August 1999

Monthly "Hot" List Canon PowerShot S10 Casio QV-8000SX Epson PhotoPC 850Z Fuji MX-1700 Fuji MX-2900 HP PhotoSmart C500, C200 IBM Microdrive Kodak DC 290, DC 280, DC 215 Kodak DCS 620 Nikon 950 Firmware Nikon D1 Olympus D-450Zoom Olympus C-2500L Sony DCR-PC100 Sony DSC-D770 Sony DSC-F505

08-31-99

Vivitar to Ship Digital Camera For Less Than $80 Vivitar Corporation introduced the E-cam, the easy-to-use point- n-shoot digital camera for kids of all ages. The small (4"x3"x1.5",) lightweight E-cam features a focus-free lens and an automatic exposure system. It can store 24 pictures in its internal memory, more than other cameras in its class. The value-priced E-cam will sell for under $80, making it an ideal first digital camera for kids. The E-cam is powered by a standard 9-volt battery or an AC adapter. It is finished in a stylish translucent blue and has a handy wrist strap. Other features include an optical viewfinder and 10 second self-timer with LED indicator. Pictures may be downloaded to any Windows 95/98 PC through the supplied RS232 serial cable. The E-cam is supplied with the award-winning LivePix Looney Tunes Photo Print Studio photo- editing software from Live Picture, Inc. With an all-star line-up including Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird and Sylvester, the entire family will enjoy hours of fun creating customized projects with their E-cam photos. The software offers a full gallery of popular photo templates including calendars, greeting cards, scrapbook pages and stickers.

08-31-99

Sharp Announces World's Slimmest and Lightest MiniDV Viewcam Under $1,000 MAHWAH, N.J.-- Sharp Electronics Corporation introduced the VL- SD20U, the world's smallest and lightest digital Viewcam camcorder retailing below $1,000. It fits in the palm of your hand and boasts a three-inch color LCD viewscreen for incredibly clear and rich video images. With Sharp's unique Digital Gamma Brightness Correction, the VL-SD20U also delivers superb image quality, even in environments with poor lighting. VL-SD20U features: Measures just 6.4" (W) X 3.8" (H) X 2.9" (D) Weighs a mere 1.21 pounds without the battery pack Digital Gamma Brightness Correction 3-inch, low (one percent) light reflectivity color LCD Photo mode using Sharp's Still Frame Technology IEEE-1394 (FireWire)(i-Link) transfer to PC Quick, easy video connections to PCs, TVs and VCRs, with DV, still-image transfer, S-video, Composite video and audio out jacks Long Play/Recording -- the unit offers an extra-long recording time of three hours and 40 minutes-- and up to 50% longer recording time in LP mode; for example, a 60 minute DV cassette will record for 90 minutes in LP mode Zooming Capabilities - the Viewcam boasts 10x optical and 100x digital zooms for up-close image recording Self-Record Mode - Sharp's LCD rotates 270 degrees so that the person recording the video can easily become the subject as well World Clock - The Mini DV can be programmed to display the time of day in 42 locations around the globe Still-Image Overlap - As one image fades out, another image fades in, creating more artistic video images The VL-SD20U is also equipped with a variety of accessories, including an AC adapter/charger for easy connection to other audio visual equipment, battery pack, DC and AV cable, shoulder strap, lens cap and two lithium ion batteries for extended viewing and recording. Now shipping, the suggested retail price of the VL-SD20U is $999.95.

08-31-99

Ulead Systems' Imaging Software Bundled with New HP PhotoSmart Scanner And Digital Cameras TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 31 - Ulead Systems today announced that it has signed an OEM deal with Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP - news). HP will bundle special versions of three Ulead imaging software products with its new HP PhotoSmart C500 and C200 digital cameras and with the recently announced HP PhotoSmart S20 photo scanner. HP will offer PhotoSmart digital-photography customers three software products from Ulead: the award-winning Ulead PhotoImpact, Ulead's flagship image editing software; Ulead COOL 360, Ulead's new immersive imaging software for creating 360 degree panoramic photos; and Photo Explorer, an intuitive tool for visual file browsing, HTML thumbnail output and slide show creation. PhotoImpact 4.2 is Ulead's award-winning image editing solution for on or off the Web, ideal for the Web graphics community, business communicators and photographers alike. Ulead COOL 360 1.0 features a unique 3-step workflow and helpful wizard guide to help users quickly and easily transform a series of photos into 360 degree or wide-angle panoramas. Ulead Photo Explorer 4.2 is a Web-enabled thumbnail browsing tool that lets users see every image and video file as a visual thumbnail, delivering the power and flexibility to begin using images immediately. The estimated street prices for these Ulead products are $99.95, $39.95 and $29.95 respectively.

08-31-99

Sierra Imaging Bundles "Image Expert" With Epson's New PhotoPC 850Z SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif.--Aug. 31, 1999-- Sierra Imaging, Inc. today announced the inclusion of Image Expert(TM) in Epson's Flexible Software Package bundle on the PhotoPC 850Z camera announced August 30, 1999. Image Expert supports several Epson digital still cameras, including the PhotoPC 750Z and PhotoPC 800. Image Expert imaging software enhances the color and image qualities of digital images, and enables users to communicate complete images. It is a premium application for image acquisition, management and viewing, with phenomenal support for all computing platforms for personal or professional use. With Image Expert, users can easily view and scroll through images and thumbnails, label images, and include comments on top of the image with simple to use tools. Image Expert runs on Windows 95/98/NT, and Mac OS. Image Expert and Image Expert CE 2.0 are also available for sale directly from Sierra Imaging. An electronic download version of Image Expert retails for $59.95. A CD-ROM version can be purchased for $79.95. The Image Expert CE download is sold at $49.95 and the CD version is priced at $69.95.

