06/28/2001: Callisto Releases Photo E-Mailer and Photo Viewer for the Macintosh
Natick, Mass., June 27, 2001 -- Callisto Corporation today announced the release of the Macintosh versions of both Photo Viewer and Photo E-Mailer, software applications that simplify viewing and sharing digital photos. Photo Viewer is an indispensable program for displaying and managing digital photos (JPEGs). The program is a useful tool for anyone who has accumulated a lot of photo files from their digital camera or scanner. Photo Viewer allows users to browse all the photo files in a folder, display them full size, rotate them with no loss of information, turn any photo into their desktop wallpaper, view metadata (date and time taken, shutter speed, aperture, and resolution) if available, rename files and delete unwanted photos. Photo E-mailer eliminates the hassles and limitations people often encounter with sending and receiving photos as file attachments. With Photo E-Mailer, all a user has to do is select a digital photo file...[read more]
06/28/2001: Imation To Launch New Portable Storage Devices
Imation Corp., Oakdale, Minn., USA, is offering a new line of hand-held, portable digital devices. The Imation FlashGO! is a USB single-slot flash memory card reader/writer that supports multiple flash memory card formats, including Compact Flash (Type I and II), Smart Media, Multimedia Card, Secure Digital, and Memory Stick, as well as IBM's Microdrive. This bus-powered device allows multi-device owners to use one reader/writer to transfer data to and from all these memory card formats. FlashGO! features the ability to adapt to future miniature storage formats, the company said. FlashGO! will be available in August with a suggested retail price of .99. Imation DiscGO! is a portable DataPlay device with USB connectivity that enables the exchange of digital content between multiple memory card formats and Imation DataPlay digital media without the use of a PC. It is designed to let users download and record 500MB of digital content, including photos,...[read more]
06/27/2001: SanDisk Announces New PC Card Adapters
The folks at Lets GoDigital.nl have posted info on two new SanDisk PC Card adapters for SmartMedia and MMC/SD cards. Photos and further info can be found on their site by following the link....[read more]
06/27/2001: Minolta Introduces DiMAGE Scan Multi PRO Film Scanner
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2001-- New DiMAGE scanner enhances multi-format film scanning with 16-bit A/D, 4,800 dpi scanning, and Digital ICE(3) (TM) technology for automatic image enhancement. Designed for professional photographers, photo enthusiasts and business professionals in the health care, industrial, law enforcement, educational and printing fields, Minolta offers the new DiMAGE Scan Multi PRO film scanner, introduced today at PC EXPO. This new multi-format dual interface (Ultra-SCSI and IEEE 1394 "FireWire"), compact film scanner features high-resolution 4,800 dpi scans with 16-bit A/D conversion and a 4.8 dynamic range that preserves subtle tones and details. Combined with precision autofocus and Color Matching System, a unique glass-less Universal Holder, and enhanced batch scanning capability, the Minolta DiMAGE Scan Multi PRO delivers professional high-quality images while reducing total work time. "The new DiMAGE Scan Multi PRO builds upon the success of its predecessor, the Dimage Scan Multi II, by adding features that...[read more]
06/26/2001: SCM Introduces High-Speed Microtech 512MB CompactFlash Card
New York, NY - June 26, 2001 - SCM Microsystems Retail Brands Group, a leading provider of solutions that open the Digital World, today announced a new high-performance 512MB CompactFlash card. The Type I form factor card offers 512MB of capacity allowing users of digital cameras, MP3 player, Pocket PCs and other digital devices to store hundreds of digital images, music and data at the highest speed and quality possible. The new CompactFlash card is available immediately. Based on a 1Gb NAND flash architecture, the 512MB CompactFlash card achieves a sustained write speed of up to 3.2 megabytes per second and a sustained read speed of up to 5.4MB per second. Microtech CompactFlash cards are certified by the CompactFlash Association (CFA), and work in all CF applications and devices. By combining the CF Card with Microtech's optional CF to ATA Type II adapter it will also work in any PC...[read more]
LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 25, 2001 -- Epson America Inc. today announced that three new partners -- Nikon Corp., PENTAX Corp. and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. -- will incorporate PRINT Image Matching technology in their upcoming digital camera models. These new partners join Casio Computer Co. Ltd., Konica Corp., Kyocera Corp., Minolta Co. Ltd., Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., Ricoh Co. Ltd., Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp., all of which announced this breakthrough technology with Epson earlier this year. Epson also recently introduced its first PRINT Image Matching enabled digital camera, the PhotoPC(R) 3100Z. "With the addition of these new partners, PRINT Image Matching will now be incorporated into digital cameras from 12 of the best names in the industry," said Keith Kratzberg, director of photo imaging, Epson. "This technology makes it easier to get consistent digital photographic prints of incredible quality. By putting more control of the photographic process in...[read more]
06/26/2001: Pretec Announces 640MB CF Card
