Nikon today have announced a range of 7 new digital cameras. They range from the budget through to more expensive and feature rich models. Nikon Coolpix P90 - a super-zoom camera with a 24x optical zoom. Nikon Coolpix L100 (another super-zoom camera). Nikon Coolpix S630 - 12MP with a 7x optical zoom. Nikon Coolpix S620 - 12MP, 4x optical zoom. Nikon Coolpix S230 - 10MP with a 3x optical zoom lens. Nikon Coolpix S220 - 10MP with 3x optical zoom....
More »
Over the last few weeks we've started to see a range of new cameras released. We're updating many of those that capture our interest at the Digital Camera and Gear blog at Digital Photography School. Here are a few new ones to hit the market: Canon Powershot A480 - 10MP, 3.3x Optical Zoom Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-G3 - 10.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom and with WiFi Olympus SP-590UZ - 12MP and with a 26x Optical Zoom Pentax Optio E70 and P70 -...
More »
Sony have announced that they've been working on a full frame CMOS image sensor for upcoming models in their DSRLR range. The sensor will have an effective resolution of 24.81 megapixels with 12-bit on-chip A/D conversion. It will shoot at up to 6.3 frames per second at full resolution. There's no details on what cameras will be released with this new image sensor but they do say it'll go into production in 2008. ...
More »
The Canon EOS 40D DSLR has started shipping from numerous digital camera retailers. Amazon have it in stock for order in a 'body only' form at Canon EOS 40D and it is available for pre order with the kit 28-135mm kit lens. I'd be interested to hear if Canon DSLR users are planning on upgrading? ...
More »
Over at Digital Photography School we've just published a post with the Top 10 Point and Shoot Digital Cameras as owned by DPS readers. The list is pretty interesting with the following cameras Canon PowerShot S3 IS - a 6 megapixel camera with a 12x optical zoom and image stabilization - pictured right Canon Powershot S2 IS - a 5 megapixel camera with a 12x optcial zoom and image stabilization Panasonic DMC-FZ50 - 10.1 megapixels with 12x optical zoom lens...
More »
"Canon Inc. will invest about 55 billion yen ($451 million) to build a new factory in Japan to double its production capacity of image sensors used in digital cameras. A spokesman for the world's largest digital camera maker said it broke ground in May on a new building on an existing site in Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo and expected it to start operations in July 2008. The factory will make complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), a component used in...
More »
Canon USA is offering free introductory photography workshops on select dates throughout the summer in Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks. As well, the Canon Photography in the Parks Contest will be running from June 1 to September 29. More information is in the press release below: Canon USA Photography in the Parks News Release From the beaches of the eastern seaboard to the Great Plains, and from the wetlands of the south, to the towering sequoias of the...
More »
Would you like to win a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera? Crestock (a stock photography company) is giving you the chance to win three great cameras including the 1Ds (also up for grabs is a Leica D-LUX 3 and a Nikon D40x bundled with Adoble PHotoshop CS3). Their competition has three rounds which allow entrants to submit one photo per round. Winners will be selected 50% through a public vote and 50% through judges (disclosure...
More »
My fellow Australia Photoshop expert Shane Goldberg has just emailed me to let me know that he's offering you, readers of DPS, a special $20 USD discount off one of his latest products - Digital Cosmetic Surgery. Many of you already know of Shane's work as I've featured it here previously at DPS - but this latest resource is one that is well worth having if you're wanting to learn how to retouch the portrait shots that you take...
More »
Today Sigma have announced the final specs of the Sigma DP1 - a 14 megapixel CMOS Foveon X3 digital camera (the same one in their SD14 DSLR). This camera was actually announced a year back but today sees the light of day as a prototype at the PMA show. There's still no detail on price or availability but what they've shown today has certainly had mouths watering. Sigma DP1 News Release DP1 high end point and shoot digital camera...
More »
I love seeing what other digital photography enthusiasts buy when it comes to digital camera gear and books - it helps me research my own next purchase. Following is a summary of what this site's readers have been buying from Amazon over the first two months of 2007 in the categories of books, DSLRs, point and shoot cameras, lenses and other photographic gear. I hope you enjoy getting a sneak peak at what your fellow readers are buying. Digital...
More »
The Eurpopean Olympus site has today published a teaser indicating that it is about to release a new DSLR (or more than one) on 5 March. All the site really has is an image with an outline of three DSLRs (or is it the same camera outlined three times?). No details are given of the camera/s specifications or features and there's not really much to tell from what can be seen of them. I guess we'll have to wait...
More »
Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom has now been officially released and is available for purchase in a number of online stores, including at Amazon where they have it for the introductory price of $197.99. It's already been quite popular and has gone straight to #7 on Amazon's best selling software list. They're also giving purchasers the opportunity to bundle it with a number of Lightroom books. Adobe are promoting Lightroom as 'the professional photographer's essential toolbox, providing one easy application for...
More »
Making quite a stir today is the announcement that GE is getting into the digital camera manufacturing market. They'll be branding their cameras under the 'General Imaging'. They've made the announcement without any news on their first cameras - but with PMA fast approaching there is bound to be some news soon. ...
More »
Rumors about on the web over the last 24 hours about two Canon DSLR's the Canon D1 and D1S (there is some confusion over the model numbers as in the article that this story comes from they are referred to both as the D1 and the 1D). The story emanated from a post by Erwin Puts who posted about the new models on his website (see below for details of what he wrote). His article then mysteriously disappeared from...
More »
Adobe Debuts Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 Over 500,000 Beta Testers Help Shape New Digital Photography Software Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced that Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 software is now available for pre-order and is expected to ship in mid-February 2007. Photoshop Lightroom enables professional photographers to import, manage and present large volumes of digital photographs, helping photographers spend more time behind the lens and less time at the computer. With more than 500,000 photographers participating in the public beta program...
More »
Following are the top selling digital cameras and lenses bought by readers of this site in December 2006. Best Selling DSLRS By far the best selling DSLR last month was the Nikon D200 which outsold other DSLRs by over 200%. Nikon D200 Canon Digital Rebel XTi Canon Digital Rebel XT Canon EOS 30D Sony Alpha A100H Pentax *istDS2 Nikon D40 Nikon D80 Best Selling Point and Shoot Cameras As usual - Canon point and shoots were the most popular...
More »
The answer to all your high resolution storage needs Sony Europe's Recording Media & Energy (RME) division today announced the company's entrance to the CompactFlashTM memory card market. The first product line-up, to be announced shortly, is designed to handle the demanding speed and performance requirements of digital SLR cameras and is available with up to 4GB of storage capacity for the most demanding user. "High end digital camera enthusiasts, from consumers to professional photographers, have a huge and...
More »
Canon have released a safety notice in the last day or two notifying Canon PowerShot A530 and A540 users of problems with overheating around the battery compartment. Their safety notice is below: ...
More »
6 months ago analysts predicted a slowdown in the digital camera market but retails are reporting quite the opposite in reaction to continued lower prices on new models being released by manufactures. US sales are approaching record levels and having chatted with some Australian and New Zealand retailers in the last couple of weeks the trends seem to be global. "U.S. sales of digital cameras have beaten expectations so far this year and are poised to hit a record...
More »
Today it was announced that Pentax and Hoya will be merging. The new company will be called Hoya Pentax HD Corporation with Pentax president and CEO Fumio Urano becoming Chairman of the new board and current Hoya President and CEO Hioshi Suzuki becoming President and CEO of the new company. This mere will be finalized at the start of next October. Pentax Press Release HOYA and PENTAX Reach Basic Understanding for Management Integration [TOKYO December 21, 2006] HOYA CORPORATION...
More »
Sigma today announced delays to the release of their eagerly anticipated Sigma SD14 DSLR in the following news release. Postponement of the Sigma SD14 launch date Dear Customers, I appreciate your strong and kind support for our products. At photokina 2006, we introduced our next generation digital SLR camera, the Sigma SD14. At the time, we made it clear that we would begin shipping production cameras late November 2006. Soon thereafter, we revised our release plan from late November...
More »
More word this week from Fujifilm on their upcoming Fujifilm Finepix S5 Pro DSLR. Fujifilm Finepix S5 Pro News Release Confirming the company’s commitment to professional photographers, Fujifilm today announced the much anticipated FinePix S5 Pro digital SLR camera. The new FinePix S5 Pro is further affirmation of Fujifilm’s goal to achieve professional D-SLR image quality consistent with Fujifilm’s professional film heritage. The FinePix S5 Pro carries a number of attributes that made its predecessor, the FinePix S3 Pro,...
More »
Owners of the Canon EOS 30D will be interested to see Canon release new firmware for it. It includes the following additions/improvements: 1. When making camera-direct prints, a semi-gloss paper can be newly selected in the camera settings. When EOS 30D is connected to PIXMA Pro9000 and camera-direct prints are made with PictBridge-compatible printers, semi-gloss paper can be selected in the camera settings. 2. Corrected the phenomenon wherein the displayed number of continuous shots that can be taken increases...
More »
Yesterday I spent a little time chatting with fellow Aussie Shane Goldberg from the Pro Photo Secrets (a Photoshop Video Tutorial service that I've recommended on this site previously). He's also previously put out a course for Photoshop Elements users which I know many readers of this site have signed up for. Yesterday Shane told me about a new project that he and another friend are putting together called Six Figure Photography - a service for photographers who want...
More »
Ulead have announced the latest version of it's PhotoImpact software - version 12. This latest version includes smart 'How-to' panel, 'ExpressFix' mode (for adjusting color, exposure, focus etc with a single click), new white balance correction and extended RAW compatibility. PhotoImpact 12 will be priced at £49.99 in the UK and will hit stores and be available online for downlaod in October. Upgrades for registered users will be priced at £29.99. Read more about Ulead's PhotoImpact 12 via their...
More »
Adobe have announce a new round of updates to their Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Beta. It's a free download and unites feature sets for both Mac and Windows users. This beta will expire at the end of February 2007. Read on to get full details of the update from Adobe's press release on Lightroom Beta 4.0. ...
More »
Apple today have announced an update to their Aperture photo editing software. It is a free upgrade for existing users of the product and will be available later in the week. Improvements include flexible library management that lets you store images anywhere you’d like. The free update also introduces third-party extensions that let you use Aperture as the front end to expanded workflows. Aperture 1.5 offers RAW support for more than 50 camera models from a wide variety of...
More »
Adobe has today announced a new version of it's popular Photoshop Elements - version 5.0 (for Windows). It features a number of new features including new options for sharing photos and new editing options. Here's the press release from Adobe announcing Elements 5.0. Get the Latest Price on the Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Adobe News Release New Photoshop Elements Provides Easy Editing and High Impact Options to Showcase and Share Photos Adobe's No. 1 Selling Consumer Photo Editing Software...
More »
Over the last few days I've been reading a copy of Going Digital: Simple Tools and Techniques for Sharing and Enjoying Your Digital Photos and Home Movies by Alex L. Goldfayn. I'm still going through it but thought I'd give some initial impressions of it because it's new and it's definitely worth a read if you're like many digital camera owners who take a stack of digital images or movies but don't know what to do with them after...
More »
Here's a couple of screen grabs from a teaser on Nikon Japan's site. It looks like they are getting ready to launch a new DSLR. My Japanese isn't that great but it doesn't seem to say too much about it except that it's a 10.2 megapixel camera and it seems to be coming in 20 days. update - the english version of this teaser says: more power more control more versatile more excitement Next Nikon New 10.2 megapixel D-SLR...
More »
Panasonic have released further details on the previously announced Panasonic DMC-L1 DSLR. Read their latest details on their first DSLR in the following Press Release: Panasonic Announces Availability Of The Lumix DMC-L1 In The United States Company's First Digital SLR Camera Comes To North America Panasonic Corporation of North America (NYSE: MC) today announced the availability of its first digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with an interchangeable lens, the DMC-L1, in the United States. The camera will be available...
More »
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have completed a prototype device that can block digital-camera function in a given area. Commercial versions of the technology could be used to stymie unwanted use of video or still cameras. The prototype device, produced by a team in the Interactive and Intelligent Computing division of the Georgia Tech College of Computing (COC), uses off-the-shelf equipment – camera-mounted sensors, lighting equipment, a projector and a computer -- to scan for, find and...
More »
'Four months after its second update, Adobe released its Adobe Lightroom Beta 3 photo management software yesterday. Upgrades include better handling of PSD and TIFF files and a resolution control in export, among others. Adobe encourages photographers to download its software and send them feedback before the Beta 3 version expires on January 30, 2007.' Read more at Adobe Releases Lightroom Beta 3 ...
More »
According to consumer survey research conducted by InfoTrends, 34% of U.S. digital camera owners are repeat buyers, representing an increase of 10% over the previous year. In addition, 20% of digital camera owners surveyed were planning to purchase another digital camera within the next year. Today, digital camera owners who have more than one digital camera tend to be more technology-savvy. In many cases, they have replaced or supplemented their original digital camera, so their behaviors are more reflective...
More »
Google have today launched their Picasa Web Albums - a product for digital photographers wanting a place to store their images online. It comes with 250MB of free storage and for an additional $25.00 USD per year you get an extra 6 gigabytes of storage. At this point it's a beta test (ie something limited to a certain number of testers) but from what I can see they are currently accepting everyone (it might not last long knowing Google's...
More »
Leica News Release New 6-bit coding of Leica M system lenses for image optimization in connection with the planned digital camera model. Leica Camera AG, Solms will be giving the lenses of the Leica rangefinder system a new code on the bayonet ring in future to enable the planned digital Leica M camera to recognize the lens type. The information on the lens that is being used helps the camera to optimize image quality. All lenses leaving the factory...
More »
CNET is reporting that Canon have decided to halt development of film cameras in order to focus more resources on digital cameras: 'Japan's Canon on Thursday said that it would halt development of new film cameras to focus resources on digital models, the latest sign of the rapidly fading role of film in photography. A spokesman at Canon, the world's largest maker of digital cameras, said it made the decision to freeze development of both compact and single-lens reflex...
More »
Canon USA have released a service notice regarding the Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM lens which has problems in some units. Here's what they had to say: Canon Service Notice Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens May Result in Insufficient Resolution To Customers Who Use the EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens: Thank you very much for your patronage of our products. We have recently become aware of a phenomenon in which some images captured...
More »
Digit has a photo of the new Sony Alpha DSLR which is expected to be released later in the year. The Sony Alpha is a collaboration between Sony and Konica Minolta which was announced back in April. The Alpha is expected to be released with around 20 lenses. The interview that Digit has published (with Toru Katsumoto from Sony) quotes him as saying: "We believe an SLR camera should be a part of a larger culture, encompassing the entire...
More »
Ever wondered how popular different brands of digital cameras are? One way to check is to find out what people are searching the web for when it comes to cameras. I've plugged five digital camera brands into Google's 'Trends tool' to get the following graph. The five search terms I entered are: 'Canon Digital Camera' - blue 'Sony Digital Camera' - yellow 'Nikon Digital Camera' - red 'Kodak Digital Camera' - green 'Pentax Digital Camera' - purple Obviously Canon...
More »
Our recent post reporting on rumors that Apple could be ending their production of photo editing software Aperture appear to be false according to MacWorld who today report that Apple have just released Aperture 1.1.1 (a minor update) and have refuted the rumors that Aperture is on the way out. ...
More »
Yahoo Finance reports that Digital Cameras are continuing to grow in popularity among American Families: 'A new national survey(1) from electronics retailer Circuit City Stores, Inc. shows nearly three- quarters (71%) of Americans who use film cameras are thinking of purchasing, or are actively shopping for, a digital camera. The same survey shows many families who already have digital cameras are considering an upgrade. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimates that 57 percent of U.S. households now own at...
More »
The word on the street is that Apple have axed the majority of the team that develops their Aperture professional photo editing software: 'Apple recently asked the engineering team behind its Aperture photo editing and management software to leave, Think Secret has learned. The move, which resulted in the departure of several engineers while others were transferred to different projects inside Apple, raises questions about the future of Aperture, Apple's most heavily criticized and bug-ridden pro software release in...
More »
As we reported a few days ago, Mamiya has announced that transferring ownership of their camera and optical division to a new company. Here's their press release that will explain the ins and outs of it: Mamiya News Release Mamiya O/P has announced that its Optical Equipment Division, manufacturer of the leading medium format cameras and lenses will be transferred to a new company. The new company, Cosmo Digital Imaging Company, Ltd. was formed by Cosmos Scientific Systems, Inc.,...
More »
Do you want to buy a camera business? Imaging resource reports that Mamiya are going to sell theirs: 'A press release posted on the Japanese website of Mamiya-OP Co. Ltd. today announces that it is to sell its optical instruments business to another company.... Mamiya notes that the advent of first compact digital cameras, and later high end DSLRs, both badly hurt its sales of medium format cameras. In an attempt to recover, it planned the twenty two megapixel...
More »
Sony has established a new brand name for its digital single lens reflex (D-SLR) cameras that will be launched worldwide this summer. Meaning “beginning” and “essential,” the symbol α (pronounced alpha) embodies the spirit of Sony’s approach to the D-SLR market. Under this sub-brand, Sony will produce a complete camera system of accessories and lenses to enhance the enjoyment of photography. The Sony α mount system of cameras, lenses and accessories will integrate advanced electromechanical technologies that are key...
More »
Every day we get emails from readers asking for tips on how to improve their digital photography and wanting information on how to make money from their photos. So we've assembled this list of five of the best online Digital Photography Resources to show some of the options available for online learning in these areas. 1. Digital Photography Success - a course on improving your digital camera technique and skills. 2. Profitable Photography - a very popular e-book on how...
More »
MobileWhack has noticed an approval by the FCC of a Kodak digital camera with Bluetooth. There are few other details of the camera at this point but this is the first bluetooth camera that I can remember (there are others with WiFi but no BT). ...
More »
'Japan's Nikon Corp. said on Thursday it expects its operating profit to rise 70 percent over the next three years on cost-cutting and expanding sales of digital cameras and chip-making equipment. Unveiling a three-year business plan, Nikon also said it would look to roughly halve its debt and establish an operating structure that was less vulnerable to the semiconductor cycle, which has typically battered its earnings in down years.' Read more at Nikon Forecasts Earnings Surge, to Slash Debt...
More »
Album-2" />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,...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
'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 ...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
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. ...
More »
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...
More »
Olympus and Panasonic News Release Olympus Corporation (Olympus) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic) have been engaged in joint development of cameras that comply with the Four Thirds System standard for interchangeable-lens-type digital SLR cameras, and will display the fruit of their labors at the PMA 2006 International Convention and Trade Show that starts today, February 26, in Orlando, Florida. Olympus will exhibit the E-330, a recently introduced product that incorporates jointly developed technologies, and Panasonic will announce development...
More »
Pentax have just sent a press release announcing that they will be showing off three DSLR products at the upcoming PMA show, including a yet to be named 10 megapixel DSLR (pictured). They give no real details of this camera except that it's tentatively scheduled for an Autumn (northern hemisphere) release. Also being shown off will be the Pentax 645 medium format DSLR and a new lens - a 21mm F/3.2 AL wide angle lens. ...
More »
RICOH EUROPE B.V. announced the launch of the “Caplio GX8 Creative Set” including the Caplio GX8 digital camera, featuring high image quality with 8.24 effective megapixels, combined with an exciting package of accessories designed to enhance the enjoyment of photography. The accessory bundle includes a wide conversion lens DW-4, hood and adapter HA-1, rechargeable battery DB-43, charger BJ-2, and camera case and neck strap. The Caplio GX8 faithfully carries on the Caplio GX concept. Attaining even higher performance standards in...
More »
New standard encourages industry participation to develop compatible products and services for digital photos and motion images Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Inc., Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and Eastman Kodak Company, founding members of the former Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS), today announced the EVERPLAY standard designed to ensure compatibility of digital photos and motion images across a broad range of consumer products for future generations. ...
More »
Nikon today introduced Capture NX, an all-new image processing and editing software that gives digital photographers powerful tools complimented by simple and visual operation that streamlines their workflow. Capture NX, the next generation of Nikon's popular Capture software, inherits the robust RAW (NEF) processing capabilities from Nikon Capture 4.4, and combines these with brand new features such as Nik Software, Inc.'s revolutionary, patented U Point(TM) technology, seamless image-browsing and advanced batch-processing capabilities, superior color management control and comprehensive system...
More »
Pixology plc, the specialist in software and networks for digital photography, today announced the launch of new technology, which will ensure digital camera users get the best possible picture at their first attempt. The new product, that can be embedded into a digital camera or a camera phone, is known as PIXOLOGY FaceDetect™ and simplifies the experience of using a point and shoot camera by automatically detecting human faces in a picture. This enables the camera to improve its...
More »
The Spanish Canon Website looks like they might have gone live a little too early with a link to a new DSLR to be announced next week (or so the rumors go). The site mentions (well it did) the Canon EOS 30D. The date of release is said to be 21 February and other rumors talk about a Canon EOS 35D and a Canon EOS 3000D. See Screen Capture of the site below (click to enlarge). ...
More »
Bibble News Release State-of-the-art noise reduction technology to be included in Bibble RAW processing software Bibble Labs Inc has reached an agreement with PictureCode LLC, developer of the best-of-breed Noise Ninja image noise reduction software application. Forthcoming versions of Bibble Labs’ awardwinning RAW workflow software will feature fully integrated versions of Picturecode’s patent pending noise reduction technology. This will enable a new level of image quality in the raw workflow, especially for high-ISO images. ...
More »
Kodak and Bibble News Release Eastman Kodak Company and Bibble Labs today announced a cross-licensing and co-marketing agreement that will allow both companies to offer new, improved products to imaging professionals that further strengthens Kodak’s ‘Connect with Pro Quality’ products and programs. Under the agreement, Kodak is licensing to Bibble two proprietary technologies, the KODAK COLORFLOW Color Management Module (CMM) and the KODAK COLORFLOW ICC Input API. New versions of Bibble’s highly successful professional workflow software will integrate both...
More »
At the end of a Press Release announcing new printing products comes an announcement that Kodak have today announced four new digital cameras - the Kodak EasyShare V603, the Z612, the C643 and the C533. News Release Extract Exciting Additions to the KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Camera Line-up Building upon the tremendous success of its award-winning line of KODAK EASYSHARE digital cameras, Kodak announces four new digital cameras offering a variety of features and benefits to meet the divergent needs...
More »
Lightroom Beta is the First Adobe Application to Deliver Universal Binary Support for PowerPC and Intel based Apple Hardware Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced an update to the public beta of Adobe LightroomTM, an all-new digital imaging solution for professional photographers. Just one month after its introduction at the Macworld Show in San Francisco, Lightroom Public Beta 2.0 is now available as a Universal Binary for compatibility with PowerPC and Intel based Apple hardware and includes new features to...
More »
Nikon News Release Excerpt: Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce collaboration in the field of imaging software for digital cameras with American software developer, Nik Software, Inc. With this collaboration, the technologies of both companies will be merged to develop and market innovative software products based on new concepts. This new relationship will enable a stronger presence and guarantee a leading role in the imaging software market. ...
More »
Nikon have confirmed the 'banding problems' that some Nikon D200 users have been reporting recently with the following Q and A statements: Question 1: Why do I occasionally see vertical lines in my images? Patterns of vertical lines, sometimes referred to as banding, are a digital imaging artifact. Lines can be vertical or horizontal, depending on the orientation of the camera at the time that an affected image was captured. Banding can become visible only in specific shooting conditions...
More »
There are more rumors circulating that Canon DSLR announcements are scheduled for the next week or so. One reliable source told me today that I should keep some time aside on 21 February. No word on model numbers but the smart guesses and names that keep coming up are Canon EOS 35D, Canon EOS 3000D and even the Canon EOS 30D. Time will tell. ...
More »
The popular line of PENTAX waterproof digital cameras is now available in red and blue as well as traditional silver just in time for Valentine's Day giving. The WP series compact digital cameras offers high resolution for shooting performance in a variety of conditions and features 6.0 effective megapixels packed in a slim body that captures images up to five feet underwater and offers a JIS Class 5 dustproof rating. Perfect for extreme indoor or outdoor adventure, the OptioWPi...
More »
The revolution in picture-taking has reached its zenith, matching predictions made several years ago. Canada's switchover from filmbased picture-taking to digital picture-taking is close to being complete. This statement is based on data released today by the Canadian Imaging Trade Association (CITA). The revolution has been a short one, lasting a handful of years, and its effects will continue to be felt for decades to come. What we have seen is digital camera prices declining while their capabilities and...
More »
PENTAX Corporation is pleased to announce that it will expand the production capacity of PENTAX VN Co., Ltd., the company’s overseas subsidiary based in Vietnam, with the construction of a second plant. PENTAX VN specializes in the manufacture of optical instruments and components. This move is made to prepare for the expected increase in demand for interchangeable lenses for digital SLR cameras, as well as to respond to intensifying price competition in both the domestic and international markets. In...
More »
Impression automates asset archiving for Mac OS X by moving large amounts of data to spanned DVD/CD sets or to mounted drives for offline storage. Other noteworthy features include an automatic scheduling system, incremental/differential archiving operations, the preservation of all HFS+/Spotlight metadata, after-write file verification and bookmark-based management features. New to version 3.0 comes an automatic scheduler that works in conjunction with Apple’s iCal, performance increases under Mac OS X 10.4, a few bug fixes and a number of...
More »
Good discussion over at Photo.net on the topic of Fullframe vs. APS-C sensors. EOS 5D vs. EOS20D. It's a topic I'm often asked about so I think I'll be handing over this link in future: 'You might think that it would be pretty easy to compare imags from a EOS 5D (full frame) with a EOS 20D (APS-C), but it's actually more difficult than you might think. You need to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges and...
More »
News today is emerging that Ricoh's website (in Germany) have been penalized in Google for engaging in non allowed SEO (search engine optimization) strategies. 'A spokesman for Ricoh Europe admitted there have been some issues with Ricoh Germany which are currently being dealt with. The spokesman said: “Other Ricoh websites in the European region comply with the regulations as stipulated by Google. Meanwhile, Ricoh Germany has looked into the Google standard and has every intention of complying shortly.”' Read...
More »
Popular Photography Magazine has a useful article titled 10 Things You Should Know About The Nikon D70 that potential D70 buyers should check out before making the purchase. Here's how it starts: 'To date, the Nikon D70 is the best-selling Nikon single-lens reflex of all time. And that's not in the least bit surprising; the price was right, the package was right, the image quality was right, and the camera can use about 10 zillion Nikon lenses going back...
More »
GeoSpatial Experts today unveiled a new GPS photo mapping product bundle that includes a Pentax digital camera, Garmin handheld GPS receiver and the GeoSpatial Experts GPS-Photo Link software. GeoSpatial Experts will be demonstrating all three products January 31-February 2 at the ESRI Federal Users Conference in Washington, D.C. The Pentax-Garmin package is the third GPS-Photo Link mapping product bundle offered by GeoSpatial Experts, the one-stop shop for photographic mapping needs. Due to the relatively low cost of the camera...
More »
US readers will be happy to know that Pentax USA have just announced price reductions for their popular Pentax *ist DL DSLR. It now comes with a kit lens for $599.95 - that's $200 less than it was previously. This must make it the cheapest DSLR on the market at present. Pentax News Release PENTAX Imaging Company has announced a significant price adjustment on the *ist DL digital SLR camera with 18-55 DA lens kit. The price reduction from...
More »
While Fujifilm might be shedding jobs due to a slowdown in digital camera sales Canon are continuing to see increased profits: 'Brisk sales of digital cameras and the strong dollar lifted Canon's net profit 34 percent in the fourth quarter and to record annual earnings for a sixth straight year. The Japanese manufacturer of cameras and copying machines said Monday that group net profit for the last quarter totaled 108.2 billion yen ($922 million), up from 80.8 billion yen...
More »
With the digital camera market slowing and the film market shrinking Fujifilm are cutting back their level of employment by 5000 people. Fujifilm News Release: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Shigetaka Komori; hereafter, Fujifilm) is implementing a full spectrum of policies and measures based on VISION75, a mid-term management plan formulated in February 2004 that articulates three fundamental strategies: “Building new growth strategy,” “Implementing comprehensive structural reforms over all management levels,” and “Enhancing consolidated management.” Policies...
More »
IS, Prime Lens, EF, AI, AF, f/1.4, USM - what the? One of the problems with getting into any activity as a newbie is understanding the language that surrounds it. Digital SLR's have their own language surrounding them and as a result Chris at DSLR blog has begun putting together a DSLR Lens Glossary of sorts to help those in the market for a lens for their DSLR understand what they are reading. So far it covers some general...
More »
Sony is taking the lead in bringing the focus on audio performance to the camcorder market with its new 2006 Handycam® models. Leading the pack are two high-end DVD models and Sony's first hard disk drive camcorder. All models feature built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound and a unique center-channel microphone capability. "Nothing preserves memories better than moving images with sound," said Linda Vuolo, director for camcorder products at Sony Electronics. "We are offering new enhancements to both...
More »
Canon Inc. today announced the achievement of a new lens-production milestone as production of the company’s EF lenses passed the 30-million mark. Production of interchangeable EF lenses for Canon EOS-series AF (autofocus) SLR cameras began in 1987 at the company’s Utsunomiya Plant. Canon produced its 10-millionth EF lens in August 1995, its 20-millionth in February 2001 and, a mere five years later, has now reached the 30-million plateau. This achievement reflects users’ high level of satisfaction with the performance...
More »
Sony have released a press release with their side of the Konica Minolta deal which sees them as taking on some of KM's DSLR assets. They look like they are on a schedule to release their own DSLR based on the Konica Minolta lens mount system in the coming Northern Hemisphere's summer. Sony News Release Excerpt Since July 2005, Sony Corporation (Sony) and Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. (Konica Minolta PI) have been working on the joint development of...
More »
Shocking news from Konica Minolta today with their announcement of their withdrawal from the camera business. While Nikon recently announced it's continued pull back from film cameras this goes a step further to encompass Konica Minolta's digital business also. The withdrawal centers around an agreement with Sony who Konica Minolta have transferred their DSLR assents to (no real detail yet on what this means practically). The announcement from Konica Minolta is below. Konica Minolta Announces Withdrawal Plan for Camera...
More »
Major InfoTrends Study Indicates Digital Cameras Will Dominate Professional Photography Market by 2010 - 90% of professional pictures will be taken with digital cameras by 2010 InfoTrends, the leading worldwide digital imaging and document solutions research and consulting firm, is pleased to announce the release of its highly anticipated multi-client study, North American Professional Photography Market. The study provides camera, printer, software, supplies, and service providers with the information necessary to support their marketing efforts, product planning, and distribution...
More »
Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., is now offering a hardware upgrade for the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro professional DSLR camera that will improve its continuous shooting capabilities, as well as other performance enhancements. The FinePix S3 Pro has found a home in the camera bags of thousands of wedding and portrait photographers thanks to its world-renowned Fujifilm color reproduction and industry-leading dynamic range. The 12 MegaPixel FinePix S3 Pro has six MegaPixels dedicated solely to the capture of dynamic...
More »
Young Australian inventor Steve Calavey has invented a displosable digital camera that can be sent through the mail as a postcard! 'Calvey's Snap+Send Postcard, a disposable digital camera, is so light and inexpensive it can be sent in the mail. All it needs is a stamp. “You would buy it at a newsagent or photo developer, take a few shots and, once it's full, you stick a stamp on it, address it and put it in the postbox,” Calvey...
More »
Adobe today announced a beta test of their new product called Lightroom which is a tool for Pro Photographers to import select, develop and showcases large numbers of digital images: 'Adobe Lightroom Beta is the efficient new way for professional photographers to import, select, develop, and showcase large volumes of digital images. So you can spend less time sorting and refining photographs, and more time actually shooting them. Its clean, elegant interface literally steps out of the way and...
More »
The Democrat & Chronicle have news of a logo change over at Kodak this week: 'In another break with the past, Eastman Kodak Co. is introducing a new corporate logo designed to help the company forge a new image as a cutting-edge, 21st century innovator. Kodak's new corporate symbol retains the company's distinctive red and yellow colors, but does away with the boxes that have contained the word "Kodak" for the past 70 years.' ...
More »
Motorola and Eastman Kodak Company today announced a 10-year global product, cross licensing and marketing alliance intended to fulfill the promise of mobile imaging for the benefit of consumers. By incorporating Kodak's image science and system integration expertise with Motorola iconic mobile device design, the two companies will greatly improve the ease-of-use and image capture experience of camera phones. The collaboration covers licensing, sourcing, software integration, marketing, and extends to co-development of image-rich devices with joint engineering teams. For...
More »
David Peterson from the popular Digital Photo Secrets Newsletter and e-books (that I know many readers of this blog have signed up for) has just announced a new product for Digital Photographers wanting to have a professional review their Digital Photos and get support to improve them. I know many readers of this site want to improve their photos as our tips section is the most visited element of this site and I am emailed constantly asking for advice....
More »
Sony have today announced the US release of the Sony Cyber-shot M2 - a digital camera previously announced for the European market. The Sony Cyber-shot M2 is a digital camera that seeks to converge still photography and video into one unit. It features a rotating design that looks a little like a phone and enables one handed shooting, 5.1 megapixel image sensor, MPEG-4 recording, 3x Optical Zoom lens, aluminum case, USB 2.0 and 2.5 inch LCD. There has been...
More »
Eastman Kodak Company and Skype, the global Internet communications company, announce the availability of the latest innovation in digital storytelling ― KODAK Photo Voice ― that combines live voice and online photo sharing. The beta version of KODAK Photo Voice, the first Skype certified online photo sharing experience, is now available as a free download at http://www.kodakgallery.com/photovoice. "Today's families and social networks are scattered around the globe. Staying connected through photo sharing remains an important element in maintaining closer...
More »
January and February are the Silly Season for new digital cameras - last year over 80 were released and 2006 will be no different. Below are the new digital cameras arranged by Manufacturer: FUJIFILM Fujifilm Finepix V10 (pictured above) - The Fujifilm FinePix V10 is a digital camera that is sure to get a bit of attention in the coming days for a number of reasons. For starters it's not just a 5 megapixel camera with a 3.4x Optical...
More »
Minox News Release Entertainment at its best with the MINOX DMP2 - Miniature Media Player Excels in Performance and Design Really talented performers are rare and therefore much in demand –MINOX GmbH now presents another multi-talent tool in its program - the DMP-2. This versatile, compact media player reveals completely new quality features in image and sound entertainment. The powerful performance of this tiny digital hub is hard to imagine considering its weight and dimensions. The key focus is...
More »
PhotographyBLOG links to a teaser article at a Leica magazine (it's only the first paragraph or two of a longer article in their hard copy magazine) which talks about a the new Leica Digital M system. The expected release date of the Leica Digital M system is September 2006 (still quite a wait). update: a commenter at PhotographyBLOG quotes part of the article (an interview with Leica's Stefan Daniel) in the magazine as follows: "The digital M will basically...
More »
Apple have just updated Aperture to a new version (1.0.1). The update addresses a few issues of reliability and performance. Some of the areas addressed include: - White balance adjustment accuracy and performance - Image export quality - Book and print ordering reliability - Auto-stacking performance - Custom paper size handling Read more about the update and download it at Apple - Support - Downloads - Aperture 1.0.1 Update ...
More »
Sigma have today announced that some of their lenses are not able to be used with the new Nikon D200 DSLR. THe lenses in question are their HSM equipped lenses. The good news is that Sigma is planning on releasing a firmware update to fix the current problem. Following is Sigma's announcement. Sigma News Release Notice to end users of Sigma's HSM equipped lenses with the Nikon D200 Camera To our valued customers, Sigma HSM equipped lenses do not...
More »
if you're looking for a little inspiration for your photography a good site to check out at the moment is TIME Magazine's Best Photos of the Year 2005 which has some stunning images of some horrifying situations from the past year around the globe. The photography is quite amazing - the stories behind them remind us of the massive year that our world has just had. After you've looked at the images vote for your favorite. Be warned that...
More »
HP today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire bilderservice.de GmbH, which operates PIXACO – a leading online photo services and products site in Europe. The acquisition of the privately-held company will enable HP to rapidly extend the reach of its online photo services throughout Europe, building on the purchase of Snapfish earlier this year. HP plans to extend many of its Snapfish capabilities to the PIXACO service – bringing European customers greater choices for printing, sharing...
More »
Rob Galbraith reports that the Nikon D200 availability date is delayed in Canada. It still looks like it'll be in shops by Christmas but only just with the new ETA 19 December. There's no word on whether these delays are world wide or just a Canadian issue. I've not heard of similar delays yet in Australia - but time will tell. Read more about the Nikon D200 DSLR. Pre Order the Nikon D200 from Amazon. ...
More »
The next advance in cameras is becoming a reality at the University of Rochester. Imaging chips revolutionized the photography industry, and now the chips themselves are being revolutionized. A pair of newly patented technologies may soon enable power-hungry imaging chips to use just a fraction of the energy used today and capture better images to boot - all while enabling cameras to shrink to the size of a shirt button and run for years on a single battery. Placed...
More »
The first and only 39 MP digital camera back - the best image quality in the industry Phase One, today begins shipping the highest quality digital camera back ever - the P 45. The P 45 - the world's only digital camera back with a 39 Mega Pixel sensor - captures images that are sharper and more detailed than ever before. It is the latest release of Phase One's revolutionary P-series digital camera backs. Offering unsurpassed image quality, the...
More »
The next advance in cameras is becoming a reality at the University of Rochester. Imaging chips revolutionized the photography industry, and now the chips themselves are being revolutionized. A pair of newly patented technologies may soon enable power-hungry imaging chips to use just a fraction of the energy used today and capture better images to boot - all while enabling cameras to shrink to the size of a shirt button and run for years on a single battery. Placed...
More »
Nikon Press Release Update of Voluntary Product Recall: Additional Batch Numbers to be checked by Users of Nikon D50, D70 and D100 and the rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3 Amsterdam, December 6th, 2005 - As announced on November 8th, 2005, Nikon has detected that on rare occasions some rechargeable Li-ion batteries of the type EN-EL3 for Nikon Digital SLR cameras may become defective, resulting in overheating during recharging. In the worst case, Nikon cannot rule out the possibility that the...
More »
Snapfish today announced that it is powering a new online photo service for Publix, one of the largest volume U.S. supermarkets. The new service, available at www.publix.com/photo, enables Publix customers to upload digital photos to the site for free online photo sharing and editing, unlimited online storage and wireless imaging services. Additionally, Publix customers can order professionally developed digital camera prints for as low as 10 cents each, film developing for $2.99 per roll and more than 90 photo...
