Canon News: EOS 1100D (T3) launched

Canon have updated their entry-level DSLR to the EOS 1100D.

Vital stats are:

• Superior 12-megapixel image quality
• On-screen Feature Guide
• Creative Auto and Basic+
• HD video capture
• ISO 100-6400 sensitivity
• Wide-area 9-point AF system
• 63-zone iFCL exposure metering
• 6.8cm (2.7”), 230,000-dot screen
• Use with all EF and EF-S lenses

More details here.

Canon News: EOS 600D (T3i) launched

Canon have updated the 550D to the 600D (also known as the T3i) - and it seems to be a relatively minor incremental upgrade rather than any new breakthroughs, taking a few features from its elder sisters, the 60D and 7D:

• Swivel LCD screen
• Ability to remotely control flashes
• A 'feature guide' to help you make the most of the camera (hmmm)
• iFCL metering
• A new 'Movie Digital Zoom' 3x or 10x crop, retaining full HD (obviously something's got to give though...) 

There's also a slightly tweaked version of the standard zoom kit lens, now known as the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS II

I got a bit bored (i.e. underwhelmed) reading the rest of the press release, so there's more information here.

Canon News: Updated 'Big Dogs' announced

After a bit of a pause, Canon have now offically announced the upgrades to two of its flagship L lenses - the new 500mm f/4 L IS II and 600mm f/4 L IS II.

  


They're not exactly cheap at £8999 and £11299 respectively, but come with some new features to tempt you:

• They're much lighter (but still 3.2kg and 3.9kg respectively)
• Redesigned internal optics
• Improved image stabilisation
• water-repellant Fluorine coatings on front and back lenses

 More details are here (500mm) and here (600mm)

Canon News: 200-400 f/4 L IS USM Extender 1.4x on its way

As part of a clutch of new announcements from Canon, the one that's caught my eye is that Canon are developing a new lens - a 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM lens... with an incorporated 1.4x extender (extending the range to 280-560mm - on a non-cropped body).

It's due out in 2011 and has the potential to offer a great compromise of useful telephoto focal length, relatively low aperture and hopefully weight.  Lions in the Masai Mara will have to get used to perfecting their smiles looking into this I think...

Pricing is hard to guess, but Nikon's 200-400 f/4 in the UK is around £5k, so it's certainly going to a painful upgrade for those looking to move from their 100-400 lens.