Pentax and Hoya have today announced plans to merge. After the management integration, the new company will be named HOYA PENTAX HD Corporation. Fumio Urano (current PENTAX President & CEO) will become Chairman of the Board and Hiroshi Suzuki (current HOYA President and CEO) will become President & CEO. The merger of the two companies is planned to become effective as of October 1, 2007.

Pentax Press Release

HOYA and PENTAX Reach Basic Understanding for Management Integration

[TOKYO December 21, 2006] HOYA CORPORATION (“HOYA”) and PENTAX Corporation (“PENTAX”) announced today that they have reached a basic understanding aimed at a management integration of the two companies, expected to be completed on October 1, 2007. The new company’s name will be HOYA PENTAX HD Corporation. Under a corporate center with strategic planning functions, the new company will realign the business areas of HOYA and PENTAX. HOYA and PENTAX have recognized that they are the best possible business partners to establish a solid business structure that draws on their respective strengths. Through this management integration, the planned new structure will allow the new company to swiftly allocate significant management resources to develop strategic business areas, aiming at accelerating future growth.

The Jenoptik Group Press Release

51 percent of the shares in Sinar remain with Jenoptik.

Jena, 13. December 2006 - The Jenoptik Group rescinds the sale of its 51 percent of the shares in Sinar AG to Leica Camera AG. The sale of the Sinar shares to Leica Camera AG had been agreed and published at short notice at Photokina in Cologne at the end of September 2006. The transfer of the shares to Leica Camera AG was subject to contractual conditions which have not been fully completed to date. By rescinding from the contract, Jenoptik intends to avert damage from Sinar AG due to unclear ownership structures. Jenoptik reserves the right to assert against Leica Camera AG claims for damage resulting from the failed sale. At present, other business relations between Jenoptik and Leica Camera AG are not effected by today’s decisions.

Tabblo Press Release

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—A significant percentage of Americans have turned into shutterbugs according to an Internet survey conducted by Tabblo this month. Fully 11 percent of respondents indicated they have more than 10,000 digital photos. The largest group of survey respondents (27 percent) has between 1,001 and 5,000 digital photos. If this data is extrapolated to the general public, it translates into Americans having almost 500 billion digital photos. Additionally, when asked how they were going to photograph the holiday and New Year’s parties they planned to attend, point and shoot cameras remain the preferred choice, with 55 percent of survey respondents indicating they planned to use them. Digital SLRs were a popular second choice, with 37 percent of respondents indicating they planned to use them to capture holiday memories. Despite the dramatic growth in the number of camera phones, only 3 percent of respondents indicated they planned to use them to take pictures at upcoming parties.

Society for Imaging Science & Technology Press Release

Springfield, Va., December 6, 2006 — Las Vegas is the venue for the first International Symposium on Technologies for Digital Fulfillment, sponsored by the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (www.imaging.org). An evolution of the highly-acclaimed biennial
International Symposia on Photofinishing Technology, the 2007 conference will be held March 3-5, 2007—just prior to PMA2007—at the Westin Casuarina Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the industry undergoes an epic transformation, this technical conference (the only one offered in conjunction with PMA/DIMA) will address issues associated with generating photos from capture devices—such as camera phones, digital still cameras, and conventional color negative film—to image processing and various modes and methods of output. The conference features 26 talks, two of which will include working demonstrations of the new technology advances being described.

Jessops, the UK’s biggest photography retailer, has predicted a rather cautious outlook for itself, against a backdrop of falling digital camera prices and flat in-store sales. The average price of a digital camera has fallen to £161 in the last year, whilst 60% of UK households already own a digicam, making it more difficult to sell ever-cheaper cameras. Jessops did increase it’s market share to 18.7%, mainly thanks to massive growth in its online business. In line with the rest of the market, Jessops sees SLR cameras as the future, with sales growing by 60% in the last year.

Website: Citywire - Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX50 Review

Colour Confidence Press Release

Birmingham, UK, 28th November 2006 - Colour Confidence, the leading independent colour management specialist, has today announced details of its presence at Nikon Solutions Expo. Visitors to Colour Confidence’s stand (22) will be able to see the widest range of colour management solutions available, with products from all the leading manufacturers including ColorVision, GretagMacbeth, Pantone and X-Rite as well as a selection of Colour Confidence’s own innovative solutions. Additionally, Colour Confidence will be partnering with LaCie at the show, showcasing the updated 300 series monitors and a selection of their popular storage drives. This all takes place on the 5th and 6th of December at the Olympia conference centre, London.

