If you have been waiting to buy Nikon lens, this is right time to purchase and take advantage of the offer. Nikon has been promoting its rebate program for a while now, they have recently launched a new rebate program starting from 17th Febrauary, 2013 with savings upto $350 on selected Nikon lenses. This recent program was heavily rumored by Nikon Rumors couple of weeks back. Well, Nikon has done it wisely this time since earlier if you need to classify for the Nikon rebate program, a purchase of DSLR camera was mandatory. Check on the discounted price [here], there is a wide range of choice to choose from Normal to Wide angle to Telephoto lenses. The rebate program ends on 02 March, 2013.
The offers are available at B&H Photo Video, Adorama, Amazon, Cameta Camera and Best Buy
A 2.5 Gigapixel 360 degree Panorma gives “Cruise-eye view” from the pinnacle of the world’s tallest building.
It is arguably the greatest image on earth – a 360 degree panoramic view from the very top of the tallest building on earth, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. The giddying image shows the view across the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from 828 metres above sea level captured in high resolution using some of the most advanced techniques in digital photography. It’s the view actor Tom Cruise made famous as he sat at the tower’s peak during the filming of Mission Impossible Four, ‘Ghost Protocol’.
The image has been released to celebrate the second Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Photography Award (HIPA), which will take place in Dubai in March. The award, the world’s richest photography award, will see prizes totalling $389,000 and attracts entrants from 99 countries. The grand prize awarded by HIPA is $120,000.
“This is an extraordinary image taken from an extraordinary location. It reflects the goals of HIPA, to extend the boundaries of photography and celebrate images of unusual beauty and quality that are truly outstanding,” said His Excellency Ali bin Thalith, the General Secretary of the award. The panorama takes in Dubai’s many landmarks, including the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, the world’s biggest mall, the Dubai Mall and the Meydan Racecourse and shows the remarkable growth of a city still on a fast track to developing as a business hub and tourist destination.
The image is composed from over 70 individual photos. Dubai based photographer Gerald Donovan created the shot using a mechanised panoramic tripod head to take a series of 48 panoramic images, each shot at a resolution of 80 megapixels. These were then stitched together with manually shot images to ‘fill-in’ gaps caused by equipment installed at the top of the tower such as the lightning conductor and aircraft beacons. The result is an image that can be zoomed, tilted and rotated, giving viewers a sense of how it must feel to sit atop the world’s highest building.
The top of the Burj Khalifa, developed by global property developer Emaar Properties, is over 200 metres above the highest point reached by the building’s elevators, which reach the 160th floor at speeds of some 10 metres per second. The tower’s celebrated public observation deck, At the top, Burj Khalifa is on the 124th floor. The journey to the pinnacle involves a steep ladder climb within the 200-meter spire that crowns the building.
Check the video
Nikon Corporation celebrates the 80th anniversary of the launch of its NIKKOR photographic lenses this year.
In commemoration of NIKKOR’s 80th anniversary, Nikon hopes to strengthen and increase awareness of the historic and reliable NIKKOR brand with various promotions in 2013. The first step toward achieving this objective is the creation of a NIKKOR 80th anniversary logo that will be used in Nikon product brochures, advertisements, and various other forms of communication. The anniversary logo will embody NIKKOR’s image of taking the lead in every age based on optical technologies developed over its long history.
NIKKOR’s history began in 1932 with Nikon’s (then Nippon Kogaku K.K.) registration of the NIKKOR trademark, soon followed in 1933 with the first shipment of Aero-Nikkor aerial photographic lenses. Since then, Nikon has continued to develop lenses for both film and digital cameras. Always loaded with cutting edge optical technologies of the times, NIKKOR has grown to be a brand known for high-performance lenses.
In celebration of its 80th Anniversary, Nikon has released a special video to show behind-the-scenes look on its lens manufacturing process. The video follows the process from creating the glass through to the final assembly. To read more on the brand history, click [here]
NIKKOR 80th Anniversary Special Movie
Kuwait on Saturday entered the Guinness World record books with a massive display of firework. The show which costed KD 4.16 million (roughly around $15 million US) was spectacular with 77,282 fireworks launched using pyrotechnic over a period of one hour to secure the biggest and expensive firework feat ever. Thousands of people gathered around the Gulf road to catch the glimpse of fireworks, kite and laser show display staged to mark the 50th anniversary of the constitution. The road leading to the venue were closed from early afternoon, I decided to reach early for a change and found a convenient location to witness the event right behind the KFC outlet (Zone 5). Before the late evening firework I was lucky enough to watch 3-4 sorties of fire planes soaring the sky and display of kites beautifully flown by professionals pillion riders on Jet skies. Finally as other photo geek members and family joined, the place was flooded with people occupying every inch of land, there was a long wait before the firework began and I wished there were more entertainment on the sea side. I did manage to capture the couple of flying mannequin and other dressed up sea-creature character with security personnel as they were cheered by crowds walking the Gulf road. I rushed back to my spot to capture the firework which started couple of minutes after 8 pm to witness the greatest and most spectacular fireworks ever, with plenty of photographers and other watchers around, the place was truly a celebration. At the end of the show, the 3D projections displayed the Guinness World record banner for the maximum number of firework as well as for the longest line (from Kuwait tower to Green Island divided into 9 zones) as a representative from Guinness World Record announced over the national Kuwait Television.
Images of the event: (For more images click here)
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Sigma has announced the release of its new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens, a fast maximum aperture, prime wide angle lens. This lens is the first of its new branded “Art-Series“ product line up, which by itself helps to redefine and unleash the expressive and unbeatable performance to bring in the artist in you. Sigma has recently decided on rethinking their range of interchangeable lenses into three product lines. Each line has its own clearly defined concept, and every lens developed here on will be assigned to one of these lines. Sigma’s new product lines are going to redefine the way you relate to photography. The lens is available for Sigma, Nikon, Canon & Pentax DSLR’s and is compatible for both full frame and APS-C camera. The lens has a sporty look with a silver “A” badge on the barrel.
Sigma have developed a special software (SIGMA Optimization Pro) that can update the lens firmware and adjust parameters such as focus . Using special USB Dock, the user will be able to connect the lens to their PC, and, using easy-to-operate on-screen controls, fine-tune focus and adjust other parameters to suit their personal preferences at the luxury of sitting at home.
Sigma reveals this lens at low apertures, for example can perform like a wide-angle lens, while if it’s opened up to f/1.4, it will give the background a pleasing bokeh effect and make the subject pop like a mid-range telephoto lens. What makes this lens so desirable is the wide scope it provides for artistic expression.
You can read more on the lens construction and technical specs here [link]. Sigma US announced the price tag of $899.
The good news is this remarkable lens will be available in Kuwait by the beginning of December exclusively in AAB stores at a truly competitive price of 239.950 KD.
