| June 2002 |
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 "Better than the manual" Books for Nikon, Olympus and Canon digicams. |
Got News?
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Advertise on Steve's Digicams
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| 06-29-2002 |
Nikon USA Lowers Price of Coolpix 5000 and 2500 Cameras
Nikon today announced a
new lower price for the Coolpix 2500
and Coolpix 5000.
Effective immediately, the MSRP of the Coolpix 2500 MSRP is now $299.95
and the MSRP of the Coolpix 5000 is $999.95.
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| 06-28-2002 |
Kinetronics Introduces New Tool For Cleaning Digital Imagers
Kinetronics Corp., Sarasota, Fla., USA, introduced the SpeckGRABBER, a $2.95 tool for safely removing individual contaminant particles from digital camera CCDs as well as delicate and sensitive surfaces. A small soft washable pad on the end of the SpeckGRABBER provides a high adhesion surface that sticks to contaminant particles with more cohesive force than the contaminated surface. When the SpeckGRABBER is put in contact with the particle, it adheres to the particle, while leaving no residue on the contacted surface. The SpeckGRABBER is non-conductive, and can be used on active CCDs. It can also be used on lenses and films. The tool is available in two styles; the Pro model has a heavy-duty
rubberized grip and sells for $9.95. Both styles can be cleaned in water or a soap solution.
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| 06-28-2002 |
Divio Introduces All-In-One Chip For Solid-State CamcordersDivio Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, introduced the NW901, a single-chip CODEC (Compression/Decompression) that enables manufacturers to design solid-state camcorders that combine 30 frames per second, MPEG-4 video, high fidelity AAC 2-channel audio, and up to 4-megapixel digital still camera functionality, the company said. The NW901 offers camera-specific features and was designed for camera manufacturers to develop a new class of all-in-one solid-state camcorders. A solid-state camcorder utilizes solid-state flash memory cards to store video, audio and still images. Flash memory storage replaces tape-based mechanical systems of traditional camcorders, allowing them to be smaller, more portable and cost-effective, Divio said. "We believe solid-state, Flash-based camcorders represent a significant new consumer market for flash memory storage," said Wes Brewer, director of Business Development at SanDisk Corp., which has invested in Divio.
(Article from the PMAI Newsline)
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| 06-27-2002 |
Photo Explorer 2.0 Gives Mac Users Advanced Media Management and Photo Enhancement ToolsTorrance, CA - (June 27, 2002) - Ulead Systems, Inc., a leading developer of image editing, video editing and Web graphics software, introduced Ulead Photo Explorer 2.0 for Mac, a complete media management tool for acquiring, organizing, and sharing image, video and other media files on Macintosh computers. Based on Ulead's award-winning and successful retail product Photo Explorer 7.0 Pro for Windows, Photo Explorer 2.0 for Mac goes beyond basic digital management and enhancement features found in other Mac imaging software. It offers an easy to navigate, yet rich pallet of image management and enhancement tools specifically designed for digital camera owners. Photo Explorer 2.0 for Mac is carbonized for OS X, yet also supports Mac users who are still running on OS 9.x and OS 8.6. Photo Explorer 2.0 for Mac gives hobbyists the tools to manage photos with convenient folder tree views, image thumbnail previews, and easy drag-and-drop sorting capabilities. They can move beyond basic image management with the software's flexible support for video, audio, animation and 3D files. With Photo Explorer 2.0's unique ability to read EXIF metadata, digital camera hobbyists can access important photo information like date, exposure and other camera settings. Auto conversion features let users convert multiple images from one format to another while auto-rename quickly renames files after transferring them from a digital camera. Photo Explorer's photo enhancement capabilities remove red eye, crop, rotate or flip photos. It's effortless to improve the look of images when using Photo Explorer's advanced enhancement tools such as hue, saturation, brightness and contrast, color balance, and blur tools. Photo Explorer also includes sharpen tools as well as the ability to add captions or text to photos. All photo enhancement features can be applied to a single photo or batch of images to save time.
Ulead Photo Explorer 2.0 for Mac is available immediately as a downloadable product from
Ulead's Website. The street price for Photo Explorer 2.0 Mac is
$24.95.
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| 06-27-2002 |
Photo-i Reviews Epson Stylus 2100 Printer
Vincent Oliver at the U.K.
Photo-i web site has an ongoing Epson Stylus 2100 printer review. This printer
is very similar to the Stylus 2200 that will be for sale here in the U.S. soon.
It is the wide-carriage replacement for the Stylus 2000P that uses the new
UltraBright pigmented inks for archival prints. Vincent's review is being added
to daily and is currently up to twelve pages of content. It's interesting to note
that the one major difference between the Stylus 2100 and 2200 is that the U.S.
2200 model will -not- include the ability to print on CD discs. This may be a
controversial ommission but from what Vincent says, the 2100 does not do all that
good of a job of CD printing anyway.
