Hasselblad Press Release 28/09/04

9/28/2004 Photokina is the largest photo trade fair in Europe and always attracts an astonishing selection of photographic products. Hasselblad has a very strong presence and is famous for its top-flight products and very popular multi-media shows.

Perhaps the biggest news on the Hasselblad stand at photokina this year is the merger with Imacon. This means that all things digital, both backs and scanners, are now an integral part of the company and are therefore also on display alongside cameras and accessories.
New products are being launched and here’s a list of what’s on offer:

- H1D - a new camera model for the H system with an integral digital back
- Five different digital backs in various versions to suit a number of requirements
- Two new high-end scanners
-  Three new lenses for the H system
- A new rechargeable battery for the H system
- A CF lens adapter that allows the use of C lenses (from the V system) on H system cameras.
- An updated version of the Proshade for use on both H and V system cameras

Hasselblad Press Release 28/09/04

9/28/2004 In accordance with the present world of photography, Hasselblad is encompassing new developments and new directions. The digital revolution is over as the concept has reached such a level of acceptance that it has become an everyday event.
 
And with these new moves come new changes in company philosophy. The recent merger between Hasselblad and Imacon automatically brings about a new direction in planning and strategy. The new company brings together innovation in high-end digital backs and quality scanners with expertise in medium format camera systems and precision optics. This provides access to a single-source supplier of fully integrated, high-end digital camera solutions backed by authorized service and support worldwide ? without ?gaps? in responsibility.

Hasselblad believes in digital and in film; there is a time and a place for both. This philosophy allows photographers to be as digital as they want to be. This not only optimizes the quality and value of the captured image but also increases the pleasure of capturing the image itself.

Sandisk will announce a new range of compact flash cards and readers tomorrow, according to Rob Galbraith.

“On Wednesday, September 29, Sandisk will unveil the next chapter in their performance line of CompactFlash and SD. Dubbed Extreme III, the official specifications are astounding: write and read speeds of 20MB/second for both CompactFlash and SD, up from the 9MB/second write and 10MB/second read speeds for the current Extreme and Ultra II cards.”

Website: Rob Galbraith - Sandisk to unveil Extreme III CompactFlash and SD, new card readers and revised Ultra II series

Mamiya look like they are set to announce the World’s first digital medium format camera. The Japanese company are currently running a teaser advert on their website for the Mamiya ZD medium format back AND a body, as well as new digital photo studio software. Intriguing.

Website: Mamiya Japan

Sandisk Press Release 28/09/04

Sandisk Takes Security To A New Level With Powerful Encryption Software For Its Cruzer USB Flash Drives

Free Download of CruzerLock Upgrade Will Be Available To All Owners of Cruzer Mini, Micro and Titanium Drives

Sunnyvale, CA, September 27, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation today introduced a new file encryption system that provides owners of all SanDisk Cruzer USB flash drives with advanced security measures to protect important documents. The upgrade to SanDisk’s CruzerLock software is now available free for downloading from the company’s website.

The new version of CruzerLock, called CruzerLock 2, will enable users to encrypt, decrypt, compress and password-protect personal files - even entire folders - stored on Cruzer USB drives. Operating on the Windows platform with drag-and-drop functionality, the software will be available first in English, then in other languages.

“Because of the growing concerns over identity and intellectual property theft, we’ve made it a priority to enhance all SanDisk Cruzer drives in the family - not just one model—with a more comprehensive and versatile security program,” said Eric Bone, SanDisk’s director of retail product marketing. “This new software uses an industrial-strength commercial algorithm that has 448-bit Blowfish AES encryption and password protection, which is orders of magnitude greater than our original CruzerLock.”

ColorVision Press Release 28/09/04

For Professionals Who Can’t Leave Digital Imaging To Chance

At Photokina September 28 through October 3rd at the Professional Imaging Hall

No.14.2 Aisle `L’ Booth Nr.040.

