The Crutchfield Advisor website have just reviewed the Fuji FinePix F700. Fuji claims the the F700 sensor improves image quality by widening the dynamic range, rather than just increasing the number of pixels. This should mean more detail in the shadow and highlight areas of an image than Fuji cameras have previously captured.

“At first glance, the FinePix F700 looks like a sleek and slender, very solidly built point-and-shoot camera. Even if you?ve just fallen off the digital camera turnip truck, you can figure out how to operate the basics of the F700 in a matter of seconds. Just turn it on and make sure the dial is set to “auto” - you can use the F700 as a true point-and-shoot camera. And getting your images from the camera to your computer is as simple as connecting the two via the included USB cable and clicking a button.”

Website: Crutchfield Advisor - Fuji FinePix F700 Review

Website: Read my review of the Fuji FinePix F700

The Czech website Digineff have just posted a short review of the Sanyo Xacti VPC-C1, a new hybrid digital still/video camera that certainly looks very stylish.

Website: Digineff - Sanyo Xacti VPC-C1 Review

The Spanish website quesabesde.com have posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1, a rangefinder-like digital camera which is exactly the same as the more expensive Leica Digilux 2 in terms of camera design.

Website: quesabesde.com - Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1 Review

ByteSector have just reviewed the 8-megapixel Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom digital camera.

“The image quality is just excellent; the C-8080 is not as good as the PowerShot Pro1 in quality but it is better then the DiMage A2. The colour results are very natural and there are no distortions or odd hues. There is very little noise found and a noise reduction option is also available in the menu. For me this camera produces an overall balanced image; everything is just perfect, not overdone or underdone but natural. “

Website: ByteSector - Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom Review

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

The next 25 people who subscribe to the PhotographyBLOG Newsletter will automatically win
15 digital prints, kindly donated by MyPIXmania.

In addition, 15 people from the current subscriber list will be randomly selected to also win 15 digital prints.

UPDATE: All 40 prizes have now been won, as of 08.30am BST 16th June - you will receive an email today if you have won.

“MyPIXmania is a website specialised in online photo processing. In just a few clicks, you have the possibility of transfering your images before ordering your photos on professional photography paper, which would then be delivered to your home by mail. MyPIXmania has developed a service adapted to your needs:

- unlimited storage space for photos with no time limit

- the high speed transfer of photo thanks to the Pixuploader software making it possible to send several images at once.”

Subscribe to the PhotographyBLOG Newsletter Now!

With Father’s Day just around the corner, About.com have published a brief guide to the Top 5 Digital Cameras for Dads, including the budget Kodak EasyShare CX6200 (pictured). OK, so it’s a pretty spurious link, but it will only take a couple of minutes to read. Honest. And your Dad will love you forever if you buy him the most expensive recommended camera - the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828 at only $999…

Website: About.com - Top 5 Digital Cameras for Dads

More cameraphone news as 4 New York Times staff photographers try out the Sanyo PM-8200 and report back on whether they liked it or not. Concerns about the image quality and the issue of privacy were raised - “When I’m taking pictures I want to be seen as a photographer and not be sneaking pictures”. But the overall impression of this 640x480 pixel phone was quite positive - “I didn’t expect good quality, but when I printed the pictures it was better than I expected.”

Website: Reiter’s Camera Phone Report - New York Times staff photographers play with Sanyo camera phones

BBC News are running a story about another device that allows you to automatically record your day-to-day lives. Well, actually you probably won’t be able to record your life, as the SenseCam is a prototype that will never make it into production. But it will help patients at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, UK, where researchers hope that it will help patients with memory loss and improve their quality of life. For the techies amongst you, the Sensecam can store 2,000 images on a 128MB memory card and has a 132-degree ultrawide lens.

Website: BBC News - ‘Black box’ cam for total recall

Fuji are currently running a Flash-based teaser on their Finepix.com website for a new camera called the Fuji FinePix Square Mini. Billed as the successor to the Finepix 401, 410 and 420 digicams, more details are due in 2 days time on the 17th June, so stay tuned…

Website: Finepix.com

Adobe Press Release 14/06/04

Popular Digital Photography Software Makes it Easy for Consumers to Organize and Share Their Digital Memories

SAN JOSE, Calif. - June 14, 2004 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced that more than five million consumers worldwide are using Photoshop Album 2.0 Starter Edition software, just six months after launch. With Photoshop Album Starter Edition software, consumers can easily share their digital memories with loved ones via e-mail, printing at home or through one of Adobe’s online service partners; fix common photography problems such as red-eye; and organize them for quick retrieval and viewing. Starter Edition software is a free version of the award-winning Photoshop Album 2.0, offering essential functions found in the Windows based, digital camera companion software for consumers.

Nikon USA have released a new update for their Nikon Scan software. Version 4.0.2 adds the following features/changes:

- Improved detection of the image frame area when using the SA-21 strip-film or SA-30 roll-film adapters. Applies to SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 ED, COOLSCAN V ED, SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED or COOLSCAN IV ED.
- A problem which could cause the computer to freeze when inserting or removing a film holder from the SUPER COOLSCAN 9000 ED, has been corrected. 

