is located just minutes from Trafalgar Square. 

It is simple to enter the competition: just submit, in either digital format or print, three colour travel photographs that have been taken this year that capture the essence of one or more destinations. Digital entries, which must be high-resolution Jpegs sized to a minimum of 3MB at 300dpi and a maximum of 15MB at 300dpi, should be emailed individually or as a group of three tophotocontest@insightguides.co.uk .  Alternatively send prints, no bigger than 10 x 8 inches (25.4cm x 20.3cm), to Photography Prize, Insight Guides, APA Publications, 58 Borough High Street, London SE1 1XF.  Images should be clearly labelled with the entrant’s name, address, and email address, and a location should be given for each image taken.  Under 18-s must mark each image “under-18”. For further information, entrants should visit http://www.insightguides.com as terms and conditions apply.

The winner of last year’s competition was Steve McDonald, whose picture of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is shown above.  He will be travelling to Tuscany for his Insight Guides commission. Published earlier this month was the Insight Guide to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (£15.99) which features more than 350 full-colour photographs, largely shot by the 2009 competition winner, Micah Sarut.

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World Photography Festival Opens Next Week

World Photography Festival, London opens next week

World Photography Festival, London, 26 April – 1 May 2011 / Exhibitions, 26 April – 22 May 2011

Somerset House
The Strand
London
WC2R 1LA

· Exhibition tickets priced at £10 and festival tickets starting at £14 available fromhttp://www.worldphoto.org 
· Bruce Davidson exhibition is free

London’s biggest ever festival of photography opens at Somerset House on 26 April. Following stops in San Francisco, Sao Paulo and Shanghai, the World Photography Festival comes to London for the first time and will run until 1 May. The Sony World Photography Awards Winners’ Showcase and Bruce Davidson exhibitions will be on display until 22 May. A private press preview of these exhibitions will take place on Tuesday 26 April at 12noon.

The inspiring and eclectic six day programme of events will celebrate the very best in photography from around the world and will appeal to everyone with a passion for photography from professionals to the photo-loving public alike.

The festival will feature celebrated photographers such as Tom Stoddard, Carol Allen Storey and Bruce Davidson as well as Pulitzer prize winning photographer Liu Hueng Shing and industry leaders such as Elisabeth Biondi (Visuals Editor, New Yorker) and Mike Trow (Photo Editor, British Vogue) – all of whom will gather at the festival to host exhibitions, talks, screenings, portfolio reviews, workshops and more.

At the heart of the festival is The Sony World Photography Awards 2011 which is also taking place in London for the first time. Formerly held in Cannes at the prestigious Palais des Festivals, the 2011 Awards winners will be announced at Odeon Leicester Square, 27 April 2011. A limited number of tickets to the awards ceremony are available from http://www.worldphoto.org

Sony will be running exclusive hands-on photography and videography product workshop sessions at Somerset House hosted by professional photographers from the world of fashion, sport and nature, demonstrating techniques to harness and improve your photography skills. Details of the workshops and registration can be found at http://www.worldphoto.org/festivals-events/london-daily-schedule

The full programme for the week long World Photography Festival may be viewed athttp://www.worldphoto.org

Highlights include:
In the Photographer’s Studio – Five intimate conversations with some of the greatest living photographers including Tom Stoddart, Steve Pyke, Carol Allen Storey and Bruce Davidson
World Photography Seminar Series – Presentations, round table discussions and talks about all areas of the industry such as: Photojournalism, The London Photography Scene, The Future of Book Publishing, The Power of New Media, Marketing & Commercialising, The Business of Photography, Art Photography Now and Stock Photography
Four day London Portrait & Documentary Project, part of the World Photography Organisation’s The City Project and which has recently taken place in Sao Paulo
Coming to London for the first time, iStockphoto present a series of seminars and live photoshoots for anyone interested in photography concepts
Introduction to Self-Publishing on Blurb with an easy overview of book making tools and tips on how to market and sell your book
The Portfolio Reviews
Student Focus – 101: The Crash Course – Provides students with a valuable insight into the industry
Special Programming – The 2011 World Market Spotlight: India with award winning Indian photojournalist and educator Pablo Bartholomew

Exhibitions running until 22 May
The Sony World Photography Awards 2011 Winners’ Showcase
Bruce Davidson exhibition
The Student Focus Award Winners
Kraszna-Krausz Book Awards Exhibition
London Portrait & Documentary Project Exhibition
Somerset House
Somerset House is a spectacular neo-classical building in the heart of London, sitting between the Strand and the River Thames. Since opening to the public in 2000, Somerset House has produced a distinctive public programme that annually draws over 1.2 million visitors to the site, providing a stimulating environment for exploration and relaxation. The varied, year-round programme includes an open air film and concert season and ice rink, as well as temporary exhibitions focusing on contemporary fashion, architecture, art and design, family workshops and free guided tours. In September 2009, Somerset House became the new home of London Fashion Week.

