Nikon UK Press Release 28/05/04

The world’s first f/2 aperture SLR lens to feature Vibration Reduction

A revolutionary SLR photographic lens, the AF-S VR Nikkor 200mm f/2G IF-ED is the first* f/2 aperture lens to feature Vibration Reduction (VR) technology. Heralding an exciting breakthrough in photographic performance, the VR technology extends shooting opportunities beyond the limits of the currently available photographic lenses.

f/2 maximum aperture combined with Vibration Reduction
The unique combination of an f/2 maximum aperture combined with Vibration Reduction technology offers exciting photographic opportunities in low light conditions, previously impossible to achieve without resorting to grainy high-speed film or noise-prone digital ISO sensitivity settings.

The shallow depth of field created by the wide f/2 aperture offers a unique result, combined with a pleasing background blur and bright viewfinder image the AF-S VR Nikkor 200mm f/2G IF-ED suites photographers seeking to freeze movement with fast shutter speeds in low lighting conditions.

Nikon UK Press Release 28/05/04

Nikon is pleased to introduce the AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II; the first teleconverter to offer a 1.7x lens focal length magnification, but with exposure compensation kept to just 1.5 stops. Designed exclusively for use with AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses, the AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II is the newest member of the Nikon range, consisting of 1.4x, 1.7x, and 2.0x focal length magnification factors.

With dimensions of just 66 x 31.5mm (2.6 x 1.2 in.) and a weight of only 250g (approx.) the AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II is compact and lightweight to use. Attached to a camera body, for example, with the latest AF-S VR Nikkor 200mm f/2G IF-ED lens, the combination of lens and teleconverter offers the photographer an impressive focal length of 340mm with a maximum aperture of just f/3.3. On all of Nikon’s digital SLRs an approximate 135-picture angle equivalent to 510mm is possible, whilst maintaining the same maximum aperture of f/3.3.

Sony has announced the DSC-P120, a Special Edition black body version of the DSC-P100 digital camera, with a black leather case and 2 InfoLITHIUM batteries supplied. Available mid-June 2004 for £379.00.

Features:
- Same as DSCP100 plus: Special Edition black body, 2 x InfoLITHIUM batteries and black leather case supplied
- Compact aluminium body
- 5 effective megapixel Sony Super HAD CCD
- 3x optical zoom
- Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar lens
- Real Imaging processor
- MPEG Movie VX Fine with sound
- 9 scene modes
- Manual exposure mode
- Conversion lens compatible
- STAMINA InfoLITHIUM battery supplied: up to 350 shots per charge
- Compatible with all Memory Stick formats
- USB direct print with PictBridge
- 32MB memory Stick supplied
- Optional Cyber-shot station available at extra cost (PC, TV connection and charging)
- Optional Accessories available at extra cost: Battery NPFR1; Accessory Kit ACCCFR; Cyber-shot station CSSPHA; Carry Cases LCMPHA, LCSPHC, LCSCSD and Marine Pack MPKPHB

New C1 RAW Workflow software with Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus and Pentax camera support

May 27, 2004, Copenhagen, Denmark: Phase One, the world leader in professional digital imaging camera backs and software, announces a new version of their C1 RAW Workflow software.

C1 3.5 includes support for new DSLR cameras and Phase One digital backs on both Windows and Macintosh platforms, as well as exciting new workflow features. New customers can get a FREE trial today. Existing users can update now to start benefiting from C1 Version3.5.

The objective of the C1 RAW Workflow software is to provide professional photographers with:
* Maximum image quality
* The fastest workflow
* The best support

Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus and Pentax shooters can now join the C1 family
New camera support has been added to C1. Canon: 1D MKII /1D /1Ds /10D /300D /D60 /D30 Nikon: D2H / D1H /D1X /D100 /D70, Fuji S2 Pro, Olympus: E1** / E10** / E20** as well as Pentax *istD users can join the C1 RAW Workflow family. The new camera support is available for both Mac and PC platforms.
** Will be available in the June release of C1 software that is free of charge to all V3.5 uses.

