PhotoArtist 2 from BenVista is a new software program for creating picturesque artwork based on digital photos. Version 2 of PhotoArtisit adds more than 30 additional filters, various new brushes, increased fine-tuning options, and an improved software interface. PhotoArtist 2 costs €69.00 and a free demo version is available.

AKVIS Frame Suite 2.5 applies artistic frames and edge effects to your photos. Frame Suite 2.5 adds a new texture effect that imitates an image drawn on different surfaces, for example, canvas or a brick wall. AKVIS Frame Suite costs $49 USD, and there’s a free 10 day trial version.

The PhotoShelter Collection is the first edited stock image library that delivers the diversity of photography on the Internet with the resources of a high-end agency. Submission is free; all interested photographers are then invited to fill out an application and submit images for PhotoShelter’s team of commercial photo editors to review. “I was approached by a photo buyer who found one of my images on Flickr,” said photographer Chris Cho. “He offered me $100 to license an image with unlimited rights. I’m not a professional, so I didn’t initially realize that this offer was far below the going rate for this type of use. It’s really great to see PhotoShelter develop a platform that allows me to license my images properly, through a system I can trust.” PhotoShelter will spend $1 Million in 2008 marketing this new collection to commercial buyers. The existing PhotoShelter that has been online since 2005 will be now known as the PhotoShelter Personal Archive.

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20 digital camera, which features 8 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.5-inch LCD screen, and is in pink, white, black and silver.

“If you want 5x zoom instead of the Sony T20’s 3x and a 3.0 inch LCD instead of a 2.5 inch LCD and you have an extra $70 floating around with nothing to do, take a look at the Sony T100. If 3x works for you, with its 3x zoom and 2.5-inch LCD, the Sony T20 doesn’t give up much, except that $70. Which you can put toward a Cyber-shot Station or, maybe, an Apple TV.”

Imaging Resource - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20 Review

CNET have reviewed Sony DSC-H3, the smallest ever Cyber-shot camera featuring a Carl Zeiss 10x zoom lens.

“If you want a long zoom lens in a camera that’s smaller, if not lighter, than most superzooms, Sony’s DSC-H3 is a decent choice. Since this is a new category, it’s hard to draw comparisons, but when Canon’s Powershot SX100 hits the market in October, we should be able to get a better idea of how this Sony compares with the competition.”

Website: CNET - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 Review

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the Pentax Optio A30, a 10 megapixel compact digital camera with a 1/1.8 inch CCD, anti-shake technology, 3x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD monitor.

“The Pentax Optio A30 has a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen with an impressive 232,000 pixels, a full palette of manual controls, including shutter and aperture, as well as a fully equipped Movie mode that can record simultaneous monaural audio files. Its array of features make it a better value than the Canon SD40, but the Panasonic TZ3 has similar features and a longer 10x zoom and bigger LCD screen. Considering all these features, the well built camera body and layout that can appeal to both experienced and utter novice photographers, the initial $349.95 price tag isn’t unwarranted.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Pentax Optio A30 Review

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Casio Z1200, a 12.1 megapixel compact camera featuring a a 1/1.7 inch CCD sensor with shift anti-shake mechanism and a 2.8 inch LCD screen.

“Despite the many well-justified concerns regarding the performance of very high resolution compact camera sensors, the Z1200 produces generally excellent image quality. It uses a slightly-larger-than-average 1/1.7 inch sensor, around ten percent larger in size than the one in the Z1050, and as a result its image quality is more or less identical with that camera. Colour reproduction, exposure and detail are all very good, and dynamic range is also higher than I had expected.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Casio Z1200 Review

The Intuos3 Special Edition is a new pen tablet from Wacom who are celbrating their 25-year anniversary. With a stylish black finish and matching input devices including a special edition Intuos3 Airbrush, the Wacom Intuos3 Special Edition is available in A5 Wide and A4 sizes and also ships with Corel Painter Essentials. The Intuos3 Special Edition costs £304.99 including VAT for the A5 Wide and £379.99 for the A4 size.

Kodak engineer Steven Sasson, inventor of the digital camera, has been voted into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame. In 1975 Sasson built a camera using solid state electronics, solid state imagers and an electronic sensor known as a charged coupled device (CCD). In 1978, he and his supervisor, Gareth A. Lloyd, were issued a U.S. patent for the first digital camera. The Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame was created in 2000 to recognize the pioneers of the CE industry and has honoured more then 110 industry leaders.

e-Photographia have published a fascinating account of a recent visit to Nikon’s Sendai factory in Japan, where the new D3 DSLR camera is being produced.

“First, we were given coats and hats, making us look like bakers, and then it was off to shutter manufacturing. We went through the whole process of shutter assembly and their testing. Surprisingly, this is still very much manual labour - there are some Sanyo chips that are attached automatically, and then it’s off to manual assembly with precision tools. The shutters seem to be assembled primarily by women. And all the time, you can hear shutters going off.”

Website: e-Photographia - Nikon Factory Tour

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Canon SD850 IS (also known as the IXUS 950 IS), an 8 megapixel digital camera with 4x zoom, image stabilized lens equivalent to 35-140mm.

“The Canon SD850 IS is an excellent performer no matter what aspect you consider, with superior focusing and low light performance matched with a powerful flash that doesn’t make you wait all day to recharge. With a day-long battery, you couldn’t ask for a better companion than the Canon SD850 IS, no matter where you’re going.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon SD850 IS Review

Website: Read our Canon Digital IXUS 950 IS Review

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the new Canon S5 IS ultra-zoom compact camera, which features a 12x optical zoom lens equivalent to 36-432mm, optical image stabilizer and 8 megapixel sensor.

