The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Sunpak PZ40X Flash in conjunction with the Canon Powershot Pro1 digital camera. The Sunpak PZ40X is a powerful, full-featured, lightweight, shoe-mount electronic flash unit for digital and film cameras, that is available in Nikon, Canon, and Minolta TTL dedicated configurations, and will also work manually with cameras having a non-dedicated, single-contact hot shoe. It is 40% smaller and significantly lighter than previous flash units with the same features and power output: with an impressive guide number of 102 (ISO 100, ft) at the 50mm zoom setting.

Website: Index Digicam - Sunpak PZ40X Review

Imaging Resource have posted their review of the new 5 megapixel Sony DSC-W1 digital compact camera.

“Functionally, the Sony DSC-W1 is nearly a dead ringer for the slightly more compact DSC-P100, offering nearly the same functions in a differently-shaped and slightly larger body, with a larger 2.5 inch LCD. It competes with models like Canon’s PowerShot S500 in the “subcompact” digicam category, and should be a strong player there, with its excellent mix of features, functions, small size, and image quality.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Sony DSC-W1 Review

DesignTechnica have just reviewed the 2-megapixel Concord Eye-Q Go Wireless digital camera.

“As far as 2.0 Megapixel cameras go, the Concord Eye-Q Go Wireless was average at best. Its ability to transfer images over Bluetooth, while a nice novelty, served no great purpose unless you have a cellular phone or PDA which is Bluetooth-enabled. In this circumstance, it holds higher value in that it saves you the step of cutting out the computer as the middleman while you are shuffling JPEGs from machine to machine.”

Website: DesignTechnica - Concord Eye-Q Go Wireless Review

Apacer Press Release 25/05/04

New Apacer Photo Steno Pro II
Tuesday 25 May 2004 - The fastest Compact Flash card in the world!

With an Access Rate of 15MB/sec the Apacer Photo Steno Pro II is the fastest Compact Flash card in the world! Recognising the ever-increasing requirements of digital photography, the Apacer Photo Steno Pro II CompactFlash Card offers an outstanding access rate up to 15MB/sec. This ranks the ?PSP-II? as No. 1 in the world.

Taking a photo and saving it as a 3264*2448 pixel 10MB file now only takes 1 second! It takes just another second to read the same file again from the Photo Steno Pro II CompactFlash card.

The Apacer Photo Steno Pro II has a capacity of up to 4GB to satisfy the high-capacity storage requirement of professional photographers. The Photo Steno Pro II will be launched on Davoom.com in June 2004.

The ShortCourses Bookstore have just released the latest in a long line of guides to popular digital cameras. The Nikon D70 one is 136 pages, 8.5 x 11, B&W book with spiral binding and accompanying full-color, fully searchable eBook. Available as a Book, eBook, or package at a special low price.

“A Short Courses digital photography book for people who own the Nikon D70 digital camera and want to get better pictures. This beautifully written and illustrated guide, drawing on the much more comprehensive information on the ShortCourses Web site, pulls together answers to the questions you might have about using the D70.”

Website: A Short Course in Nikon D70 Photography

Divide and conquer! Lobster works in Photoshop* to accurately separate images into tonality and colour.

Lobster creates four new layers from your file: Luminosity ( a very specific type of tonality) and Red, Green and Blue Chromaticity (Hue and Saturation). These separate layers offer you UNPRECEDENTED CONTROL AND POWER over your RGB files. (To prove one aspect of this extreme claim - visit the Exercise in Curves section.)

Even though the image has been separated, Lobster ensures your file appears unaltered and coherent on the screen.

Lobster makes many dialogue boxes, tools and histograms more accurate. If you have not previously understood the feedback that you were getting from Levels and Curves - with Lobster you will understand why - and now these most essential dialogue boxes will become ACCURATE and MUCH more powerful. If Dodging and Burning changed your colours as well as your tone - this will now cease. If Sharpening created unpleasant digital artefacts these will be reduced.

Working with the Manual is an important part of Lobster - it develops insights into your everyday imaging dialogue boxes and offers uses for Apply Image, Calculations, Layer Blending Options - not just Curves and Levels, but other essential imaging dialogue boxes are expanded in their range of application.

Lobster is not a Photoshop plug-in or filter but a Photoshop droplet offering a one step drag and drop operation. It integrates perfectly with Photoshop - the only restrictions on its operations are those of any other Layer Set.

