The Shozam Web gallery generator automatically creates full-featured Web galleries, allowing photographers to display and sell their work online. “I’ve created Shozam galleries with hundreds of images in under 10 minutes, start to finish. And the results are top notch. We recommend Shozam to our customers, and include it as part of our complete photographic and digital service offering.” said Brooks Clayton, President of Mid South Color, Jackson, TN. The Shozam Business Edition, available now, retails for $299.95, with a special introductory promotion of 35 percent off if purchased by June 8, 2007. The Shozam Lite Edition is free. A free trial version is also available.

The zany folks at bag manufacturer Crumpler are offering big discounts (over 30%) on a number of products in exchange for beer. From June 9th - June 17th at Crumpler’s two New York, USA locations, the company will accept beer as tender instead of more traditional methods such as cash, credit or cheques. “It’s in our own interests to support others by spreading the beer love, otherwise Crumpler staff will end up with enormous beer bellies” quipped Crumpler spokesman John Thursday.

REALVIZ Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 introduces Mac Universal compatibility to the photo stitching software, as well as HDR capabilities. Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 will be available as part of the REALVIZ HDR Imaging Studio (1,950 €/ $ 2,580 US), which combines Stitcher, VTour 1.2 HDR and Photomatix Pro. REALVIZ Stitcher Unlimited 5.6 costs 499 €/ $ 580 US.

DIWA member LetsGoDigital have reviewed the new 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, all in the most compact Nikon DSLR ever.

“With 10 million pixels resolution, the Nikon D40x is right at the top of the amateur segment. And with that, the only much heard criticism about the D40 has disappeared. It’s remarkable that Nikon managed to combine the increase in pixels with an increase in quality. The level of noise is at least just as good, but probably better even than with the D40. This is quite an accomplishment.”

Website: LetsGoDigital - Nikon D40x Review

Website: Read our Nikon D40x Review

CameraLabs have just reviewed the 15x zoom Sony H9 digital camera.

“Heading the worryingly long list of downsides though is image quality. Set the H9 at 80 or 100 ISO and you can take some great-looking photos, but at 200 ISO and above, smearing from noise reduction really begins to take its toll. We’ve seen watercolour effects on all Super-zooms, and the H9 is sadly no exception.”

CameraLabs - Sony H9 Review

PCMag have reviewed the new Olympus SP-550 UZ. This is the first digital camera to offer an 18x optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28-504mm.

“The excellent 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-550 UZ features the largest optical zoom available on a point-and-shoot camera. Even so, because of a few shortcomings, this fantastic feat of engineering isn’t enough to crown it the superzoom king.”

Website: PCMag - Olympus SP-550 UZ Review

Website: Read our Olympus SP-550 UZ Review

Sony have released some official photos of their new DSLR prototypes that were first revealed back at PMA in March. The images reveal a little more detail than the rudimentary models that were being displayed under glass at the show. One of these new Sony DSLR models (as yet unconfirmed) is due to be launched this year.

Sears and Kmart will be the first retailers to sell GE cameras in their U.S. stores around Memorial Day.  “We believe the GE name carries tremendous weight with consumers, and we expect these cameras will be a big hit with our customers.” said Jonathan Magasanik, Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Sears Holdings. Both retailers will offer the A730, GE’s entry-level camera, in black. Under exclusive agreements, Sears will offer the GE A830 in white and the ultra-compact GE G1 in navy, while Kmart will offer the GE A830 in blue.

The Panasonic FX100 is a 12.2 megapixel digital camera with a new 1/1.72-inch large CCD and 28mm wide-angle lens. The FX100 features the usual Panasonic Optical Image Stabiliser system and the Venus Engine III image-processing engine. Finished in a choice of either sleek silver metallic or cool black metallic, the sleekly styled Panasonic FX100 will be available from July.

The Casio Z1200 is 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. The Z1200 offers an auto-tracking AF system that maintains both sharp focus and correct exposure for a human face using both face detection and motion analysis technologies. The Casio Z1200 will be available in the UK and Eire from late May 2007 in silver and black, with a retail price guide of £279.99.

DxO Optics Pro v4.2 now supports the Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro, S3 Pro and Pentax K10D DSLR cameras. “With their addition to our library of correction modules, DxO Optics Pro remains an undisputed leader in automatic image enhancement for digital photographers,” says Luc Marin, vice president of the DxO Labs Photography Business unit. DxO Optics Pro software improves the image quality of DSLR cameras and advanced digicams.

