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DigiCam Review has reviewed the Casio Exilim EX-Z120 where they write - 'The Casio Exilim EX-Z120 is a compact, metal bodied digital camera that provides very good 7 megapixel images. The camera provides a good 2“ screen, excellent battery life, a good video mode, and an average macro mode. The camera provides a mode for every type of digital camera user, from the very beginner, to the advanced expert and the digital camera is very easy to use in all modes. The camera doesn't appear to cut back on features, yet still manages to provide excellent value for money as one of the cheapest 7 megapixel, 3x optical zoom digital cameras available. The Casio Exilim EX-Z120 is definitely recommended!'
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-Z120
Get the Latest Price on the Casio Exilim EX-Z120
Megapixel has posted a review of the Olympus SP-700 where they write - 'In summary, the SP-700 is an interesting camera that is simple to use and which has the advantage of a large monitor, giving the user an excellent preview of the image about to be captured. Its 6-megapixel images can be printed out to 7 x 9.4 inch (18 x 24 cm) size at 300 dpi without any problem, and its automatic capabilities should appeal to those that want a sleek, compact, and fuss-free camera to carry along anytime and anywhere.'
Read more reviews of the Olympus SP-700
Steves Digicams has posted a review of the Nikon D200 DSLR where they write - 'With the release of the D200, Nikon have climbed to the top of the enthusiast dSLR market. With a host of features typically reserved for professional cameras, 10.2-megapixels of resolution and excellent image quality, Nikon has not only surpassed Canon in the enthusiast market, they have blurred the distinction with their own professional D2X. If the D200 were an entry-level dSLR, I'd complain about the softness of its JPEG images. But this is an enthusiast dSLR, and the need to apply a bit of USM in post processing is preferable to having an over-sharpened JPEG out of the camera. High ISO image noise can be an issue, but it is most pronounced when images are under exposed; proper exposures complemented by Nikons in-camera High ISO NR feature or post-processing noise reduction result in quite useable images at the highest sensitivity settings. It has been a long time coming, but patient Nikon loyalists have been rewarded with a new benchmark enthusiast dSLR; their patience may be tested more while waiting for their orders to be filled as Nikon struggles to keep up with the demand for this very fine camera. At an MSRP of $1700 it's not inexpensive, but the D200's features and image quality justify its price early in the product cycle.'
Read more reviews of the Nikon D200
Get a price on the Nikon D200 from Amazon and compare prices on the Nikon D200 from around the web.
Trusted Reviews has posted a review of the Olympus E-500 where they write - 'The E-500 should secure Olympus a place on the lucrative consumer D-SLR shelf alongside the Nikon D50, Canon EOS 350D and Pentax *ist DL. It is a very well designed camera, combining excellent picture quality, outstanding performance and lots of creative versatility, while still maintaining beginner-friendly simplicity and easy handling. It is a genuine pleasure to use, and produces superb results. If you’re looking for a good SLR for under £600 with a lens, then it should definitely be on your shortlist.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Olympus E-500
Get the Latest Price on the Olympus EVOLT E500
This month Digital Photography Blog is excited to welcome a new sponsor on board - MyPhotoFun.
MyPhotoFun is an innovative Australian company that specializes in helping digital camera owners to organize and share their digital images with family and friends using photo alums especially designed for digital images.
At the core of their system is a free software (downloadable from their site) that allows you to design your album for later printing.
Their service handles all the printing, binding (into a hard cover album) and delivery of your finished product to your doorstep anywhere in Australia within 14 days.
The process is simple - simply transfer your photos from your digital camera to the software - design your album and then shoot it off to MyPhotoFun and just a couple of weeks later you'll have a professionally bound album in your hands.
They can put together 3 different sizes of albums (starting at just $19.95) and also have the ability to use your photos to produce desk and birthday calendars.
I know from personal experience what a great thing producing a photo album from digital photos can be. I make one each year with the highlights of the year that has just been and with the upcoming birth of our first child we're planning to use them as gifts for grandparents and family (the pocket sized ones make the perfect brag books).
So for all your digital photo album needs head over to MyPhotoFun.
CNET gives a rating of 7.2 out of 10 to the Pentax *ist DS2 in it's review of the DSLR and writes - 'Like the DS, the Pentax *ist DS2 is a relatively light but robust and easy-to-navigate digital SLR, with 6- megapixel resolution, an impressively bright viewfinder, responsive 11-point autofocus, and a wide array of advanced automatic and manual features that should please longtime SLR enthusiasts without befuddling newcomers. The picture quality is generally solid, with minimal noise at typical settings and nearly no chromatic aberration. A minor weakness is the DS2's erratic automatic white balance, but overall, the DS2 is a hearty, well-performing, intuitive, and easy-to-handle camera. For those approaching the dSLR market with a bag of Pentax lenses--or no lenses at all--it's a camera to consider.'
Read more reviews of the Pentax *ist DS2
DP Interface has posted a review of the Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital ELPH where they write - 'The Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital ELPH is a great go-anywhere camera which took the SD450 and made everything better. The SD600 features 6 effective megapixels, 3x optical zoom and a 2.5 inch LCD. The SD600's new LCD has more resolution and is a little sharper yet it's still not as sharp or as high-res as other cameras. Still, the LCD is visible both indoors and outdoors. The Night Display feature brightens the LCD at the cost of frame rate while holding down the DISPlay button boosts the LCD backlight.'
Read more reviews of the Canon Powershot SD600
Get the latest price on the Canon PowerShot SD600
Steves Digicams reviews the Canon Powershot A540 which they recommend by writing - 'Shooting performance was awesome for a point-n-shoot in this class. From power up to first image was captured measured just 1.6 seconds, and waking the camera from sleep mode to image capture took only 1 second. Shutter lag, the delay between depressing the shutter button and capturing an image, was less than 1/10 of a second when pre-focused, and only 2/10 of a second including autofocus. When using single drive mode and shooting a sequence of images, the shot to shot delay averaged approx. 1.5 seconds without the flash, but increases dramatically to between 4 - 6 seconds when using the flash, depending on subject distance and battery life.'
Read more about the Canon Powershot A540
Get the latest price on the Canon PowerShot A540
PCWorld posts a review of the Fujifilm FinePix S5200 where they write - 'We were very impressed with the image quality of the S5200: In our tests with studio and natural lights, images displayed bright, vivid colors and lots of detail. Flesh tones looked great, with natural colors and plenty of shadow detail. Though the camera shoots only at a resolution of 5.1 megapixels, the results were noticeably sharper than from many higher-resolution cameras (such as the 8-megapixel Panasonic DMC-FZ30 and the 6-megapixel Konica Minolta DiMage 6Z). The sharpening that the camera applies didn't cause much color interference: We saw very little evidence of color fringing....The easy-to-use S5200 takes great pictures and offers a good range of advanced features for a low price.'
Read many more reviews and ratings of the Fujifilm Finepix S5200
Get the Latest Price on the "Fujifilm Finepix S5600 (also known as the S5200)
Steves Digicams posts a review of the Canon Powershot A430 where they write - 'The overall image quality is excellent for such an affordably priced camera. In fact it sometimes rivals that of more expensive cameras with similar resolution. You can choose from several image sizes (Large: 2272 x 1704, Middle 1: 1600 x 1200, Middle 2: 1024 x 768, Small: 640 x 480, Wide: 2272 x 1280, and Postcard Date Imprint Mode: 1600 x 1200.) And, the quality is also selectable between Normal, Fine and SuperFine. The better the quality the less compression of the image. More compression may equal a smaller file size, but you will see a difference in you images. We've found that the most popular settings are either the default Large Fine mode or Large SuperFine, which is what we used. Either of these modes will produce awesome pictures and beautiful prints.'
Read more about the Canon PowerShot A430 digital camera
Compare prices on the Canon Powershot A430 digital camera and get the latest price on the Canon PowerShot A430 at Amazon
Digital Photography Interface has a worthwhile review of the Sony Cyber-shot W30 where they write - 'There are some things that can be improved. The zoom lever could be made stiffer so the zoom can't be operated by accident (I understand this is Sony's first attempt at a zoom lever after years of using buttons). Buffer could be increased as continuous shooting is rather slow and I think the overall performance of the W30 is lacking. The excellent movie mode from other Sony cameras is here too - Also recorded in MPEG format, the main reason file sizes are small and easy to buffer for movies. I think that the Sony Cyber-shot W30 is a great overall camera - featuring great image quality, excellent battery life, good macro mode and can record VGA movies at 30 FPS. However, I'd rather upgrade to the W50 (which has a larger LCD) for just a mere $20.'
Read more reviews of the Sony Cybershot DSC-W30
Get the latest price on the Sony Cybershot DSCW30
Steves Digicams posts a review of the Canon Powershot A530 and writes - 'Like its big brother the A540, the PowerShot A530 is an excellent entry-level point-n-shoot model. It continues Canon's tradition of offering outstanding image quality and performance, with helpful and easy to use exposure modes. It is small enough to be tucked away in an average size pocket or handbag, and the durable metal/polycarbonate body is sure to survive the active users lifestyle; or when Mom tosses it into her purse. The only annoyance I found was the flash recharge time and the fact that the LCD goes blank while the flash is charging. With an MSRP of only $229, we feel it offers an awesome value and will make any family, business, or tourist user very happy, whether you're just entering the digital age or upgrading to a newer model.'
Read more about the Canon PowerShot A530
Compare prices on the Canon PowerShot A530 and get the latest price on the Canon PowerShot A530
PCWorld post a review of the Casio Exilim EX-S600 which they give a rating of 76 out of 100 ('good') and write - 'In general, the camera is small, light, and pretty easy to handle, but those with big hands might find its thin profile a bit uncomfortable. With the zoom control situated on the back, gripping the camera can be a little difficult, as it's hard to hold the camera and adjust the zoom. All of the other controls are accessible through buttons on the back, too. Since there's no control dial, however, you end up pushing buttons a lot to reach some features and settings. No controls, except the shutter button, sit on the top of the camera....With its fairly good image quality and compact design, the EX-S600 would be a good choice for people who need a camera they can grab and take on the run.'
Read more reviews of the Casio Exilim EX-S600
Compare prices on the Casio Exilim EX-S600 and get the latest price on the Casio Exilim EX-S600 at Amazon
Digital Photography Interface has posted a review of the Nikon Coolpix S5 where they conclude - 'The Nikon Coolpix S5 is the greatly improved predecessor of the S3. It has 6 megapixels, a large and high-resolution 2.5 inch LCD plus some improved functions. I quite like the new styling and "wave design" of the S5, admittedly much better than the S3's design. The LCD is large, very sharp and the viewing angle is fairly good but visibility was not the best. The mode button plus the rotary dial is much better than that clumsy old mode switch. At times, the rotary dial was too easy to turn.'
Read more reviews of the Nikon Coolpix S5 digital camera
Compare prices on the Nikon Coolpix S5 and get the latest price on the Nikon Coolpix S5 at Amazon.
XYZ Computing has posted a review of the Kodak EasyShare V550 where they write - 'The V550 was clearly designed to compete with cameras like Canon's PowerShot SD400. Canon has been the leader of the digital camera industry for some time now, so emulating their form factor and specifications was certainly a step in the right direction. Kodak was able to put together a nicer exterior and easier to use interface than any used on the PowerShots. Even so, the Kodak lacks the distinction and tweaking with Canon has been able to work into it models- the V550's image quality, battery life, and macro capilities are all a bit behind. The price of the Kodak gives its a considerable advantage over the Canon models, though it will still be a tough choice considering the brand name and refinement which Canon brings to the table.'
Read more reviews of the Kodak Easyshare V550
Get the latest price on the Kodak EasyShare V550 5MP Digital Camera
Imaging Resource has a great review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9 Digital Camera where they conclude by writing - 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9 seems about average at first, with a 3x zoom in a small, stylish body, and a big 2.5 inch LCD. But when you learn it has Panasonic's MegaOIS Optical Image Stabilization technology added, despite its average 3x zoom, that's better than average. Image stabilization is becoming a hot feature, capturing sharper images in lower light at low shutter speeds without raising ISO. Unfortunately, the FX9 needs the optical image stabilization to make up for its shortcomings in terms of low light and flash performance. Indoor shots will come out quite yellow, unfortunately, unless you go through the trouble to set white balance manually, which is a bit of a burden. Still, the Panasonic FX9 also offers 6-megapixel resolution, very bright color without oversaturating skin tones, good macro focusing, and excellent battery life. The Panasonic Lumix FX9 is a good little camera, and clearly one of the best bargains on the market for an optically stabilized digital camera.'
Read many more ratings and reviews of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9
Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9 and get a price on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9 at Amazon
PCWorld has posted a review of the Nikon Coolpix P2 digital camera and were not really impressed with it on the whole. They write - 'But while the wireless image transfer is a nice feature to have, I found that the quality of the P2's images was not so appealing. They weren't particularly bad; they just weren't that good when examined alongside the images of other similarly priced cameras. The colors were acceptable (if a little dark) and the images were reasonably sharp. As the P2 is a point-and-shoot camera, its lack of a full manual mode is not surprising. You do get some control, though, via an aperture priority mode (no shutter priority) and both white balance and exposure bracketing.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Nikon Coolpix P2
Get the Latest Price on the Nikon Coolpix P2
DCRP has posted a review of the Olympus Stylus 710 where they write - 'The Stylus 710 is a very stylish, wedge-shaped ultra-compact camera. Olympus touts its scratchproof finish, and sure enough, the Stylus was the only metal camera to survive my ten camera Stanford trip without even a mark. Not only is the body scratchproof, but it's also water resistant as well. While you can't go swimming with it (without the optional underwater case, that is), the Stylus can get splashed, and since everything is sealed, dust, sand, and dirt stay out of the camera's important parts too. The camera is well designed for the most part, though it would've been nice if some of the buttons were a little bit larger. The Stylus has a large 2.5" LCD display that's great in low light, but the 115,000 pixel resolution left something to be desired.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Olympus Stylus 710
Get the latest price on the Olympus Stylus 710
PhotographyBLOG has news of Pentax who is expected to Withdraw some of their Products from European Market as a result of changes to regulations in the EU which would see their products in violation of the law:
'News has reached us that Pentax are set to withdraw a number of its products from the European market, as new EU legislation regarding the use of lead solder in camera circuit boards is about to come into force (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2004 (RoHS Regulations)). Pentax is the second company to pull product due to this legislation - the Hasselblad Xpan has already been withdrawn from market. The full list includes the Pentax 645N II and 67II medium format cameras, some lenses and a number of digital compact cameras (the majority of which have already been discontinued due to product life cycles).'