Nikon UK Press Release

Solutions Expo - 5th and 6th December 2006, Olympia Conference Centre, London

Nikon UK is pleased to announce its two day conference-led professional photographic show which is specifically designed to demonstrate all aspects of photography to the professional photographer. Now in its second year, the show will be bustling with a whole host of industry experts who will be showcasing their latest innovative technologies and techniques to help visitors develop their skills. Various seminars and interactive demonstrations will cover a range of topics over the two day event from shooting the perfect portrait to devising complete workflow solutions. Nikon will have its full professional product range on display including the recently announced D2xs professional camera and the sophisticated Creative Lighting System. Thanks to a live wireless network visitors will be able to send their images directly to the printing station ready to be scrutinised within seconds.

Syntax-Brillian Corporation Press Release

Acquisition Will Create New Opportunities for TV Maker in Digital Photography and Imaging, Optics and Enhanced International Distribution

TEMPE, Ariz.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Syntax-Brillian Corporation (Nasdaq:BRLC), a manufacturer and marketer of LCD and LCoS™ HDTVs and digital entertainment products, today announced that it has agreed to acquire Vivitar Corporation, an Oxnard, Calif.-based leader in the design, development and marketing of photographic, optical, electronic and digital imaging products, for $26 million in stock. The acquisition will give Syntax-Brillian full ownership over all Vivitar assets and creates for the TV maker an entrée into digital photography and Vivitar’s established global retail and distribution channels. This union will capitalize on key synergies between Syntax-Brillian’s leadership in LCD and digital imaging technology and Vivitar’s legacy of technological innovation in photography and optics. Vivitar will be operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Syntax-Brillian.

ILFORD Press Release

As the 10 million dollar investment programme in the ILFORD Swiss manufacturing site reaches its final stages, ILFORD looks back over an eventful year and towards a rosy future.

Marly, Switzerland, 30 October, 2006 – the future of ILFORD, a major player in the development and manufacture of photo quality media for inkjet printing and photographic processes, has never looked better. Following the overwhelming success at this year’s Photokina and the launch of several exciting new inkjet products, ILFORD is now in the final stages of part one of its expansion programme currently underway in Switzerland. Part two of the investment programme will begin in early 2007.

DxO Labs Press Release

DxO Image Masters Hank Gans and NyghtFalcon to discuss photography and workflow at the DxO Labs’ booth

New York, NY, Photo Plus Expo 2006, Booth 1342 (October 27, 2006) – DxO Labs will welcome DxO Image Masters Hank Gans and NyghtFalcon Photography at their booth during PhotoPlus Expo 2006 next week. The DxO Image Masters program showcases the work of internationally recognized professional photographers working in a diverse range of photographic styles and subjects. Hank Gans is widely recognized for his color landscapes and his work is featured in galleries and private collections around the world. NyghtFalcon Photography, a photo partnership, focuses on fine commercial photography (the intersection between fine art and very high end commercial photography). Their signature style includes an unusual sense of composition, strong shadows, rich colors, detailed texture and intense emotion.

CEA / Yahoo! Press Release

Arlington, Virginia 10/23/2006 - Seventy-seven percent of consumer electronics (CE) purchases were influenced by Internet research according to the joint Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) and Yahoo! study Understanding How Consumers Use the Internet to Research and Shop for CE Products. The study, conducted by Hall and Partners, explored the path to purchase for five CE products: cell phones, computers, digital cameras, digital music players and televisions, and found that online research time directly correlated to product price. As the price of a product increased so did the amount of time a consumer spent researching that product. The least amount of time spent researching was on cell phones at nine hours and the most times spent researching was 15 hours on televisions. For those who purchased, the average amount of time spent researching online was 12 hours.

O’Reilly Press Release

Sebastopol, CA—Nothing brings us more gratification than introducing our digital photography expert authors and their books to the public. That’s why we’re excited about heading to the Big Apple early next month with four of our favorite digital photography authors. We’re joining the crowd of 25,000 folks attending PhotoPlus Expo 2006. This exciting educational conference—the largest and most comprehensive—opens at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center on Nov. 2. Teaching at PhotoPlus are four O’Reilly authors—Stephen Johnson, Peter Krogh, Julieanne Kost, and Eddie Tapp—all leading digital photographers. Their seminar topics range from a discussion of large format fine art printing to professional portrait retouching techniques. And throughout the three-day conference, these authors plan to stop by the O’Reilly booth (#1312) to answer questions and autograph books.

Ilford Photo Press Release

Following recent news of ILFORD Photo/HARMAN technology’s formation of a subsidiary company in the USA to handle technical support across North America, the company has now issued details of a global technical services network. Heading up Worldwide Technical Services is USA-based Rod Parsons who has been responsible for technical support in North America for the past 18 years. Parsons was previously manager of Worldwide Technical and Equipment Services for the previous ILFORD Imaging Group, and technical services manager for black-and-white paper at the company’s manufacturing plant in Mobberley, UK. Given which, he brings a wide range of knowledge and experience to the position.

