Lensbabies Press Release

Lensbabies Launches Macro Lens Set for Selective Focus Macro Photography

October 20, New York, NY.  Today at the PhotoPlus Expo trade show, Lensbabies launched a set of macro lenses for use with its selective focus SLR camera lenses, Lensbaby 2.0 and the Original Lensbaby.  The macro set consists of one +4 and one +10 macro lens that can be mounted to the front of the Lensbaby lens, allowing photographers to focusing in on minute details with eye popping Lensbaby effects.

“Shooting macro photos with a Lensbaby is completely absorbing and fun.  With small movements of the focusing collar, you can move the sweet spot of focus around your subject, whether it’s a grass hopper or a diamond ring.” said Lisa Smith, a professional photographer from San Diego.

The Norwegian website Akam.no have just reviewed the Panasonic DMC-FZ30. This is an 8 megapixel compact digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-420mm, optical image stabilizer, addition of a manual zoom ring and rotating LCD screen with 235,000 pixels.

Website: Akam.no - Panasonic DMC-FZ30 Review

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The-Digital-Picture.com have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR.

” New this round are Picture Styles. Picture Styles are said to simulate the qualities of various film types by adjusting sharpness, color tone, contrast and sharpness. The six preset Picture Style settings include Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful and Monochrome. Three user-defined options are available as well. Apparently, most of these films are not ones I want to use. I may adjust to them; but thus far, I am not too excited about the preset settings. The one exception may be the Landscape Picture Style that appears to emulate Fuji’s Velvia Film. And neutral of course - the setting I am using in-camera. I say in-camera as Picture Styles settings can be changed in post-process using the included Digital Photo Pro software. In fact, RAW files from cameras as old as the Canon D30 can be processed using the new Picture Styles. The ability to create your own User-Defined Picture Styles is great. Mix up your own parameters to perfection.”

Website: The-Digital-Picture.com - Canon EOS 5D Review

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DigiCamReview have reviewed the new entry-level Konica Minolta Dynax 5D digital SLR camera.

“Announced on the 15th of July, the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D / Maxxum 5D is Konica Minolta’s “budget” digital SLR - it’s 22% smaller than the Dynax 7D / Maxxum 7D, and retains the anti-shake CCD sensor enabling image stabilisation for all lenses attached to the camera, this should allow blur free low-light / long zoom photography. The 7D and 5D will take all Dynax / Maxxum AF lenses, past, present and future. The Dynax / Maxxum 5D is available for £500 excluding lens, and £550 including 18-70 kit lens, this makes it excellent value for money as one of the lowest priced DSLR’s currently available. The Konica Minolta AF DT 18-70 kit lens is equivelant to 27 – 105mm on a 35mm camera, giving the lens a useful 3.8x optical zoom. The camera is enclosed in a black plastic body. As will all digital SLRs, the camera does not record videos! The camera seems fairly compact for a DSLR.” “

Website: DigiCamReview - Konica Minolta Dynax 5D Review

Website: Read my Konica Minolta Dynax 5D Review

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CEIVA Logic Press Release

Share More Photos With the New CEIVA 3 Digital Photo Receiver(TM) for Broadband and Home Networks

Digital and Camera Phone Photos Can Now Be Accessed Faster and More Frequently With New High Speed Connection

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/—CEIVA Logic Inc., provider of the world’s first and only connected Digital Photo Receiver(TM), today announced the availability of the CEIVA 3 Digital Photo Receiver(TM), its new broadband ready product that allows consumers to automatically share and display an endless slideshow of all their treasured digital photos throughout the day. The CEIVA 3 Digital Photo Receiver can now be connected through a home network or digital phone system with the option of connecting it through a traditional phone line. The new CEIVA 3 automatically delivers 30 new photos every hour with more than 700 new photos every day. This revolutionary new product shows all your personal digital photos and makes it easier to share photos with friends and family anytime, anywhere.

JP Distribution Press Release

Giottos launches new addition to its Pro Classic range of tripods, costing £79.99 inc Vat.

JP Distribution are pleased to announce the addition of the GB 1140 tripod to the Giottos Pro Classic range of tripods. Giottos Industrial Inc. was founded in 1988 and specializes in the design and manufacture of tripods and lighting stands.  From the very beginning Giottos have focused on design excellence together with high quality materials and state of the art manufacturing and it is this approach that has lead to many industry awards. 

The popular Professional classic tripod series are made from aluminium and are all assembled by hand. The robust GB 1140 is a lightweight tripod and together with the MH 1001 head will support up to 7.98kg. in weight.

