Lowepro has announced a new line of top-loading camera bags, Cirrus TLZ, designed for compact, pro-compact digital cameras and digital SLRs.

According to Lowepro, the Cirrus TLZ series is designed for the newest digital cameras and easily protects both camera and lens from outside elements. The interior features a built-in memory card pocket for quick changes and the brushed-tricot lining protects LCD screens from scratches.

The exterior of the bags are constructed of rugged water- and abrasion-resistant fabric to provide durability and style. Adjustable shoulder strap, padded handles and belt loops present a variety of comfortable carrying options.

The Cirrus line of top-loading shoulder bags is available in three models: Cirrus TLZ 5, 15, and 25.

The Cirrus TLZ 5 has been developed to protect one pro-compact digital camera or ultra-compact video camera. In addition, the front accessory pocket holds batteries and the media storage pocket provides quick access to one memory card. The Cirrus TLZ 15 protects one digital SLR with lens attached and Cirrus TLZ 25 protects one digital SLR with short zoom lens attached. Both the Cirrus TLZ 15 and the Cirrus TLZ 25 are capable of holding multiple memory cards and small accessories.

Dimensions

Cirrus TLZ 5: External: 11.5 x 11.5 x 17 cm 4.5 x 4.5 x 6.7 in.
Internal: 9.5 x 9 x 11.5 cm 3.7 x 3.5 x 4.5 in.

Cirrus TLZ 15: External: 18 x 13 x 22 cm 7.1 x 5.1 x 8.7 in.
Internal: 15.5 x 10.5 x 16.5 cm 6.1 x 4.1 x 8.3 in.

Cirrus TLZ 25 External: 18 x 13 x 26.6 cm 7.1 x 5.1 x 10.5 in.
Internal: 15.5 x 10.5 x 21 cm 6.1 x 4.1 x 8.3 in.

Is your digital camera generating more files than you can possibly store on your PC? If so, you should make extra room, back-up the files, and keep them safe on one of the Western Digital’s My Book 500GB external hard drives¹.

The My Book sleek cases resemble a book and take up very little space on your desktop. Plus, they stack horizontally allowing two or more drives to nestle neatly together like encyclopedias on a shelf. Inside the case is a fast (7,200 RPM), ultra-quiet, cool-running hard drive. Around the button on the front of the case is a capacity gauge that shows at a glance how much space is remaining on the drive.

There are four versions available that differ in connectivity:

• My Book Essential Edition: USB 2.0
• My Book Premium Edition: USB 2.0, FireWire 400
• My Book Premium ES Edition: USB 2.0, eSATA²
• My Book Pro Edition: USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800

Dimensions (HxLxW): 6.71 x 5.6 x 2.25″

Weight: 2.90 lbs.

OS Requirements: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac® OS X 10.3 or later

Installation is easy because you don’t really “install” anything — just plug it in and it’s ready to use. No installation CD is required because all the necessary drivers load automatically from the hard drive the first time you plug it in.

The back-up software³ provided varies with the My Book version. See the Amazon pages for details.

How many photos can it hold? Up to 142,000 digital photos assuming they are high-resolution JPEGs at 3.5MB/photo. That’s a lot!

Western Digital Caviar SE16 7200RPM 500GB Hard Drive

US $59.99 End Date: Saturday Jul-31-2010 16:24:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $59.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list

---

At PMA 07, SanDisk Corp. announced a 4-Gigabyte (GB) addition to its SanDisk Extreme® III pro line of SDHC (SD High Capacity) Class 6 memory cards. The 4GB SanDisk Extreme III card can store more than 2,000 high-resolution pictures or up to 8 hours of MPEG 4 video2.¹ Devices must be SDHC compatible in order to work with SDHC memory cards.

"The SanDisk Extreme III line has become a best-of-class standard for professional photographers who demand speed, durability and reliability," said Tanya Chuang, SanDisk's director of retail product marketing, global imaging market. Now we're raising the bar again with these new cards. And by including an SDHC-compatible reader with each SDHC card, we're enabling users to easily transfer images from their cameras to their computers."

Major camera manufacturers, including Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Leica, have already shipped or announced a variety of pro-level digital cameras that use the SDHC format (designed to allow for capacities greater than 2GB). Consumer-oriented digital still and video cameras that use standard SDHC cards have been available at retailers since last year.

All SanDisk Extreme III cards offer ESP Technology to streamline data transfer, RescuePRO® software to recover accidentally deleted files and images, a dedicated technical support telephone hotline and a limited lifetime warranty.

Price and Availability

The SanDisk Extreme III SDHC 4GB Card will be available in April 2007. The SanDisk Extreme III SDHC Bundle (4GB Card + MicroMate USB 2.0 Reader) will be available in April 2007 for a price of $139.99 (US MSRP).

SanDisk 4GB SD SDHC Extreme III Memory Card

US $39.99 End Date: Saturday Jul-31-2010 18:16:05 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $39.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list

---

There is no question that Lowepro makes some of the best photography backpacks on the market today. In line with Lowepro’s tradition of making high-quality, all-weather backpacks and protective cases – they have launched the Vertex-series designed for the adventure bound photographer or sports photojournalist. The Vertex backpacks use a rugged exterior design with water resistant zippers and a seam-sealed Lowepro All Weather Cover that protects gear even in the most harsh outdoor environments.

