10/31/1999: Another Happenstance/Nikon 950 Slide Copier Review
Cruising the other digicam sites I found that my friends at the Digital Camera Resource page just posted Andy Baird's Happenstance Slide Copier user review. In case you missed my review of this nifty and inexpensive slide copier for Nikon 950 cameras, you'll find it right here. This would make a great "stocking stuffer" for anybody with a Nikon Coolpix 950 camera. I think most of us digicam users also have a drawer full of old 35mm slides and this is a great way to bring them into the new millenium....[read more]
10/31/1999: NikonView Won't Work With New Mac OS9 But Cameraid Does
I recv'd the following from Juri Munkki: According to the Nikon Tech forum, the current version of Nikon View doesn't work with Apple's latest MacOS 9. Both serial port and card reader downloads are affected. Cameraid is fully compatible with MacOS 9. Cameraid is shareware (), but the downloadable version is fully functional even without registration, so it provides a good alternative solution while Nikon is working on an update to their software. Cameraid is at: http://www.cameraid.com/...[read more]
10/31/1999: Don & Mike's Mega Photo Printer Review
Puzzled about the specs and claims of the various photo-quality printers available today? Well, you're not alone. Don Cohen and Mike Chaney teamed up to publish their Mega Photo Printer Review to find out which printer is the best. Printers evaluated were: Alps 1300, Alps 5000-MicroDry, Alps 5000-DyeSub, Canon 7000, Epson 750, Epson 800, Epson 900, Epson 1200, HP 890c, HP 895cse, HP 1120c, HP Photosmart and Lexmark Z51....[read more]
10/30/1999: Nikon 950 Firmware v1.2 Imminent
The following message is on the Nikon Tech Support site: "Coolpix 950 Firmware Update 1.2Will be available during the last week of NovemberFeature list is not available yetBut it will be posted as soon as we receive it"...[read more]
10/30/1999: Mustek's New GSmart 350 - World's First Digicam To Incorporate Kopin's CyberDisplay
Mustek Systems Inc. is pleased to announce a new addition to its current digital camera family, the GSmart 350. Incorporate with Kopin's color CyberDisplayTM LCD, GSmart 350 is a 350K pixels VGA resolution Digital Still Camera (DSC) that is not only compact in size but also versatile in functions. Mustek is the world's first vendor to incorporate Kopin's CyberDisplayTM technology to DSC. Two to three times the resolution of a 90,000 - 110,000 pixel 1.8" - 2.0" LCD display, the CyberDisplayTM is an Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Display (AMLCD) that has 320 x 240 full color resolution. The result is the bright vivid color images (76,800 pixels) mimicking having a PC monitor built-into a camera that enables viewing of the most realistic virtual images one or four at a time even under direct sunlight. True framing and exposure feedback, what you see is what you get, while significantly reducing power requirements....[read more]
10/30/1999: Kodak DC290 First Look and Sample Pictures Posted
Been a crazy week and the weekend is turning out even crazier with three new Kodak, two Sony, and one each Fuji and Umax cameras to test and evaluate. We're doing them in order of importance, the Sony F505 First Look was posted the other day, I have just posted the Kodak DC290 First Look. More Reviews and News!Yesterday we posted the Umax Astracam review online and I forgot to tell anybody about it, oops! Other interesting things are "on the review bench" as well, we have the Quantum QB1 external battery pack that looks as if it has enough power to run a digicam all day and then some. Thomas-Distributing sent me samples of their cool, new solar-powered NiMH battery chargers and let me tell you, they work like a nuclear power station out in the Florida sunshine! I'll be posting a full user review soon but follow the...[read more]
10/29/1999: Sony CyberShot DSC-F505 First Look Posted
The Sony folks were kind enough to loan me one of their new DSC-F505 CyberShot cameras and the older Mavica FD-91 with the stabilized 14X zoom lens. The DSC-F55 is due in a couple of days. I have just posted my Sony F505 First Look report and a "starter" sample pictures page. Also in-house are the Kodak DC290, DC280 and the DC215 Millenium Edition cameras and the Epson 850Z is out there and in transit too. Needless to say there will be a lot of new user reviews online soon so please hold off on the email requests, I'll get to them as soon as I can!...[read more]
10/28/1999: Fujifilm's DS-260 HD: The Digital Camera for the Weekend Warrior
