"Better than the manual" Books for Nikon, Olympus and Canon digicams.

01-31-2002

Pocket Phojo for Digi-Photojournalists Idruna Pocket Phojo is the first handheld photo editing and wireless transmission solution for photojournalists. Instead of requiring a bulky laptop to get photos to the press agencies, photojournalists can now fit all of the tools they need in their pocket. For situations such as rapidly breaking stories, or in locations where laptops are impractical, this represents a breakthrough in the time required to get a photo from the camera to the photo desk. Pocket Phojo is available either with the required hardware included, or as a standalone software license. It runs on the Compaq iPAQ 3800 series Pocket PCs, comparable in speed to a Pentium class laptop, yet less than 10oz in weight, and utilizes the latest Microsoft Windows Powered Pocket PC 2002 Operating System. Want to know and see more about Phojo? Then check out Rob Galbraith's Pocket Phojo preview.

01-31-2002

Short Courses' Olympus E-20 Book and eBook Now Available Good friend Dennis Curtin emailed to let me know that he would be receiving the new Olympus Camedia E-20 Short Courses book from the printers in a couple of days. This well-written 109 page book will help you unlock the full power of your camera and help you take better pictures. At just $24.95, it's a steal.  It's also available on CD (PC and Mac) in full color, these "eBooks" are read and printed with the Adobe Acrobat reader (supplied) and costs $19.95. You can have both the book and the eBook for the special price of $34.95.

01-29-2002

Fujifilm Announces FinePix S2 Pro SLR, FinePix S602 Zoom and FinePix F601 Zoom The first wave of pre-PMA 2002 new camera announcements has arrived. Fujifilm USA announces the FinePix S2 Pro, a 6-megapixel digital SLR built on the Nikon N80 chassis that accepts all F-mount lenses. The FinePix S602 Zoom replaces the discontinued FinePix 6900 Zoom and adds new functionality including 30fps 640x480 motion video with audio. The FinePix F601 Zoom, similar to the FinePix 6800 Zoom with a lot of new features under its hood. All three new cameras employ the third generation of Fujifilm's Super CCD imagers. Complete Fujifilm press releases and specifications here.

01-29-2002

Sony Lowers Price of Memory Stick Media LOS ANGELES, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp. said on Monday it has cut the price on its proprietary portable memory format by as 40 percent, bringing the price of the technology closer to the leading standard. This is the second price reduction in six months for Sony's Memory Stick. The flash memory format competes with Compact Flash, which has the largest market share in devices like digital cameras, personal digital assistants and MP3 players. Sony's Web site listed the top-end 128 megabyte version of the chewing gum-shaped Memory Stick at $89.95 on Monday, down from $149.95 previously. In August, Sony cut the price on the 128 megabyte stick from $279.99. Prices on the other Memory Stick modules were also cut: 64 megabytes to $49.95 from $79.95; 32 megabytes to $34.95 from $49.95; and both 16 megabytes and 8 megabytes to $24.95, from $34.95 and $29.95, respectively. A Sony spokeswoman said the company lowered the prices on Friday. Flash memory prices have fallen precipitously over the last year as supply from leading makers shot ahead of demand for consumer products, analysts have said. Sony has promoted the Memory Stick as a link between media devices like camcorders, cameras, music players and computers and as a way to ensure brand loyalty. The company has the leading share of the market for sales of Memory Sticks themselves, although leading flash memory maker Lexar Media Inc. also manufactures memory in the format. "Lexar has already adjusted our price of Memory Stick in line with new market levels," said Eric Stang, the company's president and chief executive. It was not immediately clear whether the company also planned to cut prices in other formats in response to Sony's action.

01-28-2002

Imaging-Resource's "Great Battery Shootout" Dave Etchells over at the Imaging-Resource has been working on a little project he calls the Great Battery Shootout. Dave ran several different types of NiMH rechargeable AA batteries through his own special test and the winner might just surprise you.

01-28-2002

Two "6 in 1" USB Card Readers Reviewed Many of us own more than one digicam and quite often they use very different types of flash media. So what do you do to make life simple? Buy a card reader that can handle more than just one type of flash card. We just reviewed two of the latest USB multi-card readers and both of them handle EVERY type of media used by digicams today. The BUSlink 6 in 1 Data Banker has four independant card slots that are accessed as four removable drives and lets you transfer image data between the cards and the computer or between different types of cards. The Dazzle 6in1 only has two card slots but still handles all six types (CompactFlash Type I and II, SmartMedia, Secured Digital, MuiltiMedia Card and Memory Stick) of memory devices. It installs as two removable drives and allows for transfering data to the computer and also between a CF I or II device and the other types of media.

01-23-2002

Lexar Media to Ship 1-Gigabyte Speed-rated CompactFlash Card FREMONT, Calif., January 23, 2002 -- Lexar Media Inc. (Nasdaq: LEXR), a leading developer of flash mass storage systems and an innovator of high-performance, USB-enabled CompactFlash digital film, today announced that it will begin shipping the industry's first speed-rated 1-Gigabyte capacity CompactFlash Type II card by January 31, 2002. The 16X-speed 1GB Professional Series card clocks a sustained write speed of 2.4MB per second and has a suggested list price $1,199. "Lexar Media is proud to lead the industry by introducing a 16X speed-rated 1GB CompactFlash card," said Eric Stang, president and CEO, Lexar Media. "Our new 1GB delivers everything professional photographers want: a minimum sustained write speed of 2.4MB per second, the highest capacity available and the reliability of solid-state storage." To capture every aspect of their digital image, many professional photographers choose to shoot in RAW or TIFF mode. Shooting in RAW or TIFF creates uncompressed images that can result in file sizes of up to 15MB or more. These large files quickly devour the capacity of smaller memory cards. Los Angeles-based professional photographer and digital pioneer, Vincent Versace, depends on responsive, reliable, high-capacity digital film. "It's great having a larger size card like Lexar Media's 1GB because I can shoot more freely without interruption from my memory card. I prefer Lexar Media's Professional Series 16X-speed cards because I get consistent, fast and reliable image capture. And now, with the new 1GB, I get professional speed and capacity to spare." Lexar Media's 16X-speed 1GB CompactFlash card will be demonstrated at the Photo Marketing Association International Conference and Trade Show (PMA) in Orlando, Florida, February 24-27. Lexar Media Professional Series CompactFlash is the film of choice for professional photographers shooting world-renowned events. Lexar Media guarantees speed and reliable image storage with its solid-state CompactFlash line. Professional Series products come with value-add professional services including free 24-hour technical support and complimentary data recovery services. Lexar Media CompactFlash has upgradeable firmware, which allows the card to be optimized for specific camera models. Lexar Media cards are guaranteed compatible with CompactFlash digital cameras and are USB-enabled for quick and easy image transfer. The 16X Professional Series and 12X High-Speed Series cards are covered by a lifetime warranty.

