11/30/2000: Qimage Pro and ICC Color Profiles
Qimage Pro v10.2 for Windows has gotten some major improvements regarding color management that allow you to REALLY start managing color! This version works hand-in-hand with the new digicam ICC profiles that are being developed. Qimage Pro v10.2 allows you to "tag" digital cameras to specific ICC profiles. Mike Chaney is currently working on developing ICC profiles for all the cameras that have Qimage plugins (the CP990 ICC profile is already available). Click on the CP990 ICC Profile on the Qimage Pro Plugin page to get an idea of what these custom ICC profiles can do for your digicam....[read more]
11/29/2000: Fujifilm Offers Yamaha Speaker Rebate With Purchase Of Finepix 40i Digital Camera
ELMSFORD, NY, November 29, 2000 - Today, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. announced a special holiday rebate that gives U.S. buyers of its Fujifilm FinePix 40i digital camera a rebate on the purchase of Yamaha's YST-MS201 multimedia speaker system. The FinePix 40i is the first high-resolution digital camera with MP3 audio capabilities, in addition to digital video. As a camera, the FinePix 40i features Fujifilm's exclusive Super CCD sensor technology for increased resolution, a more favorable signal-to-noise ratio and a wider dynamic range, all elements that contribute to crisp, clear and colorful digital images. As an MP3 audio player, the FinePix 40i plays back near CD-quality music. All MP3 controls operate via a tethered remote into which the user can plug in the FinePix 40i's provided ear buds, his or her own headphones or multimedia speakers like the Yamaha YST- MS201. In addition, the remote can be used to capture...[read more]
11/28/2000: Microtech Introduces New FireWire and Memory Stick CameraMate Readers
Microtech International Inc.. North Branford, Conn., USA, is introducing the FireWire CameraMate, a high-speed reader/writer that can transfer high-resolution images without the need for tethering the camera to a workstation. According to Microtech, the FireWire CameraMate is an IEEE-1394 based digital film reader/writer compatible with all CompactFlash Type I and II cards. It supports a data transfer rate of up to 5MB per second and carries a suggested retail price. Microtech is also introducing a dual-slot CompactFlash/Memory Stick reader to its USB CameraMate products. The reader/writer allows simultaneous read/write functions to Sony Memory Stick and CompactFlash Type I and II cards, Microtech said. The USB CameraMate Memory Stick supports drag-and-drop image transfer at up to 1.2MB per second and is compatible with Macintosh OS 8.6 and above and Windows 98/2000/ME. The Memory Stick offers owners of multiple electronic devices the ability to use one reader for all applications. It is...[read more]
11/28/2000: DP Review Posts Full Nikon D1 Review
Phil over at the DP Review emailed to let me know that he had just posted his full Nikon D1 review, all 20-some pages of it, whew! Phil's conclusion: "The D1 is everything the professional photographer could need and a whole lot more, build quality is second to none, image quality is excellent... the D1 was the first digital SLR to shoot JPEG, extremely important to many professional photographers. Without doubt the D1 was the camera which changed the face of the digital SLR market, since then we've seen products and announcements from other manufacturers but still nothing to compete with the D1. The D1 is, at the time of writing this review, the digital tool for professional photographers, absolutely no doubt about it."...[read more]
11/27/2000: What Price Digital Photos?
