DIWA member Photoxels have reviewed the Olympus Stylus 790 SW, a new shockproof, waterproof digital camera.

“Overall, good image quality for a 7.1MP digital camera. Despite the availability of high ISOs, the Stylus 790 SW is not a low-light camera, but for its intended purpose of sunny beach, boating, and rough outdoors, the Olympus 790 SW can be expected to capture good image detail and colours.”

Website: Photoxels - Olympus Stylus 790 SW Review

Steves Digicams have reviewed the Pentax K100D Super, an updated version of the K100D entry-level DSLR which first shipped in July 2006.

“The K100D Super’s default Image Tone setting of Bright produced well-saturated images right out of the camera; Natural Image Tone produced more subdued colors, suitable for post-processing. The normal sharpness setting produced images that some would call soft; most users will prefer a hard sharpness setting, or the application of an image editor’s Unsharp Mask filter. The image noise was practically non-existent at ISO 200, at ISO 400 it’s still very clean, and at ISO 800 shadow noise becomes noticeable. “

Website: Steves Digicams - Pentax K100D Super Review

Website: Read our Pentax K100D Super Review

Steves Digicams have just reviewed the new Kodak 5500 All-in-One printer.

“The bottom line - This a great multi-function device. Kodak print head technology helps to create real- life photos with fine details. If your desk space is limited you’ll really appreciate the All-in-One features of this device since it prints, copies, faxes and scans for you. Do you need to print directly from your camera’s memory cards? Want to print wirelessly from a Bluetooth device in another room? Need to scan a lot of items? You can do all of these, and be assured of Kodak’s famous print image quality, while saving money on ink too.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Kodak 5500 All-in-One Review

Wacom Bamboo is a new consumer range of pen tablets. Available in three editions - Bamboo, Bamboo Fun and Bamboo One - each product combines a tablet with an ergonomically designed, cordless and battery-free digital pen and supporting software. Wacom Bamboo comes with JustWrite Office software and costs £54.99. Bamboo One comes with ArtRage 2.0, a simple-to-use painting package and is priced at £34.99. Bamboo Fun comes in two sizes – small and medium – and includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 for PC (Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 for Mac OS), as well as ArtRage 2.0, priced at £69.99 and £139.99 respectively.

Corel MediaOne Plus is fast, fun and easy photo and video software. “Our focus with Corel MediaOne Plus was to create a software package that would provide users with the perfect companion to their point-and-shoot digital camera,” said Denise MacDonell, Director of Product Management, Digital Media at Corel.  Previously known as Corel Snapfire Plus, MediaOne Plus adds online backup and sharing with Sharpcast, new creative templates, DVD authoring and a simpler user interface. Corel MediaOne Plus is available now for $49.99 (US and Canada). Corel MediaOne Starter edition is also available as a free download.

PhotoArtist 2 from BenVista is a new software program for creating picturesque artwork based on digital photos. Version 2 of PhotoArtisit adds more than 30 additional filters, various new brushes, increased fine-tuning options, and an improved software interface. PhotoArtist 2 costs €69.00 and a free demo version is available.

AKVIS Frame Suite 2.5 applies artistic frames and edge effects to your photos. Frame Suite 2.5 adds a new texture effect that imitates an image drawn on different surfaces, for example, canvas or a brick wall. AKVIS Frame Suite costs $49 USD, and there’s a free 10 day trial version.

The PhotoShelter Collection is the first edited stock image library that delivers the diversity of photography on the Internet with the resources of a high-end agency. Submission is free; all interested photographers are then invited to fill out an application and submit images for PhotoShelter’s team of commercial photo editors to review. “I was approached by a photo buyer who found one of my images on Flickr,” said photographer Chris Cho. “He offered me $100 to license an image with unlimited rights. I’m not a professional, so I didn’t initially realize that this offer was far below the going rate for this type of use. It’s really great to see PhotoShelter develop a platform that allows me to license my images properly, through a system I can trust.” PhotoShelter will spend $1 Million in 2008 marketing this new collection to commercial buyers. The existing PhotoShelter that has been online since 2005 will be now known as the PhotoShelter Personal Archive.

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20 digital camera, which features 8 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.5-inch LCD screen, and is in pink, white, black and silver.

“If you want 5x zoom instead of the Sony T20’s 3x and a 3.0 inch LCD instead of a 2.5 inch LCD and you have an extra $70 floating around with nothing to do, take a look at the Sony T100. If 3x works for you, with its 3x zoom and 2.5-inch LCD, the Sony T20 doesn’t give up much, except that $70. Which you can put toward a Cyber-shot Station or, maybe, an Apple TV.”

Imaging Resource - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20 Review

CNET have reviewed Sony DSC-H3, the smallest ever Cyber-shot camera featuring a Carl Zeiss 10x zoom lens.

“If you want a long zoom lens in a camera that’s smaller, if not lighter, than most superzooms, Sony’s DSC-H3 is a decent choice. Since this is a new category, it’s hard to draw comparisons, but when Canon’s Powershot SX100 hits the market in October, we should be able to get a better idea of how this Sony compares with the competition.”

Website: CNET - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 Review

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the Pentax Optio A30, a 10 megapixel compact digital camera with a 1/1.8 inch CCD, anti-shake technology, 3x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD monitor.

