| January 2001 |
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Digital camera books Nikon 950, 990, Olympus C-2100UZ,2500L,3030Z, Canon S20, D30 and more. |
Got some Hot News?
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| 01-31-2001 |
FlashPoint Releases Digita Desktop SDK for Microsoft WindowsSan Jose, Calif. (Jan. 31, 2001) - FlashPoint Technology, Inc., the creator of Digita, the underlying technology of wireless imaging, today announced the availability of the Digita Desktop SDK, a software development kit for Microsoft Windows operating systems. The Digita Desktop SDK allows developers to communicate with DigitaOS cameras over serial, USB and IrDA (infrared) protocols. It includes sample code for retrieving image information from the camera, downloading images from the camera, controlling camera settings, as well as previewing and capturing images remotely. Additionally, the Digita Desktop SDK provides the ability to enumerate multiple cameras over USB, and to synchronize capture sequences. ACD Systems used a pre-release version of the Digita Desktop SDK to integrate communication with Digita-enabled digital cameras, building on the ACDSee plug-in architecture. This allowed ACD Systems to add advanced camera control into their popular ACDSee image viewing and management software (version 3.1 SR-1). The software is able to communicate with a DigitaOS camera, retrieve images with embedded sound and metadata, control comprehensive camera settings, and remotely capture images. "FlashPoint's SDK made it easier for us to extend the functionality of our products," said David Hooper, Vice-President of Product Development at ACD Systems. "FlashPoint understands the needs of developers, and provided us with comprehensive support and documentation." "The Digita Desktop SDK provides an easy-to-use set of functions for programmer s to use to create specific solutions providing the communication layer between DigitaOS and the desktop software," said Andrew Kirk, Developer Evangelist at FlashPoint. "The SDK allows for intelligent camera control from the desktop, extending the controllability of the imaging device."
Digita Desktop SDK is available for download at no charge from
FlashPoint's
developers' Web site. The software is compatible with
Microsoft Windows 95/98/Me, Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000.
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| 01-31-2001 |
IR Posts Casio QV-2300 ReviewOur friends over at the Imaging-Resource have just posted their review of the Casio QV-2300 and had this to say about it:
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| 01-30-2001 |
SiPix, Inc. Redefines Consumer Digital Imaging MarketsNew Digital Imaging Appliance Company Will Market Innovative Digital Cameras and Pocket Size Printers with Trend Setting Designs Milpitas, Calif. - Jan. 30, 2001- SiPix, Inc. a new company focused on delivering category killer digital imaging appliances to the consumer market, has officially opened its worldwide corporate headquarters. SiPix has received strategic funding exceeding $100 million led by Goldman Sachs, the global investment bank. Other key investors include Baring Private Equity Partners, CitiCorp Capital, Worldview Technology Partners and Telligent Investment Management LLC. The first group of new products will be announced at the PMA International Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, Florida on February 11-14, 2001. SiPix will be demonstrating its innovative consumer products in booth #825. "SiPix has shown that they will be leaders in their business, and we are delighted to partner with them on this investment," said Goldman Sachs Managing Director, Shirley Lin. "SiPix is positioned to achieve great things," said Ron Glaz, program manager at IDC Research Group. "The ability to bring innovative, high quality and affordable products to market is a successful combination, and SiPix has that ability. The company is in the right space at the right time." With dedicated plants for digital imaging appliances in Zhuhai and Shanghai, China, and an even larger new facility under construction also in Zhuhai, SiPix will have the capacity to manufacture approximately one million digital cameras per month this year. In the United States, China and Taiwan, SiPix has established a total of five research and development laboratories. With one of the largest groups of dedicated digital imaging scientists and design engineers in the world, SiPix is well positioned to create exciting digital imaging products and become a world leader in digital imaging technology and products.
"Today, digital imaging products provide overly complicated and expensive
solutions in a market where users are looking for convenience, high quality
and affordability," said SiPix, Inc. Vice President of Sales and Marketing,
Tenny Sin. "SiPix is making the digital
imaging world approachable, easy and fun for everyone. We're delivering
products with cutting-edge technology and trend setting designs at affordable
prices that can be used and enjoyed by anyone, anytime, anywhere."
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| 01-30-2001 |
Digital Photography at DEMA 2001By David Breitigam, wetpixel.com The Digital Photography Resource for Divers January 30, 2001 (New Orleans, LA) The Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association (DEMA) completed their annual convention last week. The event provided manufacturers, resorts, boat operators, shop owners, travel professionals, and many others with an opportunity to get together and share the latest innovations in the scuba diving industry. In this industry that thrives on underwater imagery, the digital camera is slowly making inroads. This year digital camera accessories, as expected, made a stronger showing at the show than they did in past years. Light & Motion Industries of Monterey California projected the most forceful digital photography presence at the show with their recently introduced Tetra 3030 aluminum housing for the Olympus line of digital cameras. Their booth, which captured the best-of-show award, featured rows and rows of product strewn about on tables for the dive industry to get some serious hands-on examination. Tetra housings abounded on the tables in large numbers as if to signal that digital photography had fully arrived for the underwater shooter. They were even hung artfully by their arms from the edges of the poster stands as a part of the display decor. The housing was available in two travel package configurations that include strobes, arms, sync cords and add-on lenses. Close scrutiny of the Tetra revealed a solidly designed product that barrowed some outstanding successful features from their video products. If an underwater housing could be idiot-proof, the Tetra probably gets close. Ikelite has been making digital camera compatible products for a few years. They have adopted a successful strategy of building a few underwater box sizes, and adapting them to specific camera models. This provides them with the ability to move quickly to house new digital camera models as they appear. They displayed prototypes of the recently announced housings for the Canon G1 and s100 digital elph, as well as other current housing models for the Nikon CP990, the Nikon 880 and the Sony S70. Ikelite also displayed early prototypes or models of the upcoming DS-50 and DS-125 digital strobes, which will sync with digital cameras that use a pre-flash when combined with their model 4100 slave sensor. Sea & Sea showed the new YS-90DX Digital-compatible strobe, also made with a slave setting to sync with pre-flash digitals. The strobe features 12 light level settings, and a connector at the slave sensor. The digital user may connect an optional fiber optic cable to the sensor and attach it to the flash port of the housing. Sea & Sea was not ready at the show with any other digital camera products, but displayed the Sony DSC-P1 and housing in their booth as a view into the future of underwater photography. SeaCam filled in the high end with a housing for the aging Nikon D-1. The housing provides a complementary product for their customers who use the SeaCam Nikon F-5 housing. The housing shown was a prototype plastic unit, but garnered several orders from attendees at the show. poque featured housings, strobe and camera packages for the Sanyo DSC-SX560 digital Camera. The 1.5 megapixel still cam is capable of 15 fps consecutive shots. In movie mode it can recording a 24 minute high-quality movie at 30 fps when combined with the 1 GB IBM micro-drive. poque makes the ES-150DS strobe that slave syncs correctly with the camera and other digital cameras that use pre-flash. The camera outfit will be available in February 2001. 