Key dates 
26 April – 1 May World Photography Festival, Somerset House

26 April – 22 May World Photography Festival exhibitions, Somerset House

26 April 12 noon - Press preview of Sony World Photography Awards Winners’ Showcase and Bruce Davidson exhibition

27 April Sony World Photography Awards ceremony, Odeon Leicester Square, London. Announcement of L’Iris D’Or / Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year, plus Student Focus, Professional category winners and Open Photographer of the Year

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Blurb Announces Call for Entries for 2011 PBN Competition

Photography Book Now Announces Call for Entries in Self-Published Photography Book Competition

Fourth Annual International-Juried Competition Offers $25,000 Grand Prize; New Category Added to Celebrate Student Photographers

London, UK — April 19, 2011 — The 2011 Photography Book Now competition is open for entries. Now in its fourth year and featuring a $25,000 grand prize, this international-juried competition, presented by Blurb, celebrates the very best in self-published photography books and the photographers behind them. For the first time, the competition will also celebrate up-and-coming talent with a Student category. Entries will be accepted in three professional categories – Fine Art, Documentary and Travel.

Noted photography book expert Darius Himes returns to the competition for the fourth year as lead judge. In this role, Himes will lead a panel of distinguished photographers, publishers, editors and gallery curators who will jury the Photography Book Now competition. The 2011 competition jurors include:
Markus Schaden, Publisher and Curator
Larissa Leclair, Founder, Indie Photobook Library
Gerry Badger, Photographer
Jon Levy, Founder and Director, FOTO8
Chris Boot, Executive Director, Aperture Foundation
Matt Eich, Photographer, LUCEO
Steven McCurry, Photographer, Magnum
Whitney Lawson, Photo Editor, Travel + Leisure
Claudia Hinterseer, Founder, NOOR
Larry Fink, Photographer
Henry Horenstein, Educator and Photographer
Laura Brunow Miner, Founder, Pictory

“Photography Book Now offers photographers from all backgrounds and from around the world an incredible opportunity to showcase their best work in book form,” said Darius Himes, lead judge of Photography Book Now. “We are thrilled to have assembled such a prestigious group of photography professionals as jurors for this year’s competition. Submissions from the competition’s first three years have set the bar high, and our jurors are looking forward to seeing even more inspiring work this year.”

Submissions will be accepted through 3:00 pm PDT (10pm GMT) on July 14, 2011, athttp://www.photographybooknow.com.

Leading photography and design organisations have joined Photography Book Now as sponsors. Hewlett Packard returns as the sponsor of the $25,000 grand prize. Adobe will be supplying $5,000 to each of the four category winners, and New Page Corp. is the exclusive People’s Choice sponsor. Other category prizes will be provided by liveBooks, Lensbaby, Wacom, Nik Software and X-Rite. Additional sponsors include Mohawk Fine Papers, British Journal of Photography, Photo District News, Digital Photo Pro Magazine, CENTER, D-Photo, FOTO8, iStockphoto, Monster Children Magazine, and PHOTONEWS. To view a complete list of sponsors and prize packages, please visithttp://www.photographybooknow.com/sponsors.

The finalists’ books in each category will become part of the permanent collections at the International Center of Photography, the Indie Photobook Library and the George Eastman House.

“Creating a beautifully produced photography book while retaining complete control of the creative process is what every artist craves,” said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO, Blurb. “We also have heard from past winners of Photography Book Now that having their work recognised by such distinguished jurors as well as featured at international photography events around the world has opened new doors for them professionally. We are deeply committed to celebrating the medium of photography books and are proud to present Photography Book Now for its fourth year.”

For more information and to enter the competition, please visithttp://www.photographybooknow.com.

About Photography Book Now
Photography Book Now is an international-juried book competition that celebrates the most creative and innovative self-published photography books, and the people behind them. Now in its fourth year, Photography Book Now offers international photographers of all stripes the opportunity to showcase their work to a world-renowned panel of judges, and take a shot at a $25,000 grand prize. All entries must be received by 3:00 pm PDT on July 14, 2011. For more information, visithttp://www.photographybooknow.com.

