It looks like Canon are jumping right back at Nikon, after Nikon launched it’s cheapest VR lens to date the 55-200mm to AF-S DX VR 55-200MM F/4-5.6G IF-ED.

Canon has pushed it a bit further with 55-250mm! Combined with the 18-55mm that gives a great kit package from 18-250mm Image Stabilised!

Canon seem to have designed a new, cheaper and much simpler IS system to allow budget users the luxury of IS lenses.

The EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS is a lightweight general-purpose zoom lens that is ideal for handheld photography in a wide range of lighting conditions. Offering high optical quality, the lens has an 11 element, 9 group construction, including one aspherical element for crisp corner-to-corner detail. The lens maintains a closest focusing distance of just 25cm throughout the zoom range, giving photographs the flexibility to frame up close when needed.

Compact and lightweight, the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS offers the longest zoom range in the EF-S series to date. The 88-400mm equivalent focal length opens up new framing possibilities for owners of EF-S mount cameras shooting wildlife, sports and travel photography. Optical quality is assured through a UD element, which minimises chromatic aberrations that could otherwise cause reduced contrast and colour fringing.

Good moves by Canon!

This is a pretty neat site to learn about Nikon’s anti-shake technology built into some of it’s lenses (known as VR or Vibration Reduction).

Thankfully it’s no longer in just a few high-end lenses, it’s now also available in the much more affordable Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED and the Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED lenses.

The site explains various thing such as what causes blurred images, how VR works, what it’s capabilities are and how it can help you to get clear pictures.

You can find the site here: Nikon Vibration Reduction

After I read about the Canon A710 IS not being released in malaysia over at Sunflower’s place, I was a bit worried as I have my eye on this camera.

To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 5:27 PM
Subject: RE: Customer Enquiry/Feedback@xxxxxxx (30332)

Dear xxxxxxx,

We thank you for interest in our digital camera. We regret to informed you that at this moment of time the said product is not being released in Malaysia. As so we are unable to provide you the pricing.

We would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.

We thank you for writing to us and have a pleasant evening.

“Customer Delight”

Best Regards

Canon Helpdesk
ME Division
Canon Marketing (Malaysia) Sdn.Bhd
Tel:603-7844 8333
Fax:603-7844 8222

I made some enquiries via my contacts with Canon Malaysia and they confirmed this camera is to be released in Malaysia within the next two weeks or so, the price has not been confirmed yet.

I think it’s just a case of bad English and what they meant was the camera wasn’t released yet in Malaysia so they didn’t have any pricing information, that’s all. They didn’t mean the camera won’t come out here.

As a customer service representative they should really make it a bit clearer what they are saying as they do give the wrong impression.

Sue bought the camera this weekend, info and a couple of test shots here.

She got the camera for RM1399 with a original case and 512MB SD card from Canon Shop Level 3 KLCC.