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

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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

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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.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Sigma 300-800mm Lens Review

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.”

Website: Photokina Show - SanDisk Extreme IV Review

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.”

Website: ThinkCamera - Canon Digital IXUS 65 Review

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Pentax have revealed that they will be showing 3 new SLR lenses - smc PENTAX-DA* 16-50mm F2.8ED AL[IF], smc PENTAX-DA* 50-135mm F2.8ED [IF] and smc PENTAX-DA* 60-250mm F4ED [IF], at Photokina next week, along with the 18 megapixel PENTAX 645 Digital medium-format camera (first shown as a prototype back at PMA in February). The company have also announced that the 645 Digital will be upgraded with new sensors throughout its life, reaching an expected final resolution of 30 megapixels.

Pentax UK Press Release

Thursday 21st September 2006, London - Pentax will be exhibiting three new interchangeable digital SLR camera lenses, as well as a new medium-format camera, at this year’s Photokina in Cologne.  Still in pre-production, Photokina will represent the first opportunity for anyone outside of Pentax’s engineering team to view these exciting new products. Also on demonstration at the show will be the recently launched K10D - Pentax’s flagship digital SLR camera, featuring 10 megapixels, Pentax’s proprietary shake reduction system and a host of other innovative features.  These in turn will be supported by Pentax’s current digital compact line-up, which includes marketing leading cameras such as the Optio A20, Optio W20 and Optio T20.

The Seitz 6x17 Digital is a 160 megapixel (yes, 160!) digital panorama camera. The price for the Seitz 6x17 Digital panorama camera with its Seitz D3 scan back (mobile version) is 45,500 Swiss Francs (28,900 Euro) and for the studio version 42,300 Swiss Francs (26,900 Euro). Peanuts…

Seitz Press Release

Seitz 6x17 Digital – 160 Million Pixels In One Second – The Digital Revolution in 6x17 Panoramic Photography

Swiss company Seitz Phototechnik AG expands the current boundaries in digital photography. With the new Seitz D3 scan technology it is possible to create a digital 6x17 image with impressive resolution (160 million pixels) in one second. The new Seitz 6x17 digital camera with its D3 digital back is equipped with the first high-speed scanning sensor developed specifically for photography. Over the last years Seitz has worked closely with specialists of DALSA Corporation from sensor design to prototyping and production. In this way, it has been possible to tailor the capabilities of the new sensor to the exact needs of the photographer: very high speed, increased sensitivity and very high image quality as required for photography applications. The new camera system is fully mobile and easy to operate thanks to a handheld device with a graphical touch-screen. For data transfer and communication the latest computer technologies are used. World-class lenses by Schneider, Rodenstock or other large-format brands can be used with the new camera and can be used interchangeably with the new camera. The Seitz D3 sensor cassette can also be fitted to other cameras, such as our new Roundshot D3 360° Panorama camera, which makes the investment in the Seitz D3 technology truly rewarding.

The price for the 470 megapixel Roundshot D3 panorama camera with its Seitz D3 scan back (mobile version) is 46,900 Swiss Francs (29,800 Euro) and for the studio version 43,700 Swiss Francs (28,800 Euro).

Seitz Press Release

Roundshot D3 – 470 Million Pixels In 2 Seconds – The Digital Revolution In 360° Panorama Photography

Swiss company Seitz Phototechnik AG expands the current boundaries in digital photography. With the new Seitz D3 scan technology it is possible to create a digital 360° panorama of impressive resolution in only 2 seconds and with very high image quality. The new rotating Roundshot D3 digital camera with its D3 digital back is equipped with the first high-speed scanning sensor developed specifically for photography. Over the last years Seitz has worked closely with specialists of DALSA Corporation from sensor design to prototyping and production. In this way, Seitz has been able to tailor the capabilities of the new sensor the exact needs of the photographer: very high speed, increased sensitivity and very high image quality as required for photography applications. The new camera system is fully mobile and easy to operate thanks to a handheld device with a graphical touch-screen. For data transfer and communication the latest computer technologies are used. World-class medium or large format lenses of Schneider, Rodenstock, Hasselblad, Pentax 67 or other brands can be used interchangeably with the new camera. The Seitz D3 sensor cassette can also be fitted to other cameras, such as the new Seitz 6x17 Digital panorama camera, which makes the investment in the Seitz D3 technology truly rewarding.

