  |
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June 1999 |
Another full month of new camera announcements,
click on the following links to jump directly to the
digital camera you're interested in:
Epson PhotoPC 650, 800, 850
Kodak DC280J (Japan)
Kodak DCS660 Pro
Minolta 1500 EX Version 2.0
Nikon D1
Olympus C-21
Ricoh RDC-5000
Samsung Digimax 150 and 007
Sanyo VPC-SX500EX
Sony DSC-D770
Sony "black" DSC-F55K
Toshiba PDR-M5
| 06-30-99 |
Sony Announces New Black DSC-F55K
But hey, we could have told them that, Steve's Digicams has been a big
supporter of the cool black look since day one ! |
| 06-30-99 |
Toshiba PDR-M4 First Look Posted
It's been a busy last couple of weeks and yet another new 2-Megapixel
digicam is inhouse for testing and review. I haven't had time to do
a complete user review yet but I have posted the
Toshiba PDR-M4 First Look for those who want to get a look at
the goodies on this palm-sized wonder. |
| 06-29-99 |
Kodak Posts Firmware Upgrade for DC265From the Kodak web site:
Update Specifics
DC265 Firmware version 1.0.3 is considered a minor firmware upgrade, however once you upgrade the camera firmware, you cannot revert to the previous version.
Note: In our investigation of red -> magenta color shift in DC265, we have found that
recent sensor production can be seperated into two primary categories. In either case, this
firmware addresses the issue.
|
| 06-29-99 |
Canon PowerShot A50 Review Posted
|
| 06-29-99 |
Unity Digital's New ProPower NiMH Battery Pack
 Unity Digital introduces the new $99.95 ProPower rechargeable NiMH battery pack for digital still cameras. This is the second external battery pack we have reviewed, the first was Mizco's DPS-4000 which is a 1350mAh pack. The Unity Digital ProPower pack's capacity is a whopping 2450mAh using the latest in Nickle Metal Hydride battery technology. That is almost double the capacity of the Mizco and it is virtually the same size and weight! The ProPower NiMH battery pack is roughly the size of a pack of cigarettes and comes in a classy leather case with a belt clip that looks like a beeper. Read more in my ProPower User Review, this one is a winner!
Unity Digital's phone number is 888-419-4900 |
| 06-28-99 |
New Olympus C-21 Digital Camera
PC Watch has posted some
Olympus C-21 (beta) test shots.
|
| 06-28-99 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Digital Cameras From Samsung
The 007 uses SmartMedia and ships with a 4Mb card. The image resolution
is 1152 x 864 pixels. Power comes from a NiMH ultra flat battery pack
which can be replaced with a small box that holds 3 AA alkaline batteries.
It has a serial and video port. The flash, which is removable, hooks on the
left side. The optical viewfinder cannot be used when the LCD screen is in
action. It has a digital zoom and comes with a docking station that
charges the battery in the camera or standalone.
|
| 06-27-99 |
Cable Release Brackets for Nikon Coolpix 900/900s/950 Cameras
Reader "Dr Dave" posted the following on our Message Board: I do not mean to steal Nigel Bisset's thunder, but here are my instructions for making a simple cable release.
Dave's last choice seems the best as if you follow the Fisher Scientific link
I put above it shows that this particular flask is available only in a lot
of 500 for $461. Guess now all I need is 499 other Nikon 950 owners and
we'll all get together and buy a case of these things ... If we could find
out who makes the caps -- that's all we need to buy!
|
| 06-26-99 |
Olympus Releases AquaCase PT-003 for D-900Zoom
|
| 06-26-99 |
Sanyo has New CD-R Recorder With SmartMedia and CF Type II Slot
His translation of the Japanese info is that it is a Java-based CD-R
device with a CF slot (TYPE II. Microdrive support), Smartmedia slot,
Video and Audio output and a printer port. A PC is not required when it
works. You can burn the image with sound to CD-R from CF/SM and display
to TV or print it out to color printer. Some picture enhancement will also
be possible.
New Sanyo Digicam
Sanyo VPC-SX500EX, max resolution is 2.1 Mpixels with PhotoGenie,
video clip at 15fps (with IBM 340Mb Microdrive: 8 minutes at full VGA,
38 minutes at 1/4 VGA, 57 minutes at 1/16 VGA). With a 16 Mb CompactFlash
it will be 1 minute at 1/4 VGA and 2 minutes at 1/16 VGA.
In snapshot mode, Sanyo says it will be possible to take one picture at
full resolution in less than one second and the reading time will be less
than 0.7 second.
New Epson PhotoPC DigicamsDeep throat also told me about some new Epson digicams coming out shortly:PhotoPC 650, 1.09 Megapixels, 1.8" LCD, 8Mb CompactFlash, Serial and USB interface (via the new LexarMedia HotShot USB/CompactFlash) announcement at MAcworld at US price $349 PhotoPC 800, CompactFlash, metal case, USB, 38mm (35 mm equivalent) with 2x digital zoom, NiMh batteries (4 supplied), microphone, direct printing, 2 megapixels, 3 megapixels with HyperPict (something roughly like 1984 x 1488 !), Panorama mode (1984 x 744 or 1600 x 600), aperture: f:2,4 and f:8, macro from 15 to 50 cm, shutter: 1/2 to 1/750, +/-2 EV of manual adjustment, 80, 160 and 360 ISO, flash from 15 cm to 5 m, 240g, dimensions : 113 x 68 x36 mm. The PC800 should have an internal RAM buffer.