ELMSFORD, N.Y.--Oct. 28, 1999--Digital imaging has gone "off-road." Today, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. officially unveiled its DS-260 HD digital camera, a rugged, outdoor-friendly megapixel model that protects its inner workings with a dust-proof, impact- and water-resistant outer shell. This tough exterior makes the DS-260 HD an ideal choice for outdoor enthusiasts who want to capture their images electronically. Affectionately known as the "Big Job" for its ability to work in adverse imaging conditions, the DS-260 HD has many of the top-notch image-capture features of traditional Fujifilm digital cameras, including a 1.5 million-pixel CCD, 3x optical zoom and Fujinon EBC glass lens. Its digital gamma correction system ensures that images retain the natural color and smooth gradations of the original subject, and the new auto-sensing flash technology automatically adjusts flash output according to lighting conditions. The DS-260 HD can handle most weekend warrior excursions with ease. Its protective shell resists...[read more]
10/26/1999: MetaCreations Announces New Kai's Power Tools 6 For Adobe Photoshop
CARPINTERIA, Calif.--Oct. 25, 1999--MetaCreations® today announced Kai's Power Tools® 6, the most recent release in the award-winning KPT series of image effects for print and the Web. MetaCreations KPT 6 contains Adobe® Photoshop® compatible plug-ins that provide professional graphic designers, digital artists and Web content developers new, powerful image effects to creatively enhance their digital content. This extraordinary collection of image effects includes eight plug-ins from the KPT X series, including KPT Goo, KPT Gel and KPT Equalizer, powerful new professional plug-ins such as KPT Materializer and KPT Projector, plus two bonus plug-ins originally developed by RAYflect. Plug-in applications featured in KPT 6: KPT® Equalizer offers three robust sharpen filters KPT® Goo allows artists to "finger-paint" KPT® Projector includes a robust set of interactive perspective warp effects. KPT® Gel transcends 2D imaging applications by delivering realistic 3D paint tools. KPT® Materializer creates dynamic surface textures. KPT® LensFlare creates realistic glows,...[read more]
10/26/1999: Israeli Photo of the Month Contest
Danny Brenner emailed me to let me know that his Israeli Photo of the Day page was beginning a "Photo of the Month" contest, starting October 31, 23:59 EDT. The readers and visitors will be given a 48 hour period to vote for their favorite photo and the results will be published on a special page starting on November 2, 23:59 EDT....[read more]
10/25/1999: Nikon to Sell Limited Edition Coolpix 950 Millennium for Charity
MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 25 -- Nikon Inc. today announced that it will raise up to million for charity through online sales of its new limited edition Coolpix 950 Millennium digital camera. The sleek, millennium limited- edition rendering of the award-winning Coolpix 950 goes on sale Monday, November 8, at 9:00 am (EST) and will be sold exclusively through the online Nikon Outlet Store. A portion of the sale of the cameras, as much as million, will be donated to the Imus Ranch for children with cancer. "The Coolpix 950 Millennium camera is Nikon's way of marking the 21st century and giving something back to children who are less fortunate," said Nancy Carr, general manager of marketing for Nikon consumer digital products and compact cameras. "Nikon has already donated 35mm compact cameras to the Imus Ranch but we wanted to do more." of each Coolpix 950 Millennium camera purchased will...[read more]
10/25/1999: Fujifilm Ships MX-1700 Zoom
ELMSFORD, N.Y.--Oct. 25, 1999-- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is now shipping the MX-1700 ZOOM. Similar in size and design to its MX-700 and MX-2700 predecessors, the MX-1700 ZOOM has an improved, high-resolution 1.5- million pixel CCD with RGB color filters along with a newly crafted all-glass, miniature aspherical zoom lens. The results of these features are outstanding image quality and superb color reproduction, both hallmarks of Fujifilm digital cameras. Sporting dimensions of 3.1" (w) x 4.75" (h) x 1.25" (d), Fujifilm's newest megapixel model is roughly the size of a deck of playing cards, easily fitting in shirt pockets or pocket books. It records high-resolution images at 1280 x 1024, or at 640 x 480 resolutions, and the 3x aspherical zoom lens delivers 35mm equivalent of 35-114mm coverage....[read more]
10/25/1999: d# Digital Press Posts New Nikon D1 Pictures
The folks at d# Digital Press have just posted some new Nikon D1 sample pictures that are really nice, especially the night shot which is virtually noise free and shot at ISO 200. I just printed one of the 7MB TIFF images and it's incredible. Unfortunately the word I got from Nikon's PR folks is that all of the D1's coming into the country are going straight into the retail channel. This is good news for the buyers but bad news for those of us expecting a review unit which probably won't be available until after the first of the year....[read more]
10/25/1999: Ms. PacMan Meets The Kodak DC265
