| August 2002 |
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Advertise on Steve's Digicams
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Buy Your Next Used Digicam on eBayMany of our readers are requesting a source for digital cameras which are non-current, pre-owned, or refurbished by the manufacturers. We are pleased to announce we have added eBay links within the reviews of the older cameras which fall into the above category. We have found that eBay is one of the safest auction sites to purchase from because of their secure site, rating system, and payment options. As usual we recommend that when shopping on any auction site you be careful, check the feedback rating on a seller and if a price seems to good to be true, beware, it usually is.
If you are not currently a registered user of eBay, it's FREE, so
register now. And look for our
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link buttons.
| 08-30-2002 |
Minolta DiMAGE 7i Firmware UpdateMinolta has posted a DiMAGE 7i firmware update as of August 26, 2002. There are both Windows and Mac versions of the updater. The following info is posted on the update page:
Fixed with this firmware update is the problem of the camera freezing when the following operation is performed:
Select EVF auto ON in the setup mode.
Operation : |
| 08-30-2002 |
Nikon Introduces The Affordable, Four-Megapixel Coolpix 4300
 Read our Coolpix 4300 First Look
Read the entire Coolpix 4300 press release.
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| 08-28-2002 |
Sharp Enters Digital Still Camera Market With Two Innovative Cameras
 Both units, models VE-CG30U and VE-CG40U, will be outfitted with a 1.5-inch high resolution color CG Silicon LCD screen and viewfinder, which will ensure a crisp preview to properly frame a photo. They also come equipped with high-end features such as bracket exposure, aperture and shutter priority modes, gamma correction, and full manual options to give the photographer control over lighting, shutter speeds and exposure. These features offer an unprecedented opportunity for creativity with digital photography.
Read the entire Sharp press release.
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| 08-26-2002 |
LaserSoft Releases SilverFast 6 with SRD™, a Unique Scratch and Dust Removal Function for Scanned ImagesKiel, Germany, LaserSoft Imaging now incorporates SilverFast SRD™, an advanced scratch and dust removal function, into its award-winning SilverFast scanning and image enhancement software product line. SRD™ provides users with the capability to easily remove dust and scratches from images either during scanning or from scanned raw data files. Unlike other scratch and dust removal products, SRD™ works with black and white images as well as colour image files. A real-time preview permits users to determine the best possible setting for removing scratch and dust artefacts. SRD™ will be integrated into all versions of SilverFast 6 including SilverFast Ai, SilverFast HDR and SilverFast SE. Other features of SilverFast 6 include Selective Colour Correction with Multi-Layers and Masking for handling complex images, ACR™, known as Adaptive Colour Restoration, to bring back faded or normalize over-saturated colours, SC2G™ a sophisticated function for converting colour images to greyscale, and GANE™ a tool for eliminating grain and noise while preserving image detail. In addition to these exciting new features, SilverFast has implemented a new help system utilizing Apple QuickTime movies. The movies let users visualize how corrections can be applied to an image. Besides an introductory QuickTime movie each main dialog has its own instructional QuickTime® movie that can be called while inside a dialog. “For the first time, a large 1:1 sized movie is exactly where the user needs it: inside the respective dialog” says Karl-Heinz Zahorsky, President & Founder of LaserSoft Imaging. SilverFast 6 will be available after the 16th of August 2002. Demo-versions and upgrades can be downloaded from http://www.SilverFast.com. LaserSoft Imaging AG is the developer of scan and imaging software SilverFast Ai for scanners, SilverFast HDR for raw data processing, SilverFast DC and DCPro for digital cameras and SilverFast PhotoCD for processing of Kodak's PhotoCD format.
SilverFast Ai is bundled with major manufacturers' scanners such as Epson, Kodak, Polaroid, Nikon, Microtek, Umax, Cruse,
Seitz, Quatographic, PIE, PFU, Pentacon Camera and others.
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| 08-25-2002 |
Raynox DCR-FE180PRO Full-Frame (Diagonal) Fish-Eye Lens
 The DCR-FE180PRO is suitable with many digital camera models currently on the market. It may create slight 'vignetting' at the corners of the picture captured with some camera models set at the widest position of the zoom lens. The following cameras have been tested and show no vignetting: SONY DSC-F707, OLYMPUS C-700UZ, C-720UZ. The borderline of whether the vignetting may happen or not lies in the area of 37mm focal length (equivalent of 35mm film format) of the camera lens. With Minolta DiMage 7/7i, Nikon CoolPix 5000 models, the 180° field of view can be obtained either at diagonal or horizontal line, set at the widest zoom range. The DCR-FE180PRO lens weighs 685g (1.5 lbs), it's a hefty piece of glass and may require support or protecting the lens with your hand.