Adobe UK Press Release

Adobe Photographers Directory Expands its Global Reach to Include Thousands of Pro Photographers

Updated Directory Provides Designers and Art Directors with Access to Thousands of Professional Photographers Worldwide

London — Oct. 20, 2005 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced that thousands of professional photographers are accessible to the creative community through an expanded update to its worldwide Photographers Directory.  The Photographers Directory is now highlighted in the Favourites section of the Adobe Bridge feature in Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Photoshop® CS2 software and is also accessible from the Adobe Web site.  Adobe has teamed up with nearly 20 professional photography associations worldwide, making it easy to find the right photographer without interrupting the flow of the overall design process and providing photographers with a global network to showcase their work and attract new clients.

VicMan Software Press Release

VicMan Software, Inc. announces the release of an exciting program that lets you view your photos in a virtual 3D gallery - My Pictures 3D 0.9

Oct. 20, 2005 - VicMan Software, Inc. is proud to release My Pictures 3D - the first product of a special line created to let everyone enjoy their
favorite pictures in 3D. My Pictures 3D is a 2-in-1 product which offers much fun and enjoyment to anyone who has a collection of digital photographs. It is a program letting you watch your favorite photos wandering through a beautiful virtual 3D gallery. Besides, it can function as a screensaver running in the automatic mode.

My pictures 3D comes with artistically designed galleries made in different styles. Users can walk through a modern showroom, secluded Renaissance yard or find themselves in more exotic surroundings, like an ominous medieval castle or a classic Greek temple. A pleasing lifelike atmosphere is created thanks to amazingly natural-looking graphics.

O’Reilly Press Release

Sebastopol, CA—Photoshop is the digital artist and photographer’s premier choice for editing and manipulating digital photos. And with the mounting interest in digital photography, the demand for practical guidance, expert techniques, tips and solutions—recipes for success if you will—continues to grow. It’s exactly all of this and more that O’Reilly delivers in its beautifully designed and visually stunning new series, the “Photoshop Digital Studio Cookbooks.”

Packed with hundreds of full color images, inspiring digital imagery, and authoritative information and advice, the books provide everything the reader needs to retouch, create effects, use blending modes, and filter effects, with professional results. With the books in this collection, the digital artist or photographer doesn’t need to be a Photoshop expert to succeed.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Fujifilm relaunches popular Multijet papers and introduces Photo Enthusiast and Super Heavyweight varieties

Fujifilm has extended its successful Multijet range of high-performance, professional quality, photo inkjet papers to include 240gsm Photo Enthusiast and 300gsm Super Heavyweight grades.  At the same time, Fujifilm has relaunched the entire range in brand new packaging that makes choosing the type and weight of paper easier for the customer.

Fujifilm Multijet products are thoroughly tested to work with all leading makes of inkjet printer, and offer excellent handling properties. The papers are instant-drying with each type offering a bright white finish in either satin or gloss*.  Multijet inkjet paper already has an established reputation for producing crisp, sharp and faithful results with impressive contrast and colour saturation on a super-smooth surface.

Just Rams Plc Press Release

London, 19th October 2005 – Just Rams Plc today announces a stylish addition to its highly successful range of flash drives, the Integral i-Pen USB 2.0.  Compact and robust, with a cool white design that complements Mac computers and looks stylish with PCs too. The Integral i-Pen USB 2.0 Flash Drive makes transferring data between PC, Mac and notebooks quick and easy. It is perfect for users wanting a simple, secure way of transporting important data between the home, office and school or college.

“The new Integral i-Pen USB 2.0 Flash Drive is set to become the “must have” flash drive,” commented Sanjiv Kotecha, Marketing Director Just Rams Plc. “The new drive has the capacity to hold up to 1GB of data, is small enough to carry around in a pocket or on a key chain and it’s stylish, cool white design will complement any Mac, PC or notebook.”

DPReview have just reviewed the new Olympus mju DIGITAL 800 digicam.

“It’s hard to know how to rate a camera like the Stylus 800. On the one hand it’s responsive, well-specified, well made, well priced and has a fantastic screen. That it’s weatherproof too is a significant added bonus if you like to shoot in challenging environments. On the other hand the results are - if we’re going to be very critical - disappointing, especially if you use any setting other than the best ‘SHQ’ mode.”

Website: DPReview - Olympus mju DIGITAL 800 Review

Website: Read my Olympus Mju Digital 800 Review

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CNET have posted their review of the 16 megapixel Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II DSLR.

