-- Top News Stories -- Please see our Photokina 2004 page for newly announced cameras ACDSee 7 Photo Software Apple 60GB iPod w/Photo Viewing Bibble 4.0 RAW Software Released Canon EOS-1D Mark II Firmware Update Canon EOS 20D Firmware Update DxO Optics Pro for RAW Epson L500V Digicam Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer ImageRecall 3 Now for RAW JOBO GIGA Vu PRO and GIGA Mini Lexmark P315 Snapshot Photo Printer Olympus IR-500 Total Image System Olympus "m:robe" Music Player/Camera Profile Prism v5.0 Released SanDisk Introduces Extreme III Cards SanDisk Quadruples Ultra II Card Capacities Sony DVDirect Standalone or Computer Tamron 11-18mm Ultra Wide angle Zoom ThumbsPlus 7.0 for Windows September 2004 News Index August 2004 News Index July 2004 News Index Steve's "Best Cameras" List Mike Chaney's Tech Corner Sunday Morning Photographer Check out our camera

Listing of all new photo products announced

10-31-2004

New Monthly Columns Posted Just posted are the November 2004 issues of Mike Johnston's "Sunday Morning Photographer" and Mike Chaney's "Tech Corner" columns. Mike Johnston's November column is titled "A Killer Digital Lens (And Other Digital Notes)" - he talks about digital SLRs, a new B&W printing system for Epson inkjet printers that doesn't require Photoshop and a made-for-digital 17-35mm wide angle zoom lens from Tamron. Mike Chaney's November column is titled "Which printer is right for you?" - he gives good advice for those seeking to buy a new photo printer. Should you buy an inkjet or a dye sub? Give it a read. And be sure to jump back to the Index Page for each of our monthly columns where you'll find a listing of all previous editions - lots of great reading here! As always, you can find a link to our monthly columns on the Breaking News page here, just above the first news article.

10-29-2004

Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer The EPSON P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer is the latest portable marvel designed by Seiko Epson, a world leader in LCD technology. This new device offers the ultimate in portable freedom for a variety of customers, including digital photographers, families and small businesses. The EPSON P-2000 not only enables users to view, store and playback photos, videos and music, but has a 3.8" Epson Photo Fine LCD screen which offers superior image quality. In addition to its high-resolution screen, the sleek and sophisticated looking EPSON P-2000 can store thousands of photos from digital cameras with its 40 GB hard drive. With its built-in memory card slots the EPSON P-2000 can also transfer files quickly without having to connect to a computer. The EPSON P-2000 will be available in early November for a price of $499. Read the full Epson press release.

10-27-2004

New User Reviews Just Posted Just posted is our Transcend Digital Album review. This is a battery-operated image storage and viewing device that's not even as big as a paperback book and has a 20GB hard drive, card slots to handle most common flash memory cards and Microdrives and a big, bright and beautiful 2.5-inch color LCD display. It can also play movies, MP3 songs and be connected to your TV set and controlled by the included remote control. For $360 this is a great little gadget! In the last couple of days we've posted the Casio Exilim EX-Z50 review, a super-compact 5-megapixel 3x zoom camera with a generous 2" color LCD and durable and stylish metal body. And we posted the Pentax Optio S5i review as well, this is also a super-compact 5-megapixel 3x zoom metal bodied camera with a slightly smaller 1.8" color LCD.

10-27-2004

World's Most Reliable CD-R Media From Delkin Delkin Devices, Inc., manufacturer of quality eFilm memory cards and other innovative products, today introduced the eFilm Archival Gold “300-Year” CD-R. eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s incorporate patented Phthalocyanine (thalo-sy-a-neen) dye and a 24k gold reflective layer into every CD-R. The innovative materials found in eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s make them one of the most reliable storage medium available. Typically CD-R’s are known to deteriorate quickly due to Earth’s common elements: ultra violet light, heat, and humidity. Using an accelerated aging process to test the longevity of CD-R media, eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s have been shown to safely store your images for more than 300 years. The patented Phthalocyanine dye is the most critical component of the CD-R because it is where your data is stored. Your CD burner creates pits in the dye layer when it burns a CD-R and your digital information is stored in these pits. The Phthalocyanine dye reacts quicker to the writing laser than dyes found in most CD-R’s on the market, thus making sharper pit edges and making your CD-R easier to read by CD drives. Compared to Cyanine and Azo dyes found in the majority of CD-R’s on the market, Phthalocyanine dye lasts significantly longer when subjected to the harmful effects of UV light, heat, and humidity. Gold’s inert characteristics prevent oxidation, a common cause of failure to most CD-Rs. Along with the Phthalocyanine dye and gold reflective layer, eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s provide the most extreme protection for your digital images from environmental degradation. Delkin will begin shipping eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s in early October in a variety of quantities and types of packaging. The CD-R 10 Pack will be sold in a protective plastic case that holds 10 CD-R’s in polypropylene sleeves. There will be a 1” 3 ring binder available with 16 eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s in protective sleeves. The 25 pack will be available in a cake box type spindle. Delkin also plans to ship 100 CD-R’s in bulk packaging. eFilm Archival Gold CD-R’s will be available at consumer photography and electronic stores worldwide and online at Delkin’s website. Delkin has released a white paper further discussing the details of CD-R media. You can download the white paper at www.archivalgold.com.

