Transcend Press Release

Transcend releases its latest Memory Card, the 256MB microSD™ Card, which is the world’s smallest memory card

As more and more advanced, and compact mobile devices make their way onto our shelves, the demand for smaller, higher capacity and better performing Flash Memory Cards increases. The multimedia applications that many of the current Smart Phones, PDAs and Pocket PCs, are memory intensive and require the extra memory capacity of a memory card for storing photos, music and data. With this in mind and to ensure you get the most from your hi-tech devices, Transcend Information Inc., a world leader in flash memory devices, has developed its latest high performance 256MB microSD™ Memory Card, and at only half the size of a mobile phone SIM card it is the smallest memory card in the world.

Triscape Press Release

Triscape Introduces FxFoto Creative Edition for Digital Scrapbooking

Windham, NH, January 10, 2006 – Triscape, Inc. has released a new edition of its popular FxFoto photography software for the digital scrapbooking market.  FxFoto Creative Edition provides a unique blend of photo organization, editing and layout capabilities with all the tools needed for creating beautiful scrapbook pages digitally.  It is designed to be easy to use while providing advanced creativity tools. 

Digital scrapbooking is an exciting new segment of the $2.5 billion scrapbooking market, feeding on the rapidly growing demand for digital cameras.  Scrapbooking is the third most popular craft in the US and digital scrapbooking provides easy and cost effective means for creating, archiving and duplicating stunning layouts without paper, scissors or paste.  A large number of talented digital designers supply beautiful and often photo-realistic digital scrapbooking kits with background images and embellishments that replace the paper elements used in traditional scrapbooking.  FxFoto Creative comes with a selection of ten digital kits and hundreds of backgrounds from top designers.  It supports virtually all digital scrapbooking kits from third parties.  FxFoto Creative allows scrapbooking retailers to tap this emerging market of new digital scrapbookers and increase sales to customers who need photo editing or want to experiment with digital techniques.

PCMagazine have published a review of the Fujifilm FinePix S5600 Zoom, a 5 megapixel compact digital camera with Fujifilm’s new 5th Generation Super CCD HR sensor with Real Photo Technology (also known as the S5200 in the US).

“With the auto setting, our daylight shots showed little noise. Images exhibited very nice exposure (although some highlights were blown out), excellent color matching, and just the right amount of color saturation. There was some fringing, but not much. We noticed fringing more in our real-world testing. Images of tree branches or leaves against a bright blue sky had areas of strong purple fringing.”

Website: PCMagazine - Fujifilm FinePix S5600 Zoom Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

PCMagazine have reviewed the Canon PowerShot S80, an 8 megapixel update of the S70 which offers a 28-100mm f/2.8-5.3 lens, 2.5 inch LCD screen and Canon’s advanced image processor, DIGIC II.

“The S80 improves over the S70 several ways. It boosts the sensor to 8.0 megapixels from 7.1, while also improving video features considerably. You can shoot at 30 frames per second instead of 10 and save until you fill the memory card, giving you much smoother, longer clips. And where the S70 has only a 1.8-inch LCD, the S80 has a beautiful 2.5-inch screen. The larger display makes images viewed on the camera look simply stunning. Canon also kept the glass viewfinder—a feature many manufacturers seem to be eliminating.”

Website: PCMagazine - Canon PowerShot S80 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

Olympus UK Press Release

Unique images by David Bailey, Amanda DeCadenet, Richard Billingham and the late Lord Lichfield will be hung side-by-side for the first time in what will arguably be the most diverse range of photography ever exhibited in the UK.

The Olympus Inheritance Exhibition (to be held at The Music Room in Mayfair 17th-18th February 2006) will showcase the work of 22 photographers, from the legendary to the up-and-coming. Most genres of photography will be on show, including: celebrity, landscape, fashion, nature, macro, erotic and reportage. Yet despite their obvious differences in subject matter they share a mutual affiliation - to a manufacturer which has been making cameras for more than 70 years.

Adobe have today announced Lightroom, their answer to Apple’s Aperture. Adobe Lightroom is available now as a Beta version for Mac only.

