Camera Shoulder Bags, Backpacks, Waist Systems, Sling Packs - 2008 Roundup . . . Update

In our Photography & Video Shoulder Bags, Sling Packs, Backpacks, Waist Belt Systems and Rolling Bags 2008 Product Roundup Review earlier this month we mentioned that we'd keep our eyes open for more good products. Two makers made themselves known right away. Tough Traveler has been in business for many years. The company is based in Schenectady, New York and does all it's design and manufacturing there. Quality, materials and design work are excellent. We're most interested in their small range of camera and video bags, but Tough Traveler also makes an extensive line of bags for travel, backpacking and many other needs. Boda Bag is another U.S. maker that emphasizes quality and usability over all other concerns. Quality, design and materials are excellent. Based in Seattle, Washington, Boda Bag produces a small line of lens carry systems complete with waist belt, shoulder belt and size choices. It's all serious looking stuff that is highly regarded by pro photographers.

New Products Announced at PMA 2008

A slew of products have been announced to coincide with the 2008 PMA Show. I've listed them below by brand. Adobe Adobe showed Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac which will cost £55 in the UK and be available in early Q2 2008. AgfaPhoto Agfaphoto announced the AgfaPhoto DV-5000G which captures high-res photos and videos, view recorded movies or TV shows on the move or play back your favorite MP3 files. There are also 20 video games to choose from. Canon The Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi is a new 12 megapixel compact DSLR camera. The Canon Digital IXUS 80 IS (Europe) / PowerShot SD1100 IS ELPH (US) is a new 8 megapixel compact digital camera. C Canon PowerShot A590 IS, A580, A470 - Canon have added 3 new models to their A-series Powershot range of digital cameras. Canon EF200mm f/2L IS USM and EF800mm f/5.6L IS USM. - Two new professional EF lenses. The Canon PIXMA iP2600 - An entry-level photo printer for great value, high quality photo printing. Casio The Casio EX-F1 - A camera which features the world's fastest burst shooting performance of 60fps. The Casio EX-S10 - The world's smallest and thinnest 10.1 megapixel digital camera. The Casio EX-Z80 - An 8 megapixel digital camera that's designed to be easy and fun to use. The Casio EX-Z200 - A 10.1 megapixel digital camera with a wide 28 mm lens and 4x optical zoom. The Casio EX-Z100 is a new 10.1 megapixel digital camera with a wide 28 mm lens and 4x optical zoom. Corel and Smilebox™ Corel® MediaOne ™ Integration with Smilebox™ Will provide Scrapbookers with the ability to more easily create and share their projects digitally. Delkin Delkin Devices had their new Image Router four-card Compact Flash reader that comes with Backup and Burn software for managing and backing-up large numbers of images. They also showed their Dual Universal charger that allows two different batteries to be charged simultaneuously. the charger can be run from the car-charger or with one of the supplied power adaptors. DNP Photo Imaging America DNP announced their new self-service Photo Station, a digital kiosk using the company's leading dye-sublimation photo printing technologies. Fujifilm The Fujifilm FinePix S100FS - Their "most advanced DSLR-styled camera to date". The Fujifilm FinePix S8100fd - Offers 10 megapixels and an 18x wide angle lens (27-486mm). The Fujifilm FinePix S1000fd - The world's smallest 12x optical zoom digital camera. The Fujifilm FinePix F100fd - the ultimate 'F Series' digital camera. The Fujifilm FinePix Z20fd - A new 10 megapixel compact camera with MPEG-4 video technology. The Fujifilm FinePix J50 and J10 - Two new entry-level models in the brand new J Series of digital cameras. General Electric GE E1050 - HDMI connectivity and 3 inch touch-screen LCD technology. GE E1235 - High technology and performance. GE A840s - Slim and perfectly designed. GE G2 - One of the slimmest and lightest cameras on the market. GE E1035 - High performance with great design. GE A835 and the GE A735 - Entry level point and shoot digital cameras. HP The HP Photosmart Pro B8850 is a new photo printer aimed at advanced amateur photographers. jill-e designs jill-e designs displayed a broad range of its camera bags in new sizes, designs, colors and combinations at PMA 2008 Kata Kata introduced the Gecko Shoulder Strap which is a comfortable, lightweight and ergonomic carrying solution which ensures secure positioning. Kingston The new Kingston 16GB Class 4 SDHC card is the largest capacity in Kingston's line of SDHC cards. Kodak The new Kodak Easyshare Z1012 IS – A digital camera which features a robust suite of exclusive features that capture detailed pictures in the most challenging settings. Leica Leica has unveiled the M8 Upgrade Programme, a series of chargeable upgrades for the M8 camera, at PMA 2008. Mustek Mustek announced the new PF-A950PS, a 9.5-inch digital photo frame which uses NXT flat-panel speaker technology. Nik Software Viveza™ - U Point® Technology Powered Plug-in Software