Lensbabies Press Release

Lensbabies is happy to announce today the launch of new Lensbaby branded accessory lenses, a Lensbaby Wide Angle/Macro Conversion Lens and a Lensbaby Wide Angle/Telephoto Lens kit. Most notable about the new wide angle accessory lens is that it is optimized for use with the Lensbaby - no other wide angle accessory on the market preserves the size of the sweet spot of focus the way the Lensbaby wide angle lens does. When a photographer uses an industry standard wide angle conversion lens with a Lensbaby it shrinks the size of the Sweet Spot.  The shrinking Sweet Spot makes it harder to shoot wide open at f/2.0 or f/2.8, because the Sweet Spot reduces to quite a small percentage of the photo.  Our new Lensbaby wide angle conversion lenses solve the problem of the shrinking Sweet Spot.

muvee Press Release

Free web service automatically creates finished video mixes out of users’ uploaded video clips, pictures and music for online enjoyment

muvee announces muveeMix.com, a brand new site that allows anyone to automatically create polished video montages – called muvees – online without having to do any video editing. muveeMix intelligently cuts highlights of a user’s video and pictures to the beat of personally selected music, and adds in other themed artistic elements based on the video creation style that the user chooses. As the pioneer and leader in Instant Personal Video, muvee has over five years’ experience developing its unique approach to consumer video production, and is now making this technology available through any web browser. Users go to www.muveeMix.com where, in a few quick steps, they can add in their video clips, pictures and a music track. They then choose a video style that comes complete with transitions, special effects and other graphical elements. Without further user intervention, muveeMix transforms the images into a stylish, professionally-cut video production that the user can embed in a blog or post to a favorite video hosting or community site.

Carl Zeiss Sports Optics / DxO Labs Press Release

Wetzlar, Germany, and Paris, France - September 20, 2006 – Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, the world famous manufacturer of binoculars, spotting scopes and riflescopes, and DxO Labs, the leading supplier of image processing technologies, today announce that the first digital camera developed by Carl Zeiss Sports Optics will be powered by DxO Labs’ breakthrough Image Signal Processing (ISP) technology. As a result, the ZEISS Camera Eyepiece DC 4 for spotting scopes will feature unrivalled image quality, including vivid colors, perfect contrast, along with sharp and noiseless detail. Extending the Carl Zeiss Sports Optics acclaimed spotting scopes product range, the Eyepiece DC 4 will ship in late 2006. “We want to provide the best possible imaging device for the users of our spotting scopes. Our target is unmatched imaging properties and ease of operation. Therefore, DxO Labs’ outstanding imaging technology perfectly supports the performance of our outstanding optics and the camera unit,” explains Dr. Manfred Klingel, managing director of Carl Zeiss Sports Optics.

Nikon have released a new version, 4.4.2, of their Capture 4 raw conversion software for Nikon digital SLR cameras.

Nikon Capture
  *    Supports D2Hs and D2X RAW/NEF files after firmware 2.0.0 firmware has been applied (available soon).
  *    Improvements have been made with the following processes: Image Dust OFF, Advanced RAW palette, Batch process, D-Lighting, LCH Editor, Save Progress, White Balance Palette, PictureProject Transfer Options, Fisheye-to-rectilinear conversion feature.

Nikon Capture Camera Control
  *    Supports new Custom Setting options applied with D2Hs and D2X firmware 2.0.0
  *    Images captured with the image-authentication feature enabled, the following settings are disabled when images are saved: Embed ICC Profile, Attach IPTC Information, Automatic rotation of images capture in tall (portrait) orientation.  When TIFF images are transferred to a computer with Camera Control Pro, the image-authentication feature will be disabled.
  *    Use for Camera Curve Sample has been improved
  *    Embed ICC Profile in Download Options dialog has been improved.
  *    When shooting in manual mode with the D200 shutter speed and aperture changes are reflected in Nikon Capture Camera Control window. (Windows version only)

Website: Nikon Capture 4.4.2 (Windows)

Website: Nikon Capture 4.4.2 (Mac)

Moab Press Release

photokina 2006/Cologne, 26/09/2006 – Moab, a manufacturer of quality fine art and photograhic papers and accessories for the digital print market, today announces the new Chinle Digital Book. The ideal complement to its family of high quality inkjet papers, Moab’s Chinle Digital Book makes it possible to present ‘Fine-Art’ prints without the need for transparent wallets. This allows users to appreciate the detail and smoothness of the picture rendering possible with a high quality paper. Elegantly bound in genuine black leather, the Moab Chinle Digital Book is a professional solution for presenting high quality customised portfolios, photography albums and digital scrapbooking.