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| 06-26-2002 |
Nikon Announces Pricing for D100 Digital SLR and Coolpix 2000, 4500 and 5700MELVILLE, NY, June 26, 2002 - Nikon today announced pricing for its D100 Digital SLR and the three new Nikon Coolpix digital cameras - the Coolpix 5700, Coolpix 4500 and Coolpix 2000. Nikon now has a Coolpix camera at a variety of price points making a high quality Nikon digital camera accessible to amateurs and hobbyists alike, working within virtually any budget. The Countdown Has Begun... Only Two More Days To Go! Nikon's 6.1 Effective Megapixel D100 Digital SLR Camera is scheduled to hit stores on June 28, 2002 for an MSRP of $2500.00. The Nikon Coolpix 5700, the new flagship model in the popular Coolpix line and the world's first digital camera with a 5.0 effective megapixel CCD and 8x Optical Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens, will be listed with an MSRP of $1199.95. The 5700 will offer serious photographers advanced features including an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) for through-the-lens viewing, Nikon's exclusive Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass for superior image quality and the ability to capture in a RAW data recording mode for ultimate image control. The Nikon Coolpix 4500 will have an MSRP of $699.95, and offers a 4.0 effective megapixel CCD to capture superior quality images and a 4x Optical Zoom-Nikkor lens in a swivel lens body, with a combination of full manual control options and numerous automatic features. The Nikon Coolpix 2000, Nikon's newest 2.0 effective megapixel digital camera designed for the novice photographer will have an MSRP of $249.95, and offers a 3x Optical Zoom-Nikkor lens. The 2000 also comes loaded with an automatic shooting mode and five programmed Scene modes to help take great pictures in any situation, Nikon's One-Touch Upload™ button which allows photos to be easily uploaded directly from the camera to a computer or the Web, and the interactive "Let's Get Started" Video CD program that takes users through the entire process of digital picture taking
All of the new Nikon Coolpix products will be available July 2002.
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| 06-26-2002 |
Pocket Phojo v1.1 to Premiere at NPPA Annual ConventionSan Diego, CA - June 25th, 2002 - Idruna Software Inc., a specialist in innovative desktop and mobile graphics software, and the leading provider of handheld solutions to the photojournalism industry, is pleased to announce that version 1.1 of Pocket Phojo , the first handheld photo editing and wireless transmission product specifically designed for photojournalists, will premiere at the National Press Photographers Association Annual Convention in Minnesota, June 27-29th. Pocket Phojo is a software application designed with extensive feedback from top photojournalists that runs on the HP/Compaq iPAQ line of Pocket PCs, and provides all of the tools a photojournalist needs in a package small enough to fit in a pocket. The photojournalist simply takes a photo using their digital camera, ejects the CompactFlash card, then inserts it into the iPAQ to get a list of thumbnail images present on the card. A full size (up to fifty megapixels) image can then be selected from the list, and loaded in seconds. Standard image editing functions such as crop, scale, rotate, levels, unsharpmask etc. are then available if needed, but the crucial feature of Pocket Phojo is the ability to embed text captions into the image in industry standard IPTC format. Once an image is ready for transmission, Pocket Phojo can either send it using it's build in FTP client, or the file can be sent via email. The unit supports a variety of different methods for the actual transmission process, including wireless transmission via cell phone using a data cable, transmission via a regular landline, wireless ethernet, and most popular of all, transmission using the Verizon Aircard on the Express Network, which allows speeds up to 10 times faster than a regular cell phone, and up to twice as fast as even a 56k modem.
Pocket Phojo is available now priced at just $499 for a software only license, and
starting at $1299 for a complete software and hardware solution. Version 1.1 is a
free upgrade to existing customers.
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| 06-26-2002 |
Delkin Devices' eFilm PicturePAD, a Portable Visual Storage Device for Digital Images
Initially the PicturePAD's hard drive will be available in capacities of 20GB and 30GB, but additional sizes will follow shortly after its initial release. The PicturePAD will be sold at photography and electronic stores worldwide and online at www.delkin.com. Suggested price for the 20GB model is US$549.
Read the entire Delkin press release
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| 06-25-2002 |
Microtek ScanMaker 6800 - First Flatbed Scanner to Incorporate Digital ICEMicrotek International and Applied Science Fiction announced the availability of the Microtek ScanMaker 6800 flatbed scanner with ASF's Digital ICE technology for photo prints. The Microtek ScanMaker 6800 is the first flatbed scanner to integrate ASF's Digital ICE technology for photo prints. The hardware and software integration allows users to scan a damaged photo print and apply Digital ICE for photo correction. The combined technology removes dust and lint while also correcting most scratches and cracks commonly found on photo print surfaces. The Microtek ScanMaker 6800 also offers 48-bit color, 4,800-by-2,400 dpi optical resolution, FireWire and USB connectivity, a built-in 4-by-5 transparency light plate, and 8.5-by- 11.7-inch scan area. The Microtek ScanMaker 6800 with integrated Digital ICE for Photo Prints will be available August/September 2002 and has an estimated price of $399.99.
In addition, Microtek will distribute free trial versions of ASF's Digital ROC (color restoration) and Digital SHO
(reveals details in dark-image areas) image correction and enhancement software plug-ins with their scanners.
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| 06-25-2002 |
The Lumix Digital Photography AwardLumix are offering you the chance to participate in two competitions, the Lumix Peoples Award and the Lumix Award, and have the chance of winning Lumix digital cameras, Palm pda's or exclusive participation for two people in a photographic workshop by a well known photographer or by a well known photographic school. The Lumix People's Award competition will take place each month from June to September 2002, any images you enter will be featured on the site and people visiting the digital photography gallery at the site will be able to vote directly for their favourite image. In order to vote you must register on the site. The competition will award prizes for images taken by a digital camera in two formats, single image and multiple image. Each format has three categories, Expression, Environment and Experience. Single image is just that- submit one image conveying the theme of the category you choose to enter. Multiple image is different - it gives you the opportunity to submit 6 images to tell a story, illustrate an idea or create something that a single image doesn't allow. The call for entries will be open for 4 months from the 1st June 2002 to the 30th September 2002. Entries for the monthly Lumix Peoples award will be automatically considered for the Lumix Award. The Lumix Award The Lumix Award will be judged by a panel of respected professional photographers who will deliberate on the 6 category winners of the Lumix award people's award. The shortlist of a 100 images in each of the 6 categories will be created, from which the winners will be chosen using several judging rounds. Out of the 6 category winners they will choose an overall winner for the prize 'Best in Awards' The judging will take place over 1 month in October 2002. The winner receives participation in a photographic workshop for 5 to 7 days for 2 people in a EU member state. The workshop will be held either by a well-known photographer or by a well-known photographic school. Airfare accommodations and meals will be arranged and paid for by Panasonic. Winners will be published at 7pm on the Lumix site. As a winner your work will be published in other media that are yet to be decided but one example could be the Panasonic general catalogue of fall 2002 and for spring 2003
If you would like to know more about the competition and the rules visit
www.panasonic-europe.com/lumix/awards/home.asp
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| 06-24-2002 |
Olympus Europa Announces New Camedia C-4000 Zoom
Hamburg, 24 June 2002 – Equipped with a bright f2.8 high-quality 3x (32 – 96 mm in a 35mm camera) zoom lens, four million pixels and a wealth of photographic functions, the CAMEDIA C-4000ZOOM assures all-round performance. Besides its full automatic mode, this ergonomically and functionally designed digital camera offers six pre-set scene programs for typical shooting conditions such as portraits and sports. With an adjustable aperture and shutter as well as white balance, ambitious digital photographers will enjoy the creative control it allows. A range of optional accessories, like converter lenses and an external flash, are also available. Last but not least, this impressive model amazes with its competitive price. With this four million pixel model, Olympus, the opto-digital specialist and a driving force in digital imaging, shows once again its commitment to producing high performance cameras that provide great value for money. The C-4000ZOOM is planned for release mid- summer.