08-31-99

Nikon Debuts First D1 Production Models and Major New Scanner Upgrades at Seybold San Francisco MELVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 31 -- Seybold San Francisco -- Nikon's newest digital equipment including the new D1 2.74-megapixel professional SLR, the 2.11 megapixel Coolpix 950 and the Super Coolscan 2000 and Coolscan III film scanners are featured at Booth #2125 at Seybold in San Francisco from August 31 to September 2,1999. NIKON D1 2.74-Megapixel Professional SLR camera -- The ideal camera for graphic arts professionals, photojournalists (and every other photo pro), D1 features ultra-fast bootup, a responsive .05 second shutter release lag time, the fastest shooting rate of any digital (4.5 frames per second in bursts of up to 21 consecutive shots) and the synergy, flexibility and accessory interchangeability of Nikon's Total Imaging System. Available late September 1999 and carrying an MSRP of $5,580, the D1 features exacting Nikon 3D Matrix Metering (tuned specifically for digital technology) and a high-speed autofocus system that includes Dynamic AF operation. Super Coolscan 2000 -- Once again the most revolutionary development in film scanning, Nikon's Super Coolscan 2000 offers unsurpassed color accuracy, unmatched detail and features the new NikonScan 2.5 software package that includes a new Color Management System (with support for ten RGB color spaces, in addition to CMYK) that is so vital, it is redefining the ease and quality expectations of graphic artists and designers industry- wide. NikonScan also offers a dramatically enhanced Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the incomparable scaling capabilities of Altamira Genuine Fractals(TM) 2.0 LE. Coolscan III -- Nikon brings its ground breaking technology home with the affordable Coolscan III. This 35mm/Advanced Photo System film scanner also utilizes Nikon's cool and consistent LED light source; features the revolutionary NikonScan 2.5 software/firmware bundle (with the new GUI, CMS, Altamira Genuine Fractals 2.0 LE and Digital ICE technolgy), and offers a high speed average scan time of 20 seconds, with a true optical resolution of 2700 dots per inch. Both the Super Coolscan 2000 and the Coolscan III will be shipping with the new NikonScan 2.5 software including Altamira Genuine Fractals 2.0 LE beginning October 1, 1999. Present users of the scanners can download the 2.5 upgrade (sans Altamira Genuine Fractals LE) free of charge from the Nikontechusa.com website beginning October 1, 1999.

08-30-99

HP Introduces Next Generation of PhotoSmart Printers and Digital Cameras PALO ALTO, Calif.--Aug. 30, 1999-- Hewlett-Packard Company, the worldwide leader in digital imaging, today announced new HP PhotoSmart digital cameras and printers that enable users to capture and print high-quality digital photos directly from their digital cameras, bypassing the PC altogether. The new HP PhotoSmart printers support direct printing from a wide range of digital cameras by accepting input directly from Compact Flash (type I & II) cards, as well as from SmartMedia cards. The new HP PhotoSmart C500 digital camera provides fast, wireless printing using HP's exclusive JetSend infrared technology to send photos directly to the HP PhotoSmart P1000 printer. HP PhotoSmart P1000 printer, expected to sell for an estimated U.S. street price of $399, is an ideal desktop printer for everyday printing and more. Provides direct printing from many digital cameras, plus wireless printing from the HP PhotoSmart C500 digital camera HP's enhanced color-layering technology, PhotoREt III. 11 pages per minute (ppm) black and 8.5 ppm color. up to 600 dots per inch (dpi) in black 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution in color on photo paper; 4-inch x 6-inch photo tray USB and parallel connectivity. HP PhotoSmart C500 digital camera, expected to sell for an estimated U.S. street price of $799, is targeted at users who need exceptional quality and functionality. two-megapixel resolution 3x optical/2x digital zoom wireless printing using HP JetSend infrared technology. 2-inch LCD allows preview and postview of photos. compatible with both PC and USB-connect Macintosh systems. small and lightweight (5.2 inches x 3.05 inches x 2.1 inches, weighing .821 pounds) 16MB Compact Flash memory card TWAIN compatibility battery recharger (uses three AA NiMH batteries). HP PhotoSmart C200 digital camera, expected to sell for an estimated U.S. street price of $299, is ideal for first-time digital-camera buyers who need great features and an outstanding value. It has one-megapixel resolution and features 2x digital zoom, an 8MB Compact Flash memory card and a 1.8-inch LCD for preview and post-view of photos. It's small and lightweight (5 inches x 3.15 inches x 1.9 inches, weighing .68 pounds). It features TWAIN compatibility and USB connectivity, and uses four AA batteries.

08-30-99

Toshiba Reduces Price Of PDR-M4 Two-Megapixel Digital Camera To $599 IRVINE, CA, September 1, 1999 -- Toshiba Imaging Systems, a leading provider of award-winning digital cameras, today announced it has reduced the price of its popular PDR-M4 two- megapixel digital camera by 15 percent. Previously $699, the PDR- M4 is now available for an estimated street price of only $599, making it the most affordable, fully-featured two-megapixel camera on the market. Read Steve's Toshiba PDR-M4 user review here.

08-30-99

DCRP Posts Casio QV-8000SX Review The DCRP has posted a full Casio QV-8000SX user review of a prerelease camera. This is an interesting 1.3 megapixel camera with a swiveling lens and a whopping 8X optical zoom lens. Jeff had this to say about the QV-8000SX: Despite some annoyances with the menus/button placement, and the lack of an optical viewfinder I found myself enjoying the QV-8000SX. The 8X zoom is excellent, the photo quality surprisingly good, and the movie feature lots of fun. At just under $700, it's a bit expensive, but it does offer all the features of the 2Mpixel cameras, for less money -- and none of them have a zoom lens this nice. For most people, the 1.3Mpixel photos are more than adequete for web sites or printing, as well.

08-30-99

Epson Announces New Perfection 1200 Scanner Series TORRANCE, Calif.--Aug. 30, 1999-- Epson America Inc. unveiled the EPSON Perfection(TM) 1200 series of scanners: the EPSON Perfection 1200U, EPSON Perfection 1200S and EPSON Perfection 1200U PHOTO. The new trio of scanners offers high-performance, one-button scanning with a hardware resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi -- twice the scanning power of conventional 600 dpi scanners. With processing speeds faster than most in their class, the EPSON Perfection 1200 models are ideal for business or graphics use. All three models in the EPSON Perfection 1200 line feature Epson's ColorTrue® II Imaging System -- the skillfully engineered integration of superior hardware, optics and processing -- for premium image quality, amazing detail and incredible color accuracy. The EPSON Perfection 1200 models feature true 1200 dpi optical resolution and a maximum hardware resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi via Epson's advanced Micro Step Drive(TM) technology. Both the EPSON Perfection 1200U and the EPSON Perfection 1200S are flatbed scanner models that offer 1200 x 2400 dpi hardware resolution. The EPSON Perfection 1200U, with its easy USB plug 'n play installation, is ideal for business, home and school environments. Featuring ultra-fast SCSI connectivity, the EPSON Perfection 1200S is best suited for corporate and entry-level graphics environments demanding fast scan speeds. Available in mid-September and are priced affordably at estimated street prices of $249 for the EPSON Perfection 1200U and $299 for the EPSON Perfection 1200S. The EPSON Perfection 1200U PHOTO functions as both a flatbed and film scanner in one. A Transparency Unit is included for scanning 35mm slides, negatives and 4-inch x 5-inch transparencies. Available in mid-October, the EPSON Perfection 1200U PHOTO will be sold in computer superstores and photographic distribution channels for an estimated street price of $349. An optional automatic document feeder is also available for $199.