Our friends at CKC Power and
BugEyeDigital
will be carrying this new lens as soon as it is available next month.
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| 08-24-2002 |
HP Photosmart Digital Camera and Printer Reviews PostedWe've just posted a number of reviews of new HP Photosmart digital imaging products that includes three cameras and one printer. The cameras are entry-level models in the two-, three- and four-megapixel resolution class and all of them have a 3x optical zoom lens. And all three can use the optional HP 8881 Digital Camera Dock to download image data, charge their batteries, and output to the TV or print directly to HP Photosmart printers. HP Photosmart 720 HP Photosmart 620 HP Photosmart 7350 printer |
| 08-22-2002 |
New Addonics Flash Reader/Writer and PC Card Hard Drive, USB 2.0 or FireWire
Addonics allows you to put nine popular formats in your pocket. The new Addonics Pocket UDD (Ultra DigiDrive) is the first USB 2.0 external data storage Reader/Writer for PC Card (PCMCIA) hard drives and the most popular form factors of Flash memory cards. It supports today’s popular digital media storage formats and doubles as a PC Card hard drive reader/writer. The Pocket UDD is also the fastest external data storage Reader/Writer that connects to any computer or equipment with USB 2.0 or FireWire interface. Maximum data transfer rates are 60MB/sec with USB 2.0 or 50MB/sec with FireWire. Standard PC Card hard drives and ATA Flash cards can be added and removed from the Pocket UDD like any removable media. To read/write to other flash media, Addonics provides the adapters to convert the flash media to PCMCIA form factor. The adapters can be purchased separately or as a bundled solution. When used with the Addonics optional CF DigiAdapter or the 4-in-1 DigiAdapter, the Pocket UDD can also read/write to all popular Flash media including: CF-I, CF-II, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Secure Digital Card, Multimedia Card or Microdrive. Users can boot their system from the Addonics Pocket UDD via the USB port depending on the BIOS support on each computer. The mobility, fast data transfer rates, flexible USB or FireWire design interface, and support for nine media types make the Addonics IDE Ultra DigiDrive an indispensable storage device for all mobile users and desktop PCs. The base model Addonics Pocket UDD with USB 2.0 interface cable has a list price of $89, or $119 with FireWire interface cable and A/C power adapter. The 9-in-1 Pocket UDD models come bundled with the Addonics 4-in-1 DigiAdapter, the CF DigiAdapter, and USB 2.0 or FireWire cable and have a list price of $149 for the USB 2.0 version or $179 for the FireWire version.
The Pocket UDD supports Windows 98/SE, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS X (support
USB 1.1 only), and Linux kernel 2.4 or higher. The device measures 4.63
in (W) x 5.4 in (D) x .98in (H) and weighs just eight ounces.
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SAN JOSE, CA (August 22, 2002) – Addonics Technologies today announced a
portable storage solution for users confounded by the incompatibility of
the numerous Flash media storage options in today’s digital cameras,
camcorders, PDAs, MP3 players, and voice recorders.
| 08-22-2002 |
Ricoh Caplio RR30 - Fast 0.22 Second Shutter Release
We saw some information and specs the other day on one of the Japanese digicam sites about a new Ricoh Caplio RR30 camera and today the full info and specs in English turned up on the C.E.I.D. web site. C.E.I.D. Corp. is a Canadian importer that handles Ricoh digital cameras. The new Caplio RR30 is a 3.24-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom that is claiming to have a shutter release time of 0.22 of a second. Ricoh states "The Caplio RR30’s shutter releases almost instantly once pressed enabling you to capture shots that would otherwise be missed on other digital cameras. It is ideal for taking pictures of moving objects. Speed measured as time between depressing shutter release button to the start of exposure in autofocus mode without using focus lock." The RR30 runs on two AA batteries or an optional rechargeable lithium battery, with the lithium pack it can take up to 3500 shots per charge. Of course that's with the flash off, no zooming, LCD off and in VGA mode. In real life it's about 350 shots, 50% with flash and using the zoom, LCD on, 30 secs between shots and post capture review of all photos. The 3x optical zoom has an impressive 1cm macro mode, the flash is useable down to 16cm in macro. Two continuous capture modes; M-continuous saves the last 16 frames at 8fps when you release the shutter and S-continuous saves 16 frames in 2 secs as you push the shutter. High sensitivity mode provides illumination of subjects in darkened rooms so you don't need the flash, the LCD is brightened to aid in framing. Stylish compact body design with a mass of just 160g.
