DIWA Press Release 19/03/04

The Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) was able to complete some unfinished business with Olympus on the opening day of the CeBIT Fair, Hannover, Germany, this week. Awarded DIWA gold medals for the Olympus E-1 and E-System innovation last month, CeBIT was the perfect venue to present Olympus its two prestigious gold medal award trophies.

Made from a unique polished black rock only found in Larvik, Norway, each trophy weighs approximately 3kg. On behalf of Olympus, the president of Olympus Imaging Systems Europe, Graeme Chapman and from Olympus? Tokyo HQ, general manager marketing planning, Hirohide ?Harry? Matsushita, received DIWA trophies from DIWA technical manager, Kai Thon and DIWA general manager, Ian Burley.

DIWA testers, using DIWA?s unique and detailed product test scoring procedures, collectively concluded that the Olympus E-1 digital SLR system camera merited a gold medal award. The groundbreaking and innovative Olympus E-System was also awarded a gold medal by DIWA.

DIWA Press Release 19/03/04

Last month Casio was awarded a Digital Imaging Websites Awards (DIWA) silver medal award for its QV-R40 compact digital camera. A presentation of the award certificate was made to senior Casio representatives at the recent PMA show in Las Vegas, but manufacturing of the special DIWA medal trophies wasn?t completed until after PMA. The trophies are made from a unique polished black rock unique to Larvik, Norway.

With the recent arrival of completed DIWA Awards trophies, a presentation of Casio?s silver medal trophy was arranged on the Casio booth at the CeBIT Fair in Hannover during the show?s opening day.

Pictured during the presentation on the Casio booth are DIWA general manager, Ian Burley handing the 3kg trophy to Ricky Stewart, Casio Europe senior sales manager and Harald Schr?der, Casio Europe marketing manager.

The Casio QV-R40, tested by DIWA member test sites using the association?s unique and detailed scoring system, reached a total score that merited a silver award, with image quality and ease of use making a significant contribution to the camera?s success.

Michael Reichmann has published a mini-review of the recently announced DSLR from Kodak, the 14 megapixel DCS Pro SLR/n.

“I would say that for Nikon lens owners who are able to work at ISO 160, and who require a full-frame DSLR, the Pro SLR/n is a very compelling choice, particularly with its new aggressive pricing. Wedding and fine art landscape photographers ? anyone who won’t miss high ISO shooting or very high frame rates, will find this camera to be an attractive proposition. You should visit your local dealer and try one out. Until Nikon gets it’s full-frame digital act together this is the only game in town for Nikon lens owners, and it looks like a good one.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n Mini-Review

The Slovenian website e-Fotografija have published their review of one of the more popular consumer digicams, the 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot A80, which sells for around $399.

Website: e-Fotografija - Canon Powershot A80 Review

Digital Outback Photo have just received the new Epson Stylus Photo R800 printer and have started a review in the form of a regularly updated diary. Here’s a summary of their initial impressions:

“R800 works very silent
R800 prints much faster than a 2200
Image quality was spot on in terms of colors using the Epson profiles
First B&W test also looks good (we did not find metamerism)”

The R800 printer costs around ?299 and is available now. Cartridges cost ?11.90 each and ?6.35 for the Gloss Optimizer cartridge (inc. VAT).

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Epson Stylus Photo R800 Diary

The Norwegian website Akamera.no have published a full review of the 8 megapixel Canon PowerShot Pro1, which was announced by Canon just before the start of the PMA 2004 trade show.

Website: Akamera.no - Canon PowerShot Pro1 Review

Ricoh UK Press Release 19/03/04

Ricoh launches user friendly Caplio RR330, 3.1 Megapixel camera at a competitive price

Ricoh is pleased to announce the release of the Caplio RR330 - a 3.1 megapixel, easy to use, digital camera that offers consumers a tempting introduction to the world of digital photography.

The Caplio RR330 is the latest addition to the Ricoh Caplio series - a series that encompasses the concept of delivering high quality performance, excellent value and style to its users. With a 3x optical zoom, and 2x digital zoom giving a combined performance of 6x zoom, the RR330 produces sharp, good quality images that are hard to beat by other cameras in this class, at this price.

The Caplio RR330 is an affordably priced digital camera with a Recommended Retail Price of ?179.99 including VAT. Featuring a lens at the centre of the camera body, this simple, user-friendly point-and-shoot interface offers users a familiar, trusted feel and a balance similar to that of conventional compact cameras. Transferring images via USB cable to the computer is fast and simple. The RR330 comes with a useful 16MB of internal memory but is compatible with SD card and Multi-Media cards.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEMCO) selects Varioptic’s electrowetting technology for its camera module products

World Premiere at CeBIT (March 18-24, 2004)

SEMCO to unveil electrowetting lens demonstration of fully running hard-coded auto-focus camera module

Hannover, Germany; 18 March 2004
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co (SEMCO - www.sem.samsung.com), a major global player in electronic components industry, and Varioptic (www.varioptic.com) a pioneer in electrowetting technology, have signed a collaborative agreement for the joint development of the advanced liquid lenses based on Varioptic?s patented technology, which is being applied to SEMCO’s auto-focused camera module.