08-30-99

Epson Announces New 2MPixel PhotoPC 850Z TORRANCE, Calif.--Aug. 30, 1999-- Epson America Inc. unveiled its two-megapixel USB zoom digital camera, the PhotoPC® 850Z. Packed with features such as: 2.11 megapixel CCD sensor 3x optical zoom 49mm filter threads for add-on lenses and filters Type I and Type II CompactFlash card slot 2-inch LCD monitor with Solar Assist(TM) panel hot shoe for external flash units Three modes: manual, programmed and fully automatic. Shutter priority and aperture priority Epson's HyPict(TM) image enhancement to 1984 x 1488 pixels built-in microphone and speaker for 10-sec audio notes NiMH batteries and fast charger USB compatibility Epson offers a complete digital photography solution to its customers with two attractive mail-in offers. Customers who purchase any Epson digital camera and any Epson ink jet printer will receive $50 back by mail. In addition, any customer purchasing a PhotoPC 850Z through the end of December 1999 will receive a free package of Epson 4-inch x 6-inch Photo Paper. The PhotoPC 850Z will be available in early October for an estimated street price of $799 through computer and office superstores, camera retail outlets, mail order and other major retailers.

08-29-99

Rob Galbraith Posts Nikon D1 Samples and Report From VE '99 Rob Galbraith just got back from a week playing in our heat and humidity at the Visual Edge '99 show in St Petersburg and has posted a firsthand report of the latest encounter with the almost-production version of the Nikon D1. You can read about his D1 experience and see actual Nikon D1 sample images by visiting his web site.

08-27-99

Canon Makes The S10 Official and Announces New CD-300 Dye Sub Printer LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Aug. 27 -- Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in optical and imaging technology, today announced the PowerShot S10, a 2.1 megapixel digital camera that combines the benefits of digital imaging with features and functions traditionally found only in conventional 35mm cameras. This latest addition to Canon's line of PowerShot digital cameras enters the market as the smallest and lightest 2.1 megapixel camera with a zoom lens. Canon also announced a new digital printer for output of high-resolution, borderless, 4x6-inch prints. PowerShot S10 features: 1/2-inch, 2.1 megapixel CCD sensor 1600x1200 pixel (Large mode), 1280x960 (Medium mode), and 800x600 (Small mode) 35-70mm f/2.8-4 all-glass aspherical lens Dual interface to connect directly to USB or RS-232C serial Newly designed GUI menu system Type I and Type II CompactFlash slots Sturdy all-metal body Image Selection Mode button on back of the camera accesses the five IMAGE modes -- slow-speed shutter, high-speed shutter, Night Scene, Landscape, and Black-and-White ISO speeds from 100-400 Buffer allows continuous burst-mode shooting of up to 1.7 frames per second even when set to maximum resolution CD-300 Digital Printer The Canon CD-300 dye-sublimation digital printer, introduced to replace the existing CD-200, incorporates a number of enhancements that improve speed, performance and image quality. The new design equips the CD-300 with front loading capabilities for easy insertion of paper and ink cassettes. The CD-300 can be used with or without a personal computer, providing high-resolution, photo-quality borderless 4x6-inch prints at a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch), compared to the 144 dpi obtained with the CD-200. Optional paper and ink cassettes can also used to produce miniature labels and borderless 4x10-inch panorama prints. Without effecting the print speed of the CD-300, each print is laminated with a special clear UV coating to extend its longevity by protecting against moisture, fingerprints and scratches. The new printer also supports DPOF, enabling the CD-300 to read and print specific JPEG images made with the PowerShot S10, or any other digital camera that offers the DPOF feature. The CD-300 accepts input from Type I and Type II CompactFlash and PCMCIA cards, NTSC composite video, S-Video, and PC computers. The PowerShot S10 digital still camera and CD-300 digital printer will be available at authorized Canon dealers in mid-October. Retail pricing will be set at that time.

08-27-99

Kodak Posts 5.7.0 Host Software for DCSx, EOSx & NC2000 Professional Cameras Owners or users of Kodak DCSx, EOSx & NC2000 Professional cameras can now download the latest version of the Host Software which includes the DCS Acquire Module 5.7.0 and the DCS TWAIN Data Source 5.7.0. These new files can be downloaded from this Kodak web page. New Features of v5.7.0: DCS 330 camera support Sharpening support for images captured with DCS 330, DCS 5XX, and DCS 6XX cameras Three levels of sharpening for images captured with cameras supporting sharpening Noise reduction on images captured with DCS 330, DCS 5XX, and DCS 6XX cameras Improved "Copy as JPEG" performance on MMX enabled Windows systems Exposure compensation persistence on images from DCS 5XX and DCS 6XX cameras Remote camera properties support on IEEE 1394 camera models Improved support for Macintosh G3 systems (DCS Acquire Module only)

08-27-99

Lexar JumpSHOT CF Card Review Posted I have just posted my user review of the new Lexar JumpSHOT CompactFlash cards with the builtin USB controller and low-cost desktop connection kit. This is going to be a real winner and will eliminate the need for USB support in the camera as it will be supplied by the CF card instead.

08-27-99

Web-based Digital Photo Finishing from PRINTROOM.COM PrintRoom.com announces immediate availability of its new integrated on-line photo finishing and sharing services for digital photographers. The unprecedented combination of ease-of-use, low cost and high quality of output delivered by PrintRoom.com, brings the promise of convenient and affordable digital photography to reality. The features include: The highest quality digital photo printing at the lowest prices anywhere. The real photos are produced using the same silver halide photo process as regular 35mm photographs. Image quality, durability and resistance to fading of these photographs are far superior to those produced with ink-jet or dye-sublimation printers. Free memberships with free on-line album space and discounts on photo finishing services. PrintRoom.com members can use their on-line albums to store their images and to quickly share them with friends and family members around the world. The affordable photo finishing services are available to members and non-members alike. Simple, yet powerful interface allows users to navigate the site with fewer mouse clicks. No software other than a standard web browser is needed to use all of the site’s features, including multi-picture uploads, order tracking, searches, album management, guest books, etc. PrintRoom.com’s exclusive focus on the needs of digital photographers has allowed the company to create a high-quality user-friendly service, while driving down the costs. PrintRoom.com passes these savings to its customers in the form of prices that are actually lower than most 35mm reprints.

