The 66th PhotographyBLOG Portfolio has been submitted by Sturla Strand.

“Taking black and white photographs is for me the most natural way to express myself artistically. I try to envision the subjects I am shooting without color, which I often find a distracting element. This way I can concentrate on lines, shapes, forms and shadows - the little details that people for the most part overlook. When it comes to the subjects I choose to photograph, I have found that certain places have a special kind of attraction to me. These places I visit over and over again under different lightning conditions, trying to capture them the way I want. Some of my best black and white photographs are taken only a few hundred meters from where I live. This proves the point that you do not have to travel to exotic places to find good motives. I often feel that the motives come to me, rather than the opposite. I am constantly trying to improve my photographic skills in terms of expression and motives.”

Website: Sturla Strand

Here are the stand-out news stories from the last 7 days:

New Cameras
Olympus E-330 Kits Now Available

New Software
DxO Optics Pro v3.55a

Other Headlines
13% Increase for UK Digital Camera Sales
Half a Trillion Digital Photos Captured in 2009
Konica Minolta UK Closes 31st March 2006
£200 Cashback on Canon 5D
Pentax to Withdraw Products from European Market
Sharp CMOS Sensor Calculates Distance to Subject

GfK Press Release

30.03.2006 - In their 25th year of working within, and supporting the Photographic industry, GfK in conjunction with the Photo Imaging Council announce another year of continued growth within the Imaging markets. For the past three years GfK Marketing Services have worked closely with the Photo Imaging Council to formulate complete market sales figures for Imaging products within Great Britain. Once again for 2005 the two companies are pleased to publish their findings.

By collaborating on this project PIC and GfK have been able to jointly use each other’s market figures to agree total market size in volume (Millions). The Imaging market grew by 2.6% in value in 2005, which is an extremely strong performance compared to other durable markets. The continued growth of the Imaging market is driven on through strong sales of Digital Cameras and Memory Cards. The figures below clearly demonstrate the positive effect the “Digital Age” is having on the Imaging markets, however as we move further into 2006 the continued growth of this sector looks to be challenging. As price erosion continues, manufacturers and retailers will be faced with more challenges over product assortment and pricing. The growth of Digital SLR products has seen a notable difference in 2005. GfK recorded sales of these products growing by over 118%, giving an annual volume of nearly 190,000 units.

Lyra Research Press Release

Newton, MA (March 30, 2006) — According to Lyra Research, the digital imaging authority, the number of digital images captured worldwide has grown from under 40 billion in 2002 to nearly 200 billion in 2005, and in 2009 close to half a trillion digital images will be captured. A key concern in the digital camera industry is the growing importance of camera phones, which accounted for virtually none of the images captured in 2002 but will account for close to 60 percent of the total in 2009. Lyra expects that many of these camera phone images will be short-lived, never making it to print, while digital cameras will remain the device of choice for consumers to capture images they actually care enough about to print. “As camera phone penetration rises and their image quality improves, hundreds of millions of consumers around the world will become accustomed to grabbing spur-of-the-moment photos with their phones,” explains Steve Hoffenberg, Lyra’s director of consumer imaging research. “But, for those precious family moments that people want to preserve for posterity by printing, they will still primarily turn to their digital cameras.”

Aplus.Net Press Release

Aplus.Net Joins Forces With TiVo to Provide an Easy Means of Viewing Digital Photos

SAN DIEGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/—Aplus.Net is the first company to fully integrate its photo storage service, Web-a-Photo(TM) (www.web-a-photo.com), with a TiVo(R) Digital Video Recorder. With this new development, TiVo users can now view all of their photos stored online on their television screen. Photos can be rotated, zoomed, e-mailed, and ordered, all via TiVo remote. Slide show mode is also available. The new TiVo enabled Web-a-Photo service is intended to provide TiVo users with a more convenient way of viewing their photos and sharing photos with family and friends. The service enables users to view photos on a television screen without the hassle of digital camera equipment. This means that the user has access to his/her photos at all times and the ability to display them on a large screen anywhere with a TiVo connection. Furthermore, the service is excellent for gatherings, since a PC screen is too confining as a photo viewing source.