10-25-2004

Velvia Vision Photoshop Plug-in Released Fred Miranda has just released his new Velvia Vision action, a Photoshop plug-in designed to enhance color and tone in your photographs. It provides a 200% range of error-free color intensity as well as smart algorithms to increase contrast, create moods and expand tonal range. With this new tool, photographers can preview settings and tweak intensity results for maximum control over their work. Another feature unique to this plugin, is that you can save and load your own Velvia Vision profiles. This plug-in is compatible with JPEG files straight from the camera or TIFF/JPEG files converted from RAW files. (Compatible with all digital camera or scanned film files). Velvia Vision™ runs on Photoshop 6, 7 and Photoshop CS. Both Mac OS and Windows PC versions are available.

10-25-2004

Triscape’s FxFoto Receives Awards, Praise from Top Download and Shareware Sites WINDHAM, NH, Oct. 25, 2004 – Triscape, Inc. today announced that its flagship digital imaging software suite, FxFoto 2.0, has received top awards and accolades from the industry’s leading download and shareware sites earning 5 of 5 stars – and cows – from Download.com, Tucows, Online Review Guide, and Paul’s Picks. FxFoto 2.0 Standard is available today as a fully functional, unrestricted download for free. The FxFoto software titles are targeted at photography and imaging enthusiasts and advanced multimedia users giving them full control over their pictures and the tools to create stunning and captivating presentations and movies. Users range from soccer moms, travelers, youth, amateur and even professional photographers. The Deluxe Collage Edition can be obtained for $29.99 and Pro Media Edition for $39.99. All titles are upgradeable. FxFoto Standard Edition for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP is free without usage or time limits. The Deluxe Edition and the Pro Media Edition are available for $29.99 and $39.99. See the Triscape Web site at www.fxfoto.com for more information.

10-22-2004

Sony UP-DR150 Digital Photo Printer Sets New Speed and Quality Standard for Event Photos, Digital Kiosks CHICAGO, Oct. 21, 2004 (PMA Fall Conference Booth # 717) - Sony Electronics today enhanced its line of digital photofinishing products with the introduction of the UP-DR150 digital photo printer, a dye sublimation printer that is now the fastest in its class of professional photo printers. Designed to deliver quality prints and rapid turnaround in retail, studio, in-field event and kiosk applications, the UP-DR150 also offers high-volume roll printing, durable print heads, and a simple front-access design to minimize maintenance. The UP-DR150 takes Sony's fourth-generation dye sublimation print technology to new levels. The high-speed printing comes from combining the newly developed adaptive thermal print head with a high-speed USB 2.0 interface. This trims print times for 4 x 6-inch images down to about 8 seconds, and delivers a 5 x 7-inch prints in about 15 seconds, and 6 x 8-inch prints in approximately 20 seconds. Aside from speed, the new thermal print head is designed to be durable enough to meet the demands of industrial use, reliably turning out print after print, day after day. The UP-DR150's thermal print head delivers a high quality print that exceeds expectations for digital imaging, producing crisp, vibrant prints with lifelike, continuous tones. Skin tones reproduced with the UP-DR150 approach the natural warmth that is the hallmark of quality film prints. A choice of three print finishes - glossy, texture and matte - produces photo-like print quality. Four different print packs are available: 3 1/2 x 5-inch, 4 x 6-inch, 5 x 7-inch and 6 x 8-inch. The Sony UP-DR150 digital photo roll printer will be available in December at a suggested retail price of $2,595.

10-22-2004

Digital Domain Releases Profile Prism v5.0 Digital Domain Inc. has today released Profile Prism v5.0, the professional scanner-based printer profiling tool. Profile Prism has just reached the next level with a visual profile editor that is capable of precise editing of printer profiles through a defined workflow. A quality scanner based profiling tool like Profile Prism is very helpful in color managing "screen to print" color, however, due to differences in how your eyes perceive color in prints and how your scanner interprets printed targets, there is often a need for some fine tuning or editing of certain areas of printer profiles. Until now, scanner based profiling tools only offered cumbersome or very generic editing tools and offered no way to fine tune profiles without a lot of trial and error. Profile Prism v5.0 now allows detailed visual editing of printer profiles through a simple and effective workflow that eliminates nearly all trial and error adjustments! Editing is accomplished via an innovative technique where you specify exactly how a test print looks when compared to the same image on screen. Simply use the editing controls to make the (correct) image on screen look like your print, and the editor examines the differences and creates a corrected profile! The Profile Prism editor was designed to allow visual correction in just a few passes by using simple but effective tools that accommodate the way we perceive and work with color in digital images. The editing process allows the user to focus on a specific color band, making different changes to different colors as necessary, all while viewing the effect of these changes on screen! All profile editing is done based on the initial profile and results are saved to another profile without the need to regenerate profiles when adjustments are made. Go here to read the Profile Prism 5.0 news page.

