Digital Photography Blog

Small Digital Camera Collection

The World's Smallest Digital Camera Guide is a collection of tiny digital cameras ranging from the cheap and nasty through to the cool and sophisticated. Its worth a look if you're looking for a highly portable and concealable digital camera that you can take anywhere.

Olympus to release Underwater Cameras

Photography Blog announces that Olympus are planning to release three underwater digital camera packages. This will start with the release of the C-8080wz.

'Asia Pulse Businesswire via NewsEdge Corporation : TOKYO, March 10 Asia Pulse - Olympus Corp. (TSE:7733) plans to launch three new digital camera models usable both underwater and on land, marketing them together with special waterproof cases.

Until now, digital cameras have been used mainly on land. But Olympus has decided that demand for underwater cameras is set to grow, both from professional photographers and ordinary consumers, as diving is becoming an increasingly popular sport in Japan and overseas.'

PMA Digital Camera Round Up

For those of us unable to get to the annual PMA convention in the US earlier in the year where all the major camera manufacturers released digital cameras - Dirck Halstead has written a great article summarizing the highlights of the show. It is well worth the read - check out the SPECIAL REPORT: THE CAMERAS OF PMA

'What was interesting to photographers was who wasn't exhibiting.  The major medium-format companies, Hasselblad and Mamiya, did not have booths this year. This reflects the quickly declining fortunes of these formerly prestigious manufacturers. Both have been severely wounded as high-end photographers have found that art directors, who used to treasure the quality of these larger format cameras, are now happier to get instant photographs on their computer screens, which allows them to evaluate how successful shoots are, even as the session is still going on. With 8 mega pixel files from 35mm cameras, there is no longer an advantage to the large format.

Overall, the versatility of these new products was mind numbing, and it is clear that all manufacturers were out to come up with more "value-added" features in their cameras.'

Dirck's summary of some of the cameras announced is great reading - particularly his best in show award to the Leica Digilux 2.

Source

The Death of Photography

There was an interesting article last week in the Guardian titled 'The camera today? You can't trust it. Hockney sparks a debate'. As the title suggests it examines artist David Hockney's opinion that with the increase in digital manipulation in photography that we're seeing the death of an art form. Here is an extract:

'David Hockney, the celebrated pop artist who has worked extensively in photography, has fallen out of love with the medium because of its digital manipulation and now believes it is a dying art form.

In an interview with the Guardian, Hockney says he believes modern photography is now so extensively and easily altered that it can no longer be seen to be true or factual. He also describes art photography as "dull".'

Digital Photography Blog - As seen in 'The Australian'

Thanks to Cam for the heads up about today's review of this site in The Australian Newspaper - IT Alive Section. It's always a pleasant surprise to find people reading what you write, especially when its in the mainstream media and from your own country.

There doesn't seem to be an online version of the review so here is the crux of it.

The Digital Photography Blog is an Australian website bursting with useful, free information.

You will find digital photography news, tips, tutorials and camera reviews, listed by manufacturer. The site's modest appearance belies its depth, and although many of the links are to articles on other sites, it is a great hub, which can be used to keep up with the trends.

Being a website, it is regularly updated at no cost to the reader and you can read reviews posted by users. A compendium of links to digital photography sites and to the sites and blogs of professional and amateur photographers should keep digital snappers happy for hours.

Good organisation means archives, for example, can be accessed quickly, so the history of the digital camera unfolds at your virtual fingertips. Users can advertise on the site.

Thanks to Ian Cuthbertson for the kind words.

Also readers - please stay tuned for some exciting new developments at the Digital Photography Blog as the weeks ahead will see us move into some exciting new design and features. Your suggestions as to how to make this site better are always welcome below in comments.

Top 10 Gadgets of 2004

There is some pretty cool stuff in the list.

The only digital camera to make the list is the popular Pentax Optio S4.

Also check out the updated version the Pentax Optio S4i

SanDisk - The Kodak of Digital Photography?

It is interesting to watch the photography industry changing with the onset of Digital Photography. Kodak have been announcing changes to their approach every few weeks for the last 6 months. Companies that were entrenched in film are either downsizing or retooling while other companies are emerging as new powerhouses.

SanDisk is one of the emerging companies that is growing in its reach and influence. Some have suggested it the New Kodak of the Digital Photography Industry.

'The momentum is on the Silicon Valley firm's side. Sales of digital cameras, which use memory cards to store images, surpassed those of 35mm cameras for the first time in the United States last year. The market grew so fast that it not only outpaced one industry research firm's 2003 forecast, but also its estimate for this year.