Our friends at LetsGoDigital.nl have posted news about the Pretec 640MB CF card - now the largest CompactFlash memory card in the world. Already approved by Kodak Professional and Ricoh for use in their cameras....[read more]
06/26/2001: Kodak DX3600 Zoom Review Posted
The review frenzy is slowly winding down (thankfully), today we posted our Kodak DX3600 Zoom review. This is Kodak's second camera in the new Easy Share system, we reviewed the Kodak DX3500 about a month or so ago. The DX3600 is an entry-level 2-megapixel digicam with a 2x optical zoom and captures 1800x1200 stills and 320x240 motion video with audio. Great little camera for just . Our Nikon D1X review is coming up next by the end of the week, there's a lot to show and tell about this camera! And today we recv'd the new Olympus C-4040 Zoom so there's no end to the cameras to chose from this summer....[read more]
06/26/2001: SiPix Offers First All-in-One Digital Camera and Printer for Under $300
PC EXPO/TECHXNY, NEW YORK, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- SiPix, Inc., The Digital Imaging Appliance Company, today announced a combined digital camera and printer, the SCP-1000 Digital Instant Camera. The marriage of a digital camera with a 2 x 2.5 inch continuous tone photo printer provides mobile professionals and photographers with an inexpensive instant digital print and share solution. The SCP-1000 will be available in August and will have a suggested retail price of . The affordable SCP-1000 offers the combined benefits of a digital camera and a photo printer, without the need for a PC, creating an in-the-field Digital Instant Camera at only 50 cents per photo. The SCP-1000 is a VGA digital still camera with four megabytes of internal memory with room for up to 56 stored images. The camera is CompactFlash ready, which provides unlimited storage when using digital media. In addition, the camera includes a 2x digital...[read more]
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DOVER, NJ, June 25 , 2001-Casio, Inc., Dover, NJ, in conjunction with Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, announced at the PC Expo Show that opened today at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York City, the launch of the QV-2900UX, a new 2.11-million pixel CCD digital camera featuring high magnification zoom up to 32x and super close-up. The camera incorporates an 8x Optical Zoom and 2x/4x Digital Zoom. One of the most important features of the QV-2900 is Casio's unique BestShot feature that allows you to select the icon that best reflects your imaging situation. The camera will automatically select the best combination of aperture and shutter speed for you. "Casio's built-in icons such as "night," "fireworks" -- and 26 others - handle tough photographic situations with "point-and-shoot" simplicity," said Krys Krawczyk, product manager for Casio's Digital Imaging Division. He said that there are 36 additional icons on...[read more]
06/25/2001: Sandisk Inroduces 128 Megabyte Secure Digital Flash Memory Card
NEW YORK, NY, June 25, 2001 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced the 128 megabyte (MB) Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card, a removable, stamp-sized flash memory card capable of storing up to four hours of music or 40 minutes of video. SanDisk's announcement, made at the PC EXPO show, doubles the capacity of SanDisk's highest capacity SD cards currently shipping. SanDisk is demonstrating products at the show in the Palm Pavilion (booth 3722) at the Javits Center. Thomas Climer, SanDisk's SD card product manager, said, "The SD card is rapidly emerging as the universal storage card for portable digital devices such as the Palm handheld computers, digital cameras, digital video camcorders, audio players and cell phones. As these memory cards are commonly shared between devices, higher capacity cards are becoming increasingly important among consumers who want to store more data, images, music files and even video on their cards. With...[read more]
06/25/2001: Zing.com Makes Deal with Ofoto
Dear Zing.com member, You may have already heard the news that the Zing.com service will be shutting down July 2nd. After this date your photos will no longer be available on Zing.com, so we've arranged for Ofoto, a Kodak company, to be your new home for online photography. Ofoto, a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak, is the ideal long-term home for your online photos. As an Ofoto member you'll enjoy: storing and organizing your photos in secure online albums. sharing photos instantly with friends and family. ordering high-quality prints of your online photos. getting creative with easy editing tools and photo borders. shopping for frames, cards and albums. As a special welcome, Ofoto is extending an exclusive introductory offer of 15 free 4 x 6" prints, plus 20% off every Ofoto purchase between now and July 31, 2001 for all Zing members who become Ofoto members for the first time*. We've...[read more]
06/24/2001: Olympus Brio D-150 Zoom Review Posted
I'm slowly but surely digging my way out from underneath of a pile of cameras to review and have just posted our Olympus Brio D-150 Zoom review. A month or so back we reviewed the D-100, the new D-150 is identical in most respects but has a 3x optical zoom lens. These are a pair of affordable 1.3-megapixel cameras that offer point-n-shoot ease of use with the image quality that we've come to expect from Olympus cameras....[read more]
06/24/2001: Still More Camera Reviews Posted
Just posted the Cyber-shot DSC-P20 review, Sony's latest entry-level one-megapixel camera, no frills, no zoom, just a great little point-n-shoot for . And for those that like big zooms, I also posted the Casio QV-2900UX review, a two-megapixel camera with a swiveling 8x optical zoom that's fully Microdrive compatible. Watch for the "official" announcement of this camera here tomorrow as it will be shown publicly at PC Expo for the first time....[read more]