10-22-2004

Epson Introduces L-500V Digital Camera With Photo Fine™ Technology LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 21, 2004 – Epson America Inc. is combining its exclusive LCD technology, Epson Photo Fine, with the new EPSON L-500V digital camera to provide the ultimate viewing and sharing experience for its customers. The EPSON L-500V is a compact, five megapixel digital camera with 3x optical zoom and a 2.5” LCD screen that includes Epson Photo Fine Technology, along with high-speed continuous shooting and a creative feature called PRINT Image Framer, which adds unique frames to any photo with a touch of a button. The EPSON L-500V will be available in November for an estimated street price of $399 Read the full Epson press release.

10-22-2004

Epson R-D1 – The World's First Rangefinder Digital Camera Begins Shipping In U.S. Nov. 1 LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 21, 2004 – Epson America Inc. has achieved another digital photography breakthrough with the introduction of the EPSON R-D1—the world’s first rangefinder digital camera. The EPSON R-D1 rangefinder digital camera was introduced in Japan earlier this year and will be shipping in early November for an estimated street price of $2,999 through select camera retailers. The EPSON R-D1 marks a significant milestone in the industry by combining the classic feel and precision engineering of a traditional rangefinder camera with the latest digital technology. It is the first digital camera allowing photographers to use revered L- and M-mount lenses. The EPSON R-D1 links the future with the past – a new digital camera with a classic rangefinder feel. The EPSON R-D1 is comprised of a magnesium alloy exterior and an aluminum die cast body, combining digital technology with the traditional feel of a finely tuned instrument. The camera features a 6.1 megapixel APS C-size CCD sensor with a 1.53 magnification factor for an image resolution up to 3008 x 2000 pixels, easily producing output of 16” x 20” and beyond. The Epson R-D1 supports a RAW mode as well as two JPEG modes.

10-21-2004

Fujifilm Announces Pricing for Finepix S3 Pro SLR Fujifilm USA has today released the pricing information for the upcoming Finepix S3 Pro camera. The MAP (minimum advertised price or street price) for the Finepix S3 Pro is $2499.

10-21-2004

FlashFixers Announces ImageRecall 3 Now Recovers More Image Formats Than Any Other Digital Photo Recovery Software Including RAW Formats PhotoPlus-New York, NY-October 21, 2004 - Keeping pace with advances in digital photography, FlashFixers announces ImageRecall 3 now offers expanded recovery support for all known camera RAW and standard image formats, as well as sound, video, Microsoft Office and Adobe pdf files. Additional improvements in usability, performance and speed, result in recoveries that are more than 60 percent faster than previous versions and a more satisfying user experience. ImageRecall 3 works with all manufacturers' memory cards for all digital cameras and camera phones, as well as CD-Rs, floppies, Zip disks, USB memory drives, digital audio players and other digital storage. During the recovery process, ImageRecall 3's built- in features allowing users to immediately view recovered photos, backup files from corrupted cards, select recovery of specific file types, pause in-process recoveries, set output directories and securely erase data. The user can also burn recovered files directly to a CD or write them to their hard drive. ImageRecall 3 is available as a PC-only version for Windows 9X/ME/NT4/2000/XP operating system. A card reader or adapter is recommended when recovering from digital media cards. ImageRecall 3 is available now as a free trial from the FlashFixers Web site. It can be upgraded to a full version for $39.95.

10-21-2004

DxO Labs Announces Immediate Availability Of DxO Optics Pro 2.0 And Dxo Raw Engine New York, NY, October 21, 2004 - DxO Labs, a software company focused on research in image processing to enhance image quality, announced today at PhotoPlus Expo 2004 the immediate availability of DxO Optics Pro version 2.0 and DxO Raw Engine. DxO Optics Pro is the award-winning software application from DxO Labs that automatically improves the quality of images produced by Digital SLR cameras. DxO Raw Engine is a new optional module that works seamlessly within DxO Optics Pro to perform RAW image conversion as well as enabling DxO Optics Pro’s image enhancement features to be applied on RAW files in full 16-bit mode. RAW support within DxO Raw Engine is immediately available for Nikon D70, Canon EOS-1D Mark II and Canon EOS-1Ds cameras. All DxO Lens Correction Modules for these cameras immediately work in both RAW and JPEG mode. Upgrade from DxO Optics Pro versions 1.0/1.1 to 2.0 is free of charge. Also, DxO Raw Engine - valued at U.S. $119 (Euro 99) - will be included free of charge until December 1, 2004. A full functioning, 21 day trial version of DxO Optics Pro 2.0 and DxO Raw Engine are available for free download at www.dxo.com.

10-18-2004

Breeze Systems Releases Downloader Pro 1.5 Breeze Systems today released Downloader Pro 1.5, simplifying workflow for Canon EOS-20D and EOS-1D MkII users. Canon EOS 20D and 1D Mark II users can now use Downloader Pro to automatically rename and organize images, losslessly rotate JPEGs and store copyright and other IPTC data in each image while downloading directly from the camera. Further time saving features include dpi adjustment and color profile tagging of JPEGs and the automatic creation of sets of related directories for each download directory. Downloader Pro 1.5 also adds support for the downloading of Panasonic DMC-LC1 and Leica Digilux 2 raw images. Read the full press release.