That's all good news for SanDisk, the largest supplier of memory cards, which some have dubbed the "digital Kodak."

"Clearly, digital photography is here, and it's here in a big way, and it's clearly taken over 35mm (film)," said Nelson Chan, senior vice president and general manager of SanDisk's retail business.'

The test of SanDisk will come when they have to respond to new forms of memory in digital cameras. Hard drives are becoming smaller Apple is already using a 4 gig hard drive that only measures 1 inch across in their ipod - the day will come when such technology must surely come to digital cameras. Will SanDisk be able to respond?

More changes to come I suspect in the ever changing landscape of Digital Photography.

Black Sony DSC-T1

Black Version of the Sony DSC-T1.

Thanks to the brand new Engadget as the source of this story.

Digital Cameras Comparisons

PC Mag has just published an article online called Digital Photography For Everyone in which they compare and review 21 Digital Cameras. The Digital Camera Comparisons are pretty comprehensive and fall into three categories:

1. Shirt Pocket Shooters - The editors choice in this category was Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 with a 4 star rating. They describe it saying 'The DSC-T1 is for buyers who want the sexiest, highest-resolution subcompact camera. And it's refreshingly simple to use.' I list the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 here.

2. Mid Range Models - the Editors choice in this category is the Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom. It also got a 4 star rating and was described with the words 'it just about has it all: good ergonomics, solid performance, excellent image quality, and all the professional features you could want.' I examine the Olympus C-5060 wide zoom here.

3. Professional Models - the Editors choice in this category is the Olympus E1. They give it a 5 star rating and compliment it by saying 'The Olympus E-1 is the most expensive camera in our roundup, but it's also the most capable, the best built, and the most ahead of its time.' They also hint that a consumer class variant of the E1 is likely to be released shortly. I examine the Olympus E-1 here.

Professional Photographers Switch to Digital

79% of professional photographers use digital cameras. Nearly half of the remaining 21% plan to purchase one in 2004.

Read more of this revealing survey in the following press release:

Press Release

NORWELL, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 2004--InfoTrends Research Group's latest study of pro photographers shows that 79% of professional photographers are already using a digital camera. Of those that do not yet use a digital camera, nearly half plan to purchase a digital camera in 2004.

Complete immersion in digital photography occurs over time for pro photographers, because going digital requires a substantial investment in digital imaging equipment. While many pro photographers are using digital cameras, many are still in an early stage of a transition to digital photography.

"Our survey results show that most pro photographers have started using digital cameras, and that the longer they use digital, the more they integrate digital photography into their businesses/studios," says Michelle Slaughter, Director of Digital Photography Trends at InfoTrends Research Group. "We see a significant amount of business opportunity in this segment of the market, not only for manufacturers of digital cameras, but also for those that offer printing solutions, storage solutions, and services for marketing photos via the Internet and managing photo assets. We expect 2004 to be a strong year for sales of professional digital photographic equipment."

InfoTrends' new survey report entitled 2004 Professional Photographer Survey is available immediately. It is based on a survey of 1,000 professional photographers in the United States. This 25-page study is accompanied by 73 pages of data tabulations. The report provides a detailed look at pro photographers' usage of digital cameras, their equipment purchasing decisions, and their use of digital printing, photo archiving, image software tools, and more. Non-user preferences are also examined.About InfoTrends Research Group

InfoTrends Research Group, Inc. (www.infotrends-rgi.com) is the leading market research and consulting firm for digital imaging technologies and markets. InfoTrends helps its worldwide clientele improve the effectiveness of their strategic planning by providing valuable tools for intelligent decision-making, including forecasts, end-user research, product analysis, and market trend tracking. InfoTrends is a member of the CAP Ventures family (www.capv.com), a worldwide strategic consulting firm for providers and users of business communication technologies and services.

Kodak Finalises Chinon Acquisition

Press Release
Feb 27, 2004 09:17

Kodak Completes Tender Offer for Chinon Industries, Inc.
TOKYO & ROCHESTER, N.Y. --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 27, 2004 Eastman Kodak Company today announced that, through its Japanese subsidiary, it has succeeded in acquiring 87.3% of the voting rights of Chinon Industries, Inc. Having acquired super-majority control of Chinon, and pursuant to the approval of the relevant Japanese governmental authorities, Kodak intends to implement a cash-for-stock swap between its subsidiary and Chinon as scheduled, and to de-list Chinon from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Kodak initiated the tender offer on January 23, 2004, and the tender offer period closed yesterday. Kodak intends for Chinon to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Kodak Japan, Ltd. after the cash-for-stock swap. Chinon also will merge with Kodak's Digital Camera Research and Development center in Yokohama, Japan.

