Photo-i have started an interactive, multi-page review of the new Epson Perfection 4870 flatbed scanner, which should be in stores very soon.

“One year ago I reviewed the Epson 3200 scanner, which produced a film scan quality to rival most dedicated film scanners. The Epson Perfection 4870 not only follows in the 3200 footsteps by offering a higher resolution of 4800dpi, but also includes features such as, multi format film scanning, DIGITAL ICE for both film and print scanning. With digital cameras gaining ground over film, the 4870 may be the last or only scanner that you will ever need.”

Website: Photo-i - Epson Perfection 4870 Scanner Review

ePhotoZine have just reviewed the SpyderPro monitor calibration device. This is is an an all-digital, seven-filter colorimeter that works with both CRT and LCD monitors with the industry’s premiere monitor calibration software - OptiCAL. The SpyderPRO with OptiCAL calibrates your monitor to a universal standard for color and automatically creates a correct monitor profile.

“The funny looking gadget is placed on your computer screen over an area that displays a series of colour patches controlled by PhotoCAL or OptiCAL software that you have running. The Spyder then reads the information and creates an ICC-profile from the measurements made. The Spyder has a seven filter system that allows its results to come closer to the requirements of the human eye than comparable three or four filter measurement devices.”

Website: ePhotoZine - SpyderPRO Review

It was only announced by Nikon about a week ago, but Digital Camera Resource have already published their preview of the new 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8700 digital camera.

“It’s very well built, with a metal frame (magnesium alloy to be exact) and good quality plastic parts (except for that darn door over the CF slot). It’s easy to hold, though a larger right hand grip wouldn’t hurt. One thing I don’t care for on both the 5700 and 8700 are the tiny buttons scattered all over the body. Maybe you get used to their placement, but when you first start using it, you’ll find yourself having to turn the camera to find what you’re looking for.”

Website: Digital Camera Resource - Nikon Coolpix 8700 Preview

DIWA Press Release 05/02/04

Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) makes inaugural awards

09:00 CET, Thursday 5th February, 2004: DIWA, the Digital Imaging Websites Association, today announces three digital camera product awards, the first such awards from this recently launched industry organisation.

Since November last year, testers from DIWA member websites covering the four corners of Europe have evaluated and compiled test scores for dozens of cameras. DIWA’s rigorous technically-based scoring system has produced two winning cameras to date: the Olympus E-1 and the Casio QV-R40. The latter merits a DIWA Silver medal in the category of Amateur Compact Digital Camera and the Olympus E-1 a Gold medal in the category of Professional System Digital Camera. In addition, DIWA has chosen to make a special award to Olympus in recognition of the innovation invested in the Four Thirds standard-based Olympus E-System, of which the gold medal-winning Olympus E-1 is the first example.

DIWA’s general manager, Ian Burley, commented: “The seed of the idea that turned into DIWA was sown by DIWA’s test manager, Kai Thon, several years ago. However, it has been the hard work of a dozen or so people in the last year that has brought DIWA into reality and to the point of making our very first awards.”

DIWA Press Release 05/02/04

Two top awards from the Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) for the Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-System

09:00 CET, Thursday, 5th February, 2004: The Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA), a new industry organisation that seeks out the best in imaging products and recognises them in the form of DIWA gold, silver and bronze medal awards, today awards Olympus Corporation a DIWA Gold medal for the Olympus E-1 in the category of Professional System Digital Camera. In addition, DIWA has decided to make a supplementary Innovation award in recognition of the Olympus E-System, which is in turn based on the new open Four Thirds standard.

Consistently high scores were returned by DIWA testers reviewing a number of different Olympus E-1 samples. At the lower cost end of the professional system digital SLR camera market, DIWA’s Olympus E-1 testers liked the camera’s robust, weather-proofed and innovative design that did not sacrifice relatively compact dimensions and light weight. Optical performance of the ‘standard’ 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 zoom lens was of a very high standard, bearing out the radical design philosophy of the Four Thirds standard. Excellent, ergonomics, controls and handling, mated to responsive electronics complete the picture. And no serious shortcomings were identified.