About Blurb
Blurb® is a creative publishing and marketing platform that unleashes the creative genius inside everyone. Blurb’s platform makes it easy to design, publish, market and sell professional-quality books, using the Blurb Bookify™ online bookmaking tool, Blurb’s free, award-winning Blurb BookSmart® app or by using Blurb’s PDF to Book workflow. Blurb’s bookstore and online marketing tools enable customers to market and sell their books, and keep 100% of their profit. Blurb’s social and community features allow customers to create and share Blurb books among friends and colleagues with ease.

Blurb was founded by Eileen Gittins in 2005, and includes a team of design, Internet and media veterans who share a passion for helping people bring their stories to life. In 2010, Blurb shipped just under 1.4 million books to more than 70 countries and territories.  In 2010, Blurb was ranked the fastest growing media company on the Inc. 500. Blurb is based in San Francisco with offices in London. For more info, visit blurb.com.

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Stephen Webster Hosts Premiere Exhibition of Iconic Photographer Duffy

STEPHEN WEBSTER PRESENTS THE PREMIERE EXHIBITION OF ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHER DUFFY

Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills—Stephen Webster in coordination with Brit Week is honored to host a never-before-seen exhibition of prints by renowned UK photographer Duffy and an exclusive ‘Art of Tasting’ with celebrated British chef Mark Hix.

A private cocktail reception on May 2nd will open the exhibition showcasing Duffy’s iconic images of David Bowie, and featuring hors d’ouevres created by award-winning chef and food writer Mark Hix, who is flying in from the UK specifically for this event.

Approximately thirty photographs by the Swinging 60’s photographer will remain on public display at the Stephen Webster Rodeo Drive boutique through the end of May 2011. These extremely limited prints will also be sold, both framed and unframed, for the very first time in the United States.

The Stephen Webster stylist-of-the-month window will compliment the upstairs exhibit with styling by May Routh and hair by Martin Samuel, long time Duffy cohorts and costume designer and hair stylist, respectively, of the Bowie film “Man Who Fell to Earth”.  This dynamic pair inspired by Duffy and Bowie will create a vibrant installation overlooking the famous via Rodeo staircase.

*** Please note the exhibition will open with a private cocktail reception on May 2nd and then be open to the public on May 3rd through the 31st ***

About Duffy

Brian Duffy was one of the most dynamic and inventive photographers of the 1960s. Together with Terence Donovan and David Bailey, he is recognized as one of the innovators of “documentary” fashion photography, a style that revolutionized the fashion industry. They dominated the London photographic scene, constantly pushing each other to new heights.

Duffy produced an extraordinary body of work spanning all photographic genres, from portraits to reportage to advertizing. However, after more than twenty years at the cutting edge, he vanished from the scene. Ever the anarchist, one afternoon in 1979 he began the destructive, yet cathartic procedure of burning his negatives. Fortunately, not all of them were destroyed, and now, after nearly three years of painstaking archival of the surviving images, Duffy’s photographs will be shown and available for purchase.

About Mark Hix

Mark Hix was formally Chef Director of Caprice Holdings, overseeing The Ivy, Scott’s, J. Sheekey and Le Caprice, four of London’s most fashionable restaurants. In 2008, he opened Hix Oyster and Chop House in London, and Hix Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis, Dorset. His Latest restaurant, Hix, opened in London’s Soho in October 2009 to rave reviews.

Mark’s commendations include GQ Chef of the Year and Tatler Restaurateur of the Year 2009. He has written a regular weekly column for The Independent on Saturday magazine for the last 8 years, and more recently regular columns in Countrylife, Fork and Marshwood Vale. His books include British Regional Food, the winner of both a Guild of Food Writers’ Award and the Andre Simon Book Award, and British Seasonal Food, the Guild of Food Writers’ Cookery Book of the Year 2009.

Aside from the restaurants and events, Mark has been involved in a number of other projects within the catering world, including consultancy work, various cookery demonstrations and judging panels, charity events, writing and television & radio appearances. In 2007, he took part in the BBC’s Great British Menu and as one of the three finalists, took both his famous Stargazy Pie and Perry Jelly to Paris to cook for the British Ambassador’s banquet. He has also appeared on Saturday Kitchen, Market Kitchen and River Cottage.