The advent of low prices is threatening to give digital cameras a bad image. That's the concern of some analysts and manufacturers as consumers flock to buy sub- digital cameras. Plummeting prices have brought the once ,000-plus category down to a range affordable for many holiday shoppers. But the cameras that many consumers would want to own, analysts say, still cost much more--in the range of to . Consumers buying the lowest-cost cameras may feel more like Santa left a lump of coal in their stockings than a digital delight. Retailers worry disappointment could lead to high returns--as much as 50 percent--after the holidays. "Prices have been falling fairly rapidly, but not rapidly enough where that feature-rich camera is going to be in the golden, price point," said IDC analyst Chris Chute. "That won't happen until next year." Read the whole story....[read more]
11/24/2000: Epson Stylus Photo 790 - 2880x720dpi
The new Epson Stylus Photo 790 has just been announced, at least in Hong Kong. This new photo printer features 2880x720dpi resolution using 4 picolitre Ultra Micro Dots, 6-color inks, Variable-Sized Droplet Technology and superior driver functions. The Photo 790 leverages Epson's industry renowned Epson PerfectPicture Imaging System resulting in vast increase in output quality, and significant improvements in detail and colour reproduction. To compliment the Photo 790's printing quality, Epson is introducing a revolutionary software technology called Epson Natural Image Color to further ramp up image reproduction quality, enhance colours and increase the level of details. Epson Natural Image Color extends the visible color range that cannot be completely presented by colour monitors or digital cameras, hence delicately enriches the colour tones and quality of images. In particular, Epson's Natural Image Color technology enables and differentiates the different tones of greens and blues evident in images taken of...[read more]
11/24/2000: Another Milestone Has Been Passed
I just noticed that sometime this afternoon our visitor counter sailed passed the 10-million mark. Seems like just yesterday it was 2 then 3 million and it's been like a blur ever since! Thank Y O U for making us one of the most popular digicam web sites on the Internet. I'll do my best to make sure that there's always something new and interesting to keep you coming back. The digital camera industry is growing at a phenomenal rate and so is our readership. Happy Holidays to all, here's hoping you find the digicam of your dreams under the tree or in your stocking!...[read more]
11/21/2000: Full Olympus E-10 Review Posted
I just posted the complete Olympus E-10 review. I will be updating it again later after we get a FL-40 flash to include those results. And there's still some more sample photos to come, mostly "people" shots that I just haven't had time for yet. The E-10 is an excellent camera with fast autofocus and fast image processing and I'm sure it will be a good choice for those not wanting to spend K and up on the other "pro" cameras right now....[read more]
11/21/2000: Bibble Now Decodes Canon D30 Raw Files
Many Nikon D1 users are already familiar with the Bibble program and they'll soon be joined by Canon D30 users tired of the slow TWAIN interface. Eric Hyman wrote Bibble because he was frustrated that Nikon had not included a way to decode the D1's NEF raw files but rather was charging for it. He has improved and refined the program over many months and it is now about as well used as the Kodak DCS Host software in the digital pro-SLR world. There are Bibble versions available for Windows and Macintosh users and it includes a PhotoShop 5.5 plugin too. The latest Bibble 2.3x program now has the ability to browse, load/save and batch process Canon D30 .crw files. It's still in beta but it's working very well as long as you remember to copy those .thm files over with the .crw files. If the corresponding .thm file is...[read more]
11/21/2000: Toshiba PDR-M70 Firmware Upgrade
Toshiba has posted a PDR-M70 firmware upgrade that adds or improves: Improved Support for Windows 2000 and ME. Better USB connectivity. Improved Autofocus Manual Focus Longer Exposure Modes (15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds) Last Mode Memory for Strobe (Flash),...[read more]
11/21/2000: Olympus Upgrades the C-2020 and C-3030 Zoom Cameras
The word is that Olympus will be releasing a new Camedia C-2040 and a C-3040 Zoom within the next two months. Both new models will feature extra-fast F1.8 zooms and other improvements. The C-3040 Zoom is built around the 3.34-megapixel C-3030 Zoom and features a new lens. The 3x optical zoom is constructed with 7 groups and 10 elements with a maximum aperture of F1.8 - F2.6 which should make it a stellar low-light performer. Other new additions and improvements to the C-3040 Zoom are: iESP metering, One-Touch white-balance, rotate portrait mode pictures for viewing, a new Spot-AF function, shutter speeds up to 4 seconds in shutter-priority mode, adjustable image contrast and a few other things. The Camedia C-2040 Zoom is an updated 2.1-megapixel C-2020 Zoom and now has the newer iESP multi-metering, One-Touch white-balance, image contrast setting, image rotation, extended shutter speeds and Spot-AF-function, TTL flash connector for the...[read more]
