Panasonic have announced that they have developed the smallest CMOS sensor in the world, which allows 2 million pixels on a 1/4-inch MOS sensor instead of 1 million.

Panasonic Press Release

Matsushita Electric (Panasonic) Develops World’s Smallest 2.0µm-Pixel MOS Image Sensor

2.0μm-pixel MOS image sensor (2.0μm-pixel MOS image sensor, 27KB)
Technological Developments

Osaka, Japan - Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, today announced the development of the world’s smallest image sensor. The revolutionary MOS image sensor has only 2.0 × 2.0 μm pixels which is now officially the world’s smallest sensor, where the previous standard was 3.1 μm. Matsushita’s technological breakthrough allows two million pixels on a 1/4-inch MOS sensor instead of one million. This size reduction was also achieved without sacrificing sensitivity by minimizing the number of transistors required for each pixel. Details of the sensor will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) held in San Francisco during February 6 - 10, 2005.

Operation Photo Press Release

Operation Photo Announces Press Conference to Present Donated Digital Cameras to Military Families on Valentine’s Day and Extends National Initiative through Independence Day, 2005

Operation Photo, the national initiative founded by 30 Minute Photos Etc. to raise used digital cameras for donation to military families will hold a joint press conference with Operation Homefront, the non-profit military family support organization, to present donated digital cameras from across the nation to military families on Valentine’s Day.

(Irvine, CA) February 10, 2005—This is a national Valentine’s Day story certain to capture everyone’s emotions: Since its grassroots launch just one month ago, Operation Photo has received donated digital cameras from people and companies across the nation for donation to military families. www.operationphoto.us along with www.operationhomefront.net will host a press conference to discuss this national grassroots campaign in front of “a wall of digital cameras.” The initiative has been covered extensively by the digital camera, photography and military family support media and websites. National media including “The Chicago Tribune” and a live interview on the Fox Network News helped garner attention for this effort. Founded by Mitch Goldstone, a well-known photo industry leader and owner of 30 Minute Photos Etc., his objective was to boost morale of deployed service members and their families through the power of photographs. Goldstone got the id ea during a 7:00 AM call from professional photographer Jennifer Petersen (Ladera Ranch, CA ) who explained how important sharing pictures is for families separated by military deployment. Within hours he linked up with Operation Homefront and reached out to his national database of online photo customers—because all of them own digital cameras and many had older models packed away in their “appliance draws.”

Sanyo Xacti DSC-S5 has been introduced today by Sanyo Japan. The Xacti DSC-S5 is a 5 megapixel digicam with the same 1/2.5” sensor size as the previous DSC-S4 and DSC-S3 models that were announced in 2004.  Launched on February 15th in Japan, the DSC-S5 will cost ¥35,000 (around $330).

Website: Sanyo Japan - Sanyo Xacti DSC-S5

The latest issue of the monthly online photo magazine, Vivid Light Photography, has just been published. Once again there are some great articles to get you thinking - here are a couple of my favourites:

- Image Sushi: Sometimes Raw is Better
” The mantra “start with a high quality image” should always be your guide. If you rely on making a lot of adjustments afterwards, you’ll spend more time behind the keyboard than behind the camera and that’s not an acceptable option. But if you’re on a critical shoot or in a once in a lifetime location under tricky light, then shooting raw gives you the option to go back in time and make a different set of decisions should the worst happen. Raw is also a great tool to help you understand just what different camera settings can and can’t do for your images.”

- Do You Comb Your Face?
“In photography, light is the tool with which we work. Cameras, lenses and a whole host of related doo-dads are simply tools that help us harness light. Most folks who get serious about photography get pretty good at the basics of camera operation and exposure, and after a while their images are sharp and well composed. But I would venture that many, too many, never truly come to understand light. And past a certain point are embarrassed to admit it, even to themselves.”

Website: Vivid Light Photography - Issue #40

Nikon have released a new version of their Capture 4 raw conversion software for Nikon digital SLR cameras (found via Rob Galbraith).