10bar, a Hong Kong company displayed a housing for the Sony DSC-F505V. The clear polycarbonate housing with an optical glass lens port and aluminum bezel is rated to 300 ft (10 bar.) As digital cameras threaten to throw the world of film photography into disarray; the digital photography boom may actually hold new opportunity for the dive industry and help revitalize an industry that has experienced flattened growth in the US over the past few years. Photography has been a major force in the dive industry in the past, providing some of the glue and glitz that kept the industry pumping in the heydays of the 1970s and 1980s. But overall interest in taking the camera underwater has declined, and the days of glory for the SLR camera and its complex weighty underwater housing are gone. The giants like Nikon have virtually fled the industry and the usual evening resort slideshows of guest's dive photos are now a rare occurrence. Because digital photography offers an environmentally cleaner alternative for the young gadget-loving technophile crowd, an aggressive focused marketing strategy could turn all that around. Digital photography may hold the key for attracting a new, younger, more sophisticated, sport diver to join the aging U.S. diving population. The personal computer and "dot com" revolutions have produced a young, technically minded population with a bit more buying power. These tech-heads will perhaps enjoy and appreciate the complexity that water adds to photography. Furthermore, these consumers who are likely to own multiple personal computers are not shocked when digital cameras and underwater housings join the list of purchased gadgetry that become obsolete literally before they get them home. But, while digital cameras help breed strong consumerism, they also bring a more responsible approach to the environment than the film-eating variety. Environmental conservation issues are strong in this industry that is attempting to grow business in the face of shrinking reefs and other ocean resources. Digital photography may be a perfect fit since it steers away from the polluting chemical processes associated with film and relies coincidentally on durable, high-power, environmentally friendly, rechargeable, Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. So it was not surprising that this years DEMA saw a more manufacturers taking the digital plunge. Even so, some photo equipment builders are still waiting on the sidelines, either with a product yet imminent, or unsure of how to find the agility required to respond to the confusing array of rapidly changing digital camera body styles and technologies. DEMA has now resynchronized the show schedule to the fall season to better match the natural industry product cycle. The next DEMA show will not occur until October 2002. It remains to be seen if manufacturers can use the next 20 months to work with the rest of the industry to take advantage of this exciting opportunity to help grow the dive industry into the 21st century.
Photos of the products mentioned in this article may be viewed at
wetpixel.com.
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| 01-29-2001 |
www.NikonUSA.com Links All Levels Of Photographers To The Web's Most Comprehensive Photo Learning And Sharing Community
"As the leader in photo imaging, it is a natural step for Nikon to expand the photo experience to the online space and offer all levels of photographers the technology, community and education for which the Nikon brand is known," said Jerry Grossman, vice president of Internet development and marketing at Nikon. "Nikon's suite of websites offers the first true photo-sharing and learning community on the web. We believe that all levels of photographers, from novice to professional, will find the Nikon suite of sites their one-stop for all photography needs; from learning about Nikon's extensive line of products, to creating online photo albums and getting photography tips from today's top pro photographers," added Grossman. Nikon's suite of websites include:
www.nikonnet.com, a photo community website where visitors can study the work of professional photographers, find inspiration in their images, explore various types of photography and discover tips from the pros on taking great photographs. www.microscopyu.com, provides an educational forum for all aspects of optical microscopy, digital imaging and photomicrography with one of the web's most extensive databases on photomicrography. www.thenikonmall.com, an e-commerce site with an exclusive selection of refurbished cameras, binoculars, hard-to-find accessories, educational videos and gear. Featured items include Nikon's Signature Series collection of limited edition signed books and prints by some of the world's greatest photographers, including Lynn Goldsmith, Frans Lanting and Steve McCurry. www.nikonschool.com, the school that has turned thousands of amateurs into passionate photographers is online featuring school schedules, and will post available courses, hints on photo techniques and interactive demos over the coming months. www.nikonworld.com - the award-winning Nikon World magazine now has a site of its own. Visitors to this site will see the works of the renowned photographers featured in the pages of Nikon World magazine, and will be treated to a photo gallery that enables visitors to hear from the pro shooters themselves, describing the concepts and techniques behind their favorite images. |
MELVILLE, New York, January 29, 2001 - Nikon, the world leader in film and digital
photography, today announced that its new comprehensive photography website,
nikonusa.com, is now live. The redesigned site, found at its original web address
| 01-29-2001 |
The IR Completes Olympus E-10 ReviewTo quote Dave Etchells:
"Finally, we've completed our long-overdue update of the Olympus E-10 "semi
pro" SLR review. Back in October, we had the privilege of testing one of the first
near-production prototypes of this exceptional camera, and have now revisited that
review to reflect our experience with a full-production model. As it happens, no
surprises were in store, since the production model displayed the same sterling
operating characteristics as did the prototype. We did take time though, to perform
timing and power consumption measurements on the production unit, with very salutary
results."
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| 01-29-2001 |
Lens Choices for the Nikon D1Ron Reznick, a frequent participant in our public Forum area, has written a report of the lenses he has used with the D1. Reading this report can give you a goods heads-up on what's out there and what works the best with the D1. Seeing as how some of these lenses cost upwards of $1500 or more you need the guidance of someone who's "been there, done that" or else you can make a very expensive mistake.
Digital Outback Photo's editor, Uwe Steinmueller, has also posted a report on his
experiences with
lenses for the Nikon D1. His main interest is in bird and nature photography.
