Adesso Press Release

Adesso Opens the Door to Creativity with New Line of Pen-based PC Tablets

Adesso’s new tablets offer USB and wireless connectivity and control with an active tablet space of up to 12 x 9-inches

WALNUT, CALIF., Jan. 24, 2005 - Adesso Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative and stylish keyboards, digital cameras, mice, touchpads, and input peripherals, today introduced a brand new family of pen-based tablets for PCs running Windows 2000 and XP. The new CyberTablet series feature a powerful, yet easy-to-use combination of a pressure-sensitive pen, tablet, and software that enables PC users to naturally draw and write freehand graphics and text as comfortably as they would on real paper. The Cyber-series will be available mid-February.

Pantone Press Release

Color Just Got Bigger for 2005 with the New PANTONE Color Guides

Redesigned Guides Boast 25 Percent Larger Swatches for Greater Visualization; New State-of-the-Art Printing Press Improves Color Quality

CARLSTADT, N.J.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Jan. 24, 2005—Pantone, Inc., the leading provider of professional color standards for the graphic communications industry worldwide, today announced the most substantial redesign of its flagship product, the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM(R) formula guide, in more than 30 years. The reproduction of color to exact standards is vitally important to designers, printers and their clients. The 2005 formula guide sets a new benchmark for color and includes color swatches that are nearly 25 percent larger for increased accuracy and visual reference when specifying and matching colors. The PANTONE solid chips book, also published in this new format, provides designers with larger tear-out chips.

Photoshop World Conference & Expo

LAS VEGAS IS CITY CHOSEN FOR PHOTOSHOP WORLD CONFERENCE & EXPO 2005 – WEST

March 8-10, 2005 – Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV

TAMPA, FL – Monday, Jan. 24, 2005 – Photoshop World Conference & Expo, the largest Photoshop educational event in the world, is heading to the world-famous Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on March 8-10, 2005. Photoshop World Conference & Expo is sponsored Adobe Systems and produced bi-annually (once each on the east and west coasts) by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP).

Thousands of NAPP members, Photoshop users, and digital imaging professionals and novices worldwide are expected to descend on Vegas to learn from Photoshop World’s all-star instructor team. Each instructor, 28 in total, are considered an industry heavyweight either in Photoshop, digital photography, or motion graphics.

SearchEngineWatch editor Danny Sullivan has posted his review of Picasa 2, a software program that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Sullivan compares it to the the program that he has been using for the last year, Adobe Photoshop Album 2.

“Outside of photo management, Picasa seems to shine much better when compared to the free version of Adobe Photoshop Album. The range of photo fixes available in Picasa is better—and you’ve got to love the one-touch “fix it” feature being renamed “I’m Feeling Lucky.” That’s even more suitable with automatic photo adjusting than searching the web with Google!

I also love—absolutely love—how Picasa doesn’t touch your original photo. Photoshop Album doesn’t as well, but not in as slick a fashion. With Album, if you make an edit, crop, etc—it duplicates your photo and creates a link. You see the edited version, but the original is not touched and always available so you can revert.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: PCMagazine - Google Picasa 2 Vs. Adobe Photoshop Album 2

ProFotoSoftware Press Release

January 23rd 2005

ProFotoSoftware have today released V1.5 of PFS Image Darkroom, the Canon EOS Raw Processing system for Windows.

This release adds Post Processing operations, which enhance the image after the initial Raw Development. The added operations include Histogram Levels Adjustment, Unsharp Masking, Borders and Frames, image resize and a unique save for web feature that calculates the required JPEG compression level to achieve a specified image file size.

Pocket-Lint have reviewed the ultra-thin Minolta DiMAGE Xg, another digital camera that was first announced at PMA 2004.

“If you want a small, easily pocketed, yet stylish digicam the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Xg might be the one for you. Opening the box and hefting this little beauty for the first time makes a real impact. The wife has the original ‘X’ version of this. The Xg is the latest update and at 20mm thin and weighing in at only 120g, it’s remarkably small and stylish. It betters the original for sheer exuberance in its red livery.”

Website: Pocket-Lint - Minolta DiMAGE Xg Review

Slovenian website Slo-Foto have just posted their review of the competitively priced 8 megapixel Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR.