COLOGNE, GERMANY - September 28, 2004 - ColorVision, the digital imaging unit of Datacolor today announce at the PHOTOKINA international tradeshow an updated SpectroPRO2 Suite. This Spectro based product is the most inclusive solution for professionals who depend on accurate monitor calibration and printer profiling. SpectroPRO2 Suite has all the tools for high-level color control, professional monitor calibration, outstanding Spectro-built printer profiles and sophisticated profile editing.

This is perhaps the shortest press release from the first day of Photokina - “a digital camera, image viewer and a music player all in one” is virtually all the information that Olympus are sharing with us.

Olympus Press Release 27/09/04

Setting life to music

The Olympus m:robe - musical memory maker

Cologne , 27 September 2004 - Music and images are such an important part of memory. Out of nowhere a piece of music can set the pulse racing with vivid memories of life?s most potent moments, while a picture can paint a 1000 words. By combining the two the Olympus m:robe allows you to capture and remember events in an evocative manner.

Canon UK Press Release 27/09/04

Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, will release over 90 new consumer products in 2004, averaging the release of one new consumer product every four days.  Of these, nineteen are digital cameras. The announcement coincides with the start of Photokina, the bi-annual European imaging and photography exhibition hosted in Cologne, Germany from September 28.

Canon holds the number one market position within Europe for Digital Still Cameras, Digital SLRs and Analogue cameras1. These figures reflect Canon?s ongoing investment commitment to focused Research & Development and the commercialisation of new technologies. Consistent with previous years, Canon last year invested approximately 8.2% of total global revenue ? just under 2 billion EUR -in R&D.  Canon was also second in terms of receiving US patents in 2003, with nearly 2,000 registered2.

“We are the only company in the world to manufacture our own lenses, our own digital imaging sensors and our own digital image processors,? said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe, commenting on Canon?s strong showing at Photokina this year. ?Our commitment, expertise and technological advantages translate into superbly built products of outstanding reliability and quality - the key reasons behind our number one position in Europe with digital cameras.”

Olympus Press Release 27/09/04

Olympus one gigabyte xD-Picture card captures thousands of images on postage-stamp-sized flash memory card

“Miniature Powerhouse” Significantly Increases Storage Capacity of Digital Data for Greater Ease of Use

Melville, New York, September 27, 2004 - Olympus America Inc. today announced the development of a One Gigabyte xD-Picture Card. As one of the world’s smallest storage media for digital cameras and digital voice recorders, the xD-Picture Card is now capable of holding an entire gigabyte of digital images, data, audio and video. As a result, this ultra-compact card allows photographers to capture a greater number of photographic scenes and subjects, and at higher resolution settings, before the card is full and images must be downloaded or the card changed.

“Olympus not only concentrates on building digital cameras that deliver the highest level of image quality combined with the sleekest designs on the market today, but we also constantly look to integrate the most cutting edge technologies,” said Chip Pryor, Memory Products Business Manager, Olympus America Inc. “The One Gigabyte xD-Picture Card is a prime example of our ongoing commitment to raise the bar and contribute to the advancement of the digital camera industry by creating a better digital experience for all consumers.”

Press Release 27/09/04

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and Eastman Kodak Company, Form Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) Group

Defines Picture and Video Storage Parameters to Optimize Future Consumer Use; Input Sought on Version 1.0 Specification

COLOGNE, Germany, September 27 - Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Inc. Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., and Eastman Kodak Company, today announced an agreement to jointly develop a set of open storage standards for the consumer imaging and electronics industries, aimed at the preservation of digital photos and motion images on CDs, DVDs or other media. As information storage technologies advance, the Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) group?s intention is to enable digital file compatibility with future playback devices, preserving the satisfying ?photo experience? that consumers have enjoyed for decades.

The group intends that the new standard will:
- Define the requirements of digital media authoring/archival, playback, and print enablement for a new generation of products and services;
- Provide interoperability for pictures, motion images, audio and related content among such future systems;
- And utilize and unify multiple existing standards, to better meet the consumers desire to easily store, organize, print and share for generations to come.