Adobe UK Press Release

Adobe Unveils Lightroom Public Beta and Delivers New Technology for Digital Photography Workflows

Professional Photographers Instrumental in Developing New Modular Software to Import, Manage, Develop, and Showcase Images

London, — Jan. 9, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:ADBE) today introduced the public beta of Adobe® Lightroom™, an all-new digital imaging solution for professional photographers.  With its modular, task-based and streamlined environment, Lightroom’s goal is to deliver a complete photography workflow.  As Adobe collects more feedback from photographers, modules and feature sets will likely change, as customers decide on their popularity and priority within digital photography workflows. Initially available as a beta for Macintosh, Lightroom will later support both the Windows® and Macintosh platforms.

As with any major product release, a number of websites have published their initial impressions of Adobe’s new software program, Lightroom. Here’s a handy roundup for you…

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Adobe Lightroom Diary

Website: Luminous Landscape - Adobe Lightroom First-Look & Primer

Website: Luminous Landscape - Adobe Lightroom Tips and Tricks

Adobe have also posted a useful series of Frequently Asked Questions about Lightroom.

What is Lightroom Beta?
Adobe Lightroom Beta is a new, exciting product built from the ground up for professional photographers. It is an efficient, powerful way to import, select, develop and showcase large volumes of digital images. It allows you to spend less time sorting and organizing images, so you have more time to actually shoot and perfect them. Project Lightroom aims to get direct product feedback from the photography community, via our new Adobe Labs web site, so that photographers will have a huge say in what Adobe actually ships.

Adobe Press Release

Adobe Labs Delivers Early Access to Emerging Technologies - New Web Site Provides Customers and Developers Early Access to Next-Generation Adobe Software Innovations

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jan. 5, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the launch of Adobe Labs, which builds on the initial success of Macromedia Labs to deliver next-generation products and technologies to Adobe’s extended community of developers and customers.

Originally introduced in October 2005 by Macromedia, Adobe Labs will provide an unprecedented opportunity for developers and technology enthusiasts to experience, evaluate, and share feedback about new and emerging Adobe innovations, technologies, and products before they go to market. In return, Adobe will benefit from insightful feedback and the opportunity to make adjustments to product strategy before shipping. Earlier this week an update to Flash® Pro 8 software was made available on Adobe Labs, http://labs.adobe.com , for building mobile applications with Flash Lite™ 2 software. This along with Alpha versions of the Flex™ product line and Flash Player 8.5 are the beginning of an ever-expanding roster that will evolve as Alpha and Beta versions of new software become available. Since the first Labs release in September, developers have posted suggestions, feature requests, and questions in public forums. Much of this input is actively being incorporated into upcoming releases.

Wacom Press Release

New Wacom® Intuos®3 12x19 Pen Tablet Anticipates Needs of Professionals Switching to Large Widescreen Displays and Multiple Monitors

Vancouver, WA - Jan. 9, 2006 - Wacom Technology Corporation’s new Intuos3 12x19 pen tablet is specifically designed for photographers, designers, artists and engineers who are using multiple large monitors or a large widescreen display such as the 30” Apple® Cinema® HD display. Like the recently introduced Intuos3 6x11, the Intuos3 12x19 features an active area with an aspect ratio (height-to-width) that is a great match to the screen aspect ratio of either a widescreen display or standard displays used together. This provides optimal pen control and efficient use of the entire tablet.

ArcSoft Press Release

New version of Embedded Auto Red-Eye Removal for Digital Cameras and Printers - Now with improved accuracy and detection rate for a better consumer experience

Las Vegas, NV— Jan 05, 2006—ArcSoft®, a leader in multimedia technologies and software solutions, today announces Version 1.6 of the red-eye removal solution SDK, an improvement over its previous solution to the age-old problem of red-eye created by digital cameras using a flash.

The ArcSoft red-eye solution embedded into the firmware of a digital camera enables users to automatically remove this common problem in their photos without the need for a computer. The feature will empower consumers to work directly on their cameras; photos can be enhanced instantly, and then sent directly to a photo-finishing printer. This flexibility and time-saving capability is a huge step toward creating a better experience for any digital camera user.

Kodak Press Release

Kodak’s Perez Says Consumers Will Set the Rules for the Future of Digital Imaging - Delivers Speech at International Consumer Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6—Just as consumer desires drove the evolution of photography during the past 125 years, today’s consumers are defining the rules that will drive the future of digital imaging, said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK). It’s a future where all digital content is automatically identified, organized and instantly accessible anytime, anywhere.