DP Review has posted a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 and give it a rating of 'recommended'. They write - 'Noise aside, the FX01 is a real gem of a camera, and one I shall be very sorry to give back, mainly because using a compact with a 28mm equiv. lens is like a breath of fresh air compared to the 35 to 38mm wide end found on most models, which simply doesn't allow you to capture the whole scene in a single shot. Of course there are compromises; there are cameras with sharper lenses (though in the ultra-compact sector not many), the lack of real photographic control may put some off, and the low-light noise issue cannot be ignored. But in the final analysis the FX01 sits in a class of its own as a truly pocketable camera with a high quality 28mm equivalent lens, with image stabilization thrown in to sweeten the deal (although as has been pointed out to me in the forums Ricoh also sells compact cameras with 28mm zooms in some parts of the world).'
Read more reviews of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01
Get the Latest Price on the Panasonic Leica DMC-FX01
Digital Camera Info has posted a review with a comparison of the Nikon D200 (above) vs. Canon EOS 5D (below). They compare them on a number of different aspects and conclude by writing - 'The D200 is a much faster camera with a more logical ergonomic design. With the Nikon, users can turn the camera on and snap off a shot in a single motion - an action that would require two hands and far more time with the 5D. The D200 can also shoot 5 frames a second, while the 5D can only muster 3. This combined with the D200’s more robust body (not to mention its more affordable price tag), makes it a much more formidable alternative for photojournalists or casual shooters. At lower sensitivity settings (ISO 100-400), the two cameras produce images of comparable quality in terms of noise, color, dynamic range and sharpness. While the 5D still retains a slight edge, the difference is negligible for the quality both cameras produce. However, once the sensitivity is pushed to ISO 400 and beyond, Canon earns the extra $1,300 tacked on the 5D’s price tag. At sensitivity settings beyond ISO 500, the 5D continues to create images of exception quality, while the D200 falters and produces results more consistent with consumer-level designs.'
Read more reviews of the Nikon D200 and the Canon EOS 5D
Get a price on the Nikon D200 from Amazon and compare prices on the Nikon D200 from around the web.
CNET has posted a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5K where they give it a rating of 6.6 out of 10 and write - 'The modest Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 tops Panasonic's midrange line of compact, 6X-zoom snapshot cameras; its 6-megapixel resolution and about $50 are all that differentiate it from its 5-megapixel sibling, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ3. Both incorporate a 37mm-to-222mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens, optical image stabilization, and numerous ways to control image capture, though they lack manual exposure modes. The DMC-LZ5 fares moderately well in bright environments, but poor performance and average photo quality lessen the allure of this attractively priced model.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5
Get the latest price on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 6MP Digital Camera
PhotographyBLOG has posted a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2 where they write - 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2 may only be the entry-level offering in Panasonic's new range of digital cameras, but that doesn't mean that it lacks features. The LS2 offers a 3x zoom lens covering a 35-105mm focal length and a 5 megapixel sensor that is more than adequate for prints up to A4 in size. Panasonic include their Mega O.I.S image stabilisation system on all of their cameras, and as usual it works very well, allowing you to hand-hold the camera in situations where you would normally get blurred results. Image quality is on the whole good, although the inability to alter image sharpness in the camera is frustrating. Indeed, the 5 megapixel 1/2.5 inch sensor used in the DMC-LS2 is not as noisy as those used in other Panasonic cameras that I have tested, with ISO 80-200 being perfectly usable. This means that in conjunction with the Mega O.I.S system, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2 can deal with most shooting situations, both indoors and out.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2
Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2 and get the latest price on at Amazon
The innovative Olympus E-330 digital SLR available in a choice of six kits for specific applications
Hamburg, March 2006 – Whether for travel, medical, macro, nature, architectural or underwater photography – and just about anything in between – Olympus will introduce six kits to accompany the sales start of the E-330 digital SLR, and thereby provide customised, professional solutions for virtually any photographic situation. Key element in each of the kits is, of course, the Olympus E-330 body – a remarkable feat of technology. It is the world’s first digital SLR to provide continuous Live Previews. Now, instead of being forced to frame compositions by looking through the viewfinder, photographers have the freedom of framing while looking at the Live Preview on the camera’s large 6.4cm HyperCrystal LCD. Extending usability even further, the screen can be tilted up 90° and down 45° to provide unparalleled shooting and framing ease. Image quality, speed and sensitivity are second to none thanks to the incorporation of a latest-generation Live MOS sensor with 7.5 million pixels. Naturally, as with all cameras in the Olympus E-System range, the E-330 is equipped with the Olympus-exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter which eliminates the danger of dust entering the camera body and settling on the image sensor. Compatibility with the full range of E-System accessories makes the E-330 ideal for a multitude of applications. And the availability of these six new kits makes this surprisingly affordable.
<Compare prices on the Olympus E-330 and get the latest price on the Olympus Evolt E330 at Amazon
Olympus E-330 Pro Kit
Comprising the Olympus E-330 body, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 lens, FL-50 external flash unit plus the protective SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact, the Pro Kit includes only premium equipment and gives photographers everything they need for a professional start into digital SLR photography. The high-quality wide-angle standard zoom lens provides a focal range of 14-54mm (equivalent to 28-108mm on a 35mm camera) and delivers crisp images thanks to three aspherical lens elements. Topping off the kit is the FL-50 external flash, which enables exact control and delivers extraordinary power with an impressive Guide Number of 50.
Olympus E-330 Travelling Pro Kit
Looking for extensive photographic versatility with the guarantee of high quality results while on the move but not sold on the bulk of conventional systems? Then the Travelling Pro Kit is just the shot. It contains the E-330 body, ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm 1:2.8-3.5 splash proof lens, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 18-180mm 1:3.5-6.3 lens, FL-36 external flash plus SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact for protection while travelling. Covering a mammoth focal range of 11-180mm with just two lenses (equivalent to 22-360mm on a 35mm camera), photographers will enjoy incredible flexibility without the burden of needing to lug around a whole suitcase of lenses. Moreover, due to the E-330’s large, multi-angle 6.4cm LCD and Live Preview function, users such as photojournalists have the freedom to keep an eye on the surroundings while framing and shooting – so to be sure not to miss the next photo opportunity.
Olympus E-330 Medical & Macro Pro Kit
Specially created for the particular needs of medical and dental practitioners, the Medical & Macro Pro Kit comes with the E-330 body, the splash proof ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 and ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro lenses, SRF-11 Ring Flash set with FR-1 flash adapter ring and SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact. As well as for general photo purposes using the 14-54mm lens (equivalent to 28-108mm on a 35mm camera), users can be assured of stunningly true-to-life macro shots captured by the 50mm Macro lens (equivalent to 100mm on a 35mm camera). It offers a magnification of 1:2 (half life-size), which is equivalent to life size (1:1) in a 35mm film photo. The Ring Flash ensures perfect, homogeneous illumination at close range, so that shots of teeth, skin or other subjects are faithfully reproduced – even in low lighting. And thanks to the revolutionary Live Preview capabilities of the E-330 on the 6.4cm LCD, practitioners using this kit will also benefit from continuous and direct eye contact with the patient while photos are being taken – as they now can be framed without needing to look through the viewfinder.
Olympus E-330 Architecture Pro Kit
The special photographic demands of architects represent a particularly tough challenge for photo equipment. But with the Architecture Pro Kit, these are perfectly met – in professional quality. The kit includes the E-330 body, the splash proof ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:4.0 and ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 lenses, FL-50 external flash and SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact. With an angle of view right up to 114°, and a minimum working distance of merely 10cm, the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm (35mm equivalent focal length: 14-28mm) deserves special mention in this setup. It offers architects extraordinary freedom to capture their subjects with a bright 1:4.0 fixed aperture and also allows for exaggerated perspectives. This is capped-off with the E-330’s Live Preview capabilities and multi-angle LCD which lets compositions be easily framed from low on the ground or above the head, for example, without the photographer needing to contort the body to look through the viewfinder. The second zoom lens assures a greater shooting range and the FL-50 external flash provides pro-level power with a Guide Number of 50, ensuring that lighting is never in short supply.
Olympus E-330 Nature Pro Kit
To capture the wonder of nature in all of its diversity, nature photographers require equipment that covers the gamut of situations and encounters – from the fascination of a budding tiger lily up close to the spectacle of a distant volcano eruption. To make the most of every situation, the Nature Pro Kit boasts a host of premium equipment. In addition to the Olympus E-330 body, it includes: ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:4.0 lens, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 lens, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm 1:2.8-3.5 lens, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro lens and EC-14 1.4x teleconverter – all of which are splash proof, making them ideal for outdoor assignments. In addition, the kit includes the E-System Bag to ensure comfortable carrying and secure protection. Together, the components of the Nature Pro Kit cover the whole spectrum from 7mm extreme wide-angles (equivalent to 14mm on a 35mm camera) to 280mm (560mm equivalent). On top of that, the Macro lens allows for stunning close-ups. Furthermore, thanks to the B Mode in the Live Preview function of the E-330 – which allows users to choose a section of the composition and magnify this 10x so that manual focusing can be accurately carried out – photographers are assured uncompromisingly high quality results. Another advantage for nature photographers is that the Live Preview on the 6.4cm LCD frees them of the need to keep looking through the viewfinder when waiting for that special moment to hit the shutter release. They therefore can always have the surrounding area in sight and won’t miss out on any shooting opportunity.
Olympus E-330 Underwater Pro Kit
With its Live Preview technology, the E-330 has brought about a revolution in the way SLR photography can be carried out. Instead of needing to look through the viewfinder to compose shots, photographers can now use the LCD. For underwater photography this is of special consequence as the difficulty of framing a shot using the eyepiece while wearing a diving mask has become a thing of the past. Now, with the Underwater Pro Kit, ambitious photographers wanting to capture the world below the water’s surface have the comfort of framing shots using the LCD – previously only possible with a compact digital camera – yet with the versatility and superior quality only an SLR can deliver. All they need for magnificent underwater shots is available in one convenient package. It comprises the E-330 body, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-45mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro lens, FL-36 external flash plus the corresponding underwater cases, ports and bracket (PT-E02, PPO-E01, PPO-E03, PFL-E01, PTSA-01 and PTBK-E01) – making first-class photography possible in depths of up to 60m. The kit provides for versatility from wide-angle to mid-telephoto needs (28-100mm equivalent on a 35mm camera) in addition to including a bright macro lens for stunning close-ups of marine life. The flash unit supports photographers’ creativity and ensures illumination even in dark depths.
Specially designed for individual photographic requirements, these six kits for the Olympus E-330 open up new avenues for creative and qualitative digital SLR photography. Each provides users with the power and versatility they need to execute their task at hand – building on the unique Live Preview capabilities of the E-330 and the high image quality and ergonomic handling of the Olympus E-System. The kits will be available from mid-March 2006, the Underwater Pro Kit from mid-April.
Overview of Olympus E-330 Kit Contents*:
Pro Kit
* Olympus E-330 body
* ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 (28-108mm)
* FL-50 external flash unit
* SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact
Travelling Pro Kit
* Olympus E-330 body
* ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm 1:2.8-3.5 (22-44mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 18-180mm 1:3.5-6.3 (36-360mm)
* FL-36 external flash
* SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact
Medical & Macro Pro Kit
* Olympus E-330 body
* ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 (28-108mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro (100mm)
* SRF-11 Ring Flash set with FR-1 flash adapter ring
* SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact
Architecture Pro Kit
* Olympus E-330 body
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:4.0 (14-28mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 (28-108mm)
* FL-50 external flash
* SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact
Nature Pro Kit
* Olympus E-330 body
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:4.0 (14-28mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 (28-108mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm 1:2.8-3.5 (100-400mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro (100mm)
* EC-14 teleconverter (1.4x)
* E-System Bag
Underwater Pro Kit
* Olympus E-330 body
* ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-45mm 1:3.5-5.6 (28-90mm)
* ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro (100mm)
* FL-36 external flash
* Underwater cases, ports and bracket: PT-E02, PPO-E01, PPO-E03, PFL-E01, PTSA-01 and PTBK-E01
* Figures in brackets refer to focal length equivalent on a 35mm camera system.
Source: Olympus News Release
Photoxels has posted a review of the Canon PowerShot SD550 Digital ELPH where they write - 'The Canon PowerShot SD550 produces very good to excellent image quality -- and that is the main criteria that users would (should) be mostly concerned with. Add in fast operations with no practical shutter lag, fast and precise AF that works in low-light, accurate exposure metering, and one of the most elegant and beautifully designed body on a digital camera -- and you can't go wrong if you are looking for a take-anywhere ultra compact digital camera. Why not check it out online or at your favourite camera retail store?'
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Pocket Lint has posted a review of the Fujifilm Finepix V10 and gives it a rating of 9 out of 10. This fits with what I've heard from quite a few V10 users - it's certainly getting good reviews! This review concludes 'The FinePix V10 offers a stylish and well-made compact digital camera to the masses with superb noise control and even better image quality. Issues surrounding the compromised controls (due to the gaming functions) may be minor to some, more worrying to others, but at least they’re confined to the non-shooting controls. In short, if superb image quality in a lightweight pocketable package is where you’re at, the V10 is where you should be.'
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Read more about the Olympus Mju 700
ephotozine has posted a review of the Nikon Coolpix S5 digital camera and writes - 'The Nikon Coolpix S5 is a quality feature-packed camera that will satisfy anyone looking for an ultra-compact digital camera to take pictures whilst out and about. The only disappointments are the limited ISO sensitivity range, and the amount of noise present at the maximum ISO400 setting. The amount of preset scene modes and features are easy enough for a complete novice to use, but still providing enough control for some more demanding users.'
Read more about the Nikon Coolpix S5
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Camera Hobby has posted a review of the Nikon D50 SLR where they sum it up pretty well in terms of who the D50 is good for - 'For those that demand more from the camera, they should be looking at the D200 or D2 series of pro cameras as being the appropriate tools for use in demanding environments with commensurate performance. For the intended market Nikon is catering the D50 towards, consumers wanting better quality than high-end digicams, the D50 has a good mix of features and capabilities and the various D50 kit prices are competitive with high-end digicams that can’t match the speed, handling, and high ISO performance of the D50. Given the choice between say the Sony R1 and the D50 with a kit lens, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that I’d take the D50 that offers much better flexibility and ability to grow with you as one develops as a photographer.'
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Luminous Landscape reviews the medium format Mamiya ZD digital camera and writes - 'So in the end, the Mamiya ZD is a camera that every photographer who needs or wants the large files that a 22 MP sensor produces should take a look at, especially if he or she is on a tight budget. Or, of course, if the form-factor appeals to you, there is no other camera like this currently on the market. And using the camera with studio strobes, there would be no vibration problems.'
