Mamiya lives on under the guise of Mamiya Digital Imaging, and will be exhibiting new products at Photokina.

Johnsons Photopia Press Release

Johnsons Photopia are pleased to announce that transfer of the Mamiya Optical Equipment Division was approved in the general meeting of shareholders on 29th June 2006. The new company will now be known as the Mamiya Digital Imaging Co. Ltd and operation of the new company will start on 1st September 2006 in new premises in the Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Ueno Park Building, Tokyo. The company also announced that Mr. Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi will be the new company President.

FotoNation Press Release

Panel Features Digital Imaging Experts Eran Steinberg, Elmo Sapwater, & John Henshall

August 1, 2006, Cologne, Germany –  The Panel, “A Call to Simplify Image Capture/Print Workflow” will be presented at this year’s Photokina in Cologne, Germany, as part of the “Imaging with Mobile Devices” full day seminar.  The panel features three digital imaging experts:  Eran Steinberg, CEO of FotoNation; Elmo Sapwater, Columnist and Moderator; and John Henshall, Columnist, Columnist www.ChipShopOnline.com and “The Photographer” magazine (UK), who will discuss ways to effectively simplify and standardize mobile devices for ease of use in imaging.  The trio will debate intelligent workflow solutions that will remove obstacles, making image printing as easy as making a phone call.

Datacolor Press Release

Datacolor today announces it that it is showing its ColorVision Digital Imaging product range at photokina 2006 in Hall 4.1 Stand D11/E19. The ColorVision Digital Imaging product range is a must-have for anyone with a passion for photography and colour control in the digital workflow. Centre-stage at Photokina will be PrintFIX PRO Suite, winner of the TIPA award for ‘Best Colour Management System in Europe 2006.’ Professional designers will be on hand at three stations explaining the colour challenges of shooting, post-production and print. Visitors will be able to follow all the ins and outs of the colour workflow live on screen and see how PrintFIX PRO Suite calibrates systems to one another simply and effectively.

SanDisk Press Release

MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA and KFAR SABA, ISRAEL July 30, 2006 SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) and msystems™ Ltd. (NASDAQ: FLSH) today entered into definitive agreements for SanDisk to acquire msystems in an all stock transaction. This combination joins together two flash memory pioneers with complementary products, customers and channels. Together the combined company will have the people, technology, manufacturing and IP to play a leading role in creating new markets and accelerating the penetration of flash memory into existing storage applications.

Subscribers to Tim Grey’s Digital Darkroom Questions e-mail list will have learnt today that Microsoft is set to introduce a brand new colour space in the Windows Vista OS. Called scRGB, it will extend the existing sRGB space and offer a larger gamut and larger dynamic range. Tim Grey comments that “It was specifically designed to provide benefits to high-end users such as graphic arts, professional digital photography, computer games, and more.”. Here’s an extract from the official specification:

“The IEC 61966-2-2 (scRGB) color space is designed to complement current color management strategies—such as International Color Consortium (ICC), CMYK, and sRGB—by enabling a method of handling color in the operating systems, device drivers and the Internet that utilizes a simple and robust equipment independent color definition. This will provide good quality, large color gamut, and large bit precision and extended tonal range. Based on IEC 61966-2-1 (sRGB), this color space is well suited for graphics arts RGB workflows, professional digital photography, computer gamuts and computer graphics.”

This new announcement follows hard on the heels of the Windows Media Photo Format that was unveiled recently.

Adobe UK Press Release

1,800 College Students from 24 Countries Competed in Sixth Annual Awards Program

London. — July 24, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the winners of the sixth annual Adobe Design Achievement Awards, the premier student design competition that honours the world’s most talented student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers and computer artists from the top design, film and broadcast institutions. Using the latest Adobe products, more than 1,800 students from 24 countries competed in the annual program. “Honouring the top students in the creative arts is part of Adobe’s ongoing commitment to design and film education, and to the creative professional market,” said Melissa Dyrdahl, senior vice president of corporate marketing and communications at Adobe. “Winning an Adobe Design Achievement Award is just the beginning for these students; winners have the opportunity to gain exposure to the creative community, jumpstart their careers in the creative arts, and showcase their talents at industry events such as Sundance, Cannes and the ZeroOne Festival.”