The move will help Kodak increase its worldwide design and manufacturing capability for consumer digital cameras and accessories, another advance in the digitally oriented growth strategy that Kodak announced in September.

"Our highly successful collaboration with Chinon began nearly 10 years ago and has evolved over time in response to the growing market for digital products," said Yusuke Kojima, General Manager, Worldwide Digital Camera and System Development, Digital & Film Imaging Systems, Eastman Kodak Company. "The successful completion of this tender offer and cash-for-stock swap process allows Chinon and Kodak to further enhance their position in the Japanese market, while simultaneously strengthening their position worldwide."

Susumu Cho, president of Chinon, and the Chinon board of directors unanimously voted to support this transaction. Chinon's board previously noted that, by becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of KJL, the company would enhance its well-developed capabilities in research and development, engineering, operations, and manufacturing.

"As a result of this acquisition, both Chinon and Kodak will be in stronger and more competitive positions, with an increased ability to bring innovative products to customers in Japan and around the world," Cho said.

Chinon Industries, established in 1948, is engaged in research, development, and manufacturing of digital cameras. Kodak is Chinon's largest customer, accounting for nearly 100 percent of Chinon's revenue for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2003, which was Y29,892M, or about $280 million at current exchange rates.

About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging

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

Editor's Note: For additional information about Kodak, visit our web site on the Internet at: www.kodak.com -0-

Canon Digital Rebel wins Award

Steve's Digicams have announced that the Canon Digital Rebel has won their "Most Important Camera of 2003 Award".

The write:

'There were many excellent cameras produced and sold during 2003 but in terms of the one that had the greatest impact on the market we feel the Digital Rebel was clearly the standout camera. Canon surprised everyone by delivering a 6-megapixel, interchangeable lens digital SLR with a zoom lens for less than $1000. We hadn't expected to see that low of a price until the latter part of 2004. All of the dealers that I have talked to have told me that the only problem with the Digital Rebel is keeping them in stock, they sell out as fast as they arrive. For the advanced amateur or enthusiast user you'd be hard pressed to find a better value in a digital SLR. '

Digital Photography Developments

5 Digital Photo Firsts looks at 5 emerging features in the latest batch of digital cameras announced at the recent PMA show. Here are the trends they comment (at greater length than here) on:

1. Movies (better quality and longer movies are now possible)
2. Red eye removers (in camera)
3. Memory made easy (cards are coming down in price)
4. Personal photo labs (mini printers are becoming more and more popular)
5. Better Color (the latest digital camera sensors are improving colors)

Nikon D2H - Wireless Review

Here's an excerpt:

'The WT-1 attaches to the bottom of the D2H via the tripod mount and connects to the camera in two places. Firstly it takes power from the camera's battery via a four prong connector on the top of the WT-1, secondly it connects to the camera's USB port via a fly lead, the connector has a rubber seal to maintain the D2H's weatherproof status but also leaves the existing USB door hanging loose. Included with the WT-1 is a special battery door which has a wire holder molded into its side. While workable I found the fly lead setup to be a little strange, it would have been neater to add USB to the connector on the top of the WT-1.'

Digital Photography tested in the Wilderness

Digital Photography in the Wilderness is an excellent article that tests whether digital photography is a legitimate medium in harsh outdoor settings.

The author decided to put his Canon EOS 10D to the test on a expedition to the Himalayas. He examines the problems that needed to be overcome of not having a power source - having a limited capacity to carry large weights - operating in an environment not known to be friendly to electronics.

'The purpose of this article is to share my planning process and conclusions, focusing on the specific questions and issues that outdoor photographers face on longer trips '

The article is a fascinating one and the pictures of the trip are stunning. Its nice to see someone writing out of practice rather than just in theory!

Dentists use Digital Cameras

The uses for digital cameras are many and varied. This week Kodak announced a Digital Camera Package for Dentists to use in their procedures. It features the AK EASYSHARE DX6490 Zoom Digital Camera.

'Eastman Kodak Company announced today its newest digital photography solution for dentists: a new, easy-to-use, quality digital camera solution--with a "direct from the camera" printing solution for even more value and convenience.

