ExpoDisc Inc. Press Release 08/07/04

The ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter Provides An Easy, Inexpensive Way To Set White Balance for Photographers and Videographers

MORGAN HILL, CA, July 8, 2004 - ExpoDisc Inc., the pioneer in diffusion filters that allow photographers to fine-tune color balance and get accurate exposures without meters, gray cards or white cards, today announced the ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter.  The new ExpoDisc filter is designed for professional photographers and videographers, and serious amateurs alike.

The ExpoDisc Digital WB Filter is, in effect, a gray card in a lens cap, without all the hassles and inconsistencies of a gray card.  It lets you read and set white balance before shooting, thus eliminating the need for post-capture color adjustments.  The ExpoDisc filter works with film, digital cameras and digital video, and is available in six standard sizes from 58mm to 82 mm.  Prices range from $79.95 to $159.95. 

Just to prove that PhotographyBLOG isn’t entirely a website about digital cameras, here’s a link to a camera made from a paint can. Yes, you read that correctly, a paint can. Brought to you by Lomography.com, the Paint Can is a pinhole camera, the simplest of photographic devices. Available now for £43.27 / $65 / 65.00 EUR.

“An unbelievably simple tool to literally “paint” your photographic masterpiece. Hand-crafted out of a US-quart paint can, this pinhole camera creates dazzling images on massive large format sheet film with its natural roundness imparting a maniacal barrel distortion. Uses large format film for mind-blowing enlargements. Set includes Can Cam, nylon film changing bag, and 25 pcs of Forte black and white sheet film.

Website: Lomography.com - Paint Can Camera Set

Also new from Australian photographer Jeremy Daalder is a step-by-step guide to building your very own lightbox.

“There are of course lots of light boxes to be bought if you’ve got cash burning a hole in your pocket. The best models have wonderfully even light, are about 3 inches thick and cost about as much as your first car. Locally made alternatives exist but are still in the region of at least $300 for an A2 sized model (about 70 by 50 cm).

However, light boxes are pretty simple things in the end, so why not build it yourself? You can make it exactly the right size to cover your table or suit your purposes - or add some legs and it can even be the table! You can build your own quality light box for half the price or even less, and in just a couple of hours. And there is always something nice about building your own tools.”

Website: Jeremy Daalder - Building Your Own Light Box

We all know what the digital revolution is doing to film photography. A hidden side-effect is the loss of social interaction between photographers as traditional darkrooms, once a common meeting place, start to close their doors. Will this have a detrimental effect on photography, as we all sit at home/in our offices, working on our own images but never seeing other photographer’s work? (found via Digital Photography Blog

“The communal print-washing pans and the color-printing setup at Latent Image “made it possible for you to see other people’s work,” Ms. Burstein said. “You could be fabulously inspired by it, or feel jealous when someone else printed very beautifully.”

Website: The New York Times - In a Digital Era, the Darkroom Is Fading as a Photographic Hub

Lastolite Press Release 09/06/04

Lastolite Launches New 6’ by 7’ Collapsible Background With Detachable Train.

Following popular demand Lastolite has introduced a new collapsible background to their award-winning range of photographic accessories. Fully collapsible and with a choice of two detachable trains this new design is a revolutionary development in portable background solutions.

Versatile enough to fulfil a range of photographic needs, the two trains (white/black) cover the entire area of the 6’ x 7’ (1.8 x 2.1m) collapsible extending out a further 5ft from the base. Once attached, via Velcro fastenings, the train falls into place easily and the specially designed crease-resistant woven material eliminates the need for time-consuming steam ironing. The train material is also suitable for machine washing, making it much easier to maintain the appearance of this new generation collapsible.

Imaging Resource are reporting that Pentax are planning to reduce the manufacture of their 35mm film compact and SLR cameras and focus on digital instead. They will continue production of professional medium-format film cameras. This breaking news was originally posted on the news page of Pentar Corp., the official Russian distributor of Pentax products.

What do you think? Are Pentax making the right move by switching their attention to digital, especially when the likes of Canon and Nikon have made no such announcements (yet)?

Website: Imaging Resource - Pentax plans to focus on digital

Not satisfied with the detail from your 35mm film SLR, digital camera or even your large-format camera? Then you may be interested in the R1, a 110-pound, 6-foot film camera that produces what experts say are some of the highest-resolution landscape photographs ever made.

“Details of the mountain’s snowcapped peak - 7 miles from the camera - are in sharp focus, as are individual blades of grass only 30 meters away. When sections of the image are magnified nearly four times, other details are clearly visible: the shingles on a barn 1,200 meters from the camera, a red bird in the grass 45 meters away.”

Thanks to Sanj (again) for the link.

