Sep 27: Olympus E-300

The Olympus E-300 is an 8 megapixel DSLR with a TTL Optical Porro Finder.

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Olympus Evolt E-300 Press Release

OLYMPUS EVOLT E-300 DIGITAL SLR CAMERA REVOLTS AGAINST TRADITION AND REDEFINES WHAT AN SLR CAN BE

100% “Designed-for-Digital” SLR for All Consumers Packs Dust Protection and an 8-Megapixel Imaging Sensor into Innovative Compact, Low-Profile “Flat-Top” Body for World-Class Image Quality

Melville, New York, September 27, 2004 – The Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera has remained essentially the same in both form and function for decades, becoming the high-performance workhorse of choice for both amateur and professional photographers worldwide. But much has changed since the first film SLR debuted all those years ago. Today, the pervasiveness of digital technology has forever altered photography, freeing Olympus from the limitations of traditional film SLR camera designs to be more innovative when building the next generation SLR for the digital age.

The result is the Olympus EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR, the first 100 percent “digital-from-the-ground-up” consumer SLR system with interchangeable digital specific lenses. Incorporating a newly design compact body featuring the Dust Reduction system pioneered on the professional E-1 SLR body, the EVOLT delivers the versatility, durability and reliable performance of an SLR that isn't just for the pros – now it's for photographers of all skill levels at a price they can afford.

Designed To Break the Mold
The EVOLT looks like no other digital SLR. Because it is not bound by the conventions of traditional SLR film camera designs that have remained static for more than 30 years, the EVOLT has a radical new body shape that reduces height by eliminating the bulky pentaprism commonly found on the top of traditional SLR cameras. In place of the pentaprism design, the camera incorporates the new, exclusive Olympus TTL Optical Porro Finder coupled with an exclusive side swing mirror box, that gives the camera its unique “flat-top” appearance and makes it more compact for greater portability.

Subjects framed within the EVOLT optical viewfinder are 94% centered for accurate composition. And because it's an SLR, when you look through the viewfinder you're seeing through the lens itself what will be photographed.

A new built-in flash mechanism that slides the EVOLT flash forward as it pops up also contributes to the camera's low overall height and makes it possible to achieve both an adequate angle of illumination and a low profile body design. In addition, because the flash slides to the front of the camera body, it offers broad, even flash coverage without the shadow vignette from the lens when shooting close up.

A Digital Lens For The Digital Age
Most other digital SLR cameras use traditional 35mm film lenses on digital bodies. But since those lenses are based on designs from the beginning of the last century for film and not for pixels, they deliver insufficient light at the edges of a digital camera's image sensor. This can result in reduced sharpness and color definition, particularly when shooting with wide-angle lenses . The EVOLT does not have this problem, because it accommodates the full line of interchangeable Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses™ designed specifically for digital capture with smart technology that allows the lenses to communicate with the camera to ensure the best possible image quality.

Olympus dedicated digital optics paired with the 100% digital EVOLT E-300 render sharpness and contrast more consistently at any given f-stop. The lenses are matched to the Four Thirds System standard image sensor for the optimal balance between image quality, camera and lens size, and expandability. With an array of digital specific lenses to choose from that are smaller and lighter than comparable 35mm film lenses, it's easy to select the ideal instruments to bring along when you don't want to lug a lot of heavy, bulky gear.

The EVOLT E-300 outfit includes a compact, Zuiko Digital 14 – 45mm f3.5 – f5.6 Lens (equivalent to 28mm – 90mm in 35mm photography) that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Its 3.2x zoom covers the range most frequently used in ordinary photography and weighs just 10 ounces (285 grams) offering users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom. Close-ups as near as 15 inches (38cm) are possible throughout the zoom range.

Supersonic Wave Filter Leaves Other Digital SLR Cameras In the Dust
A common problem with interchangeable lens digital SLR cameras is dust settling on the image sensor. The EVOLT features an Olympus exclusive patented ultrasonic technology, the Supersonic Wave Filter™, to reduce the effects of micro dust settling on the image sensor and impacting the image quality. Located between the shutter and the CCD, the Supersonic Wave Filter uses high-speed ultrasonic vibration to cause most types of dust to fall away from the image sensor so it will not appear in photographs. The filter vibrates at 350,000 times per second and is activated every time the camera powers on, or manually via a menu selection , to instantly remove the dust from in front of the image sensor. The CCD assembly is isolated from the Supersonic Wave Filter by an airtight seal to protect it even more. This unique Olympus feature gives photographers the confidence to shoot photos and change lenses in the field, just as they've always done, without the worry of images being damaged or ruined by dust on the imager.

Designed for Durability
An SLR should feel rugged enough to go out into the wilderness and even be propped up against a tree to get that perfect nature shot when a tripod isn't available. It should be strong enough to attach your largest lens without giving the impression that it could snap off at any moment. The EVOLT has an aluminum top cover on the top of the camera for extra-added protection, and a die-cast aluminum chassis inside to assure durability. The lens mount is steel and is designed for rugged use, so you can have confidence in your camera no matter where you take it or what lens you use.

Designed for The Best Image Quality
Olympus knows that image excellence relies on the combination of a high quality digital specific lens matched to the image sensor. Of equal importance is a camera exposure mode system that's easy and automatic for the first time user and customizable to ensure the optimum results for the experienced photographer. Matched to the TruePic TURBO™ Image Processor for more realistic color, low noise, and lightning-fast startup and shot-to-shot times – you won't miss a photo opportunity. With the EVOLT, photographers will feel confident that their SLR delivers world-class images.

New 8 Megapixel FTT-CCD Offers More Photographic Choices
Loaded with an impressive 8 million pixels resolution, the EVOLT grants photographers the flexibility to blow up their prints to the large sizes supported by today's printers, or crop into an image to print only a section without losing clarity in the final result. Moreover, the image sensor in the EVOLT is a high-performance Full Frame Transfer KODAK KAF-8300CE CCD™ that delivers improved dynamic range, low system noise to capture fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas, as well as excellent color fidelity for brilliant colors.

Basic Interline CCD sensors are designed with a path or “highway” to move data. This highway takes up valuable real estate that could be used for image capture and reduces the size of the photodiode in each pixel. But the EVOLT Full Frame Transfer CCD transfers image data via a Vertical Charge Register that is a fraction of the size of an Interline highway. In fact, the active pixel area of the Full Frame Transfer CCD is 1.5 times larger than a common Interline CCD of equal size. Because each pixel uses more space to capture image data, a broader range of tonal values can be rendered in the final image.

Anti-blooming technology on each pixel, along with the exclusive Olympus TruePic TURBO Image Processor, helps to eliminate undesirable “artifacts”, “stepping”, “purple fringing” or “moiré” in an image.

Designed for Straight Out-of-the-Box Operation
Creating a digital SLR that most anyone can pick up and start to use isn't just about making it more affordable for the masses so they'll purchase it; it's about making it easier to operate. That means embedding menus that make sense and arraying buttons on the body that are intuitive to operate; adding automatic settings for every imaginable situation; making the LCD big and bright enough so you can review a shot without squinting; and making it less of a chore to get images out of the camera and into your computer or printer.

You don't need a degree in photography to shoot like a pro with the EVOLT. Just take it home, charge the Li-ion battery with the included BCM-2 charger, and begin taking photos without even opening a manual. Instead of working to find the right settings for the subject, select from one of the camera's 5 quick-access Scene Program Modes on the dial, or get creative with 15 Select Scene Program modes within the menu that make it easy to get the results you want, whenever and wherever you want them.

Simply turn the mode dial on the top of the camera to “Scene” and choose from a range of pre-programmed Scene Select modes to achieve the optimal results for: Fireworks, Sunsets, Beach and Snow, Candle (for photography by candlelight), Landscape, Documents, and more. A new “High-Key” Scene Select mode enhances the darks and whites in an image for striking results.

Every Scene Program and Scene Select mode on the EVOLT provides a sample image and a description of what is happening to achieve the desired result. For example, choosing the Landscape setting reveals a sample of a landscape photo, and describes the appropriate f-stop, shutter speed and other settings needed to take that picture. The EVOLT could replace a library full of digital photography “how-to” instruction books.

Programmed Auto Mode on the mode dial lets the EVOLT do all the thinking for you and selects just the right settings for any given situation. Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual Modes allow you to take control of the EVOLT to customize the camera for the ultimate in artistic expression.

Direct Button operation enables EVOLT users to get to the settings they want without wading through endless menus or pushing arrow buttons excessively. Instead, most custom settings can be set by pressing one of the cameras 8 direct key buttons for White Balance, Exposure Compensation, ISO, Flash Mode, Metering Mode, Auto Focus Mode, Auto Focus Frame and Recording Mode, and then turning a dial by thumb to customize the setting as desired. All settings are viewable at once on the camera's “Super Control Panel” displayed on the LCD.

Transferring images to the computer has never been easier with the Auto-Connect USB that does not require software drivers (for most computers/operating systems) for hassle-free image downloads. Images may also be viewed on a television using the video cable.

When it comes time to print images, the EVOLT connects via the included USB cable to a computer. Or, for fast and easy PC-free printing, the EVOLT connects to any PictBridge-enabled printer via USB, and users select the images displayed on the camera's LCD that they wish to print.

Designed for Speed
Olympus' TruePic TURBO Image Processor enhances processing speed for more responsive camera operation. More than just speeding up image data processing for the large image files generated by this 8.0-megapixel digital camera, TruePic TURBO also improves overall camera responsiveness and operating ease. It closely integrates the image processor's engine and hardware elements to eliminate unnecessary processing tasks, accelerating the time it takes for the camera to start up, to engage the shutter release so that an image is captured, for the image processing to occur, for the image to be recorded to the media card, and for the image to play back.

The EVOLT has an image memory buffer of 64MB and separate working memory for the camera control. And the EVOLT can capture fast-paced action, shooting at 2.5 frames per second up to 4 frames in either TIFF or RAW at full resolution. JPEG resolutions are also available when more shots are required.

Images Designed to Be Viewed and Shared with a New HyperCyrstal™ LCD Monitor
A new HyperCrystal LCD monitor with 134,000 pixels offers three times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors (in-house comparison) so captured images can be beautifully displayed in vivid color on the screen with exceptional clarity. Because photos are for sharing, the EVOLT LCD features a wide, 160° viewing angle on both the vertical and horizontal axis, ensuring excellent visibility and beautiful image quality even when everyone huddles around the camera to see what you've created.

Designed to Do More
Once one feature is mastered, there are a seemingly endless number of other features just waiting to be explored. Because the EVOLT is designed for the ultimate user-friendly experience, you can choose to let the camera make all the decisions, or take control for a new level of customization and performance.
• AF: The EVOLT dedicated auto focus system uses three AF points (Left, Center, Right) that can all be active automatically or individually with manual frame selection. When automatic target zone selection is active, a superimposed display confirms the relevant target zone. Focus modes are set via a manual switch on the camera body for Single AF, Continuous AF, and Manual Focus operation. To ensure successful focusing in the darkest environments, the EVOLT utilizes an AF illuminator built into the flash.
• Three Metering Systems : Users are offered a choice of Digital ESP (Electro Selective Pattern) metering, center-weighted average metering, or spot metering. Olympus' widely acclaimed proprietary Digital ESP metering calculates the best light values under complex lighting conditions.
• Simultaneous RAW and JPEG Image Data Recording : A choice of three data recording formats is offered: RAW, TIFF, and JPEG. If desired, image data can be simultaneously recorded in RAW and JPEG with the RAW+JPEG format.
• Contrast, Sharpness and Tone Curve Controls : Contrast can be set to any of five levels, and sharpness can be set to any of seven levels. So whether users want pro-quality tonal fidelity or sharp vibrant colors, they can customize each image to suit their preference.
• A Choice of Two Color Space Settings: Users can choose from two color space settings according to their needs: sRGB, which is the standard for Windows ® environments and inkjet printer output, and Adobe ® RGB, which is widely used for commercial applications.
• White Balance : White balance settings from 3000K to 7000K can be set in 12 steps using button and dial controls, with ±7-step fine-tuning available for all settings. A one-touch white balance function allows users to store and retrieve up to four frequently used white balance settings at the touch of a button. By initially reading the light separately for the CCD, the camera can see a dramatic increase in speed without loss of accuracy.
• Noise Reduction : The noise reduction function uses a proprietary Olympus algorithm to detect and eliminate the fixed noise that can appear on long-exposure images.
• High-Precision Flash Control: A wide range of flash modes is provided, including Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Synchro (front and rear curtain), and Fill-In.
• Histogram Information Display: Identify overexposed or underexposed areas.
• Support for High-Capacity Memory Media : CompactFlash™ Type I and II cards and MicroDrive memory media are supported. The EVOLT also supports 32-bit formatting allowing the use of 4 gigabyte and larger cards.
• Self-timer and Remote Control: The built-in self-timer offers a choice of 12-second or 2-second delay. An optional RM-1 remote control unit is available and can be used with the 2-second delay setting or for immediate shutter release. An optional RM-CB1 remote cable is also offered.

Optional Accessories

HLD-3 Battery Holder
The EVOLT can accommodate the HLD-3 Battery Holder that holds one or two BLM-1 Li-Ion batteries. With two batteries, the EVOLT can capture almost double the number of images possible with only one battery. The HLD-3 has a shutter release button located at its base to enable vertical shooting, a remote socket for use with the RM-CB1 Cable Release, and a standard tripod socket.

FL-36 Flash
Compact, lightweight and designed specifically for digital photography, the FL-36 achieves higher guide numbers than comparable SLR film cameras even while maintaining wide-angle light distribution. The Guide Number is 117 feet (36 meters) at ISO 100. You'll notice the difference when using it in combination with a wide-angle lens on the EVOLT. Accurate, 1/8-step illumination control provides the precision required by digital cameras, while minimizing illumination reduction near the screen. The newly designed energy-saving circuit improves recharge rates and enables the flash to operate on just 2 AA batteries.

The FL 36 features the FP mode for syncro at shutter speeds up to 1/4000 sec. In both FP-TTL Auto and FP-Manual modes. Standard TTL-Auto, Auto and Manual flash modes are also available.

CS-3SH Semi-Hard Case
Protect the EVOLT and its lens in style with a dedicated semi-hard leather case.

PT-E01 Underwater Housing
An underwater housing for the EVOLT that will enable users to enjoy SLR shooting underwater, is planned for release in 2005. Easy to set up, it will offer waterproof protection up to a depth of over 131 feet (40 meters).

Availability
The Olympus EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR will be available in December 2004. It includes: EVOLT E-300 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master Editing Software, CD-ROM, Manuals, Warranty card, and System chart.

Olympus Evolt E-300 Reviews

Steve's Digicams reviews the Olympus E-300 and writes - 'The EVOLT E-300 is the first 100% �digital-from-the-ground-up� consumer SLR system with interchangeable digital specific lenses. It features a high resolution 8-megapixel Kodak image sensor and employs the Olympus-exclusive Ultrasonic Dust Reduction system created for the professional E-1 SLR body. The EVOLT delivers the versatility, durability and performance of professional dSLRs but it's priced within the budget of consumer photgraphers.'

Imaging Resource reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-300 Digital Camera and writes - 'We were impressed with the rugged construction of the new Olympus E-300, and its solid feature list. It offers good image quality, with high resolution and smooth tonality, and as of this writing is the lowest-priced 8 megapixel digital SLR on the market. (The just-announced Canon Digital Rebel XT will carry the same retail price, but Olympus has given notice of its pricing intentions, in the form of a $100 rebate that went into effect just as we were updating this review to full production status, dropping the E-300's price well below that of the new Rebel.) '

PC World has a Test Drive of New Olympus E-300 Digital SLR Camera and writes - 'This is one of the most interesting single-lens-reflex cameras to come out in a long time. It doesn�t look like an SLR because it�s missing the familiar penta-prism hump on top of the camera. It gives the E-300 significantly less height than other digital SLRs, which makes it easier to pack away.'

Photo Tidbits reviews the Olympus E-300 and writes - 'The dynamic denoising algorithms are also set, I believe, too aggressively. This can be seen in some grass areas, where denoising is also removing image detail, leading to a fuzzy effect. Again, the market is to blame for this (along with the camera maker), more willing to accept these artifacts than any noise in large, smooth areas of the image, like, for example, sky. Unfortunately, the aggressiveness of the noise filter cannot be controlled in camera or in rare image processing in the Olympus Master. (It is, however, adjustable in the Olympus Studio, if you have a $150 to spare.) I believe this problem can (and should be) addressed in a firmware update.

The above aside, the image quality seems to be very good. I will be able to say more after a month or so of using the camera under various conditions.'

DP Review reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-300 and writes - 'on the positive side the camera demonstrates good resolution (really pretty close to the EOS 20D), can produce some excellent results especially when shooting RAW, has nice punchy color and tone balance, has a wide range of image processing parameters (so you can get what you prefer). Most importantly it works well as a photographic tool and doesn't hinder your progress in actually capturing a moment. All things taken into consideration, especially factoring value for money this camera deserves our Recommended rating. If you're a real stickler for image quality however you may wish to consider other cameras.'

DCRP reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-300 and writes - 'The Olympus EVOLT E-300 is a very good digital SLR whose most impressive feature is its price. Okay, maybe the dust removal feature is up there too. Anyhow, the E-300 gives you more resolution than any of the low cost D-SLRs out there, though the photos seem softer and fuzzier than I would expect from a D-SLR. Also, high ISO performance isn't quite as good as those cameras. But for $999 (with the lens) you get a heck of a camera. Camera performance is what you'd expect from a D-SLR, with pretty fast focusing, no shutter lag, and fast shot-to-shot times. The Nikon D70 does beat the EVOLT in terms of startup and continuous shooting performance, though. In terms of features, the EVOLT has plenty, from full manual controls to custom white balance to support for RAW and TIFF images. While the camera doesn't have a dedicated AF-assist lamp, it will use the built-in flash for that purpose, and the flash does its job well. Being a D-SLR, the E-300 is totally expandable, with several lenses, flashes, filters, and more available. As you'd expect from a totally new system (FourThirds), there aren't as many accessories out there as you'd find for the Canon, Nikon, or Pentax cameras.'

DC Views reviews the Olympus E-300 digital camera and writes - 'Although it looks radically different from other digital SLRs, the Olympus E-300 is an excellent photographic tool with comfortable handling, nice controls and superb built quality. It provides you with comprehensive image info at all times through the convenient LCD monitor on the back, which remains clearly visible even in direct sunlight. It possesses a unique supersonic wave filter to solve the problem of dust settling on the image sensor, one of the common problems of DSLRs with exposed CCDs.'

PC Mag reviews the Olympus E-300 and writes - 'A good affordable choice for serious amateurs who want high-resolution images, lots of control, and access to a growing assortment of Four Thirds lenses. But be prepared for slightly slower-than-average performance and darker through-the-lens viewing than with other D-SLRs we've seen.

