The new Transcend 2GB microSD memory card with Dual Adapters comes with a miniSD and a full-size SD adapter that allows you to use it in multiple devices. This new card is also the smallest memory card (15mm x 11mm x 1mm) in the world. The 2GB Transcend microSD with Dual Adapters costs 36€, and the 1Gb version costs 18€.

The new Kodak ULTRA single use camera features a Kodak Ektanar lens and ISO 800 film. “The new ULTRA Compact Camera is an ideal complement to a digital picture-taking experience,” said Julian Baust, Chairman & Managing Director, Kodak Limited. The Kodak ULTRA Compact Camera is now available in Boots stores in the UK for £9.99.

Leigh Anne Langwell of Albuquerque, NM has been selected as the winner of the 2007 Santa Fe Prize for Photography. The Santa Fe Prize recognizes a gifted and committed photographer who has completed, or is near completion of, a meaningful body of work. “Marvelous and wonderful are words that a serious critic tends to shy away from…. Besides, how often does work actually evoke marvels or provoke wonder these days? Leigh Anne Langwell’s does.” commented Vince Aletti.

Pentax cameras are being tested to the limits on Everest to document the largest ever medical expedition ever carried out on the mountain. The Caudwell Xtreme Everest team is using Pentax’s waterproof compact digital ‘W’ series cameras and digital SLRs, as they take take the first ever measurement of oxygen levels in human blood on the summit of Mount Everest. “Pentax’s Optio W20s are waterproofed for up to 1.5 metres for outdoor and underwater photography so are ideal for the extreme and snowy conditions encountered during the ascent to Everest base camp,” said Mac Mackenney, Caudwell Xtreme Everest Logistics Manager.

DCResource have the first online review of the Canon TX1 digital camera, which features a 10x optical zoom lens (39mm-390mm) with Optical Image Stabilization, 115,000-pixel Vari-Angle LCD screen and 7.1 megapixel sensor.

“The last of the big features on the PowerShot TX1 is its movie mode. While most cameras are still stuck at 640 x 480, Canon has blown them all away by supporting 720p recording on the TX1. For those who aren’t hip with HD jargon, that’s 1280 x 720 widescreen video at 30 frames/second (though true 720p is 60 fps). Sound is recorded in stereo at a higher sampling rate than normal (44 kHz), and there’s a wind filter for shooting outdoors. Did I mention that you can use both the optical zoom lens and image stabilizer while you’re filming?”

Website: DCResource - Canon TX1 Review

Steves Digicams 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.

“The overall image quality for this Stylus when using the SHQ mode is good for an 7.1- megapixel model. The majority of our samples showed good overall exposure and nice color saturation. I did notice a bit of edge softness, and average amounts of image noise were present in high and low contrast areas. The flower shots in our samples page were taken in overcast but still had little noise. Outdoor pictures captured nice sharp images in sunshine, with beautiful sky detail.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Olympus Stylus 760 Review

CNET have reviewed the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W80, which offers 8 megapixels, 3x optical zoom lens, metal body, 2.5-inch LCD screen and an eye-level viewfinder.

“The W80 uses Sony’s new Bionz image processor, another first for the W-series. Despite its unfortunate name, Bionz seems to work very well. In CNET Labs’ tests, the W80 shot much faster than its little brother’s, lagging only 1.2 seconds between pictures. In burst mode, the camera captured 19 full-size photos in just 7.1 seconds for a fantastic 2.7 frames per second (FPS), far better than the W35 and W55’s 4-shot bursts of 1.4 fps.”

Website: CNET - Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W80 Review

DPNow have just reviewed the Epson P-3000 Multimedia Storage Viewer, a portable storage device with 40Gb hard drive and 4 inch LCD screen.

“The user interface has been simplified and some of the pretty icon-based default screens have made way for more functional text menus. But to compensate, there is a 100% (1 image pixel to 1 screen pixel) zoom indicator, an exposure histogram overlay – though not for separate colour channels – and video playback is largely free of frame-skipping, which was one of the minor disappointments of the P-2000.”

Website: DPNow - Epson P-3000 Review

Website: Read our Epson P-5000 Review

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd, the first in its range of ‘Z’ series cameras to feature hardware-based Face Detection technology.

“Focusing is extremely quick even in very low light. It had no problem coping with a dimly lit nightclub for instance. The Z5fd has no AF assist lamp, so it can’t focus in total darkness, but it performs better in low light than many cameras I’ve tested recently. Like most of the latest Fujifilm cameras the Z5fd has extremely good high ISO performance, producing excellent picture quality right up to 800 ISO, and acceptable quality at its maximum setting of 1600, so shooting in low light without the flash is at least possible if not really recommended.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd Review

Samsung have released a new firmware update, v1.11, for the Samsung GX-10 DSLR camera.

Details of added functions:
1) A built-in flash function in wireless mode has been added.
2) A function that shifts the AF point from “SELECT” to the centre has been added.
3) A function for changing the ISO setting using the e-dials in Tv/Av modes has been added.
4) A function that can change the ISO sensitivity displayed on the upper LCD panel by using the front e-dial has been added.
5) The green button function available in M mode has been added to Tv/Av modes.
6) A function for switching the Av/Tv settings between the front and rear e-dials has been added.
7) A function that sets the strobe light compensation to its default value, using the green button, has been added.
8) A function that displays the memory size when a memory card is formatted has been added.