Casio USA Press Release

Casio to Offer Exclusive Cameras on eBay to Benefit a project on GlobalGiving to rebuild Three New Orleans Public Schools Destroyed by Katrina

March 27, 2006, DOVER, NJ – Casio Inc, a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics, is striving to help rebuild schools in the Gulf Coast area that were devastated by hurricane Katrina.  Casio has donated Exilim cameras that will be sold for charity on eBay with the eBay Giving Works program.  The cameras will be available for bid from April 4 through April 14. The charity auction will include 10 Exilim “Zoom” limited U.S. edition EX-Z60 (red) and EX-Z600 (brown) cameras, and five custom colored Z850 (blue) cameras featuring eBay mode.  The models, not yet readily available at retail, are also the only models in the world in these unique colors that feature the eBay Best Shot mode.  All proceeds from the sale of these limited cameras on eBay will benefit the three New Orleans schools through GlobalGiving, an Internet-based philanthropy service that connects donors and individuals directly to social, economic development, and environmental projects in the U.S. and throughout the world, allowing donors to stay in control of where their money goes. Casio will work with GlobalGiving to see that funds go directly to the first three public schools in New Orleans to open after hurricane Katrina.

OnAsia Press Release

TOKYO, Japan – April 1st, 2006 – OnAsia photographer Thierry Falise has won the prestigious Special Jury Prize at the ‘Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards.’ The award was given for Thierry’s photo essay entitled ‘Humanitarian Commandos Burma. An internationally renowned photographer, Thierry Falise has been covering border conflicts and rebel movements in the Asian region for the past two decades.  His work often focuses on the plight of minority groups that are the victims of state repression, but who live in remote or difficult to access areas. His winning photo essay is part of an in-depth photographic project involving several long and perilous trips into the jungles of northern Burma. The report, compiled over several years, describes the work of a group of volunteers who risk their lives to bring medical aid to thousands of civilians living in the shadow of the Burmese junta’s ongoing war against its ethnic minorities.

Complete Digital Photography have published a comparative review of the new Nikon D200 and Canon EOS 30D digital SLR cameras.

“If you’re hoping to find a single characteristic that will make your decision for you, performance is not going to be it. Both cameras power up seemingly instantly, wake from sleep just as quickly, offer speedy burst rates, and excellent file write and read times. If you really want to ensure maximum performance from either camera, it’s worth investing in speedier flash cards, as these will make a difference. Overall, though, you’ll find both cameras very responsive.”

Website: Complete Digital Photography - Nikon D200 vs Canon EOS 30D Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Olympus E-500, an 8 megapixel DSLR with a 2.5 inch LCD screen in a body with a classic penta-prism design.

“Finally Olympus has come up with a product that can take on the likes of the Canon EOS 350D, Nikon D50 and Pentax *ist DL. The E-500, launched at the end of last year, is a conventionally-styled lightweight and relatively compact D-SLR which offers all the advantages of the 4/3 system at a price of just £549 including a 14-45mm standard zoom lens. With 8MP performance and a wide range of manual and creative options available, it is aimed squarely at the amateur/hobbyist end of the market.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Olympus E-500 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

About.com have reviewed the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 which combines a 12x optical zoom lens with MEGA O.I.S. in a compact body.

“I am used to the fast response times of digital SLR cameras, and was pleasantly surprised by the Panasonic DMC-FZ7. Focusing was instantaneous except in the most challenging low-light conditions. There is little delay between the time you press the shutter and when the camera takes the shot, great news for action photographers. There is almost no limit to the photo opportunities with a 12x zoom. I was able to take photos of scenic vistas and closeups of birds in flight all on the same hike. “

Website: About.com - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

The 65th PhotographyBLOG Portfolio has been submitted by James Shull.

“Please pardon my reluctance to attempt discussion of the more intangible aspects of photography. It’s a visual medium and I don’t have any particular social agenda with it other than sharing it with others who are so inclined. What gets me out of the house is the continual possibility that I might turn the mundane into the profound.

The enclosed 13 photos were made between 1991 and 2006. Each of them represents my desire to build a connection to the place I was at during that time. A few were made in California, some from Pennsylvania and Alabama, one from Kosovo, one from inside a bus in Macedonia. One of them was captured digitally, with all the rest being conventional. All film formats are represented, 4x5, 35mm, and 6x6. My favorite is whichever I’m using at that time.”

Website: James Shull

DxO Labs Press Release

Free upgrade improves product while support for new Samsung, Kodak and Fuji cameras increases versatility of DxO Optics Pro.