Evolt's porroflex optical viewing system isn't as bright as a traditional pentaprism. AF Assist consists of annoying preflashes rather than a separate light. Image quality, while good, should be better for an 8MP camera. USB 1.1 is too slow for the large images that the Evolt creates.'

CNET Reviews has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-300 and writes - 'The uniquely styled 8-megapixel Evolt E-300 from Olympus enters the expanding field of entry-level, sub-$1,000 digital SLR (dSLR) cameras. As with the more pro-oriented Olympus E-1, the E-300 conforms to the Four-Thirds standard for interchangeable-lens dSLRs, which in theory guarantees interoperability between cameras and lenses from any manufacturer that adopts it in the future. With the E-300 kit, Olympus starts you out with a 14mm-to-45mm, f/3.5-to-f/5.6 zoom lens (28mm-to-90mm in 35mm-equivalent terms), and the camera offers a satisfactory feature set, crisp performance, and good build quality for the price.'

Photographic reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-300 DSLR and writes - 'The EVOLT is very easy to learn and use for a digital SLR. Many settings can be made merely by pressing the appropriate button and rotating the control dial until the desired icon appears on the LCD monitor, rather than having to scroll through LCD monitor menus using up/down and left/right arrow keys. While the buttons are on the smallish side, we were able to operate them all while wearing leather gloves during cold-morning outings at a local wildlife area.

AF performance was excellent in good light, but poor in dim light (the camera flat wouldn�t autofocus in pre-dawn light when other digital SLRs we tested recently did). With only the center AF area active, the AF system handled tricky birds-in-flight shots as well as any under-$2000 digital SLR we�ve used.'

PhotographyBLOG reviews the Olympus E-300 and writes - 'The Olympus E-300 achieves the difficult feat of offering a wealth of features, great ease of use and good image quality at a price point that would have been difficult to believe only a couple of years ago. �600 / $900 / �800 for an 8 megapixel digital SLR with a fairly reasonable standard zoom lens is a real bargain, being more capable than the Canon EOS 300D and cheaper than the Nikon D70, Pentax *ist DS and the new Canon EOS 350D. The Olympus E-300 is also an attractive proposition for anyone who is currently looking at a high-end prosumer compact digicam, and may tempt even more people to join the DSLR revolution that seems to be happening right now. '

Macworld reviews the Olympus Evolt E-300 and writes - 'The Olympus Evolt E-300 is a very good camera. It�s well-built and yields excellent images. However, you�ll get better high-ISO image quality from Canon and Nikon cameras (as well as better JPEG shooting) and a better lens selection from just about any other camera manufacturer.'

Pocket Lint reviews the Olympus E-300 and writes - 'The metering issue notwithstanding, image quality is very good, the kit lens is neat and lightweight and the camera packs in so much kit (+/-5 steps of exposure compensation is a very good example) it opens up rich tapestry of photography for those moving from compact digital cameras or over from film. '

Shutterbug has a review of the Olympus? E-300 EVOLT and writes - 'The Olympus E-300 EVOLT may not be the prettiest camera in the world, but it�s compact, convenient to use, quite fast, and reliable in most circumstances. In my estimation, it should appeal to first-time SLR buyers who appreciate its many Program modes. But this well-equipped model is even more suitable for the experienced digital photographer who does not already own autofocus lenses of some other brand. At a street price of $995, including the 14-45mm zoom, it�s definitely a bargain, especially when compared to the $1299 street price of the 5-megapixel E-1 kit.'

Photoxels reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-300 and writes - 'The Olympus EVOLT E-300 will appeal to two groups of photographers: the professional photographer looking for a backup digital SLR, and the advanced amateur photographer ready to graduate to a digital SLR offering full control and exposure flexibility. The Olympus EVOLT E-300 has full exposure flexibility and provides a degree of fine control in its settings that professional photographers will appreciate. Or, just set it to Programmed Auto (or one of the 14 Scene Modes), and first-time dSLR users can shoot away and still obtain great results.'

Digital Camera Info review the Olympus EVOLT E-300 and write - "While there are significant design flaws and performance issues painfully apparent on the E-300, there is still a lot to value in a sub-$900 Digital SLR. Foremost, the EVOLT E-300 is an inexpensive 8 megapixel camera with a solid build and durable casing. Additionally, Olympus has worked hard to create an impressive range of lenses and other accessories for it, and more than one manufacturer has also committed to making compatible lenses and camera bodies for the system. The E-300 also offers dust-removal technology that�s moderately effective, while its competitors don�t approach the issue in the same manor."

Digital Reviews has posted their review of the Olympus E-300 Evolt DSLR where they write - 'The two weeks with the Evolt was not enough for an in-depth review but enough to realize that Olympus has a winner in the E-300. If they had a lens that covered the 28-200mm range it would absolutely be the camera of choice for my aerial photography work. This is just a personal requirement though and most folks would be happy to change lenses on occasion. The 8MP resolution gives brilliant enlargements and the price of US$1000 seems to be just right for what’s offered: a camera that does not disappoint the discerning pro.'

Compare prices on the Olympus Evolt E-300 and get the latest Price on the the E-300 at Amazon

Sep 27: Ulead Introduces New Version of PhotoImpact Image Editing Software

Ulead Press Release
Ulead Introduces New Version of PhotoImpact Image Editing Software
TORRANCE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 PhotoImpact 10 Brings Image Editing Software up to the Level of Today's Digital Cameras with Novice-Friendly Professional Quality Tools

Ulead Systems, Inc., a 15-year, industry-leader in digital media software development, announces Ulead(R) PhotoImpact(R) 10, the newest version of PhotoImpact, Ulead's flagship PC image editing software. PhotoImpact 10 continues to be the most comprehensive software product under $100 for digital photography, graphic design and Web graphic/page creation. This latest version offers new tools and layouts to make it easier for novices and casual users to navigate the rich feature set within PhotoImpact, while still providing imaging aficionados with sophisticated creative design tools and effects for professional results. Over the years PhotoImpact has garnered notable reviews and awards in a variety of publications including BusinessWeek, CNET, Entrepreneur, PCPhoto, and Technology & Learning.

“Ulead always takes tremendous pride in the sophistication and power of the features we include in our new releases,” says Lewis Liaw, president of Ulead Systems, North America. “We love to deliver plenty of get-up-and-go under the hood. What's special about PhotoImpact 10 is that we have made equal or even greater strides in making the product easier and more intuitive to use. Digital cameras today are capable of producing images only pros could have just last year. We are very excited to be able to deliver software that lets hobbyists, casual and business users take full advantage of their cameras and achieve professional quality results without having to spend a lot of time or learn complex software.”

Novice-Friendly Tools and Layouts

For beginning and casual users, PhotoImpact 10 now provides a welcome screen to give quick access to key tasks such as scanning, getting photos from a digital camera, browsing an image collection or making photo corrections. A new, novice-friendly Basic Mode dramatically simplifies the program interface with larger, easily recognizable icons and just the right mix of tools to repair and enhance digital photos.

PhotoImpact 10's revamped menu system presents commands in easier to understand categories to make navigating the program more intuitive. Innovative tool panel management with dockable and groupable panels enables users to manage screen real estate effectively for more efficient workflow. Users can now access Ulead's powerful Digital Camera Wizard directly from within the PhotoImpact image editor. A significantly more robust Browse Manager makes browsing photos and processing groups of images faster and more convenient.

Advanced Creative Design Tools

For more advanced users, PhotoImpact 10 now offers new creative design tools such as an enhanced Lasso tool and an Object Extraction Wizard for precise selection of complex objects against low contrast backgrounds. At the same time, a powerful new Touch up tool lets users easily remove undesirable image details, while a new live Histogram Panel displays updated tone distribution information for photos as they are edited.

The enhanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) Engine is unique to PhotoImpact and allows even casual photographers to explore this exciting but previously complex frontier in imaging. By combining bracketed exposures of the same scene, users can extend the perceivable range of light in an image to achieve a level of realism well beyond the capability of traditional photography. The enhanced HDR feature now lets users create photos under a wider range of conditions by painting out unwanted elements from individual photos such as people walking through the scene, moving cars or wind effects.

PhotoImpact 10 also offers a host of new painting and artistic effects including halftone, etching, engraving and contour drawing. Split View, a remarkable new preview mode, lets users interact with effect previews to make finding the right settings significantly easier.

Pricing and Availability

The box and electronic download of PhotoImpact 10 are currently available at http://www.ulead.com for $89.99. Registered PhotoImpact users can upgrade for $49.99.

About PhotoImpact 10

PhotoImpact 10 is a complete image editing suite that lets users enhance digital photos, create stunning graphics and produce high-impact Web pages. The software makes it easy to acquire, enhance digital photos and apply professional digital photography filters and effects. There's no need to purchase additional media management software, PhotoImpact 10 includes Photo Explorer 8.5 to organize and manage images with useful new features such as an Easy Access Window to help beginners access popular tasks, album creation to centralize photo, audio and video files, as well as a convenient Calendar View that allows users to browse photos based on the date they were taken.

At the same time, PhotoImpact provides a wide-range of graphic design options such as painting, drawing and cloning tools, as well as particle, texture and lighting effects, and unique tools to create 2D/3D vector graphics. New multiple node editing gives users more control over their vector-based graphic design. Text and vector graphics may also now include borders for greater design flexibility as well as multiple levels of anti-aliasing.

Of equal importance, PhotoImpact 10 delivers a full set of Web tools for creating Web graphics such as buttons, background and banners as well as interactive JavaScript effects, Web slideshows, and animation. The software can even output completely functional Web pages. To complement the software's Web tools, PhotoImpact 10 comes with GIF Animator 5 for creating Web animation and COOL 360 for generating wide angle and 360 degree panoramas. An extensive ten chapter video tutorial, project lessons and a digital photography handbook complete this product suite.

About Ulead Systems

Ulead Systems, Inc. is a leading developer of innovative video, imaging and graphics software for desktop, server, mobile and Internet platforms. As more people use digital technologies at home, school and the workplace, Ulead software empowers users of all levels with the tools to easily and affordably personalize, manage and share digital content. For more information on the company, its products and services, please visit Ulead's Web site at http://www.ulead.com or call 800-85-ULEAD (800-858-5323).

Sep 27: Olympus FL-36 Flash

Olympus Press Release
COMPACT AND LIGHTWEIGHT OLYMPUS FL-36 FLASH IS DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCE AND PORTABILITY

Latest Electronic Flash Rounds Out “Designed For Digital” Product Offerings and Provides Impressive and Cost-Effective Performance

Melville, New York, Sept 27, 2004 – Olympus America Inc. today introduced the FL-36 Electronic Flash, an external flash unit that joins the existing members of the Olympus electronic flash family. Designed specifically for use with digital cameras, the FL-36 rounds out the comprehensive lineup of “designed for digital” accessories for the E-System Digital SLR cameras and other prosumer models from Olympus. The FL-36 flash offers the robust and full-featured functionality of the larger FL-50 combined with cost effectiveness.

“The FL-36 provides photographers with an additional option from the existing suite of electronic flashes Olympus offers for our E-System Digital SLR cameras and prosumer models like the C-8080 Wide Zoom and C-5060,” said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Olympus America. “As a result of its completely digital framework, the FL-36 achieves a higher level of exposure accuracy than flash units designed for film based cameras.”

The FL-36 Electronic Flash is specifically designed for digital with an accurate 1/8 step illumination control to provide the precision required by digital cameras, while minimizing illumination reduction. The built-in wide-angle diffuser panel will allow the flash to provide even illumination with wide angle lenses like the new Zuiko Digital 14mm-45mm zoom. The inclusion of a lockable bounce and swivel mechanism offers a variety of bounce photography options including left-right, as well as top-bottom in addition to a compact zoom head to accommodate lenses from wide angle to telephoto.

The FL-36 also features a newly designed energy circuit that improves recharge rates and enables the flash to operate on just two AA batteries or one CR-3 Volt lithium. In addition, the FL-36 incorporates an ultra-precision mounting technology communicating with the E-1 and new EVOLT E-300 for control. The FL-36 is compact, lightweight and extremely portable, and is approximately 25% shorter and 35% lighter than the larger FL-50 flash, a significant space and weight savings.

Availability: The FL-36 External Flash will be available in November 2004.

Sep 27: Kodak Delivers on Digital Strategy at Photokina 2004

Kodak Press ReleaseKodak Delivers on Digital Strategy at Photokina 2004
COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 World's Picture Leader Unveils a Broad Array of Innovative Partnerships and Products That Enable Anytime, Anywhere Picture Sharing

Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK), continuing to execute its digitally oriented growth strategy, today announced a broad array of innovative partnerships, products and services that will transform the way people share their lives through pictures -- anytime, anywhere.

Kodak is presenting at Photokina 2004 (Hall 4) a complete digital imaging system that connects picture taking with storing, organizing, sharing and printing. The innovations include an agreement with many of the world's leading digital camera manufacturers, who will design future cameras that fit onto KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Docks. This unprecedented partnership will give more consumers the ability to enjoy prints from the world's fastest-growing seller of snapshot photo printers.

Other Kodak highlights to be found at Photokina, the world's largest imaging fair, include photo-printing enhancements, new digital cameras, wireless printers for the home and at retail, as well as partnerships to improve image quality on digital cameras and other photo capture devices.

"Kodak is committed to providing products and services that allow customers to more easily share their lives through photography, and to providing our retail partners with new ways to increase their business," said Daniel A. Carp, Kodak's chairman and chief executive officer. "The products and partnerships we are introducing at Photokina are another demonstration of Kodak's innovation and strong commitment to extending its leadership into the digital century."

Simplifying At-Home Picture Printing

Building upon the global success of KODAK EASYSHARE printer docks, Kodak -- along with a group of other major consumer digital camera manufacturers -- announced a new specification designed to simplify at-home picture printing. Millions of consumer digital cameras from Kodak, Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Ricoh, and Sanyo will use the IMAGELINK print system to provide effortless, one-touch printing from KODAK EASYSHARE printer docks.

Using the IMAGELINK print system, people will be able to dock their cameras and then press a single button to make snapshot-sized (4x6-inch, or 3.5 x 5-inch) pictures in as little as 60 seconds. The first cameras and printer docks supporting the IMAGELINK print system -- all of which will incorporate a new, small 26-pin connector -- are expected to be available worldwide beginning in the first quarter of 2005.

Anytime, Anywhere Photo Printing Solutions

Kodak is offering a complete range of new and enhanced products and services that provide new image sharing and printing experiences to the increasing number of camera phone owners. At home, on the street, at work, at retail or on holidays anywhere around the world, camera phone owners can instantly and wirelessly give and get access to their images by choosing the most appropriate Kodak solution.

At home, the new KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Dock Plus quickly and effortlessly makes real KODAK 4x6-inch pictures from nearly any digital source at just the touch of a button, in as little as 60 seconds each. People can wirelessly transmit pictures from their camera phones to the Printer Dock Plus, which also prints directly from digital cameras and memory cards - all without the need for a computer. Thanks to KODAK Color Science technology, the Printer Dock Plus delivers pictures with vibrant, accurate colors--including hard-to-reproduce skin tones. In addition, a new auto enhance button instantly corrects for underexposed (dark) shots, a common occurrence in low-light situations with phone cams and when using digital cameras beyond their flash ranges.

Outside their home, camera phone users can easily enjoy instant printing at retail locations throughout the world with the new KODAK Picture Maker G3 kiosks. Through KODAK Mobile Service (http://www.kodakmobile.com) Kodak offers camera phone users anytime, anywhere access to all their digital photos and phone-captured video.

Improving Image Quality

A critical component in any digital imaging device, the image sensor acts as the "eye" of a digital camera by converting light into electric charges to begin the capture process. Kodak and IBM recently announced a multi-year agreement that will leverage Kodak's broad portfolio of image sensor technology and IBM's leading-edge complementary metal oxide sensor (CMOS) processing expertise to allow Kodak to commercialize a new family of CMOS image sensor (CIS) devices. This powerful combination, another milestone in Kodak's effort to accelerate the growth of its digital business, will enable Kodak to supply sensors that offer higher performance, improved image quality and more innovative features than current CIS devices.

Professional Quality Output

Kodak introduced two new output options for professional and advanced amateur photographers to produce high-quality pictures at home and through a professional lab.

The new KODAK PROFESSIONAL 1400 Digital Photo Printer is an affordable system for professional and advanced amateur photographers that delivers outstanding quality and durability of KODAK prints immediately at home, in studio or on location. Part of the venerable family of KODAK PROFESSIONAL thermal printers, the new Kodak printer features 90-second print time, gloss and matte finish output capabilities and carries a suggested list price of $499 U.S.

To help photographers and professional labs worldwide reach the highest print quality possible, Kodak and Durst Phototechnik AG announced an agreement to work more closely in the field of photographic output devices and media.

New Kodak EasyShare Digital Cameras

In addition to the EASYSHARE Printer Dock Plus, Kodak presented several other products, including extensions of the popular EASYSHARE digital camera line with the new DX7590 (10X optical zoom, 5 megapixels) camera.

Continued Commitment to Traditional Photography

Kodak also underscored its commitment to traditional photography with the introduction of new 35 mm cameras designed for emerging markets and improved professional films for the advanced amateur market.

The new KODAK EC100 35 and KODAK EC300 35 cameras provide the millions of people in emerging markets with an easy, affordable entry into traditional photography. At the same time, Kodak is also introducing a stylish and affordable range of CAMEO 35 mm cameras. CAMEO cameras are sophisticated, sleek and include Kodak's unique flip flash that efficiently reduces red-eye by separating the flash from the lens.

Kodak also introduced an improved line of KODAK PROFESSIONAL ELITE Color Films for the advanced amateur market. The ELITE Color films, now available in 200 and 400-speeds, offer vibrant color saturation and exceptional skin tones, making them the ideal choice for a range of applications including landscape, nature, wildlife and family/lifestyle.

"Our products and services demonstrate that Kodak has a strategic, comprehensive plan to continue to support traditional photographers and to lead consumers and retailers into the exciting world of digital imaging so people can enjoy photography anytime, anywhere," Carp said.

About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging

Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images -- for memories, for information, for entertainment. The company is a major participant in infoimaging, a $385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras and flat-panel displays), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images) and services & media (software, film and paper enabling people to access, analyze and print images). With sales of $13.3 billion in 2003, the company comprises several businesses: Health, supplying the healthcare industry with traditional and digital image capture and output products and services; Graphic Communications Group, offering on-demand color printing and networking publishing systems consisting of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Encad, Inc., NexPress Solutions, and Kodak Versamark; Commercial Imaging, offering image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and government; Display & Components, which designs and manufactures state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays as well as other specialty materials, and delivers imaging sensors to original equipment manufacturers; and Digital & Film Imaging Systems, providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services. For more information visit: http://www.kodak.com.

Kodak, Kodak Professional, ImageLink, EasyShare, Elite and Cameo are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.