10-18-2004

JOBO Introduces GIGA Vu PRO and GIGA Mini Storage Devices and Media Players JOBO introduces GIGA Vu PRO and GIGA mini external devices and media players JOBO Fototechnic Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., USA, introduces the GIGA Vu PRO, which offers a card slot for CF I/II and Microdrive (all other flash card types via adapter) and was designed with professional digital photographers in mind. GIGA Vu PRO, available in 40GB and 60GB models, offers optimized photo functions and is ideal as a permanent storage system for pictures, says the company. The transfer rate of pictures (RAW, JPEG, etc.) and data to the internal hard disk is extremely fast, says the company. GIGA Vu PRO offers an additional verify function, which guarantees only transfer of non-damaged files to the hard disk. GIGA Vu PRO also functions as a USB 2.0 card reader and external hard disk drive for PC and Mac computers. When connected to a computer via the included cable, users can work with stored pictures and data. The GIGA Vu PRO can also be connected to a printer via the USB 2.0 cable for direct printing. GIGA Vu PRO offers a 4-inch color TFT display which can directly show pictures in many formats, including RAW. The device offers TV-out for showing and controlling pictures directly on a TV. When used as a media player, even MPEG 4, DviX and MP3 files can be played with video and sound. The Giga Vu PRO with 40GB HD sells for $549.95. In addition, JOBO Fototechnic introduced its GIGA Mini external storage device, which offers an innovative and ultra-small solution to the problem of having not enough flash memory space, says the company. GIGA Mini has slots to accept seven different types of memory cards without an adapter, CFI/II, MicroDrive, SM, SD, MMC, and MS. (MS PRO can be used with an adapter.) Data can be directly stored from your flash card to the mobile hard drive. Copying data from flash memory cards is as easy as the push of a button. Download progress and power level can be monitored on the large LCD. GIGA Mini includes a verify function, which guarantees only transfer of non-damaged files to the hard disk. GIGA Mini also functions as a USB 2.0 card reader and external hard disk drive for PC and Mac. When connected to a computer you via the included cable, you can work with your stored pictures and data. GIGA Mini is also able to format its internal hard disk drive without a PC. The earphone jack (earphone included) allows you to use GIGA Mini as a 20 or 40 GB MP3 player. The Giga Mini with 20GB HD sells for $299.95.

10-18-2004

Lexmark International Introduces New Portable Photo Printer Lexmark International Inc., Lexington, Ky., USA, unveiled the $179 Lexmark P315 Snapshot photo printer, which offers photo printing ease-of-use features designed to uncomplicate the process of producing high-quality, 4-by-6 images. This portable "photo studio" does not connect to a computer. Consumers can print borderless, 35mm-quality images directly from most digital cameras or memory cards in any room of the home or in their office. The Lexmark P315 also allows easy editing for customized prints that can be produced as fast as 38 seconds. Light and compact with a built-in handle for easy mobility, the Lexmark P315 is essentially a photo lab that can be used anyplace with an electrical outlet, says the company. Key features designed to simplify the photo printing process include an adjustable 2.5-inch color LCD that allows users to preview and edit images before printing them. The large screen also features a countdown timer that tells consumers how long it will take to generate output, giving them the freedom to multitask. The printer is compatible with PictBridge-enabled cameras, and it also has on-board card readers that support CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrive, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital Memory Stick (MS, Pro, Duo), Smart Media and xD; and Exif Print capability that immediately recognizes camera settings.

10-17-2004

Wetpixel.com Covers the DEMA 2004 Show Our good friends over at WetPixel.com have posted their coverage of the DEMA 2004 Show held October 13 - 16 in Houston, Texas. This is the premier show for manufacturers that make camera and photo gear for underwater divers. Needless to say, this show has gone heavily to digital cameras in the last couple of years. To see a rundown of all the latest digital u/w gear checkout this page: WetPixel's DEMA 2004 Report

10-15-2004

Corel Corporation Acquires Jasc to Extend Graphics Software Portfolio Ottawa, Canada - Oct 14, 2004 - Corel Corporation today acquired Jasc Software, Inc., the award-winning developer of the Paint Shop™ family of digital-photography and image-editing software. A critical milestone in Corel's ongoing growth strategy, this acquisition follows four consecutive quarters of profitability and a successfully completed turnaround since Corel was taken private in August 2003. The acquisition further extends Corel's position as a powerful force in the packaged software industry providing exceptional office and personal productivity and graphics products. Corel will now serve a combined base of more than 60 million customers worldwide with an extended software portfolio that combines innovative photo editing and graphics creation, vector- illustration and technical-graphics applications along with Corel's popular WordPerfect line of products. The acquisition is expected to officially close by the end of October 2004. Corel corporate headquarters will remain in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Corel will maintain the former Jasc facility in Minneapolis, MN for the Paint Shop family operations. Amish Mehta will continue to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Corel Corporation. Several members of the Jasc senior management team will join Corel. Corel will sell Paint Shop Pro, Paint Shop Pro Studio and Paint Shop Photo Album as stand alone products and will continue to provide worldwide service and support to customers under the Corel brand. In addition, Corel will actively support new R&D initiatives for the Paint Shop family, ensuring that the next-generation of Jasc products will continue to flourish. Read the entire Corel press release.