What is new/Content Description

  1. Support for the D2X has been added.
  2. The “Digital DEE” function has been replaced by the improved “D-Lighting” function.
  3. The “Color Noise Reduction” functions has been improved.
  4. A “Find Tool” option has been added to the View menu.
  5. “Straighten” Tool added to Image menu.
  6. A Check for updates option has been added to the Help menu.
  7. Camera Control can now be used over a wireless connection to the Wireless Transmitter WT-2 and D2X.
  8. A problem that prevented Nikon Capture from launching with some systems running Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP 2) has been corrected.

There are numerous feature additions and improvements to this new version of Nikon Capture, see the accompanying “Read Me” for specifics. This updater will update any version of Nikon Capture 4 to the latest 4.2 release.

Nikon Capture supports NEF editing from the D1-series, D2-series, D100, D70 and all Coolpix cameras with the ability to shoot NEF images. Be aware that Nikon Capture Camera Control does not support Coolpix cameras. See the included “Read Me” file for a complete list of new features and changes.

Website: Nikon - Capture 4.2 (Windows)

Website: Nikon - Capture 4.2 (MAC)

Website: Nikon - Capture 4.2 Windows

Luminous Landscape have today published a new article on the subject of RAW files by Michael Tapes. I personally shoot exclusively using the RAW format, “developing” my images in Capture One Pro.

“The JPEG shooter and the RAW shooter both capture RAW data. The JPEG shooter uses the camera as their RAW converter (developer) and is willing to give up the potential to do a better development in the future. The RAW shooter, saves the RAW data (and maybe a camera developed JPEG as well) so that the potential of the image can be maximized by using his or her RAW converter of choice. Or by developing a critical image on several RAW converters to find which one produces the best rendition of a particular image the best (Neither Capture One or Adobe Camera RAW, or others, will yield the best rendition on ALL images, so having more than one “developer” (RAW converter) is a common practice and a good idea. One main converter for best workflow and image quality, and another (or more) for those certain images that might need a different twist,  or turn.”

Website: Luminous Landscape -  Looking at RAW From a Different Perspective

It was only announced yesterday, but DCResource have already reviewed the 5 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5. With a 12x image stabilized Leica lens, the DMC-FZ5 improves on the DMC-FZ3 by offering faster auto-focus and improved body design, as well as more megapixels.

“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 is a very good ultra zoom camera, just like its predecessor. Some of the changes were welcome: a higher resolution CCD, larger LCD, and much faster focusing. Some things got a bit worse: the lens is now slower. And some things didn’t change: composing photos in low light is frustrating. But if you don’t want to carry around the monster that is the DMC-FZ20, this is a great choice. The FZ5 takes very sharp (maybe too much so) 5 Megapixel photos with nice color and no purple fringing. The lens on this camera, while not as nice as the one on the FZ20, is still way better than average: F2.8-3.3, 12X zoom. Did I mention the great image stabilizer feature?”

Website: DCResource - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5

Write a Review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5

Olympus America have just started a rebate offer on the 8 megapixel Olympus E-300 Evolt DSLR and the 7 megapixel C-7000 Zoom (also known as the C-70 Zoom in Europe) digital cameras. $100 rebate is available to residents of the USA, Canada and the Caribbean.

Website: Olympus USA Press Release - Olympus E-300 / C-7000 Rebates

Write a Review of the Olympus E-300

Check the Latest Prices for the Olympus C-7000 Zoom

Write a Review of the Olympus C-7000 Zoom

This press release is obviously biased to Sandisk’s product range, but it does contain some useful tips for new digital camera owners nonetheless.

Sandisk Press Release

SANDISK OFFERS POST-HOLIDAY TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF A NEW DIGITAL CAMERA OR CAMERA PHONE

Here Is What Every New Camera Owner Should Know About Selecting and Handling Flash Storage Cards

Sunnyvale, CA, Feb. 8, 2005 – With 3.8 million digital cameras sold in the U.S. during the December holidays, representing a 28 percent increase over the previous December*, plenty of people are now experimenting with their new cameras and learning about the use and care of flash memory cards. SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the world’s largest manufacturer of flash memory card products, offers important advice for photo enthusiasts on how to get the best performance from their digital storage media.

Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-70 is to be unveiled at PMA 2005. The MP-70 is specifically designed for printing credit sized photos from infrared enabled camera-phones at 254dpi. A small adapter can also be fitted to the Digital Mobile Printer MP-70 to connect it to a PictBridge-compatible digital camera.