More »
DALSA Corporation, an international high performance semiconductor and electronics company, today announced that its customer, Mamiya, has set a shipping date for its new Mamiya ZD medium format camera. The professional grade camera, which integrates DALSA’s 22 million pixel image sensor chip, will be available in Japan on December 21st, 2005, and will be released world-wide in January 2006. The Mamiya ZD is the world’s first medium format digital SLR camera that is both fully integrated and portable. Medium...
More »
Pentax are the latest in a long line of digital camera manufacturers to release a service advisory statement regarding CCD sensor defects. Pentax Optio Cameras that could have problems include the Optio 330RS, Optio 330GS, Optio 33L, Optio 43WR, Optio 550 and Optio 555. Get full details at Pentax's service advisory. ...
More »
'More than two-thirds of the estimated 17 billion prints from digital cameras made this year were created from the comfort of snap-happy American homes. Another 27 percent came from the photofinishing services of retailers, where people either use the self-serve computer terminals at the counter or place their orders online for pickup later at the store. The remainder, according to market researcher IDC, were delivered straight to consumers via online services that nowadays charge as low as a dime...
More »
There's excitement in the Apple community today with Macsimum News reporting that Apple have been granted a reissue of an earlier patent for a digital camera: 'On Nov. 29, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed that Apple was granted a reissue patent number “RE38,896� for “Apparatus and method for rotating the display orientation of a captured image.� This Reissue Patent makes clear reference to Apple’s QuickTake digital camera that was discontinued in 1997. Could Apple be preparing to...
More »
'Samsung Techwin Co, a digital camera unit of Samsung Group, overtook Japanese rivals to become the top firm in South Korea's digital camera market during the first half of this year, industry sources said. The sources said Samsung Techwin had a 25% market share, followed by Sony Corp with 18% and Canon Inc with 15%. Olympus Corp, the world's third-largest maker of digital cameras, lost its No 1 spot in South Korea with its market share dropping to 15%...
More »
Olympus Imaging America Inc. proudly introduces the new H512 MB Type H-Series xD-Picture Card, an advanced memory media designed for ultra-compact digital cameras. The H512 MB card has the highest speed performance in the xD-Picture Card series of media cards, and is scheduled to go on sale at the end of December 2005 with plans of introducing 256 MB and 1 GB capacities later on. The H512 MB Type H-Series xD-Picture Card uses the latest high-capacity storage technology to...
More »
DivX Technology Adopted by Pentax to Create Industry's First DivX Certified(R) Digital Camera DivX, Inc. announced today that the first DivX(R) Certified digital still camera, the Pentax Optio S6, is now available for sale in retail stores in Europe, Japan and North America. The Optio S6 represents a breakthrough device by allowing digital camera users to natively capture videos in the extremely popular DivX format for the first time. ...
More »
'Transcend Information has introduced a USB flash disk drive with an integrated VGA digital still camera (DSC). The JetFlash DSC is designed to enable users to take digital photos without the inconvenience of needing a USB cable or card reader to connect to a PC, according to the company. Equipped with a 0.25-inch CMOS image sensor, the JetFlash stores pictures in a 640×480 JPG file (VGA), sized at 55KB. Once the pictures are transferred to a PC, the bundled...
More »
Pentax News Release Shopping for a digital SLR system? Now, you can shop right from your desktop at http://www.PentaxSLR.com , a microsite dedicated to the growing family of PENTAX digital SLR systems including small, lightweight bodies, superior optical lenses, powerful flashes and nifty accessories. The site also offers FAQs, Specs, Rebates, and other information about building a digital SLR system. Visitors may link from the site to their favorite on-line retail sources to finalize purchase decisions. “Digital SLR buyers...
More »
'For the fourth straight quarter, Eastman Kodak Co. retained its lead over Japanese rivals Canon Inc. and Sony Corp. in the U.S. digital camera market. In the July-to-September period, digital camera shipments to domestic retailers rose nearly 13 percent to 5.6-million from 5-million a year earlier, research firm IDC of Framingham, Mass., reported. Photography equipment maker Kodak shipped 1.25-million digital cameras in the quarter - 21 percent more than in last year's third quarter - and its market share...
More »
Lexar Media, Inc., a world leader in advanced digital media technologies today announced that its LockTight™ technology will be supported in the Nikon D200 creating an ideal solution for photographers who want to fully utilize the advanced feature set in this new camera, including security functionality and burst mode shooting. Lexar Professional LockTight CompactFlash is a unique security technology that allows photographers and organizations to control access to information stored on the user’s memory cards. Following full support in...
More »
Samsung are getting ready to release a digital camera that will enable it's users to play movies and watch TV - all from within the camera itself. '``We will release the versatile digital camera early next year after terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) services are launched,’’ Samsung Techwin spokesman Ahn Ji-hoon Saturday told The Korea Times. Terrestrial DMB is the locally developed technology that enables people on the move to enjoy crystal-clear video, CD-quality audio and data via handheld...
More »
PC Mag has an interesting piece on why Digital Camera Companies Seem to Be doing so poorly at present despite a booming industry: 'I see two trends taking place, one at the top end of the market and one at the bottom. The first is that D-SLRs have dropped dramatically in price, while offering incredible quality and, probably most importantly, incredible ease of use. You can actually use these D-SLRs on Auto mode and it's like you're using a...
More »
Nikon have announced a voluntary recall of around 710,000 batteries which have been distributed world wide. The batteries which are found in their D100, D70 and D50 DSLRs can cause shot circuits, overheat an in extreme circumstances melt. The following is the official announcement from Nikon. ...
More »
Olympus have suffered a fall in their net profit for the first half of it's financial year with digital camera sales falling by nearly 14% to 3.7 million units. Their reaction is to move away from compact digital cameras and towards DSLRs. In May they reduced costs by slashing their workforce by 4000 so figures should improve for the second half of the year - however this won't 'fix' the falling level of sales. They've downgraded their sales targets...
More »
NoiseReduction Pro is a Photoshop plugin for reducing several types of luminance and color noise in digital images. Based on an extremely fast, split 5 level redundant wavelet algorithm, this plugin is without a doubt the quickest offering of its kind. Incorporating a resizable, live preview window and interactive controls, the plugin allows for easy determination of the optimal parameters. Noise Reduction Pro Features: * resizable preview window still offering a live, realtime preview image, * user-definable presets for...
More »
Cypress Semiconductor Corp. today announced commercial sampling of its new 9.0-megapixel CMOS image sensors for high-end digital still cameras (DSCs). The cost-effective new image sensors offer low dark current and low noise, on par with that of more expensive charge coupled devices (CCDs). These features deliver outstanding image quality, enabling camera makers to meet the increasing demand for high-performance, economically priced single-lens reflex (SLR) DSCs. The CYIHDSC9000AA (color) and CYIHDSM9000AA (monochrome) are the first image sensors manufactured on Cypress's...
More »
It looks like Konica Minolta will be cutting back on it's digital camera business with Japan Today reporting: 'Camera and office automation equipment maker Konica Minolta Holdings Inc said Friday it will drastically cut its photo imaging division, including digital cameras, to cope with slower growth in domestic demand and tougher price competition. In line with the business restructuring plan, the company will cut 3,300 jobs out of its current group workforce of 33,000. In its medium-term business plan...
More »
Business Week asks the question - Which Photo Sites Are Best? and writes: 'Sharing your photos once meant gathering friends and family in the living room, pulling up the Da-Lite tripod screen, and enduring an endless progression of look-alike vacation pictures -- accompanied by the ker-chunk of the Carousel projector in the background. Today, more than likely, your vacation snapshots are stored somewhere on your home computer. The good ones might also be on an online service that lets...
More »
Canon have released the following advise regarding problems that some users of their EF 24-105mm Lens are having: Canon Service Advisory We have recently discovered a problem with early production samples of the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens in which flare occurs at an unacceptable level under certain conditions. The flare is most obvious in the wide zoom and wide aperture settings. The problem affects all EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lenses with a control number less than UT1000. With...
More »
Pixmantec News Release ANNOUNCING THE ULTIMATE RAW WORKFLOW TOOL - $59.00 OCTOBER ONLY! Danish digital imaging software specialists Pixmantec announce the release of the latest addition to their Photographers’ Toolbox applications for the camera RAW format, RawShooter | premium 2006. Building on the incredible success of the FREE RawShooter | essentials 2005 product (now with several hundred thousand copies installed worldwide), RawShooter | premium 2006 provides unsurpassed RAW workflow functionality and professional image quality at an unbeatable competitive price....
More »
There have been more 'accidental' leaks of the Nikon D200 - this time over at Nikon's Digital Website where another promotional page was put up too early (see screen capture - source, Engadget) The promotional page has the D200 as having a 10.2 megapixel sensor (CCD), shooting at up to five frames per second, having the ability to take 1800 shots per battery charge, using Nikon's 1005 pixel 3D matrix Metoring, having a 2.5inch LCD and a price of...
More »
A reader just emailed us some more pictures of the Nikon D200 - this time with some comparisons to the Nikon D70s, D50 and D2X. These are in addition to the pictures we posted earlier today of the D200. Click images for enlarged views of the Nikon DSLRs First we have a comparison between the Nikon D200 (left) and the Nikon D70s (right) Get a price on the Nikon D200 from Amazon and compare prices on the Nikon D200...
More »
It looks like the Nikon D200 is getting closer to a reality - with photos of it appearing (by mistake we think) on the Nikon UK website in the past 24 hours. The pictures are now removed but here's what we saw before they disappeared! (more photos below the fold) Pre Order the Nikon D200 ...
More »
'Japan's Canon Inc. said on Tuesday it has developed tiny fuel cells that it hopes will start replacing conventional batteries to power some of its digital cameras and printers in three years. Canon will join a small army of companies, including Toshiba Corp., NEC Corp. and Hitachi Ltd., that are working on the development and commercialization of fuel-cell batteries for the next-generation of consumer electronics. Fuel-cell technology mixes hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and is considered a promising...
More »
Petteri's Pontifications has a good article on the debate between Full Frame and Non Full Frame digital cameras: 'The release of Canon's newest digital SLR, the EOS-5D, has brought full-frame digital capture within reach of a new group of photographers. It costs just about the same as the ground-breaking EOS-D30 did when it was announced. Three grand is still a lot of money, but it's not in the sell-your-car territory where full-frame has hitherto resided (not counting Kodak's efforts,...
More »
Kodak News Release: Eastman Kodak Company has once again set the quality standard for digital imaging with new high-resolution image sensors that allow commercial, studio and other professional photographers to capture digital images with the most life-like detail possible. These new products strengthen Kodak’s position as a leading image sensor supplier to a wide variety of markets, and reinforce strategic product and partnership announcements made earlier this year that target mass-market consumer applications. Already the world’s leading supplier of...
More »
There are a number of speculative articles surfacing around the web today that Apple is about to announced an digital camera. These seem to have arisen out of the notice that Apple gave last week of a press conference to be held later today - on the eve of the PhotoPlus Expo. While most people believe the press conference is about announcing upgrades to Apples PowerMac and PowerBook ranges - some are also saying that it could include a...
More »
New Professional Compactflash Reader Is The Latest Addition To The Company’s Award-Winning Line Lexar Media, Inc., a world leader in advanced digital media technologies, is demonstrating its focus on meeting the needs of professional photography workflow by strengthening its line of memory card readers from the new Professional CompactFlash Reader and high-speed multi-card readers to the single slot unit ideal for the mobile photographer. “The big trend today for the pros is turning images around quickly, and that means...
More »
b Digital Cameras has done a comparative review of the Nikon Coolpix Series which will be useful for anyone scoping out the Nikon point and shoot range. Here's what they write about the Nikon Coolpix S1: 'The rundown: At only 3/4 of an inch thick, it just might be the perfect pocket size camera. For its size, it has a large 2.5″ LCD screen with a 3x optical zoom and a 4x digital zoom. It is supposed to be...
More »
Mac OSX Rumors reports upon rumors that Apple are getting ready to announce a professional photo retouching application: 'According to an unconfirmed report, Apple is planning to announce a professional photo retouching application, during the special press event scheduled for October 19th. The new application, which remains unnamed at the moment, is said to have similar features with Adobe Photoshop but with a different and easier to use user interface. However, the application will be targeted at the photographer...
More »
News-Leader.com has some of the latest information on the CCD problems that many of the major digital camera manufacturers have been having - reporting that the problem is with CCD sensors made by Sony's semiconductor group. 'The glitch involves the “glue” that holds the image sensor in place, says Rachel Branch, a Sony spokeswoman. Heat and humidity can cause the glue to deteriorate, disconnecting the sensor's wiring. This results in the camera capturing distorted images or no images at...
More »
ePhotozine reviews the Canon EF-S 10-20mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens (a lens I'm currently eyeing off) and writes - 'The ultra-wide group to which this lens belongs has gone a long way towards overcoming the biggest drawback of cropped sensor dSLR’s, that of lost angle of view at the wide end. Being newly designed, it has addressed all of the other problems that have been thrown up by digital sensors and optically, if they had stopped at 20mm there would...
More »
Ricoh have joined the flood of digital camera manufacturers releasing advisory notices to customers over problems with a number of their models which include: Caplio RR30 Caplio 300G Caplio G3/G3 model M/G3 model S/ProG3 Caplio G4/G4 wide Caplio 400G wide Caplio RX Olympus Japan have also released a similar notice on their site. Hi-lighting problems with their C-5050ZOOM／C-730 Ultra Zoom. ...
More »
Nikon have also announced problems with some of their CCD sensor cameras at Nikon Europe's website: 'It has come to our attention that electronic components related to imaging in some COOLPIX cameras may, on rare occasions, fail. Should you experience this problem with your COOLPIX SQ, COOLPIX 3100 or COOLPIX 5700 camera, Nikon will replace the associated components free of charge even if the camera’s warranty has already expired. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have suffered...
More »
Reuters Reports that Samsung is preparing to enter the digital SLR market by signing a partnership with Pentax to jointly develop DSLRs. They write: 'Pentax said it and Samsung Techwin Co. Ltd. (012450.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) would work together on developing entry-level and middle-range digital SLR models that sell for under 200,000 yen ($1,746). Each company plans to market the cameras under its own brand.... The alliance will bring together Samsung's strength in electronics and Pentax's expertise in lenses....
More »
The New York Times has an interesting piece on Why Do-It-Yourself Photo Printing Doesn't Add Up which argues that taking into consideration the cost of the printer and the ongoing running costs that it is still cheaper to use a photo lab to get printing done. 'The catch is that after you make an initial investment, you are going to pay at least 28 cents a print, if you believe the manufacturers' math. It could be closer to 50...
More »
Imaging Resource reports that Konica Minolta have joined Canon, Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm in advising that some of the cameras with CCD sensors are having problems. They advise that there are problems with the following models: Minolta DiMAGE A1 Minolta DiMAGE 7i Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Minolta DiMAGE Xi Minolta DiMAGE Xt Minolta DiMAGE X20 Minolta DiMAGE S414 Minolta DiMAGE F300...
More »
Fuji have joined Canon, Nikon and Sony by advising their uses of CCD problems this week also. Fujifilm Service Advisory: Fujifilm camera - CCD sensor If your Fujifilm FinePix digital camera serial number is on the list and experiences the symptoms described above and have no other additional damage/malfunction, Fuji Photo Film, Inc. will repair your camera at no charge, even if your standard one-year limited warranty has expired. If your Fujifilm digital camera is beyond the standard one year,...
More »
The past week has been an interesting one for digital camera manufacturers with Canon, Nikon and Sony acknowledging that different models in their ranges have problems. Today Sony announced problems with CCDs in some of their digital cameras, Canon yesterday announced CCD problems also and Nikon earlier in the week advised customers of problems with their D2H, D70 and N55 (F55) SLRs. See news Releases, Advisory Notices below from Canon, Sony and Nikon. ...
More »
Fascinating post over at Tech Digest on a technology that Canon is working on and demonstrating at Canon Expo. It's called Smile Shot and it is a sensor for digital cameras that will automatically take a photo when the subject/s are all smiling. With this there will be no more 'say cheese' calls from photographers! The Smile Shot is expected to feature in Canon's range of cameras next year. ...
More »
There is an interesting sample image and discussion going on over at photo.net of an image taken with a Canon EOS 5D which in my mind shows that this is a camera with some real promise! What do you think about it? ...
More »
DXO Labs News Release DXO OPTICS PRO V3.5 ANNOUNCED WITH ENHANCED DXO OPTICS ENGINE, INCREASED PROCESSING SPEED AND UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO DXO LENS MODULES Free upgrade to DxO Lab’s flagship application delivers even greater value for all demanding Digital SLR photographers DxO Labs announced today an upgrade to its flagship application DxO Optics Pro. DxO Optics Pro v3.5 is a free upgrade from version 3.0 that further consolidates DxO Optics Pro’s position as the leading automatic image enhancement tool...
More »
DxO Press Release: DXO LABS ANNOUNCES UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO ALL DXO LENS MODULES FOR USERS OF DXO OPTICS PRO SOFTWARE New DxO Optics Pro licensing structure provides unbeatable value for demanding photographers DxO Labs announced today that the license fee for its flagship product DxO Optics Pro software will now allow unrestricted access to all compatible DxO Lens Modules thus providing a greatly simplified user experience and increased value for demanding photographers. ...
More »
DxO News Release DXO LABS ANNOUNCES DXO OPTICS PRO STARTER EDITION FOR HIGH-END DIGITAL CAMERAS DxO Labs brings award-winning DxO Optics Pro technology to advanced digicam users at an irresistible price DxO Labs announced today DxO Optics Pro Starter Edition, a new version of its flagship application specifically designed for advanced digicams – cameras also sometimes referred to as “ZLR”, “SuperZoom” or “Bridge” cameras. ...
More »
Elliott Back is offering free photo retouching for the first 30 people to email him with pictures. He's doing it as part of a 30 day project where he'll post a new picture every day. Here's how he describes it. 'What I will offer over the course of the next month is a case study in a cycle that takes user-submitted content, remixes it with special skill, and then releases it back onto the web. “Technique for the good,”...
More »
Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0, a significant upgrade to the No. 1 selling consumer photo-editing software. Photoshop Elements 4.0 delivers an impressive array of new ways for consumers to easily edit photos, show them off in creative and entertaining ways and always have them at their fingertips. Available for Windows, Photoshop Elements 4.0 is the software that consumers choose for quick, one-click fixes, in addition to more sophisticated editing techniques when they need advanced creative...
More »
The publishers of the Australian DG magazine (formally Design Graphics) are calling for entries into their annual publication DG Portfolio 2006. For the past several years, the 'Portfolio' has been published as a special issue of Design Graphics magazine. For 2006 the Portfolio has graduated into a publication in its own right; bigger and better than ever, and will now be titled 'DG Portfolio'. The DG Portfolio 2006 will feature rich computer graphics, imagery from design and advertising studios,...
More »
A member of the DP Review Forums has posted a couple of pictures of the Nikon D200 DSLR (or thats what they think they're of. The quality of the pictures is pretty poor but most people I've heard comment about them say it looks like the real deal - but only time will tell if this is the Nikon D200 or not. ...
More »
Ulead Introduces New Version of PhotoImpact Image Editing Software. PhotoImpact 11 answers the needs of professional photographers while providing new interface modes that make it simple for beginners Ulead Systems, Inc., a 16-year industry leader in video, image and DVD software, today announced the release of Ulead PhotoImpact 11, Ulead’s flagship PC image-editing software offering easy-to-use tools for a wide range of personal and professional image and photo-editing needs. The latest version introduces an all-new interface system providing distinct...
More »
Digital Camera Tracker has an interesting post on 10 Secret Nikon D70 Features which picks up on an article in Popular Photography's latest edition that highlights the N70's 'secrets'. Here are the first three: '1. Centerweighted Tip: Custom setting 11 in the menu lets you select 6, 8, 10, or 12mm for center weighted metering. 2. Hollow Battery: Hey, the hollow tube sitting in the D70 is not a fake battery. It's a battery holder that accepts three CR2...
More »
The Epson P-4000 Photo Viewer is an 80 gigabyte version of the previously released Epson P-2000 Photo viewer. It has an updated battery and now plays MP3/ACC and MPEG4 files. the P-4000 accepts Type II CF and SD cards and has USB 2.0 connectivity. Epson Japan announced that it will sell for 70,000 Yen (around $640 USD or around $820 AUD) and should hit stores in Japan in October of 2005. ...
More »
New Products from Kodak and Olympus Support the IMAGELINK Print System; Others Expected Over the Next Year One year after the announcement of Kodak products integrating the IMAGELINK print system — a specification designed to simplify at-home picture printing — new compatible cameras and printers supporting the standard are being released. Kodak first released IMAGELINK compatible digital products over 12 months ago – incorporating the standard into six of the brands products to date. Joining Kodak’s array of compatible...
More »
The Gadget blog has news that Maria Sharapova has become the new face of Canon. They've dedicated a whole page/campaign to her here where she promotes the Powershot range. ...
More »
A German MINOX lab copies digital pictures pixel by pixel onto traditional chemical film Carsten Chadt explains: “Well maintained traditional film material is known to last for at least a century or two and reproduction is easy.” Loss of data can be caused by many different means. The storage medium ages, they may get damaged or deleted by accident or another unknown and that is today’s standards may not be read by future hardware and software. Therefore, it should...
More »
A Norwegian site has a quote from the general manager of Nikon Nordic in Stockholm who cryptically indicates that the Nikon D200 could be out by Christmas. A translation of his answer to whether Nikon are planning to launch a DSLR to compete with Canon's 5D was that there will be a bit of a wait “But you can look under the Christmas Tree when the time comes”. It could mean nothing but it's got chins wagging in Nikon...
More »
USA Today has an interesting piece today on Kodak and how one of their engineers had actually invented a toaster sized 0.1 megapixel digital camera back in 1975. The article - If only Kodak had phased out celluloid sooner makes some good points about Kodak, a company that came close to missing the digital camera boat due to its reluctance to let go of film. ...
More »
Graphic Exchange News has news that Konica Minolta are closing down their digital cameras business unit in Canada due to competition. 'The Canadian company, capitalized at CDN$5.66 million, will be sold off at a yet-to-be-decided date, subject to regulatory procedures. Konica Minolta Holdings, manufacturer of office equipment and digital cameras, said in a prepared press release that this liquidation would not affect its forecasts for the year to March 2006.' ...
More »
The Seattle Times has an article this weekend that attempts to answer the question of - Which digital camera is right for you? 'But their mass-market status doesn't change the fact that digital cameras remain computers with lenses, and they require some of the same careful shopping. Where the big number in computers is processor speed, in digital cameras it's megapixels — millions of picture elements of resolution. And it's almost as easy to go overboard on resolution as...
More »
Ricoh have just released a press release teaser of a new GR digital camera - built in the style of their popular GR film cameras. Here's what they announce: 'On September 13 RICOH will announce the arrival of a new Super High Imaging Quality compact digital camera. This exceptional camera will be the digital version of the well-known GR analog camera series. The GR1 was first launched in October 96. Thereafter followed the GR1s, GR10, GR21 and GR1V. Although...
More »
There is another interesting spin on the Digital Camera vs Camera phone debate today with an IDC survey arguing that camera phones are a 'gateway' product which create rather than eliminate digital camera users. The study finds that 30% of camera phone owners plan on purchasing a digital camera after being introduced to digital photography through using their phone. Source Technorati Tags: Camera Phone...
More »
U.S. households will consume more than $3.5 billion of photo printing services and home printing output this year, according to PMA Marketing Research. Photo Marketing Association International(R) (PMA) will present this and other cutting-edge insights at the Digital and Wireless Imaging Summit, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005, at the magnificent waterfront Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego on the San Diego Bay, San Diego, California. Following the adoption of digital cameras and cameraphones, now the focus shifts to identifying profitable services...
More »
Lexar Media Press Release Digital Camera Users Unaware of Need for Safekeeping their Efforts - Study shows the need for archiving digital photos A recent digital imaging study has revealed that many photographers are unaware of the need to archive their work. According to the study released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), nearly 50 percent of all camera users shoot billions of pictures a year on a digital camera, but only 48 percent backup all or most of...
More »
The number of aggregate digital images captured per month continued to grow another 18 points in 2005, largely driven through cheaper flash memory card prices and increased capacities, IDC found in a new study of U.S. digital camera owners' usage habits. As a result, the total number of average monthly prints is expected to increase by 29% in 2005. However, printing behavior is changing with home printing continuing to decline in favor of retail locations. “Variability in printing behavior...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Co. is stretching its lead over Japanese rivals Canon Inc. and Sony Corp. in the U.S. digital-camera market. Kodak shipped 1.25 million point-shoot digital cameras to domestic retailers in the April-to-June quarter - 51 per cent more than in the second quarter of 2004 - and its market share rose to 23.8 per cent from 18.3 per cent a year ago, according to research firm IDC of Framingham, Mass. Canon Inc. solidified its second-place ranking with 1.15...
More »
'The Asia-Pacific digital camera market experienced tremendous growth in 2004 during a regional economic recovery, reports In-Stat http:/www.in-stat.com Digital camera market revenue in the 15 countries in this region escalated by 14.2%, to US$5.26 billion, the high-tech market research firm says. The regional digital camera market is expected to continue growing strongly to US$ 7.3 billion in 2009. The market escalation in 2004 was greatly fueled by strong domestic economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. As the Chinese market...
More »
We were just sent a news release (see below) announcing the results of a study of digital camera owners which shows some interesting results including: - Digital camera buyers are increasingly satisfied with the functionality and speed of the cameras they purchase, particularly with cameras in the lower price segments. The gap in terms of camera performance between high and low-priced cameras has shrunk considerably compared to 2004. - Kodak ranks as the highest manufacturer in the $199 or less...
More »
Fujifilm announced today that it has been awarded a coveted EISA* Award for its critically acclaimed Fujifilm FinePix F10 Zoom camera. This latest addition to the Fujifilm digital camera range has been named European Pocket Camera of the Year 2005-2006. The FinePix F10 Zoom incorporates some of Fujifilm’s most progressive technology developments of recent months, which have won it wide acclaim amongst professional testers, the media and consumers. The camera can produce incredibly sharp images due to its refined...
More »
Olympus UK Press Release Olympus is delighted to announce that they have been successful once again in the European Imaging & Sound Association (EISA) Awards. Consolidating the success of the C-8080 Wide Zoom last year, which was named “Digital Camera of the Year”, the Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom has been crowned “European Compact Camera of the Year 2005/6” by the judging panel. With a judging panel drawn from fifty leading audio, mobile electronics, video and photography press in twenty European...
More »
'Digital camera shipments by Japanese manufacturers will probably rise 8.4 percent this year, compared with a previous estimate of 21 percent, the Camera & Imaging Products Association said. Worldwide shipments by Canon Inc., Sony Corp., Olympus Corp. and other companies will probably total 64.8 million units this year, the Tokyo-based industry group said in a press release yesterday. Global shipments by Japanese companies totaled 27.9 million units during the six months that ended June 30, up 5.5 percent on...
More »
Gizmodo has a guest commentary on Killer Features vs. Pseudo Features on digital cameras which is an interesting read: 'Every camera manufacturer advertises a list of features as long as your arm. Most of these are pseudo features. Casio, for instance, has a special mode that allows you to take two portraits together, each taking up half of the frame. Why you would want to do this, nobody knows. That is not a feature. It is a pseudo feature....
More »
'High Street retailer Dixons, which started by selling 35mm cameras, is to stop stocking the items because of the popularity of digital cameras. The company has said it will not be stocking any more after the current stock of the film cameras runs out. Marketing director Bryan Magrath said the decision was a “sentimental event”. “35mm cameras were the first products we ever sold and film processing has been a part of our lives for several decades,” he added.'...
More »
A Reuters article today announces that HP are pulling out of the Asian digital camera market to refocus energy upon the Americas and Europe. 'HP, which last month announced plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce under new Chief Executive Mark Hurd, is leaving the digital camera business in Asia “to focus its investment around home photo printing, which is a high-growth area in the region,” the company said in a statement to Reuters. HP remains committed to...
More »
Last week we mentioned that Canon had launched a DSLR Basics Website - today it's the turn of Pentax who have also just launched a Pentax digiich DSLR site. It features an introduction to DSLRs, a page on DSLR parts and functions, a history of Pentax SLRs, a virtual showroom as well as a photo gallery and workshop section (NB - these last features are 'coming soon'). ...
More »
The Fujifilm FinePix S5200 (also known in the the European market at the Finepix S5600) is a SLR style digital camera with a 10x Optical Zoom and 5.1 megapixel CCD sensor. It also features a pop up flash, anti blur mode and a highlight warning function to alert users of overexposed areas of an image (in camera). The Fufifilm FinePix S5600 / S5200 will retail at $699.95 (USD) and should hit stores in September 2005. Get the latest price...
More »
There is change in the wind today as a number of digital camera makers make changes to their approach. In addition to the changes at Sony and Konica Minolta Pentax have announced a shift in focus to pick up more of the medical and optical gear market and a decreasing reliance upon it's photographic business. '``We want to balance our portfolio by making the imaging systems, medical gear and optical device businesses each make up about a third of...
More »
Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. and Sony Corporation have reached an agreement to jointly develop digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras. Taking full advantages of their respective imaging technologies and key devices, the two companies will develop and commercialize new digital SLR cameras based on and compatible to “Maxxum/Dynax lens mount system.*1” Konica Minolta has superb autofocus auto-exposure technologies nourished through development of “Maxxum/Dynax series” from the age of film cameras, mechanical electronics technologies indispensable for SLR cameras, and...
More »
The Fujifilm FinePix S9000 (also known as the Fujifilm Finepix S9500 in Europe) is a 9 megapixel digital camera with a 10.7x Optical Zoom lens. It also features an external flash hot shoe, 1.8 inch LCD, PC sync connector, dual memory card slot (Compact Flash/Microdrive and xD Card) as well as electronic viewfinder. Get the Latest Price on the Fujifilm Finepix S9500 (also known as the S9000) Lets Go Digital has a hands on preview/review of the Fujifilm FinePix...
More »
Luminous Landscape has posted an article outlining some of the new digital imaging technology that 'Phase One' plans to release over the next 18 months (no secret product development here). Hold onto your hats now - we're about to talk some very large Megapixels! On the cards are three digital backs - the P45, P30 and P21. Phase One P45 Digital Back - 'The P45 does though have a 39 Megapixel (usable) chip, making it the highest resolution single-shot...
More »
A recent study by Info Trends (see press release below) has shown that the North American digital camera market is continuing to grow with 22.2 million cameras being shipped in 2004. The market is continuing to grow in 2005 with an expected sales level of 26 million cameras and a predicted 28 million in 2006. After this point sales are expected to decline as the market becomes saturated. The DSLR is one market that should continue to grow beyond...
More »
Canon Japan have put together a website for DSLR users who want to learn how to get the best out of their new cameras called Enjoy! Digital SLR camera. Of course this is a Canon Promotional tool which highlights there own models - but a quick peruse of the site reveals information that would be helpful for Nikon, Pentax and other DSLR users also. ...
More »
Kodak have this week announced their intention to get into the manufacturing of CMOS image sensors in a partnership with IBM. Kodak Press Release Company Delivers New Products, Forms New Alliances to Advance Imaging Capabilities for Camera Phones and Digital Cameras Eastman Kodak Company reached another milestone in its digital growth strategy with the announcement of innovative new image sensors for mass-market products such as camera phones and digital still cameras. The company also announced important new alliances that...
More »
BenQ Press Release BenQ Releases DC E510 Digital Camera Europe, May 31, 2005 – BenQ has released a digital camera aimed at users that require both quality and fun in one package. The DC E510 features a 5 megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom, and an oversized 2” LTPS touch screen with innovative “tap to enlarge” and creative photo frame and stamp options. “The DC E510 adds a dimension of fun to BenQ’s digital camera line,” commented Peter Chen, BenQ...
More »
'Olympus Corp., the world's fourth- largest seller of digital cameras, plans to cut production costs for digital cameras by 30 percent or more as it tries to keep pace with falling prices and cooling demand for the devices. ``The cost cuts will have to stay ahead of the expected 15 to 20 percent decline in digital camera prices this year,'' Olympus President Tsuyoshi Kikukawa said in an interview broadcast today. Olympus, which last month reported its first-ever annual loss,...
More »
Samsung have officially launched the SLR Style Samsung Digimax Pro 815. The Pro 815 is an 8 megapixel camera with 15x zoom and 3.5 inch LCD. Read more about the Samsung Digimax Pro 815 in the following news release. Compare prices on the Samsung Digimax Pro 815 and get the Latest Price on the Samsung Digimax Pro 815 at Amazon. Samsung Digimax Pro 815 News Release Samsung Camera releases the best-in-class 8 megapixel digital camera - Pro815 Samsung Camera...
More »
Microsoft News Release: Microsoft and Imaging Industry Leaders Unveil Support for Digital Camera RAW in Windows Adobe, Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon are working with Microsoft to provide seamless digital camera RAW support in Windows. Microsoft Corp., together with leading companies in the digital imaging industry, today announced enhancements to the family of Windows® operating systems that will enable consumers to easily work with RAW files in current and future versions of Windows. Working closely with digital imaging industry leaders including...
More »
Imaging Resource announces that Kodak have discontinued the SLR/n, SLR/c with warranties, support and software upgrades continuing until 2008: 'The announcement was made to dealers to give them time to plan for demand fluctuations as necessary. Current list price for both bodies is $4,195, though many retailers are already selling both models for less. The 14 megapixel SLR/c and SLR/n originally retailed for $4,995, and were so named for their use of either Canon or Nikon lens mounts. Kodak...
More »
'Digital images featuring someone in mid-blink could be banished forever using an image-analysis system for cameras developed in Japan. Masahide Kaneko and colleagues at the University of Electro-Communications, on the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan, developed the system, which can even eliminate blinking from group photographs, they say. Digital cameras can cause people to inadvertently blink at the vital moment by emitting several pre-photo flashes. These are meant to prevent red eye by making the subject's irises contract, but they...
More »
'Yahoo on Wednesday introduced its new PhotoMail feature, a free Yahoo! Mail add-on designed to give users an easier way to share photos via e-mail. “We also know from listening to our consumers it is still too difficult [to send photos through e-mail],” said Andy Spillane, vice president of Yahoo Mail. “The idea of being able to locate photos, figuring out how to attach them, [and] worrying about if they're too large to be sent [or] too large to...
More »
Australian newspaper - The Age - reports that Pentax have announced 300 job cuts as a result of falls in prices for photo technology: 'The Japanese company said on Tuesday the job cuts, to be carried out by March 2007, would save it ¥184.7 million ($A2.23 million) as part of a total cost-cutting plan that will save ¥617 million. The company had 5244 workers on its payroll at the end of September 2004. Faced with a sharper than expected...
More »
'Eastman Kodak will delay shipment of its highly anticipated EasyShare One digital camera to October, a newspaper report said Tuesday. The camera features a large liquid-crystal-display screen and the unique ability to wirelessly transmit pictures to WiFi local area networks, the Wall Street Journal reported. According to the newspaper, it was introduced in January at the Consumer Electronics Show where it won awards for innovation. A Kodak (down $0.47 to $26.73, Research) spokesman would not tell the paper why...
More »
Scientists from Université Laval’s Faculty of Sciences and Engineering have invented a lens five times thinner than a sheet of paper that is able to zoom in and out without mechanical parts. Tigran Galstian and Vladimir Presnyakov present this amazing piece of optical instrumentation in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Physics. “There are several possible applications for such a lens. We believe one of its most promising developments could be in camera-embedded cell phones,” says Galstian. “Our...
More »
'Casio Computer Co. plans to increase world shipments of digital cameras roughly 20 per cent in fiscal 2005 to about 5 million units. The company plans to cultivate foreign markets, including those in Asia and the U.S. Casio will aim for consolidated sales from digital camera operations of 115 billion yen (US$1.1 billion) for a 15 per cent increase from fiscal 2004. The company plans to introduce about nine new camera models in fiscal 2005, in line with the...
More »
Leica have posted a letter (pdf) on their website informing the public that the Digital-Modul-R will be delayed. The Digital-Modul-R was expected to be released in the next week but Leica writes: 'In producing the high standards of quality our customers expect of us, we make no compromises. However, this forces us to further postpone the first deliveries of series- produced models which were scheduled for May. The new delivery date will be communicated at the end of May....
More »
'Photography company Eastman Kodak Co. is expected to introduce consumer inkjet printers next year and could challenge entrenched makers such as Lexmark International Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co.(HPQ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , industry analysts said on Tuesday. Kodak executives have offered few details about inkjet printers since it mentioned the devices when it announced in September 2003 dramatic plans to shift its focus to digital photography and imaging services and away from traditional cameras and film. Photo-quality consumer inkjet printers...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Co., which shipped more digital cameras in the United States in 2004 than any of its Japanese rivals, retained its edge in the first quarter, a market research firm said Monday. Kodak shipped 900,000 point-shoot digital cameras to domestic retailers in the January-to-March quarter - 41 per cent more than in the first quarter of 2004 - and its market share rose to 20.4 per cent from 18.1 per cent a year ago, according to IDC, based...
More »
'Japan's Olympus Corp. said on Tuesday it will cut 4,000 jobs, or about 30 percent of the work force in its loss-making camera division, as part of a restructuring aimed at returning the world's fourth-biggest digital camera maker to profitability. Olympus, which on Monday recorded its first ever consolidated net loss after struggling with intense price competition in the digital camera market, said most of the job losses would be at two camera factories in China. It expects the...
More »
Check out the interview just published at Engadget with head of Nikon's DSLR systems - Steve Heiner. In the interview they ask about how Nikon 'is faring in the transition to a digital world, its new line of D70S and D50 cameras, and the hullabaloo about Nikon’s encrypting white balance metadata in RAW image files in some of its cameras. Or at least he tried. Heiner, an accomplished photographer, spoke from Nikon’s headquarters in Melville, NY, with two media...
More »
'European Union regulators on Wednesday cleared the proposed acquisition by Eastman Kodak Co. of Canada's Creo Inc., the world's biggest maker of printer software. The European Commission said the transaction would not significantly impede competition in European markets. Kodak said in January it would buy Vancouver-based Creo for $980 million.' Read more at Kodak Acquisition of Creo Gets Approval ...
More »
'The digital camera industry has reached maturity early, and the heady growth rates will slow, according to a report. Shipments will be strong in the next couple years but will slow and then dip over the long term, research firm IDC forecast in a report Thursday. Indications are that the market will peak prematurely, missing the opportunity to replace film cameras as the predominant method of taking photos--instead the market will be made up of a more diverse range...