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| 01-27-2001 |
Casio QV3EX Review Posted
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| 01-27-2001 |
Dual-Force Pro Review Posted
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| 01-24-2001 |
Olympus C-2040 Zoom First Look Posted
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| 01-24-2001 |
New Digital Photography Tools Available for Download at DigitalSecretsThe Mastering Nikon Compact Digital Cameras eBook has released some new iNovaFX Photoshop Action Filters. The set of ten iFilmBorders is now available to eBook owners for immediate download from the www.digitalsecrets.net site. These filters create graphic borders around Nikon 990 and 950 Coolpix images that appear to be 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 roll film, 4 x 5 sheet film and 35mm slide film. Type in the border of each of the ten variations identifies the image as being from a "Nikon 990" or "Nikon 950 Digital Image" and can be modified to include copyright, photographer's name and image title. When printed with the image, they serve to blur the distinction between art and technology and give a sense of peace to digitally-challenged art directors. Free items are available at the DigitalSecrets site, too:
Helpful test patterns for evaluating your monitor's suitability for reviewing digital photographic images can be viewed and downloaded for free on the site's Digital Portable Darkroom page at www.digitalsecrets.net/secrets/portabledarkroom.html and a preliminary look at Apples new Titanium PowerBook can be seen there, too. Graphic frames of a different nature are available for free as well. Access to these is through this page: www.digitalsecrets.net/secrets/maint.html and that page also contains downloadable plans for a flash-suppressor/controller for the Nikon 950, which lacks direct flash strength adjustment.
"The eBook concept is a living thing, to me at least." he said, "Why should the
experience of buying a book these days be over when you finish reading it? The cameras
are digital, the book is digital... It's time for the eBook experience to recognize its
ongoing digital nature as well."
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| 01-23-2001 |
DC Resource Posts Olympus E-10 ReviewJeff over at the DC Resource just posted his Olympus E-10 review and had this to say about it:
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| 01-23-2001 |
Lexar Media Solves D1 Startup DelayTampa Bay Lightning team photographer Scott Audette recently discovered a longer than normal startup delay with his Nikon D1 and Lexar's newest Pro Series 12X 320MB card. Lexar is already preparing a firmware "fix" that will virtually eliminate the startup delay, reducing it from approximately 600ms to perhaps less than 10ms with Lexar's 320MB cards. Lower capacity cards, including the 256MB, 160MB and 128MB, will have a proportionally shorter delay before the update is applied. The firmware update should be available by week's end as part of a new firmware release for Lexar Media cards.
To read the whole story and follow the information on the firmware availability check
over at Rob Galbraith's Photo
Journalists site.
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| 01-22-2001 |
Sanyo Boosts Digicam Production, Releases New iD-Shot Camera Next MonthA Kyodo News report said Sanyo Electric Co., Osaka, Japan, plans to produce six million digital cameras in fiscal 2001, up 50 percent from the current fiscal year, by expanding its production capacity in overseas factories, company officials said Friday. The estimated global demand for digital cameras will reach 18 million to 20 million in the next fiscal year, which starts on April 1, and Sanyo aims to expand its market share, the report said. As for production of the six million cameras, two factories in Osaka and Gifu prefectures are expected to produce a total of two million, while overseas subsidiaries in South Korea and Indonesia will produce two million each, the officials said. Sanyo started producing digital cameras in 1995, and 90 percent of its products are now sold to some major camera makers, which do not have semiconductor or liquid crystal technology, under their own brand names.
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| 01-21-2001 |
Olympus P-200 Printer Review Posted
Thanks to a hefty NiMH battery pack this printer can go anywhere and make photo-quality
prints from any SmartMedia or CompactFlash Type I or II card without a computer.
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| 01-20-2001 |
Canon Pro90 IS First Look Posted
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| 01-18-2001 |
Follow and Capture the Action with Logitech's QuickCam Traveler
QuickCam Traveler combines easy web communication with the freedom of a digital still camera. When detached from the PC, the camera can store up to 60 high-resolution images (640 x 480) and 200 low-resolution images (320 x 240). The camera's control panel allows users to easily snap, save and delete pictures. With the easy one button QuickSync feature, users can instantly transfer the pictures to the PC. Other features include a self-timer, macro setting and resolution adjustment. When attached to the PC, QuickCam Traveler becomes a high-quality VGA camera with a CCD sensor that provides enhanced image quality. In attached mode, the unit features a built-in microphone for natural communication and is capable of recording video at up to 30 frames per second. Sending video e-mail to family and friends complete with sound, music and special effects is simple, with the included fully-functional versions of MGI's VideoWave III SE video editing and PhotoSuite III SE image editing software. Activities within these applications include:
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| 01-17-2001 |
Light & Motions Bluefin VX2000 Housing For Sony VX2000 and PD150
Bluefin provides the most advanced feature set to date including access to program AE, shutter speed, white balance, audio level, exposure and the ND filter. Accessories include a Remote Monitor that allows for housing operation from a remote location up to 300 feet away. Bluefin VX2000 also includes an EOS port ready to accept an underwater communication system.
Housing can be purchased as a stand alone, or in one of two Travel Packages
including HID or halogen lights. All Travel Packages include lights, NiMH
batteries, multi-voltage fast charger, O-ring kits and custom Pelican case with
pull out handle and wheels.
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Looking for the ultimate in advanced underwater imaging? Look no further than
Light & Motions newly designed
| 01-17-2001 |
inCamera Professional Software Offers Digital Camera Profiling And Color EnhancementPictographics International Corp., Burnsville, Minn., USA, released inCamera Professional, a new digital camera ICC profiling and color enhancement software for professional photographers. The new product enables professional digital photographers to profile and optimize the color accuracy of digital cameras in a controlled lighting environment using a GretagMacbeth ColorChecker Chart or the new ColorChecker DC Chart. It also includes Pictographics iCorrect Adobe Photoshop Plug-in for fast color-correcting and profiling of digital images shot outside controlled lighting situations or of unknown origin without repetitive trial-and-error methods. The new inCamera Professional accepts 8-bit or 16-bit color images, and it automatically applies an adaptive noise removal filter before applying a profile to an image.
A Mac-based version of inCamera Professional is currently available for $495 at
www.picto.com. A Windows version is scheduled for future release.
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| 01-17-2001 |
NuCORE Chip Set Recognized in EDN Magazine's 100 Hot Products ListSANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NuCORE Technology, Inc. announced that its digital camera chip set was named as one of EDN Magazine's 100 Hot Products of 2000. NuCORE's NDX-1250(TM) analog front-end and the SiP1250 Smart Image Processor (SiP) constitute the industry's first chip set that delivers 3-CCD color quality to 1-CCD cameras at 50 megapixels per second. It enables camera manufacturers to offer cameras with professional film quality images at mainstream prices. No other combination of chips comes close to NuCORE's 50 megapixel-per-second image processing with 12-bit resolution. "We are very honored by EDN's decision to include our chip set in their list of the 100 hot products of 2000," stated Joe Raffa, CEO of NuCORE Technology. "We are excited about the work we're doing with camera manufacturers to introduce cameras with our technology in 2001." The NuCORE chip set lets designers build a hybrid camera -- a single consumer device that can be used as a high-quality still camera and a high-quality video camera. It has never before been possible to build one camera that can acquire, enhance, compress, display and store 4-megapixel silver-halide-quality, digital still images continuously at a rate of 12 per second "paparazzi-like" and 1.3-million-pixel video at 30 frames per second with 12-bit accuracy.
