| May 2001 |
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Digital camera books Nikon 990, Olympus C-2100, 3030Z, E-10, Canon G1, D30, Pro90, S100 & more. |
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Got News? |
Advertise on Steve's Digicams |
| 05-31-2001 |
Canon Posts EOS D30 Firmware Version 1.0.1.0 UpdateCanon Japan has posted the EOS D30 Firmware Version 1.0.1.0 Update. Turn your D30 over and check the serial number plate, a camera having the following Body Number on the bottom needs the firmware update: xxx200001 to xxx599999 (ex. 0A1200001). The new firmware has already been installed by the factory in EOS D30 cameras starting with serial number xxx600000. A small paper sheet confirming the update will be inserted in the display box to identify modified cameras.
EOS D30 Firmware Version 1.0.1.0 solves a camera lock-up problem that occurs when the
following camera operations are executed in sequence: 1. Turn the Menu ON, 2. Press
the INFO button and 3. Turn the Main Switch OFF. This phenomenon can only happen when
these operations are executed in sequence. Camera operation can be restored to normal
by taking the battery out and putting it into the battery compartment again.
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| 05-31-2001 |
Ricoh, Socket Communications Partner To Bring Digital Phone Card to Internet-Ready Digital Cameras
 The RDC-i700 is a 3.34-megapixel CCD digital camera with 3X optical zoom, 1 cm. (0.4
inch) macro capture, motion-picture mode, and sound recording capability. It includes two
expansion slots, one for CompactFlash cards and one for PC Cards, which are compatible
with Socket's digital phone cards, low power ethernet cards, and ruggedized serial cards.
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| 05-30-2001 |
Cameras, Cameras and More Cameras
Our good friends over at the Imaging-Resource have turned up information on four
new digicams, the Pentax Optio 330 (pictured above) which is billed as the "world's
smallest 3-megapixel 3x zoom, the Fuji 50i which is the successor to the 40i digicam/MP3 player,
and two Konicas, the Revio KD-300CZ (world's smallest 3-megapixel 2x zoom?) and the
Revio KD-200CZ, a 2-megapixel 3x zoom camera. You'll find links to the Japanese pages
on the
Imaging
Resource's news page.
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| 05-30-2001 |
Epson Stylus Photo 785EPX Review Posted
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| 05-30-2001 |
Kodak Professional and Pretec Team Up to Show 640MB CompactFlash CardThe largest capacity CompactFlash card in the world, 640MB from Pretec Electronics Corp. has been tested and approved by Eastman Kodak Company to be compatible with Kodak Professional DCS760 (3032 x 2008, 6 megapixel) and DCS Pro Back (4080 X 4080; 16 megapixel) digital cameras running current firmware.
Read the whole story at
Electric Tech's web site.
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| 05-29-2001 |
NixVue's Digital Album Now Available in 10GB or 20GB Capacity Starting at $499
 The NixVue Digital Album is now available from JOBO Fototechnic, Inc. and they lowered the price of the 10GB model to $499 and have added a new 20GB model for $599.
See my NixVue Digital Album review for all
the details on this highly versatile portable image storage, viewing and printing
device.
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| 05-29-2001 |
Kodak Pro Cuts U.S. List Price of RFS 3600 Film Scanner By $300, Promo Offers 3,600 Exposures of 'Pro' Film, Scanner Now Ships with New Adobe Elements
"The RFS 3600 scanner has always been a great buy, but now it's a great value and well within reach of many more photographers and studios," said Donald Pillittere, Worldwide Product Manager, Scanner Products, Kodak Professional. "Our goal is to introduce the benefits of digital imaging to a much broader segment of professional photographers, photo enthusiasts and imaging houses. We think this package of incentives will be hard to ignore." The price reduction means the suggested U.S. list price of the scanner drops to $999. Until October 31, 2001, anyone buying an RFS 3600 scanner can also receive 3,600 exposures (100 36-exposure rolls) of Kodak Professional 35mm film. Scanner buyers have their choice of Ektachrome transparency films (E100S, E100SW, E100VS, E200 and EPP), Portra color negative films (160VC, 160NC, 400VC, 400NC and 800) and T-Max and Tri-X black-and-white films (TM, TMY and TX).
The Kodak Professional RFS 3600 film scanner, at its new price, featuring
the new Adobe software, and including information on the film promotion, is
available from authorized dealers of Kodak Professional products.
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ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 29 - Kodak Professional is making it more enticing than
ever to purchase its popular
| 05-29-2001 |
Ricoh RDC-i700 Review Posted at DP Corner
 An exclusive review of Ricoh's RDC i700 scheduled for the June issue of Digital Camera Magazine is now posted at Digital PhotoCorner. More than just a digicam, the RDC i700 can perform both wired and wireless functions including surfing the web, uploading pictures to a site, and sending emails with photo attachments annotated in handwriting, text or voice.
A highly sophisticated communications tool, it can also transmit
faxes of documents shot in a special text mode and capture
movies-with-sound. Learn how the RDC i700 has been designed to take
advantage of the fast approaching, new wireless technology. RDC i700
test photos will be posted at
Imaging-Resource.
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| 05-26-2001 |
Sima Image Bank Review Posted
I just posted my review of Sima's
Image Bank portable image storage unit. This is another excellent storage
device for today's digi-photographers that never seem to have enough flash memory.
If you're getting ready to take an extended vacation with your digicam then you
might want to give this review a look-see before you go out and buy a lot of
expensive flash memory or a laptop computer.
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| 05-25-2001 | ||||||
Nikon Posts Coolpix 880 Firmware v1.1Nikontech-USA.com has posted the Coolpix 880 Firmware v1.1 upgrade on their site for download. The following additions or fixes are incorporated:
Nikon still officially frowns on
doing it this way but I see it as no riskier than doing it via the serial or
USB port. Thousands of people have upgraded their 950 or 990 cameras using this
method and I've never heard of it "killing" any cameras.
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| 05-23-2001 |
Minolta DiMAGE 7 First Look Posted
This camera will be available in
a little over a month and will be the first consumer-priced digicam to offer
5-megapixel resolution in a SLR-type package. We will upgrade this review when
we get a full production unit and will also re-do the sample photos at that time.
And another
DiMAGE 7 first look at DP Review.
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| 05-23-2001 |
Minolta Announces 5.2-Megapixel DiMAGE 7 and 3.3-Megapixel DiMAGE 5 SLR-Type Digital Cameras With 7x Zoom Lenses
Click on the DiMAGE 7 to read our review!
"With the introduction of these new digital cameras, Minolta is taking a dramatic and powerful position in the rapidly evolving digital still camera market," said Brian Miller, vice president of marketing, Minolta Corporation's Consumer Products Group. "By building upon our past successes in this category and leveraging our strong heritage as a leading camera manufacturer, Minolta is committed to developing a new class of digital cameras that provide uncompromising image quality, performance that satisfies even the most demanding photographers and photo enthusiasts at affordable prices." The new DiMAGE 7 and DiMAGE 5 feature Minolta's new technological developments designed to provide high-quality images as well as a wide array of digital functions for creative photography. Many advanced features that were found only on high-end professional digital cameras are now offered at more affordable prices. The DiMAGE 7 is equipped with a 2/3 inch-type CCD with a total of 5.24 million pixels. The DiMAGE 5 features a 1/1.8 inch-type CCD with 3.34 million pixel resolution. Both digital cameras feature a lightweight magnesium alloy body and built-in flash. These cameras also take advantage of Minolta's acclaimed ADI (Advanced Distance Integration) flash metering when used in conjunction with Minolta's Program Flash 5600HS (D) and 3600HS (D). "The development of these groundbreaking new digital cameras centers on Minolta's expertise in superior autofocus technologies, light metering and exposure control, color metering, compact zoom lens design, digital image processing technology and ultra miniaturization," said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president, digital imaging products, Minolta Corporation's Consumer Products Group. "The sophistication and portability of these new digital cameras will satisfy the needs of photo enthusiast as well as business users in fields as diverse as real estate, medical, law enforcement and insurance." The optics in both digital camera models consists of a newly designed all-glass 7x optical zoom Minolta GT LENS. The DiMAGE's 7.2mm - 50.8mm, f/2.8-f/3.5 APO lens is an advanced apochromat using anomalous dispersion (AD) glasses and aspheric elements to provide sharp, bright images at all focal lengths. The DiMAGE 7's optical zoom range is equivalent to (in 35mm photography) a 28mm - 200mm lens and the DiMAGE 5's optical zoom range is equivalent to a 35mm - 250mm lens. Both cameras also feature a One-Touch 2x digital zoom to significantly increase the zooming range and a Super Macro capability, allowing close-up photography of subjects as near as 5 inches from the lens. The image formed on the CCD is enhanced by Minolta's exclusive CxProcess image processing technology to optimize sharpness, color reproduction, tonal gradation and noise to create clear and natural images. The wide dynamic range is provided by 12- bit A/D conversion to ensure natural color and tonal reproduction. Minolta's exclusive movable Digital Hyper Viewfinder (EVF), features a high- resolution ferroelectric display. The EVF functions as an information center that shows a full array of shooting information and monitors the effects of image manipulation and control. The Digital Effects Control allows users to adjust the color saturation, contrast and exposure before saving the image to a Type I or Type II CompactFlash Card. The world's first Flex Focus Point feature in the digital camera expands focusing control by allowing the photographer to choose the position of the focus frame anywhere within the field of view.
