General Imaging caused quite a stir back at the PMA show in March when they unveiled a completely new range of digital cameras, to be sold under the venerable General Electric (GE) brand name. Nearly 6 months on cameras are finally shipping, and today we take a look at the mid-range GE E850 model. This camera has an amazing specification given its budget price tag. An 8 megapixel sensor, a 28mm wide, 5x optical zoom lens, large 3 inch LCD screen, Face Detection mode and a stylish design should be enough to make most people sit up and take notice of the GE E850. But as we all know, what looks good on paper can prove to be terrible in practice, so does the E850 deliver on its promise? Mark Goldstein subjected the GE E850 to a few weeks of in-depth testing to find out..

Website: GE E850 Review

The Sony Ericsson K770 Cyber-shot phone is a digital camera, a photo album and an elegant phone all in-one. The K770 features a 3.2 megapixel camera, auto-focus, 3x digital zoom and a 1.9 inch LCD screen. “If you like the idea of having a snapshot camera on your phone, and want shots that look good in your family album, then the K770 is perfect.” says Helene Barnekow, Head of Central Marketing at Sony Ericsson. The Sony K770 will be available in selected markets from Q4 2007.

The Zink Digital Camera/Printer is a 7 megapixel camera with a built-in printer. Utilising the unique ZINK (Zero Ink) printing technology, the integrated digital camera/printer will produce 2” x 3” borderless prints, onto both conventional and sticky-backed paper. The Zink Digital Camera/Printer will also feature a 2 inch LCD screen, 3x optical zoom lens and be available later this year.

The DXG-572V digital camcorder records full motion MPEG-4 video and captures 5 megapixel photos. Other standout features of the DXG 572V include a 4x digital zoom, 2-inch flip-out LCD screen, and built-in digital voice recorder. The DXG-572V is available immediately with a suggested retail price of $149.99.

MyPlace is a new community-based website from Panasonic which allows people to to post pictures of their favourite places in Great Britain and Ireland. MyPlace was inspired by Panasonic’s sponsorship of Our Place - The World’s Heritage, soon to become the largest ever photographic collection of UNESCO world heritage site pictures. MyPlace will be live from 10th August 2007.

This week the Inside Digital Photo radio show interviews Amadou Diallo, photographer and author of “Mastering Digital Black and White Photography”. Diallo share tips and techniques on getting the best results for black and white output in your digital workflow. Also on the show are Erik Sowder and John Baker from ExpoImaging, talking about how to achieve the best white balance for your camera using their ExpoDisc product.

Website: Inside Digital Photo - Better Black and White

Four Thirds User have just reviewed the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro for Four Thirds lens.

“There is much to like about the Sigma 105mm Macro EX DG for Four Thirds. It feels solidly built and is positive in handling and results. It’s also a very versatile lens, useful for portraits and medium telephoto work, especially in low light, as well as macro work.”

Website: Four Thirds User - Sigma 105mm Macro Lens Review

PrinterInfo have reviewed the pigment based Canon PIXMA Pro 9500 A3+ professional printer.

“The Pro9500 scored very well, achieving a dmax of 2.36, the third highest dmax value we’ve seen so far. This value was achieved using Canon’s Photo Paper Plus, semi-gloss surface. The Pro9500 scored higher in this category than the Epson Stylus Photo R2400, which only achieved a dmax value of 2.26. The Pro9500’s dye-ink equivalent by Canon, the Pro9000, scored just below the Epson, at 2.25.”

Website: PrinterInfo - Canon PIXMA Pro 9500 Review

CNET have reviewed the Nikon Coolpix S200 digital camera, which offers 7.1 megapixels, 3x zoom lens (38-114mm), electronic Vibration Reduction to help combat camera shake, ISO 1000 and a 2.5 inch LCD screen.

“The Nikon Coolpix S200 suffers from a bad case of style over substance. Its ultraslim, attractive metal body looks great sliding into your pocket. When you slide it out of your pocket and start shooting, though, its image-quality issues and slow low-light performance severely tarnish the pretty camera’s shine.”

Website: CNET - Nikon Coolpix S200 Review

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the Canon PowerShot SD750 digital camera (also known as the IXUS 75) which has a metallic finish, 3x zoom lens and 3 inch LCD screen.