Designed to deliver maximum comfort with minimal bulk, the Vertex series is capable of carrying 1-2 pro digital SLR units, a large 35mm or medium format system, a number of lenses, a tripod or monopod, a flash and digital accessories. Exterior features include the All Weather Cover, Lowepro's adjustable Glide-Lockâ„¢ accessory attachment system for securing tripods and other outdoor accessories, two outer pockets for memory cards and filters, plus a mid-pocket which is large enough for most notebook computer models. On the inside, you will find adjustable padded dividers with side velex-lining and additional accessory pockets.

Product Details¹

Vertex 100 AW

• Harnessed with a 6-point adjustable harness system
• Capable of carrying 1-2 digital SLR units and 3-5 lenses (up to a 200 mm f/2.8)
• Contains one Glide-Lock accessory attachment point
• Carries a mid-pocket large enough for a notebook computer of up to 14 inches

Vertex 200 AW

• Harnessed with a 8-point adjustable harness system
• Capable of carrying 1-2 digital SLR units and 4-6 lenses (up to a 300 mm f/2.8)
• Contains three (3) Glide-Lock accessory attachment points
• Carries a mid-pocket large enough for a notebook computer of up to 15.4 inches

Vertex 300 AW

• Harnessed with a 8-point adjustable harness system
• Capable of carrying 1-2 digital SLR units and 6-8 lenses (up to a 400 mm f/2.8)
• Contains three (3) Glide-Lock accessory attachment points
• Carries a mid-pocket large enough for a notebook computer of up to 17 inches

Measurements

Vertex 100 AW:

• External: 11.8 x 9.8 x 16.5 in.
• Internal: 11 x 5.9 x 15.4 in.
• Notebook Compartment: 11H x 2D x 13.8W in.

Vertex 200 AW:

• External: 12.6 x 10.2 x 18.5 in.
• Internal: 11.8 x 6.5 x 17.3 in.
• Notebook Compartment: 11.8W x 2D x 16.5H in.

Vertex 300 AW:

• External: 13 x 10.2 x 21.7 in.
• Internal: 12.2 x 6.5 x 20.5 in.
• Notebook Compartment: 11.8W x 2D x 19.7H in.

Price and Availability²³

The Lowepro Vertex backpacks will be available starting in March for a retail price of $189.99, $249.99 and $289.99 respectively.

On-Sale (update 6/10/07)

The Lowepro Vertex backpacks are on sale (23-30% off) at Amazon. See the links below.

Digital cameras and camcorders generate files that need to stored or archived. The main hard drives in desktops and laptops fill up fast requiring external storage solutions. Fortunately, external hard drive capacities and output rates from cameras are increasing simultaneously.

The availability of devices like the LaCie F.A. Porsche Series make file back-up and storage a snap. Previously, there were 100GB, 160GB, 250GB, 320GB models… and now there is a 500GB model.

Ugly? Not a chance! LaCie enlisted the world famous design agency, Porsche Design GmbH to design the enclosure. The sleek and sexy case is stackable for future expansion. And, there’s no fan to add to the din in your home or office. Available with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface or Firewire). The device is Plug and Play. However, you will need to format the hard drive. The following operating systems are supported: Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 2000, Windows Me or Windows XP; Mac OS 9.1 or Mac OS 10.2.1 and greater. Comes with LaCie ‘1-Click’ Backup Software.

The LaCie F.A. Porsche 500GB External Hard Drive is rated 4.5-stars by 12 reviewers on Amazon.com. The price is only $158.95¹.

LaCie Slim Mobile F.A. Porsche External Hard Drive, 250

US $20.49 (7 Bids) End Date: Saturday Jul-31-2010 19:19:55 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

---

In conjunction with PMA07, Lensbabies, LLC has introduced a new medium format version of its 3rd generation selective focus lens, Lensbaby 3G. The medium format version expands the Lensbaby product family’s capabilities for the first time into the medium format realm of photography.

The Medium Format Lensbaby 3G is now available for Mamiya 645 and Pentax 67 camera bodies. The Lensbaby 3G for Mamiya 645 features an 80mm fixed focal length and possible aperture settings ranging from f/3.4 to f/39. The Lensbaby 3G for Pentax 67 cameras has a 100 mm fixed focal length and has possible aperture settings ranging from f/4 to f/45.

The Lensbaby 3G medium format lens allows photographers to lock the Lensbaby in a desired bent position simply by pressing a button. Then, using its traditional barrel focus mechanism, photographers can do fine focusing and precisely place the sweet spot of sharp focus before pressing the shutter release. The Original Lensbaby lens and the Lensbaby 2.0 lens require the photographer to manually hold the Lensbaby in a bent position while pressing the shutter release.

The optic in the Medium Format Lensbaby 3G produces the same effect as the optic in the Lensbaby 3G for SLR cameras. However, the optic in each Medium Format Lensbaby 3G is optimized for the specific camera body.