10-14-2004

Bibble Labs Releases Bibble 4.0 for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux Austin Texas (October 11th, 2004) - Bibble Labs announced today the immediate availability of Bibble 4.0. This update to the popular Bibble line of products includes versions for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux and represents a new standard for affordable and efficient raw workflow. “Bibble 4.0 is a ground up redesign of our flagship raw workflow software and sets new benchmarks for speed, quality, and ease of use,” says Eric Hyman, president of Bibble Labs Inc.. “We’ve spent a lot of time and effort listening to photographers and then trying to turn their needs into reality. With Bibble 4.0, we feel we’ve delivered a product that not only meets those needs, but does so with a powerful interface, blazing speed, and an affordable price.” Featuring a completely customizable interface with instantaneous previews and real-time feedback, it also supports seamless transition between single image and browser modes. Bibble’s UI allows photographers to quickly and easily organize and edit their images from a wide variety of the most popular cameras. Images can be output to a number of formats including 16 bit Tiff and PNG, directly to a printer, or as a web gallery all using a powerful and fast system of automated batch and print queues. Other new features include a powerful renamer, advanced copy and paste, printing, web galleries, and work queues. “Work queues are a powerful new way to organize your work. Using work queues, it is possible to see and edit images from multiple different locations all in a single browser. This is particularly useful to event photographers using older equipment where images from different photographers share the same filename. With Bibble’s work queues, all theses images can easily be grouped, viewed, and edited simultaneously, all before final output and renaming takes place.” Bibble 4.0 is available in two editions, “Pro” and “Lite”. Bibble Pro is targeted at the working professional and contains the full set of features. In today’s fast paced and diverse environment photographers frequently are working on multiple platforms. With that in mind, a single Bibble Pro license allows the software to be used non-simultaneously on all 3 supported platforms. Bibble Lite was created to provide a more cost effective solution for the hobbyist and amateur alike. It features a single platform license with a rich subset of Bibble Pro’s features and support for all the same cameras. Features not present in Lite include but aren’t limited to: Tethered Shooting, IPTC Captioning, and the Photoshop Plugin. Bibble 4.0 supports a large number of the newest cameras including the Nikon D70 and D2H, Canon 20D and 1D Mark 2, Kodak DCS Pro, Olympus E1, and Pentax *ist. Support is also provided for many other cameras. See the website for a complete list. Bibble 4.0 is available for immediate download and purchase via the Bibble Labs website. Limited time introductory pricing of Bibble Pro is $129. Bibble Lite is available at an initial price of $69. Read the Digital Outback Bibble 4 Review

10-14-2004

Olympus and PDN Launch New Website Olympus Imaging America Inc. and Photo District News Magazine, the award-winning photographic monthly magazine, have joined forces to create www.pdnonline.com/visionage. The website will be available online starting October 14, 2004. No fee to access the website is required. www.pdnonline.com/visionage will be a great value to photography aficionados. The webzine will deliver industry news, Olympus product reviews, as well as in depth features highlighting the photography of Olympus Visionaries, a group of elite digital photographers honored by Olympus for their images. “Behind The Shot” will be a regular column offering insight into the making of exceptional photos. Each month an Olympus Visionary will speak about one of his/her images. What led up to the shot? Why does he/she think its powerful? In the first webzine, award-winning photographer Joel Meyerowitz speaks of an image he shot along New York’s Fifth Avenue featuring a homeless man outside the University Club.

10-14-2004

Sony Cancels Sales of Cyber-shot DSC-T3 in the U.S. Market Effective yesterday, Sony Electronics, San Diego, Calif., USA, decided to cancel sales of the Cyber-shot DSC-T3 digital camera in the U.S. market. The Cyber-shot DSC-T3 was scheduled to ship to U.S. retailers this month. The decision to cancel sales was made because the Cyber-shot DSC-T1, a camera with similar specifications, continues to be a strong seller in the U.S. market and will have a longer life than anticipated.

10-13-2004

Full Canon EOS 20D Review and Sample Photos Posted Just posted is the full Canon EOS 20D review along with a new set of sample images showing what this excellent dSLR can do, even at high ISO sensitivity. Canon continues to redefine the enthusiast's digital SLR with the 20D's performance level approaching that of some of today's professional cameras. It's hard to believe that you can get a high-performance, 8-megapixel dSLR for just $1500 -- but you can and it's available now! Also posted - Panasonic FZ3 and FZ20 Reviews Two more cameras join the Canon 20D as recent entries onto Steve's The Best Cameras list -- the new Panasonic Lumix FZ20, a 5-megapixel, 12x super-zoom dynamo and its little brother, the Panasonic Lumix FZ3, a 3-megapixel, 12x super-zoom. Both of these cameras share a top-quality Leica 12x optical zoom lens equipped with Panasonic's Mega O.I.S. image stabilization system and both cameras deliver excellent image quality with robust performance. There is a third camera in this series, the Lumix FZ15, this review is being written now and will be posted soon, it is the 4-megapixel sibling of the FZ20.