DIWA’s test manager, Kai Thon, summarised: “Despite its compact and light-weight design, the E-1 complies with professional requirements with a rugged camera body, well protected against harsh environments and rough use and a high quality Full Frame Transfer 5Mp CCD sensor. Supported by high performance optics and accessories from the Olympus E-System, the E-1 is well equipped to give digital images of professional quality. With the E-1, Olympus has laid a solid foundation for further development of a unique standard.”

DIWA Press Release 05/02/04

Casio’s compact QV-R40 digital camera nets DIWA Silver award

09:00 CET, 4th February, 2004: A DIWA Silver medal has been awarded to Casio Computer Co., Ltd (Consumer Products division) in recognition of the fine results achieved by the Casio QV-R40 digital camera when tested independently by several DIWA testers throughout Europe.

The Casio QV-R40 is a very compact, fast-operating four megapixel digital camera that is affordable and easy to use. A number of different samples of this Casio model were tested independently by DIWA member testers and the combined scores for the QV-R40 achieved the necessary score to earn a DIWA Silver medal in the category of Amateur Compact Digital Camera.

Kai Thon, DIWA’s test manager, observed: “With the Casio QV-R40, a new standard is set for user-friendly compact digital cameras. The introduction of two large buttons for instant RECORD and PLAY modes is a small, yet highly appreciated innovation that simplifies digital photography for amateurs. The camera also performs very well, with 4MP resolution, 3x quality optical zoom and a large array of smart features. The Casio QV-R40 is a rare combination of high performance at a most affordable price.”

Canon UK Press Release 03/02/04

Canon launches the Bubble Jet i80 high speed mobile printer

Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the world’s fastest and highest resolution mobile printer: the 14ppm (mono), 4800x1200 dpi Bubble Jet i80. Key features include optional Bluetooth support , Micro-Nozzles delivering 2pl droplet size and an optional battery pack/charger. The printer is PictBridge compatible for direct USB connection and photo printing with any compliant digital camera or camcorder, without the need for a PC. At just 52mm thick and with a profile area less than the A4 sheets it can print, the Bubble Jet i80 is considerably smaller than competing printers. A sleek design and champagne gold finish match its superior performance.

With Canon’s patented advanced MicroFine droplet Technology?, the printer has 2pl droplet size and unrivalled print head density. The result is more ink on the page in less time with increased accuracy and the world’s fastest and most superior quality, portable borderless printing. A 4” x 6” photo prints in less than one minute, while documents print at 14ppm (mono) and 10ppm (colour).

“The introduction of the Bubble Jet i80 cements Canon’s market leading position in mobile printing. It combines desktop printing, power and true portability with stylish design and high specifications”, said Malcolm Hills, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging in the UK and Ireland.

The Bubble Jet i80 will be available from March 2004 for around ?199 inc VAT.

Canon UK Press Release 03/02/04

Canon’s new Bubble Jet i990 The ultimate photo printer

Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology is pleased to announce the world?s most advanced desktop photo printer - the 4800x2400 dpi, permanent 2pl droplet size Bubble Jet i990. The professional series 7-ink printer introduces new ChromaPLUS technology to expand further Canon’s already broad colour gamut, utilising the addition of a new red ink to deliver more vibrant, lifelike results. A4 photo prints are produced in just 37 seconds, more than twice as fast as the printer’s nearest rival. The new look Bubble Jet i990 supports the vendor- independent PictBridge standard as well as Canon?s Bubble Jet Direct, with a port at the front of the printer for direct USB connection and printing from any compatible digital camera or camcorder, without the need for a PC.

The Bubble Jet i990 has the longest and highest nozzle-density print head of any printer with 5376 nozzles, capable of ejecting more than 100 million 2pl droplets per second. This gets more ink on the page in less time and with greater accuracy for grain-free prints of unsurpassed clarity, contrast, colour range and smoothness of tone. Documents print at 16ppm (mono) and 12ppm (colour).

