Canon USA Press Release

Fashion Forward and Feature Filled, Canon’s Three New Digital ELPH Cameras Take Sizzling Style, Cool Curves and Great Pictures to the Winner’s Circle for a PowerShot Trifecta

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.—Sept. 14, 2006—America’s love affair with Canon’s Digital ELPH cameras is heating up once again as three streamlined new sisters join the PowerShot Digital ELPH family - just in time for the popular camera line’s tenth anniversary. Reprising the discrete, petite profiles, curved bodies, smooth lines, and lustrous eye-catching allure that define the outer-design of Digital ELPH camera models, the 10.0 megapixel PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH and the 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD800 IS and PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH cameras take the marriage of style and substance to a new level. They do it with an array of new user-friendly features, innovations and enhancements ranging from a dramatically faster response time to a new face detection autofocus system that keeps subjects in focus no matter where in the frame they appear. Arriving in stores in October, these power-packed digital denizens of pocket or purse continue to champion the go anywhere, shoot anytime philosophy that keeps picture-taking fun and preserves memorable moments in a flash.

Canon USA Press Release

Canon Unveils New Flagship PIXMA MP960 Photo AIO That Combines Exceptional Photo Lab Capabilities with Elegant Look and Feel

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 14, 2006—In any lineup, there can only be one flagship model. Canon’s new PIXMA MP960 Photo All-In-One (AIO) is a premium device that provides all the features needed for an exceptional photo experience in the home. As the only seven-color photo all-in-one on the market using the ChromaLife100 system, discerning consumers can now produce long-lasting(1) vivid photo lab quality prints. Because Canon’s focuses on developing easy-to-use and elegantly designed products, the PIXMA MP960 Photo AIO also features the revolutionary Easy-Scroll Wheel user interface to complement the bright 3.5-inch high-definition TFT screen. For the photo enthusiast who wants the best equipment for a variety of uses, from reprinting photos to scanning slides and negatives, the MP960 Photo AIO (estimated selling price $399.99(2)) is the answer.

The Olympus E-400 is the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera. The Olympus E400 offers 10 megapixels, 2.5 LCD screen, Supersonic Wave Filter for dust protection, 31 shooting modes, and CompactFlash and xD-Picture Card support. Two new Olympus Four Thirds lenses will be introduced with the E400 - the EZ-1442 ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 (equiv. to 28-84mm), and the EZ-4015-2 ED 40-150mm 1:4.0-5.6 (equiv. to 80-300mm). Price of the Olympus E-400 is around £650-700 for the Double Zoom kit, single lens kit is £600-650, with body-only price £600. Available in the UK in November.

Olympus UK Press Release

The 10.0 million pixel Olympus E-400: The world’s smallest digital SLR*

London, 14 September 2006 – Olympus presents the latest addition to the E-System, the world’s smallest and lightest D-SLR* camera – the Olympus E-400. The compact size and low weight of this latest Four Thirds Standard camera, allows photographers to take it virtually anywhere, while not having to do without the considerable benefits of SLR photography. This model features a new CCD with 10.0 million pixels and a state-of-the-art amplifier circuit for incredible imaging performance at super fast speed. As the design of the Olympus E400 is based on the Four Thirds Standard, users have virtually unlimited flexibility. A wide range of high-quality, interchangeable lenses, including the EISA Award winning Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL Top Pro lenses, plus other accessories are available for all types of needs. These are provided by Olympus and, thanks to cross-manufacturer compatibility of the standard, from other manufacturers as well. As with all E-System cameras, the E400 features the Supersonic Wave Filter – ensuring dust-free photography, even after changing lenses under challenging conditions. The E-400 is expected to arrive in the UK in November, for stockist information call 0800 0720070 or visit www.olympus.co.uk.

Olympus, Panasonic and Sigma Joint Press Release

Cross-manufacturer compatibility providing more choices and flexibility for D-SLR photographers - Olympus, Panasonic & Sigma publish joint Four Thirds Standard lens catalogue

London, 14 September 2006 – Olympus Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic) and Sigma Corporation announce the publication of a joint product catalogue that features the full range of interchangeable lenses suitable for use by all Four Thirds Standard-based digital SLR cameras. Coinciding with the launch of the latest Olympus Four Thirds Standard camera, the E-400, plus two new, ultra-compact ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses, the catalogue showcases how cross-manufacturer compatibility of the standard enhances versatility for photographers.

