DIWA member and Danish website DigitalMagasinet has posted a review of Picasa 2, a software program that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC.

Website: DigitalMagasinet - Picasa 2 Review

Apogee Photo Magazine has posted a brief review of the photo-management application ACDSee 7 (found via CameraTown).

“Have you noticed that you can’t see thumbnail previews of the RAW files from your camera in the Windows file browser or in many other asset management programs? ACDSee supports RAW files from all of the major brands of digital cameras. Has the need to have an expensive editing program to manipulate your RAW files kept you from using this powerful file system? You don’t need to go to another program.  You can do all of your adjustments to RAW files within this program. And I think you’ll be surprised, because it has features we’ve all wished for in Photoshop.”

Website: Apogee Photo Magazine - ACDSee 7 Review

ExpressDigital has announced ExpressDigital Darkroom in 3 different editions - Core, Professional, and Assembly. ExpressDigital Darkroom is a software package that helps you to manage the daily photography workflow and is priced from $495 (for the Core edition).

ExpressDigital Press Release

ExpressDigital Launches New Software Product Line: ExpressDigital Darkroom

ENGLEWOOD, CO—February 3, 2005— ExpressDigital, the leading provider of digital workflow software, internet storefronts, and lab solutions, has announced the launch of their new software product line: ExpressDigital Darkroom.  Based on recommendations from its 14,000 plus customers and extensive dealer network, ExpressDigital has consolidated its niche based software titles into a simplified full-featured product line.  The ExpressDigital Darkroom family is software that manages the daily photography workflow. 

Three editions of ExpressDigital Darkroom are being launched: Core Edition, Professional Edition, and Assembly Edition.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0.1 update has been released by Adobe (Windows only).

The Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 3.0.1 updates several issues discovered after Photoshop Elements 3.0 was released, including:
• It is easier to download new creation templates for PhotoBooks, Calendars, and other creations.
• Users can now change the format of dates in the Photo Well from U.S. to European.
Note: This update is for Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Windows only. The Mac version does not require an update.

Website: Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0.1 Update

Check the Latest Prices for Adobe Photoshop Elements 3

Write a Review of Adobe Photoshop Elements 3

Pentax have released new versions of their Photo Browser and Photo Laboratory software for the 6 megapixel Pentax *ist DS (pictured) and *ist D DSLRs.

Website: Pentax Photo Browser and Photo Laboratory (for Windows) - Version 2.1

Website: Pentax Photo Browser and Photo Laboratory Updater (for Macintosh) - Version 2.1

Check the Latest Prices for the Pentax *ist DS

Write a Review of the Pentax *ist DS

A new version of Adobe Camera Raw has been released by Adobe for both Windows and MAC platforms.

Camera Raw 2.4 update
Support for the following cameras has been added. Visit the Camera Raw page for a complete list of supported cameras.

Canon
EOS 20D
PowerShot S70
PowerShot G6
EOS-1Ds Mark II

In the same download is the Adobe DNG Converter, a free utility that converts files from more than 70 cameras to DNG, which enables you to easily convert camera-specific raw files to a more universal DNG raw file.

Website: Adobe - Adobe DNG Converter and Camera Raw 2.4 update (Windows)

Website: Adobe - Adobe DNG Converter and Camera Raw 2.4 update (MAC)

Check the Latest Prices for Adobe Photoshop CS

Write a Review of Adobe Photoshop CS

NABOCORP. SOFTWARES PRESS RELEASE
January 30, 2005

cam2pc expands on its media organization capabilities

Nice, France (January 30, 2005) - cam2pc reaches a new significant milestone in media organization by integrating a powerful search tool and IPTC metadata support in its newly released 4.5 version.

IPTC metadata are widely used in the media industry and allow precise content description of digital pictures. Detailed information such as photographer, subject, location can be easily entered in cam2pc and stored directly in the image file using an industry wide standard. Digital photography enthusiasts now have access to a widely used professional tool that will definitely make their media organization job better than ever.

Taking a photograph is only half the battle; presentation is also a key element of any successful photograph. Framing and matting prints is one of the best ways of showing off your work. QuickMats is a new software program that simulates actual physical mats, either onscreen or in a print. Digital Outback Photo have published a review of QuickMats, which retails for $239.

