Christmas isn’t even here yet, but already the rumour-mill is starting ahead of January’s CES and PMA trade shows, where the new cameras for 2008 will be unveiled. First rumour up is the Pentax K20d and Pentax K200D, logically-named successors to the K10D (pictured, first announced in August 2006) and the K100D (first announced in May 2006). The K20D will allegedly have a 14 megapixel sensor, instantly pushing it ahead in the resolution race, with a new 14 bit RAW A/D processor, improved shake reduction and 3 inch screen. The cheaper K200D will feature a 10 megapixel Sony sensor, 12-bit image processor, 11 AF points and 3fps continuous shooting. It all sounds perfectly feasible, although the original Chinese website from which this info is derived is rather worryingly bereft of details. Still, this should be enough to whet the appetites of all Pentax owners and would-be DSLR purchasers until the official announcement is made on January 24th (again, an unconfirmed rumour).

Website: Engadget - Pentax rumored to be readying K20D, K200D DSLRs

Website: Photography Bay - Pentax K20D and K200D

Canon has released a new firmware update, version 1.1.3, for the EOS-1D Mark III DSLR camera. This firmware update incorporates the following improvements and fixes.

  1. Increases transmission speed when using high-speed SD cards.
  2. Fixes a phenomenon involving not being able to release the shutter.
  3. Improves AF tracking in specific conditions.
  4. Corrects errors in the Spanish and Korean menu screens.

Website: Canon EOS-1D Mark III Version 1.1.3 Firmware Update

The Metz 48 AF-1 flashgun is the world’s second USB TTL Flashgun, which allows firmware updating via the internet. Following on from its big brother, the 58 AF-1, the Metz 48 AF-1 has a guide number of 48 and can be used with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung and Sony DSLRs. The 48 AF-1 is supported by a full swivel reflector system, including an extractable reflector card and a diffuser.

DxO Labs have announced three new products which help overcome the limitations of ever shrinking pixels used in high resolution, small form factor camera modules. DxO’s technologies offer enhanced depth of field or EDoF, with industry-best image processing technology, including anti-aliasing demosaicing, sensor and pixel level noise compensation and DSC-class auto exposure and auto white balance. “Despite the performance limitations of today’s ever shrinking pixels, we believe that with the application of DxO imaging technologies in embedded platforms such as camera phones, image quality equivalent to that of digital still cameras can be achieved,” said Jerome Meniere, CEO of DxO Labs.

PhotoVu have added support for Mac OS X Leopard, iPhoto ‘08 and .Mac Web Gallery to their wireless digital picture frames. “Our PhotoVu customers who use the Mac OS X Leopard operating system and iLife ‘08 recognize PhotoVu as ‘the’ premium digital picture frame to accurately and seamlessly display their life’s photos directly from a iPhoto ‘08 digital picture library or from their .Mac Web Gallery using RSS.” said Robert Jordan, Partner, PhotoVu. Customers with a current software update plan can access the new version of software starting today.

The Lite-On EZ-DUB DVD writer has been redesigned to create a compact, more elegant appearance. Two new touch sensitive buttons on the top of the unit are used for for duplicating a disc and backing up files from a computer. “The new EZ-DUB is still the easiest way users can quickly duplicate discs or backup computer files but its elegant exterior also adds to the overall décor of an office or workstation,” says Christine Hsing, marketing manager at PLDS.  “Functionally, the EZ-DUB drive uses SmartWrite technology to optimize write speed and disc quality for added time-saving operation.”

Beating off competition from over 200 entries, ten finalists have the chance of being crowned Young Fashion Photographer of the Year at Clothes Show Live 2007. The overall winner will receive a set of fantastic prizes including £2000 worth of prize money, £1000 worth of Nikon photographic equipment, £1000 donated to her college art department plus an internship with leading Fashion Photographer Will Whipple. “I cannot believe I am part of such an amazing event like the Clothes Show Live. I’m so excited that my photograph is be to mounted at the show and that key industry figures will be looking at my work!” commented finalist Joanna Briggs, 19 from Stafford College (entry pictured). The judging panel will announce the winner at 1pm, Tuesday 11th December 2007.

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Canon IXUS 860 IS, an 8 megapixel camera which offers a 28mm 3.8x wide-angle zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer.

“The Canon IXUS 860 IS is an expensive camera for an 8MP pocket compact, but it justifies it with stylish design, exceptional build quality, class-leading performance and outstanding picture quality. Its wide zoom range provides greater versatility than most other compacts, and it turns in excellent results in virtually any situation. It is certainly one of the best compact cameras on the market, and will no doubt make a welcome gift for many this Xmas.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Canon IXUS 860 IS Review

Website: Read our Canon IXUS 860 IS Review

Megapixel.net have reviewed the HP R742 camera, which features an all-metal body, 3x optical zoom, 7 megapixel sensor and 2.5 inch LCD screen.