"Having one camera that can serve both functions has been regarded as the 'holy
grail' of digital photography," stated NuCORE CEO Joe Raffa. "It's what digital camera
makers have been trying to build, unsuccessfully. Either they build a still camera that
takes a few seconds of low-resolution motion, or a motion camera that takes poor quality
stills that are unsuitable for photo printing. No other chip maker has been able to give
them a solution that can do both, until now."
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| 01-15-2001 |
Verbatim Expands Removable Storage Offerings with New Families of Flash Memory ProductsCHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 2001-- Verbatim Corporation established its presence in the rapidly expanding Flash Memory Card market today with the unveiling of two new product lines. The new miniature storage solutions include Verbatim CompactFlash cards with capacities ranging from 16MB to 128MB and SmartMedia cards with capacities of 16MB to 64MB. Featuring the inherent reliability, optimized performance and competitive pricing that resellers and end users have come to expect from Verbatim brand products, the new flash memory devices will be used to expand the storage capacity of digital appliances such as cameras, audio players, camcorders, PDAs and "smart" cellular phones.
According to a recent IDC report, the Flash Memory Card market will grow from 12 million
units in 1999 to 66 million in 2003 and CompactFlash and SmartMedia will
continue to dominate the digital camera market. The digital camera market in North
America in 2000 is expected to have reached 6.7 million units, twice the 1999 number. By
2005, the market is expected to grow to 42 million units.
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| 01-14-2001 |
New and Improved MacBibble ReleasedOf interest to those with a Nikon D1 and a Macintosh computer -- The latest update of MacBibble has just been posted and includes the following new features and fixes: The big new feature for this version is tethered shooting over firewire. Just like the PC version, you can now shoot directly to your Mac from your D1 and see the results instantly. Make sure your camera is on and in PC mode before running MacBibble. File Operations have now been added to the browser menu. Using this, you can copy/move/delete/batch selected files. Since this is my first attempt at file management on the Mac, I encourage you to not use these functions on Important files that you don't have backed up. I have tested them quite extensively here at the lab, but we all know about the law of Murphy. Finally, I took a lot of time this go around to clean up and stabilize MacBibble. I am hoping that this will be the most robust and stable version yet. In particular a lot of memory leaks have been dealt with, and I have personally run a batch of over a hundred .nefs in one shot.
MacBibble can always be found at:
http://www.bibblelabs.com
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| 01-14-2001 |
Nikon Extends 950 and 800 Rebate Again
Nikon has once again quietly extended the
$150 Coolpix 950 and $75 Coolpix 800 rebates through 3/31/01. This offer is good
only for buyers in the 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
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| 01-12-2001 |
ImageTank - Portable Storage Device
At present Sima is looking at availability in late April or May. Since there may be several changes to the unit prior to final production, a true retail cost will not be available for the next 6-8 weeks. However, Sima's target is appx $399 (with internal hard drive installed)."  |
| 01-12-2001 |
New Reviews at Imaging-ResourceDave Etchells emailed to say that he had just posted two new reviews, one for the Toshiba PDR-M60. To quote Dave, "Toshiba seems to be steadily improving their color management, the M60 actually does pretty well. Not a barn-burner on any characteristic (except maybe shot to shot time for an inexpensive camera), but a solid middle of the road offering."
They also posted a review of the
Olympus
P-400 dye sub, the IR's first full-length review of a printer.
"Image quality was quite good, but we found some oddities in the print-driver
scaling of images up or down in size to match engine resolution. If you resize
in Photoshop to exactly 314 dpi though, the images are stunning, as they are
if you print directly from a memory card."
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| 01-11-2001 |
Taiwan To Step Up Digital Camera ProductionTaiwan's production of digital cameras is being tipped to grow by 60.2 percent this year, according to the Institute for Information Industry (III), said a Newsbytes report. The III says growth will continue in 2002, by which year the nation will have a hold on 57.2 percent of the global market, according to a report by Taiwan's Central News Agency. During the Christmas period, online shopping destinations like Yahoo Shopping consistently saw digital cameras in the top five types of products searched for, the report said.
Japanese firms like Sony Corp. and Casio Corp. dominated the market in 1999. But in the
report, the III said that Taiwanese companies increased output from 1.62 million units in
1999 to 5.63 million during 2000 with a total value of $568 million. The III said that
Taiwan is now home to 21 digital camera makers.
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| 01-11-2001 |
Agfa Launches New TwinPlate ScannerAgfa-Gevaert AG, announced the first of its new generation of TwinPlate scanners, the DuoScan f40. This scanner offers both FireWire and USB connectivity in a 42-bit DuoScan. The TwinPlate scanner provides separate beds for scanning reflective and transparent originals. Agfa includes glass-free slide holders with the DuoScan f40. In addition to facilitating batch scanning, the glass-free holders eliminate any distortion that can be caused by the glass plate, Agfa said.
The DuoScan f40 features an optical resolution of 1,200-by-2,400 ppi. In addition to its
newest version of FotoLook scanning driver and ColorTune color-management software, Agfa
includes Adobe Photoshop LE and I.R.I.S. ReadIris optical character recognition software.
The DuoScan f40 will be available February 2001 at a suggested price of $999.
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| 01-11-2001 |
Epson Unveils 1680 Line of ScannersEpson America Inc., Long Beach, Calif., USA, unveiled its new Expression 1680 scanner, geared toward graphics arts, photography and pre-press professionals. Using Epsons MatrixCCD and Micro Step Drive technologies, the Expression 1680 offers 1,600-by-3,200 dpi true hardware resolution. The scanner offers 48-bit color depth both internally and externally. According to Epson, the scanner can create a full color preview in ten seconds, scan an 8.5-by-11-inch color photo in under 23 seconds when scanning at 300 dpi and scan a 35mm slide at 1,600 dpi in under 65 seconds. Additionally, the Expression 1680 uses a Xenon cold cathode fluorescent lamp to provide a high intensity light source. By utilizing this type of light source, Epson says the scanner is instantly ready to scan without warm-up time and meets the EPAs Energy Star scanner compliance criteria because of its energy efficiency.
The Expression 1680 will be available in February in several different configurations,
with prices ranging from $799 to $1,399.