06/23/2001: How To Photograph Fireworks
Here's some great advice for 4th of July picture taking. Our friends at Ritzcamera.com and Photography.com have got all the technical advice and tips you need to capture some terrific fireworks pictures this year. How To Photograph Fireworks And don't forget to submit your best shots as entries to our Photo of the Day contest - it might just net you a new digital camera!...[read more]
06/23/2001: Canon Canoscan FS4000 Review Posted
Gregg just finished the Canon Canoscan FS4000 Film Scanner review and it is now posted. This under scanner handles 35mm negatives and slides as well as APS format film....[read more]
06/22/2001: SmartDisk Introduces New Line of Flash Media Readers
NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 21, 2001 via NewsEdge Corporation - SmartDisk Corporation today announced new Universal Serial Bus (USB)-based flash media readers for CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick and Secure Digital (SD)/ MultiMediaCard (MMC) media cards. With the new readers, users of digital still cameras, digital video camcorders, palm- held computers and other digital appliances can quickly and conveniently transfer their digital files to personal computers or the Internet. SmartDisk will demonstrate its flash media readers at DigitalFocus in New York City, June 25 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. The new line includes the SmartDisk SmartMedia Reader, the SmartDisk CompactFlash Reader, the SmartDisk Memory Stick Reader and the SmartDisk SD/MMC Reader (for Secure Digital media cards and MultiMediaCards). All four models feature a vertically oriented casing, allowing users to insert and remove media comfortably with just one hand. Most flash media readers sit flat on a desktop, requiring users to pick them up...[read more]
06/22/2001: Fujifilm FinePix 6900 Zoom Review Posted
What's black, fits in the palm of your hand, captures six-megapixel size images and comes with a 6x zoom? You'll know after you read my Fujifilm FinePix 6900 Zoom review....[read more]
06/22/2001: Casio Japan Announces 4-Megapixel QV-4000
DOVER, NJ, June 21, 2001?Casio, Inc., Dover, N.J., in conjunction with Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, announced at the PC Expo Show that opens in New York City on June 26th, the introduction of the QV-4000, a new 4.13-million pixel color CCD digital camera with 16MB CompactFlash card and a f2.0 ? f2.5 optical 3x Canon zoom lens which is equivalent to 34mm to 102mm on a 35mm camera.The QV-4000 will be available in August competitively priced under ,000.One of the most important features of the QV-4000 is Casio?s unique "Best Shot" feature that allows you to select the icon that best reflects your imaging situation. The camera will automatically select the best combination of aperture and shutter speed for you. "Casio?s built in icons such as ?night? and ?fireworks? can handle tough photographic situations with ?point-and- shoot? simplicity," said Gary Schultz, director of marketing for Casio?s Mobile Information...[read more]
06/22/2001: Terapin Mine - Portable Data/Image Storage, MP3 Player and More, Available Soon
Presenting a revolutionary new edge in digital lifestyle. Store, play, network and access the internet with one easy touch. Your complete digital information manager like nothing anyone has seen... Terapin's Mine is a powerful, handheld, internet enabled, personal data storage device ready to meet all of your digital information needs at work and at play. This simple to use device offers enough storage capacity to hold thousands of digital photographs and audio tracks together with any other digital information that you wish to keep. Mine is also a full function digital audio player/recorder, a digital photo album system and a vast data-bank and data-backup tool designed to make information management simple. The real strengths of mine are apparent as soon as you take it online. As a dedicated Internet device, mine gives you the power to distribute, share and exchange data securely from anywhere in the World, and to...[read more]
06/20/2001: Toshiba PDR-M81 Review Posted
I have just posted our Toshiba PDR-M81 review. This is another one of the new four megapixel cameras that will be on the dealer's shelves this summer. The M81 features a sharp Canon 2.8x optical zoom and is housed in a compact and stylish body. It captures and stores 2400 x 1600 pixel still images in seconds and is loaded with exposure modes and options that will satisfy the needs of point-n-shoot and advanced users. It also captures full motion video with sound at 15fps in QVGA (320 x 240) resolution....[read more]
06/20/2001: Qimage Pro 2001, v2.0 Released
Mike Chaney emailed me to let me know that he had just posted the latest Qimage Pro 2001 v2.0 for download. The major new features in this version of the program are: NEW NEF/ORF DECODER: Version 2.0 offers Qimage Pro's fastest, most accurate raw image decoder to date, and adds support for (uncompressed) Nikon D1x NEF images. Here is a comprehensive list of enhancements to NEF/ORF support in Qimage Pro 2001 v2.0: Better: Although considered exceptional by many users since version 1.3, Qimage Pro's NEF/ORF interpolation has been enhanced to produce slightly sharper results. Faster: All NEF/ORF images will decode approximately 30% faster than v1.62! More accurate: We've updated the ORF ICC profile to a v2.0 profile, increasing the color accuracy of E-10 ORF images. D1x support: v2.0 will now decode Nikon D1x NEF images (uncompressed). D1x NEF images are decoded at 4020 x 2638 (10.6 MP) to preserve maximum...[read more]