Read the entire C-4000 Zoom press release.
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| 06-24-2002 |
Visioneer Announces Photoport TV 100 - Instantly Share Your Digital Photos On TV Without A ComputerNew York, NEW YORK - June 24, 2002 - Visioneer, a leader in intelligent imaging solutions, today announced the Visioneer PhotoPort TV 100, a new TV-based digital photo appliance that allows users to easily, view, edit, share and personalize photo albums on their TV using pictures taken with a digital camera. The PhotoPort TV 100 product consists of an intelligent card viewer, wireless keyboard, remote control, power adapter and video cable for only $99.99. All the user needs is a memory card with digital images on it, and a TV. Visioneer will be publicly showing the product for the first time at the DigitalFocus Expo tonight. The Visioneer PhotoPort TV 100 brings the benefits of instant photography to digital camera users by allowing them to view, edit and share digital photos without the use of a personal computer. Simply connect the memory card viewer to the video-in connector on a TV, insert a SmartMedia or CompactFlash memory card containing photos, and use the wireless keyboard or remote control to create personalized photo albums with your pictures.
The Visioneer PhotoPort TV 100 will be sold as a digital camera appliance and will be
available in the digital camera departments of major retailers and computer
superstores. It will also be sold through online services, mail order catalogs and from
Visioneer's web site. Its suggested retail price is $99.99.
For additional information, consumers can visit the Visioneer web site.
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| 06-21-2002 |
Just Released - YarcPlus v2.0The Official Release Version 2.0 of YarcPlus for Windows is now available. YarcPlus is designed for professional and advanced amateur photographers who shoot in the Canon Raw (CRW) format. YarcPlus is simply a great Batch Converter/Viewer for Canon Raw images. YarcPlus has a simple, yet incredibly powerful user interface that allows it to enhance the efficiency of the workflow associated with the processing of Canon Raw files. YarcPlus is designed as a stand-alone program and can also act as a "Plug-In" to ThumbsPlus (from Cerious Software), as well as many other photo utilities. Version 2.0 has been embraced by the Canon RAW community and offers PictureByPicture Conversion (PBPC) which allows you to to adjust the parameter settings of each picture in the file list on a picture by picture basis. You can set the following picture settings individually for each picture in the file list and then convert them all at once with each picture being converted based on their own individual settings:
Details can be found in the
YarcPlus release notes.
The download,
available here, will upgrade existing YarcPlus users, and can also be run in free evaluation
(demo) mode for new users. This is a free upgrade to all Registered YarcPlus users (Just download the new software. No need
to re-enter your registration key).
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| 06-21-2002 |
Canon USA Posts EOS-1D Software OverviewThis from Canon USA:
This driver software overview isn’t intended to replace your software instruction book, and it’s not a course in Photoshop. Our goal is to clearly explain many of the basic fundamentals that can be confusing to first-time digital users, and increase your understanding of the EOS-1D’s driver software – its operation and its options. It’s free of charge, and we hope it helps maximize your enjoyment of digital photography and the EOS-1D. Click to view
EOS-1D Software Overview (Adobe pdf)
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| 06-20-2002 |
Epson America Announces PRINT Image Matching II (P.I.M. II)LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 2002-- Epson America, Inc. today announced PRINT Image Matching II (P.I.M. II), an expansion of the industry-leading digital photo print matching technology. With P.I.M. II, PRINT Image Matching is now compatible with the widest range of digital cameras, software and printers in the industry. P.I.M. II automatically optimizes digital photos from P.I.M. II-equipped digital cameras. P.I.M. II expands on the original P.I.M. technology by adding and improving adjustment parameters. Now, with fourteen image control parameters (two more than the original P.I.M. technology) including "noise reduction" control and "custom scene" settings, P.I.M. II provides the most complete solution available today for automatic print optimization. P.I.M. II can also now be implemented with TIFF (RGB type) images in addition to the more common JPEG capture file formats. Products that incorporate the new P.I.M. II technology are also completely backward compatible, enabling customers to seamlessly continue using devices that utilize original P.I.M. technology if they choose to. The Epson Stylus(R) Photo line of printers will support the original P.I.M., P.I.M. II as well as Exif Print technology, a new standard for digital cameras published recently by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA). "With the announcement of PRINT Image Matching II, Epson continues to push the envelope in delivering effective and easy solutions for attaining the best possible prints from digital cameras," said Keith Kratzberg, director, photo imaging, Epson. "P.I.M. II furthers Epson's quest to deliver the perfect photo printing solutions for professionals and amateurs alike." The first P.I.M.-compatible products began shipping in summer 2001, and there are now over 38 P.I.M.-enabled products from 16 manufacturers of digital cameras, photo printers and software. P.I.M. partners include ArcSoft, Asahi Optical Co. Ltd. (Pentax Corporation), Casio Computer Co. Ltd., JVC (Victor Company of Japan Ltd.), Konica Corporation, Kyocera Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic), MGI, Minolta Co. Ltd., NewSoft, Nikon Corporation, Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., Ricoh Company Ltd., Sanity Software, Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., Sony Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Ulead Systems Inc. Seiko Epson has worked closely with digital camera manufacturers to implement P.I.M. and to give customers the benefits of printing beautiful photos easily from photo optimized inkjet printers. Currently, there are over 30 digital camera models worldwide that support the original P.I.M. and several P.I.M. II cameras were recently announced. P.I.M. II-enabled cameras announced to date include the Casio EXILIM EX-S1 and EX-M1; the Minolta DiMAGE 7i and DiMAGE F100; and the Pentax Optio 330RS and Optio 430RS. Additional P.I.M. II camera announcements are expected to be made throughout the year. The P.I.M. II plug-in for Adobe Photoshop 6.0, 7.0, and Elements will be released in summer 2002 and can be
