The new entry-level Kodak C813 digital camera has quietly made its way onto Kodak’s website. The C813 is an 8 megapixel model with 3x optical lens (36-108mm), 2.4 inch LCD screen, digital image stabilization and a high ISO of 1250. You can also iew your pictures in high definition on an HDTV or other HD device, capture VGA video (640 × 480 at 15 fps) and use on-camera features such as cropping, blurry picture alert, and undo-delete. Nothing too exciting then, although the price-tag of $119.95 may be some compensation for the unexciting feature-list that the Kodak C813 offers.

Website: Kodak C813

Passengers will no longer be able to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage on flights in the USA, effective from January 1st 2008. The new regulation is designed to reduce the risk of lithium battery fires and applies to all flights from, to and within the USA. Lithium batteries are considered hazardous materials because they can overheat and ignite in certain conditions. Lithium batteries in checked baggage are allowed if they are installed in electronic devices, or in carry-on baggage if stored in plastic bags (maximum of two extended-life batteries).

The new RIDATA Smart Compact Flash Card features Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology so users can easily monitor the card’s status. “We are pleased to introduce the RIDATA SMART CompactFlash Card, which is the first of its kind in the industry,” stated Harvey Liu, Advanced Media president. “The flash memory market is growing quickly due to the number of new applications that use flash media for storage. As capacity continues to increase, RIDATA saw the need for an internal data monitoring system to ensure the safety of your data.”  The RIDATA Smart Compact Flash Cards are available in either “Supreme 150X (up to 8GB capacity-SLC format)” and “Lightning (up to 16GB MLC format)”.

Verbatim SmartDisk 2.5” Portable Hard Drives are now available in 120, 160, 250, or 320GB capacities. Each drive is offered with a choice of either a USB interface or a Combo USB/FireWire interface. “SmartDisk’s advanced technologies are ideal complements to the inherent reliability, optimized performance and competitive pricing that resellers and consumers have come to expect from Verbatim brand products.” said Charles Klinker, Verbatim Director of Marketing for SmartDisk products. The palm-sized SmartDisk external drives will be available for both Windows and Mac users later this month, starting at US $99.00.

The world’s largest digital picture frame, the 32 inch Smartparts SP3200, has been unveiled at the CES show in Las Vegas. The SP3200 is a 16:9 widescreen LCD panel with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Also announced is the SP8PRT, the world’s first and only digital picture frame with a built-in photo printer. “The impressive SP3200 and highly-versatile SP8PRT are indicative of our dedication to provide consumers with innovative and cutting-edge digital frames,” said Stefan Guelpen, president and co-founder of Smartparts.

The Tamron Educational Purchase Rebate allows US instructors and students to save up to $100 on Tamron lenses. “The new program allows students to visit any Tamron dealer and take their newly purchased lens home with them,” stated Stacie Errera, Chief Marketing Officer for Tamron USA, Inc. “Previously, students had to visit the store to pay for their lens and then go back to the store after their specially-registered lens was available.” Tamron believes the new rebate-driven program is more convenient for both the purchasing student or instructor and the dealer. The Tamron Educational Purchase Rebate can be combined with any regular Tamron rebate in effect at the time of purchase.

DigiCamReview have reviewed the Nikon D40x DSLR, which features a 10.2 megapixel sensor, producing 3,872 x 2,592-pixel images, 3D Colour Matrix Metering II system and 2.5 inch LCD screen.

“Image quality is very good to excellent, the images have excellent colour, with high levels of saturation, contrast and detail, with very low noise. Noise from the Nikon D40x is very low, lower than the Olympus E-510, and even slightly lower than the Canon EOS 400D, the Nikon also provides a full ISO range from ISO100 to ISO3200 - with the highest setting usable in some situations.”

Website: DigiCamReview - Nikon D40x Review

Website: Read our Nikon D40x Review

Henrik Paul has published an in-depth review of the LensPen, a carbon-based optical lens cleaning technology.

“Even though the main point of this article wasn’t to make this a competition, mainly because I only had one rival contender, my final verdict stays with LensPen. The ease of use is just not comparable to that of the hassle associated with Eclipse. I wouldn’t even imagine trying to do all that in the field. I would, however, have no trouble imagining myself in the middle of the woods taking a LensPen for a rub should the front lens get dirty.”

Website: Henrik Paul - LensPen Review

Neocamera have reviewed the Fujifilm F480 camera, which offers an 8.2 megapixel sensor and 4x, 28mm-112mm zoom lens.

“Image quality with the F480 is relatively good for an ultra-compact, although nowhere near the quality of Fuji’s 2-digit F-series cameras. Noise and details are well balanced across the ISO range, with each ISO stop introducing a little more noise along with a little more softness. Only ISO 100 can pull of a great looking medium-large print (12"x16”), but until ISO 400 prints up to 9"x12” are satisfactory. ISO 800 is both too noisy and too soft for such print sizes, but a slightly cropped 5"x7” can be acceptable.”

Website: Neocamera - Fujifilm F480 Review

DCResource have reviewed the Casio EX-V8, which offers a a 7x optical zoom and 8.1 megapixels plus a YouTube video mode.