PhotoPC 850, zoom 35-105 (35 mm equivalent), ISO, aperture and shutter
speed ajustable, 2 megapixel CCD (3 megapixels with HyperPict interpolation)
(something roughly like 1950 x 1500 !) Serial ansd USB interface,
LCD screen with solar assistance (like the PhotoPC 750Z)
Built-in mic for vocal annotation, direct printing on Epson printer
Available in Q4/99.
|
| 06-24-99 |
Kodak Releases Firmware v1.08 Upgrade for DC240Thanks to the Imaging-Resource for pointing me to this info: KODAK DC240 Zoom Digital Camera Firmware Update Version 1.08 (June 1999) The firmware update includes the following features:
Note from Kodak that the firmware update can only be done via the serial
port and not the USB port. |
| 06-23-99 |
Calluna Technology Announces the World's First 260MB Type II PC Card Hard Disk DriveNEW YORK-- Calluna Technology Ltd. today announces at PC EXPO the world's first 260MB Type II PC Card hard disk drive. At only 5mm, the disk drive is less than half the thickness of all current Type III PC Card disk drives from Calluna. This new Type II Callunacard is based on the same magnetic recording technology as used in Calluna's 1GB Type III model. Specifically, it uses the same recording head and the same disk as the Type III drive. An innovative new mechanical and electronics design enables 260MB of data to be stored on just one disk, using one head within an overall format just larger than a credit card. In response to this increasing demand for higher capacity storage from mobile devices, Calluna also announced that it plans additional developments with this exciting new technology. The company is in fact already looking at quadrupling storage capacity in the same Type II format within the next 12 months.
The new Type II 260MB Callunacard sells for a suggested retail price of just
$299 and will be available from a wide variety of computer retail and mail
order outlets in the second half of 1999. |
| 06-23-99 |
New 2-Megapixel Kodak DC280 In Japan
No word on if or when it is coming to the U.S. so I guess we'll wait
and see what turns up. So far nothing has been announced at PC Expo.
|
| 06-22-99 |
Sony DSC-D770 Preliminary Specs
 Sony D770 Features:
Improved AE focus with Beep confirmation: Fast, accurate auto focus with a confirmation "beep" to let you know the camera is in perfect focus.
New MSAC-PC2 Memory Stick Card Adapter: More than twice as fast as the
previous MSAC-PC1, the MSAC-PC2 aids in speeding up the read/write process.
The Digital Photography Review just posted a Sony DSC-D700 user review. To quote Phil:
"The Sony DSC-D700 caused quite a stir in the
Digital Photography world when it was
announced last year. Many people were
excited by it's specifications: five times zoom,
full SLR-TTL viewfinder, 1.5Megapixel CCD
and all the manual controls you'd expect to find
on a true SLR.
Unfortunately due to the high price ($1699)
and short supply (the newsgroups were
buzzing with availability news earlier this year)
it's not had the impact we all expected it
would."
|
| 06-22-99 |
Filmless Photography Sweepstakes AnnouncedIn conjunction with two other leading digital camera web sites, the Imaging Resource today announced the "Summer Filmless Photography Sweepstakes." The Sweepstakes is open to adult residents of the United States, age 18 or older, and runs from today through August 17. Prizes will consist of five Olympus C-2000 Zoom 2.1 megapixel digital cameras, valued at $999 each. Sweepstakes winners will be selected through a random drawing after the close of registration.
The sweepstakes is being sponsored by three leading digital photography
web sites: The Imaging Resource,
The Digital Camera Resource Page,
and The Digital Photography Review.
Interested parties may register for the sweepstakes by visiting any of
the three sponsoring sites and clicking on an ad banner, or by clicking
on banners advertising the sweepstakes which will appear on multiple portal
and consumer-related sites around the internet. Each person may only register
once from each site carrying the advertising banners, but may complete
a separate registration form for each advertising site they click-through
from.
Looks like this will be the summer that a lot of folks win FREE digicams.
Starting next month the 1st Place Winner of our monthly Photo of the Day
contest is going to walk away with a new digital camera. This prize will
be awarded by
Computers4Sure, one of our advertisers. Watch for
more details in July on the Photo of the Day page.
|
| 06-22-99 |
Toshiba Launches New PDR-M5 Two-Megapixel Camera At PC ExpoNEW YORK--June 22, 1999--Toshiba Imaging Systems, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., continues to expand its industry-leading position as a provider of cutting-edge digital imaging solutions with the introduction of the PDR-M5, an ultra-fast Two-Megapixel digital still camera featuring USB/serial connectivity and a 3X optical zoom, at this week's PC Expo Show in New York City. Available at an estimated street price of $799, the PDR-M5 is a superior value in the emerging Two-Megapixel class. Utilizing a 2.14 million pixel, 1/2-inch CCD, it offers true 1600 x 1200 resolution for spectacular, artifact-free photos suitable for framing in print sizes up to 8-inches x 10-inches. Moreover, its simple design -- inspired by traditional point-and-shoot cameras -- allows even novices to begin capturing great digital pictures only moments after taking the camera out of the box. The sleek and powerful PDR-M5 is compatible with Windows (95/98) and Macintosh operating systems. Along with standard serial output it has USB (12Mbps) connectivity built-in enabling it to support all USB-compliant notebook or desktop PCs, including the Apple iMac®. Video-out (NTSC) lets users connect the camera to a multimedia projector, TV or VCR for business presentations or family entertainment. All required cables are included in the package. Toshiba engineers incorporated the most advanced digital signal processing (DSP) technologies to provide superior speed for the PDR-M5. This DSP chip set drives the PDR-M5 to operate at a higher burst rate than a conventional digital camera without compromising image quality. With the PDR-M5 there is practically no delay between shots (.8 seconds), so important photo opportunities are not missed. In burst mode, the camera's internal 16 megabytes of memory acts as a "buffer" temporarily storing images before transferring them to the removable SmartMedia® card. This sophisticated internal memory system -- combined with the DSP chip set -- empowers users to shoot up to four continuous shots at the camera's highest resolution setting in two seconds making the PDR-M5 one of the fastest digital cameras in the industry.
