New York, NY (January 6, 2010) – The New York Institute of Photography (www.nyi100years.com), America’s oldest and largest photography school, was founded in 1910 and celebrates 100 years of leadership in photography education this year.

In 1910 the Industrial Revolution was in full swing. The world looked to science and technology to make life better and American businesses led the way to that better life with new products, new inventions, and opportunities for people seeking to learn new skills. It was a natural time to start a school to teach the art and science of photography.

In 1910, America’s population was just over 90 million, less than one-third as many people as today. Transportation was bringing people closer and making the world smaller. Henry Ford sold 10,000 cars that year. In New York City, Penn Station, then the world’s largest train hub, opened. The Wright Brothers conducted the first commercial cargo flight and Thomas Edison demonstrated the first talking motion picture. In photography, the first infrared photographs were published in 1910 and the world’s first practical color photography process, the Autochrome, had appeared just three years earlier.

Lake Success, N.Y., January 5, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, introduces the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. Arguably the most popular focal range in Canon’s telephoto arsenal and a staple lens for any professional photographer, the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens provides the focal length, maximum aperture and zoom power for capturing everything from fast-action sports to studio portraits. Built for the professional, the body structure of the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens has been enhanced to provide better durability and strength without a significant increase in weight. Canon has improved optical performance on the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens by redesigning the internal elements, incorporating a fluorite element and a fifth UD element. The use of the fluorite element and five UD elements helps to minimize secondary chromatic aberrations and produce better image quality with improved contrast and resolution through the entire zoom range; the end result is an optically precise lens worthy of becoming the leader of Canon’s L-series lenses.

Along with its redesigned optical elements, the new lens design features improved AF speed due to a new focusing algorithm and has reduced the minimum focusing distance to 3.9 feet (1.2 meters) through the entire zoom range, allowing photographers to capture tighter portraiture shots in a small studio space. The previous lens model’s minimum focusing distance was 4.6 feet (1.4 meters), whereas now photographers can stand nearly 8 inches closer to their subject and achieve sharp focus and tight crops. Canon has also enhanced the Image Stabilization allowing it to compensate for shutter speeds up to four steps slower than 1/focal length, a one step improvement over the previous lens model.

“Canon’s core has always been our optics, and we are constantly challenging ourselves to produce better and more advanced optical systems for our customers. The new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens incorporates the best advancements in Canon lens technology from the past few years and packages it into what we believe will be the most popular lens for professionals and advanced photographers,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

The enhanced magnesium alloy barrel design of the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens features added strength with a minimal 20-gram increase in weight compared with the previous model (1490g vs. 1470g) and retains Canon’s protective seals and fittings providing dust and water resistance for those photographers working in adverse conditions. A new bayonet mount on the front of the lens includes a locking mechanism to ensure the supplied lens hood remains securely in place. Other noticeable improvements include a wider focusing ring, and sleeker design by reducing the thickness of any protruding elements such as the switch panel. The new lens is also

Two New Optics from Lensbaby^® Expand a Photographer’s Creative Possibilities

Portland, OR (January 4, 2010) The addition of the new Fisheye Optic and Soft Focus Optic to the Lensbaby Optic Swap System of lenses and interchangeable optics brings even more ways for Single Lens-Reflex (SLR) camera owners to instantly create fun and unique images in camera.  Each new optic is available for use with the Lensbaby Composer^® and Muse^®* SLR lenses.  In addition, the Soft Focus Optic is compatible with the Lensbaby Control Freak^™ SLR lens.

“With the introduction of these new optics, Lensbaby now offers photographers a complete Creative Effects SLR lens system with six different optic options,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby president and co-founder. “The award-winning new Fisheye Optic transforms a Lensbaby Composer into a fun fisheye lens and the new Soft Focus Optic creates images that are overall soft and diffused, much like a classic Imagon portrait lens. The Lensbaby Optic Swap System now offers three selective focus optics and three creative focus optics that provide even more options for consumers interested in creative photography.”

About the Lensbaby Fisheye Optic

Recently awarded a 2010 Hot One Award from Professional Photographer magazine, the Lensbaby Fisheye Optic allows photographers to turn their Lensbaby Composer or Muse into a fisheye lens by swapping out the installed optic and dropping the new Fisheye Optic into the lens. This optic features an ultra-wide 12mm focal length capable of capturing a 160 degree fisheye angle of view from infinity all the way down to one half-inch from the front of the lens.  The Lensbaby Fisheye Optic features a system of interchangeable aperture disks, with possible aperture settings ranging from f/4 to f/22.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Dec. 9, 2009) – Nikon Inc. today announced new NIKKOR optic that deliver the pinnacle of image quality for professional photographers who demand super telephoto capabilities. The new, fast aperture AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II super telephoto lens delivers images with stunning edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity throughout the frame. Continued refinements and new technologies such as Vibration Reduction (VR) II and optimized autofocus (AF) modes in the lens enhance functionality and improve performance for discerning FX and DX-format digital SLR photographers.

“The latest edition of the NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8 lens advances one of the most popular fast-aperture focal lengths for sports, nature and wildlife photography, demonstrating Nikon’s commitment to professional photographers through the continued development of the optical fidelity and sharpness for which NIKKOR lenses are famous,” said Edward Fasano, general manager for marketing, SLR Systems Products at Nikon Inc. “Offering compatibility with a wide range of NIKKOR optics, including the new 300mm f/2.8, the TC-20E III teleconverter enables photographers to greatly extend the versatility of a variety of zoom and telephoto lenses they carry.”

Whether photographing nature in the wild or the battles at a line of scrimmage, the 300mm f/2.8 is an essential tool for photographers who require the highest level of image quality for publication and printing. This 300mm lens effectively leverages a host of Nikon core technologies, including Nikon VR II image stabilization, specifically engineered for each lens design for maximum performance. VR II instills confidence by counteracting image blur introduced by camera shake and telephoto magnification, allowing users to shoot up to four shutter speed stops* slower than otherwise possible, overcoming many of the challenges of handheld shooting.

Carl Zeiss presents the Makro-Planar T* 2/50 and 2/100 for EF bayonet

Carl Zeiss has again applied its expertise in lens manufacturing to enable photographers to create wonderfully expressive images. With two new macro lenses, the Makro-Planar T* 2/50 and the Makro-Planar T* 2/100, both now also available with EF bayonet, Carl Zeiss expands its existing ZE line of lenses. Owners of EOS camera models can now create detail-rich macro images that allow sharpness and unsharpness to be deployed as creative elements as they choose. These highly light-sensitive, versatile lenses are also perfect as standard focal lengths for portraits or still life photography.

Even in tricky situations such as dusk, the Makro-Planer T* 2/50 and T* 2/100 ZE create distortion-free images thanks to their extraordinary light intensity of 1:2. Whether capturing an insect resting on a flower or the dampness on a piece of fruit, these lenses allow a degree of sharpness that was hitherto impossible. Even with a maximum aperture opening and a low focal depth, the desired image can be easily isolated from its disruptive surroundings.

Both macro lenses render objects in close-up on a scale of 1:2. To enable such detail, these lenses include Carl Zeiss’s acclaimed “floating elements” design. This special lens alignment enables high optical performance across the entire focusing range, from 0.24 m to infinity. The Makro-Planar T* 2/50 and Makro-Planar T* 2/100 are already available with F bayonet (ZF) and K bayonet (ZK). The Makro-Planar T* 2/50 is also available as a ZF.2 version. Both lens systems are optimized for analog and full-format digital SLR cameras.

A short film directed by Susan Jacobson.