Sep 27: Renesas releases World's Fastest 4-Gigabit AG-AND Type Flash Memory

Renesas Technology Releases World's Fastest 4-Gigabit AG-AND Type Flash Memory for Multimedia Products That Require Large Storage Capacity and Fast Recording Speeds
SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Renesas Technology America, Inc. (NYSE:HIT)--

-- The device -- the first Renesas Technology chip built with a 90-nanometer process -- attains a programming speed of 10 Megabytes/second, fast enough to record a 2-hour movie in about two minutes using MPEG-4 coding.

Renesas Technology America, Inc. today announced two 4-Gigabit (4Gbit) AG-AND type flash memories that deliver the world's fastest programming speed: 10 Megabytes/sec. The R1FV04G13R (512Mbit x 8-bit) and R1FV04G14R (256Mbit x 16-bit) devices enable users to record large volumes of data faster, including movies, moving pictures and similar multimedia content, as well as computer data files. For example, in approximately two minutes, one of these flash chips can store an entire two-hour movie, formatted using MPEG-4 coding.

Renesas Technology expects that the devices' capacity and speed will prove invaluable for large-capacity storage media for familiar high-end digital still cameras and silicon movie devices. Beyond those applications, the new memory devices will greatly expand the range of products that employ flash memory as a storage medium. They will make it possible to use mobile terminals and digital home appliances for activities and applications that previously had to be performed on systems such as PCs. For mobile terminals, for instance, they make storage capacities of several Gigabytes conveniently accessible via a high-speed interface such as USB2.0 to products such as silicon audio recorders/players.

“These new 4-Gbit flash memory ICs showcase the substantial benefits of our advanced design and process capabilities,” said Sudeep Sharma, vice president, geographic account business unit at Renesas Technology America, Inc. “They're the first chips to use our 90nm fabrication process. That process, combined with an improved AG-AND flash memory cell that uses assist gates (AGs) to prevent inter-cell interference, results in the world's smallest die size among currently commercially developed 4-Gbit flash memory devices. Compared to our 1-Gbit flash memory device, the total chip area of the new 4-Gbit flash chips is nearly two-thirds smaller on a per-Gbit basis. That's a significant achievement.”

Meeting market needs for higher flash capacities, faster speeds

High-density flash memory is beginning to permeate our lives as a bridge to digital storage medium, especially in mobile applications, and the new 4Gbit flash chips are ideal for flash cards and the USB storage devices. They will enable next-generation flash-based products that can store large multimedia files and have the higher programming speeds necessary for handling data downloads. One chip can accommodate about 160 minutes of MPEG-4 moving picture data, approximately 130 tracks of MP3 music data, or nearly 500 4-Megapixel digital camera photographs.

Besides fast speed and high capacity, the 4Gbit flash memory devices have several other features that aid system designers. A power-on read function allows up to 2Kbytes of data to be read when the system is powered on, just by controlling two pins: /CE and /RE. This eliminates the need for the CPU to generate a command or address input. They include a cache programming function for the next 2Kbytes of data, a maximum of two times (4Kbytes), while the device is being programmed. This makes it easier for the system to allocate bus operation to another task. Another built-in function performs a one-time input of up to the next 2Kbytes of data while the device is being erased. Also, the R1FV04G13R and R1FV04G14R devices are compatible with NAND-type flash memory at the command levels. Thus, they can be used in systems currently employing NAND-type flash memory, with minimum software modification.

Sep 27: Kodak Professional 1400 Digital Photo Printer

Lets Go Digital have just posted about the release of a new digital photo printer from Kodak - the Kodak Professional 1400.

The Kodak Professional 1400 features:
'• 90 seconds per print
• Gloss and matte finish output available for professional portrait applications
• 50-sheet paper capacity in / out
• Accepts A4, 22 x 36 cm and 22 x 30 cm paper sizes (full size A4)
• Maximum Image size - 21 x 30 cm
• USB 2.0 interfaces
• APPLE and WINDOWS printer drivers'

Sep 27: Konica Minolta, Fuji and Kodak form Picture ARchiving and Sharing Standard - PASS

Press Release
Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and Eastman Kodak Company, Form Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) Group

Defines Picture and Video Storage Parameters to Optimize Future Consumer Use; Input Sought on Version 1.0 Specification

COLOGNE, Germany, September 27 — Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Inc. Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., and Eastman Kodak Company, today announced an agreement to jointly develop a set of open storage standards for the consumer imaging and electronics industries, aimed at the preservation of digital photos and motion images on CDs, DVDs or other media. As information storage technologies advance, the Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) group’s intention is to enable digital file compatibility with future playback devices, preserving the satisfying ‘photo experience’ that consumers have enjoyed for decades.

  The group intends that the new standard will:
- Define the requirements of digital media authoring/archival, playback, and print enablement for a new generation of products and services;
- Provide interoperability for pictures, motion images, audio and related content among such future systems;
- And utilize and unify multiple existing standards, to better meet the consumers desire to easily store, organize, print and share for generations to come.

Konica Minolta, Fujifilm, and Kodak have previously worked together on standards to make traditional photofinishing ubiquitous. In much the same way that today's consumer can get nearly any brand of film processed at any location, the PASS group wants to ensure that digital images can be retrieved from any digital device or storage medium.

“The standard created by the PASS group will not only satisfy consumers by simplifying picture and video experiences through device interoperability, but will also benefit the entire digital imaging industry. ” stated Tsuyoshi Miyachi, President and Chief Executive Officer Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.

“For instance, retail photofinishers and consumer electronics companies, such as manufacturers of DVD players, will be able to utilize the standard for expanded business opportunities. ”

“We’re looking at this from a consumer’s perspective,” stated Hisatoyo Kato, Director, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Business Development Division, Fuji Photo Film Co, Ltd. “People need to be confident that their pictures and videos will be readily available to enjoy and share in future decades. With all the different devices and systems that touch those digital files, and with the speed of technological change, creating a standard focused on such future interoperability is critical.”

“It’s really quite simple — we want to make it easy for people to enjoy their pictures not only today, but also in the future,” said Ben Gibson, chief technical officer, Digital & Film Imaging Systems, Eastman Kodak Company. “With the incredible growth of consumer digital photography; the intersection of the imaging, consumer electronics and computer industries; and myriad existing specifications, a more clear-cut storage standards pathway is needed to ensure long-term customer satisfaction.”

The companies encourage industry input, and currently developing a formal process to solicit feedback from interested parties. Version 1.0 of the specification and the software development kit are expected to be available early next year. For additional information, contact Yutaka Ueda of Konica Minolta Photo Imaging,Inc.(ytk.kmpi@konicaminolta.jp), Tatsuo Heki of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (thfpf@tokyo.fujifilm.co.jp), Mike Graham of Eastman Kodak Company (michael.graham@kodak.com).

Sep 27: Lexar Revolutionizes Professional Digital Photography Workflow with New ActiveMemory System

Lexar Press ReleaseLexar Revolutionizes Professional Digital Photography Workflow with New ActiveMemory System
COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, Booth-058) introduced the ActiveMemory(TM) System, a technology designed to optimize digital photography workflow to achieve enhanced productivity in and out of the photo studio. The first products to support the ActiveMemory System are certain Professional CompactFlash(TM) cards, new Lexar Professional FireWire and USB 2.0 card readers, and Photo Mechanic(TM) 4.5 professional image browsing software.

At the center of the ActiveMemory System are ActiveMemory-enabled Professional CompactFlash cards that can store user preferences and host device settings in a protected area on the card. These settings can only be modified by the host application that created them and can be used to auto-configure multiple ActiveMemory-enabled products within the system. These settings are preserved even when the card is formatted or other data files on the card are deleted, because the ActiveMemory data is stored outside the standard DOS file structure on the card.

“Imagine a card that contains its owner's name and image preferences,” said John Omvik, director of professional product marketing, Lexar. “Images downloaded from the card can be automatically appended with the photographer's copyright information, search keywords and caption information. In the future, photographers can also have confidence knowing that the camera is configured the way they expect, because their preferred settings are automatically loaded when the card is inserted in an ActiveMemory-enabled camera.”

While many cameras and software applications already allow users to save favorite settings, storing this information on a memory card is unique because it allows for the immediate transfer of established information and improves multi-user or multi-device working environments.

ActiveMemory Software Applications

Photo Mechanic 4.5, an upcoming version of Photo Mechanic professional image browsing software, will feature ActiveMemory technology that allows users to store download preferences and IPTC captioning, including copyright information and database keywords. When an ActiveMemory-enabled card is inserted in the new Lexar Professional CompactFlash reader, Photo Mechanic automatically launches and begins to download the images on the card. During the download process the IPTC information is automatically appended to each image.

ActiveMemory will enable photographers to change the sequence of traditional workflow by eliminating redundant and repetitive manual tasks like captioning, adding search keywords and copyright information from the post-processing stage.

ActiveMemory Camera Applications

Digital cameras can also use the ActiveMemory technology to store user preferences and other camera-specific set-up parameters, such as CSM settings, on the card. This information can be used to quickly configure a camera to a known and trusted state, or for specific shooting conditions.

Today's professional digital SLR cameras are feature-rich with multiple pages of menu and set-up options. While this provides professionals with maximum flexibility, it can also increase the possibility for user error. This is particularly true when cameras are shared among multiple photographers or with rental equipment. Users of ActiveMemory-enabled cameras will be able to plug in the card and be confident that the camera is ready to go the way they expect it.

“For professional photographers, there is nothing worse than losing a shot,” said Kevin Gilbert, professional photojournalist and president of Blue Pixel. “But it is even more frustrating when it could have been avoided because the photographer or his editor was unaware that critical settings were changed on the camera. ActiveMemory-enabled cameras will give all photographers peace of mind, knowing that their preferred settings are stored on their cards and established on their camera. It will help us so much in the field.”

The Future of ActiveMemory

ActiveMemory technology will have other applications beyond professional digital photography. Any software or host application that uses flash memory and can benefit from automating or configuring tasks, based on reading software settings or user preferences that reside in a protected area on a memory card, could benefit from this technology.

ActiveMemory-enabled CompactFlash cards, card readers and Photo Mechanic 4.5, will be available in Q4 2004. For more information, specifications and a white paper, please visit http://www.lexar.com/activememory.

About Lexar Media, Inc.

Lexar is a leading marketer and manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, card readers and ATA controller technology for the digital photography, consumer electronics, industrial and communications markets. The company holds over 76 issued or allowed controller and system patents, and licenses its technology to companies including Olympus, Samsung Electronics, SanDisk Corporation and Sony. For more information, please call 1-800-789-9418 or visit http://www.lexar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements related to the benefits of and consumer demand for Lexar Media's products and the growth opportunities available to Lexar Media. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. These risks include that the growth and success of our business depends on our ability to achieve and maintain technology leadership, and sell and market products that are commercially accepted. Readers should also refer to the risk factors described in our filings with the SEC, including our most recently filed Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. We assume no obligation to update the information in this release.

Lexar and the Lexar logo are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. Lexar Media, Inc. is an authorized licensee of the CompactFlash trademark. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Sep 27: Lexar's Multi-Card Readers Enhanced to Include Newest Digital Media Card Formats

Lexar Press Release
Lexar's Multi-Card Readers Enhanced to Include Newest Digital Media Card Formats
COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Consumers Can Capitalize on Wide Compatibility That Now Includes Consumer-Friendly Reduced-Size MMC, Mini Secure Digital and Memory Stick Duo

Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, B-058), announced the expanding compatibility of its line of USB 2.0 multi-card readers to include Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), Mini Secure Digital (miniSD) and Memory Stick Duo flash memory card formats to address the demand of consumers looking for readers compatible with the widest range of media cards. By adding a new multi-card reader to its line, and updating its single slot card reader, Lexar delivers valuable functionality to consumers who store important images, music and other data on a variety of media card formats.

Sep 27: Adobe Unifies Raw Photo Formats with Introduction of Digital Negative Specification

Adobe Press Release
Adobe Unifies Raw Photo Formats with Introduction of Digital Negative Specification
SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Free Converter Tool Kick Starts New Digital Negative File Format by Translating Raw Formats into Easy-to-Use, Archive-Ready Files

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced the Digital Negative Specification, a new unified public format for raw digital camera files. The company also launched a free software tool, Adobe DNG Converter, which translates many of today's popular raw photo formats into the new .DNG file format, compliant with the Digital Negative Specification.

Adobe Press Release continued below...

==================================

Luminous Landscapes has a good article on the Adobe Digital Negative Converter (announced below by Adobe in press release following).

Phototalk has a good introduction to the new .DNG format

=========================

Raw files, which contain the original information captured by a camera sensor prior to any in-camera processing, have become popular due to their promise of greater flexibility and image quality. Until today there has been no standard format for these files, which vary between manufacturers and individual cameras. The Digital Negative Specification solves this problem by introducing a single format that can store information from a diverse range of cameras. Technology leaders, major customers, and professional photographers today also endorsed the new specification (see separate quote sheet).

“Professional photographers and other creative professionals are moving to raw camera workflows because of the outstanding creative control they get over digital images,” said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital Imaging and Digital Video products at Adobe. “However, clients and publishers have difficulty working with disparate raw file formats and nobody can be sure that today's raw formats will be supported ten years from now. Adobe customers asked us to work on a unified, public format for raw files and that's what we've delivered with the new Digital Negative Specification.”

Serious photographers want to store raw files in long-term image archives, because -- unlike standard JPEG's and TIFF's -- these files represent the pure, unaltered capture. Current raw formats are unsuitable for archiving because they are generally undocumented and tied to specific camera models, introducing the risk that the format will not be supported over time. The unified and publicly documented Digital Negative Specification ensures that digital photographs can be preserved in original form for future generations. The new .DNG file format also simplifies digital imaging workflows for creative professionals who today have to juggle multiple file formats as they bring raw images, from different cameras, into print and cross-media publishing projects.

New Specification Built on Existing Standards

The Digital Negative Specification is based on the TIFF EP format, an accepted standard, and already the basis of many proprietary raw formats. The power of .DNG format lies in a set of metadata that must be included in the file to describe key details about the camera and settings. .DNG-compliant software and hardware can adapt on the fly to handle new cameras as they are introduced. The new file format unifies conflicting raw formats, enabling the preservation of a pristine version of the original raw image and the metadata associated with it. .DNG is also flexible enough to allow camera manufacturers to continue to add their own “private” metadata fields.

The Digital Negative Specification is being posted to the Adobe Web site free of any legal restrictions or royalties, enabling integration of the .DNG file format into digital cameras, printers, and software products. By adopting .DNG, camera manufacturers eliminate the need to develop new formats, simplify product testing and ensure new cameras have a raw format immediately compatible with tools such as Adobe Photoshop CS and Adobe Creative Suite. The .DNG format is immediately supported in Adobe Photoshop CS as part of an updated Camera Raw Plug-in, also introduced today (see separate release). Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 also supports .DNG files.

DNG Converter Available Today

Kick-starting the adoption of .DNG, Adobe DNG Converter is available today as a free download at: http://www.adobe.com/dng. This translates raw formats from more than 65 cameras, including recent models such as Canon PowerShot S60, Epson RD-1, Fujifilm FinePix S20 Pro, and Nikon Coolpix 5400, into the new .DNG file format.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe helps people and businesses communicate better through its world-leading digital imaging, design and document technology platforms for consumers, creative professionals and enterprises. Adobe's revenue in its last fiscal year exceeded $1.2 billion. For more information about Adobe, http://www.adobe.com.

(C) 2004 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Sep 27: Adobe Photoshop Services Introduced

Adobe Press Release
Adobe Photoshop Services Introduced; Integrates Ofoto Picture Sharing and Printing in Consumer Software Products

SAN JOSE, Calif. & COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Tight Integration With Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 and Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 Provides Simple Way to Share Pictures and Order Prints and Specialty Photo Products

Two of the world's leading imaging companies, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) and Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Services provided by Ofoto, Inc. -- Kodak's online photo service subsidiary. Adobe Photoshop Services are now integrated into Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 software for Windows(R) and Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 software for Windows -- bringing consumers high-quality KODAK prints, online sharing and photo merchandise directly from the software.

With Adobe Photoshop Services people can save time by placing online orders with Ofoto from within their image editing and organization applications, with just a few clicks. Customers also can create beautiful professionally bound, archival-quality Photo Books within Photoshop Elements 3.0 and Photoshop Album 2.0, and then send the entire project to Ofoto to be printed and delivered to their door, or sent as a gift directly to friends and family.

Announced earlier this month and available this fall, Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Windows is a milestone upgrade to the No.1 best selling image editing software* for consumers worldwide. Available immediately, Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 is Adobe's award-winning software product for snap-shooters who want a fast and easy way to share a lifetime of photos. Current Photoshop Album 2.0 customers will be automatically upgraded to Adobe Photoshop Services via an online software update available in October in the U.S.

“We are thrilled about this alliance with Adobe given its leadership in imaging software and its recognition among photo hobbyists,” said Lisa Gansky, general manager, Digital Imaging Services, Eastman Kodak Company. “The elegant integration of Ofoto into the Photoshop family of products makes it even easier for millions of Adobe's customers to effortlessly experience Kodak's outstanding products and services, share their favorite photos, order KODAK prints and make beautiful photo gifts.”

“We chose Ofoto because we wanted our Photoshop Elements and Photoshop Album customers to have access to world-class online print services that do justice to their most precious pictures,” said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital Imaging and Digital Video products at Adobe. “Adobe Photoshop is the trusted software brand for millions of digital photographers worldwide and by partnering with Kodak and Ofoto we are certain that reputation will now extend to our new online services business, Adobe Photoshop Services.”

Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop Services will be available first in the U.S. in mid-October from within Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Windows and Photoshop Album 2.0, followed by services delivered in Europe by the end of 2004. Customers can purchase high-quality prints at low prices: 4x6 prints for US$0.29, 5x7 prints for US$0.99 and 8x10 prints for US$3.99. Poster size and wallet sheet prints are also available. Professionally bound photo books make great affordable keepsakes and holiday gifts starting at US$29.99.

Shipping in October, Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Windows XP (Home, Professional with Service Pack 1 or Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4) has an estimated street price of US$99.99 and is available for pre-order today at http://www.adobe.com and http://www.amazon.com.

About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging

Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images -- for memories, for information, for entertainment. The company is a major participant in infoimaging, a $385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras and flat-panel displays), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images) and services & media (software, film and paper enabling people to access, analyze and print images). With sales of $13.3 billion in 2003, the company comprises several businesses: Health, supplying the healthcare industry with traditional and digital image capture and output products and services; Graphic Communications Group, offering on-demand color printing and networking publishing systems consisting of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Encad, Inc., NexPress Solutions, and Kodak Versamark; Commercial Imaging, offering image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and government; Display & Components, which designs and manufactures state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays as well as other specialty materials, and delivers imaging sensors to original equipment manufacturers; and Digital & Film Imaging Systems, providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe helps people and businesses communicate better through its world-leading digital imaging, design and document technology platforms for consumers, creative professionals and enterprises. Adobe's revenue in its last fiscal year exceeded $1.2 billion. For more information about Adobe, visit http://www.adobe.com.