This week’s Gary’s Parries topics are:

1. Next Big Camera Feature – Automatic Mic Removal
2. Sigma DP1 v. Ricoh GX100 – Too Many Bells & Whistles
3. Human Rights For Chimps (Yes, You Read Correctly)

Introducing this week’s Gary’s Parries column. Everything you always wanted to know about digital cameras, but were afraid to ask. No question too difficult, or too easy. As a Senior Principal Software Engineer, and a former Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems, as well as a recording studio owner/operator, inventor, and now, a digital camera enthusiast, GARY has more digital camera knowledge in his entire brain than most people have in their little finger. In the unlikely event that GARY would not know the answer to your question, he will answer it anyway, true to the spirit of the word “Parries”, a fencing term which, in this context, implies “cleverly evasive answers”. So let your imagination run wild. Email all your nagging digital camera questions to: [email protected] , and then, En Garde!

You may also attach to your email an ORIGINAL PHOTO of your choosing. A preview of the photo will be displayed with your question, and a full-sized version will be just a click away. No personal information will be published with your question unless you specifically include it in the text or attached photo of your email, which may be further edited for grammar, content, or other reasons.

A recent survey (see the next story below) concluded that most of us take photos in order to share them, with email by far the most popular method. Social networking websites are also becoming more important, think sites like MySpace, Flickr and FaceBook, whilst printing is still growing, but not as quickly. The survey also idenitified some interesting age distinctions, with under-25’s eager to share, over 45’s more concerned with the storage and preservation of their memories, and 25-44 year olds a mixture of the two. I want to find out how PhotographyBLOG readers predominantly share their photos. Are you an avid Flickr or online Gallery user? Do you prefer a physical print? Or do you find yourself viewing most photos on a computer monitor? And have you found any cool new services or ways of sharing your photos? Shout out now...

A recent InfoTrends study affirms that sharing is the top reason why people take photos. Over 8 billion images were shared during the last calendar year in the US alone. The report also shows a strong correlation between the use of the Web and satisfaction with digital imaging. “As the digital photography market matures, we expect that monetization will occur beyond capture and print: there will be more focus on enabling services rather than just selling products,” commented Ed Lee, a Director at InfoTrends.

Laptop Magazine have put the latest crop of digicams priced under $150 to the test, including the Canon PowerShot A460 (pictured).

“A few years ago, we wouldn’t have been able to round up 3.2-megapixel cameras under $250. Today, it’s possible to pick up a 5-, 6-, or 7-MP shooter for less than $150. Don’t think that these point-and-shoots are clunky plastic boxes, either. They each use two AA batteries and look similar, but they also have LCDs larger than two inches (with some as big as 2.5 inches), at least a 3X optical zoom, the ability to capture video, and a handful of scene modes.”

Website: Laptop Magazine - Ten Quality Cameras You Can Afford

PCMag have reviewed the Kodak V1003 camera, which offers 10 megapixels, 2.5 inch LCD screen, 3x optical zoom lens and up to ISO 1600.

“When I was at PMA this year, I couldn’t help noticing that Kodak has decided to focus on a particular segment of the marketplace: women as camera buyers. It’s a great strategy for Kodak, or any camera manufacturer for that matter. But by promoting accessories such as camera cases, skins, wrist and neck straps, and even photo frames over image quality, the company is putting the cart before the horse. Pocket-size and available in a multitude of colors, Kodak’s new EasyShare V1003 is a perfect example of this questionable tactic.”

Website: PCMag - Kodak V1003 Review

The-Digital-Picture have reviewed the new carbon fibre Gitzo GT3530S tripod.

“A tripod has other benefits as well. Allowing you to tweak your composition - and hold it tight while you contemplate what you are looking at - goes a great distance in your final results. Need to shoot multiple bracketed exposures for digital neutral density / HDR post-processing? You need a base that doesn’t move between frames. Shooting a panorama? You need a tripod to do it best.”

Website: The-Digital-Picture - Gitzo GT3530S Review

The Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 is an A3+ professional quality dye-based inkjet printer, with the ChromaLife100 system for exceptional longevity and support for Canon’s glossy media range. The 8-colour dye ink system has a wide gamut and utilises a single ink tank system. Print resolution of the Canon Pro 9000 is 4800 x 2400 dpi at 3 picolitre drop size. New software for professional photographers includes Easy-PhotoPrint Pro, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for a professional imaging workflow. The Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 replaces the popular i9900 and has an RRP of £499 / $499. Jon Canfield finds out if the Canon Pro 9000 is a worthy successor.

Website: Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 Review

The Ricoh Caplio R6 is a 7 megapixel digital camera with a 7x zoom lens equivalent to 28-200mm on a 35mm camera, yet it’s only 23mm thick and weighs 135g. 6 months on from the previous R5 model, the Ricoh R6 adds face-detection and a larger LCD screen, whilst retaining the optical image stabilizer and 1cm macro mode of the R5. We criticised the R5 for improving in some areas, but going backwards in others, so does the new Ricoh R6 offer a better all-round package? Read our Ricoh R6 review to find out.

Website: Ricoh Caplio R6 Review

Apple is inviting photographers to join them for a free seminar on Adobe Photoshop CS3 in London, UK on Tuesday May 22nd. You get a free Aperture tutorial DVD if you attend, but space is limited, so hurry!