Imaging Resource have published their review of the 4 megapixel Canon PowerShot A520 digital camera.

“Looking at prints from the Canon PowerShot A520, we found that its output looked great at print sizes up to about 11x14 inches. (13x19 prints of its photos would probably be entirely suitable for hanging on a wall, but looked a little soft when we got up close to them.) When it came to high-ISO images, we found that the A520’s shots captured at ISO 400 did indeed look pretty rough when printed at 8x10. They looked a lot better at 5x7 though, and entirely acceptable when printed at 4x6 size. All in all, very nice-looking photos from an attractively priced, easy to use digital camera.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon PowerShot A520 Review

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ePhotoZine have published a review of a new sharpening tool called Focus Fixer that claims to remove the blur from images.

“FixerLabs have demonstrated that they are a ‘dynamic’ Company, prepared to be guided by their customers and they are to be commended since we have not had to wait long for this significant update. FocusFixer is in my opinion, infinitely superior to USM or High Pass Filtering and I commend it to the house.”

Website: ePhotoZine - Focus Fixer Review

Digital Outback Photo have published a review of the new 12 megapixel Nikon D2X digital SLR by reader Laurin Rinder.

“As soon as I could charge the batteries [101 min each] I shot every thing I could for 10 solid days and nights. Approx. 5000 images , Just for speed sake everything was shot on JPEG/FINE mode. I figured if it wasn’t good at this setting then what’s the use. I don’t shoot RAW and really cant figure out why anybody does unless you cant get it right the first time or, you love to twiddle on your computer. According to nikon there is a 4x loss in image quality shooting JPEG, I have yet to see the difference between the two file formats, if I shot raw it would take me forever to process the volume of work I must do daily. Just don’t ever save anything as a JPEG, work on it then save as a tiff.”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Nikon D2X Reader Review

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Photographic have just reviewed the new high-end Canon CanoScan 9950F flatbed scanner.

“The newest generation of mid-range flatbed scanners provides professional scanning capabilities at consumer prices. Canon’s CanoScan 9950F is a good example. The 9950F is a single-pass flatbed scanner that has an optical resolution of 4800x9600 dpi and an interpolated resolution of 19,200x19,200. It scans at a maximum 48-bit color and a 16-bit gray depth. And it does an outstanding job with prints and other reflective material, as well as negatives, slides and other transmissive material.”

Website: Photographic - Canon CanoScan 9950F Review

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Photographic have posted their review of the new 8 megapixel Olympus E-300 / Evolt DSLR.

“Olympus’s new EVOLT E-300 is an 8-megapixel interchangeable-lens digital SLR that sells for under $1000 including a wide-to-tele zoom lens, making it just 2¼3 the cost of the next-lowest-priced 8-megapixel digital SLR. And that’s just for starters. This sturdy camera also features good performance, a unique design, a Supersonic Wave Filter that automatically shakes dust off the image sensor every time you switch the camera on, and lots more.”

Website: Photographic - Olympus E-300 / Evolt Review

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The Danish website Akamera.dk have reviewed the new Casio Exilim Pro EX-P505, which features a 5X optical zoom, an imaging CCD with 5.0 megapixels, Casio’s “EXILIM engine”, and a large 2-inch TFT color rotating screen.

Website: Akamera.dk - Casio Exilim Pro EX-P505 Review

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The Fujifilm FinePix F450 is the top of the range square-styled digital camera in the Fujifilm range. The Finepix F450 replaces the 3 megapixel Finepix F420 that I reviewed in August 2004. The F450 adds a number of extra features, the most obvious being a new larger 5.2 megapixel sensor. In addition, the F450 is even smaller and lighter than its predecessor, yet can still squeeze in a bigger 2 inch LCD screen. Fujifilm have also extended the range of the optical zoom lens on the F450 to 3.4x, equivalent to 38 - 130mm on a 35mm camera, and added a low sensitivity setting of ISO 80. I really liked the older Finepix F420, so have the improvements to the Fujifilm FinePix F450 resulted in an even better camera? Read my extensive review to find out.

Website: Fujifilm Finepix F450 Review

Intemos Press Release

INTEMOS ANNOUNCES ICLOTH - THE ONLY LENS CLOTH YOU WILL EVER NEED

Following the successful launch in December 2004 of DSLRClean™ – a revolutionary cleaning stick for removing dust from digital SLR camera sensors which has already been sold to digital photographers in over 25 countries, Intemos have now released ICloth.

“ICloth’s special fibres and construction mean that it removes all dust, without scratch or smear.” said Intemos’s managing director Andrew Stagg. “Washable at 90˚ the ICloth will last for over 500 washes and so represents great value for money.”

