New Products


compiled by Michele Lowery and Andrew O. Thompson

- Versatile Camera Mount - Digital Still Camera
- Red-Sensitive - Laminated Filters
- Functional Flooring - Expaned Verical Rack
- Blanketing Bulbs - Virtual Lighting Software
- Cam Jib - Mini Grip Equipment
- DV Splashbag - Cool Cord Coils
- 0.6x Converter 

Cam Jib

Trovatocine presents the newest addition to its comprehensive line of jib arms and accessories, the Cam Jib Model 48, which is shown here on the Trovato Pedestal mounted to the Eagle ll dolly (manufactured for Eagle Systems by Trovato Mfg. Inc.). This unit boasts the same easy setup as the Cam 36 and offers 5' 8" of vertical travel and 5' of reach. The new larger base allows the Cam 48 to mount easily to a wider variety of tripods and other supports. With a recommended payload of 35 pounds, the Cam 48 was designed for all video and 16mm applications, and some 35mm use.

Trovatocine, (716) 244-3310, fax (716) 461-9226.


DV Splashbag

OpTex announces a new product for the Canon XL-1 digital camcorder, the SurfAce Splashbag, a dustproof, watertight, flexible environmental housing made from 1.2mm thick natural latex. The Splashbag has been designed so that the camera can be used in the sea, desert, rain forests, or in swimming pools. It can be submerged to a maximum of 20'/6m. The front port is fixed to an internal shoe, to which the camera is also attached via a wedge plate and sliding quick-release system. The bag will accept the XL-1 fitted with Canon's 3x lens, the 16x lens supplied with the camera, or the 16x lens with the OpTex wide-angle lens set. Operational controls can be felt through the latex material and there are three cable nipples for external recording. The lightweight SurfAce Splashbag requires no modification to camera or lens and works for the "half in, half out" shot, or the transition from below to above the water's surface.

OpTex, 44 (0)181-441-2199, fax 44 (0)181-449-3646, e-mail: [email protected], website: www.optexint.com.


0.6x Converter

0.6x Converter

Cavision Enterprises Ltd. has unveiled the .6x Wide Angle Converter. Designed specifically for the digital camcorder market, this converter mounts on the front of the Canon XL-1's standard 16:1 zoom lens, increasing coverage by 40 percent while still providing full zooming capability. This is accomplished with minimal distortion, no light loss and no vignetting. Featuring multi-coated glass elements and an aluminum housing, the .6x converter is securely attached by a 72mm thread, allowing it to be mounted on a variety of zooms used in the industrial market, such as the UVW series, DVCam, and DVPro.

Cavision (604) 605-7015, fax (604) 856-6781, website www.cavision.com


Digital Still Camera

Digital Still Camera

Nikon introduces the Coolpix 900, an advanced high-resolution digital still camera that produces photo-quality digital images and final prints up to 8" x 10" in size. Like its predecessor, the Coolpix 900 comes with standard with the Nikkor, nine-element, seven-group, 3x optical zoom lens (38-115mm equivalent). The unit includes a 2x digital teleconverter that provides up to 6x zoom capability (230mm equivalent), a macro mode (with a minimum distance of 3") and an infinity setting. Thanks to its "pivoting lens" design, a twist of the wrist can put the lens exactly where the photographer wants it. Using the full-motion 2" LCD as a viewfinder, users can get unusual angles. The camera also has a traditional optical viewfinder.

The 900s feature a 1.3 million pixel CCD (1280 x 960 resolution), exclusive three-mode metering, a five-mode speedlight, 945-step autofocus, and the capacity to shoot two frames per second. Its autofocus system consists of a precise Contrast Detect process to zero in on subjects with the sharpest possible focus, and three auto-exposure-metering modes (spot, center-weighted and 64-element matrix) help assure accurate exposure settings.

The 900s shoot up to two frames per second in VGA mode, and one frame every four seconds in XVGA mode (1280 x 960 resolution). Images are stored on industry-standard, compact flash cards in a 1:4 (fine), 1:8 (normal), or 1:16 (basic) compression ratio. The camera has an 8MB compact flash card with additional cards available up to a 32MB. The 900s also offers shorter exposure compensation steps from 1EV per step to 1/2 EV per step up to +2EV. Additionally, the camera offers a new "card format" function which enables users to delete unwanted images even in the play mode, as well as a recall function of selected flash modes after the power has been turned off.

When its IPIX immersive technology is utilized in combination with its 183-degree fisheye lens, the user can create 360 x 360-degree QTVR-type images. By operating a mouse, IPIX immersive images enable viewers to "step" inside a picture and tour an area with unlimited viewing perspectives. Also included are Nikon View 900, an image-acquisition extension for Microsoft Windows Explorer; Adobe Photo Deluxe 2.0, for a variety of manipulation options; InMedia Slides and Sounds, for creating multimedia presentations; and Enroute Quick Stitch for panorama stitching.

The pocket-sized Coolpix 900s weight 12 ounces, measures 6.1" x 3.0" x 1.4" and runs on AA alkaline, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride or lithium batteries. An optional AC adapter is also available.

Nikon Inc., (800) 52-NIKON, website: www.nikon.usa.


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