Website: Lobster

Digital Secrets have published a great report that features 4 digital cameras (Canon Digital Rebel, Canon PowerShot Pro1, Olympus E-1 and Nikon Coolpix 5400) used during a recent trip to China:

“With cameras arriving at ever more affordable prices, do digital Single Lens Reflexes offer enough to make them your best travel camera choice?

We packed two complete systems plus a selection of compact digital cameras along for a multifaceted trip to China just to test the idea.

Beijing with the Great Wall, Tien An Men Square, the Forbidden City and Tian Tan Park started things off. Then Chongqing at the head of an all-weather trip down the Yangtze River through the infamous Three Gorges and the world’s biggest dang dam construction site. Then on to Shanghai where east meets west, hustle meets bustle and the city of the future meets today.”

Website: Digital Secrets - Travel Camera Shootout!

BT Press Release 08/06/04

To get a “real” photograph from a digital camera does not necessarily mean a visit to the chemists or camera shop any more, but just a quick stop at a new photo kiosk from BT and Fujifilm.

The first “Digital Photo Kiosks” have just been installed at London Luton Airport, the Blackpool Tower, St John’s Shopping Precinct in Liverpool, the Coppergate shopping centre in York and in the Corus hotels, at Hyde Park in London and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Initially ten kiosks are planned for a six-month trial across the UK. The kiosks will be rolled out nationwide to major tourist attractions, hotels, airports and shopping centres if the trial is successful.

DCResource have today reviewed the 4-megapixel, 10x zoom Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2.

“Two standout features on the Z2 include a first-rate movie mode, which offers resolutions of 640 x 480 and 800 x 600, though the latter has a 15 fps frame rate. The other nice feature is the super macro mode, which lets you get as close to your subject as 3 cm. The camera also supports a wide-angle conversion lens and an external flash (though Minolta only). The Z2 offers a full suite of manual controls for enthusiasts as well as fully automatic modes for the beginner.”

Website: DCResource - Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 Review

PCMagazine have published an interesting article that takes a broad look at the immedaite future of digital photography (found via digicamera.net).

“What we haven’t yet seen in still cameras, and what I expect to see emerge in both the pro and semipro environments, is the 3-CCD still camera. This would immediately triple the resolution of the camera (depending on how you calculate resolution). With today’s CCDs a 6MP camera is really only delivering about 2MP to 3MP resolution, because the CCD itself has color filters for RGB with one red pixel next to one blue pixel, surrounded by two green pixels. It takes four pixels to make one point of color. Only Foveon goes about this differently. A 3-CCD camera would deliver a much more defined and colorful image.”

Website: PCMagazine - What’s Next for Digital Photography?

International Imaging Industry Association Press Release 08/06/04

Harrison, N.Y. June 8, 2004 - The International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), the leading global association for the imaging industry, today announced open enrollment for the Initiative to create Version 2.0 of its cutting-edge suite of specifications, CPXe.

All interested companies are invited to join I3A and sign up to participate in the new Initiative, which just received approval from I3A’s Management Committee. The enrollment form is available for download from the I3A Members-Only Web site, at members.i3a.org (member password needed). All companies may learn more about CPXe and how to join I3A at www.i3a.org.

Based on an open-standard Web Services framework, CPXe enables the global transmission of digital pictures, order and commerce information between any and all digital cameras, PCs, desktop software, Internet services, photo kiosks, digital minilabs and photofinishers. By incorporating CPXe, imaging device and software vendors give their customers a seamless connection to a range of digital imaging services. Released in February 2003, Version 1.0 of the CPXe specification is available for free download from the I3A Web site, www.i3a.org.

ByteSector have posted a less than favourable review of the Panasonic DMC-FZ10 Lumix ultrazoom digital camera.

“Getting right into it! It’s horrible; the image quality is not what I expected it to be at all. I have not seen such overexposed pictures ever in my life. After taking a look at this camera, I don?t think Panasonic should make another digital camera at all. They should leave that up to the camera experts such as Canon and Konica Minolta.”

Website: ByteSector - Panasonic DMC-FZ10 Lumix Review

Ahead Software Press Release 08/06/04

Ahead Software Announces Launch Of Nero PhotoShow Elite, The Easy And Complete Photo Experience

Glendale, CA, USA (June 8th, 2004)—Ahead Software, leaders in digital media technology, are pleased to announce the latest addition to their Nero product family, Nero PhotoShow Elite. This exciting photo management application provides digital camera users with a comprehensive set of photo editing and creation tools combined with unprecedented ease of use.