As they often said on Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British TV comedy show, "and now for something completely different..." I received email from James Surine to let me know that his M.A.M.E. (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) software was now running on the Digita-based Kodak DC265 camera. So for those of you who are tired of just taking pictures with your DC265, you can now play Ms. PacMan in your spare time! Jim tells me that he will have a DC290 version as soon as he gets one to experiment with....[read more]
10/25/1999: Sony Seizes 35% of U.S. Digital Camera Market in 3Q99 According To IDC
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct. 25 -- In an effort to replicate its traditional success in the consumer electronics marketplace in other arenas, Sony has been on the path to widening its role in the digital convergence of computing, communications, and electronics equipment. Once again, Sony has proven that its marketing ingenuity and brand clout have prevented competitors from usurping its Goliath status. Sony approaches the new millennium riding on the burgeoning digital wave with 35% of U.S. digital camera shipments for the three-month period ending September 30, 1999, according to fresh research from International Data Corporation (IDC). In a market that is projected to grow at a healthy 1998- 2003 compound annual growth rate of 50%, Sony left its closest rival Kodak at a distance second in the race with 20% of Q3 unit shipments, with Olympus at 17% of market share behind Kodak. The U.S. PC camera market is poised...[read more]
10/23/1999: Casio QV-8000SX User Review Posted
I have finished and posted my Casio QV-8000SX user review and added the sample pictures page. It is a very interesting 1280x960 camera with a big, 8X zoom lens, lots of manual controls and a huge, 2.5" color LCD. But, it doesn't have an optical viewfinder so it's difficult to use outdoors and it's pretty hard on batteries. On the positive side, it does take great pictures and would make a good digicam for indoor use....[read more]
10/22/1999: DC Resource Posts Canon S10 Review
Our friends over at the DC resource have just posted their Canon S10 review and had this to say about it: The Canon PowerShot S10 is a fantastic camera. It's very small and light, and really stands out in a crowd, and the photo quality is very good. You can easily use it with one hand, and it's fast processing speeds let you record and view photos quickly. And the built-in USB support helps you get the photos onto your PC just as quickly. The software packages for downloading and browsing photos, as well as creating panoramas, were both very good. And, with a CompactFlash Type II slot, you can put in an IBM Microdrive to hold thousands of photos.Our own Canon S10 review is also online. I predict the S10 will be a hot seller for the Christmas season along with the Fuji MX-1700, another hot little "pocket rocket"...[read more]
10/22/1999: Imaging-Resource Posts Olympus D-450Z Review
Our good friends over at the Imaging-Resource just posted their Olympus D-450Z review. Part of Dave's conclusion: Overall, the D-450 Zoom is an excellent camera for shutterbugs accustomed to the point and shoot style. There are some manual controls available, but the majority of the exposure settings are automatically selected. Color and image quality are very good, and low-light capability exceptional for a camera at its low price point....[read more]
ROCHESTER, N.Y.--October 22, 1999--Eastman Kodak Company today announced that its new DC290 zoom digital camera is shipping. Announced in August the camera fulfills the company's commitment to bring a high resolution, "smart" digital camera to the marketplace for the most demanding business applications and advanced personal use. Built on the company's award-winning DC260/265 camera platform, the Kodak DC290 zoom camera combines high resolution, user control and an easy programmable Digita interface. The DC290 offers a wide selection of scripts and applications that automate frequently used camera functions for efficiency and simplicity. Some are provided with the camera, while others are available through the Kodak web site. The Kodak DC290 zoom camera also features a 3.3 million-pixel "Ultra" resolution mode with enough detail for prints up to 11 x 14-inches from a 2.1 million pixel sensor. In "Ultra" mode, the camera mathematically derives (interpolates) additional image data as it processes the...[read more]
10/22/1999: PC Magazine's Latest "What's The Best Digicam Under "
PC Magazine put 19 under digital cameras through their wringer and the results can be viewed on their web page. They gave top honors to the Olympus C-2000Z and the Kodak DC280 with an honorable mention to the Sanyo VPC-Z400 Note that I'm not putting my seal of approval on their article, I'm just telling you that it's there. Believe it as much as you believe any review done by a Ziff-Davis publication....[read more]
10/21/1999: Sony DCR-PC100 Digital Camcorder First With Megapixel Still Images
