Camera and cine lenses need to operate perfectly in extreme conditions, withstanding everything from scorching heat and bitter cold to sandstorms and severe vibrations. The video shows how Carl Zeiss researchers systematically submit lenses to extreme stresses in order to arrive at findings that can help in future lens design and development.

The video was shot with a Sony NEX-FS100 and Carl Zeiss ZF.2 SLR lenses with an F to E mount adapter.

Briese lighting sent out a newsletter this morning announcing their new Briese Focus.2 light.

Briese makes outstanding, very well designed, and very expensive lighting tools that are used in both still and on film/video shoots.

Unfortunately the newsletter that Briese sent out had no text and contained 2 image attachments.

This is a perfect example of how NOT to send out a newsletter or promote your business.

Here are some of the problems with sending this type of email.

1) The text of the product announcement is embedded into the images.

2) Because the text is embedded into the images there are no click-able links to:  The Briese site,   the Briese press release or news page,   the Focus.2 product web page or a download-able PDF of the new product.

3) The images that Briese attached to the email are 1372px x 1016px .JPG's which are far too big for pretty much any photo blog publisher to save and drop into their sites blog or web page with out the images taking over most of the sites real-estate.

4) As seen below simply resizing the images makes the text nearly unreadable, which means that those that may have been interested in the product will not take the time to look at it or search for any information about it.

The effectiveness of any newsletter you may send regardless of the type of business you run is directly related to the level of user interactivity you create and allow for in the news letter itself.

All text should contain click-able links to: your site, to specific items being discussed in your newsletter, or to alternate versions of your newsletter or product announcement.

Any images sent by you should be created in a manor that allows the person receiving your attachments the opportunity to use a larger or smaller image size in their sites blog (if that is your intention) or should the web publisher choose to re-size your image and make it smaller, the image you sent should not need extra cropping to remove extraneous graphic area, nor should your image on resizing end up looking like crap. Which is why If you are sending images you should take the extra few seconds to provide alternate image sizes.  "Seriously, how hard is it to create 2 or 3 extra jpg's in Photo shop? it's not like you have to go into the darkroom for an hour!"

If you want people to look at your newsletter and connect with you and your business, give them a reason too, and make it easy!

GERMAN VERSION

ENGLISH VERSION

Now after slagging Briese for their poorly presented newsletter, I should also add that I personally love Briese lighting products and have, and do use them when ever the budgets allow. And I would be more than happy to present any Briese product announcements that they wish to pass along to us in a usable format; just as I have done for them in the past.

JamesNYC

Canon announces 3 new lenses including a new Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 7, 2012 — Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced two new versions of its coveted Wide Angle Lenses and a new version of its popular 24-70mm Standard Zoom Lens for professionals and photo enthusiasts. The new EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM lenses use a rear focusing system, high-speed CPU, and a powerful ring-type Ultra Sonic Motor (USM) with optimized AF algorithms for faster auto focusing and sharp images. With large apertures these new lenses deliver beautiful, soft backgrounds for superior image quality.

“Our heritage is our optics with over 70 years of expertise, we look to continually further our promise to our users and deliver the ultimate image quality,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “These new lenses are powerful tools for photographic and video enthusiasts to pair with Canon cameras to help enable and enhance their creative vision.”

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens for Harsh and Rigorous Conditions

Canon continues the tradition of ensuring the Company’s highest quality optical performance in its L-series lenses with the launch of the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM zoom lens. This new version of one of Canon’s most popular lenses utilizes one Super UD lens element and two UD lens elements to help achieve outstanding image quality throughout the full zoom range. The result is significantly reduced chromatic aberration in the outer area at wide-angle, high resolution and contrast in images and crisp clear edges around the subject. The lens coatings have been optimized to ensure exceptional color balance while minimizing ghosting, and reduced spherical aberration. With a circular nine-blade diaphragm, the lens delivers soft backgrounds and incredible bokeh.

In demand by architectural, corporate, adventure and professional photographers of nearly every discipline, the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens combines amazing image quality with enhanced durability. Highly resistant to dust and water, the new lens has enhanced durability and weather sealing. The lens also features a zoom lock lever to secure the zoom position for safe transport, and fluorine coatings on the front and rear glass surfaces to reduce smears and fingerprints, making it an ideal lens regardless of the conditions.

The EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens is expected to be available in April for an approximate retail price of $2,299.00.

 

Canon Standard Prime Lenses with Optical Image Stabilizer:
EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM & EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM

Empowering landscape and wide-angle photographers with improved optical performance, Canon has upgraded both its EF 24mm and EF 28mm lenses with Image Stabilization technology and Ultrasonic Motor-powered auto focus. Both lenses feature Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer technology providing up to four shutter speed stops of correction. With the Optical Image Stabilizer turned on, photographers can capture sharp wide-angle images in low-light settings reducing the need for a flash or a tripod. New aspherical lens elements improve the peripheral image quality and a seven-blade circular diaphragm delivers beautiful, soft backgrounds. The silent and smooth operation of each lens makes them ideal choices for shooting video as well. The EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM lenses each have a minimum focusing distances of 0.20m and 0.23m, respectively.

The EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM lens is expected to be available in June for an approximate retail price of $849.99, while the EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM lens is expected to be available in June for an approximate retail price of $799.99.

There are those of us that are less interested in cheering on a single team on Super Bowl Sunday and more interested in appreciating a great play, consuming junk food & Chicken wings by the bucket full we know is bad for us, washing it it down with beer or other libations that may not be much better, and watching the Super Bowl commercials and half-time show.

So here's some of the commercials were looking forward to seeing. More...