05-30-2000

AppleInsider - Exclusive Look at Venus-In-Furs OK, what has Steve been smoking? What in the heck is Venus-In-furs? Would you believe that is Adobe's code name for the now-in-beta PhotoShop 6.0? Well, it is. The folks at AppleInsider.com have posted An Exclusive Inside Look at Adobe Photoshop 6 report. This is the much anticipated and major upgrade to the most popular photo editing software in use. I won't spoil your reading but will give you this, it features onscreen text entry with typographic control, improved bitmap font display, improved layer management, next-generation layer masking, shape drawing tools, more PDF support and just more PhotoShop everything. And of course it will include an all new version of Adobe's ImageReady as well.

05-30-2000

Olympus Optical to Sell "Goggles-Shaped" Eye-Trek Display for PCs May 30, 2000 (TOKYO) -- Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. said it will release on June 24 a new model in its series of goggles-shaped displays -- the Eye-Trek, FMD-700. It gives users the feeling of seeing a 52-inch display screen two meters away. The new model encompasses three main new features: 4x effective pixels, improved sound quality, and PC connection capabilities. Olympus said the new model will be listed for 150,000yen ($1399USD). The existing models, the FMD-150W and FMD-200, will be sold as low-priced models. The company employs a new technology called Optical Super Resolution (OSR) to improve the number of pixels. OSR technology enables a single pixel to create four images at a time on the screen by moving the direction of the flash in just 1/120 of a second by electronic control. The FMD-700 has a TFT-LCD with 180,000 pixels. Due to its function to quadruple effective pixels, it shows a 720,000-pixel image. The new model decreases distortion by improving a special prism and it results in reduced grains in the image due to an improved optical filter to show a smooth image. The sound quality is improved by employing a BBE circuit and surround function. The BBE circuit makes the sound quality closer to the original sound. The existing Eye-Trek series devices connect to a video/LD/DVD player or a home game machine, while the new series FND-700 equips RGB input terminals for PC compatibility. This function is useful to see the image contents meant for PCs. However, because its resolution is less than that of a typical display monitor for PCs, it's not appropriate to use it as a substitute display for PCs. In order to make characters clear and accurate on the FMD-700, the font size must be set at 13 points or larger. Its dimensions are 161mm wide by 64mm high by 54mm thick, and it weighs 105g. Compared with the existing models, it is slightly thicker and weighs an additional 20g. The dimensions of the control unit with the functions such as image quality and volume controllers and a connection mode switcher (AV equipment or PC) are 190mm wide by 140mm thick by 23mm high, and it weighs 380g. Also be sure to see my user review of the Sony Glasstron LCD glasses.

05-30-2000

SanDisk CompactFlash Cards Find New Home in Weave Innovation's $299 StoryBox Smart Picture Frame SUNNYVALE, Calif.-- SanDisk Corporation announced a new mass consumer application for its industry-leading CompactFlash(TM) (CF(TM)) memory card - digital picture frames. The first internet-connected picture frame to utilize the CompactFlash card, the StoryBox Smart Picture Frame, has been introduced by Weave Innovations. The removable CompactFlash card, invented by SanDisk, will store images that can either be viewed one at a time or as a slide show, changing as often as the viewer dictates. The StoryBox Smart Picture Frame has the capability, due to an embedded controller, for the owner to remove the CompactFlash card from their digital camera, insert it into the frame and retrieve, transfer, print or share the images without the assistance of a personal computer. StoryBox frames connect to the StoryBox Network through a normal telephone line. By using the frame and storing images on a CF card, users are able to send their pictures via the StoryBox Network to other StoryBox Smart Picture Frames as well as e-mail and photo sharing websites. Once connected, the StoryBox Network updates consumers' StoryBox Smart Picture Frames with personalized content from E!Online, MSNBC.com, SportsLine.com, Traffic Station and The Weather Channel. Kodak branded StoryBox Smart Picture Frames will be available at retail this summer with a suggested retail price of $299.

05-27-2000

A Snapshot Of The Online Photo Business The online photo business is as cluttered as a shoebox full of old pictures. There are several hundred sites where people can post and share their snapshots, order prints, and even create mini-movies with their photos. Not all of them will be around next year. And not all of them will be thrilled with a competitive analysis coming out Monday from FutureImage, the digital photography industry's main research body. Community sites like Zing.com, AOL's You've Got Pictures, Yahoo! Photos, and Club Photo let people upload, store and share their snaps. (Some of the sites offer photo- finishing as well.) They're growing in popularity as digital cameras and scanners get cheaper. About 35% of digital camera owners have used such services. The sites typically make money from advertising and partnerships. The clear leader there is Zing.com, with aggressive management, oodles of funding and a broad membership base, says FutureImage. Read the whole story

05-27-2000

Kodak Licenses Apple's QuickTime for New Cameras Eastman Kodak has licensed Apple's QuickTime software for a forthcoming line of digital cameras. The photography giant said the software will allow digital camera users to quickly make a video clip that can be played on a personal computer. The upcoming Kodak cameras will capture all images in the QuickTime file format. You can then plug the camera into your Mac or Wintel machine and download your photos. If you have the QuickTime Media Player on your system, you can view your work and do some basic photo editing (or much more, including add special effects, if you've forked out the US $30 to upgrade to QuickTime Pro). You can also use any of the entry level or professional graphics packages to fine tune your photos since all these products can handle the QuickTime Apple's next version of QuickTime to make inroads into new areas. At last week's Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple gave developers a peek at its next version of QuickTime, which will be available this summer. The new version -- which, despite commonly being referred to as QuickTime 5.0, has no official moniker or number yet -- includes cross-platform support for MPEG-1 (on which the MP3 format is based) and MPEG-2 (on which the DVD standard is based). With more than 50 million copies of the QuickTime 4 player distributed to Mac and Windows users, Apple said it is now looking beyond the PC for new uses.

05-26-2000

Imaging-Resource Posts Minolta RD3000 User Review Dave just posted his usual thorough report of the Minolta RD3000, a prosumer digicam featuring dual 1/2-inch CCD imagers for a resolution of 2.7 megapixels. I don't know how he gets these cameras, I have been hounding Minolta for a long time and I still don't even have one of their Dimage 1500EX Zoom cameras. Oh well, their loss. Dave really seemed to like this camera and had this to say about it: "Given its bulk, feature set and price, the RD 3000 clearly isn't a camera intended for the casual picture-snapper. On the other hand, its options for interchangeable lenses, excellent tonal range, and understated color handling make it well suited for professional use, particularly for portraiture or other situations where smooth skin tones, good shadow detail and low image noise are important. Full manual exposure control, a very clean user interface (thanks to all those buttons), and dual flash connections lend versatility that we think many serious users will appreciate."

05-26-2000

Nikon Coolpix 990 and Near Infrared There has been some debate as to whether the Nikon 990 would do infrared shots because of a new IR-blocking filter over the CCD. I received email from Cory Shubert who has just posted a series of Nikon 990 pics using the Kodak 89B filter and they are gorgeous. You can see them for yourself right here. Eric Cheng's page has more information about near IR with the Nikon Coolpix 950. Check it out if you're interested in digi-IR photography.

05-25-2000

PC PhotoReview Adds New Review Categories PC PhotoReview has added two new categories to their Reviews database, one for Digital Camcorders and another for Web Cameras. Both of these new categories also qualify as an entry in their Reviews contest so go over there and let them know what you think of your video gear.

05-25-2000

Kodak DCS 620x Samples Posted My good friend John Cowley has posted some excellent high-ISO sample pics from the new Kodak Professional DCS 620x camera on his LoneStarDigital.com web site. They are amazing considering that one was shot at ISO 3200 and the other at ISO 6400 -- they look as good asany ISO 100 shots that I've seen. John also has a Kodak DCS 620x page and there's a link at the bottom to the first hands-on review of the new camera.

05-25-2000

Epson Stylus Photo 1270 Review Posted I have just posted the Epson Stylus Photo 1270 review. If I had to sum it up in one word -- WOW!  This _is_ the photo printer that we have been waiting for. Not only does it do photo prints that equal wet-processed lab prints, it also does all the other day-to-day stuff as well. It's fast, it's quiet and it is definitely awesome!

