News

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Olympus E-400The world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera, the Olympus E-400, has just become cheaper in the UK. Prices have been slashed, with the Double Zoom kit now around £650-700 and the single lens kit £600-650. The body-only price is £600, making the E-400 more competitive with entry-level models from the likes of Nikon, Canon and Sony.

The world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera, the Olympus E-400, has just become cheaper in the UK. Prices have been slashed, with the Double Zoom kit now around £650-700 and the single lens kit £600-650. The body-only price is £600, making the E-400 more competitive with entry-level models from the…

Samsung NV3 OPLThe new special edition Samsung NV3 OPL camera is coated with a patterned Oriental Plant Lacquer which apparently “evokes artistic techniques from Eastern Asia”. Samsung are also launching a silver version of the NV3 digital camera. The NV3 silver and NV3 OPL retail at £199 and £229 respectively and are available from early February for the NV3 silver and mid-March for the NV3 OPL.

The new special edition Samsung NV3 OPL camera is coated with a patterned Oriental Plant Lacquer which apparently “evokes artistic techniques from Eastern Asia”. Samsung are also launching a silver version of the NV3 digital camera. The NV3 silver and NV3 OPL retail at £199 and £229 respectively and are…

Nikon SQNikon USA has issued a Service Advisory notice for the following Coolpix cameras: 3100, 3500, 4500, 5000, 5400, 5700 and SQ. The symptoms include images with a strong color tint, images that are totally black and/or images with visible defects. Nikon USA will fix your camera free of charge.

Nikon USA has issued a Service Advisory notice for the following Coolpix cameras: 3100, 3500, 4500, 5000, 5400, 5700 and SQ. The symptoms include images with a strong color tint, images that are totally black and/or images with visible defects. Nikon USA will fix your camera free of charge.

I3AThe International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) has launched a new website which aims to educate consumers about how to protect and preserve their digital photos. The website http://www.savemymemories.org explains how to create a backup solution for long term storage, the pros and cons of various methods and media, and tips for organizing photo collections to make it easy to locate individual photos in the future.

The International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) has launched a new website which aims to educate consumers about how to protect and preserve their digital photos. The website http://www.savemymemories.org explains how to create a backup solution for long term storage, the pros and cons of various methods and media, and tips…

ATP 2GB microSD CardsThe new ATP 2GB microSD flash card is aimed at mobile phones which offer MP3 playback, video recording, and higher megapixel photographic capabilities. ATP have also announced a 2Gb version of the Trio Professional Plus, which allows for compatibility and direct transferability of data with all three SD formats, plus a new microSD to MS PRO Duo Reader. ATP’s new 2GB microSD, SD Trio, and microSD to MS PRO Duo Reader are available immediately.

The new ATP 2GB microSD flash card is aimed at mobile phones which offer MP3 playback, video recording, and higher megapixel photographic capabilities. ATP have also announced a 2Gb version of the Trio Professional Plus, which allows for compatibility and direct transferability of data with all three SD formats, plus…

Panasonic DMC-FZ8DPreview have the first review of the new Panasonic DMC-FZ8 camera.

“I’m not going to dwell on the noise / noise reduction issue here; we’ve done it to death and there are plenty of examples in the review and the gallery to allow you to make your own mind up. At ISO 100 and 200, if you turn the noise reduction to low (or shoot raw) the FZ8 is a little noisy, but the overall quality of output is excellent, and it produces superb prints. At higher ISO settings you’re never going to get amazing results from a 1/2.5” 7MP sensor.”

Website: DPReview - Panasonic DMC-FZ8 Review

DPreview have the first review of the new Panasonic DMC-FZ8 camera. “I’m not going to dwell on the noise / noise reduction issue here; we’ve done it to death and there are plenty of examples in the review and the gallery to allow you to make your own mind up…

Nikon D40Thom Hogan has published his review of the new Nikon D40 entry level DSLR camera.

“Color accuracy for the default sRGB Color Space is about the same as previous Nikons that use the same sensor: nearly perfect in most greens, browns, and some of the blues, a bit exaggerated in the deep blues and some of the yellow/red colors. Most people will find that pleasing (warmer skin tones, deeper sky colors). AdobeRGB Color Space is closer to correct, and requires very little correction in a converter to get fairly “neutral” coloration.”

Website: Thom Hogan - Nikon D40 Review

Website: Read our Nikon D40 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

Thom Hogan has published his review of the new Nikon D40 entry level DSLR camera. “Color accuracy for the default sRGB Color Space is about the same as previous Nikons that use the same sensor: nearly perfect in most greens, browns, and some of the blues, a bit exaggerated in…

Sony W35CNET have reviewed the Sony W35 which offers 7.2 megapixels, Real Imaging Processor, ISO 1000 and a 3x optical zoom lens.