Website: Slo-Foto - Olympus E-300/Evolt Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Olympus E-300 / Evolt

Write a Review of the Olympus E-300 / Evolt

The DIWA member and Slovenian website e-fotografija have published their review of the FujiFilm FinePix S5500 Zoom digital camera (also known as the S5100 in the USA), which has a 10x optical zoom and 4 megapixel resolution and is the successor to the popular FinePix S5000 Zoom.

Website: e-fotografija - FujiFilm FinePix S5500 Zoom Review

Check the Latest Prices for the FujiFilm FinePix S5500 Zoom

Write a Review of the FujiFilm FinePix S5500 Zoom

Photoxels have published their review of the 7 megapixel Olympus C-70 Zoom (called the Olympus C-7000 Zoom in the USA).

“The Olympus C-7000 is capable of producing very good image quality with very low noise and great detail. It is certainly a perfect outdoors landscape camera where you take your time to compose, focus and fiddle with the controls to get a really superb image..”

Website: Photoxels - Olympus C-70 Zoom Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Olympus C-70 Zoom

Write a review of the Olympus C-70 Zoom

UMAX, better known for their flatbed scanner range, have unveiled 4 new digital cameras; the UMAX AstraCam DV350, UMAX AstraPix 680, UMAX PowerCam Z530, UMAX PowerCam Z432 and UMAX AstraPix 620. They range from a 2 megapixel up to a 5 megapixel model, with an MPEG4 digital camcorder thrown in for good measure.

Adesso Press Release

New sleek, affordable UMAX cameras allow professional, prosumer and everyday photographers to take high-resolution video and pictures in a snap

Walnut, CA (PRWEB) January 19, 2005—Adesso Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative and stylish keyboards, digital cameras, mice, touchpads, and input peripherals, today introduced it will distribute new digital video and still cameras from UMAX. In July 2004, Adesso and UMAX announced a strategic distribution alliance, whereas Adesso would utilize its nationwide network of retail, catalog and online sales partners to sell new UMAX digital cameras. Adesso also services and supports the UMAX cameras.

Digital Outback Photo have started to review the large format HP Designjet 30 and HP Designjet 130 printers.

“So far we don’t have a lot of experience. But what we see looks very good so far. Including the prints we have seen at Charlie Cramer’s studio we think that the HP DJ 30/130 is a strong solution for glossy media.

We like the gloss and satin surface quite a bit
Blacks are excellent and deeper than the Epson UltraChrome inks can produce
Some gloss differential (also called bronzing) but a lot less than on the Epson printers with gloss media”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - HP Designjet 30/130 Experience Report

DCResource have posted their review of the new 6 megapixel Konica Minolta Dynax 7D digital SLR camera.

“Speaking of taking pictures, the photo quality was a bit of a weak point at first, but I quickly found a workaround for that issue. While some will disagree with my assessment that the 7D’s images were too soft, I found that bumping up the in-camera sharpening by one stop made things a lot more tolerable. Otherwise image quality was just as you’d expect from a digital SLR: smooth and noise-free, even at high ISOs. And, as expected, camera performance is excellent in all areas, including in burst mode. The one exception is the speed at which the 7D reads and writes to the memory card—it takes quite a while. Along those lines, real USB 2.0 High Speed support would’ve been nice.”

Website: DCResource - Konica Minolta Dynax 7D Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Write a Review of the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Shutterbug magazine have predicted what will happen in the world of photography in the year 2005 and beyond. Amongst other things, they tell us that the megapixel wars will finally end (at last!).

“It’s no secret that digital cameras are already selling like hotcakes at the expense of conventional 35mm and medium format equipment, and this trend will certainly continue. Almost overnight, 7- and 8-megapixel models have become the norm in “prosumer” digicams, but will the megapixel wars continue? In other words, will we see 10- and 12-megapixel compact cameras in the near future? While that may sound like a logical prediction, it’s unlikely, at least based on current technology.”

Website: Shutterbug - A Look At What’s Ahead For Photography In 2005…And Beyond

Last week Canon announced a new entry-level digital camera, the compact 3 megapixel PowerShot A510, available from early Febuary 2004 for £ 199.00 RRP inc. VAT / € 289.99 RRP inc. VAT. They have now released five full-sized sample JPEG images for you to judge the image-quality by (although they were all taken at ISO 50).

Website: Canon PowerShot A510 Sample Images

The Danish website Akamera.dk have just reviewed the 4 megapixel FujiFilm FinePix E500 Zoom digital camera.