06/20/2001: Olympus Announces 4-Megapixel Camedia C-4040 Zoom Digital Camera
June 20, 2001, Melville, NY - Olympus America, Inc., the world leader in film and filmless photography, today announced the CAMEDIA C-4040 Zoom. Establishing a new high-end category for Olympus C-Series cameras, the C-4040 Zoom builds on the foundation of Olympus' award winning C-Series digital cameras while incorporating exciting new features. The C-4040 Zoom offers a 4 Megapixel CCD, a super-bright F1.8 high-performance 3X zoom lens, plus the latest in Olympus image quality and noise reduction technologies to deliver crisp high-quality prints as large as 16" x 20". The C-4040 is the perfect digital camera for advanced photographers desiring extensive image control capabilities combined with ease of use for creative and artistic applications. Professional photographers will also find the C-4040 Zoom to be a versatile yet compact solution providing the image quality and output sizes required for magazine and newspaper publication. Its high-performance 3X zoom lens offers a large aperture...[read more]
06/19/2001: Kodak Professional DCS 720x Digital Camera U.S. Priced at ,995
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 19 - The newest player in the Kodak Professional digital camera line-up, the DCS 720x digital camera, will carry a recommended U.S. list price of ,995 when it becomes available in late July. The successor to the versatile Kodak Professional DCS 620x digital camera, the new model combines the highest ISO settings available - 400 to 6400 (calibrated to 4000), with two-stop push for exposures at up to 25600 - with a wide range of functional enhancements that simplify in-the-field assignments and capture critical images that other digital cameras can't. Based on the rugged Nikon F5 camera body, the DCS 720x camera features a faster burst rate - 4.3 fps - and a greater burst depth - 25 images. Plus, shutter response speed has been improved so it now rivals that of conventional film cameras. Kodak's newest "pro" camera features 2-megapixel resolution and comes with many other...[read more]
06/19/2001: Imaging-Resource Posts Nikon D1x Review
Dave Etchells at the Imaging-Resource has posted the first, full, production model Nikon D1x review that I am aware of on the net. We also have a D1x in the house and are working on that review as well as several others. The Nikon D1x is a vastly improved camera over the D1, especially in the area of color reproduction. Part of Dave's closing remarks: "Colors from the D1x appeared very natural and well-balanced. The sRGB default color space produces much more accurate colors on typical computer monitors than did the NTSC color space of the original D1. The optional "Adobe RGB" color space (accessed via the Custom Settings Menu) provides significantly greater color gamut for critical work, and is most suited for use in a color-managed environment and workflow. It's rare for a single product to change the ground rules for an entire marketplace, but Nikon's original D1 did...[read more]
06/18/2001: Canon Posts New Firmware for G1 and Pro90
I just received an email from Chuck Westfall at Canon USA informing me that they had just posted firmware updates for the PowerShot G1 and the PowerShot Pro90 IS cameras. Improvements over previous firmware: PowerShot Pro90 IS and G1 It is no longer necessary to reset the date at the end of the month. Correction of an underexposure problem that occurred in low light conditions when an EX-series Speedlite (220EX / 380EX / 420EX / 550EX) was mounted on the camera but turned off. Speedlites 160E and 200E will now flash when mounted on the PowerShot G1. But, as they are not EX-series Speedlites, they will fire at full strength. (Automatic flash exposure with the PowerShot G1 is only possible using the built-in flash or an EX-series Speedlite.) Correction of problem in which initial shutter 'click' sound would occasionally not emit upon exposure after turning the power on. Eliminates the...[read more]
06/17/2001: Minor Nikon Coolpix 995 Problem Identified
There is a small problem with the Nikon Coolpix 995 cameras sold in Canada, Japan and parts of Europe. Apparently there is a "glitch" in the v1.1 firmware that shows itself when the lens is rotated around backwards. I have been assured that all Coolpix 995 cameras for sale in the U.S. will have already been through Nikon USA's service department and will be upgraded with the newer v1.6 firmware. Nikon USA also assures me that shipments of the 995 will not be delayed and the start of distribution is the end of June as scheduled. Nikon Canada has posted this notice about the problem....[read more]
06/16/2001: Epson PhotoPC 3100Z Review Posted
Working my way through a veritable pile of news cameras, today we post the Epson PhotoPC 3100Z review. Epson has taken their popular 3-megapixel 3000Z and added shutter speed priority, a Print button on the back side and PRINT Image Matching Technology as well as other internal tweaks. The best news is that it's now less than last year's camera coming in at just ....[read more]
06/15/2001: Toshiba Shatters Four Megapixel Barrier with New PDR-M81 Digital Camera
