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.

Well-known Nikon user Thom Hogan has just released a comprehensive guide to the Nikon D70 DSLR.

“This eBook helps you master the use of the Nikon D70 digital SLR, with a full description of the camera features and lots of useful tips and background information. This is the work that should have been the manual!

Even in its first edition, this eBook is a must-read for any D70 user, with over 500 pages of information about how to use the camera and the software that accompanies it. This eBook is $29.95 plus shipping and can only be purchased from this site.”

Thanks to R.I. Pienaar for sending me the link.

Website: Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D70

Rob Galbraith has an exclusive story about the imminent release of a new product for removing colour casts from your photographs, specifically targetted at RAW files. WhiBal has been created by Michael Tapes, a name that some readers may recognise - Tapes also runs his onw website, rawworkflow.com, which sells and provides support for Capture One software, amongst other things.

“WhiBal is composed of four small, rectangular cards - one white, one black and two different shades of grey - held together by a grommet in the corner. When fanned out, WhiBal is meant to be dropped into a scene and photographed, then used later during processing of the photos from that scene to set a white balance and, optionally, to set white and black points too.”

Website: Rob Galbraith - WhiBal white balance system to ship June 15

After a very successful first event, the unique photographic scavenger hunt 26 Things is set to be repeated on July 1st 2004. The first 26 Things was held in July 2003 with over 400 people hunting for the 26 items listed by Tracey of sh1ft.org. On Thursday July 1 (Australian time), a new list of 26 Things will be posted on the website at sh1ft.org/26things and you will have the whole month of July to search for them. It really is that simple :-)

Website: sh1ft.org

Luminous Landscapes lastest article, “The Buffalo National River”, is a photographic celebration of one of the less well known North American landscapes.

“The Buffalo National River offers many wonderful photographic opportunities throughout the ever-changing seasons. Waterfalls are abundant in the spring, and the beautiful fall foliage of the mostly deciduous forests can rival that of the colors found in the eastern United States. The winter snows are rare yet lovely additions to the various scenes found at the national river while the summer is a more challenging season due to the heat, humidity and insects.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - The Buffalo National River

The 27th 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 14th June. The Poll will then be closed and the overall winner announced.

Vote now for your favourite image from the Photo Of The Week 31st May - 6th June 2004 contest

Seagate has entered the MicroDrive market with a new 1 inch hard drive for portable consumer electronics devices. The drive will come in two capacities: 2.5GB and 5GB.

“Seagate’s 1-inch drive plans make it the second major hard disk drive maker to enter this part of the market, which is currently dominated by Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Inc. (HGST) and its MicroDrive products. Other companies making such drives include Chinese start-up GS Magicstor Inc. and Colorado-based Cornice Inc.”

Website: InfoWorld - Seagate unveils new drives, 1-inch model

CNET have posted their review of the Pentax Optio 33WR, a compact 3-megapixel camera with a 2.8x optical zoom and a weather resistant case.

“The water-resistant, 3.2-megapixel Optio 33WR is better equipped than most of us to handle inclement weather. Outfitted with Pentax extras, this compact camera offers a broad array of features that stretch the bounds of snapshot photography. Its 2.8X zoom lens provides enough flexibility for taking typical point-and-shoot pictures, and its photo quality is decent, although not above average for its class.”

Website: CNET - Pentax Optio 33WR Review

The Danish website Akamera.dk have today reviewed the new 6 megapixel Kodak Easyshare DX7630.

Website: Akamera.dk - Kodak Easyshare DX7630 Review

DIWA Press Release 11/06/04

FotoAparat, the leading digital imaging website for Czech and Slovak languages, becomes the 11th member of the DIWA organisation.

DIWA (Digital Imaging Websites Association), the fast-growing association of expert Web-based publications specialising in digital imaging product reviews, has signed up its eleventh member publication: www.fotoaparat.cz, the top digital photography editorial site for Czech and Slovak languages.

Fotoaparat means “camera” in Czech and Slovak. The site was founded in 1999 by Andrej and Helena Macenauer and is now the leading website of its kind in the region. The mission of FotoAparat is to share their photographic expertise with the readers, helping them to develop and improve their photographic talents. FotoAparat provides all the information photographers need: detailed tests and reviews of cameras, printers, scanners and software, an interactive database of photographic products, as well as over 350 unique articles about photography, techniques and equipment. Users learn from each other to improve their photographic skills in the impressive interactive gallery.