Website: Akamera.dk - FujiFilm FinePix E500/E510 Zoom Review

Check the Latest Prices for the FujiFilm FinePix E500 Zoom

Write a Review of the FujiFilm FinePix E500 Zoom

GetData Software Company Press Release

Kodak Express to Sell GetData Software Company Digital Photo and Video Recovery Software

GetData Software Company, the Australian software development company, has signed a deal for the sale of its RecoverMyPhotos and ExplorerView products through 200 Kodak Express stores across Australia.

(PRWEB) January 23, 2005—RecoverMyPhotos and ExplorerView will be bundled together and will be delivered into Kodak Express stores at end of the start of the second week of December by distributor PhotoThings. RecoverMyPhotos is a digital image, video and sound recovery tool.

RecoverMyPhotos will recover from Flash, Memory Stick, Smart Media or other storage media, including PC hard drives. It will also recover movie and sound files such as AVI, MPEG, MOV and WAV. RecoverMyPhotos displays the list of recovered files and previews pictures for selection and saving.

AdoramaPix Press Release

AdoramaPix Opens its Gates and Will Now Make its Professional Digital Print Membership Services Free to Everyone

25 year old service company that serviced professional photographers now opens its doors to amateur photographers as well, and offers free incentives to place first order online.

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 22, 2005—AdoramaPix opens its gates and will now make its Professional Digital Print Membership Services free to everyone!

After thirty (30) years of serving the professional photography community, first in film and most recently with digital printing, AdoramaPix will now allow everyone to join its On-Line Digital Print Membership Club. Due to the volume of requests of amateur photographers, and the automation of the ordering process via Adorama’s easy-to-use WEB site, Mr. Herman Klein, Director of the Digital Developing Division of Adorama, announced today that AdoramaPix will now allow the public to become free members of its current full digital developing services. Membership fees and minimum print order requirements have been waived. New members are being offered incentives for placing their first orders via the WEB at www.adoramapix.com.

I’ve resolved to get and about and photograph what could be perceived as Paris cliches for myself. The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, they’ve all been photographed before, thousands of times, right? That thought alone has stopped me from attempting to capture them on film (well, digital). But something that I said on last week’s radio-show has made me think again - “photography is all about your own personal vision”. So it was that yesterday I spent a happy 5 hours or so wandering around the backstreets near the Louvre and Grand Palais, watching the last golden light of the day, before heading across the Seine for some night-shots of the river and the Musee D’Orsay. Just what the doctor ordered for a photographer suffering from stage-fright and photographer’s block, and just what I promised myself I would be regularly doing when we first dreamed of coming to Paris all those many months ago.

Click on the image to view a larger version in a new window.

Following yesterday’s IDC report that the majority of you prefer to print out your photographs, USA Today is running an article urging you to do just that as the best way to preserve your memories.

“By now there are an estimated 54 million digital cameras in American hands, and digital sales have outstripped sales of film cameras for the past two years. An estimated 10 million digital cameras were shipped in the USA just for the holidays, with millions upon millions of pictures snapped at parties and family gatherings in the past month alone. As growing numbers of amateur photographers are discovering, digital technology allows you to delete an unwanted image while it’s still in the camera. Did Junior cross his eyes for the Christmas photo? No matter — just press a button and it’s gone, ready for a retake.”

Website: USA Today - Memories gone in a snap

Digital Camera Info have published their initial impressions of the 5 megapixel, 10x zoom Kodak EasyShare Z740 digital camera.

“The initial headline of Kodak’s Z-line, the EasyShare Z740 targets point-and-shoot users seeking more out of their camera without sacrificing simplistic functionality. Catering to the alternative point-and-shoot crowd, the Z740 emphasizes extended zoom, accessory functions, ease of use and manual options rather then the traditional diminutive measurements, large LCD and rapid video recording rate. Designed for accessibility, the Z740 provides a 10x optical 38-380 (equivalent) all-glass Kodak Retinar zoom lens, 1/2.5-inch., 5.36 megapixel CCD, and Kodak Color Science chip to ensure the highest quality with minimal effort. While the Z740 is currently slated to retail for $499 (USD), the camera is compatible with Kodak’s first ImageLink compliant, Series 3 printer dock. With a one year warranty, the Z740 offers a reliable automatic camera with manual control options and accessory functions that will encourage growth and enable users to utilize the camera while they develop.”

Website: Digital Camera Info - Kodak EasyShare Z740 First Impressions