In a keynote address today to attendees of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Perez reflected on the current state of the digital imaging industry and asserted that consumers want full ownership of and instant access to all their images and information in order to creatively tell their life stories. Yet, Perez noted, the imaging industry continues to make this a difficult proposition by adding complexity through the proliferation of stand-alone devices and rapidly changing, proprietary technology standards that confuse consumers.

DIWA member Steves Digicams have published a review of the 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix P1 Wi-Fi digital camera.

“I was pleased with the outdoor image quality results when using its 8-megapixel Fine mode. The majority of our samples were sharp with good overall exposure, however I did notice some softness to them. This is preferable over being too sharp, and you can manually adjust this via the record menu (Auto, Normal, Low, and High settings available.) The white balance and exposure system did well under various lighting conditions, producing beautiful sky detail (when there are some clouds in the sky.) Noise levels were low, especially at ISO speeds of 100 or lower, becoming more detectable as you increase the sensitivity.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Nikon Coolpix P1 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

The Norwegian website Akam.no have just reviewed the new 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200 digital SLR camera.

Website: Akam.no - Nikon D200 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

About Cameras have just reviewed the new 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200 digital SLR camera.

“Back in the golden days of film (remember those little plastic pots?) it was an often-stated dilemma that Nikon made the best cameras but Canon the best lenses. When the switch to digital began, Canon stole a lead in cameras, but with the D2x and now the D200, Nikon have put themselves very firmly back in the running (and arguably in pole position.) In fact, it seems very much like the film days, when the F5 and the F100 were competing for the crown and many pros preferred the smaller, lighter and cheaper model.”

Website: About Cameras - Nikon D200 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

This week’s Saturday Shout looks back at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) show in Las Vegas. A surprising number of new photography products were announced, with more than 25 new cameras from the likes of Kodak, Samsung, Fujifilm, Panasonic and Pentax. But did anything really set your pulse racing, or was it a case of “same old, same old”? Shout out now…

Here are the sample photos from my upcoming review of the 7 megapixel Canon PowerShot A620, a few days before the full review is online. Enjoy…

Website: Canon PowerShot A620 Photos

Samsung USA Press Release

SAMSUNG’S 6-IN-1 DIGITAL CAMERAS PROVIDE A WEALTH OF FUNCTIONALITY IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

CES Innovations Award Winning SC-MS25 Combines Digital Camera, Camcorder, MP3 Player, Voice Recorder, Web Cam and Data Storage in One Device

Las Vegas, NV – January 5, 2006 – Samsung, a world leader in award-winning innovation, is leading the charge in multi-function devices with a new line of three 6-in-1 digital still cameras that offer video and voice recording, music playback, data storage, and web cam capability in addition to producing high-quality digital stills. The ultracompact SC-MS25 combines multiple functions with full 6 MegaPixel photo quality and the best MPEG4 recording quality (640 x 480, 30fps) available in a digital still camera. Samsung’s innovative 6-in-1 still cameras will be on display during CES 2006 at the Samsung booth, #11033 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center from January 5th – 8th.

Tamron USA Press Release

TAMRON 2006 WILD WORLD PICTURE CONTEST SEEKS YOUR BEST BEASTS TAKEN WITH TAMRON LENSES

January 6, 2006, Commack, New York—It’s a Wild World, and that’s not just our opinion—it’s the subject of Tamron’s latest picture contest, an event open to legions of dedicated Tamron lens users. Actually, you don’t need to trek through the wilderness or go on a jungle safari to capture images that are potential winners. Your best photos taken while monkeying around at the local zoo, petting farm or aquarium may do the trick. The only rules on subject matter: An animal or animals must be prominently included, and the pictures must be in good taste. Entries must be received by October 31, 2006.

Sandisk Press Release

SanDisk Adds “U3 Smart” USB Flash Drives To Its Cruzer Line So Consumers Can Take Their “Personal Workspace” with Them

New SanDisk Cruzer Micro and Titanium Feature Sleek New Designs & Advanced Software Bundle

LAS VEGAS, NV, Jan. 5, 2006 – SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced a significant enhancement to its line of award-winning Cruzer® Micro and Cruzer Titanium USB flash drives. The two models feature a sleek new design and include software that turns them into ‘U3 smart drives’ so users can access their “personal workspace”—software programs, personal preferences, personal files and data as well as the means for managing them within a highly secure environment—on any personal computer running Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000. The new Cruzer models were unveiled at a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show where SanDisk is demonstrating products in Booth #30329, South Hall, Level 3, Las Vegas Convention Center.