Read more reviews of the Mamiya ZD
ePhotoZine has posted a review of the Olympus E-330 where they write - 'It isn't simple trying to decide exactly how I feel about the Olympus E-330. It is a well built camera, capable of delivering very high quality images in good light. The live-view display is a useful addition but, with concentrating on this new technology it seems Olympus have neglected to update other features of the camera, like the autofocus system. It just seems archaic when compared to the multipoint AF arrays in cameras like the Canon EOS 350D and the Nikon D50. Negative points aside, the quality of the images produced at the lower ISO settings is very good, contrasty and sharp right to the edges and this alone makes the Olympus E-330 worthy of consideration for photographers looking to buy a camera suitable for most general photography tasks.'
Read more reviews of the Olympus E-330 digital camera
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Pentax are getting ready to launch a new 70mm lens with an f2.4 aperture.
PhotographyBLOG has all the details of it and writes:
'Product information
Thom Hogan has posted a review of the 18-200mm AF-S DX VR Lens and writes - 'One of the surprises with the D200 announcement was that it could be purchased with a new DX wide angle to telephoto zoom lens. Having a kit lens for consumer camera isn't new for Nikon, but this was a doozy: 18-200mm focal lengths plus vibration reduction and AF-S speed. This looked like the do-all, be-all lens for virtually everything except extreme wide angle, extreme telephoto, extreme macro, and extreme low light. In other words, a lens you would use most of the time. These all-in-one beasts have come to be referred by the trade a "superzooms," though most have proven to be far less than super.'
Read more about the Nikon 18-200mm AF-S DX VR Lens
Get the latest price on the Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Megapixel has posted a review of the Sony DSC-N1 and writes - 'The N1 yields images that are nothing short of excellent, especially when these are captured under full sun. The images show no sign of chromatic aberration, no barrel distortion with subjects at standard distances — a little bit of distortion is sometimes observable when the subject is shot in macro mode — and no pincushion distortion at the telephoto end. Sharpness is also excellent right across the frame, and is uniformly good irrespective of the focal length.'
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Imaging Resource has written a very helpful review of the Fuji FinePix S5200 Digital Camera and names it as one of the best digital cameras on the market at present. They write - 'The previous Fujifilm S5100, 2800 and 3800 Zoom cameras were exceptional values for the money, and the updated Fuji FinePix S5200 offers the same great value with the addition of a 5.1-megapixel CCD, and decent high ISO performance. The S5200's higher resolution is a welcome improvement, providing great image quality for a budget-priced digital camera, and its 10x optical zoom is excellent for distant subjects. Its color is more accurate than that of most consumer digicams, although that means it's less saturated on bright colors than most consumer cameras. Overall, the Fuji S5200 has just about all an enthusiast user could want in terms of expanded photographic controls, including full Manual exposure mode for ultimate creativity. About all it lacks relative to its competitors in the 10x zoom category is image stabilization. Given its price and its 5-megapixel resolution, its lack of stabilization really can't be counted against it.'
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Get the Latest Price on the "Fujifilm Finepix S5600 (also known as the S5200)
Trusted Reviews has just posted a review of the Canon IXUS Wireless where they conclude - 'Although it is a 5MP camera, the file sizes at the Superfine quality setting are quite large, averaging around 2.2MB. Nonetheless the download speed was quite respectable, copying over a dozen images in just a couple of minutes. The range on the connection was quite good too, and I was able to send images to my laptop in the next room with no problem, although this may vary depending on the wireless hardware in your computer.... Although it is very expensive for a 5MP compact, the Canon IXUS Wireless is an extremely high quality camera that is versatile but easy to use, and is capable of taking superb pictures. The WiFi connection is easy to set up and use, and works well. The only question is whether wireless downloading would be sufficiently useful to you to justify the price.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Canon IXUS Wireless
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DCRP reviews the Canon EOS-30D and writes - 'Photo quality was excellent on this 8.2 Megapixel camera. Photos were well-exposed, with accurate colors, very low noise levels (even at high ISO sensitivities), and minimal purple fringing. As is the case with most D-SLRs, photos are on the soft side straight out of the camera, and you can compensate for this by increasing the in-camera sharpening a bit. One thing that really got nailed home during my time with the 30D is how important lens quality is. I bought the Canon 17 - 85 EF-S lens a few months back, and have been less than thrilled with its sharpness -- and you'll see the results in the photo gallery. Slap on some better glass and you'll get much sharper photos, as the photos taken with my 50 mm lens attest.'
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Get a price on the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only) or the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS Lens
DP Expert reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 which they are pretty impressed with. They write - 'The Sony DSC–R1 is a worthy successor to the F828, the best all-in-one camera that we had so far tested. Occasionally a camera comes along that is such a pleasure to use that you find yourself picking it up and looking for subjects just for the fun of it. The R1 inspires confidence that every picture will be sharp, well exposed and accurately coloured. Add to that the quality of construction and the responsive feel of the camera and it gets a high recommendation.'
Read many more reviews and ratings of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1
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PhotographyBLOG reviews the Canon Digital IXUS 55 which they are pretty impressed with - giving it a rating of 4 stars out of 5. They write - 'The IXUS 55 is a tiny camera that both looks great and works well, with a number of innovative features on offer. On paper it doesn't seem to offer anything different to a lot of other, cheaper cameras - 3x optical zoom lens, 7 megapixel sensor, large 2.5 inch LCD screen - but pick the IXUS 55 up and there is an undeniable sense of quality which far exceeds the competition. Just as impressively, Canon have managed to include a large LCD screen and small optical viewfinder despite the tiny dimensions of the IXUS 55. Unfortunately image quality isn't quite up to the high standards set by the rest of the camera. Due to the small 1/2.5 inch CCD, the 5 megapixel images are noisy at ISO 200 and 400, and they are also a little soft out of the camera with no option for increasing the sharpness level. If you want a camera with similar build quality that is also pocketable but with better image quality, I would suggest that you take a look at the slightly bigger and more expensive IXUS 750. So the Canon Digital IXUS 55 is obviously not going to satisfy everyone, as it doesn't offer full manual control over aperture and shutter speeds and the image quality is not best in class, but if you want a stylish ultra-compact camera, the IXUS is well worth considering.'
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DigiCam Review has posted a review of the Olympus SP-500 Ultra Zoom in which they give it a rating of 7.5 out of 10 and write - 'The Olympus SP-500 Ultra Zoom is an appealing digital camera, it feels very comfortable in hand, and produces very pleasing (saturated) colours, with generally low noise. The screen and electronic viewfinder let the camera down due to the screens low resolution, and the electronic viewfinders small size. This camera is easy to use (in auto mode) especially with the built in help guide, although it offers a mixed bag with regards to camera speed. The camera offers good battery life, with very good controls and good build quality. I would recommend this camera to people who want greater creative control that normal, however I'd recommend trying out the camera and comparing with other brands before purchase, especially those with image stabilisation. If you can live without image stabilisation, and aren't interested in recording videos then this is well worth considering, especially if you find the vibrant colours, numerous features, and ease of use, appealing.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Olympus SP-500
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Digital Camera Info reviews the Casio Exilim EX-Z60 where they write - 't is no surprise to me that Casio’s entry level camera has a bit of flair to it compared to the products of companies that only deal with cameras. Most Americans probably associate Casio mostly with watches and secondly with small electronic devices, and their cameras reflect this and apparently borrow styling from their other products. The choice of brushed aluminum for the body is evidence of this, at a time when plastic camera bodies are ubiquitous.'
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ephotozine reviews the Canon EOS 350D and writes - 'The Canon EOS 350D is a very capable camera providing all the common features needed to get started photographing with a digital SLR. The 18-55mm EF-S lens bundled with it is the biggest disappointment, a better lens is needed to really get the most out of this camera. Images taken at high ISO sensitivities display low amounts of noise, and the autofocus is quick, accurate and easy to use. This camera is ideal for a beginner looking for a high quality digital camera that allows plenty of scope for more advanced techniques as their ability grows.'
read more reviews of the Canon EOS 350D (Rebel XT)
Get a price on the Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens
Photoxels has posted the first review that we've seen of the new Nikon Coolpix P3 VR Wi-Fi digital camera which they are pretty impressed with. They particularly like the addition of aperture priority mode to this model and write - 'The Nikon Coolpix P3 is point-and-shoot easy to use and, if you are an advanced amateur photographer, you now have Aperture-Priority mode to give you more control. Program Shift in Programmed Auto mode also adds more control. The Nikon P3 is just packed-full of practical features like VR that actually help you take better pictures and built-in Wi-Fi technology that increases the enjoyment of using the camera. Don't make a purchase decision before trying out this camera first!'
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Cameras.co.uk reviews the Kodak Easyshare C360 digital camera and writes - 'The strength of the colours is especially noticeable in the skies. In fact this camera has produced far bluer skies than the vast majority of digital cameras I have tested recently. Even a cold winter sky is given a degree of warmth. The second scenic shot shows the issue of darker edges to photos. This does occur occasionally with other cameras I test, but it is quite pronounced with the Easyshare C360.... There is a lot to like about the Kodak Easyshare C360. It is very easy to use and the build quality appears to be a bit better than you normally find in digital cameras around this price bracket. The photographs it produces have very strong colours, but it does have a weakness indoors and in lowlight situations.'
Read more about the Kodak EasyShare C360
Get the latest price on the Kodak EasyShare V550 5MP Digital Camera
PC Mag reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 and writes - 'If you're looking for a compact landscape shooter, consider Panasonic's Lumix DMC-LX1 ($599.95 direct). Although it's not a perfect all-around camera, it gets big props for being the first digital camera with a true 16:9 CCD. Other cameras can shoot at this aspect ratio, but they achieve the result by cropping, reducing the number of pixels in the image. The LX1 is the first camera of its kind with a true 16:9 CCD. As a result, you get the full 8.4MB of information in every panoramic shot. Still, the images show more noise than we'd like from a $600 camera, and the camera isn't particularly speedy.'
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Steves Digicams reviews the Olympus Stylus Digital 710 and writes - 'the Olympus Stylus 710 continues the tradition of the Stylus line by offering good image quality, great performance, and sleek design all packed in a weather resistant shell. This is one of our favorite models in this series, when you pick one up you'll see why. It was a blast to use and I found very few problems in actual use. The image quality could be better and unfortunately it uses the incredibly slow xD memory cards that Olympus and Fujifilm designed (we hope someday they'll switch to SD). If you're in the market for a versatile little pocket-rocket that you can take out into the rain, look no further. With an MSRP of about $349, we feel it offers an outstanding value and should be a very popular model this year.'
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Outbackphoto reviews the Phase One P45 and writes - 'The RAW files are developed using CaptureOne Pro without any sharpening, tone correction or artifact removal. In Photoshop I use the Raw Presharpener by Nik Software for initial unsharp masking. The files, which come out from Capture One, are very smooth and highly saturated with colors. The information in these files is really great – mainly after presharpening – and to my eyes far superior to what I know from 4x5”. Of course a 8x10” drum scan brings some more information but this is quite close now.'
Read more about the Phase One P45
DP Review has posted a very helpful review of the Olympus E-330 EVOLT digital camera. The results were quite mixed and it ended up with a 'recommended' rating (could be better - could be worse). They write - 'Image quality is a mixed bag, you can get some excellent results by shooting RAW and converting, unfortunately the camera's internal processor appears to be the same as the E-300 / E-500 (with a little tweaking) which means a more 'consumer like' appearance to JPEG images and pretty unsophisticated noise reduction, ISO 1600 is so soft as to render many of those 7.4 megapixels unused. Color was good, tonal response was good and dynamic range just where we expected it to be. We just expected more.'
Read more about the Olympus E-330
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Digital Camera Info reviews the Nikon Coolpix L2, L3 and L4 Digital cameras and writes - 'Consumers on a budget would do well to take a look at these new Coolpix L-series cameras from Nikon. With decent sensors, good features and pretty snazzy designs for entry level models, the L2, L3 and L4 appear to be a great value for the money. Despite being entry level models, they still include unique Nikon features. For just $149.95 – in the case of the L4 – users can enjoy all the benefits of Nikon’s “Exclusive Feature System” which includes helpful functions like D-Lighting for underexposed images, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix for remedying red-eye in portraits, Face Priority AF for locking in focus on faces and Best Shot Selector for taking a series of photos and picking the one with the sharpest focus.'
Read more about the Nikon Coolpix L2, Nikon Coolpix L3 and Nikon Coolpix L4.
Get the latest price on the Nikon Coolpix L4
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Get the latest price on the Nikon Coolpix L2
CNET Reviews has posted a review of the Canon EOS 30D with 18mm-to-55mm lens where they give it a rating of 8.4 out of 10 (and an editors choice award) and write - 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it--that seems to be Canon's approach to its EOS 30D, the follow-up to its perennial favorite, the EOS 20D. Aside from a few performance tweaks, the Canon EOS 30D is the same camera as its predecessor. (For complete details of the 20D/30D, read the EOS 20D review; in this piece, I address mainly the enhancements that differentiate the 30D.) It has the same well-balanced, magnesium-alloy body with its intelligently laid-out controls; an almost identical set of pro-level, extremely customizable features; and roughly the same, excellent performance. Also, thanks to the identical 8-megapixel CMOS sensor and image-processing system, it yields the same superb photos, especially at high-ISO sensitivity settings.'
Read more reviews and rating of the Canon EOS 30D DSLR
Buy the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only) Buy the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS Lens
CNET reviews the Casio Exilim EX-S600 where they give it a rating of 'good' (6.4 out of 10) and write - 'The Casio Exilim EX-S600, a versatile 6-megapixel ultracompact, puts the brains back into no-brainer snapshooting. With 35 scene modes that cover every picture-taking situation--including a few you probably never thought of--plus the ability to add 999 user-definable scenes of your own, this camera is reasonably prepared for just about anything you can throw at it. That includes low-light scenes tamed by antishake technology and automatic ISO sensitivity up to ISO 1,600, an instant picture mode for snapshots with virtually no shutter lag, and stellar motion-picture-capture capabilities. Unfortunately, those assets are outweighed by its limited 3X zoom range and mediocre photo quality. Still, it may be just the ticket for snapshooters looking for a friendly, stylish camera.'
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-S600
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Imaging Resource has posted a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DCS-S600 and writes - 'The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S600 is a capable 6.0-megapixel digital camera, aimed at novices and consumers looking for a "no fuss" digital camera for travel, but we found its images somewhat contrasty for our taste and its images showed a bit more optical distortion than average at both ends of its zoom range. It packs a sharp, high-quality 3x optical zoom lens with a wider than average maximum wide angle setting, seven preset Scene modes and a handful of other creative options in to a very small, well-built package. As noted, we found its contrast levels a bit high, to the extent that it tended to lose detail in strong highlights and shadows when faced with harsh lighting.'