08-26-99

Matsushita Electric, SanDisk and Toshiba Agree to Join Forces to Develop and Promote Next Generation Secure Memory Card REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--Aug. 25, 1999-- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., best known by its Panasonic brand name, SanDisk Corporation and Toshiba Corporation have reached an agreement on comprehensive collaboration to jointly develop, specify and widely promote a next generation secure memory card. The global market is growing rapidly for flash-memory based removable storage cards. These cards provide a compact, reliable, and easy-to-use medium to store high volumes of visual, audio and other data for digital music players and cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras, cellular phones and other digital consumer electronics products. Several major formats including SmartMedia(TM), CompactFlash(TM) and MultiMediaCard are gaining solid support as leading media to meet these requirements. The agreement announced today is aimed to jointly develop a small size, high speed read/write next generation memory card capable of providing a high level of copy protection for music, movies and other artistic and commercial content. Each company will aggressively promote development of application products for this card. Outline of the SD Memory Card: Size: 24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm 9 pins Capacity: 32MB, 64MB (2000) / 256MB (2001) Speed: Target: 10MB/sec / 2MB/sec (2000) Features: Powerful security and copy protection (SDMI compliant) Sampling of the new SD Memory Card will begin in the first quarter of 2000. Production shipments are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2000. It is expected that application products that use the new card will be available in the first half of next year.

08-26-99

iView Multimedia 3.7 For Macintosh Released iView Multimedia 3.7 has a host of improvements like the ability to play sounds in the background of a slideshow, an applescript menu, support for JacqCAD format, improved EPS support and more. Also iView Multimedia now comes in German, French and Italian flavors. iView Multimedia is a professional digital asset management system. It can be used to catalog/display all these files, Quark, Canvas, Painter, Live Picture, Freehand, PageMaker, Illustrator, gif, jpg, TIFF, PICT, GX, BMP, Targa, EPS, fonts, sounds, movies, QuickTime VR, animation, MPEG, PNG, Photoshop, MIDI, karaoke, Electric Image and Electronic Arts, and many others. Used by pros in a demanding publishing environment because it follows international standards, it's Photoshop compatible, is extremely fast, powerful, stable and has great color precision. At the same time it is not just for pros because it is fun, inexpensive, practical and easy to use for anyone with a Macintosh. Up to 8000 media files can be kept in one catalog and an infinite number of these catalogs can be created. Create a web site of photos with just two clicks. Export catalogs of media from iView Multimedia as QuickTime movies or a poster or a text database or as an HTML website. iView Multimedia can print out images and catalogs in a number of formats including for a CD jewel case or Zip disk case and in many other ways. Add annotation in the professional (ANPA) format used by Photoshop to any media file. Add annotation as a batch to thousands of files at a time something Photoshop cannot do. iView has many other tools to batch rename, move, copy, convert media files. Can also create finder icons for all images in a catalog. Display media files thru 4 different views. Info, Thumbnail, Full Size and Slide Show. It uses Apple's drag and drop technology very effectively.

08-26-99

Fujifilm MX-1700 Zoom - The World's Smallest 1.5 Megapixel Camera With An Aspherical Zoom Lens ELMSFORD, NY, August 26, 1999 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today unveiled the new pocketable 1.5 megapixel MX-1700 ZOOM. Similar in size and design to its MX-700 and MX-2700 predecessors, the MX-1700 ZOOM has an improved 1.5-million pixel CCD with RGB color filters along with a newly crafted all-glass, miniature aspherical zoom lens. The results of these features are outstanding image quality and superb color reproduction, both hallmarks of Fujifilm digital cameras. The MX-1700 ZOOM will be the first digital camera of its kind to have an all-glass aspherical zoom lens. Fujifilm manufactures the lens via a revolutionary glass injection mold process that enables the company to produce the lens en masse. With this specially-developed aspherical zoom lens the MX-1700 ZOOM will deliver pin-point image sharpness and improved optical quality while eliminating aberrations, vignetting, and light fall-off. The Fujifilm MX-1700 will carry a suggested retail price of $599 when it becomes available in October 1999. MX-1700 Features: 1/2-inch CCD 1.5 million pixels 3x all-glass aspherical zoom lens (35-114mm coverage) 1280 x 1024, or 640 x 480 resolutions Improved RGB filters Image processing time of less than 3 seconds 2-inch polysilicon color LCD with 130,000 pixels Optical viewfinder Durable all-metal body Size: 3.1" (w) x 4.75" (h) x 1.25" (d) Built-in automatic flash with slow sync mode Manual Mode with adjustable white balance and exposure compensation 4X digital zoom in Playback mode SmartMedia memory cards up to 32MB Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) support Rechargeable lithium ion battery and AC power supply NTSC video output Go to Steve's Fujifilm MX-1700 First Look report for all the details, pictures of the camera and actual sample images from the new camera. The Imaging-Resource also just posted a MX-1700 First Look review too so check it out.

08-25-99

TawbaWare Releases Significantly Upgraded Thumber One of the more popular shareware programs for digicam users has just been significantly improved. Thumber v3.03 from TawbaWare has had many major enhancements made to it during August such as: Ability to generate thumbnails (of any size) from any JPG file, including those without embedded thumbnails. Thumber can now create web pages and thumbnails from any JPG files, including "rotated" thumbnails for images that have been rotated Added ability to create resized versions of the original images when making web pages. Image can be resized to specified dimensions (in pixels) or a specified percentage of original image. Added "Create master index web page" option. This creates an HTML index page with links to all thumbnail pages generated in subdirectories. Added ability to 'mark' images individually as they are viewed, and then build a web page (and/or extract thumbnails) using these marked images. Added ability to update file time/date stamp for multiple files and/or multiple directories simultaneously. Added font face and color options to HTML page creation. Added "hide border" around thumbnail option to HTML page creation. Added user-defined start number for counter when renaming files. Number of digits in counter can also be specified. Significantly increased rename speed if the counter (%C) is the only variable used. Expanded program size to 640x480. Added/updated Support for Olympus 400, Olympus 2000, Kodak 240, Kodak 265, Ricoh 5000, Fuji 600 (Fuji 1500, 2900 preliminary suport), Nikon 700. The "Mark All" button now ignores files that are thumbnails or resized images. And lots and lots of bug fixes. If you need to generate web pages for use on the net or on your local computer, be sure to check out Thumber!