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| 01-11-2001 |
Fire Picture Has Caused Firestorm of Controversy
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| 01-11-2001 |
DataPlay Wins Best Of Show Award, Overall Lifestyle Product, at Consumer Electronics Show
DataPlay digital media allows access to all forms of digital content across all digital devices and platforms, including images, documents, software, games, video and more. One 500 MB digital media can hold over 11 hours of music downloads or five complete pre-recorded albums of CD-quality music, hundreds of high-resolution photographs or dozens of games for less than $10. The DataPlay solution includes three primary offerings: DataPlay digital media, DataPlay micro-optical engine and ContentKeyTM, a content distribution, marketing and e-commerce tool. Working in partnership with leading content providers and consumer electronics manufacturers, DataPlay anticipates discs containing pre-recorded content to be available beginning Christmas 2001, coinciding with the availability of DataPlay-enabled consumer electronic devices and blank media.
The folks at A-Digital-Eye have posted a page full of
DataPlay product photos from the recent CES show including the MediaStore device from
SmartDisk for copying image files from flash cards to DataPlay discs.
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Also at CES, DataPlay announced
| 01-09-2001 |
Macworld Magazine Announces 2000 Editors' Choice Award WinnersSAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2001--Macworld magazine, the premier Macintosh publication and Web site, has named the hardware and software product winners of its prestigious sixteenth annual Editors' Choice Awards for 2000. The winners were announced last night at a gala ceremony, held at San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art on the eve of Macworld Expo, which opens today. The Eddy Awards, the Macintosh industry's highest distinction for breakthrough product development, are given to honor the top software and hardware products in 26 categories. Products must have been released between November 1, 1999, and November 1, 2000, to be eligible. The Macworld 2000 Eddy Award winners (that we are interested in) are: 
Best Consumer Digital CameraPowerShot S100 Digital Elph
Best Digital Video Camera
Best Graphics Software
Best Professional Digital Camera |
| 01-09-2001 |
Nikon Intros New Line of Revolutionary High-Speed Film ScannersSAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- MACWORLD EXPO -- Nikon, the industry leader in precision optics, digital imaging and scanner technology, today unveiled a line of revolutionary high-speed desktop scanners with features and benefits designed for a wide range of users. The Coolscan IV ED, Super Coolscan 4000 ED and Super Coolscan 8000 ED are the first scanners on the market to include Applied Science Fiction's groundbreaking Digital ICE3 technology, a suite of sophisticated digital enhancement tools for color correcting and enhancing images. The scanners bridge the gap from film to digital technology for scanning, enhancing, cataloguing, preserving and restoring images from positive and negative film. The Coolscan IV ED is an entry-level scanner designed for photo enthusiasts who are looking to digitize their images to send photos by e-mail, design web pages, or archive and catalogue them to preserve and restore memories captured on film. The perfect complement to any SLR, including the Nikon F100, F5 and N80 35mm cameras, the Nikon Coolscan IV ED is an integral component of the Nikon Total Imaging System (TIS) of 35mm cameras, lenses and accessories, offering photographers a complete imaging solution for bridging the gap from film to digital technology. Designed for professionals looking to increase productivity and profitability in graphics and printing applications, the Super Coolscan 4000 ED is a high-performance desktop film scanner for producing large volume scans with unmatched image quality. The scanner features an optical density of 0 to 4.2 and 4000 dpi for the widest dynamic range and highest resolution than any other desktop film scanner on the market today. The Super Coolscan 4000 ED is ideal for professional photographers, designers, web masters and producers, graphic artists, publishers and other imaging specialists who require the best possible digital replication with high-speed capabilities.
The Coolscan IV ED and Super Coolscan 4000 ED will be available in March 2001 at
suggested retail prices of $895 and $1695, respectively. The Super Coolscan 8000 ED will
be available in April 2001 at a suggested retail price of $2995. Each scanner is supplied
with film holders and adapters, Nikon Scan 3.0 software and a full version of Altamira
Genuine Fractals 2.0 software. In addition, the Coolscan IV ED includes Photoshop 5.0 LE.
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| 01-08-2001 |
SMaL Camera Technologies Credit Card-Size Ultra-Pocket Digicam
 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA – January 6, 2001 – SMaL Camera Technologies, Inc., a developer of low power CMOS imagers and intelligent cameras for a variety of markets, including low cost consumer cameras, handheld electronics, intelligent transportation systems, and surveillance, introduced today at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada the Ultra-Pocket™, a digital still camera that re-defines the affordable, compact digital camera. The Ultra-Pocket is the perfect entry-level digital camera for individuals and families who desire a true pocket camera without sacrificing affordability and quality. "When people see and use the Ultra-Pocket, it is common for them to react with a ‘Wow!’ at least twice," said Keith Fife, Vice President, Engineering, SMaL Camera Technologies. "The first ‘wow’ is a reaction to the camera’s ultra-thin size – literally the size of a credit card and only 0.2" (6 mm) thin. The second occurs when they see how the Autobrite™ technology clearly captures the dark details of a scene while ensuring that the bright regions never saturate." The Ultra-Pocket boasts durability and a sleek
silver contour. Its VGA resolution of 300,000+ pixels (640x480) is ideal for
sending images via e-mail or for posting on the web. The included
8 MB MultiMediaCard removable memory can hold up to approximately
40 images. USB connectivity ensures fast downloading and connectivity
with Windows. The camera fits easily in your pocket, goes virtually
everywhere you go, and offers simple point-and-click use. With the
Ultra-Pocket, it’s never been more convenient to capture and
share life’s images.
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| 01-08-2001 |
JVC Announces Two New 3-Megapixel Cameras with HDTV OutputLas Vegas, NV (CES, January 6-9, 2001) JVC triumphantly follows last years debut of JVCs first 3.3 Megapixel CCD Digital Still Camera with two new powerhouses -- the GC-QX5HD and GC-QX3HD. Both of these 3.3 Megapixel digital still cameras offer 1080i HDTV output as well as many other advanced features.
 Both new cameras record 20-second video clips with sound and download and store video information as a JVC Video Player file. During image capture, users can choose from three selectable image sizes: 2032 x 1536 (QXGA class), 1024 x 768 (XGA) and 640 x 480 (VGA), using the larger size for high-resolution prints and the smaller size for capacity sensitive e-mail.
 The GC-QX5HD also features a 6 Megapixel Film Copy Mode, an easy and inexpensive way to digitize images right in the box. The Film Copy attachment is provided with the camera for simple conversion of films, slides and negatives into digital stills. Now, thanks to JVCs high-performance Pro-Still mode, even beginners can achieve professional-grade photos.
The JVC GC-QX5HD is currently available at $999.95, the GC-QX3HD is $899.95.
