August 17, 2011: EISA, the European Imaging & Sound Association, shared the love among a broad range of camera and accessory makers in awarding its 2011/12 photographic Best Product Awards.
– What they didn’t share was a press release, but we’ve cobbled together the full list for the edification of Photo Counter readers:
Camera (overall): Canon EOS 600D
‘The Canon EOS 600D is a good-value camera that has a very strong set of features and customisable functions. The excellent resolution and its low-noise characteristics even at high ISO settings make it an extremely desirable model to amateur photographers. This new EOS generation offers Full HD video, a larger, more comfortable grip, an external microphone socket, wireless flash control, good dynamic range, an articulated LCD screen and a host of beginner-friendly features that make advanced picture quality easier to achieve.’
Advanced SLR Camera: Nikon D7000
Compact Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V
Advanced Compact Camera: Fujifilm FinePix X100
All Weather Camera: Olympus Tough TG-810
Compact System Camera: Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G3
Travel Compact Camera: Casio EXILIM EX-ZR100
Social Media Camera: Samsung SH100
Professional Camera: Pentax 645D
‘With the introduction of the Pentax 645D, the medium-format market has gained a much anticipated and highly competitive member that offers exceptional image-quality and handling. The 645D is a joy to use in the field, and although it is big and somewhat heavy, its ergonomic grip, large viewfinder, fast and accurate autofocus, and well-made controls make it perfectly usable without a tripod. With its 33x44mm, 40-million-pixel, Kodak CCD-sensor it is a landscape photographer’s dream, creating absolutely stunningly sharp and detailed pictures with very attractive colours and a huge dynamic range. As a serious photographer’s tool, the Pentax 645D is second to none.’
Printer: Epson Stylus Photo R3000
‘The Epson Stylus Photo R3000 is a well-designed A3+ printer that produces extremely high-quality and detailed pictures with the help of its 2pl ink droplets and the inclusion of a vivid magenta in the UltraChrome K3 pigment ink set. A new colour LCD control panel makes the printer easy to operate, while a high speed USB port, built-in Wi-Fi, net connection and PictBridge give the user a wide range of ways to send files for printing. Thanks to the nine high-capacity (25.9ml) ink tanks, the cost of printing has been reduced. This is an ideal printer for both professional photographers and advanced amateurs.’
Photo Software: Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 2
‘Silver Efex Pro 2 software brings together the worlds of film and digital photography by providing the processing techniques of the darkroom in a much more convenient form. As well as features such as adding the grain and contrast of a fast film, this software package has an excellent set of image-editing controls, especially the U-Point Technology, that will reduce your reliance on other mainstream packages, such as Photoshop. The software is able to divide its operations between the computer’s CPU and the graphics card so that even complicated actions can be processed very quickly.’
Lens: Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM
‘In the 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM, Sigma has produced a telephoto zoom lens that offers professional features and exceptionally good image quality at a very reasonable price. Even at the maximum aperture of F2.8 the lens delivers excellent sharpness and, combined with an effective image stabilizer (OS) and fast, silent autofocus (HSM), it is well suited to demanding photographic subjects such as nature, sports and documentary. Available with fittings for most camera brands, and covering APS-C and full-frame sensors, this lens is a perfect choice for both demanding amateurs and professional photographers.’
Zoom Lens: Tamron AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD
‘This compact zoom lens is an excellent tool for travel photographers, who can now carry a single all-in-one zoom lens instead of the multiple lenses that would normally be needed to cover this range of focal lengths. Designed for the popular APS-C sensor format, it delivers a focal range that is suitable for anything from landscapes to wildlife photography. The lens is small and light, and the main zoom ring is comfortable and easy to operate. The maximum aperture at the wide-angle end is well suited for working in low-light conditions or when a shallow depth of field is required, and Tamron’s new piezoelectric motor achieves near-silent autofocus.’
Professional Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM
‘The Canon EF 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM is an amazing telephoto zoom lens that combines high image quality with an extremely durable construction and a surprisingly compact design. It sets a new standard for this popular zoom range with its professional autofocus performance and the latest generation of Image Stabilization, but is still affordable for the enthusiast. Throughout the zoom range the lens shows optical qualities that are in line with fixed focal length lenses – it performs very well even at its widest aperture, and the environmental shield protects it from moisture and dust.’
Compact System Lens: Samsung NX 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED i-Function
Photo Accessory: Vanguard GH-100 Pistol Grip Ball Head
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