“The camera performed quite well in our tests, considering its low price tag. After a mere 1.4-second startup time, we were rattling off shots every 1.4 seconds. With the onboard flash enabled, that time slightly increased to 1.7 seconds. Shutter lag was a peppy 0.4 seconds in bright light, though the lag increased to 1.7 seconds in dim environments. Burst mode was acceptable, snapping four full-resolution shots in just under three seconds for a rate of 1.34 frames per second.”

Website: CNET - Sony W35 Review

CNET have reviewed the Sony W35 which offers 7.2 megapixels, Real Imaging Processor, ISO 1000 and a 3x optical zoom lens. “The camera performed quite well in our tests, considering its low price tag. After a mere 1.4-second startup time, we were rattling off shots every 1.4 seconds. With the…

Kodak Easyshare V705DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the 7 megapixel, dual-lens Kodak Easyshare V705 camera.

“Kodak priced the EasyShare V705 at $349 and that isn’t outrageously overpriced but certainly rides the line. The camera’s specs certainly justify the price. The dual lens system lets users enjoy a wide 23mm focal length and a total zoom of 5x, something that just can’t be found on many ultra-compact digital cameras. The dual lens system requires two image sensors, each with 7.1 megapixels. A 2.5-inch high-resolution LCD screen and 32 MB of internal memory round out the specs. $349 sounds fair enough until you consider the awful color reproduction, inability to snap even halfway decent pictures in low light, the furry look of most pictures, and overall poor image quality.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Kodak Easyshare V705 Review

Website: Read our Kodak Easyshare V705 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the 7 megapixel, dual-lens Kodak Easyshare V705 camera. “Kodak priced the EasyShare V705 at $349 and that isn’t outrageously overpriced but certainly rides the line. The camera’s specs certainly justify the price. The dual lens system lets users enjoy a wide 23mm focal length and a total…

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Kodak 5500Kodak All-in-One printers promise to save customers up to 50% on everything they print. For every £10 / $15 spent on colour ink and £7 / $10 spent on black ink, you can print the same number of pages at half the cost of other consumer inkjet printers. When the KODAK Photo Value Pack is purchased, a 4 x 6-inch photo costs as little as 7 pence / 10 cents per print. In the UK, the Kodak 5300 AiO will be available in May 2007; the Kodak 5500 is expected to begin shipping in June 2007. In the USA, beginning in March 2007, the Kodak 5100 and Kodak 5300 AiO Printers will retail exclusively at Best Buy, whilst the Kodak 5500 is expected to begin shipping in May 2007.

Update: We now have some photos of pre-production printers taken at the UK press launch in London earlier today. Kodak have spent $500 million and 3.5 years of development time to enter the inkjet market, aiming to provide quality and ease-of-use at up to half the cost of their rivals. Interestingly, Kodak don’t make money on their digital cameras, hence the move into inkjet printing. Expect to see more models in 2007.

Kodak All-in-One printers promise to save customers up to 50% on everything they print. For every £10 / $15 spent on colour ink and £7 / $10 spent on black ink, you can print the same number of pages at half the cost of other consumer inkjet printers. When the…

Corel Painter XCorel Painter X, the world’s most powerful painting and illustration software, is now available for pre-order from www.corel.co.uk/painterx (shipping in English version late February 2007). Corel Painter X includes the RealBristle Painting System that provides an organic painting and illustration experience – right down to the individual bristles on the brush. Corel Painter X is £229 / €349 for full, £119 / €179 for upgrade. The Limited Edition Painter Can is available for £259 / €379.

Corel Painter X, the world’s most powerful painting and illustration software, is now available for pre-order from www.corel.co.uk/painterx (shipping in English version late February 2007). Corel Painter X includes the RealBristle Painting System that provides an organic painting and illustration experience – right down to the individual bristles on the…

Scanning Negatives and SlidesScanning Negatives and Slides: Digitizing Your Photographic Archives is a new book that bridges the gap between analog (traditional) and digital photography. The most common software tools for scanning (SilverFast, VueScan, NikonScan) are provided on a companion DVD. Scanning Negatives and Slides costs $44.95 in the US.

Scanning Negatives and Slides: Digitizing Your Photographic Archives is a new book that bridges the gap between analog (traditional) and digital photography. The most common software tools for scanning (SilverFast, VueScan, NikonScan) are provided on a companion DVD. Scanning Negatives and Slides costs $44.95 in the US.

Sony Ericsson K810The Sony Ericsson K810/K818 Cyber-shot phone features a 3.2 megapixel camera including auto focus and Xenon flash. New illuminated Camera Icons will allow the user to select advanced camera settings. The Sony Ericsson K550 / K550im is a compact (14mm thin) cameraphone with 2 megapixels with auto focus plus LED photo light.

The Sony Ericsson K810/K818 Cyber-shot phone features a 3.2 megapixel camera including auto focus and Xenon flash. New illuminated Camera Icons will allow the user to select advanced camera settings. The Sony Ericsson K550 / K550im is a compact (14mm thin) cameraphone with 2 megapixels with auto focus plus LED…

VisibleDust Arctic ButterflyShuttertalk have just reviewed the Arctic Butterfly, a digital SLR sensor cleaning solution from the company VisibleDust.