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| 01-08-2001 |
Polaroid Introduces New Instant Digital Imaging Products At CESLAS VEGAS, and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., /PRNewswire/ -- Polaroid Corporation unveiled a myriad of digital products that deliver on the company's vision for the future of photography and image sharing at CES. Seamlessly linked to the Internet via PolaroidDigital.com, the company's new products -- the Polaroid Digital Picture Frame, MP3 Digital Camera, 2300Z digital camera -- and existing digital cameras will enable users to capture, manipulate, and share images simply, inexpensively and from virtually any location. The addition of the P-500 Digital Photo Printer to the Polaroid lineup now allows for wireless printing anytime, anywhere. Later this year Polaroid will introduce a digital modem camera, eliminating the need for personal computers as a critical link in sharing and printing digital images.
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| 01-06-2001 | ||||||||||||
Kodak Discontinues DCS 620, Drops Price of DCS 620x and DCS 520Kodak Professional has discontinued the DCS 620. U.S. dealers received a memo this week indicating that, effectively immediately, the Nikon-bodied digital SLR would no longer be available from Kodak. Only DCS 620 orders from dealers placed before January 4 will be filled by Kodak. The DCS 620, introduced in early 1999, was effectively superceded by the high-ISO specialist DCS 620x in mid-2000, making Kodak's decision to clear the 620 from their product line not much of a surprise. List prices on the DCS 520, DCS 520 (Base Kit) and DCS 620x have also changed, though the street price of the 620x is not expected to be affected. The new list prices are:
This information is from
Rob Galbraith's Digital PJ site
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| 01-06-2001 |
Canon Announces New 2.58-Megapixel
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| 01-06-2001 |
digitalkamera.de Tests 128MB SmartMedia
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Months before the expected release of the new and higher capacity 128MB SmartMedia cards,
the folks at digitalkamera.de have gotten their hands on a media sample and tested it
for compatibility. They list 70 cameras on
| 01-05-2001 |
Olympus New Product Announcements
Melville, NY - Jan 5, 2001 - Olympus America Inc. today announced the CAMEDIA C-2040 ZOOM 2.11 megapixel (1600 x 1200) bright 3X zoom compact digital camera. Based on the award-winning Olympus C-2020 digital camera, the C-2040 ZOOM offers the world's first super bright F1.8 high- performance digital zoom lens. The large F1.8 aperture extends the flash working range and is better for low-light photography. The easy-to-use features and USB Storage Class plug n' play capability expand the usefulness of the C-2040 ZOOM -- all for only $699.
 Similar to the previously introduced Eye-Trek models, the Eye-Trek FMD-700 transforms any NTSC television signal into a 52-inch big screen as viewed from a distance of 6 1/2 feet away, creating the feeling of a personal "home theater." Melville, NY - Jan 5, 2001 - Olympus announces the $699 Eye-Trek FMD-250W - the lighter, brighter and more technologically advanced personal TV display, compatible with VCRs, Camcorders, DVD, Video Game Consoles, LD players and is now the only Eye-Trek available with direct connectivity to Panasonic's PV-40 portable DVD player.
Eye-Trek takes a standard NTSC television signal and makes it as impressive as a 62-inch
screen seen from a distance of 6 1/2 feet. This sleek design is compact, lightweight and
as comfortable as a pair of your favorite sunglasses. The portable Eye-Trek can go just
about anywhere its owner takes it. Frequent travelers, commuters, video-philes and movie
buffs alike will enjoy the Eye-Trek FMD-250W, which will debut in America in Spring 2001.
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| 01-05-2001 |
Toshiba PDR-M65 Breaks $600 Barrier for 3.3 Megapixel Digital Cameras
 The PDR-M65 boasts the professional-level features of digital cameras costing hundreds of dollars more, such as lightning-fast USB downloading, a five-mode automatic flash system, and advanced circuitry for quicker booting and less processing time between shots. Key to its success is an innovative 3.3 megapixel, 1/2-inch CCD that captures brilliant color pictures in resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 pixels in universal JPEG format. The camera sports an all-glass 3X optical zoom lens that can be combined with the camera's digital 2X telephoto mode when playing back images, resulting in a maximum 6X zoom magnification. To further improve lens performance, a user-selectable Macro Mode has been built-in for close-ups up to 3.9 inches. In normal focusing mode, the camera range is 3.9 inches to infinity. A dioptric corrector is included to focus the viewfinder to the users eyesight. With the use of an optional filter/lens ring adapter, commercially available 52mm optical filters or lens can be attached to this camera. To operate the PDR-M65, there is a top-mounted Mode Dial that lets the photographer hold the camera and select settings using only their thumb. Manual, auto, playback, PC (for downloading), and set-up modes are accessed from the dial. Next, descriptions of the settings are shown and selected from the cameras 1.8-inch color LCD high-precision monitor, such as white balance, aperture value, exposure, and AF/AE auto-focus/auto-exposure. The PDR-M65 includes three levels of recording images. Depending on the image compression selected: fine, normal, or basic, the PDR-M65 can record 8, 17 and up to 35 images respectively on the bundled 8MB SmartMedia card in 2048 x1536 mode, and similarly 16, 34, and up to 70 images in the 1024 x 768 mode. Images printed at 300 dpi produce flawless photographs up to 11 x 14 inches suitable for framing. With or without a computer, users can download and view PDR-M65 images. It has a video out connector for viewing photos on a television, enabling several people to view images concurrently, plus enabling the user to transfer images to video tape.
Housed in an elegant-looking but rugged plastic body, the pocket-sized
PDR-M65 is one of the smallest cameras on the market today. Weighing a mere
10.2 ounces and measuring a compact 4.76(W) x 2.95(H) x 2.4(D) inches,
the camera fits easily into a briefcase, a coat pocket, or a purse.
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| 01-05-2001 |
Microtech Launches New Products at CESMediaVault - Armored Digital Media Carriers North Branford, CT - January 5, 2001 - Microtech International, Inc. today launched MediaVault, a line of specialized storage cases for digital media cards. MediaVault is designed to protect fragile digital media cards and the contents from physical damage. Unlike common nylon or neoprene cases, it is constructed using an inner rigid frame and shock absorbing rubber liner, and is engineered to the exact dimensions of each media type for maximum protection. The product is available immediately and priced at $19.95.
