The latest in a long list of accolades given to photographic products each year has just been announced and this time it's the highly coveted European Imaging & Sound Association (EISA) awards.
Each year the editors-in-chief of 50 magazines in 19 European countries meet to decide which products are worthy of the award, and these are the top products they've chosen in the Photo category...
Professional Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM
The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM is a versatile telephoto lens setting new standards in zoom and performance. It features a 4 stop Image Stabilizer and has two UD elements and floating lens group for excellent sharpness and imaging performance.
Camera: Canon EOS 600D
The Canon EOS 600D brings professional EOS features into an easy to use, lightweight digital SLR. Features include an 18 megapixel CMOS Image Sensor and increased light sensitivity for low light photography. Read more about the Canon 600D or view the sample images on the WEXblog.
Printer: Epson Stylus Photo R3000
The R3000 looks set to continue Epson's reputation as one the best A3+ desktop printers for enthusiast photographers and digital artists alike. It features 9 high-capacity 25.9ml inkjet cartridges including separate photo and matt blacks to ensure the best possible image quality on a range of media. A choice of grey tones allow you customise the tone of black and white prints to suit your preference, and the front-loading tray allows the use of a range of fine-art media. Read our review here.
Advanced Compact Camera: Fuji FinePix X100
The Fuji X100 combines cutting edge modern technology with the design aesthetics and handling of a classic camera. One of the highlights is the Hybrid Viewfinder, offering the brightness and clarity of an optical viewfinder with the benefit of digital viewfinder information display. The X100 offers a combination of performance and ergonomics that means you won't want to put it down, as one customer summed it up: "you will find that this camera will steal time away from your 5D or D700. In fact, if you only need one camera, this may be it!"
Read why documentary wedding photography Kevin Mullins loves his Fuji X100 here!
Photo Software: Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 2
Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 provides a powerful set of darkroom-inspired features giving photographers the power to create incredible, black and white images. Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist yearning for those days in the darkroom, this software gives you all the power and control you need to create high quality black and white images.
Advanced SLR Camera: Nikon D7000
Showing its professional roots, the D7000 offers dual SD card slots for enhanced shooting flexibility and a razor-sharp 39-point autofocus system, making the Nikon D7000 an ideal camera for wildlife and sports photographers. Robust enough to withstand most situations and light enough to go anywhere, the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR Camera is a natural choice if photography is your passion. Wildlife photographer Richard Peters said in his review for the Wex Blog: "It may be small, but the D7000 packs a very powerful punch and as I write this, pretty much stands as the best DX DSLR to roll out of the Nikon factory to date".
All Weather Camera: Olympus Tough TG-810
The Olympus Tough TG-810 is a 14 megapixel digital compact that, like all the Olympus Tough models, is tougher than the average camera. This camera is shockproof from 2m, freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius and waterproof to 10m underwater. Rob Spray put the TG-810 through its paces and gave it a score of 8.5/10, read his review here.
Compact System Camera: Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G3
The Panasonic G3 Digital interchangeable lens camera features a built-in Electronic View Finder, 16.0-megapixel Live MOS sensor and Panasonic's Venus Engine FHD processor. It captures superb quality images with minimum noise as well as full HD movies.
Professional Camera: Pentax 645D
The Pentax 645D Medium Format Digital Camera is the ultimate imaging tool! This 40 megapixel digital camera has a 44x33mm sensor housed in a medium-format styled body which produces incredible image quality where every detail and tone is beautifully captured and reproduced. Designed for pro and advanced photographers who demand ultimate performance from their camera, the Pentax 645D is constructed with an aluminium-diecast chassis, a magnesium-alloy casing and is highly airtight to prevent intrusion of dust and water.
Lens: Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM
The Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens is the second generation of the large aperture 70-200mm f2.8 telephoto zoom, which now incorporates Optical Stabilisation (OS). The Hyper Sonic Motor offers quiet and high speed AF as well as full-time manual focus capability, ensuring the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens provides outstanding image quality and ease of use.
Compact Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC–HX9V
Packed with easy-to-use features for better-looking images and HD videos, the 16.2 megapixel Cyber-shot HX9V digital camera is an ideal travel partner with on-board GPS and a 16x optical zoom! As one customer put it: "Worth every penny!"
Zoom Lens: Tamron AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD
Despite its impressive performance, the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD lens is both lightweight and compact, making it a great choice for travel photography. In addition to the Piezo Drive ultrasonic motor this Tamron lens features a Vibration Control mechanism to help keep images steady and blur free, even at maximum zoom. In his review for the WEXblog, Rob Spray said of the Tamron lens: " It's an obvious upgrade for that general purpose workhorse and easily answers the ‘only lens you’ll ever need’ brief for most people".
Photo Accessory: Vanguard GH-100 Pistol Grip Ball Head
The Vanguard GH-100 Pistol Grip Ball Head has a Grip Position Release System which allows 360-degrees of panning movement and -32 to +90-degrees of side-to-side tilt and -8 to +90-degree back to front tilt movement all round. Other impressive features include its Friction Control System which allows you to modify the level of friction on the ball to accommodate changing equipment weight such as switching to heavier lenses.