“Canon is committed to developing printers that deliver life-like photos at high speed,” explains Malcolm Hills, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging in the UK and Ireland. “The Bubble Jet i990 is the new printing partner for time pressured professionals who demand the ultimate in photographic quality, and who appreciate immediate results.”

The Bubble Jet i990 will be available from February 2004 for around ?299 inc VAT.

Dphoto.us in conjunction with New York fashion photographer Stephen Eastwood, who has been lucky enough to test the Canon EOS 1D Mark II, held a question and answer session last night on Canon’s new DSLR. There are 7 pages of questions and answers to look through - essential reading if you are interested in this camera:

“I shot some beauty shots at 1600 iso and many at 800 and 200 iso, 200 being what I would like as I got use to having that extra stop of light around so comparing it to the 1D that is necessary, 800 is something I rarely use, but I was so impressed I have some prints here now that were at 800 iso, they are sharp and noise free, on screen they look as good as scanned film of 100 iso, and with no noise reduction and no sharpening I have printed images that are completely noise free, I could submit these for publication no problem to run full bleed in any quality glossy out there.”

Website: Dphoto.us - Canon EOS 1D Mark II Question and Answer

DPreview have just posted a preview of the new entry-level Nikon DSLR, the 6-megapixel D70:

“People’s first reaction to the D70, especially existing D100 owners was that it doesn’t appear to be a downgrade from the D100. Indeed, this is also my reaction. Yes, the D70’s design is simpler than the D100 and the menus have larger type face, there are some custom functions missing and you can’t add a vertical hand grip. But in all other respects the D70 is as good as and in some cases better than the D100. This then makes the naming convention a little odd. This also raises another note of interest, the D70 is already looking better than Canon’s EOS-300D.”

Website: DPReview - Nikon D70 Preview

It seems that some enterprising Russian programmer has hacked the Canon EOS 300D firmware to create a new version that contains some of the custom functions found on the more expensive and complex EOS 10D. Apparently the following functions have been added:

1. Set button functions:
  a. change quality
  b. change settings

2. Make a shot without a flash card
  1. available
  0. not available

3. Flash synchro in AV mode
  0. auto
  1. 1/200

4. RAW+JPEG writing
  0-5 - size of embedded JPEG image

There’s a LOT of discussion about the undoubtedly illegal and warranty-invalidating new firmware version over on the DPReview Canon EOS 300D forum, and it looks as though it works for many people. If it was my camera, I don’t think I would touch it with a very long bargepole, even it it does work…

Website: DPReview - “New” Canon EOS 300D Firmware

Website: DPReview - “New” Canon EOS 300D Firmware Risks/Benefits

Canon Europe have recently released updates to several programs that is ships with its digital cameras. Upgrades for ZoomBrowser, the File Viewer Utility and the Remote Capture Utility are now available. Just go to the following webpage, pick your camera from the list and all of the relevant updates will be shown.

Website: Canon Europe Software Updates

The Norwegian website Digit.no have reviewed the Pentax *ist D digital SLR, awarding it 77% overall.

Website: Digit.no - Pentax *ist D Review

A couple of weeks ago I visited a part of London that I’d never been to before, round and about Battersea Power Station. This is an iconic London structure that is now disused, but is happily being preserved as an integral part of the redevelopment of the surrounding area. I got there at mid-afternoon to find the sun shining brightly behind the building, so I decided to underexpose and turn the power station into a silhouette. I wasn’t convinced at the time that I’d achieved any noteworthy photos, but looking back at them tonight I’m more than happy.

View more Battersea Power Station photos

Shortcut PhotoZoom Pro is a software program that promises to resize your photos without losing any quality. I needed a program like Shortcut PhotoZoom Pro for two reasons. I wanted to create a 30x20 inch print at 254dpi from a Canon EOS 10D source file, and I also needed to interpolate some 10D files up to 48Mb in size for submission to an image library. So did Shortcut PhotoZoom Pro deliver on its promises? Find out in my review.