IRVINE, CA, June 18, 2001 -- Toshiba Imaging Systems, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced that it is bringing the powerful imaging capabilities of a 4.2 Megapixel CCD sensor to its award-winning digital camera line-up by launching the new PDR-M81 digital camera. The PDR-M81 digital camera will be shown publicly for the first time at the PC EXPO trade show in New York, New York, on June 24, 2001. It is expected to be on store shelves in July with an MSRP under ,000. With its ability to capture high-resolution 2400 x 1600 images, the PDR-M81 raises the quality bar for consumer digital picture taking. Aiming to appeal to the broadest range of consumers, business people and photographers, Toshiba engineers cleverly combined the PDR-M81's next generation imaging technology with a user-friendly "point and shoot" design and a wealth of exciting audio/video features. "The PDR-M81 brings to...[read more]
06/14/2001: Sony DPP-SV77 Printer Review Posted
I've just posted our Sony DPP-SV77 Photo Printer review. This is one neat little printer complete with its own 3.2" color LCD monitor that lets you print 4 x 6" dye sub photographs without a computer. Whether your digicam uses Memory Stick, CompactFlash, SmartMedia or MultiMedia cards, the DPP-SV77 can handle it. It produces 16-million color photos that rival conventional photographs and thanks to its OverCoat 2 protective layer, they may be even more durable that regular photos....[read more]
SAN DIEGO, June 14, 2001 - Sony Electronics today announced that a new Cyber-shot® digital still camera (model DSC-P20), with such exclusive features as MPEG motion video, ClipMotion animation and compatibility (with an optional InfoLithium® battery), will be available in August for about . "Sony makes electronics available to a wide spectrum of people, even those who might be newcomers to digital technology," said Takashi Kondo, senior vice president of Sony Electronics' Digital Imaging Product Division. "The DSC-P20 model is a fun camera that makes digital photography approachable, and it also has features that will continue to engage users as their product knowledge expands." Sharp, vibrant photos are a snap with the new Cyber-shot model's 1.3 megapixel CCD (Charged Coupled Device). The camera has 3x precision digital zoom and a playback mode that enables the user to enlarge and trim images in-camera, and save them as new photos. A powerful...[read more]
ELMSFORD, NY, June 13, 2001 - A recognized innovator in digital imaging technology and design, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today introduces the U.S. market to the FinePix 6900 Zoom, a digital camera that exemplifies Fujifilm's commitment to quality output, broad photographic functionality, ease-of-use and distinctive styling. Building upon the characteristics of its critically acclaimed and user-popular FinePix 4900 Zoom predecessor and inheriting functions from the professional level FinePix S1 Pro, the FinePix 6900 Zoom features Fujifilm's second generation 3.3 million-sensor Super CCD that generates a 6-megapixel picture file. This new Super CCD, along with Fujifilm's High Definition Color processing technology and 6X Super EBC Fujinon lens, helps the FinePix 6900 Zoom set a new standard in color and overall picture quality for the serious photo enthusiast. "By combining the ergonomic body design of the FinePix 4900 Zoom with our new Super CCD sensor and High Definition Color processing technology,...[read more]
SANTA ANA, Calif.--June 11, 2001 - SimpleTech, Inc., a technology solutions provider offering products based on DRAM, SRAM, flash memory and storage technologies, today introduced its PhotoStor Digital Photo Album, a key addition to its family of value pack products. Advancing SimpleTech's commitment to offer complete solution kits that help consumers master the digital media experience, PhotoStor combines a unique mix of products that make it easy for novice digital photo buffs as well as seasoned professionals to capture, edit, store and share thousands of digital images. The cost-effective PhotoStor experience begins with SimpleTech's 32MB Compact Flash card, with enough capacity to capture approximately 100 jpg-quality digital pictures. Next, SimpleTech's FlashLink(TM) card reader, which connects to the user's PC, allows for the transfer of captured images from the CompactFlash card to the PC using a USB standard interface at 30 times the speed of a standard serial port. Third, using...[read more]
06/12/2001: Japan Camera Makers Jostle to Catch Digital Wave
TOKYO (Reuters) - The once-red-hot personal computer and cellphone markets may be mired in a slowdown, but digital cameras are holding firm at center stage as the world's fastest-growing sector in mainstream consumer electronics. Japanese manufacturers, which make about 80 percent of the world's digital cameras, are scrambling to boost their stakes in the booming market, where falling prices and print-quality pictures are luring a rush of consumers while sales of traditional film cameras languish. But analysts and industry executives say a shake-out looms in the crowded digital field and profit margins may soon come under pressure. Japan's four best-selling brands -- Sony, Olympus, Fuji Film and Canon -- have each targeted a global market share of 20 to 25 percent, while Kodak and Hewlett-Packard are aggressively chasing share in the United States -- their home market and the world's largest. "I think the industry map could end up with...[read more]
06/12/2001: The DVSpot Web Site Is Now Open
Our good friend Jeff Keller, the operator of the DC Resource web site has just taken the wraps off of his latest creation, the DVSpot.com and in his words: "We hope to be the Web's destination for information on consumer DV camcorders. That includes all cameras that cost less than or so -- we will not be covering professional equipment or software. Also, initially we'll be focusing on just the camcorders -- in the future, I'd like to cover software and video editing techniques as time and resources permit." He is launching his new site with three camera reviews; the Canon Elura 2, the Sony DCR-PC110 and the Sony DCR-TRV130. There is an info database with nearly 60 camcorders listed which according to Jeff covers just about all of the models that are currently shipping. Using the database you can compare up to 3 camcorders and check out their specs....[read more]