“There is now a matting solution which will not require you to either go to a frame shop or have contact with any matting materials or matting tools whatsoever. This solution is called QuickMats, a program created by John Hartman. QuickMats relies on an arsenal of Photoshop files, actions, textures, etc. to create professional looking mats which, visually, are undistinguishable from the “real” thing.”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - 
QuickMats: Virtual Matting has arrived

CDH Productions Press Release

Create Professional Screen Savers in Minutes

CDH Productions has released GraFX Saver Pro v. 4.0, a powerful Windows application that lets you use your own images, video, and audio to create professional, royalty-free screen savers in record time. Unlike most screen saver creation applications that limit the file types that you can use, GraFX Saver Pro supports more than 20 popular image and video formats. It also supports the major audio formats (MP3, WMA, WAV, MIDI, etc) for adding background sound to your screen savers. The screen savers that you create can bedistributed, with no royalty payments.

Kodak Press Release

Enhanced KODAK PROSHOTS Provides Broader Print-Ordering and Creative Options for Pro Photographers

Greater Product Range, Overall Ease-of-Use Contribute to Improved Workflow

January 25, 2005 Eastman Kodak Company today introduced new versions of KODAK PROSHOTS Studio Software Suite v6.3, KODAK PROSHOTS Basics Software v2.0 and KODAK PROSHOTS Online Services v7.0 that, via labs, will provide photographers with a broader range of templates for their print ordering process. Photographers will also have improved tools for previewing and selling their images to customers in-person or over the Internet.

The KODAK PROSHOTS System, a powerful set of image-management, design and ordering tools, serves professional wedding, social and portrait photographers whether they work with film or digital cameras. PROSHOTS System Participating Labs use hybrid and complete digital lab workflows to offer a broad range of products and services to photographers through the PROSHOTS System. The KODAK PROSHOTS System is the industry’s most-used service of its kind, with more than 40 labs, 11 album and frame companies and two studio management software companies integrating it seamlessly with existing lab products.

Liquid Mirror Enterprises Press Release

Affordable Photo Manipulation Powerhouse

Liquid Mirror Enterprises has released Images: In Context!, a powerful Windows application that lets computer novices turn snapshots into stunning images. Without having to read a 600-page manual or spend weeks learning complicated photo manipulation techniques, applying more than 70 extraordinary image filters and effects can be as simple as right-clicking the image in Windows File Explorer.

It’s easy to color-correct, resize, crop, stylize, or remove red-eye from your pictures, without buying an expensive, confusing photo enhancement program. There’s no need to learn about alpha channels or bezier curves. Simply right-click an image, and select the effect that you’d like to apply.

You can select multiple images, and turn them into a slide show or web page with a single click. You can even rename groups of images, taking the work out of managing your vacation photos.

Luminous Landscape has enthusiastically reviewed the image management software program IMatch from photools.com.

“Some software just ‘clicks’ with you when you start using it, Imatch is one of those utilities that feels right, tools are where you expect them to be and the whole package is somehow logical. Right away, Imatch is a snap to use. There are a series of detailed ‘coaching’ popups which explain everything you do for the first time and after reading each one you can dismiss it permanently, or reactivate them later if you forget how to do something.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - IMatch Review

SearchEngineWatch editor Danny Sullivan has posted his review of Picasa 2, a software program that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Sullivan compares it to the the program that he has been using for the last year, Adobe Photoshop Album 2.

“Outside of photo management, Picasa seems to shine much better when compared to the free version of Adobe Photoshop Album. The range of photo fixes available in Picasa is better—and you’ve got to love the one-touch “fix it” feature being renamed “I’m Feeling Lucky.” That’s even more suitable with automatic photo adjusting than searching the web with Google!

I also love—absolutely love—how Picasa doesn’t touch your original photo. Photoshop Album doesn’t as well, but not in as slick a fashion. With Album, if you make an edit, crop, etc—it duplicates your photo and creates a link. You see the edited version, but the original is not touched and always available so you can revert.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: PCMagazine - Google Picasa 2 Vs. Adobe Photoshop Album 2

ProFotoSoftware Press Release

January 23rd 2005

ProFotoSoftware have today released V1.5 of PFS Image Darkroom, the Canon EOS Raw Processing system for Windows.