The PDR-M5 will be available August, 1999, and sold through a wide network
of resellers, including computer retail outlets, photo specialty stores,
consumer electronics stores, and mail order catalogs. |
| 06-22-99 |
Norman Camera - Our Newest Site Advertiser
Steve's Digicams welcomes
Norman Camera as our newest site advertiser.
Norman Camera has been a great source for digital cameras and related
digital imaging hardware for several years now. They currently have the
new Canon A50 in stock as well as the Fuji MX-2700, Olympus C-2000Z
and many of the other popular digicams. Their customer support before
and after the sale is and always has been excellent. |
| 06-22-99 |
FlashPoint and PhotoPoint.com Announce Partnership to Create Intelligent Internet Photo Sharing SitePC EXPO - New York City, NY., June 22, 1999 - FlashPoint Technology Inc. and PhotoPoint.com today announced that they have formed a partnership to launch a photo sharing web site that is dedicated to users of Digita- enabled cameras. This new site will support the unique features of Digita- enabled intelligent cameras, including Kodak's DC220, DC260 and DC265, and the Minolta's Dimâge EX family of digital cameras.
The primary focus of the jointly developed site will be to enable
photographers to easily share their experiences over the Internet. The
partnership simplifies the process of submitting Digita photographs, by
leveraging the built-in intelligence to create and organize interactive Web
albums and broadcast e-mail announcements. The site will also feature news,
information, and products of interest to Digita camera owners and offer
community features including a public gallery and discussion boards. |
| 06-22-99 |
Nikon Extends $150 Rebate On Film ScannersMELVILLE, N.Y., June 22 -- Imaging professionals and advanced amateurs have an additional opportunity to save $150 on Nikon's Super Coolscan(R) 2000 and Coolscan(R) III film scanners. Nikon's popular rebate program for these top-rated scanners (which was due to expire June 30) has been extended through September 30, 1999.
To qualify for the rebate buyers need only shop for their best price for
either or both of the scanners, complete the
rebate form and mail the
form to Nikon at the address provided. Nikon will send a rebate check for
$150 for each scanner purchased. |
| 06-21-99 |
iView Multimedia 3.6 for the MacIts name describes what it does 'I View Multimedia'. iView is a professional digital asset management system. It can be used by pros in a demanding publishing environment because it follows international standards, is PhotoShop compatible, is extremely fast, powerful, stable and has great color precision. At the same time it is not just for pros because it is fun, inexpensive, practical and easy to use for anyone with a Macintosh. iView Multimedia can be used to catalog/display all these files, Quark, Canvas, Painter, Live Picture, Freehand, PageMaker, Illustrator, gif, jpg, TIFF, PICT, GX, BMP, Targa, EPS, fonts, sounds, movies, QuickTime VR, animation, MPEG, PNG, Photoshop, MIDI, karaoke, Electric Image and Electronic Arts, and many others. iView Multimedia can also catalog images for Kodak pro digital cameras like: Kodak DCS 1, 3, 5, 315, 410, 420, 460, 520, 620, the Canon EOS D2000 and the AP/Kodak NC2000e. It reads EXIF info (data, annotations and comments in JPEG and TIFF files) from other cameras like the Nikon CoolPix 900/950. iView Multimedia also supports Camera Bits Photo Mechanic and Camera Bits AP Viewer images, including annotations and EXIF style info and reads and displays the Seattle FilmWorks file format. CD ROM publishers, photographers and others can burn iView Multimedia on their CD's and include it with their catalogs royalty free. Digital camera manufacturers are also welcome to include iView Multimedia free with their cameras. Please contact us for more details.
The newest version of iView Multimedia is available for download from:
http://www.iview-multimedia.com or
http://www.scriptsoftware.com iView Multimedia costs just $25.
iViewXT which allows iView Multimedia to read and catalog Quark files is
$48. Site Licenses are available. |
| 06-21-99 |
SanDisk Expands Product Line With New SmartMedia Flash CardsSUNNYVALE, Calif.--June 21, 1999-- SanDisk Corporation announced today that it will act as a single source supplier of flash memory to the retail channel by adding the SmartMedia(TM) flash card form factor to broaden the range of products it offers retailers.