11/20/2000: Digital Outback Completes D30 Review
The folks over at Digital Outback Photo have posted their completed Canon EOS D30 review. If you're interested in this digital SLR then be sure to get as much information (and opinions) as possible before making the purchase....[read more]
11/20/2000: ShortCourses Posts FREE Pocket Guides
Dennis Curtin wrote to tell me that he had just posted pocket guides to fifteen digital cameras on his site this past weekend. The guides have step-by-step commands for each camera?s features and cover the Nikon 950, 990, the Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom, C-3030, C-3000, C-2500L, C-2020, C-2000, and the Canon EOS D30, G1, S100, S20, S10, A5, and A50. If you have time during this busy Thanksgiving week, check these FREE guides out, you'll find them at the ShortCourses web site...[read more]
11/17/2000: Divio's Single Chip Dual Mode Video/Still Solution Drives CJ-100 Pocket Photo Camera
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 17, 2000 -- Divio Inc. today announced that its NW820 single-chip dual-mode camera solution powers CM Tech's CJ-100 Pocket Photo. Divio's NW820 solution allows the slim line, go everywhere CJ-100 to function as a single-shot digital still camera (DSC) that fits easily into a pocket or as a full-motion, real-time Web and Internet ready motion video camera when tethered to a PC for streaming or for video conferencing applications. The camera also can be used to send still images or motion video to a TV set. The CJ-100 is on display at Fall COMDEX in booth #S667. This unprecedented flexibility makes the CJ-100 equally powerful as a business tool for Web conferences or an on-the-go, personal camera capable of snapping crystal-clear, VGA resolution digital photos. Whether worn around the neck for quick and easy access, tucked into a pocket between shots or tethered to the PC...[read more]
11/17/2000: Digital OutBack Looks at Nik Sharpener Pro
Our friends over at Digital OutBack have been evaluating the PhotoShop plugin filters by Nik Multimedia and have posted reviews for the Nik Sharpener Pro and the Nik Color Efex packages. These aren't cheap plugins but if you have spent a good deal of money on a D30 or D1 and want to see the best possible output from its raw images then this is definitely the way to go. I have been using both the Nik Sharpener and the CameraBits Quantum Mechanic filters to improve my D30 images and would be lost without them....[read more]
11/17/2000: Wireless Remote Control for Digita OS Digital Cameras
San Jose, CA (November 17, 2000) - FlashPoint Technology, Inc., the creator of the Digita Photivity end to end digital imaging platform, and OPSiS, a developer of software and peripherals for the digital camera market, today announced the release of the OPSiS iRemote+ system that allows cameras running the Digita operating system (OS) to be controlled by a wireless remote control. The iRemote+ is a control module that attaches to the serial port of Digita OS cameras. It allows users to control, with a provided key fob infrared remote or a standard RC5 TV remote control, the camera's shutter release, exposure, zoom and other camera settings from a distance of up to 30 meters (approximately 100 feet). OPSiS has also created an in-camera slide show application. IrShow runs in a Digita OS camera and allows users to control the presentation of images on a TV, either using the on-camera controls...[read more]
11/16/2000: Casio Offers Rebate On QV-3000EX Plus Through Dec 30
Casio Inc., Dover, N.J., USA, will offer a rebate on its 3.34-megapixel QV-3000EXplus digital camera that is packaged with a 340MB Microdrive. The QV-3000EX Plus is now available at retail stores and through Casio's online store for . This rebate is just in time for holiday shoppers and will be available through Dec. 30, 2000....[read more]
11/15/2000: Imaging-Resource Posts Full D30 Review
The folks over at the Imaging-Resource were the first on the Internet at the end of August with an in-depth look at Canon's new EOS D30 camera. Dave has just finished his comprehensive Canon D30 review complete with lots of sample pictures and even more good things to say about it like: "This new round of testing really cemented our first impression that the D30 is an exceptionally high-quality piece of picture-taking gear. The images are color-accurate, with both low noise and an unusually fine-grained noise pattern that gives its pictures what we described as a "buttery-smooth" character. The ability to use its RAW-formatted images with the standard software that ships with it is another great benefit: We found the color and contrast adjustments you can make with the ZoomBrowser software post-exposure covered a very useful range of variation. Overall, a true "category killer" product!"...[read more]