Are 8 megapixels just not enough for you? Then you may be interested in the 500 megapixel Dark Energy Camera, available now at your local friendly camera store. Or maybe not :-)

“Fermilab is part of a collaboration proposing an ambitious new experiment to measure the properties of dark energy. If approved, the Dark Energy Survey would measure the history of the expansion rate of the universe more precisely than ever before, using the largest camera ever built with Charge Coupled Devices (CCD). The 500 megapixel Dark Energy Camera would be placed on an existing 4-meter telescope located in north-central Chile at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory’s Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: FermiLab - Time Exposure

Imaging Resource have just reviewed the Canon Powershot S1 IS digital camera, which offers 10x image stablised zoom, 3 megapixels and high-quality 640 x 480 video at 30 frames/second with sound.

“I’ll say right up front that I liked the PowerShot S1 IS quite a bit. I’ve always been a fan of long-zoom digicams, and the S1 IS’s unusually effective image-stabilization makes it long, 10x zoom much more usable than it would be otherwise. I don’t have any way to quantify how good a job an image stabilizer does, but would estimate that the one on the S1 IS should let you shoot a good 3 f-stops slower than you’d be able to otherwise, and still get sharp pictures.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon PowerShot S1 IS Review

Imaging Resource have just reviewed the 3.2 megapixel Kyocera Finecam SL300R.

“Design-wise, the SL300R is an appealing little camera. It’s sleek and small, and has that ineffable “cool factor” associated with a select few high-tech gadgets. Alas, its performance doesn’t really live up to its appearance, as it has rather sluggish shutter lag and cycle times, too-contrasty images (for my taste, at least), and very short battery life.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Kyocera Finecam SL300R Review

ByteSector have reviewed the new HP Photosmart R707, a stylish 5 megapixel digital camera.

“When it comes to design, it seems that HP has finally decided to make their cameras pleasant to look at. This camera has a flat yet ergonomic design that makes it clean cut and allows its users the opportunity to be gawked at once in a while. All the buttons, microphone, speaker, and outlets are nicely placed and allow even a large handed user (such as myself) to operate the camera with ease. The option buttons are placed nicely around the LCD with the remaining buttons neatly spaced out.”

Website: ByteSector - HP Photosmart R707 Review

nik multimedia Announcement 28/05/04

nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 is now available for immediate purchase and download! nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 photographic filters offer features and functionality that are designed to make digital photographic enhancements not only easier, but better.

nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 filters have all been updated to include more functionality and better features. New features in nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 are:

? 16-bit functionality.
? nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 Selective for applying any filter selectively to an image (compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements only).
? Advanced Panel controls for protecting highlight and shadow detail.
? True Light? technology.
? Larger and expanded preview options.
? A series of Reflector filters that control and add light similar to conventional photographic reflectors.
? Infrared conversions (Color, Black and White, and Thermal Camera).
? Cross Processing filters (both C41 ? E6 and E6 ? C41).
? Over 30 new filters, 75 filters in all.

Read more about these exciting new features, as well as descriptions for each of the 75 filters by downloading and viewing the nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 User Guide. Please click here to download the user guide.

Sandisk Press Release 24/05/04

SANDISK SHIPS SD CARD THAT COMBINES 256MB FLASH MEMORY AND WI-FI COMMUNICATIONS

New SanDisk Combination SD Card Works With Variety of Windows Pocket-PC-Based Handheld Devices

NEW YORK, NY, May 24, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) announced today the availability of the SanDisk 256 megabyte (MB) + Wi-Fi SD Combination card, the world’s first card to include both memory and WLAN (802.11b) communications in a single SD card. The new card is compatible with handheld devices that feature an SDIO-enabled slot and use Microsoft Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003 or Windows Mobile 2003 operating environments.

Availability of the SanDisk Combination SD card, with shipping planned in the next 30 days to worldwide markets, was announced at the Digital Experience media conference in New York. SanDisk’s 256MB+Wi-Fi SD card has already received a 2004 Mobility Award from MobileTraxx.

Cosina Press Release 27/05/04

Japanese lens manufacturing giant, Cosina, has launched it’s first lens specifically for digital SLR’s. The new arrival gives a true 19mm-35mm f3.5 - 4.5 zoom wide angle, which promises to give the same high performance as it’s non-digital model. Modifications to improve the overall feel and handling of the lens have been made, which include a ‘well balanced’ lens when mounted onto a camera body. 