01-23-2002

Nikon Selects Lexar Media as Exclusive Digital Film Memory Supplier for Coolpix Digital Camera Line MELVILLE, NY and FREMONT, Calif., January 23, 2002 - Nikon, the world leader in photography, and Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq: LEXR), the world leader in high-performance, USB-enabled CompactFlash digital film, today announce that Nikon has selected Lexar Media's high-speed CompactFlash digital film to be exclusively bundled with Coolpix digital cameras shipped throughout the United States and South America in 2002. Nikon will purchase Lexar Media's 16-megabyte 8X-speed Type I CompactFlash card for the Coolpix line. "We are very proud to be associated with Nikon and this agreement demonstrates the depth of our longstanding strategic relationship," said Eric Stang, Lexar Media president and CEO. "As the exclusive supplier of CompactFlash cards to be packaged with Nikon Coolpix digital cameras for 2002, we are able to leverage the combined brand equity of Nikon and Lexar Media to become the digital film of choice for all Nikon Coolpix camera owners throughout the U.S. and South America." Under the agreement, the CompactFlash cards will be co-branded and labeled as a 'Nikon starter memory card' for Coolpix cameras. Nikon will also provide Lexar Media on-box and in-box information and promotion opportunities for its CompactFlash digital film. "We're very pleased with our Lexar Media relationship and their digital film products," said Jack Abrams, president and CEO of Nikon Inc. "We have been bundling Lexar Media digital film with various Coolpix cameras since the launch of the Coolpix 990. Our customers have come to rely on digital film performance that won't slow them down. Lexar Media's ability to produce a fast-writing, high-performance card makes them a good brand to include with our award-winning Coolpix digital cameras." Many professional photographers choose Lexar Media digital film over other brands for its fast data write speed. Fast-writing digital film can reduce a camera's recycle time and minimize the chances of missing the opportunity for live-action or spontaneous shots. Lexar Media is the only company to individually test and speed rate its CompactFlash cards by using an X-speed rating as used by other storage media such as CD-ROMs, where 1X equals 150KB per second. Presently, Lexar Media's retail products include 4X, 12X and 16X-speed cards available in capacities up to 1 Gigabyte. Using the X-speed convention, files transfer at minimum sustained rates of 600KB, 1.8MB and 2.4MB per second respectively.

01-22-2002

Kaidan 360 One VR First Look Posted No it's not an Academy Award, it's Kaidan's 360 One VR system! Kaidan Incorporated and EyeSee360 Inc. have joined forces to create the 360 One VR, an optical system that captures a complete 360° panoramic image in a single camera shot. For $995 you get the lightweight and rugged proprietary optical system and the innovative EyeSee360 PhotoWarp software. The unique EyeSee360 optic provides a complete 360° horizontal panorama with a 100° vertical field-of-view (50° above and below the horizon). If you're one of those iPix-haters then you'll love the 360 One VR because there are no license fees or per-image useage charges. Available in February, we just posted a First Look of it, check it out.

01-21-2002

Firmware Updates Available for Canon PowerShot G1, G2 and Pro90 IS Canon Japan has just released firmware updates for the PowerShot G1, G2 and Pro90 IS cameras. This new firmware fixes a problem with the BP-511 lithium battery packs that involves an over discharge condition that can make the batteries unchargeable. Follow the link above and update your camera firmware today.

01-17-2002

Underwater Housing for Coolpix 995 David Breitigam from the www.wetpixel.com web site has posted some info and pictures of a new underwater housing for the Nikon Coolpix 995 camera. The new housing from Aquatica will be available in February for $849. For more info follow the link above and visit wetpixel.com.

01-16-2002

Shooting Infrared With Digital Cameras Larry Berman emailed to let me know that the latest Feb 2002 issue of Shutterbug Magazine contains two articles written by him and fellow digi-IR photographer Chris Maher. The big article covers shooting digital infrared and includes 8 (plus the cover) infrared images that partner Chris Maher took with his CoolPix 950. Larry and Chris' companion web site at http://irdreams.com has various infrared galleries, an extensive resource section and a forum where infrared issues can be discussed. His latest work is a gallery of images from Vizcaya (Miami) shot with the Sony DSC-F707 which has wonderful infrared sensitivity. The text of the Shutterbug Magazine article can be read at http://irdreams.com/how_to_shoot_ir.htm

01-15-2002

Nikon D1H and D1X - Instant $500 Rebate The big news of the month is the D-1H and D-1X rebate program from NIKON. When I say BIG I mean it... $500.00 instant rebate on each camera. On top of that they also have great rebates on lots of their best glass. Put it all together with Roberts Imaging and Nikon... trade-in your old D-1 (that's right..we take them in on trade), get a new H or X with a $500.00 rebate and then get a great deal on glass!  Please call 800 726-5544 for a quote, our website prices reflect Nikon's MSRP.

01-13-2002

Steve's Digicams Announces Our "Best of the Year" Awards For The Outstanding Cameras of 2001 Let me preface this by saying that 2001 was an incredible year for the introduction of new and innovative digicams. It wasn't easy selecting just one winner for each category given the number of cameras to choose from. The winners were picked because they offer the "best bang for the buck" based on their average street retail price, feature set, ergonomics and image quality. I do not give personal purchase recommendations via email so here's your chance to see what Steve thinks are the best of the best in each of the following categories... Professional SLR In the professional SLR category the Nikon D1X was the stand out camera of 2001. Nikon took the award-winning D1 to the next level with a 5.4-megapixel imager, improved color management, 3D color matrix metering, multi-zone autofocus, 3fps burst rate, 2-inch color LCD for review and all the camera controls and exposure modes found in its film counterpart. It's built around a highly durable magnesium alloy body and useable with a majority of Nikon F-mount lenses. The D1X represents the best value in a professional digital SLR and now costs less than $5000, a far cry from the $12-15K we had to pay only a few years ago. The second runner up is the Kodak DCS 760 Amateur (Prosumer) SLR The Canon EOS D30 was originally brought to market in late 2000 and remained unchallenged in 2001. It's our hands down winner for the best value in the advanced amateur SLR category. The D30 was the first truly affordable (under $3000) digital SLR with interchangeable lenses. The D30's large-area 3-megapixel CMOS sensor delivers detailed and noise free images with a wide latitude of dynamic range and the most incredible battery life we've seen from any SLR. Thanks to a metal inner frame and a poly-carbonate outer body the D30 is the lightest digital SLR available. The Canon EF lens mount gives you access to a vast array of the highest quality optics in the world. The second runner up is the Fuji S1 Pro The third runner up is the Olympus E-20N Five-Megapixel During 2001 we saw the emergence of 5-Megapixel consumer digicams, the first one that broke the $1000 barrier was the Sony F707 Cyber-shot. The F707's features include a massive Carl Zeiss 5x optical zoom lens, an innovative laser-assisted autofocus system, Sony-exclusive NightShot and NightFrame modes, a color electronic viewfinder and a large color LCD display. Powered by a rechargeable INFOLithium battery that tells you precisely how many minutes of run time remain. It records still images in JPEG or TIFF format and MPEG movie clips with sound. The second runner up is the Minolta DiMAGE 7 The third runner up is the Nikon Coolpix 5000 Four-Megapixel We feel that the Canon PowerShot G2 represents the best value in the 4-megapixel consumer category. The G2's highly durable metal body, ergonomics, build quality, controls, optics, image quality, battery life and ease of use is as good as it gets. Image storage options abound thanks to its CF Type 2 card slot, the hot shoe accepts Canon's EX speedlights and the fully articulated color LCD allows the camera to be used easily from any angle. The second runner up is the Sony DSC-S85 Cyber-shot The third runner up is the Fujifilm FinePix 6900 Zoom Three-Megapixel The Olympus C-3040 Zoom is the winner in the 3-megapixel consumer category. Olympus has continued to improve their digicam line based around their hugely popular C-2000 camera. It closely resembles a conventional 35mm rangefinder type camera both in looks and operation. The latest C-3040 model has a fast F1.8 3x zoom lens and a full compliment of exposure and metering modes. Olympus' compact digital cameras consistently deliver well-saturated and properly exposed color images. The C-3040 is perfect choice whether you want an automatic point-n-shoot or a fully-featured camera. The second runner up is the Nikon Coolpix 995 The third runner up is the Minolta DiMAGE S304 Two-Megapixel The Fujifilm FinePix 2800 Zoom is the winner of our 2-Megapixel consumer category. Thanks to its small size and 6x optical zoom this camera is 100% fun. This is the first inexpensive digicam to employ a color electronic viewfinder and it records still images or movies with sound. Powered by standard AA type batteries this is an easy to use automatic digicam with a clean and simple menu interface. The second runner up is the Canon PowerShot A20 The third runner up is the Olympus C-700 UltraZoom Entry Level (up to 1-Megapixel) The Sony DSC-P30 is the winner of our entry-level category. This pocket-sized 1-megapixel camera has a 3x optical zoom with an AF-assist focus illuminator, 1.5-inch color LCD, captures still images or movie clips and can be powered by standard AA type batteries or a Sony INFOLithium rechargeable battery pack. The second runner up is the Canon PowerShot A10 The third runner up is the Kodak DX3215