* Source: The NPD Group/NPD Techworld, September 2003 - May 2004

(C) 2004 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Kodak is a trademark of Eastman Kodak Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Sep 27: Prevtec DV6430

Prevtec Press Release
Pretec DV6403: World's Lightest 4mp MPEG4 Digital Camcorder
COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Pretec Electronics Corp. (Hall 14.1, Booth #C-046), the leading digital imaging and memory card provider, demonstrates DV6403, a new generation of VGA MPEG4 digital camcorder with 4 mega pixel digital still camera here at Photokina 2004, Cologne, Germany.

Pretec has been pioneering the world's 1st 2 MegaPixel DSC & MPEG4 tapeless digital camcorder with 30 fps VHS TV quality, available in the market since early 2003; and now further increasing the resolution up to 400% better, making the moving picture quality DVD-like as appeared to the consumer's eyes. Pretec DV6403, a CCD 4 mega-pixel digital still camera and 30fps VGA quality MPEG4 digital camcorder with 3X optical zoom and 4X digital zoom, weighs only 200 grams, is the world's lightest and most compact high performance digital camcorder in its class. Not only using compressed video format of SP (Simple Profile), DV6403 can also adopt ASP (Advanced Simple Profile), enabling high quality and high-definition video experience to even savvy users.

With bundled or optional Pretec SD/MMC card, users can enjoy more than 2 hours of high quality video. Pretec 1GB SD/MMC is the largest capacity SD/MMC in the market today and with write speed of 18MB/s (rated 120X), Pretec MMC 4.0 card is the fastest flash memory card on earth. Priced at $399, Pretec DV6403 will start delivery by Q4/2004.

About Pretec

Pretec(TM) Electronics Corp. (http://www.pretec.com) is a pioneer of flash memory card and digital imaging products since 1993. Pretec offers a complete spectrum of small form factor memory cards and card readers such as ATA/CF card, IDE & Mini-IDE Flash Drive (MIDE(TM)), SmartMedia(TM), MultiMedia Card(TM), and SD Card for the digital imaging, mobile computing, and Military/Industrial Control markets. Pretec has consistently demonstrated the highest capacity CF cards in the world; such as 80MB, 128MB, 160MB, 320MB, 640MB, 1.5GB, 2GB, 3GB, 6GB and 12GB CF card at various locations around the world for the past six years.

CompactI/O(TM) card invented by Pretec in 1997 makes the expansion of IA devices (DSC, PDA, etc.) beyond storage and extend to communication and multimedia. After years of providing volume digital cameras and services to major OEM partners, Pretec launched the world's 1st "Personal Digital Appliance" DC-530, a multifunction of DSC, USB PC Camera, MP3 Player and Voice Recorder in 1999. The tapeless MPEG4 digital camcorder with VHS TV quality at 30fps from Pretec in 2003 is a revolutionary product in the industry, another world's #1 from Pretec.

-- Note: MIDE(TM), CompactI/O(TM), CompactModem(TM), and CompactLAN(TM) are trademarks of Pretec Electronics Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned herein are recognized as the property of their respective holders.

Sep 27: Lexar's New ActiveMemory System

Lexar Press Release
Lexar Revolutionizes Professional Digital Photography Workflow with New ActiveMemory System
COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Lexar Media, Inc. , a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, Booth-058) introduced the ActiveMemory(TM) System, a technology designed to optimize digital photography workflow to achieve enhanced productivity in and out of the photo studio. The first products to support the ActiveMemory System are certain Professional CompactFlash(TM) cards, new Lexar Professional FireWire and USB 2.0 card readers, and Photo Mechanic(TM) 4.5 professional image browsing software.

At the center of the ActiveMemory System are ActiveMemory-enabled Professional CompactFlash cards that can store user preferences and host device settings in a protected area on the card. These settings can only be modified by the host application that created them and can be used to auto-configure multiple ActiveMemory-enabled products within the system. These settings are preserved even when the card is formatted or other data files on the card are deleted, because the ActiveMemory data is stored outside the standard DOS file structure on the card.

"Imagine a card that contains its owner's name and image preferences," said John Omvik, director of professional product marketing, Lexar. "Images downloaded from the card can be automatically appended with the photographer's copyright information, search keywords and caption information. In the future, photographers can also have confidence knowing that the camera is configured the way they expect, because their preferred settings are automatically loaded when the card is inserted in an ActiveMemory-enabled camera."

While many cameras and software applications already allow users to save favorite settings, storing this information on a memory card is unique because it allows for the immediate transfer of established information and improves multi-user or multi-device working environments.

ActiveMemory Software Applications

Photo Mechanic 4.5, an upcoming version of Photo Mechanic professional image browsing software, will feature ActiveMemory technology that allows users to store download preferences and IPTC captioning, including copyright information and database keywords. When an ActiveMemory-enabled card is inserted in the new Lexar Professional CompactFlash reader, Photo Mechanic automatically launches and begins to download the images on the card. During the download process the IPTC information is automatically appended to each image.

ActiveMemory will enable photographers to change the sequence of traditional workflow by eliminating redundant and repetitive manual tasks like captioning, adding search keywords and copyright information from the post-processing stage.

ActiveMemory Camera Applications

Digital cameras can also use the ActiveMemory technology to store user preferences and other camera-specific set-up parameters, such as CSM settings, on the card. This information can be used to quickly configure a camera to a known and trusted state, or for specific shooting conditions.

Today's professional digital SLR cameras are feature-rich with multiple pages of menu and set-up options. While this provides professionals with maximum flexibility, it can also increase the possibility for user error. This is particularly true when cameras are shared among multiple photographers or with rental equipment. Users of ActiveMemory-enabled cameras will be able to plug in the card and be confident that the camera is ready to go the way they expect it.

"For professional photographers, there is nothing worse than losing a shot," said Kevin Gilbert, professional photojournalist and president of Blue Pixel. "But it is even more frustrating when it could have been avoided because the photographer or his editor was unaware that critical settings were changed on the camera. ActiveMemory-enabled cameras will give all photographers peace of mind, knowing that their preferred settings are stored on their cards and established on their camera. It will help us so much in the field."

The Future of ActiveMemory

ActiveMemory technology will have other applications beyond professional digital photography. Any software or host application that uses flash memory and can benefit from automating or configuring tasks, based on reading software settings or user preferences that reside in a protected area on a memory card, could benefit from this technology.

ActiveMemory-enabled CompactFlash cards, card readers and Photo Mechanic 4.5, will be available in Q4 2004. For more information, specifications and a white paper, please visit http://www.lexar.com/activememory.

About Lexar Media, Inc.

Lexar is a leading marketer and manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, card readers and ATA controller technology for the digital photography, consumer electronics, industrial and communications markets. The company holds over 76 issued or allowed controller and system patents, and licenses its technology to companies including Olympus, Samsung Electronics, SanDisk Corporation and Sony. For more information, please call 1-800-789-9418 or visit http://www.lexar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements related to the benefits of and consumer demand for Lexar Media's products and the growth opportunities available to Lexar Media. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. These risks include that the growth and success of our business depends on our ability to achieve and maintain technology leadership, and sell and market products that are commercially accepted. Readers should also refer to the risk factors described in our filings with the SEC, including our most recently filed Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. We assume no obligation to update the information in this release.

Lexar and the Lexar logo are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. Lexar Media, Inc. is an authorized licensee of the CompactFlash trademark. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Sep 27: Fujifilm 1 GByte xD-Picture Card Announced

Fujifilm Press Release
Product Range of Memory Cards expanded: Now also available as MMC Card
1 GByte xD-Picture Card announced

The Fujifilm company product range of memory cards now includes the MMC-card. With capacities from 64 MByte up to 1 GByte the new storage media is especially used in cell phones and PDAs. More and more manufacturers of cell phones like Siemens and Nokia go for the reliable and versatile Multimedia Card. The MM-cards of Fujifilm are fully compatible with these new cell phones.There will be another xD-Picture Card added to this series, too: During the first quarter of 2005 the xD-Picture Card is said to be available with a capacity of 1 GByte. Further memory sizes: 64, 128, 256 and 512 MByte. In addition to the MMC- and xD-Picture Card series Fujifilm offers the following storage media: Compact Flash, Microdrive, Smart Media as well as the SD-Card. All Fujifilm memory cards are trend setters with regard to stability, speed and energy efficiency.

A survey on the product range of memory cards:xD-Picture Card: 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 MByteMMC-Karte: 64, 128, 256, 512 MByte, 1 GByteCompact Flash: 64, 128, 256, 512 MByte, 1 GByte, 2 GByte, 4 GByteMicrodrive: 2, 4 GByteSD-Karte: 64, 128, 256, 512 MByte, 1 GByteSmart Media: 64, 128 MByteD¸sseldorf, September 27th, 2004

For further information contact: www.fujifilm.de/presse.html

Sep 26: Carl Zeiss predicts 10 megapixel camera phones

"Camera lens company Carl Zeiss has partnered with Dialog Semiconductor to built what they claim is the next generation of miniature cameras for mobile phones. Their first joint project is a camera module for phones that measures smaller than a pea, yet, they claim, delivers "a very high image quality". The companies plan to start selling the modules to phone manufacturers soon."

Read more at infoSync World : Carl Zeiss predicts 10 megapixel camera phones

Sep 25: Best Digital Cameras for Real Estate Interior Shots

Photoxels has a good feature on the best digital cameras for Real Estate interior shots. They write:

"Taking interior shots of houses and commercial buildings for real estate purposes poses a number of challenges:

- Most consumer digital cameras have a lens with focal lengths starting at 35mm, which does not cover a wide enough angle to show off an interior properly
- The interior may not be lighted well enough
- These two challenges can be addressed a number of ways:
- Take a number of panoramic shots and later stitch them together
- Add professional studio lights

The above solutions are not very practical for the majority of real estate sales agents and interior designers who need an easier and less time consuming alternative...."

Read more at Best Digital Cameras for Real Estate Interior Shots

Sep 24: Delkin High Capacity CompactFlash Memory Cards

Delkin Press Release
DELKIN LAUNCHES HIGH CAPACITY 2GB & 4 GB PRO MEMORY CARDS

Delkin Devices Inc., maker of premium quality eFilm memory cards and other innovative products for camera stores worldwide, today announced some major new additions to its high-speed eFilm PRO Card line. The new eFilm CompactFlash (CF) PRO Cards for high-end SLR digital cameras.

High-capacities of 2 & 4 Gigabytes now join the existing PRO Card capacities of 128MB, 256MB, 320MB, 512MB & 1GB.

Delkin PRO cards are Delkin's premium series of memory cards designed to quench the professional photographer's thirst for speed. The Delkin eFilm CF PRO Cards are solid-state, and designed to be fast and durable for extensive shooting in the most extreme conditions.

To achieve this standard in quality, Delkin developed an innovative new technology called DQD (patent pending). The eFilm PRO cards are the only product on the market currently with DQD technology. DQD is a design and quality verification process that improves the performance of CF cards and is a Delkin exclusive. Innovative ideas like DQD enable Delkin to offer the best warranty in the business.

All Delkin PRO cards, as well as Delkin's consumer line of Digital Memory Cards, are backed with a lifetime warranty.

With prices on the street expected to be significantly lower, the eFilm PRO cards are among the most affordable professional grade memory cards available.

The SRP for the Delkin Compact Flash PRO:

- 1GB at £139.99

- 2GB is £ 239.99

- 4GB is £479.99

Delkin's eFilm PRO cards have become the memory card of choice for many of today's most well-known and respected professional photographers such as Douglas Kirkland, Monte Zucker, John Paul Caponigro and Arthur Morris.

The company continues to be one of the leading US manufacturers for memory upgrades whose success has been the result of providing a broad range of products with premium quality, innovative designs and an ongoing dedication to superior customer service.

Sep 23: Nokia Remote Camera

The Nokia Remote Camera helps you keep an eye - and an ear - on things. Install it indoors or outdoors, in your home or cottage, warehouse or office. When it detects motion, it snaps a photo (megapixel resolution) and sends it as an MMS to your phone or to an email address. It's peace of mind in a compact device.

 Remote Camera:
- Sends images and video clips on request, at set times, or automatically on detecting motion
- Megapixel (1152x864) camera also takes night pictures using its infrared light source
- Integrated motion and temperature detector
- Captures video clips with sound
- One-way audio connection: call in and listen
- Wireless connection to mobile phone or email
- Remote control with a compatible mobile phone
- Transceiver operates on GSM 900/1800 networks
- Built-in back-up battery

Available: Planned availability in the 4th quarter of 2004

Sep 23: Apacer Share Steno CD211

Apacer Press Release
Apacer introduces Share Steno CD211 - the world's first stand-alone 2-way portable USB storage device with USB2.0 OTG and LCD panel

(Taipei) The world's first two-way portable USB storage device equipped with USB2.0 on-the-go interface, and LCD panel will be available from your local Apacer dealer this September. The Share Steno CD211 is specially designed for travelers, professional photographers, users of USB storage devices, and users who need an external hard drive.

“Users don't want to worry about the capacity of their digital camera's memory card when on a trip, especially if they don't want to carry a laptop computer all the time,” says Lawrence Lo, vice president of Apacer, “the Share Steno CD211 is a stand-alone, two-way portable USB storage device that uses a standard 2.5” hard disk, and allows users to connect directly to a digital camera, MP3 player, flash drive, card reader or other USB devices, and quickly and easily save their pictures, music, or other files.“

According to Lawrence Lo, vice president at Apacer, the Share Steno CD211 allows users to copy data from and to various USB storage devices without connecting to a PC. For example, from the memory card on a digital camera to the Share Steno CD211, or users can transfer music files from the Share Steno CD211 to an MP3 player, as if it was an MP3 library with super capacity!

The USB2.0 OTG (on-the-go) interface allows the Share Steno CD211 to detect USB devices automatically and users to copy data to and from the device, copy or delete selected files, create new folders and file management without connecting to a PC, thanks to the golden-backlit LCD panel that allows users to view the number and size of files. When connected to a PC, the Share Steno CD211 acts as a general external hard drive.

The Share Steno CD211 is slim and modern in design and available in high-tech blue and pearl-white colors. At just 220g, the Share Steno CD211 is extremely lightweight, even when connected to a hard disk. The supplied Li-ion battery gives up to 1 hour of continuous use, without needing an external power supply. An anti-slip pad is attached to the cover to secure the Share Steno CD211 to whichever surface you`re working on. Apacer`s attention to the design details ensures users can enjoy a modern digital lifestyle, and the USB cable and the device bag make data transfer more convenient.

Apacer has equipped the Share Steno CD211 with a user-friendly interface and various functions, such as icon-based display of the various functions and data copying status, one-button copy, automatic power-saving shutdown, driver-free automatic detection of USB devices, etc. Moreover, users can update the latest software and firmware anytime from Apacer`s official website at www.apacer.com.

About Apacer Technology Inc.
Apacer Technology Inc. was founded in 1997, as part of the Acer Group. It has marketing and sales offices and operations across the globe. The company`s mission is to be the “innovator of digital storage applications” and is dedicated to digital storage applications and services. Apacer is the only company in Taiwan with capabilities covering both the memory module and the multimedia digital domains, in addition to integrating both hardware and software research and development. The company is ranked globally as the fourth largest memory module manufacturer and the ninth largest flash storage product supplier. Its products include various types of memory modules and many innovative, fun and convenient digital storage products, such as portable digital photo burners, USB flash drives, memory cards, card readers.

Additionally, the company also operates the year-round “Apacer Digital Experience Hall” in Taipei providing consumers the most direct and personalized service. It is hoped that through Apacer`s digital storage technology and service, everyone is easily able to enjoy a modern digital lifestyle.

If you want to know more about Share Steno CD211 and other Apacer products, please visit our site at www.apacer.com.

Sep 23: Shortcut PhotoZoom Pro

Shortcut Press Release
As of September 28th the start of a fruitful cooperation between Shortcut and Canon Germany is a fact. As a science company Shortcut develops and publishes high-grade graphic software technology. The multiple award winning Shortcut PhotoZoom with its S-Spline technology will be bundled with Canon’s large format printers.

Canon has recently update there line of Large Format, and very determined to become one of the leading players.

Canon will bundle Shortcut's PhotoZoom Pro with every large format printer W2200 and W6200 sold. PhotoZoom is a revolutionary, patented and awarded technology (including CeBIT award) that offers the best tools available for the enlargement of digital images.

Among professionals quality loss caused by digital image magnification is a very common problem. PhotoZoom Pro is able to render true to life image magnifications, without the serrated edges, yet perfectly focused, without any loss of quality! The software is perfectly suited for image magnification in DTP, large printing and industrial image processing (such as space technology, medical applications, security e.g. police), but also the Internet and digital photography!

Because Shortcut PhotoZoom Pro is so perfectly suited for large printing, it is ideal for large format printers of Canon. High printing speed and professional quality will be combined with enlarged high-grade color prints.

For more information visit: www.TrulyPhotoMagic.com or
contact us at: media@trulyphotomagic.com
or by phone: +31 26 446 44 52

Sep 23: ColorVision Spyder2

Bios Magazine reviews the ColorVision Spyder2 and writes - 'If you work with digital images on a regular basis, a calibrated monitor is essential in order to produce prints that resemble their on-screen counterparts. ColorVision's Spyder2Pro is a monitor calibrator that works well with both PCs and Macs and will help you to achieve consistent and neutral grey values as well as exceptionally smooth tonal response on CRTs, LCD and laptop displays. New optimised hardware that's easier to attach to monitors, and new photo sensors that are around five times more sensitive during calibration than the previous model, help you to improve your display's colour uniformity more effectively on different monitors relatively quickly and easily. Spyder2Pro Studio is one of the most effective and attractively priced products for professionals, although its results on a laptop screen were less impressive.'

Northlight reviews the ColorVision Spyder 2 and writes - 'A solid, easy to use bit of kit. Just when advances in monitor technology were beginning to show up some of the deficiencies in my old Spyder, along comes one that is both easier to use and more accurate. The grey scale improvements are particularly welcome, given the amount of black and white photography I do.'

ColorVision-Pantone Press Release
Datacolor and Pantone Debut COLORVISION Spyder2; New Color-Management Technology Provides Unparalleled Accuracy and Ease-of-Use

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. & CARLSTADT, N.J. - (Business Wire) - Sept. 22, 2004 ColorVision, the digital imaging unit of Datacolor, and Pantone Inc., the global authority on color, will unveil COLORVISION(R) Spyder2(TM), the next generation of affordable color-management technology, at the Photokina International Trade Show in Cologne, Germany, on Sept. 28, 2004, and at GRAPH EXPO in Chicago on Oct. 10, 2004.

The Spyder2(TM) colorimeter, the latest addition to the PANTONE COLORVISION product line, delivers a new level of on-screen color accuracy. The sleek, redesigned, dual-phase hardware features precise calibration and highly accurate ICC profiles for CRT, LCD and laptop displays. The new software and graphical user-interface provide ease-of-use previously unavailable in professional-level monitor calibration products.