Pentax UK Press Release

An Interchangeable Medium-Telephoto Lens for PENTAX Digital SLR Cameras, Featuring Ultra-Thin Pancake Design and High-Quality Visual Description

Pentax is pleased to announce the launch of the smc PENTAX-DA 70mm F2.4 Limited lens, designed for exclusive use with its digital SLR cameras and featuring an ultra-thin pancake design and uni-focal, medium-telephoto optics. With its medium-telephoto perspective, this new lens is ideal for many different situations, including portraiture and landscape photography. Its high-performance optics not only assures outstanding image quality, but also allows distinctive visual expression. The materials used for this lens have been carefully selected for optimum holding comfort and utmost operability. Thanks to Pentax’s advanced manufacturing technology, this new lens is designed to be extremely thin and lightweight, assuring go-anywhere portability for casual, day-to-day snapshot photography.

The new Pentax T20 digital camera is announced. Offering 7 megapixels, 3 inch LCD screen and a slim 19.5mm body, the Pentax T20 will arrive in UK stores in October with a retail price of £249.99.

Pentax UK Press Release

14th September, 2006 - Pentax is delighted to introduce the new Pentax Optio T20 compact digital camera.  An upgrade to the highly successful Optio T10, the new camera still benefits from a combination of stylish design and innovative functionality - such as touch-screen programming, on-screen image manipulation and high-definition playback - but now boasts a meatier 7 megapixel processing performance.  This makes the Pentax T20 ideal for those who want to match cutting edge design, top-end optical performance and leading digital technology. Housed within an extremely slim body, the Pentax T20 is defined by its extra-large 3.0-inch, high-definition LCD monitor, which allows for easy viewing and a touch-screen control system for programming the camera.  Using the screen as the main interface in this way, navigation is simplified, more control is given to the user, and the design of the camera is simplified to make it much more aesthetically pleasing.  Yet ease of use and stunning design is balanced by high-end performance, with the T20’s 7 effective megapixel resolution delivering exceptionally high-quality prints with crisp detail.

Featuring 6 megapixels and a large 2.4-inch LCD monitor, the Pentax E20 will be on sale from October with a retail price of £119.19.

Pentax UK Press Release

14th September, 2006 - Pentax is pleased to introduce the new Optio E20, a lightweight compact digital camera. The introduction of the Pentax E20 expands Pentax’s portfolio of entry-level compacts. With 6 megapixels and a 3X optical zoom lens it is designed to be simply operated and features a convenient mode dial making the Optio E20 the ideal choice for budding photographers. The Pentax E20 offers beginners and novices an innovative camera with technologically advanced optics and a premium photographic experience at a competitive price. The Pentax Optio E20 is the latest in Pentax’s Optio E series range featuring world leading optics in an easy-to-use package that is great value for money. In addition the Pentax E20 uses AA batteries, so users can easily buy replacements no matter where they are in the world to take high quality photos anytime or anywhere.

PNY Technologies Press Release

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 13, 2006—PNY Technologies(R), Inc. today announced the availability of its latest MaxFile(TM) Attache(R), a USB 2.0 micro hard drive with 12GB of storage space. The extra-small drive includes a Migo(TM) backup and synchronization software download, so users can sync everything from their e-mail, documents, favorites and settings wherever they go. “MaxFile Attache provides an ideal solution for users looking for a well-rounded combination of cost-effective, high-capacity, compact, portable storage,” said Dean Delserro, senior marketing manager, flash, for PNY Technologies. “Only slightly larger than a traditional USB flash drive, MaxFile’s small form factor is ideal for anyone that needs to safely carry loads of important information with them. MaxFile Attache is a perfect choice for the user that requires more storage at a lower cost per megabyte than is traditionally available on a USB Flash drive, and still wants to be able to carry it in their pocket, purse, briefcase or backpack.”