The Minolta DiMAGE 7 will be available in July with an MSRP of $1499, the DiMAGE 5
will be available in August with an MSRP of $999.
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| 05-22-2001 |
Autolycus and Kaidan Announce SpinImageDV.com Web SiteFeasterville, Pennsylvania May 22, 2001 - Kaidan Incorporated, the leading manufacturer of Photographic VR hardware, and the Autolycus Corporation, a new digital imaging software development company, have announced today the launch of their new joint web site, SpinImageDV.com and the release of their first joint product, the SpinImage DV Object Imaging Kit. This kit allows anyone to easily and affordably create interactive 3-D object movies of products, toys or collectibles weighing up to twenty pounds. The $399 SpinImage DV Object Imaging Kit consists of a Kaidan PiXi-M motorized turntable and Autolycus SpinImage DV software. When used with a DV FireWire-enabled camcorder, users can create 3-D object movies in a matter of minutes. The process is simple. The user places the object of interest on the motorized PiXi-M turntable. The digital video of the spinning object is sent to the computer (Macintosh or Windows) where the SpinImage DV software converts the video stream into an object movie that's ready to be transferred to a Web site or eBay auction. The user can choose from either the SpinImage format (HTML-based) or a QuickTime® VR format. According to Kaidan VP of Engineering, Sal DiPaolo, "We're really excited to be offering a solution that will revolutionize the creation of interactive 3-D objects for the Web. With the explosion of computer-connected DV cameras there is a ready and enthusiastic market of consumers who will start creating compelling 3-D object movies. People can create object movies of their collectibles, eBay auction items, valuables or products."
Robert Green, CEO of Autolycus says, "We have developed the SpinImage DV
software with the end-user in mind. We've made the process of image capture
and posting to eBay and other auction sites a simple task that requires just
a few mouse clicks. And, through the SpinImageDV.com web site, we provide
the customer with tips and tutorials on how to post their 3-D object movies
to the Web. We recently showcased this capability when we created hundreds
of 3-D object movies of the BattleBots. We shot the robots on location at
the Las Vegas BattleBots competition last fall and will also be imaging the
robots in 3D at the competition in San Francisco this week."
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| 05-22-2001 |
InfoTrends Predicts 18 Percent Digital Camera Penetration By Year-EndInfoTrends Research Group, Boston, Mass., USA, is predicting 18 percent of North American households will own digital cameras by the end of this year, as total digital camera ownership reaches 21 million units. In the midst of an economic downturn, the digital camera market is remaining more resilient than other consumer electronics markets, InfoTrends says. For the entire year, InfoTrends predicts digital camera unit sales will reach 9.4 million, an increase of 55 percent over 2000, and nearly matching mass-market scanner unit sales. "This is a clear turning point in the consumer digital imaging market," says Michelle Lampmann, a market research analyst. "Digital cameras have achieved a price/performance level that is compelling to consumers, particularly the sub-$300, 2-megapixel models. Additionally, consumers recognize the value of purchasing a digital camera in a time of greater justification for personal expenditures, because they may expect to spend less on film and photo-processing services." InfoTrends' digital camera end user studies show the average digital camera user uses less film as a result of owning a digital
camera.
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| 05-21-2001 |
An Easy Fix for Fuji S1 Pro's Green Cast
If you're the proud owner of a Fujifilm S1 Pro camera then I am sure that you have
made many of your friends green with envy. I'm also sure that you have probably
noticed that a good number of your photos suffer from a rather green cast in
certain areas. Help for that is a mouse click away with a special
Digital Outback Photo review that will tell you how to get rid of that problem
using one of our favorite programs - Qimage Pro.
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| 05-21-2001 |
Clearwater Site Takes Aim at Digital Cameras
The St. Petersburg Times today posted electronically and in print, a story about
our web site. If you're not in the Tampa Bay area and want to read the article
you will find it here in their
Tech Times section.
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| 05-21-2001 |
Kodak Professional Offers DCS 760 and 8660 Printer "Digital Portrait Bundle" for Thousands LessROCHESTER, N.Y., May 21 - Kodak Professional has assembled a powerful new digital imaging "bundle" for portrait and event photographers, featuring its newest digital camera - the DCS 760 - the newly upgraded Kodak Professional 8660 Thermal Printer, and Portraits & More PC Professional software. The bundle comes at a significant savings - 23 percent or $4,494 off normal U.S. suggested list pricing - over purchasing the components individually. It offers professional photographers a versatile, ready-to-run, high-performance digital portrait solution that delivers high-resolution image capture and uncompromising photo-quality image output. And it includes an anti-aliasing filter for the DCS 760, normally an additional-cost accessory. "Given the high interest in our other digital imaging bundles, we knew many customers would want the increased advantages offered by the DCS 760 camera," said John Hodgson, U.S. Marketing Manager, On-Demand Photo Systems, Kodak Professional. "Photographers welcome the camera's rich combination of features, robustness, versatility, image resolution, and on-the-job performance - a combination unmatched by any other 6-megapixel camera." The Kodak Professional DCS 760 digital camera combines Kodak's true 6-megapixel ITO CCD image quality with the unequaled ruggedness and performance of Nikon's flagship F5 pro SLR camera body. The new camera is capable of a wide variety of uses - including weddings and portraiture, editorial, on-figure fashion, commercial, travel, catalog and architectural photography - either in the studio or on location. The Kodak Professional 8660 Thermal Printer delivers unsurpassed photographic-quality, highly durable images, including matte finish portraits. Its enclosed printing system and cartridge ribbon allow for easier ribbon loading along with more reliable performance and artifact-free prints. It can be easily interfaced to Windows 95, 98 and NT and Macintosh platforms or shared over a network with the network card accessory. It delivers ready-to-sell professional prints from 5x7-inch size up to a full page without wet processing or post lamination. PC Professional software offers a broad range of artistic options with multi-image composites and on-demand creativity. It has a sophisticated set of imaging manipulation tools, making it easy to deliver on-demand portraiture. It is a great choice for children, family, senior and executive portraiture. Extremely flexible, the software allows the photographer to create composites, proof pages and "memory mates" quickly and easily, using either pre-made or custom composites employing imported graphics. It also simplifies changing backgrounds and borders, adding text, image retouching and making color corrections. These components and the system they create is yet another example of Kodak's involvement in Infoimaging - a $225 billion industry created by the convergence of images and information technology in ways that were never before possible. Infoimaging describes images, enabled by technology, improving communication and commerce, and creating significant new revenue and market opportunities for businesses.
The new bundle comprising the DCS 760 camera, anti-aliasing filter, the 8660
thermal printer and software is available now from authorized dealers of
Kodak Professional Portraits & More software. It has a U.S. recommended
list price of $14,995.
