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This week’s Gary’s Parries topics are:
1. Comparing Apples And Windows
2. When 4 x 6 Is Really 3.98 x 6
3. Camera Bug Not Covered By Warranty
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.
This week’s Gary’s Parries topics are: 1. Comparing Apples And Windows 2. When 4 x 6 Is Really 3.98 x 6 3. Camera Bug Not Covered By Warranty Introducing this week’s Gary’s Parries column. Everything you always wanted to know about digital cameras, but were afraid to ask. No question…
The Ricoh R5 is the latest version of Ricoh’s 7x wide-angle zoom compact cameras, with an upgrade to 7 megapixels and a new Smooth Imaging Engine II image processing engine which promises to reduce noise at faster ISO speeds (ISO 1600 is now available). The 2.5 inch LCD screen on the Ricoh R5 now has 230,000 pixels, battery life has increased to 380 shots and the improved video mode provides 640x480 movies. So is the Ricoh R5 worth considering if you’re looking for a point and shoot digicam, and is it any better than the 6-month old Caplio R4?
Website: Ricoh Caplio R5 Review
The Ricoh R5 is the latest version of Ricoh’s 7x wide-angle zoom compact cameras, with an upgrade to 7 megapixels and a new Smooth Imaging Engine II image processing engine which promises to reduce noise at faster ISO speeds (ISO 1600 is now available). The 2.5 inch LCD screen on…
The Sony A100 is a new DSLR from a company better known for its digital compact cameras. Sony are taking on Nikon and Canon, boldy predicting that they will be the number 2 player very shortly, and the A100 has been heavily promoted by the Sony marketing machine. With good reason too - the list of technologies that the Sony A100 offers is certainly comprehensive. A 10 megapixel sensor, Bionz Image Processor, Dynamic Range Optimiser, and anti-dust, anti-shake and eye-start auto-focus systems are all here. But does the Sony A100 make the grade as a great DSLR camera? - read our review to find out.
Website: Sony A100 Review
The Sony A100 is a new DSLR from a company better known for its digital compact cameras. Sony are taking on Nikon and Canon, boldy predicting that they will be the number 2 player very shortly, and the A100 has been heavily promoted by the Sony marketing machine. With good…
The Panasonic DMC-FZ50 is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 12x ultra-zoom lens equivalent to a focal length of 35-420mm. It also offers an optical image stabilisation system to help give you sharp results. The DMC-FZ50 has improved on its popular predecessor, the DMC-FZ30, with more megapixels, new Venus III processing engine, and ISO 800 and 1600 speeds at full image resolution. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 also offers a mechanical zoom and focus ring, which you won’t find on its competitors. Read our review to discover if the DMC-FZ50 makes the grade.
Website: Panasonic DMC-FZ50 Review
The Panasonic DMC-FZ50 is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 12x ultra-zoom lens equivalent to a focal length of 35-420mm. It also offers an optical image stabilisation system to help give you sharp results. The DMC-FZ50 has improved on its popular predecessor, the DMC-FZ30, with more megapixels, new Venus…
XS Drive Press Release
XS Drive Ltd who pionnered the portable storage concept in 2002 with the Xs-Drive1, presents at Photokina 2006 the XS Drive Centre which is the latest Multimedia backup solution for photographers. Needs for higher photo storage capacity is dramatic with performance increases of digital photography technologies. The XS-Drive Centre VP6250 is the right answer for those who needs to backup sleek of images on the go via their memory cards, thanks to his high capacity 2.5” hard disc drive range from 40 to 120 GB. Using the control buttons, you can copy images from your memory card and navigate through the names of files stored on your XS Drive Centre, view videos, play music files or simply check and organize your backed up files on the Hard Disk. You may also access the content of the insert memory card.
XS Drive Press Release XS Drive Ltd who pionnered the portable storage concept in 2002 with the Xs-Drive1, presents at Photokina 2006 the XS Drive Centre which is the latest Multimedia backup solution for photographers. Needs for higher photo storage capacity is dramatic with performance increases of digital photography technologies…
FotoNation Press Release
September 22, 2006, Galway, Ireland – FotoNation, (www.fotonation.com), a world-leading imaging and connectivity solutions company for the digital photography industry, announced today that its patented in-camera red-eye detection and correction technology has surpassed an installed base of over 50 million digital cameras. FotoNation red-eye reduction technology is shipping in digital cameras from the industry’s leading brands, including Kodak, Nikon, Pentax, Sanyo and Samsung among others. “164 million digital cameras with 4 megapixels or more have shipped since 2004,” said Ron Glaz, Program Director for IDC’s Digital Capture Devices and Photofinishing Research. Based on this finding, the FotoNation red-eye reduction technology is commanding over 30% of this market segment.