11/15/2000: SmartDisk Introduces Vector Flash Memory Readers
INTERNET WIRE -- SmartDisk Corporation today introduced at COMDEX Fall 2000 its fast and reliable Vector Flash Memory Readers for downloading digital content from SmartMedia and CompactFlash memory cards. With SmartDisk's USB-powered Vector Flash Memory Readers for the Windows and Mac operating systems, consumers can rapidly transfer digital images, music and data from digital cameras, MP3 players, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the Internet. The readers enable users to copy or move digital files stored on SmartMedia or CompactFlash memory cards from one digital appliance to another, or to and from computers, external storage drives or the Internet up to 33 times faster than with traditional serial-port connections. Single-slot Vector readers for CompactFlash or SmartMedia will be available by the end of this year through SmartDisk's Web site as well as through distributors and resellers. The readers will be priced at .95 MSRP. SmartDisk's Dual Media Reader, which reads both...[read more]
11/15/2000: Lexar Announces Portable USB SmartMedia Reader
FREMONT, Calif.--Lexar Media, Inc. announced the launch of its newest product, the Lexar Media USB SmartMedia Reader. The Lexar Media USB SmartMedia Reader quickly and easily transfers images to a computer from the digital film found in SmartMedia digital cameras. Users simply remove the digital film from the camera and insert it directly into the reader. The SmartMedia reader also enables users to drag and drop images, as well as store, display, or enhance them when used in conjunction with Lexar Media?s Shoot & Share image viewing and enhancement software. And because the SmartMedia reader is USB-enabled, users can enjoy the reader?s true plug-and-play capability. The SmartMedia reader easily fits into a small camera bag pocket to provide mobile connectivity with computers for both PC and Macintosh users. Capitalizing on the contoured and easy-to-use design of Lexar?s popular JumpShot cable, the SmartMedia reader is similarly sculpted. The Lexar Media USB...[read more]
11/14/2000: Kodak Personal Picture Maker 200 Printer Review Posted
I just finished reviewing the new Kodak Personal Picture Maker 200 which is a very capable photo and general purpose printer. Lexmark has greatly improved this printer for Kodak since making the PPM100 model, it now has print quality rivaling the Epson and HP printers. It may not be the fastest printer but it's loaded with features. Dedicated "photo" color cartridge. CF and SM card slots for standalone printing or they can act just like a card reader to transfer images to the hard drive or an optional Iomega ZIP (100 or 250MB) USB drive. The most noticeable improvement is the addition of a 1.8-inch color LCD display for picture preview and menu operations. All in all it is a nice package for less than - if you own a Windows/PC, sorry no Mac support until Q1 2001....[read more]
11/14/2000: Kodak and FreeDrive Team on Internet Photofinishing
...[read more]
11/13/2000: Other Sites' Reviews
Imaging-Resource just posted their Fuji 40i review and Dave's conclusion reads: "Fujifilm's combination digital camera and MP3 player definitely caught our attention. Initially, we didn't expect much from the FinePix F40i, because of its very limited exposure controls, however we were pleasantly surprised at its test performances. The camera does a wonderful job in average shooting situations, with great image quality and color. Combined with its very portable design and fun MP3 player capabilities, the F40i should be a popular new arrival on the digicam scene." DC Resource posted their Olympus C-2100 UZ review, Jeff had this to say about it: "It's hard to compare the C-2100 Ultra Zoom, since there aren't too many cameras out there with a zoom like this. As a 2.1 Megapixel camera, it's a great one -- it's basically the C-2020Z with a large zoom lens. It's also got all the necessary manual features (with...[read more]
11/10/2000: ShortCourses Latest Camera Books
Good friend Dennis Curtin is currently working on new ShortCourses Camera Books and just finished the one for the Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom, the Canon G1 book will be out by next week. The EOS D30 book will be out around Nov 21st or so. He is also working on an Olympus E-10 book that should be ready by mid December. These books cover the "ins and outs" of using digital cameras better and more concisively than the manufacturer's user manuals and are a lot easier to read. Dennis already has books available for most popular digicams including: Canon S10, S20, Digital ELPH (IXUS), Epson PhotoPC 850Z, Nikon Coolpix 950 and 990, Olympus C-2000, C-2020, C-2500, C-3000 and C-3030 Zoom. And when you're not reading one of his books then go visit his web site, ShortCourses.com is loaded with information about digital photography....[read more]