01-11-2002

Hitachi's New DVD Camcorders Add DVD-R for Playback On Most Home DVD Players LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2002--The Home Electronics Division of Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., unveiled its latest DVD camcorders today at the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show. Three new DVD camcorder models now offer both DVD-R and DVD-RAM format compatibility. The DVD-R capability provides compatibility with most home DVD players.(1) DVD-RAM offers simple in-camera editing and incredible durability as discs can be re-recorded over 100,000 times. "Hitachi introduced one of the first video camcorders to consumers over 20 years ago and has been an innovating force in video ever since," said Leo Delaney, vice president of marketing for Hitachi America, Ltd., Home Electronics Division. "The DVD format is an exceptional choice for high quality video recording. It offers all of the ease of use benefits associated with disc-based recording and long-term durability that tape-based formats just can't match. In addition, the consumer is no longer dependant on using their camcorder as the playback device since DVD-R adds compatibility with most home DVD players. Hitachi's new DVD camcorders will change the way consumers record and share home video." Hitachi's DVD camcorders utilize the high quality and high efficiency of MPEG2 video compression technology. Consumers can select between extended recording time or increased recording quality. DVD-RAM discs hold a minimum of 40 minutes of the highest quality DVD video (20 min/side), one hour of high quality DVD video (30 min/side) or two hours of standard quality. DVD-R discs hold 30 minutes of high quality DVD video (single-sided) and can be played back on most standard consumer DVD players and DVD-ROM drives, but are not rewrite-able. Additionally, the top two models can record 1,998 JPEG still images at 1280 x 960 on DVD-RAM discs, while the entry model can record 1,998 JPEG stills at a resolution of 1024 x 768. Consumers will appreciate the benefits of disc-based systems including random access and the compact form factor. Random access to any point on the disc avoids clumsy rewinding and fast forwarding. Hitachi's DVD camcorders offer a visual "thumbnail" guide of small pictures representing each beginning of a scene recorded on the disc. Simply select the thumbnail picture and you can view the video clip. DVD-RAM offers the same capability when selecting still images. Additionally, since the camcorders only write to empty areas on the disc, there is no danger of accidentally erasing any scene. With DVD-RAM, consumers can even edit their movies in the camera. This sophisticated system allows consumers to re-order scenes and add special scene transition effects, including fades and wipes. Utilizing a USB computer connection and Hitachi's optional PC Editing Kit Software (DZ- WINPC3W), the DVD camcorders become external DVD home movie drives. Video can be transferred from the DVD camcorder to the PC for editing. After editing, the video can be transferred back to the DVD camcorder and recorded. Hitachi's DZ-MV200A features multi-disc format compatibility (DVD-RAM/R), 12x lens (240x digital zoom), 680k pixel CCD, EIS (Electronic Image Stabilizer) and 2.5-inch LCD screen. The DZ-MV200A features USB1.1 PC connectivity, an AV input, intelligent shoe for optional flash, Li-ion battery and remote control. The step-up model, DZ-MV230A adds a 1/4-inch 1.1 mega pixel CCD for higher resolution images and variable bit rate recording for more efficient use of disc space. The DZ-MV200A will be available for $899.95 in April 2002, while the DZ-MV230 is available in April 2002 for $999.95. In addition to the features of the DZ-MV230A, the DZ-MV270A also features a larger 3.5-inch LCD screen, Color Viewfinder and S-video input. The model also supports the new high speed interface, USB2.0, the next standard for future PCs, which provides users with a transfer rate that is up to three times faster than USB1.1. The DZ-MV270A will be available in June 2002 retailing for $1,299.95.

01-11-2002

Toshiba Shakes Up Digital Camera Market by Offering Four Megapixel Camera for Under $500 LAS VEGAS, CA, January 11, 2002 (International Consumer Electronics Show) -- Toshiba Imaging Systems, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., has taken a bold step by today slashing the price of its popular PDR-M81 four-megapixel digital camera to a barrier-shattering $499. The camera was previously priced at $599 after a $100 mail-in rebate. "With today's price move Toshiba now offers the lowest price available for any four-megapixel camera on the market, and effectively provides consumers with the most megapixels for their dollar," commented Doug Freck, Vice President & General Manager, Toshiba Imaging Systems. "Consumers who trust the Toshiba brand for their notebook computers, home theater components and other electronics will find that Toshiba digital cameras carry on the same traditional of outstanding value, performance and innovation." The Toshiba PDR-M81 is a feature-rich camera that boasts brilliant 2400 x 1800 resolution, 6X optical/digital zoom capabilities, AVI digital movie making with audio recording, USB connectivity for ultra-fast downloading of photos to a PC or Mac, plus an all-glass Canon® lens. Combined with a handy SmartMedia® storage system and advanced five-mode flash system, the PDR-M81 represents the perfect fusion of photo excellence, versatile multimedia functionality and low cost of ownership. Toshiba Imaging Systems made the announcement at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it is displaying its full line of state-of-the-art digital cameras, including the Toshiba PDR-M71 three-megapixel model, recently designated "Best Buy" by PC World Magazine for all digital cameras under $500. For information, U.S. customers call 1-800-288-1354. Fax, 1-800-470-9390. Or visit www.dsc.toshiba.com. To purchase the PDR-M81 and other Toshiba items on-line, consumers can go to www.shoptoshiba.com.