06/12/2001: Steve's Digicams Picked As WebShots Cool Site of the Day for June 12, 2001
I received email earlier letting me know that www.steves-digicams.com had been selected as a Webshots "Cool Site" of the day for June 12th, 2001. Thanks to the folks responsible for getting our site chosen!...[read more]
06/12/2001: Bibble v2.99 Released - Nikon D1X Support
If you own or use a Nikon D1, Canon D30 or Olympus E-10 and want to get the most out of its RAW mode then you better give the Bibble program a look-see. Bibble is a professional-quality photo-editing program designed to extract maximum quality from raw files generated by top of the line Digital SLRs. Currently supported cameras include the Nikon D1/D1x, as well as the Canon D30. With Bibble, you can browse and read raw *.nef,*.crw files as well as standard .jpegs, manipulate them and save them out as 8 bit Jpegs or 16/8 bit tiffs. All color calculations are done internally in 16-Bit precision and thus any image manipulations done on any image in Bibble will have superior results to those performed in a standard 8-bit image program. When browsing images, from your camera, Bibble will display the thumbnails lightning fast. If some of the jpegs in the...[read more]
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 11-Eastman Kodak Company announced an investment in DataPlay, Inc., a leading developer of digital storage media for portable Internet appliances and consumer electronic devices, including digital cameras. The relationship with DataPlay provides Kodak with greater opportunity to offer products using DataPlay's low-cost storage capabilities and take advantage of the convergence of information technology and imaging. The investment was made through the Kodak Venture group, headed by Ted Lewis, Director of Digital Business Development and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. Kodak will receive a board observer seat with its investment. Based on technology developed by Kodak for compact optical storage, DataPlay's digital media allows access to all forms of digital content across digital devices and platforms, including images, documents, music, software, games, video and more. About the size of a quarter, DataPlay's digital media is a micro-optical disc that permanently stores vast amounts of digital content, whether...[read more]
06/10/2001: Olympus D-510 Zoom Review Posted
We've had the chance to use Olympus' latest compact camera in the "D" series and find it extremely easy to operate, very affordable and most importantly, it delivers the usual Olympus quality images. Read all about it in our Olympus D-510 Zoom review - the first review of it on the Internet....[read more]
06/10/2001: Fujifilm FinePix 2300 Review Posted
It's been another busy week for reviewing new cameras and I just posted our Fujifilm FinePix 2300 review. This is an entry-level 2-megapixel camera for those who want a good but inexpensive camera capable of producing up to 8 x 10 inch photo prints. It doesn't have any fancy features or even a zoom lens but it is small, compact, produces good pictures and is quite affordable....[read more]
06/09/2001: Sony DCR-PC110 Review Posted
I just posted our first digital camcorder review and it probably won't be the last as more and more camcorders are getting still image capture capability these days. I don't have the time or resources to review as many camcorders as we do with still digicams but if a new one comes along with megapixel or better still capture then we will give it a look-see. Our first review is the compact, high-tech and very sexy Sony DCR-PC110 camcorder, it sports a Carl Zeiss 10x zoom and a megapixel CCD imager and a dedicated Photo mode with a built in pop-up flash. It's got just about every other bell and whistle found on DV camcorders so if you want to know how it stacks up as a still image camera, check out our review....[read more]
06/09/2001: Casio Offers Wrist Camera Watches That Capture Color Images
Casio, Inc., Dover, N.J., in conjunction with its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, announced today at the JCK Show in Las Vegas, NV, two new wrist camera watches that can transfer images to a PC in full color. The new WQV3D-8 (metal band) and the WQV3-1 (resin band) will be added to the Casio Wrist Technology line-up, which include wrist-type wearable digital cameras, global positioning watches and wrist remote watches. The new WQV3D-8 ( suggested retail ? metal band) and WQV3-1 ( suggested retail ? resin band) Wrist Camera models will be available in September. A new 25,000-pixel color CMOS sensor makes it possible to capture up to 80 full digital images that can be transferred to a computer, displayed in full color, or e-mailed to friends or family on the web. The first Casio Wrist Camera watch hit the market in September 2000, packing a...[read more]
06/07/2001: DC Resource Posts Fuji 6800 Review
Jeff at the DC Resource has just posted his Fujifilm FinePix 6800 Zoom review and concluded: "I really like the Fuji FinePix 6800 Zoom, but I'd like it a lot more if it was less expensive. Its got a smorgasbord of features and a slick design -- digital cameras aren't just for still photos anymore, as Fuji has shown. The camera takes nice high res pictures, and that dock sure is handy too. My main issue is that with all those features, it's essentially a point-and-shoot camera. I'd love to have manual control over exposure on a camera that costs that much - all the other cameras do."...[read more]
