Digital Camera News, 3/18/08

Leica 25mm f/1.4 joins the list of Contrast AF lenses for Lumix L10

Panasonic has released a firmware update for its Lumix L10 DSLR that provides Contrast AF support for Leica's Four Thirds mount Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH lens. Prior to this announcement, Contrast AF – which provides auto focusing without the need to move the camera's mirror in Live View mode – was only supported on the two zoom lenses released with the L10.

For more information on the firmware update or to download the latest versions for both camera body and lens, visit Panasonic's L10 support page.

GE rolls out new 12 megapixel E1235 compact

General Imaging, licensee for GE's digicam line, has launched the latest model in its compact E series, the 12 megapixel E1235.

In a move now familiar for the upstart camera brand, which entered the market around this time last year, the latest GE made its first retail appearance through the online and cable-channel vendor HSN.

The E1235 offering hits the market as GE's highest-resolution digital camera to date. A 3x zoom lens and 2.7 inch LCD give GE's top-of-the-line E camera, which looks nearly identical at first glance to other models in the series, the expected features for its class. Smile and Blink Detection form the core of the new model's processor-side technological talking points.

With a debut retail price of right at $200, the E1235 appears to offer a pretty competitive price-to-features ratio.

New fashion-focused point-and-shoot pouches from jill-e

Photo accessory maker jill-e designs has announced its latest line of camera bags at the WPPI show in Las Vegas this week.

Designed, according to the company, for "the serious female photographer," the new jill-e pouches are sized for larger, bulkier point-and-shoots. The new products join current offerings from the maker, which include pro-sized DSLR bags constructed from leather or suede and "designed with the flare of stylish purses and carry bags."

Four versions of the new pouches are available, including two that are purpose-designed for beach use.

No word yet on pricing, but look for the bags to become available before mid-year.

Adobe updates Camera RAW plug-in, Lightroom editing suite

Adobe announced last week that new versions of its popular Lightroom photo editing workflow software as well as its Camera RAW file conversion Photoshop plug-in are now available.

Lightroom 1.4, the latest update to the software package that's become one of the handful of standard tools for RAW file conversion and manipulation, is available to current users as a free upgrade via Adobe's website. 

Adobe Camera RAW 4.4 is also now available from the manufacturer for use with Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop Elements 6. The latest plug-in provides RAW file support for most of the DSLRs and RAW-shooting compacts released at PMA, including the Canon XTi, the Nikon D60, the Pentax K20D and K200D, the Fujifilm S100FS, the Olympus SP-570 UZ, and Sony's new Alpha models.

Adobe's Camera RAW support site has more information and links to downloads.