01-11-2002

Light & Motion's Titan U/W Housing for Olympus E10 & E20 SLRs Light & Motion continues to move forward in Underwater Digital Photography with the introduction of Titan Digital SLR Photo Housing. Titan is a professional housing that ushers in a new class of underwater digital photography. Titan is designed for the Olympus E-20n and E-10n SLR Digital Cameras. The Olympus E-20 is a 5 megapixel SLR that includes a 35-140mm lens, 4x optical zoom and high speed auto focus. The E-20 supports both Smart Media and Compact Flash which provide massive storage capabilities that enable the user to save hundreds of high resolution images. The Titan housing provides full camera control in, a user friendly layout. Housing provides access to both the optical viewfinder as well as the 1.8” LCD screen for instant feedback and accurate subject composition. Viewable data screen provides the user with all camera information. Flat port is standard and optional lenses can be changed underwater, so you will never have the right subject and the wrong lens again. Titan includes the revolutionary ROC Strobe controller, which allows the user to obtain up to 12 manual power levels on most TTL compatible strobes. Dual strobe output control and housing shutter release are conveniently located at your finger tips enabling a seamless transition between the user and housing. Housing can be purchased as a stand alone or as a complete Travel Package system featuring one or two strobes, wetlink flash connectors, accessories and custom case. To see more, check out Titan at www.uwimaging.com/titan

01-11-2002

Sign Up For DigiPhoto 101 Course Registration is now open for the next session of Digiphoto 101, a ten-week online interactive digital photography course that begins February 4, 2002. Lighting, color, texture, composition, and other subjects are covered to give both beginning and intermediate students a solid grounding in photodigital techniques and esthetics. The class is limited to ten enrollees, each of which has access to the instructor as a mentor throughout the course. Weekly assignments are critiqued online and students may interact with the teacher and each other at a restricted Discussion Board. The instructor, Prof. Arthur H. Bleich, has taught creative photography courses at universities and art schools in the U.S. and abroad. He is a professional photographer, feature editor of Digital Camera Magazine, contributing editor and columnist for CNET/ZDNet, and appears worldwide on CNN-TV as a digital photography expert. Digiphoto 101 classes usually have a cosmopolitan make-up; students have attended not only from the U.S. and Canada, but also from countries in Central America, Europe, and the South Pacific. Tuition is $350. For further information email or visit www.dpcorner.com/digiphoto.

01-10-2002

SanDisk Introduces 256 Megabyte SD Card At CES LAS VEGAS, NV, Jan. 9, 2002 - SanDisk Corporation today introduced the 256 megabyte (MB) SD Card, a removable, postage stamp-sized flash memory card capable of storing up to eight hours of digital music, more than 80 minutes of MPEG-4 video or more than 250 high-resolution digital images. The announcement, made at the Consumer Electronics Show, doubles the capacity of SanDisk's highest capacity SD Cards currently shipping. SanDisk is demonstrating the new 256MB SD Card at its booth (#11511) and the SD Pavilion (#10536). Bo Ericsson, vice president of OEM product marketing at SanDisk, said, "The growing popularity of consumer electronics devices that require considerable storage capacity such as digital video camcorders, digital cameras, handheld computers, audio players and cells phones is expected to fuel the demand for high capacity SD Cards. Indeed, the SD Card is already emerging as a universal mechanism to store and transfer images, video, audio and data between these various platforms." Richard Wawrzyniak, director of non-volatile memory at Semico Research Corp., said, "The robust consumer electronics market continues to drive demand for higher capacity storage cards in applications such as digital video camcorders which require considerable storage. These cards are becoming so much more cost effective that eventually consumers will be able to store as many audio, video and data files they want at a very reasonable price." The SD Card is a flash memory storage device with built-in security functions designed to facilitate the secure exchange of content between devices and the card. It is 32 millimeters (mm) long, 24mm wide and 2.1mm thick. More than 100 products with slots for the card have been introduced. The 256MB SanDisk SD Card uses a 1-gigabit (1Gbit, or 1024Megabit) NAND flash memory chip, the next generation of flash memory that effectively doubles the amount of storage capacity in these flash memory cards. It is based on the patented multi-level cell (MLC) technology pioneered by SanDisk that allows two bits of data to be stored in one memory cell, doubling memory capacity. The commercialization of NAND MLC flash is a critical step to expand existing markets and enable new markets for flash memory data storage. SanDisk is currently shipping 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128MB SD cards. The 256MB SanDisk SD Card will be available in this quarter and is expected to sell for approximately $199.

01-10-2002

Panasonic's New e-wear Products Include Tiny SV-AV10 Recorder and SV-P10 Printer LAS VEGAS (January 7, 2002) - Last year, Panasonic’s e-wear line of tiny, wearable music players started a sensation. Packed with even more technology, this year’s unique e-wear players add multi-media recording and playback capabilities - and more fun than you can imagine. "We’ve taken the e-wear concept to the next phase in its evolution," said James Kiczek, National Marketing Manager, Panasonic Portable Audio. "This year’s line includes models that will record music and video, take still photos, and even print out mini photographs on the spot." All this, from wearable units that fit in the palm of your hand, or around your neck, or strapped to your arm - thanks to the super portability and huge data capacity of the SD Memory Card. The amazing $449 SV-AV10 heads up the new e-wear line and will be available in March 2002. It’s a 4-in-1 A/V SD recorder and player with a flip-out, 2-inch LCD screen. Of course, this versatile e-wear unit can play back MP3 and AAC audio. It can also record and play back MPEG-4 video and digital still photos, chronicling the action as it happens. It even has a built-in flash. And, it can also function as a voice recorder, to capture and play back quotes, lectures, or just your friend’s jokes. Incredibly, the unit’s footprint is smaller than a business card. Weighing less than 3.5 ounces (without battery), this unique device is always ready-to- wear and primed to party. The SV-AV10 e-wear A/V recorder/player can hold approximately 30 minutes of MPEG-4 video, or about 880 JPEG images, in the standard mode (QCIF, 200kps) on an included 64MB SD Memory Card. After viewing your precious photos, you don’t have to wait to print them out - If you take along the $219 SV-P10 e-wear portable printer (also available in March 2002.) This mini color thermal printer is about 3/8" (W) x 2" (H) x 3/8" (D), and weighs just 6.5 ounces (without battery). It prints out JPEG and TIFF images at 203dpi with 256 color gradations, onto 2.7" x 1.5" sheets. Each sheet takes about one minute to print. You can print out a single photo or 4 photos on one sheet. On a full battery charge the SV- P10 can print about 45 sheets, so all of your friends can receive souvenir photo "parting gifts." Panasonic SD-enabled products are marketed in the United States by Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. The company is a division of Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., (NYSE:MC) of Japan, one of the world’s largest producers of innovative electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use. Media can access press releases via the Panasonic Pressroom web site, www.panasonic.com/pcecnews, or through New Directions Public Relations’ toll-free fax-back system at 888-734-7490.