Fujifilm USA Press Release

FUJIFILM UNVEILS PORTABLE, WIRELESS CAMPHONE PRINTER

Palm-Sized Printer Enables New Markets, Consumer Applications

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today announced the next step in printing solutions for today’s digital imaging generation. The new Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-70 - the first portable, handheld wireless printer specifically designed for the accelerating US camera phone market - creates a credit card sized, photo from an infrared enabled camera phone in about 20 seconds.

“The digital camera market exploded before the infrastructure to provide simple, quick prints was ready,” noted Bill Drysdale, Vice President, Marketing, Digital Devices Division, Fujifilm Imaging Group. “We’re taking steps to make sure that when the next generation of high-resolution camera phones reach mass market levels, the industry is already there.”

Fujicolor Pro 160S and Pro 160C colour films. “Fujicolor Pro 160S and 160C are films for the digital age and are representative of Fujifilm’s continued commitment to professional photographers, whether they prefer to shoot in the digital or film mediums,” said Steve Herstatt, Marketing Director.

Fujifilm Press Release

FUJIFILM HIGHLIGHTS NEW GENERATION OF PROFESSIONAL COLOR NEGATIVE FILM

FUJICOLOR PRO 160S and PRO 160C Seamlessly Integrate with Professionals’ Digital Workflow

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of digital imaging products and services, is featuring two medium-speed color negative films for professional use - Fujicolor Pro 160S and Pro 160C - at the 2005 Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Trade Show. With smooth skin tone rendition, unprecedented neutral gray balance, exceptionally fine grain, and wide exposure latitude, these two new films represent the leading edge of Fujifilm’s color negative film technology. They were designed to be optimized for digital scanning and printing systems, resulting in a smooth hybrid film/digital workflow.

Fujichrome Velvia 100 Professional - a new higher-speed version of the incredibly popular Velvia 50 colour transparency film from Fujifilm. First announced last year, Fujifilm will be showcasing Fujichrome Velvia 100 Professional at the PMA Show in Orlando next week.

Fujifilm USA Press Release

FUJIFILM INTRODUCES FUJICHROME VELVIA 100 PROFESSIONAL

Successor to Velvia 50 Offers Higher Speed and Finer Grain

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is introducing new Fujichrome Velvia 100 Professional color transparency film at the PMA 2005 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL. Velvia 100 employs new technologies to deliver finer grain and twice the speed while offering the color saturation and palette that have made Velvia 50 the film of choice for leading landscape and nature photographers.

“Fujichrome Velvia 50 was the first high color saturation, high contrast transparency E-6 compatible film when it was introduced in 1990, and it has been a favorite among photographers ever since,” said Steve Herstatt, Marketing Director, Professional Film, Imaging Group, Fujifilm USA. “In new Velvia 100, using its vast emulsion experience and knowledge, Fujifilm has applied updated technology to develop an improved product that is truly a worthy successor to the original. The new generation Velvia 100 not only will appeal to photographers demanding the color saturation standard that Velvia 50 created, but will also provide state of the art technology that fits in perfectly with the complete Fujichrome Professional line.”

Fujicolor True Definition 400 35mm Film has been announced by Fujifilm, featuring Fujifilm’s New Fine-Color Film Technology, which provides natural skin tones, wide latitude, soft gradation and high speed. Available from March in a 3x 24 exposure pack.

Fujifilm USA Press Release

FUJIFILM INTRODUCES FUJICOLOR TRUE DEFINITION 400 FILM

New Premium 35mm Film Delivers Enhanced Performance

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is introducing new Fujicolor True Definition 400 35mm film at the PMA 2005 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL. True Definition 400 is a premium ISO 400 35mm color print film featuring Fujifilm’s New Fine-Color Film Technology that delivers extremely accurate color and skin tone reproduction, wide exposure latitude and precise detail for exceptional prints.

“Our research indicates that, despite the growth of digital imaging, there are many consumers who are devoted to the convenience and quality of film,” said Jim Riekert, Senior Product Manager, Consumer Film and Optical Cameras, Photo Capture Division, Fujifilm USA. “These consumers know that they can enjoy the benefits of both film and digital imaging by outputting their photos as prints as well as to a CD and they are looking for the highest image quality. Fujifilm’s True Definition 400 film is designed to meet their needs.”