Transcend Press Release

Transcend information Inc., world leader in memory and Flash products will be present at Photokina, Köln 2006, the global business and communication platform for the imaging sector, to display its complete Flash product range. As one of the pioneers in Flash memory, Transcend has some of the fastest SD and CF cards in the world, with transfer speed up to 150X and 120X respectively. Recently, it has also launched a series of USB Flash memory sticks (JetFlash family) and MP3 players (T.sonic family) that are characterized by their stylish designs and extra features.

FotoTime Press Release

New U3-Certified FotoAlbum Pro Lets Consumers Have their Image Library and Cataloging Software “On The Go”

DALLAS, TEXAS -September 13, 2006 - FotoTime, Inc., a leading provider of digital photo and video solutions, today announced FotoAlbum Pro for U3 image management and organizing software. Now consumers have a powerful solution to transfer their complete digital image library and management software to any Windows PC. FotoAlbum Pro for U3 provides 100 percent of the functionality of the standard version of the software and can run on a U3 smart device without any prior installation onto the host PC. With the availability of the U3-certified version, FotoAlbum Pro now supports a complete range of portable devices including iPods, PDAs and PSPs.

Proxel Software HB Press Release

Proxel Software HB has released the groundbreaking software toolkit Proxel Lens Corrector. The toolkit consists of two tools. The first tool uses calibration photos to analyze the distortion of the lens. The second tool is a Photoshop plugin that can be used to remove distortion from all your pictures, using the result from the analysis. The most outstanding feature of this toolkit is that you can, with high accuracy, easily measure and correct any lens you own. You can do this regardless of kind of lens, e.g. it can be a third party wide angle converter used on your P&S camera. There does not exist any competing affordable tool that can accomplish this and there does not exist any tool (regardless of cost) that can do it so easily.

MediaStreet Press Release

Sleek Compact Design with Large 7 inch TFT Screen Records / Plays Nearly All Formats of Audio, Video and Still Photography

Deer Park, NY – September 13, 2006 – MediaStreet Inc., a leading independent manufacturer of archival-quality inks with matched inkjet media and other innovative digital solutions for the photographic, arts and consumer electronics industries, is introducing a new personal media player (PMP). The eMotion Audio/Video Jukebox plays virtually all available audio/video formats and records movies and other video content directly onto its built-in 40GB hard drive from any TV, DVD or RCA jack-in. MediaStreet’s new eMotion Audio/Video Jukebox provides brilliant picture quality with its 7 inch TFT LCD 16:9 format screen, and crisp audio sound through its built-in Dolby Digital speaker system.  Via a built-in SD card slot, consumers can view their photographs or personal videos by simply inserting the card into the slot.  The unit’s sleek streamlined exterior provides an elegant appearance, while the overall layout of the player places control buttons exactly where users would expect them to be.

MediaStreet Press Release

eMotion DV9 is a 5 Megapixel Digital Still Camera, Digital Video Camcorder, Video Playback Unit, MP3 Player and Voice Recorder - Panasonic Video CCD Sensor and Olympus 3x Optical Zoom Lens Ensure Quality Stills and Video in All-in-One Capture Device

Deer Park, NY – September 13, 2006 – MediaStreet Inc., a leading independent manufacturer of archival-quality inks with matched inkjet media and other innovative digital solutions for the photographic, arts and consumer electronics industries, is introducing one of the most innovative multifunctional digital capture and playback devices in the industry.  The new eMotion DV9 Twister-Cam gives consumers the best of several worlds by incorporating into a single ultra-compact unit a high-quality 5 megapixel digital still camera and a 1/2.5-inch CCD video chip for creating great videos.  The palm-sized unit also functions as an MP3 audio player, MPEG-4 video playback device, voice recorder, mass storage device and PC cam.  The eMotion DV9 Twister-Cam will be available nationwide in September with suggested retail price of $279.00.

ACDSee 9 Photo Manager is announced, with a new Quick View mode that allows you to see your photos more quickly then ever before. It also allows you to quickly browse through your photo collections. Available for $39.99, ACDSee 9 will also have a simplified onscreen presentation that will increase the speed of the product and your photo viewing experience.