01-09-2002

HP Introduces New 4-Megapixel Photosmart 812 Digital Camera The HP Photosmart 812 digital camera joins a line of HP digital imaging solutions, including scanners, PCs, handhelds, photo printers, all-in-one devices and DVD-writers, offering features that make the process of capturing and sharing photos easy. The HP Photosmart 812 digital camera produces photo-quality printed enlargements up to 11 x 17 inches with four-megapixel total resolution. The camera also offers 21x total zoom, featuring a Pentax precision lens with 3x optical and 7x digital zoom to deliver sharp, clear results. In addition, consumers can truly capture the essence of a moment -- complete with motion and sound -- using video with audio clips to capture up to a full minute of footage. Users can create a digital slide show by connecting the camera directly to a TV or the HP Photosmart 8881 digital camera dock, HP's first camera dock. They also can connect it directly to an HP USB inkjet color printer or the optional camera dock for easy snapshot or portrait printing with precise, stay-true detail. To ensure the HP Photosmart 812 digital camera is always ready to capture the moment, optional NiMH rechargeable batteries can be recharged in the camera via the optional A/C adapter or the camera dock. As an added convenience, only two AA batteries are needed to operate the digital camera -- half as many batteries as many competitor's digital cameras require -- giving the camera a slim, on-the-go look. The HP Photosmart 812 digital camera and HP Photosmart 8881 digital camera dock are expected to be available this spring at estimated U.S. street prices of $599 and $79, respectively.

01-08-2002

Minolta Introduces New DiMAGE S404 Compact Digital Camera See it all in our DiMAGE S404 first look Las Vegas, NV (January 8, 2002) - Minolta Corporation expands its digital camera line with the introduction of the new Minolta DiMAGE S404. With a design based on the highly- regarded DiMAGE S304, the stylish and easy to use DiMAGE S404 features a 4x optical zoom, built-in flash, video recording capability, USB interface and Compact Flash card compatibility. But unlike the DiMAGE S304, the Minolta DiMAGE S404 features enhanced resolution - 4.0 million pixels for clear sharp pictures and enlargements, and double the SDRAM buffer memory - 32MB for faster shooting. In addition, the DiMAGE S404 inherits some advantages from the award-winning Minolta DiMAGE 7 digital camera such as superior GT LENS technology, CxProcessTM imaging and a high speed LSI. "The new DiMAGE S404, Minolta's top-of-the-line compact digital camera, combines high quality images and automatic features, allowing users to obtain the best photographic results with easy camera operation," said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president, digital imaging products for Minolta Corporation's Consumer Products Group. "It's the ideal digital camera for a variety of applications and users -- personal or business, from novice to enthusiasts." The DiMAGE S404 features a 1/1.8-inch type CCD with 4.0-megapixel effective resolution. The camera incorporates a 4x zoom, all glass, apochromatic Minolta GT LENS with anomalous dispersion (AD) glass for color accuracy and dual aspherical elements which, combined with a 2.2x digital zoom, provides a compact lens design with a wide image capture range. The optical zoom lens range is from 7.15mm to 28.6mm, equivalent to 35mm -140mm in 35mm, and with digital zoom, the range is equivalent to 35mm - 308mm in 35mm. The image formed on the CCD is enhanced by Minolta's exclusive CxProcess image processing technology to optimize sharpness, color reproduction, tonal gradation and noise to create clear and natural images. The wide dynamic range is provided by 12-bit A/D (analog to digital) conversion to ensure natural color and tonal reproduction. In addition, the high-speed LSI with 32-bit RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) CPU and expanded SDRAM buffer memory allows the camera to be highly responsive with faster operation. The capturing interval time of 0.8 seconds and brisk continuous advance speed of 1.3 frames per second with up to 7 frames (full size images in fine image quality mode) can transform a passing moment into a priceless memory. The DiMAGE S404 offers flexible and accurate autofocus, auto exposure and an optical zoom viewfinder. Its stylish aluminum body features an easy-to hold grip and simple control layout. A versatile camera, the DiMAGE S404 features fully automatic white balance and video recording with audio as well as ease of use features like Digital Subject Program Selection and creative functions such as histogram display of recorded images, exposure compensation and bracketing, custom white balance and digital effects control, that give the photographer control over the final image.

01-08-2002

Minolta Introduces Revolutionary New DiMAGE X - the Smallest, Lightest and Thinnest Digital Camera in the World See it all in our DiMAGE X first look Las Vegas, NV (January 8, 2002) - Minolta Corporation takes another revolutionary step in the evolution of the digital camera with the introduction of the DiMAGE X. With Minolta's exclusive optical system that places the 3x optical zoom lens inside the flat camera body without ever requiring the lens to extend externally, the camera is the thinnest, smallest and lightest 3x optical zoom digital camera with built-in flash on the market today. "Building on the company's renowned strength in optics and expertise in miniaturization, Minolta's designers and engineers have developed a unique digital camera with a distinctive edge - one with capabilities that have never been seen before," said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president, digital imaging products, Minolta Corporation's Consumer Products Group. "Smaller than a floppy disk and lighter than you can imagine, it can easily slip into a shirt pocket, small purse or jacket, and go anywhere. Its unique, sleek, compact design truly makes the DiMAGE X a fashion statement. But Minolta didn't just stop at trying to make the DiMAGE X a breakthrough camera only in size and style. We designed a camera that's easy to use and allows anyone to take great pictures, too." The Minolta DiMAGE X is approximately ¾ of an inch thick. Making a camera this thin would be impossible with conventional zoom lens technology. However, the unique design of the 3x optical zoom lens allows it to move, or "zoom," vertically within the camera body. That means that when the lens moves from wide angle to telephoto, it always remains inside the camera body. The 3x optical zoom lens is equivalent to a 37mm - 111mm on a 35mm camera, and with the incorporation of the DiMAGE X's 2x digital zoom, the camera has up to a 6x seamless zooming capability. The incredibly compact body of the DiMAGE X has a striking modern design with a rich stainless steel and aluminum finish. Inside the dual-metal exterior of this digital camera is a CCD with 2.0 million effective pixels and it's powered by a fast new RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) Central Processing Unit (CPU). This CPU enables the camera to have the world's fastest start-up time of 1.8 seconds. Images captured with the high-quality lens of the DiMAGE X are enhanced by Minolta's CxProcess image processing technology, which helps control sharpness, color reproduction, tonal gradation and noise. This same technology is used in the top-of-the-line Minolta DiMAGE 7 SLR-type digital camera. The combination of the new high-powered RISC CPU and Minolta's image processing technology results in crisp and detailed images that satisfy the most discriminating photographer. A versatile multimedia tool, users can also make movie clips and add audio to their still images with the DiMAGE X. The DiMAGE X is powered by a responsive, proprietary, super-thin rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Ready to go when the user is ready to start shooting, this battery has the ability of taking shots for hours before recharging with the included charger. An 8 MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card is included for image storage. About the size of a postage stamp, it is the smallest, high-capacity memory card currently on the market.

