BreezeBrowser Systems Press Release

16 December 2004: BreezeBrowser v2.11 released

This release adds Canon EOS 20D, Canon PowerShot G6 and S70 raw conversion.

Also new in this release:

Grid overlay available in main and filmstrip views
Focus point overlay display for Canon EOS 20D images
Fixes the following problems with BreezeBrowser v2.10: errors when outputting JPEGs using proofs; errors when selecting combined raw conversion with some cameras; memory leaks when converting Canon EOS raw files during HTML generation.

Sybex Press Release

THE HIDDEN POWER OF PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 3 by Richard Lynch

With the recent release of version 3, which offers RAW support and 16-bit image editing for digital photographers, Photoshop Elements is more powerful than ever. In this thorough update of his award-winning best-seller, Richard Lynch supplies the tools users need to tap the rich stash of features and capacities that will make the program work for them more effectively. Topics covered include professional color correction, complex image alterations, readying for the web and print, and much more. The book includes a CD with a rich array of power tool enhancers to help readers with curves, channels, paths, snapshots, history brush application, digital noise reduction, extended batch actions, and more. The book includes a 32-page full-color insert covering the color-specific techniques. See more at the Sybex site:

http://www.sybex.com/sybexbooks.nsf/booklist/4385

BIOS magazine have just reviewed the Pinnacle ShowCenter Wireless G Digital Media Player:

“Pinnacle Systems’ Wireless G digital media player lets you access certain audio, image and videos stored on your PC or laptop’s hard disk on a regular TV in the comfort of your living room - and without wires thanks to support for 802.11g. The silver set-top box and supplied server software is a snap to use, and within a few minutes you’ll be finding all of your music, movies and photos, organising them by category, and then playing them back on your TV without a computer in sight. Similar to a PC running Microsoft’s Windows Media Center Edition, movies playback as clear as the original and there’s no loss of sound quality either, which is great news. The product also support digital video recording, as long as you have a TV tuner card in your PC. On the downside, the buttons on the remote control aren’t very clear (fonts are small and buttons are shiny), audio files are automatically converted into MP3 format, and the server software only runs on Windows systems. Nevertheless, it’s a fascinating product that can make your PC and TV do almost everything like Microsoft’s Windows Media Center Edition operating system.”

Website: BIOS - Pinnacle ShowCenter Wireless G Digital Media Player

InterVideo Press Release

InterVideo Introduces PhotoAlbum; New Simple and Efficient Digital Photo Organizer that Delivers an Easy Way to Edit and Share Digital Photos

FREMONT, Calif.—(Business Wire)—Dec. 16, 2004—InterVideo(R), Inc. (Nasdaq:IVII) a leading provider of DVD software, announced today the new release of PhotoAlbum(TM), the premier photo media center to easily organize and share digital pictures with family and friends. PhotoAlbum is a comprehensive photo management solution designed for digital photo/video enthusiasts interested in enhancing their file organization and slideshow experience on their PC. With the growing usage of digital cameras worldwide, consumers want to have an application that effortlessly helps manage, create, edit, and share their photos.

InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Press Release

WEYMOUTH, Mass.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 16, 2004—According to a new study from InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, worldwide digital camera revenue is forecast to reach $24 billion in 2004, and grow to $31 billion in 2009. The top three regions for digital camera sales in 2004 are Europe, the United States and Japan.

The digital camera market is growing quickly in Asia and Rest of World regions (ROW). The digital camera market in Japan has entered the late majority stage of adoption, and the U.S. and Europe will enter this stage within the next few years. Meanwhile, Asia and ROW will keep growing, up from a combined 10% share of worldwide revenue in 2004 to 33% by 2009.

ProFotoSoftware Press Release

ProFotoSoftware have today released version 1.20 of PFS Image Darkroom.

This enhancement adds the following to the product:
- New Image Comparison Window for comparing up to 4 images, complete with Digital Loupe and high quality resampling of enlarged images.
- Faster thumbnail creation, especially for large 16 bit images.
- Faster Display of 16 bit images.
- Better sharpening using unsharp masking.
- Better quality saturation and contrast adjustment.
- Better support for EOS 1D and 1Ds RAW+JPEG (external) modes
- Better support for EOS 1D and 1Ds RAW preview when JPEG not present.

The Spanish website Quesabesde yesterday published what I believe is the first online review of the new Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR.

Website: Quesabesde - Olympus E-300/Evolt Review

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

Write a Review of the Olympus E-300 / Evolt

Photo-i have now completed their interactive review of the Epson F-3200 Film Scanner.

“This scanner is beautifully made with lots of attention to detail, but then so is the Millennium Dome. This scanner is rich in functionality, too bad the functions are not that useful. The fact that most of the extra features depend on having either the Epson R800, or SP 2100 printers, will put many buyers off. If you are going to include features like this then at least make sure that every user can access them, even if they have got a Canon or HP printer. Most of the photographers I know want to do something to their pictures, even if it is simple dust removal or colour correction. Scanning directly to a printer won’t give you that option. “

Website: Photo-i - Epson F-3200 Film Scanner Review

Hamrick Software Press Release

Uses advanced IT8 color calibration technique to get accurate colors. No other vendor supports all of Canon and Epson professional and consumer scanner products. VueScan 8.1.14 supports 45 different Canon scanners and 66 different Epson scanners, including film scanners, flatbed scanners, and multi-function printer/scanners.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) December 15, 2004 – Hamrick Software, a leading developer of scanning software for consumers and professionals, has released VueScan 8.1.14, its award-winning program that enables users to more easily produce better looking digital images from color snapshots, negatives, slides, and documents.