downloaded from the P.I.M. Web site free of charge. All of the current EPSON Stylus Photo printers -- the Stylus Photo
785EPX, 820, 890, 1280 and 2200 (as well as the 780 model) -- are P.I.M. compatible. In July, customers of these products
can receive a P.I.M. II upgrade by downloading a free software patch that will upgrade EPSON Film Factory (Version 2.1 or
later) to support P.I.M. II. This simple download is all the customer needs to upgrade to P.I.M. II -- a new printer driver is not
needed. A complete and current list of P.I.M.-compatible products is available at
www.printimagematching.com.
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| 06-19-2002 |
Kodak, Fuji, HP to Set Standard for Printing Digital ImagesIn an effort to fend off further incursions by Microsoft Corp., Eastman Kodak Co . has joined with its rivals to create a network with uniform standards that will make it easier for consumers to print images taken with their digital cameras, Wednesday's Wall Street Journal reported. The growth of digital photography has been frustrated by the lack of standards that would make it as easy to send images via the Internet to be printed at local retailers, as it would, say, to withdraw cash from an automated-teller machine. Today, fewer than 10% of all digital camera owners print through such photo finishers, including the major discount retailers and drug-store chains. The initiative, announced this week, is being led by Kodak, its rival Fuji Photo Film Co . and Hewlett-Packard Co., which all hope to turn their low-margin digital-camera businesses into big profit centers, counting on consumers to start actively converting their digital images into prints.
Known as the Common Picture Exchange Environment, the initiative marks the biggest photo-industry
collaboration since 1996 when the industry introduced the advanced photo system film format, which
gave consumers multiple-size print formats and was designed largely to make loading film easier than
conventional film. The initiative will create a network that will include a directory, open for any
company to join, and provide a list of businesses that offer printing services.
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| 06-18-2002 |
Kodak Professional Reduces List Price of DCS 720x to $4995.
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 18 - Continuing with its aggressive, customer-focused marketing strategy, Kodak Professional today announced a dramatic reduction in the suggested U.S. list price of its Kodak Professional DCS 720x Digital Camera - from $6,995 to $4,995. The price change on this popular model, designed for action photography and the most challenging light situations, is effective immediately. "The DCS 720x digital camera is the ideal camera if you're shooting in low-light or action situations - such as military and law enforcement applications, or sports and news events - and now it's available at a very affordable price," said Phil Amato, U.S. Marketing Manager, Digital Capture, Kodak Professional. "The climate in the marketplace and our more competitive stance dictate this aggressive pricing move. We see it as a great opportunity to bring this high-quality, feature-rich action camera within reach of a greater number of professional photographers." The DCS 720x digital camera combines the highest ISO settings available in Kodak Professional's DCS family - 400 to 6400 (calibrated to 4000) - with two-stop push for exposures at up to 25600, to enhance and simplify even the most critical, high-pressure forms of in-the-field photography. Based on the rugged Nikon F5 camera body, the DCS 720x camera features a rapid burst rate of 4.3 fps and a burst depth of 25 images. Ongoing software and firmware upgrades - downloadable and free of charge from the Kodak Professional web site - keep the DCS 720x camera "on the leading edge" and decked out with the latest imaging features and functions. Just last month, a firmware upgrade was posted that enables new and "in the field" DCS 720x cameras for Kodak Professional's new Extended Range Imaging (ERI) image file format. This groundbreaking technology provides professional photographers the ease of use of JPEG files with the image quality and color/exposure control of raw camera files ("digital negatives").
The camera also takes advantage of the latest version of Kodak Professional
PhotoDesk image management software, and the innovative Kodak Professional DCS
Custom Looks Software, which mimics the looks of various films and filters to
meet a variety of artistic needs and simplifies workflow.
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| 06-17-2002 |
Minolta Announces Dimage 7 Firmware Upgrade and New Dimage Viewer SoftwareNew firmware enhances AF speed up to 50%, increases continuous advance to 1.5fps, Adds: Ultra High Speed Advance, Direct Manual Focus, Real-time Histogram, Three new movie modes, Grid and Scale recording mode displays, Manual flash output control, Enlarged playback in QuickVew and Exif Print compatibility.
Click here to read the full Minolta press release.
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| 06-17-2002 |
Fujifilm Sets FinePix S2 Pro Pricing
With 6.17 million effective pixels, the FinePix S2 Pro is capable of producing an image file with 4256 x 2848 (12.1 million) recorded pixels to produce stunning color and detail, while providing dual-storage media options. A limited number of units will be available in July 2002 for media review. The FinePix S2 Pro will begin shipping to professional dealers in Summer 2002.