01-08-2002

New Mac iPhoto Software Makes It Easy to Save, Organize & Share Digital Photos MACWORLD EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Apple today introduced iPhoto, the "missing link" in digital photography that makes it incredibly easy to save, organize and share digital photos. With its simple and elegant user interface, iPhoto makes it easy to import, edit and print digital photos, as well as organize and manage an entire photo collection containing thousands of photos. Designed exclusively for Mac OS X, iPhoto is available as a free download. iPhoto takes digital photography to new levels with exciting ways to share digital photos. Users can now easily view their photos in full-screen, cross-dissolved slide shows accompanied by their favorite music; automatically create custom web pages of their photos; email their photos to friends and family; order professionally-processed Kodak prints and enlargements online; or easily create and order a custom-printed, linen-covered hard bound book of their photos online. "Digital cameras are revolutionizing the way we take pictures. iPhoto revolutionizes the way we save, organize, share and enjoy them," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Just as iTunes and iPod are changing the way people listen to music, iPhoto will change the way people manage and share their digital photos." Import, Edit, Save and Organize Importing, editing, saving, organizing, printing and sharing digital photos is a snap with iPhoto. Simply plug a digital camera into a Mac via USB or FireWire and iPhoto automatically imports, catalogs, stores and displays the photos on screen. Simply drag the mouse, and iPhoto magically grows or shrinks photos right before your eyes. Users can view individual shots in greater detail for precise cropping, or see hundreds of photos on the screen at once and quickly scroll through thousands to find the one they're looking for. iPhoto makes it easy to organize photos into digital albums -- for birthdays, vacations, weddings or other occasions -- for easy retrieval (for anyone familiar with iTunes, think "play-lists" for pictures), as well as add names, comments or keywords to favorite photos. Sharing Digital Photos iPhoto brings a new level of simplicity and creativity to sharing digital photos with family and friends. With "one-click," users can view a beautiful, full-screen photo slide show accompanied by their favorite music. Easily email photos, export photos to other applications or automatically create and publish a custom web page of photos on Apple's iTools HomePage website. iPhoto also makes printing photos quick and easy. With iPhoto's intuitive print interface, printing photos on ink-jet printers is as simple as choosing the print size and number of photos printed per page, then pushing the "Print" button. That's it. With iPhoto, users can also order professionally processed Kodak prints and enlargements online. Unlike traditional film processing, users can order just the prints they want, even up to a poster-sized 20" x 30" enlargement for just $19.99(US). Perhaps iPhoto's most stunning feature is its built-in page-layout program. Simply choose one of the six supplied book designs and iPhoto will automatically create a custom book of photos. Each page can be easily customized to have one, two, three or four photos. Then order a custom-printed, linen-covered hard bound book of photos online, for just $29.99(US) for the first 10 pages and $3(US) for each additional page. iPhoto requires Mac OS X version 10.1.2 and a Macintosh with a built-in USB port. A Mac with a 400 MHz PowerPC G3 processor and 256MB RAM is recommended. iPhoto is compatible with many digital cameras, media readers, and photo quality printers. Apple will regularly update their list of iPhoto-compatible devices. Jeff over at the DC Resource is a self-confessed "Mac nut" and has posted his iPhoto First Look at the software in action. He has all sorts of info and actual screen captures of iPhoto in action, check it out!

01-08-2002

New MovieWorks Deluxe Transforms PCs Into Multimedia Production Studios PLEASANTON, Calif., January 8, 2002 - Interactive Solutions, Inc. today announced MovieWorks® Deluxe version 5.2. The multimedia authoring suite for consumers and prosumers is still the industry's first and only truly integrated multimedia "works" product, putting powerful multimedia production capabilities at the fingertips of any Windows PC user at a consumer-friendly price. Not to be mistaken for a simple video editor, MovieWorks Deluxe combines simple-to-use video, sound, animation, paint and image editing tools with a powerful time-based, object-oriented sequencing and authoring program. The intelligent, intuitive interface makes it easy to produce: High-quality multimedia presentations Auto-load/auto-start, interactive CD-ROM titles Analog or digital (DV) videos Web movies in QuickTime or AVI formats Dynamic slide shows Music CDs which play in standard consumer music CD players VCDs that play in standard consumer DVD players Complete productions can be recorded on CD using Easy CD Creator™ from Roxio, or other comparable software. "MovieWorks Deluxe is like having 'lite' versions of Macromedia® Director®, Adobe® Premiere®, Macromedia Flash™, Sound Edit Pro® and Adobe Photoshop®, all rolled into one and yet amazingly easy to learn and use," said Bill LaCommare, president of Interactive Solutions. "When finished, users can easily distribute their masterpieces on an auto-load/auto-start CD, or copy it to tape or DV. They can also save their productions as QuickTime or AVI files, which may be imported into other applications, posted to a Web page or attached to email messages." The five functionally related MovieWorks 5.2 production applications work together seamlessly, making it easy to incorporate analog (AV) or digital (DV) video, photos, graphics, animations, 3D, narration, MIDI, MP3, CD music, text and titling, and even Virtual Reality (VR) movies into stunning, professional-quality multimedia productions. Users can create an unlimited number of scenes, like chapters in a book, and then link the scenes together either sequentially or through menu-driven button links. For more sophisticate d productions, MovieWorks Deluxe also lets users add custom play controls, and link to Web pages and PDF documents. MovieWorks Deluxe 5.2 now sells for $119.95. A free 5.1 to 5.2 updater is available from www.movieworks.com/download.html. Other registered users may purchase the upgrade for $49.95 from www.movieworks.com/order. html. MovieWorks Deluxe 5.2 requires a 200+ MHz PC running Win 95, Win 98, Win 2000, Win NT, Win ME or Win XP. (Separate editions are available for Apple Macintosh OS 8/9 and OS X.) A CD-ROM or DVD drive, 100MB of available hard drive space and 64MB of RAM are required. A Video capture card, USB video capture box or DV camcorder connected via IEEE-1394 (FireWire) are optional. Details on features and improvements are available on the MovieWorks web site.

01-08-2002

SanDisk Introduces Dual-Slot Memory Card Readers For Retail Market SanDisk Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, introduced three ImageMate dual-slot memory card readers for the retail market. The new readers are designed for consumers who want to transfer images, audio, video and data between storage cards and computers via the USB port. The ImageMate dual-slot readers are available in the following combinations: CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards; CompactFlash and Memory Stick cards; and CompactFlash and MultiMediaCard/SD cards. The new ImageMate readers are expected to be available in March for an average street price of $39.

01-08-2002

SmartDisk Introduces DVDMotion Software; 5GB Hard Drive SmartDisk Corp., Naples, Fla., USA, said its DVDMotion software is now available. The software authors DVDVideo, VideoCD and SuperVCD titles and is available in versions for both entry-level and professional developers. The company said DVDMotion allows videographers, multimedia professionals and video enthusiasts to combine still images, video, audio and other content into a finished product ready to burn to CD or DVD. DVDMotion Standard Edition is priced at $389.95; the Pro edition is priced at $895.95. Both versions are available now through the company's website at www.smartdisk.com. SmartDisk also unveiled a portable 5GB Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 hard drive, FireFly for USB. Approximately the size of a deck of playing cards, FireFly for USB stores up to five hours of video, more than 1,000 MP3 songs or more than 2,000 digital photographs, the company said. FireFly for USB is priced at $299.95 MSRP for the 5GB capacity model, with plans underway for additional higher capacity models in the near future. The 5GB model will be available in February.