Website: Yahoo News - Photographer Makes High-Resolution Camera

Kodak Press Release 21/05/04

Digital and Analogue KODAK products win awards from European photography magazines

Kodak wins TIPA awards for Best Films and Best Digital Photo Printers

May 2004 - The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), a non-profit making organisation, with 30 active members, representing photography magazines in 12 countries in Europe, recently selected three Kodak products as winners of TIPA Awards. The prize-winning products are a Digital Photo Printer and two Black-and-White films. A panel of TIPA members judged these products as the best in their respective categories.

This year, Kodak is introducing a large number of new digital and film products and services that will enable people to enjoy a richer photographic experience regardless of the medium they use. Ranging from new digital cameras and professional films to kiosks and dye-sublimation printers, the latest Kodak products will expand the ability of consumers to use and enjoy photography at home, online, at retail or in the photo lab.

ePhotoZine have reported that Olympus are giving their immensely popular Mju II film compact camera a makeover. The new Mju II Style package will include a fashionable metallic-coloured neck strap, chic transparent box and a remote control.

Website: ePhotoZine - Olympus Mju II Style takes film photography into the 21st century

Leica Press Release 30/04/04

Exclusive offer at Amazon.de: Auction of unique black LEICA D-LUX model by Leica Camera AG and Bryan Adams

From May 17th to 25th, 2004, Leica Camera AG Solms will be auctioning a one-off model of the LEICA D-LUX with a unique range of accessories at Amazon.de. The world-famous artist and Leica photographer Bryan Adams has agreed to support this project. Besides a hand-signed self-portrait the singer photographed of himself with the LEICA D-LUX, the package also contains a photo of him and the black LEICA D-LUX. Both photos are framed in mounts that
were exclusively designed for this special offer.

The 25th April was the 4th annual Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. You can now visit the online gallery, where you will discover 540 images realized by as many different pinhole photographers from 33 countries. All the photographs in this extraordinary collection share two common characteristics; they are lensless photographs and they were made on April 25, 2004.

Website: Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

It’s a refreshing change to link to a review of a film camera :-) ePhotoZine have just tested the Hasselblad XPan II, a 35mm film camera that shoots 21 extended 24X65mm “panoramic” frames on a 36 exposure roll of film.

“Having been a full digital convert for the last few years I thoroughly enjoyed a film revisit, especially on a camera as unique as this. It’s heavy in the hand for the size, which is something missing from the latest plastic digital cameras. It’s also slower so an “every shot has to count” approach is refreshing to return to. The shutter sounds good, the operation is quiet compared with an SLR and the focusing is smooth. Picture quality is razor sharp with no distortion or darkening at the edges.”

Website: ePhotoZine - Hasselblad XPan II Review

Lastolite Press Release 20/04/04

The Ezybox - the world’s first compact, portable softbox

Softbox lighting often makes the difference between an ordinary shot and an outstanding one, but up until now softboxes have generally been relegated to the studio due to their bulkiness and complicated assembly requirements. After years of development to find the answer to softbox portability, Lastolite have used their expertise in collapsible lighting solutions to create the Ezybox, a fully collapsible softbox without rods.

Offering an ideal combination of durability, portability, light quality and control, the Lastolite Ezybox has revolutionized the location photographer?s kitbag forever. Easy to set up and folding down to a third of its size, the secret of the Lastolite Ezybox is in its unique design. Four collapsible panels are stitched together to form a box, which pops up in seconds. A separate diffuser is attached via velcro, then a unique ‘speedring’ adapter attaches in seconds with no screws or fasteners of any type. For further reduction of the light output an optional additional diffuser is available.

The Czech website FotoAparat.cz have just reviewed the new Konica Minolta Dynax 60 film SLR (notice that I said film, not digital!).

Website: FotoAparat.cz - Konica Minolta Dynax 60 Review

HP Press Release 10/04/04

HP today launches one of the most ambitious public archiving projects of recent times which with the public’s help, could bring to light hidden gems in Britain’s rich cultural and social history. 

The company is encouraging people to dust off their old photo albums and submit their most striking images of social and cultural value so that schools, researchers, the media and members of the public can use them as a useful resource.  To participate in the HP National Photo Album, people should follow the simple instructions on www.nationalphotoalbum.co.uk* or send their submissions by post**.

HP believes the project will not only make it easy for people to digitise, store and share their photographic inheritance but in time will be a unique resource that shows Britain through the eyes of the people that lived and breathed this and the last century. 

“This is the first digital national album to be comprised solely of photographs from personal collections and we are inviting everyone to be part of it”, said Peter Urey, marketing and category manager for HP’s Imaging and Printing Group. “The most positive outcome will be an archive that brings to life monumentally historic events and illustrates the massive socio-cultural change we’ve witnessed since photography was invented.”
 
“We know the average household contains around 1,500 non-digital photographs, making roughly 24 billion images of potential interest. Of course, most of them would be of no interest to a public archive, but we are convinced that lurking in the nation’s attics and lofts are thousands of images that have real social and cultural value.”

JP Distribution Press Release 07/04/04

Johnsons Photopia and Lastolite agree exclusive 2 year contract for UK Photo Market.