About Stephen Webster

Stephen Webster, Founder and Creative Director of Stephen Webster Ltd and a Creative Director of the world’s oldest jewellery house Garrard since 2008, is one of the leading British jewellery designers.  Webster’s keen eye for detail, expert craftsmanship and glam-rock attitude has given way to dramatic creations with an eternally chic aesthetic.  Having evolved into a powerful global luxury jewellery brand, Stephen Webster now boasts over 200 points of sale worldwide and 8 boutiques internationally in London, Beverly Hills, Vienna, Marbella and across Russia. Having received countless coveted jewellery awards, Webster has built a dedicated fan base and is a firm favourite with celebrities across the globe; from Madonna to Christina Aguilera, Kate Moss, Sir Elton John, Mickey Rourke and Kate Beckinsale to name but a few. 
http://www.stephenwebster.com

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Canon Exhibits Imaging Solutions at 2011 NAB Show

CANON U.S.A. EXHIBITS IMAGING SOLUTIONS AT 2011 NAB SHOW IN LAS VEGAS

Company to Display New Professional 3D HD Imaging Solutions, XF Series Professional Camcorders, HD Broadcast Lenses, EOS Digital SLR Cameras and High-Resolution REALiS Projectors

LAS VEGAS, April 11, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is exhibiting a wide range of products for broadcast HD television production, HD video content creation, and high-resolution image display at the 2011 NAB Show, booth # C-4325, April 11th to 14th, in the Las Vegas Convention Center. On display will be the most comprehensive display of the Company’s professional broadcast and HD imaging equipment including special guest presenters talking about the latest developments and techniques in the professional real-world application of Canon equipment.  Included in the booth’s exhibit will be Canon’s HD broadcast lenses and robotic pan-tilt HD cameras, the new Canon XA10 professional camcorder, XF300-series and XF100-series professional camcorders, the Company’s popular line of EOS DSLR cameras with full-manual HD video capture, the REALiS WUX4000 Installation LCOS projector, and large-format imagePROGRAF printers.  Also on display during the show will be the new Technicolor CineStyle for the Canon 5D Mark II, a custom picture style which provides cinematographers with the image latitude for digital intermediate color-grading and delivery.

A Word on Canon

Throughout the 2011 NAB Show, Canon will host a cross-section of professional cinematographers, broadcast specialists and renowned moviemakers talking about their recent works shot on Canon equipment. Leading industry professionals will be discussing their groundbreaking work using Canon EOS DSLRs, XF Professional Camcorders and brand-new broadcast lenses. The list of speakers scheduled to appear in the Canon booth includes:

Alex Buono
Russell Carpenter
Rodney Charters
Allen Daviau & Bill Bennett
Bruce Dorn
Vincent Laforet
Patrick Moreau
Joe Pontecorvo
Kevin Shahinian
Gale Tattersall

Two New PL-Mount Canon Lenses

Canon U.S.A. has introduced two advanced-design PL-mount lenses, the Canon FK14.5-60 wide-angle cine zoom lens and the Canon FK30-300 telephoto cine zoom lens, that address emerging 4K production standards. These precision-matched lenses incorporate breakthrough Canon optical designs that simultaneously optimize and enhance multiple imaging attributes while minimizing optical aberrations and distortions. Both feature a totally new Canon optical design that virtually eliminates focus breathing. The wide-angle FK14.5-60 maintains its T2.6 maximum aperture over the entire focal range, and with the virtual absence of focus breathing offers new freedom in exploring novel picture creation. These attributes combine to help ensure superb contrast under a wide range of scene-lighting conditions, helping to maximize the image-creation capabilities of the current top-of-the-line single-sensor digital cinematography cameras. The telephoto FK30-300 complements the wide-angle FK14.5-60 in larger studios while also servicing many outdoor shots with exceptionally vivid imagery.

These two new lenses from Canon offer a performance level in accordance with emerging 4K production image format standards, which inherently ensures the very highest performance in contemporary 2K and HD digital 35mm motion-imaging.