Paris, France, March 30, 2006 – DxO Labs announces today the immediate availability of DxO Optics Pro v3.55a, a free upgrade to DxO Optics Pro v3.5. Version 3.55a of DxO Labs’ flagship product for automatic image quality enhancement contains a number of significant refinements which will improve users’ experience when using DxO Optics Pro. Notably:

New configurable “docked palette” mode for easy access to all adjustment tools;
Improved configuration wizard;
The “Automatic” mode of DxO Optics Pro is now easily and fully configurable thanks to a “Default preset”;
Option to save or not .dxo sidecar files;
Option to set application level output setting preferences (can be locally overridden);
Numerous other improvements and fixes.

Konica Minolta UK Press Release

Konica Minolta withdraw from the Photo Industry

As previously announced within our press release dated 19th January 2006, Konica Minolta will withdraw from the photographic market as of 31st March 2006. Please find below essential information relating to the ongoing support of Konica, Minolta and Konica Minolta products.

Olympus have released a new firmware update, version 1.2, for the E-500 digital SLR.

Version 1.2 includes the following improvements:

1) AEL/AFL Button <> One-touch WB button
A menu function is added for exchanging AEL/AFL button and One-touch WB button.

2) Improve the precision of exposure by built-in flash
Exposure level of built-in flash with the combination of some of lenses* is improved.
*) Sigma Corp. Four-Thirds lenses (18-50mm F3.5- 5.6 DC,18-125mm F3.5-5.6 DC, 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC)

Website: Olympus E-500 Firmware Update v1.2

Leica have released a firmware update, version 1.2, for the Leica Digital-Modul-R digital back.

The following technical features are optimized by the Firmware Release 1.2:
- Improved image reproduction on the display
- Improved color reproduction in the images
- Compatibility for 4GB SD cards
- Compatibility for MAC OS version 10.3
- Improved Japanese menu language
- Bug for saving of settings eliminated (ISO Push)
- Optimizing of internal data processing

Advice: Due to the compatibility the data format on the SD cards has been changed. Therefore the SD card has be to formated after update.

Website: Leica Digital-Modul-R Firmware v1.2

Designtechnica have just published their review of the new top of the range 8 megapixel HP Photosmart R927 digital camera.

“The photo results outdoors in Auto were stellar although I have to admit I cranked up the Saturation simply because I like vivid color. Even without the increased Saturation colors were very accurate with very little purple fringing. The lens rarely grabbed for focus but there was some delay as camera saved the large 8MP files to the card. This internal chugging really separates point-and-shoot digicams from D-SLRs and premium-priced all-in-ones like the Sony DSC-R1 but it’s a bit unfair since these camera cost two or three times the price.”

Website: Designtechnica - HP Photosmart R927 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

DCReosurce has the first online review of the new 6 megapixel Sony DSC-W50.

“The W50 has very low noise levels through ISO 200, and even ISO 400 is usable for midsize prints. Two things happen when you go up to ISO 800 and 1000, though. First, noise levels increase dramatically, as you can see. The ISO 800 shot does print out pretty well at 4 x 6, though I’d probably pass on the ISO 1000 one. Something else is happening here, and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. Color saturation drops through the floor at ISO 800 and 1000, making the photos look pretty dull. For that reason alone I’d probably pass on the ISO 800 and 1000 settings.”

Website: DCResource - Sony DSC-W50 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

DigiCamReview have reviewed the Casio EX-Z120, a 7 megapixel camera with Anti Shake DSP technology which reduces blurring caused either by shaking hands or moving subjects.

“Image quality is good to very good, the images have very good colour, with good saturation, contrast and detail - although images are slightly soft, and could do with sharpening, either in camera or afterwards. The camera did a good job focusing - although the camera occasionally struggled in low-light, the majority of the time focusing in low-light was successful. I did not notice vignetting in photos, nor did I notice barrel or pincushion distortion. There is a good range of image sizes, and a good choice of compression options. The macro mode is average, although it does provides good detail and colour.”

Website: DigiCamReview - Casio EX-Z120 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

The Norwegian website Akam.no have just reviewed the Ricoh GR Digital, an 8 megapixel compact digicam based on the GR Series of 35mm compact film cameras.

Website: Akam.no - Ricoh GR Digital Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

DIWA member and Czech website Foto Aparat have published a review of the Canon BubbleJet i9950 printer.

Website: Foto Aparat - Canon BubbleJet i9950 Review