Fujifilm introduce Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type II, a new silver halide colour paper for digital photo labs. Crystal Archive Type II replaces the popular Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type One, making improvements such as more vivid color reproduction and brilliant whites.

Fujifilm USA Press Release

FUJIFILM INTRODUCES FUJICOLOR CRYSTAL ARCHIVE PAPER TYPE II

More Vivid Color Reproduction, More Brilliant Whites, Improved Highlight Detail and Image Stability

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of imaging products and services, will debut the newest evolution in its renowned and trusted Crystal Archive Paper brand at the PMA 2005 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL with the introduction of Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type II.

This new RA-4 silver halide color paper is designed to produce high-quality color prints, optimized for digital printers. In addition to the many superb features of the predecessor—Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type One, Fujicolor Crystal Archive Type II incorporates a new silver halide emulsion technology, coupler technology and layer design technology to deliver enhanced color reproduction, white purity, image stability and processing tolerance. When used in conjunction with the newly developed Frontier 550/570 Digital Lab System, it allows for Prints in Minutes performance—super-fast processing, which results in a dramatic improvement in productivity.

Fujifilm US Press Release

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., is exhibiting a broad range of imaging technologies and products at PMA 2005 under the banner, “Fujifilm. Leading Imaging Solutions”. Even as technology and the marketplace evolve, Fujifilm is continuing to lead the industry in providing advanced imaging solutions along the capture - store - print - share continuum.

“For more than 70 years Fujifilm has consistently researched and introduced advances in its technology to deliver excellent quality imaging products and great services for all of our customers,” said Atsushi Yoneda, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. “Even as the photo-imaging industry redefines itself in digital terms, the imaging know-how we’ve amassed can be seen in our latest products and solutions. As a result, we remain a reliable brand, a premier manufacturer, a valued supplier and in this complex market - a sought-after business partner.”

At PMA 2005, Fujifilm will unveil new digital cameras, new 35mm film and film cameras and the latest advances in printing solutions - all underscoring the company’s commitment to providing the best solutions to its customers.

Toshiba/Sandisk Press Release

TOSHIBA AND SANDISK DEVELOP 8-GIGABIT NAND FLASH MEMORY CHIP WITH 70NM PROCESS TECHNOLOGY

Sunnyvale, CA, February 7, 2005 – Toshiba Corporation and SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced an 8-gigabit (Gb) NAND flash memory chip fabricated with 70-nanometer (nm) process technology that ushers in the new era of gigabyte chips: 1-gigabyte data storage capacity on a single chip. The new chip was today reported at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2005 in San Francisco.

The new NAND flash memory utilizes multi-level cell (MLC) technology that allows two bits of data to be stored in one memory cell, doubling memory capacity. Innovative circuit design techniques were utilized to improve chip area efficiency resulting in an 8Gb chip size that is less than 5 percent larger than the previous generation 4Gb chip on 90 nanometer. At 146 square millimeters, the 8Gb chip has an areal density of 6 billion bits or 3 billion transistors per square centimeter (20 billion transistors per square inch of silicon).

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LZ2 and DMC-LZ1 are both announced ahead of PMA 2005. Both the DMC-LZ2 and DMC-LZ1 feature 6x optical zoom lenses and an Optical Image Stabilizer to combat camera shake. The 5.0-megapixel DMC-LZ2 and 4.0-megapixel DMC-LZ1 both have Venus Engine Plus, a new image processor, which reduces power consumption and improves shutter lag and consecutive shooting performance.

Panasonic Press Release

5-Megapixel DMC-LZ2 and 4-Megapixel DMC-LZ1 Featuring Optical 6x Zoom and MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer)

Panasonic is introducing the incoming LUMIX models 5.0-megapixel DMC-LZ2 and 4.0-megapixel DMC-LZ1, incorporating MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) and 6x optical zoom(equivalent to 37mm to 222mm on a 35mm film camera) lens, that run on 2 AA batteries. Panasonic is the first company in the industry to have succeeded in incorporating MEGA O.I.S. into a compact digital camera. Compared to the previous models, the DMC-LC80/70/50, the image processor Venus Engine has been upgraded to the newly developed Venus Engine Plus, which achieves about 50% low energy consumption while providing even higher image quality and quick response. The new models have a large 2.0 inch TRM(Transmissive with Micro Reflective) LCD display which is extremely easy to view, even outdoors on bright, sunny days. And despite the equipment of optical 6x zoom lens unit, the body size is yet as compact as ordinary AA-battery operated 3x optical zoom camera.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LS1 announced today. The LUMIX DMC-LS1 is a 4 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom that incorporates an Optical Image Stabilizer to reduce the effects of camera shake. The DMC-LS1 also features a 2 inch LCD screen and a battery life of 215 photos.