08-24-99

Olympus Announces New 1.3MPixel D-450Zoom Camera Today must be Olympus day -- They have also announced a new D-450Zoom camera. Housed in a stylish champagne gold metallic compact point & shoot body, the Olympus D-450 Zoom offers a 1.3 megapixel resolution CCD and 3X optical zoom lens at an outstanding $499 value. New significant features include: faster shot-to-shot performance; 2 frames per second burst mode; improved ISO ratings; a new LCD display with easy viewing even in bright light and from any angle; and improved flash range with slow synchronization flash. The D-450 Zoom includes advanced photographic controls, including four levels of recording images (Standard Quality at 640 x 480 with standard compression; High Quality at 1280 x 960 with standard compression; Super High Quality mode at 1280 x 960 with minimal compression; and Uncompressed TIFF File). Photos are saved as industry standard DCF/EXIF, JPEG, or TIFF files, which are easily viewed in most image-editing software and browsers. Controllable exposure and white balance give the user the photographic controls they want. The exposure feature allows users to bracket +/- 2 steps in 1/2-step increments for lighting compensation. The D-450 Zoom even contains both Digital "ESP" matrix metering as well as spot metering. It also features a sophisticated five- mode flash with red-eye reduction, force-fill flash, automatic low-light and back-light mode, flash-off and slow-sync to accommodate most lighting conditions.

08-24-99

Olympus Announces New 2.5MPixel C-2500L Professional SLR Click the C-2500L to see a LOT more! The wait is finally over, Olympus has officially announced the Camedia C-2500L SLR as we expected. Here's the major features: 2/3" progressive CCD 2.5M Pixels Dual Slot SmartMedia and CompactFlash Type 1 (which means *no* Microdrive) 1712x1368, 1280x1024, 640x512 modes SLR viewfinder with 95% view 3X Optical Zoom (36-110mm) f2.8-3.9 Super Macro Mode 0.8 inches 1.8" HAST LCD monitor with 122,000 pixels 16MB buffer and dual processor design, up to five photos can be shot and held in buffer for processing without waiting between shots Burst mode shooting at all resolutions with five images in less than three seconds Shutter speeds: 1/10,000 to 1/2 second on the automatic setting, 1/10,000 to 8 seconds manually ISO 100, 200 and 400 A variety of focus ranges: from 0.8 inches to infinity in Autofocus, 12 inches to infinity in Manual focus, and selectable Quick Focus settings from 15 preset ranges Selectable center-weighted or spot metering White Balance features include a full TTL automatic white balance, six preset manual settings (3000, 3700, 4000, 4500, 5500, and 6500K) and a "One Touch" manual reference system Multi-mode exposure system offers Programmed Automatic Exposure with +/- 2-step exposure control in 1/3 steps, Aperture Priority Automatic Exposure with +/- 2-step exposure in 1/3 steps, and Manual Exposure SHQ-Tiff for uncompressed 1712 X 1368 pixel images for true photo quality images Hot shoe flash TruePicTM Technology process provides truer photographic colors, truer photographic gradations and truer photographic contrast ranges 5-mode popup flash Optional FL-40 TTL dedicated flash Weight is 16.5oz (without batteries or memory card) Size is 5"W x 2.6"H x 2.1"D Priced at 148,000yen ($1332 USD) and will be available on 9/15 in Japan. Sample C-2500L pictures are at the PC Watch website. And some very impressive C-2500L pics can be found at the D# Digital Press website.

08-23-99

Sony Announces DCR-PC100 Digital Camcorder, First To Offer Megapixel-Size Still Images PARK RIDGE, N.J., Aug. 23 -- Sony Electronics announced today the compact DCR-PC100 mini Digital Video Handycam® camcorder -- the first camcorder with mega-pixel digital still and video imaging capabilities. This new digital Handycam camcorder combines best-in-class digital video, capable of delivering up to 520 lines of resolution, with digital still mega- pixel resolution, and Memory Stick(TM) removable storage, in a unit about the size of a Walkman® personal stereo. Unlike any other consumer video camera on the market, the DCR-PC100 has the ability to capture still images at 1152 x 864 pixels -- more than three times the resolution of other digital video camcorders. The DCR-PC100 is small and lightweight at just 2-1/2" x 5" x 4-7/8" and 1 pound, 3 oz. Its vertical design fits comfortably in users' hands making it easy to hold and to take anywhere. It also delivers Sony Worry- Free(TM) features including: InfoLithium® battery and AccuPower(TM) system, NightShot(TM) infrared system, LaserLink® wireless transmission system, Steadyshot® picture stabilization, i.LINK® DV interface and more. The DCR-PC100 also has superior digital video quality with Advanced "HAD" CCD technology (1/4" CCD) that incorporates the technology used in broadcast equipment. The mega-pixel imager combined with the Carl Zeiss® (Vaio-Sonner) precision lens system offers a sharper, brighter picture that is capable of delivering up to 520 lines of resolution. Also, a 10x optical/120x digital zoom lets users record the action up close. The DCR-PC100 will be available in October for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $2,199.

08-23-99

Sony Makes The DSC-F505 Official and Announces New Memory Stick Media, Floppy Disk and PCMCIA Adapters Click to see a BIG picture! PARK RIDGE, N.J., Aug. 23 -- Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the Cyber-shot(TM) DSC-F505, a 2.1 million mega-pixel digital camera that combines Carl Zeiss® lens optics with the industry's only 5X optical zoom to deliver unprecedented image quality. The Cyber-shot DSC-F505 digital camera rounds out Sony's line of Cyber-shot Memory Stick cameras that include the Cyber-shot DSC-F55 and Cyber-shot Pro DSC-D770. The Cyber-shot DSC-F505 digital camera offers: High-speed USB interface MPEG (320x240) movie mode Carl Zeiss "Vario-sonar" 5X optical lens (38-190mm on a 35mm camera) 1/2" CCD with 1600 x 1200 resolution One-button white balance control (auto/indoor/outdoor/one-push) One-button spot meter settings Programmable auto exposure (AE) Shutter Speed Priority Aperture Priority Picture effects modes: Sepia, Black & White, Solarization and Negative Art InfoLithium® battery with AccuPower(TM) meter 2" LCD monitor The PC Watch site has posted some DSC-F505 sample images and also some to be found at the Sony Japan site. And even more pics can be found at the D# Digital Press web site. Memory Stick Options Sony also introduced 32 and 64 MB Memory Stick and Memory Stick connectivity accessories, including a floppy disk adapter and PC card adapter. Currently Memory Stick media is available in 4, 8 and 16 MB sizes. Memory Stick 32 and 64 MB media will be available in October and December for $109.95 and $189.95 (MSRP), respectively. Transferring images or MPEG movies to the desktop PC is even easier with the new Memory Stick floppy disk adapter (MSAC-FD1A). Available in November, the adapter will slip into virtually any standard 3.5" floppy disk slot to give users a fast way to link their Cyber-shot camera with their home PCs. The Memory Stick floppy disk adapter will cost $99.95 (MSRP). Additionally, Sony announced a high speed Memory Stick PC card adapter (MSAC-PC2) that transfers high-resolution images, or any data, from Memory Stick media to notebook PCs in seconds (approximately 450 KByte/s write, 880 KByte/s read speeds). The Memory Stick PC card adapter (MSAC- PC2) will be available in October for $79.95 (MSRP).