More »
Photo Marketing's News page reports that Canon have reported 2005 first quarter sales were up 5.7% in comparison to 2004's first quarter. 'Toshizo Tanaka, senior managing director and group executive for Finance and Accounting, said the increase in net sales was due to strong sales of color copying machines and color laser beam printers as demand for office color has increased, and stable sales of digital cameras. Tanaka added, “Although a difficult environment is expected in the second quarter...
More »
Tipa Europe have announced their Annual Best Digital Camera Awards. The Winners include: - Canon EOS 350D: Best Digital SLR Entry Level - Fuji S3 Pro: Best Digital SLR Midrange - Canon EOS-1DS Mk II Best Digital SLR Professional - Sony Cybershot T7: Best Digital Ultra Compact - Nikon Coolpix 7900: Best Digital Compact - Panasonic DMC-FZ20: Best Digital Superzoom - Epson R-D1 - Best Prestige Camera - Epson Perfection 4990 Photo - Best Flatbed Scanner - HP Photosmart...
More »
According to Lyra Research's 2004 U.S. Digital Photography Survey, more than 20 percent of women surveyed use a Kodak digital camera, while only 10 percent of men made Kodak their brand of choice. Men appear to prefer Canon digital cameras, with almost 17 percent of male respondents using that brand. “The explanation is that women in general are less comfortable with technology and therefore are more attracted to trusted brands,” says Charles LeCompte, president of Lyra and director of...
More »
We've had word from a number of sources that today is the day - announcements from Nikon regarding the Nikon D70S DSLR and Nikon D50 DSLR will be made in the next few hours. Stay tuned for full press releases, photos and information as the come to hand....
More »
Adobe Press Release: Combined Company to Deliver Industry-Defining Technology Platform for Rich, Interactive Content Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Macromedia in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $3.4 billion. The combination of Adobe and Macromedia will provide customers a more powerful set of solutions for creating, managing and delivering compelling content and experiences across multiple operating systems, devices and media. Together, the two companies will meet a wider set of customer needs and have...
More »
Imaging Resource announces that the Polaroid x530 recalled in the UK: 'We just received an email from an anonymous reader telling us that the Polaroid x530 digital camera has been recalled in the United Kingdom. Although sold under the Polaroid brand, the x530 is actually manufactured by Hong Kong-based World Wide Licenses Ltd (WWL). During Polaroid's bankruptcy proceedings in 2002, the company gave WWL an exclusive license to sell Polaroid-branded digital cameras. Amongst a number of cameras WWL sells...
More »
'Canon took a slim lead last year in digital camera sales, according to research company IDC, thanks to booming demand for high-end models. IDC tallied Canon with worldwide shipments of 12.63 million cameras, 17.1 percent of the market. Sony came in second with 12.32 million, or 16.7 percent, and Kodak was third, with 8.71 million, or 11.8 percent. Overall shipments were 74 million units. Those figures include both point-and-shoot cameras and more complex single-lens reflex, or SLR, models, the...
More »
The following news release came out today announcing the end of the Contax brand of cameras. Kyocera News Release: Kyocera Corporation has decided to terminate CONTAX-branded camera business. Although Carl Zeiss and Kyocera have entered into a long term co-operation regarding the development, production and sale of CONTAX-branded cameras, Kyocera has decided to terminate such business due to difficulties in catching up with the recent rapid market changes. Consequently, Kyocera will terminate the shipment of CONTAX-branded cameras, and the...
More »
Nikon News Release: Following recent speculation, Nikon UK is pleased to confirm the launch of two new digital SLR cameras to be launched towards the end of April 2005. Both cameras have been designed to meet the requirements of the entry-level digital SLR user. The first will position itself as successor to the Nikon D70, offering an upgraded version to this highly commended D-SLR. The camera will incorporate the latest in Nikon technology, whilst retaining the functionality and quality...
More »
We've had a few unconfirmed reports today that Nikon's new DSLRs, the Nikon D70s and the Nikon D50 will be released on or close to 15 April. This comes through European and US sources. So Nikon DSLR fans may only have a week to wait for more news on what they will Nikon on offer. {News} By the way - sorry for the scarcity of posts the past few days - I'm on the road and travelling for business...
More »
DP Now gives a good preview review of the new Adobe Photoshop CS2 and writes - 'We have been evaluating beta versions of Mac and Windows editons of Adobe Creative Suite 2 over the last few weeks. It could be the best part of two months (end of May) before the CS2 starts to ship and our beta software was distributed in late February, so there could be some detail changes made before the final version ships. Nevertheless, there...
More »
Kodak Australia News Release: Kodak Australasia has supplemented its award-winning line of EasyShare printer docks, announcing the first model to support the IMAGELINK print system. The latest EasyShare Printer Dock Series 3 makes one-touch printing possible from multiple brands of digital cameras. Consumers are now home-printing more digital photos than ever before, with one printer dock purchased for every three digital cameras sold. Kodak dominates this market as verified by its 85 per cent lead (in the dedicated photo...
More »
Adobe News Release: All-New Adobe Stock Photos Service Gives Access to Top Image Libraries More Than 230,000 Royalty-Free Images Available for Purchase Directly Within Adobe Creative Suite 2 Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Stock Photos, a new stock photography service that offers designers one-stop shopping for high-quality, royalty-free images for layout and design. Adobe Stock Photos is available in Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium and Standard Editions, Adobe Photoshop CS2, Adobe InDesign CS2, Adobe Illustrator CS2 and Adobe...
More »
Here's a snippet from another article on the transition from film to digital photography: 'As the digital revolution sidelines film, the photo industry is having to rely more heavily on high-margin services and supplies — inks, chemicals, paper — that go into making prints. Yet the picture is not quite as it seems. While there’s no hint of a falloff in the desire of Americans to freeze-frame the world around them, the overall number of images converted into prints...
More »
Recent reports like the one following indicate that Olympus and Matsushita (who make Panasonic cameras) are working together on DSLR technology based on the four thirds standard. Read about it at Matsushita Electric Challenges Leaders in SLR Cameras and the following: 'Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Olympus Corp. said on Thursday they will jointly develop technologies and devices for digital SLR cameras, a high-end segment of the market poised for strong growth. The Japanese companies will work together to...
More »
Macworld has received confirmation from Nikon that they will release a new range of DSLRs including the Nikon D50 that we mentioned yesterday. They write: 'Word of the D50's impending launch first emerged when it was discovered that a copy of the user's manual for the camera had recently been uploaded in error onto one of the company's Web sites. The manual was soon taken down. “The user manual was uploaded in error and we can't tell you when...
More »
Yahoo News has an interview with Casio President John Clough who answers the question about whether they will be developing a DSLR by saying: '“We are not trying to invade the Digital SLR space and we are not trying to be the lowest price out there with the highest number of megapixels. We are trying to go after the consumer value -- value not defined as lowest price, but benefits we bring that are real benefits given the price.”...
More »
Toshiba today have announced a new battery development that will make those overnight battery charging sessions that we all do a thing of the past - instead you could have your batter charged in minutes! 'Toshiba Corporation today announced a breakthrough in lithium-ion batteries that makes long recharge times a thing of the past. The company's new battery can recharge 80% of a battery's energy capacity in only one minute, approximately 60 times faster than the typical lithium-ion batteries...
More »
ABC News has a good article examining how Digital Camera are changing the photographic industry: 'Photo labs used to have a few main business categories — film processing, selling cameras and accessories, and selling consumables such as film, Delios said. Processing typically comprised 40 percent to 50 percent of their sales, he said, but digital cameras have drastically cut the demand. Combined with increased competition from large retailers like Wal-Mart and Walgreens, the advent of digital cameras and their...
More »
Konica Minolta USA Press Release KONICA MINOLTA ANNOUNCES CONSUMER MAIL-IN REBATES Rebates available for DiMAGE Z2, DiMAGE Z3 and Maxxum 7D digital cameras Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc. announces new consumer mail-in rebates for the purchase of a DiMAGE Z2, DiMAGE Z3 or Maxxum 7D digital camera. Available now until June 30, 2005, consumers that purchase a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 or DiMAGE Z3 digital camera are eligible for a $50 rebate. In addition, consumers that purchase a...
More »
PRESS RELEASE: California Jury Orders Toshiba to Pay an Additional $84 Million in Punitive Damages to Lexar Media, Inc. Total Damages of $465 Million, The Largest IP Verdict in California History Fremont, CA, March 24, 2005 -- The day after finding Toshiba Corporation (JP:6502) and Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. liable for $381.4 million in damages for breach of fiduciary duty and theft of trade secrets in Lexar Media, Inc. v. Toshiba Corporation, a San Jose jury awarded Lexar...
More »
Kris Krug writes a good post on Digital Vs. Film Photography - Top 10 Digital Photography Myths here's his first one: '“Myth 1: A digital photo is inferior to film. Reality: Many of the first digital cameras, even the professional models, produced grainy, off-color images. Now, the better digital cameras, in all price ranges, offer photo quality that is at least on par with film. The best digital cameras often exceed the capabilities of film. Color, sharpness, lack of...
More »
Zoran Press Release Zoran Corporation announced that its COACH 7 digital camera processor is powering Samsung's new Digimax V700 and Digimax U-CA 5 high quality, high performance digital camera models displayed recently at the Photo Marketing Association tradeshow in Orlando, Florida. The new Digimax V700 delivers 7.1 megapixel high resolution images with enough high quality detail to print poster size. It comes with a 30x (3x optical, 10x digital) zoom with world renowned Schneider lens, high-speed shot capture and...
More »
HP News Release: Acquisition Enables HP to Provide Consumers with More Choice for Sharing, Storing, Printing Photos; Broadens HP's Position in the Digital Photography Market HP today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Snapfish, a leading online photo service. Snapfish's expertise in online photo services, coupled with HP's worldwide customer reach, will rapidly enhance HP's ability to capitalize on the growing market for online photo printing. Snapfish offers high-quality photo products and services. These include...
More »
We can't wait til devices like this prototype from IBM go into real production! 'IBM tantalized chip aficionados at CeBit here last week with a storage device that it says can achieve data densities of more than 1 terabit per square inch.... “A single Millipede can hold 600,000 digital camera images on something the size of a postage stamp, which is quite exciting,” said an IBM spokesman. “I think this represents a new and realistic way to store huge...
More »
FlickrBlog confirms the rumors that everyone has been talking about recently - Yahoo! has bought Flickr: 'Holy smokes, SOMEBODY out there is bad at keeping secrets!! Yes! We can finally confirm that Yahoo has made a definitive agreement to acquire Flickr and us, Ludicorp. Smack the tattlers and pop the champagne corks! Woohoo! What does this mean? It means that we'll no longer have to draw straws to see who gets paid, schedule conjugal visits between trips to the...
More »
Reuters has a good interview with Canon Europe's Chief of Consumer Imaging - Mogens Jensen on their Digital Camera Strategy with the slowing of the industry. 'Last year saw digital camera sales in Western Europe increase 58 percent to just over 25 million units, but while that growth may slow to 25 to 30 percent amid continued price pressure, the market for more advanced digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras will double by the end of 2006. “This year...
More »
Konica Minolta Holdings Inc said it has lowered its full-year to March 2005 earnings and revenue forecasts, citing severe price competition among makers of digital cameras and a delay in introducing new products in its information equipment business. The company now sees year to March net profit of 7 bln yen, current profit of 55 bln and revenue of 1.06 trln yen, down from net profit of 25 bln yen, current profit of 70 bln yen and revenue of...
More »
Nikon today announce that their 4.1 megapixel D2Hs DSLR will be on sale from 25 March for a price of £2,499.99 / €3733.00. In their news release they write: 'Capable of shooting at 8 fps for a continuous burst of up to 50 images at 4.1 effective megapixels, the D2Hs inherits the best of its predecessors while also benefiting from new technologies and feedback from advances made in developing the recently announced D2X digital SLR for professionals. This impressive...
More »
I've just had word via an Australian reseller of Konica Minolta prodicts that the the next few days there is a significant price reduction coming on the Konica Minolta 7D. They are talking reductions in the vicinity of $600 - $700 ($AU) (which converts to around $460 - $540 US$). The advice he gave was to 'hold off' on making a purchase of the 7D for a week or so....
More »
Yesterday Pentax announced their new 645 Digital Medium format camera with an 18 megapixel sensor from Kodak. Today Kodak have released a press release that gives a bit more information on the sensor being used - the KAF-18000CE. Kodak News Release: New 18 Megapixel Image Sensor Expands Kodak’s Portfolio for Medium-Format Markets Pentax Selects New KODAK KAF-18000CE for Upcoming 645 Digital Camera Eastman Kodak Company once again is leading the market by providing technology that allows professional photographers to...
More »
Sony Ericsson's new ROB-1 would have to be one of the oddest releases by Sony this year. Its a remote controlled camera that can move around freely, controlled by your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. The ROB-1 beams back streaming images so that you can see what you're looking at. One has to wonder what the point is - and also how many ways that such a device will end up being abused when put in the hands of those...
More »
Sony Ericsson have announced the ICD-CX50 digital voice recorder - which not only records sound but images with a 1.2 megapixel CCD digital camera. It has a 4x digital zoom and 256 megabytes of flash memory for storage. Connectivity is USB 2.0 for high speed transfer. Sony Ericsson News Release: Busy business professionals and students inundated with deadlines will lighten their workload with the newest selection of portable recording devices in Sony Electronic' 2005 line of voice recorders. Those...
More »
Kodak Press Release: Kodak Introduces Free Professional Plug-In Actions for ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS Software Users, and Updates DIGITAL SHO Professional Plug-In to Support 16-bit Images Eastman Kodak Company today introduced new Actions for its professional suite of image correction and enhancement plug-ins that work in Adobe Photoshop CS Software. The Actions expand automatic image correction capabilities by optimizing the plug-ins for creating unique effects and more beautiful pictures. The Actions require Adobe PHOTOSHOP CS Software and the professional versions...
More »
'Adobe Systems Inc. on Tuesday announced that Hasselblad and Leica Camera AG have committed to support Adobe's Digital Negative (DNG) specification. Hasselblad will allow export to the DNG format and Leica plans to include native support in their new camera models.' Read more at Hasselblad, Leica to support Adobe DNG spec ...
More »
'Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)* today announced the availability of a new 2-megapixel CMOS image sensor chip targeted at high-end camera-enabled mobile handset applications, including Smartphones. Designated ET8EA3-AS, the new chip has a small 3.3 micron (um) x 3.3um pixel size with a 1/2.7-inch optical format and incorporates an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. TAEC will be showing working samples at the Embedded Systems Conference here this week.' Read more at Toshiba Expands CMOS Image Sensor Product Lineup With 2-Megapixel...
More »
Digital Photography Review reports that Kyocera are planning to end digital and film camera production. They write: 'Sources at Kyocera have confirmed that the company is to cease production of film and digital cameras, putting a huge question mark over the future of one of the oldest brands in photography, Contax. Contax cameras have been produced since the early 1930's, when the brand was launched by German optical legend Zeiss Ikon. Contax joined forces with Japanese manufacturer Yashica in...
More »
'Digital camera sales in South Korea are predicted to increase 29 percent this year, compared with 59 percent growth in 2004, in an early sign of a possible end to strong growth for the product, a market research firm reported Monday. Seoul-based Gfk Marketing Services Korea Ltd. said domestic sales for digital camera will probably total 1.78 million units in 2005. Last year, 1.4 million digital cameras were sold, it said. The growth in digital camera sales will further...
More »
'Digital still camera shipments surpassed 63m units worldwide in 2004, up more than 35% on 2003, and should pass 100 million units in 2008, according to the annual report and forecast from US-based Lyra Research. In 2004, Europe overtook the US for the first time as the largest market in terms of unit shipments, with Japan still third. The forecast is issued to coincide with the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) show in Orlando, FL. As in 2003, sales in...
More »
Hitachi Press Release: Hitachi Ramps 6-Gigabyte Microdrive to High Volume; Company Sweetens Arrival of Higher-Capacity One-Inch Hard Drive with Significant Price Reduction Users of miniature MP3 players and other storage-demanding handheld consumer electronics can rejoice today as Hitachi Global Storage Technologies begins shipping its 6 gigabyte(a) (GB) one-inch hard drive in high volume. As the leader in one-inch hard drives, Hitachi is raising the stakes by making available the new Microdrive 3K6 with a suggested retail price reduction of...
More »
Seagate Press Release: Seagate Ships 6GB 1-Inch Hard Drive, Highest Capacity in the Industry ST1 Series Now the Most Widely Adopted 1-Inch Hard Drive for Handheld Music Players Seagate, the world’s leading maker of consumer electronics hard drives, announced today it is shipping the industry’s highest capacity 1-inch hard drive, a new 6GB model of its popular 1-inch ST1 Series hard drive for handheld applications. Seagate began shipping this industry-leading 6GB drive in December 2004. The 6GB Seagate ST1...
More »
Lyra Research Press Release: Lyra Research Projects Worldwide Digital Camera Shipments Will Exceed 100 Million Units in 2008 In 2004 Europe surpassed the United States in unit shipments Coinciding with this year’s Photo Marketing Association (PMA) show in Orlando, FL, Lyra Research’s Digital Photography Advisory Service has issued its worldwide digital camera forecast. Digital still camera shipments surpassed 63 million units worldwide in 2004, up more than 35 percent compared with 2003. Worldwide digital still camera shipments will surpass...
More »
The Mamiya ZD is coming. Mamiya today announced it will be released during the summer (northern hemisphere) of 2005 and should retail for around £8000 (around US$12500) for the camera body and the £7.500 (around US$11900) for the ZD back. Press Release: Mamiya are pleased to announce that initial production tests of the ZD camera have been successful. To ensure that the camera meets the high demands and requirements of the professional photographer there are significant field tests now taking...
More »
PhotographyBLOG has the news that Leica are in financial trouble. Mark points to this statement from Leica: 'Following the ad hoc announcement of Leica Camera AG, Solms, of February 17, 2005, stating that the Company expects a loss of half of its registered share capital in March 2005, the banks have partially terminated their credit lines. The remaining lines still cover the current liquidity requirements. The Company’s Board of Management has entered into negotiations with the banks on a...
More »
Corel Press Release: Corel Expands Camera Raw Support with RawShooter essentials 2005 from Pixmantec Free Software Automates Batch Downloads, Saving Photographers Time and Money While Providing Maximum Control Over Digital Images Corel Corporation announced that, starting today, it will offer RawShooter essentials 2005 as a free download from its website at http://www.corel.com/downloads. Developed by Denmark-based Pixmantec, RawShooter essentials 2005 enables photographers to automatically import and convert large batches of camera RAW images, saving them time and money with powerful,...
More »
Omnivision News Release: Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OVTI), one of the world's leading suppliers of CMOS image sensors, reported today that its OV5610 5-megapixel camera chip has achieved eight design wins in the digital still camera (DSC) and video camera markets. These design wins represent the first uses of a 5-megapixel CMOS image sensor to process both still and video images in mass market consumer devices. The market introduction of the OV5610 last September marked the industry's first high-end CMOS sensor...
More »
Panasonic Press Release: Today from the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) 2005 Annual Convention & Tradeshow, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company announced an alliance with Shutterfly, a leading online photo service provider, to provide an online photo center for consumers. Beginning in March, Panasonic customers can take full advantage of Shutterfly’s award-winning products and services at the Panasonic Photo Center, created and managed by Shutterfly. This reflects a broadening of the alliance between the companies, who both provide consumers with high-quality...
More »
Olympus News Release: Olympus Announces The World’s Fastest Fixed Aperture Zoom Lenses Ever Designed For Digital Photography Two Lenses Deliver an Unprecedented f2.0 Aperture through Entire Zoom Range, Third Lens Delivers Amazing f2.8 Aperture Over its 90-250mm (180-500mm) Range Melville, New York, February 17, 2005 – Olympus today announces the breakthrough development of the world’s fastest “Designed for Digital” interchangeable fixed-aperture wide zoom lenses. Designed for use with Olympus E-System digital SLR cameras, including the E-1 and EVOLT E-300,...
More »
Today Nikon updated its Coolpix range with the release of 5 new cameras, the Nikon Coolpix 4600, Nikon Coolpis 5600, Nikon Coolpix 5900, Nikon Coolpix 7600 and Nikon Coolpix 7900. One of the interesting selling points of these digital cameras is the new inbuilt editing and sensing capabilities including Red Eye Reduction (which detects and fixes red eyes in camera), 'D-Lighting' (which in playback mode detect underexposed parts of the image and enhances them) and 'Face Priority AF Function' which...
More »
Agfa News Release: AgfaPhoto launches storage media for digital cameras Orlando, February 14, 2005 – At PMA 2005, AgfaPhoto is demonstrating a key element in its strategy for leveraging the boom in digital photography, and introduced a diverse family of flash memory cards for digital cameras called “Digital Film”. “Our new Digital Film offerings are the latest step in our evolution as a leader in the worldwide digital photography marketplace,” said Bing Liem, President and CEO, AgfaPhoto North America....
More »
Kodak/Lexar News Release: miniSD, Reduced Size MMC (RS-MMC), MMCmobile Formats Make It Easy to Print, Share, and Store Pictures Anytime, Anywhere Eastman Kodak Company and Lexar Media, Inc. today announced the further expansion of the KODAK flash memory card line to include popular formats for mobile devices including mobile camera phones and PDAs. “Generations of people have trusted Kodak to help them take and preserve pictures. Our introduction of the new KODAK memory cards is yet another way of...
More »
'The photography industry expects U.S. digital camera sales growth to slow to about 13 percent this year, as the market matures after growing at a breakneck pace for almost a decade, according to a report released on Thursday. Unit sales of digital cameras, which use no traditional film and record images on a memory chip, will rise to 20.5 million this year from an estimated 18.2 million in 2004, industry trade group Photo Marketing Association said in its annual...
More »
CNET has an interesting article on the latest developments in digital camera chips. 'Digital photography could become one of the next big opportunities for the chip industry, at least according to companies that want to bring PC-style economics to the camera industry. Their goal: Become the Intel, or at least the Advanced Micro Devices, of photography. “We're fighting the processor wars all over again,” said Gary Baum, senior vice president of NuCore Technology, which makes the CleanCapture image processors...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Co. overtook Sony Corp. in digital camera shipments in the United States in 2004, research firm International Digital Corp. said Wednesday. Kodak boosted digital camera shipments 66.0 percent from the previous year to 4.88 million units, expanding its U.S. market share 4.0 percentage points to 21.9 percent, IDC said. Sony, which had long remained the front runner, also increased shipments 21.5 percent to 4.33 million units, but its market share fell 2.3 points to 19.4 percent, it...
More »
Tokyo's Camera and Imaging Products Assoc forcasts that global digital camera shipments will increase by 20.8% (not 20.7% or 20.9%...) in 2005. 'According to the CIPA report, digital camera shipments in 2005 are expected to grow 20.8% from the previous year to 72.2 million units. Digicam shipments are expected to continue to increase, but the growth rate is projected to drop by about 17 points, compared to 2004. Global shipments of digital cameras in 2004 rose 37.7% to 59.77...
More »
'China's digital camera (DC) market,dominated by low and medium-end home-made products, has felt little impact after the country removed all tariffs on imported DCs and DC parts a month ago, Thursday's China Daily reported. “The zero tariff rate, on the whole, has not affected our pricing,” said a distributor who declined to be named in Zhongguancun Hailong Building, well-known for selling digital products in Beijing. Honoring its commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China further cut tariffs on...
More »
Company Leads in U.S. Digital Camera, Snapshot Printer, Photo Kiosk, and Online Picture Sharing Markets -- Accomplishments Buoyed by Global Attention Surrounding Forthcoming KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE Digital Camera Continuing to demonstrate strong results against its digital strategy, Eastman Kodak Company now has the market lead in four major United States consumer digital photography segments: digital cameras, snapshot photo printers, retail photo kiosks, and online picture sharing sites. -- Market research firm IDC, in its full-year 2004 digital still camera study*...
More »
According to Leading Industry Data Source; Canon’s PowerShot and EOS Digital Cameras Capture the Overall #1 Brand Ranking from The NPD Group America has spoken, and it has chosen Canon as the leading brand for digital cameras in 2004, according to recently released retail sales data from The NPD Group, one of the leading providers of retail market information. The NPD Group reports that the Canon brand captured the number one position in Total Digital Camera Sales in 2004,...
More »
Whilst Sanyo and Sony are downgrading their projected earnings Canon seems to be going from strength to stregth reporting a record year for the fifth year in a row. 'Canon Inc. posted a 17 percent rise in quarterly operating profit on Friday due to strong sales of colour copiers, laser printers and digital cameras and forecast record earnings for a fifth straight year. Earnings at Canon have been driven by a business switch from monochrome to more profitable colour...
More »
FocusU is a new online photo sharing service that is currently offering free membership to their first 200 customers. Some of their features include: Upload multiple photos at once Fast and reliable network infrastructure Personal reminder system Images can be rated by you and other users Add an album to a list of favourites Quickly and easily tell friends about your album Customise the look and feel of your photo album Manipulate and add effects to images Make photo...
More »
Reuters reports that Sony have lowered their estimated earnings for this business year: 'Sony Corp. lowered its forecast on Thursday for digital camera sales in the business year to March 31 to 14 million units, compared with its previous estimate of 15 million.' Read more at Sony cuts digital camera sales target for 04/05 Similarly Forbes is reporting that Sanyo is expected to lower its projections for the production of digital cameras in the months ahead: 'Japan's Sanyo Electric...
More »
SanDisk today Announced that they have posted record 4Q Operating Income and revenues ($549 million). Unit sales are also up 45% and Megabytes are up 110%. Gross Margin increases to 32% and Operating Margin is at 23%. They put the increases down to strong interest by the market in Digital Cameras, Mobile Handsets, Digital Audio Playeras and Flash Drives. Total revenue for fiscal 2004 was $1.8 billion, up 65% from $1.1 billion in 2003. Product revenues were $1.6 billion,...
More »
ConsumerReports.org has an excellent summary of some of the trends in digital cameras that we'll see in 2005 which they observed at the recent CES show in Las Vegas. Their main predictions are: More Camera for Less Money More megapixels for the buck More viewer on the back More big cameras in small packages New Ways to Connect and Print Wi-Fi downloading and sharing A new printer connection Multifunction Hardware Pictures and music Stills and video Read and expansion...
More »
There is a good article today in the New York Times about Kodak's business model in a changing photographic market: 'For decades, Eastman Kodak thrived on a classic business model: sell lots of cameras at low prices to chalk up outsize profits on the inks, chemicals and papers used for making prints. That strategy collapsed as the digital revolution and foreign competitors pretty much destroyed Kodak's longstanding control of the photography business. But now, with the success of its...
More »
PRESS RELEASE: Enhancements to KODAK PROSHOTS System Provides Broader Print-Ordering and Creative Options for Pro Photographers and Labs Greater Product Range, Overall Ease-of-Use Contribute to Improved Workflow ROCHESTER, January 25, 2005 ¾ Eastman Kodak Company today introduced new versions of KODAK PROSHOTS Studio Software Suite v6.3, KODAK PROSHOTS Basics Software v2.0 and KODAK PROSHOTS Online Services v7.0 that, via labs, will provide photographers with a broader range of templates for their print ordering process. Photographers will also have improved...
More »
EE Times writes - 'A Taiwanese technology consortium is putting the finishing touches on a new memory card format that it says is compatible with the popular Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard formats already in the market but offers speeds twice that of USB 2.0 at a cheaper price. The Taiwanese card format is dubbed M¼-Card, which stands for micro ¼ card, and it is backed by a handful of local card makers, system designers and IC design houses. Also...
More »
Google hae released their new version of Picasa - a photo organizing and sharing software. MSNBC picks up the story: 'Search engine leader Google Inc. released free software Tuesday for organizing and finding the hundreds or thousands of digital photos often stored on a computer's hard drive. Using technology developed by Picasa Inc., which Google bought last year, the new software will try to make keeping a photo collection and editing pictures simple even for beginners, said Lars Perkins,...
More »
Enhancements to KODAK PROSHOTS System Provides Broader Print-Ordering and Creative Options for Pro Photographers and Labs Greater Product Range, Overall Ease-of-Use Contribute to Improved Workflow NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 16—Eastman Kodak Company today introduced new versions of KODAK PROSHOTS Studio Software Suite v6.3, KODAK PROSHOTS Basics Software v2.0 and KODAK PROSHOTS Online Services v7.0 that, via labs, will provide photographers with a broader range of templates for their print ordering process. Photographers will also have improved tools for previewing and...
More »
There is a good article at NE Asia Online which focuses upon Sony's new CMOS sensor being used in Nikon's D2X. The signs are promising for this new sensor: 'Engineers at a range of camera-related manufacturers are very interested in the D2X, the top-of-the-line model single-lens reflex (SLR) digital camera to be released by Nikon Corp of Japan in January 2005, because it will use a new complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) solid-state imaging device manufactured by Sony (Fig 1)....
More »
PC World have a good article on the falling price of digital cameras and what you should expect for your money. 'A digital camera priced at between $200 and $300 should offer the following features (at a minimum): An optical zoom lens with a range equivalent to that of a 35-to-115mm lens in a film camera. Lens openings that range from f2.8 to f4.8, and shutter speeds of from 4 seconds to 1/2000 second Built-in flash An optical viewfinder...
More »
Press Release: Olympus and Panasonic Sign Joint Development Agreement for Interchangeable Lens Type Digital SLR Cameras Olympus Corporation (Olympus) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic) today announced the signing of a joint development agreement for interchangeable lens type digital SLR cameras based on the Four Thirds System standard. Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop technologies and devices, and promote the development of digital SLR cameras that maximize the extensive user benefits of...
More »
Kodak Press Release - Groundbreaking KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE Digital Camera Wins Two Prestigious Best-of-Show Awards at 2005 CES; Awarded CNET’s ‘Next Big Thing,’ G4techTV ‘Best of CES’ Honors for Digital Imaging ROCHESTER, N.Y. --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 10, 2005—Eastman Kodak Company’s continued innovation in the digital imaging industry secured best-of-show honors at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show, where the company won the event’s two highest-profile awards for digital imaging products. The first-of-its-kind KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE digital camera, created as much for sharing...
More »
PRESS RELEASE: Casio Honored With Three CES Innovations 2005 Design And Engineering Awards DOVER, NJ – November 10, 2004 – Casio, Inc., a leading innovator in digital cameras and timepieces, has been selected to receive CES Innovations 2005 Design and Engineering Awards for three of its products. Casio’s award-winning products include the EXILIM CARD EX-S100 and EXILIM PRO EX-P700 digital cameras, and the ANA-DIGI Atomic Solar G-Shock GW1200BA-1AV timepiece. These prestigious annual awards are announced each year in advance...
More »
Polaroid Holding Company and Petters Group Worldwide Press Release -- Transaction Will Drive Global Growth of Polaroid Branded Products in Imaging and Consumer Electronics -- -- Shareholders of Polaroid Holding Company Common Stock to Receive $12.08 Per Share in Transaction Valued at $426 Million -- -- One Equity Partners Agrees to Vote its Shares in Favor of Transaction— WALTHAM, Mass., and MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Polaroid Holding Company and Petters Group Worldwide today announced that they have reached an agreement...
More »
At CES today Casio USA announced the US release of the Casio QV-R62 digital camera (previously announced in other parts of the world). Get the Latest Price on the Casio QV-R62 Casio Press Release: CASIO ANNOUNCES NEW QV-R SERIES DIGITAL CAMERA FEATURING 6 MEGAPIXEL CCD EXILIM Engine and Large 2.0-inch LCD Screen in a Compact Body Casio, Inc, in conjunction with it’s parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today, at the 2005 International CES Show, the QV-R62, a...
More »
Casio today showcased the previously released (in Asia and Europe) Casio Exilim Pro EX-P700 for the US market. VegasCasio Press Release: CASIO SHOWCASES THE 7 MEGAPIXEL EXILIM PRO EX-P700 WITH 4X OPTICAL ZOOM New Top-of-the-Line EXILIM Model Offers Enthusiasts And Casual Picture-Takers Superior Portability, High-Resolution, and High-Speed Shooting Casio, Inc., in conjunction with its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, a leading innovator in digital cameras will be showcasing the EXILIM PRO EX-P700, the latest addition to...
More »
PentaWare Press Release Simplifying the Management of Digital Images PentaWare, Inc., announced today the release of PentaSuite DigiPhoto, a program designed to meet the needs of the growing popularity of digital photography. PentaSuite DigiPhoto packs in all the powerful and necessary imaging tools needed to create a user-friendly program for all digital camera enthusiasts, home users, professional photographers and graphic artists. Many of the new digital devices are causing systems to be overrun with files that hinder the computer’s...
More »
CASIO PRESS RELEASE: CASIO TO SHOWCASE AWARD-WINNING EXILIM DIGITAL CAMERAS AT 2005 INTERNATIONAL CES SHOW Casio’s EXILIM EX-S100, EX-Z50, and EX-Z55 Offer State-of-the-Art Technology, High-Speed Performance, Elegant Compact Design, and Long Battery Operation LAS VEGAS, NV January 6, 2005 – Casio, Inc., in conjunction with its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, a leading innovator in digital cameras will showcase its award-winning EXILIM digital camera line at CES 2005 in Las Vegas, January 6-9, 2005. Casio’s EXILIM...
More »
CBS Market Watch is predicting another good year in 2005 for Sony and Canon in terms of digital camera sales: 'Sony Corp. and Canon Inc. will increase global digital camera shipments by 20 to 30 percent this year to develop markets in Europe and the United States, according to a published report Thursday. Sony's global shipments in the fiscal year ending in March 2005 are estimated to reach about 15 million units, up 50 percent from the previous year,...
More »
Sony News Release - Sony Announces 5 New miniDV Camcorders Sony DCR-HC42E and Sony DCR-HC39E One step ahead, the Sony DCR-HC42E (DCRHC42E) and Sony DCR-HC39E (DCRHC39E) Compact DV camcorders use the full width of a 1megapixel CCD to always capture and playback your images in true 16:9 widescreen. A high picture quality for both movies and still images is guaranteed and true 16:9 movies can be played back to the full on a home theatre system. Sony DCR-HC19E, Sony...
More »
Kodak News Release: OFOTO Service Renamed KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery Change Reflects Continued Integration into the KODAK Family of Digital Photography Products; Service Will Maintain Complete Set of Products Eastman Kodak Company and its online photo service subsidiary, Ofoto, Inc., today announced that the service will change its name to KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery, effective March 31. This powerful new name builds on the success of the award-winning Ofoto service and provides new and exciting opportunities for integration within the KODAK...
More »
Kodak News Release: T-Mobile USA Enables KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE Digital Camera Owners to Share Pictures ‘On the Go’ at More than 5,000 T-Mobile HotSpot Locations Nationwide People Can Quickly and Conveniently Share Digital Pictures Directly from New Wi-Fi Enabled Camera LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 -- Eastman Kodak Company and T-Mobile USA Inc., which operates the largest carrier owned Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless broadband network in the United States, today announced an agreement to simplify online picture sharing using Wi-Fi outside of...
More »
IDC News Release: IDC expects positive growth in the consumer photofinishing market. Even though film usage will decline, the bright future of digital camera shipments will increase the number of images captured, shared and received, reveals a new IDC study. Digital camera images captured, shared and received worldwide will grow an average of 35% for 2003-2008. Digital cameras will continue to be the largest generator of digital images despite the greater forecasted proliferation of camera phones. Prints from digital...
More »
Seagate News Release - Highest Capacity and Best Value for Photography and Other CompactFlash Applications LAS VEGAS (CES), Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Seagate, the world's number-one consumer electronics hard drive designer, announced today at CES that the Seagate CompactFlash Photo Hard Drive, with a massive 5GB capacity, begins shipping next month into retail stores across the country. The first 5GB CompactFlash media storage card ever introduced, the Seagate CompactFlash Photo Hard Drive offers unparalleled capacities at cost-effective price points...
More »
Canon Press Release Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of the stylish and super-compact 1.33 Megapixel MVX350i, MVX330i and MVX300 digital video cameras. The MVX350i features a 20x optical zoom (400x combined), while the MVX330i and MVX300 both feature an 18x zoom (360x combined). Digital video cameras in the range incorporate high-resolution 16:9 mode, built in mini video light (MVX350i), digital still flash (MVX350i and MVX330i), Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS) and large...
More »
Canon Press Release Easy operation camcorders ideal for first time buyers Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of a new range of 800K pixel digital video cameras: the MV800 series. Designed to appeal to first time buyers looking for simplicity and quality, the MV850i, MV830i, MV830 and MV800 combine Canon’s easiest ever operation with uncompromising build quality and precision optics. A new ‘Easy’ button which puts the camcorder into full auto mode...
More »
Digital Cameras are big business. This article attempts to put some figures on just how big: 'Digital camera sales worldwide will reach $24 billion in 2004 and rise 29 percent to reach $31 billion in 2009, a research group said on Thursday. The top three regions for digital camera sales in the world in 2004 are Europe, the United States and Japan, according to a study by market research firm InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. The study said that sensor resolution, represented...
More »
Japan Today has a good Interview with Canon's President - Fujio Mitarai. There are a number of interesting comments: On Market Research he says: 'Market research doesn't help in developing products. Rather, market research gives us some idea how popular our products are among consumers. If we make products based on the results of market research, the products will be similar to those of other manufacturers. On whether the digital camera market is flooded. 'Sales of digital cameras more...
More »
FujiFilm have announced their slogan for CES 2005 - it is 'Fujifilm Means Digital'. Of course they like to say it a little nicer than a simple statement like that so if you want to know more check out the following press release from FujiFilm. FujiFilm Press Release - Fujifilm Drives Consumer Capture, Store, Print and Share Solutions; Under the Banner of `Fujifilm Means Digital,’ Fujifilm Showcases a Spectrum of Consumer Digital Technologies at CES 2005 VALHALLA, N.Y. --(Business...
More »
30 Minute Photos Etc. Press Release Kodak, Sony, Canon and all other Used Digital Camera Models Finding New Life and Bringing Military Families Closer Together Irvine, CA (PRWEB) January 3, 2005—“Operation Photo” collecting all used digital cameras nationwide so military families can share family photos as a tool for boosting morale and staying close during the New Year. Mitch Goldstone a well-known leader in the photo industry, is also recognized for his national grassroots campaigns, such as http://www.epiccusa.com ,...