 The MediaVault is available for CompactFlash, including the IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, MultiMedia, MemoryStick and PC Card flash media. The CompactFlash MediaVault holds two CompactFlash Type I or II cards and a PC Card adapter. The SmartMedia, MultiMedia and MemoryStick MediaVault each hold four cards and a PC Card adapter. The PC Card MediaVault holds two full-size PCMCIA cards. Microtech 16MB and 32MB MultiMediaCards North Branford, CT -- January 5, 2001 -- Microtech International, Inc. is launching a line of fast, portable, mass storage multimedia cards for music, voice recordings, images and data. Based on an AND flash architecture with on-board controller, Microtech's MultiMedia Cards are compatible with all multimedia-equipped digital devices. The company offers this new line of cards in 16MB and 32MB capacities with plans to introduce a 64MB card in Q2. The products are available immediately.
All Microtech multimedia cards are shipped in a protective storage case to guard
the card against inadvertent damage when not installed into a host. The cards
are clearly marked with the Microtech name and Web address for easy access to
free lifetime technical support. Multimedia cards are also available bundled
with a pocket-sized USB reader/writer in specially marked ZiO! value packs.
For more information, please visit Microtech at booth 4244 during CES.
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| 01-05-2001 |
MGI Debuts PhotoSuite for Palm Powered HandheldsCAMPBELL, CA and TORONTO, ONT - January 5, 2001 - MGI today announced MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition, a new product that extends MGI's market-leading imaging technology to the emerging Palm OS-based handheld market. MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition allows users to easily store, view, and share photo and video files on both color and grayscale Palm OS handhelds, and comes complete with a robust Windows desktop application for quickly fixing photos and optimizing media files prior to transfer. MGI is debuting the new software at the Palm Pavilion, as part of CES 2001 (the International Consumer Electronics Show -- Las Vegas Convention Center Silver Lot Booth #24000), which runs January 6-9, 2001. "Handheld devices built around the Palm OS provide new opportunities for MGI to grow its status as a worldwide imaging leader while adding new revenue potential," said Anthony DeCristofaro, president and CEO, MGI. "MGI has successfully demonstrated that its imaging technology, which has made the PhotoSuite software for Windows the most popular PC photo brand, is capable of application on a variety of platforms; at first on the Internet with iPhotoSuite, and now the Palm OS platform." MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition comprises of two elements, PhotoSuite Mobile Organizer, which is the desktop application, and PhotoSuite Mobile Album, which resides on the Palm OS handheld. The PhotoSuite Mobile Organizer lets users store, view (including pan and zoom), and share media on their handheld device, create slide shows with timed or manual playback, and supports video playback at a full 30 fps (frames per second). The software also supports the 'beaming' of photos and videos to other handhelds while retaining all the essential color and image information even when 'beamed' between gray scale and color screen units.
The desktop software allows users to acquire media files from a variety of
sources, and edit and enhance photos as well as optimize pictures and videos
prior to transferring them to the handheld device. It also supports and
converts popular media file formats including .JPG, .PNG, .TIF, .BMP, .GIF,
.AVI, .WMV, .MOV. The software is certified as a Palm Powered Compatible
Solution, passing rigorous testing for usability and quality. MGI
PhotoSuite Mobile Edition will be available February 2001.
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| 01-05-2001 |
CES2001: NewDigitalReporter.com Ready To Go with FlashPoint's Digita TechnologyLAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2001-- The NewDigitalReporter.com, a cyber zine covering converging technologies since 1998, will be publishing digital photos directly from the show floor of The Consumer Electronics Show (CES:January 6-9) and The Video Software Dealers Association 20th Annual Convention (VSDA:January 7-9). Using the Digita Photivity platform developed by FlashPoint Technology, Inc., images will be published to the Internet, using a DigitaOS-enabled Kodak DC290 digital camera and a Motorola i1000plus cell phone, within moments of capture. This is the first time a member of the "got-to-have-it-now" Internet press corps will use this cutting edge wireless imaging platform at the premier "wiz-bang" high tech trade show. "CNN will not have a jump on us any more," explains Jack Olmsted, Senior Correspondent NewDigitalReporter.com. "Mobile converging technologies like the Digita Photivity(TM) platform will empower i-Journalists globally to instantly publish view-points to an international audience with relentless appetites for `as-it-happens' experiences. Once again we are on the cusp of another digital personal technology communication usage spike."
The NewDigitalReporter.com (formerly DVDReporter.com) has been covering high-technology
trade shows (COMDEX, Consumer Electronics Show, National Association of Broadcasters, E3,
Seybold, Digital Hollywood, PlayStation2 Launch, etc.) and events (Experience Music Project,
Seattle Sea Fair, FolkLife) through online digital photo reports since November 1999. The focus of
the online periodical is to use off-the-shelf cutting-edge technology to collect and publish information
ASAP for a connected international community/audience.
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| 01-05-2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPD INTELECT Reports Holiday Sales Results for Consumer Electronics and Technology CategoriesPORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 5, 2001-- NPD INTELECT'S Early Indicator Panel produces Pre-CES numbers. As predicted last month by leading marketing information provider NPD INTELECT Market Tracking, holiday 2000 has proven a major success for a select group of consumer electronics and technology categories. Several of these categories experienced sizzling triple digit sales growth. NPD INTELECT'S early indicator panel(a) tracked a diverse range of 47 consumer electronics categories and 39 technology categories. The holiday sales results cover the period from Thanksgiving through Christmas 2000. Overall, the 47 consumer electronics categories tracked were down 0.3% in unit sales during the holiday period. However, the group did experience a growth of 5.6% in dollar sales as new high-ticket digital products sold well. On the technology side, despite slow desktop PC sales, several technology categories performed well. Sales among the NPD INTELECT composite of 39 key technology categories were up marginally 1.5% in units and 2.7% in dollars for the holiday period. According to NPD INTELECT Market Tracking, the fastest growing consumer electronics categories were personal video recorders, DVD players, home theatre in-a-box, digital cameras, and cellular phones. Units and dollars in several of these categories have doubled or tripled. NPD INTELECT Director of Audio and Video Tracking, Jim Hirschberg commented that, "DVD has been the hottest new product launch in consumer electronics history and has driven new growth in many home theater product categories, particularly home theater in- a-box audio systems. Personal video recorders (PVRs, also known as hard disk video recorders) are growing fast, but this is still a new category that is not yet fully understood by consumers. Other digital audio products, including MP3 players, CD recorders, and portable CD players, sold well and more than compensated for declines in older, cassette-based products."
In the technology segment, desktops and printers decreased in both units and dollars. The big winners were those products that scream portability. Personal digital assistants continued to skyrocket in units and dollars, followed by CD-RW drives and notebooks. NPD INTELECT Vice President of Technology Products, Sima Vasa
notes that, "While desktops are slowing in sales, we have seen the
rise in portable products, such as notebooks, pdas, cellular phones,
and even headset stereos, all of which support the harried U.S.
professional and personal lifestyle."
