Sanyo Press Release

SANYO Develops and will Start Mass Production of the Industry’s Smallest “Pin Type Lithium ion Batteries”!

This new thin design will contribute to even smaller mobile devices

Tokyo, March 16, 2005—-SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO), the world’s leader of small-sized rechargeable batteries, announced the development and the start of mass production of “pin type Lithium ion batteries”, a thinly shaped rechargeable battery.

Following the recent advancement of mobile devices, the demands for batteries which enable design flexibility and further compactness of mobile devices, while maintaining the excellent features of
Lithium ion batteries such as “high energy density”, “high safety” and “high voltage”, have increased year after year. To meet these market needs, SANYO has developed the industry’s smallest*1 “pin type Lithium ion batteries (UR655)” and will start mass production.

BreezeBrowser Pro v1.1 is released today. The new version of BreezeBrowser Pro now supports the Canon EOS REBEL XT / Canon EOS 350D. Other new features in BreezeBrowser Pro v1.1 include image ranking and image shortcuts. BreezeBrowser Pro currently costs US $59.95.

Breeze Systems Press Release

New! BreezeBrowser Pro v1.1 adds Canon EOS REBEL XT/350D Raw Conversion

18th March, 2005 : Breeze Systems announced the immediate availability of BreezeBrowser Pro v1.1. This release introduces raw conversion for the Canon EOS Digital REBEL XT/350D camera. BreezeBrowser Pro users can now also rank images and create and view image shortcuts. ‘Shortcuts’ allow showcase directories and web galleries to be created using links to images held in a variety of other directories.

Thousands of photographers already use BreezeBrowser Pro’s unique combined raw conversion, outstandingly fast image browsing and image comparison. A free 15 day trial version can be downloaded from www.breezesys.com

Dice America Press Release

DICE America - Rochester, NY– March 17, 2005.  Dice America announced that their Wi-Pics units have begun shipping. Wi-Pics is a patent-pending network appliance that allows any digital camera that has a Type II CompactFlash card slot, to transmit images via wireless networks, without modifying the camera’s firmware, impacting camera performance or affecting battery life. Wi-Pics transmit image files from the camera to editing stations, servers, or FTP sites via network access points. It can be configured with an optional 20GB hard drive for image storage/back up and a bar code scanner allowing associated data to be transmitted along with the images. In addition to a multi-mode 802.11a/b/g radio, Wi-Pics units have a 10/100 Mb/s Ethernet interface for studio use.

Pentax 645 Digital - further details on the 18 megapixel Pentax 645 Digital medium format camera have emerged from Pentax UK. This camera will launch in 2006, the name Pentax 645 Digital is still to be officially confirmed and 3 prototype versions of the Pentax 645 Digital are currently on show at the Photo Imaging Expo in Tokyo.

Pentax UK Press Release

News flash: Pentax 645 digital showcased at photo imaging expo 2005

Pentax is showcasing its latest concept digital camera at this year’s Photo Imaging Expo in Tokyo. The camera is expected to have 18 effective megapixels and incorporate a Kodak-developed extra large CCD image sensor.

The 645 Digital will offer full compatibility with existing smc PENTAX lenses. Three proto-types are being displayed, each with different design themes in order to maximise customer and client feedback, before a decision is made on the final design.

Pentax anticipates launching this camera in 2006.

Further specifications and photography will be made available at a later date.

Please note: the product name ‘Pentax 645 Digital’ is tentative and Pentax cannot confirm at this stage availability, final specifications, style or price.

HP UK Press Release

HP Calls on the British Public to Donate a Smile and Break a New World Record  

NCH, the children’s charity, to receive 25p for each smile donated

LONDON, UK, March 17, 2005 - In a bid to set a new Guinness World Record and to raise money for charity, HP today calls on the British public to donate a picture either of themselves or of a smiling family member, friend or colleague to help create “Britain’s Biggest Smile”.  For every smile donated at www.hp.com/uk/smile, HP will donate 25p to NCH, the children’s charity that helps vulnerable and excluded children to realise their potential. To break the Guinness World Record 35,000 smiles are needed from all over the UK. Every smile donated will be displayed in a London Gallery in August 2005, creating the world’s largest photographic exhibition and creating Britain’s Biggest Smile.

