PMA 2006: The Olympus FE-140 and Olympus FE-130 are introduced. 6 and 5.1 megapixels, 3x zoom, 2.5 and 2.0 inch LCDs, £170 and £140 in the UK respectively.

Olympus UK Press Release

Great value fun and quality - No nonsense photography with the Olympus FE-130 and FE-140

London, 26 January 2006 – Ideally suited for budget-conscious hobby photographers who want to start shooting right away, the FE-130 and FE-140 match good quality with easy operation and a great appearance. Based on a no nonsense “one button, one function” design principle, these two cameras offer exceptionally easy operation that in no way compromises the quality of the photos they produce. Featuring 5.1 and 6.0 million pixel resolution respectively, photos taken with the FE-130 and FE-140 have enough detail to withstand printing even at larger sizes. The versatility of 3x optical zoom lenses makes it easy to frame subjects without having to continually move the camera backwards and forwards, as does the cameras’ respective 5.1cm and 6.4cm LCD screens, which also prove very handy when showing off pictures already taken to friends and family.

PMA 2006: The Olympus FE-115 is announced today. 5 megapixels, 2.8x zoom, 1.5 inch LCD, £120 in the UK.

Olympus UK Press Release

Digital photography as easy as one, two, three - the Olympus FE-115, an easy introduction to digital photography

London, 26 January 2006 – The Olympus FE-115 is not only easy to use, it delivers great quality 5 million pixel photos at a very affordable price. With a 2.8x optical zoom lens and a 1.5 inch LCD screen even photo novices will have a great time using the FE-115. They’ll be able to find their way around the camera’s various functions in no time, as the controls are conveniently positioned and most buttons have just a single dedicated function. In addition, the ergonomically-designed, lightweight silver body coupled with 28MB of internal memory and xD-Picture Card compatibility make the FE-115 great for long-lasting photo fun. It will be available from February 2006 priced at around £120.

PMA 2006: A new range of Olympus underwater and outdoor cases are announced today.

Olympus UK Press Release

Swim and shoot - see what’s beneath the waves with Olympus underwater and outdoor cases

London, 26 January 2006 – Outdoor pursuits such as swimming, snorkelling and diving are some of the most fun and memorable activities of any summer holiday. So why is it that these moments are rarely seen in holiday snaps? Now there can be no more excuses for letting memories of coral reefs and marine life fade, they can live be captured forever using Olympus digital cameras safely housed in one of a range of waterproof cases. Olympus underwater and outdoor cases are constructed from durable yet lightweight polycarbonate and retain all camera functions providing photographers with full shooting control. And with models available that are waterproof to 3m, 40m or 60m*, there’s sure to be a solution for everyone’s underwater shooting needs – whether professional or holiday maker.

Unibind Press Release

Create Your Own Hard-Cover Photo Album Keepsakes in Only 3 Seconds!

January 23, 2006, Alpharetta, GA—Unibind http://www.unibind.com, the leading binding, laminating, and presentation system company, announced today that it will introduce PhotoBook Creator, the first low-cost do-it-yourself complete photo binding system for consumers, at next month’s Photo Marketing Association (PMA) show held in Orlando, Florida.  Priced at only $99.99, PhotoBook Creator makes it easy to create instant hard-cover 8 ½” x 11” personalized photo albums in only 3 seconds.

PMA 2006: The Casio Exilim EX-Z600 is introduced. 6 megapixels, 3x zoom lens, 2.7 inch LCD.

Casio Press Release

Stylish New Casio EX-Z600 Features Big 2.7-inch Super Bright LCD - Dramatically Improved Display Nearly 3X Brighter, Easier To See Outdoors

January 23, 2006, Tokyo, Japan - CASIO Europe GmbH, in conjunction with its parent company CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. announced the release of the latest addition to its EXILIM ZOOM digital camera series with the EX-Z600. The latest evolution in this popular series offers 6.0 megapixel high resolution photos in a stylish, compact, and pocket-sized package. The extra large 2.7-inch Super Bright LCD of the EX-Z600 is approximately three times brighter than the previous EX-Z500 model, producing an impressive luminance of 1200 candelas per square meter. This significant advancement makes the LCD of the Casio Exilim EX-Z600 easier to see, especially when viewed in the sunny outdoors. In auto mode, the LCD automatically adjusts to the brightness of the surrounding environment. The EX-Z600’s Super Life Battery now has an even longer battery life, supporting a staggering 550 shots per charge.

PMA 2006: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 is announced. 6 megapixels, 12x zoom with optical stabilizer, 2.5 inch LCD.

Panasonic UK Press Release

New Digital Camera DMC-FZ7 Combines 12x Optical Zoom with MEGA O.I.S. in a Compact Body

Panasonic is introducing the incoming LUMIX model 6.0-megapixel DMC-FZ7 with MEGA O.I.S., Optical Image Stabilizer that compensates the hand-shake, incorporating a 12x optical zoom (equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on a 35mm film camera) LEICA DC lens.  Differing from the FZ30 with manual focus ring and manual zoom ring, which was already released and highly evaluated by prosumers, the FZ7 is more compact and easy to carry while preserving the same powerful zoom capability and manual controllability. It is the heir to the 5.0-megapixel DMC-FZ5, but enhanced its excellence not only with the total number of pixels but also with other innovative technical improvements such as incorporation of joystick which allows easy manual control on focusing in addition to the manual exposure setting. The 1.8-Inch LCD monitor for FZ5 has become large as 2.5-Inch for FZ7 gaining much brightness even in the low-lit situations thanks to the pixel-mixed readout method performed at the CCD. Furthermore, the adoption of 710 mAh big battery extends the battery life realizing 320 pictures shooting per a single charge. Last but not least, the FZ7 gains the High Sensitivity mode for one of the new scene modes that allows shooting at Max. ISO 1600 setting as another anti-blurring measure in addition to the MEGA O.I.S.

The Samsung GX-1S digital SLR is unveiled today. DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no has the scoop on the new Samsung GX-1S digital SLR camera. The Samsung GX-1S is a 6 megapixel digital camera that uses the Pentax lens mount and the new Schneider D-XENON lenses. The GX-1S has a large 2.5 inch LCD screen, ISO range of 200-3200 and continuous shooting speed of 2.8 fps up to 8 frames in JPEG mode. If it looks at all familiar to you, that’s because the GX-1S is a rebadged version of the Pentax *ist DS2. Digit.no have kindly sent us the English version of the full specification for the Samsung GX-1S - just click the Read the Full Story link below to view the spec, full press release and larger pictures.