Hybrid auto focus system comprised of both external and TTL
focusing. 256-element matrix metering with center-weighted and spot options. Auto
exposure bracketng, six scene modes (portrait, sports, landscape, nightscape, text
and high-sensitivity). Shutter speeds from 2 milliseconds to 8 seconds, manual
setings for 1, 2, 4 and 8 seconds. Quick Review button to show last image captured.
High-defintion AVI motion video capture without sound for up to 120 seconds. The LCD
turns on automatically when the shutter button is pressed and remains on for several
seconds and then shuts off to extend battery life. Image and movie data is stored
on Secure Digital cards, Ricoh was in the past a big supporter of SmartMedia so here's
another camera maker shifting away from SM cards. Exif 2.2 (Exif Print) compatible
JPEG file format and also supports Epson PIM II standard. Available in September
for $699 Canadian.
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| 08-22-2002 |
Microsoft Advances Digital Imaging With the Introduction Of Picture It! Digital Image ProREDMOND, Wash. -- Aug. 20, 2002 -- Microsoft Picture It! Digital Image Pro version 7.0 hit store shelves today, making it easier than ever for digital camera owners, including the 9.5 million new owners,1 to create professional-quality photos. The newest edition to the Picture It! family, Picture It! Digital Image Pro is the only product to offer the unique combination of advanced photo-editing tools, professional-quality photo projects and simplicity. Picture It! Digital Image Pro provides photo hobbyists with easy access to a host of new advanced control features and expanded photo projects. These features enable users to add flash to a photo; reduce backlighting; adjust levels to control shadows, midtones and highlights; and open, save and automatically adjust multiple pictures in the improved Mini Lab. With Adobe Photoshop plug-in filter support, users can further enhance their photos. In addition, a new file browser, enhanced startup window, product tour and improved user interface make it even easier for users to capture and enhance their photos. Picture It! Digital Image Pro also offers 3,000 photo projects, 150 filters, 5,000 images, and a variety of mats, frames and templates for creating professional photo projects, such as scrapbooks, photo albums, calendars and postcards. Filters with variations such as Antique, Impressionism and Watercolor add instant style to photos. New Adobe Photoshop plug-in filter support offers endless opportunity to turn ordinary photos into works of art. Users can find professionally designed content for a variety of needs, including kids' projects and business, community and home projects. Photo cards and projects are available for all occasions and seasons.
Microsoft Picture It! Digital Image Pro version 7.0 is available for an
estimated retail price of $109 (U.S.). Microsoft offers a $30 rebate
for users upgrading from a previous version of Picture It! or a
competitive product, and an additional $10 rebate if consumers
purchase any digital camera the same day they purchase the software.
In addition, the product ships with $85 worth of coupons for Fuji
products, Avery paper samples and Alien Skin plug-ins.
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| 08-21-2002 |
Enrollment Now Open for Digiphoto 101Enrollment is now open for the next session of Digiphoto 101, an online interactive digital photography course that begins September 3rd, 2002 and is taught by Arthur H. Bleich, professional photographer and feature editor of Digital Camera Magazine Lighting, color, texture, composition, and other subjects are covered to give both beginning and intermediate students a solid grounding in photodigital techniques and esthetics. Each class is limited to ten enrollees, all of whom have access to the instructor as a mentor throughout the course. Weekly assignments are critiqued online and students may interact with the teacher and each other at a restricted Discussion Board.
Tuition for the 10-week course is $360. For further information email
Arthur Bleich or visit
www.dpcorner.com/digiphoto.
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| 08-20-2002 |
Light & Motion's Tetra U/W Housing for Olympus C-4000
Light & Motion's Tetra housing accommodates Olympus' latest digital camera, the 4 megapixel C-4000 Zoom. The C-4000 pairs nicely with the Tetra housing and allows you to focus on the task at hand… capturing great digital images. Tetra includes a custom glass flat port, strobe arm ready mounts for most strobe arms and bulkhead ports to support Wetlink underwater strobe connectors. Optional accessories include Wetlink strobe connectors, Wetmate underwater changeable lens system and Tetra Pointer light. Tetra can be purchased as a solo housing or as part of a complete Travel Package including strobe(s), sync cord(s), extra lenses and custom case. With digital photography you can shoot until you get the shot you want and simply erase the junk. No more shooting 36 frames on a roll and getting 1 "keeper", maybe. In addition, digital photography provides the flexibility to print out your favorite photo or email it to a friend.
Light & Motion makes a Tetra housing to accommodate most of the Olympus 2000, 3000 and
4000 series digital cameras.