A fully implemented auto-focus camera module demonstration with liquid lenses and electrowetting driver IC will be shown at Cebit on SEMCO?s booth (Hall #13, booth #B24)

Varioptic?s technology is the result of a 10 years research at Universit? Joseph Fourier and at Ecole Normale Sup?rieure de Lyon. The founder and inventor of the technology is Bruno Berge, former research scientist at CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) and then professor at Ecole Normale Sup?rieure de Lyon.

Varioptic Press Release 17/03/04

Lyon, 17th March 2004

Varioptic (www.varioptic.com) today announced its intentions to actively enforce the patents it holds on the use of electrowetting technology to create variable focus lenses. This decision follows the announcement on March 3 2004 by Philips Electronics that it planned to demonstrate fluid lens based on electrowetting technology that can be manufactured in high volumes.

On March 9 2004, Varioptic officially informed Philips about its patents and asked Philips on what basis it considers itself eligible to create any product incorporating this fluid-lens technology. Varioptic’s lawyers are convinced that the technology incorporated in the Philips’ demonstration product is covered by the scope of protection of Varioptic’s patents and that any of Philips’ products incorporating such technology will infringe Varioptic’s patents.
With patents for the electrowetting technology deposited in Europe, US and Asia in 1997 and 1999, Varioptic has been the pioneer and innovator of electrowetting technology and its founder Bruno Berge is the established world authority in this area of scientific research. Varioptic has already entered into an early production stage for fluid-focus lenses and agreed on commercial relationships with component manufacturers.

SanDisk Corporation Press Release 18/03/04

Baltic, Balkan Countries Are Moving to Digital Cameras and Multimedia Cell Phones

HANNOVER, GERMANY, March 18, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced that it has started selling flash memory cards and related products in eight Baltic and Balkan nations. These countries represent nearly 35 million people and range from highly-developed to newly-emerging digital electronics markets. The announcement was made at CeBIT 2004 trade show where SanDisk is demonstrating products in Hall 1, Stand 3D 2 and Stand 2A14.

SanDisk products are now available, or will be in early Q-2, in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which border the Baltic Sea, and in the Balkan Peninsula countries of Bulgaria, Slovenia and the joint republic of Serbia/Montenegro. Throughout the region there is growing demand for digital cameras and an expected demand for the new generation of multi-functional cellular phones that will have slots for removable flash memory cards, according to SanDisk?s new distributors.

SanDisk Corporation Press Release 18/03/04

SANDISK STARTS WORLDWIDE RETAIL SALES OF miniSD; COMPANY CITES GROWING DEMAND FOR MOBILE PHONES

First To Market With miniSD, SanDisk Offers Broadest Range of Capacities

HANNOVER, Germany, March 18, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), the world’s largest supplier of flash memory storage card products, announced today that it has expanded the availability of its miniSDO flash memory cards by offering them through its retail channels worldwide. SanDisk offers the industry?s broadest range of capacities for miniSD cards with capacities that range from 64 megabytes (MB) to 256MB. miniSD cards are used to store digital images, video, MP3 files and other data in multimedia mobile phones. The announcement was made at the CeBIT tradeshow where SanDisk is demonstrating products.

SanDisk Corporation Press Release 18/03/04

Tiny, Versatile Flash Memory Card is Used in Mobile Phones

HANNOVER, GERMANY, March 18, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced a Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC) aimed at meeting the needs of some of the new multimedia cell phones that require a smaller card. The announcement was made at the CeBIT 2004 trade show where SanDisk is demonstrating products in Hall 1, Stand 2A14 and Stand 3D 2.

As one of the world?s smallest flash memory form factors, this solid-state card is about half the size of a postage stamp (and of a standard MultiMediaCard), measures 24x18x1.4 mm, and is removable. With a mechanical extender, it can be used in any full-sized MultiMediaCard slot as well as SD host devices that support the MultiMediaCard.

Konica Minolta Press Release 18/03/04

Konica Minolta Introduces the New DiMAGE G600 Digital Camera

Extremely compact and powerful 6-megapixel camera is quick and easy to use

Mahwah, NJ (March 18, 2004) - Konica Minolta introduces the new DiMAGE G600 - a fast and easy to use 6 megapixel digital camera designed to enable photographers to produce high-quality images to last a lifetime. This new addition to the DiMAGE camera line features Rapid Response with a 1.3-second start-up time, an ergonomic and easy-to-use design and this new digital camera is packed with features that appeal to both beginners and advanced amateurs alike.

“The new compact and fully-featured DiMAGE G600 is a value-packed, high performance digital camera at an affordable price,” said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Konica Minolta?s Camera Division. “This new compact camera is ideal for every day snapshots as well as a second camera for serious amateur or professional photographers.”

