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Following Konica Minolta’s decision yesterday to sack over 10% of its worldwide work-force, Olympus have announced a strategic shift from compact digital cameras to digital SLR models, such as the new E-500 (pictured), which typically have higher profit margins. This comes hard on the heels of the Japanese manufacturer’s latest profits, or rather lack of them - net profit dropped to 2.17 billion yen in the first half of the financial year, down from 6.71 billion yen a year earlier. Olympus’ plans are pretty aggressive. Current SLR sales account for 3% of their camera sales, and Olympus aims to increase this to 30% within 5 years.

Website: Reuters - Japan’s Olympus to shrink compact camera business

Transcend Press Release

Transcend Releases its New, Enormous Memory Capacity Flash Drive, the 8GB Ultra-Speed JetFlash(tm) 2A USB 2.0 Flash Drive

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend) is due to release its latest Ultra-Speed JetFlash(tm) 2A USB 2.0 Flash Drive later this month, which has an enormous memory capacity of 8GB. This release will make the Transcend 8GB Ultra-Speed JetFlash(tm) 2A the highest capacity true USB 2.0 Flash Drive available in the world.

There is more to the Ultra-Speed JetFlash(tm) 2A, than just its huge 8GB memory capacity. As the 8GB JetFlash(tm) 2A is a Transcend product, it is capable of lightning fast USB 2.0 transfer speeds. Transcend has focused on the research and development of higher performance Flash memory technology for many years, so it should come as no surprise that our true USB 2.0 8GB JetFlash(tm) 2A with its Dual-Channel technology is capable of outstanding read speeds of up to 21MB/sec and write speeds of up to 11MB/sec.

The Pentax Optio50L is quietly introduced. The Optio 50L is yet another 5 megapixel camera with a 3x zoom lens from Pentax. The main difference between this new model and the existing Optio50 is the addition of a 2.5 inch LCD screen, although the optical viewfinder has been sacrificed. The Pentax Optio50L is available from December 2005, price and official press release to follow.

Fotolia Press Release

Fotolia Launches the first Social Marketplace for Digital Images

Royalty Free Digital Images Available Online for FREE or as Low as £1

London – November 9, 2005 – Fotolia launched today the first global online social marketplace for creative digital stock images in four languages, where photographers and designers of all levels can store, share and monetize their photographs and illustrations. Fotolia’s free membership allows graphics artists, web designers, art directors, and consumers to obtain legal royalty free stock images for use in electronic and print materials for free or starting as low as £1.

Fotolia serves as an international distribution and purchasing center for quality digital content. It is a place for professional photographers, student photographers, amateurs, and designers to create an online image gallery of their work, receive feedback from peers, and earn money, with no charge or long term contract. Unlike competing sites, photographers and designers who use Fotolia will keep all copyrights to their images.

Intro 2020 Press Release

Seculine ZIGVIEW-R - the world’s first TTL Motion Sensor shutter release, Interval & Exposure Timer, based on the original Zigview Digital Angle Finder.

Building on the success of Seculine’s Zigview Digital Angle Finder, the Zigview R incorporates a host of new features including a motion sensor trigger, a sophisticated interval timer and a Bulb exposure controller making it the ideal accessory for wildlife, nature and macro photography or any situation where a covert or accurately timed approach is required.

Simply attach the Zigview-R digital angle finder to the viewfinder of your camera, frame the subject area as required on the TFT colour display and input the required shutter trigger settings using the on screen menu’s.

Olympus UK Press Release

Hot on the heels of the launch of the E-500 Digital SLR, Olympus are announcing a new Magnifier Eyecup which increases the performance of the E-500’s view finder by 1.2 times.

Just attach the ME-1 eyecup magnifier to enjoy an even better view of your subject, significantly enhancing easy focussing and framing.

The eyecup incorporates two lenses and measures 40 mm x 30 mm x 12mm. Available from December 2005 at a price to be confirmed, the ME-1 also fits onto the E-500’s forerunner, the Olympus E-300.

Intemos Press Release

8th November 2005 - Intemos, the same company that make DSLRClean, the revolutionary Digital SLR Sensor cleaning kit, have launched DigiCamClean - the only cleaning system specifically designed to clean small lenses such as those found in mobile phone cameras and digicams.

DigiCamClean can be used to clean small lenses, viewfinders and any other small or hard to access optical surface.