Based on the research and development work of ColorVision's physicists, the Spyder2 state-of-the-art optical science and new light detectors deliver a five-fold increase in sensitivity. Additionally, the new filter pack system and patent-protected light baffle further increase the accuracy of on-screen color measurement. Improvements to the calibration software utilize sophisticated gray-balance and tonal-response algorithms to produce superior color images, including exceptionally smooth gradient steps, life-like flesh tones and neutral grays.

The original Spyder system leveraged the first screen-calibration software to implement integration with ICC-compliant applications such as Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) - and did it at an affordable price-point. Now, Spyder2 makes the process easier and more accurate while maintaining cost effectiveness.

"Monitor calibration doesn't have to be expensive and complicated and a process mastered only by color experts," stated Richard Herbert, president of Pantone. "Continuing our tradition of providing the best technology at the best price, the improved Spyder2 and its software's enhanced wizard walks the user through the calibration process for superior results."

"The new engineering and technology we employed in Spyder2 anticipates the rise in technical expectations and is designed to meet the continuing acceleration of growth in the photo and imaging markets with affordable, precise, color monitor calibration," remarked Brian Levey, vice president of ColorVision. "Spyder2 shows that ColorVision and Pantone listen to our customers and are once again first-to-market with the latest technology. As always, our products are based on design excellence and backed by superior customer support."

For power users, Spyder2PRO(TM) software delivers a wide range of advanced features such as improved white-point correction routines, automated black and white luminance adjustments, and an improved methodology for loading calibration data at start-up. A Profile Chooser makes it easy to select and change profiles. Additionally, multiple monitor calibration support can be achieved for both Macintosh and Windows(R) systems.

Spyder2 will debut at Photokina in Cologne, Germany, Sept. 28 to Oct. 3, 2004 at the ColorVision booth in the Professional Imaging Hall #14.2, Aisle L, booth No. 040. It will also be available at GRAPH EXPO in Chicago, Oct. 10 to Oct. 13 at the Pantone booth, No. 5431. Spyder2 can be purchased from Pantone and ColorVision at http://www.pantone.com and http://www.colorvision.com, respectively.

About PANTONE COLORVISION
Established in 2001, the PANTONE COLORVISION marketing alliance created a unique partnership of unmatched expertise in color management. Together, the two companies combine the best analog and digital solutions to provide color professionals, color enthusiasts, professional photographers, photo hobbyists and consumers with affordable solutions to specify color, calibrate displays, profile printers and confirm color accuracy. The PANTONE COLORVISION product line simplifies color creativity.

ColorVision/Pantone
Pantone Inc., developer of the globally accepted PANTONE Color Systems, is the leading source of traditional and electronic products for the selection and accurate communication of color. With over 40 years of experience, Pantone is recognized as the worldwide market leader in color communication and color technology for the graphic design, printing, publishing, textile and plastics industries.

About Datacolor
Because color matters, leading businesses, creative professionals, and consumers worldwide choose Datacolor's innovative technology and solutions to consistently achieve the right color. The company's strengths are in understanding how to manage color in many different industries and processes, and using technology to provide efficient color management solutions. A Swiss-held company, Datacolor's strong global presence encompasses an international strategic network of sales and support offices, supported by worldwide manufacturing and operational facilities.

PANTONE(R) and other Pantone, Inc. trademarks are the property of Pantone, Inc. COLORVISION(R) and other ColorVision Inc. trademarks are the property of ColorVision Inc. Adobe and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc. Windows is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. (C) Pantone, Inc., 2004. All rights reserved.

Sep 23: Jenoptik Eyelike eMotion22 Digital Back

Jenoptik Press Release
Freedom without compromise.

JENOPTIK Laser, Optik, Systeme GmbH is setting standards in portable digital medium format photography with its new Eyelike eMotion22.

The Eyelike eMotion22 from JENOPTIK is the high quality digital back for untethered and tethered operation.

Fast, high resolution, lightweight and elegant are the key words describing the new Eyelike eMotion22. JENOPTIK presents its latest digital camera back for medium-format and high-end view camera. Fully designed for untethered use, it sets new standards. Low power consumption, a lightweight, yet stable design together with a completely revised housing and board design guarantee images of outstanding quality. They also allow photographers to fully concentrate on their work when taking pictures.

Consequently Mobile
The Eyelike eMotion22 has been specifically designed for portable use.
It features a built-in 2.2 inch display, a lithium-ion battery which is rated for up to 2.5 operating hours, and an internal memory with a maximum storage capacity of 140 images.

The camera back is immediately ready for use without requiring any additional memory cards. For extended memory space, the Eyelike eMotion22 provides an option to save data on type I and II Compact Flash cards. Storage capacity can thus be increased up to 520 images, without having to rely on a heavy, mechanically susceptible harddrive. The display and all other components have been selected with special focus on low power consumption for superior battery lifetime performance. A secondary benefit of this design package is that camera heating effects are reduced to a minimum level, which allows for noise-free images of highest quality.

Perfect for Fashion and Portrait
Eyelike™ eMotion²² design efforts primarily focused on achieving image sequences at a constantly high rate. A system has thus been created, which is capable of shooting up to 50 high-resolution pictures per minute. As opposed to other systems where capture rates are changing after a few shots, this performance remains consistently stable. This makes work easier for the photographer and the model, because they can adjust to a regular rhythm and concentrate more on the perfection of scenic setups. In addition to continiously shooting rate, the Eyelike™ eMotion²² also features an extremely fast capture rate. With approximately one image per second, the Eyelike eMotion²² ranks among the fastest digital camera backs in the market, thus guaranteeing to be ready for shooting in the right moment.

Ideal for “On Location“ and in Studios
As the Eyelike™ precision line before it, the Eyelike eMotion²² is equipped with a live video function. Consequently, no sliding adapter is required to select and exactly focus a desired image frame on a view camera. In addition to this feature, the Eyelike eMotion²² will also include a remote control option for Schneider shutter systems and Rollei LensControl via Eyelike™ capture pro software, thus making a perfect tool for photographers who work with view cameras and in studio environments.

For operation in studios, the Eyelike™ eMotion²² can be directly connected to a computer via Firewire cable. In this operating mode, which is automatically detected by the camera software if the Firewire cable is plugged, the camera will directly store all image data on the harddrive in the same way as already known from the Eyelike™ precision family.

On Location, the 2.2“ display allows you to directly control your images. You are able to view a given image frame or check for proper focusing in 1:1 view. Apart from that, the photographer also may navigate through the various images, delete images, superimpose a histogram for easier assessment of the exposure setting or turn on an exposure control function. To influence the quality of images, the current sensitivity and a white balance setting can be adjusted as necessary.

Digital Camera Backs for all purposes
The Eyelike eMotion²² extends the existing range of Eyelike™ camera backs for untethered use. JENOPTIK Laser, Optik, Systeme GmbH is thus providing a system designed to cover all areas of professional digital photography.

Designed as a 1-shot camera, the Eyelike™ eMotion²² makes a perfect tool for any photographer who is not restricted to studio work alone and cannot afford to renounce the convenience of medium-format quality in on-location jobs. The Eyelike™ precision product line includes microscan technology, an ideal feature for operation in studio environments where finest structures and smallest details have to be photographed.

Both the Eyelike™ precision and the Eyelike™ eMotion²² come with the sophisticated identical Eyelike™ capture pro or Eyelike™ capture basic software. Each of the two software versions is available for OS X Apple operating systems.

An additional Windows XP version of the Eyelike™ capture basic software is available for Eyelike™ eMotion²².

Sep 23: Microsoft to Showcase New Imaging Solutions at Photokina 2004

'Microsoft Corp. today announced that together with imaging industry leaders at Photokina 2004 in Cologne, Germany, it will unveil new technologies that use the capabilities of Windows® XP to make digital photography easier for all users, from hobbyists to professionals. These new technologies will include the new Microsoft® Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), which Canon will support in its future digital camera offerings....

Microsoft announced it is working with leading digital camera manufacturers that are supporting two new technologies, MTP and Windows Connect Now (WCN), to simplify and enhance the connectivity of digital still cameras to Windows-based PCs.

MTP solves many of the problems inherent to both wireless and wired transfer of digital media such as digital photos, eliminating much of the complexity for photographers and reducing the difficulty for manufacturers of developing device drivers. Implementation of MTP in digital still cameras improves the user experience for digital camera owners and enthusiasts by enabling easier image acquisition to a PC with native support for the technology.'

Read more at Microsoft to Showcase New Imaging Solutions at Photokina 2004

Sep 23: Kodak, Sony, Canon Please Digital-Camera Customers

'Canon Inc., Eastman Kodak Co. and Sony Corp. led other digital-camera companies in customer satisfaction, a study released Wednesday by J.D. Power and Associates showed.

The study measured customer satisfaction in each of four price segments. Kodak led the pack in two price segments, which included cameras selling from $200 to $599. Canon topped the list of companies selling cameras for $600 or more, and Sony was No. 1 in brands $199 or less.

Kodak scored particularly well in regard to the initial camera setup and ease of use, J.D. Power said. Canon scored well in camera features and functions, and Sony topped competitors in performance, connectivity to other devices and appearance.'

Read more at TechWeb | Kodak, Sony, Canon Please Digital-Camera Customers

Sep 23: Kodak Expects Jump in Digital Sales

'A year after Eastman Kodak Co. unveiled an ambitious new strategy to accelerate its foray into digital imaging, the photography company said Wednesday it expects filmless products and services to comprise more than half of its sales by 2005.

At a meeting with investors in New York, Kodak said it remained on course to boost revenues from $13.3 billion last year to $16 billion in 2006.

But it now anticipates digital sales to jump 36 percent a year between 2003 and 2007, compared with a year-ago projection of 26 percent annual growth between 2002 and 2006.

"We continue to generate faster growth in digital markets by executing on the strategy that we presented a year ago," said chief executive Daniel Carp. "Our digital sales are increasing so steadily that we expect, by next year, that more than half of our total sales will be digital, and that the company's profits will be higher than in 2004."'

Read more at Yahoo! News - Kodak Expects Jump in Digital Sales

Sep 22: FotoWare FotoStation Classic

FotoWare Press Release
FotoWare Launch FotoStation Classic, professional media database for Mac OS X.

At Photokina in Cologne, FotoWare a.s celebrate their 10th anniversary by releasing FotoStation Classic, the completely new media database for Mac OS X. FotoStation Classic is the standard edition in the FotoStation product family, and offers a wealth of solutions for problems created by the ever-increasing flow of digital images. Version 5.1 Classic for the Mac OS X operating system provides many new features and a unique flexibility which enables the adaptation of the software to the needs of a single user as well as in a corporate environment.

"It was our goal to make FotoStation even more adaptable to the individual needs of a photographer, an editor, or any user who on a daily basis is working with digital images", commented Norman Milne, Managing Director Fotoware UK.

"The considerable volume of pictures which are taken today by digital cameras can cause great organisational problems for smaller companies. We have done everything to help the users overcome these problems with a minimum of effort", Milne continues.

The new Mac OS X version has been developed with the aim of meeting the demands of professional users. Many of the current Mac users have participated in the beta test program and given their vital input to FotoWare. “A single user will now benefit from the automated functions which used to be reserved for Client-Server solutions. Additionally, all users will benefit from an improved user interface with incomparable flexibility with regards to browsing and sorting, as well as the support of different file formats”, added Milne.

New archiving features facilitate the import of pictures from any kind of digital camera, and Actions such as resize and crop can be activated to automate repetitive processes. The interface and the new functions supply all the necessary tools to integrate FotoStation in any production environment.

The first version of FotoStation was launched in 1995. Today more than two million licenses have been sold worldwide. Professional photographers, newspapers, press and photo agencies were the initial users, but over the years many other businesses have discovered the versatility of FotoStation. As the standard solution for Digital Asset Management systems the market share of FotoStation is growing proportionally with the number of digital cameras sold worldwide.

FotoWare offers a suite of products, which further enhance the functionality of FotoStation Classic. For example, Index Manager works as an additional server application to manage enormous archives with an unlimited numbers of objects. The combination of FotoStation and Index Manager is the number one choice among thousands of users worldwide.

Sep 22: New Digital Cameras - Photokina 2004

Anyone who regularly follows the latest Digital Camera news will know that the last two months have seen an incredible array of new digital cameras released onto the market in the lead up to the upcoming Photokina show in Germany. Below are the newest digital cameras to be announced over the past two months - arranged by manufacturer. This page will continue to be updated as new cameras are announced.

update - we're now up to 60 new digital cameras that have been announced in the past 7 weeks - we're sure there are more to come also!

Canon
- Canon EOS 20D - An 8.2 Megapixel DSLR.
- Canon Powershot A400 - A 3.2 Megapixel, 2.2x Optical Zoom digicam that comes in four colours.
- Canon Powershot S70 - A 7.1 Megapixel compact with 3.6 optical Zoom.
- Canon Powershot A95 - With 5.0 megapixels and 3x Optical Zoom.
- Canon EF-S 10-22mm Lens - New macro lenses from Canon
- Canon EOS 1D2 Mark II - 16.7 Megapixels DSLR.
- Canon Powershot SD200/IXUS 30 - 3.2 Megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Canon Powershot SD300/IXUS 40 - 4.0 Megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Canon Powershot SD20/IXUS i5 - 5 Megapixels - single focal length.

Casio
- Casio Exilim Pro EX-P700 - 7.2 Megapixels and 4x Optical Zoom (heaps of features).
- Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 - Super slim 3.2Megapixels - 2.8x Optical Zoom.
- Casio Exilim EX-Z55 - 5 megapixels with a 3x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD.
- Casio Exilim EX-Z50 - 5 megapixels with a 3x optical zoom and 2.0 inch LCD.
- Casio Exilim QV-R61 - 6 megapixles with a 3x optical zoom and 2.0 inch LCD.

Fujifilm
- Fujifilm S3 Pro - 12.34 million effective pixels - DSLR.
- Fujifilm Finepix 455 - 5.2 megapixels with a 3.4x Optical Zoom.

HP
- HP Photosmart R607 - 4.1 Megapixels and a 3x Optical Zoom.
- HP Photosmart M407 - 4.1 Megapixels and a 3x optical Zoom.
- HP Photosmart M307 - 3.2 Megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- HP Photosmart M-Series Dock

Jenoptik
- Jenoptik JD 6.0 z3 and JD 6.0 z3 MPEG4 - 6 Megapixels with 3x Optical Zooms.

Kodak
- Kodak EasyShare CX7525 - 5 Megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Kodak EasyShare DX7590 - 5 Megapixels with a 10x Optical Zoom.
- Kodak EasyShare LS755 - 5 Megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.

Konica Minolta
- Konica Minolta Dimage A200 - 8 Megapixels with a 7x Optical Zoom.
- Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D/Dynax 7D - 6.1 Megapixel DSLR.

Minox
- Minox DC 4211 - 4.2 Megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Minox DC 6311 - 6 megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.

Nikon
- Nikon Coolpix 4800 - 4 Megapixels, 8.3x Optical Zoom.
- Nikon Coolpix 8400 - 8 Megapixels, 3.5x Optical Zoom (wide angle).
- Nikon Coolpix 8800 - 8 Megapixels, 10x Optical Zoom.
- Nikon D2x - 12.4 Megapixel DSLR.

Olympus
- Olympus C370/D535z - 3.2 Megapixels and 3x Optical Zoom.
- Olympus C7000/C70 - 7.1 Megapixels with a 5x Optical Zoom.
- Olympus mju mini/stylus verve - 4.0 Megapixels with a 2x Optical Zoom.

Panasonic
- Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS3 - 3.2 Megapixels - super slim.
- Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS30 - 3.2 Megapixels - super slim.

Pentax
- Pentax Optio 750Z - a 7.0 megapixel digital camera with a 5x Optical Zoom.
- Pentax Optio S50 - a 5 megapixel, 3x optical zoom digital camera.
- Pentax Optio S5i - another 5 megapixel digicam with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Penax Optio X - a new swivel designed 5.0 megapixel digital camera with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Pentax Optio MX4 - 4 Megapixels with a 10x Optical Zoom
- Pentax Optio SV - 5.36 Megapixels with a 5x Optical Zoom.
- Pentax *istDS - 6.1 Megapixel DSLR.

Ricoh
- Ricoh Caplio RZ1 - a 4.0 megapixel digicam with a 3x optical Zoom.
- Vivitar DVR 390H - 3.1 Megapixels - 6-in-one device.

Rollei
- Rollei Prego da4 - with a 4.1 megapixel sensor and 3x optical zoom.
- Rollei Prego da 3 - 3.2 Megapixels and a 3x optical Zoom.

Samsung
- Samsung Digimax V70 - 7 megapixels with a 3x Optical Zoom.
- Samsung Digimax UC-A505 - 5 Megapixels with a fixed focal length lens.
- Samsung Digimax UC-A501 - 5 Megapixels with a fixed focal length lens.
- Samsung Digimax A6 - 6 Megapixels.
- Samsung Digimax A5 - 5 Megapixels.
- Samsung Digimax A400 - 4 Megapixels with a 2.8x Optical Zoom.

Sanyo
- Sanyo Xacti C4 - Dual video/still digital camera. 4.0 megapixels.
- Sanyo Xacti VPC A5 - 5 Megapixels with a 2.8x Optical Zoom.

Sony
- Sony Cybershot T3 - 5.1 megapixels, 3x Optical Zoom, 2.5inch LCD, slimline.
- Sony Cybershot DSC-L1 - 4.1 megapixels, 3x Optical zoom.
- Sony Cybershot DSC-V3 - 7.2 megapixels, 4x Optical Zoom.
- Sony Cybershot DSC M1 - 5 Megapixels, 3x Optical Zoom.

Yakumo
- Yakumo Mega-Image VII - 3.1 Megapixles with an 8x digital zoom.
- Yakumo Mega-Image 84D - 4 Megapixels with an 8x Optical Zoom.

Sep 22: Samsung Digimax V70

The Samsung Digimax V70 is a 7 megapixel digital camera with a 3x Optical Zoom lens and 2 inch LCD screen (rotatable 270 degrees). It has the capability of shooting movies in MPEG4 at 30fps.

“For more advanced users, the Digimax V70 also has manual picture-taking functions. The camera has detailed focus control with Manual Focusing. It also enables manual control of exposure using Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and fully manual options. Exposure may be controlled by the easy to use Jog Dial in conjunction with an AE Lock function.

The user can also choose from 10 preset types of Scene modes (Portrait / Children / Landscape / Close-up / Sunset / Dawn / Backlight / Fireworks / Beach&Snow / Text). Text mode is a new feature setting the Digimax V70 to shoot documents like books, magazines, and newspapers. Users can save the image file that is captured in Text mode, as a text or .doc file using the Digimax Reader software, also included.

The Digimax V70 can use 9 kinds of power supply using the unique technology of Samsung. These various types of power supply means that the user never has to worry about running out of power. The exclusive 1400mAh Li-ion battery enables users to take up to 440 images on one charge. This feature provides greater flexibility for photographers who use the continuous or burst modes.”