Read more about the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-S600
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PCWorld reviews the Kodak EasyShare V570 and writes - 'The Kodak EasyShare V570 ($370 as of 2/6/06) is the first point-and-shoot camera in the United States to include two separate lenses and CCD sensors, one set for wide-angle shots and another for telephoto. But this interesting approach has drawbacks as well as benefits. On the positive side, the two lenses enable the camera to offer a long zoom range without having a lens protruding from the front. The two lenses (a fixed 23mm lens and a 32mm-to-117mm zoom lens) give a combined zoom range of 5X, while most compact cameras provide only a 3X zoom. The camera's wide-angle lens can be a big plus if you are taking group shots, too.'
Read more about the Kodak EasyShare V570
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PCWorld has posted a review of the Olympus FE-120 and writes - 'You might assume that a budget camera like the $230 (as of 2/6/06) Olympus FE-120 takes subpar photos. But you'd be wrong: In our tests this 6-megapixel unit delivered very attractive photos, earning top points from our jury of reviewers, who were impressed with the accurate colors and spot-on exposure of its images. The jurors' only complaint was that the images lacked sharpness, with some high-contrast edges and fine details having a blurry, indistinct appearance.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Olympus FE-120 digital camera
Get a Price on and/or order the Olympus FE-120 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
We would like to inform customers of an issue that may occur when the Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens is used with the D100, D2H or D70 digital cameras. With the lens set to a wide-angle position, in some rare cases, the camera is unable to acquire accurate focus on near subjects when auto focusing starts from the infinity position.
This issue is caused by incompatibilities in AF control at short distances between the AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens and the following cameras, D100, D2H or D70 (only D70 firmware versions earlier than version 2.00, it does not occur with firmware version 2.00). This issue does not occur with Nikon digital cameras or lenses other than those indicated.
Should you experience this issue, it can be resolved by upgrading the camera firmware as indicated below. This issue cannot be resolved with adjustment of the lens.
D70 - Confirm your camera’s firmware version. If the firmware is older than Ver. 2.00, you can download the latest firmware and perform the upgrade yourself, or you can take or send your camera to an authorized Nikon service representative for the firmware upgrade.
D2H - A D2H firmware upgrade is scheduled for release at the end of March or beginning of April 2006. We will announce the release and details of the firmware upgrade on this site. If you require immediate resolution of this issue, please take or send your camera to an authorized Nikon service representative.
D100 - Please take or send your camera to an authorized Nikon service representative.
Popular Photography has written a review of the Kodak EasyShare V570 and writes - 'In our lab tests, the V570 fared well. Despite the fact that its color space is limited to sRGB, the camera scored an Extremely High rating (Avg. Delta E: 9.37) in our color accuracy test. In resolution, it achieved a Very High rating. And, like most compacts, noise was its worst attribute. While noise was Very Low at ISO 64, it jumped to Low at ISO 100, Moderate at ISO 200, and was Unacceptable at ISO 400. The V570 has an ISO boost mode that lets you shoot at ISO 800, but reduces the pixel resolution to 1.3MP. At ISO 800, the V570 scored an Unacceptable rating.'
Read more about the Kodak EasyShare V570
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CNET has a review of the Pentax *ist DL and gives it a rating of 7.2 out of 10 (very good) writing - 'Most casual users won't notice the corners that Pentax cut to reduce the DL's cost: a less sophisticated autofocusing system and a mirror in the viewfinder instead of a prism. Despite its slight stature and modest price point, the *ist DL handily produces crisp, vibrant photos that should please any photographer taking the step up from a digital point-and-shoot. Curious amateurs should definitely explore beyond the DL's simplest options; a few automatic features, such as white balance, are handily outperformed by the camera's manual settings.'
Read more review articles and ratings on the Pentax *ist DL DSLR
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Digital Camera Info has a first impression review of the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z850 where they write - 'For a camera this small, the Casio EX-Z850 certainly packs in everything but the kitchen sink. Starting with the powerful 8 MP sensor and going to the superb battery life which is rated at 440 shots, there’s a lot under the hood of this petite, all-metal point-and-shooter. Best of all, there are manual control options for more experienced photographers, including aperture and shutter priority AE and manual white balance. Those who like to let the camera do all the work can pick one of 34 of the Z850’s Best Shot modes, including 9 more in the camera’s Best Shot video mode.'
Read more information regarding the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z850
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Cameras.co.uk has written a review of the Olympus FE-100 where they conclude - 'The Olympus FE-100 is excellent when it comes to ease of use. If you are looking for a digital camera that is relatively inexpensive and will be used almost exclusively outdoors then it could be a camera worth considering. You do need to take into account the issue of shutter lag though. If you would also like to take indoor picture or pictures in lowlight in general then you are advised to look elsewhere.'
Read more reviews of the Olympus FE-100 digital camera
Get a Price on and/or order the Olympus FE-100 4MP Digital Camera with 2.8x Optical Zoom
Megapixel has a review of the Panasonic DMC-LX1 and writes - 'The LX1's primary metering mode, called Multi, is a type of averaging that measures the light at various points in the frame and combines these readings into a single overall set of shooting parameters that will produce a good overall exposure. Indeed, the metering is accurate and regularly yields good exposures, albeit with a slight tendency to give preference to lowlights over highlights. Likewise, the default colour saturation settings produce accurate colours which are not overly vibrant, an indication that the Auto white balance setting is reliable under most circumstances.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Panasonic DMC-LX1
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Digital Camera Review has a review of the Olympus Stylus 710 where they recommend - 'The Stylus 710's menu system is easy to use and get around. Even though the menus area all vertical (no horizontal tabbing), the screen provides an indication of where you are at all times. If you don't want to dig for the right settings for a particular shot, use the Guide mode to find your scenario and let it set the camera for you. The Olympus Stylus 710 is a good option for the folks who need a little more ruggedness in a camera but don't need a full waterproof camera. The 710 will survive a rain shower unscathed. The 7.1 megapixel capture resolution is more than enough to make a large print of a great landscape that you mountain biked 25 miles to get to. The camera is also stylish and compact enough to take out on a night on the town.'
Read more about the Olympus Stylus 710 digital camera
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Epson have today announced an update on their Epson R-D1s digital rangefinder camera - the R-D1s.
The camera takes Leica M and L mount lenses and has a 6 megapixel APS-C sensor with a 2 inch LCD screen. It shoots in RAW in a range of modes at between ISO 200-1600.
There's no word on price at this stage but it must be in the vacinity of the R-D1 which was around $3000 USD.
More information from this translated Japanese article.
Cameras.co.uk review the Fuji Finepix E900 and write - 'Although nothing really reaches out and grabs me to lift the Finepix E900 out for the ordinary it still managed to produce a set of good quality photos.... If you are looking for a digital camera with advanced features then the Fuji Finepix E900 is worth considering. A high resolution of nine megapixels is likely to be attractive to anyone who is looking to produce large prints. Despite its range of features this camera manages to retain a compact shape and size.'
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Digital Camera Info reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-330 digital camera and writes - 'Olympus is the first to offer a true live LCD preview on a DSLR. That will be a significant enticement for users moving from a compact digital camera to a digital SLR; it's the technology that makes the EVOLT E-330 the first true transitional camera. On top of this, Olympus added a range of other interesting and useful technology. We hope the EVOLT E-330's image quality can keep up with the rest of its features.'
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Get the latest price on the Olympus Evolt E330
Digital Camera Info reviews the Sony Cyber-shot W30 and W50 digital camera and writes - 'There’s no two ways around it – these cameras were made to look like higher-priced models, but once you pick them up and play with them, you’ll definitely notice that they’re on the lower end. But that could be fine. If you’re looking for a classy, upscale slim camera that’s made entirely of metal, you’ll want to look elsewhere. However, if you want something that is small, light and has a pretty decent sensor and some good features for an affordable price, the new W30 and W50 might be right for you. They’re definitely not going to bowl anyone over with their looks (which are pretty conventional) or the construction (which feels like it’s made mostly of plastic), but they will give you adequate functionality and take decent snapshots without giving your bank account too much of a hit in the process. Wait for our full testing, however, to see if this value equation is accurate.'
Read more about the Sony Cyber-Shot W30 and Sony Cyber-Shot W50 digital cameras
Get the latest price on the Sony Cybershot DSCW30
Get the latest price on the Sony Cybershot DSCW50
Digital Camera Info has posted a review of the Panasonic Lumix TZ1 where they write - 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 houses 5 megapixels on its 1/2.5-inch CCD and couples it with a lengthy Leica DC Vario Elmarit 10x optical zoom lens. This amount of zoom is fairly generous considering that the TZ1 is only an inch and a half thick. The lens does extend from the body and is balanced by a slightly thicker right-hand grip. On the back of this Lumix is a 2.5-inch LCD screen that has the world’s first High Angle mode. While many compact models now offer a wide viewing angle on the LCD screen, the TZ1 is the first to have a designated mode for it.'
Read more information on the Panasonic Lumix TZ1
Get the latest price on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 at Amazon and compare prices from other online stores.
Lets Go Digital reviews the Nikon D200 and gives it a rating of 5 stars out of 5. They write - 'Summing up all of the above, we can conclude that Nikon has caused an earthquake in the current D-SLR market with the arrival of the D200. A camera of this excellence with such a staggering amount of functions and outstanding image quality, in combination with its price-tag, is truly unheard of. The consumer is the one that will benefit most from this, a fact that we can only applaud. It was a bit of a wait, yet worth every single ounce of our patience! The Nikon D200 is a true shining star, a camera of which we are guaranteed to hear more in the near future. Credit to Nikon!'
Read more reviews of the Nikon D200 DSLR
Get a price on the Nikon D200 from Amazon and compare prices on the Nikon D200 from around the web.
Pocket Lint reviews the Olympus E-500 D-SLR and writes - 'The E-500 is so packed with kit there’s not room to go over it all here, suffice to say this is as comprehensively specified D-SLR as you’re likely to want (or need). At £600 for the standard kit that includes the 14-45mm lens used in the test, it’s great value and with independent lens makers such as Sigma backing the FourThirds standard, it looks set to grow and grow. In short, if you’re looking for a compact, lightweight D-SLR that packs a punch in almost all departments, then you would do far worse than stopping your search right here.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Olympus E-500
Get the Latest Price on the Olympus EVOLT E500 8MP Digital SLR with 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 & 40-150mm f/3.5-4.5 Zuiko Lenses
DCRP has a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 where they write - 'The DMC-LZ5 is a point-and-shoot camera, with the only manual control being for white balance (which is a handy one to have, for sure). It does have quite a few scene modes, including some useful ones (like night landscape) and some not-so-useful ones (like baby mode). While the normal modes are easy-to-use, if you really don't know what you're doing there's a "simple mode" as well. The LZ5 features a nice movie mode, which can fill up your memory card with VGA quality video.'
Read more ratings and reviews of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5
Get the latest price on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 6MP Digital Camera
Digital Camera Info has a first impression review of the Canon PowerShot S3 IS and writes - 'This PowerShot has an optical image stabilization system that has been one of the main characteristics of the Canon ultra zoom line since its inception. This image stabilization mode works very well and keeps the bumps out of video and the blur out of still images. With the addition of the new ISO 800 setting, the camera adds an additional layer of blur protection, along with increasing the camera’s low light recording capabilities. The camera body has a 2-inch LCD on the back that folds outward and rotates. The screen solarizes, so it must be rotated frequently, but many people like the camcorder style. The Canon PowerShot S3 isn’t an incredible bargain, but does have more pros than cons and is priced right among its competitors at $499.'
Read more about the Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Compare prices on the Canon Powershot S3 IS and get the latest price on the S3 IS at Amazon.
scanR, Inc. today launched the first service that enables camera phones and digital cameras to scan, copy and fax. Using scanR is as simple as taking a photo with a camera phone or digital camera and emailing it to scanR. The service cleans photos of whiteboards and documents, automatically tags the keywords, and delivers the results as a PDF file in email or as a fax.
Image processing
scanR uses advanced image processing technology to overcome common digital imaging challenges such as low lighting, shadows, blurring, and skewed orientation in order to provide consistently high-quality results in a wide range of conditions. This allows people to get an exact digital copy of their information, quickly and easily, using the devices they already carry.
Document tagging
scanR helps people save information digitally and allows them to easily find the information using desktop search tools, such a Google(TM) Desktop or Microsoft(R) Windows Vista(TM). Each document sent to scanR is tagged with the keywords extracted from the text on the paper. This enables easy organization of documents scanned with scanR and quick searches for the original on the user's desktop or related information from the web.
Mobile faxing
scanR lets people email digital copies or send faxes while travelling or at home, without seeking and paying for a copy center.
"Saving, finding, and sharing printed documents and handwritten notes are challenges that everyone faces," said Rudy Ruano, CEO of scanR. "scanR brings mobility to the multi-billion dollar scan, copy and fax market, by taking the scanner off the desktop and putting it in your pocket."
"My job requires substantial travel, and as a result I am constantly looking for a Kinko's or hotel business center to fax or scan contracts and diagrams," said Joe Huebner, an enterprise sales executive. "With scanR, I have the ability to immediately send paper-based information digitally."
Pricing and availability
scanR works with most 1 megapixel or better camera phones and digital cameras. Camera phone users should check scanR.com for information on support for their particular model and mobile carrier. Some features will not work with lower quality camera phones.
scanR is currently available as a free unlimited trial. The company plans to introduce premium paid services in the future.
Source: News Release
Digital Camera Review has reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 Digital Camera and writes - 'The FZ7 (12X image stabilized Leica zoom, 6 megapixel resolution, super fast performance, and SLR like handling and ergonomics) is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary update of last year's very popular Panasonic FZ5. The “best in class” FZ5 was designed by photographers for photographers. The FZ7 actually improves on its illustrious predecessor, and does so at a lower price. Check back here in a few days for an in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7.'
Read more reviews of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7
Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 and get the latest price at Amazon.
Pocket-lint revews the Olympus Mju 700 digital camera and writes - 'Being very critical, image softness and slight lens/optical performance problems reduce captured detail. However, prints up to around 10x8 inches won’t show most of these image problems and the camera’s many great shooting features easily outweigh those drawbacks, making the Mju 700 a great value slice of photo-technology well worth a look. '
Read more information about the Olympus Mju 700
Pocket Lint reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC LZ5 digital camera and writes - 'The Lumix LZ5 looks basic but it actually plays host to some nice features such as image stabilisation, exposure bracketing and a burst shooting modes, among many others. Image quality is good to fair at higher sensitivity settings (up to 1600 ISO) and the price is good as well. If you want a basic, simple to use camera with a bit more to offer – along with nice image quality, then the LZ5 is surely work a look.'