The new KODAK DX6490 Dental Digital Camera System includes everything needed to capture, as well as print, high-quality digital dental images and download them to computers:'

Digital Camera Saves Fish

Just spotted this unusual article about another use for digital cameras that is helping the environment. This new digital camera is actually being used to help fishermen to identify the species of fish they are catching so that they can throw back anything that is endangered species. Here are some excerpts from the article from Planet Ark

'A new camera could help save dwindling fish stocks by letting fishermen identify and free unwanted catch immediately after nets are hauled in, its Danish inventor said yesterday.

By linking the camera to a sorting device aboard trawlers, fishermen can swiftly sort out unwanted fish, limiting the amount of discarded fish to around 25 percent, Andersen said.'

Source

Digital Camera, MP3, Video, PDA Devices!

Digital Camera/Music Player Combos is an interesting article examining some of the latest digital cameras that also double as MP3 players.

'Digital cameras and portable MP3 players may appear to be completely different products, but the success of combination player/cameras has proven that good marriages don't have to involve two identical partners.

Actually, digital cameras and digital audio players share more than you might suspect. The flash memory cards that most audio players use for storing music were originally developed for use in cameras. Both units are essentially small computers, and computers can be programmed to perform any task.'

One of the latest MP3 Digital Camers is the BenQ DC-S30.

I think we'll see more and more of these sorts of combination devices. The other things that the latest batch of cameras seems to be combining is still and higher quality video cameras. Quite a number of the lastest cameras from PMA seem to be promoting VGA quality video - this is one thing I think we'll see improve in the year/s ahead.

The ultimate gadget of the future might include, digital still, video, mp3, pda....and more!

Digital Camera Awards

Below are the winners of the 8th Annual DIMA Digital Camera Shoot-Out (see below for criteria for judging from the official Press Release):

Point-and-Shoot categories and winners
Below $100
Mustek MDC4000, Mustek Inc., Irvine, Calif. (Entry #40)

$100 to $199
HP Photosmart 735, Hewlett-Packard Company, San Diego, CA (Entry #3)

$200 to $299
Konica Minolta DiMage X20, Mahwah, NJ 07430 (Entry #24)

$300 to $399
Casio QV-R51, Casio Inc., Dover, NJ (Entry #16)

$400 to $499
HP Photosmart 945, Hewlett-Packard Company, San Diego, CA (Entry #5)

$599 to $799
Olympus C-5060, Olympus America, Inc., Melville, N.Y. (Entry #54)

Digital Video Camcorder
Sony DCR-PC330, Sony Electronics, San Diego, CA (Entry #50)

Prosumer/Professional categories and winners
$999 to $1299
Olympus C-8080, Olympus America, Inc., Melville, N.Y. (Entry #51)

$1300 to $1799
Leica Digilux 2, Leica Camera AG, Solms, Germany (Entry #1)

Press Release:
2004 DIMA Digital Camera Shoot-Out winners announced

Nine digital cameras were named winners in the 2004 DIMA Digital Camera Shoot-Out today at the PMA 2004 Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nev., USA.

Over 50 digital camera entries and 13 manufacturers participated in the 8th Annual DIMA Digital Camera Shoot-Out, which took place on Friday, Feb. 13, at the DIMA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nev. Participating camera manufacturers captured images in four live-model studios.

Images from the point-and-shoot cameras were printed on three different digital minilab systems including the Agfa D-Lab 2 Plus supplied by Agfa Corp., the Fuji Frontier 370 supplied by Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc., and the Noritsu 3101 supplied by Noritsu America.

Images from the Prosumer/Professional category were output through a G4 Power Mac running Adobe PhotoShop CS and printed on an Epson Photo Stylus 9600 inkjet printer, supplied by Epson America Inc. Color management support for the DIMA Digital Camera Shoot-Out was provided by GretagMacbeth, using Sony Artisan displays donated by Sony Electronics.

Professional photo equipment used at the DIMA Digital Camera Shoot-Out was supplied by Adobe Systems, Agfa Corp., Epson America Inc., Fuji Photo Film USA, Inc., GretagMacbeth, GTI Graphic Technology, Quality Mounting & Laminating, and Sony Artisan. Professional photographer Lee Varis lit the sets and ran the professional/prosumer studio. Other pro shooters including Randy Hufford, David Spellman, and Mark Williford shot all photos used in the three point-and-shoot studios.