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| 08-20-2002 |
EISA 2002-2003 Photo Awards Announced
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The EISA Awards are chosen annually by Panels representing nearly 50
prominent Photo, Video, Audio, Home Theater and Mobile Electronics
magazines from up to 20 European countries.
Every year, the EISA Awards applaud the new products that combine the most
advanced technology, the most desirable features, the ultimate expression of
design, the most satisfying ergonomics and, of course, the greatest value for
money. In short, EISA recognises the features most likely to be appreciated by
an enthusiast public seeking high quality and creative facilities.
| 08-19-2002 |
Olympus-Europe Announces New 5-Megapixel C-5050 Zoom
 Hamburg, 19 August 2002 – With the CAMEDIA C-5050ZOOM, Olympus introduces a new professional standard within the compact digital camera class. As well as an exceptionally bright, high-quality 3x zoom optical system and 5 megapixel resolution, this model includes a full complement of many other high-end features. Complete manual control over aperture, shutter speed and focus is available to ensure photographers encounter virtually no bounds in terms of flexibility. Sophisticated exposure options plus the integrated high-power flash and hot shoe connector team with a histogram function to make certain photos are perfectly exposed. What’s more, the camera’s tilting LCD monitor means that users can capture shots at awkward angels. With this high-performance model’s additional diverse automatic functions, the astonishingly affordable C-5050ZOOM is also suited for taking spontaneous snapshots.
Read the full Olympus Europe
C-5050 Zoom press release.
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| 08-19-2002 |
Samsung and SanDisk Sign Agreements for Flash MemorySamsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea, and SanDisk Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, signed cross license and supply agreements covering flash memory technology. With these agreements, both companies have dismissed lawsuits filed against each other. A previous patent cross-licensing agreement between Samsung and SanDisk expired this month; the new agreements have a term of seven years. Under the agreements, Samsung and SanDisk will be cross-licensed to the flash memory and card patents of
both companies. Samsung will also supply SanDisk with flash memory products for the next seven years. Both
the license and supply agreements cover MLC (multi-level cell) patents and products. Other details of the
agreement were not disclosed.
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| 08-16-2002 |
Red River Paper Has Quality Media for New Epson Stylus Photo 2200 Printer
Red River Paper has a full line of inkjet paper compatible with the new
Epson 2200 archival printer. From glossy and matte to elegant watercolor
paper, the Red River line excels in reproducing high quality prints with a
wide color gamut. Come to
www.redriverpaper.com for a full review of the
printer's performance with Red River paper and special hints for better
print making. Try each of the compatible papers in one convenient sample
kit for only $7.99 plus shipping.
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| 08-16-2002 |
End-of-Summer Deals on Kodak Professional Digital Cameras and DCS Pro BacksROCHESTER, N.Y., August 16 - Kodak Professional, a division of Eastman Kodak Company, has rolled out an end-of-summer digital camera pricing promotion for the U.S. market to save hundreds of dollars on the purchase or the rental of Kodak Professional's current line of digital SLRs and backs. Photographers can receive $100 off a one-day rental of a Kodak Professional DCS 760 or 720x digital camera, or Kodak Professional DCS Pro Back Plus, Pro Back, 645M or 645C digital back. In addition, photographers can save substantial amounts when they purchase one of the following Kodak Professional digital cameras:
Kodak Professional's DCS camera line gives photographers access to Kodak's acclaimed DCR raw image files (the digital negative) and new Extended Range Imaging file format, as well as Kodak Professional DCS Photo Desk software - a truly professional application to help create the best possible images in an efficient workflow.
The DCS Pro Back series of digital camera backs - including Pro Back Plus, Pro
Back and Pro Back 645 backs - delivers outstanding 16-megapixel resolution and
true portability for a new versatility in medium-format digital image capture.
Kodak Professional's digital SLR cameras - the DCS 760 and DCS 720x cameras -
are powerful, highly functional devices that capture great images in any
setting - from in the field to in the studio, from action assignments to
weddings.
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| 08-15-2002 |
Lexar Media Extends SD Memory Line With 256MB and 512MB Capacities
"We're pleased to be one of the first companies to ship these highly anticipated products to retailers," said Eric Stang, president and CEO, Lexar Media. "We have seen a significant gain in popularity for higher capacities in all digital media formats driven by lower memory prices and consumer acceptance of high resolution digital cameras and digital video cameras that require considerable storage."
Lexar Media SD memory cards are part of the company's complete offering of digital media products, including
CompactFlash, Memory Stick, SmartMedia and MultiMediaCard (MMC). Lexar Media also markets a
complete line of memory card readers and a new JumpDrive portable USB storage drive used to store and transfer
digital files.