X-Rite Press Release

Akron, Ohio—October 9, 2006 - X-Rite, Incorporated (NASDAQ:XRIT)(SWX: XRI) will offer a seminar this November through February 2007 designed to help creative directors, designers, photographers and production managers unleash the power of their color.  “Color Without Limits” will be presented in 20 major US and Canadian cities with support from HP, Apple, Adobe, Quark, Popular Photography & Imaging Magazine, Wasatch and PaperSpecs. “The technologies being used now to create, edit and print are color management ready,” said Eric Harsh, VP of X-Rite Color Services.  “But for those who don’t understand how their applications and hardware handle color, workflow is going to be all work and no flow.”

Colour Confidence Press Release

Photokina Cologne, Germany, 26th September, 2006 - Colour Confidence, the leading independent colour management specialists, have today announced details of their newly revamped dealer programmes. Designed to expand the uptake of colour management solutions across Europe, the overall structure includes the new ‘ColorStore’ programme, an update to the Confident Reseller programme and details of the new Affiliate programme. To find out more visit Colour Confidence at Hall 4.1 Stand D-051 throughout Photokina, or alternatively go to www.colourconfidence.com/partners . “When we reviewed the European market for colour management solutions, it was either difficult to find companies selling products at all, or we identified dealers offering products only from a single manufacturer – leading to a lack of choice for end-users and often people being offered the wrong solutions, ” commented Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director Colour Confidence. “We will address this by creating a network of ‘ColorStores’ where customers can see a range of products and make an informed decision – all over Europe.”

Lexar Press Release

Recent Acquisition by Micron Further Strengthens the Company’s Ability to Develop and Deliver Sought-After Flash Memory Cards and USB Flash Drives to Customers Worldwide

Fremont, Calif., Sept. 18, 2006 – Lexar, a leader in advanced digital media and accessories, is celebrating its 10th anniversary of developing and delivering market-leading flash memory cards for the digital photography, consumer electronics, industrial and communications markets. Originally established in 1996, and recently acquired by Micron Technology, Inc., Lexar has developed revolutionary new technologies and marketed innovative products that have directly contributed to dramatic and sustained growth in the professional and consumer digital imaging markets. Lexar’s 10th anniversary will be one of many topics highlighted in the company’s booth (#C066/D069) at the upcoming Photokina show in Cologne, Germany.

Blue Pixel Press Release

Annapolis, MD – September 19, 2006 – Blue Pixel and The Associated Press (AP) today announced that Blue Pixel will train more than 200 AP staff photographers and editors in digital photography workflow and image processing. Beginning in September, Blue Pixel will teach the AP staff photographers and editors about the technical aspects of capturing, managing and delivering AP images. Hosted by a Blue Pixel professional photographer, the two full-day classroom sessions will include technologies that address the digital imaging trends of today and look ahead to what is coming in the future.

Canon Europe Press Release

LONDON, September 14, 2006 – Canon Europe, world-leader in imaging and information technology solutions, has recruited the talents of 100 of the world’s most influential style icons to reveal an insider’s perspective on the international fashion scene. The resulting photographic collection entitled The Other Side of Fashion will be launched across Europe in September at a glittering celebrity-led event in London and will be made available through a glossy magazine and public exhibitions across Europe. All proceeds from the sales of the magazine and charity auctions of the prints will go to Red Cross youth projects across Europe.

Photokina Press Release

Around 1,600 suppliers from 50 countries - 160,000 visitors from 140 countries expected in Cologne - Apple and CeWe Color to participate for the first time - Many companies from the CE, IT and telecommunications industries to enlarge their trade fair presentations - First photokina in the restructured Cologne exhibition center

Imaging is more - photokina is more: Starting on September 26, 2006, photokina will once again be setting the standard as the global information and communication platform of the imaging sector, with the latest techniques, products, applications and services. It is the wide range of products on show, which cover the entire scope of the complex imaging market that makes photokina unique. At the same time, the leading trade fair is presenting itself in a new light: The modified concept of the “new photokina” and the premiere in the new Cologne exhibition center ensure that even regular visitors to the show are eagerly awaiting this year’s event.

Nikon UK Press Release

Clothes Show Live and Nikon join forces for Young Fashion Photographer of the Year award

Thursday August 17, 2006 - Clothes Show Live 2006 has increased its support for young creative talent by introducing a Young Fashion Photographer of the Year Competition, in association with Nikon, as part of its renowned Educational Bursary scheme.  The award is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to celebrate up and coming British talent within the world of fashion photography. The competition invites 16-25 year olds from across the UK to create a picture that encapsulates the world of fashion photography. The brief requires budding photographers to use their imagination and photographic skills to create and shoot an image that sums up exotic locations, foreign travel and glamorous people. However entrants do not need to travel to far flung destinations – utilising everyday scenarios, e.g. in your front garden or the local park, is just as effective. Entrants must also complete an application form explaining what influenced their design and include with their photograph any preliminary sketches or designs.