SanDisk is the only vendor to supply the retail channel with
CompactFlash(TM) (CF(TM)), MultiMediaCard(TM), PC Card and SmartMedia, the
most popular flash memory card formats. SanDisk, inventor of the industry
leading CompactFlash memory card and developer of the flash MultiMediaCard,
currently plans to offer the SmartMedia card only in the retail channel.
|
| 06-21-99 |
New Online Service Develops High-Quality Photos from Digital Cameras with EaseNEW YORK, June 21 -- Bringing digital camera owners the same high-quality photos traditionally reserved for 35 mm film processing in a fast and inexpensive manner, EZ Prints today announced the launch of its online service, http://www.ezprints.com . The site provides simple, convenient software for viewing and developing high quality digital images. EZ Prints removes the need to use a personal color printer with costly inks, which tediously prints images on expensive, special purpose paper. EZ Prints develops images into high-quality prints that consumers expect to receive from high-end traditional photofinishers -- delivered in only 48 hours, right to their doorstep. EZ Prints' e-commerce site also eliminates the time-consuming process of delivering digital images to a retail photofinisher. Digital camera owners download EZ Prints' free software one time directly from the Web site. The software is easily installed with a "click," and then users simply transfer digital images from their camera to the EZ Prints application. To develop images into prints or postcards, the user simply clicks on the desired image. Photos that Preserve Memories Digital cameras enable users to capture a moment instantaneously, and until recently, these users were unable to easily preserve these memories in a medium other than the bits and bytes of the computer chip. Now, EZ Prints' photo finishing produces prints from digital images that are equal in quality to those from a 35mm camera. EZ Prints relies on state-of-the-art equipment and develops pictures on Kodak photographic paper.
EZ Prints' large-scale, professional photo-finishing translates into lower
costs to its customers. EZ Prints service develops photos at 49 cents per
print -- less than an inkjet and less than other web based services. |
| 06-20-99 |
Olympus C-2000Z Review Posted
I just finished up my Olympus C-2000Z Review
am most impressed with this new 2.1 megapixel digicam. Sharp, colorful
and well-exposed pictures, fast operation, simple user controls and a
small and light form factor. Of special interest is the remote control
that I have been begging the manufacturers to include with their cameras,
congrats to Olympus for listening - it makes taking macro and night shots
on a tripod a breeze! |
| 06-19-99 |
PC Watch's Nikon D1 Report
The Imaging-Resource has a full translation of the
PC
Watch article about Nikon's new D1 professional digital camera.
It makes for very interesting reading and you can
read it here. |
| 06-18-99 |
Kodak Announces New DCS 660 Professional CameraProfessional photographers have been impatiently awaiting the digital version of the Nikon F5 and Kodak has finally delivered it in the form of the new Kodak Professional DCS 660. A six megapixel CCD imager that delivers 3040 x 2008 pixel resolution in 12 bits per pixel depth for instantaneous capture of the RGB matrix. Built around the lightweight and highly durable Nikon F5 frame with the ability to capture 1 frame per second for 3 frames. The full-frame viewfinder shows you exactly what the CCD sensor sees. You get true wide-angle performance with your wide angle lenses, and an effective focal length 1.3 times the nominal focal length shown on the lens. And, with the advanced anti-aliasing technology in the DCS 660, moiré problems are virtually eliminated. DCS 660 Features:
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| 06-18-99 |
Kodak Introduces Global Positioning System Solutions Kit for DC265 CamerasROCHESTER, N.Y.--June 18, 1999-- Where in the world are we today? Ask your camera. You can if your camera is a DC265 equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and a special script from Kodak. Integrating the next generation of GPS with the intelligent Kodak DC265 zoom digital camera, Eastman Kodak Company today introduced a new accessory kit enabling businesses and government bodies to record longitude/latitude information along with the date and precise time onto digital pictures. Perfect for law enforcement, cartography and government applications, the GPS Solutions Kit is available on the Kodak web site (www.kodak.com) for $1,999. The package includes a Kodak DC265 zoom digital camera, handheld Garmin III Plus unit, rugged aluminum mounting bracket, interface cable and GPS DIGITA script software. The Garmin GPS III Plus features a powerful, 12-channel GPS receiver with a 36-hour battery and detachable antennae, which searches the sky in real-time for signals emitting from a constellation of 24 global positioning satellites. This unit allows the digital images to be automatically linked with the data from the GPS unit, including longitude, latitude and the precise time and date of capture. It features a 2.2-inch by 1.5-inch contrast LFN display with switchable orientation and weighs nine ounces.
For current owners of DC260 and DC265 cameras, Kodak plans a separate bundle
of the Garmin GPS, mount, and GPS script. |
| 06-18-99 |
Olympus Announces New $79 USB SmartMedia Reader
The Olympus USB Reader/Writer is travel-friendly and lightweight with an ergonomic palm-sized design (dimensions of 2-1/2" width x 4" height x 3/4" depth). No heavy A/C adapter or batteries are ever needed and there are no moving parts. The reader is hot swappable and Plug 'N Play ready, so it's always ready for instant use. It is ideal for portability and for those users that need to download image files to many different computers. The Olympus USB SmartMedia Reader/Writer is also faster than any other desktop computer downloading solution. It reads at speeds of up to 1 MB/second and provides sustained writes of up to 400KB/second. These speeds are up to 100 times faster than that which could be expected when downloading through a serial port. With digital camera image-file sizes commonly increasing up to 5 megabytes, users need the fastest way possible to quickly and easily download those larger images to a PC. The Olympus USB Reader/Writer works with industry standard 3.3 and 5-volt SmartMedia cards from any vendor. Images can be read from SmartMedia cards that were recorded in cameras from all SmartMedia based cameras from companies such as Agfa, Epson, Fuji, Minolta, Olympus, Toshiba, and others. Also of interest is a recent observation that SmartMedia cards have been implemented for use in other consumer electronic products, including the new Diamond Multimedia Systems Rio MP3 player.
The Olympus USB Reader/Writer will be available during July 1999 for $79.95.