Read more at LetsGoDigital | Samsung introduces new 7 Megapixel Digimax V70

We will post more information and pictures of the Samsung Digimax V70 as they come to hand from Samsung.

Sep 22: Samsung Digimax U-CA 501

The sleekly designed Samsung Digimax U-CA 501 is a 5 megapixel digital camera with a 2 inch LCD screen and fixed focal length (5.8mm) lens. It measures just 97 x 52 x 25mm.

“The Digimax U-CA 501/505 offers Super Fine, Fine and Normal JPEG compression modes and features resolution settings of for still images. The Digimax U-CA 501/505 can also shoot movie clips with sound at resolutions up to 640 x 480 (VGA) at a maximum rate of 24fps for as long as the capacity of the memory card will allow.

Sound can be recorded for up to 1 hour with the cameras' built-in microphone and sound clips can be attached to individual still images during playback. These images can be stored on the camera's 16.0 MB of internal memory, or on an external SD/MMC card. The camera also features video out and USB ports, supported by 2 different power sources, the Li-Ion battery SLB-1137 and CP1.”

Read more at LetsGoDigital | Samsung unveils new Digimax U-CA 501 and 505

More pictures and specifications of the Samsung Digimax U-CA 501/505 to follow

Sep 22: Samsung Digimax A5

The Samsung Digimax A5 is a 5 megapixel (CCD) digital camera. It has a 1.8inch LCD and allows the shooting of video at 30fps.

“In keeping with the theme of flexibility and control, Samsung has provided users with a myriad of options for capturing, storing and sharing images with the Digimax A6 and A5. The 32MB(16MB on the A5) of internal memory facilitates ample storage right on the cameras themselves, while the SD/MMC slot allows for an additional 512MB of capacity. Users can choose from six different image sizes, ranging from 640x480 to 2816x2112, as well as three different resolution settings - Superfine, Fine and Normal. This results in 18 different image size / resolution combinations, enabling the user to select the perfect setting for virtually any situation. Once the images are captured and stored, PictBridge technology allows foreasy output directly to a printer via a USB connection. Of course, the A6 and A5 come with comprehensive software suites including ArcSoft Photo Impression, Digimax Viewer and Digimax Reader to enable storage, editing and output via a PC.” Read more at LetsGoDigital | Samsung introduces Digimax A5 and A6 cameras

We will be posting pictures and further specifications as they come to hand from Samsung.

Sep 22: Kodak EasyShare LS755

The Kodak Easyshare LS755 is a 5 megapixel digi cam with a 3x Optical Zoom. It stands out from other Kodak cameras in that it uses an xD-Picture Card for memory (previously Kodak have used SC/MMC cards in these cameras). It also has a large 2.5inch LCD. The sleek design is quite appealing - however don't hold your breath at getting one for a while as it will initially only be available in Japan.

Kodak Press Release
New KODAK EASYSHARE LS755 Digital Camera Combines Sleek Design with High-End Features

TOKYO, September 21 ― Eastman Kodak Company today unveiled the EASYSHARE LS755 zoom digital camera, a sleek, Japanese-designed model created for the person with impeccable style and taste. It pairs high tech features and outstanding image quality.

The camera will be available in Japan beginning in Q4.

“We developed the LS755 camera to meet the discerning eye of Japanese consumers, who relentlessly seek the best combination of form and function,” said Yusuke Kojima, general manager of worldwide digital camera and system development, and vice president, Eastman Kodak Company.

The size of a deck of playing cards, the EASYSHARE LS755 camera’s aluminum body houses exclusive, high-powered components and technologies to deliver and share stunning pictures.

A professional-grade SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH C-VARIOGON 3X (36 – 108 mm equivalent) zoom lens and 5.0 megapixel CCD sensor work in conjunction to maximize picture quality. With each press of the shutter button, the camera rapidly analyzes lighting conditions and color balance to deliver sharp, color-accurate, properly exposed pictures. To help keep the camera body very thin while still using a barrel lens for optimal picture quality, Kodak developed an innovative, first-of-its-kind solution — the lens retracts behind the shutter when the camera is turned off.

The large 2.5-inch, high-resolution (207,000 pixels) LCD screen displays pictures in full detail with vibrant color, with magnification up to 8X. The LS755 camera also includes Kodak’s new favorites feature, which places memorable pictures in an on-camera digital photo album for viewing and sharing anytime, anywhere. The optional KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Frame Dock, which provides one-touch picture transfer to a connected computer while keeping the camera’s lithium-ion battery charged and ready to go — can play customizable photo slideshows on the camera LCD, providing an additional degree of fun and satisfaction to EASYSHARE LS755 camera users.

Kodak has equipped the LS755 camera with multiple levels of control, giving owners the ability to customize their photography experience. For instance, it includes 20 scene and color modes for various shooting situations, including unique settings for photographing merchandise for online auction sites (auction mode), and for shooting objects moving across the field of view (Nagashidori/panning shot mode). Owners can also take advantage of options such as a histogram in preview and review modes, multiple white balance choices, and even the ability to adjust the reflectance ratio to capture greater subject detail while outdoors.

The camera’s VGA and QVGA video functionality benefits from full 3X optical zoom with image stabilization and continuous autofocus capacities. A time-lapse video option stitches together up to 10,000 separate frames (based on available memory) taken over hours, days or even months. Video length, which can reach up to 80 minutes depending on total memory capacity (16 MB internal memory; memory card expansion slot), can also be trimmed from the front or back-end using in-camera controls.

As with every KODAK EASYSHARE camera, the LS755 model includes the exclusive Share button. A press allows the user to select a picture for printing once the camera is docked, or for e-mail sharing, with up to 32 e-mail addresses stored on the camera itself.

KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Dock
LS755 camera owners can print real, borderless KODAK L-size (89 x 127 mm) pictures in as little as 90 seconds, using the new KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Dock. Its continuous tone thermal dye transfer system generates vivid color with instant drying, while exclusive KODAK Color Science technology produces outstanding skin tone reproduction, plus color optimization for ideal photo viewing. In addition, the printing process automatically adds a special XTRALIFE™ laminate coating, which helps ensure that prints are durable, waterproof and will last a lifetime under typical home storage conditions. The device also prints from PICTBRIDGE-enabled cameras and memory cards (optional KODAK 8-in-1 card reader required).

The LS755 camera includes new KODAK EASYSHARE software version 4.0 for WINDOWS and MACINTOSH systems, providing effortless digital picture organization, editing, sharing and printing. The exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak to help users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from inkjet printers. Version 4.0 — also available for free download from www.kodak.com — now includes the ability to edit pictures in third-party applications and optional Video CD and DVD burning.

Sep 22: Acer to join digital camera market

"If there wasn’t enough digital camera announcements at the moment, Acer, the laptop manufacturer has announced it to will be joining the market. In was seems to be an attempt to keep up with its self proclaimed main competitor, BenQ, Acer will to be joining the digital camera sector.

Launching in December, specific details are still very sketchy, however what is confirmed is that the company will be launching three models to start with ranging from £250 - £350.

On the cards are a 5 megapixel 3x optical zoom credit card sized model, a 6 megapixel 3x optical in black and another 5 megapixel 3x optical zoom model in silver."

Read more at Acer to join digital camera market - Pocket Lint

Sep 21: Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS3

The Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS3 is a new 3.2 megapixel digital camera that will go on sale in Japan at the end of November this year. It comes in four bright colors and is a super slim design.

Camborg writes: 'The SV-AS3 measures 52.5x88.7x21.2mm and weighs 75.1g. As with the SV-AS30 the SV-AS3 can record MPEG4 video with 30 frames/sec. The new D-Snap can play also AAC/WMA/MP3 music with a play-time of 36 hours. The DSnap SV-AS3 has an HDTV 16:9 image resolution mode (1920x1080) meant for photo viewing on HDTV Televisions.'

Found via Gizmodo

Sep 21: Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS30

Camborg have just picked up the story that Panasonic have just announced their new Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS30 which will go on sale in Japan at the end of October. The D-Snap SV-AS30 is a 3.2 megapixel super slim (just 9mm at its thinnest and 14mm at its maximum) digital camera. As pictured it comes in black, brown and silver.

Camorg writes - 'The SV-AS30 can record MPEG4 video with 30 frames/sec. The new D-Snap can play also AAC/WMA/MP3 music with a play-time of 36 hours. The SV-AS30 measures 53.2x103x14mm and weighs 58.5g.

The DSnap SV-AS30 has an HDTV 16:9 image resolution mode (1920x1080) meant for photo viewing on HDTV Televisions. Panasonic says the D-Snap SV-AS30 can also be used to watch MPEG video recorded on a SD-Card while traveling.'

Found via Gizmodo

Sep 21: Fujifilm S3100

Steve's Digicams reviews the Fujifilm S3100 and writes - 'The FinePix S3100 offers beginner digital photographers 4.0 million pixels of resolution with a 6x optical zoom lens, which enables users to capture crisp, clear images of distant subjects. It can also record QVGA (320x240) video clips at a rate of 10 frames/second without sound. This model updates the popular FinePix S3000.

The S3100's 4.0 megapixel resolution produces images of up to 2272 x 1704 for photo-quality prints up to 8 x 10 inches in size. Its 6x optical zoom will bring distance subjects closer with a 39-234mm (35mm equivalent) focal range. This is a stylish point-n-shoot that offers fully automatic operation with creative scene modes. It also features Manual mode, which allows you to select aperture settings (F2.8, F5, F8), sharpness control (Soft, Normal, Hard) and white balance (Auto, Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light, Fluorescent light, Fluorescent light, Incandescent light.)....

Bottom line - the FinePix S3100 will make a good choice for those who want a very affordable "Big Zoom" camera. It's great for users who are just getting into digital photography and plan on shooting mostly outdoor photos; we can't recommend it for indoor shooting due to its inability to focus in low ambient light. With a street price of around $299, it offers good overall value. '

Imaging Resource reviews the Fuji Finepix S3100 and writes - 'The previous Fuji FinePix 2800 and 3800 Zoom cameras turned out to be exceptional values for the money, and the updated FinePix S3100 offers the same great value with the addtion of a 4.0-megapixel CCD. The S3100's higher resolution is a welcome improvement, providing great image quality for a budget-priced digicam, and its 6x optical zoom is excellent for distant subjects. Though it lacks "enthusiast" features such as full manual exposure options, the S3100 does feature an adjustable aperture setting, adjustable flash intensity, and a selection of preset "scene" modes. For everyday outdoor shooting, the S3100 does very well and really sets a benchmark for an affordable long-zoom digicam.'

Sep 21: FujiFilm's Press Releases - Leaked

Fujifilm Germany's Press Release Section seems to have been a little eager to release information about its new DSLR, the S3 Pro, and a number of printers and services. The press releases are all dated 28 September 2004 and so it seems they have been accidentally posted a few days early. They may not remain their long - but we've posted the pictures and releases below at:

- Fuji film S3 Pro DSLR
- MP100 Digital Mobile Printer
- Printpix CX550 - Digital Photo Printer
- Fujifilm to showcase advances in Image Intelligence
- Fujifilm Announces Expanded Line of Digital Cameras
- FujiFilm Picture the Future

Sep 21: FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro Announced

Fujifilm Germany's Website has released press releases and details of a number of new Fujifilm digital imaging products including the Fujifilm S3Pro DSLR. Press Releases are dated 28 September 2004 so we're not sure if they are supposed to be up yet - but here are the details (apologies for the formatting - the press release on the site wasn't formatted well).

Get the Latest Price on the Fujifilm Finepix S3

FujiFilm Press Release
FinePix S3 Pro
An Innovative Digital SLR for Professionals with No-Compromise Image Quality and Intuitive Operation

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 - Fuji Photo FilmCo., Ltd. is proud to announce the debut of the FinePix S3 Pro - successor to Fujifilm's critically-acclaimed FinePix S2 Pro digital SLR. This model has been conceived as the camera of choice for photographers who wish to achieve image quality worthy of Fujifilm's professional film heritage.The FinePix S3 Pro incorporates the newly developed 4th Generation Super CCD SR II, with 12.34 million effective pixels (6.17 million S-pixels and 6.17 million R-pixels).

Maximum image size is an ultra-high resolution of 12.1 million recording pixels, resulting in noticeable improvements in picture quality. The Super CCD SR II sensor's unique dual size pixel design produces expanded dynamic range. This dramatically broadens tonal capability, and guarantees exceptionalrendition from bright highlights to deep shadows. It delivers greater sensitivity, improved signal-to-noise ratio and consistently natural color reproduction.

The FinePixS3 Pro's new state-of-art image processor is also one of the keys to enhanced image quality and exceptional speed.The FinePix S3 Pro is the optimum digital for studio and wedding photographers, or for anyone who wants the highest possible resolution from their digital SLR. The FinePixS3 Pro sets a new standard, raising the bar on image quality.

A selection of entirely new features widens the possibilities for expressive photography. A unique “Film Simulation Mode” allows selection from two modes:

Film Simulation F1 mode, specially optimized for studio portrait photography, yields smooth tonalityand natural looking skin tones, while Film Simulation F2 mode, ideal for nature photography, simulates highly saturated color (especially in blue and green) and high contrast.

A Dynamic Range Customizing function allows you to select optimum dynamic range from four settings. The camera is designed around the long-established Nikon F-mount, and will have two shutter release buttons to ensure comfortable shooting in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Power is provided by four AA size Ni-MH batteries, a further improvementon the S2 Pro. The FinePix S3 Pro's Intelligent Flash with D-TTL full-aperture exposure metering will enable photographers to achieve outstanding results with compatible Nikon DX type Speed lights.

Appearing for the first time in a Fujifilm digital camera, this allows a new level of creative lighting options for FinePix S3 Pro users. What's more, the synchro terminal allows strobes or other external flash systems to be connected for ultimate studio flexibility.The camera will accept both xD-Picture Cards and Microdrive media for moreflexible storage. It incorporates a newly developed, bright 2-inch, 235000-pixel LCD monitor (with approximately 100% frame coverage) alongside a second LCD data display for information on settings. And to ensure improved data transfer speeds, the camera offers both high-speed IEEE1394 and USB 2.0 interfaces.

For further flexibility, the FinePix S3 Pro has a variety of controls, including a highly accurate, high-speed five point Dynamic Area AF system, 3D Matrix Metering, four shooting modes (single frame, continuous, preview, and multiple exposure), and four exposure modes (Auto-Multi program, Shutter-Priority Auto, Aperture-Priority Auto,Manual). In addition, the FinePix S3 Pro offers nine modes for white balance (auto, fine, shade, incandescent light, two custom settings and three for fluorescent light). The camera also allows you select a dynamic range of AUTO, Wide (230%, 400%) or Standard (100%).

The FinePix S3 Pro can record images in two file formats (CCD-RAW and JPEG). The CCD-RAW file format is the 14-bit “lossless” image file format that effectively stores images exactly as they come from the CCD array before processing by the camera's internal algorithms. Conversion software converts the CCD-RAW data to 8-bit TIFF RGB files, and an optional “Hyper Utility Software” can process the CCD-RAW data tofull 16-bit TIFF RGB files without any loss of the original tonality.

Features and benefits:
- 12.34 million effective pixels (6.17 million S-pixels + 6.17 million R-pixels)
- 23.0 x 15.5mm-size Super CCD SR II
- 4256 x 2848 (12.1 million) recording pixels
- Image sizes: 4256 x 2848, 3024 x 2016, 2304 x 1536, 1440 x 960 pixels
- JPEG (Fine / Normal), CCD-RAW (14-bit)
- SLR digital camera with Nikon F-mount
- Convenient Dual shutter release buttons in both horizontal and vertical orientations
- Dual LCD monitors
- New 2.0-inch, 235,000-pixel LCD monitor
- Larger buttons, redesigned control layout on rear of camera
- Redesigned storage compartment door
- Sensitivity: ISO 100, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600
- Shutter speed: Bulb, 30 to 1/4000 sec
- Flash X-Sync max 1/180 sec
- Dual media slots: xD-Picture Card, CF/Microdrive (Compatibility is listed onFujifilm web site : http://home.fujifilm.com/products/digital/)
- Dual interfaces: USB 2.0 (High speed), IEEE 1394
- DC-IN, Video Out, PC Sync terminal
- Power source: 4 x AA size Ni-MH batteries
- D-TTL Flash metering
- Dimensions: 147.8 x 135.3 x 78.5 mm (5.8 x 5.3 x 3.1 in)
- Weight (without batteries/lens): 815 g (28.7 oz)DI-2 3/3.

Technical Specifications
Camera type digital SLR camera with exchangeable lens
CCD 23.0 x 15.5 mm Super-CCD SR/ 12.3 million effective pixels (6.17 million S-pixels, 6.17 million R-pixels)
Picture format 4256 x 2848 pixels, 3024 x 2016 pixels, 2304 x 1536 pixels, 1440 x 960 pixels
File format DPOF-compatible CCD-Raw (14Bit), JPEG (Exif version 2.2)
Storage medium xD-Picture Cards (16 - 512 MB), Microdrive
Lens mounting Nikon F-bayonet
focal length of lens exchangeable lens
extension of focal length equivalent to factor 1.5
focus setting Automatic/manual/C-AF
Shutter 30s to 1/4000s, B-setting, max. 1/180 sec. X-contact
Viewfinder Optical actual picture viewfinder, picture coverage approx: 100%
Exposure control P: automatic programme, S: automatic timing, A: automatic, M: manual
Sensitivity equivalent to ISO 100/160/200/400/800/1600
LCD monitor 2.0 inch low temperature poly-silicon TFT (approx. 235,000 pixels)
Interfaces USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, AV-Out (Pal/NTSC)
Power supply 4 x AA batteries
Dimensions (WxHxD) 147.8 x 135.3 x 80.0 mm
Weight approx. 835g not incl. batteries and memory card
Other D-TTL lighting measurement, portrait format release
Technical features and included accessories may change without advance notice.

Sep 21: Fujifilm MP-100 Digital Mobile Printer

Fujifilm Press Release

Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-100

New wireless mobile printer for sharing real photos from camera-phones

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. is proud to announce the Digital Mobile Printer MP-100, a wireless mobile printer for use with camera-phones. Using infrared transmission, MP-100 enables users to get real photos from their camera-phones anytime, anywhere. The MP-100 is expected to be commercially available in this autumn.

Worldwide unit sales of camera-phones are expected to reach nearly 150 million in 2004, or just over a quarter of all mobile-phone sales (source: Info Trends Research Group). With the rapid expansion of the camera-phone market and the introduction of high-spec models with image resolution of 1 megapixel or higher, demand has been increasing for printing of pictures taken with camera-phones. To meet this demand, Fujifilm unveils a new concept printer, the Digital Mobile Printer MP-100, designed specifically for use with camera-phones. Some of the attractive features of the MP-100 are ease of use, the convenience of infrared transmission, the mobility of its compact & stylish body, and high quality prints. Not in the same category as other home printers (inkjet printers) or retail print services, the MP-100 creates a new market category of ´´anytime, any place printing´´ for camera-phones.