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| 05-20-2001 |
The Best Things in Life Are "Fee"ARS ANALYST OUTLOOK - May 18, 2001
By Suzzana Ellyn, Research Analyst, Digital Photo Printing/Photo Sharing
Two years ago, with the benefit of venture capital investments, approximately 100 online photo service Web sites were launched. All of those sites offered some form of free service for storing and sharing pictures to consumers. At a time when the Internet was a new experience for PC users, especially with respect to online photo sharing, providing a free service was the primary way to attract and gain visitors to a Web site. For e-businesses, Web site traffic was the barometer for success. Aside from start-up venture capital, advertising was the main source of revenue for online photo service businesses, and it depended heavily upon site traffic. Unfortunately, both models have proven to be unsuccessful. It has been estimated that online photo service companies burn through $500,000 to $1,000,000 a month in overhead costs to maintain their Web sites, in effect depleting any start-up capital reserves. The advertising revenue with which online photo service companies hoped to pay the bills, never lived up to expectations. The current climate in the online space has made Internet photo services take stock of their business models and implement new strategies, one of which is charging a fee instead of being free. In March, PhotoLoft began the trend of moving from a free service to a fee subscription based service when it announced to members that they must pay over $35 for an annual subscription to store up to 10MB of images. Most recently, PhotoPoint shifted to a fee membership service. With its Basic Membership Plan at $19.95 per year or approximately $0.08 per photo, PhotoPoint members receive storage space for up to 250 images. A month before PhotoPoint's announcement, Snapfish changed its pricing model and started charging a $1.99 fee to develop rolls of film - a service which was once free of charge. Although the aforementioned are the most recent to shift gears and charge for memberships, such well-established players like dotPhoto.com, PhotoIsland.com, and Kodak PhotoNet have been charging fees for some time. The obvious initial reaction to an online photo service charging fees is that members will leave and join a free service. As in any industry, the hardest sale to make is convincing someone to pay for something that they already receive for free. Potential new users may think twice about signing up and paying for a service to store and share photos, since there are still numerous free sites offering the same capabilities. On the plus side of the equation, these fee-based Internet photo services will have a solid source of revenue to maintain operations and reach potential profitability. These companies are banking on the hope that established members will stay due to the hassle involved with transferring stored pictures to another Web site. They are also hoping that new and existing users will see a fee-based service as a guarantee that the Web site will be in business for a while and that their pictures will be secure in the long term. The idea of security will play a very important role within the online photo service space, but it has been overlooked as a competitive factor. In this highly competitive market, factors such as price, product variety, customer service, and ease-of-use all play a major part in any online photo service's success. All these factors are valid, however, security and the price for that security are evolving as major issues for maintaining customers and generating profits. The idea that photos are very personal items appears to have been overlooked among the onslaught of technology and services these online photo service sites have developed. Online customers will pay the price for the piece of mind that their family pictures will be in a safe place online.
The industry is trying to predict how many of the 100 plus Internet
photo sites will survive the dot com shakeout. The sites that survive
may not be the ones previously expected. When fee based services were
discussed at the PMA show in Orlando this past February, many believed
it was the beginning of the end for any service considering such a move.
However, it may end up the other way around. Those that do not take the
risk and shift to a fee-based model might find themselves out of cash
and out of the market. Though a fee-based service may have a bitter
taste going down, consumers are smart and will understand the ultimate
benefit. Consumers will understand that for a nominal price, they are
supporting a cutting edge technology that allows them to store and share
precious personal memories for years to come.
ARS Inc. is a La Jolla, California-based Competitive Market Intelligence
Company specializing in the daily tracking and analyzing of the
e-commerce, PC, and Networking markets.
ARS is the Information Technology Industry's most comprehensive source
of B2B and B2C competitive market intelligence on products, pricing,
margins, marketing activities, promotional campaigns, channel programs,
and sales channel dynamics. ARS provides "fact-based" research to help
companies understand what is happening in their respective markets and
why. ARS' scope of coverage includes the US and European markets.
For more information regarding ARS please visit:
http://www.ars1.com
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| 05-20-2001 |
Qimage Pro Gets New Home and FeaturesIn addition to Qimage Pro now having a new "home" website, version 1.6 offers some new features and fixes. We've also developed three new camera profiles for: the Fuji FinePix 6800, Canon S110 Elph, and Olympus C700-UZ. More info on the profiles can be obtained at www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/plugins. New Features: 16 bit per channel (48 bit) TIFF images: Qimage Pro v1.6 can now read, display, print and manipulate 16 bit per channel TIFF images. You can also convert raw NEF/ORF images directly to 16 bit per channel TIFF images using a 100% 16 bit workflow from start to finish. When creating 16 bit per channel TIFF images from your raw NEF/ORF images, filtering capability is limited to unsharp mask, white balance, and exposure (auto levels) in version 1.6 since the other Qimage Pro filters work on an 8 bit per channel (24 bit) level. We plan to increase Qimage Pro's 16 bit per color channel capabilities in the future, but version 1.6 will give users a method for creating professional quality 16 bit/channel TIFF baseline images for use/manipulation in other software. In addition, if you have created, modified and/or saved 16 bit/channel TIFF images from another photo editor, Qimage Pro can now view/print these images directly without the need for conversion to 8 bit/channel images.
Print single poster panel: In response to user request, we have provided
the ability to print a selected poster panel. This can be handy for
printing only a small section of a poster if one or more poster panels
become torn or unusable during mounting. Access this feature by selecting
one poster on the preview page and right clicking to select "Print Single
Poster Panel". You may then enter the coordinates of the panel to be
printed.
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| 05-18-2001 |
Rob Galbraith Posts Kodak DCS 760 Review
 Expert digital-photojournalist Rob Galbraith reviews the new Kodak DCS 760 Pro SLR and gives us many insights into the pros and cons of using this six megapixel behemoth. Be sure to read the entire review if you're in the market for a pro digital SLR. Rob's conclusion:
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| 05-18-2001 |
Kodak Professional DCS Camera Manager Software V2.0 Enables Computer Control of IEEE 1394-Compatible Kodak Digital CamerasROCHESTER, N.Y., May 18 - New digital image workflow software from Kodak Professional greatly expands the studio applications for any Kodak Professional digital camera compatible with the IEEE 1394 serial bus. With DCS Camera Manager v1.0 software, photographers can control camera settings from a computer, trigger the camera, quickly copy images from the camera to the computer, and send images directly to the computer where they can be transmitted to other locations. It's one of the latest Kodak contributions to Infoimaging - a $225 billion industry created by the convergence of images and information technology in ways that were never before possible. Infoimaging is about images, enabled by technology, improving communication and commerce, and creating significant new revenue and market opportunities for businesses. Camera Manager software both speeds and simplifies the movement of images as information. With Camera Manager software, connecting a Kodak digital camera to a computer via a "Firewire" interface lets photographers use their computer to set any of the properties accessible through the camera's menu. These include adjusting the clock, setting the aperture, designating a personalized start-up screen with contact information and many other functions. The computer connection also allows remote camera triggering for a more nimble set-up and greater efficiency in studio applications. The new software also allows images to be saved directly on a computer's hard drive, bypassing the camera's removable memory. This option provides new versatility, especially with the newest PC models that offer wireless transmission and are small enough to be carried in a pocket or on a belt. With the software, a Kodak Professional DCS digital camera and such a computer, images can be captured in the field and transmitted almost instantaneously to a web site or wire service for further dissemination. Camera Manager software, available free on www.kodak.com, is compatible with all Kodak Professional DCS cameras in the 300, 500 and 600 series, as well as the newly announced Kodak Professional DCS760 digital camera. The software is included with the DCS760 digital camera. The first version of Camera Manager will support Mac OS9 & OS9.1, as well as Windows 2000. An updated version supporting Windows 98 SE, Windows NT, and Windows ME is set for release before the end of May.
Also available on the web site is the recently announced DCS Photo Desk v1.1
software. Primarily designed as an image browser, DCS Photo Desk software
can be used to review images and supports a wide variety of metadata.
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| 05-17-2001 |
Fuji's "Picture of America" Tour Is At Busch Gardens Tampa Through This Weekend
We found the Fuji Truck underneath of the Fujifilm Blimp today and took a little
tour of it. If you'd like a peep at what's inside then
click here!
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| 05-17-2001 |
Nikon Coolpix® 880 Receives Prominent Best Buy Award From PC World Magazine
"The Coolpix 880 is one of Nikon's best selling digital cameras and we are pleased to be
recognized by PC World as a best buy," said Deborah Sauer, general manger, marketing
consumer digital products & compact cameras at Nikon Inc. "With the affordable price,
high quality images and easy-to-use features, the Coolpix 880 is a great digital camera
for all levels of digital photographers."