Nikon UK Press Release

Nikon UK is pleased to announce the arrival of the Nikon D2Hs. The 4.1 megapixel, professional digital SLR will be on sale from March 25th 2005. The camera will be priced at £2,499.99 / €3733.00.

Capable of shooting at 8 fps for a continuous burst of up to 50 images at 4.1 effective megapixels, the D2Hs inherits the best of its predecessors while also benefiting from new technologies and feedback from advances made in developing the recently announced D2X digital SLR for professionals. This impressive array of exclusive features delivers the speed, response, resolution and handling to establish the D2Hs as the professional’s choice in photojournalism and sports photography.

The Fujifilm FinePix S5500 Zoom is the successor to the 3 megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S5000 Zoom that I reviewed back in June 2004. The Fujifilm S5500 looks very much like a traditional SLR camera in terms of styling and has a massive 10x optical zoom which is equivalent to 37-370mm on a 35mm camera. The Fujifilm S5500 has a number of improvements when compared to its predecessor, including a 4 megapixel sensor, histogram playback, custom white balance control, 100% frame coverage and higher quality video mode. Have Fujifilm added enough improvements to the S5500 Zoom so that it can still remain competitive today? Find out in my review.

Website: Fujifilm Finepix S5500 Review

Designer Print is a UK-based photofinishing service that allows you to turn your favourite images into a work of art by having them printed onto canvas, block mounted, or made into a poster print. Using the latest digital printing technology Designer Print offers a large format printing service, creating canvas prints that will look stunning in your home or office. Or so they claim! I ordered a Stretched Canvas product from the Designer Print website. Find out what I thought of Designer Print’s service and the final product in this brief review.

Website: Designer Print Review

Intro 2020 Ltd Press Release

Intro 2020 Ltd is the official UK importer and distributor of the Lensbaby.

“The beauty of these lenses is in their calculated imperfection,” said Lensbabies founder and professional photographer Craig Strong.  Strong invented the Lensbaby in an effort to create a digital equivalent to his Holga camera.

The Original Lensbaby combines several vintage camera technologies into a novel, patent-pending combination.  The shooter focuses a Lensbaby using the same general principle used with a bellows camera – by moving the focusing collar in and out with the fingertips.  The photographer moves the ‘sweet spot’ of focus around the picture plane by bending the glass optic out of a parallel position to the image capture plane, like a tilt-shift lens.  Finally, reminiscent of Waterhouse stops, the photographer swaps apertures by removing one aperture ring and replacing it with another.

Website: Read my Lensbaby Review

Nikon UK Press Release

D70 Cashback promotion extended until the end of April 2005

Due to the immense success of the £100 cashback offer on the D70, Nikon have extended the promotion until 30th April 2005.

The Promotion
Nikon are offering customers the opportunity to claim £100 back on the price they paid in-store for the D70 digital SLR with 18-70mm DX lens.

Cashback offers are as follows:

- Get £100 cashback on the purchase of a D70 plus 18-70mm DX lens
- Get £50 cashback on the purchase of a D70 plus 28-80mm G lens
- Get £50 cashback when you purchase a D70 body

Customer claims must be received at Nikon UK by 31st May 2005

Imaging Resource have posted their first impressions of the 7.2 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 digital camera.

“In the case of the Sony P200, we found that it had plenty of resolution to make sharp-looking 13x19 prints, even with a little cropping. At the largest sizes, the loss of subtle detail caused by its anti-noise processing was visible in Marti’s hair and features, but we suspect that most consumers would find the resulting prints acceptable nonetheless. Subjects with strongly contrasting detail (things like tree branches against the sky) showed no loss of resolution, producing very sharp images even at 13x19. Looking at the high-ISO shots, images from the P200 captured at ISO 400 looked a little rough when printed at 8x10, but we felt that they were acceptable when examined at normal viewing distances. (10-12 inches or so) The ISO 400 image noise was essentially invisible in prints 5x7 and smaller. Color-wise, the P200’s images looked absolutely beautiful when printed on the i9900, lush and vibrant, yet very natural-looking.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 Review

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DIWA member and Slovenian website e-fotografija have just posted their review of the 7 megapixel Casio EXILIM Pro EX-P700.