FotoNation Press Release September 22, 2006, Galway, Ireland – FotoNation, (www.fotonation.com), a world-leading imaging and connectivity solutions company for the digital photography industry, announced today that its patented in-camera red-eye detection and correction technology has surpassed an installed base of over 50 million digital cameras. FotoNation red-eye reduction technology is…
The-Digital-Picture have reviewed the new Canon EOS 400D (Canon Digital Rebel XTi in the USA), which offers 10 megapixels, a large 2.5 inch LCD screen and new integrated dust removal system.
“The image quality coming out of the Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi is excellent - We expect nothing less from Canon and they have delivered. Image quality is, however, different from Canon’s other recent DSLRs. Since a change such as this takes time to get used to (post processing-wise), I will continue to evaluate my results. But, what I am seeing is a new tone curve. Reds, yellows, and oranges seem to be slightly darker while blues seem slightly lighter. The tone curve seems to push shadows darker - but the detail remains. In addition, the 400D/XTi meters 1/3 stop darker than the 30D. Maybe Canon got tired of looking at our blown highlights. “
Website: The-Digital-Picture - Canon EOS 400D Review
Website: Read our Canon EOS 400D Review
The-Digital-Picture have reviewed the new Canon EOS 400D (Canon Digital Rebel XTi in the USA), which offers 10 megapixels, a large 2.5 inch LCD screen and new integrated dust removal system. “The image quality coming out of the Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi is excellent - We expect nothing…
Imaging Resource have reviewed the Sony T10, a 7 slim megapixel digital camera with a 3x zoom lens, 2.5 inch LCD screen, optical image stabilization and a fastest ISO speed of 1000.
“Even if the T10 looked like debris from a Soviet space capsule, its image stabilization would make it a winner. Toss in sensitivity that goes into orbit at ISO 1000 and you have a serious toy. And add that fashion statement to make it too compelling to ignore. “I always liked Sony,” Mom said. She could be on to something there.”
Imaging Resource have reviewed the Sony T10, a 7 slim megapixel digital camera with a 3x zoom lens, 2.5 inch LCD screen, optical image stabilization and a fastest ISO speed of 1000. “Even if the T10 looked like debris from a Soviet space capsule, its image stabilization would make it…
Bibble Labs Press Release
Bibble Labs Releases Version 4.9 Upgrade, Including Clone & Healing Tool, Sensor Correction and 5-Star Ratings - Last major upgrade before 5.0 supports Sony Alpha a100, Nikon D80, Canon 400D Rebel XTi, and localized interface.
Photokina 2006 Cologne, Germany (Sept 22, 2006) - Bibble Labs, Inc announces the immediate availability of version 4.9 of Bibble Pro and Bibble Lite. This upgrade to the Bibble 4 product line includes the frequently requested Clone / Spot Healing tool, sensor defect correction, image rating and support for the latest cameras. Provided as a free upgrade download for all current Bibble 4 customers, version 4.9 represents the ultimate version of Bibble 4. Digital photographers have been asking for a single tool to perform all their image adjustments - not several tools for specific jobs. Adding Noise Ninja technology and one-touch image optimization with Perfectly Clear in releases 4.6 and 4.7 went a long way to building a single tool for all digital darkroom needs; and with the Cloning & Healing tool in 4.9, Bibble Pro and Bibble Lite now offer the most complete and self contained workflow. “Many customers were telling us that cloning to remove blemishes and dust spots was the only correction they needed to perform in another application” says Eric Hyman, president and CEO of Bibble Labs. “Including Cloning and Healing, lens distortion correction, and stuck-pixel removal in one RAW-enabled application makes Bibble Pro and Lite the one-stop-shop for the digital darkroom.”
Bibble Labs Press Release Bibble Labs Releases Version 4.9 Upgrade, Including Clone & Healing Tool, Sensor Correction and 5-Star Ratings - Last major upgrade before 5.0 supports Sony Alpha a100, Nikon D80, Canon 400D Rebel XTi, and localized interface. Photokina 2006 Cologne, Germany (Sept 22, 2006) - Bibble Labs, Inc…
FotoNation Press Release
September 21, 2006, Galway, Ireland—FotoNation® (www.fotonation.com), one of the world’s leading embedded imaging and connectivity companies, announced today that it will demonstrate its new patented FotoNation Dust Removal Technology at Photokina 2006, held in Cologne, Germany from September 26 - October 1st, 2006. The FotoNation Dust Removal Technology completely and automatically removes dust from digital images. FotoNation has been awarded a U.S. patent for this technology and has 10 additional patents pending in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. FotoNation eliminates dust from images using in-camera software which distinguishes between dust and real detail in the photo. The software dynamically builds a map of every dust-spec and then tracks changes and movement of the dust particles to distinguish dust from the details of the photograph. The technology has been designed to scale across multiple platforms is optimized to run as embedded software in digital cameras and mobile phone cameras as part of image acquisition.