“The S5’s $499 price tag is steep and hard to justify when the competition is offering more features. In addition, the S5 doesn’t perform as well as it should. Granted, its colors are beautifully accurate, but its dynamic range and noise levels are subpar, even when compared to less expensive compact digital cameras.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Canon S5 IS Review

Website: Read our Canon PowerShot S5 IS Review

The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 is an ultra-compact, stylish point-and-shoot digital camera with a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC lens (28-100mm). A large 3 inch LCD screen dominates the rear of the FX55, whilst the optical image stabiliser and face detection system ensure that portraits are both sharp and focused. The new Intelligent Auto mode automatically selects the most appropriate settings according to the situation, making the DMC-FX55 a great camera for the complete beginner. Is the Panasonic FX55 the ultimate point and shoot digicam? Mark Goldstein finds out in the world’s first online review…

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 Review

The Epson Stylus Photo 1400 is the replacement for the much older and very popular 1280/1290 A3+ printer. The new Epson 1400 is a dye-based printer which uses 6 colour Claria Photographic Ink, with up to 200 years print life in album storage. Borderless prints from 10x15cm up to A3+ and direct printing onto CD and DVD faces are all offered by the Epson Stylus 1400. Connectivity support includes Pictbridge, USB 2.0 and an optional Wireless Ethernet Print server. Jon Canfield finds out what Epson’s flagship A3+ dye-based printer has to offer…

Website: Epson Stylus Photo 1400 Review

DCResource have reviewed the GE G1 digital camera, which features a 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD screen and 7 megapixels.

“The G1 is the first digital camera from GE and General Imaging, and it failed to impress me. Mediocre in every way, about the only positive things I can say are that it has a nice design and a snappy continuous shooting mode. Everything else is average or worse, including picture and video quality, speed, focusing performance, and the quality of the LCD display. In the very competitive ultra-compact camera field, the G1’s flaws make me unable to recommend it.”

Website: DCResource - GE G1 Review

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Nikon Coolpix S50c camera, which offers offer 7.2 megapixels, a 3x zoom lens (38-114mm), Vibration Reduction, Face-priority AF, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix and D-Lighting, plus a 3 inch wide-angle LCD monitor and Wi-Fi connectivity.

“While the Nikon S50c has an attractive design with some intriguing bells and whistles that are more than gimmicks, I was disappointed with both how the camera performed and the quality of the images it captured. On the bright side, the Nikon S50c has a VR lens, D-Lighting, and In-Camera Red-Eye Fix: all automatically activated with Face Priority autofocus in Portrait mode. But a WiFi-enabled digicam should be able transmit wirelessly to a computer just like it does via USB connection. The Nikon S50c’s failure to transmit images to your own computer is a big step backwards.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Nikon Coolpix S50c Review

TrustedReviews have reviewed the new weatherproof Olympus Stylus 760. This is a 7.1 megapixel digital camera with 3x zoom (37-111mm), Dual Image Stabilization and a slim-line metal body.

“Since the mju 760 has the same sensor and image processor as the mju 780, it’s no great surprise that the image quality is almost identical. It suffers to some extent from the usual small-sensor problems of limited dynamic range and colour depth, and does have some image noise issues, but overall the image quality isn’t at all bad. There are no colour adjustments on the menu, but the automatic setting is nice and neutral, with very natural colour reproduction.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Olympus Stylus 760 Review

The last few weeks have seen a number of exciting new DSLR cameras announced, with the majority aimed at the prosumer photographer with around £1,000 / $1,500 burning a hole in their back pocket. Saturday Shout returns with a bang this week, as we ask you which “affordable” new DSLR camera would you buy, and why? Yes, that’s right, we’re asking you to pick just one of the following big-hitters:

Canon EOS 40D - 10.1 megapixel sensor, 6.5 fps continuous shooting,3 inch LCD screen, upgraded dust and weather resistant construction, ISO 3200 mode and DIGIC III processor.
Nikon D300 - 12.3 megapixel sensor, 6fps continuous shooting, 51 point autofocus system, 3 inch VGA LCD screen with Live View, self-cleaning sensor unit, expandable ISO settings from 200-3200, and new EXPEED image processing system.
Panasonic DMC-L10 - 10.1 megapixel sensor, unique 2.5 inch free angle LCD screen complete with full time live view, Face Detection, Intelligent ISO Control, nine film modes which replicate analog film styles, and Supersonic Wave Filter system.
Sony A700 - 12.24 megapixel CMOS sensor, BIONZ image processor, 11 point autofocus system, ISO 6400,5fps (for 17 shots in RAW mode), 1/8000th shutter speed, 3 inch LCD screen (with 921,000 pixels).
Olympus E-3 - Not too much is known about this DSLR, due in November - even its name has only recently been revealed!

Remember, you’re only allowed to pick one of the above, but you can give as many reasons as you like for your choice. Try and ignore the slightly different price points that each camera is positioned at, and decide which model you would most like to have in your camera bag.

Universal Flash Storage is a new industry-wide specification for removable memory cards and embedded memory solutions, supported by Sony, Nokia, Micron, and Samsung amongst others. The aim is to provide owners of mobile handsets, digital cameras and other consumer electronics devices with a unified removable memory card that can be shared without the need for any adaptors. So no more swapping between Compact Flash, SD, xD and Memory Stick. Sounds like a good idea in theory, but the bad news is that the Universal Flash Storage standard won’t be finalized until 2009.

A new photo project called America at Home is billed as the largest collaborative project in Internet history. One hundred top photojournalists and millions of Americans will document the concept of home from September 17th to 23rd, creating the most extensive record of American home life ever created in the 21st century. They will contribute their own images via a series of daily snapshots taken at the same time of day across the nation each day throughout the week. You can sign up and upload your photos at http://www.MyAmericaAtHome.com