Subject:	The latest camera news update...
Author:	whaletale
Date:	3/1/2002 6:29:51 AM
Message:

For those who don't follow every tidbit of photo news, some highlights from PMA and pre-PMA announcements.

Nikon has some new lenses, including AF-S zooms of 24-85 and 70-200 VR (vibration reduction). Should be quite pricey.

New digital SLRs:

1) Canon D60. Same body as D30. Now 6 mp. UK Germany has a housing for the D30. Might work for the D60.
2) Sigma. Uses new Foveon 3x Sensor for better color output. Should be a loser since it uses Sigma lens mount only.
3) Fuji S-2. Still waiting. The S-1 was based on N60 with Nikon lens mount. Ikelite will fit you a housing for a mere $1300 for the S-1. The S-2 will be based on N80 body and be 6 mp. Will Ike be able to fit it? We shall see.
4) Nikon D-100. Based on N80 body. 6 MP. I'm intrigued.

All prices expected to be about $3000 list.

Contacts of contacts say the D1 series from Nikon will hit 10 mp in the not too distant future.

I'm still waiting for 12 mp SLR for under $2000 before I dump film.

My Aquatica A995 housing (Coolpix 995) will ship this week. (It's for the wifey) I shall report as soon as I begin testing (1-pool, 2-lake, 3-Coz)

They are working on housing design for CP5000 next. The D-100 should follow. No plans for D1X. It's just too small a market.

Ikelite has a distinct advantage over aluminum housing guys. The multiple case size fits all method is so much easier than tooling for a given model. Digital just changes so fast, there is little time to tool up and recoup the tooling investment.

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