“The Canon PowerShot SD750 distinguishes itself mainly with its LCD screen size. At 3 inches, there still aren’t too many digital cameras that can rival that. However, its other specs are all has-beens: 7 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, Automatic modes, and compact form. The SD750 costs a whopping $349, which seems steep compared to similar models.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Canon PowerShot SD750 Review

DCResource have reviewed the Nikon Coolpix L12, a 7.1 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm), Vibration Reduction to combat camera shake, Face-priority AF, D-Lighting and Red-Eye Fix, and a 2.5 inch LCD monitor.

“The Nikon Coolpix L12 is one of a very select group of entry-level cameras to offer image stabilization for under $200. Its closest competitor is probably the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS75 which, up until recently, I didn’t even think they sold in the U.S. The Coolpix L12 is a decent camera if you’re doing mostly outdoor, bright light photography. If you’ll be doing a lot of low light shooting, or want to minimize noise, then I’d steer clear of the Coolpix L12.”

Website: DCResource - Nikon Coolpix L12 Review

The World’s largest photo and camera has been certified by the Guinness Book of Records. Measuring 13.71 x 48.76 x 24.38 m (45 x 160 x 80 ft), the camera was created from an airplane hanger at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Irvine, California. The camera produced a photograph on canvas measuring 9.62 x 33.83 m (31ft 7in x 111ft).

ACD Systems are offering 40% off ACDSee 9 Photo Manager until August 30th, 2007. ACDSee 9 allows you to quickly browse through your photo collections. It normally retails for $39.99, but now costs $23.99 with the special 40% discount.

You could win a trip for two to Japan in the first ever “What is Zen?” photography contest. Organised by ZEN Green Tea Liqueur, America’s first super-premium green tea liqueur, you must be over 21 to participate. The winning photograph will be a modern expression of the Zen philosophy. The contest will begin on August 13th and run through December 15th.

TrustedReviews have reviewed the new Kodak Z712, which is positioned as an alternative to a DSLR, offering a 12x zoom lens (36-432 mm) and 7.1 megapixels.

“A big selling point of the Z712 is of course its optical image stabilisation system, which uses motion sensors and a moving element within the lens to compensate for camera shake at low shutter speeds. I found that it produced shake-free images at maximum zoom reliably at 1/40th of a second, and about half the time at 1/30th, which is pretty good. It’s about three stops below the recommended safe hand-held shooting speed for a 400mm lens.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Kodak Z712 Review

Megapixel.net have reviewed the weatherproof Olympus mju 780 compact digital camera, which features a 7.1 megapixel sensor, metal body in silver or black, and 5x optical zoom with mechanical image stabiliser.

“The Olympus Stylus 780 is, to put it simply, a good camera. It delivers an excellent image quality and its 5X optical zoom allows more flexibility when framing shots than most of its competitors. The value of the zoom is moreover enhanced by the CCD stabilization system, albeit that the (audible) noise that the system produces is at first a bit surprising. This, combined with the capability of capturing good images at 400 ISO outdoors, and doing so with an ultra compact camera that is weather and dust proof, makes the Stylus 780 very attractive.”

Website: Megapixel.net - Olympus mju 780 Review

DCResource have reviewed the Samsung L74 Wide digital camera, which features a 3.0 inch touch screen LCD, 7 megapixels, 3.6x optical zoom and 28mm wide-angle lens.

“The L74 Wide is another Samsung camera that’s really innovative, but fails to deliver competitive image quality. If Samsung engineers spent a little less time with gimmicks and more time on image quality, then they’d really have something. The L74 Wide isn’t a bad camera by any means, it’s just not a great one. If you’re sticking to small prints it’s worth a look, but for larger prints or 100% onscreen viewing you may want to consider anything else.”

Website: DCResource - Samsung L74 Wide Review

Corel are currently offering a £20 discount on their Paint Shop Pro Photo XI image editing software, but only until 18th August. Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI is a complete digital photography toolkit that allows users to edit, manage and share their photos as well as create photo projects.

The new stock image library moodboard is on the lookout for talented photographers. “We are targeting “talent” whilst it doesn’t matter if the photographer is a seasoned professional or relative newcomer, we would like to hear from them. Our pricing strategy aims to achieve the best possible return for the photographer within this evolved business model” said Kate Stevens, Creative Director at moodboard. Image prices range from £8 to £399, and file sizes range from XS to XXL.

Apple iLife ’08 features a a major new version of iPhoto and a completely reinvented iMovie. “Apple has taken iLife ’08 to a new level that is years ahead of anything available for the PC”, said Steve Jobs, Apple ’s CEO. Apple iLife ’08 is now available for a suggested retail price of £55.