Worldwide digital cameras sales are widely expected to exceed 60 million units in 2004. There is an increasing demand for an application that allows these users to easily manage, make and share their digital photos. Ahead Software fulfills this demand with Nero PhotoShow Elite.

Ahead Software Press Release 08/06/04

Over 14 Individual Applications Now Included In The Most Complete Award-Winning Digital Media Suite Available

Glendale, CA, USA (June 8th, 2004)—Ahead Software, leaders in digital media technology, today announced several new exciting updates to the Ultimate All-In-One Digital Media Solution, Nero 6 Ultra Edition, including a newly designed package. This reloaded version of Nero 6 Ultra Edition offers all of its award-winning applications along with unlimited MP3, unlimited MPEG-4, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and Dolby 2 channel encoding, Double Layer recording, and the all new Nero PhotoShow Express, the easy photo management application. With Nero StartSmart as your command center for all your digital media projects, accessing all 14 applications and launching a desired project is a breeze for users of all skill levels.

Outdoor Eyes is a photography website aimed at the wildlife, landscape and travel photographers. Their June Newsletter has several interesting articles on photography, digital editing, outdoor adventure, and other topics.

Website: Outdoor Eyes - June Newsletter

Website: Outdoor Eyes

Ever wondered what the inside of one of the world’s slimmest digital cameras looks like? Well, now you need wonder no more, as Planet Analog have opened one up and peeked inside.

“Sporting an extraordinarily thin body style for a 3X optical zoom digital camera, the Minolta Dimage X uses a vertically-oriented lens train and a right-angle mirror to bury the size of thickness-killing optics inside the case. Light entering at top of the camera is directed by a prism downward through the lens system to the CCD sensor at the bottom, allowing the camera profile to remain at a slim 21mm even when the camera is on and optics are in motion.”

Thanks to Eric for emailing the link to me :-)

Website: Planet Analog - Minolta Dimage X: a different view on optics

The Aperture Foundation Press Release 08/06/04

The Aperture Foundation is pleased to announce that we have launched a student/educator discount page on the Aperture website.  This page offers students and educators a one year subscription for $25 as opposed to the normal rate of $40.  The URL is http://www.aperture.org/student.html, please spread the word to anyone you think would be interested.

InsideOut Travel Magazine Press Release 08/06/04

We are hosting a travelers happy hour on June 23 in San Francisco to celebrate our upcoming fifth issue and we wanted to invite you to join us.

InsideOut Travel Magazine is a bimonthly online publication for independent travelers, from first-time backpackers to those who have made traveling a lifestyle.

As part of the event, we will be hosting a travel photo contest. A slide show will be presented by Alex Robinson, our Photo Editor.

If you’d like to participate in the photo contest, please see the information below:

Send in your travel photos and you may be winning one of our prizes from Webshots and Travelers’ Tales.

Express Digital Press Release 08/06/04

EXPRESS DIGITAL PRESENTS EXPRESS DIGITAL DAYS 2004—40 Event Summer Tour Demonstrates The Importance Of Software In A Digital Workflow
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Englewood, CO - June 8, 2004 - Express Digital, the leading provider of digital imaging software, e-commerce and lab solutions to professional photography businesses, announced today that it is kicking off the Summer of 2004 with an educational and promotional event demonstrating the power of a complete digital workflow using Express Digital software.? Participation in Express Digital Days -  Summer Tour is free and includes live demonstrations of complete digital workflows powered by Express Digital software.? In addition, Express Digital customers will be on hand to describe how they are using the software to successfully grow their photography businesses.
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Express Digital Days will take place at authorized dealer locations all across North America on June 23rd, July 21st and August 25th.  Express Digital representatives will be on hand at each event to demonstrate the power of software as an integral part of the digital workflow, in addition to handing out free t-shirts and registering participants to win one of three digital backpacks from Lightware.

The Plugin Site Press Release 04/06/04

June 4, 2004 - The Plugin Site (www.thepluginsite.com) released Version 2.0 of ColorWasher, a Photoshop-compatible plugin for correcting the colors, contrast, exposure and saturation of 8bit and 16bit photos. ColorWasher takes photo correction to a new level of accuracy and speed. With its help even beginners are capable of doing photo corrections within seconds that only experts were able to produce in the past.

New in Version 2.0
ColorWasher 2.0 offers a greatly improved color and exposure correction and a vast amount of other new features and improvements. Color casts are better removed from the shadows, red and orange casts are treated more effectively and the automatic exposure fixing works much more reliable and effective.