A panel of expert judges voted on the entries, based on the overall quality of the digital print and the accuracy of color as compared to samples of fabric worn by studio models. The panel of judges included some of the most well-respected names in the industry including Brian Lawler, Eddie Tapp and Daniel Grotta.

Professional Digital Photography

Digital Times - Professional Digital Cameras is the first of a 6 part series on Professional Digital Photography. Here are the titles of each week and a very short quote from each to give you a taste.

Part 1 - Interesting Times - 'We are indeed living in interesting times, although some may feel blessed rather than cursed. Things are moving fast in digital cameras, and the best pro models are now widely accepted as being able to outperform 35mm film in terms of sharpness, resolution and colour quality. Film perhaps still retains some advantages.'

Part 2 - Digital Changes how Photographers Work - 'Film costs were never a very big factor in work for the press. Coming to the end of a cassette at a critical moment was more of a problem than its cost. Photographers got into the habit of shooting off the last few frames of a roll and reloading in quiet moments, so as to be ready to shoot when something important happened. We used two bodies and made sure there was always one with film ready to use. Telling the editor you were changing your film when an assassination occurred would be very much a second-best!'

Part 3 - Why Use Professional Digital Cameras? - 'Here is one field where size really does matter. Consumer cameras use small CCDs, with the pixel sensors closely packed. This means the individual light receptors are small compared to those in the larger sensors used in professional models. The smaller size results in each receiving less photons for the same exposure.'

Part 4 - Available Professional Digital Cameras - 'I've included in this feature cameras that have been announced and should be available in the next few months. Some models that are available are in pretty short supply and you may have to wait for one. Recently some of those listed - such as the Canon D60 - appear to have been withdrawn as new models are expected shortly, but some suppliers may have stock or they may be found secondhand'

Part 5 - Camera Listings - Alphabetical by Manufacturer - Cameras briefly reviewed include:
- Contax N Digital $7000.00
- Canon EOS-1D $3800
- Canon EOS-1Ds ($7,999.99)
- Canon EOS-D60 $2,200
- Nikon D1X $4,650.00
- Nikon D1H $3,650.00
- Kodak DCS 14n (available end of Feb 2003, $4,995 estimated street price)
- FujiFilm FinePix S2 Pro $2,399.95
- Nikon D100 $1,999.95
- Sigma SD9 ($1500)
- Sinar M (available April 2003 - modular system)

Part 6 - Digital Designs - 'Impressive though the current crop of digital cameras are, the conviction still remains with me that they are a kind of hybrid beast. What we are seeing are basically 35mm film cameras converted to digital rather than cameras designed from the ground up for digital. I suspect it will not be too long before we see the first of this new generation.'

Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Eye-Q 3343z

Concord have just announced two new digital cameras - the Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Eye-Q 3343z . They are both 3x optical zoom cameras and have 4 and 3 megapixel sensors.

To learn more about the Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Eye-Q 3343z cameras read the following press release from Concord.

Concord Camera Corp. Announces New Low-Priced 4 & 3 Megapixel Digital Cameras with Zoom

LAS VEGAS --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 12, 2004 Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z Digital Cameras Offer Optical Zoom & Automatic Features at an Affordable Price
Concord Camera Corp. ("Concord") (Nasdaq:LENS), an award-winning leader in high-quality low-priced digital cameras, today announced at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) two new stylish additions to their line of digital cameras, the Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z digital cameras with 3x optical zoom. With suggested retail prices of $249.99 and $199.99 respectively, the Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z are high-quality 4 and 3 Megapixel, CCD cameras at exceptional prices.

Targeted at cost-conscious consumers who want high quality, high resolution digital cameras, the Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z offer an assist light feature which beams a red light to lock in the focus if the ambient light is too dim -- a problem often experienced by digital camera users. The cameras' advanced optics are composed of an all glass 7.23 - 21.7mm, f 2.8 -f 4.7, 6 element lens, with auto focus from .6m to infinity and macro focusing from 10 cm. With a 3x optical zoom, 7 preset scenes for optimal exposure control, 16MB of internal storage, SD card slot, and AVI video with sound at 30 fps, these cameras are the ultimate choice for consumers.

First time digital photographers will find taking great shots simple with the built-in automatic features, while more advanced users will find that the user-friendly interface allows easy and intuitive access to more sophisticated photographic features, such as user selectable ISO settings, exposure and white balance controls.

Capturing AVI video at 30 frames per second in QVGA mode, the Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z beat out the competition that offer just 15-16 frames per second. At 30 frames per second, mini-movies look more real and exciting with video length limited only by the capacity of the user's SD card. After shooting video, movies can be played on the TV for the whole family to see with the included video out cable.