06/07/2001: Kodak Professional Discontinues DCS 600, 500 and 300 Series Digital Cameras
Kodak Professional, a division of Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y., USA, outlined its DCS digital camera portfolio. The company is dropping the Kodak Professional DCS 600, 500 and 300 series digital SLR cameras. Additions to the portfolio include the Kodak Professional DCS Pro Back digital camera back, the DCS 760 and DCS 720x digital SLR cameras, and the family of Better Light scanning camera backs. In addition, new digital cameras based on Kodak Professional's fifth-generation professional digital camera architecture - emphasizing performance, workflow/connectivity and affordability - are in the planning stages and will be added in the coming months. Service and support for all of the models being discontinued at this time will be available for at least four years. Kodak Professional also said at this time, Kodak Professional has no plans to market a DCS model built on a Canon SLR camera body platform. There currently are a number...[read more]
06/07/2001: Sony Advances Digital Photography With Its First 4.1 Megapixel Digital Camera
Read our complete Sony DSC-S85 reviewSAN DIEGO, June 7, 2001 - Sony Electronics today announced its first digital still camera with a 4.1 megapixel CCD (Charged Coupled Device), the new Cyber-shot DSC-S85 camera. To maximize the benefits of the new high-resolution CCD, this new model incorporates superior optics and enhanced signal processing technology. The new Cyber-shot model features a precision Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar zoom lens with a 3x optical and 6x precision digital zoom, taking full advantage of the exceptional resolution to deliver a sharp, highly detailed image. This model also offers a Digital eXtended Processor (DXP) 14 bit A/D converter, providing for more accurate capture of detail -- particularly in highlights and shadows. "The DSC-S85 camera opens the door to yet another segment of the digital camera market, providing the feature-rich answer for people who have waited to purchase their first digital still camera and for those who want...[read more]
06/06/2001: Ritek's CF-Type HDD to Compete Against IBM's Microdrive
June 5, 2001 (TAIPEI) -- Ritek Corp.'s CompactStor, a small hard disk drive (HDD) that will compete against IBM Corp.'s Microdrive compact HDD, will debut in the second half of 2001. Ritek's CompactStor is based on the Type-II CompactFlash (CF) specification and has a capacity of 1.1GB. "The product will ship in third or fourth quarter of 2001 with a target retail price of half of IBM's 1GB Microdrive selling for US-500," said Thomas Su, CEO of Ritek's subsidiary, U.S.-based MicroStor Corp. In its booth, Ritek showed a demonstration in which a large motion picture file was read directly from the prototype CompactStor HDD and viewed on a PC. The disc of the CompactStor HDD is Ritek's original product and, like IBM's Microdrive, is about an inch in diameter. Also, the firm is exhibiting a small optical media called "Data Play," which Ritek is planning to supply to U.S.-based DataPlay...[read more]
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 2001--Sony Electronics today introduced two digital photo printers that allow consumers to view, edit, archive and print images with greater ease and flexibility than ever before. The new DPP-SV77 digital photo printer with an LCD display will be available in July for about . The DPP-SV88 digital photo printer with CD-R/RW archiving functionality will be available in October for about . With its built-in 3.2" color LCD monitor, users can view, edit and enlarge images right on the DPP-SV77 printer's fold-up screen, without connecting to a PC or television monitor. Because the color LCD is touch-sensitive, most operations can be performed directly on-screen with the supplied stylus. In addition to image selection and editing, the stylus is used for free-hand drawing with different line weights and colors, as well as a text editing and novelty stamp function tool to help create fun captions and drawings on...[read more]
06/06/2001: Displaytech Reaches Milestone, Announces New Customers, Third-Party Partnerships
Microdisplay maker Displaytech Inc., Longmont, Colo., USA, said within the last six months, Displaytech shipped more than 500,000 microdisplays to OEM customers. This number is comprised of both near-eye displays and projection displays. The company's LightView line of near-eye displays is ideal for applications such as viewfinders for camcorders and digital still cameras. Minolta will begin marketing two high-end digital still cameras that feature Displaytech's LightView QVGA displays as viewfinders; the Minolta DiMAGE7 and DiMAGE5. Concord Camera Corp. is using Displaytech's full-color LightView QVGA display module as a viewfinder in its line of EyeQ 3x digital cameras. The LightCaster line of projection displays is designed for use in projection products such as HDTVs, computer monitors and business projectors. The company reached an exclusive distribution agreement with Densitron Technologies, a United Kingdom-based global supplier of industrial electronics and computers. Densitron now exclusively distributes Displaytech's microdisplays in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden...[read more]
06/05/2001: Olympus Announces Economical D-370 Digital Camera With Extended Battery-Life Technology