05-25-2000

MGI Secures Licensing Agreement with Epson To Package Imaging Software with the PhotoPC 3000Z CAMPBELL, CA, and TORONTO, ONT. - May 25, 2000 - MGI today announced that Seiko Epson Corp. will ship PhotoSuite III SE and Photovista 1.3 with the new Epson PhotoPC 3000Z digital cameras in Europe and Asia. The Epson PhotoPC 3000Z captures 3.3 megapixel still photos, which optimizes output quality for home printing and photo finishing at photo retailers. The addition of MGI PhotoSuite III will immediately provide photo editing, publishing, and sharing capabilities, while Photovista will allow users to create 360° panoramas from their photos to email or post to the web. The camera will cost US$999, and will be available in May. Cameras like the Epson PhotoPC 3000Z are among the first to capture in a high enough resolution for consumers to produce superior quality 8"x10" prints as well as rich images for the Web. These third generation cameras, combined with third generation, feature-rich photo software such as PhotoSuite III, produce outstanding results for consumers, and outstanding demand in the market for both hardware and software technology.

05-23-2000

Sony's New UP-DP10 "Home Photo Lab" PARK RIDGE, N.J., May 23 - So you've got your brand new digital camera. And you've filled it with shots of your family picnic. Now what? While you can view the pictures on your PC screen, for most people, photos mean photo prints. And the typical PC printer can't match the color, detail and durability of conventional snapshots. That's why Sony created the UP-DP10 home photo lab. This sleek new printer creates 4x6-inch prints of outstanding quality and detail. The prints are laminated for a smooth finish and outstanding durability. And the prints eliminate the white border around the picture -- making them look just like the pictures you're accustomed to picking up at the photo lab. The Sony home photo lab also saves you time, money and aggravation. There's no need to take entire rolls of film to the local photo lab. There's no waiting for the retailer to finish them. And there's no need to pay for prints of ``mistake'' shots that were out of focus or improperly exposed. With a home photo lab, you print only the pictures you want and make as many copies as you want. It takes just 85 seconds per print. These are photo-lab-quality pictures you can share with your guests, turn into post cards or send to relatives. The Sony UP-DP10 home photo lab has a suggested retail price of $389. The UP-DP10 uses "Sony Digital Photography" paper, at a suggested list price of $14.95 for enough materials to make 25 pictures. This laminated paper enables you to create matte, glossy or textured finishes on your prints. The UP-DP10 connects easily to a computer using either a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or parallel port. The home photo lab includes software for both Windows®-based and Macintosh® computers and features automatic correction for the contrast, tone, color, balance and/or sharpness of the image.

05-22-2000

Imaging-Resource Posts Sony F505V Sample Pics After being deluged with email requests, the folks at Imaging-Resource have posted a page full of Sony DSC-F505V Sample pictures. This is a thumbnail index page with LOTS of images, slow modemers be patient, it's worth the wait. At the top of this page you'll also find the link to the review of the camera. I don't know when I'll see a F505V or a DSC-S70 for that matter so please hold off on the email requests. We have asked for them so it's now just a matter of when.

05-22-2000

EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P Desktop Ink Jet Prints to Surpass Traditional Photographs Portrait and fine art photographers and artists will soon be able to create the first truly archival photo reproduction quality prints from a desktop ink jet printer. Epson America Inc. is redefining the photography market with the launch of the EPSON Stylus® Photo 2000P, which delivers true photographic quality prints that will last several lifetimes. Using EPSON Archival Ink and certain new compatible Epson papers, the EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P boasts lightfastness rated at more than 200 years under fluorescent lighting conditions, in a glass frame, before noticeable fading occurs. Until now, photographers and artists who needed longevity and stability for heirloom prints and outdoor displays had to settle for less-than-ideal pigment ink solutions. Because pigment inks are composed of insoluble particles of color that retain their color after the outer color fades, these inks offered a high level of lightfastness and waterfastness. However they also have had a lower color gamut, lower gloss, incompatibility with resin coated photo media and less durability against scratches than dye-based inks. Epson chemists now have found a way to overcome these shortcomings, developing a pigment-based ink that couples the image quality of Epson's dye-based inks with the longevity of pigment which truly redefines color photography. Through Epson's new development of MicroCrystal Encapsulation technology, pigment crystals are coated in uniquely engineered resin polymer to ensure even particle size and distribution for a color gamut and gloss that far exceeds other pigment solutions and rivals dye. The resin polymer also enhances durability by pulling the pigment deeper into media crevices rather than resting on top of the surface and provides an extra sealant coating on the surface, which resists scratching. As a result, the EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P delivers prints that outperform Lightjet and Pegasus prints in lightfastness and media flexibility and outperform Iris prints in color, lightfastness and media flexibility. The EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P uses the company's award-winning Advanced Micro Piezo Technology and durable permanent print head to eliminate misting, provide consistent dot size and shape, and ensure accurate dot placement with 1440 x 720 dpi resolution. The intuitive coverage of Variable Sized MicroDroplet Technology coupled with Acuphoto Halftoning delivers the widest color range of pigment with continuous tone quality, using tiny pigment particles as small as 0.1 microns for the finest detail and gorgeous highlights. Designed to address the needs of photographers, the EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P has a large printable area up to 13" x 44". Eliminating left and right margins, the printer also features 4", 8.3" and 13" edge-to-edge printing on both cut-sheet and roll paper. A roll paper holder is included with the printer, as well as a value pack of Epson media. The EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P has several notable driver features, including automatic image resizing, watermark previewing, poster printing and photo enhance options to create sepia tones and autocorrect the image. Compatible with both Windows and Macintosh platforms, the printer features standard USB, standard parallel, and optional external Ethernet connectivity. The EPSON Stylus RIP is also an option, which will be available in the fall. The EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P offers a modern, attractive case design and black and silver case color, as well as quiet operation. And to save the user money, the printer also features the Intellidge ink cartridge, which includes a memory chip that tracks ink usage and reclosable valves that enable users to remove and reinstall cartridges as needed. For optimal image quality, the printer is designed to ensure that inks are completely dry before subsequent printhead passes are made. This eliminates smudging, bleeding, and waiting time before touching the print after it comes out of printer. In conjunction with the launch of the printer and EPSON Archival(TM) ink, Epson is also launching several media formulated to work most effectively with the new pigment technology, including resin-coated photographic as well as fine art papers. These media include: EPSON Premium Semigloss Photo Paper EPSON Premium Luster Photo Paper EPSON Archival Matte Paper EPSON Watercolor Paper Later this year, Epson plans to launch a cotton canvas and cotton rag fine art media for the EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P. The EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P, with an estimated street price of $899, will be available through mail order, specialty camera and art stores, and on the Epson web site starting mid-July.

05-22-2000

Nikon Announces the Availability of Nikon Capture 1.1.1 for the D1 Nikon Capture 1.1.1 is the latest release of the support software for the Nikon D1 Digital Camera. Nikon Capture allows you to translate the "Raw" file format available from the D1 to provide the ultimate in picture quality by utilizing the power of your computers processor to use more complex equations during the conversion of raw files data to the more common TIFF and JPEG file format. Nikon Capture will allow you to connect your Nikon D1 to your personal computer to take advantage of the large capacity of your systems hard disk for image storage, Nikon Capture allows you to directly control a significant number of camera functions and even allows you to perform time lapse photography. If you own a copy of Nikon Capture 1.0. You can use one of the following methods to obtain the Nikon Capture 1.1.1 software. A downloadable updater application for Nikon Capture 1.0 will be made available on the NikonTech-USA.com website. We expect the updater version of Nikon capture (this will update the currently installed 1.0 version to the 1.1.1 version) to be available by the end of June. There is never a charge for any software downloaded from NikonTechUSA.com. For customers with an immediate need for this update, or the need to have the full version of Nikon Capture 1.1.1 on CD. Nikon has implemented a Nikon Capture CD-ROM exchange program through the new Nikon Digital Products Hotline (1-800-Nikon-UX). In order to obtain the 1.1.1 Nikon Capture CD (Full version) please call the Nikon Digital Products Hotline between 7AM and 7PM (PST) Monday through Friday and select option #1. This will put you in contact with our Digital Imaging Customer Service Center who will issue a return authorization number for the return of the Nikon capture 1.0 CD. This offer is only valid for products supplied by Nikon Inc. in North America, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. If you are located outside of this sales area, please contact your local Nikon Support Office for assistance