It is compatible with MacOS 8.1 or later and Windows 98 (USB port must be
available). The package includes the USB Reader/Writer, drivers for both
computing platforms, and manual. It can be purchased from camera specialty
stores, computer superstores, office superstores, consumer electronic
stores, mail order catalogs, and e-commerce sites. |
MELVILLE, N.Y., June 17 -- Olympus America Inc., Digital &
Imaging Systems Group, world leader in film and filmless photography, today
announced the Olympus USB SmartMedia Reader/Writer, the fastest way to
download images from any SmartMedia digital camera. The new device
complements the Olympus line of connectivity options, which includes serial,
parallel, and PCMCIA port image download capability, and floppy disk
compatibility, making the Olympus product offerings broader than any other.
| 06-18-99 |
Coolpix 950 Firmware Update NewsAccording to information posted on the NikonUSA Support Board:
The following information has been made available by Nikon Corporation Japan
Nikon Corporation is preparing to supply an upgraded version of the Coolpix
950 firmware to improve the product operation. The firmware update will be
available for free downloading from Nikon's USA Technical Support Site. The
update is user installable. We expect the update to be made available in the
middle of July. Additional information will be posted here as it is made
available to Nikon's US offices by Nikon Corporation Japan. |
| 06-17-99 |
digitalkamera.de Posts Sony DSC-D700 Reviewdigitalkamera.de has just posted their Sony DSC-D700 user review and as you can see from this picture, they've tested it with a variety of additional hardware. The bottom line was that they liked most everything about it except for the fact that it is quite heavy and comes wrapped in a plastic case.
digitalkamera.de has also posted more info on the upcoming replacement
for Sony's DSC-D700, the
DSC-D770 which will be available in July or August for the same price
as the older model. Manual focusing has been improved, the ISO values
were slightly rearranged and there's been a lot of changes in the
camera's internal software.
|
| 06-15-99 |
Microtech International, Inc. Selected As First North American Distributor For The IBM 340 MB Microdrive
The microdrive has a disk platter the size of a large coin and weighs less than a AA battery. The new device can hold: 1,000 digital photographs compressed; six hours of near CD-quality audio; 300 hefty novels; or the equivalent of more than 200 standard-size floppy disks. IBM microdrive uses high-performance, time-proven hard disk drive technology to store information. The drive has a much lower cost-per-megabyte and holds more content than alternate small-format storage technologies.
Employing IBM's giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head technology along with an innovative power management scheme, the new device promises performance exceeding that of any flash memory PC Card at up to 3MB per second. As compared to the fastest flash memory cards advertised, the microdrive performs at hard drive speed. In addition, an all metal casing and newly developed head parking mechanism ensure reliable operation, even in a highly mobile environment such as digital photojournalism.
MicroTech International will be selling the IBM MicroDrive drive through
d-store and other
dealers.
|
Available in 170MB and 340MB capacities, with or without a CF II to PC Card
Type II adapter, the drive is a plug and play alternative to slower and more
expensive flash memory based cards.
| 06-15-99 |
Nikon Introduces New Digital Professional SLR Fast, Light, Flexible and Professional Standard 2.7 Megapixel Resolution
The D1 is an original design Nikon digital SLR, not a hybrid adaptation. Designed from the ground up for the demanding task of photojournalism, The D1 lets photographers make a seamless transition from film to digital. High digital image quality is rendered by the camera's large 23.7 x 15.6mm 2.74 megapixel CCD, producing ultra-high definition 2,012 x 1,324 pixel images. A super-thin infrared ray-cutting lithium niobate (LiNB) Low-Pass Filter is located directly in front of the CCD, and optimal signal processing is delivered by Nikon's original algorithm set. The new Nikon D1 features fast 0.5 second bootup; a responsive.05 second shutter release lag time (pegged from the time the shutter release button is lightly pressed), and the ability to shoot 4.5 frames per second in bursts of up to 21 consecutive shots (the fastest rate of any digital camera). For professionals in high-pressure, high profile shooting situations the D1 delivers "the money-shot" and ensures that now-or- never news photos, fast-breaking sports shots and elusive wildlife images are captured with instantaneous accuracy and Nikon's renowned optical precision. Like the Nikon F5(R) and F100 -- the D1's preeminent, professional film-based counterparts -- this professional, digital SLR features exacting Nikon 3D Matrix Metering (tuned specifically for digital technology) and a high-speed autofocus system that includes Dynamic AF operation. Indeed, the synergy of the D1's design and technology make it a powerful component of Nikon's Professional Total Imaging System. Its innate flexibility allows D1 to accept more than 80 Nikon F-mount lenses (with a focal length magnification of 1.5) and accessories, keeping additional outfitting costs to a minimum. For superior results, the D1 is equipped with Nikon's new 3D Digital Matrix Image Control which consists of Nikon's 3D Color Matrix Metering, TTL White Balance and Tone Compensation. Image Control uses Nikon's exclusive 1,005-pixel CCD for optimum results. The camera also offers comprehensive exposure control via its three exposure metering systems -- (3D Color Matrix, Center-Weighted and Spot Metering), three auto exposure modes (Programmed, Shutter-Priority and Aperture-Priority), and the exposure compensation and automatic bracketing functions. Manual exposure control is also provided. The D1 shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to a maximum of 1/16,000 of a
second and 1/500 of a second sync speed. The long shutter speeds work
perfectly with the D1's high performance CCD for very low-light photography.