Read more about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5
Get the latest price on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 6MP Digital Camera
BIOS reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and writes - 'The most critical and annoying problem with digital SLRs with interchangeable lenses is the possibility of dust getting inside the camera during the lens changes, thus contaminating the image sensor. If this happens, professional cleaning is often required. The DMC-L1 effectively manages this problem by incorporating a Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction, which uses supersonic vibration to instantly shake off dust that might otherwise affect the image.'
Read more about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
Compare Prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
CNET has posted a review of the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-S600 digital camera which they give a rating of 7.0 out of 10. They write - 'The chunky, 6.7-ounce Sony Cyber Shot DSC-S600 offers remarkable flexibility despite its bargain price. Its 6-megapixel resolution and moderately wide 31mm-to-93mm (35mm-film-camera equivalent) lens, in conjunction with pretty decent low-light photos and extended shutter-speed latitude in moderate light, combine to produce a point-and-shoot camera with enough versatility to handle most picture-taking situations.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S600
Compare prices on the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-S600 and get the Latest Price on the "Sony Cybershot DSC-S600 at Amazon
DigiCam Review has posted a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 and writes - 'This is a very good digital camera, a definite improvement over the older Panasonic FZ series digital cameras - with a 6 megapixel sensor, a high quality Leica 12x optical zoom lens, and a 2.5" screen - albeit with a low resolution. The camera has a very good wide aspect ratio video mode. The camera produces very good images with good colour, detail and sharpness straight from camera - unfortunately noise is high, and purple fringing is higher than average. I've had the FZ3, an earlier 3 megapixel version, and been immensely happy with it, I suspect I would be very happy with the FZ7 if I were to upgrade. With the FZ7 (and FZ3) it is necessary to learn to live with the lower ISO settings to avoid noise, something that shouldn't be a problem as the rest of the camera is so well thought out and put together. The FZ7 is fast and easy to use with scene modes or full manual controls to suit every level of experience.'
Read more about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7
Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 and get the latest price at Amazon.
Lets Go Digital reviews the Canon Powershot A610 Digital Camera and gives it a rating of 78%. They recommend - 'The Canon PowerShot A610 left behind a truly positive impression. The camera does keep its promises and is a worthy successor of the previous Canon A-series of digital cameras. Canon is a successful brand in the digital camera market; they possess a large market segment and put a strikingly strong new digital camera in the market time after time in order to keep the market segment in their possession. Those who are looking for a digital all-rounder, a camera for the beginning photographer, but one that is capable of growing to higher skills with its owner, will find so with this new Canon PowerShot A610 digital camera. Excellent!'
Read more about the Canon Powershot A610
Get the Latest Price on the Canon Powershot A610
'Samsung Techwin, Samsung’s subsidiary maker of optical and digital imaging products, aims to have Samsung as one top three global digital camera brands next year, according to the company’s Asia marketing director James K Jin at a joint press conference with Taiwan-based Chicony Electronics on March 9.'
Read more at Samsung aiming to be among top three global digital camera brands in 2007
PCWorld reviews the wireless Canon PowerShot SD430 and writes - 'The image quality of the 5-megapixel SD430 was above average; test images were well exposed, with good color and plenty of detail. The zoom range is 5.8mm to 17mm (equivalent to 35mm to 105mm on a film camera). Battery life was unimpressive, though, with the battery running out after a disappointing 192 images. While that's enough for a couple of days of serious shooting, you'll want to keep the charger on hand, especially if you're using the wireless feature. The wireless adapter consumed a fair amount of power--using the remote control application ran down a fully charged battery in 65 minutes.... Upshot: The SD430 is attractively styled, and its wirel'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Canon PowerShot SD430
Get the latest price on the Canon Powershot SD430
Popular Photography reviews the Nikon D200 DSLR where they do a comparison to the Canon EOS 30D and write - 'If you're willing to spend the extra $300 that the D200 costs over the Canon EOS 30D, and you don't have a Canon lens stockpile, then choosing the D200 is a no-brainer. If you're a pro, the choice is harder. Sure, Nikon's D2x can take more abuse and has a longer-life shutter, but you could buy two D200s, a battery grip, a few lenses, and a flash for the price of one D2x body. And the only advantage an EOS 5D has over the D200 is its full-frame sensor, which gives you the same field of view on a lens as on a 35mm SLR. Is that worth $1,300 more? You decide.'
Read more reviews and ratings of the Nikon D200
Get a price on the Nikon D200 from Amazon and compare prices on the Nikon D200 from around the web.
HP News Release - HP today announced the HP Scanjet 8300 Professional Image Scanner and HP Scanjet 8300gp Graphic Arts Scanner, giving graphics professionals everything they need from an image-scanning station, ensuring line accuracy and colour consistency. The scanners come with superb resolution, making them perfect for those needing ultra-sharp reproduction. The scanners’ Transparent Material Adapter gives the versatility needed in a professional environment, taking up to eighteen 35mm frames of negative film, eight 35mm framed slides and one frame of middle (120mm) or large (240mm) photographic format.
The software bundle provides professionals with everything they need for full image control, including top-end package LaserSoft SilverFast Ai, which comes with IT8 calibration including IT8 test targets to ensure colour consistency across the imaging workflow. The scanners also come with HP PhotoSmart Image Zone and Adobe PhotoShop Elements.
In addition, the HP Scanjet 8300gp includes the HP Colorimeter powered by Gretag Macbeth, which allows monitor calibration.
With the 25ppm/50ipm sheet feeder (optional at extra cost) and bundled Nuance Paperport and Readiris Pro Software the HP Scanjet 8300 can also fulfil general office needs.
Pricing and Availability
- HP Scanjet 8300 Professional Image Scanner: (incl. VAT) £349
- HP Scanjet 8300gp Graphic Arts Scanner: (incl. VAT) £499
Both scanners will be available for purchase in the UK from April 2006.
Sandisk News Release:
SanDisk Announces 4-Gigabyte Capacity -- Highest Available -- for Its Memory Stick PRO Duo Standard Flash Card Line; Larger Capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo Card Will Save More Images and Video Clips on High-Resolution Digital Cameras
HANNOVER, Germany --(Business Wire)-- March 9, 2006 SanDisk(R) Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced a new 4-gigabyte (GB)(1) capacity, the highest available in the market right now, for its standard Memory Stick PRO Duo(TM) cards. The announcement was made at the CeBIT Show in Hannover, Germany, where SanDisk is demonstrating its products in Hall 1, Stand C31 of the exhibition center.
The move to a larger capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo card is in response to the release of new high-megapixel cameras as well as hybrid models that combine digital still images and video. For example, one new camera that takes both high-resolution still images and high-quality MPEG4 video clips, at 30 frames per second, can provide a user with up to three hours of video capacity with a 4GB SanDisk Memory Stick PRO Duo card.
"As consumers shoot more video on these new digital cameras, they will need more storage capacity," said Susan Park, retail product marketing manager for SanDisk's standard memory card line. "The SanDisk Memory Stick PRO Duo exceeds the minimum performance specifications for a Memory Stick PRO Duo card and is compatible with any device that uses the format."
When inserted into an adapter that converts the Memory Stick PRO Duo to a Memory Stick PRO(TM) format, the card also can be used in any device that hosts a Memory Stick PRO flash card, including card readers, personal computers, television sets and some DVD players equipped with flash card slots.
The newest capacity of 4 gigabytes joins other capacities in SanDisk's standard line, which includes 256 megabytes (MB), 512MB, 1GB and 2GB.(1) Suggested retail prices range from $34.99 for the 256MB card to $299 for the 4GB card. The card is expected to ship in April.
SanDisk also is making a color change for its Memory Stick PRO Duo line, from pale blue to deep blue. This gives the cards "a bolder, brighter look that makes them stand out," said Park.
Sony and SanDisk co-developed the Memory Stick PRO media format, and SanDisk manufactures its own Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. "Sony is a clear leader in the digital camera and camcorder categories," said Chris Chute, senior analyst for IDC, a major digital imaging research company. "As Sony continues to develop next-generation video and still image capture technologies, the demand for high speed, large capacity, small form factor memory cards will grow as well."
SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the world's largest supplier of flash data storage card products, using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and has operations worldwide, with more than half its sales outside the U.S.
(1) 1 megabyte (MB) = 1 million bytes; 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes.
Megapixel reviews the Casio Exilim EX-Z120 and writes - 'On the optical side, the 3X zoom, equivalent to a 38 to 114 mm — almost a standard on this class of compact camera — exhibits neither major barrel nor pincushion distortion, and is free of any chromatic aberration throughout its entire focal length range, even when the subject contains very strong contrasting zones. Noise, on the other hand, can become noticeable at higher ISO settings and even at lower settings when the ambient light is poor, while when photos are captured with plenty of light, noise is imperceptible.'
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-Z120
Get the Latest Price on the Casio Exilim EX-Z120
SanDisk News Release
SanDisk Launches SanDisk Ultra II Mobile Line of Premium Flash Memory Cards - Cards are positioned for feature phones with card slots that can store music, videos and high-resolution digital still images
SanDisk Corporation today introduced the SanDisk Ultra II Mobile line of flash memory cards for multimedia-enabled mobile phones. The SanDisk Ultra II Mobile memory cards have faster read and write speeds than standard flash memory cards, as well as longer warranty periods. Faster read/write speeds improve performance of the card for file transfer and play on personal computers. Also, they may reduce the energy consumption on the batteries of certain phones and are expected to accommodate performance requirements of future mobile phone models. The announcement was made at the CeBIT Show in Hannover, Germany, where SanDisk is debuting its products at the Mobile Communications Pavilion, in Hall 26, Stand D79, and at the main SanDisk exhibit in Hall 1, Stand C31.
The new line, which will be in mobile phone stores and other retailers this spring, consists of three memory card formats: microSD, miniSD and Memory Stick PRO Duo , and will be available starting at a capacity of 1 gigabyte (GB)*. These high-capacity, high-performance SanDisk Ultra II cards have a minimum write speed of 9 megabytes (MB)* per second and read speed of 10MB/second**. The cards will be offered only in high capacities, ranging from 1GB to 4GB, and will have extended warranties in all regions of the world.
“Network operators and phone manufacturers are increasing the availability of premium content – such as music, movies, games and broadcast TV – that can be downloaded and stored on flash memory cards in the mobile phone,” said David Smurthwaite, product marketing manager for SanDisk’s mobile card line. “Our new SanDisk Ultra II Mobile line provides the ideal combination of speed, optimized energy consumption and high capacity points to meet the demands of the newest mobile phones as well as anticipated future models. Users of phones with MP3 players are buying 1GB cards and will immediately benefit from the speed in transferring large music playlists and videos from their computer to their card.”
Smurthwaite said that “power users with high-end mobiles who frequently swap out large music playlists and full-length videos will like the speed boost when they transfer files back and forth to their card from their computer.”
Suggested Retail Prices
SanDisk Ultra II microSD, 1GB
$89.99 U.S.
Memory Stick PRO Duo, 1GB
$99.99 U.S.
SanDisk Ultra II miniSD, 1GB
$79.99 U.S.
Memory Stick PRO Duo, 2GB
$179.99 U.S.
SanDisk Ultra II miniSD, 2GB
$119.99 U.S.
Memory Stick PRO Duo, 4GB
$359.99 U.S.
SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the world’s largest supplier of flash data storage card products, using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and has operations worldwide, with more than half its sales outside the U.S.
The Samsung VP-MS11 is a camera that is the size of a business card that incorporates the functions of 6 devices in 1 (digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player, voice recorder, data storage device and webcam.
The digital camera has a 5.25 megapixel sensor, a 3x Optical Zoom, PictBridge and takes a Mini SD card.
It comes complete with 128 megabytes of internal memory and a 2.5 inch LCD.
Get a Price on the Samsung VP-MS11
Samsung Press Release
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is enhancing its Camcorder product range by bringing a new multifunction digital camera series to CeBIT. The VP-MS1x, the first product in this category, is a business card sized digital camera that provides users with portability and huge storage capacity. “Our customers wanted a lightweight, compact, easy to use digital stills and video camera that could be carried anywhere, yet that had a large storage capacity,” said says Moon Soo Bang, Vice President of the Digital AV Division of Samsung. “Our team designed a slim, elegant product that not only takes the highest quality still pictures currently available on a Camcorder, but also built into it innovative functions such as flash memory, which allows users to still take great pictures even if the memory card runs out of capacity.”
The SC/VP-MS1x boasts multi-functionality as well as premium performance. It still combines 6 functions into an ultracompact product – digital video camcorder, digital still camera, MP3 player, voice recorder, data storage and web camera function.
High glossy and luxurious exterior of the product is an attention-getter. Whilst the lightweight, robust aluminum body and business card size enable users to carry the camera at all times. An intuitional mode dial key provides easy and quick control, where users just turn the mode dial to set each function using only their thumb. The SC/VP-MS1x comes in three new colors – piano black, metalic silver and wine red.
Features and performance
Despite its compact, slim design, this cutting-edge product delivers high quality MPEG4 movies (640x480, 30fps for NTSC, 25fps for PAL) and photos of 2592x1944 pixels on a 2.5” large LCD through a 5.25 mega pixel CCD. The device comes up with a 64MB (SC/VP-MS10) / 128MB (SC/VP-MS11) / 512MB (SC/VP-MS15) built-in memory and adds storage capacity through a mini SD card slot. In case of SC/VP-MS15, the 512MB built-in memory holds up to 27 minutes of digital video and 410 still images.
The SC/VP-MS1x has a 3X optical zoom and 15X digital zoom, the optical 3X zooming is still possible while recording videos. Also, the Samsung Memory Camera’s Anti-Shake function reduces image blur from camera shake and ensures sharp and clean still shots.
One of the new features on this model is the hot keys and painless GUI. Intricate mode change is easy as the hot keys are synchronised with the dial, so that when changing the functions, you can view the most frequently used modes.
Users are also able to charge the SC/VP-MS1x via USB connection to a PC, so that there is no need to travel with a power cable or an optional charger.
Printing images are made simple by directly connecting a USB cable to a PictBridge™ -compatible printer. Thanks to the latest technology from Samsung, it is also now possible to print to A3 size, offering greater magnification and vivid colour.
VP-MS1X Specifications
• Bulit-in memory 64MB (SC/VP-MS10) / 128MB (SC/VP-MS11) / 512MB (SC/VP-MS15)
• Optical 3x, Digital 5x Zoom Lens
• MPEG4 SP (640 x 480 / 25fps on PC, 640 x 576 / 25fps on TV)
• 5.25 Mega pixel CCl
• 2592 x 1944 JPEG still image
• 2.5” LCD (154K pixel)
• Mini SD card Slot
• USB 2.0
• PictBridge
• Flash Light
Get a Price on the Samsung VP-MS11
The Samsung VP-MS10 is a camera that is the size of a business card that incorporates the functions of 6 devices in 1 (digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player, voice recorder, data storage device and webcam.