New HDgc Portable HD zoom lens with 2x Built-in Extender

Utilizing the latest optical technologies to deliver high performance at a particularly attractive price point, Canon U.S.A. has recently introduced the new KJ20x8.2B portable HD lens, the newest member in its cost-effective HDgc Series of portable HD zoom lenses. The KJ20x8.2B portable HD lens is designed to support a wide range of applications and users, from broadcast ENG to professional freelance HD shooters. Leading the list of advanced features of the new lens is its built-in 2x extender, an important imaging feature previously seen only on relatively higher-end HD lenses. As a result, the KJ20x8.2B offers ENG shooters and other camera operators greatly improved subject-framing flexibility. The new KJ20x8.2B is also Canon’s widest (8.2 mm) lens in the affordable 20x zoom class, and it covers a generous range of focal lengths, particularly when combined with its built-in 2x extender expanding its 8.2mm-164mm focal length to 16.4mm-328mm.

New Firmware for the XF305 and XF300 Professional Camcorders

Canon’s new firmware upgrades the XF300–series camcorders to include Canon’s 3D Assist and Scan Reverse Functions, which are built-in features facilitating the use of two units to work in tandem to capture 3D HD video. The new firmware allows OIS Lens Shift to be used in optically aligning two XF305 or XF300 camcorders and a Focal Length Guide to display the zoom position of each camera in relation to each other and calibrate zoom settings. The new firmware also supports Double Slot Recording for instantaneous backup and the option to disable Relay Recording for more control over dual memory card management.  Canon will be demonstrating a range of professional applications for the Canon XF305 and XF300, including 3D image recording, at the Company’s booth during the 2011 NAB Show.

Canon XA10 Professional Camcorder

Canon will have its new ultra compact XA10 Professional Camcorder on display, ideal for situations where mobility while shooting is critical. This feature-rich professional model records Full HD 1080p video using an AVCHD codec.  The ultimate professional camcorder for run-and-gun shooting, the compact XA10 includes a detachable handle for low-angle shooting and portability. With the handle attached, the XA10’s functionality is further enhanced with the addition of XLR inputs and an external microphone holder.  Capable of shooting in the dark, the camcorder features infrared video capture, ideal for Military and Law Enforcement markets, as well as Nature and Wildlife videographers. The new XA10 provides the option of recording to a 64GB internal flash drive or two SDXC-compatible card slots, as well as Relay Recording and the ability to record simultaneously to two cards for instant backup. Extremely portable yet packed with professional features, this camcorder will be the model-of-choice for on-the-go videographers shooting online news, celebrity reporting, reality TV, extreme sports, etc.

Canon XF-Series Professional Camcorders

On display in the Canon booth will be the Company’s full line of professional HD camcorders including the complete XF-series lineup featuring the Canon XF305, XF300, XF105 and XF100 models.  The Canon XF305 and XF300 Professional Camcorders include a Genuine Canon 18x HD L-series lens providing documentary filmmakers and news camera operators with the focal-range versatility required in the field. Each model includes three Canon developed and designed native 1920 x 1080 CMOS image sensors, and Canon’s proprietary XF Codec that delivers the exceptional color detail required for accurate chroma-keying, color-grading and compositing for digital filmmaking.

The XF105 and XF100 Professional Camcorders are ideal for mobile HD video capture in a compact form factor. The XF105 and XF100 utilize the same Canon XF Codec featured in the Canon XF305 and XF300, yet they are less than half the size and weight of those larger models. The XF105 and XF100 camcorders are ideal for Electronic News Gathering, documentary and independent filmmaking and event videography.  The Canon XF105 and XF100 Professional Camcorders feature a Genuine Canon 10x HD Zoom lens and Canon’s built-in infrared low-light feature enabling the capture of HD video in complete darkness.

All XF-series models record to Compact Flash (CF) cards and feature hot-swappable card slots for maximum performance. Canon’s XF305 and XF105 models feature industry-standard HD-SDI output, genlock, and SMPTE time code (in/out) terminals for multi-camera or 3D productions.

The Canon XF Codec is an MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps codec used for exceptional high-definition image quality, full non-linear editing (NLE) systems compatibility and efficient, robust workflow.  The Canon XF Codec is currently compatible with leading software programs widely used within the video production and broadcast industries including those available from Adobe, Apple, Avid, and Grass Valley.

Now, with the new firmware announcement for the XF305 and XF300 models, all four Canon XF-series camcorders will include in-camera features to enable the easy set-up and capture of high-definition 3D video when two camcorders are paired.

Canon 3D Solutions for Broadcast Lenses

Canon’s new 3D Bridge Cable, together with the Company’s new ergonomic Digital Drive Unit and 3D Lens Adjustment Software, will provide exceptional interoperability and precision in synchronization of zoom, focus and iris positions of the lens pairs. The Company’s new ergonomic Digital Drive Unit incorporates Canon-developed, ultra-compact rotary encoders capable of 0.1um position detection which produces 16-bit resolution of the positions of zoom, iris, and focus controls.