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FREMONT, Calif., August 15, 2002 -
| 08-15-2002 |
EPSON Stylus Photo 925 and Stylus Photo 825 Make Printing Photos from Digital Cameras Easier Than EverNew Direct Photo Printers Provide Digital Camera Owners of All Levels With the Ability to Print Amazing Photos With or Without a Computer
Read the entire Epson press release.
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| 08-15-2002 |
Dazzle DVD Creation Station DCS 200
The DCS 200 allows consumers to capture DVD quality video from any camcorder, VCR or TV, as well as read photo and other files from all types of flash card media. The device comes with a complete suite of Dazzle software which allows users to capture and edit video as well as design and burn DVDs and photo slideshows. The DCS 200 also supports outputting video to videotape, Video CD, and the web. The DCS 200 connects to the PC via a standard USB interface, making it very easy to set up. In addition to RCA video, S-Video and RCA audio ports for inputting and outputting video, the DCS200 has slots for reading all types of digital flash memory cards, including CompactFlash Type I and II, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, SD Card, MultiMediaCard and Sony Memory Stick. Three powerful software applications are included with the DCS 200:
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Fremont, Calif. - August 14, 2002 - SCM Microsystems, Inc., (Nasdaq: SCMM;
Neuer Markt: SMY) a leading provider of solutions that open the Digital
World, today announced its
| 08-13-2002 |
Kodak Launches High Performance DX4330 Zoom and Point-and-Shoot CX4200 Digital Cameras
 ROCHESTER, NY., Aug. 13 - Eastman Kodak Company today added two new models to its industry-leading family of Kodak EasyShare digital cameras. The DX4330 Zoom Digital Camera is designed to deliver great pictures even under tricky picture-taking conditions, while the CX4200 Digital Camera allows people to explore the benefits and fun of digital photography. The DX4330 is the first camera to debut Kodak's new 1.8" Indoor/Outdoor LCD display for effortless viewing even in bright sunlight.
Read the entire Kodak press release.
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| 08-12-2002 |
SeaLife ReefMaster DC100 Review Posted
We just finished the SeaLife ReefMaster DC100
review. This is the first dedicated underwater digicam. It's a 1.3-megapixel
camera in a 100 foot depth-rated waterproof case for just $399. If you've ever
priced UW cameras then you know that most cases cost about 3 times that much so
how much do you get? Check out the review to find out. We wanted to post more
underwater photos but the camera arrived 3 days after Gregg had left for Mexico
on a 10-day diving vacation. He promises to get more UW photos.
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| 08-12-2002 |
Tawbaware Releases Image StackerTawbaware has just released Image Stacker for Windows or DOS which combines multiple images into a single image. It can be used to overcome one of the last remaining limitations of digital cameras compared to their film counterparts: their inability to take very long exposures. Image Stacker can also be used to reduce the appearance of "digital noise" in images created by digital cameras or scanners, and create "synthesized long-exposures" without overexposure.
Another important use for Image Stacker is to average images together. Unlike
stacking, where the intensities of each source image are added together, averaging
images does not create a brighter image. Instead, the averaging process dramatically
reduces the appearance of random noise in digital images. Averaging several exposures
of the same scene (or scans of the same negative/slide) can produce a much smoother,
natural looking image. Image Stacker can also perform dark-frame subtraction to
reduce the appearance of non-random noise.
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| 08-09-2002 |
Pictographics Releases iCorrect® 4.0 Color Correction Software Designed For Windows® XPAugust 9, 2002-Burnsville, MN-Pictographics International Corporation, a leading developer of digital color technology software, announces the release of iCorrect 4.0, a fast and easy color correction program for digital photos. Designed for Windows XP, iCorrect 4.0 adds "point and click" color correction technology to Windows XP's imaging tools. Based on Pictographics' patent pending technology found in iCorrect Professional, winner of PEI Magazine's Cool2 award for best Photoshop plug-in, iCorrect 4.0 is the closest thing to one-click color correction. Pictographics president, Wayne Huelskoetter states, "With Windows XP, Microsoft has given users the tools to unlock the power of digital photography, and iCorrect 4.0 takes Windows XP even further. iCorrect 4.0 integrates with Windows XP to help users take their digital photography workflow to the next level. As Wayne Huelskoetter states, Photo enthusiasts no longer need to rely on various complex imaging programs for downloading, viewing, color correcting, organizing, printing and sending their digital photos, With Windows XP and iCorrect 4.0, you can do it all in one fell swoop! In effect, with Windows XP and iCorrect 4.0 and a color printer, you have your own in-home digital photo kiosk." Digital cameras are among the hottest things going, but they all suffer the same problem - accurate color capture. Until now, the only way to make the color right was to learn a complex image editing program and rely on frustrating, time-consuming tools like curves, sliders or variations. With iCorrect 4.0, you can make the color right by simply clicking on the picture. iCorrect 4.0 automatically makes the darks darker and whites whiter; adjusts brightness and contrast; removes unwanted color cast; corrects common reference colors including neutrals, skin tones, sky blue and foliage green. iCorrect 4.0 works equally well on all digital pictures whether they come from a digital camera, a scanner, a picture CD, or an online photo sharing service. iCorrect 4.0 supports both 24-bit and 48-bit images and accepts standard .bmp, JPEG and Raw TIFF files, including LZW compressed files. Using the Auto Queuing feature image files can be queued up for rapid sorting and color correction. The color corrected image files can be stored in separate "iCorrect" folders for easy printing or sending using the Windows XP Picture and Fax Viewer. iCorrect 4.0 is priced at $39.95 and is available at www.picto.com. A free demo version is also available.