"Last year, 3 and 4 Megapixel digital cameras were the sweet spots for digital camera sales," said Mr. Urs W. Stampfli, Senior Vice President and Director of Global Sales & Marketing, Concord Camera Corp. "The Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z cameras offer consumers an exceptional alternative to other digital cameras in the market. The cameras' comprehensive feature set gives users flexibility, greater ease of use, and quality results at an affordable price. Consumers will look more and more to Concord Camera for their digital camera needs."

The Concord Eye-Q 4363z and Concord Eye-Q 3343z are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2004 at suggested retail prices of $249.99 and $199.99 respectively through Concord retailers and are compatible with Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, XP and Mac OS 9.0 and higher. The cameras come with a multilingual user's guide and quick start guide, AA batteries, USB cable, video out cable, wrist strap, pouch, CD with drivers and Arcsoft PhotoImpression 2000, Arcsoft Photo Transfer, Microsoft Direct X 9.0 and Adobe Acrobat 5.1 Reader. For more information, see the Concord Camera Corp. web site: http://www.concord-camera.com.

Sony Memory Stick 2

Sony has announced today that they have added the ability to read data at high speeds (up to 4 times faster) on all updated Memory Sticks. Also the MagicGate Copyright protection system will be added to the new bright cobalt blue colored sticks.

Learn more about the Sony Memory Stick 2 in the following press release.

Press Release
LAS VEGAS (PMA, Booth M30), Feb. 11, 2004 - Sony Electronics is equipping Memory Stick media users for the digital future by adding the ability to read data at high speeds and copyright protection as standard features on all Memory Stick media available at retailers nationwide.

Updated Memory Stick media will start shipping this spring in 32MB, 64MB, 128MB and 256MB (total 128MBx2) capacities. A striking cobalt-blue color will distinguish the new line from its purple predecessor.

When used with compatible (4-pin parallel), high-speed Memory Stick media-enabled hardware, users can enjoy read speeds that are up to four times faster than current standard Memory Stick media. The new media will allow users to speed up viewing their digital images on a compatible camera and streaming video storage. Sony expects device compatibility to remain constant or even increase, given that the media will be interoperable with both serial and parallel interfaces.

MagicGate™ copyright protection technology is also being incorporated across the new media family to allow for secure distribution of commercial content, such as digital music.

Pricing for Sony's new Memory Stick media will be about $30 for 32MB, $40 for 64MB, $60 for 128MB, and $100 for 256MB and available in the spring.

PENTAX-DA 14mm F2.8 ED lens

Pentax announced a wide angle interchagneable lens for the *ist D digital SLR today at PMA. It is the PENTAX-DA 14mm F2.8 ED. This compact lens (2.7inches long) offers a focal length of 14mm and a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 inches.

Read an excerpt from the Press release announcing the PENTAX-DA 14mm F2.8 ED below.

A second PENTAX digital product under development - a wide-angle interchangeable lens for the *ist D digital SLR - also has been announced. The smc PENTAX-DA 14mm F2.8 ED (IF) is extremely compact, measuring 2.7 inches long and 3.3 inches in diameter. Featuring the reliable PENTAX KAF lens mount and high-performance 12-element, 11-group optics, it offers a focal length of 14mm (equivalent to 21.5mm in the 35mm format), and a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 inches. An innovative Quick-Shift Focus system enables the lens user to instantly switch the focus mode from auto to manual with a slight twist of the focus ring. The PENTAX-DA 14mm also offers a 77mm-size filter thread for quick, effortless mounting and removal of a filter.

1 inch Hard drives

CNet reports that the size of hard drives is coming down to being only 1 inch.

'Apple Computer is using a small hard drive from Hitachi in its new iPod, as the market for mini drives heats up.

The 4GB drive, which measures 1 inch across, marks Hitachi's second major contract in the music player field. Last October, Dell came out with a music player that contained a 1.8-inch Hitachi drive.'

DP Review reports that Toshiba are 0.85 inch hard drives.

We're not going to need Flash memory cards much longer if these trends continue with Digicams being made with their own hard drives inside.

Pentax - THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL CAMERA OF THE INTERNET

Pentax have just announced themselves as 'The Official Digital Camera of the Internet (TM)'.

Its an interesting marketing move although I'm not sure about how someone could trademark such a tagline! Here is Pentax's press release announcing the move.