The Sigma 170-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG lens is introduced. The Sigma 170-500mm lens features a new multi-layer lens coating and lens design to reduce flare and ghosting. will cost £629.99 and be available in Sigma AF, Canon AF, Nikon AF, Pentax AF and Konica Minolta AF fittings.

Sigma UK Press Release

An ultra-telephoto zoom up to 500mm producing high performance with digital or film SLR cameras.

- The new multi-layer lens coating and lens design reduces flare and ghosting.
- Aspherical lenses and SLD glass provide correction for all types of aberration throughout the entire zoom range.
- Rear focus system ensures fast auto focus.

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the new 170-500mm F5-6.3 DG lens. This compact ultra telephoto zoom lens covers a useful range up to 500mm.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Read it and weep!  New memory card readers from Fujifilm give their rivals the blues

New media card readers feature multiple format support, USB 2.0 connection for fast data transfer, and cool translucent design - with blue LEDs!

Fujifilm, the market leader in memory cards for digital devices, today announces four new media card readers, all characterised by their high performance, stylish design and ease-of-use.  The readers are named as follows:

* DCR2-161: multi-format USB 2.0 card reader (16 types) and 3 port USB 2.0 hub - £34.99 inc VAT
* DCR2-XD: USB 2.0 reader for xD-Picture Cards(tm)  - £12.99 inc VAT
* DCR2-71: multi-format USB 2.0 memory card reader (7 types: Secure Digital(tm), MiniSD(tm), MultiMedia(tm), RS-MMC(tm), MMCmobile(tm), MMCplus(tm), TransFlash(tm)) - £12.99 inc VAT
* DCR2-MS: multi-format USB 2.0 memory card reader (4 types: Memory Stick(tm), Memory Stick PRO(tm), Memory Stick Duo(tm), Memory Stick PRO Duo(tm)) - £12.99 inc VAT

The Plugin Site Press Release

November 8, 2005 - The Plugin Site (www.thepluginsite.com) just released Version 1.01 of LightMachine, a Photoshop-compatible plugin for performing all kinds of light adjustments in photos. It combines shadow/highlight, virtual lighting and color-based correction tools for performing sophisticated corrections without the need for time-consuming selections and layer stacks.

LightMachine lets you selectively correct photos taken under bad light conditions or with inadequate camera settings and achieve results that rival photos taken under the best circumstances. Additionally it can achieve special effects like glows, sunsets, high key and selective b/w effects, replace one color with another and simulate polarizing filters. LightMachine works in dozens of graphics applications including Photoshop, Photoshop Elements,  Paint Shop Pro, IrfanView, PhotoImpact, Photo-Paint and Fireworks. LightMachine can be applied to 8bit and 16bit RGB images.

Redfield Plugins Press Release

Transform a Digital Photo into a Picture with the Most Realistic Hand-drawn Look - Sketch Master Plug-in 1.19 Has Over 30 Image Editing Controls and Options to Render Results that Cannot Be Achieved by Any Known Filter or 3rd Party Plug-in

Redfield Plugins announces today the release of Sketch Master Plug-in 1.19.

Compatible with all currently popular image editors, this plug-in enables rapid transformation of a photo into an image that looks as if it had been drawn with traditional art tools such as lead pencil, ink-pencil, crayon, charcoal, to name a few. The final output image is a blend of three layers - strokes, lines, and background, each of which is created based on specified settings. Unique to this plugin is the ability to alter stroke direction on different planes, having control over outline characteristics and the flexibility of adding your own stroke and background textures.

Agilent Technologies Press Release

Agilent Technologies Introduces Industry’s Brightest and Smallest Auto-Focus Auxiliary LED Flash for Digital Still Cameras - Lamp Enables Auto-Focusing in Low-Light Conditions at Distances up to 3 Meters

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 8, 2005 - Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced a high-brightness LED (light-emitting diode) specifically designed to provide the illumination required to operate the automatic focus function of a digital still camera under low-light conditions, and at a range up to 3 meters. With a typical light output of 18 candela (at 20 mA) the Agilent ASMT-FJ10 is the brightest auto-focus LED on the market. With dimensions of 4.80 mm length x 4.80 mm width, it also features the industry’s smallest package footprint.

In the past, cameras used infrared-emitting LEDs as the light source for auto-focusing under low-light conditions because only IR LEDs provided sufficient light output for the application. The use of visible light means that the same auto-focusing sensor is used under both low-light and ordinary conditions, whereas IR requires a separate sensor. Since the orange 612nm LED provides visible illumination, the same device can also be used as a red-eye reduction lamp and serve as an indicator that the camera’s self-timer is operating.