JP Distribution, a leading Photographic Industry distributor, is pleased to announce that they have signed an exclusive 2-year contract with Lastolite Limited for the supply of the complete Lastolite product range into the Photographic Channel.

“The entire team at JP Distribution is thrilled at the recent signing of our new two year exclusive contract with Lastolite following our first successful year as partners” commented Steve Kirkham, Managing Director. He went on: “JP Distribution is proud to be associated with the Lastolite brand, which is renowned for continually developing innovative products for the Imaging Industry. Lastolite is a perfect fit for JP Distribution alongside our other leading brand products of Mamiya, Peli and Schneider. The diversity, desirability and ?must have? nature of the Lastolite product range coupled with the knowledge and expertise of JP Distribution can only lead to further success for our partnership.”

Kodak Press Release 16/03/04

Those Using Both Cite Ability to Be More Creative, Offer Greater Variety of Images

ROCHESTER, March 16—While photographers are continuing to look to digital technology to capture at least some of their images, a majority - 52 percent - continue to shoot images only with film, an Internet-based survey conducted by Eastman Kodak Company finds.

Forty-three percent of the survey’s respondents use both film and digital and only five percent use just digital. Indeed, within five years, the percentage of photographers who capture images both with film and digital will climb to 67 percent, the study indicates.

The pulse poll - distributed in the U.S. to photographers in the portrait/wedding, commercial, government and advanced-amateur segments - sought to measure trends concerning importance of film among a sizeable group of photographers. A total of 1,856 photographers replied to the 12-question survey.

Sigma Press Release 16/03/04

Fully automatic flash photography and easy-to -use operation.

ELECTRONIC FLASH EF-500 DG ST

New Electronic Flash EF-500 DG ST is designed to work with both AF 35mm SLR and Digital SLR Pentax cameras It has a maximum guide number of 50 at 105mm focal length (ISO 100/m) / 165/ft (ISO100/ft). Projection angle of the flashlight is set automatically to match the lens’ focal length ranging from 28mm wide-angle to 105mm medium-telephoto. It incorporates a wide panel that expands the angle of illumination down to 17mm focal length. It enables full automatic flash photography by TTL automatic flash exposure control it is compatible with P-TTL flash photography of *ist D cameras. For bounce flash it can be tilted 90degree upwards and 7degree downward for close-ups. Also, it can be swiveled 180degree to the left and 90degree to the right. In addition manual flash can be set to full and 1/16 output levels in 2 steps.

Covering focal length of the flashlight can be seen on the LED panel and the flash ready signal can be seen in the viewfinder. EF-500 DG ST incorporates auto power off system.

Sigma Press Release 16/03/04

Advanced flash photography for digital and 35mm SLR Pentax Cameras(2004.3.16)

ELECTRONIC FLASH EF-500 DG SUPER

New Electronic Flash EF-500 DG SUPER is designed to work with both AF 35mm SLR and Digital SLR Pentax cameras. It has a maximum guide number of 50/m at the 105mm focal length setting (ISO 100) / 165/ft (ISO100). The projection angle of the flashlight is set automatically to match the lens? focal length ranging from 28mm wide-angle to 105mm medium-telephoto. It also incorporates a wide panel that covers angle of view down to 17mm focal length. It enables full automatic flash photography by TTL automatic flash exposure control and it is compatible with P-TTL flash photography of *ist D cameras. For bounce flash it can be tilted 90degree upwards and 7degree downward for close-ups. Also it can be swiveled 180degree to the left and 90? to the right. It incorporates “modeling flash” mode to provide proper light distribution to check the shadow of the subject. The multi pulse flash features enable reduced power setting from 1/4 to 1/64 in 4 steps and the pulse frequency of the flash can be set from 1Hz to 100Hz. EF-500 DG SUPER incorporates wireless TTL flash photography, slave flash photography, and FP flash photography (synchronized with high shutter speed). In addition, manual flash also can be set at 8 output power levels. The covering focal length of the flashlight can be seen on the LCD panel, and flash ready signal can be seen in the viewfinder. The EF-500 DG SUPER also incorporates auto power off system.

Kodak Press Release 04/03/04

FOCUS ON IMAGING, 22nd February 2004 - Kodak is introducing a new KODAK PROFESSIONAL BW400CN film, as well as an improved KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 film, further bolstering its industry-renowned portfolio of professional films.  These new films are designed for commercial, wedding/portrait and advanced amateur photographers. “The introduction of these films reinforces Kodak’s commitment to provide film alternatives that continue to meet the creative, business and workflow needs of professional and amateur photographers,” said Myriam Quinones, Product Manager Kodak Professional film. “In today’s image-intensive world, photographers have unique needs.  These new films are designed around what they want - intense colour, beautiful skin tones, fine grain for scanning to digital files and/or black-and-white film that can process as easy as colour negative film.”