Canon UK Press Release

Canon, a leader in photographic and imaging technology is pleased to announce the launch of EOS Discovery – a series of free shows aimed at photography enthusiasts. The series is designed to inspire participants about photography and develop their knowledge of the EOS SLR camera system. The shows will take place at London’s Business Design Centre in Islington. Participants can choose between sessions on Thursday 3 August at 6.00–8.00pm, and on Saturday 5 August at 9.00am–12.00pm or 2.00–5.00pm.

Fujifilm Press Release

July 12, 2006 - Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Shigetaka Komori; hereinafter Fujifilm) has introduced its new corporate brand logo. Fujifilm will take on a new holding company structure starting on October 1, launching FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, which will provide strategic management of the entire group, including the two major operating companies: FUJIFILM Corporation and Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Fujifilm is taking this opportunity to change the corporate brand logo for FUJIFILM Corporation, an operating company which will take on the current business of Fujifilm. The logo will be adopted on October 1.

Orange Press Release

LONDON, July 12/PRNewswire/—Looking through photo albums makes you happier than chocolate, music, TV or even your favourite tipple, according to research revealed today by Orange. The results show that the mood of those viewing photographs was consistently lifted by 11% during mood measuring tests whilst the groups who tried to eat, listen, watch, or drink their way to happiness registered a mere 1% increase. The study, carried out for Orange by Peter Naish, Doctor of Psychology at The Open University compared the moods of people using four typical cheer-up treats with those browsing their favourite snaps. The tests demonstrate that looking through personal photo albums produces an improvement across all measurements including a person’s sense of relaxation, brightness, calmness and alertness and even their sense of being valued and popular - resulting in a higher happiness score overall.

Nikon UK Press Release

Nikon is pleased to sponsor Cover Story: The History of The Sunday Times Magazine Cover 6th September – 1st October 2006

Wednesday July 12, 2006 - Since its launch 44 years ago, The Sunday Times Magazine has consistently showcased the cream of international photojournalism and illustration. Selected from over 2,000 editions, Cover Story at Proud Camden will exhibit the covers that shocked, awed and entertained generations of readers. The Sunday Times Magazine has commissioned many of the most important photojournalists, from Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa and Eve Arnold to Don McCullin, Tom Stoddart and Terry O’Neill, and has repeatedly nurtured young talent, helping to influence the careers of David Bailey, Brian Duffy, Terence Donovan, Alan Parker, David Puttnam and Ridley Scott. These are just some of the names who have contributed to the peerless archive of classic cover images that appear in Cover Story. The exhibition at Proud features a series of celebrated Sunday Times Magazine covers, and embraces a range of visual styles, from Alan Aldridge’s classic Automania, the 1965 illustration of a Mini Cooper contrasting the lifestyles of boy racer and suburban housewife, to Don McCullin’s 1968 photo essay that revealed, effectively for the first time in the western press, the doubt faced by US troops over the legitimacy of war in Vietnam.

First announced back in January 2006, X-Rite has now completed its acquistion of Gretag Macbeth’s parent company, Amazys Holding AG, creating a new company called X-Rite, Incorporated.

X-Rite Press Release

Creates Global Leader in the Color Industry - Will Utilize Color Science and Technology Knowledge to Increase Value for All Stakeholders and Expand Global Color Market Through Innovation

Grandville, Mich., July 5, 2006 – X-Rite, Incorporated (Nasdaq: XRIT), a global leader offering color measurement technology solutions, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Amazys Holding AG for a purchase price of CHF 77 per share plus 2.11 shares of X-Rite, Incorporated stock for each Amazys share. The total purchase price on the settlement date of July 5, 2006 was approximately $280 million. The acquisition was financed through a combination of cash, debt and X-Rite stock. Amazys develops, markets and supports hardware, software and services to measure and communicate color under the GretagMacbeth brand. The combined company will be called X-Rite, Incorporated.

Nikon UK Press Release

Wednesday July 5, 2006 - Nikon is pleased to support a photographic documentary of the 2005 LIVE8 event in London’s Hyde Park captured by Mike McCartney. The book has been produced to celebrate the LIVE8 event, one year on, with the objective of raising further funds for the “Make Poverty History” campaign. All the images used within the book were taken on a Nikon COOLPIX 4500 camera, rather than a whole host of professional products, to enable Mike to take an informal diary of the day’s events. Only 1,500 special limited edition copies of Live8 will be published, with profits going directly to the Live Aid Trust.