FotoNation Press Release September 21, 2006, Galway, Ireland—FotoNation® (www.fotonation.com), one of the world’s leading embedded imaging and connectivity companies, announced today that it will demonstrate its new patented FotoNation Dust Removal Technology at Photokina 2006, held in Cologne, Germany from September 26 - October 1st, 2006. The FotoNation Dust Removal…
Extensis Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. — September 21, 2006 — Extensis, a division of Celartem Inc., today released free updates to Portfolio 8 –– the leading Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution for creative professionals. The updates bring improved stability and performance,
updated Raw camera support, added InDesign CS2 support, and a QuarkXPress 7 Drag-and-Drop support filter for Mac users. Registered owners of Portfolio 8 are eligible to receive the free upgrades immediately through the Extensis website at http://www.extensis.com/portfolio .
Extensis Press Release PORTLAND, Ore. — September 21, 2006 — Extensis, a division of Celartem Inc., today released free updates to Portfolio 8 –– the leading Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution for creative professionals. The updates bring improved stability and performance, updated Raw camera support, added InDesign CS2 support, and…
Smartparts Press Release
Englewood, NJ (September 22, 2006) – Smartparts, Inc. (www.smartpartsproducts.com), one of the pioneers of the quickly growing Digital Picture Frame product category, announces an affordable easy-to-use Digital Picture Frame with a 5.6-inch LCD display that clearly showcases standard (JPEG) images and movie (.avi) files. Featuring three interchangeable 8” x 7” frames including a genuine walnut wood frame, automatic variable-speed slide show capability, infrared (IR) remote control for easy and interactive use, USB cable and AC adapter, this 8” x 7” digital picture frame is compatible with all memory cards including SecureDigital (SD), SmartMedia (SM), Memory Stick (MS), MultiMediaCard (MMC), CompactFlash (CF) and xD Picture Cards. It can easily be displayed on a desk or countertop.
Smartparts Press Release Englewood, NJ (September 22, 2006) – Smartparts, Inc. (www.smartpartsproducts.com), one of the pioneers of the quickly growing Digital Picture Frame product category, announces an affordable easy-to-use Digital Picture Frame with a 5.6-inch LCD display that clearly showcases standard (JPEG) images and movie (.avi) files. Featuring three interchangeable…
Sigma User Press Release
The quality and popularity of SIGMA’s lenses, flashguns and other accessories along with their SD series of cameras goes hand in hand with the huge increase in the use of Digital SLR cameras over the last few years. Sigma are now leading the way with third party optics designed for these modern electronic cameras. With this vastly increased quality, along with the number of ‘new’ photographers, we at SigmaUser.co.uk thought it was about time for a dedicated, independent website where users of Sigma’s equipment can exchange views, techniques, ideas and generally share their knowledge and show off their images. So we have put one together!
Sigma User Press Release The quality and popularity of SIGMA’s lenses, flashguns and other accessories along with their SD series of cameras goes hand in hand with the huge increase in the use of Digital SLR cameras over the last few years. Sigma are now leading the way with third…
Nik Software Press Release
The new Nik Professional Suite bundles the complete versions of Nik Software’s award-winning Nik Color Efex Pro™ 2.0, Nik Sharpener Pro™ 2.0 and Dfine® 1.0 and will be presented for the first time at photokina in Cologne. Come see us in hall 4.1, booth E-011/F-019, on 26th September – 1st October 2006. It is now easier and more affordable then ever for all photographers and digital artists to benefit from all that digital photography has to offer.
Nik Software Press Release The new Nik Professional Suite bundles the complete versions of Nik Software’s award-winning Nik Color Efex Pro™ 2.0, Nik Sharpener Pro™ 2.0 and Dfine® 1.0 and will be presented for the first time at photokina in Cologne. Come see us in hall 4.1, booth E-011/F-019, on…
DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no have published their review of the new Panasonic DMC-L1 DSLR camera.
“Considering that the Lumix DMC-L1 is a digital SLR camera, its appearance is quite unique. Behind its classic design that resembles an “old-fashioned” rangefinder camera, the L1 combines traditional camera controls with the latest digital technologies in a masterly fashion. Built on the stainless steel base of the Olympus E-330, strengthened with a magnesium alloy exterior shell, it is indeed a robust camera that meets professional requirements. Add to this a top-ranked Leica Vario-Elmarit zoom lens with optical stabiliser, a Live View NMOS image sensor with 7.5 MP resolution, a 2.2” LCD screen and a multitude of manual overrides, together making the L1 a desirable camera for many experienced photographers. Unfortunately, Panasonic has overlooked a few quite annoying details, and some useful features from the E-330 are missing. Despite of this, the Lumix L1 is a “one of the kind” camera that it is easy to fall in love with, if not by first sight, certainly after getting acquainted with its many good qualities.”