Fujifilm Launches Digital Camera Accessory Store(ELMSFORD, NY, June 17, 2002) -- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., announced the launch of Fujifilm's brand-new Digital Camera Accessory Store, which went live today.Now, Fujiflm digital camera owners will have a single destination to browse and purchase a wide variety of products to enhance their Fujifilm digital cameras - including batteries, cables, cases, lenses, flashes, USB card readers, paper for digital printers, and more.
Fujifilm launched this new Web site in response to customer feedback that it
was sometimes difficult to find the accessories they needed for their digital
camera. Please note that Fujifilm will not be selling digital cameras on this
site - those will continue to be available from retailers and other resellers.
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(ELMSFORD, NY, June 17, 2002) -- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., announced the suggested
list price of $2699 for the Fujifilm FinePix S2 Professional Digital SLR camera -- the widely
anticipated successor to the acclaimed FinePix S1 Pro. Fujifilm estimates the street price
for the S2 Pro will be $2399.
| 06-16-2002 |
Sunday Morning Photographer -
Be sure to check out this week's addition to Mike Johnston's
Sunday Morning Photographer column.
This week he gives us part 1 of an interview with Nicholas Hartmann
about printing scanned 35mm B&W negatives. Interesting reading ...
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| 06-16-2002 |
Olympus C-720UZ Review Posted
Just posted is the full
Olympus C-720UZ review.
Many have asked about it and here it is. Olympus continues their UltraZoom line
with this new 3-megapixel camera with an 8x optical zoom. Read all about it.
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| 06-13-2002 |
Recent Reviews and PostingsMy good friend Dan Eisenman just finished shooting some Nikon D100 vs Canon D60 comparison shots for me in his studio. The results can be seen on either the Canon D60 Sample Photos page or the Nikon D100 Sample Photos page. Judge for yourself, it is almost a dead heat between these two excellent new digital SLR cameras. I just posted our full Canon Powershot A200 review, this is a very capable and affordable 2-megapixel camera. It lacks a zoom lens but that's all it lacks, the image quality is top-notch indoors or out. Yesterday I posted the Canon S820 Photo printer review. This is another in the "S" series of speedy photo bubble jet printers from Canon that cranks out one gorgeous print after another and is now Exif 2.2 compatible (with the latest drivers and Easy-PhotoPrint program). Like the S820D, S900 and S9000 printers, it uses the separate ink tanks and can output a borderless 4x6" print in less than a minute.
Also posted is the full Toshiba PDR-3300 review.
This is an affordable yet "loaded" 3-megapixel camera with a Canon 3x zoom and
very good image quality. Toshiba has dropped SmartMedia for SecureDigital memory
on this camera, otherwise it is a lot like the PDR-M71.
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| 06-13-2002 |
Addonics IDE Ultra DigiDrive Reads/Writes To Nine Media Types
 SAN JOSE, CA (June 13, 2002) – Addonics Technologies today introduced an IDE interface drive solution with a PC Card (PCMCIA) slot that reads/writes to all of today’s popular Flash media formats including ATA Flash and PC Card hard drive. The Addonics IDE Ultra DigiDrive solves the incompatibility problem of Flash media types found in today’s digital camcorders, PDAs, MP3 players, and digital voice recorders. The Ultra DigiDrive can be a 9-in-1 storage solution with the ability to read/write to 9 different types of media when used with the optional CF DigiAdapter and 4-in-1 DigiAdapter. The IDE interface connection also makes it one of the fastest Flash memory reader/writers on the market today. Unlike Addonics’ award-winning Internal DigiDrive, which has 4 media slots, the Ultra DigiDrive features one standard PCMCIA slot that can accommodate Type I/II/III PCMCIA devices. The device fits inside any 3.5-inch drive bay and connects to a standard IDE interface. The system BIOS automatically detects it as a bootable ATAPI removable drive, which allows the Ultra DigiDrive to be used like a regular floppy drive to read/write to ATA Flash media, PC Card (PCMCIA) hard drive, as well as to other popular flash media. To read/write to other flash media, Addonics provides the adapters to convert the flash media to PCMCIA form factor. The adapters can be purchased separately or as a bundled solution. Users can boot their system from the Addonics IDE Ultra DigiDrive using with various types of flash media depending on the BIOS support on each computer. Data transfer rates are up to 16 MB/sec (depending on the type of media). The fast data transfer, the bootable capability and the nine media types flexibility make the Addonics IDE Ultra DigiDrive an indispensable storage device for all desktop PCs and computer equipment such as kiosks. The base model Addonics IDE Ultra DigiDrive, which supports ATA Flash and PC card hard drive, has a list price of $59. The 9-in-1 model comes with the Addonics 4-in-1 DigiAdapter and the CF DigiAdapter and has a list price of $119. The 4-in-1 DigiAdapter component plugs directly into the Ultra DigiDrive or any PC equipped with a PC Card slot. It reads/writes to four popular Flash media types -- Memory Stick, Smart Media, Secure Digital Card or Multimedia Card, via the PC Card (PCMCIA type II) slot. The 4-in-1 DigiAdapter can be purchased separately for $59. The CF DigiAdapter is a simple and economical solution for converting Compact Flash memory and Micro Drive into PC Card (PCMCIA) card format. The CF DigiAdapter supports CF-I, CF-II, Micro Drive, memory and acts as a standard PC Card hard drive. The CF DigiAdapter can be purchased separately for $29. The Ultra DigiDrive is compatible with all PCs with IDE/ATAPI support. The drive requires one free 3.5" drive bay or 5.25" drive bay (with adapter bracket). Operating system support includes: Windows 98/SE, Me, 2000, XP, and NT 4.0+SP6.