08-21-99

Ricoh Posts USB Drivers For Win98 OSR2 This driver fixes all known problems with RDC-5000 digital cameras not being recognized properly under Windows 98 Second Edition. Install the files to their own folder. Read the "readme" files for direction on how to remove your existing RDC-5000 USB drivers prior to installing these new drivers. This update is not required if your camera's USB is operating properly or if you do not have Windows 98 Second Edition. Download the RDC-5000 USB drivers for Windows 98 Second Edition.

08-20-99

digitalkamera.de Sponsors An Online Panorama Tutorial And Contest digitalkamera.de is presenting their Panorama Worskshop, a three-part online tutorial in how-to take good panorama pictures with today's digicams. A new tutorial will be posted on their site every two weeks. At the end of the tutorial, digitalkamera.de will be holding a contest for the best panoramas and the author of the picture that is deemed the *winner* will win a brand new Canon A50 zoom camera.

08-18-99

Sony MemoryStick Modules Now Up To 64MB Capacity Thanks to one of our readers for pointing me to Sony's MemoryStick page where they show them available in 4, 8, 16 and 32MB sizes. And thanks to frequent Message Board contributor Hiroyuki for pointing me to the 64MB MemoryStick which will be sold on 11/21/99 in Japan at 20000yen.

08-17-99

digitalkamera.de Puts The Olympus C-2000Z In Their Test Lab The digitalkamera.de web site put the Olympus C-2000Z in their Test Lab and had this to say about it: "In the studio, in fact, the camera performed extremely well. Although the tripod thread is plastic, it is sufficiently strong and is well positioned in the middle of the camera base. Mounted on a tripod, only the battery compartment on the bottom is hidden, all sockets and - very importantly - the slot for the SmartMedia card remain easily accessible. This means you can remove the memory card once you have taken a few trial shots, so that you can read them with a card reader or floppy adapter in order to check the results on the screen." Follow the link above to read their entire Test Lab report.

08-17-99

FujiFilm Ships New MX-2900 Zoom ELMSFORD, NY--Aug. 17, 1999-- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is now shipping to retailers nationwide the new Fujifilm MX-2900 ZOOM, the company's latest digital offering with more than two million pixels. Designed with advanced amateur shutterbugs in mind, the MX-2900 ZOOM offers users a wealth of advanced photographic features and controls, such as a hot shoe for an external flash and a lens barrel that accepts optional 43mm filters and 28mm wide-angle attachments. Adding to the camera's appeal is a high-grade and attractive magnesium alloy body that mirrors the traditional look and feel of a 35mm SLR camera while showcasing the MX-2900 ZOOM's progressive digital attributes. The MX-2900 ZOOM uses its impressive 2.3 million-pixel CCD sensor and distinctive RGB filters to capture richly colored 1,800 x 1,200 images. For an up-close feel - without compromising clarity -- the MX-2900 is equipped with a special Fujinon 3x optical zoom lens (equivalent to a 35- 105 mm lens on a 35 mm camera), plus a 2.5x digital telephoto mode (total 7.5x). These features, plus numerous other manual controls, make the MX- 2900 ideal for dramatic close-ups, freeze-frame action shots and pristine panoramas. The MX-2900 ZOOM comes equipped with both a precision, 2-inch polysilicon color LCD monitor with 130,000 pixels and an optical viewfinder. ith corrective eyewear. Designed for long-lasting use, the MX-2900 ZOOM uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery that can take up to 250 shots when the liquid crystal display is turned off and 100 shots when powered. An AC Adapter is included with the MX-2900 ZOOM to recharge the lithium ion battery while it is in the camera. Weighing 12 ounces and measuring 5.1 (w) x 2.7 (h) x 2.35 (d) inches, the MX-2900 carries a suggested retail price of $899. This price includes the bundled Adobe®PhotoDeluxe 3.0 Home Edition software for advanced image manipulation. Read Steve's MX-2900 User Review here.

08-17-99

Sony Announces DSC-D770 CyberShot Pro Digital Still Camera PARK RIDGE, N.J., Aug. 17 -- Sony Electronics Inc. today announced Cyber-shot Pro digital still camera, a full-featured mega-pixel digital still camera at a breakthrough price for professional-grade cameras. Available now, the new digital camera, model DSC-D770, incorporates performance features found only in a professional single-lens-reflex (SLR) camera, but at a suggested retail price of $1,999. Key features of the Cyber-shot Pro camera include: Five times manual optical zoom lens with manual focus; Optical, through-lens-viewfinder with 2.5" LCD; Wide variety of manual operations, to meet professionals' needs, such as exposure control and manual focus ring to allow a more accurate feel; Progressive scan half-inch 1.5 million-pixel CCD with up to 1344 x 1024 image resolution; A histogram function that allows users to check the distribution of brightness levels once a picture is taken in the LCD or on a video monitor; A guide line function with top and bottom markers to give the photographer lines for portrait or landscape image framing; Fast, continuous shooting and quick operation. The camera's many professional-grade manual features give photographers ample flexibility to control and compose their pictures just the way they desire. The range of these manual features includes: a 5x manual optical zoom lens (equivalent to an 28-140mm on a 35mm camera) with built in macro capability, mechanical shutter, white balance control, ISO setting and TIFF file format. The exposure control gives the user four option modes for creative control over each image. With programmed auto exposure (AE) mode, the camera selects the best aperture and shutter speed for a given scene. In aperture priority AE mode, the user selects the f-stop for creative control of depth of field. In shutter priority AE mode, the user selects the shutter speed to capture crystal clear images of fast-moving subjects. The manual setting allows the user control over both the iris and the shutter speed. In manual mode, shutter speeds can be adjusted from four seconds to 1/2000th of a second and the iris can be adjusted from f2 to f11. The DSC-D770 comes with a supplied 8MB Memory Stick and a PCMCIA adapter card, model MSAC-PC2, for quick image transfers to any laptop. The PC card adapter has fast read and write speed, allowing users to transfer or save high resolution images in seconds (450Kb/s write and 880 Kb/s read speeds). The MSAC-PC2 PC card adapter will be available as a separate accessory in October for the manufacturer's suggested retail price of $79.95. The DSC-D770 digital still camera is available now for $1,999 (MSRP).

08-17-99

Panasonic Announces New NV-MPX5 Printer Somehow we missed this one but the Imaging-Resource didn't. Panasonic has announced a new NV-MPX5 dye sublimation printer to be available September 1st.   It accepts MultiMediaCards (the format used in Panasonic video cameras) and can handle images up to 3072 x 2048 pixels (6 megapixel) in size. Images are resized to a maximum of 1024 x 1450 pixels in the unit, and printed at a resolution of 306 dpi. The printer can also be connected to a PC, or can capture still images from video signals, and has titling and calendar capabilities.

