The Casio Z1200 is 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. The Z1200 offers an auto-tracking AF system that maintains both sharp focus and correct exposure for a human face using both face detection and motion analysis technologies. The Casio Z1200 will be available in the UK and Eire from late May 2007 in silver and black, with a retail price guide of £279.99.

DxO Optics Pro v4.2 now supports the Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro, S3 Pro and Pentax K10D DSLR cameras. “With their addition to our library of correction modules, DxO Optics Pro remains an undisputed leader in automatic image enhancement for digital photographers,” says Luc Marin, vice president of the DxO Labs Photography Business unit. DxO Optics Pro software improves the image quality of DSLR cameras and advanced digicams.

This week’s Gary’s Parries topics are:

1. Next Big Camera Feature – Automatic Mic Removal
2. Sigma DP1 v. Ricoh GX100 – Too Many Bells & Whistles
3. Human Rights For Chimps (Yes, You Read Correctly)

Introducing this week’s Gary’s Parries column. Everything you always wanted to know about digital cameras, but were afraid to ask. No question too difficult, or too easy. As a Senior Principal Software Engineer, and a former Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems, as well as a recording studio owner/operator, inventor, and now, a digital camera enthusiast, GARY has more digital camera knowledge in his entire brain than most people have in their little finger. In the unlikely event that GARY would not know the answer to your question, he will answer it anyway, true to the spirit of the word “Parries”, a fencing term which, in this context, implies “cleverly evasive answers”. So let your imagination run wild. Email all your nagging digital camera questions to: [email protected] , and then, En Garde!

You may also attach to your email an ORIGINAL PHOTO of your choosing. A preview of the photo will be displayed with your question, and a full-sized version will be just a click away. No personal information will be published with your question unless you specifically include it in the text or attached photo of your email, which may be further edited for grammar, content, or other reasons.

A recent survey (see the next story below) concluded that most of us take photos in order to share them, with email by far the most popular method. Social networking websites are also becoming more important, think sites like MySpace, Flickr and FaceBook, whilst printing is still growing, but not as quickly. The survey also idenitified some interesting age distinctions, with under-25’s eager to share, over 45’s more concerned with the storage and preservation of their memories, and 25-44 year olds a mixture of the two. I want to find out how PhotographyBLOG readers predominantly share their photos. Are you an avid Flickr or online Gallery user? Do you prefer a physical print? Or do you find yourself viewing most photos on a computer monitor? And have you found any cool new services or ways of sharing your photos? Shout out now...

A recent InfoTrends study affirms that sharing is the top reason why people take photos. Over 8 billion images were shared during the last calendar year in the US alone. The report also shows a strong correlation between the use of the Web and satisfaction with digital imaging. “As the digital photography market matures, we expect that monetization will occur beyond capture and print: there will be more focus on enabling services rather than just selling products,” commented Ed Lee, a Director at InfoTrends.

Laptop Magazine have put the latest crop of digicams priced under $150 to the test, including the Canon PowerShot A460 (pictured).

“A few years ago, we wouldn’t have been able to round up 3.2-megapixel cameras under $250. Today, it’s possible to pick up a 5-, 6-, or 7-MP shooter for less than $150. Don’t think that these point-and-shoots are clunky plastic boxes, either. They each use two AA batteries and look similar, but they also have LCDs larger than two inches (with some as big as 2.5 inches), at least a 3X optical zoom, the ability to capture video, and a handful of scene modes.”

Website: Laptop Magazine - Ten Quality Cameras You Can Afford

PCMag have reviewed the Kodak V1003 camera, which offers 10 megapixels, 2.5 inch LCD screen, 3x optical zoom lens and up to ISO 1600.

“When I was at PMA this year, I couldn’t help noticing that Kodak has decided to focus on a particular segment of the marketplace: women as camera buyers. It’s a great strategy for Kodak, or any camera manufacturer for that matter. But by promoting accessories such as camera cases, skins, wrist and neck straps, and even photo frames over image quality, the company is putting the cart before the horse. Pocket-size and available in a multitude of colors, Kodak’s new EasyShare V1003 is a perfect example of this questionable tactic.”

Website: PCMag - Kodak V1003 Review

The-Digital-Picture have reviewed the new carbon fibre Gitzo GT3530S tripod.

“A tripod has other benefits as well. Allowing you to tweak your composition - and hold it tight while you contemplate what you are looking at - goes a great distance in your final results. Need to shoot multiple bracketed exposures for digital neutral density / HDR post-processing? You need a base that doesn’t move between frames. Shooting a panorama? You need a tripod to do it best.”