More »
Nikon have just announced pricing and availability of their Nikon D2X for the US. The D2X will have a recommended price of $4995 and will be in stores on February 25, 2005. More information for US readers on the Nikon D2X can be obtained from the Nikon USA: D2X site. ...
More »
Thom has another great post aver at by thom on Nikon titled New Year Resolutions for Nikon. Nikon's 2004 was important for the company but the next year has potential for even more. '2005 is a very important year for Nikon. In the DSLR marketplace, Canon has stolen the professional thunder and re-established a dominant market share. Fortunately for Nikon, the D70 has held off the same thing from happening at the consumer end. In compact digital cameras, other...
More »
I just spotted this tidbit in an article at InfoWorld written about the upcoming CES (consumer electronics show) in Las Vegas. It seems that bloggers are not welcome: 'The CEA spent more time qualifying attendees this year to make sure everyone in attendance has a legitimate attachment to the consumer electronics industry, said Kristen Peiffer, a CEA spokeswoman. The show is not open to the general public, and the CEA does not allow the blogging community or other independent...
More »
Concord Press Release CONCORD CAMERA CORP. WINS AMERICAN PHOTO MAGAZINE’S EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 5 Megapixel Digital Camera Wins for the Most Pixels for the Price Hollywood, FL, December 29, 2004 - Concord Camera Corp. (“Concord”) (Nasdaq:LENSE), a leader in award-winning, high-quality, affordably-priced cameras, announced today that the Concord Eye-Q 5062 has won the coveted American Photo “Editor’s Choice” Award. In awarding the Concord Eye-Q 5062 with their prestigious Editor’s Choice, American Photo stated, “In terms of pixels per penny,...
More »
Lets Go Digital has just launched a 2005 version of their CES Show Coverage. CES is the Consumer Electronics Show which starts in Las Vegas on 6 January. Traditionally this is the show that all of the major digital imaging manufacturers release their new models. Last year saw a frenzy of activity at the show with many new cameras being released. Lets Go Digital will be just one of many sites covering CES and their site will be one to...
More »
This is a fascinating article by Saul Hanswell from the NYT who writes of the reinvention of Kodak who among other things have hired anthropologists and social scientists to observer and learn from camera users as part of their strategy of the the future of photography. 'Ten years ago, Kodak manufactured the first digital camera aimed for sale to retail consumers, the $749 QuickTake 100, sold by Apple Computer. But by 2000, Sony had muscled in as the leading...
More »
Proving how hot they are at the moment - 'Digital Camera' was the second most searched for term on Google's Zeitgeist 2004 list in their 'Popular Consumer Electronics' section. Digital Cameras were only beaten by the popular iPod in this category. ...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Co. will become a builder in Rochester again next year as part of a red-hot trend in the already dramatic growth of digital photography. Rochester's largest company plans to spend $45 million on a new factory at Kodak Park that will produce supplies for turning digital images into high-quality photographic prints. The new digital media plant — the largest single capital investment at Kodak Park in at least five years — comes as digital photographers increasingly look...
More »
'Sony Corp announced Tuesday that it plans to invest a total of some 60 billion yen (US$575 million) to build two new facilities for the fabrication of semiconductor components for flat-panel televisions and other digital equipment at its subsidiary Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Co. For Sony, making more of its own semiconductor devices is the key to greater profitability now that audiovisual devices have gone digital. The latest announcement is part of the company's larger three-year plan to invest some...
More »
''Kurouto Shikou will release the “KURO-SHOT,” a USB memory-sized 0.35MP digital camera that also supports recording movies and a web-camera function. It is Open Price, but estimates put it around 5,300 yen. The KURO-SHOT is a compact digital camera with an effective 0.35MP resolution, but apart from functioning as a digital camera, it also can record audio, movies, act as a web camera, and even as a plain old 64MB USB memory device. Audio is recorded in the WAV...
More »
'A novelty item just four or five years ago, the digital camera is shaping up as the most popular electronics gift in 2004, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. It was runner-up in 2003 to the DVD player, the No. 1 gift since 2000. Catapulted by cutthroat competition, digital technology is transforming the $85 billion global photography industry by creating many new ways of capturing, developing and storing pictures. At least 10 million digital cameras will be sold nationwide...
More »
'When you release the shutter on a digital camera, it records more than just Aunt Millie's toothy smile. With each photograph, the camera attaches descriptive data - information such as date and time, make and model, white balance settings and whether the flash was used. Among the 300 or more types of data that can be attached are Global Positioning System coordinates, pinpointing where the photograph was taken. Most digital cameras cannot be connected to a GPS receiver, so...
More »
Well respected photographic writer, Thom Hogan, has just published his annual predictions for the follow year in Photography at 2005 Predictions by Thom Hogan. There are some interesting developments in the air if he's right! - New Nikon DSLRs - includig the D50, D80 and D3 - New Canon DSLRs - including a two new 'Rebel' models (one under the 300D and one over it) and a new model to fit between the 20D and 1D. Also maybe a...
More »
Canon Press Release · Imagine Members’ photography selected for display on Canon’s stand · Latest Canon Consumer Imaging products on display Canon will be displaying the photography of 12 members of its consumer programme ‘Imagine’ at Focus on Imaging 2005 (N.E.C Birmingham, 27 February – 2 March 2005). The work will be displayed on Canon’s stand (L20) along with Canon’s latest range of class-leading consumer imaging equipment. Imagine is designed to help Canon customers make the most of their...
More »
'Canon India plans to expand its digital camera (digicam) business to account for 25 per cent of the target turnover of Rs 700 crore by 2007. “The market for digicams is expected to grow by 100 per cent in the next five years,” director and GM, consumer imaging and information division, Alok Bharadwaj said. “Digicams contributed a revenue of Rs 11 crore this year compared with Rs 2.3 crore last year. Next year, we expect digicams to contribute Rs...
More »
'A survey by the Consumer Electronics Association reports that 76 percent of Americans are giving an electronic gift this holiday season. And for the first time, digital cameras are at the top of the list, beating out DVD players, which led the CEA's list five years in a row. Of consumers buying electronics this season, 29 percent said they would purchase a digital camera. Twenty eight percent said they would buy video- game peripherals and cellphones as gifts. Some...
More »
Press Release - Travelers Still Strongly Advised to Request Hand Inspection of High-Speed Film WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., DECEMBER 16, 2004 – Recent tests found no evidence of X-ray scanner damage to digital camera media cards or to the images they hold. The tests of scanner models currently in use in the U.S. transportation industry were jointly conducted by the International Imaging Industry Association, the leading global association for the imaging industry; SanDisk® Corporation, a manufacturer of digital media cards;...
More »
Press Release Worldwide Digital Camera Revenue to Reach $24 Billion in 2004 WEYMOUTH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 2004--According to a new study from InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, worldwide digital camera revenue is forecast to reach $24 billion in 2004, and grow to $31 billion in 2009. The top three regions for digital camera sales in 2004 are Europe, the United States and Japan. The digital camera market is growing quickly in Asia and Rest of World regions (ROW). The digital camera market...
More »
Hamrick Software Press Release Uses advanced IT8 color calibration technique to get accurate colors. No other vendor supports all of Canon and Epson professional and consumer scanner products. VueScan 8.1.14 supports 45 different Canon scanners and 66 different Epson scanners, including film scanners, flatbed scanners, and multi-function printer/scanners. Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) December 15, 2004 – Hamrick Software, a leading developer of scanning software for consumers and professionals, has released VueScan 8.1.14, its award-winning program that enables users to more...
More »
'Extensive testing by PC Pro's labs has revealed that photographs produced by inkjet printers can be both far more expensive than those from traditional photo processors and fade far more quickly. But not if you choose the right combination of printer, ink and paper. For a period of twelve months PC Pro's staff tracked how 150 colour photographs produced by inkjet printers from leading manufacturers survived being exposed to normal air and daylight.' Read more at PC Pro: News:...
More »
PC Magazine wrap up the year with their Best of theYear feature which covers everything from notebooks to digital cameras. Taking out the prize in the Digital Camera Enthusiast section is the Olympus C-8080 and the Leica Digilux 2. Winning the DSLR section is the Nikon D70 and the Canon EOS 20D Their Photo Printer of the year is the Canon i9900 Photo Printer Lastly they award the Epson PictureMate as their favorite Dedicated Photo Printer ...
More »
Those eagerly awaiting the release of the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro will be happy to know it is one step closer to being released with the price today being officially released. Fujifilm UK have set a price of £1599 (or approx $US2500). The S3 Pro will be in stores in January 2005. Fujifilm Press Release Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro: the digital SLR that’s tuned for image quality Any photographer who has thought hard about their choice of film, and...
More »
Pentax Press Release PENTAX Introduces a Lightweight, Ultra Thin 40mm Limited Lens For Digital SLRs Golden, CO. (December 12, 2004)…PENTAX Imaging Company continues to expand its digital SLR lens family with the announcement of a fourth member − the smc PENTAX DA 40mm F2.8 Limited lens. Designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras, the unique pancake style standard lens measures a mere .59 inches in length and weighs just 3.17 ounces. Combined with the popular PENTAX *ist...
More »
'Japan's digital camera market is a brutal battleground where even some of the country's leading manufacturers are finding it difficult to survive. In spite of buoyant demand, many Japanese manufacturers are struggling to make profits in the face of double-digit price declines due to the large number of competing suppliers. So it came as something of a surprise that Kodak, which has never had an easy time in the Japanese market, decided last month to enter the fray. The...
More »
Microsoft Press Release Collaboration Offers Windows XP Users Fast, Easy Pickup of Digital Prints At More Than 5,000 Retail Locations, With Some in as Little as One Hour REDMOND, Wash. - Dec. 14, 2004 - In the midst of the busy holiday photo-processing season, Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has teamed with Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc. to connect millions of digital photographers with retailers for easy and convenient printing of digital pictures. Beginning this week, Fujifilm’s Get...
More »
'Sony Corp. and Samsung Electronics said they had agreed to share patents on basic technology to speed up product development and avoid adding to a growing number of cross-border patent disputes. The cross-licensing deal allows the Japanese and South Korean electronics giants to tap each other's vast patent portfolios of basic technologies. However, it will exclude key technologies that help differentiate their products, such as those related to Sony's hit PlayStation game consoles.' Read more at CIOL : News...
More »
Press Release: Microsoft and Fujifilm Team to Lower Barriers To Retail Digital Photofinishing Collaboration Offers Windows XP Users Fast, Easy Pickup of Digital Prints At More Than 5,000 Retail Locations, With Some in as Little as One Hour REDMOND, Wash. - Dec. 14, 2004 - In the midst of the busy holiday photo-processing season, Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has teamed with Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc. to connect millions of digital photographers with retailers for easy and...
More »
Press Release - CVS Celebrates the 12 Days of Christmas with 12 Ways to Make Photos an Easy Part of the Holidays 5 Free Digital Prints and New One-Time Use Digital Camera Available for the Holidays WOONSOCKET, R.I., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CVS/pharmacy began the countdown to Christmas 2004 with 12 easy ways to include photos in your holiday plans. CVS is America's pharmacy photo innovation leader and was the first pharmacy to introduce the latest wave of new...
More »
'Clifford Ross has invented a camera capable of producing negatives containing 100 times as much data as the average professional digital camera.... '“We're good at making big computers,” said Carl Diegert, lead computational and imaging scientist at Sandia. But, Diegert said, when scientists look at pictures of the space shuttle, for example, they may not see things as clearly as they might. “We're trying to find how the human emotional part comes into play in finding a crack in...
More »
Now before everyone starts jumping around - the header of this post isn't fact - rather its a something that is being pondered over at SymbianMan's Journal: 'what would happen if a mobile phone manufacturer - Nokia, say - were to acquire Leica? In my view such a development would signal that Nokia takes photography seriously - and that its imaging phones are intended to be used as real photographic tools. Imagine the Leica name on the lens of...
More »
Panasonic Press Release Industry's thinnest 8.63 mm module incorporates auto-focus and image-stabilizer Tokyo, Japan - Panasonic SC Device Solutions Co., Ltd. (PSCDS), a subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., today announced the development of a 3-megapixel camera module designed for mobile phones. With the latest v Maicovicon™ image sensor at the core, the module, GP-KM3500V, incorporates auto-focusing and image-stabilizing capabilities in the industry's thinnest 8.63mm package. The GP-KM3500V makes camera phones thinner while ensuring superb picture quality. ...
More »
'JESSOPS, the UK’s biggest chain of specialist photographic stores, today said “strong” demand for digital cameras had fuelled a double-digit rise in annual sales. The firm, which was releasing its first set of results since floating on the London Stock Exchange last month, also reaffirmed its intention to open around 20 new stores per year, taking its estate to 450 outlets across the UK and Ireland. Jessops was set up in Leicester in 1935 and operated as a family...
More »
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry about this one - it seems an remote tribe in Papua New Guinea are about to get digital cameras and a photo printer! Sounds a little like colonial missionaries imposing jackets, ties and english upon natives in the Congo a few years back to me.... 'The isolated Huli Wigmen of Papua New Guinea don't know it yet, but they are about to land in the digital world. Or is the digital world...
More »
Canon have just released a new firmware version for the EOS 20D. It has the following updates in it: - Three new languages (Russian, Korean, and Traditional Chinese) have been added to the camera menus. - The phenomenon of horizontal line noise appearing in images taken at high ISO settings while using the internal flash has been fixed. Download it at EOS 20D Firmware-E ...
More »
Canon has released new firmware (version 1.0.1.0) for their Powershot Pro 1 which includes the following improvements: - AF speed improvements - Specification changes for the way images are displayed in Continuous AF Mode - Zoom ring responsiveness improvements Download it at PowerShot Pro1 Firmware Update ...
More »
'Trek 2000 International plans to launch its thumb drive-camera in the local market next quarter. The Singapore-based company specializing in designs of portable storage devices and digital products has also tied up with Bangalore-based Bharat Electronics to produce the device locally. The device is capable of storing up to eight hours of audio and can take up to about 3,000 pictures. It can also capture around two minutes of video and store 16-256 MB in a thumbdrive. The company...
More »
'In the old days, scuba photography was a prohibitively expensive hobby as special underwater casings for SLR cameras could cost up to RM10,000 and beyond. Also, there were a limited number of underwater-only film cameras. But with the advent of digital cameras and ready-made casings for them, scuba photography has become a much more affordable pursuit. For instance, the 5 Megapixel Olympus C-5060 digital camera and its casing (that we used during a hands-on workshop conducted by Olympus Malaysia...
More »
As usual, Digital Photography is in the news a lot today - here are just three of the latest articles from the last few hours from our news feeds. - How to Choose a Digital Camera - 'What should I get if I want to buy a digital camera?' - What to Know About Digital Photography - From megapixels to memory cards, options abound for the digital camera buyer. We'll try to make your decision a little easier.' -...
More »
'Larry Lesley's job at Hewlett-Packard Co. in Vancouver is complicated and simple at the same time: Run a networked multibillion-dollar business spanning the world and employing thousands that daily relies on the skill and ingenuity of front-line workers to beat the competition.... The results have come in fits and starts, but HP's most recent quarter shows promise. Fourth-quarter revenue increased to $21.4 billion, up 8 percent over the same quarter last year with earnings up a strong 28 percent.'...
More »
'Camera phones will soon have lenses made from nothing more substantial that a couple of drops of oil and water, but will still be capable of auto focusing, and even zooming in on subjects. So says Etienne Paillard, CEO of French start-up Varioptic. The company was founded two years ago to exploit two core technology patents covering lenses based on the principles of electro-wetting. This is the tendency of liquid to spread on a substrate, Paillard explains. “It means...
More »
ProFotoSoftware Press Release ProFotoSoftware have today released version 1.10 of PFS Image Darkroom for Windows,a program for converting Canon RAW images from EOS Digital SLRs into 16 bit and 8 bit TIF files as well as 8 bit JPEG files. This new release adds support for the 20D and 1Ds Mark II EOS Digital SLRs, as well as improving the Raw Preview facility. PFS Image Darkroom improves digital photographer's workflow by removing the frustrating delays associated with Raw image...
More »
The NPD Group Press Release Average Selling Price of Tech Products Continues to Decline: Plasma TV Prices Dip Below $2,500 According to Latest Results From NPD CE Price Watch PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, November 29, 2004 - Average prices of many technology products were down during the month of September according to the latest NPD Consumer Electronics Price Watch, a monthly pricing monitor from The NPD Group that provides a top-line look into the pricing of tech products being...
More »
Olympus Press Release Olympus Studio - Advanced RAW Image Photofinishing and Camera Control, Now with Powerful Support for the E-300 Olympus Imaging Corporation (President: Hiroshi Komiya) is pleased to announce the “Olympus Studio 1.2” software package. In addition to the features of the “Olympus Studio” package, which provides powerful digital work-flow support for digital single-lens reflex users, including professional photographers, the new package provides advanced RAW photofinishing and camera control functions. It also supports the “E-300” entry-level single-lens reflex...
More »
'There was a time when one-hour film processing seemed like a great deal. The P-I printed out 12 test pictures from a CD at a variety of local digital print kiosks. See how they rated. Then came the digital age, with instant images on the back of the camera, but nothing to pack in your wallet, hang on the wall or pass around work. Now there's a new breakthrough: digital photo kiosks. They advertise do-it-yourself prints in minutes. As...
More »
Imaging Resource reports that 'French software company DO Labs has today announced that its DxO Optics Pro software has been updated to support the Canon EOS 20D digital SLR.... Today's announcement means that users of the Canon EOS 20D can now use DxO Optics Pro to correct for these common image flaws without the need to spend time manually working on the images.' Read more at NEWS! - DxO Optics Pro updated for EOS 20D ...
More »
Ampex Corporation Press Release REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Nov. 29, 2004 - Ampex Corporation (OTCBB:AEXCA) today announced that it has reached a settlement with Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE) whereby Ampex will withdraw the patent litigation it initiated in July 2004 in the International Trade Commission (ITC) and in the Federal District Court for the District of Delaware relating to digital still cameras manufactured and sold by Sony. ...
More »
PC Magazine have done a survey of their readers on their favorite digital cameras. This year the highest rated digital camera manufacturer was Nikon with a score of 8.6 followed closely by Canon with a rating of 8.4 and Panasonic with a rating of 8.4. Read more at Digital Cameras: The Best from the Best ...
More »
'Ampex Corp. on Monday said it agreed to withdraw patent litigation initiated in July related to digital still cameras made and sold by Sony Corp. Shares of Ampex, which makes and licenses visual information technology, were recently up $1.10, or 27.2 percent, to $5.15 on the over-the-counter bulletin board. Under the settlement, Sony will pay $40 million to make and sell various products, including digital video tape recorders and digital still cameras under several Ampex patents, through April 2006....
More »
'A NEW company headed by veterans in the camera business has its eye on becoming Singapore's next Creative Technology by providing photographic accessories for digital cameras, a relatively unexplored market. The company, Xtri Technology, has started by offering external flash products under the brand Sunblitz. It has a product roadmap which includes battery and storage accessories. Said Mr Goh Chuan Ooi, one of two men behind the new set-up: 'The built-in flash for digital cameras is not strong enough....
More »
'Analog and digital cameras of Chinese origin have snatched market share away from their Japanese counterparts over the last two years on account of their record low prices, even though most are of inferior quality and are usually returned by buyers within six months, dealers said. The Chinese analog cameras are available in the market at as low as Rs 200 which is opens up the market to those without the purchasing power to buy expensive Japanese, Malaysian and...
More »
'Giant images formed from billions of pixels are popping up everywhere from telepathology to satellite and space imaging. Following a story on the BBC News website about Dutch researchers creating the largest panoramic digital image in the world, many readers wrote in to dispute the claim. Although the 2.5 gigapixel snap taken of Delft in the Netherlands is the largest panoramic photo taken from a fixed point and fused into a single image by especially tailored technology, there are larger...
More »
PittsburghLIVE.com reports that digital cameras are second only to Plasma TVs this year as the most desired electronic gift for Christmas. The top five most desired electronic gifts this year are: 1. Plasma TV 2. Digital camera 3. Notebook/Laptop computer 4. Color TV (27-inches or larger) 5. Portable MP3 player' I'll have one of each in a bag please. Read more at Plasma TV named most desired tech gift...
More »
Globe Technology has an interesting pieice looking at the way digital camera manufacturers stuff as many features into their cameras as possible - possibly confusing end users in the process. 'Of the eight scene modes on the new Olympus Stylus 410 digital camera, the cuisine option is the most intriguing. It helps the photographer take better pictures of food by increasing the saturation, sharpness and contrast settings. Some diners are so impressed by the presentation of an entree that they...
More »
Telecoms Korea reports that LG Electronics is planning to release the world's first 6 or 7 Megapixel camera phone. They look set to use Canon's camera phone module in the making of this product. 'LG Electronics' spokesman comfirmed Thursday, "LG is considering the development of 6- or 7 -megapixel camera phone with Japanese companies including Canon."' Read more at Telecoms Korea - Found via Mobile Mag and DP Review For more Camera Phone News head over to Camera Phone Zone....
More »
ArkiPix Press release ArkiPix I/S is now offering an English version of their image archive management software ArkiPix in version 2.0 With this new and highly improved ArkiPix 2.0 for PC, photographers, companies and digital photography enthusiasts will find a wide range of functions for archiving, importing and searching for photos. ArkiPix 2.0 turns the job of archiving into a positive experience with fast results. New users become familiar with the program quickly because ArkiPix in daily use requires...
More »
'Silicon Valley veteran Willy C. Shih, 53, president of the company's business in display screens for consumer electronics, announced his resignation Friday. It becomes effective in January, but Kodak said Shih would consult with the company on certain unspecified projects. Shih came to Kodak in 1997 at a time when the company was struggling to find its footing in consumer digital photography. Over the course of the next six years, he helped organize and create a business that now...
More »
Just spotted this interesting article that writes about the race between manufacturers to share digital camera owners printing habits: 'The switch to digital cameras has already brought sweeping change to the $85 billion photography business. Eastman Kodak Co., the big film company, saw its business drop off and is struggling to adjust. Camera makers found a hot new product. Now, the next battlefield is rapidly taking shape: Printer makers like Hewlett-Packard Co. are in a fierce struggle with big...
More »
'An "electronic eye" that can be fitted to a pair of glasses could help the blind cross roads more safely, scientists said on Friday. Researchers from the Kyoto Institute of Technology in Japan developed the system, which uses a camera and computer to detect the location of a pedestrian crossing, its width and the color of any related traffic lights. "The camera would be mounted at eye level, and be connected to a tiny computer. It will relay information...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Co. is nipping at Sony Corp.'s heels in the ballooning U.S. digital camera market. The world's biggest film manufacturer, aiming to become the No. 1 seller of point-and-shoot digital cameras on its home turf in 2004, almost drew level with Japanese front-runner Sony in third-quarter U.S. camera shipments, market research firm IDC said Friday. Sony delivered 1 million consumer digital cameras in the third quarter, only 10,000 more than Kodak, IDC said. Canon Inc. ranked third with...
More »
There is an interesting article over at Yahoo News on how Profits are fading in the digital camera industry. 'Bloated with inventory and mired in the red, the digital camera business of Japan's Olympus Corp. underscores how making money in the cut-throat market is getting tougher. Sony Corp. and Canon Inc. are seen as the strongest players in the $17 billion market, profiting even as prices fall and growth slows. But most other makers will struggle and some might...
More »
SnapCanvas Software Press Release MAKE LARGER PRINTS FROM YOUR DIGITAL PHOTOS WITH CLARIFIC. SnapCanvas Software has released Clarific - an application that enhances grainy and noisy images, increases image resolution, clarifies details and removes corruptions in your photographs. With Clarific you can make larger prints from your digital photos without buying a new, expensive camera - you get more for your megapixels. Clarific also allows you to take better night-time shots by repairing the noise and grain that cameras...
More »
'Kodak has announced it is to close five photographic laboratories with the loss of about 500 jobs in total. The US group said it would close photo finishing labs at Northampton, Glasgow, Walsall, Wimbledon and Portishead in North Somerset in the next 12 months. The cuts are part of a three-year restructuring programme that involves cutting up to 15,000 Kodak jobs worldwide - 20% of its staff. Last month Kodak said it was cutting 600 jobs in the UK....
More »
'Taiwan's output of digital cameras continued to grow for the third quarter of this year, with models of four and five megapixels dominating production, according to the results of a recent investigation by the semi-official Institute for Information Industry (III). The investigation carried out by the III's Market Information Center (MIC) showed that Taiwan manufactured 5.94 million digital cameras in the third quarter, up by 12.4 percent compared to the second quarter level and a 19.2 percent growth over...
More »
'LEXMARK International, Inc is positioning itself in the Malaysian market with multifunctional devices (MFD), given the convergence of office printing functions like printing, faxing and document copying, Lexmark Malaysia general manager David Kok said. Lexmark Malaysia general manager David Kok said that in spite of the anticipated paperless environment given the popularity of the Internet in recent years, the opposite had happened, with on-site, office and home printing actually increasing. “With our business in distributed printing, we are anticipating...
More »
'As digital cameras and camera phones are rapidly gaining popularity, various instant photo printers, that can develop digital images off-hand, are being introduced to the market as well. A digital imaging company, Peniel’s Morning, recently unveiled its digital photo developer Autophoto which can instantly print images taken by digital cameras and camera phones. The product is capable of printing photos of high quality in about ten seconds. Printed pictures are coated for protection against water and direct sunlight. Users...
More »
PCWorld reviews the Camwear Model 100 - a wearable instant replay camera and writes: 'A baby's first step, an child snarfing milk through the nose, or a home run by a cub-league slugger. What do these things have in common? They are all regretted missed moments by camcorder-wielding home moviemakers. But these priceless moments no longer have to be missed. A company called Deja View has introduced a tiny $400 wearable video camera called the Camwear 100 that clips...
More »
'According to InfoTrends/CAP Ventures’ research, nearly 80 million inkjet devices were installed last year, making this the dominant printer technology in the desktop arena. The number of inkjet multifunctional imaging devices installed in the U.S. is growing very quickly due to customers’ desire for increased functionality within a single product. This increased desire has been a major enabler of the specialty media market. Out of the 116 billion prints produced on paper-based media by inkjet products in 2004, specialty...
More »
Popular Photography has an interesting article that takes a sneak look at some of the new cameras of 2005. They write: 'This has been an amazing year for photography. But it's not over yet. Camera makers still have a few tricks up their sleeves, and our sources have shared a few of them with us.' ...
More »
Konica Minolta Press Release Konica Minolta Announces Trio Of Enhancements For Printing From Digital Files New DS-3000 Workstation for R SUPER digital minilabs designed to meet rapidly expanding market demand for digital prints Mahwah, NJ (November 12, 2004) – Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. announces the availability of several enhancements for making prints from digital files including the new Konica Minolta DS-3000 Workstation for the Konica Minolta R SUPER family of digital minilabs. This new digital media input station...
More »
Pixel Genius Press Release Pixel Genius LLC releases PhotoKit Color, a new product by PixelGenius. PhotoKit Color is an Adobe Photoshop Plug-in that applies precise color corrections, automatic color balancing and creative coloring effects. With a retail price of $99.95, PhotoKit Color offers a comprehensive set of coloring tools for Photoshop 7.0 and Photoshop CS for both Macintosh and Windows. Color plays a huge role in how we perceive and describe the world we see, so it’s hardly surprising...
More »
' The digital revolution has changed the way people take and process pictures. Last year was the first year digital camera sales overtook film cameras in the United States. Bob Hanson, owner of Harold's Photo in Sioux Falls, said people like digital photography because they can see their pictures right away and can do touchup work on the images with their computers. Mark Griffin of Lewis Drug agreed the digital trend is sweeping the nation. But the middle of...
More »
Camborg write that Casio Japan are releasing a 'glossy white' version of their EX-S100. It will be called the Casio EX-S100WE. Also in new colors of the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z55 are the EX-Z55BE (blue) and the EX-Z55BN (brown). Read more at CASIO News Release (Japanese) ...
More »
G4techTV reviews 5 of the Smallest 5MP point and shoot cameras. 'A point-and-shoot digital camera should be like a cell phone and slip easily into a pocket. After all, if a camera puts a happy-to-see-you bulge in your pocket, you probably won't be carrying it to capture those precious moments. That's where these pint sized shooters come in. Now topping 5-megapixels, these tiny cameras can be with you all the time – a daily shooter if you will. Best...
More »
'Nikon Corp., a maker of cameras and lithography equipment, said fiscal first-half profit more than tripled on demand for chipmaking equipment and digital cameras. Net income probably totaled 7.8 billion yen ($74 million) in the six months ended Sept. 30, up from 2.05 billion yen a year earlier and better than the Tokyo-based company's 3 billion yen forecast, Nikon said today in a preliminary earnings release. Demand for liquid-crystal displays, especially in Asia, is fueling higher sales of equipment to...
More »
ProFotoSoftware Press release ProFotoSoftware have today released version 1 of PFS Image Darkroom for Windows, a program for converting Canon RAW images from EOS Digital SLRs into 16 bit and 8 bit TIF files as well as 8 bit JPEG files. PFS Image Darkroom improves digital photographer's workflow by removing the frustrating delays associated with Raw image processing. The software remains fully operational during Raw processing, enabling users to prepare the next image or set of images for processing instead...
More »
Casio Ex-S100 Press Release CASIO'S EXILIM CARD EX-S100 SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS 2004 'BEST OF WHAT'S NEW' AWARD BY POPULAR SCIENCE DOVER, NJ - November 10, 2004 - Casio, Inc., a global leader in digital imaging products, announced today that its 3.2-megapixel, super slim EXILIM CARD EX-S100 digital camera has been honored with a 2004 ‘Best of What's New' award in the Photography Category by the world famous Science and Technology periodical, Popular Science. Get the Latest Price on the Casio...
More »
Casio Press Release CASIO HONORED WITH THREE CES INNOVATIONS 2005 DESIGN AND ENGINEERING AWARDS DOVER, NJ - November 10, 2004 - Casio, Inc., a leading innovator in digital cameras and timepieces, has been selected to receive CES Innovations 2005 Design and Engineering Awards for three of its products. Casio's award-winning products include the EXILIM CARD EX-S100 and EXILIM PRO EX-P700 digital cameras, and the ANA-DIGI Atomic Solar G-Shock GW1200BA-1AV timepiece. These prestigious annual awards are announced each year in advance...
More »
The New York Times has this feature on Even Digital Memories Can Fade 'The nation's 115 million home computers are brimming over with personal treasures - millions of photographs, music of every genre, college papers, the great American novel and, of course, mountains of e-mail messages. Yet no one has figured out how to preserve these electronic materials for the next decade, much less for the ages. Like junk e-mail, the problem of digital archiving, which seems straightforward, confounds...
More »
A quote from Vyomesh (VJ) Joshi, the executive VP, Imaging and printing for Hewlett Packard. '“Every 18 months, we are doubling our inkjet printer speed,” he says. The current generation of HP inkjets can print 18 million drops per second.” I think we will double again and continue to innovate and drive our speeds on this path.”' Read more at Moore's Law for Inkjet Printers ...
More »
Photography Blog has a good Review of the book by the title of Photo Finish. They write: 'Photo Finish" is a new book from digital imaging experts Jon Canfield and Tim Grey which explores the different ways of presenting your photographs after you have taken them. Capturing a great image is only half the battle; showing it off to the rest of the world is also an essential part of any photographer's workflow, whether it be to your family...
More »
'Japanese precision equipment maker Olympus Corp said on Tuesday it will boost in-house production of digital cameras to 50 percent in one or two years to help nurse its loss-making camera division back to health. Olympus currently outsources 60 per cent of its digital camera production to other firms including Sanyo Electric Co, giving it less flexibility to adapt to market changes than rivals such as Canon Inc, which produces all its cameras in-house. The move is part of...
More »
Sandisk Press Release SANDISK LAUNCHES HIGHER CAPACITIES AND WIDER TEMPERATURE RANGES FOR INDUSTRIAL SD CARDS AND TRANSFLASH MODULES Growth Potential Seen For Embedded Systems and Automotive Telematics Munich, Germany, November 9, 2004 - Responding to an increasing demand for durable flash memory in automotive telematics, military and medical applications, SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) today announced larger capacities and extended operating temperature ranges for its line of industrial-grade SD flash memory cards and tiny TransFlash modules. The announcement was made at...
More »
Popular Photography Magazine has been awarded the Nikon D70 'Camera of the Year' status. 'The Nikon D70 was precisely the camera that the photography world needed this year. A revolution began in 2003 with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel—its $899 sticker, its 6.3-megapixel sensor, and its attitude of "Everybody into the digital SLR pool; the water's fine!" The question for '04 was how quickly a camera maker would seize on this revolutionary fervor, and add some sophistication, features, fine-tuning,...
More »
Steve's Digicams writes: 'I just had it confirmed via telephone with a Toshiba representative that as of March 2004 Toshiba was officially out of the digital camera business. Nice of them to tell us or their customers - that was quite a few months ago!' ...
More »
Canon USA Press Release CANON INKS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH WIMBLEDON CHAMPION AND POP-CULTURE ICON MARIA SHARAPOVA 'Substance and Style' Play Center Court as Canon Embarks on Multi-Year, Integrated Relationship with Teenage Global Superstar LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Nov. 8, 2004 - Canon today announced a global marketing relationship with Wimbledon Champion and pop-culture icon Maria Sharapova. The multi-year relationship will include global advertising, retail promotions and events. ...
More »
Konica Minolta Press Release KONICA MINOLTA ANNOUNCES "SHAKE YOUR BODY" CONSUMER PROMOTION Special discount offer on a Konica Minolta Maxxum lens for customers who purchase the new Maxxum 7D Digital SLR camera Mahwah, NJ (November 5, 2004) -- Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc. announces the "Shake Your Body" promotion, featuring a special discount to customers who purchase the new Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D Digital SLR, featuring Konica Minolta's revolutionary body-integral Anti-Shake technology, between October 1, 2004 and December 31,...
More »
Minox Press Release A real gem from the house of MINOX: The golden DC 4211 digital camera - crowned with sparkling diamonds With this new digital camera the optical specialists from Wetzlar once again stand out from the rest, demonstrating a feeling for aesthetic detail, competence in design and diligence in their choice of the most noble materials - and without neglecting function and technical innovation. The golden DC 4211 is a treasure to put in your handbag or jacket...
More »
'Olympus Corp., the world's third- largest seller of digital cameras, said profit more than halved during the fiscal first half because prices for the devices fell more than expected. Net income dropped 57 percent to 6.71 billion yen ($64 million), or 25.46 yen a share, in the six months ended Sept. 30, from 15.5 billion yen, or 58.7 yen, a year earlier, the company said in a statement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Sales rose to 308.7 billion yen...
More »
DP Now have a good piece on the fall of prices in the DSLR market - good news for all of us saving our pennies for your dream camera. 'The good news for consumers is that DSLR makers appear to be in the throws of an entry-level price war This week both Nikon and Canon effectively reduced the prices of their entry-level DSLR cameras, perhaps in anticipation of new low-priced entry-level models from Pentax and Olympus. Canon has introduced...
More »
FixerLabs Press Release SizeFixer SLR Released - Revolutionary Upsizing Software for Digital Photographers Watford, UK. FixerLabs Ltd. November 1 2004. FixerLabs announced the launch of their stand-alone software application for increasing the resolution and definition of a digital image at Photokina in October, SizeFixer SLR is now shipping. SizeFixer SLR has been designed as a tool for the professional photographer. SizeFixer addresses the major area of concern when upsizing: images become soft as size increases. SizeFixer uses a radically different...
More »
Press Release Smartvue S2 offers long range 802.11N* digital wireless IP video surveillance with remote cell phone and PC access. At the opening of the ISC East Trade Show this morning, Smartvue Corporation, an award-winning technology leader in the surveillance industry, announced the availability of the Smartvue S2 wireless surveillance system to address the demand for cost-effective, high-performance network cameras for the video surveillance market. The Smartvue S2 incorporates the most advanced imaging and wireless network technologies to provide...
More »
The Wall Street Journal reviews the iPod Photo and has the following to say about it. 'In the old days, when cameras used only film and most pictures were printed, you could show off your photos by just whipping out a stack of prints. But what's the equivalent method today, when most pictures remain in digital form, as images on a screen? Well, Apple Computer and some of its competitors want you to show them off on the screen...
More »
Sony have released firmware updates for two of the Sony Sybershot T1 and the Sony Cybershot F828. Get them at: - Sony Cybershot T1 Firmware Update 2.0 - Sony Cybershot F828 2.0...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Co. is shutting three photofinishing labs in Spain and Norway, shrinking a fourth lab in Switzerland and eliminating about 300 jobs as the world's biggest film manufacturer bets its future on digital photography. The cutbacks will set the company back about $30 million - some $26 million in severance costs and about $4 million in other exit and disposal costs. In the fourth quarter and next year's first quarter, Kodak also will record charges of about $2...
More »
'Sales of cell phones with cameras are threatening the success of digital cameras. According to recent forecasts of market researchers Gartner and Infotrends, sales of digital cameras should grow by 42 percent this year; however, for the first time more cell phones with integrated cameras are to be sold than digital cameras.' Read more at heise online - Cell phones with cameras dampen sales of digital cameras ...
More »
BenQ Press Release Europe, 25th ofOctober, 2004 - BenQ launched five new models to further complete its lineup of digital cameras. Sporting an array of uniquely styled exterior designs, BenQ' new digital cameras are also equipped with great features such as touch-screens, large-sized LCD screens, hand-writing function, PASM modes, and more. With a comprehensive line of digital cameras, BenQ provides camera models that fit different lifestyles. "While we are committed to offering users product that give unparalleled enjoyment, we...
More »
Sandisk Press Release 25/10/04 SANDISK INTRODUCES MOBILEMATE READERS TARGETED AT NEW MOBILE FEATURE PHONES WITH MEMORY CARD SLOTS New Readers Rank Among The World's Smallest Multi-Card Readers San Francisco, CA, October 25, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced two Hi-Speed USB 2.0, multi-card MobileMate card readers targeted at the rapidly expanding market for new mobile feature phones with memory card slots. The sleek, stylish, silver-metallic readers were introduced at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2004 trade show...
More »
Kodak Press Release Kodak Monthly Tech Brief Explores How Digital Photo Printers Go Back to the Future ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 29 -- It's a digital photographer's brain-teaser: If you have a high-megapixel digital camera and need to print pro-quality photos and proofs, do you spend time calibrating and re-adjusting your printer to get consistent photos? Or just buy a gift basket for your photo lab manager? This month's Kodak Tech Brief focuses on the growing use of dye-sublimation printers...