11/10/2000: Nikon Teams with Zing to Launch New Photo Web Sites
By Jennifer Laidlaw NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nikon Inc., the U.S. division of Japanese camera maker Nikon Corp. (7731.T), is teaming up with Internet photo services company Zing Network Inc. to launch and redesign photo Web sites in a bid to boost Nikon's online and digital presence. On Thursday, Nikon launched an online photo community site called Nikonnet (www.nikonnet.com), MicroscopyU (www.microscopyu.com), which specializes in digital imaging among other things, and relaunched its retail site Nikon Mall (www.thenikonmall.com). At the end of November it plans to relaunch its existing Nikon USA site, where people can find out about the company's new products and e-mail Nikon. It will also launch an education site early next year called Nikon School, offering online photo courses. Zing will develop the sites and provide infrastructure. Nikon and Zing officials said the aim of creating the new sites is offer a range of Internet photo services for...[read more]
11/09/2000: Sony Sees Bigger Digital Camera Shipments In 01/02
TOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony Corp said on Wednesday its shipments of digital still cameras in the year starting next April will continue rising after a steep 114 percent climb in 2000/01. Sony, a leading maker of digital appliances, expects its shipments of digital still cameras this business year to rise to three million units from an actual 1.4 million last year, in line with strong global demand, a company spokesman said. Sony did not give a forecast for shipment volume in 2001/02. Sony will build new manufacturing facilities next year at its existing television manufacturing subsidiary in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, western Japan, to boost output of digital still cameras, the spokesman said. It now makes digital still cameras at two subsidiaries in Aichi and Gifu prefectures in western Japan. Global demand for digital still cameras is expected to reach or exceed 20 million units...[read more]
11/09/2000: NikonNet.com - Nikon?s New "Brick to Click" Portal Thing
Over-inflated valuations, e-tailer euthanasia, built to flip, these are just a few of the many negative buzzwords associated with the current e-commerce meltdown. Let?s face it, many VCs in their over-exuberance, failed to rationalize that some of these models could actually be viable as online businesses and now we know that the Internet is not the correct channel for all businesses. Travel, music, books, electronics and photo- sharing/finishing are good "fits" for the Web. Pet food sales are not. The online sharing and photofinishing sector is not immune to the effects of the larger e-commerce meltdown and this grossly over-populated sector is on the precipice of a major shake out as well. What?s interesting is that notable VCs such as Jim Clark (VC to Shutterfly) not only pull the plug on sites with suspect revenue models, but also are demanding the return of unspent capital. Now the greatest fear of...[read more]
11/09/2000: QPict for Mac OS X Released
Malmo, Sweden -- 9 November 2000 -- Rune Lindman today announced the release of QPict Media Organizer for Mac OS X. Unlock the power of Mac OS X with this brand new version of QPict Media Organizer. Use QPict as your central MultiMedia access point where you can organize and view images, full screen video, listen to MP3 files or even watch live streamed audio and video. QPict for Mac OS X is adapted to the spectacular Aqua appearance and is redesigned to take advantage of the new efficient virtual memory manager in Mac OS X. QPict Media Organizer is a powerful and easy to use Multimedia browser and viewer (also called Media Asset Management). The design goals for QPict was to create a tool that is easy to use and operates fast while still being able to perform advanced tasks. With its uncluttered interface QPict is designed to meet...[read more]
11/09/2000: Ulead Releases PhotoExplorer v7.0 Pro
Ulead has just announced the release of PhotoExplorer v7.0 Pro, the complete solution for the digital photography enthusiast. Photo Explorer combines easy-to-use tools for acquiring, viewing, organizing, adjusting and sharing digital images and video clips. Runs under Windows 95/98/NT 4.0, Windows 2000 or Windows Me. From a simple and powerful interface you can: Acquire digital images from digital cameras, scanners or memory card readers Capture video clips from 1394 DV camcorders, PC cameras or video capture cards View images, hear audio and play video clips through an easy-to-use browser Make common adjustments and conversions to images and video clips Share images and video clips through printing, slide shows, e-mail and the web. PhotoExplorer v7.0 Pro can be download over the web for .95, retail boxed version is .95 and registered owners of Ulead Photo Explorer 4.x, 5.0, 6.x Retail Version, Ulead PhotoImpact 3.x, 4, 4.2, 5, 6 or Ulead...[read more]