05-22-2000

Canon Develops Industry's First 10X Zoom Lens For Digital Cameras TOKYO, May 22, 2000 - Canon Inc. announced today in Japan the development of the industry's first ever digital camera-use 10x zoom lens equipped with lens-shift optical image-stabilizing technology. The company will use the lens unit in future Canon brand digital camera models and intends to market it to other manufacturers. Demand now is strong for digital cameras featuring high pixel counts and equipped with high-performance, high zoom-ratio lenses. Generally speaking, however, zoom lenses offering higher zoom ratios are more susceptible to image blur caused by camera shake, increasing the expectation of zoom lenses equipped with image stabilization capability. Canon began research and development in the area of image stabilizing technology early on, developing an optical image stabilizing system for video camcorders employing a Variangle Prism in 1992, and using the shift method in 1998. Both are featured in Canon-brand video camcorders. Furthermore, in 1995 the company developed a shift-method optical image stabilizing system for SLR cameras, which was incorporated into interchangeable lenses for Canon's line-up of EOS model AF SLR cameras. The new shift-method optical Image Stabilizer-equipped 10x zoom lens adapts technology previously employed in video camcorders and SLR cameras for use in digital cameras. The lens's outstanding image performance and high 10x zoom ratio are made possible through the introduction of a new mechanical structure, which makes possible the precision movement of the correcting lens group, and a new optical design compatible with high resolving capability. Many of the video camcorders now available utilize an electronic means of image stabilization, which results in degradation of image resolution and changes in angle of view. Furthermore, such systems do not correct for image shake when capturing still images. By contrast, Canon's newly developed shift-method Image Stabilizer; which corrects for image shake optically, results in absolutely no image resolution degradation or variations in angle of view, and delivers effective image-stabilizing performance during exposure for each and every still image that is captured. Compared with image stabilizing technology using a Variangle prism, the Canon optical lens-shift Image Stabilizer realizes a compact size and a reduced number of components, which makes possible cost savings and contributes to products that are compact and lightweight. Canon, drawing on its experience and expertise in optical technology as a leading camera manufacturer, will continue striving to develop digital camera products offering even higher image quality and performance. The company also intends to actively market this lens unit as a key device to other digital camera manufacturers.

05-22-2000

Ulead's PhotoExplorer v6 Released Ulead's Photo Explorer 6.0 is a complete solution for digital photography. Combining easy-to-use features for acquiring, organizing and sharing digital photos, Photo Explorer makes photography an easy and fun experience on the PC. Get photos from digital cameras and memory card readers automatically with the Digital Camera Wizard. Organize photos and make image adjustments. Display photos full size and step through photo collections. Print thumbnail indexes or full-sized prints. Upload photos to the Web in one step. Share photos with a free account on iMira.com. Ulead's photo sharing and services Web site. View photos in a slide show, send them in E-mail or export them to Web pages. Create color reprints in a wide range of sizes on your color printer. And lots more ... FREE UPGRADE for to current users of the following (installed) products: Ulead Photo Explorer (v. 4.1, 4.2 or 5.0) Ulead PhotoImpact (v. 3.x, 4, 4.2 or 5) Ulead WebRazor Pro (v. 1.0 or 2.0)

05-22-2000

Sony DSC-S70 Preview Posted at GadgetSquad The folks over at the GadgetSquad.com have posted their Sony DSC-S70 Preview. I am working on Sony to send me one of these but for some reason the biggest digicam company in the world seems to have given their PR folks only 3 cameras for review and evaluation purposes. I'll let you know when I get one. I have probably received 300 email requests for a DSC-S70 review already.

05-22-2000

Olympus C-3000 Zoom Review Posted Seems as if this was my weekend to get a lot of user reviews and first look reports finished. The latest posting is the Olympus C-3000 Zoom user review. The C-3000 Zoom is basically a C-3030 Zoom without the expensive 32MB DRAM buffer or the 3.5fps burst capability. The body is gray but everything else including the image quality is the same, for hundreds less. Check it out.

05-21-2000

Canon PowerShot S100 Digital ELPH First Look Review Posted After a fun afternoon of using this miniature marvel I have a good start at a sample pictures page and the usual First Look report.  The Canon S100 is a perfect example of the saying that "size matters."  Out of a camera about the size of a deck of playing cards come 1600 x 1200 images capable of making 8x10" photo prints!

05-20-2000

Taking Care of Business I just posted the finished user reviews for the Toshiba PDR-M70 and the Fuji FinePix 4700 Zoom. I have also posted the Sony Mavica FD-95 First Look and I'm working on the First Look review of the new Canon S100 Digital Elph that came in this morning. Enjoy the reviews but hold off the extraneous emails please, I just don't have time to answer all of your questions and get these reviews done too. Especially when your email is only asking me when I will get a review done, you'll know if you read the News page here ...

05-19-2000

FlashPoint Crosses 500,000 Milestone for Digita-enabled Digital Cameras and Printers San Jose, Calif. - May 22, 2000 - FlashPoint Technology Inc., creator of Digita, the industry-standard operating system (OS) for digital cameras, announced that more than 500,000 Digita-enabled digital cameras and printers are now in use by businesses, professionals and digital imaging enthusiasts worldwide. Analysts expect intelligent, software-enabled cameras to ignite sales of digital cameras over the next several years. Worldwide shipments will top 12 million units by 2001, and as many as 20 million units will ship in 2002. The market-leading manufacturers that have adopted Digita are accelerating and currently include Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Minolta and Pentax. Businesses and consumers also are rapidly adopting Digita-enabled digital cameras because of the unique ability to run aftermarket software inside the camera to perform an unlimited variety of customizable, industry-specific and recreational applications. Digita drives intelligent digital photography products including HP's PhotoSmart C500, C912 and C618, the Kodak DC220, DC260, DC265 and DC290, and the Minolta Dimâge EX ZOOM 1500 digital cameras, as well as the Epson Print-On (PT-100 and PT-110) digital photo printers.

05-19-2000

More Fuji FinePix S1 Pro Samples Thanks to the folks over at the Imaging-Resource for the news about new Fuji FinePix S1 Pro sample pictures posted on the Japanese PC Watch web site. There's another Japanese web site that has also posted some FinePix S1 samples but I vowed never to post their URL on my site again so check out the news item at Imaging-Resource for more info.

05-18-2000

ColorMatch Software Releases Free Downloadable Software Designed to Improve Color Consistency While Surfing the Web MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.-- (BUSINESS WIRE)-- May 16, 2000 -- ColorMatch Software, Inc., a leading developer of color management technology introduced ColorMatch Web(TM) -- a browser based plug-in that improves the display of colors on your computer monitor. Designed as a simple software tool, ColorMatch Web is available free for download from the company's ColorMatch.com site. The product currently works with Microsoft Windows 98, Internet Explorer, and Netscape 3.0+ browsers. ColorMatch Web provides a quick and easy way to improve the Internet color experience. After connecting to ColorMatch.com, customers are asked to fill out a short, familiar registration form that lets them download the free ColorMatch Web plug-in. The user is then directed to make basic adjustments to the monitor's brightness and contrast controls, which sets a reasonable starting state for calibration. ColorMatch Web provides a convenient way to improve the display of color without the paraphernalia of other calibration methods -- there's nothing to lose. It's a simple three step process that any user, regardless of their computer expertise can understand and accomplish in just a few minutes. The plug-in also reminds the user that it's time for a ColorMatch Web refresh and links automatically to the ColorMatch Web calibration page on the ColorMatch.com web site. ColorMatch.com offers a convenient stop for links, information and news of peripherals, such as digital cameras, color printers, and scanners; supplies; and software tools.

05-18-2000

Versatec Bracket Review Updated My review of the Versatec RX flash bracket has just been updated to reflect the new, black annodized version of the product. Same quality as before but now it's colored black to match the Nikon 950.