Price and Availability

Lensbaby 3G medium format lenses will be available by the end of March for a price of 389.95 (US MSRP). Optional accessories include the Lensbaby Macro Kit, the Lensbaby 0.6X Wide Angle/Macro Lens, and the Lensbaby 0.6X Wide Angle/1.6X Telephoto Conversion Kit.

Sony has just announced that the GPS-CS1KA GPS Unit Kit now includes Sony Picture Motion Browser software. Already supplied as standard with current Cyber-shot cameras, Handycam camcorders and the acclaimed Sony α100 dSLR, this easy-to-use PC* application matches photo dates and times with satellite-derived position information captured using the GPS-CS1. ‘Tagged' images can then be displayed in situ on an online map, adding ‘where and when' data to photo libraries. (Maps and satellite images powered by Google Maps.)

*Not compatible with Mac OS.

Supplied on CD-ROM, Picture Motion Browser software is compatible with all digital cameras conforming to the Exif 2.1 file specification. This means in practice that the GPS-CS1KA can now be used successfully with all digital cameras produced within the last few years, including most non-Sony models. In addition to all current Cyber-shot and Handycam models, the package is compatible with the Sony α100 D-SLR camera when shooting in JPEG or JPEG+RAW mode.

The enhanced kit now also includes a handy soft carry case that clips onto a camera case, shoulder strap or clothing. The protective case features a transparent window for visibility of battery and memory indicators plus easy access to the GPS unit's power switch.

Features

• GPS reception method: 12 channel all-in-view tracking
• Image file format: JPEG file Exif2.1 compatible or later
• Power: AA Alkaline / AA Ni-MH battery
• Operating time: 10hrs (varies depending on conditions)
• Dimensions: W87 x H36 x D36mm
• Weight (approx): 55g without battery
• Interface: Hi-Speed USB2.0
• Operating system support: Windows® 2000 Professional, Windows® Millennium Edition, Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition, Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• Supplied accessories: carabiner, USB cable, GPS Image Tracker software (CD-ROM)

Lexar has announced breakthrough 300x speed-rated Professional compactFlash cards. Cards speed-rated at 300x, or capable of a minimum sustained write speed of 45MB per second will be available in capacities of 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB. The new Lexar Professional UDMA cards deliver a 125% performance improvement over Lexar’s previous generation 133x CompactFlash® product line when the cards are used with a UDMA-enabled device¹.

Lexar Professional 300x speed-rated cards come with a limited lifetime warranty, free dedicated technical support, and a comprehensive suite of software that includes a full version of Corel® Paint Shop Pro® X, Lexar Image Rescue™ 3 and Lexar Backup n Sync™.

The new cards will be available in April. Prices have not been announced yet.

In addition, Lexar introduced two new professional-grade flash memory card readers designed to deliver increased download speeds from the card to a computer.

One reader features a new and unique industrial design and is fully compatible with two new flash card interface standards: Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA) CompactFlash®, a high-performance flash memory protocol based on the CompactFlash form factor, and Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC™), a memory standard that supports capacities of 4GB and higher in the Secure Digital (SD™) form factor.

The Professional UDMA FireWire 800 Reader will be available in April for the price of $79.99 (US MSRP), while the Professional Dual-Slot USB Reader will be available in June for the price of $49.99 (US MSRP). Both new flash memory card readers require Windows XP or later, or Mac OS 10.2.8 or higher.

Lexar has added a 133x 4GB SDHC card to it’s new line of high-performance, high-capacity cards designed for photographers capturing large volumes of high-resolution images with SDHC-enabled digital SLR cameras.

The card’s high-speed performance provides a minimum write speed capability of 20MB per second. This speed significantly reduces the time needed to download stored images/information. When used in conjunction with the high-speed USB 2.0 reader (free with every Lexar Professional SDHC card), photographers will experience an immediate speed improvement.

Lexar Professional SDHC memory cards come with a comprehensive suite of useful software available for free download, including Lexar Image Rescue 3 and Corel® Paint Shop Pro® X.

Lexar Professional SDHC cards will be available in March 2007.

See the Lexar Store at Amazon.com.

JOBO AG has announced the JOBO photoGPS, a Global Positioning System (GPS) for digital camera users. The device allows GPS data to be written to each digital image's EXIF file (geo-tagging). JOBO’s photoGPS unit comes with a PC and Mac compatible DVD that contains both the software and the database needed to post-process the information captured by the unit. It attaches to the camera’s hot shoe.

See all Jobo Products at Amazon.com.

The new JOBO photoGPS is expected to be available between June and August 2007 for a price of $149 (US MSRP).

Update (Mar. 10, 2007): See The Imaging Resource video from PMA 2007: Jobo Photo GPS.

Update (Oct. 1, 2008): This product has not yet been released.

Update (Dec. 1, 2008): Finally available!

Update (Feb. 3, 2009): Now fully compatible with MacOS.

JOBO photoGPS – GPS tracking logger
Price: —

2 suppliers – prices from USD 152.99