Equipped with an infrared interface, the MP-100 can print out camera-phone images easily without any cable connection or media link up. Operation is simple: just press the printer´s ´´POWER´´ button, select the image data to be printed, and send it via infrared from camera-phone to the printer. A new high-speed digital photo pack achieves speedy printing in 21 seconds with low energy consumption (approx. 130 prints from two CR2 lithium batteries). Additionally, Fujifilm´s Image Intelligence™ (an original system of image-processing software technologies used in Fujifilm Frontier digital minilabs) provides auto exposure compensation for images taken with insufficient light.

The Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-100 is a new concept life style printer, developed to enable users of camera-phones to print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere, quickly and easily.

NOTES

1. Product name: Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-100/Digital Mobile Printer Photo Pack 2. Availability: November, 2004 3. Main Features (1) Mobile & Compact Compact size: 29.5mm thick and weighing only 205g (batteries and photo pack not included). Printer fits easily in a pouch or a handbag. (2) High speed prints Each image can be printed out in 21 seconds* after image data transmission is completed. Prints from camera-phones can be enjoyed instantly. *Picture begins to appear about 10 seconds after print processing at 25 degrees C. (3) Wireless printing, no AC cable connection • Effortless printing is possible via infrared transmission function of camera-phones, doing away with the need for cable connections or media link ups. • Approx. 130 prints can be printed with 2x CR2 lithium batteries. No need to charge batteries. (4) Sharp, high quality prints • Employs newly developed exposure system that enables exposure and printing to be done simultaneously with a fixed LCD shutter. This creates sharper image. • Incorporates Image Intelligence™, Fujifilm´s original system of image-processing software technologies, to automatically correct over/under exposed images.

4. Compatible camera-phone models Camera-phones that can transfer image data via infrared to MP-100. Please see http://home.fujifilm.com/products/dmp/index.html for details.

Sep 21: Plustek OpticFilm 7200 Pro Film Scanner

Plustek Press Release
Plustek Launches Pro Film Scanner; Professional resolution and fast scans -- the OpticFilm 7200 is Plustek's powerful pro film scanner for slides and negatives

Plustek Inc, a leading manufacturer of consumer, prosumer and professional scanners, today launched the OpticFilm 7200 professional-grade film scanner, offering the market's highest film-scan resolution (7200 x 7200 dpi) in a consumer device. Until now, due to the high cost, film scanners with professional resolution were nearly exclusively purchased by service companies, high-profile photographers, and ambitious amateurs/prosumers.

This era has passed with the introduction of the OpticFilm 7200, the first consumer-priced high-resolution 35mm film and negative scanner. User-friendly and affordable, the OpticFilm 7200 is ideal for organizations or individuals who wish to scan their work and share it on the Web with fellow photographers or anyone wanting to digitize and archive their slides and negatives onto CD - to create their own photo albums or digital slide shows. Users can easily preserve their work and valuable memories onto compact disc for easy access and retouching in the future. Launched earlier in the year in Germany, the OpticFilm is already the winner of the coveted "foto MAGAZIN GUT award" and the "PC Direkt Budget Kauftipp! award." Priced at $199, the OpticFilm 7200 will begin shipping in the U.S. in September.

Uncompromising Power
The OpticFilm 7200 offers a physical resolution of 7200x7200 dpi and true 48-Bit color depth. At this resolution even the smallest slide details are scanned with brilliant quality. The scanner is able to generate an uncompressed picture file (24-bit color depth) that is 200 MB or larger or equal to about a 75-megapixel resolution digital camera.

Despite this enormous amount of data, the OpticFilm 7200 is phenomenally fast. A preview scan takes about ten-seconds, a slide scan at 7200-dpi takes just under 130-seconds, and a negative scan takes less than two minutes. For jobs where 3600 dpi is more than sufficient, a slide scan takes about 70-seconds and the digitizing of a negative under 50-seconds. These high scan speeds are achieved by the OpticFilm 7200's USB 2.0 high-speed interface that transfers data much faster than USB 1.1.

The picture quality of the OpticFilm 7200 is designed for professional results. With an advanced proprietary lens system and two displaced CCD sensors, pictures show even the finest details that previously were achievable only on large format machines used by the best laboratories.

Quick Success, Simple Use

Scanning with the Plustek OpticFilm 7200 is easy to master; simply place the slide or filmstrip in the holder and manually insert sideways into the unit -- that's it. For scanning, users can choose to use either Plustek's QuickScan software or use the bundled software, SilverFast SE 6 from LaserSoft Imaging. Either way, extensive assistance guides users through the scan, ensuring that even beginners are able to achieve impressive results.

The OpticFilm 7200 is equipped with a mini-light table (Illuminated Slide Viewer) on top for the quick preview and evaluation of slides and negatives. On the front, there is an IntelliScan and a QuickScan button to further automate the scanning process. This is especially valuable for photographers who hold an extensive picture archive that requires quick digitizing.

Fully Loaded

In addition to the power supply unit, cable set, and slide/film holders, the OpticFilm 7200 also includes a black cushioned nylon bag. It was designed especially to accommodate easy and safe transport of the unit during on-the-road jobs. In addition, a complete software package is offered:

-- LaserSoft SilverFast SE 6

World class professional scan software, containing Photoshop, TWAIN plug-in and stand-alone application, supplying novice users and professionals with a powerful tool for scanning and color reproduction.

-- NewSoft Presto! PageManager

Award-winning photo/image management software supports over 100 popular applications, including color OCR and full-text indexing functions.

-- NewSoft Presto! ImageFolio

The complete multimedia image-processing program with sophisticated image-editing tools lets you quickly create new images or enhance old ones.

-- NewSoft Presto! Mr. Photo

Web photo software makes your photos come alive! You can create personalized greeting cards, postcards, calendars and more.

-- Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF file reading program)

-- QuickScan (one-click utility software)

Sales
The OpticFilm 7200 begins shipping in September and will be available online (http://www.shipitforyou.com/plustek) and at select retail locations. Stores and other vendors interested in carrying Plustek's award-winning line-up of products may contact Plustek directly at sales@plustek.com.

ABOUT PLUSTEK
A Leader in Scanner Technology - Plustek Inc is a leading manufacturer of sheet fed and multifunction scanners for the professional, home and mobile markets. In business since 1986, Plustek continues a tradition of innovative design, superior quality, and world-class support. Plustek, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, sells scanners worldwide.

Sep 21: Fujifilm Printpix Digital Photo Printer CX-550

Bios previews the Fujifilm CX-550 and writes - 'Fujifilm has revealed its latest high-end digital photo printer for home and business use. Succeeding the Printpix CX-400, the Printpix CX-550 (250x180x336mm, 5kg) is based on a thermal printing process and its targeted at photo enthusiasts. Key features of the printer include a 3-colour print resolution of 310dpi (12.2 dots/mm), maximum paper size of up to 4x6in. (with or without borders), built-in 2.5in. LCD monitor (1.8in. on Printpix CX-400), and six preset ID photo frame templates with an option for creating customised templates. The printer supports the PictBridge standard for printing directly from your digital camera, and also comes with built-in xD-Picture Card and PC Card slots. The printer should output images at a rate of up to 99 seconds-per-page, according to Fujifilm, which is slow compared to an inkjet printer. Pros: 2.5in LCD monitor; supports PictBridge; improved software Cons: Maximum print size of 4x6in.; just one memory card slot'
Fujifilm Press Release

Fujifilm Printpix Digital Camera Printing Solutions

New additions to the innovative Printpix line

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. is proud to exhibit new additions to the Printpix line. In the two years since the announcement and demonstration of Printpix products at Photokina 2002, photo retailers throughout the world have shown enthusiastic support for these innovative products as ideal solutions for digital camera print services as well as a cost effective ID photo services. Responding to expanding market needs, Fujifilm is introducing new Printpix products.

Digital Photo Center + Printpix Digital Photo Printer NC-400D, NC-471D By adding connectivity to Printpix Digital Photo Printer NC-400D or NC-471D, the Digital Photo Center in-store kiosk now has the ability to output regular prints as well as sticker prints from digital cameras instantly via a variety of digital media, including xDPicture Card™, SmartMedia™, Compact Flash™, Secure Digital (SD) Card, MemoryStick®, ZIP™ disk, PC Card and CD-R. In addition, retailers can capture growing demand for prints from camera-phones via wireless Bluetooth data transfer as well as Memory Stick Duo™ and mini SD Card.

Retailers can now choose this system as a low cost startup facility to meet digital camera printing demand, even with limited space. When demand for digital printing services grows to levels justifying investment in the Digital Minilab Frontier, retailers can still use the system in different ways. While prints from negatives or large volumes of digital camera prints can be ready in just one hour with the Digital Minilab Frontier, the Printpix Digital Photo Printer NC-400D or 471D meets needs for immediate finishing of small volumes of digital camera prints, camera-phone prints or added-value multiple sticker prints. The Digital Photo Center can also collect orders from digital cameras or camera-phones for printing with either Frontier or the NC-400D/ NC-471D, due to connectivity with the Frontier. The system will be available in early 2005.

Printpix Digital Photo Printer CX-550 The Printpix Digital Photo Printer CX-550 has been installed by photo retailers worldwide as an ID photo system that offers the dual advantages of minimum investment cost and space-saving design. The CX-550 incorporates improved features, enabling it to serve as an advanced ID photo system. With the addition of the ID Photo Kit for the CX-550, images stored on a digital camera can be transferred via USB cable to the CX-550, for immediate printing without a PC. This eliminates the need to remove and insert media, facilitating ease of use from shooting to output. This new addition will be available from October 2004.

Princiao system This all-in-one kiosk layout adds a coin kit function to a digital camera print order terminal, making it possible for a single unit to handle every step: orders, printing, and payment. This convenient system can be a welcome addition not only to photo retailers, but also to locations where people gather such as electronics stores, supermarkets, stations, and airports. A simple order flow produces borderless regular prints from a digital camera immediately, making this system an exceptionally practical businesssolution.

Fujifilm´s Printpix system is an eco-friendly solution that generates colors in a special coated paper, needing no inks, toners or ribbons, keeping maintenance to a minimum. These quality digital camera printing systems are easy-to-use, space-saving and costeffective. All brand names and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Sep 21: Fujifilm to showcase advances in Image Intelligence

Fujifilm Press Release

Fujifilm to showcase advances in Image Intelligence™

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. will be presenting Image Intelligence™, an original system of imageprocessing software technologies featured in a wide range of Fujifilm´s digital imaging products. The culmination of 70 years of photographic expertise, Fujifilm´s Image Intelligence™ has vastly increased the convenience and potential applications of digital imaging. At Photokina 2004, Fujifilm will showcase a variety of products already equipped with Image Intelligence™ and also present features under development for future products, including the company´s sophisticated Face Detection and FaceRecognition functions.

The pursuit of human vision and intentions Fujifilm has been developing digital imaging products for fields as diverse as photography, graphic arts and medical imaging since the 1970s. Despite the huge differences in their final applications, all Fujifilm digital imaging products aim to reproduce images exactly as they originally appear to the human eye. Building on this base, Fujiflm further aims to enhance images exactly as intended. Fujifilm has spent decades researching digital image processing technologies in pursuit of these ideals. The cumulative results of these efforts were first announced to the world at Photokina 2002 in the form of an integrated system of image processing software technologies known as Fujifilm Image Intelligence™.

Creating new businesses By combining leading-edge technologies in the computer vision field with the company´s own accumulated technologies and know-how, Fujifilm has recently achieved a number of important innovations. These innovations have of course brought added value to current digital image processing systems, such as the Digital Minilab Frontier. They have also found their way into an ever-expanding spectrum of products and services, thus helping to create new types of businesses.

The following is a partial list of recently developed Image Intelligence™ technologies and functions.

• Scene Classification A technology for high-precision recognition and classification of images of human figures, daytime landscapes, evening landscapes and nightscapes, as well as high-contrast photos when the object is exposed by flash, among other photos and enables optimization of all images, regardless of subject matter.

• Face Detection - Automatically crops facial images and adjusts skin tone to optimize images for ID photos and other applications. - Automatically extracts facial data from images and inserts it into other images or templates. Ideal for creating original photos set at theme parks and other fun locations. - Automatically eliminates red eye when used together with red eye detection technology.

• Face Recognition - Automatically detects and identifies human faces and sorts photos accordingly. Extremely useful for organizing the ever-increasing volume of digital photos of family and friends. - Supports applications in the fast-growing market for biometric security systems.

Enhanced competitiveness These and other Image Intelligence™ technologies have attracted keen attention from third-party vendors looking to apply Fujifilm´s digital image processing systems to further enhance the competitiveness of their products and services. Fujifilm will continue to develop Image Intelligence™ to achieve ever higher levels of customer satisfaction with products and services that ensure images ´´just the way you see them, and just as you intended them.´´

Sep 21: Fujifilm Picture the Future

Fujifilm Press Release (another pre released one from fujifilm?)
Fujifilm. Picture the Future

Dedicated to providing quality solutions for the future of imaging

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Under the slogan ´´Fujifilm. Picture the Future,´´ the Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. exhibit at Photokina 2004 features a wide variety of new products and services. Conveying Fujifilm´s determination to accurately ´´picture´´ customer needs and the future of the imaging market in the midst of today´s rapidly evolving digital environment, the ´´Picture the Future´´ slogan emphasizes Fujifilm´s dedication to maintaining a strong position as a leader in the photo-imaging world.

In January 2004, Fujfilm celebrated its 70th anniversary. Throughout those 70 years the company has consistently aimed to forge a reputation for quality imaging technology, from photographic films and printing materials to sophisticated services in a host of imaging fields. Among the first to become aware of the potential of digital technology to expand the world of imaging, Fujifilm has devoted significant effort to research and development of digital imaging products. Aiming to consistently contribute to the photo-imaging industry as a pioneer of imaging frontiers, the results of Fujifilm´s ongoing efforts are on display at Photokina 2004.

With the rise of digital technology, the imaging world is undergoing rapid change. Apace with the growing popularity of digital cameras, the total number of shots has increased significantly, and in addition to conventional photographic prints, pictures can now be enjoyed in a variety of new ways – shared over the Internet, manipulated onscreen – the possibilities are limited only by the imagination. Fujifilm recognizes this expansion of the photographic market based on the rapid progress of digitalization as an important business opportunity.

In the midst of upheavals in the imaging world, people´s expectations of pictures remain unchanged. The ability to capture and preserve those important moments, loved ones, and memorable occasions is treasured – a culture of photography that Fujifilm and Photokina seek to preserve. Fujifilm will continue to play a leading role as we Picture the Future, dedicated to preserving the culture of photography for generations to come.

• Fujifilm at Photokina: An Overview At Photokina 2004, two of the main areas of interest in the imaging industry – digital cameras and retail printing – are also the main focus of the Fujifilm presence. The digital camera area will spotlight the comprehensive FinePix lineup of high-quality cameras, while the ´´Print at Retail´´ area will feature a host of new Fujifilm in-store print services based on delivering digital camera and camera-phone prints with the Digital Minilab Frontier combined with ordering terminals.

Fujifilm is placing strong emphasis on its ´´Print at Retail´´ services, based on maximizing the combined advantages of the ultra high-quality image input and output capabilities of FinePix and Frontier.

To illustrate Fujifilm´s commitment to the future of imaging, a concept shop and digital camera design prototypes will also be on display, enabling visitors to experience the expanding pleasures and convenience of imaging for themselves. Main exhibits will be as follows:

1. Digital cameras – Four series to meet varied consumer needs As the number of digital camera users and the range of applications continue to expand, user needs are becoming increasingly diversified, and Fujifilm has developed numerous products to meet these needs. At Photokina 2004, in addition to the emphasis on total image quality, Fujifilm´s FinePix digital camera series has been expanded to meet a variety of lifestyle and budget needs.

The Fujifilm FinePix series comprises four different product lines: the ´´S´´ Series (FinePix S3 Pro/S20 Pro/S7000/S5500/S3500), conceived to satisfy professional requirements for photographic expression; the ´´F´´ Series (FinePix F810/F450 /F440/F455), emphasizing style and high-performance; the ´´A´´ Series (FinePix A340/A330 /A120), designed to make digital photography as easy as possible; and the new ´´E´´ Series (FinePix E550/E510/E500), tailored to maximize the pleasure of taking photographs.

The debut of the FinePix F455 is one of the highlights of the FinePix display. This ultra-compact camera boasts 5.2 million effective pixels and a 2-inch LCD monitor. Incorporating Fujifilm´s innovative Super CCD and high-quality Fujinon lenses, high-performance sensor modules for camera-phones will also be displayed.

FinePix S3 Pro Ideal for studio or wedding photography, the FinePix S3 Pro is a professionaluse model that incorporates Fujifilm´s newly developed Super CCD SRII (12.34- million effective-pixel [6.17 million S-pixels + 6.17 million R-pixels]). The resulting expanded dynamic range produces exceptionally high-quality images. An extensive selection of sensitivities and advanced image processing technology give this camera consistently high quality, while a dynamic range customizing function and film simulation mode permit a wide range of photographic expression. Connected to the Digital Photographic Printer Pictrography 4500N, boasting sophisticated network functions, the FinePix S3 Pro makes it easy to produce A3 size prints of exceptionally high quality.

2. ´´Print at Retail´´ – Varied retail print solutions with a focus on Frontier Photokina provides a showcase for Fujifilm´s approach to digital printing in the retail environment. Fujifilm´s ´´Print at Retail´´ services are based on output of digital camera images with Digital Minilab Frontier, a remarkable fusion of digital and silver halide technology.

At Photokina 2004, the combination of the Digital Minilab Frontier 570, Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type II and CP-49E chemical processing makes possible a new dimension in easy, speedy, beautiful, long-lasting digital camera prints. This year´s exhibit will also introduce the Digital Photo Center and Order-it terminals for prints from digital cameras and camera-phones as ´´Kiosk @ Retail´´ solutions, as well as Internet-based print services. The addition of the Printpix series of on-the-spot output options further expands Fujifilm´s extensive range of ´´Print at Retail´´ services.

An exhibit of Frontier System Solutions will be aimed at retailers offering a variety of digital imaging services. Among the solutions for enhanced print processing capabilities are the ´´Prints in Minutes´´ service, Full Automatic Red-eye Correction function, and the My Fujicolor Printer service for simplified orders via the Internet. In addition to the high-performance, high- productivity Frontier series, these solutions provide powerful business support for minilab shops.

Frontier 570 The Frontier 570 is the newest addition to the acclaimed Digital Minilab Frontier series. Despite its compact size, the high-speed Frontier 570 can produce 1,800 prints (4R size) per hour. The combination of Frontier 570 with Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type II and CP-49E chemical processing achieves the kind of ultra high-speed, high-quality printing services that only Fujifilm, a total imaging company with the capability to integrate development of the hardware, the paper, and the chemistry, can offer. In addition to compatibility for 12-inch prints, the Frontier 570 is also equipped with Fujifilm´s proprietary Image Intelligence™ with new Full Automatic Red-eye Correction function.