DIWA member and Czech website FotoAparat have published their review of the Konica Minolta Z6, which updates the popular Z5 and features a 6 megapixel sensor, 12x zoom lens and 2 inch LCD screen.

Website: FotoAparat - Konica Minolta Z6 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Konica Minolta Z6

Write a Review of the Konica Minolta Z6

DPReview 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.

“Like the S70 before it, the S80’s key selling points are the 28-100mm lens range (which is much wider than most zoom compacts), full photographic control and a build quality and design that oozes quality. The addition of dedicated ISO and AE-compensation buttons on the body make the photographic process a lot more fluid, and the results are superb. Most of the serious issues we had with the S70 - including purple fringing and focus problems - have been eliminated, and the result is a camera that seems perfect for the serious photographer itching for SLR - style control in a compact body.”

Website: DPReview - Canon PowerShot S80 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon PowerShot S80

Write a Review of the Canon PowerShot S80

DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR.

Website: Digit.no - Canon EOS 5D Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon EOS 5D

Write a Review of the Canon EOS 5D

DCResource 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.

“Camera performance was excellent in nearly all areas. The camera focuses quickly, there’s minimal shutter lag, and shot-to-shot and playback delays are minimal. In low light situations you’ll want to pop up the flash, as it greatly aids in focusing. The only areas in which the E-500 falls short are startup time and continuous shooting. As I mentioned, the slightly long startup time is the trade-off for having a dust-free CCD—which I think most people won’t have a problem with. The continuous shooting mode limits you to four or five shots in row before the buffer is full—the Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D50 both perform better in this area.”

Website: DCResource - Olympus E-500 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Olympus E-500

Write a Review of the Olympus E-500

CNET have reviewed the new Kodak EasyShare One Wi-Fi digital camera.

“Although it took nine months from announcement to shipment, the Kodak EasyShare One arrived with its promised three-inch touch-screen LCD and Wi-Fi transfer capabilities. With them, the camera opens up genuinely original possibilities for travelers, business people, and government agencies that need instant photo sharing. But all is not perfect in Kodak’s wireless utopia. While the EasyShare One is great for sharing photos, it’s not so great at shooting them. The user interface, optimized for maximum simplicity, can be slow and annoying for anyone unwilling to settle for complete automation. The poor image quality further compounds our disappointment.”

Website: CNET - Kodak EasyShare One Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Kodak EasyShare One

Write a Review of the Kodak EasyShare One

Nikon Europe Customer Care Notice

Safety Warning Recall of Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3 for Nikon D-SLR Cameras

Through strict quality control procedures Nikon has detected that on rare occasions some rechargeable Li-ion batteries of the type EN-EL3 for Nikon Digital SLR cameras may become defective, resulting in overheating during recharging. Investigations have clarified that the cause of the defect is not a design fault, but has resulted from a problem in a manufacturing process that occurred during the production of this battery type between May and September 2004. In the interests of its customers and as a reflection of Nikon’s commitment to safety and product quality, the company has initiated a voluntary recall and replacement program of all EN-EL3 batteries manufactured during this period. The EN-EL3 is provided as a supplied accessory with the D100, D70 and D50 Digital SLR cameras. It is also sold as a separate accessory for these camera models, and can be used in the Nikon D70s.

Nikon have released a new firmware version for their 12 megapixel Nikon D2X digital SLR.

Issues addressed with D2X Firmware Ver. 1.01

  * Autofocus performance has been increased.
  * An issue that prevented the AF-assist illuminator from firing when the Speedlights listed below were used has been corrected.
    SB-29S, SB-29, SB-23, SB-22S, SB-22, SB-20.
  * In images captured at a shutter speed of 1/250 s with a Speedlight SB-800, set to Distance-priority manual flash (GN), or Manual flash (M) with flash output set to full (M1/1) mounted on the camera, the top portion was often dark. This issue has been addressed. However, under the circumstances described above only, the guide number is reduced from that of full flash output level by approximately 0.6 EV.
  * Images captured at white-balance settings of Incandescent, Direct sunlight, Cloudy, Shade, and Choose color temp. tended to have a reddish tint. This issue has been addressed.
  * Errors in Dutch menus have been corrected.

Website: Nikon D2X Firmware