Website: Nikon Scan 4.0.2 Updater - Windows

Website: Nikon Scan 4.0.2 Updater - Macintosh

Michael Reichmann has published a great article on his Luminous Landscape website which weighs up the pros and cons of digital SLRs and compact digital cameras. Essential reading if you are trying to decide between the two types of camera.

“I believe that even serious fine-art photographers and working pros will now find several digicams worth considering - something that I might not have said 12-18 months ago. And fortunately as time passes this is likely to become increasingly true. Certainly for a broad range of amateurs and enthusiasts the better digicams may indeed be all the camera that’s needed.”

Website: Digicams vs. DSLRs: The New Battle Royal

Nikon USA have released a new firmware version for the Coolpix 5400 digital camera. Version 1.4 adds the following features/changes:

- A RAW option has been added to the Image Quality menu. With this option selected RAW data from the CCD is saved in Nikon Electronic Image Format (NEF file) without processing or compression preserving the highest level of detail.
- Corrections have been made to some English and French menu text

Website: Nikon USA - Coolpix 5400 v1.4 Firmware

ASMP Press Release 14/06/04

(Philadelphia) The American Society of Media Photographers Foundation today unveiled plans for a revitalized grant funding program for photographic education and announced the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors

The new grant program is designed to get maximum leverage from the foundation’s assets by making a number of smaller awards to assist with educational programs for working professionals and students around the country. “We are a small foundation so we aren’t in a position to offer huge grants, ” Board President Dan Lamont explained, “but we believe we can really help put worthy programs over the top in their fundraising.”

The grants will be awarded twice each year. The number of grants and specific amounts given will depend on available funds and the needs and merits of applicant programs. The application deadlines for 2004 are June 31st and October 31st. Application information and forms are available online at www.asmp.org/foundation

Olympus Press Release 14/06/04

New specifications for the latest lens to join the Olympus E-System

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED150mm F2.0

Hamburg, 14 June 2004 - The latest addition to the range of interchangeable lenses for the Olympus E-System, the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED150mm F2.0 (35mm camera equivalent: 300mm), will be available late October 2004. However, the extra wait will be worth it. The optical system has already received a coveted award from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). It confers awards to products and technologies of special distinction across a number of areas in the field of photography. The jury declared the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED150mm F2.0 the best high-end lens and praised it for allowing tele photography with a size of aperture not possible with systems based on the 35mm standard. Originally planned for release in summer 2004, the new Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL lens will now be available in late October 2004.

Specifications as of June 2004
Working distance - 1.4m ~ infinity
Max. image magnification - 0.13x
Minimum field size - 102 x 136mm
Dimensions (max. diameter x length) - 100 x 150mm
Weight - 1,550g (with tripod mount)

DPReview have today posted their review of the new 8 megapixel professional DSLR from Canon, the EOS 1D Mark II.

“I could go through the list of improvements, such as the vastly improved LCD monitor and up to 10x magnification in playback mode but it’s more interesting to take just one example. Canon pointed out to me that they had changed the design of the media compartment release lever, it now has a raised midsection making it more of a ‘U’ shape. Why was this done? To make it easier to open the media compartment when wearing gloves. Small details matter.”

Thanks to Joe Bunker for letting me know about the review :-)

Website: DPReview - Canon EOS 1D Mark II Diary Review

Epson Press Release 14/06/04

EPSON introduces enhanced high-quality scanner for the professional graphics market

The Expression 10000 XL, the latest addition to EPSON’s scanner portfolio is designed to meet the needs of the most demanding graphic arts professionals

June 2004 - The EPSON Expression 10000XL is a new A3+ graphic arts scanner featuring high resolution, fast scanning speeds, excellent functionality and advanced networking capability.  It is compact and features a multitude of enhancements designed to exceed the needs of graphics professionals.

With a resolution of 2400 dpi and high optical density of 3.8 DMax, the Expression 10000XL is the successor to the Expression 1640XL.  It offers higher resolution, faster speed, improved technology and image quality.  The lighter weight, compact design and network capability make it ideal for graphics professionals and business users concerned with high-image quality and productivity.

The 29th Photo of the Week contest is now open. This is a weekly photography contest with no set theme and you can enter as many photos as you like.

The 28th Photo of the Week contest is now closed.

I have choosen what I think are the best photographs in my opinion. Now it’s your turn to vote for the overall winner of the contest. A Public Poll has been setup on the PhotographyBLOG Forums and you have 7 days during which you can vote for your favourite photo from the ones that I have chosen. Voting will end on Monday 21st June. The Poll will then be closed and the overall winner announced.

Vote now for your favourite image from the Photo Of The Week 7th-13th June 2004 contest

The voting for the 27th Photo of the Week contest is now complete.

The overall winner of the contest is “Black Crowned Night Heron” by tumrumble.

You can view all of the entries in this gallery.