01-08-2002

CompactFlash Association Issues Warning Concerning Risk Of Irradiation Damage Through U.S. Mail LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2002-- The CompactFlash Association (CFA) announced today that semiconductors used in electronic systems, including CompactFlash(TM) and CF I/O cards, would be irreparably damaged if subjected to the irradiation process that was being used by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to sanitize the mail. Such damage will not only cause loss of data stored on the cards, but the cards will no longer be operable. To protect public health and ensure confidence in the US Mail system, the USPS in October began using electron beam irradiation systems to sanitize certain mail streams against anthrax and other possible biological agents. Testing has confirmed that these systems, which operate in the range of 55 kGy, damage not only semiconductors, but other goods as well, including pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, biological samples, and photographic film. The following statement appears on the USPS website: "The Postal Service is working with the mailing industry to develop procedures to ensure that sanitization of the mail will not damage sensitive items in the mail. Sanitization technology is currently being tested on a wide range of film products, digital and magnetic storage devices, laboratory samples, food and plant products, and 'smart' credit cards with embedded chips to ensure that all business mail can be safely processed through the postal system." While it is possible that the USPS is no longer passing targeted mail streams though these e-beam systems, the CFA is alerting all users of CompactFlash cards of the inherent risk of damage to CompactFlash cards should they pass through an e-beam irradiation system. Other delivery services have no plans to use irradiation systems, but users should remain alert for any changes in the future. The CFA will continue to work with USPS and others to develop shipping procedures that will ensure the safety of CompactFlash and other semiconductors through the mail. While e-beam irradiation systems for the mail will damage CompactFlash cards, the x-ray scanners at airports will not. As has always been the case, passing CompactFlash cards through the carry-on or check-in baggage x-ray systems used at airports has no affect on CompactFlash cards. A CFA representative will be available to discuss these issues in CFA booth 16637 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2002) in Las Vegas, Jan. 8-11, 2002.

01-08-2002

PhotoPoint Is Officially Gone Over the last week or so I've recv'd a number of emails from folks wondering what happened to PhotoPoint. According to a c|net Tech News item they have gone under due to financial problems. Unfortunately they have left over a million users with no way to access their photos, many of whom have no other copies of these images. Let this be a harsh reminder about doing business in cyberspace and relying on someone else to store and archive your photos. It is always best to have your own local backups of photos if you use any of the online photo sharing services. CD-R drives are quite inexpensive these days, usually less than $100 and a blank disc capable of holding 640MB of data costs less than $0.50 ! 01/09/02 update:   Pantellic President Dale Gass spoke to CNET by email, "While Pantellic has ceased operations, we are actively working on a solution for people to get copies of their photos. There will be an announcement at www.photopoint.com, and members will be notified via e-mail when this is available." According to Gass, Pantellic has been unable to communicate with its customers since a "substantial amount" of its networking equipment was seized on the day the Halifax, Nova Scotia-based company ceased operations.

01-07-2002

Sony Announces Two New Mavicas, Two MICROMV Digital Camcorders, New Digital8 and Hi8 Camcorders and MiniDV Video Walkman VCR There's way too much info to put here on the News page so for all the information on these new Sony products please go to our Sony January 8, 2002 PR page.

01-07-2002

Sandisk Introduces Cruzer, World's First Personal, Pocket-Size Storage Device With Removable Flash Memory Cards LAS VEGAS, NV, Jan. 7, 2002 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced Cruzer*, the world's first portable, pocket-size storage device with removable and upgradeable flash memory cards. The personal storage device, about three inches long, one and three-fourth inches wide and about three-quarters of an inch thick, can be slipped into a pocket or purse for easy transport of personal computer data files, image files, video and audio between homes, offices and other locations where one would like to take their personal files and information. The Cruzer will accommodate both SD cards and MultiMediaCards, two extremely compact size storage cards that have wide industry support. Wes Brewer, SanDisk's director of business development, said, "It is rare that a new storage product can be described as 'unique'. Cruzer is unique because it is the first pocket-size, personal data storage device that is fully compatible with both PCs and consumer electronic devices. Up to now, all small flash storage devices were either PC centric or consumer electronic centric and could not be upgraded by the user. Cruzer provides the connectivity to both the PC/notebook environment and the consumer electronic appliance and also has a unique, stylish, highly ergonomic design." He added that "Cruzer fills a void in the portable storage market today that neither floppy disks nor memory cards can address. Floppy disks cannot be used in many electronic products because they are too large and lack adequate capacity. With memory cards, there are several different incompatible card formats and this prevents many of the cards from being used in various electronic systems. Cruzer helps to bridge those problems because it plugs into the industry-standard USB port that is built into desktop PCs, portable notebook computers and numerous other products, while its removable storage medium can also easily link the PC to a broad array of consumer electronics devices such as digital cameras, music players and PDAs that have an SD or MultiMediaCard slot." Cruzers initially will be available in four capacities - 32, 64, 128 and 256MB. Consumers could, for example, store 35 to 70 songs (depending on compression scheme used) on a 128MB Cruzer or at least 64 high-resolution images on a 64MB Cruzer. More than 40,000 pages of double-spaced text could be stored on a 32MB Cruzer. As higher capacity cards become available users will be able to upgrade their Cruzers to these higher capacities. Cruzer features Mass Storage Class (MSC) compliance, which allows for true "Plug-and-Play" operation when used with Windows 2000, Millennium Edition (ME) and XP. MSC is natively supported in Windows 2000, ME, XP, Apple OS 9.X and OS X which means consumers do not need to install an extra driver to use Cruzer. Cruzers also work with Microsoft Windows 98 and Macintosh computers with Mac OS 8.6 and USB support. Cruzer production units will include software passwords for enhanced protection of personal files. The Cruzer's advantages over floppy disks include higher capacities to store more files, data transfer speeds that are at least 10 times faster and a much more compact and robust design. It is expected that the Cruzer will be available early in the second quarter of 2002 in many of the 38,000 retail stores worldwide where SanDisk-branded products are sold. The device is expected to sell, depending on capacity, at prices ranging from $59.95 to $199.95. It is expected that the 128MB Cruzer will sell for $99.95.

01-07-2002

Kaidan Announces Major New Products at Macworld San Francisco, CA ­ Macworld Expo ­ Monday, January 7, 2002: Kaidan Incorporated, the leading manufacturer and supplier of Photographic VR and Immersive Imaging solutions, today made several major new product announcements. Kaidan Introduces a Revolutionary New Single-Shot Immersive Panoramic Solution with EyeSee360, Next Generation of QuickPan Panoramic Tripod Head, Panoramic Support for the Nikon® Coolpix® 5000, Competitive iPIX® Upgrade Offer and a Professional 3-D Object Capture Solution. To read all of the press releases please click here. 01/10/02 update: Kaidan wins "Best of Show" at MacWorld Expo San Francisco 2002 for its introduction of the 360 One system.