Most of Canon’s HDTV Zoom Lenses are equipped with 16-bit resolution Rotary Encoder Devices, which provide precise synchronous lens control by simply connecting the two lenses with a 20pin-20pin single cable. This 3D Bridge Cable will allow simultaneous control of a pair of lenses from one zoom and focus controllers.

The “3D Lens Adjustment Software” is intended to make stereoscopic tracking of the zoom, focus and iris even more precise, and allow appropriate offsets to be easily made using the Digital Drive Unit’s display to compensate for minor zoom and focus tracking differences between any two lens pairs. Together with the 3D Bridge Cable, the software will also make it possible to use standard lens controllers. The software can be installed to the conventional lenses at Canon service centers for the customers who purchased the 3D Bridge Cable.

Additional Canon HD Lenses, Robotic POV Cameras, and the Canobeam

In addition to its newest portable HD zoom lenses and its telephoto portable HD lens for 3D productions, Canon will also exhibit its full line of broadcast-grade portable HD ENG/EFP lenses, as well as HD studio lenses and long-zoom HD field lenses (including models with Auto Focus and Canon Image Stabilization), and digital cinematography lenses. Canon’s BU-46H outdoor and BU-51H indoor remote-control robotic HD POV pan/tilt/zoom cameras will also be shown, as will the Canobeam DT-150 wireless HD video transceiver system using Free Space Optics.

Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras

Over the past year, Canon’s EOS HD Video technology has changed the way users capture 1080p HD video and opened new doors for multimedia journalists and Hollywood cinematographers alike with full manual exposure control, selectable frame rates, and interchangeable lenses on some of the largest and most sensitive image sensors on the market.

Now capable of 24p (23.976 fps) and 30p (29.97 fps) image capture (when updated to Canon Firmware version 2.0.4 or higher), the Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR provides cinematographers and videographers with a versatile HD camera designed for creative, high-quality production work. Featuring a 21.1-megapixel full-frame 24 x 36mm CMOS sensor for 1920 x 1080 HD resolution capture, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR delivers a sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 25600, superb low-light performance, excellent color reproduction, a shallow depth-of-field, and spectacular HD image quality.

The EOS-1D Mark IV Professional Digital SLR features Full HD capture and full manual exposure control, plus selectable frame rates on an APS-H-sized image sensor that’s larger in size than a Super 35mm motion picture film frame. The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV allows for three video recording resolutions – 1080p Full HD, 720p HD and Standard Definition. The camera will record Full HD at 1920 x 1080 in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or 30p (29.97); and 720p HD or 480p SD video recording at either 50p or 60p (59.94).

Also on display will be the Canon EOS 7D digital SLR featuring Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p, as well as 720p HD and 480p SD video recording at either 50p or 60p (59.94).

Canon imagePROGRAF Large Format Printers

The new 24-inch Canon imagePROGRAF iPF6300S large format printer provides photographers with an affordable, 8-color option for printing high-quality images in a shorter amount of time than Canon’s 12-color, imagePROGRAF line up. If a photographer is looking for even greater color gamut, the award-winning, 44-inch imagePROGRAF iPF8300 would be the quintessential choice. For an enhanced color spectrum and wider color gamut, this printer features a 12-Color LUCIA EX pigment ink set, producing expressive and crisp blacks, smooth color gradations, and the capability to reproduce the finest details in the shadow areas of photographs.

REALiS WUX4000 Installation LCOS Projector

Canon’s REALiS WUX4000 Installation LCOS Projector is the Company’s first high-resolution projector for the installation market, ideal for use in a wide range of professional venues including corporate boardrooms, educational institutions, houses of worship, medical facilities, government offices and photo studios. The projector delivers higher-than-HD-resolution (1920 x 1200) widescreen images with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and high brightness level of 4000 lumens.  The projector employs Canon’s latest fourth-generation proprietary AISYS-enhanced LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) optical engine, the advanced projection-display technology that delivers crisp, seamless images with intricate detail, high brightness, high contrast and accurate color.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.                                                                     

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2010†, with global revenues of more than US $45 billion and is listed as number six in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2010 list.  Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at http://www.usa.canon.com/kyosei.Tokeep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting http://www.usa.canon.com/rss.

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