05-17-2000

Canon's New EOS D30 SLR Canon U.S.A., Inc. today announced the EOS D30 -- the world's smallest and lightest digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses. At a size of 5.9 x 4.2 x 3.0 inches and a weight of just 1.6 lb., the new, affordably-priced, digital camera retains the proven operability of the company's best-selling EOS 35mm SLR system. The D30 accommodates all Canon EF lenses plus a wide range of EOS system accessories, giving photographers greater creative flexibility and providing current EOS System users an economical way to make the transition to digital imaging. The EOS D30 will be available in the Fall 2000 and have a suggested retail price of $3,500USD. The EOS D30's high resolution and outstanding color reproduction is made possible by a proprietary 3.25 megapixel large-area CMOS sensor, an RGB color filter and a newly- designed digital imaging processing LSI. The camera also incorporates the same mode settings and dial operations found in existing EOS System cameras, making it easy for current EOS users to quickly acquaint themselves with the camera. Read the EE Times story about Canon's new CMOS image sensor. Functions specific to the digital camera have been added to the LCD panel, including recording format (Large/Fine, Large/Normal, Small/Fine, Small/Normal and Raw) and white balance. The 1.8-inch LCD color monitor on the back panel provides a display for viewing and confirming images, as well as menu screens for 13 types of Custom Functions and a variety of camera settings including shutter speeds, aperture and exposure. The menu screen simplifies display settings by using color codes for the imaging system (red), playback system (blue) and set-up system (yellow). The new camera offers a range of camera features including fully automatic operation with 11 shooting modes; a high-speed, high-performance 3-point autofocusing system; a 35-zone evaluative metering sensor linked to each focusing point; 13 Custom Functions; 7 white balance modes for optimum color renditions; a built-in USB interface; a PC socket for studio-type strobes; and a built-in E-TTL flash system - a first in an EOS System camera. The camera also allows high-speed shooting at a speed of approximately 3 frames per second for up to 8 continuous images at the default image quality setting. Image data is stored on CompactFlash cards, permitting the storage of up to approximately 12 pictures on a 16MB card when shooting in the "Large/Normal" mode. The camera is also compatible with the CompactFlash Type II card, enabling users to take advantage of the IBM Microdrive and other high-capacity storage media. The lithium ion Battery Pack BP-511, which is included with the camera, provides enough power to take approximately 540 images while in the Large/Fine mode. The EOS D30 is bundled with a variety of image management, editing, compositing and printing software including Canon's exclusive TWAIN driver software; ZoomBrowser for acquiring, viewing, filing and printing captured images; PhotoStitch for creating panoramas; and PhotoShop LE retouching software. All packaged software will run on Windows (95/98/2000/NT 4.0) and Macintosh (Mac OS 7.5.3 or higher, QuickTime 2.1 or higher). EOS D30 Specifications Camera unit Type Eye-level single lens reflex (SLR) digital camera, 36-bit full color RGB capture (12bits per channel), one-shot type Lens mount Canon EF mount (full electronic control type) Lenses used Canon EF lenses (focal length/angle of view conversion factor is approximately 1.6X compared to full-frame 35mm filmformat) Viewfinder Full-frame reflex type, coverage approximately 95% horizontal andvertical, 0.88X magnification and 20mm eyepoint Focusing modes One-shot AF, AI Servo AF with focus prediction, AI Focus AF, and manual focus Focusing points Wide-area AF with 3 selectable focusing points AF working range EV (2-18) (ISO 100, standard chart) Metering modes TTL maximum aperture metering with a 35-zone silicon photocell. 35-zone Evaluative metering linked to all focusing points Centerweighted average metering 9.5% central-area partical metering Metering range EV 2-20 (at normal temperatures, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, ISO100) Shutter speed 1/4000 sec. to 30 sec. plus Bulb, maximum X-sync at 1/200 sec. Continuous photography Up to approximately 3 frames per second for up to approximately 8 frames, when camera is set for Large/Fine recording. Built-in flash Retractable-type. Guide Number is 12/39 at ISO 100, m/ft. Flash contact Accessory shoe for EX-series Speedlites; PC socket also built-in on left side of camera body Flash metering Supports E-TTL, FEL and FP flash (high-speed synchro) with built-in flash and EX-series Speedlites Digital unit Imaging elements High-sensitivity 3.25-million pixel CMOS sensor. (Total pixels 2226 X 1460) (Effective pixels 2160 X 1440) Sensor size 15.1 X 22.7 mm (aspect ratio 2:3) Resolution/ Compression/ settings Large/Fine (2160 X 1440) Large/Normal (2160 X 1440) Small/Fine (1440 X 960) Small/Normal (1440 X 960) Lossless compression (2160 X 1440) Sensitivity Equivalent to ISO 100-1600 (adjustable in 1 EV increments) White balance 7 type, including auto and custom Recording media CF (CompactFlash) card, Type I or II, single slot File format Design Rule for Camera Format (DCF) Recording methods JPEG and Canon RAW Burst rate Approximately 3 frames per second for up to approximately 8 frames in Large/Fine mode or 17 frames in Large/Normal mode Interface Digital: USB; Video Out: NTSC/PAL (switchable); Camera: N3 remote control socket, PC terminal for studio flash, dedicated accessory shoe for EX-series Speedlites Driver software Comes with USB TWAIN driver for PC and Adobe Photoshop plug-in for Mac OS System requirements Windows/ Type of computer: DOS/V machine, NEC PC-9800/9821 series, NEC PC98-NX series CPU: Pentium 133 MHz or above OS: Windows 95, Windows 98 (including Second Edition), Windows NT 4.0 (requires 3 or more Service Packs), Windows 2000 RAM: 32MB or more (Windows 95/Windows 98) 64MB or more (Windows NT 4.0/Windows 2000) Macintosh/ Type of computer: Power Macintosh, PowerBook, iMac, iBook CPU: Power PC OS: MacOS 7.5.3 or above, QuickTime 2.1 or above RAM: 20MB or more applications memory Other Bulit-in LCD color monitor 1.8-inch low-temperature TFT type, approx. 114,000 pixels; displays captured images, menus, etc. Power source BP-511 litium-ion battery AC operation via DC Coupler DR-400 and Compact Power Adapter CA-PS400 Up to two BP-511 battery batteries via optional Battery Grip BG-ED3 Kit configuration EOS D30 camera main unit Neckstrap 16MB CF card Battery Pack BP-511 Compact Power Adapter CA-PS400 AC power cord for CA-PS400 DC Coupler DR-400 Video Cable VC-100 Interface Cable IFC-200PCU Canon Solutions software disk Adobe Photoshop LE Camera user's guide Software quick start guide Dimensions, weight 149.5(W) X 106.5(H) X 75.0(D) mm, 5.9(W) X 4.2(W) X 3.0(D) in, 750g/26.5oz. w/o battery or CF card The data is all according to the testing conditions of the companies involved. The specifications and appearance of products appearing herein are subject to change without notice for sake of improvements or other reasons. For more info go over to the DP Review site and check out Phil's EOS D30 Preview and exclusive hands-on of this new camera.

05-17-2000

Canon Announces 2.1 Megapixel $699 PowerShot S100 "Digital Elph" and "Digital IXUS" Cameras Canon U.S.A., Inc. today announced the introduction of the PowerShot S100 "Digital ELPH" camera (labeled as the Digital IXUS in Europe). Weighing only 6.7 ounces and measuring a scant 3.4 x 2.2 x 1.1 inches, the new camera is the world's smallest and lightest 2.1 megapixel digital camera with a zoom lens. The ultra-compact size and elegant stainless steel exterior is based on the Canon ELPH 2, the company's best-selling Advanced Photo System camera. It combines the benefits of digital imaging with features and functions traditionally found only in conventional film cameras. The PowerShot S100 will be available in June and have a suggested retail price of $699. Read Steve's Canon S100 First Look report for all the details and sample pictures from this incredible camera.

05-16-2000

Short Courses Begins Shipping Nikon Coolpix 990 Book My good friend Dennis Curtin has just finished his latest book "A Short Course in Nikon Coolpix 990 Photography" and it is now shipping. The $21.95 book is aimed primarily at amateur photographers, but will also be helpful to anyone trying to get a handle on the Coolpix 990's many, many features. Dennis' Coolpix 950 book was "better than the Nikon manual" according to the many, positive emails that I've received about it. He also has Short Course books for the Canon A5, Epson 850Z, Olympus C-2000, C-2020Z, C-2500 and the new C-3030Z.