The digital camera has a 5.25 megapixel sensor, a 3x Optical Zoom, PictBridge and takes a Mini SD card.
It comes complete with 64 megabytes of internal memory and a 2.5 inch LCD.
Samsung Press Release
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is enhancing its Camcorder product range by bringing a new multifunction digital camera series to CeBIT. The VP-MS1x, the first product in this category, is a business card sized digital camera that provides users with portability and huge storage capacity. “Our customers wanted a lightweight, compact, easy to use digital stills and video camera that could be carried anywhere, yet that had a large storage capacity,” said says Moon Soo Bang, Vice President of the Digital AV Division of Samsung. “Our team designed a slim, elegant product that not only takes the highest quality still pictures currently available on a Camcorder, but also built into it innovative functions such as flash memory, which allows users to still take great pictures even if the memory card runs out of capacity.”
The SC/VP-MS1x boasts multi-functionality as well as premium performance. It still combines 6 functions into an ultracompact product – digital video camcorder, digital still camera, MP3 player, voice recorder, data storage and web camera function.
High glossy and luxurious exterior of the product is an attention-getter. Whilst the lightweight, robust aluminum body and business card size enable users to carry the camera at all times. An intuitional mode dial key provides easy and quick control, where users just turn the mode dial to set each function using only their thumb. The SC/VP-MS1x comes in three new colors – piano black, metalic silver and wine red.
Features and performance
Despite its compact, slim design, this cutting-edge product delivers high quality MPEG4 movies (640x480, 30fps for NTSC, 25fps for PAL) and photos of 2592x1944 pixels on a 2.5” large LCD through a 5.25 mega pixel CCD. The device comes up with a 64MB (SC/VP-MS10) / 128MB (SC/VP-MS11) / 512MB (SC/VP-MS15) built-in memory and adds storage capacity through a mini SD card slot. In case of SC/VP-MS15, the 512MB built-in memory holds up to 27 minutes of digital video and 410 still images.
The SC/VP-MS1x has a 3X optical zoom and 15X digital zoom, the optical 3X zooming is still possible while recording videos. Also, the Samsung Memory Camera’s Anti-Shake function reduces image blur from camera shake and ensures sharp and clean still shots.
One of the new features on this model is the hot keys and painless GUI. Intricate mode change is easy as the hot keys are synchronised with the dial, so that when changing the functions, you can view the most frequently used modes.
Users are also able to charge the SC/VP-MS1x via USB connection to a PC, so that there is no need to travel with a power cable or an optional charger.
Printing images are made simple by directly connecting a USB cable to a PictBridge™ -compatible printer. Thanks to the latest technology from Samsung, it is also now possible to print to A3 size, offering greater magnification and vivid colour.
VP-MS1X Specifications
The Samsung VP-MS15 is a camera that is the size of a business card that incorporates the functions of 6 devices in 1 (digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player, voice recorder, data storage device and webcam.
The digital camera has a 5.25 megapixel sensor, a 3x Optical Zoom, PictBridge and takes a Mini SD card.
It comes complete with 512 megabytes of internal memory and a 2.5 inch LCD.
Get a Price on the Samsung VP-MS15
Samsung Press Release
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is enhancing its Camcorder product range by bringing a new multifunction digital camera series to CeBIT. The VP-MS1x, the first product in this category, is a business card sized digital camera that provides users with portability and huge storage capacity. “Our customers wanted a lightweight, compact, easy to use digital stills and video camera that could be carried anywhere, yet that had a large storage capacity,” said says Moon Soo Bang, Vice President of the Digital AV Division of Samsung. “Our team designed a slim, elegant product that not only takes the highest quality still pictures currently available on a Camcorder, but also built into it innovative functions such as flash memory, which allows users to still take great pictures even if the memory card runs out of capacity.”
The SC/VP-MS1x boasts multi-functionality as well as premium performance. It still combines 6 functions into an ultracompact product – digital video camcorder, digital still camera, MP3 player, voice recorder, data storage and web camera function.
High glossy and luxurious exterior of the product is an attention-getter. Whilst the lightweight, robust aluminum body and business card size enable users to carry the camera at all times. An intuitional mode dial key provides easy and quick control, where users just turn the mode dial to set each function using only their thumb. The SC/VP-MS1x comes in three new colors – piano black, metalic silver and wine red.
Features and performance
Despite its compact, slim design, this cutting-edge product delivers high quality MPEG4 movies (640x480, 30fps for NTSC, 25fps for PAL) and photos of 2592x1944 pixels on a 2.5” large LCD through a 5.25 mega pixel CCD. The device comes up with a 64MB (SC/VP-MS10) / 128MB (SC/VP-MS11) / 512MB (SC/VP-MS15) built-in memory and adds storage capacity through a mini SD card slot. In case of SC/VP-MS15, the 512MB built-in memory holds up to 27 minutes of digital video and 410 still images.
The SC/VP-MS1x has a 3X optical zoom and 15X digital zoom, the optical 3X zooming is still possible while recording videos. Also, the Samsung Memory Camera’s Anti-Shake function reduces image blur from camera shake and ensures sharp and clean still shots.
One of the new features on this model is the hot keys and painless GUI. Intricate mode change is easy as the hot keys are synchronised with the dial, so that when changing the functions, you can view the most frequently used modes.
Users are also able to charge the SC/VP-MS1x via USB connection to a PC, so that there is no need to travel with a power cable or an optional charger.
Printing images are made simple by directly connecting a USB cable to a PictBridge™ -compatible printer. Thanks to the latest technology from Samsung, it is also now possible to print to A3 size, offering greater magnification and vivid colour.
VP-MS1X Specifications
• Bulit-in memory 64MB (SC/VP-MS10) / 128MB (SC/VP-MS11) / 512MB (SC/VP-MS15)
• Optical 3x, Digital 5x Zoom Lens
• MPEG4 SP (640 x 480 / 25fps on PC, 640 x 576 / 25fps on TV)
• 5.25 Mega pixel CCl
• 2592 x 1944 JPEG still image
• 2.5” LCD (154K pixel)
• Mini SD card Slot
• USB 2.0
• PictBridge
• Flash Light
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The NPD Group Press Release
According to leading consumer and retail information provider The NPD Group, forecasts show the U.S. digital camera market will generate close to $6.8 billion in revenue and sell a record-breaking 29.5 million units in 2006. The digital camera market is expected to increase by eight percent in revenue and 17 percent in units over 2005. The findings come from The NPD Group’s Market Outlook report, driven by a powerful new forecasting methodology that gives companies an unparalleled view of the market’s future behavior. “The NPD Group’s forecasting model is a unique combination of point-of-sale and consumer data, along with econometric modeling and the expertise of our industry analysts,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis, The NPD Group. “That combination created a forecast for 2005 that came within two percent of The NPD Group’s actual consumer data for the year.”
POINT AND SHOOT SALES FORECAST
According to Market Outlook, point and shoot digital cameras, which represented 73 percent of 2005 digital camera revenue, are expected to reach $5 billion in revenue in 2006, an eight percent increase over 2005, while unit sales will account for 95 percent of the digital camera market, exceeding 27 million, a 16 percent increase over the same time period.
The NPD Group expects sales will begin to slow down in 2007, when the point and shoot market is expected to peak, but even with this change point and shoot cameras will remain the dominant technology, representing more than 70 percent of revenue through 2008, followed by a dip to slightly below 70 percent in 2009 and 2010. Unit sales will account for 90 percent of the digital camera market through 2009, and dip just slightly below 90 percent in 2010. The average selling price (ASP) for point and shoot digital cameras will drop in 2006 to approximately $182, a seven percent decline from 2005, and only fluctuate within five dollars through 2010.
DIGITAL SLR SALES FORECAST
While digital single lens reflex (DSLR) sales make up a significantly smaller portion of the digital camera market, The NPD Group forecast shows DSLRs comprising 33.6 percent of revenue and over 11 percent of unit volume by 2010.
In 2006, sales in the U.S. could reach $1.7 billion, a seven percent increase over 2005, while unit sales could reach 1.8 million, a 54 percent increase over last year. The ASP for DSLRs in 2006 is expected to decline over 30 percent to around $942, and continue to fall through 2010, settling at around $737.
“The notion that the digital imaging market is losing ground just isn’t accurate,” said Baker. “Overall, the short-term outlook is very good, and while the long-term outlook shows declines in sales, there is still great potential for the market.”
Steves Digicams reviews the Pentax *ist DL DSLR and writes - 'We liked the *ist DS2 when we reviewed it in 2005, but thought it was a bit pricey at an MSRP of $799 without a lens. While the *ist DL offers nearly the same feature set with reduced performance, its $599 MSRP with the 18-55mm kit lens makes it a very good value. With a price point that overlaps well into consumer digicam territory, the *ist DL offers a compelling choice to upgraders, providing dSLR versatility and high ISO image quality in a lightweight and compact package. Point-n-shoot upgraders can make the jump to a dSLR without a steep learning curve thanks to the *ist DL's array of automatic and scene modes, while learning how to use the camera's more advanced shooting modes and features at their own pace. Providing only 6-megapixels of resolution, the *ist DL may suffer in a direct comparison of specifications, but its low price, very good image quality, small size and light weight make it very worthy of consideration.'
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Steves Digicams reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 where they recommend - 'One of its most appealing features has to be the Lumix DC-VARIO 6x optical zoom lens. It offers a great deal of flexibility in composing your shots with its 37-222mm (35mm equivalent) focal length range; especially when compared to the typical 35-105mm range of similar cameras in this class. The 37mm wide-angle provides a field of view sufficient for most indoor group portraits and outdoor landscape shots. While its 222mm telephoto extreme enables you to bring distant subjects much closer than the competition, and lets not forget about the MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) system. It helps reduce the occurrence of camera shake at longer focal lengths and slower shutter speeds as well as when shooting video. Panasonic's O.I.S. has proven to be very effective, allowing me to capture consistently sharp images at relatively slow shutter speeds (the slowest being 1/20 of a second); you'll be more concerned with subject movement than camera shake using this feature. I found that this lens exhibits a bit of barrel distortion at full wide angle, but virtually no pincushioning at the moderate and full telephoto focal lengths. chromatic aberration (purple fringing around subjects with high contrast) was very well controlled at all focal lengths. Unlike other Panasonic digicams, the LZ5's lens does not carry the Leica brand, and sharpness suffered a bit; it produced images that were sharp at the centers, but a bit soft at the edges.'
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Digital Camera Info has posted a first impression review of the new Pentax Optio M10 digital camera. They write - 'The Pentax M10 sticks to a successful formula. It offers a large and high-quality viewing screen. It attacks the problem of menu confusion and control button “overload”, and yet still offers some hidden functionality. With its Help functions only a button click away, the camera can be used without even reading the instruction manual. It uses easy to find AA alkaline batteries. With 6 MP maximum resolution, this camera can make a sharp 8 x 10 print, make a movie and record a conversation.'
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Steves Digicams reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ3 digital camera and writes - 'The image quality was average. Outdoors it captured the best images in my opinion, with our samples being relatively sharp, well exposed and showing good color saturation. Like the LZ5, noise levels were average when shooting with an ISO of 100 or lower, becoming much more noticeable at 200 and 400. By looking at our ambient light sample of the M&M man, you can see what I mean. While this may not be an issue with those who use the "Normal" exposure mode and can select the desired ISO speed, those who use Simple mode will have to hope the camera is using the lowest setting possible. However, on a better note, these signs of noise can only be seen by the untrained eye when viewing images at 100%; something your typical consumer does not do. And it is very unlikely that you'll see much in your 4x6 or 8x10-inch prints, as long as there isn't much cropping.'
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Digital Camera Info has a first impression review of the Samsung GX-1L and writes - 'We think the GX-1L is a respectable entry level option. We say that mainly because it seems to be a Pentax, which is a good thing for a few reasons. First, it shares Pentax's durable construction, simple interface and other positive qualities. Second, it shares the Pentax lens mount, so it's compatible with a large selection of Pentax system lenses and accessories. Third, Pentax has sent other emphatic signals that they are in the digital camera business for the long haul—and whether or not Samsung produces more DSLRs won’t really matter to the GX-1L owner, because Pentax will prove an upgrade path of fully compatible equipment.'
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Digital Camera Resource Page have a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 where they recommend - 'Despite a few flaws (most notably noise in images), the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 is a very likable ultra zoom camera, and one that I can recommend. It combines high quality optics, image stabilization, manual features, and performance, without breaking the bank. The noise issue might only be a problem for those who will be shooting at high ISOs or making very large prints. For everyone else, this is a very capable ultra zoom that should be on your shopping list.'
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Digital Camera Info has reviewed the Kodak EasyShare Z612 and writes - 'With all these features come a few inconsistencies and shortcomings. The user can only control white balance via presets, and a poorly designed jog dial control is responsible for controlling the manual options listed along the bottom of the LCD screen. In review mode, Kodak ironically hasn’t caught up with the competition and is only providing one editing option for images; this is underwhelming when compared to the plethora of editing options available for both still and video review from other manufacturers.'
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Digital Camera Info has posted a first impression review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z600 where they write - 'The Casio EX-Z600 is equipped with a 3x zoom, a 2.7-inch LCD with low resolution but a bright display, a 1/2.5-inch, 6 MP CCD, and access to a handful of manual controls which are provided with live view screens and simple interactivity. The EX-Z600 separates itself from the crowd with its wealth of preset modes and in-camera editing features with clear interfaces and full text descriptions. With these preset options, manual settings and a good movie mode, the Casio EX-Z600 should give competing manufacturers a run for the money at this price point.'
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We first heard of the Mamiya ZD back in September 2004 so today when it was officially announced that it's arrived we had to think twice about where we'd heard the model number before!
The Mamiya ZD is a serious piece of DSLR machinery with it's 22 megapixel (yes I said 22) CCD sensor (measuring in at 48mm x 36mm) it captures RAW files 35MB in size.
The ZD has a 1.8 inch TFT monitor, has two memory slots (CF and SD), 1.2 frames per second shooting (not that impressive but if you consider the size of the images you understand why) and a metal shutter that shoots up to 1/4000.
The cost of the Mamiya ZD is not to be sneezed at - it comes in at £7000 in the UK and is in stores there now.
Mamiya ZD News Release: JP Distribution, the UK’s exclusive distributor Mamiya are pleased to announce the launch of the Mamiya ZD Digital SLR, which was recently previewed at Focus On Imaging 2006 at the NEC, Birmingham.
Since 1940, Mamiya have designed and manufactured high quality cameras and lenses with excellent reliability and ease of use. It is these attributes that Mamiya has focused on to create the Mamiya ZD and ZD camera.