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| 05-17-2001 |
AMD Announces Architectural Breakthrough in Flash Memory; Mirror Bit Architecture to Deliver Low Cost, Ultra High Density Flash Products Without CompromiseSUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2001 via NewsEdge Corporation - AMD (NYSE:AMD) today announced a breakthrough in memory cell architecture that enables a Flash memory product to hold twice as much data as standard Flash, without compromising device endurance, performance or reliability. The first product featuring AMD's new Mirror Bit(TM) architecture is scheduled for introduction during the first quarter of 2002. The product is designed to offer a low cost, highly reliable solution that is pin- compatible with today's standard three-volt (low voltage - LV) products, thereby allowing a customer to reap the benefits of the Mirror Bit architecture without changing their system design. Virtually every application that employs an LV Flash memory product can benefit from AMD's Mirror Bit architecture. Built on AMD's industry-leading technology, the Mirror Bit architecture delivers the low cost structure of a multi-level cell (MLC) solution without any of the drawbacks of MLC. The Mirror Bit architecture's ability to store two bits of data in one cell, without compromising data integrity, is achieved by dividing each standard cell into two discrete and independent units where the data is stored in physically distinct locations. Today's technology announcement is the result of years of research and development on the design, processing, testing and characterization of multi-bit cells that have culminated in AMD's patented Mirror Bit architecture. Mirror Bit memory cells, which store a full charge in each of two physically distinct locations, offer many advantages over MLCs that store fractional levels of charge in one location. Since each bit in the Mirror Bit memory cell is physically in a different location, the bits are independent and do not interact with each other, allowing AMD to offer the same performance and reliability as standard single-bit flash memory products. The Mirror Bit architecture also overcomes the inherent reliability issues, slow random access and long programming times of MLC technology. "Multi-bit technology has been the holy grail of flash memory and this architecture represents a major landmark in the evolution of non-volatile memories," said Walid Maghribi, AMD's senior vice president and president of the company's Memory Group. "AMD, Fujitsu and FASL, have dedicated an army of engineers that have worked around the world and around the clock to achieve this extraordinary engineering feat. This tremendous achievement sets us on the path to producing 1-Gigabit Flash memory products."
AMD's planned family of products based on the Mirror Bit architecture will include
products from 64-Mbit through 1-Gbit. This product family will include two new
performance-enhancing features designed to remove the data input and output bottlenecks
inherent to ultra high-density devices. These products will feature a write buffer that
allows significantly faster programming than today's fastest Flash memory products and a
page read buffer that allows page mode access times as fast as 20 ns. AMD plans to
introduce its first Mirror Bit-based, 64-Mb Flash memory products during the first
quarter of 2002, with 256-Mb products to follow in the third quarter of 2002.
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| 05-16-2001 |
Kodak CFO Says It's "Not Clear" How Digital Imaging Will Impact Film UseThe mass market for digital snapshots is a lot farther away than Eastman Kodak Co. expected last year and it may take up to 10 years to really take off, Kodak said in an interview with London's Reuters Ltd. "Digital is growing a lot slower, which is the reason we cut our sales growth forecasts from between 30 to 40 percent to 15 to 25 percent," Chief Financial Officer Bob Brust said. At the moment sales of digital cameras "have slowed dramatically," according to Brust, citing the sluggish U.S. economy as one of the reasons. "If you (as a consumer) worry about your job, you're not going to buy a digital camera," he said. Other reasons why digital pictures will be catching on later than expected were the complexity of cameras and software, lack of Internet bandwidth to quickly send pictures to friends and family and, in Europe, expensive Internet log-on time. "It will be solved, but it will take a few years," he said. Even when a mass market does materialize, Kodak is unsure where that will leave the traditional film business. "In five to 10 years from now, when digital really gets going, it is not clear how many people will still use traditional film. Half perhaps?" Brust said. Digital was generating just one percent of photo-related sales in the United States last year, with the remaining 99 percent going to traditional photo film, paper and cameras. Digital, however, is growing significantly faster than traditional photography materials which are expected to increase by between two and four percent, and could even decrease, said Brust. Brust said the digital camera market was too small to be attractive at present, and electronics manufacturing was not an appealing business anyway because of its low profit margins. Instead Kodak will try to sell its technology to as many takers as possible and create substantial revenues from licensing. "In a consumer electronics business we're better off licensing our technology," he said, adding that licensing revenues were not
yet significant.
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| 05-15-2001 |
Epson's New PhotoPC 3100Z Uses Print Image Matching Technology
 The PhotoPC 3100Z is a 3.34-megapixel camera with several new features compared to its predecessor, the PhotoPC 3000Z. In addition to Print Image Matching, it also includes a print button located on the back of the camera, which flags images for printing when the memory card is placed in a printer with a card reader; Epson's HyPict image enhancement technology, which provides customers with the equivalent of 4.8-megapixel resolution; and 3x optical zoom. The camera is bundled with Sierra Imaging Image Expert for retrieving, organizing, enhancing and printing images; Epson Photo File Converter for converting files to upload to the camera; Panorama Stitcher for stitching images together to create panoramic prints; Quick Time 4.0; and Adobe Acrobat Reader. It will be available later this month for an estimated street price of $799.
Quick specs: 3.34-megapixel CCD, image sizes: 2544x1904 (interpolated),
2048x1536, 1600x1200 and 640x480, 34 - 102 mm (3x optical zoom), 1.8-inch color LCD,
ISO 100, 200, 400, matrix or spot metering, shutter speeds 8 - 1/1000 second,
aperture F2 - F8, external flash hot shoe, internal flash with Auto, On, Off,
Red-eye Reduction, Leading or Trailing Slow Sync, 16MB CF Type I, voice clips of
3, 5, or 10 seconds, microphone and speaker built in, USB, size 4.3 x 3.5 x 2.6 inches,
weight 11.6 oz w/out batteries.
|
| 05-15-2001 |
Analog Devices Unveils Digital Camera ChipTOKYO, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. semiconductor maker Analog Devices Inc unveiled on Tuesday a chip to let digital camera users adjust the quality of their photos to expand available memory or speed up transmission over the Internet. The Massachusetts-based company said it has produced the world's first silicon chip that supports the new JPEG2000 image compression standard, which cuts storage and power requirements compared with the existing JPEG standard. Japan-made digital still cameras using the new co-processing chip are expected to reach the market within the next year, said Roger Smith, Analog Devices' product line manager for video products. The company's analog front-end chips, which translate analog signals from a camera's image-sensing device into a digital format, are already used in about half the world's digital cameras, including those made by sector heavyweights Sony Corp and Fuji Photo Film . The new standard lets users peel off levels of quality from a photo much like peeling an onion, Smith said, until the volume of data fits the desired amount of memory or speed of Internet transmission. It also allows very rough scaling down of resolution by factors of two. Resolution refers to the number of pixels per inch, rather than the quality of the image on individual pixels. The company's ADV-JP2000 co-processors will be made at chip foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (NYSE:TSM - news) . The original JPEG standard was created in 1987 by the Joint Photographic Experts Group, comprising manufacturers of digital cameras, mobile handsets, printers and scanners, to establish technology for storing photos on floppy disks. A team at Analog Devices has been working since 1994 on image compression wavelet technology, based on mathematical principles studied as far back as the 19th century on finite snippets of endless waves, and a JPEG2000 committee in 1997 designated wavelet technology as offering the greatest improvement in imaging, Smith said. Analog Devices cited estimates from market researcher IDC that the global market for digital cameras is expected to expand to $7 billion by 2004 from $4.3 billion in 2000. The company eventually plans to roll out devices based on the technology that could be used in other applications such as security surveillance systems or medical imaging.
The chip will not support JPEG, but Smith said the older, simpler standard currently
does not require separate hardware. He added that as JPEG2000 technology progresses, his
company would actively integrate it into other chips and might license it to other
firms.
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| 05-14-2001 |
Hoodman D1 Hoodcap Hood Almost Ready
 With your Hoodcap in place over your Nikon D1's LCD screen, the new D1 Hood slips over the ears of your Hoodcap and snugly stays in place. D1 hood is a soft rubber hood with bellows which collapse onto themselves when you need to look through your viewfinder. D1-hood springs back into place providing glare free LCD screen viewing when you move your eye away from your viewfinder.