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2004--PENTAX U.S.A., Inc. announced a new tagline and the launch of an innovative marketing strategy for the legendary camera manufacturer's extensive line of digital cameras.

PENTAX tagged the line "THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL CAMERA OF THE INTERNET(TM)" to illuminate Optio digital cameras' significance in the Internet age.

"For more than half a century, PENTAX has delivered better and easier ways to capture and share images. By being THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL CAMERA OF THE INTERNET, PENTAX underscores the recognition that digital photography in the Internet age has forever changed this process," said Jim Kast, vice president of marketing, PENTAX U.S.A.

The tagline will first appear publicly in the February 12th national edition of USA TODAY to coincide with opening day of the 2004 Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas. More than 30,000 attendees representing more than 750 manufacturers, retailers, photo finishers, portrait studios, imaging centers, manufacturers and suppliers from nearly 100 countries gather annually at PMA to feature new products and services.

The New York-based advertising firm Della Femina Rothschild Jeary and Partners was engaged by PENTAX U.S.A. to develop the new positioning, which will be integrated into future print, broadcast and online advertising.

"Combined with our heritage, this new distinction accentuates our role as a digital photography industry leader," added Kast.

PENTAX will preview several new and existing digital cameras during PMA. A leader in the production of digital cameras, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses for more than 80 years. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX U.S.A., Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of PENTAX Corporation.

2004 Digital Photography Awards

Best Magazine today announced their Digital Photography Award Winners for the year. Companies that received awards include Nikon, Canon, Sony, Epson, HP, Adobe, Lexar, Fuji, Panasonic and Gateway, for their outstanding products during the past year.

Consumer Digital Camera
Winner (tie): Nikon Coolpix 4300; Gateway DCT50 400

Prosumer Digital Camera
Winner: Canon Digital Rebel

Professional Digital Camera
Winner: Canon EOS-1Ds

Imaging Software
Winner: Adobe Photoshop CS

Storage Solutions
Winner (tie): Lexar Media JumpDrive 2.0 Pro; Fujitsu DynaMo1300

For a full listing of award winners and finalists see the following press release.

Best Magazine Award Winners Announced Tonight at DigitalFocus Media Event Prior to PMA Show; Awards Honor the Best in Digital Imaging and Video Technology

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 11, 2004 The winners and finalists for the seventh annual "Best Magazine Awards" -- formerly called the DigitalFocus Awards -- will be honored this evening at the DigitalFocus(TM) 2004 media event. Top honors this year went to companies that include Nikon, Canon, Sony, Epson, HP, Adobe, Lexar, Fuji, Panasonic and Gateway, for their outstanding products during the past year. (See complete list below)

The Best Magazine Awards are among the most prestigious awards in the field of digital imaging. The awards annually honor the top digital imaging products in a dozen different categories. This year's awards are sponsored by Best Magazine, and held at Pepcom's DigitalFocus event the evening before the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) trade show opens at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year's DigitalFocus will take place from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11th, at the Venetian hotel.

"These products and services represent the best in digital imaging innovation," said John Kelley, editor of Best Magazine. "This was an incredible year for digital imaging technical and design achievement, and these award winners are certainly at the cutting edge of the industry."

The winners and finalists for the 7th Annual Best Magazine Awards are: -0-

Consumer Digital Camera
Winner (tie): Nikon Coolpix 4300; Gateway DCT50 400
Finalists: Sony Cyber-shot DSC 210; Olympus Stylus 400; Kodak
EasyShare DX 6340; Minolta XT; Fujifilm FinePix 410; HP Photosmart
935; Pentax Optio S; Samsung V4

Prosumer Digital Camera
Winner: Canon Digital Rebel
Finalists: Nikon Coolpix 5700; Fujifilm FinePix S602Z; Olympus C50;
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828; Casio QV5700

Professional Digital Camera
Winner: Canon EOS-1Ds
Finalists: Nikon D2H; Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro; Canon D10

Digital Video Camera
Winner: Sony DCR-PC330; Panasonic VDR-M30
Finalists: JVC GF-HD1; Canon Optura 300; Sharp Viewcam VL-Z7U

Consumer Color Printer
Winner: Epson Stylus Photo 2200
Finalists: Canon i960; HP Deskjet 5550; Lexmark P3150

Business Color Printer
Winner: HP Photosmart 7960
Finalists: Samsung CLP500; Olympus P-400D

Image Scanner
Winner: HP ScanJet 467
Finalists: Epson Perfection 3170; HP ScanJet 8200; CanoScan 9900

