In this week’s Sunday Morning Photographer column Mike Johnston suggests a number of different ways of beating the winter blues and getting out there to take some photos. Personally, I highly recommend a long trip to a warm and sunny Spanish island :-)

“Post-PMA, the ‘Net is simply awash in exciting news of a technical and product-oriented nature. You can sure learn a lot about digital photography - it seems like a whole world of knowledge in and of itself, sometimes. But when Spring comes and the light turns nice, it’s good to remember that the purpose of it all is taking pictures.”

Website: Sunday Morning Photographer: Set Yourself Free!

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the 3.2 megapixel Kyocera Finecam SL300R. Kyocera claims that this is the world’s thinnest 3x optical zoom digital camera, which virtually eliminates lag time and is capable of unlimited continuous shooting at an unprecedented 3.5 frames per second.

Website: Index Digicam - Kyocera Finecam SL300R Review

DCResource 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.

“While it’s not the perfect ultra zoom camera, the Canon PowerShot S1 IS comes close. Even with a few flaws, it’s still one of the best ultra zoom cameras, along with the Olympus C-740/750 (both replaced by the C-765/770), Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ10, and the Kodak EasyShare DX6490.”

Website: DCResource - Canon PowerShot S1 IS Review

DCViews have posted a review of the Olympus CAMEDIA C-5060 Wide Zoom camera, an updated version of the popular Olympus CAMEDIA C-5050 model, with a wider-angle lens that is equivalent to a 27-110mm lens on a 35mm camera.

“The older C5050 was already a very good camera, so consequently only slight improvement was needed to make the C-5060 Wide Zoom completely up-to-date once more. The tilting LCD monitor now offers more angles and more display options than the previous one. The new camera supports CF cards together with xD-picture cards as opposed to CF combined with SmartMedia cards. There is a true wide angle zoom of 27mm (eq.) that will certainly please landscape enthusiasts, and several internal features have been enhanced to offer even better exposure and image control than before.”

Website: DCViews - Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom Review

CNET have posted their review of the Panasonic DMC-FZ10 Lumix ultrazoom digital camera.

“The new Lumix still receives high marks for design, features, and performance, but in image quality, the FZ10 falls short of some 4-megapixel competitors, such as the Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom.”

CNET - Panasonic DMC-FZ10 Lumix Review

The Danish website Akamera.dk have reviewed the X-S Drive II from Vosonic, a neat and inexpensive portable backup device for your digital images. I own the original version, which isn’t all that different to this new model, and have been using it without any problems for the last 9 months or so.

Website: Akamera.dk - X-Drive II Review

The Danish website Akamera.dk have reviewed the stylish 5 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 digital camera, which should be available in your local photography shop now.

Website: Akamera.dk - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 Review

Pro Photographer Conversion to Digital Photography Creates New Opportunities, According to New InfoTrends Report

NORWELL, Mass Feb. 26, 2004—InfoTrends Research Group’s latest study of pro photographers shows that 79% of professional photographers are already using a digital camera. Of those that do not yet use a digital camera, nearly half plan to purchase a digital camera in 2004.

Complete immersion in digital photography occurs over time for pro photographers, because going digital requires a substantial investment in digital imaging equipment. While many pro photographers are using digital cameras, many are still in an early stage of a transition to digital photography.

“Our survey results show that most pro photographers have started using digital cameras, and that the longer they use digital, the more they integrate digital photography into their businesses/studios,” says Michelle Slaughter, Director of Digital Photography Trends at InfoTrends Research Group. “We see a significant amount of business opportunity in this segment of the market, not only for manufacturers of digital cameras, but also for those that offer printing solutions, storage solutions, and services for marketing photos via the Internet and managing photo assets. We expect 2004 to be a strong year for sales of professional digital photographic equipment.”

InfoTrends’ new survey report entitled 2004 Professional Photographer Survey is available immediately. It is based on a survey of 1,000 professional photographers in the United States. This 25-page study is accompanied by 73 pages of data tabulations. The report provides a detailed look at pro photographers’ usage of digital cameras, their equipment purchasing decisions, and their use of digital printing, photo archiving, image software tools, and more. Non-user preferences are also examined.

Phase One Press Release 27/02/04

Capture One version 3.1.2 for Mac OS X and Windows plus C1 DSLR version 1.2.3 for Mac OS X and C1 DSLR version 1.3.1 for Windows are now released.

This is a maintenance release and therefore it does not add new camera support or new features to the applications.

