Olympus is having a 10-weeks promotions now on some of it’s imaging products from now till 10th July 2011.

Products featured including the PEN-series cameras and some of the Micro Four Third lenses like the M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/2.8, M.Zuiko Digital 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED and many more.

See the  booklet for full details.

We are looking for our very first face to face engagement with the masses in Penang BarCamp 2011 which will be held on this Saturday (12 May 2011) in KDU College Penang.

We are going to present a topic in the event. Talk, Shoot and Share. Everything About DSLR would be our title for this time.

If you are around Penang at that time, join us in the fun with hundreds other discussing topics of your interest. To know more about BarCamp, please read this.

Finally, what’s leaked out to the public on 14 April about a new standard prime lens from Nikon website has been made official by none other than Nikon itself. One can expect this lens to cost about RM 1000 cheaper than its mightier Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G.

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is expected to be priced at 219.95USD and the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G is currently retailing for 550USD on the street.

And here’s the full press release for your reading.

Evolution Of The Classic: The New AF-S NIKKOR 50mm F/1.8G Lens

MELVILLE, N.Y. (April 27, 2011) – Nikon Inc. today announced the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G lens, a fast, compact lens that affords photographers the versatility of the classic 50mm focal length and the benefits of a fast aperture for photos and D-movies. Whether a new D-SLR enthusiast or a seasoned pro, users will appreciate the tack-sharp image quality, extreme low-light performance, shallow depth of field and Nikon core technologies that improve upon the original to make a great lens even better.

The 50mm lens has been a staple for photographers since the 35mm film days, and this new lens enables Nikon customers that shoot photos and movies to discover the creative benefits of this traditional focal length,” said Lisa Osorio, general manager of marketing at Nikon Inc. “This f/1.8 prime lens offers exceptional image quality and control, and benefits from modern Nikon technologies to enhance performance such as the Silent Wave Motor and use of an aspheric lens – it’s a very attractive package for any shooting discipline.”

Lightweight, compact and affordable, this lens will easily become a favorite and find a home in any photographer’s gear bag. With the unique ability to mimic the focal length of the human eye, the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G lens is ideal for travel, general photography, low-light, landscape shooting and portraiture. This lens continues the tradition of NIKKOR precision optics to provide photographers with sharp, high-resolution images and the ability to focus as close as 1.48 feet, with amazing depth of field control for intimate details. The integration of an ultra-compact Silent Wave Motor ensures fast, whisper-quiet AF operation, which is essential when recording movies. Optimized for Nikon FX-format cameras, this lens is also a great option for Nikon DX-format photographers seeking a fast, sharp lens for capturing images with amazing color and contrast.

The new 50mm f/1.8 lens construction consists of seven elements in six groups, with one aspherical lens element to reduce instances of coma and aberration, even when shooting wide open. A rounded diaphragm opening combined with the seven-blade aperture contributes to a substantially more circular bokeh for a more natural appearance of out-of-focus background elements. Additionally, instances of lens flare and chromatic aberration are suppressed using Nikon’s exclusive Super Integrated Coatings, which also help ensure vividly accurate color balance.

The AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G lens is scheduled to be available at Nikon authorized dealers beginning June 16, 2011 at an estimated selling price of $219.95.* For more information, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

*Estimated selling price listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

We have noticed quite a drop in some Nikon bodies in recent days therefore we decided to plot the data out and see how much the prices have changed over the years.

The prices cited in this article are based on price tracked from Shashinki as this is the most reliable source of pricing. We can hardly find update of prices from Nikon Malaysia, unfortunately.

How to read the table? The percentage of Change notes the price change as compared with the record above and those without any note is with just body only.

Nikon D3000

Located in the absolute lower end of Nikon’s line up aimed at beginners. Nikon D3100 is the successor of it therefore it’s just a matter of time before it gets phased out.

Nikon D300S

The Nikon D300S is losing out fast as people tend to choose newer models like the Canon EOS 7D or Nikon D7000 over it.

Nikon D3S

Nikon D5000

The upcoming Nikon D5100 would succeed this offering pretty soon.

Nikon D700

There isn’t any price reduction noted this year but rumor says that the D700x or alike will be coming out towards the end of the year.

Nikon D7000

Nikon D90

The only model left in the offering with the naming form of Dxx (double digit sequence rather than 4 digits being used now), but it should be phased out soon, we think!

Finally, there’s something to fill in the missing gap in between of the newly released Nikon D3100 and the Nikon D7000 replacing the aging Nikon D5000. The new Nikon D5100 brings a series of update over its predecessor such as higher megapixels count (16.3MP vs 12.3MP), Full HD recording with movie art filter (first seen in Olympus PEN-series), higher ISO (6400 vs 3200) with boost up to ISO 25600 most notably.

Also, the features that we noted and we think that it’s pretty cool is the the Nikon D5100 sports continuous focusing in movie recording like the one on the Nikon D7000 (Click to see Nikon D7000 in action) and it has in-camera HDR mode as well. Well, there’s lots more to know about this little featured packed gadget from Nikon but for now, here’s the promotional video from Nikon.

And the preview from DPReview as well!