10-13-2004

Olympus Total Imaging Solution Provides The Means To Shoot, Organize, Store And Print Digital Images Without Using A PC Melville, New York, October 13, 2004 – Olympus introduces a PC-free, modular imaging system that will alter the way the world experiences digital photography. Emphasizing design and mobility, the Olympus Total Imaging Solution breaks free from the stringent requirements of the current computer-reliant imaging process. It allows consumers to organize, print, and store photos quickly and hassle-free virtually anywhere, while putting the digital camera at the center of the solution where it belongs. At the heart of the solution is the new IR-500 digital camera with a 360-degree rotating semi-transmissive TFT color LCD, 4.0-megapixels, a 2.8x optical zoom lens (40mm – 112mm equivalent), 30X total zoom including digital zoom, and an f2.9-f4.8 aperture range. The IR-500 connects with other products available in the Total Imaging Solution, such as the S-HD-100 hard disk drive, and the P-S100 dye-sublimation photo printer, and a DVD burner (available at a future date). Form follows function with all components being lightweight, sleek and pearl white – projecting an image of style, along with ease-of-use and high performance. Read the Olympus press release

10-13-2004

Olympus “m:robe” Mixes Music Player With Digital Camera Melville, New York, October 13, 2004 – Olympus, a company known for taking product design innovation to a higher level of style and functionality, officially enters the digital music market today with the launch of two models in its new “m:robe” series of digital music players. With this effort, the company is combining its audio expertise with its optical heritage to create products that embody the best of both sound and vision. The flagship m:robe MR-500i combines a 20-gigabyte digital music player with a 1.22-megapixel digital camera to create a compact and stylish multimedia device unlike any other that’s come before it. With a one-of-a-kind “No Button” flat touch-screen interface incorporated into a vibrant 3.7-inch color VGA LCD display, music and digital images spring into action at your fingertips in several dynamic and captivating slideshows. The m:robe MR-100 is a smaller, dedicated music player that delivers 5 gigabytes of storage for over 1,200 songs. At a petite size of just 3.5(H) x 2.0(W) x 0.6(D) inches and weighing a mere 3.5 ounces, the MR-100 is more compact and lightweight than the MR-500i and its minimalist all-black face incorporates a No-Button touch-panel interface with a monochrome 160 x 128 dot-matrix display with striking red LED. The MR-500i and the MR-100 will be available in January 2005. The MR-500i's estimated street price is $499.99. The MR-100's estimated street price is $249.99. Read the Olympus press release

10-12-2004

Sony Unveils Industry's First DVD Burner That Combines Stand-Alone And Computer-Attached DVD Video Recording SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 12, 2004 - Sony is unlocking new levels of home video enjoyment with the world's first DVD burner capable of stand-alone, real-time DVD recording, as well as computer-attached burning. Sony's DVDirect can connect directly to a camcorder or VCR for transferring tape-based video footage to DVD for playback on most home DVD players and PC DVD-ROM drives. The DVDirect burner can also be attached to a PC, and comes with the necessary software for advanced DVD video authoring projects, as well as the creation of data, music, and video DVDs and CDs. The DVDirect device can burn up to 12 hours of high-quality MPEG-2 video onto compatible double layer DVD+R DL discs or up to six hours onto standard single layer DVD+R or DVD+RW discs. The device can also automatically insert chapters onto DVDs through DVD+Video Recording (+VR), or "start and stop" recording, so users can jump to specific parts of a DVD during playback and edit video footage on the fly. The DVDirect burner is expected to ship in November for an estimated selling price of around $300. Read the full Sony press release.

10-12-2004

Canon Posts EOS-1D Mark II Firmware Update Posted today on the Canon Japan BeBit site is EOS-1D Mark II firmware version 1.0.3 which fixes or improves: Added new functions for communicating with the Speedlite 580EX Reduced noise when shooting bulb exposures Fixed sensor-cleaning operations

10-12-2004

Apple's New 60GB iPod Will Have 2" Color LCD and Photo Viewing (Story from PMA Daily Newsline) After three years of being synonymous with "digital music player," the Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, Calif, USA, iPod will gain photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, reliable sources tell Think Secret. The new iPod, which will sit at the top of Apple's fourth-generation line-up, will pack the new Toshiba 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive, a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, iPhoto synchronization, audio/video-out capabilities, and will sell for $499. The new iPod is currently in production in Asia after delays from Toshiba in delivering its new 60GB drive hampered a planned early-September ramp up. Sources confirm Toshiba started shipping the drive to Apple in mid-September and iPod manufacturer Inventec began building the new device in the last two weeks, reported Think Secret. The new iPod's form factor will be identical to the existing 4G iPods, sources report, but will be two millimeters thicker than the current 40GB iPod and marginally heavier. The 2- inch color screen is identical in size to other iPods, but will sport a higher resolution for photo viewing. However, the new device's real shining feature will be its video-out port, which will enable users to tote their photo galleries with them, ready to be plugged into any television for big-screen viewing. The 60GB iPod will feature only rudimentary built-in software for viewing photos, with no editing tools, sources say. Photo albums will be navigated in a similar fashion to music playlists, and a slideshow feature will provide transitions with user-specified background music, similar to iPhoto. Synchronizing features similar to iTunes will also be added to iPhoto. The new iPod won't feature built-in flash memory stick slots for downloading photos from digital cameras, although such a feature will presumably be able to be employed through a Belkin $99 Media Reader. Sources indicate that Apple will market the new photo iPod as being capable of storing 20,000 music tracks and 25,000 photos. As an added bonus for music fans, album artwork will be displayed on screen when it's available for a selected track.