01-04-2002

Peter iNova Releases His iNovaFX Digital Noise Filter for Photoshop A new, final version of the iNovaFX Photoshop Action Filter that appeared in Beta form last November is now available to all digital photographers. The iNovaFX iDeNoiseHiISO2.1.atn folder can be downloaded from this page without cost. It only runs in the full version of Photoshop 6.0, but it does three things that are very good for your high speed, grainy digital images. It reduces visible grain. A lot. It reduces high-ISO color noise artifacts. Without diminishing fine color detail. It reduces most compression artifacts. Contour-following (single pixel checkerboarding) and large-scale square-block artifacts are reduced dramatically. Many images can be shot a full level higher in compression (lower in file size) without resulting in poorer looking prints. Special care is given to isolating and preserving fine contrast and contour detail as well as fine color detail. Grain is suppressed so ISO 800 images end up with less grain than ISO 200 images from most cameras. The original Beta version has been tweaked and improved in several ways, and now the final result is available to all as the DigitalSecrets.Net Action Filter of the Month. New iNovaFX Photoshop Action Filters will be released for free download throughout the year. And at free, you can't beat the price.

01-03-2002

Optosys Announces the Availability of 512MB CF and 1GB CFII Cards The German company Optosys has announced the availability of a 1-GigaByte Type II CompactFlash card that uses chip stacking technology to squeeze two 512MB Samsung NAND flash memory chips into the space of the card. Optosys has licensed the use of Lexar's FC1410 BM2 ATA controller for the card. A 512MB Type I CF card is also available. A 2GB card is in the pipeline for the first quarter of 2002. The Optosys card is designed to work in most CFII-compatible slots and should not suffer compatibility problems exhibited by rival products like IBM's Microdrive, which also requires a Type II slot, but consumes too much current for use in many devices with such slots. The street price for Optosys 1GB card is US$900 or roughly £640. That's nearly three times the price of a 1GB Microdrive, but it's solid state and you can get one now. These memory cards will be sold in the USA by LexarMedia, see their press release. In Europe, these memory cards are sold under the brand Optosys. The Optosys CompactFlash cards are available at www.card-media.co.uk for the UK, and at www.card-media.com for the rest of Europe.

01-03-2002

Canon Launches The Bubble Jet S9000 The Professional Photo Printer For A3+ Printing With the Bubble Jet S9000 Canon brings its award-winning photo printing technology to the A3+ market for the first time. The S9000 provides the same stunning 2400x1200dpi quality as the S800, while printing photographs up to three times faster than its nearest competitor. "We expect the Graphic Industry to be very interested in the S9000," says Mark Robinson, UK Marketing Manager, Canon Consumer Imaging. "Consumers expect Canon to be a technology innovator and this printer really rivals traditional film in both image quality and speed." The S9000 is twice as fast as the S800, (voted as the world's best photo printer by both EISA and TIPA in 2001), and yet delivers the same award winning photo quality. The S9000 is capable of printing a full A3 photo on Canon's Photo Paper Pro in just over two minutes, and a full A4 photo print in just over one minute. "Doubling the speed capabilities of what was already the world's leading photo printer, was a big challenge," says Robinson. "The S9000 has an unprecedented 3072 nozzles, twice as many as the S800 and 10 times as many ink nozzles as its closest competitor. Additionally, through increased head frequency, the S9000 can eject an astonishing 73.7 million droplets per second." The S9000 includes Canon's advanced MicroFine Droplet Technology™ to give the highest control of ink in terms of accurate dot placement, dot shape and dot density. It has a 6-colour ink system that uses the world's lightest density inks, and when combined with 2400x1200dpi resolution and the ultra small 4pl drop size, the S9000 gives grain-free photographs with up to 49 colour shades per pixel for enhanced image depth. Incorporating Canon's highly praised Single Ink technology, the Bubble Jet S9000 offers individually replaceable ink tanks designed to eliminate waste and save consumers money, as well as an accurate ink-low and ink-out detection system to ensure that no print jobs are wasted. The S9000 also announces the arrival of fast borderless photo printing allowing the production of images that are indistinguishable from traditional photographs. The S9000 makes borderless printing realistic for everyday use, as it prints edge-to-edge photos up to five times faster than its competitors. Canon's High Colour inks offer more than 25 years' light fastness (subject to storage or display conditions), especially important when thinking of displaying prints produced on the S9000. Internal tests indicate a photo lifespan in excess 25 years when printed on Photo Paper Pro (PR-101) using Canon inks. The S9000 also offers a comprehensive range of photo software. This includes Canon PhotoRecord, which allows easy multi-layout, and auto-scaling of images to different paper sizes; Canon ZoomBrowser EX for archiving, retouching and composing slide shows; and Canon PhotoStitch for combining digital images to create a large panoramic image. The S9000 is fitted with a USB interface giving compatibility with Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Mac OS. All Bubble Jet models come with a one year on-site warranty. The S9000 will be available from February 2002 for around £459 Inc VAT. Customers requiring further information should call 0800 252 223 or visit www.canon.co.uk/bubblejet

01-03-2002

EOS D30 Firmware v1.022 Update Fellow D30 user Fred Miranda emailed to let me know that he had just posted a firmware update for Canon's EOS D30 SLR. This update came from Chuck Westfall at Canon USA but has not been posted on their web site yet. Both a Windows and Mac compressed download file is available from Fred's forum at: www.fredmiranda.com/forum/viewtopic.php?TopicID=22 There's a .pdf file that describes the installation process, it requires a card reader as the firmware update is installed from a CF card.

01-03-2002

Toshiba Lowers Price, Offers Rebate On Digital Cameras IRVINE, CA, January 2, 2002 -- Toshiba Imaging Systems, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., is encouraging digital photography buffs to ring in 2002 with one of its high-quality, award-winning digital cameras. Toshiba announced today that it is reducing the price of its popular 3.2 megapixel digital camera, the PDR-M71, by over twenty percent to a breakthrough $399. In addition, Toshiba is immediately offering a $100 mail-in rebate for its top-of-the-line PDR-M81 4.2 megapixel camera, effectively cutting its price to $599 and putting four-megapixel digital imaging power well within reach of budget-conscious shoppers. As a further enticement, Toshiba is extending its free Photo Kit offer to buyers of its PDR-M81, PDR-M71 and PDR-M21 cameras. A $100 value, the free Toshiba Photo Kit includes an extra 32Mb SmartMedia card along with a Case Logic SmartMedia case, a sturdy camera bag, plus four Energizer e2 Lithium Photo Batteries (perfect for your new Toshiba digital camera!). "With these price reductions, Toshiba now stands alone in the marketplace by offering digital cameras that combine incredible low cost of ownership with the best photo output and unmatched versatility," said Doug Freck, Vice President & General Manager, Toshiba Imaging Systems. "Digital photography enthusiasts can turn with confidence to the Toshiba brand for digital cameras, just as they do for their other consumer electronics needs." Toshiba will be displaying its full line of digital cameras at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

01-01-2002

Happy New Year 2002 !!! I'd like to personally thank all of our readers for making us one of the most popular digital camera review sites on the net.   Yes, there really is a Steve here at Steve's! I wish only the best for you and your families in the new year. 2002 promises to be another very exciting year in the evolution of digital cameras and you can be sure that we'll be here to cover all of the new products and innovations. Things might get off to a bit of a slow start but it won't be for long as PMA 2002 is less than two months away!

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