3. Mobile Printer-MP-100 Apace with the popularity of digital cameras, camera-phones are also enjoying rapid growth as simple picture-taking devices. As camera-phones become increasingly high resolution, the demand for prints from camera-phones is growing. With this market in mind, Fujifilm is introducing the newly developed MP-100 mobile printer. The MP-100 receives data from a camera- phone via wireless infrared transmission, eliminating the need for connector cables or media cards. This wireless battery-operated printer produces high- quality prints, instantly and effortlessly.

4. Film, cameras & one-time-use cameras Fujifilm is constantly aware of the great potential and demand for silver halide photographic products, and remains fully committed to the continued development of new and innovative products for this market.

Among the range of new film camera models exhibited is the stylish C1 Zoom 56 (two models). Also on display will be the QuickSnap Smart Flash, with a unique dual flash that produces improved photo quality for night scenes and indoor photography. On display as a reference exhibit is the Natural Photo System which combines ISO 1600 film, a newly developed compact camera with a bright F1.9 lens and a unique exposure program that automatically controls optimum exposure. This system maximizes the advantages of silver halide technology, making it possible to shoot non-flash photos with available light to produce natural-looking images as they appear to the human eye. Initially, the Natural Photo System will be available in the Japanese market only.

5. Professional products Two medium-speed color negative films for professional use will be introduced. Representing the leading edge of Fujifilm´s color negative film technology, Fujicolor PRO 160S combines smooth, gentle tonality with superbly natural color reproduction, while Fujicolor PRO 160C offers high contrast and vivid color. Both of these new films have been optimized for digital scanning.

6. Inkjet paper On display will be Fujifilm´s new Premium Plus Photo Paper Professional (narrow format), the highest quality paper in Fujifilm´s series of inkjet paper. This top quality high-gloss paper for inkjet printers offers a luxurious premium-quality feel and features a heavyweight resin-coated photo paper substrate.

7. Theme exhibit – concept shop & concept products Fujifilm is constantly developing products and services for the imaging world of the future. Providing products and services that deliver enhanced pleasure and convenience is Fujifilm´s mission. On display at Photokina, digital camera prototype models, a portable-type image viewer and a home-use image server provide a glimpse of the future of digital imaging, while a ´´Concept Shop´´ introduces the kind of services that the photo shop of the future will be able to provide. In addition, new applications for Fujifilm´s proprietary Image Intelligence™ technology, based on face detection and face recognition functions, will be introduced.

Sep 21: Fujifilm Announces Expanded Line of Digital Cameras

(Another Fuji Film Press Release)

Innovative Products Meet the Needs of a Variety of Users

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. is proud to announce an expanded and enhanced line of Fujifilm digital cameras designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of users worldwide. The product range now encompasses 15 models, all of which are on display and demonstration at the Fujifilm booth at Photokina 2004.

With digital cameras finding both greater numbers of users and a wider range of applications, both demand and production continue to rise around the world. Global shipments in 2004 are now expected to reach 60.9 million units. Reflecting widespread demand for higher pixel counts, roughly half of the shipments will have at least 4 megapixels, with 4-megapixel models accounting for approximately 25% of sales, and units with 5 megapixels or more another 25%.

The newly expanded range of Fujifilm digital cameras is intended to offer a full spectrum of products to meet the lifestyle and budget needs of a variety of users, from beginners to demanding enthusiasts and professionals. It now comprises four different product lines: the ´´S´´ Series, built as serious tools for photographic expression; the ´´F´´ Series, emphasizing stylish performance; the ´´A´´ Series, designed to make digital photography as easy as possible; and the new ´´E´´ Series, tailored to maximize the pleasure of taking photographs.

With more than 70 years of experience in conventional silver-halide photography, Fujifilm has developed proprietary imaging technology addressing every aspect of imaging, from picture taking to picture making. Fujifilm digital cameras have a unique advantage over their competitors in the digital camera field. As a total imaging company, Fujifilm is committed to in-house development of every essential aspect of digital photography, from CCD sensors and lenses to image processors, storage media, and print services. The result is a line of digital cameras that offer superior image quality, ease-of-use, and pleasure – in short, products that bring more added value to consumers, earning Fujifilm its leadership role in this market.

The Fujifilm Digital Camera Advantage The single most important advantage of Fujifilm´s digital cameras over competitors is their total image quality, made possible by a number of proprietary technologies. Key among these is the unique Super CCD sensor, renowned for its imaging performance and accuracy. The newest generation of Super CCDs includes both the Super CCD SR, designed for expanded dynamic range based on photographic principles, and the Super CCD HR, optimized for maximum resolution.

Fujifilm´s comprehensive knowledge of photography has similarly benefited the development of its new generation of image processor. These combine natural color and low noise with unparalleled processing speed. Joined with Fujinon lenses, long highly regarded by professional photographers, these sensor and processor technologies assuretotal image quality in a class of its own.

Equally outstanding are ease-of-use features such as Fujifilm´s world-leading large, clear, bright LCD monitors, particularly the new widescreen display models. The unique FinePix Photo Mode control, based on photographic principles, makes it easy for anyone to adjust image quality settings, and the PictureCradle and FinePixViewer software provide a convenient way to download images to a PC while simultaneously recharging the camera´s battery. Finally is Fujifilm´s FDi digital print service, offering users beautifully true-to-life, long-lasting photo prints from their digital image files.

FinePix ´´S´´ Series The FinePix ´´S´´ Series encompasses both interchangeable-lens SLR and high-zoomratio SLR-style models, aimed at users who demand full creative control over their photography. Flagship of the ´´S´´ Series is the FinePix S3 Pro, a professional-use model that incorporates Fujifilm´s newly developed Super CCD SR II (12.34 million effective pixels [6.17 million S-pixels + 6.17 million R-pixels]). The four SLR-style models are the FinePix S20 Pro (Super CCD SR, 6.2 million effective pixels [3.1 million S-pixels + 3.1 million R-pixels], 6X optical zoom); the FinePix S7000 (Super CCD HR, 6.3 million effective pixels, 6X optical zoom); the FinePix S5500 (4.0 million effective pixels, 10X optical zoom); and the FinePix S3500 (4.0 million effective pixels, 6X optical zoom).

FinePix ´´F´´ Series Designed for users who demand both style and performance, the FinePix ´´F´´ Series is led by the FinePix F810 (Super CCD HR, 6.3 million effective pixels, 4X optical zoom), boasting superb image quality and luxurious styling with the additional benefits of a widescreen LCD monitor and a rich feature set. Other models include the minisquare design FinePix F450 (5.2 million effective pixels, 3.4X optical zoom) and FinePix F440 (4.1 million effective pixels, 3.4X optical zoom); and the newest in Fujifilm´s stylish horizontal compact designs, the FinePix F455 (5.2 million effective pixels, 3.4X optical zoom).

FinePix ´´E´´ Series Combining a full range of features with simple operation and take-it-anywhere convenience, Fujifilm´s newest series of digital cameras make high-quality digital photography easy for everyone. Top model is the FinePix E550 (Super CCD HR, 6.3 million effective pixels, 4X optical zoom), offering excellent image quality and highspeed continuous shooting. It is joined by the FinePix E510 (5.2 million effective pixels, 3.2X optical zoom) and the FinePix E500 (4.1 million effective pixels, 3.2X optical zoom).

FinePix ´´A´´ Series Digital photography has never been easier than with the entry-level FinePix ´´A´´ Series. There are three models: the FinePix A340 (4.0 million effective pixels, 3X optical zoom), the FinePix A330 (3.2 million effective pixels, 3X optical zoom), and the FinePix A120 (3.1 million effective pixels, 3.1X digital zoom).

Sep 21: FujiFilm Digital Imaging Printing Services

FujiFilm Press Release

The New Addition To Fujifilm Digital Imaging Services

Innovative Digital Camera Printing Services

PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. has supplied Fujifilm Digital Imaging Services (FDi services) to global photo retailers, and introduced various digital services such as the Fujicolor CD, Print@FUJICOLOR, Digital Photo Center etc., since the introduction of the Digital Minilab Frontier. Responding to both growing demand for print services and global expansion of digital camera sales, retailers have adapted the Digital Minilab Frontier to offer FDi services under the name of Fujifilm Digital Imaging shop (FDi shop). The following are the new FDi services on display at Photokina 2004.

My Fujicolor Printer A new Internet printing service will be added to Print@FUJICOLOR. In this new system, the FDi shop sells or gives away the My Fujicolor Printer ordering software to their customers. By installing the software onto their PCs, customers can place their digital camera print orders via the Internet directly to the FDi shop that provided the software. Customers can then either pick up their prints at their FDi shop or have them delivered to their homes. Because customers place orders to their local FDi shop using a CD, and not a web browser, operations are easy, particularly for those who are not familiar with using a PC.

FDi shops can benefit from the My Fujicolor Printer ordering software by building up their own customer base, as customers who use the software are expected to repeatedly order prints from the same FDi shops that provided it. Furthermore, as all orders are routed to Fujifilm´s central server, the FDi shops will not need their own server and can easily start their own Internet printing business without creating their own websites. This system will be available in spring 2005 in Europe, and early 2005 in the rest of the world.

New Digital Photo Center Customers bringing their digital print orders to FDi shops are initially offered a variety of ordering options, including the Digital Photo Center, the Printpix Digital Print Station and Princiao. They are free to personally select the print service and quantity that best suit their needs. At Photokina 2004, Fujifilm proudly announces the introduction of a new type of the Digital Photo Center that provides solutions for printing from digital cameras as well as from camera-phones. The new Digital Photo Center handles Bluetooth data as well as mini SD Cards, Memory Stick DuoTM, while offering outputs from the Printpix Digital Color Printer NC-400D for prints on regular paper or NC-471D for prints on sticker paper. In addition, the new Digital Photo Center incorporates the new GUI, allowing customers to place orders with easier operation. The new Digital Photo Center will be available from early 2005.

The Digital Photo Center can be an ideal solution for digital camera printing services not only at the FDi shop but also at various other locations. Print orders from the Digital Photo Center can be transferred via portable media or the Internet to the FDi shop to print with the Frontier. For example, retailers who have installed the Frontier at their main store can offer digital camera printing services at their branch stores even without installing the Frontier into each store. In addition, Frontier shops located in a shopping mall can place Digital Photo Center terminals in various locations within the mall, allowing customers to drop off their orders at the nearest terminal and pick them up at the Frontier shop at their convenience. The ´´Hub and Spoke´´ solution makes it possible for retailers to increase opportunities of digital camera printing services with minimal investment, and will be available from early 2005.

´´Kiosk@Home, Kiosk@Retail´´ My Fujicolor Printer, Digital Photo Center and Hub and Spoke solutions exhibited at the Photokina 2004 in total realize user-friendly digital photo print order environment. Thanks to this environment, digital photo print orders would become more convenient and yet affordable at anywhere, any time. Microsoft Corporation and Fujifilm together pursue such digital photo print order environment, under catch phrases ´´Kiosk@Home´´, and ´´Kiosk@Retail´´. Seamless access toward easy to use print order screen makes interactive collaboration between ´´Kiosk@Home´´ and ´´Kiosk@Retail´´. Visitors to Photokina 2004 can experience at-home digital camera printing at both the Fujifilm and Microsoft booths. Image files can be uploaded at the Microsoft booth and the finished photo prints made by Digital Minilab Frontier can be picked up at the Fujifilm booth.

Sep 21: My Canon

Canon Press Release
Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of My Canon: an online customer relationship management (eCRM) portal at http://my.canon-europe.com. My Canon consolidates a range of existing and new online services, including the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY and Your Print.

Launched in 2003, Canon's online CANON iMAGE GATEWAY offers owners of selected Canon digital imaging products the facility to upload images and video clips to create and share their own personal online photo galleries. The launch of the My Canon portal adds new options such as an online digital imaging desktop and an information centre, where users can obtain latest Canon product information, plus tips and tools designed to help realise their visual expression.

About - My Canon
Membership to the My Canon portal is open to all, while the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY remains exclusive to owners of select Canon products.

Existing members of the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY will log on to the site using their current user name and password, while first time visitors are invited to register by providing personal details and preferences.

Members are invited to update their personal profile, which is taken into account by the eCRM system when tailoring information to meet the needs and preferences of each individual user. Members will also be able to subscribe to Canon’s personalised online e-news magazine ‘You Connect’, delivered in any one of nine preferred languages.

After logging on to My Canon, members can download software, access 3D Paper Art (a library of paper model craft projects for all ages that utilises colour printing) and Clip Art libraries, and access the Canon Europe Web Self Service (CEWSS) and online manuals for assistance with product instruction. Users can also view and compare Canon’s range of consumer imaging products such as cameras, printers and scanners.

About - Your Print
‘Your Print’ is an online ‘try before you buy’ service for people interested in Canon printers. Users upload their favourite photo or image and request a print sample from the Ink Jet printer model or models of their choice. Samples are then mailed out free of charge.

About - CANON iMAGE GATEWAY
CANON iMAGE GATEWAY is an existing service providing members with 100MB of online storage for uploading images and video clips. It is free and available to purchasers of Canon digital still cameras, digital video cameras and CP Printers . Users can invite anyone to login and share personal selections of images. Photos can be uploaded directly to the secure site from the user’s camera, along with individual sounds and comments, to create personalised albums themed around special events such as weddings, holidays and birthdays.

From October 2004, members will be able to access the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY and browse their online photo albums via their mobile phone . In the future, Canon plans to provide connectivity to the Gateway via PDA or digital television.

Access to the ‘My Camera’ feature on the site allows members to download software containing themed sounds and images – ranging from abstract art to nature shots – to customise their digital camera’s start-up image and sounds, operation sounds, shutter sounds and self-timer sounds.

Members can also share images by creating a personalised screensaver, which allows friends to enjoy a slide show of the member’s latest pictures. Streaming video can also be uploaded, and the facility exists to create and send electronic greeting cards (e–cards) incorporating personalised text.

Where to see My Canon
The My Canon portal has been launched in local languages throughout 16 European countries, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.

Sep 21: Digital Depth of Field

Bob Atkins Photography has a good tutorial on Digital Depth of Field that is very informative and will help you get some excellent results.

'Let's try to define depth of field. The usual definition runs something like this:

"The region over which objects in an image appear sharp".

While there is some truth in this, there's also some confusion - and some untruth too! Let's try a more accurate definition:

"The depth of field is the range of distances reproduced in a print over which the image is not unacceptably less sharp than the sharpest part of the image".'

For more Depth of Field Tutorials and Tips check out our tips collection on the topic.

Photoxels has a good tutorial on Depth of Field.

Also check out Digital Photography School for more free Digital Camera Tips on All Topics.

Sep 21: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II DSLR

The Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II (catchy name) has finally been made official. We've just received word from Canon of this 16.7 megapixel DSLR which is sure to get Canon DSLR fans around the world salivating. The Canon EOS 1Ds DSLR has one of the longest list of features you'll ever see in a camera. We've included the news release announcing the 1Ds Mark II below which outlines what it includes.

Get the Latest Price on the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Reviews

DP Now has some initial thoughts about the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II and writes - 'Without doubt, comparisons will be drawn between the Canon EOS 1D Mark II and Nikon's newly-announced D2X. 12.4 megapixels sounded a lot last week!

We've listed some specifications below to compare these two high-end professional offerings. In a nut shell, the Nikon D2X is cheaper, faster, lighter and has some interesting colour processing innovations. The Canon 1Ds Mark II is much more expensive, heavier and slower. Nikon has much more of a general purpose camera and is probably better compared with Canon's EOS 1D Mark II.'

Canon have also released some very large image samples from the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II. Also see image samples at DP Review's Canon EOS 1Ds II image sample page.

Luminous Landscape reviews the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II DSLR and writes - 'The noise levels on the IDs Mark II are very low; comparable with those from the Canon 20D and 1D MKII, the best cameras over their entire range that I've yet tested or used. The surprise here is that ISO 50 (Low) is as poor as it is, about the same as ISO 800. Since the camera's native ISO is 100, 50 ISO should therefore be regarded as a special purpose setting that really only should be used when an extra low shutter speed or wide aperture can't be accomplished any other way.'

DP Review has a review of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II where they give it a 'highly recommended' rating. They write - 'Performance is another area which impresses, of course we all expect a professional digital SLR (especially one with this price tag) to operate quickly and be instantly responsive to our every request. But when you consider that this camera wasn't designed for the fast-shooting sports market it's equally amazing to use it and realize that in many ways it is just as capable at continuous shooting as it is at delivering superb resolution. Four sixteen megapixel frames per second for 41 frames without stopping is something mighty.'

CNET reviews the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II and writes - 'Canon maintains its industry-leading position with the 16.7-megapixel EOS 1Ds Mark II, the highest-resolution small-format digital SLR. Intended for studio and landscape photographers who prefer the size and flexibility of 35mm-style cameras, the 1Ds Mark II sets a new benchmark for performance and image quality. With a wealth of upgrades, this camera succeeds and surpasses Canon's original EOS 1Ds, introduced two years earlier.'

They give the 1Ds Mark II a rating of 'excellent' (8.9 out of 10).

Get the Latest Price on the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II

Learn more about the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II DSLR from the following press release from Canon announcing the camera.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Press Release

16.7 Megapixels of Righteous Resolution: In The Studio Or On The Road Canon's New EOS-1Ds MARK II SLR Takes Pro Digital To The Next Level Of Imaging Excellence

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 21, 2004 With the Highest Resolution, Lowest Noise, Truest Color And Fastest Burst Rate In Its Class, The EOS-1Ds Mark II Digital SLR Is The One Pro Digital Even Medium-Format Film Holdouts Will Love

At long last, catalog and commercial photographers, stock photographers, studio portrait specialists and other professional photographers of every stripe and specialty can capture brilliant high impact images and enjoy the speed, economy, flexibility, increased workflow and productivity that only digital offers with Canon's new 16.7 megapixel EOS-1Ds Mark II SLR.

The EOS-1Ds Mark II digital SLR camera establishes a new benchmark of innovation and excellence not only for Canon but for our industry as a whole and particularly for the community of professional photographers who are our most demanding and discerning customers,” stated Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc (NYSE:CAJ). “Up to now, many professional and commercial photographers have been wedded to their medium format film cameras in order to ensure the excellence of their images and the ability to make dramatic enlargements with virtually no reduction in quality. With this remarkable new pro digital SLR, we are sending a message to those medium format fans: your digital dream has been fulfilled.”

For those wishing to get a first glimpse of that dream, production models of the new EOS-1Ds Mark II camera will be on display at the Canon booth at the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany starting on Sept. 28th and at New York City's Photo Plus show starting on Oct. 21st at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The EOS-1Ds Mark II camera body carries an estimated street price of $7,999 and is scheduled to begin shipping in November.

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