Sony DCR-PC100, Advanced HAD 1/4" CCD with 1070K pixels, 10x Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonar zoom (48-480mm F1.8-2.2), 1152x864 still images, 2.5" color LCD with 200K pixels, color viewfinder with 180K pixels, InfoLITHIUM battery, IEEE-1394 iLink DV interface, progressive shutter, over 500 lines of horizontal resolution, analog recording inputs, autofocus and full manual focusing ring, zero LUX NightShot to 10 feet, MemoryStick storage of still images. PC100 sample still images from Digital Press in Japan. Gregg's DCR-PC100 still image samples & mini-review....[read more]
10/21/1999: Arthur Bleich's "Cool Blues, Hot Pinks, and White Balance" Column Now Available
I just posted Arthur Bleich's latest syndicated column entitled "Cool Blues, Hot Pinks, and White Balance" - this month our resident expert gives you some insight into how digital cameras handle different lighting conditions. Art explains the mystery of white balance and how it affects your digital pictures. Be sure to check out all of Art's columns, you'll find the PhotoCorner Index page here....[read more]
10/20/1999: Fujifilm Announces Digital Imaging Breakthrough With Its New Super CCD
ELMSFORD, NY -- Oct 20 -- Leading the way, once again, in digital imaging innovation, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., in collaboration with its susidiary Fujifilm Microdevices Co., Ltd., today announced the development of a next generation charge-coupled device (CCD) technology that dramatically improves the quality of digital images. Radically different from conventional CCDs with square photodiodes and pixel arrangments, Fujifilm's new Super CCD has octagonal-shaped photodiodes and pixels situtated on 45-degree angles. The "honeycomb" pattern of the Super CCD increases sensitivity, improves signal to noise ratio and offers a much wider dynamic range, attributes that produce digital images with richer, true to life colors and sparkling clarity. Digital cameras featuring this new technology are currently in development and product availability is expected in the coming year. Down the road, Fujifilm's Super CCD technology can lead to many exciting new products such as ultra-compact digital cameras and a single product...[read more]
10/19/1999: DigitalDarkroom Posts Info On New Epson Printers
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10/19/1999: Olympus Announces New C-2020Z
Olympus Japan has officially announced the C-2020 Zoom digital camera which is an obvious upgrade of their C-2000Z. The C-2020Z has Motion JPEG capture (15fps: 320 x 240; max 15 secs, 160 x 120; max 60 secs), burst mode (9 HQ/Std 1.2fps, 4 SHQ 0.7fps), full manual mode with long exposures up to 16 secs, improved TFT LCD, auto-bracketing (0.3 / 0.6 / 1 EV), SHQ mode has lower compression, improved White Balance and exposure, manual focus down to 0.2m (compared to 2.5m on the C2000Z) with 130 steps. Availability beginning on November 12 in Japan, no word yet on U.S. delivery date - more later ......[read more]
10/19/1999: DC Resource Posts S10 Review
My friends over at the DC Resource have just posted their Canon S10 user review - check it out if you're interested in this tiny, metal marvel of digicam tecnology....[read more]
10/19/1999: Qimage Pro 6.3 Now Has "Shadow Noise" Filter For 2MPixel Images
That maniac of megapixel manipulation is at it again! Mike Chaney has just released Qimage Pro 6.3 with a breakthrough filter can tell the difference between image and noise! Can your imaging software tell the difference between image and noise? Foreground and background? No? Maybe it should! Most new cameras with more than 2 megapixel CCD imagers suffer from some sort and some degree of shadow noise. This effect can be seen in just about any high contrast or low light image. Besides all of this Qimage Pro is still the best printing program available for Windows users. Sort through your picture folders with thumbnails to visually find the ones you want to print. Drag-n-drop them onto a page template for multiple images per page, add EXIF header info if you want, various filters can be "associated" with images so that the originals never get modified and therefore retain...[read more]
10/19/1999: Digital Camera Magazine Is Now Online
The #1 magazine for digicam-aholics is now online, Digital Camera Magazine - Web Edition is now being hosted by the fine folks at www.PhotoPoint.com and has most of the content of their printed version. You'll find Ken Mann's daily column "Digital Camera Daily" five days a week, where he discusses all the latest trends in digital camera hardware, software, and services! There's lots more content to be found there including reviews and editorials so stop on by the new site....[read more]
10/18/1999: Agfa Cuts Price On ePhoto CL30 To
WILMINGTON, Mass.--Oct. 18, 1999--Agfa Corporation's Desktop Products Group announced today that they have cut the price of the ePhoto CL30 digital camera to . The ePhoto CL30 expands the range of camera choices by offering high-end features, including a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface and a true resolution of one million pixels, for the price of a entry-level digital camera. The ePhoto CL30 is the only camera in Agfa's ePhoto family featuring CompactFlash rather than SmartMedia removable memory....[read more]