Website: Digit.no - Panasonic DMC-L1 Review
DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no have published their review of the new Panasonic DMC-L1 DSLR camera. “Considering that the Lumix DMC-L1 is a digital SLR camera, its appearance is quite unique. Behind its classic design that resembles an “old-fashioned” rangefinder camera, the L1 combines traditional camera controls with the…
ThinkCamera have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR.
“The low level of apparent noise on this camera is astounding. There’s very little noise even at ISO 800 and 1600, so you’ll be able to print your images at large sizes or crop into details without having to shrink the print size too far. Set the camera to ISO 800 and the files look like those shot on some other DSLRs at ISO 400. ISO 1600 starts to get a little noisy but no worse than many competitors at ISO 800 and even ISO 3200 could be considered “usable” for some purposes”
Website: ThinkCamera - Canon EOS 5D Review
ThinkCamera have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR. “The low level of apparent noise on this camera is astounding. There’s very little noise even at ISO 800 and 1600, so you’ll be able to print your images at large sizes or crop into details…
PCMagazine have just reviewed the Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z850 camera, which offers 8.1 megapixels, 3x optical zoom lens, manual exposure and advanced flash options.
“A nice-looking ultracompact camera, the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 ($399.99 list) is both small and sleek. Even so, it includes special features like antishake DSPs (digital signal processors) and the ability to control aperture and shutter speed settings manually. For a basic point-and-shoot, though, there was a steep learning curve—partly due to confusing, unintuitive menus and a lack of on-screen guides. Image quality was good overall. Still, I expected photos to be sharper, given the camera’s 8-megapixel resolution.”
Website: PCMagazine - Casio EX-Z850 Review
PCMagazine have just reviewed the Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z850 camera, which offers 8.1 megapixels, 3x optical zoom lens, manual exposure and advanced flash options. “A nice-looking ultracompact camera, the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 ($399.99 list) is both small and sleek. Even so, it includes special features like antishake DSPs (digital signal…
Luminous Landscape have reviewed the Sigma APO 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM lens, nicknamed the Sigmonster!
“If you are still paying attention, you must like what you see. Image quality is superb. What about focus speed? The Sigma HSM focusing motor is the match of Canon’s Ultrasonic USM motor at f5.6. The Canon system is faster at f4, but that’s always the case. A larger maximum aperture will allow for faster focusing speeds. Focusing accuracy is also, at least in my sample very, very good. I almost never override and use manual focus, and I’m a stickler for focus accuracy.”
Luminous Landscape have reviewed the Sigma APO 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM lens, nicknamed the Sigmonster! “If you are still paying attention, you must like what you see. Image quality is superb. What about focus speed? The Sigma HSM focusing motor is the match of Canon’s Ultrasonic USM motor at…
Photokina Show have just reviewed the new SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash card and Firewire reader.
“The SanDisk Extreme IV memory card has immediate benefits for professional digital SLR photographers working with digital equipment like the Hasselblad H2D or high resolution digital SLR cameras like the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II 16 Megapixel DSLR camera. When we conducted our tests with cameras like the Canon EOS 1D Mark II N and Nikon D200 we had to admit that these fairly new cameras were not able to get the most out of the Extreme IV memory card. The bottleneck is the digital SLR camera that doesn’t (yet) support the fast Ultra DMA and this is a limitation.”
Photokina Show have just reviewed the new SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash card and Firewire reader. “The SanDisk Extreme IV memory card has immediate benefits for professional digital SLR photographers working with digital equipment like the Hasselblad H2D or high resolution digital SLR cameras like the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II…
ThinkCamera have reviewed the Canon Digital IXUS 60, a 6 megapixel digital camera with a 3x zoom lens, ISO 800, Widescreen (16:9) mode, and 2.5 inch LCD screen.
“If you’ve ever picked up an Ixus then you’ll know exactly what this camera looks like - they hit a design 10 years ago and stuck to it because it’s a great design. The camera is almost exactly credit card sized but thicker than a couple of the ultra slim models we’ve seen. Most of the body appears to be plastic. There’s just enough metal on there to keep to the Ixus ethic. The Ixus 65 feels heavier than you expect though - it’s only 145g but something about it feels solid. It’s also nicely balanced - without the battery you can tell the left side is much heavier than the right. Pop the battery in and it’s perfectly balanced.”
ThinkCamera have reviewed the Canon Digital IXUS 60, a 6 megapixel digital camera with a 3x zoom lens, ISO 800, Widescreen (16:9) mode, and 2.5 inch LCD screen. “If you’ve ever picked up an Ixus then you’ll know exactly what this camera looks like - they hit a design 1…