VueScan 8.1.14 produces scans on all Epson and Canon scanners that have accurate, true to life colors. VueScan uses a custom-developed IT8 color calibration technique to achieve this. VueScan 8.1.14 also significantly improves the speed of display refreshes and saving files.

No other vendor supports all of Canon and Epson professional and consumer scanner products. VueScan 8.1.14 supports 45 different Canon scanners and 66 different Epson scanners, including film scanners, flatbed scanners, and multi-function printer/scanners.

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the new 3 megapixel Casio EXILIM Card EX-S100.

Website: Index Digicam - Casio EXILIM Card EX-S100 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Casio EXILIM Card EX-S100

Olympus have released a new firmware version for their ZUIKO DIGITAL 40mm-150mm F3.5-4.5 E-System lens, Tele Converter EC-14 1.1 and Extension Tube EX-25.

Website: Olympus E-System Firmware

FujiFilm have just announced the official UK price of their long-delayed DSLR, the FinePix S3 Pro. Available in January next year, the S3 Pro will have an SRP of £1599.

Check the Latest Prices for the FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro

PCMagazine have taken a look back over the last year of new products and published their Best of the Year guide. The 8-megapixel Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom (pictured) is their recommended model in the Camera—Enthusiast category.

“Other models have longer zoom lenses and more intuitive menus, but the Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom’s excellent picture quality, deep feature set, and solid construction make it a great choice for enthusiasts. It boots up and recycles very quickly. In testing, flash shots showed well-saturated colors and strong, balanced illumination. Exposure and colors were good in our simulated daylight shots.”

Other photography-related winners include the Leica Digilux 2, Nikon D70, Canon EOS 20D, Canon i9900 Photo Printer and Epson PictureMate.

Website: PCMagazine - Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom Review

Website: Read my review of the Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom

DCResource have just posted their full review of the new 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8800.

“The Nikon Coolpix 8800 is a high resolution ultra zoom camera that I can recommend to everyone except action shooters. That’s because I found the 8800’s performance to be, shall we say, a little lacking. This is especially noticeable in terms of focus speed (average at best), shot-to-shot delays, and image playback speed. Continuing shooting was frustrating due to LCD blackouts between shots. If these things aren’t critical, then the 8800 is a heck of a camera.”

Website: DCResource - Nikon Coolpix 8800 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Nikon Coolpix 8800

The German website Digitalkamera.de have published their review of the new Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR.

Website: Digitalkamera.de - Olympus E-300/Evolt Review

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

Write a Review of the Olympus E-300 / Evolt

I say quietly, because there has been no press release or the usual fanfare for this new addition to the Konica Minolta range of digital cameras, the entry-level DiMAGE E40. Costing around £150 in the UK and actually in the shops right now, the E40, as DigiCamReview.co.uk point out, bears an uncanny resemblance to a couple of other budget models in terms of its looks and specification.

Website: DigiCamReview.co.uk - New Konica Minolta Dimage E40

Bob Atkins has reviewed the LowePro Off Trail 2, which fits into the waistpack category of camera bags.

“I’ve found the Off Trail 2 to be very useful. It’s not expensive (around $65) and it’s very versatile. It may not be the perfect bag - since there is no perfect bag - but it’s the best all-round general-purpose bag that I own. I also have a LowePro Trekker backpack which is great for hiking through the woods with a 500/4.5L in it, but when I leave the big lens behind, I often take the Off Trail 2.”

Website: Bob Atkins - LowePro Off Trail 2 Bag Review

SportsShooter.com, which is orientated towards professional sports photography, have today published their review of the 8 megapixel Canon EOS 20D DSLR.

“Is this a camera body I would buy INSTEAD of a pro - level model? If I were making my living in sports and news photography, probably not. If my livelihood depended on my equipment, I think I would tend to learn toward something that would withstand the use (or is it abuse?) that Sports Shooters and PJ’s subject their gear to.

However this is a great camera, make no mistake about that, one that would work well as a primary body for many photographers working out there. Even for PJ’s, its size and weight make it appealing for many situations and uses. For the money, there is not a better deal out there for Canon shooters.”

Website: Sports Shooter - Canon EOS 20D Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon EOS 20D

BBC News are running an interesting article that claims home printing can be cheaper than high street developers. PC Pro Magazine tested 100 (!) printers, including the Epson Stylus Photo R800 (pictured), to try and find out if they produced cheaper prints than your local photo lab.

“Some High Street photo shops can be the cheapest when it came to developing prints that were 6x4in, said Mr Ross, but the test revealed that images 7x5in and 8x10in in size were cheaper to produce at home.

According to PC Pro, producing a print 8x10in on an Epson R800 printer using top quality paper costs £1.87. At Jessops the same image would cost £2.50 and at Snappy Snaps £9.99. A 10x7in snap at Boots would cost £4.99.”

Website: BBC News

Website: Read my review of the Epson Stylus Photo R800

Check the Latest Prices for the Epson Stylus Photo R800

HP Press Release

HP Grabs Top Awards Across Its Consumer Electronics Portfolio; Nine Innovation Awards from Consumer Electronics Association among 21 Garnered in Last Three Months

PALO ALTO, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 15, 2004—HP (NYSE:HPQ)(Nasdaq:HPQ)today announced that it has won 21 industry awards over the last three months, including prestigious innovation and design awards from the Consumer Electronics Association and iF International Forum Design.

Demonstrating the company’s broad leadership in the digital entertainment market, every product category in HP’s consumer electronics portfolio—digital cameras, PCs, handhelds, displays, printers and digital entertainment products—received recognition during the period.

Consumer Electronics Show honorees include the HP Photosmart R707 Digital Camera (pictured), HP LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling Technology and the HP z545-b Digital Entertainment Center.