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| 01-04-2001 |
Qimage Pro v10.5 ReleasedMike Chaney emailed to say that the new Qimage Pro v10.5 now has a filter that allows for reversal of vignetting and removal of uneven color casts by using a gray test frame. This new "frame equalization" filter not only removes vignetting caused by lenses but can also remove uneven color biases such as the slight green cast on the left side of Fuji S1 images (sample at the Qimage Pro site). Instructions on the use of this new filter are presented in the news at the Qimage Pro site. In addition to this enhancement, several bug fixes and a further reduction of memory requirements have been implemented since the holidays. Mike has also just finished building the ICC profile for the Olympus C-3030Z camera. This color profile and ones for the Nikon 990 and D1 as well as the Fuji S1 Pro sell for $12.99 and have just recently been updated and are more accurate than the older versions.
Qimage Pro is a marvelous Windows/PC printing program for digital images that contains
many features to enhance your digital camera pictures. Besides handling the JPEG, TIFF
and BMP image files common to consumer digicams it also decodes the Nikon D1 raw NEF
files too. What it does is way to numerous to list so go to the
Qimage Pro
Details & Screenshots page for all the pertinent information.
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| 01-04-2001 |
ACD Systems FotoAngelo Enables Users To Create Their Own Slide ShowsACD Systems International Inc., Victoria, B.C., Canada, is releasing an application for creating professional quality slideshow presentations in the home. FotoAngelo can be used as a stand-alone product, or in conjunction with ACDSee. It allows home and business users to customize slideshows with more than 20 different transition effects, individual timing for each image, a range of background colors, and the capacity to add background audio on a per-image or continuous basis throughout the slideshow. FotoAngelo also allows users to create screensavers based on slideshows using multiple images and audio effects that run automatically.
FotoAngelo can be downloaded from
ACD Systems web site for $29.95 or accessed on a trial basis
for 45 days. FotoAngelo also is available as part of ACDSee 3.1 PowerPack.
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| 01-04-2001 |
Express Digital Launches Portrait & Wedding Photography Software For PhotographersExpress Digital, Englewood, Colo., USA, released ExpressPhoto Portrait & Wedding, a software application for professional photographers. The ExpressPhoto Portrait & Wedding software and Internet solution allows the photographer to digitally capture, manage, enhance, present, sell and fulfill portrait studio and wedding images both off-line and online. Specifically designed for portrait and wedding photographers, Express Digitals software is comprised of three distinct modules: Capture, Presentation and Fulfillment, which can be integrated and scaled to any size studio. Portrait & Wedding offers open architecture compatibility with the industrys most popular professional cameras and digital printing devices.
ExpressPhoto Portrait & Wedding is integrated with Express Digitals PhotoReflect.com
Publisher software, enabling photographers to publish their customers own photographs to
their own Internet storefront on PhotoReflect.com. This will provide a tool for the
customer to proof and order their photos from their homes.
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| 01-04-2001 |
Think You're Beautiful? Let the WWW Audience Be The Judge
ShutterPort.com, Boca Raton, Fla., USA, found a creative use for photos - the Picture
Judge "Red Hot or Not?" online rating system. Users can submit photos, anonymously and
free of charge to ShutterPort.com, where the Internet audience will judge just how
handsome or beautiful the person is, whether the person should lose weight, what the new
haircut really looks like. Participants will score the photo and offer commentary on just
how "hot" the person is. Picture Judge "Red Hot or Not" is run with proprietary software
developed by Santyware Inc., a co-venture between ShutterPort.com and Santy.Net, and is
being offered as an ASP to other websites. Visit www.PictureJudge.com.
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| 01-04-2001 |
Callisto Releases Photo E-Mailer by PhotoParadeNatick, Mass., January 4, 2001 -- Callisto Corporation today announced the release of Photo E-Mailer by PhotoParade, software that simplifies sharing digital photos by eliminating the hassles and limitations people often encounter with sending and receiving photos as file attachments. With Photo E-Mailer, all a user has to do is select a digital photo file (JPEG), enter the recipients e-mail address and click send. The recipient receives an e-mail message with a link to a web page displaying the photo. Photo E-Mailer automatically adjusts the size of the photo to reduce upload and download time, and to make viewing simple for everyone. Users dont have to worry about resizing their photos before sending them, because Photo E-Mailer takes care of that for them. We heard from a lot of our customers that they found it surprisingly difficult to e-mail their photos to friends, said Mike Barta, CEO of Callisto. They often heard back from their friends that when they tried to view the photo, it was too large to display on their screen. We developed Photo E-Mailer by PhotoParade because we wanted to make it simple not only for users to send photo files without having to adjust them first, but also for their recipients to view them.
Photo E-Mailer by PhotoParade is available now for purchase and download directly from
the PhotoParade web site for
$12.99. Photo E-Mailer by PhotoParade runs on Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me and 2000.
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| 01-02-2001 |
Epson Announces New Photo PrintersAccording to digitalkamera.de Epson has announced three new inkjet printers suitable for photo printing in its Stylus-Photo product family. The Epson Stylus Photo 790, Stylus Photo 890 and Stylus Photo 1290 are to be available this month (in Germany) and offer further highlights besides a printing resolution of up to 2,880 dpi. The new printers will feature six color printing (yellow, magenta, cyan, light-cyan and light-magenta) as well as black. 48 nozzles project the ink onto paper in different sized dots; the two larger printers (Stylus Photo 890 and 1290) will accept roll paper. The printing quality has been improved by the use of "Epson Natural Color Image" - a technique to ensure an improved and more natural color rendition, and the "Epson Edge Smoothing Function" which optimises the printing of graphics. The Epson printer driver is also supposed to be able to adjust the printing quality to the picture resolution (e.g. the digital camera resolution) and the print size, by automatically recalculating the picture information.
While the Epson Stylus Photo 790 and 890 can print up to A4 format, the Stylus Photo 1290
can print onto the larger A3 format, and all three have an option for printing without
margins. The Epson Stylus 790 prints an A4 photo in about
3.5 minutes; the print speed of
the other two printers is not known as yet. The Stylus Photo 790 has an operating noise
of about 47 dB, while the Stylus 890 and 1290 are a little bit more "discreet" at 42
dB. All new Stylus Photo Printers can be connected to a computer via a parallel or a
USB port (USB drivers are supplied for MacOS 8.1 and up, and for Windows 95 / 98 / ME
/ 2000). The Stylus Photo 1290 can even be PostScript-enabled with an optional
Stylus RIP module.
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