“Canon maintains its industry-leading position with the 16.7-megapixel EOS 1Ds Mark II, the highest-resolution small-format digital SLR. Intended for studio and landscape photographers who prefer the size and flexibility of 35mm-style cameras, the 1Ds Mark II sets a new benchmark for performance and image quality. With a wealth of upgrades, this camera succeeds and surpasses Canon’s original EOS 1Ds, introduced two years earlier.”

Website: CNET - Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Review

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CNET have just reviewed the Casio Exilim EX-Z57, a compact 5 megapixel digital camera with a 2.7 inch LCD screen.

“At some point, you have to figure that the dominant digital photography trends of smaller cameras, bigger LCD screens, and more megapixels will reach a critical point, and we’ll be left with some sort of tiny 12-megapixel monocle. Until that day arrives, we’ll have to settle for models such as Casio’s 5-megapixel Exilim EX-Z57 digital camera, a highly portable snapshot camera with a 2.7-inch LCD that’s as bright as it is large. Though the Z57’s lack of manual features and poor outdoor imaging can be frustrating at times, the camera delivers pleasing indoor results and acceptable shot-to-shot performance.”

Website: CNET - Casio Exilim EX-Z57 Review

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The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 is a stylish 8 megapixel digital camera with a slimline body that is just 19.5mm deep. Available in silver, black or red, the Konica Minolta X1 features Konica Minolta’s Anti-Shake technology, as used on the company’s range of digital SLR cameras. This enables you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than usual. The Konica Minolta X1’s anti-shake system is different, however, to the other Konica Minolta cameras, in that the lens unit is moved to compensate for camera shake, rather than the CCD sensor. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 also offers a large 2.5 inch LCD screen (at the expense of an optical viewfinder) which is is protected by an acrylic panel to reduce scratching. Finally, there is a a newly designed “flat” 3x optical zoom lens, which means that the lens doesn’t protrude when zooming and is therefore truly 19.5mm deep. So is the Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 the perfect union of style and substance? Carry on reading this review to find out the answer.

Website: Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 Review

Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Olympus mju DIGITAL 600 digital camera which has 6 megapixels, 2.5 inch LCD screen, a weatherproof metal body and a 3x zoom lens.

Website: Index Digicam - Olympus mjuDIGITAL 600 Review

Website: Olympus Mju Digital 600 Review

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DIWA member and German website Digitalkamera.de have published their review of the eagerly-anticipated Panasonic DMC-FZ30. This is an 8 megapixel compact digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-420mm, optical image stabilizer, addition of a manual zoom ring and rotating LCD screen with 235,000 pixels.

Website: Digitalkamera.de - Panasonic DMC-FZ30 Review

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Kyocera Japan have issued a service advisory for their Finecam S5R, Finecam S5,Finecam S3L and Contax TVS DIGITAL digital cameras for the same CCD problem that has plagued almost every digital camera manufacturer recently. I’m not sure how likely it is that owners of those cameras will actually be able to get them repaired, as they are now all effectively obsolete outside of Japan.

Website: Kyocera Japan CCD Advisory

Smoky City Design Press Release

Pittsburgh, PA - October 17, 2005—Smoky City Design, LLC today released version 4.0 of The Panorama Factory, its popular software product for creating panoramic images. The quality of images produced by The Panorama Factory has been significantly improved and new stitching methods were added to accept images with camera rotation or tilt. Other improvements include: controls for initial view and automatic rotation of VR viewers (QTVR, IVR, PTViewer); export to layered Photoshop PSD format; and restart of the stitching Wizard on previously stitched panoramas.

Pricing and availability
A 30-day trial of The Panorama Factory version 4.0 may be downloaded from www.panoramafactory.com. Purchasing a registration key at The Panorama Factory web site converts the trial version to the full version. The full price of a new license for The Panorama Factory is $69.95. The upgrade price for current customers who own a registration key for V3 is $29.95. An introductory special, valid until November 30, 2005, reduces the price of a new license to $59.95 and the version upgrade to $24.95.

CNET have published the first online review of the new 6 megapixel Casio Exilim EX-Z110 digital camera.

“The Casio Exilim EX-Z110 doesn’t have the sleek and sexy form factor of its siblings, but this 6-megapixel, 3X zoom camera offers a broad range of features—including manual exposure controls and a wealth of scene modes—that will appeal to an equally varied array of photographers. Its image quality falls a little short of good, and its performance is mixed, but snapshooters who want more than just a basic point-and-shoot may find this camera appealing.”

Website: CNET - Casio Exilim EX-Z110 Review

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