05-16-2000

Japan 99/00 Digital Still Camera Shipments Up 82% TOKYO, May 16 (Reuters) - Japanese shipments of digital still cameras almost doubled to 5.82 million over the past year, the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA) said on Tuesday. The number shipped rose 82 percent in the year to March 31, it said. By value, shipments rose 72 percent from a year earlier to 255.88 billion yen ($2.34 billion). Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA) attributed the steep rise to the launch of over 2 mega-pixel models and 3 mega-pixel models, while a sharp increase in sales of personal computers for Internet access and e-mail also helped boosted demand. The relatively higher value of domestic shipments reflected strong demand for high-pixel and high-function models, it said. The figures are based on a survey of 20 Japanese digital still camera makers including the three major makers -- Fuji Photo Film , Canon Inc and Olympus Optical Co Ltd .

05-16-2000

FlashPoint, ACD Systems Partner to Create Intelligent Solution for Bridging Digita-enabled Digital Cameras to the Desktop TOKYO, Japan - May 16, 2000 - FlashPoint Technology Inc., creator of Digita, the industry-standard operating system for digital cameras, today announced an alliance with ACD Systems, publisher of the popular Windows-based ACDSee digital image viewer and management system. FlashPoint and ACD Systems will position ACD's flagship viewer as an interface for bridging Digita's intelligent digital images to the desktop. Digita photographs are more than just digital pictures; they also embed sound, GPS data, camera settings and other valuable metadata inside every image. Using ACD's viewer, photographers will be able to send the intelligent images directly from the camera to the PC while maintaining data integrity. This will prove invaluable for mobile professionals and imaging enthusiasts who need streamlined image/data imaging solutions throughout the workflow and photography process. Douglas Vandekerkhove, President and Chief Executive Officer of ACD Systems explains, "By combining our industry-leading technology directly with Digita, we will create rich new possibilities for the fast-growing community of Digita enthusiasts and business users. This alliance will greatly benefit users who rely on their Digita images for this unprecedented level of rich information." Stephen D. Saylor, executive vice president and general manager for FlashPoint, said, "ACDSee is widely regarded as the benchmark image viewer, and when used with Digita, the complete solution delivers capabilities that greatly benefit digital photography by preserving additional data with the image, such as sound, text and other content. FlashPoint and ACD Systems are enabling a new generation of intelligent photography applications that empower photographers throughout the entire workflow and imaging process - from the field, to the desktop, to the Internet."

05-15-2000

Canon S10 Firmware Update v1.0.0.2 Available Canon Japan has made the second firmware update for the Canon PowerShot S10 available for download. According to the online info it is recommended for all S10 users and replaces the previously issued firmware update. It still has the "fix" for the IBM Microdrive incorporated into it.  What’s new? In addition to resolving compatibility issues with IBM Microdrives, PowerShot S10 firmware update version 1.0.0.2 improves the quality of flash photography with the PowerShot S10 in terms of color balance and blur reduction. Also, this firmware update can be downloaded to the PowerShot S10 via Interface Cable if desired. How has flash picture quality been improved? 1. The improvement of shutter speed during flash photography in low light in Auto and Manual modes reduces blur caused by hand movement or subject movement. (Slow synchro flash is still available in Night Scene mode.) 2. In addition, when flash is used, Auto White Balance is activated automatically even if Manual White Balance is set. This change adds more consistency to color balance during flash photography.

05-15-2000

Kodak Acquires Online Photosharing Leader PictureVision ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 15-Eastman Kodak Company today announced it has acquired the outstanding shares of PictureVision, Inc., assuming a 100-percent stake in the long-time Kodak partner and online digital imaging pioneer. Willy Shih, president, Digital and Applied Imaging, and senior vice president, Eastman Kodak Company, will be CEO of PictureVision, which will operate as a wholly-owned Kodak subsidiary. David MacWhorter will be President of PictureVision. The total value of the transaction is approximately $90 million. Prior to today's transaction, PictureVision operated as a majority-owned subsidiary of Kodak, as a result of Kodak's purchase of a 51 percent stake in PictureVision in March 1998. Taking charge of PictureVision reinforces Kodak's position as the leading player in online photo services-PictureVision had more than 571,000 unique visitors in April, according to Neilsen/NetRatings-and illustrates Kodak's belief that digital photography network services represent an important growth opportunity. PictureVision's photo-sharing infrastructure-which hosts millions of digital images stored on Kodak PhotoNet online and AOL's "You've Got Pictures"-complements Kodak's existing family of digital photography products and services-including award-winning digital cameras, inkjet media and a range of online services. PictureVision will continue to be a cornerstone in Kodak's Internet imaging service offerings that encompass a complete, end-to-end online digital photography experience-from digital cameras, film scanning, storage and communities to Internet and retail photofinishing services.

05-15-2000

Kodak's New DCS 620x Professional, Low-Light Performance from ISO 400-6400 ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 15 -- Digital photographers who shoot in changing and low-light situations can now reap the benefits of extremely high ISO settings with the new Kodak Professional DCS 620x digital camera. A version of the workhorse DCS 620 model, this new camera features ISO settings ranging from 400 to 6400. The new model also provides improved image quality, which enables photographers to push the boundaries of digital imaging to even greater limits. "Photojournalists and other professionals have already come to rely heavily on our DCS 620 camera," said Peter Jameson, Director, Digital Capture, Kodak Professional. "This enhanced version of the camera will make it even more invaluable for photographers who are challenged to shoot fast action or in low-light conditions, including sports/action, medical and scientific imaging, government, military and law enforcement. The DCS 620x camera offers improved flexibility and expandability along with increased quality – a truly winning equation." Key to the DCS 620x digital camera are a new CCD (charge couple device), color filter array (CFA) pattern, and low-noise electronics. The new CFA on Kodak’s 2-megapixel ITO (indium tin oxide) CCD provides enhanced spectral response, producing high picture quality at extremely high ISO ranges. Like the DCS 620 camera, the DCS 620x is built on the Nikon F5 platform and retains all the durability, functionality and lens compatibility of that single-lens-reflex camera. The Kodak Professional DCS 620x camera provides a host of features that ensure superior image quality and higher color saturation. In addition to a new software noise reduction filter, the DCS 620x offers Kodak’s "Picture Protection" – a range of features that includes post-shot exposure compensation, white balance corrections and file recovery. Plus, photographers can customize the DCS 620x with such options as removable anti-aliasing and IR blocking filters, IPTC captioning, white balance uploading, direct cellular phone transmission, and a wide choice of storage options. DCS 620x Features: 2-megapixel (1736 x 1160) 13um, ITO, CCD sensor. Flexible ISO of 400 – 6400 (calibrated from ISO 400-4000). Serial port for GPS receivers and direct cellular telephone connectivity. Burst rate of 3.5 frames per second, and a sustained burst depth of 12 images. Patented on-board histogram lets photographers verify exposure accuracy on the spot. Cast magnesium alloy body ensures high durability, while its light weight makes it ideal for field use. Calibrated color response and the TTL auto color balance option ensure that the camera adjusts image color to match the light source. 36-bit color (12 bits per channel) for capturing color and detail in shadows and highlights. Intervalometer to enable automated capture over timed intervals for remote applications. Open Application Programmer Interface (API) lets third-party developers write their own custom software applications. Color liquid crystal display (LCD) provides instant review of images. IEEE 1394 interface provides fast and reliable transfer of images. Voice annotation provides audio notebook to document specific shots. Dual PC card storage interface offers storage flexibility. Delivers 6MB finished files in 24 bit RGB. Onboard JPEG compression with three levels of resolution. Removable batteries for easy transport and recharge. New NiMH batteries for extended battery life. Improved version 5.9.1 Adobe PhotoShop Plug in / TWAIN acquire software tools. The new camera follows closely on the introduction of the latest DCS series firmware and software upgrades that include enabling dual memory card slots, GPS data recording and laptop-free image transmission via cellular phones. The Kodak Professional DCS 620x digital camera carries a suggested U.S. list price of $10,495. It will be available starting June 1 from authorized dealers of Kodak Professional DCS digital cameras.