10/18/1999: Fujifilm Ships the MX-1200
ELMSFORD, N.Y.--Oct. 18, 1999--In time for the busy gift giving and picture-taking season ahead, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is now shipping the MX-1200 Digital Camera, the company's latest entry in the sub- category. The easy-to-use MX-1200 sports a 1.3 million-pixel CCD, recording images with brilliant color and detail at resolutions as high as 1280 x 960 pixels. With a comparable 125 ISO speed, the MX-1200 boasts a 38mm, 35mm equivalent Fujinon lens with macro capabilities allowing close- ups from only 3.9-inches away....[read more]
I have received a lot of email and have read many messages in our Message Board about CCD noise in most of the newer 2MPixel or better digicams. I used six different cameras, two from the 1.5MPixel class and the rest from the 2.1, 2.3 and 2.5MPixel class for my little unofficial test. The results speak for themselves I think. See what you think....[read more]
10/15/1999: Ricoh RDC-5300 Is In The House
Well, if I didn't already have enough new cameras piling up on my "to be reviewed" table, the new Ricoh RDC-5300 showed up today. Depending on how nasty Hurricane Irene makes our local weather this weekend, I hope to be able to get some of my reviews finished up and start a few more! Just a brief examination of the RDC-5300 has turned up an external PC sync connector for flash units that I wasn't aware of so who knows what else we'll find that's new and exciting... 10/17/99 update: I have completed my Ricoh RDC-5300 First Look report and will hopefully get the sample pictures page done in the next couple of days, weather permitting. 10/19/99 update: I just posted the RDC-5300 Sample Pictures page. My conclusion text and possibly some more pictures to come in another couple of days....[read more]
10/15/1999: Agfa Cuts Price On ePhoto CL50 Digital Camera
WILMINGTON, Mass.--Oct. 15, 1999--Agfa Corporation's Desktop Products Group (USA-DTP), a leading provider of award-winning digital cameras and desktop scanners announced today that they have cut the price of the ePhoto CL50 digital camera. Effective immediately, the ePhoto CL50 - a high-performing digital camera targeted to business professionals and technology enthusiasts who require advanced features, ease-of-use and a photo-quality, mega-pixel image - is currently available for . Agfa Offers Mail-in Rebate for ePhoto CL50WILMINGTON, Mass.--Oct. 16, 1999--Agfa Corporation's Desktop Products Group (USA-DTP), a leading provider of award-winning digital cameras and desktop scanners, announced today that it is offering a mail-in rebate to those U.S. customers who purchase an ePhoto CL50 digital camera between now and the end of the year. The ePhoto CL50 is a high performing digital camera targeted to both business professionals and technology enthusiasts who require advance features, ease-of-use and a photo-quality image. Currently available in the U.S....[read more]
10/14/1999: Canon S10 User Review Posted
My full Canon S10 User Review has been posted !...[read more]
10/14/1999: Samsung developes 1GB flash memory
(translated from the 13th Oct. ComTimes) Samsung announces that they have developed a 1GB flash memory for the first time. It is four times larger than 256MB flash memory developed by Toshiba in March. The company has adopted a 0.15-micron processing mechanism and CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization, a process to get silicon wafers super flat for processing.) It works at 2.5 volts. So, it's suitable for portable products. Demand for flash memory is on the increase because of the skyrocketing sales of MP3P's and digital cameras. It is expected that total market sales of flash memory will be million this year and approximately million by 2002, which would be about a 70% increase. Samsung expects that their income from flash memory will be million this year and million by 2002. At present Samsung enjoys a 40% market share, all the other major semi-conductor manufaturers are fighting for the remainder of...[read more]
10/13/1999: Target Speed of 480 Mbs for USB 2.0 Announced by Industry Leaders
CORONADO, Calif.--Oct. 12, 1999--A group of seven PC industry leaders announced today that the target speed of Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 is 40 times faster than the existing USB 1.1. The achievement is anticipated to further build on the momentum of USB into more demanding user applications, such as image creation and interactive gaming. The target speed of USB 2.0 is 480 Megabits per second (Mbs), as announced by the USB 2.0 Promoter Group, consisting of Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, NEC and Philips. The target speed announcement coincides with the release of the USB 2.0 specification draft to industry developers here. The specification draft enables vendors to begin their product planning and development of USB 2.0 products. The increased bandwidth of USB 2.0 opens the door for PC peripherals with more functionality, including faster broadband internet connections, higher resolution video conferencing cameras, next generation printers and scanners and...[read more]