20% Discount for our ReadersSteve's Digicams readers can purchase iCorrect 4.0 online with a 20% discount by clicking here! |
| 08-09-2002 |
Kaidan Announces PanoPost - A New Post-Production Tool for Digital Panoramic ImagesFeasterville, PA Friday, August 9, 2002: Kaidan Incorporated, the leading manufacturer and supplier of Photographic VR and Immersive Imaging solutions, today announced PanoPost, a new software application to facilitate the creation of digital panoramic images. Developed as a Macintosh OS X recommended (OS 9 supported) application for scanning panoramic cameras and panoramic film cameras, PanoPost performs the needed functions to produce a perfect cylindrical or equirectangular source image that¹s ready for viewing with web-based panoramic viewers such as QuickTime VR, PT Viewer, Zoomify and many others. These functions are needed because many panoramic cameras over-scan the scene in both horizontal and vertical directions and introduce subtle distortions when using certain lenses. There may also be color and exposure variations due to the time it takes to capture the full panoramic image. Specifically, the functions that PanoPost addresses are:
PanoPost works with any panoramic image that is a seamless image of 360 degrees or more. The image can be of any vertical field of view but PanoPost is particularly useful for creating fully equirectangular images from digital panoramic scanning cameras like the Panoscan. PanoPost can open most popular image types such as TIFF, BMP, PICT and JPEG, but PanoPost processes and saves the image files out in TIFF format only. The resulting TIFF file can be further processed for your VR player of choice such as QuickTime VR, Zoomify, Live Picture/MGI/Roxio-Zoom, Java, Hot Media and many more. PanoPost can be used to process images from almost any 360 degree scanning type camera including digital or film based systems. The wrapping and blending feature is useful with the film based cameras such as the, Seitz Roundshot, Globuscope, Circuit and Hulcherama. PanoPost is especially well suited for use with digital 360 degree scanning cameras that use tri-linear CCD¹s like, Panoscan, Spheron, SliVR and others. "PanoPost is an amazing time-saver for the professional panoramic photographer," says Jim Anders, President of Kaidan. "You can crop, blend and enhance images in minutes instead of hours. We chose to recommend PanoPost to run under Mac OS X for several reasons. First, we believe Macintosh is the predominant and preferred computing platform in the professional photography market. We also chose OS X because of the Quartz imaging engine and its strengths in image processing and manipulation." According to Ted Chavalas, President of Panoscan, "PanoPost drastically eases the imaging workflow and improves the results as well! Before PanoPost, our customers would spend hours of costly post-production time in Photoshop to crop and blend their images. This is a must have tool for every 360 scanning camera owner."
PanoPost is recommended to run under Macintosh OS X (Mac OS 9 is supported)
and is available directly from Kaidan Inc. PanoPost sells for $499.95.
Additional information can be found at
http://www.kaidan.com
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| 08-06-2002 |
Sony Introduces Two-Megapixel DCR-IP220 Camcorder Sony Electronics Inc., Park Ridge, N.J., USA, introduced a 2-megapixel CCD camcorder, the MICROMV Handycam DCR-IP220, which features a compact, barrel-shaped design. Another new model, the DCR-IP55, features a fold-down handgrip. The DCR-IP220 model offers 530 lines of horizontal video resolution and still image resolution of 1,600-by-1,200. The DCR-IP55 model features a 1-megapixel CCD, which offers 520 lines of horizontal video resolution and still image resolution of 1,152-by-864. Both models also feature 10x optical/120x digital zoom, SteadyShot picture stabilization and, new to MICROMV Handycam camcorders, a NightShot infrared system for recording in total darkness.