for Adobe® Photoshop® which provides the most powerful, precise, and easy way for photographers to selectively control and adjust the color and light in their digital images. Nikon The Nikon D60 is a new 10 megapixel entry-level DSLR camera. The new AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is a wideangle 5.3x zoom with built-in vibration-reduction. The new AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED lens offers 1:1 reproduction of objects at just 0.185 meters away. The PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED is a new Tilt/Shift Lens ideal for studio, architecture and landscape photography. The Nikon Coolpix P60 - A new 8 megapixel compact digital camera with 5x zoom (36mm-180mm). The Nikon Coolpix S600 - A new 10 megapixel compact digicam with a 4x wide-angle zoom lens. The Nikon Coolpix S550 - A new 10 megapixel compact camera with 5x zoom lens. The new Nikon Coolpix S520 - A slim, ergonomic camera with a streamlined profile. The new Nikon Coolpix S210 - A super-thin entry-level camera with 8 megapixels, 2.5 inch LCD screen and 3x zoom lens. The 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix L18 and the 7 megapixel Coolpix L16 are new compact and affordable digital cameras. Norcent The 10-megapixel DCS-1050 with Face Detection and Anti-Shake technology. Norcent also introduced their new and expanded line of flash memory cards including CF, SD, card adapters and retail value packs. Olympus The new Olympus SP-570 UZ features a 20x zoom equivalent to 26-520mm, the world's longest zoom lens on a compact digital camera. The new Olympus mju 1020 digital camera will be released in Europe and the USA (but not in the UK). The new Olympus mju 1010 and mju 840 digital cameras offer a 7x and 5x optical zoom lens respectively. The Olympus mju 1030 SW and mju 850 SW digital cameras are new additions to the successful Olympus range of shock and waterproof cameras. The Olympus FE-350, FE-340 and FE-310 are new entry-level digital compact cameras. Panasonic The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 are 9 and 8 megapixel updates of Panasonic's best-selling camera ever, the TZ3. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 is a new 25mm ultra wide-angle compact camera. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10 and DMC-LZ8 are new 10 megapixel, 5x zoom digital cameras. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS20 and DMC-FS5 are the first models in a new range of stylish, easy to use cameras. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS3 camera is an entry-level addition to the brand new FS range. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 is a new entry-level 8 megapixel digital camera. Pentax Pentax exhibited three DSLR lenses currently under development. The Pentax 55mm, 17-70mm and 60-250mm Lenses The new Pentax K20D DSLR camera offers 14.6 megapixels, making it the leading semi-professional model in terms of image resolution. The Pentax K200D is a new 10 megapixel entry-level, compact digital SLR camera. Pentax have introduced 5 new lenses for their DSLR cameras, including 300mm and 200mm Supersonic Motor lenses. The Pentax Optio S12 is a new ultra-compact 12 megapixel digital camera. The Pentax Optio M50 is a new 8 megapixel compact digital camera with 5x optical zoom (36-180mm). The Pentax Optio E50 is a new 8 megapixel entry-level digital camera with numerous automatic functions. Quik Pod Quik Pod® DSLR for professional photographers, the world’s first handheld extendable monopod that multitasks as a self-image device, monopod and a boom for extended reach. Samsung Samsung GX-20 - The Samsung GX-20 is a new 14.6 megapixel digital SLR camera. Samsung has launched two new DSLR lenses, the D-XENON 18-250mm F3.5-F6.3 and 18-55mm II F3.5-F5.6. The Samsung i100 is a new 10.2 megapixel compact digital camera with 3 inch LCD screen and 3x optical zoom. The Samsung i80 is a new 8.1 megapixel compact digital camera with 3 inch LCD screen and 3x optical zoom. The Samsung S1060 is a new 10.2 megapixel, entry-level compact digital camera. SanDisk The SanDisk 32Gb Ultra II SDHC Card offers faster read and write speeds of 15 megabytes per second. The SanDisk 16Gb Ultra II SDHC Card offers faster read and write speeds of 15 megabytes per second. The SanDisk Ultra II SDHC Plus card offers faster read and write speeds of 15 megabytes per second. Sandisk also showed their Ducati branded usb memory stick, the stick looks very much like a miniature petrol tank... Sigma The new Sigma DP1 packs the full specification of a DSLR into the body of a compact camera. Sigma APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG - The world’s first Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens that offers a fast aperture of F2.8 at 500mm focal length. Sigma APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM - A new ultra telephoto zoom lens covering a telephoto range up to 500mm. Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM - A new telephoto zoom lens incorporating Sigma’s original Optical Stabiliser. Sigma 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM - A high ratio zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras. Smartparts, Inc. Smartparts, Inc., announced the world's largest digital picture frame, the 32 inch SP3200. Sony Sony 24 Megapixel 35mm CMOS Sensor - Sony have thrown their hat into the full-frame ring by announcing the development of a 35mm 24.81 megapixel, ultra-high speed, CMOS image sensor. Sony 24 Megapixel Full-frame DSLR - Sony have unveiled an advanced prototype version of their 24 megapixel full-frame professional DSLR camera. Due for release by the end of 2008. the as yet un-named camera will feature the new 24.8 CMOS sensor that was announced this week. The Sony A350 has a 14.2 megapixel sensor, a variable angle 2.7 inch LCD screen, new Quick AF Live View mode for fast and responsive TTL phase-detection auto-focusing, high ISO of 3200 and Sony’s D-Range Optimizer. The Sony A300 has a 10.2 megapixel sensor, a variable angle 2.7 inch LCD screen, new Quick AF Live View mode for fast and responsive TTL phase-detection auto-focusing, high ISO of 3200 and Sony’s D-Range Optimizer. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Lens - Co-developed with Carl Zeiss, the Vario Sonnar T 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA is a wide angle 24-70mm zoom lens with a large f/2.8 aperture. The Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G - Incorporates the optical performance of Sony’s G series in a compact and flexible telephoto zoom lens. The Sony GPS-CS1KASP GPS receiver is able to trace video footage with GPS coordinates. Sony DPF-V700 and DPF-D70 Photo Frames - They all offer WVGA resolution (800 x 480 pixels) along with 15:9 aspect-ratio screens and can display images up to 48 megapixels in size. The 7-inch DPF-V700 and 9-inch DPF-V900 digital photo frames have 512MB of internal storage, while the 7--inch DPF-D70 model has 256MB of internal flash memory. The Sony PictureStation DPP-FP95 and DPP-FP75 are new transportable, 4 x 6-inch photo printers. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H10 is a new 8 megapixel compact digicam with a 10x optical zoom lens. The new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 digital camera features a 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD and 5x optical zoom lens. Sony has unveiled 4 new additions to its W-range of Cyber-shot compact digital cameras. The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W170, DSC-W150, DSC-W130 and the DSC-W120. The new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 and DSC-S750 entry-level cameras, now with Lithium Ion batteries instead of AA batteries. Sunex Sunex launches their new full spherical panoramic tripod head and the first circular fisheye lens for 1.6x crop DSLRs with 185° field of view. They also announced their panoramic dewarper software, which is capable of producing high quality panoramic pictures while minimizing and controlling distortion. Sunpak The Sunpak PZ42X flash - A full featured, professional digital SLR flash but without the price of an OEM unit for digital and film cameras. Sunpak also announced the Tripod Center Column, which converts to a full featured monopod for situations where a tripod is just not suitable. Tamron The new Tamron SP AF10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) is a ultra wide-angle zoom lens for digital SLRs with APS-C size sensors. The new Tamron SP AF70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD (IF) MACRO is a fast tele-zoom lens for digital SLRs with with 35mm full-size image sensors. The Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical [IF] is now available in the Pentax mount. Three Tamron Lenses for Nikon - Tamron have developed three zoom lenses with built-in motors for Nikon DSLRs, two for the APS-C size format and one for full-size format cameras. Vermont PhotoInkjet Vermont PhotoInkjet introduces an eco-friendly ink alternative for EPSON® Ultrachrome™ K3 printers. XIAS Xias announced 8-inch digital photo frames and introduced new dynamic 10-inch digital photo frames. They also introduced two new models with WiFi capability and user-friendly Touch Screen technology. They also introduced their new Colorful XIAS™ 4 GB and 8 GB Pen Drives, the DCS-1260 12-Megapixel Digital Camera, the Colorful DCS-860 8-Megapixel Digital Cameras and the DCS-760 7-Megapixel Digital Camera.

Camera Shoulder Bags, Backpacks, Waist Systems, Sling Packs - 2008 Roundup

Everybody owns a digital camera (point & shoot, SLR, camcorder or what-have-you). So it stands to reason that everybody needs a decent camera bag of some sort. We decided that a little research was in order (and besides, our previous list is two years old). We found that a few manufacturers have changed their lines dramatically, a few have built on strengths, and a few new ones have appeared. This time we've added some video bags too. Herewith then, we present our comprehensive 2008 list of all the camera pouch, waist system, shoulder bag, gadget bag, sling pack, backpack, case and rolling bag makers anyone could possibly care about. There are 30 makers on this year's list. Read the Full Review Here!