Panasonic Press Release

MEGA O.I.S. Equipped 4-megapixel 3x Optical Zoom DMC-LS1 Running on AA batteries

Panasonic is introducing the incoming LUMIX models 4.0-megapixel DMC-LS1, incorporating MEGA O.I.S., an Optical Image Stabilizer that compensates the handshake, and 3x optical zoom lens, that runs on 2 AA batteries. Panasonic is the first company in the industry to have succeeded in incorporating MEGA O.I.S. into a compact digital camera. 　Compared with the previous models DMC-LC80/70/50, the image processing LSI Venus Engine has been upgraded to the newly developed Venus Engine Plus, which achieves about 50% low energy consumption while providing even higher image quality and quick response. The new model has a large 2.0 inch TRM (Transmissive with Micro Reflective) LCD monitor which is extremely easy to view, even outdoors on a bright sunny day. In addition, the zoom lens features the crystallization of Panasonic’s optics technology, 3 aspherical lenses, which are used to achieve compactness and higher optical performance.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 and DMC-FZ4: successors to the Lumix DMC-FZ3. Panasonic have announced the 5 megapixel DMC-FZ5 and 4 megapixel DMC-FZ4 ahead of the PMA show 2005. With a 12x image stabilized Leica lens, both models improve on the DMC-FZ3 by offering faster auto-focus and improved body design, as well as more megapixels.

Panasonic Press Release

Combine 12x Optical Zoom with MEGA O.I.S. in Compact Body

Panasonic is introducing the incoming LUMIX model 5.0-megapixel DMC-FZ5 and 4.0-megapixel DMC-FZ4 with MEGA O.I.S., Optical Image Stabilizer that compensates the handshake, incorporating a newly developed 12x optical zoom (equivalent to 36mm to 432mm(FZ5) / 35mm to 420mm(FZ4) on a 35mm film camera) lens. The DMC-FZ5/FZ4 is the heir to the 3.1-megapixel DMC-FZ3, but enhanced its excellence not only with the total number of pixels but also with other innovative technical improvements such as faster AF and various design development on the grip or the position of shutter button, to encourage higher-level shooting with comfortable operation. Panasonic has already introduced the DMC-FZ20, 5-megapixel 12x optical zoom model in 2004 for high-end prosumers. DMC-FZ5, however, makes clear distinction in the point of body size and usability, by which nonexclusive users can enjoy the deeper world of photography.

Fujifilm FinePix F10 Zoom is announced before PMA 2005. The F10 Zoom has an ISO range of 80 to 1600, Super CCD sensor with 6.1 megapixels and a 2.5 inch LCD screen. The FinePix F10 Zoom has a 3x optical zoom lens equivalent to 36-108mm on a 35mm camera. The Fujifilm FinePix F10 Zoom will also take 500 shots before the batteries need recharging.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

FinePix F10 Zoom: Fujifilm’s stamina camera

Announcement Date: 08 February 2005

500-shot battery life, ISO 1600 and rapid responses make this a true 24-hour camera

Fujifilm today announced the launch of the FinePix F10 Zoom. With a battery life of 500 shots per single charge, this compact camera will outlast even the most devoted of photography addicts. Furthermore, the 24-hour photographer will appreciate the 1600 ISO and ultra-fast responses provided by Fujifilm’s new ‘Real Photo Processor’ technology.

The FinePix F10 Zoom is characterised by incredibly clean images, due to its refined Super CCD sensor and ‘Real Photo Processor’. These two components are the outcome of thousands of hours of research by Fujifilm’s imaging technicians, and reflect the company’s desire to set, rather than chase, image quality benchmarks. The newly-designed 6.3 megapixel Super CCD sensor features Fujifilm’s trademark octagonal photodiodes, which act as more efficient light receptors than traditional CCD structures.