11/08/2000: Epson's Latest Printers Win/Lose Big Time
Finally we see a fact-based and very informative article about the problems with the Epson Stylus Photo 870, 875DC and 1270 printers from the folks at Byte.com. Check out David Em's 11/6/00 article titled "Epson's Latest Printers Win/Lose Big Time" to get the whole scoop. Here's a snippet from that article:...[read more]
11/07/2000: Special Report: PhotoPlus Expo East
Thanks to Keith Krebs, Editor of the POV Image Service, we have just posted a Report on PhotoPlus Expo East trade show that was just held in New York this past week. No new product announcements that haven't already been covered but lots to see and report on so check it out. Our friends over at the Imaging-Resource also posted their PhotoPlus 2000 report along with some pictures from the show....[read more]
11/07/2000: New Nature & Wildlife Forum
Rob Galbraith hosts a new "Nature and Wildlife" forum moderated by Uwe Steinmueller. Now there are great forums about the leading digital SLRs, photojournalism and nature/wildlife available at one site with moderators who use these cameras on a daily basis. Uwe has also been busy at his own site, Digital Outback Photo, and has recently been putting the new Nikkor AF VR ED 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 D lens through its paces on his D1. You can read all about it right here....[read more]
11/06/2000: UMAX Debuts Mega-Pixel AstraCam 1800 At Under
FREMONT, Calif., November 6, 2000 - UMAX Technologies, Inc. has significantly raised the bar for affordable mega-pixel digital cameras with the debut of its AstraCam 1800. This exceptional value in digital imaging brings high-quality 1.3-million pixel resolution and true CCD clarity to the general consumer "point and shoot" market. AstraCam 1800 Features: Captures 1280 x 960-pixel JPEG images that can be reproduced with photo quality on prints up to 5 x 7". Software interpolation to 1600 x 1200 dpi. Images are stored on a reusable 4MB SmartMedia card. Efficient power management system for extended battery life. "Plug and go" USB hookup. NTSC video-out, view photos on television set. 3-mode automatic flash. Automatic white balance Bundled software includes Adobe PhotoDeluxe Home Edition (full version), a step-by-step program for creating calendars, greeting cards and brochures; NewSoft Mr. Photo desktop management system; UMAX VistaShuttle (PC only) for creating electronic greeting cards; and UMAX...[read more]
11/06/2000: Rob Galbraith Posts D30 Review
If you were wondering how the Canon D30 stood up to the likes of the Nikon D1 or other pro cameras as a photojournalist's tool then check out Rob Galbraith's EOS D30 review. Rob is a working photojournalist and knows what it takes to satisfy the demanding requirements of his profession. There are also fourteen sample photos that can be viewed at full resolution. Overall Rob is impressed with the color and lack of noise in D30 images and had this to say: "After 10 days of steady D30 shooting, however, a clearer picture of the D30 is emerging: D30 colour is nothing short of stunning in most situations, and both single and multiple 550EX flash photography is markedly more reliable than with the DCS 520/D2000. Serious sports shooters, however, will find the camera's autofocus system, and perhaps shutter lag and buffer operation too, hinders the making of good peak...[read more]
11/06/2000: Sony Introduces Dedicated DPP-SV55 Photo Printer
Sony Corp., Tokyo, Japan, is launching its new DPP-SV55 Digital Photo Printer, which will be available next month for about . According to a Sony spokesperson, users can view and select photos to print without using a PC. An on-screen display helps consumers navigate and view their images on a television monitor to select photos for printing, cropping and rotating images. The DPP-SV55 printer creates continuous tone pictures with color richness the company claims rivals traditional photo 1prints. Using layers of color dye, the printer creates up to 16.7 million colors. Super Coat 2, a Sony laminate, is applied in either matte or glossy finish during the printing process, protecting photos from color-shift and fading. Sony claims pictures produced with the DPP-SV55 have similar picture permanence to traditional film-based photo processing. The DPP-SV55 printer comes with a slot for Type II PC cards, so photos stored on SmartMedia and CompactFlash...[read more]
11/06/2000: Sprint and FlashPoint Partner to Enable Wireless Digital Imaging