Lexar Media Press Release 27/09/04

Lexar Revolutionizes Professional Digital Photography Workflow with New ActiveMemory System

COLOGNE, Germany, September 27, 2004 - Lexar Media, Inc. (Nasdaq: LEXR), a leading marketer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media and accessories, today at Photokina (Hall 1.2, Booth-058) introduced the ActiveMemory TM System, a technology designed to optimize digital photography workflow to achieve enhanced productivity in and out of the photo studio. The first products to support the ActiveMemory System are certain Professional CompactFlash TM cards, new Lexar Professional FireWire and USB 2.0 card readers, and Photo Mechanic TM 4.5 professional image browsing software.

At the center of the ActiveMemory System are ActiveMemory-enabled Professional CompactFlash cards that can store user preferences and host device settings in a protected area on the card. These settings can only be modified by the host application that created them and can be used to auto-configure multiple ActiveMemory-enabled products within the system. These settings are preserved even when the card is formatted or other data files on the card are deleted, because the ActiveMemory data is stored outside the standard DOS file structure on the card.

Delkin Devices Inc. Press Release 23/09/04

DELKIN LAUNCHES HIGH CAPACITY 2GB & 4 GB PRO MEMORY CARDS

Delkin Devices Inc., maker of premium quality eFilm memory cards and other innovative products for camera stores worldwide, today announced some major new additions to its high-speed eFilm PRO Card line. The new eFilm CompactFlash (CF) PRO Cards for high-end SLR digital cameras.

High-capacities of 2 & 4 Gigabytes now join the existing PRO Card capacities of 128MB, 256MB, 320MB, 512MB & 1GB.

Delkin PRO cards are Delkin’s premium series of memory cards designed to quench the professional photographer’s thirst for speed. The Delkin eFilm CF PRO Cards are solid-state, and designed to be fast and durable for extensive shooting in the most extreme conditions.

To achieve this standard in quality, Delkin developed an innovative new technology called DQD (patent pending). The eFilm PRO cards are the only product on the market currently with DQD technology. DQD is a design and quality verification process that improves the performance of CF cards and is a Delkin exclusive. Innovative ideas like DQD enable Delkin to offer the best warranty in the business.

Apacer Press Release 23/09/04

Apacer introduces Share Steno CD211 - the world’s first stand-alone 2-way portable USB storage device with USB2.0 OTG and LCD panel

(Taipei) The world’s first two-way portable USB storage device equipped with USB2.0 on-the-go interface, and LCD panel will be available from your local Apacer dealer this September. The Share Steno CD211 is specially designed for travelers, professional photographers, users of USB storage devices, and users who need an external hard drive.

“Users don’t want to worry about the capacity of their digital camera’s memory card when on a trip, especially if they don’t want to carry a laptop computer all the time,” says Lawrence Lo, vice president of Apacer, “the Share Steno CD211 is a stand-alone, two-way portable USB storage device that uses a standard 2.5” hard disk, and allows users to connect directly to a digital camera, MP3 player, flash drive, card reader or other USB devices, and quickly and easily save their pictures, music, or other files.”

According to Lawrence Lo, vice president at Apacer, the Share Steno CD211 allows users to copy data from and to various USB storage devices without connecting to a PC. For example, from the memory card on a digital camera to the Share Steno CD211, or users can transfer music files from the Share Steno CD211 to an MP3 player, as if it was an MP3 library with super capacity!

Jenoptik Press Release 23/09/4

Freedom without compromise.

JENOPTIK Laser, Optik, Systeme GmbH is setting standards in portable digital medium format photography with its new Eyelike eMotion22.

The Eyelike eMotion22 from JENOPTIK is the high quality digital back for untethered and tethered operation.

Fast, high resolution, lightweight and elegant are the key words describing the new Eyelike eMotion22. JENOPTIK presents its latest digital camera back for medium-format and high-end view camera. Fully designed for untethered use, it sets new standards. Low power consumption, a lightweight, yet stable design together with a completely revised housing and board design guarantee images of outstanding quality. They also allow photographers to fully concentrate on their work when taking pictures.