10/13/1999: Worldwide Toy Digital Camera Market to Top 17 Million Shipments by 2003
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct. 13 -- There's a whole new generation of cyber- savvy kids eager to embrace a new line of digital cameras made just for them. There are also a number of manufacturers feverishly jockeying for a piece of mom's and dad's hard-earned toy-buying budget. According to new research from International Data Corporation (IDC), the toy digital camera market will experience worldwide shipments of 17.5 million units by 2003, with entry-level digital cameras shipping an additional 5.7 million in the same time frame. Forget G.I. Joe with the Kung-Fu grip -- these new toy and low-end digital cameras are really taking hold. The toy digital camera market came into existence last year with the introduction of Mattel's Barbie Camera, which received tremendous interest from the toy-buying public. This product shipped more than 400,000 units in just six months in 1998. The entry segment is not far behind, as 10...[read more]
MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 12 -- What do you get the Coolpix photographer who is constantly on the go and has lots of gear to carry? The answer is the exciting new Nikon Coolpack, a specially designed carrying case bundled with an assortment of accessories that will bring added enjoyment to digital photography. The Nikon Coolpack comes with lots of useful extras including a set of four 28mm filters -- a UV, Circular Polarizer, Neutral Density 4 and a Neutral Density 8 -- all in a handy wallet that attaches to the camera strap; four rechargeable Energizer AA NiMH batteries that can be recharged up to 1, 000 times; and a battery charger with a five hour quick charge and LED indicator. The Coolpack comes in a ruggedly handsome beige canvas carrying case with a fully adjustable interior, lots of pockets, and places for assorted gear. The Nikon Coolpack is...[read more]
10/12/1999: Reviews and Pics Posted
I have just finished and posted my Canon S10 User Review. This is definitely another winner for Canon, everything about this camera is small except for the pictures it takes. The average size of one of those Super-Fine Large mode images is between 1.4 and 2 megabytes! The picture quality is awesome, it focuses in the dark and you gotta love that all-metal body. I have also posted my Olympus D-620L User Review and sample pictures. This camera may have been overshadowed by the arrival of the C-2500L but it is still a very capable and fast camera. I'm happy to report that it looks as if Olympus has fixed the focus problems I saw on the D-600 model....[read more]
10/11/1999: Canon Announces Availability of New PowerShot S10 At
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., -- Canon U.S.A., Inc. confirmed the estimated street price (ESP) of the much-anticipated Canon PowerShot S10 digital camera at . Initial U.S. dealer shipments are scheduled to begin on Friday, October 15, 1999, reaching stores in time for the holiday shopping season. The PowerShot S10 is lightweight and ultra-compact in size and features 2.1 megapixel resolution, high-quality all-glass aspherical 2X Canon zoom lens, durable metal construction, CompactFlash Type I & II compatible (including the IBM 340MB microdrive), and a high-speed USB interface. I just received the Canon S10 today so please give me a couple of days for the complete user review, in the meantime here's my Canon S10 Sample Pictures Page. I can definitely guarantee that it works with the 340MB IBM Microdrive. (10/14/99 update):My complete Canon S10 user review has now been posted, enjoy....[read more]
10/11/1999: Ricoh To Ship 2.3 Million Pixel RDC-5300 Digital Camera
WEST CALDWELL, N.J.--Oct. 11, 1999--Ricoh PC Peripherals Business Unit today announced that its new RDC-5300, 2.3 megapixel digital camera will be available in late October. The RDC-5300 is designed for a wide range of use, offering a very powerful feature set that is expected to appeal strongly to business and consumer photographers. 2.3 megapixel CCD 1792x1200- and 640x480-pixel resolutions 3x optical zoom plus a 2.5x digital zoom Autofocus Super Macro feature USB-enabled (Windows 98 or Macintosh OS 8.5 or higher) 8MB of onboard memory plus SmartMedia cards (up to 64MB) Internal flash, as well as the ability to attach an external flash unit 1.8-inch full-color LCD Optical viewfinder Time lapse mode captures images at intervals settable from 30 seconds up to three hours Automatic sequential image numbering Automatic date imprinting Selective image password security Memory buffering to permit rapid sequential shooting at intervals of less than two seconds Black-and-white or...[read more]
10/09/1999: What Camera Has Both SM and CF Slots?
