PMA 2006: The major photographic gear manufacturers gather for the big PMA trade show each February to exhibit their latest equipment. Presented by the Photo Marketing Association International (PMAI), the PMA Show is aimed at photo dealers and retailers, so they can see all the great new gear from the industry. This special edition of “Next” showcases a sample of the products we saw and thought you’d like to know about.      
            

FOUR THIRDS EXPANDS
Panasonic announced at PMA its first digital SLR camera based on the Four Thirds format. The Lumix DMC-L1 is capable of full-time live view, giving you the option of framing shots with the 2.5-inch LCD screen or the optical viewfinder. The 7.5-megapixel camera features a new Leica D Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm ƒ/2.8-3.5 lens and a dust-reduction system that uses supersonic vibration to instantly remove dust from the sensor. List Price: TBD. Contact: Panasonic, (800) 211-PANA, www.panasonic.com.


SUPER-SIZED PRINTS
The Canon imagePROGRAF iPF5000 large-format printer uses a 12-color pigment ink set to produce long-lasting images up to 17x24 inches and with minimal wait time. A 16.5x23.4-inch photo takes less than three minutes to print in standard mode. The printer measures 39.3x28.9x12.5 inches. List Price: $1,945. Also new from Canon are the PIXMA Pro9500 and Pro9000 printers. The Pro9500 uses a 10-color pigment ink set and the Pro9000 has eight dye-based inks. Both measure 26x14x7.5 inches and can print an 11x14-inch photo in just under four minutes. List Price: TBD. Contact: Canon, (800) OK-CANON, www.usa.canon.com.


COMPACT LENS
The Tamron SP AF17-50mm ƒ/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical [IF] lens was designed for small-format digital SLRs. With a light body and long zoom, the lens has a constant maximum aperture, so you don’t lose light as you zoom in on a shot. The fast standard zoom lens features a wide-angle focal length equivalent to approximately 26-78mm when converted to 35mm format. The filter size is 67mm. The lens is 3.2 inches long and weighs 15.3 ounces. List Price: $763. Contact: Tamron, (631) 858-8400, www.tamron.com.