Consequently Mobile
The Eyelike eMotion22 has been specifically designed for portable use.
It features a built-in 2.2 inch display, a lithium-ion battery which is rated for up to 2.5 operating hours, and an internal memory with a maximum storage capacity of 140 images.

The camera back is immediately ready for use without requiring any additional memory cards. For extended memory space, the Eyelike eMotion22 provides an option to save data on type I
and II Compact Flash cards. Storage capacity can thus be increased up to 520 images, without having to rely on a heavy, mechanically susceptible harddrive. The display and all other components have been selected with special focus on low power consumption for superior battery lifetime performance. A secondary benefit of this design package is that camera heating effects are reduced to a minimum level, which allows for noise-free images of highest quality.

ColorVision/Pantone Inc. Press Release 22/09/04

Datacolor and Pantone Debut COLORVISION Spyder2; New Color-Management Technology Provides Unparalleled Accuracy and Ease-of-Use

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. & CARLSTADT, N.J. - (Business Wire) - Sept. 22, 2004 ColorVision, the digital imaging unit of Datacolor, and Pantone Inc., the global authority on color, will unveil COLORVISION(R) Spyder2(TM), the next generation of affordable color-management technology, at the Photokina International Trade Show in Cologne, Germany, on Sept. 28, 2004, and at GRAPH EXPO in Chicago on Oct. 10, 2004.

The Spyder2(TM) colorimeter, the latest addition to the PANTONE COLORVISION product line, delivers a new level of on-screen color accuracy. The sleek, redesigned, dual-phase hardware features precise calibration and highly accurate ICC profiles for CRT, LCD and laptop displays. The new software and graphical user-interface provide ease-of-use previously unavailable in professional-level monitor calibration products.

Based on the research and development work of ColorVision’s physicists, the Spyder2 state-of-the-art optical science and new light detectors deliver a five-fold increase in sensitivity. Additionally, the new filter pack system and patent-protected light baffle further increase the accuracy of on-screen color measurement. Improvements to the calibration software utilize sophisticated gray-balance and tonal-response algorithms to produce superior color images, including exceptionally smooth gradient steps, life-like flesh tones and neutral grays.

GretagMacbeth Press Release 20/09/04

The new ProfileMaker 5 from GretagMacbeth

GretagMacbeth will show new ProfileMaker 5 professional color management solutions for the photographic digital workflow

New vertically focused ProfileMaker 5 packages provide price/performance advantages for color management workflows in prepress-publishing, multicolor packaging-textile printing and studio photography

Regensdorf, Switzerland, September 20th, 2004 - GretagMacbeth, the worldwide technological leader in color measurement and management solutions will show at Photokina ProfileMaker 5 solutions to the photographic industry. In hall 14.1, booth A034 GretagMacbeth will show the latest generation of its comprehensive, high-end color management solutions for professionals in color critical environments. The new ProfileMaker 5 solutions has been introduced to the European market for the first time at Drupa.

ProfileMaker 5 software is now packaged in three, vertically focused solutions - PM5 Publish Pro, PM5 Packaging Pro and PM5 Photostudio Pro - that provide optimal price/performance levels for professionals in prepress-publishing, multicolor packaging-textile printing and studio photography environments. Each solution is designed to provide only the functionality required for each specific workflow, thereby maintaining ease of use. Individual functional modules and additional tools are also available giving users the flexibility to expand their packages as their needs grow.

I’m still using 512Mb compact flash cards and a 20Gb portable storage device , but that hasn’t stopped Samsung from developing an 8GB NAND-type flash memory chip that “will allow designs of up to 16 gigabytes (GB) of storage on a single memory card. That 16GB of memory translates into storage of up to 16 hours of DVD quality video or 4,000 (five minutes per song) MP3 audio files.” God knows how much that will cost!