05-14-2000

Imaging-Resource Posts Nikon D1 Review Dave strikes again, this time with the most thorough review I've ever read of any camera. Having a D1 myself I must applaud him for covering this fine piece of equipment as completely as possible, and then some. If you're interested in what has to be the best and most reasonably priced pro digicam on the market today then check out the Imaging-Resource's Nikon D1 review.

05-14-2000

Thumber v3.14 Now Available Max Lyons wrote to let me know that Thumber v3.14 is now available from Tawbaware's web site. New features since version 3.12 (the last announced release) are: Feature: Support for Fuji 1400 Feature: Added log file ability Bug Fix: Fixed rotation failure on (mostly?) NT systems. Bug Fix: Time stamp feature now understands daylight savings time. Thumber is a multi-purpose digital imaging tool -- a "Swiss army knife" for digital camera owners and imaging enthusiasts. Thumber (which runs on Windows 95/98/NT) automates many of the routine tasks associated with digital images. Thumber can be used to create web pages, display image information, rename files, add comments, view and edit images, and more... Although Thumber will work with any JPEG images, it includes many specialized features useful for images that are produced by digital cameras. These features take advantage of the fact that the pictures produced by most digital cameras contain more than initially meets the eye. In fact, most digital cameras store information about the image (as well as mini "thumbnail" images) within the files they produce. But, most graphic and image viewing software doesn't know how to find or read this information and ignores it. Thumber can read and display this information in a variety of ways. A web page with tens or hundreds of thumbnails can be created in seconds using Thumber -- no further HTML editing is necessary. And Thumber does more... Transfer files between a source and destintation directories, such as a removeable memory card reader and a hard-drive. File Renaming & Redating - batch renaming of image files using the information contained within. Thumber now incudes an image editor that includes a 3x3 convolution matrix filter, histogram, color adjustment and resample features. Unlike most editors, images that have been edited using Thumber's editor retain any image data they contain. EXIF data is not lost after editing. Thumber can transfer EXIF and/or APP12 image data between files. If you edit one of your images in another application it will probably not retain its image data. Use Thumber to put the image data back into your edited files.

05-12-2000

iView Multimedia for Macintosh Updated iView Multimedia 3.8 has several improvements like the ability to read Alias Pix format, AGD4 (Freehand 8), and drw7 (Canvas 7). Also iView Multimedia has added a Chinese plug-in so its menus and dialogs can be read in Chinese. Even more significant is the addition of a new module called iUpload which allows uploading images direct to photo upload sites on the web. iUpload can upload directly from and iView catalog directly to the Photopoint and Zing photo web sites. More sites will be added over time. Macintosh users are welcome to download the latest version of iView Multimedia from: www.iview-multimedia.com or www.scriptsoftware.com

05-12-2000

Imaging-Resource Posts Sony DSC-S50 Review Once again Dave scoops me with another new Sony review -- good show! Sony's PR folks just let us know that a new Mavica is enroute so look for a Sony review from me shortly. In the meantime, go check out Dave's Sony DSC-S50 review. You can tell by the picture that this isn't an ordinary digicam, the last time we saw a swiveling LCD like that it was on a Canon Pro 70. The S50 looks like a solid performer in the 2.x megapixel category.

05-12-2000

PhotoHighway Chat With Mike Rubin Transcript Available Chat Date: May 10, 2000 Guest Chatter: Michael Rubin, Consumer Digital Products Manager, Nikon USA In case you didn't make the live chat on Wednesday night with Mike Rubin of Nikon, you can still read the entire transcript here. Note: This chat has been edited for clarity. This is an unusually long chat--it was originally scheduled to run one hour but was extended to two at the request of our guest chatter.

05-12-2000

Nikon Provides Modified Coolpix 950 for Karen Darke's 60-Day Journey Across Japan Physically challenged British Woman Takes a 60-Day Journey Across Japan (Nippon) Using a Specially Designed "Hand-cycle" On April 3, 2000, Ms. Karen DARKE set out from Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido, to begin a two-month journey she has dubbed "Don't Give Up Your Dreams." Details of the trip, including updates with photographs and diary entries, are posted on Newsweek Japan's webpage in Japanese. Nikon has provided Karen with a specially modified COOLPIX 950 digital camera, that will enable her to document her hand-cycle trip through Japan. Read the entire story here.

05-11-2000

PhotoPoint.com Names Winner of "Million-Dollar Moment" Photo Contest NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--May 11, 2000--After an exhilarating eight-week run of the "Million-Dollar Moment" Photo Contest, PhotoPoint.com today announced that Steve Ringman, acclaimed photographer for The Seattle Times, is the grand-prize winner and America's newest millionaire. PhotoPoint awarded Ringman the $1 million live this morning on the CBS "The Early Show." As the grand-prize winner of $1 million, Ringman's entry was a black and white photograph of schoolgirls on a stormy day, rounding a corner on a windy street in San Francisco's Mission District. The photo was taken in 1983 when Ringman was a photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle. The San Francisco Chronicle owns rights to Ringman's photo and will receive 10 percent of his winnings, which will be contributed to a local homeless charity. Throughout his career Ringman has won numerous photography awards, including twice- named Newspaper Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association. All photographs were judged by a panel of 10 professional, award-winning photographers from around the country. The 10 finalists were chosen from a selection of 80 semi-finalists, and flown to New York in anticipation of their photo being chosen as the million-dollar winner. The winning photos can be viewed at: www.photopoint.com/gomillion/pc_main.html

05-11-2000

Kodak Unable To Shake "Old Economy" Stereotype Market players have characterized Kodak's stock as an "old economy" issue at a time when the sexiness of "new economy issues" involved with the Internet and technology has boosted stock values. Kodak's stock price has lagged despite record earnings. Eastman Kodak Co. Chairman George Fisher said he is frustrated by this perception of his company, the largest U.S. maker of photographic film. He said the "old economy" perception ignores Kodak's aggressive push into digital cameras and imaging. "If you look at our digital revenues, it's $2.5 billion now," he said, noting revenues of many new economy companies do not come close to sales in Kodak's digital camera and imaging business. "We are on the leading edge of all this (digital business). We have told people that but for some reason they tend to continue to see us as a traditional consumer company, which is not all bad in the long-run because it means we are really understanding consumer marketing," Fisher said in an interview late Wednesday. "It's frustrating but it will work out well. Our earnings are at an all-time high. I feel good about our strategy and what we are doing. I guess we should get the story out and show just how much opportunity we are sitting on."

05-11-2000

High-Capacity Storage Report Updated For those interested in the latest developments in digicam data storage be sure to check out my recently updated High-Capacity Memory Storage Options report. CompactFlash Type I cards are now available in capacities up to 192MB and later this year we hope to see the new HaloData 250MB CF Type I hard drive. CompactFlash Type II cards are evolving and rapidly approaching the capacity of the 340MB Microdrive. This report will be updated frequently as new devices become available.

05-10-2000

Epson's "Killer Chip" Refill Protection By-Passed Already From the folks at digitalkamera.de comes this info: "On 1st May 2000, we reported on an electronic protective device, i.e. a chip that prevents refilling of the ink tanks of the latest Epson generation (for the time being the printers Stylus Photo 870, 875DC and 1270). Clever users of Epson printers, however, have already found a way to by-pass the chip: While the printer is switched on and running idle, just a little before the cartridge is empty, you need only pull the plug. This is said to reset the chip status to "full" and thus to enable a refill of the cartridge. It remains to be said, however, that Epson, of course, does not approve of such an operation and this might lead to revocation of the guarantee."