June 5, 2001, Melville, NY -- Olympus America Inc., Consumer Products Group, the world leader in film and filmless photography, today announced the D-370 consumer digital camera. Olympus has taken the award-winning, highly successful D-360L digital camera and made it better. The D-370 comes with a newly developed long-life battery circuit allowing hundreds of shots in normal operation with 4 AA alkaline batteries (while using the LCD display and flash 50% of the time). With the LCD and flash turned off the camera can capture thousands of images on the same AA alkaline batteries. When the Olympus' long-life LB01 (CR3V) batteries are used, battery-life is extended by about 3 times for even more of your favorite photos. The Olympus D-370 is designed to meet the needs of consumers wishing for a high- quality, easy-to-use digital camera at an affordable price. The D-370 can produce photo-quality 4" x 6" prints using...[read more]
06/04/2001: SCM Provides Canon with ZiO! Readers for New S800 Photo Printers
Guilford, CT - June 4, 2001 - SCM Microsystems announced today that it is supplying Canon U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ) with its Microtech brand ZiO! digital film reader for bundling with the Canon S800 Color Bubble Jet Photo Printer. The Canon S800 Color Bubble Jet Photo Printer allows consumers to achieve professional quality results from home without the need for expensive specialty paper, add-ons or attachments. Canon's breakthrough technological advancements in the S800 result in an inexpensive professional quality photo printer offering better photo-printing quality, faster speed and more versatility. By offering the CompactFlash ZiO! with the Canon S800 Color Bubble Jet Photo Printer, consumers will be able to speed up their entire digital photography printing experience. Use of the Microtech ZiO! will allow consumers to quickly and easily download images from their digital media to their computers and be ready for printing within seconds....[read more]
06/04/2001: Digital Outback Posts Kodak DCS 760 SLR Report
The folks at Digital Outback Photo have posted their Kodak DCS 760 Experience report. Uwe Steinmeuller reports, "The 6 MP resolution of the 760 really matters. You get the feeling of much more 'substantial' files. The DCS 760 delivers high resolution files with good color. The software needs some improvements (Windows). Cleaning the CCD by the user is an important advantage of the 760 over the Nikon D1 where cleaning often requires sending the camera in for service."...[read more]
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 4 - Professional photographers can tackle the most challenging action, variable-condition, and low-light photography situations with confidence using the new Kodak Professional DCS 720x digital camera. The DCS 720x combines the highest ISO settings available - 400 to 6400 (calibrated to 4000), with two-stop push for exposures at up to 25600 - with a variety of functional improvements to enhance and simplify even the most critical, high-pressure forms of in-the-field photography. The 2-megapixel DCS 720x offers significant technological advantages over its predecessor, the versatile DCS 620x. These advantages owe primarily to Kodak's fifth-generation professional digital camera architecture, improved bright LCD display with histogram, and other imaging capabilities first introduced in the new DCS Pro Back and DCS 760 cameras. Based upon the rugged Nikon F5 camera body, the DCS 720x features a faster burst rate - 4.3 fps - and a greater burst depth - 25 images....[read more]
06/04/2001: Nikon Re-Launches NikonNet.com With New Photo Sharing and Albuming Features
MELVILLE, N.Y., June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon, the world leader in photography, today re-launched NikonNet, the definitive photography website for photo sharing and education. The new site boasts a completely redesigned back-end and a suite of new features that make uploading, storing, editing and sharing images faster and easier than any other site on the web. NikonNet contains a highly refined navigation system as well as several proprietary tools to create personalized e-cards and photo albums, as well as a unique new photo album slide show. The site's new community features and improved navigation work seamlessly with the new One Touch Upload To The Web feature on Nikon's new Coolpix® 775 Digital Camera to simply upload photos to the web at the touch of the camera's "transfer" button. In addition, the site's new "Your Turn" community allows NikonNet visitors and members to submit pictures to the Editor's Choice and Publish...[read more]
06/01/2001: PhotoHighway.com Files For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Photography site PhotoHighway.com Inc., Monterey, Calif., USA, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy May 18, more than a month after its parent, digital photography software company IXLA Ltd., East Burwood, Victoria, Australia, shut down the business and terminated all of its employees. In documents filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of California, San Jose Division, IXLA is listed as the only creditor holding a secured claim. IXLA has a lien valued at .7 million on "intellectual property consisting of copyrights, license agreements and trademarks." Other creditors hold unsecured nonpriority claims of /var/www/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgi.9 million for such services as Web design, insurance, and payroll services. Ah yes -- about this time a year and a half ago everybody was wondering how us "little" guys were going to be able to survive with the giant Internet portal sites taking away all of our traffic ......[read more]