News and additions in Capture One v. 3.1.2 and C1 DSLR PRO/SE v. 1.2.3 for Mac OS X:
- Fixes a number of problems with the IPTC editor.
- Improved stability when processing a batch of files.
- Process history menu is now properly updated.
- When switching to custom crop, the aspect ratio is now properly unlocked.
- Totally black images are no longer rejected as genuine raw files.
- All existing Canon Film curves are reset to the state of the C1 DSLR version 1.2.1 in order to restore backwards compatibility.
- “Film Curve high contrast” added for all supported Canon cameras (same as Film Standard in the 1.2.2 release).
- C1 can now be used to view Canon 1D/1Ds files processed using Adobe raw converter.
- Workaround implemented: Canon 1D and 1Ds TIFs can now be opened and saved with Photoshop 7 without becoming invalid.
- All Color sync profiles are now available to users without administrator privileges

Supported Cameras C1 PRO/SE v. 1.2.3:
Canon EOS 1D, -1Ds, -D30, -D60, -10D, and -300D.

Supported Cameras Capture One v. 3.1.2:
Phase One H 5, H 10, H 101, H 20, H 25, and LightPhase.
Canon EOS 1D, -1Ds, -D30, -D60, -10D, and -300D.

News and additions in Capture One v. 3.1.2 and C1 DSLR PRO/SE/LE/Rebel v.1.3.1 for Windows:
- Support for rotating images continuously 90?.
- Tagged previews are now always on top (when group switch is on).
- The order of the previews when sorting by date has been swapped.
- Automatic web update implemented (can be accessed from the ?Help? menu).
- Viewing of special jpg files enabled (e.g. from SONY Cybershot).
- Fixes a problem that caused C1 to unexpectedly quit while using the crop tool.
- All existing Canon Film curves are reset to the state of the C1 DSLR version 1.2 in order to restore backwards compatibility.
- “Film Curve high contrast” added for all supported Canon cameras (same as Film Standard in the 1.3 release).
- Problem with sorting Canon 1D/1Ds images fixed.
- ICC profile ‘Canon EOS-10D Generic.icm’ reset to the state of the C1 DSLR
version 1.2.
- The description field in the Color Editor is now applied correctly to the ICC profile
file.
- Support for Portrait coupling with C1 PRO.

Supported Cameras C1 Pro/SE:
Canon EOS 1D, -1Ds, -D30, -D60, -10D, and -300D
Nikon D1X and D100

Supported Cameras C1 LE:
Canon EOS D30, -D60, -10D, and -300D
Nikon D100

Supported Cameras C1 Rebel:
Canon EOS 300D

Availability:
Capture One v. 3.1.2 for Mac OS X and Windows will ship with all Phase One camera backs and are available in the download section of www.phaseone.com C1 DSLR for Mac OS X and Windows are available in the Phase One e-shop at: www.phaseone.com/eshop/

3 of my favourite photos from the Council Tax protest. That’s the end of this series, unless you want to take a look at the full album by clicking the link below.

View more Council Tax Protest photos

Does what it says on the tin - a series of portraits that I think benefit from having no direct eye-contact. All taken with the long end of a 70-200mm Canon zoom.

View more Council Tax Protest photos

Steves Digicams has announced that its “Most Important Camera of 2003 Award” has gone to the Canon EOS 300D DSLR:

“There were many excellent cameras produced and sold during 2003 but in terms of the one that had the greatest impact on the market we feel the Digital Rebel was clearly the standout camera.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Most Important Camera of 2003 Award

The UK website Photo-i, run by Vincent Oliver, has conducted a very personal test of the waterproof qualities of prints made with the new Epson Stylus Photo R800 printer. Vincent took a print into the bath with him! There’s even a picture to prove it…

“The print was left to soak in the bath with yours truly for 20 minutes. There wasn’t any ink run, smudging or surface scratches. As a bonus the Glossy paper dried without any wrinkles - also works with Premium Semigloss paper. I didn’t try the watercolor paper.”

The R800 printer costs around ?399 and is available now. Cartridges cost ?11.90 each and ?6.35 for the Gloss Optimizer cartridge (inc. VAT).

