Should you need proof of turmoil and flux in the photo industry, look to the most recent changing hands of two of the oldest icons in the business—Hasselblad and Pentax. Two days ago Hasselblad was sold to a venture fund, and yesterday Ricoh acquired Pentax Imaging Systems from Hoya. This follows announcement on the 23rd of the new Pentax Q, a tiny camera with tiny sensor sporting interchangeable lenses. A lot of folks are left scratching their heads on this one, but time will tell whether it finds a profitable niche or not. For my purposes the potential of another 1/2.3 inch sensor wouldn’t measure up, but others might find it just fine for their use.
Olympus has also announced three new m4/3 bodies, the one with the most appeal being the Pen E-P3. While there have been few changes to the 12MP sensor, much else has and this body deserves serious consideration if you’re looking for a serious pocket camera with interchangeable lenses. So far Olympus has the best electronic viewfinder accessory among the several m4/3 viewfinderless bodies.
Another headline issue is Apple’s release of Final Cut Pro X, a replacement for FCP 7. Since I do very little video, I don’t pretend to be an expert here, but the storm has already broken regarding the massive changes Apple has wrought from most current professional video workflows, and competing companies like Adobe and Avid are jumped at the opportunity to convert customers with very big discounts on their products. If you process video, look before you leap.
In need of color calibration equipment? X-Rite has replaced their lower-end colorimeter products, both hardware and software. They also have a trade-up program for those who wish to upgrade from earlier X-Rite products as well as other brands. Keith Cooper of Northlight Images already has a review of the i1 Display Pro here.