Read the entire Sony press release.
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| 08-06-2002 |
Wein Introduces Line of Digital Smart Slaves and Digital Safesync Voltage Regulators
 Optical slaving distances vary from 100 feet with the PND "peanut slave" to the longest range optical slave on the planet..namely the SSLD/SSLED tested at 3,000 feet in bright sunlight! Makes any digital camera into a wireless remote lighting enhancement transmitter for truly professional results. The low cost high performance PND is perfect for the consumer and the offerings include all popular slaving configurations. WEIN also makes the DEK-500 DIGITAL ENHANCEMENT KIT that includes a high quality, fast recycle autoflash with built in digital smart slave as well as table top tripod, and sync cord. Retail $99.95 WEIN has been making quality photo slaves and lighting accessories for many years and is the leading professional brand . SAFESYNC VOLTAGE REGULATORS ........Protects your newer modern camera or digital from all dangerous flash units and power paks that can have sync circuits as high as 300 volts! see the full line at www.weinproducts.com. Just introduced the SSLDU and SSLEDU Universal Digital extreme range smart slaves that can fire around four light blind corners! Full sunlight distance over 3,000 feet. These units will sync with ANY digital camera introduced in the past present or future for the ultimate in professional remote lighting enhancement. Many professional Nikon ( D100) and Olympus E20N) SLR digital cameras have not one but TWO preflashes to fine tune the on board exposure computer . The Wein SSLDU and SSLEDU also sync with the fastest SLR digital camera motor drives.
Sync remote lighting with confidence in any situation with ANY camera.
Oh, and forget the batteries. The Wein Digital Smart Slaves don't need
them so losing sync because a radio receiver battery runs down is never
a problem.
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| 08-05-2002 |
Bibble 2002 Now With D100 Raw SupportIs this the day for dSLR owners or what? A couple of hours ago I posted the info about Qimage Pro and Fuji S2 raw support. And just now I get an email from Eric Hyman that he's just released the much-anticipated Bibble 2002 update with full support for Nikon D100 raw files. Here's what was in his email: D100 Support: Full Support for Nikon D100 Raw files including all new D100 Specific color profiles for incredibly vibrant color and enhanced shadow detail. Noticeable improvements in sharpness/detail over in-camera D100 jpegs. Dramatic increase in processing speed over Supplied Nikon software. (An example: Using a 2x CPU 1.2Ghz Athlon box: Convert 50 D100 Raws to 16 Bit Tiffs: Bibble - 5m:00s versus Nikon Capture 3 - 10m:45s) Additionally this version should return Bibble to its expected level of stability. The previous 3.0 version was a radical leap forward in raw processing power and had some problems related to the sweeping nature of the changes. All those issues should be sorted out and Bibble should once again be a stable cornerstone of your work flow. A full listing of changes / fixes can be found on the Bibble web site, but some highlights are:
Ability to work with raw files previously saved in Nc3/Nv5. (If you come across a file saved in either that doesn't work or crashes, please email me) Improved sharpening methods to reduce noise artifacts. Fixes to prevent crashes and remove image artifacts. Nikon Profiles are no longer supported as Nikon has changed they way they are generated/used. A price increase is planned for the month of September, so be sure to download the free trial version today, and purchase a license in august to beat the increase.
And lastly, for those that have been asking, Mac version with same
features will follow by the end of the summer. I also hope to have
support for more new camera available in a similar time frame (D60, S2).
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| 08-05-2002 |
Qimage Pro 2002 Now Supports Fuji S2 RawMike Chaney has just released Qimage Pro 2002, v2.3 with support for Fuji S2 raw (RAF) images. Here's a quick rundown:
Accurate and automatic control of tonal range Reduced moire artifacts Convert up to 1.5 times faster than Fuji RFC View raw images quickly in draft mode (1/4 size) to assess quality Slide shows - both draft mode and full size Print contact sheets quickly using draft mode or full size images View and print full 12 MP raw images at optimum quality Batch convert directly to TIFF, JPEG, and other formats |
| 08-05-2002 |
Recently Posted ReviewsBeen so busy that we've probably forgotten to tell you about all of the recently posted reviews so now's the time to catch up with that.
Nikon D100 SLR (finalized) Nikon Coolpix 2000 (finalized) NixVue Vista Toshiba PDR-T20 Konica KD-400Z Sony Cyber-shot P7 Nikon Coolpix 5700 (finalized) Sony MVC-FD200 Sony MVC-FD100
And we're working on the new HP PhotoSmart 720 and PhotoSmart 620, a pair of very
affordable digicams that deliver above average image quality. And we just received
the Delkin PicturePAD, an OEM version of the NixVue Vista portable image storage and
viewing device. Whoever said that
summer was "vacation time" was obviously not in the digital camera business...