Flash photography is extended to even wider conditions with the newly
available 1/500 top flash sync speed for use with TTL flash control. The new
Nikon SB-28DX Speedlight also provides FP sync with manual exposure control
for use with still faster shutter speeds.
|
| 06-14-99 |
Lexar Media Officially Announces New JumpShot CF Cards
We first reported about Lexar's new JumpSHOT CF cards a month or so ago
but today they made it official with the following press release. Click
on the hyperlink below to read the entire release. I'll have more to
report on these new USB-enabled CF cards at month's end as Lexar
has promised to get me a set to evaluate and review.
Available at leading retailers in August, the new USB-enabled CompactFlash
digital film cards are available in capacities from 16 to 80MB with list prices
starting at $69.00. The optional JumpSHOT USB desktop connection kit will be
available for a list price of $19.95. This kit includes the JumpSHOT USB cable, a
CD ROM with software drivers for Microsoft Windows 98 and Macintosh
platforms, and Windows 98 software for easily viewing and organizing the photo
images. |
| 06-14-99 |
SR Electronics Offers A New DigiSlave Deluxe 3000 Flash Unit
|
SR Electronics, the pioneer of integrated electronic flash units with
builtin slave circuits, has announced the availability of a new
| 06-14-99 |
CycloVision Announces Support for Nikon 950, Olympus C-2000Z and Kodak DC265 Digicams
According to a
press release today, CycloVision is now supporting the new Nikon
Coolpix 950, Olympus C-2000Z and Kodak DC265 cameras with their
ParaShot 360 degree
camera attachment. The ParaShot continues to support the Nikon 900
series and Agfa's ePhoto1280 and ePhoto1680 cameras. |
| 06-14-99 |
New Short Courses Digicam Handbooks
Dennis also has a complete line of
digital photography books for sale at very reasonable prices.
Click on the book cover to go to his site to see what's currently
available. |
| 06-12-99 |
Steve's Fuji MX-2700 User Review PostedI have just posted my Fuji MX-2700 User Review online. This is one small camera that takes really BIG pictures! Speaking of pictures, I hope to finish up my MX-2700 Sample Pictures page over the weekend but I have already posted some macro shots from this new camera.
Check out this 2 megapixel marvel and if you're tempted to buy one
Fuji is sweetening the deal by offering a FREE flashpath adapter
for all MX-2700, MX-600 and DX-10 cameras sold through August 31, 1999.
|
| 06-10-99 |
Steve's Millionth Visitor Is Enjoying His New Digital Camera and Assorted Prizes
 Pictured above is Dave and his prizes including a Canon A5 camera, MicroTech CameraMate card reader, SanDisk CompactFlash card, Quest NiMH charger and AA batteries, and a whole suite of digicam software from Ixla. Dave tells me
that he's still trying to figure out how it all works but is having
a good time and taking a lot of digital picture in the process.
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| 06-10-99 |
Callisto Announces Availability of PhotoParade™ Maker Version 2.0Natick, Mass., June 10, 1999 -- Callisto Corporation today announced the availability of PhotoParade™ 2.0, a new version of their innovative digital photo software that provides customers with an easy way to display and share their "rolls" of personal digital photos. PhotoParade 2.0 combines high-quality animation, graphics, music, sound effects, narration and photo titling with a customer’s digital photos. PhotoParade Maker 2.0 allows customers to effortlessly package their personal photos in entertaining presentations by combining them with one of the specially designed PhotoParade themes. A version of PhotoParade is currently an integrated part of Adobe PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 3.0 . PhotoParade 2.0 has new features based on the feedback of thousands of PhotoParade customers. The new features include larger photo display, new photo editing tools, and options for users to personalize their PhotoParades using music, narration, and scrolling credits. Additional enhancements include support for more photo file formats, new easier-to-use program screens, and easier file finding and saving using the new "My PhotoParades" folder.
PhotoParade 2.0 provides a compelling use for digital photos. The number one
reason people are using digital photography is to more easily share their
photos with their friends and family over the Internet. PhotoParade 2.0 is
simple and fun to use, and produces a single, already-compressed file which
can be freely shared with others. It is an innovative and unique product,
and Callisto Corporation intends to make it a widespread standard for
displaying and sharing "rolls" of digital photos. |
| 06-09-99 |
Phil Posts Nikon Coolpix 700 Review
Phil Askey has just posted a
Nikon Coolpix 700 review and he seems to be pretty impressed with it.
If you don't need the zoom and you're tired of waiting for a Coolpix 950
then maybe you ought to check out the $500 Coolpix 700 instead. It has
the same 2 megapixel CCD and most of the whiz-bang features minus the
manual shutter and aperture controls and the swiveling lens feature. |
| 06-08-99 |
Minolta Expands Digital Capabilities Of Award-Winning Dimage EX Series
The new Dimage EX Version 2.0! camera boasts these software and hardware upgrades:
Existing Dimage EX camera owners can add the latest improvements and upgrade
their current unit by downloading
the updated software directly from the Minolta U.S.A. Web site.