Addonics products are available through major catalog companies,
resellers, VARs and distributors, including StorageUSA.com, Amazon.com,
PC Connection, CDW, Buy.com, Insight, Ingram Micro, and Ma Lab.
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| 06-11-2002 |
Fuji Launches Digital Photography Tour For Second Year
 Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc., Elmsford, N.Y., USA, launched the second year of its FinePix "Picture of America" Tour, which educates consumers about the ease of digital photography. At the Tour's centerpiece is a 75-foot long, 18-wheel truck that houses an educational center for consumers to gain hands-on experience with digital photography. "The first year was a tremendous success. In fact, a majority of tour visitors spent six times longer than the five minutes we anticipated in the Truck, talking with our digital camera experts and sampling the latest products," said Eric Thorng, senior marketing manager for Digital Products, Consumer Markets Division. Fuji brings on board the latest innovations from Microsoft Windows XP, which joins the tour this year. Philips Consumer Electronics and Gateway Computers are joining for a second year. Philips is outfitting the truck with plasma televisions, flat LCD panels, DVD players and surround sound. Gateway is providing all of the computer hardware. The "Picture of America Tour" is scheduled to stop at many U.S. vacation spots where tourists actively take pictures, including Busch Gardens in Tampa (4th of July), SeaWorld, the San Francisco Zoo, Dayton Air Show and the Target Grand Prix. As the holiday buying season approaches, the Truck will visit Fuji partner retailers to help holiday shoppers understand digital cameras. Last year the FinePix "Picture of America" Tour visited more than 60 cities during a 10-month tour covering the
United States. Visit
www.fujifilm.com/finepixtour for details.
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| 06-11-2002 |
Comparison Shopping for a Photo PrinterPete Burian's third article "Comparison Shopping for a Photo Printer" on photo printers has just been published on MSN.ca and MSN.com. Excerpt from this Part III:
New photo printers are announced frequently, often with improved features and technology. Look for previews on the Web sites mentioned above and also on the DCViews Web site " |
| 06-09-2002 |
New Addition: Sunday Morning Photographer ColumnStarting today we will post a weekly column by Mike Johnston called the Sunday Morning Photographer. Clicking on this link will take you to the index page for his columns. Mike will give us his insights on the world of film and digital cameras. Mike Johnston writes and publishes an old-fashioned, entertaining quarterly ink-on-paper newsletter called The 37th Frame ( www.37thframe.com). He has a B.F.A. in Photography from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C., where he was a student of the late Steve Szabo and of Joe Cameron. He was East Coast Editor of Camera & Darkroom magazine from 1988 to 1994 and Editor-in-Chief of PHOTO Techniques magazine from 1994-2000, where his editorial column "The 37th Frame" was a popular feature and where he presented, among other things, a set of three articles on "bokeh" by John Kennerdell, Oren Grad, and Harold Merklinger that were subsequently widely discussed among photographers. His critical and technical writings have appeared in various publications and newsletters such as The Washington Review and D-Max. A number of his articles written under the pseudonym "L. T. Gray" (el Tigre) appeared in the English magazine Darkroom User. |
| 06-07-2002 |
New Forums Software OnlineYou may have already noticed that we just fired up a whole new Public Discussion Forum. The new software is similar to the old by the way the forums are laid out but it offers a lot more features and speed. Unfortunately none of the messages in the old forums could be imported into the new program so we're starting all over again. There's already been activity over there since we turned it on last night, so check in, register and use it. We'll be taking benefit of some of the other new features as we figure them out -- you gotta love new software :-) |
| 06-07-2002 |
HP Releases New Firmware for PhotoSmart 812 Digital CameraHP has released their PhotoSmart 812 Digital Camera Firmware update (Deutsch, English (American), English (International), Espanol, Francais, Italiano) that will bring the camera up to firmware version 1.00.11. According to the HP site this update includes these fixes:
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| 06-06-2002 |
New Canon Powershot A200 Provides 2-Megapixel Image Quality and Advanced Camera Features at an Affordable, Entry-Level Pricepoint Read our full Canon Powershot A200 review LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. - June 6, 2002 - Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), continues to expand its line of PowerShot digital cameras with the introduction of the new PowerShot A200 model. Designed as an easy-to-use, entry-level digital camera, the new PowerShot A200 combines a 2-megapixel CCD chip with several advanced camera features to create extremely high-quality digital photos at a very affordable price. In addition, the new camera can produce high-quality 4x6-inch prints by connecting directly to Canon's new CP-100 dye-sublimation printer. The new A200 can also be used as an underwater camera when used with its optional waterproof housing to depths of up to 100 feet. The PowerShot A200 will be available at authorized Canon retailers nationwide in July and have a suggested retail price of $ 299. The PowerShot A200 is a 2.0 megapixel, single-focal length autofocus camera incorporating several advanced camera features including Movie mode, Photo Effects, Direct Print capabilities using Canon's new CP-100 dye-sub printer, and magnified playback up to 10x for precise image confirmation. It is designed to make digital photography as easy as point-and-shoot. From its bright silver exterior to the clearly marked control buttons, the A200 is the perfect camera for consumers making the transition from analog to digital. Adding to the simplicity of taking great photographs is the camera's Direct Print capability with Canon's new CP-100 and existing CP-10 photo printers. Now first-time users of digital cameras can make high-quality color prints without the complexity of a computer. The PowerShot A200 also incorporates a number of high-end features including the popular Photo Effects mode originally introduced in the highly advanced PowerShot G2 camera. A low sharpening mode has been added to the Vivid, Neutral, Sepia and Black- and-White modes for a total of five separate effects for greater creativity. The shutter speed range of the A200 is among the widest in its class with a maximum shutter speed of 1/2000 second. Combining this speed with the lens's f/5.6 minimum aperture setting makes the A200 ideal for daylight photography and fast-moving objects. Alternatively, when the one-second slow shutter speed is combined with the camera's f/2.8 maximum aperture and optional ISO 400 setting, photos taken in low light conditions can be captured easily and with confidence. The PowerShot A200 can record movies in QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) and Q2VGA (160 x 120 pixels) at 15 frames per second. Up to 10 seconds of continuous recording is possible in QVGA, and up to 30 seconds in the Q2VGA format.