Canon UK Press Release

Canon has been named most trusted brand for cameras for the sixth consecutive year in the Reader’s Digest European Trusted Brands Survey 2006, one of the broadest pan-European surveys of consumer attitudes towards brands. Reader’s Digest, the world’s best-selling monthly magazine, asked over 25,000 of its readers in 14 European countries to nominate the brand they trusted most in a range of consumer categories, including cameras. Over 317,000 votes were cast across the product categories with over 112,000 different brands nominated. Canon was one of only five brands that were nominated as ‘most trusted’ in 10 or more countries. In addition, in every country respondents gave Canon a higher than average score for quality, a factor that is significant as the most important criteria for trust across the 14 countries was ‘high quality’.

Digital Railroad/APA Press Release

Alliance will provide new programs and services to increase market opportunities for advertising and commercial photographers

New York, NY and White Plains, NY -  June 27, 2006 - Digital Railroad, Inc., and the Advertising Photographers of America (APA) today announced they have partnered to provide new programs and services that will increase market opportunities for APA membership. The APA is the leading national organization run by and for professional photographers, focused on providing support and tools essential to creative achievement and business success. Digital Railroad is the recognized technology leader in enabling professional photographers to successfully manage, market, and sell their photography online.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Fujifilm today announces that it has appointed Hayley Buery as its new UK Public Relations Manager.  She will have responsibility for the implementation and management of consumer, trade and corporate PR for Fujifilm UK. Hayley joins Fujifilm from Canon (UK) where she held the position of Senior Public Relations Executive for Canon Consumer Imaging, responsible for the company’s range of consumer products, including cameras, camcorders and desktop printers.  During this time, she also took a brief secondment at Canon’s European Head Office in Amsterdam.  Prior to joining Canon, Hayley worked in the Internet industry.

Epson UK Press Release

26th June 2006 - By the 1st July 2006, the RoHS Directive (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances) will have contributed to the removal of six hazardous substances from electrical and electronic equipment.  As a part of its environmental programme, Epson has already been working towards achieving the goals outlined in the RoHS Directive.  Eelco Smit, Environmental Specialist, Epson Europe says, “Chemical management has always been a priority for Epson and since 1999, four years before the RoHS Directive was approved in 2003, our engineering departments and factories have been researching and developing lead-free products.  It is our aim to develop premium quality products with minimum impact on the environment.  We welcome the regulations and are pleased to announce our global compliance with the Directive.”

InfoTrends Press Release

(Weymouth, MA) May, 31 2006… InfoTrends, the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry, announced today the appointment of Alan Bullock as Associate Director of the Internet Imaging Trends Service. Mr. Bullock will focus on the online photo services market and the mobile imaging and camera phone markets, as well as other technologies combining images and the Internet. He will also be responsible for producing market forecasts, conducting primary research studies, and identifying industry trends.

Pentax Press Release

PENTAX Corporation is pleased to announce that it will expand the production capacity of PENTAX VN Co., Ltd., the company’s overseas subsidiary based in Vietnam, with the construction of a second plant. PENTAX VN specializes in the manufacture of optical instruments and components. This move is made to prepare for the expected increase in demand for interchangeable lenses for digital SLR cameras, as well as to respond to intensifying price competition in both the domestic and international markets.

Pentax UK Press Release

01 February 2006 - Pentax UK is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Key Account Managers (KAMs) to its Imaging Systems Division. Tim Stevenson and Michael Tate will provide dedicated support to a range of retail partners across a number of diverse channel sectors. As part of Pentax’s newly developed channel strategy, both KAMs will focus their support across the photographic, consumer electronic, IT and mass merchandiser market sectors.

Canon have announced their 6th straight year of record earnings, posting a profit 384.1 billion yen ($3.3 billion; euro2.7 billion) for 2005 on the back of strong digital camera sales and cost-cutting. ABCNews also reports that Canon is set to expand its business into flat-panel TVs, in partnership with Toshiba, using a new technology called SEDs, or surface-conduction electron-emitter displays.

Website: ABCNews - Digital Camera Sales Lifts Canon’s Profit