Press Release

TAMRON ANNOUNCES 1/2-INCH IR-CORRECTED LENS COVERING
THE STANDARD RANGE

New 1/2 4-12mm F/1.2 IR Aspherical Vari-Focal Lens is Ideal for the Latest Crop of High Resolution 1/2" CCD Cameras Entering the Market

March 1, 2005, Commack, NY —Tamron USA, Inc. announced a new IR-corrected lens designed to derive the maximum performance possible from the latest 1/2-inch CCD cameras. The 1/2 4-12mm F/1.2 IR Aspherical Vari-Focal covers the standard angle of view and is ideal for installation in sites where IR light is present. Tamron’s new lens, along with the new 10-40mm F/1.4, was designed by Tamron to meet market demands for new 1/2-inch camera users.

In looking at the total market, Tamron determined more 1/2-inch IR lenses are needed since many Day/Night camera manufacturers have stepped up to a 1/2-inch CCD sensor to maximize the performance of the minimum lux. Tamron’s new IR lens now allows users of these cameras to fully utilize and appreciate the day/night features.

The 3X range of the 4-12mm covers everything from the wideangle needed for indoor surveillance to the moderate telephoto used in parking lots and other perimeter observation. In fact, with its 93° angle of view at 4mm—the widest available in 1/2-inch lenses—the Tamron 4-12mm IR Vari-Focal can provide wall to wall imaging when positioned in the corner of a room. The fast F/1.2 aperture insures bright imaging in dimly illuminated areas and even at the minimum aperture of F/360, the lens provides outstanding resolution since it uses a new iris design.

Like the other Tamron IR-corrected lenses already announced and widely adopted, the new 4-12mm IR uses state-of-the-art optical design and LD glass technology to solve the out-of-focus range between visible and near-IR light. Using Tamron’s special Multi-Coating also improves transmittance in the near-IR range and effectively eliminates flare and ghosting. High quality images are achieved by using Aspherical lens elements. Tamron's 4-12mm is compact and lightweight, another benefit of the aspherical design, enhancing its versatility during installation and makes the overall camera system smaller than with previous 6-12mm models available that were bulky at best.

The designers have even considered environmental impact by making a lens that is environmentally friendly in design: glass with no lead content was selected and lead-free solder is used to manufacture the lens. The 4-12mm lens features locking mechanisms built into each ring (focus, iris and zoom) and provides a built-in Slip Mount mechanism for precise installations. The locking mechanisms (iris, focus and zoom on the VM version; focus and zoom on the VG and VA versions) secure the position set by the installer will not change even when wind and vibration occur.

The new lens joins Tamron's extensive line-up of Vari-Focal lenses for both daylight and IR light situations:

Tamron is a leading manufacturer of lenses and optical components for photographic, industrial, laboratory, video, digital and scientific applications.

SPECIFICATIONS

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3/05