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: ZDNet UK - Samsung clears the way for 16GB flash disks

Fujifilm UK Press Release 21/09/04

London, UK, September 21, 2004 ? Fuji Photo Film (U.K.) Ltd. is launching the PhotoDisc CD-R ? a high quality recordable optical disc that uses the latest digital technology developed by Fujifilm to provide the optimum conditions for protecting and storing everyday digital photos.

Loss of a memory card or unexpected PC system errors are the risks which overshadow any digital photo collection, and although high street digital photo printing services are becoming more and more popular, increasingly people are neglecting to have their digital pictures developed into prints. The Fujifilm PhotoDisc CD-R provides a secure alternative; 10 times more stable than standard CD-Rs and specially designed for long-term photo archiving, the PhotoDisc CD-R provides optimum image quality for digitally recorded photographs and a lifetime guarantee to that effect. 

Identifiable by its distinctive packaging in the classic Fujifilm green, the PhotoDisc CD-R complements the existing range of digital cameras by offering the reliability and technological excellence you would expect.

To ensure that the PhotoDisc CD-R lasts a lifetime, Fujifilm has developed a black substrate which protects the recording layer from the harmful effects of ultra-violet and solar radiation ? the most common causes of image deterioration. Roger Moore, Strategic Business Manager, at Fuji Photo Film explains: ?Accelerated ageing tests using a Xenon Arc Lamp show that the reflection of the new PhotoDisc CD-R is dramatically more stable than others on the market, which is crucial for the storage of material as irreplaceable as digital photographs.?

With a storage capacity of 700MB, a transfer speed of up to 52x and an attractive retail price, the PhotoDisc CD-Rs are an inexpensive and straightforward way to ensure that your customers? precious images and the memories that go with them are protected.

Casio UK Press Release 21/09/04

CASIO UK is latest company to join the Photo Imaging Council

21st September 2004 CASIO Electronics Co. Ltd (UK) today announced its admission to the Photo Imaging Council. The membership is recognition of CASIO’s credibility as a fully-fledged member of the UK photographic community and as a manufacturer of market leading, innovative photographic products.

CASIO joins companies such as Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Nikon, Pentax and Sony as a member.

Phil Williams, head of UK digital imaging, commented: 2Casio is delighted to have become a member of the Photo Imaging Council. Our membership will allow us to play a part in the development of the photographic industry at what is such an exciting time for photography in the UK.”

As a member of the Photo Imaging Council, CASIO will be ever more aware of the constantly changing business opportunities for photography in the UK. Therefore, the programme of support and information offered by PIC will be invaluable.

Williams continued: “Casio will participate in a range of Photo Imaging Council activities and services to develop and promote the interest of the general public in all aspects of photography and imaging. Our membership will benefit our trade customers and also the end-users of our digital imaging products.”

Kingston Technology Press Release 20/09/04

CompactFlash Product Line Expands to Provide Faster, Higher Capacity Media Storage for Advanced Amateur and Professional Photographers.

Fountain Valley, CA—(September 20, 2004), Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world’s leading independent memory manufacturer, today announced the immediate availability of 2-GB and 4-GB CompactFlash Elite Pro cards featuring the latest in high-density Flash components to optimize performance and storage capabilities.

As technological advancements produce more sophisticated digital devices, demand for higher-performing CompactFlash is continuing to grow. “Expanding our Elite Pro line to include the 2-GB and 4-GB CompactFlash Elite Pro cards is essential to support imaging professionals with the best digital storage for their high-end cameras and devices,” said Mike Kuppinger, digital media product manager, Kingston.

The new 2-GB and 4-GB CompactFlash Elite Pro cards provide a low-price-per-megabyte solution of reliable, high-speed media. With ultra-fast transfer rates, users will enjoy more efficient workflow than ever before. The 2-GB cards work in virtually any digital device. The new 2-GB CF cards work in just about any digital device but advancements in technology may prevent some cameras, MP3 players, PDAs or other digital devices from fully utilizing the 4-GB CF cards.