05-10-2000

SanDisk, Toshiba Form New Flash Memory Company From CNET News.com Aiming to capitalize on a worldwide shortage for the type of memory that fuels digital cameras and MP3 players, SanDisk and Toshiba today announced an alliance to manufacture flash memory. The joint venture, called FlashVision, will likely help both companies mine profits in one of the faster growing subsegments of the semiconductor market. Sales of flash memory--which stores data and software code inside cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 players and other devices--has grown from $2.5 billion in 1998 to $4.5 billion last year and is expected to grow to a $10 billion market this year. The sudden surge of demand has created a shortage that is expected to last at least through 2001. Some consumer electronics manufacturers have already been affected. Late last year, for instance, some flash manufacturers, including SanDisk, diverted available supplies to digital camera manufacturers. Under the terms of the alliance, Toshiba and SanDisk will invest $700 million to renovate a fabrication facility being acquired from Dominion Semiconductor in Manassas, Va. FlashVision will not actually sell chips to electronics manufacturers. Instead, half of the output from the factory will go to Toshiba and the other half to SanDisk. The new venture will also mark an important milestone for SanDisk. The company is currently a "fabless" semiconductor company, which means it designs and markets products but has to outsource the actual manufacturing to companies such as Taiwan's United Microelectronics. Although outsourcing can cut costs, it can be risky in times of rising demands, as foundry companies are booked up. With FlashVision, SanDisk will be able to gain a certain measure of autonomy. Last year, SanDisk produced 5 million units. This year, it is on track to produce 15 million units.

05-08-2000

Fuji FinePix 1400 Zoom Review Posted Reviews, reviews and more reviews. Hey, that's probably why you came here in the first place right?  I just posted the Fuji FinePix 1400 zoom review complete with sample pictures. This is an excellent entry-level digicam for under $400 with terrific image quality. Check it out!

05-08-2000

DP Review Posts Olympus C-3030 Review Phil has just posted his Olympus C-3030 Zoom review. His conclusion: "Olympus take last years successful C-2020Z and upgrade it. With more pixels, several fixes and the new black case the C-3030Z is a worthy successor. Image quality is excellent, if occasionally marred by chromatic aberrations (don't we love em?). I was a little disappointed that Olympus didn't do more, they had the opportunity to get some added functionality in as well as just increasing resolution (I'm talking about what Nikon have done with the Coolpix 990)..."

05-08-2000

Epson Announces New 3.4 Megapixel PhotoPC 3000Z May 8, 2000 -- Torrance, CA -- Epson America Inc. today announced their new PhotoPC 3000Z, a 3.34 megapixel digital camera loaded with advanced features that delivers 2048 x 1536 images. 3.34 megapixel CCD sensor 2048 x 1536 images plus Epson's HyPict (2544 x 1904) 3x optical zoom (34mm - 102mm equivalent) Auto, Program and Manual modes 1.8-inch Wide View LCD monitor Hot shoe for external flash units Picture modes: Quick shot, macro, continuous shoot, interval shoot, 3x digital zoom, panorama and video clip. CompactFlash Type I slot, 16MB card included 46-49mm lens adapter for add-on lenses and filters Video Clip, 25 seconds of 320x240 motion JPEG at 15 fps Built-in microphone and speaker for 3, 5, or 10-sec audio notes 4 NiMH batteries and rapid charger USB connectivity The PhotoPC 3000Z will be available the end of May, 2000 for an estimated street price of $999. It ships with a 16MB CompactFlash card, serial and USB cables, video cable, neck strap, soft case, lens cap with strap, User's Guide, and four AA sized rechargeable NiMH batteries with charger. The software included on CD ROM is Sierra's Imaging Image Expert(tm), EPSON Photo!3 TWAIN driver and standalone utility driver, EPSON Photo File Uploader, and EPSON Photo! Print 2.ll software supports both Windows and Macintosh computer systems. Download the Epson PhotoPC 3000Z PDF brochure

05-07-2000

megapixel.net May 2000 Issue Online Our Canadian counterparts at the megapixel.net have just posted their bi-lingual May 2000 issue online. This month's camera reviews include the Casio QV-3000EX, Olympus C-3030 Zoom, Fuji FinePix 1400 and the RCA CDS4100.

05-06-2000

Imaging-Resource Posts First Review of the New Sony DSC-S70 CyberShot Our good friends over at the Imaging-Resource just posted their Sony DSC-S70 review and had this to say about it: "Like its 'little brother' the S50, the Sony DSC-S70 offers a compact, portable size and a wide variety of features. It's small enough to fit into a large coat pocket or purse but still hefty enough to provide a good secure hand grip. The S70's lightweight portability and full set of features make for a very user friendly camera we think most consumers will enjoy. The Carl Zeiss lens is of unusually high quality, rendering exceptionally sharp, highly-detailed images, with the highest resolution we've yet found in a digicam.   Overall, an excellent 3 megapixel digicam!"

05-05-2000

Congrats To Our April DPOTD Winners The votes have been counted and we now have our top three Digital Photo of the Day pictures for April 2000. Congratulations to the photographers and to our readers for helping us decide the winners. We had another month full of great photos and as usual, I received a lot of email telling me how difficult it is to pick just one favorite photo. To see the winning photos just click here!

05-04-2000

'Love Bug' Computer Virus Sweeps World NEW YORK (Reuters) - Love stinks -- particularly when it comes in the form of an electronic mail virus that has been slowing computers and shutting down e-mail systems around the world, from the British Parliament to the U.S. Pentagon. Companies across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia were hit on Thursday by the so-called "Love Bug" virus, raising fears of a repeat of the Melissa virus that wreaked havoc in the United States last year. Internal e-mail systems at many of the world's largest companies and organizations have been hit by the virus, ranging from media companies to agricultural companies to technology companies to public utilities. The virus comes in an e-mail that says "ILOVEYOU" in the subject line and an attachment, which when opened using Microsoft Outlook software sends the virus to the e-mail addresses stored within the software, researchers say. Once the virus infects the computer it can destroy certain files not only on the user's own hard drive, but also other files on networks that the user is connected to. The virus is said to overwrite picture and music files from local and network drives. Those infected appear to be limited to users of Microsoft Outlook, and only if the user were to open the accompanying attachment. Think you've been bitten by the bug?   Go to our friends at McAfee and get their Clinic Virus Scan program. It's always a good idea to be running some kind of active virus detection programs when you surf the net.

05-04-2000

Second Generation CyberShot DSC-F505V With 3.34 Megapixel CCD PARK RIDGE, N.J. - Sony Electronics Inc. announces the Cyber-shot DSC-F505V digital camera which combines a 3.34 mega-pixel CCD, an effective 2.62 mega-pixel resolution, new interpolation technology and advanced features for improved imaging and user control. The new Cyber-shot DSC-F505V adds Sony's 3.34 mega-pixel CCD imager to the acclaimed lens arrangement of its award winning predecessor, DSC-F505. The Cyber-shot DSC-F505V will be available in June for about $900. The effective 2.62 mega-pixel resolution achieves a 24 percent increase over the Cyber-shot DSC-505 and the 3.7 mega-pixel interpolated mode offers the largest image size from a Sony digital camera. The new model also includes advanced features such as 12 bit A/D conversion for wider dynamic range, TIFF mode for maximum color fidelity and in- camera image resizing options -- giving users precise control over the outcome of their pictures. With Sony's newly developed proprietary Super Resolution Converter (SRC), the Cyber-shot DSC-F505V is also able to provide larger sized images with interpolation of greater accuracy. Because SRC takes original data directly from the CCD before JPEG compression, it performs interpolation with up to 16 times more actual picture data than conventional methods. Relying on newly developed high-speed DSP technology, SRC provides the benefit of larger images of remarkable clarity without many of the drawbacks commonly associated with interpolation. The Cyber-shot DSC-F505V offers a 130° rotating Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar Lens and a 5X optical and 10X digital zoom. A manual focus ring gives users a level of control not usually found in digital cameras. An expanded focus indicator magnifies the LCD display for easy focusing by eye - the method commonly used in conventional photography. A number of other enthusiast features on the Cyber-shot DSC-F505V include manual selection of 9 aperture and 19 shutter speeds, selectable TIFF mode and a minimum focusing distance of less than 1". The Cyber-shot DSC-F505V also features MPEG High Quality Mode, which allows for MPEG full frame playback on a standard television - rather than ¼ frame playback that had been previously available - and an increased frame rate of 16 frames per second that results in smoother movement. Want to know more?  Go over to the Imaging-Resource and check out their Sony F505V First Look report.

