Mamiya is showing a new 120mm f/4 macro lens and an APO 200mm f/2.8 telephoto, both for their 6x4.5 format Pro SLR system. There is a unique close up attachment for Mamiya's M7 rangefinder in which a highly corrected 4 element in 2 group close up attachment is used on the front of the lens and a framing devise attached to the body. This frame is visible through the rangefinder and shows what will be in the picture when the lens is set at its closest focusing distance. Also, there is an auxillary optical viewfinder for the M7 intended to give a large view of the scene when a 150mm lens is being used. For the 6x7cm format, Mamiya is introducing an interesting bellow-type shift adapter that fits between lens and body to give shift changes up to +/- 10mm and tilt adjustments up to +/- 8 degrees. This accessory provides for the simultaneous cocking of the lens when the film is advanced and focusing control via the camera's built-in bellows.

The Panolux is a meter attachment that works with either Noblex Pro 35mm or 120 medium format short rotation, swing lens panoramic cameras. Basically, the Panolux will measure and control the exposure of a picture based on differences in light values it sees as the lens rotates through its panoramic arch of about 140 degrees. Thus, instead of using one exposure for the entire scene, the Panolux adjusts the exposure by varying the speed of the rotation.

Rollei has a new digital back for their medium format SLRs that combines the qualities of their previously released ScanPack and ChipPack digital backs. It is the Rollei DSP-104 that can provide either one shot color capture or three shot capture. The dual role of the 12mb file generating film back comes from its ability to shift the sensitivity of the chip by "an especially precise piezoelectric system."

Back in conventional photography, Ilford has dropped the other shoe and released a fiber base version of their Multigrade IV paper called Multigrade IV FB Fiber. It comes with a thicker then usual base measuring 260 mirons. A thicker paper base is also one of the characteristics of a new version of Ilford's RC multicontrast paper called Multigrade IV RC Portfolio. It is a double weight resin-coated paper which really feels much more like fiber based material then any of the other RC paper, but with all the benefits of a quick drying RC print. Ilford also gave us a peak at a new warm tone paper which not only produces varitions in warmth via different developers, but is particularly impressive in terms of variations that come from toning.

Finally, yet another illustration of the way companies are covering all the bases in this digital-conventional imaging business. Ilford has announced the world wide distribution of the Ilford single use camera with black and white film, and in two choices yet! One with Ilford XP2 film for C-41 process and the other with Ilford HP5 Plus film. Ilford has also announced - "in a move that reflects its commitment to building strategic alliances with leading imaging system developers" - that they will be distributing the CSI Lightjet 5000 direct digital high end digital. These machines use tricolor laser light to expose conventional photographic papers like Ilfochrome Classic for continuous tone images of superb quality from digital files.