More »
Toms hardware has a review of the Archos Gmini 400 Portable Media Player and writes - 'Archos has hit a home run with the Gmini 400. First, its ultra-compact and light design renders microdrives obsolete, since the Gmini 400 offers five times more storage capacity with only 50 grams of additional weight. Indeed, the purchasing decision should be a no-brainer compared to the iPod Mini or Creative's Muvo. The Gmini 400 comes with a sleek design, 20 GB of storage,...
More »
'The Canon EOS Digital Rebel SLR Returns for a Second Round with a Sleek Black Body LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2004—Canon's EOS Digital Rebel, the camera that put the excitement of SLR digital photography into the hands of consumers, will now be available for a limited time in a new black body. The black edition of the Digital Rebel digital SLR will be available at Canon U.S.A. authorized dealers and will sell with the digitally enhanced EF-S 18-55mm...
More »
Canon Press Release Canon Captures Number One Digital Camera Position for Fourth Straight Month; Launches New Integrated Marketing Campaign With Ongoing Focus on Consumer Education, Canon Drives Toward Holiday Season with New Products, Incentives and Sequel to Award-Winning Digic Advertising Campaign On the heels of four straight months in the U.S. as the number one(a) digital camera manufacturer with no signs of slowing down, Canon today introduced a new integrated marketing campaign surrounding its PowerShot digital camera line. Highlighted by...
More »
Casio Press Release Casio Launches Exciting New Exilim.Casio Website Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Casio's Newest Digital Cameras Consolidated In One New Easy-To-Navigate Website DOVER, NJ, October 25, 2004 - CASIO, Inc. is making it easier than ever for digital camera buffs and potential buyers to find out everything they need to know with the launch of the new http://exilim.casio.com website. The website is specially dedicated to provide consumers with invaluable information about Casio ' s newest EXILIM...
More »
'One of the big benefits of owning a digital camera is supposed to be that you can print out your own photos. But many digital camera owners don't have the patience or a good enough printer. Consumer Reports tested Web sites that will print your photos for you. People who use digital cameras take lots of pictures. But less than a quarter of those digital images ever get printed. If you find printing pictures too much of a hassle,...
More »
'Samsung Techwin Co. Ltd. disclosed Monday that it has released the new Kenox α7, a 7.0 megapixel 3x optical zoom digital camera equipped with a Schneider Kreuznach lens. The Kenox α7, which is an upgraded model of the α5, which was released back in June, is the first 7.0 mega pixel digital camera in the country. With newly added functions such as shutter priority, tightened vigilance in stand-by mode, upgraded flash, and letter recognizing option, this camera can take...
More »
'Digital cameras are now being used in cars to keep drivers awake and less distracted. The cameras are used as part of the automotive vision system; some cameras scan drivers’ eye movements to detect where the driver is looking, while others watch the road for animals or pedestrians. If a pedestrian crosses the street in front of a car with the automotive vision system, the digital cameras will see the person and scan the driver’s eyes to check for...
More »
Today's camera technology has left photographers still using film a bit in the dark, or in the darkroom, when it comes to new products. But with nearly 140 million film cameras still out there, a debate exists about whether film or digital is the best medium for capturing images. Since the arrival of digital cameras, flash cards, TIFF and JPEG files, and a darkroom reduced to a home computer, it is increasingly difficult for the film photographer purists to exist,...
More »
SMaL Press Release SMaL Camera Technologies, an award-winning developer of digital imaging solutions, announced today the introduction of its ACM100 camera designed specifically for advanced automotive safety and convenience applications. The Company also announced today the ACM100's selection by a major automotive technology supplier as a component for advanced safety applications including occupant protection, collision intervention, night vision and lane departure warning. Specifics about the selection, including terms of the contract, are being kept confidential at the request of...
More »
In Stat Press Release Camera Phones and Digital Still Cameras Driving Market for CMOS and CCDs, Reports In-Stat/MDR SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. --(Business Wire)-- Oct. 18, 2004 The image sensor market has continued to show sharp growth over the past year, according to In-Stat/MDR (http://www.instat.com). Overall, the high-tech market research firm expects the image sensor market to grow at more than 30 percent annually in unit terms through 2008, due primarily to rapidly growing shipments of digital still cameras, camera phones...
More »
Corel/Jasc Press Release Corel Corporation Acquires Jasc to Extend Graphics Software Portfolio OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2004-- Recognized, Trusted Provider Of Graphics, Office and Personal Productivity Software Acquires Leading Imaging Software Vendor Corel Corporation today acquired Jasc Software, Inc., the award-winning developer of the Paint Shop(TM) family of digital-photography and image- editing software. A critical milestone in Corel's ongoing growth strategy, this acquisition follows four consecutive quarters of profitability and a successfully completed turnaround since Corel was taken private in August...
More »
Steve's Digicams reviews the Canon Powershot SD20 and writes - 'the PowerShot SD20 Digital ELPH will make a great choice for anyone who wants an ultra-compact camera that's stylish, durable, and can be worn around your neck or slipped in a pocket or purse. Its 5-megapixel Superfine images have plenty of resolution to create photo-quality 8x10-inch or larger prints. With a street price of around $349, its a little expensive. But, if you're one who just has to have one...
More »
'Swedish-Japanese mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson more than tripled its third-quarter pretax profits, gained market share on booming demand for its camera phones and forecast rising fourth-quarter sales on Thursday. The world's fifth-biggest handset producer made profit of 136 million euros ($166.8 million) before tax, up from 39 million euros in the same period of last year and beating market expectations of 118 million euros. The joint venture between Sweden's mobile network maker Ericsson and Japan's consumer electronics giant Sony...
More »
Imaging Resource has just posted that the Sony Cybershot T3 won't be release in the US market. I know of a few US friends who will be bitterly disappointed by this news....
More »
'Your hard drive is overflowing with gazillions of digital pics. DSC00234.jpg might as well be labeled DON'T_KNOW_DON'T_CARE.jpg. The quest to build the photo archive of the future.... A digital camera is an enticement to take more snaps than you can keep track of. Why not shoot a few more pictures of Aunt Rose to see if you can get one that's slightly more flattering to her - how to put it? - irregular profile. You don't even need to carry...
More »
Megapixel reviews the Sony DSC-P150 and writes - 'The Sony DSC-P150 is so similar in appearance to the DSC-P100/P120, that it is only with a chance to compare them side by side that subtle differences begin to emerge in the ways the cameras are finished, and in particular, the type of finish used on the front section of each camera. Shape, external controls and lenses are identical. Just like the P100, the body of the P150 is entirely covered in...
More »
Olympus Press Release Setting your life to music The Olympus m:robe – a musical memory maker Today Olympus announce their intention to redefine the world of personal imaging and musical entertainment with the revolutionary m:robe concept. The Olympus m:robe MR-500i Comprising of a 1.22 million pixel digital camera, an image viewer and a music player all in one the m:robe MR-500i combines the energy of music with the power of pictures to bring your photographs to life. With the m:robe...
More »
Olympus have just announced their i:robe 'Easy Imaging System' - a portable digital photography lab that incorporates a digital camera (the 4MP IR-500 with 2.5inch swingable LCD), home printer (the P-S100), 40 GB hard disk drive(S-HD-100 which holds up to 40,000 images) and in the future a DVD burner. Olympus Press Release Bringing the photo album to life The Olympus Easy Imaging System - store and print digital images on the go 13 October 2004. Printing and archiving digital photos...
More »
Extreme Tech has a good post on one photographers journey from film to digital photography 'I've finally given up on film photography. Actually, I'd really given up on film several years ago, but have been in denial about it. While I'd been using good point-and-shoot digital cameras for the past two or three years, I stubbornly clung to my Nikon N70 35mm single lens reflex camera. After all, I had several lenses plus an external speedlight I'd invested in. In...
More »
Canon have released a firmware (1.0.3) update for their Canon EOS-1D Mark II. It has the following improvements: - Added new functions for communicating with the Speedlite 580EX - Reduced noise when shooting bulb exposures - Fixed sensor-cleaning operations Download the Canon EOS-1D Mark II Firmware Update 1.0.3 here Found via DP Review...
More »
InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Press Release Digital Camera Ownership Moving Deeper into Mainstream Market, According to New InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Study (Weymouth, MA) October, 12 2004... Each year since 1997, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures has conducted surveys to track the adoption and usage of digital cameras. This year’s survey of U.S. Internet households shows the penetration of digital cameras increasing to 59% of Internet households, up from 45% in 2003. As a result of rising penetration, the demographics of digital camera owners are shifting towards...
More »
'Photographic equipment manufacturer Kodak’s decision to axe hundreds of UK jobs follows a “fundamental shift in customer and consumer behaviour” which has seen digital photography come to the fore. Public demand for traditional film has dropped off as digital cameras become cheaper to buy and easier to use, forcing firms to adapt and to develop the latest technologies, experts said. The changing face of the home photo industry has led to US-based manufacturer Kodak’s plans to cut 600 jobs and...
More »
More news on the Apple iPod with Photo Viewer built in - from the Australian News Paper. 'APPLE is close to releasing a new generation of iPod with a colour screen and photo-capable software, according to an online report. The new photo-capable iPod would arrive within two months and feature a 60GB hard drive, Apple news website Think Secret reports. Quoting "highly reliable sources", the report says other new features would include a 2-inch colour display and software for synchronisation...
More »
'Look at digital camera ads today, and you’d think the number of pixels was the only factor that mattered in choosing a camera. While the number of pixels in important, there are many other elements that affect the quality of an image. If you studied a digital camera’s image sensor under a powerful microscope, you’d see a flat sheet made of several layers of silicon, with row after row of holes in the top layer. Each hole is a pixel,...
More »
Acronis Press Release Phoenix Global Software launches Acronis True Image 8.0 into UK retail. Acronis True Image 8.0 delivers comprehensive workstation protection - the complete disk imaging, system disk backup, and bare metal restore for workstations and home PCs. London - October 11, 2004 - Acronis, Inc., the technological leader in storage management solutions, has launched Acronis True Image 8.0, the latest upgrade to its expanding family of award-winning workstation and server disk imaging, backup, and bare-metal restore software. Acronis...
More »
Cerious Software Press Release ThumbsPlus 7.0 offers more features than any other digital content management software! CHARLOTTE, NC, October 6, 2004 - Cerious Software, Inc. has released its full-featured ThumbsPlus v7.0 for Windows, one of the leading software solutions for digital content management for over 10 years, and well known on the Internet for the best customer support in the business! Unlike most competing products, ThumbsPlus is completely database-driven which allows sophisticated features such as: extensive search capabilities, search by...
More »
Outback Photo has a good essay titled The Art of Raw Conversion #015: Raw Converter Bibble 4.0. Its a good preview of the Bibble 4.0 package. 'We know now Bibble for over 4 years. Unfortunately the last version Bibble 3 was not updated for quite some time. Eric Hyman (the Bibble author, Bibble is his cat’s name) took his time and created an all new version 4. We think it was worth the wait. Bibble 4 supports most digital SLRs...
More »
'Woodward said half of Pentax Imaging's total revenues come from digital camera sales. Historically, Pentax has ranked as a top seller of 35 mm film cameras. Today, Pentax is among the top 10 sellers of digital cameras, but it lost some ground by not jumping on the digital bandwagon when it became clear that was where the future of photography was headed. "We were slow to make that transition," Woodward said. Now things are changing. "What fundamentally changed our company...
More »
“While digital photography can give you creative control you never had with traditional film-based photos, in the end that control will cost you, and you need to be aware of just what you’re getting into as you become part of the digital camera craze.... Today’s high-megapixel cameras are great for capturing fine detail, but the files from these cameras can require vast amounts of storage space. Your 120-gigabyte hard drive that you thought would last you for years will...
More »
“Photo messaging, hailed as one of the tech world's Next Big Things when it was launched in 2002, isn't quite as big as cell phone companies had hoped. Analysts say that although consumers continue to snap up camera phones in record numbers, and do often use them to snap pictures, they aren't sending photos to one another in the same way they do text messages. That's not good news for cell phone companies that are counting on multimedia revenues...
More »
Choosing a digital camera can be a confusing exercise if you do not know where to start your search. In this article we examine the different categories of digital cameras. I am sure you have heard or read about Point-and-Shoot and Prosumer digital cameras, and have wondered what differentiate one from the other. Besides these two categories, there are two more: Beginner and Serious amateur photographers. It helps to understand that camera manufacturers typically target these four categories (or, in...
More »
It looks like those of us who have been waiting for an iPod designed with photo viewing capabilities might be about to have all our dreams come true if Think Secret have it right. They write: “After three years of being synonymous with ”digital music player,“ Apple's iPod will widen its horizons and gain photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, highly reliable sources tell Think Secret. The new iPod, which will sit at the top of...
More »
Photography Blog has an excellent review of the Concord Eye-Q 5062AF - a 5 megapixel compact digital camera with 1.5inch LCD and fixed focal length lens. Mark is the reviewer and he writes: ' Well, one obvious cost-saving is the zoom lens - there isn't one, just a fixed lens that is equivalent to 48mm on a 35mm camera. So if you want a camera with a zoom lens, stop reading now. Otherwise, on paper at least, the Concord...
More »
Belkin Wireless Pre-N Networking Products Hit Store Shelves; First Wi-Fi Certified Wireless Pre-N Products Available in Retail Stores COMPTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2004--Belkin Wireless Pre-N Networking products will be available in major retail outlets starting October 24, 2004. Belkin's Pre-N line consists of a Wireless Router (F5D8230-4) and Wireless Notebook Network Card (F5D8010) and guarantee 800% wider coverage and 600% faster speeds than all other wireless products on the market today. The products are certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance...
More »
Leica Press Release Ralf Coenen (43), hitherto member of the Board of Management responsible for Engineering, Cooperations and Asian Sales, will become the new Chairman of the Leica Camera AG, Solms, as from January 1, 2005. This decision of the Company's Supervisory Board, made in its meeting on Thursday, follows the proposal brought forward by Hanns-Peter Cohn (56). After six years on duty as Chairman of the Board of Management, Cohn will leave the Company at his own request to...
More »
PC Mag have a good review of the Paint Shop Pro 9 software. They write: 'Paint Shop Pro 9 has also added some new tools for correcting photos, including the ability to open Camera Raw–formatted images. The Chromatic Aberration command provides simple but highly effective controls for eliminating the colored fringing that can occur along sharply contrasting edges in images. And the new feature that smoothes digital photo noise does a very good job. But two other features, Fill Flash...
More »
DigiCamReview reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7 and writes - 'Image: Image quality is very good - the images have great colour, great detail (although they could do with a slight sharpen depending on your tastes), low noise, there is very little purple fringing, although it would be nice if there was a bit less. Image compression seems about right. The macro mode is good (a bit better than average). The flash did cause problems when the subject was too close....
More »
Time Magazine have named the Olympus Stylus Verve as their gadget of the week. They write: 'What is the Stylus Verve, if not a fashion statement? Olympus paid a lot of money to tout it at New York's Fashion Week this fall, but its looks would have earned it a place on the runway even without the sponsorship: smooth lines, a subtle angularity, multiple colors (silver, white, blue, black, copper and red — collect all six?) and the funky selector...
More »
Bob Atkins has an interesting translation of an interview with Canon board member Mr. Iwashita. 't seems that Canon are currently happy with the 3 tier system of DSLRs, the consumer level Digital Rebel, the "prosumer" level EOS 20D and the pro level EOS 1D mark II and 1Ds mark II. There are no current plans to introduce a digital version of the EOS 3. The current 3 tiers don't really compete with each other and sales are good. There's...
More »
DC Views has a great review of the Casio Z50 and writes: 'With excellent handling, superb portability and image quality that is easily good enough for large prints, we have to conclude that this new 5-megapixel Casio is a welcome addition to today's digital camera market. Ergonomics are good with all controls being well-placed and functional without there being too many of them. The menu system is logically organised and very user-friendly, while the long battery life makes it ideal...
More »
Kodak Announces Changes in European Manufacturing As Part of Broader Plan to Accelerate Digital Imaging Strategy; Plants in U.K. and France to be affected Eastman Kodak Company today announced changes at manufacturing sites in England and France, reflecting the increasing popularity of digital photography among consumers and customers. The actions are part of Kodak's three-year program, announced in January; to reduce worldwide employment by 12-15,000 and to reduce total facilities square footage by one-third. These actions are part of Kodak's...
More »
“At Photokina 2004, FujiFilm displayed the ”F-NEXT IMAGE VIEWER“ portable photo viewer, which seems pretty standard. It features a 3.6” QVGA screen, 2GB capacity, and CF slot. But that's not important.What is important is the inclusion of a new image searching function called “Face Search.” Faces pictured in images stored inside the hard drive will be recognized, and the technology allows for searching images in which the same person is pictured.Although there is already similar technology existing for PCs that...
More »
Canon have released a firmware update for their 20D DSLR. Get it here. It improves certain memory cards performance and overcomes some shutter release issues....
More »
Press Release October 4, 2004 - The Plugin Site is proud to announce the PhotoWiz Contest 2004, which is running from October 1 to December 31, 2004. This contest is dedicated to all creatively minded photographers. It offers them the possibility to present the best samples of their work to the public and win a lot of exciting prizes. Everyone is invited to submit his or her photos to this contest....
More »
Digital Camera Info reviews the Panasonic DMC-LC50 and writes - 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC50 is a reasonably inexpensive camera, listed at US $249.99. It contains an elegant design and simplistic controls to accommodate digital snapshoters. Why there is no audio recording ability included with the video capture escapes me. The Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT all-glass, 3x optical lens is by far the strongest element included on the camera and does ensure sharp images and advanced quality from a camera in this...
More »
DP Now reviews the Casio Exilim EX-Z40 and writes - 'Image quality was a mixed bag – our sample clearly had a problem that manifested itself in the form of inconsistent sharpness across the frame. The problem is not a disaster, but keen photographers will spot the problem fairly easily. It's hard not to point a finger at the unusual mechanicals featured inside Pentax-made lens, which enables it to retract so tightly, for an explanation of the sharpness issues. If...
More »
DP Review reviews the Fujifilm Finepix F810 and writes - 'The FinePix F810 Zoom is a very classy camera ideal for the serious photographer wanting a 'carry anywhere' companion to an SLR. The design, built and speed of operation are superb, and the range of controls comprehensive. Even more importantly, all the everyday photographic functions are easily accessible via external controls or fast, well-designed menus. The 32.5-130mm lens offers more versatility than the more common 38-115mm equiv. found on many...
More »
eDigital Photo reviews the HP Photosmart R707 and writes - 'This handsome, pocketable 5-megapixel camera with classy lines and a stainless steel front panel is a great entry-level model but it includes enough advanced capabilities, plus the highly desirable Panorama feature, to attract some photo enthusiasts. The Adaptive Lighting and Redeye Removing capabilities make it suitable for anyone who wants technically superior images, particularly for printing direct from the camera or its memory card. The first HP model to combine...
More »
Press Release DALSA’s 22-Megapixel Trueframe CCD in Mamiya’s New Medium-Format Digital SLR Camera Mamiya chose DALSA's FTF4052C 22-million pixel CCD for their innovative medium-format digital SLR (Cologne, Germany, Photokina 2004, September 28 2004)--DALSA announced today the integration of its FTF4052C TrueFrame™ image sensor into the Mamiya ZD, the world’s first medium format digital SLR camera that is both fully integrated and portable. DALSA worked intimately with Mamiya, a name synonymous with excellence and innovation in professional photographic cameras and lenses,...
More »
Tom's Hardware Guide has a good report on Photokina. 'With thousands of square meters of floor space on two levels, all completely filled, the Photokina is an impressive trade fair. And it's no longer a secret: All eyes are now riveted on digital images. New players and "historic" manufacturers are all here offering all sorts of equipment, from consumer products to ultra-professional monsters. In an atmosphere that's relaxed yet studious, huge displays stand alongside small ones, while loudspeakers try to out-shout...
More »
Image RecallPress Release ImageRecall Announces ImageRecall 3.0 Now Supports More Memory Cards And Image Formats Than Any Other Digital Photo Recovery Software Including Raw Image Formats Release Date: 28/09/2004 - The software gives users a backup plan to address the lack of safeguards in the storage and download process of digital cameras including new features to help keep photos safe after recovery. Photokina -Cologne, Germany-September 28, 2004-Today's digital cameras make it very convenient for users to take pictures without worrying...
More »
Digital camera can bring so much to an individual or family's life - but what are the ramifications of a digital camera on a business. There are definitely some positives but this article examines some of the other issues to think through with Digital Cameras in businesses. "1) Security: many companies do not allow cameras into their offices, warehouses and factories for security reasons, including theft, computer security, trade secrets, industrial espionage and even terrorism. Digital cameras are no...
More »
Lexar and Kodak Expand Flash Memory Card Offering With the Introduction of KODAK xD-Picture Cards COLOGNE, Germany, September 29, 2004 -- Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq: LEXR), and Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK), announced today the continued expansion of KODAK flash memory cards with the introduction of KODAK xD-Picture Cards. The addition of the xD-Picture Card continues the companies' commitment to offer consumers a range of popular digital media formats. Lexar will distribute and market KODAK xD-Picture Cards through both Lexar...
More »
Press Release IPIX Interactive Studio Available with REALVIZ Fisheye Plug-in; Partners Deliver Software with Multiple Options for Stitching Fisheye Photography COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 28, 2004 -- IPIX InfoMedia, the world leader for the creation of full 360-degree panoramic photography, and REALVIZ(R), the leading developer of imaging software for creating panoramas, today announced the availability of IPIX Interactive Studio with the award-winning REALVIZ fisheye plug-in extension. The combined solution, which begins shipping today, supports a wider variety of shot-capture...
More »
I couldn't resist posting about this Remote Control Car with a Camera when I first saw it over at Gizmodo “Overtaking all other remote control cars in its price bracket the Cyclops is jam packed with functionality. Not only does the classy red and black bodywork ooze sex appeal but the car features a colour camera built into the windscreen which transmits a picture directly to the colour monitor on your controller. This means that you've got a ‘driver's...
More »
Lexar Press Release Lexar Introduces First Professional Card Readers With Innovative Stackable Design for Concurrent Downloads COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, B-058) introduced two new Professional CompactFlash(TM) Readers designed to address professional photographers' need for almost instantaneous data transfer and an improved project workflow. Built with material similar to a digital camera, with a unique industrial design...
More »
Press Release Creo Leaf and GretagMacbeth perfect custom color profiling for Leaf digital photographers PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY -- September 28, 2004 -- Creo Inc. (NASDAQ: CREO; TSX: CRE) announces that Creo Leaf, a leading supplier of digital camera backs, and GretagMacbeth, a worldwide technological leader in color management solutions, have entered into a cooperative agreement to provide Leaf customers the ability to customize ICC color profiles to fit different lighting conditions based on the shooting environment. Integration for Better...
More »
Press Release Carl Zeiss and Sinar Agree on Strategic Cooperation for Digital High-end Photography Swiss camera manufacturer Sinar relies on Lenses from Oberkochen, Germany Oberkochen/Cologne, Germany; Feuerthalen, Switzerland – September 28, 2004 – the transition from chemical film to direct digital exposures already enables medium format image sensors to achieve the extraordinary quality that was previously only possible with chemical large format cameras. As a result, digital medium format is considered the upper class of photography, whether adapted to special...
More »
SanDisk Press Release SANDISK LAUNCHES SHOOT & STORE FLASH CARDS IN EUROPE Low-Cost “Consumable” Cards Will Be Distributed Where Film and Processing Are Offered COLOGNE, GERMANY, Sept. 29, 2004 – SanDisk ® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced that it is introducing its Shoot & Store ™ line of budget-priced flash memory cards in Europe through a variety of stores that offer film and processing services. The announcement was made during a press conference at Photokina 2004, where SanDisk is exhibiting at...
More »
Press Release SANDISK LEAPFROGS COMPETITION — QUADRUPLES TOP CAPACITY OF ITS HIGH-SPEED ULTRA II FLASH MEMORY CARDS New Cards Include World’s First 8-Gigabyte (GB) Type I High Speed CompactFlash Card COLOGNE, GERMANY, Sep. 29, 2004 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) announced today that is has quadrupled the capacity of its high-speed SanDisk Ultra® II line of flash memory cards that includes the development of a new 8GB CompactFlash® Type I card. The top end SanDisk Ultra II Memory Stick PRO...
More »
SanDisk Press Release SANDISK INTRODUCES EXTREME III, WORLD’S FASTEST, HIGHEST PERFORMING FLASH MEMORY CARD Extreme III Product Line Based On SanDisk’s New ESP Technology, A Major Technological Breakthrough COLOGNE, GERMANY, SEPT. 29, 2004 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced the world’s fastest flash memory cards – the SanDisk Extreme ™ III line of CompactFlash â , SD ™ and Memory Stick PRO ™ digital film cards. The CompactFlash and SD cards have minimum write and read speeds of 20 megabytes...
More »
Sandisk Press Release SanDisk introduces three new memory card readers— transfer photos, video, music and data quickly and easily Multi-Card Readers Support Wide Range of Card Formats; Feature Transfer Button To Automatically Move Photos To Your Computer COLOGNE, GERMANY , Sep. 29, 2004 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) today introduced three high-speed card readers, the SanDisk ImageMate â 12-in-1, ImageMate 5-in-1 and ImageMate CompactFlash â (CF) readers. Ideal for owners of digital cameras and other consumer electronics devices, each new...
More »
Sandisk Press Release SANDISK UNVEILS NEW DIGITAL PHOTO TV PLAYER THAT ALSO DISPLAYS VIDEO CLIPS AND DOUBLES AS AN MP3 MUSIC JUKEBOX Versatile and Easy-to-Use SanDisk Photo Album Will Be Sold For $49.99 This Holiday Season COLOGNE, GERMANY, Sept. 29, 2004 – SanDisk Corporation today introduced the SanDisk ® Photo Album, a compact, sleek and easy-to-use device that lets consumers display digital still pictures or video clips on their TV sets and even attach soundtracks to slide shows. Using any...
More »
Epson Press Release Epson Introduces New EasyPrint -- First Software Utility to Simplify Printing from Popular Photo Applications LONG BEACH, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 28, 2004 Adobe(R) First to Incorporate Epson EasyPrint into New Photoshop(R) Elements 3.0 Epson, the leader in professional photographic printing technology, is making it easier and faster for both consumers and pros to print from software applications directly to Epson printers with the introduction of Epson EasyPrint. With Epson EasyPrint the most important print settings of...
More »
"Terry O'Neill, one of the world's most published photographers, has condemned the rapid spread of digital cameras for wrecking the art of taking pictures. He believes digital cameras are only fit for "amateurs and paparazzi", and that the technology is turning all pictures into "snapshots". His criticisms follow a week in which Eastman Kodak admitted the film business is declining at twice the speed of previous estimates, while Dixons reported that four out of five camera sales are digital....
More »
Phototags Press Release PHOTAGS 3.0 ACTIVE CAPTIONS ENABLED PHOTO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DEBUTS AT PHOTOKINA Upgraded Photo Management Suites Offers Unrivaled Feature Set Cologne, Germany - September 28, 2004 PhoTags, Inc.,developer of the revolutionary Active Captions photo messaging and management technology will be unveil the latest upgrade of its innovative software at the Photokina World of Imaging Exhibition in Cologne, Germany. Version 3.0 provides consumers with everything expected from a state of the art Digital Photography Software Suite including, acquiring...
More »
Rob Galbraith has the scoop that Sandisk are about to announce some interesting new products: "Later this week, Sandisk will announce a new line of high speed CompactFlash, SD and Memory Stick Pro cards, two new USB 2.0 readers designed to realize the speed potential of these new cards and a revamp of the Ultra II line that includes capacities up to 8GB." Read more at Rob Galbraith DPI: Sandisk to unveil Extreme III CompactFlash and SD, new card readers...
More »
Kodak Press Release Kodak Delivers Software, Firmware Upgrades for its Digital SLR Cameras that Enhance Performance, Workflow, Via Faster Processes Pro Photographers Will Get Upgraded Software in October; New Firmware Available Now COLOGNE, Germany, Sept. 27 -- Eastman Kodak Company announced significant refinements to the software and firmware for its KODAK PROFESSIONAL DCS Pro SLR cameras that will enhance performance and workflow through faster processes, among other new features. The upgraded versions of DCS Photo Desk software v4.3 and DCS...
More »
ColorVision Press Release For Professionals Who Can't Leave Digital Imaging To Chance At Photokina September 28 through October 3rd at the Professional Imaging Hall COLOGNE, GERMANY - September 28, 2004 - ColorVision, the digital imaging unit of Datacolor today announce at the PHOTOKINA international tradeshow an updated SpectroPRO2 Suite. This Spectro based product is the most inclusive solution for professionals who depend on accurate monitor calibration and printer profiling. SpectroPRO2 Suite has all the tools for high-level color control, professional...
More »
Press Release Sandisk Takes Security To A New Level With Powerful Encryption Software For Its Cruzer USB Flash Drives Free Download of CruzerLock Upgrade Will Be Available To All Owners of Cruzer Mini, Micro and Titanium Drives Sunnyvale, CA, September 27, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation today introduced a new file encryption system that provides owners of all SanDisk Cruzer USB flash drives with advanced security measures to protect important documents. The upgrade to SanDisk's CruzerLock software is now available free...
More »
OmniVision's New 5-Megapixel CMOS Sensor to Rival CCDs in High-End Camera Market; Camcorder and Hybrid Camera Markets Also Expected to Embrace OmniPixel Technology COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 28, 2004 At the opening day of Photokina in Cologne, OmniVision Technologies (Nasdaq:OVTI), a leading global supplier of CMOS image sensors for digital imaging solutions, introduced the world's first small-scale, CMOS image sensor with 5 megapixels, the OV5610. The OV5610 delivers the image quality of more expensive charge coupled devices (CCDs), and...
More »
Research and Markets has just released a report into Camera Phones that found that sales of Camera Phones will soon exceed those of digital cameras. "This report forecasts that worldwide sales of camera-phones will exceed those of digital cameras this year, and that megapixel quality camera-phones will be on the market within months, with two and three megapixel units close behind. It further states that the challenges to mass-market adoption of camera-phones in the U.S. - both business and...
More »
Gizmodo reviews the Fujifilm Finepix F440. They say they don't know much about digital cameras but for me the review is as useful as any others as it talks about the camera in a real situation and not an artificial testing environment. They writes - 'But what I can talk about is how well the F440 performs at being portable, being easy to use, and how it impresses even gadget-weary trade show representatives. I'm going to skip to the punchline...
More »
Extensis Press Release Extensis Announces Pro Photo Raw Image Filter for Portfolio 7 COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Free filter powered by Bibble Labs enables professional photographers to read Raw data from image files of leading digital SLR cameras Extensis Inc. today announced an update to its Pro Photo Raw Image Filter for Portfolio 7. The updated filter will be a free upgrade for registered owners of Extensis' digital asset management (DAM) solution for organizing digital photos, illustrations,...
More »
Olympus Press Release Life through a lens Three new ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses see the big, the small and the wide picture Cologne, 27 September 2004. There is more to life than seeing the big picture. Sometimes it's all in the detail. Capturing life's memorable moments on film means having the right lens for every occasion. Enter the new range of ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses from Olympus. Explicitly designed for digital photography and adhering to the TIPA Award winning FourThirds Standard, the...
More »
Ulead Press Release Ulead Introduces New Version of PhotoImpact Image Editing Software TORRANCE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 PhotoImpact 10 Brings Image Editing Software up to the Level of Today's Digital Cameras with Novice-Friendly Professional Quality Tools Ulead Systems, Inc., a 15-year, industry-leader in digital media software development, announces Ulead(R) PhotoImpact(R) 10, the newest version of PhotoImpact, Ulead's flagship PC image editing software. PhotoImpact 10 continues to be the most comprehensive software product under $100 for digital photography,...
More »
Kodak Press ReleaseKodak Delivers on Digital Strategy at Photokina 2004 COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 World's Picture Leader Unveils a Broad Array of Innovative Partnerships and Products That Enable Anytime, Anywhere Picture Sharing Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK), continuing to execute its digitally oriented growth strategy, today announced a broad array of innovative partnerships, products and services that will transform the way people share their lives through pictures -- anytime, anywhere....
More »
Renesas Technology Releases World's Fastest 4-Gigabit AG-AND Type Flash Memory for Multimedia Products That Require Large Storage Capacity and Fast Recording Speeds SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Renesas Technology America, Inc. (NYSE:HIT)-- -- The device -- the first Renesas Technology chip built with a 90-nanometer process -- attains a programming speed of 10 Megabytes/second, fast enough to record a 2-hour movie in about two minutes using MPEG-4 coding. Renesas Technology America, Inc. today announced two 4-Gigabit (4Gbit)...
More »
Press Release Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and Eastman Kodak Company, Form Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) Group Defines Picture and Video Storage Parameters to Optimize Future Consumer Use; Input Sought on Version 1.0 Specification COLOGNE, Germany, September 27 — Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Inc. Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., and Eastman Kodak Company, today announced an agreement to jointly develop a set of open storage standards for the consumer imaging and electronics industries,...
More »
Lexar Press ReleaseLexar Revolutionizes Professional Digital Photography Workflow with New ActiveMemory System COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, Booth-058) introduced the ActiveMemory(TM) System, a technology designed to optimize digital photography workflow to achieve enhanced productivity in and out of the photo studio. The first products to support the ActiveMemory System are certain Professional CompactFlash(TM) cards, new Lexar Professional...
More »
Lexar Press Release Lexar's Multi-Card Readers Enhanced to Include Newest Digital Media Card Formats COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Consumers Can Capitalize on Wide Compatibility That Now Includes Consumer-Friendly Reduced-Size MMC, Mini Secure Digital and Memory Stick Duo Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, B-058), announced the expanding compatibility of its line of USB 2.0 multi-card readers to include Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), Mini...
More »
Adobe Press Release Adobe Unifies Raw Photo Formats with Introduction of Digital Negative Specification SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Free Converter Tool Kick Starts New Digital Negative File Format by Translating Raw Formats into Easy-to-Use, Archive-Ready Files Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced the Digital Negative Specification, a new unified public format for raw digital camera files. The company also launched a free software tool, Adobe DNG Converter, which translates many of today's popular raw photo formats...
More »
Adobe Press Release Adobe Photoshop Services Introduced; Integrates Ofoto Picture Sharing and Printing in Consumer Software Products SAN JOSE, Calif. & COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Tight Integration With Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 and Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 Provides Simple Way to Share Pictures and Order Prints and Specialty Photo Products Two of the world's leading imaging companies, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) and Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Services provided by Ofoto, Inc. --...
More »
Lexar Press Release Lexar Revolutionizes Professional Digital Photography Workflow with New ActiveMemory System COLOGNE, Germany --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 Lexar Media, Inc. , a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, Booth-058) introduced the ActiveMemory(TM) System, a technology designed to optimize digital photography workflow to achieve enhanced productivity in and out of the photo studio. The first products to support the ActiveMemory System are certain Professional CompactFlash(TM) cards, new Lexar...
More »
"Camera lens company Carl Zeiss has partnered with Dialog Semiconductor to built what they claim is the next generation of miniature cameras for mobile phones. Their first joint project is a camera module for phones that measures smaller than a pea, yet, they claim, delivers "a very high image quality". The companies plan to start selling the modules to phone manufacturers soon." Read more at infoSync World : Carl Zeiss predicts 10 megapixel camera phones ...
More »
Apacer Press Release Apacer introduces Share Steno CD211 - the world's first stand-alone 2-way portable USB storage device with USB2.0 OTG and LCD panel (Taipei) The world's first two-way portable USB storage device equipped with USB2.0 on-the-go interface, and LCD panel will be available from your local Apacer dealer this September. The Share Steno CD211 is specially designed for travelers, professional photographers, users of USB storage devices, and users who need an external hard drive. “Users don't want to worry...
More »
Shortcut Press Release As of September 28th the start of a fruitful cooperation between Shortcut and Canon Germany is a fact. As a science company Shortcut develops and publishes high-grade graphic software technology. The multiple award winning Shortcut PhotoZoom with its S-Spline technology will be bundled with Canon’s large format printers. Canon has recently update there line of Large Format, and very determined to become one of the leading players....
More »
Bios Magazine reviews the ColorVision Spyder2 and writes - 'If you work with digital images on a regular basis, a calibrated monitor is essential in order to produce prints that resemble their on-screen counterparts. ColorVision's Spyder2Pro is a monitor calibrator that works well with both PCs and Macs and will help you to achieve consistent and neutral grey values as well as exceptionally smooth tonal response on CRTs, LCD and laptop displays. New optimised hardware that's easier to attach...
More »
Jenoptik Press Release Freedom without compromise. JENOPTIK Laser, Optik, Systeme GmbH is setting standards in portable digital medium format photography with its new Eyelike eMotion22. The Eyelike eMotion22 from JENOPTIK is the high quality digital back for untethered and tethered operation. Fast, high resolution, lightweight and elegant are the key words describing the new Eyelike eMotion22. JENOPTIK presents its latest digital camera back for medium-format and high-end view camera. Fully designed for untethered use, it sets new standards. Low...
More »
'Microsoft Corp. today announced that together with imaging industry leaders at Photokina 2004 in Cologne, Germany, it will unveil new technologies that use the capabilities of Windows® XP to make digital photography easier for all users, from hobbyists to professionals. These new technologies will include the new Microsoft® Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), which Canon will support in its future digital camera offerings.... Microsoft announced it is working with leading digital camera manufacturers that are supporting two new technologies, MTP...
More »
'Canon Inc., Eastman Kodak Co. and Sony Corp. led other digital-camera companies in customer satisfaction, a study released Wednesday by J.D. Power and Associates showed.The study measured customer satisfaction in each of four price segments. Kodak led the pack in two price segments, which included cameras selling from $200 to $599. Canon topped the list of companies selling cameras for $600 or more, and Sony was No. 1 in brands $199 or less.Kodak scored particularly well in regard to the...
More »
'A year after Eastman Kodak Co. unveiled an ambitious new strategy to accelerate its foray into digital imaging, the photography company said Wednesday it expects filmless products and services to comprise more than half of its sales by 2005. At a meeting with investors in New York, Kodak said it remained on course to boost revenues from $13.3 billion last year to $16 billion in 2006. But it now anticipates digital sales to jump 36 percent a year between...