05-03-2000

PixAround.com Releases FREE Immersive Panorama Software PixAround.com announces the launch of their new product, PixMaker Lite, a FREE software that lets users stitch up a series of photographs of a place into a 360- degree interactive image, and publish it as a 360-degree PixAround Scene, Web page or Postcard - all in 3 easy steps of "Snap, Stitch, Publish!" Now, anyone who has a digital camera can create immersive and interactive panoramic Web pages easily, without requiring expensive and professional equipment. These PixAround Webpages can be published on the Internet with no additional plug-ins to be installed, allowing visitors to take virtual 360° tours of any location. The PixMaker Lite software (4.33MB) is available for free download at: http://www.pixaround.com/download/ We are also pleased to announce the launch of SnapSingapore.com, the world's first Web site which offers online visitors a 360-degree virtual tour of a country using PixAround Solutions.

05-03-2000

Maha's New NiMH PowerBank Battery Pack Maha has recently introduced a new NiMH battery pack for digital cameras and it's available now. If you're looking for a good way to power that new Nikon 990 (or most any digicam) all day long, then check out my Maha PowerBank review. This is an excellent battery pack and it's reasonably priced too.

05-03-2000

Sandisk Introduces Next Generation ImageMate Card Readers SUNNYVALE, CA, May 2, 2000--- SanDisk Corporation today introduced new additions to the family of ImageMateTM card readers for CompactFlashTM (CFTM), SmartMediaTM and MultiMediaCards. SanDisk first introduced the ImageMate product line in 1998. Since then, it has proven to be very popular with consumers who use the readers for the easy and quick transfer of digital images, audio and data between a wide variety of devices including digital cameras, camcorders, internet music players, audio recorders, smart phones, PDAs and computers. "The new ImageMate family reaffirms SanDisk’s commitment to the consumer by continuing to innovate and improve its products," said Nelson Chan, senior vice president of worldwide marketing. "The new ImageMates are even easier to set-up, are lower-priced and have a better performance. For example, the new CF ImageMate is priced at only $30.00 and is nearly 25% faster than its predecessor." The new SanDisk CF ImageMate is the first CompactFlash reader on the market that supports the emerging Linux operating system. SanDisk’s CF ImageMate (which also reads CompactFlash Type II and MicroDrive cards) is USB compliant and supports Windows 2000. A parallel port CF ImageMate that supports Windows ’98 and NT 4.0 is also available. In addition to the new CF ImageMate, SanDisk also introduced two new ImageMates for SmartMedia and MultiMediaCards and a new FlashPathTM floppy disk adapter for MultiMediaCards. Both ImageMates are available in USB and parallel port versions and will soon support Windows 2000. The new ImageMates will be sold under the SanDisk brand name in North America, Asia and Europe and are available now. The card readers will be sold at most of the 13,000 retail outlets that currently sell ImageMates and SanDisk flash memory cards and will retail at a cost of between $30-$50 in the U.S. European pricing varies by country. The FlashPath™ SmartMedia™ adapter is available now in the retail channel under the SanDisk brand label at a suggested retail price of approximately $75-$100 in the U.S. European pricing varies by country. The FlashPath MultiMediaCard adapter will be available at the end of May.

05-03-2000

Toshiba PDR-M70 First Look Posted I just finished posting the Toshiba PDR-M70 First Look review. I just got the camera so I haven't had time to give it a good workout yet but so far it is very interesting. It's sure got some graphical menus and record screens. Nice compact size and it does movies with sound too. Over the next couple of days I will be building the sample pictures page and will post it as soon as possible. I will also be working on the Fuji FinePix 4700 review, we get that camera tomorrow directly from the Fuji folks who are meeting us for a business dinner.

05-02-2000

Club Photo Fuses Online Photo Sharing and Film Developing SAN JOSE, CALIF., May 2, 2000 - One hundred million 35mm and Advanced Photo System (APS) film-using households can mail their rolls of film for developing, preview the images online, share their favorites in free online albums, and order only the prints they want! On the heels of its acquisition of SignatureColor(r), a leading photo finisher with over 70 years of quality processing experience, Club Photo(tm) Inc. announced its new Pick Your Photo service to help friends and family easily share photo memories in ways unprecedented before today. The Pick Your Photo service costs only $1 per roll of film. The film is developed through a quality, in-house process, scanned at high resolution and made available for preview, and print ordering. The preview feature is also integrated with Club Photo's award winning sharing community. The new service eliminates the expense of purchasing unnecessary double prints and unwanted pictures that do not turn out. For those wanting prints, users and their friends and family can now preview their photos and order just the prints and quantity they want online. To start sharing pictures using the Pick Your Photo Service, users can go to the Club Photo Web site and order their photo sharing kit. Then, they simply send in their film to Club Photo for immediate processing (the negatives are returned by mail). Club Photo uploads high-resolution pictures into a dedicated Web page where users can preview and order only the pictures they want. Afterwards, users select which photos they want to share in their free online photo album, and begin instantly enjoying those special moments with friends and family.

05-01-2000

DC Resource Posts Nikon 990 / Olympus C-3030 Comparison Seems that Jeff is willing to tread where the rest of us are reluctant to go, he's just posted a head-to-head comparison of the Nikon Coolpix 990 and Olympus C-3030 Zoom.  I prefer to stay away from these "camera A vs camera B" debates myself. These digicams are all different physically and updated so frequently that it makes the entire comparison process a never-ending job. Jeff has attempted it anyway and has made some good observations about the two cameras.   I don't agree with some of his conclusions, but we are just humans and as such, we see things differently.

05-01-2000

Fujifilm Finepix 4700 Zoom Now Available - MSRP Dropped To $799! ELMSFORD, NY, May 1, 2000 -- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. has announced that the latest addition to its widely acclaimed 700 series of digital cameras - the FinePix 4700 ZOOM - is now available at retailers nationwide for an estimated street price of $799. Pocketable (3.1" W x 3.8" H x 1.3" D - weight 9oz), stylish, yet solidly built, the FinePix 4700 ZOOM builds upon the legacy of its MX-700, MX-2700 and MX-1700 ZOOM predecessors with an added twist; it's the first digital camera to utilize Fujifilm's new Super CCD for increased sensitivity, improved signal-to-noise ratio and wider dynamic range, attributes that result in sharp, vivid and colorful pictures. In addition to the Super CCD, the FinePix 4700 also has a host of new features including a 3x (38-114mm zoom on a 35mm camera) aspherical optical zoom lens, equivalent ISO sensitivities of 200/400/800, pop-up flash, USB port, 2-inch color LCD, five programmed exposure modes and the ability to capture 80 seconds of continuous AVI video -- with sound -- on its bundled 16MB SmartMedia card. In addition, the FinePix 4700 ZOOM benefits from improved electronics that saves power and both boots the camera and cycles images in less than two seconds. The FinePix 4700 ZOOM records JPEG images at three compression levels - fine, normal and basic - and depending on the image compression selected can record 8, 18 or up to 45 images, respectively, on its bundled 16MB SmartMedia card at the 2,400 x 1,800 resolution. If additional storage space is required, users have the option of recording images at either 1280 x 960 or 640 x 480 resolutions. The compact FinePix 4700 ZOOM (3.1" W x 3.8" H x 1.3" D) weighs in at a slight nine ounces. Two included AA nickel-metal hydride batteries power the camera and, as an added value, Fujifilm will bundle two additional batteries and a quick charger along with the camera to ensure that the user will always be ready for the next picture. Also included in the package is Adobe PhotoDeluxe® 3.0 Home Edition image editing software. Hats off to Fuji for dropping the retail price $200 and for the decision to go with the 4700's native resolution rather than an interpolated resolution - today's digicam buyers are confused enough as it is.

05-01-2000

MGI Software Releases PhotoVista 2.0 PhotoVista is an excellent panorama creating program. It supports a wide number of lens settings and digital cameras with various zoom lenses. The list of lenses and cameras can be updated from the MGI website. You can download a 60-day trial copy of PhotoVista 2.0 here and try it out for yourself, it is a much improved product over the original version. The user interface has been jazzed up and the program seems more robust, especially when stitching larger images. Here's a sample panorama that I generated from 12 Canon S10 images of the interior of a local shopping mall.

April 2000 News

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