Mamiya ZD Digital SLR Camera
The Mamiya ZD is the latest evolution in professional medium format cameras. Inheriting the same high quality that has made Mamiya the leader in professional imaging, the 22 million-pixel Mamiya ZD comes with a 48 x 36mm CCD that achieves exceptional image quality to rival it's earlier film counterparts. Mamiya has also designed the camera with outstanding handling and ease of use, which are achieved through a new ergonomic body designed around the photographer.
By utilising the very latest digital technology and high quality optics then combining it with a new ergonomic body Mamiya has created a digital camera for the new generation.
Mamiya ZD Specifications
22 Mega Pixel CCD
Utilising the large Dalsa 48mm x 36mm CCD in conjunction with the ASIC processing engine, the Mamiya ZD captures a 35MB RAW file. It can be saved as a RAW file or processed to a JPEG on the fly. These large files offer the quality and resolution imperative for professional imaging.
ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)
Developed exclusively for the Mamiya ZD. The ASIC processor optimizes image data from the CCD in real time. The ASIC engine also uses power saving technologies to prolong battery life and provides accurate white balance.
IEEE1394/Video Out
The Mamiya ZD can be operated tethered to a computer via four-pin IEEE 1394 cable for high-speed transfer. The camera also has a Video Out jack for reviewing images on a television monitor.
1.8” TFT monitor and LCD information panel
A large 1.8 inch TFT monitor is located on the back of the camera for reviewing images. It displays a 100% of the image are with full brightness control.
A second LCD screen located below the TFT monitor shows camera information such as image quality, ISO, white balance, storage media, and more.
Dual Memory Card Slots
The Mamiya ZD camera has two memory card slots. Compact Flash card (Type I and Type II), and SD card.
Removable Low Pass Filter
Mamiya is the only camera company in the world that gives the photographer the option of removing the Low Pass Filter. The filter is sealed in a protective cartridge, preventing it from dust and scratches.
Strong and lightweight Construction
Magnesium alloy is used to cover the camera's prism and electronic circuitry providing secure protection in a lightweight material.
The camera's body is made from a lightweight, high strength die cast aluminium alloy shell providing the maximum amount of protection in a lightweight material.
1.2fps Continuous shooting
Because of the high-speed ASIC processor and large memory buffer the Mamiya ZD is capable of firing at 1.2 fps. at a maximum burst rate of 10 shots (regardless of image size).
All Metal Shutter up to 1/4000sec
The durable all metal vertical-travel focal plane shutter gives the camera the ability to shoot at a top shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second. It provides a flash sync. speed of 1/125 of a second.
Price and Availability
The Mamiya ZD will retail for £7000 body only excluding VAT and is available now through authorised Mamiya ZD dealers.
Micron News Release: Micron Technology, Inc. and Lexar Media, Inc., today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Micron to acquire Lexar in a stock-for-stock merger. Under terms of the agreement, each outstanding common share of Lexar will receive 0.5625 shares of Micron stock. Micron anticipates issuing shares in exchange for 81.6 million Lexar shares outstanding. Additional Micron shares will be issued upon the exercise of assumed stock options.
The acquisition will strengthen Micron’s position in the NAND flash business and enable the company to deliver innovative NAND flash solutions from design, development and manufacturing to marketing and sales of products to worldwide consumers and device manufacturers. The merger is designed to combine Micron’s technology and manufacturing leadership in NAND flash memory with Lexar’s leadership in NAND controller and system design technology, brand recognition and retail channel strength to create a vertically integrated entity fully focused on the NAND business.
“With this acquisition, Micron will have a complete package of NAND memory solutions for our customers,” said Steve Appleton, Micron chairman, CEO and president. “Together with our NAND designs, technology, manufacturing capability and distribution channels, Micron is in a strong position to serve the flash storage requirements of consumer electronics and enterprise customers.”
“Through this acquisition, we expect to better align Lexar’s cost structure with business conditions and increase our development and go-to-market scale in order to compete more effectively,” said Eric Stang, Lexar chairman, CEO and president. “By merging with Micron, Lexar can achieve significant cost synergies and become better positioned to satisfy customer needs and establish faster growth, especially in new emerging mobile handset and solid- state computing businesses. We view this as an exciting opportunity for our company and its shareholders.”
The transaction is subject to regulatory review, Lexar stockholder approval and other customary closing conditions. Completion of the merger is expected by the end of the third calendar quarter. Upon closing, Lexar, as a continuing entity, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Micron, and Lexar's stock will cease trading on the NASDAQ stock market.
Lexar is a leading marketer and manufacturer of NAND flash memory products including 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 94 issued or allowed controller and system patents, and licenses its technology to companies including Olympus Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SanDisk Corporation and Sony Corporation. Lexar sells its memory cards worldwide and through an exclusive agreement, also sells memory cards under the Kodak brand. Headquartered in Fremont, Calif., Lexar has operations in countries around the world. More information is available at www.lexar.com.
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com .
Micron and the Micron orbit logo are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. Lexar and the Lexar logo are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning Micron's proposed acquisition of Lexar Media, Inc., Micron's expected financial performance, as well as Micron's strategic and operational plans. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the possibility that the transaction will not close or that the closing may be delayed; the reaction of customers of Micron and Lexar to the transaction; Micron's ability to successfully integrate Lexar's operations and employees; and general economic conditions. In addition, please refer to the documents that Micron and Lexar file with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. The filings by each of Micron and Lexar identify and address other important factors that could cause their respective financial and operational results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release. Micron and Lexar are under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER AND WHERE TO FIND IT
Micron and Lexar intend to file with the SEC a prospectus/proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the proposed acquisition of Lexar by Micron pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Micron, March 2006 Merger Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Micron, and Lexar. The prospectus/proxy statement will be mailed to the stockholders of Lexar. Investors and security holders of Lexar are urged to read the prospectus/proxy statement and the other relevant materials when they become available because they will contain important information about Micron, Lexar and the proposed merger. The prospectus/proxy statement and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any other documents filed by Micron or Lexar with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Micron by contacting Micron Investor Relations, Kipp Bedard, 208-368-4465. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Lexar by contacting Lexar Investor Relations, Diane Carlini, (510) 580-5604. Investors and security holders of Lexar are urged to read the prospectus/proxy statement and the other relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed merger.
Micron, Steven Appleton, Micron's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, and certain of Micron's other executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Lexar stockholders in connection with the proposed merger. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of Mr. Appleton and certain of Micron's other executive officers in the solicitation by reading the prospectus/proxy statement when it becomes available.
Lexar, Eric Stang, Lexar's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Lexar's other directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Lexar stockholders in connection with the proposed merger. Such individuals may have interests in the proposed merger, including as a result of holding options or shares of Lexar common stock. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of Mr. Stang and Lexar's other directors and executive officers in the solicitation by reading the prospectus/proxy statement when it becomes available.
Imaging Resource reviews the Fuji FinePix E900 Digital Camera and writes - 'The 9.0 megapixel Fujifilm FinePix E900 is an impressive follow on to last year's 6.3 megapixel FinePix E550, which was good enough to earn a Dave's Pick. Its color is very good (if somewhat subdued), resolution excellent, and noise levels at even high ISOs are tamed very well. The FinePix E900 isn't the fastest in terms of AF speed, but it's right there in the respectable department. If you prefocus, it's a great family camera, with its f/2.8 lens handling wide angle indoor scenes very well. Its lens comes out quickly, AF points are picked quickly, and it switches between modes and menus with snap. The Fujifilm FinePix E900 is pretty good with battery power, with a worst-case run time of just over two hours with the provided rechargeable NiMH batteries. From a usability standpoint, the FinePix E900 spans a range from rank beginner (in full Auto mode) to sophisticated photographer (in full manual exposure mode). This makes it a great choice for dual- or multiple-user households, and also a good choice for someone looking for a camera that's easy to use to get started but that has additional features to offer as you become more experienced. I was impressed with the camera's performance in many dimensions, but most impressed with the print quality.'
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CNET reviews the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-M2 and gives it a rating of 7.4 out of 10. They write - 'The Sony Cyber Shot DSC-M2 is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of some. Thanks to good image quality and a big, bright LCD that's usable in sunlight, this hybrid still camera/camcorder update to the DSC-M1 remains a surprisingly good point-and-click 5-megapixel snapshooter--assuming you're willing to pay a premium for a camera with a 3X zoom, no manual controls, and no bundled memory card. Besides some aesthetic and interface changes, the DSC-M2 isn't very different from the DSC-M1. Both cameras have the same 5-megapixel sensor, the same MPEG-4 movie support, the same 3X zoom lens, and the same good image quality for photos and videos. The DSC-M2 is sleeker than its predecessor and has a few new functions, but under the case, it's basically the same hardware as the DSC-M1. Regardless of its flaws, though, anyone who needs a pocketable camcorder and doesn't want to sacrifice photo quality should consider this quirky shooter.'
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Macworld has a mini review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 where they write - 'If you can live without changing lenses, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 makes a versatile alternative to a digital SLR—albeit at a DSLR price. You’ll get great image quality and wide-angle capability. However, you’ll lose out if typical point-and-shoot features such as a movie mode and voice annotation are important to you.'
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Digital Lifestyles reviews the Ricoh GR digital camera and writes - 'The Ricoh GR Digital is a truly unique digital camera that stands out from the crowd by concentrating on the basics, offering a speedy performance, full creative control, a good battery life and a fast, crisp wide-angle lens that made it perfect for landscapes and cameos. We fell in love with the camera's lo-fi look, with its nondescript appearance barely attracting attention on the street, letting us get on with taking pictures unhindered.'
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Digital Camera Info has posted a first impression review of the Sony Cyber-shot H5 and H2 digital cameras where they write - 'The new Sony Cyber-shot H-series cameras are worthy successors to the ultra zoom H1. The original camera was a great concept but didn’t have the star power. The H5 just might have it. The new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 has 7.2 megapixels, a huge LCD screen with great 230,000-pixel resolution and an optically image stabilized Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 12x zoom lens. The construction is lightweight and portable and still fairly sturdy. It has manual functionality and a few scene modes to boot. The new cameras have a wide ISO range from 80-1000, making low light photography possible without the use of the flash. The Sony H5 will retail for $499 when it becomes available in May.'
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DC Views has posted a comparative review of the Kodak Easyshare P880 (pictured left) compared with the Fuji Finepix S9000 / S9500. They write - 'The Kodak P880 and the Fuji S9000 are in the same category compact SLR-like and have a similar price tag. But here the similarity stops. The P880 is a very capable digital camera, but it is still very much a compact in build, speed and performance. However because of the many manual features it is a fine camera for the more demanding hobby photographer. The small size, light weight and 24 mm wide angle makes the P880 a pleasant travel companion. The S9000 has more aspirations to be a DSLR, but cannot live up to those standards. Speed and image quality (at high ISO) is much less and the absence of image stabilization, RAW and Adobe RGB make it no alternative for the semi-professional. The many features, large zoom range, good image quality at low ISO, however make it a very good choice for the amateur photographer, who doesn't want to go out with a bag full of accessories and heavy lenses.'
Trusted Reviews has posted a review of the Sony Cyber-shot M2 and recommends - 'For half the price you can get a camera that takes pictures and shoots video just as well, but is far easier to handle. The M2 may look cool and funky, and there’s no denying that it can take good pictures, but its shockingly poor handling, badly designed and over-complicated controls and limited battery life, combined with an inflated price tag, make this a big white elephant.'
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Steves Digicams reviews the Sony Cybershot DSC M2 and writes - 'The Sony Cyber-shot M2 is a bit of an enigma. It's capable of producing high-quality 5-megapixel stills, but its indoor results are limited by its underpowered flash. Although billed as a hybrid still/movie camera, Sony failed to endow the M2 with high-quality movie features. The standard movies suffer from the graininess of over compression, and its hybrid movies are low resolution, low frame rate, and interrupted by still image capture. For a first attempt, the M2 hybrid is an interesting exercise, but it falls short of expectations. '
Trusted Reviews has reviewed the Pentax Optio S6 and writes - 'If you’re looking for an ultra-compact camera that can deliver good quality pictures with a minimum of fuss, the Optio S6 should certainly be near the top of your list. It is well made, attractively designed, and is one of the smallest and lightest cameras on the market. It has enough options to cope with virtually any shooting conditions, and its excellent low light focusing and flash performance are a big bonus. Considering its very competitive price and the S6 is hard to beat.'
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Pentax Optio S6
Megapixel reviews the Panasonic DMC-FX01 and writes - 'As with most cameras, the FX01 yields its best images when the subject is well lit, sunlight being the best source of light. Shutter lag, which under normal conditions is hardly an issue, can become more pronounced if the camera has some difficulty finding a focus point. The solution in this case, is to switch to the 1-Area Centre focus, lessening the difficulty the FX01 has in finding a sufficiently contrasted area on which to focus.'
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Steves Digicams reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2 and writes - 'The LS2 is quite the performer, especially for an entry-level camera. From power up to first image captured measured only 2.5 seconds. Shutter lag was almost absent when pre-focused, measuring less than 1/10 of a second, and only 4/10 of a second including autofocus. When shooting a sequence of shots in single exposure mode, the shot to shot delay averaged 1.6 seconds without using the flash, slowing to between 2.8 and 4 seconds with the flash (depending on subject distance and battery life.) The LS2 offers three Burst mode settings to choose from (Low-speed, High-speed, No-limit.) Using the Low-speed setting, I was able to capture 3 frames in about 1.1 seconds. High-speed captured 3 frames in approx. 6/10 of a second. No-limit mode allows you to continuously capture images at about 1.5fps, limited only by available memory.'
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Digital Camera Review has reviewed the Fujifilm Finepix E900 Digital Camera where they write - 'In my opinion, the E900's most serious competition is Canon's superb A620. The A620 is in virtually every area of consideration other than native resolution (the difference between 7 and 9 megapixels is much less obvious than the difference between 4 and 5 megapixels), a better imaging tool than the E900. So, unless you need the few extra millimeters of wide-angle coverage or plan to enlarge lots of your images to poster size, my recommendation is to buy the A620. You'll end up with a better camera and save yourself some money.'
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Steves Digicams reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 and writes - 'I was very happy with the FZ7. It is a robust performer that captures beautiful 6-megapixel images, possesses a generous 12x zoom range, and let's not forget it can be easily used by every person in your household or office. With 6-megapixels, you can create stunning prints up to 13x19-inches. We feel the FZ7 will make an excellent choice for any consumer in the market for an affordable “super-zoom” model. With an MSRP of under $400 dollars, it offers a great “bang for your buck” and is sure to be a very popular model this year.'