More »
"If there wasn’t enough digital camera announcements at the moment, Acer, the laptop manufacturer has announced it to will be joining the market. In was seems to be an attempt to keep up with its self proclaimed main competitor, BenQ, Acer will to be joining the digital camera sector. Launching in December, specific details are still very sketchy, however what is confirmed is that the company will be launching three models to start with ranging from £250 - £350....
More »
Fujifilm Germany's Press Release Section seems to have been a little eager to release information about its new DSLR, the S3 Pro, and a number of printers and services. The press releases are all dated 28 September 2004 and so it seems they have been accidentally posted a few days early. They may not remain their long - but we've posted the pictures and releases below at: - Fuji film S3 Pro DSLR - MP100 Digital Mobile Printer - Printpix...
More »
Plustek Press Release Plustek Launches Pro Film Scanner; Professional resolution and fast scans -- the OpticFilm 7200 is Plustek's powerful pro film scanner for slides and negatives Plustek Inc, a leading manufacturer of consumer, prosumer and professional scanners, today launched the OpticFilm 7200 professional-grade film scanner, offering the market's highest film-scan resolution (7200 x 7200 dpi) in a consumer device. Until now, due to the high cost, film scanners with professional resolution were nearly exclusively purchased by service companies, high-profile...
More »
Fujifilm Press Release Fujifilm to showcase advances in Image Intelligence™ PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. will be presenting Image Intelligence™, an original system of imageprocessing software technologies featured in a wide range of Fujifilm´s digital imaging products. The culmination of 70 years of photographic expertise, Fujifilm´s Image Intelligence™ has vastly increased the convenience and potential applications of digital imaging. At Photokina 2004, Fujifilm will showcase a variety of products already equipped...
More »
Fujifilm Press Release (another pre released one from fujifilm?) Fujifilm. Picture the Future Dedicated to providing quality solutions for the future of imaging PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Under the slogan ´´Fujifilm. Picture the Future,´´ the Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. exhibit at Photokina 2004 features a wide variety of new products and services. Conveying Fujifilm´s determination to accurately ´´picture´´ customer needs and the future of the imaging market in the midst of today´s rapidly evolving...
More »
(Another Fuji Film Press Release) Innovative Products Meet the Needs of a Variety of Users PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. is proud to announce an expanded and enhanced line of Fujifilm digital cameras designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of users worldwide. The product range now encompasses 15 models, all of which are on display and demonstration at the Fujifilm booth at Photokina 2004. With digital cameras finding...
More »
FujiFilm Press Release The New Addition To Fujifilm Digital Imaging Services Innovative Digital Camera Printing Services PHOTOKINA 2004, COLOGNE, GERMANY, September 28, 2004 – Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. has supplied Fujifilm Digital Imaging Services (FDi services) to global photo retailers, and introduced various digital services such as the Fujicolor CD, Print@FUJICOLOR, Digital Photo Center etc., since the introduction of the Digital Minilab Frontier. Responding to both growing demand for print services and global expansion of digital camera sales,...
More »
Canon Press Release Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of My Canon: an online customer relationship management (eCRM) portal at http://my.canon-europe.com. My Canon consolidates a range of existing and new online services, including the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY and Your Print. Launched in 2003, Canon's online CANON iMAGE GATEWAY offers owners of selected Canon digital imaging products the facility to upload images and video clips to create and share their own personal online...
More »
'A specially shaped camera lens and processing method to ensure images are always in focus has been developed. Physicist Dr Andy Harvey said it was a "simple system with a simple lens" which uses an optical encoder so that no information in images is lost. Developed primarily for military night vision cameras, the technology could find its way into camera phones. The quality of picture phone images is fast improving, with more models now capable of 1.3 mega pixels per...
More »
Concord Press Release CONCORD CAMERA CORP. DEMONSTRATES REVOLUTIONARY WIRELESS WI-FI TECHNOLOGY FOR DIGITAL CAMERAS Fast Wi-Fi Photo Transmission at 1/10th of a second for a 4 Megapixel Image Hollywood, FL September 20, 2004 -- Concord Camera Corp. (“Concord”) (Nasdaq:LENS), a leader in award-winning, high-quality, affordably priced digital cameras, announced today that it will demonstrate its clever new wireless image transfer technology for digital cameras called WIT™ (Wireless Image Transfer) at Photokina next week in Cologne, Germany. ...
More »
Engadget has this picture of the new Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II (or at least they think it might be a real picture of it). The rumor is that we might see such this new camera at Photokina. This is one DSL that I can't wait to test - very exciting times. Bring it on! Source - Canon EOS 1Ds ...
More »
Sharp Press Release Sharp Develops 2-Megapixel CCD Camera Module for Full-Fledged Digital Camera Functionality in Mobile Phones New 2X Optical Inner Zoom Lens Design Provides Dramatically Improved Functionality for Camera-Equipped Mobile Phones Sharp Corporation has developed a new 2-megapixel CCD camera module featuring a 2X optical inner zoom lens. Intended for use in high-end camera-equipped mobile phones, the new LZ0P3738 will be available in quantity beginning in October 2004. Cameras designed to be embedded in mobile phones have been...
More »
“The idea behind Bushnell Corp.'s Instant Replay sounds great: high-quality binoculars equipped to shoot digital photos or streaming video. Who wouldn't want to grab solid footage of great athletes -- be they Barry Bonds or little Johnny on the soccer field -- without having to lay out the dough for field-level seats or wrestle with a zoom lens? And one day, sports fans, we will find the easy solution. But the Instant Replay is not it. The binoculars feature...
More »
The Wonderful Shot digital camera is a 3.5 megapixel digicam designed for dogs to wear to give their owners an insight into the life from the perspective of man's best friend. 'The “Wonderful Shot” is a 3.5MP digital camera that is attached to the collar of your four-legged friend, and allows you to see what he sees.' Its specs are: Lense: F2.8 f6.8mm Size: 55mmx52mmx12mm Weight: 38gr et 20gr USB1.1 OS: Windows 98SE; Windows 2000; Windows ME; Windows XP...
More »
'Eastman Kodak Company and IBM have banded together to sharpen the vision of image sensors designed for use in digital still cameras and camera phones. The collaboration marries Sony's complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processing with Kodak's existing image sensor technologies in an attempt to sow a new breed of CMOS image sensor (CIS) devices that are capable of matching the image quality of charge-coupled devices (CCDs). Kodak and IBM will work together to develop as well as manufacture the...
More »
DP Review has a good preview of Photokina. Photokina is a German Photographics show (and the reason for the recent spate of digital cameras announced in the past month. It will be a good page to keep an eye on for the lastest digital imaging news. You might also want to follow the latest Photokina news at Lets Go Digital's Photokina report page which has translations into a variety of languages or at Steve's Digicams Photokina pages....
More »
'At least 600 Kodak workers in Australia have become victims of the digital age when the company announced it would close its only local manufacturing plant because of the decline of film-based photography. After 40 years, production of paper, film and processing chemicals will cease at the Melbourne factory, in suburban Coburg, by November 26. The wholesale photo processing lab at the site will also close on October 22. The company said 600 jobs would be lost, with about 400...
More »
Lexar Press Release Lexar Announces Professional Series Memory Cards With Encryption Technology to Provide a Highly Secure Digital Media Solution FREMONT, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 16, 2004 Nikon Includes Security Feature in Nikon D2X Digital Camera Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today revealed plans to incorporate encryption technology into its Professional CompactFlash(TM) and, in conjunction with technology-compatible digital cameras, will provide users with a secure digital media solution. Professional...
More »
"At-home printing of digital photos should become nearly a $10 billion business worldwide by 2008, reports Lyra Research. Digital cameras are everywhere these days, and though one of the advantages of digital photography over film is that all the shots don't have to be developed into prints, thus saving money, many of them are. A whole lot of them. According to a new report from Lyra Research, "Consumer Photo-Printing Market: Where Digital Photos Will Be Printed," worldwide revenues from at-home...
More »
"The beauty of digital photography isn't only that you can instantly view the pictures you've just taken. You can also share them with friends and fam-ily in a matter of seconds. Dozens of Web sites and applications now provide photo-sharing services, and a couple will even distribute your digital videos. Granted, you've been able to share images via dial-up for quite some time. But with broadband, you'll need only a few minutes, rather than hours, to upload a large batch...
More »
Adobe Press Release Adobe Enters Home Video Editing Market with All-New Adobe Premiere Elements New Addition to Adobe Product Family Gives Home Videos the Professional Touch with Reliable Video Capture, Automated Editing Tasks and Integrated DVD Burning SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 15, 2004 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Premiere Elements, a brand new Windows-based product for customers who want creative control and reliability when editing their home videos. Leveraging the award-winning professional functionality found in Adobe...
More »
Adobe Press Release New Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Macintosh Brings Pro Features to Digital Photo Hobbyists New Generation of Advanced Image Editing Features Make Photoshop Elements 3.0 the Perfect Complement to iPhoto SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 15, 2004 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Macintosh, a major upgrade to its must-have digital imaging software for photo hobbyists that makes it easier than ever to enhance images and dramatically transform photos. With the...
More »
DP Review reviews the Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 and writes - 'If you are on a tight budget and/or are a beginner, Photoshop Elements 3 will go a long way and is an excellent starting point on the Adobe Photoshop learning curve. It gives you the benefit that most of what you learn in Elements 3 can be used again in Photoshop CS, should you decide to upgrade in the future because most of the commands and shortcuts are the...
More »
Omni Vision Press Release OmniVision's 1.3-Megapixel CameraChip Enhances Functionality of Mobile Phones OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:OVTI) is shipping production volumes of its 1.3-megapixel OV9640 CameraChip(TM) to Siemens Information and Communication Mobile (Siemens mobile). Siemens has selected the OV9640 as the imaging system for its new S65 handset, Siemens' first mobile phone designed for high-performance still and video imaging. In addition to providing high-resolution still images, the OV9640 enables the S65 to generate MPEG4-format video images at up to 120 frames...
More »
Nikon Press Release - New Protocol “PTP/IP” for Image Data Transfer from a Digital Camera via wireless LAN -- Nikon’s joint development with FotoNation, to be supported by Microsoft Corporation Tokyo – Nikon Corporation (COO: Teruo Shimamura) is pleased to announce the implementation of PTP/IP (Picture Transfer Protocol over Internet Protocol) - developed by FotoNation Inc. - as a new computer interface for more convenient image data transfer from digital cameras. Based on the current ubiquitous PTP technology (ISO 15740),...
More »
“Bought a digital camera recently? It's probably got anywhere from 3.1 to 6 megapixels of resolution. Well, the European Space Agency is building a 1 gigapixel (a gigapixel is 1024 megapixels) digital camera for its upcoming Gaia space telescope, due for launch in 2010. It's actually not a single camera, but an array of 170. Gaia will be positioned 1.5 million km (930,000 miles) away from Earth, and will be designed to simultaneously photograph 1 billion stars and plenty...
More »
“Transcend Information and Rectron have introduced the company's new ”lifestyle-enhancing“ JetFlash Digital Still Camera (DSC) with USB flash drive which fits easily into users' pockets (weighing 26g) and allows for pictures to be taken anywhere. With 640x480 pixel resolution, photos can be e-mailed and shared easily, plus users won't have to worry about finding the USB cable or card reader to download images. Simply plug-in the JetFlash DSC into an available USB port and start downloading. Allowing for extended...
More »
VueScan Press Release The update adds support for Epson 2480/2580 on Mac OS X and Linux, and includes support for 43 additional models of Hewlett-Packard OfficeJet/PSC multi-function printer/scanner/copiers. This update also adds support for the Plustek OpticFilm 7200 and Microtek i900 scanners, and improves automatic White Balance, making colors in images look more lifelike. Numerous other improvements and bug fixes have also been included in this release. ...
More »
SanDisk Press Release SANDISK AND AMERICAN PHOTO MAGAZINE OFFER UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PICTURES WITH PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS IN EXOTIC LOCATIONS "Extreme Adventure Series" Lets Winning Bidders On eBay Travel to Six Locations Around The World For Hands-On Mentoring With Renowned Photographers; Proceeds To Benefit "Make A Better Place" Charity Sunnyvale, CA, Sept. 8, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation today announced that SanDisk and American PHOTO magazine will launch the Extreme Adventure Series, a unique opportunity for avid photographers at all...
More »
"Eastman Kodak Co expects its traditional business and digital business to reach the same level of profitability over the next few years, the company's Chief Financial Officer Robert Brust says. Speaking at a technology conference in New York, Brust noted that profitability in the digital business is growing while that of the traditional business is falling. He noted that Kodak has been in a "mad dash to cut costs" in the traditional business as that business becomes less profitable....
More »
Lyra Press Release (click to enlarge diagram) Lyra's forecast reflects sustained opportunity for ink jet printer and supplies vendors A new report from Lyra Research finds that worldwide revenue from at-home printing of photos captured by digital camera will grow from $7.1 billion in 2003 to $9.9 billion in 2008, a compound annual growth rate of 9 percent. The comprehensive report, Consumer Photo-Printing Market: Where Digital Photos Will Be Printed, examines consumer photo-printing behavior and forecasts where digital...
More »
Digital Producer reviews How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography. "How to Wow is kind of a marriage of the Photoshop Wow! series of books that Jack Davis has written in the past and adds the complexity of digital photography thanks to Ben Willmore's previous book releases and his 'Photoshop for Photographers' series of conference sessions that make this a very unique book release. That's because you're not just learning a lot of Photoshop effect techniques. Lots of books already...
More »
"OurPictures, the service that makes digital photography simple enough for everyone, today unveiled at the DEMOmobile 2004 conference OurPictures Mobile(TM), an all-new service that enables consumers to share photos with a single click between cell phones, computers, and TVs. The company also demonstrated OurPictures TV(TM), a groundbreaking solution that brings photo-interaction home to the TV. Available in October 2004 throughout North America and the U.K. for $1.99 per month, OurPictures Mobile(TM) is the first industry-wide solution enabling consumers to...
More »
DP Review has just reviewed the DxO Optics Pro 1.1. 'DxO allows for easy automation and can batch process files. It will automatically identify the camera and lens. In the event it is unable to handle a certain camera-lens combination, DxO does not interrupt the batch process, but communicates this via a dialog box at the end of the process. On a 2.6GHz Pentium 4 machine with 756MB RAM and no other applications running, it took about 1 minute to...
More »
SanDisk Press Release M-Systems and SanDisk Sign Strategic Agreement for Next Generation USB Flash Drives New Jointly Developed Industry Standard Will Enable Third Party Developers to Access Innovative Flash Drive Intelligence and Easily Design Powerful Applications FREMONT and SUNNYVALE, CA - Sep 7, 2004 - M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. (NASDAQ: FLSH) and SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) today announced that they have signed a strategic collaboration and patent cross-license agreement to jointly develop and promote the next-generation USB flash...
More »
Kopin Press Release Nokia Chooses Kopin Microdisplay for 'Kaleidoscope I,' A Breakthrough Accessory for Camera Phone and Digital Still Camera Users TAUNTON, Mass.--Sept. 7, 2004-- Nokia selects Kopin CyberDisplay 180K, responding to strong customer demand for clear and crisp display of images to open a new dimension of cellular phone market Nokia, the world leader in mobile communications, has selected the Kopin Corp. CyberDisplay(TM) 180K as the color microdisplay for Nokia's new Kaleidoscope I, an innovative picture-viewing and storage...
More »
Creo Press Release Creo Announces The Leaf Aptus Digital Camera Back VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA-- Creo Inc. announces the latest generation of portable and studio digital camera backs - the Leaf® Aptus. This new product line has the portability and ease-of-use of consumer products, combined with the robustness, resolution and powerful workflow required by professional photographers. The Leaf Aptus product line includes the Leaf Aptus 22 and Leaf Aptus 17 digital camera backs with resolutions of 22 and 17 megapixels...
More »
" Commercial photographer John Shoemaker knew switching to digital photography two years ago would change the way he takes and produces photos, but he didn’t realize how much it would improve his marketing efforts. Shoemaker’s phone number and Web site are on the free wallet-sized sample photos high school seniors give to their friends. Newly-weds circulate free extra copies of CDs filled with their wedding pictures. Businesses display his marketing posters that include photos of customers, staff members or...
More »
Jasc(R) Press Release Paint Shop Pro Studio Ideal for Digital Photographers Ready to Do More With Their Photos Paint Shop Pro 9 Offers More Advanced Functionality for Professional Results MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Jasc(R) Software, Inc. announced today the general availability of Paint Shop(TM) Pro(R) Studio and Paint Shop(TM) Pro(R) 9. The two new products offer digital camera users at all skill levels solutions tailored to their needs. Paint Shop Pro Studio and Paint Shop Pro 9 are...
More »
The brand new and much talked about Canon EOS 20D is expected to ship in mid September in the USA according to Rob Galbraith. It is likely that this will be shortly followed by the rest of the world. Stay tuned for some reviews of this great looking new DSLR. ...
More »
DP Review pointed today to the Olympus E-System website that has a new teaser movie on it announcing that Olympus will be announcing a new E-System DSLR at Photokina later this month. The teaser really says nothing of substance - the only words are: "Totally New, Welcome to the next generation of digital SLR cameras." and "Debut at Photokina The Next E" ...
More »
Canon Press Release Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, has been announced as the winning choice for photojournalists during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. With hundreds of the world's best photographers in Athens for the games, Canon has proven to be the preferred choice for photographic equipment. According to figures quoted by major Olympic sponsor Kodak, approximately 70% of photographers covering the event are using Canon's EOS SLR cameras and EF lens system. By far the most popular...
More »
August has been a big month for the release of new digital cameras. So far 26 new digicams have been announces as well as numerous other lenses, flashes, accessories and printers. Here is a summary of the digital cameras announced so far: Casio are the latest to release 5 new digital cameras: - Casio Exilim Pro EX-P700 - 7.2 Megapixels and 4x Optical Zoom (heaps of features). - Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 - Super slim 3.2Megapixels - 2.8x Optical...
More »
HP joined the frenzy of manufacturers releasing digital imaging products yesterday with a series of press releases for a variety of new products. Add these products to the 20+ new digital cameras announced in the last few weeks and it has been a pretty significant month in the industry. Here are HP's latest offerings. Digital Cameras - HP Photosmart R607 - 4.1MP, 3x Optical Zoom. - HP Photosmart M407 - 4.1MP, 3x Optical Zoom. - HP Photosmart M307 -...
More »
LetsGoDigital announces that the Olympus Camedia C-8080 has been awarded 'European camera of the year'. "Respected by consumers and valued by retailers, the EISA awards are also highly coveted by manufacturers. And once again, Olympus is one of the recipients. Its CAMEDIA C-8080 WIDE ZOOM has been crowned "European Digital Camera of the Year 2004 - 2005". Comprising nearly 50 leading photo, video, audio, home theatre and mobile electronics magazines from over 18 European countries, the European Imaging & Sound...
More »
For all of you budding sports photographers - check out this guy's set up! (click to enlarge) Wouldn't you love a set up like this one - purrrr. From Photographers covering Men's 100m Finals during Athens Olympics....
More »
Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection has a good editorial on "Camera Policies in Privately Owned Public Spaces". "As the popularity of photoblogs and amateur photography grows, the issue of camera policies in privately owned public spaces is becoming a significant issue. Earlier this year the New York Times published an article entitled Subway Officials Seek Ban on Picture-Taking that focused on New York City's Transit Agency proposing a ban on unauthorized photography on City Subways.... My own view is that corporate...
More »
Amazon has been quick off the mark with getting the new Canon Powershot cameras on the market. They are offering the Canon Powershot A400, S70, A95, G6, and A85 at pretty competitive prices already. Check out their prices below....
More »
"Pure Digital makes the world's first truly digital one-time-use camera. It has been on the market for more than a year but is slated to go prime time Monday when CVS, the nation's largest drugstore chain, puts it on its shelves. The Disney World resorts and Longs Drugs will be selling it later this year as well. Pure Digital is a $19.99 digital camera, with a color preview screen and the ability to delete pictures. After you bring it in...
More »
Olympus Press Review OLYMPUS C-8080 WZ CROWNED "EUROPEAN DIGITAL CAMERA OF THE YEAR" IN 2004 EISA AWARDS 15th August 2004 Olympus announce today that their popular C-8080 WIDE ZOOM has been awarded the prestigious title of 'European Digital Camera of the Year' in the annual European Imaging & Sound Association (EISA) awards. Comprising of nearly fifty leading photo, video, audio, home theatre and mobile electronics publications from over eighteen European countries the EISA awards are respected by consumers and valued...
More »
Lets Go Digital reviewed the Sony Cybershot DSC-W1 and writes - 'As far as we are concerned the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W1 is a direct hit. From the beginning of the test until the end there has not been a dissonance and we can only ascertain that the W1 is an excellent digital camera, highly recommendable!'...
More »
DC Mag has a review of the Konica Minolta Dimage A2 and write: "From the outside, the A2 looks exactly like the A1, except for a couple of new labels reminding us about the company’s merger with Konica. The design is the same jagged, dated affair, but there are curves where they’re needed, notably around the handgrip. This means that handling’s really rather good: the camera balances expertly in one hand or two, and the flip-up viewfinder eyepiece fits snugly...
More »
"Hasselblad and Imacon merge to take on the professional digital market Shriro Sweden, the holding company of Victor Hasselblad AB, and part of the Hong Kong-headquartered Shriro Group, has announced the acquisition of leading international high-end scanner and digital cameraback manufacturer, Imacon. The move will see Imacon and Hasselblad merge to accelerate Hasselblad’s ambitions in the professional digital photographic sector, and creates the first single source supplier for digital photography at the top end of the professional photographic market. Christian...
More »
Digital Photography Review reveals a new memory card format is on the way from Taiwanese manufacturers - the 'μcard'. This new card will be the same size as an SD card and is said to be compatible with USB 2.0 and other media storage cards. It will "offer transfer speeds of 120MB per second, 10 times faster than Secure Digital cards. It is also claimed the capacity of the card has the potential to reach 2 Terabytes (TB). The μcard...
More »
The Canon EOS 20D has now officially been released by Canon. Check out our Canon EOS 20D page for more details. PhotographyBLOG has a picture of the camera we've all been talking about for weeks - the Canon EOS 20D. Mark at Photography Blog writes: "As you can see from the pictures, the 20D will support the same EF-S lens mount as the EOS 300D, and there is a new EF-S lens in the shape of the 17-85mm F4-5.6,...
More »
Casio Press Release Casio's EXILIM Digital Cameras Win Prestigious Awards From PC Magazine and American Photo Stylish, Compact EX-P600 and EX-Z40 Digital Cameras Are Named 'Editor's Choice' Winners DOVER, N.J., August 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Camera buffs in the market for stylish and compact digital that offers award-winning performance, features and value may want to take a recommendation from two leading industry publications and choose one of Casio's affordable EXILIM(R) digital cameras. PC Magazine and American Photo both awarded Casio's...
More »
"Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and some local IT firms will soon mass produce a new type of memory card called “μcard”, which will be unveiled during the Taipei International Electronics Show (Taitronics) from October 8-12, according to sources. The new cards are expected to be local IT firms’ chance to reduce technology reliance upon oversea makers, sources commented. Module makers in Taiwan and China currently license technologies from overseas competitors. The cards will be able to transfer 120MB...
More »
Konica Minolta are getting closer to releasing their DSLR - the Dynax 7. In preparation for its release they have just put in place a Konica Minolta Dynax 7 website which will feature a number of articles in the lead up to its release. The first of these features is one on Anti Shake. 'Anti-Shake is Konica Minolta's exclusive system for preventing camera shake. It is included in the Dynax/Maxxum 7 Digital to help you avoid missed shots due to...
More »
Konica Minolta are responding to the many question being asked by potential customers wanting information on the long awaited Konica Minolta Dynax 7 site. The following interview has been emailed out to clarify many of the questions being asked. Konica Minolta Interview Since Konica Minolta Europe is constantly receiving many requests for updates about the development status of the Dynax 7 Digital, Clemens Helberg, Marketing Manager from Konica Minolta Europe, has gained more information from the Japanese Development Centre. He...
More »
Forbes reports that The net profit for Olympus has dropped in Quarter 1 of this year - partly due to falling digital camera prices. "Olympus Optical Co Ltd said its first quarter to June net profit dropped 88.4 pct from a year earlier to just 1.0 bln yen, almost one ninth of the net profit earned a year earlier, hit by a plunge in digital camera prices. Despite the poor first quarter result, the world's largest endoscope maker has left...
More »
"Professional photographers in Belgium have expressed concern that the boom in digital cameras could put them out of business. As digital models become cheaper and produce even better quality pictures, some traditional photographers have even decided to shut up shop. "The number of camera films being developed has dropped by 35 percent," said the president of the national association of professional photographers told the Friday edition of La Derniere Heure newspaper." Read more of Belgium's snappers fear digital demise....
More »
Casio Press Release CASIO Develops World's First Transparent Ceramic Lens Using Murata's LUMICERA *1 August 02, 2004, TOKYO, JAPAN - Using proprietary optical technology, CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. has developed the world's first lens using transparent ceramics. This breakthrough will make it possible to create zoom lenses for cameras with greatly reduced profiles. Ever since CASIO's EXILIM ultra-slim, credit-card-sized digital camera went on sale, the entire digital camera market has undergone a huge change. Compact digital cameras offering mobility in...
More »
The HP Photosmark M307 is a 3.2 megapixel digital camera with a 3x Optical Zoom lens, large 4.3cm LCD screen, 'Intstant Share' (enabling easy sharing, printing and saving of images) and 16MB internal storage. For more information on the HP Photosmart M307 read the following press release from HP announcing the camera. HP Press Release HP Introduces a New, User-Friendly and Compact Digital Camera from the Sleek M-series Range Sculpted design and clear, easy-to-use controls make the HP Photosmart M307...
More »
Have you ever wondered how fragile the memory card in your digital camera is? Its probably a lot more indestructible than you might have thought found a test of five memory cards. " The memory cards in most cameras are virtually indestructible, found Digital Camera Shopper magazine. Five memory card formats survived being boiled, trampled, washed and dunked in coffee or cola. They were dipped into cola, put through a washing machine, dunked in coffee, trampled by a skateboard, run...
More »
Image Resource reviews the Casio Exilim Pro EX-P600. Its a camera I'm in the middle of writing a review on and is a camera worth checking out. They write - 'Trim, compact, and sporting a stylish new user interface, the Casio Exilim EX-P600 is one of the smallest digicams I've seen that offers so much manual control. The EX-P600 offers a generous six-megapixel CCD, which, combined with the high-quality Canon 4x zoom lens, captures high-resolution images with loads of fine...
More »
Press Release Continued High Growth Rates in the Consumer Digital Camera Market Astound Industry (Weymouth, MA) July, 26 2004. Continued high growth rates in the consumer digital camera market are astounding industry vendors, who are waiting for the peak. InfoTrends/CAP Ventures predicts two more years of strong growth before sales peak. Consumer digital camera unit sales in the United States are forecasted to reach 22.8 million in 2004. This represents a unit growth of 42% over 2003, which showed 58%...
More »
Kodak Press Release Free Trial version of the DIGITAL GEM Professional Plug-In now available at www.asf.com Rochester, NY (July 25, 2004) – Eastman Kodak Company today introduced the new DIGITAL GEM Professional Plug-In, which enables users to dramatically reduce both visual noise and film grain in their digital images without excessive softening. This new, professional plug-in has the same basic features and functionality as the award-winning DIGITAL GEM Plug-In, plus it offers 16 bit support, more control and improved results...
More »
Press Release New Quantaray Ballistic SLR bag from Ritz Camera BELTSVILLE, Md. - July 29, 2004 - Ritz Camera Centers introduced their new Quantaray Ballistic Two-Toned SLR bag this summer. The bag can hold a complete SLR system of camera, lens, flash, and filters and comes in either black and grey or black and tan. The SLR bags are constructed with a Ballistic Nylon material that is a heavy-duty and water resistant fabric. Rugged and maintenance-free, the Nylon was named...
More »
"Canon U.S.A., today announced Canon Inc. first half 2004 consolidated net sales of 1,648.4 billion yen (US$ 15,263 million), which represents an increase of 7.3% over the first half of fiscal year 2003. Canon reported first half net income of 160.8 billion yen (US$ 1,489 million), a significant increase of 25.8% over the same period last year and an earning per share of 181.84 yen (US$ 1.68). Canon Inc. also reported second-quarter revenue of 850.4 billion yen (US$ 7,874 million),...
More »
Nikon Press Release Nikon Europe Warns Customers of Stolen D70 digital SLR Kits A number of Nikon D70 digital SLR camera kits destined for Spain have been stolen from Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on July 17, 2004. The kits comprised of a D70 body with AF-S DX Nikkor 18-70G lens, battery, charger and English and Spanish language User manuals. Importantly they also carry a Warranty Card carrying the following address of Nikon’s Spanish distributor Finicon S.A....
More »
In the past few week's we've seen a number of manufacturers announcing new digital cameras. Today Fujifilm joined in and have announced 6 in addition to those announced yesterday by Yakumo and Mamiya. Get details of each new digital camera from the following links. Fujifilm Finepix S3500 Fujifilm Finepix S5500 Fujifilm Finepix E500 Fujifilm Finepix E510 Fujifilm Finepix E550 Fujifilm Finepix F810 Yakumo Mega-Image 47sx Yakumo Mega-Image 67x Mamiya RZ67 ...
More »
Fujifilm have announced more details of their soon to be released Fujifilm Finepix S3 Pro. Here is the press release from them announcing the new details. Press Release Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro: the vital statistics unveiled Adjustable dynamic range and film simulation modes raise the standard for digital SLRs 28 July 2004 - With excitement building towards the retail availability of the FinePix S3 Pro digital SLR, Fujifilm today announced that the camera of choice for many enthusiast and professional...
More »
"Matsushita Electric Works announced a remote Pet-Camera that detects movements of the pets and emails photos on demand to user's mobile phone. The Peppot Camera ATR0202W coupled with a DDI Pocket's CF communications card, enables pet people to see what their pets are doing when away." Source - New Remote Pet Camera on Japanese Market Found via Gizmodo...
More »
Shutter talk has just posted a review of the Ricoh Caplio GX and writes - 'If you’re into features specifications though, the Ricoh Caplio GX certainly has a lot going for it. Things such as spot metering, exposure and white balance bracketing, ISO 64-1600, 1cm macro capability, interval timer and others would keep most happy. However, because Ricoh are targeting prosumer users, the lack of shutter priority and the limited aperture selection may leave a few disappointed. The continuous shooting...
More »
Lyra Research Press Release Worldwide Revenue from Photo Prints Captured with Digital Cameras to Surpass $15 Billion by 2008; Lyra Projects a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 12 Percent NEWTONVILLE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 2004--The growing popularity of digital cameras is increasing the number of digital photos taken and saved. This, in turn, translates into more digital photos printed at various locations including at home, in retail locations, and via online photo-printing services. In a new report entitled Consumer Photo-Printing Market:...
More »
Sandisk Press Release SANDISK CRUZER TITANIUM WINS TWO EDITORS' CHOICE AWARDS Elite Portable USB Flash Drive Chosen For Speed, Durability and Unique Software That Replicates Outlook® Folders, Backs Up Files and Offers Password Protection SUNNYVALE, CA, JULY 27, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced that its new Cruzer® Titanium portable USB flash drive has been honored with two coveted Editors' Choice Awards -- one from consumer electronics website CNET (www.cnet.com), a leading resource for consumer electronic product reviews and...
More »
DP Review has a good hands on preview o fhte Sony Cybershot DSC-P150 and writes - 'It's small, but not too small to actually hold and use. In the hand the P150 feels reassuringly solid (thanks to the full metal jacket), but the lack of any kind of grip or texturing - along with the long thin body shape - means it doesn't feel that stable when used for single handed operation.' Get more info on the Sony Cybershot DSC-P150...
More »
Canon Australia has a special rebate offer on their EOS 300D DSLR. If you buy a selected EOS 300D Digital SLR Camera Kit and they are offering a $200 Cash Back Rebate. The kits included in the offer are: EOS 300D Digital SLR Camera Standard Kit EOS 300D Digital SLR Camera Big Zoom Kit EOS 300D Digital SLR Camera Enthusiast Kit All you have to do is buy a 300D between 19 July until 30 September, 2004 and send in...
More »
It seems that there is a run on digital camera manufacturers who are producing cameras inspired by the iPod Mini. Earlier today we noted the Kyocera FinecamSL400 was producing companion cameras to the mini iPod and now its Adesso's turn. They are producing the little cameras picture (click to enlarge). These are not high quality cameras with the highest rated camera just a 1.3 megapixel camera. Still they will keep kids pretty happy with their bright color and 'toy like'...
More »
DP Now has a good first look at the Ricoh Caplio GX. They are not too impressed with the GX and write: 'Alas, the Caplio GX is a frustrating disappointment. The camera is nice to use and to hold. OK, there are some irritations, like the flash system charging lock-out and the occasional reticence to shoot when ordered, but overall – the Caplio GX is a camera that looks and feels like it should take great pictures, but it doesn't....
More »
Kyocera has just announced that it will release its Finecam SL400R camera with a new mini iPod look with metallic pastel shaded cases that match those of the mini iPods released by Apple recently. 'The Japanese company today unveiled the Finecam SL400R family in its home market, and said they cameras will only be made available in Apple's Ginza store and the Mac maker's online shop. Five models are available: in silver, gold, blue, pink and green.' Source -...
More »
'Major consumer electronics firm Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd said it plans to boost its digital camera production capacity by 75 pct a month to 350,000 units in August, aiming to expand its annual global sales to 8 mln units by the financial year to March 2007, an eightfold surge from the financial year ended March 2004.' Read More at Japan's Matsushita Electric to lift digital camera output capacity by 75 pct ...
More »
Kodak has announced another quarter rising profits however in the very next breath announced a further 1300 job cuts. Read about it at Kodak Profit Rises, Sets New Job Cuts....
More »
Have you ever wished you had a tripod but were in a place it wasn't practical to have one with you? A Bottle Cap Tripod might be for you. This way all you need to have with you is a bottle of water to act as a stable base. The Commercial Version of the Bottle Cap Tripod is sold out but you might like to make your own Home Made Version for only $1.50. Found via Boing Boing....
More »
Today was a busy day in the Digital Photography Industry. My inbox this morning was full of emails from Camera Manufacturers PR departments announcing new digital cameras. Panasonic was the major mover today with 6 new cameras and Sony announced one. The new cameras announced today are: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC P150 - 7.2 Megapixel, 3x Optical Zoom, 1.8inch LCD - $500US. Due out in September. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX2 - 4 Megapixels, 3x Optical Zoom, 2.0 inch LCD. Due out in...
More »
The Korea Times reports that Camera Phones will make up to 40% of the total Digital Camera Market by 2008. 'The LG Economic Research Institute (LGERI) on Wednesday made the prediction in its latest weekly, comparing competitiveness between the two digital gadgets. ``As camera phones are equipped with multi-megapixel resolution, they pose a genuine threat to digital cameras. This trend will continue for years ahead,'' LGERI researcher Cho Joon-il said. Up until now, most experts have predicted camera phones would...
More »
DP Review has posted details of the new Nikon D2H firmware update. 'Nikon has today posted a firmware update for the D2H digital SLR. Update 2.0 applies no less than twenty fixes and new features. The most interesting of which are improved autofocus performance, improved auto white balance performance, support for EXIF 2.21 (_ prefixes for Adobe RGB images), removal of ICC profiles from JPEG's, ISO embedded in EXIF, support for cards greater than 4 GB and increased playback magnification....
More »
Photography Blog has a good new review of the Ricoh Caplio GX. 'Launched at the start of May 2004, the Ricoh Caplio GX is the new flagship model in the Ricoh digital camera range. The Ricoh Caplio GX has gained a lot of attention because of its unique combination of a 5-megapixel CCD sensor, wide-angle 28mm lens, having the world’s fastest shutter response and start-up times, and an affordable price-tag of £279.99. Previous Ricoh cameras that I've reviewed have offered...
More »
DP Now has a first look of the Samsung Digimax U-CA3 and writes - 'Samsung is trying something slightly different with the Digimax U-CA 3. Basic specifications of three megapixels and a 3X (38-114mm equiv.) zoom lens are boosted by a couple of notable innovations. The first is a customisable 3D animated welcome screen that is clearly aimed at a young market. This is complemented by a psychedelic flashing light on the front of the unit. The second is the...
More »
Chris from Greensites has posted a reader review of the Nokia 7610 Camera phone in our comments section. We thought it deserved more attention than being buried away back there - here is what he had to say: 'This is a truly fantastic phone ! The megapixel camera takes great shots, though is a markable difference in quality between outdoor and indoor shots. This is the first symbian phone I've had - and it's amazing what this OS can do....
More »
Forbes reports that HP are releasing their first digital camera in China. 'Hewlett-Packard Co (NYSE HPQ) said it launched today its first digital camera in China, the PhotoSmart R707, targeted at the consumer market. The company said the camera is the latest step in a bid to offer a full range of digital-based photography products in China. "With the launch of the digital camera, HP can now provide integrated digital photography solutions to Chinese consumers. It highlights the company's campaign...
More »
Kodak - Press Release Jul 19, 2004 09:03 Kodak And The Olympic Games: A Legacy Of Support ROCHESTER, N.Y. --(Business Wire)-- July 19, 2004 Eastman Kodak Company -- "Kodak is a very important member of the Olympic Family. It takes a very active role in helping us stage the world's greatest event. And through its various marketing efforts, Kodak helps us share the Olympic spirit with the world." -- Jacques Rogge, President, International Olympic Committee. When the first Modern Olympic...
More »
This article in the New York Times about the latest strategies of photographic companies to put self service kiosks in retail outlets. 'The industry's latest answer to the conundrum is to pepper stores with self-service kiosks where consumers can edit photos and make their own prints from digital memory cards. Tens of thousands of kiosks are now in drugstores and discount stores. So, with such critical mass finally achieved, the companies are rolling out the advertising cannons. The CVS drugstore...
More »
PDN Photo Annual 2004 has the year's best images from photographers, magazines, and agencies in 8 separate categories. It is definitely worth taking some time out to check out some of these shots. Found via Metafilter...
More »
LetsGoDigital Press Release LetsGoDigital kicks of with a French edition and extra features EMST, 16 July 2004: LetsGoDigital, the multilingual online magazine about digital imaging, is proud to announce a French edition of its website. French speaking readers and French natives are now able to get the latest news about what is happening in the world of digital imaging at www.letsgodigital.fr By reaching out to the French speaking audience LetsGoDigital considerably expands the effect on its publications. According to Dennis...