“The Pentax Optio A30 has a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen with an impressive 232,000 pixels, a full palette of manual controls, including shutter and aperture, as well as a fully equipped Movie mode that can record simultaneous monaural audio files. Its array of features make it a better value than the Canon SD40, but the Panasonic TZ3 has similar features and a longer 10x zoom and bigger LCD screen. Considering all these features, the well built camera body and layout that can appeal to both experienced and utter novice photographers, the initial $349.95 price tag isn’t unwarranted.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Pentax Optio A30 Review

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Casio Z1200, a 12.1 megapixel compact camera featuring a a 1/1.7 inch CCD sensor with shift anti-shake mechanism and a 2.8 inch LCD screen.

“Despite the many well-justified concerns regarding the performance of very high resolution compact camera sensors, the Z1200 produces generally excellent image quality. It uses a slightly-larger-than-average 1/1.7 inch sensor, around ten percent larger in size than the one in the Z1050, and as a result its image quality is more or less identical with that camera. Colour reproduction, exposure and detail are all very good, and dynamic range is also higher than I had expected.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Casio Z1200 Review

The Intuos3 Special Edition is a new pen tablet from Wacom who are celbrating their 25-year anniversary. With a stylish black finish and matching input devices including a special edition Intuos3 Airbrush, the Wacom Intuos3 Special Edition is available in A5 Wide and A4 sizes and also ships with Corel Painter Essentials. The Intuos3 Special Edition costs £304.99 including VAT for the A5 Wide and £379.99 for the A4 size.

Kodak engineer Steven Sasson, inventor of the digital camera, has been voted into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame. In 1975 Sasson built a camera using solid state electronics, solid state imagers and an electronic sensor known as a charged coupled device (CCD). In 1978, he and his supervisor, Gareth A. Lloyd, were issued a U.S. patent for the first digital camera. The Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame was created in 2000 to recognize the pioneers of the CE industry and has honoured more then 110 industry leaders.

e-Photographia have published a fascinating account of a recent visit to Nikon’s Sendai factory in Japan, where the new D3 DSLR camera is being produced.

“First, we were given coats and hats, making us look like bakers, and then it was off to shutter manufacturing. We went through the whole process of shutter assembly and their testing. Surprisingly, this is still very much manual labour - there are some Sanyo chips that are attached automatically, and then it’s off to manual assembly with precision tools. The shutters seem to be assembled primarily by women. And all the time, you can hear shutters going off.”

Website: e-Photographia - Nikon Factory Tour

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Canon SD850 IS (also known as the IXUS 950 IS), an 8 megapixel digital camera with 4x zoom, image stabilized lens equivalent to 35-140mm.

“The Canon SD850 IS is an excellent performer no matter what aspect you consider, with superior focusing and low light performance matched with a powerful flash that doesn’t make you wait all day to recharge. With a day-long battery, you couldn’t ask for a better companion than the Canon SD850 IS, no matter where you’re going.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon SD850 IS Review

Website: Read our Canon Digital IXUS 950 IS Review

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the new Canon S5 IS ultra-zoom compact camera, which features a 12x optical zoom lens equivalent to 36-432mm, optical image stabilizer and 8 megapixel sensor.

“The S5’s $499 price tag is steep and hard to justify when the competition is offering more features. In addition, the S5 doesn’t perform as well as it should. Granted, its colors are beautifully accurate, but its dynamic range and noise levels are subpar, even when compared to less expensive compact digital cameras.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Canon S5 IS Review

Website: Read our Canon PowerShot S5 IS Review

The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 is an ultra-compact, stylish point-and-shoot digital camera with a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC lens (28-100mm). A large 3 inch LCD screen dominates the rear of the FX55, whilst the optical image stabiliser and face detection system ensure that portraits are both sharp and focused. The new Intelligent Auto mode automatically selects the most appropriate settings according to the situation, making the DMC-FX55 a great camera for the complete beginner. Is the Panasonic FX55 the ultimate point and shoot digicam? Mark Goldstein finds out in the world’s first online review…

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 Review

The Epson Stylus Photo 1400 is the replacement for the much older and very popular 1280/1290 A3+ printer. The new Epson 1400 is a dye-based printer which uses 6 colour Claria Photographic Ink, with up to 200 years print life in album storage. Borderless prints from 10x15cm up to A3+ and direct printing onto CD and DVD faces are all offered by the Epson Stylus 1400. Connectivity support includes Pictbridge, USB 2.0 and an optional Wireless Ethernet Print server. Jon Canfield finds out what Epson’s flagship A3+ dye-based printer has to offer…

Website: Epson Stylus Photo 1400 Review

DCResource have reviewed the GE G1 digital camera, which features a 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD screen and 7 megapixels.

“The G1 is the first digital camera from GE and General Imaging, and it failed to impress me. Mediocre in every way, about the only positive things I can say are that it has a nice design and a snappy continuous shooting mode. Everything else is average or worse, including picture and video quality, speed, focusing performance, and the quality of the LCD display. In the very competitive ultra-compact camera field, the G1’s flaws make me unable to recommend it.”

Website: DCResource - GE G1 Review