Phase One Press Release

September 20th, 2006, Copenhagen, Denmark:  Phase One®, the world leader in professional digital imaging solutions and SanDisk® Corporation, the world’s largest supplier of flash storage card products, are helping photographers to realize the benefits of shooting in RAW. Starting October 16, 2006, for a limited time only, SanDisk will include a coupon in their Extreme packaging for online registration and download of Capture One for free in Europe, Americas and a few countries in Asia. Capture One LE normally retails at $ / € 99. The bundle of the two products will enable photographers that shoot in JPEG to easily join their professional peers in working in RAW. Extreme III users who already shoot RAW images can now process their images in the industry leading Capture One at no additional charge. Purchase of Extreme III cards also offers upgrades from Capture One LE to Capture One PRO at a 15 per cent discount. Upgrades can be purchased through Phase One’s on-line store at www.phaseone.com.

DigitalCameraInfo have just reviewed the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX50, a 7.2-megapixel camera with 28mm wide angle f/2.8 LEICA DC lens.

“The Panasonic FX50 retails for $399, which seems slightly overpriced for what it is. What is it? The FX50 is mainly an automatically controlled point-and-shoot digital camera. It does have some pricey features like optical image stabilization, 7.2 megapixels of resolution, and widescreen movies. However, many of its competitors are offering lucrative features in one form or another. The overall value of the FX50 is below average, but for users who want widescreen movies and optical image stabilization above all else may think this is a bargain.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX50 Review

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DIWA member and German website Digitalkamera.de have published their review of 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.

Website: Digitalkamera.de - Canon EOS 400D Review

Website: Read our Canon EOS 400D Review

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The August 2006 Giveaway has now ended - here are the 3 lucky winners who each win a prize.

Cameron Hill has won a Kingston Technology CompactFlash Ultimate 4GB Memory Card
Rob Roy has won a Kingston Technology SD Ultimate 2GB Memory Card
Adrian Dusa has won a Kingston Technology U3 DataTraveler Smart Drive 2GB

Prizes kindly donated by Kingston Technology

Don’t worry if you didn’t win this time - a brand new contest will be starting soon…

Adobe have officially released Camera Raw 3.5 for both Windows and Mac platforms. Support for the following cameras has been added in this update.

- Kodak EasyShare P712
- Nikon D2Xs
- Panasonic DMC-FZ50
- Panasonic DMC-L1
- Sony A100

Note: Adobe Camera Raw 3.6 development has been accelerated to accommodate recently announced cameras such as the Nikon D80 and the Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel Xti. The update will be provided this fall.

Microsoft Digital Image Suite Anniversary Edition is available for an estimated retail price of $79.95.

Microsoft Press Release

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) today announced the launch of Microsoft(R) Digital Image Suite Anniversary Edition, which consists of Digital Image Suite 2006(1) along with a free value pack loaded with $198 worth of offers.(2) This comprehensive offering reflects 10 years of leadership in developing intuitive tools to help everyone from the novice picture-taker to the sophisticated photographer learn and grow in the art of digital photography. Whether snapping shots on the go with a camera phone or experimenting with a new single-lens reflex camera, today’s shutterbugs have made digital photography more popular than ever. In fact, IDC predicts that the number of digital images captured, shared and received will continue to grow at a rate of 24 percent per year through 2009.(3) Microsoft Digital Image Suite Anniversary Edition provides a range of tools to help photographers at every level preserve, organize and perfect these images.

ExpressDigital Press Release

Englewood, CO—September 20, 2006 — ExpressDigital announced today the availability of the newest release of its award winning Darkroom Assembly Edition software, specifically designed for professional school and team day photographers. This latest version adds to the already powerful features and functionality that has made Assembly Edition the most productive software in the industry. Included in the new version 8.7 release are many features designed to help professional photographers make more money.