The Red Arrows displayed a spectacular aerial show at the Marina Crescent, Kuwait amid to the thousands of crowd who were spellbound and mesmerized as the Red Hawk with white and blue strips roared the sky and made formation sorties.
The air force aerobatic team of nine men lit up the sky displaying rolls, flying in formation and finally creating a smoke trails in the shape of a heart with an arrow piercing through it.
The Red Arrows currently flies BAE Systems’ Hawk aircraft, and comprises nine display pilots, all of whom are from front-line squadrons. Next year is the 50th display season for the Team, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, UK and which, since formation, has performed more than 4,500 displays in 54 different countries.
It would have been great if the event would have been over the weekend as many could have attended. I thanked myself, skipping from work and reaching the venue almost in time. I’m not sure if the air show was reduced in time as the initial announcement was scheduled for a hour, but the event curtained in 40 minutes.
Check out the images below taken by Nikon D600 with Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 DG APO OS HSM
Update: You Tube video added.
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows Air Show came to an end on Thursday 21st November, in Dubai as part of the major Middle East tour. The men clad in Red uniform performed during the recent concluded Dubai Air Show.
The air force aerobatic team of nine men lit up the sky around the iconic Burj Al Arab with a trail of smoke in the form of a heart, leaving the watching public all along the city in awe.
The team is also expected to perform at Al Ain and in Abu Dhabi, both in the United Arab Emirates and in Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.
The team will be performing tomorrow afternoon in Kuwait close to the Marina Crescent.
It is hoped thousands of people will watch the Red Arrows during the five-week tour of the region. Those at the displays will see the Team’s distinctive red jets perform a series of precision formations and dynamic loops and rolls.
Officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows represent the United Kingdom and have been thrilling crowds, at home and overseas, since the 1960’s.
Date: 26th November, 2013
Venue: Marina Crescent
Time: Between 3:00 – 4:00 pm
The provisional display schedule for the Red Arrows Middle East Tour 2013 as mentioned on their website is below – this is subject to change.
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Sigma announces 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM “Art” lens to the company’s Art series of lenses designed to offer high image quality. Based on Sigma Press release the SIGMA 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM meets these requirements and is the standard zoom lens offering stable and fine image quality from wide to mid-telephoto range. It has a combination of fixed aperture and a good zoom ratio that is kept as high as possible. Many simulations were carried out before achieving this goal, and made the specification compatible with 35mm full size image sensors. This lens incorporates the OS function and minimizes camera shake effectively.
Here are some of the main feature and specification
- Lens Construction: 19 elements in 14 groups
- Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 3.5in x 4.3in
- Weight: 885g / 31.2oz
- Minimum focusing distance: 45cm /17.7in
- OS (Optical Stabilizer) functionality
- Filter size: 82mm
- Maximum magnification ratio: 1:4.6
- Angle of view (35mm equivalent): 84.1°-23.3°
- HSM delivers high AF speed and quiet performance
- Offers F/4 brightness throughout the zoom range
- Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting
- Rounded 9-blade diaphragm
- Mount conversion service available
- Sigma USB Dock compatible
The lens is set to hit the streets in November. The 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM will be offered for Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Sigma cameras. Pricing has not yet been set.
Sigma has been lately producing some impressive lenses, the 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM “A” series is an award wining sharp lens, the 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM “S” series has received good reviews.
It would be interesting to see how this lens perform against the Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR and the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS USM
Download the copy of the Press Release [here]
World Photography Day is all about celebrating photography. Whether you see yourself as an Amateur, Hobbyist or Professional, August 19th is a day to embrace your love of photography.
In 2009, Korske Ara, a passionate young photographer from Australia launched the World Photography Day Project. At 21 years old, Korske had the dream to unite local and global communities in a worldwide celebration of photography.
On August 19th 2010, World Photography Day hosted it’s first global online gallery. With 270 photographs shared and website visitors from over 100 countries, World Photography Day was born.
This history of celebration demonstrates that the passion behind photography is the true foundation of World Photography Day. This website and the project Korske started is igniting and inspiring that existing passion of photographers across the globe.
You can get connected to other photographers or read more about World Photography Day [here] as well as join the growing community at their Facebook page [link]
Picture Credit: Prashanth Shetty Agari Photograph during ShutterXpose Portrait Workshop.
My sincere gratitude to ShutterXpose members and their continuous support. Keep clicking !!!
Nikon has just announced the Nikon D7100, an update to the existing Nikon D7000 DSLR camera. Many DX users were anticipating for the high-end line up in the form of a D400 which was quite actively rumored to be on the horizon, but now seems to be just a rumor.
The new D7100 boost of 24.1 MP DX-format CMOS sensor without an OLPF (AA) filter, better ISO Range, EXPEED 3 image processor same as on the D4, D800 and D600 Full Frame Camera, High speed 6 frames per second, 2,016-pixel RGB (3D Color Matrix) metering sensor, 3.2-inch LCD display that is accompanied by an OLED display within the viewfinder itself and the Twin SD, SDHC, SDXC memory card compatibility.
If you intend to continue using DX body or if you are a new photographer looking for a DX camera, the D7100 is worth a buy in terms of specs, also note the earlier Pro-DX body has never had any updates in the last 4-5 years and the chances for a Pro-DX body release (if there has to be one) looks quite in the distant. The D7100 is available for Pre-order with Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX Lens for $1599 and the body alone for $1199.
Check Nikon Press Release [link]
Download Nikon D7100 Brochure in PDF format [here]
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
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.
Kuwait is all geared to host the biggest and the most expensive Firework show on 10th Nov,2012 as they head to break the world record for the biggest firework yet along the Gulf Road starting from the Kuwait Tower all the way up to the Green Island to celebrate 50th year anniversary of the constitution. It’s told a whooping 4 million plus KD has been spent on fireworks, plenty of steel offshore platform structures has been created for the fireworks. A New Mexico based company Desert Areospace has been hired to tap 3 planes fitted with firework at the tail for the show.
Check the video of the News report from KRQE News
This truly will be one great historic event you won’t want to miss. Now guys, this won’t be just Fireworks, the show will include lit kites, Flying Falcons, Floating Creatures, Laser, Sound and 3D projections. The approx 4.5 km area starting from Ruby Tuesday near the Kuwait Towers extending to the Green Island has been divided into 9 Zones.
The show will start at 3:00 pm with entertainment program followed by fireworks at 8:00 pm and the final closure at around 10:00 pm. Reports indicate that the fireworks shall continue non-stop over an hour and is expected to break the previous 7 Guinness World Records. The show is sure to invite lots of people from neighboring regions to witness this landmark event.
It’s advised to reach the event place well in advance as traffic would be crazy. To all my photo geek friends this is will be one great event you would love to shoot.