“But, as is always the case, the R742’s photos — those captured under good lighting conditions — print better than they look on a monitor. And, with its 7-megapixel resolution, the HP R742 has little difficulty producing crisp and pleasant 5 x 7 inch (11 x 17 cm) prints. And, in view of its economical price, and its simplicity of use, that may well be ideal for many casual photographers.”

Website: Megapixel.net - HP R742 Review

Nikon have announced a new, improved version of Capture NX, its main image editing application. Nikon Capture NX 1.3 adds support for RAW NEF images taken with the new D3 and D300 DSLR cameras. Nikon have also released a trial version of Capture NX 1.3.

Image Doctor 2 is a new Photoshop plug-in from Alien Skin Software that restores and retouches photos. Image Doctor’s unique software algorithms can save what would be the perfect photo from the trash bin while saving you hour upon hour of Photoshop work trying to fix it. Image Doctor 2 is available now for $199, or $99 to upgrade from a previous version.

Research by Canon has revealed that that 86% of Brits believe they’re un-photogenic, with over half insecure about their stomachs! A third of us take action to hide double chins being seen in photos. Londoners are the most vain with more than a quarter admitting to regularly re-touching images to improve how they look. One in five people in the UK even believes that they have appeared in up to 5000 pictures in their lifetime.

The new Olympus Mju 790 SW Winter Kit includes a mju 790 SW camera in Starry Silver, neoprene case, a stylish Rossignol beanie and a fun snow tube. The Olympus Mju 790 SW camera is shockproof* to 1.5m, waterproof to 3m, and freezeproof to -10°C. The Olympus Mju 790 SW Winter Kit is available now throughout Europe.

Picaboo today announced a Professional Wedding Photographer Program offering special pricing, priority support, and early access to new features. The free Picaboo software turns photos into photo books and greeting cards. Wedding photographers can easily and affordably move beyond offering old-fashioned photo albums and into the new world of artistic, story-rich photo books. Pricing starts at just $9.99 for an 8x6” 20-page soft cover photo book, and spans to $49.99 for an 8.5x11” 20-page hard cover padded leather photo book.

DCResource have reviewed the 8 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 digital camera, which offers a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC lens (28-100mm), optical image stabiliser, face detection and intelligent scene selection.

“Overall, the Lumix DMC-FX55 produces good quality images. Exposure was almost always accurate, and colors were generally pleasing, though a little more saturation wouldn’t hurt. Photos were slightly soft, but not enough to bother me. The exception is near the corners of the frame, where things can be blurry (this is a common issue on ultra-compacts). Purple fringing was well controlled, for the most part. As for noise, it’s visible starting at the lowest ISO setting, especially in shadow areas. There’s a bit of detail smearing as well, though I do think that it’s been toned down a bit compared to other Panasonic models.”

Website: DCResource - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 Review

Website: Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 Review

Steves Digicams have reviewed the Samsung i85, an all-in-one camera, MP3 player and portable media player with a large 3 inch touchscreen LCD.

” Shooting in 8MP SuperFine mode produced very pleasing results. The color was very vivid and the exposures were excellent when shooting outdoors. The 5x optical zoom lens is above average for an ultra-compact model. It has a 35mm equivalent of 36mm-180mm. This is great for shooting close-up and group portraits. It is also powerful enough to single out someone in a group or get you closer to a subject that is off in the distance. There were slight instances of chromatic aberrations (purple fringing) and very slight edge softness when you are looking real closely at 100%.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Samsung i85 Review

China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are expected to produce over 80 million digital still cameras in 2007 - up 27 percent year-on-year. Greater China accounted for more than 73 percent of global shipments in 2006. “Greater China manufacturers…are increasingly targeting mid- to higher-end markets with feature-rich products and competitive pricing. This trend has weeded out many entry-level companies, leaving a more robust manufacturing base.” commented Mark A. Saunderson, President of Global Sources’ Electronics Business Unit. Recently Fujifilm announced that they were moving production of their entire digital camera range to China.

The PhotoViewer from Epson and Philips is the easiest way to view and print your digital photos in high-definition in the living room. The PhotoViewer makes it possible to watch photos on a large TV screen and print them as they appear on the supplied Epson PictureMate PM 240 photo printer. The PhotoViewer allows photos to be viewed in full 1080i high-definition, directly from the memory cards of digital cameras, mobile phones or PDA’s. The PhotoViewer costs £119.99 and will be available in December 2007.

The new HP Photo Book is a fun, easy and quick way to turn digital photos into a gift or memento. HP Photo Books come in two sizes – 13x18cm or A4 – and can hold up to 25 pages or 100 photos. HP Photo Books cost £9.99 for the 13x18cm size and £14.99 for A4 size and are available now.

The Lastolite All in One Umbrella Kit can be used as a silver or white bounce, a silver and white bounce or shoot through. The kit is available in two sizes featuring either an 80cm (34”) or 100cm (40”) Lastolite All in One Umbrella for £95.99 and £105.99 respectively. This is accompanied with a 4 section stand, hotshoe flash tilthead and a padded shoulder bag for quick and simple transportation.