Website: Photo-i - Epson Stylus Photo R800 Waterproof Test

This week’s Sunday Morning Photographer column from Mike Johnston is rather off-puttingly called “Parameters of Lens Specification and the Properties of Lenses”, but it’s actually a lot more interesting than the title first suggests:

“I’ve been known to have a pretty jaded and cynical and sometimes even (heavens!) sarcastic view of “lens tests.” I feel for the most part that they’re relatively useless. It’s not just that lens tests are sops to insecurity, although they are that. It’s not that most of them are silly, or misleading, or wrong, either, although they are often that, too. It’s that, often, they’re just not helpful at all.”

Website: Sunday Morning Photographer - Parameters of Lens Specification and the Properties of Lenses

Luminous Landscape have posted an optical analysis of the 8-megapixel Sony DSC-F828 using the new optical testing system DxO Analyzer.

“One of the chief criticisms that has been aimed at the Sony F828 is with regard to chromatic aberrations. When I first prepared the graphs above I was therefore surprised to see how low the CA numbers were. They seemed unusually low. Then I looked at the data for other focal lengths.

The chart above and the table below help us to understand why some people sometimes see it and some people sometimes don’t.

This camera system - the sensor and lens combined - clearly displays considerable CA at wide angle settings, and lower but still quite high CA values at the longest focal lengths. But at mid-focal lengths chromatic aberration because very low, almost negligible.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Sony DSC-F828 Optical Analysis

Unfortunately I was forced to miss this year’s Focus on Imaging show, held at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, due to my 10 day trip to Tenerife. DP-Now editor Ian Burley did manage to attend the show, however, and his report of who was showing what is now online.

Website: DP-Now - Focus on Imaging 2004 Report

A-Digital-Eye have published a gallery of 12 photos taken with the new 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8700 digital camera. All of them are available to look at as full-sized unedited originals.

Website: A-Digital-Eye - Nikon Coolpix 8700 Gallery

In an attenpt to catch up with all of the latest reviews that have been posted on various websites during the last week, here in no particular order is a handy list…

Steves Digicams
Olympus D-565 Zoom
Gateway DC-T50

Popular Photography Magazine
Nikon D2H
HP Photosmart 7960 Printer

Photoxels
Kodak Easyshare DX6490

Photoworld.de (German)
Canon PowerShot A80

Photographic Magazine
Minolta DiMAGE A1
Pentax *ist D

Index Digicam (Hungarian)
Panasonic SV-AS10
Nikon Coolpix 3700

ePhotoZine
Apacer Disc Steno CP-200

e-Fotografija (Slovenian)
Olympus Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom
Canon PowerShot s1
Fujifilm S7000

DPReview
Canon EOS 300D

Digital Photography Now
Olympus Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom

Digital Outback Photo
Nikon Coolpix 8700

Digital Camera Resource
Canon PowerShot S410 / S500 Digital ELPH

Digit
Olympus Camedia C-5060 Wide Zoom

CNET
Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W1

Casio UK Press Release

CASIO Announces New EXILIM ZOOM Digital Cameras with Long Battery Life

Thin, Stylish Models with 3x Optical Zoom and up to 2.5x Longer Battery Life

February 25th 2004, London, UK - CASIO ELECTRONICS Co. Ltd. today announced the 4.0 megapixel EX-Z40 and the 3.2 megapixel EX-Z30. The two new models, part of the EXILIM ZOOM range of digital cameras, benefit from extra long battery life and 3x optical zoom.

The new EXILIM ZOOM models incorporate the ‘EXILIM Engine’, a newly developed compact image processing module with a 3 layer Stack MCM 1, that achieves high picture quality and quick response using a 1.8V low-power system. This makes the cameras? compact dimensions possible and at the same time have a battery life 2.5 times that of previous models 2, it also enables users a to capture stunning 360 photos a single battery charge 3. Thanks to the EX-Z30 and EX-Z40’s unrivalled processing speed, streamed movie clips with sound can also be captured, compared with previous models limit of 30 or 60 second clips. Budding movie makers can now capture memorable events and the only limitation is the capacity of their memory card.

Fujifilm UK Press Release 25/02/04

25 February 2004 Fujifilm today launches the FinePix A120, a camera designed to automate the complex areas of digital photography, whilst still producing high Fujifilm picture quality. With a shape unlike any camera that has gone before, the neat and innovative design makes it stand out from the crowd.

With a 3.1 million pixel effective resolution and movie recording capabilities, the FinePix A120 offers great functionality yet remains easy to use. Pleasant to hold and operate, with its rounded, compact shape, the FinePix A120 offers straightforward controls and menu options, ensuring this camera makes life easy for the intrepid photographer looking to make the leap to digital photography.