The $39.95 Hoodcap Hood is 2-3 weeks out, but pre-orders may be placed
for it now.
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| 05-14-2001 |
Nikon USA Posts Nikon Capture 2.0 InfoPosted on the D1X and D1H product pages of the Nikon USA web site are the following statements with links for further info or .pdf files: "Order Nikon Capture 2.0 software within 30 days of purchasing a D1X or D1H and you will receive the software for $99.95." "Customers who purchased Capture 1.0 from February 1, 2001 to April 25, 2001 can receive a free upgrade of Nikon Capture 2.0 Software."
"Customers who purchased Capture 1.0 prior to February 1, 2001 can receive a $30
upgrade rebate on Nikon Capture 2.0 Software."
|
| 05-13-2001 |
Canon PowerShot S110 Review Posted
 |
| 05-12-2001 |
Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom Review Posted
And Jeff at DC Resource has posted his
Olympus C-700UZ review as well.
|
| 05-11-2001 |
Kodak DX3500 Review Posted
 |
| 05-11-2001 |
Digital Still Photography Charter comes to the Kona Aggressor IIThe Aggressor II live-aboard dive boat in Hawaii has been chosen as the location for what is believed to be the first exclusively-digital underwater still photography live- aboard dive charter. The trip will give divers, some who might be new to underwater photography, an opportunity to learn about underwater digital photo equipment and technique while experiencing the incredible ease, fun and satisfaction associated with shooting digitally in a hands-on group-learning environment. In addition to honing their skills on their own personal digital camera equipment, participants will also be able to try out some of the latest manufacturer-supplied equipment for photographing digitally underwater. "With digital we are going to see a photographic renaissance underwater much like what is currently occurring with land-based digital," asserts David Breitigam, who runs Wetpixel.com, the underwater digital enthusiasts web site that he uses to communicate the very latest information about his diving pastime. David can rattle off a long list of the benefits of film-free photography underwater, but he maintains that the attraction for divers is not in the technicalities. "You can get into arguments about how good technically digital really is today," says David, "but ultimately divers are getting into it because its more fun and it produces the feedback and underwater pictures they want instantly without much of the work and time they have come to associate with something like a Nikonos." Guests will have the opportunity to engage in some good-natured competition in nightly digital slide shows that will choose a winning picture-of-the-day for a live web site update. David is betting that digital will return some of the excitement about underwater photography that has dropped in dive circles recently, providing added impetus to keep divers diving. The exclusively film-free photography charter has been scheduled for November 3-10, 2001. Short light sessions and quick tips will be provided to guests, both on underwater digital photography and on the use of the photo memory transfer and digital darkroom services available via a small network of Powerbook laptop computers aboard the boat. David believes a similar setup will replace the polluting E-6 labs at dive resorts and on liveaboards in the future.
For more information about the charter call (866) 591-1169 or visit
www.wetpixel.com.
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| 05-10-2001 |
Canon Introduces New Powershot S110 Digital ELPH Camera
 The PowerShot S110 is a 2x, 2.1 megapixel camera which incorporates new and improved features including direct print capabilities from the new Canon Card Photo Printer CP-10; 20 frame-per-second movie clips with audio at selectable resolutions up to 640x480 pixels; a choice of nine image quality modes; shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/1500 second; an adaptive primary color filter for improved color reproduction; automatic exposure sensitivity adjustment; a new high-speed digital signal processing IC with low power consumption; and a high-output light guide flash. A new digital signal processing IC in the PowerShot S110 enables high-speed image processing and rapid data transfer through the cameras' USB interface. The PowerShot S110 takes advantage of this feature by offering a Direct Print mode that enables users to print hard-copy images using Canon's new CP-10 dye- sublimation printer. The Canon PowerShot S110 can record movie clips with audio at 20 frames per second in any of three resolution modes: 640x480, 320x240 or 160x120. PowerShot S110 movie clips are recorded as QuickTime AVI files, with the image data saved in the Motion JPEG format and the sound in the WAVE format. The video portion of the PowerShot S110 movies can be replayed on the camera's LCD monitor. Full audio-video playback is possible with a connected TV monitor or a compatible PC after downloading. Downloaded movie clips can be edited, saved, and sent to others via e-mail using the PowerShot's S110's bundled software. Due to the new digital signal processing IC, the S110's movie clip processing speed is approximately 2.7 times faster that other models in its class. The elegant stainless-steel body styling of the PowerShot S110 is further accentuated by a bright, ballast finish and a circular hairline for an even greater luxurious appearance. The PowerShot S110 also features a 2X (equivalent to 35-70mm in the 35mm format) f/2.8-4.0 all-glass aspherical lens, 3-point autofocus, and continuous shooting at 2.5 frames per second. The new camera measures 3.5 (W) x 2.3 (H) x 1.0 (D)-inches and weighs approximately 6.8 ounces. The PowerShot S110 features a 1/2.7-inch, 2.1 megapixel CCD sensor that creates full color or black-and-white images up to 1600x1200 pixels when set to the camera's Large resolution mode. The camera also offers additional resolution settings of 1024x768 and 640x480 when set in the Middle or Small modes, which are ideal for on-screen applications, such as Web sites and CD-ROMs and allow more images to be recorded on a single CompactFlash memory card. The new camera is compatible with Type I CompactFlash Cards and will be shipped with an 8MB CF card.
The new PowerShot S110 is supplied with the following standard accessories: 8MB
CompactFlash Card, Lithium-Ion Battery Pack NB-1L, Battery Charger CB-2LS, Interface
Cable IFC-200PCU, AV Cable AVC-DC200, Wrist Strap WS-110, User's Guide, Software Starter
Guide & System Map, Canon U.S.A., Inc. Limited Warranty, Canon Digital Camera Solution
Disk v5.0 (for Mac & PC), & ArcSoft Camera Suite Software Disk (for Mac & PC). The
PowerShot S110 digital camera will be available in June and have a suggested retail
price of $599.