“Going into this review, I didn’t have terribly high hopes for the Casio Exilim EX-V8. How could Casio possibly stuff a 7X lens into a compact body without major compromises in return? After spending literally months with the camera, I came away with a favorable impression of the V8. Sure, it has its compromises (some of which are rather annoying), but Casio has done a very good job of putting a big lens into a small package. If you don’t mind the anemic flash, mediocre high ISO performance, and reliance on its dock, then the Exilim EX-V8 is worth a look.”

Website: DCResource - Casio EX-V8 Review

Photoshop CS3 RAW is a new book from Mikkel Aaland which demonstrates how RAW data gives you greater flexibility and control during the editing process. Aaland’s up-to-the-minute edition focuses on the important features of Adobe Photoshop CS3, including Camera Raw’s new retouching tools, expanded controls, and ramped up sharpening features. Easy-to-follow instructions and illustrative graphics teach you which tools to use for each phase of your workflow, from managing shoots to perfecting photos. Photoshop CS3 RAW costs $34.99 USD, £20.95 GBP.

Lexar has announced its new line of Crucial solid state drives (SSDs), which are more durable, require less power, and offer better performance than traditional hard disk drives. The Crucial SSDs will be available in 32GB and 64GB capacities in a 2.5-inch drive enclosure with a SATA 3.0Gb/s interface. Crucial SSDs are the ideal choice for photographers who require a reliable, durable, versatile, and convenient option for storing their work. In addition, Lexar is also announcing the Crucial SK01 External Drive Storage Kit, which delivers the benefits of SSD technology to a user’s desktop. The kit will allow users to enjoy SSD technology installed in their desktop or as a portable storage device via a USB port.

Leica is now inviting entries to its “Leica Oskar Barnack Award“ and “Leica European Publishers Award for Photography” photo competitions. The annual Leica Oskar Barnack Award is given to the photographer whose sure powers of observation most vividly express man’s relationship to his environment. The “Leica European Publishers Award for Photography” contest is one of the most prestigious photo book prizes in Europe. The deadline for the Oskar Barnack Award is January 31st 2008, and for the European Publishers Award March 21st 2008.

CIWEM’s Environmental Photographer of the Year Competition invites you to to raise awareness of environmental and social issues. The contest is open to all professional and amateur, national and international photographers working with digital and traditional photography. This year’s categories are Changing Climates; A World of Difference; Quality of Life; and The Natural World. The competition is organized by CIWEM (The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) and is open until July 31st 2008.

The SanDisk Cruzer Titanium Plus is a new USB flash drive that offers automatic online backup for every file copied to the drive. Data is always available when Cruzer Titanium Plus is plugged into any computer. Users also get quick access to their backed-up files through any computer connected to the Internet, should they forget to bring the drive with them, or if the drive is lost or stolen. “This is true ‘set it and forget it’ data protection. Many users have told us they worry about losing their data, and now SanDisk is reducing that anxiety through an innovative new form of online backup,” said Hezy Rotman, vice president and general manager of SanDisk’s USB Division. The Cruzer Titanium Plus will be available in March for $59.99.

Happy New Year to everyone!

The start of 2008 promises to be extremely busy, with not one but two photography-related trade shows (CES and PMA), where the new cameras for the first half of the year will be unveiled. I’ll be at the PMA show in Las Vegas at the end of January to bring you all the news. Now is a good time to grab a camera bargain, as many of the “old” models will be heavily discounted to make way for the new, but on the other hand, you never know what’s just around the corner…

We’ve got some exciting reviews lined-up for the next few weeks; the Olympus E-3, Nikon D300 and Sony A700 will all be put under the spotlight. We’re also working on several new features which we can’t talk about just yet.

With CES taking place next week, expect a lot of new product announcements starting from tomorrow, so keep visiting, subscribe to our RSS feed, and sign-up for the weekly Newsletter to stay up-to-date with all the latest news.

Kodak and Panasonic have reached agreement over four U.S. patents, which Kodak claimed Panasonic had violated. In the report by business website Bloomberg, Kodak issued a lawsuit in July 2007, claiming that Panasonic used “inventions for image compression, storage, color sensors and previews it patented between 1991 and 2001”.“The license agreement, which will allow each company access to the other’s patent portfolio, is royalty-bearing to Kodak,’’ said a Kodak statement. A similar lawsuit was settled with Sony in January 2007.

Website: Bloomberg - Kodak, Matsushita Settle Digital Camera Patent Fight

Carl Zeiss have just launched a photo contest looking for interesting photos from the past year. The use of a lens from Carl Zeiss is obligatory for participation in the contest. All winning photos will be published on the Carl Zeiss website. The Carl Ziess contest will end on 7th January 2008.

Digital Foci is launching three new digital photo frames at CES 2008 (held January 7th-10th). The Image Moments 15 frame (pictured) has a large 15-inch screen and 16.2 million colors. Image Moments 8 offers an 8-inch screen with leading technology LED Backlight. Image Moments 6 comes with a 5.7-inch screen and the highest pixel density display available on the market. Image Moments 15 (IMT-153) is priced at $399, Image Moments 8 (IMT-083) is priced at $199, and Image Moments 6 (IMT-063) is priced at $149, all available from March 2008.

The ATP GPS Photo Finder is a a portable device that geotags photos taken by any digital camera. It’s universally compatible with any digital camera using jpeg image files. Put a memory card into the Photo Finder’s built-in card reader or USB port and it automatically finds and tags your images without any additional software or hardware required. The ATP GPS Photo Finder is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2008, price to be announced.