Website: The-Digital-Picture - Gitzo GT3530S Review

The Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 is an A3+ professional quality dye-based inkjet printer, with the ChromaLife100 system for exceptional longevity and support for Canon’s glossy media range. The 8-colour dye ink system has a wide gamut and utilises a single ink tank system. Print resolution of the Canon Pro 9000 is 4800 x 2400 dpi at 3 picolitre drop size. New software for professional photographers includes Easy-PhotoPrint Pro, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for a professional imaging workflow. The Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 replaces the popular i9900 and has an RRP of £499 / $499. Jon Canfield finds out if the Canon Pro 9000 is a worthy successor.

Website: Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 Review

The Ricoh Caplio R6 is a 7 megapixel digital camera with a 7x zoom lens equivalent to 28-200mm on a 35mm camera, yet it’s only 23mm thick and weighs 135g. 6 months on from the previous R5 model, the Ricoh R6 adds face-detection and a larger LCD screen, whilst retaining the optical image stabilizer and 1cm macro mode of the R5. We criticised the R5 for improving in some areas, but going backwards in others, so does the new Ricoh R6 offer a better all-round package? Read our Ricoh R6 review to find out.

Website: Ricoh Caplio R6 Review

Apple is inviting photographers to join them for a free seminar on Adobe Photoshop CS3 in London, UK on Tuesday May 22nd. You get a free Aperture tutorial DVD if you attend, but space is limited, so hurry!

One lucky member of the UK public will be chosen to complete the final 60th image for the All Tomorrow’s Pictures project. Sony Ericsson is helping the ICA to help celebrate its 60th anniversary. The competition goes live on 7 February and will be open until 2 March. Prizes include a Sony Ericsson K800i Cybershot phone, a Bluetooth printer, a year’s membership at the ICA and a day with a professional photographer.

UPDATE 18th May: The All Tomorrow’s Pictures competition has now finished and the pictures will be displayed in an exhibition as from 31 May. The winning public contribution picture was submitted by Matthew Gordon.

A montage of the London Eye has been created using the photographs from a recent British Airways London Eye competition. The montage will be on display at the British Airways London Eye ticket office, inside County Hall. “Seeing the London Eye through the lens of someone else’s camera creates an even stronger admiration for one of our most popular attractions. I strongly urge the public and photography community to make a trip to the British Airways London Eye ticket office to see this creative montage of images.” commented Adrian Clarke, Director of Photo of Fujifilm UK Ltd.

Megapixel.net 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.

“With its classical looks, the Pentax Optio A30, is an elegant and attractive camera. Used outdoors and with bright light, it easily yields images of excellent quality and colour that can be printed out to a large size. Simple to use and equipped with a resolution that is often considerably more than is needed, the Pentax Optio A30 has the advantage of offering a good image stabilization system and a short reaction time to its controls, both crucial features when capturing subjects such as children, or even pets.”

Website: Megapixel.net - Pentax Optio A30 Review

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the new Canon G7, which features a 10 megapixel, 1/1.8 inch sensor, DIGIC III image processor, Face Detection, 35-210mm lens and optical image stabilization system.

“The Canon PowerShot G7 is designed for consumers who want the functionality of a DSLR without the bulk. The G7 has the flexibility to accept conversion lenses and a flash unit on its hot shoe, but doesn’t require those to take great pictures. In the end, the Canon G7 certainly has its flaws but still snaps crisp pictures with accurate colors.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Canon G7 Review

Website: Read our Canon Powershot G7 Review

Olympus now offers a range of underwater cases for its compact and DSLR cameras. The PT-037 fits the new SP-550 UZ ultra-zoom camera and is rated to a depth of 40m, as are all underwater cases for Olympus compact cameras. A new underwater case for the DSLR range is the PT-E03 for the E-400 and the E-410 cameras with Live View.

The Brite Vue Sensor Loupe from VisibleDust allows you to closely examine the sensor of a DSLR. With the Sensor Loupe, the photographer can easily check for sensor dust and know exactly if a cleaning needs to take place. Retail price is US$69.95, 79.95 CAD and at £44.95 in the UK.

Samsung has unveiled a 8Gb microSD Card with a read speed of 16MBs per second and a write speed of 6MBs, faster than most competing microSD cards currently on the market. The new fingernail-sized card is capable of storing 2,000 MP3 music files, 4,000 digital photos, or approximately five DVD-quality movies. MicroSD cards are commonly used in camera-phones, but are also are backward compatible with SD cards using an extender.

Just Resize My Photos 1.2.0 now supports opening CMYK JPEG’s and TIFF files and a wide range of RAW camera formats including .NEF, .RAW, .CRW and more. A trial version of Just Resize My Photos 1.2.0 is immediately available for download. The purchase price for one user licence is $19.99.

Kingston has posted questions submitted by visitors from around the world to its ‘Icons of Photography’ microsite as part of its Ask the Icon interactive feature. The questions were answered by Harry Benson, Colin Finlay, Gerd Ludwig and Peter Read Miller. “We are encouraged by the response we have received from photographers around the world who are interested in learning more about the Icons and their personal views on photography,” said Jaja Lin, Flash marketing manager, Kingston.