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| 05-08-2001 |
Olympus Introduces Camedia D-510 Zoom
 MELVILLE, New York, May 8th, 2001 — Olympus America Inc., the world leader in film and filmless photography, today introduced the Camedia D-510 Zoom, an Auto Focus 3X Optical/7.5X Digital Zoom digital camera with a 1.8-inch color LCD monitor. The D-510 Zoom replaces Olympus’ highly successful D-490 Zoom model in its digital camera product line. Offering a sleek metallic silver body, reduced size and unsurpassed ease-of-use, the D-510 Zoom features a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels, a 2.1-megapixel interlaced CMY CCD, a QuickTime™ Movie mode and AutoConnect technology for fast and easy image downloads. The D-510 Zoom is ideal for the consumer who wants an easy to use, high quality 2.1-megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera, but doesn’t want to break the bank buying it,” explains John Knaur, Digital Product Manager, Olympus Consumer Products Group. “For the experienced amateur digital photographer, the D-510 Zoom has all the qualities that make it perfect for travel, hobby or even everyday use. It’s small, versatile and very user-friendly. At this price point, Olympus expects the D-510 Zoom to pick up where the D-490 Zoom left off.” The D-510 Zoom delivers high quality images through its 3X Optical Zoom f2.8 – f5.6 Lens, providing the equivalent of a 35mm – 105mm lens in 35mm photography. Its optical zoom is further enhanced by a seamless 7.5X Digital Telephoto Zoom capability, extending the camera’s effective zoom range to 262mm. “‘Seamless’ means the D-510 Zoom automatically switches to digital zoom when the camera reaches its optical range limit, so users don’t have to program multiple time-consuming steps or menus and miss the action in the process,” says Knaur. Extremely versatile, the D-510 Zoom not only offers a choice of four preset resolution levels, but the ability to record full motion video as well. In addition to the maximum 1600 x 1200 resolution for photo-quality prints up to 8” x 10”, users may also select from 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480 settings to best match desired image quality and file sizes to the intended application. Even at the lowest resolution setting, the D-510 Zoom delivers superior picture quality for e-mailing photos or posting images on the web. To capture short clips of live action, the D-510 Zoom’s standard QuickTime Movie Mode records up to 62 seconds of full motion video at 15 frames per second on a standard 8MB SmartMedia card, making it the perfect choice for users producing webcasts and e-mailing short videos. At any resolution setting in still image or movie mode, the D-510 Zoom processes all images through its 2.1-megapixel CCD, capturing every detail of every frame. The D-510 Zoom supports industry standard SmartMedia™ cards to capture images in JPEG and TIFF formats. The camera ships with one 8MB card standard, providing ample capacity to store up to 82 pictures in SQ-Normal mode. Additional SmartMedia cards are available in 16, 32, 64 and 128MB increments, providing virtually unlimited, reusable image storage capacity without the time or expense associated with film developing. Once an image or video clip is saved and stored, it may be displayed on the D-510 Zoom’s 1.8-inch color LCD monitor. This large display allows for enhanced playback and viewing options, including 4-, 9- or 16-frame Index Display Mode, Single Frame Display with 1.5X, 2.0X, 2.5X and 3.0X Zoom Inspection, plus sequential image scrolling. The LCD monitor also serves as the camera’s control panel, with an easy to use jog dial and arrow keys to select modes and settings. For fast and simple printing, the D-510 Zoom features AutoConnect technology. A standard USB port allows users to plug the camera directly into any USB-configured computer. No drivers or additional software are required for PCs running the latest operating systems including Windows® 2000, Windows Me and Mac OS™ 8.6 and higher—these computers will mount and recognize the D-510 Zoom automatically. This eliminates the need to restart the system, so image viewing, downloading and printing can be performed immediately upon connection. (Adapters are also available for non-USB equipped PCs.) As a result, the D-510 Zoom delivers photo-quality images up to 8” x 10” when image data is downloaded to a computer and output on a photo-quality ink jet printer. SmartMedia cards may also be inserted directly into one of Olympus’ P Series dye sublimation printers for high quality prints up to 4” x 6”. The D-510 Zoom supports the DCF file naming format and the Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) standard for adding data to images and tagging specific photographs to print to DPOF-compatible printers. The D-510 Zoom represents the next step in the evolution of Olympus’ digital camera product line. It’s smaller, faster and less expensive than its predecessor, the D-490,” comments Knaur. “The inclusion of QuickTime Movie mode, enhanced viewing options and multiple resolutions are capabilities consumers have asked for in an affordable, stylish package. We’ve delivered that in this camera, and we’re excited about the role the D-510 Zoom will play for us in maintaining our position as the industry leader in digital photography.” Other exciting features of the new Camedia D-510 Zoom include:
|
| 05-08-2001 |
Olympus Expands New Digital Camera Family with Brio Zoom D-150
 MELVILLE, New York, May 8th, 2001 — Olympus America Inc., the world leader in film and filmless photography, today introduced the newest member of its expanding Brio family of point-and-shoot digital cameras, the Camedia Brio Zoom D-150. The D-150 Zoom joins the Brio D-100, introduced in February, and brings 3X Optical Zoom/6X Digital Telephoto Zoom capabilities to the photographer seeking added versatility in a point-and-shoot camera. Packaged in a contemporary black and gold finish, the stylish Brio D-150 Zoom features a high quality f2.4 –f4.3 Auto Focus Olympus zoom lens, pop-up flash, fast shutter release times of under one second, and AutoConnect technology for simple data transfer via standard USB connections. Olympus’ goal is to bring fun, easy to use and fast digital photography solutions to the average consumer. We’ve named this new point-and-shoot product family after the term ‘Brio,’ which means ‘ high energy,’ ‘excitement’ and ‘enthusiasm.’ The Brio Zoom D-150 is designed for the point-and-shoot camera user who wants the best quality in this product category with zoom capabilities,” says John Knaur, Digital Product Manager, Olympus Consumer Products Group. “It’s the perfect companion for a night on the town, parties, vacations and family holidays. The Brio Zoom D-150 is as easy to use as a conventional 35mm camera. It offers a fast start-up time, and takes up to three pictures per second, so users can capture spontaneous moments as they happen—not the moment after the moment. And because images are stored on erasable SmartMedia™ cards, users can see the pictures they take immediately, save only the frames they want, and reuse the digital memory for new images without wasting film or incurring unnecessary developing costs.” Like the Brio D-100, the Brio Zoom D-150 offers a 1.5-inch, 118k-pixel color LCD monitor that serves as a high- resolution viewfinder, the camera’s playback screen and menu control panel. All mode settings and image viewing functions have been condensed into this single display, contributing to the Brio Zoom D-150’s pocketable design. Standard icons representing multiple flash modes, image resolution settings, exposure adjustments and playback/viewing modes are accessed through one-touch buttons and an easy to use jog dial, with choices displayed on the LCD panel and selected using simple up, down, left and right arrow keys. The versatile LCD monitor allows users to display four or nine images, and offers a 2X Zoom Inspection mode to view and scroll across enlarged single frames during playback. The Brio D-150 Zoom is equipped with a standard 5.0mm – 15.0mm lens, delivering the equivalent of 38mm – 114mm zoom range on 35mm cameras. Its digital telephoto capabilities expand the camera’s effective zoom range to a maximum of 228mm, allowing users to capture crisp, digital images out of range of traditional 3X zoom film cameras. To ensure the best possible image quality, the Brio Zoom D-150 is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel interlaced RGB CCD. Its maximum resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels produces photo-quality prints up to 4” x 6”. The camera is also capable of capturing images with smaller file sizes at a reduced 640 x 480 resolution factor, perfect for sending pictures via e-mail and posting on the web. “The D-150 Zoom utilizes Olympus’ TruePic™ technology, so it uses all the captured pixel information to create the image no matter the output size or resolution setting,” furthers Knaur. “Because the D-150 Zoom doesn’t discard or ignore image data, it delivers higher quality images with finer details and brilliant color. Even at lower resolution settings the D-150 Zoom provides picture quality that is truly superior to any other camera in its class.” Once captured, images may be viewed, erased or stored on removable SmartMedia™ cards. The Brio Zoom D-150 ships with one 8MB card standard, providing ample capacity to store up to 82 images in SQ mode. Additional SmartMedia cards, available in 16, 32, 64 and 128MB increments, deliver virtually unlimited, reusable image storage capacity.
To make printing simple, the Brio Zoom D-150 features AutoConnect technology. A
standard USB port allows users to plug the camera directly into any USB-configured
computer. No drivers or additional software are required for PCs running the latest
operating systems including Windows® 2000, Windows Me and Mac OS™ 8.6 and
higher—these computers will mount and recognize the Brio Zoom D-150 automatically.
This eliminates the need to restart the system, so image viewing, downloading and
printing can be performed immediately upon connection. (Adapters are also available for
non-USB equipped PCs.) Additionally, users may produce photo-realistic output simply by
inserting the SmartMedia card directly into any of the Olympus family of P Series dye
sublimation printers. Other exciting features of the new Camedia Brio Zoom D-150 include:
Camedia Brio D-150 Zoom Suggested Retail
Price: $399.00.
|
| 05-07-2001 |
Kyocera Finecam S3 Review Posted
I just posted our Kyocera Finecam S3 First Look, based
on a pre-production unit. This
is the world’s smallest high-quality 3.34 megapixel digital camera. About the size of a
credit card with a 2x optical zoom, 1.5" LCD and a stainless steel body.
It uses postage-stamp size MultiMedia or Secure Digital flash cards.
|
| 05-07-2001 |
Digital Wallet Now Available in Three SizesIrvine, Calif., May 7, 2001 – Minds@Work™, developer of the award-winning Digital WalletÒ device, announced today that it will expand its product line by introducing a family of storage devices. Understanding the growing market demand for portable smart storage, the Digital Wallet is now available for consumers with three capacities of storage, three, ten and twenty gigabytes (MSRP of $349.00, $449.00 and $549.00 respectively) at more than 400 retail and camera specialty store locations throughout North America including CompUSA, Micro Center, Future Shop, B&H Photo, Henry’s and online at www.mindsgear.com. "With our Digital Wallet product, we created an entirely new "Portable Smart Storage (PSS)" category. For the first time ever, consumers have a mass storage device that is truly portable—a smart, self-powered device that works independently of a computer. As our Digital Wallet continues to play a significant role in the increasing demand for storage space, we are opening new markets by offering our customers the flexibility to choose a capacity that fits their specific storage needs," said Marc Ganouna, president and CEO of Minds@Work. The Digital Wallet, previously only available with 6GB of storage space, now provides consumers with a choice of 3GB, 10GB or 20GB. Depending on individual storage applications and needs, the 20GB Digital Wallet stores more than 20,000 high-resolution photos or 366-plus hours of digital audio, providing a viable solution for professional photographers and consumers. Business travelers, who require storage and transportability options for large textual and graphic rich files, will find that the 10GB Digital Wallet provides sufficient storage space. While the 3GB Digital Wallet is ideal for students or travelers needing storage for homework and vacation photos.