Website: e-fotografija - Casio EXILIM Pro EX-P700 Review

Website: Read my Review of the Casio Exilim Pro EX-P700

Check the Latest Prices for the Casio EXILIM Pro EX-P700

Write a Review of the Casio EXILIM Pro EX-P700

CameraTown have reviewed the Canon PIXMA MP760 Multifunction Photo Centre, a new multifunctional printer which includes a Film Adapter Unit for 35mm film scanning, plus a a 2.5 inch colour LCD screen.

“If it’s not apparent, the Canon PIMXA MP760 has quickly become a favorite of mine. I would love to see an 13"x19” version since I often make large prints, but I realize that many of you don’t have this need. If you are considering upgrading your current printer, you should give the PIXMA MP760 strong consideration. Yes, at $299 (MSRP), it costs more than today’s bargain printers, but the speed and quality at which it prints, the convenience that it offers, the individual ink cartridges, and the features that you’ll find yourself using more often than you think are worth the extra money.”

Website: CameraTown - Canon PIXMA MP760 Review

Kodak Press Release

New 18 Megapixel Image Sensor Expands Kodak’s Portfolio for Medium-Format Markets

Pentax Selects New KODAK KAF-18000CE for Upcoming 645 Digital Camera

Rochester, NY, March 16, 2005—Eastman Kodak Company once again is leading the market by providing technology that allows professional photographers to capture images with superior resolution without sacrificing the quality demanded by their clients. The company has expanded its image sensor portfolio for medium-format camera manufacturers with announcement of the KODAK KAF-18000CE, a new 18 million pixel image sensor. This sensor, which leverages the same award winning imaging technology that has made Kodak the leading image sensor supplier for medium-format camera manufacturers, has been selected by Pentax Corporation for use in the PENTAX 645 Digital camera now being developed.

Pentax DA 12-24mm is announced. The The smc PENTAX DA 12-24mm lens is the sixth lens from Pentax designed specifically for their digital SLR cameras. The new Pentax DA 12-24mm lens has a maximum aperture of F4 throughout the zoom range and offers an angle of view from 99 degrees to 61 degrees. The smc PENTAX DA 12-24mm features a Quick-Shift focusing system that allows you to instantly switch the focus mode from auto to manual with a slight twist of the focus ring. Price and availability of the Pentax DA 12-24mm lens to be confirmed.

Pentax USA Press Release

GOLDEN, CO (March 15, 2005)…PENTAX Imaging Company has announced yet another compact, lightweight, interchangeable zoom lens for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras including the *ist D and the *ist DS digital SLRs. The smc PENTAX-DA 12mm-24mm F4 ED AL [IF] is the sixth DA-series lens offered by the photo manufacturer.  The PENTAX-DA 12mm-24mm F4 ED AL [IF] will feature: 

* 2X zoom coverage in the ultra-wide angle range with an angle of view from 99 degrees to 61 degrees (equivalent in focal length from 18.5mm to 37mm in the 35mm format) when mounted on the PENTAX *ist D or *ist DS digital SLR camera body
* 13-element/11-group optical construction incorporating ED (Extra-low Dispersion) and aspherical optical elements
* The compact dimensions (diameter x length) of 3.3½ x 3.4½ (83.5mm x 87.5mm)

Pentax 645 Digital Camera is announced. The Pentax 645 Digital Camera will be on show under glass at the Photo Imaging Expo in Japan this week (starts tomorrow). The Pentax 645 Digital Camera is an 18.6 megapixel digital medium format camera that uses the Pentax 645 autofocus mount and which will be compatible with all existing smc PENTAX 645 lenses. Price and availability of the Pentax 645 Digital Camera to be confirmed.

