Thom Hogan has reviewed the FujiFilm S5 Pro digital SLR camera.

“The one thing that Fujifilm does talk about a lot in its marketing materials for the S5 Pro is how much better the noise tendencies are. I have good news and bad news on that front. The good news is that, as I’ll report later, the noise levels in the S5 Pro are reasonably well controlled. The bad news is that it comes as a result of the RP Processor Pro imaging ASIC’s noise reduction routines. Noise reduction applied downstream from the sensor (in the imaging ASIC or in raw conversion software) always tends to take away detail as it does its job.”

Website: Thom Hogan - FujiFilm S5 Pro Review

Website: Read our FujiFilm S5 Pro Review

DCResource have reviewed the Casio EX-Z1050, a 10.1 megapixel digital camera which features a new 2.6-inch wide, 14:9 aspect ratio LCD display.

“I must confess that I didn’t go into this review with very high expectations for the Casio Exilim EX-Z1050. When all was said and done, though, I was pleasantly surprised by the camera. It offers very good photo quality, snappy performance, tons of point-and-shoot features, and great battery life. Sure, it needs work in a few areas, but what camera doesn’t? The EX-Z1050 offers a lot for a little over $200, making it a great value, and a camera I can recommend.”

Website: DCResource - Casio EX-Z1050 Review

The Canon MP970 is the new top-of-the-range PIXMA All-in-One printer. Replacing the PIXMA MP810, the MP970 features the highest print and scan quality in the range. “It successfully combines all the features serious analogue and digital photographers demand: supreme print quality, advanced functionality and total reliability.” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. The Canon MP970 will be available from October 2007 priced at £249.00 / €369.00 RRP inc. VAT.

The Canon MP610 and Canon MP520 PIXMA Photo All-in-Ones combine rapid, photo lab quality printing with copy and scan functionality. “By further enhancing print and copy capabilities, we are setting new standards for PIXMA Photo All-in-Ones while keeping prices at an accessible level.” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. The Canon MP610 will be available from September 2007 priced at £159.00 / €239.00. The Canon MP520 will be available from October 2007 £99.00 / €149.00 RRP inc. VAT.

The Canon MP220 and Canon MP210 are new entry-level PIXMA All-in-One printers. Replacing the MP160 and MP180, both models benefit from faster printing speeds, faster start-up and improved print and copy quality. “The new PIXMA MP210 and MP220 will appeal to any new user seeking a reliable, photo lab quality All-in-One printer.” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. The Canon MP220 and Canon MP210 will be available from September 2007 priced at £59.00 / €89.00 and £79.00 / €119.00 RRP inc. VAT respectively.

The Canon MX700, Canon MX310 and Canon MX300 PIXMA All-in-Ones offer affordable, fax-enabled multifunctionality for first-time buyers. “With the MX300, MX310 and MX700, home office users can enjoy all the benefits of PIXMA quality with the convenience of high speed faxing,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. The Canon MX300 and Canon MX310 will be available from October 2007 priced at £99.00 / €149.00 RRP inc.VAT and £129.00 / €199 RRP inc.VAT. The Canon MX700 will be priced at £199.00 / €299.00 RRP inc. VAT.

The Canon iP4500 and Canon iP3500 are new additions to the PIXMA range of photo printers. Replacing the iP4300 - Europe’s bestselling inkjet printer – the Canon iP4500 employs 1pl droplets for a resolution of up to 9600x2400dpi. The mid-range Canon iP3500 succeeds the iP3300, achieving a photo print speed of 47 seconds. The iP4500 and iP3500 will be available from September 2007 priced at £59.00 / €89.00 RRP inc.VAT and £79.00 / €119.00 RRP inc. VAT respectively.

The CanoScan 8800F and CanoScan LiDE90 scanners both offer faster scanning speeds than previous models. The 4800dpi CanoScan 8800F is up to 6 times quicker than its predecessor, the 8600F. The CanoScan LiDE90 replaces the LiDE 70 and is faster in a more compact form. The CanoScan 8800F and CanoScan LiDE90 will be available from October 2007 priced at £149 / €261.00 and £59.00 / €104.00 respectively.

The Epson RX680, Epson RX595 and Epson R280 are Epson’s newest line of Ultra Hi-Definition printer models. All three Ultra Hi-Definition models – the Epson Stylus Photo R280 photo printer, Epson Stylus Photo RX595 all-in-one and Epson Stylus Photo RX680 all-in-one – deliver a dozen 4”x6” photos in as fast as 2 minutes, 17 seconds . “Our newest generation of Ultra Hi-Definition products produce legendary professional-quality photos, yet are easy enough for anyone to use,” said Steve Semos, product manager, Epson. All three models will be available in September. The estimated street prices are $99.99 for the Epson Stylus Photo R280, $149.99 for the Epson Stylus Photo RX595 and $199.99 for the Epson Stylus Photo RX680.

The Telegraph’s “Our Lives” photography competition is being sponsored by Ilford and judged by world-renowned photographer David Bailey. There are five categories - Our People, Our Places, Our Environment, Our Lives in Motion and Our Events. The winers will be displayed in the Proud Central Gallery, just off Trafalgar Square in London, from the 25th of August to the 9th of September, 2007.

The Delkin CF FireWire 400/800 reader has just started shipping worldwide. The Delkin CF FireWire 400/800 features transfer speeds greater than 45 MB/sec with UDMA enabled CF memory cards. “Professionals need to get their images into their computer as quickly as possible. The CF FireWire 400/800 Reader provides them with the solution.” said Delkin’s Marketing Manager, Eric Richter. Delkin’s CF FireWire 400/800 reader will sell at an MSRP of $89.99.