Answer -- the Olympus C-2500L. It's in the house and I'll have a full review up early next week. In the meantime I have posted my C-2500L First Look report to get you really interested in this incredibly feature-packed camera. I took it out this weekend and shot some pictures, more were added today (10/12/99) to my C-2500L sample picture page. I have also finished the Toshiba PDR-M5 user review....[read more]
10/07/1999: Fuji Japan Announces FinePix PR21 With Builtin Printer
Fujifilm Japan has officially announced the new FinePix PR21 digital camera with a builtin printer. 2.3Megapixel CCD 2.5X Optical Zoom 1,800 x 1,200 pixel resolution Printer: 254dpi 620 X 420 resolution, film size 86 X 54mm Size: 113 x ~60 x ~127mm Weight: 700g Thanks as always to reader Hiroyuki for keeping us all informed about what's going on over on the Japanese web sites and for translating the specs....[read more]
10/07/1999: HP's New PhotoSmart P1100 & P1000 Printers Have Both SM and CF Card Slots As Well As USB
The new HP PhotoSmart P1100 and PhotoSmart P1000 photo printers have both SmartMedia and CompactFlash Type II card slots to allow digital camera users to print without a PC. Both of the new photo printers feature color resolution up to 2400 X 1200 dpi and 600dpi black. Both USB and parallel interfaces. The P1100 supports double-side printing and a top speed of 10ppm in color. They will be available in late October, the P1100 has a MSRP of and the P1000 is ....[read more]
10/07/1999: New Canon BJC-8200 1200x1200dpi Photo InkJet
COSTA MESA, Calif.--Oct. 7, 1999--Canon Computer Systems Inc. today announced the BJC-8200 Color Bubble Jet photo printer which offers the fastest, true 1200 x 1200 dots-per-inch (dpi) photo printing out-of-the-box of any printer in its class. True 1200 x 1200 dpi in New Printhead Design: The BJC-8200 printer benefits from recent engineering breakthroughs that allow for a revolutionary new printhead design. The new head incorporates 1,536 nozzles, which permits high, default setting resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi (or 1.44 million dots per square inch -- nearly 40 percent more dots per square inch than 1440 x 720 dpi). This feature, combined with bi-directional printing, results in the industry's fastest photo print speeds to-date -- under one minute for postcards and under three minutes for a full 8x10" print. Geared for the high-end photo enthusiast or graphics professional, the printer comes with both a parallel and universal serial bus (USB)...[read more]
10/07/1999: Fujix DS-330 Review Posted
I have just posted my First Look report of the Fujix DS-330 camera. This is a slightly dated semi-pro camera as far as image resolution goes but it's loaded with real camera controls and has an optional 4.5fps high-speed interface. My full user review will be completed as soon as time permits....[read more]
10/06/1999: Canon Develops New 3.5" Floppy Drive For Still Image Capture On New Digital Camcorders
TOKYO, Oct 6 - Canon Inc. said on Wednesday it would launch a newly-developed video image storage device for still images taken by digital video camcorders in late October. The newly-developed floppy disc drive for storing still images from digital video camcorders can store images on popular 3.5-inch 2HD floppy disks and the images can be easily transferred to personal computers via a floppy disk drive. The conventional method of transferring digital video camcorder images to personal computers required the use of image capture boards and memory cards, often resulting in restrictions with personal computers, involving interfaces, operating software, clock speed and memory capacities. The domestic selling price will be 35,000 yen (). Canon plans to launch the device in the United States and Europe in late October as well. The company plans to produce 3,000 units per month. Of the total Canon will export 1,500 a month to the...[read more]
10/06/1999: Mike's Unofficial C2500L Web Portal
Mike Chaney, the author of Qimage has just received his new Olympus C-2500L and has started a page that he calls "The Unofficial C2500L Web Portal" so if you're interested in this new camera, check it out....[read more]
10/06/1999: Two MILLION Visitors and Counting!