Website: Samsung GX-10 v1.11 Firmware Update

40 Digital Photography Techniques is a new book which provides tips for taking better pictures and getting creative with digital photography. Available now, 40 Digital Photography Techniques is in full-colour and costs $16.99 / £11.99 / 15 €.

DIWA member LetsGoDigital have reviewed the the Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd (also known as the S6000fd), a 6 megapixel digital camera with a 10.7x zoom lens equivalent to 28-300mm.

“Now there are different forms of face detection, it can be purely based on software or through the hardware. Fujifilm has chosen for the hardware and that is at this moment without a doubt the best choice. Now face detection is nothing new to Fujifilm. For years they have gained experience at the mini labs and from that knowledge the photographer now really benefits. Fujifilm’s system works superb. Not only during photographing, face detection is handy, also when reviewing the images. You get familiar with it quickly and would not want to miss it. “

Website: LetsGoDigital - Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd Review

Website: Read our Fujifilm Finepix S6500fd Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

Imaging Resource have just reviewed the new 10 megapixel Olympus mju 1000 camera.

“The Stylus 1000 seems like it was shaved off a hunk of aluminum. At the thin end of the slice, the lens is tucked into the tapered curl. The design hides the greater-than-average thickness of this compact, but that thickness makes a very handy grip without the usual thumb pads and finger bars of other compacts. And it’s still small enough that you can easily find a place for it in any pocket.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Olympus mju 1000 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

DigitalCameraInfo have just reviewed the slim Casio EX-S770 camera, which offers 7.2 megapixel still images and records high-quality movies in MPEG-4 format.

“As the newest Exilim in the Casio’s Card series, the S770 brings with it 7.2 megapixels and a wide 2.8-inch LCD screen. It carries on some traditions of the line, such as the skinny 0.7-inch profile, trendy appearance, and almost countless numbers of Best Shot scene modes. The Casio Exilim EX-S770 was announced in August 2006 and currently sells for an estimated price of $299.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Casio EX-S770 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Pentax M30 camera, which offers 7.1 megapixels, Digital Shake Reduction and Face Recognition AF and AE in an ultra-slim body.

“Unfortunately this heavy file compression does nothing to help with picture quality, which is a pity because the M30 needs all the help it can get in this department. Unusually for a Pentax camera the main cause of image quality problems is the lens, which causes heavy barrel distortion at wide angle, and pincushion distortion combined with appallingly bad corner blurring at medium zoom settings and close range.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Pentax M30 Review

The winners of the March 2007 PhotographyBLOG Competition have been selected by a panel of judges. The theme for March was “Lines” - you can view all of the entries in this gallery. Here are the 5 winners:

1st Place
Diagonal by peterka

Prize: CanvasRus 40 x 30” Canvas Print
Kindly donated by CanvasRus
http://www.canvasrus.co.uk

This week’s Gary’s Parries topics are:

1. Mock-Ups Prevail At Camera Trade Shows
2. Shopping For High-Zoom Low-Noise Point-N-Shoot
3. Why Aren’t Video Resolutions As High As Stills?

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.

Two weeks ago Saturday Shout wondered if the Sigma DP1 could be the ultimate compact camera for keen photographers. Just 10 days later, there’s a new contender in the shape of the Ricoh GX100. Ricoh are like Sigma - a relatively small company in a massive pond filled with much bigger fish - so they have to do things a little differently to make an impression. The new Ricoh GX100 certainly fits that bill. It offers a wide-angle, 24-72mm zoom lens, with an optional wide conversion lens that will provide 19mm if required. And unlike most recent digital cameras from the larger manufacturers with entry-level DSLRs, the GX100 provides both RAW and RAW + JPEG shooting modes. This new camera comes in two different versions, the more expensive offering a removable electronic view?nder, which provides an extra way of framing your images. Throw in a 10 megapixel sensor and a hot shoe which accepts an electronic view?nder, an external ?ash, or the external view?nder, and the Ricoh GX100 starts to look very interesting. There is one fundamental difference between this camera and the Sigma DP1, however, and that’s the size of the sensor, with the DP1 having a much larger APS-C sized sensor which will almost certainly provide better overall image quality. The GX100 does offer a more versatile focal range than the DP1, though, so photographers looking for a DSLR backup suddenly have two very interesting cameras to consider. Can the Ricoh GX100 be a contender? Shout out now...

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 is a 10x ultra-zoom, 28-280mm compact digital camera that can fit inside a pocket. Other standout features of the TZ3 include a large 3 inch LCD screen, 7.2 megapixel sensor, new Intelligent ISO shooting mode to help prevent motion blur and Extra Optical Zoom to extend the zoom up to 15x. Find out now if the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 is worth considering by reading the world’s first online review.

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Review

The new Iomega Power Pro Desktop Hard Drive is a 2TB drive powered by four hot-swappable SATA hard drives. FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connections are available, with transfer rates up to 70MB/sec. The Iomega Power Pro Desktop Hard Drive is expected to be available worldwide on April 10 for $1,699.95.