As the frontrunner in the digital storage industry, Minds@Work equips the hand-held portable
storage devices with a Motorola ColdFire™ microprocessor, a 2.5" hard drive and a rechargeable
battery system. The Digital Wallet family, compatible with Windows® 98/2000/ME, Mac and Linux
OS, supports a variety of FLASH cards and memory sticks and is poised to redefine how storage
space is managed and utilized.
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| 05-07-2001 |
Nikon D1X Due in June, Nikon Capture 2.0 for $200Thanks to RobGalbraith.com for the following news: Nikon USA expects the D1X to begin shipping in volume in early June, with the D1H to follow 30 days after that.
Nikon USA recently advised dealers that the upcoming Nikon Capture 2.0
will have a suggested list price of US$200. The latest incarnation of the
software will support the RAW .NEF format of the Nikon D1, D1X and D1H.
|
| 05-06-2001 |
Sima Image Bank Review and an Exclusive Interview with Jay Maisel
 Photo copyright Berman Graphics We've received several emails inquiring about the Image Tank portable storage unit that we reported on sometime back. The folks at Sima are just about ready to bring it to market, now being called the Image Bank. We should have a unit in for review shortly but you can read a review written by Larry Berman who has already used one for a week long trip. You'll find his Image Bank review here.
Larry also has posted an
exclusive interview with Jay Maisel, a world-famous NY photographer
who has gone 100% digital with the Nikon D1. Besides the text of the interview there
are also many of Jay's digi-photos and a look inside his studio. This is very
interesting reading and will be featured in an upcoming edition of ShutterBug magazine.
|
| 05-04-2001 |
Canon Designs 3D Lens For Its XL1 Digital CamcorderCanon U.S.A. Inc., Lake Success, N.Y., introduced a digital video 3D zoom lens for use with the Canon XL1 digital camcorder. The three-chip digital camcorder, which features an interchangeable lens system, now has the ability to capture 3D imagery for architectural, educational, medical, and other purposes. Unlike traditional shooting of 3D images, which requires two cameras synchronized to shoot the same images simultaneously, the Canon lens utilizes two lenses in one, with stereoscopic synchronization controlled by the camcorder, to capture the same effect. The lens captures right and left eye images alternately on the CCD for 1/60 second using an LCD shutter panel.
 |
| 05-04-2001 |
Digital Outback Photo Announces Major New Feature, the "Outback Portfolio Tutorial"The "Outback Portfolio Tutorial" is not a portfolio review as found elsewhere on the Internet, nor is it a forum. Rather, each month's tutorial will consist of transcripts of an interactive dialog between a professional critic and a photographer, concerning the photographer's work as represented by a portfolio chosen and posted by the critic and Digital Outback Photo. We are proud to have obtained the collaboration of Ben Lifson, whom the ICP Encyclopedia of Photography has named one of the "most important writers and writer/critics" in the field. Central to our focus on the content of photography is our belief in photography as an art form. This tutorial establishes a unique site devoted to the discussion of the art of digital photography in portfolios varying sharply, from month to month, with respect to style and subject matter., Each month's photographer will take part in a free, sustained dialog with Lifson, beginning with a 2-hour instant message conversation, followed by a regular exchange of emails. To the rest of us, these monthly dialogs will provide an on-going exploration of the art of photography in the digital world. So that these dialogues might be widely accessible and of continuing use to the community, we will keep each portfolio and its tutorial available on Digital Outback for a year.
And it is our hope that the tutorials will cumulatively prove to be of such general
value as to merit collection and publication in a book, so as to reach a yet wider
segment of the digital photography community, in a permanent form.
|
| 05-04-2001 |
ZiO! Pocket-Sized Digital Media Reader Accepts Secure Digital Memory Cards
 The Microtech ZiO! digital media reader answers the demand for rapid and secure transfer of digital information. Users of digital devices which incorporate Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) copyright protection can now use the Microtech ZiO! to transfer large volumes of data from a PC or Mac to an MP3 player while providing all digital handshakes required for playback of the secure data. In addition to audio files, these next generation memory cards are making their way into a variety of consumer electronic products. The Palm m500 series and the Panasonic ipalm digital camera now incorporate SD capabilities. Secure Digital cards are expected to become the industry standard in consumer electronics because of their ability to provide fast, simple, and secure downloads of all types of digital files. The postage stamp sized digital card has a transfer rate of up to 2MB/sec making it ideally suited for the latest compact devices on the market.
With the introduction of this new SD compliant ZiO! digital media reader, SCM
has also announced a price reduction in the suggested retail price from $39.99
to $29.99, making this a very affordable solution. The ZiO! line of USB-equipped
reader/writer devices is also available for CompactFlash, including the IBM
MicroDrive and SmartMedia digital memory cards.
|
| 05-03-2001 |
Canon PowerShot A10 Review Posted
 |
| 05-03-2001 |
Sony Promotes Digital Cameras and Camcorders, Tells Consumers to Dream OnSony Electronics, Park Ridge, N.J., USA, unveiled its integrated, yearlong marketing communications plans in support of the company's consumer audio/video (AV) and information technology (IT) products. In conjunction with Young & Rubicam Advertising, Sony has three major "platform campaigns" designed. Two of the multi-million dollar campaigns began late April with network and cable television spots as well as print executions. The third will launch in June. The campaigns will center around three core platforms: personal networking, home entertainment and portable audio. Creative Living, Sony's personal networking campaign, highlights digital imaging products and the VAIO computer line. Targeting a broad audience, including business travelers, young professionals, and high-income families, the effort reinforces Sony's commitment to innovative technology while highlighting group's VAIO personal computers, Digital8 Handycam camcorders, and Cyber-shot still cameras. The company said each spot in the Creative Living campaign features different characters who use Sony products in fun and imaginative ways, enhancing their lifestyles in the process. All of Sony's consumer electronics campaigns will be integrated by a common theme -- Dream On.
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| 05-03-2001 |
Epson Reduces Prices of Scanners, Stylus 780 Photo PrinterEpson America Inc., Long Beach, Calif., USA, reduced the price of five of its scanners and one of its photo printers. The Epson Perfection 1640SU, 1640SU Photo, and 1640SU Office scanners were previously priced at $299, $399, and $499, respectively. After the reductions, they now carry estimated street prices of $249, $369, and $449. The Perfection 1240U and 1240U Photo models, originally $199 and $299, are now priced at $179 and $269, respectively. The Epson Stylus Photo 780, a six-color photo printer, was previously priced at $199. It now carries an estimated street price of $149. The Epson Perfection 1640SU models feature 1,600 dpi optical resolution, 42-bit color depth and a maximum hardware
resolution of 1,600-by-3,200 dpi. The Perfection 1240U models offer 42-bit color depth and 1,200-by-2,400 dpi maximum
hardware resolution. The Epson Stylus Photo 780 features up to 2,880-by-720 dpi and Epson's Micro Piezo inkjet technology.
|
| 05-03-2001 |
Olympus Optical Co. and Lexar Media Sign Worldwide OEM and Technology Licensing AgreementFREMONT, Calif., May 3, 2001 -- Lexar Media, Inc. (NSDQ: LEXR) a leading designer, developer and marketer of award-winning digital film and connectivity products for the digital photography market, and Olympus Optical Co., a world leader in the development and marketing of digital cameras, announced today that both companies have entered into an OEM and technology licensing agreement, which goes into effect immediately. The terms of the agreement include the following key points:
“The superior high-resolution image quality delivered by Olympus digital cameras demands a digital film capable of writing data as fast as possible,” said Yusuke Kojima, general manager of Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. “Olympus is pleased to integrate Lexar Media’s superior technology into our digital film products. Today’s digital cameras demand a lot from digital film. Lexar Media’s technology is critical for optimizing digital camera performance.”