The Photobloggies is an annual award ceremony celebrating photoblogging around the world. Through the Photobloggies, you can find some of the best photoblog sites on the internet, chosen by photobloggers and photoblog readers. Organized by Brandon Stone, Jake Dobkin, and Rannie Turingan, it includes awards based on geographic region, photoblog subject matter, and “best of” categories.

PhotographyBLOG is pleased to be able to support the Photobloggies by sponsoring the “Best Landscape Photography of a Photoblog” category.

Voting is now open, so visit the Photobloggies site now to vote for the Best Landscape category and all the other awards.

The Photobloggies

Lensbaby 2 is announced by Lensbabies. Lensbaby 2 is a lens for SLR cameras that brings one area into sharp focus whilst creatively blurring the rest of the photograph. Lensbaby 2 features an f2.0 aperture setting, plus f2.8, f4.0, f5.6 and f8.0. Lensbaby 2 is available for sale now at www.lensbabies.com for $150.

Lensbabies Press Release

Lensbabies Launches Lensbaby 2.0 for Brighter, Sharper, Faster Selective Focus Photography

March 21, 2005, Las Vegas, NV.  Today at the WPPI trade show, Lensbabies launched Lensbaby 2.0, a second-generation selective focus SLR camera lens, bringing brighter, sharper, and faster selective focus photography to professional and avid amateur photographers. 

“Lensbaby 2.0 has proven to be a wonderful creative tool for demanding photographic assignments.  Compared to The Original Lensbaby, Lensbaby 2.0 has a greater range of aperture settings, a much sharper ‘sweet spot’ of focus, and a new levitating magnetic aperture system, which makes it a snap to change apertures,” said Craig Strong, the inventor of the Lensbaby and Co-CEO of Lensbabies, LLC.

Lensbaby 2.0 and The Original Lensbaby bring one area of a photo into sharp focus, with that ‘sweet spot’ surrounded by graduated blur, glowing highlights, and subtle prismatic color distortions.  Photographers can fluidly move the sharp area around the photo by bending the flexible lens tubing.

DIWA member and Polish website Fotopolis have published their review of the 7 megapixel Olympus C-70 Zoom (called the Olympus C-7000 Zoom in the USA).

Website: Fotopolis - Olympus C-70 Zoom Review

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DCResource have just reviewed the new 7 megapixel Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom, which was announced at the CES show back in January.

” There’s a whole lot to like about the Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom, and only a few things that you won’t care for. The C-7070WZ isn’t just another 7 Megapixel camera; this one features an ultra wide-angle lens starting at 27 mm. Unlike the Coolpix 8400 (which starts a little wider, at 24 mm), the C-7070 has some decent telephoto power, with a top end of 110 mm. If that’s not enough for you, Olympus offers your choice of conversion lenses, which can reduce the focal length to 18.9, or increase it to a whopping 330 mm. The expandability doesn’t stop there, though. The camera also supports 40.5 mm filters (without the need for a conversion lens adapter), an external flash, a power battery grip, and an underwater case.”

Website: DCResource - Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom Review

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The UK’s biggest photographer retailer, Jessops, saw its share price fall by 30% this week as it announced a profit warning. Market analysts slashed 25 to 30% off their profit forecasts, causing Jessops share price to fall 47½p to 107p.

“The company said sales of digital cameras had collapsed in February as shoppers stayed away from the high street. Chief executive Derek Hine said: “It was like a tap was turned off. This is new territory for us. I’ve been in this business for seven years and I’ve experienced nothing like this. This is off the Richter scale.’’”

Telegraph - Jessops hurt as camera sales go out of focus

Yahoo have announced that they have bought Flickr, one of the most popular ways to store, organise and share your photos online. Flickr’s own announcement via their blog is the best way to find out what the acquisition means for the future of the Flickr service:

“Holy smokes, SOMEBODY out there is bad at keeping secrets!!  Yes! We can finally confirm that Yahoo has made a definitive agreement to acquire Flickr and us, Ludicorp. Smack the tattlers and pop the champagne corks! Woohoo! What does this mean? It means that we’ll no longer have to draw straws to see who gets paid, schedule conjugal visits between trips to the colo….wait! That’s not what you want to know.”

Flickr Blog - Yahoo actually does acquire Flickr

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Following Kodak’s recent acquisition of Ofoto, HP have followed in their footsteps by announcing that they have bought the popular online photo service Snapfish.

HP Press Release

Acquisition enables HP to provide consumers with more choice for sharing, storing, printing photos; broadens HP’s position in the digital photography market

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 21, 2005
HP today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Snapfish, a leading online photo service.

