Nikon has issued a voluntary recall for the EN-EL15 battery used in the Nikon D800, D7000 and Nikon V1 digital cameras. Certain lot numbers produced after February 29, 2012 may short circuit and cause the battery pack to overheat. It is possible the outside case of the battery may deform under this condition. So far there have been seven cases of this issue reported worldwide, but no injuries have occurred.

Nikon is asking consumers to check the serial number of their battery packs and return batteries with affected lot numbers to Nikon for a free replacement. The batteries are provided with the D800, D7000 and V1 as well as sold separately.

The affected batteries are lot numbers E and F. You can locate the lot number by checking the number on your battery. The lot number is the 9th digit in the 14 digit code as shown below:

Only batteries with lot number E or F are affected. Batteries with other letters in this position are NOT affected and can be safely used.  If your battery is affected you may visit the Nikon Service Advisory web site or call 1-800-645-6687. Nikon will ship a replacement battery by UPS and pick up the recalled battery at the same time.

• Nikon Service Advisory EN-EL15 Battery Recall

Adobe announces Create Suite 6, the new family of digital media creation software. The new applications are available in several packages, as individual programs. Creative Suite 6 is also available through Adobe Creative Cloud, allowing you to download and install anywhere with Internet access and giving you immediate access to new products as they are released. Creative Suite CS6 programs include Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Flash, Dreamweaver, Premiere, and more.

The centerpiece of CS6 is the new Adobe Photoshop CS6. It brings several new features to improve efficiency as well as image quality. The most visible change is the dark background for program features, allowing your image to stand out and give a more comfortable working experience. A new crop tool gives better control and faster speed thanks to the new Mercury Graphics Engine. You can also continue working while your image is saved in the background, a, instant productivity boost. You can also enable auto-save to make continuous backups every 10 minutes in case your computer crashed or loses power. Auto corrections for Curves, Levels, and Brightness/Contrast have been improved though a database of thousands of picture types and skin-tone content selection and masking will enhance your portrait editing. Photoshop CS6 is available for pre-order now with upgrade ($199), full version ($699), and subscription options (starting at $19.95/mo).

• Adobe Creative Suite CS6 pre-order for shipping May 7

Nikon announces the Nikkor AF-S 28mm 1.8G. This wide angle prime lens for FX format offers a fast aperture and maximum shapness. The lens features 11 in a total of nine groups, with nano crystal coating and two aspherical elements. The weight is only 11.6 ounces (330g). Seven rounded aperutre blades can be stopped down to f16 at minimum aperture. The sharpness is exceptional across the frame and will be an excellent choice for use on high megapixel cameras including the Nikon D800 and D800E. The maximum aperture of f1.8 provides low light capabilities and smooth bokeh with shallow depth of field for creative wide angles shots. It provides a 75-degree angle of view on FX-format cameras (53 degrees on DX).

An internal silent wave motor (SWM) provides fast and nearly silent auto focus. There is a switch on the side of the lens to select focus modes: M/A for autofocus with manual override available and M for full manual focus. Minimum focusing distance is 9.84 inches from the focal plane (approximately 5 inches from the front lens element). The front thread accepts 67mm filters.

The 28mm f1.8 will be available at the end of May 2012 and will be priced at $699.95 suggested retail.

Nikon 28mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR lens at Amazon

Pre-Order Nikon Nikkor 28mm f1.8G at bhphoto.com

The Camera Store TV provides an in depth comparison between the Nikon D800 and the Canon 5D Mark III. This is part one of a three part series. This first video compares the two cameras with help from studio photographer Nathan Elson. They give a slight edge to the D800 for detail and dynamic range, while the 5D Mark III shows significant improvement over the Mark II with its new auto focus system. Their conclusion is that in the studio, the two cameras aren’t very far apart.

They also take the cameras outside at night and here the two do begin to show some difference. The Nikon D800 again shows slightly more dynamic range and detail (sharpness), while the Canon 5D Mark III produces slightly less noise at high ISO.

The last part of the video includes side-by-side comparisons of the shots as well as the RAW images and examples of what post-production can do to bring out additional detail.

The video was shot using the Nikon D4.

Related:

• See More on Nathan Elson’s Blog
• Nikon D800 vs Canon 5D Mark III Specifications
• Nikon D800 Pre-Order Information
• Canon EOS 5D Mark III with 24-105mm Lens at Amazon
• Nikon D800 at Amazon

The Nikon MB-D12 Battery Grip for the D800 is now available. Several stores have the grip in stock now for immediate shipping, including Amazon:

Nikon MB-D12 Battery Grip at Amazon

By adding the MB-D12, the D800 increases to 6 fps continuous shooting in DX mode. It features magnesium alloy construction and is fully weather sealed like the D800 body. The grip has additional controls for vertical orientation shooting: shutter release button, AF-ON button and a multi-selector dial. The grip includes a battery holder for 8 AA batteries as well as a holder for the Nikon EN-EL15 or EN-EL18 battery packs. The MB-D12 Nikon battery grip is product number 27040. The suggested retail price is $616, and is priced as low as $449 at Adorama and B&H Photo.

See more MB-D12 information