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MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO--
| 06-08-99 |
Ricoh Ships 2.3 Megapixel Digital Camera with USB For Only $699Sparks, Nev. June 8, 1999 -- Ricoh PC Peripherals Business Unit today announced that its new 2.3 megapixel digital camera, the RDC-5000, is now available. At only $699, the newest additional to its award-winning family of cameras is expected to offer the industry's most feature-rich camera, at the market's lowest estimated street price. Targeted towards everyday consumers and professional users, the RDC-5000 offers powerful features that include USB and serial connectivity, protective LCD cover/power switch, 2.3x optical zoom, 1.6-inch super macro for close-up shots, time lapse and 8MB of on board memory. In the tradition of offering its customers a total solution, the package also contains productivity software including ArcSoft PhotoStudio 3.0, PhotoMontage, PhotoFantasy, PhotoPrinter and Club Photo's Living Album 99 online photo sharing software. RDC-5000 Offers More Bang for the Buck The new digital camera features a 1.8-inch LCD monitor and viewfinder for perfect image composition and capture. Photographers can choose resolution of either 1792 x 1200 pixels (2.3 million) or 896 x 600 pixels. The higher resolution enables sharp, detailed 8 x 10 prints to be produced from ink jet or other color and black and white printers. A 640 x 480 resolution may also be obtained using the camera's digital zoom, providing a perfect resolution for instant Internet-ready pictures. The camera also includes 8MB of on-board memory for storing images, and can be used concurrently with up to 32MB SmartMedia cards
The Ricoh RDC-5000 digital camera is available immediately through a
nationwide network of Ricoh certified resellers for an estimated street price of
$699.
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| 06-07-99 |
Pretec Debuts 160MB CF+ Card and Promises A 320MB CF+ Card In Q4 '99DENVER--June 7, 1999--Pretec Electronics Corporation, the creator of CompactModem(TM) and Compact I/O(TM) card, will be demonstrating the 160MB CompactFlash(TM) (CF+) card, the highest capacity CompactFlash(TM) memory card available in the world today, at Microsoft Windows CE Developers Conference on June 6-9 at Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. The 80MB CF+ card (announced in CES 99 at Las Vegas) is in production now. The 128MB CF+ card (demonstrated in CeBIT 99 at Hannover, Germany) and the160MB CF+ card demonstrated today, will start sampling by the summer. 320MB CF+ prototype will be available by Q4/99. Pretec's CompactFlash card offerings covers the capacity of 2MB, 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 48MB, 64MB, 80MB, 96MB, 128MB, 160MB, 192MB, 256MB, and 320MB.
Other than 160MB CF+ memory card and CompactSCAN, Pretec also displays
various CF+ I/O cards in the Conference such as CompactModem(TM),
CompactLAN(TM), CompactSerial(TM), CompactParallel(TM), CompactSSFDC(TM),
and one early prototype of CompactGPS(TM), all of them the first of its kind
in the world. With an optional CF+ adapter, all these CF+ cards originally
designed for PPC, become full-fledged Type II PC cards, to be used in
millions of notebook computers equipped with PC card slots.
|
| 06-07-99 |
Internet Course On Digital Photography Will Teach Creative And Technical Skills
The instructor, Arthur H. Bleich, has taught creative photography courses at universities and art schools worldwide. He is a professional photographer, syndicated columnist, and Contributing Editor of Digital Camera Magazine.
Further information at: http://www.dpcorner.com/digiphoto/
or email arthur@dpcorner.com.
|
Registration is now underway for DIGIPHOTO 101, a 10-session interactive web
course that begins June 21st. Lighting, color, texture, composition, and
other creative and technical subjects will be covered to give both beginning
and intermediate students a solid grounding in digital photography.
| 06-05-99 |
VueScan 2.4 Now AvailableEd Hamrick emailed me to let me (and you) know that he has just released VueScan 2.4 which takes advantage of the advanced hardware capabilities of the Nikon LS-30, LS-2000, HP PhotoSmart, and Canon CanoScan 2700f film scanners. Some of the capabilities of VueScan are:
|
| 06-05-99 |
Toshiba To Make A 1-Gigabit SmartMedia Card
According to a story in
EE Times, Toshiba has developed a new IC package that is as thin as
a piece of paper. Toshiba has plans to use the technology to make
higher-capacity flash memory storage cards by next year.
Using the new package, Toshiba will stack four flash devices in the
same opening. By the first half of next year, Toshiba plans to ship samples
of a 1-Gbit SmartMedia card which uses four stacked 256-Mbit flash
devices.
|
| 06-04-99 |
Iomega Announces Clik! PC Card DriveROY, Utah--Iomega Corporation today announced the Clik!(TM) PC Card Drive -- a small, lightweight removable storage drive for notebook PC users. The Clik! PC Card Drive fits into a PC card slot, common in most notebook and sub-notebook computers today. Using 40 megabyte Clik! disks, the Clik! PC Card Drive offers unlimited back-up and expandable, portable storage options for mobile PC users. Iomega anticipates worldwide shipments in the third quarter. The Clik! PC Card Drive will be available for an estimated street price of $199.95 (U.S.) and 40MB Clik! disks are available at an estimated street price as low as $9.99 (U.S.) each when purchased in a 10-pack.
The Clik! PC Card Drive has been jointly developed between Iomega and
Citizen Watch Company Ltd. The PC Card Drive combines Iomega's exclusive
Clik! Technology with Citizen's proprietary high precision technology.