Pentax USA Press Release

FIRST PENTAX 645 DIGITAL TO BE UNVEILED AT TOKYO TRADE SHOW

GOLDEN, CO (March 15, 2005)…PENTAX Imaging Company has announced that PENTAX Corporation will unveil the first PENTAX 645 Digital medium-format camera at the Photo Imaging Expo (PIE) from March 17–20, 2005 in Tokyo.  This latest PENTAX digital advancement will be showcased under glass at PIE 2005.

The PENTAX 645 Digital camera will offer professional quality digital image reproduction.  The camera will also feature:

  * A reliable PENTAX 645 AF mount
  * Compatibility with existing smc PENTAX 645 interchangeable lenses
  * A Kodak developed extra-large CCD image sensor with 18.6 total megapixels.*

Nikon Coolpix S1 is announced today by Nikon Japan. The Nikon Coolpix S1 is a 5.1 megapixel digital camera with a 35-105mm 3x Zoom-Nikkor ED lens. The Nikon S1 is a completely new design for Nikon digital cameras - the Coolpix S1 is a small and slim camera, with the S in the product name standing for “style”. The Nikon Coolpix S1 also has a 2.5 inch LCD screen and can take up to 200 shots with an EN-EL8 rechargeable battery. The Nikon Coolpix S1 is scheduled for release in April 2005 and will retail at £279.99 / €418.00. The Ebony Black version is a Dixons Group exclusive in the UK.

Nikon Japan Press Release

Surprisingly slim, exceptionally stylish — the COOLPIX S1 blends high reliability with high-quality shooting for users of all levels

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the introduction of the COOLPIX S1, the first in a new series of COOLPIX cameras that blend portability with “Style” — which is precisely what the “S” in “S1” stands for. Not only is the COOLPIX S1 highly attractive with a sleek aluminum exterior available in Pure Silver, Ivory White and Ebony Black* — it also retains its super slim and small dimensions (89.9 x 57.5 x 19.7mm) at all times due to its “right-angle” optics system that allows the zoom lens to function throughout its entire range without protruding from the camera body. This optical system also features an ED lens to ensure sharp, natural results and the COOLPIX S1 additionally features a selection of innovative features, delivering smooth operation and high-quality results.

Luminous Landscape have published their review of the new 8 megapixel Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT DSLR.

“Let me put this as delicately as possible. The viewfinder of the 350XT is small. How small? Very small. It is one of the smallest viewfinders that I’ve ever seen. As Mike Johnston put it in a recent column, when talking about the small viewfinders that we are seeing in the latest generation of reduced frame and reduced cost DSLRs, it’s like looking at a postage stamp at the end of a tunnel. Having said that, it’s still better than any electronic viewfinder that I’ve ever seen. These are like looking at a fuzzy TV at the end of a long tunnel. “

Website: Luminous Landscape - Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT Review

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The Hungarian website Index Digicam have published their review of the new 8 megapixel Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT DSLR.

Website: Index Digicam - Canon EOS 350D Review

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Kodak Press Release

Kodak Showcases Convergence of Digital Imaging and Mobile Lifestyles at CTIA Wireless Conference

CEO Dan Carp Delivers Keynote Address to the Wireless Industry

NEW ORLEANS, March 14—Highlighting its leadership role in mobile imaging markets around the globe, Eastman Kodak Company will showcase a range of products and services at the wireless industry’s largest international tradeshow, the 2005 Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) wireless conference starting today in New Orleans (Booth #2313; Hall C).

Reflecting Kodak’s commitment to the wireless industry, Kodak Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel A. Carp, will deliver the opening keynote address this morning (9:00 – 10:30 a.m.) to share the company’s vision for anytime, anywhere access to pictures.  With industry estimates showing that somewhere between 25 to 68 billion images will be captured with camera phones this year, Carp will call upon network operators, handset manufacturers and content and software developers to work together to make mobile imaging easy and universal for consumers.

“This convergence of digital imaging and wireless technologies provides a tremendous opportunity for all involved,” Carp said. “As part of our digital growth strategy, Kodak is leading the way by making mobile imaging accessible to millions of people around the world, enabling consumers to easily view, share and print pictures anytime, anywhere. But making photography ubiquitous requires the work of all industry participants, and Kodak is calling on the industry’s leaders industryto band together for the benefit of the consumer and the market as a whole.”