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CNET reviews the Olympus Evolt E-330 and gives it a rating of 7.7 of 10 and writes - 'Olympus puts a second sensor to better use with its Evolt E-330: to provide its digital SLR with a live preview, just like those in standard snapshot cameras. Though the LCD certainly can't replace the viewfinder for most shooting, it turns out to be quite useful to have around. Aside from that innovation, the 7.5-megapixel E-330 is a decent, feature-packed, solidly built model, albeit with a few flaws. Opting for Olympus's f/2.8-to-f/3.5 14mm-to-54mm (28mm-to-108mm equivalent) lens rather than the f/3.5-to-f/5.6 14mm-to-45mm (28mm-to-90mm equivalent) that ships with the kit version makes this a more expensive--but ultimately more rewarding one--proposition.'
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Megapixel reviews the Fujifilm Finepix S5200 where they write - 'In use, the FinePix S5200 responds quite quickly, whether to the shutter release or to its controls. Similarly, under normal conditions, the camera is quick to focus, and if need be is ably helped by a bright AF-Assist lamp. Nevertheless, under low light and with the zoom at its maximum magnification, the focusing process can sometimes become lengthy or hesitant, even with the help of the assist lamp.'
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Byte Sector reviews the Olympus Stylus Verve S and writes - 'The Stylus Verve S is rated as a point and shoot camera. In this genre, I would place it well above average. Standard pictures of landscapes, people, and slow action scenes were captured with well-defined colour, minimal aberration, and a sharp, clean image. I feel this is a product that keeps to the Olympus lens-making tradition, and the clever concealment of the lens when the camera is off helps to keep it free from dirt.'
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DCRP reviews the Nikon D200 DSLR and writes - 'Photo quality was excellent as well. Photos were properly exposed, with vivid colors and low purple fringing and noise levels. As is typical with D-SLRs, images are very smooth, and some folks may want to sharpen things up a bit. My only real photo quality complaint is that noise levels are higher than I would've liked at ISO sensitivities above 640. They're not horrible by any means, but after just reviewing the Canon EOS-5D, I'm a bit spoiled. Then again, the 5D costs $3299 and the D200 is $1699.'
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Pocket Lint reviews the Canon IXUS i Zoom digital camera where they give it a rating of 8 out of 10 and write in their review - 'The IXUS i Zoom is a stunning-looking, petit package that can create high resolution snaps to be proud of. There’s only a modicum of manual control making this less suitable for the more enthusiast user and its RRP is tad pricey, though you’ll be sure to pay less online or the High Street. But, it’s a gem, slightly flawed yes, but a gem none the less.'
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DigiCamReview has posted a review of the Pentax Optio S6 and writes - 'The Pentax Optio S6 is an ultra compact digital camera featuring 6 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom lens, and a high resolution 2.5“ screen. The easy to use camera offers several useful scene modes and features such as custom white balance, manual focusing, panoramic assist. The cameras MPEG4 / DIVX video mode is good as it allows you to fit longer videos on your memory card, however battery life is an Achilles heel in this regard as you are limited to a maximum recording time of 50 minutes, and then the battery goes flat! Image quality was good outdoors, but poor indoors due to focusing problems and the flash overexposing the subject. Overall, this camera is a mixed bag - if style, size and features are a priority then have a look at this camera, however I believe there are better ultra compact digital cameras out there.'
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Digital Camera Info has posted a first impression review of the Pentax Optio T10 after looking it over at the PMA show. They write - 'With an intuitive menu structure, manual control options which are accessible to the beginner, playback features that should entertain and a 2.5-inch LCD with a touch screen interface, the Pentax Optio T10 certainly looks to be a strong competitor in the new touch screen market. The camera has a 1/2.5-inch, 6 MP CCD, and includes a vast wealth of still image parameters and a fully functioning movie mode with 30 fps and a 640 x 480 resolution. There are a number of general shooting modes, a manual focus option that has a basic interface and manual controls in general which reflect the simple, clean and understated design of the entire camera.'
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Digital Camera Info has posted a first look review of the Canon EOS 30D. They write - 'Canon's EOS 30D is numbered as if it were a major upgrade to the popular and excellent EOS 20D, and Canon marketing plumps it up even higher than that – the line is that it really has more in common with the 5D than the 20D. Really? With the same 8.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, the same DIGIC II image processor, the same 9-point autofocus system and the same 5 fps burst rate as the 20D, the 30D seems more like a respectable update of the 20D than anything else. When Canon put a bigger LCD and picture styles on the 1D Mark II, they changed the name to the 1D Mark II n. This new camera shows comparable improvements. We'd call it the “20D n,” if it were up to us.'
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Canon USA Director for Media and Customer Relationship Chuck Westfall has written that there may be some cases of banding on Canon EOS 5D DSLRs. Here's an except from his statement:
'Canon Inc. in Japan has indeed been actively investigating the claims of banding under certain conditions with the EOS 5D since the first reports surfaced shortly after the camera was delivered to the market. Here is what we have been told so far:
“There may be cases where random noise or pattern noise [banding] stands out in images taken at high ISO settings. This is because the noise component is also amplified at high ISO settings. Various measures are taken to reduce noise, but the fact is that it cannot be entirely eliminated technologically. We are continuing to work on reducing noise even further.”
“The following shooting techniques can reduce or prevent the occurrence of noise.”
* Whenever possible, use low ISO settings (ISO 800 or lower)
* For subjects that do not move, use One-Shot AF mode
“Horizontal line noise may be somewhat more noticeable for the following six lenses when compared to other lenses, but horizontal line noise with these lenses can be reduced by replacing parts.”
EF85mm F1.8 USM — Part No. YG2-0199-000
EF16-35mm F2.8L USM — Part No. YG2-2011-129
EF17-40mm F4L USM — Part No. YG2-2081-009
EF20-35mm F3.5-4.5 USM — Part No. YG2-0268-009
EF24-85mm F3.5-4.5 USM — Part No. YG2-0299-009
EF28-200mm F3.5-5.6 USM — Part No. YG9-2059-170 or YG9-2059-179
“Going forward, we will continue to work on even further noise reduction in the development of both cameras and lenses from now on. It would be difficult to completely eliminate noise, but we will continue to make efforts to reduce it.”'
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Digital Camera Info has a first look review of the Fujifilm FinePix F30 where they write - 'It comes with an ISO 3200 rating and is the first consumer point-and-shoot digital camera to do so. The camera uses this high ISO for some of its 15 scene modes as well. There is a Picture Stabilization mode that uses the 1600 and 3200 ISO settings and fast shutter speeds as well as the Intelligent Flash system that monitors flash output to produce evenly exposed images. There is also a Natural Light mode that is similar to the previous mode but doesn’t use the flash. When users are unsure about which to use, instead of toggling between settings and modes they can access the Natural Light & With Flash mode, which is like a burst mode that switches settings.'
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Digital Camera Info has a first look review of the Pentax Digital 645 after access to it at the PMA show this past week. They write - 'The top of the camera reveals more about the camera function than the other views. A simulated LCD display shows an exposure of 1/4000 at f/2.8. The news there is the apparent maximum shutter speed, which is high for a medium format camera. A section of the display shows the word “RAW” and below that is a rectangle that reads “645.” We could infer that 645D could hold 645 RAW images in memory – which would be a heck of a lot of 18 megapixel images – or we could guess that the 645D is a multi-format camera, and that “645” is a full frame shot, while a different crop is available. (The Nikon D2X is a prominent example of a multi-format camera.)'
Read more about the Pentax 645 Digital Medium Format camera
Digital Camera Info has a first impression review of the Kodak EasyShare V603 and writes - 'If clean, uncomplicated design with a stylish body is wanted by the point-and-shoot crowd, the Kodak EasyShare V603 could be a contender in 2006. Check back for the full review when we’ll report on color accuracy, noise levels, low light and long exposure performance, resolution, dynamic range and other performance capabilities for our final judgment on the V603.'
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DP Review have posted a hands on preview/review with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 DSLR and writes - 'As it turns out while the DMC-L1 shares some components with the E-330 it is going to be very much a Panasonic camera with their own 'backend' image processing, features and user interface. The only components shared between the E-330 and the DMC-L1 are the lens mount, mirror box, viewfinder assembly (which also includes the AE and AF sensors, see below), SSWF (dust filter) and of course the 'Live MOS' sensor which is a Panasonic component (developed in conjunction with Olympus). The camera we saw was an early pre-production unit but was already functioning relatively well in all areas.'
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DCRP reviews the Canon PowerShot SD430 Digital ELPH Wireless and writes - 'The biggest selling point on the SD430 is its built-in 802.11b wireless transmitter. Once you get that set up (which is pretty easy), you can transmit photos without wires to your Windows PC, either as they are shot, or later in playback mode. You can also use Canon's RemoteCapture software to control the camera right from your PC. In addition, the bundled Wireless Printer Adapter hooks into any PictBridge-enabled photo printer, so you won't need a USB cable for that either. The downside here is that none of the wireless features are Mac compatible, though that will change in May of this year when a firmware upgrade is released.'
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DP Review has reviewed the extremely popular 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200 DSLR and gives it a rating of 'highly recommended'. They write - 'I really enjoyed the D200. It's one of those cameras which you look forward to picking up, I really got on with its design and ergonomics, it's small enough not to break your back yet sturdy enough to feel absolutely purposeful, solid and reliable. It fills the photographer with an air of confidence that each time they need it the camera is going to perform. It also has an air of luxury, quality and thoughtful design which other cameras sometimes miss, manufacturers mustn't forget that many professional photographers have to 'live' with their camera day in day out, thinking hard about how it should feel and operate can really make a big difference. Nikon know about good design and it shows, the D200 is a great camera to get along with.'
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Sony Ericsson have today announced two new camera phones which both have been branded as part of the Cyber-Shot range which has previously been reserved for digital cameras alone.
The 3.2 megapixel camera phones are the Sony Ericsson Cyber-Shot K800 (pictured below) and K790 (pictured left).
Both phones have Xenon flash, Autofocus, 2.0 inch display, 16x Digital Zoom (no optical zoom), PictBridge, 64MB of internal memory, VGA camera, picture blogging capabilities (via Blogger) and a feature called BestPick which takes 9 full quality pictures taking in a time sequence which allows you to choose the best one.
Add to all this the normal array of features that a modern phone comes with including music player, Bluetooth and USB 2.0 (and it makes calls) and you have pretty feature laden devices.
Sony Ericsson News Relase:
Sony Ericsson takes digital imaging in camera phones to new heights today with the launch of the K800 and K790 phones, the first handsets to carry the Cyber-shot brand, a true mark of imaging quality. Both are highly capable mobile phones with integrated 3.2 Megapixel digital cameras with Autofocus, Xenon flash and BestPic - Sony Ericsson’s unique imaging technology that allows you to capture exactly the moment you desire. K800 and K790 combine advanced image capture capabilities with high speed data transfer, making them perfect tools for shooting and sharing high quality pictures and videos. K800 is a dual-mode UMTS/GPRS phone and the K790 is a Tri Band EDGE phone. Both are available from Q2 2006.
"With the Cyber-shot phone we aim to create a new lifestyle of ‘imaging communication’ by combining Sony Ericsson’s unique mobile applications and Sony digital imaging technologies,” said Rikko Sakaguchi, Senior Vice President, Product and Application Planning, Sony Ericsson. "Our aim has always been to innovate and create new values for the mobile life, and with the Cyber-shot phone we will enable anyone to enjoy an entirely new level of communication –taking quality pictures of anything, anytime and anywhere, and sharing their precious moments with others."
The handsets have a classic Sony Ericsson design, with a large screen and responsive, tactile keypad with a sleek and stylish dual front phone design. Turn the phones horizontally and there you have a digital still camera. Simply slide the active lens cover downwards and a user interface similar to that of a Cyber-shot camera automatically appears.
A completely new feature developed by Sony Ericsson is BestPic, which ensures that you never ‘miss’ an important picture. Press the shutter button once and get 9 full quality 3.2 megapixel pictures to choose from in a time sequence – 4 pictures before and 4 pictures after the actual image you captured. All 9 pictures are displayed as icons on the display. Simply scroll backwards and forwards through the 9 images and save the ones you like best.
The K800 and K790 offer full support for a complete digital imaging lifestyle. Printing is possible without the need for a PC thanks to PictBridge, a feature that transfers pictures directly to a printer by using a USB cable. Storing and managing image files on your PC are made easy with the supplied Adobe software, and the phones are among the first to feature fully integrated Picture Blogging Blogging is growing exponentially as a way of sharing personal experiences with words and images, and Picture Blogging in K800 and K790 allows users to create and update personal blogs directly from the phone in just a few clicks.
Business users will find the K800 and K790 valuable work tools while out of the office and the sleek Velvet Black casing fits neatly with the professional image. Full HTML browsing with RSS feeds and Google Search give you high-speed, graphic-rich Internet use. Support for standard push email and a connectivity suite comprising Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 and Memory Stick Micro (M2) means that keeping in touch is effortless. A complete entertainment package including music player, 3D gaming and an RDS FM radio are also provided for business downtime or relaxation.
The Sony Ericsson K800 is a dual-mode UMTS handset while K790 is a Tri Band EDGE handset. Both products will be commercially available in Velvet Black and start shipping globally during Q2 2006. The variants in the market will be:
K800i - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 MHz for Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa
K800c - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 MHz for Mainland China. (Launch dependent on availability of 3G services.)
K790i Tri Band EDGE 900/1800/1900 MHz for Europe, Asia Pacific, Americas
K790a Tri Band EDGE 850/1800/1900 MHz for Americas
K790c Tri Band EDGE 900/1800/1900 MHz for Mainland China
K800 and K790 – Features at a glance:
Imaging & Messaging
* 3.2 Mega pixel with Auto Focus Camera
* Xenon Flash
* BestPic
* Video and image stabilizer function
* 2.0” QVGA 262K TFT display
* Active lens cover
* Photo keys
* Cyber-shot user interface
* Memory for 100 pictures (at 3.2MP), 64 MB internal user memory
* Video recording/playback
* Adobe picture/video PC SW
* 16x Digital zoom
* Auto red eye reduction
* DPOF & PictBridge
* Time line view of pictures
* Picture Blogging (powered by Blogger)
* PictureDJ and VideoDJ
* Standard push e-mail (P-IMAP) support
* VGA camera for Video Telephony (no VGA camera in K790)
Entertainment
* Music Player (MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ support)
* Video Player
* Music DJ
* OMA DRM phase 1.x
* Streaming Audio/Video
* 3D games
* A/B buttons for horizontal games support
* RDS FM radio
Connectivity
* Bluetooth 2.0
* IrDA
* HTML Full Browser with RSS readers
* USB 2.0 Mass storage
* External antenna connector
* Memory Stick Micro (M2) slot
* Flight mode
* Multitasking
* USB cable, stereo portable handsfree and PC software in the box
* Talk time: up to 7 hours GSM/2.5 hours UMTS
* Standby time: up to 350 hours
* Size: 106 x 47 x 18 (22) mm
* Weight: 115 grams