Imaging Software
Winner: Adobe Photoshop CS
Finalists: Microsoft Digital Image Suite, Pinnacle Studio 8, Roxio
PhotoSuite 5, Adobe Photoshop Album and Elements 2.0

Storage Solutions
Winner (tie): Lexar Media JumpDrive 2.0 Pro; Fujitsu DynaMo1300
Finalists: Panasonic DMR-E50S, Lexar Media 4GB CF card; Maxtor 5000XT;
SanDisk 1GB SD Card

Digital Imaging Site or Service
Winner: Ofoto
Finalists: Shutterfly, Kodak Mobile

Innovation Award:
Panasonic SV-AV100; Energizer e2 AAA lithium, Duracell LP1; Kodak ASF
Kiosk; FoveonX3 Sensor; Logitech Quick Cam Orbit; Olympus E1 DSLR;
PictureMate

Following DigitalFocus, Pepcom's next events are MobileFocus on March 21st in Atlanta and Rave! on April 18th in Las Vegas. Companies interested in participating in these events should contact either Jon Pepper at 413-585-1103 (jon@pepcom.com) or Chris O'Malley at 561-731-5270 (chris@pepcom.com).

About Pepcom
Pepcom is the leader in technology showcase events. Its events include DigitalFocus, MobileFocus(TM), eFocus(TM), and Digital Experience!(TM). More information can be found on the company's website at www.pepcom.com. DigitalFocus is an independent media event owned and produced by Pepcom Inc., and is not affiliated with the Photo Marketing Association or the PMA trade show.

About Best Magazine
Best Magazine is the premier magazine "guide to buying life's best stuff." It is a unique consumer buying resource that targets readers interested in acquiring the finest products and experiences in life. Staffed by contributors to BestStuff.com and various national broadcast outlets, Best Magazine was launched in 2003 and is published by PRIMEDIA, Inc., the country's leading targeted media company.

Film vs Digital

Peter Ensenberger weighs into the Film vs Digital debate with an interesting article.

'As technology advancements in digital photography race to the shelves of camera stores, one of the hottest discussion topics among photographers is the image-quality comparison of photographs shot on film vs. that of digital-capture. Indeed, there are some advantages in shooting with a digital camera: seeing your photographs immediately; editing as you shoot, saving only the best for printing; and the ability to make your own high-quality color enlargements on an inexpensive digital printer. But is the image quality of digital-capture high enough for large reproductions in a magazine like Arizona Highways that is known for the quality of its photography?' Read More

Minolta DiMAGE 7

It looks as though rumors of a Minota DSLR camera might be about to come true with the release of the Minolta DiMAGE 7. Over in DP Review forums a number of people have shared emails they have received from Minolta speaking of this new digital camera. Here is an excerpt:

'In a few days the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) annual show will open.
The location this year will be Las Vegas. This is an important event within
the photographic industry and is often used to launch new products. In
recent years Minolta has used it to unveil numerous models including the
DiMAGE 7. '

What the Minolta DiMAGE 7 digital camera will look like, its features and pricing are yet to be announced - but stay tuned to this page.

Other Rumored Digital Camera Releases from Minolta include:
- Minolta DiMAGE XG
- Minolta DiMAGE Z2
- Minolta DiMAGE A2
- Minolta ZEUS A-8

New Digital Cameras from Canon

Yesterday Canon announced 7 new digital Cameras - to help those arriving at this blog looking for information I've compiled this list of links to these new cameras here on this blog. Enjoy.

• Powershot Pro 1 - 8 Megapixels - 7x Optical Zoom
• Powershot S1 IS - 3.2 Megapixels - 10x Optical Zoom
• Powershot SD110 Digital ELPH (IXUS IIS) - 3.2MP - 2x Optical Zoom
• Powershot S410 (IXUS 430) - 4MP - 3x Optical Zoom
• Powershot S500 (IXUS 500) - 5MP - 3x Optical Zoom
• Powershot A75 - 3.2MP - 3x Optical Zoom
• Powershot A310 - - 3.2MP - Fixed Lens

New Canon Digital ELPHs

3 New Digital ELPH (IXUS) cameras were launched today by Canon

Powershot SD110 Digital ELPH (IXUS IIS) - 3.2MP - 2x Optical Zoom

Powershot S410 (IXUS 430) - 4MP - 3x Optical Zoom

Powershot S500 (IXUS 500) - 5MP - 3x Optical Zoom