I just noticed that our visitor counter clicked past the TWO MILLION mark sometime today. I would just like to thank all of my loyal readers, both new and old, for helping us to reach this landmark number. I'll do my best to keep doing what I have been doing as it seems to be working! Again, thanks for making Steve's Digicams what it is today....[read more]
10/05/1999: Toshiba PDR-M5 Review Has Been Posted
I just posted my completed Toshiba PDR-M5 user review. I have also posted the sample pictures page too. If this is the camera you're thinking about buying then check out the review and sample photos. Good luck with your purchase decision....[read more]
10/04/1999: Agfa Ahead of the Technology Curve With Six USB-Compatible Products
WILMINGTON, Mass.--October 4, 1999-- Agfa Corporation's Desktop Products Group is ahead of the technology curve with six competitive products that are Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible. The USB interface makes it easier for consumers to add a wide variety of peripherals to their personal computers through a one-size-fits- all, plug and play connection. Agfa is ahead of the USB technology curve by currently offering 4 USB-compatible flatbed scanners in its SnapScan scanner family and 2 USB-compatible digital cameras in its ePhoto digital camera family. USB peripherals automatically self-configure, dramatically simplifying the process for users who may be expanding their computer systems. With a USB port there is no longer a need to adjust system settings, insert add-in cards or reboot the system after connecting the scanner or digital camera. This is a decided advantage for those who use the same connection for a number of peripherals, such as printers, scanners,...[read more]
10/04/1999: Kingston Technology Introduces 64MB, 96MB High-Capacity CompactFlash Storage Cards
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 4 -- Kingston® Technology Company today announced the availability of 64MB and 96MB CompactFlash cards featuring the latest in high-density flash components. Kingston's new, high capacity CompactFlash cards provide a low price per megabyte of reliable, high-speed media. Flash memory has quickly become today's hottest portable storage technology. It's more flexible than a floppy and can store up to 96MB of data. It is more rugged than a hard drive. Unlike RAM, flash memory can retain data even when the power is turned off. Kingston's 64MB high-capacity CompactFlash cards can store as many as 640 images, while the 96MB CompactFlash cards can store up to 960 images. Kingston's 64MB CompactFlash card, part number (CF/64) has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of .00. The 96MB CompactFlash card, part number (CF/96) has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of .00. Both capacities come with a five year...[read more]
10/03/1999: Steve Posts High-Capacity Storage Options Report
Boggled by the differences in CompactFlash and PCMCIA card memory devices? Well, you're not alone. I just posted my High-Capacity Storage Options information and I hope it clears up the confusion. You'll be able to read and see the differences between these various devices....[read more]
10/02/1999: Steve's Reviews Get "Printer-Friendly"
For those of you that have been asking for "printer-friendly" versions of our user reviews -- you asked for it, you got it! You'll find most all of Steve's Reviews are now available as Adobe Acrobat PDF documents. I have removed the black backgrounds and changed the text to black so they will now all print just fine. Using the latest Acrobat reader you can also click on the hyperlinks to download sample pics or follow them to other sources. Note that you must be online at the time for this feature to work....[read more]
10/01/1999: Fuji MX-1200 First Look Posted
I just posted my Fuji MX-1200 First Look report. I'll be adding sample pictures and user review verbage in a day or two, things are a little busy here right now. 10/8/99 update: The MX-1200 user review is now finished and there's a page of sample pictures to go with it. This looks like a great stocking stuffer!...[read more]
10/01/1999: PhotoImpact v5.0 Released
One of my favorite editors besides PhotoShop has always been Ulead's PhotoImpact and they have just released version 5.0 which adds all kinds of new whiz-bang features. Besides being a terrific graphic and photo editor it is also a powerful set of web tools for creating impressive graphics for your pages. Follow the link above and check it out, for .95 it is one powerful and impressive program....[read more]
10/01/1999: Toshiba Shipping New PDR-M5
IRVINE, CA, October 1, 1999 -- Toshiba Imaging Systems announced today that it is shipping its new PDR-M5, a 2.14 megapixel (1600 x 1200) filmless digital camera at an estimated street price of . The camera will be sold through a wide network of resellers, including computer retail outlets, photo specialty stores, consumer electronics stores, and mail order catalogs. The flagship of the award-winning Toshiba digital camera line, the PDR-M5 compares favorably with competitive models such as the Olympus C-2000, Kodak DC260, and the Nikon Coolpix 950 which are priced hundreds of dollars more. The PDR-M5 features: 1/2-inch, 2.14 million CCD 1.8-inch Hyper Amorphous Type (556 x220) LCD 1600x1200 or 800x600 resolution USB/serial connectivity Five-mode flash system (automatic, red-eye reduction, forced-fill flash, slow synchro and force-off) Delay between shots is 0.8 seconds Burst mode - four continuous shots at the camera?s highest resolution setting in two seconds Internal 16 MB...[read more]