Olympus becomes the fourth licensee of Lexar Media’s patents. Sony was the first licensee of Lexar
Media’s technology for adaptation in Sony’s Memory Stick format. SanDisk was the second licensee of
Lexar Media’s patented technology for the production of SmartMediaä products. The third license is with
Samsung Electronics and covers SmartMedia as well as other flash products. Financial details of the
agreement are confidential.
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| 05-03-2001 |
Canon's Imageland.net Adds Enhanced Digital Photo Services for Digital Camera OwnersLAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2001 - HyperPhoto Network, the online consumer imaging service of Canon U.S.A., now offers consumers the opportunity to create HyperPhoto CDs that contain digital images from their personal online photo albums. The HyperPhoto Network gives consumers a complete online imaging resource where they can design personal online photo albums, upload images, order prints, and post, email and archive digital images. Digital images are easier to manage and store than film negatives, and HyperPhoto CDs permit easy, secure storage and retrieval of personal/business images that can be used for a wide range of applications. Each HyperPhoto CD contains software to view images individually or in a slideshow format, and images can be enhanced with special features and graphics. "Previously, the majority of digital camera customers had to store and manage their images on their own PC's hard disk, which is both cumbersome and risky,' said Daniel DeVoe, assistant director, Canon Business Development Division, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "Our new online CD service provides a genuine solution for consumers to create an archive of only the images they select, along with an index sheet to identify the contents of each CD. In addition to the images, the HyperPhoto CD contains software that makes it self- contained and highly portable." The HyperPhoto Network is a service of Imageland.net, the gateway for Canon's array of current and future online imaging services. Other Canon digital products and services linked to ImageLand.net include:
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| 05-03-2001 |
SCM Microsystems Lowers Price of USB CameraMate Digital Film Reader to $49.99Guilford, CT - May 3, 2001 - SCM Microsystems Retail Brands Group today announced a significant price reduction on the award-winning Microtech brand CameraMate digital film reader. The popular USB CameraMate digital film reader is a compact, cross-platform reader that streamlines the process of transferring digital photos from digital film storage cards to USB compatible computer systems. The USB CameraMate transfers digital images up to 50X faster than conventional serial cable downloads. "We've taken an aggressive position to make high quality digital imaging more affordable," stated Al Conte, vice president marketing, retail brands. "Our award-winning USB CameraMate, the first dual-slot reader offered to the market, is now available at the suggested retail price of $49.99, representing a 44% price reduction."
The USB CameraMate is available at leading retailers including CompUSA,
MicroCenter, The Good Guys, PC Connection, Tiger Direct, MacWarehouse,
Outpost.com and at leading specialty camera dealers including, B & H Photo and
Samy's Digital Imaging.
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| 05-02-2001 |
Kodak Plans to Build on Digital StrategyNEW YORK (Reuters) - Photography icon Eastman Kodak Co. said on Wednesday that it plans to further build on its digital strategy with investments and acquisitions as it aims to be the No. 1 player in digital photography. The Rochester, New York, company said it will fund its digital plans from at least $6 billion in free cash flow between 2001 and 2005. Kodak also reiterated that its second-quarter earnings will be sharply lower at $1 to $1.30 a share, reflecting a drop in demand from consumers in the wake of the economic slowdown in the United States. The company had warned in April that earnings for the quarter would be below previous expectations. Analysts are now expecting a profit of 91 cents to $1.14 a share, with an average estimate of $1.09, according to Thomson Financial/First Call. Once the economy picks up again, Kodak said, it expects annual growth of 5 percent to 7 percent in both revenues and earnings per share. Kodak has been struggling to redefine itself as a technology leader in the digital age with big investments in digital photography. It has also had to contend with the slowdown in the economy, which has hurt its growth. The company has warned several times over the last several months that quarterly earnings would be below expectations. In mid-April, it reported a sharp fall in first quarter profits due to the sluggish economy and said it would cut at least 3,000 jobs. "Kodak intends to take advantage of the economic slowdown to strengthen its market position and reduce its cost structure so that we are positioned for maximum benefit once the economy's growth accelerates," Chief Executive Daniel Carp said in a statement. "The completion of our manufacturing project in China, the less capital-intensive nature of digital products, and improved inventory management will provide Kodak the free cash flow to fund growth and make acquisitions."
Just on Monday, Kodak announced plans to buy online photo service Ofoto Inc. a move aimed at
expanding its menu of distribution services for picture-taking customers.
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| 05-01-2001 |
FinePix "Picture of America" Tour Includes Interactive Mobile Road Show, Digital Mosaic and SweepstakesELMSFORD, NY, May 1, 2001 - Today, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., further strengthens its leadership role in digital imaging with the launch of a new national marketing campaign - the FinePix "Picture of America" Tour - which is designed to dispel the myths and misconceptions of digital photography among consumers and promote Fujifilm's leading position in digital imaging for both innovation and design. The campaign will teach consumers how to optimize picture making and picture taking with digital images through Fujifilm's simple four-step solution: "Shoot, Store, Print and Share."
 The highlight and most visible element of the tour is the 75-foot long, 18-wheel FinePix Truck that serves as a touring interactive information center for Fujifilm's FinePix digital cameras, photographic services and other digital products. Visitors will enjoy a hands-on experience using FinePix digital cameras as well as the storing, printing and sharing options with Fujifilm's simple four-step "Shoot, Store, Print and Share" solution. The Truck also features a digital "living wall" of images taken with the complete line of FinePix digital cameras. "Even though consumer interest in digital photography is soaring, many consumers are hesitant to jump into digital imaging because it seems too complex," said Stanley E. Freimuth, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. "We designed the FinePix 'Picture of America' Tour to make digital photography more accessible to consumers by simplifying the technology and providing the education they need to make informed purchasing decisions. By showcasing our complete line of digital imaging and information products, services and e-solutions, our goal is also to build brand awareness as well as demonstrate the potential of digital imaging to both consumers and retailers." The FinePix Truck offers visitors access to Fujifilm's extensive line of FinePix digital cameras as well as an opportunity to talk with digital experts and professional photographers about selecting the right digital products and using digital photography to capture and share sharp, crisp pictures. Everyone visiting the truck will experience the simple four-step process by having their own custom portrait taken with a digital camera and then storing, printing and sharing the picture. In addition to the FinePix Truck, the other activities that support the FinePix branding effort include a national sweepstakes, local retailer tie-ins, radio spots in select cities and a national public relations effort that centers around a specially commissioned digital mosaic featuring the faces of visitors to the FinePix Truck. The FinePix "Picture of America" Tour will make approximately 40 stops on its 10-month U.S. tour visiting retail outlets, sporting events, state fairs and other venues that draw a high number of consumers. Some of the cities include Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, DC. Consumers can find more information about the FinePix "Picture of America" Tour, including when the truck will visit their community, by logging on to www.fujifilm.com/finepixtour. For those readers in the Florida area the Fuji Truck is going to be here for the next couple of weeks and stopping at the following places:
May 9-10 Miami,FL - South Beach May 12-15 Orlando, FL - Sea World May 17-20 Tampa, FL - Busch Gardens |
| 05-01-2001 |
QuickTime 5 Tops 1.5 Million Downloads In First Weekby Peter Cohen, pcohen@maccentral.com Apple today announced that in its first week of availability, QuickTime 5 has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times. The new version of QuickTime was released simultaneously for Mac and Windows users alike. QuickTime 5 was released last week during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2001 trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new version of Apple's popular rich media delivery and editing technology sports an enhanced user interface with new audio controls; a new DV codec; support for "skins," or custom interfaces; a component downloader to add plug-ins from Apple and third parties on the fly; and support for MPEG-1; Flash 4; and QuickTime Cubic VR technology. Apple offers QuickTime 5 as a free download from its Web site, although registering the software in its Pro version costs US$29.95 -- incurring an additional fee for users of QuickTime who registered their software prior to October 12, 2000. Registering QuickTime 5 Pro enables users to play back full-screen video and resize movies; save movies for playback; creating streaming movies for the Web; copy and paste popular Internet formats; edit movies imported from a digital camera; create skins; convert and resize pictures; and more.
Apple reports that QuickTime 5 will be released in localized language versions in May.
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