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| 06-04-99 |
Olympus Makes Official The 32MB Upgrade
The Olympus D-400 Zoom, D-620L and C-2000 Zoom filmless digital cameras are inherently 32MB SmartMedia compatible. The pocket sized D-340L and D-340R come standard with 16MB SmartMedia compatibility and are optionally upgradeable to the latest 32MB SmartMedia card. Earlier D-220L and the D-320L cameras are 8MB Smartmedia compatible. Those owners of Olympus legacy D-320L cameras who want to bring them in-line with contemporary storage capacity may upgrade them to 16MB SmartMedia capability. The new Olympus P-330 Instant Photo Printer also reads SmartMedia cards. While all current production printers are 32MB compatible, some early production units were not. Any printer with 32MB compatibility has a serial number of 2206021 or higher and is labeled on the shipping box. Owners of the earlier units who desire 32MB compatibility may upgrade their printer free of charge. 32MB Upgrade Program Starting on June 1, 1999 and continuing through December 31, 1999, all Olympus D-340R, D-340L, D-500L and D-600L owners will be able to upgrade these Olympus products to 32MB SmartMedia card compatibility. Additionally, all D-320L owners can upgrade their camera to 16MB SmartMedia compatibility. The upgrade service for the D-320L, D-340L or D-340R will cost $49.95, while the D-500L and D-600L upgrade will cost $69.95. As an extra benefit, those choosing to purchase a 16MB (MSRP $59.95) or 32MB (MSRP $99.95) SmartMedia card directly from Olympus as a part of the upgrade service will receive a $20 discount on the service fee. Return costs are included in the service price and a professional lens cleaning will also be included free of charge. Users who have already upgraded their D-500L or D-600L camera to 16MB SmartMedia compatibility and who choose to now upgrade to 32MB compatibility will receive the upgrade for free with the purchase of a 32MB card at the time of upgrade. Floppy Disk Adapter The Olympus floppy disk adapter is 32MB SmartMedia compatible. All floppy disk adapters with the part number (MAFP-2) are compatible as shipped, with 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32MB SmartMedia capacity. All devices that have a part number (MAFP-1) are compatible up to 16MB SmartMedia, with the ability to upgrade to 32MB compatibility by simply downloading an updated driver from the Olympus website. PCMCIA Adapter All adapters that have a part number (MA-2) offer the user 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32MB SmartMedia compatibility. All earlier models (MA-1) are compatible with 2, 4 and 8MB SmartMedia. Due to the device architecture of the (MA-1) an upgrade is not available.
The upgrade specifics are available from our website at http://www.olympus.com/digital, or
call 888-55-DIGITAL, or 888-553-4448. |
MELVILLE, N.Y., June 4 --
| 06-02-99 |
Imaging Resource Syndicates Content To ClubPhotoATLANTA--June 1, 1999--The Imaging Resource, an internet-based consumer resource for digital cameras, scanners, and software, today announced a far-reaching content syndication deal with the leading internet Internet photo-sharing and finishing site, Club Photo Inc.
Through the terms of the syndication agreement, large portions of The
Imaging Resource's extensive digital photography and imaging content library
will be made available on the Club Photo web site, offering a comprehensive
resource to ClubPhoto's subscriber community.
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| 06-02-99 |
Simple Technology Announces Flash Card Capacity up to One GigabyteSANTA ANA, Calif., June 1 -- Simple Technology, Inc. today announced the availability of three new high-capacity ATA flash cards in 512MB, 800MB and 1024MB (1GB) capacities. The PC Cards are available in Type I, II and III form factors, respectively, and are ideal for notebook computers, digital still cameras, handheld computers, and other portable devices. Simple Technology reaches the high capacity points with innovative engineering and 256Mbit flash components. The cards can read data at up to 1.5Mbytes/sec and write at 3Mbytes/sec. Fast read and write speeds are important for all applications but especially digital still cameras that demand minimal wait time between shots. Equally important to digital cameras is the large storage capacity offered by the Simple Technology cards. Today's high-end digital cameras are capturing 2 million pixel images with resolutions of 1,800 x 1,200 pixels. Such an image requires approximately 1MB of flash storage. Storage capacity of 1GB in a Type III format has previously only been available through rotating media. Flash is solid state technology which is much more rugged than rotating media as it has no moving parts. Simple Technology's PC Cards can withstand shock of up to 2000 G with no damage done to the card or its data.
The market for Flash technology is growing at a tremendous rate with flash
card shipments expected to increase at an annual compound growth rate of 69%
during 1997-2002, with over 40 million cards to ship in 2002 according to
research published by IDC (International Data Corporation). Revenue is
expected to increase from $221 million in 1997 to over $1 billion in 2002.
|
| 06-01-99 |
Follow A Film Photographer As He Transitions To DigitalFollow Rob Brainard of 20-20Consumer as he goes from being a Nikon film exposer to a Nikon flasher. He puts his N90 down and gets ready to pick up a e950 instead. To quote Rob: Ok. I thought it would be helpful to others if I journeled my "conversion" from an amateur "film" photographer to an amateur "digital" photographer. I’m not sure what’s all involved, but I’ll soon find out, and I’ll keep track of what I do & need. I've always been terrified of not having a permanent, maximum quality slide/negative of my photos for all eternity, but I guess it's time to step out in a brave new digital world. Maybe this experience can help you out if you’re going to be following me down the same road in life…this journey will probably take a month or two to sort out, but let’s get started.
Read the rest and follow his trek at: |
| 06-01-99 |
Ricoh RDC-5000 Reviews Everywhere
 DC Resource's RDC-5000 Review & Pics Imaging-Resource's RDC-5000 Test Pictures
megapixel.net RDC-5000 Review. Besides the Ricoh, the folks at
megapixel.net also review the Agfa CL50, Fuji MX-2700 and the Olympus
C-2000Z this month -- and I thought I had been busy the last two weeks!
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Content copyright © 1999 Steve's Digicam Online, Inc.
The information presented here has been gathered from the manufacturers' press releases
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