Hahnemuhle Bamboo is the first worldwide fine art inkjet paper made from bamboo fibers. The 23rd paper in the Hahnemuhle Digital FineArt Collection, Bamboo 290 is made of fibers from highly renewable bamboo grass. Hahnemuhle Bamboo is a natural white paper with a warm tone. Hahnemuhle will donate a portion of the revenues to supporting environmental projects.

Fluid Mask 3.0.2 adds a number of improvements to the popular masking software.

Performance of preview feature in Patches is improved
Loading a .vfmp file (Vertus Fluid Mask Project file) did cause trouble on Windows - this has been fixed
Some users had trouble installing Fluid Mask 3 as a plug-in and couldn’t see it in the menu > Filter > Vertus in CS2 or CS3. Fixed!
The speed when loading a CMYK images or 16-bit images is now much faster in Photoshop plug-in mode on Windows
Adobe Elements required a manual installation. It will now be listed as an option in the installation process if you have Adobe Elements installed.
“+”, “=” and “-” have been added as zoom shortcuts
Hair matting and blending has been improved further
The auto-blend mask will no longer be added between adjoining areas of the same mask

Download Fluid Mask 3.0.2

VisibleDust and Calumet Photographic have teamed up to provide a DSLR sensor cleaning service. Calumet will offer ‘Certified VisibleDust Cleaning Centers’ at six of their stores in the USA (Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, and San Francisco). The cleaning services will be available for $60.00.

Photography Jobs Finder is a new recruitment website for photography-related job seekers and employers. Alex Hamer, creator of Photography Jobs Finder, says, “Being a photographer I have always found it a laborious task when searching for work. Jobs are often scattered over many websites and there is not one dedicated location for the photography industry to visit.” Photography Jobs Finder advertises a number of jobs, ranging from freelance photography to picture editors.

DigiCamReview have reviewed the Casio EX-Z1050, a 10.1 megapixel digital camera which features a new 2.6-inch wide, 14:9 aspect ratio LCD display.

“The Casio Exilim EX-Z1050 has very good image quality. Colours are very good and in a very wide range of situations the camera will take sharp, detailed pictures with good exposure. Almost every situation is catered for with a scene mode, and there are numerous options such as sharpness, saturation, contrast, dynamic range, flash intensity, flash assist etc. The camera was generally competent and fast at focusing with the focus assist lamp activating when light was low.”

Website: DigiCamReview - Casio EX-Z1050 Review

The Canon 1Ds Mark III is a 21.1 megapixel full-frame digital SLR camera with 5fps continuous shooting and 45 AF points. Other standout features of the 1Ds Mark III include Canon’s Live View shooting mode, 3 inch LCD screen and Integrated Cleaning System. “The EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera is a prime example of the EOS philosophy and Canon’s ongoing commitment to providing photo professionals with the tools they need to create the finest quality images,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. Retailing for $7,999, the Canon 1Ds Mark III will be available in November. The Canon 1Ds Mark III will be available from October 2007 in the UK, priced at £5999.99 / €8699.99 RRP inc VAT.

Canon have also announced the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens. Measuring 3.7 inches in length and weighing in at under 23 ounces, the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM provides a 114-degree diagonal angle of view and replaces the original EF 14mm f/2.8L USM lens.

The much rumoured Canon 40D digital SLR camera is finally officially here, with a 10.1 megapixel sensor, 6.5 fps continuous shooting and 3 inch LCD screen. The 40D also features an upgraded dust and weather resistant construction, ISO 3200 mode and DIGIC III processor. “This newest member of Canon’s Digital SLR family takes mid-range Digital SLRs to exciting new heights with enhanced resolution and image quality, faster shooting and processing speeds and better overall functionality than ever before,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. The Canon 40D will be available in September in a body-only configuration for $1,299. A kit version with the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens will cost $1,499. The Canon 40D will be available from September 2007 in the UK priced at body only £899.99 RRP inc. VAT /  €1329.99 RRP inc. VAT, or plus the EF-S 17-85 IS USM lens £1199.99 RRP inc. VAT /  €1779.99 RRP inc. VAT.

Canon have also announced the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens. This adds image stabilization which provides up to a full four stops of correction, and replaces the original 18-55mm lens. The EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS will cost $199.99 in October.

The Canon G9 is a 12.1 megapixel update of the G7 compact camera, with a 6x zoom lens and the return of RAW mode. Other standout features of the Canon G9 include an Optical Image Stabilizer, 3 inch LCD screen and an advanced face detection mode. “By combining RAW Mode with our other key technologies in this camera, we’re providing a high-performing and affordable option to advanced photo enthusiasts who want the creative power of a Digital SLR in a smaller body form.” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. The Canon G9 will be available in October for $499.99. The Canon G9 will be available in the UK from September 2007 priced £429 / €629 inc. VAT.

The Canon SX100 is the first camera in the new SX series, offering a 10x zoom, image stabilized lens and 8 megapixel resolution. Other standout features of the SX100 IS inlcude a 2.5 inch LCD screen, DIGIC III image processor and Face Detection. “We developed the PowerShot SX100 IS digital camera with all the zooming power and creative control a traditional photo-taker could ever want in a compact and value-priced package,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. The Canon SX100 IS will be available in black or silver in October for $299.99. The Canon SX100 IS will be available in the UK from September 2007 priced £299 / €449 RRP inc. VAT and is exclusive to DSGi.