More »
'About Photography' has a review of the Fujifilm Finepix S7000 and writes: 'I am thoroughly impressed with the image quality this digital camera produces. The 6 megapixel images are some of the sharpest I have seen in a compact camera. According to the literature, this digital camera produces 12 megapixel recorded images, though it has a 6 effective megapixel CCD, due to the design of the CCD.... Despite a couple of disappointments, I found the Fujifilm Finepix S7000 to be...
More »
Imaging Resource reveiws the Olympus D-540 and writes: 'The D-540 has some limitations and shortcomings (most prominently, the softness in the corners of its images, especially at short range), but these need to be weighed against the rest of its performance and its very low price point. With a list price of $199, and "street" prices generally under $170, the D-540 offers really excellent value for the money.' Read more reviews of the Olympus D540/C360...
More »
SanDisk Corporation Press Release 14/07/04 SanDisk Announces Record Revenues and Operating Income; Year-over-Year Increase in Revenues of 85% and Operating Income of 136% SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 14, 2004--SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), the world's largest supplier of flash storage card products, today announced results for the second quarter ended June 27, 2004. Second quarter total revenues increased 85% to $433 million compared to the second quarter of 2003 and increased 12% from the first quarter of 2004. Second quarter net income was...
More »
Webshots is Leading Photography Web site Over 14 Million Monthly Visitors Expected to Be Accretive to Cash from Operations in 2004 and Accretive to EPS in 2005 SAN FRANCISCO, July 14, 2004—CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Twofold Photos, Inc., and its Webshots Web site (www.webshots.com). Webshots is the leading Web site in the photography category1, and it boasts the largest publicly available collection of shared photo content. Under...
More »
Press Release Phoenix, AZ July 14, 2004 -- Hamrick Software, a leading developer of scanning software for consumers and professionals, has released VueScan 8.0.9, of its award-winning program that enables users to easily produce better looking digital images from color snapshots, negatives, slides and documents. The update includes added support for a number of scanners including several PIE-based scanners, and for specific models of Epson, Kodak, and Nikon scanners. This update also makes VueScan easier to use by incorporating an...
More »
Photography Blog has a good review of the Olympus Camedia C-310Zoom (also known as the Olympus Camedia D-540 Zoom). Here is a snippet of what Mark writes: 'The Olympus C-310Zoom produced a set of sample images that had strong colours, both in bright, sunny conditions and on overcast English summer days. Unfortunately you can't set the ISO speed yourself, although the camera almost always tries to set a slow speed so that noise levels are low. This comes at the...
More »
Photographic reviews the Canon EOS 1D Mark II and writes: 'Image quality was, as you'd expect from an 8.2-megapixel pro camera, terrific. We did most of our shooting at the L (8.2-megapixel JPEG) image size, at the default compression setting of 8, as a good balance between ultimate quality and number of shots—you get about 4X as many L images per card as RAW images, and viewed at 100% on-screen, it's hard to see a difference in image quality—the L...
More »
Photographic reviews the Leica Digilux 2 and writes: 'the Leica Digilux 2 isn't designed for bargain hunters. But if you are looking for a full-featured 5-megapixel digicam with a great lens and a meticulously crafted magnesium body, this one deserves very serious consideration.' Read more reviews of the Leica Digilux 2....
More »
Canon have released a firmware update for the Canon S1 IS digital camera. DP Review has the details and a link to download it. Canon has today posted new firmware for the PowerShot S1 IS. Version 1.0.1.0 fixes two issues: (1) Specification changes for the way images are displayed in Continuous AF Mode, (2) Improvements for the overexposure phenomenon that occurred during daytime synchronized shooting. Installation of the new firmware can be carried out by the user, it's simply a...
More »
The latest digital camera accessory that all good digital photographers will need is the DVD player - if this article from 'The Australian' is to be believed... 'Consumer electronics manufacturers are integrating data card slots and software into a new generation of televisions and DVD players to give users more power over their still photos. "Previously, viewing your digital photos could be a bit of a chore," Philips senior product manager for DVD and audio Scott Housley says. "Your options...
More »
'Qualcomm Inc. (Nasdaq:QCOM - news), a wireless technology company, on Monday said it had begun sample production of cell-phone chips that incorporate both phone functions and a range of advanced multimedia capabilities like high-resolution photography and video capture. San Diego-based Qualcomm, whose CDMA (news - web sites) standard for wireless networks dominates in the United States and broad swaths of Asia and Latin America, said its MSM6150 and MSM6550 chips were designed for low-power wireless multimedia. The chips support digital...
More »
Josh Waller has reviewed the HP Photosmart 735 and writes: 'I think this camera is okay, it's got a good lens, and can take good photos, but the screen updates / general slowness and awkward controls of the camera let it down. The movie mode is fairly good, especially as it has sound. For the price it is okay, but when given the choice between this and a similar specification Fuji / Pentax / Olympus / Nikon / Canon, I...
More »
Photoexels have a good review of the Olympus C-770. The C-770 takes great pictures outdoors and indoors. It has a novel dual tubes pop-up flash to handle the different requirements of wide-angle and telephoto coverage, and I have my best indoors pictures so far with the C-770 using its on-camera flash. The C-770's autofocus is able to distinguish small details and lock focus on them. It is quite fast in good lighting; however, lacking an AF assist illuminator, it will...
More »
The Taipei Times has an interesting article into the untapped digital camera market of China. 'Most of China's 1.3 billion people can't afford digital cameras, but analysts say there is a pool of some 400 million potential customers living in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other large cities near the coast. Not surprisingly, key players in the US$15 billion worldwide digital camera market are gearing up to tap what China has to offer, eager to find new customers as growth rates...
More »
'Digital camera manufacturer DXG USA, which entered the U.S. market under its own brand this year, announced an aggressively priced underwater digital camera, a partnership with the online photo sharing Web-site creator Homestead, and the addition of several new distributors and retailers. The 3-megapixel DXG-308U can be submerged in up to 5 meters of water and is shipping now for a suggested $139. The camera features 16MB of internal memory, an SD.MMC expansion slot, 4x digital zoom, four white balance...
More »
Photography Blog has an interesting reflection after the spate of digital cameras announced today by Minolta titled The 6 Month Product Cycle. Mark asks 'I'm interested to know if you think this is a good thing, giving you more choice as a consumer and ultimately driving down the cost of the older models, or whether you hate the fact that your new camera will be out-of-date in less than 6 months time...'...
More »
Digit Life has a very comprehensive comparison of five 8 megapixel cameras. Cameras compared are the - Canon PowerShot Pro1 - Minolta DIMAGE A2 - Nikon COOLPIX E8700 - Olympus CAMEDIA C-8080 Wide Zoom - Sony Cyber-shot F828 'An 8Mp matrix in the zoom-lens class is a yet another step forward in digital camera evolution. Before, digital cameras with built-in lenses had lower resolution than reflex ones. Now, one will have to think twice whether to choose 6 Mp with...
More »
We've just had news emailed to us in the last few minutes that Minolta are readying themselves to announce four brand new Dimage Digital Cameras. They are the: Konica Minolta Dimage Z3 Konica Minolta Dimage G530 Konica Minolta Dimage X50 Konica Minolta Dimage Z10 PC Home (a Japanese site) seem to have broken the news by posting photos and pictures on their site. Get images at the following links - Konica Minolta Dimage Z3 - and another Z3 Page -...
More »
PC Mag has a review of the Samsun Digimax U-CA3 'The Samsung Digimax U-CA3 is a 3.2-megapixel point-and-shoot compact digital camera that will appeal to kids. Clearly marketed to the bubblegum set, this soap-bar-shaped camera comes with rainbow-colored blinking "disco" lights on the front. Youth appeal is also reflected in the camera's animated 3D avatar start-up screen. The U-CA3 is bundled with nCubic's DigiStudio, which lets you create and embellish your own 3D avatar using photos taken with the camera....
More »
I missed this article a few days back but just stumbled upon it while surfing tonight. 'LG Electronics will advance into the market for digital cameras, which is notably developing. The spokesman for the firm ssaid, "We decided to enter into the digital camera market after internal considerations and hope to launch new models by the third quarter." Therefore, LG Electronics will launch its new 3.0 to 4.0-mega pixel digital cameras during the third quarter and it will export them...
More »
Kodak Press Release Kodak Monthly Tech Brief Explores How Camera Phone Users Go Mobile With Their Pictures ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 1 -- Digital photography has made computer based slideshows and photo sharing a reality for millions of consumers. Now, Kodak is giving consumers a new service that brings these features to their mobile phones. Kodak's Monthly Tech Brief explores how the advent of new imaging-enabled mobile phones that include web access (and, in more recent higher-end versions, also include a...
More »
Epson Press Release EPSON brings effortless and easy film scanning to the home EPSON launches the EPSON Perfection 2480 Photo featuring amazing one-touch photo restoration from this 2400dpi film and photo scanner 1st July 2004: The Perfection 2480 Photo provides excellent features and high specifications at an entry-level price. This model will be the natural successor to the EPSON Perfection 1670 and EPSON Perfection 1670 Photo. The new scanner is targeted at home users who want to scan film at...
More »
The Big Picture asks the interesting question - 'Does the digital camera change how people act in front of and behind the lens?' 'I would like to take a chance and speculate that the digital camera changes the nature of photographic behavior. It changes the way people act in front of the camera as well as behind the lens.... The most intriguing aspect of photographic behavior using digital technology is the potential democratization of the image-making process. With the digital...
More »
Meryl.net has a good brief review of 'Digital Photography Pocket Guide, 2nd ed.' 'It has three simple chapters with quick reference tables in the back of the book. It’s small enough to fit into your camera bag, laptop case, briefcase, suitcase, or jacket pocket. The chapters address What is it? What do I do? and How do I? questions.'...
More »
Imaging Resource have a great review of Paint Shop Pro 8.1. Here is a taster... 'The great argument for PSP is that it saves you money on hardware and software to do the very same things more expensive software running on fancier hardware does. There's a great deal of truth to that. But like the controls of the space shuttle in Space Cowboys, if you're new to this stuff, PSP isn't an easy way to learn. We recommend Adobe Elements,...
More »
Fujifilm Press Release Fujifilm and calumet photographic launch new deal for pictrography customers at special UK events With combined experience of over 140 years in servicing the professional photographic market, Fujifilm and Calumet Photographic have joined forces to strengthen their partnership initiatives, aimed at offering businesses and photographers greater access to the finest equipment and systems on the market. To celebrate their latest exclusive deal, Fujifilm and Calumet have announced three special Pictrography event presentations to introduce customers to the...
More »
Steve's Digicams has a good new section called Tech Corner. It is a A monthly column by Mike Chaney which is sure to be a worthwhile read each month. This month's column is titled The megapixel race. Where did it start? Where will it end? 'A lot has happened since 1996. Manufacturers have added roughly a megapixel per year to keep us drooling and upgrading as the balance of power begins to show a strong shift from film to digital....
More »
DP Review announces new firmware for the Nikon D70. At the moment it is only available on Nikon's Japanese site with instructions in Japanese - but it is likely to start appearing on other national Nikon sites shortly....
More »
Digital Camera Websites has an excerpt from an interesting article at 'Popular Photography and Imaging' on the results of a study done into Americans use of digital cameras on vacations in comparison to film cameras. 'The online study of 9,220 readers indicates that 55% use digital cameras on vacation while 41% take 35mm cameras. Only 2% use video cameras and 3% bring other types of cameras. More than seven of ten (72%) respondents say they use the internet to send...
More »
Press Release Fujifilm launches Lablinkpro Internet Print Service linking pro-labs with professional photographers Previewed at this year's Focus 2004, Fuji Photo Film (UK) Ltd has officially launched LablinkPro, its eagerly awaited advanced internet print service. Unlike existing internet print services that focus on general consumer retail business, LablinkPro has been specifically designed for pro-labs and professional photographers, linking the two together. For pro-labs this approach represents the perfect way to tap into the growing professional internet print market, increasing processing...
More »
Silver Orange Stuff has a short review of the ,a href="http://www.livingroom.org.au/photolog/reviews/casio/casio_qvr40.php">Casio QV-R40. 'The camera was not bought for printing large prints so the noise issue on large images can be ignored for the most part. Reducing the size for the web or printing a 4x6 will calm that down for what "we" were looking for.'...
More »
Digital Camera Owners are taking photos in unprecedented numbers a new study from Infotrends has found - yet despite the greater number of images fewer and fewer are being printed. The growing trend is online sharing of images via either email or online photo albums. Press Release Consumer Digital Photo Printing Habits Detailed in New InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Study WEYMOUTH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 2004--A new consumer study from InfoTrends/CAP Ventures reveals clear skies as well as clouds on the horizon for...
More »
Foveon Press Release FOVEON INTRODUCES THE FIRST SMALL FORMAT FULL-COLOR IMAGE SENSOR 4.5 Megapixel Direct Image Sensor Brings Revolutionary Patented Foveon X3O Full-Color Technology to Medical & Science Applications Captures Color Like Film in 3 Layers Santa Clara, CA, June 21, 2004 - Foveon Inc., a technology leader of award-winning high-quality digital camera image sensors, announced today the availability of the Foveon F19 sensor (FO18-50-F19), a 1/1.8-inch 4.5 Megapixel CMOS direct image sensor that incorporates Foveon’s breakthrough X3 technology to...
More »
As Digital Photography continues to rise in popularity the ramifications for those involved in the Film Photography Industry continue to unfold. The latest to feel the pinch is the 'communal darkroom'. 'In the tradition of the Rolodex, the vacuum tube and the roll-film camera, the communal darkroom - a Manhattan institution that has long sustained a subculture of professional photographers and print-making artists - is yielding to the digital imperative. After 17 years, the Latent Image Workshop Inc., with its...
More »
Roger Grace is a Photographer onboard Greenpeace's ship - Rainbow Warrior. He tells on theGeenpeace Blog of the advantages of going Digital when out of the ocean. 'Once back on board I simply remove the memory card from the camera, stick it in a port on the laptop computer, and download the 230 images, on the card. Then I simply flick through the images on the computer, select the ones we want to send out, crop or adjust them if...
More »
Kodak and AOL have announced that they are parting ways over their partnership, 'You've Got Pictures'. 'America Online and Eastman Kodak Co. on Thursday said they will end their partnership on a service for posting and printing photos online, citing declining film sales and a need to focus on their own digital strategies....
More »
Press Release Music and images on the move with Fujifilm's USB memory card reader and MP3 player Fujifilm's extensive range of digital accessories is soon to expand with the arrival of the xD-MP3, a combined USB memory card reader, pen drive and MP3 player based on the company's xD-Picture Card(tm) memory card format. At just under £40, this smart little gadget can be used to store, transport and transfer all types of digital files, while the built-in MP3 player allows...
More »
Canon Press Release Canon wins four TIPA awards for best photographic and imaging products of 2004 Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, has received four Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) awards for the following products: "Best D-SLR Professional Camera 2004" - EOS-1D Mark II "Breakthrough Award 2004" - EOS 300D "Best 35mm SLR Camera 2004" for the - EOS 30V Date / 33V "Best Technology 2004" - DVK-E2 Data Verification Kit software...
More »
Pentax are set to start making Camera Phone components in a bid to expand their revenue sources. NE Asia reports that Pentax will begin the manufacture of 2 to 3 megapixel modules for camera phones by the end of this year. 'The three-year plan calls for establishing divisions in charge of designing and manufacturing digital camera parts for supply to other firms. New operations will include sales of 2- to 3-Mpixel modules for camera phones, according to the officials.' Also...
More »
Reuters reports that Nikon will boost production of their successful D70 and are moving towards withdrawing from the compact film camera market. 'In an interview with Reuters, managing director Makoto Kimura said Nikon would raise monthly capacity for the "D70" model to above 90,000 units by September or October, compared to 70,000 when the camera hit stores in March.... Nikon aims to sell one million digital SLRs in the current business year to March 2005, compared to about 300,000...
More »
In our inbox this morning was an email notifying us a photographic competition - 'Focus on Your World' being run by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and Canon. 'Focus on Your World" will create a visual journal depicting the challenges facing Earth's rich environmental diversity. The competition, which is the largest of its kind in the world, invites entries from people of all nationalities and ages and is open to both amateur and professional photographers. The award winning "Focus on...
More »
PC Mag has an interesting Six Megapixel Digital Camera Comparison. They compare the Casio Exilim EX-P600 (it wins in their comparison with a 4 star rating), the Kodak EasyShare DX7630 and the Olympus Camedia C-60....
More »
Konica Minolta have released new firmware for their Konica Minolta Dimage A2. DP Review writes - 'Version 1.12 applies several improvements including LCD brightness while using Flex Digital Magnifier, focusing at a specific zoom range and with Flex Focus Point, improved flash metering, EVF timing functionality, improved support for add-on lenses. This firmware can be downloaded and installed by users of the camera by simply placing the firmware update file on a Compact Flash card or transfering it via USB...
More »
The third issue of AK47 has just been released. AK47 is 'an online art photography magazine' which is this month packed with heaps of digital photography goodness....
More »
BBC News writes about a 'wearable camera full of sensors could help people with memory problems'. 'The prototype SenseCam takes an instant snap every time it spots changes in movement, temperature or light. Currently capable of storing 2,000 images on a 128MB memory card, the cam could help people record their days. The technology has been developed by the Microsoft Research laboratories in Cambridge, UK, and is to undergo tests at Addenbrookes Hospital this summer. "SenseCam has been designed to...
More »
Press Release Nikon and TiVo Partner to Extend the Excitement of Digital Photography Into the Living Room Professional Photography from Nikon's Portfolio of Award Winning Artist's Delivered to TiVo Series2 Subscribers With Home Network MELVILLE, N.Y., June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nikon (http://www.nikonusa.com), the world leader in photography, today announced a partnership with TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVR), to deliver professional photography images from world-renowned artists to all...
More »
This is was I like - a real digital camera user reviewing his camera after months of living with it, playing with it, sleeping with it..... (you know what I mean) attaboy is a blogger with a Canon Powershot S400. user review tells of his decision to buy the S400 after weighing up the options, gives some insightful and balanced strengths and weaknesses of the camera and makes a few comparisons to other cameras he's used before. All in...
More »
Press Release - A global leader in digital imaging output, Hi-Touch Imaging Technologies will be demonstrating their new digital photo printing behavior LinkPrint during the Computex 2004, from 1st to 5th June, Taipei. Throughout series of dynamic and static demonstrations, HiTi Photo Printers will bring you the brand new journey of true-color presentation. Hi-Touch Imaging Technologies will also present you the results of 3-years research and development in Thermal Transfer Technology and total solution of digital photo printing....
More »
The Praktica Luxmedia 4008 is a 4.2 megapixel (CCD) digital camera with an 8x Optical Zoom lens from German manufacturer Praktica. The Praktica Luxmedia 4008 will have a 1.6 inch LCD, shutter speed of 1/2000 – 16s and will take SD/MM Cards. Expected release date for the Praktica Luxmedia 4008 is June 2004. Source - Photography Blog - Praktica Luxmedia 4008 Practica Website...
More »
A Digital Eye has just released a StudioLine Photo 2 Review that is worth a look. 'StudioLine Photo 2 is a photo management system developed to organize, optimize, edit and share your photos.... It’s a sophisticated program that has a lot to offer. It’s fairly easy to use with hints popping up everywhere to guide you thru your steps and it has enough advanced features like RAW file and .psd file support, and EXIF file support that professionals will use...
More »
Lobster is a Photoshop droplet that creates four new layers from your file: Luminosity (a very specific type of tonality) and Red, Green & Blue Chromaticity (Hue and Saturation). These seperate layers bring new accuracy and control to many parts of Photoshop, such as Histograms, Levels and Curves, Dodging and Burning, Sharpening etc. Lobster is not a Photoshop plug-in or filter but a Photoshop droplet offering a one step drag and drop operation. A demo of Lobster is available from...
More »
Have you ever been frustrated by the lack of resolution on your digital camera? Do we have the camera for you. Its a 900 Megapixel beauty called the R1. The R1 900 megapixel digital camera was made by a guy called Clifford Ross who was frustrated by the lack of detail in the images his camera was capturing. Check out the results of the images from this camera by looking for the bird on this image. If you can't see...
More »
Nikkei Electronics reports that Pentax are planning to introduce another DSLR which will be priced to be more attractive to the Mass Market. The only problem is that the dates mentioned in the above mentioned article don't match up as the 'new camera' will be shipped by March 2004 (should it be March 2005?) and the article was written on June 4th. We'll post the correct details if and when they come to hand. The new DSLR from Pentax is...
More »
PC Mag asks the question What's Next for Digital Photography? 'So let me describe what I see happening over the next couple of years for the consumer camera market. The 8MP sensor will become the low-end standard among snapshot all-in-one cameras. Improvements will come from support circuitry that improves image quality, contrast, and color. I'm told that some of the new processing chips coming down the pipe are phenomenal. The 5MP sensor will hold the pocket-camera category steady. Most experts...
More »
Have you ever wanted to use your Game Boy to take digital images? No - neither have I. None the less we now can with the brand new Nyko Digi-Cam SP Game Boy Camera. Its 'holds 20 images, has a built-in sun filter and a spycam mode with motion detection.' Source - Gadget Madness via Gizmodo....
More »
Press Release New KODAK PROFESSIONAL Inkjet Photo Paper Delivers Exceptional Color, Detail and Quality for Pros, AdAm Photographers Universally Compatible with Dye, Pigmented Ink Printers; Instant Drying Media Rochester, Jun 01 -- Eastman Kodak Company today introduced KODAK PROFESSIONAL Inkjet Photo Paper for professional and advanced amateur (AdAm) photographers. The high quality, instant-dry paper, available in glossy and lustre finishes, is compatible with all inkjet printers and represents the first KODAK PROFESSIONAL branded inkjet- media in the market. ...
More »
Image Resource is running with a story that Pentax is preparing to stop making both compact and SLR film cameras later this year. The News has come from messages posted by Pentar (the Official Russian Distributor of Pentax) on their website in a message to dealers of Pentax products. Following is part of the initial message translated from Russian to English: 'Due to the rapid expansion of the worldwide digital market, and the sharp decline in the film camera segment,...
More »
Taiwanese company CARRY has released the FotoBar which is a device that provides a way to burn data directly from memory cards onto CDs and DVDs. It also is capable of hooking up to a PC via USB and acting as a card reader and CD/DVD burner. Source - Gizmodo Following is a list of features of the FotoBar including: 1 - Standalone One touch Burn-to-Disc function 2 - Burns CD-R / RW, DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RW 3 - Plays MP3,...
More »
The Sony DSC-T1 has just been awarded with the TIPA Europe's Best Digital Consumer Compact Camera Award. 'In judging the recent awards, the editors of the association's 30 member magazines agreed that the slim and stylish T1 "has some hugely impressive features which afford the photographer unprecedented levels of control". The award, from the top photographic and imaging titles in Europe, is a winning endorsement for the breakthrough design and optimised engineering behind this superb Cyber-shot camera. " We...
More »
The winners of the World Press Photo Awards have been announced. Some of the photos are pretty amazing, especially those from war zones and definitely worth a visit....
More »
Last week I visited Sydney for an afternoon to attend ‘Photo Imaging World’ – Asia/Pacific’s annual trade show where all the leading photographic manufacturers put their latest technologies on show. The show was the biggest of its kind in Australia with over 100 exhibitors ranging from the powerhouse manufactures of Canon, Sony, Kodak and Olympus through to the small photographic retail outlets and photographers. Whilst there were few new product announcements made at this years show (manufacturers tend to focus...
More »
I thought the 8 megapixel cameras that I've been lusting after were pretty amazing but the 500 megapixel digital camera used in this project leaves them for dead! You'd definitely need some amazing flash memory card to take this one on holidays - not to mention a forklift for the 4 meter telescope that it attaches to. ...
More »
San Disk has just announced that next month it will start shipping a Secure Digital card combining flash memory and WiFi connectivity. Initially they will be used in PDAs that only have one expansion slot to enable them to have both WiFi and SD capabilities at once. This technology is likely to be used in digital cameras in the future. Source...
More »
The New York Times reports on a strange but interesting digital imaging project unveiled at America's CeBIT 'An odd-looking van sprouts 13 digital cameras that its builder wants to use to photograph 50 million buildings in the country while driving, taking pictures every 15 feet. The van's drive-by snaps would be matched against GPS satellite positioning data and aerial photographs in a database. Police, insurance agents and others then could call up overhead and street-level views simply by entering an...
More »
Check out this miniature wireless digital camera from Given Imaging. It is a tiny camera encased in a swallow-able pill that transmits data back to a data recorder worn on a belt. What happens to it then you don't want to know - but a very cool idea that is helping the in the fight against bowel diseases. 'The M2A capsule (photo), consists of a microchip camera and light-emitting diodes that act as a flash, as well as Zarlink's RF...
More »
News from Reuters just in that Flash Memory Prices are Falling as a showdown between Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Toshiba Corp. 'South Korea (news - web sites)'s Samsung said the cuts, which have more than halved prices for some flash chips since October, are a long planned effort to grow the market. But industry experts said Samsung and Japan's Toshiba are taking a pre-emptive strike against companies including Infineon Technologies AG, Hynix Semiconductor Inc and Micron Technology Inc that...
More »
DP review reports that Sony Japan have announced their Sony HDPS-M1 - a 40 GB hard disk portable photo storage unit. Its small (measures just 135 x 92 mm (5.3 x 3.5 in) and is 30 mm (1.1 in) thick, it weighs just 300 g), highly portable and will be very useful in the mass storing/backup of images. It is compatible with both Sony's Memory Stick range and Compact Flash cards. I was lucky enough to have a look at...
More »
Japanese Consumer Electronics company Funai and have just announced announced a relationship with Eastman Kodak whereby Funai will manufacture Kodak's Easyshare Digital Still Cameras. Following is the press release announcing this news....
More »
PRESS RELEASE: Nikon's New DS-5Mc-U1 Digital Photomicrographic Camera System Enables Low Light Imagery Application Support Integrated System Lets Microscopes and Digital Cameras to Work Seamlessly in Scientific Research Environments MELVILLE, N.Y., May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon Instruments Inc., a leader in the development of advanced optical microscopy, today unveiled a digital color cooled camera head, the DS-5Mc, and the DS-U1 camera control unit, featuring superior microscope control, digital viewing and capture of images in standard and low-light applications including brightfield,...
More »
Digitimes has an interesting article that hints at what is to come from Panasonic in the way of 6 megapixel digital cameras with MPEG4 capabilities. 'Ability Enterprise, a leading digital camera manufacturer in Taiwan, is reported by qualified foreign institutional investors (QFIIs) to be undertaking OEM production of a 6-megapixel digital camera with MPEG4 support for Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial’s brand name), according to local Chinese-language newspaper Economic Daily News (EDN). According to Ability Enterprise, the company is developing 6-megapixel...
More »
Ferret reports that Scitech have released their new 'Retiga 1300R digital camera'. Its not the type of camera the average consumer is going to be buying in a hurry, rather its ideal 'for demanding low light and fluorescence imaging applications.' 'The cameras are used to produce high resolution still images for quantitative analysis in Metallurgical microscopy, semiconductor inspection, manufacturing quality control, failure analysis and forensic analysis.' Serious Stuff!...
More »
One of the few new announcements at this years Photo Imaging World this year was that SanDisk are releasing their High-Performance 'Extreme' line of digital flash storage cards in the Australian and New Zealand markets. They will be make available in three formats: 1. CompactFlash - 256 megabytes (MB), 512MB, 1 gigabyte (GB) and 2GB 2. SD - 256MB and 512MB 3. Extreme Memory Stick PRO - 256MB, 512MB and 1GB....
More »
Sigma have just released availability and princing for their new Sigma 18-125mm DC Lens which we announced Mid March. The Sigma and Canon mount versions will be released on June 26th with a Nikon mount model available from early July and a Pentax mount planned to be released at a later date. Imaging Resource puts the price of the Sigma 18-125mm DC lens at '¥45,000 (approximately equivalent to US$401 / €334 / CAD$551 / £224).' ...
More »
This weekend in Sydney is the annual Asia Pacific Photo Imaging World. 'The equipment exhibition will feature over 100 major photo and digital companies from Australia and overseas showcasing today’s cutting-edge developments and trends in imaging technology, software and output printing systems.' In addition to this exhibition is a huge collection of images in the 'Global Gallery', featuring some of Australia's best images. Also held concurrently are a number of conferences for professional photographers, digital image makers and retailers. We've...
More »
Nikon Press Release TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce that the Nikon D70 has been selected to receive the coveted Camera Grand Prix 2004 award. The Camera Grand Prix is the most prestigious award presented to a camera in the Japanese photo industry. It is sponsored by the Camera Press Club, an organization founded in September 1963 and comprised of writers from thirteen of Japan's leading photography and camera publications....
More »
DP Review reports that Canon have made their Digital Photo Professional (DPP) Version 1.0.0 available for download for all EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds owners. ...
More »
Press Release SMaL Camera Technologies Introduces Ultra-Pocket 5 Rapid Development Kit to Enable World's Slimmest 3-Megapixel Digital Cameras Kit Positions Manufacturers to Launch Best in Class 3MP DSCs at Retail Price Points of $129 or Below Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (May 19, 2004) – SMaL Camera Technologies, a developer of digital imaging solutions and enabler of award-winning super-thin digital still cameras, announced today its new Ultra-Pocket® 5 rapid development kit for 3-megapixel credit card cameras with color TFT display. The Ultra-Pocket...
More »
Imaging Resource have just reported that Sony Japan have temporarily ceased production of their Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T11 in order to rectify a problem found in early models off the production line....
More »
CNET have an interesting article on how digital photography is going 'peer to peer' - similar to how MP3 sharing took off a year or so back using peer to peer systems like Napster. 'OurPictures, a Palo Alto, Calif., start-up, on Tuesday plans to launch its service for letting subscribers share pictures over the Internet but without the constraints of e-mail attachments or Web sites. The idea behind OurPictures, which is set to conclude a three-month test of its service,...
More »
PC World has just posted their Top 10 Advanced Digital Cameras. 'The 8-megapixel race is on: Canon, Nikon, and Olympus join Sony in offering high-end consumer models with 8-megapixel CCDs. So far the Olympus C-8080 is our pick of the group (we've yet to test the Canon PowerShot Pro1), with top-notch image-quality scores and easy-to-use controls. Nikon's Coolpix 8700 produced photos as fine as the C-8080's and has a longer zoom range, but it's harder to use. In the "If...
More »
Kodak and Lexar Media have just announced their joining forces to gain a larger share of the removable digital memory products market. Lexar will produce a full range of Kodak memory cards as part of this deal. Following is the press release from Kodak and Lexar Media....
More »
The official camera of Kill Bill is a special black edition of the Casio Exilim EX-Z40. The Casio Exilim EX-Z40 is a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom lens and 2.0 inch LCD. It is being promoted as having extra long battery life (up to 2.5 times longer than previous models enabling users to take 360 shots per charge) - something that is missing on many digital cameras today. It is a compact and well designed digital camera...
More »
America Online has just conducted a survey into what consumers love most about Digital Photography. Here is a few highlights (see full press release below): Close to one-third, 31%, of younger respondents (18-49), say they take pictures several times a week; however, more than 80% of all respondents say they take pictures at least once a month. About one-fourth of those surveyed, 29%, received their digital camera as a gift; the next biggest reason for purchasing a digital camera was...
More »
PC Mag asks a question that we've noticed a number of digital photography writers have been asking lately: Will Digital Images Last? 'Sure, there'll be inkjet photos, CDs full of stored digital data, and DVDs full of movies. And there'll be duplicates of all of these and multiple copies of inkjet photos stored in numerous places. However, there will not be any shoeboxes of old silver-halide photos.... Traditional photos can last decades (easily). I have many pictures from the '60s...
More »
One of my favorite digital photography sites DP Now has just released a review of Roxio Easy Media Creator 7, which is digital media software. 'Windows XP can burn CDs, but Roxio shows there is a lot more to it than recording the final disc.'...
More »
Practical Boat Owner is this month testing four waterproof/resistant digital cameras. They examine the Pentax Optio 22WR, Casio GV-20, Sony Cybershot DSC-U60, and the Ricoh Capillo 300G. None of the cameras can actually go much deeper than 1 meter underwater (if at all) - I'd be hesitant to take any of them in the water with me. I'd be much more likely to get an underwater housing for my camera or if I was really serious spend the extra dollars...
More »
Australian IT has published a great article today titled 'Pixel explosion' which attempts to unpack some questions around megapixels. Are more megapixels better? WHEN it comes to the megapixels in digital cameras, consumers are inclined to embrace the age-old maxim: more is better. There may also be a little bit of "mine is bigger than yours" in the race for ever more megapixels.... "Pixel count is one very important part of making a good image, but it's also the size...
More »
Reiter's Camera Phone Report reports on a couple of good camera phone advancements today. Firstly is the announcement that Vodafone Japan have announced a camera phone with a 2x optical zoom (pictured). 'Vodafone K.K. today announced it was introducing a two megapixel camera phone with an optical zoom -- the world's first commercially available optical zoom in a camera phone.' Also they report a couple of other interesting developments including that: Boeing is planning to install camera phones on the...
More »
Ken Rockwell has a good introduction to 'The Two Classes of Digital Cameras' - Point and Shoot cameras and Digital SLRs. 'There are two very different classes of digital camera: point-and-shoot (p/s, fixed-lens) and Single-Lens-Reflex (DSLR, interchangeable lenses). The class structure didn't matter until 2004 when the prices and resolutions of the two classes crossed over. Because of this I consider any new expensive ($1,000) p/s camera obsolete since the new DSLR cameras are better for the same price. That's...
More »
Yet another use for digital cameras in health care is Telemedicine. Telemedicine is where doctors treat and diagnose patients from a far using technology including digital cameras. 'The use of telemedicine, in which doctors practice from afar using everything from telephone consultations to remote-controlled surgical tools, is rapidly expanding as the military upgrades medical care.... In Afghanistan, where bandwidth is more readily available, a video camera suspended over an operating table transmits images back to Walter Reed Army Medical Center,...
More »
The world's third biggest digital camera manufacturer has just announced that in the business year ending March 31 2004 it shipped 7.4million digital cameras. It expectes to ship 11 million digital cameras in the upcoming 12 months. Source...
More »
PC Mag has just released a review of the beautifully constructed 5 megapixel Leica Digilux 2. They call it the Rolls Royce of Digital Cameras and write 'The Leica Digilux 2 is the first digital camera with the true look and feel of a fine handmade Leica—and image quality to match. But be warned: Leica quality does not come cheap.' I had a play with this beautiful camera last week and would love to add it to my collection...
More »
Digital Photography is now playing in a role in the early identification of skin Cancer. 'Now with digital photography, doctors can track the moles on someone like Besozzi. With multiple views, dermatologists can follow changes and even zoom in on suspicious spots. A new study from Sloan-Kettering found that when patients were given their digital photos, they were much more likely to detect suspicious changes. In fact, today Besozzi pointed out a spot on her wrist. When Nehal checked it...
More »
Boing Boing has picked up an interesting article on how Digital Cameras are changing History in Iraq - specifically 'the role digital cameras have played in in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse debacle.' The immediacy and transferability of digital images, combined with the pouncing upon it by the press, has played a significant part in the escalation of this situation. For more information and thought on this topic check out: - Digital Cameras Change Perceptions - Digital Cameras Expose Brutality...
More »
Nikon Europe have released new updated firmware (version 1.2) for their Nikon Coolpix 3700. 'This firmware update offers following improvements and additions; certain brands of Secure Digital memory cards can cause image visibility problems, brightness levels of movies vary under certain lighting conditions and corrections to city names in setup menu. ' (Source) Download version 1.2 at: - Nikon Coolpix 3700 Firmware for Windows - Nikon Coolpix 3700 Firmware for Macs...
More »
EE Times reports that Japanese Digital camera shipments are up 71%. 'RBC estimated the Japanese digital camera market will hit 75 million units in 2004, up 39 percent from 2003. Japanese vendors account for an estimated 80 percent of global digital camera shipments.'...
More »
Following are extracts from a press release from Kodak announcing their new printer dock. Press Release Expanded EASYSHARE Digital Photography System Simplifies Picture Taking and Sharing ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 4 -- Eastman Kodak Company today unveiled additions to its EASYSHARE consumer digital photography system that further simplify picture taking and sharing, led by a second generation EASYSHARE printer dock that works with multiple brands of digital cameras. The redesigned product allows people to make real, waterproof KODAK 4x6-inch photos at...
More »
The Inquirer reports that Cameraphones will overtake digital cameras by 2008. 'A REPORT from the iSuppli Corporation says that the number one application for flash memory cards remains digital cameras today but by 2008, digital cameras will be replaced by digital mobile handsets. This will be a major change because between them USB drives and digital cameras presently account for 81 per cent of the consumption of flash memory cards.' News Medical Net reports the development of E-CAM (pictured right)...
More »
This project from CBC Radio 3 is one of the funniest, bizarre and interesting digital photography experiments that I've seen for a long time. It involves a guy rigging up a digital camera to the snooze button of his alarm clock so that it takes a shot of him waking up each morning for three years. Some of the shots are hilarious. To get to the snooze experiment head to CBC Radio 3, click the pictures on the page and...
More »
TechTV has just posted their round up of the recent round of 8 megapixel cameras to be released. They take a look at the Canon Powershot Pro 1, the Minolta DiMAGE A2 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828....
More »
Fox News reports that Manalapan will become the first town in America to use digital cameras to take photos of every car passing through town. 'The new $60,000 system uses powerful computer software to compare cars’ license plates and drivers' faces against those of stolen cars and wanted criminals in a police database.' This face recognition technology is similar to that being used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that can search for and recognize a face from up to 10 miles...
More »
Camera Phones Freely Available Despite Ban is an insightful glimpse into some of the implications of new camera phone technology in Saudi Arabia. 'Legal or not, mobile phones with cameras are alive and well in the Kingdom. They are openly on sale in phone souks and freely available over the counter in branded stores. To add to the confusion, the technically illegal Samsung E 700 is even advertised on a main thoroughfare in Jeddah.... Al-Yaum Arabic daily recently reported that...
More »
'Loading your camera with film is almost a thing of the past. But, says Joanna Wane, the digital revolution is creating a gaping hole in our heritage.' Snap unhappy - digital photography's dirty little secret argues that the rise in digital photography has serious implications for our 'pictorial history'. 'Few of the images taken on digital cameras are ever printed out, which means many are permanently lost when the file is deleted or damaged. Even if prints are made, the...