08-15-99

Nikon 900 Photo-Documents KPFA-Free Speech Radio Troubles I received the following email from Susan Druding and thought it would be of interest to the readers to see a digicam being used for serious photojournalism. I've been covering the month-long battle in Berkeley over KPFA-Free Speech Radio and documenting the frequent events, brushes with police, marches, demonstrations and rally events with my Nikon CP 900 (my new 950 is due Monday!). Susan's PhotoJournalism - Berkeley Susan Druding Free Speech Movement-Archives Webmaster http://www.fsm-a.org

08-15-99

Nikon Announces New NP-200 Dye Sub Printer Found on the Nikon Japan web site is this press release for the new Nikon NP-200 printer. Running the Japanese text through my Typhoon translater yielded the following specs: 306 dpi dye sublimation PCMCIA Type II card slot 14 types of frames/borders S-video input Video output JPEG and TIFF images DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compliant Input image size from 320x240 to 3072x2048 Serial port connection to PCs and Mac The NP-200 is scheduled for September delivery in Japan at a price of 62,000 Yen ($535 USD).

08-12-99

Kodak Announces New Products As expected Kodak has announced a new DC 215 Zoom and a DC 280 along with a surprise entry, the new DC 290 digital camera. And a new video conferencing DVC-325 camera as well. KODAK DC215 Zoom 2X optical zoom gets you closer to your subject without losing optical quality Megapixel resolution (1152 x 864) with enough detail for vivid, photo-realistic 5" x 7" prints Unique, metal-skinned body 1.8" color LCD that lets you preview and review your pictures so you get only the shots you want New convenient, compact design fits in your shirt pocket Improved power management system extends battery life Award-winning interface that is easy to learn and use KODAK DC280 Zoom Two-megapixel resolution (1760 x 1168) with enough detail for razor-sharp, photo-realistic 8" x 10" prints Quick, responsive performance?no waiting Familiar, "camera-like" design, controls and feel USB connectivity for downloads that are up to 10X faster than serial interfaces Lots of storage with 20 MB removable KODAK Picture Card 30 mm to 60 mm focal length ideal for business applications Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries and charger help cut down on battery costs Read the Imaging-Resource's DC 280 Review here! KODAK DC290 Zoom (available later this year) Two-megapixel 1792 x 1200 resolution; enough detail for dazzling, photo-realistic prints up to 8" x 10" 2240 x 1500 pixel "Ultra" mode (interpolated?) True Uncompressed Mode Digita Scripting lets you control all camera functions, and download new capabilities Burst, audio and time lapse capabilities for more picture-taking options Ability to sync with external strobe sources gives you more control over lighting Ability to update and upgrade camera via the Internet 3X optical zoom, 2X digital zoom capability lets you get closer to your subjects Less waiting, faster downloading with USB connectivity KODAK DVC325 Digital Video Camera Vibrant, high-quality images with true, non-interpolated 640 x 480, 24-bit color resolution Smoother, clearer Internet video conferencing, thanks to the USB interface High-quality still and video capture and up to 30 frames per second performance for smooth video Adhere-anywhere flexibility, with laptop mounts or a detachable base Generous tilt range of up to 75º, so you?ll be able to capture more and communicate better

08-11-99

New iMove Photo Seaming Software Offers Unprecedented Capabilities for Creating Spherical Panoramas PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 10 -- iMove(TM) Photo Panorama software incorporates innovative editing tools to stitch together and accurately align multiple photographs used to create high-resolution cylindrical and spherical panoramas. These proprietary tools, designed for professional photographers and content developers, let users specify opacity, focal length and horizon; adjust artifacts using control points; and determine image-layering priority. The iMove software license allows photographers to create unlimited numbers of panoramas without royalties. Kaidan, the leading manufacturer and supplier of photographic VR solutions, worked with iMove to jointly develop and market the iMove Photo Panorama Solution. It is the only product on the market that enables the creation of spherical panoramas from conventional film or digital cameras and non-fisheye lenses. The iMove Photo Panorama software allows users to zoom in and out and rotate within the panorama. Multimedia authors can add sound, video and descriptive files or link panoramas together using the included Hotspot Editor. In addition, panoramas can be printed or output either as an iMove panorama or a very tall field-of-view Apple® QuickTime® VR panorama. iMove gives users total flexibility in selecting content and equipment and doesn't restrict the number of images created or request royalties. In addition, the resulting panoramas can be made small enough to e-mail, post on web sites, distribute on CD-ROMs, paste into presentations or use in printed materials. In addition, they can be viewed and navigated through on either a Macintosh or PC using the iMove viewers and web browser plug-ins available for no charge at www.imoveinc.com. iMove Photo Panorama software is bundled with the Kaidan QuickPan® Spherical Tripod. Both are available through Kaidan for $1499 http://www.kaidan.com

08-11-99

IBM 340MB Microdrive Review Posted I just got done posting my IBM 340MB Microdrive User Review online and it's a winner!  It's small, it's quiet and it's fast! This is what most of us Canon Pro 70 owners have been waiting for -- enough storage space to shoot in CCDRaw mode all day! It's a winner in the Kodak Professional DCS 620 camera too! Compare for yourself - it's over four times more capacity than the SanDisk 80MB CompactFlash card and it's the same capacity as the much larger Viper Type III hard drive card. Click here to buy your IBM Microdrive at d-store

08-11-99

Kodak DCS 620 User Review Posted The fine folks at Kodak loaned me one of their Professional DCS 620 camera for evaluation and review. I have just posted my Kodak DCS 620 User Review and have a good start on a sample pictures page with more to come, including using it in a pro studio with pro strobes and lighting.

08-10-99

Nikon 950 Firmware 1.1 for Windows Now Available Looks as if Nikon finally got the problems worked out as the Nikon 950 Firmware 1.1 for Windows/NTSC has finally been posted for download on the U.S. website. PLEASE READ ALL OF THE WARNINGS ON THE PAGE BEFORE USING THE UPDATE UTILITY! European users with the PAL version should go to the Nikon's European support site. Do *not* install the NTSC version of the firmware or your camera will become a doorstop!

08-10-99

PC Watch Posts Casio QV-8000SX Review PC Watch has posted a user review and sample pics from the soon to be released Casio QV-8000SX camera. The pics speak for themselves but if you don't read Kanji then head on over to the Imaging-Resource's News page for a translation of what the reviewer had to say about the new Casio.