Additional features offered with the PowerShot A200 include 3-point AiAF focusing;
magnified playback to easily confirm critical focus, high-speed continuous shooting at
2.5 fps, 4.0X digital zoom capability, built-in flash with four flash modes and RGB
primary color filters. The A200 uses two AA-size batteries and is compatible with
CompactFlash Type I removable media.
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| 06-06-2002 |
New MagicBracket Flash Bracket for Coolpix 990, 995, 4500
MagicBracket.com, June 6, 2002 - Announces a new feature-packed flash bracket that makes flash photography with your Nikon Coolpix 990, 995 & the new 4500 … a dream… Compact and ergonomic to match the style of your Coolpix, this new Flash Bracket is versatile and easy to use. It has been custom designed and developed over the last 13 months by MagicBracket at the request of Coolpix owners... Fellow Coolpix owners, who know and understand the advantages of an external flash unit, wanted an advanced flash bracket to compliment it. One of the Magic Bracket's features enables you to quickly flip from landscape to portrait position in just 4.5 seconds, assisting you to capture those special moments. This and many other features make your flash photography a dream… The Magic Bracket is the only custom bracket1 for the Coolpix 995, with a quick-flip adjustment from landscape to portrait position. Another very useful feature of the Magic Bracket is the flash - lens Sync… this allows you to use the unique Swivel lens of your Coolpix even in conjunction with your external flash… great for over head, or low to ground shooting! The Magic Bracket is also the only bracket with two landscape positions… the standard position is directly over the lens; the 'over-grip' position moves the flash over the camera's hand grip… perfect for well-balanced, single-handed shooting! The Magic Bracket is available in both a Standard and a Pro version and is designed for the Coolpix 990 & 995. The Pro version includes the Magic Grip which offers a very steady and secure grip for your left hand, a threaded keeper location for Flash terminal cap, plus a 1/4" W20 (UNC) accessory mount. The Magic Grip can be removed and added as required with its simple thumb-screw. The Pro version is preferred since its extra features are well worth the small price difference… however the Magic Grip can be purchased at a later date. The Magic Bracket is very reasonably priced, especially considering the benefit and value to the keen photographer of its many advanced features. MagicBracket.com also stocks the Nikon AS-E900 Multi Flash Adapter and are the sole international distributors of the Sensor Extender for the Coolpix 990. The Sensor Extender is a unique little accessory that allows you to use external lenses (Wide angle, Telephoto etc) with your external flash unit in TTL mode.
Pricing, ordering and shipping details are available at the official Magic
Bracket website: www.magicbracket.com
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| 06-06-2002 |
Delkin Devices Now Shipping a 6-In-1 Flash Card Reader/Writer Poway CA, June 3, 2002: Delkin Devices, a leading U.S. manufacturer of high performance specialty memory products and accessories since 1986, is shipping its new eFilm™ 6-in-1 multi-card Reader/Writer. Reader/Writers have become very popular with the digital photography enthusiast looking for a fast and easy way to transfer pictures from a camera to a computer without using batteries. Most Readers/Writers on the market are designed to read specific flash memory card formats, but the new eFilm 6-in-1 is one of the industries first external single unit connectivity devices able to read six different types of memory cards - CompactFlash, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, SD, and Sony MemoryStick. The 6-in-1 Reader/Writer is USB Mass Storage Compliant and will join Delkin's full line of single and dual Reader/Writers as the Reader-18. An internal version (Reader-19), designed for white boxes and kiosks, will also be available. Drivers are not required for either Windows Millennium or XP, and are included for Mac OS 8.6-9 and both Windows 98 and 2000. The unit's features include the ability to have concurrent access of both slots at a time (CF in one and either MMC-SD/MS/or SM in the other), while also allowing you the option to suspend and resume during the transfer operation. The 6-in-1 also supports DFU (Device Firmware Upgradeable), which enables Firmware to be upgraded at any time, so product enhancement through future firmware versions is possible. A unique feature of the 6-in-1 design is the "soft touch" over-molding process that Delkin utilizes. Rather than use a two-piece injected mold like most Reader/Writers, their single piece over-molding process results in a more stable and durable product. This tamperproof design is able to absorb more shock and is less likely to get damaged because of handling. Delkin recently also came out with an economic line of single-slot of eFilm Reader/Writers to go with the new multi-slot 6-in-1.
Read our Delkin Reader-18 review.
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| 06-05-2002 |
Pentax Expands Optio Digital Line With the Innovative and User-Friendly Optio 430RS And Optio 330RS Cameras DENVER, Colorado (June 5, 2002) . . . PENTAX Corporation expands its digital product line by introducing two innovative digital still cameras, the Optio 430RS and the Optio 330RS. Following in the footsteps of the successful Optio 430 and Optio 330, these two new models inherit the same dynamic design as their predecessors in that they are so compact and stylish that you will want to carry them all the time. Each of the two new models provides high-quality images with impressive all-around performance. The Optio 430RS and the Optio 330RS offer the digital clarity of 4.0 and 3.2 megapixels respectively (effective pixels) and have been further enhanced with advanced and useful features not found on the original Optio 430 and 330 models.
