Kenko

Flip Cap, a lens cap you can't misplace

YOKOHAMA, Japan--Most photographers will misplace their lens cap at some point. The Flip Cap could help.

The Flip Cap's name speaks for itself. It's a lens cap that flips up and out of the way when you want to take a picture. You attach the contraption to your camera lens via the filter thread and press a button to make the spring-loaded cap to flip open. A product of Kenko International, which also makes lens filters and bags, the Flip Cap will be available in plain black, or in a set with interchangeable panel designs. There will be two sizes available to fit 49mm and 58mm lens filter threads. … Read more

Tamron, Kenko Tokina boost Micro Four Thirds lens alliance

Tamron and Kenko Tokina, two third-party lens manufacturers, have thrown their weight behind the Micro Four Thirds alliance, helping Olympus and Panasonic during a major shift in the camera industry.

Olympus and Panasonic were the early entrants to a new class of interchangeable-lens cameras much more compact than traditional SLRs. They're both members of the Micro Four Thirds partnership that governs image sensors and lenses, meaning that Micro Four Thirds lenses can be used on either company's camera bodies.

The new membership, like that of third-party lensmaker Sigma before, means photographers can expect more variety for Micro Four … Read more

Kenko camera does the Mickey thing

Japanese camera accessories maker Kenko is slapping pictures of Disney characters on its new point-and-shoot.

The DMC-50 comes with a 5.17-megapixel sensor, 2.4-inch LCD screen, 128MB of internal memory (with SD card expansion slot), and 4x digital zoom. That's right, boys and girls, this shooter doesn't have an optical zoom lens: This new kid on the block is begging to be ousted from our labs so far as specs are concerned.

What's mildly interesting is the rear interface, which looks like a portable game console. But other than that, the design is still quite conventional, … Read more

Digital frame has a secret to pull out

We know, it's just what the world needs--another digital photo frame. But this one's different, honest. At least a little bit.

Kenko's KDF-07 may look like an ordinary 7-inch screen, as seen on Fareastgizmos, but it hides a secret control panel that slides out from the side then retracts when not in use to maintain the sleek look of the frame in silver, black matte, and wood grain finishes. That's hardly enough reason to charge $160 on the Japanese market for a product that has comparable competition for less money and more features from other other … Read more