10-11-2004

DSLR: Nikon D70 a new eBook from Peter iNova and Uwe Steinmueller Geared to the D70 photographer, the eBook reveals a depth of techniques, lore, secrets, work-arounds and surprises found nowhere else. Disclosures reveal the camera, lenses and system accessories of this highly capable dSLR and give D70 photographers a distinct edge as they track down and capture images of many kinds. Numerous images are interactive on the page, and hyperlinks connect ideas all through the eBook. Some open your Internet browser and link you instantly to pages on the Web. The D70 eBook comes with all display software needed for Mac and Windows. Fourteen chapters in two volumes cover the things D70 photographers want and need to know: Digital photographic technologies, Historical perspectives, Color and optical theory, Basic / intermediate / advanced digital image manipulation, RAW image conversion for the D70 by Uwe Steinmueller, D70 Camera system operation (camera, lenses, flash), The top 45 D70 photographic problems and their solutions, A 22 exercise self-guided digital photography course, Digital printing, Digital special effects production, 35 Vexing questions (advanced problem solving), iNovaFX Photoshop Actions for the D70 system, Interactive Appendix with live Internet links, Index, a D70 Gallery of images from 13 D70 photographers and a whole lot more. Included with the eBook are 460+ iNovaFX Photoshop Actions that perform six vital functions on images. Rescue from errors, filtrations that can be applied after exposure, conversions to art and graphic forms, enhancements to clean up images, special effects and preparations for printing are joined by many that defy categorization. Over 140 new Actions are made to the exclusive requirements of D70 images for colorimetry, noise control, printing setup and barrel distortion elimination, including the incredible iBCFisheye10.5 group that turn Nikkor DX fisheye images into perfectly rectilinear hyper wide-angle shots with an amazing 160° field of view. Demo software includes Photoshop, 20/20 MD, PhotoRescue and more. DSLR: Nikon D70, 446 pages, 1100 images, illustrations, animations and graphics: $49.95 US plus shipping. Click on the book cover below and receive a $6.50 shipping discount.

10-08-2004

Cerious Software Releases ThumbsPlus 7.0 for Windows CHARLOTTE, NC, October 6, 2004 -- Cerious Software, Inc. has released its full-featured ThumbsPlus v7.0 for Windows, one of the leading software solutions for digital content management for over 10 years, and well known on the Internet for the best customer support in the business! Unlike most competing products, ThumbsPlus is completely database-driven which allows sophisticated features such as: extensive search capabilities, search by similarity, user defined fields, image galleries, and management of offline disks, even across a local network. ThumbsPlus 7.0 offers more features than ANY other digital image management software! Please read all about the new look and feel of ThumbsPlus as well as a list of the new features including 16-bit image processing as well as options for creating, handling and viewing alpha channels in 24-bit and 48-bit images. ThumbsPlus v7.0 has also added support for many other database programs such as Oracle, DBase, MYSQL and others. Cerious Software has also released two plug-ins: a DigiCam plug-in and a Postscript plug- in. The DigiCam plug-in supports almost all of the digital camera raw formats from Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Fuji, Leica, Sony, Kodak and Minolta. The Postscript plug-in supports EPS, PDF and AI files.

10-07-2004

Canon Posts EOS 20D Firmware Update After reading reports of troubles with the previously released v1.0.4 firmware update I decided to hold off announcing it here until the problems were fixed. Today, Canon Japan has released the EOS 20D v1.0.5 firmware update that fixes the following: Version 1.0.4 firmware released on October 4 had a bug in the program that handles the update. In cases where the update was performed with a lens attached to the camera, there were situations in which the firmware could not be updated correctly. The version 1.0.5 firmware fixes the version 1.0.4 bug so that the firmware can be updated correctly. Fixes the problem of shutter release not working. In rare cases, the camera freezes and the shutter stops working if a lens removed or attached while the camera is in auto power off mode. (In other cases, the camera might hang up during continuous shooting.) - This problem has been fixed. Improves reliability when using some CF cards. Improved reliability of communication with CF cards Canon has also posted the following information: "When the firmware update operations are finished, turn the camera off and remove battery from the camera for at least two seconds. This will cause the new firmware to effect after the battery has been reloaded and the camera is turned on. When performing the firmware update operations, do so after removing the lens from the camera."