ACD Systems Press Release

ACD Systems Releases ACDSee 9 Photo Manager – the Company’s Fastest and Easiest-to-use Photo Management Software To Date

Victoria, British Columbia – September 13, 2006 – ACD Systems International Inc. (TSX: ASA), makers of ACDSee™ photo management and creative editing software and Canvas™ technical illustration software, today announced the release of ACDSee™ 9 Photo Manager for photography enthusiasts. With the release of ACDSee 9, ACD Systems once again sets the industry standard for both speed and usability in a digital photo management software.

TrustedReviews have the first online review of the Canon PIXMA MP160 all-in-one.

“Canon claims the PIXMA MP-160 can produce a 15 x 10cm ‘photo lab’ quality print in 52 seconds, but we couldn’t quite match that. Printing from a PC in top quality mode took one minute 50 seconds and in standard mode from a camera, via PictBridge, it still clocked one minute three seconds. This, in itself, is not a bad time and is considerably quicker than, for example, the latest budget all-in-ones from Lexmark. When printing from a camera, pressing Fit to page gives you a borderless print.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Canon PIXMA MP160 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

PCMagazine have reviewed the new Sony DPP-FP55 photo printer.

“For the most part, the new Sony PictureStation DPP-FP55 ($150 street) can serve as the archetypal dedicated photo printer. Limited to 4- by 6-inch photos, it can print from PictBridge-enabled cameras, memory cards, and computers. A 2-inch color LCD lets you preview photos, and a built-in menu system gives you some basic kiosk-like editing features such as cropping, adjusting color, and removing red-eye. But this printer also stands out for fast printing speeds and a relatively low cost per photo.”

Website: PCMagazine - Sony DPP-FP55 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

PCMagazine have the vey first review of the new HP Photosmart A716 compact photo printer.

“When I reviewed the 475, I said it had so many strengths that if it weren’t for the lack of water resistance, it would be a runaway pick for Editors’ Choice. With the HP Photosmart A716 Compact Photo Printer, the company retains the strong features and performance of the 475 and adds water resistance, too. That’s enough for it to replace the Epson PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition as our Editors’ Choice for a high-end, small-format photo printer.”

Website: PCMagazine - HP Photosmart A716 Review

The Sony Cybershot DSC-H2 is a 6 megapixel camera with a 2 inch LCD screen. The Sony H2’s standout feature is the massive 12x optical zoom lens, equivalent to 36-432mm, allowing for many creative opportunities. The DSC-H2 also offers an image stabilisation system which ensures sharper results when hand-holding the camera. There are 7 different scene modes and a range of more creative shooting modes available. We reviewed and loved the original DSC-H1 nearly a year ago, so can the Sony DSC-H2 replicate its success?

Website: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 Review

CIPA Press Release

September 12, 2006 - In August 2006 the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA, President: Michio Kariya) reviewed the January 31, 2006 forecast of 2006-2008 shipments of various types of cameras and related goods. Total shipment of digital cameras increased by a strong 20.3% in volume from the previous year during the first 7 months of 2006. Domestic shipment of digital cameras with built-in lenses increased 7.9%, and export of digital cameras with built-in lenses increased 22.5%. As a result, though the estimation at the beginning of the year predicted that the total shipment of digital cameras in 2006 would rise 4.0% from the previous year, a total of 72.97 million digital cameras are now forecast to be shipped in 2006, up 12.7% from the previous year.

Pro-View Press Release

The New Pro-View Wireless Remote Display - the DSLR accessory no serious photographer should be without.

The Pro-View Wireless Remote Display (WRD) brings an innovative new technology to photographers using DSLR and SLR cameras. The Pro-View Wireless Remote Display (WRD) uses a micro-color video camera and a 2.4 GHz transmitter in a custom enclosure that slips on the camera in place of the eye cup. You are now ready to see the view through your lens on your remote hand-held color display.  A focus adjusting knob allows for precise focusing on any camera. The Pro-View WRD allows the photographer the freedom to be much more creative in camera placement.  New perspectives can be attained with precise composition; no more point and hope shots. With the Pro-View WRD, you see what your camera sees by viewing the live view on a hand-held color display.  You can position your camera high or low and comfortably view and frame your picture.