The lens is constructed of 11 groups and 13 elements with an angle of view of 97 - 63 degrees. With a rotating zoom it has a minimum aperture of f/22 and a minimum focusing distance of 0.5meters. Weighing in at 300 grammes, the 19-35mm zoom is a compact 82mm in diameter and 67.2 mm in length. It has a filter size of 77mm.

Tuesday was a sunnier, warmer day with blue skies and wispy clouds, perfect for another lunchtime stroll with the Canon G3. This time the swivelling LCD of the G3 proved essential, as it meant that I could point the camera up towards the sky and still accurately compose the photo. I don’t think I could have taken the first photo in this series with my Canon 10D or any camera with a fixed LCD screen.

You can click on each image to view a larger / better quality version over on my personal website, markgoldstein.co.uk

You can also view the Spring album of 12 photographs

The 13th PhotographyBLOG Portfolio has been submitted by Rod Gray.

“My name is Rod Gray and I have been taking photographs for about 10 years, although I really got the bug about 3 years ago. I am nearing the end of a City and Guilds progression photography course which has been hard work but great fun.

My main interests are flowers, nature and my children. The images submitted are all flowers taken with my EOS 10 D. Some of them have been converted to greyscale which is something I started doing after the Black & White film section of the City Guilds course.”

Website: Portfolios: Rod Gray

Associated Press have published a short review of the 6 megapixel Nikon D70 DSLR.

“Our overnight backpacking trip was supposed to be bare bones ? just enough food for 48 hours, no extra socks, no bulky books. We considered ditching the tent to shed pounds.

But I couldn’t resist one weighty indulgence. I had become addicted to the Nikon D70, a 6.1-megapixel digital camera that costs about $1,300 with an 18-70 mm lens.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: Associated Press (via Yahoo News) - Nikon Camera Makes Shots Sparkle

The German website Photoworld.de have reviewed the Olympus Mju 410 Digital camera. The Mju 410 is encased in a full metal body with a silver finish, offers 4 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom. The Mju 410 is the first Mju Digital model to feature TruePic Turbo, a new image processor which sharpens image clarity, contrast and colour for life-like results. Available now for ?299.99 (inc VAT).

Website: Photoworld.de - Olympus Mju 410 Digital Review

Website: Read my review of the Olympus Mju 410 Digital

The latest Luminous Landscape article looks at creating panoramic photographs using two software programs called PanoTools and PTAssembler.

“I dream about being able to afford 22 megapixel medium format backs.  I think that it would be great to be able to capture that much detail with one click of the shutter.  Heck, I?d love to be able to afford a Canon 1Ds.  However, for most amateur photographers that type of hardware is out of reach.  But, with a little bit of practice, you can get some of the same eye popping detail using much more modest equipment.  The answer is to take multiple exposures and stitch them together using software that costs as much as a somewhat nice dinner.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Getting Started with Digital Panoramas

There have been several press release recently from various manufacturers whose products have just won a TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) award. The full list of 26 awards for 2004 is now on the TIPA website. Notable winners include the Sony Cyber-shot DSC T-1 as the Best Digital Consumer Compact Camera, and the Nikon D70 as the Best Consumer Digital SLR Camera.

Website: TIPA Awards 2004

digitalreview.ca have posted a short but interesting article that looks at using the Nikon D2H DSLR, in conjunction with the WT-1 wireless LAN pack and a Regional-BGAN portable satellite modem, to wirelessly transmit images via satellite. You can’t get much more cutting edge than that!

Website: digitalreview.ca - Using the Nikon D2H SLR Wirelessly via Satellite Communications

Digital Secrets have published their review of the new 5 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5200 compact digital camera.

“Do I like it? You bet. It’s more camera in a less-camera package than any other 5-megger I’ve seen and it is very capable. Physical packaging is superb. Most of its image qualities are fine (detail, colorimetry). Most operations are fast, intuitive and easy to understand. Nikon has gone out of its way to improve and streamline menu functions with their recent cameras and it’s appreciated.”

Website: Digital Secrets - Nikon Coolpix 5200 Review

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

“Somewhere along the line—perhaps several places along the line—choices were made and compromises were accepted. Sadly, the image that the 8080 delivers is a full step lower in quality than the one delivered by the Sony 828. Not quite as much detail, laid back tonality, less vivid color tracking into shadows and apparently less overall dynamic range come out of this camera, even at its most optimum f-stops in a head to head comparison.”

Website: Digital Secrets - Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom Review

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