08-09-99

Qimage Pro v6.0 Now Features Seven Interpolation Filters We might as well make this a sweep for what is fast becoming "software day" here on the News page with the announcement of the release of Qimage Pro v6.0.   Mike Chaney just keeps making this program better and better and the latest version now has a total of seven interpolation filters for the user to select from. These filters include Pixel Resize, Lanczos, Hermite, Triangle, Mitchell, Bell and Bicubic Spline. And you can batch resize using any of these filters. As with all Qimage Pro filters, they can be applied either [1] only at print time leaving the original image(s) unaltered or [2] you can create a new image file (GIF, TIF, JPG or BMP format). Mike has also made the thumbnail generation a "background process" now.

08-09-99

Jasc Software Announces Paint Shop Pro 6 and Animation Shop 2 for High-Powered Web-Site and Digital-Image Enhancement EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.--Aug. 9, 1999-- Jasc Software, a pioneer in the Windows graphics-and-multimedia market, Monday announced the release of Paint Shop Pro 6, the complete solution for creating Web graphics and enhancing digital images. Paint Shop Pro 6 also features a new version of Jasc's popular animation program, Animation Shop 2. Specifically designed to meet the needs of both Web designers and advanced consumers, Jasc's award-winning Paint Shop Pro continues to provide advanced functionality at a low price. Paint Shop Pro 6 includes many new, powerful design and editing tools for creating Web sites and enhancing digital images. Key features include: Direct support for more than 120 digital cameras Enhanced Browser for more-powerful image management Digital watermarking for embedding copyright information Vector tools and layers for enhanced drawing capabilities Editable text and ability to place text on a path Multicolor Gradient tool for creating and saving custom gradients Interface enhancements, including roll-up palette and a recent colors picker Enhanced integration between Paint Shop Pro 6 and Animation Shop 2 Adjustment layers for applying color corrections to multiple layers Print Multiple Images function for printing several images on a page Improved Layer and Tool Options palettes for added flexibility and control An OLE Screen Capture for grabbing screen shots directly from a host application New special effects, including Bevel, Weave, Blinds and more Paint Shop Pro 6 will be available in September at a suggested list price of $109 from Jasc Software or through popular retail, Internet and mail-order sales channels. Upgrades for registered users of previous versions are available for $49 through Jasc Software.

08-09-99

Enroute Imaging Announces QuickStitch 2.0 PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 9 -- Enroute Imaging, the award-winning creator of innovative digital imaging technologies, today announced QuickStitch 2.0 stitching software which creates wide-screen panoramic photos from a series of scanned or digital images without the need for special lenses. QuickStitch 2.0 is the only panorama software to simultaneously stitch images bi-directionally (horizontally and vertically) for stunning wide-screen panoramas. It is also the easiest stitching software to learn and use with one click automatic results. Once a series of overlapping photos is loaded onto a desktop computer from a digital camera or scanner, Enroute's QuickStitch then automatically joins them together to form a larger horizontal and/or vertical panoramic image. New features now in QuickStitch 2.0 include increased output to 6 megapixels for larger images; multi-page print spanning, which allows panoramas to be spanned across multiple output pages for large print outs; QTVR output support for web sites; the ability to re-import previously saved panoramas for changes in format and/or print; and brightness and contrast control. QuickStitch 2.0 will be available in August for Windows 95/98 directly from Enroute Imaging or through MacMillan Publishing for $49.95. To order, call 800-946-0135 or visit our web site

08-07-99

Chip Shop Report: Nikon D1 Thanks to one of our readers for pointing me to the EPI Centre web site and John Henshall's Chip Shop Report on the Nikon D1. It's been too long since my last visit to this fine web site, check out their camera reviews index after reading through the Nikon D1 article. John seems to be quite taken with the D1 and has this to say: "The D1 is already having a profound effect on the market. There may even be casualties. Sales of digital SLRs are in a state of limbo -- or is it a state of shock? -- waiting for the D1 to deliver. Kodak will not take the Nikon D1 lying down. We expect to see some real action from that quarter in the coming months. The competition will be good for everyone." And speaking of being taken by a camera ... I currently have a Kodak DCS 620 inhouse for testing and evaluation, thanks to Kodak Professional.  I have no idea what to compare it to, it's in a class by itself but then at $16,000 it should be in a class of its own!   It's based around a Nikon F5 body and shares all the same camera mechanics so needless to say it is awesome!  I'll be posting some pics in the next couple of days and it's also going to get a workout in a local pro studio too.

08-04-99

Olympus, Sanyo, Hitachi Maxell Unveil MO Disks for Digital Cameras The following is from Asia BizTech News July 30, 1999 (TOKYO) -- Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. and Hitachi Maxell Ltd. unveiled newly developed 50mm-diameter magneto-optical (MO) disks to serve as recording media for digital cameras. The products comply with the "iD Format" standard, and each has a capacity of 730MB. The three companies intend to commercialize the disks in about a year. Kyocera Corp., Konica Corp., Nikon Corp., Minolta Co., Ltd. and Ricoh Co., Ltd. have already expressed support for the iD Format which can record about 1,800 still photos, equivalent to 2 million pixels (about 400KB). In the case of animation films of 30 frames/second, it can record about 20 minutes of such film (320 x 240 dots). Also, the disk can support overwrite capabilities. Olympus aims to further boost the capacity. To do that, it is considering a move to apply the magnetic amplifying magneto-optical system (MAMMOS) and blue-color laser, which would bring about a large increase in capacity.

08-01-99

Toshiba's New SD-R1002 Drive Combines DVD-ROM and CD-RW According to a Toshiba press release the company is bringing a combination DVD-ROM and CD-RW drive with an ATAPI interface to the market in September for a MSRP of $400. The Disk Products Division of Toshiba America Electronic Components (TAEC), continues to be at the forefront of optical storage innovation with the introduction of the first CD-RW drive with DVD-ROM readability. The first drive to combine these two technologies, the SD-R1002 drive is the ideal upgrade product, providing the rewritability of a CD-RW drive with the high-capacity storage of DVD-ROM. Because of its backward compatibility and low cost media, the SD-R1002 drive also provides customers with a sound investment and an effortless transition from CD to DVD.

08-01-99

Sanyo's VPC-500SX Goes With CompactFlash According to a digitalkamera.de news article, the new Sanyo VPC-500SX will be using CompactFlash cards unlike all their other cameras that use SmartMedia. They have pictures of the new Sanyo camera and also the Sanyo DMA-100 which we reported on a month or so ago, it's a set top box that reads SmartMedia, CompactFlash and has a CD-Recorder builtin, outputs to the TV and includes a remote control.

July 99 News

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