Kansas City, MO and San Jose, CA - November 6, 2000 - Sprint PCS and FlashPoint Technology, today announced a partnership that will result in an innovative service enabling Sprint PCS enterprise customers to wirelessly send images to the Internet via the Sprint PCS nationwide network. FlashPoint's Photivity end-to-end digital imaging platform will provide a solution for business customers to send images from the point of capture to the Internet, using a digital camera connected to a Sprint PCS Internet-ready Phone. Photivity is a powerful, flexible platform that provides the underlying technology for the future of digital imaging. It allows partners and developers to create customized business and consumer applications designed to specifical ly meet their end customers' needs. Integrating this platform with the Sprint PCS network makes it possible for business customers to transmit images, along with embedded information about the image, from remote locations to colleagues and corporate...[read more]
11/05/2000: Tetra U/W Digicam Housing Shipping
After much work, Light & Motion's Tetra Digital Still Housing for the Olympus 3030 digital camera is ready to go. Shipping started on Oct 25 and orders will be filled in the order that they were placed. If you haven't seen the new Tetra housing, check it out at Light & Motion's site....[read more]
11/05/2000: Enroute Drops QuickStitch and PowerStitch, Moves Into Immersive Video
The following message can be found on the Enroute web site: "Enroute, Inc. has made a strategic decision to concentrate its efforts in the emerging immersive video market with our FirstPersonTM products and discontinue sales and development of our still imaging products QuickStitchTM, QuickStitch 360 and PowerStitchTM. Effective November 1, 2000, Enroute will begin selling out its product inventory. Sales of both physical and electronic products will cease with the purchase of the last physical product, or on January 24, 2001, whichever comes first. All products purchased during this time will be supported with our full 90-day warranty as outlined in our Software License Agreement. Please contact our toll-free support line at 1-800-656-5426. The innovations and discoveries made over the past three years in our ongoing effort to develop new products for digital imaging has led us to the creation of our groundbreaking FirstPerson technology and products. Each of us...[read more]
11/04/2000: Qimage Pro v10.0 Now Available
Qimage Pro v10.0 is now available for download. In case you've never heard of it, it's a really fantastic Windows printing program that has grown to be so much more. If you have a digicam and you want the best possible prints then it would be wise to download the trial version of Qimage Pro and see what it can do for you. This major release has many new features and a lot of improvements: Posters: Don't be limited by the size of your paper! Print a dozen images on one page, or cover an entire wall with a single photo. Qimage Pro v10.0 can not only arrange multiple prints on one page, but also allows printing a single image across multiple pages. You can even print wallets, 5x7's, 8x10's and posters in the same print session if you like. There are no limits! Dark frame subtraction: As...[read more]
11/02/2000: Rack & Roll Paper Holder for Epson and other Printers
Tired of waiting for that roll paper holder from Epson that nobody ever seems to have in stock? You're not alone... Reader Clarence Jones from across the Bay decided to take matters in his own hands so to speak and built his own. He has put together a "ready to assemble" kit for plus handling. Besides doing what the Epson holder does, his (using the supplied adapters) can handle roll paper: Up to 13 inches wide on one-inch cores Up to 17 inches wide on two- and three-inch cores Details on page 3 of my Epson 1270 review...[read more]
11/02/2000: A-Digital-Eye Reviews nik Sharpener & nik Sharpener Pro
As we are learning with cameras like the Nikon D1 and Canon D30, the manufacturers have wisely decided to give us an unsharpened "raw" image option. This gives the user a lot of latitude to do all sorts of post-capture processing on these images without blowing out highlights or having to deal with an image that has already been (over)sharpened in-camera. There are several good PhotoShop filters out there, one is Quantum Mechanic by CameraBits and another is nik Sharpener. The difference is that QM reduces noise, sharpens and contrast enhances, nik Sharpener does that plus it profiles the image for a particular printer at its output resolution. The folks at A-Digital-Eye have just posted their nik Sharpener Pro review detailing what makes this a valuable tool in your graphics arsenal if you use one of the prosumer cameras....[read more]
11/02/2000: Nikon Coolpix 990 Used to Create the World's Largest Single Digital Image
MELVILLE, NY, November 2, 2000 - If you're visiting Times Square during the Thanksgiving holiday season, be sure to look up when you reach 1650 Broadway at 50th Street. You can't miss the spine-tingling spectacle of a man-eating, 65-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex from Universal Studio's Jurassic Park wearing a ferocious grin and towering over crowds of tourists. But the life-size creature is not just another pretty face plastered on a billboard. Nikon Inc., the leader in digital imaging technology, has created what it believes to be the "World's Largest Single Image Taken With a Digital Camera." Nikon announced the unveiling of the multi-megapixel dinosaur image today at a press briefing held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in New York City. "We wanted to challenge the performance of the Coolpix 990 and its technologies," said Bill Giordano, National Marketing Manager for consumer digital products at Nikon. "If we were able to...[read more]