Sophistication and power

The performance features of the C-60ZOOM are as impressive as its stylish metal exterior. This 6.1 million pixel camera is packed full of innovative technology to make your shots come alive, including the new TruePic TURBO image processor and sunshine LCD. With its precision automatic functions, the 3x zoom model can take care of all the details for you. But it also allows you total creative control to discover new areas of expression.

Please note that the C-460 ZOOM del Sol will only be released in the United Kingdom

Hello sunshine
Summer here we come. Even under the brightest of light conditions, you can check and frame your shots on the C-460ZOOM del Sol’s sunshine LCD. But this 3x zoom camera isn’t content with just one innovation. Added to its 4 million pixels, TruePic TURBO delivers even quicker image processing and better colour and sharpness. This ensures those bright summer memories will look just as good once you get home as they did when you experienced them. Provided with the camera are a leather case, beach towel and after-sun lotion.

Point-and-shoot simplicity for maximum enjoyment

With the 3.2 megapixel CAMEDIA C-160, Olympus proves that quality results can come at a refreshing price. This entry-level model integrates a bright f2.8 lens and smart picture taking functions for incredible shots with point-and-shoot ease. Four scene programmes are also on hand so you can capture a wide range of subjects.

Kodak Press Release 18/03/04

Kodak Offers More Choices for Pro Photographers by Introducing New 14MP Digital SLR Camera with CANON EOS Mount Compatibility

Highest Resolution, Broadest ISO Performance in a Digital SLR

HANNOVER, Germany, March 18 - Providing professional photographers with a choice of lens mounts on its new digital SLR cameras, Eastman Kodak Company today introduced the KODAK PROFESSIONAL DCS Pro SLR/c - a digital camera compatible with the popular CANON EOS lens mount. It offers the same superior resolution, broad ISO performance and extended burst depth found in the acclaimed KODAK PROFESSIONAL DCS Pro SLR/n digital camera built on a NIKON F-mount and introduced in February, 2004.

The DCS Pro SLR/c digital camera contains a high-performance imaging system and full size 35mm size CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, boasts 14 million pixels with a total available ISO range of 6 to 1600 and offers variable resolution raw files. The camera delivers the highest resolution of any digital SLR with an ISO range that meets the needs of a wide variety of professional photographers, including wedding, portrait, event, commercial and advanced amateur photographers. Aside from the EOS lens mount, the DCS SLR/c camera also includes an infrared (IR) remote for shutter release, a flash sync of 1/180 th of a second with a Focal Plane (FP) flash mode up to 1/6000 th of a second when using an EX - series Speedlite, and an overall shutter speed range from 1/6000 th to 30 seconds. Each of these features is unique to the SLR/c model.

Play in the big league

Eight million pixels and a sunshine LCD: The compact Olympus C-8080 WIDE ZOOM

Hanover, 18 March 2004 - The new Olympus CAMEDIA C-8080 WIDE ZOOM sounds like a dream. But its eight million pixels, 5x wide zoom lens, magnesium alloy body, short shutter release time lag and innovative sunshine LCD are all very real. And together, they make for a true major league player - a compact digital camera that delivers outstanding performance even when compared to digital SLRs in its price range.

With its combination of top-notch photographic performance and compact, lightweight design, the C-8080 WIDE ZOOM is the perfect companion when out hunting for big images in the city or country. Whether breathtaking cityscapes, glitzy gala shots, sensitive portraits or moody mountain landscapes, you can capture them all with the 5x wide zoom lens.

Olympus Europe Press Release 18/03/04

Hanover, 18 March 2004 - The Olympus E-System and the Olympus E-1 interchangeable lens type digital SLR camera that stands at its core represent a fusion of superior optical technology and advanced digital technology. Both system and camera were developed according to a design concept of ‘the highest digital image quality in every detail’. Since their introduction in October 2003, they have received wide acclaim and numerous awards for their image quality, responsiveness and reliability from photographic professionals in countries around the world.

In addition, the FourThirds System standard on which the Olympus E-System is based has received a 2003-2004 TIPA European Photo and Imaging Award for Innovative Technology, and the Olympus E-System’s development team leader has received a PMDA 2004 Technical Achievement Award from the U.S. Photo Imaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association.

Interchangeable lens type SLR camera systems represent the apex of modern digital camera technology, and Olympus is honoured that its products in this category have earned awards in so many countries around the world. These numerous awards have also served to reaffirm Olympus’ commitment to continue developing new digital camera technologies and products that truly respond to user needs.

Website: Olympus Europe Full Press Release

Olympus Europe Press Release 18/03/04

A gold medal-winning digital SLR camera: Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-System receive DIWA Awards.

Hanover, 18 March 2004 - The Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA), a new industry organisation that seeks out the best in imaging products, has awarded a gold medal to the Olympus E-1 in the category ‘Professional System Digital Camera’. DIWA also decided to create a supplementary Innovation Award to recognise the Olympus E-System. The organisation encompasses a growing group of independent web-based specialist publications currently covering several European countries and the USA. It harnesses the collective talent and expertise of its members, resulting in industry awards that command unparalleled confidence, both for consumers and the industry.