10-06-2004

ACD Systems Releases ACDSee 7 Photo Software VICTORIA, BC, Oct. 4 - ACD Systems International Inc. makers of ACDSee photo management software and Canvas technical illustration software, announced today the release of ACDSee 7, the newest version of its flagship photo management software for photography enthusiasts, professionals and corporate users. Renowned for its speed, ACDSee is used the world over as the leading choice for image viewing and management. New features in ACDSee 7 include a Device Synchronization function, a Context Sensitive Toolbar, advanced search capabilities, RAW format support, MPV and HighMAT support and an Image Comparison tool. ACDSee 7 is available as a standalone product or as part of the ACDSee 7 PowerPack suite. ACDSee 7 allows users to control their camera's memory card storage space with a device synchronization function that quickly and efficiently automates the downloading process of images and media. Through an easy-to-use wizard, users can select which folders their images should automatically be saved to, as well as determine the amount of space that should always be available on a specific memory card. ACDSee 7 supports RAW formats from all major camera manufacturers including Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus, Kodak and Minolta. This allows users to view digital images at their highest quality. Additionally, ACDSee 7 supports the MPV and HighMAT standards that provide the ability to burn images and media files to CD-R/DVD-R. Users can create a slide show that can be played back on their DVD players. ACDSee 7 in English is available for $49.99 (USD) for the full version, or $39.99 (USD) for the upgrade from ACDSee 6.0. Volume licensing for ACDSee 7 is available and special pricing is offered for five and ten user licenses. ACDSee 7 PowerPack English is available for $79.99 (USD) for the full version, or $49.99 (USD) for the upgrade from ACDSee 6.0 PowerPack. For more info visit the ACDSee 7 web page.

10-06-2004

Hackers Target Microsoft JPEG Flaw Hackers have exploited a flaw in programs from Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., and circulated malicious code hidden in images that use the JPEG format, The Associated Press reported. To get the code, a visitor must download the image and view it using Microsoft Windows Explorer software. The computer contacts a server to obtain code that would let an attacker take over the machine remotely. The flaw is in a technology that is used to render JPEG images and affects Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and later versions of Office. Earlier versions may be affected if running specialized applications, like Digital Image Pro and Visio 2002. Computers with updated versions of anti-virus software should be protected. Microsoft also has a software patch to fix the flaw and said users who have the Service Pack 2 security update for Windows XP are not affected. See the Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-028 for more information and critical program updates.

10-05-2004

Recently Posted Camera and Printer Reviews Posted during the Photokina madness was the Casio Exilim EX-Z55 review and the even slimmer Casio Exilim EX-S100 review. And no, the review isn't "slimmer," the camera's slimmer... These are the latest in Casio's Exilim line of ultra-pocketable, metal bodied, credit card sized digital cameras. The EX-Z55 has 5-megapixels of resolution, a 3x zoom and an absolutely huge 2.5-inch color LCD. The EX-S100 is about the same height and width but thinner (0.66" thin) and features a 3.2-megapixel imager and Casio's new ceramic technology 2.8x optical zoom lens with a 2-inch color LCD on the back. They are both very good performers as our sample image galleries will aptly prove. Also posted is our Kodak DX7590 review, a 10x super zoom, 5-megapixel EasyShare camera with a big 2.2-inch color LCD and excellent image quality. Compatible with Kodak's line of EasyShare camera and printer docks and a good value at less than $500. Just posted today is our review of HP's new Photosmart 8450 Photo Printer, an 8-color photo lab quality inkjet printer with lots of bells and whistles but a reasonable $299 price tag. The letter-size 8450 makes excellent color prints and thanks to a special Photo Gray cartridge, it also produces richly saturated B&W prints too. It has builtin card slots for just about every type of flash memory card or Microdrive used in today's digital cameras and can be directly connected to PictBridge-enabled cameras. It features Ethernet connectivity for use on LANs and can be optionally equipped with a Bluetooth adapter for wireless printing with camera phones, PDAs and laptops. A very nice printer, check it out.

10-01-2004

Tamron Announces the Discontinuation of Bronica SLR Cameras Commack, New York, October 1, 2004 – Mr. Morio Ono, president of Tamron Co., Ltd., Ohmiya, Japan and Mr. Takashi Inoue, president of Tamron USA, Inc. announced the worldwide discontinuation of Bronica SLR cameras and accessories as of October 31, 2004. The Bronica RF645 Medium Format Rangefinder will continue to be distributed globally and Tamron USA, Inc. will offer the current rebates on that product line through 6/30/05. Tak Inoue stated that with the discontinuation of Bronica, the company is now in a better position to dedicate even more resources to developing optics for the digital age, particularly those for digital SLR cameras, currently the fastest growing segment of camera products according to industry analysts. Customers may continue to purchase Bronica SLR products through 11/15/04 and qualify for the current Bronica SLR rebates. After 11/15/04, Tamron USA, Inc. will no longer sell any Bronica SLR inventory to customers. In order to claim a rebate for merchandise purchased through a dealer by 11/15/04, Tamron USA, Inc. must receive the redemption request by 11/30/04 to qualify. Purchases made after 11/15/04 at a dealer with inventory will not be applicable for any rebates. Repair service will continue for seven years as is mandated by law.

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