“I found that it worked as advertised, with no problems picking up dust and leaving the my sensor spot-free. The spinning mechanism is a very novel way of self-cleaning and charging up the bristles, without having to resort to compressed air. As a result, it is very quick to use and put away, with minimum fuss and mess. I was very impressed too by the sturdiness and quality of the construction, and the hardy protective cases supplied.”

Website: Shuttertalk - Arctic Butterfly Review

Shuttertalk have just reviewed the Arctic Butterfly, a digital SLR sensor cleaning solution from the company VisibleDust. “I found that it worked as advertised, with no problems picking up dust and leaving the my sensor spot-free. The spinning mechanism is a very novel way of self-cleaning and charging up the…

Monday, February 5, 2007

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

1st Place
H u m b le - A b o d e by PZIG98

Prize: Photobird.com one-year subscription with 100 megabytes of storage space
Kindly donated by Photobird.com.
http://www.photobird.com

The winners of the January 2007 PhotographyBLOG Competition have been selected by a panel of judges. The theme for January was “Home” - you can view all of the entries in this gallery. Here are the 5 winners: 1st PlaceH u m b le - A b o d e…

ACDSee ProThe winners of the January 2007 Prize Giveaway have been randomly selected from the current list of PhotographyBLOG Newsletter subscribers. Here are the 6 winners:

Dean Steele, Mark Bowman, Tim Foster and Rick Pali have each won a copy of ACDSee Pro, which allows you to view, process, edit, organize, catalog, publish, and archive your photo collections.

David Pithie and Peter Simmonds have each won a copy of Ulead PhotoImpact, which adds innovative features that allow beginners to immediately enjoy success in editing their digital photos.

The winners of the January 2007 Prize Giveaway have been randomly selected from the current list of PhotographyBLOG Newsletter subscribers. Here are the 6 winners: Dean Steele, Mark Bowman, Tim Foster and Rick Pali have each won a copy of ACDSee Pro, which allows you to view, process, edit, organize…

Ricoh 500SEThe Ricoh 500SE is a GPS-ready digital camera, with an integrated precision GPS module. The 500SE can also receive NMEA data streams from external GPS devices via its on-board Bluetooth radio. The Ricoh 500SE is waterproof and shock-resistant and features an 8 megapixel sensor, 2.5 inch LCD screen, 28mm wide-angle lens and 1cm macro mode. The 500SE will be available for £549.99 and £599.99 for the WiFi version.

The Ricoh 500SE is a GPS-ready digital camera, with an integrated precision GPS module. The 500SE can also receive NMEA data streams from external GPS devices via its on-board Bluetooth radio. The Ricoh 500SE is waterproof and shock-resistant and features an 8 megapixel sensor, 2.5 inch LCD screen, 28mm wide-angle…

DXG-506VThe DXG-506V is a 5.1 megapixel digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player, voice recorder and webcam, all in a camcorder-shaped design. The DXG 506V shoots video at 640x480 at 30 frames per second and can capture digital photos of up to 12 megapixels (via interpolation). The DXG-506V is available immediately in four colors, Deep-Sea Blue, Metallic Pink, Midnight Black, and Classic Silver for $149.

The DXG-506V is a 5.1 megapixel digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player, voice recorder and webcam, all in a camcorder-shaped design. The DXG 506V shoots video at 640x480 at 30 frames per second and can capture digital photos of up to 12 megapixels (via interpolation). The DXG-506V is available immediately in…

Friday, February 2, 2007

Women’s AidThe controversial snapper photographs new domestic abuse campaign

International film director, fashion and portrait photographer Rankin has taken time out of his hectic schedule to work on a different kind of campaign. Today Women’s Aid, the national domestic violence charity, launches its new domestic abuse awareness campaign under the new brand Act and Rankin has shot the striking images. Famous female celebrity faces such as Anne-Marie Duff, Fiona Bruce, Honor Blackman and Anna Friel have all participated in the campaign which hopes to emphasise the fact that domestic violence can affect every woman, no matter her age or situation.

The controversial snapper photographs new domestic abuse campaign International film director, fashion and portrait photographer Rankin has taken time out of his hectic schedule to work on a different kind of campaign. Today Women’s Aid, the national domestic violence charity, launches its new domestic abuse awareness campaign under the new…

Kodak Logo 2006Kodak have announced a range of new Image Enhancement Plugins for Adobe Photoshop and compatible software. Available in professional and standard versions, the Kodak plugins cover noise reduction, airbrush effect, colour casts and exposure problems. You can download a free trial of the Image Enhancement Plug-Ins software by visiting http://www.asf.com/

Kodak have announced a range of new Image Enhancement Plugins for Adobe Photoshop and compatible software. Available in professional and standard versions, the Kodak plugins cover noise reduction, airbrush effect, colour casts and exposure problems. You can download a free trial of the Image Enhancement Plug-Ins software by visiting http://www.asf.com/…