This release adds Post Processing operations, which enhance the image after the initial Raw Development. The added operations include Histogram Levels Adjustment, Unsharp Masking, Borders and Frames, image resize and a unique save for web feature that calculates the required JPEG compression level to achieve a specified image file size.

GetData Software Company Press Release

Kodak Express to Sell GetData Software Company Digital Photo and Video Recovery Software

GetData Software Company, the Australian software development company, has signed a deal for the sale of its RecoverMyPhotos and ExplorerView products through 200 Kodak Express stores across Australia.

(PRWEB) January 23, 2005—RecoverMyPhotos and ExplorerView will be bundled together and will be delivered into Kodak Express stores at end of the start of the second week of December by distributor PhotoThings. RecoverMyPhotos is a digital image, video and sound recovery tool.

RecoverMyPhotos will recover from Flash, Memory Stick, Smart Media or other storage media, including PC hard drives. It will also recover movie and sound files such as AVI, MPEG, MOV and WAV. RecoverMyPhotos displays the list of recovered files and previews pictures for selection and saving.

It was only announced yesterday, but PCMagazine already have a review out of Picasa 2, a software program that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC.

“It’s not just free. It’s better than ever. This past summer, the ever-expanding Google empire acquired Picasa, one of PC Magazine’s favorite photo-management tools, and a week later, in keeping with its usual business strategy, the company quit charging for the application. Now, for the first time since the acquisition, Google has released a new version, Picasa 2.0, and we like it even more than before.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: PCMagazine - Picasa 2 Review

In other Picasa-related news, USA Today has an interview with the man who created it, Lars Perkins.

“A camera enthusiast, he figured digital photography was a lot of fun but way too complicated. So he dreamed up Picasa, a software program that takes the pain out of finding photos stored on a computer hard drive.

Last summer, Google snapped up Picasa, a tiny firm with 18 employees and about 500,000 paying customers, for an undisclosed sum. It hired Perkins as part of the deal.”

Website: USA Today - Entrepreneur lets Google fly with his creation

Photoleap Press Release

Photoleap To Launch Ground-Breaking Photo Transfer Technology at DEMO@15!; New Company to Release Digital Photo Distribution Software At Conference

SAN DIEGO—(Business Wire)—Jan. 18, 2005—Photoleap(TM), a privately held, San Diego-based company, announced today its invitation to demonstrate at DEMO@15!, the world’s foremost forum for new product innovations. The company will unveil its pioneering digital photo distribution technology, ushering in a new age in digital photography. The event takes place February 13-15 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Version 2 of Picasa, a software program that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC, has just been quietly released by its owners, Google. It is still available as a free download (it previously cost $29.99) and now has the following additional features:

- Make CD - backup and gifts
- Edit with basic fixes, 12 lighting and color effects
- Organise using labels and stars
- Write captions for all your pics
- Order prints from favourite sites

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: Picasa

Website: Read my Picasa Review

Capture One version 3.6 for Windows has finally been released - grab the 50Mb download file here (you need to login to download it; alternatively there is a trial version available).

Capture One Press Release

Capture One 3.6 available NOW

Support for Canon 1Ds MKII

Camera support highlights
Just bought the new Canon 1Ds MKII? Now is then the perfect time to get started with professional RAW shooting. Capture One allows you to open and edit RAW files from the most commonly used DSLR cameras and convert them into TIFF or JPEG. Working with RAW files instead of JPEGs provides you with better image quality since you are working with the camera’s “native image data”. Shooting RAW will help you get the most out of your pictures.

Kodak Press Release

Enhancements to KODAK PROSHOTS System Provides Broader Print-Ordering and Creative Options for Pro Photographers and Labs

Greater Product Range, Overall Ease-of-Use Contribute to Improved Workflow

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 16—Eastman Kodak Company today introduced new versions of KODAK PROSHOTS Studio Software Suite v6.3, KODAK PROSHOTS Basics Software v2.0 and KODAK PROSHOTS Online Services v7.0 that, via labs, will provide photographers with a broader range of templates for their print ordering process. 

Photographers will also have improved tools for previewing and selling their images to customers in-person or over the Internet. The software enrichments will be on display in the Kodak booth during the Imaging USA trade show in New Orleans today through Tuesday, January 18.