Website: Shortcut PhotoZoom Pro Review

Lastolite Press Release 03/02/04

Micro Apollo ? More Light Control Possibilities From Lastolite.

The Micro Apollo range from Lastolite provides the ideal solution to combat the harsh lighting of flash photography that can be a problem for most photographers. Suitable for all types of photography, both indoor and outdoor, the Micro Apollo range of portable, compact light modifiers achieve studio quality light diffusion while eliminating the need for larger light boxes and softboxes. With its professional easy-to-use design, the Micro Apollo is an essential piece of equipment for weddings and all other types of social photography.

Whether using film or digital, the Micro Apollo?s results show a wider and softer diffusion than the standard integral diffuser: red-eye and hot spots are reduced meaning lower contrast, more natural looking photographs all for a very affordable price.

The lightweight, fully collapsible Micro Apollo range of light modifiers are made from durable diffusion material. They are designed to pack away easily and quickly into a camera bag and will fit most makes of hot-shoe and Metz hammerhead flash guns via Velcro fasteners.

The Micro Apollo is now available in three sizes:

Lastolite Micro Apollo 45 20 x 13 cm (8 x 5 inch) ?26.99 inc. Vat
Lastolite Micro Apollo 60 25 x 18.5 cm (10 x 7.5 inch) ?29.99 inc. Vat
Lastolite Micro Apollo XL 41 x 25 cm (16 x 10 inch) ?39.99 inc. Vat

JP Distribution distributes the Lastolite range. For any further information on the full Lastolite range please visit www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk

The 4800 x 9600 dpi EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo flatbed scanner that was first announced by Epson USA at the start of January has appeared in the Epson store, complete with a recommended retail price of $449.99. The Epson Stylus Photo R800 printer is also listed at $399.00. Thanks to David White for letting me know.

Website: Epson USA - Epson Perfection 4870 PHOTO

DO Labs Press Release 30/01/04

Breakthrough Software Application for Digital SLR Camera Users
Eliminates Blur, Distortion, Chromatic Aberration And Vignetting

Las Vegas, NV (February 12, 2004) ? DO Labs, a software company focused on research in image processing to enhance image quality, today announces DxO Optics Pro, a revolutionary software solution designed for professional and expert photographers. DxO Optics Pro delivers genuine and perceptible quality improvements by automatically correcting images for:

- Distortion
- Chromatic aberrations
- Vignetting
- Blur (lack of perceived sharpness)

“Isn’t it frustrating that the more you pay for high-end digital cameras or lenses, the more you feel their limitations?” asks Jerome Meniere, CEO of DO Labs. “The brighter a lens, the softer it is wide open, the wider the range of a zoom lens, the greater the distortion, the higher resolution the sensor is, the more visible chromatic aberration becomes. DxO Optics PRO will help demanding photographers get the best possible image quality from their equipment, at any settings”

“DxO Optics Pro can be thought of as a ‘software corrective lens’ for your DSLR,” explains Dr. Guichard, DO Labs? Chief Scientist. “We have created objective, laboratory-grade precise mathematical models of each fault, and developed fully automatic algorithms to remedy them”.

The Finnish website Finclockers have reviewed the 3.2 megapixel Minolta DiMAGE Z1. This digicam has a 10x optical zoom lens, equivalent to a 38-380mm 35mm camera zoom, which in combination with the digital zoom offers a 40X zoom range (found via digicamera.net).

Website: Finclockers - Minolta DiMAGE Z1 Review

CNET have published a brief First Take on the new Canon EOS 1D MKII.

“The Mark II features an 8.2-megapixel CMOS sensor; a full-resolution, 40-shot, 8.5-frame-per-second drive mode; a top shutter speed of 1/8,000 of a second; dual CompactFlash and SD media slots; and 45-point autofocus—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The camera’s flexibility will appeal to a broad range of professional photographers and (very) serious amateurs.”

Website: CNET - Canon EOS 1D Mark II First Take