Snapfish’s expertise in online photo services, coupled with HP’s worldwide customer reach, will rapidly enhance HP’s ability to capitalize on the growing market for online photo printing.

Snapfish offers high-quality photo products and services. These include free online photo sharing, photo storage and management, free editing tools and software, online print ordering, wireless imaging services for camera phone and color handset users, and more than 70 personalized photo products, such as calendars, mousepads and the like.

Wacom Volito2 is announced. The Wacom Volito 2 is a new entry level A6 size pen tablet from Wacom. The Volito 2 includes a textured grip area for added comfort and optimal grip, and a hand rest on the tablet itself. The Wacom Volito2 will be available from the end of March 2005 from all PC stores such as PC World and will be priced at £35.99 in the UK.

Wacom Europe Press Release

The Pen for your PC – The new Wacom Volito2

Pen tablet specialist launches new consumer tablet to enrich a PCs capabilities

Wacom Europe today launches its new consumer pen tablet, Volito2. Expanding and enriching the capabilities of a PC, the stylish, entry-level Volito2 is targeted at a wide range of consumers. With added enhancements including improved ergonomics, an updated, modern design, and an interactive tutorial, Volito2 is perfect for painting, writing and editing photos.

The Volito2 now comes in a dark grey, metallic colour that will look stylish in any home. The surface of the active area on the tablet has been specially treated to enhance the feeling of pen on paper and it also indicates in which area the pen can be activated.

CNET have posted their review of the new 8 megapixel Olympus E-300 / Evolt DSLR.

“As with the more pro-oriented Olympus E-1, the E-300 conforms to the Four-Thirds standard for interchangeable-lens dSLRs, which in theory guarantees interoperability between cameras and lenses from any manufacturer that adopts it in the future. With the E-300 kit, Olympus starts you out with a 14mm-to-45mm, f/3.5-to-f/5.6 zoom lens (28mm-to-90mm in 35mm-equivalent terms), and the camera offers a satisfactory feature set, crisp performance, and good build quality for the price.”

Website: CNET - Olympus E-300 / Evolt Review

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Alera Technologies Press Release

PC Magazine Editors’ Choice Award Goes to Aleratec Digital Photo Copy Cruiser Plus

Digital Photo Copy Cruiser Plus Earns Best of Breed

CHATSWORTH, Calif., March 21, 2005—Alera Technologies, developer and manufacturer of Advanced Optical Recording Solutions, proudly announces that its advanced new Aleratec Digital Photo Copy Cruiser Plus(tm), that copies digital photos directly to CD from camera memory cards of any capacity, without a computer, has been selected by a panel of PC Magazine editors and leading industry experts for PC Magazine’s coveted Editors’ Choice Award.

“It is a double honor for the Aleratec Digital Photo Copy Cruiser Plus to be selected by PC Magazine’s distinguished editors and industry experts as Editors’ Choice,” stated Perry Solomon, President and CEO. “This is the second PC Magazine distinction for this product in less than 6 months. We believe these back to back awards demonstrate our success in exceeding the expectations of the toughest industry critics and our customers. By designing the Digital Photo Copy Cruiser Plus to copy photo memory cards directly to CD and bring your video, photo and music creations directly to your home or mobile entertainment center, we continue to be the Prosumers’ Choice with professional level solutions at consumer prices. It is particularly gratifying to receive the PC Magazine’s most sought after award for excellence.”

Zoran Press Release

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Zoran Corporation (NASDAQ:ZRAN) announced that its COACH 7 digital camera processor is powering Samsung’s new Digimax V700 and Digimax U-CA 5 high quality, high performance digital camera models displayed recently at the Photo Marketing Association tradeshow in Orlando, Florida.

The new Digimax V700 delivers 7.1 megapixel high resolution images with enough high quality detail to print poster size. It comes with a 30x (3x optical, 10x digital) zoom with world renowned Schneider lens, high-speed shot capture and is equipped with a 2.0-inch LCD screen. The V700 supports MPEG-4 video recording of movie clips in VGA at 30 frames per second that can be played back on a television or PC. The movie capture feature supports Zoran’s proprietary jitter stabilization technology, suppressing unwanted camera jitters. Additional features include manual shooting, scene selection, special effects, and a voice recording function among others.

Pocket Lint have published their review of the 5 megapixel Epson L-500V digital camera.

“The Epson L-500V is great easy to use compact model that boasts enough resolution and image quality for prints up to A4 and over. The large screen is not unique on such digital cameras, but the high-resolution Photo Fine technology is a standout feature and helps make the camera joy to use. Basic control options take some of the gloss off, but anyone looking for a neat point-and-shoot digital camera would do far worse than having a closer look at this little beauty.”

Website: Pocket Lint - Epson L-500V Review