11/02/2000: Kodak Unveils New PalmPix Camera for Popular Palm m100 Handheld
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 2 - Owners of Palm m100 handheld computers can now join other Palm handheld users in capturing and sharing digital images with their organizers. Following the success of the original Kodak PalmPix Camera, Eastman Kodak Company today introduces a new model that quickly and affordably turns the Palm m100 handheld into a digital camera. By simply attaching the new camera to their handheld, owners of Palm m100 handheld computers can take digital pictures, "beam" them via infrared to other handheld users and transfer them in seconds via a HotSyncŪ operation to a computer where they can be manipulated, emailed or stored. Although pictures from the Kodak PalmPix Camera are full-color, they are viewed on the m100 LCD screen (2.0- x 2.0-inches) as grayscale images. To transfer images, users use the Palm handheld?s HotSync cable. Once on a personal computer, the pictures are stored as standard JPEG or...[read more]
11/02/2000: Fujifilm Adds The Microdrive To Its Line Of Digital Imaging Accessories
PHOTOPLUS EXPO EAST 2000, NEW YORK, NY, November 2, 2000 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today announced the addition of a Fujifilm-branded 1GB Microdrive removable storage device to its existing line of digital imaging accessories. The Microdrive can be used with Fujifilm's new FinePix S1 Pro, the first digital SLR to incorporate Fujifilm's new Super CCD sensor. Capable of recording images at three, high resolution settings (3040 x 2016, 2304 x 1536 and 1440 x 960) and in three different file formats (TIFF-RBG, TIFF-YC and JPEG), the S1 Pro offers two built-in storage options: Fujifilm's traditional SmartMedia system and CompactFlash Type II, which is compatible with the Microdrive. With low cost-per-megabyte in a convenient small form, the Microdrive provides high-capacity data storage for various portable electronic devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players and personal digital assistants. The Microdrive can also be paired with a PC card adapter and...[read more]
11/01/2000: Imaging-Resource Posts Canon G1 Review
Our good friends over at the Imaging-Resource have posted their Canon PowerShot G1 review and Dave had this to say about it: "Its compact size, excellent exposure controls, and unique rotating LCD monitor, make the Canon PowerShot G1 a great option for novice consumers who want a camera with room to grow, and the RAW data file format and RemoteCapture computer-control capabilities should also entice more advanced digicam consumers. Overall, the G1 produces excellent image quality, good color balance, and is accompanied by a robust software package. Clearly, one of the strongest performers in the three megapixel arena: Canon's going to sell a lot of these!" Want a second opinion? Read our Canon G1 review too!...[read more]
11/01/2000: Sharp announces 1/1.8" CCD sensor with 4 Million Pixels
From the folks at digitalkamera.de comes word of Sharp's new CCD imager. Japanese electronics concern Sharp has just announced for November of this year the first examples of a new 1/1.8" CCD sensor (including chip) with a total of 4.2 million light- sensitive elements. Since the CCD sensor is of standard size (the same size as 3.34 megapixel sensors of already available digital cameras), only the electronics will have to be adapted for the next generation of cameras. The Sharp CCD sensor with the "melodious" product name RJ21R3BAOPT physically has 4.2 million square pixels (2,530 x 1,659 pixels), of which around 4 million (2,452 x 1,634 pixels) are effectively usable. The signal-to-noise ratio is -88 dB. Since the CCD sensor --despite higher resolution--has the same physical size (1/1.8") as 3.34 megapixel CCDs currently in use in digital cameras, it will be unnecessary to recalculate the optics, among other things. Consequently,...[read more]
11/01/2000: Nikon USA Increases Coolpix 950 Rebate to , Offer Good Thru 12/31
How do you make one of the best two-megapixel digicams an even better buy? Nikon USA has increased the Coolpix 950 rebate to from Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2000. Go out and find the best deal you can on a new Coolpix 950 camera, download and fill out the rebate form, send it along with the proof of purchase and UPC barcode to Nikon NY and you get a check for ! The Coolpix 800 is still available with a rebate thru 12/31/00. Rebates valid for buyers in U.S.A., Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands only....[read more]