Click here to read the entire Pentax press release
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| 06-05-2002 |
Toshiba Ships New PDR-3300
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| 06-05-2002 |
Nikon Launches Website Dedicated Exclusively To Film and Digital SLR PhotographyMELVILLE, N.Y., -- Pack your camera bags and get ready to take a road trip into cyberspace as Nikon, the world leader in photography, today launches its 'Roadmap to SLR Photography' website, www.nikonslr.com. The website is designed to be a one-stop resource for information on film and digital SLR photography, making it particularly useful because Single Lens Reflex cameras are the most popular format of cameras used by photographers. Nikon is the first camera manufacturer to have a website dedicated exclusively to SLR photography. The comprehensive, fun and interactive SLR website adds to the already impressive online photography community Nikon has built to provide all levels of photographers with the most extensive informational and inspirational photography community available on the Internet. "Not only does Nikon's 'Roadmap to SLR Photography' website offer complete information on Nikon SLR photography, it also assists photographers in deciding their level of expertise and helps them choose the equipment best suited to their needs," said Tracy Mack-Jackson, Manager of Internet Programs at Nikon. "The website is laid out in three simple, fun and interactive sections allowing photographers at every level to find what they're looking for quickly and easily," she added. Nikon's 'Roadmap to SLR Photography' website contains a highly refined navigation system to provide quick access to information for all levels of photographers. Using the visual analogy of three "highway exits," the website leads users to one of three levels of expertise and offers customized equipment information, tips and ideas for taking great pictures. Ranging from novice SLR photographers to high-end amateurs and pros, the three levels cover the entire spectrum of film and digital SLR photography. The website also helps users find their own level of photography expertise by presenting them with simple statements of purpose or intent, such as "I take pictures of family and friends during holidays and vacations" or "I'm a professional photographer." Interactive and Fun: Using Cutting Edge Technology and Graphics The website is designed to take visitors on a "road trip " through SLR Photography, incorporating a fresh design approach to make it informative and easy-to-use, while remaining interactive and fun at the same time. With dynamic, pop-up images, road symbols, signs and moving graphics, the website proves how fun and exciting SLR photography can be. Bright colors and clean layouts make the website visually appealing, while interactive menus and logical navigation makes finding information easy and enjoyable. In addition to the engaging design and easy-to-use interface, Nikon's SLR website includes a wealth of information ranging from the advantages of SLR photography to why Nikon has been the only choice for more Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers than all other camera brands combined. Each Nikon SLR camera is showcased on the website, allowing users to compare different camera models, explore key features of each camera and download detailed specifications. Users can search for special offers on Nikon camera equipment and even locate a camera dealer in their area.
The website also features an extensive glossary section that describes
the meaning of commonly used terms in photography. The glossary is customized
to each of the three sections of the website to easily provide novice users
with answers to simple photography questions, while allowing professional
photographers to access complex and technical terms.
|
| 06-04-2002 |
PowerEx Announces New Battery Packs For Digital Cameras PowerEx now displays its power and versatility through the new Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer battery packs for digital cameras. These batteries feature a low internal impedance and high capacity, giving longer life to the battery and efficiency during usage. Battery runtime is up to 20% higher than original models. PowerEx battery packs for digital cameras are 100% compatible with the original manufacturer equipment.
PowerEx rechargeable lithium battery packs are available for Canon PowerShot G1, G2, Pro90 IS, D30,
D60, Fujifilm FinePix 4800 Zoom, 4900 Zoom, 6800 Zoom, 6900 Zoom and MX-2700,
Toshiba PDR-M5, PDR-M70, PDR-M4, Kodak DC4800 Zoom, Nikon Coolpix 775, 880, 885,
995, 5000 and the new Coolpix 4500 and 5700. PowerEx rechargeable lithium
polymer battery packs are available for Canon PowerShot S100, S110 and S300 Digital
ELPH cameras.
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| 06-03-2002 |
Callisto Introduces Photo Browser by PhotoParadeNatick, Mass., May 30, 2002 -- Callisto Corporation today released Photo Browser by PhotoParade, an easy-to-use photo management tool designed to make it painless for photo enthusiasts to organize, find, and view their digital photos. Photo Browser solves the problem anyone who has accumulated lots of digital photos has in keeping track of them. Photo Browser automatically creates a thumbnail view of each photo so users can quickly and easily browse through them. The thumbnails can be rearranged in any order the user wants using drag and drop. Photo Browser's bookmark feature gives users a convenient way to navigate to the photo folders they use most often. Photo Browser's powerful search capability makes it simple to locate photos by filename, keyword, description, and date. An unlimited number of keywords can be assigned to any photo, and descriptions can be added to both photos and folders, making it simple to search for that information later. Users can designate photos as favorites for easy searching, and can choose photos to be displayed as folder covers, creating a visual reminder of the photos stored in that folder. With Photo Browser's management tools, photos can be renamed individually or in batches, deleted, rotated with no loss of information, and even turned into desktop wallpaper. Detailed information about the photo (date and time taken, shutter speed, aperture, and resolution) can be viewed if available. "Photo Browser is the best tool I've found for locating and viewing the digital photos on my computer," said Curt McCallum, a Beta tester from Tulsa, OK. "I also really like that it works with PhotoParade, so that when I enter a description for a photo in Photo Browser, it can automatically be used as the photo's caption in my slideshows." Pricing, Availability and System Requirements
Photo Browser by PhotoParade is available now for purchase and download
directly from the PhotoParade web site (www.PhotoParade.com) for $49.99.
Photo Browser runs on Microsoft® Windows® 95, Windows 98, Windows Me,
Windows 2000, and Windows XP.
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| 06-03-2002 |
Minolta DiMAGE 7i Review Posted
Toshiba PDR-T10 Review PostedI also posted our full Toshiba PDR-T10 review. This is a pocket-size 2-megapixel camera that features a touch-screen LCD and creates amazingly good images. |
| May 2002 News |
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