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| 08-04-2002 |
Sunday Morning Photographer - Olydak?
Sorry I was late in posting this week's installment of the
Sunday Morning Photographer - this
week Mike ponders the possible new digital SLR created by a joint
effort of Olympus and Kodak. Will we see it at Photokina 2002?
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| 08-01-2002 |
Canon Introduces Optura 200MC: Smaller Body and Bigger Features Make New DV Camcorder the Perfect Blend of Form and Function
10X Optical / 200X Digital Zoom, Optical Image Stabilizer, Four Shooting Modes,
1.33 Megapixel CCD Chip and Direct Print Provide Tremendous Creative
Flexibility
 LAKE SUCCESS, NY., August 1, 2002 - Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon, Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), and a leader in analog and digital cameras and camcorders, is introducing the new Optura 200MC DV camcorder, an incredibly diverse and flexible imaging device offering numerous video and still options including four very distinct recording modes - Digital Video, 1.33 megapixel High Resolution Photo (suitable for printing), Motion- JPEG (MJPEG) and Digital Photo (ideal for e-mail and website placement). In addition, the new Optura 200MC can be directly connected to select Canon photo printers including the CP10 (for wallet size photos) and CP100 (for 4 X 6" photos) and Bubble Jet-Direct photo printers S820D, S830D and S530D. The camcorder's lightweight and compact design, outstanding picture quality, and extensive feature set make it the ideal -multi-purpose imaging tool.
For more info see our full Canon Optura 200MC press release
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| 08-01-2002 |
Fujifilm Announces Five New Digital Cameras Using xD-Picture Card Media
 ELMSFORD, NY, August 1, 2002 - Meeting the needs of today's digital photographers, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., unveils five Finepix digital cameras, all using the new ultra-compact, high-capacity xD-Picture Card. The new cameras -- the user-friendly FinePix A200 and FinePix A2650, the sleek FinePix A203 and FinePix A303 and the powerful FinePix 3800 - and the new memory card will be available September 2002. (Follow the links below to our full Fuji press releases with photos and complete specifications of the new cameras.) The FinePix A200 and FinePix A2650 are perfect for the first-time digital picture-taker seeking an easy-to-use camera that has a similar look and feel to a traditional film camera with the added advantage of digital features. As 2.0 million effective pixel cameras, both allow for the development of crisp and colorful pictures up to 8 x 10 inches in size. In addition, the inclusion of a 3x optical zoom (available in the FinePix 2650 only), low power consumption through the use of two AA Alkaline batteries, movie recording and video conferencing capabilities make these cameras an excellent value at a price of $179.95 and $249.99 respectively. Fujifilm also introduces two additional models to its line of user-friendly A-Series digital cameras: the FinePix A203 and FinePix A303. These sleek and stylish, easy-to-use cameras are among the slimmest for entry-level digital photographers desiring to grow and advance in digital photography. Both cameras are packed with added features such as a 3x optical zoom and video conferencing capabilities. The FinePix A303 also boasts a 3.24 million effective pixel CCD for extra color and picture clarity, ultra-fast processing speed, a macro focus for shooting close up images and an added flash range. The FinePix A203 will be available at a price of $279.99 and the FinePix A303 will be available at a price of $349.99. Building on the success of the popular FinePix 2800 Zoom, Fujifilm offers advanced features and controls in addition to point-and-shoot convenience with the new FinePix 3800. At a suggested retail price of $449.99, this 3.24 million effective pixel camera offers a variety of higher-end photographic features including a manual mode with aperture control and exposure compensation, a 6x optical zoom and support for lens adaptors. This added flexibility provides the shooter a variety of picture-taking options, thus enhancing the overall digital photography experience.
xD-Picture Card - High Capacity in a Small PackageJointly developed by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., the new xD-Picture Card is the smallest storage format of its kind on the market - comparable in size to a penny, measuring just 0.79" x 0.98" x 0.07" and weighing less than one- tenth of an ounce - with the potential for up to 8GB storage capacity in a single card. This unprecedented combination of small size and large capacity will allow Fujifilm and other companies to manufacture sleeker and lighter cameras than ever before.
For more info see our Fuji xD-Picture Card news story
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| 08-01-2002 |
NixVue Vista, 5GB to 30GB Portable Image Storage and Viewing
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| July 2002 News |
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