More »
The Australian Financial Review reported this week the continued rise of Kodak on the back of their increased commitment to digital photography. 'Eastman Kodak Co, battling through a painful transition from film to digital photography, said on Wednesday it more than doubled its first-quarter profit and narrowly beat Wall Street forecasts. The world's biggest film manufacturer also raised its profit guidance for all of 2004. Helped by gains in digital products and the dollar's weakness abroad, Kodak earned $US28 million,...
More »
Digital Review has just released a first impressions review of the Nikon Coolwalker MSV 01 'Whether you own a digital SLR camera, like the Nikon D70 or the Nikon D2H, or you own a high resolution prosumer digital camera, like the Nikon Coolpix 8700, you will most likely want to take a closer look at Nikon's new MSV-01 Coolwalker 30GB digital photo storage viewer. The Nikon Coolwalker is a stylish portable storage device that offers a welcome solution to the...
More »
'A GOOD photographer is not merely one who knows how to take great pictures. It is also someone who knows how to make the most of technology – mixing the use of analogue with digital – to get the best results in his photographs. ' Capturing the beauty of the ocean is an interesting article about Japanese underwater photographer, Ikuo Nakamura. In the article underwater digital photography is examined in quite a bit of detail. Nakamura talks of his transition to...
More »
Luminous Landscapes has reviewed five of the new 8 Megapixel Digital Cameras that have recently been released and now asks the question - Which one is Best? They test and comment upon the Sony F828, Minolta A2, Canon Powershot Pro 1, Olympus C8080 and the Nikon 8700. Which one is best? Luminous Landscapes have their say here - but what do you think? Leave your reviews and comments below. PC Mag also has reviewed a similar variety of 8 megapixel...
More »
Have you ever dreamed of being a a professional photographer? Secrets of Success might be a great place to start as it begins with the question: 'What does it take to succeed as a photographer? Here's an empirical top ten, in order of importance...' Mike Johnston goes on to list his top 10 attributes that great photographers possess - it's a great read. How many do you have? Which do you wish you had? What would you add to Mike's...
More »
Camera's like the Nikon D70 are changing the way the amateur digital photograher approaches their craft. With release of this and other prosumer DSLRs we see quality products at increasingly competitive prices. Digital SLRs put affordability and functionality in focus takes a look at some of the impact (and features) of the Nikon D70. 'For $1,299, including a tailor- made zoom lens that neatly complements the blocky black body (the body sells solo for $999), the just-out-of-the-gate D70 is a...
More »
Ethics in the Age of Digital Photography is an interesting article published on the National Press Photographers Association. Written in 1999 the article is a little dated, but the questions it raises are still important as we see more and more press journalists moving to the digital format. 'One of the major problems we face as photojournalists is the fact that the public is losing faith in us. Our readers and viewers no longer believe everything they see. All images...
More »
Today I spent half an hour at a local camera store perusing the latest range of digital cameras to be released post the PMA show in February. Of particular interest to me was the Canon Powershot Pro 1 (pictured left)which has been getting excellent reviews and attracting a great deal of attention on this site as the most searched for camera of March. My initial reaction to spending a few minutes with the powershot pro 1 in the shop was...
More »
Prices are set to drop on 5 Megapixel CMOS digital cameras according to DigiTimes as prices of 5 megapixel CMOS sensors fall. 'Prices for 5-megapixel CMOS digital cameras are expected to drop from around US$200 currently to US$150 in the second half of the year as local companies move into mass production, according to sources.'...
More »
Canon Europe Press Release Consumers vote Canon most trusted camera brand in Europe for fourth year running Consumer confidence survey results support IDC research positioning Canon as leader of the European digital camera market. LONDON, April 13, 2004 - Canon has been named most trusted brand for cameras for the fourth consecutive year in the Reader's Digest European Trusted Brands Survey 2004, one of the broadest pan-European surveys of consumer attitudes towards brands....
More »
Photography Blog reports that a 'NEW STUDY BY FUJIFILM AND INFOTRENDS REVEALS MORE CONSUMERS PRINTING THEIR DIGITAL PHOTOS AT RETAIL LOCATIONS... The study reveals that the percentage of consumers now aware that they can print digital images at retail locations has doubled since the Year Two study. In addition, the survey, conducted by InfoTrends Research Group for Fujifilm in January 2004, shows a significant increase in the number of consumers now choosing to print at retail. The study surveyed the...
More »
Derrick Story at O'Reilly Network describes his camera phone photo workflow in an interesting article titled Don't Lose Your Camera Phone Photos. He relies heavily upon bluetooth, his PDA, iTreo (an iPhoto-like application that reads the images downloaded from a Palm) and lastly iPhoto. This is a useful workflow that can be adapted for individuals setups - it will help to ensure that those great camera phone photos you take don't disappear into thin air. ...
More »
Digital Review has an interesting comparison between three 3 megapixel digital cameras - the Canon Powershot A75 vs. Nikon Coolpix 3200 vs. Olympus Stylus 300. 'The 3 megapixel resolution range of digital cameras, like the Canon Powershot A75, Nikon Coolpix 3200 and the Olympus Stylus 300, continues to be one of the more popular categories among users looking for a general purpose family, travel photography type of camera. With this is mind, we have completed a side by side comparison...
More »
Douglas Rushkoff over at The Feature has written a fascinating column on the rising trend of camera phones and their ability to make part in the way we are making memories disposable. He says it a lot better than I can - here are a few excerpts: 'he cameraphone represents the latest step in a long evolution away from elevating and preserving moments, to capturing and disposing of them.... The cameraphone is terrific in that it gives us the ability...
More »
Sandisk Press Release SANDISK INTRODUCES 4-GIGABIT MONOLITHIC NAND FLASH MEMORY CHIP BASED ON 90 NANOMETER TECHNOLOGY 8-Gigabit Flash Memory Chip Also Available By Stacking Two Of The New 4-Gigabit Memories In a Single Package SUNNYVALE, CA, April 6, 2004 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), reinforcing its leadership in the development and fabrication of high capacity NAND flash memory chips, today introduced a 4-gigabit (Gb) single-die, multi-level cell (MLC), NAND flash memory chip with double the capacity of its present largest single-die...
More »
The Feature' reports - 'Just a week after strong cameraphone sales figures were announced, Sony Ericsson's president says its parent has ceded the low-end camera market to mobile phones.' The got the information from Business Week Online which writes - 'Katsumi Ihara, president of cell-phone maker Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, says Sony Corp. (SNE ) has ceded the low-end camera market to mobile phones.' Its not really surprising information really - it makes sense that they don't compete within their...
More »
Today Nikkei Net Interactive reports (subscription required) that Kodak are getting ready to announce a new 13.71 megapixel DSLR (pictured left - click to enlarge). This seems a little strange as their latest DSLR, the Kodak DSC Pro SLR/n, is a 14MP camera which looks remarkably similar to this one - maybe its a Japanese version of the DSC Pro SLR/n? Here is an excerpt from the Japanese article: 'Eastman Kodak Co.'s Japanese unit on April 20 will begin marketing...
More »
Have you ever seen something and wished you had your camera and just happened to be taking a photograph of it as it happened? A look your partner gave you, your uncle tripping over and ending up with cake on his face, a goal your child scored in the dying seconds of an important game. HP are developing 'always on' camera technology that one day might be the answer to the above scenarios. 'Their (HPs) answer -- an experimental wearable...
More »
The series of articles titled 'Is Photography Art?' is well worth the read. In a three part series it takes an interesting walk though history looking at the question named in the title. 'Over the past 160 years of photography, one theme that has emerged at regular intervals is the question 'Is photography Art?' In the first few years, perhaps the inventors and pioneers were too busy taking pictures to worry much about the question. After all, most of them...
More »
Here is the first little excerpt from a great article titled - Camera Phones: The New Brownies 'For a variety of reasons yesterday, a thought came to me about the place of camera phones in popular culture and it dawned on me the obvious parallels to Kodak's $1 Brownie camera launched in 1900. I couldn't find any detailed history of the camera online, but from what I remember of some History Channel documentary on the company, the Brownies were a...
More »
The Digital camera patent war between Kodak and Sony is hotting up according to BBC. 'Sony has sued US photography giant Eastman Kodak in a US court for breach of 10 patent rights relating to digital cameras. Sony's lawsuit ratchets up the tension between the two, coming three weeks after Kodak filed a similar case against the Japanese firm. However, Sony has denied that its lawsuit is a tit-for-tat move, saying it relates to different patents. The spate of lawsuits...
More »
Over at Gizmodo Glenn Reynolds from Instapundit is guest reviewing the Nikon D70. Here are a few snippets to give you a feel for what he thinks and to get you over there to read more. 'Overall, I'm quite pleased. The Nikon handles well and feels natural in my hand, which is a big deal for a camera that will be used a lot, often in split-second situations.... The metering seems quite good, though with a slight tendency (on my...
More »
Exposure Manager is an exciting new service that I'm sure many Digital Photographers will find very useful. Now its not only easy to display your photos online but also to make some cash from them. It is an online tool that will make displaying and selling your photography a breeze. It allows photographers to upload and display photos giving them complete freedom to produce galleries with the look and feel that will best display the particular images on display. Photos...
More »
If when you start thinking about buying a digital camera all you see floating before your eyes is dollar signs this article by TechTV might be a good read for you. It says that you don't have to spend the world to get a good digital camera and suggests 5 that are under the $200 (US) figure that you might want to check out. Their suggestions include the Olympus D-395 / C-160, the Fujifilm Finepix A210 and the Nikon Coolpix...
More »
Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit has been writing about Digital Photography more and more in the last month. Of particular interest is his column The Greatest Picture Show on Earth which examines how photos are now being shared and distributed online. 'But now the Web is becoming the primary way of distributing photographs. This is both good and bad. The bad -- already noted by many photographic purists -- is that Web images aren't nearly as good as high-quality photographic prints....
More »
The BBC is telling us what we already know - Digital Cameras have a bright outlook! Not a week goes by when I don't see articles with statements like this. '2004 is set to be a watershed year, when, for the first time, we will be snapping up more digital cameras than their analogue counterparts.' One of the more interesting statements in the article was this comment which I've been thinking myself for the last few months. 'In fact the...
More »
PC World has a great article on the rise of the 1 megapixel camera phone which are becoming more and more popular. 'Camera phones are moving from novelties to viable digital cameras, with the introduction of several new models that shoot images at 1 megapixel or even higher resolution.' Whilst they are unlikely to compete with many mid ranged digital cameras in the next year or so the improvements in technology over the past 6 months have been significant. 'Many...
More »
Exposure Manager is an exciting new service that I'm sure many Digital Photographers will find very useful. Now its not only easy to display your photos online but also to make some cash from them. It is an online tool that will make displaying and selling your photography a breeze. It allows photographers to upload and display photos giving them complete freedom to produce galleries with the look and feel that will best display the particular images on display. Photos...
More »
Time Magazine's - Gadget of the Week this week is the Nikon D70. They rave about it - here are some of the excerpts from the article: 'Nikon's D70 is the first camera I've seen that gives total amateurs a fighting chance to capture reality as they see it.... Unlike most cameras, the D70 is an instant photography class, with beginner, intermediate and advanced ways to use it. For starters, a scene-selection knob lets you tell the camera what to...
More »
The Life of a Digital Photo is an interesting insight into the research and development that is happening at Microsoft in their thinking about Digital Photography. The article's writer, by Suzanne Ross, examines a variety of streams of thought, shedding light on possible future directions of Microsoft. She picks up themes of 'Adjustable Light', 'Image Stacks', Converting print to digital, red eye reduction, organization of digital photos (digital shoebox), editing techniques and software and digital photo sharing software. Its an...
More »
March 2004 --Newstream -- Kopin Corp. (Nasdaq:KOPN) on March 24 announced that its new CyberDisplay™ 113K EVF, an ultra-small, ultra-low power electronic viewfinder system, has been integrated into the new SpyPen Oboe digital camera just introduced in Europe....
More »
Creo have just announced their new Leaf Valeo Digital Backs - the 17 megapixel Leaf Valeo 17wi and the and 22 megapixel Leaf Valeo 22wi. Both models are able to be controlled via Bluetooth by your Pocket PC PDA. To learn more about the new Creo Leaf Valeo digital backs check out the following press release from Creo....
More »
'ATLANTA - When Lisa Johnson saw a man exposing himself to her in a parking lot, she reached for her cell phone - not to call 911, but to snap a picture. The images captured on her camera phone led police to the capture of the former principal of a nearby high school. After his arrest on public indecency charges last month, he resigned from a lower school job.... In New Jersey last year, a 15-year-old boy foiled an abduction...
More »
'A phone is worth 29 billion pictures this year, according to data from InfoTrends Research Group. The firm estimates there will be nearly 300 million digital image capture devices in use worldwide through 2004, of which 60 percent will be camera phones. Worldwide sales of camera phone units are expected to reach nearly 150 million in 2004, resulting in just over a quarter of all mobile phone sales. Growth will continue at an annual compound of 55 percent, topping 656...
More »
Apparently Konica Minolta have just announced that they are cutting back on manufacturing digital cameras 'TOKYO — Konica Minolta Holdings Inc said Thursday it will cut back on its digital camera business despite continuing growth of the market in order to avoid the adverse effects of intensifying competition. "While digital cameras are in a period of growth, price reduction and competition are accelerating," Konica Minolta President Fumio Iwai said when he released his company's medium-term business plan at a press...
More »
The Korea Herald reports that both Samsung and Korean phone maker 'Pantech & Curitel' are getting close to releasing 2 megapixel camera phones - one of which will have a 2x Optical Zoom. '"We have finished the development of a new 2-megapixel camera phone with a 2x optical zoom and also equipped with a MP3 player. The date of release hasn't been finalized and we are on a wait-and-see mode in regard to Samsung's next actions, but we expect the...
More »
52% of photographers only shoot with film an recent internet study by Kodak found. 43% of those surveyed use both film and digital and only 5% use digital technology alone to capture images. The study predicts that within 5 years 67% of photographers will use film and digital mediums as the rise in popularity of digital photography increases. 'While more photographers will embrace digital technology by 2009, two-thirds of them say they still expect to use film to take more...
More »
Have you ever wondered what is going on under the water when you're fishing? Are there fish down there? What are they doing? 'Highly water resistant and pressure resistant as Fishing-CAM camera(a product equipped with LED or infrared ray device to regular CCD/CMOS camera) goes through molding process during manufacture. The encased Fishing-CAM camera is attached to the sinker part of fishing rod. With Fishing-CAM camera, you do not need to dive underwater to see the scenes below! ' Not...
More »
Amazon currently have some great deals on the brand new cameras that were announced recently at the PMA show. If you pre order one of these cameras now you stand to save 9-30% off their normal listed prices. This saving is often around the $100US mark. Check out some of these deals (prices are as of 15 March 2004 - all prices in US$). - Fujifiolm S20 Pro - Currently $899 - $100 off - Released 31 March. - Canon...
More »
Vertex Link - Webcam is a great little device that doubles as a webcam (complete with USB cradel and headset microphone) but also has 128MB USB memory. It is just 86x40x25mm weighing in at 35 grams. Resolution is just 350,000 pixels. Looks like a bit of fun. - Source - dottocomu...
More »
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....
More »
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...
More »
DCRP has an interesting photo comparison page showing pictures side by side from three 8 megapixel cameras. Those featured are the Nikon Coolpix 8700, Canon PowerShot Pro1, and Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom. Pictures were shot at the highest JPEG quality and lowest ISO rating possible....
More »
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....
More »
Tech News World has an interesting article that examines the rise of Camera Phones and their impact upon the wider Digital Photography market. Camera Phone sales boomed incredibly in 2003. 'Market research firm In-Stat/MDR, a division of Reed Elsevier PLC, found that vendors shipped 50 million camera phones worldwide in 2003, a dramatic increase from the 18.2 million units delivered the previous year.... Camera phones now deliver about 1-megapixel resolution, which does not provide enough clarity for even a high-resolution...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
BBC reports that Stuff Magazine has just announced its Top Ten Gadgets for 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...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
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:...
More »
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...
More »
Camera Phones are among the latest gadgets appearing in shops over the last few years. With MMS messaging being more and more popular cameras are becoming standard on more and more phones. 'More than a mere novelty, the camera phone is changing the way we communicate. Take a picture with one and within seconds your wish-you-were-here postcard will reach your recipient over the air. Messages can be sent directly via e-mail or to another compatible phone using the same cellular...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
DP Review has a great review of the Nikon D2H's wireless capabilities. The used it at the PMA show and therefore are writing not only in theory but out of practice - its a useful guide. 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,...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
After a heavy week of posting about new digital cameras i thought it might be time for a lighter story to help us recapture some of that passion we have for our photography. I just found an article about a guy who's passion is to take pictures of other photographers. 'Jay, a former Mesa resident and Arizona State University professor, has become fascinated with photographing other photographers, shooting both portraits of professionals like Ansel Adams and Aaron Siskind and snapping...
More »
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,...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
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....
More »
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....
More »
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....
More »
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...
More »
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....
More »
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...
More »
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...
More »
Update: The camera has been released but it looks like we all got the name wrong - it is the Konica Minolta Dynax 7 Digital/Maxxum 7 Digital. Check out all the details, pictures and specifications of this great new camera - here. 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...
More »
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) -...
More »
Today SimpleTech announced the highest capacity CompactFlash Card. It is an 8 GB Type II card - yes that is 8 GB! Simple Tech also announced 2, 4 and 5 Type I cards. Production of the cards is anticipated during the second quarter of 2004. Following is a press release from Simple Tech....
More »
ABC News asks Amid Switch to Digital, Will Today’s Images Survive for Future Generations? 'But archivists have yet to find a way to save today's digital images for history, a way that will transcend the changes in technology and preserve the visual legacy of the 21st century for generations to come.... Remembering the digital age may not be so easy. Photos are becoming a series of electronic impulses captured for a moment on cards or discs. And there is no...
More »
Update: 21 February 2006 - Canon today announced the Canon Powershot S3 IS - get details here. Get a price on the Canon PowerShot Pro Series S3 IS here from Amazon or Compare Canon Powershot S3 Prices elsewhere. The Canon Powershot S3 is rumored to be among the new cameras from Canon - to be announced at the upcoming PMA conference. Details are sketchy on this camera's specifications. Stayed tuned to this page for further developments as they come in....
More »
Photography Blog reports that someone has hacked the Canon 300Ds firmware to make it have some of the functions of the EOS 10D. There is more on this issue over at DP Review here and here. Update - also check out Digital Rebel Hack #2 - Full time AI Servo...
More »
Australian PC Authority (February 2004) have just announced their digital camera winners for the year. They rated 10 cameras in three areas - features, quality and value - with an overall score of 100 points being the average. Here are their winners: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-F717 – 110 points – They rated it highest due to excellent image quality and exceptional list of features. It didn’t rate as highly as other cameras when it came to value. The DSC-F717 is a...
More »
Reiter's Camera Phone Report links to an interesting article in the Korea Times about the future of Camera Phones. It seems that 2 and 3 megapixel camera phones are not far away and will be released in 2004. Here are some excerpts from the article: 'This year, more than 150 new mobile handset models will be rolled out in the local market (Korea) ahead of global marketing.... Samsung Electronics, the world’s third largest mobile handset supplier, said it would introduce...
More »
The New York Times - Memory Evolution: Survival of the Smallest is a great article on the future of flash memory cards. Which formats will survive? '"In the long term, two memory formats will survive, Memory Stick and SD," said Nelson Chan, senior vice president forSanDisk, the only company licensed to make and sell every flash memory format, which includes MultiMediaCard, SmartMedia and xD-Picture Card. Not everybody agrees with that. But in the last year, the SD memory card's monthly...
More »
The Union Leader has an interesting article about the changing times at Kodak. 'Forty years ago, when Kodak was king, the wall behind a shop’s counter invariably had a large herringbone shelf, its slots crammed with colorful boxes that offered an array of film both daunting and challenging to the amateur photographer. Walk through the door now and there are people sitting in booths, pushing buttons, picking photographic memories from digitized images....'...
More »
The C-Clamp Mini Tripod looks like a very useful digital camera accessory. It promises to turn impossible shots into reality. Looks handy. Source - WIFLblog...
More »
Both Pentax and Olympus as cutting the prices on their DSLRs effectively by $300. This could be an attempt to take some of the attention off the announcements of Canan's EOS 1D Mark II and Nikon's D70. It might also be a move to clear some stock in the lead up to PMA next week. Source...
More »
Concord today announced the first 2 Megapixel Bluetooth enabled digital camera which has the ability to beam images to bluetooth compatible devices like phones, PDAs and laptops instantly. Following is the Press Release from Concord:...
More »
Forbes today reported that Canon have announced a record profit for the past year of over $2.6 billion (US) funded largely through digital camera sales. 'TOKYO, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Japan's Canon Inc said on Thursday that its net profit rose 45 percent in 2003 thanks to healthy demand for office copiers and booming sales of digital cameras and it forecast a fifth straight record profit this year. Canon posted a consolidated net profit of 275.7 billion yen ($2.60 billion)...
More »
The Nikon PR department have been busy today releasing details of upcoming digital products. In addition to two great new cameras today they released details of their new Nikon Coolwalker MSV 01 - a portable digital photo storage and viewing device. DP Review writes: 'Nikon enter the mobile storage market with the new CoolWalker product line, starting with the MSV-01. The CoolWalker MSV-01 has a 2.5" TFT LCD monitor, rubberized body finish, a Compact Flash Type I/II slot (other media...
More »
Nikon have finally announced their D70 DSLR. Previously details were sketchy but now a lot more is known. The Nikon D70 is a 6.1 megapixel camera that is sure to be popular and will compete with the Canon Digital Rebel. Imaging Resource - Nikon D70 writes: 'The D70 looks to be a very interesting camera indeed. Pricing is set at US$999 for the camera body only, or $1299 in a bundle with a Nikkor AF-S DX 18-70MM f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED lens...
More »
Digital Photography Review just announced digital camera sales figures for 2003. It seems that last year we broke the 50 million digital cameras over the year. 'Europe has led this growth, roughly doubling its sales volume each year. In fact, Europe overtook the Americas during 2003 as the world's largest market for digital cameras, accounting for 36 percent of units sold. Growth in the Americas has been strong nonetheless, rising by 48 percent in 2003, while digital camera sales increased...
More »
The Seattle Times gives the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ10 a good recommendation. They write: 'it's hard not to consider Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ10, a 4-megapixel camera ($599) and solid choice for entering the realm of digital photography. The FZ10 shoots a variety of still images of up to 2,304 x 1,728 pixels as well as digital video in Motion JPEG or QuickTime formats — 30 frames per second or 10 fps with audio — and will capture up to 10 seconds...
More »
Camera phone Developments are getting to the stage where they are competing directly with low end digital cameras. 'All three major operators in Japan now offer cameraphones with 2 megapixel (or better) resolution. Now that cameraphones are approaching the resolution of digital cameras, can they approach the functionality?' Are Camera Phones the future of digital photography?...
More »
This news just in from BBC NEWS 'Photography giant Eastman Kodak is to slash up to 15,000 jobs worldwide over the next three years. The news comes after the US firm announced a sharp fall in profits for the last three months of 2003. Kodak said the job cuts - which represent around 20% of its global workforce - would save the company up to $1bn (£546m) a year by 2007. The firm said last week that it would stop...
More »
Photography Blog announces that Kodak are offering discounts on their Professional DSC Pro 14n. 'Kodak have just announced that they are offering a $1,000 instant discount when you purchase the Kodak Professional DCS Pro 14n Digital Camera before 31st March 2004.' It seems to be restricted to the US but is as simple as downloading and filling in a form. As Photography Blog says I suspect this is an indication of a new camera about to be released at PMA....
More »
The BBC article, Why digital cameras = better photographers, argues that Digital photography is not only a cheaper option, but also one that improves the skills of those that use them. 'Digital cameras don't only eliminate the cost and hassle of film processing, they should help do away with bad holiday snaps and see us all become better photographers.' It goes on to give 5 ways this is the case: 1. SHOOT AT WILL 2. EXPERIMENT 3. FORGET FILM 4....
More »
Last week Kodak began what some say signals the beginning of the end of their commitment to Traditional Film Photography by stopping production of APS Cameras. Since that announcement there have been many article predicting the continued fall of film and rise of digital. As a result it is with some surprise that today I read that Fujifilm have just renewed their committment to film. 'Fujifilm is defying current trends in the photography industry by announcing significant investment in film...
More »
Mission3-D have just released their 3-D photography kit . 'To create a 3-D image with the kit, you have to position the camera so it captures the same image twice, with the first shot mimicking what your left eye sees and the second shot mimicking what your right eye sees. Figuring this out on your own would be next to impossible, so the kit's 3-D adapter attachment does it for you.' As the article says - it looks fun, but...
More »
New Canoe University Adds Digital Photography Course for eBay Sellers New Canoe University, an online university dedicated to teaching practical skills that can be immediately applied to starting a home-based or small business, announced a digital photography course for eBay sellers. Lecture 1: Choosing the Right Equipment Lecture 2: Preparing to Shoot Lecture 3: Effective Backgrounds and Props Lecture 4: The Basics of Good Lighting Lecture 5: Photo-Editing Software and Tips Lecture 6: Image Hosting and Uploading Your Images Lecture...
More »
New uses for the new photography is a simple article that examines some of the uses of Digital Photography. It is not rocket science, but helpful for the beginner exploring 'new photography'....
More »
PassionForPixels is an on-line community of photographers who share their knowledge, skills, techniques and passion for the digital medium. It is based in my home town of Melbourne and is a great resource for people wanting to learn and connect with others exploring digital photography. Their collection of over 16,000 archived pictures is quite staggering and well worth viewing (it could take quite a while to see them all - beware, there are a lot). The advice, tutorials and discussion...
More »
National Geographic's first fully Digital Shoot was shot on a Nikon D1X with a few longer exposure shots taken on the Nikon D100. 'Instant review and tethered shooting let McNally execute the big production shots more quickly and efficiently, without the need for endless frames at every possible exposure and lighting iteration. His case of shooter's angst stayed relatively mild, and he exposed only about 7500 images during the course of the story -- equal to about 200 rolls of...
More »
NASA'S Spirit Rover which has just sent some stunning pictures back from Mars only uses a 1-megapixel camera! 'Anyone who has ever agonized over whether to buy a 3-megapixel or 4-megapixel digital camera might be surprised to learn that Spirit's stunningly detailed images of Mars are made with a 1-megapixel model, a palm-sized 9-ounce marvel that would be coveted in any geek's shirt pocket.'...
More »
'Once the domain of camera makers and film manufacturers, the consumer photography market is rapidly being overtaken by digitisation.... Perhaps the only certainty is that digital photography is here to stay. Digital camera sales pulled in $10bn in worldwide sales in 2003, while digital printing generated $4bn in revenues last year, according to IDC, the research group.... Excitement about digital photography has fuelled explosive growth in camera sales, while computer makers hope digital photography will help drive a PC upgrade...
More »
The latest in Digital Photography is Vending Machines to print your digital photographs. Amateur photographers will soon be able to process digital snaps at "vending machines". Photo-Me International said each picture would cost around 15p and the pioneering machines would be available alongside many of its 26,000 photo booths worldwide.... Users will need to plug the memory chips of their digital cameras or mobile phones into the machines for an instant print, the company said....
More »
Learning To Use Your Digital Camera - Part 1 is a great introduction to digital cameras. It gives advice ranging from lenses, to LDCs, to flash and hotshoe, to memory cards and batteries....
More »
Imaging Resource reports that there is about to be a wave of 8 Megapixel digital cameras released. 'While we can't say anything about any individual manufacturer's plans, it certainly doesn't violate anything that we've signed to observe that 2004 is going to be the year of the 8 megapixel prosumer digicam. '...
More »
Seems that in Tiawan camera phones are challenging digital cameras. But camera-equipped phones will squeeze the low-end digital camera market at an annual pace of about 5 million units this year as the devices have started to catch on in Europe and North America, Yang warned."We already saw similar replacement happening last year in Japan," Yang said. Some 40 percent of 1-megapixel digital cameras were replaced by high-resolution camera phones by late last year, he added. I'm not sure that...
More »
Digital imaging market set to explode, panel says is an article that talks of some of the issues that digital photography technology needs to overcome before the digital camera explosion can fully take off. There are a number of problems plaguing the digital imaging market, including lack of compatible hardware and software standards, lack of user education, and the complications involved in using digital imaging products, panelists said. Users are turned off by the cost of digital imaging products, can’t...
More »
Panasonic have announced a whole new digital camera line - Lumix. The range is being launched with 3 digital cameras. The DMC-FX5 (pictured left) is a 4.23 megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom and 2.5 inch screen, 9 thumbnail image display and audio recording on movie mode. The DMC-LC70 is a 4.0 megapixel digicam with a 3x optical zoom. The DMC-LC50 is a 3.2 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom. See the following press release from Panasonic for further...
More »
The Canon Rebel EOS 300D seems to be suffering from some serious problems with its Sigma lenses. Most of it revolves around an 'Error 99' message - the problem doesn't seem to be limited to any one Sigma lens. Check out the comments section of my previous post to hear some of the issues users are facing. Buyer beware when purchasing the 300D with Sigma lenses!...
More »
Here is an Interesting article about a service that allows digital camera users to find a digital printing service anywhere around the world. I think we'll see more and more of these type services springing up as digital photography continues to grow....
More »
Got a Digital Camera for Christmas and you're not sure how to make the most of it? Pixels to pictures gives some tips on some starting points including integrating your camera with your computer and printing digital photographs. Photographers offer advice on digital cameras is another helpful article in a similar vain that gives a basic introduction to digital Photography. ...
More »
Digital photography can expose hidden strengths of your pictures is a great little article that points out how the instant nature of digital cameras has the potential to increase our ability to learn from our mistakes. 'Digital cameras teach us much faster -- instantly. After we take a picture, we see it displayed on the camera's LCD screen. We can check the exposure, color, composition, sharpness and focus. If we don't like what we see, we can press Delete, make...
More »
Has Kodak missed the moment? Excerpt: 'In recent months, Kodak has spent more than $300m on acquisitions, including the $250m purchase from Israel's Scitex of an Ohio-based digital-printing business—an operation, ironically, that Kodak sold to Scitex in 1993 for $70m. As it makes more purchases, will Kodak get carried away and pay prices which are too high?.... Managing the traditional film business for cash is how Kodak plans to fund much of its strategy. It has described emerging markets as...
More »
Digital Cameras will outsell Film Cameras in 2004. The above article not only talks about the increase in digital photography but gives some hints as to how to make the switch....
More »
With the current boom in Digital Photography there are all kinds of implications for associated industries. Online Photo Printing is one industry that is booming alongside the sale of digital cameras and accessories. 'The market for real photo paper prints from individual digital image files uploaded over the internet is exploding. FotoInside Limited of Cambridge (www.fotoinside.co.uk) is preparing to celebrate with its providing photo lab current year's 50 millionth photo print from files uploaded online and delivered within Europe. FotoInside...
More »
Booming global digital camera market set to peak is an article that argues the Digital Camera market is reaching the peak of its sales. 'UBS estimates that global shipments of digital cameras will double from the previous year to 50 million units in 2003, including the five million cameras made by original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in Taiwan. That will likely jump to 65 million units next year, UBS said. Assuming that consumers replace their cameras every four years and that...
More »
Canon are concentrating more and more energy upon digital photography and are likely to release up to 20 new compact digital cameras in 2004 alone. 'Oshiyama said Canon planned to launch "about twice" as many compact digital cameras in 2004 as the nine it rolled out this year. That would help it achieve a market share of 25 percent, up from around 20 percent in 2003 and 15 percent last year.' Canon Plans to Roll Out Nearly 20 New Compact...
More »
'The single lens reflex camera has long been every digital photographer's dream. Now, though, such cameras are not only available but are becoming less expensive.' Read more at Marketing High End Digital Cameras to the Masses...
More »
Digital vs. film asks the question: 'New technologies can create incredible pictures, but do they compromise the art of photography?' What do you think?...
More »
Choosing a digital camera is getting more and more of a challenge as the variety of cameras being released increased. It seems that every week a new camera enters the market. So how should you make the decision? How to Choose a DigiCam answers that question by giving a framework to make your decisions. Topics examined include: - Big or small - Megapixel - what's it mean - RAW or not - Lenses - zoom range - Storage media -...
More »
Digital cameras snap open market for Web photo services is an interesting article about the rise of online photo services. 'The popularity of digital cameras, one of the most requested gifts this holiday season, is paying off for online photo services. Market leaders Ofoto, Shutterfly and Snapfish report big sales increases over last year. Research firm IDC estimates revenue for the sector will be up 50% over 2002. '...
More »
Thom Hogan makes some predictions about the upcoming Nikon D70. What do we know about this upcoming DSLR and what can we guess? Thom tells. Nikon D70 Press Release...
More »
Photography Blog Reports that the Canon EOS Digital Rebel has taken the top award in the annual PTN product of the year awards. 'Canon EOS Digital Rebel not only took top honors, but it also claimed the top spot for the Digital SLR category. With details like a highly responsive autofocus and Continuous Shooting Mode which allows users to capture split-second action sequences at 2.5 fps with a 4-shot burst, it's easy to see what draws buyers. The Pentax...
More »
The Mac Dev Center has this great article on using iPods to store Digital photographs 'Okay, math time. With a 4-megapixel Canon S400, the average file size is in the neighborhood of 1.3 MB (shooting at the highest quality level). Dividing 1,024 MBs (that is, 1 gigabyte) by 1.3 and I get roughly 788 pictures to one GB of storage. If I set aside just 10 GBs of my iPod's hard disc for images, that means I can store well...
More »
'A trio of top Pop Photo editors recently returned from a tour of the photo industry in Japan. Their mission: to find out, directly from the source, what’s happening in the photo industry, and how it will affect photography consumers in the coming year. In this exclusive report, they share news about upcoming products, photo buying trends, and what’s being designed for the future.' This is the intro to REPORT FROM JAPAN which is filled with all kinds of interesting...
More »
Digital-camera sales will reach 71.2 million units worldwide in 2006. The average worldwide selling price of digital cameras will decline about 7 percent every year, to $290 in 2006....
More »
Sony has just announced a 360° lens that will enable users to take those 360° panoramic shots without having to take multiple pics and stitching them together. Looks interesting....
More »
It's Time To Upgrade Your Digital Camera. This article is about buying Digital Cameras, whether for the first time or to update an older one. Its easy to understand and makes some good recommendations including some of the following excerpts: - The 2-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 2100 is a good starter choice. - The $279 Pentax Optio 230 is another 2-megapixel model. Unlike some other 2-megapixel cameras, this model has the ability to take TIFF images. - The 2-megapixel ...
More »
The rise of digital and fall of film in 2003 has left Thom Hogan predicting some sweeping changes in the photographic industry in 2004. Hogan has just posted this great article on his prediction for Photographic Developments in 2004. What Will Happen in 2004? includes predictions for the following: - 'it should be easy to see that film will continue downwards while the impact of digital continues to increase.' - Eight new DSLRs from Nikon (3), Canon (3) and Fuji...
More »
By Jakob Jelling Snapjunky.com The digital camera is not meant only for capturing images and storing them on the computer memory disks. The real effect comes from the hard copy of those fantastic images taken by the users, that is the printed photographs! In order to get the printer copy of the images a very important device necessary is the printer. The digital image printing requires a few numbers of components that comprises the total process of printing. This...
More »
Check out this 1.09 gigapixel image of Bryce Canyon in the USA. Its made up of 196 smaller images taken on a 6 megapixel camera and stitched together. I wonder how long it will be before we can take pics like this on our run of the mill DigiCams. The way things are going it might happen! Source - Photography Blog...
More »
These are the 10 most popular Digital Camera Posts on this site over the past couple of months: 1. Minolta Dimage G400 2. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 and DSC-U40 3. Canon EOS 300D 4. Canon PowerShot A80 5. Fuji Finepix S7000 and Nikon Coolpix 5700 6. Canon PowerShot A70 7. Sigma SD10 8. Canon PowerShot SD10 9. Sanyo Xacti DMX C-1 10. Nikon Coolpix 3700 ...
More »
Wired News has a great article titled Digital Cameras on the Cheap. Here is the first couple of paragraphs: 'When it comes to stocking stuffers, the gifts most people think about are probably less expensive than the average digital camera. But the budget-conscious shopper can find cameras to fit the sock -- especially if the recipient is a casual shutterbug. Low-end digital-camera prices range from just a few dollars for single-use disposables to about $300 for name-brand ultra-compact or point-and-shoot...
More »
Check out Christian Fletcher Photo Images for some stunning shots (mainly panoramic) from around Australia and America. Thanks to Hamo for the link....
More »
This month’s Australian Macworld reviewed 9 four and five megapixel digital cameras. Their rankings and (some brief comments) were as follows: 4.5 stars - Canon PowerShot G5 (This was the pick of the bunch. It has heaps of features including a hot shoe, fold out screen, 4x optical zoom. Outstanding picture quality. Easy to use.). 4 stars - Nikon CoolPix 4500 (This only comes with16MB card but does have 4x optical zoom. Excellent picture quality. Some easy of use problems.)...
More »
In todays Green Guide from The Age was an article on the boom of digital photography in Australia. By the end of this year 1,000,000 digital cameras will have been sold. Add to that 100,000 digicams on PDA's and mobile phones. That means that 23% of Australian households will have a digital camera. The prediction is that by 2005 38% of Aussie homes will have one. Film sales have dropped by 5 to10% this year and processing by 10 to...
More »
It seems that half the hits I've had on this site in the past week have been looking for Spencer Tunick photos. He must have just had another photoshoot somewhere and everyone is looking for the shots. Sorry, I don't have any photos - but the Spencer Tunick site is here. Get the 'Naked States' DVD - Featuring Spencer Tunick's work Also available on Video. Check out his book 'Re-Entering the America Zone' here...
More »
"To photograph truthfully and effectively is to see beneath the surfaces and record the qualities of nature and humanity which live or are latent in all things." Ansel Adams...
More »
What do people think about Spencer Tunick photos? When he was in Melbourne last he created quite a stir with some of his shots. I personally think they're pretty spectacular in form and pattern. Get the 'Naked States' DVD - Featuring Spencer Tunick's work Also available on Video. Check out his book 'Re-Entering the America Zone' here...
More »
